The Witcher: Through the Worlds
by TheWitcherDom
Summary: This bards tale begins in the village of Claywitch. Where the Young Wolf, Dominik of Cintra, has accepted a contract from the local village elder. For years the young Witcher has traveled the continent, running from the ghosts of his failed past all while looking for his long lost love, Cirilla Fiona Ellen Riannon (Ciri x OC, rated M for language, violence, future sexual content)
1. Remembrance

**A/N: Hey everyone post edit Dom here with a message. So i have been getting a TON of messages (Some very angry) Saying 'oh it's impossible for him to ever survive without mutations how does he kill monsters, it's completely ipossible this SUCKS' First off to those of you who ask that question and pose it in a respectful way thank you, i'll always more then happily answer questions posed in a respectful way.**

**To the people who havent been, and have been sending me rude messages and leaving guest reiews saying there's no way that can happen and using harsh words 1.) Thank you still for reading 2.) Let me explain by saying this, please read on ahead in the story and learn more before you make comments.**

**(Won't go into spoilers) But in chapter 2 it's explained why he didnt undergo his mutations. (Neither him or Ciri knew women couldn't undergo mutations, the witchers never told them, we will learn more when he goes back to Kaer Morhen) Also if you continue to read you learn in later chapters he only takes contracts on monsters he knows he can handle without mutations (Drowners, Werewolves, certain Vampires, plenty of examples of these being killed by humans in books and games) and only accepts contracts on things such as Fiends, Leshens and other monsters when he has backup, or extra time to prepare. Also, you'll see that he's far from invincible, he takes some serious damage in all his fights and nearly dies, it's not like i'm writing about a human who goes and handles monsters with ease. He is nearly killed multiple times.**

**Also in the books it is stated many times that Witchers are in decline because MONSTERS are in decline and becoming increasingly rare. That along with most secrets of Witcher mutations being lost, it's becoming harder and harder to make them. In the games we see a TON of monsters not because the world is actually in cannon like that, but because you need enemies for a video game lol In cannon, in the Witcher Books, Witchers are in decline because monsters are in decline and people are figuring out ways to deal with them without Witchers. And while this story is based on the Witcher 3 game, it is going to stay true to in cannon book lore. The only real thing about the lore that will change from this story is the timeline a little bit. Dominik is not a mutated Witcher because it's a huge plot point going for. So in this story we'll learn that 1.) Another reason his mutations didnt take place, was because the Witchers at Kaer Morhen did not want him to possibly die. 2.) A person who was trained by Witcher's their entire life and has extensive knowledge of monster species, who knows his limitations, and has this secret power of blood inside him he doesnt know about can survive in the Witcher world. 3.) Being a Witcher to him and to others means more then just undergoing mutations**

**And I didnt want to put this on chapter 1 but there IS MORE TO HIM. He has a secret power inside of his blood that is revealed more and more to him as the book goes on. This is part of the reason I wanted to write the whole thing and post the whole story in one go, so you can read right till the end, but i got excited and decided to post before i was. But if you read on you'll see, he survives all of these fights and starts to wonder how it's possible he's growing so powerful, he learns there's more to his blood then meets the eyes. I didn't want to have to put this in an authors note in the first, but some of the messages i've been getting have been getting out of hand. So please, read on and get the whole story before making assumptions.**

**I appreciate every single person who reads this story, however if even after reading my explination here you still don't like the concept that is perfectlly okay! You have a right to your opinion, but please don't go messaging or leaving hateful annonymus reviews telling me that the story is fucking horrible because my protagonist doesnt have mutations lol You can simply click off this story if you don't like the concept i promise my feelings won't be hurt. I don't mean to come off as sounding bitter but this is just my general response to all the PMs and stuff i've been receving.**

**I truly appreciate everyone who even clicks on this story, and i hope you all enjoy it, and even if you don't I still hope you have a great day and stay healthy. Now to the story!**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 1: Remembrance**

**Narrator: This bards tale begins near the small village of Claywitch, where the Young Wolf, Dominik of Cintra has accepted a Contract from the local village elder. For years the young Witcher, has been traveling the continent, taking on contracts, while running from the ghosts of his failed past, all while looking for his long-lost love, the Lion Cub of Cintra, Cirilla Fiona Ellen Riannon.**

"Is this the place?" He asked the old farmer.

The elderly man shakily nodded his head. He had been in near Tretogor for a few weeks before he accepted the contract from the old man, the business had been alright, despite the fresh new scars on his back. He had never undergone the mutations, so he didn't have a normal Witcher's inhuman strength or speed, however he had studied the Witcher bestiary front to back at Kaer Morhen, he was convinced nothing could surprise him. He also had been on his own for almost eight years, and somehow hadn't died yet, so he was quick to accept the contract. What the old man had described to him had peaked his curiosity. Despite the small amount of coin, the farmer paid in advance, he decided to follow him back to his village. The treck from Tretogor out to the small hamlet had only taken a few days, in that time the man had gone into gruesome detail about what had been going on.

"Yes sir, this is the third house to have fallen victim this month. People are scared, thinking they'll be next," The man whimpered.

It was a small modest house, the normal kind you'd see in small villages like this. He slowly swung the door open. He walked in, expecting to see knocked over shelves, blood splatters, and most importantly dead bodies cut open and mutilated. However, he saw none of those. The fire pit was out, and a cold draft ran through the building. He turned to the old man.

"Doesn't exactly look like much happened here. Who lived here, who were they?" He asked the old man, searching over the shelves, and windows for any signs of forced entry, or any clue that could give him a lead.

"The Nowak's sir, Johan and Johanka. Young couple, just recently married, moved from Novigrad a few months ago," The old man told him.

The bed was amiss, the blankets strewn across the ground, but nothing you wouldn't see in a normal person's house after they got out of bed. The dinner table had a bowl of rotten fruit and a few bookcases were stacked with old dusty tomes that looked like they hadn't been picked up in a few weeks. He didn't have 'Witcher senses', however Geralt had taught him to always leave no stone left unturned, the smallest things could be clues.

He made his way back to the front door and knelt near the fireplace. No fire had clearly burned for a few days, and it was freshly swept. The old man who's name he learned was Alesky helped him search, however the old man seemed tired and spent most of the time reading an old book from the case. He reached up and gingerly ran his fingers along the wolf medallion. It hadn't hummed or showed any signs that anything magical was in the area. He reached behind it and gripped his hand tight around the silver swallow pendant for luck like he usually did.

He was made his way back towards the front door, he ran his hands down it and to his surprise when he pulled it back, discovered his fingers were black with soot.

"So, looks like whoever did this wasn't just let in. They blew the door open… need to see the bodies," He said quietly to himself.

Whirling around he saw Alesky closely examining the book. He was a skinny old man with a bushy beard that ran down to his shoulders, a balding head. The old man had come barging into the inn in Tretogor, begging anyone for help. The barkeep naturally threatened to throw the man out if all he was going to do was grovel, but he had quickly intervened to help the older man. He bought the greying man a drink and had him explain what was going on. After hearing Alesky's story it had piqued his interest, and he was already looking to move on from Tretogor anyhow, and despite the man's village being in northern Velen he decided to go with him.

He also had only smaller contracts since he last saw Dandelion in Novigrad a few weeks prior, and his coin was running low. Despite the small amount of gold Alesky had offered however, he took pity on the old man and helped him. A small part of him regretted not staying a little longer with Dandelion in Novigrad like the bard had asked him, but he decided he wanted to move quickly. While he enjoyed the bard's company, spending too long with him made him think about her… and that was always too painful. Dandelion hadn't had any new leads, and it hadn't surprised him, so after killing the drowners for the fishermen in the town, he had left for Tretogor, despite the bard insisting he should stay a few days and relax. No, he couldn't stop, he had to keep moving, he never knew when he would run into another lead to her… despite the fact there hadn't been any in years… not since Rivia. He hadn't given up in eight years… and he wouldn't give up now… despite the fact there was the part of his brain gnawing at him, that his task would be impossible, telling him to leave it be.

He wouldn't be able to however, he had promised her he'd never stop looking. The contract from Alesky was just a pit-stop.

"How long ago did you say the bodies were found," He asked the old man.

Alesky jumped and put the book down he was reading and turned to him, "About 12 days ago sir, do you have any ideas what happened?"

He ran his hand over the blown lock again, "Someone blew the door open, locks covered in soot."

The man stroked his white beard, "That seems kind of impossible sir. Their house was in perfect condition when the bodies were found. Nothing was knocked over, only thing out of the ordinary were that Johan and Johanka were dead."

"Nobody heard anything that night? Nobody saw or heard anything out of the ordinary, no screams or yelling?" He asked sniffing the soot.

Alesky shook his head, "No sir, it was just a normal night. Mikel, the foreman of the mill saw Johan hadn't shown up for work that day. Young buck never missed a day, so he came here to check on him. He found the bodies…" He said with a hint of sadness.

He thought more about it, he knew he'd need to talk to the mill foreman and see the bodies. He ruled out the idea that he was dealing with some beast. No werewolf, or any kind of ghoul wouldn't leave any clues behind. He determined that it had to be a creature of higher intelligence. This told him he had to be careful, Uncle Vesemir had always told him the most dangerous beasts were the one's who could think for themselves, one's of high intelligence.

He sighed and walked to the center of the house, "How much time went by between attacks? You said this was the third?"

The man nodded, "Yes sir, been a few weeks between each attack. First victims were Ida and Aleksander, the ones before Johan and Johanka were Alicia and Frederick."

"All couples, or married?"

Alesky nodded in confirmation, "Aye, Ida and Aleksander had just come into a bit of luck, Aleksander was a bit of an adventurous type you see. Found some old ruins nearby with enough old artifacts that would've set the two up in Novigrad for a nice while."

"Mhmm and the second pair?" He asked.

"Alicia and Frederick, two of them it's a damn shame. Old Hulda was looking to sell the inn, and the two of them had finally saved up enough coin after months to buy before they died," He had told him.

A small light lit up in his head. He saw the pattern. Three sets of victims, all young couples or recently married. More importantly, all had recently come into some luck. The recent couple just married and moved to the countryside. First two sets had just almost made enough to be set up for a nice while.

"And same circumstances for all three? House seemingly unlocked, just dead in their beds. House looking as if they weren't touched?" He inquired.

Alesky nodded to confirm and he sighed. It would've been easier if he came into a bloodstained house and saw mutilated bodies. Probably would've been a werewolf or other beast. However, he knew he was dealing with a being that had magical abilities, there would be no other way for them to enter houses undetected. A simple spell to muff the sound of them blowing the lock off to enter, and even there had been struggle a wave of their hands could've repaired any damage and he wouldn't know the difference.

Alesky took a shaky breath, "So? Any ideas master Witcher?"

He wrapped his fingers around the swallow pendant again, "Aye somewhat. I'll need to examine the bodies, were have you moved them?"

"They're at Alayna's house. She's our local alchemist, just moved a few months ago. You'll find her house just to the east, near the graveyard, she bought the old barn you can't miss it," The elder told him.

He nodded with a sigh, crossing his arms as he looked at the man, "Good, now is there anything else you could tell me? Has the village experienced any troubles recently? A fire to the fields, a particularly gruesome death besides these, a flood, disease, anything?" He asked. He needed to know if for any reason a wraith, or spirit might have been drawn here.

Old Alesky stroked his beard again, "Uhhh well, there is one thing a minor thing I don't know how it could be of any importance."

"Everything matters, the smallest details could help lead me to what's going on. My uncle taught me that, so please tell me." He said, remembering Uncle Vesemir's words.

Alesky shifted uncomfortably, "Ehh well if it helps. Lately we've been experiencing… sleeping issues. People are visiting Alayna every night for elixirs and concoctions to deal with nightmares."

That had piqued his interest. Multiple creatures feed off bad dreams or caused it.

"How long have these dreams been going on," He asked the old man.

He looked up scratching his bald head, "Well started a few months ago. Thank the gods Alayna showed up when she did. Her concoctions have kept the nightmares away from most."

"And has made her a killing I assume," He said to the old man, "I think I have all I need to begin, I'll need to talk to this Mikel and see the bodies."

He nodded his head and smiled, "Thank ye so much master Witcher, I'll let old Hulda know to set aside a room for you Master eh… I actually never caught your name sir," He said.

He shook his head, "It's because I didn't give it."

"Well please sir tell me, who should I be thanking for saving our village?" The old man asked him.

He laughed a little and shook his head, "I didn't save you yet… Dominik, Dominik of Cintra."

Alesky nodded his head gravely, "Ahh a terrible shame what happened there. Curses take the Black Ones for what they did. Were… you there? During the massacre, you don't seem too old master."

He felt a cold chill of ice run through his body, "Aye… I was. That's a story for another time when I'm a lot less sober. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to work."

He exited the house, his hand gripped on the swallow pendant.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He decided he'd get set up in the inn first. On his way he had talked to a few villagers and they all told him the same things he already knew. Bodies were found in their beds, drained of blood, houses all were in perfect condition. He had gathered that he was facing a magical creature, that broke into houses by blowing the lock up and leaving their houses in perfect condition. He had figured out that Mikel the foreman of the Mill, the one who found the recent bodies was at the inn, so that was where he was going. He wanted to talk to the man who found the bodies first. He didn't know if the alchemist this, 'Alayna' that all the villagers had been praising for curing their nightmares had tampered with them in any way, so he wanted to hear how they looked right when they were found.

No villager had given him anything more to go on, so he entered the inn with purpose. The inn was bustling with activity, so he was able to slip in without causing any commotion which was a nice change. Normally when he entered taverns and inns in his makeshift wolven school Witcher gear with a longsword on his back it tended to get him suspicious looks. He made his way to the main counter where an elderly woman was cleaning a mug, she must have heard the clanking on his blade in the sheath because she turned up to look at him.

"Greetings," He started kindly, "I'm-."

"Aye I heard old Alesky had gone and got us a Witcher. You're awfully young though lad, and I thought Witcher's had those yellow cat eyes," The old woman asked him, her old eyes meeting his gaze.

Music played from the lute of a bard, and the roar of the fire warmed his bones, however he had no interest in talking about the past.

"I'm new relatively speaking, as for the eyes well that's a long story. Old man said you had a room put aside for me?" He asked the woman.

Thankfully, the old woman didn't decide to inquire further and nodded her head. "Aye lad, second floor last room on the right. Names Hulda, my assistant Anya will be around just having a seat and she'll bring you anything you'd like, it's the least we can do."

He had full intentions on paying for his drinks and room. However, he needed more than a strong drink now, he needed more information.

"Thank you. I wanted to ask, the old man said you've been having nightmare problems," He inquired, remembering Alesky's words.

The wrinkles in the old woman's face grew, as if she were thinking of an unpleasant dream then. "Yes, it's been dreadful. The last few months, nobody's been able to sleep a wink more than a few days at a time without the nightmares coming."

"But I heard that your alchemist is quite talented?" He asked.

Old Hulda nodded, "Aye, Alayna's been a gift from the gods let me tell you. One swig of any of her concoctions and you'll be sleeping like a newborn babe."

The more he heard of this Alayna the more he began to believe that she could be a secret mage. He knew ever since the war over the now kingless Temeria mages hadn't exactly been welcome. However, he didn't know of anyway to completely get rid of nightmares that didn't involve magic. He remembered back in his youth, when he'd wake up screaming in the middle of the night in Kaer Morhen, the nightmares from that night at Cintra haunting him. Triss would calm him, sit on his bed with him while he wept. After he had fallen back asleep, she'd cast a protective spell over him, so he wouldn't have another nightmare.

The nightmares never stopped, until a few years later when Yennefer had cast a charm over the silver swallow pendant that protected him from the nightmares as a present for his birthday.

He could use his amulet to detect this when he finally met her. However, after looking out the window and realizing the hour, he knew it would have to wait till the next day.

He surveyed the tavern floor before turning back to Hulda, "Which one of these men are Mikel? The man who found the most recent bodies."

She pointed to a corner of the tavern, "Right over there he and his wife Danara come in for a few hours a night."

He noticed the young tall man, with a black beard and long hair. The woman next to him was a beautiful young brown-haired lass, they were laughing with mugs in hand. He turned back to Hulda and nodded.

"Thank you for your help." He said sincerely.

She shook her head, "No… thank you lad not many would have given us the time of day, being so remote of a village. Good luck and if you need anything come back to any of us."

It was a nice change to feel so appreciated. He couldn't help but wonder if he had undergone the mutations, and had the yellow eyes of a real Witcher, if they would be acting different. The world had so few genuinely good people left in it, let alone good villages. He wanted to help these people, he only hoped he could.

He left the counter and made his way across the inn, avoiding the people dancing on the wooden floor and people carrying empty mugs. He heard a young lass singing the ballad of Geralt of Rivia, and Yennefer of Vengerberg, one of Dandelion's best. All the bard needed to do now was sing about the massacre of Cintra, about the valiant death of Queen Calanthe, or the great tale of Geralt of Rivia saving a young boy from the fires of Cintra, that boy being the son of Cintra's greatest knight, training him to one day be a witcher…and his day would sufficiently have gotten worse.

He ignored it however and approached the table that Mikel and his wife sat at.

"Pardon me, are you Mikel?" He asked the man.

The both of them looked up, and Mikel's eyes went wide, "You! You're the Witcher old Alesky hired, aren't you? I heard you were asking around."

He nodded his head, "Aye that's me, and I heard you were the one to find Johan and Johanka, wanted to ask you a few questions if I may."

"Of course, Johan and Johanka a damn shame. I've known them both since they came to Claywitch. Please sit, this is my wife, Danara."

"A pleasure to meet you master Witcher, I'm sorry but… I must ask, don't the rumors say that witchers have silver hair, and yellow eyes?" She asked him.

He laughed a little and sat down across from the couple, "The silver hair is… only one very famous Witcher. As for the eyes well… that's a story for another day. You said you knew the two victims?"

Mikel nodded his head and his eyes fell, "Aye the two were married in Tretogor. You see they eloped here together."

He tilted his head, "No offense but this hardly seems like the type of village you elope together in."

Danara shook her head with a laugh, "No offense taken sir. You're quite right, Claywitch doesn't even show up on some Temarian maps we're that small. You see however, they were running."

"Running? What from," He asked the woman.

"From Johanka's father! You see he was a rich merchant in Novigrad, had plans to marry her off to some fat aristocrats' son, but she was in love with Johan," She explained to him, her eyes growing sad.

Mikel nodded in agreement, "Johan was just a fisherman, and orphan as well grew up his whole life working the docks, he loved his Johanka though."

He nodded in understanding, "And I'm guessing Johanka wasn't keen on being married off to someone she didn't like. Sounds like someone I… used to know." He said almost feeling the swallow tremble around his neck.

Danara nodded to confirm, "Aye her dad had a fit when he found out about her and Johan, so one night the two of them hopped on a wagon, old Alesky's on his way back from trading at the market. Nearly gave the old man a heart attack they did."

"After finding them and hearing their story, old man let them settle here. Old man Cregan had just died of old age without any family, he let them set up in his house. That Johan… worked his fingers to the bone at the mill, every day." Mikel told him, a bit of sadness in his voice.

"And Johanka worked here with Hulda. Never seen a more hardworking lass, she brought smiles to everyone's face. She was an even better friend, cried for a day I did when Mikel told me what happened." Danara finished.

"They sounded like good people. I'm gonna do what I can to find out what happened to them and the others. Now, Alesky told me you found the bodies?" He said, directing his question to Mikel.

The man nodded with a determined look, "Aye I'll answer any question you have, if it helps you stop this from happening again."

Danara nodded to her husband and stood up, "Good luck on your search master Witcher. I'd love to stay and hear some stories, but I must be getting home to rest."

Mikel shot to his feet as well, "Are you sure dear? You really shouldn't be walking home in your condition," He said worriedly.

The young woman laughed and threw her hair behind her shoulder, she leaned up and kissed her husband's cheek, "Fear not my love, we're only a few houses down. I'm pregnant I don't have a broken leg; I'll see you at home."

Mikel didn't seem to want to relent but eventually nodded, "Aye, just be careful of the step into the house, and make sure you take the potion Alayna prepared, and-."

"I know, I know," She said with a smile to her husband, before turning to him, "And it was a pleasure to meet you Master Witcher, what do we call you? I wish not to refer to you as 'Witcher' for your time here."

"Dominik, and congratulations." He said gesturing to her stomach.

She nodded, "Thank you very much Dominik, I hope you'll flatter my husband and me with a story before you leave."

"I'll be sure to think of a good one," He promised her, before the woman walked towards the exit to the inn.

A few people all smile and spun her on the dance floor before she eventually walked out of view. Every person she passed seemed to know who she was.

He turned back to Mikel who was still looking to where his wife had walked away.

"Have you ever been in love Master Witcher," The man asked him.

He felt the warmth from the fire leave his body before he nodded, "Yes. A long time ago."

Mikel nodded and let out a happy sigh, "Best feeling in the world let me tell you. They drive you crazy but… the good kind. You want them to be happy more than anything in the world."

He slowly nodded his head, and felt his fingers gingerly touching the swallow dangling from his neck behind the wolf.

"You know you love someone when you care more for their happiness then you do your own…" He said, remembering the words, and her beautiful emerald eyes.

Mikel smiled at him after he finally managed to look up from the pendant. "A beautiful saying. What happened to her if you don't mind my asking?"

His tongue almost bled from how hard he felt himself bite it, "She… she isn't here anymore."

Mikel's face fell and Dominik saw a look of genuine sorrow on the mans face, "I'm dreadfully sorry to hear that, and I apologize if I opened any old wounds. My point is master Dominik I would do anything for my wife, my home. Let me know how I can help you," He asked him, his face growing hard again.

He used the opportunity to shift the subject back to why he had come, not of the past that couldn't be changed.

"Think nothing of it, now I want you to tell me what you found, exactly how it looked, no detail is too small." He stressed to the man.

The black-haired man nodded, "Aye it was a day like any other. I was taking count of who had shown up that day at the mill, I was just promoted to foreman you see perfect with the baby on the way," He said with a hint of pride, "Johan had always been my best worker, never missed a day, hell one day I even had to force him to return home after he cut his arm open on a saw. I wanted to check on him, he hadn't been feeling well the last few days before."

"What was wrong?"

"The nightmares had been affecting him particularly hard, I heard it was the same for Johanka, poor man looked like he hadn't slept in days, I thought at first he had just slept in… I was sadly mistaken." He said sadly.

The female bard in the tavern strummed her lute with more purpose, singing more of the great Dandelion's ballads. The people didn't seem like anything was wrong, you would hardly had been able to guess people had been dying. It seemed they were more focused on enjoying and living their lives, then living in fear. It was interesting to see the village was seeming more and more like one of the few places where the violence of war hadn't yet reached.

He only hoped he could help them. He wished Geralt were there, he knew he would have determined the cause, found something with his heightened Witcher senses, and already been on his way to slay whatever plagued them. He hoped that he would make his memory proud.

"Right, now I know it may be hard, but I need to know anything you saw. The bodies, every detail you can remember, and the house anything that may have seemed off. No detail is too small," He stressed to the man, the heat from the fire and smell from the food hitting his nose.

After shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Mikel nodded, "It was like I told the old man. It was terrifying. Their bodies were pale white, even their eyes seemed… dried, faces were frozen in a scream, as if they were trying to scream but nobody heard."

He rubbed the brown scruff of his beard, he was even more convinced now whatever he was dealing with had to have some powerful magic. He would need to visit the alchemist Alayna and take a stroll to see if his medallion picked up anything.

"And the house?" He asked.

Mikel shook his head, "Nothing out of the ordinary, door was unlocked somehow it seemed, but I didn't see anything to suggest some broke in. The shelves, tables, everything was in perfect place."

"Damn," He cursed with a sigh, "Nothing else out of the ordinary? Not even a little?"

"Well, there was one thing," The man said, "The… smell. It was overpowering, smelled like lavender the whole house."

"Lavender," He reaffirmed, his mind racing again

Mikel nodded, his eyes meeting Dominik's, "Aye, no idea how it would help ye. However, you leave out no detail too small."

Dominik nodded, "You're right. Thank you for your help Mikel, I need to get together what I learned. Go home, I'm sure your wife is waiting."

The young man smiled and nodded to him before standing. He held out a hand which Dom shook, "Thank you Master Dominik, like I said should you need any help don't hesitate to ask… it's the least I can do for poor Johan."

He nodded back to him, "I'll do what I can to bring whatever killed him down, just make sure to lock your doors."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"It has to be some kind of vampire," He said pacing back and forth in his new room, "Pale white bodies, eyes dried, thing probably broke in, sucked them dry and left."

He had taken off his armor and paced back and forth in only his white trousers, his cold medallion bouncing on chest. He had never been particularly large, despite his father being a mountain of a man. He was slender, and more defined like Geralt, Lambert and Eskel back at Kaer Morhen. The sheath with his blade lay against the table, along with a large open book, a bestiary from Kaer Morhen he always carried with him.

"What kind though? Never heard of one that doesn't leave a mess behind," He said coming back over to the book and flipping through the pages, he sighed when none of the creatures made sense, "I guess Uncle Vesimer was right, I should have paid closer attention."

He looked over at the swallow that was laying on next to the book, "You always had my attention though… I wish you were here. You'd know exactly what to do," He picked up the pendant and tied the chain around his neck.

"And you'd remember how to make the damn vampire oil…" He sighed, "Well let's hope the recipe in the book isn't outdated and works on every kind."

He knew tomorrow he would need to first visit this alchemist. He needed the proper ingredients for the blade oil if he was to stand any chance. Also examining the bodies was his main priority. He laid down in the rickety bed, it wasn't the most comfortable he had ever slept in, but it would manage for a few days. He made sure the swallow pendant was tied tightly around his neck before pulling the woolen blanket over himself. The day had been exhausting, and within minutes, he felt himself drifting into a deep sleep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_The grand palace of Cintra was everything his 11-year-old self could have dreamed of. Knights, and soldiers patrolling the halls, the lion banners of Cintra adorning the ceilings. Tables of the exquisite foods that he had never seen before. His family was wealthy, his father's position as captain of Queen Calanthe's guards made it so, but the pudding, cakes and pies he saw amazed him. He had never tasted anything like them when he snuck the bits off the table as the lords and knights drank and sung. He looked over at his father, standing vigilant with his shield next to the table of Queen Calanthe, however he was also talking and joking around with the queen as everyone sang and danced. The bard's lively tunes and plenty of drink was flowing, his father's job was to make sure none of it turned violent._

_ His father had told him to stay within his vision, and only to come to him should there be an emergency. However, after hearing a drunk Knight tell the story of how he saved an entire village from a Manticore. Young Dominik had to go tell his father. _

_ "Father! Did you hear, Sir Radvig saved an entire village of people from a manticore attack!? He said it was as large as a house and ruined his blade with its poison!" He said excitedly grabbing his father's arm, abruptly ending his conversation with the Queen. _

_ His father looked down at him with an embarrassed look, "Dominik! I told you," He said leaning down and grabbing his hand, "Only come to me with emergencies!" _

_ He looked down, all his excitement gone, he had let his father down. _

_ "I'm sorry father…" he said sadly. _

_ His father sighed and looked back at the Queen, "Your majesty please forgive my son's intrusion I-."_

_ The queen laughed and waved his father off, "Oh relax Gregory, the boys caused no disruption," She said before looking over the table down to him, "Come around here child, your father's talked enough about you, time I properly saw you."_

_ The excitement that had left him suddenly returned. The legendary queen herself wanted to talk to him. He made his way around the table, his father keeping a watchful eye. The Queen turned in her chair and looked down at him, her posture regal, he gave a clumsy bow which only made the Queen laugh again. _

_ "So, your name is… Dominik correct?" She asked him._

_ The ball had continued like nothing had happened, the strumming of the bard's lute, combined with the singing and dancing filled the room with joy. He quickly nodded his head to answer the Queen's question. _

_ "Yes, your majesty it is my honor," He said remembering the proper etiquette his father had taught him. _

_ The Queen smiled and he felt himself well with pride that she was satisfied, "The honor is mine lad. Your father has protected me for many years, and your grandfather before him! I trust him with my life," She said looking up at his father who Dom knew was trying to hide his embarrassment._

_ The queen looked down to him then, staring right into his young emerald eyes, "Am I right in assuming that you want to one day do what he does and take his position?"_

_ He nodded eagerly and the Queen shared a smile with his father before looking back at him, "Did you know I have a granddaughter?"_

_ He nodded again in confirmation. Everyone in Cintra knew about the young princess, he couldn't recall her name at the moment, only that she was the 'Lion cub of Cintra'. _

_ "She'll more then likely be ruling when you become old enough to take your fathers position. Do you think you can promise me something lad?" The Queen asked him, smiling down at his younger self._

_ "Anything your majesty," He said eagerly, a huge smile on his face, his excitement reaching new peaks._

_ She met his green eyes with hers, "Can you promise me that when the time comes, you'll protect my granddaughter the same way your father protects me?"_

_ He remembered how excited that had made him. The Queen herself was personally asking him! She trusted him enough to ask him to defend her granddaughter. _

_ He nodded so hard that he almost fell, he heard his father chuckle behind him as the Queen nodded her head with a smile, "Good lad, I can tell she'll be in good hands."_

_ "You can count on me your majesty! I swear on my life, I won't let anything happen to her!"_

_He deduced a few years later after this night, that destiny had a funny way of bonding people together. It bound people together in many ways, many more then just the Law of Surprise._

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_ Next, he found himself older, perhaps 13 or so. He recognized the woods around Kaer Morhen, the gauntlet. He dashed through the snow-covered trees trying to keep pace with her. Despite his smaller frame she was still far quicker then he was. He hadn't seen her, and the snows were beginning to fall even heavier. He knew Triss, Geralt and the others would be worried soon, he had to find her. _

_ "Ciri!?" He shouted, following from branch to branch, "Ciri, where are you? The snows are getting bad." _

_ He went to leap up towards the next branch. He had done it a million times, he was supposed to grab on, and then use his momentum to bring him to the next tree. However, the branch must have finally suffered enough punishment over the years, because as he went to swing, the branch gave a loud __***SNAP* **__and fell from his hands. _

_ "AHHHHHHHH!" He yelled as he sped towards the snowy earth. _

_ He tried to angle himself to grab a branch but no matter what he couldn't find a grip. He finally accepted he would more then likely be getting a few broken bones, when suddenly the trees stopped falling around him. His arm was yanked up, almost popping out of its socket._

_ "GOTCHA," He heard her voice yell. _

_ "Ciri! What were you doing," He said looking up and meeting her gaze, her ashen hair caked with snow and dirt._

_ Sure enough she was there. This was always his favorite part of the dream. She was standing on a sturdy branch; he had only been a few feet from breaking his back. She struggled for a moment and pulled him up, where he joined her on the branch, his face only a few inches away from hers._

_ She looked as beautiful to him as she always did, her ashen hair dirty and sporadic covered in snowflakes, twigs and leaves. A spot of freckles ran over the bridge of her nose, and her sparkling emerald eyes shone with amusement. He remembered this moment all too well, the winter before he, Geralt, and Triss took her to Ellander where she would go to school, and eventually learn to control her powers from Yennefer, while he would travel the path for a while with Geralt before returning to Kaer Morhen to finish his training._

_She laughed and the two of them both flipped backwards off the branch and landed on the snow that was now almost up to their knees._

_ "Ha I was kicking your butt that's what I was doing!" She said playfully shoving his shoulder, she smiled at him, "I am glad I was able to get you though, are you all right?"_

_ He looked down at his now cut and bleeding hand, he shrugged his shoulders, "I'll be alright, I've had worse. Come on though, we should get back. Uncle Vesemir will have us reading monster chapters till we die if we don't," He said, turning to start running. _

_ Ciri's eyes went wide and before he could start running, she grabbed his wrist, "No! Not yet, come on I want to show you something I found," She said excitedly. _

_ He sighed and looked back towards Kaer Morhen and felt the wind nip at his already red nose, "I don't know Ciri, Triss will have a fit if we don't get back." _

_ He turned back to find her staring at him with her arms cross, eyes narrowed, and lips pursed. He rolled his eyes. Ciri had gotten the idea into her head after Triss had shown up that Dominik was falling in love with the sorceress. It was well known that Triss was infatuated with Geralt, and Dom had always seen the sorceress as the loving older sibling he never had due to him being the oldest child back in Cintra. Ciri had teased him about it to no end however, despite all of his assurances. _

_ "Oh, stop it," He told her. _

_ "Stop what? I didn't say anything," She said in a joking tone. _

_ He rolled his eyes, "Yes but I know exactly what you're thinking."_

_ She chuckled and shook her head, "Alright, alright, but please come on! You'll love it, please, please," She said pleading to him. _

_ She looked at him with those big shining emerald eyes and he knew he was going to relent. He sighed and nodded his head, "Okay only for a little bit though, it's freezing out here."_

_ She smiled at him, before leaning up and planting a kiss on his cheek which warmed his bones to the core, "Oh stop being such a baby and come on, follow me!" She said before bounding off. _

_ He smiled after her and raced in her footsteps. The two of them leaped from tree to tree, branch to branch, being sure to not lose sight of her this time and be careful to keep his grip on the branches. He never wanted to lose sight of her, he remembered that was his worry in those days. He and Ciri had eavesdropped on enough conversations with the Witcher's and Triss to know that she had special magical talent. Triss had reassured him Ciri was only going away to Ellander to study, and hopefully they could find a mage powerful enough to help her control the abilities she had._

_ No amount of convincing from Triss, Geralt or Ciri herself however had shaken the fear from him. The fear that Ciri would be taken away, locked in some tower and forced to study magic for years, not being allowed to see him. He would have her ripped away from him, one of the few people in the world he was sure he loved._

_ He almost tripped from another branch while thinking but managed to land on his feet cushioned by a pile of snow right behind Ciri who had leaped to the ground. _

_ "Here we are, check it out," She said excitedly, looking into the blackness of a cave._

_ "It's a cave…" He asked her, the wind and snow howling in his ears._

_ She rolled her eyes and reached around her back into the pack she brought, before producing a torch. After a quick flick of some flint that they both carried the torch sprang to life, igniting their path in the front of the cave. The cave went much deeper then he initially thought._

_ "Ciri how did you find this?" He asked as he followed her deeper into the cavern._

_ He saw her smile by the light of the torch when she turned to him, her face close to his again, "I was running the gauntlet and I fell, it was covered by some leaves, I stumbled right through it, come on check this out!"_

_ She smirked and pulled away from him before the two finally got to what she had been talking about. The cave led to a huge cavern. It echoed their footsteps and it was covered with shelves, desks, chests and a large bed in one corner. In the center of the cavern Ciri deposited her torched and after some working a new fire roared, illuminating the cavern. There was a rack with old rusty swords, an old training dummy. The cave had everything one could need to have their own little secret hideaway. _

_ "Wow," He said with amazement, "it's like someone's built a base, this is amazing Ciri!" _

_ She laughed and smiled at him over the fire, "Haha I knew you'd like it! I checked some of the maps at Kaer Morhen, it doesn't appear on any of them. It seems like an old Witcher wanted some time away from the castle."_

_ He laughed and took in his surroundings again, "I can't believe Geralt or Vesemir didn't know about this."_

_ She shook her head, "And you best not tell them! I was thinking we could make this place our own! Sneak a few things here from the castle and we can come here to train and relax when we want to get away from the castle! After I get back from Ellander we could-."_

_ At the mention of Ellander, his excitement left him. He looked down into the crackling fire and slowly lowered himself to the ground sitting with his legs extended. He unstrapped the sword from his back and Ciri clearly saw the shift in his mood. Her smiled disappeared as well, she unstrapped her sword and tossed it next to his before taking a seat next to him, she reached her hand over and placed hers over his, her cold hand sent a chill, then warmth through his body. _

_ "I've told you before, it's only for the spring. If it makes you feel any better, I'll probably be bored out of my mind while you're off helping Geralt kill monsters," She said, with a hint of amusement. _

_ He looked at her and the two of them locked their emerald eyes with each other, "I'd rather be here and bored with you, then out there without you…" He said forcing himself to look away from her into the fire, "We were supposed to set out on the Path together, before taking the fight to the black ones."_

_ "We can still do that!" She said to him desperately. _

_ He shook his head, "You have no idea what's going to happen Ciri! What if…what if they take you!? What if they lock you in some tower and force you to learn magic for years! Triss says mages train for years to control their powers!" _

_ She squeezed his hand and shook her head, "I'm not a mage! Yes, I have powers that I don't understand but I'm no mage. I won't let them take me away, I promise and if they tell me I have to go somewhere I won't go unless you're with me. We protect each other remember?" She said to him. _

_ He felt his face begin to grow hot as his eyes started to water. He shook his head, "But what if someone tries to take you, what if someone takes you away against your will? You're strong Ciri, but what if someone forces you away. I can't… I can't lose you," He told her, managing to meet her emerald eyes again. _

_ He was waiting for her to say something, try to reassure him more. However, she didn't say a word and looked down into the fire they had started. She then reached around to the back of her neck and he heard her necklace unclasp. She held the silver swallow pendant in her hand for a moment then looked at him._

_ She shook her head, "I don't know what will happen Dom… you may be right, something may happen. But… I know for a fact that, if something does, I'll have Geralt, Triss, and most importantly… you trying to help me." _

_ He went to wipe his eye, but she beat him to it, running one of her rough fingers over his cheek to remove the tear that had fallen. _

_ "I promised your grandmother all those years ago I'd protect you, I'll never stop trying to protect you. If anything happens, I'd do anything to find you," He promised her, her touch sending warmth and reassurance down his body._

_ She nodded her head and ran her fingers over the silver swallow before holding it out to him, "I… I want you to take this." _

_ He looked at the pendant astonished for a moment before shaking his head, "Ciri I can't, your grandmother gave that to you. It's the last thing you have-."_

_ She shook her head, "I know that but… I guess… if you have it, you'll always have me with you in a way. Take it as a promise, a promise that… that no matter what happens-."_

_ He wrapped his hand around hers and the pendant, "No matter what happens I'll always try to find you. No matter what." He finished for her as she nodded to confirm. _

_ Without hesitation he reached around his own neck. He unclasped the small chain of iron from his neck, around which dangled an old bronze ring. He sighed and looked at it for a while before turning to her._

_ "I… I know it isn't a silver pendant but, my father's ring, it always brought me luck. Father said that… all of our families worn it as guard captains to protect the line of Cintra… it's not much I know but-," She cut him off by wrapping her hand over his and taking the iron chain. _

_ "I love it… lets promise now, that no matter where we are, we won't forget each other," She said with a smile, reaching to wrap the iron chain around her neck. _

_ He did the same with the silver swallow and nodded his head, "Yeah, and that no matter where we are, we'll always try to get to each other," He said with a smile, his heart growing warm form her gaze._

_ She smiled and leaned her head over onto his shoulder as the two of them looked into the fire. She looked back at him with a mischievous look on her face, "Will you still try to find me even if you meet a beautiful sorceress in your travels like Geralt did, and she tries to make you hers?"_

_ He chuckled a little and looked down at her before shrugging his shoulders, "Then I'll tell them I have someone else waiting, what about you? What'll you do if you meet a handsome knight, rich merchant, or powerful sorcerer?"_

_ She shrugged her shoulder as well, "Then I'll tell them that any sword they have, mines sharper and can kill ya."_

_ The two of them laughed for a minute before Ciri looked at him with another smile, "What about if some beautiful barmaid wants to take you to her room and learn about your Witcher scars?"_

_ It was his turn to shrug his shoulders, "Then I'll respectfully decline and tell them the one I love already knows most of the stories and that-."_

_ "Wait," She said shifting so her body was facing him, "You… you love me?"_

_ He remembered his younger self freezing at the moment, his stomach so tightly in knots it almost exploded. _

_ "Oh um, yes, I do, I really do, I… I'm so sorry if you don't feel the same, I shouldn't have told you that, I'm really sorry-." She had cut him off by kissing him that night. _

_ She covered his lips with hers and kissed him for what seemed to him like hours. After she finally pulled back from him, she smiled, and he saw the firelight dancing in her emerald eyes._

_ "I love you too you stupid boy, I… I have for a while now. Always yeah? Let's promise to always find and protect each other." She asked him. _

_ He remembered this night, exactly what happened next. He promised Ciri they'd always find and protect each other. She kissed him again and the two ended up having to spend the night in the cavern with the snowstorms raging outside. The next day when they went back to Kaer Morhen the Witcher's and Triss had been furious, the two spent the next three days doing nothing but reading chapters as punishment. _

_ However, that didn't happen this time, his younger self's head propped up. _

_ "Do you hear that," He said, his eyes going wide as he looked towards the entrance._

_ Ciri shook her head, "No, I didn't hear anything what did it-."_

_ Ciri was interrupted by a huge blasting chill of air that shot through the cavern. The frost surrounded the both of them and before he could even shout Ciri's name the both of them were incased in ice unable to move. His eyes darted around the cavern Ciri was frozen next to him, he tried to call out to her, but his mouth was incased in ice. Nothing he did was able to help his limbs move. Armored men burst into the cavern. Taller then any Dom had seen before, clad in plate and bones. _

_ The Wild Hunt. _

_ "CIRI!" He tried to yell, but nothing came from his mouth._

_ Soldiers of the Hunt grabbed her and hauled her from his view as one who he assumed was a mage, holding along staff strode into the cavern. He stood in front of him, he tried to scream, reach for his sword, he was screaming Ciri's name, but he just couldn't move. _

_ "You cannot save her. You could not save her the first time, or the second time. What makes you think you can save her this time," The mage said, his deep voice echoing off the cave walls._

_ Suddenly he wasn't in an old vision anymore, it was him as he was in the current day, stuck in ice before this mage of the Wild Hunt. _

_ The man let out a guttural laugh, "What happened after Zireael left you in Ellander, after that year you spent as a family? It was your worst fear wasn't it? She was taken to harness her powers, but it did not go to Yennefer's plan at Aretuza did it?"_

_ Suddenly his vision shifted. It was a large sprawling desert, a blue portal opened up above the sand and out of it, a now 15-year-old Ciri fell to the dust. She was wearing robes like a mage and he saw the iron chain with his father's bronze ring still dangling around her neck. He remembered what happened all too well, Yennefer had brought Ciri to Aretuza to learn from the mages, but after a coup they tried to kidnap Ciri to try and control her blood, she had teleported away only to land in the desert. _

_ He watched as Ciri almost died from exhaustion and dehydration as she went in circles trying to find her way from the desert. He watched her fall to her knees, finally collapsing from exhaustion. She gripped her hand around the ring necklace he gave her and looked up at the stars. _

_ "Dominik said… the stars… the stars can guide us... Find… find Polaris," She muttered looking up at the star filled sky._

_ He remembered he taught her how to read the stars when they were fleeing Cintra as they tried to get north. He had told her always to look for Polaris, the north star and they'd never be lost. His blood felt like sand was running through it as he saw her fall onto the ground, frantically trying to get herself back up._

_ "Where were you? You know this isn't the only hardship she faced, were you not supposed to protect her? Keep her from harm?" The deep voice of the mage said to him._

_ The vision shifted again to Ciri in the streets of a city, she had to have been slightly older then, perhaps 16 or so. This was the oldest he had ever seen her. He remembered that his sole purpose during this time had been to find her. He, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss they searched every bit of the continent they could but were unable to find her._

_ She was in an alley trapped by an older boy, perhaps eighteen or so._

_ "Come on lass, I can't think of any other way to thank you for saving us," He said as he got closer to her, "You can't tell me a lass as pretty as you has never been with a man?"_

_ "Any closer and I'll chop your hands off, you hear me. I'm sick of this, I don't want any of you!" She hissed at him. _

_ He chuckled and shook his head, taking another step closer, "Ha, I know that's not true dear. Are you holding out hopes for that boyfriend of yours? You know he hasn't come for you yet, hasn't found you. I promise you'll enjoy it, it's just nervousness you're feeling… let me reward you for saving me."_

_ "GET BACK NOW! He will come find me," She hissed at him, "Or I'll find him, one way or another, if you take another step closer, I'll take your hands" She screamed at him, small tears streaming down her face, his ring still bouncing on her chest._

_ He saw vision after vision of different men, attacking her, trying to force themselves on her. He did everything he could, screamed as loud as he could, but nothing he did could reach her. _

_ Suddenly the vision went black, the mage appeared before him again. "You cannot save her. She will be ours, the Elder Blood, we need her dead or alive, no matter what you will not save her. There is nothing you can do, it is best for you to do nothing, it is what you are best at."_

_ "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He yelled breaking free of the ice and thrusting his hand forward as the vision of a dead Ciri lay on the ground before him. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"NOOOOOOOO," He shouted shooting up on the covers, sweat dripping down his bare chest, as he could barely breath and could feel the frost still on his nose.

"Ciri," He yelled looking around, trying to regain his bearings.

He was still in Claywitch, the room in the inn. He took in deep heavy breaths as he felt a cold sweat overcome him. He had a nightmare. He hadn't had a nightmare in years, he reached his hands to his neck and only found his Wolf Witcher's Medallion. Right away he threw the blanket off himself and got onto his hands and knees, searching under the bed, the desk, anywhere for the silver swallow. He wouldn't lose it, he couldn't. It was all he had left of her; all he had left of Ciri was that pendant. He breathed a sigh of relief when he did find it near the entrance to his room with the help of a candle. He picked up the silver swallow and shivered there on his knees, on the cold wooden floor.

He sighed in relief and placed the candle on the ground before squeezing the silver swallow. He felt himself begin to tear up, as he held the swallow to his mouth and kissed it.

"I failed you… I'm so, so sorry…" He said, sniffling, letting tears fall from his eyes.

He was sure he would have sat on that floor all night, crying and thinking about her, if he hadn't caught the smell. Between his sniffling the smell penetrated his nose. He wiped the tears from his face and lifted his head. He concentrated and sniffed the air.

"Lavender…" He said, distinctly remembering the smell from alchemy lessons.

He stood and placed the candle on the desk next to the bed. "How did it…" He said looking at the swallow pendant and the place on the floor it had been.

He cursed his luck, He wished he had the Witcher's senses like Geralt had. However, he promised he wouldn't undergo the mutations without Ciri, and when they couldn't find her, he refused to undergo the trial of the grasses. He thought about going back one day to undergo the trial… but he knew he couldn't. He swore he wouldn't go back to the keep unless he found her, was bringing her home. There was also the fact he knew the mutations had a seventy percent chance of killing him… and he wouldn't risk dying like that until he knew Ciri was safe again.

The pendant had to have gotten off his neck somehow. He looked over at the door to his room and walked over to it, as he got closer the smell of lavender got stronger in the air. He slowly opened his door and looked in the hallway. The window at the end of the hall shined nothing but darkness and only the light of his candle shown. He went back into his room closing the door tightly going to lock it. However, he knelt down when he realized that the lock was no longer there. In its place was nothing except the strong smell of lavender.

He pulled his hand back from the door and found that his fingers had been covered in soot. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the swallow pendant in the candlelight. He shifted uncomfortably putting all the pieces together. He sat down at the desk, placing the candle down and looking closely at the pendant, letting out a small chuckle.

"Ha, seems you're saving me without even being here." He said to the swallow as he tied the silver chain back around his neck.

He opened the bestiary again, "Seems like our vampire must have caught onto me already… heard me asking around."

He got to the page with vampires and studied the recipe for vampire oil he'd have to make later the next day, he didn't think the swallow pendant would make for a good weapon, so the oil was necessary.

"Tried to sneak in here, give me some nightmares to feed off of, realized that you were magic, protecting me from bad dreams. Used some magic to muffle itself, managed to slip you off my neck before giving me those dreams…" He said looking down at the dangling swallow.

He held it in his hands and smiled, "Too late did they realize Queen Calanthe spared no expense when she got her granddaughter a 100% pure silver swallow for her birthday… doesn't seem like I'll be sleeping tonight."

**A/N: Chapter 1 is in the books! I hope you all enjoyed, and I have peaked your interest enough to get you to read on. I won't put super long authors notes at the end of chapters, however I wanted to go over a few things here since it's the first. **

**This story is going to be based on the Witcher 3 game, not the books, or tv show. It will follow the games events, but have elements and mentions of events from the books, so if you're currently reading the Witcher books (Which I HIGHLY recommend) then you may be spoiled for some events if your read on. In particular events from the first book 'Blood of Elves', and a few from the last book, 'Lady of the Lake' may be spoiled, since Dominik was around with Geralt for Blood of Elves before setting out on his own, so a quick warning there. **

**Second, I wanted to wait until I was completely done writing the story, and just post it all in one go. However, the whole story is going to be at least 50-60 chapters perhaps more, then even more if I decided to just post DLC content on this story as opposed to a second story, so I have around 15 done now, and will post those periodically as I write more, so I will have a relatively quick update rate.**

**Third, the story is based on the games however I do want to clarify some things. Since this is a book and not an open world RPG, I won't be writing out ALL the sidequests, I would hope this is a given lol I will obviously write out important side quests, like the ones with Kiera, Letho and the Baron in Velen, Triss and Roach's quests when we get to Novigrad, and the questline to crown a ruler in Skellige when we do get there. I'll add in a few of my personal favorite, quick quests here and there but I will not have every single little sidequest, if I did this book would be 150 chapters long and I wanna keep my sanity. If you have requests for certain quests you would wanna see done, please message me and we can discuss. **

**Fourth, in terms of gear, it will most be the same for the whole game, I won't have chapters with Dominik an Geralt farming to get better gear lol Geralt will wear his Kaer Morhen default/trailer armor for the whole game, his swords may change but the armor will stay the same. For Dominik, he's going to be wearing the Wolven Witcher gear for the whole story, he starts with the base set and you'll see it get improved as the story goes on, he will eventually get a silver sword, but it's going to be that armor the whole book. **

**Fifth and finally, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review the story if you have time. I love hearing what you guys think and it helps motivate me to write more faster. Please just be respectful, if you see something wrong with my lore, or a small mistake please tell me. I'm obviously going to change a few things here and there, maybe create a few new things in terms of monsters and lore but nothing major. **

**Okay that is it, I promise xD I hope you all enjoyed! See you next time!**


	2. Revelation

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 2: Revelation**

**Narrator: After careful investigation, Dominik determined that the monster that had been killing the villagers of Claywitch was a type of vampire. That night he had a close encounter with the beast, it broke into his room at the inn and tried to end his investigation. Thankfully he was saved, when the beast tried to remove his silver swallow pendant, that was gifted to him by his long-lost love Cirilla Fiona Ellen Riannon.**

The sun had finally come up, and he felt his eyes begin to somehow get even heavier. He fumbled for a few moments and managed to get himself dressed back into his armor. The plate on his shoulders felt particularly heavy, he would need to invest in something lighter soon. He had always wanted a set of the armor Geralt always wore, if he wasn't terrified of going back to Kaer Morhen he would have gone to get a set for himself earlier. However, he couldn't go back to the Witcher stronghold without remembering all the time he spent there, with Ciri, and then to realize that she wouldn't be there again. He was sure to take everything from his room, with the lock now non-existent he didn't want to risk his stuff getting stolen. He strapped his longsword across his back along with his pack, before heading down to the bar of the inn.

The inn was empty, only occupied by a grey tabby cat and the old woman Hulda cleaning a mug. She looked up at him with a smile as he passed.

"Ah Master Witcher, are you alright lad? Nightmares get to you. Doesn't look like you slept a wink." She told him.

He nodded his head, "You could say that… didn't anyone come to my room last night? Or come asking for me?" He asked her.

The old woman thought for a moment before shaking her head, "Can't say I saw nobody no, at least not while I was awake. I'd head straight over to Alayna, like I told you yesterday one swig of her potions and you'll be just fine."

He nodded, wondering how nobody could possibly see someone go through the busiest building in the town without being seen. Whatever type of vampire it was, it was magical, and could move at great speeds, possibly enough to be not be seen. If the beast was a Bruxa, or perhaps a Katakan, he would be in for a seriously tough fight. He knew his limitations, and while he had killed Katakan's and Bruxae before, many of the scars on his body ached at the memories of them. He tried to avoid contracts on higher vampires like those unless it was like the current situation when a village was truly in desperate need.

He nodded to the old woman, "Thank you, I'll be sure to do that. Old man told me she bought out the old barn near the graveyard?"

Hulda nodded her head, "Aye she has an old hut near, but the barn is where she has most of her supplies. She has some workers she's hired to tend fields and harvest her ingredients can't miss them."

He thanked the woman for her help and exited the building. The village was absolutely bustling. People walked through the streets carrying large sacks of grain and bustles of wheat over their shoulders. Kids ran along the streets chasing dogs and cats, while laughing and playing games. It seemed to him like the perfect little village. He couldn't sense any animosity and wondered how a creature so foul such as a vampire could infiltrate a place like this. He needed to kill the creature, and his biggest priority was now seeing the bodies, and completing the vampire oil. He'd need to lure the creature out of hiding somehow, or find its lair, most vampires had one.

He reached the old barn and was greeted by large fields of different flowers, and herbs. A crew of about eight men were tilling the fields, carefully picking and carrying bushels and baskets of herbs to and from the barn. He noticed the graveyard a few yards to the east, and he felt his bones chill. Graveyards could give a vampire a whole entire feeding ground.

He was about to walk toward the entrance to the barn to find this alchemist, when a tall mountain of a man stepped in his way.

"Can I help you?" He said in a deep voice.

Dominik looked up at the man, the size of his biceps probably equaled two of his own. His fat wrinkly neck was creased as the sun seemed to reflect off his bald head. He was the first person he had met in the village who didn't seem particularly pleasant. That was only further iterated to him by the giant woodsman axe on his back.

"I'm here to see Alayna, I need to see the bodies of the recent victims," He told the mountain man.

"Lady Alayna is busy you'll need to come back later." He said to him.

After what happened to him the previous night, and with the current lack of sleep he had, he wasn't in a particularly good mood.

"I need to see her now, tell her I'm investigating the deaths, I need too-."

"And I told you, she's busy. You'll just have to come back." He said not budging from his place.

Sighing he met the man's beady brown eyes, "I need to see the bodies if you want any hope for your village, now out of my way," He said with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

The mountain of a man chuckled, "Ha or else what? The lady is busy, nobody will disturb her."

"My patience is thinning; I suggest moving out of the way." He said, his hands itching to draw his blade.

The man laughed again and put a hand on the handle of his axe, "Haha, I'll crush you into two pieces little man."

"You'll have to get ahold of me first…" Dom said reaching for the hilt of his blade.

He thought he would be in for a fight. At that particular moment he thought he'd end up ruining the fields of herbs and staining them with blood. However, before he could do something, he would probably regret later a voice broke the tension between the two.

"Stand down Boras, it's quite alright," A soothing honeyed voice said.

From behind the giant man a woman stepped forward. Her fiery orange hair was tied above her head. Soon he realized it wasn't a normal woman, but an elven one, her ears sharply pointed upwards. She wore a dress of blue silk, without anything on her feet. She walked with such regal grace he almost had the urge to bow to her. However, he had a good feeling he knew who it was.

"You're Alayna I presume?" He asked, taking his hand off the hilt of his blade.

She smiled so sweetly that Dom almost felt himself bowing to her whim, she gestured for him to follow, "I've been expecting you Master Witcher. Come, I know why you've came here."

He dealt with the glares of Boras the brute and the other men as he walked by the alchemist towards the barn.

"Quite the merry band you have here…" He said to her.

She chuckled, "Well I must have someone to help me tend my fields. They simply… offered a helping hand and I paid them."

He rolled his eyes, "I'm sure they offered help out of the pure kindness of their hearts."

The woman laughed again and smiled, "No matter the reason I am thankful for their help. Now come, I hear you want to examine the bodies?"

"Yes, Johan and Johanka. I heard that for days before their deaths Johan had been coming for nightmare potions?" He asked the alchemist.

The two of them entered the barn. The stables were strewn with different kinds of herbs, fungi and stacked with other materials. A desk with a mortar, pestle and other tomes stood in the middle. Alayna closed one of the books and as she was, Dom took notice to the bandages wrapped around her left hand. She locked eyes with him when he noticed and quickly retracted it back into her dress.

"Silly me, left my hand out over the fire for too long," She said with a laugh, "To answer your question yes. Poor Johan and Johanka the two of them both suffered many sleepless nights before they were killed. Here come with me to the bodies."

He took note of the wrapping on her hand. An alchemist who mistakenly held her hand over a fire. It seemed very unlikely to him. He made sure to keep focused on his medallion, it wasn't vibrating in any form. No magic was around, so he couldn't be sure the alchemist had anything to do with anything. Even if she was a secret mage, he would have felt some kind of magical presence. She led him out the back of the barn and into the graveyard just east of the building. Two fresh graves had just been dug and on two cots, lay poor Johan and Johanka.

"Here they are, just had my lads dig a grave, kept them here for you to examine." She said, standing next to the two cots.

He looked over the two bodies and they were just how Mikel had explained to him. He leaned down to poor Johan. The man's body was completely white, his eyes bulging out of his head, dried out. Johanka looked the same, her skin pale white, her black hair marred with grime. Both of their faces were still contorted in fear.

"Old man told me the attack was about two weeks ago?" He asked the woman.

She nodded and came over towards him, lightly brushing her fingers across his shoulder as she came to look with him.

"Yes, third pair to suffer this fate." She said sadly, "Very noble of you to volunteer to save this village."

He looked down the bodies of the pair. It truly seemed as if nothing had sliced or tried to attack them. The bodies were simply pale. He knew however if a vampire wanted to suck the blood from the pair there had to be at least one point of entry.

"I'm a Witcher, it's my job." He said as he ran his hand down the arm of Johanka.

Alayna chuckled and rested her hand on his shoulder, "Oh you may be able to say that to these villagers. I know however, you aren't a true Witcher."

He stopped and looked up at her, "You don't know anything about me." He told her before looking at the bodies again.

She smiled sweetly at him, "Oh I know quite a few things. I don't doubt your abilities, but I can tell… you haven't undergone the Witcher mutations… why?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business," He told her, examining near Johan's neck.

He sighed when he found no signs of any wounds near their necks.

Alayna chuckled, "I'm merely making conversation. Come now, a question for a question?"

He sighed and looked back at the woman, her dark brown eyes dancing with amusement. "Fine, people have been telling me about the nightmare problem, what's in these potions you've been giving them?"

"See, not so hard. A simple concoction to induce a deep dreamless sleep. Chamomile, and a few other herbs is simple enough," She told him.

"Chamomile and herbs aren't enough to induce a deep sleep, so I'll ask again, what are you giving these people?" He asked, slightly more aggressively.

She shook her head with a smirk, "Oh no, that's not how this little game works, it's my turn to ask the question. Now… tell me why you didn't undergo the Witcher mutations?"

He bit his tongue again; he was hoping that the woman wouldn't be difficult. However, he needed more information out of her, and the ingredients to make his blade oil.

He sighed again, "Something happened. There was someone who I was supposed to go undergo the trial with, someone… close to me. They vanished, spent years looking for them, never got back around to taking the trials. Besides… the Witchers who taught me didn't want to risk me dying, they had become a second family," He told the woman.

She gave him an amused look, "Again, not so hard right? Now go on, a question for me?"

He looked back down at the bodies of Johan and Johanka, and very faintly noticed something he hadn't seen before.

"The villagers aren't around, so tell me. Any magical abilities? An elven woman in the middle of nowhere, have to think it's a perfect place for a mage in these times," He said leaning down again.

The woman chuckled, "Curious man, aren't you? To answer your question yes, but only to a small degree, the potions I give the villagers are harmless, grant them dreamless sleeps after nightmares."

He tucked the bit of information away, there was no way his medallion wouldn't have sensed her magic. He leaned down and examined the wrist of Johan. Very faintly, so much so that he had to squint and narrow his eyes, were two small black dots on his wrist. He moved over to Johanka and sure enough he saw the same.

"Did you see this before?" He asked the woman.

"Oh no, no, no we're still playing our little game, it's my turn for a question, Master Dominik," She told him with a smirk again.

"I don't have time for your damn games, I have work to do, people are dying!" He said with irritation.

She tsked at him and came over slowly running her hand along his collar bone, "Now Master Witcher, you seem to have fallen under the nightmares yourself. I'll brew you something up but come now. You need only answer my questions, and I'll tell you everything I can, even give you a nice discount on some herbs."

He wanted to leave the area then, but he knew in his gut he needed the alchemist. He remembered how Geralt used to tell him sometimes on the Path you'll meet people who anger you, but if it means getting the contract fulfilled you must power through it.

So, Dominik sighed and nodded, "Fine, what would you like to ask?"

She smiled again and circled him, trailing her finger along his shoulder, "See, not hard is it? Now… have you ever been in love Master Dominik?"

He felt as if he was going to bite through his tongue, but nodded his head, "Yes, a long time ago."

"Interesting… now, what would you like to ask me?" She said with a sultry smile.

He shook his head to focus, "How long has it been between attacks exactly?"

She took a few steps around Johan and Johanka's bodies and ran her fingers along them, "About two to three weeks…my turn now."

He looked closely again at the wrists of Johan and Johanka. Two small black dots on the inside of the wrists. He looked down to his gloved hands and pulled back the part covering his right wrist. His eyes widened when on the inside of his right wrist, he noticed that two black dots were smoldering. They were both so small and insignificant seeming, that he didn't notice it earlier when he put his gloves on. The realization dawned on him.

The vampire left these marks on their next target, gave them nightmares, then went in for the kill.

"But why doesn't it-." He started to ask himself.

He was cut off by a hot breath running down his shoulder. The alchemist was uncomfortably close now. He felt a tingling in the back of his neck, he turned and met the alchemist's large brown eyes. She leaned up close to his ears.

"Have you… ever been with a woman Master Witcher?" She whispered slowly into his ear.

He shot backwards almost stumbling over the mound of dirt, feeling his guts swirl and his face flush red "That's none of your fucking business!"

She laughed and threw her fiery orange hair behind her back, "Oh come now, the whole town is buzzing about Dominik of Cintra, the Witcher who will save us. Come now, perhaps I ask because I find you quite handsome."

He scoffed and narrowed his eyes, "No, I haven't and as flattered as I am, I must be going. I need a few ingredients, do you have any dog tallow, and ducal water?"

She smiled at him and nodded her head, "But of course, I'll even give them to you on the house… if you'll indulge me in one more question that is."

He knew he needed to get out of there. He had all the information he needed. He simply needed to brew his oil, before setting out that night to find the vampires lair. It had to be somewhere close in the area, and he was awfully eager to get away from the alchemist who rubbed him the wrong way. He nodded his head, deciding that if free ingredients meant answering one more question, he could stomach it.

She smiled at him and looked into his emerald eyes, hands on her hips, "Last question then… what was her name? What was the name of the one woman who managed to capture your heart?"

He felt the silver swallow tremble around his neck as he sighed, "Cirilla… her name was Cirilla."

The answer seemed to make the woman's eyes light up like a lighthouse, as if she was excited to hear the answer. Her reaction should have worried him; however, he was so eager to leave that he didn't care. The alchemist nodded and gave him a small bow.

"Thank you for playing my little game Master Witcher, follow me I'll have the ingredients right in the barn." She said with another small bow.

He didn't say anything and followed behind her blue dress. Her bare feet left imprints in the mud as they entered the barn. He felt the insides of his stomach churning like a whirlpool. He didn't know why all of a sudden, he had to be reminded so much of Ciri the last two days. He dreamed of her almost every night, so that wasn't out of the ordinary. However, he had been asked about her, and to mention her name, the swallow pendant had saved him. He wondered if destiny, or the universe was trying to tell him something. No, he shoved the thought from his head. He didn't want to get his hopes up again, besides he had nobody left.

Geralt and Yennefer had both died in Rivia like he almost had. He hadn't seen Triss since she saved him in Rivia, and the two parted after he was healed. The long scar across his chest ached as he remembered the day. He knew that she was royal advisor to King Foltest of Temaria, however he knew Temaria was in the middle of bloody conflict, and Foltest was dead, he didn't know if she could help him.

No, he had nobody to help him search for her. He would himself as he did for so many years, but he had no solid evidence she was alive, and he did not wish to get his hopes up only to have them smashed again.

After finally entering the barn he stopped behind Alayna, who smiled curtly and opened her arms walking to the front door of the barn.

"Danara! How are you feeling dear?" She exclaimed.

The young woman he had met last night, Mikel's wife Danara smiled at the alchemist and embraced her in a hug. The woman tossed her brown hair back behind her shoulder and Dom realized that she must had been even further along in her pregnancy then he thought. Her stomach was round, but she still seemed to be in good spirits. When she saw him, she smiled and held out her hand to him.

"Dominik! It's so good to see you again." She said happily shaking his hand.

He nodded to her, "And you, how are you feeling?"

"As well as I can feel," She said happily before turning to the orange haired alchemist, "Alayna I've come to see if you have any more of that potion you gave me. We ran out last night and the nightmares returned."

Dom titled his head as Alayna happily nodded and reached under her desk. The alchemist revealed a drawer filled to the brim with white potions and pulled one out, handing it to Danara with a smile.

"Of course, dear, if you need anything else please don't hesitate to come to me. So lucky, you pregnant, Mikel just being promoted to foreman. The two of you must feel so lucky." She said with a small bow.

"Aye we really are," The pregnant woman smiled and bowed back before turning to him, "Good luck again Master Dominik. I hope after your contract is fulfilled; you'll stay a while."

"I'll think on it, be sure to stay safe." He said to her, smiling as best he could despite his fatigue and unease.

Danara smiled at him before leaving the barn, heading back towards the village. Alayna turned to him with a smile of her own. She gestured towards a stack of old crates in the corner of the barn.

"Everything you need will be there Witcher, good luck… and be sure to visit me again." She said to him in a slow cold tone.

He nodded to her uneasily, "Thank you for… your help."

The woman walked back out into the fields of herbs where her workers all stopped and bow low to her as if she was a queen. He shook off his unease and took in a deep breath. The fatigue he felt was starting to really affect him. He hadn't had a rough night's sleep like that in years, and he had slept in some very uncomfortable positions. The swallow always gave him pleasant dreams, and when he got to see Ciri in his dreams, he knew he would sleep well.

However, he knew he couldn't put his own personal comfort above the contract. He walked over to the crates and sighed, looking down at the dangling swallow.

"Well, I have all the pieces. Let's see if we can put this puzzle, together shall we?" He said to the pendant.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The night came quicker then he anticipated. He had made his campfire just off the main road into the city, he didn't want the villagers or more importantly the vampire to see what he was doing. He managed to get a fire roaring and asking Hulda to borrow a pot to brew his oil was easy enough. He was waiting for it to boil, as he sat on the ground beneath the stars, the swallow pendant dangling in his hands. He sighed and looked at the pot boiling over the fire.

"I hope Uncle Vesimer would be proud, seems I paid attention after all," He said holding the pendant back up, "If you paid half as much attention to me as you did to Ciri you'd already be the greatest Witcher to ever live!" He said doing his best Uncle Vesimer impression.

He laughed to himself and looked back at the pendant. He saw her face in the pendant when he looked at it. It was as real as everything around him. Her sparkling green eyes, the freckles across her nose, her lips over his, her head resting against him as the fire roared in their cave. He took in a shaky breath and held the pendant to his chest.

"Are you out there? Is that why everything's been reminding me of you lately? If you're out there… why you haven't you come to find me?" He asked, looking up at the stars.

That was the main reason he believed her dead. They had promised each other that night, they would always try to find each other. He did everything he could after recovering from Rivia, but every trail he searched for, for almost a year ended up going cold. He didn't care if she was in another world, he had to believe if she was alive, she'd come to find him. He still asked every mage he came across what they knew of traveling between worlds, and the Elder Blood. Nothing ever helped.

"After this… I'll go find Triss. She'll help me, I'll pick up the trail again… I promise," He said looking at the clusters of stars above him.

He heard a bubbling and looked back down at the pot of oil. It was nearly done, so he removed a glass flask from his bag and prepared to pour it once it had boiled enough. He looked over at the village houses, illuminated by the torch lights outside their houses and in the town square. He turned his head back down to the swallow.

"But first, I have a vampire to kill. If only I could figure out where it will strike next…" He said slowly.

He looked at the small black dots on his wrist, the part of him where the beast had entered the nightmares into his system. He carefully lifted the pot off the fire and gently held it over the uncorked glass phial.

"Two to three weeks between attacks, the last one was about two weeks now… the next attack has to be soon." He said as he slowly tilted the pot and began to pour its blue contents into the phial.

"All the targets, young married couples, something good had just happened to them…" He kept thinking as he finished pouring.

He reached over to his blade and pulled out the long Witcher style steel sword. It was the kind he preferred, sleek and simple with a brown leather-bound grip, a straight cross-guard. He laid his blade out in-front of him and slowly twirled the blue oil in the phial to distill it.

"It marks its targets, causes them nightmares. Then it uses magic to break silently into their house, and leaves behind a smell of lavender… to cover its tracks," He said slowly as he leaned the phial over his blade.

He carefully poured the oil onto his blade and a pleasant hissing sound came from the blade as it was imbued with the vampire killing liquid. As he did this, he saw the black dots on his wrist again, and he looked up into the distance, at the large barn, and graveyard. The gears in his brain began to churn and he stood up, holding the blade in his hands as the fire crackled below him.

"And who do they all go to, to help heal these nightmares…" He said slowly.

A series of images ran through his head. The swallow pendant flown off his neck onto the floor, the fiend hadn't known it was silver. The bandage on Alayna's hand, claiming it was from a burn. He remembered how interested she was in knowing that he for sure hadn't undergone mutations.

_"I'm pregnant, I don't have a broken leg," _He heard Danara say in his head.

_"I had just been promoted to foreman you see, it's perfect with the baby on the way," _Mikel had told him in the inn.

_"So lucky, you pregnant, Mikel just being promoted to foreman. The two of you must feel so blessed," _Alayna had told them.

His head shot back towards the village, where he saw the lights of the houses slowly starting to be put out.

"I'm such a fucking idiot," He said before kicking dirt onto the fire and taking off in a run towards the houses.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He moved as fast as his legs could move him, his armor clanking around him. His blade almost cut open a few drunk men stumbling in the streets, but he kept his eyes fixed on the inn. He remembered Danara had said there's was a few houses down so after he passed it, he ran to each house shaking the doorknobs, and found the first few locked. A few villagers came outside to see the commotion he had caused, but soon he found one of the houses with the candles inside still lit. He went to open the door and as soon as he tried to turn the knob the scent of lavender hit his nose and he knew he had found the right house.

"FUCK!" He yelled trying with everything he had to kick the door in.

He had seen the lock was blasted off, but some kind of magical barrier was keeping him from getting it open.

"MIKEL," He screamed throwing the weight of his shoulder into the door, without it budging.

He looked into the window and saw nothing except a normal house, but he knew it had to be an illusion. A few villagers had gathered around and were watching him with horror however he knew he couldn't worry about them right now. Two people were about to be murdered, and he couldn't let it happen. He took a few steps back and with a running start launched himself through the window of the house.

He felt himself crash through the building knocking over a table and slamming into a bookshelf.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH," He heard a woman scream as he stumbled up to his feet fumbling for his sword.

When he looked up the vision of what he saw terrified him. Danara was curled into a ball up on the headboard of her bed, Mikel next to her his face pale and arm bleeding. Above him was a wrinkly, pale vampire, long flowing fiery orange hair ran from her head down her naked leathery skin. Her head shot up from Mikel's arm and her large brown eyes widened as she roared with the blood of Mikel dripping down her fangs. He didn't wait for the opportunity for it to speak, he reared his sword back and launched it towards the creature, the longsword sailed through the room, but just before it could sink into the thing it dashed away so fast that he couldn't even see it. He heard some townspeople scream, he ran over to his sword, picking it up with a curse.

"FUCK," He yelled, turning to see Danara cowered against the head of her bed in fear.

"Are you all right," He asked walking over to her and kneeling next to her.

She quickly nodded then looked over to her husband, "MIKEL!" She yelled crawling over to him.

He ran over to the miller's side and examined him. He had certainly lost a lot of blood, but it seemed he had gotten there just in time. He pulled his sack off his bag and reached into it, rummaging through a selection of potions, and pulled out a vile of red liquid. He pulled the cork out and held it up to the man's mouth, he was unconscious but alive, he forced the mixture down his throat and Danara looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Will he be all right," She asked him frantically.

"Should be, I gave him something to get his blood flowing. He's lost a lot of it, make sure he keeps drinking, and don't let him even think of moving," He stressed to her stuffing the phial down into his bag and standing up.

He picked up his blade as he heard Danara let out a shaky breath, "D…Dominik, it was Alayna she-."

"She's an Alp, I can't believe I was too stupid to realize," He said finally piecing together why he couldn't find anything in the bestiary.

"An Alp?" Danara asked, looking between him and her husband.

He nodded to confirm. He was disappointed in himself, Alp's were extremely rare, but he still should have been able to figure it out sooner.

"An old, and very rare species of vampire. They produce toxins that give people nightmares and feed off their fear. Soon as the targets unsuspecting they go in and suck them dry," He explained to the woman, hefting his blade onto his shoulder.

Danara shook her head and shook like a leaf in the wind, "She… she would have killed us both if… if not for you. Sucked us of all our blood like Johan and Johanka. We're forever in your debt," She said to him.

He shook his head, "Don't thank me for anything yet. I need to go and kill her you stay here and take care of him. Tell all the other villagers to stay in their houses, and if they have anything silver to keep it close at hand, only silver harms it," He instructed her.

She slowly nodded her head, "Yes sir, but please when this is over my husband and I, we owe you our lives."

He nodded to the woman before running out of the house. He burst through the crowd of people that had gathered around the house towards the graveyard. He heard in the distance Danara barking out orders to the people, repeating what he had told her. His blood began to race. Alp's were some of the oldest and most dangerous forms of vampires on the Continent, very similar to Bruxae. He had to be careful, they moved at inhuman speeds, and had immense strength. For a normal Witcher who had undergone mutations, it would more than likely have been a trivial matter. Geralt would have chugged a potion, brandished his silver sword and gone toe to toe with the thing until he chopped it in two.

He however wasn't like other Witcher's. He wasn't even a real one, it was a mystery to him at times how he survived some of the fights he did. He still couldn't stop. He needed to rid these people of this fiend or else its next victim's blood would be on his hands. He approached the barn and slowed his pace. He got to the fields and was getting ready to dash into the barn towards the graveyard when the barn door swung open. The mountain of a man, Boras came rushing out along with six other men with swords brandished and the next thing he knew he was surrounded.

Three men were to his right, three to his left, and big Boras in front of him.

He knew Boras would come at him first, he could spin and pirouette his way around Boras easily enough, but he knew his movements had to be perfect if he was going to not be overwhelmed and killed. He slowly formed his plan of attack in his head, his spins and movements would have to be perfect.

"Out of my way, now." He said in a deep demanding voice, wanting to try and negotiate first.

Boras brandished his woodsman axe from his belt and smacked it in his hands, "Lady Alayna had ordered us to kill any intruders at this hour."

"Your lady is an Alp! A vampire you, idiots! Let me through, now." He demanded again.

Boras raised his axe over his shoulder, "Lady Alayna said you'd try to trick us, we won't let you harm her." He said brandishing his axe forward.

"You're enthralled… should have guessed." He said, taking in a deep breath, and readying his blade in hand.

Without another word Boras lunged forward with an overhead strike. He knew he needed to take the big one down early or else he would be swarmed. He side stepped the strike and went to slash through his hand, but the big guy was ready and much swifter then he appeared. He lifted his axe back and slashed from the side, he parried the strike to the left knocking him off balance and with his momentum spun forward and slashed his blade diagonally down the man's chest. The lout wasn't wearing armor, so the strike sliced right through his beefy skin.

Boras roared in pain and fell to his knees, but as he did swung his meaty arm right through Dom's legs and he fell into the mud. Right after he swung the axe down on him, and just before it impaled into his chest, he raised his sword, grabbing the edge and holding it up with both hands. He caught the axe right under its head, and using all the strength he could, flicked the weapon out of the larger man's hand before rolling up to his knees bringing his blade straight up into Boras's gut. He got to his feet and leveled his blade towards the other six men. Boras slumped to the ground in a pool of blood. The exchange had only been a matter of seconds, so the other men finally charged, and the fight was in full swing.

The first one perfectly telegraphed his strike, he raised his blade to block, knocking away the man's sword before executing a perfect pirouette and bringing his blade across the man's stomach. None of them were wearing armor, so the slash went right through the man. The second came swinging wildly, he parried a thrust before grabbing the man's flailing wrist and tossing him to his right, directly into the path of two more advancing men, knocking them off balance.

Two more came straight for him from both sides, he knocked away another overhead strike, sending the man off balance before spinning to his left and catching another's blade on his cross guard, he pushed his opponents blade upwards, ducked underneath and brought his blade across the man killing him in an instant. He parried a blow form the first man he had knocked off balance again, before side-stepping a thrust, grabbing the man's wrist and maneuvering his blade to slice the man's sword hand clean off.

Three were dead, three more remained. He cursed himself for not thinking of making any bombs before he came, it would have ended the fight there. The last three men recovered, and all surrounded him, he switched to a reverse grip on his blade, the exact one he begged Eskel to teach him in Kaer Morhen. One charged forward and he knocked the strike aside, spinning and using his momentum to slice his blade across the back of the man's neck. The next two came charging at the same moment and he backed up, knocking one's blade aside before parrying a series of strikes from the other man. He finally ended one of them with a block that effortlessly transitioned into a spin and allowed him to stab his blade through the man's leg which brought him to the ground and gave him the perfect opportunity to slash his blade across the man's throat.

Only one remained and Dom determined whatever enthrallment the men were under had to have been powerful since the last man still charged. With a simple side-step and parry of the man's blade he pirouetted around and slashed his blade across the man's back, ending the fight.

He stood in the field of growing herbs; blood soaked the earth as he watched the bodies bleed. He took a minute to catch his breath, before examining his blade. He could still see it imbued with the vampire oil, so he turned and took in a deep steadying breath. He reached a hand around the swallow, squeezing it for luck, before slowly making his way into the barn.

He walked through the barn with his sword raised, and exited the other side, only a few steps later he was in the graveyard. The headstones were illuminated by a few candles and the moonlight.

"I knew you would come Witcher, and I am oh so glad you did," A sweet voice said, piercing the air like a knife.

From behind the tree Alayna emerged, her fiery orange hair down around her shoulder, as she wore nothing but the same revealing blue dress, she wore that day.

"Enough talk spare me the pleasantries. You're going to die; you won't harm anymore people in this village," He said in a deep voice, holding his blade close to his face and leveling it towards her.

She chuckled and looked down at her bare feet, taking a few steps back and forth, "Oh but I do so love talking to you. I was surprised how honest you were with me earlier. I've seen into your mind, seen your dreams, Dominik of Cintra. I must say, you and your lost love made such a cute little couple."

"I said that's enough! You don't know me vampire," He said circling, with his sword still raised.

She tilted her head and smiled, "Oh but I do young Witcher," She said with a coy smile.

She continued to walk in a circle with him, she twisted her fingers around her orange curls.

"Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon." She said in her honey smooth voice.

He had heard enough, he lunged forward trying to go for a thrust that was strong enough to kill any man or monster. However, Alayna disappeared in a flash and he heard a tsk coming from behind him.

"My oh my, you must really love her for you to get so angry at her mere mention," She said shaking her head.

"You don't deserve to speak her name," He yelled going for another strike, coming up with the same result.

He heard her tsk behind him again and he whirled around. "Zireael, the Lady of Space and Time, Lady of Worlds. Oh yes, I know who she is."

He felt himself freeze, the blade stayed leveled towards the creature, he didn't dare take his eyes off her. He didn't want to indulge her, she was probably lying, but the words left his mouth before he could stop himself.

"What do you know about Ciri!?" He demanded of her.

She chuckled and smiled beautifully at him, "Now we are getting somewhere. Promise to hear me out Witcher, and I'll tell you all I know about the Lion Cub of Cintra, the woman you still love."

Every instinct in his body told him to run through the bitch at that moment. The mention of Ciri, the little spark of hope that had manifested in him earlier was now bursting like a bomb in his heart.

He took in a shaky breath but kept his sword leveled, "Talk, and get to the point."

She nodded to him and bowed, before looking up at him with a smile, "I am not of this world Dominik of Cintra. I was not born on the continent; I was turned into what you see here today in my world… I am one of the Aen Elle."

She stopped speaking, looking at him to gage his reaction, he shrugged his shoulder and held out his sword, "Is that supposed to mean something too me?"

She chuckled lightly and shook her head, "How silly of me, I forget you have no way of knowing. My people are from another world, a perfect elven world, I assume you know of the power Zireael possesses?"

"Of course, I know. She has the power to open portals between worlds, something with her blood… the reason nobody will just leave her the fuck alone," He told her, remembering what he and Ciri had eavesdropped on in Kaer Morhen.

She smiled curtly at him, the sultry look not leaving her eyes, "My, oh my, intelligent as well as handsome, no wonder Zireael loved you so. You are right Dominik of Cintra, Zireael possesses the power to open portals between worlds, and my world of the Aen Elle, happens to be one of the ones she visited, came just before I was cursed, a beautiful young lady… for a human."

"What…" He said his sword slightly dipping, "You… you saw her?"

She smirked and nodded her head, "Oh yes I did. Our king took quite the interest in her, and the power of Lara Dorren, the Elder Blood inside of her. A damn shame she escaped, even more surprising that Eredin and his Hunt have yet to capture her."

He almost dropped his sword to the ground, he fumbled for a second to try and regain his stance, but the words had sliced through his heart like a hot knife.

"She… she's alive? No, you have to be lying. How do you know?" He demanded from her inching his blade closer to her throat.

She chuckled and took a step backwards, "It happened the last few days before I was turned into what I am now, Eredin had just taken over the throne of the Aen Elle. Our world is dying, and he and his hunt decreed they'd save us all. He wants to invade this world, but to do that he needs power, enough power to open enough portals for thousands of Aen Elle, and to do so…" She said letting him infer the rest.

This time the point of his blade did dip into the dirt below him, as he reached around his neck to squeeze the swallow pendant, "And to do that he needs Ciri, and her power."

"And he will get it, it's inevitable," She said coyly.

He felt a new fire run through his body, he raised his blade again, this time inches from the woman's throat, "He won't, not if I have anything to say about it. I'll kill Eredin and anyone that tries to harm Ciri, I'll find her, and I'll protect her!"

The elf chuckled and took a step away from his blade, "Yes, yes, how very noble of you. I could… help you in that endeavor."

"What are you talking about!? You're not getting out of this alive! I won't let you terrorize this village anymore," He shouted, shifting his stance and readying for a fight.

She tsked at him again and gazed right into his eyes, "Again so hasty young Witcher. I speak the truth. I've seen your dreams, I know your deepest desires, your deepest fears. I have the magic of the Aen Elle, I can open portals to anywhere, to anyone, all I would need is a sample of something that once belonged to them," She said looking around his neck.

He looked down at the silver swallow dangling from his neck, then back to the fiery haired woman.

She nodded her head, "Oh yes, with your pendant I can open you a portal, one that would lead you right to your lost love. You would be reunited once again."

He sneered, "I assume you wouldn't do this out of the kindness of your heart?"

She laughed again and shook her head, "Where would the fun in that be? I do require something for this help, and it is quite simple."

The vampire took a step closer to him, "All you have to do… is leave. Tell the villagers I escaped, leave the village and as soon as you are out of sight, I'll open you a portal right to your dear Cirilla. Then you can go and try to stop Eredin and his Hunt, he'll kill you eventually, but at least you'll get to see Zireael again."

"You think I would just let you terrorize and kill more innocent people!?" He shouted at her.

She shook her head, "No… but I think the thought of seeing your beloved Cirilla, reuniting with her, being able to protect her again… outweighs all for you."

She took a few more steps closer to him and he backed up, keeping his blade leveled, she looked down the steel blade, watching her reflection in the metal. She met his green eyes with her brown ones, the eyes of a monster.

"You blame yourself. You think you could have stopped her from going to Aretuza. If only she had listened, if only Geralt and Yennefer had listened to you and not taken her to Aretuza. If only… you could have protected her from all the men who wanted to rape her, impregnate her for her blood…" She said slowly circling him, "She was still wearing the bronze ring around her neck when she visited my world. You haven't even seen her since you were what… 14? She's grown into such a beautiful young woman. I know you would like to see her. I can make that happen… all you need to do… is walk away."

He felt as if the ground was trying to swallow his feet. The sword in his hands felt as if it had gained a hundred pounds. If she was telling the truth, which there was no reason she would be, he could see her again. In a matter of hours, he could be back by her side. The two of them could go back to Kaer Morhen, get help from Vesemir, and find friends who would help them fight. They could defeat the hunt and finally after all the years apart the two could finally set out on the path, or maybe they could settle down quietly in the countryside, hunt monsters for fun and finally properly be together. He could finally have her in his arms again, hold her, kiss her, sit by a fire with her head on his shoulder again.

But what would the cost be? What would she say if she figured out what he did to see her? What would Geralt, or Yennefer, the second set of parents he had been blessed with had thought of what he was even contemplating? He looked down at his reflection on the blade, and suddenly he saw himself and Ciri, both at 14 years old. He then saw his reflection now, the brown scruff around his chin and face he would have to shave soon, his unruly unkept head of brown hair, would Ciri still find him handsome? He wondered what she looked like now, how much more beautiful had she gotten?

He sighed and felt the swallow tremble around his neck, he looked up into the brown eyes of the creature he had come to kill.

He sighed, preparing himself for what he was about to do, "A flattering offer… really is. You're right… I've always blamed myself. I could have tried harder, convinced Geralt to not let her go, or searched harder. I love her, miss her more than anything."

"And with only one small, easy task… you can see her again," She said in the honeyed voice.

He sighed and raised his sword, "Aye I could, but… Ciri would never forgive me. Besides… I think I'll manage to find her on my own…"

He swung around slashing his blade with purpose, and just barely nicked the woman's face before she hissed and disappeared in a flash. He spun around and saw the door to the barn flapping open. He raised his blade, gripping the swallow pendant again.

"Just one monster to kill… then I'll find you, I promise…" He said quietly, before slowly moving to the barn, his sword raised.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He slowly opened the door to the barn, and when he did, he heard the creaking of old wood. His sword was leveled as he circled the barn, trying to keep his eyes on the upper levels. The blue oil seemed to glint in the moonlight off his blade. He heard a creak behind him and whirled around, just in time to roll out of the way of the attack.

"You have failed Witcher!" He heard the cackling as leaves from the ground whipped up behind him.

He whirled around again and swung his blade upwards, but Alayna ducked and swung one of her monstrous claws down towards him. He leaped back and tried to lunge again, but she dashed away again, so fast he couldn't even track where she went. He heard cackling come from all around him. He angled his sword upwards but couldn't pinpoint the location the voice was coming from.

He heard a whoosh of leaves swirl up behind him and he spun around, just missing the beast.

"Eredin will reward me if I can bring him too you. He'll lift my curse!" He heard her shout as he heard the movement behind him again.

He went to whirl around for a strike, but he didn't have the super-natural speed of a real Witcher. He felt claws rake against his shoulder, and a roar as Alayna passed by him.

"GAHHHHHHH!" He yelled holding his right shoulder, forcing himself to lower his sword.

"With you in his custody, Eredin will finally be able to lure the girl out of hiding," She hissed through the night sky.

He scoffed and painfully raised his sword again, "You're a fool if you think Ciri would be dumb enough to fall for that!"

He heard a demonic cackle, and Alayna's sweet honeyed voice was changed to that of a true vampire, "Hahaha but she already has once child. After Eredin kidnapped your dear Yennefer, and stole away Geralt of Rivia, that girl came to save them, she escaped his grasp then, but he won't let her slip through his fingers again," She screeched in amusement, before he heard another whoosh and saw her standing across from him again.

"Besides, if she loves you even half as much as you love her, well… they say love makes all of us do stupid things," She said with a laugh.

He felt his sword tip lower, "Geralt and Yennefer died in Rivia, I couldn't save them!"

Her large fangs curled her lips into a crooked smile, "Oh the arrogance, do you truly know nothing of the ones you claim to love?"

"What are you-." But he didn't finish his sentence before the beast charged.

She dashed towards him so fast he almost didn't react, she slashed down towards his chest, but he just managed to raise his blade to deflect her claws. The speed with which he raised his blade surprised even himself. Things like this happened at times, when he was in desperate situations, it almost felt as if something took over him. His movements would speed up, he would find strength that he never thought he had. It felt as if something unlocked in him at times and helped him fight. However when this happened, he'd always need to sleep for what felt like days after. He could feel the reserve strength that he didn't know where it was from now, as he managed to finally land a strike on the beast.

He heard a loud hissing sound as she reared back wailing in pain, the oil had done its job and was affecting her. He had her on the back foot and finally slowed, so he thrust forward with another strike, but she had recovered from the oil. She dashed around behind him and he felt claws racking across his back before he swirled around swinging his blade down and chopping off one of her hands.

Her wailing of pain made him stumble, and he couldn't stop her when she lunged forward, gripping her claw around his neck. Her jaw and fangs were right near his neck, but with every bit of strength he had he pushed forward gripping her up by her own neck and slamming her into the ground, that new strength that always coursed through him flaring up, he brought his blade around to stab downwards but just before his blade could end the fight, she dashed off again. He retracted his blade from the ground and before he could even turn around, he felt her leap up onto his back, her fangs sinking into his shoulder.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" He yelled reaching his hands around grabbing and slamming her back onto the ground.

He felt blood start to gush from his shoulder, as he felt a cold chill run through his body. He saw the thing standing across from him, he went to take a step forward one hand holding his blade, and the other holding onto the gushing wound. He tried to take a step forward towards her, but he couldn't feel his legs move. He fell down to his knees first, where his sword clanged to the ground, before falling forward into the dirt. He rolled himself onto his back and felt the blood seeping down his body under his armor.

He looked and saw Alayna come towards him in the moonlight, her scraggily orange hair flowing down her pale wrinkly leather body. She smiled and in her brown eyes he saw amusement, he could see his own blood dripping down her fangs.

"Eredin will lift my curse, and with you he can finally find Zireael. It will be such a shock for her to find you after all these years… but for you just too be dead!" She screeched bringing her claws down to finally end him.

He saw everything flash before his eyes in that moment, his father, his mother, his younger sister, Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Vesemir, everyone. He had failed again, that was going to be the last thing he thought.

The claw came inches from his face when a new voice pierced the air.

_"Fier'endeal," _A loud booming voice yelled in what he recognized as Elder Speech.

Alayna's claw stopped inches from his face, her whole body completely frozen in place. Her eyes were frozen in a look of delight as her long tongue was in the middle of licking his blood off her fangs. He didn't take the time to wait for anything else to happen, he summoned the last bit of his strength, he reached for his blade and lifted himself up, plunging it right into her heart. His momentum carried him so far forward he tumbled forward and fell back onto the dirt, he looked up and saw his blade sticking out of the steaming, now dead body of Alayna who was reverting back to her original form.

He sighed in relief but still felt the wounds all over his body, particularly his shoulder bleeding. He wouldn't last much longer without treatment. He needed to get himself up. The monster was dead, it was time to go find Ciri now. He tried to get up, but the pain across his back and shoulder, combined with the fatigue he felt wasn't helping. He slumped back onto the ground, looking up at the ceiling of the barn.

No, he couldn't die now. He tried to summon whatever strength he had left, that reserve strength that he never knew where it came from. It couldn't be the end. For years he had almost been alright with the idea of dying, but not anymore. Ciri was out there, truly out there, and she was being hunted. He needed to get up, he needed to go and find her, to save her, protect her like they had promised

"Ciri… Ciri…" He whispered, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck.

He was trying to think of anything he could do when a new scent attacked his nose. It was a smell he knew so particularly well.

Lilac and gooseberries.

"Dominik!" He heard his name yelled.

He turned his head and he truly thought that he was delirious and seeing visions before he died. The raven locks, and beautiful violet eyes, the black and white outfit.

"Yennefer…?" He whispered.

She knelt down next to him and shook her head, gently taking his head and looking deep into his eyes. She chuckled and smiled, with the look of worry still on her face.

"Yes, it's me. Look how handsome you've gotten…" She said, running a hand down his cheek.

He felt himself getting weaker and weaker, he gripped her arm and squeezed as hard as he could muster.

"Yen… Ciri… Ciri she's-." He tried to get out.

"Shhhh," She said holding a finger to his mouth gently, "I know. We'll talk more later, for now, sleep. We can talk more when you wake."

Before he could protest anything, she pressed a finger to his forehead, as soon as she did his eyes closed, and he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He didn't have any dreams which slightly upset him. His dreams were one of the few places he could see her. The first thing he felt when he came to was pain coursing down through his entire body. He opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling of his room at the inn. He struggled but managed to get himself to sit up. He looked around the room and saw his blade leaning against the table along with the rest of his things. He was beginning to think that maybe it was all a dream, maybe he had killed Alayna and the villagers came and found him. Yennefer wasn't there, she couldn't have been, she was dead.

The voices coming from outside the door made him realize it was true.

"I told you, I'm his mother!" He heard the voice of Yennefer say.

"You're a bit young to be his mother, you're practically the same age!" He heard the voice of old Hulda say.

"I'm a sorceress, I adopted him many years ago. I've come all this way to find him, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop questioning me!" He heard the sorceress hiss.

"Alright, you'd best watch yourself though. We owe that man our lives, we won't let harm come to him!" Hulda scolded.

He sighed in relief. No matter what was happening at least he knew for a fact he had killed the Alp. He saved the people of the village that had been so kind to him. He was ashamed at how tempted he was to take the deal Alayna had been offering. He could possibly be with Ciri at that moment. However, he knew that she would never look at him the same if he sacrificed a village just to see her. He looked down at his neck and saw his Witcher medallion and the silver swallow still hung over his scarred chest. He sighed and gripped his hands around the swallow, just as the door opened.

Yennefer walked into his room, and she looked just as he remembered her. He knew she was a sorceress so she naturally would always look like that, however after thinking she had been dead for so long, he couldn't help but think she may have looked slightly different. She sighed in exasperation before looking at him with her violet eyes, and when she did her face relaxed and she smiled.

"You've grown so much…" She said coming and sitting on the bed next to him.

She reached over and gingerly grabbed his hands, he looked at her his mouth still agape. He truly couldn't believe she was here, the last thing he saw before passing out in Rivia was Geralt and Yennefer lying dead. Now, she was there in front of him, the woman who had become a second mother after he lost his first.

"I… I thought you were dead. For almost two years I thought you've been dead!" He said, his chest filling up with warmth.

She smiled and ran a hand down his face, "There's much I have to tell you child but first, come here give me a hug."

He almost felt himself moved to tears, he threw his arms around the sorceress's neck and hugged her close. The powerful smell of lilac and gooseberries was overpowering but he had come to love it over the years. He held her as tight as he could, if what he learned from the Alp was true, Yennefer would be the best person to help him find Ciri.

The two pulled back at she smiled sweetly at him, looking down at the swallow he still wore, gently lifting it in her hands.

"So, you still wear it, does the nightmare charm still work?" She asked him.

He nodded his head, "Yes it does. But Yen, I learned something from that vampire. She said Ciri is alive! She's alive but she's being chased by the Wild Hunt, we need to find her somehow we need to-."

"Dom, I know, but first I need to-." She started, but he was too enraptured by what he was saying.

"The Alp she… she used to be one of the Aen Elle. Yen she… she told me she could've opened a portal right to Ciri for me, I could've been with her right now but… but she said I'd have to let her have the village…" He said in a low tone, feeling the necklace tremble around his neck.

He looked into the sorceress's bright violet eyes, "Yen did I… did I make the right choice? Please tell me there's another way we can find Ciri between the worlds," He begged her.

Yennefer sighed and looked at him with her violet eyes, "Yes, there is. But first Dominik… I need to tell you some things. I'm happy you were so glad to see me because… well you may not be very happy with me after I tell you all of this."

He tilted his head at her, and felt his stomach churn like a tornado, "What are you talking about?"

She sighed and looked him in the eyes, "It's time I told you what… really happened during, before and after Rivia…"

And so, Yennefer told him. She told him, everything that had happened after he was struck down. She told him how she instructed Triss to get him away, to save him while she went after Geralt. He learned however after her and Geralt were struck down… it was Ciri who had saved them and brought them to Malus Island where they were healed, before traveling to a different world. She told him how after this, the Wild Hunt kidnapped her in an attempt to lure Ciri out of hiding, but before Ciri could do anything Geralt intervened and traded his life for hers. For months he learned Geralt rode with the Wild Hunt, before Ciri had come back to save him. Ciri had managed to save Geralt and left him outside the woods of Kaer Morhen with no memory.

After hearing what Yennefer had to say, Dominik felt his blood run cold. Yennefer and Geralt had known when they got ahold of him and asked him to come to Rivia… that Ciri was alive. He had thought for years at that point his search for her was hopeless, but still refused to give up. Had he known that Ciri was going to meet them in Rivia, he would have gotten there sooner, he would have ridden his horse dead to get there.

He looked into Yennefer's violet eyes, and felt fire burning up inside his throat, "You knew… you and Geralt both knew. You knew she was alive, but you didn't tell me," He yelled tossing the blanket off him and trying to stand up.

His attempt to stand didn't go well and his legs shook, causing him to fall to his knees, where Yennefer came over to try and help him stand.

"Don't," He said when she tried to help him stand. She took a step back and he managed to rise to his feet himself, gripping the swallow pendant.

He turned to Yennefer, trying to control his anger, "You knew Ciri was alive when you sent the message to me, asking me to come to Rivia, you didn't think to mention Ciri, who I'd been looking for… for YEARS at that point was there!?"

Yennefer shook her head and let out a sad sigh, "I admit, we should have told you. You deserved to know; however, you must realize Dominik at the time she had just gotten back. She had spent years traveling between worlds trying to find her way back, and so many people wanted to get their hands on her."

He shook his head, "You don't think I know that? I had been to almost every part of the continent to search for her, I almost gave up hope. Years I spent, asking every mage I found what they knew of travel between worlds, I searched everywhere. Finally, after Rivia… I started to think I'd never see her again but… this whole time you knew she was alive!"

He was angry, almost yelling at this point, but Yennefer was not deterred, "You don't realize child that we didn't want to risk anyone finding out. What if the letter to you, telling you to come to Rivia had mentioned Ciri was alive, and it fell into the wrong hands somehow?"

She waited for his answer, but continued when he didn't have one for her, "Exactly, the Wild Hunt, Nilfgaard, Vilgefortz, basically every king in the land, they all wanted to get their hands on Ciri. No, we couldn't risk the knowledge of where she was going to be getting out."

He ran a hand through his unruly brown hair and sighed, leaning over and using the window to support him. He realized what she said was true, too many people wanted Ciri. In the end she was trying to keep her safe, and if he had to be left in the dark for Ciri's safety then he knew it was worth it. He turned to Yennefer and sighed.

"Fine, I guess you have a point. What happened after she finally got back to our world, don't leave anything out," He asked her.

Yennefer nodded and gestured for him to sit across from her, which he did.

"She told me after escaping the Aen Elle, she finally landed back on the continent. She heard how I was captured by Vilgefortz, so she came to Strygga castle, trying to give herself to him in exchange for me," She informed him.

"Sounds like her…" he said longingly.

She nodded and continued, "Vilgefortz however had no intention of letting either of us go. He wanted to impregnate Ciri, in order to gain access to her Elder Blood."

He slammed his fist against the bed and shot to his feet, "If I ever get my hands on that man… I'm going to kill him. If you and Geralt had listened to me, maybe Ciri would be here now! If you hadn't taken her to that damn magic school, she could be here now," He said, finally raising his voice to a yell.

Yennefer gave him a stern look, "Be reasonable Dominik, if she hadn't learned how to control her powers it could have killed her!"

"I don't care about her damn powers! She had you, and Triss, what did she need to go to Aretuza for!? If she hadn't gone their she would've been safe, Geralt, Eskel, Lambert, ME, I could have protected her, she could've protected herself," He said, feeling his blood begin to boil.

Yennefer took a moment to gather herself before sighing and looked down for a moment. She met his eyes, "I know you blame yourself. You think that you could have saved her, prevented her from going through all that happened to her. You believe that you didn't try hard enough, that you could have done more… I know you too well child."

He felt his balled-up fists begin to tremble. Everything Yennefer said was true. He did blame himself, he always wondered in his mind, if he had only tried harder to convince Yennefer and Geralt to not send her away. He felt his eyes begin to get wet, and he took a shaky breath, managing to meet Yennefer's eyes.

Her violet eyes had a look of sadness in them before she continued, "Geralt and I… we made more than a few mistakes concerning you and Ciri. Separating the two of you was one of them. I'm sorry for that, truly I am."

He saw her eyes beaming at him, yearning for his forgiveness. It was the kind of look he had never seen on Yennefer's face before. He wanted to remain angry, shout more about how unfair it all was. He knew if he had stayed with Ciri through it all, he could have saved her, the two of them could have fought off anything that tried to take her or harm them. However, he knew it wasn't the time to be feeling sorry for himself. He needed to act, he needed to find her.

He shook his head and gave his adoptive mother a hug, "It's all right… I… I've just always loved her, I still do."

She pulled back, and smirked at him, letting out a small laugh, "Ha, oh my dear I've always known. Geralt too, we always knew the feelings you had for each other. The true feelings. We knew your love was real, and not just some childhood infatuation."

He looked at her, his face suddenly hot, "You… you knew that we-."

She laughed again and smiled at him, "Of course we did. The two of you were children, did a horrible job of hiding it. Geralt told me how one time he walked into the library, where the two of you were supposed to be studying, but instead he found you studying the inside of each other's mouths, another time-."

He raised his hands, "Okay, I get your point, no need to go on. You were telling me what happened after she got back to our world?"

She laughed again, and the two of them sat back down on the bed where she continued the story, "Like I said Vilgefortz had no intention of letting us go. Thankfully Geralt arrived and rescued us, Vilgefortz... Geralt cut him across the chest deep, the man teleported as he was bleeding to death, but he's dead, has to be, nobody could've survived long after that. After that I was summoned to Vengerberg along with Ciri. It was before I left that we sent the letter to you, telling you to come to Rivia."

"I remember, I was in Vizima when I got it. Nearly killed my horse I rode so hard, I thought Geralt had a lead on Ciri. Turns out he had more than a lead it seems. Why wasn't she there when I got there though? I remember rushing to try and save Geralt, we managed to fight off a few before we got separated. Got cut across the chest in an alleyway, would've died if Triss hadn't found me," He reminded her, remembering the feeling of being so close to death.

Yennefer nodded to reaffirm what he said, "Yes, that's because Ciri arrived later with Triss and I. The Lodge of Sorceresses summoned Ciri to Vengerberg as well, I didn't want to bring her, but they would've found a way to get her there one way or another, I knew that, so she came with me there and Geralt set out for Rivia."

"The Lodge of Sorceresses?"

She sighed, "The Lodge is… a society of the most powerful sorceresses on the continent. Triss and I are members, along with Phillipa Eilhart, Kiera Matz amongst others, we're scattered now, most of us are wanted in the Northern Realms, but that's a story for another day."

He cared little for what this society was, he was more concerned with another thing she had mentioned, "And what exactly did your Lodge want with Ciri?"'

Yennefer shifted uneasily and he knew he wouldn't like the answer, "The Lodge they… wanted to send Ciri to Kovir, to marry and have a child with the son of Esterred Thyssen."

Dominik knew he wouldn't like the answer. He sighed deeply, trying to control himself. He didn't want to get mad at Yennefer again so soon after finally realizing she was alive. He managed to keep his voice steady, but he imagined his eyes gave away how agitated he was.

"You know Yen, I'm getting really sick of hearing how many people tried to 'impregnate' Ciri. She's a human being, not just some vessel! If I learn that ANYONE has done anything of the like to her I'm going to-."

"Relax child, we didn't force her into anything. Besides, she was shooting the idea down before we could even finish explaining it. I assume that had something to do with you… wouldn't let go of that ring," She told him, a small smile on her face, "After she learned we sent a message for you to go to Rivia, the girl was ecstatic. Blushed right up when we told her you were still looking for her," She told him, causing his face to feel hot.

He felt the inside of his stomach do a flip, his eyes softened, and this gave Yennefer the okay to continue, "After this there was some dispute on whether to let her leave or not, but eventually she did. Her, Triss and I got to Rivia, but when we did Geralt had fallen and you were nowhere to be found. I sent Triss to find you, while I tried to save Geralt. I used up too much energy and passed out, after that… well Ciri got us out of there and to Malus Island, after I awoke that was the last, I saw of Ciri. After that like I told you, I was kidnapped by the Hunt and Geralt rescued me, before being rescued himself by Ciri, and that's the last any of us have seen of her."

He looked down and found he was fiddling with the silver swallow pendant again, the news that Ciri was alive… it had been what he wanted to hear for years. He had never stopped searching for her when he could, but he was starting to slowly give up hope that he could ever find her. He knew she was out there now however, and he was going to find her. He would kill Eredin, and every member of the Wild Hunt to do so, and he wouldn't stop until he either succeeded or he was dead.

He looked directly into Yennefer's eyes, "Yen did she… did she say anything about me? Gods I… I haven't seen her in so long, 8 years. I've never stopped thinking about her."

She reached a hand over and placed it on his shoulder, "She… she did. She told me to tell you… to tell you she's sorry. Sorry that she hasn't come to find you like the two of you promised, she didn't want to bring the Wild Hunt down on you."

He would have fought the entire Wild Hunt with his bare hands for her. He took in a shaky sigh, trying to will the pain out of his body. He gingerly stood up from the bed, this time allowing Yennefer to help him. He walked over to the desk in his room where his armor had been laid across the table. He ran his hand over the scabbard of his sword that also lay there. He turned around and looked at Yennefer.

"I'm going to find her Yen. I don't care if I have to fight the entire Wild Hunt by myself… I'm going to find her," He said, turning to the sorceress.

Yennefer nodded to him, "Good I'm glad you said that… because that's why I'm here. We're going to find Ciri."

For the first time in what felt like a long time he genuinely smiled, he nodded to the sorceress and went about trying to put his armor on, but a pang of pain ran through his body. Yennefer came over and helped him up after he almost fell.

"Easy, you're still in bad shape after that fight with the Alp."

"I never properly thanked you for that, I'd be dead if not for you Yen," He said smiling at her.

She smiled and nodded, "It was no problem. I disposed of the Alp, the entire village is in your debt, many of them have been checking on you, leaving you coin and flowers."

He shook his head right away, "I don't want any coin or anything from them. If I hadn't come here, I wouldn't have learned about Ciri, that's payment enough. So, I never asked, how did you find me, and any ideas on where to start our search?"

Yennefer fidgeted nervously, "Well as for finding you, being able to teleport was easy enough. I knew you'd be somewhere in the North that wasn't under Nilfgaard control. As for any leads, well… you may also not be too, happy to hear how I got them."

He shook his head right away, "If they help us find Ciri, I don't care how you got them."

She tilted her head, "These you might. You see for the last few months… I've been working in the court in Vizima… for Nilfgaard."

He fumbled his armor that he had just been trying to lift, "You WHAT!?"

"Now hear me out Dominik-."

"NO! The black ones!? They murdered my entire family! They burned my home to the ground, men, women, children, elderly, everyone in Cintra was murdered! What interest do they even have in Ciri to have leads on her!? Do they want to 'impregnate' her so they can have a child with Elder Blood to help them conquer the continent," He said, and he found himself screaming again.

Yennefer shook her head, "Don't speak like that to me Dominik. There's… one more thing you should know before we begin this search, something important."

He shook his head, "I don't care what the Black Ones want with her, we'll use their leads to find Ciri, and after that we take her away somewhere safe."

Yennefer seemed to have trouble finding words, which was very rare for her he knew. She sighed, "I don't care what we do once we find her as long as she's safe but Dominik you need to know… you know the Emperor of Nilfgaard? Emyr Van Emrys?"

He scoffed, "Of course I do, that bastard led the raid on Cintra."

She looked genuinely upset at what she had to tell him but managed to meet his green eyes with her violet ones, "Dominik something we learned just after Ciri got back is that… the Emperor he… he's Ciri's father."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He decided not to wear his armor out of the town. He wore only a white cloth shirt that was freshly washed and smelled like fresh cotton. The new shirt, and his brown leather trousers were what he was leaving in. His armor was packed away on his horse Clop, but he made sure to keep his sword around his back. Yennefer had explained the complicated backstory of how the Emperor of Nilfgaard was in fact Ciri's father. If the Emperor truly wanted, he and Geralt to find his daughter like he told Yennefer, he knew it couldn't be for any good reasons. After some convincing from Yennefer, he decided he would go along with her plan. He trusted her, they would use the Emperor's leads on Ciri to find her, and then they'd kill Eredin and the Wild Hunt, along with anyone else who wanted to get their hands on her.

"Are you ready to head out? Our escort is only a mile out, didn't want to scare the villagers… or have you attack them by bringing them with me," Yennefer said, climbing up to the back of her large brown gelding.

He nodded his head to her, "I'm ready… it's time to go find her Clop," He said stroking his horses white coat.

He was about to raise himself up onto Clop's back, when he heard his name being yelled.

"DOMINIK," A man's voice yelled to him, back towards the road into Claywitch.

He turned around and saw Mikel walking towards him. He turned back to Yennefer who was looking at him, "Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you."

The sorceress nodded to him and rode off on her gelding. He patted Clop's neck again before turning to Mikel, who was slowly making his way towards him. The man was alive, that was an accomplishment itself. He was still pale, but it was apparent he had enough strength to be around walking. His black beard and head of black hair were both unruly and unkept. He expected a man that had been so close to death to not be in such high spirits, but when he finally caught up with him, he smiled ear to ear.

"Aye, I'm glad I caught up with you Master Dominik," He said taking in deep breaths to steady himself.

"Mikel, what are you doing here, I'm glad to see you up but you should be resting. The Alp did quite a number on you," He told the man with an amused tone.

Mikel stood straight up and laughed with a smile, "Ha, from what I hear she did quite a number on you as well."

He looked down at his now scarred shoulder wrapped in a bandage and laughed, "Ha you got that right. How're you feeling? And how's Danara?"

"We're both alive… and that's thanks to you. I was hoping you'd stay for a few days, I'd love to have a few drinks, play a hand of Gwent with you," He said with a smile.

Dominik laughed and nodded, "On a normal occasion I would but… something has come up, something important."

"Anything we can give you any help with," He asked sincerely.

Dom shook his head, but kept his smile, "Not this time. Remember how I told you… the woman I loved wasn't around anymore? Well, she's been seen, she's… being hunted by some dangerous people. I'm going to save her; I wouldn't want to drag you or anyone into it."

The miller nodded in understanding, "Aye none of us are really good in a fight, but… should you ever need a place to rest your head, to come and relax or get supplies… you'll always find a place in Claywitch."

Dom felt a warm chill run through himself. He hadn't had anywhere like that since Kaer Morhen. After he separated from Geralt to conduct his own search for Ciri, he hadn't had a real place he could call home. Home was wherever Yennefer, Triss, Geralt and Ciri were. He knew that would be true to this day, when he found Ciri he would be home. However, it warmed his heart to know he always would have Claywitch.

"I… I'm honored, really. Good luck Mikel… and be sure to give Danara my best, along with Hulda, old Alesky and everyone else," He told the miller.

He nodded and looked at him with a smile, "Aye I'll be sure too. One last thing Dominik… I wish to thank you. Me, my wife… and now my child would all be dead if not for you. I know you haven't accepted any coin from anyone but… I'd like to thank you somehow."

Dominik shook his head and held up his hand, "No need, it's enough to know you're all safe."

Mikel shook his head, "I won't hear none of that now. You saved my entire family, and I wish to reward you. I don't have much in the way of coin or goods but… I can offer you one thing. I hereby offer you Dominik of Cintra, the Law of Surprise."

He felt his eyes widen. The Law of Surprise wasn't something anyone just went around offering. It could be an extra crop, a new horse, or in cases like Geralt, a child. He shook his head to the man.

"Mikel, truly I promise there's no need. I didn't do it for a reward, I was simply-."

"I know, I believe that you did do this out of the kindness of your heart. However, I must insist, please accept. We owe you our lives, you said you'd do anything for the one you love. I would as well, but I'd also do anything to repay the ones who saves them," He said with genuine appreciation.

Dominik sighed and finally nodded, "Alright, I accept. I invoke the Law of Surprise, give me that which you have, but do not yet know."

Mikel held out his hand, and Dominik shook it, sealing the deal. Mikel smiled and gave him a small bow, "Thank you again… me, my wife, and my child will all live thanks to you Dominik of Cintra. I should probably be getting back now, Danara is due to give birth any moment."

He nodded and gave the miller a smile, "Congratulations again, give her my best."

Mikel smiled back, "Aye I will. Oh, there was one more thing I meant to tell you. Danara and I we decided, that if our child is a boy like some midwives expect we… we decided that we're going to name him Dominik, after the man who without, he wouldn't be alive."

Dominik laughed a little and let out a genuine smile, "I… I'm honored truly, thank you, but what if the midwives are wrong and you have a girl," He said meaning it as a joke.

Mikel scratched his black beard for a moment, pondering his question, "Aye we… we haven't thought of that actually," He said, before meeting his gaze, "If you don't mind my asking what… what's her name, the name of the woman you love, the one you're going to save?"

He felt himself stiffen a small bit, but managed to find his voice, "Cirilla, her names Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. Ciri, that's what we call her though."

The miller nodded, not inquiring any further, which he appreciated, "Aye, that's truly a beautiful name. That'll be her name then, Fiona however, that way when you find her, if you bring her back here, we won't get confused! That's what we'll name them, if it's a boy Dominik, if it's a girl… Fiona Cirilla Symanski," He said with pride, and a smile.

He could feel the warmth well up in his heart, he almost felt tears in his eyes as he went in to shake the man's hand once more, "Thank you Mikel… and good luck, to you, your wife, and your child."

He man smiled and let go of his hand, "No, thank you Dominik of Cintra… for my life, and that of my family. Be sure to come back now after you've found your Cirilla, I know Danara and I would love too to meet her. Plus, you need to come claim your Law of Surprise. Goodbye… Dominik, and good luck."

He nodded to the man with a smile one last time, and turned to walk back to his village, to his wife. Dominik sighed, and looked down at the silver swallow pendant dangling behind his Witcher medallion, he gingerly grabbed it in his hands and sighed with a smile.

"You hear that? The two of us got friends to meet," He said turning back to Clop, he gently stroked the great horses snout, "Well Clop, let's get going. It's time to find Ciri, but first… lets go find Geralt of Rivia."

**A/N: Chapter two is down, and we have our first reunion! I hope this answer's some of the questions you guys had in the first chapter. What do you guys think? Let me know in a review! We'll have lots more Yennefer and Dom next chapter, along with finally seeing Geralt!**

**What are your guesses for this 'strange strength and power' That Dominik describes he had? What will the meeting with the Emperor be like? What're your biggest question about he and Ciri's past?**

**Also, I wanna quickly point out I know in the Witcher 3 game, there is a village in Velen called Claywich, this village is NOT that village. I'll be honest I forgot that village existed in the game xD This Claywitch is just north of Novigrad and Oxenfurt, near the Redania and Temaria border. Just wanted to clarify.**


	3. Reunion

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 3: Reunion**

**Narrator: After further investigation Dominik discovered the beast terrorizing Claywitch was an Alp, a powerful form of vampire. He confronted the beast, but before he could slay it, it revealed to him it used to be one of the Aen Elle, a race of powerful elves from another world. She tempted the young Witcher, by revealing to him his lost love Cirilla, was alive and she had seen her, even offering to open him a portal to her. Dominik resisted the temptation and fought the Alp, he was almost defeated but was saved by his adoptive mother, whom he thought dead, Yennefer of Vengerberg. Yennefer told him that there was a way to find Ciri, but first they were going to find the adoptive father, who he also thought dead. Geralt of Rivia.**

The ride to White Orchard wasn't that far in the end, perhaps a day or so. He couldn't but feel as if he was betraying Cintra, his home, by riding with a Nilfgaardean escort. He hoped that Queen Calanthe, wherever she was, would forgive him if he knew it was for Ciri. He spurred Clop along, beside Yennefer atop of her gelding, with plated soldiers behind them. He kept glancing back at them, subconsciously worried that they were going to try and ride him down. He shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, and Yennefer must have sensed his discomfort.

She looked at him with sympathy, "I know this is hard, but just remember what it's for. For Ciri."

"That's the only reason I'm here… Geralt and I will find her. I miss her Yen… more then I can describe, and being so close after so many years… I almost don't know how to feel," He told her honestly.

"Meaning," She asked him curiously.

He sighed, "I know it sounds… childish but, I'm worried that she… she'll-."

"You're worried she won't feel the same way as you once did, that she'll have forgotten that connection you both had," She said inferring the rest of what he'd say and getting it right.

He nodded in confirmation, and the sorceress shook her head, "Don't worry child. What the two of you went through together, it has a way of forging bonds that will never be broken. Besides, destiny brought you two together, to Geralt, and to me for a reason."

He sighed again but nodded his head. He knew bad things happened when people tried to fight destiny. However, he also knew that he didn't care what destiny had in store for him. Whether Ciri would still love him or not, whether she wanted nothing to do with him after it was all over, he just wanted her to be safe. If he could do that, then he would be satisfied. He looked over at Yennefer again, and he hoped that between he, her and Geralt they could find her.

"So, all magical options have been exhausted, how reliable are these leads the Emperor so 'graciously' gave to us," He asked her.

She chuckled a little, "Let's just say that Geralt has found more with less. Don't worry, like I told you despite how you may feel about the Emperor he wants Ciri back, he wont have spared any expense, he wouldn't be summoning two people he knows don't really like him for an audience unless the rumors had some truth."

"Can't argue with that, if it weren't for the information, he had on Ciri I'd run him through at the first opportunity," He said, as if it was no big deal.

Yennefer rolled her eyes at him, "Need I remind you we're currently riding with a Nilfgaardean escort?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "If what you say is true, he needs me. I wanted to know Yen… how come you didn't find me sooner? How come you didn't go to Geralt?"

The sorceress stiffened, "Well like I told you, I was trying everything I could to find Ciri. I knew Emyr was her father so I worked my way into his court so I could hopefully find her. I didn't think you'd be too keen to work with Nilfgaard unless I had solid proof, she was alive, so when I found out I came to find you and Geralt. Besides, I knew you were alright, alive. If I heard anything were to happen to you, I would have come."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously when she didn't answer his second question, "And… the reason you haven't found Geralt? It's been what, two years since you saw him?"

She visibly stiffened yet again, "Like I said, I was preoccupied, besides… I'd heard he and Triss made a lovely couple," She said bitterly.

Dominik knew he was treading on thin ice with the subject, so he picked his words carefully.

"Yen… don't you think that's a little unfair? He had lost his memory, completely forgot about you, me, everyone," He said, very carefully.

He chose his words wrong, because the sorceresses fiery violet eyes turned on him, "How would you feel if after we found Ciri, you figured out for almost a year she'd been shagging someone you considered to be your close friend? Even if she had no memory, how would that make you feel?"

He was silent. He had to admit, he saw the sorceress's point. However, he also knew that Geralt, despite the fights the two always had, truly loved Yennefer. He hoped that the two of them were able to figure out what was going on now between them, he didn't want to be caught in the middle of it all.

He sighed and nodded his head, "You're right, I wouldn't be very happy. Please though Yen, try not to argue with him too much, it'll make this so much harder, besides… I love the both of you, I hate watching you fight."

Yennefer seemed to calm down, because she sighed and looked over at him, "I'm sorry for that, and I know Geralt is too. Love… makes you do crazy things sometimes," She said.

After another moment she looked at him with a more amused look, "From what I've seen and the stories Geralt told me… Ciri had you wrapped around her little finger in Kaer Morhen."

He laughed and smiled at the memories that came flooding back, "Yeah, you could say she did. I would've done anything for her, still would. All she would have to do is bat those pretty green eyes and whatever it was, nighttime training, stealing real practice swords, staying out to run the gauntlet late instead of reading… I miss it."

"Tell me one of the stories," Yennefer said with an amused tone.

He scoffed and looked at her, "Ha, what do you want me to do that for?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Still have a little bit to go before White Orchard, besides I can tell you're not in the best of moods, perhaps telling a story will brighten your spirits."

Dominik laughed and scratched his scruffy chin to try and think of a good story, and finally settled on the one he dreamed about most.

"Haha okay, so one day Ciri and I were out running the gauntlet. It was what we called a huge section of forest, had to leap from tree to tree, branch to branch. One day in the winter, the one before she went too Ellander, we were out running it," He started excitedly.

He smiled to himself, remembering the dream he had only two nights ago.

"Well this day, the storms were getting bad, and she was moving so quick that I lost her. I kept shouting her name, but she was too far ahead. I remember going to leap for a branch, but it snapped, almost fell and broke a few bones, but she came back to grab me just in time," He continued.

"How often did she have to do that," She asked in a joke.

Dom rolled his eyes, but was able to laugh, "Not a lot, normally I was surefooted, but like I said she caught me, and we managed to get to the ground. I wanted to head back, I knew Geralt and Uncle Vesemir would have a fit," He said deciding not to mention Triss to her at that moment, "But she begged me to stay out with her, told me she found something awesome, I wasn't sure but she-."

"Batted those pretty green eyes at you," Yennefer finished for him.

He nodded with a smile, "Yeah, she did. So, she leads me through the forest and eventually we come to this cave. We lit a torch and it turns out it leads to this huge cavern! It had training dummies, chests, a huge bed, swords, everything a Witcher would need, she found it running the Gauntlet, we guessed it was some old Witcher's hideaway, we were so excited, we had our own secret base of sorts, a place for us to get away from the castle together."

The raven-haired sorceress smiled at him again, "So your own little private getaway, how romantic. Where was this cave exactly?"

He shook his head, "I can't tell you that, only Ciri and I know, and we swore we wouldn't tell nobody."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled as the horses trotted along, "Alright, go on finish up."

He nodded with a smile, "So that night we… had a long talk. I told her how… how scared I was she was leaving. I didn't want to be away from her. She said if anyone tried to take her somewhere, she'd insist that I come."

Yennefer sighed, "And she did, tried to convince Geralt and I to take you to Aretuza, see if you could learn magic too."

He was upset at the reminder, but managed a smile, "At least she kept her word… well that was the night she gave me the swallow. I gave her the iron chain with my dads ring, that night we… we promised that no matter what, we'd always try to find each other, and protect each other."

"So… that's why you still wear the swallow, I thought it was just too protect you from nightmares," She said to him.

He shook his head, "Not just that, it… it helps me think that Ciri is still here with me, helping protect me. Anyway, that night was the first night I… I told her I loved her. Complete idiot I was, just slipped out of my mouth."

Yennefer laughed, and Dom rolled his eyes but kept his smile.

"She… she said she loved me too. That night we couldn't go back to Kaer Morhen, the snowstorms were too bad, so we had to spend the night in the cave, slept on the bed with smelly, dusty old blankets and pillows and-."

"Oh, I'm sure you both just slept," Yennefer said with a smirk.

"Yen! We were kids," He argued back, feeling his face get hot.

She laughed and shook her head, "Oh I know that, I'm sure that there was no kissing, hugging or handholding at all during that night in the cave."

He shook his head at her, but they managed to share a laugh, "The next day, Geralt and Uncle Vesemir were FURIOUS. Weren't allowed to train for three days and had to spend them all in the library reading. After that though… we'd sneak blankets, pillows, food, even a few practice swords to the cave. On days we weren't training, or afterwards we'd spend hours there together… I miss it," He said, feeling his gut begin to swell up.

Yennefer gave him a reassuring nod, "Don't worry, we'll find her. You and Geralt will find her, bring her to Kaer Morhen, and maybe the two of you can go back to that cave."

He nodded to her, "I hope so, we need to find Geralt first. I wonder if all of our stuff is still there…"

"And perhaps this time you can do more then just take a nap on some old smelly, dusty blankets," She told him, with a mischievous smile on her face.

Dominik felt his face get hot, and his stomach drop, "Yen!"

Yennefer laughed and shook her head, "Come on, if we're going to find Ciri, we're going to have to find Geralt first," She said before spurring her gelding on faster.

Dominik sighed, and clipped his feet and urged on Clop to catch up with the sorceress.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The village of White Orchard was exactly what a village ravaged by war would look like. The former Tamerian village was completely in Nilfgaardean control and seeing it couldn't help but make him think of Claywitch. The village and his new friends were only a short way from here. How long before the black ones got to it and started forcing Mikel and the others to bring them extra bushels of grain that they didn't have. However, when he rode Clop up behind Yennefer to the inn at White Orchard, he stopped worrying about the village when he saw the door open.

Out of the inn, covered in blood stepped two old Witchers. He noticed his Uncle Vesemir first, the old Witcher looked weathered, and was covered in blood that he was sure from a fight the old Witcher didn't start. As happy as Dom was too see him, walking out next to his Uncle made him smile ear to ear.

Out of the inn stepped the man who had become a second father to him, after he lost his first.

Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf.

Geralt unlike Yennefer did look much older since the last time Dom saw him. His silver hair had begun to grow to a white color, and the weary lines around his eyes were even deeper then the last time they were together. Unlike Yennefer, Geralt really did look like someone who had died and then came back to life.

"That brawl, we didn't start it," The White Wolf said defensively when met with the Nilfgaardean escort.

Yennefer gestured for him to stay with the horses, and with a smile walked towards the inn.

"Excuses, excuses… you haven't changed a bit," The sorceress said with her hands on her hips.

Geralt's mouth went agape and Dominik couldn't help but chuckle, he felt good for the old Witcher. He knew that like him; he hadn't seen Yennefer in almost two years.

"Y…Yen? How," He asked staring at the sorceress.

Yennefer smiled and looked into the Witcher's yellow eyes, "I received a report about a Witcher who had appeared in White Orchard. I knew it was you, looking for me."

She smiled and looked back towards him at the horses, "I may have waited for you to come find me, but… I had something I had to leave Vizima to do, someone else to find."

Geralt tilted his head inquisitively, "What? Who?"

She smiled and turned back to him again, "Dominik!"

He couldn't help but smile as he stepped forward towards the inn, towards the two older Witcher's. He saw Geralt's eyes widen when he stepped forward, along with his Uncle Vesemir.

"D... Dominik," He asked looking at him with his yellow Witcher's eyes.

He smiled and nodded his head, "Yeah, it's me… for the longest time I… I thought you were dead. It's good to see you Geralt."

He didn't wait for his adoptive father to respond; he closed the distance and wrapped the Witcher in a tight hug. After his initial shock finally went away the Witcher tightly wrapped his arms around him, before finally pulling away with a laughing smile. After pulling away he looked over to his Uncle Vesemir and found himself smiling even wider.

"Uncle Vesemir," He said excitedly.

His Uncle laughed, and brought him in for a hug as well, "Ha, gods lad you've gotten huge. Haven't seen you in years, it's been awfully quiet at Kaer Morhen without you."

He smiled again at the two older Witcher's, "Ha, neither of you will believe this. I had just finished a contract on an Alp before Yen came too find me."

Vesemir scoffed and laughed with a smile, "Ha, an Alp? Those things are rare, and very dangerous, and you took it down without a silver sword?"

He nodded proudly, "Haha yeah, I brewed up a vampire oil. Damn thing moved so fast I couldn't see it."

His Uncle smiled, "Well, well, it seems you were paying some attention to me during those lessons after all."

Geralt shifted uncomfortably and looked at him, "You've… grown up a lot. Dom, I'm… I'm sorry that I didn't-."

Dominik shook his head to stop his adoptive father, "Don't worry about it Geralt, Yen told me what happened at Rivia and after. It's all right, we'll talk about it later. It's… good to see you again, to see you both," He said smiling at the two Witchers.

Yennefer smiled and took a step forward, "The same goes for me, it's… good to see you Geralt. I'd even embrace you, were you not covered in blood."

Geralt shifted and looked down at his blood stained Kaer Morhen armor, it was a type of armor that Dominik had always wanted. It was sleek, and not extremely heavy, while still providing good protection, it complimented Geralt's swift style of fighting perfectly. He had wanted a set for himself since he first saw Geralt wearing it.

The Witcher looked up from his blood-stained armor, "Sorry… wasn't expecting to see either of you. To be honest," He said turning to Yennefer, "Wasn't at all how I imagined we'd meet."

"How did you imagine it," Yennefer asked him with a smile.

"He didn't expect you'd show up with a Nilfgaardean escort," His Uncle Vesemir said.

Geralt nodded to confirm, "Yeah, he's right, especially you," He said turning to Dominik, "The last place I expected to see you again for the first time would be with a group of Nilfgaardean soldiers."

Dominik scoffed and nodded, "Yeah you're right about that. I'd sooner take my chances with the Alp again then ride with the black ones, but… Yen convinced me, told me what this was all about."

Geralt nodded at him grimly, before turning to Yen, "There's only one thing I can think of that would make Dom willing to work with Nilfgaard, so what is this about Yen?"

Yennefer looked at the group of them, "I will provide an explanation I promise, in Vizima, ready your horses."

Geralt shifted uncomfortably, and looked between Yen and he, "Spent the last six months in the saddle. Haven't seen," He started, looking over to Dom, "Either of you in two years, can't we take a moment too-."

Yennefer shook her head and interrupted, "Sadly we cannot. Someone awaits you Geralt, awaits you and Dominik. Someone who doesn't like to be kept waiting."

She looked at Dominik who rolled his eyes, before she continued, "Emperor Emhyr var Emreis… or to those on more intimate terms with him, the White Flame Dancing on the Graves of His Foes."

Geralt narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Doubt I number among that group. Far as I remember, last time we saw each other. He wanted to kill me," he said before looking over to Dominik, "And I sincerely doubt the Emperor of Nilfgaard would want to see you, let alone you wanting to see him."

He sarcastically laughed, "Ha, very true. I'd see the bastard burn if it were up too me. I wasn't very keen on the idea at first, but then Yen… told me everything. And well if what I think he has to say is what I'm hoping… I can put my anger aside."

Yennefer nodded in conferment, "He's right Geralt, the Emperor… now he wants to make you an offer."

His Uncle Vesemir grunted, "Well even if it's not what you're hoping, it has to be the kind of offer you can't refuse."

"I didn't… even though I could have," Yennefer said, looking back to Geralt.

Geralt thought for a moment and his eyes fell on Dominik again, "Well if what he has to offer makes Dom of all people, willing to travel to the Nilfgaardean capital, I guess I can hear him out."

Yennefer smiled sarcastically, "The Emperor of Nilfgaard, lord of Metinna, Ebbing and Gemmera, sovereign of Nazair and Vicovaro, will feel honored I am sure."

Dominik rolled his eyes, "I'm sure he has just been dying too meet me," He muttered.

Yennefer chuckled and walked back towards the soldiers and horses, as soon as she was out of earshot Geralt turned to Dominik.

"So… Yen told you everything? Even about Emhyr," He asked the young Witcher.

He sighed and nodded, "Yeah she did… like I said, it's the only reason I agreed to come. You know I'd do anything for her."

Geralt nodded and his Uncle Vesemir smiled, "I'm proud of you lad… putting aside your own personal feelings for the good of someone else. It's something all people should learn, not just Witcher's."

He gave his Uncle a smile, "Thanks Uncle Vesemir… what'll you be doing?"

He smiled back before looking at Geralt and he, "I'll be heading in the opposite direction. I doubt the Emperor's invitation included me. Besides I got some stuff to do at Kaer Morhen remember?"

Geralt nodded, "Yeah I remember. Thanks for your help Vesemir, and good luck," He said shaking the old Witcher's hand.

His Uncle nodded and turned to him, "And you lad… watch out for yourself, be careful, don't be reckless just because you're so close. You'll be no good to Ciri or any of us if you're dead, do you understand?"

He nodded in understanding, and gave his Uncle a hug again, "Thanks Uncle Vesemir… I promise. Also, I'm… sorry I never came back to Kaer Morhen."

The old Witcher shook his head, "Don't worry about it lad. You were on your own journey; we all go on one eventually. You were just on yours, and it still isn't over."

He nodded with a smile to his Uncle, before turning back to Geralt. Geralt nodded to the younger Witcher, and the two started walking back towards Yennefer and their horses.

"Before we leave, I need you to promise me something," He asked the young Witcher.

"What is it?"

He sighed and turned to face him, "I need you to promise me when we see the Emperor, you'll keep your emotions in check. We're going to be in a city with thousands of Nilfgaardean soldiers, not exactly the best place to make the Emperor of Nilfgaard angry."

Dominik scoffed, "Ha, come on Geralt. Me, in the middle of a Nilfgaardean court? What could possibly go wrong," He asked sarcastically.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, you got accused of killing a King, fought in a war, fought a dragon, interrupted a peace summit… damn Geralt, makes what I've been up too even more boring," He told the old Witcher.

Geralt chuckled as they rode behind Yennefer and their Nilfgaardean soldiers. The closer they got to the palace at Vizima, the more he felt his stomach begin to roll. The last place he ever wanted to be was a Nilfgaardean controlled city. It gave him too many flashbacks to that night at Cintra. However, he knew that he needed to be strong, if going to the city would get him a lead on finding Ciri, then he would be able to stomach it.

Geralt chuckled again, "So, what HAVE you been up too the last two years then?"

Dominik shrugged, "Well to be honest, exactly what I was doing before Rivia. Traveling the continent, seeing new places, taking on contracts when the need arose… asking every mage I found what they knew about the Elder Blood, or travel between worlds."

The Witcher nodded grimly, "We shouldn't have kept you so in the dark, I'm sorry for that. Thought you'd be too young to understand why we had to do it, I realize now I was wrong, I never should have separated the two of you."

He shook his head, "Don't worry Geralt. You're right, I would've preferred to be kept in the loop, and more importantly not be separated from her. There's no use in being angry about it now if what Yen says is true… I'm close."

The two rode in silence for a moment, before Dominik finally sighed. He looked to Geralt with sad eyes, "Geralt… can I ask you something?"

"Of course," The old Witcher said.

He looked down at the silver swallow dangling from his neck, behind his Witcher's medallion. He thought about what it could have done for him, before turning back to Geralt as they rode.

"You see… when I was hunting the Alp, I learned… well it wasn't an ordinary one," He explained.

Geralt looked at him curiously, "What do you mean?"

"She was elven, I chased her after saving a pregnant woman and her husband, finally had her cornered," He said taking in a deep sigh, "But… but then she told me Ciri's name, her full name. You see she broke into my room the night before, gave me horrible nightmares and saw my dreams."

The White Wolf nodded, "Yeah… Alp's have that ability, probably tried to use Ciri's name to make you let your guard down."

He nodded in conferment, before looking down at Clop's white mane, and feeling a sense of shame fill his body, "You're right… you see though, she claimed she was an Aen Elle, a race of elves from another world before she was cursed," He explained, sucking in sharply, "And… she told me that before she was cursed and turned into an Alp… that she saw Ciri in the world of the Aen Elle. She said that… that if I heard her out, she… she would tell me everything she knew about her."

Geralt nodded in understanding as soon as he finished, "And you heard her out."

Dominik took a shaky breath and nodded, "Yeah… I did. I had no intention at that moment of letting her go, I just thought I'd hear her out, figure out some stuff about Ciri, then kill her. I'd go find Triss or someone who could help and pick up her trail again."

His adoptive father shook his shoulders, "Alright, that's not so bad, what's wrong then?"

He shook his head, "That wasn't it. She… she offered me a deal. Said she had the magic of the Aen Elle, could open a portal for me, to anywhere… or anyone, all she would need is something that once belonged to them and…"

Geralt finished his thought, "She told you she'd open you a portal to Ciri, but in exchange you had to leave and let her have the village," He finished.

Dominik felt the guilt weight up inside his gut and slowly nodded, "Geralt I… I actually considered it. I… I just thought about how long it's been since I saw her, heard her voice, I… can't even think of what she'd look like now," He said looking at the swallow again, before turning back to Geralt, "I… I wanted to see her so bad that I… I almost let her take the entire village. Geralt… I… I almost let them all die for my own selfish purpose."

"But you didn't, and that's the important part, you realized that it would have been wrong," He said to the young Witcher reassuringly.

He shook his head, "You're right… Ciri she… she would've hated me for it. Never have forgiven me but… it's the fact I gave it serious thought. I didn't even know if the damn thing was telling the truth! But still I… I almost let it kill more innocent people."

The old Witcher sighed and looked back ahead towards Yennefer, "You know that I'm not really an expert on romance, or love in general but… I do know some things," He said turning his yellow Witcher eyes to meet his green ones, "I know that sometimes you love someone so much, that you'd do anything or them… even things you normally wouldn't even think about doing. It'll make you do stupid, sometimes horrible things."

He sighed and looked back towards Yennefer before finishing, "The important part is, to remember who we are and what we stand for, and what the people we love stand for. You love Ciri Dom, I know you always have."

Dominik couldn't help but chuckle and smiled at the old Witcher, "Yen said it was obvious, was it?"

Geralt laughed and nodded, "Oh yeah. I could tell from the moment I found the two of you. Her, well she fell for you a little later. You though? From the minute I saw you look at her."

He smiled and remembered how true it was. From the moment he first saw her in Cintra, to the moment they escaped.

Geralt smirked, "I also guessed it when you tried to smash my knee in with a rock when you saw me grab her after I first found you."

"I thought you were kidnapping her," He said with a smile.

He chuckled again, "Ha, well I knew from then on, even more so after watching you in Kaer Morhen. She eventually fell for you too, it was nice seeing it evolve, helped you both train better. Remember when I made you both run the double pendulum?"

He scoffed and nodded, "Oh yeah I do, took both of us over a hundred falls to get it right. Ciri beat it first but me? I still couldn't get it done even after a hundred more falls."

Geralt nodded, "Yeah, and then what did she do?'

He sighed and a smile came to his face, "Woke me up in the dead of night, said we were going to go practice until I got it, wait… did you know about that?"

The old Witcher nodded and laughed, "Haha of course I did. Eskel, Lambert, they both did too. We spent that night watching the two of you practice, wanted to make sure you didn't seriously hurt yourselves."

He warmed up on the inside, and felt his stomach finally start to untangle, "Ha, then you know we were out there for hours, only the moon and a torch to light the damn thing, made it even harder once the blindfold went on."

"Yeah… and I also remember you almost falling off the edge, off the walls of Kaer Morhen, was hanging on by your fingertips, almost rushed down until," He said, letting him finish the memory.

"Ciri reached over and pulled me back up… she was crying, I hadn't seen her that scared since Cintra… was the first night she kissed me," He said, feeling the exact spot on his lips she had kissed.

Geralt nodded, "That was when I knew."

"Knew what," He asked the old Witcher.

"The moment I knew she loved you too. Especially since you went on practicing for two more hours, until you finally did it right. I remembered the next morning the two of you could barely keep your eyes open," The White Wolf told him.

Dominik scoffed again but smiled, "Ha, I still can't believe you were watching the whole time… I really miss her."

Geralt nodded, "I know, so do I. And yes, I knew about most of your little escapades, like the time you were supposed to be studying in the library and I saw the two of you-."

"Alright! I get it, we were children, we were obvious, I remember," He said with his face flushing red.

Yennefer slowed her gelding ahead, and eventually rode next to the two of them, "I have to admit, seeing the two of you together again… it makes me happy," she said.

Geralt smiled and Dominik felt himself smiling as well. He had spent so long feeling completely miserable at times. No matter how much coin he earned from contracts, no matter what monsters he slew, or what amazing places he saw on the continent, nothing ever truly brought a genuine smile to his face. He hadn't been truly happy or felt genuine excitement since he got the letter from Geralt to ride to Rivia, before that… since that amount of time, he got to spend with Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri all-together, before Ciri had gone to Aretuza the first time.

Now however, he was so close to having that again, he wasn't going to let anything stop him.

Geralt smiled, "You know… had a dream with the two of you in it recently."

Yennefer rolled her eyes with a smile, "Knowing you, I'm sure it was filthy."

He felt himself choke on the water he was drinking from the skin he pulled from the saddle, causing Geralt and Yennefer to laugh.

"Ha, at first yeah," Geralt said smiling at the two of them, "but after that…"

The Witcher stopped, and Dominik looked up, his eyes narrowing when he felt something wet fall onto his face. He looked up and reached out one of his none gloved hands… and small snowflakes were falling from the sky. He heard the stampeding of hooves, and a rush of cold air from behind him. He turned around and from the woods next to them, hordes of heavily plated warriors on horseback were riding their plated mounts, with wild, rabid creatures running along their heels.

He turned to Geralt, "Geralt is that-."

"The Wild Hunt," The old Witcher said, his mouth agape.

"RIDE NOW," Yennefer yelled, snapping the reins of her gelding.

Her horse shot forward and after getting one last look at the warriors looked down to his horse, "Come on Clop!"

He snapped the reins of his white mare and it spurred forward, rushing up behind Yennefer as Geralt atop his Roach followed closely behind. He turned back to see the Nilfgaardean soldiers, trying to fend off the riders but having no success. One man fell off his horse and was trampled by the plated horses the warriors rode. Another tried to draw his sword but was cut down in an instant.

He could hear the hooves of their mounts getting closer, and one got right to Clop's heels. He was about to reach back and try to draw his own blade when he saw Geralt shoot around.

"DOWN," the older Witcher yelled to him.

He lowered his head, and Geralt shot his hand out. A large blast of blue telekinetic energy, the Witcher's Aard sign, flew past and sent the rider tumbling off his horse. He nodded to Geralt and snapped Clop's reigns, and his loyal horse spurred on even faster. He looked up and saw sparks coming from Yennefer's hands and spurred Clop on as fast as the beast could move as the Hunt got closer again. He, Yennefer and Geralt crossed over a wooden bridge and after they did Yennefer fired her spell back, breaking the bridge to splinters, causing the riders and beasts to fall, as the three of them sped forward, Vizima was finally in sight.

He looked back towards the clouds of snow that were finally dispersing, he sighed heavily, and as they sped on looked over towards Geralt and Yennefer.

"So… that was the Wild Hunt," he asked the two of them.

Geralt nodded, "Yeah, not the friendliest bunch," he said, looking at Yennefer, "Yen, what-."

Yennefer shook her head, "Not now, tomorrow. After you're audience, I'll explain everything I promise."

Dominik sighed, "Is the audience really necessary?"

Yennefer gave him a stern look, "Yes, it is, and if you want a chance of finding Ciri you'll attend and behave," he said, scolding him like a mother normally did her child.

Dominik felt his stomach drop again; he was so close to finding Ciri.

However, to do so he'd have to enter the base of the man responsible for his first family being killed.

**A/N: Reunion! We got to finally get Geralt in the story, and we learn a little bit more about Dom's time at Kaer Morhen with Ciri. How will the audience with the emperor go? Will Dom bow to the man who killed his family? Only one way to find out, leave a review and I'll see you next time.**


	4. A Promise

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 4: A Promise**

**Narrator: After Yennefer led him to the village of White Orchard, Dominik was finally reunited with Geralt, his long-lost adoptive father, and his Uncle Vesemir. The reunions were short however, as Yennefer told Dominik and Geralt that the Emperor of Nilfgaard Emhyr Var Emrys wanted to meet with the two of them. Dom was reluctant at first, but remembered Yennefer had told him, the audience was in relation to finding the woman he had been searching for, for the last 8 years. His lost love, Ciri.**

"I don't like this," Dominik muttered as water was poured over his head.

Geralt, who was in the tub next to him, being scrubbed in a similar way, didn't even open his eyes when he responded, "You know, you're allowed to enjoy some things," He said, as the three bath maids lifted his arms to scrub him down.

He grunted as he had his arms lifted up by one of the three girls delicate hands. He felt as if he was a house decoration being scrubbed down before guests came. Most people, like Geralt next to him, would have enjoyed having a hot bath and being scrubbed down by three young, beautiful women. However, the longer he spent in the water, in the palace the more anxious he felt. He eyed one brown haired young girl suspiciously, as she took a little bit too much time to his liking gawking at his chest, at the long diagonal scar that ran across it. The scar he got from Rivia when a random farm boy almost killed him. She met his eyes, and giggled, before running the rag slowly up his chest, and up his out-stretched arm.

Geralt scoffed in amusement, "I've never seen a man so nervous to be given a bath by three beautiful women."

He rolled his eyes, "I guess I'm just not like other men."

One of the girls slowly ran her hand over the fresh scar on his shoulder, the scar where the Alp had sunk her fangs into him.

He winced at the contact, "Don't touch that," he snapped as the girl recoiled her hand.

His Witcher medallion and Ciri's swallow pendant were the only things he refused to let them take off when they arrived the night before. The last thing he needed was the Emperor confiscating the only thing he had left of her.

He grunted in pain when the same girl ran a rag down his shoulder, over the scar, then down his back where he had been slashed just two days before.

"I am capable of bathing myself," He muttered as his arms were lifted to be scrubbed one final time.

He looked over at Geralt, who seemed to be rather enjoying the situation, the old Witcher turned and met his eyes, "Remember what Vesemir said. Keep your emotions in check, go along with whatever they say, it won't do us no good making them mad."

"But Geralt I don't-."

"Remember why you're here Dominik," He said with a finality to his tone.

He sighed and leaned back against the tub, as his body continued to be scrubbed down. That was all Geralt had to tell him. He had repeated it during the multiple times he had complained about being forced to spend more than one night in the Nilfgaardean controlled city. He closed his eyes and tried to simply enjoy the hot water, but as soon as he finally tried too, he heard a small clap. He opened one eyes and saw the uptight chamberlain wave his hand, gesturing for the women to leave. The six girls who had been attending to Geralt and he, gave the two of them a final smile and all walked out of the room.

"Of course," He muttered, as the older man walked behind, he and Geralt.

He had to restrain himself after the man ran his finger on the back of his neck violently, before doing the same to Geralt.

"Hmm, it must suffice," He said with a condescending tone.

Two men came over to the tub's he and Geralt were laying in and held up towels for them. He looked over at Geralt who also had an annoyed look on his face, he nodded however, and he stepped up out of the tub.

"Think Emhyr cares if we're clean," Geralt muttered as they wrapped towels around their bottom halves.

"I couldn't care less if I was," Dominik said, as he tied the towel around his face.

The chamberlain gave them both an annoyed, and offended face, "The two gentlemen will refer to his Imperial Majesty by his full title or not at all."

He rolled his eyes, "That'll be the day for me," He said.

The older man gave another disgusted look at him, before turning in the room, "The two gentlemen will both be seated in the two bergère's," He said quickly.

"The what now," Geralt asked as the two of them followed the man.

He couldn't see the man's face, but he could tell he was rolling his eyes, he finally stopped and turned to face them between two wooden chairs, "In these… chairs," he said with an annoyed tone.

"Could've just said that," Dom said with his tone just as annoyed.

He looked to Geralt and rolled his eyes, and the old Witcher sighed with annoyance. He sat down in the wooden chair right next to Geralt, and the Chamberlain waved his hand to the two men.

"Cledwyn, Sivere. Please shave the two gentlemen's sideburns to half an inch," He said, before the two identical looking men nodded.

"Something wrong with my beard? Emperor not too fond of facial hair," Dominik asked sarcastically.

Geralt scoffed with amusement, "Yeah, I thought mine always added to my dignity."

The Chamberlain scoffed with annoyance, "It does. Yet it also detracts from your elegance. In Nilfgaard, we consider beards hard on the eyes. Especially beards infested with lice."

Dominik grunted with amusement, "Been a while since I shaved, go on. The last thing I want to do is be hard on the emperor's eyes," he said with an eye roll.

Geralt chuckled, "Ha, what he said, fine let's get this over with."

"Tilt your head back please, and sit still," The man said behind his head, after placing the shaving cream over his face.

He leaned his head back and felt the shaving blade rack across his face. The man moved the blade with surprising precision. He kept his head leaned back, being careful not to let the blade too close to his neck. He didn't want to have to shave, he like the brown scruff around his chin and sideburns. He didn't want it gone, but he also didn't want to cause too much of scene. He felt he had been doing a good job of controlling himself so far. He closed his eyes, to hopefully try to relax, when he heard footsteps and open his eyes.

"And prepare to answer some questions," the man said striding into the room with a sword at his hip.

The man was clean shaven, long brown hair behind his neck. He wore armor, with a red necklace around his neck, and longsword at his belt. Dominik guessed he was important because the Chamberlain's eyes went wide.

"General, I am not certain this is an appropriate time," he said nervously.

The man smiled and chuckled, "I can't think of a better time. Men feel honest when they feel a blade at their throat," he said walking towards Geralt and he.

The man behind him applied another coat of shaving cream. He looked over to Geralt who looked at the man suspiciously, similar to how Dominic was as well.

"Morvran Voorhis, commander of the Alba Division. Before they take the two of you to see the Emperor, Witcher's, there's some information we must verify. It's a formality, but one that must be seen to," He said, looking between the two of them, pulling a clipboard out from behind him.

Dominik sighed, and Geralt met the general's eyes, "Sure, paperwork's gotta be in order."

"Gotta know everything about everyone…" Dominik muttered as the man shaving his neck shaved near his ear.

The general chuckled and looked between the two, "Paperwork makes the world go round eh? So, which one of you would like to go first?"

"I don't have to tell you-."

"I'll go first, come on, let's get this over with," Geralt said interrupting him.

Geralt looked over to him with a look that clearly said, 'play along' before turning back to the general. Dominik sighed in annoyance, the last thing he wanted to do was give the Black Ones any information on himself, however Geralt's words rung through his head. 'Remember why you're here.'

"Very good," The General said, pulling a feather quill out of his pocket, "So, Geralt of Rivia, Place of birth-unknown, parents-unknown, age-unknown…. All insignificant details. Let us proceed to more recent events- the siege of La Valette Castle. The fate of the defending commander, one Aryan," the man asked Geralt, sitting on a chair near them.

Dominik kept his eyes on Geralt, as the blade sharply racked across his face again.

"We fought on opposing sides, true. Then, we landed in the same dungeon. Aryan escaped, set fire to the castle on his way out," Geralt explained, as his facial hair was precisely cut.

The general nodded his head, surprised as he wrote down the report, "Ahh, so that's how the blaze began. Our reports suggested that the dragon was responsible," The general said, looking back up at Geralt, "Moving on. You then found shelter in charming Flotsam, and from there you made your way to Vergen. My question is, how?"

Geralt looked over to the general suspiciously, "I got out of Flotsam with Vernon Roche. Commander of the blue stripes and-."

"A murderer of non-humans. We know this gentleman well, Witcher. You forge interesting alliances," The general said.

Geralt grunted with amusement, "Something tells me my most interesting is yet to come. Go on, next question- before my beard grows back."

The general laughed, amused, "We shall shave you again if it does. Very well. The infamous summit at Loc Muinne. You were there. And once again meddled in the affairs of the mighty," He said, letting the question ask itself.

Geralt quickly looked over to Dominik, before turning back to the general, "The mighty had imprisoned Triss Merigold. Oughta know I care about her. And I rescue the ones I care about," he said with finality.

The Nilfgaardean grunted, "And so you did, handing Radovid control of the Conclave and Council of Mages in the process," he said condescendingly.

He saw Geralt's eyes flare, "And Nilfgaard recently started a war, Unprovoked. So, do us both a favor and stop moralizing."

The man shaving him had finished, and he felt his face completely smooth now. He felt a cold breeze chill his chin as the general looked at Geralt with an amused look.

"I'm afraid I might find that difficult. Because what from I know, shortly afterwards you watched a defective mega scope blow your friend Sile de Tanserville to bits," He said, bravely managing to meet Geralt's eyes.

Geralt shook his head and Dominik could see his annoyance, "I watched her get in the mega scope, but ultimately freed her… from the trap you man Letho of Gulet had set. Write that down, I wanna make sure the paperwork is in order now," He told the general, who smirked and wrote down on his clipboard.

The general chuckled again, "Well national interests calls on one to forge difficult alliances at time. Alliances with Witchers included," He said matter-of-factly.

"That an ongoing alliance? What's Letho up too," Geralt asked with genuine interest.

The general stood, "I had hoped you would answer that question," He said coming over towards Dominik's chair.

Geralt smiled, amused, "Ah. So Letho's hiding from you. Must have a good reason. Was there a shift in national interest that might have caused that? I don't know where he is. Wouldn't tell you if I did, anyway. Blade or no blade to my throat," Geralt said with finality.

The general nodded, still with an amused look and handed Geralt the feather quill, and held the clipboard out too him, "I believe that is all. Your signature please, affirming you stated the whole truth and nothing but the truth, on pain of imprisonment or death, et cetera, et cetera. Here… and here," He said pointing to lines of the paper.

Geralt looked at Dom, giving him one last look, Dominik knew what he was trying to say. He was trying to tell him again to just play along with what the general wanted. After Geralt had finally finished signing, he placed the quill carefully on the board and gave Dom another reassuring look. Dominik sighed as the general made his way in front of his chair and sat pulled one up in-front of him.

"Finally, my turn? I think my beard is really starting to grow back," He said sarcastically, meeting the general's eyes.

The man grunted with amusement, "I think it looks fine, now you… it seems we have a little bit more information about you young man," he said, flipping the paper on his clipboard.

Dominik gripped the arms of the chair, as the general scanned his clipboard. He ran his finger down the information and then looked back up too him.

"Ah here we are. Dominik of Cintra, place of birth-Cintra, parents-Gregory, former captain of the royal guard of Cintra, and Sofia a retired member of Cintrin special forces… both deceased," he said scribbling something on the board.

He felt his fingernails dig into the wood of his chair, he looked over at Geralt, who continued to urge him to keep his cool.

The general continued, "Younger sibling, Bella, age nine… deceased at the battle of Cintra."

He felt something finally snap in his brain, and words flew from his mouth before he could stop himself, "You mean the _massacre _of Cintra. Where Nilfgaardean soldiers murdered thousands of innocent women and children in their homes. Make sure that's made clear."

The entire room fell silent, he looked over and saw Geralt ready to spring from the chair at a moment's-notice. The general stopped writing on his board and closed his eyes to compose himself.

Finally, he managed to nervously laugh, before meeting Dominik's eyes again, "Oh the ignorance of youth… let us move on," he said looking back down at his paper.

He saw Geralt ease, before the general looked back up, "As I said, parents- Gregory, Sofia, younger sibling- Bella, age-22 years, now, our records at first had you listed as a victim of the Battle of Cintra. The obvious question is, how did you survive?"

He knew he couldn't tell what really happened during his escape, so he twisted his words, "My mom grabbed a sword, and tried to fight her way out of the town. Last I saw her she was cutting down your soldiers, but we got separated when a fire erupted near us. I was on my own, made my way out of the city through a sewer grate," he said before looking at Geralt, "Escaped the city, traveled north, survived on my own for almost a month before Geralt found me, took me to Kaer Morhen, the Witcher fortress," He said with finality.

He looked over at Geralt, who kept eye contact with him. Both of their beards had finally been shaved, and the Chamberlain was waiting patiently as the General copied down everything he said onto his paper. After making a few adjustments with his quill he looked back up to him.

He looked back to Dominik and he could tell the man was eager to finish, "One final question, and then we shall be done. What, was the nature of your relationship with one, princess Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon."

"It's none of your damn business, and you can tell anyone who asks that question the same thing," He snapped before he could try to control himself.

Once again, the room went silent, and he could see Geralt ready to pounce from his chair at a moment notice again. The general he realized, was much more level-headed then most of the Nilfgaardean's he had met so far. He kept his composure, and wrote down something on his clipboard, before holding it out for Dominik to sign.

Carefully he reached for the quill and signed the lines that the man indicated before handing the quill back to him. The general scanned over the papers one more time before looking back at Dominik.

"You are a brave young man Dominik of Cintra," He complimented before taking steps to exit the room and turning around to them.

"Everything seems to be in order," He said, his smile returning.

The Chamberlain finally nodded his head, "With these formalities seen to, I would ask the general to leave the room. We shall be choosing attire for the two gentlemen. An important, but one that does not require the general's assistance."

The man gave a small laugh, "Shame… I might have given some advice. So long to you Geralt," He said before looking at Dominik again, "And you as well Dominik of Cintra, good luck with your audience," He said, before leaving the room.

The Chamberlain gestured for the two of them to follow him after, and Dom finally felt himself let out a breath. Geralt looked at him as the two of them got up and followed the stuffy, old man.

"Hmm, never knew you had a younger sister," Geralt said to him as the two of them entered the room with the Chamberlain.

Dominik shook his head, "Nobody knew… except for Ciri, don't like to talk about her."

In the room they had been led too, three racks with three outfits were standing. All three of them were some combination of white and black. Tailored black doublets, and stuffy pants that all looked extremely uncomfortable. He wasn't particularly keen on wearing any of them.

"Looks more like we're being prepped for a wedding," Geralt said sarcastically.

"Or a funeral…" Dominik followed.

The Chamberlain grunted, "Were that so, I would have prepared both gentlemen a flock, tailcoat, or possibly a dinner jacket. The two gentlemen will choose from the garments present."  
"So our choices are black, slightly less black, or totally black," Dom asked sarcastically, making Geralt chuckle next to him.

The old man shook his head, "We do not like garish colors in Nilfgaard. The two gentlemen will tell me once they have selected their outfits," he said walking to the door of the room.

Dominik sighed and Geralt looked over at him. The two of them walked up to the outfits, and Dom ran his fingers over a black doublet with white stripes on the arms. He couldn't imagine something he would want to wear less. However, he knew if he wanted to get out of there it would be best to play along with whatever game the Nilfgaardeans wanted to play.

Geralt ran his hands along a doublet before looking over to him, "What happened to her? Your sister," He asked carefully.

If it had been anyone else other then Geralt, he more than likely would have cut the man in half. He sighed and looked into the roaring fire they Chamberlain had going, and he could remember the fires in the streets of Cintra that night. He remembered the events of the night in vivid detail.

He looked over at Geralt and met his yellow Witcher eyes, "My mother she… gave me a knife and told me to hold onto her as we tried to escape, told me to keep her close and follow her. So, I did, I kept pulling her along as mother she… she fought through every soldier that came her way, eventually got us to one of the sewers exits," he said, remembering how fiercely his mother fought.

He looked down at his hands and remembered the blood dripping down them, "She… she told me to get through the pipes with Bella, while… she went to the palace to find our father. Mother she… made it another few steps away from us before an arrow took her down," he said, remembering how loudly his mother had fallen to the ground.

"Bella screamed, soldiers advanced on us, led by one knight wearing a winged helmet. I… I tried to drag Bella along and run, I knew mother was dead but I had promised her and father I'd keep Bella safe, so I tried to drag her away with me but she," he stopped to take in a shaky breath, he hadn't told the story in so long, and the time hadn't made it hurt any less.

"Dom, you don't have to keep talking," Geralt said too him.

He shook his head and met the Witcher's eyes, "No I… I'm fine. Bella she… ran to our mothers body, threw herself on top of her crying. That black knight with the feathered helmet he… he shot an arrow threw her without even thinking. I screamed next, ran over to her body but… she was already dead. Bastard tried to hit me next but missed his shot. I… I ran, just left their bodies there, and ran, like a coward…"

Geralt shook his head, "You were a kid Dominik, you couldn't have done anything for them," The Witcher told him reassuringly.

Dom sighed carefully, determined not to let tears fall in the Nilfgaardean city, "I guess you're right but… it haunts me to this day. That knight, he chased me through the streets for fun, until I ducked down into a side alley. I don't know if he saw me but… he found a new target," He said, looking to make sure the Chamberlain and no guards were listening, "His new target was a young girl in a blue cloak that had just come out of the secret tunnel in the castle, started chasing her. I recognized the girl's cloak, so I found a horse another knight had abandoned and well… you've heard the rest of the story before."

Geralt slowly pulled the doublet off the stand and reached over, placing a hand on Dom's shoulder and looking into his green eyes, "You did everything you could Dom, and you did good in the end. You saved that girl's life, that's something to be proud of."

He scoffed and managed a smile, looking at the older Witcher, "Thanks Geralt… I won't let anything happen to her. We're going to find her."

He nodded his head, "You're right, we are. Now come on, let's just play this little game for a little longer, then we can get started."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He managed to keep his temper when the Chamberlain insisted on keeping Geralt and he in the room until they properly knew how to bow. The doublet's obnoxiously big collar chaffed his neck, and every step he took he felt it was about to rip. He felt the strong desire to get back into armor and strap a sword across his back again.

Geralt chuckled, "Ha, gotta admit, I'm proud of you for keeping your temper," Geralt told him as they walked from the room.

He shook his head and sighed, "Don't jinx me now…"

"The two gentlemen will address the ruler of the North and South only when addressed, and by his full title," The Chamberlain said as they ascended steps, stopping outside the door.

He felt himself begin to go stiff. He took in a deep sigh and looked over at Geralt who nodded reassuringly. It wasn't every day that you met the man who was responsible for your entire family being slaughtered, added on top of the fact of recently learning, said man is the father of the woman you love. Geralt stood next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Just bow and let me do the talking. If you feel yourself about to freak out… just remember why we're here," Geralt said to him in a low voice.

He nodded his head, and the Chamberlain opened the door. The room was filled with six or seven nobles who all parted for them as soon as they entered. He had to suck in a breath when he finally saw the Emperor. The man had the eyes of a cold, calculated killer. His black hair was slicked back behind his head, and when he saw his face fully for the first time, he felt his stomach drop. He could see her. He could see Ciri in the man, if he looked past the cold calculating eyes and focused on the details of his face… he could see her. A part of him had hoped Yennefer and Geralt, they were both wrong. Ciri couldn't be related to this man, however his hopes were dashed when he saw him.

The chamberlain spouted some nonsense in Nilfgaardean that he couldn't understand, and he was so fixated on looking at the Emperor he almost didn't feel Geralt elbow him.

"Bow," The Chamberlain hissed to him.

He looked to his left and saw Geralt sigh, before bowing just as the Chamberlain instructed them. "Your imperial majesty," The old Witcher said dryly.

When he came up, he met Dominik's eyes and he could tell what they were saying. Just do it.

So, he sighed and looked directly at the Emperor of Nilfgaard, before lowering his head, and bowing appropriately, "Your imperial majesty," He said with as much bitterness as he could muster.

He rose and saw that the Emperor's eyes staring between he and Geralt with coldness. He said something in Nilfgaardean, and all of the nobles, and chamberlain left the room, leaving only he, Geralt and Dominik. Geralt took a few steps forwards towards the man seated at his desk, and he followed. The Emperor met the eyes of the old Witcher.

"I thought you bowed before no man," He said to Geralt, before turning his eyes on Dominik, "And I never thought I'd see the day, a man of Cintra bowed to me willingly."

He curled his fingers into fists, and probably would have said something he regretted, but Geralt cut in, "Didn't wanna disappoint the Chamberlain, we're all friends."

The Emperor didn't look amused, as he turned his eyes over to Dominik, "So… you're Dominik of Cintra. Yennefer spoke very highly of you."

He let out a deep breath he had been holding, and managed to find his words, "Yennefer's like a second mother to me, glad I could impress her," He said to the man.

He kept his eyes on him for another moment, and Geralt spoke up before they could exchange anymore words, "I take it you didn't call the two of us here to reminisce about old times?"

The Emperor turned his eyes to Geralt, before standing from his desk. He walked around and stood between Dominik and Geralt, giving them both a loathing look, before turning to the wall.

"My daughter Cirilla… she's returned, and she's in danger. The Wild Hunt pursues her," The man said, looking at the wall.

Dominik turned and he sucked in another breath. On the wall was an old painting of what he knew was Ciri. She was only a young child, perhaps only 4 or 5 years old, wearing a long white dress. He felt his insides churn, and his heart began to do flips. So, it was all true. He knew that Yennefer wouldn't lie to him about something like this, however he still had his doubts when she told him. Ciri was really back on the continent. She wasn't between worlds that despite everything he tried, was impossible to reach. She was somewhere where he could go and get her.

The Emperor turned back to the two of them, "The two of you will find her, and bring her too me," He said with finality.

He tried to contain himself, let Geralt do the talking like he said, but he couldn't help himself.

"And you're sure? Ciri… she left, went far away. There's not a chance you're mistaken," he asked the man.

He could feel Geralt tense next to him, as the Emperor turned to him, "You think I would bother dragging you both here in the middle of a war, because of rumors?"

He scoffed, "Anyone can be wrong, even an Emperor. I'd prefer not to get my hopes up,"

The Emperor took a step towards him, and met his emerald eyes with his cold brown ones, "I see Geralt has given you his insolence," He said taking a step back and looking at the two of them again, "I have not the time, or desire to try and convince you. Yennefer will do that, after we are done here."

Geralt grunted, "How many men do you have in your army? Ten, twenty thousand? Why us?"

The Emperor rolled his eyes at the Witcher, "You know why, because she trusts you," he said before turning to Dominik, "And if I heard correct, for some reason she is infatuated with you," He said to him.

Dominik was about to say something, but Geralt wisely cut him off, "Yeah she trusts us both. So, tell the two of us why you're looking for her. Doubt it's to make up for all those missed years," The old Witcher said.

Emhyr sat back down behind his desk, eyeing the two of them, "For reasons of state. As always."

He shook his head and took a step towards the Emperors desk, his anger flaring, "I'm not going to find Ciri, just to bring her to you, so you can use her as a bargaining chip against her will. She's not your property," He said, feeling his fists ball.

"Dominik…" Geralt whispered sharply to him.

The Emperor met his gaze again, this time he could see the fire in them. The fire that had burned Cintra and hundreds of other cities to the ground, however when he spoke, his tone was cold and calculating.

"It seems my reports of the relationship you shared with my daughter in Cintra are true… I grow tired of your childish insolence. You will both agree regardless," He said, looking back to him and Geralt.

Dominik felt his fingers crawl into fists so aggressively, that his palms almost began to bleed. The Emperor smirked and looked over to Geralt now.

"If for no other reason then I will pay you both. Considerably more than you would customarily receive for a contract," He said to them both.

Geralt shot him a sharp look, quieting him before he could say something else, he would regret, before turning back to the Emperor.

"Save your coin for the families whose homes you've razed. We're doing this for Ciri, not for your gold," Geralt said, crossing his arms.

He took in a deep breath before nodding in agreement. The Emperor rolled his eyes and looked at them with annoyance, "Your motives do not interest me. Only your results," He told them.

He looked past them to the door, "Yennefer will tell you both the rest… Mererid!"

The door behind them opened, and the Chamberlain walked into the room again, bowing low, before standing at attention. The Emperor gestured his head towards the two of them, "Take them to the sorceress."

The Chamberlain nodded with another bow, before walking towards the exit. Dominik took one final looked towards the Emperor before following Geralt towards the door.

"One more thing, you, Dominik of Cintra," The Emperor's voice said behind him, just before he exited.

He stopped in his tracks, his fists balling again. He slowly turned back around to the Emperor, who met his eyes again. He could see the fire again, this time it was directed at him. His chest felt like it was churning through a tornado. He met the Emperor's eyes and all of the ways he'd kill the man ran through his head again.

The man narrowed his eyes at him, "This… foolish notion you have of somehow being with my daughter. It ends now," he said with finality.

"I've no idea what you mean," he said, slowly, his voice dripping with anger.

The Emperor chuckled for what he assumed was the first time ever, "Oh but you do. If there is a match for her, it will not be you. You are not good enough for her, she will be paired with someone I select who is more… proper, now go," He told him, before looking down to handle more documents.

His feet were ready to spring towards the man, but he felt a hand clasp over his shoulder. He felt his body begin to shake as he looked back. Geralt was staring at him. The Witcher shook his head.

"Calm down… come on, let's get out of here," The older Witcher said, turning him away from the Emperor of Nilfgaard.

Geralt had a talent that Dominik was always amazed by. No matter what people said, if they insulted him, disrespected him, anything, he had a way of letting it roll off himself and keep a calm head. He lost his temper now and then like everyone did. However, even when that happened the White Wolf controlled his anger and let it out at the right people. He could keep going, no matter what happened.

Dominik took in a deep breath and followed Geralt from the room. He pushed the Emperor from his mind. There was only one thing that mattered now, the audience was over, the hard part was done. He was so close; he couldn't mess it up now.

It was time for their search to begin.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I'm not bringing her back here Geralt. I won't give her to that man. Unless she says to me, she wants to come back here… I won't let him get his hands on her," He said as the Chamberlain dropped them off outside of Yennefer's study.

Geralt shook his head, "And I won't make you. You need to stay calm just for a little longer, let's learn everything we can from Yen, then we can get going."

He sighed and looked over at him, as the two walked past a roaring fireplace with Nilfgaardean's strategizing over a table.

"Eight years Geralt… I've looked for eight years and finally, I have some solid leads," He said, the small bit of hope that had been churning inside him, finally starting to erupt.

Geralt nodded, "Yeah… almost there. Come on, let's talk to Yen."

With the audience out of the way, Dominik could finally focus on the reason he agreed to come with Yennefer in the first place. The sorceresses study was large, and the roaring fire helped warm his bones. He felt as if he needed a whole new bath after the meeting. The ideas of what he could possibly want to do with Ciri worried him. However, he knew what Geralt said was true. The two of them needed to worry about finding Ciri first before they worried about that. Yennefer turned from a desk, where she was studying some papers to look at them. Upon seeing Geralt and he come in, she smiled.

"Ah, there are my two men. I must admit, those tunics make you both look quite dashing," She said in a joke.

"Ugh, dying to take it off," Geralt complained as they stopped in front of her.

He eagerly tugged at the chaffing collar around his neck, "I second that, I've been ready to get out of here since we arrived," He complained.

Yennefer chuckled and looked at the two of them, her eyes growing serious, "Do you both see now why I'm at Emhyr's court?"

Dominik nodded to her, "Yeah… I'm sorry I got angry with you Yen. It's just after all these years, I-."

She cut him off by shaking her head, and placing a hand on his shoulder, "You didn't want to get your hopes up. I understand, don't apologize," She assured him.

He nodded and Geralt spoke next, "Yen… we're really sure she's back? No chance at all he's mistaken?"

The sorceress smiled grimly, and stepped to the side, gesturing down to the table she had been at, "Look- that's what she looks like now, or so our agents claim. Our little Witcher has grown into a young lady," She said.

Geralt and he both looked down at the papers on the table. He sucked in a breath when he saw the picture that had been drawn of her. He had been correct; she was somehow even more beautiful to him then when they were young. Geralt and Yen both looked at him, but his eyes were glued to the drawings. He shakily took a breath and ran his hand over one of the papers. He picked it up and held it closer to his eyes. He had always remembered her ashen hair, and emerald eyes.

"As beautiful as ever…" He said quietly, not taking his eyes off the picture.

Geralt smiled at looked down at the picture he held, "How about that… all grown up," The Witcher said.

He finally managed to pull his eyes from the picture and looked into the fire, "What a difference eight years can make," He said with a small smile.

Yennefer smiled and nodded, "You're right, it's been years since you all trained together at Kaer Morhen, much has changed."

"Some things haven't…" He said longingly.

He took one last looked at Ciri's face, her face now. For the first time he saw her outside of his dreams, and it only spurred him on further. He carefully folded the paper and slipped it into the pocket of the tunic. He turned back to Geralt and Yen, who were waiting for him. He nodded and Geralt looked over to Yennefer.

"Emhyr said the Wild Hunt's after her. I'd find that hard to believe, before yesterday. How did they track us down," Geralt asked her.

Yennefer sighed sadly, "Because of me. You see… I've spent months searching for Ciri. Using locating spells, geomancy, anything. I knew the Wild Hunt might sense it. Perhaps even find me, but… I thought I'd tricked them," She said with regret.

Geralt shook his head, "Well, I guess you were wrong."

Yennefer nodded, "Hm. I've sensed them on my trail, hunting for me. If not for you and Emhyr's soldiers they'd have gotten what they're after," She said before turning to Dominik, "It's like I told you Dominik, I can't risk another encounter like that. It's time to put away the magic, turn to more traditional methods," She said looking into Geralt's eyes.

"To the best tracker I know," She told him, before turning to Dominik, "And to the one man I know who's ever truly loved her, well in a romantic way at least," She said, hastily adding the last part.

Dominik looked down at the swallow pendant around his neck and took it in his hands. Yennefer spoke again, "Geralt, Dominik you must find her. Before the Wild Hunt does."

Dominik looked over at Geralt who nodded, "We will but… the Wild Hunt, what does it want with Ciri?"

He had a flashback in his head, to his conversation with the Alp before he attacked. He remembered what the creature had told him about the Aen Elle. He had no idea if the Alp had been lying, but he couldn't act like it meant nothing.

"I can answer that," he told the two of them.

Yen and Geralt both looked to him, and Dominik sighed, "You see when I was hunting the Alp before I went to attack… it told me Ciri's full name. It told me that before it was cursed to be an Alp, it was one of the Aen Elle," He explained to the both of them.

"Yes… I remember you telling me that," Yennefer added.

Geralt nodded, "Yeah me too, you told me it said it knew Ciri."

He nodded to confirm, "Yeah… it said just before it was cursed into an Alp, Ciri she… visited the world of the Aen Elle while she was traveling between worlds. Told me there king took an interest in her because of her Elder Blood. Ciri… she escaped after the King was murdered and Eredin, the Hunt's leader took over. Turns out the world of the Aen Elle is dying, at least according to the Alp, and Eredin wants to launch an invasion of ours, but to do that he needs to open enough portals for thousands of Aen Elle, and to do that…" He said slowly.

"He needs Ciri, and her gifts," Geralt finished before turning to Yennefer, "Looks like there's even more at stake than just Ciri's safety now."

Yennefer's face had gone slack, but she nodded in agreement, "You're right… we should get underway. We have to find a way to deal with the Hunt, however… finding Ciri is the number 1 priority," She said with finality.

Dominik felt his stomach flip again, and he surprisingly found himself smiling slightly, "I've waited years to ask one of you this, it's nice that I finally can. So, Yen, where's Ciri been seen," he asked hopefully.

Yennefer nodded a small smile on her face as well, she and Geralt leaned against the table, "In Novigrad, and Velen," Yen said as the three all turned to a map of the continent.

She pointed to the region of Velen, "The trail in Velen is the most promising. You should make that your first stop. Ask for a merchant named Hendrick at the Inn at the Crossroads. One of the emperor's agents, he should get in touch with you," She told the two of them.

Geralt grunted and looked over at Yen, "That's it? No password, no secret handshake?"

Yen rolled her eyes and Dominik laughed, "None, sorry to spoil your fun, your boyhood fantasies about the crafts of the trade," She said sarcastically, before moving her finger to the city of Novigrad.

Dominik shook his head, "I was just in Novigrad earlier this month, stayed with Dandelion and Zolton. You're telling me that Ciri has been seen there? I can't believe how shit my luck is…"

Geralt looked at him curiously, "What were you doing with Dandelion and Zolton?"

Dominik shrugged his shoulders, "Drinking mostly, playing Gwent, had just finished up a contract on a group of drowners, if Ciri had even been rumored to be in the city and Dandelion didn't tell me, I swear I'm gonna shove his lute so far up his-."

Yen held up her hand, "No need for that. The reports are from recent weeks, so after you were there. All they are, however, are unconfirmed reports, and rumors."

Dominik shook his head, "Still… if I had just waited a few more weeks," he said sadly.

Yennefer shook her head, "No worries, a mutual acquaintance of us all will help you in Novigrad. If Ciri did pass through there, she would have more than likely tried to find her," She said, looking at Geralt with accusing eyes.

Dominik nodded in understanding, "We should also find Dandelion and Zolton why we're there. Ciri was always fond of them, if she knew they were there, she would've gone to them for help too, who's this other acquaintance?"

Yennefer ignored him and kept her eyes locked with Geralt. Dominik felt the strong urge to leave the room when he realized who Yennefer was now referring too.

The sorceress gave Geralt a cold look, "Triss Merigold. I hear she has a cozy little flat in the square."

Geralt sighed, and Dominik kept his eyes between the two, determined not to let a fight break out between the two, "Ha, you're telling me Triss has been in Novigrad this whole time? I can't believe I didn't see her either, you're right if Ciri knew she was there she'd be the first person she went to see."

Geralt nodded in agreement with him and looked back to Yen, "Sure she'll be delighted to see me," he said dryly, "What about you?"

Dominik looked at Yennefer as well, "Yeah, what will you do Yen?"

Yennefer stared into the fire for a moment, more than likely trying to detect the tone of Geralt's words, but looked back to them, "I shall sail for Skellige. There was a magic explosion there recently, blew half a forest down, I believe it has something to do with Ciri. I'll be in Kaer Trolde. Join me once you've both learned something," She instructed them.

Dominik nodded his head. The leads were everything he had hoped they would be. With Geralt, he finally felt a sense of hope, and optimism. He had a real chance at finally finding Ciri again. He remembered his promise all those years ago to Queen Calanthe. He would honor it. He would find Ciri, he would protect her, and anyone that tried to get their hands on her, would have to go through him. However, he also felt a sense of nerves, to the point he felt his hands almost tremble. They would more than likely not have much time, and what if he messed up? What if he held Geralt and Yennefer back? The words of the Emperor were ringing through his head. What if he wasn't good enough? He didn't have Witcher's powers of excelled speed, and strength like Geralt. He couldn't cast spells like Yennefer, he was just a normal man.

He was about to suggest that the three of them get to work right away, when Geralt turned to the sorceress, "Before we go… why didn't you contact me? Didn't need me, didn't want to see me," He asked her.

At that moment he felt as if he should leave the room, but before he could, Yennefer answered, "I didn't want to spoil things. I'd heard you and Triss made a lovely couple," She said bitterly.

Geralt sighed and looked at her with genuine sadness, "Yen… I'd lost my memory."

Yennefer narrowed her eyes at him, "Really- that's your excuse?"

Dominik sighed and cut them both off, "Please… don't start fighting. I hate it when you do… besides, we have more important matters," he said to the two of them.

Neither of them looked particularly happy at his words, but Geralt sighed, looking between him and Yennefer, "He's right… it's time we got going."

He sighed and felt as if a grapeshot bomb had gone off in his stomach. The three of them all went over to the roaring fireplace. He reached into the pocket of his doublet and pulled out the picture of Ciri again. He studied every facet of it. The ashen hair, the emerald eyes that matched his own. He remembered back to Kaer Morhen when they used to run the pendulum. He remembered falling off the double pendulum, being inches away from falling off the walls of Kaer Morhen before she saved him. She had cried, punched his arm, screamed at him for making her worry so much, she kissed him after that. If they found her, what would her reaction be? Would it be the same still?

Could he even find her? Was he strong enough?

Yennefer warmed her hands by the fire, and Geralt looked at the two of them before sighing sadly, "Looks like we have to split up again. Not my preference, after just reuniting, but I understand. Clock's ticking," He said.

Yennefer nodded in agreement, "It is indeed. So why don't I teleport you to Velen? Get you there at once," She asked him.

His entire body shivered. He, like Geralt shared a distaste for portals, Geralt answered her for them both.

"Not gonna happen," He said looking at Dom, "We can go on horseback, soon as we get changed."

Dominik nodded in agreement, "Yeah, sounds like a plan," He said before turning to Yen, "Yen, I… I don't feel like I ever properly thanked you for saving me in Claywitch."

Yennefer smiled and held a hand up to his cheek, "There's no need. Finding you again after all these years… it was worth it," She said before turning to Geralt.

"Now Geralt, I know it's wartime, but try not to be a hero all right? Just check those leads, and come back to me- in one piece," She said with sincerity.

She grabbed the Witcher's head and gently kissed him, which made Dominik feel slightly better about the two. The two smiled at each other, before Yen turned over to him. She locked her violet eyes with his emerald ones, and put both hands on his shoulders, before tightly pulling him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed happily hugging her as tight as he could. She pulled back with a serious expression, both of her hands still on his shoulders.

"And you… the same advice. I know you've heard this, but promise you'll keep your emotions in check. Listen to Geralt, check the leads, and both of you come back to me. If we do that… we'll find Ciri, I promise. You are possibly more important to this then either Geralt or I Dominik… remember that," She said to him, not looking away from his eyes.

He almost felt himself begin to tear, but managed to keep it held in. He nodded to the sorceress, before she leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek, "I love you Dominik, stay safe," She said to him.

He smiled and nodded, hugging her one last time, "I love you too Yen… thanks. Stay safe," He said to her.

She smiled and looked at the two of them. With a final nod to Geralt, the sorceress walked to the back of the room. He watched as she raised her hands, blue magic erupting from it, as a huge black and yellow portal opened in the room. Books slowly flew off shelves, papers got flown off desks as it roared. Yennefer smiled at them both one more time, before stepping into the blackness, and within another few seconds, the portal disappeared.

He let out a breath he was holding, and he heard Geralt sigh behind him, "I hate portals..."

He scoffed and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, same here… we should get going Geralt, I don't want to spend another night here. If we get going soon, we can hopefully get too an inn on the road."

Geralt held his hand up for him to stop when he tried to leave the room, "Hold on, wanted to talk about some things with you first."

"What is it," he asked right away, feeling the inside of his chest tremble.

Geralt eyed him worriedly, "Are you alright? I know you too well, don't try lying to me. You haven't been right since we left the audience with the Emperor," He said knowingly.

He sighed and walked back over to the fireplace, with Geralt following closely behind. He looked again at the picture of Ciri before he heard Geralt sigh again behind him. When he turned around the Witcher was looking right at him with is yellow eyes.

"You've been looking for Ciri for eight years… thought you'd be in slightly higher spirits now that we have solid leads," he said to the young Witcher.

Dominik looked down at the picture again and shook his head, "You're right… for so long I've looked for any evidence of her. I felt like I was going around in circles at times, nothing ever led anywhere. I didn't even know if she was on this world, let alone the continent. I wished so long for a sign, a lead that was tangible, and now that I have one… god dammit Geralt I'm worried," He said meeting the Witcher's eyes.

"Worried about what," Geralt asked him.

He shook his head and looked down at his hands, "I… I don't know if I'm strong enough Geralt. Yen she… she said that I could be more important to this then even you or her-."

His adoptive father interrupted him, "That's because you are," He said with finality.

Dominik sighed and shook his head again, "I don't know how. I'm not a real Witcher Geralt. I don't have enhanced senses, superhuman speed or strength like you, I can't cast spells, or any magic like Yen! I'm… just a man," he said looking back into the fire.

Geralt walked over to him, meeting his eyes again. He put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, "First off, you ARE a Witcher, just because you're not mutated, doesn't mean you aren't one."

He rolled his eyes, "Those 'Witcher Senses', enhanced strength, and speed would certainly help."

Geralt chuckled and nodded, "It would yeah… but it doesn't matter in the end. You ARE, strong enough. Tell me… when did you first meet Ciri?'

He looked at Geralt suspiciously, "Why? You already know."

He nodded at him, "I do, but tell me again."

Dominik sighed and looked back up at him, "It was at a ball in Cintra. My father had brought me to the palace for the first time, I met the queen, promised her that night when I took my father's position I'd protect her granddaughter," he started, remembering like it was yesterday, "After that I went around picking food off tables, I was listening to some Knight's story about saving a village from robbers when… an apple hit me in the back," He said, remembering with a laugh.

He looked down at the silver swallow with a smile, before continuing, "Turned around, and from near this doorway, a girl my age in a blue dress had thrown it at me. When I saw her, she waved for me to come over, so I did, but when I was on my way she ran," He said, a smile staying on his face, "I followed the corridors, trying to keep her in view. When I finally caught up to her, we were on a balcony overlooking the city, she was sitting there on the edge of the balcony, smirking at me. That… was the first time I ever properly met her."

Geralt nodded his head, a small smile creeping onto his face, "Yeah… and what was the first thing you said to her?"

He narrowed his eyes at the Witcher, "Why is that-."

"Just indulge me," He asked with a smile.

He sighed, "I said, 'you need to be careful, you're close to the edge you could fall'," He said, looking curiously at the Witcher.

Geralt nodded again, "And after that? What was the first thing she ever said to you?"

He rolled his eyes again, "Geralt I really don't-"

"Just do it," The Witcher demanded.

He sighed and looked into the fire, "She said, 'no need to worry about that, I sit up here all the time my balance is perfect', thought she was cocky at first. She was right though, after a while we raided the kitchen for some more of the pie they were serving, she balanced four pies on her arms, and we almost made it out," He said starting to laugh a little before going on, "We got caught just as we were leaving. She… she dropped the pies, grabbed my wrists and dragged me along as we ran. We hid in a broom closet; I was so scared my father would find out. Haha, when they eventually found us, I thought we were done for, but then Ciri she says to the guards, 'I'm the Lion Cub of Cintra, my grandmother never asks for permission!'," He said, feeling himself laugh from his gut.

He laughed again, "Haha, I was so shocked. My father was furious, but Queen Calanthe she… she just laughed and said, 'well, well, well glad you two have finally met.'. I begged my father to bring me to the palace almost every day from then on. Whenever he did Ciri and I we-. What are you smirking at," he asked when he saw Geralt looking at him with a smile.

Geralt laughed, "You see that? That's why you're the most important person in finding Ciri," He told him with a knowing look.

Dominik looked at him oddly, "What are you talking about?"

Geralt shook his head, "Not many people cannot see the one they love, for eight years, and still remember exactly what they said to each other when they first met, let alone remember the whole night."

"What does this have to do with what we were talking about," He asked the older Witcher.

Geralt looked down at the silver swallow around Dominik's neck, before meeting his eyes, "I love Ciri, she's like a daughter to me. I'd do anything for her, I know Yen would too, but you? Your love for her is different than ours. That poor girl has been through hell, and you know who went through it with her," He asked him rhetorically, "You, you were with her during the most dangerous time of her life. You know her and understand her better than any of us. You may not have magic, enhanced speed and strength, but you're still going to go do anything you can to save Ciri, am I wrong?"

"Of course, you're not," He shouted as soon as he finished, "I'll do anything to find her, and then I'll kill Eredin, Emhyr, anyone who tries to hurt her!"

Geralt nodded his head, with a satisfied smile, "That. That's why you're so important to this. It doesn't matter what limitations there are, I know that no matter what you will not give up on this, there's nobody else I'd want by my side," He said to the young man, with a hint of pride.

Dominik met Geralt's yellow eyes, and a small smile came across his face. In the back of his mind growing up, Dominik always had a nagging feeling, that Geralt had only brought him along because he was with Ciri. Ciri and Geralt were the ones linked together by destiny. He knew that Geralt cared for him, would die for him if need be, but it had always been nagging at his mind that it was only because he knew that Ciri cared for him. So, hearing Geralt say that there was nobody else he'd want by his side, it calmed his heart, and filled him with pride, that the legendary Witcher thought so highly of him, that the man he thought of as a second father was so proud of him.

Geralt reached over and put a hand on his shoulder again, "Listen, I know that Ciri and I are the one's linked by destiny, and I love her, think of her as a daughter. The same goes for you though, destiny or no destiny. You're like a son to me… and I'm proud of the man you've grown into," He said to him, with sincerity in his voice.

He felt himself give a little laugh and smiled, meeting the Witcher's eyes again, "Thanks Geralt… that means a lot," He said, looking down at the drawing of Ciri again, before looking back at the Witcher, "Let's go bring her home."

Geralt let go of his shoulder and smiled at him, "Yeah you're right. We should get going, wanna get on the road and either find an inn or get camp set up before dark."

Dominik nodded with a smile, taking one last look at the picture of Ciri, before folding it in half and carefully putting it into his pocket. He was going to get ready to leave the study, but Geralt held his hand up too make him wait.

"One more thing, on the way to Velen and well, whenever we can… I think it's time we picked up your training again," He said with a small smile.

He stopped and felt excitement rise in him again, "Really?"

The Witcher nodded to confirm, "Yeah… there were still a few techniques I wanted to teach you at Kaer Morhen… also I think it's finally time I taught you how to use signs."

His head snapped back towards Geralt, and he felt as if he was 13 years old again, receiving his first real sword, "You're sure? I thought I couldn't learn signs without undergoing the mutations?"

Geralt shook his head, "No, you see while you and Ciri were at Kaer Morhen while you ate, we mixed some of the special herbs, and magic concoctions into your food. You know that 'salad' you and Ciri liked so much?"

He nodded his head and Geralt smirked, "Well that was an old concoction that every Witcher gets fed as they train, gets there body ready for the mutations and starts the process. We stopped feeding them to Ciri, her being a girl… her body reacted differently, that's what Triss told us at least. You though, we kept giving it to you. You'll be able to cast signs, it'll just take a lot more out of you then it would for me, Eskel or Lambert."

Dominik scoffed and looked down at his hands, "So you're telling me I could've casted signs all this time? Dammit Geralt you know how many times Aard, Axii or Quen could've helped me out the last few years?"

Geralt shrugged but smirked with amusement, "Hey you never came back to Kaer Morhen to learn. It's not too late though, so what do you say… Witcher? Ready to learn some signs?"

He smiled, looking down at the swallow and wolf dangling around his neck. A swallow and a wolf. Him and Ciri. He looked back up too Geralt with a smile.

"I've been ready for years… let's go bring Ciri home," He said.

**A/N: Here we go, the quest to find Ciri is finally about to begin. We learn a few things about Dominik and Ciri in the past, including when they first met... And we meet with Emhyr are you surprised he actually bowed? Do you think they next time we meet the Emperor it will be the same?**

**I am SO excited for you guys to read the rest of this i am ready to go. I can't wait to show you how much Dominik grows and gets stronger, i can't wait to show Ciri POV's so we can see her perspective on their relationship and where it's going. There is so much more to be revealed and so much more to come, i can't wait for you all to see. Thank you all for reading and i hope you continue to enjoy!**


	5. The First Steps

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 5: The First Steps**

**Narrator: After meeting with the Emperor, he informed Dominik and Geralt, that his daughter, Geralt's adopted daughter, and Dom's long-lost love, Ciri, had returned to the continent. The Emperor tasked the two of them with finding the young woman. Although reluctant to accept aid from Nilfgaard, Dominik and Geralt agreed, and along with Yennefer they planned to set out to follow the leads the Emperor had gathered, with Yennefer going to the Skellige Isles, and Dom and Geralt going to the swampy region of Velen.**

"Come on, footwork," Geralt yelled as he spun and delivered a low strike.

He jumped over the strike, and quickly brought his blade up to the left to block Geralt's next strike. The older Witcher was showing him no mercy in their training. Geralt spun, and the spin was so fast that he barely had time to raise and deflect the low strike that came just after. He blocked the low strike but didn't raise his sword fast enough, and Geralt rushed into him with his shoulder and he got sent stumbling backwards.

He looked back up, his breathing heavy as Geralt twirled his sword and shook his head, "Footwork isn't swift enough, you're leaving yourself too exposed after your initial strikes."

Dominik twirled his sword into a reverse grip, and Geralt chuckled, "Ha, you still use that reverse grip Eskel taught you?"

He laughed and nodded, "Ha, yeah you know I spent weeks trying to perfect it."

Geralt laughed at him and raised his blade again, "A master of that is difficult to take down, let's see how much you remember," He said, the wind blowing his silver hair, "Remember your footwork, if you're going to spin your opponent needs to be off balance, and the spin needs to be quick."

Dominik nodded his head, before dashing forward, moving his feet in perfect motion. The two of them had been on the road for five days since Vizima. On the road every night, they would spend at least a few hours training by firelight. It would alternate between more sword play, and they always finished the night with Geralt showing him the proper way to use the Witcher signs. It turns out what Geralt told him in Vizima was correct. He was able to produce signs from his hands, however even using a sign once normally drained him of all his energy, and due to that the sign wasn't nearly as powerful as Geralt's. He was initially upset about this, but Geralt told him a weak sign was better than no sign.

After almost a week on the road, the two of the had finally reached Velen. The night before they had camped under what the locals called, 'Hanged Mans Tree'. Since the two of them were finally in the region of Velen, Geralt said that morning would be their last training session for a while. It was time to finally start tracking down the leads the Emperor had gave them. He had learned much from Geralt in the last few days, but he was anxious to get more tangible information on Ciri.

The air was cool and blew through his shaggy brown hair. The small scruff around his chin and jaw had come back. He felt his feet move in the correct pattern, as he and Geralt attacked each other in a flurry of spins and jabs. He knocked the Witcher's strike upwards, finally managing to knock him off balance. He slammed his sword hilt into his gut, making the Witcher slightly stumble back. He came at Geralt again with a strike out of his reverse grip, but Geralt had recovered. He parried the strike with such force, he fumbled with his sword. He leaped with a spin, and he just barely managed to raise and block, before going down for a low strike. Geralt swung his sword low, deflecting his strike, knocking his blade back up before spinning around and in a second, the older Witcher's steel blade was at his neck.

He breathed heavy and looked down at his reflection in Geralt's steel. He chuckled a little and looked over to see Geralt smiling. He twirled his blade in hand and slid it into the sheath on his back.

"That one was a little better, the footwork still needs to be quicker, still moving a little sluggish, but overall… pretty damn good," he told Dominik with a smile.

He nodded his head and slowly lowered himself onto the ground, taking a seat near the fire, trying to catch his breath again, "Thanks… man I'm exhausted. Sluggishness might be from the fact I've been training full time for the first time in years."

Geralt smiled and reached down, offering a hand to help him stand, "Well for not having properly trained in years, you've looked pretty sharp, come on. Before we leave, I want you to try Aard again."

He took Geralt's hand and helped him to his feet. He was having a slightly hard time with some of the signs during their training so far. The first one Geralt had taught him was Quen, the Witcher's shield for obvious reasons. He had been able too, after a few hours of sweating and getting hit with rocks, been able to produce a shield around his body. The rocks began to bounce of them, but he had yet to produce the large yellow orb shield around himself like Geralt could. After that, he was able to produce flame with Igni, although it was only a weak wall so far, and he wasn't able to aim it. He hadn't learned Axii yet, Geralt said that he wouldn't need it as long as he was with him, and it was secondary. His Yrden was a work in progress, and Aard, which he began last night had looked to be his best so far but took a lot of energy from him.

He nodded, trying to steady his breathing. Geralt stood across from him, their fire between them. He took in a deep breath and focused the energy around him into his hand.

"Good, focus and launch," Geralt instructed him, sticking his sword in the dirt to steady himself, "Don't worry about me, I can take it."

He nodded and looked down at his hand. He willed the energy into his palm, before launching the blast of energy forward at Geralt. The blue blast shot forward and Geralt stumbled slightly, but the older Witcher wasn't rattled. Dominik sighed and looked down at his hands, shaking his head, and fell backwards onto his backside.

Geralt sighed and came over to him, "Don't worry about it too much, you're exhausted from the training and long nights."

He sighed and shook his head, "Yeah… I guess you're right. It's just we're getting this mission properly started now, I don't want to be a liability."

"You won't be, not even close," Geralt assured him, rising to his feet and kicking dirt on the fire, "Come on, we can be at the Crossroads inn in an hour if we get moving."

He nodded and lifted himself off the ground, dusting the dirt off his trousers, Geralt looked back to him from atop Roach, "Armor still holding up? The armorer made it pretty hastily."

He nodded, tightening the strap of his sword sheath tightly around his back. Before they had left Vizima Geralt took him to get his armor altered. The tight red and black gambeson was covered on the shoulders, and chest with sleek, light, but hard brown leather. Geralt always carried diagrams for armor with him, and the armor he told Dominik was based off the Wolven Witcher school armor type. It was similar to what Eskel, Lambert, and Vesemir wore. He decided to get the coat light red, that combined with black outlining the coat. He could dodge, roll, and evade effortlessly and it would keep him from getting poked full of holes. He finished his look off with black trousers, with straps of leather protecting parts of his legs, he had black leather straps covering his kneecaps, and finished the look with leather gloves and boots. Geralt told him as they went on and gathered more materials and got more coin, he had diagrams for upgrades of the Wolf school armor. Of course, around his neck as well to finish the look, dangled the silver swallow, and his wolven Witcher medallion.

He nodded to Geralt and with his blade secure, climbed up onto Clop's back.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the drawing of Ciri, the same he had taken with him from Vizima. He ran his fingers across the drawing and looked out into the Velen countryside.

He took in a deep sigh, "You're out there somewhere… and I'm coming for you," he whispered, before folding the paper and slipping it back into the pocket.

"You ready to get going," Geralt asked him.

He met the Witcher eyes and nodded, "Ready, so I've never really explored Velen. Always made it a point to pass through as fast as I can. What do you know about it?"

Geralt grunted, "Swamps, bogs, forests, lots of places for monsters. Drowners, nekkers, wraiths, it's basically a breeding ground."

"Well, this certainly sounds promising then," He said sarcastically, "Did you think about heading to Novigrad first? Nekkers, Drowners and wraiths wouldn't give Ciri any problems, if she was going to see Triss, I'm sure she'd get there."

Geralt nodded his head, "Yeah I thought about it, but in the end it's not that good an idea," He said, his tone growing serious, "Radovid has been persecuting mages and non-humans. You may pass, but Triss and I? May be harder for us, when we go to Novigrad we'll want to draw as little attention as possible, be there as little time as we can. So, we should get all we can from Velen first beforehand, so that way we can get right in and right out of Novigrad."

Dominik nodded in understanding, "Yeah… makes sense. You think when we stop at the crossroad's we can stop a bit so I can make some bombs? I don't trust the signs fully yet, figured they'd be good to have till I get them all down."

Geralt nodded, stroking Roach's mane, "Good call, we'll make time. Come on, let's go find this Hendrick. Clock's ticking."

Dominik nodded and snapped Clop's reins as Geralt dashed forward on Roach. He followed in the Witcher's footsteps, venturing for the first time deep into Velen.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The crossroads wasn't necessarily a village, more like a local hub. A few houses were strewn about, with a trader, herbalist and of course the inn. Geralt had been right about the mud, and swamps of Velen. He looked down at poor Clop's hooves and they were covered in mud and grim. He stroked the poor mare's mane, promising that as soon as he could, he would pay for him to be groomed. Geralt and he had stopped by the trader and herbalist, after an hour or so of mixing over a fire, Dom's belt was lined with bombs to use for combat. He had five grapeshot, and samum bombs ready to toss, plus ingredients to make more. He had little coin himself, but Geralt wasn't hurting for it, and he gladly helped him, being the greatest Witcher alive certainly made one a decent amount of Crowns.

"When we go in, watch our back. Let me know if anyone is giving us bad looks," Geralt instructed as they tied Roach and Clop to the stables near the inn, "I'll do the talking, shouldn't be long," he finished.

"Understood," Dominik said with a nod.

Geralt nodded back and the two entered the inn. It was a modest establishment, with a few patrons drinking with heads down in the corners. Stone floors and the open door made a cold chill run through the building. The bar itself thankfully was near the fireplace, and while keeping a careful eye on the patrons around him, he warmed his hands. Geralt approached the innkeeper, a tall man in a blue outfit, a towel tossed over his shoulder with a white hat on as he rubbed out a mug.

Geralt calmly leaned over the counter, the innkeeper not paying him any mind. Geralt cleared his throat, "Looking for a man. Goes by Hendrick."

The man behind the bar grunted, and Dominik scanned the inn. He wanted to make sure the name didn't cause any stirs. It didn't, the patrons didn't look up from there drinks. He pulled his hands away from the fire, leaning his back against the bar next to where Geralt was standing.

The innkeeper continued to clean out of his mug, "What do you want with him," He asked, not stopping his cleaning.

"Wanna talk to him," Geralt said with an eye roll.

The man put the mug down, still not meeting Geralt's eyes, "What about," He asked.

Geralt sighed and met Dominik's eyes, gesturing to the innkeeper, "Feel like a drink?"

He sighed, and turned around to face the same way Geralt was, "After the last few days I had? I could use more than one."

Geralt ordered the two of the stein's with ale, and shots of vodka. The inkeep while still keeping his weary eyes on the two, poured the drinks and set them out before the two. Dominik sighed; it had been a while since he las drank. The night he spent in Claywitch he was focused on his contract for the Alp and decided against it. He sighed and pocked up the small cup of vodka and looked to Geralt.

"Ciri and Yennefer," He said holding the small cup to him.

Geralt smiled, and tapped his cup to Dominik's, "to Ciri and Yennefer."

The two Witcher's downed the vodka. Dominik felt the heat simmer in his throat, and his nerves calmed. He picked up the stein of ale next and drank, downing half the pint in one go. He put the mug back down, and sighed, wiping his mouth with his gloved hand. Geralt did the same, before looking at him and smirking.

"You know, I think this is the first time we've properly drank together." He said, taking another drink.

Dominik smiled and nodded, "Ha, yeah I remember Vesemir was stingy with it in Kaer Morhen."

He smirked, "Didn't stop you and Ciri from trying though, remember?"

Dominik rolled his eyes as he set down his mug again, "Lambert was about to let us, if Vesemir hadn't walked in."

Geralt chuckled as he downed more of his own ale, "Haha, so how much of a lightweight have you turned out to be?"

He narrowed his eyes at the older Witcher before pouring the rest of his ale down his throat within seconds, slamming the mug back down on the bar.

"Dominik of Cintra is not a lightweight," he said, getting a laugh out of the old Witcher.

Geralt smiled at him, "Alright fine, not a lightweight, but are you still horrible at Gwent?"

Dominik's head shot over to Geralt's, "I was never horrible at Gwent!"

The White Wolf rolled his eyes, "You were pretty bad, Ciri always beat you, I don't think I ever saw you win."

"I let her win!"

Geralt laughed, "Haha, sure you did. You still use that-."

He was cut off by the pounding of hoofbeats. He and Geralt both stopped in their tracks to listen, as the sound of hoofbeats got closer and closer. He looked at saw that the few patrons who were still in the inn, all got up from their seats and quickly ran out the door. The two of them both looked back to the inkeep, who looked at them with worried eyes.

"You two gotta go! I'll open the back way for ye," The man said with a nervous tone.

Dominik took another look outside the window and saw men racing there horses into the town. He saw they were more heavily armor then anyone other than the Nilfgaardean soldiers they had encountered before. The armor they wore didn't seem to belong to any official house, or kingdom. The men looked as if they were a random mercenary group. He had been traveling long enough to know when a group meant bad news. The men walking towards the inn were screaming it.

"Expecting visitors? Who is it," Geralt asked the man.

The door was flung open, and a plump man with a sword at his hip, a coif over his head came in, gesturing for the bartender, "Inkeep, vodka," he demanded, standing in the middle of the inn, two more men flanking behind him.

"Don't turn around," Geralt quickly whispered to him.

Dominik nodded and kept on facing towards the innkeep, same as Geralt did. He didn't hear footsteps; he heard a new man's voice soon after.

"Who's this 'un," The gruff voice asked.

He heard the clanking of armor again, "Brave warriors it seems, this one's got two swords see," One said in reference to Geralt.

He heard the previous voice sneer, "And this one over here, he's definitely not from around here, looks like too much of a pretty boy."

He felt his hands slowly move on the wooded bar towards his back, but Geralt shook his head. He sighed, he knew the men wouldn't go away, but he decided to let Geralt take the lead.

"Oi, gray boy! What's the point of having two swords? And who's the young one with ya," The first man asked the two of them.

"Wonder if he keeps an extra prick in his trousers for the young one," One of them said with a laugh.

Geralt shook his head, "Not yet," he said quietly.

He nodded his head, and the first man who walked in, it seemed wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"You fucking deaf? Gonna say who the two of you are, or do I need to loosen your tongue with me knife," The armored man demanded, taking another step towards them.

Dominik looked to Geralt for confirmation on their next move. They couldn't leave, they needed to find Hendrick's location first. Besides, men like this normally travelled in larger groups, he was sure there were more outside. Geralt sighed and nodded his head to him. Dominik lifted and got the last remaining contents out of his mug.

"We're two people who would prefer to be left alone while having drinks," He said in a dark tone.

The man behind them laughed, "Heh! Hear, that? We've two distinguished gentlemen in our midst," he said to his buddies.

One of them laughed harder and shouted, "I bet drinking's not the only thing grey gets up too with the young one! May I shine your boots guv'nor!?"

Geralt looked over to Dom and nodded. He nodded back to the older Witcher, and while keeping his eyes forward spoke up, "Wouldn't want the grime from whatever hole you crawled out of all over my boots. Now leave, or you'll be carried out in a cart."

He saw Geralt smirked, his eyes hard. He slowly moved his hands closer to the edge of the bar, ready to go to his back, to draw his sword in an instant.

The first man scoffed, and he heard there armor move as they rose from their seats.

"Bolo… did you hear what I just heard," He asked one of his men.

Geralt besides him lifted the mug and drank down the rest of its contents before slamming it down on the bar. Slowly he turned, Dominik following his lead. The three men that were across from them weren't much larger then he was, but certainly had more meat on them. He held his hand over his back, on the brown leather grip of his blade.

Geralt took another step towards the man, "What he means is go away. Or we'll kill you."

The man who seemed to be in the lead stepped forward, his teeth grinding. The man reached down to his belt, unsheathing his blade.

"Dammit enough," He shouted, as the other two drew weapons as well.

He took in a long deep breath and drew his blade from its sheath on his back. He leveled it towards the two, and he saw Geralt reach back pulling out his steel sword, twirling it before holding it level as well. He knew the three men were more than likely no match for Geralt and he. However, one of the first lessons he learned from Vesemir, was to underestimate no opponent. He knew they had close to no time to waste, so he wanted to get the fight done with quickly, however. Geralt must have been thinking similarly to him, because the older Witcher made the first move.

He knew that Geralt still was quick, but he hadn't seen him fight in years. The first man managed to deflect his first strike just barely, but it put him on the back foot. He went to swing towards Geralt, but the strike was telegraphed and Geralt knocked it away, before effortlessly spinning and racking his sword across the unarmored part of the man's stomach.

He was so enamored watching Geralt's movements, that he almost didn't notice the one man charge towards him. He managed to raise his blade just as the strike was coming. He was caught off guard, so the man managed to push him backwards, leaning him up against the bar. He pushed his sword against his, it got so close to his throat that if he had moved an inch forward it would have slashed him open. He moved his foot and kicked the man in the knee and his attacker recoiled. He pushed the man's sword up, spun under his arm and came back around with a slash across the back of his neck. He turned back around and Geralt knocked aside the last man's strike, before kicking him forward. The man stumbled and turned around to find Dominik there, his blade raised, he went to strike overhead, but Dominik side stepped around him slashing across his side, and after the man fell to his knee's he finished him off by stabbing through his back.

The whole exchanged only lasted around a minute. He held his sword tight with both hands and looked over to Geralt. Geralt poked the first man's corpse with his blade, the old Witcher's armor smeared with bits of blood. He looked down at his own armor and only saw a few specks of dark red. He let out a breath and put his sword back in the sheath on his back, watching Geralt do the same.

The old Witcher took in a deep breath, "Not too bad, you've gotten even better."

"Thanks," he said with a smile, tightening his gloves, and feeling his pocket to make sure Ciri's drawing was still there, "We should probably get going."

Geralt nodded and turned to the inkeep, who was just now raising his head back above his bar. The man was shaking, and he noticed that the poor man's shirt was smeared with blood now. He pointed accusingly at Geralt and the bodies.

"Have you any idea what the Baron'll do when he learns of this butchery?! The village- he'll tear it apart before anyone can say it was some wondering mutants done it! An iron fist he's got," The man starting ranting, his fingers shaking.

"Where's Hendrick," Geralt asked the man, with surprising softness to his voice.

The innkeep scoffed and raised his hands, "You deaf?! You understand what I'm sayin? Baron won't let this stand," The man said, his voice trembling even more.

Dominik held his hands up to calm the man, "Relax, I'm sure the Baron isn't stupid. He won't believe you all managed take down his armed men. Haven't seen as much as a sword on anyone. Now please tell us where Hendrick is, it's extremely important," He asked in a calming voice.

Geralt gave him an approving nod. One thing they had talked about, was when they were interrogating people for information. One would always act in a calm voice, while the other would be the aggressor. The dynamic would hopefully help them get more information out of people. It worked in this instance, the innkeep sighed and seemed to cease his shaking.

He met Geralt and he's eyes, "Man lives in Heatherton."

"Don't know where that is, directions?" Geralt asked.

"Other side of the hill. Looked thataway this morn and saw a strange glow. Imperials on the road perhaps, but who knows," The man said worriedly.

Dominik looked over to Geralt and he knew they were both thinking the same thing. Strange glowing lights could mean a lot of things, but most of the time it wasn't good. Time was ticking and they needed to move. He looked over at the innkeep and gave the man a nod, before reaching to his pouch of coins and tossing him a few extra crowns.

"Thanks, innkeep. We'll show ourselves out," He said, turning back to Geralt.

Before they could step away, the man spoke again, "You best go through the back way. Stables are around there with your horses, and the barons men are still out front."

They nodded there thanks and quickly exited through the back door. Like the innkeep had told them, Clop and Roach were saddled in the stables. He pulled up to Clop's saddle and sighed in relief before pulling himself onto the back of the mare. He looked down to Geralt who was rummaging through Roach's saddle bag.

"What do you make of the strange glow the man was describing," He asked the older Witcher.

He shook his head, "Can't be anything good. Could be the wraiths, could just be the Black Ones like he said, or… worse case… it could be the Hunt," He finished pulling a long dagger from the saddle bag.

He came over to Dominik and held it up for him to take. He grabbed it and pulled the dagger from its sheath. The black leather grip was between an ornate pommel and cross guard. The long slender blade was about 14 inches in length, the perfect size for a dagger.

Geralt smirked as he climbed to the back of Roach, "Silver dagger. Figured you'd need a silver weapon sooner or later. Get you a sword if we had the time or could find someone skilled enough to work with silver. It'll be good to have in case your blade can't work on something we face, won that in a card game about a month ago," He explained, smirking at the young Witcher.

Dominik examined the blade with reverence. He had always thought of obtaining a silver weapon, as a sort of rite of passage for a Witcher. He had received the same sword he used to the day from Geralt and the other Witcher's when he turned 13 at Kaer Morhen. He remembered the day that Ciri and he had received the blades, how exciting the moment had been. They had gone and sparred with them soon after, much to the ire of their Uncle Vesemir. So, for Geralt to give him a silver weapon, even just a dagger, brought a smile to his face.

He strapped the sheath to the belt of his trousers, just in the right position for him to draw if he needed. He smiled at the older Witcher, "Thanks Geralt…" He said with a smile.

He nodded, and turned to face the center of town, "No problem, now come on we need to leave. Ride fast, see if we can't get past the Baron's men before they notice us."

Dominik nodded, and with silver at his side now, he snapped Clop's reigns and the horse sped off after Geralt.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The two of them managed to get away from the rest of the Baron's men. The innkeep had been right, four more of the Baron's men had been awaiting outside the inn. However, Clop and Roach were able to get the two Witchers out of the village with ease. It had been less than an hour's ride, but the sun was slowly starting to set. He was able to see the village in the distance, and he felt his blood begin to chill. The sky was a shade of pink and red, and the silence around the village was defining.

He looked over to Geralt, "No sounds or anything, not what you'd expect, being so close to a village."

"Yeah… could be trouble, come on let's go," Geralt said to him, spurring Roach's reins.

He snapped Clop's reins and the two of them rode there mares to the edge of town before slowing. Slowly he trotted next to Geralt, the air was chilly, it smelled of blood, and rotting flesh.

Geralt shook his head, "Way too chilly for this time of year, no survivors it seems…"

"The Hunt," He asked the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded his head, "Yeah, has all the tell-tale signs of a Hunt raid. Let's tie the horses up, go on foot. Keep your sword out, don't know who could be lurking around."

He nodded, and the two of them found a set of signposts near the edge of the village. He tightly tied Clop's reins to the post and stroked the mare's white neck to calm him. He turned and saw Geralt drawing the silver sword from his back. He gestured for Dominik to follow, so the young Witcher slowly pulled the sword from his back and followed behind him. He looked around and the smell of blood, rot and sulfur attacked his nostrils. He saw corpses strewn in the streets, men, women, even the bodies of children gutted and cut down. He had seen gruesome sights before. People torn limb from limb by werewolves. Entire groups of travelers mauled by drowners. People frozen in fear from wraiths, and countless other horrors over the years.

He had never seen anything like this.

"Geralt… who could do something like this. I… I've never seen anything like this," He said, keeping his sword leveled towards the houses.

Geralt looked over at him with a grim expression, "It's the Wild Hunt. They don't care who, or what they destroy, or who gets in their way. Men, Women, Children, Elves, Dwarves, anyone. They'll do whatever they have to, to get what they want."

The eerie feeling around the village pierced into his soul. He felt blood rush to his chest, his heartbeat going faster. He thought down to the drawing in his pocket.

"And… and they want Ciri," He said slowly.

Geralt nodded, "Yeah… which is why we need to find her first."

He passed the body of a woman, a yellow dress, face down in the dirt. A red blotch was spread over her back, a stab wound. Ciri was the furthest thing from defenseless, he knew that. However, seeing the bodies strewn around the village terrified him. If this is what they did to a village they even suspected of hiding, there enemies… what would they do to their enemies themselves.

He gripped tightly, the hilt of his blade, "I'm not going to let them get her…" he said slowly.

Geralt nodded and was about to open his mouth when he was cut off. A loud bark had come from closer to the center of town. Both of their heads shot around and started to sprint towards the noise. The center of town had a circle of buildings, all in either ruins or with bits of them frozen, bodies strewn all around. The sound had come from a pack of rabid dogs that were cornering a man in front of one building.

"Get back! Back away you demons," He said in absolute hysteria, waving a torch towards the beasts.

Geralt and he rushed forward, blades drawn. He put his hands up to his mouth and placed two fingers in his mouth. He let out a loud sharp whistle, and the effect was instantaneous. The pack of dogs was six large and as soon as the whistle left Dominik's mouth, they all turned. The mangy, disfigured mutts all slobbered over themselves and darted towards them. He reached down to his belt, pulling off a grapeshot bomb. He quickly summoned power to his hand, igniting the fuse with Igni, and tossed it towards the group of mutts. It exploded and the beasts went scattering, two of them having limbs explode off.

However, the effects of using the sign was instantaneous. He felt his knees wobble and fell forward to one knee, only avoided the full fall thanks to his sword.

Geralt looked down at him, "You okay!?"

He took in a deep breath and heard a loud bark. He looked up and one of the mutts leaped for him, but Geralt intercepted, swinging his silver blade, cutting the mutt in two. He used his sword and pushed himself back to his feet.

"Thanks… I'm fine, you're right that sign took a lot out of me," he said as another mutt leaped from his left. He turned in time to side-step, slashing down through the mutt, killing it in an instant.

Geralt nodded and sliced down another dog. The two of them, in a flash of silver and steel cut down the last of the dogs with ease. Dominik felt his blood begin to flow again. Using just a simple flame from Igni had drained almost all his strength. He felt his stomach turn again. He was confident in his abilities even without signs, but if he wanted the best chance to help Geralt, and save Ciri, he needed to practice more. As he stabbed his blade through the last dog, he looked over to Geralt, who nodded at him and sheathed his blade behind his back.

"Begone! Leave me be, whoever you is, get away," The man yelled, still in hysteria, saving his torch at them.

He sheathed his blade back behind his back and walked towards the man with Geralt. The poor man had obviously not slept in a long time. He was shaking, every part of his body couldn't stop quivering. His face was covered in soot and grime. He had no shoes on, and his toes were do badly frost bitten, a few would more than likely need to be amputated. As the two of them approached, he stumbled back, falling to the ground, his hands up, begging for mercy.

Geralt calmly raised his hands, waving it in the correct motion, "Calm down. It's all over," he said, casting the axii sign.

The effect was instant. The man blinked a few times, before slowly rising to his feet. He rubbed his face and the sides of his temples. He blinked rapidly again, before looking at them both, his eyes now calm.

"Aye… it's over. All's past, never to be restored. I'll not forget that ever," The poor man said, shaking his head.

The man slowly walked past them with difficulty. He sat down on a bench underneath and overhanging structure that had seemed to once be used for storing tools.

Dominik kneeled down across from him, "My friend and I are looking for a man named Hendrick. We heard he used to live in this village," he asked the man.

The man's head looked down into the dead grass, but he nodded, "Aye he did, but not no more. They nabbed him from that hut over there," He said gesturing his head. Dominik looked over and saw a small house across the square.

The man continued, "If you had heard the cries sir… if you heard how a man could scream… how he could suffer…" He lamented.

Dominik sighed and looked to Geralt, who nodded, "Tell us what happened, step by step."

He didn't know if he wanted to hear the story, but the man nodded.

"They took'em… took all of them," The man said quietly.

He went on to tell his story to Geralt and he. The Wild Hunt had sent a cold snow and crimson light over the village. The slaughtered every last villager and dragged Hendrick from his bed. The man was tortured, begged, screamed, but in the end could do nothing but moan. The Hunt had set the village in aflame, slaughtering everybody who ran or screamed. The story had sent chills down his spine, as he fiddled with the swallow pendant around his neck. After the man finally had finished his story, Dominik's bones were chilled. He sighed and stood up; a feeling of queasiness built up inside of him. He took a step away from the man, breathing deeply and trying to regain his strength, and his nerve.

"Thank you, and peace of mind be with you," Geralt said to the man, before walking over to Dominik.

Dominik stared at the house that used to belong to Hendrick. The feeling of unease was still swirling inside of him. He took in another deep breath to steady himself, when Geralt came up next to him, clapping him on the shoulder.

"You okay," He asked the young Witcher.

He nodded, "Yeah… gods Geralt that sign took a lot out of me."

Geralt grunted with a nod, "Mhmm yeah it would. You haven't had the herb mixtures for years, bodies not used to it. It was a good idea with the bombs."

He sighed and shook his head, "It's not enough. If I want to find Ciri, protect her… Geralt I need to master these signs, and not have myself almost die. I need more practice."

"And I'll give it to you, I promise. First thing's first though, come on let's see if we can find anything useful in Hendrick's house," He said, as the two of them went towards the spy's home.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Pretty nice hiding space… wonder how much this put him back," He asked as Geralt and he descended the ladder.

Hendrick hadn't survived his encounter with the Hunt, that much he knew when they entered his house. His body had been ripped apart and left for dead in the first room. After very uncomfortably checking the man's body, Geralt had found the key to his secret lair in his boots. He slowly walked behind Geralt till they came to what he assumed was the man's office, multiple chests, trunks, dressers and book surrounded a desk. Geralt turned back to him.

"Look around, he had to have kept notes somewhere," The older Witcher instructed.

He nodded and went about searching the bookshelves, and multiple trunks. In the drawer of the man's desk, he found more copies of the drawing of Ciri they had seen in Vizima, along with multiple old tomes and notes that had made no sense to him. He felt himself searching fervently though, he combed over every piece of paper, every word he saw seeing if it was a clue to Ciri. After so many years of chasing trails that led nowhere from the beginning, he was finally close. He could feel it, he knew that she had to be alive and that if he and Geralt couldn't find her, nobody could. Eight years of pent up hope, frustration anger, longing, and excitement all combined were spewing out of him like an active volcano.

"Dom come check this out," Geralt shouted from the other side of the room.

He dropped the old book he had found in a shelf and turned to see Geralt. He had a large, open book in his hands, before dropping it on the desk. He moved over to the Witcher's side and saw what he had found.

He moved his finger down the page, pointing out to Dom the different scribbles Hendrick had wrote, "It's a ledger… payment for a sack of grain. Amount due for a charcoal shipment."

Dominik scoffed, "Ha, the man was masquerading as a merchant. Good idea considering how Nilfgaardeans are viewed here. What does this have to do with Ciri?"

Geralt pointed out the small sentences scribbled in the ledgers margins, "Look at these, notes scribbled within th entries, look here," he said, pointing to one heading, "Missing and Wanted: Subject appeared in Skellige. Also sighted in Novigrad. Appearance unchanged. Ashen hair. Scar on her face. Avoids contact with others."

Dom felt his heart turn again, he smiled and Geralt moved so he could see closer to the ledger notes. He found another one and read it for the older Witcher.

"Clashed with a Witch. Subject landed in swamp, encountered a witch. Conflict ensued, cause unknown," He read, trailing his finger down the page, the next sentence making him smile, "Find Witch, talk to local peasantry, village of Midcopse, another lead!"

Geralt smirked and nodded, pointing to another note, "Another one here. Drunken Swine. So-called baron hosted subject at his castle, or should I say illegally appropriated fort…reason unknown, talk to Baron at Crow's Perch."

He scanned the rest of the page for more notes, and found one that made his skin crawl again, "Caution advised. I'm being observed. Don't know by who, or why. Unsettling signs…. Dog ran off, water in bucket froze solid, strange glow observed in sky, ill omen peasants say."

He felt a cold chill run down his body as he finished reading. Geralt sighed and closed the book, "He knew the Hunt was on to him."

"Poor man," Dominik said sincerely, looking down at the dangling swallow.

Geralt shook his head, "Yeah… nothing we can do for him now though. Looks as though we got two leads, we can follow now. A Witch, and this Baron."

He leaned against the man's desk and scoffed, "Ha, you think he'll figure out we killed his men at the crossroads?"

Geralt shook his head, "Nah, I think we'll be good, lots of ways to get killed in Velen. Like I said though, two solid leads with sightings of Ciri, then we know she was also in Novigrad and Skellige, we need to move fast."

He smiled and nodded. Actual sightings of Ciri brought a smile to his face. It meant that she really was out there, and the whole search wasn't for nothing. He wasn't going to follow a trail only to have it end up being a random blonde-haired woman on the road, as it had been with other leads he followed. Geralt was right however, time was of the essence, it was pure luck the Hunt didn't fine Hendrick's notes, however he doubted they'd stay off her trail for long.

He met Geralt's yellow eyes, "Well why don't we split up? You go talk to that Baron at his castle, and I'll investigate this Witch."

Geralt smirked, "What's wrong, don't wanna go talk to the 'self-imposed' Baron?"

He rolled his emerald eyes at Geralt, "After Vizima I've had enough of royalty, self-imposed or not for the rest of my life. It's like you said, times of the essence."

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "I don't know Dom. I don't know if I like the idea of you going off alone."

He narrowed his eyes at the older Witcher and felt his pride shot. He stood up and looked at Geralt with pleading eyes, "Come on Geralt, I'm not a kid anymore! I can take care of myself; I have been for the last six years."

Right away Geralt shook his head, "It's not that. I know you can take care of yourself, that's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried you'll go try to talk to this Witch, she'll give you a hard time giving you the information about Ciri, and then you'll get angry and not end up getting what we need."

He scoffed again and shook his head, "I'll keep my emotions in check, come on Geralt I promised!"

"Look, let's not argue about this now. Should be a clear night, let's go get set up to camp. We'll train some, and then decide in the morning," The Witcher said, walking past him without giving him a chance to argue.

He sighed with annoyance. He knew that Geralt did have a point. He did get over emotional when it came to Ciri, however he'd like to think that he wouldn't let it get in the way of finding her. He followed the older Witcher out of Hendrick's basement. He knew that if he wanted to truly succeed and find Ciri, he would need to train more than just physically. He would need to take lessons from Geralt. How to stay his blade, and work with people. The promises he made to his Uncle Vesemir and Yennefer both rang through his head. He promised them he would keep his emotions in check and listen to Geralt.

If it meant keeping his word and finding Ciri, he knew he would be able to manage.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_The dream that night had brought him back to when they were both 14. He remembered every detail of her face. The spray of freckles across her nose were slowly fading, but he could still see them, and her ashen hair was tied back into a tight bun behind her head. Small strands of hair fell down the sides of her head and over her forehead. He always found it the cutest thing when he tried to put them back up, but to no avail. That day, at the inn in Ellander, her emerald eyes were sparkling with mischief as she held her last three Gwent cards up to her face._

_ She was wearing his father's bronze ring around her neck with the iron chain, the same he had given her two years ago in the cave. She wore a leather jerkin over a white linen top, with leather brown gloves around her hands. She had her sword strapped across her back, while wearing tight brown trousers and long brown heeled boots. She was more grown now, more developed then the last dream he had. _

_ He remembered the day, they were both almost 15, nearing adulthood, and the age they'd undergo Witcher trials… or so they thought. _

_ He saw his younger self, meeting Ciri's emerald eyes with his own as he peeked over the three Gwent cards in his hands. His brown hair was the same unruly, unkept style he had now. He had bits of scraggily hair starting to grow on his chin, which he remembered Ciri would always playfully tease him about. He wore a red overcoat like he did in the current day, with straps of leather for extra protection. His bare hands were rough and callus, as he peeled over the Gwent cards. He had on black trousers and boots, with the same sword he used to that day across his back. _

_ "You are so going down… again," Ciri said with a smirk, her voice full of mischief. _

_ Young Dominik shook his head, determined, "Not this time I'm not. I'm done letting you win!"_

_ Ciri laughed and fanned herself with the cards, "Oh of course, all these years you've been 'letting' me win. How stupid of me."_

_ "I have been!" _

_ She giggled again, and met his eyes, "Well I hereby give you, Dominik of Cintra, permission to stop 'letting' me win."_

_ He rolled his eyes at her, "If you insist 'your highness'," He said in a mocking tone. _

_ It was her turn to roll her eyes, "Are you going to make your move? Or pass? Come on before my hair turns grey." _

_ He remembered the moment now. The two of them were playing Gwent at the inn in Ellander. It was just before Ciri had gone to Aretuza… he was being shown the last time he had seen her. He didn't want to watch the memory end, he tried to force himself awake, but nothing worked. He watched as his younger self thought he cleverly played a ballista in Gwent, only to have Ciri ruin his move with a weather effect card, and then finished him off with her hero card. _

_ "You've got to be kidding me," Young Dominik said exasperated, leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. _

_ Ciri laughed so hard she almost fell out of the chair herself, "Haha, how is it you're still so bad at Gwent after all these years?"_

_ He sighed and rolled his eyes at her, taking a drink of the water next to him, "It's simple. Like I said I just let you win."_

_ She smirked at him, getting up and pulling her chair next to him. She smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his and squeezing him. _

_ "Well if you do thank you, such a gentleman," She teased him with a laugh._

_ He felt himself chuckle, as she leaned in, kissing his cheek. He saw his younger self go red, before Ciri rose from her chair, quickly followed by him. The two went over towards the roaring fire in the inn, near which the bard was playing a slow tune, a song of a woman who lost her husband in war. The bench in front of the fire was empty, so the two of them both sat down and looked into the fire together. _

_ Ciri sighed in contempt and leaned her head over on his shoulder. It was something that the two of them did often, whether at Kaer Morhen, their cave, or whatever inn they could find. For him, simply watching the fire crackle and embers dance, while she rested her head over his shoulder was the greatest feeling in the world. He slowly wrapped his arm around her, and she scooted in closer to him. _

_ The bard strummed his lute, and he saw his younger self look down at her. _

_ "You know… I could do this all day," He said with a smile. _

_ She looked up at him, smiling herself, "I could too, I… I'm really going to miss you. You know that?"_

_ He sighed and looked out the window, the final rays of sunshine just starting to disappear. He looked down at her, smirking, "You know, it's not too late. The two of us can go. Run for it, live off the land, hunt monsters to make money. It's what Witcher's do isn't it?"_

_ She chuckled and grabbed his hand, her head still on his shoulder, "That sounds wonderful… honestly. But… we can't."_

_ He nodded with a sigh, determined to keep himself together, "Yeah… I know."_

_ She slowly pulled her head off his shoulder and looked at him, their emerald eyes meeting, "I'll be back soon, I promise. Yennefer says I just need to learn how to control my powers, and that's it."_

_ He sighed and kept his emerald eyes locked with hers, "I… I'm worried Ciri. Triss, and Yennefer have both said mages get put away to train for years. And what if… what if someone tries to hurt you, or take you and I'm not there to do anything about it?"_

_ She laughed a little and gently leaned up, kissing him once, before leaning back, "I can take care of myself you know? It's sweet though, hearing you say that."_

_ He shook his head again, "I know you can take care of yourself. It's just… Ciri you're all I have left. Geralt, Yen, Triss Uncle Vesemir, I love all of them but… you… you're the only one I have left from my first family. And I… I love you, a lot."_

_ She ran her hand over his face, stroking his cheek with her thumb, "And you're all I have left. I can't promise that everything will be okay. I can promise one thing though," She said holding up the bronze ring from around her neck, "I can promise that if anything does happen, I'll do everything I can to find you… just like I know you'll do for me."_

_ He held up the swallow and looked back at her, "You're right… I will. I'll do anything."_

_ He leaned her forehead against his, and brought her lips over his, kissing him again. She kept her lips over his for longer this time, trying to transfer every bit of emotion she could before they both pulled back. The two smiled at each other, and as soon as they did the bard's tune changed. It was a jaunty tune, full of life and happiness. It reinvigorated the entire inn as people laughed and got up to dance. _

_ Ciri looked back over at him excitedly, "Come on," She said happily, grabbing his wrist and pulling him up, "Come on Dominik, dance with me!"_

_ He laughed and shook his head, "Ciri come on, you know I'm a rubbish dancer."_

_ She shook her head and grabbed both of his hands, "No better time to learn then the present! Come on now, move those feet, footwork!" _

_ And so, the two of them danced. She moved his arms and after a few minutes of stepping on each other's feet Dominik had finally had the dance down, much to the delight of Ciri. The particular jig started with the two people tapping their boots together, before meeting their hands and moving in a circle. _

_ "Haha, come on, spin me," Ciri said happily as they moved around each other. _

_ He spun her in place and twirled her into and out of his arms, as the two of them both laughed. He watched his younger self with Ciri, his smiling face, her beautiful emerald eyes, shining with more happiness then he had seen in a long time. They spun each other around, tapping their boots and keeping each other close. They kissed when they got close and took every opportunity, they could to hug each other close. He smiled at the scene, until he looked over to the door of the inn. _

_ At the door, Geralt and Yennefer were both standing. The both of them were smiling grimly as they watch the young couple, enjoying the last few moments they had together. As the two of them knew, being separated from the one you love was one of the hardest things one could ever go through, especially if it was true love. He knew Geralt and Yennefer didn't want to split he and Ciri up, put them on different ends of the continent, they were doing what they thought was best. It didn't stop him from hating them both for a short while when he was younger, however he knew it for a fact now, they were only trying to look out for them. The two of them knew the sting that separation from the one you loved could cause. _

_ They didn't know however, that night they would separate he and Ciri, for much, much longer than any of them planned. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dom, Dominik, get up it's time to get moving," He heard as his eyes flickered open, to see Geralt above him.

The night before had been one of the longest training sessions he had ever endured. He practices spins, parries, and footwork until he almost dropped. He followed it up with practicing his signs for hours. He was able to do them without collapsing after more hours of practice, however the signs themselves were still weak. He had learned the basics of Yrden and Axii. Aard had become his strongest sign without a doubt, even managing to knock Geralt back once. Igni was becoming better as well, and while he couldn't produce a full Quen shield yet, he was getting close. However, all signs he and Geralt agreed he would only use in an emergency, since it took so much out of him.

He had also spent the night learning from Geralt every detail he could about the Wild Hunt. His Uncle Vesemir had stressed the importance of knowing you enemy, so that's what he did. He learned of Eredin, their leader, Coranthir the master mage. He learned how they could control the white frost that is said would one day destroy them all, summon it to their bidding with special mages called navigators.

By the time he fell asleep he hadn't even had the chance to take off his armor. He looked at the sun, and it wasn't the crack of dawn. He appreciated the fact Geralt let him sleep a little later. The older Witcher helped him to his feet, and he saw their campsite was already fully packed. So, he reached down and rolled up his bedroll, walking over to Clop's saddlebag and putting it in.

He turned back to Geralt who was putting the last of the fire's embers out. The older Witcher turned and met his eyes, "You were talking in your sleep last night, everything okay?"

Dom yawned and looked down at the swallow pendant, "What was I saying?"

The fire was finally out, and Geralt walked over to him, "You kept saying, 'Don't go, Don't go.'… dream about Ciri?"

He sighed and nodded his head, "I do most nights."

He climbed up onto the back of Clop, and Geralt took his seat atop Roach next to him, meeting the young Witcher's eyes again, "What was it this time?"

"The last day I saw her… the inn at Ellander," he explained to him.

Geralt sighed and looked at him with regret, "I'm sorry we ever had to separate the two of you. We're sorry for that, Yen and I both."

He shook his head, "You were just doing what you thought was right, it's alright. There's no use thinking about that now. Not when we're close to finding her."

Geralt nodded in agreement and they looked out to the horizon of Velen, "Yeah… you're right, about a couple things."

Dom looked over at the Witcher, "What do you mean?"

Geralt met his eyes with his yellow Witcher eyes, "Times of the essence, we need to get moving. So… we're gonna split up. I'm gonna go to Crow's Perch, see if I can talk to this Baron. You, you go to Midcopse, find that Witch."

His mouth fell agape for a moment, and he quickly managed to compose himself. He looked at a smirking Geralt, "You… you're sure?"

He nodded his head, "Yeah. Like you said, you're not a kid anymore, I need to stop treating you like one. You can handle yourself and… it was wrong of me to assume right away you wouldn't keep your emotions in check. You wouldn't do anything to put the chances of finding Ciri in danger. I'm sorry."

He felt his smile return. He shook his head, "Don't worry about it. You were right. In Vizima I let my temper get the better of me, almost cost us the chance to look for Ciri. I need to do a better job controlling it, you're right."

Geralt smiled at him and nodded towards the horizon. "Midcopse is to the southeast, near a swamp, just follow the road south to the next village and they'll guide you from there. Go, find the Witch, figure out if she was the one who Ciri ran into. If you find anything out, don't rush into anything you think would be too big for you by yourself. You're no good to Ciri dead. After you're done, come find me at the village around Crow's Perch, it's to the North you won't be able to miss it," he instructed to him carefully.

He nodded and reached down to his pocket. He slowly pulled out and unfolded the picture of Ciri. She looked much older than the dream he just had. He wondered to himself what she would think when she finally saw him again. Would she be happy? Angry he hadn't found her sooner? He was going to find out. He took in her beautiful face, before carefully folding and putting the drawing back into his pocket.

He looked back over to Geralt and nodded, "I got it, come on. The clock's ticking, you got a Baron to meet and me… I have a Witch to find."

**A/N: The search for Ciri is officially underway. Dominik and Geralt have arrived in Velen, and Dom's heading to Midcopse to see everyones favortie swamp witch, while Geralt heads to see the Baron. What are you predicitions for Dom when he meets the Witch, and goes on this quest? How will he fare in his first fight with the Wild Hunt? Review, follow and favorite, and tune in to find out next time!**

**PS: How do you guys like the Ciri flashbacks? I love writing them, especially at this point in the story since obviously Ciri isnt around with Dom and Geralt yet. What do you think of them, and what other flashbacks do you want to see? Dom and Geralt, Dom and Yen, Dom and his original family, Dom Ciri and Geralt all together? Let me know.**


	6. The Witch of Midcopse

**The Witcher: Through The Worlds**

**Chapter 6: The Witch of Midcopse**

**Narrator: After entering the harsh, swampy region of Velen, Dominik and Geralt discovered Hendrick, the Emperor's spy, and the man who had information about Ciri had been killed by the Wild Hunt. The two however, managed to find Hendrick's notes. The notes told the two Witcher's that Ciri had been seen in the company of the local Baron, and that she quarreled with a Witch. After some initial disagreement Dominik and Geralt decided to split up to pursue the two leads. Geralt headed for Crow's Perch, the Baron's castle, while Dominik headed to Midcopse, to investigate the Witch.**

The ride to Midcopse had only taken him a few hours, it was slightly passed midday when he finally arrived. It was a modest village, no bigger than the destroyed Heatherton. It was bustling with activity, a blacksmith's hammer was pounding, kids were running and playing in the streets. After spending the night near the silence of Heatherton it was a nice change. He felt more in his element. Kids ran along the side of Clop as he rode through the center of the village. He pulled up to the inn and tied the mare's reigns to the stable post there. He turned and saw a young boy, only about 13 or so come rushing towards him.

"Need the horse taken care of sir," he asked him.

He smiled and nodded his head, pulling a few extra crowns from his pocket, placing them in the boys hand, "Yeah, thanks. Feed him for me, brush him down if you can. I'll only be here an hour or so, keep the extra crowns."

The boys eyes widened at the crown, before looking back at him and nodding so hard he almost fell, "Yes sir! Thank you so much, I'll take good care of him!"

He smiled at the young boy, before stroking Clop's mane. He made his way away from the inn, towards the main square. Over the next hour or so he talked to several villagers. All of them had heard of the Witch but seemed reluctant to tell him anything. He made sure to stop by the herbalist they had, getting more ingredients to have on standby incase he needed to make more bombs. The more he asked around, the more looks he began to get from the people. It wasn't everyday he assumed a man with armor and a longsword across his back walked into the town.

He sighed as he walked back towards the inn. The villagers weren't making his job any easier, and he knew every second that passed was another moment Ciri was in danger. He was about to retire to the inn when he heard a woman talking.

"Spends all his time visiting that Witch…. Should be here taking care of us. Lazy, no good ass…" The woman ranted.

He stopped before he could turn towards the inn. He whirled around and saw the woman muttering outside her house while sweeping her broom. A few kids were running around, watching the blacksmith next door, or drawing pictures in the dirt. The woman was obviously irate. He looked at the alley between her home and the blacksmith's home and saw a man leaning along a fence post, whistling a tune, like he had no worries in the world.

He smiled to himself, "Persistence pays off… the wise words of Uncle Vesemir."

He walked over to the older woman with a kind smile on his face. She was wearing a blue dress with brown leather shoes that were marred with dirt and mud. She looked up at him, and as soon as she did, he smiled, waving to her.

"Greetings ma'am good day to you," he said with as much politeness as he could muster.

The woman looked up from her broom and smiled much too widely for his liking when she saw him. She leaned the broom against the house and met his eyes.

"Aye, thank you very much young man. What's a handsome young fellow like yourself doing in Midcopse," She asked him.

He felt his skin crawl, and he awkwardly managed to smile back, "Ah well you see, I've come to inquire about the local Witch I heard about in the area. Do you by any chance know where I can find her?"

The smile on the woman's face turned to sneer as she spit on the ground next to her, "That damn Witch, cause nothing but trouble since she arrived. You one of those Witch Hunter's from Oxenfurt? Here to take her in?"

He shook his head, while trying to keep a kind smile, "No ma'am. You see I'm looking for someone, someone very important to me. The Witch may have run into her, and I wanted to ask her some questions. Please, I need your help," he pleaded.

After hearing what he had to say the woman's face softened again. She sighed and picked up the broom from the house again, "Is this about love young man?"

He felt himself hesitate for a second, he didn't want to be telling his business to some random woman from a village.

However, he felt himself slowly nodding his head, "Yes… yes, it is."

She gave him a small smile and nodded her head, "Aye… well I don't know the Witch's location, but talk to my lazy, good for nothing husband over there. He visits her often. If he tries to deny it and not help, give him a thrashing."

She looked over to the man who was leaning by the fencepost. He felt himself smile back at the woman, he bowed to her.

"Thank you very much ma'am, good health to you and your children," He said to her with respect.

The old woman nodded back to him with a smile, "Aye thank you lad. Good luck to you, may you find your love, and may the both of you live a long, happy life."

He nodded again before walking towards the man.

A long, happy life with Ciri. The idea had seemed impossible to him only a few weeks prior. It was within his reach now. All the plans they had made together, if he found her, they could do them all again. Would he still want to undergo Witcher mutations when she came back? How much more powerful had she gotten over the years? Would she still be interested in going on the Path with him? It would all be superfluous if he couldn't find her, if he, Geralt and Yen couldn't stop the Wild Hunt. No, he would find her again, and he would do anything for that long, happy life.

The old woman's husband didn't notice him approaching, so he clapped the man's shoulder, "Excuse me sir, I was wondering if I could ask you some questions."

The man whirled around, and his scraggily black hair was tightly marred across his forehead, "Aye? What do you want?"

He took a step back and crossed his arms, "I hear that you often visit the local Witch of these parts."

He narrowed his eyes, "Aye, who told you that?"

"Your wife," He shot back, keeping his eyes locked with the man.

He rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Ba, crazy old bag."

Dom sighed and met the mans eyes again, "Look, I don't have a lot of time. Tell me where I can find this Witch."

The man huffed and shook his head, "I don't know nothing, now clear out of here!"

He closed his eyes and felt his fists ball up. Geralt, Yennefer, and his Uncle Vesemir's words all rang through his head at that moment. 'Don't let your emotions get the best of you.' He opened his eyes with a sigh and met the man's eyes again. He narrowed his own, a feeling of anger building up inside of him, he took a step towards the man and at that moment looked like he'd soil himself. He got so close to the man he could feel his heavy breathing on his own face.

"Listen to me and listen good. I'm looking for someone, someone very dear to me, and I've been looking for them for a LONG time," He said in a dark voice, he grabbed the neck of the man's shirt, "That Witch knows something about where she is, so it is imperative I see her. Now, tell me where she is. Your wife told me if you don't comply, I can beat it out of you."

The poor man whimpered under his grasp. He almost felt bad, but the man quickly nodded, and he let go of his shirt. The older man cough and rubbed his neck, before looking at him, a scared look to his eyes.

"A…aye I'm sorry. It's just that Witch she… she's real nice. And those Witch Hunter's from Oxenfurt have been coming around. I thought you was one of them, looking for her," He pleaded to him.

Dom shook his head at the man, "I'm a Witcher, not a Witch Hunter."

The older man tilted his head at him, "A Witcher aye? You don't mean her no harm then?"

He shook his head, "No, I just need to talk to her, she knows something about who I'm looking for. I won't hurt her, now tell me where I can find her."

The man slowly nodded, still seemingly terrified of him, "Aye… head around the lake outside town, find a shrine on the side of the road and head into the forest until you reach a big boulder, go right at that, and follow the road into the woods you'll find her hut, ain't far."

He nodded, but kept his eyes glued on the man, "Thanks… now go. Go help your wife, your children, next time I come through town you better not be leaning against this fence, understood?"

The older man quickly nodded and ran on past him. He sighed and looked down at his gloved hands. He hoped that he wasn't too harsh. Geralt had told him before, sometimes it was necessary to be a little rough. He decided not to think about it. The important part was he had the Witch's location. He started walking towards the inn, to retrieve Clop, and smiled when he saw the man was talking with his wife again. At least he had accomplished something good that day.

The young boy had done a spectacular job brushing his loyal mount. Clop's coat shined bright white in the sunlight, and the mare brayed happily when he climbed on his back. He felt excitement budding up inside him again. Every lead he got would bring him closer to Ciri, and this Witch would be the next key. He turned the horse towards the edge of the village and galloped for it, ready to meet the Witch of Midcopse.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The directions from the older man were spot on, and easy to follow. He gently trotted Clop along the trail passed the boulder as the sun shone through the trees, warming his bones as the sun began its descent. He thought of what his encounter with the Witch would be like. He had encountered a few witches over the past 6 years he had been traveling. A few had been kind, helped him along his way, or gave him potion ingredients, some tried to seduce him, some tried to kill him. He knew however that you always needed to be careful with how you approached them. The tree's leaves shook in the wind, and he looked down in his hands where the picture of Ciri was unfolded. He had drawn a scar underneath Ciri's eye in the drawing, and for the first time he felt he got a real look at what she looked like now.

The last time he saw her, they were both 14 years old. He was a few months older then her, at the moment she should be 21, since he only turned 22 on September 12th. December 16th 1250, that was her birthday. It was November now, perhaps he could find her by her birthday.

He had made it a tradition on her birthday the last few years to visit the inn at Ellander, the one where he last saw her. He had missed her every-day since.

He sighed, looking at the swallow around his neck, and the picture again, "Almost… just a little bit more… soon."

He folded the picture and slipped it back into his pocket, just as the trees in-front of him parted, and he heard voice. He came upon a modest sized cabin in a clearing. A fence that was clearly made to hold animals, but currently held none was stretched out in-front of it. He watched a group of peasants were gathered outside the front door, in absolute hysterics. He slowly climbed down off of Clop's back, tying his reins tightly inside the fence for him to graze on the grass, and slowly walked towards the front of the house.

The group of peasants numbered at six. They were gathered around the front of the house in a semi-circle, facing who Dominik assumed was the Witch. After seeing her, he realized that the tales of being a Witcher were exaggerated. The woman wasn't old, didn't have the look of most Witches he had met. No, he knew the young woman was a sorceress, she had known Yennefer and Triss for long enough to recognize one. The woman was quite beautiful, with her long blonde hair, wearing an elegant blue and red dress, with beaded necklaces around her neck, down the middle of her exposed neck. She looked at the peasants with disdain, he quietly leaned against the side of the building, wanting to watch the exchange unfold. The woman met his eyes for a moment, and he could register the curiosity in her brown eyes, before turning back to the peasants.

"Do I look like a diary maid to you," She asked indignantly.

One of the peasants, a red-haired young woman held out her hands pleadingly, "No, miss, but you know things. Please, 'tis our last cow, none are left in the village."

The 'Witch' paced back to the front of her door, as another peasant spoke, this time a man in a tattered blue shirt, "Rest died of hunger, or soldiers led'em off. Oh… we're as good as dead without her."

The sorceress sighed in annoyance, before looking at the peasants again, "I shall give you herbs, mix them with water drawn from the spring at midnight. Have the cow drink them, but only after you've cleaned out your barn, thoroughly. Am I clear?"

He titled his head he had no idea if such a thing could cure a sick cow. However, the red-haired lass nodded thankfully, "A thousand thanks for you miss!"

With another eye roll, the sorceress handed the woman a brown cloth bag, and waved the group away, "Enough, I've had my fill for the day-go home!"

Before the crowd could even utter another word, she walked back into the home, closing the door tightly behind her. He waited as the crowd of peasants moved on, walking back down towards whatever village they had come from. He let out a deep breath when they were finally gone and stood up off the side of the house.

"Well… she seems pleasant, sure she'll give me no problems at all," He said as he walked towards the door.

He went to twist the door handle, expecting to find it locked, however to his surprised the door was left open. Had the sorceress saw him and left it open on purpose? He didn't have time to ask, he opened the door, and slowly walked in, taking in the surroundings. It was a modest house, no bigger than a normal villager's. The room in-front of him had a dining table, above it different ingredients were strewn, and the shelves and chests around it were covered in tomes, and other essentials for living.

"Hello, anyone home," He called as he slowly walked towards the room on the left.

Nobody answered him, and he wondered where the woman could have possibly gone. If he needed anymore proof the woman was a sorceress, he got it in her room. All sorts of magical ingredients and devices were on shelves and dressers. There was one bed in the corner, and he knelt down when he saw what was etched on the ground besides it. He rubbed his fingers along the white substance and sniffed it to confirm his suspicions.

"A pentagram, drawn in chalk," He said, turning to the other side of the room, "And a mega scope, like the one Yen has… wonder if she knows her."

He was careful around the mega scope, he remembered when he was younger, Yen would tell him never to touch hers. She had told him that one false move with the device could blow them to bits. He checked and saw the activation crystals were indeed inside and decided not to touch it. He sighed and took a look around the room again.

"Where could she possibly have gone," he said to himself walking over to the shelves in the other corner of the room.

His eyes widened when perched atop one shelf, was a skull. An old skull that looked like it hadn't been moved in ages. He was worried about what the woman could possibly have a skull in her room for, that was when he remembered something Triss had told him once when he was younger.

He had asked her a question about ways mages can teleport. She had told him how, and that some mages were even able to set up private, secret portals for themselves. She explained how the mage would pick an item, and if it was touched a portal would open to a place of their choosing. He leaned down closer to the skull, and he felt his Witcher medallion begin to slowly hum.

He had of course seen skulls before, but he had always been hesitant to touch them. However, he knew it was possibly a way of finding the Witch. He leaned his hand down and felt the top of the skull, and as soon as he did, he was almost knocked back. It was as if a giant tornado had opened up in the room, and he was almost sucked in. He turned around and near the exit to the room swirled a giant black and yellow portal. He smiled, satisfied with his work.

"Bingo… lets see where our witch went," He said, walking towards the portal.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The feeling of teleportation was something he assumed he would never get used to. The churning feeling in his stomach almost made him throw up as he was tossed forward onto the ground when he landed. He coughed a few times and tried to steady his breathing as he lifted his head up, to study his surroundings. He had no idea where he was, but it was truly a beautiful place. A cool breeze flew through his hair and helped him relax. The grass was growing, with flowers as well sprouting up. He could see large, beautiful pine trees, and rabbits running across the ground.

After finally managing to catch his breath, he shakily stood to his feet admiring the beautiful fauna.

"Well… this is nice. Certainly, aren't in Velen no more. I wonder where-," He was cut off by the ground under his feet shifting.

He looked down and saw the soil beneath his boots was swirling around in circles. He felt the ground underneath the dirt begin to shake, as the earth began to crack.

"This can't be good…" He muttered as he tried to turn back towards the portal.

The portal however was gone, and when he tried to move his feet again, he couldn't. He looked down and his feet were entangled with roots. He tried to rip himself free, but they had become unmovable.

He looked around him and the fauna, grass and roots were creeping up coming towards him.

"Fuck…" He cursed as he went to pull his sword from his back.

He went to put his hand behind his back, but a vine shot down from a nearby tree, grabbing his arm and yanking it downwards. The force was so strong he almost felt his arm pop from its socket. He looked down and roots were entangling his legs up to his knees, he couldn't move no matter how much he tried. He tried to reach for his blade with his left hand, intent on cutting down the dangerous fauna but his other arm was wrapped up by a vine from a nearby tree and yanked downwards. Panic started to rise up in him, as he felt the vines pull him to his knees. The vines continued to wrap around his arms and when they finally stopped moving, he was on his knees, arms and legs unable to move, facing a large stone spire. He hadn't noticed the spire before he was attacked, but it dominated the area, with stone, spiral steps leading up it.

He looked around, trying to find any signs of anything else. He tried to wriggle his arms free, but they were as immovable as his legs. The panic inside him began to rise even higher. He felt the vines constrict his blood flow and he shot his head back and forth, looking for any means of escape.

"Hello?! Anyone!? FUCK," He shouted again as he tried to use all his strength to get free.

He sighed in defeat and a voice finally rang back through the air, "Another word and those roots go around your throat next!"

He looked and down the spire steps, with her hand held up, glowing with a green light was the sorceress. Her brown eyes met his as she walked towards him, they were full of malice and anger. The tighter she squeezed her fist, the tighter he felt the roots begin to constrict, and pull his limbs.

His eyes widened, "Listen, I'm not here to-."

"Quiet," She snapped, squeezing her fist tighter.

"Gaaaahhhhh…" He moaned as he felt the vines tighten around his arms.

He met her brown eyes again and looked upwards. The dress she had been wearing before was discarded, and now all he saw when he looked down was the sorceresses naked body.

"How did you find this place," She demanded in a dark tone.

He kept his head up, determined not to look down at her body, "Found-. Gahhhh. Found the skull, touched it, teleported me here."

"What's wrong, can't look me in the eyes!?"

He sighed, and winced in pain from the constraint again, "You know… if you're going to interrogate me… can you please put some clothes on," He asked through gritted teeth.

He heard her chuckle darkly, "Figured I'd give you something pleasant to look at before I possibly kill you, now look at me," She demanded, squeezing her fist tighter.

"GAHHHHHHHH," He shouted when he felt his arms begin to lose feeling.

He gave up and met the sorceresses brown eyes. She smirked at him, and slowly unclenched her fist, to where it was tolerable for him to speak. He sighed in relief as the feeling began to slowly return to his limbs. The sorceress titled his chin up to meet her eyes, and she gave him a dark look before letting his head go.

"Now," She said in a demanding tone, "Who are you and what do you want? Why did you follow me here, are you one of those Witch Hunters!?"

He took in a few deep breaths before shaking his head, "Not a Witch Hunter… a Witcher. My name," He started before being interrupted by a fit of coughs, "My name's Dominik of Cintra, I'm Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerburg's adopted son."

He hated having to use Geralt and Yennefer's names, he never liked name dropping them to get an advantage, however in the current situation he thought it was necessary. If the woman truly had been a sorceress from Aretuza she would certainly know the two of them. Yennefer was renowned as one of the most powerful sorceresses in the world, and Geralt's romance with her was legendary. He hoped that the woman would hold off killing him if she believed what he said.

The name drop had the intended effect. The woman's eyes narrowed at him, full of curiosity. He saw her fist uncurl further, and while the vines still restricted his movements, he felt himself able to slowly wiggle his arms.

The woman scoffed, "Dominik of Cintra… prove it too me."

He looked at her incredulously, "How am I supposed to prove it!?"

She shrugged her shoulders, but kept her fist curled, "I don't know! Tell me something about Geralt and Yennefer!"

He rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance, "Geralt was recently accused of murdering King Foltest, but was proven innocent. Yennefer was captured by the Wild Hunt after the riots in Rivia, Geralt exchanged his life for hers," He said remembering the story he heard a week prior.

The woman narrowed her eyes again, "That's right… the last I remember hearing the name Dominik of Cintra was two years ago, at the meeting of the Lodge of Sorceresses in Vengerberg when Yennefer brought," Her eyes widened, "You're the one Cirilla was in love with! The reason she said she wouldn't go to Kovir."

He rolled his eyes at the woman, "Glad to know that secret between us was a lot more well known then we thought."

The sorceress chuckled and uncurled her fist entirely. Right away he felt the vines and roots uncurl from around his wrists and legs. The blood rushed all back to his limbs at once, and he fell forward onto the dirt again. He furiously moved his arms and legs, trying to regain the feeling and blood flow of them. He took in deep, long breaths in an effort to compose himself again. He got to his knees and looked up and the woman again, he had completely forgotten the fact the woman was completely nude and looked upwards again.

He heard her laugh at him, "Ha, what's wrong, never seen a naked woman before?"

He shook his head, "No it's not that it's just… distracting. I don't even know your name!"

"Kiera Metz," She said in an amused tone, before he saw a flash of blue light, "You can look now Witcher."

He lowered his head and the woman's dress had returned. He sighed in relief, before finally meeting her eyes. Kiera Metz. He remembered hearing the name before. He remembered when he first met up with Yennefer again, her name was one she mentioned when he was told about the Lodge of Sorceresses. He felt a pang of annoyance and anger well up in his gut, when he remembered what she told them they wanted Ciri to do.

He crossed his arms, "Aye, I've heard your name from Yennefer. Were you one of the lodge members who tried to force Ciri into going to have a kid with some random prince she had never met?"

Kiera rolled her eyes at him, and crossed her arms back, "We didn't force her to do anything. Besides, as I'm sure Yen told you, she wasn't having the idea at all. What the lodge wanted to do, or didn't want to do doesn't matter now, seeing as we're all wanted."

"I can't help but wonder why," He said sarcastically, with annoyance still evident in his tone.

Kiera huffed and waved her hand for him to continue, "So, I didn't kill you, consider yourself lucky for that. Now what is it you want," She asked him.

He sighed, finally managing to catch his breath. He met Keira's eyes and asked the first question that had come to his mind, "First… what's a former member of the Lodge of Sorceresses doing in Velen, in the middle of some swamp?"

The sorceress rolled her eyes, and he could see the frustration boiled up inside her, "Let me think… enjoying the country air? Admiring the unspoilt scenery? Or is it furthering the age-old alliance between the city and the breadbasket. No," She said sarcastically, "I'm in hiding Dominik of Cintra. Blind to the state of the world? Don't know what's happening?"

He sighed, "Yeah I do… Radovid is persecuting mages, and being a former of the Lodge…"

She nodded in conferment, "Yes, you're correct. Radovid's new favorite pastime, pursuing anyone with a whiff of magic about them. Remember I thought you were a Witch Hunter? New group out of Oxenfurt, they scour the North. Burning books, hanging soothsayers, and herbalists."

He could hear the anger in her voice. He had remembered hearing about the mage persecution the last time he was in Novigrad. It had been going on since Nilfgaard declared war. He often found it ironic that he was now stuck between the black ones in the south, and the equally tyranic and insane Radovid in the North.

He looked at Kiera with apologetic eyes, "Yeah… I've heard about it. It must be horrible, I'm sorry you have to go through that."

She seemed to be caught aback by his kinder words, her eyes lightened, and a small smile came to her, "I… thank you. Now, why are you here. I never thought we'd meet, and if we did it certainly would be here. Is Geralt with you?"

He wanted to be careful with his words. Geralt and he agreed that the fewer people who knew why they were there the better. He had seen what happened to Hendrick and his village for just having a rumor about her. He sighed and kept his eyes locked with Kiera's.

"Well he's not with me right now, but we're traveling together. We're… searching for a certain young woman, and the trail led to Velen. We had two different leads, so we split up to follow them," He explained to the sorceress, being careful with his words.

She smirked at him mischievously, "Oh really, and who would that be?"

He sighed and bit the bottom of his lip he didn't want to reveal that they were looking for Ciri. However, he knew if Kiera was the Witch Ciri quarreled with, she would know anyway. Also, if she was friends with Geralt and Yennefer, he had to assume he could trust her. He had no other choice.

He sighed, "Ciri. Geralt and I found a trail that could lead to her here in Velen. Nobody can know, understand?"

Kiera scoffed and looked at him in disbelief, "Cirilla is here? The girl who was wanted by the Lodge of Sorceresses, and practically every ruler in the land, landed here in Velen and I didn't know? What is she doing here," She asked him in disbelief.

He rubbed his arms in the areas where they had been constricted. He nodded to the blonde sorceress, "Well from what Geralt and I heard, she's in hiding. We had a lead that she quarreled with a Witch, I followed that lead while Geralt followed the other so… have you seen her," He asked desperately.

The leads had to give him something. He had gone too many years of following dead trails for it not too work. Kiera seemed to recognize the desperation in his voice. The woman sighed and shook her head at him, and he felt his stomach drop to his boots.

"I'm sorry to say I haven't, I… must ask, why are you searching for her like this? Do you still have love for her," She asked him with sincerity in her voice.

He felt his stomach begin to churn again, but he slowly nodded his head, "I do yeah… I haven't seen her in 8 years. I didn't get to see her when she returned 2 years ago… I want to find her, like we promised."

She smiled sweetly at him, "Well that certainly is sweet, Cirilla, she spoke at lengths with Yennefer about seeing you again, did you know that?"

He nodded slowly, his heart tearing in half again, knowing that he was so close two years ago, only for it to be ripped away. If there really were gods out there, what did he do to deserve that?

"Yeah… Yen told me. We promised each other when we were younger… that we would always find each other, try to get to each other. I'm going to keep my promise, and I'm going to find her," He said, realizing he had revealed much more then he wanted.

He saw Kiera looking at him, sympathy in her eyes. He quickly shook his head and sighed, "I'm sorry… I got a little carried away. You don't even know me, if you haven't seen her, then I'm sorry to have intruded," He said sincerely, giving her a small bow.

The sorceress looked at him softly and shook her head, "No need to apologize, I was actually about to tell you. I haven't seen Cirilla myself. Recently though, someone asked me about an ashen-haired woman. He claimed she'd stand out in a crowd," She said with a smile coming to her.

He scoffed, a new smile coming to his face. It had been a complete turn around from how he was feeling only a moment before. He smiled at her and looked at her, pleading with his eyes.

"Who was it? Please, I need to know," He asked her, his voice nearly breaking.

Kiera chuckled and slowly took another step towards her, a smile adorned on her face. She placed her hands on her hips and met his eyes, "Now, now, come now Dominik. No offering for the village Witch? No humble plea?"

He felt his eyes narrow again. He crossed his arms again, "I think I've been pleading plenty… but again… please. You'll have my undying gratitude, I'd do anything for Ciri, and I'd be eternal grateful to whoever helps me find her."

She titled her head and smiled at him, an amused look on her face, "Well, well, the undying gratitude of a promising young Witcher, I think that's payment enough. It was an elf, the individual who asked about Ciri," she began explaining, "And no flea-bitten Scoia'tael either, he was an elven mage."

He felt the scar from the bite mark on his shoulder flare up, the one he had received from the Alp a few weeks prior. That was the last time he had encountered an Elven mage. He knew all Elven mages weren't Alps, but the experience had made him slightly weary. Still however, any new lead that he got filled him with hope again.

"Did he tell you what his name was? I can't think of many elven mages who'd want Ciri," He asked her.

The sorceress shook her head, "He didn't. Also, he wore a mask. Very secretive all around but… I liked him. He was intelligent and composed."

He nodded, and looked down at the swallow pendant for a moment, before looking back to Kiera, "Did he say what he wanted with Ciri? Not very many people have looked for her for good reasons recently."

She shook her head again, "No, only that they were to meet here in Velen. He wanted to know if she had arrived before he did."

He felt his chest unconstrict a little, "Well that's good, at least if she was supposed to meet up with him, he may not mean her any harm, did he leave a message for her? Or any other clue to where he, or even she would be?"

The sorceress shook her head again, "No, but he told me that if I were to find her, I should lead her to him."

He smiled broadly again. He didn't exactly trust the man who he hadn't met, but if he hopefully would have more information on where Ciri was they he did. Or even better, perhaps Ciri had managed to meet up with him, and she was with him now. The Elven mage would be the key to finding Ciri.

"Does that mean you know where he is? Please Kiera, I need to find him," He pleaded with her again.

She chuckled and nodded, "It's quite cute how dedicated to this you are I must admit. I do know, he said he'd found a hideout in some Elven ruins near Midcopse. I'll even go there with you."

She gestured towards where the portal had first dropped him off and he walked with her. He made sure to meet her eyes again when they stopped, he was hesitant to draw anyone else into the danger of the search for Ciri.

He met Kiera's eyes again when they stopped, "Not that I don't appreciate your offer, but why do you want to come? Think I'll have trouble finding the place," He said in a joke.

She smirked at him and shrugged, "I've unfinished business with the elf. He promised me something, but never delivered it," She said before smirking again, "Besides I think as you do- that she might be there. And I'd like to see Cirilla again too."

He thought about what she had said. He didn't think that Kiera would have any reasons to hurt he, or Ciri. If she was friends with Geralt like she acted they were, he wanted to believe he could trust having her by his side. He also knew that having a powerful mage would never hurt. He also knew that they were only investigating some ruins, it more than likely wouldn't take them very long.

"Alright, if you're sure. Let's get going then, I'm supposed to meet back up with Geralt after I find out more," He told her.

She smiled and nodded, "Sounds like a plan. I do hope to Cirilla is there, I'm a sucker for a romantic reunion. Come on let's get going."

Another minute later, Kiera had opened the portal back up again. The two entered and Dominik felt his hope soar again. He hoped that with Kiera's help he could find an even more concrete lead to where Ciri was, or even find Ciri herself, or an even bigger key to her location.

**A/N: So, Dom is hot on the trail of his lost love. We get to meet Keira Metz, former advisor to Foltest and member of the Lodge of Sorceresses. How do you think Dom and Kiera will get along? What will happen in the elven ruins? Is Dominik ready for his first encounter with the Wild Hunt? What are you most excited about seeing? Fav, Follow and review, and find out next time!**


	7. Through the Darknes, Follow the Swallow

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 7: Through the Darkness, follow the swallow**

**Narrator: After finding the local Witch near the Village of Midcopse, Dominik discovered it was Kiera Metz, an old friend of Geralt and Yennefer. Dom learned that Kiera had not seen Ciri, but had encountered a mysterious Elven mage, who had been supposed to meet with his lost love in an old elven temple in Velen. Hopeful he could find the Elven mage, or even better, Ciri herself, Dom set out for the ruins, with Kiera in tow.**

"So, this is the place," He asked Kiera.

The entrance to the elven ruins, were nestled into the side a small hill. Roots and vines grew over the door, and the harsh sun of Velen pierced the entrance illuminating the entryway. He had been in Elven ruins before during his years alone, and always did find them fascinating. He gently ran his fingers over the dusty stones as Kiera nodded to him in conferment.

The sorceress tossed her blonde locks behind her head, "Yes, this is the place he described. I was hoping the elf would return as he'd promised, or at least his waif would appear. At any rate, I've no idea what to expect from this place."

He nodded to her and took in a deep breath, "Well, if there's a chance Ciri's here… let's go find out."

Kiera nodded and the two of them entered the ruins. The entryway got darker quickly, but Kiera was quick to cast a spell in Elder Speech, and a glowing bright light appeared in her hands. The first doorway they came to led to a room filled with intricate carvings and stone patterns. Braziers and torches remained unlit in several spots. He wanted to ignite them with Igni but remembered how much the sign took out of him to cast.

Kiera stayed close by his side, as she too looked carefully at the carving and stone formations as they walked. The light from her spell illuminated their way, and he could feel the cold chill running through him. He heard drips of water, he stepped over roots, and the musty smell of the cave attacked his nose. It had to have been centuries since the area had any kind of significant human, or elven interaction.

"So, Dominik," Kiera asked, breaking the silence between them, he looked over and met the sorceresses eyes before she continued, "I was wondering, how did you meet Cirilla?"

The question had caught him off guard. The two had been walking in silence for several minutes by the light of her spell. He looked at her wearily, "Why do you want to know that?"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh come on now, if we're going to be exploring this musty old cave for the next few hours, I'd prefer not to do it in silence don't you agree?"

He met her eyes again, "Well… I suppose you're right."

She smiled and nodded, "I don't know Geralt all that well, I've known Yen for years. I figured their adopted son would be a fascinating person to get to know, so, tell me. How did you meet Cirilla?"

He sighed as they walked through a narrow hallway, the cold breeze chilling his bones. He ducked under a large vine and answered her, "My father, my real father… he was the head of Queen Calanthe's royal household guard. My real mother, she was a member of Cintra's special forces."

He quickly squeezed his way through a tight flurry of vines and grabbed Kiera's hand to help her through as well before he went to continue his tale.

"My mother retired when I was born. My father, however, was with Queen Calanthe often, they were good friends. He brought me to one of the royal balls once, that's where I met the queen," He started again, smiling at the memory, "The Queen she… she told me that by the time I was old enough to do what my father did… her granddaughter would probably be ruling. She… she asked me if I would protect her, the same way my father protected her."

Kiera smiled at him, "And after all these years, you're still trying? How very noble of you."

He shook his head, "To be honest, its not just because of that promise. I… I met Ciri that night, she snuck us away from the party, stole some pies from the kitchen… we were 11 then," He said a smile returning to his face.

The sorceress tilted her head, but kept her smile towards him, "I must say, it is quite sweet to see such dedication. Most men would have given up by now."

He shook his head, as the slow drip of water pinged through the stones, "I can't give up. She's all I have left, I love her. Besides, I made a promise, not just to Queen Calanthe… but to Ciri. We promised we'd always try to find each other, and I've been failing her for too long."

The woman was quiet, but he saw her smile at him. The pair of them walked in silence for another few moments, before he turned back to her, her face illuminate by the ball of light in her hand.

"What about you? I know about the persecution mages face now, but how did you end up here? What did you do before this," He asked the sorceress.

Kiera scoffed and rolled her eyes, "It's been absolutely horrible here, but as you know I'm in hiding. Back when there was a Temaria, I was a royal advisor to King Foltest."

He looked over to meet her eyes when he heard, "Foltest? That means you know Triss Merigold then?"

"Yes, I do, are you in love with her as well," She joked with him.

He laughed and shook his head, "No, hardly. I love Triss yes, but she's like the older sibling I never had. She… she helped take care of Ciri and I when we were at Kaer Morhen, she saved my life in Rivia two years ago. I know about her… relationship with Geralt, but still she's important to me. I haven't seen her in two years, since Rivia."

She laughed and tossed back her hair again, "Haha, one big happy family the five of you. Triss and I knew each other, both members of the Lodge. I'm hoping that-."

She stopped talking when the narrow hallway finally found its end. The cave was a huge, with the remains of large bridges stretched across them. Stalagmites hung overhead, small bits of water dripping, along with vines hanging. He felt his arms and legs tingle from where Kiera had captured him when he saw. He was about to turn to Kiera and ask where they should head next, when he felt a particularly cold chill run through his body.

His blood felt like it had turned to ice. He took a few more steps forward with Kiera right behind him, and saw they were on the end of a large broken bridge. Across the giant chasm was the other side of the broken bridge. Three large men were standing at the other side, the doorway that led even deeper into the ruins. The men were clad in skeletal plate, and the longer he looked at them, the more his blood began to boil. Despite the anger boiling inside him, the chill they emanated attacked his body, he could see his breath coming from his mouth.

He felt his gloved hands curl into fists, "The Wild Hunt…"

Kiera came up besides him, her spell gone since the fire from braziers were now lit, the woman's eyes went wide as she looked across the chasm, and at him.

"What!? Phantom riders? That means… I thought they didn't exist," She said, partly in disbelief, partly in terror.

He jogged another few steps towards them, "Oh they're real, believe me, and not very friendly."

He saw over the other side of the chasm as one of the Hunt members raised a staff and a large blue portal sprang to life, and the three of them walked through. He knew if the Wild Hunt was here, he needed to move fast. There wasn't any time to go and get Geralt. If the elven mage, or Ciri were here, then he needed to reach them. He couldn't let the Hunt get their hands on them.

"Looks like they have a navigator with them as well," He said as he and Kiera approached the edge of their side of the bridge.

"A what," The sorceress asked.

He took in a shaky breath to steady himself, before looking back to Keira, "Basically they're the Hunt's mages. Can you teleport us to the other side," He asked, his voice becoming frantic.

Kiera scoffed, and he could see the worry in the woman's eyes, "I'd rather teleport us home! Do you really mean to follow them," She asked him.

He nodded, "Of course I do, now please, teleport us!"

Kiera huffed and took in a shaky breath. She took a step before the edge of the bridge, and muttered words in Elder Speech, before raising her hands, and within a few seconds a large swirling black and yellow portal opened in front of them.

"I hope you know what you're doing," She said worriedly as he stood next to her.

He scoffed, "So do I, now come on let's go," He said, as he ran into the portal, feeling his stomach begin to churn.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHHHHHHHHH," He yelled as soon as he felt himself emerge.

He was falling downwards and felt the air whizzing through his hair. He tried to get his bearings, but the cave shot upwards past him, until his boots finally hit water below. He submerged completely, and opened his eyes, seeing into the murky blue water. He swam up towards the bright blue light he saw above. When he finally surfaced, he gasped, trying to refill his lungs with air. He looked around and he was completely alone, he couldn't see anyone else, the only light in the cavern was a blue ball of magical light around an old brazier.

"Kiera," He shouted into the cave, hearing nothing back except the echo of his voice.

He swam towards the shore and fell out onto the cold dirt beneath him. His armor was soaked, and he felt the cold chill of the cave freeze his blood. He scanned around and couldn't find any sign of the sorceress anywhere. He sighed and checked his sword, making sure the blade hadn't been lost.

"Something must have disrupted our teleport… need to find Kiera," He said to himself, finally getting the energy to move his feet.

He reached down into his pocket and found that the picture of Ciri was still there, but now completely soaked through. He folded the wet piece of paper back up and slid it back into his pocket anyhow. If he needed to, he knew he could draw it again later, he had memorized the details. What was important now would be finding Kiera and figuring out what the Hunt was doing in the ruins.

He managed to move his freezing limbs and make his way through the one cavern he had. The balls of blue magical light kept appearing in braziers to light his way, so he didn't need to light any fires. He came up to a few ledges leading up, and with some trouble due to his shivering body, managed to lift himself up. He took another few steps and saw the wall lowered, with underneath a pool of water the only way forward.

He sighed, "Well looks like I'll be freezing again," He said, making ready to leap into he water.

Before he could however, he saw the water begin to stir. He heard a low growl coming from around him, a creaking sound coming from the water itself. He had been a Witcher for too long to not recognize the sound. He heard the growling coming for behind him and reached back to draw his blade.

"I hate drowners…" He muttered as the blue creatures rose from the water in-front of him.

Three came from in-front and when the noise got louder, he whirled around to see two more sprinting at him. He quickly rolled to his left when one leaped, and whirled his blade back around loping off the monsters hand. It wailed in agony and he didn't have time to admire his work before another leaped. He shot his hands forward, summoning the energy to his hands and blasting the monster back with an Aard sign. He felt his energy drain right away, but he knew he couldn't stop. He reached down to his belt and yanked off a Samum bomb, casting a small fire to light it and tossing it towards the group of three who emerged from the water.

The bomb exploded in a blue light and shot the monsters back into the water. The one he had blown back first had gotten back up and charged him again. He just narrowly avoided a strike of the monsters claw, and grabbed the beasts arm, he whirled around it and drug his blade across it's neck, killing it before turning back to the larger group.

He didn't want to waste anymore bombs, so he twirled his blade to a reverse grip just as the three charged him. One leaped at him, and he ducked down, before slashing upwards, cutting the monster in half. It wailed in pain and he continued his spin around side-stepping the claw of another one, his momentum carried him forward, he transitions it into another spin and lopped off the beasts head. He stopped just as the last one leaped, it gripped onto his back and its claws racked across the back of his neck. It wasn't a strong strike, but it whirred him on, he grabbed the beasts arm and flung it back over his head, quickly stabbing his blade downwards to end it.

He twisted the blade, and when the beast stopped twitching, he pulled out his blade with a loud squelch.

He sighed deeply, looking around at his work, before giving an amused smirk, "The drowner is a common beast, but not to be underestimated. One at a time they aren't much, but groups can be tricky to take down. Aard, and bombs are good for crowd control, your movements need to be swift and precise," he said, remembering the lecture word for word.

He laughed a little and smiled down at his blade, "Thanks Uncle Vesemir," He said, before sliding his blade back into its sheath on his back.

After being sure all of the drowners were dead, he turned back to the pool of water.

"Looks like the only way through is down… time to get wet," He muttered, as he dove into the murky water.

He swam downwards, and then forward, the rocks blocking his path back to the surface. Just as the air in his lungs was beginning to give up, he saw the surface. He emerged and he felt the cold air begin to breeze again. He knew it was a good sign, it meant that he was getting closer to a larger cavern. He felt his teeth chattering as he ran through the cavern, in an effort to dry himself.

After making his way through another small hallway it emerged into the large cavern where they had teleported from. He was underneath on the ground of the chasm; however, he saw the side of the bridge where he saw the Wild Hunt. He knew he needed to get to that entrance, if he wanted any chance of finding the phantom riders.

"KIERA," He shouted into the darkness as he walked across the watery ground.

He didn't hear anything shout back, but his medallion slowly began to hum. He took it as a sign Kiera was close, and the medallion was picking up her magical energy. He made his way through the bottom of the cavern. He had to dispatch a few more drowners as he walked, and even a Water Hag, but he defeated them with relative ease. He was running low on bombs however, and he knew he would have to start relying on signs more soon.

The energy in his body was already drained from having to use Aard earlier, and the cold was slowly sapping his ability to move precisely. His teeth chattered as he struck down another drowner. He was actively looking for more to fight at that point. The more he moved the more he dried up and kept his limbs warm. He followed the humming of his medallion and it began to grow louder and louder as he moved towards the magic source.

"KIERA," He shouted again when the medallion was humming at a steady pace.

He wasn't expecting a noise back, but within another moment he heard an echo hit his ears.

"DOMINIK!"

He quickly was able to locate where the sound was coming from. He turned towards it and started sprinting. As he moved, he felt his medallion hum more and more. He began to hear more shouting. It was without a doubt the voice of Kiera Matz, and it sounded as if she was in serious danger. She shouted different spells in elder speech and shouted for him as well. The poor woman sounded frantic, so he willed his legs to move faster. He ran through another large entryway, and the voice of the sorceress was right in earshot now.

"AH! Get away! Get back, DOMINIK," He heard the woman yell, along with other words he didn't recognize in Elder Speech.

"KIERA," He yelled finally bursting through another hallway.

He expected the sorceress to be accosted by multiple drowners, a water hag, or the worse scenario, being attacked by the Hunt. However, none of those were true. When he finally saw Keira Metz, she was completely surrounded by a yellow magical shield. The beasts attacking her weren't phantom riders of the hunt, or monsters.

They were rats.

His blade lowered slightly as the sorceress turned to meet his eyes, her own completely frantic, "Kiera… what-."

"DOM! Kill them, get rid of them, they're coming out of those nests, use a bomb, or a sign anything," She screamed, and Dominik thought the sorceress may soon faint from fear.

One of the large rats came leaping at him. He kicked the rodent away and sliced his blade through another. He saw the small burrows they were coming out of, and he rushed towards them. He sliced a rat that leaped up to attack his face from one burrow. He didn't want to waste bombs on something so trivial, so he channeled energy to his hands. He blasted a shot of Igni at the burrow, and quickly turned while he still had momentum and the second burrow erupted into flames.

The last of the rats surrounded Kiera scattered, and the sorceress finally let her shield down. Using signs again like that made him feel like his legs had turned to paper. He tried to take a step but stumbled into the ground. Kiera rushed over to him, breathing heavily in relief.

"Are you alright? Did one bite you," She asked worriedly suddenly leaping back.

He cough and managed to get up to his feet. He met the sorceresses eyes and sighed in relief, "No, I'm fine. You see casting signs like that takes a lot of energy out of me."

Her eyes narrowed, "Why, they're simple magic and Witcher's bodies are mutated to handle it."

He shook his head, "You're right, but you see I'm technically not a Witcher. I'm trained as one, got the knowledge of one, but I never actually underwent the mutations. I can cast the signs, but they tale a lot of energy, I just started training to use them."

She nodded in understanding and shook her head, "I should have recognized that, you don't have the yellow eyes. Well, that was a close call," She said stepping away from a dead rat.

He scoffed at her and looked at her curiously, "They were just rats. You could've obliterated them with one spell."

"I HATE them, they're furry disgusting creatures and I do not like them," She said defensively.

He sighed, realizing that the sorceresses fear of rats truly wasn't the important topic at the moment. He shook his head to refocus and met Kiera's eyes, "Alright that's not important not. What happened when we teleported? I landed in a lake."

She scoffed and shook her head, "You should feel lucky you survived it at all. Something is here, something that disrupts teleportation. I don't know how they got to the other side of the bridge to begin with," She said, exasperated.

Dom shook his head, remembering what Geralt had told him about the Hunt, "Wild Hunt magic is different. They got specifically trained mages for that, navigators they called, that's what we saw open the portal earlier," He explained.

Kiera scoffed again and tossed her hands up, "They can have three helmsman and a parrot for all I care, I'll not risk it again."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, "Fine, but let's get going. The Hunt got a head start, but we can catch them if we hurry," He said impatiently.

Kiera shook her head and looked at him as if he himself was a drowner, "Have you gone completely mad, we must leave here at once!"

"Not a chance, I need to know what the Wild Hunt is doing here," He told the sorceresses.

The woman seemed to stamp her foot and scoffed, "We came here to find the elven mage! Not fight the Hunt," She exasperated to him.

He sighed, annoyed with her and shook his head again, "If they reach him first, we won't get a chance to talk to him, and he could know where Ciri is! If the Hunt reaches him, there's a chance they can get her location from him!"

He stopped himself from talking, realizing he may have revealed too much information. He had felt his anger rise and hadn't been watching his words. Kiera's eyes went wide, and she laughed in disbelief.

"The Wild Hunt? That's who Ciri is hiding from!? What could they possibly want from her," She asked him, her voice cracking.

He scoffed in annoyance, "The same thing everyone wants from her. The reason nobody will leave her the hell alone, they want the power in her blood. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but now you know. I need to find that mage, or any sign of Ciri. I'm going forward, with or without you, I can't give up now, I'm closer then I've ever been in eight years," He said, hearing his voice crack and his emotions rise.

Kiera met his eyes again, unable to find words, which he found odd in the short time he'd known the sorceress.

Finally, she scoffed again, "I see you've inherited Geralt and Yen's stubbornness. Come on then, let's get moving.

He smiled at her, and the two turned to head deeper into the cave. He climbed up a nearby ledge, leaning down to lift the sorceress up as well. The cave narrowed again and the two of them walked behind and in-front of each other to navigate. The cold, dank air was filling his nose again. He knew that soon they would exit to another cavern. He hoped he could trust Kiera with all the information he had let slip. Geralt had told him to watch what he gave away, and he had failed spectacularly at it.

The closer he got however, the more he felt his anxiousness rise. A few drowners and lightly armed men he could handle, but how would he hold up against soldiers of the Wild Hunt? It had been years since he face an opponent of any true skill. A bounty Hunter had come for him once when he was 17, after he had been on his own for a year. The man just like everyone it seemed, wanted to know the location of Ciri. Little did the man know, he had no idea where she was, and he would have given anything too. He didn't believe him when he said that and attacked. The man had been skilled, and Dominik was seriously wounded before he could kill him. If not for him being close to Ellander at the time, he would have died.

While he was recovering it was one of the few time's he saw Geralt while he traveled alone before Rivia. It was winter and the Witcher tried to convince him to come back to Kaer Morhen with him. He remembered at the time he still hadn't been particularly happy with the Witcher, and he also refused to give up searching for Ciri for even a day. He refused to go back to Kaer Morhen with Geralt that day, and spent the next week recovering from the attack at the inn in Ellander. He remembered the doctors assistant, Freya, tended to him day and night. It had become one of the few times during the last eight years he almost broke in his loyalty to Ciri.

The pang of loneliness and loss was heavy on his heart. The days went on, and his hope of finding Ciri was dwindling. He specifically remembered on his last night in Ellander recovering, Freya had kissed him. That kiss had caused him to stay in Ellander for another month, spending time with the girl, having several romantic encounters, but never any that had become intimate. The young assistant had offered to sleep with him, several times during that month, wanting, begging him to stay with her.

Finally, one night, the poor girl threw herself at him, begging him to not leave, to stay with her, marry her when they both turned to adulthood in a short time. He had given it consideration. The pang of losing Ciri was hitting him harder every day, the sadness he felt at her loss, the loneliness at being apart from her. He realized that for the month he was using the poor girl. The kissing embraces and romantic moments they shared had only been momentary medicine for the loss, and yearning he felt to get Ciri back. He left Ellander that night, not wanting to any longer take advantage of the poor girl unfairly. She had not taken well to his decision and left his room at the inn crying.

He went back to Ellander on Ciri's birthday every year, as a tradition. He saw her every time he went, but she would only meet his eyes, before quickly leaving his gaze.

For years after this, the loneliness and yearning for Ciri only grew. A few more bounty hunters came, and all of them he was forced to kill. He hadn't faced skilled opponents since the last one two years prior. He had no idea how ready he was physically to face what was too come, and even less of an idea if he was ready for the emotion's he would experience the next few weeks and months.

He had been thinking back to Freya, and the bounty hunters, he didn't realize that Kiera had led them into a new chamber. The one they were in was a lot more well put together then the others. The cold draft had faded, so he knew the room was more confined.

"Dom look at this," Kiera said tugging at his arm.

He noticed what the sorceress had been looking at. On a dais, was a bright blue projection. A mage stood atop the projection, and when the two of them walked in-front of him, it started speaking to them in the Elder Speech.

The projection spoke in a deep voice, he didn't understand the first few words, but he heard the back end, "Daughter of Gull."

"That's him, that's the elf," Kiera exclaimed next to him.

The elven mage they had come to find, spoke a few more words to them in the Elder Speech, before the projection disappeared.

He sighed in annoyance, "I knew I should've gone to those Elder Speech lessons with Triss…"

Kiera came up behind him, "That was a morphic projection. Safer and more secure then a common letter, that could be intercepted by anyone," She told him.

He sighed, "I didn't understand what it said, but I do know it has to be a message for Ciri. 'Daughter of Gull', Lara Dorren's heir, the reason nobody leaves her the hell alone," He said with a hint of bitterness.

Kiera nodded in conferment, "Yes that is what the elves would call Ciri. The second half of the message said 'Zireael, follow the sign of your sword'. It's a riddle, although it sounds like a tough one, I've no clue what it could mean,"

He shook his head at the sorceress, "Not really. Not if you know that Ciri named her sword Zireael, swallow. It's what she named her first one at least, I'm sure she's got a new one by now, she would've named it the same thing I'm sure."

Kiera scoffed and looked at him, impressed, "As sweet as it is you remember, who would know that except for you, and maybe Geralt?"

He looked back to where the projection had been, and pieced together the puzzle, before turning back to Kiera, "I think that was the point. Your elven mage secured the way through, so that only Ciri could find it."

Kiera smiled and realization came to her face, "But he failed to think someone like you would show up. Someone who knows Ciri better than anyone."

He felt a smile come to his face, and he nodded, "Yeah, any riddle regarding something about Ciri I should be able to solve. I think if we follow the swallows we should reach where they were supposed to meet."

"Well what are we waiting for then, let's get moving," Kiera told him, pointing to the next hallway.

He smiled and nodded at her, "Took the words right out of my mouth."

The two of them began to make there way down the next narrow corridor. Dominik remembered back to the time that he and Ciri had both finally received real swords back at Kaer Morhen. Ciri's was specially made for her size, while Dom had received a brand new Witcher's steel sword. Ciri right away named it Zireael like she said she would, as the two ran off to train with them that night.

They had both began to spar in the training yard under torchlight. He remembered the shock of feeling so much weight under the new blade. Ciri moved so swiftly, that he was barely able to keep up with her movements. She played a joke on him, by pretending his blade had sliced her arm. She pretended to wail in pain, and when he dropped his blade to check on her, she swept his legs from under him and fell over him, laughing her head off. He had been annoyed at first, but the moment he saw so much joy in those emerald eyes it faded away.

The two had enjoyed playing tricks on each other, Ciri was the only one who could make him consistently laugh and put him in a better mood just by speaking to him. He looked down at his neck and smiled at the sight of the swallow. He was close to finding her, and he was hopeful the laughs and jokes could finally return.

Kiera and he passed through another large cavern, and this time handling the Drowners and Water Hags were easier. He didn't have to waste the few precious bombs he had left and took a lot few nicks on his body. He followed Kiera, with her glowing ball of magical light through one more long narrow corridor after they had dispatched another group of drowners and came to another seemingly dead end. He looked around the room and couldn't see any new exits.

Kiera huffed, "Now what, I don't see a way out."

He looked at the far wall and saw the outline of a doorway, but it was filled with stone. He squinted his eyes and saw a small outline above it.

"Bring the light this way," He asked Kiera.

Kiera came up next to him, and the ball of light illuminated the wall. He scoffed and smile wide when he saw a swallow itched on the stone above the doorway in white. He turned to Kiera who looked up at the swallow excitedly.

"That's the swallow, come on, we must activate it," She said, holding the light up for him to see better.

He nodded his head and remembered Geralt telling him how Aard had the ability to activate some magical objects. So, he held up his hand and charged energy to his palm. A blast of Aard fired and hit the swallow dead on. He felt his legs go loose and himself stumble, but Kiera caught him, placing a hand on his chest and helping him stand up. Her hand lingered on his chest, and she gave him a mischievous smile as she slowly removed it.

He was about to say something when he almost got knocked off his feet, by another portal opening. He turned around and, in the doorway, a new black and white portal swirled open.

He looked at Kiera hesitantly, "Are you sure this one's safe?"

She nodded to him in reassurance, "It has to be. The mage meant for Ciri to use these portals, so they must lead to where we're trying to go."

He sighed and gave the sorceress a nod. He closed his eyes and ran into the black and white portal, a churning returning to his stomach.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Thankfully the portal was safe. He landed on his feet right next to Kiera Matz, who right away illuminated their path with her magic again. He felt the breeze flow through his hair again, but this time they weren't in the same chasm. The save they came out too had one large well that led to a deep fall down into a large pool of water. The cave around it was enclosed, but the light from another brazier could be seen in the distance. Kiera took a step forward and squinted her eyes forward.

"Look, it's another projection, let's go see what it says," She said, leading the way for him with her light.

He nodded and followed behind the sorceress. The dampness, and dreariness of the cave made him yearn for sunlight. He and Ciri had always spent time in the cave near Kaer Morhen, but he always subconsciously craved the sunlight as he knew she did as well.

He wondered to how Geralt was fairing in his quest to find the Baron. Did them killing the mans men at the Crossroads really make it harder for him? He debated in his mind on whether it had been a good choice to enter these ruins without him. However, in the end he knew it was too late, he had to catch up with the Hunt and find the elven mage that Ciri had seemingly taken shelter with.

The projection of the mage appeared above the brazier as soon as he and Kiera came near.

"Translate it for me," He asked Kiera, who nodded in conferment.

The mage spoke more words in the Elder Speech, and the more he heard it, the more he regretted not taking the lessons with Ciri and Triss. He was going too but decided against it when he thought that perhaps Ciri just needed time alone with another woman. However, he realized as he became older how important it was to learn the language, it could have helped him more then a few times. He was even more thankful he brought Kiera along now, seeing as the sorceress was fluent. He would never have been able to get through the riddles otherwise.

The projection spoke, and he recognized the words 'Zireael', and 'Kelpie' at the end. When the projection vanished, he turned to Kiera.

"Swallow, the obvious route is not always best. Find Kelpie, what's that? Do you think he means that sea monster," She asked him.

After hearing what it said he chuckled and shook his head, "Haha, no. Kelpie. It was the name of Ciri's mare. Damn thing galloped like a demon, almost took my fingers off a few times," he started with a smile, "What he said about the obvious route not being the best, I think he means we should look for a horse symbol, and not follow the swallow for this riddle."

He pointed to the swallow painted on the rock behind her, and the sorceress nodded in agreement, "I think you're right, where do you think it could be?"

He had an idea however he didn't like it. He turned to the giant drop that lead to the pool of water below and looked over the edge. He sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out the drawing of Ciri. The paper had begun to dry, and the drawing of her could still faintly be seen. He turned to Kiera and handed her the paper.

"Mind this for me," He asked, pulling off his boots as well, placing them near the brazier, "I think it's going to be down there," He told her, pointing towards the pool.

Kiera examined the paper and looked back up at him puzzled, "What do you have an old, damp drawing in your pocket for?"

He looked over the edge into the murky water below. The force of him hitting the water would more then likely hurt, but he knew he needed to do it.

He sighed and looked back to Kiera, "It's Ciri… it's what our contacts think she looks like now. Got ruined when I landed in the water after the first portal jump, mind it for me."

Kiera chuckled and looked at him. If the sorceress was about to saw anything she didn't. She watched as he stripped off his trousers, gloves and armor over his body. He had no intentions on going through the rest of the cave soaked again. After he was done, he was only in his undergarments. He placed his pieces of armor, along with his sword by the side of the brazier and looked to see Keira looked at his bare chest.

She scoffed and smiled at him, "Well… I must say Cirilla certainly is a lucky woman."

He felt his face start to get hot and looked down at his bare chest. He wasn't as muscular, or large as his father was. He was slender, nimbler, and extremely defined like Geralt. Also similar to the Witcher more scars from monster claws, teeth, and men's blade ran across his body then he could count. He shivered from the cold and ran his hand along the diagonal scar that ran across his chest and abdomen, from his shoulder blade down to his hip going right to left. It was where the peasants blade had cut him down in Rivia, before Triss found him and saved him. He stupidly hadn't been wearing his armor when he arrived in Rivia. When he received the letter from Geralt, he wanted to get to the town as swiftly as possible, so he didn't wear any armor, only his undershirt and trousers, to help his horse ride faster.

He regretted it when he arrived and saw the fighting broke out.

"Uh… th… thanks. Now mind those for me, If Kelpie is down there, there should be a route back to this floor from the water somehow. If not, I may need you to help me back up somehow," He said nervously to the sorceress.

Kiera nodded in conferment, and he climbed to the ledge. With one final deep breath he dove off the edge. He zoomed down towards the water, and he remembered the diving he and Ciri used to do at Kaer Morhen. The two of them had a large tree, with branches that were above the lake. Often when it was particularly hot, after training they'd like to dive off the branches into the cold murky waters.

Swimming was one of the things he was a natural at, while Ciri had struggled. The first few times she would land in the water, only to thrash about, unable to stay afloat. He would tease her, about the fact she spent a good deal of her life in Skellige, and she somehow wasn't a proficient swimmer. They would spend hours floating in the water, talking, splashing each other, racing.

The water's of that cave were not like that of the lake near Kaer Morhen. The chill went right through his bones, to his very core. The impact reminded him of when he fell from trees after his first climbing lesson with his mother when he was young. After the initial shock, he surfaced and kicked his fee to keep himself afloat.

"Dominik are you alright," He heard Kiera yell from above.

He looked up and saw the blonde sorceress sticking her head over the edge, he held a thumb up to her, "Alright yeah, just need to find the horse, tell me if anything happens."

Kiera nodded and he saw her head disappear. He took in a deep breath, keeping his limbs moving, not wanting them to freeze.

"Okay Kelpie… where are you," He said to himself looking around the pool.

He swam around the circular pool for a few minutes. He cursed, and wished he had the keen eyes that Geralt had. The older Witcher more then likely would have found the drawing within seconds. Multiple times he had thought about returning to Kaer Morhen over the years, to undergo the mutations and become a real Witcher. However, he knew that few boys survived, and he had been determined to see Ciri again before he took that chance.

Despite not having the Witcher sense that Geralt did he eventually found the white drawing. It was indeed a basic drawing of a horse bucking its legs back. He sighed in relief and ran his hand over the white lines. It seemed to work because the horse glew a bright blue. He waited for Kiera to poke her head over and tell him the passageway had opened, but it never came.

"Dammit… must be another one," He muttered to himself, wishing for once it could be easy.

He had already combed through the entire sides of the pool, so he knew the second horse couldn't be there. He only guessed that there was one other solution, so he sucked in a deep breath and dove under the murky water. When underneath he opened his eyes and was grateful that he could actually see.

He looked ahead, and sure enough he saw a pathway under the rocks. He kicked his legs and pumped his arms forward, swimming as swiftly as he could until he could see a blue light above his head. He surfaced with a huge gasp for air. He swam over to the ledge and lifted himself out of the water and spilled onto the cold stones below him.

He looked up at the cavern ceiling, feeling the blood pump through his arms at a rapid rate. He took in a long sigh as the water ran down his body, "Close, so… so close, finally," He muttered to himself.

He moved his limbs again and managed to stand up. He looked around his surroundings, he could hardly see. He shakily raised his hand and channeled the energy to his palm. It made his knees wobble again but a small flame burst to life, and he could finally see the walls. Thankfully he didn't have to keep his palm ignited for long, because once he turned, he smiled, seeing the white outline of another horse. The swallow pendant, and his Wolf medallion bounced against his bare chest, as he ran his hands over the horse symbol.

He extinguished the flames in his hand, as the horse glowed a bright blue color. It illuminated the cave around him, and he felt the stones shift, and heard the sound of an old door being opened.

He heard Kiera's voice yelling soon after, "Dominik, I don't know what you did, but the door is opened, come on!"

He chuckled and managed a smile. He turned and saw a pathway leading upwards from where he was and started sprinting. He wound up a staircase and soon, he saw the bright blue light of Kiera's magic again. He came to an exit and leaped down, his body still dripping from his swim in the murky water. He felt his knees wobble, from the cold and using the sign, and he fell onto his back, feeling exhaustion completely overtake him.

He lay there, breathing heavily, staring at the high stalagmites above him. He was catching his breath when Kiera Matz came into his view. She knelt down next to him and looked into his eyes.

"Whatever you did worked, the passage is open. Are you alright," She asked him.

He laughed and coughed, "Haha, the true answer? I've never felt more exhausted in my entire life. We need to keep moving though, come on," He said, sitting up his bones aching.

He winced and Kiera held a hand on his chest to stop him, giving him a firm shake of the head, "You're exhausted, and soaking wet. Geralt may be able to shake it off but you can't… here let me help you."

He shook his head, "Kiera we don't have time we have to move, the mage-."

"Can wait another thirty seconds for me to cast a spell. You're no good to Cirilla dead, now lay back," She ordered in a demanding tone.

He rolled his eyes at her and she pushed his chest back down, "You know, a lot people have been telling me that."

She said a few words in the Elder Speech and her hands glowed a bright green. She placed her hand on his chest and moved it up and down his abdomen. The effect was instantaneous. He winced slightly, but felt his bones slowly start to reinvigorate. The wetness was leaving his body, and he felt as if he had just had a three-hour nap.

Kiera rolled her eyes at him, "It's because you need to realize like everyone, you have limitations. You can't do everything by yourself. As gallant as it is, to see you willing to do anything for Ciri, you'll get yourself killed if you're not careful. How do you think she'll feel if Geralt finds her, but he tells her that you died in the process?"

He sighed and realized the sorceress was telling the truth. After her spell finally finished, she helped him to sit up, and when he was, he was close to her, meeting the sorceresses brown eyes.

He looked down at the swallow again, "If I know her, she'd… blame herself. You're right, thank you."

She smirked and seemed awfully satisfied with herself. The blonde sorceress stood up and offered him a hand. He took it and he managed to shoot up to his feet. He moved his arms, and shoulders, kicked out his legs and felt his body was completely rejuvenated. He smiled and laughed as he rolled his neck, before looking back at Kiera.

"What did you do? I feel as good as new," He asked the sorceress as they walked over to where he had put his armor.

He noticed that his armor was now completely dry as well. He excitedly pulled on his trousers first, then his boots, moving as swiftly as he could.

Kiera laughed, "Please, a simple spell really. Rejuvenated your vitality and dried your things. Being a sorceress has its perks."

He smiled and strapped his sword back across his back and buckled the belt with his silver dagger on his waist. His bombs were still there, two of each type remaining. He ran a hair through his now dry, unkept brown hair. He sighed and felt a new surge of warmth run through his bones. He turned back to Kiera who held out a piece of paper for him.

"Also, I did a little something about this," She said, as he took the paper from her.

He unfolded it and smiled. The drawing of Ciri looked as if he had just picked it up off the table in Vizima. The paper was freshly dry, and the lines that drew her were no longer smeared and smudge. He sighed and smiled down at the picture, before folding it again, placing it carefully back in his pocket.

He met Kiera's eyes again, "Thank you Kiera," He said genuinely.

She smiled proudly, "You're welcome, come on admit it. You're glad I came now."

He laughed and rolled his eyes, "Ha, I certainly wouldn't have made it that far, that's for sure, now come on let's see where this path leads."

He turned with the sorceress, and the wall next to where the projection had played was not there. It was a doorway now, and the two walked through to another square room. He looked and saw two swallows near the outline of a door. One larger one above, and a smaller one to the left.

Kiera scoffed and looked at the symbols incredulously, "Now I know what distorted my efforts at teleporting, it was this very portal. It's how we got separated."

He nodded, "Yeah… I ended up in a drowner nest."

She scoffed and looked at him again, "Like I said, you should feel lucky you came out in one piece. Come on, let's see where this goes."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The portal led them to a narrow dark corridor. The dripping of water off the stalagmites had ceased. He didn't feel the same cool breeze as he did before. It was completely, and truly silent. Kiera muttered her spell in elder speech, and the blue light lit the way for them again. He turned to Kiera, and the sorceress looked at him worriedly, as they ascended a small set of steps to the next open room.

"It's completely silent," She said quietly.

He nodded in agreement, "You're right… too quiet. Something's up."

"Like the calm before the storm."

The two of them emerged to a larger cavern. A small, broken set of steps let upwards to another bend, further into the cave, but between the two of them and the way, was a large mass of rock. He recognized the formation or rock right away, and reached out, yanking Kiera backwards before she could walk further into the cavern.

"Shhhh, don't move," he said, ducking them back behind into the previous room.

The sorceress looked at him, her eyes widened, "What, what is it?"

He peered his head into the room again, to confirm it was really what he saw.

"It's a sentry golem, damn things are tough," He said to the sorceress.

Kiera peered around before turning back to him, "Surely the two of us can take it on, right? Will it even attack? It looks deactivated."

He shook his head, "It is, but the mage prepared this way for Ciri. When we walk in there, if it sense we aren't her it's probably programed to attack," he told her.

She looked at him worriedly again, "Haven't you ever fought one before?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Well technically yes, but only long enough to distract it and run. I never carried any silver, and right now all I have that's silver is a dagger."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Aren't all Witchers supposed to carry silver!?"

"You know how expensive silver is, or how hard it is to find someone who can make a silver sword? That's besides the point. I'll distract it, you sneak around and get to those steps."

"Well what about you," She asked him.

He sighed, "I'll improvise, after you're there cover me, and I'll join you."

The sorceress nodded, and he took in a deep breath. He tried to recall the few lessons he had learned from his Uncle Vesemir about Golems.

_"Golems and other elementals are extremely hard to take down and pack a mean punch. A Quen shield to protect yourself, and quick rolls will keep you alive. Aim for the glowing parts of its front end with your silver. Don't attack from behind, it's useless. Aard won't knock it off balance, but any silver bombs you have can give you an edge."_

He sighed deeply and pulled the long silver dagger out of his belt. He twirled it reverse and readied himself to cast a Quen shield. He hadn't been able to fully produce it yet, but if there was any moment to master it, he guessed it would have to be now.

He looked at Kiera, "Are you ready?"

She nodded and he took one more deep breath, "On three. 1,2…3!"

As soon as he spoke, he tore off from the wall and ran into the room. As soon as he took a few steps into the room, the inevitable happened. He heard the rumbling of stone and almost got knocked off balance. The mass of rock in-front of him shifted, and within seconds a fully-grown rock golem stood in-front of him. He locked onto the glowing parts the ran to form its face, down to its hands and center of its body.

"Zireael not recognized," it said in a deep gravely voice, "Activate defensive procedure."

"Not good," He muttered as the golem charged at him with surprising speed.

The golem lashed out, smashing it's large fists down and he was just barely able to roll out of the way. He slashed the dagger upwards right across the bright light coming out of the beasts hands as it lifted them. He heard it wail out, but it was far from dead. It reared back and launched a blast of white light towards him, and he quickly raised his hands. He knew it was now or never to raise a Quen shield. He heard Kiera yell his name, but just as the white blast almost hit him, he channeled the energy and a yellow shield formed around him, absorbing the blast.

He held the shield until the light went away, and as soon as the shield lowered, he felt his knees give way. He fell down to his knees, trying to catch his breath, but the golem was still ready. He looked up just in time to roll to the right again, managing to hold onto his dagger.

"DOM," Kiera he heard her yell again.

He looked up and saw she had made her way up the steps like they planned. She waved for him to follow, and he was about to make a break for it when she screamed again, this time in Elder Speech. Her hands glowed blue and she thrust them forward. Stones raised from the ground and shot past him. He turned and the golem had just been ready to smash him to bits. The stones shot into it, knocking it backwards making it recoil.

He twirled dagger to a reverse grip and reached to his belt. He ignited a grapeshot bomb with Igni and tossed it towards the Golem. It exploded in a flash of silver and the golem growled and wailed in pain again. He twirled his dagger one more time and taking aim he threw it with every bit of strength he had. It twirled in the air and implanted itself in the glowing part of the golems eyes. It roared again and charged at him, and for a moment he thought he would be smashed, however as the golem got closer it slowed down, before falling into the ground just as it got close to him.

He scoffed and looked up at Kiera who was smirking, looking incredibly proud of herself. He slowly walked towards the golems head and yanked his dagger from its eye and the stone crumbled into smaller pieces. He slipped the dagger back into his belt and looked up at Kiera.

"That was… easier then I thought," He said to the sorceress.

She scoffed and smiled, "Well thankfully you had me along, Geralt would have to come scrape you off the ground if not for me."

He laughed and took her hand, as she helped hoist him up the steps, "Yeah… that and having silver is good. Come on, we need to get moving. We can't let the Hunt get too far."

He gestured forward, and Kiera nodded. She cast her spell again to help illuminate their way. The corridor narrowed again, and the two of them walked side-by-side. He looked down nervously at his belt, only two samum bombs and one grapeshot remained. He would need to make more when the returned to the surface. Kiera and he passed through another room, and the dripping of water, and cold breeze returned, so he was confident they were getting close.

The two had been walking in silence for a few minutes, following the corridor, when Kiera finally broke the silence.

"So, I've been wondering something," She asked him.

"Yes," He responded.

She looked over at him, and met his eyes as they walked, "I was wondering, once you and Geralt have finally found Ciri, what will you do? Any plans?"

He laughed a little, "Ha it'll depend on what she wants to do. For once in her life, she'll do what she wants, not what someone wants her for. And I know Geralt and I will be there for her."

She titled her head and smiled, "Especially you I'm assuming."

He nodded, "Of course. If she said she wanted to hike all the way to Kovir, I'd be right by her side. I've been separated from her for too long, I won't be again."

"But have you imagined-how it will transpire? What she will say? What will she look like now," The sorceress asked him.

He felt his stomach and heart begin to churn yet again. The truth of the matter was that was something he had been thinking about for eight years. What would she look like now, what would she say to him, would she still love him, would she still recognize him, or remember all the things they had done together?

Would she be angry at him, for not having some found her sooner like they promised.

He sighed and stopped walking, turning to face Kiera, "You want the truth? It's what I've been thinking about ever since we were separated. The bond we share, it was stronger then just two young people in love. We went through hell together we were the only ones we had," He explained to the sorceress, "Do I hope she still loves me? Do I hope she still feels that bond as well? Of course, I do, but honestly, all I care about is making sure she's safe, and people stop trying to use her."

Kiera studied his eyes as if they were a complicated puzzle she couldn't solve. In the end however, she smiled at him and nodded, "I must say, I've met very few men with your type of character Dominik of Cintra. Cirilla is lucky to have someone like you looking for her."

He nodded to her, and felt his face heat up again, "I… thank you. Come on, we can't let the Hunt get anymore of a head start on us."

Just as he finished the two of them turned into another large enclosed room. He looked to the far wall and recognized the painted swallow again. He ran over to the swallow and right away ran his hand over it. The white swallow glowed a shining bright blue again, and the black and yellow portal swirled to life yet again. He smiled at looked over at Kiera, before walking through it again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When the two emerged from the portal that time, he felt a long cold draft yet again. He looked up excitedly and saw they were once again in the room with the broken bridge. Kiera walked ahead of him and looked out over the cavern. She turned to him and nodded.

"This is it, we made it to the other side. This is where we saw the Wild Hunt," She said to him.

He looked across the chasm to where they had started the whole journey. It had been a while since they had seen the Hunt, he hoped that they weren't too late. He had seen three of them, he also hoped he was skilled enough to take them all on. He had overcome much larger groups, but these were phantom riders of the Hunt.

He didn't know if he could, but he needed to for Ciri, and that was all he cared about.

He nodded to the sorceress, "Yeah, come on we need to get moving. Let's hope the mages defenses managed to hold the Hunt for a while."

When he turned around, all of his hopes were dashed. Down the hall, a sentry golem had been completely incased in ice. He looked at Kiera, who had the same look as he did. Slowly the two walked down the pathway, the cold chilling their bones more as they walked further. They passed another sentry, and it was also completely still in a block of solid ice. He could feel the dampness and silence all around him, and the warm feeling he felt only a short while ago, was replaced by complete cold.

"The mages sentries… it seems you were right. They certainly didn't come for a friendly chat with the elf," She told him as they passed more frozen sentries.

Dom walked right by the screaming face of a gargoyle and felt his stomach begin to churn. He needed to stop whatever the Hunt was doing there. He knew they were looking for more information about Ciri, and he couldn't let it fall into their hands if there was any.

He got to a broken set of steps and climbed up, reaching back down to offer Kiera a hand.

He lifted the sorceress up, and met her eyes, "Yeah… they want whatever information the mage has here on Ciri. We need to hurry, and reach it before they do, come on."

He quickly walked passed the last golem that had been frozen solid. The two finally passed through the doorway, and as soon as they did, he felt the entire cavern shake. He almost fell but managed to catch himself on the cave wall. Kiera came from behind him and grabbed his arm before she could fall.

He looked down and they were at the top of a stairway, leading to a large new room. Old pots, tables, and other relics were wrecked and strewn around, but it was much more put together then other rooms they had seen. The two turned there heads to the right as the cave shook again. His eyes widened when he saw the source.

They had finally caught up to the Hunt. He saw two armored riders, and the one navigator raised his staff and yelled in a language he didn't recognize. A light erupted from his staff and the wall crumbled to nothing. It led to a pathway further into the cave. He looked to Kiera and his eyes asked the obvious question on his mind. She nodded to him and he raced off down the steps into the room.

He rounded the bottom of the steps and when he got to them, with Kiera behind him, he locked eyes with the largest one of the three. His skull helmet hid his eyes, but he could tell the man was amused. He could practically see him smirking behind it. He turned to his navigator and said some more words in an unrecognizable language before he and his captain walked down the path. The mage turned, and he saw the tip of his staff glow with a swirling blue light.

He was about to rush forward when he circled it in the air, yelling a spell and the cavern erupted into shakes again and he stumbled. The cold air turned even more unbearable, as three blue portals erupted, he could hear the air split as they opened. Gales of wind, and bits of snow shot out of them. He held his arms up to stop his eyes from freezing open, but he was able to look up just for a moment to see the navigator raise his staff again and seal the entrance to the hallway in a huge wall of ice.

He was yanked backwards by Kiera, who held her arms up as well. She had to scream over the gale for her to hear him, "What is this!? What did they do," She yelled.

He looked over to her through gritted teeth, "It the White Frost, mage from the Hunt summoned it. Do you think you can close those portals!?"

With a struggle she nodded, "Yes, I can, but I'll need to get closer!"

He nodded back to her, his teeth starting to chatter, "I'll protect you from anything that comes our way, just focus on getting them closed."

The sorceress nodded again, "Alright, I'll shield us with Demetia Crest's Surge. Be sure to stay under the shield!"

He nodded and Kiera while struggling managed to summon balls of energy into her hands. She shouted words in the elder speech and moved her hands in a circle above them. A shield of blue light erupted from Kiera's hands and surrounded the two of them. It was large enough for him to walk around, and he reached to his back to draw his blade. It was also wide enough for him to swing, and after it was up Kiera looked to him. The wind and snow from the gale were gone, so he was able to hear her properly as it still whirled outside the shield.

"Stay close, come on," She said as the two slowly walked into the room.

Slowly he walked next to Kiera, and he felt his heart racing at hundreds of beats per minute. His bones were chilled, if not for the spell Kiera had cast on him earlier, he surely would have dropped dead by now. He looked around him at the prophesized White Frost, erupted and tearing at the room around them. If the Hunt had the power to control it at will like this, and as Geralt had told him, he would need to become even more powerful if he wanted to be able to defend Ciri and the rest of his loved ones.

The two of them got to one side of the room, across from the first portal and Kiera sucked in a deep breath.

She raised her hands, swirling them in the air, and started shouting incantations in elder speech. He stood in front of her with his blade at the ready, just as he heard a loud roar over the howl of wind and snow. Through the shield out of the portal he saw three rabid beasts leap out. The wind and snow completely unaffected them, and he recognized them from when he Yennefer and Geralt had been attacked. Geralt called them nothing but rabid beasts of the Wild Hunt.

They wasted no time in sprinting towards them, and the first one leaped at him with so much speed, he almost missed his thrust. He shot his sword forward and impaled it through the beasts stomach.

"DOMINIK," He heard Kiera scream.

He turned as one of the other beasts snarled and leaped for Kiera. He whirled around and shot out his hand, blasting the beast back with an Aard sign. He was about to give chase when he felt the third leap onto his back. He felt claws rake against his armor, he didn't want to risk throwing it off, so he gripped its back leg and let loose a shot of flames from his hands. The fires from the Igni sign made the beast wail and it fell from his back, and he whirled around stabbing his blade through it. He hardly had time to admire his work when the beast he blasted back with Aard lunged for him again. He side-stepped slashing and spinning around to avoid its claws. He cut along its side, but the thing still came. He lunged forward, spinning to put more force into his strike and came down on the beast with his blade, severing it in half.

He whirled back around to the portal, and heard Kiera shout out again in elder speech. With a one more twirl of her hands the first portal closed, and he sighed in relief. He turned to Kiera, and she held their shield up in one hand, she managed a smile at him.

"Ha, I'm beginning to think we might make it! Come on," She yelled as they walked through the room, closer to the second portal.

They were walking when he heard another snarl. He stepped behind Kiera and avoided the lunge with a perfectly executed pirouette and slashed another beast in half. A few more came and he managed to slice them all down as Kiera positioned herself in-front of another portal. She raised her hands and muttered the same spell she had used before, and he heard another snarl just as she began. He spun to the right and leaped up to meet the lunge of a beast, thrusting his blade into its mouth, killing it instantly.

He turned back to see Kiera, and three more of the things snarled towards her. He ran over to her, jumped, spinning in mid-air before using the momentum to slash it to bits. As he turned back around, he thrust out his hand and fire a wall of flames with Igni. The beasts caught on fire and yelped out in pain, and he quickly dashed forward, stabbing through one and slicing in half another one. He felt his knees buckle and almost fell, only catching himself by placing his sword into the dirt.

He managed to climb back to his feet, just as Kiera finished her spell and with a twirl of her hands the portal closed.

She sighed in exhaustion but still managed a smile at him, "Only one left, are you alright!?"

He nodded, "Yeah, you're doing great, come on let's finish it!"

He saw her smile widely at him as the two slowly walked through the room towards the final portal. He felt his energy at a steady level, he knew however he would have to fight the members of the Hunt soon, so he tried to preserve it. The signs had become easier like Geralt promised, the energy to cast them was slowly becoming more bearable. His hair felt as if it was frozen in place, but he saw the chaos outside the magical blue shield slowly subsiding, as Kiera finally made her way across from the final portal. He saw the sorceress growing pale, and he knew she had to be using up just as much if not more energy then he.

She starting to incant the spell again, and he heard a loud group of roars come from outside the shield. All five of the beasts from this portal attacked at once, and he just had enough time to slam his fist into the ground and the yellow Quen shield appeared around him. As soon as the beasts hit the shield, they were sent tumbling back. He said a silent thank you to his Uncle Vesemir for teaching him about the importance of the Witcher's shield.

He ripped his final grapeshot bomb off his belt and ignited it, tossing it towards the group of dogs and when it erupted, he could hear their wails of pain. He thought he had gotten them all but was proved wrong when he felt teeth clamp down onto his left wrist.

"GAHHHHHH," He yelled, whirling his sword around to stab the beast that leaped onto his arm.

The beast fell dead just as Kiera finished her spell and twirled her hands again. The blue portal across from them snapped closed, and the whole room went completely silent. Th blue magical shield that was around them flickered and slowly fading away. He looked around at the dead bodies of all the beasts he had slain and scoffed in amazement.

"Kiera we actually-. Kiera," He said worriedly when he saw the sorceress.

He walked over to her and he could see her stumbling.

"Kiera, what's wrong, you okay," He asked her.

She sighed deeply and nodded, "It'll pass… took a… great deal of power."

She had barely finished her sentence before she tipped over. He quickly positioned himself and caught her in his arms. He could feel how light she was, and he also noticed how incredibly pale the sorceress had become. He didn't have any magic spells to help her, like she did for him. He looked to the passage and sighed, before looking back down at her, meeting her brown eyes.

"Don't you faint on me, you know I couldn't do this without you," He joked with her, trying to lift her spirits.

The sorceress chuckled weakly, "Faint now? In your warm embrace? Not on your life," She said to him.

His eyes widened as he felt a new heat rush to his chest, and face, "Ahem I… I'd love to say we can stop and let you rest but… um… we-."

She chuckled weakly again and managed to lift herself to her feet with his help. She took a steadying breath and met his eyes, "I know, come on, let's get moving."

He nodded to her and they turned. After ascending up a small set of steps, the two of them came to the large wall of ice the navigator had summoned. He sighed and cursed under his breath.

"Dammit, no way through, maybe I can try-."

"Leave it to me," Kiera said confidently, holding up her hand.

He looked at her, "Are you sure? You just used a lot of energy," He asked.

She chuckled and met his eyes, "It's sweet that you're worried, but I'll be alright. Watch this," She said confidently again.

He held her hands up, and a dark blue light swirled. She thrust her right hand forward and a crackle of lighting erupted. It struck the ice a few times, and he saw the ice slowly begin to fade in a bluish green light. After a few moments it was as if the ice had melted away, and the doorway the Hunt had gone through had returned.

He scoffed and looked at the sorceress impressed, "Well that was certainly impressive."

She shrugged and smirked at him, "Well what did you expect? Come on, the end of this cave can't be much further."

He nodded and the two of them lightly sprinted through the doorway. He looked over at Kiera to make sure she truly was alright, the sorceress was moving, but he could see she was still extremely pale. He climbed up a ledge and leaned down to help lift her up it. He was glad now that she had come with him. He was grateful for her aid, for he truly would have been dead without her. He would have been passed out, soaking wet on the cavern floor, unable to move.

He felt as if he could trust her, even considering the fact she had tried to kill him when they first met. He wondered how well she knew Geralt and what his reaction would be when he told him he had met her. However, he also knew, that if he wanted to make it back to Geralt, the hardest fight of his journey was yet to come. Soon he would face the Hunt for the first time, the hardest test of his entire life. Geralt had told him the riders of the Hunt were some of the most skilled warriors he had ever faced. It had taken him and several other Witchers to make it to Yennefer when she had been kidnapped.

The words of the Emperor played over in his head again, and he felt the doubt begin to creep up inside him. Would he be good enough? He wasn't a Witcher, or a sorcerer, he didn't have enhanced speed or strength. He couldn't summon fire or lightning from his hands. All he had was his blade, and the power to cast signs that made him almost faint with each use. Would he even stand a chance against the warriors of the Hunt?

He thought about all of this for a moment, and then remembered the words Geralt had told him, and his Uncle Vesemir.

'Remember why you're here.'

That was all the motivation he needed, as they finally entered what seemed to be the final room of the cavern. Kiera stopped in front, and turned to him, pointing towards what looked in the distance like a laboratory.

"Look… he awaits us," She said slowly.

He saw the warrior kneeling in between four close pillars. He knelt on his knees, with a giant axe in-front of him. He was clad completely in plate, his helmet with the face mask of a skull. Another sword was sheathed in his belt, and as they leaped down to the floor his head shot up.

He could see clearly; they were in the mages laboratory. He could see behind the general of the Hunt fires burning in braziers, large books shelves and other things strewn about desks, and dressers. He took in a deep breath and reached back for his blade. Slowly he slid it out of the sheath on his back. The warrior was standing in the center of a small four pillar alter in the room, and as he and Kiera approached, he reached down to the ground, hefting the large axe from the stones.

He quickly flashbacked in his head to the time he was 17, and the first bounty hunter had come for him. He remembered the tall lumbering mans great axe, similar to the one the Huntsman had in front of him now. He had killed the man, though he still bore a scar across his shoulder from where the axe had cut him, almost lopping off his arm. He lifted his blade and leveled it toward the Huntsman. He looked like no common rider, he could tell from the way he carried himself and the arrogance he walked with.

His plate boots clanked as he took steps towards him, his axe in both hands. He got a good view of him now. His tall helmet with the skull faceplate met his eyes. A tattered, red cape lay across his back and arms. The black and grey armor covered almost all of his body, but he could identify the small slits he should aim for.

He took in a deep breath and twirled his blade into a reverse grip. He knew that if there was ever a time for his training with Eskel, Lambert, Geralt, Vesemir, all of his mentors up until now, would finally have to pay off.

The Hunts man gave a gravely laugh from behind his skull face plate, "Haha, you are stubborn dh'oine!"

He took in a deep breath and tightened the grip on his blade, "I've been told that before… you won't get your hands on Ciri, not while I'm alive. You first, and then Eredin," He said in a dark voice.

A dark metallic laugh came from the skull mask, "Haha, foolish as well. I Nithral, shall end you here!"

He shifted his feet, waiting for Nithral to move first. Kiera came up closely next to him, the sorceresses voice was level, but sounded worrisome.

"Dominik… I shall help you," She said to him.

He shook his head, "No Kiera, step back, this is my fight."

She scoffed and a ball of blue magic erupted from her hand, "Stop telling me what to do!"

He sighed, "Keep me covered," he told her.

"Enough talk, now you die," The metallic, deep voice rang again.

He turned in time to see Nithral heft his axe. He gripped the hilt of his blade tightly and charged.

The first few seconds would later become a blur to him. He remembered Kiera firing a spell, but Nithral deflected it into a pillar with his axe. He leaped and spun to slash his blade from the left, but the heavily armored Hunt general was surprisingly swift. He stepped back to avoid the strike and slashed his axe from the right side. He parried but underestimated the strength of the elf. He had wanted to transition his parry into a spin, but the weight of the strength knocked him off balance. Nithral took the chance and came for him with a downward strike, he composed himself in time to side-step to the left. He went in for a thrust to his abdomen, but Nithral took his left hand and knocked his blade away before punching across his face.

He stumbled back, the sting of the gauntlet ringing across his cheek. He would have been sliced in half by an overhead strike then and there, but Kiera's spell saved him. A blast of stones slammed into Nithral and he stumbled back. He growled and turned to the sorceress and slammed his axe into the ground. He was knocked even further off balance by a huge gale of wind. He looked past and saw a new portal of White Frost ripped open, he looked over to Kiera who was holding her hands to cover her face.

He parried and side-stepped another strike from the axe, as he heard Kiera yell his name.

"Dominik, it's another portal," She yelled to him, as he heard growling of beasts of the Hunt.

He side-stepped another strike and lashed out, slashing from the right, his first strike blocked by the axe handle. He rolled backwards and looked over to Kiera.

"Close it, I'll handle him," He yelled over the wind.

He saw Kiera nod, just as he leaped over a low strike from Nithral's axe. He was alone now, at least for a few moments as Kiera closed the portal, so he focused on the axe of his opponent. He lashed out again with a flurry of slashes and spins, all of which the general of the hunt blocked with great quickness. He went on the offensive, and Dominik was put on the back foot. He managed to parry an overhead strike, taking steps back raising his blade to block another right sided strike. The head of Nithral's axe stuck on his blade and the Hunt general pushed forward, both of their weapons locked.

He gritted his teeth as he felt the muscles of his arms start to waver, he was pressed up against a pillar as the gale of winds from the portal pushed him back. He was face to face with the skull face plate of Nithral's helmet.

"You will die dh'oine, we shall have Zireael," he shouted over the winds.

He felt the veins on his neck strain as his arms began to wear out. He looked down and kicked the general in his armored knee, making him let up just enough for Dominik to push forward with his blade. He ducked underneath the axe handle and spun around slicing his blade across the back of Nithral before stumbling back.

Nithral wailed but turned to him still plenty of life left in him. He growled and raised his axe again.

Dominik leveled his blade, "I told you! If you want her, you'll have to kill me first," He yelled as the wind from the portal finally vanished within a second.

He looked over and Kiera had closed the portal, however the sorceress looked much worse for wear. She nodded over to him, and he turned back to face his opponent.

He heard growling from under the mask again, "Then you shall die today dh'oine!"

Nithral charged at him with renewed vigor. Dominik could see the blood dripping from his back, but he seemed completely unaffected. He lashed out with a side-strike and Dom just managed a side-step. He spun and leaped, trying to go for a decisive overhead strike. Nithral however was ready and met his blade with the handle of his axe. Before he could remove it, the general of the Hunt grabbed his blade, and smashed it aside with his gauntleted hand. While he was off balance, he tried another strike with the head of his axe, but Dom leaned back just barely avoiding the strike. As soon as it passed over his head he spun and went for another overhead strike, but this time Nithral was ready again. He swung the butt of his axe, smacking it into his stomach, a flash of green light erupted sending the young Witcher tumbling back.

He felt the inside of his stomach erupt into pain, as if all of his ribs had been broken at once. He didn't have time to recover, because as soon as he looked up an axe was coming towards him. He rolled to the right, and while still holding his sword in the reverse grip, came up with a slash.

The Hunt general was ready again however and brought his axe head around to parry the strike with full force. The force from Nithral's parry was so strong he was knocked to the side and almost dropped his blade. He stumbled onto his back and was looking up at another axe strike coming down for his body. He rolled off to the side and used what strength he had left to get to his feet. He tried to go back on the offensive with a strike from the right, but his strike again was knocked aside, and the Hunt general transitioned into a perfect spin, bringing his axe blade at him from the right. He stumbled and moved back, avoiding the full force of the attack that would have surely killed him, but felt the axe blade rake across his stomach, pain exploded inside his gut, sending him tumbling back to the ground.

"GAHHHHHHHHH, FUCK," He cursed so loud, it echoed through the room.

He rolled around to his back, one hand loosely on his blade, the other gripping the left side of his abdomen. He could feel himself bleeding, and if not for his armor and the last second dodge, he would have been dead already.

He heard the plated boots of Nithral pounding towards him, and his metallic laughter. He tried to arise, but whenever he did, he felt a rush of fire through his abdomen. He saw the steel shine from Nithral's axe, and the general of the Hunt was about to finish him of when he heard the deep echoing voice of Kiera Matz. Elder speech echoed through the room and a zoom of stones slammed in Nithral, sending him stumbling backwards. The phantom rider's attention turned from Dominik on the ground and over to Kiera, who was blasting spells towards the Hunt general with new ferocity.

He held up his gauntleted hands, and began to stomp towards Kiera, trying to deflect the onslaught of her spells.

Laying on the cold stones of the cavern floor, he could feel blood oozing from his stomach. He looked down at the blood now covering his gloved hand and gritted through his teeth. The task seemed impossible. Nithral was simply to strong, every time he tried to parry, or threw a strike, he was knocked of balance by the brute strength of the Hunt general. What could he possibly do more? How could he beat an opponent so clearly stronger and larger then he, that was also so skilled with his weapon. He had faced down large, strong monsters before, but they were savage beasts, who relentlessly threw themselves at him. He was facing an opponent now who was bigger, stronger, and possibly more skilled then he. A general of the Wild Hunt himself, what could he possibly do?

_"Don't feel sorry for yourself, get your ass up and fight." _The voice of the Witcher Lambert rang through his head.

He was flashed back to his training at Kaer Morhen. It was one of the ones during the first year he and Ciri were there training. The two were learning the basics of fencing and combat still from Lambert, Eskel, Geralt and Vesemir. He had been training with Lambert that particular day. Time after time the Witcher knocked him to the ground, not giving an inch to him. No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't get the strike pattern and technique they were practicing down. Finally, he had tossed his practice sword to the ground, screaming that the technique was impossible, Lambert was simply too strong for him, to quick and skillful.

Lambert had simply laughed at him, stating that of course he was too strong, too quick, after all the older Witcher had been at Kaer Morhen for his entire life training. Dominik, still furious asked how if that was the case, how could he and Ciri, children the age of 12 at the time, possibly beat him and get the technique down, Lambert simply put them in the dirt every time. Lambert had told him those exact words.

_"Don't feel sorry for yourself, get your ass up and fight. Sometimes you'll come across opponents stronger, faster, more skilled. The key is spotting the weakness, every enemy has one and exploiting it, and most importantly of all, having the confidence in yourself, and not staying down. When you're on the path, lives are at stake, a Witcher can't afford to not be confident in their abilities._"

The words of the Witcher rang through his head as he heard the yell of Kiera Matz. She shouted in elder speech, using every spell she could to keep Nithral at bay. The general of the Hunt simply laughed, and he could hear his plated armor charging towards the sorceress.

"Come on…" He said to himself looking over at his blade.

It had fallen from his hands.

_"A Witcher normally travels the path alone, but one companion they always have, is their blade," _The words of his Uncle Vesemir rang through his head.

He grunted again as he felt a fire race through his abdomen. He gritted his teeth together and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his blade. He took in a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling again. Lambert was right. When a Witcher was on the path, lives were at stake. If he failed, people would die, lives would be lost.

He had to rise, all of their lives were at stake. Kiera, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Lambert, Eskel, Vesemir.

And Ciri's.

_"I can promise that if anything does happen, I'll do everything I can to find you… just like I know you'll do for me," _Her words rang through his mind.

He couldn't break his promise again.

He heard the scream of Kiera and looked over to see her just barely raise a magical shield to block Nithral's axe. She ran behind a pillar and fired another spell, only to have it deflected by a laughing Nithral.

"Get your ass up and fight… come on," He said to himself through gritted teeth.

He summoned the last of his strength and dragged himself up to his feet. He wobbled for a second, before taking a deep breath and getting a grip on his blade. He let out a breath and looked up, Nithral barely missed Kiera, and his axe slammed into the stones of a pillar. The force was so hard his axe for a moment became stuck in the stone, causing the general some annoyance of having to remove it.

His eyes lit up, "Identify the weakness and exploit it," He whispered.

Nithral was stronger than him yes, and surprisingly quick, but Dominik was faster. He had been trying to go for kill strikes the whole fight when he should have been trying to wear his opponent down. He took in one more deep breath, trying to focus his vision but his eyes shot back open when he heard Kiera scream.

He looked over and the sorceress screamed as she tripped back falling onto the cavern floor. She scrambled back, just as Nithral approached, his axe hefted, his metallic laugh echoing through the cavern.

He charged again, finding the strength to move his legs. He leaped up, vaulting himself off one pillar with one foot, and spinning to bring his blade down towards Nithral just as the general of the Hunt was going for a kill strike to Kiera. Just before his blade could sever the generals head, he whirled around and just barely blocked Dom's strike with his axe head. He pressed the offensive, letting out a flurry of thrusts, spins and slashes. All were parried or side-stepped, but he didn't want to give the general an inch.

Finally, after parrying a strike Nithral went on the offensive again, he swung his axe down, trying to slice him in half, but quickly he rolled to the side and brought his blade up across the generals arm. He reared back, almost dropping his axe, but Dom pressed his offensive again. He slashed low from the left, but had it blocked and knocked aside. The general used his momentum to spin and try to strike from the opposite side, but Dom managed to hold his blade down and catch the axe on its handle. Nithral tried to use his strength to push his blade away again, but swiftly, Dominik moved his blade, and the Hunt generals momentum made him stumble. He spun and thrust out his hands, and a wall of flames erupted, firing towards Nithral and causing him to wail as his armor was set alight.

"GAHHHHHHH, NO MORE GAMES DO'HOIN," He yelled from behind his face plate.

While twitching and still aflame the general of the Hunt charged again. He went for a powerful overhead strike, but Dom rolled to the right, his back up against a pillar now. The strike from Nithral had been so strong it shattered stones on the ground between the pillars. Nithral lifted his axe from the ground again, and using his momentum spun and leveled his axe towards Dominik's neck. He ducked just before it could decapitate him and rolled to the side. As he predicted the axe became stuck in the pillar, so with every bit of strength he had remaining he swung his sword upwards, through the shaft of the axe and splintered it into two pieces, the axe head still embedded into the stone of the pillar.

Nithral looked down at his shattered weapon, and roared, he went to punch across Dom's face, but Dominik spun and dodged, spinning around to the general's back and as he did he stabbed his blade through the generals back, before bringing it upwards, spraying blood across the stones and knocking off his tall skull helmet.

"GAHHHHHH, NOOOOOOO," He heard the elf scream, his voice now that of a normal elf, instead of a dark metallic beast.

He spun back around and leveled his blade at the general's neck. He was finally faced to face with the elf, his bald head was dripping with blood, as the red paint diagonally down his face matched perfectly. He gritted his teeth and looked at Dominik with his wide eyes. He tried to move and grab him, but Dominik knew no matter how powerful a man was, if his spine was slashed through, he wasn't moving.

He saw blood begin to slowly spew from the elf's mouth, as he gargled out words, "You… are too late dh'oine. Eredin… will find Zireael, we… will rule all."

Breathing heavy, Dominik managed a sly smile to the elf, "He… he'll have to kill me if he wants her… and he'll have to do better then you."

Without another word, Dominik twirled his blade to a reverse grip, and brought his blade quickly across the general's throat, spraying more blood over the stones, killing him.

He felt his fingers tighten even tighter around his blade, as he looked down at the corpse of Nithral, the general of the Wild Hunt. His eyes widened as the realization of what he had accomplished hit him. He had done it.

He didn't have much time to admire, before the fit of coughs hit him and it felt as if a bomb went off in his stomach, and the wound across his stomach flared. He stumbled forward, and fell to his knee, holding himself up with his blade. He looked down and saw that he was still bleeding and felt weaker by the second.

"Dominik, you… you killed him," He heard Kiera say behind him, as she rushed up to him.

She put a hand on his back and gave a hand to help lift him to his feet. With some effort, he stood, using his sword as a makeshift cane for the moment. He turned to face Kiera, who looked at him wide eyed. The two both looked over to the body of Nithral, and Dominik scoffed.

"Ha, I… I really did. Gods… Geralt will be so proud," He said in a joke.

Kiera laughed and looked back at him, and then down towards his abdomen he was still holding, "I must admit, I was quite worried when I saw you go down. Here, let me see."

"Do you think you can patch me up," He asked the sorceress as she bent down to lift up his armor.

He felt the cold breeze run through the wound, and also heard Kiera wince at the sight of it. She brought her head back up to look at him, "You saved my life, it's the least I can do. I'll be able to heal it, but you will feel sore for a few days. Sit down, it'll only take a moment."

He nodded and with some pain he slowly sat down on the cavern floor. Kiera knelt down on her knees and she saw her hands begin to glow a bright green, as she said words in elder speech. She ran her hands over his bare abdomen under his armor and he winced again. He looked over at the sorceress as he winced.

"You… you were the one who saved me. Would've cut me in half if you hadn't distracted him," He told the sorceress.

She laughed and met his eyes, "It was no problem. Geralt and Yen are friends of mine, I didn't think they'd be very happy if you died while with me. Besides… I've grown quite fond of you during our little adventure."

He grunted in pain, but managed a chuckle, "Ha, I bet that's praise you don't give out often. The feeling is mutual, I'm glad that you came along."

Her hands ran along the bottom of his abdomen once more, before the bright green balls of magic disappeared. She pulled her hands back, and smiled, satisfied with her work. The sorceress had been correct, the feeling of burning in his stomach had gone away, however he could still feel the soreness of where the axe had hit him. He would also more then likely have a fresh scar on his stomach. He took in a deep sigh, the soreness was powerful, but he was able to accept Kiera's hand as she helped him up.

She met his eyes and smirked, "You're right it doesn't get given out often. Come now, our adventure isn't quit over yet, I think this is the mages laboratory."

He nodded to agree with her, "You're right, let's see if we can find any sign of where he or Ciri went."

The two turned and walked towards the laboratory. It was strewn with discarded books and notes. Potion ingredients and other magical items were strewn about. Some he recognized, others he had never seen before. If it was the mages laboratory, it was in serious need of spring cleaning. Either the Hunt had destroyed it, in a search for exactly what they were looking for, or the mage himself had made a hasty escape and tried to destroy any evidence.

"Dom look, another projection," Kiera said, pointing to a brazier near a bookshelf, and another painted swallow symbol.

He ran over to the brazier and when they both stood, the blue image of the mage appeared inside.

"I'll translate," Kiera said as the blue spectral mage spoke.

He nodded and awaited the elf to speak in the elder speech, however to his surprise the message was in the common tongue, and he could understand what it said.

"Zireael, this place is no longer safe. Do not tarry here long. Trust no one, and above all beware the witches of Crookback Bog. Try to reach the place where last we were together," The message said in a deep voice before it disappeared.

As the message disappeared, he felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. Kiera took the words he was thinking right from his mind.

"Where we last were together. Not exactly much to go on," The sorceress said with sarcasm.

He felt his fist curl into balls. After all he had just been through, it all led to nothing. No solid evidence to where Ciri was. It was the same as all the leads he had been following for the last six years. It all lead to nothing. He clenched his fist tighter and walked over to long table with stacks of books. He leaned over the table, trying to keep his anger under control.

He felt the pain flare up in his stomach and lost it.

"DAMMIT! NOT AGAIN," He yelled smacking his hand across the table as hard as he could, knocking over books, stacks of notes and something made of glass shattered on the ground.

Kiera to her credit, wasn't fazed by his outrage, as she walked up behind him as he turned to face her.

"Perhaps it's best he didn't leave a clearer message. The Wild Hunt broke in here, surely they saw the projection," She reasoned with him.

He sighed and shook his head, "They searched everything, and if they had more time they'd probably have burned the place to the ground," He said with his anger boiling again, he met the sorceresses eyes, "But that doesn't change the fact that we haven't learned anything! Not about the elf, not about Ciri!"

He paced away, trying to keep his hands from shaking. He cursed every god he knew he had no idea what he had done in his life to deserve what was happening. Kiera sighed and he turned to face her again.

"Well, we know they were well acquainted, and travelling together, that has to mean something, if we find the mage, perhaps we can find Ciri," She said, raising a good point.

The mention of finding Ciri made him take a deep sigh. In his years of searching for her, he had always gone two steps ahead and three steps back. He only hoped Geralt was able to find more information then he did. He latched onto the one thing that the projection had said that he thought could actually make sense.

He met Kiera's eyes, "The witches of Crookback Swamp…"

"Crookback Bog," Kiera said back, far too quickly for his liking.

A light seemed to switch off in his head. He met the sorceresses eyes again. If she had known about the witches in the bog already, and didn't tell him when he first met with her…

He took a few steps towards her, getting a step away, "Kiera, if you've been hiding something from me…" He said in a deep tone.

The sorceresses eyes went wide, "But- I didn't say-."

"Why didn't you mention these witches earlier? I told you Ciri had a run in with a witch," He said to her, his emerald eyes not leaving her brown ones.

She backed up a step and held out her arms, "I didn't know you meant them…. If I'd told you something, you would've rushed off to find them," She reasoned, before taking a new step towards him, "But we needed to confirm that Ciri was here first, didn't we?"

He let out a sigh and turned around taking a few steps away.

"I shall tell you everything now, of course," She said to him.

His anger flared up in his gut again, he turned and stepped towards her again, "After I helped lead you safely through the cave!?"

Kiera scoffed and he saw a look of genuine disappointment in her eyes, "I can't believe you'd think so poorly of me, especially after what we just went through. I know you're upset you haven't found Ciri, but don't take it out on me," She said sternly.

He looked down and felt disappointment rise up inside him. The sorceress had been right of course. He had no cause to doubt she truly wanted to help him she had saved his life on multiple occasions. He truly would never have been able to make it as far as he did without her. He sighed and looked back up at her, with apologetic eyes.

"You're right… I'm sorry. You have to realize for years; I've been chasing dead leads on Ciri. This was the most promising I've ever had… and for it to end like this…"

She shook her head, "I don't think it led nowhere. If Ciri did quarrel with a witch, or witches, it was more then likely the ones of the bog."

He sighed in relief to see she was not truly upset with him, and met her eyes again, "You know these witches?"

She shook her head, "I've never met them, but I've read of them. In an old manuscript I found in one of the huts in the village," She said pacing a few steps before turning back around to him, "it mentions the village witches venturing into Crookback Bog at times- to liaise between the villagers and the Crones, the Ladies of the Wood."

He shook his head and took in a deep breath, "From my experience, any beings called 'Crones' aren't exactly friendly."

Kiera nodded in agreement, "You would be right about these ones. The Crones appear to be intolerant of outsiders, but they help the local folk. Apparently, they stopped the spread of the plague in Velen."

He thought to other old nature spirits he had encountered, or ones from stories Geralt had told him. Most of the time they had been friendly, but the more he heard about the Crones of Velen, the more he felt his gut quench.

He paced for a moment before meeting Kiera's eyes again, "I'm sure Geralt and I will have a lovely chat with them. What's your take on this? Think they're even worth it?"

The sorceress scoffed, "I'd love to shrug it off as the nattering of so many old women, yet…. Throughout my first fortnight in Velen, I had horrible nightmares. Something calling me into the swamps," She said with a shivering disgust, "One night I decided to enter the dream consciously, render it lucid. I confronted the… thing directly. It broke contact at once. Peaceful nights ever since."

He shivered at the thought. The night before he had the dream of, he and Ciri in Ellander. He considered it a nightmare, considering what happened after, but it may have been the start of the Crones sending nightmares to him. Did they really have magic powerful enough to overpower the magic Yennefer placed on the swallow pendant? If the case, he knew he couldn't underestimate the Crones should he meet them.

"Do you have any idea where I can find them? Geralt and I should probably go have a chat with them," He asked the sorceress.

She nodded, "The swamps are vast and dangerous, but they say the Crones mark the way for peasants who wish to visit them. The manuscript mentioned a chapel in Crookback Bog. And from the chapel one must follow the Trail of Treats."

He looked at her skeptically, "Treats?"

Kiera rolled her eyes at him, "Of course! They didn't read you bedtime stories at Kaer Morhen? All normal folk know that witches live in gingerbread houses poised atop chicken legs," She said sarcastically.

It was his turn to scoff and roll his eyes, "Think my mother read me a story like that when I was five. Didn't believe it then, I'll have to see it to believe it now."

Kiera smirked but met his eyes again, "Take the tome and read it. I… I truly do believe you'll find your Cirilla. To be quite honest, I've never met a man so dedicated to the one he loves, not even Geralt for Yen."

He felt his face go hot again, as he gently took the book Kiera had produced from her bag. He dusted off the cover and saw it read 'The Ladies of the Wood'. He looked at Kiera with a smile and placed it in his bag as well.

He gave the sorceress another smile, and nodded, "Thank you Kiera… I'm glad that you didn't end up killing me when we met," He said jokingly.

The sorceress laughed and smiled at him, "Haha, I must admit, so am I. Let's look for a way out of here, shall we?"

He nodded to her, "Good idea, I'm getting tired of caves."

The two set about searching the room for an exit. He didn't want to have to trudge all the way back from where they came. The search didn't take long, for once he took a few steps towards the painted swallow symbol, he felt his medallion begin to vibrate next to the swallow around his neck. He held it up and as he got closer to the wall next to the symbol it glowed more.

He looked over at Kiera who came to join him, "Weird… my medallion's going nuts near this wall, any idea what it is?"

Kiera reached out and ran her hands over the wall, before turning to him with a smirk, "It's an illusion, I sense it as well. I expected we might run into such things, so I brought this," She said producing a small stone circle from her pocket.

The stone was circular and had lines drawn across and around it. It made his medallion hummed so he guessed it was magical. Kiera handed it to him, and he felt it in his hands.

"And what exactly is this," He asked her skeptically.

She smirked at him proudly, "The eye of Nehaleni. It dispels illusions. It's easy enough to build, so you're welcome to this one. It's bound to come in handy."

He scoffed and examined the eye, "I'm sure it will, thank you."

She smirked at him again and took a step closer, "And each time it does, you will think of me," She said with a small wink.

He laughed nervously and nodded to her. He turned and held the eye up to the wall. He waved it up and down, right near the wall and as he did the illusion dispelled in a blue and green light. He scoffed and smiled, amazed still to this day at the power, and beauty of magic.

"Simple, isn't it," Kiera said from next to him.

He nodded, "It is, now let's see if we can find a way out.

The two of them lightly sprinted into the darker part of the cave. Light from the mages laboratory lit their way, and the cold breeze returned. He heard the drips of condensation from the rocks dripping again. He took in a deep breath, expecting the musty smell of the cave, but a smile came to his face when he felt fresh air hit his nose.

Kiera and he stopped at a dead end, one path leading to his right, and another to his left.

The sorceress pointed to the path on his right, "Do you feel that? A flow of fresh air, from this way. Must finally be near an exit!"

He scoffed and smiled back at her, "Thank the gods for that, come on. I'm ready to get out of here, I gotta go find Geralt and let him know what happened."

He was about to start walking towards the exit when he heard Kiera speak up behind him, "Wait, Dominik. There's still the magic lamp."

He turned to face her, a skeptical look on his face, "Magic lamp?"

Kiera nodded and took a few more steps closer to him, "Yes, magic lamp. The elf promised it to me in exchange for my help. And since his return here seems doubtful, I must retrieve it myself."

She took one more step closer to him, looking at him with pleading eyes, "If I can find it that is…. Will you help?"

He looked back towards the path to the exit, and knew he needed to get to Geralt and the Bog as quickly as he could. However, he looked at the pleading eyes of the sorceress. He couldn't deny her a simple request after she had saved him so many times.

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "Eh, I guess Geralt can wait a bit longer. You saved my life, it's the least I can do."

Kiera smiled broadly at him, "Splendid, let's go then."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He sadly didn't see the sunlight when they exited the cave, but the fresh air and light of the moon was a welcomed change. He had helped Keira find her magic lamp. The puzzle to open the door to its location was simple enough, and getting the lamp had no resistance. After finally exiting the ruins, Kiera had opened a portal for the two of them back to her home near Midcopse. He almost landed on top of Clop as he stepped out of the portal, nearly making his loyal horse run off. He took in a deep breath of the fresh forest air, and sighed in relief, patting Clop's mane.

"Good to see you too buddy, miss me," He asked the horse, receiving an affectionate bop on his head.

Kiera laughed and he turned to her, "So you speak to your horse as well?"

He met the sorceresses eyes under the moonlight and laughed, "Haha, when you're alone on the path, your horse and your blade are the only two friends you have sometimes."

She shared a laughed with him again, before smiling at him, "Well, home at last. But it was worth it, right? You learned something about Ciri in the end, it must be nice after all these years."  
He scoffed and nodded at her, "Yeah, it really is. So many years I've felt as if I was chasing a ghost… now… now I finally have something solid. And… well I have you to thank for it."

The sorceress for the first time ever to him, smiled sheepishly, "Well… I'm glad I could help, I meant it, I truly believe you will find her. Do you intend to find Geralt, and venture into Crookback Bog?"

He nodded to confirm, "Yeah, depending on what he's found out. After I tell him this however, he'll probably want to head out right away."

"Well, you must come and tell me about it afterwards," She said with a smile.

He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head, "I'll try but… I don't know if I'll get the chance. Depending on where out leads go, we may need to move out quick."

Kiera chuckled lightly and took a few steps closer to him, her face only a foot or so from his. She looked up and met his emerald eyes with her brown ones, "Dominik of Cintra, there are two types of men: those who see opportunities and take advantage, and those who forge opportunities for themselves," She said slowly.

She placed a hand on his chest, before smirking at him and walking towards the door of her house and turning back to him, "In the short time I've known you, I see you as the latter. Besides, I've a favor to ask you. So, visit me some time?"

He met the sorceresses eyes, and he felt his guts swirl again. He was truly appreciative for all Kiera had done for him, however, what favor could she possibly ask him? Would he even have the time to come and do her task for her? His father had always told him when he was younger, that a man is only as good as his word, and life debts were something that should always be paid back.

And he certainly owed Kiera a few life debts at that point. Besides, he had grown quite fond of the sorceress. It had been years since he felt he made a new friend.

He smiled at her and nodded, "I'll stop by. You can be sure."

She smiled at him one last time, "In that case I shall be waiting…. Are you sure you wish to stay at the inn in Midcopse? I'm sure I can find room for you here," She said in a slow voice.

He suddenly felt a sensation run up his body, that he hadn't felt in years. He felt the hair on his arms stand up, and quickly shook his head, that had been flushed with red.

"Oh…um… no I'm sure. I'll need to set out at first light," he said, before managing to compose himself, "I'll see you Kiera… and thank you, for saving my life."

He saw the sorceress chuckled and smiled back at him, "And thank you, Dominik of Cintra. It had been a pleasure meeting you, I'll see you soon."

As the sorceress closed her door, he let out a long, drawn out shaky breath. He turned over to Clop and grabbed onto his reins. The mare met his eyes, and neighed.

"Don't give me that," He scolded the horse.

His faithful companion bopped him on the head, and neighed again, and Dominik could swear the horse was laughing at him.

He rolled his eyes and climbed up onto the horses back, "Oh yeah? Well you never have either."

Clop neighed defiantly and Dominik took a moment to realize, he truly may have been going crazy.

He sighed deeply and snapped Clop's reins, his faithful mare taking off in a trot. He rode towards Midcopse and felt his fatigue about to overtake him. It would be a good sleep tonight, and then tomorrow he would go to find Geralt.

And after that, they would go to find the witches of Crookback Bog.

**A/N: So, after a long journey through the mysterious elven mages laboratory, Dominik faced his first real challenge. A fight against Nithral a general of the Wild Hunt and managed to slay him. It was a big first step, and in reward he learned more valuable information about Ciri. Next chapter we'll travel with Dominik and Geralt into Crookback Bog, to find the Crones. So, what did you think? We learned more about Dom's past with Ciri, and saw him fight through his wounds to slay Nithral, what are some predictions you have for further down the line? Tell me what you think in a review, and I'll see you next time.**


	8. The Witches of Crookback Bog I

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 8: The Witches of Crookback Bog I**

**Narrator: Ciri had never reached the elven mage, but the Wild Hunt had. As Dominik and Kiera arrived, they passed through the gauntlet of traps and riddles the elf left for Ciri. At the end, Dom battled and slew Nithral, a general of the Wild Hunt. The search of the elf's laboratory proved fruitless however, until Kiera gave Dominik a new lead. The witches of Crookback Bog. After saying his farewell to Kiera, Dom set out to reunite with Geralt, so the two could go and find the witches, and hopefully learn more about where Ciri had gone.**

He had set out at first light from Midcopse, and the ride back towards Crow's Perch had only taken him a few hours. Before he left, he had been sure to wrap bandages from Clop's saddle bag around his abdomen. The place where Nithral's axe had cut him still ached, but thankfully he was alive. He had also skimmed through the book Kiera had given him about the Ladies of the Wood. From what he read, the people of Velen would worship them, as if they were god like beings. He read about the Trail of Treats, and how villagers would travel it when they wanted to commune with the ladies.

They certainly didn't sound like beings Ciri would associate with by choice.

He was eager to see Geralt again and hoped that he had found some solid leads as well. He found the village beneath Crow's Perch easily enough. The large castle was easily the most defensible spot in Velen he had seen yet. If the old lord had died, then it would have been easy for the new Baron to take over if he had enough men. The village just outside the walls was small, but the inn was easy enough to find.

He was worried however when he pulled Clop up to the front. He expected to see Roach tied to the stables, and that could be his indication Geralt was there. He climbed off the back of his own mare, and tied his reins to the stable out front, before walking inside.

The inn was modest sized, and a bard played the lute, while men and women sat and drank. The fire of the hearth warmed his bones. After spending so long the night before in a cave, it felt good to have the sun on his face through the window, and a fire warming his bones. The innkeep behind the bar was a young woman, cleaning a mug. He walked over to her, and he could see her smile broadly, meeting his eyes with her own.

"Well, hello there handsome," she said, batting her eyelashes, "What can I do you for?"

He nodded back in greeting, "Nothing right now actually. I wanted to ask; I'm looking for a man who was here recently. Tall, white hair and beard, wearing a wolf medallion like this," He said showing her his own medallion, "Definitely would have stood out," She assured her.

A dawn of realization appeared on the woman's face and she nodded, "Oh aye, yeah he was here just yesterday around mid-day. Paid up for a room for the night, but never stayed."

He tilted his head at her, "He didn't?"

She shook her head, "No, rented the room and was about to go about his business when that old bat Dorothy started chatting him up. She heard he was a Witcher and started begging him to take on a contract for her," She explained.

"And did he," He asked her.

She nodded, "Aye, old woman spewed something about her old family home east of here near Lindvale being infested with monsters."

He felt his brain begin to move. A contract as simple as that shouldn't have troubled Geralt at all. He assumed his adoptive father wanted to make a few extra crowns, which was a good idea considering they were running low. However, the fact he hadn't arrived back was worrisome.

"And you're saying he hasn't been back yet," He asked her again.

The woman tossed back her brown hair and nodded, "Aye, haven't seen him since. Now, can I convince you to have a drink? On the house since I like the look of you," She said with a wink.

He laughed nervously and shook his head, "Not now, I should probably go find where he went, then we have some business to take care of. I'm sure we'll be around for a bit longer, another time perhaps."

Before the woman could respond, he turned and walked towards the door with a deep sigh of relief. He was slightly worried about Geralt, if he was gone for this long, he may have been in danger. Or perhaps there had been a complication in his contract. Either way he was fully intent on riding east to Lindvale and seeing if he could find him. He had no intentions on traveling to Crookback Bog alone. He had been traveling alone for so long, he didn't want to go back to it so soon. His life had been turned around in a matter of days. He learned that his two adoptive parents that he loved, were both alive, and that he long lost love, was within his reach to find.

He wouldn't lose them all again.

The light from the high sun beat down on his face as soon as he exited. He was about to climb back up on Clop when he heard the thundering of hooves. He turned around and narrowed his eyes down the street of the village.

"Geralt…" He said to himself, as he saw a brown mare speeding down the path.

Sure enough, he recognized Roach. Geralt was atop him, hunched over and riding hard. Dominik scoffed, not believing for once he had finally gotten lucky. The White Wolf roared Roach to a stop, next to where he was standing next to Clop.

"Geralt, where the hell were you. Had me worried for a minute," He said jokingly, as the older Witcher climbed down from Roach.

He saw that the Witcher had bits of blood smeared on his black armor. Geralt tied Roach's reins to the post next to Clop. Geralt seemed tired but managed a smile at him when he turned. He looked down to the bloodstains on the bottom of Dom's armor and whistled, impressed.

"Well, well, it certainly seems like you've been busy," He said pointing to his abdomen.

He winced from the ache of his stomach, but managed a chuckle, "Ha, yeah I really have been. The innkeep said you rented a room but didn't stay last night, said some old lady gave you a contract?"

He nodded in conferment, "Yeah, sounded like an easy job, and we could've used the crowns. Thought I'd be able to get it done, then come back to the Baron. Ran into some… complications, what about you, have a fun time with the Witch?"

"Yeah," He said with a nod, "turns out the witch is an old friend of yours, Kiera Metz."

Geralt grunted, and met his eyes, "Kiera Metz… not exactly a friend, don't know her myself that well, but Yen does. She's a prickly one, that's for sure, did she know anything about Ciri?"

The pang of the axe wound on his stomach churned, he shook his head, "She didn't, but we did manage to find something. What about you? What 'complications' did you run into?"

"Long story, come on, I could use a drink. We can figure out what to do next," He said, gesturing towards the inn.

He nodded in agreement, and the two Witcher's walked back into the inn.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, you sent Letho to Kaer Morhen? You think Eskel, Lambert, or Vesemir will be very happy about that," He asked with a laugh.

The bards lute played loudly through the inn. People danced and laughed; it was a surprisingly happy environment. The innkeep was far so happy to see him walk right back into her inn and poured the two Witcher's drinks right away. Geralt had gone on to tell him about his journey the day before. He had gone to the old Woman's childhood home, only to find that it wasn't infested by monsters. The monsters had been killed, and Letho of Gullet, the Kingslayer Geralt had fought months prior was hiding out in the barn there.

After helping Letho with a complicated plan, the Witcher from the school of the Viper needed somewhere to go and lay low for a few more months. So Geralt had sent him to Kaer Morhen, where he could keep his head down. By the time his quest with Letho was finished, it was too late, so he had stayed in the old house that night and then rode back to Crow's Perch that morning. Dom wasn't upset with Geralt of course, he knew the older Witcher was trying to get them more coin. Not only had he collected a few hundred crowns are reward from the wealthy woman, but he also found another Witcher who could possibly help them in future fights.

Geralt took a long drink from his mug of beer before shrugging, "If they hear I sent him, I don't think it'll be a problem."

He nodded in agreement. The disagreements between the Witcher schools were something he had never really asked about. The Bear, Cat, Griffin, Wolf, and Viper schools he knew were all different styles of fighting. He had surprisingly only ever met one other Witcher in his travels. He knew they were a dying breed, but only running into one during his travels had surprised him. However, he knew Geralt had made the right call, having another Witcher at Kaer Morhen could never hurt, it was more protection is they needed to bring Ciri there once they found her.

He nodded that he understood and took another long drink of the ale he had ordered and gotten for free thanks to the innkeep.

"Mhmm, so what happened with Kiera? Got any new leads we can follow," He asked the young Witcher.

Eagerly Dominik nodded, his excitement rising, "You bet I do, owe Kiera my life for it I do. It wasn't easy, but I did find out some things."

So, for the next few minutes he went on and told Geralt his tale from the day before. How Kiera, had met the elven mage who was looking for Ciri. He told him all about how the two of them went to find his hideout in the elven ruins and followed the riddles that the mage had left for Ciri.

"We followed the riddles easily enough; the mage had intended them to be only questions Ciri could answer. Didn't count on someone like me being there," He told the older Witcher.

Geralt gave a small laugh and smirked, "Someone who even knew Ciri's bedtime routine?"

"Very funny," He said with an eye roll, "The riddles were the easy part, but the Wild Hunt had gotten there ahead of us. Had a navigator with them. Nearly killed Kiera and I, opened up portals summoning the White Frost, Kiera managed to close them, not that it was easy for either of us," He finished, still feeling the frost in his hair.

"Yeah… those navigators could be tricky. Did you get a good look at who was leading them," Geralt asked him.

"I only saw the navigator briefly. The one leading them was taller than the rest, skull face plate like the rest, but it was a sort of crown like thing, long black hair behind him, why does he sound familiar?"

Geralt sighed and he could see the bad memories flash in the Witcher's eyes. He took another long drink before looking back to him, "That's Eredin, leader of the Hunt."

He felt his fingers tremble while he gripped his mug. Eredin, according to the Alp was the King of the Aen Elle. The one who was leading the search and hunt for Ciri. He was the reason Ciri had to keep running. He wanted to kill her and use her blood to invade this world.

He took in a long sigh, and took another long drink, draining his mug before slamming it on the table, "Well, I killed his commander. If he wants to get his hands on Ciri, I'll kill him too," He said in a dark voice.

Geralt was about to take another drink, but stopped, lowering his mug, "You killed one of his commanders? Which one," He asked.

Dominik met his eyes, "Nithral, bastard almost cut me in half with that axe of his. I almost died… but then I remembered something Lambert used to say."

"Don't feel sorry for yourself, get your ass up and fight," The two Witcher's both said at once.

He nodded to Geralt with a smile, "Yeah… so I got up, and I killed him. Kiera healed my wound best she could, and we found the elf's laboratory."

He didn't say anything after that, wanting to see Geralt's reaction. The older Witcher scoffed, and looked over at him with a smile, pride glittering in his eyes.

"I remember Nithral from my time with the Hunt. Cruel bastard showed no mercy to anyone, Eredin's lapdog. You made the world a safer place by taking him out, I'm really proud of you," He told the young Witcher with a smile.

He laughed a little and felt the pain from his wound disappear for a few moments. Hearing what Geralt had to say made him even happier he had gotten up to continue the fight. Not only did he end up finding information about Ciri, he took out one of Eredin's top commanders. He was slowly starting to believe more and more, perhaps he truly could protect her once the two had found her.

He smiled at his father, and nodded, "Thanks… I'm glad that I could do some good. After that, Kiera and I went through the mages things, but only found a message for Ciri that said for her to, meet him at the place they were last together, and to beware the witches of Crookback Bog."

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Not much of a lead to go on, still don't know who this mage is."

He shook his head in agreement, "Yeah, that's what I thought, until Kiera shed some light on it. She gave me this," He said, reaching into his bag and pulling out the book the sorceress had given him, "It turns out the witches of Crookback Bog are also called, the Crones, or Ladies of the Wood. The book here says they're worshipped here in Velen, well only by a few nowadays but they still are. They prevented the spread of plague, so the villagers took to worshipping them."

The older Witcher's yellow eyes lit up, and he smiled, "And they are more than likely the witches Ciri ran into. Good job, does that thing say where we can find them?"

He gave the old Witcher another smirk and smile, "It does. The book tells us where we can find an old chapel in Crookback Bog. From there we follow a 'Trail of Treats', at the end of that, we'll find a village, and that's where the witches are, but with luck one of the people there will have seen her."

Geralt smiled, before down the rest of his beer, wiping his mouth with his gloved hand, "Alright, let's get going, we'll see what we can find out there, and then when we're done, we'll go talk to the Baron."

Dominik nodded eagerly and pulled a few extra crowns from his pouch and placed them on the table as the two of them got up. His spirits were high, he was finally with Geralt again, and the lead they now had on Ciri was tangible. He knew that if the mage had told her to beware the witches of the bog, he assumed she must have run into them before and he was telling her not to go back, or at least that's what he wanted it to mean.

Either way, after years of chasing her ghost he would hopefully finally get the confirmation she was alive, and near. He knew that there weren't many things that could kill Ciri, it would take an army to take her down, she wouldn't go down easily. He knew practically that she indeed was live, they wouldn't be searching otherwise. However, in his heart, and for his peace of mind, he just wanted to hear someone say, yes, they had seen her. They had seen Ciri, she was alive, and heading in a certain direction he could follow.

He and Geralt were just about to walk from their table, when he heard a voice call after them, "Aye, leaving already? You only just got here?"

He turned around the young woman, the innkeep walked up to the two of them. She truly was a beautiful young woman, long brown caramel colored hair, slender figure, pretty brown eyes. She met Dom's eyes and he nodded to her.

"Yes, unfortunately. We have some urgent business we're on, and need to get back to it," He told the woman.

The disappointment in her eyes could be seen, but quickly she recovered and smiled brilliantly at him, "Well good luck with that then… be sure to visit again before you head out. Take is an invitation, on the house again."

He smiled, the prospect of free drinks was never something he turned down, he nodded towards her, "Aye, I'm sure we will be. We'll stop by for a few before we head out."

She smiled happily at him, and slowly walked towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder, he head came up near his shoulder and she whispered, "Drink's aren't the only thing it's an invitation for."

He felt his body go stiff, and the hairs on his arm stand up, as the woman laughed and took a few steps back. She had her hands on her hips and smiled at them both, before giving them a wave.

"Good luck on your journey Witchers, I do hope to see you both again," She said with a suggestive smile, before walking away.

"You too," Geralt said, sounding like he was trying to control a fit of laughter.

When the innkeep was out of earshot he let out the laugh and clapped his shoulder, "Haha, seems like you have an admirer."

He rolled his eyes and felt his body shake before he turned from Geralt, shaking his head, "I can see that."

The older Witcher smiled, "It's not every day a beautiful woman practically throws themselves at you. So, what are you gonna do," He asked as a joke.

"Nothing, come on, we need to get to the Bog. The more we wait the more time Ciri's in danger," He said insistently.

Geralt chuckled again, and he saw the Witcher roll his eyes, "Maybe if you got laid you wouldn't be such a hardass," he said as another joke.

His head shot around, and he met Geralt's eyes. He felt his face go beat red, and the hair on his arms stand up again. He tried to formulate words but could only stammer. Geralt tilted his head, still thinking that the two of them were joking around. He sighed in annoyance and Geralt looked at him inquisitively.

"Wait, you mean you seriously still haven't-."

"No, Geralt I haven't."

Geralt's eyes widened slightly in shock, "So… you mean to tell me you're still waiting-."

He sighed again to cut the Witcher off, "Yes Geralt, the answer to your question is yes. There, I answered, now can we please go? Every second we waste talking about my non-existent sexual exploits, is another second Ciri could be in danger," he snapped at him.

Geralt's face ran through a bunch of different emotions, before finally the old Witcher chuckled and nodded, "Alright, alright I'm sorry. You're right, let's get moving."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"This looks like what's described in the book," He said to Geralt, climbing down off Clop's back.

Geralt pulled Roach's reins to a stop, "A shrine with a necklace of Treats, I think we're on the right path."

He knelt down to the base of the shrine. It was indeed covered with all kinds of different sweets, and candy that he remembered eating back when he was a child in Cintra. His mother would always find interesting new candy for he and his sister to try. He gently reached down at picked up and old piece of hard candy from the shrine. It was old, and smelled like the rest of the bog, no longer like strawberries or whatever it was intended to. All it took was one small squeeze for the piece to break, and maggots, worms and other bugs to crawl out.

He felt anxiety well up in his gut. A Trail of Treats would conjure up happy thoughts for most children, however looking at the shrine of candy here, he felt dread well up in him. He didn't have the same Witcher senses Geralt had, but he had learned to trust his instincts. Something he learned to do instead of use Witcher senses, was how to judge the feel, and makeup of a place.

And the entrance to the trail of treats was screaming for him to turn back.

He sighed and wiped off his glove, before climbing back to the top of Clop.

He looked over to Geralt and nodded, "Yeah, so do I. I got a bad feeling about this place… but we have to keep moving. Come on," He said, as the two of them spurred their horses on.

The trail was wide enough for them to ride Roach and Clop side by side. He could see the trees as they rode, strewn with different kinds of sweets. Necklaces of hard candy, rotten chocolate, and other things children would find appetizing. Not only the trees, but the shrubs, old logs, everything was covered with more kinds of candy. The further down the trail they rode, the more anxious he began to feel. So close, after all these years. He needed to be sure to keep his emotions in check and watch his words if they were to be successful in finding out about Ciri.

He reached down into his pocket and pulled out the drawing of her. Kiera had made sure it stayed dry when he dove under water in the elf's hideout. He had drawn a small scar under her eye with a stick of charcoal at camp one night. He sighed longingly at the site of her face on the paper. Soon, he would see her real face, not that drawn by an ink and feather pen.

"Hey, I'm sorry for joking with you like I did back at the inn, didn't mean to make fun," Geralt said, pulling his attention away from the drawing.

He folded it back into his pocket and sighed, "No need to apologize. You know I have thick skin Geralt, I'm sorry I snapped, I'm just a little on edge. I'm."

"Finally, so close after all those years of searching?"

He nodded slowly, and turned to meet the Witcher's eyes, "Yeah… I just want everything to go right. I need to focus if I want to be able to save her."

Geralt nodded in understanding, and for another few minutes they rode in silence. He didn't particularly want to think of anything else besides getting to the bog at that moment. All he wanted to do was find where Ciri had been, and examine the area, see if he could pick up her trail. Continuing along the trail, Clop brayed nervously as his hooves walked into the swap water. He gently patted the side of his horses mane to calm him, but he could feel his own anxiety rise. The Bog smelled of rotting corpses, and he assumed the place had to be filled with Drowners, Necrophages, and Water Hags.

He sighed and turned to Geralt, "I have a really bad feeling about this place Geralt."

The older Witcher nodded in agreement, "Can't argue you there. Come on, let's try to stay on the path."

For another few moments the two rode in silence. Down near Cintra, he had never seen any Bogs or swamps like this. He was used to fresh fields, and warm springs. The silence was becoming defining, until Geralt broke it for him.

"So, I gotta know… have you ever been tempted," He asked the young Witcher.

"Tempted by what," He asked, trying to act like he didn't know what he was talking about.

He didn't see Geralt roll his eyes, but he knew his father had, "You know what I mean. Come on, you're a good-looking kid, you're a Witcher, you've had to have been tempted."

He let out a deep sigh and finally turned to meet Geralt's eyes, while keeping Clop moving.

"Have I had opportunities? Yes. Have I ever been tempted to? Yes. Have I ever actually almost acted on it… only once," He said, remembering his time in Ellander.

Geralt nodded in understanding, "And, what was the one time?"

He looked down at the dangling swallow, feeling the shame burn up inside him, before turning to meet Geralt's eyes again.

"Do you remember the time when I was 17, and I had to kill that Bounty Hunter near Ellander," He asked him.

He scoffed and nodded, "Of course I do. I had been looking for you for months, finally find you half dead with a stab wound in your shoulder."

Dominik gave him a nod to confirm, "Well… do you by any chance remember Freya? The doctors assistant, the one that was taking care of me at the inn for him?"

"Yeah, nice girl. I was worried leaving you there again after our talk, but she assured me she'd-," He stopped, the realization dawning on him, he met Dom's eyes again, "Ohhh I see now, fell for your nurse, did you?"

He sighed and shook his head, the swampy smell hitting his nose, "No, I thought I was but… it wasn't real."

Geralt thankfully was quiet and let him continue talking. He hadn't talked about Freya in so long, he remembered the kindness the young girl showed her. He had been alone for so long at that point. His search for Ciri had been coming up dead for so long, he had slowly been losing hope by the day.

He sighed and met Geralt's eyes, "It had been 3 years since she disappeared then. At that point… I had been alone, looking for almost 2 years. Every lead I had, every trail I followed… everything ended up being a dead end. I… I had felt so, so alone."

He sighed quickly, and Geralt nodded in understanding, "I would guess so, you were in a bad way when I saw you. It was the same way for me, hadn't found anything solid."

Dominik nodded in agreement, his gut feeling like it was tied in knots.

"Freya she… she was sweet. Listened to what I had to say, could make me laugh, spent hours more then she needed with me. I was getting ready to leave and she… she kissed me," He said, feeling his face turn red, "It… was the first time I ever kissed someone… someone other than Ciri. The one week I planned on staying… turned into a month."

He heard Geralt chuckle, "Ha, so what happened with her? She sounds great, I know how you feel about Ciri, but you really didn't do anything?"

"There were some… romantic nights," He said carefully, feeling his heart well up, "But in the end I… I realized I was using her."

"Using her how," Geralt asked.

"I was just searching for that connection… to fill the void that Ciri left. I realized though… nobody would ever be able to replace Ciri for me. Freya she… she deserved better, I would never have been able to love her, not like she loved me. One day, I decided to leave," He said, remembering the day vividly.

"I take it Freya wasn't very happy about that," Geralt assumed correctly.

He nodded to confirm, "You're right. She found me packing my things, threw herself at me, begged me to stay. I… I told her how I felt that I was using her. She cried, screamed at me, told me that if Ciri wasn't dead, and if she was alive… she didn't want to be found. Said, if we really promised we'd find each other and she hadn't even attempted yet… it may not have been as real as I thought," He finished, remembering how angry he felt.

After he had heard that from Freya, he was angry initially. He screamed at the girl, refusing to even think what she said could be true. He knew now why Ciri hadn't been trying to find him, she didn't want the Hunt to be brought down on him. She couldn't fully control her powers. However, at that moment, he had never been closer to giving up the search, until Rivia two years later. He couldn't forget Ciri in the end, too much had happened with her, she was the only one who truly understood him.

Geralt nodded in understanding and sighed, "I understand how you feel. Truly I do, Dom… we're going to find her. This is the start, look up ahead."

He looked up, and only a few more yards away was an array of buildings. He could see about five buildings, some taller, while others were small longhouses. It was exactly like the description that he had read about in the book.

He took in a deep breath, and he swore for a minute he felt the swallow around his neck tremble. She had been there, he believed it. He knew it completely in his heart. He was going to find her, and he was going to do anything he could too.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"This place… it just doesn't feel right," He said as the two of them slowly walked towards the center of the collection of buildings.

They had tied Clop and Roach to the fences nearby and slowly walked into the village. The musty swamp smell could be smelt in all parts of it. It was hot, humid, and but the houses looked semi-maintained. There were signs that people had been living in it, and it was well kept enough. He looked over to Geralt, the sunlight glinting off his black armor from Kaer Morhen. The sun reflected off the pommel of his two swords, and the older Witcher nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's see what, or who we can find."

"Hold on," He said, holding his hand up, "You hear that?"

"Dog went in the kitchen, stole a hunk of meat," A young voice sang in a jolly tone.

He turned his head and saw kids skipping around near one of the houses. There was a collection of them, all huddled around a front door. He looked over at Geralt and the older Witcher nodded to him. He knew what he was trying to say. Dom took the lead and walked over to where the collection of children were all sitting. There were about six of them, four boys and two young girls. All were covered in dirt and grime but looked to be healthy enough. Dom walked closer, Geralt right behind him, just as the one child finished his rhyme.

"One, two, three, the one to fetch the kindling's… thee," the on boy said, pointing to another in the group.

"That's an interesting rhyme, use it often," He said as he and Geralt finally came into the children's view.

The children's head all turned to them. He nodded to them all and got down on one knee, to be level with them. He could see the fright in all of their eyes, so he tried for a kind smile. However, it didn't seem to be working, as a young girl with bright blonde hair pointed at him.

"Don't know you. Go away," She said in a shaky voice.

He looked back to Geralt, who gave him a nod, confirming him to start talking. He turned back to the kids, still on one knee and held up his hands.

"We're not going to hurt any of you, I promise. What are you kids doing out here all alone? The Bog is a dangerous place for you," He asked the group of them.

One young blonde boy with a white cap shook his head quickly, "We's not alone, we's with Gran."

"Okay… but how did you all get out here, where did you all come from," He asked them.

"We's orphans," The same boy said, looking down at the ground.

He felt a pang of sympathy beat in his chest. He knew what it was like to be an orphan, even if he didn't consider himself one anymore, thanks to Geralt and Yennefer. However, he knew the feeling of being alone in the world, no parents to guide you, and these kids were even younger then he was.

"All of you are orphans," He asked the group.

One boy in a red cap spoke up, "There's a war, so there's orphans. Didn't know that?"

He laughed a little, feeling his heart pang but managed to smile and nod, "I do, better then you know. My friend and I, we're looking for the witches of Crookback Bog, ever heard of them?"

"He looks like a Witch himself," The blonde girl said nervously, looking over at Geralt.

He could see the Witcher roll his eyes, but he kept focused on the children, as the first blonde boy spoke again, "The Wi…Witches of the Bog?"

"We can't go in the Bog, Gran don't let us," The blonde girl spoke up again.

He nodded in understanding, knowing the children would more than likely not know more. He took in a deep breath and looked at all of them, one by one.

"My friend and I, we're looking for someone. Someone… very important to us. She's a young woman who got lost in the swamp. Ashen hair, scar on her face, bright green eyes. You kids see anyone like that recently," He asked in as soft a voice he could.

The children started all chatting to themselves, and he sighed. The poor children were probably terrified of outsiders. The one boy started talking about soldiers he saw on the road being distracted by the woman of the villages when he got their attention again. He put as much desperation into his voice as he could, meaning every bit of it.

"Please, the girl we're looking for she's… very important to me. She's also in danger. I understand if you don't want to help us, but you could try to help her," He pleaded with the young ones.

"How you know she was here," A young boy with brown hair asked.

"I heard she visited the witches in the swamp around here."

"But there's no witches here," The boy in the red cap started, "There's only frogs, snakes… and Johnny," He said after thinking for a few moments.

He was about to ask who Johnny was, and why he was in the swamp, when Geralt tapped his shoulder, "Dom, look."

He turned just in time to see an older woman come shrieking towards them, "What's this talk? What kind o' jabberin' is this? Eh," She screeched showing up next to him.

Geralt took a step next to him, just as she turned on the two of them.

"No one allowed here! Just kids. My kids, they're allowed. But who are you two!? Wearing swords, like bandits," She said to the two of them.

The old woman he could see was clearly deranged. She wore a tattered old green and red dress, with red beads around her neck. Her greying hair was a birds nest, all over her head, sticking out at all angels.

He was about to say something, but Geralt took the lead for the conversation.

"You one of the witches of the swamp? I hear Crookback Bog…" Geralt started, asking the question he was thinking.

The woman cackled and shook her head, "Witch? Me? Nay… I've no broom, nor owl, and not one wart on me nose. Got a pretty nose see?"

"Gran's got a lovely beak," The blonde girl said happily.

The old woman smiled happily, "Darling girl. Kids are so sweet."

"Mhmm, and who's this Johnny they were mentioning," The Witcher asked her next.

"Johnny, Johnny, ate a cat, come the morn some fur he shat," The boy in the red cap sang happily.

"Watch your language," The woman snapped at him, before turning on the two of them again, "They tell tales, naught but tales," She said with finality.

He met Geralt's eyes. He knew the two were thinking the same thing. First that the woman was absolutely insane. Second, whoever this Johnny was, he would have more information they could use.

Dom held his hands up in surrender to the old woman, "We were just talking to the kids. We asked them if they saw a young woman in these parts-."

"I was a lovely young woman. Wore a long, beautiful braid my mummy did up for me. Had dresses with flowers on'em," The woman said longingly, cutting him off.

He sighed in annoyance for a moment before meeting the woman's crazy brown eyes, "Perhaps you've seen her? Medium height, should be about 21, young, ashen hair, scar on her face, bright green eyes?"

The old woman didn't break eye contact with him, "Your lover?"

He felt his entire body go stiff. He felt blood rush to his face, wondering how some crazy old woman in a swamp knew one of his life secrets.

He nodded his head, "Yes actually," he said slowly.

The woman sighed longingly, "I have a lover once… a sweet man with a tender touch. Where is his now? Maybe he's come to harm…"

He sighed with annoyance he snapped his fingers to get the woman's eyes back to him again. He spoke with desperation, "Please, I just need some help, she's in serious danger. A young, ashen-haired woman. I just need to know if you've seen her!"

He waited for her response, but the crazy woman's eyes turned. Completely ignoring his question, she turned to the kids, "What are you looking at, children? Wash your hands, we'll go catch crickets."

He felt his annoyance turn to rage, he stepped forward, "Hey! I asked you a question, I need to know if-."

He was cut off by Geralt placing a hand on his shoulder and gently pulling him back, "There's no use Dom. We won't get anything out of her," The old Witcher said to him.

He rolled his eyes, knowing he was right. The woman was clearly deranged and didn't know anything except taking care of the children.

The grey-haired woman turned to them with a stern expression, "Aye. Cause I don't know nothin," She told them.

He almost took a step forward again, ready to explode, but one of the children cut him off.

"Bet Johnny knows! He knows a lot. When I ask'em something, he says, 'Wait, I'll scratch my arse and tell you'," The child said with a laugh.

His head shot over to the child, he was about to ask where they could find this Johnny, but the old woman screeched before he could say anything.

"Ugly word! What're you sayin? To the hut. You'll stand in a corner, I'll make sure you do," She yelled at the child, pointing to the hut across the way.

The child's head went down, as he slowly started walking towards the hut. He was about to chase after the child, when the old woman stepped in front of the two of them, hands on her hips, screeching still.

"You two, begone! Begone," She screeched, walking off after the scolded child.

He was about to go after the woman, when Geralt held a hand on his shoulder and held him back. The woman walked out of ear shot and the children around them dispersed. They all went off to another hut, near a puddle of mud and began skipping, playing again. He felt his annoyance rise again, here they were, at the location he was sure Ciri had been. He was so close to solid information on her location, but of course he had the misfortune of running into a crazy woman, who took away his only lead.

He met Geralt's eyes and the old Witcher he knew could sense what he was feeling. He gave him a calming look.

"Just relax," Geralt said to him in a calm tone.

"I can't 'just relax'," He snapped back, pointing to the hut, "That crazy old bat knows something Geralt. Either she does, or she knows who does and won't tell us where to find them!"

Geralt nodded, and held his hands up for calm, "I know, you're right, but you also know we won't get anything out of her, no matter how hard we try. She's insane, probably under some curse."

He sighed again and looked over to the hut where he could hear the woman scolding the child, "If she won't tell us, then we need to find this 'Johnny'. I don't know how good the lead a child gave would be, but it's all we have."

"I agree, but that old bag won't let us anywhere near the kid to find out where he is," Geralt said.

He looked around at the children splashing about and shook his head, "We have to lure her away somehow then."

Geralt smirked, "I got an idea, come on, follow me."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Gran! Gran! Bumblebee bit Yagna in the arse," The young boy yelled, running to the door of the hut, "Gran come!"

Dominik scoffed from the side of the building. The old woman came walking out of the house, and away from the building with the young boy.

"I can't believe that worked…" He said, looking at Geralt.

Geralt smirked, "Sometimes something as simple as playing Hide and Seek is a strategy, come on, let's talk to Johnny's friend."

While following closely behind Geralt, the two of them crept inside the hut. It was small and cramped, but had enough space for two beds, and a fire roaring in a pit. They rounded a corner and sure enough, the young brown-haired boy, with the red cap was by the bed, standing in the corner. The young boy recoiled as Geralt and he came into his vision.

Dom held up his hands to show he had nothing on him, as he slowly knelt down to one knee in front of the young boy, "Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you."

"Don't know nothin," The boy said, his eyes on the ground.

He sighed and spoke in a soft voice, "It's alright. Like I said, we won't hurt you. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Where's Gran," He said, looking up to meet his eyes.

He looked up to see if the old woman was coming back and could hear her screeching outside.

"She's… busy. I promise we won't do you no harm, I just need to know a few things, and I can see you're a smart boy, I'm hoping you can help us," He said, giving the young one a smile.

He could still see the boy shifting nervously, "Gran says we shouldn't talk to strangers, says they're dangerous."

Dom gave the boy a small smile, and held out his hand, "Well, my names Dominik, what's yours?"

"N… Nicholas, my friends all call me Nick," The boy said carefully, watching Dom's hand carefully.

"Well, Nick it's nice to meet you. Now we know each other's names, that means we aren't strangers anymore, right," He asked the young boy, holding his hand out still.

The boy titled his head, and he could see a small smile start to form. He shook Dom's much larger hand and looked at him again. He sighed with relief, hoping that now he could hopefully get something out of the kid.

He gave the boy a genuinely kind smile, "Nick can you tell me… where are you and your friends parents?"

Young Nick sniffled from his red nose, and looked down at the floor, "Like we's said… we're orphans. Parents are dead, some starved… others were killed. Like mine…"

He felt the pang of guilt run through his chest again. He nodded to the young boy, "I understand how tough it is… I was an orphan before too, both of my parents were killed as well."

Tears started to run down the young boy's cheek, and suddenly he was flashbacked to his 11-year-old self. He was sitting there, over the bodies of his mother and younger sister, their blood staining his hands before he ran. His father, dying in his arms, muttering his last request to him.

He placed a hand on the boys shoulder and squeezed it, "I know how hard it is to lose your parents at a young age. Do you want to know how I made it through?"

The boy nodded slowly, wiping under his nose with his arm sleeve.

He sighed and took a quick look down at the swallow pendant, "I had a friend. She's the woman that me and my friend are looking for. She was there for me, and I was there for her. We stayed strong for each other and helped each other… that's what friends are for. So, make sure you keep your friends close."

He sniffled again and wiped his nose, and managed to meet Dom's eyes, "Is… is that why yous looking for her now? To help her?"

He nodded fervently, "Yes, she's in serious danger and we need to save her. We just wanna talk to Johnny. He could know more then you."

The boy shifted nervously and looked down at the ground, "Not gonna hurt him, right? Cause… he's real, he's not made up!"

"You have my word, we're not gonna hurt him," He told the boy.

This got the young boy to nod and he met Dom's eyes again, "Johnny used to be by, cause Gran liked listening to his songs. When we was picking mushrooms, Johnny said he saw a girl with ashen hair in the swamp."

He sighed with relief and almost laughed as he heart filled up with relief. An actual sighting of Cir, it had been what he was hoping for, for years at that point.

"That's amazing. So where can we find Johnny," He asked.

The boy pointed towards a direction in the house, "There's a little meadow on the edge of the swamp. This strange tree grows there. Look around, you'll see'em!"

He nodded with a smile on his face and looked at the boy again, "Thank you Nicholas. Remember what I said, keep your friends close, they'll get you through this."

The boy nodded, and he felt Geralt tap his shoulder. He turned around and the older Witcher gestured for them to leave. Quickly he followed him out of the hut, and they ducked behind it, just as the old woman could be seen coming back across the way. He sighed in relief when they were finally out of sight and felt himself slide down the side of the hut, to a sitting position on the ground.

He looked up at the sky, clutching the swallow pendant. It almost brought a tear to his eye; he had finally gotten a real sighting. Six long years he went, six years of being alone and searching based on small whispers and rumors. He would get sent to a mage, only to get sent to another, and then to a King who supposedly may know. All of it ended up being a dead end, or he found some random woman with blonde hair, who he had no idea who they were.

He sighed deeply, and Geralt looked down at him with a smile, "Good job with the kid, seems you got a knack for them."

Geralt helped him up from the ground and he shook his head, "No, it's just… I was him at one point. Orphaned, afraid, but I always had Ciri, and now…"

Geralt smirked, "And now you finally have a real sighting of her. Come on, let's go see if we can find this Johnny."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The terrible smells of the swamp weren't enough to deter him. He sliced down a drowner with a quick pirouette and smiled as the beasts crumpled to the ground. He winced slightly, at a flaring pain through his abdomen. He managed to laugh it off however and slide his sword back into its sheath. He looked over and Geralt sliced down one drowner, before quickly spinning and ending the last one with a thrust. He turned around and smiled when he saw the look on Dom's face.

"You look to be in good spirits, for someone who's wondering through a monster infested swamp," He said sliding away his silver sword.

He scoffed with a laugh as the two began to follow the small trail of footprints again.

"What? Me being in a good mood is suddenly a weird thing," He asked as a joke, as the older Witcher.

Geralt chuckled and shook his head, "No, it's just to be honest you've been a bit of a hardass the last few days."

He shook his head, but kept his smile, "Well… we have a lead. A lead that someone has actually seen Ciri. Not just a rumor of an ashen hair woman being seen… someone really saw her. You'd be surprised at some of the leads I've followed for her over the years."

"Leads like?"

He rolled his eyes, "One time I was in Tretogor, I heard from a mage there another mage in Vizima had just, 'gotten a new blonde assistant, with a special talent'. I asked what she looked like, and the mage rolled his eyes saying, 'I knew he liked them young," He started, remembering the annoyance, "So I rode all the way to Vizima to meet this mage."

Geralt laughed and looked at him incredulously, "So you rode all the way there for a rumor? What happened when you go there?"

He sighed just as the two of them found an end to the trail, "Turns out the mage did get a new assistant. A 12-year-old assistant who could juggle sticks on fire."

Geralt laughed and looked at him again with a smile, "Haha, so I'm guessing after so many years of that… this must be nice."

"It is," He said with a smile still, "I can't wait to see her again Geralt… and finding Johnny is the start."

The Witcher laughed and nodded, gesturing towards a small burrow underneath a tree. The swamp was certainly an odd place for someone named 'Johnny' to live. He had no idea what, or who would be out in the middle of a swamp. Geralt looked down at the small footprints and surely enough they lead into a small burrow. He leaned down at put his head in front of it and couldn't see anything in the darkness.

Geralt kneeled down next to him and nodded to Dominik before looking down the burrow.

"Johnny, Johnny, you in there," Geralt yelled down the burrow.

He hadn't been expecting anyone to come out for a moment. He almost got up to go and search elsewhere when he heard the leaves from inside the burrow rustle. He looked back inside and almost leaped back when a giant pair of yellow eyes peered around the corner. Geralt held his hands up for Johnny to see, showing him that he had no weapons in his hands.

"Don't be afraid," Geralt said gently, as he saw the young creature come closer.

Johnny was the size of a young child, light purple skin, and big yellow eyes with black pupils. He saw a small red circle drawn on his chest, and he didn't dare ask if it was blood. He wore a tattered red scarf around his neck and torn brown trousers. Dom thought back to his lessons at Kaer Morhen, or his time traveling, and couldn't determine what Johnny was. He looked over at Geralt who was having a similarly hard time.

"You're a bucca…" Geralt asked curiously.

Silently Johnny shook his head.

"A lutin," Dom guessed next.

Again, Johnny shook his head, and Geralt nodded, seeming to find the answer.

"Ah, a godling. Not many of you left," He said with finality.

Dominik almost smacked himself for not remembering. Godlings were indeed rare, almost extinct, but he still scolded himself for not remembering. The young Godling nodded, a smile coming to his face, and Dom couldn't help but smile himself.

Geralt spoke in a calm, kind voice, "We're looking for a woman with ashen hair. Seen her?"

Johnny's golden eyes went wide, and he nodded enthusiastically. Dominik smiled wide at the godling and stood up.

"Please, tell us everything, from the start. Where did you see her, what was she doing? Please, it's very important to us both," He pleaded with the godling, as Geralt stood up besides' him.

His hopes of an answer were dashed when Johnny frowned, and slowly shook his head. Before he could say anything Geralt stepped forward and knelt again.

"Why not," He asked the young godling.

Johnny held a hand over his mouth and pointed to his covered mouth with the other hand. Dominik sighed and looked over at Geralt, before looking back down to Johnny.

"Can't talk? Did you lose your voice somehow," He asked the godling.

Johnny looked down sadly again and nodded his head.

"That's just my luck isn't it," Dom muttered, looking over to Geralt.

Geralt chuckled lightly and nodded, "I guess it is," He said before looking down to Johnny, "Is there a way we can help you?"

The godlings yellow eyes went wide and he nodded, walking a few steps before waving at them.

"Want us to follow you," He asked the young godling.

Johnny nodded eagerly and ran off into the swamp. Quickly he looked over to Geralt and gestured towards the godling, before the two Witchers took off after him.

The godling led the two of them through the swamp. The young godling was surprisingly quick for someone with such small legs, but he managed to keep pace along with Geralt. He needed to know where the godling had seen Ciri. He also, in the back of his mind simply wanted to hear someone saw they had seen her, alive and breathing.

A godling would not have been his first choice for information, but he was not going to let the opportunity slip him by. After dispatching a few drowners and a particularly nasty Water Hag, Geralt and he finally followed Johnny onto dry land again. His boots were slogged with mud, water and would probably need to be scrubbed for the next two days, but he kept them moving. He hoped that they didn't have to fight anyone, or anything particularly dangerous soon, because between his soggy boots weighing him down, and the paint hat still flared in his abdomen, he wasn't sure he'd be much help to Geralt.

The place the godling had been leading them to, was the base of a large cliff. The trees surrounded them, but he could see ravens circling up ahead. He assumed that a path to the top of the cliff could be found if he or Geralt went around.

Geralt knelt down next to the godling again, "This the place? Should we have a look around?"

Johnny shook his head and pointed upwards, in the direction of the crows circling the large next at the top of the cliff.

"It's in the nest? Something that'll help you get your voice back," He asked the godling.

He smiled and his yellow eyes went wide, before he eagerly nodded. Dom looked over to Geralt and gestured up towards the nest.

"I think he means that ravens nest up there," He told the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded, "I think you're right. Looks like we'll have to climb. I'll go, you stay here and keep an eye on him."

"You sure? I don't mind heading up there, really," He told him.

He shook his head, "Nah, I know you're wound is still aching, despite how you'll deny it. Stay here, make sure no monsters come and get him, still close to the swamp."

He sighed, and wanted to argue, but he knew Geralt was right, his wound was flaring at that moment, he didn't think scaling a cliff would help it. He nodded and Geralt smiled.

"Good, I'll be back, should be an easy path around, be back soon," He said, before turning and lightly sprinting off.

He sighed, and felt a sore pain run through his gut. He gently gripped his hands over it and looked down to Johnny who pointed in the direction Geralt had run off, with a concerned look in his eyes.

Dom scoffed and shook his head, "Don't you worry, he'll be fine. Man's died and come back to life, a climb up a cliff won't kill him."

Johnny nodded, and he winced again as he slowly lowered himself onto the ground. He sat with a sigh of relief and leaned up against a tree, the soreness in his abdomen calming. Johnny sat cross-legged next to him, and pointed to him, and then back to where Geralt had gone.

"How are me and Geralt related," He asked the godling taking his best guess.

The young creature smiled and nodded his head.

He smiled and let out a calming breath, "Well, the ashen haired woman we're looking for, he saved her and I. We were on our own for a while after… some bad things happened, Geralt found us, took us in and trained us, that's the short version. He's a father to me… after I lost my first one."

He saw the young godling frown, as his made a gesture for him to go on.

The cool air of the forest, and sound of the birds relaxed him. It was the first time he felt that way in days, so he decided he could indulge the young creature.

He met the godlings yellow eyes, "My father and mother they… they died when I was young. For the longest time it was just me and the ashen haired woman, Ciri's her name. Both of us were orphans, if not for Geralt I… I don't know what we would've done. We'd probably be dead."

He looked up at the clear sky, which was a change from the constant clouds and rain he had experienced so far in Velen. He remembered the first trip to Kaer Morhen with Geralt after he found Ciri and he. He made sure to stay glued to Ciri's side, still not completely trusting the white-haired man. Ciri however, kept insisting he was her destiny, and that he was Dom's destiny now as well, since the two of them would stay together no matter what.

He sighed and looked at the godling again, "Johnny… I know you can't talk, but just nod yes or no for me okay?"

The godling nodded for him and smiled.

He took in a deep breath and looked down at the young creature, "Ciri, the ashen haired woman. Was… was she alive? Was she alive the last time you saw her?"

The time between him asking the question, and the godlings answer felt like it took forever. In reality, the godling smiled wide as soon as he spoke, and eagerly nodded his head.

He felt his heart begin to beat a hundred times faster than normal. He felt himself laugh, and a smile came to him. A smile so wide, that he couldn't remember the last time one had been on his face like it. He looked over at the godling again and nodded slowly, almost feeling himself cry.

"Thank you… I… I haven't seen her in eight years. I knew she was more than likely alive, but… but to see somebody say yes, she is alive it… it makes me happier than I've been in… well years," he said, the smile not leaving his face.

Johnny smiled broadly and nodded his head so hard that he almost tipped over. He laughed at the young creature and another thought quickly came to his mind.

"One more thing," He said, getting the godlings attention, "When you saw her did you see… was she… was she wearing a ring around her neck? A ring tied to a chain?"

Again, the answer felt like it took forever. In reality however again, the godling nodded eagerly.

He sighed in relief and looked down at the swallow pendant dangling behind his medallion. He grabbed the small silver bird and smiled at it, looking between it and Johnny.

"So… she still wears hers. Ha, I hoped she would still, but to hear it… I'm going to find you soon, I promise," He said looking at the swallow.

Johnny smiled broadly next to him again and pointed to the swallow pendant around his neck. Dom laughed and gently ran his hand over the silver swallow.

"The swallow? You see, this pendant… it belonged to her. The ring she wears it was my fathers. We… gave them to each other when we were young. To us, it was a way that we could… always be together, we promised that no matter what happened, we'd always go to find each other… that's what I'm doing now. She's in danger, and I'm going to find her, no matter the cost," He said, looking at the swallow again, before turning back to the godling.

Johnny seemed like he was about to cry, which made him realize he had just spilled out almost his entire life story to a mute godling he met twenty minutes before. He laughed nervously and let the swallow dangle behind his medallion again. He heard rustling come from nearby, and right away got to his feet, his hand going to the hilt of his sword.

He was about to draw it when he saw Geralt move out from the brush. His silver sword was still drawn in his hands, and he sheathed it with a sigh. He saw bits of monsters guts over the Witchers armor and assumed he must have run into some trouble. In his right hand, however, was a green bottle with a cork stopper.

He sighed in relief and took his hand away from his blade, "Run into some trouble?"

Geralt rolled his eyes, "Yeah, damn nekkers almost sent me tumbling off a cliff."

He turned over to Johnny who was hoping up and down, pointing towards the bottle. He smiled at the godling, as did Geralt as he walked over, leaning down to hand the young creature the bottle.

"I take it this is what you need," Geralt said, handing the bottle to Johnny.

Johnny took the bottle in his hands with a smile. He turned for a moment and after a struggled, he pulled the cork stopper from the bottle. He had to take a step back when a large white mist erupted from the bottle and sprinkled the young godling. He didn't know if the mist was dangerous or not, but the godlings reaction confirmed it wasn't.

"Whiskey! Slither! Ringworm! Bumblebee! Flabbergasted! HA! The sound of it," The godling yelled happily.

He could see Geralt trying to suppress a smile next to him. Dom laughed and smiled towards the godling, as he shouted more rhymes into the sky.

"Ha, I take it you're happy to have your voice back," he said to the young creature.

Johnny turned and smiled broadly again, "You sir!"

The godling shot over to him and he almost leaped back, but before he could the godling squeezed its tiny arms around his waist. He looked over and saw Geralt trying to contain his laughter. He looked down and chuckled nervously at the godling, detaching him from his waist.

The young godling looked up at him, tears almost in his eyes again, "Never in my life have I heard such an inspiring tale of love and loss," He said, wiping his arm under his eyes, "You helped me, and I swear I'll help you find your lass!"

Geralt gave him a curious look, before looking back down to the godling.

"Ha, well if you're willing to help us, tell us everything. A young, ashen haired woman, seen anyone like that," He asked the young creature.

Smiling proudly, Johnny nodded, "Did I ever. Remember it as if it were yesterday. Soon as I woke up, I went to empty my bowels- my favorite part of the day. Deficatin to the sunrise- downright glorious!"

"Focus Johnny," Dom reminded the godling.

The godling quickly nodded, "Suddenly, hear a bang- so loud it couldn't have been me. And your lass appeared! Young, ashen haired, wearing that ring around her neck just like you told me! She was wounded and panting to boot!"

"Was she alright? What did she do," Dominik asked quickly, as soon as the godling was finished.

"She raced off towards the children's huts. Quick-as if the Crones were after her. I yelled some unpleasantries- she'd disturbed my morn. Sadly, I'd lost my voice, so I don't think she heard me," The godling said, finishing his story.

He sighed in relief and smiled after hearing the godling finish. Ciri was alive, wounded but alive. His relief quickly turned to anger, when he realized that if she had gone off towards the children's huts, then surely the old woman must have known something.

He looked over to Geralt, irritation in his voice, "I knew that nutty old woman had to know something."

Geralt grunted, and nodded in agreement, "Mhmm you're right. If she ran off towards the orphanage, the children or that old woman who takes care of them would know something."

He shook his head in annoyance, "We didn't get anything out of her last time, don't know how we would again."

Johnny piped up from below them, "Oh that old hag won't talk to strangers, and the two of you are strangers."

Geralt looked down at Johnny, and Dominik could see the plan forming in the Witcher's head.

"And will she talk to you," He asked the godling.

Johnny locked eyes with Dominik again and nodded his head with a smile, "I've talked to her before… I have my ways. If it helps you reunite with your love, I'll help you! You both helped me, so I'll help you! I'm a sucker for a good love story," He godling said with a smile, before turning back towards the swamp.

Dom couldn't help but smile, as he and Geralt ran after the godling. He had gotten something he had been waiting for, for years. Someone had seen Ciri, his Ciri, not some random woman with blonde hair, or a woman with special talents. It was really her that godling had seen.

She had been where he was standing now but was injured. He would go find her, and he was going to save her.

And they'd never be separated again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

By the time they made it back to the village in the bog, the sun was still high in the air. He had become good at reading he time by the sun over the years and determined they had perhaps an hour or two of daylight left. Closely he and Geralt followed Johnny, and when they finally came to the center of the buildings it was clear. The children were running around the buildings, while the old woman for some reason swept the dirt with a broom. The godling held a handout for them to wait, as the old woman hadn't noticed them yet.

"Good, it's clear. Not a crone in sight. I need to sing to Gran, that oughta calm her," He said, gesturing for Geralt and he to wait.

"Do you really think this is gonna work," He whispered to Geralt as Johnny walked, and sat cross legged in the grass near the old woman.

Geralt shrugged his shoulders, "Not sure, but we gotta hope it does."

He nodded in agreement as Johnny began to sing. The young godling had a good voice, and the effect was instantaneous. The old woman stopped her sweeping, and the broom fell from her hands. She turned and when she saw young Johnny sitting on the ground singing, her eyes went wide with shock. Slowly she walked towards the godling, looking much more relaxed then she had before.

Geralt gestured for him to follow, and the two came up near the pair.

"You… got your voice back," The old woman said, a hint of happiness in her voice.

Johnny nodded happily, "I did! Though, I seem to have lost an octave or two somewhere in the process. I shall look for it when I get home."

The old woman's eyes were calm, but she shook her head, "You shouldn't have come here Johnny. You shouldn't have come."

The sound of he and Geralt's boots got the old woman's attention, and her eyes widened when she saw the two of them again.

"Calm down gran. Don't get angry- it's not good for you," Johnny said, and he saw the woman sigh to calm herself.

Geralt decided he would speak up, before Dominik said something he would regret. He rolled his eyes but was grateful for his adoptive father looking out for him.

"The woman we asked about earlier…" Geralt said carefully.

The old woman looked like she was about to shriek at them again, when Johnny stopped her.

"Forgive me Gran, but this fellow absolutely must talk to the Ladies," He said to the woman.

She shook her head fervently and turned around from them, "No, tis not allowed," She said firmly.

"Please, it's important, she is in serious danger," Dominik said, his voice full of desperation.

Johnny looked at them, and gestured for them to be quiet, before addressing the old woman again.

"The fellows will be quiet. Gran, please hear me out," He begged to the old woman.

The godling took a step closer to the older woman, "I found little Yagna when she got lost, did I not? Did I break Genny's fever too? I did, I ask anything in return? No, I didn't even fret about my stolen voice!"

The old woman sighed and turned, and Johnny begged even more, "Well, now I want something. Gran, please help these fellows. Their lass is missing, and she means the world to them. Surely the Ladies can help find her, eh?"

Dominik could have kissed the godling then and there. He sighed in relief when the older woman turned around to look at them. She looked angry at first, but a small smile came to her face.

"Well… since you put it that way Johnny, I'll help them," She said with a smile to the godling.

Quickly, before he could react, the old woman turned on the two of them, "Come now, with me."

She started walking away before he could say anything. He turned to the godling, who smiled broadly at him.

"Thank you, Johnny," He said to the young godling.

Johnny nodded to him with his smile still large, "You're welcome, now go! I wish you luck in finding your lost love!"

The godling ran off to play with the other children, and he sighed before turning to Geralt. Geralt gestured towards the building was walking to and they both followed.

The building they entered was taller than the rest. Over the years he traveled he had many contracts on 'witches' or 'evil spirits' that the contract issuers thought were a danger to them. Sometimes it was just an herbalist with a funny wart on their face. Other times it was simply a succubus, who didn't mean anyone harm but was simply camped in a cave. There was even one time he discovered it was simply the neighbors playing tricks.

The bottom line was, he had encountered very few real 'witches', and even fewer who were actually evil. When he entered the room of the building, it was the first time he truly felt he had entered a real witches lair. The first thing he noticed was the smell of blood that penetrated his nostrils. It was a pungent smell of blood, and other spices, herbs and horrible swamp smell. After that he noticed the multiple, blood stained pieces of cloth that led all to the terrifying alter. Chains rattled as they entered, and he felt an eerie gust of air run by him, sending a chill down his spine.

The worst part was the alter, and the tapestry that hung above it. The alter was stone, with stains of blood, multiple knives and old stuffed dolls strewn about it. All around it, were lit candles. The wax was dripping off the shelves and cast shadows throughout the entire room. The tapestry that hung, was of three nude women. One with long flowing grey hair, the other with orange, and the last with black. All of them were around a cauldron and fire, while one held a knife, with a large eye overhead of them. The painting was stained with blood, and the longer he looked at the picture, the more he swore the eyes moved.

"Johnny's a good lad," The woman said breaking the silence, "Though the ladies don't like him, no… foul creature, they say. Don't like him."

He followed next to Geralt as the three of them all stopped in-front of the tapestry. Geralt gestured with his head towards the women in the picture.

"Who are the women in the tapestry," he asked the old woman.

"Those… are the ladies," The woman said with a mixture of reverence and awe.

He felt the insides of his stomach crawl, "They look… pleasant," He said sarcastically.

The woman shot him a look of anger, before turning back to the tapestry. What happened next, he knew he would describe years later, as the most disturbing thing he had ever witnessed. The-old-woman slowly walked up to the tapestry, and raised both her arms, beginning to chant.

"Ladies lovely, with power o'er all. Beseech I thee, answer my call. Before you a worm crawls, wretched and small," She said loudly, her voice echoing through the room.

He felt the sudden chill of wind run through his spine again, and he looked around, noticing the chains beginning to rattle. The candles lights blew in the breeze, and he looked over to Geralt, who was scanning the room like he was.

"Geralt… I got a bad feeling about this," He said to the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded to him in agreement, the breeze blowing his white hair, "Yeah… so do I."

They both turned back to the woman, who with her hands still raised approached the tapestry. He watched as she gently placed her fingers against the fabric, and a few seconds after she did, he stepped back in shock when her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"How dare you disturb our rest, woman," A voice screeched through old woman.

"Fuck me…" he whispered only loud enough for Geralt to hear.

He nodded and gestured for him to stay calm.

"Someone's speaking through you," Geralt said to the older woman.

The woman didn't move, but a new voice responded, "Good looking and clever too! Where have you been hiding boy?"

Dominik kept his eyes on the tapestry, not wanting to see the eyes of the woman while Geralt spoke.

"So, you're the three Crones," He asked, not taking his eyes off the tapestry either. d

A new voice, deeper than the first two spoke in disbelief, "Crones? Where'd you get such an ugly word, young man?"

"Village bitches have been gossiping again," The first voice said angrily.

Dominik swore he could see the eyes of the Crone on the left move towards him, "There's no limit to how jealous and petty humans can be. Do we look like crones to you?"

The second, higher pitched voice cackled with laughter, "Go ahead, don't hide behind the white haired one, yes you, you handsome young man. Go ahead, check. Touch me, where it pleases you most."

He felt his very skin crawl at the sound of the voice. He wanted more than anything to turn and leave. He had encountered spirits, witches, and all sorts of evil beings, but none had given him the feeling of pure power that these women in the tapestry did. If he had been by himself and received a contract on them, he would have more than likely rode to find help, perhaps see if Zolton Chivay, or anyone else had some connections to get him help.

However, he knew he had backup now. Geralt was with him, and these crones had seen Ciri, so he couldn't go now.

"Um, no thank you I'll pass. Geralt and I, we're looking for a woman with ashen-hair, emerald eyes. We know you've seen her, tell us where she is," He said, his voice raising to a demanding tone.

"Oooooh, he's impatient, hahaha," The first, higher pitched voice said with a laugh.

"Perhaps he only likes ashen-haired girls…" The second voice said with amusement.

He took a step forward feeling his anger rise, "She means more to me than anyone in this world. I KNOW you've seen her, now tell me what happened to her, or I'll rip the tapestry up with my bare hands!"

He felt Geralt grab his shoulder and pull him back, which was a smart move, because his anger grew even more when he heard the deep voice laughed.

"Haha, I believe we've hit a nerve! He's bubbling like well-fed yeast," It laughed, almost making him draw his sword.

"Ooh, that's how I like them! Brave and handsome, it's no wonder the mousy-blonde was so fond of him," The high-pitched voice said with another cackle.

He was about to saw something else, more than likely something very unpleasant. However, Geralt grabbed his shoulder and moved ahead of him.

"It's clear you met her. Tell us everything," he said in a calm, yet demanding tone.

The first voice scoffed and spoke again in a high-pitched tone, "That was blunt. Well, perhaps it's for the best. Tell me, have you and your boy got bollocks? Do the two of you fear woodland beasts?"

Before either he or Geralt could answer, the high-pitched voice spoke again.

"Oh, my handsome young lad, white-haired one, hard times are upon us. Brother has turned against brother; the land is soaked in blood. Evil reigns stronger than before," She screeched as if she were a maiden in despair.

He rolled his eyes at the irony, that even random evil witches were tired of the Nilfgaardeans. Geralt had told him when he was younger, that there was no such thing as a greater, or lesser evil. Evil was evil, no matter what form it took.

He believed that was mostly true. However, to him, no evil was greater than the Black Ones who had taken his family from him.

The crone with the deep voice spoke next, getting his attention again.

"A dark power has surfaced near Downwarren. It feeds on hatred and disdain. Destroy the beast, and we will be grateful, tell you all we know about this ashen-haired maid," It said in a deep drawl, feeling as if the voice was hitting his bones with a hammer.

Geralt looked up at the tapestry with his arms crossed, "You need a knight-errant, or a witch hunter. Not two Witchers."

Geralt had made a good point. He had taken on a few contracts over the years to dispel evil spirits, and it had always been difficult, so he tried to avoid them if he could. He would often need to enlist help of a local mage, or a wondering knight errant, sometimes even a priest. The crones, however, didn't give any thought to what Geralt said.

"The ealdorman of Downwarren will tell you all. Remember to collect payment from him after you complete the task," The one voice cackled, and he swore he could see the eyes move again to the old woman, "And now our servant will give you a dagger."

Geralt sighed and looked over to Dominik. Dominik felt his stomach churn. He didn't want to give any help to these crones. However, if the only way to get the information was to complete a Witcher contract, he would be able to stomach it. He had Geralt with him, it had always been a hope of his when he was younger to complete contracts with Geralt. He had done a few with him when he was very young, those however were small contracts, where Geralt had made him stay back and out of danger. He was fully grown now, and a Witcher himself, and he was sure they'd be able to handle anything that came at them, so he nodded and Geralt looked at the tapestry with a sigh.

"We'll talk to the ealdorman, but we can't promise anything," He told the crones.

He sighed in agitation, and the crones turned now on the old woman.

"Move woman! Give the young man the dagger," The high pitch voice screeched to the woman.

"And white-haired one, you as well handsome young man, return only once you've completed your task," The high pitch voice cackled.

The old woman removed her hand from the tapestry and stumbled backwards. He felt the chains begin to stop rattling, and the lights from the candles dimmed. The cold breeze going down his spine went away, and he didn't notice any movement in the tapestry anymore. The woman recovered and walked to one side of the room, muttering to herself.

"Aye mistress. Right. On my way. Dagger. Gotta bring them the dagger," She muttered rummaging through a few shelves.

In another minute she came over to Geralt and he, a silver dagger clutched in her hands.

"The dagger. For you both. Ladies told me to give it to you- here it is. The dagger," She said, handing the crude weapon to Geralt.

The dagger was ridged and looked as if one small cut could cause a good dose of bleeding. It was long, slender and silver, and carefully, Geralt slid it into his belt.

The old woman nodded quickly, "Place the ealdorman's payment on the stones…"

She muttered more words about stones, before walking away and slumping against a wall in the hut. He let out a deep breath, and Geralt gestured his head for them to leave. He followed him out into the open air again and he felt as if he could breathe again. The forest air made it easier for him to regain his bearings, as he watched the children and Johnny run about the open village.

The sun was still up, but he could see it was slowly starting its descent. If they rode hard, they could probably make it to Downwarren in less than an hour. He sighed and looked over to Geralt.

"How come I'm not surprised we need to go do something like this first, it can never be easy," He said with a hint of annoyance.

Geralt chuckled and met his eyes, "You'll learn over the years, that a Witcher's life is never easy."

He shrugged, but shook his head, "Geralt, I really don't like the idea of helping these crones. Did you see what they did to that woman?"

The older Witcher nodded, "Yeah, they've got her under some kind of spell it's clear. I don't like it either, they're clearly dangerous, but we don't have a choice right now."

"Couldn't we just abandon this, and head to the Baron's castle? Maybe he's got a better lead then these crones. Besides, at least he's human," he rationalized.

Geralt shook his head right away, "And as I'm sure you know, sometimes humans are worse than monsters. Besides, I'm sure he'll make us do something just like this. So, we might as well just bite the bullet and help these ladies now."

He could see the logic in the Witchers response. He wanted to learn everything possible about where Ciri was, so that way in the long run he could find out exactly where she was as quickly as possible.

He sighed and nodded, "You're right. So, what do you make of this 'dark evil' they mentioned."

Geralt thought for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders, "Can't be sure before we get a look, and talk to the ealdorman. Come on, we wanna get there before sundown."

He nodded in agreement with the older Witcher, "Yeah… come on, let's go complete a contract."

**A/N: So, we have finally made it to Crookback Bog. Geralt and Dominik have accepted the Crones deal, and are heading towards Downwarren, to tame the Whispering Hillock, and fulfill their end of the deal with the Crones. What are you predictions for what goes down with the Crones? How will Dominik and Geralt handle the situation at the Hillock? What other stories, flashbacks, and dreams would you like to see from Dominik's POV? Favorite, follow and leave a review telling me what you think. See you all next time.**


	9. The Whispering Hillock

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 9: The Whispering Hillock**

**Narrator: The search for Ciri lead Dominik and Geralt to the Crones, or Ladies of the Wood, better known as the Witches of Crookback Bog. Upon discovering that these were indeed the Witches that Ciri had quarreled with, they demanded to know where the young woman had gone. The information from the Crones was not free, however. They tasked Dom and Geralt with going to the village of Downwarren and slaying a great evil. If they completed their task, the Crones promised to tell them everything they knew about Ciri, including where she had gone.**

"The more I see of Velen, the less I like it," Dominik muttered as they came upon Downwarren.

Downwarren was built on the slope of a hill, a slope steep enough to where Clop and Roach had a harder time getting them up. The people of the village wondered about aimlessly, as if they were lethargic. The whole village gave him a bad feeling, and he could see they the crones were so interested in it. He swiftly followed Geralt, wanting to get the information they needed and get out as soon as he could.

Geralt chuckled and looked back to him as they walked, "Yeah, not the most pleasant place that's for sure. All the more reason for us to get this over with."

Finding the ealdorman was easy enough, the man stood out like a sore thumb. He was right next to the notice board of jobs, that he normally would have taken great interest in. He had spent much time during his years on the path looking at them for contracts, however he had no interest in it for the first time in a while. The two found the ealdorman in green tunic and brown trousers, the balding man eyes them suspiciously as they approached.

Geralt met the mans eyes, "Greetings… nice village."

The man was unmoving, but kept eye contact with the Witcher, "Aye."

"A real pearl of the swamps," Geralt said ironically, taking another step towards the man, "You get by alright?"

"Aye, winter to winter, somehow we survive," He said, crossing his skinny arms.

Dominik felt an odd chill run through his body, an uneasy feeling that wouldn't go away. Geralt slowly reached into his belt and pulled the crude dagger from it.

"Recognize this dagger," He said, holding it out for the man to see.

The man's eyes went wide, and suddenly he bowed down to the both of them, "Aye masters, I didn't know yous belonged to them."

"We don't belong to anyone," He said quickly, stepping next to Geralt, "We're here to solve your problem, now tell us what we need to know."

Geralt nodded in agreement and the man bowed his head again.

"The war has awakened an ancient power. As evil as one that feeds on bloodshed. Nightmares haunt our nights and days. Folk sleepwalk from their homes, never to return," The man lamented to them.

He felt his body shivering, hoping it wasn't another Alp.

The man continued his story, "Under the tree on the Whispering Hillock they lie. Unburned all. Fathers, sons, daughters, and mothers. Folk are afraid to move them. You two must go there. The dark power must be cast off!"

He sighed and looked to Geralt who crossed his arms at the man, "Gonna need more details then that."

The ealdorman shook his head, "You need to see for yourself. Many have gone there, trying to burn the cursed soil back to the earth… none have returned. The soil beneath is white with human bones…"

"And your ladies of the wood don't know what this power is? They can't cast if off themselves," He asked the man, getting an aghast look.

The balding man gave them a hard look, "The ladies know all. Some think this is a curse from them. People have stopped respecting them, some even call them witches," He sighed and looked down, before meeting their eyes again, "But it can't be them, for they were the ones who sent you."

Geralt grunted and sighed, "We'll go look around the Whispering Hillock."

The ealdorman gave them one last nod, "Aye, be careful master Witcher's. Don't take this evil lightly."

He walked off, and Dom felt himself sighing again. He couldn't get even the slightest idea of what this evil was from the mans description. An evil that killed people in a forest, was enough of a description that could fit tons of monsters. He knew that the crones had to be using them, using them to do their dirty work somehow. It was unclear to him how, but one thing was abundantly clear, with the sun starting to finally set, he and Geralt needed to head out now.

He turned to Geralt, "Any ideas? Didn't give us much of a description."

Geralt shrugged, "Could be some type of wraith. That would probably be the best case, easy enough to dispatch."

"Could it be some type of vampire? Shacked up in a cave, casting spells on travelers," he asked, wanting to hopefully have Geralt confirm he wasn't dealing with another Alp.

"Might be, we'd need to see the bodies first. Worse case? It could be a Fiend, or a Leshen that's set up a lair near the Hillock," He told him, causing a few of his wounds to flare up in remembrance.

He rolled his eyes, "I really hope it's not. I HATE Fiends, Leshen's even more so, damn things are hard to take down."

Geralt nodded in agreement, "You're right about that. Either way though, between the two of us we should be fine. Come on, Hillock isn't far, we can hike there in less than an hour, let's pay someone to take care of the horses here."

He nodded in agreement and the two started walking towards their horses. He hoped that no Leshen or Fiend would show up. The last time he had encountered a Leshen had been a year before, a wealthy merchant in Oxenfurt had paid him a hefty contract to find his brother, who had gone missing while on his way back from Novigrad. It was one of his few contracts in Velen. He found the brothers wagon veered off the road, and the bodies nearby almost torn in half. If not for the bombs he had on him at the time, the Leshen would have killed him. He managed to defeat the creature but had plenty of new scars. It was the heftiest contract he received after he brought the Leshen head to the merchant along with his brothers ring.

Now however, he only cared about one form of payment. The information the crones had about Ciri was priceless to him.

He didn't care if he had to fight a hundred Leshens, if it meant knowing where she had gone, he would kill whatever was near the Hillock.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"At least it's not in a swamp," Geralt said sarcastically as the two of them walked through the pines.

He nodded in agreement with him, he was thankful he wouldn't have to slosh through anymore puddles to fight. The sun cast a bright, orange light through the trees, it was a gorgeous sight, one he would've stopped to admire were the circumstances different. Geralt had been right and the hike from Downwarren to the Whispering Hillock hadn't taken them long.

"Yeah… but it's quiet, too quiet," He said to Geralt.

"You're right, and we're getting close. Let's hope that this evil is just some Fiend, and we can take it out quickly," He said in a hopeful tone.

"It's never that easy…" He muttered as they walked, their boots crunching over twigs.

The Whispering Hillock was a large tree on the top of a large incline hill. The tree was so enormous, that other then a few that housed druids, he couldn't remember ever seeing one so massive. The air around him was chilly, and the smell of the pine trees around him was a pleasant change, from the musty old swamp smell. The eerie silence, however, was what was driving him mad.

"If it was a Leshen, or a Fiend we would've seen some sign by now right," He asked Geralt as the tree got closer to them.

The older Witcher nodded, "Yeah, there would be. I think there's a cave leading underneath the tree itself, we should-."

"Leave! Leave this place, and never return," A loud hissing voice said, piercing his eardrums.

His hand shot to his blade and it was unsheathed in a moment, along with Geralt. Back to back with his father, they both leveled their blades, trying to find the source of the voice. It had been even more raspy, and high pitched then the crones had been.

"Who are you, come out, we can talk," Geralt yelled into the darkness.

The voice did not respond back, but for the first time since they had come near the Hillock, he heard leave rustle. He got Geralt's attention and the older Witcher turned as a pack of wolves leaped from the brush. The first leaped and easily Dom side-stepped slashing his blade through the beast, killing it in an instant.

The rest of the wolf pack was dispatched with ease, falling to their blades as cleaved through them. After the pack of about nine had finally been slayed, he bent down, his blade still in hand and examined the corpses. They looked like normal wolves, but he could see foam forming at the mouths, and their pupils dilated.

"Geralt, they… look like they've gone rabid. Think it's a coincidence," He asked, standing up to see Geralt also bent over.

Geralt shook his head and sighed, "Not likely, but come check this out."

They were close to the Hillock now, right at the base of the hill leading up to the tree itself. At Geralt's feet was a corpse. It had clearly been there for a while, and he was sure it wouldn't take much looking around to find more. The body was completely mangled. It's stomach ripped open by large claw marks, it's intestines spilling out. He had seen gruesome sights like this before, and he had become numb to the gruesomeness and the smell, however he always felt a pang of sadness, that someone had to die in such a way.

The body had almost been torn in half, only held together by the intestines leaking onto the ground. He sighed and looked over to Geralt.

"Must be one of the villagers… only one thing I know that leaves a mess like this," He said.

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I'd get that dagger out if I were you."

He knew a werewolf attack when he saw one. It was technically the first contract Ciri and he had ever gone on together. It was when they were 13, staying in Ellander with Geralt and Yennefer, as Yen tried to teach Ciri to control her powers. The two of them had been returning from a walk through the woods, when they found a mans corpse mangled.

Using the knowledge, they'd gained at Kaer Morhen, they were able to determine it was a werewolf attack. They were even able to find a trail the beast had left, before heading back to Ellander to report the situation to Geralt. The two had begged the older Witcher to let them accompany him to slay the beast, but he didn't relent, and returned the next day saying the beast had been killed.

He made sure the silver dagger was within his grasp on his belt. Geralt motioned for him to follow, and with sun finally beginning to become dim, it was getting hard to see. The two of the needed to get into the cave as quickly as they could.

"I said leave! Begone, begone, begone," The voice screeched, piercing their ears again.

"Dom look there's the entrance," Geralt said, pointing to a small hollowed out portion of the cave.

He was about to follow Geralt when he stopped in his tracks.

"You young man, I can sense the pain, the loss. Leave now, you're destiny is elsewhere," The voice rang out to him.

He whirled around with his blade leveled, the voice had sounded as if it were right behind him.

"Show yourself, stop hiding," He yelled watching the brush of the trees.

"What's wrong," Geralt said coming back up behind him.

He whirled around and almost sliced Geralt but managed to stop his blade after seeing it was him.

"You didn't hear the voice again just now?"

The white-haired Witcher shook his head, "No, it must be messing with you. Come on let's-."

"Geralt look out," He yelled, just as he saw the creature leap from the brush near them.

Geralt turned, and using his reflexes, shot out his hand and a full forced Aard sign blasted the werewolf back. The beast was enormous, it's rabid jaws snapping as it got to its feet. He sheathed his blade and twirled the dagger out of his belt into a reverse grip.

"Careful, this one seems madder then normal," Geralt said, twirling his silver blade.

"I bet this spirit it turning the wildlife crazy. We need to do something before we get overrun, by wolves or something worse," He said, gripping tighter on his dagger.

The werewolf let out a loud howl, and within another moment more wolves sprung from the brush. The same situation as the last, their fangs spewing foam, snapping at them. He knew he only had one bomb remaining, and quickly pulled a grapeshot from his belt. He ignited it with Igni and tossed it towards the pack. It exploded and he heard the cries of wolves, and the werewolf roar.

The distraction gave Geralt and he the opportunity to charge. He rolled out of the way of a wolf's leap, and Gerald sliced through the rabid animal. He came up and heard the growl of the werewolf, and just managed to step back from its giant claw. He heard the snarling beast right behind him and kept the dagger raised. The werewolf had taken damage from the bomb, but it still came at him with great speed. He saw briefly Geralt spinning, thrusting, and killing the wolves. He side-stepped a strike from the beasts claws and sliced his dagger down its arm, causing it to recoil.

It didn't stay recoiled for long however, the beast charged again. It swung its claws wildly, and he was put on the back foot. With only a dagger drawn his movements were even more swift, but the werewolf didn't give him an inch. He back-peddled, side-stepped, doing anything he could to avoid the beasts claws.

"_Werewolves. Very common enemies of Witchers, not to be underestimated. A werewolf moves with great speed, power and strikes with precision. Now a fully mutated Witcher may be able to withstand a claw from a werewolf. However, normal humans can be torn completely open by a full force strike from one, either way they're extremely dangerous. It's quick itself, but slow to turn around, try to get behind it, and use signs like Aard and Igni to knock it off balance, and remember, only silver can kill a werewolf," _The words from his Uncle Vesemir's lecture rang through his head.

He was sapped back to reality when a claw from the beast barely missed his neck. He ducked around another strike, and spun around, stabbing his dagger into the beast, lodging the silver in its side. He leaped and shot out his hands, blasting it back with Aard. It stumbled back, only to meet the silver blade of Geralt, who hacked off the beasts arm and ended it with a quick slash.

He managed to push himself up to his knees, panting heavily, as the werewolf twitched on the ground. Geralt reached down, pulling his silver dagger from its corpse before walking over and handing it back to him. He nodded and took it, wiping the blood off on the grass, and sliding it back into his belt. Geralt reached a hand down, and he took it as the older Witcher helped him to his feet.

"Your signs are getting better, think we can finally start axii, and Yrden soon," He said, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed as he attempted to catch his breath, "Ha, still doesn't change the fact it makes me feel like death afterwards. Come on, it's dark now, can you still see the cave, I don't exactly have night vision."

Geralt nodded and pointed in the direction of the hill, igniting a ball of flame in his hands.

"Well, sadly they're always gonna take a lot out of you, unless you decide to undergo the mutations after all," He said turning towards the cave, the path illuminated by his light, "Come on, let's get moving."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Of course," He muttered as Geralt held up his torch, to illuminate the pool of water.

The cave was illuminated further inside. However, the way into the main chamber they found had been blocked by thick wood, and vines. They had to blast them with Igni, but it was all for nothing. The wood wasn't burning, so they had to find another way around. The way had been blocked by the pool of water, and now he was going to be forced to swim again. He decided to leave his picture of Ciri in Clop's saddlebag, so he took some solace in the fact that at least it wouldn't be ruined again.

The cave had no sounds, except for a loud thumping noise. It was if one giant heart was beating through the base of the tree, and it was the only thing he could hear. His medallion hummed constantly, so he knew a powerful magic presence had to be nearby.

Geralt sighed as well, putting out the flame in his hand, "Well, we better keep moving. Hope some water won't stop you."

He shook his head, "Nothing could stop be from this, let's go."

The two Witchers both dove into the water and following closely behind Geralt he paddled through. He remembered his mother had been the one to teach him how to swim so efficiently. She had told him, that in many of her secret missions for Queen, it involved her having to swim across great distances. As soon as he was able to, she took him to lakes, and to anywhere she could to teach him. She taught him to swim, climb, all the skills she thought he'd need.

The swim was relatively short thankfully, he sloshed out of the water as Geralt got out ahead of him. The two had finally reached the inner chamber, and the sound of the thumping was louder. The older Witcher turned to him, and slowly drew his blade, gesturing for him to do the same. Nodding, Dominik reached behind his back, slowly drawing his longsword. He and Geralt turned the corner, both their blades raised.

He had seen many wonderous, and horrifying things in his travels, and yet was still amazed every time he saw something new like he did then. The chamber they entered was large and overgrown with trees and other vegetation. Bushes, strange mushrooms, and other fauna spouted form the sides of the room.

The source of the thumping was clear now. Tied and bound in a mash of tree roots, and other vines was the source. It could only be described as an orange sack of flesh, with white bones protruding from it. It beat and strangled against the restraints of the tree roots. It was as if the heart of the tree was right in-front of him. He was completely speechless, and the blade of his sword dipped. As they walked in-front of it, the voice spoke to them again, this time resonating from the pulsing heart.

"Why have you come…? Why spill this blood…? Are you here to grant me death…? Or… is it my freedom you wish," The voice panged through his ears again.

He looked over to Geralt, and he knew they were thinking the same thing.

This thing was the evil source that had sent wolves to attack them and had been killing villagers. And it certainly wasn't a Leshen or Fiend. It was speaking to them as if it were a man, and a he learned early in Kaer Morhen, the most dangerous creatures you hunted, were the ones who could think.

"Who are you," Geralt said, keeping his silver blade in-hand.

The raspy voice of the spirit rang through the cave, "I abandoned my circle… where I'd kept balance… The Crones killed me… and cursed my ghost."

"Never heard of a druid circle in Velen," Geralt said, taking the thought from his head.

Completely ignoring Geralt's statement, the spirit lamented even more, "I wander eternally through a maze of boughs… Helplessly sliding o'er rustling leaves."

"You must know the Crones pretty well," Geralt asked again, trying to extract what information he could.

"They are Velen's curse…. They hear all through severed ears…. They weave hair and twist lives..." The spirit said, confirming his suspicions.

Dom sighed in annoyance, "Why am I not surprised at that… why did they kill you," he asked the spirt.

The voice suddenly grew spiteful, "The Crones want this land. They'd rule the wood alone. I stood in there way… I had to die.

"And how are you imprisoned here? Did the Crones place you here," Geralt asked as soon as it finished.

"I am bound here… in festers of magic… I wander aimlessly… a labyrinth of leaves…" The spirit said, in a slow drawn voice, "The children… I know all… I know what awaits them…. Free me, please… I must help them."

He felt his heart skip a few beats. He looked over to Geralt who held a hand up for him to remain calm. He knew that the spirit could in fact be lying. It had tried to have them killed, and it had also killed multiple villagers for months. Every fiber of his being wanted to stab his blade through the heart now and end it. However, if anything were to happen to the children at the Bog, he didn't know if he could forgive himself.

"If something threatens the Orphans, Geralt and I will help them ourselves," He said fiercely.

"The children have been taken… Free me, please… I can be a gale…. A gallop unchained…. I shall save them…. Only I can…."

He looked over to Geralt, waiting for his fathers instructions. The older Witcher sighed and pulled him aside, looking into his eyes.

"Dominik, what do you think," He asked the younger Witcher.

He looked over to the beating heart. It was setting off every alarm bell in his head. The creature had manipulated the wildlife around them, and they had almost been killed because of it. It had been murdering villagers in Downwarren for years. It could easily be trying to manipulate them, pull at their heartstrings. However, if there was truly any threat to the Orphans, he knew he needed to save them if he could.

He sighed and looked back to Geralt, "It could be lying, if it was dangerous enough for the Crones to imprison it here…"

Geralt nodded in agreement, "That's what I was thinking. To many have said it's evil, and is it's word really enough?"

He shook his head, "No… it's not but… Geralt what if the children are in danger?"

"Then we'll save them. As soon as we have the information about Ciri we'll get them out of there. Besides… if we set this thing free, there's no telling what it'll do. It's been imprisoned here for a long time, and you know one of the main rules Witcher's are always taught about spirits," The white-haired Witcher said to him.

"Spirits are never happy about being trapped, be wary of freeing them," He said, remembering one of the first few monster lessons he received.

Geralt nodded and reached to pull out his silver blade again, "Are you ready?"

He gripped the hilt of his blade tightly, "Yeah… let's do this."

The two Witchers both went back before the spirit. Dom kept on his toes, ready to spring in any direction at a moment's notice. He had no more bombs on his belt, so he knew he'd have to use his signs, and be precise with his blade.

"They shall all die…. Let them be saved…" The voice pleaded with them.

The voice spoke in such desperation he almost dipped his blade. However, he knew that creatures like this could be deceiving. Even if the spirit did speak the truth, there was no telling what it would do once it was freed. It could go save the children yes, but what was stopping it from wreaking havoc, and taking out its years od pent up frustration out on more innocents.

Geralt shook his head, and leveled his silver sword, "We don't believe you spirit, too many say you're evil. And your words? Not enough," He said in a hard voice.

The desperation in the voice of the spirit, turned to fiery anger. It spoke so loud and so fiercely, that he was almost knocked back.

"Dare harm me… and against you will rise… all the powers of nature..." It bellowed, as the tree roots closed up, protecting the heart.

He heard a loud hiss, and the crunching of leaves. A large magical shield appeared around the tree's heart, and Dom and Geralt quickly turned. All of the endrega's and spiders came crawling from above and below. He wished at that moment he took the time to make more bombs. One spider came leaping for him, he spun out of the way and lopped it in half.

"Hold them off me, I'll take care of this," Geralt yelled from behind him.

He nodded and waved his blade in a wide arc. He slashed through another spider, and spun around an endrega, before lopping off another spiders legs. He yanked the dagger out of his belt and threw it with all his strength at an endrega that was about to leap for Geralt. He was using Igni, Aard, and his blade to hack away at the hearts shield. He felt pinchers snapped onto his leg. He whirled around and slashed his blade across it, splattering himself with monster guts.

He could hear more, and spun around, thrusting out his hands and launching a blast of fire towards a group of spiders that had been advancing. They wailed in pain, and all fell to the ground, seared and charred. He felt a wincing pain through his abdomen as more energy was drained from him. He stumbled forward but heard a loud wailing cry. He turned around and saw Geralt had finally made it through the hearts shield. The older Witcher leaped and thrust his silver blade deep into the heart.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO…." The voice wailed through the room.

He walked over to Geralt, sheathing his blade as the spirit died. Its heart turned into a dark black color, and sagged to the floor, the roots of the tree returning to their normal position. He sighed and winced at the pain through his abdomen, he really would be feeling the wound from Nithral for a while. Geralt sighed in relief behind him, sheathing away his silver blade.

"That was… a lot easier then I thought it would be," Dominik said to him.

Geralt shrugged, "And you're complaining?"

He shook his head fervently, "Not at all, I just thought they'd give us something more challenging."

"Well if it had only been one of us, this probably would've been harder. That's besides the point, we need to get moving. We'll camp for the night outside Downwarren and return to the bog first thing in the morning," Geralt said to him.

He felt his stomach twist, and he looked up to meet Geralt's eyes, "Geralt… what he said about the children being in danger… what if he was right?"

Geralt turned and faced him, placing his hands on the young Witcher's shoulders, "We don't know if it was telling the truth… if it wasn't, we'll get them out of there… if it was…"

"Then we just doomed all those innocent children to a horrible fate…." He said, the realization coming to his eyes.

Geralt shook his head at him, "If it was… Dom you need to realize that as a Witcher, sometimes you make bad calls. Sometimes… well you aren't able to save everyone, despite your best efforts."

He shook his head, refusing to believe it. Through his six years by himself, completing contracts, he had always been sure to keep normal people away from the monsters, not even letting themselves be put in danger. Of course, people had died, people who he grew fond of on the contracts had died before, however it had never been as a direct consequence of his decision.

"Geralt what if… what if we let them die? What if those crones really did take them?"

Geralt sighed and locked eyes with him again, "Then we'll make sure the Crones never do anything like that again, they don't hurt anyone. First though… we have someone that we need to find, and save, someone we won't fail in finding."

"But what will she think when… when she knows that I let them die…" He said, imagining what Ciri would truly think.

Geralt shook his head, "She would understand. Look, we still don't know what's going on. Let's get out of here, then we can figure it all out tomorrow, and we should know where Ciri was heading."

For the first time in his life, the thought of Ciri did not calm him. However, he nodded to Geralt and the two eventually managed to find an exit back to the surface. However, all that was on his mind was the fact, he had let someone down again. All the children in the clearing, he had wanted to protect them, but what if he really had failed?

He shook his head and let out a deep breath to try and calm himself. He thought about Ciri, and what the two of them, and Geralt would do to the Crones when they reunited. He wouldn't let them hurt anyone again.

He wasn't going to let Ciri down again, not like he had before, and not like he had so many others.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The sun had completely gone down when they had emerged from the cave. He was eager to get back to Clop, and get a camp set up for the night. He didn't have any significant injuries, but the scratches and bruises he had gotten in the last few fights, combined with the long treks, and swims he had taken were taking their toll. Geralt of course looked as if he was feeling fine, but the enhanced strength and energy gave him an edge. As much as he believed, and Geralt assured him he was a real Witcher, not having the mutations Geralt did naturally tired him out much quicker.

The cool breeze of the nighttime forest chilled him, as Geralt ignited his hand with a ball of fire to light there way. The wounds, combined with how many things he was thinking of, it felt as if he was carrying an extra fifty pounds of weight on his back. The cave had come out right near where they had gone inside the cave. He knew when he looked over and saw the torch the two of them had lit before heading inside. He narrowed his eyes as well however, when he saw a bigger collection of torches near the entrance.

Geralt turned around he could see the Witcher's yellow eyes in the night.

"Come on, let's go check that out," He said, gesturing for him to follow.

He nodded and followed. The two Witcher's passed through the trees, and over the corpses of the wolves they had slew. The huddle of torches it turns out was from a group of the Downwarren villagers. He saw the old Ealdorman, his streaky brown hair soaked from the light rain that was coming down on it. He was examining the carcass of the werewolf, as more peasants were gathering together old bodies.

Geralt met his eyes and gestured for him to stay back. He felt Geralt could see the exhaustion he was feeling and met the Ealdorman's gaze when the man saw them.

"We solved your problem. Just incase though, avoid the Whispering Hillock for a while," He told the older man.

The old man's jaw almost dropped, and Dom could see the relief flood his face.

"Cannot be…. Were somethin' lurkin there," He asked them.

Geralt nodded, "Yeah, an evil spirit possessed the tree on the hill. It was responsible for the killings."

The man titled his head, "And how's ye dispel this evil?"

"Some being had come to posses the tree's heart. We destroyed the heart and it's inhabitant," He informed the man.

"So, it were a ghost…. Will it be back," He asked carefully.

"No," Geralt said with finality.

He felt his skin begin to crawl again, as if a hundred spiders were crawling up his arms. The voice of the tree was pounding in his head, and he felt as if his brain were being fried. He took in a shaky breath and wished that he could curl up on the ground and sleep right then. Geralt looked at the relieved ealdorman again and met the old mans eyes.

"The Crones, or Ladies of the Wood, told us to remind you about payment. I take it you know what that is," Geralt asked him.

The change of expression on the mans face was instant. It went from a look of blissful relief, to a terrified, pained expression. He sighed deeply and managed to look at the two Witcher's.

"Aye… I do. Gimme the dagger, be back in a moment," He said, holding out his hand.

Geralt slipped the wet knife from his belt and handed it to the man. True to his word the ealdorman took the knife and walked away from them. Geralt sighed and turned to him, he could see the older Witcher smirk at the exhausted expression on his face.

"Little tired, are we?"

He rolled his eyes at him, "Not all of us have superhuman strength, speed and stamina Geralt."

Geralt laughed and met his eyes again, "I guess you're right. We'll hike back to Downwarren, get the horses and set up camp for the night. Forget about training, you need the rest."

"I'm fighting fit, I don't know what you're talking about," He joked back.

Geralt smiled and shook his head, "In the last two days you've fought a general of the Wild Hunt, an evil tree spirit, a werewolf, and probably more nekkers, and drowners then I care to count. You can afford to miss a night of training."

He shook his head, "No, I'll be fine. I need to get the signs down. Every minute I train will make me more ready to help Ciri when we find her."

It was Geralt's turn to roll his eyes at him, "I think Ciri will understand if you take one night off."

He was about to reply but was stopped when he heard crunching leaves. Geralt and he both looked back, and he felt his mouth go dry. The ealdorman came back to them, clutching the side of his head, blood sprawling down the side of his head, and in the other hand, he clutched the dagger and something else. If it hadn't been raining, the blood probably would have drained the man.

"There's payment. Take it to the ladies, will ye," He said in a strained voice.

He reached out his hand, an dropped a severed ear into Geralt's hand. His head shot up, and now he could see the empty spot on the side of the mans head where his left ear had once been.

"What the hell is this," He said in an angry tone, speaking to the man for the first time.

The man grunted in pain, but managed to meet his eyes, "Tis our pact. Ye're a stranger, ye don't know life here. It's honest pay for their protection."

He had a horrible flashback to all the severed ears, that Geralt and he had seen on the way into the Bog. The words of the spirit had also rung through his ears again. _They are Velen's curse…. They hear all through severed ears. _

He looked over at Geralt, who he knew was trying to hold his reaction, but the Witcher took the words right out of his mouth.

"So, all those severed ears in the woods…"

The old man waved off their concern, "Put it out yer mind masters. Ye both be leavin soon, and we must tarry on. Our young, and their young after that. No gods nor monsters watch over Velen. The land is no man's. He who wants to survive must seek his own protection."

He felt his guts begin to turn. The Crones sounded more and more like beings that needed to be killed. If Ciri ha really run into them, he was beginning to question if she really was alive. Had Johnny seen her before, or after she had her run in with them? If they had laid a hand on her, he would end them. If they really had done away with the children of the clearing, he would end them. He never had a problem with people's faith. He believed everyone was entitled to live, and worship however they please. That was why he had such a distaste for some of the Northern Kings, and part of the reason he would see Nilfgaard burn.

The ealdorman said nothing else to them, only gathering the villagers and leaving. He was alone with Geralt, only by the light of a few discarded torches. Geralt looked down at the ear and slipped it into one of the pouches on his belt.

"Geralt, we need to kill these Crones," He said to the Witcher with finality.

He saw Geralt nod his head in the torchlight, "I think you're right, but we don't have the time right now. You know what our mission is, that has to be our priority."

He shook his head fervently, "I know that Geralt, but we can't let these… things torture these people anymore! You and I could take them with ease!"

"You don't know that. We don't know the extent of their powers besides, they know what happened to Ciri," He reasoned with the younger Witcher.

He sighed in annoyance, and met Geralt's eyes again, "After we know what we need, we can't let them keep doing this Geralt."

Geralt shook his head again, unwavering, "We don't know how much time Ciri has, let's figure out more before we go rushing into a fight. Use your head, think about it."

"But what if-."

"Remember the supply train ambush? On the way to Ellander?"

He titled his head curiously at his adopted father, "Of course I do, what does that have to-."

"Remember how you and Ciri wondered off? Almost walked right into a Scoia'tael ambush?"

"Yes…" He said slowly, wondering where it was going.

He remembered the day as if it were yesterday. Triss had fallen sick, and he, Geralt and Ciri were all on the way to Ellander. The three had signed on to a supply caravan, lead by Yarpen Zigrin, and old friend of Geralt's. The whole ride, Ciri and he had heard about the Scoia'tael, a group of non-human guerrilla fighters. The two of them, young children at the time, heard horror stories about the group, up until Geralt helped them see light, and explained why he was neutral in the conflict. However, that was after Ciri and he had wondered away from the caravan to explore. The two happened upon a group of Scoia'tael, getting ready to ambush their caravan. Ciri and he were ready to charge in, confront the squirrels, until Geralt found them.

Geralt sighed, "The two of you had no idea what type of opponent you were facing. You didn't know all the details, didn't learn everything possible. What happened? You let your emotions get the best of you, and you both almost died. Now, you want to do the same thing."

"Geralt it's not the same-."

"Yes, it is," The older Witcher snapped, "You want to go and fight these Crones. We don't know enough about them. What they even are, their strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, we still need to figure out what they know about Ciri. Do you want to jeopardize our chance at finding Ciri, so you can kill three monsters?"

He tried to string together words, however he couldn't. Geralt was right. He was thinking with his anger, not his mind. The two of them needed to find Ciri, not fight Crones. As much as he wanted to slay the three creatures, he knew there was more at stake. He needed to hear where Ciri had went from the Crones. She was his biggest priority.

Besides, there was nothing stopping him from coming back with Ciri and slaying them.

He sighed and nodded, "Fine, you're right. I… just don't feel right about leaving them alive, leaving them to lord over the people."

Geralt's eyes lightened, he nodded to him, "You're right. Neither do I, but for now we need them. Come on, lighten up a little. We're about to learn where Ciri went, let's get back to Downwarren, we'll set up camp, you need sleep."

He nodded in agreement and followed Geralt back towards the main trail. His eyes felt like they were about to shut for days. It had only felt like yesterday he was at the inn in Claywitch. He had no idea Geralt was alive, and here he was now, traveling through Velen with him. The two of them were on Ciri's trail, the trail he had thought was cold, yet he had still been on for eight years. He had finally lived out the dream he had in his childhood, of fighting monsters and men alongside the famous White Wolf, his adoptive father.

Ciri, who he had dreamed about almost every night he was out, on the path risking his life, was within his reach.

It didn't take them long to reach Downwarren, to find Clop and Roach. He wanted to protest later that night when Geralt told him they weren't training, but the old Witcher had been right, he was exhausted.

He only hoped for pleasant dreams.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_He was back in Kaer Morhen during the dream that night. He recognized himself, he looked to be 15. He scanned around the courtyard, looking for any signs of Ciri but wouldn't see any. He wasn't alone however, across from him, the Witcher Eskel was his instructor for that day. The sun beat down on his skin, and he could see the sweat dripping down the forehead of his younger self, as Eskel came at him with great quickness. He remembered that often, he would beg the Witcher to show him more of the reverse grip with his blade, and he was happy to oblige. He wondered why he didn't see Ciri, and then he felt his heart drop to his stomach, when he realized he didn't see Geralt either. _

_ He remembered this day. A day that had haunted him to that very day itself. _

_ "Alright, three strike combo, half-turn, try to knock the blade out of my hand, understand," Eskel asked him. _

_ "Got it, yeah," His younger self said, all enthusiasm gone from him._

_ Eskel sighed, but got ready in a defensive stance, holding his own blade as a man normally would. He charged at Eskel, leaping and striking low first, which the Witcher easily parried. He went to strike again for Eskel's midsection, but again with hardly any effort, Eskel knocked his blade aside. He could see the frustration on his younger self's face as finally, he spun and tried for another overhead strike. Eskel easily dodged the attacked, grabbing his arm, and knocking him to the ground face first with the flat of his blade. _

_ His fifteen-year-old self-fell into the dirt with a loud thud. _

_ "DAMMIT," he screamed rolling over onto his back, looking up at the blue sky._

_ He remembered the day even better as it unfolded. The dream he was seeing, it was a few weeks after Ciri had finally gone to Aretuza. Yennefer of course had gone with her, while Geralt took him back to Kaer Morhen. While there, he finally constructed his medallion, and continued his training. After about two weeks Geralt left the keep unexpectantly, telling him only he'd received an urgent message from Yennefer. He begged Geralt to go with him, but the Witcher fervently refused, and left him there with Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert. _

_ After spending day and night with her, training with her almost every day, seeing her, hearing her voice, her laugh, for more then three years, being in Kaer Morhen without Ciri, had felt empty to him. _

_ And Eskel was able to see it. _

_ "You're not focused," The Witcher said to him, offering him a hand. _

_ He sighed and Eskel helped him to his feet. He wiped off his shirt and picked back up his practice sword. _

_ "I'm fine, come on. Let's do it again," He muttered, walking past Eskel, back to his original position. _

_ Eskel sighed, shaking his head and meeting Dom's eyes, "No… you're not. I've seen you pull that combo off blindfolded. So… what's wrong?"_

_ "You know what's wrong Eskel," he snapped at the Witcher, tossing the practice sword to the ground. _

_ Eskel chuckled, "You know Witcher's aren't supposed to feel emotions."_

_ He rolled his eyes and sat down on a low stone wall near the training yard, "Yeah well… I'm not a Witcher."_

_ The brown-haired Witcher walked over and sat next to him, "Yes… you are. Doesn't mean you can't feel emotions, whole thing's a rumor… do you want to talk about it?"_

_ He knew Eskel was trying to be helpful, but at that moment, Dom wasn't ready to talk about anything. _

_ "No, I don't. Now come on, let's get back to it. I need to master this," He said, standing up again. _

_ Eskel laughed again, standing up and following him, "Ha, you know it takes years to master this right? There's no rush, we can-."_

_ "There is a rush! What if something happens to Ciri, and I need to go help her? I need to be ready," He said frantically, his hands gripping around the practice sword again. _

_ Eskel slowly walked over to him, his arms crossed. He sighed and shook his head, "Dom, Ciri's in good hands. You know Yennefer won't let anything happen to her."_

_ He shook his head, "I know she won't but what if something happens to Yen? Why'd she get ahold of Geralt, why'd she sound so frantic? What if something's happened?"_

_ "Dominik, you're overthinking this. She's only going to be gone for a short while, she'll be back here and the two of you will be yapping my ear off before I know it."_

_ He rolled his eyes at Eskel, "You sound like Geralt. You, him, Yen, Triss, everyone's said the same thing. 'Ciri's going to be fine'. 'Don't worry Dom, we'll protect her'. 'You're too young to be so worried, you'll see her again soon'."_

_ Eskel sighed again, and shook his head at him, "Listen. I understand, the two of you have been together a long time-."_

_ "You DON'T understand. I have to be able to protect her, I promised. We promised! Three years we've been here, three years we've been together here…" He said, feeling his tough outer shell break. _

_ Eskel put a hand on his shoulder, and met his emerald eyes with his Witcher ones, "Look, why don't we put a hold on training the next few days? Write Ciri some letters, relax, get some more sleep, then in a few days… I'll train with you on whatever you want, for as long as you want."_

_ His younger self sighed again, and he remembered the longing he felt that day. It was as if he had been taken off a life saving medication, after being on it for three straight years. Ciri was the only one who understood what he had been through, what he'd seen, had to endure. He had come to love her, more then he could express, and something as simple, as not hearing her voice wake him up in the mornings had crippled him. _

_ He was about to respond, tell Eskel how he was right, that perhaps he did need to relax and regain his mental state for a few days. However, all hopes of that were dashed when he saw Geralt enter the training yard. Looking at the dream, he could see the look of sadness, anger, regret in the Witcher's eyes. _

_ "Dominik," He said simply, making both he and Eskel turn. _

_ "Geralt," His younger self nearly yelled, rushing over to the older Witcher. _

_ He hugged Geralt tightly, and he saw Geralt hug him back, and lock eyes with Eskel as he did, he could see Eskel's face fall, the other Witcher knew what was coming. _

_ Finally, his younger self pulled back and look up eagerly at his adoptive father. _

_ "Thank the gods your back. So, what did Yen want? Have the mages finally showed Ciri to control her powers? Can she and Yen finally come back," He said, the hope in his voice. _

_ He looked at Geralt's face and could see the pain welling up in the Witcher's eyes. He noticed now, how he had never seen the Witcher so emotional, so devastated. However, his adoptive father managed to keep his composure, and look down at him._

_ "Dom… maybe we should go talk inside, there's… something I need to tell you," he said slowly. _

_ He remembered what went through his mind vividly that day. The disbelief, the shock, the anger, the pain. He realized what had happened and took a step back from the Witcher. He didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be real. _

_ "No… you can tell me now. Geralt, what… what is it," He asked, his voice beginning to crack. _

_ Geralt swallowed, and managed to meet his eyes again, "Dom… I think it's best that we sit down-."_

_ "Tell me Geralt, tell me NOW," He demanded, his voice shaking. _

_ His whole body had fallen into shock. An uncontrollable shake had overcome his fist. No, Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri herself, they had all promised everything would be okay. _

_ Geralt sucked in a deep breath and knelt, being eye level with the young Witcher now. _

_ "Dom… it's Ciri, she… she's missing," He said, and he felt the first tear fall down his face. _

_ He remembered trying to string together words in that moment, he wanted to shout, scream, but for the moment, he managed to steady his voice. _

_ "What… what happened? Missing how, what happened," He asked aggressively._

_ Geralt stood up, but kept his eyes locked with Dom's, "For the first few days, everything was fine Yen says. After a few weeks though… a man named Vilgefortz pulled a mutiny. He and a few others tried to kidnap Ciri, they wanted her blood. Ciri she… used her powers, opened a portal and escaped but… we don't know where."_

_ He turned around, away from Geralt and Eskel. He didn't want them to see him crying. He gripped his fist together so tight, he wouldn't have been surprised if he started bleeding. She couldn't be gone. She had to be out there somewhere. Ciri was strong, she'd survive, and she'd try to find him, just like they promised each other. He would find her, he promised her, he promised Queen Calanthe, he loved her, he promised to protect her. _

_ However, that didn't stop his anger. He whirled back around, sniffling and trying to stop himself from crying. _

_ He looked right into Geralt's eyes, "I told you… you and Yen I told you both…"_

_ "Dominik, Yen and I, we both-."_

_ "I TOLD YOU. I told you that sending her to that damn magic school was a bad idea. I… I begged, I begged you for weeks to keep her here, or to let me go with her something," He said, his voice starting to rise. _

_ Geralt shook his head, "Dom, you couldn't have done anything. Vilgefortz is a powerful man, we were only doing what we thought was right."_

_ All of the assurances, all the promises he had heard from them over the last few months, they all ran through his head. 'Ciri will be fine'. 'No need to worry, she won't be gone long'. 'It was for the best.'_

_ "You promised me… You, Yen, Triss, everyone you ALL," He said, pointing a finger at Geralt, it shaking in front of him, "You promised me she would be alright. You said that I didn't need to worry… that she would be back in a few months… THAT I'D SEE HER AGAIN SOON!"_

_ Geralt took a step closer to him, "I'm sorry. Yen, me, we're both sorry. We didn't expect that this would happen, how could we? That's not important right now-."_

_ He shook his head, "You PROMISED. I begged you, I begged you not to send her there. To just keep her here, when we both eventually set out on the path, we'd be fine! You… you said she'd be alright."_

_ "Dominik, we can still find her. That's why I came back, to get you, so we can go find her," Geralt reasoned with him. _

_ He took in a deep breath, and willed the tears to stop, his anger still boiling, "She wouldn't need saving if you have listened! I don't know how I knew, but I just KNEW that something bad was going to happen! Nobody will leave her the hell alone, all because of something that was out of her control! You told me she'd be okay though… and I believed you."_

_ Geralt opened his mouth to say something else, but his younger self shook his head, "I'm going to find her. I don't care how long it takes me, days, weeks, months, years even… I WILL find her. I promised… I promised I'd do anything to find her if this happened. And I will."_

_ After that, he had run from the two Witchers. He ran to this room, packed as many things into a bag as he could. He strapped his sword to his back, and ran to the stables, only to be stopped by Geralt. Geralt said that they would go together to find Ciri, and he couldn't let Dom go by himself. _

_ His younger self hadn't found Ciri in days, not in weeks, not months, and not even a year later. It had been eight years since that day, and he was now just finally, close to finding her. He would. The swallow pendant represented more then just a promise to him. It was a reminder of all the times the two had shared together, and the love he felt for her. He remembered how angry he was with Geralt, and Yennefer for so long after that. He knew now it had been irrational. _

_ It all didn't matter in the end, because now, he was closer to finding Ciri then he had ever been. _

**A/N: It's done, the spirit inside the Whispering Hillock has been slain. Dominik and Geralt will finally learn next chapter what happened to Ciri, where she went, and what she was doing there. Next chapter we'll also finally get out first Ciri POV, so we can see more about how deep their connection went. What did you think of this chapter? How did you like the flashback to Kaer Morhen? Favorite, follow, and review to let me know what you. See you all next time!  
**

**PS: Some of you may believe that the fight with the werewolf and whispering hillock spirit seemed to easy, and my reasoning behind that is well… there are two Witchers. It isn't only one like in the games, there's no difficulty setting, and having two highly trained Witcher's will make certain fights much easier especially together. **

**Don't worry, we're still going to have plenty of epic battles to come.**


	10. The Witches of Crookback Bog II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds.**

**Chapter 10: The Witches of Crookback Bog II**

**Narrator: After accepting the Crones deal Dom and Geralt set out for Downwarren, a small village in northern Velen. The two Witchers accepted the Ealdorman's contract and defeated an evil spirit that had been inhabiting the Whispering Hillock, and old tree near the village. Now with payment from the Ealdorman, they were ready to meet with the Crones again. Dom was ready to finally, after 8 long years of searching, learn where Ciri had gone.**

His head shot up from his sleeping roll, a cold sweat dripping down his bare chest and abdomen. His breathing was heavy, and right away he looked down at the swallow pendant around his neck. It was cold and dangling there like it normally was. Something however… felt different about it. He noticed his medallion didn't have the light, steady hum it normally did being around the pendant. The hot sun from the Velen countryside hit his skin, warming it, but a cold breeze quickly chilled him again.

"You okay? You were thrashing around a lot last night," He heard Geralt ask.

Sure, enough the Witcher had already arisen, and gotten into his armor. He was breathing heavily, as if his chest were about to burst. He had a nightmare. For the first time in years, he had a nightmare under normal circumstances. He met Geralt's eyes, still in his sleeping bag, his sword lay next to him, along with his armor laid out on an old log.

"Geralt I… I had a nightmare," He said shakily as he slowly rose off the ground.

Geralt finished packing things away inside Roach's saddlebag and turned to him with a confused expression.

"What was it about," He asked the younger Witcher.

He looked down at his feet, and shifted uneasily, "When… you came to tell me Ciri had gone missing. I'm… sorry I acted like a brat by the way."

Geralt shook his head dismissively, "Don't worry about it, you had a right to be angry. I thought Yen enchanted your swallow pendant, to give you good dreams."

He nodded in conferment, "She did yeah. It's worked for years… unless I fell asleep without it on, I haven't had a nightmare."

"Let me see it," Geralt asked.

Hesitantly he took the swallow pendant off his neck. After it was off, he felt as if his neck weight twenty pounds less. It felt odd not having it on. Of course, he had taken it off before, but for the last few weeks of his journey with Geralt, he didn't dare even try to remove it. He did now however and placed the silver pendant into Geralt's hands.

Geralt nodded and held the swallow up to his medallion. His wolf medallion didn't vibrate or move just like his did. He held it close to his eye, and then wrapped his hands around it, seeming to be trying to sense something. Finally, he opened his eyes, and handed the swallow back to Dom, looking at him with a slightly concerned look.

"Well, it looks like the enchantment must have worn off. Don't know the ins and outs of enchantments, but if we bring it back to Yen, or even Triss when we see her, they should be able to recast it. You'll be fine till then right," He asked him.

He nodded his head, but on the inside, he was stirring. Before the swallow had been enchanted, he had been prone to horrible nightmares. In his years at Kaer Morhen, he would often wake up, screaming, covered in sweat, unable to make it through most nights. Triss when she was there, and sometimes even Ciri would be forced to come to his room to calm him and help him fall back asleep. Ciri would often come with similar nightmares, from the massacre at Cintra.

His nightmares were more potent, however. He would see his mother, sister, friends and neighbors laying in pools of blood in the streets. The knight with the winged helmet, grabbing Ciri and trying to take her away. Triss would often come to him when she was at Kaer Morhen, she comforted him, lulled him back to sleep before casting a spell over him, to give him more pleasant dreams. Until he was sixteen and Yennefer enchanted the swallow, his nightmares only worsened. Only at that point, he didn't have Ciri or Triss to help him fall back to sleep.

He needed to be strong now however, there was nothing they could do now. The leads were coming together, and it was only a matter of time before they could find Ciri.

He nodded at Geralt, "Yeah, should be fine. Come on, let's get ready and go. I want to get this done as soon as possible."

He proceeded to put on his armor. He decided that once they did eventually make it to Novigrad, upgrading his armor may be in his best interest. Armor smiths with the capability of improving it were scarce in Velen, and it was due for an upgrade. The monsters claws, and axe of Nithral had done a number on it. He would also need to have his sword re-tooled soon. He kept it in excellent condition, cleaning it, and using a whetstone when he could, however the years had started to take their toll on his faithful blade.

He pulled on his trousers, boots and strapped on the red coat, then the leather straps over his shoulders. He tightened the straps, and grabbed his blade, pulling it onto his back, and slipping the silver dagger back into his belt. He also secretly hoped that he could find one himself, or commission a silver blade soon. The amount of wraiths, drowners and other monsters he'd been encountering in Velen made him envious of Geralt's silver.

After he was finally dressed, he turned and saw Geralt had put out their fire, and the horses were both packed. The Witcher saw him and walked over, meeting his eyes with a hard look of seriousness.

"Before we go, I need you to promise me-."

"Promise I'll keep my emotions in check… yes Geralt I promise," He finished for the older Witcher.

Geralt shook his head, "Yes that… but also I need you to promise, that no matter what we learn, what the Crones say, you'll keep your blade sheathed. Be neutral for now. Let's find out where Ciri went, and leave."

He sighed and felt his hands twitch, but he nodded, "I don't know how you expect me to be neutral in this, after what they've done."

"Do you understand what this neutrality is, which stirs you so," Geralt asked him, crossing his arms.

He felt himself freeze, remembering the exact lines that Geralt had repeated to Ciri and he so long ago.

He repeated them as if he had heard them yesterday, "To be neutral does not mean to be indifferent or insensitive. You don't have to kill your feelings. It's enough to kill hatred within yourself."

Geralt smiled and nodded at him, "Good. Now come on, time to get moving. Look on the bright-side, at least we'll get to know what happened to Ciri, where she went."

He nodded to the Witcher and went to mount up on Clop. He knew that he should feel excited, he was finally about to learn more about Ciri, where she had gone. However, he sincerely doubted that anything he learned from the Crones could be good news.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The clearing in the village was completely silent. He scanned around as he and Geralt approached the stone. It was in the center of the village, he made sure to scan all the buildings, and there was no signs of any life. The children, or any sign of them was nowhere to be seen. The wind was even silent, he heard no sounds from the swamps, or leaves rustling. The only sound he could hear, was the sound of his breath coming out of his nose, and the clanking of he and Geralt's armor.

"It's too quiet… I don't like this Geralt."

Geralt shook his head, "Neither do I… watch my back."

Geralt reached into the pocket on his belt and pulled out the severed ear of the Ealdorman. He watched as the white-haired Witcher placed it on the bloody stone in the center of the village, and the effect was instantaneous. A white mist came sprawling from the swamps. A cold breeze blew it towards them, and he felt his bones chill to the core. He could see the fire of torches extinguish, and the crunching of leaves. Geralt and he both reacted, their hands shooting to the hilts of their blades as they turned. What he saw made his stomach churn and would more then likely haunt his nightmares for years to come.

The three crones had finally decided to show themselves, their true selves.

The first one was the lankiest. Her pale pink skin splattered with blood. She spoke through a red face mask, with a black shawl over it. She had on a crude green overcoat, but it could barely be seen, seeing as it was covered by a large white sack that soaked through with blood. Out of the sack he could see severed human arms, legs and other parts of bodies that had surely been 'sacrificed' to the three crones. He saw the cord of severed ears hanging from her neck and knew now what the ealdorman's payment had been for.

The second was the largest, and could only be described as a giant pink, hunk of flesh with a basket for a head. Around it waist hung a dead rabbit, and other animals, even a few humans limbs as well. It looked like it was a giant, deformed chef, but it was the largest of the three crones.

The final wore a pointy red cap, with tattered old rags hanging off her body. A blood cluster of cloth went over her one eye, and he almost vomited when he saw bugs continuously crawling, in and out of her eye, and mouth. Like the other two, it had limbs hanging from her body, including a pair hanging from her waist.

He had seen some disgusting creatures in his travels, but none compared to that of the three crones. He didn't dare remove his hand from his blade yet.

"Sheath your weapon, young men…" The one with the legs cackled in a high voice.

"Even lovelier in real life, the both of them," The big one said in a deep drawl.

The sound of their voices made his skin feel like bugs were running across it. He looked over at Geralt, and when he saw him slowly remove his hand from his blade, he did the same. He brought his hands to his side, but they were still twitching with anticipation, incase he needed to draw his steel.

"Hm. In real life you look… different… then you were in the tapestry," Geralt said, stating the obvious.

He saw the crazy old woman slowly emerged from behind the three witches. She looked as if she could get low enough to the three beings. The one on the left, who's face looked like a red box, grabbed the old woman and shoved her forward.

"Well? Bring it here," She demanded of the woman.

He watched carefully as the old woman picked up the severed ear, taking a second to examine it. He was about to ask what was going on when the woman wailed in pain. She fell to her knees, screaming as a red mark of fire appeared on her hand. He recognized a brand of this type. He knew now why the woman was in the clearing, she was under the crones control. She must have made some kind of deal with them, and in exchange she would serve them.

"You were to bring it, not ogle it," The big Crone said in her deep, voice as the woman was shoved to the ground.

The ealdorman's ear was taken by the crown with a necklace of them, and gently slid it onto her collection, and it took all his power not to get sick over the scene.

"Never seek to cross us again," The Crone with the high-pitched voice squeaked.

"We shall forgive you this transgression," The fat crone began, "You have done well. Your children are plump as piglets, sweet as caramel…"

He felt his hair stand up on his body again. He looked over at Geralt, the shock, and anger evident in his eyes. He wanted to draw his blade then, but a stern look from Geralt made him stay his sword. Geralt carefully shook his head, indicating for him to not move yet. They still needed what they came for.

"But now… we must talk to our white-haired friend, and our most handsome young man," The high-pitched Crone said, bringing there attention back to Geralt and he.

"Come, it is another woman who interest you two brave men. Speak," The one with the red face said.

Geralt narrowed his eyes, and he could tell the white-haired Witcher was growing just as angry as he.

"You used us to tame the Whispering Hillock- a lot of work," He said in an irritated tone.

The fat Crone in the center laughed at them, "Ha, Naught's free, brave souls."

"Did you destroy the evil powers? Have you brought peace to our domain," The high pitched one asked them.

"Yes," Geralt said in a dark tone.

"So fortunate to have found such a brave knight, so able," The fat Crone said in mock excitement.

He found himself stepping next to Geralt now, unable to remain silent, "What did you need the children for, tell me. Now."

The big Crone feigned an appalled look, "Need? We? They needed us. Our care."

"Where are they, tell me right now," He said in an irritable tone.

"They are far away," The red-faced Crone said, with a finality to her voice.

"Their troubles are over," The fat one said again.

He felt his blood boil. He remembered the orphan boy who reminded him so much of himself. The way they ran, laughed, and played through the green when he saw them. No, they couldn't be gone. He had to find a way to get them back. There had to be a way.

"Tell me where they are now before-."

Geralt grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back, "Our deal- we did out part. Now, you do yours," Geralt said, casting him a sharp look.

He took in a steadying breath and managed to look back at the Crones again. It was finally time to get what they came for. Ciri.

The Crone on the left, with the red face held out her hands, "A word once given we never break."

"The girl…. Mousy blonde- that's what they call it," The high-pitched crone said from the right.

"Thin as a rail- terrified, exhausted. She could barely stand, the poor thing," The fat one continued.

He felt his brain move into overdrive. He imagined Ciri, bruised and injured, walking into the village, and the Crones knapping her. Did they send her off to wherever they sent the children too as well. He hands twitched, and his teeth grinded, using all of his self-control to keep quiet.

"We cared for her as best we could," The crone from the left said in mock sadness.

"Like she was our own daughter," The high pitched one said.

He looked and could see the frustration mounting on Geralt's face as well. Part of him wished that the older Witcher would attack, giving him the permission to finally slaw whatever these beings were. However, they needed to know more.

"Wasted affection! She proved a very naughty girl," The one from the left said.

"Mischievous, stubborn, and selfish," The high pitched one complained again.

"Shut your deformed mouths," He said, his anger finally spilling over, "The young woman we seek, would never hurt anyone without cause!"

The fat crone laughed, "Haha, oh you poor, poor young man. You've not seen her long, eight years is a very long time! She's changed for the worse."

He was about to shout again, but Geralt cut him off, "Why'd she attack you?"

"She's no longer the girl you once knew. Wraith consumes her," The one with the red face said from the left.

He heard a small growl of frustration from Geralt, but he kept eye contact with the Crones, "Don't believe you. They say you always keep your word. So, tell us everything, exactly as it happened."

The fat Crone laughed and nodded her basket head, "We shall tell you, brave boys."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She heard the loud POP, and the next thing she knew she was writhing with swamp water in her mouth. The taste of swamp water was only an afterthought to the continued bleeding from her abdomen. If the bleeding didn't stop soon, she would die. She wouldn't find any of them again, and Imlerith would pick her corpse up off the swamp floor like a sack of flour, before bringing her to Eredin.

"Come on… come on…." She said to herself, managing to pull her eyes up from the ground.

Her hair was mattered with twigs, dirt, mud, stuck to her scalp with swamp water. She reached her hand up to a small dead tree and pulled herself up to her feet. She breathed heavily, scanning her surroundings, trying to gain her bearings. She looked down and saw the bronze ring dangling from her neck. She sighed with a small but of relief, at least it hadn't been lost in the teleport.

She looked down at her gloved hand, and gently removed it from her abdomen, and saw blood completely covered her hand. She winced from the pain, and gripped it again, determined not to loose anymore blood.

"Need to stop the bleeding…. Come on Ciri think," She said as she stumbled forward from the tree.

She stumbled to her hands and knees again, seeing the bronze ring dangle down towards the ground. What would he have done in her situation? Dom was always the most resourceful person she knew, she remembered times when they would be out camping, and he would be able to weave baskets from grass, make fire from only a knife and rock, it always amazed her. He always knew his mother taught him much when he was growing up but was amazed at the extent of it.

She wondered what else he had learned, in the eight years since she had seen him. Would he even remember all the times they had spent camped in the woods near Kaer Morhen, or in the hidden cave she had found for them. It was something she thought about often, the times they spent there, sitting by the fire, her head on his shoulder as he told her stupid jokes.

"Fire… Dom… his mom…. That's it," She said, her emerald eyes widening.

She used another low tree branch, to helped herself up to her feet. She looked off and could see smoke billowing not far off. All she had to do was make it there, it had to be a fire. She gripped onto the iron chain around her neck and forced her feet to move forward. She remembered the exact day that he had told her this particular story.

The two of them were thirteen, they hadn't left to go to Ellander and the Temple yet. They had just endured a few hours studying session from their Uncle Vesemir. That night they decided to sneak some extra food, and blankets back out to the cave with them. On the way as they were running through the gauntlet as they usually did, she had fallen, picking up a bad cut along her shoulder. He had wrapped some bandages they had at the cave around them for her, and he told her the story.

His mother had been on a secret mission for her grandmother, going undercover to infiltrate a band of robbers, that had been growing in size and terrorizing the countryside. Sofia, Dom's mother had successfully infiltrated the base, and found out that the man commanding the band had grown it to a couple hundred strong. He had plans to capture a local village, and establish a larger base, before gaining even more power, and money for himself. Dom's mother stole the plans to bring to Queen Calanthe, but as she was fleeing took an arrow to the side of her abdomen.

_"An arrow stuck in her side, and she still escaped," She had asked him, completely amazed. _

_ He nodded at her, tightening the bandage around her shoulder, "Yeah, she said she was bleeding out, nearly died from losing so much."_

_ "So how did she survive then," She asked, as he sat next to her, their emerald eyes meeting. _

_ He smiled fondly at her and seeing him do so sent a tingle through her heart._

_ "Well, she built a fire, and cauterized the wound. She made the blade of her knife as hot as can be over the fire. After that she ripped out the arrow and put the blade of the knife over the wound, and the heat sealed it," He said proudly. _

_ She scoffed and looked at him amazed, "That's amazing. I wish I could pull something like that off, your mother… she was incredibly brave, and strong," She said carefully, knowing it was a touchy subject. _

_ He smiled at her, as he always did. It didn't matter what was going on, if she was upset, hurting, or needed to be cheered up in anyway, he was always there to put a smile back on her face. It didn't matter to him what he was going through… all he cared about was making sure she was happy. It was something she missed the most. _

_ He smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "She was yeah… but so are you. You've gotten me through all of this. You're the strongest, bravest, most courageous person I've ever met in my entire life."_

She was pulled out of her daydream by the smell of crackling wood. She saw the roaring orange flames of the fire. She noticed buildings sprouted up around her, she had to be in the middle of a very small village. She didn't focus on that however, because she fell to her knees in-front of the roaring flames.

She took in deep, heavy breaths, each one getting harder and harder. She pulled her knife slowly from her belt, feeling her hands grip on the blade weakening. She held the flat of her blade out over the fire and watched as the metal slowly began to glow orange and become even hotter. She took in a steadying breath, preparing for what she was about to do. She fumbled her hands neat the brazier that the fire was burning in and found a small piece of wood.

She pulled the knife out of the fire, and took in one final breath, without any hiccups.

"Okay… you can do this," She whispered to herself, struggling to get out words.

She stuck the wood between her teeth, and reached down to pull up her shirt, over her corset, and belt. She removed her hand from the wound, and saw the hole slowly spewing her blood. Her hand wrapped tightly around the ring, she tried to think of something, anything else. His face, training in the yards with Geralt, anything to take her mind off the pain.

It didn't work however she tightly pressed the flat of the blade onto her stomach.

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH," She screamed, muffled by the wood between her teeth.

If not for the stick, she would have bitten her tongue clean off, she was sure. She didn't dare remove the blade, until she felt the heat subside. It lasted for what felt like hours to her. Finally, she pulled the knife back, and saw the wound had indeed been closed, however the pain in her body had yet to subside.

The wood fell from her mouth, and she slipped the knife into her belt. Blood was still freshly wet over her clothes, but she knew now that she wouldn't die from bleeding out. She tried to get to her feet, but the exhaustion had finally overtaken her. She collapsed onto her side, and felt the pain begin to sting through her body. Her eyes began to flicker. Her hands absently reached for the chain around her neck, but barely had the energy to raise it.

She felt her eyes finally close, just as she could feel her body being lifted from the ground.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_In her dream, she recognized the crystal blue lake. It was a hot summers day, the waters were crystal blue, perfect for anyone to go take a swim. The two of them had often snuck off to do so, in the months they spent in Ellander. After a day of training with Yennefer, or Geralt, they'd pack up some food, and a few other things to come there, and the dream was off one of those days. _

_ The lake was surrounded by one shore, and a large cliff on one side, with a large tree next to it. She could see herself in the trees long, high branches, trying to climb higher. The tree was so high, that if you managed to get to a certain height, you could reach the top of the cliff, without having to go all the way around it. She felt herself smile, she didn't often have pleasant dreams, but when she did, they normally had Dom, Geralt or Yennefer in it. She was happy to see that this one had him in it, she remembered the day as the dream unfolded. _

_ She felt herself cringe when she saw her fourteen-year-old self again. She wasn't as slender as she was now, not as athletic looking, not as developed. Seeing herself from eight years ago, really put it into perspective how much she had changed. She was wearing just her underclothes, which she normally swam in. She saw as her younger self pulled herself up a branch, laboring as she finally got to the larger branch, hugging around the trees trunk. _

_ She was breathing heavily, completely exhausted from the climb so far. She couldn't see Dom, when they started climbing, he had gone up the tree incredibly quick as if he was a squirrel. He had gone up through the tree, and she hadn't seen him. _

_ "Where… where did he go," He breathed out as she refused to let go of the tree trunk._

_ She breathed out a long breath and looked out to see she was extremely high up off the ground, almost to the top of the cliff. The crystal blue water of the lake seeming to be miles away. A feeling of panic was starting to well up in her gut, it had been a miracle she made it that far as it was, but how would she even manage to make it to the top. _

_ She closed her eyes and took in deep breaths as she held the tree trunk. _

_ "What's taking you so long slowpoke," She heard behind her, making her heart nearly leap out of her chest. _

_ "You ASS," She shouted, whirling around and punching him in the arm. _

_ He was behind her but hanging upside-down like a bat from the branch over them, his legs hanging him off it. She nearly slipped off the branch from the fright but managed to steady herself enough to punch his arm while he laughed. _

_ "It's not funny," She exclaimed, only seeming to make him laugh more. _

_ He crossed his arms and smiled at her while hanging, his face even with hers. The cute smile he got when he saw her, was something that always warmed her heart. However, at that moment she wasn't very amused. _

_ He chuckled and smiled at her still though, "Come on now, you spent half your childhood in Skellige, and you're telling me you still can't climb trees?"_

_ She sighed and rolled her eyes at him, her arms crossed in defiance, "I CAN climb, just not nearly as fast as you, you go up the trees like a squirrel."_

_ "So, you're telling me that I'm the best-looking squirrel you know," He asked her, trying to control his laughter. _

_ She couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, which made him smile at point at her, "Ha, made you laugh!"_

_ She managed to get a smile to her face, feeling her chest fill with butterflies at the sight of his smile. _

_ He finished laughing and smiled at her again, "I'm sorry I scared you, I couldn't resist. Come on, we're almost to the top!"_

_ "I don't know if I can make it the rest of the way, there's barely any branches I can hold onto and I-."_

_ "You can do it, I know you can," He said with a confident smile. _

_ She sighed and shook her head, "I don't know how I feel about leaping off a giant cliff anyway."_

_ He shook his head at her, a smile still on his face, "You CAN do it. You can do anything, I've never met someone as brave, skilled, and as amazing as you. Climbing a tree is nothing."_

_ She felt her face get hot. She had always loved the cute compliments he always gave her. It was a natural skill of his. No matter the mood she was in, one compliment, or smile from him would always have made her happier. That instance was no different. She walked over to him, grabbing his upside-down face, and kissed him, placing her lips over his for several moments before pulling back. _

_ "I love those cheesy compliments… alright, how the hell am I supposed to get up there," She asked him, pulling back from him finally. _

_ She saw his cute, flustered face and couldn't help but laugh. _

_ "Oh, well um… you," He stuttered out, making her laugh even more. _

_ He laughed at himself as well, before meeting his emerald eyes with hers, "Well, mother always use to say, when climbing always grab the base of smaller branches, and don't stop moving. And most importantly, NEVER look down."_

_ She nodded, with a new look of determination on her face. He smiled at her and hefted his body up. She looked above her and saw him standing on a branch just above. _

_ "See you at the top of the cliff," He said with a smile, before leaping up, and climbing higher._

_ She felt her heart flutter again, before looking at the branches above her. With newfound determination she watched as her younger self, scaled the tree with new vigor. She still wasn't the most proficient climber in the current day, but she had gotten severely better. She saw as finally, her younger self made it to the branch near the top off the tall tree. Quickly she moved along the branch and leaped, both her feet landing on the soft grass at the top of the cliff. _

_ There, Dom was standing, smiling at her and clapping. He wasn't wearing any shirt, and she remembered how flustered she used to get at the sight. Even at a younger age, Dominik had been extremely defined. The years of training at Kaer Morhen had paid off for the boy. He hadn't grown large, and bulky like his father, he was slenderer, and graceful like his mother. His unruly brown hair blew back in the wind, and his bright emerald eyes stayed fixed on her, looking at her as if she was all that mattered in the world. _

_ "See? I told you you'd make it, great job," He said with his smile even bigger as she approached. _

_ She laughed and jogged over to the edge of the cliff. She looked down, and saw the huge drop down into the blue, crystal water. She felt a shock go up her spine, the fall was even higher then she had anticipated. _

_ Dom, seeing her face laughed and walked over to her. He chuckled lightly, placing his hand on her bare back. _

_ "Come on, we made that huge climb. Don't back out on me now," He said with a smile. _

_ Her eyes went wide as she saw a bird fly below them, and saw the water rippling below. _

_ "Um… I don't know, maybe we should-."_

_ "Nope," he said with finality, moving in front of her._

_ He met her eyes, the smile never leaving his face, "We're doing it. Don't worry, I'll hold onto you the entire way down, I won't let go I promise."_

_ She felt her chest pump, as she looked up to meet his emerald eyes, the silver swallow she had given him dangling around his neck._

_ "You promise," She asked him carefully._

_ He nodded and held out his hand, "I promise, I won't let you go."_

_ She took in a deep steadying breath and nodded, grabbing his hand. He smiled back at her widely and walked her over to the edge of the cliff. Hand in hand they looked over, and she felt a cold breeze make her shiver. He looked over and met her eyes, nodding at her. _

_ "On three, ready? One, two… THREE."_

_ "I CHANGE MY MIND," She yelled the second he said three. _

_ She tried to move away, but before she could, he wrapped his arms around her waist. With a loud whoop, he leaped from the cliff, holding her close to him around the waist. She screamed with terror, banging his chest, not daring however to let him go as she wrapped her arms around his neck. _

_ She heard him yelling excitedly, as the air rushed passed their heads. Hearing how excited he was, the happiness in his voice, made her eventually open her eyes again. She looked up and saw his smiling face and felt the air rush up through her ashen hair. She felt a thrill run up her body, freefalling, the open-air rushing through her body, being held by the person she loved. She felt herself laughing as they sped towards the water, with the both of their feet eventually hitting the crystal blue, sending them both under. _

_ She felt her eyes open, and in the water, she saw Dom across from her, their hands still connected. The two of them both broke above the surface, laughing together. She wiped the hair that was stuck in-front of her eyes to the side and saw him flip his locks of brown hair back behind his head as he laughed. _

_ She felt her chest begin to pump even faster, as a thrilling feeling ran through her. While still laughing, he looked down and met her eyes, as his arms wrapped around her waist again. _

_ "Haha, sorry, I couldn't let you back out. I knew you'd have fun as soon as you jumped," He said happily, the big, goofy smile not leaving him. _

_ She laughed and smiled and looked down at the swallow dangling from his neck. Since they had originally left Kaer Morhen for Ellander, she had never seen him without it around his neck. She felt the bronze ring he gifted her dangling from her own neck. The two had agreed whenever they went to spend time together like this, they wouldn't bring up the situation they were facing. With her, possibly having to leave for Aretuza. However, the feeling she had now, being in his arms, laughing, smiling, feeling the love he gave her… she didn't want to lose it. _

_ Without saying a word, she gently grabbed his face, but kissed him fiercely. He was shocked at first, but it didn't take long for him to reciprocate, hugging her tightly as he held her close, both of their feet keeping them afloat in the water. Eventually when she finally needed to breath, she reluctantly pulled back, and met his emerald eyes, her face flustered, a small smile on her face. _

_ She almost laughed at the shocked, but goofy smile he had. He chuckled and met her eyes again._

_ "What was that for," He asked her, bringing one hand up to stroke across her cheek. _

_ She looked deep into his emerald irises and cupped his face._

_ "Never let me go," She said, her voice almost cracking, "Never forget about me… please."_

_ She hoped he didn't ask her any questions, and thankfully she got what she wanted. He didn't ask her what she was referring too, and only smiled at her, making her heart pump even faster. He stroke her cheek with the back of his hand and didn't stop smiling at her. _

_ "Never… I promise."_

_ She smiled, feeling her face go red again, only for it to be made even redder when he met her lips with his again, and kissed her. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Her pleasant dream was interrupted by the cold hand of reality. Her eyes shot open when she heard a loud piercing voice.

"Does she sleep," A high pitched voice asked excitedly.

"Like a lamb," A deeper voice said, just as excited.

"Come sisters, no point in dawdling. The table's set the cauldron bubbles," The deepest voice said excitedly.

A panic ran through her body. It seemed her saviors were the crones of Crookback Bog she had been warned about, however now they weren't exactly planning on saving her for long. She reached for her neck and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the ring and looked above to see her sword leaned against the top of her bed. The wound in her abdomen was still causing her pain, but the trick with the fire and dagger had worked to stop the bleeding.

"We cannot! You know she is meant for him," The first voice screeched, her tone full of fear.

Him could only mean one person, but she decided to listen further, hoping she could get more information.

"Imlerith will get her, he will. But not whole," The deepest voice said again.

"Well said! We'll just have a sample," The second voice said excitedly.

She needed to leave. She knew she couldn't count on Imlerith killing the Crones for killing her, he and Eredin didn't need her alive, she had to escape again. She had to find a cure for the curse, and more importantly she needed to find Dom, Geralt, Yennefer, anyone who could help her.

"I'll take her feet! Lovely, hmm, plump. Perfect for a broth," The deepest voice said again, far too excitedly.

"Ohhh I can taste it already…. Very well. Get on with it," The high-pitched voice said again.

She had heard enough. She whirled around on the bed and reached for her blade. The first steps she took were rough, she felt her abdomen light on fire with pain, but managed to keep moving. She darted towards the window, throwing her blade out, and climbing out herself as soon as she heard the door open. She fell to the ground with a wince, but grabbed her sword, whipping the sheath around her back she got to her feet.

"Oh, you'll regret that girl, regret it dearly," She heard, before she ran off into the swamp.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She felt the snows begin to fall and willed her feet to move her faster. She was ankle deep in swamp water before the first portal ripped open next to her. She barely had time to draw her blade before the beast of the hunt was on her. She ducked down, and brought her sword up in a wide arc, slicing the beast in half, not letting her feet stop moving. She had heard the skeletal horse in the distance, and she needed to move.

A second portal ripped to her left, and she had time to teleport just out of reach of the beasts jump. She heard it leaped from behind her. She hauled to a stop, spinning back around and teleporting through the beast, slicing it in half. She may have been able to move now, but she couldn't tarry she knew that. She cut down beast after beast as she ran, not letting her feet take a moment off.

Finally, she ran up a small hill, and a new portal didn't open. She ducked down to the left, towards bushes and shrubs, trying to hide herself from view. She heard the loud pounding of hooves getting closer, Imlerith was close and she needed to hide.

She found herself near a large tree, a branch just within her reach. She took a deep breath and remembered the dream she just had.

"Grab the base of smaller branches…. Don't stop moving... and never look down," She repeated to herself, leaping up to grab the base of the branch.

With what strength she had, she pulled her body upwards. She got up the tree in seconds, and leaned against the base, shielded from the view below by the large leaves on the tall branches. She saw him after another moment, the large skeletal armored horse came into her view through the leaves. She saw him scan the area, and her hand itched near her blade. The giant horse brayed, and Imlerith pulled the reins around, and rode of with speed back towards the village she had come from.

She sighed with relief and climbed her way back down. She managed to land on her feet, after leaping down from the tree. She took in a deep steadying breath and looked down at the ring dangling from her neck, and despite the situation a small smile crossed her lips.

"Thanks… soon, I'll see you soon," She said hopefully, before turning and sprinting away from the village.

She leaped over branches, ducked under fallen trees, not wanting her feet to stop. She needed to think what her next move should be. If she was going to break the curse, she needed help, she couldn't do it alone. She needed to find help. Dom was her first option, firstly she knew that he would know some way on how to get what she needed, and secondly, because she hadn't seen him in almost eight years, the boy she fell in love with was a man now. If she could find Dom, she would also more then likely find Geralt, or Yennefer.

She would make for Novigrad when she could, that was the closest major city, and if she was going to find them, it would be a start.

She got so caught up thinking about what she was going to do, she didn't recognize the stone pointing out from the ground, and next thing she knew, she was tripping down into a gulley.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His blade was out before they could even finish what they were saying.

"YOU TRIED TO KILL HER! YOU WERE GONNA BUTCHER HER LIKE AN ANIMAL AND EAT HER, I'LL KILL YOU FOR THAT," He screamed, his blade pointed towards the three Crones.

He felt Geralt try to grab his shoulder but ripped it away from him, "That's… that's what you did with the children? Isn't it!?"

He felt his entire stomach light up with a hot rage, a rage so furious he hadn't felt it in years. The feeling welling up inside her gut was unquenchable, he wanted to slice the three of them into pieces. He wanted to feel happy, relieved, he had actually learned where Ciri had gone, he was only a few weeks behind her trails, they were so, so close.

However, despite the news, rage filled his stomach, he wanted the people who tried to hurt her dead.

"Her blood, the taste brought back memories of our youth," The largest Crone said, completely unfazed by his outburst.

"Elder Blood. Extraordinary girl, but you knew that. Such a shame she fled," The high-pitched Crone said with longing.

She went to lunge, he took a step forward, but he underestimated how quick Geralt was. The older Witcher wrapped his arms around his neck and yanked him backwards.

"Let me go Geralt," He screamed, flailing in the Witcher's arms.

"Stop, NOW," Geralt yelled to him, holding his arm out, not letting him past.

He had never seen such a look of fury in Geralt's eyes. It trained on him first, then looked back to the Crones, and the high pitched on laughed hysterically.

"Oh haha, the effects of young love, you pick them well boy," She said, as if he weren't ready to kill them.

Geralt's furious yellow eyes turned to the Crones, "He's right, we won't let you hurt anyone else. She may have escaped you, but we're going to find her, and after we do. We'll come back together, all three of us, and kill you all."

He felt the rage in his gut untighten at Geralt's words. He gripped the handle of his blade so hard; his fingers began to turn white. He thought about the young children he had failed to save, and the danger Ciri was still in. These Crones were part of the reason, whether it killed him or not, he would return for them, ad he would end them.

"You'll return, you shall. Our fates are bound," The high-pitched crone cackled.

"And one will die. But it shan't be one of us," The crone with the red face said darkly.

He saw the large crone's basket head turn on him, "Now you shall both chase shadows, and wander midst fog."

"Each time you see her, she will be a mirage," The high-pitched one said in a delighted tone.

"And when you do find her… the girl shall die, hehehehe," The one with the red face said again.

"You'll have to kill me first, if you want any chance at killing her," He said to the three of them, the venom dripping out of his words.

All three of them cackled. The breezing mist ran through his hair again, the fog began to roll in. The three crones cackled, taunting them, and walked back towards the fog, wading into it, and disappearing before their eyes. After they were finally gone from his vision, he felt himself let out a shaky breath, as the silence overtook the village again. The wind blowing through the bushes and trees had gone.

He shakily sheathed his sword back onto his back, and felt the anger whir up inside him again.

He turned around to Geralt, and met the Witcher's eyes, "You should have let me cut them down Geralt! They tried to KILL CIRI!"

Geralt's eyes hardened at him, "And you would've been killed before I could save you, you're not in the right frame of mind."

"What the fuck do you mean!? They almost killed Ciri, they were going to butcher her and give he to the hunt, they deserved it," He yelled back at him.

"They did, but they'll get what they deserve, and we'll give it to them, just not now," Geralt told him, trying to keep his voice calm.

He took in a deep, shaky breath, and turned from the Witcher. He felt his eyes begin to well, anger, hope, all filling his body at the same time. After years, and years of chasing nothing but ghosts, not knowing if his search was for naught… he was finally on her trail for real. She had been seen in the exact spot he was standing, only a few weeks prior. She was alive, and he could figure out where she was.

Geralt was right. All that mattered was finding Ciri now. He didn't have to not be angry at things that happened along the way or ignore what he saw. However, all that mattered to him, truly in his heart was finding her.

And when he finally did, the two of them would return to all the places he visited, and right every wrong.

He sighed and turned, meeting Geralt's eyes, "Should… we go check the swamp where they said she ran off? Maybe we can pick up a trail?"

Geralt's face softened, and he shook his head, "There's no need, because the leads make sense now."

He looked at the older Witcher curiously, "What are you talking about?"

"We had two leads in Velen, that she met the witches, and then spent time at the Baron's castle. It's obvious what happened now, Ciri escaped here, and somehow ended up at the Baron's castle," He explained to the young Witcher.

He felt a small smile creep up onto his face, "Then that's our next stop, let's go meet this 'Bloody Baron'."

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I think it's time. Let's head back to the inn, restock, resupply, then later tonight we'll head out to the castle."

His smaller smiled, turned to a full one, "And soon we'll know exactly where Ciri went… let's hope that the Baron is freer with his information then the Crones were."

Even as he said the words, he doubted they would be true.

**A/N: So, for the first time in eight years, Dominik had heard from someone that they've seen Ciri alive, that she is indeed back on the continent. It's a huge moment for our young Witcher, who for years has felt like he was chasing a ghost. Next chapter, we get to meet the Bloody Baron, in my opinion, one of the best written side characters ever. How will he and the Young Wolf get along? How did you all like getting a Ciri POV? What do you think of things from her perspective? Follow, favorite and leave a review telling me what you thought!**

**PS: Trust me, the Crones have much more planned for our Young Wolf. He may not have gotten a prophecy, or prediction for his future now… but as you know we haven't seen the last of them. Stay tuned…**


	11. The Bloody Baron

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 11: The Bloody Baron**

**Narrator: It turned out Ciri had suddenly appeared in Crookback Bog and happened upon the Crones. The beastly sister's quarreled, unsure if they should eat her, or turn her over to the Wild Hunt. Ciri escaped before they could make their decision, Dom and Geralt deduced that after this, she found her way to the company of the local Baron. Dom and Geralt then set out for Crow's Perch, to meet the man the locals called 'The Bloody Baron'**

"When you said you rarely get lucky as a Witcher… you really meant it didn't you," he said, his teeth chattering as Geralt helped him from the water.

Geralt chuckled as Dominik felt himself shivering from the cold draft of the cave.

"Yeah, I really did. Sometimes decisions come back to haunt you, it's all about weighing the risks versus the rewards," he explained to the young Witcher.

"And the reward for getting out of this cave… seeing the Baron and finding out where Ciri went, come on, find a way up," He said, as the two of them continued forward.

It hadn't been as easy as they both expected to go and see the Baron. The people inside the walls of Crow's Perch ran in fear of them as soon as they crossed the bridge. They recognized them as the ones who slaughtered the Baron's men at the inn at the crossroads. After having to fight off two of the guards, who tried to kill them, they found the gates to the inner castle, and the Baron locked. After some cursing, and him nearly knocking out the Baron's guard from through the gate, they decided to find another way in through the castle.

After finding an older man willing to talk to them in the village, They paid him off with some coin, and they got the information they needed. There was a cave on the side of the castle, that could lead them inside the castle. The two of them found it, but they were unable to avoid the swim underwater.

"I thought you liked swimming, you and Ciri snuck off to that lake in Ellander, and the one at Kaer Morhen all the time," Geralt said as they walked through the dreary blackness, his hand ignited with Igni.

He felt his face get hot, and his chest pump faster as he turned to the older Witcher, "How did you-."

"You'll learn by the end of this journey Dom, that I knew about basically all you and Ciri's little escapades. The nighttime training sessions, the kitchen raids, swimming trips, basically everything," Geralt said to him with a smirk.

He sighed and rolled his eyes, "At least he doesn't know about the cave," He said quietly to himself.

"Check it out, there's light up ahead," Geralt said, putting the fire out in his hands.

He sighed in relief that Geralt hadn't heard him and looked up ahead. Surely enough, the light from the setting sun could be seen coming through into the cave. A ladder led upwards, and he assumed that this was the well that the old man was talking about. Geralt motioned for him to remain silent, and it made sense seeing as they were about to enter a castle who's men tried to kill them an hour before.

He followed closely behind Geralt, who climbed up the ladder, into the sunlight above. The sun was getting closer to setting, but the light still shone bright in his eyes when he eventually made it above ground.

He took in a long breath of fresh air, happy to be out of the dreary cave. He scanned their surroundings, and saw they were in quite a lovely garden. Purple, yellow, red all sorts of colored flowers were growing in the soil, and along the fences. He looked to his right and saw they were right next to the main castle. The trees rose over bits of the garden, but he didn't see any guards. He looked over to see Geralt who was waiting near an archway, leading to a new section of the garden, he gestured for him to join.

Silently he did and saw the scene before them.

At a table was what appeared to be a Nilfgaardean general, with soldiers flanking him, sitting across from a large man. He was armored, with gauntlets and hunting boots. He could see a sword on his hip, and a large hunting knife attached to his breastplate and a leather bandolier, finished off with a brown cap over his grey hair. He assumed this had to be the Baron.

"In Vizima, now those were balls! Attended a few me and my Annie, oh how we danced," The large man said excitedly.

The man was clearly a bit drunk, or at least buzzed, he had been like that plenty himself to know the signs. He made a big scene of twirling around an old cleaning woman with a broom. He met Geralt's eyes, wondering what their next move should be. Geralt gestured for him to follow, and carefully the both of them walked through the archway, into the garden.

The Nilfgaardean general clearly wasn't amused by the large man's antics, "Enough! I don't care how you do it, but the deliveries must be made weekly."

"Won't you stay for tea," The Baron asked in an amused tone, clearly trying to make a joke of the Black Ones.

Dom had to stop himself from laughing but watched as the general looked over and met the eyes of Geralt and he.

"No, besides, you've two more guests," The man said, before he and his soldiers clanked away in their armor.

Geralt moved forwards towards the man, and Dom followed closely next to him. As they got closer to the Baron, he could smell a mixture of wine, beer, and smoke from the man. However, he could see the intelligence, and experience in the old mans eyes. He smiled at the two and laughed, raising his arms as they approached.

"Haha! Our defenders of the downtrodden. Greetings," He said with a sly smile on his face.

"Looks like news gets around quicker then we thought in Velen," He said with a roll of his eyes.

The Baron laughed again, "Ha that it does," He said, looking the two of them in the eyes with a plan seeming to form.

"When I learned you'd both slaughtered my men, I thought I'd have you captured and hanged. Or at least flogged. But then I thought, a couple of tough cockers if they can best that lot of cutthroats," The man explained with a smile.

"Wasn't really that hard…" He muttered, feeling his boots squelched from the wetness.

The Baron cackled, "HA, headstrong lad you raised here," He said looking to Geralt, "I can see now why you trained him to be a Witcher."

Geralt's eyes narrowed at the man, and Dom felt his mind go a mile a minute. Upon seeing Geralt, it was obvious he was a Witcher. However, how could the Baron possibly know he himself was a Witcher? Let alone that Geralt had raised him.

"How do you-," Geralt started.

The Baron waved him off, but kept his smirk, "I thought a couple of men like them could prove useful…" He said in a slow drawl.

A clap of thunder could be heard overhead, as clouds rolled across the sky. He met Geralt's eyes and he knew they were both thinking the same thing. He nodded to give Geralt the okay, and Geralt looked back at the Baron.

"Useful? How so," The Witcher asked carefully.

The Baron laughed and smiled broadly again, "That's the spirit! The three of us will work well together- I can already tell. This way, before the bloody rain sets in."

The man walked closer to them, and just before walking past them he turned back to meet their eyes, "One thing- you'd best behave this time. Remember, I've still to decide what to do with you. Which I shall do, after we've spoken."

Geralt and he both nodded in understanding. The Baron then strode past them, towards the castle, just as the rain began to pour down on them. He was unable to get a read on the Baron from their first engagement. He seemed like a normal warlord to him so far, and he had met a few. He only hoped that Ciri was there as a guest, and not a type of prisoner. Either way, it was imperative they figured out what he knew, so he'd play along.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Make yourself at home," The Baron said, as he felt the fire warm his bones.

They were in a longer room, which he assumed had to be the Baron's workplace, and dining hall. A roaring fire was in the hearth, and it was the first thing he went too. He took of his brown gloves and held out his bare, callused hands over the flames. After their slog through the cave, he was happy to have some warmth again. The rain, and clouds blocked the sun, but there would still be some hours of daylight left, and he assumed the sun wouldn't be coming back.

"Now, where'd I put the bloody vodka…" The Baron said questioningly.

He rubbed his now warm hands together, before slipping back into his damp gloves and turning, just in time to see the Baron find the bottle.

"Ah, there it is! A snifter," He asked the two Witcher's holding the bottle up.

Geralt looked at him and nodded, and Dom sighed in relief. After the morning he had, their confrontation with the Crones, he felt he'd need more than a snifter.

"Why not," Geralt said with a shoulder shrug.

Dom scoffed and came up next to Geralt, "After the last few weeks I've had, gladly."

The Baron let out a hearty laughed and pulled three small shot cups from his table. He stood in front of a large decorated chair and uncorked the bottle.

"Ha, I knew I liked the sound of you," The man said with a smirk.

He watched the glasses fill up, and looked curiously at the man, "What do you mean, the sound of me?"

The baron slid the cups over to Geralt and he, "In due time lad. Now, with Foltest dead and Natalis' whereabouts unknown… bloody hell, who's a loyal Temarian to drink to these days?"

He heard Geralt chuckle, as they both picked up their cups, "Himself and his company?"

"Fair enough," The Baron said, placing the bottle down.

Together, the three of them raised their cups and down the vodka. He felt the alcohol slide down his throat, a pleasant fiery sensation, that was nice to have with how he'd been lately. He placed the cup down onto the table following Geralt and the Baron. He let out a breath and watched as the Baron lowered himself into the chair. He nodded to the two Witchers and met their gazes.

"To the matter at hand- I'm Phillip Strenger, though the blobtits 'round here call me the Bloody Baron," The man said, kindly introducing himself.

Geralt nodded to the man first, "Geralt of Rivia. Blobtits call me the Butcher of Blaviken."

"Dominik of Cintra," He said, as soon as Geralt had finished, "Blobtits don't have a nickname for me yet, but I'm sure they'll think of one soon enough."

The Baron nodded in greeting, but kept a calculating look on his face, as if he was trying to gage what their reactions would be.

"I know who you both are. Truth be told, it's the only reason we're talking," he said ironically.

He crossed his arms and met the Baron's eyes again, looking wonderingly at the older man, "Hearing about Geralt I can understand, what with the poems, ballad's and all. However, there's no songs about Dominik of Cintra… how do you know who I am?"

The Baron smiled slyly, "Well… let's just say I recently heard of a few of your exploits from a very reliable source. So… Dominik, Geralt, how do you like it here in Velen?"

He rolled his eyes, and Geralt grunted at the Baron, "Lovely place, swamp's, bogs, marshes everywhere."

"What's not to love," Dom said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

He had intended for the sentence to be a joke, however it seemed to e exactly the answer the Baron was looking for. He smirked at the two Witchers and nodded.

"Exactly," The man said, looking away for a moment, before turning back to them, his gaze turning serious, "Someone loses their way 'round here, he becomes hard to find."

Over the years he had many difficult conversations with people before. He could tell when someone was beating around the bush, when they were trying to get at something, but wouldn't spill it out. The Baron clearly wasn't a drunken idiot, he could tell. The man was smart and knew what he was doing. He was testing the two of them, wanted something from them.

Geralt apparently could see the same thing, "What are you getting at?'

The Baron met both of their eyes now, no longer appearing to be a jolly drunken man. His tone was serious, and he could tell that his words had deeper meaning.

"Many have lost loved ones here. Some their wives, other's their daughters…" He started slowly, before turning and meeting his emerald eyes, with his older, weathered brown ones, "and other's… their lovers."

The light switch went off in his head. He turned to Geralt, who's eyes narrowed at the Baron, "Get to the point already," he said angrily.

The Baron smirked, knowing he had them where he wanted them both, "Ciri. That's why the two of you have come, isn't it?"

He let out a relieved breath, taking a step closer to the man, his eyes wide, "So she has been here. Please, you need to tell me what happened to her, where she came from, where she's gone!"

The Baron laughed and leaned back in his large chair, "Ha, I remember being so young, and in love."

He felt his heart thump a little faster, as Geralt leaned closer to the man, "Answer the question."

The Baron leaned forward, resting his hand on his knee, keeping their gaze, "She showed up some time ago-exhausted, wounded, and stinkin like a soaked hound after a hard hunt... Later I learned she'd come from the swamps. Said some beasts attacked her before she could reach the village…."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The tumble she took falling down the rocks wasn't even close to the worse fall she'd ever had; however, it didn't mean it was pleasant. She could feel her entire body bruising, and while the Crones had intended on eating her, whatever they had done to heal her had worked. She didn't feel even close to one hundred percent, however she was able to lift herself up off the ground, spitting out dirt and mud.

"Oof, that was close," She said, managing to steady herself as she stood.

She stretched out her stomach, and the wound she had cauterized was sealed still, thankfully. Her sword hadn't been lost, or come detached in the fall, and she looked down, confirming that the ring was still attached to the iron chain. She sighed in relief when it was, she had almost lost it, years ago when she was forced to fight in the arena. Another time she almost lost in after a teleport, so she made a point to always check for it.

The sight of the ring reminded her of the current situation. She managed to move forward, taking a few shaky steps at first before she was steady.

"I must leave this place… find the nearest village," She said to herself, breaking out into a jog.

She saw her surroundings and quickly deduced that she had fallen into a gulley, a small stream running down the center. Her boots splashed into the water as she jogged, the bruises on her body an afterthought. She needed to find somewhere she could recover fully, before setting out to find them again.

As she ran, she thought, where could Dominik be? Or Geralt, or Yennefer? The fact she landed in Velen was a plus. She knew that Dominik would never be anywhere south of where Cintra had been, it was too close to Nilfgaardean territory for him. Her father, if he learned who Dom was, or worse that nature of the relationship they shared, he would more then likely have him executed.

The thought made her wonder, if Yennefer or Geralt ever told him about her father after Rivia. If they had, what would he think of her now? Would he still feel the same for her, after learning she was the daughter of the man who massacred his family?

She knew he had survived Rivia, she had learned only that when she came back to save Geralt. Triss had saved him that day, so she knew he still had to be out there somewhere.

She hoped that he was still searching for her as well. It had taken her a few years to start keeping her promise again, but now her two goals lined up. Defeating the Hunt and finding him again like they had promised.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the howling of wolves, and snarling coming from close to her.

"Go away! Go away, you stupid wolves," A young girl yelled.

She saw the scene unfolding, a pack of five wolves were barking, snarling up a tree, trying to get at the young girl who was perched atop a branch. Her hand to her blade straight away, she unsheathed it, and as she did teleported forwards, swinging her sword horizontally, with enough force to slice one of the wolves in half.

She hoisted her blade up, and managed to spin around another leaping wolf, before bashing another one into the ground. She sliced through the one on the ground, before ducking and rolling under another one who leaped. She came up and one's claws with her blade, killing it instantly. Three more faced her down, snarling and snapping rabid jaws at her. After everything she had survived, she wasn't going to let a pack of wolves be her downfall, no matter how exhausted, tired and hungry she was. They all leaped as one, and she zoomed away, teleporting behind one, before slicing it through, and perfectly transitioning into a spinning attack that killed another. She finished her spin just as the last beast leaped, and she turned, thrusting her blade into it, ending the final wolf.

She sighed in relief when they all lay dead at her feet. She poked the wolves corpses with her blade, confirming they were dead, before sliding the sword back behind her back.

She felt her lip bleeding, and she had a massive headache, but managed to smile at her work. She turned to the young girl, still perched atop a tall branch of the tree nearby.

"You can come down, it's safe now," She yelled, walking towards the base of the tree.

With surprising swiftness and skill, that reminded her of Dominik when they were younger, the girl scaled down the tree, landing on the water in front of her.

The girl could have been no older then eight, or nine, wearing a pink shirt, over a white blouse, and long black trousers. She appeared to be thing as a rail, her blade hair done down in a braid on her shoulder, her brown eyes full of worry, and sadness.

"Hello there," Ciri said, looking down at the girl, "Are you lost?"

The girl looked down, the sadness evident in her body language, "A little, I guess. Are you?"

She chuckled and gave the girl a warming smile, "Yes I am. Though also just a little."

The brown-haired girls eyes flicked slightly, as she looked up at Ciri, "Does that mean… you know which way to go?"

She looked up at the stars, and found the largest, brightest one in the sky. Suddenly, she flashed back to the multiple times she had been lost in the woods around Kaer Morhen when she and Dominik has first arrived. She had always insisted she knew where they were going, but always ended up getting them even more lost. When she got worried, he would smile at her and look up into the sky, and found what he called _'Polaris, The North Star.'. _

_"Mother used to say, as long as you can find Polaris, you can find your way home. It always leads you North, so if Kaer Morhen is to the east, all we go is find the North Star, then we can go to the right, that's east!"_

She found herself smiling at the star. It had been this advice that had helped her escape the Korath desert. He had been helping her from the moment she disappeared.

She looked down to meet the girls eyes again, she gently smiled, "Not quite yet. But we'll find the way if we set off together," She said smiling.

The young girl slowly nodded, before Ciri noticed her eyes fall to her abdomen, the blood staining her shirt and belt.

"What happened to you," The girl asked worriedly.

She chuckled lightly, getting down to one knee, becoming eye level with the younger girl, "This? Hm, it's nothing…. Why don't you tell me where you live?"

The girl's eyes still shone with worry, but answered Ciri's question, "In Lindenvale. They'd see to your wounds there."

The idea of getting to a village, having her wounds cleaned sounded delightful. However, the girl had gotten lost in these woods all by herself. The area around Crookback Bog was dangerous.

"How did you wind up here," She asked her carefully.

"My father brought me," The girl said, slowly becoming less nervous to answer her questions, "Told me to follow the trail of treats and eat my fill. He said he would wait."

Ciri felt an uneasy feeling begin to grow in her stomach as the girl continued.

"So, I started down the trail, but then I saw a butterfly, and I ran to catch it… and I lost my way," She told her sadly.

The idea of returning to the village with the girl, suddenly didn't sound so inviting. If the girl had gotten lost, then her father should have run after her. The uneasy feeling that had been welling up grew, as she carefully worded her next question.

"Your father… why did he have you follow the trail of treats? Do you know?"

The bit of optimism that had seemed to be building up in the girl suddenly vanished, as she looked down at her feet again.

"Because… we had naught to break our fast with," She said in a low, sad voice.

"I don't understand…" Ciri asked wonderingly.

"I was naughty, broke a jug… spilled all our milk," The girl said, kicking the dirt beneath her.

Ciri gave the young girl a reassuring smile, "Your parents must have been angry."

"Mother said I should be spanked, but father said 'twouldnt do no good- too many mouths to feed anyway…. Sending me down the trail of treats would solve things," The girl finished explaining, finally connecting the puzzle for Ciri.

The idea of the young girl in front of her going to the village the Crones had been… made her stomach twist. She would have to have a long talk with the girls parents, when they did make it back.

She nodded to the girl, deciding not to frighten the girl anymore, "You and your father-when did you leave home?"

"This mornin," The girl said, the optimism in her voice slowly returning.

"And did the sun warm your face… or your back," Ciri asked, remembering another trick Dom had taught her, that he had learned from his mother.

"It… warmed my back," The girl said after a moment of thinking.

She smiled and with a bit of pain managed to get up to his feet, "Then we must go east, which is…" She said, looking up and once again finding Polaris, and turning to the right, which lead down the gully further, "This way. Come, I'll walk you home. And explain to your parents that they must not lose their children in the woods."

The girl's eyes suddenly widened, and she shook her head, "We can't go home. Cause of the wolf king and his pack…"

Ciri laughed shaking her head, "No kings among wolves."

"These have one," The young girl exclaimed, her voice with a tone of finality.

"And you've seen him," Ciri asked.

The girl nodded vigorously, "Yes! I mean, no. From behind a tree. He was huge, with giant eyes, and great fangs, and he was terribly, disgustingly horrific!"

Ciri's mind whirred, what could the girl possibly be referring too? She decided that they didn't have the time to worry now, she pointed to the blade on her back.

"See what I got here on my back," She asked the girl with a confident smile.

The girl nodded in confirmation and Ciri kept her smile, "Wolves fear it. Kings do too. Come, I'll help you up, we must go this way," She said, pointing towards the ledge leading further down their path.

The young girl still seemed to be worried but gave Ciri a nod. She helped her up the ledge, before with pain flaring in her abdomen, climbed up herself. She looked at the path forward and saw the water from the stream pick up again and run further down. Her boots were soaked through with mud and water, while she was sure she had the smell of mud, dirt and blood all over her.

She made sure to keep the girl close, as she could hear more wolves howling through the trees. She would need to figure out what her next move was once she got the girl home. Being in Velen, the idea of going to Novigrad was becoming more and more appealing. It was the closest major city, and she would surely be able to find some type of information there. Velen was in Temaria, and while she knew it was occupied by Nilfgaard, she hoped that it being a neutral city, meant Dom may have stopped there.

Or if he couldn't find him, Oxenfurt was close, and she knew that Dandelion frequented the city. The bard was well connected and could possibly help her.

"Why are you wearing a ring around your neck," The girl suddenly asked her, breaking her from her thoughts.

She looked down next to her, and saw the young brown-haired girl looking up at the bronze ring dangling from her neck.

Ciri laughed a little, "Ha, and why do you want to know?"

The girl looked at her inquisitively, "My father and mother have them around their fingers. Never seen no one wear one around their neck before."

She felt her heart begin to pump a little faster, and she felt a small smile come to her face. It had been ages since she had talked to anyone about him, he had only seemed to exist in her dreams and thoughts.

She held the ring up in her palms, "Well you see someone… very dear to me… he gave it to me a long time ago. I… haven't seen him in a while, it reminds me of him."

"Why haven't you seen him in a while?"

She felt herself sigh, before letting the ring dangle back around her beck, the cold bronze hitting her neck.

"Some… bad things have happened. I hope to see him again soon. He's the one who taught me how to find what direction to go, by reading the stars, and the sun," She told the younger girl, not wanting to go too into the details.

Their conversation was interrupted by the howling of another wolf pack. Ciri's head shot around to the larger gulley in-front of them. Another pack of six wolves had take to devouring a carcass on the gulley floor. She wondered what could possibly be causing them to act so rabid. The moment they set eyes on the two of them, they bared their fangs and made to attack.

"Wolves," The girl yelled again.

"Hide, now," Ciri yelled, just as they ran to charge.

The first one leaped high for her, she spun and slashed it down into the ground. The spin helped her find her way right in-front of another wolf which met the same fate as the last. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she teleported to away just in-time, missing a wolf lung at her neck.

The teleport brought her right to another wolf who lunged, just barely missing across her chest. She side-stepped it and brought her blade down to end it. The snarling jaws of the next wolf gave it away, as she turned and teleported through another. She struck down two more with a perfectly executed pirouette, and before she knew it, the pack of them all lay dead before her.

She let out a deep sigh and sheathed her blade. She looked over and saw the girl peering at her from behind an old fallen tree.

"You can come out now," She yelled, keeping a reassuring smile on her face as the girl approached.

The girl ran back to her side, stepping over the wolf corpses. She looked up at Ciri, her eyes full of amazement.

"My you're brave. Even my father couldn't do that," She said with an awed tone.

The mention of fathers made her think of Geralt, and it brough a smile to her face, "Heh, mine could do a lot more."

She remembered when she fought with Geralt at Strygga Castle, the first time she had ever been able to fight side by side with him. She remembered asking him after the battle had ended, why Dom wasn't with him. The old Witcher had explained how Dom quite literally never stopped looking for her, he left Geralt to travel alone when Geralt tried to get him to come back to Kaer Morhen for the winter.

She wanted nothing more, then for the three of them to finally be able to fight together, side by side.

"Come on, we should continue-."

"Look! There's something over here," The girl said before she could finish.

Ciri looked to where the young girl was pointing, and her own eyes widened. She approached the downed tree and saw what the girl had been pointing too. Her nose wrinkled and she felt her stomach crawl when she saw the corpse. It was the corpse of a man, the bottom half of his body completely severed. His intestines were sprawled out below him, his mouth agape, the other half of the boat hurled across to the other side of the gulley.

"Wait here. Don't come any closer," Ciri told the girl sternly, not wanting her to see the body any closer.

"But…"

"No buts. Stay here. I must see something," She said with finality, approaching the corpse.

She took in a deep breath and knelt to one knee in front of the dead man. She couldn't help but think of the first time she had come across a corpse like this. She and Dominik had been returning from a walk through the woods around Ellander. The two of them decided to take the longer way and passed through a field of white flowers and tall trees.

They were walking when Dom had almost tripped over a severed leg. The two novice Witcher's had followed the trial of blood to a body slumped against the tree. It's stomach had been ripped open, it's ribs crushed. After carefully examining the body, the two were able to deduce it was a werewolf attack. After figuring that out, the two of them were determined to set out and kill the beasts themselves, even gathering the ingredients for the proper blade oil on there way back.

Geralt had of course not let them go with him, but their adoptive father did indeed slay the beast. Despite the two of them not striking the beast down, they thought of that moment as their first contract together.

She tried to think of more pleasant thoughts like that, while she examined the gory scene.

She looked up towards the mans eyes, "Hmm… bloodshot, but still moist. He died recently."

If whatever had killed the man was still around, she needed to act quick, as she looked down to his head.

"Lips parted and bloated… but clean through his tongue, immense pain before death…" She deduced, figuring whatever killed him had immense strength.

"Ah, his chest is crushed. Ribs probably pierced his lungs, something picked him up and threw him against the tree," She said, looking back to the other half of the boat.

She looked next over to the severed leg next to the corpse, and noticed the teeth marks, "Hmm…. Something tore his leg off. No… gnawed it off, this is getting awfully familiar."

"Eeww that's horrible," The girl said terrified next to her.

"Stay there, and look away," Ciri urged her, turning back to the body one last time.

All the signs had pointed to this being the exact same case she had encountered with Dom in the woods outside Ellander all those years ago. She looked at the spilled intestines, spewing from the bottom of the man, she needed one more clue to be certain.

She sucked in her breath and reached out her hand, "Let's see… yeah, liver's gone. Only one thing I know that's that picky an eater."

"Why're you digging through his belly," The girl asked her again, in a disgusted tone.

Ciri sighed and turned to her again, "Would you mind making certain your laces are tied?"

Ciri saw the girl actually look down at her shoelaces and turned back to the body. She sighed and looked down to the dangling ring around her neck again.

"Well, the Wolf King's no fantasy it seems. Except, he's a werewolf… good thing you burned that oil formula into my brain," She said, surprisingly with fondness.

She remembered on the walk back from Ellander that day, Dom had repeated the formulae of dog tallow, wolfsbane, fool's parsley, and wolf's liver to her so many times as they gathered ingredients, she had sworn she'd never forget it.

It seemed that would come in handy now, and she silently thanked him for it.

"What happened to him," The girl asked carefully coming up next to her.

"He… had a fall," She said to the girl, wanting to spare her the details.

Ciri could see the young girl roll her eyes, "Hmm I bet. The Wolf King got him."

She couldn't help but laugh at the girls tone, "Ha, when did children get so smart?"

The girl didn't seem to be ready for jests at the moment, as she looked up at Ciri, frightened, "What'll we do when the Wolf King finds us?"

Ciri gave her a confident smile, "Don't worry. I've no silver, but I can make a blade oil."

"Oil? You mean like we make from rapeseed," The girl asked, making Ciri smile again and shake her head.

"No, a far more special oil," She said with a smile, Dom's voice popping into her head, "Of dog tallow, wolfsbane, fool's parsley, and wolf's liver. The Wolf King will feel terrible pain."

The young girl's eyes widened with amazement, "You're smart! How do you know these things? Did your father teach you?"

She smiled fondly up at the stars, remembering how she dreaded the lectures she and Dom had sat through. However… now she would have given anything to go back, to sit and listen to their Uncle Vesemir read about ghouls and aghouls, while the two of them sat there, secretly planning what they'd do that night.

She shook her head at the girl, but kept her smile, "Not my father. My Uncle, Uncle Vesemir, he taught me… and my… friend that I told you about. Now come, we need to find a few ingredients."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Backtracking and gathering the ingredients from the wolves had been easy enough, and then they found the wolfsbane, and fools parsley further down the gulley. She had to slay another pack of wolves, but eventually she found a quiet place to brew the oil in peace. It wasn't a long process, and she had no pot, so she currently had an empty potion vial with the ground up ingredients bubbling over a small fire. She leaned back against a tree with a sigh, feeling her bruises finally begin to not pound as much.

The young girl looked at the oil with fascination, before looked and meeting Ciri's eyes. The young girl's wondering eyes fell back down to the ring around her neck again.

"Can I ask you something," She said, her legs crossed as she sat in the grass.

Ciri nodded, "Yes? What is it?"

The girl spoke in a curious tone, "Your friend, how long has it been since you've seen him?"

Ciri felt her stomach begin to tighten. How long had it really been? She was 21, with her birthday only in about two months, with Dom's birthday already passed, he was 22 now. She had left Ellander for Aretuza when they were both 14, she knew that by heart. Every-time she thought about all the time that had past, the first thing she thought about was what he would look like now. Would he finally have been able to grow a beard? He hadn't been that much taller than her when she left, how much taller had he gotten since?

Would his eyes still go wide, and would he smile like he used to when he saw her, or had he found someone else.

She turned and looked at the young girl, trying not to appear as upset as she felt, "Curious one, aren't you? Well it'll have been… eight years soon, yeah… eight years."

Hearing herself say the amount of time that had past, made her not just feel old, but feel a sense of longing. A longing for the best moments of her life, spending the time she did with Geralt, Yennefer… and Dominik in Ellander, the four of them together.

Upon hearing the amount of time, the young girl narrowed her eyes, "How can you still be friends with someone, when you haven't seen them for so long?"

She smiled lightly, as she looked up at the bright stars dotting the sky. There had been times during the last eight years where, she had thought the feelings were going away. Thought that, she may never get to see Dom again, the feelings of loneliness, longing, depression, they had all attacked her for years. Her days in the arena, being tortured, fighting everyday with the Rats, for years she hoped, prayed that one day Dominik would burst through the door, into the city and save her.

However, she realized that she wasn't an easy person to find, and he had no way of doing so when she traveled between the worlds. She thought, the nights she had spent with Mistle, when she ran with the rats would make her forget… but they didn't. After she had been captured, and escaped, all she wanted to do was return to him, to Geralt, the people she was linked to by the iron bonds of destiny.

How did she know, that when she did find him again, he would still feel the same as she did? It was because, she had felt incomplete without him, and if he spoke the truth to her, which she knew he always did, he didn't feel complete without her either.

She looked down at met the girls gaze, "Well… you see, in life sometimes, you form connections, relationships with people… that are so strong… it doesn't matter how long it's been since you've seen them," She said, looking down at the ring around her neck.

Ciri sighed and looked into the hot coals of the fire, "My friend… he's one of the most important people in the world to me… maybe the most. I'm looking for him, and hopefully I'll see him again soon, but even if I don't… I know our bond is strong enough to make it until we do."

The fire cackled, and the wolves in the distance howled. The cold breeze ripped through her clothes, as she could see the girl smile next to him. It was a good feeling, being able to make someone smile. It had been too long since she'd had a pleasant moment like the one, she had then.

The young girl smiled up at her, "Wow… you sound like you really like him, what's he look like?"

Ciri scoffed with a laugh, and she could picture his younger face in her mind then.

"Ha… I do. As for what he looks like well, he has brown hair, and half a beard, he always used to swear he could grow one, but never did," She said, remembering how she used to tease him, "he always wears a silver swallow pendant around his neck… it was my present to him, and by now I'm sure he also wears a wolf medallion. And his eyes… bright green, just like mine."

His face was as clear as the girl sitting next to her in that moment. She looked down and noticed the oil finally had brewed to the correct color. She, she pulled out her blade, and laid it over her lap. Careful, as to not burn herself she picked the vial off the fire. She twirled it around in the glass, until the liquid turned the proper color. She reached down into her pack, and pulled out a large rag, and poured the liquid over the rag, before gently scrubbing it down her blade.

"Do you know what you're going to say to him once you finally see him again," The girl asked her, making her stop mid-scrub.

The question had seemed innocent enough, but it puzzled her. She had been thinking about getting to see Dom again since she left for Aretuza all those years ago. She remembered how enthused and happy she had been to see Geralt, how would she react when she finally did catch up with Dom again? She had been so caught up in finding him, what she would say when she first saw him was something that she hadn't thought of. What could she possibly say, that could convene what it meant for her to see him again?

She thought of something else, completely different, and it made her frown.

"I… I'm going to tell him I'm sorry," She said, looking down at her blade again.

She saw that the oil had finally been properly added, and a small smile of satisfaction crossed her face, making her momentarily forget her sadness.

She got up before the girl could ask a follow-up question,

"There. We'll see now just how effective Uncle Vesemir's formulae are," She said, seeing the liquid slowly drip and glisten on her blade.

"What'd you do," The girl asked, getting up besides her.

"I greased my blade with the oil, now the Wolf King won't stand a chance, come on, let's keep moving," She said, pointing further into the gulley.

The girl nodded and started on ahead of her.

"This ones for you…" She said, looking down at the ring, remembering the werewolf they didn't get to slay together.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Are you afraid," The girl asked as they walked through the cave.

Ciri shook her head, "No."

"Then I'm not either," The young one said confidently getting a smile from her.

They had continued down the gulley, and eventually found the entrance to a cave. It was leaking, and she could feel the cold breezes flowing through. She kept her ears on alert, ready to spring out at a moment's notice. The girl wet on ahead until Ciri could see a large drop off, and the cave opening up into an even bigger room. The smell of swamp water and mud was still in the air, but she could also now smell something else. The smell of wet dog.

She heard the growling and right away jogged up ahead of the girl, and when they got to the ledge, her eyes widened. It had to be one of the largest werewolves she had ever seen. She could hear the growling clearly from where she stood, it's jagged teeth protruding down past its both, the claws on its large arms longer then she had seen. It was cornering another man with a sword at his hip, holing him up against a wall. One full force swipe from it, and she'd be dead.

However, she had survived too much to let a werewolf take her down.

"The Wolf King! Now do you believe me," The girl said from behind her.

She felt her hand go to her blade as she nodded, "I do. Hide!"

She leaped down from the ledge and landed on her boots. She steadily rose back up to her feet and slid her blade off her back. She could see the oil slowly dripping from her steel, as she let out a quick, sharp whistle just as it was about to finish the man off. The beast turned its head right away, and she let out another quick whistle.

It lunged out at her with incredible speed, however she was quicker. She rolled to the side and slashed her blade along its legs, and the beast wailed. She said a quick thank you to her Uncle Vesemir, the oil was doing its job. She could see the smoke coming from where it had been sliced, but it was far from done attacking. It stumbled, but turned around, and lunged at her again, this time with more precision. She managed to raise her blade in time to knock back its claws, but every strike he took drained her energy more. She felt her bruises flare up in pain but managed to keep her guard.

She spun finally went on the offensive, and struck upwards on the beasts giant arm, transitioning perfectly into a spin, slicing the top of her blade across its back. The beast screeched and whirled around incredibly quick. She was still off balance from the spin, but just barely managed to lean back, its claws barely missing her neck.

She felt herself slipping backwards on the wet stones, she use the momentum to leap back, avoiding another werewolf claw, and thrusting her blade forward as she jumped. Her thrust connected, right to the beasts eye, making it stumbled backwards. With it momentarily dazed, she took the opportunity, and teleported forward, slashing her blade through beasts belly, and when she finally looked backwards, the Wolf King was laying on the stones, dead.

She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight, sheathing her blade back, and reaching down to the wound in her abdomen. It hadn't started bleeding again, but it was pulsating and every breath she felt the pain. The peasant the beast had been about to kill, came up to her, his eyes wide, and his tone full of amazement.

"Why… you really gave him a drubbin! Never seen anything like it," He exclaimed in amazement.

She nodded to the man and let out a deep sigh, before looking back behind her, "Girl! You can come out now, come on it's safe!"

She heard the girl's feet hit the water below, and her footsteps come up next to her. She looked back to the peasant man, who looked as if he was still white from the fear he had experienced.

She scoffed, "You're lucky we came this way. Found someone far less fortunate in the forest."

The man's eyes widened before his head fell, "Oh Yaren, must be. We was returning from Midcopse when the brute attacked. I managed to flee, but Yaren…"

She quickly held up her hands, "The little one, no details."

She winced as a feeling of pain shot through her stomach, and the few spots the werewolf had managed to cut her.

"Do you have bandages at home? Some spirit? He laid a claw or two on me, unfortunately," She asked the man, feeling her ribs ache.

The man looked nervous, but shook his head, "I… I've naught miss… but my lord- he's a powerful man. He's sure to help ye."

Ciri breathed in relief. She looked down at the ring dangling around her neck and thought that perhaps her luck was finally going in a positive direction for once. If this lord was well connected, perhaps he had heard of, or met Dominik of Cintra, or Geralt of Rivia. The thought of being inside a castle, a warm fire, hot food, and hopefully a good nights sleep was also very tempting to her. She also thought it would be better then having to bring the girl back to parents who had abandoned her in the woods.

She nodded to the man, "Very well, take us to your lord."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She was vaguely aware of a conversation happening between the Baron and the man, but she was too focused on the food in front of her. She couldn't count the amount of days since she had eaten anything other then wild berries, or bits of old food she found discarded. She picked up the mug and downed a large gulp of water, and it was certainly an upgrade from the bog water she had been treading through.

The fire that roared across from her and Gretka warmed her bones, and the clothes she wore finally began to dry. She spooned more of the stew into her mouth, not caring how she looked eating it, and bit off a large chunk of an apple. She took a second to breath before stuffing a large chunk of bread into her mouth, savoring the taste.

She heard the clunking of armor and looked to see the Baron had come back over, smiling at the two of them.

"So, stew any good," The man asked with a slight laugh.

She nodded her head, her mouth still slightly full, her grandmother would have smacked her hands of she saw her then.

"Mhmm, very, thank you. I'd not eaten in-."

"Clear to see," The man said with another laugh, "I'm pleased you like it. Had them prepare a bath for you once you've eaten. And you could do with some sleep. Gretka, in the nook behind the hearth, you in the guest room opposite the kitchen."

Ciri breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't slept in an actual bed in almost as long as she hadn't eaten. She could stay there for a while, to fully recover. It would take a few days for her to fully feel 100% again. However, it would be worth it. She could stay there, try and figure out the curse, and then after she was finally recovered, she could find a horse, and set out for Novigrad.

She looked up with another relieved sigh and smiled at the man, "Thank you, I-."

The man smiled and waved her off, "Shh. Eat now. We'll talk more once you've eaten."

She nodded and poured more water down her throat. She took a long, steadying breath, and heard the man start to clunk away in his plate. She felt the ring bounce against her neck, and the question she wanted to ask came back to her mind.

"Wait, can I ask you one thing please," She said, causing the man to turn around.

The man stopped, and turned back to her, "Yes, what can I do for you?"

She felt her heart begin to pump faster, "First I wanted to know, have… you ever encountered a man named Geralt of Rivia, recently, or at all?"

He saw the mans brow furrow in thought. She held her breath as the man looked back to her and shook her head, "Well I've certainly heard of him. Never met the man myself however."

She sighed, and felt the optimism leave her. She met the mans eyes again, and saying his name out loud, for the first time in a while, made her heart pump faster.

"What about another man his names… Dominik of Cintra, have you seen him," She asked, her voice having hope left.

The Baron tsked, and shook his head, "Sorry lass, can't say I have."

She sighed and looked back down at the stew again. She hadn't expected him to know, however she would have regretted not asking. It seemed she would have to go to Novigrad, or Oxenfurt after all. Perhaps if she couldn't find Yennefer, Geralt or Dom there, maybe she could find Dandelion. Either way, she knew that for now, all she wanted to do was eat, and sleep.

Hopefully having pleasant dreams.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, I ordered my men to watch her and left her to rest," The Baron told them.

"She… she asked after us, she's looking for us," He said, his voice nearly leaving him. He took a step back and turned to face the fire, his eyes starting to quiver.

He looked over at Geralt, and he could see the hope filling the Witcher's eyes as well. His heart was pumping blood through his body at hundreds of miles a minute. Ciri had been sat in the same room he was standing in then. She had eaten there she had asked about him. She was looking for Geralt and he.

She had been trying to keep her promise. He was so, so close, closer then he'd ever been. The hole that had been left in his life, the piece that completed it was getting closer.

Earlier when he had heard the Crones speak their tale of Ciri, he had the words of three monsters. What they told them had been true, but he hated having to hear it from the mouths of three beasts. Now, he had been told by a man, a regular man that he had spoken to her, she had been right next to him, she had been eating and resting under his roof.

"And, what happened after that," Geralt asked, drawing his attention back to the conversation.

He looked at the Baron, and the man smirked at the two of them, "Ahh, a topic for another time."

He felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. He looked over and he met Geralt's eyes. He felt his fingers curl into fists. He leaned forward on the table the Baron was sitting at and met the man's eyes.

"I want-. I NEED to find her; I haven't seen her in eight years. She's in danger, we need every bit of information that you have, please," He practically begged the man.

"He's right, we need to find her and soon. We need to know every bit of information you know," Geralt said, walking up next to him.

The Baron looked at the two and nodded, and Dom could see a look of sympathy in his eyes. He met Dom's green eyes and nodded.

"She told me about you," He said pointing at Dom, before turning to Geralt, "And you as well, I understand your plight I do. But you see, it so happens my wife and daughter are missing as well. I propose an exchange- you two find my loved ones, and I shall tell you about the girl you seek. All I know."

The words sank through Dominik like a sponge, Geralt grunted next to him, "How do we know we can-."

"We'll do it," Dom said with finality, before Geralt could finish.

The Baron smiled, and Geralt sighed, looking at Dom with a slightly annoyed look. The white-haired Witcher however, turned back to the Baron.

"Fine. We'll help," He said confirming what Dom had said, "but after we find them, you give us every bit of information you have."

The Baron smiled, and nodded to the two of them, "You have my word, both of you."

Dom nodded to Geralt in thanks, and the older Witcher stepped off the chair he was leaning on.

"When did you see them last," Geralt asked.

Dom leaned off the table, and felt the swallow hanging around his neck begin to tremble. He gently gripped it in his hands as the Baron gave a satisfied look before his eyes grew serious. He spoke in a low, sad tone, his voice full of true concern.

"They vanished after the new moon, as if whisked away by shadows," He said, leaning back in his large chair.

Dom looked at the man curiously, "Vanished? They just disappeared, you didn't see any traces or anything?"

The Baron nodded to them, "Precisely that. I awoke one morn to find them gone."

Dom sighed and looked at Geralt, who's eyes looked just as curious as his. Nobody could just vanish into thin air. Even the quietest monsters would leave some kind of trace.

"Well, we can't start looking until we know what they look like," Geralt said to the man, his arms crossed.

"Tamara, my daughter, turned nineteen in the spring. Slender lass, about yea tall, comes up to my shoulder," The man said, fondness in his voice, "Beautiful green eyes, like her mothers."

The mention of shining green eyes reminded him why he was there, and he gripped the swallow tighter.

"My wife Anna has two score winters behind her, though she'd never admit it. Dark hair, thick as tar. Keeps it tied up in a bun," He finished.

The descriptions could be just about any peasant they'd seen in the region so far. If it had been as long as the Baron said, since they had been seen, they could have gotten far. They'd need to find more solid leads, something to latch onto.

"Have you searched for them," Geralt asked next.

The Baron nodded grimly, "Sent men out right away. But they're not suited to it. It's one thing to rip up floorboards in search of a peasant's last sack of grain. Finding a missing person- they just don't know how."

He scoffed, knowing it was probably the truth. Both he and Geralt had found more with less to go on. He didn't know if any monster could possibly sneak through the whole castle of guards. Ekimarra's were silent and could but would certainly leave a trace. Any type of vampire would have sucked their blood, and bodies would have been found. It certainly didn't sound like an easy job.

However, the reward for it would be well worth the work.

Geralt sighed, "We're gonna need more information then that. Can we see their rooms?"

"What for," The Baron asked, his tone suddenly growing defensive.

The defensive tone peaked his curiosity, however, he stayed back keeping his mouth shut.

"We need clues, anything to latch onto," Geralt explained.

"We're Witchers, not miracle workers," He added when he was done.

The Baron's eyes shifted, "I'll not let a stranger paw through their belongings."

Dom sighed and met the mans eyes, "I understand that. However, if you want us to find them you must let us work. You can trust us, I won't let this opportunity for information about Ciri slip me by, I've waited too long."

The Baron shifted in his chair again, and met his emerald eyes, the large man sighed, "Fine. But I shall go with you, the doors are locked," He said, getting up from his seat.

He went to leave the room, and Dom made to follow him but Geralt spoke up, "We'll be right there, I need to talk to Dom first."

The Baron looked suspiciously at them both but nodded before exiting the room. Dom let out a deep sigh and turned to his father. Geralt looked to make sure the Baron had truly left the room, before turning back to him.

"So, what do you think? We've both found more with less I'm sure," He said to Geralt.

Geralt nodded to him, his yellow eyes meeting his, "You're right, we have. Here's what I want you to do. Go down to the kitchen's."

He looked at Geralt curiously, "What, why the kitchen's?"

Geralt looked to the door, to make sure nobody was listening, before leaning closer to him.

"I want you to find the room Ciri was staying in. She was here recently, she may have left something behind, something to give us a clue to where she went, what she was doing," He explained to the younger Witcher.

Dominik scoffed and nodded, "Ha, smart idea. Hopefully if I find something, we won't have to go through with all this… I didn't like the way he got when we asked to look at their rooms. He got all defensive, might be hiding something."

The white-haired Witcher nodded in agreement, "I saw it too, which is why I want you to go search. I'll tell him you're looking for clues elsewhere. Also, while you're there, talk to the girl Gretka. Ciri might have told her something, maybe where she was going."

The idea of figuring out where Ciri had went was all he needed to agree. He nodded his head and gestured towards the door, "Got it, come on let's get going. We're close Geralt… so close."

**A/N: And so we begin the arc of the Bloody Baron. We got another Ciri POV this chapter, and I couldn't me more excited. I love writing the Ciri POVs, since obviously at this point in the story Ciri isn't with Dominik and Geralt, I love giving insight to their relationship from her perspective. So, how do you think things will go next chapter as the two Witchers begin to piece the puzzle together? What are you looking forward too? What did you think of the Ciri POV?**

**I can't thank you all enough for the continued support. The view count on this story has been amazing, I can't believe all the people that have read. Please leave a review, long or small it doesn't matter, I love reading them, and interacting with you all. Make sure you press the follow button if you enjoyed as well, because I have plenty of chapters already written just waiting to upload!**

**Thank you all again, see you next time when we get going with the Blood Baron quest!**


	12. Family Matters I

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 12: Family Matters**

**Narrator: After their encounter with the Witches at Crookback Bog, Dominik and Geralt made their way to Crow's Perch. They learned from the 'Bloody Baron', Velen's self-appointed ruler, that Ciri had taken refuge, and recovered in his castle. He knew where the young woman had gone, but would only tell Geralt and Dom, if they helped him find his missing family. So Geralt, to find his daughter, and Dom, to find his lost love, first had to help the Baron, find his daughter, and his lost love.**

A few of the Baron's men had given him odd, suspicious looks as he passed, but he managed to make it to the kitchens. He found the guest room across from it, and made sure nobody was looking at him, before slowly opening the door. When he did, he smelled a faint smell of juniper and pine, and it made him sigh. It wasn't a very large room, but plenty enough for one woman to sleep in herself. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, until he looked onto the floor.

On the floor, was a bloody white top, along with a pair of brown heeled boots, spattered with blood, dirt and mud on the bottom of them, and finally a pair of light brown gloves were discarded as well. He got down to one knee, and gently picked up the bloody white top. It looked like Ciri had a wound in her abdomen from the location of the blood stain. He stood up, and sat on the bed, not letting go of the shirt, simply looking down at it.

"Looks like she must have left in a hurry, blood isn't too old," He said, feeling his chest well up with sadness at the sight.

"I'm so… so sorry I wasn't there to help you… I'm so… so sorry," He said, looking at the blood shirt, and the swallow dangling from his neck.

She had been in the very spot he was sitting in not long ago. For all the years of his adult, and older teenage years, he had one objective. That was to find her, and to keep her safe. He had followed leads from one end of the continent to the other. He followed rumors, small signs, he went anywhere where he heard a large magical event had taken place.

He remembered how he jumped, and almost broke his neck falling off a stool when he go the letter from Yennefer, to meet her and Geralt in Rivia. He didn't know that she was actually there, but he though they'd found a new, tangible lead. When he finally arrive in the town, he rushed to Geralt's aid, not only to save the adoptive father he loved, but to save the man, who knew where she had been. After he had almost died, only to be saved by Triss Merigold, he had doubled his efforts for a short while. However, he had thought Geralt and Yennefer dead… the best two people to help him find her gone.

He lost hope for a while. He had almost lost hope that he would ever find her, that he would ever be able to fill the void left in his heart by her disappearance. However, when his hope had been at its lowest… he found himself in Claywitch. Yennefer had found him and turned his world back to focusing solely on finding Ciri again. He hadn't been able to protect her the first time, he hadn't been able to protect her from everything she had gone through.

He had failed her.

He took in a deep sigh, and gripped the swallow tightly in his hand, "I'll find you… soon. And when I do, I won't fail you again… like I have so many other people before."

He had sworn to protect her, and so many others over his lifetime. His sister, his mother, Ciri, they had all trusted him to protect them, to keep them safe. He had promised so many things to so many people, yet he always seemed to let them down. He spent a month finding comforts in the arms of another girl in Freya, when he should have been looking for her. He had almost given up, after Rivia, he spent weeks drinking, gambling, taking on more and more dangerous contracts, all the while he should have been doubling his efforts.

All the times however, when he thought he'd lose all hope, he'd spend hours simply staring at the swallow pendant. He'd see her in his dreams, and the hole that was left by her, would ache, and he knew he couldn't stop.

He wouldn't stop, not until she was in his arms again.

She shook his head down at the pendant, "I won't… I won't."

He sighed deeply and dropped the bloody shirt back to the floor. He went about looking over the room for what he could find. When she had been here, it didn't seem as if Ciri had much. He didn't find anything, no journal, no notes, nothing. He did, however, find a carved spinning top, with the name 'Gretka' carved into it, so he held onto it, intent on giving it back to the girl.

"Come on Ciri… you have to have left something," He whispered, making his way over to the table in the corner of the room.

His eyes narrowed on a large book that still lay open on the table. He picked it up, dusting off the cover and seeing the title.

"The Natural Obscurity of Curses… why in the world would Ciri be reading this," He asked himself, flipping through the pages.

The book didn't have anything scribbled in the margins, with any secret messages. He was hoping that something could have given away Ciri's destination. However, he now knew that for some reason she was studying curses and had used the book to help.

"What is she doing though… trying to cast, or lift one? Gotta show this to Geralt," He said, tucking the book under his arm.

He couldn't find anything else, so he walked to the door. He took in one last deep breath, looking at the room. He tried to imagine Ciri in there, sitting at the table, reading the book. He kept on wondering what she looked like now. The drawing he kept from Vizima was only what they assumed, how true was it to the real deal? How long was her hair, how did she end up with a scar on her face, were her eyes still the most beautiful form of emerald green he had ever seen?

Would those eyes get wide, and would she still smile when she saw him?

He took in a deep sigh and looked at the room one more time, "Soon… don't worry."

He closed the door with reluctance and looked across the hall. He smelled smoking food coming from the door and walked over to enter. When he did, he saw an oven, burning with a fire, and multiple carcasses of rabbits, pheasants, and even a deer hanging around on tables. Many of them were coaxed with blood, knives and cleavers were discarded. He looked to the left however and saw the young girl.

Gretka was wearing a pink top, with brown trousers and shoes. She was sitting happily in a chair, swinging her feet. He smiled, and walked over, taking a knee down in front of her, and after registering his face, the girls eyes went wide, and she smiled.

"Hello, you're Gretka right," He said in a kind tone.

The girl nodded eagerly and smiled at him, "I am! And you're him! Dominik!"

He felt himself blush slightly, and laughed, "Ha, that I am, how'd you know that?"

Gretka smiled again and pointing to the medallion, and swallow around his neck, "Because, you're a handsome man with brown hair, half a beard and green eyes. And you're wearing a wolf medallion and swallow pendant. Ciri told me all about you, and Geralt."

He felt the tips of his ears go red now, as he laughed, his heart pounding, a smile bigger then he'd had in a while crossing his face. Ciri still thought he was handsome, even though she hadn't seen him. It was far from the most important thing he wanted to know, but it still made him happy to hear.

"Ciri said all that? Did she say anything else about me," He said with a smile, feeling his stomach flutter.

Gretka nodded eagerly, "She said that you hadn't seen each other in a long time. I asked her, how you could still be friends when you haven't seen each other in so long. She told me, that some relationships are so strong, that it doesn't matter how long you've been apart," She said, before leaning her head slightly closer to his, "I think she really likes you, like… as more than just friends."

He smiled, and had to close his eyes, not wanting the girl to see the small tears that started to well up inside them. Hearing that she had said those words, it filled him with hope. Hope that perhaps, after he had finally found her, the two of the could lead a normal life. After they had defeated everyone who had wronged her, defeated the Hunt, it could finally be a possibility.

He took in a shaky sigh, but smiled at the girl, nodding his head, "I hope she does because… I really like her… as much more than just a friend."

Gretka laughed, and nodded at him, smiling, "I hope so too. She told me that when you were little, no matter how sad she was, you'd always find a way to make her smile. No matter how you yourself were feeling, you always made sure she was okay."

He laughed remembering the times at Kaer Morhen that this was true. Even if he was dealing with a bad injury, had nightmares the day before, or were having the worst day possible, he always wanted to see Ciri smile more. Ciri would always be there for him, but he was always more worried about her. Her smile had been what made him feel better on those days.

He smiled at the girl, "Yeah… I want to make sure she's always safe. That's what I'm trying to do now, I'm trying to find her. What else did you and Ciri talk about? Did she mention where she was going, what she was trying to find?"

He breathed out in relief when Gretka nodded.

"She told me she was looking for you and Geralt, and a sorceress. But you're here… so I guess she didn't find you. I wonder if she helped that friend of hers…" The girl said wonderingly.

He tilted his head, what friend could Ciri be trying to help?

"Did Ciri mention who this friend was? Or what she was trying to help them with," He asked her carefully.

The girl tilted her head, as if he had asked an odd question, "What do you mean? Her friend. She said he was in trouble, and she needed to help him."

He felt a small lightbulb click in the back of his head, and the gears starting to formulate a small theory in his head. The book about curses, Ciri having a friend she needed to help. Was it possible she was seeking to lift a curse off someone? He didn't ask anymore about the friend, knowing the young girl wouldn't have anymore information.

He took in a deep breath before meeting the girls eyes, "Gretka… did Ciri tell you where she was going? She's in danger, Geralt and I need to find her."

Gretka looked down at the floor, her eyes falling, "No… I went to bring her breakfast one morning and she had already gone. Baron told me she'd left."

"Did you ask him where she went?"

She looked up and nodded, "Yeah, but he told me I was too little, wouldn't understand."

He cursed inside his head. It looked like Geralt and he were going to have to do this mans favor after all. He did learn some valuable information however, like what she was possibly trying to do. If she really had been trying to break a curse, it made sense why she had tried to find he, Geralt or Yennefer, any of them could have helped her. He himself could have known what the curse was, or if not, he was sure he could find someone who could. Geralt and Yennefer were also well versed in curses.

He sighed, and remembered the spinning top he found, he reached back into his pocket and produced it for the young girl.

"I found this over in Ciri's room, I think it's yours," He said with a smile.

"My top… I thought I'd lost it. We'd play in her room sometimes. I was sad one day, and Ciri carved it for me. Such a shame she had to leave…" The girl said sadly.

He smiled, remembering a time Ciri had done something similar for him. It was shortly after they had arrived at Kaer Morhen. The nightmares had been affecting him particularly hard, and Triss hadn't arrived to help cure him yet. Ciri had carved him a wolf from an old piece of wood, or at least it was an attempt. It was a kind gesture, and he remembered blushing deeply when she gave it to him.

He smiled at Gretka reassuringly, "I'll tell you what. I promise, that once I find Ciri, when we have time, we'll both come back and visit you, together, how does that sound?"

The young girls brown eyes widened, and she smiled widely, "Really!? You promise?"

He nodded to her, keeping his smile, thinking of the moment in his head, "I promise, I'm going to find Ciri, and when I do, we'll both come back and see you again."

The girl hopped up and down excitedly, and he laughed, rubbing her hair, and standing back up to his feet.

"Ciri was right about you, you really know how to make people happy," She told him with a smile.

He felt himself laugh, and his face get red again, he smiled at her and ruffled her hair again, "Thanks so much for help Gretka, go have fun."

The girl nodded to him and ran from the kitchens to explore the castle further he expected. He sighed in contempt and felt himself filled with more optimism then he'd had in a long time. Ciri was really out there, she hadn't forgotten him like he feared. She was till looking for him, like he was for her, just like they had promised.

So many time's through the last eight years, he had thought the search may be hopeless. However, hearing what the young girl had to say, made him realize it was. It would all be worth it when he found her again. The woman he loved was out there, and she was still looking for him as well. It was one of the most comforting thoughts that he could have had at that moment. Especially with so much doubt that had flooded him the last few weeks. He smiled down at the swallow pendant and sighed happily.

"Well, looks like Geralt and I have a job to do. Let's get going," He said, walking out of the kitchen.

He made his way back through the castle, up towards the rooms the Baron had lead Geralt too. He saw the man, sitting on the step, smoking a pipe as one of the rooms was open, and he could hear the clunking of Geralt's armor and swords. The room was clearly meant for the prince or princess of the castle, and he assumed it had been the Baron's daughters room.

A roaring fire was going in the fireplace, and fresh flowers had been set out. It certainly didn't look like anyone had broken in. After making that observation, he shuddered, remembering the case of the Alp in Claywitch. An Alp was the last thing he wanted to deal with again. It looked like the Baron was expecting his daughter to come home at any moment, and he had been keeping the room tidy for her.

Geralt came out of the bed small alcove the bed was in, and met his eyes, an ugly wooden doll in his hands.

"Damn, that's one ugly doll…" He said as the Witcher approached.

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah… the one you stick pins and needles in to hurt people."

Dom shuddered at the thought, "You think any black magic is at work here? My medallion isn't trembling, but it could explain how they disappeared without a trace."

The older Witcher shook his head, "Can't rule out any possibilities. So, find anything from Ciri's room?"

He sighed and shook his head, "Not much, some bloody old clothes to start."

Geralt smirked at him and chuckled, "Did you take one of Ciri's old boots with you? To sleep with at night to remind you of her?"

He rolled his eyes at him, and Geralt let out a hardy laugh.

"No, I didn't, you're absolutely hilarious," He said sarcastically, before pulling out the book on curses he had found, "I did find this open on the desk. It seems Ciri was reading up about curses."

Geralt looked at him curiously and took the book from him, skimming through it. After he was done, he tossed it onto the table in the room.

"Why would Ciri be reading up on curses," He asked in a wondering tone.

The gears in Dom's head began to turn again, the more he thought, the more his theory made sense.

"I have a theory, don't know how credible it is," He said carefully.

"What do you think," Geralt asked him.

He sighed and remembered Gretka's words, "I talked to the girl Gretka, she told me what Ciri was trying to do. Said she was looking for me, you and Yen, and to try and help a friend, Ciri told her he was in trouble and she had to help. I think she may have been trying to lift a curse to help her friend."

Geralt nodded, a look of understanding dawning on his face, "Ahhh good thinking. If she wanted help with a curse, finding you, Yen or me would be a good way to lift it."

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah… but who's this friend? You've seen her more recently then I have Geralt, any idea what friend she could be trying to help? Did she make any significant ones through the years."

Geralt leaned against the table, his fingers stroking his white beard.

"Hmm, well a little while after escaping Aretuza she ran with a group of ne'er-do-wells in Glyswen called the Rats. She made a few friends there," Geralt explained to her.

Dom scoffed, "Glyswen!? For fuck's sake she was closer than I thought."

Geralt nodded, "Yeah, one of the Rats saved her, and she joined up with them for a while to hide. Dom she… told me a lot about what happened to her, I could tell you more if-."

He shook his head right away, "No, I don't want to hear it Geralt. I don't want to hear about all the horrible things that happened to her… when I should have been protecting her. If she wants to tell me when we find her… I'll listen, but I don't want to hear about it now."

Geralt sighed at his outburst and shook his head, "Dom… there was nothing you could have done. What happened to her-."

"Not now Geralt, please, I don't want to discuss this now," He said, cutting the man off, not wanting the topic brought up again, "So, when she was with the Rats, she must have made a few friends."

Geralt looked sympathetic but sighed and shook his head, "She did yeah… but the Rats, they all died, killed by a bounty hunter named Leo Bonhart. He had been hired to kill Ciri by one man, and to be captured by another, he killed the Rats and took her."

He sighed in disappointment, "So you're saying all the Rats are dead? Could it be anyone else?"

Geralt shrugged his shoulders with a sigh, "Can't be anyone we know. If it was, they would've told us Ciri was alive, and come to us for help with a curse."

It wasn't exactly the most important piece of information they needed; however, it was still important. He took note of the name Leo Bonhart, another name he would add to his mental list. The list of people who had tried to hurt and take advantage of Ciri. The people he would make pay.

He also cursed his damned luck. He knew where the village of Glyswen was and had been close to it at one point. If he had only not been afraid to travel into Nilfgaardean territory, he may have been able to find a lead there.

There was nothing he could do now; however, he would make up for it by finding her now.

He sighed at Geralt, "So, I guess this means we have to do the Baron's job. Find anything in here besides an ugly doll?"

The white-haired Witcher shook his head, "No, just that. Still need to search the Baron and his wife's chambers… come on let's get moving, the quicker we get this done the better."

So, the two of them crossed the room to the Barons chambers. The man gave them an odd stare as they walked past him, but quickly they made there way into his chambers. Geralt gestured for him to head towards the back of the rooms so he did. The room had man very well-preserved potted plants, bookshelves and tables. It looked as if just like in his daughters chambers, the man was preparing for his wife's return.

He didn't find anything particularly interesting until he saw a faded part of the wall. A large square that seemed to once hold a painting. He looked over to the left and saw a portrait of the Baron and his wife and smiled to himself.

"Well… let's see what we have here," He said reaching his hands to the side of the painting.

Gently so he didn't drop it, he lifted the painting up and lowered it to the ground.

"Bingo," He said, seeing a large hole in the back of the dresser it was covering.

He walked around to the front, and opened the dresser, and on the bottom was a piece of wood, that looked like it could be the foot of a candlestick. He reached down and picked it up, before peering around and looking over to Geralt.

"Find anything," The older Witcher shouted to him.

He nodded and made his way over, holding the piece of wood, "Yeah… looks like the stem of a candlestick. This, and there was a hole in the back of the dresser over there. Looks like there could have been a struggle, maybe someone did break in after all."

Geralt stroked his beard and gestured for him to follow. He led him over to the table at the front of the room, and the white-haired Witcher held up a candlestick, one leg missing.

"This seems to be the candlestick in question. Still, doesn't explain how the Baron and his men heard nothing," He said, looking down at the table.

He went to take another step, but felt his boot slightly stick to the ground. He looked down at the ground and knelt. He ran his hand over the floor, and when he smelled his finger, he smelled a faint wine smell. His fingers had gone slightly red, he rose and upon further inspection the table had wine spilled as well.

"Look at this," he said, holding his fingers up to Geralt, "Looks like someone spilled wine on the table."

Geralt came over and ran his hand across the table as well and sniffed the air.

He smiled and looked down at Dom, "Good catch. Erveluce, from Toussaint… scent hasn't died, at least for me."

"Gotta love those 'Witcher senses'," He joked with a smile.

Geralt smiled back at him and gestured for him to follow. The two of them followed Geralt's enhanced sense of smell. It led them out the room, and when they got to the landing, he could see more wine stains on the bannister. It was almost certain now that there was some type of scuffle.

He followed Geralt down the first set of steps and held his hand up for them to stop.

"Smell ends here… looks like we need to find something else," The older Witcher said.

"Well, we know for sure there was a fight, maybe we should-. SHIT," He said, when he felt his foot trip, and he fell into the wall.

He banged his head against the wall and reared back in pain, grabbing his forehead. Geralt looked over at him, trying to contain his laughter. He rubbed his forehead, the inside of his brain still rattling, and glared at the older Witcher.

"Haha, very funny, the fuck did I trip on," He said looking down behind him.

Geralt looked behind him, his laughter died as he narrowed his eyes. The white-haired Witcher knelt down and started pulling at a loose floorboard. He noticed now that the particular piece of wood was sticking slightly upwards. He must not have noticed it, and with ease Geralt yanked and pulled upwards. The wood pulled up, and he met Dom's eyes with a smirk.

Dom smiled as well, when Geralt reached down, and when his hand came out, he was holding what looked to be a small talisman.

"Magic talisman, seen plenty of those over the years, pellars and witches make them," He commented as Geralt closely expected the item.

He nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah… looks like it was designed for protection… question is against what."

The pieces of the puzzle were all starting to fall into place, and with the talisman they now had a lead. He looked back up towards the rooms, before turning back to Geralt.

"Think we should ask the Baron a few questions, probably won't find much else."

The older Witcher nodded in agreement, "Yeah, thinking the same thing. Come on."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Done pokin around," The Baron asked them, smoke billowing from his pipe.

Dom nodded his head to the man, "Yeah… found a few things that could help us."

Geralt reached behind into his pockets and pulled out the doll, "Found this doll in Tamara's room, what can you tell us about it?"

The large man scoffed, "What interest could Witcher's possibly have in a doll?"

He rolled his eyes, as Geralt sighed, "It looks like it could have been used in some type of black magic, now where'd Tamara get it?"

The Baron scoffed, looking offended, "Black magic!? I made it for her. We were in Vizima once, and Tamara saw the sorceress Triss Merigold, insisted she needed a doll that looked just like her. Didn't have the coin for anything like that, so I made it myself."

He almost felt himself laugh, and looked at the ugly black doll, trying to find any resemblance to Triss. There of course was none, and only served to make him wish to see Triss again. He would soon, but first they needed to get this job done.

"That's… Triss," He asked the man with skeptical eyes.

Geralt fake smiled and nodded, "Yeah… Triss. I can see it now. Eerie, looks just like her," He said with sarcasm.

"Doesn't it? Time's taken a bit of a toll, but overall, it continues to impress," The man said, clearly not hearing, or choosing to ignore Geralt's sarcasm.

Geralt quickly met his eyes, and he could see the amusement. He tried not to laugh as Geralt turned back to the man, "Got something to fall back on now, if things don't work out with Nilfgaard."

The Baron seemed like he was about to say something else, but Dom quickly cut him off, wanting to get the conversation moving.

"We examined you and your wife's rooms, and we found signs of a fight. Someone was attacked, probably your wife or daughter. Whoever it was, tried to defend themselves with a candlestick, punctured the wall after missing a swing, tussled for a bit, remember anything like that," He asked the larger man.

The Baron stared at them both, his mouth agape, "I… I don't know nothing. That night… I was drunk, I don't remember a thing. They were gone by the time I awoke."

"Fight like that was sure to have caused noise, anyone else hear anything, maybe one of your men," He asked again, once the man had finished.

The large mans eyes grew narrow, "Three times I asked those bastards if they'd heard anything. Nothing, not one of them!"

He rolled his eyes and cursed his luck. Whatever had happened, it certainly wasn't going to be easy to find out. He looked to Geralt and his adoptive father pulled the amulet from his back pocket.

"What about this? Recognize this amulet," He asked the man.

The Baron looked over, and examined the talisman, "Yes… Anna began wearing it some time ago."

He felt a spark of optimism rear up in the back of his head, "Do you have any idea who made it? They're normally made by witches, cunning woman or pellar's."

Geralt smiled at him, and the Baron nodded his head, "Yes… a pellar. Old coot lives near Blackbough. And there's a cunning woman in Midcopse, but I know little about her. She's only recently arrived."

At the mention of Kiera, Geralt looked over at Dom, Dom shook his head at the Baron, "I met the cunning woman, doubt she would've made something like this."

The Baron nodded, "Yeah… if Anna were to go see someone it'd be the Pellar. She was weary of newcomers."

Geralt nodded and smiled at him, before turning to the Baron, "That's a good lead. Me and Dom will go see the Pellar, see if he knows anything."

The Baron smiled with satisfaction, "Good. Fair warning though, they say he's hard to talk to. Rumor has it he split his father's head with an axe as a lad, then went batty. Now he see's ghost and ploughs his goat."

"Not really interested in his hobbies, just what he knows about the amulet," Geralt said, before gesturing for him to follow.

The two of them turned to leave and walked down the stairs. He looked and smiled at Gretka the girl as she was walking out the back door. In their short conversation he had grown quite fond of the girl, she had given Ciri company when he couldn't. He wished that Ciri had simply told her where she had gone, so they could leave right away, however he knew that now two people's lives could depend on him.

Despite the fact he wished to get moving, and find out more about Ciri, he knew now that he had to see the Baron's job through. Despite his slight dis-trust for the man, his wife and daughter were surely innocent, and he couldn't leave them in possible danger now that he had taken the contract. Geralt had always taught him, that a Witcher left no job undone.

He sighed in annoyance when they stepped outside, and the rain was pouring down on them. He followed Geralt as the rain marred his brown hair to his head, and the two of them eventually reached outside the gates, where they had tied Clop and Roach.

"So, what do you make of this Baron," He asked Geralt, as he untied Clop's reigns from the post.

Geralt did the same with Roach, before stepping up onto the back of his mare, "Well, it's obvious he's hiding something. But… he has leverage over us, not much we can do."

He sighed, and nodded in agreement, "Yeah… also his wife and daughter could be in danger, even if I don't trust the man, the least we can do it try to help them."

Geralt smiled at him, as he climbed up to the back of Clop, "You're right. I'm impressed with how you handled yourself, you're starting to keep your emotions in check. I really thought when he didn't tell us what else happened with Ciri, I'd have to stop you from trying to strangle him."

He laughed a little and rolled his eyes, "Ha, believe me, a part of me wanted to. But… I figured it would just be easier to do what he wants. Between the two of us, this shouldn't be a very hard job, we'll find his family… then Ciri."

His adoptive father smiled and nodded, "Yeah… that's the plan. Come on, let's go see this pellar."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Does it ever stop fucking raining in this place," he complained as they passed through the village of Blackbough.

The ride to the small village had taken them less than an hour, however the sun had indeed finally set, so Geralt carried a torch, keeping it lit with Igni. The people of the village had pointed them towards the Pellar's hut straight away, and they were sloshing through the forest now. He felt bad for poor Clop, and stroked the horses mane, seeing his companion covered in dirt and mud.

Geralt chuckled at him, "Don't think so. You can face down Alp's, Leshen's, werewolves, but you're afraid of a little rain?"

He rolled his eyes as the older Witcher laughed, "No afraid… just annoyed. After the week we've had… I could use a long sleep and a few drinks."

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you could say that again. After we find out where Ciri went, we'll take a day to recover. You're still not fully healed from that fight with Nithral, aren't you?"

He felt the spot where the general of the Wild Hunt's axe had cut him flair on his stomach. The night before he had seen the fresh scar the axe left on his stomach, near the base of the long diagonal one he received in Rivia.

Geralt was right. He felt his abdomen ache from time to time, and overall his body was completely exhausted. However, he knew that he couldn't stop. He needed to keep going for Ciri's sake. He would rest once he had found her and listen to all the stories she wished to tell. For now, however, he would keep going. The pain, and exhaustion he felt at that moment, were far from the worst he had experienced in his life.

He sighed and ran his hand over his stomach, "Yeah… you could say that. I'll be alright though. I've had worse, all that matters now is finding Ciri."

Geralt nodded, and was about to say something, when they were cut off by loud screaming, and banging. Their heads shot up, and he saw a small, old hut ahead of them, and out-front, several men, armed with blackjacks, axes and swords. One was at the door, banging on it and screaming for the old man to open up.

He looked over to Geralt and he nodded to him. It was the Pellar's hut, it had to be. Quickly, they rode Clop and Roach up to the large tree just outside the house and climbed down from their mounts. Quickly, the two of them walked towards the house, and the man who was banging finally turned. He looked back as Geralt met the mans eyes, and he saw that quickly the group of five men had closed ranks around them.

"The fuck do you two want," A tall balding man in a helmet asked them both.

"Just here to talk to the Pellar," He said to the man, Geralt standing closely next to him.

Another blond-haired man with a bald spot spat next to him, "We got dibs on a chat with him first, a LONG one."

Over his years traveling, he had learned how to read a group of men. The group around them clearly wasn't going to take no for an answer. He looked over to Geralt and could tell that the Witcher was thinking the same exact thing as he. He watched as the Witcher raised his hands, moved his fingers and waved it in-front of all the men.

"Think it's time for you all to leave," He said, casting the axii sign.

"Is it," The balding man said.

"Yeah… I think it is," The blonde man said, before clanking away with the rest of the men.

Slowly, all five men turned away from the pellar's hut and walked back towards the village. He scoffed and smiled, looking at Geralt.

"Ha, I love that sign, you need to start showing me that again," He urged the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded to him, "Yeah, soon as we get some time we'll start training again. We need to get you to a point where you can use signs without almost passing out."

He scoffed and nodded in agreement, "Not passing out every time would be nice. Come on, let's see what this old coot can tell us."

The rain was slowly starting to come down slower, but the mid, and dirt was still mucked all over his boots as they sloshed towards the Pellar's hut. It was what you would expect from an herbalist or pellar's hut in the middle of the woods. A small, modest home with a pen for a goat, or chickens outside.

He approached and knocked on the door, Geralt behind him.

"Hello, anyone there? The men are gone, you can come out now," He said, knocking on the wooden door.

"Devils! What do they bring, what seek ye," An older voice yelled from inside.

He sighed and Geralt came up towards the door, "We need your help, come on open up, we won't hurt you."

There was a moment of silence for a second, before the old voice spoke again, "Ooh… two men! Wolves, one gray, one brown, tis they the Pellar awaits!"

He looked at the door oddly, as it swung open to reveal the old man. He was wearing necklace of chickens feet, and he had an old withered face, but smiled when he saw the two of them. Not many people smiled when they saw two armed Witcher's at their door, but the man gestured for the two of them to enter, so carefully he took a step forward, into the mans home.

It was a cozy hut, that reminded him of Kiera's. A roaring fire was going in the hearth, while different plants and ingredients grew along shelves, and bookcases lined up next to them. A bed could be seen in another room, along with animal skulls adorning the walls. He looked to his left and saw the old man had set out plates of bread, and drinks near on his table.

He turned, looking at the older man, "So… expecting the two us?"

"Aye, as the bones declared I should," The man said energetically, turning to face the both of them, "They shall come, whose stench is rape and death, but the wolves shall dispose of them! The White Wolf, and The Young Wolf!"

He turned to Geralt who was looking at the man just as oddly. He of course knew that some Pellars and witches could read the future with omens, but he had no idea how they would know that exactly at that moment he and Geralt would show.

"The Young Wolf? Gods, I hope that nickname doesn't stick, Dandelion would have a field day" He muttered to himself, getting a chuckle out of Geralt.

"Come on Dom, you don't like the sound of 'The ballad of the Young Wolf'," He asked in a joke.

He sighed and shook his head, "No, I don't. Now let's get back to the matter at hand."

Geralt nodded in agreement and reached into his pocket, producing the old amulet they had found, holding it out to the Pellar.

"We need your help; do you recognize this. Made of spruce wood, strong smell of juniper. Designed to protect someone," He asked the older man.

The Pellar took one look at the amulet, and nodded his head, "Aye, freshly cut spruce with goat's blood, then tempered with an incense of earth smoke, and juniper. For Anna, to protect her."

He narrowed his eyes at the older man, "Protect her from what?"

The old man shook his head sadly, before looking back up at them, "Oh the dear-besieged she was. Evil all around, wanting to posses her. Old magic, born of oblivion, from dark sources emerged."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, "Can you please be a bit more specific? Old magic is a very broad topic," He asked, crossing his arms.

The Pellar shook his head, "Tis naught for mouth-speech, nor for the touch. A small protective charm- not a thing more a pellar could do."

He sighed again, his question being far from answered. He turned to Geralt, gesturing for him to take over. The older Witcher had much more patience then he did at the moment.

"Anna and her daughter are missing. We're trying to find them, know where they are," He asked the older man, in a much calmer voice then he would have.

The man shook his head, "Nay, no, nay. Pellar don't know…. But the spirits could know. The pellar will augur, then spirits ask!"

The way the man spoke was beginning to give him a headache, but they had finally gotten somewhere.

Geralt nodded, "Spirits, great, fine with me," He said looking over to Dom.

He nodded in agreement as well, "Don't care where we get the information, long as we know where to look."

The Pellar nodded, and turned to the door, "Lost, lost… must be found… Princess! None better for finding things!"

"Princess? What princess," Geralt asked as the two Witcher's followed the Pellar out of the hut.

They exited the hut and he saw the Pellar kneeling down, next to the empty pen. The old mans eyes widened and he could see the terror in the mans face.

"Princess! My goat! She's fled," The man wailed.

"Oh god…" He said under his breath.

Geralt looked to Dom first, then to the old man, "Those men must have scared her off, can we get back to auguring please," He said impatiently.

"Yes, please, it's very important we get this done soon," He said, the cold breeze chilling his bones.

The Pellar stood up, his head shaking, "Without the goat? Impossible. No goat? Hmph, won't work," He said with finality.

He knew exactly where the conversation was going, and right away turned to Geralt. The Witcher met his eyes, and the two of them had a silent conversation. Geralt finally rolled his eyes and the two of them looked back to the Pellar.

He sighed in annoyance, "If we go and get your goat will you help us?"

"Princess! Princess, where have you go too girl," the old man yelled, frantically looking into the darkness of the woods.

"I need to get out of this place…" He said in an annoyed tone, before Geralt finally nodded.

"Fine, we'll find your goat," He told the old man.

The Pellar finally turned around, a look of relief on his face, "The bell! The little bell's ringing-she loves it! Ring, ring and she'll follow! Uh… for a while, but beware of wild strawberries, and raspberries too!"

He rolled his eyes at the old man, "Yes, dangerous beast those strawberries. We'll get your goat, just be ready to augur."

The old man nodded to them gratefully and retreated to his home.

He looked over to Geralt, and then down to the bell in his hand. Never at any point when he started this journey did, he think he would be chasing down an old mans goat. Geralt met his eyes, and for a few seconds, the two Witcher's looked at each other.

He realized what Geralt was trying to do and shook his head.

"Absolutely not," he said firmly.

"I climbed to the ravens nest for Johnny's voice," Geralt said back quickly.

He shook his head at the older Witcher, "You didn't give me a choice in that matter."

For another minute or so, the two Witcher's had a staring contest in the light of the moon and torches. Finally, he sighed, and held out his hand in a fist.

"Loser goes to get the goat," He offered to his father.

Geralt sighed and held out his hand in a fist as well, "Fine," He said.

The two Witcher's pumped their hands three time, and finally Dom threw out scissors. He felt his annoyance reach a whole new high when he plan backfired and Geralt threw rock. The older Witcher smirked, and Dom rolled his eyes.

"From hunting werewolves to herding a goat… love the Witcher's life," He muttered picking the bell back up off the ground.

Geralt smirked at him, "Look on the bright side."

"What's that?"

Geralt crossed his arms and laughed, "Now you'll have a great story to tell Ciri when we find her."

"You mean I'll tell her how to find her, I needed to go save a goat from a pack of wild strawberries?"

Geralt shook his head, "I was thinking more, you saved a princess from being lost in the woods and returned her to her father."

He rolled his eyes and turned towards the woods, grabbing a torch from the stand next to the Pellar's hut.

"You're fucking hilarious Geralt," He muttered, before walking into the woods, ringing the small bell.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on you stupid goat! Get away from those," He yelled, flailing the bell in his hands.

Finally, after she had eaten her fill, princes tore herself away from the strawberry bush. He held his blade, now red with he blood of wolves in one hand and the bell in the other. Thankfully he had managed to prevent the goat from being eaten, and the lit Pellar's hut was no in view so he could find his way without the torch. The goat bleated, and he sighed in annoyance as he kept ringing the bell for her to follow.

So far on his quest to find Ciri, he had been able to remember moments with her during each thing they had to do, in an effort to keep himself going.

However, he didn't have any memory of Ciri and him herding goats, so while sighing, he finally made his way to the Pellar's hut. A smirking Geralt came off from leaning on the side of the hut and came up to him as he approached.

"So, you found your princess," He said sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes, "Very fucking funny, not the princess I wanted to find, but if it helps…"

"Goat of mine! Dearest, sweetest goat," The Pellar said, speed walking from his house.

He watched as the older man knelt down and scratched the goats chin. He couldn't help but feel slightly better seeing the scene. The old man didn't have any other type of companionship in the woods, so the goat must have kept him company. He looked over at Geralt and the older Witcher smiled proudly at him, before looking back to the Pellar.

"Happy for you, really am, but we're kinda in a hurry," He said to the older man.

Dominik nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Anna and Tamara, they could be in danger we need to find them."

The Pellar stood up with a smile, and nodded, "Aye, the Young Wolf and the White Wolf helped the pellar, and so the pellar shall help! Blood! We need blood, a living being," The old man said, before turning to walk back into his home.

Right away Dom turned to Geralt and met his eyes, "I got the goat, you can get the 'living being'," He said quickly.

It was Geralt's turn to sigh in annoyance, "Fine… be right back."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sure, enough Geralt had returned shortly. He was sitting at the pellars table, ripping off chunks of bread, and downing a cup of water. His adoptive father walked back into the hut with a large, wriggling rat in his hand. He sighed in an annoyed tone and shot him a glare when he laughed. The pellar, who had been milking his goat turned to him when he walked in.

"Will this work," He asked the older man.

The old pellar nodded, and turned back around, and began to pour lines of salt in a circle around him. He got up from his chair and saw the light of the moon shining in on the circle, as her swallow one last swig of water. The more oddities and new things he saw on his journey, the more excited he was to tell his story to Ciri. When he wasn't thinking about the arduous journey, he had ahead of him to find her, he often thought about how he'd describe his time without her.

He always concluded that the first thing he would describe to her, would be the feeling of being incomplete he still had inside him, that would only be filled by her.

Geralt sighed, and poured himself a cup of water, before downing it in one go as Dominik stood up next to him. He watched the pellar pull a knife from his belt, hold the wriggling rat above the circle, and slice it open from the belly. He felt his stomach turn as he dripped the rodents blood over the floor, before falling down to his knees.

He almost went to help the man when he saw smoke come from his head, but then he spoke in a deep tone, his head throwing back.

"They are not here! They are gone! Blood, I see blood," The voice boomed through the house, smoke coming from the mans ears.

"Whose blood," Geralt asked, as Dom's stomach churned even more.

The pellars head stayed pinned back, "No Anna…. No Tamara… just a child!"

"What the hell are you talking about," Dominik asked, taking a step closer.

The pellars head shot back forward, the mans eyes closing for a moment before he breath heavily and stood back up.

"A child," He said in his normal voice, meeting the two Witcher's eyes, "A child that lives, yet did not die."

He scoffed and looked at the man, "That's it? Spirits couldn't have told you where they went, what happened to them? Draw us a detailed map?"

Geralt scoffed, but the pellar simply shook his head, "That is it. You came for an augury and augur I did. They're gone. The child remains."

"Whose child are you talking about," Geralt asked from next to him.

"Why, Anna's," The pellar said, as if it was common knowledge.

He felt gears begin to turn in his head, pieces began to come together.

"Anna was pregnant… Baron didn't mention that at all," He said, looking over to Geralt.

The pellar nodded to confirm, "Aye, she was, and miscarried. Man's afraid perhaps, or ashamed, or forgetful…. Or perhaps he had no wish to remember."

He met Geralt's eyes and he could tell he was thinking the same thing. Geralt turned back to the pellar and carefully met the mans eyes.

"Could the Baron… have had anything to do with his wife's miscarriage," He asked the pellar.

The pellar scoffed, "Foul-tempered he is, and he's a fondness for hooch."

Geralt scoffed, "No doubt that makes his temper fouler. Did he abuse his family? Anna came to you; you must've noticed something."

The old man shook his head, "The pellar's old, near blind… but Princess came, and licker her hand," he said turning to the bleating female goat, "She's a wise beast, only comes to those who suffer."

He sighed in disappointment and turned to Geralt.

"Geralt, I bet his family ran away… and he knows they did. He's been wasting our time, so we can find his family, who got tired of him beating them to a pulp," He said, his anger growing.

Geralt's eyes grew angry as well and nodded, "Yeah… I think you're right. We need to have a little chat with him."

"If he so much as laid a finger on Ciri… I'll kill him myself," He said, the idea suddenly coming to him.

Too many people had hurt her. He knew that she could take care of herself and would have killed the baron herself if he tried to hurt her. However, it didn't make the idea any less angering. They had spent valuable time, where they could have been looking for Ciri, looking for two people who ran away willingly.

Geralt nodded to him, "Yeah… I'll be right with you. First though," He said turning to the pellar, "What happened to the child?"

The pellar looked down, "In a grave thrown, without rite or ceremony. It awoke. Now it wonders, it seeks vengeance."

The realization dawned on him and he felt himself shiver. He felt one of the scars on his left shoulder begin to tremble, and sighed, "Fuck me… it's a botchling."

Geralt looked over to him, "Bad experience," He asked, sensing the worry in his voice.

He nodded, remembering the contract vividly, "Yeah… tracked one down outside Tretogor about a year ago. I wanted to try to lift the curse, turn it into a lubberkin, couldn't remember how, but the damn thing nearly ripped my throat out."

He saw Geralt wince, as the pellar waved his hands to get their attention, "White Wolf, Young Wolf, wise beyond years. Catch the botchling, the botchling will help, lead the two wolves to the loved ones."

He scoffed, wondering how in the world a creature like a botchling could help them find the Baron's family. He wasn't even sure he wanted to help the man anymore. Geralt looked at the older man curiously and voiced his concerns.

"Botchlings suck the blood of pregnant woman and eat their fetuses. They don't help, one nearly killed Dom," He said looking to the younger Witcher.

The older man softly scoffed and looked at them, "Tis a being cursed, and witchers lift curses. If the two wolves can't lift it, they should bring its blood to me. Blood will always find kindred blood."

He sighed and looked to Geralt, "Like I said, I tried to lift the curse, but I couldn't remember how. Only one Witcher has ever been able to, right?"

Geralt nodded in conferment, "Yeah… and I never tried it myself either. I know you have to bury it under the threshold."

The pellar awed and spoke up, "And give it a name! Perform the Aymm Rhoinn!"

He looked at the old man oddly, and Geralt scoffed, "The Ritual of Naming? That's an elven custom."

The older man scoffed, "Human, elven, dwarven… ancient. Spirits have no race, they honor its meaning. Win a spirts favor, and the spirit shall aid you. Ask and it will answer, Seek, and it will show you the way."

He felt his apprehension rise. He knew a botchling would be no problem for Geralt and he, however he was furious about being led astray by the Baron. He would try to heal the creature, as he did all the cursed beings, however he needed to have a long chat with the Baron. He knew that the two of them had two options, kill the being or cure it. If they killed it, he was sure the pellar could use its blood to help them, and if they cured it, the spirit itself could help them find the Baron's family.

He sighed, looking at Geralt, "Well, looks like we have two options. What do you think?"

Geralt turned and met his gaze, "No matter what we do, we need to find the botchling first."

The pellar nodded and spoke again, "Seek it at midnight, near the grave that lies empty."

The white-haired Witcher nodded, "Yeah… if what you say about the Baron is true, he oughta know where the grave it."

He laughed and nodded, "Ha that works out perfectly. I think it's time we had a little chat with the Baron anyway."

Geralt nodded in agreement, "You're right. We got a few hours till midnight, come on, if we get going now, we can get there before."

He nodded, and the two turned to leave the pellars hut. He felt the rain begin to slowly stop pouring down, as he mounted up on Clop to leave. The two of them needed to get the botchling one way or another. He had met hard men in his life, he had dealt with them, always got what he needed. The Baron hadn't shown any real signs of being an evil man.

However, as he rode hard next to Geralt, he knew that for all people looks can be deceiving.

**A/N: So, Dominik and Geralt finally know the truth and are riding back to confront the Baron. What will happen when they get back? Did you enjoy reading about Dominik valiantly saving a princess? How did you like his conversation with Gretka? What do you want to know more about from Dom's past, or his connection to Ciri? We'll find out more later, and I hope you're all as excited as I am. **

**I also decided that if any of you have any question's I'll be answering them. Leave a review with what your question is, and I'll either answer it in a PM if you have an account, or if you're a guest, I'll answer it in a PM! **

**If you don't have a question and just want to leave a review I also appreciate that as well! I love reading them, it helped me figure out what I need to improve on and what you guys like seeing so please, consider leaving one. See you all next time, when Dominik and Geralt continue their search, see you then.**


	13. Family Matters II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 13: Family Matter II**

**Narrator: After arriving at Crow's Perch, the Bloody Baron told Dom and Geralt that he did indeed know where Ciri had gone. However, he would only tell them if they helped find his missing wife and daughter. So, Dom and Geralt set out to investigate, and learned that the Baron's wife had given birth and miscarried, resulting in the child turning into a botchling. The only way to find the barons missing wife and daughter, was to find the beast. So, Dom and Geralt headed back to Crow's Perch, to hunt it down.**

The only light they had was from the light of the moon. As he rode swiftly down the road behind Geralt, he could feel the wind sweep through his brown hair. There were still a few hours before midnight, but he knew that Geralt and he first needed to locate the botchlings grave, and then secondly needed to prepare. He knew that botchlings could attract other monsters, so he would need to prepare bombs and oils.

It was nice to have some help on contracts for a change. For almost all of the last eight years, he had been preparing and doing the contracts on his own. The original plan was always for he and Ciri to set out on the path, but of course a wrench had been thrown into that idea. He had always wanted when he was younger to travel with Geralt, and complete contracts and learn everything he could. He remembered the first time he had ever truly fought a monster with Geralt.

It was some time after Ciri was at the temple of Melitele in Ellander. Geralt and he were crossing the Pontar, hired as protection for a barge of passengers. He had just gotten done reading, and writing letters back to Ciri, who insistently kept writing to them both from the temple, begging them to come visit. Dom would of course then in turn beg Geralt to let them, but Geralt had been waiting for Yennefer, so she could go and teach Ciri.

He remembered the smart mouthed scholar, that insisted the monster he and Geralt had been hired to protect the barge from an Aeschna, was not real, and couldn't possibly exist. Geralt argued with the scholar for a while, that was until first, a group of cutthroats, posing as Temarian soldiers boarded the vessel. He remembered a frantic Geralt, shoving all Ciri and Yennefer's letters into his hand, urging him to rip them apart and toss them in the river, before telling him to not intervene until he said so.

If not for a Redanian customs officer who was friends with Geralt who was also onboard with some of his men, he had no idea what he would have done. It turns out the men were only posing as Temaria soldiers, and they were trying to arrest Geralt. The leader of the men kept insisting Geralt tell him where the 'young blonde girl' was. Young at the time, only 13, he had been frightened the men were trying to find and capture Ciri. He had attacked them first, slicing the leg of one, before the fight broke loose.

That fight hadn't lasted long however, because the Aeschna attacked the barge, grabbing and taking the men's leader and a young boy he had taken hostage overboard. With the help of the Redanian customs officer, he had killed one of the attackers, before Geralt leaped into the Pontar. He almost went overboard after the Witcher, but Geralt managed to save the young boy, and kill the men's leaders. It was afterwards, when he and Geralt both left the barge, he learned the group of men were only posing as Temarian soldiers, and they were actually a band of bounty hunters, looking to find and capture Ciri. After that, was when the two of them both returned to Ellander, and he was reunited with Ciri, and met Yennefer.

The situation was much the same now. Geralt and he, both going to make sure Ciri was safe.

"Dom, do you remember lightning striking," Geralt yelled to him, as they came closer to Crow's Perch.

He could feel the heat scorching his eyes, and he turned to the left to see a huge blazing fire. The barn in the castle courtyard was on fire and spreading quick. The rain had stopped, so the chances of it going out soon were slim.

He shook his head and yelled at Geralt over the wind, "No… no lightning, come on let's get moving!"

He spurred Clop's reigns faster, and kicked his boots, sending his mount as fast as he could. They needed to get to the Baron, if he was in the blaze and died… they wouldn't find Ciri.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

They had left Clop and Roach just inside the castle, gates and leaped down. He sprinting up towards the castle as quickly as his feet could move him, Geralt right on his heels. People were running, screaming, trying to bring buckets of water towards the blaze. Nothing seemed to be working, when he got to the courtyard, men were standing back, watching in horror as the barn burned. He came to a halt with Geralt right at the courtyards entrance, next to an old, balding man in armor, watching the blaze in horror.

"Oswin! Where's Oswin!? Anyone seen him," Another man in plate yelled coming up to the man.

The bald man shakily pointed a finger towards the stables, "Believe I saw him heading to the stable," He said, terrified.

"What," The man yelled in a panic.

Geralt walked past the two of them, with Dom right behind him, "Fire! You blind, why's nobody trying to put it out!?"

The balding man scoffed, "Ain't that simple. Most are afraid! Baron flied into a rage-he takes no prisoners!"

"My brother's in the stable! We've got to save him- he'll burn alive! Him and the horses," The man in plate asked frantically.

He was about to speak up, offer to go get the man's brother, however another voice came to his ear from his left. It was a middle-aged man in a white apron, a chef's hat on his head. His eyes were wide, his tone frantic.

"And the girl! My assistant went to the stables shortly before the blaze to help with the horses we have to save her," He asked frantically.

"Gretka…" he muttered under his breath, before taking off in a run.

He heard Geralt curse loudly behind him, and chase after him. The blaze was roaring and was surely to spread if nobody started to contain it. He felt his skin begin to heat up as he got closer. He could hear the Baron screaming drunkenly, watching the blaze with absolute delight. As much as he wanted to beat the man to a pulp, he focused on his task. He ignored the prickling heat and leaped for the ladder he found. It led up into the loft, he climbed, his fingers scalding under his gloves with each grip he took. He got up the final rung of the ladder and drug himself inside.

He rolled down into the loft, and right away felt the smoke start to billow up in his lungs. He coughed and heard Geralt's armor clunk next to him as the older Witcher entered the same way he had. He shakily got to his feet, his vision disoriented, the smoke stinging his eyes.

"Dom, *cough, cough*, Aard, Aard to clear the smoke," Geralt said between coughs.

He coughed again himself and summoned the magical energy to his hand. He felt himself stumble but fired his hand forward and a powerful Aard cleared some of the smoke around them. He was able to take a clean breath and saw Geralt next to him fire his own sign as well.

"Get the girl, I'll find the guy and get the door open," He ordered, as another fit of coughs attacked them both.

He nodded and followed closely behind Geralt. He kept his hands over his mouth but could feel the smoke seep through. Geralt had an advantage, he could hold his breath much longer then most, but he held strong, getting to the ladder down to the ground level.

"GRETKA," He yelled into the smoke, right away regretting it, by coughing into his arms.

He heard a man shout first, and horses begin to neigh, but heard a fit of coughing from behind a stable door. Geralt ran towards the man screaming, and undid the latches to the horses gate, while he ran to the left, and quickly unhinged an empty gate. Sure, enough a coughing Gretka was on the ground, hacking into her shirt.

"I got you," he said, leaning down and pulling the young girl into his arms.

"D… *cough, cough* Dominik" He heard her yelled in panic.

"Qui-. *cough, cough*, quiet, don't try to talk, don't let go of me," He said, the smoke beginning to make his eyes water.

He had been in rough situations before, some involving fire, some involving water, some even ice. However, nothing compared to the pain the blistering heat was sending through his body now. His skin began to feel like it was boiling. He heard the snap of wood, the crackling of hay and pieces of the ceiling. He managed to slowly get to his feet, Gretka with her face buried deep into his chest.

"DOMINIK, the ways open come on," He heard Geralt yell, as his vision became more and more blurry.

He could faintly see Geralt in-front of him, a man limping on his shoulder, and the light of the moon in-front of him. Geralt had managed to get the door open, but the more he tried to walk, the ore he felt himself begin to hack. The smoke filled his vision more, the stinging making it difficult for him to move. It was some of the worst pain he had ever felt in his life, the smoke felt as if it was sucking the moisture from his eyes.

His legs began to tremble, and he felt himself trip. Gretka screamed as she tripped fell from his arms. He looked up and saw the door close.

"GO, GET OUT," He yelled, a fit of coughs coming to him.

Gretka looked like she was going to try and help him, but he urged her forward, and watched as the girl ran towards Geralt who was waiting just outside the doors.

"DOM, DOMINIK," He heard the older Witcher yelled.

He could see anymore, he had to close his eyes, having them open only brough him more pain. He tried to climb to his feet, but as soon as he did, he felt a flame grab at his boot, and he screamed, tripping again. He heard the crackle of timber, and a large crash. He heard wood snap, as he fell face forward into the dirt.

He coughed and felt himself unable to open his eyes. He heard another loud snap, and then Geralt's voice.

"DOM IT'S COMING DOWN," He heard the Witcher yell.

He ripped his eyes open and saw chunks of wood speeding down towards him. With the last bit of strength, he had, he got to one knee, and slammed his hand into the ground. A round yellow shield, the Quen Witcher sign sprang around him, just as the flaming wood was about to smack into him.

"HOLD ON, I'M COMING," He heard Geralt scream, as he focused solely on keeping the shield up.

He saw around him debris starting to pile up, and the strain of keeping the sign up began to take its toll.

He couldn't die. He couldn't go out like this, buried under a flaming pile of wood, killed before he could even find her. If he was going to die, he was going to see Ciri again first, he swore it. He was going to tell her how much he still loved her, he was going to fight by her side to protect her, die for her if he had too.

No, he wouldn't die here.

He grinded his teeth, and after he felt like he was about to finally give out, he almost stumbled from a powerful Aard blast. The wood flew away from his shield, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief as he fell to the dirt again. He felt his eyes close, and his consciousness slowly drift.

"DOMINIK, COME ON," He heard Geralt yell, as his adoptive father finally reached him.

He felt himself being lifted up from the ground, just before he felt a new blackness overtake him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_"Up, again," His father's voice rang through his head. _

_ It was a warm, summers day outside of Cintra, and his father had taken him with him only moments after he'd woken up. They had gone to the lake, as they often had to train. It was a large lake, surrounded by a peaceful pine trees, and rock formations just outside of Cintra's city walls. It was where his mother taught him to swim, climb, make fire, and the other skills she thought he'd need. _

_ That day however, in the scorching heat, it was just him, his father, and two wooden swords. _

_ He breathed heavily, rolling onto his back, looking up at the cloudless blue sky. The sword had fallen from his hand when his father put him into the dirt. He was only wearing the same light, white, cotton shirt he had worn to bed, along with his trousers and boots. The two had only been training for an hour or so, but the sweat had already stuck his unruly brown hair to his forehead, and his energy had been all but exhausted. _

_ He felt his father's wooden practice sword smack his hand, "Never let go of your weapon, come on, up again."_

_ He reared his hand back in pain, before scrambling for his smaller practice sword. He got up to his knees, and his father stood before him. He had always been a mountain of a man, large arms, long legs, a head of unruly brown hair like him, and a bushy beard and mustache. He wasn't in his armor like he normally was, only in a tight cotton top like he was, his real longsword was still strapped to his belt. _

_ He looked down at him with his intense brown eyes, and tapped the dirt again, "Come on, you wanted this, get up now."_

_ He scrambled his smaller body up off the ground and stood up. He bent his knees and held out his wooden blade with both hands. _

_ His father tsked at him, and walked over, tapping his feet with his practice sword, "Spread your feet more, a good soldier must ground themselves."_

_ "Yes father," He said quickly. He spread his feet to shoulder width apart, and shifted to the balls of his feet, and his father nodded in approval. _

_ "Good, ready your sword," He said, walking back in-front of him. _

_ He held up his blade, gripping tightly with both his hands, holding it out towards. His father quickly shook his head._

_ "You're not holding a battle-axe! One hand on the grip, only bring two if you're using a longer blade, or you're performing a combo, the sword must be part of your arm, can you drop part of your arm," He asked, walking closer to him._

_ He pulled Dominik's hand off and put it out to the side, and adjusted his footwork, he met his son's eyes and asked the question again. _

_ "So? Can you drop part of your arm," He asked again, his arms now crossed._

_ He shook his head, "No…"_

_ His father nodded, and walked back across from him, "If you can't then you should never drop your weapon. Now, strike again."_

_ His young, 11-year-old self-took in a deep breath and nodded. He lunged out wildly, trying to strike at his father's sides. Easily however, the older man side-stepped, surprisingly swift for his size. He didn't even lash back out to parry his son, simply stepping to the side, and dodging his attacks, he leaned his head back, avoiding a strike Dom had meant to send towards his shoulder. His younger self was winded and yelled before charging once more. _

_ With ease, his father side-stepped again, finally bringing his sword down and swiping his feet out from under him. He fell on his back to the ground, and his father held the point of his wooden sword at his neck. He sighed in agitation and fell back into the dirt, meeting his father's brown eyes. _

_ He shook his head, and tsked at his son again, "Won't be protecting anyone with footwork like that."_

_ He moved his sword away and held out a hand, yanking his son back to his feet. Young Dominik sighed in annoyance again and wiped the dirt from his arms and shirt. _

_ "You're too big for me! Besides, I only slept for a few hours last night," He said indignantly, crossing his arms and looking up at his father._

_ A mischievous smile came across his father's old face, "Bah, that's your own fault. I told you to be back from the castle by sunset last night, and what time did you get back?"_

_ His younger green eyes went wide, before quickly looking down at the ground nervously, "After that…"_

_ His father nodded, and looked at him amusingly, "Yes, a LONG while after that."_

_ He quickly shook his head, and words left his mouth before he thought, "I'm sorry father, but me and Ciri were on the balcony and we wanted too-," He started, before quickly closing his mouth and looking back to the ground. _

_ His father chuckled light and shook his head, "You and the princess… going to drive me and the queen both mad you are."_

_ He could see the red hue appearing on his younger self, as he looked down sheepishly, making his father laugh. _

_ "Haha, still… not excuses. You told me you wanted to learn more now, and not wait till you were older, and what did I say to you when you asked?"_

_ Little Dominik sighed and looked up at his father, "That if I agreed, I'd do as you say… and that you would show me the same kind of mercy during training as grandfather showed you… none."_

_ Gregory nodded to his son, and knelt down to one knee, becoming eye level with him, "Our family has been protecting the royal line of Cintra for decades, your grandfather protected Queen Calanthe before me, and King Dagorad Calanthe's father before her, and decades before that. Our job is even more important than you think."_

_ This was all information he of course knew and was proud off. He eagerly nodded his head, "Yeah, and you protect Queen Calanthe now, and then when I'm older, I'll protect Ciri!"_

_ His father smiled and met his eyes, "Yes… you will. However, Dominik you must understand how important it is that me, you, and any of our family that come after, protect Ciri, Queen Calanthe, and any children that come after them."_

_ "Of course, I understand father, they're our queens and kings. They've been friends of our family for decades as you said, we have them to thank for a lot of what we have," He said, having known this fact as well for his entire life. _

_ The older man laughed at his son and nodded, "Ha, all of that is true yes, but… that's not the only reason. There's another… more important reason that we MUST protect them."_

_ He narrowed his eyes, meeting his father's brown ones with his green, "What is it?"_

_ His father sighed for a moment, before looking back to him, "The princess, Ciri she… she's very special."_

_ "Yeah… she is," He said right away as soon as his father finished, his voice full of longing, as he stared up at the castle. _

_ This got a laugh from the older man, "Haha, yes, I know that. She's special… in other ways too, however. You must understand Dominik, when Ciri gets older, she'll be in danger. Many people will come for her, try to take her, harm her."_

_ This made his stomach tie up in knots. Even back when he was that young, he was protective of the girl, he shook his head and met his father's eyes again. _

_ "Don't worry father, I won't let anything happen to her! I promised Queen Calanthe, besides, Ciri's my friend! I won't let her get hurt, by anyone," He said in a confident voice. _

_ A smile crossed his father's face again, as he ruffled his sons hair, "I believe you, I do. However.… you're going to need to train much, much more. Nobody becomes a master swordsman overnight. You have to work at it, every day."_

_ A determined look crossed the young Dominik's face, "I will, I promise. If it means that I can protect Ciri, I'll do it!"_

_ His father chuckled and nodded, "Ha, well okay, but this means no more little escapades in the castle till crazy hours of the night! You're lucky, if you weren't with Ciri the other night when the two of you got caught in the larder, you would've been flogged."_

_ "That was her idea!"_

_ His father laughed again and stood up, reaching around his neck. He unlatched and then reattached an iron chain, and dangling from it, a bronze ring. He sighed, and looked down at his son, before smiling at him. _

_ "Here… I think it's time you took this," He said, folding the chain and ring into his sons hands. _

_ Young Dominik's eyes went wide, and he looked up agape at his father, "Father… I thought you said this wouldn't go to me until I got older."_

_ Gregory smiled and met his sons eyes again, "Aye you're right. Our families ring isn't supposed to be passed down to the oldest child until they're 16 but… I think it's the right time to give it to you now."_

_ "Why's that," He asked curiously. _

_ His father sighed and looked up towards the castle protruding over Cintra. _

_ "I won't lie to you son. We're living in a dangerous time. Tensions with the south… they're reaching an all-time high. A new… emperor in Nilfgaard, in-fighting with the northern kingdoms. A dangerous time indeed," He said turning back around, looking down at his son. _

_ "I never told you the rings story. It was worn by King Caram the second of Cintra, about a hundred years ago. One of our ancestors, they saved King Coram in battle, in thanks, King Coram named our ancestor the commander of his personal royal guards, and gifted him that ring," He said, taking a close look at the bronze, before looking back to his son._

_ "The ring was said to be magical, worn as a form of protection, and good luck. The magic has worn off, but the ring remained in our family. It represents the connection between our family, and the royal line of Cintra. Our ancestor accepted the ring and swore that he and his descendants would always protect the royal family, and the power they possess," His father said, and Dominik's mouth was still agape. _

_ The ring he held in his hand, had passed from every member of his family since the original kings and queens of Cintra. Now, it was in his possession, and he would wear it in the future while he protected Ciri. One question however, still tickled the back of his mind. _

_ "Father… what power do they possess? Why did you say so many people would want to take Ciri," He asked. _

_ His father shook his head, "I can't tell you that son. You'll learn one day, the day you take my place as commander of the guards, Queen Calanthe will tell you. She'll tell you the power that Ciri has, and why we have to protect her."_

_ He nodded in understanding, but his father then knelt down again, his look growing stern, "Also, you won't mention anything, about this power to Ciri, at all. Do you understand?"_

_ He looked at him curiously, "What, why can't she-."_

_ "I mean it Dominik. You don't know or understand it's true nature. Ciri has no idea, her grandmother hasn't told her yet. I probably shouldn't have even told you now, so I want you to mention nothing about this to Ciri, am I understood," His father said, cutting him off sternly. _

_ The younger version of himself nodded slowly, and his father nodded. A smile returned to his face as the man stood and looked back to the castle. As he did, six large bells rang from the keep, and his father turned back to him. _

_ "I think we're done for the day. Come on, let's get back to the house, get changed, then you're coming with me to the castle for the day," He explained to his son. _

_ He gripped the ring and looked at his father, his eyes wide and full of excitement. He had never gone into the castle with his father for the whole day. He would go for small periods of time, but never had he gone with him from the beginning of his day. _

_ "Really, do you mean it?"_

_ His father laughed and turned back to him, "Ha, I've no choice really. It's either bring you with me from the start, or leave you home, and have Cirilla hound me for hours to go and bring you. Come on, let's get back home and get changed, if you're going to the place, you'll need to dress like it."_

_ His father started off back towards where their horses had been tied, and he excitedly followed. He looked down at the ring his father gave him, and quickly tied it around his neck. He felt it dangle down and he looked at it, still amazed. His father told him the ring had been worn for protection and luck._

_ Perhaps it would help him, help him to protect Ciri for years to come._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He felt a large thump in his chest as he finally came too.

"WAKE UP, WAKE UP DAMMIT," He heard Geralt shout, as his hands slammed into his chest.

He shot forward a fit of coughs coming to him, so hard the fell to his side, and regurgitated everything he had eaten in that day. He looked down and saw the swallow pendant dangling next to his medallion and he realized he wasn't in a dream anymore. The bronze ring his father entrusted him with wasn't around his neck, protecting him.

It was hopefully around the neck of Ciri still, protecting her as best it could.

"FUCK," He yelled, the effort feeling like a scrape on the back of his throat.

The vomit finally all left his system, and he fell backwards again, and he felt the rain begin to hit his forehead again. He looked around and realized he was still in the courtyard at Crow's Perch, the roaring fire that had been set to the stable was still burning, but slowly starting to extinguish thanks to the rain.

"Dominik," He heard from his left.

He looked and saw Gretka slam into him with a hug. He coughed again a few times, but wrapped an arm around the girl, thankful that she was at least okay. He looked over to his right and saw a relieved Geralt looking at him with his yellow cat eyes.

"Geralt what… what happened," he asked, air finally beginning to return to his lungs.

Geralt breathed a sigh of relief, "Too much smoke filled up in your lungs, you couldn't make it out. You sent Gretka out of the barn, but before you can go, pieces of the wood started to fall, you got a shield up, and I managed to drag you out. Passed out from using too much energy. And from the smoke."

He looked around and saw men still running, rushing to the blaze with buckets, as Gretka still held onto his side.

"How… how long was I out for," he asked the older Witcher.

Geralt shook his head, "Not long, only about ten minutes. Dom I… I thought for a second you-."

He shook his head, "You already lost one of us… don't worry Geralt, it'll take more than some smoke and wood to kill me, I can promise you that."

The older Witcher smiled lightly and nodded. Gretka finally pulled back from him, and looked at him, her eyes wet.

"You… you saved me," She said to him.

He coughed while trying to laugh but nodded, "Of course I did. You're my friend, I couldn't let you get hurt."

The girl sniffled and met his eyes again, "Ciri… she was right. She told me… she told me you and Geralt were heroes, that you saved people."

He felt himself laugh, and even saw Geralt crack a smile. He was going to say something else but was interrupted.

"HAHA! Our heroes return! The horses! Why, I'm prepared to forgive you the drubbin' you gave those pricks at the crossroads," The Baron's drunken voice cut in.

The man sauntered over to them, and he clearly was drunk beyond any reasonable level. The thunder boomed overhead as the barn still blazed high, the rain doing its best to put it out. He looked over to Geralt and saw a look of rage grow on the Witcher's face. He looked over to Gretka next to him.

"Go back to the kitchen Gretka, cook was worried," He ordered the younger girl.

Gretka didn't argue and ran off back towards the castle. He managed to drag himself to my feet, just as the Baron laughed again.

"Haha, and YOU," He said, pointing at Dom now, a drunken smile on his face, "Ciri told me you were a tough fucker."

He felt his fingers curl into fists, but Geralt, who's eyes were fuming stepped in-front of the man.

"He almost fucking died because of you, you're lucky I don't beat you to a bloody pulp right now, like you did to your wife and daughter," He yelled at the man over the thunder and rain.

The Baron's jolly drunk demeanor changed, and his eyes narrowed at Geralt, "What the fuck are you suggesting!?"

Geralt shook his head angrily again, his white hair drenched in rain, "We know that your wife miscarried. Probably after you beat her to a blood pulp. Don't lie, you've been beating them for years. Finally, they had enough and ran, and you sent the two of us to try and drag them back. Sound about right!?"

The Baron shut his eyes tightly and shook his head, before opening them again, a new look of fury. He screamed and tried to lunge at Geralt with a punch. However, the Baron was too drunk, and Geralt far too quick. He pushed the strike to the side and swung a hard-right hand into the man's face, knocking him to the ground, a blood cut and black eye now adorning his face.

Geralt didn't give him a chance to recover. He walked behind them, as he dragged the man through the dirt, over to a water trough, used for pigs, cows and other animals. He dunked the drunken man's head down under and lifted him back up. The Baron gasped and struggled, but Geralt's grip was like iron. He dunked the man's head down again, this time for longer, before ripping him out of the water, where the large man turned, gasping for what air he could. He lay back now against the trough, looking up at the two Witcher's through wide eyes.

"We need to talk, now," Geralt said, as the thunder boomed overhead.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He managed to regain the feeling in his lungs by the time they had gotten back inside. The Baron stood by the fire, staring into the cackling flames, as he and Geralt stood behind him. He felt the air finally begin to circulate again in his lungs, his breathing beginning to settle again. He thought about the dream he had with his father while he was passed out, the lake outside Cintra, receiving the families ring. He didn't know then or even for years afterwards what special power he was talking about, but soon he realized. He was talking about the elder blood that flowed through Ciri's veins.

The ring was with her now, hopefully protecting her while he tried to search. To do so however, he needed the drunken man in front of him to cooperate.

"Sit down," Geralt demanded, and sure enough the Baron sat in-front of the fire on the chair, and Geralt sat down across, while he stood in-front of the fire, "You beat them."

The Baron shook his head, sweat, wine and water dripping from his hair, "I never laid a finger on Tamara, not once."

He scoffed and shook his head, "You expect us to believe that after what we saw in the courtyard? I swear… I if I learn you even so much as laid a finger on Ciri, you'll be dead before any guards can save you," He said, with venom dripping from his words.

The Baron fiercely shook his head, "Your girl… I never laid a finger on her, I swear it. If I had, dare say she would've done me in right there. You're free to believe what you want, but Tamara… she always knew how to sooth my rage, guards would send for her when I flew into a rage… she was always the apple of my eye."

Geralt grunted from the chair next to him, "And Anna?"

The Baron sucked in a breath, and Dom could see the regret and disappointment in his eyes, "That's another story…. She always knew how to spark my ire."

He admitted the man had a point, Ciri wouldn't have taken a beating from a man like him. She would have sliced him to bits before he could do anything. However, he didn't appreciate being sent on a mission that was already partly solved. The Baron had played the part of a man who lost his loved ones. After experiencing the last eight years looking for Ciri, the one he loved, the longing he felt, the loneliness, he knew how it truly felt.

Geralt scoffed, "You knew they ran away from the start."

The Baron's eyes stayed on the fire behind Dominik, as more thunder boomed overhead, "I did," He said.

He scoffed, his anger finally boiling and looked down at the man, "Why didn't you tell us? You wasted our time. Ciri is in danger, every second we wasted was another second she could be hurt."

The Baron looked at him, a scowl on his face, his left eye still bloody and swollen from where Geralt had hit him.

"Say I had? Say I had trouble controlling my wife and daughter? What kind of flaccid prick would you take me for," He asked, his voice raising.

He scoffed and Geralt spoke up to get his attention, "Tell us what happened, everything you remember from that day, the truth this time."

The Baron sighed, leaning back in his chair, a look of disappointment in his eyes, as the thunder boomed through the dark night.

"Had been soaking myself for three days straight. Anna came to me; said they were leaving…. I begged them to stay. She refused to hear it," He started, the stench of wine and blood still strong.

He took in a deep sigh. The man seemed so broken, so upset, all because the woman he loved had left him. He could never imagine doing anything of the sort to Ciri, no matter how upset he would get with her. It was his job, his destiny to protect her. However, despite the things the Baron had done, he felt a small tingle of sympathy. He had lost his love, and despite the fact it may have been his fault, he could empathize with someone who had gone through that.

"I tried to stop her. She wriggled like an eel, we struggled… she fell," He said, his voice beginning to quiver, "Last blasted thing I remember. Woke up in the morn breeches heavy with my own piss, a large bump on my head… sadly they were gone."

Before they could respond his head, shot to the two of them, "Know what that's like Witchers!? No, how the fuck could you!? I was left with nothing… only the bottle!"

He felt himself sigh, and his stomach stir. It hadn't been that long ago that he thought Geralt and Yennefer were dead. He thought they were both dead, and that Ciri was beyond his reach. A time where he thought he'd be alone, for the rest of his days. It had been a hard two years, full of drinks, more dangerous contracts, and him overall caring less if he were struck down.

He met the man's eyes, "I know what it's like to lose the ones you love. Don't get me wrong, didn't do the things you've done to them. Wasn't long ago though… that I thought Geralt was dead, and Ciri was beyond my reach, thought I'd be alone…. I know how it is. What happened after this, we need to know."

He felt his stomach churn more, as the Baron looked down at his hands, a look of mortification dawning his face.

"Next… it only got worse. I awoke at sunset, not knowin how many days had passed. Thought it was all a ploughing drunken nightmare. An' then I went to the bedchamber, but Anna was not there. Instead… there was blood, everywhere…" He started, his voice beginning to shake, he looked up into the fire, his voice growing smaller, "I knew. She'd miscarried. My breath short, my throat locked, I neared the bed… and saw it. It lay there. A tiny thing, defenseless… on bloodied sheets… dead… and it was my doing."

He had seen many horrible things, experienced many horrible things, but the way the man spoke, it sent shivers down his spine. He had seen the corpses of children mangled beyond belief by wild beasts, families torn apart by, people he cared about killed in front of him. He remembered running through the streets of Cintra, arrows whizzing past his head, flaming corpses of his friends, neighbors burned, stabbed, mauled by war dogs, trampled by horses, cut open by swords. All the placed he used to run, play, spend his time were set aflame.

The blood of his mother, and younger sisters blood stained his hands.

He sighed, and Geralt did as well, speaking up first, "Seen a lot of dead in my time, but that must have been hard."

He nodded in agreement with Geralt, meeting the man's eyes, "I was in Cintra during the massacre, my family was killed in front of me… but Geralt's right, that must have been hard."

The Baron sniffled back some tears, and nodded, his eyes not leaving the fire, "Unspeakably so. My legs gave out. Saw fields of corpses at Sodden… saw witches burn in Maribor. But… compared to this… all that was a rabbits prick alongside a great oak. And the guilt is all mine."

He felt his throat clench up, and Geralt spoke again, leaning over towards the man and shaking his head, "We don't know that yet. The amulet Anna wore-could be linked somehow. Maybe the fact she lost it…. What did you do with the child?"

The thunder had started booming again from the outside. If whatever higher power was watching them then, it certainly wasn't happy. He felt his hands slightly trembling, the Baron looked back over at the two Witcher.

"Wrapped it in a clean sheet and buried it," He told them both, his voice still trembling.

"Just like that," Geralt asked, his voice staying steady.

The Baron scoffed and looked back to the fire, "Damn you! I gave no thought to a funeral. It was a horror, I wanted it to end… that child had been my dream. I told Anna, A little one, our little one, to make things right. Yet she died before she could be born," He said, his voice trembling as his eyes filled with rage.

"Understand Witcher's!? My child is dead," He said, his voice falling again.

He had never given much thought about children in his years. He had only ever been in love with one woman his entire life, and having children was he last thing he thought about when he currently thought about Ciri. He did, however, more than most know what it was like to lose your loved ones. To have ones that you loved die.

He nodded, and looked down to meet the Baron's eyes, "I've never had children before but… I've been in love. Been in love for the last eight years… and lost her. I sympathize, I do."

Geralt nodded his head in agreement, "So do I, I know what it's like to lose children…" He said, turning to meet Dom's eyes.

The Baron sniffled again and nodded, looking back at Geralt first, "Thank you… and I hope you find your Ciri," He said, before looking over to Dominik, "And you lad I… hope you prove to be a better lover then I did for my wife, and that you find your love."

He saw her face appear in his mind, knowing he would. He would save her, but to do so, he needed to finish the quest he was on.

He nodded to the man, "Thank you… but if I'm going to find Ciri, Geralt and I need to find Anna and Tamara first… and it just so happens your unborn daughter can help us."

His words made the Baron's eyes shoot back away from the fire, "What!? How!?"

He almost felt himself laugh at the man's change of mood. Geralt shifted in the chair he was in, and looked to the man, the rain pounding on the windows, thunder booming.

"Sometimes miscarried fetuses, if they don't get a proper burial, turn into botchlings," He explained to the man.

He felt his bones shiver at the mention of the cursed creature again. The contract he had on one of them a year ago, had almost killed him. He still had a relatively fresh scar on his arm, and near his neck form the encounter. He wanted to try and change the poor creature into a lubberkin but couldn't remember the proper way to do the ritual. He had tried to corner, and trap the creature, but it had ripped through his trap and almost killed him.

"A… fucking what," The Baron asked the two of them.

He met the Baron's eyes, intent on telling him, but Geralt beat him to the punch, "A cursed creature that draws strength from killing pregnant woman. Once it's strong enough, it attacks those who scorned it."

The Baron sighed, a deep chill obviously running through his body, standing up, "But how… how does it know?

"Blood ties," he cut in, answering the mans question, "They're a strong bond, a bond that Geralt and I can use to find your family."

The large man turned and looked at the two Witcher's again, "How?"

Geralt met the mans eyes, "One of two ways. Legends claim you can bury a botchling under the family's threshold, perform a ritual and turn it into a lubberkin. That's a sort of, uhhh… hob, a guardian spirit that could lead Dom and I to your family."

The Baron's face contorted, and he looked at the two again, "And… the other way?"

He remembered sinking his blade into the flesh of the cursed creature, the wailing and way it shrieked before it stopped moving. He had almost thrown his guts up in the alley, and he sat there, crying, at the thought he could have possibly killed a child.

He sighed and met the Baron's eyes, leaning back on the table, his arms crossed, "We… we kill it, and draw some blood. Take that to the pellar, and he does the rest."

The Baron's eyes narrowed, and his tone grew back to one of anger, suddenly standing up taller, "Do not kill my child. It's suffered enough already. Lift the curse, that it may finally rest in peace…"

Geralt turned to him, and they both nodded, Geralt turned back to the man, "Whatever we do, we gotta find the botchling first."

The Baron nodded, his eyes growing more determined, "I'll show you where I buried her. And I'll dig the grave at my threshold."

Geralt scoffed, "If it turns out we can't transform the botchling into a lubberkin, they can bury us in it. Handy either way… the sooner we resolve this the better. Best do it tonight, at midnight, should only be a few more hours."

He looked out the window and saw only the light of the moon, and the rain pounding against the window. It was only a few hours till midnight, Geralt was correct. He was having a hard time believing that only this morning they had been talking to the Crones. They had one lead on Ciri, and now it was time to get one more, the important one they needed.

The Baron nodded, "Then the both of you can wait here with me. Near midnight, I'll take you to where I buried her."

He stepped forward, meeting the Baron's eyes, his tone growing serious, "Get word to the common folk. Oughta stay in their homes tonight and draw a line of salt outside their doors. Botchlings are dangerous and they attract other monsters," He said to the man.

The large man nodded again and walked towards the exit of the room. After the man barked some orders to his men, he walked out, to dispatch more. After he left, he slumped against the table, rubbing his eyes with his gloved hands. He felt his stomach begin to churn again, before turning to the fire. Geralt came up next to him and warmed his hands as well. He rubbed his gloved hands together and looked over to meet Dom's eyes.

"I'm proud of you for keeping your head," he said to the younger Witcher.

He scoffed and pulled the sheath of his blade off his back and onto the table, "To be honest… feel kind of bad for the man. I… I know what it's like to lose the ones you love."

He could see Geralt shift uncomfortably, as he came over and put a hand on his shoulder, "Dom I… I'm sorry I didn't come find you, after I recovered my memory."

He shook his head, "Geralt we don't have to talk about this. I forgave you, it's in the past."

Great shook his head now, meeting his emerald eyes with his yellow ones, "No… it's not okay. I… I thought you'd still be furious with me. So… I went back on the path, thought… after I'd found Yen, we could go find you but… but I should've come for you, I'm sorry."

He felt his mind swim, and his heartbeat go faster in his chest. He sighed and met Geralt's eyes, "It… it's alright. Geralt what… what I want, more then anything is… is the four of us to be together again. Me, you, Yen… and Ciri."

The older Witcher smiled, and nodded to him, "Yeah… so do I. Let's go get them, gotta get this job done first."

He smiled and nodded in agreement, "Yeah… we're close. So, anything you want me to do to prepare?"

Geralt looked over to Dom's blade laying on the table, "You remember the formulae for a specter oil?"

"Of course," He said, remembering it like the back of his hand.

Geralt scoffed and smiled, "Ha, you were always good with those. Ingredients should be in Roach's saddlebag, go get them, brew one up. Botchlings attract wraiths, and I don't want you to only have a dagger."

He nodded in understanding, "Got it… come on, we got a botchling to cure, second and third Witcher's to ever do it. Dandelion will have a field day…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"A bit further, follow me," The Baron said, the heavy rain splashing off his forehead.

The moon was high, and the torches helped it light their way. The Baron had taken their advice and ordered the common folk to stay indoors. He hadn't seen anyone yet and saw lines of salt had been drawn outside the houses. He felt the rain pelt his head, sticking his brown hair to his forehead. The pendant and his medallion clanked against his chest, as he carefully walked out next to the Baron, his blade drawn. It was dripping with specter oil, which he had just gotten done brewing. It was a simple formula; one he had memorized. Back at Kaer Morhen, he and Ciri had both taken to memorizing certain ones in their lessons and would often compare them to help study.

He had always been a little better at brewing oils, bombs and other potions, while Ciri was quicker, and the better fighter. Together they often helped each other where they struggled, he made sure she knew potion and oil formulae like the back of her hand, and she would help him perfect his footwork, and strike combos during training. It was all in preparation for when they thought they'd set out on the Path together.

The plan of course hadn't worked out that way.

"Did you pick out a name," Geralt asked the Baron, as the descended down the slope, towards what looked like an old ruin.

"Course not, why would we," The man said, as they got closer to the ruins.

Dom shook his head, "A mistake, names are powerful seals. Help spirits pass on."

He felt his stomach knot, and the grip on his sword tighten. It was impossible to save the botchling a year ago for him, however, he had the chance to put a spirit at peace now. He loved lifting curses. It brought him some joy, knowing that he helped better people's lives, or put spirits to rest. He had done what he could to help people, save them, like Witcher's did.

It was only a bonus to him in that moment, that his help would lead them to Ciri.

He stopped next to Geralt when the Baron came to a halt. As the rain began to pour harder down on them, and thunder boomed overhead, they stood in what looked to be like an old ruin, with old stone columns standing next to them.

"Chose a lovely spot," Geralt said sarcastically, his whit ponytail blow through the rain and wind.

The Baron scoffed, "Dammit will you relent? I ploughing know I've done wrong."

"Good," He muttered as he looked down to see the grave, it was dug up, empty, he turned to Geralt, his felt his skin crawl, the water running down his arms, "Geralt look, graves dug up, and empty."

"What's that mean," The Baron quickly asked.

Geralt growled in the back of his throat, and drew his silver sword, "Means the botchlings on the prowl."

"Look…" The Baron said slowly.

The three of them all turned to see what he was looking at. Through the torrential rain, crawling through the mud, was the cursed creature. Purple, small, slimy, the botchling crawled towards them. It cried lightly, waving its small hands towards them. It was docile for now, but one of the scars on his shoulder could tell you how dangerous they could be.

If the creature turned hostile, and one of them got too close, and angered it, it could tear through them in moments.

"Take it in your arms, quick, do it now," Geralt quickly ordered the man.

He shifted his feet, and leveled his sword, ready for whatever happened. He had no intention on letting anyone else die. The Baron scoffed and looked back at them.

"And if it goes Garrity?! It'll bite us in the ass before we know it," He said in a frantic tone, the mud slowing the creature down as it tried to crawl at them.

Geralt turned on the man, "Keep screaming and it'll turn rabid. It's calm now, let's keep it that way," He said, sheathing his silver.

The Baron scoffed again, "Bloody hell. What happens when it gets ploughing restless!?"

He turned himself to the Baron, his voice tense, "It'll bite through your jugular, and you'll be dead before one of us can help you. Almost happened to me once, I know what it's like. Tell us if it starts wriggling, we'll calm it with magic."

"Pick it up. Take it in your arms," Geralt ordered again, as the creature crawled closer.

The Baron was hesitant, but slowly managed to move his feet. He sloshed through the mud and reached his armored hands down to lift the child into his arms.

"Merciful gods…" He muttered, as the botchling remained calm in his arms, but squirmed like a young child, reaching for its parent.

He felt his stomach churn as he turned to Geralt who nodded.

"I'll lead the way, you stay near the Baron, calm it if it goes crazy," He said to the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded and redrew his silver. He kept his blade raised, as he led them back up the hill. The botchling wriggling, slippery in the Baron's arm from the rain, and mud it was covered in. The thunder began to boom, as he dug his boots into the mud, to help himself crawl back up the hill.

He felt his insides begin to churn. The wounds he had sustained from the fights all week, they had all began to flare in an instant. The scar where the axe of Nithral struck, burned in his abdomen. The scars he had gotten for Alayna the alp were burning in his shoulder and back. He didn't know why, but as they got closer to the castle courtyard, he felt his muscles loosen. He was close, all he had to do was get the Baron to his threshold, and then he would be able to find the mans missing family.

And after that he would finally learn where Ciri had went.

He walked carefully, on his toes, his blade leveled, ready for any monster that came. He heard it when they finally entered the castle courtyard. The whispering on the winds, small voices screeching in unison. The large tree in the middle of the courtyard shook violently, and he felt something whiz past his ear. He turned over to Geralt, who he knew heard it as well.

"Wraiths," He yelled over the rain to the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded, and drew his silver, just as the botchling began to squirm in the Baron's arms. He turned around and a hoard of the specters had been attracted to the botchlings presence. The Baron cried out, and Geralt quickly shot out his hand, trying to calm the beast with the Axii sign, he got caught watching too long, and just barely managed to avoid the first strike form one wraith. He ducked his head back, and thrusted out his blade, getting a piece of the spirit, and the oil from the blade caused it to cry out in pain. He took a step back leveling his blade and counted six of them. They circled Geralt, he and the Baron, and he realized quickly he'd need to do much of the fighting. Geralt would need to make sure the Baron didn't get killed by the creature, so quickly he grabbed a bomb from his belt. He threw the grapeshot towards one group, and another set of two advanced on him.

One swung his ghostly blade, and he parried, before ducking under the second. He rolled forward, coming up with a spin, and slashing through one beast, making it wail out. It crumpled to dust, just as Geralt slashed his way through the second who was about to skewer him.

He spun back around toward the group of three and fired a wall of flames towards them with the Igni sign, making him almost crumple, but he used his hand to stop himself. He shot back up to his feet, just in time to roll under another strike. He struck and parried strikes from the two specters, feeling his movements be perfectly precise. He caught sight of Geralt, trying to calm the botchling in the Baron's arms again, while fighting with a wraith at the same time. He quickly ducked down from another strike and pulled the silver dagger from his belt. When he came up after his dodge, he threw the knife with as much precision as he could, and it lodged itself into the specter and made it wail in pain, giving Geralt enough time to deliver a killing blow.

He was about to get up but felt himself smacked aside by a specters ghostly hand. Right away he felt his shoulder chill to the bone, the mist consuming him, as he felt his shoulder begin to bleed. He had just enough time to cast a Quen shield as the two ghostly beings attacked again, their specter blades bounced off the shield, and it exploded, sending them back and giving him the advantage again. He lashed out with another series of thrusts and parries at the two specters. He knocked aside ones ghost blade, before spinning, leaping off the ground and slashing through the next specters guard. His blade, oil dripping ripped through the ghostly blade and ended the wraith.

He felt the sword coming for him from behind and whirled around just in time to raise his sword to parry, he spun again, and got around the beast, before stabbing his blade back, killing the wraith, and bringing about a sense of eerie calm to the courtyard. He kept his blade leveled and surveyed the surrounding buildings.

No more wraiths, no more monsters.

He let out a sigh of relief and lowered his blade, turning back to see Geralt, smiling at him with pride as the botchling calmly wriggled in the Baron's outstretched arms.

"Impressive, footwork was precise, movements were unpredictable," Geralt complimented.

He felt himself scoff and smile with a laugh, "Ha, thanks. Come on, we're near the threshold, right?"

Geralt nodded, and turned to the Baron, who's eyes had not come off the botchling, "Did you think of a name?"

The Baron looked over at the Witchers, as he managed to start moving his feet again, "N… No."

He panted, and took in a deep steadying breath, wincing at the bleeding of his shoulder, before sheathing his blade behind his back.

"Make sure you think of one, it's important to lift the curse, come on," He said, turning to lead the way again.

The barn that had been set ablaze earlier was somehow still standing. It was charred and pieces of the roof were missing, but somehow it still stood. In a spot, right between the castle and barn, underneath an overhang, the Baron had dug a grave. The shovel was stuck upwards in the ground, and the mound of dirt was ready to be placed back. The Baron stood at the foot of the grave, the botchling meekly wriggling in his arms.

The Baron looked and met the two Witcher's eyes, "What do we do now?"

Geralt nodded to him, and he kept his eyes peeled for more wraiths, as Geralt looked down at the botchling and the Baron.

"Repeat after me… by the powers of earth and sky," Geralt instructed.

Lighting boomed overhead, and he ran his hands over his forehead to move his drenched brown hair from his vision. He looked over and saw the botchling reach up for the Baron, as the man had tears beginning to stream down his face.

"By the powers of earth and sky…" He repeated.

"By the world, that was to be your home…" Geralt said.

The Baron sniffled and kept his eyes on his would have been daughter, "By the world, that was to be your home."

"Forgive me, you who came, but who I did not embrace," The man repeated, through a sob.

He kept his eyes out over the courtyard, but felt his heart go out to the man. He had high intentions when the originally came back, to be furious with him. He wanted to scream, beat the information to Ciri out of him when he learned he lied to them. However, he realized he was only a man, who wished to find the ones he loved. It wasn't unlike what he was doing himself.

"I name thee- say her name- and embrace thee as my daughter," Geralt instructed again.

The Baron sobbed, and met the botchlings eyes again, "I name thee, Dea, and embrace thee as my daughter."

He watched as the botchling cooed and reached up for the Barons beard. He was worried for a moment, that Geralt had the wrong incantation, or the Baron had done something else. However, after a moment, the botchling cooed one last time, before its head slumped back, going limp in the Baron's arms.

He sighed in relief as Geralt nodded to the man, "Good, now bury the body," The older Witcher instructed.

The Baron sobbed, nodding his head, before gently leaning down and placing the botchlings body inside the grave he had dug. He sighed in relief and felt himself lean back against a support post, as Geralt watched the man bury the body carefully. He winced again, and grabbed his shoulder, the bleeding had stopped, but the pain had not subsided. His whole entire body had felt sore, tired, and exhausted. He looked over and saw Geralt walk over to him, and hand him a small vial with blue liquid.

"Here, some spirit, should make the pain subside a little at least," He said, handing him the vial.

He nodded gratefully and uncorked the glass vial, and quickly downed its contents. He winced at the taste, but it surprisingly had a good aftertaste. He felt his bones slightly rejuvenated, just as the Baron had finished digging the grave. The large man sighed in his plate armor, and placed the shovel in the ground, looking at the two Witchers.

"Agh. What now," He asked the two of them.

Geralt met the man's eyes and gestured to the grave, "In one day's time, Dea should turn into a lubberkin. I'll stay here and wait, you go home."

The Baron shook his head, the thunder still booming overhead, "I'll wait with you."

"Out of the question," Geralt said quickly.

The large man shook his head again, "But… that's my child. And the guilt, the responsibility for all this lies with me."

Dominik stepped forward and shook his head with a sigh, "There's nothing else you can do here. Go, sober up, give us some time. Only Witcher's work left, give us a day and a night, and the lubberkin will lead us to your family."

"But-."

"No buts," Geralt said sharply, "Time for parental impulses has passed. Like Dom said, only Witchers work left here. Go home and try not to drink yourself stupid again."

The Baron did not put up anymore protests. He nodded to the two Witchers, taking one last long, mournful look at the grave, before walking back towards the castle. After the man had left, he sighed deeply, slumping down onto the mud against the wall of the barn. He closed his eyes and sucked in a wince, the fatigue from the long day he had endured was finally getting to him. He was happy with the work he had done during the day, however. He had gotten one lead on Ciri from the Crones, and now he was close to another, a more important one, where she had gone.

He met Geralt's eyes, who was looking at him from above, "You know… I don't think he's an evil man. I… I've seen evil men before, truly evil men."

The white-haired Witcher nodded in agreement, "Yeah… you're right. I'm glad we were able to help, the leads we get on Ciri will just be a bonus."

He winced as he stood back up to his feet, "Yeah, but in the end it's the only reason I'm here. Well, let's get this done. Do you want to go sleep? I'll stay here and keep watch over the grave."

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, "Out of the question. You're going back to the inn, to get a full night of sleep, and some food in you."

He laughed and met Geralt's yellow eyes, "Ha, no way. I feel fine Geralt. The lubberkin is going to lead us to Anna and Tamara, and in turn lead us to finding out where Ciri went. I'll be fine."

The older Witcher kept his eyes trained on him, "Listen Dom, your body isn't meant to be taking as much punishment as it does. You need to rest, you've had a long day, hell a long few weeks, you can barely stand up."

He went to say something, but quickly winced, grabbing his shoulder, "I said… I said I'm fine Geralt. I can't stop now."

Geralt sighed with a shake of his head, coming over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I think Ciri will understand that you had to sleep at some points. Go back to the inn, get some food, sleep on an actual bed, rest up and heal. Take tomorrow, restock, get your sword sharpened, whatever you need, then meet me back here at midnight," The older Witcher told him, a suggestion veiled in a demand.

He sighed in annoyance, but the twinge of pain through his body made him realize Geralt was correct. His body wasn't mutated, so while Geralt could still be standing, no problems, his body was fatigued, injured, in need of rest. He had more stamina then almost all normal humans, however even he had his limits.

Besides, he thought it would be nice to sleep on a bed, and not have to get up at the crack of dawn for once, and it would also be nice to restock on ingredients for bombs and oils.

He rolled his eyes at Geralt, but nodded, "Are you sure you'll be alright here by yourself?"

His adoptive father nodded with a satisfied smile, "Yeah, besides I can meditate. It'll only feel like a few hours to me. Now go, leave Roach here, the stable hands will take care of him. Rest up and meet me back here."

He nodded in understanding and took one final looked down at the grave, "I know… we did this to find Ciri in the end but… I'm glad we helped."

"So am I. It's a good thing to do, now go enjoy your sleep, pleasant dreams," He said, half sarcastically.

He chuckled, and nodded one more time to his adoptive father, before going back towards the stables, where Clop and Roach rested. After finally getting to his loyal mount, he headed towards the inn near the castle, intent on getting a good night's rest.

However, with the magic wearing off the pendant, it was a toss-up whether the dream would be pleasant or not.

**A/N: The curse has been lifted! Dom and Geralt found a way to lift the botchlings curse for the Baron and are one step closer to figuring out where Ciri has gone. Now however, Dom had the day off, to restock, supply and recover. What will this day off entail? Who will he meet up with? What dreams of his do you hope to see? Fav, follow, and review and I'll see you all next time.**

**That flashback with Dominik and his father… will turn out to be one of the most important flashbacks of the whole book, and certainly is the most important up to this point. What did you guys think? What other things do you want to see and learn about? Be sure to let me know.**


	14. Wild at Heart

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 14: Wild at Heart**

**Narrator: In their long search for Ciri, Dominik and Geralt were tasked with finding the Bloody Baron's wife and daughter. To do so, they had to lift the curse of a botchling, a cursed creature who came from the miscarried child of the Baron and his wife. After performing the ritual, it would take 24 hours for the effects to set in, so Geralt told Dominik to go take the day to rest, and recover his wounds, but our young Witcher always had an inkling for contracts. **

_The dream that night, brought him back to the lake outside Cintra. He recognized his 11-year-old self again, clinging to a tree, as he attempted to climb the great pine tree. He looked around, and his breath caught up in his chest. He saw Bella, his younger sister, sitting on the edge of the lake, watching him in amusement as he tried to climb. She was the spitting image of him, long, curly brown hair, and bright emerald eyes like he had. He always wondered what would have became of her, had he been able to protect her. Would she have started training like him? Would she have gone on to become an herbalist, a shopkeeper, a powerful sorceress, or even a soldier like their parents?_

_ He would never be able to figure out. _

_ He watched his younger-self sigh deeply, and look up at the trees, the task of getting higher seeming impossible. _

_ "How… how am I supposed to get up there," He whispered to himself, as he could hear his sister laugh at him from the ground. _

_ He shot his sister an annoyed glance, before another voice rang. _

_ "Come on Dominik, up you go. You never know, your life could depend on how fast you climb one day," The voice of his mother rang._

_ He felt his chest thump faster at the site of his mother. Despite being in her late thirties, his mother was extremely beautiful, and could pass for much younger. Her long curly blonde hair, and sparkling emerald eyes stared down at him, from her own position atop a branch above him. She smiled mischievously at him, as she leaned against the large trunk. _

_ He struggled, and tried to pull himself up to the next branch, "I… I can't-. AHHHHHH!"_

_ He screamed as he tumbled back down the tree and landed with a large thud onto the grass below. The laughter from his sister pounded in his ears, and he could even see his mother crack a smile from above. _

_ He sighed in disappointment, and looked up at his mother, high in the tree. _

_ "Dammit…" He muttered, as he watched his mother descend. _

_ With great speed, perfect footwork, and amazing agility his other climbed back down the giant trunk. She climbed down, leaping from branch to branch, until she finally landed on both feet next to him, reaching down and helping him off the ground. _

_ "No worries, we'll try again in a little while," She said to him assuredly. _

_ He sighed and kicked the dirt below him, "Why do I even need to learn how to climb like this? When will I ever need to know how?"_

_ His mother chuckled and shook her head, "You don't realize it now, but everything your father and I are teaching you and Bella, is to help prepare you for your future."_

_ He rolled his eyes, not satisfied with the answer, "Yes, because as captain of the royal guard of Cintra, it'll be pivotal I know how to climb trees."_

_ "You never know," his mother said with a smile, looking down at the ring dangling from his neck, "What if you and the princess are running from your enemies, and the only place to hide would be up in a tree? Or, what if you're hiking to a mission, and your destination is high on a cliff, or up mountains?"_

_ He sighed again and looked up towards the castle. He remembered that day, he hadn't been allowed to go into the castle, since it was on high alert. Nilfgaard had been discovered to be camped out at the Amell Pass, and the armies of Cintra were getting restless. He was going to be allowed to go to the ball that night with his father, however, with the preparations for moving the army that day, his father said it would have been too much. He wouldn't have been able to keep an eye on both Ciri and he. So, his mother had taken him and Bella out to the lake. _

_ "Ciri has spent a lot of time in Skellige, I bet she knows how to climb really well," He said to him mother. _

_ His mother chuckled, "Here I am, trying to train you for the future… and all you can think about is the princess." _

_ He turned back to her, feeling his face go red, as Bella laughed, walking up next to the two of them. _

_ "Dom's in LOVE with the princess, isn't he mother," She said with a mischievous tone, hugging around her mothers legs. _

_ "I am NOT, Ciri's my friend," He said quickly, his face turning bright red. _

_ Bella shook her head and pointed at him, "Dom's in love with the princess, Dom's in love with the princess," She started singing, running back to the water. _

_ "Shut up! I am NOT, in love with Ciri," he said to her, and his younger sister simply laughed, running back into the water, splashing happily. _

_ He sighed in annoyance and turned back to his mother, who smiled at him, "You know, you do spend a lot of time with the princess…"_

_ "But that doesn't mean I'm in love with her," He fired back quickly, causing his mother to laugh more. _

_ The hot sun beat down on the two of them, and the bells tolled from the castle, signaling it was just about two in the afternoon. His mother looked up at the castle and sighed. _

_ "You're right, besides you're still young, however, as I'm sure your father had told you, we live in dangerous time," She said, kneeling down to become eye level with him, "Dominik, tell me. Do you care about the princess? Do you truly care about Ciri?"_

_ He scoffed, the question almost offended him, "Of course I do! She's the best friend I've ever had… the only really. And in the future, I'm going to protect her, just like father's done for Queen Calanthe," He said proudly. _

_ His mother laughed and smiled at him, her sparkling green eyes the mirror image of his, "Good, that's good. I married into your fathers family, but I know their history."_

_ She looked down to the ring around his neck, and gently held it up to him in her hands._

_ "Our family and Ciri's are linked. You and Ciri were meant to meet, meant to find each other. It was destiny that brought you two together," She explained to him. _

_ His younger self had heard the words destiny thrown around far too much. His father had said something similar to what his mother was saying now, and he thought the same then as he did now. He didn't give a damn if some magical force, or the universe brought Ciri and he together. He was going to protect her, be there for her, and stop anyone from taking her. _

_ He shook his head at his mother, "Father said the same thing… I don't even know what it means."_

_ She smiled at him and looked back up at the castle herself. _

_ "We all have a destiny Dominik. We all have the capacity to do great things and fulfill that destiny. You my son," She said, turning back to meet his eyes, "You and Ciri are both destined for great things… and you're destined to do them together."_

_ It was his own turn to turn to the castle. He had begun to miss Ciri whenever he didn't get to spend the day there. That was beginning even back then to become his biggest worry. He tuned back to his mother. _

_ "Mother… what… what if Ciri and I get separated? What if… what if I can't find her to protect her," He asked hesitantly. _

_ His mother looked at him reassuringly, "Don't worry about that. People linked by destiny, will always find each other."_

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_ Within seconds after his mother had said that, the dream shifted. It all changed, his mother, sister and the castle of Cintra were gone. He was in a forest now, he saw his younger eleven-year-old self, wondering his eyes full of concern. His had dirt, ash, and other grime on his face. He wore torn boots and gloves, and a shirt far too big for him as he walked through the woods, his eyes darting back and forth, screaming. _

_ "CIRI!? CIRI WHERE HAVE YOU GONE," He yelled, cupping his mouth for maximum effect. _

_ The echo of the woods only responded with his voice. He sighed in disappointment and continued jogging through the woods. He remembered this day as well. After Ciri and he had been taken in by a kind family, after being on the run for almost a month. The two had fallen asleep huddled next to each other on the same bed in the woman's guest room, and when he awoke Ciri had been gone. He followed her tracks out to the woods and was doing so now._

_ He couldn't lose her, not after all they had gone through. She was too precious to him, he had lost everyone else, he couldn't lose her as well. _

_ Finally, the trail had led him to a large boulder, and he heard footsteps. He ducked behind the boulder and looked around, trying to find its source. His eyes widened and he felt himself sigh with relief when he saw Ciri, her blue cloak wrapped tightly around her body, as she stood there staring across from her. He was about to leap out, run to her but he stopped when he saw her dart away. _

_ "Ciri," He said, standing up from behind the boulder. _

_ He looked and the next time he saw her, Ciri was picked up, in the arms of a larger man. He had long flowing, silver hair, and eyes that were yellow, the color of a cats. He had a knife strapped to his belt and wrapped his arms around Ciri, pulling her up off the ground. _

_ Every single alarm bell in his body went off at once, he looked down below him, grabbing a large rock and rushing forward. _

_ "LET HER GO," He yelled, determined not to let anyone else try and take her. _

_ To many people had tried to take her away, and he wasn't going to let them. It was his duty, his destiny to protect his friend, the one he had come to care for in that moment above all others. He ran forward, the rock in his hand, right for the man, intent on smashing his knees. _

_ His scream had given him away however, both Ciri and the man looked back at him. Ciri's eyes went wide. _

_ "Wait, Dominik no! It's okay," She yelled, but he didn't hear her. _

_ "I WON'T let you take her," He yelled swinging the rock towards the mans knees. _

_ "Woah there, easy," He heard the large man say, as he stepped back, before grabbing Dom's arms and taking the rock from him. _

_ He kicked and struggled, but the mans grip was far too strong. He didn't stop until Ciri came back into his view, those large green eyes looking at him with concern. After he saw her, he felt his worry subside, his fears go away. _

_ "Dominik, it's okay, this is him! Geralt," She said, looking up at the man. _

_ Upon hearing the name, he shot his head up to the man. He had heard the name from Ciri, that had been their mission the last month. To somehow find Geralt of Rivia, it was the last mission his father had given him. Find Ciri, and then find Geralt of Rivia. The two of them were originally going to try and make it to Skellige first, before they had been taken in by the older woman. _

_ Geralt looked down at him, and gently let go of his arm._

_ "Y… you're Geralt?"_

_ The Witcher nodded, looking between the two of them, "I am… and who might you be?"_

_ "Dominik… I'm here to protect Ciri," He said quickly, taking a step closer to her. _

_ He saw Ciri smile at him, gently reaching down to grab his hand, before looking back up at Geralt, "It's true. He saved my life. He's my best-friend…" She said. _

_ He smiled at her, before looking back up at Geralt, "Yeah… where she goes, I go."_

_ Geralt chuckled and knelt down to the two of them, meeting their emerald eyes, "Won't argue with that."_

_ He nodded, keeping eye contact with the Witcher, "H… how did you find us?"_

_ The Witcher looked over and met Ciri's eyes now, before looking back to him, "Well… people linked by destiny will always find each other."_

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He shot his head up, his brow dripping in a cold sweat. He reached around his neck and gripped tightly around the swallow. He examined his surroundings and forgot that he was at the inn, near Crow's Perch. He let out a deep sigh and ran his hands over his face, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. He looked and saw his sword leaning in its sheath against the dresser and saw the picture of Ciri sitting there. With a sore body, he reached over grabbing the piece of paper and unfolding it. He examined the drawing, the beautiful face of the woman he loved. He imagined her hair colored in with her ashen locks, the eyes shining emerald green, and the spot of freckles that ran across her nose, which she'd always try to hide.

He looked at the scar under her eye that he had drawn, and the entire picture only made him somehow yearn for her even more.

The swallow pendant dangled near the paper, and he grabbed the silver charm, looking at it and the paper.

"People linked by destiny will always find each other… I'll find you, soon," He said, before sighing and placing the paper back onto his dresser.

He looked out the window and felt slightly odd that the sun was already up in the air. Normally Geralt and he would awake as the sun was still rising, in an effort to train before they set out. However, he had taken the Witcher's advice to heart, and slept as long as his body could. He was feeling rejuvenated, if a little sore. Certainly, better than he had the day before.

He sighed, and tossed the blankets off himself, before pulling his legs around and leaving his bed. He stretched out his arms and looked out over Crow's Perch from his window.

"Hope Geralt's okay… well, I guess I have the day off," he said to himself.

It had been awhile since he had. The last few weeks had been consumed by the search for Ciri, and before that he had been working most days. He would either be traveling, or taking on a contract, either way he was always on the move. He decided as he dressed into his armor, he would take Geralt's advice. First, he would eat what he could, before going to have his sword sharpened, and restocking on the ingredients he needed for more oils, and bombs.

It would certainly be an interesting day, as it always was for him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Someone willing to trade a cow for a goat, help find my missing cat, need a man to accompany me to an ex-lovers wedding… who the hell writes these notices," He muttered, as he closely examined all the notes on the board.

True to his word, he had taken Geralt advice. He had eaten his fill at the inn, much to the delight of the barmaid, who was all too happy he was still there. After this, he had gone and used the grindstone at the local smithy, to make sure his old, yet trusty sword was sharpened. Finally, he had visited the herbalist, and gotten the proper ingredients for more bombs, and oils. He had restocked on food, water and other supplies, and made more bombs, having himself a productive day.

And all of that had only taken him a matter of a few hours, with plenty of time still left till he was due to meet Geralt again.

He realized if he returned to the inn, he would do nothing but spend hours drinking, wasting his money playing Gwent, and thinking about Ciri, so he decided to keep moving. He went to the notice board near the inn, intent on finding a contract that he could hopefully complete within a few hours, until he was due to meet Geralt at midnight. Most of them had been nonsense, nothing worth his time, or something where the pay hadn't been very good. The sun was out for once in Velen, so he knew it was a perfect day for going to find a contract. His armor had finally dried, but after it had been, he could see the scrapes and new deformities starting to show. A large cut was across his abdomen, where the axe of Nithral had struck him could be seen in his armor.

He adjusted the sword on his back and sighed, before looking at the final notice on the board.

"Mhmm, what do we got here," He said, pulling the notice closer to his face, "Missing wife, last seen in forests near Blackbough, generous reward if found, see Niellen in Blackbough. Huh… sounds easy enough, and Blackbough isn't far at all."

He managed a smiled, and ripped the notice from the board, stuffing it back into his pockets. He turned back around, to where Clop had been tied to a nearby post. He had brushed his loyal companion himself, seeing as he spent the night out in the rain the day before. A missing woman in Velen could be looking for a needle in a haystack, however he had to assume that it wouldn't be anything like trying to find the Barons wife and daughter. If it was a peasant posting the notice, the woman more than likely, simply did get lost in the woods, The pay the Hunter listed say at 200 crowns, which would certainly be good enough to at least get his armor patched up, perhaps even upgraded.

"Come on Clop, back to Blackbough," he said, snapping the horses reins and setting off.

The ride through the countryside of Velen had actually be pleasant for once. No rain, thunder, or freezing cold winds were coming through, it was finally a hot crisp day. As he calmly rode, he felt the dreams he had the night before cropping back up into his brain. He remembered what had happened that night, after he trained at the lake with his mother and Bella. His mother had stuffed him into a fancy doublet, and he had managed to get himself to the royal ball that night, where he met up with his father and Ciri. He was able to talk to her for only a few moments however, seeing as he had to sit at the low tables while she was at the top, with her grandmother and other members of royalty.

He did however get to dance with her for the first time that night. The first time at a ball that was, they of course had danced together plenty of times while they saw each other. He remembered the elegant brown dress she wore, the way her hair curled and cascaded down her back, and the way she looked at him, into his own shining emerald eyes with hers. He remembered how she kissed his cheek after that, saying how she wouldn't be able to see him for a few days.

That was because the next morning his father had left. He had left with Queen Calanthe and the royal army to go and fight the Nilfgaardeans. He remembered being in his house, nearly day and night for almost a week after that, wondering what was happening to his father, the queen and Ciri in the castle, all by herself. He had tried to sneak out a few times, but his mother had caught him each time, and strictly forbade him from going.

A few days later they had come, his family was killed, all three in-front of him. And he had only Ciri left as the two of them fled.

For the month afterwards, the two clung to each other, the only reminder the other had of what happened, the only one who knew what the other had gone through. Soon after they had found Geralt, and he heard the words his mother and father both had said to him.

People linked by destiny will always find each other.

He looked down at the swallow, as the sun beat down on his neck and in less than an hour, he had entered the village of Blackbough. It was small hamlet, and he remembered it from the day before when Geralt and he went to see the pellar. He passed by on Clop, and saw that out front of the inn, another massive horse was tied to the stables. He knew no villager could afford a horse here particularly one that big, and the stables were mostly used to coral cattle, and hold the horses of other travelers. He gently pulled Clop up next to the massive beast and tied his reins to the post.

The horse was massive, even larger then Clop, it's brown coat silky and clean, the saddle bag filled to the brim. He had the knocking feeling he had seen the beast before, but couldn't quite place it, as he tied Clop to the stables, and set off into the town. It had been bustling with activity, so it was easy enough to ask the local smith that had been set up next to the inn, if he knew the location of Niellen.

The gruff older man nodded, and gestured down another street, "Aye, he's the local hunter, lives right down there. Someone else was asking about him earlier."

He narrowed his eyes, "What did he look like?"

The smith's eyes went large, "Tall man, bigger then any I've ever seen. Pair of swords on his back, think he was a Witcher."

He scoffed and felt his stomach begin to turn. He nodded to the man and set off down the street. He remembered now where he had seen the large horse. The description from the smith was all he needed to confirm. Another Witcher had indeed come before him to accept the contract. A Witcher that he knew all too well, seeing as he was the only one, he had ever encountered in his travels.

He made his way down the street, a smile forming on his face. He got towards the house to the edge of the village, and he saw him. The man was impossible to miss. Like the smith had said, he was a tall man, taller and larger then any he had seen before. He had a beard of bushy black hair, and a ponytail tied tightly behind his head. His yellow Witcher eyes filled with playfulness as he looked at the smaller hunter, his arms crossed. A medallion like his own hung from the mans head, in the shape of a bear.

He of course had two longswords strapped to his back, one of steel, one of silver, the pommel of them carved in the shape of a bears head. His armor was masterfully crafted, he had learned from him it was the armor of the school of the bear, and just because it seemed clunky, didn't mean he wasn't able to move quickly in it, he had seen the Witcher go toe to toe with vampires, and some of the fastest creatures you could think of. While not nearly as fast as Dominik himself, he was also the strongest man you would ever meet, even for a Witcher.

"Faram!? You tall, beefy bastard, what the hell are you doing here," He said, his excitement rising as he approached the man.

Both Faram and the hunter Niellen turned to him. It looked like Niellen was about to say something else, but Faram's booming voice cut him off.

"HAHAHA! Dominik of Cintra, gods above its felt like ages," He said in a joyous tone, coming over towards him.

With a large smile on his face he gripped the mans gauntleted hand tightly, before bringing him in for a tight hug. The Witcher was so happy to see him, he even lifted him off the ground, before plopping him back into the dirt with a happy laugh.

He didn't care however, the excitement he felt was through the rood. He had not seen his close friend in almost a year when they had traveled together. It had been almost a year and a half ago to that day. He had been traveling, completing contracts, becoming ever the more careless with his own life after what had happened in Rivia. He was beginning to believe that none of it was worth it, he wasn't going to find Ciri, so what was the point of completing anymore contracts.

He had been in northern Redania, trying to avoid Nilfgaardean lands, when he accepted a contract on what turned out to be a Leshen, from a local village. He had gone out to try and slay the beast, however he was sloppy, careless and almost found himself dead. The beast had countered every move he made, as he half-heartedly tried to defend himself. Finally, the Leshen had him cornered, would have killed him if not for a powerful Aard blast, fired from a new combatant.

That was the first time he met Faram, one of the last surviving members of the Witcher school of the bear. He fired signs at the beast, and lashed out with his blade, and shouted to Dominik that if he wanted to live, he better get up. The Leshen had almost killed Faram after it recovered, but Dominik was able to save him in return, and the two Witchers killed the beast. After introducing themselves that day, he learned Faram had also accepted a contract on the Leshen, from a village to the south, while he had accepted it from the village to the north. So, the two did what anyone would have naturally did, and cut of the Leshen's head before going to collect both rewards.

That had been the start of a long, very lucrative partnership for them both. For months, the two traveled together, fighting monsters, completing contracts. Faram had become the first real friend Dom had ever had, outside of Ciri, and the Witcher's of Kaer Morhen. The two had gotten to be so close, that he eventually even told him about his past, Geralt, Yennefer, Cintra, and his search for Ciri.

He realized at that moment, if not for him meeting Faram, he more then likely would be dead, killed by his own carelessness and heartbreak.

He smiled up at the large man and scoffed, "Gods Faram, after the last few weeks I've had, am I glad to see you."

The bear school Witcher laughed and nodded at him, "HA, same goes for you my friend! What the hell are you doing in Velen though? This if Nilfgaardean territory now, thought you'd do your best to avoid it?"

He laughed and little and nodded his head, "Yeah… on normal occasions you'd be right… but these aren't normal circumstances. What about you? I thought you were heading back to Skellige, to take that Giants head?"

Faram and he finally separated about a year prior. Faram had learned that an ice giant had taken over in Skellige, on his original home island of Undviik. The man was quite young for Witcher standards, only being about 40 years of age, despite looking obviously much younger. He had bid Dominik a farewell, determined to go and kill the beast.

The tall man bit his lip, and ran his hands through his curly black beard, "That well… that's a story for later. Seems like we both got some stories to tell, catching up to do."

He nodded and laughed, "Ha… you bet we do. I'm guessing you came for the contract?"

Faram nodded, "Aye, I've been staying in Novigrad the last few weeks. Ventured out to see if I could find anything out here. Saw the notice and came to-. Oh shit, yes, Niellen!"

The large Witcher turned back to Niellen the hunter. The man was much smaller then then both of them, but well built. A black beard stretched around his chin, up to his head of slicked back hair. He looked between the two of them, before his eyes landed on Dom.

"You're… another Witcher then," He asked him.

He nodded to the man, giving him a small bow, "Dominik of Cintra, the notice mentions that your wife has been missing?"

The man nodded, before looking between the two of them, "Aye… my Hannah. Been missing a few days now, most seem to think she got lost out in the woods. If… it means finding her, I've enough gold to pay you both… if you're good," he said, looking towards Dom.

He was about to respond when Faram beat him to the punch. He dropped his large armored arm around Dom's shoulder, "Let me tell you my good man. Dominik of Cintra is one of the most talented Witcher's you'll ever meet. The two of us have killed Leshens, Bruxa, Zeugal's, wraiths, nekkers you name it, we've killed it together. You're investment will NOT go to waste."

He felt himself smile again he had now smiled more than he had in a long time. It felt good being with his friend again. He was thankful for the other Witcher's words. He looked over at Niellen and nodded in agreement with Faram.

"He's right. I can't promise your wife is alive, but I can promise that we'll do everything to bring her back, safe and sound," He promised the man.

Niellen looked at them hesitantly for a few moments before he held his hand out to the two of them.

"Alright, I'll put my faith in the two of you. I've already told Witcher Faram all the information I have, come to me the moment you find anything, I don't care the hour," The man said, his voice full of desperation.

He reached out and shook the man's hand, sealing the contract, before Faram did the same.

He nodded to the man assuredly, "Don't worry, I… know what it's like to lose the woman you love, we'll do what we can to find her."

Faram quickly looked at him, before nodding to the man as well, "Aye, we'll get your woman. Come on Dom, we got some questions to ask a few folks and a few things to catch up on!"

He scoffed and laughed at the mans antics, as he followed Faram back into the town of Blackbough.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, give me the short version. What the hell are you doing here in Velen," Faram asked, the two of them wondering through the woods, their blades drawn.

The sun was slowly starting its descent, and the two had made great progress. The leads they had followed in the town suggested that Hannah, Niellen's wife, had been led into the woods by another woman. They had also learned the wolves of the forest nearby had been acting even more savage and howling at odd hours. Faram and he had deduced that if the woman had been left alone in the woods at night, she would have more than likely died, however it was their duty to at least find the body if so and slay whatever killed her.

He knew he could trust Faram, he did with his life. So, he wasn't hesitant to tell him why he was there in Velen.

He pushed some tall grass from his path with his blade, and looked over at the bear school Witcher, "Well… remember how I told you what happened in Rivia two years ago? How I thought Geralt and Yennefer had died?"

"Course I do, the legendary White Wolf and the Lady of Vengerberg both dead, a sad time," he said, examining a broken tree branch.

He sighed and stopped walking, meeting his eyes from across the grass, "Well, it turns out they both survived. I'm traveling through Velen with Geralt now, we… we've found leads… leads on Ciri."

Faram stopped and turned to him. He scoffed a laugh when he saw his friends eyes go wide, a smile forming on his face.

He laughed heartily and smacked his hand against his leg, "HAHA! You've finally found the trail of your woman! Gods I remember how you talk about her, never seen a man more in love with a woman before in my life. How long did you tell me it had been? It was seven a year ago, gods I'm happy for you my friend. You're finally going to find her."

He felt himself smiled and laugh, the idea of seeing Ciri had often been on his mind the last few weeks, but this time made his heart thump again. It was every single day the last eight years he imagined what he'd say to her. He smiled with a sigh, and looked up at the beautiful trees, the sun shining through the branches.

"Thanks…" He said looking over to his friend, "I went from thinking Geralt, Yennefer… and probably Ciri were all gone for good. I wouldn't see them again, but now… I'm close to having them all back."

Faram laughed again and walked over, clapping him on the shoulder, meeting his eyes, "Haha, I'm so happy for you my friend. Can't wait to meet her once you do find her, gonna be nice to meet the woman you never shut up about!"

He scoffed and shoved his arm, before they walked further into the forest. They continued onward, the sun slowly starting to set.

"I can't wait for you to meet her. So… same question to you. Give me the short version, what're you doing in Velen, I thought you'd stay in Skellige after you killed the giant," He asked the larger man.

He saw Faram stop in his tracks and looked down at the ground. He saw his friends eyes fall, a look of sadness, disappointment and shame appearing in his yellow eyes. He sighed, turning back around and meeting his eyes.

"Truth is Dom I… I didn't kill the giant. Damn beast… nearly killed me, I was arrogant, full of myself," He said, his voice laced with shame, as he looked back to the ground, "Couldn't save anyone. Thankfully Clan an Craite has been taking in the people of Undviik…. After that I came back here, gonna train, ready myself more, and then I'll head back… and kill the bastard."

He could feel his friends anger, the disappointment. He remembered how angry, determined, and confident he had been before he left. The confidence Faram usually exhumed had been infectious, he had laughed, had more fun, and gotten done more contracts then he ever had. He was upset when he left but understood that it was his duty.

He sighed and met his friends eyes, "I'm sure you did what you could. One of the leads we have on Ciri… it'll lead Geralt and met to Skellige. You know if you need me… I'll fight by your side any day."

Faram looked up and met his eyes with a smile, slapping his shoulder again, "Thanks mate. Same to you, if you need help finding your Ciri, you know you can always count on my steel and silver."

He felt himself smile again. The sun beamed through the trees to beat down on his neck, and he met the bear school Witcher's eyes.

"Thanks, my friend… there's a lot more to tell, we got a job to do first though," He said, looking further into the woods.

Faram laughed and looked with him, "Haha, you're right! We'll knock back a few after we're done here. I wanna hear all about this search for your woman."

He laughed back and smiled, "Sounds like a plan, I'm due to meet Geralt at midnight over at Crow's Perch, long story short we changed a botchling into a lubberkin, he's there watching the grave."

Faram rubbed his chin and nodded, "Hmm, I'd love to meet the famous White Wolf. I heard stories about him growing up in Skellige. Let's get this job done, to be honest, don't feel too good about this woman's chances… getting lost in Velen is dangerous."

He nodded and looked down at the crumpled ground. He saw broken twigs, clawed earth, and the smell of blood was attacking his nose. He looked back over to Faram and nodded, "Aye… there's definitely been signs of a struggle nearby. See anything with those 'Witcher Senses' of yours?"

Faram smirked and knelt down to where he was. He sifted through the dirt, gently rubbing his fingers through the earth. He held the hand up to his nose and smelt the mud. He looked up, and he noticed what his friend was looking at. A low tree, with broken branches, and splotches of blood on the ground. Faram stood to his feet and looked over to him.

"Blood… and some footprints, doesn't look like whoever it was ended up well," He said, before they heard the crunch of leaves and twigs behind them.

Both Witchers hands went to their blades as they whirled around. He expected to be ambushed by wolves, but it wasn't. The blonde-haired woman he had seen with Niellen, he remembered her name was Margrit. She held her hands up in defense, and he breathed a sigh of relief, sheathing his blade back down the sheath. Faram did the same and groaned at the woman.

"Ughhh, gods woman we nearly sliced you to bits," he said, his steel going back into its sheath.

He sighed, and met the woman's eyes, "You're Margrit right? Faram's right what the hell are you doing out here? It's dangerous, your sister just went missing here."

The woman Margrit was slender, with long blonde hair, big brown eyes. He had become good at reading people over the years, and he could tell the woman was frantic. She met their eyes, her arms crossed tightly across her body. She sighed and met his eyes.

"Look Witcher's, I think we both know the hard truth. My sister is dead, and it's not good for Niellen," She said indignantly.

Faram grunted next to him, "Bah, you don't want closure for your sister? Know what happened to her?"

The woman huffed, "I already know what happened, it's obvious she died. I want Niellen to finally be put at peace. I'll pay you double what he's paying you each, just tell him she's gone."

He looked over and met Faram's eyes. A lesson that every Witcher at Kaer Morhen, from his Uncle Vesemir, to Geralt had always told him, that a good Witcher never left a job undone. A Witcher's word was their bond, and when you took on a contract, it was your duty to complete it. Faram turned to the woman and shook his head.

"Sorry lass, we never leave a contract unfinished. A Witcher's word is their bond, not about to break out word," he said to the woman, with Dominik nodding in agreement.

The woman scoffed and stomped her foot, "It's true what they say about you Witcher's. No emotions, only out for yourselves," She said, before retreating back towards the village.

The two Witcher's watched the woman walk out of their site, back towards Blackbough. Faram scoffed and looked over at him, "Ba, not the worst thing I've ever heard."

He laughed and nodded in agreement, "You can say that again… come on, let's see what happened here."

"Right," Faram said, both of them turning back to the tree, and rock they had found, "Bloody hell… doesn't look like anything good happened here."

The scene they turned onto was bloody. Pieces of a body had been torn apart. Blood was spattered over all parts of the stones, and grass near the tree. The main piece of the body was leaned up against the tree, the torso torn open, a woman's head attached to the body, it's eyes closed. She had mangled blonde hair, ripped out, her face scarred, black and blue. He almost felt himself get sick, her limbs had been ripped apart, legs and arms in pieces around her. The woman looked exactly like Margrit, the same woman who had just come to chew them out.

The woman had been right about one thing.

"Must be Hannah…" He said, kneeling down next to Faram.

Faram nodded in agreement, "Aye… poor lass, never stood a chance."

He examined the body closer and saw the torn open ribcage. The blood was still relatively fresh, the attack had happened recently, and the body was torn apart afterwards by more wolves. He looked at where the limbs had been severed and could see the teeth marks from the arms and legs being ripped apart.

Faram sighed, reaching his gloved hand down toward her ripped open stomach, "Check it out, liver is missing."

He nodded, gently touching where the limbs had been ripped, "Yeah… and check this out, limbs were gnawed off. That, and the footprints I see around… well, good thing I found you and your silver sword."

Faram scoffed as the two stood to their feet, "You're telling me you still haven't found yourself a silver sword?"

He rolled his eyes at his friend, "You know how expensive a silver sword is? And how rare it is to find someone who can work it? I got silver dagger, and some grapeshot all I need."

Faram laughed and looked around the scene again, "Well that's good. Definitely a werewolf attack. Sun's getting low, if we find its lair, we can deal with it tonight, before midnight when you're due to meet Geralt… gotta find a trail first."

He sighed, looking down at the poor woman torn apart, and stood up to his feet. It wouldn't be hard to find a werewolf trail. He had no Witcher senses, but his eyes had become keen through the years of training. He looked at the mass of jumbled footprints, he could see those of a woman, those of wolves, and finally, those of a much larger beast. He knelt down and saw that the footprint was easily three times the size of his own. He pulled the silver dagger from his belt, and looked over to Faram, pointing out the trail.

"Found the trail here, come on," He said to his friend, getting a nod from the bear school Witcher, who drew his silver.

He slowly walked forward, following the trial the beast had left. It was easy enough to see when he got the sight of it, but he kept his silver at the ready. With the dead body, and a swamp not too far by, it would soon become a ground for necrophages. It would disappoint him to come this far, only to have his quest for Ciri cut short by a rotfiend, so he kept at the ready, with Faram walking closely behind him.

Hunting the werewolf together with his friend, reminded him of when he and Ciri found the werewolf victim in Ellander when they were young. He had almost tripped over a severed arm when they were coming back from a walk through the woods. Quickly the two young aspiring Witcher's were able to determined it was a werewolf attack, gathering ingredients for the proper oil on their way back. In the end Geralt hadn't let them go with him to slay the beast, but he still considered it his first contract with her.

He stopped when the trail of footprints led to the base of a large tree, and he cursed when he realized it didn't lead anywhere else.

"Damn, must have scurried up the tree here," He said, turning back to Faram.

Faram nodded and walked up to the tree, looking at the higher branches with his height, "Yeah… need something else to follow, one second…. AH here we are, take a whiff of this mate."

He reached his long arms up higher into the tree and pulled down what seemed to be a large tuft of brown fur. He took a quick smell, and coughed as the rancid smell attacked his nose, nearly making him keel over.

"Fucking hell… almost rather go smell the corpse. Must be a tuff of fur, could you track the smell," He asked the bear school Witcher.

Faram laughed and took another whiff of the smell, gagging himself before turning around to looked deeper into the woods.

"Aye, not the most pleasant thing I've ever smelt. Should be able to track the smell though, can already smell it more heading this way, come on," His friend said, waving for him to follow.

So, he did, following Faram's keen nose. The sun had almost set, so if they were going to fight a werewolf, it would be soon. The trees of Velen reminded him of the ones that used to grow outside Cintra. Large pines, covering the sun, its rays only shining through parts of them. It reminded him of the dream he had the night before, and the one he had the day before when he had passed out. The lake outside Cintra, training with his mother and father. Of course, he had only been 11 at the time, so he hadn't become very good, but it was still precious moments he had cherished. He remembered his father's last words to him. Find Ciri, find her, and protect her.

He was going to fulfill the promise he ignored to so many people for eight years soon.

The trail he and Faram followed, soon led them into the view of a large hut. It looked to be a hunters shack, and he wondered if Niellen knew the building was there. Either way, as the sun was still slightly peeking over the trees. Faram walked the two of them around the house, and behind the building, leading down into a small cave, was a wooden door covering the entrance. He had no idea how long the cave could possibly lead, but the smears of blood, and carcasses of smaller animal gave away that this had to be a monster lair.

Faram stopped and turned to him with a smirk, "This would be the place, just screams 'a monster lives here' don't it?"

He scoffed, "Ha, this is nothing. Remember that Bruxa in Aedirn?"

Faram laughed heartily, "Bahaha, of course I do. Bitch should've worn a sign on her chest that said, 'I am a vampire'. Was very interested in you my friend. Sunset's almost here got some time to prepare. You know the werewolf oil formula?"

"Dog tallow, wolfsbane, fools parsley, and wolf liver, know it like the back of my hand," He said, remembering that day gathering ingredients for the same oil with Ciri.

Faram nodded, and looked back down towards the lair, "I'll go make sure the caves clear, get a fire going. It'd be nice to have an oil; this fucker looks big from the tracks."

Dom nodded in agreement, "Good point. I'll go get what we need and meet you back here."

"Aye, good luck don't let the wolves get you, we got drinks later," Faram said with a hearty laugh, before walking down towards the lair.

He laughed and turned back towards the forest. He knew the ingredients were common and finding some wolves around the area shouldn't be hard. He never go to hunt the werewolf with Ciri, but that memory with her always made sure he remembered the cursed oil, the werewolf oil.

He sighed and looked down at the swallow, "People linked by destiny always find each other… guess this is a sign, a sign I'm on the right path. Let's go get what we need."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It hadn't been hard to find the ingredients like he expected. The herbs had been right near the cave, and surprisingly enough, the hut itself above them had old wolf carcasses. He was able to find the liver, and dog tallow there, and brought the ingredient to Faram, who already had a fire going. The oil had been boiled, and he held out his blade, next to Faram's and gently poured the simmer liquid onto their swords. It made a pleasant hissing sound, as the oil became imbued into the silver and steel.

Faram whistled approvingly, "Damn, still a master at oils I see. Still got the same old sword though?"

He laughed and picked up his blade, sitting on the rock by the fire, examining down the steel, "Of course. Been through hell with me, as long as it kills monsters it's going to stay."

Faram laughed and picked up his silver sword, "Ha, that's one of things I admire about you my friend."

"What's that?"

Faram met his eyes over the fire, "You're not mutated. Don't have a normal Witcher's speed and strength, however you don't let that stop you. Not from looking for your woman, not from completing contracts, helping people."

He managed a smile while looking down into the fire, "You know… it's all to find and save Ciri in the end."

Faram shook his head, "Nah, not all just to save her. Never met the lass obviously, but I think that the both of you, in the end just want to help people. You're a hero, that's what we Witcher's are, the unsung heroes of the continent, and you're one of them."

"Thanks, my friend," He said sheepishly, meeting his eyes over the fire, "You're right about her… that's all we ever wanted to do. Just wish people would leave her alone… all this, just because of her damn blood."

Faram shrugged, and tossed another stick onto the fire, "Aye you're right. It's not fair, lass gets hunted for something she couldn't control, and it affects you in the process. Sometimes though… life isn't fair. The past is the past, no use getting caught up in it. The best thing we can do is learn from it."

He scoffed and smiled over at his friend, "Faram of Undviik, when did you become so fucking wise?"

The bear school Witcher snorted and leaned forward on his knees, looking over at him, "Fuck you, you hardass," He said, getting a laugh from Dominik, before he smiled, "To be honest, after that giant nearly killed me, couldn't bear it. Felt like I failed. Got caught up in the past, thinking about my failure, running from it."

He felt his head dip down, looking at the swallow as well, before looking up at Faram again, "Getting caught up in the past… in your failure…. I know how that feels."

Faram nodded, and the two Witcher's looked up to meet each other's eyes, "Aye, I know you do. Which is why you need to take my advice. The past can hurt sometimes, the failures you made can hurt. The way I see it though… we can either run from it… or we can learn from it. You can't change the things that happened to your woman mate, just like I can never change what happened with the giant. What the two of us can do however… instead of running from it, being afraid of the past… we can learn from it!"

He digested the words his friend said to him. For years he had been doing just that, stewing in his own failure, digesting the fact that Ciri was lost because he didn't do enough. After he began to learn some of the things that happened to her, he blamed himself, he failed to protect her. Why he still thought that all was true, he found truth in Faram's words.

He couldn't change what had happened, but he could learn from it, and make sure it never happened again. And to do that, first he needed to find his Ciri.

The two Witcher's eyes met again, and Dominik nodded over to his friend, "Thank you Faram… you're going to go kill that giant and save your home. And if you need me, you'll have my blade."

The bear school Witcher smiled over at him behind his bushy brown beard, "Thanks mate… and you, you're a hardass, cynical, sarcastic… but you're the toughest fucker I've ever met, and I grew up in Skellige," he said, getting a scoff and laugh from him, "But you're also one of the most determined, most resilient people on the continent. You're going to find your Cirilla, And just like you would for me, I'll be by your side if you should need my swords."

He very rarely got praise like that over the years. Not many Witcher's were well liked, he knew this. He got of luckier than most, he didn't have the mutations, the yellow eyes or two swords. However, being viewed as a true Witcher, was something he always wanted. Hearing his friend say all of it, made him feel better. Having someone who was by your side, in your corner 100% was a rare thing. He looked over and smiled when he met Faram's eyes.

He nodded to the large man, "Thank you… it means a lot hearing that. I can't wait for you to meet her, I'm sure you'll-."

He was cut off when Faram shot up from the rock her was sitting on. Soon after he heard the noise too, and quickly kicked dust over the small fire, smothering what was left. The were wolf had finally arrived. He drew his blade, while Faram drew his silver, and the two Witcher's nodded to each other. Quickly he ducked behind one larger rock, while Faram scurried to the other side. There were some torches down in the cave on the walls, just barely enough for him to see the beast.

It was truly the largest werewolf he had ever seen, even rivaling Faram's own massive size. Its brown fur was mangled, and it was flanked by a multitude of smaller wolves. Those beasts just as the villagers had described were ravenous, snapping their jaws, and waiting at their masters feet. He leaned against the wall and took in a deep breath. He raised his blade and readied his attack in his mind. He looked up, and could see Faram, readying his silver across the room, so he knew it was time to spring their attack.

He took in one last breath, and emerged, charging with all he had towards the beast. It wasn't long before the beast spotted him, and the wolf minions charged. He spun and slashed through one of them, keeping his focus on the werewolf. He leaped, and shot his hand forward, firing an Aard sign, that knocked him off balance. He swung his blade from the right, racking across his arm. The oil had done its job, a hissing could be heard, and the beast wailed.

While the strike was effective, the beast was far from dead, it reared back and swung down it its massive left hand, and he narrowly ducked under it, rolling to safety. The werewolf turned on him again, intent on attacking again, but Faram interjected.

"COME ON YOU SMELLY FUCK," The bear school Witcher yelled, slashing his silver towards the beast.

He barely had time to laugh, watching his friend go toe to toe with the massive beast. Moving extremely quickly for a man his size, in his masterful Ursine, bear school armor. The other wolves quickly advance on him, three in total, and he twirled his blade into a reverse grip. One came lunging at him first, and he side-stepped, slashing his blade through the beast, spilling its guts. He transitioned into a spin and knocked another lunging wolf aside, before slicing across the giant maw of another. The last one lunged with such speed, it knocked him backwards onto his back. He held out his arms, keeping the wolfs snarling jaws away from his throat. Just before it could severe his jugular, he reached down to his belt, pulling out the silver dagger, and shoving it into the wolves neck, before kicking the corpse off him.

He sprung to his feet, just in time for Faram gaining ground on the larger beast. He lunged out with his silver sword, and Dominik saw his opportunity. He charged forward, and slid low on the wet stones, and sliced the back of the beasts legs, coming back to his feet next to Faram, who cut across the beasts chest as it wailed, bringing it down to its knees.

Faram laughed and smiled, "HAHA, when the bloody hell did you learn how to use signs?"

The beast was stuck on its knees, its breathing heavy, at the mercy of their blades. He breathed heavy and looked over to meet his friends gaze.

"Geralt… Geralt started showing me recently, takes more out of me then a normal Witcher, but a sign is better then no sign," He rationalized, between his heavy breathing.

Faram breathed a heavy sigh and whistled at their work, "Well, one tough fucker he was, bigger then any werewolf I've ever seen. I hate this part… let's get it over with," he said, raising his silver sword.

He nodded in agreement. As was the case for most Witchers, killing a defenseless cursed creature was always hard, however it had to be done for the safety of others. He gave Faram another nod, and the Witcher went to swing his blade.

"NO, STOP," A screeching voice yelled from behind them.

Faram nearly stumbled, his sword early missing Dom's arm, as Margrit, the woman from earlier ran past them, putting herself between them and the werewolf. Faram regained his composure and looked furiously at the woman.

"Blood hell woman are you barmy!? What the fuck are you doing," He said angrily, he silver sword dipping.

Dom went to reach for her, "Are you mad, get the hell away from it, it's dangerous!"

The woman smacked his hands away and shook her head, "It's not an it, it's Niellen!"

Upon hearing the words, he sighed deeply, and Faram's sword dipped, as he looked over at his friend.

"Bloody hell… right mess this turned out to be," Faram muttered to him, before turning back to the woman, "I'm sorry lass, but no matter what he's dangerous, he's killed, gotta put him down."

Dominik nodded in agreement, before Margrit screeched again, shaking her head, "Not to me he's not!"

He nearly leaped out of his skin, and his blade raised again, when Niellen's deep raspy voice, the voice of a werewolf spoke.

"You… you knew," He said, his breathing heavy, he clawed hand over his sword wound.

He sighed in disappointment. He hated it when a cursed creature began to speak, more importantly when it was someone who had already suffered so much. He looked at the woman Margrit, then back to Niellen, the puzzle finally clicking together in his head.

Margrit nodded, "I… I did, but you Witcher's ruined it! I love him, I always have! But he only ever had eyes for my sister… but I knew his secret and she didn't! I… was finally beginning to get him to come around, until you two came!"

The puzzle of what had happened finally filled in his mind at the woman's words. He felt his anger rise, as he narrowed his eyes at the woman.

"And suddenly, a woman was seen leading your sister into the woods when she disappeared. The kid said they looked similar… and just a few hours ago you tried to pay us to leave the investigation alone… before we found your sisters body, torn apart by a werewolf," He said, his words slow, full of venom.

Faram's eyes went wide as he listened to Dom's words, before he turned back to the woman, his head shaking, "Bloody hell woman… your own sister, this whole thing just gets even more fucked."

Margrit's eyes went wide, as Niellen's beastly head finally rose, "You… you were the one who led her here. I… I tasted blood in my mouth that next morning… you told me it was nothing."

He could see the werewolf's anger rise, and the grip on his blade tightened, as Margrit pleaded, "I swear, I didn't want her to die! I only wanted her to see you, be frightened by you, that way we could be together!"

He heard the werewolf snarl, and somehow, he managed to get up to his feet, He raised his blade, and he could see Faram next to him level his silver.

"I will kill you, kill you for this," The beast snarled, and Margrit screamed.

Quickly, he stepped between the two, raising his blade towards the werewolf, "I can't let you do that. I'm sorry, but you won't be killing anyone else."

Faram got next to him raising his blade as well, "Aye… I'm sorry it has to end like this mate, truly I am."

Margrit ran, and Niellen lunged. The fight didn't last very long, not with the werewolf already half dead. He rolled out of the way of his strike, as did Faram and he brought his blade upwards. It slashed through the side of the werewolf's abdomen, and he looked to see Faram deliver a decisive blow across his chest, and Niellen fell, slumping to the ground, bleeding from his wounds. He let out a deep breath, and stood up, sheathing his blade, as Faram did the same.

He walked over next to his friend, as they both looked over the corpse of the poor cursed man. Faram sighed, crossing his massive arms.

"Hate it when they have to end like this… poor man," He said sadly.

Dominik sighed and nodded in agreement, "You're right… fucking hell."

Faram clapped a hand on his shoulder however, and the two Witcher's turned to each other, "Got to admit though, you're as sharp as ever."

He scoffed and nodded to his friend, "Same to you. Come on, really want to get out of here."

The bear school Witcher nodded in agreement, "Right on that account. Let's go see if the rewards in the hut above, then we can ride to Crow's Perch, got a few hours before midnight, and I bet we could both use a drink."

He nodded whole-heartedly in agreement, "That couldn't more be truer…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So… Dominik of Cintra, working for the Emperor of Nilfgaard… I'd sooner believe that the Korath desert froze over," Faram said, taking a long drink of his ale.

He rolled his eyes, the fire from the inn warming his bones, "Would've run the bastard through if I could, but…"

"He was your only lead on Ciri," Faram said, wiping the ale from his black beard, "Bloody hell… can't believe she's his daughter, I'm sorry you had to figure that out mate."

He shook his head, his hands tightening around the mug of beer he had, "I don't give a damn to be honest. Her father may be that man, but she's the farthest thing from him, besides, unless for some reason she says to me she wants to go see him, I'll be damned if I bring her to that man."

They had arrived back at the inn at Crow's Perch within the next hour. He still had some time before he was due to meet Geralt at midnight, so he decided to drink with his friend, and explain his tale so far. He told Faram the whole story, from fighting the Alp in Claywitch, Yennefer saving him, what he learned happened in Rivia, his meeting with the emperor, his adventure into the elven ruins with Kiera Metz, and his encounter with the Crones, what he learned about Ciri from them. He finished by explaining the situation with the Baron, how he knew where Ciri had gone, but first he and Geralt must find his wife and daughter.

They had found Margrit in Niellen's hut. After some harsh words to say to two people who saved your life, they got their coin and headed back. He took down a swig of beer, as Faram rubbed his long beard.

"Aye… from what you tell me, he hasn't exactly been father of the year," He said, leaning his arms forward on the table.

The bards music filled the inn, and the drinks were still on the house courtesy of the innkeep. He nodded, and took another large drink, the alcohol burning on its way down.

He met Faram's yellow Witcher eyes, "He hasn't. Ciri didn't even know until two years ago. Geralt is our father, he took us in, raised us both, trained us… and now we're going to find her. When we do, after the Wild Hunt is dealt with, she'll finally be able to do whatever SHE wants to do, not what someone else wants."

Faram whistled, before biting into an apple on the table, "The Wild Hunt… heard horror stories about them on Skellige growing up. Can't believe the fuckers are real… and they want your woman."

The beer in his mug was gone after his next drink. The scar along his stomach, from the axe of Nithral panged at the mention of the Wild Hunt again.

"They're real yeah… fought them myself, killed one of the generals," he said, his hand covering his stomach, "Finding Ciri… it's only the beginning, the beginning of a bigger fight."

The bear school Witcher tossed the apple back onto the table and belched, "Ba, fuckers won't stand a chance at getting to your Ciri. Not with you, Geralt, and now me standing in the way. You know mate, that you can count on my silver to fight them when the time comes."

The positive words made him smile, and he nodded, meeting his friends eyes, "Thank you. You're right. They want Ciri, they'll have to kill me first, and as you know I'm pretty tough to kill."

Faram laughed and down the rest of his ale, before slamming it onto the table. He laughed and looked out the window. If it wasn't midnight, it was starting to get close. He looked over at Faram and smiled.

"Midnight's getting close, I should be getting back to Geralt at the castle," He said, standing up, meeting his friends eyes, "You can come if you'd like. No coin in it, but it's always nice to have some backup."

The larger man laughed and shot up to his feet, his armor clanking, "HA, you don't have to ask me twice! You know I'm always willing to help you out mate. Besides, meeting Geralt of Rivia… the White Wolf, it'd be an honor."

He rolled his eyes but smiled, "Geralt's just like any other man, he'll tell you that. Alright, let's get moving."

Faram laughed again, stepping out from around the table, "Haha let's! It'll be just like old times!"

**A/N: So, we get to meet Dom's close friend, Faram of Undviik, Witcher from the school of the bear. We're going to see Faram appear a lot for the rest of the story, so I hope that you all have enjoyed his debut. Dominik and he both traveled, completing contracts together, and now he's going to help her find Ciri. Next chapter Dominik, Geralt and Faram will finally learn what happened to the Baron's family. How will they react? What will their next move be? How are you liking Faram, excited to see more? Let me know in a review, see you all next time.**

**Note, Faram is wearing a full set of Master Ursine Armor and swords, that will be what he wears for the whole story whenever we see him. Thanks again!**


	15. Family Matters III

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 15: Family Matters III**

**Narrator: While waiting the 24 hours for the botchlings curse to be lifted, Dominik decided to take on a contract in the local village of Blackbough near Crow's Perch. Upon arriving the Young Wolf was reunited with his old friend, a Witcher from the school of the bear, Faram of Undviik. Together Faram and Dominik completed the contract, which turned out to be a werewolf. Now, with midnight fast approaching, Dominik set back out to Crow's Perch to meet back up with Geralt, Faram in tow. Finally, it was time to find out what happened to the Baron's family, and after that, Ciri.**

"So, the botchling will lead us to the man's family, who you have to find to get his information on Ciri," Faram asked, his massive horse riding alongside Clop.

He nodded as they passed through the gate, towards the castle courtyard, "Yeah that's the basics of it. Geralt was watching the botchlings grave, should still be just ahead."

The night was silent, and he could hear the chirping of crickets. Crow's Perch was completely silent, except the fires crackling in torches, and guards making their rounds. The guards all of course recognized him and let him pass with Faram next to him. He passed through the courtyard, and saw Roach, already tied to the tree, ready to ride at a moments notice.

He looked over to where the night before, he had fought the wraiths, and watched the Baron bury the creature, and sure enough there was Geralt. He was on his knees, in a meditative position, his eyes tightly shut. He smiled, and pulled Clop to a stop next to Roach, the mare and horse happily neighing to each other again.

"There he is, come on," He said to Faram, climbing down off Clop, tying his reins to the nearby fence post.

He saw Faram slid of his massive horse, tying it to the fence, his eyes wide, looking at Geralt.

"The famous White Wolf…" He said, his voice sounding in awe.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes at his larger friend, "Come on, let's go meet your idol."

"Fuck off," Faram muttered, suddenly seeming embarrassed.

He laughed at his friend, and approached Geralt, Faram following closely behind. The grave had appeared to be undisturbed, the torches crackling on the walls of the now destroyed barn. The clunking of he and Faram's armor, made Geralt open his one eyes, and he looked over at them as they approached.

"Geralt," He said, jogging over to him, as the older Witcher stood, "Wait till I tell you about the day I had," He said sarcastically.

Geralt smirked and then looked over to Faram, slowly walking up behind him, "Seemed like you had an interesting time, who's the big guy?"

Dominik smiled and turned back to Faram, gesturing to the large bear school Witcher, "Geralt, meet my friend Faram of Undviik, Witcher of the school of the bear. We traveled together for a while about a year ago, happened to take the same werewolf contract today."

Faram for the first time in Dominik's life seemed nervous. He awkwardly nodded his head, and gave Geralt a bow, "White Wolf, it's my honor to meet you. I heard stories about you growing up in Skellige, and even as I was training."

Geralt seemed to enjoy the recognition for once, he chuckled lightly and held out a hand for the larger Witcher to shake, "No need to bow. Pleasure, anyone who can put up with Dom's hardass gets my respect right away."

Faram scoffed and nodded, "Bah, you can say that again!"

"Fuck off, the both of you," He said, crossing his arms indignantly.

The two Witcher's laughed at his expense, but he managed to form a smile on his face. Other than the winter, when they all gathered at their strongholds, he believed this had to be the first time three Witchers had all gone on one job together. Obviously most Witcher's traveled the path alone, but having extra blades was always a nice touch.

Geralt finished up laughed, and looked over at Faram and he, "So, school of the bear, last I heard your fortress on Skellige was destroyed."

Faram nodded gravely, "Aye… terrible shame, lost some good friend. I'd have to say, only about two of three of us roaming around now, haven't seen either of them in years though."

Geralt frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that… so, I'm assuming Dominik filled you in on what's happening here?"

The bear school Witcher nodded, "Aye, he filled me in…. about everything, you, Yennefer… his woman," Faram said carefully.

Geralt's head shot over to Dom, and he met his eyes. Dominik nodded to his adoptive father reassuringly, "Don't worry Geralt, I trust him with my life, and my secrets."

The older Witcher nodded, seeming to accept his words. He looked back to Faram, giving him a nod as well, "Well, if Dom trusts you, then you have mine as well. If he's explained everything to you, then you should realize… we have a lot ahead of us."

Faram nodded in understanding, "Aye, I understand. We've saved each other more times than I could count. He, and you White Wolf will have my blades whenever you need them."

Geralt smiled, "Good, with what we have ahead of us. Extra blades, and skilled people wielding them are gonna be needed. That starts with this," He said, turning back to the botchlings grave.

The three Witcher's all gathered around the botchlings grave, as Dominik looked at Geralt standing between Faram and he.

"Nothing disturbed it, everything quiet," He asked the white-haired Witcher.

Geralt nodded, "Yeah, nothings stirred, Baron's been quiet. Let's hope we did this right, be ready if it doesn't."

He nodded along with Faram, and the two Witcher's took a step back from Geralt, as the older Witcher knelt down to both knees. In front of the grave he said a few words in the elder speech. The wind was howling in the night outside Crow's Perch. The ritual had to work. It was the only way now they could find Anna and Tamara and get the Baron's information about Ciri. He wanted to help the man of course, but ultimately the reason he was there, was for Ciri, and if they had done all the work for nothing, it would devastate him.

Geralt finished muttering words in elder speech, before speaking in common tongue, "By blood's power I summon you, with your name I beseech you…. Hear my call and rise Dea!"

Geralt raised up his hands, and for a moment his heart fell, thinking the spell hadn't worked. However, a bright white and green light began to come from the grave. Out of the mound of dirt, arose a spirit. It floated gently above the mound, a beautiful color of white and green. It looked like the twisted botchling, but he felt a calm, peaceful presence around him. The lubberkin hovered above the mound of dirt, before Geralt stood up between Faram and he.

"Lead us to those bound to you by blood," Geralt said to the spirit.

The sprit froze for a moment, before floating passed them, towards the exit of the courtyard. Geralt quickly turned to them both, "Thing's gonna be fast, mount up come on."

So, the three Witcher's did. They ran, and quickly untied their horses. He swung his feet onto the back of Clop, and took off, Faram and Geralt following closely behind. He felt his heart begin to pump faster, as he spurred Clop's reigns. The lubberkin did indeed move fast, but the three Witcher's on their mounts were able to keep pace. The spirit flowed down through the small clusters of houses below the castle, and out the gate to Crow's Perch.

Faram and Geralt kept close behind him, he faintly heard them speaking to one another, but he kept his focus on the lubberkin. It was going to lead him to the missing members of the Baron's family, and get him another story of Ciri, being alive and well. It meant that he could hear more about how she was in the same spots he was in now, and how she was ever so close to him. He would be able to find her and do a good deed for someone in the process.

The lubberkin took them through the small village outside Crow's Perch, To a trail leading into the countryside. After passing through a farm, and past another few smaller houses, it took a hard right, leading them up a grassy hill. Wolves howled distantly in the night, and nobody could be heard. It felt as if for that one night, the entirety of Velen had gone silent so they could search. The house they had finally come too, was a small, modest sized hut, with a yard to the left, and the smell had given away what the place was in an instant.

The spirit stopped outside the house, and he pulled Clop back to a stop, climbing off the back of his horse, Faram and Geralt closely behind him. He tied up his mounts reins and examined the area the spirit floated above.

He gagged at the awful smell, "Gods that stench, what the hell were they doing at a pitch burner's house?"

He heard Faram gag as well, as he and Geralt filed in besides him. Geralt took a look, surveying the small yard, "Well, it wouldn't have led us here without a reason, they must've stopped here. Let's look around."

Faram spoke up before they could move, "Already can see something, look here."

The bear school Witcher knelt down, rubbing his fingers through the dirt, "Tracks are feint, but look here. Horseshoe prints, no way a pitch burner could buy a horse, the two of them must have rode here."

"Then we're in the right spot, come on let's look," he said determined, walking further into the yard.

He walked further into the yard with Geralt, and he could see the prints Farm had been speaking about. The two of them must have certainly had a plan for leaving, They wouldn't have just left the castle without any idea of where to go, they must have had help. He saw the faint footprints from two people, along with horses. He rummaged through old tools, smelling buckets of pitch, and old barrels for storage.

"Check this out, nobody outside the castle could afford a bracelet like this," He heard Geralt say behind him.

He turned and the older Witcher held up an elegant, silver and jeweled bracelet. It was a good sign, he went to walk over to him, but almost tripped forward. He looked down at what he had almost fallen over and saw a collection of old clothes.

"Yeah, check this out too," he said, reaching down to lift them off the ground.

One was a yellow dress, with bloodstains near the stomach, and the vision of what the Baron described came back to him. He shuddered as he saw the other old shirt and boots that had been discarded. It wasn't the exact location of the two, but it had been close, enough. The pair had come through the pitch burners hut, that part had been clear enough.

"Old clothes, they must have changed here before continuing on," He explained to the two Witchers.

Geralt nodded approvingly, "Good, then we're on the trail."

Faram stood and pointed back towards the front of the hut, "Aye look alive mates, things moving."

The lubberkin spun up into the air, before heading further down the road. Quickly, the three Witchers all went back to their horses. He undid Clop's reins and his loyal mount seemed to be able to sense his urgency, because he sped on, his white mane flying in the wind. He heard the thundering hoof beats of Roach and Faram's mount behind him, as he focused on the lubberkin.

The puzzle was slowly starting to piece together. The Baron and his wife had gotten into the fight he had described, and then his wife and daughter had fled. The two met up with the pitch burner, who had clothes for them, and then continued to ride on. He wondered if the two were going to head for Oxenfurt or Novigrad, but from what he knew, the Redanian's had blocked off the Pontar, and entrance to both cities. They both had to have had more help, and hopefully that was where the lubberkin was leading them.

He felt Clop begin to stir as they entered a swampy, marsh area. He slowed the horse to a trot, as the lubberkin slowed its pace. The waters were low, but the pungent smell of the swaps still irritated his nose. He heard the howling of wolves from a distance, and he knew that the swamps were a breeding ground for necrophages. They were the first class of monsters he and Ciri had learnt about in Kaer Morhen, the most common Witchers encountered, but could be just as deadly as any others.

The spirit leading them finally came to another stop, and it was right on the road, in the middle of two swamps, one on each side of the narrow stretch of road. He found an older log poking out of the water to the side, and slid off the back of Clop, tying the horses reins to the wood, as Geralt and Faram followed behind, sliding off their mounts.

He slowly walked towards where the lubberkin was floating and had to cover his nose. Flies, and other bugs were all buzzing around the old carcass of a horse. The rib cage of the animal had been completely cut open, its old bones sticking out, as its intestines lay spilt on the ground, with its head torn completely off, laying just to the side.

Geralt and Faram stepped up besides him, and he heard Faram gag, "Blood fucking hell… poor beast."

Geralt nodded in agreement, before kneeling down next to the creature, "Well, let's see if we can figure out what did this, spirit brought us for a reason."

He nodded in agreement, and despite his nose being wrinkled, he knelt down next to Geralt. He examined the corpse, looking for signs of what the attacker could have looked like. If the horse had belonged to Anna or Tamara, he needed to find out what happened. Faram stood guard, his hand ready to draw one of his blades, as he looked from above them.

"Bones have been here a while, and check it out, bite marks on the saddle, damn necrophages will eat anything nowadays," He muttered, looking down towards the horses back end.

The one thing that stood out to Dominik was the poor animals rib cage. He pointed to the area to show Geralt, "Look at the size of those claw marks… certainly wasn't a necrophage, had to be something bigger… a lot bigger."

He heard the cracking of a bone and looked over as Geralt touched the bones of the horses foot, "This had to be there's. Missing a horseshoe, probably the one we saw back at the smokehouse."

Faram sucked in a deep breath, and pointed over towards the beasts severed head, "Head's torn clear off. Must've been a tough fucker whatever grabbed it."

He nodded to agree, and stood up next to Geralt with a sigh, "Must've been attacked on the road, something powerful… hope they got away."

Faram was the first to hear, his armor clunked, and he whirled around, drawing his silver, "Heads up mates… unfriendly fuckers coming our way."

Geralt and he whirred back around to face where Faram had been looking. Across from the, the waters from the other swamp had begun to stir. Geralt quickly drew and twirled his silver, while he grabbed a bomb from his belt, and drew his blade. The wolves in the distance howled again, and the only way they were able to see was from the light of the moon. He watched as the drowners arose from the depths, a huge group, but plenty for three highly trained, and skilled Witchers.

He was about to toss his bombs when he heard another roar from behind him. He whirled back around, and more beasts were charging towards them.

"I fucking hate rotfiends…" he muttered, lighting the Samum bomb in his hand.

He heard Geralt chuckled, before the fight started in earnest. He tossed to bomb towards the rot fiends, and it exploded, disorienting them. He charged at the group of three, and the bomb had given him the chance to strike first. He was to close now; he wasn't going to let rotfiends end his investigation. He twirled his blade to a reverse grip, and waded into the water, slicing low across the beasts stomach. It's disgusting venom spewed, and the beast roared before its head exploded in a burst, that nearly disoriented him. The other two fiends had finally regained themselves, and both leaped towards him. He jumped back, thrusting his blade forward, deflecting one of their claws. He spun around another attack and swung his sword around and decapitated the beast who attacked. One final beast roared from behind him, and with extreme precision he whirred around to the noise and lopped off the beasts claw that it had tried to attack with, before stabbing through it.

It exploded, and he jumped forward landing face first in the water, the disgusting spit from the rotfiend just missing out on hitting him. He sighed at his now soaked armor and clothes, before leaping back up to his feet. He rushed back to where the horse carcass was, seeing Geralt and Faram dispatch the group of drowners with great swiftness and skill. Faram grabbed around the throat of one charging at him, slamming the beast into the ground before plunging his blade into the beast. Next to him, Geralt spun around a drowner claw, before plunging his blade into a different one, before quickly spinning back to decapitate the final beast.

He sighed in relief, sheathing his blade again as Geralt and Faram did the same. Geralt sighed and looked up at Faram.

"Not bad, always interesting to see the different fighting styles Witchers have," He said, complementing Faram.

Faram's eyes went wide, and he looked as if he would faint, he bowed his head to Geralt before sheathing his silver, "Aye… an honor it is wolf, thank you."

He scoffed a laugh, before the lubberkin nearby spun in the air again. He quickly looked over to Faram and Geralt, "Sorry interrupt your glorious victory, but we need to get moving."

The spirit began to float farther down the road, and he ran towards the horses and Clop. He was riding down the road after the spirit, as Geralt and Faram were climbing onto their horses. He sped after the floating white spirit, through the trees, following the narrow road of the swamp. He had seen enough swamps during his time in Velen to last him a lifetime. The light of the moon and the lubberkin lead him, as he kicked his feet to spur on Clop even faster.

He was getting more and more worried, that the lubberkin would lead them to a corpse. After seeing the scene of the attack, he was worried that whatever it was that attacked them, it wasn't a monster to be taken lightly. He wasn't going to let more innocent people die, he was going to fulfill his contract, and get the reward. He followed through the large pine, trees as rain gently started to pour out from the sky. He rolled his eyes, feeling like it had been raining every day he had been in Velen.

Finally, the place the lubberkin had bringing them too came into view. He passed under a large fence, which led to one surrounding a very well-kept garden. He slowed down on Clop when he saw the house. It was right on the edge of a lake, with a small dock going out towards the water. A well for gathering water sat across from the building, that looked like any normal fishing families home. The garden had a multitude of different herbs and flowers, while a smaller fence rounded the home, with nets, poles, hooks and other fishing instruments. He could see candles lit on the inside, despite the late hour of the night. He slid off Clop, as he heard the hooves of Geralt and Faram's horses. Quickly he tied Clop to the fence outside, as the lubberkin floated in front of the houses window.

"Blood hell mate, you could slow down a bit you know," Faram said with a scoff as he tied his large horse.

"Sorry," He said, not turning around, "I'm just…"

"Anxious, I know how you feel," Geralt said, coming up next to him, the rain clattering off his black armor.

Faram walked up next to the two of them and gazed over at the house, "The people who helped the two escape are probably here."

Geralt nodded in agreement, "You're right," He said, looking over to Dominik, "I'll go inside, but you do the talking. More likely to talk to you."

He had gotten used to the arrangement over the last few weeks. As much as he wished it wasn't true, some people were just more comfortable talking to him as opposed to Geralt. He didn't have the intense yellow eyes, and two massive swords on his back like the other Witchers. He sighed and nodded, before Faram took a step forward, and turning to them.

"I'll keep watch out here, I'll holler if I see anything," He told the two of them.

He nodded, and took in a deep breath, before walking with Geralt behind him up towards the door of the house. It made him oddly nostalgic of his home back in Cintra, when the smell of freshly cooking food, vegetables and herbs. He saw the lubberkin looking into the house and sighed before walking in through the unlocked door.

When he walked through the door, with Geralt right behind him, the smell of cooking meat hit his nose right away. Multiple people stared at him right away, including three young children, a girl and two small boys. The woman of the house turned, her hand over the knife she used to cut herbs still, while her husband sat at the table. The house seemed smaller on the inside, to the right was an over, and tables for cooking, while in the center the man stood from their dining table. He saw a few plants, a bookshelf and to the left in the other room, a few bed rolls and larger mattress.

One young boy stopped in front of him, and stared, he was bald with a yellow top and green trousers, and after a moment he quickly ran behind his mother skirts. He quickly ran a hand through his wet brown hair, pushing it back on his head, and trying for a friendly look, not the look of a man who had been through hell the last few weeks.

"Other room, now," The woman said quickly, and all the children, except for the bald boy ran to the room with the beds.

The man, about as tall as he was, with black hair and a beard under a white cap, stood from the table, walking around in front of Geralt and he.

"What ye seek here sirs? Our hut's out of the way, woeful. We have nothin, we knows nothin," The man said, his voice very careful.

He could sense the apprehension in the man as much as he tried to hide it. However, he had no intention on letting these people come to harm. If he was the one who helped the Baron's family escaped, he didn't care. He only cared if he knew where they were. He held his hands up and met the man's eyes.

"We mean you no harm, I swear it. My father and I here, we're only here to see if you have some information that can help us. We're looking for the Bloody Baron's wife and daughter, Anna and Tamara," he said, not wanting to scare the man, by telling him he already knew they had helped.

The man quickly shook his head, "Not a soul been here sir."

He took a step closer, trying for a pleading look in his eyes, "Please, if you have any information, we need it, they could both be in danger. Daughter's medium height, brown hair, green eyes, about twenty, mothers thin, grey hair about forty?"

The man looked like he was about to say something else, probably denying they had been there again. He was glad when the young boy behind his mother interrupted.

"That was she that came at night, right mummy," The small child asked innocently, looking up at his mother.

"Quiet boy," His mother quickly hissed.

He breath in relief when he heard the words. He was worried that he would have to drag the information out of the couple somehow, or the lubberkin was somehow wrong. After hearing the words from the boy, he turned back to the man, who's eyes were low.

"Well your son's ratted you out, no use playing dumb anymore. I swear, we mean her no harm, we only wish to find her," He said, keeping his voice level.

The man sighed and looked back up to meet he and Geralt's eyes, "Sorry sirs, but… neither of you look like her father's men."

Quickly he shook his head, "We're not his men. You see, we have a deal with the man. He… knows the location of someone very important to us. He said he'd tell us, but we have to figure out where Anna and Tamara are, and if they're alive and safe."

The man looked to his wife, then back to Geralt and he, he nodded his head, "Miss Tamara is aye. She's to my brother's place in Oxenfurt. But missus Anna-that's another tale…. Though anywhere is better than Crow's Perch… with the Baron."

Hearing the words made him sigh again. He understood the mans frustration, and of course Anna and Tamara's. He had no intention on forcing either of them to return, he only needed to figure out where they were and if they were alive. The deal Geralt and he made with the Baron only stated that much.

He shook his head at the man, "We're… aware of what happened to her at Crow's Perch. We have no intention on forcing either of them back, we only need to make sure they're both alive and safe. So please…what happened to Tamara's mother?"

The man bit his lip nervously, and looked between both Geralt and he, before letting out a sigh, and gesturing for them to sit. He sat down, and saw the young boy sit next to his father, while he sat next to Geralt, the boys eager eyes darting between the two of them. The man's wife went back to cutting herbs and other food in the kitchen, but he could notice the intense grip she had, as if she would be ready to turn it on them in a moment's notice.

The husband leaned forward, meeting the two Witcher's eyes, "Aye if that be the case… 'twere like this. I was awaiting in the old smokehouse, with horses. Cold as hell, and so dark, couldn't see past two ells in front of ye," He started, looking out into the night, as if the forest was listening, "Moon ad' arisen high, and still they hadn't come. Began to fear ta demon had snatched them, but finally they came, we all set out towards the river."

He nodded in understanding, the warmth from the fire, and candles warming his bones. However, the cold wind still blew through the open window, as if it were an eerie sign. He remembered the corpse of the horse, where they had been attacked.

"We found one of the horses… what happened, what attacked you," He asked the fisherman, trying to finally piece the puzzle together.

The man shook his head, "Aye something did, but it happened after missus Anna started screaming! A gale arose, thought it'd tear my head clean off, and those damn birds! Swarms of them, coursin o'er the woods, raisin a racket to make your ears bleed! Missus Anna screamed, bent over into herself. Tamara knelt down, gripped her arms. 'Twas then I saw it fiery marks in her hands!"

He looked over and met Geralt's eyes. He knew that they both had to be thinking the same thing. Whatever evil Anna was wearing the amulet the pellar made to protect her, had come to cash in on the deal, and this had made whatever creature attacked them come. It was under the command of another, far eviler monster or spirit.

"What marks? Could you show us what they looked like," Geralt spoke up to ask him.

The man nodded and proceeded to pick up a container of salt from the table and dump it in front of him. He moved his fingers gracefully, and soon a picture was drawn in the salt. After the man had finished and pulled his hand back, he felt his breath quickly suck inside his lungs. The man had drawn a triangle, and a three-pointed diagram, a sort of wheel with the three ends inside the larger triangle. He had recognized the mark within moments. He sighed in disappointment, and anger, his fist clenching.

"Geralt…" he said, turning to the older Witcher.

"I know," He said, reading his adopted sons mind in an instant.

"Aye, a terrible sight," The man said, bringing the two Witcher's attention back to him, "Was like they were burned on the inside of her palms with hot irons."

"Like a sort of cattle brand," Geralt asked, hoping for Anna's sake it was true.

The man however shook his head, "Aye in a way but… these wasn't black scars, scabbed over. They was hot and glowing, as if they were burned with raw fire."

He sighed and leaned back, turning over to Geralt. The situation was worse then they had originally thought. It was clear now to them both, Anna had made a pact with the Crones of Crookback Bog, and the beastly sisters had finally gone to collect. He had promised the Crones the next time he saw them, he would kill them, together he and Ciri would go back and kill all three of them. He intended to keep that promise however he felt his heart ache that there was nothing he could do for the Baron's wife. One of the first few lessons he learned about evil spirts and beings, was that if someone entered into a pack with them, and it had been collected, a spell of madness, or the debt was very, very difficult to break, far beyond that of even the most skilled Witcher.

It was all another reason, that he would return one day, after he had found Ciri, and the two of them would kill the beastly sisters for all the lives they had taken.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Sounds like a Fiend attacked them, makes sense now how the horse was ripped in half," Geralt said as they walked back down the stairs of the house.

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah… but the Baron won't be happy when he learns what happened, poor man."

Geralt sighed, "Wish we could do something, but you know as well as I do, it's beyond our skill to break that pact they made. Woman's madness is going to grip her for at least a year, however long the deal was for."

"You're right… I swear when we find Ciri, we really will come back for them," He said, as the cold winds howled through the forest.

The lubberkin, the spirit of Dea floated above them, and the two Witcher's bowed to it, "Thank you for all your help Dea," Dominik said meaningfully.

Geralt nodded after him, "Go in peace."

The lubberkin spun in the air once more, before floating back in the direction of the woods they had come. He wasn't going to be able to save the Baron's wife, but at least he had assisted in saving one innocent soul. He sighed, hoping that his wife location and the fact his daughter was safe in Oxenfurt would be enough for the man, enough to get Ciri's location. He heard the clunking of armor, and Faram came up to them both, a smile between his head black hair, and bushy beard.

"So mates how'd it go," He asked, crossing his massive arms, "Find out where the two ladies are? Find what you need?"

He sighed, but nodded his head, "We did… thought not exactly in the most ideal scenario. Gonna have to be enough for the Baron though."

"If it's not well, we'll find ways to make him tell us," Geralt said, getting a laugh from the bear school Witcher, and Dominik.

Faram let out a hearty laugh, before looking and meeting Dom's eyes again, "HAHA, oh now I see where you get it from…. I'd love to come see this to the end with you mate, but I must really be getting back to Novigrad."

Dom frowned, but nodded his head. He remembered how he never had a boring night when he traveled with Faram. It was a nice change from going to bed at night, crying, brooding, or his thoughts being on the loss of Ciri. He had missed his friend after they had separated, and he hated to do so again after just meeting up again. However, he knew that Faram had a mission, and that if he ever truly needed his friend, they would meet again.

"What have you been doing in Novigrad," Geralt asked the larger man.

Faram's playful eyes suddenly fell, and he sighed, "Been training, stocking up on coin for the last few months. I finally got enough coin to buy myself a boat, hire some crew and sail to Skellige. Pirates have been raiding any ship that goes near the isles, but if they see me, realize I'm from there, they'll let me through…. Finally, time for me to go face the giant again."

Dominik nodded in understanding. He knew how much killing the giant, and saving the island he grew up on meant to Faram. He had confided in him, that he thought if he had actually gone back to see his family, worry more about his home, he could've killed the Giant when it arrived. He felt now like it was his duty to return, and Dominik could relate.

"Aye… I understand. Odds are we'll be in Novigrad the next few days, how much longer will you be there," He asked his friend.

Faram's signature smirk returned, "Aha, be there for another week or two at most. Still got some loose ends to tie up, coin to hand off. So… if you're in Novigrad and you have need of my blades, say the word and their yours, both of you. Come find me at the Golden Sturgeon, that's where I've been held up."

"Thanks, Faram…" he said with a sigh, reaching out to hug the bear school Witcher.

Faram pulled him into a tight hug, almost crushing him in the process. He had made a few notable friends in his years traveling alone, however Faram had always stood at the top. The man had quit literally saved him from himself, his most deadly foe. Faram pulled back from the hug and turned to Geralt and gave him a low bow.

"And you White Wolf, it was my honor to be able to fight at your side. I hope to be able to more in the future," He said, his voice full of optimism and awe.

Geralt smiled, and held out his hand, shaking the bear school Witcher's large, gauntleted hand, "I'm sure we will. Thanks for keeping him company, being there for him when I couldn't," he said looking over to Dom.

He chuckled a little and Faram smiled, "Aye, the pleasure was all mine. So long mates… I'll see the two of you soon I'm sure. Good luck and remember the Golden Sturgeon! A round on me when you come!"

He stood with Geralt and waved to the bear school Witcher, as he mounted his large horse. He gave one last wave of his large armored hand, and rode off into the forest, back from where they came. He was upset to see his friend go however he knew that now he had even more people he could rely on when the final fight was to come. As much as he wished his could, he knew that he would never be able to defeat the Wild Hunt, and save Ciri with just he, Geralt and Yennefer.

He would need allies, friends, support, but most importantly of all he would need to train. Nithral had almost killed him, and while he was a general of the Hunt, he knew there were even more powerful foes to come. He would have the support of his family, and Ciri once he found her, but he knew that it was his duty to protect them. He would not fail this new family not like he had failed his last one.

And it would all start with finding Ciri, and he could tell he was close.

He sighed as Faram galloped away on his horse, before turning back to Geralt, the light of the moon reflecting off the surface of the nearby water. He turned and met Geralt's eyes, as the cold winds howled.

"So, what do we do now? Anna is out of our reach, but what about Tamara," He asked the older Witcher.

Geralt looked out over the water, contemplating the options, before turning back to him.

"Well, she's in Oxenfurt, and sounds safe enough. I'll leave it up to you, should we go see her first? If we ride out at first light, should only take us a few hours," He asked the younger Witcher.

"The Redanian's have blocked the Pontar. How are we supposed to get in," He asked, remembering Faram's words.

Geralt shrugged it off, "We'll find a way in, probably can sail a boat around, or swim."

He sighed, the last thing he wanted to do was take more time away from their main objective. However, he didn't know how happy the Baron would be when he figured out the news about his wife. The least the two of them could do was go and talk to his daughter, try to convince her to come back. He didn't want to risk them riding back to Crow's Perch, only for him to say he wanted them to go speak to his daughter anyhow.

Besides, no matter what the man had taken care of Ciri. He took her in when she was injured, fed her, helped her wounds heal. The least he could do was try to get his child to come home.

He met Geralt's eyes and nodded, "I guess we're going to Oxenfurt. Don't wanna risk him not giving us information when he learns about his wife besides…. He did help Ciri. Least we can do is try to convince his daughter to come home."

Geralt gave him a small smile, "I was thinking the same. Come on, let's find somewhere to get a fire going," He said, walking ahead of him.

"Geralt," He said, making the older Witcher turn around, "Do… you think we can train for an hour or two tonight?"

Geralt nodded, but narrowed his eyes wonderingly, "Course we can… just thought you'd want to rest after the busy few days we've had."

He scoffed and shook his head, "I rested enough today. I need more work, my signs, my footwork, everything needs to be better."

Geralt turned fully to face him, eyeing the young Witcher curiously.

"Not that I'm saying no, but what brought all this on? You're getting better with your signs, sword play is sharp as ever, you-."

"You can always improve, and I need to," Dominik said, cutting him off.

The white-haired Witcher nodded in understanding, "Alright, I understand. Let's get camp set up, and we can start."

He sighed in relief, and still felt his stomach begin to churn. He looked back over the lake, and Geralt shook his head.

"You know Dominik, you ARE strong enough to do this. I know you too well," He said to the younger Witcher.

He shook his head, turning back to his adoptive father, "Geralt when I fought Nithral I almost died. I would be split in half on a cavern floor if not for Kiera distracting him. If I'm going to be able to protect Ciri when we find her… I need to be better. I NEED to keep training. I… I am just a man after all."

"Not just a man," Geralt said, walking up next to him to look out over the lake, "You're a man fighting for those you love. You won't let anyone stop you. That kind of determination is something to admire."

He smiled at the compliment but scoffed, "Even if that's true. Determination isn't going to help me swing my sword better. I won't let Ciri down again, when we find her, I want to be ready for anything."

"You didn't let anyone down Dominik," The older Witcher shot back as soon as he was done.

He shook his and turned to face the Witcher, "I promised that I would protect her. I promised her grandmother, my father, and most importantly her. I know she can handle herself, but that doesn't mean she should have to do it all alone. I'm going to train every night if I have too, and when we find her… I'll be ready for anything."

Geralt met his gaze, his intense yellow Witcher's eyes staring into him. Finally, he sighed and nodded.

"Alright… you know I'll train with you as much as you want. Nothing can truly prepare you for the Wild Hunt… but I'll do my best. Come on, let's get going, we got a busy day tomorrow," The older Witcher said, walking off towards their horses.

He nodded with a smile. The sound from his battle with Nithral tingled on his abdomen, a reminder of his first ever encounter with the Hunt. If these were the being that had been chasing Ciri for all these years, the ones who wanted to kill her, harvest her blood for an invasion, then he would have to do much better then he currently was. He would need to be faster, more precise, build up his stamina so he could cast signs without nearly falling over. If he truly wanted what he had been chasing all these years, a life with Ciri where she chose her own path, he would need to be better.

And if sacrificing sleep, for more training with Geralt meant that he could, then he was prepared to make it.

**A/N: So, after a long search Dominik and Geralt have finally figured out what happened to Anna and Tamara. After saying goodbye to his friend Faram of Undviik, the two Witchers are readying to set out to Oxenfurt, to find the Baron's daughter, before finally learning where Ciri has gone. What stood out to you in this chapter? How do you think Faram will impact the story going forward? What will happen when we meet Tamara? What will happen when we get to Novigrad? Favorite, follow and leave a review to tell me what you thought, see you all next time.**


	16. Family Matters IV

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 16: Family Matters IV**

**Narrator: After following the cured botchling, now a lubberkin, Dom and Geralt, along with Dominik's close friend Faram of Undviik, set out to find the Barons missing family. After following the trail, the Witchers eventually learned that Tamara, the Baron's daughter was in Oxenfurt, while his wife Anna, was now a servant to the Crones, who Dominik and Geralt had encountered earlier. After saying their goodbyes to Faram, Dominik and Geralt ready themselves to set out for Oxenfurt, to find Tamara, before they go back to Crow's Perch, to find out from the Baron where Ciri had gone.**

_"Ghouls, and Alghouls, two post conjunction creatures, susceptible to silver and…." He trailed off when he heard the old Witcher begin to snore. _

_ He looked up from the book, and met Ciri's eyes, and he could see the mischievous smile begin to form on her face. The two looked back over to the chair, and could see their Uncle Vesemir slumped over, the book still open on his lap. The old Witcher's loud snores echoed through the chamber, and he sighed, leaning back, 'Ghouls and Alghouls' sliding from his lap. He heard Ciri snicker, as she bit into the last bit of an apple and closed her book. _

_ "Finally, he's asleep, you ready," She asked him, her green eyes looking at him eagerly. _

_ The two of them were young then, perhaps 12, almost 13 at the time. He smiled at seeing her young, excited face. Her freckles covered across her nose, and her ashen hair was tied up in a messy bun. He almost scoffed at how scrawny his younger self truly was. He took one more look down at the book in front of him, before turning back to Ciri. _

_ "I don't know… he was furious with us last time," He said unsurely. _

_ Ciri scoffed, and scooted over next to him, staring up at him with those pretty green eyes, "Come on, please! We already read the chapter, it's beautiful out, the pendulums are just waiting to be ran!"_

_ "Ciri… I don't know maybe-."_

_ "Please Dominik," She said, looking at him with those eyes pleadingly. _

_ He sighed, knowing that he was going to relent. Finally, he gave her a small smile, and closed the book in front of him. _

_ "Alright fine, come on, let's get going," He said, smiling down at her. _

_ She smiled, and leaned up, kissing his cheek. He tried to stammer out words, and she laughed, standing up to her feet. The dream took place after the incident on the double pendulum at night, where she kissed him the first time. She laughed again at his reddened face and helped him up to his feet. _

_ "Come on, let's go," She said excitedly, grabbing his hand and leading him off. _

_ He saw his younger-self smile, as he followed her through the halls of Kaer Morhen. They passed through the large entry hall, and eventually out into the courtyard. The sun was beating down that day, truly beautiful as Ciri had said. He yearned for those days, just the two of them, running around the giant walls of the Witcher stronghold. Eskel, Lambert and Geralt were nowhere to be seen that day, so he and Ciri easily made it to the pendulums. _

_ Ciri ran over to the rack that contained the wooden practice swords, and pulled out two, tossing one over to him. He caught it and twirled it in his hands. It was a calming feeling, just the two of them and the pendulum. It had been a situation they were often both in, and he loved every moment of it. Ciri raced up the steps, and gracefully leaped onto the poles, and with great strength from such a small girl, pushed the giant pendulum forward, causing it to move back and forth. He smiled at her work and she back flipped off the pegs, before turning back to him. _

_ "Well, do you want to go first," She asked him, holding up a blindfold, twirling it in her fingers. _

_ He smirked and took it from her hands, "Bet I make it through longer then you without a slip up?"_

_ She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "In your dreams. What are we betting?"_

_ He looked up and thought for a moment, "Mhmm… extra slices of whatever desert tonight?"  
"Done," She said without a second thought, "go on then, let's see if you can back up that talk."_

_ He smirked, and put the blindfold around his neck, before walking up the steps and readying himself. He took one last look at the swinging pendulum, before pulling the white blindfold over his eyes. He took in a deep breath and began. He stepped onto the pegs, and twirled his sword, stepping past and the pendulum, his feet moving in a precise motion. _

_ "Go on, footwork, three steps, half-turn pirouette," He heard Ciri yell from the ground below. _

_ He perfectly executed the combo, and spun back behind the swinging pendulum, when he heard Ciri whistle appreciatively. _

_ "Well look at you, you're on point today," She said, as his feet moved with a mind of their own. _

_ "You've seen nothing yet," He shouted back to her, leaping forward over the pegs, twirling his blade around his back, and bringing it back to the front. _

_ "Yeah, you seem to be-. GERALT," Ciri yelled, making him freeze in his tracks. _

_ They weren't supposed to be training just then, and if Geralt found them he would surely be angry. He stopped on one peg, and as a result felt pendulum slam into him, knocking him off the pegs, and back onto the ground. _

_ "Ow…." He muttered as he heard Ciri begin to laugh. _

_ He felt his back ache, and the blindfold was pulled off his eyes, to reveal the face of a laughing Ciri. She laughed, her green eyes shining with delight, "Hahaha, I can't believe you fell for that!"_

_ He rolled his eyes, looking up at her, "You were just scared I'd go too long for you!"_

_ She scoffed and smiled widely at him, "In your dreams," She said with another smirk, before reaching her hand down for him to take, "Are you okay?"_

_ He heard the sincerity in her voice, and it made him smile. He sighed and felt a tingle run up his hand, as it always did when she took his hand and helped him to his feet. He dusted himself off and met her emerald eyes. _

_ "I'm alright… I can't believe I fell for that again," He said with an eye roll. _

_ Ciri laughed, and met his eyes again, "We've been here for almost three years and you still do."_

_ Three years almost. It had been that long, that every morning he awoke, down the hall from her, hearing her voice in the morning, training with her, having her constantly next to him. It was a happy time in his life, being there with her. However, he never forgot the reason he was there. Neither of them did. _

_ "Three years," He said, looking of into the distance towards the mountains, "hard to believe that it's really been that long," He said, before turning back to her. _

_ Her jolly demeanor suddenly fell, and she nodded, "I know… are you alright? I… I heard you scream last night. I came to check on you, but you had fallen back to sleep. I can come stay with you later if you want," She said her voice dripping with concern. _

_ It was the last thing he wanted, for her to worry about him, when she had even more important things to worry about. He remembered at the time, her visions, and magical accidents were beginning to happen more and more. She was scared herself, scared of her own power. He didn't want to add his nightmares to her list of worries. He gently grabbed her hand and she met his eyes. _

_ "I'll be alright, you have enough to worry about, I'll be fine I promise," He said reassuringly. _

_ She kept their eyes locked and shook her head, "Just because there are things going on with me… doesn't make what's happening to you any less important. You're always there for me, let me be there for you."_

_ "You already are," He said, a smile coming back to his face, "Just by being here you are. I'm more worried about you. I won't let you down, I'll make sure you stay safe."_

_ She scoffed and laughed, her smile returning, "I can take care of myself you know."_

_ He laughed back and nodded to her, "Yes, I know… but still. I won't fail you… not like I failed mother and father… and Bella."_

_ His face fell, and Ciri was quick to react. She gently touched his face, and brought his eyes to meet hers again, "There was nothing you could do Dom… you did everything you could."_

_ He felt his stomach churn and he shook his head, "No… I didn't. I…. I should have gotten Bella out like they wanted. I… I failed them, but I won't fail you Ciri… I promise I won't."_

_ Ciri smiled up at him, and it always did, he felt his heart flutter, his worries leaving him. _

_ "You won't fail me… you never could. You saved my life, more times than I can count-."_

_ "You've saved mine just as many," he said with an eye roll._

_ She laughed and smiled at him again, "Yes, but still. You made me feel like a real person, and not just some princess, a pawn in someone else's game. You're one of the most precious people in this world to me, and I promise, you'll never fail me."_

_ You'll never fail me. If only she knew that she was wrong. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He awoke in a cold sweat and felt his body ache. He grunted, but the fatigue almost felt good as he sat up in his bed roll. The night before, he had trained with Geralt for longer than they had both planned. The sparring had been intense, but with every match he felt his reflexes sharpen, and his movements become more precise. He had still gotten knocked to the ground by the older Witcher more times then he could count, but each time he got progressively better. It gave him a feeling of optimism that he was able to awake and still move the next morning. It meant his body was becoming used to the vigorous training again.

He was still far from ready, but it was a start.

"Ah, good you're awake," He heard Geralt say, almost making him leap out of his skin.

He shot around and the Witcher was walking back from their horses, the whole camp already almost packed up. He sighed, and slid out of his bedroll, standing up and stretching out his arms.

"Do you ever actually sleep," he asked the older Witcher, letting out a long yawn.

Geralt laughed and met his eyes, kicking some dirt onto their fire, "Ha, sometimes, not for very long normally. Someone's gotta get up and clean the camp up, now don't they?"

He scoffed, "I clean up after myself."

The older Witcher rolled his eyes, "You ready to get going, probably take us an hour or so, to get to Oxenfurt if we ride hard. With luck, we can find Tamara and be back at Crow's Perch by tonight."

The armor he had been wearing so far in Velen would certainly need to be improved. The monster claws, sword blows, and axe of Nithral had done a number on it. He would be able to improve it in a city like Novigrad or Oxenfurt, Geralt had the appropriate diagram, and he was sure a talented smith would be able to take what he already have and give it the appropriate improvements. His blade was still sharp, despite the old sword having some wear and tear, it would him a good job for a while longer.

He managed to slid his armor on, and his blade. Despite the aching bones, he was ready to start the day, and actually looking forward to it. If all went well, tonight he would learn more about Ciri. He would hear from a man who had actually seen her and talked to her. The Baron's words weren't those of beastly Crones who had tried to kill her. He had actually spoken to her, fed her and clothed her. Despite what he had done, and the kind of man they discovered he was, the Baron had helped Ciri.

The sun was high, and the day over the normally rainy countryside. He told himself in his head, that it was some kind of sign the day would go well. At least he hoped it was. He saw Geralt climbing up onto the back of Roach, and joined the older Witcher, on Clop next to him.

He sighed with a smile on his face, and Geralt smiled over at him, "Well, well you seem to be in high spirits for once."

"What's that supposed to mean," He said with a laugh, the smile staying on his face.

Geralt chuckled, "Well gotta admit, it's nice to see a smile on your face. Haven't seen it much since we got into Velen."

He sighed, but kept a smile and met the Witcher's eyes, "Well, I got to see Faram again. We've found out what happened to the Baron's wife and daughter… and if all goes well, I'll learn more about Ciri tonight… and that'll always put a smile on my face."

Geralt smiled at him, "Yeah… I feel the same. Dominik before we go… I wanted to say I'm sorry again. The two of you, it… it killed me having to separate you both."

He felt his heart pump, but it didn't detract his smile. He pulled the drawing of Ciri out from his pocket. The black drawing of her made his stomach flutter, he didn't know if it was accurate, or if she was even more beautiful than the picture made her out to be. However, he took solace in knowing he would find out soon.

He met Geralt's eyes and shook his head, "It's alright. I… I was mad at you, didn't want to talk to you, see you or anything. I was a stupid, angry, ignorant child. I…. I'm sorry. You were just trying to do what you thought was right. After Rivia, I thought you died… I hated myself, thought that you had died thinking I hated you… but I don't I never did. I lost my first father and mother… and I was blessed to be able to find you and Yen… so I think I should be the one… asking YOU, if you can forgive me."

He didn't know why the words chose that moment to come out, but he had been sitting on them for weeks. The feeling he had in himself after what happened in Rivia, it had consumed him for the whole time since. He thought that Geralt and Yennefer were dead, and they had both died thinking that he hated them. He was angry with them, carried that anger for so many years on his own. He blamed them, blamed everyone in the world except himself for not being able to find Ciri. The truth of the situation was, to him that the fault lay with him. Despite what everyone told him, it was his duty to protect her, he had promised, but that didn't stop his younger self from placing the blame on others.

Geralt looked at him, the older Witcher formed a small smile from atop Roach, "There's nothing to apologize for… you had a right to be mad. Both of us, we both failed her… we can make up for that now."

The sun had reached a high point, and he smiled over at the Witcher, snapping Clop's reins.

"Well? What are we waiting for then, to Oxenfurt. Come on Clop, let's get moving," He said, as his loyal mount road off, sending Geralt and he towards the city.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Geralt, do you think Dandelion will be here? Maybe doing one of his lectures at the academy," He asked the older Witcher as the two navigated the crowded streets.

After weeks of traveling in the open air, swamps, bogs and marshes, he had to admit being in a city again was a nice change. While he loved being out on the path, spending time under the stars, listening to the quiet sounds of nature, he also did love the feelings of being in a large city. It reminded him of his childhood, the days he spent in Cintra. The feeling of walking through a market, seeing the different arrangements of goods, armors and food people sold was always exhilarating to him growing up.

However, at the moment he was only focused on his goal. The fisherman had told them where they could find his brother's house, however getting to it in Oxenfurt without drawing too much attention to themselves was proving difficult. Sailing a small boat into the harbor, past the Redanian blockade was hard enough. Geralt had dawned a cloak as soon as they entered and pulled the hood up to not draw too much attention, especially since the city was crawling with Redanian soldiers. They were passing through the marketplace, trying to keep a low profile.

Geralt shook his head, "No, don't think so. If he was, we would've heard about it, you know how he likes to publicize his appearances."

"Do I ever," He said with an eye roll, "You know he's been asking permission to write songs about me for years."

He heard Geralt chuckle as they rounded a corner, "And why haven't you let him?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "To be honest, I don't want the attention, especially if I'm looking for Ciri. After we find her, he can write as many as he wants, but for now… I don't want to risk it."

Geralt nodded but saw a smirk on his face as he pulled his hood down, "Smart idea, can't wait to hear that ballad. The Young Wolf, and the Swallow? How's that sound?"

He rolled his eyes at the older Witcher as they stopped outside the door, "You're fucking hilarious. Is this the place?"

Geralt laughed and turned to the building, "Yeah, last building on the edge of the harbor. Should be it."

"Good, come on. Quicker we get in, quicker we can get back to Crow's Perch," He said, walking up towards the door.

Geralt followed behind, and he was surprised to find that the door was unlocked. He slowly creaked the door open and entered. Whoever the fisherman's brother was, certainly was better off then the man. A dining table sat in the first room, with bookshelves and other tables stacked about. A fire was roaring in the hearth, warming the entire building. A large glass window let whoever was downstairs see out over the Oxenfurt harbor, a gorgeous view. The man who was sitting at the table's head shot up, and he looked at the two Witcher's wide eyed.

"Aye, who are you," He asked quickly, getting up to his feet.

The man looked similar to his brother they had met back at the lake. A black beard, and hair, he did however obviously appear to be a lot more well off. Geralt stepped forward from behind him, his black armor and sword clattering.

"Your brother sent us, we're looking for Tamara, the Bloody Baron's daughter," He said to the man.

"We only wish to talk to her, make sure she's alright," He added in after Geralt had finished.

The man looked like he wanted to protest. However, the site of two armed, armored, larger men in his home seemed to put him off. He took in a deep sigh and met their gaze.

"Aye… if my brother sent you. Give me a moment to fetch her," He said, walking up the set of stairs to their left.

He sighed in relief that it had been so easy. He saw Geralt go lean back against the wall when he heard a hissing sound. Back on the table, was a small white cat, staring at him. He went over to pet the creature, but it swiftly dodged his hand and leaped down onto the floor. It pattered along the floor, up onto a bookshelf, leaping from table to table, until it rounded a corner into a backroom.

He scoffed, "If only I could move that fast…" he said ironically.

Geralt walked up next to him and nodded, "Well, made a whole Witcher school based around Cats for that very reason."

"Ever met one," he asked, turning to face the older Witcher, "A Witcher from the school of the Cat," He asked out of curiosity.

"One or two. The group isn't looked on very well, like all Witcher's, the numbers are dwindling," Geralt told him.

"Yeah…" He said, remembering the history lessons from Kaer Morhen, "Didn't they turn into hired assassins more than monster hunters?"

Geralt nodded to confirm, "Yeah, it was the start of Witcher's getting a bad name. Doesn't mean they aren't great fighter though, you think me, Eskel, and Lambert have quick movements, you should see some of the moves the School of the Cat use."

Upon hearing Geralt say those words, a small idea started to form at the base of his head. In his history lessons at Kaer Morhen, he had of course learned of the Witcher schools. Wolf, Bear, Cat, Viper, and Griffin. All of them had their own strongholds, types of armor, and ways of fighting, that if mastered would make one a master monster slayer.

However, what would happen if one Witcher, could master all give schools of combat.

"How about you," Geralt asked, getting his attention, "Ever met any Witcher's other then Faram when you were traveling?"

"Only one other, and only for a short while," He said, remembering the time, "He was from the School of the Griffin, named George, Faram and I ran into him. Three of us stopped a Bruxa and it's thralls from destroying a village. Decent guy didn't talk much though. Faram and I offered to let him travel with us, but he refused, said he preferred to be alone."

He remembered the Witcher George and the short time he had spent with him. His Witcher name was George of Toussaint, and the only thing they got out of him about his past, was that he used to actually live in the duchy, the son of a knight. The man was able to cast signs more powerful then anyone he had ever seen, even Geralt. That didn't mean he was a slouch with his blade either. The village in question had splurged to have the vampire killed. It was unlike any vampire he ever encountered up until the Alp in Claywitch, it had an army of thralls, and used dark magic for necromancy. The three of them had to train some of the villagers to fight, and the fight itself was dangerous. He remembered watching George slay the Bruxa, and finally cause all the monsters to fall.

He and Faram both enjoyed the man's company, however he insisted he wanted to travel the path alone and left them.

"School of the Griffin eh? From what I heard they're some of the best at using signs out of all the Witcher schools," Geralt told him, leaning back against the table.

He nodded in agreement, "I believe it, man's signs were the most powerful I had ever seen…" He paused and the idea started to creep into his head, he met Geralt's eyes, "Geralt… has any Witcher ever mastered all five?"

Geralt's eyes narrowed, "All five of what?"

"Wolf, Bear, Griffin, Cat, Viper… the five Witcher schools, five different types of combat and fighting styles… has any Witcher ever been a master of all five," He asked again.

The older Witcher thought for a moment before shaking his head, "No, nobody has. Probably because it's damn near impossible. Even when Witcher's were more plentiful, the schools kept their secrets closely guarded, even from other Witcher's. Nowadays, probably even more so, with how little of them there are left."

His enthusiasm faded. The idea had peaked his interest. What if he could master all the forms of Witcher combat? He didn't have mutations like Geralt, he didn't have magical powers like Ciri, or Yennefer. He was just a man. He had almost been killed by Nithral, what chance would he stand against other, higher members of the Wild Hunt? Would he even have any chance at all? How was he going to save Ciri, and defeat the Hunt in his current state?

While he may not be able to master all the forms of combat, he did have ones he could try. He would stay up for hours to train with Geralt, mastering the School of the Wolf even further, perhaps Faram could teach him some techniques from the School of the Bear. It seemed unlikely, but what if he could somehow find the Witcher George, and learn skills from the School of the Griffin?

He would do whatever it took, whatever it took to be ready for the final battle when it came.

"I'm here, now tell me who you are, are you two of my fathers men," A new voice rang through the house, stopping him from asking Geralt anything else.

The two of them turned, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The Baron's description of Tamara had been spot on. She had shorter, choppy brown hair, and green eyes. The girl was taller, almost as tall as he, but she certainly did not seem very happy to see them. She wore blue armor, and hunting gloves, and was only missing a sword at her hip to be exactly as he had pictured her.

Geralt shook his headfirst for the two of them, "We're not his men, but he hired us to make find you, make sure you were safe. I'm Geralt of Rivia."

"Dominik of Cintra," He said after Geralt had finished.

The girl met his eyes, and stayed locked with him, "Very nice to meet you, Geralt of Rivia, Dominik of Cintra. As you can see, I'm alive and I'm quite safe, so you can tell my drunken father I will not be returning and have a pleasant day."

He had expected a reaction like this. He almost laughed; the girl had a fiery side to her. It reminded him a bit of Ciri when they were younger, and he wondered if Tamara had gotten it from the Baron. He had no intention of forcing the girl to do anything, however he couldn't help but see a bit of himself in her as well. Angry, bitter, wanting to throw their family away.

Geralt held his hands up in a calming gesture, "We have no intention on forcing you to return. But… we do want to know, we've heard things from your father, we want to hear your side of the story."

The girl scoffed and leaned backwards against the table, "There's not much to tell. I spent most of my life hidden under my bed from his bouts of drunken rage. I found myself at a point where I was wishing for war, so they could ship him off. Had to spend years listening to him beat my mother… finally we had enough and ran."

He had always grown up in a place of love and caring. His mother and father rarely ever got angry at him or his younger sister. The trend continued with Geralt and Yennefer. Of course, they would get angry, at times he felt Geralt was being too hard on him, but normally that was just during his training. He never had to experience what Tamara had, but he knew what it meant to feel loss, and that was the worst pain in the world, true loss.

He nodded to her, "Your father has made mistakes, we're both aware. But I can tell he truly cares for you and wants to make things right. That's why he's sent us, to make sure you're okay," He said, taking a step closer to her, meeting her green eyes with his, "I've met evil men before. Truly evil men. Your father isn't one of them."

He was expecting a snarky response, a comeback, but it didn't come. The girl looked like she was trying to form words, but nothing was coming out. She met his eyes, and he saw her face go slightly red. She stuttered for a moment and then shook her head, her eyes still locked with his.

"And how would you know? You don't seem any older then me, how could you know true evil," She asked him, her voice slightly shaking.

He looked down at the swallow around his neck, and felt a jolt run through his head. The fires of Cintra, the words that Ciri was missing, every evil monster he had ever encountered.

Their pairs of green eyes met, "I was 11 when Nilfgaard invaded Cintra. Killed my mother, my little sister, my father. Chased me for a month before Geralt found me. The woman I love, the ONLY person who kept me going through it all. Kidnapped, taken away, I've been looking for her for eight years. I've killed monsters I thought were only a myth growing up, only to find out a person had set them loose. I know evil," he said, turning back to meet Geralt's eyes.

"Evil is evil," he said, getting a smile from the Witcher, before turning back to Tamara, "Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Your father has made mistakes… but he's not evil."

She seemed to digest his words. She looked down at the floor, before looking back up at him, "And my mother? What about what he did to her?"

He shook his head, maintaining eye contact with the girl, "What he did was inexcusable, but he wants to make things right, that's why we're here. We also figured out where your mother is."

The effect of the sentence was instantaneous, "What!? You know where she is, you must tell me, I have to go get her!"

Geralt took the opportunity to speak up again, "Before we tell you, you need to tell us what happened the night after you escaped, we… we know Anna miscarried, and we think we know why."

Tamara's eyes went wide, but she nodded in understanding, "I… I had never seen so much blood in my life. Mother she… she was covered in it. I thought something was wrong, I tried to help her, but she kept screaming how it was better that way, she didn't want to bear another child from his seed… I thought she was just hysterical from the blood loss," She said, her tough outer demeanor breaking.

He met Geralt's eyes, and nodded, "That was probably the start."

Tamara looked at the two Witcher's, "The start, the start of what!?"

He looked back and met Tamara's eyes, "Your mother made a deal with the Crones, or Ladies of the Wood. She didn't want to bear that child, went to the Crones for help, asked them to take care of her problem… and they did, in their own twisted way."

Before Tamara could interject Geralt continued the story, "After that, the Crones sent the Fiend that attacked you guys to collect your mother. Took her to Crookback Bog, to begin a year of servitude."

The young woman's mouth fell agape, and she turned, pacing back and forth. She met the eyes of the two Witcher's again, "I… I must go and get her! If she's alive, then I need to find her, go and rescue her!"

He felt his own eyes go wide as he shook his head, "That's a BAD idea. The bog is dangerous, and the Crones… well them even more so. Geralt and I almost didn't make it out, and we're Witcher's."

The girl shook her head indignantly, "Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to believe I can do this alone. I've made friends, powerful friends who will help me."

"What friends," Geralt asked, as the door behind them swung open.

"Fuck me…" He said, when the man walked through the door.

The man wore the armor of the Witch Hunters. He didn't know much about them, until Kiera had told him more during their quest. The man was tall, bald, a bit of the armor guarding his face. A longsword was attached to his hip, and he coughed as he entered, walking with a sense of power to his step.

He stopped in-front of the two Witchers and scoffed, "I had not expected the Baron to stoop to hiring Witchers to find his daughter."

Dominik scoffed, and Geralt narrowed his eyes at the man, "Baron has something that we both need. We only came to find Tamara, give her news about her mother."

The man kept eye contact, and Dom began to think his nose couldn't go any higher, "We are well aware of the situation with the girls mother. As you can see Tamara is safe and sound, under the warmth of the eternal fire she has found her calling. She will not be returning to her father."

He always had a distaste for religious fanatics. He didn't believe in any particular gods himself, thinking that if any gods were real, and they let the things that had happened to he and Ciri occur, they weren't worthy of worship. However, he always learned from Geralt to respect what people believed in. Everyone had the right to worship how they choose and pray to who they wish.

However, the tone of the man wasn't one he liked.

"Tamara is old enough to make her own decisions, we have no intentions of forcing her to do anything. We only wanted to make sure she was safe, and tell her about her mother," he said, turning to the man with his arms crossed.

The man nodded, "Very well, you've shown yourselves to be men of good character, surprising for Witcher's. Come Tamara, we have preparations to make before we head out."

He turned back to see Tamara nod at the man, before looking back at the Witcher's. Dominik could see the uncertainty in her eyes, as she walked between the two of them, next to the head Witch Hunter. She turned back to face them, meeting their eyes.

"Thank you… the both of you for respecting my decision, and for telling me about mother. I hope the Eternal Fire will bless you with its warmth one day," She said, her tone sincere.

He sighed, disappointed. He wanted to do what he could to get the girl to at least go see the Baron. However, he knew that she was an adult, and he needed to respect her decision. The Baron had caused serious damage to the girls childhood, damage that may not be able to be repaired. However, he saw himself when he was sixteen for the moment. The snows had begun to gently fall over them, and Geralt brought up the idea of heading back to Kaer Morhen for the winter. He remembered how angry he had gotten, he said things that he regretted to that day, before riding off himself, the beginning of his journey alone.

He carried so much resentment and anger with him towards Geralt for those years afterwards, and he didn't want to see her do the same.

"Can I give you one last piece of advice before you leave," He asked the girl, just before she and the Witch Hunter could walk outside.

It got her to pause, and she met his green eyes with hers, before slowly nodding. He sighed, and looked first at Geralt, before turning back to her.

"Cherish your family, what you have of them, never take it for granted," He started. The girl looked as if he was going to protest, but he quickly continued.

"Years ago, when I lost my first family, it was only me and the woman I love, Ciri. We wondered for a while until Geralt found us… and I was blessed enough to have another family. Not everyone gets that chance, but I did," He said, turning to Geralt now, "He raised us, trained us as if we were his own son and daughter and… and everything was great. That was until… Ciri disappeared, and I… I blamed Geralt, the world, gods, everyone else. He tried to take me with him to look for her but… but eventually I set out on my own, bitter, angry, resentful, hating him."

He sucked in a deep breath, gripping his hand over the swallow pendant, and turning back to Tamara, "I carried all of that anger in me for years… that was until two years ago when… when I thought that he had died. I thought…I thought he died, thinking I hated him, resenting him and blaming him. I had been so focused on the bad… I didn't think about any of the good, and there was much more good then bad. Thankfully, destiny smiled on me again, and he's alive… my point is," He said, meeting her green eyes.

"Don't carry so much hatred, anger and resentment, that you forget about all the good, it'll kill you on the inside…. Good luck, with wherever destiny takes you," He said, nodding towards her one last time.

She was silent for a moment, her eyes staying locked on his. He saw a red flush go up in her cheeks, and she nodded towards him, "Thank you… Dominik of Cintra. I shan't soon forget your words…" She said, before walking out the door with the Witch Hunter.

He sighed as she exited, and the door closed. The house became silent for a moment, except the pattering of the white cats feet on the furniture. It was his hope that his words would resonate with the young woman. She could hopefully learn a lesson from him, and his mistakes. He felt Geralt come up behind him, a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, I forgive you," The older Witcher said, as he turned to face him.

He smiled up at him, his chest thumping, "Thanks Geralt… you know… I can't wait for the four of us to be together again. Me, you, Yen… Ciri, it didn't last long enough last time..."

Geralt kept his smile and nodded, "I agree… but we're close now. Come on, let's get riding back to Crow's Perch. Time to finally cash in on our contract."

**A/N: So, Dominik and Geralt have finally completed their end of the contract with the Baron. They're riding back to Crow's Perch to finally figure out what happened to Ciri after she arrived, and where she's gone. What did you guys think? What did you think of the dream sequences and flashbacks we keep getting? What about the idea Dom mentioned? Is it possible for someone to master all five forms of Witcher combat? Are you excited for another Ciri POV? We're almost out of Velen, but still got some exciting fights to go. Favorite, follow and leave a review telling me what you think. I'll see you all next time!**

**PS: 1.) Yes I am aware that the School of the Manticore exists, but I decided not to include that since it's a DLC school, and we don't know too much about it. 2.) I know the last two chapters have been shorter and lacking in action and I apologize. I was going to combine the two, but I felt it would drag on far too long. I also considered adding the conversation with the Baron to this, however that contains a Ciri pov, which I like to make a little longer, so I decided to hold off till next chapter. See you all then!**


	17. Family Matters V

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 17: Family Matters V**

**Narrator: After finally making it to the city of Oxenfurt, Dominik and Geralt were able to meet with Tamara, the Bloody Baron's daughter. After talking to the young woman, and making sure she was safe, the two Witcher's both set out to return to Crow's Perch, to speak to the Baron. It was finally time for them to learn what he knew about Ciri and continue their search.**

It wasn't surprising to him that it started raining. The ride back to Crow's Perch had taken them a few hours, and while the sun still lit up the sky, it was starting its descent. However, a light rain began to fall as they finally saw the castle come into view. After leaving the house where they spoke to Tamara, Geralt and he had taken some time to eat, replenish any supplies they needed, and have their blades sharpened. It had taken them a few hours, so when they finally found Clop and Roach, who being the loyal mounts they were, had stayed on the small patch of land, tied to the trees they had left them at.

He felt his spirits begin to rise and fall both at the same time. He was of course, ready to learn where Ciri had gone, and hopefully finally get out of Velen. However, on the other hand he wasn't excited to deliver the Baron, the news about his wife, or that his daughter did not wish to return. He hoped he would have been able to help the man, but he knew he had done all he could. Geralt and he had found the mans family, they knew their location and what became of them, that was their deal.

He hoped the man would stick to it.

"After we figure out where Ciri went, we'll take the day tomorrow to restock bombs, ingredients, get our armor repaired, before we get ready to head out," Geralt told him, as the winches on the Crow's Perch gate slowly turned open.

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah, armor could use a good repair. Almost got a damn hole where that axe hit me."

"How's that feeling by the way," Geralt said, as the two slipped off the back of Clop and Roach.

He stretched out his legs after the hard ride, and felt his abdomen tingle, but there was no real pain anymore. The scar however where the axe hit him was deep and was going to stand out compared to his others.

"No pain anymore, I'm fighting fit. Ready for whatever or whoever we have to face," he said with confidence, as they approached the Baron's garden.

"Like the confidence, so, more training tonight then," Geralt asked him.

"Absolutely," He said as soon as he finished, "Do you think we can try Yrden again? I almost got it down, I know it."

Geralt nodded, "Course we can. First though… let's find out where Ciri went."

He scoffed, a smile coming to his face, "I've been waiting so long to hear you say that."

The Baron was sitting in the back, near his garden like he usually did. The rain only came down lightly, so the torches and firepits still roared. The garden was absolutely beautiful, all different types of flowers, herbs and other things grew, and it was a pleasure to look at. The barn had still been charred, but he could see men started to work on repairs.

"Witcher's a word if you please," A man said, as the two attempted to pass into the garden.

He was a short, balding man with stringy brown hair in plate. A sword was of course at his hip, and he looked at them, his gauntleted arms folded.

He smirked when they both looked over at him, "Believe we've not had the pleasure. They call me the sergeant. Leftover from my army days you see, you understand, when me and Phillip, meaning the baron, served under the Temarian banner. Wanted to ask you about somethin."

The tone the man used, certainly didn't indicate that he was giving them an option. He narrowed his eyes, but Geralt spoke up from next to him.

"What is it," He asked the man.

The man stepped off the fence he was leaning on, and approached the two of them, "That night when the baron ordered everyone to lock their doors, stay inside- what did you and the baron do?"

He shook his head to answer for Geralt, "Gotta ask the Baron about that. Where is he anyway?"

The man didn't seem satisfied, but pointed towards the garden, "Garden. Spends a lotta time sitting in there of late."

"Drunk," Geralt asked right away.

The sergeant shook his head, "No… don't eat, don't drink. Just sits."

Geralt nodded to the man and proceeded into the garden, and he followed closely behind. The garden had seemed as if someone was actually starting to take care of it again. He wondered if the Baron had ordered it so, or if the man was beginning to do so himself. What he had said to Tamara wasn't a lie. He truly didn't think the Baron was an evil man. He was a man who made mistakes, bad decisions in his life, but that was the case with everyone.

Like the sergeant had said, the Baron was sitting in the garden, looking at a collection of purple flowers. He recognized the blooms as flowers from Nazair. One thing he younger sister had always loved, was flowers. She would often drag him to the market and give him lectures about the different properties they all held, where they came from, and how much she wished to travel and see them in their natural habitat. Seeing the blooms now, made his stomach churn up, remembering how happy she had gotten at spending time with him, walking through markets and seeing the different blooms. All to let her down, to let her die in the end.

He had failed Bella, but he wouldn't do the same for Ciri.

"There you are," Geralt said to the Baron, as the two of them approached.

The Baron didn't meet their gaze, keeping his eyes locked on the violet blooms.

"See the hollyhock there? The violet blooms? Brought the plants in from Nazar," He said fondly, finally turning to look at the two of them, "Anna had read some story. Insisted on having them. Spent hours tending them, trimming, pruning. She was so content a that."

He felt himself smile, "My younger sister, back in Cintra kept the same ones. Would spend hours dragging me through the market. Insisted we have mother and father buy all the prettiest ones for her to tend, better times…."

The older man turned his head, meeting his eyes, a look of sympathy to them. He noticed the man for the first time since he met him, didn't reek of alcohol. He seemed sad, regretful, like he was thinking about every choice he made up to that point. It was something he did himself often.

"You seem old enough. So that means you were in Cintra when…" The man started.

He felt his chest pound, and his eyes sting, "Yes… yes I was. Massacre of Cintra 1262. Mother, Father, sister, all dead."

The Baron's eyes stayed locked with head, "Had to be young then… how'd you cope?"

"I had Ciri," He said simply, looking at his swallow pendant, "Escaped together, saved each-others lives… and now I'm trying to find her again."

The large man nodded, looking at them, his eyes almost beginning to swell as the sun set.

"And I hope you do… and I hope that you both finally find some peace," He said to them both.

Geralt picked that moment to step in, and met the Baron's eyes his arms crossed, "And you're going to help us in that endeavor. We got some information about your family."

He made sure to nod in agreement, and the Baron's eyes widened. The man got up to his feet, and he could see the thrill, and hope spark in his eyes.

"You have!? Come on, let's talk inside, it's a bit chilly out, bloody fucking rain," He said, gesturing for them to follow towards the castle.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He right away warmed his cold hands by the fire. The Baron poured them all a drink, and soon the three men all stood over the large dining table in his study. He could see and sense the man's urgency. He couldn't blame him he had the same feeling inside of him. He wanted to know exactly what had happened with Ciri, down to what she ate for breakfast in the morning. After eight years of having absolutely nothing of her, except the swallow and his memories, it was something he couldn't get enough of. He moved over to the table, and down the small shot of vodka the baron had poured, as he looked at Geralt and he with those desperate eyes.

"So, what news do you bring? Are they alive," He asked them desperately.

Geralt nodded to answer, "We got good news and bad news. Good news is, they're both alive, both got places there staying, and are safe."

He felt his skin crawl. Tamara he wasn't that worried about, as much as he disliked them, having the Witch Hunters for protection would make sure she was safe. It was Anna he was worried about. The woman had been through a lot, miscarried, got carried off by a Fiend, and was forced to take care of children who weren't there anymore. She would have a place to say, sleep, and be safe as long as she was the Crones servant. As much as he hated the creatures, she was safe there.

He sighed, and delivered the news for Geralt, "Tamara is in Oxenfurt, got a roof over her head, we saw her, she's alive and well, and not hurt."

The Baron's eyes widened, but he still looked at the with pleading eyes, "Truly? Are you absolutely sure? Why haven't you brought her back!?"

The breath sucked out of his lungs and he met the mans eyes, with a sigh, "We tried to convince her to come back but… she doesn't want to. Not gonna lie, seemed dead set on not coming back at all, wasn't very happy with you."

He saw the Baron's eyes flare as he shook his head, "But… but her room is all done. Everything set for her return. I can't accept that, I'll go to her myself if I have too, convince her to come back!"

Geralt scoffed next to him, "You can try, we won't stop you, just don't expect much."

"And what of Anna? You said you found her!? Where is she!? Why have you not returned with her," He said quickly, his now fiery eyes turned to Geralt.

He sighed in disappointment he wasn't looking forward to telling the man the next part. Geralt thankfully was the one to deliver the news.

"We did find her like we said. She's in Crookback Bog. Got food, a place to live, and keeps herself busy. Didn't look like she had the slightest desire to leave," He told the man.

He remembered how angry he had gotten with the old woman in the swamp. He was having regrets now, for letting his emotions get the better of him in that moment. She was the victim of the Crones, just as much as Ciri had almost been, as the children had been. After learning what she had gone through to that point, he wished that he could've helped her somehow. If he had really killed the Crones, perhaps the curse on her would have been lifted. He knew Geralt was right however, they didn't know enough about the beastly sisters. The three could be more powerful then what they could handle, but he wouldn't let them stay alive for long. After he trained more, combined with Ciri at his side, he would come back to slay them.

The Baron, however, wasn't happy with their report, "You were supposed to bring her back! Not report the conditions she's living under!"

Geralt stood his ground, shaking his head at the man, "We were supposed to find her. And we did. That was our deal, nothing more. You're lucky Dom decided we should go talk to Tamara."

He could feel the tension between the two men. The sun outside had not gone down yet but was slowly beginning its descent. The fire in the study, suddenly began to feel much hotter. He stood on his toes, ready to bounce between the two men if need be.

The Baron shook his head, snarling at Geralt, "You still think me rotten to the core, a base bastard, don't you? You believe that I alone am at fault for what's happened here."

Geralt was silent, as the large man shook his head, and sat down in the large chair across from the them. Finally, the white-haired Witcher scoffed.

"Actually, yes I do," he said to the man.

The Baron scoffed and shook his head, "The world might seem black and white to you witchers, but for us common folk it's shades of grey. As is my family's story."

Geralt quickly looked over to him, then back at the Baron, "Probably gonna say you're not the only one to blame. All right then, tell us your side of the story."

He sat down in the chair across from the large man, while Geralt sat down next to him. The truth of the matter was, he was curious to hear what the story of the two had been as well. The Baron sucked in a deep breath and met the two Witcher's eyes from across the table.

"With Annie… it was love at first sight. A spear tore through my shoulder at the battle of Anchor, she tended my wound. Once I'd recovered, I asked her to marry me, she wept with joy," He said, tearing his eyes away, into the light of a candle, "Soon after Tamara was born, and after that they sent me to Cidaris. A warlord had risen against King Ethain, and Foltest sent help. It was one battle after another, 'twas a life of war. I was seldom home, found comfort in drink. Grew so fond of hooch I couldn't part with it when I did get home."

He could slightly empathize with the man. His father had often told him the stories of the horrors of war. With Queen Calanthe, he often went out to fight uprising warlords, or even other kingdoms when they asked Cintra for aid. That was how he met his mother; she had been head of the special forces unit for Cintra and was placed under his father's command during one battle. The two fought side by side, and eventually got married, and then he and Bella were the result. Even after he was born, and his mother retired however, he of course stayed on as captain of the royal guard.

Queen Calanthe had given him the option to retire, spend his life with his children. However, his father had refused. He always wondered why as a child but didn't learn until his death. His father's destiny, just like his was to protect the Riannon's, the royal line of Cintra, and the power they possessed.

It was a task that fell to him, and he was intent on completing it, however not because destiny had told him so. But because of the love he had for Ciri.

"I went from front to front, battle to battle, collecting soldiers coin, while Anna sat home with the babe for months. Later I learned she'd not been so alone after all," The Baron continued, his voice full of disgust, "For three years I learned she found comfort in the arms of one Evan, a childhood friend. A dog's bunghole."

The pieces of the story finally clicked together in his head. It wasn't something he had ever had experience with. He had only ever loved one woman, and while he had thoughts of others at times, at times he had been tempted, Ciri had always shone through. He didn't know if destiny played a part in it, but he didn't care, he loved the girl from the moment he saw her, and he was ready to admit that. From the moment he saw her on that balcony outside on the royal palace, to the moment they said goodbye in Ellander.

"Understand dammit! One tussle in the hay I'd have waved aside, put it out of my mind, but the woman cuckholded me for years! Without a whisker of concern for me, or my love," The man screamed, standing up and pacing outside behind the table.

He looked over to Geralt, and he could see the realization in the Witcher's eyes. The two of them truly didn't know everything, and the story was much more complicated than they thought.

"How'd you find out," Dominik asked the man carefully.

The Baron turned back around, stopping his pacing, "Came home one day and Anna was gone, her things too. Found a letter. She wrote that she didn't love me, that she'd left me for that blobtit and taken Tamara with her."

He was about to say something else, tell the man he understood, but the Baron went on, his anger flaring.

"Felt like I'd been rammed by a horse. I went to find the bugger, to get the girls back, to bring them home," He started again, sitting back down on his chair, "Yet soon as I saw him, something turned in me, something dark. I slaughtered the shit-eating twat like swine and fed his carcass to the dogs."

He felt his skin crawl. The idea trickled into the back of his head. What would he have done in that same situation? He had shown before that when it came to Ciri he sometimes let his anger get the best of him. However, he'd like to think that he would never do a thing like what the Baron described.

Geralt next to him, leaned onto his knees in his chair, "I imagine Anna wasn't exactly pleased?"

The Baron laughed, but the look of regret still poured on his face, "Ha! Bloody understatement if I've ever heard one! She flew into a fit, hysteria, threw herself at me, kicking, clawing. Finally grabbed a knife. It would've been the end of me, had I not leapt aside."

The momentary looked of amusement turned to regret, when the man looked back down at the candle again, studying its dancing flames.

"It was the first time I hit her. I had to calm her. Felt I had no other means…. Things changed; they would never be the same. Anna tried to take her own life- and mine- several times. She would goad me, prod me- in the hope I would hit her again perhaps? She'd scream that I robbed her of a life of love, that I'd destroyed the idea for her, and I might as well kill her," The man said, standing up to pace again, looking out the window towards the setting sun.

Geralt stood up along with him, and they walked over across from the man. The large man looked out the window and sighed, contemplating all the choices he made it seemed. He finally turned back to face the two of them again.

The Baron looked at them, with his eyes fallen, "How many times I apologized, how many armfuls of blooms and gifts I brought…. She cared not a bit. Two years of her anger turned into indifference, broken at times by her bouts of hysteria and my bouts of drunkenness…. Cannot fathom how we survived those years, but we did. Though as you both know now, not everything was as it might have seemed."

He sighed deeply after the story was finally complete. There wasn't a way he could relate himself. While he liked drinking himself, had been through, and seen more horrible things then any man his age should have, he'd never resort to it as his means of coping. He had one way that he made it through everything that had happened. How he kept himself going. It was the thought of finding Ciri, reuniting with her, and being able to finally apologize to her, for failing her the first time.

He looked over the Geralt and he could see the conflicting emotions in the Witchers eyes. The two of them both turned back to the Baron, and Geralt sighed.

"You're right… faults on both sides. Yours and hers," He said to the man, making the Baron give them a grim smile.

"I'm content you finally see that…. Very well, then-if you won't bring Anna home, you might at least tell me how she ended up in that blasted swamp," The man asked, the desperation in his voice growing.

Geralt nodded and looked over to Dominik. He felt himself sigh again, as he finally met the Baron's eyes.

"This is the bad news we told you about… your wife is with the Crones, as their servant," He told them man.

The effect on the Baron's face was instantaneous. The man who had just told a personal, terrible story, had suddenly grown fierce. He could see the protectiveness in his eyes. The fire that grew in them when the idea of his wife being held by someone, it reminded him of his own when he heard that Ciri had gone missing.

"The fuck do you mean!? What Crones," He asked the two Witchers.

"The ones who live in Crookback Bog, damn beasts were actually the ones who attacked Ciri first, before she came to your castle," He spit out in disgust, his rage still boiling from the situation.

The Baron's face twisted, and he paced again for a moment, "Oh, I've heard folk speak of them, but thought it naught but tales to scare the children with…. How on earth did she end up there?"

Geralt looked over and met the mans eyes, "They fled here at night. Were riding past the forest when a beast serving the Crones attacked them, and abducted Anna."

The man's eyes went wide, "A beast? Bloody hell… and Tamara, was she hurt?"

Dominik took the liberty of shaking his head, "No, the beast only wanted Anna. Beast carried her deep into Crookback Bog. Didn't harm her though, Anna she… she actually seems content there."

The Baron scoffed, and the fire in his eyes flared again, "Content? What is this tripe witchers? What in bloody blazes is she doing in that swamp?"

"She made a pact with the Crones and… well we think she may have lost her mind," Geralt butted in after the man had finished.

"A pact? What the bloody hell do you mean," The Baron asked quickly.

It was his turn again to explain, he met the mans eyes and went on, "I'm… sorry to have to tell you this but… that's the reason your wife miscarried. She was with child, a child she didn't want to bear, so… she went to the Crones for help. They got rid of her problem, and in exchange Anna gave them one year of her service…. The Crones kept their word, in a sick, twisted way. They sapped her of her strength and forced her body to miscarry… we think that's when her mind started to go. A pact like that places magic tethers on a person, causes them great pain when tested, it's to make sure they pay off their debt," he said, his voice full of disgust, but also trying to explain thoroughly.

The Baron's mouth had fallen agape. He tore his eyes away from the Witchers and paced for a moment, digesting what he had learned. If he was in the Baron's position, his reaction would have been similar. Despite all they had learned about the mans past, he was glad they had come to help him. However, he was hoping the man didn't do anything rash. The Bog was dangerous, and even Geralt and he had a hard time navigating it.

Finally, he turned, meeting their eyes again, "A pact with witches…. Bloody nightmare sounds like some jest! We must get her out, we can't leave her there!"

Quickly Dominik shook his head, "Bad idea, very bad idea. Those witches almost killed Ciri, and as I'm sure you know she's no slouch. Geralt and I barely made it around the bog and we're both witchers. Even we don't know what power these Crones have, going in there is suicide," He pleaded with the man.

The Baron shook his head, ignoring his warning, "What would you have me do!? Sit on my ass and wait for her to return? I'll send my men, go with them myself, and we will pull her out!"

He sighed in disappointment and looked at Geralt next to him, who shook his head at the man.

"Well we've warned you. What you do is your business. Now…." He said, his head going to Dom, and then back to the Baron, "We had a deal, we did our part. Now, you do yours."

The idea of Ciri made him completely forget about the Crones, Anna, Tamara, the Baron, everything in that moment. The reason that Geralt and he had done all of this, to the pellars hut, to the botchling, to Oxenfurt, even going to the Bog to speak with the Crones, all of it was for this. The Baron had been their last lead in Velen. If he didn't know where Ciri had gone, where they could continue to track her, he didn't know what he would do.

"Please…" he said, meeting the mans eyes, "I need to know where she went," he practically begged.

The Baron looked at the two witchers, and nodded, "You've both helped me, found my wife and daughter, a word once given… is always kept by me."

He breathed a sigh of relief, and before Geralt can say anything he spoke up again, "Please, what happened after she arrived? What did she do, where did she go?"

The large man chuckled light and met his eyes, "To be young and in love again… well let me tell you it all. Quite a number had been done on her when she came, rested for a day or two. While she was on the mend, we took her out on a hunt. Thought a bit of gallopin' would warm up her limbs gone stiff from so much bed rest…. That lass of yours," He said, looking between Geralt and he, "Pure luck in the flesh. To hunt down a wild boar that size-why, worthy of one of King Foltest's feast, were he still among the living."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ciri! Come! Whole haunch should be yours, as I see it," The Baron said happily, gesturing for her to come and sit across from him.

It had been a productive few days at the castle. She had almost forgotten over the years the joys of simple things, hunting, sleeping in a bed, eating three meals in a day. She had been hesitant to accompany them at first, but after days of bed rest she was eager to stretch her limbs. She smiled, and joined the group of men by the fire, sitting down and crossing over her legs. The pig had been a huge one, and the throw of her sword had been precise. One of the first things she and Dominik learned when it came to hunting was to be precise, if your spear, arrow or sword did too much damage, you'd have less to eat.

She felt the ring dangle around her neck as she sat and remembered the last hunting trip, they had together in Ellander. They had trapped a few rabbits, and they had even seen a wild buck. Dom had insisted he could hit it clean in the heart with a bow, but it turns out archery wasn't his thing, since the arrow flew two feet in front of him, making the deer flee. She had done things like this often, remembered random memories from their time together, the smallest thing triggering one.

She wondered if it was the same for him if he still thought of her like this. Laughing at the good memories and crying at the bad ones.

"Aye you did well lass," The sergeant complimented as she sat down besides him.

She smiled and the man across the way showered her with praise as well, "Not bad, not bad at all, but who goes boar hunting with a sword?"

She felt herself genuinely laugh, which was rare for her in the last few years, she shrugged her shoulders.

"No spear or bow on hand, my sword was all I had. Besides, I've hunted much bigger game with it before," She said, referring to the Forktails and drowners she and Dominik would help hunt back at Kaer Morhen.

The man across laughed and nodded, "Hehehe, you brandished it beautifully. Where'd they teach you that anyway?"

She bit her tongue for a moment, wondering if she should confess. The men had ben nothing but kind to her, the Baron had helped her recover, so she felt in the back of her head she could trust them. Besides, she would need to leave soon anyhow, and even the Wild Hunt couldn't track her with such a small lead.

"At Kaer Morhen," She said, leaning forward to warm her hands over the fire.

She heard a chorus of aw from the men gathered, before one in a kettlebell helmet spoke up, "The Witcher school? Aye, but they only took lads, as I recall?"

The statement made her heart pang. She was the only exception ever made at the fortress. Witchers were a dying breed, her and Dominik were supposed to be the last two. She knew he never ended up undergoing his mutations… he was waiting for her.

Still, the thoughts of her old home brought another smile to her face.

"They… made an exception for me," She said, pulling her hands back from the fire.

The man with the kettlebell helmet's eyes looked at her wonderingly, "Does that mean you're a she Witcher?"

She remembered the dreams growing up she had, of being the first ever female Witcher. Geralt of Rivia, the white wolf would come for her, her destiny, and train her to become the greatest Witcher to ever roam the land, that was what she heard all growing up from her caretaker, despite what her grandmother had said to her. After she had met Dominik when they were eleven, she was convinced that she could convince him to become a Witcher with her. They could both go find Geralt, train to be Witcher's together, and save all the innocent people, like Witchers did. The boy had always simply smiled at her, saying where she went, he'd go. It was all supposed to go perfectly, at least that's what she believed when she was eleven.

Then the cold fist of reality hit her. Now, she had to go find her destiny again, Geralt and Dominik, the both of them were out there, and she only needed to do a few more things before she could find them.

She shook her head to answer the mans question, "Not entirely. The mutations- I was never subjected to them. But everything I learned, swordplay, survival skills, I learned from the Witchers there."

She had missed them all, Dominik, Geralt, Uncle Vesemir, Eskel, and even Lambert.

A new man spoke up from her left, an older one with grey hair and a balding scalp.

"From what I heard Witchers are almost extinct, most lads don't survive the training. You the last one to train with'em," He asked her.

Over the years, whenever she spoke about Dominik, or remembered him, she swore the ring around her neck would begin to shake. It did in that moment. She had learned from Yennefer when she came back two years prior, that he had completed his medallion, after she had gone to Aretuza. That was before he set out with Geralt to find her, and then stayed out to find her for years later. The point of their promise to look for each other had been, if they both were looking for the other, they would find each other quicker. Little did he know that she hadn't been able to go back and look for him for years, until now.

Which is why the first thing she'd say when she saw him, was how sorry she was.

She tried to form words, and eventually she found them, "No I… I wasn't the last, or the only one training there at the time. My… friend, my close friend, he was there with me. We spent three years together training. He's the last Witcher to be trained there."

He had been just a boy when she had left. Just a boy with unruly brown hair, half a beard, green eyes to match her own. The boy she had fallen in love with was now a man, a fully grown man, a Witcher. She was almost apprehensive to try and find him, thinking about how much he could have possibly changed, but she knew that either way, he, Geralt, Yennefer, all of them, her heart yearned to see them again. And soon, she would.

"Aye," The man who asked the question said, "What was his name, seem like you were quite fond of him."

She scoffed and nodded, "I am yeah. Dominik… Dominik of Cintra."

The Baron met her eyes after she said his name, and she appreciated that he didn't say anything further. She knew that the Baron was a smart man, and surely could've put two and two together to figure out what Dominik meant to her. While she wanted to see him, Geralt and everyone else, she had to take her task one step at a time.

Get a horse, get to Novigrad, lift the curse, then find Dominik and Geralt.

"A woman can swing a sword- I knowed one. But never seen a lady mount anything but a cock proper. All tipsy on horseback. Nothing strange on account they bloody mount them sideways," The stable hand, who she recalled being named Oswin spoke.

She felt the gears in her brain begin to move, and a plan formed. The man had just given her the perfect opportunity.

She smirked and met the mans eyes, "Well, perhaps you'd care to wager?"

Oswin tossed his head back and laughed, before leaning back down and meeting her gaze, "Think you can outrun me on a horse? Hahaha, naturally! What're the stakes?"

"Black mare," She said, gesturing her head towards the barn, "The one in the stable."

She faltered for a moment, thinking her plan would fall apart when the stable hand tsk-ed and shook his head, "Oh, that won't do at all…"

Quickly she stared at the man, "Well that's awfully gloomy face, too much of a coward to race a woman. I've out ridden witchers plenty of times," She said, remembering the races she used to have.

It was often that Dominik would insist on challenging her to races. She would beat him often, frustrating him to now end, and he'd go on insisting he always let her win. The two would need to have one once they reunited. Would he still 'let' her win?

"The horse is mine," The Baron said from next to her, smirking at her when she turned.

"To race the Baron himself," She started, standing up and making a point of bowing, "I'd consider it an honor," She said in a joking tone.

The joke went over well cause a few men laughed. The sergeant next to her laughed, "Ha! That'd be a sight to behold!"

"Would it ever," Another man from around the fire said.

She kept her eyes trained on the Baron, and the man seemed amused. He slowly nodded his head, "Done. But if I win, I get your sword,"

"Agreed," She said with a smile,

The sword was precious to her, despite where she had gotten it from. It had been with her through most of her hardships. However, she was confident she'd win, and even so it was a risk she had to take. She needed to get to Novigrad, see if she could find Dominik, or Yennefer, anyone who could help.

The Baron made a point of downing the last of his cup, and spoke loudly to the men, "I won't drink no more this night. Will want a clear head for tomorrow. We start at daybreak," She said turning to face her again, "Before we retire, why not treat us to a story?"

"A story," She asked with a confused look at the man.

The large man nodded, "Aye! Before we retire normally, we like to swap war stories. Don't think any of us have ever met a Witcher, let alone the first female one. Go on, I'm sure you have plenty to tell."

The rest of the men around the fire all spoke up in agreement. She felt herself laugh, knowing that some of the more interesting stories she had, no man would believe. She thought back to her time at Kaer Morhen and found one in her memory banks. It was a time from their training, only a month or so before they both left the fortress.

She looked around the fire and felt its warmth in her bones.

"Alright you want a story? I got one," She said, shifting in her seat to be able to meet all of their eyes.

"I was 13 years old, been training at Kaer Morhen for two years. My friend, Dominik and I, we went out to help hunt Forktails with two other Witchers….'

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_"I think we may have lost Geralt and Eskel…" He said, as the hot sun beat down on the two of them. _

_ The woods outside Kaer Morhen had always appealed to her. The large, beautiful smelling pine trees. The lake, the animals, the flowers, exploring it with him was always something she enjoyed. She remembered the day, the two of them had begged Geralt and Eskel to let them come with them to deal with the Forktails getting too close to Kaer Morhen. It was beautiful that day, but unfortunately, or fortunately as Ciri saw it, they had gotten separated from Geralt and Eskel, the two of them alone wondering the woods now. _

_ She laughed as the two walked closely to each other through the trees, higher up the mountain. _

_ "Ha come on don't worry. As many times as we've run the gauntlet, as many times as we've been to our cave. The woods aren't a problem for us," She said confidently. _

_ He chuckled a little and smiled at her. He was wearing tight black trousers and boots, along with a leather jerkin, and tight red overcoat for his armor, his sword strapped to his back. She wondered if he still had the weapon. She had lost her first sword long ago, but it had become to small for her anyhow. Even at that young an age, Dominik was given a longsword, and it had looked natural on him. _

_ He smiled at her, but shook his head, "I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about them getting angry, and grounding us for weeks." _

_ She laughed and got closer to him, taking her hand in his as they walked. She smiled at him and laughed when he got flustered. _

_ "Haha don't worry. If we are lost, I'll help us find out way. You're rubbish with directions anyhow," She said in a joke. _

_ He scoffed and he looked over at her, "HA, I'M rubbish with directions!?"_

_ She laughed and nodded, "You really are. You always forget how to get back to the castle from the cave. During the day-time you can't tell which direction is which!"_

_ "I completely can!"_

_ She shook her head, a smile still adjourned on her face, "Cannot! Almost as bad as you are at Gwent."_

_ She saw him narrow his eyes at her, "For the last time, I LET you win when we play Gwent!"_

_ "You definitely don't, you just normally waste your cards in round 1," She said with a smirk, loving seeing the smile on his face. _

_ He scoffed again and shook his head, "I'll show you. Tonight, when we play, I'm not going easy on you."_

_ Hearing him talk made her young heart flutter. She saw that goofy smile that he had on his face, and it made her miss him even more. She stopped, and turned around to stand in front of him, smiling at him. They were both the same height then, she wondered if he was going to be taller then her now when they met again. _

_ "You bring the Gwent cards, new blanket. I'll get us some food… meet at the cave tonight," She asked him, their hands still together. _

_ He smiled down at her, with that goofy smile he got whenever he always looked at her. _

_ "You got it," He said with a smile. _

_ She smiled broadly, leaning up to kiss his cheek. The red hue came to his face right away, and he laughed, the goofy smile still prominent. In her years on the run, away from him, she'd had many people profess their feelings for her. Mistle with the rats being the first, and multiple more as she traveled between different worlds, all to try and get back to the continent. That was how she knew it wasn't real, it wouldn't work out, it wouldn't make her happy. _

_ None of them had the same reaction on their face when they saw her as he did. Nobody got the same goofy smile their eyes, didn't light up like his did. Nobody's smile warmed her heart like his._

_ "It's a date," She said with a smirk. _

_ "O…O…Okay," He said with a small laughed. _

_ She tossed her head back and laughed. After a moment he began to laugh with her as well. A gentle breeze blew through the pines, the sun beat down on them, but right now, they were all that mattered. Finally, after a moment, she looked back at him and smiled. _

_ "Haha, I love it when you get like that… come on, we probably should find-," She was cut off when he reached forward, clapping his hand over her mouth. _

_ "Shhhh… did you hear that," He said quickly. _

_ She laughed and slowly removed his hand. His face was contorted into a look of focus, as he looked towards the plain of flowers and grass just passed them. She chuckled and shook her head. _

_ "Of come on, lighten up. Let's go find Geralt and Eskel, they probably took care of the Forktails by now, we can probably-."_

_ "CIRI MOVE," He yelled, the same time as a loud roar could be heard above. _

_ He tackled her to the ground, just as a large Forktail swooped overhead. It roared loudly, ringing throughout the valley, as it landed in front of them both. She was just getting up next to him, when it stood up on its back legs, roaring even louder, spreading its wings wide. She felt her body paralyzed she couldn't move. It's large horns, and teeth dripped with drool, and its eyes focused on the two novice Witchers. _

_ She felt her hand vaguely trying to move for the blade behind her back, but it was useless. The joints and bones inside her arms didn't let her move, as her eyes stood frozen in horror at the beast standing above them. She wouldn't have moved at all; she would have been skewered then and there if not for Dominik. _

_ "OUT OF THE WAY," He yelled, going to push her aside, just as the beast roared again, swinging its wing towards them. _

_ She felt herself shoved away from the front of the beast, just before the sharp barbs of its wings could have killed her. Instead, she screamed out when it hit Dominik instead, sending him flying backwards towards the trees. _

_ "NO DOMINIK," She yelled, finding the power to reach for her blade. _

_ She unsheathed the steel, and it looked like a toothpick in comparison to the large horns and barbs on the Forktails wings. She felt her feet begin to shake, as it stood up on its hind legs, outstretching its wings and roaring loudly again, the spit and saliva covered her body. She was about to try and lunge, do anything to fight back, when a large rock went through the air, striking the monster in its eye._

_ "HEY, COME GET ME INSTEAD UGLY," She heard being yelled. _

_ She turned with the monster and saw Dominik really had gotten up. The blood dripping from his shoulder could be seen, but he held onto his blade, tossing large rocks, trying to gain the beasts attention. His strategy worked, because the Forktail kicked up dirt as it spun. It crawled towards Dominik, getting back up on its legs and roaring at him. _

_ She saw the boy she loved wince in pain, almost dropping his blade, as he grabbed his bloody shoulder. It was at that moment her body finally listened to her head. She gripped tightly around her blade and sprinted towards the beast. It swung its wing down towards him again, but this time Dom managed to leap back out of the way. She got to the beast and leaped up, slashing her smaller blade across the joints of its wings, causing it to wail, and rear back with another mighty roar. _

_ She got to Dom's side just as he yelled out in pain, falling to his knees, hand on his shoulder. _

_ "AHHH," He screamed, the blood starting to flow harder as he looked up at her, "Ciri run, go find Geralt and Eskel!"_

_ She shook her head, the blood pumping through her body at dangerous speeds, "Not a chance, I won't leave you I refuse to!"_

_ She heard another roar and turned to see the Forktail had recovered. It turned back to them, its mouth drooling, its demonic eyes locked on the two of them. Shakily she raised her sword again, standing in front of him protectively as he tried to rise. The monster roared again, ready to strike down and end them, when a powerful blue blast of magic shot past them, knocking it back. She recognized the Aard sign right away, and both their heads turned back. _

_ Geralt and Eskel both sprinted out from the trees, silver blades in hand. Eskel fired another blast of Aard, and leapt out with his reverse grip, slashing through the Forktails wing before it could even react. Geralt followed up, spinning around its snapping jaws and bringing his silver up, slashing the monsters neck. Within another few moments the two Witchers had slayed the beast, it lay dead at their feet._

_ "Ciri…" She heard Dom say painfully behind her. _

_ "Dom," She said in a panicked tone, turning around to him. _

_ He had fallen onto his back, and she could finally see the wound the Forktail had left. It didn't seem like a wound that would kill, but it was certainly going to be damaging for someone their age. He was slashed across the shoulder, and down his upper chest. She knelt down next to him and placed her hands over his bleeding wound. _

_ "You saved my life… again…" She said breathlessly, meeting his eyes on the ground. _

_ The boy managed to cough and laughed, "HA, right back at you. Are you okay? It didn't get you did it?"_

_ She scoffed and shook her head at him, "How can you be worried about me right now, when you're on the ground with a bleeding shoulder?"_

_ He shook his head, and spoke through gritted teeth, "I… I'll be alright. You're more important for me."_

_ Had they been alone she probably would have kissed the poor boy again. But quickly Geralt and Eskel ran over to them. Eskel quickly knelt down next to Dominik, pulling bandages from his pack, and going to work on the boy. She felt Geralt come over and help her up off the ground._

_ "You alright," The older Witcher asked her. _

_ She nodded quickly, looking back down to Dominik on the ground, Eskel wrapping bandages around his shoulder, before turning back to Geralt. _

_ "We got separated, the Forktail attacked, he… pushed me out of the way," She said, her voice shaking, kneeling down next to him, "Will he be alright?"_

_ Eskel nodded, not taking his eyes off the wound, "Yeah, it won't kill him. Definitely should get him back to Vesemir, won't be training for a few days."_

_ She breathed a sigh of relief, as she grabbed his hand. The four of them would go back to Kaer Morhen, and sure enough Vesemir was able to heal the boys wounds. Eskel had been right, he didn't train for a few days, but neither did she, seeing as Geralt, Eskel, and Vesemir were all furious they had snuck off alone. However, in that memory, it was when she began to realize, that he truly would have done anything for her. He was laying there, an open wound on his shoulder, and all he worried about was her. _

_ It only made her love him more. _

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

"Bloody fucking hell… forktails at age 13," The man with the kettlebell hat said in amazement.

The rest of the men around the fire all nodded in agreement, muttering their amazement. She laughed and looked around to them all, the cool air of the night blowing through her hair.

"Ha, yeah it was a tough fight. Dominik and I saved each-other's lives that day," She said, her eyes looking into the fire.

"Aye… you said the lad was still around, seen him recently," The sergeant asked her after she had finished.

It happened again, she could have swore she felt the ring around her neck tremble, as she gently shook her head, "No… not recently. Again soon…. Hopefully."

Some of the men looked like they were going to prod, ask more questions, but thankfully to her the Baron put a stop to it.

"All right, all right. The lass treated us to a story, let's not poke and prod her for more. To bed now all of you, tomorrow we ride at daybreak," The man said in an enthusiastic tone.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the men all began to gather their things and get up. Her plan was in action now. It had been a good few days at Crow's Perch. She had recovered from her ordeal with the Crones, she was fed, rested, and feeling like herself again. As much as she wished she could simply stay there for longer, continue hunting, playing with young Gretka, and waiting for more information, she knew she couldn't. With every day the curse could become harder for her to lift, and to lift it she would need help. Something, or someone who could open the phylactery. Dominik, Geralt or Yennefer were her first choice, but if none of them were around, she would have to improvise.

Thankfully her improvising skills had been one thing that improved constantly through the years.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The sun had risen high in Velen that day, as beautiful a day as she had ever seen. It was a perfect day to race a horse. She gently patted the mane of the grey mare she'd be riding that day. She remembered the last horse race she had against Dominik in Ellander before she left. Kelpie had raced pass and left his lame horse in the dust. Afterwards her loyal mare almost bit off his fingers when he tried to hug her.

She missed that mare, and the days in Ellander.

"The day dawns, ready," The Baron said coming up next to her with a smile.

She would miss the man when she left. He was kind, a good host, he didn't have to take her in, feed her and let her rest in his home for days. However, he did, and it was her hope that he would find his family, like she was looking for hers again. A bunch of the men had gathered around their starting point as the morning sun warmed them.

She met the mans eyes and nodded, "Ready."

The Baron smiled at her, and pointed off into the distance, towards a large tower jutting out over the trees, "First to the tower wins, straight shot down this road. Mount up," he said, still sounding enthused.

The two of them both went and climbed onto the respective horses. She had chosen to race for the black mare the Baron rode for a reason. It was truly a beautiful animal, strong, and she was sure it would be agile. However, the mare she mounted for the race, seemed to be no slouch either. She looked over to the Baron, and gave him a nod, before focusing down the path. It was wide enough for two horses to run across, and she knew getting the initial lead would be important. She had to win this race she'd hate for her plan to be derailed because she didn't ride well that day.

"3,2,1… GO," One of the men yelled, and she kicked her feet right away.

She kicked her heels and the mare seemed to sense her urgency. She sped down the road with the Baron close behind her. It felt nice to have the wind at her face, the trees and leaves rustling from the wind she kicked up. It reminded her of when she was younger, first learning to ride back in Cintra. It had been her who first taught Dominik how to ride, it was one of the few things during the last eight years that brought her momentary moments of solace.

Back in Cintra, she remembered the first time she took him out with her to the royal stables. His father had of course gone to supervise, and she learned that he only knew the very basics. He could stay atop a horse and make it move forward, but that had been it. She had shown him all the tricks she learned through her limited years of training at that time. The first time he kicked his heels to make the mare he rode one day go faster, it bucked him off into a pile of hay.

She remembered how his father and she had laughed.

That was someone else she had missed. Gregory, the captain of her grandmothers royal guards, Dominik's father, the man who had become the closest thing to a father she had until Geralt. He had always told her about his son, Dominik while she was growing up in the castle, and he always told her that one day he would bring him to meet her. She asked why he hadn't done it sooner, and he would always cryptically say, 'One day, I'll bring him, and you'll met. I think you're going to be best friends. You'll meet him soon, you will'. It wasn't until that royal ball when he finally brought his son to the palace.

She had recognized him because he looked so much like his father. The apple she threw at his back, she had no idea such a small act would spark what it did. She had been so excited to finally meet him, and in the end, she had a right to be.

The tower in the distance quickly approached, and she spurred her mare on faster. She could hear the hooves of the Baron's mare behind her speeding closer, but with one extra push, the grey mare came through for her and passed through the makeshift finish line the Baron's men had made for them.

After finally getting across she felt herself sigh in relief, pulling back on the reins to bring the mare to a stop. She had won, the first part of her plan had finally been completed, and she wouldn't lose her sword. The grey mare she rode neighed appreciatively as she stroked her mane and climbed down.

"Thank you," She said to the animal, gently stroking its grey coat.

"HA! You're more wind then woman," She heard the Baron say appreciatively.

She felt her excitement rise. Her blood was pumping, the wind has tossed back her ashen hair, as she breathed heavily. She reflected on the time she'd spent with the Baron and his men the last few days. She had more fun then she could remember having in a long time. For a few days she almost forgot about the curse other than when she was studying it. She forgot about the Hunt, Avallach, and everything that had happened to her. She hunted, rode, played with Gretka, ate and slept on a mattress.

She turned, and saw the Baron gesture back towards his horse, "Worthy of the best horse! The mare is yours," He said in a respectful tone.

"Thank you!" She said excitedly, feeling her smile finally return.

Her momentary happiness was halted when she heard the distant roar. The sun was still high, at its apex for the day. The trees had grown silent, she heard no bugs chirping, or birds whistling anymore. The Baron looked as if he was about to say something, but she quickly held up her hand to silence him. She scanned the surrounding skies, sure that it had come from above. For a moment she was flashed back to when she and Dominik hunted Forktails. He had heard the noise first that time, this time her highly trained ears did her well.

She spun around when a load roar came from the top of the tower.

"Basilisk," She yelled out to the men, quickly drawing her blade, with the Baron doing the same next to her.

It was an odd sensation, but it felt good to her to finally have people by her side fighting. She smiled and looked over to the Baron.

"Another chance to win," She said with a smirk, keeping her eyes on the skies, "Watch out," She yelled as the giant green beast landed in front of them.

The beast stood up on its hind legs and let out its terrifying screech and she heard men begin to scream. It was exactly as she learned in Kaer Morhen, the beast was trying to make itself appear huge, bigger then it already was by spreading its wings and letting out its screech. Some of the Baron's men ran, it thrashed wildly about, and knocked a few off their feet.

She heard the Baron growl next to her, "If I don't survive this, you're to take anything you want from the fortress!"

She almost scoffed and yelled back, "You'll survive," She yelled, one hand out, the other on her blade.

"Let's show this bastard what we're worth," The Baron yelled, before screaming and charging.

She felt herself smile, happy to finally get herself a real fight again. She had spent so many days stuck in the bed, that when she charged, she felt happier then she'd been that whole day. She remembered what the bestiary had said about Basilisk's. They enjoyed trying to intimidate their opponents, and their toxins while not deadly, were certainly harmful. She ducked under a wing and went to strike. Her blade cut across the monsters belly, and she rolled back out to the other side.

She was careful not to use her powers. If she did, and the Hunt descended upon the Baron and his men, she would never forgive herself. She saw the Baron slash through the monsters beak and draw its attention. Quickly to help the man she leaped forward and tried to cut along its wing, and she landed a hit. The beast whirled around, trying to swing its wing at her, but she rolled back and came up, face to face with it. It roared its head back, and spat at her, a gland of poison just barely missed her as she rolled to the side. She went to swing for its wing, but the monster took its opposite wing and smacked her aside.

She felt the bruises form on her bones as she tumbled back but managed to roll quickly back up to her feet. The Baron had tried to draw its attention again and it worked. He sliced across its chest and the monster reared around. He smacked the larger man onto the ground, making him drop his sword, and lunged on top of him. It had its beak inches from the mans face, it would have mauled him alive if she didn't leap back into action.

She wasn't going to let someone else down, to let the man die. She rushed forward, leaped and spun to put more power into the attack. It connected to the beasts back leg, and it screeched so loud her ears felt like they were about to pop. Before she even had time to admire her work, the Basilisk reared back around and smacked her backwards. She was knocked off her feet, but used the momentum to roll, and come back up on one knee.

"DAMMIT," She yelled as she felt the bruise in her abdomen flare up.

She watched as the Baron tried to reach for his blade, but the Basilisk descended down and hefted the large man up in its claws and ascended back into the air.

"Aah…! Argghhh fuuuuuuuuuuck! Aaaaa," She heard the man scream as he was lifted away towards the top of the castle.

"DAMMIT," She screamed again, her hand keeping a tight grip around her sword.

The Basilisk more then likely made its nest at the top of the tower and was angry when so many people arrived in its territory. She looked around and saw the men were still in shambles, rushing to help others, and tend their own wounds. Nobody seemed to realize the Baron was even gone. She eyed the top of the tower and could hear the man scream. She looked to the right, trying to find any way to the top, however the entrance was blocked by falling rubble, and she doubted any staircase survived inside it.

"I can't leave him like that…" She said, looking and spotting some cliffs to the right of her.

She moved as fast as her legs could take her, and climbed up two ledges, trying to get herself as high as possible, hoping she could find some kind of handhold, or another cliff to make her way there. She owed the man, she owed him practically her life. She had no idea what she would've done without him taking in her and Gretka. And now she was going to be able to move onto Novigrad thanks to him. She needed to save him. However, when she got to the top of the cliff she was climbing, she could see the top of the tower, but it was still well out of her reach.

"Come here! Come on whoreson, bring it on," He heard the Baron yelling from the top, followed by a loud roar of the Basilisk.

She looked around her, trying to find anything to help propel her to the top, but found nothing. There would only be one way, and she didn't want to do it, but a life was at stake. Witchers saved people, more importantly she repaid debts she was owed. It was going to bring her a heap of trouble, but there was no other way. She channeled the magical energy within herself and readied her blade. The roar of the Basilisk pierced her ears one more time, before she closed her eyes, and teleported.

When she finally saw the light again, she swung up her blade, using the momentum to slice right through the Basilisk, just before it had descended on the Baron. Blood splattered from the creature from the full force of her attack, and it screeched again falling backwards. The power she emitted had always amazed her and scared her all at the same time.

"Wha… what the bloody…" The Baron trailed off.

She ignored him and ran for the monster again. She leaped up onto its back, and it weakly tried to shake her off. She regained her footing however, and with perfect precision she slashed down, cutting her blade through the monsters neck, blood spewing like a waterfall from onto the top of the tower. It wriggled underneath her, and she leaped off, spinning downwards and slicing through its neck again.

Her breath was heavy, using the power always took a lot out of her, despite all the training she had undertaken. The hot sun was finally starting to set, but the sweat on her forehead was still flowing. She stepped off the corpse of the beast, wiping her gloved hand over her forehead, and she finally managed to look back over at the Baron.

The mans mouth was agape, he tried to sheath his knife back into the holster on his breastplate but missed multiple times.

She looked at the man, and then back to the corpse. It had been a bad idea to use the power, she knew. But she had at least saved a life.

Now however, she would need to move, and move fast.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She gently stroked the main of her new black mare. The name she had decided on was Clip. It came to her as she rode back to Crow's Perch. She remembered when her and Dom were on the run, they had stolen a pair of horses from the woman who would end up graciously taking them in. The horses names were Clip and Clop. She rode Clip, while Dominik rode Clop. Dom had been upset when Clop had died, when she accidently unleashed her powers to save the two of them. He promised to name any horse he used in the future Clop in his honor, so naming the horse she had then Clip, was a way of reminding her of him. That, along with the ring dangling from her neck. The sun was finally starting to set, she had gathered her things to set out right away. Novigrad was her best option. If Dominik wasn't there, or nobody had heard of him, perhaps Yennefer would be or perhaps Triss, if not, somebody in the city would help her, she would improvise as she always had.

"So… have everything'," She heard from behind her, turning to see the Baron.

She nodded, looking at the blood smears still on the mans armor, "Yes, everything. Thank you."

The larger man looked down at the ground, and she could see him struggling to form words.

"What you did for me…. I-I shall never forget it," He said to her, his voice sincere in tone, she could feel it.

Despite this she sighed, looking out towards the sunset, "I certainly hope not. It's brought me no small trouble."

She took a step and took in the smell of hay, and the garden again, one last time before she was forced to leave. It would kill her, not getting to say goodbye to young Gretka, but she knew it was for the best. The less the people knew of her, the better.

"Meanin," The Baron asked from behind her.

"I must flee," She said, and after a moment of surprise the Baron nodded, "Wraiths pursue me. The Wild Hunt. I was foolish to use the Power. They've surely caught my scent."

She had not wanted to scare the man or tell him what was really going on. That the war between the north and south was irrelevant, but she felt she owed him some type of explanation.

The man's mouth fell, and she could see the concern for her in his eyes, "The Wild Hunt? Pursuing you?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes on the man, "I'll endanger all of you by remaining here. You must tell the people to bar their doors and windows, and nobody is to wonder out at night!"

The sudden shift in her tone got her a nod from the man, "And you… where do you think you're going?"

She felt her heart thump, and she turned out to face the sun again, "Now, I ride to Novigrad… to hopefully find… someone," She said, gripping the ring around her neck.

"Dominik of Cintra? Geralt of Rivia," The Baron asked her, his tone knowing.

She quickly turned to say something, but the Baron shook his head, "You love the one. I could tell by the way you spoke of him. What… what will you do if they're not in Novigrad?"

Her grip around the ring tightened, as she shook her head, "If I don't find them, I'll find someone else. All I know if, I must go there, and after that… who knows where," She said, unsure of the future herself.

She looked one more time out into the sunset, before she turned back to the Baron.

"Can I ask you to do one more thing for me," She asked, her tone desperate, and pleading.

The Baron scoffed, but the seriousness of his eyes remained, "Of course, what is it you need?"

She looked down at the ring, and the image of his young, boyish face came to her mind. The scruffy beginnings of a beard, the unkept brown hair. That goofy smile he got after she kissed him, and the way his eyes shone when he looked at her.

She looked back to the Baron, "The odds are low… but if you see Dominik of Cintra anytime soon, can you give him a message for me?"

The man thankfully nodded, and she looked out into the sunset again, the weight of what was going to happen hitting her shoulders.

"Tell him… tell him I said I'm sorry again, and that I've never forgotten about him… and… and that I'm still trying to keep my promise."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ciri… oh gods… Ciri…" he said slowly to himself, having to turn away from the two men.

If it was possible for a mans heart to melt in his chest, it happened to him right there. It had been a lingering fear in his mind. That she had forgotten him, she had forgotten all the times they had together, the promises they made, the memories they had made. She was alive, it was definitely her. Not some random ashen haired farm girl or mage, not a whisper or a rumor. She had been in the same spot as he was now, and not long ago. She was alive.

His Ciri was alive. And she said she was the sorry one. It was a completely ridiculous notion. She had done nothing, except be hunted for something that was completely out of her control. That would change when he found her, the two of them would become the hunters, and he would kill anyone who had tried to harm her, cheat her, manipulate her. Nobody would trouble her again.

Geralt recovered from the news of the story before he did, "The Redanian's have blocked the Pontar crossing. How'd you expect Ciri to make it to Novigrad? Dom and I had to sneak into the harbor to get to Oxenfurt."

He managed to compose himself, and stop the tears that almost fell from falling, determined not to cry in front of Geralt and the Baron. The large man shook his head and met their eyes.

"She was looking for you," He said pointing to Dominik, "You and a sorceress. Thought you'd be in Novigrad since it's technically not under Nilfgaardean control, and the sorceress because well all of them are in Novigrad. Besides, I didn't leave her to the Redanians' mercy. I gave her a letter of safe conduct."

He looked and saw Geralt look at the man wonderingly, "Who are these letters to?"

The Baron shook his head and reached behind his desk, and from a drawer produced two sealed letters, "No one. Show these to those pricks at the crossing and they'll let you pass."

Part of him wanted to know how the Baron got the letters, however it didn't outweigh his desire to get to Novigrad. He remembered before they had started the quest in Velen, he asked Geralt if they shouldn't just head to Novigrad first. In the end they decided to learn everything they could from Velen. Despite the fact it could've been faster, he was glad they decided to stay in Velen.

He had learned things about himself, become a better fighter, reunited with old friends and made new ones. To top it all off, he learned that Ciri still thought of him, and was trying to reunite with him, like he was with her.

"This for us," Geralt said as they both took one of the letters.

The Baron nodded, "Aye, see no reason to make it harder for you both. You seek your child, and your lost love… you helped me find mine, so I'm giving you this to help."

He gripped the letter tight and tucked it into his back pocket, before looking back up at the Baron.

The tears that almost fell from his face had subsided, and his feelings were replaced by ones of determination. He had her location again, where she went. He had Geralt with him, he had Faram, he had a plan to get stronger. He was going to find her now, and it would involve finding someone else who he hadn't seen in years and missed dearly.

Next, they would visit Triss Merigold.

He felt a smile come to his face as he looked over at Geralt, "This means Ciri can still be in Novigrad," he said excitedly, before turning to meet the Baron's eyes, "Thank you… thank you for helping her."

The Baron nodded, a determined smile on his face as well. He nodded to the younger Witcher, "Aye, you're welcome lad. When you find her… you don't let her go again."

He shook his head, "I won't… never again."

Geralt looked down at him, beaming with pride, before turning to the Baron, "Yeah… we really do appreciate it. Thank you for your help."

The Baron smiled quickly, and nodded at them again, before carefully speaking, "It's nothin'. Now you've both learned what you wanted to know, you must be in a hurry-but… if you could…" he said, struggling with his words.

"Spit it out…" Geralt said, crossing his arms.

He looked and met the two Witchers eyes again, "I want to go get Anna. Free her, bring her back. I don't believe she's there willingly."

The words made him suck in his breath. The idea of returning to the swamp wasn't very appealing to him, and the man must not have realized just how much danger they'd be in.

Geralt scoffed and was kind enough to remind her, "Must not have heard us right. Any journey into those swamps is suicide."

Quickly the Baron nodded, "I know-which is why I'm asking the two of you for help," he said, turning to face Dominik as well, "I've no more tales of Ciri to offer yous, but go with me and I'll be generous with what I have. Very generous."

Geralt sighed and crossed his arms. He seemed to be contemplating the mans request. The older Witcher turned to him, "What do you think? You wanna head back into the swamp?"

He looked between the pleading eyes of the Baron and Geralt. The idea of venturing back into the swamp and encountering the Crones again wasn't very appealing. However, he knew that the Baron would more then likely run into the swamp even without them. He thought back to the old woman he met in the swamp, her stringy grey hair, her frantic eyes. Nobody deserved a fate like that.

No, he couldn't leave anyone to the mercy of the Crones. He would go with the Baron, together with Geralt, they would save a woman from them. Besides, he was feeling reinvigorated after hearing the news about Ciri, it was thanks to the Baron he knew now, he had taken care of Ciri. So, the least he could do was try and help the man.

"Well…" he said looking to Geralt, "Extra coin never hurt. Besides, nobody deserves to be left at the mercy of the Crones."

Geralt nodded, and sighed, shrugging his shoulders, "Alright, you do got a point. We're in."

The Baron's mood shifted, and he laughed, "Hah! True indeed! I'll round up my men and we can ride to Downwarren, will you ride with us?"

"Fine. Sounds good. We leave soon we can make it before-," Geralt started to talk, but was interrupted by the door swinging open.

"UMA, UMAUMAUMA," he had to leap back when a small creature came running into the room.

The first thing he felt was his medallion thumping against his chest.

"What the hell-," He yelled, just barely avoiding the small thing running him over.

The creature was a small, almost man like thing. Its back hunched, warts and scabs all over his little mangled body. He ran around the room, knocking over books, cups and other things before the sergeant finally rushed into the room.

"Escaped again," The sergeant muttered.

The sergeant chased the small creature around the room. It ran from him; it was wearing the equivalent of swaddling clothes that a toddler would wear. He felt his medallion hum more and tried to examine it closely. It's words were incoherent, and the ore he saw it evade the sergeants grasp, the more he thought it had to at least have some kind of intelligence. It stopped for a moment after nearly running him over again. The small creature topped, and locked eyes with him.

In the small brown eyes, he didn't know what it was, but he saw something. Something that told him, the little man was more then he seemed. To make the matters worse, the thing seemed… to recognize him. When he locked onto Dominik's brown eyes, it slowly started to walk towards him, giving the sergeant time to grab him up by the arms.

"UMA! UMAUMAUMA," It screeched, kicking and trying to get over to Dominik.

Eventually the sergeant quickly nodded an apology and left the room.

"What… the fuck was that," He asked slowly, turning around to the Baron, Geralt doing the same.

The intelligent eyes of the little creature wouldn't leave him soon. But the Baron shrugged the question off, leaning back against a table, "You tell me, man, monster? My men call him Uma and say he's a beast, but he seems a man to me, just hideous as shit."

"Geralt, that thing didn't seem like a monster," he said, trying to decipher why the little hideous man might have recognized him.

Geralt thought for a moment, before leaning against a support pillar, "Yeah… think your right. Not a monster, but your medallion was humming too right?"

He nodded his head, and the older Witcher continued, "Strange… where'd you find him," he asked, turning to the Baron.

The Baron laughed, and looked at the two of them, arms crossed, "Funny story actually. I won him in a game of cards."

"Funny how," He asked the man, just as curious as Geralt.

The larger man shrugged, "I was in Novigrad once, to rest, indulge in the cities pleasures. Stayed at a tavern, and some folk were playing, so I joined in," He started, like the story was no big deal, "Cards were kind that day. Had one devilish hand after another, robbed one whoreson blind. One fellow a merchant took it particularly hard, gambled away everything he brought from Skellige, wanted terribly to play another hand so I agreed."

He laughed at the story and continued on, "Asked him what he had to wager, and he showed me that sideshow. Not much in it for me but fuck it I thought, I'll give him the chance to win something back. Luck was not with him, and Uma ended up here at Crow's Perch."

If the little man had come from a merchant in Skellige, he had no idea why it would have recognized him. He had never been to Skellige, not in his youth, not in his years traveling alone. It had been a place Ciri told him much about, and promised to show him one day, so he had no interest in going by himself.

Geralt chuckled with a smirk, "Proper Baron now-even got a court jester."

The Baron laughed as well, but slowly shook his head, "Aye… though I feel somethings not quite right with him."

"How so," he asked from next to Geralt.

"Well, he seems more beast then man, but there's wisdom, cunning in the bastards eyes," he started, making Dominik's mind go a mile a minute with questions, "Or maybe I'm imagining it."

"No… you're not, I saw it too, but he doesn't seem dangerous," He assured the larger man.

The Baron shrugged again, "Hmm… well I guess that's that. Doesn't eat much, so as long as he's no trouble, the boys might as well have some diversion. Not important now though," He said, standing up off the table, "Now we ride for Downwarren, are the two of you ready to depart?"

He decided that he would think of the matter later. There were more important things that he needed to ready his mind for. He was walking willingly back into the Crones territory, after he had promised to kill them. He would need to ready his mind, and his body for the fight to come. And after that, he would need to prepare for Novigrad, where Ciri had gone.

He had much more important things to do, then worry about possibly the ugliest man alive.

**A/N: I gotta admit I love ironical endings lol SO, this chapter we got a nice long Ciri POV, and now with the Baron questline finally over, it means that we'll soon be heading to Novigrad. We'll have two more, epic chapters in Velen, with two big fights. Next chapter, Dominik and Geralt ride to help the Baron retrieve his wife, and in the chapter after that, Dom will return to help out everyone's favorite swamp witch. What are you guys looking forward too? What do you want to see more of, less of? Tell me in a review, and I'll see you guys next time!**

**Velen is almost done guys, I know it's been pretty cut and paste for the most part, but to be honest it's because with Dominik in the story not much still will change in the Velen arc. However, once we get to Novigrad, we will have a LOT more divergence and learn a LOT more about Dominik's past with Geralt, Ciri and his family. I have a lot of stuff planned so stay tuned.**

**Then as soon as Ciri gets into the picture? Well you can probably guess what she and Dominik will get up too xD That is when the story will really pick up, but trust me I have some GREAT stuff planned in the meantime, I hope you guys enjoy it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think, they keep me going! See you all soon, thank you so much again.**


	18. Return to Crookback Bog

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 18: Return to Crookback Bog**

**Narrator: After speaking to the Baron, Dominik and Geralt learned that Ciri tired and wounded had indeed taken shelter in his castle. The Baron had helped nurse the young woman back to health, and sent her on her way to Novigrad, where she was looking, she was looking for Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer. Before the two Witcher's could set off for Novigrad however, the Baron asked them for help in saving his wife, a victim of the Crones. Dominik and Geralt agreed, before riding out with the Baron, to save the woman from the beastly sisters.**

"Got something for you," Geralt said from atop Roach as they rode.

He looked over and saw Geralt holding out a small vial, with blue frothing liquid. The sun was just starting to set, and in a few more minutes it would surely go down below the mountains, bringing about the darkness. He gently took the vial from atop his own mount, as they rode behind the Baron's men approaching Downwarren. The blue contents of the potion bottle were thick, and he recognized them from his lessons right away.

He shook his head fervently, "Oh no, not a chance. Not a fucking chance."

Geralt narrowed his eyes at him, "Do you want to get killed in the bog?"

"I thought the Witcher's potions would kill me anyway," He said, refusing to uncork the potion.

The older Witcher sighed and shook his, "Cat is less toxic then the others. Besides you're body is trained enough, won't kill you."

He knew this of course, he had drunk a Cat potion before, however it wasn't the fact it could kill him that made his stomach churn.

"Stuff tastes horrible, I'll be able to see just fine," He assured the older Witcher.

Geralt narrowed his eyes, "Stop being a baby. I know you'll be able to see, but the two of us are the only way any of these people survive and you need to be able to see perfectly. So, drink it when we get into the swamp."

"But Geralt I-."

"No buts, drink it," He demanded, ending the subject.

Dom rolled his eyes in annoyance and put the potion in his back pocket. After finally learning all the information they could about Ciri from the Baron, they had set out with him and a group of 8 of his men. Geralt and he had both expressed how they should wait until the morning, and head out then, but the larger man was determined to set out at that moment. Not wanting to waste a moment, leaving his wife with the Crones any longer. Fighting whatever the Crones had in store for them in the dark wasn't very appealing, especially since he didn't have the enhanced eyes of a Witcher.

The ride to Downwarren hadn't taken long, only around an hour with how fast the Baron rode. He and the rest of the men didn't slow down until they all pulled up towards Downwarren. The small little village on the side of the hill, hadn't changed at all in the few days since he'd been there, but the villagers were frantic. All of the Baron's men dismounted their horses, and he watched as the Baron stormed into the town center, shouting that he demanded to talk to the Ealdorman. Geralt held him up behind them, and they both climbed back down off Clop and Roach.

"Make sure you drink the Cat when we go into the swamp," Geralt said, starting to rummage through his saddle bag.

"Yes sir…" he said dryly, making the old Witcher roll his eyes.

Geralt did some more digging in his saddle bag and tossed out two bombs to him. He almost dropped the two explosives but managed to get them in his hands and examine them. A smile came to his face when he recognized them.

"Dragon's dream," he said to the older Witcher with a smirk.

Geralt nodded his head, and pulled out a few more potions and bombs, before closing Roach's saddle bag. The older Witcher turned back to him and nodded, "You remember how it works?"

"Toss it, let it explode, set it on fire, I got it," He said with confidence.

Geralt nodded, attaching a few more bombs to his belt, "Good, if a Fiend shows up, make sure we get everyone away, me and you will deal with it. Drowners, water hags, and rotfiends they can handle, but only we're gonna have a chance against a Fiend."

He knew this to be true so nodded. Fiends were some of the most dangerous creatures a Witcher could come across. It would destroy whole villages, and squads of soldiers. He had killed a few in his years alone, but it was never an easy fight. The relic oil he had to brew was difficult, and one full force blow from the beast would more than likely kill him. The last time he killed a Fiend, was a year and a half ago when he traveled with Faram. Between the two of them, the beast was killed, but it was still a difficult fight. He knew Geralt and he would be more then a match for the beast, but he didn't want to take any chances.

He nodded, before hearing the Baron's loud voice, "Witch Hunters? Hung two you say?"

A laughed escaped from him and he pointed up towards the village center, "Looks like the Baron's making friends already."

Geralt turned and sighed, gesturing for him to follow. The two Witchers made their way into the towns center, and saw the Baron, reaming out the ealdorman. The man with one severed ear looked terrified, and when he looked behind him, he saw why. Hanging from two ropes above one of the houses, were the corpses of two men, brown sacks over their heads. He scoffed, shaking his head in disgust, as he remembered the Baron mentioning Witch Hunters.

The ealdorman shook his head, seemingly terrified of the larger man. The Baron sighed loudly and roared, "Why the devil are there Witch Hunters here to start with? They didn't ride from Novigrad to hang two blobtits did they?"

The balding man, now with one ear shakily shook his head, "I… I don't know m'Lord."

"They say where they were heading," Geralt said, the two of them finally coming up behind the larger man.

The Baron turned and shook his head at the two Witchers, his face now illuminated by moonlight, and the fire of torches.

"Ah good, the two of you are ready! Can't draw any meaning from this rabble's bawlin'. Perhaps they'd talk more after a few lashes," The large man said, turning back to the ealdorman with murderous eyes, "Well spit it out! Where'd they go!?"

The ealdorman seemed to recognize the two Witchers and his eyes went wide, before he backed up in fear, "T-to the v-v-village in the swamp m'Lord. Lass rode with them-askin' after her mother, constant!"

"Fuck," he said, realizing what the man was saying in an instant, he turned to look at Geralt, "Bet any amount of money that's Tamara and her new friends."

Upon hearing his daughters name, the Baron turned his face contorted in worry, "Tamara? Dominik, Geralt we must go there at once."

He looked up and Geralt nodded his head towards the man, "You're right, we need to move."

Dominik quickly looked to the Baron, "Tell your men to stay in a tight formation. If we get separated, we'll die. I'll guide from the front, Geralt from the back, do NOT stray away from us until we reach the village, understand?"

"Aye I do…. You raised a natural leader here Geralt," The Baron complimented, looking to the older Witcher.

Geralt chuckled, and looked down at him, "Yeah… seems I did."

He felt himself flustered but was brought out of it when the Baron screamed to his men.

"Alright men gather up! You heard the Witcher, tight formation, anyone strays from the path, you will die. Now let's go, we got a swamp to cross and Crones to hunt down," The Baron shouted, moving to gather all eight of his men.

Geralt looked down at him, beaming with pride, and despite the situation it made him feel much better.

"Good call, one of us at each end. Now," He said, pulling out the Cat potion from his back pocket, "Bottoms up, suns not coming back anytime soon."

He sighed in annoyance and took the vial of blue liquid from his back pocket. Geralt smirked at him as he uncorked it, and reluctantly Dominik followed suit.

"The things I do for people…" he said agitated, as he and Geralt both down the entire vial of potion.

The effects were instantaneous. He felt the potion slide down his throat and started gagging right away after it went down. It felt like his insides were burning for a moment, then his eyes began to burn. He almost keeled over, but Geralt managed to catch him. The insides of his stomach began to burn, and he fought the urge to scream, the taste lingering on his mouth was almost worse.

Finally, when he looked back up, he could see clearer in the night. Geralt standing in front of him was illuminated, a red glow shining around him. The torches in the village helped him see clearer, but he knew he would be able to see clearly now in the dark swamp. The light of the moon wouldn't be enough in the dreary, muddled bog, so despite the after affects, making him drink it was a good call from Geralt.

"You alright," The older Witcher asked him.

He gaged and looked up to see the now perfectly visible older Witcher, "It tastes even worse then I remember somehow…"

Geralt laughed, and he could see his normal yellow eyes darker, "Well better then dying. Come on, let's go Baron's waiting."

"You're right… lets do this," he said carefully, finally regaining his composure.

He turned and saw the Baron lining his men up into a formation as he instructed. He took a few steps forward and drew his blade out from his back. It shimmered and his could see his reflection off the steel. It was odd, not seeing his normally completely green eyes, darkened, laced with black, his pupils going completely dark. Only small specks of the green was left, which made him feel like he wasn't himself. The eyes were something that he always felt linked him to Ciri, so seeing himself without them sent a chill through his body.

It would only be for a little while longer, the potions effects would fade, and his eyes would return to normal. If he didn't save the woman from the crones, the damage could last a lifetime.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dammit lad, you're a demon with a blade as well," The Baron compliment after the drowner fell dead at the edge of his blade.

The group of them had all encountered packs of Drowners and Water Hags. Under the cover of the night, the creatures were swift and hard to see, thankfully with help from the potions they drank, Geralt and Dominik were able to help the men dispatch them, and none had died yet. He knew that they were approaching the village, so was sure to keep his eyes trained on the water around them. The Cat potion as beginning to wear off, so getting to the lit village was crucial.

He turned to the larger man with a laugh, "I'm nothing much believe me… Ciri was always better than I was."

The large man nodded, as they waded through the ankle-deep boggy water. He saw small ripples, but didn't see any drowners, or rotfiends through his eyes. What he told the Baron had been true, despite her saying she believed they were on the same level, he had always believed himself that Ciri was more naturally skilled with a blade then he. He was better at other things, like oils, bombs, and potions, but when it came to sword play, he always felt Ciri outclassed him, though not by too much.

He wondered how much better she had gotten, surely astronomically.

"That lass… never seen anything like her," The larger man said, his feet sloshing through the muddy bog.

The mention of her, made him feel the swallow tremble around his neck. He swore, that whenever he talked about, or had Ciri mentioned he could feel the swallow tremble.

He sighed and kept his eyes forward, "She's special… that's for sure."

"Do you love her, truly love her," The large man suddenly asked.

There, in the bog, covered in drowner guts, blood, a Cat potion running through his body, was the last place he expected his face to flush red. The answer to the question, however, was easy.

"Yes… since the moment I met her, yes," He said assuredly, causing the man to chuckle.

"Ha, after having met you both… I can see why," He said, his tone suddenly shifting, "When you find her lad… make sure you cherish her. Don't… make the same mistakes as me… never let her go."

It was a surprisingly tender thing to hear from the man. He hadn't expected to hear those words. The mistakes the Baron had made, were something he was sure that he would never make in his life. Nothing would ever become more important to him, like the drink had become for the larger man. Finding her was what he had been thinking about for eight years, so he knew that once he did, he wouldn't let her go again. Not for anything in the world.

He shook his head, as he finally saw the torches of the village, "I won't… never again."

The Baron seemed like he was about to say something else, when he heard a loud yell pierce the air of the swamp.

"Stand firm! Banish these beasts in the name of the Eternal Fire!"

His eyes shot to the village, and he could now hear the clashes of steel. Roars of multiple drowners, and other monsters could be heard. After looking closer he saw men running, dodging, parrying with blades and the sounds of a battle. It seemed that the Witch Hunters had gotten to the village just before they did, and the Crones had started sending their beasts.

He turned back to see Geralt at the back of the group of soldiers, he waved forward, gesturing towards the older Witcher.

"Geralt! We need to move," he said before turning to the Baron, "Come on, to the village now!"

He heard the Baron shout commands, and he took off in a run towards the lights of the village. The Cat potion had began to wear off, but thankfully his path was illuminated by the torches of the houses, and the full moon. He leveled his blade as he entered the village of Crookback Bog, and finally took in the seen. A group of about 7 Witch Hunters had been spread out amongst the houses, fighting multiple monsters. The formation that they once seemed to have was broken, and soon they would be overwhelmed. One of the stood out in particular, the only woman amongst them.

Tamara swung her blade with great precision towards a drowner, lopping its head off.

He ran to reach her, knowing that her safety now would be the Baron's number one priority. The Cat potion had fully worn off now, but between the torches on the houses, and the ones soldiers carried, he was able to see now as he took off towards the center of the village where the girl was.

A drowner came rushing towards him, he slid under its claw, and sliced through its bottom legs as he did, before coming back up and stabbing his blade into its back. He heard a loud sucking sound and turned just as a Water Hag shot out its tongue for him. He spun to the left and came around, lopping its tongue in half, causing it to wail and fall back, right into Geralt's blade, the Witcher just have gotten into the village with the Barons soldiers.

"Witchers!? What are you doing here," A voice shouted to them both.

He recognized the head Witch Hunter, the one they had met in Oxenfurt, slashing through a rotfiend.

"Tell you later," Geralt shouted to him, spinning around and lopping off a drowners head.

Dominik turned his focus back to Tamara, and saw the girl being overwhelmed in the village center, a large group of drowners cornering her. He took off in a run, ducking under a claw, and ending one monster, just before he got to her location. It was the stump where only a few days earlier, Geralt and he placed the severed ear to summon the Crones.

One drowner was about to slash at the girl from behind. He yanked the silver dagger out of his belt and tossed it, hitting his mark and impaling the beast in the head. The girls head shot around, and her eyes widened when she saw him. She seemed about to say something, but he had to leap into action again. He kept charging forward and lopped off the hand of another drowner that was about to strike at her. He reached down, quickly grabbing his silver dagger, just in time to spin back around and stab it into the throat of a rotfiend about to spit at him. He shot out his hand and blasted the beast back with Aard just as its head exploded.

To the right of Tamara and he, he saw another large group beginning to charge. He reached down, grabbing the new Dragon's Dream bomb off his belt, he ignited the fuse and tossed it. It exploded, stopping the drowners momentarily, before he shot his hands forward again and a wall of flames raced towards the beasts, as soon as it hit the smoke where the bomb had landed, it exploded in a blast of fire, sending every drowner flying, fried to a crisp.

He heard one last roar behind him, and whirled around, just before he could raise his own sword, one jabbed through the beasts skull, and it fell, revealing the owner of the blade to be Tamara.

He nodded in appreciation to the girl, as he looked around, the last of the drowners, and other monsters finally being slain. Soldiers of the Baron, and the Witch Hunters all seemed to stop after this, staring, daring each other to make another move.

Finally, Tamara found her voice, "Dominik… what are you doing here," She said, her voice sounding slightly nervous.

He laughed, and turned around to meet the girls eyes, sheathing his blade to his back, "Thought I was here to save you, but seems you got nothing to fear. You're no slouch with a blade, thanks for the save."

The girl stuttered for a moment, as Geralt came up next to him, new blood stains adorning his armor.

"I have no fear, for the Eternal Fire protects me," Tamara said, her eyes meeting the two Witchers.

Geralt chuckled and crossed his arms, "Won't have to protect you from either of us."

Tamara tried to say something else, but the Baron, who finally seemed to realize she was there came up from behind them, his arms stretched out wide.

"Tamara, dear daughter! You return after all… come, don't deny me this embrace," The man said pleadingly.

He saw the young woman look over to him, meeting his eyes for a moment, before turning back to her father.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't a return. I've come for mother. Unlike you, I'll not see her rot here in this swamp," She said in a controlled voice.

He wondered if the girl was about to say something else but remembered what he had said to her about family. It was his hope that the words he said to her had some impact.

The Baron however scoffed, "Why the hell do you think I'm here? To take her home!"

If the girl had been trying to control herself, it broke at that moment, "Oh you'll do no such thing. You'll not lay a finger on her. Never. I'll not let you!"

Geralt and he watched as the Baron took in a deep sigh, meeting his daughters eyes, "You have a right to be cross…. I've not been the best husband, the best father, I know. But I've changed, ask anyone," He said, turning to the two Witchers, "Dom, Geralt tell her!"

Both sets of their eyes turned to Geralt and he, and he sighed looking up to the older Witcher. Geralt however, looked over to Tamara.

"Your father, he truly wants to find your mother. That's why he's here," He explained to the younger woman.

"He's right, like I told you before, he does care," Dominik added after Geralt had finished.

Tamara scoffed and looked back over to her father, "You pay them much to be your yes-men?"

He was about to follow up but was cut off when the head Witch Hunter came over, "Verily I saw unto you that ire and vehemence can lead, to naught but one's downfall!"

"Oh jeez…" He muttered as the larger man walked between Tamara and her father.

"Who the bloody hell is this," The Baron asked sharply.

The Witch Hunter scoffed, "And who are you to ask so crudely?"

Quickly, before the situation could escalate further, he stepped between the two men. He looked at them both, the cold breeze of the nighttime running through his hair. It was only a matter of time before the Crones sent more monsters, and with-it being nighttime, the selection they could choose from was large.

"We can solve this matter later, we're all here for a reason. Lets get it done with, before more monsters show up," He said to the two men.

The Baron met his eyes and nodded before stepping back. The Witch Hunter met his eyes as well, before nodded and looking between Geralt and he.

"The Witcher is correct. Back to the matter at hand, I assume you two are willing to help us," He asked Geralt and Dominik.

He nodded along with Geralt, and the white haired Witcher nodded with his arms crossed, "We wouldn't be here if we weren't willing."

The head Witch Hunter nodded, "I've lost five men already, and have little notion of what to expect in this cursed place."

He felt the wind in the cold night begin to pick up. It chilled his bones, as he examined the empty, quiet village. The Crones didn't know it was them there yet, so they had to move swiftly. The eerie sounds of the night were piercing his ears, and he could almost hear whispers begin to go through his head.

"No time to lose. Crones could return at any minute," Geralt warned the group of them.

He was about to say something himself when the whispering he heard got louder. It wasn't just in his head anymore, his head shot around, trying to find its source. All he saw was the men around him, the tension palpable.

_"One you once loved…" _He heard, causing his hand to go to his blade, and turn around.

He saw nothing except Witch Hunters and soldiers around him. His attention was turned back to the conversation when he heard Tamara speak up again.

"Hah, and how do you know they're not here already," The girl asked the older Witcher.

The whispering kept growing, but he turned to Geralt who scanned the village, "Because we're still alive…"

"Search the village," the commanding Witch Hunter yelled to his men.

_"A single choice you shall make, to decide their fate…"_ the whispers rang through his head again.

Finally, he cracked, and drew out his blade, turning around, trying to locate the source of the whispering. All the men, the Baron's and the Witch Hunters went about tearing apart the village. All the houses doors were smashed open, men yelling, looking for any sign of Anna. However, for the first time, he wasn't focused on that objective. The whispering in his ears grew louder, it sounded like a females voice, multiple voices, all converging into his head.

_"The choice you make, the fate of your family, preserve or raze," _it whispered again, louder this time into his mind.

He whirled around and finally saw Geralt looking at him, "Dom, what is it, what's wrong?"

_"One you once loved has returned, a single choice you will make shall decide their fate. The choice you make, the fate of your family, preserve or raze," _The voice screeched into his ears, making him groan and grab his ears.

He turned back to Geralt, his eyes wide, "Geralt do you hear that!?"

"Hear what, what's wrong," The older Witcher asked, as the whispering finally started to die.

"That damn…whispering, it won't stop," He said, his head finally coming up to meet Geralt's eyes.

Geralt looked at him with concern, "Dom… I don't hear any whispering. It's probably the Crones messing with you."

The idea made a chill run through his bones. The words that he heard were etching themselves into his mind. _One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall decide their fate. The choice you make, the fate of your family, preserve or raze. _Was it some type of prediction? He had heard of witches predicting things before, and other ways to tell the future. Geralt had told him often, that he once received a prediction from a mage he once met. The female mage had told him, 'the boy and the girl in the woods shall be with you always', and eventually those words led him to go and find Dominik and Ciri.

For a moment he ran the words through his head again. One he once loved who had returned, it had to be referring to Ciri, it was almost impossible to apply it to anyone else. What single choice would he make, and how would it be to decide her fate? The final line made him shiver, the fate of his family to preserve or raise.

"One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall decide their fate. The choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raise…" he said, meeting Geralt's eyes.

The white haired Witchers eyes widened, and he spoke slowly, "Dominik… that… that sounds like a prophecy, a prediction from the Crones. Remember what they said to us before we left?"

He let out a shaky breath, and saw his hands shake, "What… what does it mean?"

Geralt shook his head, "Don't know, but you need to-."

"We found her, over here," One of the Witch Hunters yelled, and the two Witchers turned.

They both turned to see Tamara, leading the older woman away from the house they had gone too, with the Crones tapestry. The words spoken to him had suddenly seemed less important, Geralt turned and met his eyes.

"We'll talk about it later, come on," He said quickly.

He followed Geralt over to where some of the men were leading the older woman towards the center of the village. Anna was worse for ware then the last time she had seen her. Her stringy, grey hair was mangled, bits of dirt, sticks and more mess inside of it. The wrinkles across her face had deepened. The green and orange dress she was wearing, had bits ripped out, her bare feet were marred with dirt, and coal. He remembered how angry he was with the older woman, and now he felt ashamed of it. The poor woman looked as if she was terrified. The Baron, along with Tamara and her commander all surrounded the woman.

She looked down, towards the ground, as an eerie silence began to engulf the village like a blanket. He could see mist start to whirl around them, as if the Crones were trying to turn the circle of huts into an arena for them all to do battle. He felt his fingers begin to twitch, as the poor woman stuttered, her eyes not leaving the ground.

"But I pleaded… I begged," The poor woman wailed, her head shaking as she looked at the ground.

Tamara took a shaky step forward, "Mother, it's me. Don't you recognize me?"

The terrified, frail old woman shook her head, turning around, as if trying to find something on the ground. Tamara's face fell, as she turned to Geralt and he, "What's happened to her?"

He sighed, and met the young girls eyes, "This is the Crones doing. Your mother made a pact with them, and in exchange she serves them… and they took her mind."

"I said I'll do it all! Give it here, I'll scrub it again, scrub it clean," Anna wailed again, whirling around and holding her hands out to Tamara.

"Mother…" The poor girl said desperately.

The fog around the village had become thick, and the men restless. Even in the night, only lit by the torches, you could see the thick white mist beginning to slowly engulf them all. He took a step away from the others, towards the fog, and his hand slowly went for his blade. A blood curdling roar finally ripped through the night sky like a knife cutting through a sheet of cloth. It was a type of roar he had heard before, the men all reached for their blades and shields.

He slowly drew his own sword, and turned back to Geralt, who's silver was out in a flash, "Geralt, it's coming!"

The older Witcher nodded and turned around to the Baron, and Tamara, "Something's coming, get ready. Get her somewhere safe, it's after her," He said pointing to Anna.

The older Witcher ran to join him, coming up next to him and twirling his silver. Geralt reached down to his belt and uncorked a potion, swallowing it in one go, before he winced, the veins on his neck beginning to pulsate.

"Swallow? Black Blood? Thunderbolt," He asked the older Witcher, raising his blade to level it towards the fog.

Geralt did the same with his silver, getting back to back with him. He coughed for a moment, as the two of them watch the fog carefully.

"Swallow… one of the most useful Witcher potions out there," He said, his silver aimed towards the fog.

He was about to say something else when the roar got closer. The ground around them started to rumble, and his head shot around to his left. The beast had finally charged, the Fiend. It was as large as one of the village huts, its horns shooting out from the sides, longer then three of his blades. It roared as it charged, and he and Geralt only had moments to roll out of the way as it smashed into a group of soldiers in the center, sending men and Witch Hunters scattering.

"EVERYBODY STAY BACK, LET GERALT AND I HANDLE IT," He yelled, rushing towards the monster, just as it made a swipe towards the Baron.

The large man grabbed his wife by the waist and moved just in time. He rushed forward, slicing along the back of the beasts leg, causing it to roar again, as he rolled out in front of it. For a moment, he was in front of the beast by himself. Its black eyes were trained on him, and it reared back its head, and let out and bone shattering roar right in front of him. The force was so much that he almost stumbled backwards, but in the end, he managed to hold his ground. He twirled his blade into a reverse grip and reached for the bomb on his belt.

"Come on you ugly bastard…." He whispered under his breath, igniting the fuse on the Dragons Dream.

It smashed one of its massive fists into the ground, and he rolled to the left, tossing the bomb and it exploded in the beasts face. It seemed at the moment to only annoy the massive beast, but soon the gas exploded in a large orange fire, as Geralt shot a blast from his hands that ignited the smoke, sending the monster reeling back.

_"HEHEHEHEHE, well struck young wolf, and you white-haired one!" _he heard echo through the village, the voice of one of the Crones.

_"ONE YOU ONCE LOVED HAD RETURNED, A SINGLE CHOICE YOU MAKE SHALL DEICDE THEIR FATE, THE CHOICE YOUR MAKE, YOURE FAMILY TO PRESERVE OR RAISE!" _

The voice had momentarily distracted Geralt and he, and the distraction only stopped when he heard the screams of dying men. Not listening to their orders, a few of the Baron's men and the Witch Hunters had charged. The Fiend, its face now scarred with black soot, roared again smashing the ground with its massive horns, sending the men flying, while one Witch Hunter was crushed, impaled by the massive bone. He was about to charge again when more roars were heard. All around them, drowners and other necrophages all emerged from the mist, charging for them.

Geralt shot him a nod, and he knew what the older Witcher was trying to say. The two of them had to focus on the Fiend, before it killed them all.

He looked up again at the enormous roaring monster and charged. The beast had been sent by the Crones, and he wasn't going to let their evil take anymore lives. The two Witchers charged, and the Fiend's black eyes trained on them again, the glowing red spot between his horns glowing. When it saw the two Witchers, it kicked back its leg and charged again with great speed.

Geralt and he both rolled to one direction to avoid the attack. He jumped back up, whirling around and slashing across the back of the beasts legs with his blade, just as it swung for Geralt. It wailed in pain before it could make contact and Geralt took the opportunity to lash out, striking across the beast chest, before leaping up, and trying to strike at the glowing red between its two horns.

Geralt was the greatest Witcher to ever live, but just before he could, the Fiend whirled around and smashed him across the stomach with his horn, sending the Witcher backwards, smashing him into the door of one of the huts. He charged around, and shot his hand forward, a wall of flames erupted as the Igni sing roared to life. It struck the beasts open wound from Geralt's sword, and it cried out, thrashing about wildly, and while it did, its arm caught him and sent him flying backwards.

He felt the impact on his chest, and cough straight away, twirling back up to his knees, trying to find the beast again. It roared and it gave away its position. It had made to the center of the village, and Tamara, the brave girl that she was, tried to step up to the beast. He saw Geralt get back up from the hut he had been smashed into but was accosted when a group of drowners surrounded him. He was cutting through the beasts quickly, but not quick enough to make it to Tamara.

The girl went for a swing of her blade, but the Fiend knocked her back, and lunged, gripping the girl up in her massive claws.

"TAMRA," He heard the Baron yell, leaving his wife momentarily, his blade drawn.

The girl screamed, as the Fiend roared loudly again, causing all the fighting men to stumble. He sucked in a breath and charged again. His sword twirling in a reverse grip, he leaped up towards the Fiend, firing his hand forward, the Aard sign, more powerful then any he had produced so far, smashed into the Fiend's hand, the force so strong it dropped Tamara to the ground as she screamed. The girl lay on the ground, bruised and battered, as the Fiend recoiled, it went to bring its fist down on the girl, surely crushing her. He got to her just in time, sliding forward and stabbing his blade into the ground, shield her with his own body, as the yellow shield of the Quen sign erupted, just before its fist could smash into them.

As the Fiend contacted his shield, it exploded, sending the monster tumbling back. Tamara looked up at him, but he didn't give her a chance to say anything.

"GO," He shouted, getting up and turning back towards the Fiend.

Just as he turned the humongous beast slammed its fist into the ground and slid it powerfully along the ground in a sweeping motion. He put all his power into his legs, he leaped up, just narrowly avoiding the attack. The beast roared again and smashed his fist a second time. He side-stepped just in time, and stabbed his blade downwards, into the Fiends hand, so deep, he couldn't remove it. With his hand still on his sword grip the Fiend yanked his hand back upwards, quickly he grabbed onto his sword hilt with both hands as he was lifted into the air.

Upon seeing that he was attached to it, The flung his hand backwards, and he was forced to let go. He soared upwards, his arms flailing, but he managed to reach down and yank his silver dagger from his belt. He came downwards and stabbed the silver hilt deep into the Fiends back as he grabbed onto the hair hanging from its neck for support!

The Fiend was not happy, and when the dagger entered its back it shot upwards to its full height, overtaking that of the tallest building in the village. He would have been flung off if Geralt hadn't intervened. The older Witcher yelled, and leaped, slashing his blade across the beast stomach again, before spinning and cutting across its leg. The roar almost made his ears bleed this time, but he fought through the pain, pulling himself upwards, onto his feet, atop the monsters head.

He yanked his silver dagger and stood atop the beasts head. From below he could see Geralt, his silver ready to strike again, along with the rest of the Baron's men and Witch Hunters, looking up in awe. He felt his heart begin to beat at an alarmingly fast breath, as he sucked in one more breath and bit the bottom of his lip. The Fiend wailed, blood seeping from all its wounds, not even bothering to shake him away anymore.

"This ones for Ciri you old hags… you're next…" he said to the Crones beast, before with all his strength jamming the dagger into the beasts head, right in the red glowing spot between its horns.

The beast gave one final huge wail, that made all the men take steps back, before he leaped down from its head. He spun himself around in mid-air and fired his hand forward, blasting the monster onto its back with the Aard sign.

With no weapon in hand, he managed to land on his feet with a thud, and shakily stood up to his feet, as the beast slammed onto its back, his dagger sticking out of its forehead, his blade sticking out of its hand. With the last bit of remaining strength, he could muster, he shakily walked to the beast hand, and yanked out his blade, before falling to one knee, only said blade to help steady him.

He sucked in breaths as fast as he could, feeling as if all his strength had deflated. Footsteps pierced his ears, as he heard Geralt's voice, the older Witcher helping him up from the ground.

"You alright," He asked him, his voice full of concern.

He took in a deep breath, and managed to stand to his feet, "Did… did I get him?"

Geralt scoffed, and clamped a hand on his shoulder, "Yeah… you got him, got him good. How do you feel?"

After sucking in another few deep breaths, and feeling his limbs begin to move again, he had to admit, he felt better then he normally did after a fight. For the first time, he fired off multiple signs during the fight, and didn't feel like he couldn't move afterwards. The signs he casted had been strong, stronger then normal. He felt a sense of pride wash over him. He had killed Fiends by himself before, however, this one felt particularly good.

"I…I actually feel pretty good," He said a small laugh escaping him.

Geralt smiled back at him, his eyes beaming with pride, "It seems those late-night training sessions are beginning to pay off. Good job, that wasn't a normal Fiend, a lot bigger, even more aggressive."

"Dominik," He heard a voice saying his name, he looked up to see the Baron approaching the, "You… you saved Tamara. You saved my daughter's life."

He let out one more sigh, before meeting the mans eyes and shaking his head, "It's no problem. I'm a Witcher, I help people, it's what I was trained for."

The Baron nodded slowly and held out his large gauntleted hand for the two of them. Dominik slowly reached out, and the Baron shook both he and Geralt's hands with vigor, looking up to meet their eyes.

"The both of you… I will be forever grateful for what you've done. Should you ever need my aid, with anything, you'd simply need to say the word," He swore, the sincerity dripping from his words.

He felt his chest begin to swell up, and he smiled back at the man, shaking his head, "Thank you… again. You helped lead me back on the path to Ciri… and for that I'll also be eternally grateful."

The man nodded to them, a grim smile on his face, "Now… what the bloody hell was that thing you just took down?"

"Looked a Fiend to me," The head Witch Hunter said, coming up next to the three of them.

Geralt nodded to confirm what the man said, "Yeah. Crones've sense us. They know we're here. Sent the beast for Anna."

"Those damned witches! When will it end, are they not satisfied" He heard Tamara scream. He turned and saw the girl standing over her mother, the old woman digging through the ground, "Enough, I'm taking her away," The girl stated full of certainty.

He turned to see the scene unfold, as the Baron walked up to his family, shaking his head, "She's my wife. She'll return home with me. You're welcome to come with us if you wish."

Geralt and he both walked up next to them, as Tamara shoved away her fathers hands, "Don't touch her! We leave this cursed place now!"

The Baron shook his head, and took the words out of Dom's mouth, "She's sick, weakened…. Where would you take her like this? Oxenfurt? It would mean her death!"

He knew the man had a point. If the woman had been taken to Oxenfurt, Radovid, or other Witch Hunters would easily hang her, accusing her of magic that befuddled her mind. However, Tamara was not ready to leave.

"I know how to take care of my own mother," She said indignantly.

The commanding Witch Hunter shook his head, coming between the two, "She's not a rag doll to be ripped from hand to hand! Let her decide!"

"Pie! Pie for dinner! Mud pie," The older woman yelled from the ground, stacking mounds of dirt atop each other.

Geralt shook his head at the man's words, "She's incapable of deciding anything for herself right now."

Tamara's eyes turned to the two of them. In the girls green eyes, he could see something that he knew so well. Desperation.

She met his green eyes with hers, and begged, "Dominik… it's a dark spell, it has to be. Please, help her, I beg you both."

He looked and met Geralt's eyes. The two of them both knew that it was no dark spell that had befuddled Anna's mind. Between all the horrors she had faced, and the magic of the Crones, the poor woman's mind was going to be muddled for a long time. There was no cure they even two Witchers could give.

He sighed, the smile gone from his face, "Before we do anything, we need to get her, and everyone else out of here. That Fiend was only the beginning, the Crones know we're here now. It's only a matter of time before they send something worse than a Fiend."

It was without a doubt true. The Crones knew they were there, they were going to surely send another monster soon. Very few monsters were going to be worst then a Fiend, Shalemaars, Leshens, types of vampires, he didn't want to think what the beastly sisters would think of next. Tamara, however, was not taking his advice.

"I'll not go anywhere until you tell me you can help her, break the spell," She said to them desperately.

He turned to Geralt, and thankfully the older Witcher decided to be the on to deliver the news.

"This is no dark spell I'm afraid," The older Witcher said, making all three of the Baron, Tamara, and the head Witch Hunter look at him, "She's been through a lot. Lost a child, was carried off by a fiend, lived in the Crones' village taking care of children who're now gone… it's left its mark, as it would on anyone."

"She's also under the Crones service so…. I'm sorry, it's impossible to tell for sure if she'll ever recover," He said slowly, after Geralt had finished.

He had seen cases like this before. Sometimes when he was saving a group of people enthralled by a witch, or vampire, the lasting damage to their mind was too deep. Other times when he tried to cure a werewolf, vampire, and even one time a striga, the people who were cured, could never return to society. They were the worst contracts. The ones where no matter what he did, the help ended up being worthless.

"So… it's helpless? Neither of you can help her. She's to be like this," Tamara asked, the desperation in her voice peaking.

Geralt shook his head, he could see the sadness on the older Witchers face as well, "I'm sorry…" He said to the young woman.

He could see the girls eyes begin to tear, and he wished he had something to help her. To give her some kind of good news, a silver lining. However, all he received was another reason that he would kill the Crones the next time he returned.

The Baron however spoke up, drawing all their attention, "I know a hermit, a very wise old man with a gift for healing. Met him some time past. Lives in the Blue Mountains, I shall take her there," He said, looking to the two Witchers for confirmation.

He shrugged his shoulders and turned to Geralt who nodded at the man, "It might be worth a shot, there are some things even us Witchers don't know."

"I shall go with you," Tamara quickly spoke up after her father.

They all turned to her, but her commander quickly shook his head, "That is impossible sadly."

"Why," The girl asked the man her eyes wide now.

The head Witch Hunter sighed, "I'm sorry girl. You have duties, duties to the Church of the Eternal Fire. Once we finish our work in Velen, we return to Oxenfurt."

The young woman looked at the man aghast, "You said you'd save my mother!"

Her commander nodded his head, "And I kept my word. Your father can care for her now."

It was her turn to scoff again as she turned to her father, "He care? You know him! You know what he did to her!"

He felt himself speaking up before her commander could answer as he took a step forward, "Remember what I told you Tamara. Don't throw your family away like this, don't carry so much resentment inside of you. Your father, he may not be a perfect man, but none of us are. He's made mistakes, but this is how he's trying to make up for them. I trust that he'll do what he says," he said, turning back to the larger man.

The Baron gave him a nod, before turning to his daughter, "Fear not, all shall be well," He said, before kneeling down next to his wife, "I will not touch drink. I will find the hermit. And once she is herself again, we will find you."

The father and daughter both locked eyes, and he could practically see the tension bubbling between the two. Tamara quickly looked over at him, and he nodded to the girl. She took in a shaky breath, before turning back to her father.

"Swear it," She said to the large man.

He nodded to her, "I swear it child."

Very carefully, and without resistance from the older woman, he helped lift Anna to her feet. He would have liked to think the older woman not resisting was a sign, a sign that things would be well. The Baron got the woman to her feet, before turning once more to he and Geralt.

"The two of you, what you've done for me… I shall never forget it. I hope you find your Ciri…. And you Geralt prove a better father then I," he started before looking and meeting his eyes, "And you lad… I hope you prove a better partner in life… then I was to the one I love."

He smiled, feeling his heart flow. The man walked back towards his soldiers with his wife in tow, beginning to bark out orders to them, readying them to leave. The work they had set out to undergo in Velen had finished. Both leads on Ciri had been followed, and now there was only one way to go, to Novigrad. Anna would be in good hands, he had seen many a changed man in his years, and the Baron was one of them. The last few days had taught him many things, one most of all was to cherish the ones you love, because you don't know when they could be ripped away from you, and never take them for granted.

He knew now when he found Ciri, and his family was reunited, nothing would tear them all apart again.

"You did good, I'm proud of you," He heard Geralt say, the older Witchers hand falling onto his shoulder.

The look of pride he saw on Geralt's face when he turned welled him up. He smiled up at the older Witcher, "Thanks Geralt… we… we did a good thing today."

The white-haired Witcher nodded, smiling down at him, "Yeah… we did."

"You saved my life," Tamara said, making him turn to her.

The commanding Witch Hunter had went to rally his men, and the young woman kept her eyes locked with his. He managed to smile at her, and nodded his head, "It's no problem. You were in danger, and I helped. Like I said, I'm a Witcher, it's what I do."

She nodded her head, a grim look still adorned, "Also… thank you for what you said. I… have a chance to have a family, a real family again thanks to you, the both of you."

"Please, just never forget what I said," He said, taking a glance up at Geralt, "I hope that all goes well for you with your new duties. Stay safe, and when they return, keep your family close."

The younger woman nodded, staying locked with his eyes, "I will… thank you again. From what I heard you're looking for the woman you love? The one you told me disappeared years ago?"

He nodded and Tamara's head seemed to peak up more, she stood up straight, and held out her hand, "I wish you the best of luck Dominik of Cintra. Should you ever need my help, or that of my fathers when he returns… you shall have it."

When he shook her hand, he could see the girls face go red. She gave one last nod to Geralt and he, before turning to join her comrades. Despite how he felt about the Church of the Eternal Fire, he wished the girl success. He hoped that he had saved a family that day, reunited one. The night sky around the bog began to chirp with the sounds of bugs and wolves, the dense fog began to lift. The Witch Hunters began to gather up their things, and the Baron already had left with his men.

He sighed in satisfaction and turned to Geralt who smiled at him.

The older Witcher gestured for them to leave, "Come on, our works done here."

He followed Geralt towards the edge of the bog, "I'm glad that we helped him, in the end."

The two Witchers stopped at the edge of the Bog, and Geralt turned to him with a smile, "Yeah… so am I. You did really good Dom, I can see you getting stronger with each fight."

His chest had felt bruised, and he could certainly have done with a nap, but it was an upgrade that he was still able to move. Their journey in Velen, had only ended up being around a week, not very long in the grand scheme of time. However, with all the fighting, training and riding they had done, it felt like much more. With every day he got better, whether it be with his blade, or with his signs. All of it would pay off when they finally found her.

He felt himself smile broadly, and look up at Geralt, "Thanks again Geralt…. So Novigrad?"

His adoptive father nodded in agreement, "Novigrad. But first remember what I said. Let's take tomorrow to restock, get our swords and armor repaired. Take care of any business you have left in Velen, then we'll get a good nights rest tomorrow night, and set off for Novigrad first thing in the morning."

Upon hearing that he needed to complete any business he had left in Velen, he remembered the last words that Kiera had spoken to him. It had felt like eternity ago to him, when in reality it was only about four days. The sorceress had something she wanted to ask him, he wondered if it was a contract, or something about Geralt. Either way, she had saved his life multiple times in their journey through the Elven mages hideout, he would have been split in half on the floor by Nithral's axe if not for her.

So, it was time he repaid the favor, and went to go see Kiera Metz.

He nodded up at Geralt, "Got it, armor could really use a repair. Also, Kiera when I left her, asked if I could come and see her. Said she had something for me to do."

Geralt's arms crossed, and he narrowed his eyes, "Don't know if I like that idea. Kiera Metz is a prickly one, only really cares about her image."

He rolled his eyes, "Come on Geralt, not everyone has your skill with sorceresses. Either way, she saved my life, I owe it to her to at least go see what she needs."

The older Witcher sighed and nodded, "Alright, but you get ahold of me if its something you can't handle alone. Also… wanted to talk about those words you heard from the mist."

His skin began to crawl. He had almost forgotten about them, with the fiend attacking and having to save Tamara. The words were slowly becoming etched into his mind. _One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall decide their fate. The choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raze. _One thing you learned about prophecies and predictions in Kaer Morhen, were that they always came true, there was no use in trying to stop them. However, they all had double meanings, ways they could come true. Three lines, three things that were going to come true in his journey. Only one made sense to him.

"Yeah…" He said to Geralt, "One you once loved has returned… only line that makes sense. It has to mean Ciri, only one that can fit. She's one I love that's returned."

The look on Geralt's face made his stomach churn. The older Witcher slowly shook his head, "Don't be so sure, it being Ciri makes sense yeah but it's just so… obvious."

"I've never loved anyone else," He said to the older Witcher.

Geralt shook his head, "No I know that. It could mean more than just romantic love; you know they always have double meanings."

The thought made his brain begin to churn, as he spoke to Geralt again, "Impossible, my mother, father and sister are long dead. Could it mean you and Yen? I thought you both were dead, but you came back?"

Geralt sighed and met his eyes, "Don't know, could be, could not be. We won't know until it comes to pass."

The second and third lines came to his head again, and the hair on his arms began to stand up.

"A single choice you make shall decide their fate… the choice you make, the fate of your family to preserve or raise. Geralt… it's saying that I'm going to make some choice to seal someone's fate… my family, it… it's enough to drive someone crazy," he said, his voice slightly faltering.

Geralt chuckled and smiled, which made him feel slightly better, "Don't worry, whatever choice there is to make, you're one I trust making it. Besides, sometimes prophecies take years to come to pass. I didn't find you and Ciri for years after I heard 'The boy and girl in the woods will be with you always.'."

Hearing him say that made the nerves slightly calm. However, the apprehension must have still been palpable on his face, because Geralt placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Let's not focus on it right now. We're close to finding Ciri, let's get our business done tomorrow, and set out for Novigrad," he said, his face reassuring him.

"You… you're right. Let's focus on finding Ciri," He said, mainly to reassure himself.

Finding Ciri had been what he was focused on for years upon years. It had always been something that seemed impossible, yet he kept forging on. He would never give up on the quest, the idea of finding her again. Her trail was right in front of him, where she had gone. She was still thinking about him, remembered him, remembered their time spent together. Every story he heard about her from people who had seen her, it only spurred him on further, not that he needed anymore determination.

With the words however, combined with what he already knew, finding her would only be the start of a larger battle. It wouldn't be the end when he found her, they wouldn't right away ride of into the sunset to hunt monsters together. No, he would find her, and a battle would ensue, a massive battle, one where he would apparently decide her fate, and the fate of his family.

He decided however, to take Geralt's advice. As they whistled for Clop and Roach, the sound piercing the night sky, he was going to focus on one thing.

Ciri had gone to Novigrad, and soon he would as well.

**A/N: So, its over folks. The main quests for Velen are done, and soon we will be moving on to Novigrad. Next chapter we'll get to revisit Kiera Metz and see how Dominik fares in the Towerful of Mice quest, one of my personal favorites. After that, in chapter 20 we will officially be heading to the free city of Novigrad, where we'll get to see Triss Merigold, Zoltan, Pricilla and others. That's a major milestone for me, because getting to Novigrad means we're officially a fourth or fifth of the way through the game. **

**If you break it up, the Witcher 3 is a four or five-part story, Velen, Novigrad, Skellige, The Battle of Kaer Morhen, then the Final Battle. We can scratch off Velen, which means we're almost creeping up.**

_**One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall decide their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raise.**_

**So, what did you all think of the fights this chapter? The ending of the Bloody Baron and his family? What about the prophecy that Dom received from the Crones? What do YOU think it means, what will happen? What are you looking forward to in Novigrad? Will Dominik sleep with Kiera xD Tell me in a review! Thank you all so much again, see you all next time!**

**Special shout out to some authors, Anakins Hyper, Kirijo Senpai, BlackWatcher1234 and Thesaiyan21, who have been leaving awesome reviews and even talking to me a PMs for the constant support! And of course thank you to everyone who's followed and favorited! The support means so much to me, and if you guys continue to love what I'm pumping out I'll keep pumping it out, hope to see more reviews and messages in the future, thank you guys so much and see you next time!**


	19. A Towerful of Mice

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 19: A Towerful of Mice**

**Narrator: After leading the Baron and his men to the village at Crookback Bog, Dominik and Geralt were able to reunite the man with his daughter Tamara. After the Crones sensed them in their village, they sent multiple beasts to attack them, even a Fiend, one of the most dangerous monsters, even to Witchers. Dominik of Cintra and Geralt of Rivia slayed the Fiend, saving many lives. Soon after the Baron left to find a cure for his wife's madness from being in the Crones care, and Dominik and Geralt set out. Novigrad was where Ciri had gone, however Dominik had one piece of unfinished business in Velen. The young Witcher went to see Kiera Metz, who last he saw her, claimed she had a favor to ask him. Indebted to the sorceress for helping him find more information about Ciri, Dominik set out to visit the Witch near Midcopse yet again. **

_The dream that night took him somewhere he had never seen before. It seemed to be an underground cell, multiple of them were in a row, and the grimy, dank dungeon cells could only be seen by two torches lit at each end. His way was lit to the cell on the end, right near a torch it lit the way into a cell. All around you could hear the screams of men. Blood adorned the walls, the cells, a rack of swords and old shields could be seen lined up down the hall. The whole dungeon smelled of death and blood, between that and the screams, it seemed one of the most horrific places he had ever seen in his life._

_ The dream turned in a nightmare after he saw inside the cell. _

_ Inside one of the dank, dark cells, was Ciri. She was slightly older then she had been when they separated, perhaps 16 or so. She didn't have a scar across her cheek yet as had been described, she was bony, seemed to have not eaten in weeks. She sat there, slumped against the wall, her ashen hair marred and sticking down her shoulders. Bruises and scrapes were all over her face and body. Her head was slumped back, she was breathing heavy, as if all the energy had finally left her. She was wearing a tattered white top underneath a beaten leather jerkin with gloves, trousers and boots. As she slumped, he could see her hand wrapped tightly around his ring that adorned on her neck. _

_ She was beaten, bruised, half dead… and he hadn't been there to save her._

_ "Cirilla! Wakey, wakey my dear, time for some fun," The voice of a man echoed throughout the dungeon. _

_ Ciri's head shot up, and he could see her grinding her teeth, her face contorting to rage as she watched the front of her cell. Out-front stepped a man, a tall, balding man, his grey hair stringy, hanging from his head. The most terrifying part was his pale grey eyes, that seemed to tear through Ciri as he looked at her maniacally. He was wearing only a white top and leather tunic, a longsword at his belt, and from his waist as well, hung three medallions. Only they weren't simple medallions. They depicted the head of a wolf, griffin and cat, three Witcher medallions. A Witcher, only parted with their medallion in death, so he was able to assume on where the man had gotten them. He smiled wickedly at younger Ciri, his hand behind his back. _

_ "You look fantastic my dear, how are you feeling," He asked her in a mocking tone. _

_ "Piss off," Ciri responded quickly, managing to shakily rise to her feet. _

_ The man tsked, and shook his head at the girl, leaning forward against the bar, "Now, now Cirilla. Is that any way to treat the man who's responsible for you being alive?"_

_ "I said PISS OFF," Ciri yelled, picking up a stone from the ground and throwing it at the man. _

_ He laughed and took a step back as the rock smashed into the bars of Ciri's cell. Slowly he came back into the girls view, the smile on his face straight from the horror stories he heard when he was younger. _

_ "Haha, still ever so feisty child. I thought that side would have gone by now, and you would realize… how much I've done for you," He said in a honey voice, leaning back towards the bars, meeting Ciri's eye._

_ "You've done nothing for me! And when I get out of here, I WILL kill you, I swear it," Ciri hissed, standing tall, her eyes not leaving the man. _

_ To his surprise the cell door opened, and the man stepped inside, closing it behind her. He leaned down, placing something against the wall, before turning back to Ciri, his hands folded in front of him. The smile he had on his face, continued to make his blood crawl. _

_ "And how do you plan on getting out of here my dear? Nobody is coming for you; nobody knows you're here. Your little friends? The Rats? Dead. I killed them, chopped off all their heads" he said slowly, pacing around the young girl like a hunter stalking prey, he stopped behind her, "Do you think Geralt of Rivia will come for you? I've killed Witchers before."_

_ He expected Ciri to lash out, try and strike at the man, but she didn't. He watched as she stood there, her eyes frozen, her limbs unmoving, only shaking, as the man spoke. He could see the bruises along her neck, the exposed part of her torso, the faded sword wounds, and blisters. Ciri was terrified of the man. She had been afraid of very little, he knew this, but whatever he had done, left a lasting scar on her. _

_ The older balding man came closer behind her back, lowering his head closer to her ear, "Or… do you expect your little boyfriend to come? What will he think when he learns about that one Rat? Or that you're the Emperors spawn? It matters not, if he comes… I'll kill him, kill him, and be sure that you know, it was because he came for you."_

_ "SHUT UP," She yelled, her anger finally snapping, as she whirled around, trying to swing at the man. _

_ The older man moved swiftly. He grabbed Ciri's arm, and brought his hand down across her cheek, sending her to the floor of the dungeon with a cry. A new bruise began to form on her cheek, as she spit blood from her mouth, looking up at the man, her eyes full of pain, and fear. The man tsked at her again and kicked her in the stomach when she tried to arise, getting down to one knee, his eyes suddenly becoming dark as he grabbed the back of her head. _

_ "That was a VERY bad move on your part my dear," He hissed in her ear, he reached down, jerking the ring from her neck, and holding it out in front of her, "He isn't coming. Geralt of Rivia isn't coming. You are all mine now my dear, the sooner you learn that, the better it will get for you."_

_ He dropped the ring back in-front of her, and he saw Ciri scramble to pick it up in her hands. She breathed heavy, the new bruise on her cheek. The man clapped his hands as he was about to leave the room, and turned back to Ciri, a new smile adorning his face. _

_ "AH! I almost forgot, your next bout in the arena is in one hour. Here… take it as a peace offering," he said, picking up what had turned out to be a sword, and tossing it at Ciri's feet, "I suggest you get acquainted before your next fight."_

_ He tossed the blade, a longsword, the size of a Witchers blade was stowed in a red sheath. It was certainly beautiful craftsmanship, far out of the price range of a normal man. He heard an arena mentioned, and felt his anger begin to boil. The man had caught Ciri, and was forcing her to fight for entertainment, all while beating her, and telling her they'd never come. _

_ In the end, her captor had been right. He hadn't come, and he had felt the shame of it to that day. _

_ "You… you think you can bribe me into cooperating," Ciri said breathlessly, slumped back against the wall again. _

_ The man's pale eyes grew dark again, "Cirilla my dear… you WILL cooperate, for you have no other option. Now… do put on a good show, the crowds will be getting restless."_

_ Within another moment, the door to the cell slammed shut, and the mans footsteps echoed away down the hall. He watched as Ciri, her breath still short, the bruise now fully adorned on her face stared at the weapon in front of her. She looked down at the ring and squeezed it tight, as he often did with the swallow, before sighing, and tying it back around her neck on the chain. Slowly, she crawled over to the sword, taking it in her cross-legged lap. She carefully slid the steel from its red sheath, and he could see the beautiful craftsmanship. Slender, not too much mass to it, but still sharp, long and very deadly, the perfect weapon for someone smaller, and swift like Ciri. _

_ "Zireael… you're going to help me get out of here," She said, looking up and she swore she was looking at him, watching her in the dream, "And you'll help me find them."_

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"CIRI," He yelled, his head shooting up from the pillow.

The cold sweat dripped down his bare chest, as his eyes scanned the room. The dungeon he had seen had been so real, the muck, grime, smell of blood was all still attuned to his senses. Ciri's cry as she was struck to the ground by the man, it played again and again in his head. The pain she had felt, the fear, the anger, it all resonated within his body. He reached around his neck and gripped onto the swallow, as she had in his dream, and looked to his right to see her drawing on the nightstand of his room. With some aching from his bones, he reached across and pulled it into his hands. He continued to wonder how accurate the drawing was, or if she would look completely different when he did see her.

No matter what she looked like, he wasn't going to let anything like his dream, ever happen to her again. They would reunite, and they would strike down everyone who had wronged her and grow even stronger together.

"You're tough… just hold on a little bit longer, I'm coming for you," he said quietly, before placing the picture back over on his nightstand.

He turned to get out of bed when he heard a knock on his door.

"Dom? You awake yet," He heard the voice of Geralt yell through the wood.

He narrowed his eyes and looked out the window, wondering what time it had been. A scoff escaped his lips, realizing that he had slept until midday. Quickly, in only his white trousers, he got up and opened the door, sure enough seeing Geralt there. The older Witcher laughed as he swung around a large leather sack, walking into his room. He looked at the old Witcher curiously.

"Geralt, why didn't you wake me up, and… what is that? A dead body," he said, crossing his bare arms.

Geralt rolled his eyes, and after the nightmare he had, Dominik finally managed to laugh. The older Witcher pulled the leather sack up next to his bed, and he could hear the clunking of armor. He let go of it and turned back to him, meeting his green eyes with his yellow Witcher ones.

"Well, you did a lot yesterday. Fighting a fiend is hard work, even for the most experienced Witchers. Thought you could use a little more sleep, while I ran out and got some stuff done," The older Witcher said to him.

He felt himself smile, as he tried to get the image of Ciri on the floor of the cell out of his brain for now. His body slightly winced, but he smiled up at Geralt, gesturing with his head towards the sack he had placed at the end of his bed.

"Well, I guess you're right. I was exhausted but… what's in the bag," He asked his adoptive father.

Geralt smirked at him, and walked over towards it, "Consider this a… job well done present. Check it out."

He felt his mouth drop when Geralt opened the bag. Inside, was his armor, only it had been severely improved. The older Witcher laid the pieces out on his bed, and with every part of the armor he had just worn the night before was pulled out, he was more amazed. The boots had been polished, now sparkling black, with small bits of hardened leather and metal worked into the high part around his ankle. The trousers were pressed, the knee guards, instead of nothing, now hardened bits of black leather ran along the sides of the brown pant legs, with small straps going around his thighs. Finally, his red and black leather coat, that just the day before had been almost ripped apart, was now sewn back together completely.

Overtop the coat were no longer hardened strips of metal, but bits of folded, light steel to form pauldrons for extra protection, with more additional straps of leather along them. Finally, his older, brown hunting gloves, now had hardened leather wrist guards. He thought it had been it, but then Geralt pulled his old sword from the bag as well. The faithful blade he had carried with him since he was 15, was now expertly shined and sharpened inside its brown, leather sheath.

It was the greatest set of armor that he had ever seen, and it was without a doubt, the best he'd wear for some time.

He looked up at Geralt, who was watching his speechless expression with amusement.

"Geralt I… I… thank you, I've never…" He trailed off, making the older Witcher laugh.

He gestured his hands out towards the armor laid out on his bed, "Well? Get it on, you got some work to do today. I take it you don't need my help getting dressed?"

Shaking his head, he smiled one more time at Geralt, before setting about getting the new armor on. He pulled on the trousers first, and then the boots, both of them fitting him perfectly. Next went on the armor, his red and black jacket, along with the metal and leather overtop. He was worried for a moment he would feel more weight on his shoulders, and his movements would be restricted, however to his pleasant surprise the armor was still lightweight.

"Lightweight and durable, won't restrict your movements either, the perfect kind of armor for a Witcher," Geralt said, as he pulled on the brown gloves to complete his look.

"I can barely feel it," He said with a smile, picking up his blade.

He slid part of it out of the sheath, and he was amazed by how clean, spotless and sharp it had gotten. It had been with him through all of his challenges over the last eight years, and despite the fact he knew he would eventually need to upgrade, the memories he made with the sword were unmatched. He swung it around his back, and tightly strapped it in. Looking down at his armor now, compared to just the day before, it was as if he was an entirely new person. It was lightweight as Geralt said, he moved his arms and it didn't restrain him at all. It was going to offer more protection, while still giving him the same range of motion he liked to have while fighting.

He looked back up at Geralt and noticed the Witcher's armor had been improved as well. It was polished, more refined, and the two swords hanging off his back were freshly sharpened and cleaned. The older Witcher really had gone for quite the shopping trip, and now they were both fully armored, ready for the next phase of their journey.

"Geralt… thank you, I… I don't know what-."

The white-haired Witcher shook his head, and clamped a hand on his shoulder, "No need. Like I said, it's a gift. Now… are you alright? You were thrashing when I came to get your armor earlier, muttering to yourself."

The dream of the dark dungeon came back to him. The smell of rotting flesh, blood, mold, and men screaming as they were dying. He saw Ciri get smacked to the ground by the balding man, while Witcher medallions bounced from his belt. A new set of armor was great, but the shame, the failure that coursed through him, was outweighing all material excitement. He had taunted Ciri, saying how Geralt and he would never come for her. The fact he had proved the man right was what crushed him the most, he never did come.

"Nightmare, dreaming about Ciri again," Geralt asked him slowly.

Looking down at the drawing of Ciri on his nightstand, he nodded, "She… she was stuck in some dungeon. It… it was horrible Geralt. She was beat, bruised, bleeding… and some man was behind it. I… saw him beat her, before giving her a sword and sending her to some arena."

He looked and saw the lines on Geralt's face grow darker. The yellow Witcher eyes almost seemed to go black, as a look of rage, one he had never seen so hard on his adoptive fathers face took over.

"Leo Bonhart… degenerate bastard," The older Witcher spat out, as if the mere mention of the name made him want to draw steel.

Dominik remembered Geralt mentioning the name once. He had told him, Bonhart had killed the group that Ciri had been in hiding with, and kidnapped her, despite the fact he was hired to kill her by one man and bring her to another. At the time he heard it, of course he had been angry, but they were busy trying to figure out the mystery with the Baron's family. Hearing the name now and putting it to the face of the man from his dream, it made his fists curl. He would forever remember the names Vilgefortz, and now Leo Bonhart, and if he ever saw either of the men, he would kill them.

He gently gripped up the picture of Ciri and folded it to fit into the pocket of his trousers, before taking a deep breath and looking at Geralt.

"You said he was the one to capture Ciri? After I find her… I'm going to find that man, and I'm going to kill him, him, Vilgefortz, all of them," He said in a promise.

He met Geralt's eyes and while the Witcher still had a look of anger on his face, he shook his head, "Don't gotta worry about Bonhart anymore. He's dead. Ciri killed him when I went to rescue her and Yen from Strygga Castle."

"Good," He said, his voice dripping with venom, "Ciri told him she would, and I'm glad she did."

The idea of Ciri getting her revenge made him feel slightly better. While he still wished he had been there, been the one to burst into the arena and save her, it gave him some solace she had escaped, and killed her captor. In the end he knew Ciri was more then capable, but that didn't change the fact that to him, he knew he needed to protect her. He didn't want to protect her because it was his destiny, because it was pre-ordained by any higher power. It was because he cared for her, loved her, and most importantly because he had promised.

Geralt nodded his head, and crossed his arms, "So, you still going to go see Kiera?"

Hearing Geralt talked, snapped him out of his thoughts and back to the moment, "Yeah, I'll see what she needs, shouldn't be long. What'll you do? Got all your shopping done," he said in a joke.

The older Witcher smiled but rolled his eyes, "Yeah, all done. I'm gonna stay here, rest a bit, eat, drink, see if any travelers coming through can give me any ideas on the state of Novigrad now. Never know, maybe one has heard something."

He nodded with a sigh, and looked out the window, the sun was at its apex, but he could see the rain clouds slowly rolling from the distance.

"Alright, I should get heading off before the damn rain sets in," he said, turning back to the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded in agreement, and met his eyes, "Okay, meet me back here tonight, or if it takes longer tomorrow morning, and then we'll set out for Novigrad. Please don't make me come looking for you."

He scoffed and crossed his arms, "I'm not a child Geralt, I'll be okay."

His adoptive father narrowed his eyes towards him, "I know that, not you I'm worried about. You don't know Kiera Metz like I do, she's a prickly one. Always has another plan, be careful."

"I owe her my life Geralt, besides she hasn't shown any hostility at all. I'll help her with whatever it is she needs, and be back before you know it," He said assuredly.

Geralt sighed and met his eyes again, "Sometimes you're too trusting… but alright. Get done what you need to do and meet back here. If you come up against something that's to tough for you, come back, I'll help you."

He nodded to the older Witcher with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry Geralt, I'll be alright. What could possibly go wrong?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The ride through the countryside had been surprisingly pleasant, as was his trot through the village of Midcopse yet again. He was happy to see that the man he had gotten the information from about Kiera originally, was no longer sitting on the fencepost, watching his wife do all the work. The man was helping sow fields as he passed, and quickly rushed to work even faster when he saw Dominik ride by on Clop. It made him smile that he was able to help a few people during his time in Velen, and soon hopefully, he would be rewarded by finding Ciri in Novigrad, or at least knowing exactly where she had gone.

He remembered the directions to Kiera's hut, and after trotting his way through the woods, he finally found the sorceresses hut. Carefully, he slid off the back of Clop, and tied the horses reins to the fence outside of the house. He was stroking the horses mane, when suddenly the animal bucked and neighed nervously.

"Woah easy there buddy, what's wrong," he asked the horse, before seeing what had spooked him.

From the left side of Kiera's home, a green smoke was emanated. It seeped through the windows and out into the warm air. He didn't recognize what the smoke could be coming from and wondered what the sorceress could possible be up too. Gently he stroked Clop's mane again, and his mount began to calm. The sun sparkled off the new armor, and its rays warmed his bones. He hadn't received new armor often in his years, but when he did, walking out to a contract in it for the first time, was a feeling unmatched.

"Alright… let's see what Kiera wants," He said, walking towards the door of the sorceresses hut.

Slowly he turned the lock to the door, and he could see the green smoke billowing through the woman's home. It was unchanged from the last time he visited. Herbs, plants and other magical ingredients were strewn about the walls, the smells of herbs and other mixtures pierced his nose as soon as he entered. He waved the smoke from his face, as he heard Kiera's voice from the other room.

"The rats, what did you need them for," He heard the sorceress ask, a slight tone of annoyance to her voice.

He turned to the left, towards her bedroom, and heard the voice of a ghostly specter.

"Blood rodents, better to have stuffed them with poison or crushed them into a pulp with a shovel but no…." The ghostly voice said, getting a groan from Kiera.

He walked to the left into the bedroom, and he saw Kiera, kneeling on the ground. She was tooling with what looked to be the lamp they had both retrieved from the elf's hideout. It was the source of the green smoke that had spooked his horse, and it projected the ghostly specter into her room. The man was a swirling mist of green with no real form. It sent a chill down his spine; necromancy was something that always made his skin crawl. Many times he had accepted contracts to kill a necromancer, who was amassing dead corpses for evil experiments.

"Kiera… what are you doing," he asked carefully.

The sorceress nearly jumped, and whirled around to face him, "Dominik! You gave me quite the start!"

His eyes stayed trained on the ghostly specter that had come, it waved its arms and spoke in an annoyed tone, "But nay, says the mage, "bring me rats, and healthy ones! Not something the cat dragged in!"

The hairs on his arms began to stand up, and he met the sorceresses eyes again, "That's the lamp from the hideout, right? What's this about rats?"

Kiera quickly leaned down, twirling a button on the wide of the swirling, misty lamp, and within seconds the specter, and the green smoke all disappeared.

"It's nothing important- now tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company," she asked, her voice in a sweet tone.

The image of the ghost still burned into his mind, but he shook it off and managed to meet the woman's eyes.

"Well, you said you had something you needed help with. You saved my life, I'd be splattered on the floors of that cave if not for you, so… here I am," He said, a small smile returning to his face.

Upon hearing his words, he could see a light go on in the sorceresses brain. She smiled at him, and kept eye contact, "Well, well, I'm happy to see you came. I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."

He shook his head, "I promised. Sorry I took a while, after our little adventure all the leads started to fall into place. Geralt and I finally have something solid."

"That means you know where Cirilla went," Kiera said, suddenly excited even more, "What did you learn?"

He felt himself smile as well, saying the news out loud was almost as exciting as learning it, "Well, long story short, she went to Novigrad. We have a few contacts there she may have gone to see we're setting out tomorrow."

Kiera nodded, and she seemed pleased, "Well, I must say I'm happy for you. After all these years you finally know where she's gone."

The sorceress was correct. For years he had no idea where to even begin looking for her again, and only picked up small rumors, and went to investigate sites of magical anomalies, hoping it may have been from Ciri and her powers. It was a refreshing change for him, and an exciting one to finally have someone who had seen her, and to hear she was asking after him.

He nodded and smiled at the sorceress, "Thank you… I never would've gotten to this point without you, I said I'd be grateful for anyone who helped me. So, here I am, what do you need?"

The sorceress seemed to sputter for a moment, before clearing her throat, "I… thank you, you saved my life as well. Now, the cursed isle on Lake Wyndamer- you've heard of it I'm sure?"

He knew the place Fyke Isle. A few of the peasants he had passed, while traveling through the villages had been speaking of it. The only thing he heard was that wraiths inhabit the island, and nobody should venture there. It sounded like the perfect job for a Witcher, however Geralt and he were both preoccupied.

"Yeah, heard about it once or twice, just that it's cursed and you shouldn't go," He said, crossing his arms while keeping eye contact with the sorceress.

"That's the basics of it yes, I must figure out how it came to be cursed, so that we can lift it," The sorceress said to him, her voice a mixture of desperation and annoyance.

He thought on the matter for a moment. The first thing he learned about curses in Kaer Morhen, was that they could be started from a multitude of different ways. A violent death, a plague, revenge, they could sprout out from just about anything. The most important part of lifting one, was learning exactly what was said, or done to place it in the first place.

He sighed, "You have to know at least something I can go off of. Bad plague, riots, violent deaths?"

"I've heard small scraps," Kiera began, "I know that the source of the curse is linked to the tower. The locals say the old lord of this land Vserad took refuge there when Nilfgaard invaded."

"Hardly enough reason for a curse to be placed there…" He muttered, before Kiera nodded.

"You'd be right, but that isn't it. Claims in the village are that peasants, desperate and hungry, sailed to the isle to ask for food. Met there end there, it was a massacre," The sorceress finished explaining.

He winced, and nodded his head, "Now that… is easily a way for a curse to be placed."

Kiera nodded, and met his eyes, full of desperation now, "I know. Will you help me lift the curse? I've seen what you can do, and if Geralt was the one to train you, you must be very good at these things."

It was true, he had his fair share of experience lifting curses. It was often the most common contract he'd come across while he was traveling. Any Witcher worth the gold would easily be able to break a curse as easy as this. He was glad that it ended up seeming like an easy task, he would be able to lift the curse, then be back to Geralt by dark. It had started the day before with his fight against the Fiend and continued to this day when he got his new armor. Between that, and finally learning more solid information on where Ciri went, he felt as if he could take on any contract at the moment. Nothing would harm him, kill him, he was going to find Ciri first, that was his promise.

He smiled and nodded at the sorceress, "Lifted plenty of curses before, a lot more complicated then this. I'll help you."

The sorceress breathed a sigh of relief, and met his eyes with a smile, "My young knight saves the day again. Thank you, truly, you'll need to sail to Fyke Isle."

"Easy enough, what about after that," He asked the sorceress.

She lifted her magic lamp from the ground, "Take my magic lamp with you. The spirits on the island, you must establish a rapport with them, use the lamp to make them talk. They could point you in the direction of the curses source."

He took the lamp in his hands and attached it to his belt. The directions were going to be easy enough to follow. The curse was probably cast by an angry peasant, or even the spirit of the lord himself in death.

Meeting Kiera's eyes again he smiled, "Not coming with me? We made quite the team last time," he joked.

Kiera laughed and met his eyes with a sly smile, "As much as I'd love to go on another little adventure with you, I can't. I tried to go to the isle once, thought my head would burst the curses magic was so strong."

It was his turn to laugh, "Ha, so you send me there?"

Kiera rolled her eyes, but he could tell it was good natured, "I suffered an acute nasal hemorrhage. You, you'll suffer a wobble of your medallion at most."

He laughed and held his hands up, "Hah, alright, alright. So, how does this magic lamp of your work exactly?"

"All you have to do is place it where you hear bones or echoes, and it'll do the rest. Though… I must tell you, it won't be the most pleasant experience," The sorceress warned him.

"Wasn't expecting it to be," He said quickly, his skin crawling, before looking back to the sorceress, "So, I'll more then likely encounter wraiths, and a few necrophages. Got some ingredients you can give me before I go? I'll need to make an oil, maybe get a few more bombs."

Kiera nodded with a satisfied smile, "Of course, I should have everything you need. Thank you again, as I told you before… Cirilla is a very lucky woman," She said, her voice turning slow.

He felt the hairs on his arm stick up again, as his face flustered red, "Uh… thanks, come on, let's get started. I'll head out, and hopefully be done before night."

It wasn't a problem for him, helping Kiera. After she had saved his life, and helped him find out more about Ciri, he knew he owed her at least this much. However, he was anxious to get back to Geralt and head off to Novigrad. As he began to gather the correct ingredients for specter oil, he thought about the task ahead of him. A simple contract lift the curse and return to Kiera.

After that, he would be on his way to Novigrad.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Drowners, Drowners… and more drowners, I fucking hate these things," He muttered to himself as he made his way through the outer palisade, towards the tower.

Getting to the isle had been easy enough with Kiera's help, her contacting him through a zenophox she had given him. The boat was old and creaky, but he managed to land on the isle, and make his way to the tower. It was large, but surrounded by a timber palisade, that was old, rotting and falling apart. Drowners, rotfiends and ghouls had attacked him like he expected, however he was easily able to dispatch them. He considered himself a master at cleaning and keeping his blade sharp, however whatever Geralt had done to sharpen his weapon had been phenomenal. It shopped through necrophages like it never had before.

"Place gives me the creeps… best get it over with quick," He muttered as he looked up at the large tower.

He unhooked Kiera's magic lamp from his belt, and slowly started up the steps to the towers. The doors lock had been busted off, and as soon as he stepped inside, lamp in one hand, sword in the other he gagged. The decomposing corpses in the tower were beginning to rot, and the ground was littered with rats, blood, and knocked over tables. The rats scurried about his feet, swarming to the flames, and rotting bodies like flies.

It made even more sense to him now why Kiera was so hesitant to come, with the sorceresses distaste of rats. He took a few steps forward and felt his feet kick off against something. Down on the ground below him were a selection of weapons, woodcutting axes, scythes, a sword and other sharp farming implements

"Looks like the peasants really weren't here to ask nicely," He said carefully, his head shooting up when he heard the banging sound.

It was faint, but he heard a loud bang against the walls, and his head shot upwards. Unless you had highly trained ears, like he had gained over the years it wouldn't have been heard. He would always accept any contract, but ones with ghosts like this were always a challenge. There was someone, or something else in the tower. He could only hope he had the right oil.

He approached the stairs as his skin began to crawl even more when he heard the whispers. In front of him, blocking the entrance to the next set of stairs up the tower, was a wisp of green vapor. Carefully he looked at the magic lamp hanging from his left hand and placed it down on the floor. He felt his skin crawl, as the ghosts of the men once in the tower appeared, leaning down looting any of the crates that were even slightly cut open.

"Where's that noble," One ghost demanded quickly.

"Lying here, quiet as a mouse, head split open like a pumpkin," Another one said, as they were huddled around now old bones.

His skin crawled as one laughed, "More like a peasant now, sloshing around in his own blood and shite."

"Too quick a death they gave him. Shoulda been made to suffer," The first one spat out.

"He's not the end of it. Sons can suffer for him… and the daughter, to the top," The second one said happily, as the two ghosts ran.

The peasants were starting to seem more and more like common bandits. However, he had no idea of knowing what the lord had been like. The bones that lay at his feet, he saw an old discarded signet ring around one finger and could only assume that it was indeed the bones of a nobleman. He knelt down and examined the bones and ran his hand along the skull.

He winced, and got back to his feet, "Split his skull near clean in half… a lord killed by his peasants, if he died quick, wouldn't have had time to shout a curse… gotta keep moving."

The steps creaked as he slowly walked up them to the next floor. As he climbed, he heard the banging get louder and louder. Whatever creature had been here, it perhaps could have been trapped. It was more than likely a powerful wraith, or another monster who fed off dead corpses. The ground was littered with bones however, so he didn't know if it could be that. Rats were either mangy and scurrying around or lying dead. All sorts of diseases could be caught on the island by humans, even he himself needed to be careful what he touched. His unmutated body could catch whatever sickness was in the tower easily.

He kept a firm grip on his blade as he got to the top of the second floor. It seemed to be a dining hall of sorts, a busted and knocked astray long table was the first thing he saw, along with the swirling green mists, and the whispers returning. He would need as many pieces of information as he could get if he were to find the curses source, so reluctantly he placed the lamp on the ground.

In the chairs of the long table he saw two ghost, one was an older man, speaking in a deep voice, while the other was a young woman.

"Don't start Annabelle back to your craft! Always bending my ear about peasants! I will not hear of them again," The man said sternly, letting him determine this was the lord of the lands, who's bones he had seen earlier.

Another ghost quickly ran into the lamps view, panting, "My lord! Peasants! They're through the door of the tower!"

The chilling image stopped when the lord stood up, running towards the stairs as his daughter retreated towards the top. He took in a chilling breath; the lord of the tower didn't seem like too much of a victim to him now. Evil on both sides, like the continent in its current state. He shook his head and turned, the staircase to the next floor right to his left. The banging he heard had suddenly ceased. Not hearing the noise almost made him worry as much as hearing the noise, had whatever roamed the tower finally sensed him? Was it getting ready for an attack?

He shivered and sighed, "Fucking hell… I hate ghosts."

Slowly he came to the next set of stairs, and in the green light of the lamp, he could see the projection of the young woman, Annabelle the lords daughter running. She ascended up the stairs, and he quickly followed her. After following up the steps he held out the lamp, and suddenly the specter disappeared. He looked to the ground, and along with scurrying rats, he saw dried blood. The blood stains led to a room, and slowly he went to poke his head in. He reared back holding his nose at the smell.

On the floor of the room, lay a corpse, however this one wasn't bones like the others he had seen. It still hadn't decomposed yet, as the man lay face down, dried blood on the floor next to him. He nearly jumped when the magic lamp shined into the room, and the ghost of the man suddenly appeared.

"Gold! Piles of it. Won't do the dead any good now will it! Strange its still here-the noble died some time ago…." The ghost went about digging through a chest, before turning to face him, or rather something that had stood in his place, "Who's that? Show yourself! Anyone there! Who… who are you? AAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGGGG."

The ghost was beat back, and fell onto his stomach, where he lay now. His mind suddenly went to the banging he had heard earlier in the tower. The corpse was relatively fresh, more then likely an adventurous peasant who had decided to try and seek his fortune in the lords old manor. Carefully he knelt down to examine the body. It sure enough as he guessed had died within the last few days, as no decomposition had set in yet. It was slashed across its throat, the only clue he had, and it wasn't a good one. Any beast or wraith could have done that.

"Definitely a monster on the island… may be tied to the curse, gotta keep moving," He said quietly to himself, turning back from the room.

The tower began to creak, and despite the sunlight that shone from outside, the tower seemed dark. If not for the torches he saw on the walls, he didn't know if he could have found his way without a Cat potion. Part of him was beginning to wish he had just gone straight to Novigrad, but he knew that a friend was counting on him, and that he was too far into the contract now. Now that he knew what had happened, what was going on, he needed to stop whatever beast or curse was on the island, before it harmed more people.

The next few floor he could see signs of a large group of people moving through, knocked over furniture and looted chests. He continued to follow the ghost of the lords daughter that he had found yet again with the lamp. His hand never loosened on his blade, ad he got closer and closer to the top floor, where Kiera said would be the place he was trying to reach. She had explained more to him about the mage, Alexander who studied diseases on the isle. She said if he found his lab, it would more than likely hold the clue to the curses source.

However, when he got to the top floor, all he saw was another floor for beds.

"Dominik, where are you? Have you gotten to the laboratory at the top of the tower yet," He heard the voice of Kiera say from his pocket.

His heart had nearly leapt out of his chest when he heard the bauble speak from his belt. Carefully he unhooked it from his pocket and brought it closer to his mouth to speak.

"At the top of the tower yeah… but I don't see any lab. Only rats and corpses, should I look for anything else," He asked into the small bauble.

"Then you've not reached the highest point yet. It's more than likely a secret passage, find a lever or switch in the room," Kiera said across miles, before the device went quiet.

"Okay…" He said quietly to himself, looking about the small upper floor, "If I was a passage to a secret room where would I hide."

The answer to his question, was surprisingly obvious. He walked further into the corner of the room and saw scuff marks on the floor. It was as if that part of the room would open outwards like a door, all he needed to do now was find the switch to open it.

"Secret book on the bookshelf? No to obvious… what do we-," He was cut off when he found what he was looking for.

Next to the bookshelf was a large lever, and on the wall, opposite was another. He felt his eyes roll, wondering if all mages were this flimsy with their security. The precautions Yennefer took to keep her possessions hidden were astronomical. Triss, guarded her magical objects with her life. It seemed the mage Alexander was more than flimsy with his research.

"Well… that was easy," he said, as he yanked one lever upwards, then walking to do the same with the other.

Sure enough as he predicted, he heard a door swing open. Back behind him, where he saw the scuff marks on the floor, a passage to another staircase was no available to him. Slowly, keeping the lamp steadying in one hand, his sword in the other he crept around to it. A chill got sent up his spine, when he saw the bloody handprints on the entryway, as slowly he made his way up the steps.

It was the laboratory that he found, and it almost made him throw up everything he had eaten that day. Large test tubes jutted from one corner, humans, people, more than likely peasants were inside, floating in the mucky green water. All around the smell of blood hit his nose, as surgical equipment, cages with dead, and rabid rats were all around him. Slowly he clipped the lamp back to his belt, and moved forward, both hands on its hilt. The more he saw, the sicker he felt in his stomach.

He knew that the banging had come from here, so he was being weary.

"Human test subjects? Fucking hell… no wonder the peasants weren't too happy, testing on rats and people…" He said with disgust, looking carefully at the test tubes.

The next thing he heard was a ghostly cry, and he whirled around, ready to lunge out with his blade. That was until he realized, it sounded like a young woman crying. Slowly he walked forward until he saw the mist, the green swirling vapor had the sounds of a woman crying coming from it. Slowly, he pulled the lamp from his belt and placed it on the ground.

When it projected its light, the spirit finally took form. His eyes narrowed when he realized, it was the spirit of the lords daughter. Annabelle, the one he had followed up the tower. He felt his skin almost peel off when the spirit looked up, straight at him.

"Why did you leave? You claimed to love me. I'm cold… Why has no one come for me? I cannot leave this place, I see no way out," The spirit said, its female voice full of pain, and heartbreak.

The cold draft that was present in the tower seemed to intensify, the spirits ghostly black eyes finally saw him, and this time, spoke directly to him, "Who are you? Do you seek to hurt me as well?"

He knew he needed to be careful. With all he had seen from the tower, all the lords family had been brutally killed. The daughters aura was more powerful, his medallion hummed consistently with a heavy pulse, the magic at play was strong. She wasn't like the other specters, she could see him, talk directly to him.

Slowly he sheathed his sword behind his back, and held up his hands, "It's alright I won't hurt you. I'm a Witcher, I'm here to lift the curse on the island. Who are you? The other ghosts on the island, they couldn't see me, or talk directly to me."

The specters eyes were unmoving, and unfeeling, she lifted her arms and spoke in that sad, scared voice she had been, "I'm special. Always was. The lord's daughter. A rare beauty. The lands as far as thee I could see were ours…. My family and I were meant to flee and wait out the war in the mages tower. It was not meant to be forever!"

With every word the spirit spoke, the more sorrow he felt for the poor girl. She was more then likely the biggest victim of what had happened in the tower. A young woman had been killed, because her father was an ass, the peasants were asses, and it was the innocent who suffered.

"The mage who lived in the tower… what can you tell me about him," He asked the young woman, his skin crawling, when he felt as if the people in the tubes were staring at him.

"Alexander, I hardly knew him. He spent all his time locked away in this tower. He's dead too you know! They're all dead! A mountain of corpses yet I remain all alone abandoned! They all abandoned me, even he who promised me everlasting love! You will abandon me as well," The spirit suddenly screamed, making him subconsciously take a step back.

It was a horrible way to die, he knew that. However, the more he heard, the more vengeful the spirit had sounded. Carefully he rose his hands to calm her again.

"Don't worry, if I lift the curse, you'll be free to leave the isle. Now, to do that I need to know exactly what happened. I heard the peasants sailed here to ask for food," He asked the specter, his hand twitching.

Again, the ghost of Annabelle wailed, "They came here to kill! They thought us rich, eating our fills while we laughed at their misery! The truth was we had little food as well, yet they still came! They slaughtered everyone… I heard my father cry, the mage told me to hide, and not let anyone in…. He gave me a potion. If I was discovered, I was to drink it, he said it would make everything alright."

"Do you remember anything about the potion? What color it was, what it smelled like," He asked the specter.

He saw the ghost shake her head, "I only remembered I fear to drink it."

"Didn't trust the mage?"

Again, the ghost shook her head, "In the village they claimed he meddled in disease, causing it not curing it. They said he lured rats into the tower to infect them with the Catriona!"

He felt his blood run cold. From what he saw of the mages tower so far, he knew this had to be true. The cages full of rats, the bodies in the tubes… it all made too much sense. The ghost of Annabel however shook her head.

"All rumors and gossip I'm sure… but I was horribly afraid," She said, her voice returning to one of fear, "And then I heard him… my beloved Graham. He called to me, I opened the door for him, others rushed in. They… lunged at me and… and…."

"He failed to save you…" he said, feeling his own heart begin to churn, "Why?"

Annabelle met his eyes with her unmoving black ones, "There were too many… 'Leave her be' he shouted. He grabbed at them, tried to stop them. They just laughed."

He tried to imagine himself in the situation. However, he couldn't, or didn't want too at the moment, as he kept contact with the specters unmoving eyes. He didn't want to hear more, but he needed to know the whole story. The more he heard of the young woman's story, the more he began to think that she may be the curses source. Her anger, resentment, could have led to the power that gripped the island.

"Did they hurt you," He asked the ghost, his voice carefully placed.

"They gripped my arms, tore at my dress… I managed to free myself and drink the potion, and then… nothing," She said, her head looking down now at the floor.

"Poison? Is that how you died?"

Slowly, the specter shook her head, her arms coming out wide, "No, for later I awoke. I was alone, it was dark. Only there were rats… dozens, hundreds. And I… couldn't move."

The answer to the question popped into his head, "Mage gave you a sleeping potion. A good one by the sounds of it. Puts you in a state of paralysis, it hadn't worn off yet."

"They were everywhere," The ghost started, "Crawling on me like insects, I felt them tear me open… crawl into my stomach. I was the last to die."

He felt his own insides crawl, like a thousand bugs had begun to crawl at once. The way the girl had died, slowly, painfully, it would easily have been a way for a curse to come about. He knew now partly what he had to do, but one question still kept crawling into his mind.

Carefully he met the specters unmoving eyes, "You weren't the last to die here. Found a fresh corpse in the tower."

"The islands a dangerous place," She said right away, too fast for his liking, "Folk should not venture here- I too wish to leave."

He narrowed his eyes at the ghost, "It looked like he was attacked by a monster… recently. The tower home to anything else besides specters? Does a monster hunt here? You must've noticed something."

The words he had chosen were the wrong ones, "I don't know I've noticed naught! Why do you ask!? Why must you press me so, you are to be my savior, not my tormentor!"

He could feel the sudden shift in tone, and it made his hand want to twitch for his blade even more. However, he knew he needed to know more, so carefully he held his hands up again.

"Alright… tell me how I can help you, I need to lift the curse," He carefully asked the specter.

Suddenly, as if it was a switch, her tone changed back to one of a sweet, young cursed girl.

"A curse born of hatred binds me to this place. Only love's power can hope to lift it, but… who could love a wraith," She asked with despair.

He took note of the sudden changes in her voice, and asked his next few questions carefully, "And your beloved Graham? Is he alive?"

"Graham? No, he lives. I would know if he died. But he fled, abandoned me! Left me here all alone," She said, her tone rising again.

Quickly he held his hands up again, "Well, maybe the curse can lift if you forgive him. Put aside your anger and hate. You could cleanse the isle. Who is he? A nobleman's son?"

Annabelle shook her head, "No… a poor fisherman. My father objected, strongly. He did not see us together. Oh… I miss him so. Each night I walk the island's shore to gaze upon the village. Does he remember me still?"

Hearing this made his ears prick up again, and his chest begin to pump. He narrowed his eyes towards the ghost, "You told me earlier you couldn't leave the tower… so what is it?"

The spirit tilted her head, "Did I? You must have misheard me."

"No…" He said carefully, "I don't think I did."

"I… I don't know, it's all a nightmare to me now," The specter said carefully.

He had caught the spirit in its lie. All of the pieces finally began to go together for him. His heart went out to the poor girl, it truly did. However, he had learned over the years, that specters can lie just as humans did. There was something the ghost was holding back, and he needed to figure out what it was.

Again, he chose his words carefully, "The curse of the island is focused on you. It was born from your resentment and hatred. My medallion hasn't stopped humming this whole time. You're the base of the curse, forgiving Graham, and putting that resentment to rest, it could lift it."

The specter floated about the room, ad he was careful to shift his feet to keep his eyes on her. Finally, she landed back in-front of him, "I… I loved him. I am prepared to forgive him, but I must know he regrets what he did…. Take my bones to him. He must bury them, this will be our farewell, will you do this for me?"

Her request was the final piece in the puzzle he had been putting together in his head. The first thing his Uncle Vesemir had taught him about curses, was that you should never take the bones of a spirit anywhere. Don't move them, they could tie the specter to the land of the living, and by moving them could disturb rests and cause you even more problems. Especially on a cursed isle, he knew this would be a bad idea. There was also whatever had killed the man in the tower, the ghost had not mentioned it, pretended not to know anything.

He took in a deep breath and shook his head, "I don't think so. I'm sympathetic to your story I really am… but something just isn't right."

"And what is that," The ghost asked quickly, her voice heightening.

He met the specters unmoving eyes, "You're not telling me everything. You know the isles dangerous but won't tell me about the monster who hunts here."

"There is no monster!"

Slowly he shook his head again, "You're lying. I don't know if it's to protect the monster or not. You also lied about being able to leave the tower, and taking a dead woman's bones? First thing you learn at Kaer Morhen, don't take anything from cursed islands."

The black eyes of the specter were unmoving the whole conversation, but he saw them get darker, "They say Witcher's are heartless beasts! You never wished to help me! And here I hoped someone would finally take pity on me, stupid woman I am!"

He shot back, as the specter began to transform. It grew to the size of the room, a long flowing ghostly dress, black hair going down its skeletal head as it wore a tattered green dress. It's tongue stuck from its mouth down to its chin, and he could smell the bugs, disease and other odors wreaking from it.

"Fuck me…" He said, realizing what the monster was.

It wasn't just any ordinary wraith. It was a Plague Maiden, or a Pesta. One of the rarest monsters a Witcher could face, a trivial manner really for a fully mutated one, their bodies would be able to withstand the toxins and disease it produced.

He, however, would be dead in one strike.

"You cannot kill me, you know this," The maiden hissed, spewing a green poison from its mouth.

"Shit…" He said to himself, rolling to the right, knocking over a shelf of books.

The shelf tumbled over, covering him in old books. He sprang upwards, and the spirit rushed towards him, and he was just barely able to dive out of the way again. His blade was thankfully dripping the correct oil. However, as was the case with most specters you came across as a Witcher, to fight it, you needed to force it into its corporeal form. Most Witchers would use the Yrden sigh, however that happened to be one of the signs he had practiced the least. Before he had left Kiera's home, he made the appropriate bomb.

"Thanks Uncle Vesemir…" he said, quickly reaching down to his belt.

He ignited the Moon Dust bomb, and tossed it towards the Pesta, and it exploded in the ghosts face just as she turned. It exploded in a mixture of silver and powder, making the Pesta wail so loudly he had to cover his ears. When he did look back up it was charging again. It wasn't ghostly and invisible anymore, he could see her form better, and he knew the bomb had done the trick.

The Plague Maiden screeched wilding and charged at him again, swinging her arms. He was able to just duck down under a strike, pirouetting around and slicing his blade across the Pesta's side. She screamed so loudly that he recoiled and looked up just in time as she spit poison again, he ducked an rolled to the right again and it gave the specter the opportunity to flee, floating away with great speed down the steps of the tower.

Breathing heavy, his head came back up and he sighed in annoyance. There were very few creatures that he didn't take a contract on in his years traveling the path. He had never encountered a Pesta before, but it would have been one of the ones he did turn down. As many times as Geralt told him that he was truly a Witcher despite no mutations, they would be hindering to him on contracts like this.

"Can't let her get away… fuck," He cursed, sprinting to get back down the stairs.

He could see and smell the stench of rot and disease the Pesta left in its wake. As he sprinted, he was amazed at just how quickly he could still move in the new armor he had received. His sword glinted from the sunlight that now could be seen coming through the windows, as he carefully stepped over the bones of the previous lord of the isle. As he got to the last floor, he could see the rats all swarming towards him. He pulled up to a stop and fired a blast of fire from his hands with the Igni sign, roasted all of them before bursting out the door.

The sunlight had become harsh, the bright rays burning his eyes after being inside for so long in the dank, dark tower. His head shot up however, when he heard the wailing of the Pesta. Just in time he was able to see the blast of poison coming for him. He did the only thing that came to mind, he was flashed back to running the pendulums with Ciri in Kaer Morhen. He leaped down the steps, flipping over the blast of poison. He tightened his wrist, and landed with one hand on a lower step, and using his continued momentum to leap further, and landing at the bottom of the set of stairs on his feet. He eyed the Pesta, and quickly pulled the silver dagger from his belt, tossing it towards the creature, it lodged in the Plague Maiden's chest, making it wail again, before it raised its hands, teleporting away, his dagger clanking to the ground.

"FUCK," He yelled, walking over to retrieve his dagger with a relieved sigh.

He looked down, and noticed no new spots on his armor, the creature hadn't managed to touch him. It would have disappointed him highly if his new armor was ruined the day, he got it. It was highly disappointing however that the creature got away, but he did know what it said was correct. He couldn't kill the Pesta, the only way to rid the isle of it, lay the spirit of Annabelle to rest and make the Isle and surrounding area safe again, was going to be to lift the curse.

"Dominik," The voice of Kiera rang through the zenophox, quickly he pulled it out and the sorceress continued, "Are you alright? I heard the commotion, what did you find?"

He sighed and held the bauble to his mouth, "I found the source of the curse. The spirit of the Lords daughter Annabelle, she turned into a Pesta, had to fight it."

"A Pesta!? Dominik you must be careful. A mutated Witcher can survive a claw or two, but one hit from that thing will kill you," The sorceress shouted to him.

"Your concern is very flattering," He said in a joke into the bauble.

He could practically hear the sorceress roll her eyes, "Well to be honest I've grown quite fond of you in the last few days. Anyhow, do you know how to break the curse?"

"Yeah, gotta find the spirits lover from when she was alive, fisherman named Graham, need his help to lift the curse," He said, managing a smile at the sorceresses words.

"I know the man; a fisherman lives in Oreton. Take the boat and head south from the Isle, his home should be right on the docks," The sorceress told him.

He nodded, and sheathed his sword to his back, "Got it, should only take me another hour or two, see you soon."

The sun was still in the sky, but he could see that it would soon begin its descent. For a moment he contemplated going to get Geralt for help, however he knew he had precious little time. He would need to get the man Graham here before nightfall, if he didn't then the Islands creatures would possibly be too many for him to defend the man against.

The sun would soon set, and it would also mean he would be due to meet Geralt back at the inn at Crow's Perch as well. So, he took off in a run towards where he landed his boat, ready to complete his contract, like he always swore to do.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was easy enough for him to find the man's home. The first house he came up on, he saw a peasant slamming on the man's door, begging him to come out. However, Graham had shunned him away, just as he climbed out of his boat. The sun was still in the air, and the salty smell of caught fish, and the sea air blew through his brown hair. He came up on the door and knocked on it to start.

"Hello, anyone home," he yelled as he finished knocking.

The reaction from the man was instant, "Are you deaf dammit!? I told-…. Who are you?"

"Names Dominik… I've been to Fyke Isle, know all about what happened there," he said slowly, and the man became silent.

For a moment he didn't think that the man was going to open the door. He was proved wrong however, when slowly Graham revealed himself by opening the door. The fisherman was as tall as he, slicked back black hair connecting to a beard, only seeming to be a few years older them himself. Graham tilted his head, and he followed the man inside, closing the door behind him after making sure they weren't followed. It was a simple fisherman's hut, rods, nets and other fishing implements hung along the walls, with salted trout hanging from hooks. The man turned around, meeting his eyes.

"Who are you, and what is it you want from me," He asked, his tone carefully apprehensive.

"Dominik of Cintra," He started, giving the man a nod, "I'm a Witcher, investigating the curse on Fyke Isle…. I'm here to talk to you about Annabelle."

Upon the mention of his former lover, the man's head fell, "Annabelle? What could you possibly know about her?"

He scoffed and met the man's eyes, "I met her on the isle, talked to her… well to her ghost."

The man shook his head, "Aye… she's dead. Drank poison, and I… I couldn't save her."

Upon hearing the man's words, the image of Ciri appeared in his mind. He had said those words multiple times himself; he knew the feeling of letting down those you loved all too well.

He sighed and met the man's eyes again, "Listen, I want to help you, and Annabelle. I want the curse to be lifted and I can do it, but first you need to tell me everything that happened on Fyke Isle, from start to finish."

Graham's eyes grew wide, but he slowly nodded, "Well a few of the boys from the village gathered up some men. Rough, tough types, wanted to sail to the Isle, take back what was ours from the noble."

"And did they force you to go with them?"

The fisherman shook his head, "No, I… I saw my chance in it. A chance for me and Annabelle to flee. But… it all turned to chaos. The boys from the village started killing everyone, Annabelle they wanted to rape," The man turned and looked at a mural in the corner of his home.

It was a desk, with candles illuminating the picture of a young woman he assumed was Annabelle. Flowers and a silk, red blanket sat on the desk below it. He sighed, the man was truly and utterly in love, he could tell from the shrine. And from the way he spoke of her, the tone of his voice, the sorry he spoke with when talking about her in peril.

It was the same way he spoke when he spoke about Ciri.

"Twere then she drank the poison," The man continued, his head falling down between his legs, "Mage must've gave it to her. I ran from the tower, screaming and hollering, cursing them all to hell… don't force me to speak about it please."

Hearing what the man said made his ears perk up, it was the perfect opportunity for a curse to take place.

"Listen, I need to know exactly what you were saying as you fled. If you were cursing them, it could be important," He explained to the man.

His head poked up to meet the young Witcher's eyes again, "I… I don't remember exactly. I…I wanted them to pay, pay for what they'd done to her!"

He nodded in understanding, "That has to be it. Your words might've cursed them, Fyke Isle is a magical hotspot. Passion, evil intent and strong emotions can trigger it, cause curses. Your words that day could be the curses source."

"She… she drank the poison, took it because of them," The man said, his voice resonating with anger.

"It wasn't poison Annabelle drank," he said, making the man's head shoot up, "It was a strong sleeping potion, induces a sleep so deep that it makes someone appear dead. Mage gave it to her, wanted to convince everyone she was dead."

Graham slowly got to his feet now, meeting the younger Witchers eyes, "But you… you said you spoke to her ghost?"

Slowly he nodded his head, not wanting to tell the man what happened, but knowing it was necessary.

"I did… she still died, but not from poison. She awoke eventually, but still in a paralyzed state from the potion… in a tower of cold corpses and rats. She… she was warm meat, the rats they… ate her alive," He said slowly, and the man couldn't take it.

Graham turned from him, and his voice was shaky as he spoke again, "Alive… the whole time? But she… she was cold as a corpse all the way through. I screamed, begged her to open her eyes, I… I didn't think-."

"It wasn't your fault Graham, you didn't know it wasn't poison she drank," He reasoned with the man.

As he spoke, he realized how much like Geralt he sounded. It was often he would lament how he failed Ciri to his adoptive father, and every time, Geralt would tell him there was nothing he could have done. And no matter if he was right, it never made Dominik feel any better.

So, it came as no shock to him when his words hadn't helped Graham, "If only I had stayed behind to bury her! I failed her, I should have stayed, done something else. Do you have any idea what its like!? To love someone so much, and to let them down to such an extent!?"

The words of the man cut into his chest like a hot knife through butter.

His eyes narrowed at the man, "I know how that feels better then you'll ever understand. I know how much it hurts, thinking you could have done something more, done something to make the outcome different."

Graham scoffed, "Bah, then you know that it's my fault. If I had known she was alive, things would've been different!"

The words that Faram had spoken to him a few nights prior rang through his head again.

He shook his head at Graham, "Maybe you're right. Maybe you could've done something, maybe not. Either way though, it's in the past. What happened in the past you can't control, and the longer you let it eat at you, the longer you'll suffer over things you can't change. What you CAN control, is the future. And in your case, you can STILL help Annabelle."

The man digested his words for a moment, before turning back to him, "You… you say I can help her? You said her ghost was in the tower can… can I see her?"

He bit the bottom of his lip and nodded, "Yes but… there's something you should know. In death, Annabelle turned into a Pesta. A Plague Maiden. Powerful wraith born of grief and hatred, with the power to sow disease and death."

The fisherman's eyes went wide, and he spoke with desperation now, "Well how am I to help her? Gods know I'm willing."

He nodded to the man, "A curse has imprisoned Annabelle and all the other spirits on the island. Love… it can shatter its power, free her and them."

"Just like in the tales," Graham said with his eyes wide.

Again, he nodded to the man, "Yeah, just like the tales. But I need to warn you, the kiss has to be from someone who's love is true."

"I love her, with all my heart I told you! Take me to her, I must help her, save her," The man begged him.

He managed a smile. The feeling of wanting to do anything to save and protect that one person you love was something he understood all too well, "Alright, we'll head out now, but I need to warn you first. The Isle is dangerous now, the Pesta is dangerous, there's risks involved, are you sure you want to do this?"

With a new look of determination on his face, Graham nodded, "Aye, I'm ready. I'm no coward, I won't run this time."

"Good… come on, let's get moving," he said, gesturing for the man to follow.

It was his hope that he could protect the man. He knew the sting of losing loved ones all too well and losing the one you were in love with. When he agreed to help Kiera with her favor, he didn't expect it to turn into one of his most deadly contracts. One that saw him facing a monster very few Witchers had faced, one that could kill him within seconds. However, he was glad now that he did it.

And only hoped he could bring some peace to a shattered couple.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"This… this is it right," Graham asked carefully.

Getting back to the isle and the top of the tower had been easy enough. The sun still being up, just barely starting its descent had made it easy to navigate. A group of wraiths had attacked him on the first floor, but after Graham had hid, it was easy for him to dispel them with a combination of bombs and his blade oils. Graham had been hesitant, but followed his up the tower, explaining more about what had happened as they ascended. They had just gotten to the bottom of the steps, that would lead up to the mages laboratory, when he paused to turn to the man, his sword still in one hand. He carefully sheathed it onto his back, not wanting to scare off the Pesta when they did climb.

"It is… before we go up, I need to tell you something," he said to the man meeting his eyes.

Graham met his eyes and he sighed with worry, "When we get up there… if you go to kiss that thing, get to close to it... if it decides to attack… I won't be able to get to you to save you in time. Are you still sure you want to do this?"

For a moment, the mans' head fell to the ground, before he looked back up meeting Dominik's eyes with his own, "You told me you knew how I felt. How it feels to fail one that you love, right?"

"Yes…" He said slowly, as Graham nodded again.

"Would you… would you die for her? For your woman," The fisherman asked him.

The answer escaped his lips without him even needing to think, "Yes… a hundred times over if need be."

"Aye… and so would I… thank you, for giving me the chance," The man said to him, and he felt his blood run faster through his body.

He would die a hundred times over for Ciri. If it was possible for him to take her gifts, for him to have been born with Elder Blood, so people would stop trying to chase her, catch her, so she could live a normal life… he would. It made him feel even better he agreed to accept the job, knowing now that he was helping a man save his love.

And soon after, he would save his own.

"You're welcome… come on, let's go do this," he said, turning to slowly walk back up the steps.

Carefully, with Graham following at his heels. He could smell the Plague Maiden before he even got to the top step. The light from the outside was now non-existent, and all he could see was the green smoke billowing from above. The steps creaked as he climbed, and when he finally got to the top, he slowly pushed the door open, and he heard the wailing of the Pesta.

Graham followed closely behind him, and he saw the beast when he finally turned to the rest of the room. It had a wound across its abdomen, and a hole in its stomach, from where his weapons had hit her. The poor man looked at the specter, his mouth falling agape, his bottom jaw shaking.

"You have not forgotten. You've returned to me," The ghost said, her voice full of bitterness and resentment.

Graham turned to him again, "I…Is…Is that-."

"It's me Annabelle," The Pesta roared, drawing Graham's attention again, "Don't you recognize me!? The one you abandoned!"

He felt his hand twitch, ready to go for his sword again, but Graham didn't remove his gaze from the Pesta.

"Annabelle, I-I was sure you were dead. If I'd known otherwise. I'd have never left you. I'd do anything for you, I would! You know that as well. Believe me I beg you," The man said loudly, his voice nearly breaking.

A long moment of silence overcame the two, as the Pesta floated in front of them. Finally, the ghostly voice of Annabelle spoke once more.

"Prove it… kiss me," The specter said, her voice suddenly calmed.

"Graham… be careful," he said quickly, as the fisherman looked back to him.

Graham had a look on his face he had on his own multiple times. The look you gave when you were ready to do anything for a person. He nodded to the younger Witcher, locking eyes with him.

"Thank you… and I hope you save your love as well…" The man said, before turning back to the Pesta.

He knew he couldn't stop the man anymore. Graham walked up to the Plague Maiden and drew close to her. It was a touching moment he knew, but he had to turn around when the ghost long wet tongue wrapped around the mans hand, and face as they kissed.

Ciri wouldn't be a Plague Maiden when he found her, he knew that much. However, he hoped that the two of them could embrace still, have the same type of connection that Graham and Annabelle had at the moment. He watched as the ghostly wraith, transformed into a beautiful young woman, and for a few moments, her and Graham kissed. The swallow pendant around his neck began to tremble and he gripped it in his hand, thinking of Ciri.

A black smoke emanated from Annabelle, and it engulfed the two of them. Graham let out a sharp breath, before falling slowly to the ground, his eyes open, his chest unmoving. He felt his stomach begin to churn, the man didn't deserve to die… but at least if he had too, he had done it in the embrace of the one he loved. He could only hope he would be as lucky in the future.

"Finally…" The spirit of Annabelle, now a beautiful young woman instead of a beastly Pesta said, over the body of Graham, before disappearing in a huff of black smoke.

He sighed disappointedly and knelt over next to the body of the man. Carefully, he reached his hand down, and closed the man's eyes. With a deep breath he fell back onto his backside, sitting on the floor of the laboratory. His eyes stayed trained on Graham's body, before he looked down at the silver swallow around his neck, carefully taking it into his hands.

"Soon…" he said quietly, before getting to his feet, taking a last look at Graham's body, "Curse if lifted… Graham and Annabelle are reunited… should get back to Kiera."

He had completed his contract and helped two people in love reunite. Soon hopefully it would be his turn.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"What could she possibly want with these…" He said, examining the package one last time as he climbed off Clop's back.

A whirlwind of things had happened when he returned from Fyke Isle. Kiera had thanks him with a hug, also reveling at the fact he was still alive. It had made him feel slightly better, with him still being upset Graham had to die. He was beginning to feel like he had made a true friend in Kiera Metz, the sorceress thanked him with access to any of the ingredients she had in her hut, before asking him for one more favor.

The sorceress had apparently ordered a package from Novigrad, and it was late to be delivered. She was worried it had gotten lost and asked for his help in retrieving it. The sun had been just about to set when he left, so he agreed since he had time. Also, because he felt he still slightly owed the sorceress for all she'd done for him. Besides, she had also been becoming a friend, and when a friend needed his help, he tried to do everything he could to assist them.

It was an easy enough process for him to find the merchants cart that had been ran off the road by monsters. After fighting a fiend, Pesta, wraiths and other monsters the last few days, dispatching the drowners that had been responsible was a trivial task. He had searched the wreckage of the wagon, expecting to find magical herbs, amulets, or other things of a magical nature that Kiera needed to use for jobs. The last thing he expected was for his medallion to stay silent, and the package to contain wines, meats, and incense, all things of a non-magical nature.

Carefully he walked into Kiera's home, the package in his hands. When he saw the sorceress in her room, she was flipping through a large book, muttering words to herself in elder speech. He knocked on the side of the wall and she nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned back to him.

"Dominik, you need to stop scaring me like that," She said, removing her hand from her neck.

He scoffed a laugh and placed the package on the table next to him, "You know… if you wanted me to help you with your grocery shopping you could've just asked. Was expecting a magic amulet, special herbs, something that may blow up but… not a lick of magic. What're you up to?"

The sorceress smiled at him suggestively, and it made the hairs on his arm stand up, "Well… as a thank you, I'd rather show you. But first you must wait a bit."

"I don't know…" He said, looking out the window, the sun just starting to go down behind the mountains, "I'm due back to meet Geralt, we're leaving for Novigrad in the morning."

Kiera rolled her eyes and slowly walked over to him, placing a hand on his arm, "Oh come now. You're a grown man, Geralt can wait a little longer. Besides, I need to thank you somehow, please stay, it won't take me very long."

He bit the bottom of his lip and looked out the window once more. Geralt had told him to meet back at the latest the next morning. After they set out for Novigrad, he more than likely wouldn't have the chance to come back for a while. It wouldn't bring him much disappointment to finally be out of Velen, but he would be upset to not see his new friend in Kiera again. With a sigh he smiled at the sorceress, she had after all helped him in his most important goal.

"Why not, I got a little bit more time. So, what is it you're trying to do," He asked the woman.

Kiera smiled at him again, her lips curled into a smirk, "You'll have to be patient. Go wait outside, as I said I won't be long."

He managed a laughed and held his hands up, "Alright, alright, see you in a bit."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I wonder if Ciri named any new horses Kelpie, or Clip, what do you think," he asked the white horse as he brushed down his mane.

Clop neighed and blinked his eyes at him a few times, and it made Dominik roll his eyes, "You're right… she probably has a few more things to worry about then horse names."

He realized that he had been talking to his horse again and sighed. Geralt said that he himself would often talk to Roach on his travels, seeing as the mare was his only company at times. It had been two years since he had acquired his current mount, the previous one being lost to him after what happened in Rivia. He had felt a strange connection to the animal, after finding him out alone in the wilds, wondering alone, malnourished with a wound in its side from fighting off wolves. He managed to nurse the horse back to health, and before he knew it, Clop had become his constant companion through the last few years. If he told anyone else, they would've assumed he was crazy, but he could almost understand the horse, and he felt the beast could understand him as well.

"You've been patient, thank you, we're almost ready," The voice of Kiera said, making him turn around.

The sun had finally set, and the moon was rising, between it and the light from the nearby torches he saw what the sorceress was gesturing too. By her feet, three white mice ran by, past him in front of her home.

He awkwardly narrowed his eyes at the mice, "White mice? If I wanted to see those, I would've went and got drunk with Geralt."

Kiera rolled her eyes and held up her hands, "Note how I said almost ready, now watch this."

The woman raised her hands, and white smoke began to billow from them. Clop from next to him neighed and reared at the sight. Kiera shouted words in elder speech and raised her hands higher. Suddenly, the smoke enveloped the three mice, and after another moment, in their place, stood two large white horses, saddled and rearing. Upon suddenly seeing the horses, poor Clop shot back, nearly falling over.

He looked between the horses and Kiera, "Okay… white horses. Already have one… I don't get it."

Kiera kept smiling at him, but managed a friendly eye roll, "Tell me, do you remember the tale of cinderella?"

Scoffing he nodded his head, "Ha know it like the back of my hand, it was my little sisters favorite story when we were younger. Liked it myself to, until Geralt told me the story it was based off of. Zeugl cropped up at a palace pool and ate Princess Cendrella whole. Left behind one slipper and-."

"Please, no more about Zeugls," She said quickly, cutting him off, "Back to the fairy tale- I want to escape this ghastly swamp for one, magical night. I don't need a fairy godmother, I'll cast the spells myself."

He felt himself laugh, "Ha, Bella used to ask to reenact it all the time. The amount of tea parties I had to sit through with her and my mother…."

At the time when he was younger, he had detested it when they happened, but in that moment, he would have traded almost anything for one more time like that with his sister.

Kiera smiled at him, locking eyes as she began to smirk, "Then you already know how to play the part. One thing I could use is a prince charming, and other then the fact you may be the only suitable candidate in Velen… I wish to thank you for helping me and saving my life. So what do you say to a moonlight ride on horseback, and dinner?"

The hairs on his arms began to prick up again and felt a swirling in his stomach. His face began to go slightly redder, but he did managed to laugh and meet Kiera's eyes again.

"Kiera, I'm a Witcher, not a gigolo. Also, I don't know if I can be out the whole night, I got to plan what to do when we get-."

Kiera rolled her eyes, "Oh come now, I don't want to shag you in the bushes. I only wish to share a pleasant evening. I'm sure women ask you all the time."

"You'd actually be surprised," he said with a nervous laugh, before sighing, "Alright, why not, pretty hungry and thirsty after the day anyway."

A look of satisfaction crossed the sorceresses face, "Excellent, I feel truly honored… just one more thing before we go."

"Gonna transform a pumpkin into a carriage? That was one thing my sister could never manage," He said with an amused tone.

The sorceress rolled her eyes but kept a playful smile, "No… I shall transform our dull rags into something more suitable. Fear not, you won't lose the fancy new armor you've acquired, the spell will wear off in the morning."

He shrugged his shoulders, "Why not, as long as the damn thing fits me. What could possibly go wrong?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Excellent work, you'd make a fantastic jockey," Kiera joked, the mug of wine in her hand.

The race to where the dinner Kiera set was quick, and he easily won on the transformed horse. It was a nice, candlelight dinner that had been set out for them. He had no idea how Kiera was able to set the table before they had left, seeing as she didn't have the ingredients she needed, but he chalked it up to being a spell. The outfit that his armor had been transformed into, was surprisingly lightweight and not chaffing anywhere on him. He eagerly drank the Cintran ale, that he had a feeling Kiera had set out just for him. The sorceress herself was wearing a beautiful, although revealing red and blue dress.

As he sat there, drinking from his mug, the alcohol pleasantly heating up his throat, he was glad he had come. After all that he had gone through in the last few weeks, traveling, and completing all the quests he had in Velen, it was nice to have such a sophisticated dinner. He hadn't had one in almost eleven years, since he attended balls in Cintra with his father and Ciri.

He laughed and met Kiera's eyes across the table, "Ha, I think I would. However, as you know being a Witcher is a lifelong commitment."

Kiera nodded, sipping from her cup, "I had been meaning to ask you about that. It's well known how Cirilla ended up in Geralt's custody, the Law of Surprise and all that, but you… how did you come to be a Witcher?"

He sighed and took another long drink of ale. Normally he had been hesitant to share his past with people, however he had grown fond of the sorceress, considering her a good friend.

After placing down his cup he met her eyes again, "Long story short… Ciri and I escaped Cintra together."

"So you're saying you knew her growing up there? How so," She asked after he had spoken.  
He looked down at the swallow pendant still dangling from his neck, "Well my father, my family has been captain of Cintra's royal guards for centuries. My father was Queen Calanthe's guard captain… I met Ciri when we were 11, at some ball the queen was holding."

Kiera tilted her head and looked inquisitively at him, "And you ended up falling in love, how romantic. So, after the city was attacked you escape together?"

"Yeah, we escaped and traveled around for about a month, until Geralt found us," He said, taking another drink from his ale.

"And he took you along as well, and not just Ciri," She asked him.

He scoffed and put the cup down, "Oh yeah. I promised Ciri that I would protect her, the same way my father protected her grandmother. Told Geralt, anywhere Ciri went, he'd have to take me as well. Thankfully he didn't protest. Took Ciri and I to Kaer Morhen, trained us there together well… until she left for Aretuza."

The sorceress held her hand up, "I know the basics of what happened after, you needn't continue. You see now why I needed those… substances? It seems like you needed this as well."

Laughing he leaned back in his chair, "Ha, you're actually right about that. Still, you could've just told me what was going on."

Kiera rolled her eyes and kept her eyes locked with his, "If I had asked you to go get my groceries from the woods infested with monsters so I could make dinner, what would you have said?"

Rolling his eyes he scoffed, "I would've said okay still. You're my friend Kiera, I seldom make them nowadays, I like to help them out when I do."

His words seemed to make the sorceress stumble her own words for a moment, which was odd for her, but quickly she regained her composure, "T… thank you I appreciate it, truly. I wished to thank you again, for saving me when we explored the mages hideout, and for your help in the tower. It was dangerous for you, lifting this particular curse, you were brilliant."

He laughed nervously as he felt his chest thump faster, "Ha, not exactly the first curse I've lifted. Wasn't hard after finding the source."

The sorceress scoffed, "Ha, ever so modest. It surely had to be amongst the most difficult, one claw from a Pesta could have killed you. What happened there… I shudder at the thought. And the laboratory… I sincerely hope you burned everything- the cages, the corpses, the papers…"

At the sorceresses words, he suddenly remembered something Geralt had told him multiple times after he mentioned he met the woman. _She's a prickly one, be careful. _Carefully he met the woman's eyes again. He didn't want to doubt anything about her intentions, but he also wanted to be careful. It came back to him, how she had spoken highly of the mage in the tower, hearing her say now how his research should be burned, it rubbed him the wrong way.

"I didn't burn anything… if that's what you wanted to ask," He said carefully, keeping his eyes on the woman.

She nodded her voice keeping a steady tone, "If those findings were to fall into the wrong hands…. Although Fyke Isle has a terrible reputation, perhaps there's nothing to worry about."

"Yeah…. I don't think anyone is going to be going back anytime soon," he said, pouring himself more of the Cintran ale.

Kiera nodded and the smiled at him again, this time he could see the suggestiveness to the gesture, "Yes… such a gloomy subject to bring up, I apologize. I shouldn't have brough it up, not during our… romantic dinner."

At hearing the words, he almost didn't realize his mug was full. He felt his chest beat faster, his stomach all in knots. Nervously he laughed, bringing the mug to his lips.

"Haha… romantic," he asked nervously, "I thought we were just here as friends?"

"Friends yes… with benefits. So…" She said slowly.

At the time of hearing the words, he had been in the middle of drinking more of the ale from his mug. After hearing what the sorceress had offered, he coughed, the frothy brown alcohol coming up and spewing out his mouth onto the table in front of him. It went down the wrong pipe of his throat and for a minute he felt himself coughing, and he looked up finally to see Kiera looking at him with amusement in his eyes.

"My, I must say, that's not the reaction I normally get. The idea of sleeping with me make you that sick," She said, a tone of obvious amusement in her voice.

"No, no, no it's not that I swear," He said between coughs, taking another drink to clear his throat, before looking back at the sorceress, "It's just you see, I… I haven't, I've never…."

The sorceress scoffed and looked at him with a gleam in her eyes, "You're a virgin? You, a handsome, young Witcher, who's surely saved multiple, grateful young ladies… has never had sex?"

He took a deep settling breath, the coughs finally stopping him, before he looked back up at the woman, his face still red, "Well, I… I've had opportunities, woman have… have offered but I… I'm waiting."

"Waiting for what, a normal man would kill to be in your shoes I'm sure," She said, leaning back with her wine, looking at him with amusement.

"For… for it to be someone that I love, truly love," He said, trying to look down, not wanting to meet the sorceresses eyes.

Kiera seemed to digest his words for a moment, before taking another sip from her wine and looking at him again, "So you mean to tell me… you're really waiting for Ciri?"

The idea that his first ever time being with a woman would be Ciri, was something that he very rarely thought about. Growing up at Kaer Morhen he was always too young to think about it, however around the time the two of them turned 14, and actually began to give it some thought, he just always assumed it would be her. He had decided that he would only ever be with a woman who he truly loved, and Ciri was the only one who he ever truly, did fall in love with. In his current situation that was of course the very last thing on his mind when it came to Ciri.

However, when it did come to the topic of his first time with a woman did arise, he always knew it would be Ciri, if she wanted to as well, it was never going to be anyone else.

He managed a shaky sigh, but composed himself, "She… she's the only one that I've ever loved so… so yes, if she decides she wants to… then yes, but that's on the very bottom of my list of concerns at the moment."

Kiera Metz stared at him for a few moments, before letting out a disappointed sigh, "I must say… I truly have never met a man like you, Dominik of Cintra. Very well. I know you must get back to Geralt but, before you go rushing off, would you at least lay and watch the stars with me?"

With a sigh of relief he nodded and met the sorceresses eyes, "Yeah… why not. That, I will do."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I can't believe I fucking fell for this, Geralt's never going to let me hear the end of it," He muttered to himself, as he approached the wooden palisade around the tower.

Kiera had duped him. After his new friend had offered to lay on the beach to watch stars, she then proceeded to put him to sleep with a spell, and he woke up the next morning, nearly being killed by a drowner. It hadn't taken him long to realize where the sorceress had gone, he had seen the way to Fyke Isle clear as day, and right away set out to figure out the true reason she had sent him to the tower, to cleanse the curse. Feeling his anger raise, he looked up and saw the light on the top floor of the tower lit, the window of the laboratory.

His armor had finally returned to him, the illusion finally wearing off. He had a slight headache from the spell that had sent him into a dreamless sleep. So, when he saw the door open, and Kiera emerge, papers sticking out of her bag, he waited for her at the bottom of the steps, arms crossed, meeting her eyes as soon as she stepped down.

"So Cinderella… find what you were looking for in the tower," He said slowly, his voice dripping with anger.

Kiera to her credit wasn't fazed by his tone, she stood in front of him, hands on her hips, "Yes thank you. How about you, sleep well?"

"Got a bad headache," he growled, not looking away from the sorceresses eyes, "You used me."

The sorceress rolled her eyes and took a few steps past him, "I assume that you've inherited Geralt's painstakingly annoying sense of honor and humanity. If I told you what I had intended, you would have tried to stop me."

"Aha, and what exactly is it you're trying to do? What do you want those papers for," he asked in an annoyed tone, keeping his eye on her movements.

Kiera scoffed and kept her eyes locked with him, "I'm continuing the honorable work of a man whose life was cut short."

"The honorable work of keeping human test subjects," he said right away, his tone rising.

Still the sorceress wasn't deterred, "Alexander was studying the Catriona plague. I shall use his notes to produce medication, perhaps a cure… or at least a vaccine."

The annoyance in him rose, "Geralt warned me you were prickly, image obsessed. I'm guessing that you want to produce medication just for the good of the people is that it? Strictly humanitarian motives!?"

Scoffing again the sorceress took another few steps from him before turning back, "No, strictly selfish ones…. The mighty would pay willingly for such a remedy. Can you imagine how much? Take Radovid for instance. Why, he might even consider forgiving my past associations with the lodge."

He felt himself laugh. It was Geralt who had told him about Radovid. The mad king of Redania, who had been the one to order the burning of any magic users, along with alchemists, dopplers, and soon nonhumans would be next. In his travels before Yennefer had found him, he heard horror stories about Witch Hunters dragging people suspected of being mages from their homes, burning them at the stake in front of hundreds of cheering people.

He took a few steps closer to her and shook his head, "You know as well as I do Radovid isn't interested in medicine, especially if it comes from a known sorceress of the lodge. Geralt told me what he did to Phillipa Eilhart, and I've heard of what he orders done to even alchemists. You'll get yourself killed Kiera!"

Indignantly the sorceress shook her head, "He'll make an exception for me, He had to, I have something that he wants!"

"Please, you don't believe that, you can't," he said, crossing his arms again.

Kiera looked down for a moment, before turning back to him with an angry look, "You somehow believe that Cirilla hasn't been with anyone else, anyone at all since you've last seen her. You don't see me laughing. I'm going to Radovid to tell him of this research, whether you like it or not!"

The words made his anger flare up even more. He was tempted to let the woman go on her suicide mission. If she tried to cross the Pontar and find Radovid she would surely end up tied to a stake, burning for the enjoyment of screaming crowds in Novigrad. Despite the fact she had tried to use him however, he knew that he wouldn't want to leave anyone to that fate.

He pushed aside his anger and shook his head at her again, "Kiera I can't let you do that. It's suicide. You'll end up tied to a stake in Novigrad, burned to boost morale. Despite the fact you used me, lied to me, but… I still wouldn't let anyone suffer that fate."

The sorceress shook her head, but he could see the disappointment, the desperation building up inside of her, "Shut up a moment and look at me!"

She held out the arm of her dress and running along it he could see small black insects, not uncommon in Velen.

"Bed bugs Dominik! I, Kiera Metz, former advisor to Foltest, member of the lodge of sorceresses… have bed bugs! While I… I do appreciate your concern, and the fact you haven't tried to kill me yet, I won't stay in the swamp, not a moment longer," She said with a shake of her head, before looking out over the lake, "I will cross the Pontar, Radovid's men will find me. Don't you see, I must parley!"

He felt himself sigh once again. He was speaking truthfully when he said, he truly didn't wish for the woman to die. It angered him that he was being used, but after hearing why he understood. She had never had to grow up the way he did, or the way most people did. It would have driven him crazy too if he was stuck alone in a swamp after spending more than likely almost a hundred years in a castle. Geralt had been right about the woman, she was image obsessed and prickly, looking out for mainly herself.

However, she had still saved his life. She had helped him find more information on Ciri. He had found new strength in himself, to defeat the Pesta, and slay Nithral, thanks to his quests with Kiera Metz. Through it all, he still considered the sorceress his friend.

"I got another option for you… go to Kaer Morhen," he said to the sorceress, making her raise her eyebrows.

He didn't know if he had the same influence at the Witcher keep that Geralt did. However, he had to believe that his Uncle Vesemir would take his word and let Kiera stay there. The group had let sorceresses stay before like Triss, and Geralt had sent his friend Letho of Gullet to the keep as well. If Vesemir, Lambert and Eskel could deal with Letho there, he had to assume they could deal with Kiera.

"You believe that I would be safe there, when was the last time you were even at the keep," She asked him, her tone softening.

"Eight years… but they'll still trust me, I know it. Long as you don't piss Lambert off, you'll be fine. Tell them Geralt and I sent you, won't find much luxury there, but you'll be safe. Radovid, Nilfgaard, they won't be able to get to you," He promised the sorceress.

She took a few steps towards the lake again, contemplating her options, before turning back to him, her eyes looking up at him with thanks, "It's a long way, well beyond the dividing line. But if I keep to the woods until I reach the Kestrel Mountains, I should pass through undetected."

He smiled, and sighed in relief, and Kiera laughed at him.

"So be it, seems I find it hard to refuse you handsome. I… also wanted to thank you again, for what you've done to help me," She said carefully, losing her words for a moment.

A laugh managed to escape him as he met her eyes again, "Ha, it's like I said, we're friends. I help my friends whenever I can, do whatever I can. So I'll see you at Kaer Morhen? Sheets are free of bedbugs… at least mine were."

The sorceress laughed, and looked up at him with a soft smile, "I yearn to be there already… thank you Dominik. And… I truly hope you find your Cirilla, and when you do, she realizes just how lucky she is."

He felt his face get hot again as he laughed, rubbing the back of his head, as the sun beat down on his neck, "Thank you Kiera… for everything."

She nodded, leaning up and planting a kiss on the young Witchers cheek. It brought a small smile to his face, as she gestured for him to follow.

"Come now, the least I can do it teleport you back to your horse, I'm sure Geralt will soon send out a search party," She said with a joke.

He felt his eyes roll, "That's an understatement. Thank you."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Clop had seemed to sense his urgency, and speed along the path back to the inn by Crow's Perch. He was satisfied that he was able to help Kiera, but now he was ready to focus back on the main task at hand. It was finally time for Geralt and he to leave Velen. They had figured out everything they needed to figure out, completed every quest and contract they had needed. They knew that Ciri was heading for Novigrad, and that was now where they would be heading. The free city, the largest city on the continent, looking for one woman.

He saw Roach still tied to the stables outside, and breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that Geralt hadn't gone out searching for him. Quickly, he tied Clop's reins next to Geralt's mare and rushed inside the inn. It wasn't crowded thankfully, and he was able to spot Geralt's swords, as he sat at a table in the back. He walked over, and once his adoptive father saw him, he shot to his feet, meeting his eyes.

"Dom, where the hell have you been, I almost went out looking," He said, as the younger Witcher got to the table.

"Long story…" He said, sitting down, and picking up a mug Geralt ordered and downing what turned out to be cold water.

Geralt looked down at him suspiciously, and slowly sat back down. When he looked up from the mug, Geralt's yellow Witcher eyes were trained on him. He felt his eyes go wide when he heard Geralt smell the air around him.

"Why do you…" Geralt started, sniffing the air again, "Smell like incense, and mulled wine?"

"I hate Witcher senses…" He muttered to himself, tearing a large piece of bread off a loaf and biting into it.

Geralt smirked at him, leaning back in his chair, "I'm guessing you'll tell me on the way?"

"Yes…" He said, embarrassed, "So, are we all set to leave? Learn anything about Novigrad from the travelers here?"

Geralt leaned forward on the table between them, nodding his head, "Yeah, got fresh supplies, made a few potions and bombs, we can set out now. As for news… well more of the same. Temple Guard is cracking down even harder, arresting and burning anyone they suspect of being a mage, or even associated with one."

He remembered how Yennefer had told them Triss Merigold was their contact inside the city. The thought that someone had captured her made his blood run to ice. Triss had been like the older sibling he never had experienced having. He thought that she was only there for Ciri back when she spent time at Kaer Morhen, but the sorceress always made time for him as well. No matter what it was, help with learning how to better read or write, cooking, picking out a way to apologize to Ciri when the two had fights, sitting with him in his room, helping him fall back to sleep after nightmares of Cintra haunted him… the sorceress had always been there for him.

And all of that was before she had saved his life in Rivia.

"I hope Triss is okay… and that Ciri stayed out of sight," He said, meeting Geralt's eyes.

The older Witcher nodded, "So do I…. Now, when we're in Novigrad, you're going to need to take the lead in conversations, help talk to people more. Me, and Triss when we find her, people may be more hesitant to give information too us."

He nodded again in understanding, and Geralt smiled at him.

"Before we head out… I know I've said this before, but I'm really proud of how much you've grown," His adoptive father said with a smile.

He laughed nervously, feeling his heart grow, "Thanks Geralt… it's thanks to you training me."

Geralt shrugged his shoulders, "That certainly helped, but I don't just mean in terms of combat. As a person, you've grown from the time we set out. When we first arrived, you were temperamental, lashing out… but now it's different. You're controlling your emotions, being smarter with your words. You've accomplished a lot."

He smiled again, knowing that the Witcher was right. Thinking back, when they first arrived, he had lost his temper far too many times. With the emperor, the Crones, all had almost led the two of them to not being able to get the information they needed. Thankfully for once in his life, things were turning out in his favor.

"It means a lot coming from you… but I don't want to talk about what we've accomplished. Not until we find Ciri," he said, looking up to meet the older Witchers eyes.

"Don't worry," Geralt said reassuringly, "We're getting closer, I can tell. It was never going to be easy, but we've made progress."

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah… it's like finding a needle in a very large haystack… but I won't stop until we find her. I HAVE to, I'm going too."

Geralt nodded sagely, "We will, don't worry. People linked by destiny always find each other, and the three of us? We've been linked since the very beginning."

People linked by destiny always find each other. It was the same saying he had heard over and over throughout the years, the phrase that kept him going. If what his father had told him all those years ago was true, then he and Ciri were truly linked. Destiny had determined the two of them would meet, and as his mother promised him, do great things.

However, he didn't give a damn now whether they were truly bound together by destiny or not. He was going to find her because it was his promise to her. To always find each other, to always try and get to one another. That was the promise they both had made all those years ago in the cave. He had tried to keep his promise for the last eight years by himself. Now however he had help, his family, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, Faram, and all of the friends he had made up to this point, was to help him in his goal of keeping that promise.

He reached down and picked up the mug he had been drinking from again, "To Ciri and Yennefer," he said with a smile, holding the cup up to Geralt.

Geralt smiled, grabbing up a mug of his own, "To Ciri and Yennefer."

The two Witchers drank, before a surge of adrenaline and hope ran through his body. He slammed the mug back down onto the table below, and stood up from the stool, meeting Geralt's eyes.

"Alright Geralt, it's time…. To Novigrad!"

**A/N: So, after a long, grueling treck through Velen Dominik and Geralt are finally ready to set out for Novigrad. We'll get to see the famous sorceress Triss Merigold, along with favorites such as Djikstra, Dandelion, Zoltan and Priscilla. How do you think Dominik is going to get along with all of them? What are you looking forward to the most in Novigrad? What did you think of this chapter? What about the dreams, flashbacks and stories about the old times? Let me know what you all thought!**

**Thank you all so much for the support, I truly thought I wouldn't get to Novigrad, and I'd get bogged down in Velen. I considered splitting this up into two chapters, but in the end, decided I wanted the Novigrad arc to start with a nice solid round number in chapter 20.**

**Getting to Novigrad excites me, because as we know, it means we are getting closer and closer to finally reuniting with Ciri, and figuring out what happened to her. After Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, the game really picks up in pace, so I'm excited for that! **

**I do want to say, I know that in the books that is not exactly how Ciri got her sword. She still got the sword from Leo Bonhart, but I am aware it wasn't exactly that scenario. I thought the dream I came up with would simply be a good way for Dominik to learn more about what Ciri went through.**

**Finally, I want to give an armor and weapons update for both Dominik and Geralt. **

**Geralt, is still wearing his default armor, the Kaer Morhen armor, with a Witchers steel and silver longsword. **

**Dominik is now wearing the Superior Wolven Witcher armor and using his trusty Witcher steel sword he received at Kaer Morhen. Along with that he has his trusty silver dagger, and a huge arsenal of bombs and oils. I know it's a little early for superior armor, but it will be the armor he wears for a while, so I thought it was okay. **

**Believe it or not, I actually have chapters already written halfway through Novigrad, all the way to about chapter 27. I'm not releasing them all at once, so just in-case I can't write for a few days I still have something to post. I can tell you all things start to get intense in Novigrad and I am so excited for you all to see. As he gets closer to finding Ciri… we'll Dominik get more and more desperate and anxious… can't wait to show it.**

**Thank you all again for reading, please, please leave a review to tell me what you thought. All the kind reviews you guys have been leaving really keep me going, please let me know what you think of this chapter as well. I'll see you all next time for the Pyres of Novigrad!**


	20. The Pyres of Novigrad

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 20: The Pyres of Novigrad**

**Narrator: After a hard journey through the harsh, swampy region of Velen, Dominik and Geralt finally discovered where Ciri had gone. The young woman had gone to the free City of Novigrad. However, finding one woman in the largest city in the world was no easy task. The two Witchers were going to need help. So, after entering the free city of Novigrad, Dominik and Geralt sought out an old friend… Triss Merigold.**

"It's changed so much… and it's only been a month," He muttered to Geralt, narrowly avoiding a man running through the streets, his arms full with a chest.

The free city of Novigrad, wasn't only the largest city in the world. It also happened to be one of the most dangerous for anyone with an even slightly magical, or mutant tendency. Geralt walked next to him, a cloak over his head, despite the sun being out. The hot rays gleamed off his armor, and he continuously had to dodge people rushing in the streets. He had of course been in the city a few times during his traveling years, and as recently as a month ago. He had normally traveled there after going to visit Dandelion in Oxenfurt. The bard would always take him to the inn and buy him a drink, insisting to hear all about the new adventures he had been on.

The man was insistent that he could make Dominik as well known as Geralt, if only he gave him permission to write songs. However, he had no interest in fame, and until he either died, or found Ciri he didn't want any ballads written about him.

The city smelled of slush, sewage and salt, however it did have a certain beauty to it. It was a bit of a refreshing change for him to be surrounded by stone walls, and so many people after being in Velen, and small villages for so long. As much as he wished to stop and admire the scenery, he knew they needed to focus on the task at hand. Triss had apparently owned a shop and home in Hierarch Square, so that was where they were heading.

He sighed in disappointment as he passed another large group of Witch Hunters.

"Geralt… how the hell are we going to find Ciri in the middle of all this," He asked, as his boots sloshed through water passed the fish market.

Geralt carefully maneuvered around a man and looked over at him as they reached the cobblestone streets.

"More people means more eyes. We'll manage, even if Triss hasn't seen Ciri she'll help us find a way to someone who might have, or can help us more," He explained as he saw a road sign, telling him they were approaching Hierarch Square.

He felt himself biting his lip as they walked. Triss Merigold was very dear to him, however he knew that she had been that and then some to Geralt. He was consciously avoiding the topic, not wanting to bring up old wounds, but he knew as early as a few months prior, Triss and he had been together.

"Geralt…" he said carefully, making the older Witcher turn to him, "How… how are you feeling? You know, about seeing Triss again?"

Never in his life had he seen Geralt of Rivia flustered until that moment. The older Witcher sighed, and he could see the worry on the Witchers face. His adoptive father shook his head and looked back to him.

"Honestly, I don't know. We… parted on good terms but… I don't know what it'll be like. That's not important though, what is, is finding out what happened to Ciri here," Geralt said, his tone making it clear he didn't want to talk about it more.

Finally, the two Witchers approached Hierarch Square. He moved his feet a little but faster when he smelled smoke. Quickly he turned the corner when he saw the black smoke beginning to billow out from around the square. Geralt followed closely behind him, the hood of his cloak falling down to reveal his white hair. Clanking in his armor he saw the enormous group of people that had gathered and pushed his way through to see what the commotion was, trying to find the source of the smoke.

He felt his skin crawl, and his mouth fall agape when it all finally came into view.

In the middle of the square, were two large wooden pyres. Two people were tied to them, one a woman and the other a man. Witch Hunters and the Temple Guard surrounded them, braziers of burning fire between the two of them. People were everywhere to watch the spectacle, hanging off roofs, poking their heads out windows. Children, elves, dwarves the elderly all were there to witness the burning. The whole scene made his stomach begin to churn, knowing that if Triss had been discovered in the city, she would suffer the same fate.

He pushed his way through a crowd of people, Geralt following closely behind him, trying to get closer to the front, when he heard the loud booming voice, of the one man in the middle of the two pyres a torch in hand.

"No evil will survive the flame of the Holy Fire," He yelled, tossing the torch onto the bottom of one pyre.

Attached at the top of the pyre was a beaten, bloody blonde woman, who as soon as the flames reached her feet began to scream. The screams he knew were going to haunt his mind for some time to come. He managed to push past enough people to make it to the front of the crowd, as he looked on in horror, the flames engulfing the woman whole. It engulfed her clothes as she screamed and struggled against the bonds, but it was no use. Soon she screamed now more, as the wood around her quickly caught flame, and finally she was engulfed in the torrent of fire.

He saw Geralt come up next to him, his face contorted in rage.

The man in the middle, held his hands raised above the brazier of fire, as he lit another torch. He was a heavier, balding man with a scar running down past his right eye. He heard of the man before, Caleb Menge, captain of the Temple Guard of Novigrad. The man was in charge when he was last in the city, and he was hearing rumors of his madness then, but was finally seeing it on full display.

However, he wondered if it would be considered madness, because all the people of the square cheered.

"No evil shall survive the Holy Fire! The Holy Fire enlightens, burns and cleanses," Menge screamed as he walked his torch to the mans pyre.

"Holy Fire, enlighten, burn cleanse," The people of the crowd all yelled.

He had never been so horrified with a group of people in his entire life. The sight was too much for him to bare, he had to turn away as Menge tossed the flames onto the mans pyre. The man screamed for mercy, begging the good folk to come and untie him, screaming he only wanted to live amongst them. The words made him turn back around, and he saw that the man was indeed not a man. His skin began to melt off, as he slowly transformed back into what he truly was.

The man had been a doppler.

His hands balled into fists, and he went to go take a step forward. However, Geralt had caught his shoulder with a strong hand. He turned back and Geralt slowly shook his head, indicating there was nothing that he could do. Feeling his heart fall to the pit of his stomach he took a step backwards, next to Geralt, his hand still curled into fists. If he hadn't been wearing his gauntlets, his fingernails may have caused him to bleed. Eventually the doppler stopped screaming, and he noticed Menge look towards Geralt and he, before smirking and walking away from the burning pyres.

The crowd soon started to disperse, and he felt a cold draft penetrate his armor and run down his body. He knew that true evil existed in the world, he had seen it multiple times himself. During the massacre at Cintra, he had seen people burn, his neighbors, dogs, horses buildings, everything had been burned to the ground. However, nothing chilled his bones like he just saw.

He heard Geralt sigh behind him, "I sure hope Dudu didn't meet the same fate."

His head shot around to Geralt at the mention of their old doppler friend, "Dudu is here?"

Geralt nodded, "Last I heard he was setting up shop here… you seen him the last few years?"

Their old doppler merchant friend had indeed helped him on a few occasions throughout his travels. It had been about a few years since Dominik had last seen the doppler. It was always nice to see the merchant, Dominik always made it a point to ask about Geralt when he did see him, until Rivia occurred and he thought his adoptive father was dead. Ciri and he had both always been fond of him, and he wondered if perhaps Dudu could have been one of the people to help Ciri in Novigrad. However, after seeing what happened to the last doppler, it also wouldn't surprise him if Dudu had gone into hiding.

He nodded towards Geralt, "A few times, but not for a bit. Geralt… how… how did we end up like this?"

The older Witcher narrowed his eyes, "Like what?"

He scoffed and looked up to meet his yellow eyes, "The continent…. You have Radovid in the north, he's a madman who burns innocent people at the stake but… he's the only one holding back the other evil in the south, the Black Ones."

Geralt sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, "The northern kingdoms weren't always this bad. Vizimir, Radovid's father was a good ruler. Foltest, when he was alive was a decent man. But… sometimes things change. Things that are out of our control, evil men may be on both sides of the continent, and there's nothing we can about it right now."

Sighing he looked down at the cobblestones, "It's not fair Geralt. The people, what do they have to choose between? An evil madman to the north, and another evil madman to the south… it's just not fair that people have to choose."

Geralt shook his head, crossing his arms now, "They don't have too. What have I always taught you? Evil is evil, lesser, greater, middling…"

"It's all the same…" he finished, "If you're forced to choose between one evil or another… then you don't have to choose at all."

"Good," Geralt said with a small smile on his face, "Come on, Triss's place is close. Let's forget about who rules where right now. We got a job to do remember?"

"I could never forget," he said with a nod, as the two Witchers turned to walk from the square.

Geralt's words about evil were something that he always carried with him. Evil in the world could take many forms, men, monsters, ideas, but in the end, an evil was an evil. The evil he was focused on now however, was the Wild Hunt. He would be able to put aside his anger, hatred for Radovid, monsters, even the Black Ones, if it meant getting closer to his main goal. Reuniting himself with Ciri was what was important, protecting her at all costs was what he was going to do.

And it didn't matter what evil was standing in his way.

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"This is the place…" Geralt said carefully, as he slowly pushed open the gate.

Triss's shop was behind a large oaken gate. Carefully he followed behind Geralt, as the older Witcher pushed open the door, and he carefully followed inside. Upon seeing the outside of the building, he felt his gut boil up with anger. Outside of her store, Triss's belongings had been strewn about, multiple books, old trinkets and other items had been looted and tossed around her front yard. Two men stood, rummaging through boxes, with ragged clothes and masks over their faces.

He looked over to Geralt, whose face was similarly twisted with anger.

"HEY," He screamed, walking up towards the two men.

They both turned around right away. One was wearing a yellow top with a hood, while the other had stringy black hair, they both looked at him, and the one in yellow met his eyes as he approached.

"Hey! Sod off! We're looting here," he shouted at them, his voice deep and gravely.

He could feel his green eyes flaring up with anger, he crossed his arms and kept eye contact with both of them, "This place belongs to a good friend of mine. I suggest you leave… now."

His voice hadn't felt so angry since he spoke with the Crones a few days before. To the credit of the two men, the yellow one laughed and looked at him again, "HA, this is some sorceress bitches shop. We'll take what we want!"

"Bad choice of words…" he said, unfolding his arms, feeling his hands ball into fists.

Before he could lunge, he heard Geralt walk up behind him, his face in a similar look of anger, "Here's what's gonna happen, I'm going to count to three. By the time I get there, you had better be gone, or the two of us will beat the ever-living piss out of you. 1…2…"

"HA, you hear that, he thinks he can scare us off," The one in yellow said to his friend.

"Three," Dominik said slowly, before lunging forward and swinging his right hand across the face of the man wearing yellow.

The fight began as Geralt lunged out at the other man. He quickly moved his head back, as the man he fought tried to swing with his right. Taking his opportunity, he grabbed the mans arm and brought his knee up into his gut. The knee made the man keel over, and he took the opportunity again to punch across his face. He had put as much force into the punch as he could, his anger finally boiling over. Bringing his leg back, he kicked the man in the stomach, making him roll back over onto his back.

Turning to his left he could see that Geralt had knocked the other man down as well. The man swung wildly, and Geralt quickly grabbed the mas arm as well, and brought his other arms around to punch him in the side of the head, knocking him over with ease.

He made a gesture pretending to dust off his gloves, "If you're going to go looting, you should at least learn to protect yourselves better."

"Ah! Nah… please no more, please," The man in yellow begged as they both rose from the ground slowly, new bruises on their faces.

"Where's the sorceress who lived here," Geralt demanded, crossing over his arms.

Both looters seemed to sigh in relief, as the one in yellow spoke for them again, "Probably off hiding like the rest of them."

"Not the answer I wanted," Dominik said, taking a step closer to the man, making him recoil, "Tell me who may know more, unless you want a broken arm."

Quickly the man in yellow recoiled again, and his partner finally spoke up, "I'd look for her in the Putrid Grove! Please, no more!"

He smiled, slightly satisfied with himself as Geralt spoke up next, "Putrid Grove? Need more then a name, tell us where we can find it."

Anywhere that was named the Putrid Grove had to be a dangerous place he was sure. It wasn't exactly the first place he had hoped Triss would be forced to hide. After the display he had seen in the square, he was more and more anxious to find the sorceress again.

"I wouldn't know. Rumor has it, the place is for freaks and oddities," The one looter said again, his voice small, and meek.

Dominik sighed in annoyance and stepped forward between the two again, "That doesn't help me boys. Tell. Us. Where."

His tone seemed to sufficiently scared the two men, and the one with a yellow top spoke up again, "We don't know honest! But if I were you, I'd ask a beggar. Or, find yourself a thief and follow him. Thieves and beggars gotta pay tribute to the King of Beggars, and they do so in the Grove."

Geralt scoffed, "You mean to tell me the beggars got a king? Does he wear a robe, carry a scepter?"

The one looters eyes grew deathly afraid, even more so then when he had stepped forward, he shook his head, "I wouldn't scoff mate. King of Beggars is a moniker, for a man everyone in Novigrad, deeply respects."

"Aye, even Menge himself doesn't go to the Grove," The second man said with his voice just as meek.

He felt himself sigh again, any man who was a self-proclaimed 'King' he knew could be trouble. Also, it didn't give him any extra hope that the thieves of Novigrad respected the man. He knew that if Triss had really gone to this Putrid Grove, it would have been only out of desperation. It made him realize just how desperate the situation was getting for the mages in Novigrad. It was all too important for them to find Triss quickly now, not only to see if she can help them find Ciri, but to save their friend as well from any Witch Hunters who may be on her tail.

"Someone mention my name. Wonder why," A voice came from behind them.

He whirled around with Geralt, his hand going instinctively for his sword, but Geralt quickly moved his arm back upon seeing who it was. Menge and two of his Temple Guard had come into the courtyard of Triss's old shop. Clunking over in their armor, the two guards quickly flanked the two looters, while Menge stared at Geralt and he as he walked passed them.

He felt his hand itching to go to his blade again, but he saw Geralt slowly shake his head, as he pointed to himself. It was a clear indicator to him, that he wanted Dominik to sit back, and let himself do the talking. Quickly Menge had the two looters arrested, and he could almost hear the joy in the mans voice as he sentenced two more people to be executed. After his guards carried off the two looters, Menge gave a maniacal smile, and sat down on the large crate the two had almost looted.

"Did you know a bat can sniff out a moth a mile away," he said in a calm tone, looking up at the two of them.

He could see the deforming scar cut across Menge's eye and down his lip. As the man smiled, the scar only made him look like even more of a madman. In his eyes, Dominik could see fire, fire and screaming magical folk. It was a similar look that he saw in the eyes of the Emperor of Nilfgaard, and other evil men he had met over his life.

"What do you want from us," Geralt said to him, not even entertaining the mans question.

"I ask the questions Witchers…" he said, standing up from the crate, and meeting their eyes, "And as a bat sense a moth, I can sense freaks. And I start by warning them- Novigrad is no place for your kind."

"Geralt hasn't done anything wrong, you have nothing on him," He said, unable to keep himself quiet.

Menge turned to face him, and he could see the fire light up in the mans eyes again, "Aye… him and you both. Don't know how you got mixed up with this freak young man, but the both of you… you will slip up. Nothing I can do to you now, but when you do slip up… when you make a mistake… I will know it. And when I do, it will be the same standard procedure… same as every other magical oddity in the city… be seeing you both."

Menge kept eye contact with the both of them, before walking away from the courtyard, towards where his guards had gone. After the man was finally out of sight, he felt his hand ball up into a fist again. A horrible image ran through his head, of Menge and his guards discovering Triss, Yennefer, or even Ciri, an dragging them onto a pyre to be burned. Menge was a plague on the city, and more importantly, he threatened the ones he cared most about.

He wasn't going to let it go unforgotten.

"I'm going to kill that man before we leave…" He said darkly, as Geralt turned back to him.

Geralt nodded at him, "You may just get that chance… don't think we've seen the last of him."

He sighed and managed to uncurl his fists, running a hand through his messy brown hair, "Geralt, we need to find Triss. After what he just said, and what I saw in the square… I'll feel better when we do."

The older Witcher quickly nodded in agreement, "We do yeah… come on, let's go find this Putrid Grove."

He owed Triss Merigold his life. The moment she had come for him, blasting back the group of men that had been attacking him with a blast of fire was something that burned into his mind. He lay dying in the alley they had cornered him into, a massive sword wound running across his chest shoulder to hip was seeping his blood onto the cold stones. She had screamed his name and rushed to heal him as best she could. The last thing he remembered seeing when he had blacked out that day, was Triss's fiery red hair, as he muttered Geralt and Yennefer's name.

After he had finally awoke, she was still by his side, she had teleported them both away from the town as she applied medicine to his wounds. He hadn't been very grateful then, all he could do was cry, wail, completely crushed that he had now lost Geralt and Yennefer as well. He thought the two of them had died, thinking that he hated them, was still angry with them. During all of this, on top of the fact now, he had lost two more parents in his life that he felt he could've done more to save… he had never gotten the chance to properly thank Triss Merigold properly. He had parted ways with her a few days later, and not seen her since.

Now, she was in trouble in that city. And it was his turn to finally repay the favor.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I can't believe that all actually worked…" He muttered as they approached the secret entrance.

It had been relatively easy for them to figure out the location of the Putrid Grove. As the two navigated Hierarch Square, the two happened upon a particularly curious beggar. The deranged and forgetful man had asked them for alms, and when Geralt asked him about the Putrid Grove, he said to come back and ask again later. So, out of curiosity to see if he was forgetful as he said, Geralt asked him the same question again a few minutes later. Together they learned the password, and the exact location to the entrance of the Grove itself. Navigating the streets of Novigrad was becoming more and more difficult however, as it seemed every minute, more and more Witch Hunters, and soldiers began to flood the city.

If they were only a few weeks behind Ciri, he had to hope she didn't get caught up in any business with the Witch Hunters.

Geralt nodded to him and knocked onto the door of the Grove. It was silent for a moment, until the small window at the top of the door slid open. A man, with a burly black mustache poked his head into view, taking in the sight of the two Witchers.

"Aye… who are you and what do you want," He asked the two of them quickly.

"Take a look, what do you see," Geralt asked the man.

He saw the balding man narrow his eyes, "Yellow eyes… pair of swords… mutated killer it seems. But you," He said, his eyes turning to Dominik, "You don't seem like anything out of the ordinary."

"Farthest thing from it… believe me. Done, and seen much more then you would ever be able to comprehend, and I bet I'm half the age. We heard this was a meeting spot for oddities," He said, his voice growing slightly dark.

The man seemed to respect his words, but still looked back to Geralt and he, "Heard right you did then… but only those who know the password get in for free. Anyone else… gotta pay for the Grove's upkeep."

He looked over and saw Geralt meet his eyes. The password the beggar had given them seemed so ridiculous, that it couldn't possibly work. However, he shrugged his shoulders at the older Witcher, knowing that if it didn't work, they did have the coin to pay, despite them not exactly wanting to spend it.

Geralt cleared his throat and met the mans eyes, "Old sow's farrowed… piglets."

He waited for the man to laugh in Geralt's face, however the opposite happened. The bushy mustached man nodded, "Ah… welcome then brothers."

The door swung open, and he followed Geralt inside. He didn't understand why they called it the Putrid Grove after he saw the inside. Multiple people, men in cloaks, elves, dwarves, halflings and all sorts of people were wondering about. Some people had set up shops, selling herbs, fish, weapons, he even saw one man giving a tattoo to a man in a chair. It seemed to be the most normal place in all of Novigrad to him. He assumed that whoever ran the operation, this 'King of Beggars', gave it the name on purpose to throw people off its trail.

Carefully he followed behind Geralt. As they walked further down the street, he saw people handing out food in a makeshift kitchen, and passed closer by the man giving tattoos, and realized it was a man using magic, and a bottle of ink. A small idea creeped into the back of his head, as Geralt and he approached a house at the end of the street. It stood above the rest and seemed to be the only real home in the Grove. It was safe to assume that if a 'King' amongst the beggars existed, this would be where he lived.

He climbed up the steps to the building, and Geralt turned around to him, "I'll go talk to this 'King of Beggars' you stay out here, keep an eye out for anyone who tries to follow."

"Got it, this place… doesn't seem half bad," he said optimistically.

Geralt grunted, "Never judge a place until you see the people inhabiting it… be back in a minute."

After Geralt entered the building, he leaned against the railing outside, keeping his eyes peeled on the street out before him. As he looked closer, he saw what Geralt had been talking about. He could see people, bumping into others, trying to grab at coin purses, people getting into small arguments over the price of goods. However, despite his best efforts to pay attention to everyone else, all he could focus on was the mage, that was sitting at his small stand, giving a man a tattoo.

He looked down at his inner forearm and lifted up the sleeve of his armor, before looking down at the swallow around his neck. Back when he was growing up in Cintra, his father had exactly three tattoos, and he could remember them vividly. They weren't large, they weren't flashy, not like the ones some people on the streets had got. It was only three simple words on his inner forearm. Sofia, Dominik, and Bella all in a row down his arm. The names of he, his mother, and his younger sister. A time came when he asked his father why he got the tattoos.

His father had smiled at him, _"So when I'm away in battle, if I ever feel like giving up, losing hope, I will have a constant reminder of who I was fighting for."_

He felt himself look down at his pendant again, before slowly running his hand over his forearm. A reminder. A reminder of who he was fighting for.

Pulling down his sleeve, he made his way over to the mage, who had just finished the man who was sitting on his chair. The mage himself was a small, petite man with long shoulder length blonde hair, wearing a feathered cap and elegant outfit. He looked like he belonged in anywhere except, the Putrid Grove. However, when he saw Dominik approach, he gestured welcomingly to him, speaking in a booming voice.

"Welcome, welcome young man! Saw you eyeing my services from a mile away! Now, what is it I can do for you? First time," He asked the young Witcher eagerly.

He almost chuckled, assuming that with being a mage, and working in the Putrid Grove, he was eager for business. Carefully he slid the sleeve of his armor up, to reveal his inner forearm.

"First time yeah… you sure these things last, known some people before who's faded after a while," he asked the man.

The man scoffed and gestured for him to sit in the stool he had next to a large chest of his. The chest was filled with different colored dyes, rags and other magical baubles that he would never know what they did. Carefully he sat down, and the man pulled another stool in front of him from behind his chest.

"Fear not my good man! My work can only be taken off with the strongest of magical spells. Now, what can I do for you? Something big, something small," he asked, clearly eager to get his business.

He felt himself laugh as he held up his hands, "Alright, first off how much is this going to cost me? And how quick will it be done? I'm a little pressed for time."

"Well my good man it all depends. If it's something smaller, my I dare say it will only take a minute or so. I charge a base rate of 30 crowns, plus any tip you'd like to give," he said, his face desperate, as he could see blue magic swirling from his hands.

Nodding he took in a deep breath, pulling a pouch of coins from his belt and dumping some into his hands. He took in a deep sigh and dropped them into the mans hand.

"Fifty since you have a good sales pitch. Something small, first time you see, right here," He said, holding out his inner forearm to the man.

The mage almost salivated at the sight of so many coins. Quickly, be dropped the money into his large open chest, and reached around behind where he was sitting. Carefully he set a small table next to his right side and pulled up Dominik's arms sleeve. He saw what the man was trying to do and held his now exposed inner forearm out over the table. The man looked, muttered some words in Elder speech and reached into his chest, pulling out different vials of ink, and dyes. He pulled his stool next to Dominik's chair where his arm was and met the young Witcher's eyes.

"You will NOT regret it good sir! Now, tell me what are you having done today? Remember, you must be extremely specific, I need a clear image of what I am implanting, if it's words please give me the correct spelling," he said, his hands looking eager to get to work.

He thought again for a moment, looking at his now bare inner forearm. His slightly tanned skin seemed barren, and he tried to imagine what he would want. However, after thinking back to his father, and feeling the swallow pendant against his chest, he knew the answer.

He pointed to the exact spots on his arms, "Here… going down, the names, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss… and Ciri. Below that… just a swallow, the names in black, the swallow in color."

After this he gave the man the exact spelling of the names, and eagerly the man nodded again, "Ahhh perfect! You shan't be disappointed. Now, brace yourself, you're going to feel a pinching for the duration, but as I said, it will only take me a minute or so."

He nodded to the man and leaned back in the chair. In the stories of old battles his father used to tell him, he would speak about how the tattoo he got on his inner forearm was a promise, as well as a reminder. A reminder of who he was fighting for back at home, and a promise that he would return to them. As he listened to the man speak words in elder speech, blue light balling in his hands, he made the silent promise to himself as well. He had let down his first family, his mother, his father, and Bella had all perished, and it haunted him to that day. Only a few weeks prior, he thought his second family, Geralt, and Yennefer dead, and Ciri, the one woman he had ever come to love, lost to him for good.

The tattoo now was more then just a piece of art on his skin. It was his new promise a new promise to reunite his new family… and protect them with everything he had.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The mage who had given him the tattoo had been right. The pinching he felt in his arm while the spell took effect had been irritating and he had a sore feeling running through his right arm, but the result had been worth it. He looked amazed at his arm as he walked back towards the house Geralt had entered. True to his word the mage had only taken around two minutes to complete the work of art. He looked as going downwards in a row, written in elegant letters, were the four names. Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, and Triss. Below that, was a perfectly made, drawing of a swallow, a black body, with a white and red beak. It wasn't too large to overtake most of the space on his arm, but big enough for him to see the elegant details.

"Now I really won't forget… I'm coming for you…" He said with a smile crossing his face as he heard the doors of the building swing open.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the two people exit.

"Got some things I need to do around town…" He heard her voice say.

"Be happy to tag along, but first," he heard Geralt say, before the older Witcher met his eyes with a smile, "Think there's someone you'll want to see."

He watched as Triss Merigold turned around, and her eyes widened when she saw him. Her eyes were green, like his, only a lighter color, closer to the color of foliage and not emeralds like Ciri and he. A sob had escaped his mouth before he could stop it, as a giant smile formed on the sorceresses face.

In that moment he remembered when he had first met Triss Merigold. It had been back when Ciri and he were only twelve years old, their first year of training at Kaer Morhen. Ciri and he had been out running the gauntlet together, and the snows had been particularly bad that day. He was on Ciri's trail as he normally was when they went out, but he vividly remembered when she slipped on a patch of ice covering a branch and fell down onto the path below. He screamed her name and chased after where she had been. When he had finally caught up with her, Ciri had been on the road, talking with a traveler that had found her. That traveler was Triss Merigold.

At first, he rushed to Ciri's side, brandishing his smaller sword, demanding to know who the woman was. Triss had talked him down and told them both how she was a friend of Geralt's, and their adopted father had written to her, asking her to come to Kaer Morhen. The mention that Geralt had sent for her, calmed the Ciri and he right away, and all three of them returned to the keep.

That had been the start of a whirlwind of events. Triss had figured out that Ciri was a source, a very powerful one at that, not only a powerful source, but a child of the Elder Blood. He remembered how confused he had been, when for a few months afterwards, Triss had started to help Ciri with the more… womanly attributes of her growing up. On multiple occasions he had tried to help Ciri with problems like these, but always had to call on Triss.

He would never forget the morning, Ciri had come to the breakfast hall in a dress with Triss. She had told him and the other Witchers that she was 'indisposed' and couldn't train that day. He remembered almost choking on his breakfast. In a failing effort he tried to get Vesemir to let him stay in with Ciri that day, but it was a lost cause, and for the first time he had to train alone during the day. For the first month or so, he had started to resent Triss's presence, thinking that she had been taking away all of Ciri's time, and now he wasn't getting the chance to spend as much time with her.

However that changed, when one day Ciri had gotten angry with him. It had been a stupid fight, he had tried to tell Ciri something she had gotten wrong with her footwork when they were sparring. It had been just recently after they had turned thirteen, found their cave and told each other they loved one another for the first time. Ciri didn't talk to him for a full day, and despite his best efforts to apologize she wasn't budging. Finally Triss had come to him, asking him what was wrong. After he had explained the situation she laughed, and said that Ciri was just on edge, and claimed she would help him.

She did help him, she went with him to pick flowers in the woods outside Kaer Morhen, and he ended up giving them to Ciri as a gift. The younger girl had forgiven him and apologized as well. That had been the start of a long relationship with Triss Merigold for him, one he was grateful for to that day.

For the rest of her time in Kaer Morhen, and the trip to Ellander, she had been there for him. She comforted him at night when he had nightmares, casting protective charms over him to prevent him from having more. She had given him advice on how to be a good partner for Ciri. She was there to comfort him after Ciri had gone to the Temple of Melitele in Ellander.

And most importantly she had saved his life two years ago, so he didn't hesitate and ran into the sorceress with a hug.

"Hey Triss…" He said in a sob, trying not to let tears fall as he held his head over the sorceresses shoulder.

"Dominik…" She said breathlessly, pulling back and looking at him with a smile, "Look how much you've grown… you're finally as tall as me," She said in a joke.

He managed to laugh, as he finally pulled back, not letting go of her hands, "It's only been two years," he said with a smile.

Her red hair had loose strands over her face as she laughed, "Even in those two years… look how big you've gotten… how handsome. You're not the little boy I had to protect from nightmares in Kaer Morhen anymore."

Again he managed a laugh as he smiled widely at the sorceress. He knew that as a mage she wouldn't age, not for a long time. However, she seemed older to him, more mature. Still she was a beautiful young sorceress, her red hair tied back behind her head in two buns, wearing a yellow and green top with brown trousers and boots.

He sighed with content as he looked at her again, finally letting go of her hands, "It's so good to see you again Triss… after everything that's happened the last few weeks… it's so, so good to see you."

The sorceress took a moment to smile, and brush a hand along his cheek, before stepping back to look at Geralt and he, "And I'm glad to see the both of you… I really am."

He smiled and looked over to Geralt, who he could tell was pleased to hear the words. Looking over he met the sorceresses green eyes again.

"Triss we… we went to your house. What… what happened, why are you here, with the 'King of Beggars'," He asked her, being sure to keep his voice down.

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah…what's your arrangement, he using you?"

Triss sighed with disappointment and met their eyes, "More like he's actually helping me survive…. As for what happened that… that's a long story."

He could see Geralt shift, as he looked into the woman's eyes, "Six months ago if you told me Triss Merigold was working for a Novigrad criminal… I wouldn't have believed you."

From Triss's reaction, he could tell Geralt picked his words wrong, "Six months ago Triss Merigold had to say goodbye too… someone very dear to her. And start anew… it hasn't exactly gone as planned."

He could feel the tension between the woman and Geralt. The two stared at each other, and he decided to cut in, trying to save them both from the conversation.

"Well, I hope you don't get mad Geralt but I… wasn't exactly watching the door when you were inside talking," He said, getting the attention of the two again.

Geralt and Triss both looked at him, with Geralt narrowing his eyes, "What were you doing?"

He felt himself smile, as he pulled up the sleeve of his armor, to reveal the tattoo that was now there on his skin. Triss sucked in a breath, and Geralt's head shot over to him, a small, amused smile on his lips.

"Dominik you… really put me there," Triss said, meeting his eyes.

Nodding he smiled at both Geralt and the sorceress, "Of course I did. It's my family… a reminder and a promise. A reminder of what I fight for everyday… and a promise…. A promise to reunite my family," he said, looking down at the swallow now on his skin.

The sorceress seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion for a moment before a sudden look of realization crossed her face. She turned around and met the two Witchers eyes.

"I… I assumed you were in Novigrad on important business… does… does that mean," She said, looking from his tattoo to the two of them again.

Slowly Dominik nodded his head, "Important doesn't do it justice."

"Ciri…" Geralt said in a low voice, "She's been sighted here, she's in danger."

Triss's eyes went wide again, "Here!? No… it has to be impossible."

Dominik shook his head at her, pulling back down the sleeve of his armor, "It's possible. Got witnesses saying she was heading here. We followed other leads, trail leads here. We… were hoping that you heard or saw something."

His hope was rising up inside his body, as Triss slowly nodded her head, "I'll do anything to help the both of you of course. I haven't seen her myself, but… I may know someway to find something out, just give me a little time."

He sighed in relief and nodded, and Geralt smiled at the sorceress.

"Thank you… so you said you had some errands to run around town? Mind if Dom and I tag along," Geralt asked the sorceress.

The idea made him smile, and he nodded in confirmation to the sorceress who's face became flushed. She sighed, a small smile coming to her face.

"I wouldn't mind at all. Come on, let me give you a taste of my new life," The sorceress said, gesturing for them to follow.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Triss now along with Geralt had been forced to wear their hoods up around their faces. People ignored the three of them as they walked, Dominik between both Geralt and Triss. Triss had explained little to them what was going on, only that first she needed to go and pick up a package from one of her contacts. He knew that the mages of course faced prosecution now, but, seeing Triss go from a royal advisor to a king, to scrounging in the Novigrad underworld, made his heart sink. When they finally found the house right off the side of the Fish Market, Triss looked backed behind them to make sure the three of them weren't being followed.

After that he followed closely behind her, with Geralt coming behind him. When they arrived inside it was obvious that the man who lived there was a trader of some kind. The walls were lined with shelves, chests and tables overflowing with all different kinds of goods. The man who looked worriedly at Geralt and he behind Triss, was a scrawny black-haired man, hunched over, and speaking in a meek voice.

"Hello Kluhg, manage to get those magic incense ingredients," Triss asked the man, her arms folded.

The scrawny man looked nervously and Geralt and he, before turning back to Triss, "Yes… uh somewhat, ran into some… difficulties. I was walking along the canal with a sack of goodies for you. Looked up and spotted a trio of Temple Guard coming that way!"

The man spoke with such fear of the Temple Guard he felt slightly bad. Triss sighed and met the mans eyes again, "Get to the point Kluhg, no time for your long stories today."

Kluhg took another frightened look at Dominik and Geralt, before hastily turning back to Triss.

"A sack, full of magicalities, and Temple Guard coming my way! I don't easily frighten, but, uh, I felt a cold sweat up my back I did," he said in a nervous, rushed tone looking terrified that Geralt and he would beat him, "I… tossed the package in the water I did. When the Guard asked me what it was, told them it was a dead cat. You shan't believe this, but they believed me!"

Part of him couldn't blame the man, but he heard Triss sigh, "I have a job Kluhg, I need those ingredients."

The man shrugged apprehensively, "Well… should still be along the canal bed. Lucky enough it was heavy to sink, should still be there."

"You expect me to pay you, then jump into that ice-cold filth to get my own goods," Triss asked the man, slight irritation in her tone.

He was about to offer up his own services, when Geralt suddenly spoke up himself. He met the scrawny mans eyes, "I can do that, where'd you drop the package," He asked the shaking man.

"Near the crane. Second bridge from the harbor," Kluhg told them, his hands still shaking.

A smile came across his face when he saw Triss smile herself.

"I didn't expect such devotion," She said to Geralt with a please tone.

Geralt chuckled and gestured his thumb over to him, "Needed to freshen up anyway. Besides should've seen this one, didn't shut up about getting wet all the time in Velen."

He scoffed and turned to face him when Triss laughed, "Hey I'm sorry I didn't like sloshing through bogs in wet armor!"

Geralt and Triss both had a good laugh at his expense, which made him roll his eyes, but on the inside, he was glad to see the two laughing together again. He was enjoying the moment, before Kluhg waved his arms at them.

"Shhhh! Hear that… they've come for us," he said, frantically gesturing for us to be quiet.

The three of them obeyed, and his hand twitched up to the hilt of his blade. He looked outside the man's window and spotted a duo of Temple Guards coming towards his house. The two men stopped outside his window and proceeded to speak about the mages they captured and tortured. He could feel his skin crawl, as one man described how he smashed in one man's toes and hands in an attempt to make him break.

Quickly Kluhg turned back to the three of them, "You must flee, this way, I'll open the secret passage for ye. Follow it and you'll come out along the riverbed!"

Triss nodded to the man, "Thanks, take care of yourself Kluhg."

The shaking man proceeded to come up to a hatch on his floor, right near Dominik's feet. With his hands still trembling he took a key from his belt and unlocked it. He gave the man a quick nod, and hopped on the ladder first, going downwards into the dank smelling sewers below. The smell hit his nose first, the smell of sewage and waste. His boots sloshed through the narrow tunnel, as Geralt and Triss followed closely behind him.

It was a long narrow tunnel that they had come out too, and Triss took a step ahead of him, her hand igniting in a ball of intense flames that lit the way forwards. Crawling through dark sewers like these, would be a person just asking to be attacked by drowners and other necrophages, but the three were lucky enough to encounter none. Being careful to stay on one side of Triss, he felt his skin crawling. Triss, along with every other magical person in the city, wasn't even allowed to poke their heads out their houses without a disguise. He had hoped like Geralt did, that their friend Dudu was safe, and that hopefully the Temple Guard wouldn't turn to non-humans next and capture the likes of Zoltan.

Ciri would have had no way of knowing what was happening in the city, but he wondered what she wanted there. Geralt and he knew that she had been looking for the two of them, and Yennefer, and possibly had been trying to lift a curse. The curse, whatever it was or how it had been cast could be the key to finding her. Another question also arose, who was she trying to lift a curse from? Was it from herself? Or from the 'friend' that young Gretka had mentioned? No matter what the purpose of it was, Ciri would have been in danger in Novigrad, and they would have to find her trail as quickly as possible.

The three of them finally emerged from the darkness of the sewers, and the hot sun hit his face. A slow cold breeze blew through his hair as Geralt and Triss emerged behind him. Triss took the lead ahead of them, bringing the two of them back under a bridge. It looked like the position the man had described, near a large crane in the first harbor.

Triss stopped and the two of them followed suit, "This should be where Kluhg dropped the package. Unless the poor man was mistaken, he's been forgetful ever since Menge interrogated him. Seems to suffer a bit of a persecution complex as well."

He looked into the cold frothy water and felt his body shiver. It was surely amuck with sludge, oils, sewage and other things that would surely make him sick. He turned to Geralt and the older Witcher nodded.

"Current probably took the package seaward, should still be there," he said, turning to Dominik, "Sure you don't wanna come with?"

He quickly shook his head, "Yeah I'll pass. You have fun though, water's thick with oils… should do wonders for your wrinkles."

Triss let out a laugh and Geralt narrowed his eyes at him, "Should I tell Triss about your last little escapade in Velen with-."

"No, no need, better get going before the package floats away," He said nervously, feeling his face get hot.

Geralt smirked at him before turning to the water with a sigh, "Shouldn't be long, be right back."

The older Witcher dove head-first into the murky waters and paddled forward out towards the sea at a quick pace. He sighed in relief and leaned up closely against the bricks of the bridge. Triss looked over at him, finally pulling her hood down with a sigh, leaning up against the wall next to him.

"So, how did the two of you finally find each other again," The sorceress asked him, turning to face him.

He scoffed and smiled over at her, "Long story. One minute I went from thinking… they were all gone, Yen, Geralt… Ciri. And within one day, I learn they're all alive."

For the next few minutes he told the sorceress everything that had happened so far. He began with his contract on the Alp in Claywitch and being saved from death by Yennefer. Continuing he told her how he felt, meeting with the Emperor of Nilfgaard, learning he was Ciri's true father, and how the man set them on the path to Velen. He went on to tell her all about the Crones, and their deal with the Baron, and all they had learned about Ciri so far, how the trail led them to Novigrad.

He sighed and looked out into the setting sun over the water, "It… it's been so, so long Triss. She's a fully grown woman now, and I… I haven't seen her since we were both children. I… hope everything can at least try to go back to being the same."

The sorceress looked over at him, a small smile on her face, "I wouldn't worry about that. The two of you… I remember how inseparable you were when you were younger. A bond like that? Not easily broken."

The thought made him smile, as he looked to meet her eyes with a smile, "You know she… she used to tease me, make fun of me… get kind of jealous, because she thought that I was in love with you when we were younger."

She looked over at him, and the two both managed a laugh. It was the first time in a while he had a genuine laugh that made his gut hurt. In such a tumultuous time, he was glad to have Triss there, someone he grew up with, considered a part of his family to laugh with. It was one of the rare moments when he thought that everything would be alright. Nothing would happen, he would find Ciri, and soon they would all be together again.

Triss finished laughing and looked at him with a smile, "Well as handsome as you've gotten, you're… not exactly my type. Besides, I know you've only ever had eyes for one."

He felt his face get hot, as he looked back out across the water, seeing Geralt coming up for air in the distance, looking quite annoyed. After laughing he turned back to Triss again.

"Was it really that obvious? Geralt, Yen, both said it was written all over my face," He asked her, crossing over his arms with a smile.

Triss tossed her head back and laughed, "Ha, that is an understatement. I could see it when you pulled a sword out on me when I found the two of you on the road."

He chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head, "Haha… yeah sorry about that."

She shook her head with a small laugh, "No worries. I also knew when a few weeks into my stay, Ciri was having… cramps, and I found you next to her bed, trying to help by feeding her pieces of an apple."

He shuddered at the memory, "Oh man she was NOT happy that day."

Again the sorceress laughed and shook her head, "No she wasn't… but she told me later on how much she appreciated it. And it was the same with her, remember the time you were running pendulums and you broke your ankle?"

Again he scoffed, feeling his foot throb at the mention, "You know I've been cut and sliced by every kind of monster but that… that may have been the worse pain ever."

Triss smiled and nodded, "And after that, whenever she wasn't training Ciri was with you… by your side, talking your ear off, or bringing you food."

"I'd give anything to have her talk my ear off…" he said, looking out over the sun.

The sorceress smiled and they both looked out over the sun. Finally she turned back to face him, her face growing more serious.

"Dominik… I wanted to say I was sorry. I wanted to tell you after Rivia that we had seen Ciri, but…. I didn't know what happened after I split off to go find you," She said, her voice full of desperation.

He shook his head right away, "Triss you don't have too-."

The sorceress cut him off, "No, I do…. And six months ago when Geralt came back. I… wanted to go and find you with him, I thought maybe seeing you would jar his memory back, but then everything with Foltest happened and-."

"Triss," he said, cutting the sorceress off in return, getting her to look at him, "You don't need to apologize… I should be the one who's sorry."

"No, Dominik I-."

"No," he said, sternly cutting her off again with a sigh, "I… I've never even properly thanked you for saving my life in Rivia…. I was so worried about everything else, complaining, whining how life wasn't fair that I… I didn't thank the person who had actually pulled me out so… thank you Triss, for saving my life."

Saying the words to the sorceress, felt like a large stone had finally been lifted off his chest. For years he had been holding it in, regretting that he had never even thanked the woman who was responsible for him being alive at the moment. The last person he needed to apologize too however was still out there, and after he did, the entire weight of the world would finally be lifted off of him.

Triss sighed and looked back up to meet his eyes, a small smile coming to her face, "You're welcome…. I have a lot going on right now but… I'm going to do everything I can to help you find Ciri."

A smile came across his face as he hugged the sorceress again, "Thank you… it won't be easy but… you know me. I inherited Geralt's stubbornness."

She pulled back and laughed again, "That I'm sure you have."

"Speaking of," he said pointing towards the water, where Geralt had finally emerged, carrying a leather pouch in his hands.

Triss smiled and turned to him again, "Let's get moving. Sooner I get this job done, the sooner we can start looking again."

He smiled and felt the inside of his forearm begin to flare. Gently he pulled up the sleeve and read the names to himself again. Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer and Triss. His family. Three of them were back with him.

And soon he would find the fourth.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The warehouse Triss ended up bringing them to was just off the fish market square. Carefully, with both of their hoods still up Geralt and Triss stepped forward. The building was more massive then any warehouse he had seen in the city so far, and Triss had explained how her contact for the job would be waiting outside. The sun was slowly setting out over the sea, and it would soon descend below the plane, bringing about the night. He remembered back to when he saw Faram in Velen. The bear school Witcher had told the two of them he would be in Novigrad, at the Golden Sturgeon tavern, and he wanted to make a point to see his close friend again.

"This the place," Geralt asked as they approached the warehouse.

His attention was turned back to the two in-front of him, as Triss nodded her head, "Yeah… that's our guy over there."

Triss pointed forward, and he saw the fat man waiting outside the warehouse entrance. He had the look of a wealthy man, a long blue robe and hat, obviously made of silks. Geralt and he followed Triss, weaving around groups of people passing by. The fatter man looked smugly at Dominik and Geralt, before turning his attention to Triss when they approached.

"Greeting sorceress," The man said quietly, before turning his eye to he and Geralt.

"Greetings Brandon," Triss said carefully, as the fat man looked between the three of them stood there.

He raised his eyebrows at the sight of the two Witchers, "I thought you'd come alone, I didn't expect you to bring company."

"That wouldn't be a problem, now would it," Dom said, taking a step forward with his arms crossed.

The man was not deterred and scoffed, "By the Eternal Fire no! Just surprised is all. With three of you, I'll expect the job to be done twice as fast. You've the look of true experts…. Though I prefer you not dally and begin."

"Triss," Geralt said, making both Dominik and the sorceress turn to him, "You and Brandon agree on a price?"

His ears pricked up with interest, sharply keeping his eyes on the merchant. Triss looked over to Brandon first, and then back to Dominik and Geralt. She narrowed her eyes at the fatter man.

"We agreed on a full coin purse…" She said carefully.

"Brandon and Co. is a serious outfit! We've the largest granary in all Novigrad," The fat man said, a dash of arrogance to his words.

He looked over and Geralt and could swear he saw the Witcher smirk before he turned back to Brandon.

"You're a merchant, familiar with how commerce works," Geralt asked the man, his arms crossing.

Brandon scoffed and nodded, "Of course. Honest pay for honest work."

Geralt met the fat merchants eyes, "Half up front, half when the job is done."

The man scoffed again, posher the second time, "You're asking me a great deal."

Dominik took the opportunity to step in front of the man, "Look Brandon, Geralt and I… we're Witchers. Had way too many cases of people saying one thing first, and then another once the jobs done."

With a sigh of annoyance, Brandon reached behind himself, onto his belt and turned, placing a coin pouch into Triss's hand, "Fine… your first installment, I expect the job to be done twice as fast."

The fat man walked off around the corner of the market and something stirred in his gut. Brandon was clearly a frugal merchant, who had years of experience as a tradesman. The deal had gone off far to easily, even the meekest of merchants would have tried to haggle the price, it was how they made their living. The sinking feeling in his gut continued as the three of them all went to enter the warehouse.

The storehouse kept out the cold breezes that emanated from the sea outside. Torches lined the wall, and he realized when the man claimed to have the largest granary in Novigrad, he was certainly telling the truth. Sacks, barrels, shelves were all stacked in rows across the large building. The problem became evident when he saw rats running across his feet. The whole entire storehouse had seemed to become infected with the smaller creatures. He had flashbacks to the tower on Fyke Isle the day before, and shuddered praying there wouldn't be any Plague Maidens to almost kill him that time.

"Look for evidence of rat activity, I'll take half the space, the two of you take the other," Triss instructed, handing them the incense crystals that had been in the package Geralt retrieved from the river.

He took the pleasant-smelling crystals in his hand and heard Geralt scoff.

"Thing is, I know what evidence of manticore activity looks like but… rodents," Geralt said, with a tone of slight amusement.

Triss rolled her eyes at the older Witcher, "All three of us would rather be doing something else. I'd rather be sitting in on a royal council meeting, but they killed my King…"

The nagging feeling in the back of his head came to the forefront as he walked next to Triss towards the other side of the granary.

"Triss… I don't like that guy," He said referring to Brandon.

The sorceress scoffed and looked at him with amusement, "Neither do I… much too fat for me."

"He's got a point," Geralt said from a corner, standing up from a pile of rat droppings, "Notice how he didn't try to haggle?"

"Must really want the rats out," Triss said, as she discovered a pile of droppings near a small entrance from the sewers.

He heard Geralt scoff, "Triss he's a merchant, he makes a living by haggling."

The sorceress sighed, "If I worried about that, I'd starve to death in this city."

He frowned as he broke off from the two of them, looking for more evidence of where the rats were coming in. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he kicked his foot out, sending a rat that had been biting at his boot flying. The whole situation was making his stomach swirl. He knew that a man like Brandon would normally do everything he could for the best deal. Enough shady merchants had tried to swindle him when he was younger, and a few succeeded. With how desperate a situation Triss was in, he didn't want a paying job to go wrong for her.

Carefully he stepped over more clusters of rats before he finally found another entrance that led down towards the sewers. He covered his nose as he knelt down, finding what he was sure was rat droppings. With slight annoyance he sighed and pulled out the incense that Triss had handed him. Igniting his hand with Igni, the crystal caught fire and he placed it down towards the pile of droppings.

"What's that Ciri, what did I have to do to find you? Well, I had to fight fiends, the wild hunt, bandits, save a goat… and look for rat shit," He muttered to himself, the swallow pendant trembling around his neck.

"Think we plugged every hole," He heard Geralt yell, as he walked away from the incense, back towards the both of them.

He came up to find Geralt, as Triss was standing near the entrance a ball of beautiful flames erupting in her hands. The sorceress sighed, and muttered some words in Elder Speech, before the balls of flames flared up even higher, before disappearing in a puff of pleasant-smelling smoke. After going out of his way a moment before to kneel down next to rat droppings, it was a good thing to smell. Sighing he leaned back against the wooden railing, as Triss looked back at Geralt and he.

"Good, now we just have to give it a few moments and they'll scurry away… come on, we can talk more," She said as she let out a relaxing sigh, sitting on the railing opposite him.

He watched with a small smile as Geralt took the seat next to her, before a look of amusement crossed his face.

"Interesting method. Never had much luck with rats myself but…" he said, his head turning over to Dominik, "I remember the first time that Dom and Ciri caught some back at Kaer Morhen, remember that?"

Triss smiled and looked over at him as well. He of course remembered the moment vividly and it made a smile come to his face.

"I do," he said, looking down at the swallow dangling from his neck, "We technically weren't supposed to be up. Found the two things in the kitchen. Both of us had the skin as trophies on our walls for weeks…. I let Ciri kill the bigger one."

Triss laughed, and looked between the two Witchers, "Of course you did… anything to help her out."

He and Geralt both managed a smile, and Dominik looked between the two of them. After a while he had learned about the relationship the two of them shared before Triss came to Kaer Morhen. He also of course heard from Yennefer about the more recent one the two had when Geralt returned to Kaer Morhen with no memories. It didn't make him love Triss any less, or Yennefer any less. It did however make him feel like at the moment he was intruding on a private conversation.

Triss sighed and looked over at them both, "So, rat catcher. A long way to fall from being advisor to Temaria's king."

Dom sighed and looked over at Geralt, and for the first time ever he saw his adoptive father at a loss for words. Eventually he sighed himself and met Triss's eyes.

The older Witcher spoke in a softer tone, "I'm just glad to see you safe and sound and…"

"Reconciled," Triss said, looking to Geralt now.

"Yeah…" Geralt said slowly, looking down at the floor, "Reconciled."

Dominik looked between the sorceress and the Witcher, feeling as if he could say something, but feeling the words escape him. He wanted to say something funny at first, to try and break the tension, but was silent, unable to think of anything appropriate. Seeing Geralt at that moment, clearly struggling with his emotions, reminded him of back when he was seventeen, hurt and nursing his wounds in Ellander, Freya, the nurses assistant tending to him.

For the almost three months he stayed in Ellander, with her, he had felt a tearing in his heart. It had been so many years since he saw Ciri at that point, held her in his arms, kissed her, or just laid his head on her shoulder as they stared into a fire. The loneliness, the longing, longing for someone, anyone to be there for him. At the time he still hadn't been happy with Geralt and Yennefer, angry with them for reasons he now knew were irrational. Multiple women had taken an interest in him, but Freya had been the only one to ever make him lose faith.

For those months he spent with the woman, holding her, kissing her, being able to have someone at his side, it was some of the most conflicting he had ever felt. He would fall asleep next to Freya, but then dream of Ciri. He would be there, Freya resting her head on his shoulder as they looked into a fire at night, and he would imagine it was Ciri next to him. When he kissed her, he couldn't stop wishing that it was Ciri. The feelings he kept saying he had for Freya he soon realized, were just his way of covering the gaping wound that had been left by Ciri's disappearance.

Ever since those three months however, he had known, and he had been sure that he would never be able to love someone like he loved her.

"So…" Triss said, bringing his attention back to she and Geralt.

She smiled when he met her eyes, "Since I last saw you… how've you felt? The wound on your chest heal alright?"

He slowly nodded, "It did yeah… biggest scar of the collection, and it wasn't even from a monster."

This got a laugh from both Triss and Geralt, which made him smile. He sighed and met their eyes again, "To be honest… after Rivia, a lot of things went downhill for me. I thought Geralt and Yen were dead… Ciri dead or out of my reach… damn near got myself killed a lot of times. I… was almost trying too… to get myself killed," he said looking down at the ground.

The two across from him were silent, as he remembered the time vividly. Feeling his heart begin to beat faster in his chest he looked back up to meet their eyes again.

"I… had lost basically everything. My first family was gone, my second all but gone… didn't really see a point in taking contracts anymore… not really any point in being around," He said, getting up from against the wall and looking at them both again, "Started drinking too much… took on more and more dangerous contracts… it was a Leshen that turned it all around… I'll never forget it."

"What made it all turn around," Triss asked, her tone light, and wondering.

He sighed, and a small smile formed on his face, suddenly feeling optimism run through himself again.

"Leshen was a big one, bigger then any I'd seen before. Damn thing nearly had me killed, pinned me up against a rock… but someone saved me… guess who it was," he said, looking over at Geralt with a smile.

A look of realization dawned on the older Witchers face and he smiled as well, "Faram."

Smiling, he nodded at the older Witcher, "Faram of fucking Undviik. Bastard came charging in, blasted the Leshen and damn nearly cleaved its arm off. He looked down at me and says, 'better look alive mate, this is one tough fucker we got here!', the two of us managed to kill it… he saved my life," he said, doing his best Faram impression.

Geralt smiled and he got a laugh from Triss, "Haha, I'd love to meet this Faram of Undviik."

Dominik managed a smile and nodded to her, "I'm sure you will, he's actually in Novigrad. But… after that we traveled together for a while. It was… nice to be on the path with someone. Had someone to talk to, air my grievances, my sadness… my failure. Like I said… bastard saved my life in… more ways then one. When I met up with him last… gave me some advice that really stuck with me."

"Oh yeah…" Triss said, sitting upwards as she and Geralt both looked at him, "What was it?"

He sighed and felt himself smile, "That the past can hurt sometimes, failure can hurt. However the way he sees it… we can either run from it, or… learn from it. I… can't change what happened to Ciri, I failed her I know but… I can't change that. What I CAN do, is learn from it."

Triss Merigold beamed up at him with pride, and next to her, Geralt smiled up at him.

"Wow… never knew you could be so wise…" Geralt said to him, in a joking tone.

Triss and he both laughed, and Dominik sighed with content, "Had some good teachers…. Seeing the two of you together again… gives me hope. Hope things can go back to the way they were."

For the first time the whole conversation, the three of them all smiled. It was the perfect time as well, because all of the rats began to scurry out of the granary. In a perfect line, all the rodents ran out the door of the granary, and he couldn't help the satisfied smile that ended up crossing his face. He looked over and saw both Triss and Geralt smiling as well but felt his stomach crawl when he heard the voice.

"Well, well, look at you three, a tidy little family. Chatting it up instead of working," Brandon said, coming into the building.

He turned and took a place next to Triss. His hand starting to slowly curl towards his back, as the smirk on Brandon's face made his stomach churn.

"Job's done," Triss said crossing her arms.

He heard the clanking of armor, and his hand went to his back, to the hilt of his blade as the four Witch Hunters walked through the door. One carried a crossbow, while the others all flanked behind Brandon, eyeing Triss and them as if they were fresh prey just fallen into a trap.

"Geralt, Dom… those are-."

"We know who they are, Temple Guard," Geralt growled, standing up from the railing.

"This was bad from the start," Dominik said, slowly pulling his blade from its sheath.

Brandon looked at the three of them with a shit-eating smirk on his face, "My… friends. They begged me to report to them should I ever encounter a mage, or other… freak. I just didn't have the heart to refuse them."

"Dom, Geralt it's a trap," Triss hissed, a large ball of fire erupting into her hand.

"Dom was right… this stank from the start," Geralt said, stepping in front of Triss with him.

Geralt looked like he was about to say something else, but he stepped in-front of the Witcher first, pointing his sword out with one hand.

"Let me tell you what's going to happen here," Dominik said, his voice growing deathly low, he met the eyes of Brandon and every Witch Hunter, "Fat man here's going to give Triss the rest of her coin. And then we'll all walk out of here peacefully, that's option A. Or… you can pick option B. Option B is, you stay here, and then Geralt, Triss and I will slaughter you like swine so… what's it going to be, option A, or option B?"

The words hung over the room like a shadow. One of the Witch Hunters almost seemed to faulter at his words, but Brandon to his credit didn't seem as fazed. He scoffed and folded his arms underneath his robes

"You don't set the terms, boy," He spat out, his tone full of venom and spite.

"Only here for the Witch, two of you stay out of it," One of the Witch Hunters growled, his blade coming from his hip.

Geralt, with arms still crossed stepped forward next to him, as Triss's fire heated up the room.

"Three of us are inseparable you see, you want her, you're going to have to kill us too, so I suggest you take option A," Geralt said, his tone low and gravely, a voice that had scared off many bandits before in the past.

"Dom, Geralt no," Triss said quickly behind them.

For the first time he paid no mind to the sorceresses words. He leveled his blade towards the four Hunters, and the one next to Brandon scoffed again.

"Heard enough of these whoresons," He shouted as the reaming hunters all drew their blades, and the one with the crossbow knocked a bolt.

Brandon scoffed one more time, "As have I… deal with them. None of them are to leave alive."

The merchant turned to walk from the warehouse, as Geralt drew his steel sword.

"Looks like they're picking option B, why do they always pick option B Geralt," He said, twirling his blade in his hand.

Geralt did the same with his blade and he could see a small smirk appear on the Witcher's face, "Because people are idiots."

He heard the click of a crossbow being fired. Right away he looked to the left, and his well-trained eyes saw the bolt heading right for Triss. He waved his blade upwards, and the bolt from the crossbow deflected off his sword into the wall, just before it could reach the sorceress. He saw the befuddled look on the Witch Hunters eyes, right before Triss let loose her fire. The ball of flame exploded in between all the Witch Hunters before Geralt and he both lashed out.

Fighting back to back with Geralt, The first Hunter recovered and charged at him, his clothes still smoking. He deflected a flurry of blows, before locking swords with his attacker. The man's dark black eyes were straining with concentration, using all his momentum to try and bring his blade down across Dominik's shoulder. Gracefully, the younger Witcher stepped to the left and spun around the man, slashing across his back, and kicking him to the ground. The click of the crossbow fired again, but just before the bolt could get to him, a flash of steel flew in front of his face, as Geralt deflected the bolt, before charging and leaping forward, the older Witcher spun and slashed the mans crossbow in half, before swiftly slicing his neck.

A blast of fire erupted behind him again and turned to see Triss roast one of the Hunters before two more came charging at him. He parried one blow, and ducked down under another, before leaping off his feet and spinning mid-air. His strike cleaved clean through one of the Hunters arms, sending him screaming to the ground. To the right of him, Geralt side-stepped one more Hunters stab, before spinning around the man, and cleanly slicing his blade across his neck.

In his effort to admire Geralt's swordplay, his own blade was knocked from his hand. He recoiled and turned to see the last hunter swing at him. Without a weapon in his hands, he ducked his head back, narrowly avoiding the top of the man's blade racking across his face. Swiftly he grabbed the man's arm with all his strength, he spun behind his back and yanked downwards with all he could, hearing a snap. The Witch Hunter screamed, dropping his blade, and as soon as he did Dominik reached down, and scooped the man's blade off the floor, before executing a perfect pirouette, and jabbing the man's blade through his abdomen, ending him in an instant.

With a deep breath he looked around to see, that all the Witch Hunters now lay dead, scorch marks, along with stab and slash wounds on their bodies. He heard a whistle and looked over to see Geralt with Dominik's blade in his hand.

He smiled and caught the blade when Geralt threw it back to him and sheathed it back behind his back. The older Witcher gave him an approving nod as Triss stepped between the two of them, her head shaking.

"That bastard hired me on the assumption he wouldn't have to pay me! Dupped and trapped like a child… if not for the both of you," She said looking up to meet their eyes.

Quickly he shook his head, "It was nothing. I'm just glad we're all alright. We weren't going to let them get you."

Geralt nodded with him in agreement, "He's right. Weren't about to just stand aside."

Triss sighed again and managed to smile at them first, before her face contorted with anger, "We need to find Brandon."

He scoffed and turned towards the door to the warehouse, "Yes… let's go visit the good merchant."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Hello Brandon," he said, seeing the man as soon as they emerged, then proceeding to punch the fat man in the gut as soon as he turned, "I gave you the chance to pick option A," he said, as the fat man wheezed.

Geralt and Triss followed behind him, in the now darkened streets of Novigrad. The sun was just going down, and only a small bit of light remained, but he could see the merchants face clearly. The tough exterior he had been putting on since he had met him earlier was now completely gone. Upon seeing both Geralt and he, their swords red with the blood of Witch Hunters, and a now very pissed off Triss Merigold, had him behind over, begging them both.

"Please don't kill me good sirs! They... they forced me, had I not told them, they would have set fire to my home, my warehouse…. The Witch Hunters show no mercy," he pleaded, bowing his head to them lower than ever.

"Stop sniveling," Dominik hissed, and the man recoiled once again.

Geralt crossed his arms and the man looked up to meet the older Witcher's yellow eyes.

"We SHOULD kill you, but you'd be no use to anyone except the gulls as a corpse," The older Witcher threatened.

"So now," he said, getting the man's attention again, "You're going to give Triss double."

"And you'll forget you ever saw any of us, now," Geralt said in a deep menacing tone.

Triss looked between the two of them appreciatively, as quickly Brandon reached behind his back to his belt again. Slowly the fat merchant stood up, and carefully placed the hefty coin purse in Triss's palm.

"F… Fine…. Your coin," he said, trying to fill his voice with venom.

"Now go," Geralt said, not taking his eyes off the merchant.

Without uttering another word, the man turned and ran off on his stubby legs. Dom felt himself laugh when the man almost tripped on his robes as he fled. He never did like threatening people, however, when it came to those he truly cared about he tended to show no mercy. It had been too long for him since he had them back, Geralt, Triss, Yennefer. He knew of course that they could all more than plentifully take care of themselves, but that wasn't going to stop him from doing everything he could to protect them all.

He sighed with a slight smirk, "They're never going to learn."

"Nope," Geralt said, looking down at him with an amused smile, "They never will."

"Thank you both, I owe you one… another one," Triss said, making the two Witchers turn to her.

The sorceress sighed, but Geralt quickly shook his head, speaking for them both, "No need. We're glad that we could help you."

He quickly nodded in agreement, and it brought a smile to the sorceresses face. Carefully she looked around to make sure no onlookers were near, before taking a step closer to them.

"Look… I've been thinking about who could tell you something about Ciri... I just got the idea," She said, and the quick change on his face made her smile and laugh softly.

He felt his chest begin to pump even faster, and a small smile begin to form as Triss smiled at him.

"There's an oneiromancer in town- Corinne Tilly. Very capable supposedly," She told the both of them.

He tilted his head at the woman, "A dreamer? Never encountered one before."

Geralt nodded, "Yeah… never really believed in dreamers abilities myself."

Triss gave them a reassuring look, "Corinne is very effective-you should at least try. She's taken a job close by. Follow the canal, away from the fish market. The house near the fishing bridge. It's owner De Jonkheer, is a rich banker."

"Not coming with us," Geralt said after the sorceress had finished.

Reluctantly she shook her head, "As much as I'd love to stay and catch up, I got some business to take care of in town."

"More rat-infested warehouses," Geralt asked her with a laugh.

He felt himself smile, and Triss did as well.

"Not nearly as exciting… such are the times," She said, a small smirk on her face.

He nodded and looked at Geralt, who seemed to be flushed for words again. Finally the older Witcher stuttered for a moment but nodded to the sorceress, "It was… good to see you again."

Triss smiled, and Dom quickly smiled back at her as well, "It really was… I missed you Triss."

He went forward and the sorceress wrapped him in one last hug, cupping his cheek with a smile for a moment, before taking a step back to look at them both.

"You too… the both of you. Now, you better both get going before Corinne goes into hiding again," She started before turning to face Geralt, "Good luck Geralt, and Dominik."

The sorceress turned to him, and gave him a small smile, "You listen to Geralt, and don't give up hope… you're going to find Ciri, and then Geralt, Yen and I will have to chase after you both just like the old days," She said with a bit of a smirk.

He felt his chest pump faster and a huge smiled come across his face, as he laughed, "Ha… thanks Triss."

"What if we want to find you…" Geralt said slowly, as the sorceress looked at them both again,

"I got a place in the bits, just off the fish market. Stop by, both of you… it'd be nice," The sorceress said with a smile.

Geralt and he both smiled at the sorceress one last time. The older Witcher nodded in his direction, "We will… see you later Triss," Geralt said to her.

With one last smile, Triss nodded to them both. She shot Dominik a wink of her left eye before she quickly scanned the streets and jogged down an alley. He could see the black and yellow swirling lights, and he knew the sorceress had teleported away.

He knew it wouldn't be the last he saw of Triss in the next few days in Novigrad, however he was sad to see her go. The sadness was quickly replaced by a rush of excitement, upon remembering what she had told them. He had never encountered a dreamer before in his travels, but he heard stories of what they could do. They had the power to see events of the past, possibly even the future, and could find people from the memories of those close to them. There was possibly nobody in the world that was closer to Ciri then Geralt and he, and between them both he was hoping that the woman would be able to point them in the right direction.

With a smile crossing his face, he turned to Geralt, "So, we're going to head there now right!?"

A smile crossed the older Witchers face again as he looked down at his adopted son, "I see no reason to wait, come on, let's get going."

Eagerly he and Geralt both started down the canal which was close by in the direction that Triss told them the dreamer had been. He could feel his heart pumping even faster in his chest, with every step he took and every quest he completed, it brought him one step closer. As they walked, he rolled up the sleeve of his right forearm, and saw the swallow elegantly drawn on his arm, and the names atop it.

A reminder of what he was fighting for, and a promise he would keep them all safe.

**A/N: So we have finally made it to the free city of Novigrad! Now first off, yes, I know that is not how tattoos were obviously done in the time period, however no matter how much I google searched I couldn't seem to find an answer of how they were actually done, and Dom was pressed for time xD Either way I thought it would be a good scene to add, and add something extra to the character. **

**I loved writing this chapter. Other than obviously Geralt and Ciri, Triss Merigold was always one of my favorite characters, she was the reason my 13-year-old self bought the Witcher 2 when it was released, my first Witcher game. I knew from the start that she and Dominik would have a close bond, and you will see that more as we go through the Novigrad arc. **

**We will also soon get to see some of our favorites, like Zoltan, Priscilla, Dandelion and Dijkstra, and I just can't wait to get working on Novigrad. I hope you are all as excited as I am!**

**Please, tell me in a review what did you think of the chapter? What about Dom's tattoo? What about his words about not fearing the past? What in Novigrad are you looking forward too? Have any questions, ask them and I'll try to answer! Thank you all for reading, see you all next time.**


	21. Novigrad Dreaming

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 21: Novigrad Dreaming**

**Narrator: After arriving in the free city of Novigrad, Dominik and Geralt knew that finding Ciri, one woman, in the worlds largest city would be an impossible task for them alone. The Witchers decided to contact an old friend, Triss Merigold. After helping Triss with her business and helping her fight off the maniacal Witch Hunters on her trail, Triss gave them the lead they needed. Triss had not seen Ciri herself, but directed Dominik and Geralt to Corinne Tilly, an oneiromancer, and an expert and finding the lost and missing.**

The darkness of night had finally fallen over Novigrad as Dominik and Geralt reached the place Triss had described to them. It was a small house on the corner of the canal as she described but seemed to be all but abandoned. It didn't hamper his mood however, with his optimism climbing ever higher. If Geralt and he could find this dreamer, he knew that he had enough memories, powerful ones to help him find Ciri, or at least where she had gone from Novigrad. It would all be worth it soon, they had been following in Ciri's footsteps so far, and he knew with Geralt by his side the trail would lead to the girl.

However, the house they had come to, certainly rubbed him the wrong way.

"Place gives me the creeps…" He said, as Geralt and he both rounded a corner towards the homes entrance.

A cold breeze blew over the ocean and down the back of his neck as he walked behind Geralt. The older Witcher turned around and smirked at him.

"Still a little spooked of haunted houses since your little encounter on Fyke Isle with Kiera," His adoptive father joked.

He felt his face get hotter as he shot a glare towards the white-haired Witcher, "Shut up!"  
Geralt laughed and he scowled as the two of them came to the front of the house. It was run down, shutters and the doors to the front yard busted off. The wood smelled of rot, and he could see small rats and mice scurrying around. Multiple old pieces of furniture were brought to the outside, making it clear that the place was due for renovations.

"Just passing by wonderers. Or do you seek something specific," A posh accent said to them.

He whirled around with Geralt and saw a wealthy looking man sitting on the side of the building. The man was wearing one of the large feathered caps normally worn by the merchants and bankers of the higher class. He had on a fresh blue and black doublet, and blue trousers. His chin was perched so high as he spoke it was almost pointing towards the moon, as he stroked his black beard.

"Who's asking," Geralt quickly said.

"Rudolph De Jonkheer," The man said, sounding as if he was hoping they'd ask, "Yes THAT De Jonkheer, my family has ancient roots in this city and own its largest bank."

He rolled his eyes towards the man, "Could've just told us your name…"

The man scoffed and shook his head, "My father always told me not to hide behind my bushels! Always let people know who you are."

"Right…" He said, rolling his eyes again, "Dominik of Cintra."

"Geralt of Rivia," Geralt said quickly, drawing the mans attention, "The two of us are looking for Corinne Tilly."

De Jonkeer's eyes went wide and he nodded, "I hired Corinne a few days ago. She's inside, dreaming the homes history but… she hasn't come out for some time."

He felt his eyes narrow at the man, "Why did you need her to dream the houses history?"

The banker started to shake as he leaned closer to the two Witcher's, "Well you see, I recently bought this property and well… I… I daresay its haunted!"

"Haunted, haunted how," He asked again, looking at Geralt who kept his eyes narrowed at the man.

"Terrible things! Terrible," The man wailed, almost making Dominik sigh, "Floating objects, demonic child laughter, loud banging! I sent for Miss Corinne to dream the homes history, so that I may determine how it's haunted."

He felt his eyes roll, he was sure it had to be all in the mans head. The banker seemed the kind of man who would scare easily, and accidentally knock over a chair before saying the chair was haunted. And after his encounter with the curse of Fyke Isle the day before, and then Kiera after, he had enough of cursed buildings for quite a while.

"We're looking for Corinne, can we go in," Geralt asked the man, his larger arms crossed.

The scrawny man looked them both over before finally nodding his head, "Normally I'd be hesitant but… pair of swords, yellow eyes… I daresay you're a Witcher," He said looking at Geralt, before turning to him, "And you… well um-."

"I'm a Witcher," he said to the man, his tone growing darker.

The bankers eyes went wide and quickly he nodded his head, "Aye, yes, yes of course! Go on inside, you can talk to Corinne if you can awake her."

He looked over and saw Geralt smirk at him, before the two went to enter the house. Just as they went too, a light rainfall began to cover the city, so it was the perfect time to step inside. As they did, the little bit of light they had from the moon and torches outside, was replaced by an even smaller amount inside. The light had was so dark, that Geralt igniting a fire in the palm of his hand with the Igni sign, as the carefully creaked through the house.

The house on the inside was falling apart just as much as on the outside. The paint on the walls was chipping and falling off, the smell of old mold and dust were ever present. Tables, shelves, chairs, sacks and barrels were everywhere, strewn about as if the place was used as someone's personal storage room. The hallways were narrow, one leading to the fight and a dining room, while the small bit of candlelight they had came from the left, up another set of stairs. Somehow the cold chill from the outside had followed him. He heard what the banker had been talking about, the faint sound of a child's laughter.

"Geralt…" He said quietly, as the older Witcher looked back to him, the fire still in his palm.

"Shh… come on," he said, gesturing for him to follow.

They went through the doorway to the left and started to ascend the creaky set of stairs upwards. Each step he took on the rickety staircase, he almost felt as if he foot was going to fall through it. The two Witchers tried to move silently, but the stairs still creaked, and the faint laughter of the child got louder as they both got higher. Finally they came to the top, and both Geralt and he stopped when they heard the woman's voice.

"Stop…. Go away…. Don't do that! Leave it," Her voice yelled, and Geralt met his eyes, before nodding and the two Witchers raced up the rest of the steps.

They led to a doorway to a bedroom and the two of them both rushed in. What he saw, was what seemed to be a small child. She was standing on a bed, as a woman who he assumed to be Corinne Tilly, was frantically thrashing about, screaming the same words they heard. As their feet finally came to a stop the child turned around, and right away both of them reached for their blades as they saw the magic emanating from it. However as soon as the two even slightly slid their swords out of the sheath, the child leaped from the bed, before crawling under it. Quickly he ran over and ducked onto the floor, trying to find where it had gone… but the underside of the bed was empty.

"Fuck…" He cursed as he got up to see Geralt move over to the side of Corinne's bed.

The older Witcher reached over, and shook the woman's shoulders, "Wake up! Come on, wake up it's just a dream!"

He came up onto the opposite side of the woman and was about to attempt to shake her as well, when she spoke again, however it wasn't her voice this time.

"The doll… the attic," She spoke out, except the second time, it sounded like the voice of a young girl.

He stood back up to his feet, hearing the house around him begin to creak. The cold shiver returned down his spine, as he almost did a complete spin trying to locate the sound of the noise. Finally he sighed in annoyance and met Geralt's eyes.

"I HATE ghosts, but… that didn't look like a ghost," he said to the older Witcher.

Geralt nodded in agreement and suddenly a door swung open next to them. He could see a ladder leading upwards to what he assumed was the attic. Geralt looked back over to him and gestured towards Corinne.

"Guess we should find a doll in the attic. You stay here, make sure that thing doesn't come back, looked like another godling, I'll go find the doll," The older Witcher instructed.

After reviewing in his head what he had seen, he realized Geralt was right. The purple skin and hat made of grass. Seeing another godling in Novigrad made him begin to wonder what had happened to Johnny back in Velen. Had the godling still had the same home? Or had the Crones gotten to him once again.

He sighed, looking down at the thrashing woman, before nodding over to Geralt. The older Witcher nodded back, before walking towards the ladder, and quietly climbing upwards. He was out of Dom's sight before he knew it, and he was left alone with the thrashing woman once again.

It was clear to him now why the banker assumed the place was haunted. The Godling more then likely had made its home somewhere in the depths of the house. Soon as it saw that the man was beginning to come, it had begun to play tricks on the unsuspecting banker. It almost made him laugh, as he knew godlings were harmless creatures. They would inhabit burrows and small caves like Johnny's in Velen near villages, and help the locals however they can, as long as that village remained in good favor. The creatures were now close to being extinct, so he didn't want to hurt the one that was in the home.

He did however need, Corinne, and he assumed the godling had a hand in the dreamer being trapped in the bed, currently thrashing about. After they did get the dreamer free, he would simply tell the banker outside the house was haunted with no way to lift the curse. Hopefully it would mean the godling would be safe.

Thinking back to the banker made him think to what he had said. The man automatically assumed he wasn't a Witcher. He was going to tell Dominik he was just a man and ask what he would possibly be able to do against the ghost in the house. It had been something that he struggled with for a while traveling alone. A few times people had outright refused to give him contracts, thinking that he wasn't a real Witcher and their investment in paying him would go to waste. After a few years, as he started gaining more trophies, and developing his skills further it had gotten easier, he had never thought it a problem.

That was until his visit with the Emperor.

_You are not good enough for her, she will be paired with someone I select who is more… proper._

The words had sent his mind into a funk. He began to wonder if the Emperor was correct, and he still didn't know the answer. Being with Ciri, that was what he had wanted since the moment he met her, falling in love with her on that night, despite how much his eleven-year-old self-tried to deny it. Despite it being one of his deepest desires, it wasn't his deepest. His deepest, was just to keep her safe, make sure she got out of this whole situation with the Hunt alive, and could live a long life. However… how would a man be able to stand up to the might of the Wild Hunt? He had tried, when he fought Nithral in Velen, however the general of the Hunt had nearly killed him. It had taken every bit of his strength, and it still almost wasn't enough.

The Wild Hunt had more generals, all if which were even more powerful then Nithral. How would he ever be able to stand up to that power and keep Ciri safe? He didn't have the supernatural speed and strength of Geralt, or the magical powers of Yennefer, Triss or Ciri herself. He was just a normal man.

_The past can hurt sometimes, the failures you made can hurt. The way I see it though… we can either run from it… or we can learn from it._

The words Faram spoke that day had kicked him into overdrive. He was just a man yes, but it didn't mean that he was helpless in the fight. He was going to find Faram again, he was going to train with him, and then, he would master all the forms of Witcher Combat.

And then he would kill Eredin, any of his generals… and anyone who stood in his way, of making his deepest desire, to see Ciri safe, come true.

He knew Faram was in Novigrad, the bear school Witcher would not only be able to help him on the quest but could teach him the ways of the School of the Bear. The Witcher George of Toussaint, the Witcher of the School of the Griffin was surely not dead, the man was far too skilled. He would find him if he could, he would learn from them. Letho of Gulet, the man who helped Geralt fight the Hunt the first time, was a Witcher of the school of the Viper, currently at Kaer Morhen, he would convince the man to train him as well.

And he would continue to practice every day with Geralt, until his footwork was perfect, his reflexes better than any mans. He wasn't going to run from the past anymore. He wasn't strong enough, smart enough, diligent enough in his search to save Ciri the first time. It would be different this time.

He was watching the poor woman thrash about in the bed next to him, when the floor creaked again, and his head shot around. Geralt had come back, and in his hand, he was holding a ragged old doll, and a crude piece of paper in his hands. He shot to his feet as Geralt showed him the drawing of a doll laying in a crib.

"I hate puzzles…" He muttered as Geralt smirked at him.

"You were pretty good with Johnny when we met him," Geralt said, as the two began to search for a crib.

He felt his eyes roll as he walked to examine that seemed to lead to a small storage room, just off the side of the bedroom.

"Johnny had information about Ciri, the first real lead I'd had on her in years, that was different," He said, turning the door handle.

"Stop whining," The older Witcher told him.

He sighed as he turned to look inside the room. Smiling he saw the cradle. It was old, wooden, and off the two rockers that had once helped it flow from side to side.

"Geralt, found our cradle," He said, making the older Witcher turn, walking into the room with him.

The older Witcher smirked and held the ragged doll out to him, "Would you like to do the honors? Or are you too scared a sorceress is going to come offer to sleep with you as a reward?"

"You're full of jokes today aren't you," He muttered as he took the doll from his adoptive father.

Geralt laughed as he looked down inside the cradle. It didn't look very inviting, there was only wood at the bottom. However, he didn't give too much thought to it after that as he gently placed the ragged thing inside. The moment the doll hit the bottom of the cradle, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest, when the door behind Geralt and he slammed shut. Both their heads shot backwards, to see a new scribbled drawing on the door.

He breathed a sigh of relief, as Geralt grabbed the paper off the door, and the moment he did it flung back open.

"Another masterpiece," He said showing the drawing to Dominik.

Dom looked down and scoffed, "An even with a blackened grate? There's probably one the floor below."

Geralt nodded in agreement and the two exited the room. He could hear the thrashing and screaming of Corinne above them, and he felt bad for the woman. One thing he knew, was how horrible nightmares could be. For years after the massacre at Cintra he suffered from them. He was surprised that they hadn't been returning to him more frequently now that the swallow pendant around his neck's magic enchantment wore off.

He made a mental note in the back of his head to see if Triss could cast a similar enchantment to what Yennefer had on the swallow again now that its magic had worn off. Another part of him however wanted to keep the swallow like it was. Somehow, he had been having nightmares about Ciri, all the hardships she faced. A part of him wanted to see, learn what she had truly gone through. It would only give him even more reason to find her then he already had.

Ciri had always been there when he had nightmares, she would lay with him, even fall asleep with him sometimes in a effort to make them stop. She would of course have them as well, but for reasons unknown to him, his always seemed to be more potent as a child.

Finally, after going down the creaky stairs again, Geralt managed to find another way down. Before they went up the stairs, a small hatch leading downwards. The older Witcher went down first, and careful not to step on his head Dominik followed down after him. The rungs of the ladder, like everything else in the house felt like they were about to fall over. Sure enough however, when the two Witchers got down to the bottom, it was the kitchen and bakery portion of the house.

Quietly he took the lead, and walked towards the oven, which had the grate missing. He poked his head inside, seeing if anything was there, but sighed when he saw nothing.

"BOO," A voice yelled, a pair of eyes appearing in the darkness of the oven.

"SHIT," He yelled stumbling backwards, tripping over an old sack and onto the ground.

"Ow…" He muttered, hearing a young child's laugh, finally seeing the godling appear, standing on the oven.

"HA! I scared you, I scared you! Big brave man was scared of little Sara, ain't that funny," She said, clapping her hands and laughing.

He looked back up at Geralt, and the older Witcher was doing everything in his power not to start laughing. Sighing, he got up to his feet, dusting off his clothes and readjusting the sword on his back. He looked over to Geralt, who still smiling looked over to the young godling, as both Witchers walked back in front of her. The godling was a female, and wore a hat of grass, with what looked like a brown sack as a dress.

Geralt after finally managing to control his laughter, looked at the young godling, "You gotta be careful with that Sara. You might scare someone so bad they'll hurt you. You're lucky Dom's a big softie."

"Shut up Geralt…" He muttered, getting a laugh from the godling.

"Hahaha, scared him good, didn't I? Who would hurt me? Having a spot of fun not allowed anymore? I'm just playing" The young godling asked innocently.

Dom sighed and met the creatures eyes, "What are you playing?"

Sara giggled and pointed upwards, "Lady's sleeping upstairs, I keep sending her nightmares, horrible dreams and funny stuff! She can't wake, I won't lets her, funny ain't it?"

"Very funny," Geralt said, drawing the creatures attention, "Thing is. Dom and I need to talk to her, so I'd like you to let her wake up."

Fervently Sara shook her head, "Little Sara don't want to let her wake. Little Sara wants to play."

Sighing again Dom looked at the creature again, "Sara, you need to be careful. Geralt and I, we know you're a harmless godling. We just met one a few days ago in Velen named Johnny. He lives in a bog… why do you live in a haunted house?"

Sara laughed again, "Tell you a secret. House ain't haunted, not one bit! I just pretend it is, make everyone think that. It was sitting here all empty, so I moved in! Then some big wig from the bank came and bought it. I don't like bankers, especially to live with, so I pretended the house was haunted!"

He almost laughed at the godlings story, but Geralt slowly shook his head, all while looking disappointed.

"Thing is that banker spent a lot of money on this place. Won't give it up easy, you may have to go find a new home," He told the young creature.

"I don't want too!" She said petulantly, stomping both her feet.

Quickly, wanting to control the situation Dominik held out his hands, "Okay… don't worry we won't force you to leave. We'll make a deal with you. If you let the woman dreaming wake up and leave… Geralt and I will tell the banker the house is really haunted, no way lift the haunting."

Geralt quickly caught on to what he was doing and nodded his head, "Yeah, that way he'll leave. The house will be all yours."

Sara's golden eyes widened, "Really? And he'll believe you!?"

Geralt nodded, "We're Witchers, he'll have too."

"Yes, yes, yes," The godling said, clapping and hopping up and down again, "Do that I won't bother your friend one bit I promise! You're both awfully nice you know?"

He felt himself smiling at the young creature. It was easier for him traveling the path at times then most Witchers. He didn't have the same prejudice screamed at him as they did, he looked like any normal traveler you'd see. However, the compliments were always few and far in between.

"Thanks… I don't hear that often," Geralt said with a smile.

He smiled as well at the godling and nodded in agreement, "Neither do I… thanks Sara, have fun, just be careful."

With one final smile at the creature he turned with Geralt to ascend back up the ladder. A good feeling swelled up inside him as they climbed. With Sara under control, the ladder actually felt like a normal ladder. The banging on the walls and creaking of the wood had all ceased. Upon getting back up to the main floor, neither of them heard Corinne screaming, or thrashing about in the bed upstairs anymore. A rush of excitement filled him, as he climbed the stairs, Geralt following closely on his heels.

Corinne had indeed woken up, the woman was wearing a white dress, without any shoes. Her black hair was wet, sticking to her head with sweat as she breathed heavily. The poor woman really did look as if she had been experiencing nightmares for days upon days. He remembered the feeling of waking up from one in Kaer Morhen. Sweat would be beading from his head, he would still be able to faintly see the fires, the blood, hear the ringing of steel, and screaming of his sister, his friends and neighbors as they were slaughtered in the streets. Some nights he wouldn't even bother going back to sleep, he'd stay up reading, or staring at his fathers ring, the mans last words echoing in his ears.

_"Go, find her… protect her… people linked by destiny… will always find each other."_

It had been all he tried to do since he heard those words from him, and now he was even closer.

Corinne looked up at Geralt and he as they both walked into the room, her face groggy.

"Who… who are the two of you," The woman said, rubbing her eye as she leaned up against the head of the bed.

Dom stood by the foot of the bed, and Geralt knelt down next to the woman, "Triss Merigold sent us to find you."

Corinne nodded, but rubbed her head again, "Gods…. Horrible nightmares. I was supposed to dream the history of this house…. Instead, I saw furniture, hungry furniture that wished to devour me. I… I know it must sound foolish, but it all felt so real…. And not at all amusing."

Geralt smirked, "Work of a godling. She made people believe the house was haunted. Injected your dreams with her little jokes."

She looked between the two of them and sighed, "And you managed to free me? I feel fortunate."

"We Witchers have our ways," Dom said with a small smile.

Corinne nodded to them again, "Well, I am very grateful. Is there any way I can pay you back?"

A rush of blood went through his heart, pumping it faster as he nodded at the woman, "Yeah, you see we're looking for someone. Someone… very important. A young woman, and she's been seen in Novigrad."

The dreamer nodded, looking between them both again, "Well I can certainly try to help. I rent a room at the Golden Sturgeon, I… I know you've helped me already but, would you mind going there with me? I… I'm not feeling to well after that endeavor."

Upon hearing the name of the inn, his ears perked up, he looked at the woman one more time, "The Golden Sturgeon? Do you know a Witcher who's been staying there, names Faram. Tallest man there more then likely, black beard and hair tied up in a ponytail?"

Upon hearing the description of his friend Corinne nodded right away, "Aye, I talk to him often, a friendly man. Last I heard from him was before I left, said something about a group of drowners in Oxenfurt but he may be back by now."

Another smiled crossed his face as he looked over to Geralt, who smirked back at him, "We'll look for him when we get there, come on, let's get back before it gets too dark outside."

The dreamed was helped up onto Geralt's arm and Dominik followed closely behind the two of them. He felt his blood begin to rush even faster. Corinne was their best chance to pick up Ciri's trail in Novigrad, and he would also hopefully get to see Faram again. The Bear School Witcher he knew, would train him in the ways of his Witcher school if he asked. If everything came together in Novigrad, it would be even easier for them to figure out Ciri's final destination.

He couldn't help but wonder however, what would've happened if he had only come to Novigrad and Oxenfurt to see Dandelion a few weeks later. Would he have ran right into Ciri? He could have, he could be with her at that very moment, if only had had taken Dandelion's offer of staying a little longer.

In the end however, he decided to take the advice again of Faram to heart. There was no use running from the past, they should only move forward.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"My room is right through here, this way," Corinne said, leading the two Witchers up the first set of stairs.

He was upset upon discovering that Faram had not yet returned to the tavern. Upon asking the inkeep he informed Dominik that the Bear School Witcher had set out for Oxenfurt a few days prior and still not yet returned, confirming Corinne's story. The Golden Sturgeon wasn't exactly a place that he would go for an evening of drinking. It was filled to the brim with sailors and traveling merchants, all who had the look of people who'd only need a wrong passing glance to start a fight. It seemed however like the perfect place for Faram, so it was no wonder to him why he had begun working out of the tavern.

Corinne had seemed to slightly recover from her escapade in the haunted house, able to walk on her own she showed them up the stairs. Geralt had pulled down his hood and walked next to him, keeping a close eye on their backs. The music from bards drums, lutes and other instruments grew faint and the smell of the mead and other drinks grew faint. On the second floor a row of rooms were all in a row, with another set of stairs leading even higher. Corinne approached the first door on the left and turned back to the two Witchers.

"Just give me a few moments to clear my mind, and then decide which one of you will be coming in," The woman said, pushing the strands of her brown hair away from her face.

He titled his head at her inquisitively, "What do you mean, can't we both just come in?"

Corinne shook her head, "When I'm at full strength… normally I can give multiple people the same dreams. However, I'm not exactly in top condition now, I'll only be able to dream for one of you."

Understanding the woman's words, Dominik nodded his head and she retreated into her room. Sighing he turned to Geralt, the older Witcher looking at him with his arms crossed.

"I'll go rent us some rooms for the night, get us some food. Getting late… might as well rest here for the night," He told the older Witcher, going to try and walk past him.

Geralt however shook his head and held a hand-out to stop him, "I'll worry about all of that. You should be the one to go dream."

He felt his blood begin to race again. It was assumption that Geralt would be the one to do it, he had of course never encountered a dreamer before himself. He knew that Geralt wished to see Ciri just as much as he did, and they were both thinking the same thing. If the dreams that Corinne gave them, really did show the past or the future, then it was possible they would get a glimpse of her.

"Are… you sure Geralt? I… I mean I don't mind I-."

Geralt shook his head, and placed a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes, "It's alright. I miss Ciri, a lot. But… at least I've seen her more recently then you. Go, dream will probably take you till the morning, I'll be here when you wake up."

Nervously he nodded his head. He knew that his memories of Ciri had to be strong enough for Corinne's dreamer abilities, however he never knew that the idea of seeing Ciri, what she looked like now would be so nervous. The drawing he carried around, was only from what the Emperor's spies had assumed, and from the bits of information they had. Geralt gave him a reassuring smile, before gesturing to Corinne's door. Dominik turned, and took the steps towards the dreamers room. Geralt walked back down the steps, towards where the inkeep was behind the bar, as he slowly turned the knob.

He didn't expect to see such an elegant looking room at the Golden Sturgeon. The dreamer had beautiful red and white tapestries, with elegant patterns hanging from the walls. Candles and incense were lit, emanating a pleasant smell throughout the room. A small bed lay in the back, large pillows and a white blanket laid out over-top. Corinne herself was leaning against a table, and arose as soon as he walked in. The table had two candles, and a black crystal ball on it, along with what looked to be multiple Gwent cards.

Carefully, he stepped forward, and the woman gestured for him to sit.

"I dream in here, are you familiar with how my abilities work," She asked, as the woman who was still wearing no shoes sat down across from him.

He felt his blood begin to rush faster, what if he messed up the dreams? What if somehow his memories weren't as strong as he thought? After a moment he pushed the thoughts from his head. He was about to hopefully get more information on where she had gone, and he was willing to risk anything for that.

Carefully he nodded his head, before unclipping his sword from his back and carefully placing them against a dresser. He joined Corinne at the table and leaned his arms against it, meeting the dreamers eyes.

"A little… I know it requires strong memories of a person, if that's what you're trying to do," He informed the woman, running a hand through his hair as the sweat dripped down.

Corinne nodded slowly, keeping eye contact with him, "That is the basics yes. I will guide you. First… tell me your name."

"Dominik… Dominik of Cintra," He said carefully, the smell of incense and heat from the candle hitting his face.

Corinne's face fell, as she met his eyes again, "Cintra? A… a terrible shame, what happened to them."

The thoughts of Cintra's fate made his head fall as well, he could still hear the ringing of steel and the screams of the people.

"Yeah… it was," He said quietly, as he shifted in his seat.

The dreamer nodded, clearly seeing he didn't wish to talk further. She straightened in her chair, and looked at him again, "Now, one more question before we begin. Why do you seek this woman? What is the true reason, the one deep inside your heart, why do you wish to find her? You must answer truthfully, the honest truth."

He wanted to shout out that he only wanted to keep her safe, which was the truth. However, hearing the dreamers warning that he must tell the honest truth made him pause. A lesson Geralt had taught him long ago, was that there were always multiple truths to a scenario. The words applied to what he thought then and there. Was it the truth that he wanted to find Ciri to keep her safe, yes. Was it the truth he truly didn't care if she wanted to be together after it all and he just wanted to make sure she made it, yes. Was it true that destiny had intertwined their fates, and he felt it was his duty to protect her, yes. However, none of that, was the complete, and honest truth.

He knew what it was the moment he met her.

Slowly, he looked up and met Corinne's eyes, "It's… because I love her. Always have… and I'm pretty sure I always will."

A small smile crossed the dreamers face, as he only looked down at the swallow pendant, and the new drawing of the bird on his right arm. He knew that was the truest reason he could give, the truest of the multiple truths that he had.

Corinne shuffled around the Gwent cards in front of them, and met his eyes again, "This is good, I believe we've established a mental accord. Now, I need you to tell me some memories. Start first with the clearest, strongest memory you have of…"

"Ciri," he said quickly, realizing she was asking for a name, "Her… her names Ciri."

The dreamer nodded and leaned forward to meet his eyes again, "Good, now I need some of the strongest, clearest memories you have of this Ciri."

He almost felt himself scoff. His memories of her were all that kept him looking through the last eight years. Time upon time again he had thought of giving it all up, but then one of the memories would come back to him. He would see her face in his dreams, remember a moment they shared together. Pin-pointing the clearest, strongest of them would almost be impossible since all of them were equally as strong and clear. He was able to remember exact details, down to what the both of them were wearing in the memories.

So, he decided he would start back at the very beginning.

"I remember when I first met her," He said, leaning back in the chair a small smile coming to his face, "My father, he was captain of Queen Calanthe's royal guards, he… brought me to one of the royal balls when I was 11. I was sitting at some of the low tables, listening to some knights story about saving some town when… when an apple hit me in the back."

She was wearing a white dress that night, her hair let loose down behind her back in curls, he remembered it exactly. The moment their eyes met, looking back on it, he had felt something at that exact moment.

He sighed with a smile now, "I turned around and this girl, looked about my age was staring at me. She waved for me to follow so… I did. I had to chase her around the castle until… until I finally came out to this balcony. She was sitting on it her feet dangling," A small laugh came from his mouth, "I said, 'You need to be careful you're close to the edge you could fall'. She turned right around to me and said, 'no need to worry about that, I sit up here all the time my balance is perfect'. That night we… we raided the kitchens, hid in a broom closet… it may have seemed like harmless kid stuff but… but looking back on it I knew then… I knew that I was never going to want to lose her. I… I was bound to her."

Upon hearing his last words, Corinne's head perked up to meet his gaze again, "By destiny?"

He looked down at the swallow, and shook his head, "No… by something more. I had no idea then an apple in the back… would lead me to the person I love."

Corinne nodded, seeming to have a better understanding. However, he could see the woman's face seemed as if she was trying to cram something large into her brain. She looked back up to him and gestured for him to continue.

"Thank you… you wish to share another memory I assume," She asked the younger Witcher.

Slowly Dominik nodded his head, deciding to continue the memories in order. He sighed, trying to control his heartbeat, "Ciri and I… we… we were orphaned, during the second war with Nilfgaard. I… I remember the night they attacked Cintra."

He felt himself pause for a moment, trying to stop the screams from coming back to his head. Again he managed to take a slow breath and meet the dreamers eyes.

"I remember them… killing my mother and little sister, started chasing me afterwards. I… I ran through the streets, being chase by the knight with a winged helmet. I ducked into an alley and he finally lost me but… he found a new target," he said, looking up to meet the dreamers eyes, "I knew it was the secret exit from the palace. I… I saw my father, and another knight come out, Ciri was with them. A group of soldiers and the knight spotted them, my father he… he put Ciri and the other knight on a horse and sent them off. The soldiers attacked him, while the knight that chased me went after Ciri."

Again he felt himself stop, remembering the scene in vivid detail. He didn't want to go on and describe more, but he knew he would need to. It was going to help him honor his father's final wish.

He shook his head clear and spoke again, "My father… he fought like an animal. He managed to kill the whole group of soldiers but… but he was mortally wounded. I ran to him, trying to do what I could to help but… but there wasn't anything. He gripped me by my shirt and told me to go and find Ciri. To find her, and Geralt of Rivia. I… I was delirious at the time; I didn't want to believe he was dying I didn't want to leave him but… but he told me to go. To go find Ciri, to find her… and protect her."

The swallow around his neck began to tremble so he gripped it in his hands before continuing, "I… I didn't know what to do, so I did what he said. I found a horse nearby and took off in the direction I saw Ciri run. No idea how I found her, found her and the knight, but he had gotten his hands on her. We were outside Cintra finally when I caught up. I… don't know what my plan was, but I screamed and leaped at his horse. We tumbled and fell, Ciri fell out of his arms, I screamed for her to run, but… she didn't. Knight had me up by the hair, was about to run me through right there when… when Ciri used her… gifts. Don't know how, but she screamed, and my ears nearly bled. Knight got knocked back with me, I came to a little bit later, she dragged me to my feet, and we ran."

Corinne upon hearing the final bit of his story, closed her eyes and seemed again as if the information was being seeped into her head. Finally after another moment she opened her eyes and looked at him again.

"Your memories… they… they are intense, true, and meaningful. Please, would you like to share more," She asked him with a shaky voice.

He reluctantly let go of the swallow and met her eyes again, "More memories give us a better chance of finding Ciri right?"

Corinne nodded and he breathed out, settling the rapid heartbeat in his chest. He managed to look up and meet the dreamers eyes again.

"Ciri and I we… we traveled north for around a month after Cintra. We were trying to get to Skellige at first, she has family there but… but we never got there. Eventually Geralt found us both. He took the two of us to Kaer Morhen," he started, remembering how afraid he initially was at the Witcher fortress, "I guess he figured the two of us learning swordplay, increasing our stamina wouldn't hurt. I was terrified at first but Ciri kept reassuring me. She said Geralt was her destiny, and now he was mine, since the two of us were in it together, where one of us went… the other went."

It was something they would repeat to each other often to reassure them both. The two of them were the only ones who truly understood what the other had gone through, so they agreed never to seperate. When Geralt first brought up the idea of Ciri going to the Temple of Melitele, he had been furious with the Witcher for a week.

He sighed and tried to keep his eyes on the dreamer, "After a while… it became my home. For three years Ciri and I trained together, every day. Those were some of the most amazing times of my life. I… I remember one night when we were 12 almost 13. Geralt had made us run the double pendulums. Ciri managed to get it that first day but me… well I couldn't stop getting knocked off, fell a hundred times before we quit that night," He told her, as a smile crept onto his face again, "That night, Ciri woke me up. Took me out to the pendulums and told me she was going to help me practice until I got it, she knew how much it bothered me I couldn't finish. Thing is… practicing with a blindfold on at night probably wasn't the best idea."

He laughed remembering that Geralt had told him, he, Eskel and Lambert had all secretly been watching the two of them train that night.

"I stepped wrong, and the damn thing knocked me off the edge. Pendulums are right on the wall of Kaer Morhen, and I slipped the wrong way. I grabbed onto one of the posts for my life, I thought I was a goner, I would fall and splash open like a pancake. Ciri though… she saved me, grabbed my arm and yanked me back up," He said, remembering the tears he saw streaming down the girls face, "I… remember she was crying. She punched my arm, screamed at me, thinking she'd lost me over the edge. I'd never seen her cry, or be that scared, not since Cintra. She was always confident and trying to smile. I thought she was really furious with me but… that was the first night she kissed me."

Geralt had told him, that was the first night he knew Ciri was in love with Dominik as well. He could almost feel the tingle on his lips from the exact night. Corinne in front of him closed her eyes again, before nodding to him.

"I can tell how strongly you feel for her, it will all help in trying to locate her… is there anything else you wish to share," The dreamer asked him.

Quickly he nodded his head, despite the sadness rising in him with each story he shared. However, he remembered why they were there. More strong memories would give them a clearer picture.

He nodded quickly, looking at the dreamer yet again, "I… remember the last night I saw her. We were fourteen, staying in Ellander at the time, at the inn there. Geralt had decided to… learn to control her abilities, she'd need to go to Aretuza, learn from the mages," He said, spitting the name of the magic school out, "It… was only supposed to be for a little while, but I was worried still… it would be the farthest I'd ever been away from her in my life. We… spent the whole day together. Went swimming during the day, I picked her some flowers on the walk back. Sat in the tavern, ate, played Gwent… danced together. I was a wreck when she went to leave the next morning, I couldn't get the feeling something would happen out of my system. But… but she kissed me, and promised it'd be alright. We promised one another that no matter what happened, we'd always try to find each other. 'Everything will be alright. I'll see you soon I promise. I love you'. Those… those were the last words she said to me."

The words that he held onto, but also haunted him forever. For years after this he wondered the continent looking into everything he could, bitter, angry and blaming everyone but himself. Despite everything that Geralt and Yen told him, about it not being his fault, he knew that he should have done more. He could have worked harder to convince them not to let her go, he could have been more diligent in his search. He could have not been a brat, and just listened to Geralt. If he had only stayed with the older Witcher, he would have seen Ciri two years ago before Rivia. If he had seen her, things would have gone different. She wouldn't have been forced to go to the Lodge of Sorceresses, he could have taken her and protected her. Or perhaps he could even have traveled to a different world with her.

The past however was in the past, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

"Your memories as I said… are more potent then most. You said this woman has… abilities? Can you tell me about them," Corinne asked, and he suddenly felt his anger spike.

He scoffed and stood up from the chair and looked out the window over the darkened city of Novigrad.

"Her abilities, her 'gift'… is the reason nobody will just leave her the hell alone. Everyone wants her, wants to rape her to gain access to her blood, kill her to open up portals" He said with disgust, "Ciri… she's a child of the Elder Blood."

Corinne audibly gasped from behind him, "A descendent of bloody Falka!? The traitor who was burned at the stake. The prophecies claim that the worlds destroyer will be born of the firebrand's cursed blood."

He shook his head, feeling the pressure in his blood rise, "I don't give a damn about no ancient legends or prophecies. All I know is, that because of something that was completely out of her control, she's been hunted, attacked and in danger her whole life, and when I find her that all ends. I won't fail at protecting her again, I'll find her, and together we're going to kill anyone who tries to hurt her."

Corinne seemed slightly taken aback by his outburst, but quickly composed herself and nodded her head, "I see… is there anything else you can tell me about her abilities?"

"She has trouble controlling them," He said quickly, turning back to face the window overlooking the city, "That… that's why Geralt and Yennefer said she needed to go to Aretuza. I… I remember one time her and Yen were training, Yen was trying to show her simple spells. Ciri she… blew up this shed, just so happens I was walking by to go find them. Ciri completely destroyed the shed, nearly blew me up in the process. She… she was devastated. I wasn't seriously hurt, but I went to find her after she ran away. Ciri she… she was crying, told me she was scared of her own powers, scared she'd hurt Geralt, Yen, or me again. Said that it would be better if she just disappeared, and I would be better off without her."

It was one of the few times that he had seen Ciri truly distraught. One of the things he always loved about her, was the confidence she exhumed, how sure she was of everything she did, it was one of the things that attracted him about her from the beginning. Compared to his reserved, quieter demeanor, it was a great change for him, and he loved her for making him more confident and surer of himself. In that moment however, he had never seen her in such a state.

He sighed before continuing, "I told her it was ridiculous. That if she were to leave… it would hurt more to me than any physical wound I could receive. I promised her… I'd stick by her side no matter what."

The dreamer kept staring at the back of his head and when he turned around, he could see her brown eyes flutter open, "Is… there anything else you'd like to share before we begin the process?"

He examined out the window, over the skies of Novigrad again. The full moon had arisen, and the sight of the sparkling waters out the bay reminded him of the lake outside Cintra, where his father took him day after day. Where Ciri and he would ice skate the winter they knew each other in the city.

Turning back to the dreamer he sighed, "Yeah… one more thing."

He looked down at the swallow pendant around his neck, and thinking of the ring that dangled around Ciri's, wherever she was now.

"My father he… he told me once when I was younger, that my destiny and Ciri's were intertwined," He said, looking down at the swallow, "He said that for centuries my family has been captain of Cintra's royal guard, and that our duty was to protect Ciri's family… and the power they possess. Obviously didn't know what it was then but… now I do. It's been my families duty to protect the Elder Blood that's been in Ciri's family."

"I see," Corinne said, meeting his eyes as he turned, "So now, that's another reason why you want to protect her?"

He felt his hands grip tightly around the swallow, before shaking his head at the dreamer.

"Truth be told? I couldn't give less of a DAMN about the Elder Blood, the ability to open portals between worlds, any of it. I don't care one bit. I'm not on this quest to save the Elder Blood, and protect it from those who want to control it or abuse it," He said, turning to the swallow, and the names tattooed into his right arm, "I'm doing this to save CIRI, not her blood, not her special abilities. For too long people have seen her as… just a vessel, a vessel for the Elder Blood. I don't care at all about it. I want to protect Ciri, and her alone. And anyone who wants to continue to treat her as if she's just her blood… and not an actual person… will have me to answer to. She will not be used anymore after I find her."

Corinne stood up from her chair and walked barefoot over to him. She met his eyes for a moment again, and he could see the look in her face again. She digested all of the information that he had given her, and it seemed as if her eyes were almost about to roll into the back of her head. Finally after another moment, she looked back into his eyes.

"I knew you cared for this woman… but your tone, the emotions you've exhumed, I've never seen anything quite like it," She explained to him, her voice in a low tone.

He felt his chest begin to pump through his body even faster. After telling the dreamer all of the information he could, he felt as if he had just ran for hours straight. It was exhausting, but he knew that in the end it would be worth it. Finding a trail for Ciri in the largest city in the world was going to be difficult, and if he had to withstand remembering a few painful memories, then it was something he was more then willing to pay.

He nodded towards the dreamer, and she led him to her bed. She sat down on the chair next to him, "We are ready to begin. Now, hold onto my hand and tell me more about Ciri. Tell me where she might be, who might be at her side."

Slowly he nodded and the dreamer held out her hand, which he gingerly took. He sighed and met her eyes, "Well, I know that she'd try to find me or Geralt first. Didn't find us obviously but if she couldn't then… she probably would have went to another one of our old friends."

"Who do you think in particular," The dreamer asked, her cold touch running through his body.

He thought deeply and remembered something Geralt and he thought of a few days prior, "Triss said she hasn't seen her, neither had Yen so… maybe Dandelion. He's normally here or in Oxenfurt. The two of us… we loved listening to his stories and songs when we were younger."

Corinne nodded and gently let go of his hand, "Good… now lay down and make yourself comfortable. Rest, and as you do… tell me more about Ciri, what she looks like, the things you love about her."

The bed was much more comfortable then he expected. Being in the business of helping people dreamed, he assumed a good bed was more then likely essential for the dreamer. He heard her rummage through a chest next to the bed, before pulling out a pair of sewing needles. She began to sew a line of cloth and the pleasant snipping sound of the two needles made his eyes feel heavy with each one.

"Ciri… she has ashen hair, normally keeps it tied in a loose bun…. She… she did this adorable thing, always tried… tried covering her freckles with her hair…. Only ever seen her have it down a few times… beautiful when it is. Her eyes…" he said, feeling a yawn escaped from his mouth, "Bright, bright green, the same color as mine, she… she's beautiful. Kind, selfless, protective, mischievous at times… always smiling, making jokes. She… she was always so confident… sure of herself…I… I loved that about her."

He tried to get out more words, but the gentle sound of the needles overtook him. His eyes fluttered, and soon they closed completely.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The first thing he heard, was the loud chirping. The incessant chirping of a swallow. He examined the room he saw; it was filled to the brim with books, tables, wine glasses, lit only by the light of a few candles and the moons rays from outside. In the middle of the room, he recognized the loud outfit of her and Geralt's long time friend, the bard Dandelion. The old poet looked the same as he did when he saw him a month prior. The bard was flustered, his head swirling around the room, trying to keep track of the bird as it zoomed around him. The bard mouthed words at the creature as it landed on the table near him, it almost seemed as if the swallow was arguing with him, and he was screaming back.

Finally Dandelion turned, crossing his arms away from the bird, but quickly the creature had second thoughts. It swirled around him again, chirping and pecking at his fingers, trying to get the bard to listen. He saw Dandelion's face look down at the ground, fervently shaking his head, refusing to give an inch, but the swallows chirping got louder and louder, until the dream faded off to black again.

When he finally saw the dream come back, Dandelion was in it again. However, it was in a place he never expected to find the bard. It seemed as if he was underground, he sloshed through the mucky water, passed a set of bars where the grate had been blown off. The swallow was following the bard again, chirping in his ear, and the two quickly ran and ducked behind of the sewer again.

They had run away from a large bricked wall and plugged both hands into his ears. The swallow flew around next to him, and the next thing he knew a large explosion ripped through the sewers. Dandelion got sent sprawling forward and the swallow quickly followed. The poet managed to get to his feet, and at the swallow urgent and incessant chirping, the two sped off back down the sewers.

He barely had time to digest what had happened when the dream shifted again. For the first time he could see Dandelion in what looked to be his natural element. He was in what seemed to be an office, and the bard was leaning against his desk, looking towards the door, at someone who he couldn't see.

"You sure you don't want to wait? I can get words to Dom and Geralt in a couple days. You only missed Dom by a few days himself, gods know he'll run back here on foot when he learns you're here, don't you want to see them," The bard said, his voice finally audible for the first time.

He could feel his heart begin to almost burst, but to his frustration the dream didn't turn around, and he could only hear her voice.

"More then anything you know that but… right now I need to keep moving, we have to do it now," And just the sound of hearing the voice made, made him recognize who it was.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"CIRI," He shouted, his head shooting up from the bed.

It had been her voice he knew it, it couldn't have been anyone else's. She had been in the city, she had seen Dandelion, they had reunited and planned something. Ciri had been in a hurry, whatever she was trying to do she was running out of time. He felt his apprehension rise, knowing that if a curse truly afflicted her, then if she was running out of time, it made finding her all the more important. The apprehension was soon replaced, with a feeling that hadn't passed through him in years. A tingly feeling, as if butterflies were swirling around in his stomach. Her voice had gotten deeper, and she sounded like a grown woman. He of course knew that now she was, but in all of his dreams and memories, they were both young, still children, their voices high pitched and breaking. He only had half a beard, and still wasn't taller then her yet. He may not have gotten to see her like he wished, but he heard her, and more importantly knew exactly who they needed to go see to figure out where she went.

Reliving his memories had been worth it.

He wrapped his hands around the swallow pendant and looked to the window. The dream had only felt like a few moments, but the sun had risen outside yet again as morning set in. The candles in Corinne's room had been put out, and he heard the door creak open, and the dreamer re-entered.

"Ah good, you've awoken. Geralt is waiting for you downstairs, what did you dream," She quickly asked, sitting down in the seat next to him again.

Feeling slightly groggy, but with his excitement growing, he swung his feet around the side of the bed. He met the dreamers eyes and smiled, "I think it worked. I saw Dandelion, arguing with… a swallow as weird as is sounds. Then the dreams kept multiplying."

Corinne nodded as if it was a normal occurrence, "Aye, the dreams do multiply sometimes, show the past as well as the future."

With a huge smile on his face he nodded, "I could tell. I heard him talking with her… didn't see her face but I know it was her. I… haven't heard her voice in eight years… eight years…"

The dreamer smiled and met his eyes, "I truly am happy I was able to help. I assume you wish to set out and find the poet now?"

Nodding quickly, he got to his feet, and retrieved his sword, strapping it onto his back, before looking back at Corinne, "Yeah… thing is I didn't know he was in town still. Normally I see him in Oxenfurt."

"I've heard he started staying in Novigrad now, someone left him the Rosemary and Thyme in their will," Corinne quickly explained to him.

He felt himself scoff as he turned around to face the dreamer again, "Dandelion owning a business? The Rosemary and Thyme… that was a brothel the last time I was here. Dandelion… inherited a brothel… you know I'm not surprised."

The dreamer shrugged her shoulders, "It seems so yes. As I said before, Geralt is waiting for you down below, buying provisions."

A smile crossed his face again at getting to tell Geralt the news. First however, he smiled at Corinne and bowed his head to her, "Thank you… so much for your help. I… I don't know how to repay you."

The dreamer smiled at him and shook her head, "There's no need Witcher. I hope your story has a happy ending… and that you find your Ciri."

He was going to find his Ciri. He was going to protect Ciri, not the elder blood, not the descendent of bloody Falka, not the blood of Lara Dorren, or the ability to travel between worlds.

He was going to protect Ciri, just like he had promised her.

**A/N: Novigrad dreaming in complete! This chapter we got to see Dominik tell bits of his story, and I loved doing that part. What do you make of what he said, about people treating Ciri as a vessel, and caring more about her blood then? Who do you think he's going to clash with in the future because of this? **

**Next chapter we all go get to see everyone's favorite dwarf, Zoltan Chivay, and meet the beautiful and talented Calonetta, aka Priscilla, and learn what happened to the bard Dandelion. Are you excited, what are you looking forward too?**

**Thank you all again for your continued support. The continued reviews, favs, follows and everything means SO much. Everyone who's reviewed and messaged me, that makes me wanna keep going. Also to all my guest friends leaving reviews thank you as well! I hope you'll continue to review, and make an account so we can talk more xD**

**I also want to say Novigrad's arch may end up being faster then Velen's however in Novigrad for the first time we'll have some solo quests with Dom that I created myself instead of taking from the game, and I can't wait to get to those. I hope you all enjoyed, please leave a review and if you need a question answer I'll more then happily answer! See you all next time.**


	22. Broken Flowers

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 22: Broken Flowers**

**Narrator: In their search for Ciri, Dominik and Geralt discovered the young woman had gone to the free city of Novigrad. After arriving and seeking help from their old friend Triss Merigold, she directed the two Witchers to Corinne Tilly an Oneiromancer, an expert on finding the lost and the missing. After rescuing the dreamer, she agreed to help the two find Ciri, through Dominik's dreams. After performing the ritual, Dominik had a dream, in it, Ciri and I, the bard Dandelion had been reunited. Dominik and Geralt both knew now that to find the young woman, they'd first need to find their dear old friend. **

"I actually HEARD her voice Geralt can you believe it," he said excitedly, as they weaved around the crowds of people.

Right away after leaving the dreamers room, he had gotten right to telling the older Witcher what he had seen in the dreams. Geralt seemed to be almost as excited as he, although he was obviously more reserved. They had set out for the Rosemary and Thyme right afterwards, the day still early. The sun was high, and the heat was intense, finally giving the two Witchers a break from the rain. He had seen Dandelion and Zoltan both of course the month before, however he had no idea that the bard inherited an inn, let alone a brothel.

He had always been fond of the bard growing up, as well as Zoltan. It was something that he secretly loved doing back in Cintra, going to the inns and taverns, simply listening to the music being played. His younger sister and father also never had any interest, but he would often go to the theater plays, and watch the shows with his mother, something he was always fond of. It was something that always brought his mother and he together, so when he met the famous poet Dandelion later in life, he was naturally nervous.

Despite his like for the theater, Dandelion's ballads, poems and other songs, he had never given the bard permission to write any about him. It was a topic the poet always brought up whenever he saw him. After the initial massacre at Cintra, the bard had wrote about how Geralt escaped the flames with two children, one being the Lion Cub of Cintra, and the other being the son of its greatest knight. The poet quickly put a stop to singing about Ciri and he after he was attacked for information about the two of them.

However in recent years, in what he assumed was the poets efforts to help him feel better, offered to write songs about all the contracts and quests he had been on. Every time he refused the bard, on the basis that if Dominik ever did find Ciri, or one of the songs lyrics even indicated he was looking for her, it could put her at even more danger. It could have hindered his search for her, and he didn't want that possible danger for her. However, he did promise the bard, that should he ever find Ciri, and she was safe, he could write as many ballads as he wanted.

Geralt smirked at him from under his hood, "Happy for you, really. Gotta find Dandelion first though, from what you described, looks like he must be in trouble again."

He smiled, but rolled his eyes, "I wanna say he probably just stuck something where he wasn't supposed to but… why the hell would he be blowing something up in the sewers?"

The older Witcher shrugged, "No idea, actually haven't seen him in a while. What did you come see him for a month ago?"

"Just happened to be near Oxenfurt, killed some drowners for a few villagers nearby," He said, his boots sloshing through the mud as they approached the large inn, "Figured I'd see if he was around. I normally ask him if he'd heard anything that might've led me to Ciri. If only I had stayed a few more days…."

The thought that he had been a mere few days behind her had sent him into a frenzy. He was eager to get going at the time, as he normally was when he neared Nilfgaardean lands. If he had only maned up, been willing to spend a few more days camped near the black ones… he could have found her, helped her with whatever it was she had been in such a rush to finish.

Geralt shook his head, as the two stopped just outside the fence of the large inn. A sign hanging on the outside read 'The Rosemary and Thyme', the place their favorite poet had apparently inherited from a will. He was surprised to see however, that the inn looked worse for wear, at least on the outside, a drunken groggy man was sitting on the wooden porch, a bottle in his hand. Multiple old sacks, tables and barrels were outside. It looked more like the local poor house then an inn Dandelion would be operating.

"Can't think about that now, good part is we're probably not that far behind her," Geralt told him reassuringly.

No use living in the past, he could only move forward, and Geralt was right.

"You're right," He said with a smile, turning to the building and walking towards the door, "Gotta say place looks… a little worse for wear I wonder-."

"AND NEVER COME BACK, ye stinking scadges!"

Just before the two Witchers could reach to open the door to the inn, it was flung open. Quickly, the two of them both stepped to the side as two men were both tossed to the ground outside.

"Next time you come back I'll rip your fucking legs off and shove them so far up your ass you'll have toes for teeth," The deep dwarven voice of Zoltan Chivay rang through the yard.

He felt himself scoff out a smile as the men smartly ran away, before the door slammed shut. Geralt looked over to him, and he could see the older Witcher smirking similarly to him.

"Zoltan's in rare form," He said to Geralt with a smile.

The older Witcher scoffed and shook his head, "You kidding? This is perfectly normal form."

He laughed along with Geralt as the turned to enter the inn. On the inside it seemed just as worst for wear as it did on the outside. Sacks, barrels, shelves tables, all were strewn about the main floor. Barrels were filled with wine, beer and mead, while tankards and mugs were all over the floors and tables. Sleeping bags, and other cots seemed to have been laid out, and it truly looked like the place the local drunkards and beggars would come to sleep.

Zoltan Chivay, however, was all smiles when he saw the two Witchers come inside. Growing up with Geralt he had met the dwarf along with Dandelion when he was young. The louder dwarf had scared him at first, but he later realized you would be hard pressed to find a friend as loyal as Zoltan. He knew Geralt and the dwarf had gone back far, fighting together on multiple occasions, even as recently as six months prior when Geralt had lost his memory. Normally Zoltan traveled alongside Dandelion, but there were a few times in his travels when he saw the dwarf and the two would end up severely drunk that night. The dwarf was also fond of Ciri when they were younger as well, so he would help him, give him bits of leads when he could, or deliver him the bad news he hadn't seen anything.

However, no matter the new he'd seeing Zoltan Chivay always put a smile on the young Witchers face.

"Ahhhhh! Geraaaaalt, Dominik back together again! Warms me heart it does," The dwarf said with a smile, coming out from behind the bar counter.

"Zoltan, with your boot up someone's ass as always," Geralt said with a smile.

"Only been a month, and now you and Dandelion got yourselves a fucking brothel, why am I not surprised," Dominik said, smiling down at the dwarf.

Zoltan let out a hardy laugh and met their eyes, "Lots changed in the last month lad, you especially. That though, that's the local color. I wasn't gone more then a moment! It was enough though for this rabble to turn our home into theirs!"

He barely had time to laugh with Geralt when more footsteps could be heard. The two Witchers shot around and as was a normal occurrence they were surrounded. Five more of the men who had apparently been staying at the inn while Zoltan had been gone surrounded them. None of them seemed to be particularly happy, and cracked their knuckles, obviously preparing for a fight.

Zoltan however cracked his even louder, looking back up at the two of them, "About to do some spring cleaning, care to join me?"

"With pleasure," Geralt said with a smile from next to him.

He smirked down at the dwarf and eyed the two men closest to him, "Gotta keep the place clean now."

The first man ran at him and went to throw a hook with his right hand, he moved his head to the side, pushing the mans hand away and quickly delivering a punch to his gut. The man keeled over, just in the range of Zoltan. He himself moved onto the next man, who didn't swing as wildly as the first. He moved his head, dodging jabs, before grabbing the mans arm as he went for a hook and spinning him against a wall. He barely had time to admire his work, before a man coming from the upstairs floor leapt at him from behind. The man wrapped his arms around Dom's throat, choking him. Acting quickly, he moved backwards and slammed the man up against the wall, but the man didn't release him, his grip like iron. The first man he had thrown against the wall came trying to wallop him again but seeing this he kicked his leg up into the mans gut. He reared over, and the young Witcher threw his head backwards, smacking it into the man grappling him from behind.

Finally the mans grip on his neck broke, and he took the chance to grab him, and throw him into the man he had kicked. He rushed over and kicked into the abdomen of both men, and they quickly scurried up and out the door. He looked over to see how Zoltan and Geralt were both faring and couldn't help but laugh. Geralt had one man locked by the head with one arm, as he threw an elbow, knocking back another man, before throwing his grappled man towards the door. Zoltan was down next to him, dragging a man on the ground in a head lock towards the door.

He felt himself laugh as the dwarf threw the man forward out the door, before slamming it shut. His back slightly ached, but he felt the rush of adrenaline running through his body. For so long he had felt grim, alone, like at times he was the only one in the world fighting. However, within the last few weeks he had reunited with old friends, discovered his two adoptive parents were alive, and Ciri were all within his reach. Geralt and he still had multiple quests to complete, puzzles to put together, he didn't expect to be happy during much of the time he was looking, expecting only to be happy when he finally found Ciri. While finding her would be what makes him truly happy, what he'd been working and yearning towards for years of his life, he also knew that he could enjoy moments like these with those he also cared about.

Zoltan turned around to the two Witchers again with a smirk and made a gesture of wiping his hands clean.

"Haha! Now that that's over, we can greet each other like the days of yore… Geralt, ages pal," The dwarf said fondly, reaching up to shake Geralt's hand.

He could see the happiness return to Geralt's eyes, "Hey Zoltan, you're looking good. Good to see you again."

Zoltan nodded before turning to Dom and holding out his arms, "HAHA! And I can't forget about you little wolf! Though… not so little anymore."

He felt himself laugh as he reached down to shake Zoltan's hand, "Ha, you realize I just saw you last month, right?"

The dwarf scoffed and looked up at them both with a smile, his arms crossed, "Bah I don't know what you've been eating lad, but you've gotten huge since then! I can see… well you also found Geralt as well," The dwarf said his tone falling a little.

Keeping the smile on his face, he nodded down to the dwarf, "Yeah, him and Yennefer. Still hard to believe, thought they were dead just a few weeks ago."

Zoltan for the first time in Dominik's life appeared nervous. He sighed scratching his beard and looking back up at him, "Dom lad… I wanted to apologize for, ye know not telling you about Geralt when I saw you last. Truth me told I… thought you knew he was alive."

Before he could respond the dwarf quickly turned around to Geralt, "And you Geralt old pal, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the times I've seen the lad."

Geralt shook his head quickly, "No need to apologize. I was still trying to recover my memory, probably wouldn't have remembered anyway."

Nodding in agreement he spoke up to the dwarf as well, "Yeah, no need to apologize. I found Geralt, that's all that matters now. Besides we… we're hear on more important business."

The mood between the three of them shifted as Zoltan smiled back up at the, a relieved look on his face. He knew that once the dwarf learned that they had found a trail of Ciri, that she had returned it would lift his spirits even more. He did slightly begin to worry however, he could see the portraits of Dandelion on the wall of the bottom floor of the inn but had seen no sign of the poet yet.

Zoltan below them sighed and smiled, "Well… good then. The two of you though-seem a bit withered. What's been going on, something worry yous?"

A smile managed to form on his face as he looked down at the dwarf, the news to the day still made him smile.

"Withered is the perfect word to describe it… but that doesn't mean we're stopping anytime soon," He said, looking down to meet the dwarfs eyes, "We're here about Ciri… she's back Zoltan."

Geralt nodded quickly next to him, "And her trail leads to Novigrad, she's either still here or was here recently."

The reaction on Zoltan's face was instant, shock, disbelief, and then finally a scoff before he smiled, "So you mean she's truly back? I'll be damned, wonder if I'll recognize her… how many years, six? Seven?"

"Eight…" Dom informed the dwarf, feeling a cold chill run through his blood, his head falling to the floor.

Zoltan turned to him, and nodded, "Chin up lad! If she's returned, then I know nobody has a better chance of findin her, then you and Geralt, but… what she be doin in Novigrad?"

"Hiding most likely, she's in danger," Geralt informed the dwarf before he could say anything else.

"The Wild Hunt…" He said to the dwarf, and the sun shining from the outside, suddenly seemed to grow cold.

Zoltan sighed deeply and shook his head, "Aye… not good, not good at all. You been on her trail eight years now lad… and now to find her with all this going on."

Quickly, he shook his head to the dwarf, "Don't care, not at all. I'm going to find her, and if the Hunt wants her… they'll have to kill me first."

He didn't know how he would fare in the fight, he could be killed, may not survive, but no matter what, no matter what skills he had or didn't have, he wouldn't stop. Zoltan looked at him and gave a small smile before nodding. The sun was at its apex, signaling midday, and the streets began to become even more flooded. The bells of Novigrad rung, and he wondered what it signaled, and hoped it wasn't another unfortunate mage.

Geralt looked between Zoltan and him, "We gotta find her first, that's priority number 1. We know she came to Novigrad and contacted Dandelion."

The look of optimism on Zoltan's face finally turned to one of nerves, he looked down, stroking the brown of his beard, "Well… we've a wee problem with that."

"Why am I not surprised…" He muttered under his breath, as Geralt turned to look down at the dwarf.

"Where is he? Got him hiding upstairs," Geralt asked him.

Zoltan rolled his eyes, crossing his arms pacing back and forth, "If I did, I'd wring his little neck for answers! I just barely returned as you saw. Expecting to come home to a hot leg o' boar, cold tankard of ale, but what do I find? A shite storm," He said, turning back to face the two Witchers, "Dandelion gone, tavern chock full of bums…. Haven't a clue what happened."

He sighed at the news. It was a given fact to him that the quest to find Ciri wasn't going to be easy. The task was like finding a needle in a haystack. However, he wished that only once the answer could be right in front of them. In Velen, they had to go on quests for the Baron and the Crones before getting any information on where Ciri had gone. After figuring out she had for sure gotten ahold of Dandelion, he foolishly thought that it would be a simple task, finding the bard and learning where the young woman had gone.

However, as Geralt told him before, on the Path, during the life of a Witcher you had to make your own luck. And he knew that he would rather be on his current path, a mountain of obstacles, difficult quests that he needed to complete, that he knew was leading him to Ciri, as opposed to doing what he had been. Wondering aimlessly, trying desperately to pick up any clues. Feeling as if he were chasing a ghost.

She wasn't a ghost anymore, she was real, and out there.

Geralt sighed next to him and looked around the littered ground floor of the tavern, "We better look around, see if he left any clue that may put us on his trail."

"Do you think he may be somewhere in Oxenfurt," Dom asked, turning down to Zoltan.

Gravely the dwarf shook his head, "Aye, hasn't really been there since we last saw ya lad. Radovid's closed down the academy, cities swarming with soldiers… not exactly the best place for me. Besides, he's been spending lots more time here. Probably something that'll put us on a trail aye, start on the ground floor, that's where he sat and wrote."

He nodded alongside Geralt and the three of them all went off to search different parts of the ground floor. The Rosemary and Thyme he assumed would make for a very fine-looking inn if restored. It was a mystery how Dandelion would have come to inherit such an establishment. The poet he knew was the frivolous type, staying and handling and inn, it didn't seem like the type of thing his friend would do. On a normal occasion he would have been more then happy to help both Dandelion and Zoltan renovate the place, giving him a place he always knew he could come rest his head safely.

The ground floor in its current state would certainly need a good cleaning soon, he could tell that much. He didn't find much, only barrels of wine, made from the finest vineyards, along with crumples of old songs and papers in one corner. He knelt down and began un-wrinkling and unwrapping a few of them. Most of them seemed to be nonsense, titles of ballads and songs that Dandelion never finished, or thought not good enough for his very lofty standards. The small writing corner had a very comfortable looking bed roll, and multiple pillows stacked to form a back rest, with empty mugs of wine and other drinks on one side of it. None of the papers seemed to be anything important the more he combed through them.

However, before he got up to rejoin Geralt, he noticed one more piece of parchment unfolded and neatly placed underneath a mug. He removed the cup and saw the parchment had much more words written on it then the drivel that was on the others he saw. A small stain of wine was at the top, but the title of the parchment could be seen when he looked more carefully. When he did finally manage to read the words, he felt his chest begin to thump.

_The Ballad of the Young Wolf and the Swallow, By Master Dandelion (Reference Notes)_

_ The story of two incredibly brave young people. A man and a woman, who both survived the tragedy of the massacre of Cintra, with nothing but each other. The two train for years under the famous White Wolf Geralt of Rivia's careful tutelage, their skill in combat, and love for one another ever growing, only for tragedy to strike when they are both separated for much longer then either wish. Eight years later they still search for one another, determine to reunite. _

_ The makings of one of my greatest ballads to date, perhaps surpassing even that of their adoptive parents. I had the pleasure of watching these two brilliant young people during their early years of training, and I have never seen such an inseparable pair. Two young people who perfectly balance off one another, one headstrong, confident and mischievous, the other more reserved, and quiet, but with a fiercely protective side. I've seen them as they grow up become more like the other, the perfect balance of remaining true to themselves and training for the better. _

_ Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. The Lion Cub of Cintra, the famous child of destiny to Geralt of Rivia. Confident, headstrong, yet also kind, compassionate and caring, with a protectiveness to rival that of Geralt's. She's also as beautiful as she is powerful, with the power of space and time within her. It's little wonder that Dominik cared for her so much, seeing as they grew up together in Cintra. Ciri it's princess, and Dominik the son of the captain of its royal guards. While I have not seen Ciri since that faithful day Geralt and our company made it to Strygga Castle, I know that she is still looking to reunite with Dominik. How do I know? One of the first things she asked after the fighting had ceased at the castle that day, "Where's Dominik, he isn't with you?" The young lad had not been, Geralt and I searched for weeks for him before leaving on our quest, but could not find him, for Dominik's own search for Ciri had led him away, so we were forced to save the girl without him. Still to this day, eight years have passed since they saw one another, but if I know them both, which I would say I do, they are all doing what they can to find each other._

_ Dominik of Cintra. The son of Gregory, former captain of Queen Calanthe of Cintra's royal guards. I had the pleasure of meeting Gregory when Geralt and I attended the birthday of Princess Pavetta, Ciri's mother in Cintra. The man was all the bit as virtuous, and true a knight as the stories told. His young son Dominik inherited these traits. People do not know much of the Young Wolf, Dominik of Cintra. Nobody knows of the countless people he has saved through contracts over his years, the merchants he's saved on the road, the villages he's freed of a monsters grasp, the endless people he's impacted. That would mainly be due to the young man himself. He has sworn to not have any of his deeds spoken of, talked or sung about (Much to my dismay, but I respect it), until he completes his one true quest. To find his long-lost love Ciri. Never have I met such a headstrong and determined young man. No matter how impossible his task has seemed over the years, he has not wavered, vowing to continue searching till the woman he swore to protect, and later come to love is found. _

_ With Geralt's memory returning, Yennefer now alive, perhaps his search may yet have hope. However, I know no matter what the conditions are, the Young Wolf will not rest until he finds his Swallow. _

_ And once he does, their tale, such a dramatic tale of love, loss and reunion must be told. This task will fall to me, and I shall let neither of them down._

"That bastard…" He said after reading the page, but with a smile forming on his face, "You'll get to write your songs…I promise."

The praise of his close friend raised his optimism. He had no idea the poet thought so highly of him, and hearing what he had to write brought a smile to his face. It was true that he asked the poet not to write any stories or songs about him until he found Ciri, and in a twist of irony, Dandelion had seen her before Dom. However, he knew that just as his friend wasn't going to let him down, he couldn't let him down either. Dandelion had been missing, and he knew what had happened with Ciri. In finding the bard, he would be able to help them both.

"Aye Dominik, over here lad," He heard the voice of Zoltan say from behind him.

He looked over and saw both Geralt and Zoltan both huddled over a book. Smiling, he placed 'The ballad of the Young Wolf and the Swallow' back where he found it and ran over to join them both. Upon arriving between the two of them, he could see that Geralt had found what looked to be a planner. He could see lists, for shipments of wine and other things an inn would need. Zoltan reached and took the book from Geralt, flipping through the pages, before looking up at the two Witchers.

"Seems when Dandelion inherited this fine establishment, it came with a few responsibilities. Bookkeeping among them," The dwarf said, carefully looking at the pages of the planner, "he also made a habit of noting down the times of his meetings-official and private. So who's he been seeing of late…?"

As soon as the dwarf finished his sentence, he felt himself scoff, "Bet most of them are of the female variety."

The dwarf laughed and nodded as he read the pages more carefully, "Seems you're right lad. Only been meetin woman of late! The dog!"

He felt himself laughed but Geralt sighed, "Zoltan, you really want us to go and track down all the woman Dandelion has been wooing? Probably angry women by now?"

"You got any better ideas," Zoltan asked turning around to them, "Besides, Dandelion is a babbler. They've sure to know something of his doings…. Now, we should all split these up somehow…. Ah fuck it."

The dwarf ripped one page off of the planner, and shoved it into his pocket, handing the book back to Geralt, "You two split up the lassies on that half, I'll interrogate the ones on mine."

He sighed as well he did slightly agree with Geralt. The idea of going by and talking to all the woman Dandelion had been trying to date didn't seem all that appealing to him. He knew that the poet had a shaky history with women, so most of them were more than likely not happy with the poet at the moment. Seeing the history Dandelion did have with women growing up, was part of the reason he was so glad he never had eyes for anyone other then Ciri.

He took a look at the names on the page, and right away grabbed the book from Geralt, examining closer.

"Umm Zoltan," he said when he realized what was under the names, "This is all in verse."

He heard the dwarf laugh as he turned back to them both, "And that is a surprise to you because…?"

Geralt sighed alongside him, "Mind helping us find out who some of these women are? You have been with Dandelion more than us."

Upon reading the names, and the verses below them he felt his skin crawl. He had grown up enjoying the arts, music, poetry, and theater in Cintra. His mother would often read him poems before bed, tell his sister and he stories. However, some of the verses he read in the planner at the moment would certainly had made his mother want to cover he and his sisters ears. As uncomfortable as they made him feel, thinking of Dandelion in certain situations, he had to power through it he knew.

He found the 'Molly' and read the verse below it for Zoltan, "Though well she knows the touch of silk and lace… she shuns not straw when gripped in lust's embrace…. Gods my mother would wash my mouth out if she saw me reading that."

Zoltan let out a hardy laugh from below them, "Haha, aye lad get used to it. That'd be Molly, she keeps things tidy for the baroness La Valette."

The name La Valette sounded familiar to him, so he turned to Geralt, "La Valette… why does that ring a bell?"

Geralt turned his yellow eyes to him, "Probably thinking of the siege of La Valette Castle I told you about. I fought their with Foltest when I lost my memory. Fought on opposite sides of the Baronesses son, Aryan."

"That's right I remember now," he said, remembering the tale Geralt had told him, "Want me to head there then?"

Right away the older Witcher shook his head, "No, don't think that's a good idea. She's got Nilfgaardean connections now. Besides I spared Aryan, don't think she'll wanna kill me."

He nodded to confirm, and looked down more of the list to the next one, "And… what about this Vespula?"

Geralt and Zoltan winced at the same time, before Geralt shook his head, "Isn't she the one who threw his knickers out the window?"

Zoltan tossed his head back and laughed, "HA, that'd be the one."

"And she shouted something about his voice being like a consumptive pheasant," Geralt asked again.

"That's her," Zoltan said with a smirk.

He looked over in shock at Geralt again as he spoke, "And didn't she throw flowerpots at him," The older Witcher asked.

Zoltan once again nodded and Geralt turned to meet Dom's eyes, "Hit me with one of them too… you better go see her, she's a washerwoman right outside town."

"Understand," He said, nodding to his adoptive father right away.

Geralt nodded to him and then went down the list again, "A figure most rare, her nature dual. Look deep in her eyes or be made a fool…. Seems awfully fascinated with this one."

Zoltan nodded deeply a small smile on his face, "Err, not without reason…. Never been one for elven women myself, but this one's exceptional. Dare say Francesca Findabair'd herself be jealous. Word is she owns a tailoring shop outside town."

He saw the opportunity and turned to Geralt, "Vespula is already outside of town too, want me to go get her as well?"

A small smirk formed on Geralt's face, "Sure you can handle such a supposedly beautiful woman?"

He heard Zoltan laugh as he himself rolled his eyes, "She's just a person Geralt."

The older Witcher kept smirking at him, "Last time I let you go see a beautiful woman by yourself, she knocked you out with a spell after you refused to have sex with her."

"Shut up," he hissed quickly, ripping the book from the older Witcher's hands as both Geralt and Zoltan laughed at his expense.

He rolled his eyes at them both as they laughed, but felt his face get red. Scanning down the list of names, he came across one right above Elihal. Finally after the two of them had stopped laughing at him, they both looked back as he began to read again.

"Like a rose abashed of its crimson hue, fair Rosa would sink into humors blue. She shunned her lessons in civility, to swing her Dwarf with agility… Dandelion… and a dwarf," He said in confusion, looking up at Zoltan.

Zoltan laughed and looked over at him, "Heheh, Dwarf is what Rosa var Attre named her gwhyr. Well chosen, isn't it?"

"Terribly clever," Geralt said, both their eyes turning to him, "Why does the last name var Attre sound familiar?"

"Her da's a Nilfgaardean aristocrat in the imperial legation. Commissioned Dandelion to tutor Rosa and her sister in the art of rhetoric, but wee Rosa always preferred swordplay," Zoltan started with a smirk, "Week on week we get fresh gossip about her thrashing another instructor so bad he resigns…. Word is her father is now in the hunt for her next victim-. Sorry, I mean instructor."

After hearing a description of this particular woman he turned right away to Geralt. He remembered now where he heard the name Var Attre. He was one of the men at the royal palace at Vizima when Geralt and he had been summoned. The idea of traveling to the house of a Nilfgaardean noble didn't sit well with him. It was the last thing he wanted to do during this quest.

Geralt nodded to him, "No way I'm sending you to a Nilfgaardean aristocrats house. Seems like Molly, Rosa and this Marabella are all in the city, I'll go talk to them. You go talk to the ones outside."

"Vespula, and Elihal, got it," He said, nodding in confirmation.

"Aye we're all ready then," Zoltan said, as the two of them turned to him, "I'm gonna stay here and do a wee bit of tidying up before I head out, meet back here when we're all done."

A smile crossed his face as he nodded. He hoped that in the future if he ever went missing that his friends wouldn't need to track down a list of ex-lovers to find him. However, he didn't complain, Dandelion was a close friend of his. Through the years of him traveling alone, he had always been able to count on the poet whenever he needed anything. Whether it was a few extra crowns for an ale or supplies when he saw him. To simply talk to someone about his search, or about what he had been going through. He was always able to count on Dandelion, and now if he needed his help, he would be there to help him.

He smiled at both Geralt and Zoltan before nodding, "Alright I'll head out now, Vespula and Elihal. I'll see the two of you when I get back."

Zoltan nodded but he could see Geralt smirk, "Good luck… remember to be careful. And try to avoid pissing any of them off. Wouldn't want to come find you knocked out by a spell on the side of the road."

He rolled his eyes at the older Witcher, "You ever gonna let this go?"

Geralt and Zoltan both laughed, before he rolled his eyes and turned for the door. He rolled his eyes yes, but a small smile crossed his face as he exited the inn. He had more friends at his side now. Soon he would have more.

And they would all help him find Ciri.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The outskirts of Novigrad, Gildorf among other small settlements was bustling with activity. He could feel the sweat starting to beat down his neck as the sun was slowly moving past the midday point. Slums outside the city was home to many more elves, halflings and dwarves then inside the city. He assumed that they had been forced out by the guards, and it only made his anger rise. It wasn't illegal for them to live in the city he was sure, however he assumed the guards may have 'encouraged' them to leave. He shook his head in disgust as he past peasants trying to argue with guards to bring goods into the city, people sleeping out in tents, or bed rolls on the ground. The grounds weren't as crowded as the city, so finding Vespula wouldn't be too hard.

His armor and sword clunked along as he walked down the road, getting looks from peasant and beggars as he went. Seeing all the people, refugees, reminded him of he and Ciri's time on the run after Cintra. A few days after they had ran, sleeping on the ground, huddled together from the cold, they had come across a camp of Cintrean refugees. One group in a tent had taken them in, and for a night they were able to sleep on a cot together, and actually eat something other then tree bark and old nuts. It seemed like their luck had finally changed, until the Nilfgaardeans found the camp, and slaughtered everyone during the night. He remembered hearing the screams, the clashes of steel, he had grabbed Ciri's arm and the two of them ran, unable to defend themselves. After almost a month of situations like this, when they got to Kaer Morhen, they promised that they would never be helpless again.

The two of them were certainly far from helpless now. Either one of them would have been able to save the camp of refugees that day, or at least been able to help more escape. Cintra was a Nilfgaardean province now, and he even learned that the infamous Knight with the Winged Helmet, was a man named Cahir. This Cahir had helped Geralt search for Ciri, intent on rescuing the girl, but was killed in their assault on Strygga Castle, by the bounty hunter who had tortured and imprisoned Ciri, Leo Bonhart. As he learned more about what had happened in the last eight years, and the six years since he separated from Geralt… the more he regretted it. If he had been at Strygga Castle, traveled with Geralt to find Ciri, seen her before Rivia… perhaps things would have turned out differently.

But he had decided to be a petulant child then, and people he cared about were injured, or had died. He never got a chance to meet Cahir again, and it was probably for the best. If he had met the man, he was more then sure he would have killed him. Geralt had told him that Cahir had told him, the reason he wanted to come and rescue Ciri was because the knight had fallen in love with her, and wanted to make things right by traveling to save her. The knight in the winged helmet, the man who had chased him and Ciri through the burning streets of Cintra... had fallen in love with Ciri, and suddenly had a change of heart. Even if the knight had trily wanted to make up for his mistakes and try to rescue her... he had still killed Bella and his mother. Not to mention the fact he had apparently fallen in love with Ciri, who was a child over the years. No, if he had met Cahir, he would have killed him. Despite Geralt's assurances in the end the knight had done everything he could to help him... he was still responsible for his family being dead.

He also never got the chance to fight Leo Bonhart, the man who had imprisoned, tortured and beat Ciri for years in his arena, or thank the other members of the company Geralt had with him to rescue her.

However, he had the opportunity to make it all right now, and he wouldn't live in the past.

He passed a sign as he walked that said laundry, with he name Vespula underneath the words, so he knew he had found the right place. Moving past the lines of laundry that were hung, he went over to the yard outside where the main house was.

"No more fucking excuses, it's simple, you pay, you get protected, you don't, and bad things happen," A deep voice ripped through the air.

He looked up to see three large armed men, one larger one carrying an axe at his side, while the other two held swords. They were wearing what seemed to be clown masks, with tattoos all over their exposed bodies. One man stood in-front of a terrified woman. The woman he was almost sure was Vespula, she looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. She was wearing a green dress, with her brown hair tied up into an intricate bun. Her eyes were full of terror and she tried to put her hands up to defend herself.

"Tell Whoreson, I'll have his payment next week, I swear it. I just don't have it right now," She pleaded, trying to take a step back.

The clown man laughed and took a step towards the woman again, "Whoreson doesn't want promises. Whoreson is a reasonable man! You pay on time, you get protection… if not…"

The thug reared his hand back and smacked the woman across the face, and she wailed, falling back to the ground. He saw the situation escalate and started running towards them.

"Help, please help me," Vespula screamed as the clown man advanced again.

The clown man laughed and kicked the woman's stomach, "Who the fuck you thinks going to help you? Some knight in shining armor?"

"Not a knight," He said, finally getting to the scene, and standing in-front of the defenseless woman, "But Vespula here has some new protection."

The woman smiled at him, but quickly scurried away behind the wall of the nearby home. He could see the leader of the clown men take a step towards him, "HA, and who the fuck would that be?"

He kept his arms crossed, and didn't flinch as the man stepped closer, his two friends coming up behind their boss. He felt his fingers twitch and began to form plan of attack in his head if things did indeed get violent, which he was almost sure it would. Men like this couldn't be reasoned with, and more often then not they were far too eager to throw themselves in front of a blade for their leaders. Normally he liked to try and talk his way out of situations like these, however too much was at stake now, information on Dandelion and in turn Ciri.

He looked and me the mans eyes behind the clown mask, "Me. Now, I'm gonna give you one chance. You can leave now, and never bother this woman again. Or, you can stay and continue your tough guy acts. We'll probably fight, and I'll kill you. You have till the count of three."

One man he saw, slowly started to creep behind him as the clown man laughed, the large one with the axe laughing behind him.

"HAHA, hear that boys, little man here thinks he's her protection," He laughed, his two friends joining in.

"1…2…" He slowly started counting.

"He thinks he can scare us off, let's see how good this protection is," The one in front of him said, finally drawing his blade.

"3…" he said, finally uncrossing his arms and spreading his legs.

The leader of the group came at him first from the front. He didn't have the room, or the time to draw his blade, so when the man went to swing from his right, he side-stepped, grabbing the mans arm and throwing him into the one who had taken a position behind him, sending them both tumbling to the ground. He shot back around to see the larger one with the axe coming his way, the big brute swung downwards, quickly he side-stepped pulling the silver dagger he carried from his belt and jabbing it upwards into the mans underarm. The much larger man wailed, but quickly he pulled his dagger out, stepping to the side, he managed to bring the blade upwards and slice it across the large mans throat. Blood splattered from his throat over the laundry that the woman had been cleaning, and over his two friends who had just gotten up off the ground.

One came charging first at him, he stepped to the right and knocked his arm aside, causing the strike to miss him. The second came charging again, swinging his blade horizontally, but he managed to duck down below the strike, getting behind the man, piercing his dagger into the clowns back, before quickly retracting it, spinning around to his front and slashing across his neck. He knew the last man was charging him from behind, he turned just in time to catch the mans blade on the hilt of his dagger, keeping their weapons locked. Swiftly he removed his dagger, spun to the right and jabbed his smaller blade into the mans neck before he could react.

Taking a deep breath to recompose himself, he looked out and saw all three of the clown bandits lay on the ground, dead, blood flowing from their wounds. Carefully and with a sigh be slipped the dagger back into its sheath in his belt.

"I hate it when they're stupid like this," He muttered as he heard a woman's cry behind him.

"Covered in blood, all of it! So much work-for naught," Vespula complained, looking down at some of her blood-soaked sheets.

He felt his eyes roll as he turned to the woman, "Gee, you're welcome, glad I could help."

The woman sighed and turned to him, meeting his eyes and suddenly not seeming so upset. She laughed lightly and forced a smile, "Ha… I'm sorry. I truly am grateful for your aid. To… what do I owe this visit, you spoke my name, but I don't have the pleasure of knowing yours?"

He felt the arms on his hair stand up at the woman's gaze, but still gave a small head bow, "Dominik of Cintra, Witcher. I'm a… friend of Dandelion's. Wanted to see if you knew where he was."

The sultry look the woman had on her face suddenly turned sour, "So you… you're the Young Wolf?"

Again he felt himself sigh, "So it was him who started that… fuck. Yes, that's me. I need to find him, it's important. Do you have any idea where he is?"

The woman rolled her eyes, her hands going to her hips, "Probably out whorin! The lying scoundrel."

He felt himself sigh, wondering how it came to this, "Alright… what did he do this time?"

Vespula scoffed and shook her head, "Same thing as every time! Prize bullshitter that one is! Come's back spewing about till death do us part and everything."

"For fucks sake Dandelion…" He muttered between the woman's ramblings.

The brown-haired woman's arms crossed as she shook her head, "He comes back with all this, and not two weeks later I see him strolling harbor side with some trollip on his arm! That was the last straw, I beat him black and blue and threw him out on his ear!"

He didn't expect to get any useful information out of the woman, but her last sentence caught his attention as he met the woman's eyes.

"Who was he with at harborside…" he questioned the woman, his tone growing lower.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Claims it was his niece from Kovir. More like whore-vir if you ask me!"

He saw the woman was about to say more but he cut her off, "What did she look like?"

Vespula finally saw her chance to ramble more and laughed, "HA, corset so tight her eyes were popping out of her head. Blonde hair, about yay tall. His eyes were popping out his head looking at her, an artist and a whore, one in the same!"

"Dammit…" he muttered low enough for the woman not to hear.

It was his hope that the woman she saw Dandelion with was Ciri. However he knew what she looked like by heart, and he knew it wasn't her Dandelion was with. Besides, he also knew that Ciri wouldn't be showing her face that publicly. He sighed again, shaking his head at the foolish hope before giving Vespula another nod.

"That's all I need, thank you for your help," He said, walking off before the woman could begin rambling more.

He sighed in disappointment, the only information he had gotten was that Dandelion had been spotted with a blonde woman from Kovir in harborside, not much to go on. The woman could even be one of the ones on Zoltan's list of names. He hoped Geralt was having more luck then he was, as he walked further away from the cities gates. Elihal was his next visit, and according to Zoltan her tailor shop was close by. Apparently, she would make the most beautiful woman in the world get jealous.

He didn't care much what the woman looked like, only that she would be able to help him find his friend.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The tailors shop seemed to stand out like a sore thumb in the poorer district of the Novigrad outskirts. It was neatly kept, with the front porch swept, multiple doublets on stands outside. He took a moment to examine the handiwork and it was top notch quality. It reminded him of something his parents would stuff him into before he went to attend balls with them to see Ciri in Cintra. It was a mystery how someone living on the outskirts of Novigrad could afford such high-quality goods, however he knew those details were irrelevant now.

Carefully he stepped through the door and could see more find silks and fabrics. A sewing table was in one corner, and racks of clothes were all strewn about. To his right was someone's bedroom, the shop was relatively small, but more then likely nicer then anything the people on the outskirts had seen. A male elf was leaning against the machine wearing an elegant blue doublet, his hair slicked back into a ponytail.

"Ah a customer, welcome, welcome please come in," He said invitingly as he closed the door behind him.

He gave the man a small nod, "Dominik of Cintra, I'm a friend of Dandelion's. I'm looking for Elihal?"

The man gave a fascinated smile as he met Dom's eyes, "Ahh, so you're the Young Wolf. Dandelion told me about you. So, what is it I can do for you? Patch a whole in your trousers, a new doublet?"

His eyes narrowed and he felt his mouth go dry, as a mixture of annoyance and curiosity came to him, "Yes… that's me, and my nickname apparently…. You're Elihal?"

The elf gave a small laughed a nodded, "Ha, of course I am. Now pick your jaw up off the floor."

He shook his head to recompose himself, "Sorry it's just I… I thought you were… one of Dandelion's girlfriends."

A look of realization dawn on the elf's face as he nodded understandingly, "Ahhh I see. Please, just wait here one moment."

A hundred thoughts raced through his head in those next few minutes. How he would never speak of the situation to anyone ever again, not even Ciri when he found her, not to Yen, Triss, and certainly not Geralt. The last thing he needed was to give the Witcher another thing to tease him about. Then came a mixture of embarrassment and feeling uncomfortable thinking why Dandelion wrote such suggestive poetry. When Elihal finally emerged from his room, he was wearing a long blue dress with red heels, and had makeup adorned on his face. He had dressed like a woman.

He never judged someone's hobbies, but the embarrassment and amount of discomfort he felt after having read Dandelion's poems about the man in front of him, made his blood rush through his body, and his face go red.

"Any better," Elihal asked with his hands on his hips.

Again he felt his mouth go dry, "So… you… you're…"

"Elihal, yes," The elf confirmed.

He swallow and met the elf's eyes, "So… you and Dandelion… you both…. I mean how'd you meet?"

Elihal scoffed and shook his head, but a smirk was still on his face, "I met him in a tavern one night, he was blind drunk."

"I… I don't think I wanna know what happened next."

Again the elf rolled his eyes, "Oh please. He wasn't so drunk as to not notice. Besides, I'm not interested in men anyhow. Dandelion is an open minded fellow, we had a lovely chat and he became a loyal customer afterwards."

Upon hearing Dandelion's name he was able to snap himself out of his state and remember the task at hand. He nodded and met the elf's eyes again, "Do you remember when you saw him last?"

"Some time ago," The elf started, "He brought in one of Zoltan's jerkins, insisted I sew on an extra pocket. Strange… I got the impression he actually had come to talk."

Sighing he nodded his head in understanding, "What about when the two of you talked? Obviously, he mentioned me, which I've been asking him not to do… but did he mention anything else?"

The elf stroked his chin, thinking for a moment before turning back to him, "Well to be honest we had a very normal chat. He did speak about you, very highly of you I might add. But… other then that, he did keep mentioning Kalkstein. If we hadn't laid out cards out on the table at the start, I'd think Dandelion had a history with the alchemist, spoke like a lovesick beau."

The name Kalkstein rang in his ears as familiar, he looked and met the elf's eyes again, "Yeah… think I remember who that is. He's a friend of Geralt's, could I talk to him myself? Maybe see why Dandelion was so interested?"

The elf tsked and shook his head, "I'm afraid that's quite impossible. Witch Hunters nabbed him, burned him in the square. My oh my though it was a spectacle. Fiery beasts circled his pyre as he burned, and finally sprouted out to form letters."

"What did the letter say," he asked out of curiosity.

Elihal smirked, "Radovid sucks flaccid cock."

He managed to let a laugh escape his mouth before looking to the elf again, "Thank you for your helped… and um… nice to meet you."

The man smiled again and nodded, "A pleasure young man. If you ever need a hole sewn or a new doublet, you know where to find me."

He nodded and quickly turned to leave the tailors shop. After exiting he let out a large sigh and felt himself shudder. After consulting with the two on his list, he hadn't learned much about Dandelion's location. All he knew was that the poet was looking for the alchemist Kalkstein, and that he had been spotted with a blonde Kovir woman. He knew that Dandelion had been helping Ciri, so he tried to piece together what Ciri may have needed for the poet to act like he had been.

He knew the two of them had broken into something down in the sewers, and that Ciri was trying to move fast. Could Dandelion had been trying to contact Kalkstein to help with whatever job he and Ciri needed? It was all unclear at the moment and he hoped that Geralt and Zoltan would be able to tell him more.

Some contracts were a puzzle, Geralt had always told him. A good Witcher examined all aspects, all the clues, and could put them together to solve what had been going on and formulate a plan to solve it. Finding Dandelion wasn't a contract, it was much more important. Whatever his friend and Ciri had gotten into, it was going to be up to him and Geralt to solve the puzzle and bring them back safely.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When he finally arrived back at the Rosemary and Thyme, the sun was slowly beginning its descent. He also realized how efficient Zoltan was at cleaning and tidying up. When he had left the ground floor had been left a mess. Now, the floors were swept, the extra clutter of barrels and sacks had been cleared out. Tables were set, the bar was cleaned off, with kegs of drink all set and ready to be poured. He saw a stage for performers set up in one corner, and the roaring fire going behind the counter warmed his bones. It looked like a proper inn, one of the nicer ones that he had been in.

Thankfully as well he looked and saw that both Zoltan and Geralt had returned. His adoptive father and the dwarf were both standing around an owl. The bird had a hat over its eyes, and was tied to a standby a cord, that would give her room to fly around the inn if she so wished. As he got closer both Geralt and Zoltan turned to him, the dwarf smiling at him.

"Aye Dominik lad, met Poppy? She'll be talking and playing Gwent before you know it," The dwarf said happily, turning back to his bird.

He felt a scoff escape his mouth, "Sign me up for the first match."

Geralt rolled his eyes with a smirk, "You against an owl at Gwent, finally a fair matchup for you."

"Very funny Geralt," He muttered crossing his arms, as both Zoltan and Geralt laughed.

After a moment he felt a smile come to his face as well. It felt good having them all together again, he didn't feel as alone anymore. Geralt finished laughing, before turning and smiling to him.

"Jokes aside, it's good your back," he said, smiling at the younger Witcher before turning to Zoltan, "You learn anything from your half?"

Zoltan turned away from his bird and looked at the two of them, his arms crossed, "A couple bruises and a torn doublet's all I got. He wasn't stayin' with any of them, they seen neither hide nor tail of him in ages…. All I learned was a few of Dandelion's pick-up lines, dubious amounts worth."

He saw Geralt nod and turn to him. Sighing Dominik looked over to him, "Didn't learn much myself either. All I learned from one is that she saw him walking arm in arm with a blond woman from Kovir. The other told me he had been wanting to see Kalkstein. Tried to see if I could go see the alchemist myself but the Witch Hunters nabbed him…. So not much."

Zoltan nodded gravely, "Aye doesn't narrow it down much, how about you Geralt?"

He saw Geralt turn and meet his eyes again, "What you learned wasn't so useless after all. Matches up with what I've heard," he started, turning to face both he and Zoltan now, "Women I met with hadn't seen Dandelion in a while. But all claimed that he had been seeing someone. A blond woman, from Kovir, a trobairitz. Names was Callonetta or something."

The name didn't ring a bell to Dominik, but he looked down at the look of realization that dawned on Zoltan's face.

"Ahhh, that makes it clear as crystal. It's Priscilla! It must be," The dwarf said with a smile, looking up at the two Witchers.

Geralt looked over to him, and then back down to Zoltan, "Who's Priscilla? Never heard that name before."

Dom turned his eyes to Zoltan as he laugh, "Ha, a trobairitz, quite popular as of late. Picture Dandelion with a pair of tits and you've got a general idea."

The idea of a female Dandelion made him chuckle, but also peeked his curiosity. He laughed and looked down to Zoltan, "Ha a female Dandelion? Gotta say it's a pretty interesting image, how'd he handle meeting her?"

"I think he fell in love," Zoltan said, not a tone of sarcasm in his voice.

He and Geralt both looked at each other and he knew they both thought the same thing. If Dandelion had fallen in love, it had to be quite the woman. The bard had many notable lovers through the years he knew, but he didn't think the bard would truly fall in love anytime soon.

"Well, well… that's some big news. Looks like he finally met his match," Geralt said with a smile, looking to Zoltan and Dominik both.

Zoltan laughed and looked at them, hands on his hips, "She's his match alright, maybe more. The laddie's head's on fire. Lassy's got him whirling."

A small smile managed to cross his face. He never really knew the feeling of looking for years, to finally find that perfect person for you. That feeling of after years of searching, finally realizing you love someone, and that they're the one you want to spend your life with. For him, it had always been Ciri. He was lucky enough to find that person early in his life. It brought a bigger smile to his face, realizing that Dandelion may have finally found that person. It interested him to meet the woman who could possibly be the one to make Dandelion settle down.

He was searching as well, he was trying to find the person he loved, to help complete himself. In order to do that, he needed to find Dandelion, and if his friend was in any trouble, he would save him. After that, he would finally go and find his love as well.

He smiled down at Zoltan, "Well gotta say, interested to meet the woman who managed to capture our poets heart."

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah, seems like if anyone knows what he was up too she would."

Zoltan laughed and nodded, "Aye and it'll be easy as well. Priscilla works with a mummers troupe. She performs nightly at the Kingfisher, should be starting soon actually."

Going to a night of poetry, and music reminded him of his mother. The two of them would always sit and listen, his mother would then sing to him when they got home, often beautiful songs. He wasn't ever much of a singer himself, but his mother always had a beautiful voice. After the amount of traveling and fighting they'd done the last few weeks, a night at the inn listening to music with drinks at an inn sounded quite nice.

He sighed with a small smile, "Gods I haven't been to a performance like that since I was… 11, I think. Used to go with my mother all the time in Cintra."

Zoltan smiled alongside him, but he saw Geralt roll his eyes, "We've been sentenced to a night of poetry… wonderful."

He rolled his eyes and Zoltan scoffed shaking his head, "Must ye' always Geralt? This will be true poetry. You'll see. Come on, should almost be show time by the time we get there."

Geralt rolled his eyes again and he laughed. He saw as Zoltan turned towards the door, with Geralt and he following closely behind. The sun was almost set over the city of Novigrad, their first day coming to an end soon. After spending so long in Velen, he wanted to hopefully find Dandelion and even more hopefully Ciri quicker. With every morning he awoke during the last few weeks, he could feel himself getting closer and closer. Slowly but surely his family and friends were reuniting.

He smiled as they stepped outside, ready to go meet Callonetta, and hopefully she could lead them to their friend. He adjusted his armor, despite its light weight, he felt his bones starting to wear, yearning for a long night of sleep. That would hopefully be what he got, that and a night of music and poetry. A night of slight luxury in the long arduous quest he was undertaking.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The Kingfisher had been tucked between two alleys, right before you made it to the wealthier part of Novigrad. The night was chilly, as he followed Zoltan and Geralt down the street towards the entrance. It seemed like the perfect place to have an inn for the wealthier people of the town. After following Geralt and Zoltan through the door, the warmth of the building hit his bones right away. No bards were playing yet, but the first thing he saw was a stage, with a lute sitting on a low seat. People chatted, laughed and drank all around, and they all seemed to be eagerly awaiting the performance. Zoltan had told them on the way, that Priscilla's shows were often crowded, drawing in packs of people from all corners of Novigrad, from the bits, to the wealthy districts.

"Nice place…" He said, dodging a man carrying trays of drinks.

He could see the obviously wealthier patrons of the inn casted the three of them odd looks, but both Geralt and he were used to it, and Zoltan took it in stride, gesturing for them to follow.

"Aye it is. Come on, lets go find some ass rests," The dwarf said, as they weaved through the crowd of people.

Surprisingly the three of them managed to find a bench that was empty. He took a seat between Zoltan and Geralt, leaning back against the table, feeling the warmth from the inside warm his aching bones. He grabbed an apple from a bowl of fruit that was behind him and bit into it as people continued to chatter, filling the room with voices. The voices were loud and insistent, he was about to ask how much longer until the show, when all of the people in the Kingfisher went quiet at once. He turned his head to the stage, and finally got his first glimpse of Callonetta.

She wasn't Dandelion with a pair of tits like Zoltan had described. However, he could see why the bard had been attracted to her. The trobairitz was beautiful, with her long blonde hair coming down past her shoulders, she wore the outfit most mummers wore. It was a blue and red corset, and long tight trousers one leg blue, the other red, with a red cap covering the top of her head of blonde hair. She took a deep bow, looking out into the audience, and for a split second he could see her staring at the three of them. If Dandelion truly did love the woman, then he was sure the bard had told her about Geralt and he. She kept her gaze lingered at the three for a moment before turning to the lute on the stand on stage.

Gently she picked up the instrument, leaning back against the table, and gently tuned it. He looked around and saw the people around him waiting with bated breath. The twangs of the lute strings echoed through the inn it was so quiet. Finally after a moment of tuning, the woman leaned back against the stand, crossing one leg over another, and began to play.

He sighed in content, leaning back against the table. The music that came from her lute was beautiful and refreshed his bones and spirit. Priscilla was obviously talented with the instrument, but he realized just how talented she was when she began to sing.

_These scars long have yearned for your tender caress._

_ To bind our fortunes, damn what the stars own._

_ Rend my heart open, then your love profess._

_ A winding, weaving fate to which we both atone_

_ You flee my dream come the morning_

_ Your scent-berries tart, lilac sweet_

_ To dream, of raven locks and twisted stormy_

_ Of violet eyes… glistening as you weep._

The lyrics of the song clicked in his mind right away, and he turned his head over to Geralt. The older Witcher who was apprehensive about coming, was now leaning down on his knees, listening with bated breath. He didn't recognize Priscilla's song as one of the one's Dandelion composed, so he deduced it was one of her own making. He realized just how much Dandelion cared for the woman and trusted her. He knew the bard often spoke of Geralt's exploits, and apparently his as well to people. However, to know the story of Geralt and Yennefer enough to compose an entire ballad, Priscilla more then likely knew of most of their exploits.

The song was beautiful, and he could see some people around him even moved to tears. It couldn't help but make him wonder, what a ballad about himself would sound like. Would 'The Ballad of the Young Wolf and the Swallow' that Dandelion had been writing ever make it to fruition? A ballad about he and Ciri releasing was the least of his concerns at the moment, however, hearing the beautiful song of Geralt and Yennefer, seeing how it moved people to tears couldn't help but make him wonder. Even if he found Ciri, what was there to write about?

The two of them had escaped Cintra yes, and trained together at Kaer Morhen, but after they had been separated, while she was traveling worlds, going through hell and back, he was searching for what seemed to be a ghost over the continent. Perhaps if he hadn't been a petulant child, and stayed with Geralt, he could have joined their expedition to save Ciri when she was captured by Vilgefortz. He could have fought by Geralt's side at Strygga Castle, side by side with Ciri. Dandelion had been with the group Geralt took to save her, perhaps that would have been a fitting subject for a ballad about them both.

More importantly he could have been reunited with Ciri then, if only he had listened. He let his anger and resentment get the best of him however, he left Geralt insisting that the older Witcher wasn't doing everything in his power to find Ciri and set off on his own. It was the biggest mistake of his life, and he regretted it to that day. It would always be the biggest what if of his life. What if he had simply put his anger aside and stayed with Geralt, trusted him again after Ciri disappeared the first time. Would he have survived the battle at Strygga Castle against Vilgefortz and Leo Bonhart? Would he have been reunited with Ciri? Would he have survived Rivia a short while after that?

So many what if's ran through his mind as he sat there, listening to the beautiful ballad about his adoptive parents. He knew they would all make him mad if he continued to think about them, only make him feel even worse.

He didn't have control over those situations, but something he did have control over, was the there and now. And in the there and now, he was going to save Ciri, whether he got a ballad or not.

_I know not if fate, would have us live as one_

_ Or if by love's blind chance we've been bound_

_ The wish I whispered when it all began_

_ Did it forge a love you might never have found_

_ You flee my dreams come the morning_

_ Your scent-berries tart, lilac sweet._

_ To dream of raven locks and twisted stormy_

_ Of violet eyes… glistening as you weep._

The song had finally ended, and the entire inn was silent for a moment again. However, that silence only lasted for a moment before the whole entire ground floor broke out into raucous applause. He watched as Priscilla took a bow, and he stood up to clap himself. The fire had sufficiently warmed his bones, and he knew the trobairitz deserved his applause. Geralt next to him still seemed to be in shock, he knew the older Witcher had to have been hit hard hearing the new song, seeing as he and Yennefer only recently reunited. He gave a nudge with his arm, and the older Witcher seemed to finally smile, standing up and beginning to applaud.

Up on the stage, he could see Priscilla eye he, Geralt and Zoltan again. He could tell from her gaze that she knew why they were all there. She went to begin walking off the stage when another voice rang throughout the inn.

"I know that one! Murdered some Temarian boys back in White Orchard," A woman's voice screeched.

His head shot over and he could see an older woman in a grey dress, pointing a finger accusingly at Geralt. He then looked over to Geralt himself and saw the older Witcher sigh with an eye roll.

"For fucks sake…" The older Witcher muttered to himself, as more people began yelling at each other.

He couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed look on his adoptive fathers face. More shouting occurred between the crowds. The woman was insistent that Geralt had come into her inn at White Orchard to slaughter people, which he knew more than likely wasn't the truth. People screamed at the woman to take her fight outside, that the Kingfisher was supposed to be a decent establishment. It all seemed like that guards were going to have to be called, until he heard a new voice, closer to the from his right.

"Come, this way," Priscilla said, coming up next to Geralt and gesturing to follow her.

Zoltan quickly moved passed them to follow, and he and Geralt went behind him. The arguing eventually seemed to die down, as Priscilla pulled them into a corner of the Kingfisher, right near the steps to the upper floors. She looked around to make sure nobody was actively eavesdropping on them, before turning back to the three.

"Dominik, Geralt, allow me to introduce Priscilla… also known as Callonetta. As beautiful as she is talented," Zoltan started, before gesturing his hands towards the two of them, "And these two lads are-."

"Oh I know," Priscilla said, a smile coming to her face, turning to Geralt first, "You're Geralt of Rivia, Dandelion's told me all about you, and I've listened with bated breath. Besides, I can't think of a better subject for a ballad than a Witchers love for his sorceress…. Besides maybe one thing."

Priscilla turned to look at him now, and smiled, "And you're Dominik of Cintra. The Young Wolf."

He scoffed and felt his eyes roll, "Is Dandelion really the one who's trying to make that name a thing?"

The woman smiled and laughed with her arms crossed, "Ha, it's already in the title of his first song about you. Like I said, he's told me about you as well. The famous adopted son of Geralt of Rivia, on a quest to find his lost love."

His face started to get hot as he sighed. Priscilla let out a small laugh, before Geralt got her attention again. The older Witcher spoke in a low tone, so as the make sure the ears around them didn't hear, "It seems Dandelion was meticulous in telling our stories, even down to small insignificant details. Did he tell you anything else, like where he was going?"

He took a step back when Priscilla burst out into laughter, "AHAHA, wow that truly is funny. Thank you for coming, see you later," She said loudly, before leaning in closer to them all, "Not here, follow me."

She started up the stairs of the inn and he felt his stomach churn into knots. If the woman was being so secretive, it had to be a serious matter. The three of them followed her up the stairs, the commotion of the ground floor fading away. He didn't know what Dandelion could have possibly gotten himself into, and he didn't know how Ciri would factor into it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"There a reason for all the secrecy," Geralt asked as the four of them all entered Priscilla's larger room.

He stood across from the blonde woman with his arms crossed, and he could see the look of worry cross her face. His own stomach began to churn even more violently. Zoltan closed the door behind them, and Priscilla looked up at them with a sigh.

"An excellent reason for it really…. Last I saw Dandelion he told me he was planning a heist. Sigi Reuven's vault, and I've not seen him since," She said, her voice dripping with worry.

"Sheep dip… dammit," Zoltan cursed as soon as he heard the words.

He felt himself scoff as he met Geralt's eyes. Both the Witchers held a look of disbelief. Dandelion was the last person he knew that would rob a vault. However, the dream he had with Corinne Tilly now made more sense to him. What Elihal had told him, about Dandelion wanting to see Kalkstein now also made sense. The one part that didn't make sense was why, why Dandelion needed to rob a mans vault, and also, why Ciri had been with him.

His eyes still full of disbelief he looked over at Priscilla, "Dandelion rob a vault? I'd sooner believe he became a priest of the Eternal Fire. What the hell could he possibly need to do that for?"

Zoltan scoffed in agreement, "True that is. He forgot to pay for his wine at the Passiflora once, laid awake for three days thinking about it."

"Dom's right, what the hell was he thinking? He have any debt, or creditors he needed to pay off," Geralt asked, looking between Dandelion and Priscilla both.

Zoltan shrugged, but Priscilla met their eyes, "He claimed he was helping someone. That it was urgent and couldn't wait."

Upon hearing the words leave Priscilla's mouth, a hundred alarm bells all went off in his head. He saw the dream playout yet again. Dandelion and the swallow in a sewer system, plugging their ears as a loud explosion blew apart a wall.

Words left his mouth before he could even think, "It's Ciri it has to be! But what the hell could SHE be robbing a vault for?"

He looked over to Geralt, feeling desperate for an answer, but the older witcher didn't seem to have one, simply shaking his head, "No idea, but it looks like your dreams didn't lie. Dandelion must be the one she contacted, gotta find him and we'll figure out what happened to her…. Who's this Sigi Reuven anyway?"

He asked looking back to Priscilla and Zoltan, their dwarf friend scoffed, "Bah, tall, fat… and dangerous as hell."

"Limp in his left leg," Priscilla added quickly after Zoltan had finished.

Geralt's face contorted into one in deep thought. He had no idea what the older Witcher could be thinking about, but he knew what he himself was thinking about. For some reason Ciri had needed Dandelion's help, and the thing she needed help for, was breaking into a vault. There wasn't a scenario that he could wrap his head around that made sense as to why she would need too. He thought she was there looking for help with a curse, but more pieces of a puzzle kept being thrown into the batch. One thing however was clear to him, Dandelion was in trouble now, and he was also the one who'd know what became of Ciri.

He looked up to meet Priscilla's eyes, "I'm guessing that this heist didn't go all that well? Can't really see Dandelion being any good at something like this."

Sadly Priscilla shook her head, "Well, he hasn't rode up in a gilded carriage, so I assume so. I've asked after him, but it's as if a gang of cats has gotten everyone's tongues! I only managed to find out he caused a ruckus at Whoreson Junior's lair, and Whoreson's goons chased him all over town."

Through his body, his blood pumped faster. If someone had tried to chase and kill Dandelion, it means they more then likely had been chasing after Ciri as well. He knew that a gang of thugs would pose no threat to her really, but the idea of someone else trying to chase and kill her, nearly sent him into a rage.

"Whoreson Junior, never heard of him, who is it," Geralt asked, as he felt his gloved hands curl into fists.

Zoltan scoffed again from below them with his arms crossed, "Bah, biggest prick in all of Novigrad, not literally but…"

He got the dwarfs meaning when Priscilla spoke up again, "He's one of the four bosses who control the cities underworld. The others being Sigi Reuven, Carlo 'The Cleaver' Varese, and the King of Beggars."

Zoltan shook his head, an annoyed look on his face, "That rascal… least he didn't cross the church. If he brought that damnable institution into it, we'd be in deep."

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. He didn't assume it would be, but it was looking more and more like finding Dandelion would be no simple task.

"So you're telling me Dandelion managed to piss off two of Novigrad's underworld bosses…. Dandelion, Ciri… what were you thinking," He said with a sigh, crossing his arms.

Geralt nodded next to him in agreement, "Yeah… I hope Dandelion made it out of this all okay."

Priscilla scoffed and he could see the worry begin to flood over in the woman's eyes, "And in one piece! You know what they do to bards? Break their fingers, rip out there tongues!"

Geralt held a hand up to reassure the woman, "Relax, Dom and I will get him out of this."

Quickly after he nodded in agreement, meeting Priscilla's eyes, "He's right we will. First things first though, looks like we need to find this Sigi Reuven, and Whoreson Junior."

"Don't know about Whoreson, but Reuven owns a bathhouse in town not far from here. Careful though both you… he's a dangerous character," Zoltan warned the two of them.

He felt himself scoff as he looked to all three of them, "So are we…. If I learn any of them laid a hand on Dandelion… or Ciri, they'll be sorry."

Geralt nodded in agreement with him, but Priscilla sighed looking at them both with pleading eyes, "You two may be… but Dandelion isn't. Please be careful and let me know as soon as you find anything."

Nodding he looked out the window, over the darkened city of Novigrad. It had only been two days in the city, and they thankfully already had the leads that they needed to find Ciri. He was hoping that they would be able to find the end of the trail sooner then they did in Velen. However, he knew better then to expect the world to throw any luck his way. It was only going to be through his own hand, and that of Geralt's he would be able to piece together the puzzle.

The puzzle that would lead him to his lost friend, and to Ciri.

**A/N: Day 2 in Novigrad has been complete, and now Dominik and Geralt are setting out to rescue Dandelion. I am so excited to get to Novigrad, because it's here that I get the chance to write some awesome quests featuring Dom alone, or with some of his old friends. I will give a fair warning, in Novigrad we will have a few instances of Dominik and Geralt splitting up to go follow separate leads, or to complete things they need to complete alone. I have a few really great things planned for Novigrad. **

**That being said I plan to have this arc done within 15-16 chapters before we head for Skellige. Then once in Skellige it will probably be the shortest of the initial three arcs, but still chopped full of action. I know once I get past Skellige, that the chapters will come fast and heavy, since after that we soon finally get to bring Ciri into the main story, and as we know that will be very interesting. **

**We learn a couple more things about Dom's past, including how he wasn't able to go rescue Ciri with Geralt the first time. We learn about more regrets he has from the last eight years. I love slowly revealing details about his past, it adds more depth.**

**With the posting of this chapter, if my outline for this story works out like I'm planning we are officially a quarter of the way done with this story! I hope you've enjoyed it so far, the support has been amazing and I can't thank you all enough. I wanna hear in a review what in the story are you looking forward to the most? Is it Dom reuniting with Ciri? The Battle of Kaer Morhen? Or the adventures Dom and Ciri will get up too once she's back? Tell me in a review, it means so much guys and girls. **

**Stay safe everyone, I'll see you all next time! **


	23. Get Junior

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 23: Get Junior**

**Narrator: On the trail of Ciri in Novigrad, Dominik and Geralt learned that the young woman and I, the bard Dandelion had been reunited. After following the trail and meeting up with their old friend Zoltan Chivay. They discovered that Ciri and I had run afoul of Novigrad's underground bosses. They knew now that in order to find Ciri, they would first need to find their dear old friend. The start of their journey led them to one of the most dangerous places in Novigrad, the bathhouse of one Sigi Reuven.**

Their third day in Novigrad brought back the rain. He sloshed through the wet stones behind Geralt as they maneuvered their way through the streets again, trying to not draw so much attention to themselves. The night before Priscilla had arranged for them to have rooms in the Kingfisher, an easy task for the young woman. He managed to drink his fill and eat till his stomach was full and the next morning he awoke from a rare dreamless sleep feeling rejuvenated. Tightening the strap on his sword, he followed closely behind Geralt as they finally managed to make it down a set of winding spiral steps, and he saw the gilded doors of the bathhouse down below.

He remembered back to Cintra and the bathhouses they had their, and how his sister and he would often visit, the owner being a close friend of their mother. As much as he wished however to have the luxury of time to sit and have a warm bath, he knew there was much more important things for them to be doing. Time was of the essence, with every minute passed, Dandelion and in turn Ciri got further and further away. He looked up to Geralt who pulled down the hood of his cloak as they neared the entrance. The warnings of both Zoltan and Priscilla rang through his head about the dangers of Sigi Reuven and made sure to adjust his armor. He had a bad history with crime bosses, and he knew Geralt did as well.

"This is the place it seems… fancy," He muttered to Geralt, looking at the gilded bronze door.

Geralt nodded carefully, before going and trying to open the door, only to find it locked. Narrowing his eyes, the older Witcher proceeded to bang with his fist, "Anybody there!? Open up!"

He narrowed his eyes; it was odd that a bathhouse wasn't open in the early mornings if a rainy day. It would more then likely be a lucrative day for business. However, Geralt had to bang even harder on the door before he got any response. Finally, a nasally voice rang through the other side of the door, making Geralt take a few steps back.

"What is all the fuss!? The bathhouse is closed," The voice hissed, muffled by the bronze door.

He walked up closer to Geralt as the older Witcher looked towards the door with his arms crossed, "We're here to see the owner, I know he's here."

The voice behind the door laughed heartily, "Well you will have to come back later because he is dreadfully busy!"

Dominik himself was about to speak up or try to blast the door down with a sign, but Geralt spoke up louder, "Tell him Geralt of Rivia wants to talk to him."

A loud scoff could be heard from behind the door, "I cannot promise that Mr. Reuven will have time to see you!"

"He will, now go tell him what I said," Geralt said, his voice growing lower, more intimidating.

"Bahaha," The voice laughed, "Very well, please wait one moment."

He could hear the small pattering of footsteps receding from the door. Geralt leaned up against the wall with a sigh, and he narrowed his eyes at the older Witcher. He remembered the hard look of thought that Geralt had when the man Sigi Reuven's name was mentioned the night before. He crossed his arms and leaned against one of the pillars, meeting Geralt's eyes.

"What makes you think dropping your name will make him want to meet with you," He asked his adoptive father.

Geralt looked over at him with his yellow Witcher eyes, "If the man's who I think he is… he'll definitely want to see me."

"You know him?"

"I'm the reason he's crippled," Geralt said as if it were no big deal.

He scoffed but somehow, he didn't feel surprised. Geralt had the fortune, or if you asked the Witcher himself, the misfortune of meeting many influential people in his life. Kings, queens, sorceresses, dragons and plenty of other notable people have gotten to meet the White Wolf. He also knew that a great many of those people were not very happy with him.

"And you think that he's going to give us information on Dandelion," He asked with his arms still crossed.

Geralt shrugged, "Don't know, but we'll figure something out, we always do. If I know him, he'll try to get something from us, so just be careful what you say around him. Keep tight lipped with information."

Sighing he looked down at his wet, muddy boots, before meeting Geralt's eyes with a nod. The older Witcher looked at him satisfied, as a roar of thunder could be heard overhead.

"So, what do you think you'll do in your spare time here," Geralt asked him, looking over to him again, his back leaned against the wall of the underground bathhouse.

He had wondered that since he got into Novigrad. Like in Velen he assumed that every now and then he'd have some extra time while they waited for something, or someone. He knew for a fact that he wanted to go and find Faram and see if the Witcher was willing to teach him Bear School tactics. Mastering, or at least becoming adept in two different styles of Witcher combat would severally improve his chances and combat ability. Something else he knew, was that he wanted to ask Faram if he had heard from or seen the Witcher George of Toussaint recently. The School of the Griffin Witcher was a good man, at least that was what he gathered from the few days they spent together. He was friendly and drank with Faram and he before they slew the Bruxa and her thralls. After the battle had been over, the contract complete, the Witcher set back out on the path on his own however, instead of traveling with them both.

He hoped that he would teach him tactics from the Griffin School as well.

"Well, I wanna go see Faram, maybe start learning some Bear School tactics, then maybe I can find the other one I mentioned to you, George, School of the Griffin," He said to Geralt, as the thunder outside the bathhouse overhand continued to boom.

Geralt nodded in understanding, "Gotta admit if you do manage to learn their tactics, it'll give you a serious edge."

"Gotta give myself some kind of advantage," he said with a shrug, a small smile on his face.

Smiling, Geralt met his eyes, "You'll get it done, you'll be ready I know it. Got some more things I still wanna show you. Think this George will still show you his tactics?"

He gave him an uneasy smile, "Don't know, but I got to at least try. What… what do you think Ciri could possibly need to break into a vault for? Almost got them killed apparently."

Geralt sighed and stood up from the wall, taking a step closer to him, meeting his eyes, "You're right, doesn't sound Ciri or Dandelion…. Maybe they were doing it for someone else?"

"That would make a lot more sense," he started, looking down at the swallow dangling from his neck, "Question is who though? Priscilla said this Whoreson Junior chased Dandelion over Temple Isle trying to kill him. If Ciri was with him, means he tried to kill her too… this Whoreson will pay."

He felt an anger boiling up inside him. For years he had dreamed of killing the people responsible for trying to kidnap Ciri, forcing them to be apart. Vilgefortz was the first name he added to his list, back when Geralt first told him he tried to capture Ciri. More names had been added since, Leo Bonhart was added and then he learned Ciri killed him. The Emperor of Nilfgaard moved up even higher when he learned the man burned Cintra to the ground to find Ciri. The three Crones were added in Velen, and now this Whoreson Junior was on the list for him as well. He could actually reach this man now, and once he reached him, he would get the information about Ciri he needed, then he would be able to finally make someone who tried to hurt her pay.

Geralt nodded in agreement and smiled over at him, "I'll be right there with you. You've been doing good you know. Good at keeping your emotions in check, not acting rash, it'll help us get to Ciri faster."

He felt himself scoff. Geralt was right, he had been getting better at keeping his tongue, not that it was easy. With the Emperor and the Crones, he had almost gotten himself killed by letting his emotions overtake him. With the Baron it had gotten better, and he hoped he wouldn't mess things up by overreacting to situations. However, he knew that when it came to Ciri he was willing to do almost anything, go to any length.

"Thanks Geralt… it hasn't been easy," He said with honesty, meeting the man's Witcher eyes.

Geralt looked like he was about to say something, but the door's lock clicked next to them. The two of them both turned around and the door swung open forward. A small, fat and bald man stood there looking at them. He clearly didn't seem happy, his bulging double chin stuck so far up into the air he was almost looking at the ceiling. He was wearing a blue shirt and trousers, and he sneered at them both.

"Sigi Reuven, cordially invites you to join them in the bathhouse, this way please," The man said in his nasally voice.

He felt himself smirk, as Geralt gestured for him to follow. The warmth of the bathhouse hit his bones as soon as he stepped through the door. It seemed to be an elegant institution, he felt the cold stone beneath his boots, and when he looked down, he could see how clean it was. He could smell the fragrant soaps and smells coming from deeper inside and could hear the chattering of men and women. On a normal occasion he would have enjoyed going to a bathhouse of the type, relaxing in a pool with Geralt or other friends and family.

However now he knew the area he was entering was potentially more dangerous than anywhere he'd been. The man, or men he was going to meet could all have him killed with one word. It wasn't going to be a normal trip to the bathhouse.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I want you to keep calm and let me do the talking, got it," Geralt instructed him precisely, as they followed the fat man, Happen, through the bath house.

He felt so exposed without his armor on. All he had was a white towel wrapped around his waist, his exposed chest dripping with sweat from the bathhouse steam. He looked and saw the fresh new scars that ran across his body from his more recent fights were healing nicely. The one that stood out however, along with the long diagonal one that ran from his shoulder to hip, was the one that had been left from Nithral's axe. It ran horizontally across the bottom on his abdomen, and he could almost feel the axe racking against him as he looked down at it. His brown hair stuck out at all angles from the steam, and he could feel the bits of sweat going down his face into his scruffy beard. The towel hung loosely around his waist, and his hands twitched, trying to reach for weapons that weren't there.

Multiple pools were in alcoves to the left and right, while one large pool ran down the middle of the bathhouse. The main room that Happen seemed to be leading them too was in the back, closed off by the largest door in the building. He moved his shoulders, trying to let the steam calm his muscles, but the apprehension building up inside him was making it impossible. Sighing he ran a hand through his wet brown hair, slicking it back. He looked back over at Geralt and realized the two were in terms of build. His muscles and abdomen obviously weren't as large as Geralt's, but they were just as defined from his years of training and fighting monsters on the road. Take away the silver hair, and the yellow eyes Geralt truly may have been able to pass for his father.

He gave the older Witcher a nod and Happen gestured for them that they were able to enter the master bath. Following closely behind Geralt, he entered. He saw three men in the baths at the moment, the first that stood out was a particularly loud dwarf, with a long black beard and tattoos running all down his body, who didn't seem particularly happy. Another, more calmer looking man was leaning back in the tub, a bald head and several necklaces around his neck. When Geralt and he both entered the room, he was the first one to notice them both.

"Sigi, your guests," He said, gesturing his head towards them.

He could see the realization and the bitterness building up in the man's eyes as he looked at Geralt. It had to be the man they had come to see, Sigi Reuven. Zoltan's description of the man had been perfect, tall, fat, and had the eyes of a dangerous man. He looked like he was calculating every possibility that could happen for him to kill them both but get the most out of them he could.

"And why the fuck you let these two in here," The dwarf asked from the right of him.

He could feel the tension rise when Reuven stared over at them both, his arms crossed, "Because I want to talk to the one, this is Geralt of Rivia," He said, gesturing to Geralt, before turning his beady eyes on him, "And you, no idea who the fuck you are. Don't know why Happen would let you in here… but I'll talk to him about that later."

"Dominik of Cintra," He said, spitting out his own name, trying to keep cool.

"He's with me, you get me, you get the both of us, not up for debate," Geralt said crossing his arms towards the man.

For a moment he seemed to think that Geralt crossed the line with his words, and they were going to have to fight their way out of the bathhouse naked. However, Reuven scratched his large chin and looked at him one more time.

"Heard rumors you took in a young boy, traveled with one for a while. Guessing this is him," The fat man asked.

Geralt nodded and answered for him, "Yeah, and we got important business. Need to talk to you."

The dwarf next to them scoffed, and stepped in front of them, his massive arms crossed, "I'm always out of the fuckin loop. I'll ask again, who, the fuck are you?"

"We're Witchers," Dominik finally spoke up, meeting the dwarfs eyes, not wanting to show any kinds of weakness.

The muscly dwarf laughed, turning over to Reuven, "HA, problems with your plumbing Reuven?"

He felt his eyes roll as he looked back over to the fatter man. Reuven shook his head, keeping his eyes trained on Geralt and he.

"No, got it all under control. Geralt's a friend from the old days," He started looking over to him now, "Wanted to talk to him, and apparently his little protégé as well."

He saw Geralt about to say something first, but he shot his hand out to grab the older Witchers shoulder when he heard it. The door outside had been bust open, and men in armor with weapons were pouring into the bathhouse. He could hear their footsteps and the clanking of their armor.

"Wait, you hear that," he said looking up to Geralt.

Geralt's head quickly turned around to the door, "Yeah I did. Intruders, someone's broken into the bathhouse, several armed men."

He turned around with Geralt, trying to reach for a blade that wasn't there, and cursed when he remembered it wasn't. The dwarf below them laughed and looked at them with annoyance.

"The fuck you on about? We got some ploughing fortune tellers here," The dwarf said with a shake of his head.

"If that's the case I'll send you my bill," He said looking down at the dwarf.

He could see the red flare up in the dwarfs face, he looked like he was angrily about to respond, when a loud woman's scream could be heard from the outside. Just outside their door, he could see a man in a clown mask, wearing nothing but a breastplate, backhand a woman to the ground and turn, pointing towards the room that they were in. He cursed, and so did the dwarf next to him, finally realizing the problem.

"Blood fucking hell, I knew it, Whoreson's men," He spat out, turning back to Reuven.

"Do you have any weapons tucked away," The shorter fat man asked Reuven.

Geralt and he both turned back as the larger man climbed out of the tub and gestured for them to follow. They made their way around the back of the large tub, and Reuven gestured towards the table that lay there.

"Just a few, arm up gents," He said, picking up a large axe from the table of weapons.

Another axe, a blackjack and two swords lay on the table. Quickly he reached down for the sword, wrapping his hand around the grip and twirling it in his hands a few times to get a feel. It was shorter but had a little bit more weight to it than his normal blade, but it would certainly do for the moment. Geralt reached for the blackjack and joined up next to him.

He was about to suggest a course of action when the door burst open. Two men in the clown outfits burst in, one larger carrying a longsword, and the other that came charging wildly with a blackjack towards him. He was closest to the door, so he was the man's target. His attacker swung the club downwards towards his head, but he spun just in time, bringing his blade up with as much strength as he could muster, cutting off the man's arm. The attacker wailed, only for Geralt to knock him to the ground with his blackjack.

The big one came charging next before he could react, he parried aside a strike that came for his left, before slicing down across the larger man's abdomen below his armor. He transitioned his strike into a spin, leaping upwards, and coming back down with one strike to the man's neck to end him. He landed back on his feet, the blood mixing into the wet stones below him. He adjusted the towel around his waist, surprised it somehow didn't come undone.

"Well, well, well seems like you trained him well Geralt," He heard Reuven say in a sarcastic tone.

He turned back in time to see the shit eating grin on the man's face. Geralt quickly shook his head at him, before the dwarf man laughed and walked forward past him.

"Enough talkin. Haha first ever fight with my prick out," He yelled before bolting out the door of the bath they were in.

Dominik shook his head, before Geralt ran forward, gesturing for him to join. He did, running out the door of the bathhouse and into the main room. Blood could be seen flowing down the floor, seeping into the pools, as many patrons were either dead or unconscious. The dwarf with the black beard, swung his axe into one of Whoreson's men, laughing the entire time as the man he hit bled to death. Reuven and the second man ran into the fray, moving with great skill to fight the attackers. He stood next to Geralt, as more poured into the building.

He heard a yell from his right, a man in a clown mask and towel around his waist swung wildly from the left side. He parried the strike to the left, spun around him and sliced through his stomach, and the spin brought him right to face the next man charging. He parried two quick strikes, before the man went for a thrust. He grabbed the man's arm, using his strength to hold in it place, before spinning around and running the blade across his throat. More blood spewed onto the ground as he turned to see Geralt. The older Witcher parried one blow to the side with his blackjack, before spinning and smashing the weapon into the back of a man's head.

There wasn't time to admire the older Witchers handiwork, before he heard more footsteps behind him. One last clown came charging, he parried away quick thrusts, before spinning around to the man's back going for another strike. The man was quicker however and whirled around to parry away his blow. The sword he was using, it wasn't balanced perfectly for him like his usual blade, so the next parry he threw the weapon was knocked from his hands. His attacker saw the golden opportunity and began to charge wildly. He sidestepped and dodged backwards. Finally when the man thrust forward with a stab, he grabbed his arm slamming his elbow downwards into his attackers forearm. The force made the man drop his own blade, and Dominik quickly reached downwards, scooping the weapon up and jabbing it through the man's stomach, killing him and ending his fight.

He saw the attackers lying dead at his feet, with a heavy breath he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Geralt came up behind him, a bloody blackjack still in his hands. The older Witcher nodded at him with a small smile.

"Not bad, gotta admit your footwork is starting to get even better," He said as a joke.

He scoffed but managed a smile. A running joke when they were younger was that Ciri always had better footwork then he. It was natural, due to her being lighter and nimbler, however it had still become a joke amongst them all that Dominik needed to improve his footwork.

He smiled up at him, "Thanks…. These clown guys, Whoreson's men the dwarf said. Fought some of them earlier. Junior must have attacked his colleagues."

Geralt nodded and looked around, as bathhouse workers were beginning to drag away bodies. The blood was seeping into the pools as they all began to slowly drain, before being filled with new fresh water. He readjusted the towel around his waist, the sweat dripping down his chest. His hair was awash yet again, as he began to try and put the pieces of another puzzle together. Whoreson Junior, Dandelion, Ciri, Sigi Reuven, it all fit together somehow, a path that would lead them to Dandelion and Ciri.

His thinking was interrupted by footsteps, "Sorry gents, my security seems to have failed. I can assure you I'll get to the bottom of the how, who and why."

Geralt and he turned around to see the three men all still dressed in towels coming back towards them. They gathered around them both, as the dwarf angrily swore.

"It was Whoreson's scum, that's the how and why right there," He shouted angrily, kicking the head of one of the dead attackers.

The shorter man scoffed, "Please Cleaver, not this again. Especially not in front of our guests."

"Who came right in here a mere moments before they attacked. A fucking coincidence ain't it," Cleaver spat, looking over at the two of them.

He felt his annoyance rise as he looked down at the dwarf, "In case you didn't notice, they were trying to kill us too."

"We're looking for Whoreson Junior, was hoping you fine gentlemen could help us find him," Geralt asked the three men sarcastically.

Reuven looked and met both their eyes, "Interesting…"

Cleaver laughed from below them, "HA, and what do you two want with him?"

Again he felt his anger begin to boil up, he shot a look down at the dwarf, "He's going to help us find someone. Someone very important to me."

The dwarf laughed, crossing his arms and looking at his two colleagues, "Whoreson's never helped a soul in his ploughin life. And if it happens to be a wench your looking for and Whoreson got her, best be prepared to received damaged goods."

His hands curled into fists, so hard that skin began to rip on his palms, "If that's the case… it won't end well for him. We'll ask nicely at first."

He crossed his arms and Reuven shot an annoyed look down at Cleaver, "Ha, see that Cleaver? Maybe if you had tried asking nicely, instead of calling Whoreson an 'Uncle fucker', he may have shown up today."

Cleaver shook his head, spitting out onto the ground, "Gentlemen, you are out of your fucking minds. Whoreson's out to get us, and he'll succeed eventually! We need to kill him first! So by all means you sit here, fart and watch the bubbles rise in your baths. Meanwhile I'm sending my men out to find Whoreson, flush him out!"

The dwarf spit one more time on the bodies of the attackers, before turning and storming out of the bathhouse. He sighed in relief, the dwarf was beginning to get on his nerves. However, he also realized that it was imperative that Geralt and he find Whoreson before Cleaver did. If the dwarf got to him first, there was no chance Geralt or he would get the chance to talk to him. After he heard the door slam, Geralt and he finally turned back to the last two.

"Dom's right, we're looking for Whoreson, need to find him, preferably before Cleaver does. We'd be thankful for any leads," He said in a calm tone, trying to dispel the tension.

The shorter man turned towards Reuven, "Sigi?"

The large fat man stroked his chin before nodding, "Aye worth a try. Besides, I know Geralt's got a knack for finding people," he said before turning his gaze on Dominik, "And I guess we'll find out how good his boy is."

His annoyance flared up again, but he managed to keep his composure. The other man nodded, "Alright then, I'll leave it to you. I'll be seeing you Sigi."

"Aye," Reuven began, "I'll… contact you again tomorrow Francis and we can continue our talk."

Francis continued out of the bathhouse like Cleaver, although much more quietly. Finally, it was just the three of them, Reuven, Geralt and he. He got a bad feeling looking at the man and remembered Geralt's warning from before they entered the bathhouse. The man would more than likely try to get something from them in return for any information he granted them.

The large man gestured for them both to follow, "Come, let's get dressed then we can talk more."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Right mess that was…. Never thought I'd be glad to find the man responsible for me taking frequent baths," The fat man said bitterly gesturing towards Geralt.

He readjusted the straps on his armor and tightened his gauntlets. It felt good to have his sword around his back again, and his boots over his feet. The exposed feeling he had was now gone, but he kept his hand at the ready, as he saw the tension passing between Geralt and Reuven. Geralt smirked and gestured towards the man's leg.

"If it makes you any cleaner, I'd say it was worth breaking your ankle," Geralt said with just as much sarcasm.

Reuven scoffed and crossed his arms, leaning back against his desk, "Didn't heal properly can you believe it? Have to soak it in hot water at least three times a day…. Even then sometimes the pain howls like the bells of bloody Beauclair at dawn."

"Sorry to hear that," Geralt said quickly, and he couldn't tell if his adoptive father was joking or not.

Reuven however scoffed, making a dramatic gesture with his arms, "Oh wow you're sorry!? Well, all is forgiven then, let's just forget about it all! Now, mind showing some more added compassion. It could lead to a miraculous recovery."

He scoffed, feeling his anger finally boil over, "We really don't have time for your sarcasm, we're here on important business."

The fat man's eyes turned to him, and he could see the fire build up in them. He scoffed, turning back from his eyes to Geralt's, "The boy inherit your snark Witcher? The innate ability you have to piss people off?"

"Inherited a lot of things from Geralt, that's definitely one of them," He answered for the older Witcher, meeting the fat man's eyes.

Before the man could respond Geralt spoke up, thankfully so, "Look Reuven…. No Dijkstra. Not in the mood for your codenames, passwords and other bullshit. He's right we're here on important business. If you wanna listen, listen, if not, spare us your wit and throw us out now."

Dijkstra sneered and looked between the two of them again, before shrugging his shoulders, "Ahhh what the hell, go on and talk."

He breathed a sigh of relief, looking over to Geralt who kept his eyes locked with the larger man.

"You think Cleaver will find Whoreson," Geralt asked the larger man.

"Yeah… wanna find him before that crazy dwarf does," Dominik added quickly afterwards.

"He might," Dijkstra said with a shrug, "He might not, but he'll burn half the city down trying. My advice? Go find him yourselves. Be discreet, no going and swinging your steel cock about."

The idea of working with the dwarf had never crossed his mind. Anyone who nicknamed himself 'Cleaver' wasn't exactly someone he wanted to work with. However, Dijkstra didn't seem like a man that he would work with at first either. A lesson he had learned in the years growing up, was that sometimes you needed to either work for, or with people you weren't fond of. It was part of life, and sometimes you needed to weigh the risk and reward. The reward for sucking it up and working with Dijkstra was saving Dandelion in the end and figuring out what happened to Ciri. For those rewards he would work with almost anyone.

He gave a curt nod to the fatter man, "Thanks… any advice for us to find Whoreson before Cleaver does?"

Geralt spoke up quickly after he was finished, "He's gotta be collecting income in the city somehow. He may be in hiding himself, but he couldn't afford to cut himself off."

A look of realization came to Dijkstra's face, "Ahhh yes. Gambling- that's Junior's biggest earner. Own's the largest casino in town…. Then of course you got his arena in the city's bowels. Betting scheme there generates near as much as the casino. They're always looking for hired muscle. Finally, may not be the best of the three but you can always check his house. Wouldn't be stupid enough to be there himself, but you may find a clue or two."

Again he sighed in relief, he was already going through the possibilities in his head. Find Whoreson, and he'd find out what happened to Ciri and Dandelion. He looked up to meet Dijkstra's eyes, "Okay, that's a place to start, casino and the arena, where can we find them?"

"Casino is near the Temple Watch towers…. Whoreson's got naught to do with the casino officially, so careful what you say, try not to arouse suspicion," The fatter man started, keeping his beady eyes trained on Dominik, "Arena is in the sewers beneath Gildorf, gonna have to enter through the bits. Junior loves a good fight wager he'd jump at the chance to see two Witchers in action."

Right away after hearing the words he turned to Geralt, "Sounds promising, a good enough lead."

The older Witcher nodded to him, and then turned back to Dijkstra, "Thanks for your help Dijkstra, wanted to ask something else too…. Dandelion's missing, we're looking for him too. Any idea what might have happened to him?"

The laughed that came from Dijkstra made his guts turn in his stomach. He narrowed his eyes at the fat man, as he finally managed to stop laughing and look back at the two Witchers.

"Well I assume he's met the same fate as all those who step on Whoreson's toes. He's surrounded by splendid virgins, who ply him with sparkling wine and fancy pastries," The fat man said sarcastically, before rolling his eyes at Geralt, "Come now Geralt, the fuck you think happened to him? I reckon he's at the bottom of the Pontar, tied to the bottom by the strings of his mandolin."

His fingers twitched at his sides. A flicker of irritation ran through his head, he tried to keep it to himself, but he sneered at the man before he could control himself.

"I don't find the idea funny. We're looking for our friend and he may be in danger, I'd _appreciate _it if you spared us your sarcasm," He spat out at the man.

A silent tension came over the office. The stacks of bookshelves gave the room a musty odor of dust. He could see Geralt next to him, his arms still crossed, but the older Witchers fingers were at the ready to go to his steel blade if necessary. He didn't regret saying what he did, but it may not have been the best thing to say in the moment. Dijkstra snarled at him, and he could see just how dangerous the man was again.

"Well, well, well, look at the young Witcher being a pillar of moral integrity. Certainly didn't learn that from Geralt…. I'd recommend you watch your tongue, before it comes out of your mouth," The man said to him in a slow drawl, spitting out every last word.

He could sense the anger in the man's words. It probably wasn't smart of him to make an enemy of the man, but his anger had gotten the better of him. Geralt moved up between the two of them and met Dijkstra's eyes again.

"Relax Dijkstra, come on you have to know something," The older Witcher reasoned, "Maybe we can cut a deal. Got any work for us? Monster trouble, anything like that?"

He was about to protest Geralt's idea, but Dijkstra smirked and stroked his chin at the prospect. The crime lord finally looked and met Geralt's eyes, "Aye, I think I have something… and if you help…. I might even be more inclined to ask after Dandelion, figure out his whereabouts."

A scoff came from his mouth, the proposition came as no surprise to him. He had met men like Dijkstra in his travels before, crime bosses who hired him to take care of a monster that was disturbing their shipments. Or, some even attempted to hire him to attack a rival faction, and much to their disappointment he never took them. Many times during the years, he learned that the true evil wasn't always the monster that he was hunting. There had been a time that a man from a village hired him to clear a cave. He claimed that he needed the cave to set up a trading hub for the village and had sent men to clear it before. All the men had been killed, and the one who survived claimed a demon lived there.

It turned out the cave was inhabited by a succubus, a docile one at that. It tried to sleep with him at first, but after that he learned that she never had any intention of hurting folks. The men that had been sent tried to kill her, and she was simply defending herself. He tried to argue with the creature it was no excuse for murder. He was ready to try and kill the succubus, but she showed him what some of the men had left behind. He deduced along with the succubus that the men were carrying equipment and ingredients to make fisstech. After going to leave the cave, he found the man who hired him with several armed henchmen. He asked if the creature had been dealt with, when Dominik told the man no, and that he knew what he was planning, his previous employer laughed, saying no loose ends.

He had fought and killed the man and his men, with some help from the succubus. It was a lesson he learnt that day, that sometimes men were the true monsters of the world. However, he also remembered the lesson he was taught long ago. Sometimes you had to make agreements with the people you disliked, even if it was hard. And the situation with Dijkstra then fit that description.

Geralt sighed and looked at the man, "Alright… we'll help you out. What is it you need anyway?"

Dijkstra smirked and finally moved up from his desk and towards the door to the office. He gestured for the two Witchers to follow.

"I'd rather show you. Picture's worth a thousand words and all that tripe," he started, before meeting both of their eyes, "Ah, and just a reminder. Breathe a word of this to anyone, and you'll find a razor between your ribs in a dark alley."

He wanted to make a snarky comment himself, but Geralt spoke up first, "Figured as much. We'll be right there… wanna talk to him first."

"Hurry it up, don't like to be kept waiting," Dijkstra muttered, walking out of the office, closing the door behind him.

It surprised him for a moment that Dijkstra left them alone in his study. However, he knew more than likely the man was too smart to leave them in there if valuable information was in the room. Finally he let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the same desk Dijkstra had just been at. He rolled his eyes as he looked up to Geralt, trying to keep his voice down.

"Some friends you make Geralt…. Don't really trust that guy," He said meeting his adoptive fathers yellow eyes.

Geralt chuckled lightly and looked back at him, "Smart thing to do, not trusting him. Dijkstra used to be the head of Redanian intelligence. Slippery bastard, only cares about himself really, but… could be the best chance we have of finding Dandelion."

Sighing he looked at the swallow dangling behind his wolf medallion, "Sometimes you gotta work with people you don't like… so, what do you think we should do now? What do you think Dijkstra has planned for us?"

Geralt scratched his white beard and looked towards the door first, and then back to him, "I think it's time that we split up. Got two sets of leads. I'll go with Dijkstra, see what he wants… didn't seem to like you that much."

"I won't lose much sleep over it," He muttered, making Geralt smirk.

"You go check out those leads on Whoreson. Don't bother with the house, probably the first place Cleaver went. Do go check out the casino and arena," Geralt instructed to him carefully, "Probably best to find someone, maybe Triss or Zoltan, who knows Novigrad, can help you find it easier."

A smile came to his face. He was anxious to get on another quest, everyone he completed took him closer to his goal. Finding Whoreson was the main priority, and when he heard Geralt's idea of finding someone who knew Novigrad better then he a broad smile came to his face. He adjusted the strap of his sword, standing up off the table with a smile.

"That sounds like a great idea… got just the one in mind," He said smiling up at his adoptive father.

His smiled seemed to be infectious because one crossed Geralt's face as well.

"Good, check those leads, figure out what you can then meet me back at the Rosemary and Thyme after you're done. Where you gonna headfirst," The white-haired Witcher asked him.

He sighed with another smile on his face, "The Golden Sturgeon…."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

After leaving the bathhouse to his delight the rain had stopped. The sun was above the harbor of Novigrad, as he approached the Golden Sturgeon. The harbor was full of people, all carrying nets filled with fish towards the market. After the ordeal in the bathhouse, the steam had actually began to relax his muscles even more, he felt loose and ready for anything else to come. He knew that it would be dangerous searching all of Whoreson's businesses, which is a reason why he was heading to the Sturgeon. He would need backup, and someone who knew their way around Novigrad better than he.

Geralt had gone with Dijkstra, he was able to leave with no problem, despite the fat man staring daggers at him as he left. He took in the salty sea air that was blowing in from the ocean, calming his stomach and nerves. During his years alone, he had contemplated going to Skellige many times. Ciri had close family and friends there. She spent many years in the isles, learning from her 'Uncle Ermion' she called him, and playing with Hjalmar an Craite, and his family. It was his idea many times that perhaps the druid could help him find her, or the an Craite's had seen her.

However, something always stood in his way of going to the isles. He had rarely enough coin to hire a ship, and even when he did even fewer captains were willing to sail there. To the day he still had never been to the Skellige Isles. It excited him when he learned that one of the leads would bring him to Skellige. Ciri would often tell him amazing stories about the isles, the beautiful sights, the crystal oceans, the way the lakes would freeze perfectly for ice skating in the winters. She always promised that one day the two of them would go there, and she'd show him all the places she had been.

His first time to the isles wouldn't be with Ciri, but if she wasn't in Novigrad, that had to be the place she was.

He passed by a drunken man on the steps of the Sturgeon and slowly opened the door. The second he opened the door he heard a loud yell. He stepped inside and saw a man being thrown at him. He sidestepped as the man smashed into the door, groaning as he slowly slumped to the ground.

Dom turned his gaze back to the bottom floor of the inn, and saw people yelling, banging tankards on tables as a brawl was taking place right in the center of the tavern.

"Come on you whoresons! If you're gonna take me out at least gimme a challenge," A booming voice yelled from the center of the fray.

He looked where the voice had come from and couldn't help but laugh. Faram of Undviik had one man wrapped in a headlock under his arm, just as he punched away another bouncer who came to pry his arms away. He smirked with amusement, leaning up against the wall as more men foolishly came to try and wrestle the bear school Witcher to the ground. His friend was still wearing his armor from the School of the Bear, a set of armor that looked heavy, but Faram swore was light enough for him so that he could still move freely. A medallion with the head of a bear dangled from his neck, and like any Witcher he carried two swords slung across his back in black sheaths. His black hair was tied up in a tight knot, while his black beard was specked with food, and seemed to be drenched in ale.

It was the same situation he had found his friend in many times again, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"You always did have a great way of making friends," Dominik shouted over the commotion towards his friend.

Faram had a man up by his shirt that had come to attack him, he was ready to punch the man before turning over and spotting Dominik leaning up against the wall. The bear school Witcher laughed throwing the man back to the ground.

"HAHA, Dominik! You know me mate, I've just always been a man of the people," Faram said, before turning around and finding another man charging at him.

His friend grabbed the man's arm as he charged forward, spinning and throwing the man into a table. Dominik laughed as he saw all several men all laying at his friends feet, clutching their stomachs and arms, fresh bruises and cuts all over their faces and bodies. Faram made a dramatic gesture of wiping off his hands as if he had just finished a spot of spring cleaning. His friend then pulled a coin purse from his side, and tossed it towards the bar, landing it right in-front of a terrified innkeeper.

"For my tab," Faram said, before turning with a smile, holding his arms out to his friend, "AHAH, good to see you again mate, come on we'll talk more outside."

He heard groans of men but couldn't help but laugh again. Faram came over and the two of them exited the Sturgeon. The bear school Witcher happily trotted down the steps in front of him, his armor clanking as he adjusted his swords. He watched as the mountain of a man took in a deep breath before turning back to him with a smile.

Dominik looked at him with his arms crossed, but a smile on his face, "So, where'd you stick your prick this time to get you into that mess?"

"Inkeeps daughter," Faram said with a smirk, "Quite a lass that one. Inkeep himself didn't take it too well. Kicked me out and set his bouncers on me, worth it though in the end."

He scoffed shaking his head, but keeping the smile on his face, "Well somethings never change…. It's good to see you again Faram."

"Aye, you too mate," The bear school Witcher said with a smile, reaching out and shaking Dom's hand with his own massive gauntleted one.

Other than the Witcher George, Faram had been the only Witcher he ever met in his travels. Despite the dwindling number of Witchers in total, it had surprised him he only ever met the two. However, he knew that there was very few people he'd rather have at his back then Faram of Undviik. The massive mountain of a man was deadly with a blade, and an even better friend.

Faram smiled down at him, "So, how'd things finish up in Velen? Did the that Baron give you the information he had on your woman?"

"He did yeah," Dominik said with a smile, "Turns out well… she's looking for me and Geralt. We also learned that she made her way to Novigrad after leaving his castle so here we are. Geralt's out following a lead now."

The black haired Witcher cursed and shook his head, "Dammit mate. If I had known she was sighted here I would've asked around for ya."

"No need to apologize, we didn't know either," He said quickly to his friend, "We got a few leads now as it is. One we got is that she was on temple isle, with one of our friends. Pissed off Whoreson Junior, so now I'm trying to find the bastard, see what he knows."

Faram scratched his long, bushy black beard and tsked, "Whoreson Junior… biggest cunt in all of Novigrad from what I heard, not smart to piss him off, heard stories about people who've crossed him. Most have ended up in the bottom of the Pontar."

He felt his stomach knot up again as he shook his head, meeting his friends eyes, "Which is why I need to find him. No way Ciri would be taken down by somebody like that. He knows what happened to her, at least on that night, so I'm going to find him."

Faram smirked and nodded, cracking his knuckles, "Aye I hear you mate. So, how can I help? Got a few days before I'm due to sail back to Skellige. Let's see if we can't figure out where your woman's gone."

Another smile came to his face. It felt good to have someone ready to fight with him at a moment's notice. Faram and he had saved each-other's lives plenty of times while they traveled together. He knew that the bear school Witchers word meant a lot and could be trusted down to his last breath.

"Are you sure? If you have any reservations about getting involved, I wouldn't blame you if-."

"Oh come off it mate," Faram interrupted him with a scoff, "I promised I'd help you find your woman. I owe you my life besides… you're my friend. I know you'd do the same for me. So again, where are we headed? How can I help?"

He smiled up at the larger Witcher, a warm feeling crossing through his chest, "Thanks Faram, it means a lot. Well Geralt is out following what we hope will be another lead. We learned that Whoreson owns a casino, and underground arena in town. Needed someone who knew Novigrad better than I did to help me get there, figured we'd pay them a little visit, see if we can't find Whoreson."

Faram nodded but had a playful smile on his face, "I gotcha mate, know exactly where both of them are. Casino's closer, we should head there first just… leave any games of Gwent to me"

"I am NOT that bad," He argued to him quickly.

The bear school Witcher scoffed again, "Dominik mate, you're good at a great many things. Swordplay, potions, bombs, oils, tracking… but Gwent isn't one of them."

His annoyance flared for a moment before rolling his eyes, "Whatever you say… come on, we'd better get moving."

Faram clapped his hands together happily and laughed, "Haha lets! Let's go see if we can't pay Whoreson a little visit."

**A/N: And so the search for Whoreson Junior begins. Next chapter we'll get to see Dominik and Faram go and see if they can't find the crime boss, and figure out what happened to Dandelion and Ciri. Are we excited to finally see Faram and Dom in action together again? How do you think they'll handle the situation at the casino and arena? I'm so excited to bring Faram back into the fold, we'll be seeing a lot more of him going forward. **

**Also this is going to happen a few times in the story, where Dom and Geralt go off to follow different leads before meeting back up. Down the line it will be very useful, where we may see some choices in the game where originally only one option can be chosen, now we have the opportunity to complete them both. I have some great stuff planned for Novigrad, and I can't wait to get to it. Thank you all so much for your continued support, every fav follow and review makes me want to carry on writing more and I am so excited. **

**So what do we think about Dominik's plan coming up again? How much of an advantage will it be mastering different schools of Witcher combat? What are you looking forward too after Novigrad? What are some questions you still have? Let me know.**

**Please review and follow to keep up with updates! See you all next time, thank you all so much again for your support it means the world.**


	24. Get Junior II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 24: Get Junior II**

**Narrator: After meeting the crime lord Sigi Reuven, it turns out the man was an old acquaintance of Geralt's. Sigismund Dijkstra, former head of Redanian intelligence. After fighting off an attack in Dijkstra's bathhouse from the thugs of Whoreson Junior, Dijkstra gave Geralt and Dominik leads to attempt to find the man. Dijkstra also offered them another job, in return for which the crime lord would look into my own disappearance. Deciding that it was time to split up and cover more ground, Geralt went with Dijkstra, and sent Dominik to go follow the leads on Whoreson. Before setting out however, the young Witcher visited the Golden Sturgeon to get some backup. His old friend, and Witcher of the school of the bear Faram of Undviik. Together Dominik and Faram set out, intent on trying to find the man who had information on both myself and Ciri.**

The sun beat down on his neck, and he made sure to keep his coin purse tied tightly to his belt. He learned that it was more then likely smart to keep it tied tight, seeing the multiple suspicious figures walking around, hoods up and fingers hidden. However, he noticed that more so then when he first arrived, people were avoiding him. He assumed that it had something to do with the gigantic Witcher standing next to him, two swords gleaming in the sun, and massive armor clunking.

Unlike Geralt however, Faram had no reservations about people seeing him. The Bear School Witcher didn't wear a cloak with his hood up. He sauntered along the road next to him, people smartly getting out of his way as he passed. His large friend seemed to be enjoying it, smirking and chuckling lightly as people backed away from him as they passed. One brave child came up and started running alongside the large Witcher, and Faram simply gave him a wink, before the child ran off.

"So, give me the run-down mate," The larger Witcher said, "What happened after I left you in Velen?"

He went about telling Faram what had happened after they separated in Velen. About how they snuck past the Redanian blockade, and found Tamara in Oxenfurt, and then went on to learn more about Ciri from the Baron. Faram's eyes went wide when he told him the story of Ciri slaying the basilisk.

"Fucking hell mate… your woman ain't to be messed with is she," The larger man said with a joke.

Dominik laughed himself and nodded, "Yeah… she really is. Her powers… seems they've only grown. I remember when we were younger, she couldn't control it. One time she nearly blew me up."

Faram laughed, nearly avoiding knocking over a merchant as he passed, "Can't help but wonder, if this power inside the lass is so powerful… why can't she just blow the Hunt to pieces?"

"I bet she wishes she could," He said back to his friend, "But… I still don't think she controls her powers fully to this day. That's why Geralt and I need to find her. She… she's trying to do something, I don't know what yet, but it has to be something to defeat the Hunt."

Nodding sagely Faram turned to him again, "Aye, like I told you before, I heard horror stories about the Hunt while I was a lad. Still can't believe their after your woman…"

The idea was haunting him as well. It was festering in his mind the reality of the situation ever since he learned the truth from Alayna the Alp, in Claywitch. The Wild Hunt, creatures from legends, spectral, phantom riders were after Ciri. They had apparently been hunting her for the last two years, and he was completely oblivious. There was of course no way that he could've known, as Geralt always reminded him, but it didn't stop him from regretting everyday he couldn't be there for her in her greatest hours of need. It was going to change now, he was on her trail and when he found her, the Wild Hunt would have to kill him if they wanted any chance of laying their fingers on her.

Sighing he looked back to Faram, "They are… wasn't there to help protect her the last two years. They're tough fuckers, that general I fought in Velen… bastard nearly killed me. Next time though, I'll be ready, I got a plan."

Faram smirked down at him, "What plan's that?"

"I don't have mutations like you or Geralt," Dominik said, looking up at his friend, "I'm not a mage, I don't have special powers like Ciri. I'm… just a man."

The bear school Witcher laughed heartily, "Hahah, you may just be a man, but you're the toughest fucker I've ever met. I've seen you go toe to toe with leshen's, garkains, wraiths you name it. What man do you know that could kill a fucking Fiend like you did?"

The compliment made him smile, but still he shook his head, "Not many I know but… the Wild Hunt's different. Geralt says their warriors, their higher-ranking generals, all of them are more dangerous then any monster we've face. I need to somehow give myself an edge."

"Aye, I see what you mean but… what kind of edge are we talking? You want to go try and undergo mutations? I'd highly advise against that mate…" Faram said slowly, "Don't think your woman would be very happy to come back, only to see you died trying to mutate yourself."

Quickly he shook his head, his plan returning to his mind, "No, that's not what I mean. I may not be a mutated Witcher but… that doesn't mean I don't fight like one. I need something to put me over the edge, help me stand a chance so I thought…. Why not learn more?"

The two of them both stopped outside a large building. They were right near the temple watchtowers, the area in which Dijkstra told him that Whoreson's casino was operating. He could see the entrance, but Faram had stopped them both, looking down at him, arms crossed and a confused look on his face.

"I'm… not following you mate," The black-haired Witcher asked, leaning up against the stone wall.

He rolled his eyes, realizing how vague he was being and finally sighed, meeting Faram's eyes, "Faram, I want you to train me. I want to learn all five schools of Witcher combat. All five fighting styles. I know it takes years to truly master them, but I want to learn as much as I can!"

The idea seemed to stew in Faram's head. The Bear School Witcher looked down at him, and finally laughed with a smile on his face.

"HA, those are some lofty goals there mate. Of course I'll train you, my only question is, how the hell do you plan on mastering the other schools. Witchers are getting rare enough as it is," Faram asked him.

A small smile came to his face, the sun casting his shadow over the ground for once making him seem taller then the bear school Witcher.

"Already got an idea for that. Do you remember George? That Witcher from the School of the Griffin? We did the job on that Bruxa in the village with him," He asked the larger man.

Faram scoffed and nodded, "Ha, funny you mention him. I just saw him in Oxenfurt a couple days ago. Went there for a pack of drowners in the sewers, saw him there for a few moments."

A large opened mouthed smile came to his face. In his journey so far, he felt that luck had rarely smiled down on him. Ciri seemed to be just a step out of his reach with every lead that he received on her. He learned that she had showed up in Novigrad quite literally only a few days after he had been there. The more he heard of what Ciri had been actually doing the last eight years from Geralt, he learned more and more that he had been even closer then he thought, and only slightly missed her on multiple occasions.

However, a new small flicker of hope built up in the back of his head. The universe, destiny, whatever gods were out there seemed to finally throw some luck his way. George of Toussaint was only in Oxenfurt, Faram was across from him now. Those were two friends of his, two styles of fighting he could learn. His idea had seemed slightly far fetched at first, but now it seemed that it could truly be a reality. Being able to seamlessly switch between styles of fighting mid-battle could truly help him. Geralt was the best teacher he could ask for, but learning new moves, combos and techniques could truly put him over the edge.

Perhaps it could even make him strong enough to stand up to the Wild Hunt.

"This is perfect! When I have some free time I'll have to ride there, see if I can find him," He said with a smile, looking back to Faram, "You'll really train me? I know some Witchers are protective of their schools secrets."

Faram waved it off, "Bah fuck that. Normally yes, but you're my friend, my best-friend. Training you is the least I can do for all the times you've saved me. If you think it'll help you save your Ciri, then I'll do whatever I can for you."

A smile crossed his face and his heart warmed. He could recall very few times in his life that he had a friend such as Faram. Growing up in Cintra, until he met Ciri he didn't have many true friends. Merchants, craftsmen and his neighbors all knew him simply as 'Gregory and Sofia's boy'. He was shy, reserved, and couldn't think of anyone that counted him among their close friends. Ciri had changed him for the better, helped him find his inner confidence, learn how to express himself more, it was parts of the reason he loved her.

So that day, seeing that he had someone who counted him as a best friend, was trusting his secrets too, it warmed his heart. It also lit the spark of hope inside of him to an even greater heights. He had someone who he knew he could rely on when the time came to fight by his side. To fight to protect Ciri.

"Thanks Faram… for everything," He said, looking up and meeting his eyes again.

Faram laughed and waved his hands, "Ha think nothing of it mate. Training can wait though… we got some more business to handle."

He nodded in agreement and they both peaked their heads around the corner to look at the entrance to the casino again. Two bouncers stood posted on the outside, dressed in the clown attire that he knew Whoreson's men always wore. The idiots weren't wearing any armor, Faram and he could easily cut their way through them both and head inside with ease. However, he didn't think that slaughtering two guards so close to the temple watchtower would go over very well. He knew that he was more than likely going to have to fight but doing it on the inside would be more beneficial.

"Two guards on the outside… think we'll get lucky and they'll let us in," He said sarcastically to Faram beside him.

The Bear School Witcher scoffed and shook his head, "Doubt it, I tried to get in myself once. Fuckers said it was invitation only. Got any ideas? We could probably just punch our way in there."

"No, we can't cause a scene… but I have an idea," he said slowly, looking down at his hands, "How's your Axii?"

Faram shrugged, "About as good as any, what about you? I remember you were just learning them last time I saw you."

Dom shrugged his shoulders as well, "I guess we'll find out. Come on, I'd prefer to at least try and be discreet."

Faram nodded in understanding and the two of them both emerged from the alley. Careful not to bump into any townsfolk they made their way to the entrance down the street. On the outside the casino seemed like nothing particularly special. It was a normal whitewashed building with what looked to be three floors. The staircase to enter went down, and the two guards saw them as soon as they approached.

"Greetings gents," He said in a friendly tone as soon as he approached, "How're the cards flowing today?"

Faram came up behind him with his arms crossed. He quickly examined the two men in front of him. Neither wore real armor, only light cloth and carried blades at their side. Both had on the clown masks, and the one on the left right away held his hands out towards him.

"Invitation only, you're shit out of luck," The one said to them both.

"Yeah, so now kindly fuck off," The other said as soon as his friend had finished.

He felt his annoyance rise as he turned to Faram. Faram quickly nodded, and Dominik turned back to both of the guards. He put on another fake smile and held out his hands. Moving his fingers in the appropriate order, he put all of his energy into his hands, trying to speak the words as convincingly as he could.

"I think you're going to let the two of us in anyway," He strained out, his fingers pointed towards the first man.

Faram quickly came up next to him, repeating the same hand movement, "And you're going to wish us luck on the way in."

He felt his knees wobble for a moment before he let out a deep breath. Looking up, for a horrible moment he thought that his sign had failed. The guards both looked confused for a moment, before small white flickers popped up around their heads. The first guard who he had used the sign on pointed towards the doors.

"By all means, both of you may head right in," The man said.

"And luck be with you at the tables," The second one who Faram had controlled said in a dreamy voice.

A feeling of pride washed up inside him, as he looked to Faram. His friend smirked and gestured towards the door, before both of them walked through.

The smell was the first thing he noticed when he walked into the casino. It almost made him gag from the rancid smell of alcohol and fisstech. The ground floor had a bar, and a few patrons scattered about all sitting with drinks in hand. Almost all of them looked wealthy, silk clothes and large caps were everywhere. In one alcove off to the left he could see a man with a bag of what he knew to be fisstech, stuffing the powder up into his gums. From how Dijkstra had described the place, he was expecting more sophistication. However, he quickly remembered who the owner was, and what he had heard. Bouncers were everywhere on the ground floor, drinking, taking fisstech or arguing with the wealthier patrons. All were armed with swords, axes and blackjacks.

"Doesn't seem like the tables are down here," Faram said to him as they both carefully walked through the center of the ground floor.

The guests to his surprise didn't take much notice to either of them. Faram had attracted so much attention outside, that he thought as soon as they walked in it would be more then suspicious. However, all the guests were all too enraptured by their drugs or drinks. The bartender however did meet his eyes as they passed by, and he saw the man whisper a word to a bouncer next to him. He knew they wouldn't have much time, and the slightest indication they weren't there for cards would blow any cover they had.

The fire warmed his bones even more, as he slowly walked up towards the second floor, Faram closely behind him. The second floor also had the smell of drinks and drugs, however he tried his best to hide his disgust with a confident face. Several games of gwent were going on between what seemed to be more well-off townsmen and merchants. He looked over and saw only a few of them were open, with men sitting opposite of them, their heads down in stacks of gwent cards along with a mug.

"Alright, gotta find some information on Whoreson right? Any ideas," Faram said as they both waited at the top of the stairs.

A small idea formed at the base of his brain. If he could avoid it, he wanted to figure out what he could about Whoreson without causing any commotion. It was unlikely he knew, but if he could it would be preferable. He also didn't want Whoreson to be tipped off that he was looking for him. When he did find the man, it wasn't going to end well for him. Junior had apparently chased Dandelion and presumably Ciri, he knew what happened to them, and he was going to find out.

But first, he was going to need some more luck, this time with his cards.

"I got an idea, follow me," He said to Faram, gesturing for his friend to follow.

The Bear School Witcher nodded and followed. He made his way to the closest open table he could find; a seat was open across from a man wearing a yellow and purple outfit. A loud, extravagant hat was on his head, a white feather sticking out the top. He was shuffling gwent cards in front of him, and he recognized the Nilfgaardean empire deck right away.

He had always preferred the Northern Realms himself. The combination of great hero cards and fantastic siege weapons had always drawn him too it, along with the fact he recognized most of the characters, and would never touch anything with Nilfgaard in the name. It took all the power he had not to mention to Keira Metz when he met her that he owned her gwent card. Faram gave him an odd look, but he wasn't deterred, as he sat down across from the patron.

"Greetings," He said in a friendly tone, leaning one arm against the table, "Cards going good for you today?"

The gruff man looked up at him, and Dominik could smell the stench of fisstech, and vodka mixed together coming from the man. The smell was almost overpowering but he managed to keep a straight face.

"Huh? Who the ploughin hell are you," He said with a slight slur, "Never see either of you here before."

He fake laughed lightly and met the mans beady brown eyes, "First time here. I'm loving the place so far, looking to play my first round now."

"Uh… Dom, mate, are you sure-," Faram started from behind him, sounding nervous.

The drunken man sitting across from him cut the Bear School Witcher off, "HA, under normal occasions I'd love to beat the ploughin shit outta you," the man started, taking a long drink from a mug before continuing, "But fortunately for you, unfortunately for me, that cheating scoundrel Axel just tapped me out… bastard cheated he had to I know it."

A small smirk crossed Dominik's face as he met the mans eyes, pulling the purse of coins from his belt, "It's your lucky day then. Play me here, I'll put up this sack of coins. You win you keep it, but if I win… you answer some questions for me," He said, feeling his confidence rise.

"Dom mate, I really don't think you should-." Faram started again from behind him.

"I got this," he said turning his head back to the Bear School Witcher. Faram simply sighed and crossed his arms looking over the gwent table.

He nodded to his friend and turned back to the drunk across from him, who laughed, "HAH, you're mistake boy. I'm going to wipe the ploughin floor with you."

A smirk crossed his face, as he reached into his bag to pull out his cards. He could see the man clearly frequented the establishment, and hopefully knew at least something about Whoreson. All he had to do was hope for luck with the cards.

Even if he didn't, he was confident in his abilities, and soon he'd have the information they needed.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I knew I should've just punched our way in here…" Faram said with an annoyed eye roll next to him.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," He yelled in exasperation, standing up and slamming his cards on the table.

He had been thoroughly trounced by the drunken man across from him within two rounds. The drunk across from him laughed and scooped up the coin purse that Dominik had left on the table and slowly started pouring his crowns out onto the table. He thought it had been a smart idea to use his leader card in the first round, wasting it and still losing. Then in the second round he only had three cards left, two of which were weather cards. Faram sighed loudly and he shot a death stare over at the Bear School Witcher who then proceeded to let out a small laugh.

"Ploughin hell, never seen such a horrible gwent player in me life. Where'd you get those cards boy? Absolutely rubbish," The man laughed, combing his way through all of Dom's crowns.

Feeling his embarrassment and anger rise he looked over to Faram, who was now looking at him, his eyes asking for permission.

Sighing Dominik met his friends eyes and gestured his head over towards the man, "Faram."

Faram laughed one more time before a smile came to his face. The Bear School Witcher reached over, grabbing the man in his massive arms and slamming him down back onto his seat. The drunken man's newly acquired coin flew onto the floor, as he thrashed wildly, unable to get out of Faram's grip.

"Listen here little man," Faram said in a dark tone, pinning the drunken lout to the chair, "Tell us where we can find the owner of this fine establishment and I won't rip your arms off."

The man to his credit, while still seeming to be terrified, didn't say anything about Junior. Instead he thrashed wildly and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"GUARDS, GUARDS, WE HAVE ANOTHER MOLE," The drunk shouted, before Faram quickly silenced him with a punch.

All around them footsteps banged throughout the casino. He could see men drawing swords on the same floor as them, and other running up from below. Sighing in annoyance he quickly looked up to see one of the other card players charging at him a blackjack in hand. Quickly he sidestepped, grabbing the mans arm and tossing him towards Faram, who knocked the man clean out cold with an uppercut, before the larger Witcher drew his steel sword. The Bear School Witcher shot his hands out and the Aard sign flew past Dominik's head and smashed another man that had been charging backwards.

Quickly he drew his blade as well, as Faram closed ranked around him, the large second floor of the casino quickly flooding with more patrons, and bouncers from the ground floor below.

"You just HAD to play gwent didn't you," Faram complained, as all the assailants began to circle to the two Witchers.

"I thought I could win," He quickly yelled back, leveling his sword towards the bouncers.

He couldn't see his friend, but he was sure that Faram rolled his eyes, "When are you going to realize you're horrible at gwent!"

"When I actually am," He argued back.

The bouncers seemed to have heard enough, because soon they charged. He fought back to back with Faram, twirling his sword into a reverse grip, just in time to knock away one mans strike. He spun downwards and around the man after this, slicing across his back and sending him to the ground. Quickly he turned again, parrying another series of strikes from two more clown men who had come for him. He parried left towards one man, then right from another, before pirouetting around the man on his right, and slicing upwards to cut clean through his arms. The one man wailed and the second from the left then lashed out again, trying to swing downwards towards his head. He ducked, got under the man and slipped him over his shoulder into the tables.

"COME ON WHORESONS," He heard Faram yell next to him.

He looked over and saw the Bear School Witcher in action for a moment. Rooted to his spot, he deflected every strike that came his way, his blade moving in perfectly precise motion. He threw a parry upwards towards one man, before quickly twirling his blade around, stabbing it through one who had been trying to attack from behind, before pulling it out of the man, spinning it back around and slicing through the stomach of the first man.

The movements had absolutely amazed him. Faram had barely moved at all but was managing to move his blade with such precision, staying grounded to his spot, parrying every blow. It was a stark contrast to the style of fighting he used, with much more spins and pirouettes. He was quickly reminded he was in the middle of a fight when he heard more footsteps approaching from above. Whirling around he saw two more men come down from the third floor, blades at the ready.

He decided to go on the offensive himself. Charging towards the two clown men with his blade twirled to a reverse grip again. The one that was on the left attacked him first, quickly he side-stepped, knocking the mans blade towards the ground, before using his continued momentum to spin behind him, slashing the blade upwards, killing his opponent instantly. He could see the last man next to him that had been on the right swing at him from behind. He ducked and rolled out of the way, coming up and firing his hand outwards. The Aard sign shot from his hands and sent the man flying backwards. The man flew backwards right into the blade of Faram, who cut through the man with a precise strike.

A river of blood now ran trough the casino on both floors. Bouncers, and patrons alike lay dead. Breathing heavily, he sheathed his blade back behind his back and looked around at the corpses that lay out before them all.

"Fucking hell… whatever Whoreson's hiding, his men must really not want us figuring out," he said, looking over to Faram, who stepped over a body before coming to join him.

Nodding in agreement his friend turned to him, "Aye he must…. We should search the place, saw when you were losing that round of gwent, guards were particularly careful not to let anyone up to the third floor."

"Guess we're heading up then… come on, let's see what the bastards hiding," He said, turning towards the staircase the final two men had come from.

Any information they received now would be good information. Carefully he made his way up towards the third floor. He looked down and was relieved to see no nicks on his armor, for the few days previous he was still trying to break it in, and now he felt it had finally adjusted to fit him even better. His blade clattered in its sheath as he finally made it to the top of the steps. Quickly he scanned around, making sure that no other men were hiding.

However, the third floor was significantly smaller then the previous ones. It only had one small corridor with rooms on the left and right, which he assumed was for storage. It would be the perfect place to hide secret correspondence. Faram came up next to him, and he gestured for the larger man to check the rooms on the left. Quickly his friend nodded and went about searching, while he went to the rooms on the right.

Carefully he turned the knob for one door, walking through it to reveal a room full of trunks for storage. He rummaged through a few, only finding old documents with nothing of importance on them. Despite not finding anything to aid his search, he did manage to loot a healthy amount of coin to replace the pouch that he had lost at the tables with his stupid plan.

He sighed in agitation however, finding absolutely no sign of anything that could point them to Whoreson. The more time that he wasted going through and finding nothing, was more time that Dandelion and possibly Ciri could be in danger. He felt the swallow pendant coldly bounce against his neck along with his medallion. The bard and Ciri were both counting on Geralt and he now, and he wasn't about to let them down.

"Aye Dominik, you better come and see this mate," He heard Faram yell from the other room.

Feeling the optimism rise back up in him again, he ran back towards where Faram's voice had come from. He burst into the door across the hall, and saw his friends kneeling to one knee on the ground. There was blood splattered on the floor in front of the chair in the smaller room. A doppler was sitting in the seat, his hands tied together in front of him, both his legs tied to the chair, preventing him from moving. Faram turned back to him and gestured with one thumb towards the doppler.

"Our friend here tells me he's a mole for the King of Beggars, figured you'd wanna ask him a few questions," Faram told him.

The doppler slowly looked up at him, his nose was bloody, and he had a cut right between his eyes. Blood trickled down his face, and he looked at Dominik with pleading eyes.

"Man's right… I'll tell you anything you need, just please… please let me out of here," The doppler pleaded.

He nodded to the doppler and spoke in a soft tone, not wanting to scare the poor man any further, "We will but first tell me… you're one of the King of Beggars moles, I'm looking for Whoreson, did you learn anything while you were here?"

Quickly the doppler nodded, "Aye, I didn't learn the logistics of it but… Whoreson is working hand in glove with the Redanian's, right in Radovid's pocket."

He scoffed, "Fucking moron, rather take my chances with the 'Big Four' then Radovid, man's insane."

The doppler scoffed as well, nodding his head, "That's what I was thinking. Makes sense now why he's been in hiding, Redanian's probably have him under lock and key."

Despite the situation he breathed a relieved sigh. He had learned something, and something valuable at that. The attack on Dijkstra's bathhouse now made sense. Radovid was trying to pry control of Novigrad away from the 'Big Four' in preparation for an occupation. He was making Whoreson do his dirty work, and in thanks had hidden the man away. That meant that there was no way that Junior was currently on Novigrad, Radovid may have been insane, but he wasn't stupid. He needed Junior at the moment, so he would hide him somewhere he deemed safe, somewhere close.

Radovid he learned was camped out on a ship in Oxenfurt, and the pieces finally clicked together.

A smile crossed his face as he looked at the doppler, "Thanks… one more question. Do you know another doppler named Dudu?"

The doppler again quickly nodded, "Aye I do, poor mans in hiding now. Haven't talked to him in some time. Last I did, he was looking awfully nervous, asked him what was wrong, let slip that he was just asked to join on an important job."

He had only asked out of curiosity, hoping that his old doppler friend was safe. However, when he heard what the doppler in front of him said, the gears in his head began to turn again.

"Did he tell you anything else about this job," He asked the doppler quickly.

The small man in the chair shrugged, "No details, kept them tight lipped. Asked him why he bothered taking it if it bothered him so much. All he said was he had to because some close old friends of his needed help."

"Did he tell you there names," He asked quickly, feeling a tingling sensation run down his spine.

The doppler shook his head, his eyes wide and full of worry after hearing his tone, "No he didn't… just that it was important he helped them…. Can… can I go now? My legs are starting to lose feeling."

He sighed, but quickly pulled his silver dagger from his belt, and cut the ropes constraining the doppler. Slowly, and being sure to stretch out his muscles, the doppler took a few shaky steps away before turning back to the two Witchers.

"I… I think I'll lay low for a little while…. Thank you Witchers," He said shakily, before leaving the room, his smaller feet leaving blood prints in his wake.

A new puzzle slowly took form in the base of his head. The close friends Dudu had been helping, absolutely had to be Dandelion and Ciri. If his old doppler friend had helped the two of them with the heist they planned, it would make sense as to why the doppler was now in hiding. It was another person who may know what happened to Ciri after the events of the heist itself. Slowly he stood up with a shaky breath, looking down at the swallow tattoo and the names he saw on his inner forearm.

"Alright, who's Dudu? And why were you asking after him," Faram asked, standing up next to him.

He scoffed with a laugh looking over to the larger Witcher, "Dudu's a merchant, a doppler, old friend of Geralt and I's…. He's also close friends with Ciri and Dandelion. It had to be him that helped them with the heist!"

"Heist, what heist," Faram asked again, looking at him confused.

With a shock he realized he hadn't explained the full situation to Faram. He turned over to his friend and laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, "Sorry mate, forgot to tell you some stuff, got caught up talking about training."

The Bear School Witcher shook his head, shaking it off, "No worries mate, you can fill me in on the way to the arena. You still want to head there? We know that bastard Whoreson is working with the Redanian's, but we could figure out where they're hiding him."

A smirked crossed his face as he looked out the window. The sun was slowly starting to set out over Novigrad, the nighttime drawing near. He turned over to Faram and shook his head.

"No need anymore, I think I figured out where they're hiding him. Besides, Geralt's probably finished up with his business, due to meet back with him soon," he said, meeting his friends yellow Witcher eyes, "I'm assuming you'll need somewhere other than the Sturgeon to stay now?"

Faram tossed his head back and laughed, "Bahah, you can say that again."

He nodded to the larger man and gestured for him to follow, "You can come with me. Friends of mine just inherited the Rosemary and Thyme, they'll set you up there. It's where Geralt and I are going to be staying."

A smile crossed the larger Witchers face as he came up next to him, "Appreciate it mate. So, where do you think the bastards got Whoreson at?"

A smirked crossed his face again as he walked from the room, "Radovid wouldn't be stupid enough to set him up in Novigrad where the other members of the big four could get him. No… he's got Whoreson held up in Oxenfurt."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The moon had just risen over the city when Faram and he arrived back at the Rosemary and Thyme. A few soaked and drunk patrons occupied some tables, so Zoltan was more than happy to see them both when they arrived. After introducing Faram, the dwarf and he quickly got into a detailed conversation about the distinct differences between the types of ale found across the continent. After a detailed discussion, Dominik had learned more about the differences between ales in the northern kingdoms then he ever thought he would need. Nonetheless he was glad to see that the two of his friends had seemed to get on so well so fast.

After the ale discussion, Zoltan had given the two of them both rooms on the second floor of the inn. Faram's room had been placed across the hall from his on the left, while he took one on the right. The room was the perfect size for one or two people. A bed with white sheets and a blanket was in the left corner, along with a nightstand next to it, a dresser was also settled across from the bed itself. A small table with two chairs and a candle were set out in the corner near the door, as soon as he entered, he unstrapped his blade and leaned it up against the chair.

He took off his gloves, and the top half of his armor until he was only wearing the white cotton shirt that was normally under his armor, along with his trousers and boots. Falling into the bed he gave out a loud sigh, looking up at the ceiling, feeling his head spin. Geralt still had not come back, so for the first time in what felt like ages, he had a few moments to simply lay in his bed and reflect.

Everything about his life had been changed in only a matter of weeks. For two years he wondered, thinking that he was possibly the last remaining member of his family. Geralt and Yennefer were both dead, Ciri was out of his reach. The spark of hope that he may someday find her was all but gone, he never stopped looking, and he never would, but during that time a part of him believed that all would be for naught.

Destiny had then brought him to Claywitch. It had sent him signs during his time there, things reminded him of her, then of course Alayna the Alp, had revealed that Ciri indeed was alive, and that she was running from the Wild Hunt. The temptation that night had been so high, and he thought about it to that moment. He didn't know if Alayna had been lying to him, but when she offered to open him a portal right to where Ciri was… he almost accepted. For so long he had been alone, and for so long he had looked, and he could have been with her in that moment.

However, he knew that in the end Ciri wouldn't want him to compromise who he was to find her. It seemed that destiny rewarded him for resisting the temptation that night when Yennefer saved him. His reward for resisting, was the knowledge that Yennefer and Geralt were indeed both still alive. Also, that they were going to help him search for Ciri, she was back on the continent, and he could reunite with her yet again, after searching for eight years, and being alone for most of them.

He looked up at the ceiling and pulled the pendant out from under his shirt. Carefully he examined the silver from the light of the moon, and the candle that was lit in the corner. The silver gleamed, shining from the moonlight. A pleasant breeze ran through the slightly cracked window and he let out a relaxing breath.

"Everything will be alright… I'll make sure of it," He said, before slowly placing the swallow back down under his shirt.

_Everything will be alright. I'll see you soon I promise. I love you. _

The last words she said to him, haunted him to that day. Nothing ended up turning out alright, he didn't see her soon. He still loved her, that was what he held onto. No amount of nights with Freya during his recovery in Ellander, no amount of time had changed that. Sighing again, he swung his legs back out the side of the bed and looked down now at the tattoo on his inner forearm.

Gently he ran his hand across the names again, Ciri, Triss, Yennefer, and Geralt… his family. He had gotten something that very few people ever got in life. A third chance. His first chance he failed, his mother, father, Bella had all died. He got a second chance after this, but Geralt, Yennefer, and for the longest time he thought Ciri were all gone. This time however, he wasn't going to fail again.

He was going to be strong enough.

"Not again… Eredin and the Hunt… they messed with the wrong Witcher," He hissed, looking back up at the moon through his window.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at his door. Quickly, he rolled down his arms sleeve and ran a hand through his hair to try and tame it. He gave up and opened the door, only to see Faram there, smiling at him.

"So mate are you ready," His friend said with a smirk on his face.

"Ready for what," He asked the larger Witcher curiously.

Faram kept his smirk and looked down at him with his arms crossed, "Well Geralt still hasn't come back yet. And well… you did say you wanted to train in Bear School techniques…right?"

A smirk came to his face as well, and a warm feeling welled up inside his gut. He felt the swallow tremble around his neck, as he reached over to grab his blade from the table.

He met the Bear School Witchers eyes with a smirk, "You bet I do… come on, let's get training."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Now, the School of the Bear has a much more defensive style of fighting then the School of the Wolf," Faram started, standing across from him in the night.

He had put his armor back on, slightly upset that he had only gotten to spend a few minutes with it off, however he was eager to start with Faram. They had a few sparring matches, Faram had wanted for him to see what the School of the Bears style was all about. He had noticed right away. Faram's parries and side-steps were much more precise and devastating then anyone else he had fought. The Bear School Witcher waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, and most of the time it had been when he himself had gotten sloppy with his attacks.

The back green of the Rosemary and Thyme was lit with the fire burning from the wall scones, and the light of the moon. The two Witchers had plenty of room to spar, but Faram now after a few matches took the time to go into more detail.

"I've noticed," Dominik started after Faram had finished, "You rarely threw out strikes yourself, and if you did, they were at the perfect moments."

Faram smiled with satisfaction and hefted his steel sword to rest on his shoulder.

"Aye you're right. You've been trained at the School of the Wolf your whole life. That style has a lot of spins, pirouettes and feints. School of the Bear has those too, however we use ours in a much more defensive manner," His friend carefully explained, adjusting his feet firmly shoulder width apart on the ground, "The Bear School is all about wearing down your opponent, precise parries and dodges, this way you conserve your stamina and can deliver crushing blows at the perfect moment."

The style sounded appealing and was perfect for someone larger like Faram. His School of the Wolf training had showed him how to lash out, with quick strikes, faints and spins. For someone slightly smaller and leaner like himself the style was very effective. However, he knew that learning the defensive Bear School style, would give him a wider range of moves and styles to use against different opponents.

Nodding in understanding, he took in a deep breath and met Faram's eyes again, "Might be a little bit harder for me, delivering those crushing blows at my size."

Faram laughed and shook his head, "You're deceptively strong mate, no worries. Besides, part of our mutations at the School of the Bear puts an even bigger emphasis on building our strength. Still though, with the proper technique it can work for anyone."

"Alright," he said, taking in a relaxing breath, "Let's get started."

His friend nodded across from him again, "Now remember this first mate. Don't change up how you fight completely. You're a tough fucker to take down as is, use whatever style you think is best for your current opponent. For example, back at the casino, we were indoors, tighter, more enclosed, perfect for the more defensive, grounded Bear School style, see where I'm coming from?"

The point his friend made was perfectly sensible. In the casino earlier, he had easily been able to dispatch the henchmen and patrons, however it could have been even easier for him. The tighter enclosed spaces had made it harder for him to spin and lunge out. While he was trying to avoid swords by rolling, Faram had stood his ground, parrying away every strike that had come his way, all the parries he threw were with perfect precision and knocked others off balance.

He could have had a much easier time if he had done the same. A few other situations came to mind where a much more grounded and defensive fighting style would have come in handy. Being able to seamlessly switch between styles of fighting, depending on his opponent and environment would be an extremely useful skill to have. It was something that he thought could tip the scales for him, that could be his edge in battle.

Nodding he readied himself in a stance again, leveling his blade and spreading his legs, "Okay… let's see how this goes."

Faram smiled and nodded, "Good, now the most important thing to remember is this… you must ground yourself. That may be hard for you to do, since you're used to lunging out, moving constantly. Do the same, move to the left and right to better throw parries, or spin to dodge but ground yourself, don't go lunging out like you normally do. Stay on the balls of your feet, but keep your position, I'm going to come at you. Keep throwing your parries, make them strong, put your weight into them, but don't lunge! Wait till you see the perfect opportunity, and then strike back!"

So, the two of them went about practicing. He did exactly what the Bear School Witcher had instructed, he spread his feet, leaning on the balls of them, ready to lash out as soon as the moment was right. However, when the first few strikes came, he was knocked off balance, and Faram was able to easily take him to the ground. Faram had told him the first few times were because he wasn't truly grounding himself. He wasn't focusing on keeping a strong stance, he was still bouncing on his toes, wanting to lash out again. However, when he did do this, Faram had been ready, and knocked him to the ground.

"You're not putting your full strength into your parries! When you throw them, you're trying to move it into a spin like you normally do, but that's not what we're practicing," Faram scolded and Dominik picked himself up off the ground again, "I know you're used to constantly moving, but if you want to master the School of the Bear, you need to ground yourself! Lash out when you see the perfect opportunity."

"Okay… let's try this again," He muttered, raising his blade again.

Sweat was trickling down his brow, his hair was becoming even more unruly, as he kept saying the words in his head. _Ground yourself, ground yourself. _He repeated the words to himself as Faram came at him again. His friend lashed out with strikes from the left and right, he focused on making the movement with his blade as precise as possible, putting every bit of his strength into the strikes. He made sure to stay on the balls of his feet, only side-stepping and moving when necessary. Faram lashed out from the right, he threw a parry, putting every bit of his strength into it. The parry sent Faram off balance, and his eyes went wide, he went to go strike again, but managed to hold himself back.

It turned out to be a good decision because Faram quickly recovered, spinning around and going to a strike to his back. Quickly, without enough time to turn around, he raised up his blade behind his back and caught Faram's sword on his. Faram tried to power through his block, and his eyes widened at the perfect opportunity. He shuffled his feet forward and spun, whirling his blade around and stopping it just inches from Faram's neck. His friend slowly turned his head to him, his reflection appearing in Dom's blade.

The Bear School Witcher scoffed with a smile on his face. Dominik retracted his blade and did the same. He finally had gotten the upper hand on Faram using the proper tactics. He knew of course his friend hadn't been fighting at 100%, taking it easier on him for the sake of him getting the proper movement down.

Faram got up with a laugh, slowly clapping for him, "Hahah, way to go mate! That was good, you grounded yourself and waited for the perfect opportunity."

He scoffed and shook his head at his friend, "Still got a long way to go."

Faram rolled his eyes but kept a smile on his face, "I bet you thought the same thing when you started training at Kaer Morhen. It'll come mate, I'll keep at it with you day and night."

Faram held out his massive, armored hand and Dominik took it with a firm shake. He smiled up at his friend and sheathed his blade. He was just about to suggest they head in for drinks when he heard footsteps behind them.

"Well, that was some display," Geralt said, coming into the light from the streets.

He turned and breathed a sigh of relief, smiling over at his adoptive father, "Geralt you're back, thank god. What kept you for so long?"

Faram's eyes went wide at the sight of Geralt, and he couldn't help but laugh at his friend. His adoptive father smiled and walked up towards the two of them, looking first up at Faram.

"Good to see you again Faram," The older Witcher said, shaking the Bear School Witchers hand.

Faram shook Geralt's hand and bowed his head, "And you wolf. The honor is mine. I can tell you two need a moment to talk, I'll be inside. Zoltan's got a keg of Redanian lager just waiting to be popped," The Bear School Witcher said excitedly.

He rolled his eyes at his friend but saw Geralt slightly smirk with satisfaction before looking over to him, "Did a little perusing in Novigrad after talking with Dijkstra, refilled our ingredients, sharpened my swords. How'd it go following the leads? Figure out anything about Whoreson?"

All of the information he learned earlier in the day flooded to his mind at once. He looked up and met Geralt's yellow eyes, "Well for one, Whoreson is working hand in hand with the Redanians. Radovid supports him, explains why he's attacking the big four, and why nobody can find him."

Geralt rubbed his white beard wonderingly before looking back to him, "I wonder if Dijkstra knows. Don't really trust him, but he could be our best lead. Like I said, he was head of Redanian intelligence, he may still be in contact with someone."

He rolled his eyes at the prospect, but looked back to Geralt, "Speaking of Dijkstra, what did he want from us?"

Geralt let out a small scoff, but smiled, "Would you believe it? He wants us to track down the treasure Dandelion and Ciri stole out of his vault."

He scoffed himself, not believing his luck, "That's perfect. If we investigate the break in, it could lead us to them. Speaking of the break in… I did learn one other thing, it's about Dudu."

"Dudu, what about him," The older Witcher asked.

A smile came to his face, as he finally sheathed his sword from the training session.

"We got the information on Whoreson from a doppler we rescued at the Casino. Said he was one of the King of Beggar's moles," He started explaining, "I was just curious if he knew Dudu, so I asked him. He told me Dudu is in hiding, and the last time he saw him, Dudu seemed nervous because he was about to pull a job with 'two close friends of his'. It has to be Dandelion and Ciri!"

Geralt seemed in shock for a moment, digesting the information he heard. After a few moments of thinking, a look of realization finally passed on his face.

"Well, well, well that explains something I was wondering perfectly," Geralt said, looking at him with his arms crossed.

"I was just about to ask, how far did you get investigating the break in," He asked the white-haired Witcher, while readjusting the strap for his sword.

Geralt looked up and met his eyes again, "Well for starters, Ciri and Dandelion blew an entire whole into Dijkstra's vault from the sewers. That explained the dream you saw. Found the bottom of a bomb part with runes on it. Smelled like wyvern oil, caramel, and sugar."

The combination of ingredients almost made him laugh, "Ha, I'd like to say Uncle Vesemir taught me potions and bombs pretty well, but there had to be something else. Wyvern oil yeah but… sugar?"

"That's the same thing I thought, but that's not really important, I got an even better lead," The older Witcher started, "The bomb they used had to have been flushed down one of the pools. Managed to find the right one. Dijkstra checked the log for who used it that day. One name was Margrave Henkel."

"So we need to go find this Henkel guy," He said right away, crossing his own arms as well.

Geralt shook his head, "That's the problem. Margrave Henkel's dead. Dijkstra said he died months ago. I was wondering how it was possible but after what you just told me…"

"It was Dudu," He said, finally putting the pieces together, "Ciri and Dandelion must have convinced him to help. So… what do we do now? What's our next move?"

Geralt looked out over the darkened streets of Novigrad, only lit by the torches and the full moon, before turning back to him, "Dijkstra asked me to go check Henkel's house. Said it's right off Hierarch Square. If they were using the mans name, they probably used his house as a base. We should go check it out, you ready to head out now?"

Breathing a sigh of relief he nodded, "Of course. Always ready, come on. Hopefully they left behind some sign."

**A/N: Here we go everybody, Novirgad is in full swing! I personally LOVE this part of the game. Velen kind of dragged on a bit for me, but when we get here to Novigrad is when I personally think they game started to become fantastic. I also know that Velen was kind of shot for shot, not much changed, but that's because honestly there wasn't really anything different that could have happened. Dominik was still weaker, not as confident, not ready to go out and make changes on his own. Now however in Novigrad… things are going to change a bit. I got tons of adventures planned, and we're going to learn even more about Dom's past. **

**Expect a few quick updates after this one, seeing as I LOVE this part of the game so much. Then once we get to Skellige, I know I'm going to tear through that as well. Then as soon as we finally rescue Ciri, oh boy I may get the book done in a week xD**

**When she finally gets into the picture during the end game is where TONS of things are going to change. Dominik won't sit by and let people use her, but first he has to get to her! And I have tons of great moments planned still before he does get to her. So stay tuned. **

**So, how do you all think the upcoming raid on the Witch Hunter barracks will go? How will Dominik fair with his new Bear School style knowledge? What did you guys think of the training itself, and the development we've seen so far from Dominik? **

**Thank you all so much, your support and reviews always mean the world. I'll see you all next time!**

**Special thanks to users Anakins Hyper, BlackWatcher1234, Memnon45, and Kirijo Senpai for your continued reviews and messages of support! Also thank you to everyone else who's reviewed and sent message as well, I appreciate you all and hope you continue to love what I'm putting out! See you all next time.**


	25. Count Reuven's Treasure

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 25: Count Reuven's Treasure**

**Narrator: After investigating the leads to Whoreson Junior's location with Faram, Dominik discovered that the crime lord was working with King Radovid and the Redanians. Also while searching he learned that he and Ciri's old friend Dudu had assisted the young woman and myself in our daring heist of Sigi Reuven's vault. After cross examining his leads with Geralt, the two witchers headed to the house of the deceased Margrave Henkel, the man Dudu had impersonated, hoping to find leads as to where Ciri and I had gone.**

The sun had retired for the day, and all honest folk had abandoned the streets of Novigrad. It was a stark contrast to what he had become used to seeing in the city. For the first time Geralt was walking through the town with his hood down, not as worried about people turning him in at that hour. The moon was high and full that night, as a cold breeze shot through the empty streets. It flew through his untidy brown hair, the straps on his armor flew up and down as he clunked through the streets behind Geralt. Margrave Henkel according to Geralt had died almost half a year ago in a brothel but the funeral had been hushed up, making the man the perfect person for Dudu to impersonate. It was only a matter of finding the doppler now, if they found him, perhaps they could figure out what happened with Ciri and Dandelion.

The house was right off Hierarch Square, but looked nothing like the other, wealthier houses on the block. The old Margrave's house was run down, paint chipping off the side of the buildings, the shingles from the roof falling over, the window panels broken and knocked off.

"Certainly doesn't look like a Margrave lives here…" He said to Geralt as they both stood outside.

His adoptive father nodded in agreement, taking another step closer to the front door, "Yeah… but that would also make it the perfect place to plan a heist."

Dominik was about to speak up again, but before he did Geralt fired his hand forward and the Aard sign blew the front door open. He took a step back, scanning the streets to make sure no guards were coming, before gesturing for Dominik to follow him.

"Looks like it lacks security too…" Dom muttered following Geralt into the house.

The house looked abandoned on the inside the same as it did on the outside. The dust attacked his nose as soon as he entered, as he saw the discarded shelves, barrels, tables and sacks. He sneezed and looked down to see Geralt knelt to one knee, looking closely at the floor. He himself of course couldn't see anything, but Geralt had his Witcher sense so he assumed he found something.

He wondered around the downstairs, seeing if anything stood out, anything that could be a clue. The bottom floor possessed absolutely nothing of value, only old silver and dining ware, along with dusty old books and containers. Sighing in annoyance he turned back to Geralt, and saw the older Witcher reach down, rubbing his hand across the floor.

"See anything," He asked his adoptive father.

Geralt got up to his feet and nodded, pointing down to the ground, "Got some smaller footprints here, leading upstairs. Come on, let's get moving."

"I love those 'Witcher Senses'," Dom said with a smirk, following Geralt up towards the second floor.

The second floor was much smaller than the bottom. He followed closely behind Geralt who seemingly followed the trail of prints that had been left behind. While he did that, he explored the upper level. One hallway led to a room on the left, and when he entered, he realized it was a wine room. Racks of all types of vintage wines were lined across both sides of the room. Some he recognized, others he didn't. Under a normal occasion he would have taken the time to examine them, see what ones he had tried and hadn't tried before. However, it was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

One spot on the racks did catch his eye. It was the only empty spot in either rack, without a bottle of wine resting on it. He leaned down to take a closer look and read what the spot read.

_Cintran red, 1251._

1251, the year he was born… that also happened to be Ciri's birth year as well. He remembered he always used to tease her about being older then her. The had been born in the same year, but he was three months older then she, him being born in September, while she was born in December. It had only been a few weeks before her 15th birthday that she had gone to Aretuza. He never got to spend that birthday with her, never gotten to give her the presents he had planned. He remembered exactly what he was going to give her that year. For weeks he had spent time drawing her a gwent card, one with her own likeness on it, one with fifteen attack power, and a moral boost for all cards in the row. It wasn't an official card of course, but the idea had gotten him excited.

She of course however was gone before he could give it to her.

He had done this often. The smallest thing he saw in everyday life would remind him of a memory he had with her, something they had done together, or a specific thing she had said. The closer he got, the more clues Geralt and he found, the more it had happened. His gut was welling up with so much anxiousness, so much longing and hope, that at times it felt like it was going to explode. Eight years, 2920 days, finally after all that time, he was only a few weeks behind her.

Sighing he gently ran his hands over the words _Cintran_ on the rack, before turning and exiting the room. Geralt and he would find her, he knew they would, they had too.

Because he didn't know what he would do if he failed again.

He came back around from the hallway on the second floor to see Geralt, standing next to a long table, a bottle of wine in his hand, and a letter in the other. Smirking, he walked over to the older Witcher, looking at the bottle in his hands.

"Having a drink," he said with a smile, as the older Witcher handed him the bottle.

Geralt shook his head and looked up from the paper, "No… footprints lead behind that wall. Couldn't get it open but… I found this."

He handed the letter over to Dominik, and he ran his hands along the old parchment. The writing was in elegant letters, like the ones he used to see his mother and father writing. Only a few sentences were scribbled, but the words made his eyes go wide.

"The wine of your birth year is excellent; you must try it…. But afterwards, please place the bottle back where you found it…" He said looking up to Geralt quickly, "The year of your birth?"

Geralt nodded, the light from the moon shining across his face, "Yeah, could be Dandelion's… or Ciri's, 12-."

"December 14th, 1251," he said quickly, taking the bottle of wine and turning.

Quickly, he moved back to where the wine room had been. He of course knew Ciri's birthyear, with it being the exact same as his. Running his hands across the bottles, he finally found the empty slot for _Cintran red_, and gently placed the bottle back inside. After it had been placed, he heard a satisfying click, before a rumbling sound shook the house. He scoffed a smile and ran back outside to join Geralt.

The puzzle had been solved easily enough, and the passageway to the secret room had been opened. Geralt looked at him with an approving nod before they both walked inside. The small bedroom wasn't very spacious, but the perfect hiding place for a small group planning a heist.

"Must be were Dandelion and his cohorts planned the heist…" Geralt said, walking over towards the table on the left.

He scoffed and looked at the messy bed on the right, "His cohorts being Ciri and Dudu… dammit Geralt I still can't believe it. If I had just stayed here a few more days…"

The thought had been haunting him since he learned it. Ciri had quite literally talked to Dandelion only a few days after he had. He remembered that the bard had asked him to stay, take a few weeks to rest and relax, perhaps do some work in Novigrad and the surrounding regions. In Velen at the time however, the Nilfgaardeans had been pushing ever more forward, so he wasn't exactly eager to stay. He wanted to keep on the move, to avoid the main bulk of the Black Ones army.

He had gone further north, into Redanian lands, and did some work around Tretogor. For a few weeks he did small contracts and worked to gain more coin, trying to gain enough to make a trip to the Skellige Isles, hoping to perhaps find someone that could help him further among Ciri's old friends in Clan An Craite. However, the coin just wasn't coming fast enough, so he slowly started to make his way back down towards Novigrad. It was during this time he met Alesky, the old village elder from Claywitch, who begged him to come help his village.

In the end he was glad that he was able to help the old man, that contract had let him learn Ciri was alive, along with Geralt and Yennefer. However, the idea that if he had just listened to Dandelion and stayed a couple more days… he would have been reunited with Ciri. He could have helped her with whatever it was she had gone to Dandelion for.

He looked over to Geralt who shook his head, "Nothing we can do about it now. We're close, we just need to find Dandelion… come check this out."

Over to his left he saw Geralt looking carefully at a piece of old paper hanging on the bookshelf. Coming up next to the older Witcher he read what the paper said. It was clear what the instructions were, he had seen plenty of them before back at Kaer Morhen, they had burned formulae into his mind that were still there to this day.

He looked over at Geralt wonderingly, "These are instructions on how to build a bomb, Signed by Kalkstein… makes sense now why Dandelion was trying to find him."

Geralt nodded and looked to his right, "Yeah… and check this out, more bomb parts here."

He turned with the older Witcher and saw what he was talking about. On the table were small metal parts of what clearly was meant to be a bomb. The magical runes were faded but still etched into the metal. He saw small sticky spots on the table, leaning down to sniff he gagged and took steps back.

"Ughhh, wyvern oil… potassium, sugar… and some kind of acid, makes sense why it exploded now," He said looking up at Geralt.

Geralt took a closer look at the substances before nodding in agreement, "Yeah… thing like this would blow a huge hole. Question is, what happened to all that treasure, and why did they even need to do it in the first place."

That was the question he kept asking himself. From what he had gathered in Velen, Ciri had gone to Novigrad looking for he, Geralt or Yennefer. She wanted to do something with a curse, cast one, lift one, something. It made sense that she went to Dandelion if she couldn't find them, but what would possess them to then rob a mans vault? It wasn't something Ciri or Dandelion would do for coin, they had to have been doing it for someone else.

He shook his head at Geralt and turned back around. After taking a closer look at the bed, he saw something laying at its foot. Quickly he rushed over and picked up what turned out to be another piece of old parchment. The paper had the same elegant handwriting as the first note did, but when he read the first sentence, his head shot over to Geralt.

"Geralt listen to this," he said, making the older Witcher turn to him, before he continued reading, "Ciri… Menge is following me… he's seized the treasure and has Dandelion… you must flee…. God dammit Ciri…" He said, his chest beginning to thump harder with worry.

If Dandelion had really been taken captive by Menge and the Temple Guard, the man was going to pay. He could remember the remorselessness that the man held in his eyes, as he tossed fire onto the pyres of the people, he had burned in Hierarch Square. He felt his hands curl around the paper as he looked over to Geralt.

The older Witcher sighed and shook his head, "If Menge has him, then we need to-."

Both of them heard the noise at once. Banging came from the floor below. Quickly he looked at the letter in his hand one last time, before igniting his hands into a ball of fire with the Igni sign. The paper burned to a crisp in seconds as Geralt quickly gestured for him to follow silently.

He felt his hands twitch, and his heart begin to pump faster. The next step to finding Dandelion would be to get their hands on Menge, and despite his true objective, he was eager to get to the man. Menge had captured his friend and tried to do the same to Dudu, another friend. The man had been hunting Triss and other mages for months, wanting to burn them in the streets to boost morale. That wasn't something he was going to let continue, he wasn't just going to get the location of Dandelion from Menge… he was going to kill the man, and rid Novigrad of the evil curtain he placed over it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dijkstra and… Triss," He said quietly, as Geralt and he both rounded down the steps.

The fat man had brought some of his men with him, and they were currently tearing the house apart. It made him even more relieved that he had burned Dudu's letter to Ciri that would have implicated his friends in the heist. He wasn't very happy to see Dijkstra again, but seeing Triss with him surprised him even more. Geralt looked over at him, and shook his head, and he could tell what the older Witcher was trying to say. He wanted Dominik to keep his mouth shut, while he did the talking.

With an annoyed sigh he nodded back, as Dijkstra finally spotted them.

"Ahhh look who it is," The fat man said with sarcasm, "My favorite father and son Witcher duo, not much competition to it though I'll admit."

Dominik felt his eyes roll again as he crossed his arms, but Geralt scoffed looking between Dijkstra and Triss.

"Didn't expect to see you here," he said to the former spy, before looking at Triss, "Especially not with Triss."

Dijkstra scoffed, "Figured we could use someone who knows a thing or two about magic. Those runes on the bomb, just dying to know what they mean."

Rolling his eyes again Dominik looked over to Triss, "Were you dying to know as well?"

The sorceress laughed and shook her head, "Not at all. Just here for the coin."

He felt himself laugh, knowing that what the sorceress said was true. Dijkstra however scoffed and let out a laugh.

"Ahh Merigold playing the cynical materialist, I love it," The fatter man said, looking back at Geralt and he, "Truth be told her ideals brought her here. Triss needs coin to save her colleagues. Once I've recovered my treasure, I'll be in a position to help…. Speaking of which, did the two of you figure out who took my fucking gold?"

The tone the man used made his fist curl again. He would've said something, but Geralt spoke up before he could, "Bothered Triss for nothing, no use examining the bomb. We already know who nabbed your treasure, it was Caleb Menge, captain of the Temple Guard."

The name Menge hung over the four of them. He saw Triss's eyes go wide, her eyes burning with a look of rage. Dijkstra sensed this and turned over to face her.

"Well, well Merigold, seems your gold comes with a side of revenge," He said with amusement before turning back to Geralt and he, "Word has it Menge has been spending heaps of coin recently, although he shouldn't have a copper to his name."

"So. What now," Triss asked the fat man, her arms crossed impatiently.

Dijkstra smirked, before taking a step back, looking at Geralt, Triss and he, "From what I hear, Menge spends his nights near the docks- Witch Hunters barracks. The three of you can pay him a little visit, see where he's keeping my fucking gold."

Rolling his eyes he finally scoffed, unable to keep his mouth shut, "Ha, you think Menge is just going to give up its location. Menge isn't that stupid."

Dijkstra met his eyes, and he could see the distaste the man held for him, "Well, luckily I hired two Witchers and a sorceress," The fat man smirked and looked at both Triss and Geralt now, "And it so happens one of the Witchers and the sorceress had been through so much together."

He felt the tension in the room somehow rise even higher. Geralt and Triss looked at each other, and Triss quickly spoke back up with venom, "What does our past have to do with this!?"

Dijkstra let out a small chuckle, looking between them again, "Haha, a great deal. Lovers will jump into the abyss for one another… suits my needs perfectly. Namely, it increases your chances of getting out of the Witch Hunter's barracks alive… with my treasure."

The subject of Geralt and Triss's relationship was always something he tried to push out of his mind. He knew that the two of them had been together for a small time before Geralt even found Ciri and he, and that after he had lost his memory only a few months prior they had been even closer. He of course considered Geralt his second father, but Yennefer had always been who he considered as a second mother. Triss was always like the older sibling he had never gotten the chance to have growing up.

Hearing that the two of them had slept together and been romantically involved on many occasions didn't make him love either of them any less, but it had always conflicted him. Triss had never acted on the feelings she still had for Geralt when they were younger but knowing that she did have those feelings, always made it slightly more awkward for him to be around the two at the same time. He knew that it was conflicting for Geralt to see her again now, especially with him only so recently seeing Yennefer again. The older Witcher had claimed they had more important things to focus on, but Dominik could still see how much it had been bothering his adopted father since they arrived.

Seeing Geralt's distress, seemingly in love with two women at once only made him even more thankful that he found Ciri as early in life as he did. Even when he thought he was falling in love with Freya, Ciri had never left his mind, it was how he determined what he felt for Freya wasn't the type of love she felt for him.

"So in other words, you're using us," Geralt said in an irritated tone.

Dijkstra fake scoffed in astonishment, "Using you? Never! Only making the most of your mutual bond. Hahaha… well lovebirds I really must be going."

The limping man quickly whistled, and he saw the goons searching the house stand at attention. Dijkstra gestured for them to follow, and like well-trained animals they followed the gimping man out of the Margrave's house. He breathed out a sigh of relief when the man had finally left. Getting the man's treasure had been the least of his worries, getting to Menge was a priority, but not to find the gold, but to figure out where he was holding Dandelion.

He sighed again in relief, before looking back over to Geralt who was staring at Triss, who was in return staring back at him.

"You… could've told him you know… that we…" Triss started, the words seeming hard to come by.

"You could've told him yourself," Geralt said slowly from next to him.

Triss sighed and met the older Witcher's eyes, "Yeah… but it's not ever easy."

Sensing the tension still he broke into the conversation before Geralt could say anything. He looked over at Triss and into her eyes, "Triss… I'm sorry, I know you need Dijkstra's gold but… that's the last thing I care about, I know it's the same for Geralt too."

The two former lovers both seemed to shake off the momentary distraction and looked down at him. Triss sighed and met Dominik's eyes, a small smile crossing her face.

"I thought as much," She said slowly, sighing with a smile at him, "This is about Ciri… like it's always been for you."

He felt his heart flutter, and the swallow around his neck slowly tremble. The sorceress's words were true, it really had always been about Ciri for him. Slowly he nodded his head, before Geralt stepped up next to him, meeting Triss's eyes again as well.

"Menge has Dandelion captured somewhere…" Geralt started, "Dandelion was the last one to see Ciri, he could know where she is."

A look of realization dawned on Triss's face, as she slowly nodded, looking at them both, "This changes everything then… come on. Let's get started heading towards the barracks. I think I have an idea to get us in there."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The moon had finally reached its apex when Triss pulled them both aside. He could see the Witch Hunter's barracks in the distance torches lit on the walls as Witch Hunters patrolled outside on the empty streets. Only a few drunken tavern patrons, and shady individuals with hoods we on the streets. Triss, Geralt and he were all right outside a chapel of the eternal fire. A large bronze brazier burned brightly in the night below a stone overhang. Carefully Triss looked around to be sure they weren't being eavesdropped on or followed.

The wind was howling in the night, and light drops of rain were beginning to fall. Nervously he sighed and ran hand through his hair, feeling his hands twitch anxiously. Menge was in the barracks now, and the man had harmed his friend, capture him, and tried to kill the other. His stomach curled up into knots, and he could almost hear his heart thump in his chest it was pumping so hard. The hairs on his arm began to stand up, as he didn't take his eyes off the barracks.

Triss finally sighed in relief and turned to the two of them, "Alright, like I said, I have a plan for getting us inside," She said, drawing his attention back to her, "I want you both to put these on me."

He looked down at his eyes widened, she was holding in her hand a pair of shackles, handing them to Geralt.

"Triss… what are these for," Geralt asked, carefully taking them in his hands.

Triss looked them both in the eyes and he could see the hardness appear in them. The hardness and fire, that had gotten her the nickname Merigold the Fearless, the Fourteenth on the Hill.

"Think about it," The sorceress started, crossing her arms, "Bring the hunters the vile Triss Merigold in chains. They're not just likely to let you in, they're likely to let you present her to Menge personally."

A thousand alarm bells all went off in his head at one time. He could see the flabbergasted look on Geralt's face as well after hearing what Triss had planned. He had already lost Ciri, he lost Geralt and Yennefer once, there was no way he was going to risk losing Triss as well.

"No way, absolutely not," he said quickly, before Geralt could answer, "There's no way I'm bringing you to the Witch Hunters in chains Triss. Let me go get Faram, we'll bust our way in there. Three Witchers and a sorceress, they don't stand a chance. I'll get a sword to Menge's throat and figure out where Dandelion is."

That was all he wanted to do now. He wanted to bust down the gates of the barracks and slaughter every last one of them. It would be sweet revenge for all that the Hunters had put Triss through, and all of the innocent people they had killed. The white-hot rage building up inside of him was close to exploding as he met Triss's green eyes.

"He's right Triss, this is way too risky," Geralt quickly said when he was done.

Triss's eyes faltered for a moment, but she shook her head pacing, "Dominik, Geralt as much as I appreciate the concern attacking the fortress is suicide. Even with three Witchers and a sorceress. High walls, guards at every nook, besides it would give Menge time to escape."

Once again, he shook his head quickly, the alarm bells still ringing in his head, "There's no way I'm bringing you right to Menge's base in shackles. Triss, I will NOT let them get their hands on you."

"He's right Triss, you can't seriously want to walk into the lion's den in chains," Geralt asked, his tone with a slight edge to it.

The sorceress sighed and quickly looked towards the barracks, before turning back to them both, "Dandelion's life is on the line… and by extension Ciri's too! I know the risks… and I won't change my mind."

Triss knew him all too well, she knew exactly what to say to make his decision shift. The moment she mentioned Ciri's name his focus shifted. The last thing he wanted to do was put Triss in further danger, however he knew that the sorceress wouldn't relent. Triss was just as determined to see Ciri safe as the rest of them and was doing what she could to help. She had even put aside her mission of helping the mages of Novigrad, by agreeing to help them figure out about Dandelion before anything else.

Ciri and Dandelion were what mattered now, and Triss understood that.

Sighing he looked up and nodded at the sorceress before he turned over to Geralt. The older Witcher's look of apprehension almost brought back his own, but finally his adoptive father nodded.

"Okay fine… let's say they take the bait, what then," Geralt asked her, "I hold a sword to Menge's throat and demand to know where Dandelion is?"

"I like that plan," He muttered, crossing over his arms.

Triss shook her head at the words, "No, that won't work. Menge is a lot of things, but you gotta admit, death doesn't scare him…. Maybe tell him you have information on the Lodge, or even better about Phillipa. He hates her most of all, I'm sure you'll both think of something."

Geralt finally relented as well, before looking up to meet Triss's eyes in the moonlight, "Before we go… I wanna thank you Triss."

"Geralt's right," Dominik quickly added in, meeting the sorceresses eyes, "You always looked out for Ciri and me Triss… I never told you how much I appreciated it."

Triss looked down, a small red hue appearing on her cheek before she looked back up at them both, "Stop please… it doesn't befit a sorceress to blush… you're welcome. Just… remember, the both of you… I can take care of myself."

The sorceress turned around for a moment, taking in a deep breath to compose herself, "The hunters they… won't treat me like a lady. It may hurt… I may scream but… remember what matters. Ciri, Dandelion… that's what matters. Do what you need to do, no matter what."

He felt the alarm bells and the bomb of white-hot rage that was ticking, was almost erupting inside of him. Triss was risking her life and freedom for them. She was looking out for Ciri and he as she always had, no matter what the personal cost was. Something his father had always taught him, was that to protect ones family, one should be willing to do anything. He was willing to do anything for the new family he had now, the ones whose names were now permanently on his arms. Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer and Triss. He was about to let one of his family, walk into the most dangerous place for her to be, in chains.

And now she was asking him to stand by when they beat her, tortured her. The bomb of rage's fuse inside him was slowly ticking, and soon it was going to explode.

"I can't promise you that," Geralt said to the sorceress, his eyes not leaving hers.

"I can't either…" He said slowly after the older Witcher had finished.

Triss slowly shook her head as she met their eyes, "I'm still asking you both to try… please."

Slowly he took in a steadying breath and nodded his head, with Geralt quickly doing the same afterwards.

The bomb of rage would soon explode he knew it. He only loved a select few people in the world, and Triss Merigold was one of them. She had been there at a time when he needed it most. She had saved his life she had comforted him at one of the most vulnerable moments of his childhood. She had been the first person he ever told that he felt he was in love with Ciri, other then of course Ciri herself. He was flashed back to the nights at Kaer Morhen, lightning roaring outside the castle, as he shot up from his bed screaming after having seen the corpses of his mother, sister and father in his arms during his nightmares. Triss Merigold would be the one to come take care of him and help him achieve a pleasant night's sleep. Night after night, no matter how many in a row the sorceress had to wake up, she had.

Menge had tried to hunt the wrong sorceress. He had meddled in the wrong Witcher's family.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Open up, come on we don't have all night," He yelled up towards the battlements as he pounded his gloved hand on the door.

The rain had begun to come down even harder, to the point where it had become a torrential downpour. He could barely hear himself over the rain as he screamed up towards the walls. His brown hair stuck to his forehead, as he sighed in annoyance, pounding his fist harder against the wooden door.

Geralt was behind him, holding Triss in the shackles. He wanted the plan to get over with as quickly as possible, so his impatience was growing. A part of him wanted to blast the door down with the Aard sign at that moment, brandish his sword and charge in after Menge. However, he managed to calm the white bomb of rage boiling inside his gut for the moment. With every pound of the door however, it slowly started to ignite again.

"What the hell do you want," A voice finally screamed from above him.

He took a few steps back next to Geralt and looked up towards the battlements, one of the Witch Hunters had finally poked his head over the side of the wall.

"What the fuck does it look like!? We're here for a reward," he shouted up towards the hunter, his arms crossed.

The rain smacked hard into the stone streets, and he could barely hear the Hunter when he yelled back to them.

"HA, what reward," The man shouted back down with arrogance laced in his voice.

He was about to shout more obscenities up towards the man, when Geralt finally spoke up, "Don't you see who we have here man. It's Triss Merigold!"

Geralt ripped down Triss's hood to reveal her fiery red hair. He felt his hands curl into fists again, as he could almost see the whites of the Hunters eyes from how wide they went. The man was clearly delighted, as he tried to shout back down over the rain.

"Merigold!? Come in then," He shouted through the downpour.

The Hunter's head disappeared, and he sighed in annoyance. He looked over to Triss one more time as he heard the locks to the doors begin to clang open. Triss met his eyes and slowly nodded before he heard the door swing open. He whirled around to see the Hunter from the top of the battlements gesture for them to enter.

Geralt looked down and met his eyes with a nod. Sighing to steady his breathing, readying himself for what he had to do. He was going to have to do something he was horrible at for this plan to work. It required him to sit back and do nothing. He had to sit and watch while Triss was beaten and possibly tortured. His blade would have to stay sheathed, and he didn't know if he could keep it there. Geralt gestured for him to move, so he finally did, walking trough the door into the Witch Hunters barracks, his boots sloshing into a puddle as he did.

Inside the outer wall, he could see the relatively large barracks now in front of him. Along the outside he saw multiple Hunters walking about on the walls. Crossbows, spears, swords, axes, every type of weapon could be seen in either the hands of hunters, or on racks surrounding the outside. He was careful to take note of where they were posted, how many he saw and tried to calculate a possible escape. The walls were high, but a few sets of scaffolding were high enough that if they climbed them, they could escape over the walls. He hadn't fought off any of the Witch Hunters so far in Novigrad, but he had to assume they were more skill then Whoreson Juniors thugs. He'd have to be more careful. He would more than likely be fighting on the inside of the barracks if fighting did break out, he would need to be careful, he wouldn't be able to throw bombs, and some signs would be useless in such close quarters.

He was brought out of his location scouting by a deep gravely voice.

"Well, well, Triss Merigold," A Witch Hunter said, flanked by two others. The man was clearly in the lead, he wore a brown cap, with the Redanian coat of arms, he looked over to meet Geralt and he's eyes, "Traded in drowners for sorceresses?"

"Pay's better," Geralt said quickly, his eyes narrowed at the Hunter.

The Witch Hunter on the left scoffed at Geralt's words, "That's cause they're more dangerous. What's a drowner do? Pull a fisherman from his boat? No, witches, they scheme, kill kings, and start wars."

"Don't forget turning your cow's milk sour straight out of the udder…" Triss said indignantly.

Before he could step forward and react, the sergeant of the Hunters smacked his hand across Triss's face, nearly sending her to the ground. His eyes shot to the man as his hands curled into fists, the hair on his arms standing up despite the torrential rain they stood under. The bomb in his chest had a lit fuse once again when he saw the arrogant look of pride on the man's face.

"You're done jesting Merigold," The man said with a smirk, turning to the Hunter on his right, "Put her in a cell, now."

The Hunter went to step forward and grab her, but quickly Dominik stepped in front, holding out his hand to stop the man.

"Paws off now," He said lowly, turning to meet the sergeants eyes again, "We hand her to Menge personally, or you don't get her at all."

He kept his eyes locked with the taller man as he scoffed, looking down at him, "Bah, are you suggesting we don't know what to do with a Witch?"

The Hunter on the right tried to grab Triss's arm, but the sorceress stepped back, screaming at the man, "Don't you dare touch me you bastard!"

If he hadn't been wearing his gauntlets, his fingernails would have broken his skin. He had to bite his lip as he turned to see the Hunter laughed like a mad man, gripping Triss's arm.

"Such a vulgar tongue has no business being in such a pretty mouth… I guess we'll have to rip it out," The man said, a sick look of excitement on his face.

He almost lost it in that moment. His feet moved forward, with full intention on cutting the mans hand off, when Geralt quickly spoke up, saving him from blowing their cover.

"I'd try to loosen it first if I were you," The older Witcher said, drawing the attention of all three hunters again, "If you do, you may learn something… for instance, where Phillipa Eilhart is hiding."

The mention of Phillipa Eilhart made all three of the Hunters turn to Geralt. He didn't know much about the sorceress himself, other then what Geralt had told him. It was her scheme at the summit of Loc Muinne that had nearly killed him. Geralt was forced to fight a dragon, and was nearly killed in the process, Eilhart was later blinded by Radovid before escaping. This was all stacked on top of the fact she was a member of the Lodge of Sorceresses, whom he wasn't particularly fond of. Despite the fact Kiera Metz was his friend, and he loved Yennefer and Triss, they had still been partly responsible for plunging the continent into conflict. The group had also tried to force Ciri into a political marriage only weeks after she arrived back onto the continent the first time.

For those reasons combined, a small part of him felt no sympathy for Phillipa Eilhart. If dropping her name at that moment got them closer to what really mattered, then he was willing.

"I'll get you for this you…" Triss screamed, looking over to Geralt.

He felt his chest thump as the rain continued to pour down on them. The Witch Hunter to the left quickly spit on the ground in Triss's direction.

"Shut your mouth you ginger whore," He yelled to Triss, before looking up at Geralt, "And you, tell us where we can find Eilhart!"

Dominik quickly regain his composure, and stepped in front of Triss again, "Like we said, we talk to Menge, or we don't talk to anyone at all. So scurry off like a good little lackey and tell him we're here."

He stood his ground when the Witch Hunter stepped forward, the man's face now inches from his, "Menge doesn't have time to talk to the likes of you _BOY._"

Keeping his eyes locked with the man, he kept his arms crossed, the rain falling harder between the two of them.

"Well, if that's the case… you can tell him that Geralt and I stopped by with our friend Merigold, and information on Phillipa Eilhart… and then you turned us away," He said slowly, taking a step even closer to the man.

Smartly, the Hunter finally took a step back, his face still contorted in annoyance. Dominik turned his head to the sergeant, who sighed in annoyance, looking at both Geralt and he.

"Fine… grab her and follow me… but be sure to stay right close," The sergeant said slowly, turning his back towards them and walking towards the inside.

He breath a small sigh of relief and met Geralt's eyes. The older Witcher nodded to him, and he began to follow the man. He finally felt the rain stop beating down onto his head when they entered, and the roar of a fire slowly but surely started to warm his bones and clothes. The inside of the barracks had a ground floor with multiple tables, barrels, weapon racks and plenty of other baubles you'd need to maintain a healthy barracks.

Again as he walked slowly behind the sergeant, he examined the area carefully. He tried to take notice of any guard that had a crossbow, or spear, and tried to keep count of how many there were. There had to be at least twenty men combined with the ones who were outside. It wasn't the full force of the Witch Hunters he knew, even if he did have to kill Menge and all of them on his way out, he knew that more would soon follow. Some were likely out on patrol, in Oxenfurt, or out hanging random herbalists.

The sergeant led them up a winding staircase in the middle of the ground floor to take them above. The second floor had a room where he could see cots lined inside, with a few off-duty Hunters sleeping or playing cards. The upper floor wrapped around with a large fall down to the first. It wasn't very roomy, and suddenly he remembered something Faram had told him earlier, while they were training before he left with Geralt to investigate the Margrave's house.

_For example, back at the casino, we were indoors, tighter, more enclosed, perfect for the more defensive, grounded Bear School style, see where I'm coming from?_

Scanning his surroundings he realized how perfect the inside of the barracks were for the Bear School style. A shot of apprehension shot into his spine like he was receiving a needle. He was nowhere near ready to use the Bear School style yet, at least that was what he felt. He only had a few hours long training session, and while he had a small amount of success, it wasn't anywhere near enough to use in open combat yet, with men actually trying to kill him. However, if he was forced too, he may need to adjust to it, and at least try if it meant them getting out of the place alive.

The sergeant in front of him finally came to a stop outside two closed doors. Standing next to him was a large beefy man with a hood, but no armor on his torso. The larger man smiled manically at Triss as Geralt brought her forward, his mismatched teeth and crooked nose showing. It almost was enough for him to unsheathe his sword then, but he managed to stop himself when Geralt came up next to him with Triss.

The sergeant gestured towards the room behind him, "This is where we split, you two go see Menge. Miss Merigold will be next door."

Quickly his head shot to the man, but Geralt was the first to speak up, "We told you, not until-."

"You don't set the terms here mutant! Dirk," The sergeant said turning to the larger man besides him, "You know what to do."

The large man quickly grabbed Triss's bound hands and yanked her in front of him, Triss snarled, looking up at the much larger man, "You won't get a word out of me…. You won't."

Dirk the torturer laughed, "Oh haha, we'll see about that. First, we'll take a fingernail… then three. We'll see how tough you are under a pair of plyers…"

The rain could be heard splashing against the top of the roof so loudly, it sounded as if there was a hailstorm. He knew that this would be the deciding moment in their mission. He saw the sick, twisted, hungry look that came on the torturers face as he looked down at Triss. It made him snap, he felt his hand moving upwards, towards his back when Geralt stopped him by stepping in front of him before he could do anything.

"Do what you want…" Geralt said slowly, as if the very words pained him to do so.

He let out a terse breath, feeling his inside churn as if a grapeshot bomb had gone off inside him. The torturer Dirk yanked Triss to the side by her shackles and laughed. The laugh of the man rang through his body, making him feel as if someone was smashing his bones with a hammer.

"Hahaha, come on you witch whore," Dirk bellowed, "I'll show you the wonders you can work with a pair of pliers… you'll be surprised."

Triss was taken away to be tortured, and he stood there unmoving. He had to put the pressure onto his legs to make sure they didn't instinctively chase after the sorceress. Geralt quickly came up next to him and met his eyes, pleading with him to play along for only a little longer. He took in steadying breath and met his adoptive fathers eyes. The anger could be seen in his yellow Witcher eyes as well, he knew that Geralt would be ready to spring Triss at a moment's notice and cut down every one of the Hunters.

But first they'd need to figure out what had become of Dandelion.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I thought I said I was not to be disturbed…" Menge said, as the sergeant led them into the room.

Menge's office was smaller, but he could still smell the stench of blood and death. A small bucket sat in the left corner of the room, and a small _drip, drip _could be heard as the torrential rain on the outside continued to pound the roof of the barracks. Two large bookshelves lined the right side of the room, along with a door leading outside. Menge himself sat at his desk, his scarred face slowly looking up at Geralt and he. The balding man seemed to have a satisfied look in his eyes when he saw the two of them. It was a look he had seen multiple times in monsters, it was the look they got when he walked right into their den to try and slay them, that initial confidence they had when they saw one lowly Witcher.

The look disappeared off them after he cut them down and brought their head to the people it'd been terrorizing. Menge would meet the same fate as those monsters if he had his way.

The sergeant was about to say something when a deep voice came from the other room.

"Now, now where do we start…. Ah right here. THIS little piggy went to market," The torturer screamed.

He could almost hear the crack that came next, followed by Triss's scream. Quickly he held his hands behind his back, an curled both his hands into fists, as her screams continued.

Geralt seemed to be in the same state as he. The head Witch Hunter and Menge however, didn't seem fazed at all, as if they were used to the sounds of screaming mages. The sergeant Witch Hunter looked at Menge and bowed.

"Aye unless they were bringing Triss Merigold," he said, before turning to the two Witchers, "And they both also claim to have information about Phillipa Eilhart."

Upon hearing Triss's name, Menge's head shot over to the door leading to the torture room. The smile he got on his face also reminded him of many monsters he had to kill over the years. The commander of the temple guard turned back to them.

"Ahhh Merigold… that's who I hear squealing? Very well-I'll visit her soon. But for now," he said, meeting the eyes of Geralt and he again, "Sit Witchers, have a drink."

"I don't want to drink with you," He said slowly as Geralt and he both went to sit in the two chairs in front of Menge.

Geralt took a seat next to him, one arm on one of his knees. He leaned forward, his elbows on both knees and he kept his hands below the table where Menge couldn't see them. His foot impatiently tapped on the floor, and both his hands curled into balled fists.

"Not in the mood either," Geralt said, looking Menge in the eyes.

Menge snorted and pushed two goblets towards him, "You can drink Witchers… or you can die."

The threat hung over the air like a thick mist. He wanted to offer Menge a third option, that he could brandish his blade at that moment, and cut him down where he sat. However, at the current moment, the man needed to be breathing, able to talk, to tell them where Dandelion was being held. He waited for Geralt to move first, and when the older Witcher slowly reached out for the goblet, he did the same.

He raised the up to his lips and took a small sip of what turned out to be wine. After tasting he realized what Menge was trying to do. He could feel the metallic aftertaste of silver in his mouth. The goblet had been laced with silver, to see if Geralt and he weren't dopplers. Just to be extra spiteful to the man, he raised the goblet to his mouth again, and downed the entire cup of what he recognized even more specifically as Cidarian, a wine native to around Cintra. He made a point of slamming the goblet back onto the desk, locking eyes with Menge, who narrowed his own at him.

"Cidarian, 1261 vintage… year of the massacre of Cintra…. We're not dopplers," He said feeling his fingers twitch under the desk.

Geralt scoffed looking at Menge again, "Silver sword on my back wasn't proof enough?"

Another loud scream pierced the room. He recognized Triss's screams again, and the inside of his stomach caught fire. The bomb of anger that had been festering since his journey to find Ciri began was starting to finally be ready to boil over. His hands trembled, his foot shook, he knew he could reach the dagger in his belt and have it in Menge's throat before any of them could react. Geralt thankfully kicked his own foot over to make his stop tapping, calming him slightly for the moment.

Menge looked over to the sergeant in the back of the room, "Kurt please see why Miss Merigold squeals so convincingly. Perhaps she needs something, hot irons for instances."

The sergeant nodded and walked into the torture room, a look of satisfaction adorning his face. Menge quickly turned back to them both, leaning back in his chair.

"To answer your question Witcher, one can never be too careful. You'd be surprised how many come into my office and turned to rancid jelly by merely touching the goblets," Menge curled, a sick smile appearing back on his face.

The sick look of satisfaction Menge had on his face at describing the process almost made him sick. He didn't know what to say next, all he could focus on was Triss screaming in the next room. His rage was reaching a boiling point. The entire quest, ever since he first set out to find Ciri with Geralt, the rage had been building. The anger about not being able to help her in her greatest hour of need. The anger of learning that on multiple occasions she had been so close to him, but he just couldn't get to her. The pure anger that he had felt as the trail to her got more and more convoluted. And now, there was the anger that a person he cared deeply about was in the next room getting tortured. It was all a bomb waiting to explode inside of him.

Geralt spoke up, taking him away from the thoughts momentarily, "Your hunters are torturing Triss… but we haven't been paid. You're damaging goods you haven't paid for."

Menge scoffed and leaned back in his chair again, "Fear not Witchers, you shall be paid, twice the usual amount for Merigold."

Triss screamed again in the next room, and he looked down to see Geralt as well was finally reaching his breaking point. The Witcher's hands curled into fists, so he took the opportunity to look back up at Menge.

"Double," He said to the vile man, "You're being awfully generous, why?"

Menge laughed again and looked back to Geralt, "Ha, well Geralt here has turned in his former lover! That has to leave a scar on the soul that one…. You deserve compensation."

He could see the emotion unmoving on Geralt's face but saw the older Witcher fist stay curled under the table, he spoke, but very tersely, "You seem well informed…. So you have to know that Triss betrayed me first, used me as a pawn in the Lodge's game…. She's getting what she deserves if you ask me."

The tone in which Geralt spoke almost convince Dominik himself. He looked over to his adoptive father and could see the man's fingers twitching. Another loud scream finally came from the torture chamber again. Triss scream, but so did the torturer, yelling that Triss had tried to bite his finger. Under a normal circumstance he may have laughed, but this wasn't a normal situation. Menge's face curled into a satisfied smile, as he looked between the two Witchers. He silently added Menge's eyes, to the list of pure evil he had seen in men before. Emhyr Var Emrys was the first, and now Menge had been added to that list as well.

Menge scoffed, "Well Geralt, it seems I underestimated you and your boy…. Perhaps we can deal after all," The man said with a smirk staying on his face, "You also say you have information about Phillipa… but I wager you won't share this information for free. What do you want in return?"

He could tell Geralt was about to burst, so quickly he uncurled his fist and held it up on Menge's desk, getting the man's attention.

"We do want something in return, and it's relatively simple," He said, as Menge turned to meet his eyes, "You have our friend Dandelion captive… free him and we'll tell you where to find Eilhart," he slowly spit out.

The words seemed to surprise Menge. He looked over and saw Geralt let out a deep breath through his nose. The bomb ready to go off in his stomach's fuse had momentarily stopped, it stopped just before the fire had reached the bomb itself. He kept a careful eye on the man's face, trying to gage what his reaction was going to be. The man's lipped curled for a moment, as if he was having a hard time coming to the decision. One of his hands remained on the table, drumming his fingers along it as Menge thought. His other hand remained under the desk, shaking incessantly, as he could see Geralt's knee bouncing up and down, a hard look on the older Witcher's face, he could tell his adoptive father was ready to spring at a moment's notice.

Menge finally sigh in disappointment, "Information on Philippa Eilhart in exchange for the life of a fucking minstrel… sounds too good to be true, but unfortunately I can't," The man said smugly, "Dandelion is locked under Temple Isle, I have a spectacular execution planned in Oxenfurt, and he'll only be moved by orders issued by me in person. The whole thing will be quite the spectacle."

"What are you waiting for than," Dominik hissed as soon as the man finished.

The rain continued to pound the roof, the light from the torches in Menge's room lit the man's face manically. The way he had spoken about Dandelion being executed the excitement he spoke with had made his skin crawl again. It felt as if a hundred beetles were crawling up both his arms as Menge's eyes grew dark at his words. The scar across his left eye seemed to grow deeper, as he slowly smiled looking at them both.

"Why, I'm waiting to see if I can find his accomplices," The man said slowly, his voice dripping with pleasure, "I already know about that doppler scum that he hangs around. But my guards reported seeing someone else with Dandelion that night on temple isle. A young woman."

The fuse that was lit in his stomach finally reached the bomb, and it was almost as if he could hear a small click as it did. He felt as if an iron coffin had clamped shut around his chest, as his green eyes grew dark staring at Menge.

The man looked up longingly, "Lass escaped, but killed more than her fair share of my men before she did. Reports say she was displaying magical abilities, blinking from one spot to another," He explained, spitting out the details in disgust, "We'll find the doppler, and this woman…there'll be a pyre waiting for her."

The bomb inside of him finally exploded. And he saw a flash of bright blue appear in his vision, as something completely erupted and stirred inside of him.

He shot up from the chair, and his hand fired forward quick as a flash, large clumps of light blue magic circled his arms and gathered in his palm. The giant blue blast of magic from the Aard sign shot forwards. It was so powerful that he surprised himself, it picked up Menge's desk firing it and the man against the wall of the office. The bucket that had been collecting leaks had been knocked over, the bookshelf to the right of his desk rumbled and fell forward, burying Menge under piles of books and his desk. His twitching hand finally went up to his blade drawing the steel. He looked over to Geralt who had rose to his feet as well.

"Go get Triss…" he said to the older Witcher, in a voice laced with venom and fury.

Geralt didn't argue with him, he drew the steel sword from his back and ran into the torture chamber. He could hear the distant yelling of Hunters as his sign surely must have alerted them. Menge to the man's credit managed to tossed the desk off himself and rose from the stack of books that had fallen on him. Dazed and clutching his head he fumbled for the blade at his hip.

"GUARDS, GUARDS," The man shouted, as his steel raked out of its sheath.

"I'll kill them too…" He said, spreading his feet, and leveling his sword towards the man.

In that moment he had never felt such fury. He felt as a giant fire had erupted from the bomb of anger in his stomach. All the unfortunate events that had happened, the anger and fury he had been holding in all came back to him at once. He saw a small cut bleeding on Menge's forehead as he stood across from the younger Witcher. For the first time, he saw a look of slight fear in Menge's eyes.

All he saw was the eyes of a monster, a monster who had just tortured Triss, and threatened to burn Ciri at the stake. Nobody would hurt them again, particularly not Menge. He turned slowly when he heard the door open behind him. Three of the Witch Hunters rushed in, one holding a crossbow, the other two had swords raised. In the other room, he heard a loud explosion that shook the very barracks to its core, and the sounds of fighting came from outside in the barracks. He felt a small sigh of relief leave him, Geralt and Triss had both gotten out. Carefully, he examined what his situation was. Four against one, and these weren't Whoreson Juniors lightly armored thugs. These were trained killers, wearing armor up to their necks, one holding a long-ranged weapon, the odds didn't exactly stack up in his favor.

However, he heard the words in his head again. _There'll be a pyre waiting for her._

Menge roared to his men, "What the hell are you waiting for! Shoot the bastard!"

At the words he heard the twang of a crossbow, he whirled around and saw the bolt sailing towards his face. With a flick of his sword he deflected the bolt to the ground as he turned back to Menge, pointing out his sword.

"I'm going to kill you… slowly," He said, his tone even surprising himself, nothing could saturate the rage that had finally unleashed inside of him.

He heard the clattering of steel from outside the office, and the blasts of fire as Triss and Geralt yelled battle cries. Menge finally seemed to realize what was happening and charged at him first.

"_You must ground yourself!" _He heard Faram of Undviik yell in his head.

Menge's first strike came from the left, he took a small sidestep and threw all his power into the parry, sending Menge sprawling forward as the other Hunters finally charged as well. It was as if a switch had turned all of his senses up to an eleven as he fought. He grounded himself, using small spins and parrying with such force and precision he surprised even himself. Whenever he took a slight second the think how he could be doing it, the words played over in his head again. _There'll be a pyre waiting for her._

No, nobody was going to hurt her again, not while he was still breathing. One came with an overhead strike from the right. With both hands he threw a powerful parry, while throwing the parry he knocked his opponents blade down to the ground, he saw the perfect opportunity Faram had spoken about, spinning after he parried and slashing his blade upward deeply through the unarmored part of the man's neck.

As soon as he finished the death blow, he heard the twang of a crossbow, he whirled back around and knocked the bolt out of the air again. He saw the man with the crossbow's eyes go wide, Dominik took the opportunity and thrust his hand forward. The Aard sign shot forward and it sent the man sprawling from the room. After he finished his sign, he felt his legs start to give, but still managed to keep himself grounded. He turned around quickly as again he heard a battle cry.

He side stepped and knocked away the parry from another Hunter, before Menge rushed forward, bringing his blade down and locking his weapon with the younger Witchers. Menge was much larger then he, and his muscles began to wane from the energy his signs took up. Menge's eyes went deranged, as he pushed down harder on Dominik's blade. He tried to sidestep out under the blade, but Menge had expected this, he adjusted his strike and caught the younger Witchers shoulder. It was the one exposed part of his shoulder there and he felt the steel rake against his skin.

Dom gritted his teeth, feeling the blood begin to seep down his body under his armor. Menge turned back around and stood towards him with his last remaining Hunter. He heard the words run through his head again._ There'll be a pyre waiting for her. _

No, there wouldn't be. He twirled his sword into a reverse grip, he needed to lash out in the style of fighting he knew best. The Bear School techniques had worked for a small while, but he was still far from a master, more practice with Faram was certainly needed. However at that moment, he felt the spark of anger and rage erupt again. He lashed out towards the two men again in a flurry of lunges and spins. A few times he almost tripped over the flipped desk, and knocked over bookshelf, but he was still as agile as ever.

All of the rage and frustration from the last few weeks unleashed on the two men in front of him. Being forced to bow before the man who had his entire family and first home murdered, learning that he had only been a few days behind Ciri in his trip to Novigrad, the anger that she had gone through hell and back and he had been unable to do anything about it. The anger he felt at the trail continuing to twist and turn, seeming to take two steps forward only to take two steps back. All of that anger unleashed.

He slashed low to the left on the first Hunter and the man leaped back, he used his momentum to turn around and block a strike from Menge. Menge tried to lock blades with him again, but Dominik was swift enough this time, he quickly sidestepped to the left, letting Menge's momentum carry him downward. He spun and took the opportunity to slash his blade across the back of Menge's legs. The commander of the guard cried out and fell to his knees, just as the last Witch Hunter charged him again.

He parried a series of strikes with his reversed grip, before lashing out on his own. He leaped and spun, putting all his power into one strike. It broke through the Hunters parry and made the man's stumble backwards. As he was stumbling the man tried one last overhead strike, which Dominik easily side stepped. The young Witcher twirled his blade back around and slashed it downwards, lopping off both of the man's hands. The Witch Hunter wailed in pain, before Dominik came back around to swiftly end his misery with a slice to his throat.

He took a second to breathe as the second man lay dead. Taking the second had been a mistake, he heard the footsteps behind him. Menge had charged again, and he only had a moment to get his blade up to defend. He did manage to parry the strike, but Menge managed to knock his sword from his hand. Quickly he was put on the back foot as the commander of the temple guard charged, swinging his sword from both angles. He dodged his head backwards, side stepping and spinning around to avoid and overhead strike that would have killed him.

Quickly he reached down to his belt and twirled his silver dagger out into his right hand. Menge thought he had him on the ropes and went for a powerful strike from the upper left. He caught the man's strike on the hilt of his dagger, swiftly he reached up, and twisted Menge's sword arm awkwardly with such force he heard a crack. With his sword arm trapped, with great speed and precision, he brought his dagger up and plunged it into the side of Menge's neck.

Menge's eyes went wide, as blood slowly started to seep from his mouth and throat. The commander of the temple guard gargled on his own blood as his limbs went week and he felt to his knees. Slowly, keeping the dagger in the man's neck, Dominik went to his knees as well, keeping his eyes locked with the man.

Slowly he twisted his blade in the man's flesh, he met the dying man's beady eyes again, the life slowly seeping away from them.

"So… looks like silver can kill more than just dopplers," He said slowly, anger and fury saturating his voice.

Menge gargled on his blood once more before the eyes rolled up to the back of his head. Finally, he pulled his dagger from the man's flesh, standing to his feet as Menge's body finally crumpled to the ground. He wiped the man's blood off the dagger on his armor, before slowly sliding the smaller silver weapon into his belt. He looked around at the three bodies he had strewn over the floor. The rage he felt coursing through his veins had slowly, slowly started to subside. He let out a shaky breath and suddenly almost felt his knees give out.

Nearly falling over, he managed to compose himself enough to walk over to where his blade had been knocked from his hands. Carefully he reached down and picked the blade up from the ground, slowly sliding it into the sheath on his back. As he did, he could see the blood from Menge's body stained over his black gloves, and suddenly felt his stomach churn. He had never felt himself unleash such rage before. Never had he killed a man in such a manner, so cruelly, so slowly and without remorse.

It almost got to a point where he regretted what he had done, but then the words in Menge's slimy, sadistic voice played in his head again.

_There'll be a pyre waiting for her. _Those words, and the screams of Triss Merigold he had heard from the next room played in his head. He saw the two people burning in Hierarch Square when he had first arrived to Novigrad. He thought about all the people, the herbalists, pellars, soothsayers and other innocent mages the man had ordered put to death. He looked back over at the man's lifeless corpse, and in that moment even the slightest bit of remorse he had went away.

His head turned back around when the door to the office burst open again. Geralt and Triss both rushed in, Geralt with his steel sword that was still dripping blood, Triss with a hot ball of fire in her hand. The flame extinguished when she saw him, and the dead body of Menge.

Right away he ran to her, "Triss, are you alright?"

He looked down at the sorceresses bloody hand and gently grabbed it, seeing her fingernails had been pulled clean off. The rage creeped up back inside of him again, and he felt even less remorse for Menge's lifeless corpse. The sorceress met his eyes, giving him a small smile.

"I'm alright," She said lightly, looking at the cut across his shoulder, "What about you? You're bleeding."

He remembered the wound going down his shoulder, and felt the blood sticking his armor to his body. The wound wasn't deep but was bleeding, so he knew he'd have to dress it, but that was the least of his worries.

He shook his head, "I'm alright. I've had much worse wounds and survived as you know."

Triss scoffed a smile before looking over to Geralt who was kneeling over Menge's body. The sorceress sighed and looked back to meet his green eyes with hers, "Did you at least get the information about Dandelion we needed?"

The whole reason they were there flashed back into his head and he remembered more of what Menge said. He turned around and looked at the man's dead body, suddenly cursing to himself.

Geralt fished something from the hem of Menge's pocket, turning around and showing them an iron key, "Looks like we at least found something for Dijkstra, maybe this'll get him off our backs."

Triss scoffed, "Ha, give it to him with my regards… but what about Dandelion?"

Geralt sighed and looked over to Dominik, and then back to Triss, "Menge let slip he's holding him in the prison on Temple Isle. Was going to transport him to Oxenfurt to be executed there, problem is…"

The terrible thought ran through his head. He looked down at the man's blood on his hands, "He said that only he can give the order for Dandelion to be moved… in person. And I killed him… FUCK!"

He cursed loudly, running a hand through his hair, pacing in the room rain continued to pound the roof. Sighing loudly he turned back to Geralt, "I'm sorry Geralt it's my fault… he… he said he was looking for Ciri to burn them all together and I just-."

"It's alright, don't worry," Geralt said to him, holding his hand up for him to stop, "I was almost ready to do the same. Still though… we need to think of something."

Triss walked over to Menge's body. He could see the look of detest and anger in the sorceress's eyes, the man who had been hunting her and her friends for months had finally been killed. Her eyes contorted to look at the body in disgust one last time, before turning back to the two Witchers.

"I think I have an idea… we can still have Menge order Dandelion's release," She said, and Dom could see the tiredness and fatigue on the sorceresses face.

Despite the fatigue he also felt himself he scoffed, looking again at Menge's corpse, "Well I don't think he's exactly going to be very talkative right now."

Triss shook her head, "He won't be your right… but we still need him to order Dandelion's release. We need him… or… someone who looks just like him."

The sorceresses plan clicked in his head as he looked over to Geralt who looked at Triss with an impressed look, "You're talking about Dudu… good idea."

He did agree as well, however he also knew that for good reasons the doppler had gone into hiding. However, if it meant getting to free Dandelion, they would have to find some way to lure him out of hiding. It spurred him on as well when he realized that Dudu had seen Ciri as well, he could know more about what she had been trying to do in Novigrad really.

"That's a good plan yeah but… how are we going to find him? He's in hiding after what happened on Temple Isle," He said, turning around to Geralt.

The older Witcher seemed to think for a moment, before a small smile and look of realization appeared on his face, "We can go talk to Priscilla. If her and Dandelion were as close as she says she may know something. She may know more."

Sighing he nodded his head. After such a long day of fighting, training and more fighting, his bones were beginning to ache, yearning for a cold glass of ale and the bed back at the Rosemary and Thyme. In the end they had gotten what they came for. They discovered where Dandelion was being held, and more importantly had a plan to free him. A lot had been accomplished in the day, and he also still had the information that Whoreson was working with the Redanians to bring to Dijkstra.

Triss nodded and looked at them both, her eyes growing darker, "Alright you guys got a plan, good… now let's get out of here. But first… let's burn this place to the ground."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Impatient old bastard," Geralt muttered to him as they both walked towards the port.

The more he looked at the blaze, the more amazed he was with the power Triss possessed. Despite the rain that still poured out over the city of Novigrad, Triss had been able to summon a blaze so powerful, it set the entire Witch Hunters barracks aflame. The flames were burning high, and every last bit of the place was slowly falling apart. Triss, exhausted from her endeavor had said her goodbyes and teleported, but not before asking the two Witchers if within the next few days they could help her with a matter she had. After all the help she had given them in their short time in the city, they had both readily agreed. He owed her more than just his life now, she was the reason that they had gotten onto Ciri's trail.

He was excited to leave the barracks, and head back to the Rosemary and Thyme. He was yearning for a cold drink, food and to get into dry clothes. However, one of Dijkstra's thugs had accosted them as soon as they got into the streets and said that the man wanted a word with them at that exact moment. He of course along with Geralt hadn't been happy, but they saw no way around it. It would also give him the chance to tell Dijkstra about Whoreson and the Redanians, so he would bite the bullet and meet the man.

He winced at the cut on his shoulder as he tried to staunch the bleeding with his gloved hand as they walked down the pier. The rain had let up slightly but was still coming down on their heads in a downpour. His armor had been sufficiently soaked through, his hair dark and soaked sprawled over his head, his shoulder still bled, and he was craving a drink. So when Dijkstra sarcastically clapped when he saw them, he wasn't in the mood.

"Well, well, who do I spy? Geralt of Rivia and his child Witcher prodigy," The fat man said with a slow, drawn out clap.

He rolled his eyes as Geralt and he both stood in front of him, "Will you stop following us already," he hissed at the man.

Dijkstra snorted as he leaned up against the brick wall, "I will. Soon as you tell me where my treasure is."

Again he sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes, as Geralt spoke up to the man for them, "Menge and us we… didn't exactly see eye to eye.'

"How badly," Dijkstra asked quickly.

He brought his eyes over to the fire that could still be seen smoking from the Witch Hunters barracks and pointed to it, "That badly."

Dijkstra turned around and sighed with more annoyance then he himself ever could, "I suspected as much… my treasure in there? Burning with the Witch Hunters?"

"No… and twenty tons of gold is hard to miss," He said to the man with an eye roll.

Dijkstra's hands gripped on his arms as they folded, "I swear you're like a clone of Geralt, just as fucking sarcastic that's for sure. So you're telling me you came back empty handed?"

Normally being compared to Geralt would make him happy but hearing it from Dijkstra only made his nostrils flare. Thankfully Geralt spoke up, preventing him from saying anything rash, "First off you came to us. Second, we do got one thing. We found this key to a vault, found it on Menge's body."

He watched as Geralt handed Dijkstra the iron key they had found on Menge, as the fat man scowled.

"A vault? That I have to find myself? You've not made things easy on me… gimme that," He said, snatching the key from Geralt's hands.

He felt himself scoff at the former spy himself, "That's it? No sarcastic remark? No knee-slapping joke as we part?"

Dijkstra snorted again taking a step off the wall and towards the two of them again, "Oh you want to hear a joke? A real knee slapper? Well, I can think of one…. You both lied to me, funny isn't it? You both knew exactly who robbed me from the start. But you didn't deign to share the information with me."

His skin began to crawl as he tried to keep a straight face, he looked over to Geralt who rolled his eyes and sighed.

"How'd you find out," The older Witcher asked, keeping his arms crossed.

"I asked the questions here," Dijkstra shot back quickly.

With a growl he shook his head at the fat man, "Cut out your tough guy act, it doesn't work on either of us. We're all adult here, start acting like one."

He didn't know where the words had suddenly come from. It more than likely came from the mixture of annoyance, fatigue and need for a drink that ran through his body. He expected Dijkstra to become furious, but the fat man laughed and shook his head.

"Bahaha, I should have you both strangled, but I must admit," He said looking over to both Geralt and he, "I like you Geralt you tough bastard. And you, you may be a mouthy, cocky, arrogant and sarcastic little brat, but a small part of me respects it."

He could hear the sarcasm at his compliment but decided not to respond, not wanting to escalate the situation. Geralt however, decide to do what he did best. Responding to sarcasm with his own sarcasm.

"I like you too, you're a count without a county…. Now that we've professed out feelings for one another, mind telling us how you figured it out," Geralt asked the fat man.

Dijkstra smirked and shook his head, "Knew something was off from the start. You didn't haggle your pay. And then I heard from my sources Dandelion and Margrave Henkel rubbed elbows… wasn't hard to connect the dots… and now it's to settle things."

He almost went to reach for his sword when he saw the man take another step forward. Geralt quickly stepped to meet him.

"Is that a threat," The older Witcher asked, his tone slowly growing dark.

The former spy laughed again and shook his head, reaching down to his belt to lift a coin purse, "Quite the contrary. You helped me Witchers, so in spite of everything, you deserve a reward. I take it you finally have found out what happened to Dandelion?"

The fat man tossed Geralt the pouch of coins which the older Witcher caught. He carefully looked at the pouch, partly expecting it to be full of poisonous spiders. However, it contained real coin, Geralt quickly looked at him and nodded before strapping it to his belt. Sighing Dominik turned back to the fat man, remembering the only reason he had agreed to come meet.

"We found out what happened yeah but… actually wanted to ask you about something else," He started, getting the man to turn to him, "I investigated Whoreson's casino earlier today. Learned that Whoreson is working hand in hand with the Redanians. Was wondering if you knew anything about it."

Dijkstra to his surprise scoffed and rubbed his double chin, "Ha, explained why the bastard was confident enough to attack the rest of the big four… if he really has, he's even crazier than I thought."

"You have any contacts within the Redanians? Anyone that may be able to help us learn something," Geralt quickly asked after the man had finished.

The former spy looked over at Geralt and smirked, "I do yes. I believe you're actually well acquainted with him. Former commander of the Temarian blue stripes."

"Vernon Roche didn't know he was in the area," Geralt said as soon as Dijkstra had finished.

Geralt had told him about Vernon Roche, the man who helped him escape from the dungeons of La Valette castle, and who he had escaped Flotsam with. The two had gone through much together, and Geralt considered the man a friend. The fact Roche was also the commander of a special forces unit made him remember his own mother. She had been on of Queen Calanthe's best soldiers in Cintran special forces, often receiving missions from the queen herself. After he had been born, Queen Calanthe had awarded her several medals and awards for her years of service before she retired. His mother had then taught as many skills she learned a she could to him growing up. He learned to swim, make fires, weave grass and twigs, climb trees, read what direction he was going with the stars.

All were skills that had come in handy in his years alone. He would always have respect for special forces units, and people who fought for their country till the bitter end like his own mother and father had.

Dijkstra nodded to him, "He is… still fighting the good fight for Temaria. He's got contacts within the Redanian's who support him. He may know more about where Whoreson's hold up."

He felt his spirits slightly lift, despite the cold, wet feeling that ran through his body. Now, they were close to finding Whoreson, and Dandelion both. If Geralt and he could reach the both of them, it would finally be possible to figure out what Ciri had really been doing when she came to Novigrad.

Geralt nodded to Dijkstra, "Thanks for your help Dijkstra."

He could hear the slight bitterness in Geralt's voice. Dijkstra nodded to them both however, before responding with the same bitterness.

"Aye… now we're even, the three of us. Just one word of advice… never try to fool me again," The man said, before turning and walking back towards the street with his goons.

A large sigh of relief left his mouth as soon as he saw the man was out of earshot. The pain from his shoulder slowly was starting to spread through his upper body, as the blood slowly dried, sticking his armor even closer to his body. His hair was stuck out at all different angles from all the rain, he could smell himself he was sweating so much. His bones were aching, he had only been able to take off his armor for a few minutes back at the Rosemary earlier, and he was yearning to take it off again. He had fought since practically the moment he woke up that morning, the first fight being in nothing but a towel in a bathhouse. He needed a drink, food, a bath, and a fluffy pillow.

However, despite all the fatigue he felt, the day had been completely worth it, and he was ready to wake up at the crack of dawn again in the morning to continue. Geralt and he had managed to find out where Dandelion was being held, along with now having a way to find Whoreson Junior. In the end, it had all been worth it, because now they were drawing ever closer.

He looked over to Geralt, a slight smile on his face, "So, we got two leads and it seems like two options… what do you wanna do?"

Geralt smirked at him, "Feeling a little tired?"

"You kidding," He said, smirking and looking back to Geralt, "I'm fighting fit, I could go another three hours."

Geralt and he both laughed at his obvious lie. His adoptive father smiled down at him, "Well despite that, we should go rest up first. I'll admit I'm a little tired too," he started, looking out over the water lit by the moon, "As crazy as it sounds Dandelion is safe for another day or two, Menge can't go order his execution now until we find Dudu."

The rain slowly but surely started to come to a stop, as the water from the bay rippled, reflecting the beautiful half-moon that shining over it. Geralt turned back to him, the moonlight reflecting off the pommels of his swords now.

"Tomorrow we'll go see Roche, I told you about him before, he's a friend," The older Witcher started, "After that we'll hopefully be able to find Whoreson. After we get him… we'll go to Priscilla and figure out how to find Dudu."

He clapped his gloves hands together with a breath of relief, "Awesome, I love meeting your old friends. Now, can please get back to the Rosemary, I need a fucking drink."

Geralt laughed, coming over and putting a hand on his shoulder as they both walked up the pier.

"After all the work we did today, we both deserve it. We'll drink tonight, then tomorrow we get right back to work," The older Witcher said with a smile, as the rain finally came to a stop.

**A/N: This may have been my favorite chapter to write so far. I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to just have Dominik lose it, and go all out, unleashing all of the pent-up anger and rage he's had built up. I hope it came naturally and didn't come off force, that fight scene was one of my favorite to write so far. After seeing him react like this… what do you all think he'll do in the future when other situations like these come up? **

**I also loved writing the different Witcher styles. Of course these are my own interpretations of how each style would fight. I loved writing the part where Dominik has to switch back to the Wolf School form, because the Bear School form just wasn't working well enough, he hasn't had enough practice. Believe me we are going to see a LOT more of the Witcher schools. **

**So next chapter we meet up with Vernon Roche. I normally pick Iorveth in Witcher 2, but unfortunately he's not in Witcher 3 :/ which has always sucked for me, but I do like Roche as well. So I'm excited to bring him in. **

**After that chapter we finally will get another Ciri pov when Dominik and Geralt go find Whoreson Junior. Dominik killed Menge for only a vague threat towards Ciri… how will he react when he learns Whoreson actually attacked her? What about Ciri herself? What do you think she was thinking in Novigrad about the fact she only missed Dominik by mere days? Also… how do we think Dominik will be in the conversation with Radovid? **

**Thanks so much for the support everyone, it's truly amazing, and I can't believe that it's gotten this popular! Almost 50 follows and fav each is absolutely crazy, and I appreciate every single one of you, and hope you continue to love what I put out! Please leave a review dropping your predictions, I hope you all stay safe and healthy, see you all next time!**


	26. An Eye for an Eye

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 26: An Eye for an Eye**

**Narrator: After careful investigating, Dominik and Geralt learned that I, the bard Dandelion had been captured by Caleb Menge, commander of the Temple Guard of Novigrad. In order to figure out my location however, the two Witchers along with their friend Triss Merigold, bravely entered the dangerous Witch Hunter headquarters. After learning from Menge, where I was being held, the Witchers sprang into action. The Young Wolf dueled and killed Menge, ending his reign of terror over Novigrad. The two Witchers had now learned my location, however they were also on the hunt for Whoreson Junior, to learn what he knew about Ciri and I. They learned that Whoreson was working with the Redanian army, so Dominik and Geralt decided to visit an old friend of Geralt's. Former commander of the Temarian Blue Stripes, and leader of the last remnants of the Temarian army. Vernon Roche.**

_He recognized the streets of Cintra in his dreams. It was bustling town square, the ringing of metal on metal, the smell of freshly baked bread, along with exotic flowers and spices. It was particularly crowded in his dream that night, as he saw his eleven-year-old self carefully maneuvering through the streets. The market square was particularly crowded that day, soldiers were scarce, and people were arguing left and right over the price of goods. The day was hot, the sun at its apex for the afternoon, so many people being in close proximity had him on edge. His smaller body was able to quickly maneuver over and under people. A few yelled as he had to step on their toes as he passed. _

_ Behind him, gripping for dear life onto one of his hands was Bella, his younger sister. She had only been nine then, but the two of them could almost pass for twins. Her smaller nose, almond shaped bright green eyes, and long flowing mane of brown hair, if her hair was shorter and unruly like his they'd look the same. Normally growing up, his sister had been the most energetic, happy, and adventurous person he knew. She always was willing to go on adventures, tell jokes, and have a fun time. He remembered all the time she had dragged him along in the forest outside the city, searching for frogs, rabbits, and looking for other flowers. Combined with Ciri, she had been a bright spot on dark days for him always. _

_ However, in the dream she didn't look like that happy, adventurous young girl. She looked down at the cobblestones, as his younger self kept her close, her face crestfallen. His younger self finally stepped out of a crowd of frantic people with a huff. He had come out to one stand, lined with bread, eggs, cheese, and other types of vegetables lined in baskets outside the wooden stall. _

_ "Okay finally… stay close Bell, don't wonder off," His younger self said, looking down at his younger sister._

_ Bella didn't respond with words, as she gently let go of his hand, her eyes not leaving the cobblestone streets. He walked up towards the front of the stand just as a women left with two full sacks. His eleven-year old self was greeting with a grim smile by the old vendor, a balding man with grey hair and a long stringy beard. The older man gave the younger boy a small smile and pulled a sack from behind the standout for him. _

_ "Aye lad, how you doing son, how's your mother," He said grimly, reaching over and handing younger Dominik the bag. _

_ His younger self smiled and took the bag. Despite the mood running throughout the city, he tried to keep a smile. _

_ "She's alright Mr. Lagdon, just sent Bella and I out for a few things," He said, picking up a few loafs of bread, and putting them into the bag. _

_ Mr. Lagdon had been the vendor that sold them most of their food for years. He was a kind older man who always offered young Dominik and Bella extra loaves of bread, or even sweets when he had them. Normally he was always willing to share more then he had, however that day, under the scorching sun, when Dominik tried to take another loaf of bread the older man shook his head. _

_ "Sorry lad can't let you take those today… new regulations. Limit per customer," He said, coming around from the stand and taking the loaf back from his hands. _

_ Shocked he looked back up at the older man, "Who said that?"_

_ Mr. Lagdon sighed and placed the bread back into the basket for future customers in the day before looking back down at him, "New orders from the castle. Until the Queen and the army return, we have to limit what gets distributed. Need to make sure there's enough for everyone."_

_ He remembered the day in the dream now. It was during the few weeks after Queen Calanthe and his father had gone to fight the Nilfgaardeans. The army had left a few weeks prior and he remembered the time vividly. He hadn't seen Ciri in weeks, the castle being on lockdown, only letting in a select few. His father wasn't there to take him inside anymore, and despite being the princess, Ciri didn't have the power to let him come visit her. He had been spending his days at home, playing and keeping Bella company. Her mother had been called on some emergency duties, helping to keep peace and escort refugees from the surrounding countryside. _

_ He was worried himself about his father of course, but he remembered at the time, he was also confident, confident that Queen Calanthe and his father would smash the Nilfgaardeans and be back before they knew it. His younger sister was becoming a wreck without their father being there, and their mother being busy. So, despite the fact that he missed Ciri terribly, and wanted his father to quickly come back, he was staying strong for Bella's sake. His mother had often did things like she had that day, leaving them coin to go and get food while she was off on business._

_ He sighed looking up and nodding at Mr. Lagdon, "I understand, thanks Mr. Lagdon."_

_ Reaching down to his belt he pulled the coin pouch his mother had left them. He poured a few coins out into his palm and handed them to the older man. Lagdon smiled down grimly at him and pocketed the coins._

_ "Thank you, lad… stay safe, gods look down upon the queen and your father in this time," The older man said with sincerity. _

_ He nodded to the shopkeeper, and turned, looking for his sister. Bella had only taken a few steps from him. She was standing just outside one smaller building, which he recognized as the herbalists and flower shop. His sister was wearing a light blue top, with black trousers, her long brown hair cascaded down her back, as she stared into the glass display windows outside the shop. He walked up next to her and saw their reflection shimmer in the glass, as Bella couldn't tear her eyes off a patch of yellow daisies that were on display. _

_ They were some of Bella's favorites he knew. His younger sister had always been fond of exotic things, flowers from Toussaint and Nazair, the exotic and fancy pastries their father would bring back from the castle. She would always tell him how in the future she would travel to those places, seeing firsthand where all the exotic flowers, spices and animals came from. At that moment however, she didn't have the same gleam in her eyes as she normally did when she looked at the flower shop. _

_ He put a hand on his younger sisters shoulder and smiled down at her, "I got a few coins left, do you want those?"_

_ He pointed to the patch of yellow daises that were on display. Bella however slowly shook her head and looked up at him, her own bright green eyes meeting up with his. _

_ "Dominik… is father going to be back soon," She asked him slowly, her voice quivering. _

_ The question had caught him off guard. At that time their father had been gone for over a week, and news from the front lines became more and more scarce. Tensions within the city itself had been rising. Multiple times he had tried to get into the castle to see Ciri, but every time the guardsmen denied him, stating the orders from the Queen for the castle to be on locked applied to everyone except essential nobility, no matter if Ciri asked for him or not. Bella and he would take walks to take their mind off things, he would tell her funny stories of things Ciri and he got up too and help her tend to the small garden she kept outside their house. _

_ He did everything he could to take her mind off things, so in the moment he knelt down and smiled at her. _

_ "Of course he will," He said to her, a small smile coming to his face, "Father and Queen Calanthe are going to beat back the Nilfgaardeans. I bet there'll even be a big feast afterwards. I'll convince father to bring you, you can come play with Ciri and me."_

_ A small smile crossed his younger sisters face for a moment, but it quickly fell. She looked back over to the flowers behind the glass, and then back to him. _

_ "But… but what if they don't…" She said in a small voice, "What… what if they lose, and the Black Ones come here?"_

_ A small chill ran down his spine. The idea that Queen Calanthe and his father would be defeated by the Nilfgaardeans had never crossed his mind. Queen Calanthe had spent years smashing back revolting kingdoms and provinces, she was the lioness, of course she was going to win. Especially because she had his father with him. The bronze ring his father had given him, it still dangled around his neck. The reminder of what his destiny was, but at that time he didn't think it would come to pass for some time._

_ He sighed and put his small hand on Bella's shoulder, "Don't worry. Father and Queen Calanthe WILL beat them back. And if somehow, they don't and the Black Ones do come… don't worry, I'll protect you. I won't let them get their hands on you."_

_ Bella closed her eyes tightly, as if trying to prevent tears from falling, "You can't protect me," She said, taking a step back. _

_ A small knife was almost plunged into his heart, but he tried to laugh off the comment, "Ha, why can't I? I know I haven't gotten all that good in fathers lessons yet, but I still can-."_

_ "No…. you can't," Bella said again, turning away from him now to look back at the flowers, he head falling again, "You can't protect me… because you need to protect Ciri. She's all you ever talk about… you love her, you have to protect her."_

_ The words pierced through his young heart at that moment. He of course was in love with Ciri, even then despite how he wouldn't admit it until much later. His father had told him his destiny was to keep her safe, to protect her. He wasn't going to because of destiny, he was going to keep Ciri safe because he cared for her, held great love for her. However, the notion that he wouldn't protect his sister at all costs as well was ridiculous to him. He would protect them both. _

_ Sighing he walked over to Bella and turned her to face him, meeting her eyes with his, "Bell… just because I'm protecting Ciri, doesn't mean that I won't protect you. You're my little sister, I'll protect you, I won't let anything happen to Ciri AND I won't let anything happen to you."_

_ Bella shifted on her feet, before finally looking back up at him, "You promise?"_

_ "I promise," He said, pulling his younger sister in for a hug. Bella wrapped her smaller arms around his waist and squeezed him. _

_ "But you lied to her," A deep dark woman's voice rang through his brain. _

_ His head shot around, and he blinked, suddenly the dream completely changed. The bright, vibrant colorful day turned to one of darkness. The smell of bright flowers was replaced by the smell of burning corpses, The moon was full, but the fires in the streets burned holes into his eyes. Dead men, women and children all littered the streets. The stench of death and decays were overpowering. Steel rang on steel, people screamed, pleaded for their life. He heard Nilfgaardeans shouting in their language, laughing as they slaughtered the residents. _

_ However, all he could see in the dream was himself and his family. His mother had just gotten them to a large sewer grate near the outside walls of the city. Her long blonde hair was caked with blood, her vibrant green eyes awash with fear. Next to her, he saw his younger self, clutching onto Bella's wrist, a dagger in his other hand, as he tried to shield his sister from the flames, covering her eyes so she couldn't see the atrocities. One soldier came rushing towards them as his mother tried to pry open the grate. _

_ Bella screamed when she saw the man, and she was paralyzed by the fear. His mother however heard their attacker. She whirled around, knocking aside the mans blade, and jabbing her own through his abdomen, before turning back to her two children. She dropped her sword and went to yank on the sewer grate again this time with both hands, finally she pulled hard enough and it swung open. _

_ The stench of rot and sewage could be smelt in the pipes, but he knew that they would lead outside the cities walls. His younger self closed his eyes, and he knew that he had been trying to block it all out. He was convinced it was a dream, his father and Queen Calanthe could never be defeated by the Nilfgaardeans, they would never dare attack Cintra. However, when he stepped over the corpse of Mr. Lagdon in the road, he knew that it was real. Ciri was stuck in the castle, as was his father and the Queen. He wanted to do something, go to try and save her, but his legs were unmoving, Bella stuck to his arm. _

_ Their mother whirled around and picked up her sword from the mud, before grabbing both of Dominik's shoulders. _

_ "You take your sister, follow this tunnel. It'll lead you outside the walls, wait in the outskirts around the lake, do you understand," She hissed at him, her voice full of desperation. _

_ "But… but what about father," He yelled at his mother, his voice beginning to quiver, "What about father and Ciri, they're both in the castle still!"_

_ A loud scream was heard from down the street as attack hounds mutilated a mans corpse, as the Nilfgaardean soldiers stood and laughed. His mother looked back down to him; both her hands still locked on his shoulders in an iron grip. _

_ "I'm going to go get them both, and we'll follow right behind," She said, hugging him tightly around his neck, before she looked down to Bella, "Bella, you stay with your brother, he'll protect you and get you out of here, do you understand?"_

_ Bella shook her head, tears streaming down her young face, she finally detached herself from his arm and hugged their mother, "Mother you can't… no… please don't leave us."_

_ Their mother shook her head and quickly kissed her daughters forehead, "It'll be alright dear. Stick with Dominik, he'll keep you safe. Ciri, your father and I will be right behind you both."_

_ Watching the dream back now, he could hear the lie in his mothers voice. She knew she wouldn't survive that night, and more than likely their father wouldn't either. He knew what her mission was now when she left them. Get to their father, get Ciri away from the city, and protect he and Bella as well. His mother knew she'd die that night, but she wasn't going to make her death easy on their enemies. That was the kind of woman his mother was, the kind of attitude she instilled in him. Never stop until the ones you loved are safe, even if it costs you your life. _

_ Sofia looked down and smiled at both her children, wrapping her arms around them both, before shoving them towards the sewage pipe. _

_ "GO," She shouted to them, as she tightened the grip on her longsword. _

_ "Bell come on we need to go," He urged his sister, helping her up into the entrance to the pipe. _

_ Bella was unmoving, she looked back towards their mother, crying and shouting for her. Their mother made it a few steps back towards the road before he heard the soldiers. Shouting in Nilfgaardean, a group of five armored soldiers all cornered their mother. Sofia didn't dare look back at her children, not wanting the soldiers attention brought to them. So she fought. She wasn't wearing armor, only trousers, boots and a shirt, but she was more than a match for the soldiers. She killed one quickly, picking up his blade, spinning and parrying blows with two swords in her hands. Her movements were so swift and precise Dominik almost thought she could be a Witcher. He knew she wasn't however, because one managed to cut her across the back of her leg and she fell to one knee. _

_ His mother didn't relent, and despite them both knowing they needed to go, they couldn't take their eyes off her. Bella was unmoving, watching as their mother cut through soldiers after soldier, the sounds of screams, clanging steel, explosions and crackling fire couldn't drown out their mothers grunts of efforts as she finally cut down the last soldier of the squad, her arm bleeding as she nearly keeled over. _

_ She looked up and met her children's eyes one last time, she was about to shout something to them. It never came out because that was when the arrow hit her in the dead center of her chest. His blood turned to ice as he looked to the left, the black knight in the winged helmet with a bow in his hands was busy knocking another arrow. He knew he had to get Bella out, he went to turn to her, grab her and push her further down the pipe, but his younger sister screamed. _

_ "NO, NO MOTHER," She shouted, darting out into the streets. _

_ "BELLA STOP NO," He yelled trying to run and grab her arm. _

_ He missed her, she had just gotten out of his reach, and his younger sister scrambled over to their mothers now lifeless body. The initial shock wore off, his younger self looked down to see the knight knocking another arrow, taking aim towards Bella. He ran, moving as fast as his smaller legs could take him. His legs didn't move fast enough. The second arrow came, and just as he reached her, it pierced his younger sisters shoulder. Bella flew back, smacking her head on the ground as she rolled over. _

_ "NO BELL, BELLA," He screamed at the top of his lungs, throwing himself onto the ground to her side. _

_ He saw the arrow sticking out of his sisters shoulder, her green eyes shut, her hair strewn about the ground. She was unmoving, his hands shook, and when he looked down, the blood of his younger sister was stained into his skin. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His head shot up from the bed, his eyes wide open and so dry it hurt him to blink. Breathing heavy, he looked around the room, partly expecting to find himself back in the streets of Cintra amongst corpses. He wasn't however, Cintra had burned long ago, along with his mother and sister both being dead. His body ached and a cold sweat ran down his chest and stomach. The scars along his chest and back both seemed to flare up at the same time, as his entire body shivered.

He sighed and whirled his feet to the side of the bed, his soles hitting the cold wooden floor sent a chill up his spine. The swallow pendant and his Witcher medallion both clanged against his chest as he tried to steady his breathing. It had been years since he had nightmares of Cintra, not since Kaer Morhen, before Yennefer initially enchanted his pendant. His quest to find Ciri seemed determined to remind him of all the failures of his past, not just to the woman herself.

It also reminded him of his first failure, the failure to follow his mothers orders, and save his younger sister.

"I'm so… so sorry Bell…" He said quietly to himself, moving his legs to finally stand up.

He looked out of his window and saw that the sun was beginning to dawn. It was first light, he had planned on sleeping later, what with all he had done the day before. However, after the nightmare he had no intentions on sleeping again. He looked over to the dresser, and saw his sheathed sword laying there, along with his trousers and gloves. His armor lay out on a chair, with his boots by the door.

Sighing, he went about getting his armor on for the day. It was too important of a day for him to let nightmares of his past haunt him all day. The little sleep he got was certainly going to affect him through the day, but he also knew he needed to power through it. He pulled on the white top for under his armor, before pulling his arms through the sleeves of the armor itself. He rolled his shoulders and swung his sword around his back, feeling his hands begin to shake.

He looked down at his gloved hands, and for a split second he saw it again. His younger selves small, bloody hands as he knelt over the bodies of his sister and mother.

"Dammit," He muttered to himself, closing his fist and rubbing both hands together.

His mind went a mile a minute. Every detail of the night coming back to him. The arrow smashing into Bella's shoulder, his mother fighting off an entire squad of Nilfgaardeans. The knight in the winged helmet chasing him through the streets, before turning his attention to Ciri. All the while the only home he ever knew was being burned to the ground.

Balling his hands into fists he looked back out the window overlooking Novigrad.

"We can either run from the past… or we can learn from it," He said slowly to himself, before turning around and looking down at the swallow, "I will not fail you, not like I failed them…"

Finding Ciri, following the leads they had, saving her from the Wild Hunt, that would be his redemption. His redemption for failing his mother, his sister, his father, and Ciri the first time. With one last steadying breath, he tightened the strap of his sword across his back, before walking towards the exit to his room.

He wasn't going to run from the past anymore, he was going to learn from it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The day thankfully had no rain so far. His armor was still damp from being out and fighting in the torrential downpour at the Witch Hunter Barracks the night before. The location that the Temerian hideout had been located in was well concealed. However, Geralt was easily able to find tracks and traces of men, and those tracks eventually led them to where the hideout was. Clop had seemed to sense his anxiousness, and his fatigue, because his loyal horse neighed up at him as he slowly slid off his back.

"I'm alright buddy, promise," He said, patting the horses mane as he tied the reins to a tree next to Geralt and Roach.

"You sure," Geralt asked him, "You seem like you're about to pass out."

The sun shined in patches through the trees and reflected off Geralt's face. Sighing he looked out over the beautiful fields of wheat and flowers they had passed. Despite the coffee he chugged before they left the Rosemary and Thyme, and the large breakfast he ate with Faram and Zoltan, nothing seemed to lift his fatigue. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying with everything he could to wake himself up further. Nothing worked. He blinked again, and the beautiful fields of wheat with the sun shining overhead, for a split second turned into the dark dank streets of Cintra, bloodied mangled corpses strewn about, fires burning everywhere, soldiers screaming as they killed the man and raped the women.

He stumbled for a moment, blinking again before the wheat field returned.

Sighing he looked down at his gloved hands again, wondering if he removed them, would he still see the blood. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Geralt next to him, a worried look on his face.

"Maybe you should take the day off, head back and get some sleep. It's obvious you're not in the right frame of mind right now… nightmares," His adopted father asked him carefully.

He sighed and turned to the older Witcher, the sun shining between them both, "Yeah… nightmares. Was back in Cintra…"

A small cool breeze blew through his hair. Geralt nodded and met his eyes, a look of understanding in them, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Quickly he nodded, turning back to the older Witcher, "Yeah I'll be alright. This'll take my mind off things, come on let's go find Roche."

He walked past Geralt who sighed and caught up with him. The two walked under the tree's towards where the Temerian fighters were hiding. The dream couldn't stop playing in his head, his sister dead in his arms, his mother fighting to her last breath. He remembered exactly what had happened next that night. For what felt like hours he fled from the knight in the winged helmet, until he finally found a place to hide. The knight looked for him, but soon found a new target.

He remembered watching his father and one of his knights emerge from the secret exit to the castle, Ciri closely besides them. The knight took Ciri onto a horse and tried to flee as his father fought off advancing Nilfgaardean troops. The man didn't relent, cutting down every black one that made their way towards him, until no more stood alive. One had managed to wound him enough however, where he lay dying in the streets. Only minutes before he had seen his mother and sister both killed, so he tried with everything he could to staunch his fathers bleeding.

It wasn't enough, and the last words his father spoke to him, still replayed in his head to that very moment. _The princess… Ciri… you MUST find her…. Find her… and keep her safe._ Those were the last words Gregory of Cintra had spoken. The last words his father had said to him, were orders to go and keep Ciri safe. It was what he had been trying to do since then, and for most of the time since, he had been failing in that endeavor. He wanted to protect Ciri because he loved her, that was the most honest truth. However, it would also honor his fathers last wish.

He hoped that following the leads they had that day, actively trying to fulfill his fathers last wish, would take his mind off the dreams.

The entrance to the Temarian hideout was wedged between two small hills, a perfect hideout, only one entrance that was hidden, and inaccessible from above. He carefully followed behind Geralt, the sun shining off the older Witchers swords. When the two of them finally got to the entrance, one portly man stepped in front of them, wearing a breastplate, a bow and quiver on his back. He could see the white Temarian lilies on his undershirt, and he could tell they were in the right place.

"What do you two want," The man said in a deep voice, holding his hands up to stop them.

He could see the soldiers moving in the cavern behind the man and was almost tempted to just go around. However, he was sympathetic to the Termarians cause, and didn't think barging into their camp would make a good first impression. Anyone who was trying to take the fight to the black ones, other then of course Radovid, he had respect for. There had been times when he was younger, where he dreamed of, he and Ciri gathering a force of soldiers together to go and reclaim Cintra from Nilfgaard, raising the golden lions over a blue field once again.

However they had been the dreams of a child, and while a free Cintra was something he would be happy to see again, he had much more important things he wanted.

Geralt peaked behind the man, "We're here looking for Roche."

"Nobody here by that name," The man said quickly, as if he was rehearsed to do so.

Rolling his eyes he looked over at the man, "We know he's here. We're not dumb, what are you trying to pass for, a group of berry pickers?"

The man narrowed his eyes, "No we're… birdwatching?"

"The swords, spears and bows incase a wyvern attacks and interrupts your watching," He quickly said again, feeling his annoyance rise.

It wasn't his intention to anger anyone, however as he expected, the lack of sleep had really been getting to him. He crossed his arms and the man looked at him in annoyance and seemed like he was about to say something, before a booming voice from inside cut him off.

"Are you blind Hortensio? That's Geralt, old friend of mine, let the two of them through," It said, as he could finally see the source of the voice.

It had to be Vernon Roche, because Hortensio sneered at them, but backed off right away. Roche was a taller man with an aura of command to him. He could see a sword at the mans hip, and a large crossbow on his back. He wore a set of blue armor that he had seen on Temerian soldiers before in his travels, flowing down around his ankles, but offering very good protection. A black hat covered his head and shoulders, as he smirked at the two Witchers, gesturing for them both to follow.

Walking closely behind Geralt he saw more of the guerilla fighters camp. It seemed to be relatively well stocked, beds, cots, swords and arrows seemed to be plentiful. Soldiers rushed around, training, sharpening swords, coming in and out with more food and supplies. The two of them followed Roche to a roaring campfire in the middle of the cave, before the man finally turned back to Geralt.

"Geralt of Rivia, safe and sound," The man said with a smile, holding out his hand.

Geralt smiled and shook the commanders hand, "Vernon Roche, Temaria's last hope."

Roche scoffed and shook his head, "You can jest all you want. Temaria will rise again…. And you, don't believe I know who you are."

It took him a second to realize Roche was addressing him. The man spoke with such command he felt himself stand back at attention. He nodded to him, "You don't, Dominik of Cintra, Geralt's told me about how the two of you met."

A look of realization dawned on the man's face as he nodded his head, "Ahh yes, I remember Geralt mentioning you after Loc Muinne… said he got you from the fires of Cintra."

He looked at Geralt and he understood why the older Witcher had bent the truth. The knowledge that Ciri was alive was a close guarded secret after Cintra. Geralt didn't want it getting out that the heir to the city, and a child of the elder blood had survived. So, in the short time the two of them traveled before, he would tell people it was only Dominik he had gotten from Cintra. People did eventually learn that Ciri was alive when she came back to the continent, but she had left again so soon that she was now forgotten by most, and those few who knew she was alive, thought she was never coming back.

They were wrong, she had come back, and she was in danger. So he and Geralt had been very careful only to mention her to people they could trust, or already knew.

He nodded to confirm what Roche had said, "Yeah, saved my life that day. I heard you commanded the blue stripes. My mother was actually a member of the Cintran special forces unit, under Queen Calanthe's personal command."

Roche tilted his head, "Truly? They were a legendary group. A damn travesty what ended up happening in Cintra. The Black Ones attacked so suddenly Foltest didn't have time to send help. My condolences for any loss you suffered," the man said, holding out his hand.

A small smile managed to come to his face. He reached out and strongly shook Roche's hand, before pulling back and looking at the man over the burning fire.

"Thank you… I've been wondering though, what happened to the army," He asked the man, the question eating at his mind, "Information was scarce, but last I heard Natalis was trying to stop the Black One's along the Dol Blathanna-Mount Carbon line?"

During the last few months, after Nilfgaard had invaded the north again he had been trying to keep up with the wars status. He knew that he wanted to avoid Nilfgaardean occupied lands, so he was sure to keep a close ear out for any information concerning its on-goings. Despite his distaste for Radovid, he wanted the Black Ones to be beat back. It had been too late for Cintra, for his home, but he wouldn't have wished what happened to him that night upon even his worst enemy. Until Ciri had been lost to him, it was the worst pain he ever experienced in his life. His home burned to the ground.

Witchers were neutral on principle, this was something Geralt and his Uncle Vesemir pounded into his head. However, it was a rule he could never follow, especially when the war had recently begun. There were times when he strayed a little too far south and happened upon a group of Nilfgaardeans who would be harassing an old merchant on the road or trying to raise a village. He would help when he could, and then quickly leave, not wanting to draw himself further into the conflict and take his mind off his true goal of finding Ciri.

Roche sighed and crouched down, tossing more wood onto the crackling fire. The orange flames sprouted up, reflecting off the mans face.

"That's true… we were to hold them there…. And we did. For three days before they broke through and smashed us to splinters," The man said, standing back up and turning to Geralt and he, "I fled towards Novigrad with the remnants of Natalis's army. Radovid had been amassing a force, pledged to fight for a free north. But… he proved no better than Emhyr, so I brought my men here, and waged my own fight."

He gave the man a respectful nod. Temaria truly was no more, he saw the death and destruction the Black Ones had been bringing across the country. The Nilfgaardeans valued order above all else, it was in their own humble opinion, that everywhere would be better off under their control. They actually believed that they were doing everyone a service, as they burned villages, pillaged homesteads and raped across the entire country.

And the man in charge of it all, the man who was ordering all the death and destruction, was the father of the woman he loved. He was Ciri's father, and he wanted to use her as a pawn in some sick twisted game. That would never happen so long as he lived.

The thoughts of Ciri helped him remember why Geralt and he were really there. Geralt managed to speak up before him.

"As good as it is to see you Vernon, we need to ask you something," The older Witcher started, getting Roche to turn to him, "We're looking for Wiley, Whoreson Junior."

Hearing the man's name again made his blood boil. He had already killed Menge, and soon he would deal with Whoreson as well, both evil men, men who'd harmed his friends. One of the two leads they were following was already solved. They could free Dandelion from Temple Isle, however first they needed to find Whoreson, and figure out what had happened the night Dandelion was captured, and if Ciri really had been with him.

Roche scoffed and shook his head, "I've heard of him, but I don't know why you think he's be in my camp."

Quickly he stepped forward and shook his head, "We don't but… we heard some birds chirping. They said you both have the support of the Redanians. Geralt and I were hoping you had someone we can talk to, someone who may know where they're hiding him."

The sun shined through the caves entrance, and hit Roche's face as he sighed, "These birds… you must point them out to me when we're done, so I can silence them. However, you're both in luck. I was just getting ready to go meet my Redanian contact at a local chess club. Ride with me, and you can ask him about Whoreson."

A rush of relief ran through his chest as he nodded his thanks to the man. Geralt nodded and held out his hand, shaking Roche's again.

"Knew we could count on you, thanks Vernon," The older Witcher said with a smile.

A new sigh of relief escaped him. The trail to follow Ciri in Velen had been relatively straight forward. After finding Kiera, the Crones, and the Baron it had been easy to follow Ciri's trail to Novigrad, and they already knew what she was trying to do. She had been trying to lift a curse, and was looking for himself, Geralt and Yennefer for help. However, what did lifting a curse have to do with robbing a vault? Why did out of all the people in Novigrad, she and Dandelion manage to run afoul of Whoreson Junior?

With them now receiving help from Roche, he was hoping he'd have a chance to ask the man soon.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Something's not right… way too many soldiers for a meeting with a spy," Dominik whispered to the two men besides him as they walked.

The ride on their mounts to the chess club nearby hadn't taken them very long. The sun was still up, but slowly beginning its descent. Hot rays beat down on his neck as he ran his hand through his hair nervously. They had gotten to the chess club, expecting nobody except a slippery Redanian spy, however instead they had gotten what looked like almost an entire company. Horses and men were all lined up outside the building, all of them standing at attention as if their lives depended on it. Every sense in his body was going off at once, he didn't have Witcher Senses, but over the year he had developed the ability to tell when a situation seemed off.

Now was one of those moments.

He walked besides Geralt and Roche as they slowly walked towards the front door. Every soldier had their eyes trained on the three of them, more particularly their weapons. His hand twitched as Roche slowly reached for the door.

"You're right… slippery bastard never had men with him," Roche said, as he was the first to enter the building.

It was a modest sized establishment, multiple tables with chess boards set out, along with shelves of dusty old books, and a counter to the left that served drinks. The dank, musty air attacked his nose as he scanned the room with Geralt. The entire club was empty, not a single patron or employee, only one singular man sitting at a table. Dominik could recognize him from the posters of propaganda he had seen over the last few months.

The tall, tan bald man wore a golden crown over his head, with long red robes, the Redanian coat of arms implanted onto the front. King Radovid of Redania, the man responsible for his friends such as Triss, Kiera, and all other mages being forced to go into hiding. The screams of the mage and doppler burning at the stake rang through his head. He watched as the man played chess against himself, knocking over his own pieces, and he could see the madness in his beady eyes.

He had met the ruler to the south, and seen the pure cold, dark, calculated evil in his eyes. The ruler to the north however, his eyes were full of fire, burning madness that was slowly and slowly eating away at him. He could see the fire of burning pyres in the mans eyes, the pleasure that he gained from merely taking a chess piece and knocking it to the ground was all he needed to see to realize the mans madness.

Geralt quickly looked over to him, the slits in his yellow eyes urging him to keep his mouth shut. He realized that he had already pissed off Emhyr in the south, pissing off Radovid in the north wasn't going to be good for him. Emhyr at the least needed him for something, there would be nothing stopping Radovid from having him detained and burned at the stake the next morning.

The King of Redania's eyes turned and he looked directly at Geralt. He remembered what his adoptive father told him had happened the last time he was in Radovid's presence. It had been when the man mutilated Philippa Eilhart. Geralt had a history with the man, and he wasn't sure if it was good or not.

"They say it's the game of kings. That chess teaches one to think strategically," The mad king started, looking between the three of them and the game board, "What a load of rubbish! Both sides have identical pieces, the rules stay the same. How does this mirror real life? Witcher… do you know why I play chess?"

Radovid's beady dark brown eyes turned to Geralt, and so did Dominik. He could feel the madness rolling off the man's tongue, he spoke in such a chilling tone, he felt his legs begin to wobble. Geralt carefully took a step towards the king, and he had to resist the urge to pull his adopted father back.

"To kill time," Geralt said, a slight bit of sarcasm in his tone.

He sucked in a breath, worried he'd have to intervene, but Radovid simply shook his head, gesturing for Geralt to sit. The older Witcher did, and Dominik looked over to Roche and saw a just as baffled a look on the Temarian commanders face.

Radovid let out a small laugh, and it sent another chill through the building. It was cold, despite the sun shining through the window. The mad Redanian king looked one more time down at the chessboard, and then back to Geralt.

"I barely have time to squander, let alone kill," The man said, peering back down at the chess pieces in front of him, "I play chess to reveal the games secrets. Blood thumps within every chessmen. You need only listen- and you will hear it. A heart pumping with life. I take a pawn- and hear flesh being rent. I win a piece- and I hear the screams from the depths of its bowels."

Geralt for a moment looked over at him and Roche, and all he could do was shake his head. The more the man talked, the clearer his madness became, and it could be easily seen that he was descending deeper and deeper into it. It was only the third ruler he had ever met in his life. He remembered that faithful night when he was eleven and he met Queen Calanthe. No ruler, baron, or lord he ever met had carried herself with such grace. The Queen was confident, proud, and knew how strong she was. It was an attitude she had passed down to Ciri, these traits in Ciri were something he had always been drawn to. Calanthe was stern and dealt with threats accordingly, however, she also had a kind side, and was approachable. The Queen had been his fathers best friend for a reason.

Whenever he went to the castle to see Ciri and he saw the queen she'd always say, 'Keeping an eye on Ciri for me?'. They were some of the best moments of his life. He'd always smile and nod, promising the ruler he was, before Ciri would roll her eyes saying she protected him as well. He remembered once when he was at the castle with Ciri, he had gotten lost in the halls while the two of them played hide and seek. One of the palace guards who didn't recognize him, had snatched him up by the shirt when he went to search near the Queen's room. He almost cried out for his father when the Queen herself happened upon them. She ordered him to be released, and he thought for a moment he was going to be punished.

But Queen Calanthe had simply smiled, asking him if he had managed to find Ciri yet. She helped him find her, and reminded him to not lose her, before leaving Ciri and he to play more. That had been eleven years ago, and in those eleven years he had never met a better ruler, a better queen, king, lord, lady, baron or baroness that he admired more then Queen Calanthe.

He would do everything to protect Ciri for her, and for Ciri herself.

Radovid, was on the complete other end of the spectrum of Queen Calanthe. The king looked up at Geralt again with his fiery eyes.

"I want to break the chessmen open, squeeze the truth from them," The man said quickly, his eye narrowing back towards Geralt, "Do you understand now?"

Geralt responded the same way he always did, with sarcasm.

"Yeah…. I think I do," His adopted father said, a hint of sarcasm to his tone.

Radovid clearly wasn't pleased with the older Witchers answer. The King of Redania sneered and shot up to his feet, with Geralt quickly doing the same. He could see the temper flare in the mans eyes, the temper that had burned hundreds, possibly even thousands of innocent mages, herbalist and alchemists at the stake. The man shook his head, scoffing at Geralt.

"You just say yes to amuse me…. That's not important now," Radovid hissed, turning over to face Roache and he, "Geralt I know, Roche I know, but you…. Who are you young man."

He felt his skin crawl like it was infested with bugs as Radovid came to meet his eyes. A smell of burning soot hit his nose as the man stared into his green eyes. He could see Geralt behind him, shooting him a look, urging him to keep his cool, and don't say anything stupid.

He let out a breath, and finally met the King's eyes, "Dominik… Dominik of Cintra."

At the mention of Cintra, Radovid scoffed and paced away for a moment, before turning back to face him again, "My, my, my… Cintra? Been a while since I've heard of anything there. Were you there for Calanthe's downfall?"

Again he looked and saw Geralt slowly shake his head. He felt his fist curl below him, as he slowly nodded towards the King of Redania, "Yes…I was there when the city fell."

Radovid laughed again, looking at him with a smirk as he rested his hands on his hips, "Bah, Calanthe's arrogance knew no bounds. Refusing aid from all who offered. Look what all that arrogance got her? She led the city to its own downfall."

"Queen Calanthe was one of the greatest rulers the Northern Realms have ever seen," He said quickly, before he could stop himself, "Cintra was the jewel of the North for her entire reign!"

A terse silence hung over the room, and he knew he failed at controlling his words yet again. He saw Geralt's hands twitch, ready to reach for steel at any second. Radovid however, looked more amused then offended. He paced back up to Dominik, getting closer to his face to meet his eyes again.

"The ignorance of common folk…. If she was such a great ruler, then how come her city burned to the ground," The man asked, pacing in front of him, keeping his beady eyes glued to him, "How come the Black Ones now control her city and province? There are songs dedicated to her downfall, and the burning of her city."

He moved his hands quickly behind his back and felt them ball up again. Quickly he shook his head at the King, remembering the facts he'd learned about the massacre.

"There was a Nilfgaardean spy in the court, they were feeding Emhyr information, they caught her off guard," he said, trying to keep his voice from rising any further.

Radovid scoffed a laugh again, "The Nilfgaardeans had been camped near Cintra for weeks. My father and the other northern kings would have had plenty of time to send help if she had contacted us, and was willing to negotiate," The man said smugly, stopping in front of him again, "But she didn't. She thought herself invincible, her arrogance knowing no bounds. Cintra died… all for her vanity."

The words had cut through him, and every bit of him wanted to swing his fist forward at that moment. He saw Roche and Geralt both staring at him, waiting for some type of response. Radovid on the other hand, smirked at him one more time, before walking back towards the chess table. He let out a deep breath and tried to control the shaking of his hands. It wasn't true, it wasn't the fault of anyone that Cintra had burned, not the fault of anyone except for the Black One's. Geralt gave him a calming look, but his blood continued to boil. The hairs on his arms still stood up, and his fists stayed balled behind his back.

Radovid finally let out a sigh, and smirked again, this time looking at Roach, "Now, Roach, tell me why did you bring these two here?"

The Temarian commander took a step between Geralt and he, meeting the kings eyes, "I believe it's best that they tell you."

He let out another deep breath, remembering the reason they had come. The sooner they got the information about Whoreson, the sooner they could leave. And it also meant the sooner he could get back to searching for Ciri, a way to honor Queen Calanthe's memory.

Geralt stepped forward to answer for the both of them, "We're looking for Cyprian Wiley, Whoreson Junior. We know Redania supports him."

"Aye, and why do you seek him," Radovid asked, the sun shining through the window, casting the kings shadow over them.

"It's personal," Geralt said quickly, wanting the conversation to end as quick as he did.

Radovid to his very little credit, simply shrugged, sitting back down in the seat across from the chessboard.

"Very well, I won't pry. I've placed Junior in a mansion in Oxenfurt. They won't let you in unannounced," The King explained, looking up to meet the two Witchers eyes, "So you must tell them you've come about the new whores. Junior constantly requests fresh women… I heard he doesn't treat them well."

Hearing the words sent another chill down his spine, as his fist curled into a ball yet again. The thought of Ciri being near a man like that, it nearly sent him in a fury right then. If she had been around a man that treated women so poorly, that even Radovid sounded appalled by the treatment, he knew it had to be something unspeakably terrible, what Whoreson did to the women he captured. He looked over to Geralt and nodded at his adopted father, as the older Witcher looked back to Radovid.

"We appreciate the gesture, your majesty," Geralt said, trying to put some form of thankfulness into his words.

Radovid seemed pleased, as he smirked at the older Witcher, "A king should be severe to his enemies, and generous to his friends. Apart from which I'll expect you to return the favor Geralt."

The words made his stomach churn, thinking of what Radovid could possibly want from Geralt. It couldn't be anything good, he knew that, it would probably have to do with hunting down a rouge mage, he doubted that Radovid would personally worry about any monster troubles. However, he knew that they couldn't think about that now. Ciri and Dandelion were what was important, and now they had the location of Whoreson Junior, and could finally pay the man a visit. It pained him that the information had to locate one madman, had to be given to them by another madman.

However something Triss had said the night before, right before they had entered the Witch Hunter barracks had stuck with him. _Ciri- she is what matters now._ And she been right. Ciri was in danger, and they all needed to do their part if they were going to save her and stop the Wild Hunt. If it meant accepting help from people, he'd normally not associate himself with, then he would make that sacrifice.

Sacrificing his pride, taking Radovid's jabs, and accepting the mad kings help in the end had led him to another clue. It had been worth it to find Junior's location.

Because now, Geralt and he could go and finally pay the man a visit. Whoreson was going to tell them what he knew about Ciri, one way or another.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Radovid is descending further and further into madness as I see it," Roche said, as the three of them all walked further away from the chess club.

The sun was still high in the air, but soon it would continue its descent, bringing about the night. That night was going to be the night that Geralt and he finally met up with Whoreson Junior, and he was going to force the man to tell him what he knew about Ciri. After the long day he had the day before, and the anger he had built up after having to come face to face with Radovid, he was ready to finally learn more about what had happened to Ciri from someone who had seen her. The more leads that slowly began to unravel for him, the more anxious he felt, the quicker he wanted to move. They were a few weeks behind Ciri's trail now, and the quicker they finished their business in Novigrad, the quicker they'd find her.

Whoreson was the start, and then after that they would rescue Dandelion, and figure out exactly where she had gone.

He breathed out a sigh of relief as he reached Clop and the rest of their horses. Geralt came up next to him, across from Roche with his arms crossed as the gentle breeze ran through his white hair.

"We figured out where Whoreson is. Don't normally like dealing with madmen, but us finding him is urgent," Geralt said, with Dominik nodding quickly in agreement.

The day had been beautiful so far, and the sun had finally completely dried his armor from the rainstorm the night before. Despite the fatigue he felt, the bags that were under his eyes, he felt a small spark of optimism rise inside of him again. They had only been in Novigrad for a few days, and already they knew exactly how to figure out where Ciri had gone. He held the hope in the back of his mind that she had fled Temple Isle, and gone into hiding somewhere in the city, and that Dandelion could know where.

And no matter the circumstances he face during the day, no matter what happened to him, just as when they were younger, the thought of finding Ciri had always put him in a better mood.

He stroked Clop's white mane and looked across to Roche, who nodded at the two of them.

"I understand you're both in a hurry, but… I've actually a favor to ask you both," The man asked them, and Dominik could see the worry behind his hard eyes, "It's Ves, she took a couple of the lads across the river. They plan to hit the black ones in Mulbrydale. I expressly ordered her not to go."

Geralt had told him about Ves. The blonde-haired younger girl, who was only a few years older then he, who despite the fact Roche wouldn't admit it, he saw as a daughter. She had been with Geralt and Roach through what happened after Foltest's assassination.

Geralt shrugged his shoulders at the man, "Okay, you got a problem. Insubordination. What do you want me and Dom to do about it?"

Roche sighed and looked up at the two Witchers with hard eyes, "I don't suspect Ves has entered the village yet. More than likely her and the boys lie in wait near Mulbrydale. You're… a great tracker," He said, before turning his eyes to Dominik, "And if you've really trained under Geralt all these years, then I have to assume you are as well."

He felt a twang of sympathy towards the man. It was obvious that it wasn't only the insubordination that had Roche in a frenzy, he was worried about Ves as well. He knew that finding Whoreson after finally getting his location was the most important thing for them right now, but Roche had helped them in that endeavor. If not for him, Geralt and he wouldn't have had anyway of finding out where Junior had been, so he felt like they could at least do the man a small favor.

Geralt looked down at him and shrugged, "What do you think?"

A smile came to his face. It was a small thing, but he always felt pride swell up inside of him when Geralt asked them what they should do. To him, it was an indication that his adoptive father truly valued his opinion and trusted him with important decisions they were making. Growing up it had always been in the back of his mind, that he was simply a tag along. That Geralt had only brought him to Kaer Morhen and raised him because Ciri was so insistent. Later he learned the idea was ridiculous, Geralt loved him as he loved Ciri, and it was just the two of them that were bound by destiny. All three of them were, linked by the iron bonds of destiny.

He nodded towards his adopted father with a smile, "He helped us, it's only fair we help him. Besides, I don't think attacking Junior's house in broad daylight would be smart, by the time we get there and back it'll be dark, perfect time to strike."

Geralt smiled with pride and it made the tiring last few days he had feel slightly better. It was his dream that after they finally did find Ciri, the three of them could go on the Path together, at least for a short while. Geralt, Ciri and he spending their days killing monsters, saving people and keeping them safe. It was something that seemed so completely out of reach just a short while ago, but now was just within his reach.

"Make a good point," Geralt said turning to Roach, "You can count on us."

Roche sighed in relief and nodded to them both, his hard eyes returning, "Thank you the both of you. I'll owe you a favor. Do you want to ride out now?"

Nodding he swung his leg up and around Clop's back. He looked out over the large fields of farmland they had crossed and watched as the sun beautiful shone over it. A cool breeze flew through his brown hair, and it was a moment of peace. Geralt climbed up onto Roach next to him, and Roche onto his mount as well.

"Yeah… let's get moving. Geralt and I have an appointment with Whoreson Junior later," He said, as he kicked his feet into Clop's sides.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Weird being back here… this is where it all started," He said to Geralt quietly, as he Roach and Geralt all looked out over the town of Mulbrydale with a spy glass.

The ride to the Hanged Man's Tree had taken the three of them a few hours. The sun was slowly starting to set, casting a brilliant orange glow over the hillside as he looked. Being back at the Hanged Man's Tree reminded him how only a few weeks prior he had begun the biggest quest he had ever undertaken. It had all began at the hanged man's tree, the first place Geralt and he camped before heading deeper into Velen.

He remembered that very first training session before they had headed to the inn at the crossroads. That time seemed like ages ago, he had barely been able to cast a sign without fainting on the spot. It was a wonder he had been able to make it through alive. One thing had kept him going, and that was the knowledge that at the end of the path he was on, was Ciri. He took a moment to realize just how far he had come.

When they had first arrived in Velen, signs would knock him out after one use. Now, using them too often was still dangerous for him, however he had gotten significantly better reserving his energy, and having used them so many times his body was finally becoming used to it. They had grown more powerful now as well, not nearly at the level he knew they would need to get too, but still significantly improved. His swordplay had gotten better as well, his movements were getting sharpers, his footwork more precise and his swiftness was growing with every training session he had with Geralt.

It had felt like so long since that first day of his journey with Geralt, he had come far. However he also knew that there was still a long way to go.

Roche speaking up from next to Geralt got his attention. He retracted the spyglass with a huff, "Village is awash with Black Ones already. They're preparing to execute folk."

The words brough his attention back to the village. His hands curled into fists as he saw the gold sun banners blowing in the breeze below. It had been the same way in Cintra, during the middle of the riots he remembered people being strung up and hanged at random parts of the streets. Those damn golden suns on the black banner were placed everywhere in the streets. A part of him didn't blame Ves at all for what she had done, and her desire to smash the Black Ones. However, he also understood what Roche had been angry about. In the current situation, if they saved the village, it would only bring them more trouble.

More Black Ones would come, and soon the villagers would give up the Temarian camp location to make it stop. One misstep and the group would be found, and all of them killed. He sighed and shook his head, shutting his eyes tight, not wanting to see the black banner anymore.

"No sign of Ves yet…" Geralt said from one knee on the ground.

Roche shook his head, "She's impetuous, but not stupid. She's probably laying in wait, waiting for dusk or-."

"Hear that Geralt," he said quickly, his eyes shooting open as he rushed towards the edge of the hill.

He heard the footsteps and faint yelling from the right. It would have been impossible for anyone not trained by Witchers to hear it was so faint. Geralt quickly rushed up next to him with Roche on his tail.

"Yeah… three lightly armored people, approaching from the right," Geralt said, as they all finally heard the screams of Ves.

"DEATH TO THE BLACK ONES," The young woman's screams rang through the countryside.

He heard the clanging of steel and shouting in Nilfgaardean. Ves and her two soldiers had attacked, and the fighting soon began in the middle of the village. The Nilfgaardeans were a squad of seven, with three heavily armored knights, attacking was suicide, and right away his hand went to his blade.

"Dammit," Roche swore from behind them, "Geralt, Dominik we have to help!"

The racking of steel against scabbards could be heard as the three of them drew their steel. He could see that Ves and her fighters were quickly being overrun, so he broke out into a sprint with his blade drawn. He had fought armored knights only a few times in his travels, and each time had been a difficult fight. A few times it had been Nilfgaardeans like it was now, others were common bandits who had collected plate armor from dead battlefields. Taking one down was difficult because of how well covered the armor had them. His attacks had to be precise and at the only few spots the armor didn't cover. The back of their legs. A small piece of their underarm. The spot on their under arms, right behind their elbows. And of course the neck, everywhere else was useless to attack.

He saw the three heavily armored knights begin to surround Ves and the last man she had standing. Reaching down to his belt he pulled a bomb, a samum, and lit it with the Igni sign. As the fuse slowly burned away, he chucked it towards the soldiers. It exploded, hitting all three soldiers, and sending them into a frenzy, grabbing their heads completely stunned. He took the chance, sliding down on his knees as he approached, slashing across the back of one knights knees, before coming up spinning and slicing across the small bit of his exposed throat.

Ves looked at him with astonishment, as he heard the twang of bowstring. He whirled around and raised his blade, with the flick of his wrist the arrow was deflected, and Roach quickly sliced across the archers chest. A few more light soldiers attacked Ves and he, he parried and spun, slicing across ones back, before he looked and saw Geralt

Geralt deflected blows from the last two knights that were alive. In their clunking plate they were helpless to stop the older Witcher. Geralt parried one blow from a man with such power, the mans blade flew from his hand. Quickly his adopted father spun low, slicing across the back of his leg. Another knight then tried to attack Geralt from behind, but the white-haired Witcher heard the attack coming. He spun around and deflected the attack, knocking his attackers blade upwards, before swiftly jabbing his steel sword into his under arm. The knight wailed before Geralt quickly pulled out his blade, spinning and slicing upwards across the mans neck, ending him.

He heard a war cry in Nilfgaardean behind him and whirled around to see two more men charging at him. Ves quickly intercepted the first blow, but the second man came straight for him. He leveled his blade and parried the first set of strikes that came his way. The coat of arms, the gold sun could be seen on the man's light gambeson. Finally he caught the mans blade on his, and after he did used all the strength, he had to push the mans blade upwards, he spun around to the mans back and jabbed his blade through him, killing him, and finally bringing a silence to the village.

Sighing he yanked his blade from the man, and carefully slid it back behind his back. He saw Geralt to his left do the same, slowly walking over to him. His adopted father got over to him with a smirk.

"Well, doesn't look like you're too tired after all," Geralt said with a smile.

He felt a laugh escape his mouth as he shook his head, "Never going to hear me complain about killing Black Ones…. But that's not what's important now. Tonight, we find out what happened to Ciri."

Geralt nodded, and he looked as if he was about to say something but was interrupted by a furious Vernon Roche.

"Dammit Ves have you gone completely mental," The commander screamed. Geralt and he both turned to see him walk over to the young woman, "You ignore my orders. Go off on a suicide mission. And instead of donning a breastplate, you rush into battle, shirt open, navel and whatnot exposed!"

Seeing the scene unfold before him, couldn't help but flash him back to his short time alone with Geralt alone while Ciri went to the Temple of Melitele. Plenty of times had his thirteen-year-old self-ran off, charging into a battle he had no chance of winning, only for Geralt to arrive and them both having to fight out of it. He watched as Ves and Roach stared each other down, Ves crossing her arms.

"You're not my father Roche, you have no right to tell me what to wear," The young woman said, bravely not taking her eyes away from the man.

Roche scoffed and screamed again, "But I am your commander and you will obey me! Guerilla warfare. Warfare! It involves armies for fuck's sake!"

Ves's tough act seemed to crumble, as she looked to the villagers hiding in their houses, "They helped us Roche…. I could not abandon them."

He felt a twinge of sympathy for the young woman. Of all the people she could have encountered, he knew what it was like to hate the Black Ones. If it had been a few weeks prior that he had encountered a situation like the one before him now, he would have the same type of fury as Ves did. He would never forgive the Black Ones for what they had put him through, what they had done to his home. There was nothing that would ever make him not want to put a sword in the emperor's throat. He would never forget Cintra, his home, and how it was put to the torch.

However, in the moment of hatred he felt then, he heard the voice in his head.

_"More than anything you know that but… right now I need to keep moving, we have to do it now" _The voice of Ciri, from the dream that Corinne Tilly had given him.

It reminded him that she was alive, and that no matter the hatred he felt, no matter what obstacle he came across, she was what mattered. Finding her.

His thoughts were interrupted by Roche who shook his head, scowling at the young woman, "It's a soldiers job to kill Ves. Not save, not rescue. If that's not to your liking, join the sisters of Melitele and become a healer. Fucking hell…. Surrender your weapon, you'll get it back when and if you wise up. Move out!"

Roche was a tough commander he could tell; however he could also see in the mans eyes how truly worried for the young woman he had been. He watched as Ves unsheathed her sword and handed it over to Roche. Roche took it, but he could see the look of slight disappointment and regret in the man's eyes. It looked like they were about to all leave when a loud cough hit the air.

He shot around with the other three, and they all saw one of the Nilfgaardean knights crawling, his head rising up to see the four of them.

"Looks like you got a prisoner…" Geralt said from next to him, as the knight attempted to crawl.

Ves spoke up before any of them could, "You took my weapon Roche, so it looks like I'll have to manage with my bare hands."

The young women went to step forward, but Roche held out an arm to stop her, turning back to face them with a hard look, "Leave him be, there are corpses enough here. We're leaving."

He turned to Roche with a shocked expression, although not nearly as shocked as Ves. The young woman scoffed and shouted, "Are you mental Roche!? He came here to murder civilians. He's seen us. Will you have him return to his camp and report!?"

Everything Ves said had been true, but he looked down at the coughing, half-dead Nilfgaardean. Despite all of the hatred he had for that fucking coat of arms, something Geralt had taught him very early on, was that you don't kill defenseless men. There was no honor in it. It was the code and attitude that Geralt, and his father had always instilled in him. It had been tested at times, but he always tried to do what he thought would make Geralt proud while fighting.

Roche turned to the three of them, his eyes growing softer, "Emhyr knows we can kill his men… let him also know we can show mercy."

"Got a point Roche, besides killing a defenseless-." Geralt tried to start, before Ves angrily cut him off.

"Has the Witcher taken your stones Roach! What is wrong with you, they're sadists, they're the occupiers," The young woman yelled again, pleading with her commander.

Sighing he stepped in-front of the younger woman, "Look, I understand how you feel. I'm from fucking Cintra, I know what it's like to hate the Black Ones," he started, looking back down at the crawling, defenseless man, "But if we go around, killing defenseless soldiers, ones who can't defend themselves… then well, we're no better than they are. And I don't know about you but… the only thing worse for me then the Black Ones, would be people thinking I'm just like them."

The words hung he spoke hung over the younger woman. He could see her face contorting, trying to think of something else to say, but no words came. The truth of the matter was, he didn't want to kill the defenseless man. He hated the sight of the Nilfgaardean banner, it reminded him of that night eleven years ago, the blood, destruction and carnage. However, in that moment, he heard her voice in his head again. Ciri was out there, and she was in danger from something far worse than the Nilfgaardean army. That was his priority, everything else was going to be pushed to the side until he found her, and she was safe.

Roche took the opportunity to speak up, "We're done here," he said, turning to the crawling knight, who was beginning to stagger to his feet, "And you Nilfgaardean, piss off before I change my mind."

The knight muttered a few words in Nilfgaardean and nodded to them before turning around to stumble away. He sighed in relief, as he looked out over the countryside again. The sun was almost back down behind the horizon, the nighttime growing closer. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Geralt looking down at him with an approving smile.

He smiled back up at his adopted father, before Roche got their attention.

"We had better start back before they send a patrol," The commander started, Geralt and he both turning to him, "Thank you Geralt for your help. And you Dominik, it was good to meet you… you raised a fine lad Geralt."

He felt a smile come to his face as Geralt looked down to him, "I did yeah…. Thanks again for your help Roach."

Roach smiled once more and nodded to them, reaching out a hand and firmly shaking both of theirs, "No, thank you both. Should you ever need anything, you both know where to find me. Good luck on your quest."

Again he felt a smile come to his face. Roche was another name he wrote down in the back of his head. A friend who could aid them. As he knew from the very beginning, and he learned who Ciri was running from, finding her was only going to be the start. The battle against the Hunt would come, he, Ciri and Geralt wouldn't be able to face them alone. They were going to need the help of friends, and other allies to fight back.

As he watched Vernon Roche leaving with Ves at his side, the two locked in intense conversation, he knew he had found another friend and ally. Sighing he turned back to Geralt, just as the sun finally began to set, and the light of the moon was starting to be visible. It was going to be a full moon that night, and a beautiful night would come along with it. A gently breeze ran through his wavy hair, as Geralt came up next to him, his arms crossed, a look of pride on his face as he looked at his adopted son.

"I'm proud of you for that," Geralt said to him, his voice beaming with as much expression as he could put into it.

He chuckled lightly and shook his head, "It wasn't anything. Just a normal fight, I mean-."

"No not that," Geralt said, meeting his yellow eyes down to his, "For what you said. Part of me expected you to slice that Nilfgaardeans throat. But… you remembered what I taught you and put your anger aside."

A warm feeling swirled in his gut as he smiled, looking out over the darkened fields, before turning back to Geralt.

"Well… there's just more important stuff on my mind right now. Finding Ciri… this is where it all started… and it feels like we're getting closer and closer," He said, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck.

Geralt came up next to him with his arms crossed, as the two Witchers admired the bright, now moonlit view of the fields.

"You're right, not far behind her at all… and after tonight we should find another piece to the puzzle…. I believe we're late for an appointment," His adopted father said, with his signature sarcasm laced inside it.

He felt himself scoff a laugh as he looked up and met Geralt's eyes, "I think you're right… to Oxenfurt. It's time we finally introduced ourselves to Whoreson Junior."

**A/N: So ends our chapter with Vernon Roche! Next chapter Dominik and Geralt both are finally going off to find Whoreson Junior and figure out what happened to Ciri.**

**What are you predictions for how the interaction will go? We also get a Ciri POV, what do you think she's thinking now, knowing she only missed Dominik by a few days? What are you looking forward to for the rest of Novigrad? How will Dom and Geralt help Triss Merigold? Will Dominik or Geralt help put on Priscilla's play? What do you make of the dreams Dom's beginning to have of Cintra and his sister what does this drem with his sister show us and why's it coming back now?**

**Also, please if you guys are wondering anything about Dom's past, Geralt's past, Ciri's past, or ANYTHING in my timeline with Dominik in the world, please tell me, I may just answer your question with a flashback in a chapter.**

**Thanks so much again everyone for so much support. I estimate about ten chapters left in Novigrad before we head to the Skellige Isles, tell me what you're excited to see play out in a review. Thanks for all the support again, see you all next time and please stay safe everyone!**


	27. Get Junior III

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 27: Get Junior III**

**Narrator: After going to visit Geralt's old friend Vernon Roche, and helping him with some business, the two Witchers finally had what they were looking for. They discovered that Whoreson Junior was hidden away by King Radovid and the Redanian army in a mansion in Oxenfurt. Determined to figure out what happened to Ciri and I on that faithful night, the two Witchers set out. Under the cover of night, Dominik and Geralt both entered the city, intent on finally getting face to face with Cyprian Wiley, Whoreson Junior.**

The night had finally fallen over Oxenfurt, and unlike Novigrad the streets at night were completely deserted. In Novigrad there were at least drunk patrons stumbling about, and shady characters looking to snatch your coin purse. However in Oxenfurt, the streets were all abandoned except for the guards clanking along the cobblestones in their armor. He couldn't help but feel that whatever greater power there was, knew what he and Geralt were going to do that night, and kept the streets clear for him. The only lights that helped him see was from the torches lining the streets and wall scones along the mansion walls. Silently, Geralt and he kept the alleyway, as the older Witcher poked his head around the side, seeing the entrance to Whoreson's mansion.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and his heart raced. Inside that mansion now was information about Ciri, and he was going to get it. A light breeze blew in the streets sending a small chill down his back, as he tried to control his breathing. He subconsciously adjusted the straps to his armor, tightening the gambeson and pulling up his gloves. Geralt peered around the corner of the alley, with his darker armor, and silent footsteps he could easily disappear into the shadows at any moment.

His adopted father sighed turning back to him, his yellow eyes meeting his emerald ones.

"Two guards posted outside, time to see if Radovid was telling the truth, you ready," The older Witcher asked him.

Slowly he nodded. He had been ready since they first heard that Ciri had an encounter with the man. His messy, wavy brown hair blew in the wind, as his hands twitched, ready to move.

Geralt met his eyes one more time, this time a harder look came to the older Witcher's face.

"Listen, you've been doing well with it, but I need you to keep calm when we find him," Geralt said to him carefully.

His heart started to beat even faster. A new bomb's fuse was slowly starting to burn in his stomach. He thought about all of the men who had hurt Ciri in the pass, Vilgefortz, Leo Bonhart, Eredin. All of those men were out of his reach, she had to deal with them herself, they had hurt her, tried to capture her, and he hadn't been able to be there to stop them at all. Now, he was moments away from being with another man who had apparently had another run in with her. If he had hurt her in any way, it wasn't going to end well for him. However, he saw the truth in Geralt's words. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize getting information about her.

Sighing as another breeze chilled his spine, he nodded to Geralt, "Alright I promise. Keep the blade away till the last possible moment."

Geralt nodded with a smile and gestured for him to follow, "Good. Come on, let's go."

Quietly he followed Geralt from out of the alleyway. A few soldiers clunked past them, carrying halberds and shields, but they took no notice of either of them. He and Geralt's footsteps were silent as they kept to the side of the road. Whoreson's mansion that the Redanian's had given him was more of an estate. High walls with torches hanging off them, and through small windows, he could see grounds with flowers beds and a fountain. Two sets of steps leading to two smaller houses, while the main, bigger building was nestled to the left. In his short glance through the window, he could see multiple armed guards patrolling along Whoreson's grounds. The wind chilled his blood, as his sword clunked in its sheath. He was eager to draw it, to blast his way into the compound and drag Whoreson out by his scrawny neck.

However he knew that Geralt preferred to stay discreet as long as possible. He followed behind the white-haired Witcher as they finally approached the gate. Two men guarded it, both wearing trousers and silk purple tops. Both had on the clown masks, with multiple tattoos down their bodies, both carried blades at their sides. He took in a deep, steadying breath as Geralt approached them first.

"Greetings," His adopted father said in his deep gravely voice, "We're here about-."

As soon as he stepped into their view next to Geralt, one man shot out his hand, "That's him! I recognize that one!"

His eyes widened for a moment, before his hand slowly started to twitch upwards. The other guard's hand went to his belt and he quickly drew out his blade.

"Yeah, I remember! He's one of the Witcher's that attacked the casino! Killed Olgierd and Vick," The man said, as they both now had their blades drawn.

Geralt looked at him with an eye roll, and he sighed. He carefully held up his hands and tried to laugh at the two men.

"Gentlemen please, that was all just a friendly misunderstanding at the casino," He said, knowing that his efforts would be in vein.

Sure enough neither guard believed him. The first one quickly charged at him, swinging his blade at him from the right. He didn't have time to draw his sword, so quickly his hand went to the dagger on his belt. The man's strike was wild, so he managed to catch his attackers hand with his own, before quickly jabbing the dagger into the clown mans underarm. The henchman screamed, but quickly Dominik pulled his dagger out of the man, before quickly jabbing it upwards into this throat, silencing the screaming. He whirled back around, and just before the second guard could lunge at him, Geralt's sword plunged through his back with a squelch before the man fell to the ground. Sighing in disappointment, he twirled the dagger in his hand before sliding it back into his belt.

"You and Faram must've made some good friends at the casino," Geralt said sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes at the older Witcher, "You could say that yeah. Come on, let's move these bodies to the alley before a patrol comes around."

Geralt nodded, and he reached down to grab the arms of the two guards. He dragged the lifeless corpse by the hands to the alley nearby, it was small and wedged between the mansion grounds and the nearby building. Before he plopped the body to the ground, he pulled the ring of keys the man had been carrying off his belt. A few bronze keys hang from it, and he assumed one of them was to open the door to the estate.

It was going to be almost impossible to get inside without fighting now. He watched as Geralt dropped the second body to the ground, before reaching into the bag on his waist. The older Witcher pulled out a small potion vile, it contained a rich turquoise mixture, that Geralt quickly downed in second. The older Witcher winced for moment, before the veins on his neck grew, and the effects went into his mutated body.

"Thunderbolt," Dominik asked, checking his own belt as well.

He check to make sure he had enough bombs, which thankfully he did. A couple of samum bombs, and another dragon's dream hung from his belt, along with his dagger and of course the sword on his back. Through the years he had always felt slightly hampered that he could drink any of the Witcher potions. A few of them, like Cat, Tawny Owl, or Killer Whale were much less toxic, and despite the fact he still felt like he needed to throw up afterwards, he was able to drink those when needed. However, Swallow, Thunderbolt, Blackblood, some of the more useful potions he would never be able to drink.

With his alchemical knowledge however he was still able to make other simple potions. One to help sooth pain, or calm his nerves, or to get his blood flowing again after he had lost a lot of it. Through the years, he couldn't rely on mutations, or potions to help him heal after fights. He knew that if he was going to go out on the path alone, and search for Ciri on his own he'd need to develop his other skills as much as he could.

That's why he became a master at making oils, bombs, witcher traps, and made sure to study the bestiary as closely as he could, so no matter the monster he knew what he was up against and could exploit the weakness.

Despite not being able to drink most Witcher potions, he had also made sure to have an acute knowledge of healing potions and other formulae. Freya in Ellander was the best he had ever met when it came to herbs, potions, and healing. He did more then just have a romantic relationship with the girl when he was with her, he made sure to learn everything he could. She had taught him much in the time he spent with her.

He spent years honing these skills for this moment. When he finally had a breakthrough in his search for Ciri. It had finally come. However he knew that he still needed to get even stronger. That was what the late-night training sessions with Geralt had been for, the new lessons with Faram.

Geralt took in a deep steadying sigh before looking back at him, "Yeah, Thunderbolt. You got a samum on you?"

"Always," He said, pulling the bomb from his belt.

Geralt nodded, "Good, no way we're going to sneak around now. Can hear about 15 of them, toss that to create some chaos. You ready?"

He looked over towards the large walls of the mansion and could see the larger house jetting out over them. Somewhere in that compound, was a man who knew what had happened to Ciri.

And he was going to have a friendly chat with him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Geralt had been right, they noticed them as soon as they entered the compound. He heard the racking of steel being slid from sheaths, and the twang of crossbows being knocked. A group came charging at Geralt, and so he did exactly what the older Witcher had ordered. His hand went to his belt as he pulled out the samum bomb. He lit the fuse with his sign and tossed the bomb forward, the group of men that had been charging were all hit and stunned by the explosion, one even being knocked to the ground by the shrapnel. A crossbow twanged, and he heard a clatter of steel. He looked to the left and Geralt had deflected the bolt with his blade just before it hit him.

"Deal with the archers," His adopted father yelled to him, leaping into the fray against the group of henchmen he had stunned.

He nodded just before he heard the firing of another crossbow. Whirling around he spotted the bolt and waved his sword upwards. It deflected the bolt into the ground, and he ran up towards where they were positioned. It was as he saw when he peaked into the door. A garden and fountain were in the middle where Geralt was taking down thugs with a flurry of spins and parries. Two sets of stairs were leading up to two smaller houses. He spotted four men with crossbows, and as he ran up the stair's he heard another flurry of bolts fire. He couldn't see them, so he shot his hands upwards and the yellow Quen shield sprang up around him.

The bolts hit his shield and bounced off as he reached the top of the steps. The four crossbowmen pulled out blades, and he lowered his shield and rolled forward into action. He felt his blood pump through his chest at an alarming rate. His sword moved in such precise motion he surprised himself. Four men lashed out at him, but he spun, parried and deflected blows from all four sides of him.

He knocked man's sword upwards and spun around to slice across the mans throat. Quickly he raised up his blade behind his back and deflected a horizontal blow that would have sliced through his back. His attacked tried to power through the block, he was about to try and spin to counter, when he heard another man rushing towards him. Another one of the men came to try and slice him from the front while he held the block. Quickly he ducked and spun away, and the mans momentum brought him forward so he sliced across his allies chest.

Dominik took the advantage, spinning back towards the man, jabbing his blade through the mans back. Three lay dead, but he heard the twang of a crossbow being loosed again. Whirling around he knocked aside one bolt, before he charged towards the final archer. He leaped with a spin, and sliced the mans crossbow clean in half, before he got behind the man and sliced down the back of his legs. His opponent fell to his knees, and Dominik spun around slicing down with his faithful blade to lop off the man's head.

He stopped himself and regained his composure, gripping both hands on his sword as he looked at the bodies strewn about. The hair on his neck continued to stand up and all he could hear in his head was her voice. Ciri's voice, _'More than anything you know that but… right now I need to keep moving, we have to do it now'. _She was at stake, the information to her was at stake, and he felt his blood pressure begin to rise, the bomb of anger's fuse slowly began to simmer again. He heard the clanging of steel and saw another group of men surrounding Geralt below. Breaking off in a run, he twirled his blade to a reverse grip.

He jumped and spun, using his momentum to slice across the back of one man who had come up behind Geralt. For a few moments he fought back to back with the older Witcher. The two moved and spun off each other's movements in perfect synchronization. He spun around Geralt's back and deflected one mans blow before slicing across his stomach and spun to another man. Quickly he parried two more strikes before the man went for a stab. He knocked the man's blade downwards and stabbed his own blade through his stomach and kicked him back.

Another man went for a stab to his right, but Geralt quickly saved him by spinning around and cutting clean through the mans hands, and ending him with a quick, deep slice to the chest. Only a few remained and he heard the voice in his head again, _"More than anything you know that but… right now I need to keep moving, we have to do it now". _It had only been a few days after he had left Novigrad. If he had only waited a few days more, if he hadn't been such a petulant child all throughout the last eight years, she'd be with him right now. He could have stopped her from going through all the horrible things she had, he should have saved her, she had been through hell and back twice now, and he hadn't been able to help her either time. It wouldn't happen again he was going to be there for her this time.

"COME ON," He yelled, feeling the anger spew from his mouth like an active volcano.

He lashed out, gripping his sword with both hands towards one more man. With as much strength as he could muster, he swung down knocking the mans sword from his hands. Next, he brought a slash down across the mans chest, before spinning and cutting clean through the mans head. The clowns head rolled at his feet, and the body slumped to the ground with a large thud. He heard another sword cut through flesh and screams from behind him and whirled to see Geralt cut his steel through another man. The body fell in front of the older Witcher, and he looked back up to him, a river of blood and corpses flowing through Whoreson's estate.

The older Witcher took in a steadying breath and looked up at him, "You alright?"

Dominik took a few deep breaths to steady his heart rate as well. It had been beating at such an alarming rate he was worried that he'd soon have a heart attack. It still felt as if a bomb was exploding in his chest, and the shrapnel was cutting up his intestines. The anger that was flaring up in his gut wasn't something he'd ever felt before in his life. The last time he remembered being so angry, was the day that Ciri had disappeared, and even then, he had been more devastated then angry.

Sighing he slung his sword back into it's sheath and looked up at Geralt, "I'm fine. Come on, lets go get this fucker."

Geralt's face turned dark as well, only being lit by the light of the moon and torches. The older Witcher quickly kicked open the door to the nearby mansion. The house was so large it jutted out over the walls of the estate itself. The house was so elegant he couldn't believe that someone like Whoreson had been inhabiting it. It had a long table in the living room, beautifully carved bookshelves, along with silver candlesticks to help light the room. Despite the fact that the mansion seemed so well maintained, there was only one thing that he could focus on as he took his first few steps into the building itself.

It was the stench of blood. He knew what blood smelled like, from the night of the massacre of Cintra, to the hundreds of monsters and men he'd killed. The smell, the stench blood left behind was a distinct metallic smell. And the stench of it was strong in that house. The stench of death and decay, he felt his finger begin to tremble again as he looked over to Geralt. His adopted father had managed to keep his cool so far, but Dominik could tell that he smelled the blood as well.

The older Witcher gestured for him to follow, so he did. Both of them climbed the stairs in complete silence. The steps didn't creak, and despite them being inside, a chill ran down his spine. The stench of the blood got closer and closer, attacking his nose more fiercely then any monster had ever attacked him. He almost gagged from the stench and coughed as a new mixture of blood and acid hit him.

"Fucking degenerate… if he so much as touched Ciri, he'll pay…" He heard Geralt say in front of him.

There had been very few times in his life that he heard Geralt speak with such intensity, such anger. He could hear venom dripping from his adopted fathers mouth as if it was coming from a snake itself. He was behind him at first, so he didn't see what Geralt had seen. However, hearing such anger in his adopted father's voice, he had to know what he had saw. He pushed his way past Geralt, and when he got to the top floor, he felt his legs lock, and his blood completely turned to ice.

The blood was smeared all over the walls, down the floors and on the tapestries. Women's undergarments hung laid out, bloody on tables next to him, lining down the hall. The blood was a mixture of old, dried blood on the floorboards, and fresh blood flowing from the room down the hall on the left. Bloody knives, hot pokers, and other instruments were strewn about on tables, and again they had a mixture of fresh and old blood on their tips. It was a torture chamber. He realized now what Radovid had meant when he had said Junior didn't treat the women he requested well. If what you did was so cruel that the mad king of Redania scoffed at you, there wasn't many worse things you could so.

Ciri had been here, in the same room, same vicinity as this man. It apparently had ended in him chasing both she and Dandelion through the streets. A new bomb exploded in his stomach, as his legs finally moved. His hands curled into fists, trembling with anger. In the room down the hall was another man who had tried to hurt Ciri as so many had. None of the other ones were within his reach at the moment.

However this one was.

He got to the door on at the edge of the hallway, a fresh river of blood slowly seeping out from under the door. His hand went out to turn the knob to open the door, but then her voice played in his head. _'More than anything you know that but… right now I need to keep moving, we have to do it now'. _He hadn't been able to get his hands on Vilgefortz or Leo Bonhart, he couldn't reach Eredin now… but as soon as he looked and saw the swallow dangling around his neck, he felt something explode inside of him.

His hand shot forward and the blue blast from the Aard sign blew the door of its hinges. He heard a scream come from inside, as he slowly walked in, and saw what had happened. A bloody bed was to his left, while above him, hanging from a high ceiling beam, from a noose was a naked, bloody young woman with her throat cut. His blood raced through his body at an alarming rate again, his face contorted into a snarl. To his right in a large tub, were three more women, all with their throats cut, their lifeless bodies lying in the water tainted with blood.

"What the sandwich fuck is this," A nasally voice screamed from the ground.

He looked down below him and got his first glimpse of the man. Whoreson was only wearing his brown trousers. The man was scrawny, lanky with brown hair tied back behind his head. His beady brown eyes stared at him, and he could see the madness, the absolute derangement spewing from them.

Again, he felt something erupt inside him as his fist curled.

"Hello Junior," He said in a deep, dark tone. Rearing his hand back, he shot his fist out with such fury, that he heard a loud _*crack* _and he couldn't tell if it was from Junior's nose, or his knuckles, but either way the man got sent sprawling to the ground, "We're here to talk…"

The man wailed and grabbed his nose, trying to scramble back up to his feet. However, Dominik wasn't the only angry one in the room. Geralt had just entered behind him, and when Junior tried to rise, the older Witcher kicked him in the ribs, sending him back down to the ground.

Spitting blood from his mouth, Junior crawled up to all fours like a dog, "Oh… fuck… fuck me…"

Ciri's face flashed in his head, and he felt himself erupt again. He reached down, gripping the man by his long brown hair, and yanking it back. He tossed the man back behind him, sending him slamming into a bookshelf. It seemed the initial shock had warn off from the man, because when he looked up, he finally seemed to realize what was happening. Two very large, and very angry men stood above him, and he knew Whoreson could see how angry they were.

"HELP, help me for fuck's sake," The man yelled down the hall, praying for his thugs to come rescue him.

It was Geralt's turn to step forward, as he reared back and stomped his boot into the man's abdomen again, "Nobody is coming to help you."

"H…help, somebody," The man continued to wail, and he felt himself snap again.

"He said, nobody's coming, didn't you hear him," Dominik said, his tone deathly low. He gripped the man by his arm and dragged him towards the bathtub that the dead women lay in.

Feeling the rage build up and spew out of him, he gripped the mans hair, and smashed his face into the tub. After hearing another crack, he lifted the man's head above the water, before smashing it into the pool of blood.

"If you so much as fucking touched her, I'll rip your fucking tongue out of your mouth with my bare hands," He hissed at the man, bringing his head back above the water after he thrashed for air.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about I swear," The man wailed in a high-pitched tone, before Dominik took him and threw him to the ground in front of Geralt.

Geralt looked down at the scrawny man, his arms crossed, "Get up you fucking degenerate. You're going to answer some of our questions."

His hands were still trembling, Whoreson had gotten off easy. All he could see was Ciri's face, hear her voice, and then look at the women who were laying dead all around him, mutilated and raped. Careful not to take his eyes off the man, he moved next to Geralt, while he was shorter then the older Witcher, Whoreson seemed to be scared of Dominik more. Geralt gestured towards the chair that sat next to the bed. Whoreson, careful not to take his eyes off either Witcher, meekly walked over towards the chair, and turned to look at them both.

His nose had been bloodied, sticking out at an odd angle. He clearly had broken it, and it was gushing blood down the mans face. A new bruise sat on his forehead, and on his tattooed chest were multiple boot marks from where Geralt and he had stomped him.

"I… I'll tell you everything I know I swear," The man said, trying to raise his arms up.

Geralt smirked and looked over to Dominik, "Hear that Dom, Junior here is going to tell us everything."

He had his arms crossed, but his fingers were gripping onto his arms, eager to spring forward to hit the man again. The woman dangling from the ceiling's feet waved in-front of Whoreson's face, and it took every bit of control he had to not lash out again.

"Good… he better, or else bad things are going to happen… very bad things," He said, his tone growing ever lower.

Whoreson's eyes widened and he nodded his head, "I will, truly I will, whatever you want I'll tell you!"

Geralt narrowed his eyes at the man, and Dominik could see the cold murderous glare his adopted father was giving him. It was a look of rage to rival his own, however Dominik could feel his emerald eyes glowing with hot fire. His hand's twitched as Geralt spoke in a low, dangerous tone.

"We're looking for a young woman and a minstrel… we know that you had a run in with them," Geralt said to the man slowly, straining every last word to get his point across.

Whoreson scoffed and looked between them both, "A bird? A fucking bird-."

He didn't get to finish his sentence as Dominik's vision turned red again. His fist flew out into the man's stomach, and he kicked him down right into the chair. The insult had finally sent him over the edge, he pulled his dagger from his belt, and gripped Whoreson by the hair, the dagger went right under his throat, pushing him in the chair back up against the tub.

"ASHEN HAIR, SCAR ON HER FACE, SWORD ON HER BACK," He screamed at the top of his lungs, spit firing into the mans face, "We know that you saw her. Do you remember, or do I need to jar your fucking memory!?"

He dug the tip of his dagger into the mans chin, and suddenly he wasn't in the mood to make jokes.

"Yes…. Yes, yes, yes, I remember, she was here yes," The man wailed, as Dominik violently yanked on his hair one more time before tossing it aside and taking a step back next to Geralt.

Dominik spit at the man's feet, as his vision finally went back to normal. He had never felt rage like that before in his life, and when it finally came out, it was as if he had seen nothing but red. Finally Whoreson breathed a shaky sigh and looked back up at them.

Geralt crouched down and met the man's eyes, "Now Junior. Let me tell you why you shouldn't lie to us."

"I won't lie, honest I won't," The man quickly wailed to them both.

Geralt slowly shook his head and stood back up to his feet. The older Witcher paced in front of Junior, his dangerous yellow eyes not leaving the scrawny clown man.

"The woman we're looking for, is very important to us. Dominik and I, been looking for her for a long time," Geralt said, looking over to meet Dominik's eyes now, "How long exactly has it been since you've seen her Dom, tell our friend Junior."

Dominik's eyes went to Junior, who had shakily turned to face him.

"Eight years…" he said slowly, not taking his eyes away from Whoreson's beady little brown ones.

The scrawny man's eyes went wide, before Geralt knelt down in front of him again.

"Eight years, that's a long time. Been a while for me as well… Dominik, why don't you tell Junior about what your eight-year search has been like," Geralt said, gesturing for him to come in front of the man.

It may have been cruel, what they were doing, but no sympathy ran through Dominik's veins. The floor creaking below him, he moved over and crouched down to be eye level with Junior.

The clown man didn't dare interrupt him and seemed to be shaking to the core.

"Been looking for her since I was fourteen. It's been a long, hard road, nearly died a couple hundred times," He said slowly, and Junior began to shake more with every word, "Had to kill a lot of people along the way. Some tried to cheat me, others lied to me. Through it all though… Geralt and I found her trail. And you know where it led us? Right to you… I feel like one more lie would send me over the edge… and I'll do something I later regret. Do you understand what I'm trying to say you fucking pig?"

Whoreson nodded his head so hard he nearly fell out of his chair, "Yes…. Yes I understand completely."

"Good…" He said slowly, standing up and looking at Geralt.

The older Witcher stepped forward again and Whoreson looked up to meet his eyes now.

"Now, the ashen haired women, I want you to tell us how you ended up meeting her, and what happened to her," Geralt said slowly, his arms crossed.

Whoreson scoffed again and his eyes went wide, looking between Geralt and he, "What happened to her!? She attacked me!"

His finger curled again, and the red started to come into his vision again.

"Lie one more time. And I'll cut your fucking balls off, I'll make what Dom's done to you look like child's play," Geralt said in his low raspy voice.

Despite all the torture they had put Whoreson through, he had to give the man credit. Somehow, he managed to laugh.

"Hehehe, that wench she-." The man was cut off yet again when Dominik saw red.

The younger Witcher pulled his dagger from his belt and smacked his arm downwards. The dagger implanted itself in the wood of the chair, right between Whoreson's legs. The man yelped and tried to scramble back in the chair as the dagger nearly stabbed right into his balls. Dominik looked up and met his eyes, before yanking the dagger out of the wood.

"I suggest you one, stop with the insults," He said narrowing his eyes at the man, "And two, I also suggest you get to the fucking point. Patience isn't my strong suit, inherited that from my mother."

Whoreson gulped again an quickly nodded his head, as Dominik stood back up next to Geralt. The younger Witcher waved at the man to continue, and Whoreson shakily sighed, leaning his elbows down on his knees. The clown man composed himself and looked back up at them both.

"We's made a deal see. I was to repair their magic phyla-whatsit. That wenc-… girl and the songster were to bring me Sigi Reuven's treasure," The man explained shakily, gulping before he went on, "They didn't, so I might've flown off the handle a bit I admit…"

Before Dominik could finally stab the man, Geralt intervened and spoke, "Tell us what you did and remember… don't lie."

Whoreson shook his head quickly and looked at them again, "I nabbed their flunky, Dodo, and waited for them to come to me."

For a few moments he forgot his rage as the puzzle finally clicked in Dominik's head. They had robbed Dijkstra's vault for Whoreson, but he still needed to know why. Thankfully Whoreson wasn't finished talking, as the man shakily pointed his finger towards the dresser across the room.

"That… that there is what they wanted fixed," He said, his voice still meek and terrified.

He whirled around and walked over to the dresser the man was pointing too. Slowly, he walked over, and his eyes widened when he realized what the box was. It was a phylactery, and the puzzle had finally pieced together. Ciri had needed to either open or enchant the box somehow, but it was magically sealed, that was part of the reason she was looking for Geralt, Yennefer and he. Geralt knew a magnitude of people who could possibly get the box open, while Dominik himself did as well. He had done plenty of favors for powerful mages over the years, and possibly could have found someone.

But how was the box linked to the curse she had been trying to lift? Was she trying to use whatever was inside the box…. Had the curse been casted on her herself, and that was why she was in such a hurry? Gently he picked the smaller box up, and ran his hand along the cold, gold and black material. He could feel his medallion humming around his neck, the box was still rich with magical powers. For some reason it was important to Ciri, so carefully he put it into his bag, before turning back to Geralt and Whoreson.

"You expect us to believe you're smart enough to open a phylactery," He spat out to the man, walking back up next to Geralt.

The man shakily stood to his feet and shook his head, "Not me… but I know a guy. That was the deal."

They knew now why Ciri had come to Novigrad, but still no idea what had happened to her. He knew that Whoreson knew more, he was going to punch the man in the stomach again, but Geralt beat him to it. He slammed his fist into Whoreson's stomach and the man fell back to his seat.

"This isn't good enough Junior. Details, NOW," Geralt demanded, standing up in front of the man.

He came up and stood next to Geralt, staring down at the man as well. Whoreson coughed up a few specks of blood before gulping loudly again and looking back up at them.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you all, just like I happened I swear…." The man pleaded.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Got a bad feeling about this…" Dandelion said worriedly, as she slowly approached the house behind him.

The night was cool, with no rain in sight. Her hair blew gently from the front of her face in the breeze, a cooling chill running down her back. It was a beautiful night on temple isle, she was just glad that it had stopped raining for once. It probably wasn't going to be the best idea, barging in Whoreson Junior's house, the man was deranged, but she'd be damned if she left Dudu in his hands. The doppler had risked his life to help them, and she wasn't just going to leave him in the mans hands.

Her plan was simple, she needed to get Dudu out of there, and then she needed to find where Whoreson had taken the phylactery. After she got it back, she was ready to finally admit that Dandelion had been right. She should have waited for him to contact Dominik and Geralt, either of them would have been much, much better then dealing with Whoreson. However, she didn't know how much time Avallach would have left before the curse took hold, or before the Hunt found her again, she needed to get the box open somehow.

And she knew that Dominik would have pried it open with his bare hands if he could have. Three days. It had only been three days that she had missed him by. Every instinct inside of her, every fiber of her being yearned, pleaded with her brain to wait. He would have ran back to Novigrad on his hands if he had too, that was what Dandelion had told her. She wasn't afraid to admit how she blushed when she heard that, and how much she did when her bard friend told him of what Dominik had been up too.

He had never stopped looking for her. From the moment she had first been separated from him, he had never stopped trying to find her… just like they had promised. Hearing about how he had been the last eight years, made her more and more ashamed herself. When she had first gotten separated from him, she did everything she could to get back, and when she finally did the first time, he hadn't been there. He was still out looking for her, Geralt hadn't been able to find him to bring him to Strygga Castle that day. She remembered how upset it had made her, how she wanted to go look for him then, right away with Geralt. But that was before the damn Lodge had summoned her, cutting off any plans she had of looking for him. It had been made slightly better when Yennefer had told her she located him, and sent him a letter for them to meet in Rivia.

She had been so excited on the way there, buzzing, riding her horse half to death to get there as quick as she could with Triss and Yen. But then she also remembered the crowds, Geralt lying half dead on the ground, and half the crowd chasing someone else… it had been him they were chasing. They were ready to kill him, and that was when Yen had sent Triss to save him, and after it had all ended, when she knew Triss had gotten to Dominik to safety, and she had herself had gotten Yen and Geralt to Malus Island… that was when she made the choice.

The choice she made after rescuing Geralt and Yennefer from Rivia had haunted her for the past two years. Every bit of her wanted to go and find him, after Geralt and Yennefer had been saved and healed, every single bit of her being wanted to go and find where he was, be able to see the goofy smile on his face when he saw her.

But the Hunt was on her trail, and closely at that. She had risked everything to save Geralt from the Hunt, and again she was forced with the choice. Go and find Dominik, bringing the entirety of the Wild Hunt down on the man she loved… or flee so he would be safe…. She had chosen the latter twice, fled twice, and it was something she thought about every day for the two years she had been gone since.

So when Dandelion had told her she had only missed seeing him by three days, she had almost gone off the deep end. However, she would make up for it now.

She would save Dudu, get the phylactery, and Dandelion would get word to Dominik and she would finally see him again. And she could finally tell him how sorry she was.

But the first part of that plan, involved saving Dudu, she wasn't going to let her friend rot in the madman's house.

"Calm down Dandelion. We can't leave Dudu in Whoreson's hands, you know that," She said to the bard, trying to sound reassuring.

The house Whoreson had been held up in seemed like a fortress. However, she could see scaffolding plenty strong enough for her to climb, it was just a matter if finding where the doppler himself was.

The cool breeze blew through her ashen locks, as Dandelion sighed and turned back to her, "I know, I know, but my gut can't be reasoned with, and no amount of sympathy I have can blot it out!"

Sighing she rolled her eyes at the bard, "I'll go in alone you know. You'll stay outside!"

Dandelion scoffed again with his hands on his hips, "I can't let you go in alone! Anything happens to you, Geralt'll rip my head off! That's if Dom doesn't cut my arms off first! I told you we should have waited, none of this would have happened with Dom here. He would've beat the information out of Whoreson, better yet, knew someone else we could've went too!"

She felt herself fluster. Not only did she know that this was true, it also would've meant her getting to see him again. That longing to see him, how much she missed him, Geralt and Yennefer, these were all the reasons she had begged Avallach to come back.

"I know you were right I've already told you that… three fucking days," She muttered, sighing in disappointment.

The bard sighed himself and shook his head, "Ciri… you're all he's thought about for all of this time. He… he isn't that same boy from Kaer Morhen… now all he wants to do is to find you. What do you even want to do if you manage to save Dudu, do you want me to finally contact them!?"

Her heartbeat faster in her chest, but she shook off the flustered feeling. She could lament the fact she had been so close later. She looked to meet the bards eyes and held her hands up in a calming gesture.

"I'll get Dudu out of here, we'll get the phylactery back, and then you can send word to Dom and Geralt. I'll be fine Dandelion," She said, trying to keep her voice in a calming tone.

The bard sighed and shook his head, looking back up to meet her eyes, "If Whoreson hurts you, he… he's going to pay. If… if not from me then just you wait, wait till you see what Dom will do to him if he lays a finger on you."

She couldn't help but smile at the bard's bravery, and feel her face get hot at the mention of him again… and what he was still willing to do for her all these years later. She adjusted the strap of her sword around her back and checked to make sure no guards were coming there way, before looking back to Dandelion.

"Did you figure out where Whoreson is keeping Dudu," She asked him.

Dandelion sighed and nodded, "Yeah, if you climb up you should find it. Room on the top floor, one with the balcony."

Nodded she examined the scaffolding again, and it reminded her of the walls back at Kaer Morhen, the ones that she and Dominik would often challenge each other to races around.

"Alright, I'll meet you outside of Junior's house, get some horses," She said, turning back to the bard, "And I know it's hard, but do try to look inconspicuous."

Dandelion shakily nodded his head and jogged towards the streets.

She looked up at the scaffolding, and if she concentrated hard enough, she could see the great stone walls of Kaer Morhen. The two of them would often climb up to the highest possible towers after training had been done for the day. It was one of their favorite places. They'd sit and admire the sunset together, like they had used to do on the balconies at the castle in Cintra. She'd rest her head on his shoulder while he told her stupid jokes, and they'd watch the sunset. After the sun was finally setting and it was time for them to head to dinner, he'd always say the same thing.

_Alright, let's run the walls, last one to the dining hall cleans up._

She looked up towards the scaffolding, and before she climbed reached around her neck, gripping tightly the bronze ring, remembering his young boyish voice and smile.

"Soon… soon I promise," She said quietly, before leaping up to start her climb.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"There's the balcony… let's see what's inside," She muttered to herself, silently approaching the glass window.

Her boots moved silently across the scaffold, she finally reached the window itself, and gently pushed it open, careful not to make any noise. It was something that she had learned to do even better over the years, stay completely silent, her footsteps unable to be heard… like a true Witcher. After she finally had the window open, she looked down at the scene below, feeling her blood pressure begin to rise, as she tightly closed her fists.

Whoreson was standing over a tied and bound Dudu, a short knife in his hands, as the doppler was bleeding from multiple cuts over his eyes. She was going to make Whoreson pay, pay for what he'd done to her friend. When she had come back the first time, one of the first few questions she asked Geralt as they traveled towards Glyswen, before the Lodge of Sorceresses had summoned her, was what Dominik had been up too. That was when she learned that he had never stopped looking for her, and that Geralt had tried to find him before he came for her at Strygga Castle. However, Geralt had been unable to find him, and with time running out he made his way there without Dominik.

The last time Geralt told her he'd seen Dominik was three years prior. A bounty hunter who had been looking for her attacked him for information outside of Ellander, and Dom was severely wounded. She remembered the rage she felt, she almost set out to track the hunter down before Geralt informed him Dominik had managed to kill the man. She had been ready to rip the throat from the man who had hurt him.

It was part of her nature, she would never leave those she cared about behind, no matter the danger.

"And now, my dear Dodo…. I believe I'll try a different tool. Afraid' I'm quite bored with this one," Junior said in his nasally voice, a shit eating grin still adorned on his face.

Careful not to step on anything that could give her away, she slipped down into the room. Quickly and gracefully she bounded off the dresser underneath her and silently rolled towards the back of the room.

"You're fucking barmy Junior, you know that," She heard Dudu yell desperately.

She silently creeped towards the back of the man, and soon Dudu spotted her. Silently still she nodded her head towards the doppler, her anger rising as she reached up towards her sword. Silently she slid the slender blade from its red sheath.

Dudu looked back to Junior, a small smirk on the dopplers face, "So you enjoy good company? Like making new acquaintances."

Junior tossed his head back and laughed, "Hehehehe, you going to introduce me to someone fucking interesting?"

"I believe we're already acquainted," Ciri said, her voice dripping with venom, her words carrying across the entire room.

Whoreson didn't seem surprised to see her when she turned around. In-fact, the man slowly clapped his hands together with a smile, "Ah there you are! I was wondering when you'd come. Hoping for it in-fact!"

She smirked and leveled her blade, feeling the power begin to swirl inside of her, "Glad I could suffice."

Junior cackled again and pulled his sword, "Hehehehe, Dodo here has squealed delightfully. Dodo here has told me a few things, like the backup you plan to call for instance! Don't rightfully know what one man can do, but I don't like people walking out on deals. Afraid I'll have to kill him as well, but I think I'll toss him in the arena first! A young Witcher fighting in my arena, the amount of coin I'll bring in!"

Something clicked in Ciri's brain in that moment. For a horrible second, she saw it all again. The dungeon, the arena, Bonhart, the disgusting spectators as she was forced to fight men, monsters, bears, wolves, everything, before being tossed back down into that dank cell with nothing but scraps of bread and a madman to keep her company. She could feel the chains around her wrist, a sting on her cheek where Bonhart would beat her to the ground. Some of the most horrific moments of her life happened when she was caught and forced to fight in that arena.

And now Whoreson was threatening to do the same thing, only not to her. Dominik. She would be damned before she ever let what happened to her, happen to him. She would protect him however he could, just like he always had done for her, just like they had promised. Now it wasn't just about saving Dudu. Now, it was saving Dudu, and making Whoreson realize, she had threatened the wrong Witcher.

She lashed out with a quick spin, and before she knew it her and Whoreson were engaged in a steel whirlwind. The man knew how to use his blade; however she hadn't survived everything up to that point, only to be killed and taken down by a man such as he. She parried a strike from the left, knocking the mans blade upwards, before spinning and slashing her sword across his side.

Whoreson reared in pain, before coming back at her again. This time he charged wildly, and she side stepped, fainting backwards with a stab. It connected with the man's hand and he screamed out in pain, dropping his sword. The man still wasn't deterred, he pulled a knife from his coat pocket and swung wildly at her. Finally, he came at her with a thrust, she knocked his arm to the side, before spinning quickly and punching hard across the man's face, the cross guard of her sword jabbing into his eyes. Blood spewed from the mans face as he crumpled to the ground.

"An eye for an eye," She yelled down at him, kicking her boot into his stomach as hard as she could, sending him sprawling to the ground unconscious.

She almost went to slice her blade across the unconscious mans throat, her anger making the hairs on her neck stand up. However she heard more men screaming from down below, and faint footsteps. She cursed and sheathed her sword, running back over to Dudu, getting behind his chair to untie his bonds.

"Ciri! I… I'm sorry I told him about Dominik, I, he-." The doppler started quickly, as she managed to get the bonds untied.

She came around and got low to place her hands on the dopplers shoulders, "It's alright Dudu! Listen, first, Dandelion is going to send word to Dominik and Geralt. After you escape, only reveal yourself to one of them!"

The doppler shook, as they both heard more men rushing towards their location.

"And how are we going to get out of here," Dudu asked frantically, looking at her with wide eyes.

The idea quickly came to her when she saw Whoreson unconscious. She looked back to the doppler quickly, "Okay, here's what we'll do. You change into Whoreson and run out the door holding your face to cover the scar. Order the men to chase after me and flee!"

"I can't just leave you here with them after you," The doppler pleaded with her, as the footsteps began to get closer.

Quickly she shook her head, "There's no time! Go, and escape, transform and hide. Only reveal yourself if you see me, Dandelion, Geralt or Dominik, GO!"

The doppler looked at her for a second longer but didn't argue. She turned and drew her sword again when she heard Dudu transform behind her. She shifted her feet to the proper stance, and felt her powers, the magic swirl around her. As much as she didn't want to, she was going to have to unleash at least part of it if she was to have a chance. As skilled as she was, she knew that Whoreson had laid a trap, and dozens of men would be waiting for her. She watched as Dudu ran past her, in the form of Whoreson and burst through the door.

She let out a deep steadying breath as the four men rushed inside. The cold bronze of the ring around her neck hit against her chest, and it reminded her of him. All she had to do was escape, if she escaped then she would be able to see him. Geralt, Yennefer, Dominik, she would see them all, all she had to do was fight her way out. She had heard about how hard Dominik had been fighting for the last eight years to see her again.

And it was her turn to finally fight equally as hard to get to him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"And that is what happened, I swear it," Whoreson wailed from his seat, his nose still slowly dripping blood.

A new rage gripped him, the man really had tried to kill Ciri, but she had gotten the better of him. She was just about to have Dandelion send for Geralt and he, he would have ran to Novigrad with chains tied to his feet if he had gotten a letter from Dandelion saying she was there. It was another chance he could have seen her sooner that had been squandered. And it was all because of the man sitting in front of him now. Every single bit of his body wanted to stab the man there, stab him, make him slowly bleed to death on the floor as he gasped for breath, calling for help that wouldn't come.

They needed to know more however, so he slowly walked up towards the man, and with every bit of strength he had, backhanded the man across his cheek.

"In case you couldn't tell Junior," He said darkly as the man wailed and gripped his cheek, "We're her backup."

Whoreson gripped his cheek and nose as he slowly raised his head back to look at Geralt and he. The older Witcher stepped up off the bed he had been leaning on and got closer to the man, staring into his beady eyes.

"What happened to the woman Junior… better answer quick, don't know how much longer I can hold Dominik back," His adopted father threatened to the man.

"Fuck if I know," Whoreson quickly said in a pleading voice.

He felt his anger flare again as he took a step towards the man, screaming at the top of his lungs, the anger pulsating through his veins, "WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT LYING!?"

The man's eyes went wide, and he flinched when Dominik stepped forward.

"One… one of the boys got her in the back on the way out… but she's alive I swear," The man screamed, holding up his arms in defense.

His anger flared up to new heights in his gut, heights he never knew it could reach. However, they were quickly simmered by a feeling of relief. The last time that Ciri had been seen to his knowledge now, she was alive. It would take a lot more than a sword, and a few thugs dressed like clowns to kill her, he knew this. Now, they had one part of their two-part puzzle completed, and as soon as they found Dandelion, they would have the other.

However, the relief didn't outweigh the anger in the end. His fingers curled again around his arms as Geralt stepped forward, the anger still laced into his voice.

"Got anything else to say Junior," The older Witcher said slowly, looking down at the man.

The man seemed to realize that his usefulness was coming to an end, because the man's wails started to become louder.

"I told you everything I know, I promise! Everything," The man said, falling out of the chair and onto his knees.

His finger twitched again as Geralt looked over to him. The older Witcher slowly turned back to the man after a moment, and crouched down to meet his eyes.

"Let me tell you how things currently stand," He said slowly, making the clown man's head look up before he continued, "Woman you attacked… she's like a daughter to me. And Dominik and her… they were… close you could say."

"Please… have mercy… I beg ye," The man whimpered, looking between the two Witcher's.

Geralt stood up and looked over to him again. His adopted father and he had a silent conversation. It was something they had been able to develop over their journey so far, and the years growing up. _It's your choice. _That was the clear message Geralt was saying. For a split moment he looked down at the whimpering, pathetic man, and he thought only for a split second about sparing his life. Not wanting to taint his blade with the blood of such a pathetic excuse for a man. However, he saw the dangling feet of the woman hanging from the beams above. He could see the dead women in the bathtub with their throats slit besides him. The sight of the hallway, stained with blood not just from his current victims, but from victims of old as well.

And then he heard Ciri's voice in his head. Then, he looked down at the swallow pendant dangling from his neck. And he thought of all the horrible things Whoreson would have done, had he somehow managed to kill or capture her.

After thinking of this, all thoughts of mercy left his body.

He took Geralt's place and knelt down in front of the man, meeting his beady, monstrous eyes.

"I bet the woman hanging from the ceiling begged for mercy as well," He started slowly, before looking over at the bathtub, "I bet those poor women in the tub begged for mercy."

"Please… I'll change… I'll change I swear," The man moaned, his head falling to the ground.

Slowly he shook his head as the man looked back up to him.

"Ciri didn't beg for mercy. She kicked your fucking ass, like you deserved," He started again, standing up to his feet, looking down at the man's eyes one more time, "But you still tried to hurt her, to kill her. I wasn't there to kill the other men who've tried to kill her in the past…. But now I am."

Quickly before the man could plead more, he unslung his blade, and slashed it forward. Blood spewed from the large gash in Whoreson's neck, before he finally crumpled to the ground, dead, not able to harm anyone else. After the man finally lay dead at his feet, it felt as if a giant bubble of air was slowly being let out in his stomach. The rage that had been fueling him for the entire fight, was slowly leaking out, like water from a dam.

Taking the place of the anger, was a rush of relief. A rush of relief that hit his stomach so hard, he felt himself churn. He turned around to the corner of the room near the fireplace and threw up everything he had eaten throughout the day onto the floor. The stench of blood and decay, incense and rotting wood all hit his nose at once, if anymore food had been in his system, he was sure that he would've regurgitated that as well in the moment. The rage that was built up inside him seemed to be what was keeping him from noticing everything going on around him.

He sighed and took in a shaky breath, and heard Geralt come up behind him, "You alright?"

Turning back around to the older Witcher he slowly nodded, "Yeah… yeah I'm fine."

"You sure… never seen you get like that before," The older Witcher said, meeting his green eyes.

The rush of relief filling his body seemed to be cleaning out of his system. They figured out what happened to Ciri, they had gotten what they came for. Again he slowly nodded towards his adopted father before taking in a deep breath.

"Yeah… I'm alright. He hurt Ciri, murdered and mutilated people… he deserved to die," He said, the certainty remaining in his voice.

Geralt gave him a calming nod. Outside the window, the moon was shining over the city. No birds, or anything could be heard from outside the cracked window as the cool breeze sent a new chill down his spine, as the hairs on his neck stood up again.

Geralt pointed down towards his bag, "You're right he did. It was a productive trip too. Let me see that phylactery."

His mind cleared when he remembered the small magical box he had picked up. Carefully he pulled it out of his bag and showed it to Geralt. The elegant gold and black box made both their medallions hum. He wasn't very well versed in magical objects, but he knew phylacteries could hold a great amount of magical power inside of them.

Geralt examined the box in his hands carefully, before handing it back to him, "I don't know what it is but… this thing seems different. Wonder what Ciri needed it for."

Dominik shrugged his shoulders before carefully putting the magical bauble back into his bag, "Don't know, but we know now why she and Dandelion robbed the vault. Why she was looking for us… maybe we should ask Triss to take a look at it."

The white-haired Witcher quickly nodded in agreement, "Good idea. Next time we see her we'll ask. Looks like we only got half of what happened here. We know why she came, but now we need to where she went."

He sighed deeply, finally feeling his stomach return to some form of normalcy. A rush of slight excitement ran through him because they knew exactly what to do to get the last piece of the puzzle.

Nodding he met Geralt's eyes, "And for that we need Dandelion, so… tomorrow we go see Priscilla again? See if she can help us find Dudu?"

Geralt looked out the window for a moment, before turning back to him with a nod, "Yeah… sounds like a plan. First though, let's get out of here. You look like you can use a bottle of something strong, and some sleep."

Scoffing he nodded his head in agreement, "You can say that again. So… so close. I could definitely use a drink first though."

**A/N: Whoreson Junior is no more. I was really excited to write this chapter, and had so much fun doing it. I love diving deeper into my characters mind, seeing just how much it's changed since the beginning. In the first few chapters Dominik is more optimistic and upbeat, excited and ready to find Ciri, but as the chapters have slowly come, and he's getting closer and closer, but just keeps missing her, he's growing increasingly on edge, and doing things that Dominik from chapter 1 wouldn't have done. **

**Also I've had a few questions about the timeline for this story. The timeline is the ONE thing that I've really made a decent change I've made to cannon, so let me explain the timeline really quick for you all!**

**I'll do it by using Dom and Ciri's ages, current ages Dominik:22 Ciri:21 (almost 22)**

**Dom & Ciri are 11: Meet in Cintra after they just recently turned 11, become best-friends and spend tons of time together for almost a year.**

**Dom and Ciri are 11 almost 12: Massacre at Cintra. Dominik escapes and saves Ciri, both of them travel along north for about a month until Geralt finds them just before they're both 12.**

**Dom and Ciri are 12: For a few months after this Dom and Ciri train at Kaer Morhen, kiss for the first time, and meet Triss when she comes to Kaer Morhen. **

**Dom and Ciri ages 12-13: For almost a year Triss stays at Kaer Morhen with Dom, Ciri and the witchers. While Dom and Ciri are 13 they admit they love each other and begin dating.**

**Dom and Ciri age 13-14: Dominik goes with Ciri, Geralt and Triss to bring Ciri to the Temple of Melitele. Ciri studies at the temple for a few months, while Dominik travels with Geralt for a small time, until the two are attacked for information on the barge for Ciri, and Geralt contacts Yennefer to help Ciri.**

**Dom and Ciri age 13-14: When Dom and Ciri are almost fourteen Geralt brings Dominik to Ellander reuniting him with Ciri, and introducing him to Yennefer. Dominik and Ciri admit they're fully in love with each other, and for a year Dominik, Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt stay in Ellander while Ciri trains, becoming a real family. Just before Dominik turns fifteen, Ciri has to go to Aretuza.**

**Dominik ages 15-16: After figuring out Ciri is gone, Dom travels with Geralt for around a year looking for Ciri. When he is sixteen and Geralt says they need to go back to Kaer Morhen for the winter Dom refuses, and starts his journey alone.**

**Dominik age 17-18: Dom travels alone searching for a year, when he's seventeen he's attacked by a bounty hunter outside Ellander, but kills him. Geralt who had been looking for him brings him to Ellander to be healed, where Dominik meets Freya. For months Dom stays with Freya till just after his eighteenth birthday before he leaves and goes to search more.**

**Dominik ages 18-20: For two years Dominik searches for Ciri with little success, until he is in Vizima and receives a letter from Geralt telling him to come to Rivia. He rides there and almost dies during the Pogram, being saved by Triss, but not seeing Ciri when she was back.**

**Dominik ages 20-22: Dom continues to search for Ciri, but slowly looses hope. He believes Geralt and Yennefer both died in Rivia, and Ciri still out of his reach. This is until he comes to Claywitch and the main story begins**

**So this is the comprehensive timeline for my timeline. Like i said the timeline is one of the few things that i've changed from cannon. I aged up characters some, i shortened the time between the end of the books and the games. Ciri was trying to get back slightly longer. Geralt still did everything he did in the books, they just may have been more stretched out over time if that makes sense. I hope this clears up timeline questions, if you have more PM and let me know!**

**So this chapter was an important one obviously. What did you think of Dom's reaction to Whoreson and his growing impatience and anger? What situations do you think will make him like this in the future? What did you think of the Ciri pov, as we learn more about their relationship what do you think it'll be like when the reunite, what are more things you want to know about the two of them? What are you looking forward to the most?**

**Thank you all for the support again, it means more then I can describe. I am beyond grateful to all of you who have fav followed and reviewed. I'm locked in quarantine in the US, and it's really been getting to me. This story and all your continued support had helped me greatly however. Thank you all so much again, stay safe and I'll see you next time!**

**P.S: If you have an account and have left a review either asking a question or just a review at all be sure to check your PM inbox! I always try to respond and thank everyone who reviews at least once. And if you leave a review with a question i'll always PM and answer! Also if you're a guest reading and reviewing I appreciate you as well! Thanks again everybody.**


	28. An Old Flame

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 28: An Old Flame**

**Narrator: After finally figuring out the location of Whoreson Junior's new hideout, Dominik and Geralt bravely assaulted the mansion. After fighting their way through Whoreson's men, the two Witcher's finally confronted the crime lord. They figured out that Ciri had bravely broken into Whoreson's first hideout and rescued our doppler friend Dudu. Ciri had escaped but was wounded. They also learned that the young woman had come to Novigrad to open a magical phylactery. So now knowing why Ciri came to Novigrad, and what happened to her at Whoreson's hideout, the two Witcher's planned to rescue myself, so I could tell that where Ciri had gone. **

_He didn't recognize where the dream had taken him this time. It was as if he was a bird, floating around the two people walking through the forest, flying around them both, eavesdropping on their conversation. The sun was high in the sky, its rays beating down through the tree's to cast their shadows over the ground. A salty smell was in the air, and a light sea breeze gently blew through the brush, blowing the leaves gently back. It looked absolutely beautiful, he guessed that it was somewhere on the Skellige Isles. The foliage, and large sea he saw in the distance was what gave it away. He had no idea why he would be dreaming of Skellige, he had never been to the Isles, and didn't know anyone who lived there other then the friend's and family Ciri had told him about._

_ The forest the two people walked through was absolutely beautiful, white, purple, and yellow flowers all littered the forest, and the girl he saw was smiling down at a bush of white orchids. The breeze blew through the girls hair, a long mane of straight, wavy brown locks. The sun casted her shadow out towards the sea. She and the man that was with her were on the forests edge, and right near a long dirt road, that whirled around the outskirts of the forest. To the right a cliff led down to the crystal waters, which churned violently in the sunlight. _

_ "Aye come on little dove, we best be getting back," The man yelled from further down the road. _

_ The man looked to be older, and withered, well into his fifties or possible even sixties. He was wearing a light white top, with a large brown hat over his bald head. A long grey brown beard went all the way down to his stomach. Despite his old age, the man was stocky and built, with a longsword strapped to his hip on his black trousers. His face, while withered with multiple small scars and a pushed in nose, was smiling at the young girl. The scars on his face and arms made him believe that the man could have once been a soldier._

_ The young girl seemed to be a few years younger than Dominik himself, perhaps eighteen. Her brown hair blew back lightly in the breeze, her eyes were sparkling almond shaped emeralds. Her nose was smaller, and her mouth was curled in a content smile, as she picked up one of the orchids and put it behind her ear, held in place by her hair. She wasn't wearing a dress or skirt, she had on tight black trousers, with a leather jerkin over a tight-fitting white top. She also had a longsword at her belt, she smiled one last time at the bush of white orchids before turning over to the man. _

_ "Coming," She said with a smile, jogging through the edges of the forest to the man. _

_ He didn't take his eyes off the young girls face. The alarm bells wouldn't stop, his heart thumped at an alarming rate. He knew this girl, but he couldn't place it. Her face was so familiar, however no matter how much he strained his brain he couldn't place it. If he had met a beautiful young girl from Skellige, he was sure he would remember. However for some reason the name just couldn't come to the forefront of his mind. Her voice was light and kind, and she smiled widely as she ran back up to the man. _

_ The older man smiled at her, ruffling her brown hair, "We should be getting back now. Your mother will have my head if I let you stay out later."_

_ She rolled her eyes as the two of them started down the path, winding along a set of cliffs, the sparkling ocean to their right, the wind blowing through their hair and beard. The girl sighed in content and looked up at the older man with an eye roll. _

_ "I'm an adult now you know that right? I can take care of myself," She said with a small smile. _

_ The old man scoffed and shook his head, "Not denying that! I'm the one to train you, seen what you can do. Your mother on the other hand well… she's still worried."_

_ She sighed with a small shake of her head, "I told you both I'm fine. I haven't had an incident in weeks, I think it may finally be going away."_

_ It was clear now the man was the young girls father, which was slightly odd to him given the man's apparent age. He looked like he could be the girls grandfather. His eyes didn't come off the white flower sticking up from behind the girls ear, and the bright sparkling eyes that she had. He had seen those eyes somewhere before, but the name and where he had seen her still escaped him and it agitated him to no end. It was as if the knowledge of who she was, was stuck in a trap inside his brain, and it was trying with everything it could to force its way out._

_ The man sighed and looked back down towards his daughter, "You still need to be careful little dove. I've seen many things in my years but… nothing ever like this. Your mother still thinks we should go to Kaer Trolde, speak with Jarl An Craite. Served under the man and his father for years, he'd be more then happy to help I know it. Perhaps the druids will know more."_

_ An uneasy look appeared to the girl's face as she stoically looked out over the water. He could see the girl was trying to suppress something. Finally she turned back to her father with a sigh as they walked. _

_ "I… I had another nightmare last night. The same as normal… the fires… the corpses, I… I still don't know what I could be dreaming of," She said slowly, her arms suddenly crossing as they walked. _

_ The older man looked down sympathetically and wrapped an arm around the girl. _

_ "Don't worry little dove. It may be your memories creeping back to you," He said to her, the wind starting to howl. _

_ She fervently shook her head, "After all these years? Why is it finally coming back now? I still have no idea where I came from! All… all I remember is waking up amongst the corpses… and then the explosion… and then running. I NEED to know!"_

_ Sighing the girls father removed his arm, looking slightly hurt at the words. He looked down at her, and Dominik could see the slightly frantic, desperate look in the girl's eyes. _

_ "Your mother and I will always do what we can for you…. But you should leave your past in the past child," The man started, looking down to meet his daughter's eyes, "We've raised you as our own… love you like our own. The past is the past, the future is what should matter."_

_ The girl stopped walking to look out over the water yet again, and the man stopped with her. The were still on the edge of some forests and brush, the sun slowly beginning its descent. He could see the girl's hands turn into fists as she sighed, her brown hair blowing behind her back. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, as she finally turned back to her father, her shadow casting over him._

_ "I'm more grateful then you'll ever know… and I love you both but…" She started shakily, taking a few steps towards her father, "I NEED to know where I come from. Who I was and… I know it sounds like rubbish but… I have this… feeling. This feeling that there's someone out there. Someone that I must find… please father it… it's something I must do."_

_ Her green eyes began to well as she looked up at her father. The older man sighed, looking down at the pleading look on the young girls face. _

_ "Alright child… if it means this much to you, then aye I'll help," He said, gaining a smile from her, "We'll sail for Kaer Trolde in a few days. I'll talk to Jarl An Craite, I'm sure his mage, that druid Ermion may be able to help."_

_ The young girl scoffed a smiled, and threw her arms around the older man's neck, hugging him tight. A smile came to the man's face as well, as he hugged his daughter. He could see the look of relief finally cross the girl's face, as she pulled back from the man. _

_ "Thank you, father… and I promise no matter what, I'll always be yours," She said, making the old man smile yet again. _

_ The tender father-daughter moment was soon interrupted. He could see the brush along the forests edge begin to move, he could hear the footsteps getting closer. Armed men, a group of at least ten all emerged from the brush, leading them was a taller man, with a long brown beard, wearing a red gambeson, with a horned helmet, and an axe resting on his belt. Several of the other men were dressed in similar fashions, wearing helmets and armor, carrying more swords and axes. _

_ "Sorry to interrupted such a tender moment," The head man said in a deep booming voice, echoing off the cliffs nearby. _

_ The girl was the first to noticed the men, she detached herself from her father and drew the longsword from her waist. Her father soon also realized what was happening, shakily drawing his own longsword. The man was built, but the stance he held with his blade made his hands and legs shake. It was clear that he was out of practice, but didn't back down, holding his blade out towards the head man. _

_ "Aye, begone ye, I've heard from the village of you," The old man said, his voice growing dangerously low. _

_ The man with the horned helmet laughed, "Baha and what is it you've heard old man?"_

_ "You're the ones who have been terrorizing the villages along the coast," The girl said, keeping her sword leveled. _

_Unlike her father, she was in a perfect stance, her elbows bent, blade leveled, feet shoulder length apart, not flat footed. It was clear the girl was spry, nimble, and knew how to use the blade she was holding. Her green eyes grew dark, as she kept her blade leveled, watching the group of men begin to circle her. _

"_The red raiders you call yourselves… rubbish as names go," she said cheekily, the white orchid in her hair gently falling to the ground._

"_Don't interfere," Her father quickly turned around and hissed to her. _

_Before the girl could react the leader of these men laughed again, "Bahaha, young wench is a fiery one. I am Shagga the Red, and we're here to rob you of everything you have."_

_The men all wore the same red gambeson, and clunked closer to the two of them. Axes and swords were drawn, but the girl wasn't ready to back down. She gripped tightly to her blade and kept waving it in a wide arc to keep the men at bay. She turned to her father, looking for directions, but the old man simply looked back at the leader, Shagga he had called himself. _

"_We don't have no coin on us, poor choice of targets. Begone now, go bother some other folk," The man demanded, trying for an intimidating tone. _

"_Father," The girl hissed, turning around in disbelief. _

"_Don't interfere, keep yourself calmed," The man spat back at his daughter._

_A look of anger came to the girls face, and he could see something click in her. She turned back to the men surrounding her, her sword still raised, as she bounced on the balls of her feet, ready to lash out at a moment's notice. Her brown hair blew back behind her from the wind, as her fingers went white from gripping so tightly on her blade. _

_Shagga laughed from in front of them, before tsking at them both, "Well, well, well if you don't knows the rules let me explain. We NEVER pick wrong targets. You pay with coin, blood or…" He said, looking over at the young girl with a crooked smile, "Other things. Kill the old man, take the girl."_

"_I'll cut your fucking hands off," The girl quickly hissed as she swung her sword in an arc again. _

"_Oh my, this is going to be fun… TAKE HER," Shagga yelled from in-front of the older man._

_The fight finally began in honest. All of the men around the older man and the girl rushed forward. While the old man seemed withered, he knew how to swing his blade. He knocked aside the first strike from Shagga's axe and engaged in an intense duel with the man. Again he knocked aside the axe head, before plowing his shoulder into the larger man making him stumble. The old man lashed out again and caught a piece of Shagga's arm before countering. He pushed the old man back to the side, away from the group of men. _

_Across from them, it seemed like the group of ten men were just toying with the young girl, but they soon realized their mistake. They tried to come at her one at a time, while the others stood back to enjoy the show. The first one tried to swing at her with an axe, but moving quickly and gracefully, she caught the axe's head on her blade and flicked the weapon from her attackers hand. She spun to the right slashing across his legs, making him fall to the ground before she jabbed her blade through his back. It clearly wasn't the first fight the girl had been in. She moved so gracefully, and parried so precisely, part of him thought she could be a Witcher. If he were to be born a girl instead of a boy, this young woman was what he imagined he'd be like._

_He strained his brain for any memory of the girls face, but he couldn't. He had seen her somewhere, knew her from somewhere but it was as if a part of his brain was being locked off. The memory of knowing who the girl was, was in that locked off part, and no matter what he tried the lock wouldn't break. She watched the girl parry, spin, counter and feint, clearly having been trained by her father who fought Shagga besides her. _

_The old man fought until his arms began to shake. He parried and thrusted forward his blade. Shagga knocked it aside with his axe, before bringing the head of his weapon back slamming it into the old mans shoulder, blood erupting right away as the girl's father slumped to his knees, crimson blood beginning to slowly spew from his mouth. _

_The girl was to his right, she had just finished parrying and slicing across a mans chest when she turned and saw what had happened. Her green eyes went so wide they almost popped out of the sockets. _

"_NOOOOOO," She screamed, her back from the last few men. _

_One tried to charge at her from behind, but she heard the footsteps. Her eyes turned almost red, and the rage contorted her previously mischievous, smiling face into one of anger. She knocked the man's blade away and jabbed her own through his gut, quickly pulling it out and turning to run to where her father had been struck. Turning her back had been a mistake however, because one man rushed forward, seizing her blade hand. He grappled her arm, and the girl cried out from the force, dropping her blade to the ground. _

"_NOOO, FATHER NO," She screamed, trying to wreath out of the man's grasp. _

_The old man managed to slowly turn his head over to the girl. Blood spewed from his shoulder and neck like a volcano, slowly coming out from his mouth as well. He coughed on last time, his eyes not leaving the girl, until he fell to his knees, and then to the ground with a thud. His eyes remained open but lifeless, looking over at his daughter from the ground. _

_She didn't move, simply standing there looking at the corpse of her father. This gave the other men the opportunity. One came up and kicked her behind the legs, making her fall to her knees. She screamed and tried to kick out of the men's grip again, but it was fruitless. Another two rushed forward, one gripping her other arm, as another kicked her sword from her reach. One gripped behind her head, yanking back her hair, they gripped and pulled her until finally she was bound to the ground by the remaining men, as Shagga laughed, reaching down to pull his axe from the man's corpse. _

"_No… no, no, no…" She wailed quietly now, the tears starting to come down her face._

_Shagga wiped the blood from his axe, before laughing and turning back to his men, who had the girl gripped down, unable to move. He bent down, getting face to face with her, smiling a crooked, toothless smile at her. _

"_He was a tough fucker, I'll give him that… now, we're going to need to do something about this fire you have girl," He said to her, running a hand gently along her face._

_The girl's face finally tore from her father's lifeless corpse. Her green eyes grew darker, darker then he had seen on anyone before. He himself when he faced down Caleb Menge, Whoreson Junior or Nithral from the Wild Hunt, none of those times had his eyes ever become so enraged. As soon as Shagga's fingers touched her face, her head shot around and she bit down on the mans finger, so hard that blood began to immediately spew from the pirates hands. _

"_URGHHHH, you little cunt," The man screamed smashing his open hand against the girls cheek sending her to the ground out of the men's grasp. _

_A red mark formed on her face, and he almost forced himself to wake up from the dream, not wanting to see more, however then he saw the girls eyes. _

_She saw again the lifeless eyes of her father, his brown eyes open but not moving. He could almost see something awaken in her. Her eyes didn't move away from her father's corpse, that's when he began to see the power swirl. _

"_Take her, get her back to the ship's. Let's get off this fucking rock," Shagga said, holding his bloodied hands as he turned to walk back towards the forest. _

_His men began to rush forward, but they all stopped in their place when the girl spoke. _

"_NO," She yelled, but it wasn't just her voice, it was amplified as if she had shouted it out into a canyon. Her voice was so loud that the men stumbled, covering their ears. _

_He saw her face again, her eyes weren't emerald green anymore, they were completely taken over by a bright blue glow. She came up to her knees, and when her head shot around towards the group of men, a large swirl of blue energy began to churn like a tornado. The bright, sunny day ceased, as clouds began to cover the sun. The group of four men that were left, including Shagga himself all stopped, turning to see the girls eyes. _

"_Are you all daff!? Get the bitch now," Shagga yelled, tossing one of his men forward. _

_The man wailed and as he got closer, the girl screamed. _

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOO," She screamed, holding the yell, her arms going wide as the blue magical energy turned into a whirlwind. _

_Tree's from the forests edge almost bent completely in half. The water from below began to churn violently, waves getting so high that they hit the top of the road they were on. Shagga and his men clamped their hands over their ears, as he saw blood slowly began to drip from them all. The ground beneath the girls knees got hot and singed, as all of the men were dragged off their feet to the ground, being swirled to her in a giant whirlwind. Her father's lifeless body was picked up from the ground swirling around, all the men screamed as blood began to gush from their ears. _

"_NOOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO," She screamed loudly again, before her head shot upwards towards the sky._

_The large __***BOOM**__* erupted from the girl, sending all of the trees, swords, bodies and weapons that had been gathered in the whirlwind flying. The strength of the explosion was so great, that the whole entire island they were on seemed to shake._

_After the explosion finally died, the girl's eyes didn't return to normal. He looked around and saw tree's blackened and singed. The bushes, the grass all singed and blackened, the spot around her now a small crater smoking with ash and soot. The bodies of her father, Shagga and all his men were thrown about. A few were impaled on tree branches some had their heads smashed to bits on rocks. Shagga himself had been smashed into the cliffs, a sharp stone pointing through his chest. Somehow, the body of the girls father hand landed right next to her. After the girl's eyes finally turned back to normal, the emerald green color that looked like his, her head weakly went down to her father. _

_She only had a short moment to reach her hand down, before she collapsed over him, alive but unconscious. _

_He thought the dream would end there but it didn't. He saw the death and carnage, the pure power the girl had exhumed. This young girl, who he knew that he knew, but couldn't place the name, she had destroyed what looked to be half the forest. He thought that it couldn't get any worse, but then the cold mist came. _

_Ice began to form on all of the dead bodies strewn across the scene. The tree's had small icicles all slowly begin to fall, the water stopped churning, replaced by ice as the must became thicker. A harsh snow began to blow forward, but from the ocean, just before his vision became white, he saw them. _

_The ships of the Wild Hunt._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His head shot up from his bed, feeling as if the ice from the Hunt had taken over his body as well. The swallow pendant and his medallion both bounced on his bare chest, and their cold touch sent another chill down his spine. Despite the sun that was shining through his window at the crack of dawn, his room was cold, and he felt himself shiver. A cold sweat dripped down his chest as he shakily moved his legs off the side of the bed. His head went down to the floor, and when he blinked all he could see was the young girls face. Her terrified expression, her pure white rage, and the whirlwind of magical power she had emanated.

"Who are you…" He said quietly to himself, his head finally coming up to look out the window.

Who was she had to be the more appropriate question. If the Wild Hunt had attacked her, and she was only there to defend herself she surely must have been taken. A horrible thought crossed through his head… was the girl another child of the elder blood? Was she like Ciri, and had the ability to use immensely powerful magic, and open portals to other worlds?

The idea was quickly banished from his mind, the girl clearly didn't know how to control her powers fully, much like Ciri when they were younger. And if she had been a child of the Elder Blood, and the Wild Hunt had gotten her, they wouldn't have needed to go and chase after Ciri. No, the girl had to have been something else, a conduit for powerful abilities.

He thought all of this, but they all eventually got pushed to the side when the question kept reeling in his mind. Who was the girl, now where was she. The part of his brain that seemed to remember had stayed locked, and he still couldn't place who the girl was. She had looked so, so familiar but it was as if the more he tried to remember her face after the dream, the quicker it vanished. With his legs still shaking after the horrendous scene he saw in his dream, he stood up and proceeded to get ready for the day.

He gathered up his armor from the dresser and proceeded to pull on his black trousers and boots to begin. Shakily he sighed as the cold medallion and pendant bounced against his chest. He wanted to put the dream from his mind, but he couldn't. It was the first time in ages that his dreams didn't have Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer or his family in them. He didn't see a memory from his past, it was as if somehow, he had seen someone else's memories, this young girl who he didn't know the name of.

Carefully after he had gotten his armor put on and tied accordingly, he picked up his blade, slinging the sheath across his back. He had to know the young woman from somewhere, or else why would his dreams have showed her to him? Perhaps it was a sign, some type of clue for his journey ahead.

His thoughts were interrupted however, when a loud knock could be heard on the door of his room. He took in one last shaky sigh, before a loud yawn escaped him.

He walked over to the door and turned it, only to find the large frame of Faram of Undviik outside.

"Aye mate, sleep well, Geralt told us you had quite the last few days," His friend asked him, leaning against the doorway, fully dressed in his armor.

He reached his gloved hand up and rubbed his eyes, before looking up at the bear school witcher, "Quite the last few days is an understatement… could probably use a few more hours of sleep, but Geralt and I have some important stuff to do today."

Faram nodded in understanding, stroking his black beard, the sun from the window casting their shadows into the hallway. The bear school Witcher adjusted his swords and looked back down at him.

"Aye he's already awake downstairs. Told me more about what happened last night, how… how you feeling mate? I know you got more information about Ciri but still…" The larger Witcher started carefully.

His thoughts of the dream suddenly left him, as he felt his bones slightly ache. Last night had been a big night in their search for Ciri, when they learned about the true reason, she had come to Novigrad. He could feel their search for her getting closer and closer each day, and with each day they got closer, the more anxious he felt, the quicker he wanted to do things, the more he yearned to finally be able to hold her again. However, their business in Novigrad was still ongoing, and they wouldn't be able to figure out where Ciri went until they freed Dandelion, which would be helping another friend in the process.

So despite what he had to do the night before, and the fatigue he felt from the two days of non-stop fighting, he felt himself smile.

"I'm alright… thanks for asking. With everyday we're getting closer and closer, and that makes it all worth it," He said to the bear school witcher.

Faram laughed a smile and clapped his arm, "HA, I'm happy for you mate I really am. Also wanted to tell ya, Geralt was talking to me about how soon you'll be needing a way to get to Skellige."

"Yeah that's true," He said, remembering that Yennefer had gone there to investigate a magical explosion, "Yennefer is there on Ard Skellig, investigating one of our leads on Ciri."

Faram smiled again and looked at him with his arms crossed, "Aye it's perfect then. Need a few more days to get some coin into the right hands, hire enough crew, but soon I should be ready to sail. You and Geralt can come with me, no pirates will bother us with me on board."

He remembered what Faram had told him before. His friend was on a quest of his own, to go and slay the Ice Giant that had taken over his old home island of Undviik. The bear school witcher had manage somehow to get his hands on a ship, through what methods he didn't know, however he wasn't going to ask. A rush of excitement ran through him, not just at the prospect of being able to get to Skellige for clues about Ciri, but at being able to see Yennefer again. He had only been with his adopted mother for a short time. Only during the ride from Claywitch to White Orchard to get Geralt, and up to right after his visit with the Emperor.

He loved Geralt of course, but after weeks of traveling, just the two of them, he was eager to see Yennefer again. And now he'd even have his best friend to be there on the journey with him, and even more so, he could help the bear school witcher in his quest, as Faram had done for him.

"That means a lot Faram, thank you. Means we can keep training too, you know I think I'm getting the hang of this bear school stuff," He said, feeling a smirk come to his face.

Faram laughed and nodded, gesturing for him to follow, "Haha, you really are mate I'll give you that. Come on, what do you say we have a drink and get a session in before you and Geralt head out?"

Another smile came to his face as he nodded to the bear school Witcher. He was about to walk out of the room with him when the image from the dream popped into his head again. A thought raced through his mind as he looked up at his friend, the native of Skellige.

"Faram before we go one question," He said, making the larger witcher stop and turn back to him before he continued, "It's a random question but… have you ever heard of a group of pirates from Skellige… called the red raiders?"

Faram scoffed and nodded his head, "Bah, do I ever. Shagga the red, that was the bastards name. Heard about them about two years ago when I was back on Undviik for some business there."

His head started suddenly running a mile a minute with possibilities, "Do you… know what happened to them?"

His friend looked at him oddly for a moment but did answer him, "Aye finally met his match on Undviik about two years ago. It was odd though… when they found the bodies of him and his men they were destroyed. Limbs ripped off, impaled on trees. Half the forest was burned down, some folks say a dragon took them down. Little do they know there are no dragon's on Undviik… why do you ask about him?"

It felt as if the ice from the Wild Hunt's frost was freezing the inside of his chest. Two years ago that girl had used her powers to kill Shagga and the red raiders and shake Undviik to its core… before it was attacked by the Wild Hunt. Two years ago as well, Ciri had finally found her way back to the continent for the first time and had to use her powers to save Geralt and Yennefer from death, and then save Geralt from the Wild Hunt itself. There had to be some connection between the two events, it couldn't have been a coincidence.

The dream had been shown to him for a reason.

Faram must have seen the flustered look on his face because he narrowed his eyes at him, "You alright mate? What is it?"

He felt a cold chill run through his body as he looked up at his friend, "It's a weird story, come on I'll tell you and Geralt downstairs."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on mate ground yourself," Faram yelled, lashing out at him with another series of perfectly aimed strikes.

He deflected the first few attacks like Faram had instructed, keeping on the balls of his feet, but staying grounded to his spot. The first few were easy enough to deflect, but soon his friend lashed out with new vigor. Faram performed a three-strike combo which he deflected, but after he deflected the third, he saw Faram exposed on his left and went for a thrust. The bear school witcher however was expecting this and deflected the thrust before spinning and holding his blade at Dominik's neck.

Dominik sighed and turned around to face his friend and see the smirking Geralt leaning against the building.

Faram tsked and shook his head, "The first few attempts were bloody good mate, but the last few slipped."

He shrugged and felt another cold chill through his chest, "I'm sorry… just can't get my mind off that fucking dream."

Geralt took a step away from the building and walked over to the two of them. His adopted father's armor had been polished along with his blades, which the sun sparkled off of. It wasn't raining which made him happy, the sun had been out and about over Novigrad that day, with a light wind that kept the heat from becoming unbearable. Zoltan had plenty of business on the inside of the Rosemary and Thyme, but he still of course let the three witcher's outside onto the green in the back to train.

The first few attempts he had with Faram in his continued training in bear school tactics had gone well like the bear school witcher had said. He was managing to hold his own against Faram now, while he wasn't a master, he assumed the form could at least be passable for him now. However, after he had told Geralt and Faram both about the dream he had during a break, it was still in the forefront of his mind. The girl's sparkling emerald eyes turning bright blue as power erupted from her, it reminded her of when he saw Ciri unleash her own power.

Geralt looked at him curiously, "You really saw this girl destroy half a forest?"

Nodded he turned to meet his adopted father's eyes, the shadows of all three witchers dominating the green.

"Yeah, they… killed her father, and she lost it. But the worst part was the end… with the Hunt," He said to the older Witcher.

Faram slowly shook his head, "I'd like to believe if the Wild Hunt attacked somewhere in Skellige I'd have known. Why would they attack the poor lass?"

The terrible thought creeped to his head again as he looked over to Geralt, "Geralt the girl could she… could she be like Ciri? Elder Blood?"

He felt himself wash over with relief when Geralt shook his head. The older Witcher rubbed his beard for a moment, his white hair flowing back from the breeze.

"Don't think so. If she was, and the Hunt got their hands on her, well they wouldn't be after Ciri right now," The older Witcher started, and Dominik felt the breath finally leave his chest before the older Witcher continued, "But from what you described… sounds like that girl might be a source."

The word plunged into his heart like a knife. Looking back on it now, when they had learned that Ciri was a source, was the beginning of them being separated. He knew from being with Ciri through her younger years how hard it was for her to control the magical abilities she had. Ciri was even more powerful of a source due to her elder blood, and he remembered the times she had unleashed her raw magical power to save him.

The first time had been just after Cintra, when he was riding to save her from the knight in the winged helmet. The knight was ready to run him through, the point of his blade was right at Dominik's stomach after he had knocked the man from his horse. He remembered Ciri's scream, how his ears bled, and he fell unconscious. She had woken him up a few moments later, the knight was still knocked out, Ciri had drug Dominik to his feet before they ran into the woods, beginning their time on the run.

The second time was a few days before Geralt had found them. Ciri and he had just stolen the horses Clip and Clop and rode off into a swamp. The two of them were camping there for the night, trying to plan on how to make it to Skellige. They had been attacked by a group of refugees from Cintra that had recognized Ciri. Their attackers knew of the bounty on Ciri's head and tried to take her. He tried everything he could to stop them, but he was much too small at the time. They had beat him, almost unconscious until Ciri had unleashed her powers again. Just like the girl in his dream, Ciri's powers had killed them all, it had been a miracle he survived himself.

He knew how dangerous being a source was, and his heart panged for the girl he had seen.

Faram looked between the two of them with a confused look, "Alright wanna tell me what the bloody hell a source is?"

Geralt looked over to the bear school witcher, "Sources are people born with powerful magical abilities. Their difficult to control for the people who are born like it. Stressful and dangerous situations sometimes drag those powers out even if they're not trained…. An untrained source can be dangerous because if they don't learn to control their powers… well it can eat at their minds and drive them mad, which could lead them to unleashing that power."

"Ciri's a source," Dominik added quickly for his friend to help him better understand, "She started training to control them with our friend Triss when we were 12, and later Yennefer. Ciri's more powerful then most… thanks to her blood."

He said the second part quietly to let nobody overhear, but Faram nodded quickly in understanding. The bear school witcher also watched to make sure nobody was around before turning back to Geralt and he.

"Bloody fucking hell… this woman of yours mate gets more powerful by the minute it seems," Faram said in a slight joking manner, "But from what you said, lass in your dream was about eighteen. How'd she manage to go so long without training?"

Shaking his head he sighed, "Don't know… all I know is she must have got attacked by the Wild Hunt. It was two years ago… right when Ciri came back, it can't be a coincidence."

The idea hung over his head, that somehow this girl in his dream was important. Important for the future that was to come, or else why would she have been shown to him in a dream? His thoughts were interrupted by Geralt placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Just relax, it could be just a dream in the end, we don't know," The older Witcher said reassuringly, "Let's focus on finding Ciri first. Maybe along the way we'll figure out more about this dream."

Sighing he looked up and met Geralt's yellow witcher eyes. He knew his adopted father was correct. As much as the dream had begun to bother him, he couldn't take his mind off their goal. Ciri was still out there, with the Wild Hunt on her tail, closing in on her. He looked down and saw the silver from the swallow pendant sparkling in the rays of the sun. She was what mattered. He heard her voice ring through his head again, deeper, older, more mature, womanlier then the last time he had seen her.

He would have given anything to have just gotten a single glimpse of her face in the dreams Corinne Tilly had given him.

"You're right, Ciri's what matters. Maybe we'll find something out more when we get to Skellige," He started, looking up to meet Geralt's eyes before continuing, "Are we all set to go see Priscilla?"

Geralt smiled and nodded, "Yeah should be. She should be able to tell us-."

"Look alive mates," Faram suddenly said cutting them off and making them both face him, the bear school witcher pointed towards the streets, "Looks like trouble is heading our way."

The three witchers all turned to see where Faram had been pointing. It was just now reaching the early morning when most people flooded the streets to begin their days. Outside of the Rosemary and Thyme, the streets of Novigrad began to fill with all sorts of folk going about their business. The gentle breeze combed through his brown hair, and a pleasant chill went down his spine. However, his spine had a jolt sent up it soon after when he saw the group of Redanian soldiers all making their way towards them. All of them wore plate armor over red gambesons. Two carried halberds, while the others all had blades and shields. The one in the lead was a balding man with stringy brown hair, with his nose so far in the air it was pointing towards the sky.

"Let me do the talking," Geralt said to the both of them, as the soldiers clanked towards them.

The captain at the center of them came to a stop, as the soldiers with halberds and swords filed out around them. He felt his hands twitch as alarm bells began to clang in his head. Next to him, he heard Faram crack his knuckles so loudly, one of the men took a step back in freight.

The captain cleared his throat, looking at Geralt, "Geralt of Rivia? The Witcher?"

"I am…" Geralt said slowly, looking at the men surrounding them, "Who's asking?"

The man didn't deign to give an answer, "His majesty King Radovid now requests your presence, after you completed your business with Whoreson Junior."

"He already knows about that…" Dominik said in disbelief from next to Geralt.

Geralt sighed, and looked at the captain, "And what does his majesty want from me?"

The captain shook his head, "Only that we bring you to him now, and only you. His majesty specifically stated your… boy is to stay here."

He felt a hot anger rise up his back, he went to take a step towards the man, when Geralt held his arm out. The older Witcher looked down at him and slowly shook his head.

Sighing Geralt turned back to the man, "Fine… I guess we shouldn't keep his majesty waiting," He said with his famous sarcasm.

"Geralt, what about what we-," He started, before his adopted father's head shot back to him.

"It'll have to wait… don't want Radovid as an enemy right now, I'll see what he wants and be back in a few hours," Geralt said quickly, cutting him off before he could say anything further.

Once again, he knew the older Witcher was correct. The last thing he needed currently while he was trying to find Ciri, was the rulers in both the north and south to want him dead. It would be impossible for him to finally find her with both Nilfgaardean's and Redanian's both on his tail. He had pissed of Emhyr already during his visit to Vizima and was going to anger him further. If Ciri didn't say that she wanted to go back to see him, he had absolutely no intentions of taking her back to that man, he would die before he forced her to go to him. If he added Radovid to the list of king's and emperor's who wanted him dead, there wouldn't be anywhere safe for him to currently go.

Sighing he looked up and gave Geralt a quick nod.

"Good," Geralt said quickly, reaching into his bag, and carefully pulling out the phylactery and handing it to him, "Take this to Triss, and see what she needed from us while your at it. I'll come find you in a few hours."

Carefully he took the gold and black box in his hands, and slipped it into his own bag, careful not to let any of the soldiers see it. He gave Geralt another nod and the older Witcher smiled lightly before turning back to the captain. Without another word the captain of the squad raised his hand and led them all from the backyard of the Rosemary and Thyme. He watched as Geralt looked back at him with one last reassuring nod before disappearing out the nearby gates with the group.

Sighing he felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach. It was another day that Dandelion would have to rot in a dungeon now, and another day Ciri would get further out of their reach. However, the idea of going to see Triss, helping her with whatever business it was that she had gave him some small hope for the day. The last time he did see the sorceress, she had been severely shaken after her torture in the Witch Hunter's barracks. Also, it was his hope that she could tell him more about the phylactery and possibly what was inside, along with why Ciri would be so intent on getting it opened.

He turned to see Faram carefully watching over the streets, the bear school witcher scowled and turned back to him.

"Feel like coming with me? Could use the company, and you can finally meet Triss," Dominik asked his friend.

Faram sighed and shook his head apologetically, "Can't today I'm sorry mate. Need to head down to the harbor, need to gather a few more crew members for the voyage. Should be around harborside, near the crane, gonna earn myself a few new crew members, if you really need me though."

"Where are you getting all the coin for this," He asked, wondering the answer for a while.

Faram tossed his head back and laughed, "BAH I don't use coin to hire most of them. Some of them I kill monsters for, go collect debts for, others I challenge to a fist fight, plenty of ways to earn loyal crew members."

He felt himself scoff out a laugh before sighing, "Well… guess I'm on my own for the day then. Don't wanna go see Triss right away, wanna wait a bit for the streets to clear."

The bear school Witcher laughed and clapped him on the back, "Ha, don't worry mate. I'm sure you'll think of something to keep yourself occupied."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Faram had been right to a degree, he was able to keep himself busy for a short while. He thought it would be a bad idea to go and see Triss at the busiest moment of the day. If he, a man who had been seen in the company of other Witcher's was seen skulking around with a woman that had a hood, he was afraid he could draw unwanted attention to Triss and himself. So during the early morning, when most people were out for their day, he decided to get some errands done.

The sun was high, but the cool breeze from the morning kept his body relaxed. His brown hair gently blew through the air, as he walked through the bits. The streets had slowly started to empty as the day went on, and he was getting dreadfully bored by window shopping. He had gone to the armor in Hierarch Square to get his armor polished and oiled. The wolven armor sparkled in the sun now, and it couldn't help but make him feel slightly better. He also got his sword and dagger sharpened, before visiting the halfling herbalist. The halfling had given him the ingredients he needed, and he brewed a few oils and more bombs.

The herbalist had been so impressed by his skill that he even offered Dominik a discount on future goods to help such a promising alchemist. Little did the man know becoming an expert on bombs and oils was the only way he survived through the years. He was always careful when selecting his contracts during his time alone, needing to make sure he had the right oils and bombs to deal with whatever monster was prowling. After finally getting more oils and bombs made and tucked away on his belt, he decided to go to the barber. He shaved his beard so that now instead of patchy stubble, he was clean shaven.

He had done all of that and it was still barely midday.

His hands twitched as he walked through the bits. The dream that he had seen with the young woman on Skellige had driven him mad all day, that along with the realization that another day where they could be on Ciri's trail was being squandered thanks to Radovid. He pulled up his sleeve and the sun reflected off the swallow that was now tattooed on his arm. It reminded him of her voice from the dream Corinne Tilly had gave her.

"Whatever you were doing… I hope you're safe," He said, looking down at the swallow on his arm, and the pendant around his neck as he walked.

The sun beat down on his neck, but the breeze kept him cool. People stared at him from the ground as he walked by. He assumed that the people of the bits weren't used to people who were dressed and looked like him walking through.

He was close to her. Dandelion would know why she was here to the specifics. Perhaps she had told him what the curse was, or the thing he was wondering most. Was she trying to lift, or cast a curse? And if she was trying to lift it, who was it off of, was it off herself?

The bits were a slum as he had heard, the idea that Triss was forced to live there made his skin crawl. He was navigating his way through the narrow streets when he heard a voice.

"Let me go you fucking clowns," He heard screamed from nearby.

His eyes tore away from the swallow's and his ears perked up. A large towering, rundown town house was too his right. On his left were multiple alleyway's and people now screaming and running. His hands twitched and went up to his blade, as he scanned the streets. A few people ran and tripped past him, but he saw where the commotion was coming from. In the streets to the left, he saw a group of Whoreson Junior's men. The surprisingly pleasant yet aggravating evening he had been having, turned sour. He remembered Whoreson's lair from the night before, he had no idea what his men were still doing out on the streets, but a horrible idea came to him. Had Geralt and he killing Whoreson set them loose?

The group that he saw was about eight large, they were all carrying swords, maces and blackjacks. The largest one of the group, a towering man with a longsword at his hip, was dragging a blonde-haired woman by the leg into a small alcove leading to an alley. The woman wasn't going down without a fight, she kicked her foot at the larger man, smacking it into his hands which made him drop her. She tried to get up and run, but the other men quickly grabbed her arms and yanked her back down to the ground.

The woman wasn't wearing a dress or skirt. She had on long brown trousers and black high boots. Black gloves were on her hands, and she wore a white shirt underneath a tightly strapped black gambeson, a large brown bag slung over her back. Something tickled at the back of his brain as the woman looked familiar. He was trying to figure out what he knew her from, but quickly stopped when he saw her being dragged down into the alley.

"You better pray that I don't get out you fucks," She screamed louder as they drug her through the mud out of his view.

He moved his hand to the hilt of his blade and took off in a run towards the alcove. The alcove led to a large alley, where he could see the footprints and drag marks in the mud from where they had taken the woman.

Witcher's saved people. That was something that he and Ciri had always believed back in Kaer Morhen. They killed monsters, saved villages and people. However, as he knew sometimes men were the monsters, and he would continue to save people from monsters whenever he could. There had been plenty of times that he had taken a contract on what villagers thought was a monster, but it turned out to be groups of bandits. It never made a difference to him, he would help people whenever he can, just like how Ciri and he planned to do. Just like he knew Geralt would.

Geralt would never leave the woman to the mercy of Whoreson's thugs. And after how he saw their old boss treated them, neither would he.

He gripped tightly to his blade and followed the tracks down an alley between two buildings. One way went straight out to a far street, but the tracks veered off to the right, which led out to what seemed to be some shop's backyard. Scaffolding, old wood, barrels, crates and other random goods all stacked about. When he peered his head around the corner, he saw the group of men, they tossed the blonde woman to the ground, and all stood around her as she sprang up from the mud, no weapon in hand but still looking as if she would try to fight her way out.

"Let me go, right now," The girl yelled, turning back and forth, facing every man, "I swear I'll kill every single one of you."

He watched the situation unfold; the larger man scoffed from behind his clown mask.

"Will you shut your fucking mouth you dumb wench," The clown yelled, shoving the woman back to the ground when she tried to throw herself at him with a fist.

"We sure she's the one," Another clown yelled in a nasally voice next to the first.

The larger clown seemed to narrow his eyes towards the woman again, "Yeah… has to be. Blonde hair, yay tall… yeah should be. Reward was awfully high."

The woman scoffed again and picked a large rock up from the ground. She threw it with all her strength towards the largest man, smacking him in the head. The clown man hadn't been looking so he stumbled back grabbing his now bloody eye. He yelled before turning back to the woman.

"OWW, you dumb BITCH," The man yelled, looking back towards all the men surrounding the woman, "She's wanted alive, but not whole, get her lads!"

The woman's tough act finally seemed to show cracks, she whirled around to the men enclosing her. She went to punch one man but was grappled. She screamed and he finally felt himself move. He tore off from the wall, his sword drawn and rushed out to the group of men, just as two of the men had gripped the woman by her arms.

"Here's what's going to happen," He yelled in a loud, demanding voice. There was no way he was going to let Whoreson's men cause anymore trouble.

All of the men turned to him, the woman stopped screaming, her arms still gripped up by the clowns. He got a quick look at the woman, long curly blonde hair, and eyes the color of the bright sky above them. The woman's eyes went completely wide when she saw him, but he didn't focus on her then. Eight against one, he certainly had face worse odds before, however he knew he couldn't be too careful. Two men kept the woman bound by the arms, while a few circled around him. The largest of them all stood in front of him and turned around just as he was about to strike the woman again.

He felt his blood begin to race even faster again, none of the men were heavily armored as he expected however he needed to focus on getting the woman to safety.

After he had their attention, he spoke up again, pointing his sword towards the men.

"You're going to let that woman go, and walk away… NOW, that's option A," He started, making a few of the men shift and other's sneer, he locked eyes again with the larger man, the leader of them, "Or you can pick option B. You can continue doing what you're doing. We'll fight, and I'll slaughter you all just like I did to Whoreson."

He put extra emphasis into his voice, and at the mention of their old bosses name a few of the men began to faulter. The sun beat down, casting all of their shadows over the yard, as his voice echoed off the building surrounding them. He thought for a moment that his intimidation might actually work, however the largest of the men sneered and spit in his direction.

"I recognize you, saw you leaving the estate last night. You and some other bastard were the one's who killed Whoreson," He spit out, the anger rising below his clown paint and mask, "You'll pay for what you did. Who the fuck are you anyway!"

Their leaders words seemed to slightly reinvigorate the men around him, as they all finally drew swords and maces. Turning back around to the leader, he gently placed his hands around the wolf medallion. He held it out for the men to all see, knowing that the idea of fighting or angering a Witcher frightened some men.

"See this medallion, know what it means!? If you do, then I suggest you take option A. Drop the woman and fuck off, now," He said, his voice growing darker as some of the men did seem to recognize the wolf head.

The last person he expected to recognize it, however, was the woman who was still being held by two of the clown men. He saw her eyes go wide as she shook her head.

"No way… absolutely no way… it's really you," She said slowly, looking up to meet his eyes as she was restrained.

Her voice got his attention, he turned to her and their eyes locked for a moment. He felt a tingle go down his spine, a bomb explode in his stomach, and his heart begin to pump at a more alarming rate then it ever had. He remembered now where he had seen the woman. It was clear in his mind now. Her hair had gotten longer, her face more defined and shaped, but her eyes still shined the same sky-blue color. He knew the eyes, he could never forget them, they had looked down at him for months in Ellander all those years ago.

"Freya…." He said, his voice slightly breaking, not wanting to believe what his eyes had seen.

Freya didn't have time to say anything else, because the large clown man in front of them shouted.

"Come on boys, kill'em! For Whoreson," He shouted, pulling the longsword from his belt.

He was about to lunge forward to meet the man, but before any of them did anything Freya sprang into action. She stamped her boot onto the foot of one of the men holding her. The clown man wailed, and his grip loosened just enough for her to move her arm. She elbowed the one man in the gut, before smacking her head backward into the head of the second man holding her. She was finally free and reached down to the waist of one of her attackers and yanked his sword from his belt. She twirled the blade quickly once before jabbing it into the man's stomach. He died instantly, and Freya spun back around to slice across her second attackers chest.

He barely had enough time to scoff, completely amazed before a voice rang behind him. Whirling around he saw a man charging at him, he sidestepped and sliced across the man's back, before spinning to his next set of opponents. Two came at him at once, he parried strikes from all angles, before ducking under one strike, and slicing his blade across a mans legs. That man fell to the ground, he took the advantage and spun, swinging his sword with both hands to the man's neck, lopping his head clean off. He continued his spin, coming up to parry another blow. Moving with perfect footwork and spinning once more and cut across the back of the mans neck and ended him.

Over to his right, he saw a blonde whirlwind fight off more of the thugs. Freya raised her smaller arms and parried a series of strikes from one man, kicking the first attacker in the knee to send him off balance. She then spun gracefully and parried a strike from a man coming behind her. Looking over to the left of the woman, he saw the larger man charge towards her. He saw that she didn't notice the larger clown man, so he charged himself. Thrusting his blade forward he stabbed through the man's side, just before he could strike at Freya. She parried a blow and turned to see him, her blue eyes wide with shock.

"What are you doing here," She hissed at him, turning to parry another series of strikes from two attackers.

Not many were left but they all converged on the two of them, now they were both back to back, fighting side by side. He parried two blows and spun to Freya's side, blocking another strike coming for her.

"I was trying to save you," He reasoned with the woman, deflecting another set of blows from a man.

Over the clanging of steel, he heard Freya scoff, "I don't need saving. Especially not from you!"

He watched as the woman parried a strike, before ducking another, getting low and cutting her blade across a man's stomach. The second man that had been attacking her spun back around to swing a mace at her. She caught the heavy iron head on the blade of her sword, pushing her attackers weapon upwards, before going under his arm and stabbing him through the back.

Again he almost had his head smashed in because he was too busy watching. However, he heard the man's footsteps steps and turned back around. He parried the last man's mace, and spun around him, bringing his blade up and cutting it across the man's throat. He finished his spin, and came to a stop, ending up face to face with Freya.

In a dank alleyway in the bits of Novigrad, was the last place he ever expected to see Freya again, if he ever saw her at all. Freya Kaminski of Ellander, was the only woman who ever made him break his feelings for Ciri. She was startlingly beautiful, tall, and slender, with her long curly blonde hair, and eyes the color of the clear blue sky above them. It would have been the dream of any man to be with a woman such as her, beautiful, kind and intelligent, the doctor's assistant in Ellander from when she was very young.

She had helped the doctor in Ellander keep him from dying when he was seventeen, after Geralt had carried him there. He had just fought and killed a bounty hunter that had come looking for him, demanding information about Ciri's location. Dominik had managed to kill his attacker, but was severely wounded, luckily Geralt who had been looking for him, found him and took him to Freya and the doctor.

He was bedridden for weeks, and for those weeks Freya had tending to him. She learned everything about him in that time. From what happened to him in Cintra, to his training at Kaer Morhen, and even about his search for Ciri. She had been a source of comfort, she listened, understood, knew when to ask for more details and when to not. It was during this time, his third year searching for Ciri, his second year completely alone, that things had begun to turn even worse. The loneliness, the longing, the need for a type of companionship.

Freya had kissed him the day he went to leave… and he ended up staying in Ellander for many more months until just after his eighteenth birthday. For those months he found comfort in her, going on walks, picking flowers, brewing new potions, laying by a fire, watching stars. She had been one of the most tender, caring, and sweet people he had ever met in her life.

However, when he saw her then, five years later, she looked far from happy to see him.

"It… it's you, it's really you…" He said, his mouth hanging open, feeling the hair on his arms stand up, and his heart race a mile a second. It wasn't often that he got nervous over the years. He had been nervous to go and see Geralt again, he had been nervous to meet the Emperor of Nilfgaard.

He had never felt his blood race that fast, his gut swirling so hard. Until he finally found Ciri again, this was going to be at the top of the list for the most nervous he had ever felt. An idea crossed his head to ask Geralt how he did it, face the woman who you'd been intimate with before. Freya and him had never been intimate, despite the fact they had come close, but his heart still swirl, as his intestines felt as if they were being stabbed by multiple needles.

Freya scoffed, the sun shining off her blonde hair, casting her shadow over him.

"Yes Dominik it's me, now pick your jaw up off the floor," She said with an eye roll, reaching down and wiping the blood from the sword off on the dead mans clothes. After she was done, she slid the sword into her belt and turned around to face him, her arms crossed.

His voice was almost lost to him. He remembered during his years searching for Ciri, he would make an annual trip to Ellander on her birthday, to be in the last place they had been together. During these visits he would normally see Freya, but she simply meet his eyes before disappearing. It came to his mind that in the last two years he hadn't seen her. He thought that she perhaps got married, moved off somewhere else. He often thought what he would say to her if he ever saw her again, after leaving her so suddenly.

All plans had gone out the window when he opened his mouth.

"Um, how… how… uh… have you been since I last saw you," He asked her, carefully sliding his sword back onto his back.

Freya laughed heartily, an actual laugh as she tossed her head back. She tossed her blonde hair behind her shoulder's and turned back to him with a sarcastic smile, walking towards him with her arms crossed.

"Oh so you want to know how I've been? Let's see," She said, slowly walking in a circle around him, "After you spent almost half a year, telling me you were falling in love with me, kissing me, holding me, and spending so many romantic evenings with me, only for me to see you were going to leave in the middle of the night without so much as a word, I've been just peachy."

He felt his eyes widened as the needles began to stab deeper into his stomach, the hair on his body standing up, "Freya you don't understand I'm so sorry for-."

"Oh but you wanted to know how I was doing didn't you," She said sharply, cutting him off and whirling around to meet his eyes. He tried to formulate a response, but when he couldn't she continued.

She laughed sarcastically again, "So, after you tried to leave me without telling me, I completed my training with Old Eustace for the next two years. I went to the academy in Oxenfurt to study, only to have my education interrupted by this fucking war."

His blood began to get even colder, as Freya began to pace around him again.

The woman scoffed shaking her head, a look of fiery fury appearing in her blue eyes, "I was yanked from my lessons only months before I could've gotten my degree to open my own practice. I was thrust onto the front lines against the Nilfgaardeans as a battlefield medic. I was forced to cut off limbs, sew guts back together without using potions or anything that could be considered magic!"

He couldn't think of anything to say. The fury that she exhumed almost made him back up, but he saw her eyes fall. For a moment he saw the eyes of the girl he had thought he was falling in love with all those years ago. She turned back to him, and her blue eyes met his, he could see the horror inside of them.

"I…I was forced to sit by, while I watched my unit hang and burn alchemists, soothsayers, herbalist, pellars… some weren't even magical," She said, her voice getting lower, as she looked down at her hands, the sun casting her shadow over the wall, "Some of them were just accused by neighbors they had pissed off… but did they get a trial? A chance to defend themselves? NO, they were burned anyway, and I had to sit back and watch!"

"Freya… I… I'm sorry-," He tried to start saying, but then she cut him off with a glare.

The fire returned to her eyes as she finally turned back to meet his gaze, "Finally I got sick of it, so I ran, I deserted. On my way out, my commanding officer caught me, tried to rape me, so I stabbed him, and ran. Now, I'm a wanted criminal on the streets of Novigrad. I was just almost captured and raped AGAIN, by a group of clowns."

He couldn't figure out any words to say to her. She had seen the horrors that the war had brough, the violence, the rape, the death, the burnings. He remembered Freya from when he first met her, she was kind, gentle, caring, always willing to do whatever she needed to make him feel comfortable. It was a part of the reason he had thought he'd fallen for her. However, now she seemed angry, regretful, and tired.

She sighed deeply, before giving him a large fake smile, "I'm broke, my ONE friend who I escaped with is missing, I've no idea around this fucking city," She started, before looking deeply into his green eyes, "And now I've seen you again. The one man who I ever fell in love with, and also the first to break my heart. So to answer your question Dominik, I've been fucking fantastic how about you?"

After listening to her story, he felt himself sigh. She was still angry, even after all of the years. It had been one of the many things he had regretted over the years, how he had left her. It was as she said, he was going to leave in the night. He realized the truth, that he was just using her. She had just been the temporary medicine he was feeding himself, to patch the wound that had been left by Ciri disappearing. He had used her to heal himself, but eventually it stopped working. He couldn't kiss her, hold her or lay with her without yearning, wishing for it to be Ciri next to him.

She had caught him about to leave. They screamed at each other, she told him that she loved him, begged him to stay, but he couldn't. She had left his room crying that night, and it was at that moment he realized. Realized that no matter what women he met, how beautiful, how wonderful they were, nobody would ever replace Ciri for him.

It didn't mean however he didn't still care for Freya, want the best for her.

Sighing, he felt his stomach calm as he looked at her.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that…. And I'm sorry for leaving like I did. I…I never meant to hurt you," He said slowly, not taking his eyes from hers.

The sun shone between them both, both of their shadows intersecting. The mud eagerly lapped up the blood pooling from the dead thugs around them, and the breeze blew through their hair.

Freya laughed and shook her head, clapping her hands together, "Oh you never meant to hurt me? Well, fuck I guess that makes it all better then!"

He felt himself sigh as he shook his head, "I know that-."

"No you don't know, you don't fucking know," She hissed at him quickly, crossing her arms and looking at the ground for a moment. She let out a loud huff before looking back up at him, "Despite what happened… I guess I should thank you. Probably wouldn't have ended well for me if you hadn't shown."

Her eyes lightened up a small bit, not as hard as before. Letting out a shaky sigh, he ran a hand through his brown hair. He looked to meet her eyes again and he nodded.

"You're welcome… I'm glad I could help," He said to her, trying to not sound as nervous as he felt.

She nodded her head, before adjusting the strap on her bag and reluctantly meeting his eyes, "Well, I don't want to lie and say it was a pleasure seeing you… but again thanks for your help. I need to get going, before more people come looking for me."

An alarm bell went off inside his head, he remembered what she had said about herself being wanted, and Whoreson's men had intended on going to collect a bounty for her. He knew firsthand how dangerous the streets of Novigrad could be. Reaching he put a hand on her shoulder to stop her, which she quickly shook off, turning back around to face him.

He shook his head, crossing his arms, meeting her eyes again, "Listen… it's not my business to pry I know-."

"But you're going to do it anyway aren't you," Freya muttered, crossing her arms over her gambeson as she looked at him.

His initial shock at seeing her was finally starting to wear off. He sighed, finally feeling his regular voice come back to him, "You said you're wanted. So how come you haven't left Novigrad yet? Even without much coin, it's still dangerous to be here."

Freya scoffed at him, "And why do you even care?"

A small twinge of anger flared up inside of him as he met her eyes, "Because despite what you might think, I don't want you to get hurt. Novigrad's dangerous, why haven't you left yet?"

The woman's tough act faltered for a moment, but she kept their eyes locked, "If you must know, I didn't desert alone. A friend helped and came with me, Damien. He said if we headed to Novigrad, he had some friends who could help us get coin in our hands. More coin that could've helped get me back to Ellander, and him back to his home in Kaedwin."

He remembered something else that she had said to him when she was telling her story. Crossing his arms he nodded, "Yeah… but you told me your friend was missing?"

For once she didn't scoff at him, simply looking down at the bloody mud below them and nodding.

"Yes… we had enough coin scrapped together to get rooms at the golden sturgeon," She started, before turning up to meet his eyes, "Two nights ago he left. Told me he was going to meet some of his friends, once that could get the coin into our hands. I…haven't seen him since. I was going to the spot near harborside he said they were supposed to meet when those clowns grabbed me."

Nodding he crossed his arms again. The sun was just nearly reaching its apex at that moment, signaling just around midday. There was still plenty of time for him to go see Triss, he didn't want to leave Freya alone. After seeing her attacked, he at least wanted to help her find her friend, someone else who could look after her. It was the least that he could do for her, after what he had done.

"I could come with you if you want. I'm a pretty good tracker if you remember," He said carefully, not wanting her to start screaming at him again.

She gave him a fake scoff, "Oh my how noble of you to offer your aid! I'm sure all the women you've met over the last five years have just loved that noble side of you."

He felt something stir up in his chest, an agitated feeling hit him as he scoffed at her, "Well you know, it wasn't the smartest idea wondering Novigrad yourself. I just wanted to offer my help."

"I can take care of myself," She hissed back at him, "I don't need you… not anymore. I won't throw myself at you, begging for your help, I won't do that again."

The words hit him, and he felt himself sigh again. He had done a horrible thing to the woman, he had broken her heart, hurt her. It had never been his intention, he just realized that he could never love someone other then Ciri. However, he decided that in that moment he would try and make it up to her.

Shaking his head he met her eyes, "I'm the one offering. Come on, it'll be dangerous for you walking around alone. I know you can take care of yourself I just want to… well…"

Freya realized what he was trying to say and laughed again, "Ha, you want to make it up to me? You think helping me find my friend will make me forget what you put me through?"

Quickly he shook his head, "I don't think it will. Freya, I understand what I did hurt you, I really do and… and I'm sorry, you may not believe me but I am. Please, I'm a Witcher, tracking is part of my job. Let me help you find your friend, and after we do, I'll leave you be."

He meant every word he had spoken. It was truly only his intention to help her, to try and put his mind at ease. Also he could see the desperation in the woman's eyes when she spoke. He could see that desperate situation she was in. If he was in her shoes, he'd want someone to help him.

And despite what she thought he did care for her, he wanted to help her.

His words seemed to finally strike a chord with the woman. Sighing, she reached back and tightly tied her hair into a ponytail. The curly blonde locks fell down her back as she sighed, adjusting the new sword on her belt.

She turned to him before sighed, and nodding her head, "Fine… I guess I could use some help. Don't have nothing to pay you with though. Isn't that part of your Witcher's code?"

He breathed a sigh of relief, before meeting her blue eyes and shaking his head, "Normally yes but… I don't want any kind of payment. You're in need and… well I just want to help."

Freya fake gasped in surprise as well, "Again such a noble gesture! Again you must have been so popular with the ladies on the path. The noble young Witcher!"

The comment again sparked something inside of him. Little did she know, he hadn't been with any women, besides her during his time alone. After what had happened with Freya, was when he realized he wouldn't ever want anyone other then Ciri. However, he didn't respond and only shook his head.

"Where was your friend due to meet these people," he asked her.

She adjusted the straps of her gambeson, and tied her brown bag tightly around her body, "In an alley near harborside, said they were some old friends who could buy some of the thing's we collected from battlefields. I know where it is, he described it in detail."

Nodded he adjusted the strap of his sword around his back and gestured for her to move, "Alright, come on let's get moving."

Rolling her eyes at him one last time she waved for him to follow, "Alright… just try to keep up."

He followed her as they two of them began to walk back towards the streets. A deep sigh of relief came from his chest, as they got into the streets without drawing too much attention. Faram had truly been right when he left the Rosemary and Thyme. He certainly had found something to occupy himself.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, I wanted to ask," He said carefully, as the two of them maneuvered the streets. She looked back at him for a moment and he continued, "Where did you learn to fight like that? To be honest you're the last person I would've guessed could take a man down like that."

They had walked to harborside mostly in silence. Freya hadn't looked over at him, keeping her eyes on the road as he followed. Whenever they walked past a group of guards, she'd looked down at the ground and lower her head. The streets had finally begun to slightly clear as the sun slowly continued its cycle. The day had grown even hotter, and the sun's rays shone off of Freya's blonde hair. They had gotten to harborside just as it seemed to be around 2 o'clock, and the waves gently crashed into the docks. The salty sea air hit his nose as they passed stands selling fish and other goods from trade routes.

Freya laughed, finally ending the silence between them both, "Ha, I didn't always live with Eustace. My father was from Skellige, had a sword in my hand as soon as I was old enough to hold one."

He looked at her curiously. In his months in Ellander with her, he had been under the impression that Eustace the local doctor was Freya's guardian, since she stayed at his house when she didn't spent the night with him at the inn.

"To be honest I… always thought Eustace was your guardian," He said to her, as they passed by the Golden Sturgeon.

She rolled her eyes but managed a laugh, "Ha… Eustace wasn't. My mum and dad lived in town. I visited them often, I just lived with Eustace during my apprenticeship."

"How come I never met them," He asked her, as they got closer towards the docks.

The words he chose were the wrong one's because Freya stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. She narrowed her eyes at him, and he could see the anger, the fury flare up again… but could also see the sadness glossed over in her blue eyes.

"Because, the first boy I brought home when I was fifteen, my father nearly smashed his head with a mace," She said, her tone low, a mixture of emotions as she met his eyes, "I was in love with you. Didn't want to bring you to see them and have him scare you off…. Turns out my decision not too was a good one."

Again he felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. He knew that in the end it had been the right thing to leave Freya, to stop using her. However, the way he had gone about it when he was younger had been a terrible thing to do. Sighing he looked and met her eyes.

"Freya… I'm sorry, how many times do I have to say that," He said, his tone almost pleading.

She scoffed, but this time she didn't seem angry. Her eyes looked up and met his, and he could see a shame, a sadness to her eyes.

"I laid everything out for you… I would have left to travel with you. You were the first one I ever gave my complete heart too," She said, turning from him for a moment and sighing, before turning to meet his eyes again, "None of that matters now. You moved on I'm sure."

The words hit him again, and he shook his head, "Freya you don't understand… I was using you. I… I tried I really did but… but it was just-."

"I know, I remember trust me," She said, a tinge of bitterness to her voice, "A great excuse it was… I'm sure that you never stopped looking."

"Freya, I didn't-," He tried to fire back right away, only for her to cut him off by turning around, gesturing down another alley.

"Damien was supposed to meet his contacts here, come on," She said, walking away from him down the alley.

He stood there as she walked, thinking of what she said. It had been true, he never stopped looking, but Freya clearly didn't believe him. He had told Freya about Ciri of course, but never really explained the full nature of their relationship. All he had told Freya, was that Ciri was his best friend who had been lost, and that he was looking for her for the years he had been on the road. He didn't tell her he was in love with Ciri until he had tried to leave.

Looking back on what he had done now, he could see how suddenly telling Freya he was in love with Ciri, could have been seen as an excuse. He had made many mistakes in the last eight years, separating from Geralt to travel on his own. Welling in his own despair, not putting everything he had into the search for Ciri, only traveling and lamenting the fact he had lost her. All of those things had been mistakes. However, one he regretted highly, was how he treated the relationship Freya and he had. She was such a kind, and understanding person, if he been honest with her from the beginning, he knew she would have understood.

His thoughts were interrupted by her screams. He heard them come from down the alley and his head shot down where she had walked. Drawing his sword from his back he rushed down the narrow pass to where she was standing.

"Freya! What is…. Fuck…. Fucking dammit…" He said softly after he saw the scene, coming to a stop next to her.

The alley led to another enclosed one like where they had fought earlier. It was filled with old barrels, wood, and other materials for construction and building. It was enclosed except for the alley they had come down, and a large wooden gate that he assumed led to the opposite street.

"Damien! No…." Freya managed to yell, falling to her knee's next to the body.

Blood covered the yard. Five bodies all were littered about. Blood covered the walls, the barrels, the wood everything in the area. A few of the bodies were missing limbs, arms ripped off, legs cleaved in half. One man was impaled onto a piece of wood sticking out from an old scaffolding. Another lay impaled by his own blade against the wall, his chest sliced clean open, while another was missing both arms, his lifeless eyes wide open in fear in the middle of the yard.

The man who Freya knelt next too seemed to have gotten it the worse. He was a larger, stockier man, with a head of greying brown hair, and a bushy mustache. One of his legs had been separated from his body, laying just inches from him. His stomach had been ripped open, his guts spilling out onto the grass. He was wearing only a white cotton top with brown trousers. Whatever had killed him, he had stood no chance against. He lay up against an old barrel, his head slumped to one side, his eyes were open, completely lifeless. Around his neck was a golden pendant, with what looked like a gold flower at the end.

Freya held his hand, unable to take her eyes off the man's lifeless ones. The rough, tougher girl he had been talking too for the last hours or so, finally cracked. She sobbed, the tears finally starting to stream from her eyes.

"No… no, no…. god's please no… Damien," She said between sobs, squeezing the man's lifeless hand.

He had encountered situations like this plenty of times before. A wife would ask him to go find her missing husband in the forest… and he'd have to come back to her, to deliver the unfortunate news that he had been killed by a monster. Many times he had to take the widow, or the man to their lovers, or their child's corpses in the woods to confirm it was them. Every time it hurt him on the inside. Witcher's were supposed to save people, they were supposed to protect the populace from monsters. Geralt had told him in Velen, that sometimes you just couldn't save everyone. It was a hard lesson but a true one.

However, he felt his eyes sting, seeing Freya so distraught, over the body of her friend. He blinked a few times to keep the tears back before he carefully knelt down to his knees next to the mans body. Freya paid him no mind, her head falling as tears continued to stream down her face. With every sob he heard from her, he had to blink. Carefully he reached his hand over to Damien's face, and ran his hand down the man's head, closing his eyes.

"Freya…" He said softly, but the girl didn't look up at him. She continued to sob, and he sighed before continuing, not taking his eyes off her, "I… I'm so sorry…"

She sobbed one more time, looking back up at him. Her blue eyes were turning red underneath, as she quickly raised her hands up to wipe the tears from her eyes. She tried to compose herself, but he could see her lip quiver. Sobbing again she shook her head.

"It's not fair…. It's not fucking fair," She said, her voice growing hard through the tears, "He's not even Redanian! He's from Kaedwen, he ran a flower shop before they chucked him into the army after Radovid invaded!"

He felt his fist curl at the mention of Redania's mad king. As much as he despised Emhyr and the Black Ones, Radovid had sewn just as much pain and misery across lands. Freya sniffled a few times before looking up at him again.

"I… I had to treat him after a battle where his shoulder was nearly ripped open," She started again, her voice growing harder, "I… didn't know how else to save him, so… I brewed a potion, would've probably gotten hanged if they found out. He… he looked out for me after that, stopped some of the men from ogling, and trying to make passes at me."

"He… sounds like he was a great man," He said quietly, trying for a calming voice.

Freya sobbed one more time and let out a shaky breath, using her hands to wipe her face again. She shook her head and met his eyes again, "One of the best I ever met. He… he told me that I reminded him of his daughter… her name was Rose. He was going to go back to them after we left."

He felt his own stomach begin to churn. Whatever had happened in the alley had been a complete massacre, and he was certain of one thing. No person had done this, no man or woman had killed Damien and his friends. It had to have been a monster, he didn't need to be a Witcher to determine that.

It was a monster, and he was going to find it.

Freya shakily let out a breath. He looked over and saw her gently reach around the lifeless man's neck, removing the golden flower chain. Carefully she let out another shaky breath and pulled her bag around to her front. She squeezed the chain one last time, before dropping it into her bag. After she had closed it, she reached down and grabbed Damien's lifeless hand once more.

"I'm going to bring this back to Molly and Rose… I promise, but first," She said, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. She reopened her blue iris's and he could see them filled with a new fire before she spoke again, "I'm going to find whoever did this… and I WILL kill them."

He was about to say something, when her now fiery blue eyes turned over to him. The sadness and the tears were now gone and replaced by a fierce determination.

"Dominik… I know I've been a bit of a bitter shrew since I've seen you but… will you help me," She said, her voice hard and dangerous.

Slowly he nodded his head, meeting her eyes, trying for a calming look, "Of course I will. First off, I can say this for certain… no man or woman did this. It was definitely a monster."

Quickly she nodded, her eyes not leaving his, "I guess it was a good thing I ran into you then. Can… can you figure out what it was?"

He racked his brain, trying to think of a clue. The scene had caught him off guard, he didn't have the chance to really check anything yet. However, there was plenty of evidence, and had figured out a monster's identity with less. Just a few weeks before in Claywitch there had been far less clues then there were then.

He nodded to Freya and spoke in a calming tone, knowing she was a powder keg waiting to explode.

"I think I can yeah, I've had less to go on before and was still able to," he said, being careful when speaking his next few words, "Freya… I know it's hard but… I'm going to have to examine Damien's body."

He expected some sarcastic or snarky retort, but Freya quickly nodded, letting go of Damien's hand gently, and nodding towards his corpse.

"Do what you have too," She said, moving her hands from the body.

Letting out a deep breath he nodded to her, before turning to Damien's body. It hadn't been the worst body he had ever seen. There had been times where he quite literally found people torn to little pieces by werewolves or other beasts. The first thing he looked at was the stomach, where the mans intestines were strewn onto the ground. He gently moved over bits of the man's guts, and saw more of his chest and stomach, before noticing the wounds.

Gently he pointed towards the man's chest, which had also been slashed.

"Deep horizontal cuts across the chest…" He said slowly, carefully running his hands over the mans chest cavity.

"Sword wounds after all," Freya asked hopefully.

He looked over to her and slowly shook his head, "No… normal man with a sword wouldn't be able to cut this deep. Whatever cut him… it had immense power. It feels like it cut clean across his ribs, collapsed them onto his lungs."

Freya audibly shook and he quickly looked up to her, "Sorry… didn't mean too-."

"No," She said quickly, cutting him, "I want to know everything, go on hurry up."

Nodding he quickly turned back to the body. He examined closer towards the mans stomach, and carefully ran his hand over the mans back. Sure enough as he expected, he found an exit wound on his back, with more of the mans guts spilling out there. Whatever had killed him had punctured clear through his stomach.

"Stabbed clear through the stomach," he said, pulling his hand back and looking to Freya, "This was definitely the wound that killed him. Beast cut him across the chest first, then pierced through his abdomen…. Freya can you look away, I hate this part."

"What is it, I told you I don't-," She started.

"Just please do it," He said quickly, always dreading the part he had to do next.

Freya looked at him skeptically one more time but turned on her knees to face the other way. The hot sun beat down on his neck, and the flies had begun to buzz around the dead, attracted to the smell of the corpse.

He knew whatever killed the men had immense power. The first monster he thought of was a werewolf, remembering that there had been a full moon two nights prior. Signs could point to one, but he needed to perform one more step to make sure.

"Sorry about this Damien…" he said to the corpse, before plunging both of his hands into the man's strewn out guts.

He moved away the intestines and the smell almost made him gag. If it was a werewolf that had killed the men, then the liver would more then likely be missing. While he searched for the liver, another thing made him take notice. The blood or lack there off. Very little blood was seeping out and staining his black gloves. Another idea trickled into his head, and it was all but confirmed when he found the mans liver still in his guts. Quickly he tore his hands out and took one quicker look at the body.

Freya had gotten up and he could see her examining other parts of the yard. He looked back to the body again, and he noticed one more peculiar thing. Dried blood had trickled from the mans ear. With what light there was from the sun, he could see congealed blood in the mans ears.

"Gotta be some kind of vampire… good thing I made those oils," He said to himself, taking one last look at the corpse of Damien, before standing up.

He took a quick second to look over the other bodies and saw similar injuries in all of them. Another thing he noticed, was that it appeared as if they had all died quickly. Two of the men had swords on their belt but weren't drawn, indicating they indeed died quickly, unable to defend themselves. He was just about to look for any type of trail when Freya yelled to him.

"Dominik come here check this out," She yelled to him, making him turn to her.

He jogged over to where she was standing near the gate. The large oaken gate was shut, and more than likely led out to the opposite street. Freya had been standing right at the center of them, careful not to be too close. He came up to her and she turned to him, meeting her blue eyes with his.

"What did you find," He asked her, the sun beating down on their necks.

"Look at this it's blood… I'd know the smell anywhere," She said, pointing a faded print on the center of the door, and then she pointed down towards the ground, "And this down here, prints it seems."

Freya took a step back and he knelt down to examine the print. It was definitely human sized, and the toe was pointing outwards towards the exit. Carefully he stood up and looked at the handprint as well. The gate wasn't very heavy, so a man wouldn't have had to put too much force on the door for it to swing open. He turned around and gave Freya a small smile.

"Good eyes, look at this," He said, kneeling down again and pointing towards the prints, "Print is heading outwards towards the street, and from the hand print up top… looks like someone might have escaped."

Freya suddenly turned to him, her blonde ponytail whipping around, meeting his eyes, "Then that means they could tell us more about what happened. Did you managed to figure out what kind of monster attacked them?"

He nodded and quickly pulled his blade from his sheath and went into the bag on his waist. While sifting through the collection of bombs and oils he had in vials, he looked back up to meet Freya's eyes.

"I examined the bodies, Damien's it… was drained of blood. His liver was still there so it rules out a werewolf. No drowner or necrophage could do that type of damage," He started, finally finding the correct vial of oil before continuing, "It had to be a vampire, only thing that makes sense."

Freya watched him with curiosity, as he pulled out the whetstone from his bag. He sat cross legged and carefully laid his sword out over his legs. Carefully he poured the red vampire oil over the steel. A pleasant hissing sound hit his ears, before Freya finally spoke up again.

"Okay, I know you're a Witcher and all but… how can you be sure," She asked him, her arms crossed.

He carefully greased the blade and sharpened it with the whetstone, looking up to speak to Freya while he did.

"Most of them died with their eyes open, weapons weren't drawn, means they got taken by surprise, taken out quickly," He started, looking down to see the red oil become imbued with his blade. Satisfied he stood and met Freya's eyes again, "If we're lucky it's a Fleder, or an Ekimara. Ekimara can turn invisible, explains why they got taken by surprise, Felder's they dive from above, could also explain why."

He had taken plenty of contracts on Fleder's, Ekimara's, Garkains, and other forms of lesser vampires in the past. Their weaknesses and strengths were burned into his brain, and as long as he was swift, used his bombs and oils correctly he could take them down. On the other hand, he tended to avoid contracts that could look like they were higher vampires, like Katakan's or Bruxae.

The only time he had ever taken contracts on a higher vampire confidently, was when he traveled with Faram, having the backup there to help him. If he had realized earlier that the beast terrorizing Claywitch was an Alp, he more then likely would have turned down the contract. Alayna the Alp had almost killed him in the end, if not for Yennefer he surely would have been dead.

He slid his blade behind his back, and heard Freya scoff, "You said if we're lucky one of them…. If we're not lucky?"

Sighing he looked up and met her eyes, "If we're not lucky, it's a Katakan, or a Bruxa. Only fought one of those myself a couple times… not an easy fight."

Freya slowly nodded her head, before sighing. She looked one more time over to Damien's body that lay lifeless against the barrels. Turning over to him, she slowly looked up to meet his eyes.

With her arms still crossed she let out a breath, "I… know that I haven't been very welcoming."

"You have good reason," He quickly added, not moving his eyes from hers.

For the first time since they had met an hour earlier, she let out a genuine laugh, "Ha, well you are right but… I wanted to say thank you for helping me."

His chest pumped faster as it warmed. A sigh of relief left him, and the nervousness he felt from meeting her earlier had seemed to finally fade. He managed to meet Freya's eyes for the first time without feeling a sense of shame wash over him.

He managed a laugh as well, and a smile, "You're welcome, I'm a Witcher it's what I do. Besides… I'll always help the people I care about, no matter what it is."

She stuttered for a moment, and for a split second he saw a red hue come across her face, before she quickly shook it off. Sighing, she gave him a small smile before gesturing towards the gate.

"Well, come on then. I'm no Witcher, but I think the next step is following those tracks right," She asked, her hands going to her hips.

He scoffed at her and crossed his arms. The sun sparkled off the sword she picked up earlier from the group of thugs, and she quickly tightened her black gambeson, before crossing her arms back at him.

"I don't think so. This thing, whatever it is, is extremely dangerous," He said to her, not leaving her gaze, "I'll follow the tracks and find where they lead. Find the vampire, kill it and come find you when I'm done."

Freya scoffed right back at him, looking offended, "Not a chance! I'm coming with you, whatever this vampire is, it killed Damien, I'm going to either kill it or help you kill it!"

"Freya it's too dangerous, this thing could kill you," He stressed to her, his arms remaining crossed.

"Could kill you too," She shot back at him right away.

He rolled his eyes at her, "Yes, but I'm trained for this."

"Yes that's true, but you were trained when you were seventeen too, and I still had to save your life then," She said indignantly.

His face got hot with embarrassment, "I was seventeen! I fought and killed a highly trained bounty hunter!"

"Yeah you did, and I had to help Eustace sew your shoulder back together. You're telling me that bounty hunter was more dangerous then a vampire," She asked, a smirk coming to her face.

He felt his face continue to get even hotter as he finally sighed annoyedly, "Were you always this stubborn?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes at him, "Always yeah, you just left before you could figure out just how much."

Sighing in defeat, he looked back over to her. He could see the clouds slowly starting to roll in over the sun, hiding both of their shadows. Biting his lip, he met her shining blue eyes, that shone in triumph.

"Fine… you can come with me, but you need to promise that if we find it, and I tell you to hide, you'll hide," He stressed to the woman, not taking his eyes off her.

Freya smirked and scoffed, "Oh come on. I'm not the same defenseless, innocent young girl you met in Ellander those years ago. You never know, maybe I'll have to save you this time."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The sun had been covered by the clouds now. It hadn't taken the two of them long to follow the tracks. He found more bloody handprints on the sides of buildings, and the footprints finally led him to what seemed to be a warehouse. It was a large whitewashed building, with a set of large wooden doors. To their left was the docks, the waves eagerly lapping higher and higher with the sun finally covered. A storm was coming, that much he could tell from the clouds. It was still relatively early in the day, and he mentally rolled his eyes at the prospect of another rainstorm.

"Does it end here," Freya asked him, carefully looking behind them to be sure they weren't followed.

The tracks were faint, but thanks to the rain from the last dew days, a lot of the ground was mud, making it easy for him to follow the prints. They indeed led right to the warehouse door, but the warehouse itself while large looked abandoned. Cobwebs and other old run-down crates and barrels were outside. He felt his senses begin to tingle, he didn't know why yet, but the place had worried him.

He slowly reached behind his back and drew his blade, the steel still red with the vampire oil. Carefully, he reached forward and found that the door was indeed open.

Turning back to Freya he met her eyes, "Stay close do you understand? We don't know what's in here."

She carefully nodded her head, and he turned back to the door. Slowly but surely, he pushed forward, and the brown wooden doors came open. After he had finally gotten inside, a musty old smell hit his nose. The inside for the most part was completely darkened. The warehouse looked like it went on for a mile longer, with no windows or candles for light further down. He didn't see anything that resembled shelves for a warehouse and assumed that it was indeed abandoned.

The only bit of light they had was from when they first entered. After the door closed behind them, he could only see about twenty-five feet ahead of him. The door behind them had a large metal latch that barricaded the door that was currently up, he kept that in mind, knowing that if they needed to escape, they could make it quick. He leveled his blade towards the darkness and felt every alarm in his body going off. If they were searching for a survivor of the attack, they'd have seen them. Either them or their corpse.

"This place does look abandoned… why did the tracks lead us here then," Freya said behind him, slowly drawing the sword from her belt.

He turned to the left and saw where the light was coming from, "Not quite so abandoned after all it seems…"

The front corner of the room looked like someone had been living there, and recently. A small feathered bed was in the corner, with a long dresser along the wall. A bookshelf stood tall next to it, while a bathtub and multiple small buckets were next to it. He felt his medallion slowly begin to hum around his neck. Lowering his sword in his hand, he slowly walked over to the buckets, while Freya went over to the bookshelves and dresser.

The smell of the oils hit his nose as he got closer. He had never seen anything like it before but remembered learning about what the substance was from Yennefer when he was younger. It was some type of magical, enchanted concealer. It helped one hide their true appearance, but the more you used it, the more dangerous it became. He dipped his finger in the oil, and the strong smell of lavender it exhumed gave him horrible flashbacks to Claywitch.

"Lavender… I think that Alp ruined my liking for it," He muttered to himself, wiping his fingers on his armor.

Hearing himself mention the Alp, suddenly flipped a switch in his brain. The strong claw marks, the human shaped foot and handprints, he knew the creatures could change their appearance, but concealer like the ones in front of him could allow them to look like different people.

"Um… Dominik… I think you should see this," Freya said from behind him.

Slowly he turned, his blood beginning to race even faster as he slowly walked over to the blonde woman, who was standing at the bookshelf. He could see a shocked look in her face as well, as she stepped to the side when he approached. Seeing what made her call him made his stomach drop. Along the wood on the side of the bookcase, were long deep claw marks into the wood. All around the side of the case the marks ran up and down, deep into the wood, and he was sure if the beast wanted, it could have torn the shelf in half with one blow.

"Freya… I think-," He was cut off when a loud insistent chirping was heard.

His heart nearly leaped from his chest as he whirled around, nearly slicing Freya's arm. She moved out of the way however when she slowly walked over to the dresser. The puzzle pieces for the contract all finally were starting to float together in his head. The wounds, the footprints the concealer… the blood that had came out of Damien's ears. When Freya finally turned around and he saw what was in her hands, it was as if the bells of Beauclair had gone off inside his head.

"I wonder what this little guy's doing here…" She said, holding a cage with a small red bird.

"Fuck," He screamed turning around quickly to the dark, and then back to Freya, "Freya you need to get out of here, now," He said quickly grabbing her arm, making her drop the cage.

He dragged her by the arm towards the door, but just before he could exit, she pulled away looking at him frantically with wild eyes.

"What are you talking about!? I told you I was going to come with you to kill this thing, it killed Damien I can't-," She started to reason, but he silenced her putting a hand over her mouth.

He locked his pleading green eyes with her blue ones, "Don't argue with me and just listen! Follow the harbor until you find the crane, around there you should find another Witcher. Tall, with black hair and a beard you can't miss. His name is Faram, get to him, tell him I sent you and what's going on tell him-."

A loud _***clang* **_cut him off, and both he and Freya's head whirled back around to the door. The large metal bar had fallen in front of the door with a clang, locking it in place. He felt his chest begin to thump even harder. If it was just he in there, he would have readied bombs and his blade, but he needed to get Freya out. The creatures were too fast, and he didn't want to take the chance of it catching her.

Freya squeezed his forearm when she saw the door slam and turned back to him, "Dom… what is it? Why did the door close?"

He turned back around to the darkness, trying to use his trained eyes to scan for any signs of movement, but he saw none. Keeping hold of Freya's arm, he ran with her to the door and turned back to her.

"It's a Bruxa, listen do what I said, go and find-," He was cut off by the laughter, the deep dark, demonic laughter of a woman, coming from further inside the dark warehouse.

Freya turned around with him, her hand not letting go of his forearm. His ears perked up, he heard the pattering footsteps, as the laughter got louder and louder. It was as if the warehouse walls were echoing the sound even further.

"Dom… what… what is it-," Freya started to say next to him.

As the laughter got louder, he realized what was happening, he wrapped his arm around Freya's waist and pulled her close to his body.

"COVER YOUR EARS NOW," He yelled, thrusting up his hand, the yellow Quen shield rising up around him.

Freya did as she was told, just as the piercing scream from the Bruxa ripped through the warehouse. He could feel Freya shaking in his arms as she clamped her hands on her ears. The ripples of sound blasted off his shield, but the longer it lasted the harder it was to hold, the sound started to leak in even louder, and just before it became too powerful for him to hold the shield the scream finally ceased, and he let the shield down.

As soon as he did, he felt his legs crumple beneath him. Freya knelt down to help him up, just as the patter of footsteps could be heard ahead, along with more laughter.

"Are you alright, what happened. I… I've never seen you use magic before," Freya said, helping him to his feet.

"Witcher signs," He said, groaning as he got to his feet, "Geralt… Geralt taught them to me when we met up to start looking for Ciri together…"

"Wait… what," Freya said breathlessly, but before she could say more, was cut off by the laughter getting louder.

Both of their heads shot up, and he finally got his view of the Bruxa. Like all Bruxae the high vampire had pale leathery skin. She was completely naked with her long, sharp, bone like claws extended. Standing on her toes she was covered in dried and fresh blood, all the way from her neck, down to her legs. For a moment her face was that of a young, beautiful black-haired woman, but he could see her true form behind the demonic brown eyes.

The beast stood there; all her claws extended. Dominik finally felt his strength, return and scooped his sword from the ground. He leveled it at the creature, and Freya, despite the fact her blade wouldn't do any good, leveled hers as well. Her bravery was beginning to amaze him, he saw the hard look in her eyes, as she faced down the creature that had killed her friend.

He expected the beast to lash out, but the Bruxa simply raised her claws to her mouth and laughed in an amused tone.

"Well, well, well! Did I interrupt your romantic stroll? Were you two planning a romantic outing together in an abandoned warehouse," She said, her voice dripping with amusement.

Freya to his surprise was the one to speak up before him. He could see the fire return to her eyes as she stepped forward, pointing her blade, "SHUT YOUR MOUTH! We're here to kill you, and we WILL!"

He took another step to be next to Freya, not wanting the girl to get too close to the beast by herself. The Bruxa seemed to only be amused even further, it cackled again, the demonic laugh returning.

She looked back over at Dominik now, her eyes falling to the wolf medallion around his neck. The creature smiled at him, and it made his skin crawl as if an ant colony had made its home there.

"My, oh my… a Witcher? Not the Witcher I was hoping to meet but…still a handsome one to boot," She said, before turning back to Freya, "I learned so many interesting things following you two today…. My dear…why did he leave you? Were… you not good enough for him? I mean… you did give him everything after all."

"SHUT UP," Freya yelled going to lunge for the beast, but Dominik caught her around the waist and pulled her back next to him.

She kicked and thrashed in his arms, but he got her back next to him, raising his blade up back towards the beast.

"Yes, I'm a Witcher. You know what that means, you won't be killing anyone else," He said, trying to muster his confidence.

If he had been by himself, he knew it would have been an extremely tough fight, however he had managed to kill a few Bruxae before on his own. It hadn't been easy, and each time he almost died, but he had done it before. The thing that worried him, however, was having Freya next to him. He knew that if he left her unwatched for a moment, a Bruxa was quick enough it could kill her in one blow.

And he wasn't going to let her die.

The vampire laughed again and kept her eyes trained on him, "Oh yes I know what it means. I also know you Dominik of Cintra… I must say, I was hoping for that… dashingly handsome Geralt of Rivia..."

He felt himself scoff, "And how exactly do you know who Geralt and I are!?"

The question ate at his mind as soon as she mentioned it. Surely if a Bruxa had been following Geralt and he around, they would have been able to sense it. The creature however laughed, and simply shook her head.

"You're a smart young Witcher… magic concealer works wonders when you can conceal your magic output, followed you and the girl without you seeing," The beast said, slowly pacing in front of them both, "I know of course of Geralt of Rivia, many Bruxae have died in recent years to his blade. Naturally when I heard he was in the city… I needed to follow him… and the handsome young man he had with him, see if the stories were true! If I were to taste the blood of the famous Geralt of Rivia… oh what a triumph that would be."

"His reputation proceeds him," He said sarcastically, keeping his dripping blade leveled.

Again the vampire laughed, "Ahaha, it most certainly does. I planned to ambush you both but… then I began to hear your story, and it touched me so! Tell me Dominik of Cintra… do you truly still seek the Lady of Worlds after all these years? The beautiful Cirilla Fiona Ellen Riannon?"

It was his turn to lash out. He leaped and spun in midair, going for an attack that would have cleaved clean through the beast. The Bruxae's laugh could be heard as she dashed away from his attack. He whirled around to try and find where she had went but couldn't find any traces.

"DOMINIK," He heard Freya scream.

He whirled around with his blade leveled only to see Freya with a claw at her throat. The Bruxa had dashed behind him, and gripped up Freya, holding her long talon out under the girl's chin. He felt his heart begin to race even further, and his eyes go wide as he leveled his sword.

"LET HER GO NOW," He yelled at the creature, as Freya whimpered, the claw slowly raking under her throat.

The Bruxa laughed and looked at him curiously, "Oh my, such fierceness in your tone… why do you care so much for her? You… couldn't love her after all, you left her… after she gave you everything she had. You… must truly, truly love Cirilla. Why bother with this girl then?"

The words cut through him like a hot knife through butter. The answer however was obvious. He cared for Freya, because she was kind to him, saved his life, and had helped him through one of the most tumultuous times of his young life. A plan formed in the back of his mind, and for a moment he met Freya's blue eyes. Her eyes were filled with fear, as she looked at him, pleading, begging him to help.

And he was going too.

He looked to meet the monsters eyes, and slowly lowered the point of his sword.

"You're right," He said to the Bruxa, making both her and Freya look over to him wide eyed.

The Bruxa kept gently rubbing her claw against Freya's throat, but looked at him curiously. Feeling his plan slowly begin to work he took a step closer to the Bruxa, keeping one hand raised.

He met the creatures eyes, speaking with sincerity.

"I've love Ciri, since I was eleven years old, from the moment I met her. When… when we were separated I… I nearly lost it. For years I looked and looked, first with Geralt, then by myself. After three years I… I truly was lost. The loneliness, the longing… the need to just have… someone. That one person I could confide in, trust, and have, I… I NEEDED that, losing Ciri had cut me so…so deep that I was ready to give up… end it all just to make the pain go away. But I… found someone, someone that helped me heal in more ways then one," He started, finally feeling the words he had been trying to say for so long spill out.

He looked over and saw Freya's eyes going wide, the claw inches from her jugular, and he knew if he said one wrong word, there was no way he'd be able to do anything to save her. Carefully he took in a shaky breath, looking at the Bruxa again.

"Freya Kaminski of Ellander… saved me in more ways then she knows," He said, looking from the Bruxa over to Freya herself, "She… she was patient, she listened, she knew when to pry me to talk more and when to listen. I… had finally found someone, someone I could trust, someone I could confide in. And… and for a time, I really did believe that I was falling in love with her."

The Bruxae's head tilted so far, it was almost upside down as she listened to his story, her claws gently stroking Freya's throat. Freya herself didn't peel her eyes from him, her blue iris's looked down at him with shock, anger, sadness, relief, she almost seemed as if she was going to cry again.

He saw the Bruxa taking even greater interest. It was clear she was a vampire who was particularly interested in human behavior. So, he took in another deep sigh and kept looking between it and Freya.

"I… should have told her about my true feelings for Ciri from the start. I… I didn't because, I thought if I kept saying that Ciri had just been a friend, that… that maybe I'd believe it myself. Maybe the sting, and the wound from her disappearing would finally go away, and… and it would help me truly learn to love Freya," He said, closing his eyes, remembering the conflicting nights he had, before opening them again, "But I was fooling myself. I… I was never going to truly love anyone the way I love Ciri. The two of us… the bond we have, it was more than just childhood love, it was something more. That… that's when I realized I was just using Freya."

Freya looked like she was about to say something more, but as soon as she did the Bruxae's claw dug deeper into her throat, and she kept quiet. The candlelight illuminated their faces, the light from outside non-existent. He could see Freya's eyes widen and not come off him. The Bruxa seemed more and more invested in his story. He cleared his throat and met the monster's eyes once again.

"I… I was just using her. I was trying to patch the hole inside me that had been left by Ciri. She… she deserved more. Freya is one of the kindest, most caring, compassionate, and amazing people I've met, and she deserved more…. She deserved someone who could actually love her back," He said, looking over to meet Freya's eyes now, and the girl stared at him, her iris's glowing. Sighing he kept eye contact with her and continued, "So… I decided to leave. I couldn't stop looking for Ciri, and… and I couldn't use her anymore. I was going to leave without a word, I… I thought that would be what would hurt her the least. I… I was wrong, and for that… I'm so, so sorry."

Freya let out a long breath but didn't dare say anything with the Bruxae's claw at her throat, and the creature's other hand firmly gripped on Freya's hands, holding them behind her back at an awkward angle. The Bruxa almost seemed moved by his words, but he could see her fangs begin to sharpen in her mouth, as she looked ready to finally kill Freya and attack him.

Quickly he took another step forward, keeping his sword pointed to the ground.

"You ask me why I still care about her, why I'm bothering to try and protect her? The answer is simple," He said, looking over to lock eyes with Freya, "I know she gave me everything, I know I hurt her, I know that she probably hates me but… I still care about her. She saved me in more ways then one. I know if I had told her about everything right from the start, she STILL would have supported me, and care for me. So that's why I'm doing this now."

He looked down at his blade and tossed it to the side. As his steel clattered to the ground, he heard Freya yelp.

"Dom, no what are you-," She tried to say before the Bruxa hissed, holding her claw deeper into her throat.

She turned and hissed at him, "My oh my, what a lovely tale Dominik of Cintra. A tale of love, rejection, and compassion… but I must ask… how do you plan on saving her without your blade?"

He sighed and felt his inside shake. His plan was crazy, and may well get him killed, but he couldn't doubt himself now. Gently, he held out both of his hands with his wrists up.

"Like this, I wanna make a deal," He said, talking slowly and meeting the Bruxae's eyes, "If you let Freya go, you can have me."

"ARE YOU CRAZ-," Freya yelled, before the claw silenced her again.

The Bruxa snarled and he could see the fangs get inches from Freya's neck, before the beast turned to him, "And why would I do that boy!? I could simply kill you both here. What do I get out of this deal?"

He gave the Bruxa a fake smirk, showing her his hands again, "You could kill us both you're right but… if you take my deal you get something more. Spare Freya and take me captive. I can lead you to what you want… I can take you to Geralt."

He remembered the Bruxae's words from earlier about wanting to taste the blood of the famous Geralt of Rivia. Her words must have been true, because the vampires eyes went wide, and she stood up straight, her claw not leaving Freya's throat. It was his hope that the vampires desire to stand apart from the others, and desire to taste the famous Witcher's blood were as high as they seemed to him before.

"And how do I know that I will get to… taste the blood of Geralt of Rivia, how do I know he won't simply kill me," She questioned him, her claw stroking up and down Freya's jugular.

He scoffed and shook his head, "If you've been following us, then you must know. Geralt's my adopted father. He'd do anything for me. Bring me to him as a prisoner, and he'd do just about anything to save me. Think of it… you'd be the first Bruxa to taste the blood of Geralt of Rivia… and to survive."

The beast finally removed her fangs from Freya's throat, but held the girl still, gripping both her hands behind her back. He felt his hands twitch, ready to spring forward at a moment's notice if need be. It felt as if a boulder was dropped down into the pit of his stomach. The Bruxae's head finally shot to him, and she pointed her long, bony talon towards his belt.

"You have a deal Dominik of Cintra, but first… that silver dagger on your hip, remove it," She hissed, gripping tighter on Freya's arms.

He heard the girl yelp from the pain, and he quickly pulled the dagger from his belt and held it out in his hands. The Bruxa nodded, and finally a rush of relief ran through his chest, when she threw Freya forward, finally releasing her. Freya almost stumbled to the ground, but he managed to catch her. When she did, the blonde looked up at him, her blue eyes welling up with tears again.

She threw her arms around his neck and gripped him tightly, "I… I'm so, so sorry that-."

"Shhhh," he said, gripping her waist with one hand, the other keeping the dagger visible for the Bruxa, he pulled back to meet Freya's gaze, his green eyes meeting her blue, "It's alright… everything will be alright."

He slowly said the words, gently letting her go, but slipping the dagger right into the girls hands. Freya turned as he slowly walked towards the Bruxa, his hands up, weaponless. The vampire hissed, and quickly took a position behind him. Slowly she reverted back into her human form, but he could feel the claws right against his back. All she had to do, was thrust them forward, and his spine would be severed.

"Come now Dominik of Cintra… let's visit the White Wolf," She said, slowly walking him towards the door.

"Yes… lets do that," He said, looking back and seeing Freya standing there, staring at his dagger and then back to him.

He winked at her, before turning around to see they had reached the locked door. Carefully, he took in one last long drawn out breath. He didn't cast the sign often, only during training, but if he couldn't produce it now, it would mean the deaths of both he and Freya.

"Well!? Open the door boy," The Bruxae hissed behind him.

Slowly he nodded and reached up to lift the bar that was barricading the door. He went to lower the bar to the ground, but just as he did, he summoned the power to his hand. Slamming his fist into the ground, the purple sign erupted to life as he dove to the right. The glyph of Yrden appeared right around the Bruxa, and he turned to see her slowly reaching out to slash through his with her claws from the right. The sign had done its job, but despite the Yrden slowing it down, it still moved swiftly. Bruxa moved so fast you couldn't see them normally, so the Yrden slowed down what was the fastest monster he'd ever face. He thought about Freya, who'd be dead if he couldn't succeed now, he felt blood race through his veins and his arms move faster than he'd ever felt it move before as he channeled all his power into his palm. He was just able to get his Quen shield up in time, and the shield was hit with such force it exploded, sending the Bruxae smashing into the door, the magic power that erupted from the shield was greater then he'd ever seen himself produce.

"DOM HERE," He heard Freya yell behind him.

He turned and the girl had thrown his sword back to him from the ground. Catching it in his hands, he twirled it to a reverse grip. He charged towards the Bruxae, and just before he could cut through it, the beast dashed away, turning completely invisible. His eyes caught the buckets of oils spilling and saw the footprints she left in her wake. Freya ran over to his side, and he reached into his bag, pulling out one of his favorite bombs.

He lit the moon dust with Igni, and fire towards the bookcase where he saw the footprints leading.

"There you are," He yelled, seeing the Bruxae still disoriented.

Leaping forward with another spin, the first attack from his sword was blocked by one of her claws. The beast became visible again, as she steamed from pain, the silver from the bomb seeping into her skin. She thrusted her claw forward, but he managed to knock it aside with his blade, and with speed and strength he never knew he had, he executed the quickest spin he ever had, and slice upwards cleaving the Bruxae's arm clean off. It wailed in pain, and fell to the ground, trying to crawl towards Freya at the entrance.

His eyes went wide, and he leaped forward, trying to stab his blade down to end the beast. However, just before it pierced her back, she disappeared again, for a second, he tried to find out where it was, but screamed with he felt something pierce the right side of his stomach just below his armor. He felt the beasts fangs sink into him, and he screamed, feeling her suck the blood right from his veins.

He turned, intent on blasting the beast with a sign, but just before he could the Bruxa screamed out louder then it had before. Freya had leaped forward and plunged his silver dagger, hilt deep into the vampires back. The Bruxa smoked, and fell from his body onto the floor, slowly its claws retracted, its fangs became teeth again, and it looked as if a normal woman lay dead on the floor.

Freya stood next to him, breathing heavily, her hands shaking. He had enough time to meet her eyes, and scoffed, feeling a smile come to his face. Freya her hands still shaking looked back up at him as well. Their green and blue eyes met, and they both managed to laugh in amazement, as the body of the vampire smoked.

"That… that was fucking amazing, I… I UGHHHHHH," He winced, feeling his side flare up in pain. He quickly placed his hand over his wound to staunch the bleeding, as Freya rushed to his side.

"Are you alright, I… I saw it bite you and-," She started, gently guiding him to sit on the bed that the Bruxa had in the warehouse.

"And you saved it from being a lot worse… good thing I brought you after all," He said sarcastically, as he leaned back in the chair, wincing at the wound.

It certainly wasn't the worse wound he had ever received. He assumed he would be able to patch it up easy enough before continuing with his day, however in the moment it flared up in pain. Freya scoffed at him and knelt down to his side, gently reaching for the bottom of his armor, and lifted it up to see his bare skin.

He heard her wince and laughed.

"Ha, is it bad? Because I don't feel a thing," He joked, feeling his breathing start to return to normal.

Freya carefully placed his armor back down and looked up at him, "Well it certainly isn't good but…I've seen worse… and I'm sure you've certainly had worse."

Looking down he met his eyes, and he couldn't help but laugh, "Oh yeah, gotten bit worse by other vampires too."

She stood up in front of him now, and offered him a hand, "Come on tough guy. You saved my life… the least I can do is patch you up… and I kind of want to have a talk."

He felt his blood begin to race again, and his chest pump faster as he reached for Freya's hand. She helped him up to his feet, and he winced almost falling over again. Catching him, she helped to steady him upright, and for another moment they both locked eyes.

"Freya I… I meant what I-," He started, before she quickly cut him off by shaking her head.

"I know… there are some things I want to say too…. And I also want to ask you some things. But I should patch you up first, doctors orders come on," She said, gesturing for him to follow her.

A small smile came to his face, as he scoffed, "You know you handled yourself pretty well. You'd make a good Witcher, got something to fall back on if the doctor thing doesn't work."

He could see she was trying not to laugh, but one escaped her lips as she looked up to meet his eyes, her blue one's full of mischief.

"I wonder if Cirilla loves your stupid jokes like I do… come on, I need to patch up that wound," She said, gesturing for him to follow again.

The mention of Ciri made his own face turn red. He slowly nodded and followed Freya towards the door. He had thought that day would end up being a waste, however he knew then he was wrong.

He had another friend now… another ally for the fights to come.

**A/N: WOW, that chapter was long. I was NOT planning on making is this long, but I really had fun writing that second half, and that first dream sequence. So, Geralt has gone off to see Radovid, leaving Dom alone for the day and what does he get up too? He hunts a Bruxa with his ex. (A Bruxa that has been following him) I think this has been my real favorite chapter to write, I really enjoyed it. **

**A couple important things happened this chapter. That first dream sequence this chapter will end up being one of the most important scenes in the entire book. What did you guys think of it? Who's the girl? What is her importance going to be?**

**Also, we meet Freya Kaminski of Ellander, the one girl through his travels that made Dominik break his loyalty to Ciri. We learn more about what their relationship was like, and what she's done since. Just like the rest of Dom's friends we will meet she'll have a big role to play down the line. What did you think of Freya? Are you looking forward to seeing more? What about her and Dom's relationship what do you think? She's been one of my favorite characters to write, so I'm interested to know what you all think. **

**Also quick note, I based Freya in this story off of the beautiful and talented Freya Allan. For those of you who don't know she's the wonderful actress who plays Ciri in the Witcher Netflix show. So if you wanted a sort of faceclaim for her, someone to imagine while you read her parts that's who it is Freya Allan.**

**I thought it would be cool to base Dominik's one ex off the actress who plays Ciri, because in a way now Dominik has always been with Ciri. **

**(Also I will state this now, NO. There is zero chance Dominik ends up with Freya at the end of this just incase anyone was wondering lol)**

**So what are your predictions now that Freya is in the story? What about the dream that Dominik had in beginning? Next chapter we'll have a nice chat with Dom and Freya, before Dominik goes to see Triss. When Geralt and she go to the Vegelbug Party… we'll have another quest for Dominik… and I am so looking forward to it. **

**The continued support has been so fantastic, thank you all who's reviewed, favorited and followed, the story is really going to pick up now. If you have any questions review or PM me and I'll always respond! See you all soon, stay safe.**


	29. A Matter of Life and Death

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 29: A Matter of Life and Death**

**Narrator: The day that Geralt and Dominik intended to go and try and contact their doppler friend Dudu was interrupted. King Radovid had summoned Geralt to collect on the favor he owed to the mad Redanian ruler. Geralt went to see what the King needed, leaving Dominik with extra time in his day. The young Witcher went to see Triss Merigold, remembering the sorceress needed a favor from them. On the way however, Dominik ran into Freya Kaminski of Ellander, the only woman in the last eight years the young Witcher had ever broke his faith to Ciri for. After reuniting, Dominik helped Freya search for a lost friend. Tragically Freya's friend had been killed by a Bruxa. Together Dominik and Freya hunted down the beast, killing it and avenging the men it had killed. During the fight however Dominik was wounded, so Freya tended to his wounds, before the young Witcher headed to find Triss Merigold.**

"So… you're really in Novigrad looking for her," Freya asked, gently wiping the solvent she had made onto his wound.

Freya had helped him get back to her room at the Golden Sturgeon, it was small, but she had enough room to treat him. Just like when he knew her back in Ellander, she was an incredibly talented healer. She mashed together a selection of herbs into a solvent, a paste that she applied gently to the wound on his side. It had been a deep one, but as soon as the paste his it, he felt a pleasant cooling sensation run through his body.

He sighed in relief, looking back at her as she stood up.

"Yeah… she's been seen here. First started on her trail in Velen," He explained, as Freya went to wash her hands on a bowl of water.

She finished washing her hands and turned to him. He had taken off his armor and shirt, only sitting on her bed in his trousers and boots. He watched as she pulled a long set of cloth bandages from her bag. She sat down next to him and gestured for him to lift his arms. He complied with her orders and she went about wrapping the bandages around his abdomen.

"Not to dash your hopes but… how do you know the trail is real," She asked him, pulling tightly to be sure the bandages stayed in place.

He winced slightly, but looked down at her, "Well she's actually been seen. People we've talked to have actually seen her. She was looking for me and Geralt, she… she's on the run."

"From what," She asked him, finally tying the tightened bandage around his waist and looking back up at him.

A cold chill ran through his bones as her met her gaze. To that day he still shuddered at the idea.

"The Wild Hunt… they want her… abilities," He explained to her, trying to keep himself from shaking.

He had told her everything. Geralt might not have thought it was wise, the older Witcher had been telling him repeatedly that as few people as possible should know about Ciri's powers. However, he couldn't stop himself when he started explaining. Just like all those years ago, Freya was a good listener, asking questions at the right time, and just sitting back and listening at others. She had an aura of trust around her, her blue eyes sent reassurance and warmth down his body, making him think that perhaps everything would be alright He told her his story to that point, from the Alp in Claywitch, to the meeting with the emperor in Vizima, to the fight with Nithral in the caves of Velen, and all the way up to Novigrad, even the night before when he and Geralt raided Whoreson Junior's mansion for his information on her.

Freya had taken it all in stride, simply nodding as she made the solvent to heal his wound. Now however, she sat next to him, their eyes locked and she nodded.

"Dominik, I… I'm so sorry," She said softly, not taking her eyes off his.

Quickly he shook his head, "You don't have anything to apologize for, I'm the one who-."

"No, I do… I really do," She said, quickly cutting him of, before continuing with a sigh, "I'm sorry for doubting what you said. I… I really thought it was all an excuse… that you just had used it as a way to leave me, move onto the next girl on the path."

He felt his face heat up. After what had happened with Freya other women had tried to woo him, gain his heart, but none had succeeded. Meeting Freya had made him realize the love he had for Ciri was true, and wouldn't be broken, no matter how much time they spent apart. However, Freya also helped him regain faith in himself, in his quest, gave him the strength to go on.

Slowly he shook his head, "It… it's alright. I… didn't go about any of it the right way. I should have told you from the start like I said. I… really never meant to hurt you, I just thought you deserved more."

Her eyes didn't leave him. He could see the thoughts whirling inside them, like she wanted to say a hundred things, but was having a hard time picking which one. She carefully placed her hand over his and he felt a small twinge go up his body.

She squeezed his hand once before letting it go, looking back up to meet his eyes.

"I… I called you some pretty horrible things through the years," She said, a small smile coming to her face, "Every year I saw you come back to Ellander I… I wanted to confront you, slap you, scream at you for what you did."

"You should've," He said, his voice rising to one of sarcasm, "Could've had this conversation without the whole, vampire almost killing us incident."

She scoffed and laughed, lightly shaking her head and looking back to him, "I suppose you're right…. Thank you… for what you said. I… I understand now, you were… well you still are in love with someone else. And it must be deep if you've spent eight years looking…"

He felt the swallow around his neck tremble, and he sighed, looking over at her again. The light from the sun that had reemerged casted over them both from the window. It was turning into a hot day again, and the uneventful day he thought he was going to have had quickly turned into one of the most eventful in the last few weeks.

However, he was glad that it had turned out the way it did.

"It is yeah… deeper than I ever thought it'd go," He started, and her head perked up to meet his again, "Just because it's true, doesn't mean I went about it the right way. I… I'm sorry again Freya. I don't regret a second, I spent with you… I… I hope that we can be well… friends despite it all."

She had let her hair out of its ponytail, so her blonde curls cascaded down her back. Her blue eyes sparkled in the light from the sun, as again she reached over and took his hand. This time she didn't let it go, shifting her body to face him. She gave him a small smile, and he could see fully now how beautiful she had gotten. A smaller upturned nose, her large blue eyes, she would have drove any man crazy.

She sighed, before looking at him with a smile, "Dominik… you'll always be the first man I ever loved. Been the only one since then…. I would be lying if I said I didn't wish things could be different but… Cirilla… Ciri… if she's what's going to make you truly happy then… well I hope you find her and… and if you ever need my help, with anything… you'll have it. My sword, potions… just someone to talk to… anything."

He could feel his heart thump faster in his chest, and the hairs on his arms stick up. For years he thought that Freya would forever hate him, be furious with him, and if he did see her again, she indeed would slap him, scream at him for what he'd put her through. However, he realized how stupid that was of him to think. It wasn't the kind of person Freya Kaminski of Ellander was. She was forgiving, understanding, kind, and one of the greatest people he had met in his years alone.

And she wanted the best for him, just like he did for her.

"Th… thank you Freya. I… I don't know what to say," He said, unable to form words that could express his gratitude.

She laughed and she smirked again, "Well that's certainly a first. Your wound should be fine in a couple of hours. That solvent worked wonders for the boys in the army."

Finally, she stood up, walking back over to the small table that was in the corner of her room. The large brown bag which contained all her alchemical ingredients was spilled open. She carefully took out the golden chain that she retrieved from Damien's body. Sighing, she squeezed it, before tying the chain around her neck.

He stood up himself as well, wincing slightly at the ache from his wound but was able to move his arms with little pain. She turned to the dresser opposite her and gestured for her to join her.

"Come on, let me help you get this back on," She said, as he carefully walked over to her.

"I can dress myself you know," He said in a sarcastic tone, as she helped him slide his arms into his undershirt before she lifted his armor up.

He realized why she offered to aid him, when he tried to move his arms backwards to put them into his armor, the pain flared up again. He winced as she helped him strap on the red gambeson, before she loaded the wolf armor on top of his shoulders. The armor he felt weigh him down slightly, but he soon got used to it again. She handed him his gloves, and he slipped them on, tightening them both, feeling a relieved sigh escape him. He turned around and saw her holding his blade in the sheath. Smiling she handed it over to him.

"I know you can, but I need to do something to pay you back. You did save my life after all," She said, as he tightly tied his blade across his back.

Quickly he shook his head after his outfit was finally back in place, "Freya no, you don't have to pay me back anything. Like I told you, you're my friend, I help the people I care about. I never charge them."

She laughed and he could see the mischief return to her eyes, "I can't just not do anything. Don't you Witcher's normally ask people without coin for, 'that which you have at home, yet do not know'?"

His eyes widened and a tingle ran down his spine. Quickly he shook his head, "Used to happen a lot, but not much anymore. Only ever did it once, and well… don't know what I'm getting from it, probably a bushel of corn or something."

He remembered back to Mikel in Claywitch, the foreman of the mill who he had saved from the Alp. The man had given him the Law of Surprise as payment, but he obviously hasn't had the chance to go back and collect. He wasn't in a hurry too, most of the time it was an extra crop bushel or an old shirt they forgot they had, so he assumed safely whatever it was he'd receive from Mikel would be safe.

Freya sighed and shook her head, but met his gaze again, her eyes flooded with determination, "Well whatever it ends up being. I will pay you back somehow, I swear it."

Again, he smiled, finally holding his hands up at her, "Alright, alright. Just… don't think about it too much. Buy me a drink next time I come to Ellander, and we'll call it even."

She laughed and crossed her arms, meeting his gaze with a smile, "It's a deal. I'll buy you a drink… and Ciri too, after you find her."

The words had shocked him, he scoffed and met her eyes again, "Ha, you really… want to meet Ciri?"

"Of course, I do. After hearing everything you've told me… well she seems like quite the fascinating person to get to know," She said, a mischievous smile coming to her face as she looked at him, "Besides… she's the reason you left me, It'd be interesting to get to know her."

He felt his eyes go wide, his mouth suddenly felt dry, "I… I said… well…-."

His stuttering made Freya toss her head back and laugh, she smirked at him and sighed, "I'm kidding don't worry… but I'm serious. If you ever need help… finding Ciri, or with anything else, I'm here."

Breathing in relief he felt himself smile widely again. Freya was another name. Faram, Roche, Freya… people who he considered friends, future allies. He was going to find Ciri, they were going to defeat the Hunt. And after they did, they would get together, have a drink, and looked back on what they did in amazement. He had been foolish when he was younger, Freya as he expected perfectly understood, and was now even willing to help him. He should have been honest with her and he hadn't been… and thankfully she was willing to forgive, it was the kind of person she was.

He met her eyes one last time, but then the sun peered into the room. As much as he wished he could stay and catch up more with Freya, he remembered what he had set out to do that morning. He remembered the phylactery in his bag, the reason Ciri had come to Novigrad, and what Geralt had said to him before he left. He needed to go and see Triss Merigold, to see if she could tell him anything about the phylactery, and to see what she needed their aid with.

"I… thank you again Freya. It… it means more then you'll know," He said, getting a smile from her before he continued, "What… what are you going to do now?"

Sighing Freya turned from him, back towards the table. She picked up her large bag and slung it around her shoulder, sliding the sword she had into her waist. He saw her grip the golden rose necklace around her neck, as he often did with the swallow pendant he wore. Freya gave him a smile, but he could see the worry hiding beneath her iris's.

"Well, I'm going to try and make it to Kaedwen. Damien told me he lived in Ban Ard. I'm going to find his family… give this to them and… well tell them what happened," She explained, her face falling again.

His heart did as well. He remembered the body of Damien mangled by the Bruxa in the yard. He never thought he'd see Freya cry like that, even when he spent time with her years ago, she was always so happy, seeing the bright side of everything. So, seeing her lament her friend's death had hit him, and he regretted that he hadn't seen her a few days before so he could have helped.

He sighed, looking at her with sympathetic eyes, "Is… there anything I can do to help? Go with you somewhere, anything like that?"

She gave him a light smile and gently shook her head, "No… I'll be alright. Besides, you're on a quest of your own. You're finally so close to finding Ciri, I don't want to take you from that now."

Sighing he knew the girl was right. He couldn't leave Novigrad, he was too close. They were only a few weeks behind Ciri and as soon as they had Dandelion, they would finally be able to figure out what had happened to her. As much as he wished he could help Freya more, he kept hearing Ciri's voice in his head… and it made his heart stir. He remembered the night before, Whoreson Junior attacking her. She was in danger, and he would never abandon her, not again.

He nodded at Freya and she sighed with a smile, looking at him with her hands on her hips.

"Well, you're all healed up. I need to… do something. Need to get out of Novigrad, I can sell some things but… I'll need to find somewhere to stay, at least for the next few days," She said, looking out of the window over the city.

His head perked up at her words, and a smile came to his face. He walked next to her and looked out the window with her.

"I have a solution for that," He said, making the girl turn and meet his eyes before he continued, "Head over to the Rosemary and Thyme. Talk to the dwarf that runs the place, Zoltan. He's a friend of mine, tell him I sent you, and he'll treat you like family."

"Really? I wouldn't want to impose, really I-," She started, only for him to cut him off with a shake of the head.

"No problem at all. Zoltan will take care of you, get you some food, a few drinks. You should be able to at least stay for the next few days," He said with a smile.

Freya thought for a moment, looking out the window before coming back to him. She smiled but didn't say anything. She grabbed his shoulders, and leaned up, planting a long, lingering kiss on his cheek. He felt his face go red, as she gently pulled back, meeting his eyes. She smiled up widely at him, and for the first time, he could truly see that she cared for him. It hadn't turned out like she wanted, they weren't in love, but she cared for him still. She respected his love for Ciri and wasn't pressing him. It was the signs of a mature person, and a true friend.

"Thank you… I need to get some things done in town, I'm sure you do too. I guess you'll be seeing more of me then," She said with a smile and a small smirk.

Sighing he smiled again, feeling his face get flustered and nodding at her, "Sounds like a plan… it was good seeing you again Freya."

She nodded back to him, and gestured towards the door, "It was good to see you too. Go on, I'm sure you have something important to get down too. I'll see you later at the Rosemary and Thyme."

She had been right of course. He needed to go and see Triss and figure out what the sorceress could tell him. If she could figure out what the phylactery was, then he could finally understand what Ciri was doing. He could see if she truly were trying to cast one… or worse case… lift one.

And if she was trying to lift one off herself, then their time was winding down.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He had parted ways with Freya after they had left the Sturgeon. She had told him she was going to try and haggle selling a few herbs before she went to see Zoltan at the Rosemary and Thyme. The sun outside as he assumed was slowly being covered by the clouds again, and he could feel the small drops of precipitation starting to fall from the sky. Still, from what bits of the sun he could see, he assumed it was getting close to dawn. The sun would be downing soon, and Geralt still hadn't returned.

Carefully he walked through the bits, trying to find the townhouse Triss had described to them. What could Radovid have possibly sent Geralt to do? He knew his adopted father was able, however if he didn't return before the night, he would have to go look for him. Radovid seemed to have some begrudging respect for Geralt when they met, however you never knew with a madman.

Whatever was in the paste that Freya had put on his wound had worked like a charm. His side still slightly ached, but he was able to move all his limbs freely, without interruption. If he had to fight again during that day, he was going to be able too. The rain soon started to lightly come down, making him roll his eyes as he started to slog through the mud. However, he did finally reach the townhouse that Triss had described.

A steep ramp led down to a wooden door. Eager to get out of the rain, he sloshed through the now muddy ground and knocked on the door. He heard some yelling from the inside, as he slicked back his now, wet brown hair.

He just got done adjusting the straps of his armor, and the sword on his back when the door swung open. An older balding man wearing a white tunic had answered. Dominik straightened and nodded at the man, however he and his wife that flanked behind him didn't seem particularly happy to see him.

"Aye, who you here to see," The old man asked bitterly.

He narrowed his eyes at the sudden rudeness, but quickly answered.

"Triss…" He said slowly, wanting to make sure he had indeed found the right house.

The man's wife scoffed from behind him, "We told her no men over! This is a decent house for decent folk!"

"I'll make it quick," He said, crossing his arms and eyeing them both.

His attempt at intimidations seemed to work, because the man sighed, moving out from the entrance and pointed towards his stairs.

"Third floor keep it quiet," He muttered, before walking back to his kitchen table, where he could see Gwent cards lying in wait.

He turned around one last time to make sure he wasn't being followed, before carefully entering the house. It looked like a relatively nice house for a pair living in the bits. The woman swept dirt from the ground and eyes him suspiciously as he passed, while the man did the same. A kitchen table, oven and tables with food, and chests all lined the bottom floor.

Closing the door behind him he quickly moved out of their sight, up towards the stairs. He creaked up them, feeling the gaze of the man and his wife finally leave him as he got to the second floor. Sighing in relief he saw the second floor had to be where the couple slept. It had two beds, dressers and crates strewn about. However, after the day he had so far, he was eager to see Triss, and figure out more about Ciri.

Seeing Freya again somehow had only seemed to spur him on even further to finally find her. He wanted to find Ciri, and he could finally take her to meet all his friends, the ones who had helped keep him alive through the years. The more and more he thought about her, the more he wished that Corinne Tilly's dream had simply panned around for him to see her face. All he had seen was the drawing of what the Emperor's spies assumed she looked like now. The drawing was still in his room back at the Rosemary and Thyme, sitting on the dresser. He could feel the phylactery bouncing in his bag, the reason Ciri had come to Novigrad.

It was going to play a major part in finding her now.

He finally got to the top floor and saw where Triss was living. A mega scope was set up on the ground, and a small set of steps led up to what was another small area. It had a bed and a large body mirror. He spotted Triss's fiery red hair to his left, a glass in her hand as she combed through a book. A huge smile came to his face as he finally entered the room.

"Triss," He said excitedly, almost making the sorceress drop her glass.

She whirled around and closed her book. A smile came to her face as she laughed, standing up and quickly moving over to him.

"Dominik, it's good to see you," She said, pulling him into a hug.

He wrapped his arms around the sorceress's waist, resting his head on her shoulder. She squeezed him tightly and for a few moments he felt completely at ease, as he took in the pleasant juniper scent from her hair. The red-headed sorceress pulled back, looking at him with a smile. She finally let go of him, gesturing for him to sit next to her. He smiled and did just that.

Sighing he almost fell down into the seat across from the sorceress, looking over to meet her eyes, "It's good to see you too. Especially after everything that's happened since I saw you last."

Triss laughed lightly, crossing her legs, "It's only been a day and a half, what possibly could have happened?"

"A lot," he said with a small laugh, "I came to see what you said you needed the last time we talked. And… well I wanted to show you something."

She lifted her cup and took a small sip of what she had, before looking back and smiling at him, "Of course I'll take a look…. Where's Geralt? I know you can take care of yourself, but he's normally with you."

The mention of Geralt made his mind whirl, wishing that the older Witcher would finish whatever business he needed for Radovid. The sooner they paid off that madman, the sooner they could focus solely on finding Ciri again.

He looked up and met Triss's eyes and nodded, "You're right. He's… out on a job right now. I'll explain everything but first… do you got a bottle of something strong? I'm old enough now you know."

Triss laughed again and reached under the table pulling out a bottle of wine she had been pouring from and placed it and another cup on the table.

"Of course, I do, now go on. Tell me everything," She said, pouring both a drink.

He scoffed and picked up the cup, taking a quick sip before looking back at the sorceress, "Well let me start with yesterday…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He went on to explain everything up to that current moment. Starting with them going to see Roche at his hidden camp the day before. He told her how Radovid had given them Whoreson Junior's location before he and Geralt went to raid his mansion that night. After finally telling her what had happened to Ciri that night, he then went on to tell her about what had happened just that morning.

He told her how he saved Freya from the bandits, and hunted down a Bruxa with her, helping her avenge her friend.

Triss smiled at him, swirling the cup of wine in her hands, "I never thought you'd find someone other than Ciri…. It's good that you were able to part on good terms," She said, taking a quick sip before continuing, "Now… what was this about a phylactery?"

Nodding he reached into his bag and found the small box. The gilded gold and black box, he felt his medallion start to slowly hum as he placed the box between the two of them. His medallion slowly continued to hum, so he could tell that the small box had some type of magic to it. Triss met his eyes for a moment, rain was pattering against the one window in her room. She looked back down and slowly picked up the box.

"My medallion is vibrating," He told the sorceress as she closely examined the box, "It's like I said. Whoreson asked Ciri and Dandelion to rob Dijkstra's vault, and in exchange he'd find someone to get it open."

"I've seen plenty of phylactery's before but…" Triss started, running her hands across the engravings, "But these… these carvings are elven."

"Elven," He asked quickly, looking closer at the box, "Why would Ciri have an elven phylactery, and… well I guess I'll ask… can you get it open?"

Triss sighed, looking back up at him, "I can try… stand back, I don't know what'll happen."

Nodding he got up out of the chair and backed up a few steps. Triss stood up as well, holding her hands out towards the box. She took in a deep breath, and her voice went deep. He could see blue magic swirling from her hands.

_"Cease, Endeal," _She said in her deep voice, and the blue magic swirled towards the box.

The magic slammed into the box, and it swirled with energy. Blue magic swirled into the bauble, and for a moment the box whirled, it seemed as if it would blast open, however, a small _***bang* **_rang through the room, and the box got blasted off the table, clattering to the floor. The explosion made him jump back, but after the small cloud of smoke cleared, he saw the box laying on the ground, still unopened.

"Fuck…" He muttered to himself, as Triss reached down to pick the box up again.

He walked up next to Triss and she sighed, placing the box back onto the table. The box was slightly singed on the lid, and the crevice where it should open, but it was still firmly shut. He looked over at Triss, as the sorceress studied the box closer.

"Do you have any idea why it isn't opening, seems like Whoreson's man couldn't get it open either," He asked, sitting back down at the table across from Triss.

The sorceress ran her hand along the box again, before looking up at him, "Well… it could be that only a certain spell opens it, a certain incantation. That spell can open just about anything… you might need to figure out the specific words to open it."

A thought ran through his head, and he looked up to meet Triss's eyes, "Triss… what do you think is inside? Ciri… she was trying to figure out some curse. Is… is it possible the curse is inside can you do that?"

Triss sighed looking up from the box, into his eyes and nodded, "It's possible yes but… I don't think you're going to get it open unless you have the right incantation. This… this is some powerful magic at work."

Sighing he picked the box up into his hands. He ran his hands over the golden black bauble. If Ciri really had a curse cast upon her, then he needed to move fast. If somehow getting the box open could save her, then he would rip it open with his bare hands if he had too.

"Ciri… what have you gotten yourself into…" He muttered, feeling his voice begin to shake.

His stomach began to tie into knots again, he slid the bauble back into his bag and looked back up to meet Triss's eyes. It was becoming more and more imperative that they find her even quicker now. If he found her, only to see that a curse had overtaken her because he wasn't quick enough, he didn't know how he would bare it. The worry must have been written all over his face, because Triss reached over, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

"Hey, don't worry. Ciri's smart, I'm sure she's okay," The sorceress said, as he looked up to meet her eyes, "And I know you're going to find her. You will find Ciri, and you are going to protect her, just like you always did…"

"I've been doing a pretty shitty job of it… a REALLY shitty job the last eight years," He said slowly, looking down at the cup of wine that had spilled on the table.

He thought again all about the things he learned happened to her over the last eight years. The men who had hunted her down, tossed her into prison, tried to rape her, kill her, control what she did. All the people who had treated her as nothing but a vessel for the Elder Blood. All of this happened to her while he was wondering around searching everywhere except where she was. He had been so in over his head, thinking he could find her all by himself.

He of course had been wrong. Then, the last few weeks she had been going through hell, running from the Wild Hunt and he still hadn't been there to save her.

"Hey," Triss said, getting him to meet her eyes, "Do you wanna know what a wise man once told me?"

Slowly he looked up and met the sorceress's eyes, and she smirked at him.

"A wise Witcher once told me this. The past might hurt…" She said, making him smile up at her as she went on, "He said the past might hurt. But you can either run from it…. Or you can learn from it."

He scoffed and felt himself smile, remembering the words he had spoken to her, the ones Faram spoke to him before that. She was right of course, he needed to bury the past. He couldn't think about his failures anymore. He needed to stop dwelling and do whatever he could to find Ciri. If she really didn't have much time with a curse progressing on her, he needed to get the box back to her.

It was time to bury the past, and go full force, put himself fully into finding her. No more dwelling. It was time for him to act. It wasn't going to be like the last eight years anymore, where he just sat around feeling sorry for himself. For most of his time alone that was what he did. He would wonder around from inn to inn, following the small whispers of leads he had on her, but never fully putting everything he had into the search. He was so angry, bitter, and full of self-pity. If he had maned up and stopped feeling sorry for himself… perhaps he could have found Ciri, or perhaps he could have been at Strygga Castle to rescue her. It was one of the biggest regrets he had, that he had acted so petulant, refusing to go with Geralt to look because of a stupid anger he had.

He would make up for it, he wouldn't give anything less then everything he had now, not the half assed effort he had been giving the last eight years.

"Thanks, Triss… you always knew just what to say, even when I was younger," He said, smiling up at the sorceress.

She laughed and let go of his hand, leaning back in her chair with a smile, "You're welcome. I'll never forget the little boy I found on the road who almost stabbed me to protect the little girl."

He laughed this time, remembering the snow-covered roads that day. Triss Merigold had helped take care of him in one of the most important times in his life. She had taught him how to be a good partner for Ciri, taught him how to better take care of her. She had helped him through his nightmares and taught him the importance of kindness and empathy. He loved the sorceress; she wasn't just the older sibling he never got to experience having. She was one of his best-friends.

Smiling at her he laughed again, "Hahah… thank you Triss… for everything. How… how are you feeling? How's your hand?"

He remembered hearing the screams of the sorceress a few nights prior. When he thought about how he plunged his dagger into Menge's neck, he also thought about the screams of Triss in the room next to them. He had seen her fingers bloodied from where they tortured her. It had been part of the reason he snapped, and killed the commander of the guard, he couldn't stand hearing her screams.

Triss sighed and held her hand up to show him her fingers. They had healed and her fingernails had slowly started to grow back.

She gave him a small smile and nodded, "I'm alright, they'll heal. I knew what I was getting into, and I don't regret it."

He nodded, but still felt himself sigh, "Still… I'm sorry it had to come to that. I know Geralt is too."

At the mention of his adopted father her head perked up, "You… never told me where Geralt is."

Nodding he met the sorceresses light green eyes, "Yeah… he's doing something. Radovid he… he wanted something in return for giving us Junior. Some soldiers came by and took Geralt to him earlier, told me he'd be back, should be soon."

The effect on Triss's face was instant. Her eyes went wide, and he could see the worry behind them. Quickly he shook his head, smiling at her reassuringly.

"Don't worry I'm sure he'll be alright," He said to the sorceress.

Sighing Triss looked back at him, "I know he will be. I'm just worried about what he'd send him to do."

He felt the sorceresses worry. Whatever Radovid had planned for Geralt, it couldn't be good. However, he could see how distraught the sorceress was, so he shook his head, trying for a reassuring smile.

"Well, I know I'm not as dashingly handsome as Geralt," He said, getting a laugh from the sorceress before he continued, "But before he left, he told me to come help you with what you needed."

Another smiled came across Triss's face before she sighed, pulling a letter out of her pocket. She unfolded it and placed it on the table between them.

He gently grabbed the letter and combed over the few words before meeting Triss's eyes.

She sighed and he could see the apprehension behind her gaze, "It's a letter from Ingrid Vegelbud's servant. Apparently, Lady Vegelbud wants to help the mages escape Novigrad. Prepared to offer a pretty large sum."

The elegant handwriting on the letter certainly indicated that someone of a higher status had wrote it. However, the idea of a wealthy noblewoman suddenly wanting to go against the dominate religions commandments sounded shady.

"And let me guess, she's doing this completely out of the kindness of her heart," He said sarcastically handing the letter back to Triss.

The sorceress scoffed and stuffed the letter back into her pocket before turning back to him, "Hardly. That's the problem I'm running into. Vegelbud needs something from me. No information about it in the letter. Only says I'm supposed to meet the servant in the fish market, that he'll explain everything…. But I can't be too careful with who I meet these days."

He nodded quickly in agreement, shaking his head slowly towards the sorceress, "You're right… this could be a trap by the Witch Hunter's. We need to be careful, especially after we killed Menge, they're probably cracking down even harder."

"I know, which is why I'm so hesitant," Triss said, her voice becoming desperate, "But… that coin could finally give me enough to get the mages out of here."

He didn't like the idea one bit. However, he could see how determined that Triss was. She wanted to save her fellow mages, and that was something he greatly admired. He knew he was going to help her; it was his fault in the end she didn't get gold from Dijkstra. If they had been able to find out where the man's treasure had been taken, Triss could already have the coin necessary.

Sighing he looked up, and gave her a reassuring smile, "Well I'm part of the reason you couldn't get gold from Dijkstra. Don't like this whole set-up… but I'll do whatever I can to help. I'll go meet with the servant, make sure everything's safe. If we see that it is, you'll be right by to see what he needs."

A sigh of relief left Triss's lips as she looked up at him gratefully, "Thank you so much Dom, it means a lot."

He shook his head quickly, smiling back at her, "You protected me from nightmares at Kaer Morhen. The least I can do is make sure this is safe. I'll make sure the note didn't come from Witch Hunters. How're we supposed to contact this servant?"

Triss and he both stood up, as the rain started to pound harder on the window.

"He'll be wearing a blue tunic, ring of keys on his belt. I'm supposed to ask where I can get the best price on trout," She told him, her eyes slightly rolling.

Scoffing he looked back at her, "Wow, terribly clever. Easy enough. You follow me from a distance, and once I make sure everything's safe you can come in."

Smiling at him, the sorceress hugged him quickly again, "Thanks again Dom, you always were a great little helper."

"Except when you asked me to help cook," He said, pulling back from the embrace with a smile.

Triss laughed heartily and smiled back at him, "Ahaha, remember that time you wanted to make Ciri breakfast one morning as a surprise?"

The memory made him smile, as he looked up and met the sorceress's eyes, "How can I forget, burned the pancakes, bacon was basically black. If not for you I would've probably given her food poisoning."

Again, the sorceress laughed and smiled at him, "Oh yes, you definitely would have…. You will find her. I know you will."

He met the sorceress's eyes and slowly shook his head, "Enough about me for the day. Come on, let's go, it's time we worried about getting you and the other mages out of here."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Lotta blue tunics…" He muttered to himself, feeling the rain lightly fall on his head.

Triss had teleported away, promising that she would keep watch from afar for him. He slogged through the mud and cobblestone streets to finally make it to the fish market. Like he expected the rain hadn't put a damper on the people of Novigrad's desire to go to the market. The stalls were lined with all types of different fish, from catfish, bass, and sure enough trout. The only problem was, he could see many different blue tunics in the crowd.

He maneuvered around a few crowds of people, his boots leaving prints in his wake, as the rain stuck his brown hair to his forehead. Sighing he walked right down the center of the market, determined to find this servant. He couldn't see any Witch Hunter's around, so for the moment he felt safe, he only hoped that Triss was watching without being seen.

After a few moments of searching and making sure he wasn't run over by people, he spotted one man in a blue tunic. He could hear the jingling of keys and saw a large key ring tied to his belt. He felt a cold breeze run through his armor, sending a chill down his back when he finally made it to the man. He stood with his arms crossed when the man finally turned to see him.

"Aye, how can I help you," He said, looking carefully into Dominik's eyes.

The man was lanky, with a sword at his belt. He sighed, remembering the ridiculous code words and met the man's eyes.

"Just here to peruse. Do you know… where I can get the best price on trout," He asked the man, the people in the market walking around him.

After hearing the words leave his mouth, he looked around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. After he did, the man took a step closer to him, and Dominik could see the nervousness fill his eyes.

"Aye I do…. But you aren't who I was supposed to be meeting sir," The man said, his voice staying low.

Meeting the man's eyes, he kept his arms crossed, "You wanna talk to the letter's recipient, I gotta be there. Non-negotiable."

Sighing the man took a step back and gestured for him to follow, "Alright, come on. Follow me, we'll go somewhere private."

He nodded and the man jogged towards the bridge. Quickly he followed behind, his sword clanking on his back. The rain had started to slow down, coming to a small drizzle as he crossed the bridge, following closely behind the servant. He kept his eyes peeling all around him. He couldn't spot Triss following him, or any Witch Hunter's nearby. No temple guards, or anything of the like were nearby, so he was starting to believe that the plan was actually legitimate.

In the back of his mind he felt a good feeling crop up. Despite how he knew finding Ciri was the priority, he was glad that he could help Triss with her business. Getting the mages out of Novigrad was a noble task, helping them escape with their lives was something he was glad that he could do. Thinking about the time that had passed, he realized that they had only been in Novigrad for less than a week. They had been moving swiftly, going from lead to lead and he was glad to be making such progress. Stopping for a few hours to help Triss, or to save Freya earlier was worth it. He knew that Ciri would have wanted them to do it.

After he had finally crossed the bridge however, his hopes of a peaceful meeting were dashed.

"There they are, get'em lads," He heard yelled as soon as he crossed the bridge with the servant.

Four armed men leaped from the side; they had been hiding behind the pillars. One knocked the servant to the ground, a sword drawn. He went to impale the man in the blue tunic, but just before he could, Dominik fired his hand forward, and the Aard sign blasted the man back.

The servant scrambled to his feet, gripping for his blade, as Dominik quickly drew his sword as well. He lashed out, striking and spinning forward, just barely deflecting a strike that would've killed the servant he was with. He locked blades with one attackers' swords, and pushed forward, gracefully spinning to the side and striking down the man's back, causing him to fall to the ground. Dominik brough his blade around again and slashed the man to the ground.

He heard footsteps sloshing through the mud around him, and he whirled around again. Quickly he parried two strikes, before ducking under a third and stabbing his blade through the man's gut. Quickly he remembered the servant and turned around just in time to see the man he had been following cut down one of his attackers. He looked to the left to see the man he had Aard blasted rush towards his again. The man jabbed his blade towards his abdomen, but quickly he side-stepped, spinning around the man's body and cutting his sword across the attacker's neck, ending him in an instant.

The four corpses lay out on the ground by his feet as he sighed in relief, sheathing his sword behind his back. The servant who he had been following quickly rushed over to him, his hands on his knees panting. He quickly led the man to a small alcove near the side of a building, right near the edge of the water. No other people were around, just him and the man. Finally, the servant sigh deeply looking back up to him.

"Thank you, sir," he said, looking around to make sure nobody was around, before meeting his eyes, "Without you I'd surely-. Hold on… where's Miss Merigold?"

"Hold up," he said, holding his hands up to stop the man, "You don't talk to Triss until you tell me why those men attacked. What'd they want?"

The rain continued to slosh down around them, as the man wiped his forehead, "I… I never laid on eyes on them myself before today. Our messenger's been getting attacked more and more, they've been wanting to question them about the young count."

He had learned to tell when people were lying over the years. The servant was clearly delirious, only following his master's orders. Silently he turned around and waved his hand up, before turning back to the man. He turned back to the man, and within a few second, he heard footsteps behind him. Triss had come up next to him, her hood up to hide her fiery hair.

The man quickly turned to Triss, "You were to come alone miss!"

Triss scoffed and looked behind them to the four bodies littered in the streets, "If not for him, that trio would've dragged you in for questioning. That tall one was Valdo Muris, worked for the Witch Hunters."

The sun behind the clouds of rain he could see was slowly starting to set. If the day had been clear, they would have been able to see the sunset soon upon them. The night brough the cold, and with winter getting closer, the nights got increasingly colder. He felt a chill run down his back as he looked at the stunned man with his arms crossed.

The servant sighed deeply, looking up apologetically, "Aye, you're surely right miss. I'm sorry for sounding ungrateful but… Lady Vegelbud-."

"Listen, it's dangerous for us to be out too long. Tell us what this is all about, be straight with us," He quickly said, cutting the man off.

He knew that once the night came, the Witch Hunter's and Temple Guard would soon come out in droves. The man seemed to understand that as well, because he nodded and shakily met the eyes of Triss and he.

"Aye sir," He said quickly, "Lady Vegelbud's son- he's the problem. Master Albert's taken an interest in alchemy. Temple Guard had caught wind."

He felt himself tense. After hearing what Freya had told him earlier, about the Redanian's and the army hanging even innocent alchemist, he knew now why the Vegelbud's were afraid.

Triss scoffed next to him, "I wouldn't worry about the guard, but since the mage hunters tried to grab you…. I'd say Albert's in serious trouble."

The man quickly nodded in agreement, "Aye, Lady Vegelbud paid off the guardsmen…. But since the Hunter's pay for every mage revealed to them."

His face contorted to outrage, and he scoffed, "Bastard's took the bribe from a frightened family… then told the Hunter's anyway, bastards…" he started, looking over to meet Triss's eyes, "Looks like Albert needs to disappear… and fast."

Triss's eyes grew hard as she nodded, turning back to the man, "I can arrange that. You think young Vegelbud can get out of the estate unnoticed?"

He could hear the fierceness in Triss's voice. That was something he always admired about the sorceress. She was one of the kindest people you'd ever meet, however if you angered her, or hurt someone she cared about she had a deadly side. He heard about the battle of Sodden Hill, where Triss had fought alongside Yennefer and the other mages. She had earned the nickname 'Merigold the Fearless' and over the years he saw why.

The servant nodded, looking at them both now, "Aye but it ain't that simple. Master Albert is in hiding at the Vegelbud country estate," The man started, pacing for a moment, before looking back at them, "Lady Ingrid's got the notion she can sneak him out unnoticed- wants to throw a lavish masquerade ball."

The idea of a large noble party like that, flashed him back to when he was younger in Cintra. Unlike Geralt, he didn't mind formal occasions as such. He had met Ciri at the first one he ever attended and attended many more with her and his father in Cintra afterwards. He smiled at the idea and turned over to Triss.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," He started, a small smile coming to his face, "A large bash, wine and drinks flowing. If this one's any like the ones I went to in Cintra, people will be drunk enough within a few hours, the two of us can get Albert out unnoticed."

At hearing the end of his sentence, Triss's head whirled around to him, "You're going to come with me?"

He scoffed at the idea, "Of course I am. Not going to let you walk into what could be a lion's den by yourself. Either me, or Geralt if he gets back in time will go with you. We won't let you do this alone."

Triss's face almost seemed to blush red, she didn't say anything, only giving him a thankful smile and nod.

"Okay… how will we get into the residence," She asked, turning back to the servant.

The servant quickly nodded, reaching into his back pocket to pull out an elegantly folded piece of paper. He reached out his hand and gave it to Triss before he looked around to make sure again nobody was lingering.

He walked past the two of them, looking back one last time, "That's the invitation. You're to wear a fox mask so the guard at the gate will recognize you…. Good luck."

The man walked away from them, half jogging down the road to their left. He whirled back around to see Triss holding the invitation in her hands. The sorceress let out a deep breath and placed the invitation back into her pocket. She looked up and met his eyes, a look of gratitude shining through them.

"Thanks again for helping… are you sure you want to do this? I know that you have to stay on Ciri's trail and-," She started, but he quickly cut her off by shaking his head.

"Don't worry I'm happy to help," He started, getting a smile from her before he went on, "I'll go to this party with you, me or Geralt will probably be willing once he-."

"Geralt will be probably be willing to what," A voice asked from behind him.

He whirled around with Triss, and he felt a large sigh of relief leave him when he saw his adopted father. Geralt had crossed the bridge, his armor with a few new singe, claw and other marks. Despite his armor being slightly worse for ware, he smiled as he saw the both of them. He breathed another sigh of relief, and he could hear Triss do the same around him. Night was almost upon them, and he was beginning to feel slightly worried he'd have to go look for his adopted father.

"Geralt thank god," He said, as his adopted father finally joined them, "I was starting to get worried… what happened to you?"

Geralt looked and met Triss's eyes, and he could see the two staring into each other's eyes for a moment. The older Witcher gave the sorceress a small nod and smiled, which Triss returned.

His adopted father sighed, looking at them both, "Long story, I'll tell you both later…. So, what'd you end up doing," he asked Dominik, before turning to Triss, "And what was it Triss needed help with."

He felt himself laugh as he smiled at his adopted father, "Ha, well I've had a much more eventful day then I thought I would that's for sure… come on, I'll tell you about it."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, you took your ex-girlfriend vampire hunting," Geralt said sarcastically, "How very romantic of you."

Before he did anything, Triss and he had brought Geralt to speed on her current situation. They explained how lady Vegelbud was throwing a lavish ball, so Triss had the opportunity to help her son escape. After explaining that Triss was no allowed to bring one of them to the ball with her, as he expected Geralt quickly offered to be the one to go.

The truth of the matter was that he wanted to finally give both Geralt and Triss the chance to be alone. Every time that they all had been together, he could feel that the two of them needed to have a conversation about their relationship. The two clearly didn't want to talk about it with him around, so despite the fact they did have the mission, he was hoping the two of them going to the Vegelbud's would give them the chance to have the conversation they needed. He knew that Geralt was still conflicted on his feelings for both of the sorceresses. No matter what, in the end he only wanted his adopted father to be truly happy. It didn't matter in the end to him if he picked Yennefer, Triss or neither, all he wanted was for Geralt to be happy.

And no matter his choice, he wouldn't love Yennefer or Triss any less.

After explaining the situation, Triss was adamant that Geralt go and get a new doublet from Elihal's shop outside town, while he also got the two of them masks. On that way, he had told his adopted father what Triss discovered about the phylactery, and about his adventure with Freya earlier in the day.

Elihal had Geralt try on multiple doublets, much to the older Witcher's ire. However, once Geralt found one he was satisfied with, the elf had taken them to the other room to adjust them properly, while he and Geralt both sat in the front room of the tailor shop.

Upon hearing Geralt's comment he leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes, "Hi-fucking-larious Geralt. I'm serious though… I'm glad I helped her, I got a friend, and ally now."

Geralt smirked at him, before giving him a genuine look of pride, "It was a good thing you did. From how you described it, sounds like a good friend to have. What's she going to do now?"

Sighing he played with the swallow pendant around his neck, looking up to meet Geralt's eyes, as the older Witcher leaned against the wall.

"Well I told her to go to the Rosemary and Thyme, she needed a place to stay for a day or two," He started, the sun finally starting to finally go down behind the rain clouds, "After that she's going to Kaedwen, to return her friend's necklace After that well… she said she wants to pay me back somehow. Told me after I find Ciri we can all have a drink."

Geralt chuckled with a smile, "That's good. Sounds like an impressive woman, she took down a Bruxa with you. Have you ever taken contracts on them before?"

"Only a few times by myself," He explained to his adopted father, "A couple more with Faram. But one time, me and Faram teamed up with that Griffin School Witcher I told you about, George. Three of us had to fight one, damn thing had nearly an army of thralls."

Geralt nodded in understanding. His adopted father peered out the window, watching the rain pat against it, the light of the day slowly fading.

Finally, he turned back to Dominik in the chair, "So, looks like you're going to have a free night. Any idea what you'll do with it?"

He was about to shrug his shoulders, stating how he'd probably spend it at the Rosemary and Thyme drinking with Zoltan and Faram. However, an idea slowly perked up in the back of his head. He thought back to what he had just told Geralt, about the time Faram and he teamed up with the Witcher George to slay a Bruxa and its thralls.

The plan that he had formulated in his mind was still something he had wanted to put into motion. He was going to train in the five schools of Witcher combat. Of course, he was already a master at wolf school techniques. And while he still had a way to go, he was really starting to get the hand of the Bear School techniques that Faram had been teaching him. That was two of the five, and he thought that with himself getting closer to Ciri, perhaps it was time for him to begin training in another.

Faram had told him he saw the Witcher George of Toussaint in Oxenfurt. George of Toussaint, of the Witcher School of the Griffin. He remembered watching George fight, the signs that the Griffin School Witcher had used, were powerful, so powerful that he was able to take down men with one blast of Aard, and melted armor with his Igni. That didn't mean he was a slouch with a blade either. The Griffin School Witcher possessed a wide arrange of graceful spins and parries. When he, Faram and George had all fought side by side, using all three of their school's techniques, they had become an almost unstoppable force.

Smiling, he stood up from the chair, and met Geralt's eyes, "I think I do…. I'm going to ride for Oxenfurt."

Geralt narrowed his eyes questioningly, "Okay… why Oxenfurt?"

A smile crossed his face as he looked out the window of the tailor's shop, "I'm going to go find the Witcher George of Toussaint and convince him to teach me techniques from the School of the Griffin."

**A/N: Alright a bit of a calming, less action, more character driven chapter this time around. We get a touching scene with Dominik and Freya, more insight and bonding between Triss and our young Witcher, and finally we see what Dominik's going to do next chapter. Next chapter we meet the Witcher George of Toussaint.**

**So, Freya is going to end up being a very important player down the line in this story. What did you guys think of her in the last two chapters, and how do you think she'll affect the story? Do you think she and Ciri will get along? How will she help in the fight to come?**

**Also, what about the relationship we see between Dominik and Triss? Does it make you wonder how close Dominik and his adopted Yennefer are? This arc we will see more of Dom's bond with Triss, while when we get to Skellige, we'll see how much his adopted mother Yennefer changed his life.**

**Also, next chapter we meet the Witcher George of Toussaint of the School of the Griffin! Dominik is going to ask him to teach him tactics from the School of the Griffin. With wolf school and bear school moves learned, adding in the griffin school is greatly going to add to the hybrid style of combat Dominik's developing. **

**Thank you all again so much for the support! We're almost finished up in Novigrad and soon we'll be off to Skellige, what are some predictions you have for the Isles? Let me know all your thoughts in a review!**

**Thanks so much for tuning into another chapter everyone, the support means a ton to me. I'll see you all next time, stay safe and healthy in these dangerous times!**


	30. Kindred Blood

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 30: Kindred Blood**

**Narrator: After finally meeting up with Triss Merigold, Dominik discovered that the sorceress had been asked to help a young nobleman escape the grasp of the diabolical Witch Hunters. After meeting their contact, Triss and Dominik planned to attend the lavish masquerade ball that the young nobleman's mother had planned as a cover for them to help her son escape. However, Geralt finally returned from his quest, and offered to go with Triss to the party himself. This left Dominik finally with a night to himself. However, instead of resting, the Young Wolf, always looking towards the future, headed to the city of Oxenfurt. There he was to meet one of his old friends. George of Toussaint, Witcher of the School of the Griffin. It was the Young Wolf's hope that his friend could train him, to help prepare him for the fights to come.**

It had been a surprisingly pleasant ride to Oxenfurt. The clouds had finally pulled back, revealing the moon. It was a startlingly large half-moon, that shone light over his path as he finally made it to the city. The ride had been surprisingly settling for him. There was something inherently relaxing for him about taking a ride by himself, only him, Clop and the road. It had been just he and his loyal white horse for so long, that the ride had been a good way for him to clear his head. He loved having everyone back with him of course, Faram, Zoltan, and of course Geralt. However, just taking the ride for himself was a way for him to think on what had happened that day.

It all started with the dream, the young girl destroying the forest on Skellige, before being attacked by the Wild Hunt. After that, he had found Freya again. After helping her he now had a new ally, along with a new scar along his side. He hoped that Geralt and Triss had gotten to the Vegelbud estate alright, and that they could finally have the long discussion that they needed to have.

However as he finally found the alchemy inn, he smiled, remembering why he was there. The cool breeze hit his back as he finally closed the door behind him to enter the inn. A smell of bread, spices, and the strum of a lute hit his senses as soon as he walked in. It was relatively crowded, the tables full of people all drinking, and listening to the bard strumming a lute. A small smile came to his face as he walked up towards the man behind the bar.

"Greetings," He said, making the man look up at him.

"Aye, hungry, thirsty, what can I do for ye," The man said, cleaning a mug as he didn't even look up at him.

Sighing, Dominik rolled his eyes at the man, "Looking for a Witcher, names George. Blonde hair, green armor. Anyone like that around here?"

He felt his annoyance begin to grow, as the man still didn't even look at him. The warm air from the fire in the fireplace had hit his back, and he felt the bandages that Freya applied earlier shift. He needed to find George, he only had the one night to himself, tomorrow Geralt and he would have to get moving to free Dandelion. Having hopefully another Witcher's blades on his side, would hopefully make that task easier.

The barkeep finally looked up at him, and pointed towards the corner of the inn, "Stay's over there."

With an eye roll he nodded to the man and turned. From across the inn, past the sets of tables and now dancing people, he spotted the pommel's of a longsword. The griffin's head that adorned the pommel was golden, along with the crossguard and hilt of the blade itself. He felt himself sigh with relief, that his luck had finally come to fruition. Over the past few weeks, it had felt more and more like everything had been working against him. The fact he had only missed Ciri by a few days in Novigrad, Dandelion being captured, not being able to see Ciri's face, only hearing her voice in the dreams.

However, whatever gods existed seemed to finally have given him a break. He nodded to the inkeep and slowly slid off the stool, walking towards the corner of the inn. A maid carrying a drink tray had almost ran into him, and he had to maneuver his way around a few dancing, drunk patrons, but eventually he did reach the edge of the ground floor.

He had only spent a few days with George of Toussaint around a year and a half ago. He, Faram and the Griffin School Witcher had prepared and saved an entire village in eastern Temaria from the Bruxa and the army of thralls it had gathered. The Bruxa had apparently been very busy, ambushing caravans and enthralling dozens of men. The three Witchers had spent days preparing for the attack and had gotten to know each other quite well. George knew small bits of his past, though not as much as Faram.

He had told the man of his search for Ciri, although leaving out the parts about her Elder Blood. George like Faram had been absolutely stunned to learn he trained under Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf. He had been a great companion, and it had been disappointing to he and Faram both when the man had said he preferred to travel the path alone.

His old friend was sitting in a small alcove, far enough away from the other patrons so that he could focus. A mug of what he assumed was wine sat on one corner of the table, while the Griffin School Witchers silver sword lay across it. Carefully George ran a damp rag along the silver, as his blade slowly became imbued with a black oil. A small smile came to his face. Of course George and Faram had both knew how to brew oils and bombs. However, he had managed to teach them even more advanced formulae for them both. Oils and bombs were one of the main reasons he had been able to complete almost all of his contracts, so he had mastered more advanced formulae during his time.

"Still using the relict oil formula I showed you," He said with his arms crossed, finally standing across from his old friend.

George's head shot up, and he could see a smile pass over the Griffin School Witcher's face. George of Toussaint was older then both he and Faram by a large margin. He was still relatively young by Witcher's standards, he remembered hearing the man say he was in his seventies. However, he still looked like a robust powerful young man. His golden hair was tied back into a ponytail behind his head, and his large brown eyes widened upon seeing him.

The man wore the green armor of the School of the Griffin. His armor was masterful, and unlike Faram's Bear School armor, the Griffin armor that George wore was more lightweight, while still providing great protection. The two shoulder pauldrons were implanted with the shape of a griffin's head, while the chest plate itself had golden strips running down it for extra protection. A tight belt was around his waist with a mail skirt for even more protection. The silver sword laying on the table, had a pommel that had the head of a griffin, while the steel sword still sheathed in his back had a circular pommel, with another griffin implanted into the metal.

It had always amazed him seeing other Witcher medallions. George's of course was molded into the head of a griffin, the eyes of the necklace staring across to his wolf one.

The Griffin School Witcher laughed, looking up at him with a smile, "Hahah, Dominik of Cintra! It's good to see you again my friend, the gods work in mysterious ways. Faram a few days ago, and you today!"

George spoke in a southern Toussaint accent, before reaching out his gauntleted hand. A huge smile came to his face, and he sighed in relief, reaching out and giving the Griffin School Witchers hand a firm shake. A feeling of relief washed over him again. George gestured to the chair across from him, so Dominik sat across from the man, looking up to meet his friends eyes.

The music from the bard's lute rang through the inn, getting jollier and livelier. He heard the singing as George wiped a rag across his blade one more time, the black oil finally imbued into his blade. Smiling the Griffin School Witcher looked back up to him.

"And to answer your question of course," He said with a smile, sliding his silver sword onto his back, "Your oil formulae are excellent, helped me in many a contract since we departed."

"Glad I could help," Dominik said, leaning back in the chair as the music pleasantly played, "Faram's actually the reason I knew you were here."

George pushed a strand of his golden hair out of his eyes, before picking up the tankard and downing the rest of the wine inside it.

"Hahah, it was good to see him again, as with you my friend. So, how have you been? Any luck on the Path," George asked him, leaning forward on his elbows.

The warm air from inside heated his body, as he leaned forward, looking over at his friend as well.

"A lot actually… you see well… I've been doing some business in Novigrad," He started slowly, looking to make sure no patrons were listening, "With Geralt…"

George scoffed and met his eyes again, "Hah, that's great news. But I thought you told me he had died?"

Dominik spent the next few minutes filling in his friend on all that had been happening. He told him how he discovered both Geralt and Yennefer alive, before the emperor had set him out on Ciri's trail. He told him of his adventures through Velen, and so far through Novigrad, meeting Faram again and everything that they knew so far. George was a good listener, leaning his elbows onto the table, taking in every word he said. The bard continued to play, and people were insistently singing along, which gave him the indication that nobody was eavesdropping on them.

He finished his tail with what had just happened the night before, when Geralt and he broke into Whoreson's mansion, figuring out Ciri had been wounded in a fight with the mans thugs. Finally after he had finished, George sagely nodded his head, and leaned back in his chair. That was one thing that amazed him about the Griffin School Witcher. In the few days that he spent with the man, he noticed that he very rarely got rattled. He was calm, cool, collected, always analyzing the situation before attacking. It bounced well with his own relaxed, reserved personality, and Faram's loud, boisterous one.

George smiled at him, "It seems you certainly have kept yourself busy my friend. In the short time we spent together, you spoke very highly of this Cirilla, and now you've finally found her."

His blood raced a little faster, and a warm feeling washed over his heart as he nodded back at the Griffin School Witcher.

"Thanks… it's still going to be a long road, a lot of tough fight's still left to go but… I'll find her," He started, looking up to meet the man's eyes, "That's actually part of the reason I came to find you."

The Griffin School Witcher laughed lightly and leaned back in his chair, "I spoke to Faram briefly when I saw him. He mentioned how he had seen you. What is it you need my friend?"

He remembered back to fighting Nithral in Velen at that moment. If not for Keira Metz, he would still be split open on the cavern floor. The Wild Hunt was after Ciri, and the first time he had fought them, he was nearly killed. If he wanted to protect her, he needed to learn more, he needed to fight better, he needed to be stronger. And it was his hope that George could help him in his endeavor. He remembered the walls of flames that George had been able to produce, melting opponents armor with his Igni sign, the perfect footwork and precise strikes that he made with his blades.

He would learn skills like that. If he was going to keep Ciri safe, and defeat Eredin and the Hunt, he had too.

Sighing he looked up and met George's eyes, "First well… I should tell you. Ciri she… she's back yes but she… she's also on the run, which is why it's even more important that Geralt and I find her soon."

"Who is she running from? If she's trained even half as well as you were, I don't think there's much that would make her run," George said with a small smile.

The warmth that had been building up left his body, as he met the Griffin Witcher's brown eyes.

"The Wild Hunt…" He said, keeping his voice low.

The effect of his words could be seen on George's face in a moment. It was if the Hunt itself had shown up at the inn, because suddenly he felt an icy cold draft running through him. The mere mention of the Wild Hunt was enough to remind most people of the horror stories they were told as children. George clearly had heard the stories himself because the Griffin School Witcher sighed deeply, leaning forward on the table to meet his eyes again, as the warmth seemed to return to the inn.

The bard continued to play, and more and more drunk patrons could be heard singing, however the looks between George and he were far from merry.

"The Wild Hunt… how is it possible? Why are they after her, what has she done to them," He asked carefully, the both of them being sure to keep their voices down.

Dominik's skin began to feel like ice, as he looked to his left, making sure that a barmaid carrying drinks had passed before looking back at his friend.

"They want to capture her… use her… abilities. Ciri she… she's a child of the Elder Blood," He told the griffin school witcher, being sure to keep his voice low, "I'm sorry I never told you, but… as I'm sure you know it's not exactly something, I wanted people to know."

He knew that George was a well-versed historian. He had told Dominik and Faram that as a child in Toussaint before he became a Witcher, he was the son of a wealthy knight. This meant that he received the best education possible, and history, in particular elven history had always been a fascination of his. That was how he knew George would know what Ciri being a child of the Elder Blood meant, and how dangerous it was.

The Griffin School Witcher for the first time seemed shocked, he made sure again nobody was eavesdropping before looking back to him.

"Lara Dorren's heir? A descendent of Riannon… you're certain," He asked Dominik, and after getting a nod in confirmation, the man sighed deeply, tsking as he looked across to him, "No need to apologize my friend. You are right in being reticent to talk about this. I shudder to think but… what does the Wild Hunt want with the Elder Blood?"

A surge of anger ran through his body, up his esophagus and spilled out of him, "Those bastards want to capture Ciri and use her powers. Ciri she… can open portals to different worlds. The Hunt wants to use this to launch a full-scale invasion of the continent, our whole world."

"Gods above…" George said in an deep, low tone, "It seems there is even more at stake now then just finding your lost love my friend."

"Yeah… there is. Which is why we NEED to find Ciri before they do, and… I was hoping for your help," He said slowly, looking at the man with pleading eyes, begging him to say yes.

George sagely nodded, "I'll always be willing to lend my blades to such a worthy cause… besides fighting by your side last time we were quite the team, you Faram and I. I say we give those phantom's a fight!"

It was an idea that had been stored in the back of his brain. What if it all wasn't enough in the end, what if no matter what, no matter how many allies and friends he made, it still wouldn't be enough to overpower the Hunt. He quickly stuffed the thoughts into the back of his head. Finding Ciri. That was what mattered. If he was going to die, he was going to do it fighting, fighting alongside Ciri. Alongside Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss and all his friends, doing everything they can to push them back. If the Wild Hunt wanted to get to Ciri, to invade their world, he was going to make sure he gave the fuckers a fight as George said.

A rush of relief ran over him as he looked up to see the Griffin School Witcher smirking. The next part of his plan came into his mind then. First was the wolf, then the bear, and now it was time he learned to fight like the School of the Griffin.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he looked back up to George, "Thank you…. There, was actually something else I was hoping to ask you as well."

George smiled and gestured with his hands for him to continue, "Of course my friend, what is it?"

Sighing he looked up to meet the man's eyes, "So… as you know. I may be a Witcher but… well I'm not a real one."

Rolling his eyes the blonde-haired Witcher scoffed, "Oh please! You might not have the mutations, but that doesn't mean you don't fight like a Witcher. I've walked this earth for over seventy years, and never have I encountered a man who moves and fights like you. Your knowledge of bombs and oils is unmatched, and I've never seen a man as swift as you."

A warm feeling washed over him, and he managed a smile, but quickly he sighed again meeting his friends eyes, "Thank you really… I know I'm trained like one. But… bottom line is that I don't have the enhanced speed and strength, I can't drink potions. I… actually fought a general of the Wild Hunt in Velen when I was on Ciri's trail there."

His friend again laughed and shook his head, "Aha you see? What men can say they've slain a general of the Wild Hunt?"

Sighing again he shook his head, remembering himself laying out on the cold stones of the cave. The long scar across his stomach seemed to tingle, the metal of the axe almost cutting through him.

He shook his head towards George, "I killed him yeah… but the bastard nearly split me in half. If not for the friend I was with, I would be cut in two pieces on a cavern floor. If… If I really, truly want to be able to save Ciri from the Wild Hunt I… I need to do something, something to give me some type of advantage."

George narrowed his eyes at him, as the music behind them played, "Alright…. And what is it you needed to ask me?"

Letting out a relaxing breath he looked up at his friend, "George, I want to master the five forms of Witcher combat. Faram is already teaching me Bear School style, I… want you to train me to fight like the school of the Griffin, I want to learn your combos, your footwork, how to cast signs like you, everything. THAT is going to help me save Ciri."

His words seemed to stew in George's brain. He couldn't tell what the man was thinking, but soon after he had finished George narrowed his eyes at him, looking at him wonderingly.

"The last time I remember fighting with you… you couldn't cast signs," The Griffin School Witcher started carefully, "Not that I am against the idea, but many of our tactics… they go hand in hand with our signs."

The words washed over Dominik, and quickly he held up his hand. He had been surprised himself when Geralt told him that he was able to cast signs. This was thanks to the Witchers at Kaer Morhen, feeding him the special mixture of magical herbs while he was growing up. Anyone could learn magic and in theory witcher signs, however the herbs had readied his body, and made it slightly easier for him to pick up. The first few times he had casted; he couldn't even light a bomb with Igni without nearly passing out. However now, he was more than able to cast them at will. If he used them too much or tried to form too powerful of a cast however, it did drain him of energy quickly. The bottom line of it was, however, he could use signs, and he knew that the School of the Griffin was the one Witcher school that prioritized using them. All Witcher's obviously could use signs, however George had told him before that in the School of the Griffin, they taught you how to hone your signs with even more power.

He didn't care if he passed out the first few lessons, he wanted to learn to wield that type of power.

George looked at his hand curiously, and Dominik summoned the fiery power to his hand. A small ball of flames quickly erupted from his hand, and George's eyes went wide. Quickly again he extinguished the flames, not wanting any of the patrons to start screaming, accusing him of being a mage.

After feeling a small tingle of energy roll out of him, he looked back to George, "While I was growing up at Kaer Morhen, Geralt and the Witchers fed me some of those special herbs, one's that normally get the body ready for mutations. It helped get my body ready to cast signs. Didn't even know about it till I found Geralt again… gotten pretty good at it I'd say."

The Griffin School Witcher scoffed and a smile came to his face, "Well, well, well my friend it seems you have…. However I must admit, I am a bit surprised."

"Surprised? About what," He quickly asked his friend.

George leaned back at his chair and looked at him curiously, "You see my friend, signs at the end of the day… are a type of magic. That mixture of herbs helped get your body ready yes but… if that was all you had then your signs well… you would be able to use them, but they wouldn't be much help. Have… you been using them in combat this whole time?"

It was his turn to lean back in his chair, eying George curiously, "Yes… gotta admit, they've saved my life. There's been a few fights since I've started traveling with Geralt where… well if I couldn't cast sign's I would be dead."

He remembered back to the fight with the Bruxa just that morning. If he hadn't been able to cast his Yrden sign, then there was no way he and Freya would be alive. Quen, Aard, Igni, all the signs had been able to save him. George looked at him curiously, a wondering look on his face.

"Curious…. It's a wonder that they seem so powerful. I must ask… has there ever been a mage in your family? Anyone with great magical abilities," The Griffin School Witcher asked him.

He scoffed at the idea. His mother and father both, even both sets of his grandparents, none of them ever showed any aptitude with magic. Bella and he both growing up didn't have any incidents of them using magic. Magic, he knew was a skill that anyone could learn, but to his knowledge nobody in his family had ever wielded it.

Slowly he shook his head, "No… not that I know of. I thought mages and such couldn't have children anyhow?"

Quickly George shook his head, "You are right, however not everyone who learns magic studies at Aretuza, and hones their abilities. Magic can be learned by anyone, Aretuza is where some go to hone their skills. However some people are still born with powerful magic… like your Cirilla."

"She's a source I know… and that combined with her blood well… makes her really powerful," He said carefully, remembering the young girl he had also seen in his dreams that morning.

George nodded to confirm and went on, "Yes, sources are rare, them along with others have the ability to learn powerful magic, they aren't infertile like the sorceresses who graduate Aretuza… it could be possible you have some innate magical abilities, and these amplify your signs."

The thought sounded ridiculous to him, how could he have had such a supposedly powerful magic ancestor and not know? He was young when his father had died, however he assumed that if he had these abilities they would have shown by then. Ciri when she was in dangerous or stressful situations unleashed her power to protect herself or him. Wouldn't he have an incident, perhaps something on a smaller scale similar to that if he did have this powerful magic inside of him? He had of course been in plenty of dangerous and life-threatening situations since. Bella and he both were as normal as two children could be in Cintra, and she was dead so he would never know if any abilities developed in her.

Sighing he shook his head at George, "I don't know… far as I know my family was normal as could be in Cintra. To be honest, as long as they help me save Ciri I don't care. I've seen your signs in action, you could melt armor off with Igni, send men flying across the battlefield with Aard…. Please George, I need your help…"

The Griffin School Witcher thought again for a moment. He needed the man's help, this Dominik knew. No matter how strong Geralt assured him he was becoming, if he was going to be able to protect Ciri when they did find her, he would need this type of training. He didn't know if it was true, but if there was some kind of magical energy inside him like George was insinuating, then it would be great for it to show up soon.

Finally after a few moments George stood to his feet, he gestured for Dominik to rise as well so he did, standing across from his friend.

"My schools training and tactics have been a closely guarded secret for centuries…" George said at first, before sighing and looking to meet Dominik's eyes, "But you are my friend, and the cause you're fighting for is noble. I will help you my friend, train you…. However I must ask you for something in return."

A rush of adrenaline ran through him, but he managed to keep his composure, "Of course, anything. What is it you need?"

George sighed looking out the window. The night had fully fallen over the streets of Oxenfurt, and the large moon, along with the torches along the streets lit up the windows. The Griffin School Witcher finally turned back to him.

"I accepted a contract recently. Some dead bodies found by a cave nearby, bodies and horses ripped to pieces," He described, looking up to meet his eyes now, "I believe the creature to be a Fiend, or perhaps a Chort. Been to the cave the last three nights and nothing. I'm hoping tonight it will finally be there. I could use the extra blade, what do you say to a hunt?"

He remembered watching the Griffin Witcher imbue his blade with the relict oil as he entered. If all he had to due was help the man hunt a fiend, and in exchange he could learn the Griffin School tactics, then it was one of the greatest trades he would ever make. The warmth from the fire in the in washed over his body like a hot bath, and he found himself smiling.

Scoffing he nodded at his friend, "Of course I do. I'll help you out, and then we can head back to Novigrad. Friend of mine owns the Rosemary and Thyme, it's where Geralt Faram and I have been staying…. Thank you, George, thank you for helping me."

The Griffin School Witcher laughed and reached out, shaking his hand again before crossing his arms, "Hahah of course my friend. Come, let us slay the beast, then I shall show you everything I know, about fighting like a Griffin."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

By the time they had finally gotten out to the countryside that George had described as being near the monsters lair, the moon had risen to its apex. By the position it was in, he could tell that it was almost midnight. He wondered in the back of his head as he gently steered Clop through tree's, if Geralt and Triss had gotten back from the Vegelbud party. If he had, then he knew his adopted father would be worried about him. However, if the monster truly was a Fiend, despite them being powerful creatures, he knew George and he were plenty strong to slay it quickly.

The night was cool, cooler then the last few had been. It was almost to the point where he was actually wishing for some kind of scarf to cover his neck. George rode a black mare ahead of him, the moonlight shining off the gold rivets in his Griffin School armor. They had entered a thick brush, and he could see the signs of a fiend, or another similarly large monster, the prints still hadn't gone away. However, he hadn't seen anything else, and that was what worried him. He could feel Clop below him shaking, neighing nervously as he followed George.

Another cold chill ran through his bones, and he felt his teeth begin to slightly chatter, as the frost began to hit his face like a brick.

George ahead of him held his hand up for them to hold, so he did, pulling Clop to a stop behind the Griffin School Witcher.

"What's wrong," He asked his friend, pulling up next to him.

George scanned the forest ahead of them again, they had gotten to a smaller clearing, and he could practically see the frost swirling in front of him. The Griffin School Witcher's golden and green swords clanked in their sheaths, as he sniffed the air scanning around the clearing.

"Do you smell that," George asked in his southern Toussaint accent.

Before he could sniff anything, he had to pull back Clop's reins. His horse bucked slightly, baying towards the clearing ahead of them. It was flatter ground, with a small road leading forward. Bushes of flowers, herbs and other shrubbery were below, and it all led to the entrance of a cave. The cave went perfectly into the hillside, and had a steep slope going downwards, that much he could see. It would have in the daylight made for quite the charming sight, however now, the brush and shrubbery all seemed withered, not charred, but simply dying.

He did as George said, and sniffed the air. His highly trained nose picked up the scent after a few seconds. It attacked his nose, and he suddenly was surprised that he didn't smell it sooner. Slowly he turned over to George, the pieces from what happened floating around in his head. George had told him men had died just outside the cave, but he didn't see any bodies.

He felt himself shudder from another cold breeze before meeting George's eyes, "Sulfur… doesn't make any sense. You said you've been here the last few nights, nothing like this?"

Slowly the Griffin School Witcher and he both carefully sauntered their mounts a few steps closer towards the cave.

George slowly shook his head, "No… it has not. The bodies are gone. I left them here hoping it would attract necrophages, so the Fiend or Chort would need to show itself…. Do you hear that?"

"Yeah… nothing at all," He said, shuddering from another cold gust of air, "No animals, bugs, monsters… nothing at all."

Slowly the blonde Witcher nodded, looking towards the cave entrance, "Yes… and, is it cold to you?"

Scoffing he nodded his head, "Another downside of having no mutations… I still freeze my ass off."

George looked like he was about to say something else when he felt himself jerked upwards. He looked down and Clop had bucked his hind legs up again, neighing nervously and spinning around in circles. Across from him George's mare was acting in a similar fashion. Both of their mounts were spinning, neighing, and if he hadn't pulled back tightly on Clop's reins, he was sure his loyal companion would have bolted.

"Woah, woah, easy there Clop," He said, yanking on the horses reins. He slipped off the white stallions back and gently rubbed his mane, "Easy there buddy… what's got you so spooked?"

He locked eyes with the animal. He remembered back to when he first met his current mount. Like how Geralt named every horse he ever had Roach, he had named every horse he had Clop. His current mount he was particularly fond of, however. It had been a few days after his wounds healed from Rivia. He had been traveling east, trying to get into Temarian lands, walking the entire time. He had found the horse in the wilds, being attacked by wolves. After slaying the wolves trying to kill him, he nursed the injured animal back to health.

And ever since Clop had been his constant companion, and at times his best friend through the last two years. As crazy as it sounded, he felt a connection to the animal, and felt as if they could understand one another. That's why when he saw the panicked look in Clop's eyes, he felt his heart begin to race, as another cold breeze shot through him.

"Okay buddy… I'll be careful, just keep calm," He said, stroking the horses mane, leading him by the reins over to a nearby tree.

Carefully he tied the reins around a low branch, but when he did, he heard a loud _*crunch*_ from beneath his feet. He gently let go of the horses now tied reins and looked down at his boots.

The grass below him was withered, browned and crunching as he walked. Carefully he knelt down, running his hand across the ground, as more dead grass popped up as he did. The whole entire clearing appeared the same way, as if someone had quite literally tried to freeze the ground. He looked at his black gloves, and could see small bits of frost, and what appeared to be snow.

"George…" He shouted for his friend, his heart beginning to race, a new panic beginning to set in, "Has it snowed recently…? The whole entire ground it-."

"Dominik! You should come take a look at this," He heard his friend yell from closer to the caves entrance.

All of the hair on his arms began to stand up. His heart raced at an alarming rate, and he felt a sense of panic begin to wash over him. There was no way, no possible way they were here. Ciri hadn't been in the area, she hadn't even been near Oxenfurt from what they had gathered, why would they be at this random cave in the woods. He breathed out shakily and reached his hand to the hilt of his sword, gently pulling it from it's sheath. Carefully he stroked Clop's mane one last time before turning towards the cave entrance.

George had tied his mare to a nearby tree in a similar manner, and he could see the back of his friend in the caves entrance. As he walked closer towards the entrance, his feet crunched over dead leaves and grass, the crunching getting louder and louder till he finally got to the rocky ground near the entrance. The signs grew more as he saw the cave entrance. From above he could see the ice forming stalagmites from above, the rocks laying on the sides were covered in frost and bits of snow.

George looked back at him a torch now in the Griffin School Witcher's hands. Behind the fire he could see something he had never seen in George's eyes before. Dread. Worry. The Griffin School Witcher couldn't have found anything good.

"To answer your question… no, it hasn't. But, I… I think I found our Fiend," He said, turning around and holding the torch out in front of him.

The floor leading down into the cave was steep but flattened once it got down towards the bottom. It was a wide corridor, a freezing draft ran up at the two Witchers from below, and with the view from the flames, he was finally able to see what George had been talking about, and when he did, his blood turned to ice itself.

The Fiend was indeed in the cave, standing on its back legs roaring loud, it's giant antlers hitting the top of the cave. It was a large one, not nearly as large as the one he killed in Velen under the Crones command however it still would have given George and he a decent fight.

It wouldn't be giving them a fight now however, because it was completely incased in ice. It had been froze mid-roar, with its claw coming down about to strike at whatever had frozen it.

"Fuck…" He said to himself, his eyes wide, not taking them off the frozen Fiend.

"What could possibly have done this," George said, holding the torch up so they both could see, "It seems as if there's more ice deeper in the cave. To freeze a Fiend of that size… takes incredible power.

He had no idea why they were there, but the cold feeling that had been pouring through his body, was replaced with one of a hot fire.

Turning to George, he could feel his emerald eyes heat up, the fire inside them growing, "The Wild Hunt… all signs point to them."

"The Hunt!? Here," George said, turning quickly meeting his eyes, "What are they doing in the middle of the Oxenfurt woods?"

He didn't have an answer for his friend. He sincerely doubted that the Wild Hunt came to the Oxenfurt woods to kill a Fiend and freeze part of the forest. No, they had come for another reason, another sinister reason. Ciri hadn't been to the area, she didn't even approach Oxenfurt. She had gone straight from the Baron's castle to Novigrad, and he knew she wouldn't be stupid enough to take a random trip back towards Oxenfurt.

A part of him considered going to find Geralt, surely had to be back at the Rosemary and Thyme by now. He was sure the older Witcher would want to know what had happened. However, he needed to know if the Hunt was still down there, and if he left and they were indeed still in the cave, he didn't know what havoc they would cause. They could go and raid a village, freeze it, slaughter the inhabitants. No, there was no time to go and get Geralt, he had to act then and now.

It had been the same thing he said when Keira and he found the Hunt back in Velen. That night he had almost died, almost was split into two pieces by the axe of Nithral on the floor of the elf's laboratory. He was weak then, despite what Geralt and his friends had said to him, he knew he hadn't been ready looking back on it. However, he was stronger now. In a few weeks he had grown stronger, more powerful, knew two schools of Witcher combat that was going to help him. He still had room to grow he knew that and would need to get even stronger for the future.

However, there wasn't a chance that he was going to run in that moment. The Hunt was after Ciri, had been hunting her for years. And even if Eredin himself were down in the cave… they were going to pay for it.

Sighing he looked and met George's eyes over the torch, "I don't know… but I'm going to find out. They could still be down there…. I won't ask you to come down there with me… I'd understand if you wanted to back out now."

The Griffin School Witcher didn't take a moment to think, his friend laughed, his blonde ponytail flapping in the wind.

"Are you kidding my friend? Come now," He started, slowly drawing his silver sword from his back, "I refuse to sit back and let you go at this alone. Let's go send these phantom's back to their own world…"

A new surge of confidence ran through him. The cool air blew again through the night, as a mixture of torch and moon light lit their faces. He had someone fighting by his side, he didn't have to face the enemy alone, that was something he had come to appreciate more and more. After years of fighting and traveling mainly on his own, only his sword and horse for company, having someone to go into a fight like this with had become a great change.

He nodded before taking in a deep, chilled breath and looking down into the cave, the frozen Fiend stuck mid-roar.

"Alright… come on, let's go give them a warm welcome," He said, as he squeezed tightly to his blade, and slowly started down the steep entrance towards the cave.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

George had been right when he said the cave had been icier as it went on. The signs of the Wild Hunt that Geralt had taught him about, they could be seen all throughout the corridors. It was a wide tunnel they both walked through, their blades out and ready to leap at a moments notice. The walls had been covered in ice and snow, signs of the White Frost. The ground was thankfully not slippery, but he could hear his boots cracking small bits of ice as he walked besides George.

"Has Cirilla been seen in the area," George asked as they walked, breaking the silence between the two of them.

He could feel the chills getting colder and colder as he walked. He had been so focused on the path forward, that he almost jumped when George spoke up.

Letting out a deep breath he shook his head, "No… she landed in Velen from a portal. Some villagers took her to the Baron. She recovered there and went straight to Novigrad looking for Geralt and me… no idea why the Hunt would be here."

George nodded in understanding, his green and gold griffin armor clunking as they walked. He had drawn his silver sword, which only made him wish he could finally get his hands on one himself. Geralt had told him that all weapons affected the Wild Hunt, however silver as with monsters was far more affective. He had managed to slay Nithral in Velen with his steel sword, however the fact that he could have possibly had an easier time with silver made him envy his Witcher friends. He also would finally be able to not have to rely on just blade oils to hunt certain monsters.

His blade had been with him through everything however, and he knew that it would serve him well in the fight ahead.

Sighing the Griffin School Witcher looked over at him again, "You must… really love your Cirilla to go through such heights. Not many men who'd be willing to look for so long, and battle the Wild Hunt, all just to find their love."

A laugh managed to escape him, despite the desperate situation they were in. He kept his eyes forward, the darkness and ice seeming to continue for miles. The cold draft that blew from further ahead indicated to them both that a larger cavern was indeed further below.

He sighed, a small smile coming to his face, "Yeah… I do, a lot. Being this close to finding her after eight years… it's been a little nerve racking."

"Why do you say that," George quickly asked him, both their boots crunching over frost and ice.

Shaking his head, he felt the chilly air stand the arms on his hair up, "It's just… after I find her. There… there's so much I want to say to her, so much I want to do. I've nearly died almost every-day since I set out with Geralt to find her. I want to just… talk to her, take her places and show each other everything that we've done… but…"

"That's not exactly possible," George finished for him, "Because once you do find her… a new fight begins."

Nodding he let the thought set it. It was true, after he found Ciri that was only the beginning of a much, much bigger fight. All he wanted was to find her, talk to her for hours, hear about everything that had happened to her, tell her about everything that had happened to him. He wanted to take her and meet all the friends he had made over the years, see all the new places that he had seen, he wanted to just be with her, and never be separated again.

However, that wasn't going to be the case. At least not right away. The Hunt needed to be dealt with, and they would be. They were never going to terrorize her again. Nobody would, not while he was around.

"Yeah… but that new fight… we're going to win," He started, feeling the draft get colder and colder, more intense, "I won't stop. Not until nobody else is hunting her… not until she can choose what SHE wants, not what other people want."

George nodded at him, a small smile on his face. He could see the Griffin School Witcher look up towards the darkness, torch in one hand silver blade in the other.

"You know… I was also in love once. Long ago, I daresay as much as you are with your Cirilla," he said, a touch of fondness in his voice, "When I was young… before I went to the School of the Griffin."

He whirled his head around to George quickly, "You went to the School of the Griffin? Nobody sent you, you weren't a surprise child… you went to become a Witcher willingly?"

He knew that very few people became Witcher's willingly. Ciri and he had only decided to become one's because it turned out that their destinies brought them there. He remembered when he was younger, in Cintra with her. She would always tell him that she was going to grow up to be a Witcher. The first female Witcher, and the greatest one to ever live. She'd always try and convince him to do it with her as well. He never thought she was serious, but he promised her, _wherever you go, I go. _

It turned out that Ciri was right. It was both of their destinies to meet Geralt, go to Kaer Morhen, and become Witcher's. He remembered his training with her, when they both started to learn more about her blood and her powers. So many times they considered just packing up everything and leaving. The two of them, horses, swords and the path. It was time and time again they had considered it.

A part of him wishes that they would have done just that.

George looked like he was about to respond to him, however the Griffin School Witcher stopped in his tracks. He wasn't watching ahead, so when he saw his friend stop, he quickly turned back to the corridor in front of them. The draft had finally gotten to feel like a large gale, like wind was flowing through the corridor itself.

Quickly George grabbed his shoulders and pulled him behind a cluster of old boulders. The two of them had wondered into the cavern at the end of the cave finally. It was large, with high stalagmites covered in ice hanging from the ceiling. More light was visible now, as a large fire roared in the middle of the large circular area. The cavern was spacious enough for a dozen Fiend's let alone the one they had seen at the entrance.

He heard their footsteps from behind the boulders, as George quickly smothered their torch into the ground. He locked eyes with George and slowly nodded, both of them carefully poked their heads around the corner of their hiding spot, and they saw them. The Hunt was scattered through the cave. The ice, snow and frost were covering most of the cave, however he see could a large cluster of its soldiers.

The soldiers seemed just as Geralt described them, the spiked helmets and skull like faceplates, all carrying crude, jagged longswords, while a few held halberds and spears with rugged crude edges. The smell of sulfur hit his nose, as he watched them all standing at attention, behind the large roaring fire. The cold air that he felt exhumed began to spin in the cavern as if a tornado was in the midst of being formed.

Carefully he tried to take a count of the men he saw, and the group, that particular band was at least twenty strong, and all of them stood at attention before the fire. Small torches were also lit around the cave itself, and he could see a few discarded pickaxes and barrels. He assumed that it had to be some kind of mine before the Fiend took over, and eventually the Hunt.

"This isn't good," He said quietly, coming back behind the boulder, with George doing the same, "That's a lot of them, why would there be so many here."

The blonde-haired Witcher and he both sat up against the boulder, making sure to keep themselves out of view. His blood began to race to new heights, the hairs on his arms stood firmly up, and his knuckles were beginning to turn white from gripping his blade so hard.

George had a similar look, as he slowly shook his head, "I don't know… we should-."

He was interrupted when they both slowly turned back around. The soldiers all began to shuffle, their armor clanking as he heard mutterings in a language he didn't recognize. Carefully again he looked around the large patch of boulders they had taken shelter behind.

"_Im gar-spotted baw signs-oi vatgerns nin hiril," _He heard a deep metallic voice say, echoing through the cave.

He looked and saw what was happening. The crowd of Hunt soldiers had parted, and one man knelt on one knee before the fire. He recognized none of the words that the man had spoken except for one. _Vatgern. _It was something he had been called many times over the years, and hearing the soldier speak it now, it made his limbs freeze in position.

He almost went to grab George's shoulder, to turn him around so they could flee. Somehow, for some reason the Hunt was expecting them, that was why they had brought so many soldiers. However, before he could, another voice rang throughout the cavern. He had been expecting another deep, booming elven voice behind the skull faceplate.

The last thing he had expected was to hear a woman's voice, deeper and metallic of course… but a woman's voice none the less.

_"Tye are certain -o sina," _The woman's voice rang through the cavern, lighter and calmer then the others.

The flames of the fire began to churn even higher. It looked almost as if the flames were going to spiral out of control. A few of the soldiers took steps back, as the flames danced ever higher. The man who was kneeling was almost knocked over, but stayed on the ground, but Dominik could almost hear him rattling in his armor. Who could possibly make soldiers of the Hunt shake, or move back in fear? He didn't understand any of the words spoken, however the fact that it sounded like a woman, sent a million new questions running through his head. To his knowledge, no women were apart of the Wild Hunt, it was only the males of the Aen Elle.

He finally got the glimpse when she was straight through the fire. The large dancing flames parted as she emerged. When he had seen Eredin and fought Nithral in Velen, they had both been extremely tall, taller than even Faram of Undviik. However, the woman that wore the armor of the Wild Hunt, seemed to be the size of any normal elven or human woman. A dark red cloak flapped on her back, as she waved her hand in a circular motion, and after she had, the fire returned to normal. The flames from the pit and the torches illuminated her large skulled faceplate, with the spikes on her helmet larger than the other soldiers. A crude longsword hung at her hips, as she looked down towards the soldier who had spoken on one knee.

She slowly walked past her soldier, a few of the others stepping back as she passed. He could see a man of dark hair flowing down over the cloak behind her back. Seeing her, he felt as if every ounce of blood had spewed from his body. Slowly she turned her head back towards the reporting soldier.

Every instinct in his body was telling him to run, but his eyes were glue to the female Hunt commander. Her helmet was similar to that of Nithral's and from the way the soldiers moved back, he could tell they either respected her greatly, or feared the power she wielded.

_"Se mime heri ni am," _The soldier reported from his knees, still not daring to look back at the woman.

With her cloak billowing from the draft in the cavern, the general turned back towards the entrance. She looked down the corridor that George and he had just come from, and he felt his limbs lock again.

_"Tet ye un certain, ana svere un coiv," _She said to the soldier, her voice still light and calm.

The fire continued to dance and crackle, as the other soldiers of the Hunt all seemed to shift, taking another step back away from their commander. He could visibly see the soldier on one knee shaking now. Still the soldier didn't dare look back to his commander, managing to slowly nod his head.

"_Se mime heri, ni…ni svere," _The soldier said, his deep metallic voice audibly shaken.

He looked for a moment to George next to him, who just like he couldn't bring himself to look away from the scene. Dominik's eyes hadn't left the Hunt commander since she emerged from the other side of the fire. She emanated power, and he could feel his medallion practically trembling around his neck, he was sure that George's Griffin medallion was moving in a similar manner as well.

The Hunt commander, the woman seemed to almost laughed. Still she kept her eyes on the corridor where he and George had come from, seemingly waiting for them both.

She let out what seemed to be a laugh from behind her faceplate, _"Ahaha. Ehtele if enc ese." _

She shot her hand up into the air, closing it in a tight fist, and suddenly a huge gust of wind shot through the cavern. A large gust of ice shot up from the ground, the White Frost. It emerged from the ground and incased the soldier who had been kneeling on one knee completely in ice, without even a chance to move. The other soldiers all watched on, with some taking a few steps back, almost dropping there weapons.

He felt his brown hair get blown back and he almost stumbled onto the rocks behind him, which would have surely given away his position. Regaining his composure he looked around the rocks again, and the woman, who was still looking down the corridor, disappeared. She teleported in a flurry of ice, and he frantically scanned around the room, trying to find her, hoping she hadn't caught their position.

Another gust shot through the cave, somehow the fires had still stayed lit, and even seemed to dance higher. In another flurry of black and ice, the commander reappeared in front of the now frozen soldier, quickly drawing her jagged longsword and cutting clean through the man. The frozen soldier was cut clear in half from his torso, blood and ice erupting from his body.

After he had been killed the other Hunt soldiers all quickly stood at attention as their commander looked at them all. He could hear her chuckle behind her faceplate, looking down at the severed body of the soldier again, her longsword dripping his blood.

_"Es coiv-na-mein cainen_…" He heard the woman began, and then her skull faceplate shifted, shifted right to the boulders George and he were hiding behind, "The _vatgern… _are already here."

She spoke in perfect common tongue, finally he understood what she had been saying. The whole time she had known they were there. His chest felt as if it was about to burst, finally he felt himself able to move his limbs again, he looked over to George and the two Witcher's nodded to each other. There were far too many soldiers, and their commander seemed to be too powerful as well.

"We need to leave," He said to George, slowly rising to his feet.

"Agreed," George said, as the both of them went to run for the corridor leading to the exit.

Behind him he could hear the unsheathing of blades, the footsteps of clanking armor rushing towards them. George was right next to him, but right before they could enter the dark back up towards the entrance, he heard words being yelled in elder speech. As soon as he did, he felt the gust of wind blow past his hair. He held out his arms to stop George from running, into the new wall of ice that erupted from the cavern. It shot upwards and covered the corridor that was to be there exit.

"Lebioda guide my hand…" George said quickly next to him, his eyes growing hard, as the Witchers whirled around, their swords being raised.

When he finally whirled around with his sword leveled next to George, he saw they had been surrounded. Soldiers of the Hunt filed out on their sides, some pointing halberds while the others held blades at the ready. All of them were tall, taller then both George and he, some seemingly even taller then Faram of Undviik.

He felt his inside twitch, as if all of his internal organs were firing off at once. This was going to be it, his first real fight with soldiers of the Wild Hunt. Geralt had told him that the foot soldiers, while not as strong as some of their generals were still all highly trained. They weren't to be taken lightly just because they appeared to be grunts, and he could see why. Each of them seemed to possess great strength, and the weapons they carried were sharpened to perfection.

Letting out a deep breath, he felt the swallow around his neck begin to tremble again. Ciri was still out there, he hadn't gotten to her like they had promised each other yet. No, he wasn't going to die in that cave. George and he would fight there way out of anything that came there way. Like Lambert had always taught him, if a Witcher loses confidence in their selves lives would be at stake, more than just their own. George's life, the lives of these soldiers, and their commanders future victims were at stake, he wouldn't back down.

He kept his blade leveled and adjusted his feet, standing side by side with George they both kept their blades up and at the ready.

"Leaving so soon Dominik of Cintra? Without even properly introducing yourself," The woman's voice said, as more clunking footsteps could be heard. Quickly, the soldiers in front of them parted ways, as the commander walked through, her sword still dripping her soldier's blood, "That's oh so very rude… what would your mother think?"

Her common tongue was flawless. He had never heard any members of the Hunt he encountered speak anything other than their elven tongue. Despite the fact she was multiple feet shorter then every soldier she commanded, they parted ways for her. He could see her mane of brown hair cascading down the front of her shoulders. Her red cloak gently blew behind her, as she calmly held her hands together in front of her, her longsword dripping blood.

The moment he heard his name, it was as if a bomb had gone off in his head. He felt the anger begin to boil up inside of him, and it spewed out into his words.

"Never heard one of you speak common tongue," He said, his voice growing dangerously deep as he kept leveling his sword, "How do you know who I am, tell me!"

George next to him kept shifting his stance, keeping any of the soldiers from advancing. A small laugh came from behind the commanders faceplate, as she tossed aside some of her hair behind her back.

"Ahaha, let's just say I'm more… familiar, with your world then my comrades," She said, slowly beginning to pace in front of him, "As for how I know you… well, as you know we seek Zireael. It's been my job to learn everything about her! Where she grew up, who she was close to… who she was in love with…"

The mention of Ciri almost sent him over the edge, but this commander of the Hunt suddenly knowing who he was and figuring out information about Ciri stopped him. He needed to know who she was, and how she knew so much. So reluctantly he didn't lash out to try and attack. He kept himself shoulder to shoulder with George, his sword pointed towards the woman.

"You won't get your hands on her; you'll have to kill me first. How do you know so much, tell me now," He yelled, his voice carrying through the chamber.

The fires from the torches and the large pit crackled. The soldiers shifted their armor clunking, the gusts of wind slowly blowing through the cave, his hair continued to blow back up onto his head. His blood began to boil, as again the commander let out a small, amused laugh.

"Oh I know _everything, _Dominik of Cintra," She said, spitting his name out with venom, "I know you met in Cintra when you were young, became the best of friends… before escaping the massacre. Oh, and you, her Geralt of Rivia, and Yennefer of Vengerberg made SUCH a lovely little family."

Every single instinct in him told him to lash out at that moment, but he managed to hold his sword back. He felt his face go through a mixture of emotions, shock, anger, regret. However, the woman wasn't finished. She continued to pace back and forth, meeting his eyes with her skull face plate.

"I told his majesty Eredin that kidnapping Yennefer and Geralt would prove fruitless," She said, and he assumed she rolled her eyes as well, "I told him that if he _really _wanted to lure Zireael to him… he should have went after you. She loves Geralt and Yennefer yes but her love for you… it goes deeper. She would have done anything to save you. I'm just glad he finally agreed to my plan… let me lay this little ambush for you."

The more the woman spoke the more his head raced. So many tiny pieces of the puzzle were floating around in his head, that it wasn't even possible for him to begin to put them together. He saw George thrust his silver forward, making one of the soldiers quickly step back. They needed to leave, he needed to get to Geralt and tell him what had happened. However, it still gnawed at his head. It was if the woman had been with him his entire life, knew of Ciri and he from the beginning.

He pointed his blade towards her, his voice spitting out every word with venom, "Who are you…. And how did you know I would be here!? How do you know so much!?"

She didn't respond right away. He could see her look down at her palm, before slowly moving her head up to meet his eyes. When his emerald eyes locked with the plate eyes of her facemask, he felt as if a spark of electricity passed between them both. She laughed again shaking her head, when she spoke, she sounded as if she was disgusted.

"I wouldn't expect you to know who I am," She spit out, her voice growing angrier, "As for how I knew you'd be here well… kindred blood will always find kindred blood."

He was about to shout something else when she turned from him, her sword dipping towards the ground again, the last bits of blood slowly dripping off of it.

_"Krior I lai, er, trach I oter," _She spit out to the soldier standing next to her, walking back towards the roaring fire.

He saw her take her place behind the fire, standing there with her arms folded, watching the chaos begin to unfold. His anger spiked again, he wanted to charge for her, but he couldn't leave George by himself. It proved to be a good choice because it felt as if every soldier of the Hunt charged at once, and the fight finally began.

"Taste my fire you phantom curs," George screamed from next to him, parrying one strike with his silver, before blasting a wall of fire from his hands.

A group of the soldiers all began to scream, as their armor was set alight by George's Igni sign. He heard footsteps clanking from his right, so he spun, deflected one attack and spun to avoid another. He brought his blade down with everything he had, lopping off the hands of one soldier before he got back to back with George.

The two witchers spun and parried, deflecting blows from each side as all the soldiers began to charge again. Dominik parried a strike back from his right, knocking a man off balance before George spun and killed the phantom rider with his silver blade. After finishing his spin he parried another series of strikes from two more, first to the left then to the right. He fired his hand forward and the Aard sign erupted, sending the soldier to his right flying backwards, before he spun back around, side stepping a strike from the second rider, before spinning again and cutting through his back. The spin brought him right back to George's side, just in time to deflect a strike that would've surely cleaved through his friend.

Dominik fired forward another Aard sign, this one was powerful enough to send a man splattering back into a large stone pillar. After using it however he felt his knees buckle. To his right he heard footsteps, and he turned around just in time to get his sword up. The rider brought the massive halberd down and he just managed to catch the axes head on his blade. His knees were still wobbling, and they almost gave out. He could see the riders skull face plate it was if the eyes behind it were yearning to bring the halberd down on his head. He would have succeeded had George not intervened.

The Griffin School Witcher came charging, stabbing his blade through the riders side, and the phantom crumpled to the ground. Finally free of the hold Dominik spun back around to get back to back with his friend again.

George held his sword out in front of him, and he see could his friend close his eyes. After a moment the Griffin School Witcher's yellow eyes shot open, narrowed with a look of fury emanating from them.

"You shall not have this world," The Griffin School Witcher shouting, casting the Igni sign, but not on the soldiers.

He casted the sign on his own blade, and the silver erupted into flames. The soldiers all backed off as George raised his flaming sword and spun into the fray again. The flames that erupted from George's sword were so intense, that Dominik almost felt his own armor catch fire. George leapt into the air, spinning and cutting down one soldier, before he side stepped a halberd strike. He bright his flaming sword down, cutting clean through the phantom's weapon before spinning back around and cutting the flaming blade across the soldier's chest.

George's flaming sword had momentarily distracted him, he just barely leaned his head back to avoid a sword strike bent on cleaving through his head. He whirled and saw three of them advancing on him. Steadying his breath, he twirled his blade to a reverse grip and charge forward. He parried two strikes from the initial two charging, he slid onto his knees to duck under the third. As he was sliding, he slashed through the soldier's legs making him fall to the ground, before Dominik got back up to his feet, spinning and cleaving his blade through the soldiers head.

The two he had gotten by first charged. The first tried to stab forward with it's halberd. He sidestepped, grabbing the mans weapon with his free hand and yanking forward. As he expected the soldier that had been carrying it stumbled forward, right into the path of his blade. He spun and slashed the phantom to the ground, before using his continued forward momentum to leap and spin towards the last one. The soldier had enough time to get his blade up and parry his leaping blow, but quickly after he landed Dominik spun around him, cutting beneath his legs to bring the phantom to the ground, and finally the younger Witcher whirled back around holding his blade with both hands he lopped off the soldiers head.

"HAHA! As sharp as ever my friend," He heard George yell from his right.

The Griffin School Witcher had been dispatching the phantoms with great skill. George parried the one soldier in front of him, swinging his flaming sword in a wide arc, setting the phantom aflame. However, from behind another came and jabbed a halberd towards the Griffin School Witcher, stabbing him in the side. If not for George's last second spin it surely would have been a death blow.

"GAHHH," His friend yelled, grabbing his side, his flaming sword nearly clanking to the ground.

"GEORGE," Dominik yelled, rushing forward.

He leaped and spun midair, putting all his strength into a strike towards the soldier with the halberd. His strike cut clean through the halberds shaft, before he spun and cut through the soldiers chest. George had fallen to his knees, only staying up with the help of his blade.

"Are you alright," He quickly asked his friend, helping him to his feet.

"I can still fight, don't worry," George said with a groan, the fire on his silver blade finally extinguished.

The rest of the soldiers surrounded them, still outnumbering them ten to two. George and he quickly stood back to back, leveling their blades and keeping anymore attackers at bay. George was injured, and he could feel the sweat drip down his own brow. Despite the cold chill, he felt his entire body lit with the heat of a roaring fire. His blood raced, his heart pumped, and at the moment he felt pure rage seeping through his veins.

He was about to lash out again, fire a sign, do something, when he heard the commander's voice ring through the cavern, and immediately every soldier took a step back.

_"LARE-EN," _She shouted, her voice echoing through the cave.

He heard George's labored breathing behind him. His friend was a Witcher, and his wounds would surely heal, however he would need medical attention soon. No matter how much he wished to figure out who this commander was, his friend getting out alive was his first priority. Spinning around he heard her footsteps to the right. Sure enough she walked through the fire again, her longsword still drawn. He stood across from her, George still at his side. He could see the Griffin School Witcher clutching the side of his armor still, keeping his silver sword raised with his other hand.

Keeping his blade leveled as well, he turned to face the commander, who once again stood across from him with her hands held in front of her. Again his eyes met those of her faceplate, and he could feel the electric spark again.

"My oh my Dominik of Cintra, you certainly have gotten much better with that sword…. Your father must have taught you well," She said, her voice growing low and amused.

He scoffed and kept his blade leveled towards her, "Geralt's the greatest swordsman to ever live for a reason."

Again her laugh echoed through the chamber, and he felt his chest begin to bubble again, the white-hot rage boiling. He needed to control himself. He needed to find a way to get George out of there and get him medical attention.

After she had finished laughing, the commander looked back to him, "Hahah, oh my. I don't mean Geralt of Rivia… I meant your REAL father. Sir Gregory of Cintra, former knight captain of Cintra's royal guard… you… do remember him, right?"

"Of course I remember him," He spit out right away, wanting to lash out right then and there.

This time she didn't laugh, simply turning back to stare at him again. Her voice raked off her faceplate, and he could hear the bitterness inside it.

"Well, it's good that you remember SOME, things," She started, before she began to pace again, keeping her eyes locked with his, "But as I said. You have gotten very talented with a blade."

"Care to come see for yourself…" He said carefully, leaning his back up against George.

The Griffin School Witcher swung his sword in a wide arc to keep the soldiers at bay. Their commander took a step closer to him, and another, until she was near the tip of his blade. He could see the eyes of the skull faceplate again; he could almost see her real eyes behind it.

Slowly she shook her head, "We do not have to cross swords Dominik of Cintra…. It is entirely unnecessary. Your friend clearly is laboring, I'm sure you wish to get him out of this cave."

"Bah, I still have plenty of fight left you curs," George said from behind him, but quickly coughed afterwards, blood filling out onto the stones below him.

He almost whirled around to help his friend, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the commander. After hearing George cough the commander laughed again.

"Aha, my point exactly…. Now Dominik of Cintra, as I said, we need not cross swords," She said, taking a few steps back and pacing again, "All you must do is come with me. You will help us lure Zireael out of hiding. In exchange your friend will be healed… and I've even gotten Eredin to agree to spare you yourself."

"HA, I'd rather he let me die you vile wretches," George shouted from behind him.

He felt the anger bubble out of him again. His face contorted into anger, and he felt as if his skin was on fire.

"You're crazy if you think I'd EVER help you find Ciri," He shouted, nearly at the top of his lungs, "I'd sooner die here…"

He expected a witty retort, a joke or laugh from the commander. However when she spoke, he was surprised to see she almost had a desperate tone to her. It was as if she was pleading with him.

"Come now Dominik of Cintra," She said, stopping her pacing to look at him, "You fight all these battles. You go on all these quests for Zireael but answer me this… what has she ever done for you?"

Ciri had done everything for him. She was there for him through everything that happened in Cintra. She had saved his life, she had fallen in love with him, as he did with her. The question sent a hot boiling anger up his spine, and he felt himself ready to erupt.

"I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand," He yelled, his voice echoing over the breezing wind in the cavern, "I wouldn't expect you to know what it's like to love someone. Truly love someone and have them love you back. To be willing to do anything for one another."

His words hung between the two of them for a moment. The soldiers clunked in their armor next to him, as George continued to labor, his hand not leaving his wound on his side. The commander slowly shook her head and looked up to meet his eyes yet again.

"If you truly believes she loves you… then you might be interested in knowing this…" She said, slowly with every word drawn out, "I'm not one for gossip but… word has it the when she came to our world… she laid with our King…. Oh yes, I'm not lying to you. She shared the bed of King Auberon. Now… if she loved you so much… why would she have found comfort in our king?"

For a split second he felt his legs bobble. No, he couldn't listen to the words she was spewing then. They didn't matter. It didn't matter what Ciri had done, it didn't matter if she was with anyone else during their time apart, he was going to save her no matter what, he loved her no matter what. It didn't matter if she truly was with this King, or any other man. He hadn't been completely loyal to her, he had almost slept with Freya many times during his time with her, so he couldn't be upset if she had been with anyone else. There was also the distinct possibility she was lying, trying to deter him, make him loose focus.

That was what he kept telling himself… but the more he thought about it, the more he felt his knees begin to buckle. The thought of Ciri and some elf, clad in gilded armor with long flowing hair and a handsome face flooded his mind, and he could feel himself shake. Her laying in his bed as she used to do with him, kissing someone else that wasn't him, resting her head on someone else's shoulder… it kept flooding into his mind. His arms tingled, as he shakily let out a breath, it couldn't be true the commander had to be lying in some way. No matter what however the news had shaken him.

And the commander had sensed it.

"I thought you'd be interested to know…" She started, a slight bit of satisfaction in her voice, "Come now, what has she truly done for you? Besides abuse your love, make you risk your life to save her. Has she ever risked her life for you?"

His arms began to shake. He closed his eyes and shook his head to regain focus. He knew exactly what she was trying to do, she wanted him to lower his guard. At any moment he knew she was going to lash out and attack.

However she didn't, and only kept talking, "Tell me if she cares about you so... why didn't she go to find you two years ago when she came back? She left to travel the worlds after saving your adopted parents… but she didn't go to you. Then, she came back a SECOND time, to save Geralt of Rivia from our grasp… and again she didn't come to see you, to find you."

"Shut your fucking mouth," He finally managed to spit out, feeling his arms begin to shake even harder, his sword point dipping ever so slightly.

"Do not listen to her my friend! That damn siren is trying to make you let down your-," George started to protest, but was quickly interrupted by a fit of coughs, that almost sent him to the ground.

He turned to his friend to see his gloved hand completely bloody. The commander laughed again, and he whirled back around to face her.

"Ahaha, you are affected because you know I'm correct," She said slowly, looking to meet his eyes again, "Come now Dominik. Help us find Zireael. Eredin has promised me he will spare you. You can live in our new world…. And you will find a new family," She said, and he felt his brain stir when he heard the hopefulness in her voice.

George coughed again behind him. He knew the Griffin School Witcher was tough and his injuries healed quickly due to his mutations, but he also knew how deadly a stab to the wrong place of the gut could be.

He sighed in a shaky breath, digesting everything the commander had said. Ciri hadn't come to look for him when he came back. She did come back a second time to save Geralt… and still hadn't come for him. Did she truly betray him, and find comfort in the arms of the Aen Elle King himself? While he was wondering the continent alone, missing her, longing for her, doing everything he could to find her?

_'More than anything you know that but… right now I need to keep moving, we have to do it now'_

Her voice rang through his head. He looked down at his inner forearm, seeing the names, with hers at the top, and the elegantly drawn swallow. Finally, he slowly removed one hand from his blade, to squeeze the swallow pendant around his neck.

She hadn't come to find him because she knew the Wild Hunt was on her trail. She didn't want to bring them down on him, she went and ran from them all by herself, so that they didn't harm him. He knew she had done everything to come back and see him. He remembered reading in Dandelion's account of the attack on Strygga Castle, that Dominik had been one of the first people Ciri asked for, she had been trying to get back to him.

And even if she did find comfort in the arms of another… he couldn't have blamed her. During the last eight years he knew what it was like to be alone, needing that comfort and companionship. That was what led him to spending so many months with Freya in Ellander.

No matter what had happened, it was as Triss Merigold had told him. Ciri and he had been through hell together. They had a bond that wouldn't be broken. The two of them had been all the other had for so, so many years. They were the only ones who knew what the other had been through. And through all of that, he knew they had forged a type of love that couldn't be broken.

And it was a bond that nobody other than the two of them would ever understand.

He gripped the swallow tightly again, before both hands went back to his blade. His fingers went white from how hard he gripped it. The wind slowly blew through the cavern from the Hunt's presence, the fires crackled, and the soldiers shifted uneasily.

Looking up, he met their commanders eyes again.

"Again…. I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand, having someone you trust. Someone you trust with 100% of yourself… knowing they'll never let you down," He started, keeping his voice dangerously low, "What Ciri and I have… it can never be broken, no matter how many years we spend apart. We'll always have each other. Because only we know what the other has been through…"

At his words he felt the fire from the pit, and the ones on the walls all grow. The flames sputtered high, nearly reaching the tops of the cavern. They had caught the soldiers by surprise, some of them backed off, and George dropped his silver blade, thrusting out both his hands. A powerful blast of the Aard sign, more powerful then Dominik had ever seen erupted from his hands. It sent every rider of the Hunt flying backwards, smashing them into the wall with great force. The effort made George fall to the ground with a groan.

"GEORGE," Dominik yelled turning to his friend.

George coughed again and leaned up against a large rock wincing from pain. He tried to reach his friend, but he was cut off by a large blast of blue magic, it smacked into his chest and sent him flying backwards. He hit the ground and skitted back, dropping his sword, slowly sitting up with a groan.

Fumbling to his feet, he reached and managed to find his blade. His vision was dizzy, but the commander's booming voice gave her away.

"THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE WRONG DOMINIK OF CINTRA, THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE VERY WRONG," She screamed, thrusting her hands upwards.

The fire from the pit erupted around him. It sprawled out to both side as if it was being fired from a crossbow. It encircled the two of them, just him and the commander, a large circle of fire surrounding them both. His vision finally cleared, and he could see her across from him. He couldn't see her face behind her faceplate, but she threw the cloak off her back, and circled him with her longsword drawn.

Finally his vision managed to clear, and he raised his own blade. The two combatants circled each other, and Dominik could still feel the electric spark of electricity that ripped between them both. Slowly he twirled his blade to a reverse grip. The flames from the circle around them erupted towards the ceiling, and he knew that this was going to be the toughest battle of his entire life. More than his fight with Nithral, the bounty hunter in Ellander, the battle of Brenna he had fought in when he was eighteen. He felt something surge through his limbs, as he took in large deep breaths, trying to control the anger coursing through him, the uncontrollable anger he felt. The blood in his arms and legs raced, as his eyes narrowed towards the woman across from him.

The commander across from him wielded incredible power. She had frozen a man solid, erupted every flame in the room. His medallion had been vibrating more then it ever had been, and he could simply feel the power she exhumed. He hadn't seen her fight yet, but he had seen her teleport with the White Frost, like other navigators of the Hunt.

She laughed again, and all twinges of sympathy and desperation were gone from her tone.

"I fought Cirilla herself not long ago…. I do truly hope that you prove as worthy a challenge," She said, her voice slowly dripping with hate as she spewed out Ciri's name.

Hearing this his head shot up, he continued to circle her, his anger reaching a new level as he met the eyes of her face plate.

"TELL ME WHERE SHE WAS, TELL ME NOW," He yelled over the roaring of the cackling flames around him.

She stopped in her tracks, holding out both her hands, the fire erupting even higher up, hitting the top of the cavern.

"COME THEN DOMINIK OF CINTRA, FIGHT FOR THE ONE WOMAN YOU'VE EVER LOVED," She screamed at him, her metallic voice echoing over the flames.

His vision finally went red, and he charged at her, at the very same moment she charged towards him.

The first few seconds of the fight became a blur. They both leaped and spun, clashing blades in midair before landing on the ground. He whirled back and lashed out from the right, and this led them both to flurry around each other in a steel whirlwind. She moved her blade so quickly; he wasn't sure if she was using magic to enhance her movements or not. He didn't care, his vision was red, he saw Ciri's young face, heard her voice from his dreams and he lashed out with newfound determination.

The fire ripped through the air around him with heat so intense, he was sure that if he touched it his entire body would be set aflame. He twirled his blade and lashed out with a three-strike combo from above. Finally he put her on the back foot, she parried his first two strikes, before leaning backwards just underneath a slash that would've cut through her neck. He went to strike again, but as soon as his blade was about to make contact with her, she vanished, and he felt a puff of frost on his face.

He had no idea where she had gone but heard the portal open behind him. Whirling around he just managed to move his head away in time, but she quickly went for a stab. He dove and rolled to his right, coming up a mere inches from the flaming arena she had erected. He saw another opening and went for a stab. She saw him however and parried the strike.

He leaped up from the crouching position and went to strike again, but just like before she vanished in a cold portal, that despite the blazing fire wall around them still blasted frost into his face. He knew she was trying to flank him with her teleport again, so he threw up his hands and the yellow Quen shield sprang to life. Just like he anticipated her blade hit his shield, and as soon as it did, he discharged it, sending a powerful blast of magic back.

"UGHHH," She yelled, and he whirled back around to see her get sent sprawling back, only for her to quickly rise back to her feet.

His anger and blood was racing through his body faster then it ever had. He thought about what she had said, all she had done, trying to taunt him, goad him, throwing his father's name in his face, threatening to use him to lure Ciri out of hiding. His blade was moving faster then he could ever remember, and his Quen had been so powerful, he could see her armor had been singed. Something course through him, he looked down for a moment at his hands, and for a few seconds he could see bits of blue magic swirling on his arms, invigorating him, shooting more energy through his arms. However, he tore his arms away when he heard her armor clanking as she quickly rose, the large circle of fire only growing hotter at her rage. However, a rage just as hot, perhaps even more so coursed through him, as he saw a flash of blue in his eyes for a split second as his eyes narrowed towards her.

Holding up his blade, he circled her again. He could see the singe marks on her armor, he had done damage, but he knew better then to assume she was anywhere near done. He decided to take the offensive and charge again. He lashed out with a strike, and she fought with renewed vigor. She parried his strikes and spun, going to lash out at his back. He spun himself to get out of the way, and went to counter, but she vanished again in a burst of frost. This time he didn't get the shield up in time because he felt her blade slash into his armor. Thankfully the blow was in the armored part of his torso, but it still sent him stumbling.

He looked up and saw her again, and went to try and strike, but again she vanished. Whirling around he went to block upward, expecting a strike from above, however she tricked him yet again. She went low and swept his feet out from underneath him, and he went tumbling to the ground, still disoriented from the strike to his torso. His blade clattered from his hand as he fell, and he could see her standing above him, her sword pointed downwards.

For a moment he thought everything was over. He was going to die there, he'd never get to see Ciri again, George would die from his wounds, and Geralt would have to find his body dead there on the floor, or worse the Hunt would use his death as a way to get Ciri to reveal herself.

However, something even more frightening to him happened. The commander looked like she was going to bring her blade down to end him, but she hesitated. For a split second his eyes met the sockets of her faceplate. That same electric spark he felt earlier passed through them both again, and she stopped her blade before it could puncture his chest.

He took the opportunity, not wanting to let it pass by. Thrusting his hand forward, the Aard sign shot from his palms and sent the commander flying backwards. Quickly he rose to his feet and managed to scoop his blade from the ground. He couldn't see where she had landed, so quickly he shot his hand forward again, the yellow Quen shield again sprang to life around him.

It was good that he did because she came leaping at him again but pulled back just before she hit the shield. Finally seeing her location, he let the shield down and they lashed at each other again. Another steel whirlwind ensued, and finally he went for a high strike to the right. She brought her blade up just in time to block, and the two of them had their swords locked.

Again he saw a flash of light blue in his eyes, he saw Ciri's face, heard her voice, and remembered that Eredin wanted to kill her, this commander wanted to kill her. Quickly he removed one of his hands from his sword and shot his hand forward. Another Aard sign blasted the commander back, but this time she was ready for him. As soon as she saw his hand shoot forward, she disappeared in a flash of frost before reappearing a few feet apart from him.

"COME NOW DOMINIK, SHOW ME HOW FAR YOU'LL GO FOR ZIREAEL," She screamed to him, panting behind her helmet as she held out both her hands, her longsword dripping blood with chips of ice.

Again, he felt the anger spew from him like an active volcano, "TELL ME WHERE YOU SAW HER! TELL ME NOW!"

She cackled behind her face plate, as the fire roared around them, "YOU WILL FIND HER, AND YOU WIL DIE WITH HER!"

He gave up and charged, he channeled as much energy into his left hand as he could, the blue magic swirling from his arms into his palm as he readied his sign. She had done the same, and they both sprinted directly towards one another. He leaped and swung his sword down towards her, and she came up with her own to meet the strike. As he lowered his blade, he shot his hand forward and a powerful Aard blast erupted from his hand, the magic that had been gathering in his hands finally unleashed putting even more power into his sign, shooting a telekinetic blast from his hands more powerful than anything he had produced, he could practically feel his skin ripping from how hard the blast was. She had anticipated it however and shot her empty hand forwards as well, a blast of blue magic erupting from it. Their blades and hands clashed and a loud _***BOOM* **_erupted in the cavern.

He felt himself get sent flying backwards, his back slamming into one of the pillars. His sword clunked from his hand and he felt as if his hand had erupted in flames. Every bit of energy, every bit of fuel that had been left in his body had gone. Speaking of flames, he looked at the circle of flames the commander had brought about, they were no more. Only the torches on the wall remained lit. He fell forward onto all fours, feeling his vision get blurry again. A flurry of coughs erupted from the bottom of his throat, as he fumbled around the ground.

Almost every ounce of strength he had finally seemed to leave his body. He fumbled his hands on the ground, until he finally found the hilt of his sword. Using the tip of his faithful blade he pushed himself up to his knees, and then onto his feet. As soon as he did however, he felt himself stumble. His head whirled around looking for anyone, the commander, George anyone.

"Well, well, well… it seems you're beginning to unlock your inner magic," He heard her voice say, causing him to whirl around.

He saw her stumbling towards him, her armor singed, her sword on her hip. Her left hand held firmly over the left side of her face. He could only see one eye of the faceplate still intact, and he could finally hear her voice. It was light, and she sounded like a normal woman. However, he was still dizzy, his vision blurred. He tried raising his sword, but his hands shook fiercely, and all he could see was her silhouette.

"What… what are you talking about," He muttered, trying to get his legs to stop shaking.

He could hear a loud wince come from her, but he still also heard the small bit of amusement she spoke with, "You… you will find out soon enough… Dominik of Cintra."

Through his dazed vision he could see her fall towards a pillar. She removed the hand from her face to catch herself, but his vision was so blurry he couldn't get a clear view of the woman's face or eyes. All he saw was her shake her head, and step back from him.

"Who…. Who are you… tell me," He tried to shout, but it came out low, as he wheezed out another fit of coughing.

Through his daze, he could see her slowly shake her head, "That… that you will also find out one day…. We WILL meet again Dominik of Cintra, this I promise…. Kindred blood… will always find kindred blood."

He wanted to lash out, or say something else, but he felt the cold frost of a portal open, and in a moment the commander disappeared. She was gone, and the cold wind that flew through the cavern stopped, and he tightly squeezed his eyes shut. Never in his life had he felt himself so drained, so fatigued. He felt as if he could pass out then and there on the ground, and he would have if not for George.

"Dominik…." He heard and a loud mixture of coughs followed soon after.

His head spun and he whirled around to the right. Around the strewn out dead bodies of the soldiers of the Hunt, he saw George, still sitting there with his hand over his stomach wound.

"George…" He said weakly, stumbling his way towards him.

How did the commander seem to know him so well? How did she know so much about Ciri and he? Who was she, and why wasn't she an Aen Elle like the rest. All of the questions ran through his mind, but he was so fatigue, it strained him to even think.

Finally he reached George, and the Griffin School Witcher was pale, he had lost a lot of blood, and he needed medical attention. As he felt the strain on his muscles, his bones begin to ache like they never had before, he knew he needed it too. He looked down and reached his hand down to his friend weakly.

"Come on… we… we gotta get to Novigrad," He managed to get out, as the blonde haired Witcher reached up to weakly grab his hand.

He had to use every bit of his remaining strength, but he pulled back and yanked George to his feet.

"Dom…. Dominik… I… I'm hurt pretty bad," George muttered as he wrapped the Witcher's arm around him.

Slowly, his feet somehow managed to drag them both towards the corridor they had come, back towards the exit. He kept blinking, not daring to close his eyes for more then half a second. George coughed next to him as they walked, but both of them were running on the last bit's of strength their body could muster, as he saw George begin to cough up blood.

"You… you'll be alright…. Got a… a friend in Novigrad… she… she'll patch you right up. Just…. Just need to make it… make it to Clop…" He said weakly, as with every last bit of willpower and strength, he walked with his friend around his shoulder, into the darkness.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

If not for Clop, they never would have made it back to Novigrad. After they had emerged from the tunnel his loyal horse managed to untie his reins. He rode with all his speed towards Novigrad, as Dominik felt his vision become more and more blurry. White and black spots both began to dance in his vision, but he had just enough control to show his horse the way towards the city. George was on the saddle behind him, but his loyal companion still got them to Novigrad with great speed.

He had managed to get to the stable, where Clop neighed nervously as he climbed off with George. He had also quickly stroked his horses mane, before he managed to get into the city, with George's arm around his shoulder. By the time they entered the city proper, he was practically dragging the Griffin School Witcher, as his friend groaned lightly.

Still wincing from the pain that flared all over his body, and the fatigue he felt, he somehow managed to navigate the streets. Thankfully the Rosemary and Thyme was relatively close to the entrance they had come through. He was almost dragging himself as well. The white spots in his vision had almost begun to overtake him. His vision got blurrier and blurrier, but he saw the sign, he recognized himself right outside the building.

"Come on Dom… Come on Dominik…" He muttered to himself, urging himself to keep moving.

Scenes from the fight played over and over again in his head. The commander, whatever her name was, had him at her mercy. She could have killed him, stabbed her blade through his heart and been done with it. He needed to know why, he needed to know who she was, how she knew so much about him, and about Ciri. The more he thought in that moment however, the more it felt like someone was stabbing a knife directly into his brain. With every single thought, the black and white spots in his vision got more and more intense, taking up more and more of his vision.

George had finally stopped groaning, passing out from the loss of blood. As soon as he did, Dominik felt his own legs begin to buckle. Looking up he saw he was just outside the building, the front door was a mere few feet away from him. The lights were still on, so he knew that people were downstairs. He tried to look up at the sign above the door, to reassure himself he had the right inn. However, when he looked at it, all he saw was it coming in and out of his vision, as he began to blink rapidly again.

Finally his legs gave out and he fell down to them. He needed help, he wanted someone. He had never felt such exhaustion, such fatigue, such aching in his bones in his entire life. He felt as if he quite literally had no more energy left inside of him. He wanted someone. He wanted his mother, his father, his younger sister. He wanted Triss Merigold, he wanted Yennefer... and most of all he wanted Ciri, all he wanted in that moment was Ciri.

He didn't have her however, this he knew… but he did have the person who behind Ciri, he knew he loved most.

"GERAAAAAAAALT, GERALLLLLLLLT, GERALLLLLLLT," He yelled, using the last bit of fumes he had to scream the name of his adopted father, praying to every god he ever encountered, that his highly trained Witcher ears had heard him.

After he screamed, he had nothing left. He slumped forward onto the ground, and just managed to roll onto his back. All he could see were the stars in the Novigrad sky, as George slid off his shoulder ad onto his back next to him.

He didn't have a wound that was bleeding, but every single part of his body ached. He tried to move even his hands, but there was simply no energy left in his body to do anything. All he had done for the last few weeks, all the traveling, all the fighting, everything he had done… and all he wanted in the world in that moment… was Geralt, Geralt and Ciri. The two of them.

"Ciri… Ciri… gods please… Ciri…" He said to himself, feeling himself quickly begin to blink again, the stars slowly going out of view.

He couldn't even crane his head to look when he heard the door slam open. He could barely register the words that were being screamed.

"OUT HERE, FARAM, ZOLTAN, FREYA," The voice of Geralt yelled.

He could faintly hear the rush of footsteps, and more voice clamoring.

"Dom lad, what the bloody hell is happening," Zoltan Chivay yelled.

"What's all the-. George, Dom, for fucks sake what happened," Faram of Undviik yelled right after the dwarf.

"Geralt what-. Oh no, Dominik! We need to get them both inside now, someone get the bag from my room," He heard Freya's frantic voice yell.

His vision got blurry again, but he did see Geralt's withered face come into his view. The older Witcher's flowing white hair, and scruffy beard gave him a small source of comfort. Now, all he needed was Ciri. She was what he wanted, what he truly wanted, all he truly wanted in the world.

"Faram grab George, get him in a room, Zoltan, get Freya's bag," The older Witcher ordered, and he could hear the frantic tone in his adopted father's voice.

Geralt's yellow Witcher eyes looked down at him, as he wrapped one arm around Dominik's neck, the other around his legs, and strained for a moment, but managed to pick his adopted son up from the ground.

"You're going to be alright Freya will patch you up," His adopted father said to him reassuringly, his voice low and calm.

"Ciri… Ciri… Ciri… don't… don't go… don't send her away," He said faintly, his stomach beginning to churn like an active volcano, the black and white spots slowly beginning to cross Geralt's face.

A look of pain crossed Geralt's yellow eyes, as he slowly nodded reassuringly down at his son in his arms.

"We're going to find her… we will. And when we do… you two won't be separated again… I promise… rest now," Geralt said quietly, as he turned, walking towards the inside of the inn, as he blinked again, this time finally keeping his eyes closed.

**A/N: Wow, I gotta admit on this profile and my old profile I've wrote a LOT of battle scenes, but that had to be my favorite battle scene that I have EVER wrote. I'm sure the Battle of Kaer Morhen and the fight vs Eredin will overtake it but… I had so much fun writing that fight scene. **

**An fyi, I am aware that in the books Ciri was well… basically forced to sleep with the Aen Elle King. She didn't in the end because Auberon was racist and wouldnt, but she was still forced to go and try. They said it was the only way for her to return to her world. I am aware, and that is the reason she did so in this timeline I have. But well… Dominik doesn't know that yet, and when he does figure out… oh boy I'm sure yous can imagine the rage…**

**This was a very, very, VERY important chapter, and we now have a lot of questions. **

**Who is this mysterious commander woman of the Wild Hunt? How is she so powerful? How does she know so much about Dominik and Ciri? Why did she spare him when she could have killed him? What's this magic that she mentioned Dominik is unlocking?**

**Also we meet who's going to be a mainstay for the story, the Witcher George of Toussaint. He is going to be a major player down the road. With him in the picture as well, Dominik's 'squad' of friends if you want to call if that, is finally complete. Faram of Undviik, George of Toussaint, and Freya Kaminski of Ellander. What are you looking forward to seeing from this group of four? How will they all effect the story going forward?**

**There's no rest for the wicked next chapter, as Dominik and Geralt will have to help Triss Merigold and the mages escape Novigrad, I am REALLY looking forward to that as well. **

**Thank you all so much again, I know I saw this every chapter but this chapter has really been my favorite. Thank you so much for reading and supporting, I'll see you all next time!**


	31. A Matter of Life and Death II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 31: A Matter of Life and Death II**

**Narrator: After going and finding his friend the Witcher George of Toussaint, Dominik and he went on what they thought was a contract to slay a Fiend. However, it turns out that the Wild Hunt had set a trap for the two Witcher's, Dominik in particular. While there, Dominik and George met a mysterious commander of the Hunt, who had set the trap for the Young Wolf. To their surprise the commander was a woman, not an Aen Elle elf. She told young Dominik that she knew all about his past with Ciri and asked him to help them lure the young woman out of hiding, and in exchange she'd heal a wounded George, and that Eredin would grant him amnesty after their invasion. Dominik refused, which led to an intense duel between the two. After a large clash, the young Witcher and the commander of the Hunt fought to a draw. This commander left, promising the Young Wolf they'd meet again. After this an injured and near dead Dominik and George managed to make it back to the Rosemary and Thyme just in time to recover.**

_In the dream, he saw himself waking up from a dream ironically enough. He saw his younger self, he looked to be around fourteen years old, sleeping soundly in a bed. Right away he recognized it, it was the room that Yennefer and Geralt had rented for him in Ellander during their time there together. It was a smaller room, plenty big enough for only him and the few possessions he had then. He was only wearing a white top and trousers, the covers pulled tightly over his body, sleep completely overtaken him. Looking down at his young face, he almost couldn't believe how innocent it looked. In only eight years he had seen and done more then any child or man his age should ever had to have done. _

_ His fourteen-year-old self-snored lightly, seeming to be enjoying the peaceful sleep. However, it was soon disturbed by the door to his room flinging open, and he could see a flash bolt towards him. _

_ "HAPPY BIRTHDAY," A young Ciri yelled, running to the bed and leaping onto it, slamming into him, throwing her arms around his neck. _

_ "AHHH WHAT-. Ciri," His younger self yelled, his eyes shooting open, seeing the head of ashen hair tied around his neck. _

_ Ciri laughed and squeezed him tighter, and he watched as younger Dominik smiled, wrapping his arms around her, squeezing her back with just as much vigor. The light gently streamed through the window, hitting the both of them, sparkling off Ciri's ashen hair. The swallow dangled around his neck, while his bronze ring dangled around Ciri's. If he could have, he would have frozen that moment, made it last forever. He remembered the day now. It was the day of his fourteenth birthday. It was a few weeks into their almost year long stay in Ellander with Yennefer and Geralt._

_ Young Dominik finally pulled back, looking down to meet Ciri's bright green eyes with his, "What are you doing up so-."_

_ He was cut off when she kissed him. Her head shot up, and her lips met his with such force and passion, that his head fell back onto the pillow. Ciri without letting her lips leave his, leaned down and laid on her stomach next to him in the bed, not breaking their embrace. She kept on kissing him, bringing her hands up to stroke one side of his face, while the other rested in his hair. He could feel his heart flutter, as if a million peaceful butterflies were being released in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, as she continued to kiss him, each time with renewed passion. _

_ Finally he matched her intensity, kissing her back with everything he had, not wanting the moment to end. He watched as she continued to moved her lips to keep meeting his, as she stroked a finger along his cheek, and gently combed her finger through his hair. _

_ "I love you… happy birthday," She said between the kisses she placed on his lips. _

_ He squeezed his arms around her waist tighter, bringing his hand to carefully run his fingers through her ashen locks._

_ "I love you too…" He said breathlessly, only taking his lips off hers for a moment. _

_ The two of them stayed there locked in each other's embrace for what felt like hours. He didn't let go of her and didn't dare remove his lips from hers for more then a moment. She did the same, gently kissing him while she ran her hand through his brown hair. It was another moment he wished could have lasted forever, the two of them there, locked in an embrace, just the two of them loving each other._

_ However, their moment was ultimately interrupted when the door opened again. _

_ "Well, well, well, interrupting something are we," The deep voice of Geralt rang throughout his room. _

_ "Geralt stop it now," Yennefer quickly chastised as soon as he was finished. _

_ Quickly Ciri and he's eyes both opened, staring directly at each other. He could see the bright red hue that quickly appeared on both their faces, and both of them scrambled up. Swinging his legs around the side of the bed, his bare feet finally hit the wooden floor and he looked up to meet his adopted parents' eyes. Ciri quickly whirled around, hanging her feet off the bed next to him, gently reaching over and grabbing his hand as they sat. _

_ Geralt's eyes were full of amusement as he looked at them both, the older Witcher chuckled, and Yennefer quickly smacked his arm shooting a glare at him. The sorceress however quickly turned back to them both, smiling down when she finally met Dominik's eyes. _

_ In her black and white outfit, she held out her arms as she sat down on his side opposite Ciri, a smile still broadly on her face. _

_ "Happy Birthday Dominik," The sorceress said with a smile, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek._

_ He took in her scent of lilac and gooseberries and embraced her with a hug. He had known Yennefer for around a month at that point. It had taken him some time to come around to the sorceress, with him dreadfully missing Triss at times. However, Yennefer had become a true mother to him in that time he spent in Ellander. The raven-haired sorceress, just as Triss had, protected him from nightmares. She made sure not to solely focus her attention on Ciri, but him as well. Of course she had come to teach Ciri to control her powers, however she had taught him many lessons as well. She had taught him to fiercely care for those you care about, and to speak your mind and stand true to your principles, no matter how unpopular they were. _

_ The sorceress leaned back and smiled at both Ciri and he, her eyes turning to the young girl next to him, she laughed playfully, "Ciri, I thought we agreed we'd all come together?"_

_ Ciri shifted next to him, and he could see her face go beat red, "Well. I… kind of wanted-."_

_ "To spend some alone time together before the adults got here," Geralt said, a hint of amusement in his voice as he came to join the three, "Not the first time the two of you have done that."_

_ Ciri and he both went red again, knowing that the Witcher had indeed been right. Apparently, the flustered look on their faces was plenty visible, because Geralt laughed, and Yennefer even did as well. He turned around and met Ciri's eyes, and he gave her a small smile, which she returned. Seeing her smile sent a jolt through his heart. He would have given anything to see that smile again, the cluster of freckles that ran across her nose, her loose ashen locks._

_ Geralt knelt down in front of him, giving him a smile, "Happy birthday Dom."_

_ He could see the older Witcher smile, and younger Dominik hugged the man. Geralt smiled, and hugged him back, before pulling back with a prideful look on his face as he looked at both Dominik and Ciri. _

_ The older Witcher reached around into his back pocket and pulled out a few folded pieces of paper. He reached over and handed them to Dominik, as his younger self gingerly took them into his hands. _

_ "A few letters. Vesemir, Eskel, Zoltan, Dandelion, Triss, even Lambert sent you one," The older Witcher told him, an amused smile on his face._

_ His younger self scoffed a smile, looking between the three of them. Him sitting on the bed, Ciri, Yennefer both sitting next to him, and Geralt kneeling in front. His new family, the one's who's names he had permanently tattooed onto his arm. He made sure to take a mental picture of the scene, yearning that it was still the case. _

_ "Thanks Geralt… for… for everything," His younger self said, looking to meet the older Witcher's eyes. _

_ Geralt nodded with a smile, before turning and looking up at Yennefer. The two had a silent conversation before the older Witcher looked back to him. _

_ "Yen and I… we got something for you. We'll give it to you later. We'll… leave you too alone for a bit, see you both at dinner," He said, standing up and gesturing for Yen to follow. _

_ Yennefer placed another hand on his shoulder and gave him a smile before following Geralt. Both of them left the room, leaving only Ciri and he there again. He combed through the letters in his hand, before carefully placing them both on the dresser next to the bed. After he did. Ciri reached over and pulled him close to her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed, he quickly returned the gesture, feeling his heart swell up again. _

_ She pulled back and quickly kissed him, before locking their emerald eyes together. A huge smile came across her face, and he could see her practically bouncing with excitement. _

_ "I convinced Geralt and Yen to give us the day off from any training," She said excitedly, grabbing both his hands with hers, "We have the day to ourselves, just the two of us. I have so many things planned. We'll go swim, go to the meadow, set snares, Yen even helped me make us some food for a picnic!"_

_ He wished that moment could freeze, and he could have lived this day over every day for the rest of his life. He would have gladly traded any amount of gold, or any of his possessions to be able to go live the day over. _

_ "Ciri… you didn't have to do all that, I only need you and-," He started, before being quickly cut off by the girl shaking her head._

_ "Oh no, no excuses. Come on Dom, you're always doing things for me! Making me smile when I'm sad, taking care of me when I get sick, cooking for me… even though it's quite bad I appreciate the gesture-," She started, rolling her eyes with a smile. _

_ "Hey, I try my best," He quickly protested, meeting her eyes again. _

_ She laughed and slowly nodded, "Yes… and I love that you do. My point being… I want to do something for you. A lot of things actually. I have a whole day planned out for us."_

_ He could see her looking up at him with those beautiful green eyes, and sighing younger Dominik as always relented, nodding slowly. _

_ "Alright… thank you Ciri. I… really do appreciate it more then you'll ever know… I don't know what I'd do without you," He said slowly, not taking his eyes off hers. _

_ She laughed lightly, reaching a hand to hold against his cheek, "Well without me your life would be awfully dull admit it."_

_ "That it would… that it would…" He said slowly again, holding his hand over hers. _

_ He leaned down and kissed her again. They stayed locked for a moment, before Ciri pulled back, her eyes going wide. Another large smile came to her face, as she quickly reached into the bag she had dropped to the ground when she walked inside his room. _

_ "Oh, I almost forgot about this," She said excitedly, reaching into the bag, "I… don't have much coin obviously. So, I hope that you like it. I made it for you."_

_ He watched curiously as she finally pulled her hands from her bag. She sighed with a smile and showed him what she had made. It was a carving, a wood carving. It was shaped like a wolf; it's head, the same as Geralt's Witcher medallion. Its body was crudely carved, but its legs connected to a thin wooden pedestal. _

_ "Ciri… this is brilliant," He complimented, genuinely amazed at what he saw. When she had been younger, he knew she was fond of carving, but had only really began to come into her own at the craft recently. _

_ A new red blush came over Ciri's face as she laughed nervously, "Oh stop… it… it isn't that good."_

_ Quickly he scoffed, shaking his head at her, "No Ciri really I mean it. This is amazing, you've gotten so great at this."_

_ "Oh, stop being a suck up," She said, but he could see the red grow deeper on her face. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, keeping her head laid on his shoulder as she continued, "Look… look at the bottom."_

_ Carefully, he turned the wolf over in his hands. He looked down at the bottom of the pedestal it was perched on, and sure enough words were carved into the bottom. He could feel his heart beat harder as he read the words again, the butterflies bursting in his stomach. _

_**To Dominik,**_

_** Happy birthday! Thank you… for everything. Wherever you go, I go. I love you.**_

_** Your Ciri.**_

_He saw his younger self slowly read the words, Ciri's head looking down at them as well, as she rested on his shoulder. He had almost cried that day. After he had finished, he turned his head down to look at Ciri. _

_ "I… I love you," He said lightly to her. _

_ She smiled up at him, those emerald eyes sparkling again. Her smile made him feel as if every problem that he faced in the world was gone, just for a moment. _

_ "I love you too…" She said, leaning up to kiss him again. _

_ Her lips connected with his, and watching the dream unfold in front of him had just been another reminder. _

_ A reminder that what they had, was truly a bond that couldn't be broken._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ughhh… Ciri…" He said weakly, feeling his eyes slowly begin to open, the rays of the sun finally forcing his eyes awake.

As soon as he finally awoke, he felt an ache run through his entire body at once. Every single bone inside of him felt as if it was being pounded by a hammer. Sweat was beating down his bare chest, as the sun from the window pierced his eyes. He blinked and sighed again, trying to remember what had happened before he passed out, but whenever he did, it felt like someone was constricting his brain with a net.

He tried to blink again, and with soreness flaring through his neck, he managed to crane it to his left. His lips were dried and felt as if they were going to crack at any moment, carefully he opened them. To his left however, he saw a cluster of light blonde hair, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Freya…" He said quietly, feeling his gut begin to swirl.

Freya jumped and spun back around; she had a small potion vial in one hand that she almost dropped to the ground. Her eyes went wide when she saw him awake before she seemed flushed with relief. He went to move his feet to the side of the bed, or even roll over, but as soon as he did the fatigue flared up inside of him again.

"Ughhh…. Dammit," He cursed, feeling his head flare up in pain again.

"Woah, woah, easy there hero," Freya said quickly, taking the step over and sitting on his bed side.

She adjusted his pillows so that he could sit leaning up against the wall, before gently placing a hand on his chest. Her cold hands sent a pleasant chill through his body as she gently guided him to sit up. His back and head hit the wooden walls behind the head of his bed, and he let out a huge shaky breath, blinking rapidly to regain his vision, finally seeing Freya's bright blue eyes in front of him.

He winced again as she removed her hand from his chest, "Freya what… what happened?"

Quickly she shook her head, and held the potion vile up to his lips, "In a minute, first drink this. It's not a Witcher potion, I made it myself."

There wasn't enough energy in his body to protest if he wanted too. She tilted the vile and the bright pink liquid slid down his throat. He expected a gagging swill, but the potion tasted of fresh berries, with a pleasant juniper smell to it. As soon as he felt it hit the pit of his stomach, a calm, cooling sensation ran through his body. The aching in his bones finally began to cool, and he breathed for the first time without shaking. The rapid heartbeat that had been thumping in his chest finally slowed down, and he was able to think properly without feeling as if a knife was being stabbed into his brain.

He sighed again, feeling the cool air run through his body before looking at Freya, "Wow… what was in that? That tasted fantastic."

Freya chuckled and quickly walked back to the dresser, placing the vial back into her bag, before rejoining him at his bedside.

"Just something to dull the pain, crushed the berries to give it a good aftertaste," She said, seeming slightly flustered, before she met his eyes again, "How do you feel? Do you remember what happened?"

All of the memories came rushing back to him at once. Finding George in Oxenfurt, them going out to the cave in the woods. The Wild Hunt, him fighting toe to toe with their commander, using up more energy then he ever had in his life. Her faceplate, the skull eyes, the electric spark he felt every time their swords connected. He remembered her knowing him, knowing Ciri, where they grew up, even knowing the name of his father.

Slowly he moved his shoulders, feeling them crack satisfyingly. He curled his fingers and moved his feet, finally having the feeling return to them. The sun beat down between Freya and he, casting a sparkle over her cascading blonde hair.

Slowly he nodded, meeting her eyes, "Yeah… last thing I remember is… is dragging George to-. GEORGE, is he-."

"He's alright don't worry," Freya said in a soft, reassuring voice before continuing, "His wound was bad, but they heal remarkably quick on Witcher's. I made something for it, and he's feeling better already. He's actually downstairs with Geralt, Faram and Zoltan now."

He breathed out in relief. One of the last few things he remembered was George sliding off his shoulder, the wound from where the Hunt soldier had stabbed him bleeding profusely. The more he was up, the more the previous night began to come back to him. The giant circle of fire the commander had summoned, the intensity, the power they had both exhumed in their duel.

_'Kindred blood will always find kindred blood,', 'It seems you're beginning to unlock your inner magic.'_

Her words rang in his head, but the pain in his brain started to flare again the more he thought of her. Letting out another shaky breath he looked back to Freya, a feeling of relief flushing over his body.

"Thanks Freya…" He said groaning as he moved again, trying to keep his muscles loose, "It's obvious but… seems you made it to the Rosemary alright."

Freya laughed and slowly nodded towards him, "Yeah, it was like you said. Zoltan took care of me when I told him you sent me."

"Damn dwarf's one of the most loyal friends you could ever ask for," He said quickly, smiling over at her, feeling his strength slowly seep back into him.

"It was extremely kind, he's good company," She said with a nod, "I also got to meet Faram, and see Geralt again… I wonder how he remembered me, I only talked to him for a moment in Ellander those years ago."

He felt his face get hot again, as he slowly ran a hand through his brown hair.

"Well you see I… I kind of told him how we… well… you know," He said, his voice coming out completely flustered.

Freya's face went red, and her eyes slightly widened, "Oh… I see…. The other's do… do they-."

"No, no," He said, quickly shaking his head, "Just Geralt."

An awkward silence passed between the two of them. He sighed again, remembering the talk the two of them had the day before. If they truly hadn't parted on good terms like he thought, he assumed that she wouldn't have worked so hard to keep both him and George alive. He quickly shook the thought from his head, wanting to focus on the present.

And in the present, he knew now it was even more imperative that they find Ciri quickly. If the commander who he fought truly knew so much about them both, and could track Dominik himself, then she could be one of their biggest threats. He needed to tell Geralt about what had happened and see if he possibly knew who the commander was.

Carefully he leaned up against the wall, feeling himself wince.

"How… how long till I can move around like normal again," He asked Freya, as the girl placed her cold hand on his hand to steady him.

After he was firmly sitting up, he turned to face her.

Freya gave him a small reassuring smile, "Only a few hours. You… you didn't have any physical injuries besides a few bruises and cuts but… you were completely drained. You were pale, breathing was shallow, to be honest your condition worried me more than George's."

He didn't have a hard time believing her. When he had been riding on Clop's back to Novigrad, it had been a miracle he didn't fall off, and was able to direct his horse to the city. It felt as if someone could've taken a hammer and smashed all his bones completely to dust in that moment.

And he would have truly been dead if not for Freya taking care of him.

"Thank you, Freya… again you saved me," He said, turning to meet her blue eyes.

She chuckled lightly and flustered, "Oh it… it's no big deal. You saved me after all."

He remembered back to the Bruxa he had fought with the girl yesterday, and spotted the golden rope, and rose necklace around her neck.

"So, are you going to be heading out today," He asked her, looking down at the golden rose, "You said you wanted to take Damien's necklace back to Kaedwen and his family."

Freya's hand went to the necklace, squeezing it and closing her eyes for a moment before she looked back down at him.

"I will yeah… but I decided to stay in Novigrad for a little while longer," She told him, instantly making his eyes go wide.

"What why," He asked quickly, meeting her eyes, "Not that I don't want you here but, it's dangerous. You're wanted for desertion, that's what almost got you killed first yesterday."

She got flustered again, her face going red, but she slowly shook her head.

"I know yeah… but I talked a bit more with Geralt last night," She started, looking out the window of his room for a moment, "He told me a bit more about your search for Ciri and well… I decided that I'm going to stay and help you, at least until you both leave Novigrad."

A cluster of emotions ran through his stomach. Thankfulness, gratitude, shock, worry. Freya was a wanted woman, he shuddered to think what would happen if any Redanian soldiers found her. She could be burned on a pyre in Hierarch Square, she could be hanged, or tossed to the bottom of the Pontar. However, despite all of that she wanted to stay and help them look for Ciri, the woman he had left her for.

"Freya I…. I can't ask you to do that," He said, making the girl turn back around to meet his eyes, "The things Geralt and I have to do they… they're dangerous. George and I literally got attacked by the Wild Hunt last night. You could be killed and-."

"I could be killed by a bear on the road to Kaedwen," Freya rationalized, quickly cutting him off, "You saved my life. I don't care about the risks, you're my friend I… care about you. I know you'd do the same for me… so I'm doing it for you."

He could hear the sincerity in his words. Over the years he had felt as if he had been alone. However, the more he thought now, the more he realized, it had been his own fault. It was his own fault he had been alone. He was so concerned in stewing in his own sorry, that he didn't recognize what he truly had. If he had only made the effort, he could have had friends and allies.

Geralt had gathered allies the first time Ciri returned to the continent to save her. He had gathered a band of fighters, friends to help him go and save Ciri and Yennefer from Strygga Castle. He hadn't been apart of it, and he regretted it to that day.

However, he had his own company forming now. Geralt of Rivia, Zoltan Chivay, Faram of Undviik, George of Toussaint, and now Freya Kaminski of Ellander. It was a company of his closest friends, people he trusted with his life. And it would be them who supported him, and helped him save Ciri, just like Geralt had years ago.

He slowly looked up to meet Freya's eyes again, "Thank you… for everything."

The blonde slowly smiled, her bright blue eyes full of life, "You're welcome... Besides, I've taken quite well to Zoltan, Faram and Geralt. Geralt and Faram even both offered to show me some sword techniques."

He scoffed and managed to smile, "Hah, they're some of the best teachers you'll find. You taking my 'become a witcher' advice seriously?"

She rolled her eyes with a smile and shook her head, "No… it's just if I'm going to fight with you all, I want to know what I'm doing."

"Handled yourself pretty well yesterday," He complimented, remembering how Freya quite skillfully took down multiple attackers fighting at his side.

Scoffing Freya stood up from his bedside, "True, but if what happened to you and George is any indication the Wild Hunt is slightly more skilled then bandits in clown masks."

The image of the commander's faceplate, her female voice echoing through the cavern rang through his head, and he felt himself shiver.

"That's an understatement…. Did George tell you all what happened last night," He asked, looking back up at her.

"Small bits, he told us you found them in a cave. The last thing he remembers is you fighting the commander in a ring of fire," She told him, her voice low and sounding slightly afraid.

Carefully he nodded his head, "Yeah… I should probably get dressed, tell Geralt what happened. And I want to know what happened with him last night."

With a slight ache running through his body, he slowly moved his legs to the side of the bed. Gently his legs dangled for a moment before his bare feet finally hit the ground. As soon as they hit the wood below him, he winced, for a moment feeling as if he stepped on a bed of nails. He leaned his back up to sit up straight, and after a moment the pain disappeared. He rolled his shoulders again and took in a few deep steadying breaths.

Freya turned back and looked at him, her eyes falling from his eyes to his chest and torso. He saw her pause for a moment, her face getting red as she took a step closer, slowly pointing to the two large scars that ran along his mid-section. Of course, multiple smaller ones, like the one from where the Bruxa had bit him yesterday were there. He had multiple bruises and smaller scars that were slowly faded, but two were the ones that completely dominated his chest and torso.

One that ran horizontally across his lower abs, still slightly red and not showing signs of fading. He could still feel it twinge at times, as it more then likely would never go away. It was too deep, and had nearly killed him, it would have if not for Keira Metz's quick healing ability.

"Where… where did you get those… if you don't mind me asking," Freya asked him carefully.

He looked down at his midsection. First, he pointed to the horizontal scar running just below his abs.

"This one… a general of the Wild Hunt. Nithral was his name," He carefully explained, hearing the elf's laugh ringing in his ears, and the axe raking against his stomach, "Fought him in Velen. Axe nearly cut me in half."

Slowly she nodded, and pointed to the next large scar that dominated his collection, "And… this one?"

He gently ran his own hand down the large diagonal cut across his body. It started at the top of his right shoulder and ran all the way down to his left hip. It was his reminder of Rivia, the reminder of how close he had been to Ciri two years prior. He had done everything he could to save Geralt that day, draw the crowds away from him. It hadn't worked however, and he was separated from his adopted father that day. The mob that chased him drove him away, towards a darker alley.

Sighing he looked up to meet Freya's eyes, "Rivia, two years ago. It was… when Ciri had finally come back to the continent. Yennefer took Ciri to some meeting with a group of sorceresses. Geralt went to Rivia. Got a letter from them saying to come to Rivia… turns out that's where we were all supposed to meet."

He remembered vividly getting the letter, how fast he rode from Vizima towards Rivia.

He shook his head and continued, "When I got there, race riots had erupted. Saw Geralt trying to calm the crowds, he was being overrun. I… went to help him. Got overwhelmed myself. Some boy who probably had never even held a sword before cut me pretty deep. Wasn't wearing any armor, thought it'd make my horse faster…. Was bleeding out, before my friend Triss saved me. She roasted all of them, and teleported me away… I never got to see Ciri."

Freya digested his words, and he could see the sympathy in her eyes. Rivia had been the closest he had ever been till his current quest. He had no idea Ciri had been there until Yennefer told him when she found him. All he thought was that Geralt and Yennefer had died, thinking he still hated them, was furious with them, blamed them.

This quest was his chance to redeem himself, redeem himself for everything. And finally keep the promise he made to Ciri all those years ago, to find her if she ever went missing.

"Well… looks like I have a lot of stories to hear…" She said, before walking towards the front of his room, retrieving what seemed to be his shirt, "Come on. I'll help you put your armor on. Geralt wanted to see you as soon as you woke up."

He nodded and turned to look out the window over Novigrad once more. The sun was high, not quite midday. There was still plenty of time left in the day, plenty of time for them to continue their search. It didn't matter to him that his bones still ached, or what that commander from the night before knew or didn't know.

Ciri had been trying to keep him safe for the last two years, by leading the Wild Hunt away from them. Now it was their turn to go and save her from them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His armor thankfully didn't feel like it was weighing him down. After he started walking, he felt his strength again start to seep back into his bones. His sword was tied tightly across his back, and his feet creaked the wooden steps as he walked with Freya behind him. The sun seeped in from the windows when he finally made it to the bottom floor, making him stop for a moment, before he was finally able to take in the scene around him.

The inn was empty for now, save the one table where he saw them all. Zoltan, Faram, George and Geralt all sat together, chatting and eating their breakfast. Seeing George's face not pale, and blood not dripping from his armor brought a sigh of relief out of him. Freya's talents with healing, potions, solvents and other remedies continued to amaze him. George was locked in intense conversation with Faram as the Bear School Witcher nodded eagerly, all while scarfing down eggs and chicken. Geralt seemed to be listening intensely as well, barely touching his food.

Zoltan, however, was the first to notice him before the Witcher's.

"Hahahaha! The Wild Hunt'll need to do better to take you down aye young wolf," The dwarf said, smiling over at him with a mug in his hands.

At once all of his friends turned to him, George, Faram, and Geralt all shot around from their breakfast. A relieved sigh ran out over Geralt's face, and Dominik himself sighed as well. He managed to walk without any problems, Freya next to him, wearing a loose white top, and tight brown trousers with boots, the same sword still hanging at her hip she had picked up the day before.

"HAHA, mate George has been telling us what happened! You showed those fuckers how we do it on the continent, sent them scurrying right back into their holes," Faram said excitedly, raising his mug up to him.

The sun streamed through the walls of the in, through the windows warming his bones again. He heard Freya scoff a laugh next to him, as she walked past him to sit next to Zoltan, a plate of food already set out for her. Through the slight aches in his bones, he did manage to laugh at the Bear School Witcher's words, slowly walking and sitting down next to Geralt.

He sighed again and looked to meet Faram's yellow eyes, "Yeah… we did, and look where it got us eh George?"

The Griffin School Witcher chuckled from the other side of Geralt. He did look much better than he did the night before thanks to Freya's healing. No longer was he pale, however he wasn't wearing his green griffin armor, instead only a white top, with the green trousers and boots. Despite his injuries and obvious fatigue, the Griffin School Witcher raised his mug.

"It got us a glorious, yet deadly fight. Now I live thanks to you my friend," He said, his tone low and grateful, raising his mug as well.

A small scoff came from him, as he looked around the table at his friends. Freya, Zoltan, George, Faram and of course his adopted father. If the six of them couldn't rescue Dandelion, and find Ciri, then there truly was no hope.

George speaking about it however, flashed him back again to the night before. He blinked and saw it all again. The commanders skull helmet and faceplate, her deep racking metallic voice, her sword cutting into his armor, her sword inches from his neck, the fact she could have ended him in an instant, stabbed her blade through his heart, but didn't. And finally, what she had said after their fight… that he was beginning to unlock his inner magic.

She also knew things. She knew his father's name, she knew Ciri and he grew up together in Cintra…. That Ciri had apparently shared the bed of the Aen Elle King. And that most importantly to him, she had fought Ciri recently, seen her in the flesh. Thinking about it all, made the sun that shone through the windows not quite as warm. He felt himself shudder, before picking up and downing the whole entire mug of what ended up being apple juice in front of him.

He slammed the mug back down on the table, shuddering again, unable to meet his friend's eyes.

"Are you alright," He heard Geralt ask from next to him, and he craned his neck up to look at his adopted father.

In Geralt's yellow Witcher eyes he could see the concern, and he looked around to see his five other friends' looking at him as well. Slowly he nodded his head, looking back to see Geralt again.

"I'll… be alright. Freya works wonders, me and you both could learn a thing or two about potions from her Geralt," He said, trying to raise the mood in the room.

The rest of the inn was empty, so only the six of them stayed around the table. His words got a laugh and a nod from George.

"That we can! Don't know what was in the potions she gave me, or the healing solvent but it fixed me right up," The Griffin School Witcher commented.

Zoltan laughed from next to Freya, pointing his thumb to the girl, "Ha this lassie has been a god send! You should have tasted some of the dumplings she prepared last night. Absolutely magnificent!"

Freya laughed, her face flushing red from embarrassment, twirling her fork in her plate of food, "Oh come on stop… you took me in, it was the least I could do."

Before anyone could say anything else, another loud knock was heard at the door to the inn. All their heads shot over, but Zoltan was the one to groan and roll his eyes.

"Probably more of the local color," The dwarf complained, climbing off his spot on the bench, "Can't they read the sign? Not serving yet…"

Their dwarf friend walked over towards the front door, as the rest of them continued to eat. Faram took another large gulp of what he knew had to be ale from his mug, before bringing it back to the table, and pointing over to Freya.

"And you should've seen how she handled this one sodded fool last night mates," The Bear School Witcher commented, looking over at the blonde, "Poor fool tried to put the moves on her! Got pretty handsy, almost went to help myself but this lass, she flips him over her shoulder and kicks him out on his arse!"

"He was like three times my age, reeked of Mahakam," Freya said a slight bit of disgust in her voice.

Faram laughed again and nodded, "Haha and you kicked him right outta here goldilocks! Can't wait to see what she can do with a sword in her hands!"

George, Freya and Faram all got locked into an intense conversation about swords, fighting, and what battles Freya had been a part of during her time in the army. As much as he loved seeing all of his friends having such a great time together, enjoying each other's company and getting along greatly, he still felt his stomach churn. He kept looking down at his plate, his fork not moving towards the eggs or bacon.

He stared at the food, and almost felt the conversation between his friend completely echoing out. All he could feel was the fire erupting around him, the large circular arena this commander had summoned, he could feel the jolt of electricity that ran through him every time he locked eyes or swords with her. She had been there for him specifically. She wanted to use him to lure Ciri out of hiding, use him as a bargaining chip to make her turn herself over to them. And if he knew Ciri like he thought he did… she wouldn't have abandoned him; the commanders plan would have worked.

The commander's words played in his head. _It seems you're beginning to unlock your inner magic. Kindred blood will always find kindred blood. She laid with our King… shared the bed of King Auberon. _All those words she spoke, all of them rattled around in his head, like a rabid animal trapped in a cage, and his brain was their only source of food. The words attacked his brain like a necrophage attacked a rotting corpse.

_We WILL meet again Dominik of Cintra, this I promise._

Again, he felt himself shudder in his seat, the sword clanking in the sheath on his back. His stomach rumbled, but he felt no desire to put anything in his mouth. The more he thought, the more it felt like something was attacking his brain on the inside. All the questions he had rattled around, and he almost felt his brain about to burst.

His friends continued their conversation, with Freya telling Faram and George about a recent battle outside White Orchard she had been apart of. None of them seemed to notice the look of struggle on his face, however Geralt was much more preceptive.

He nearly leaped out of his seat when his adopted father placed a hand on his shoulder. His head whirled around, and he met Geralt's old withered face.

"You can fool them, but you can't fool me," The older Witcher said quietly, low enough that the others at the table didn't hear him, "Dominik… what happened at that cave?"

"Tell you later… when it's just us…" He said quietly, turning his eyes back to the plate of food in front of him.

Geralt nodded understandingly, and Dominik gently picked up a piece of bacon to nibble on. It wasn't that he didn't trust Faram, George, Zoltan or Freya, however some things he knew that only Geralt would truly understand. Only Geralt, other then obviously Ciri and he, understood the true depth of the bond Ciri and he shared, even more so then Yennefer or Triss. Geralt had watched he and Ciri grow up, train, fall in love, be ripped apart, and he would be the one to be there when they finally reunited.

The bacon and the rest of the food he began to eat fell to the pit of his stomach like a brick. He was silent, watching his best-friends converse with each other, laughing at each other's jokes, bonding together quite well. It raised his spirits slightly, seeing that they were all seemingly getting along so greatly. He hoped that it would translate into being able to work together well when the continued their quests.

He had finally managed to scarf down a few pieces of bacon, with the food actually beginning to help his energy return. The eggs that Freya or Zoltan had made tasted fantastic, and he was about to scarf down more, when the dwarf's voice rang through the inn.

"Aye Geralt, Dominik, a letter for you both," The dwarf said, sliding back onto the stool and sliding the parchment across the table.

Sighing Dominik placed the forkful of eggs that he was about to scoop into his mouth back down onto the table. Geralt gently picked up the letter, it was fine parchment with a wax seal. It smelled of a pleasant juniper perfume, and he as well as Geralt both faltered at the smell.

He watched as Geralt slowly unwrapped the letter, it's elegant handwriting finally coming into his view.

_Geralt, Dominik, it's all falling apart. Please come and see me, we must move now._

_ Love, TM_

"A letter from Triss…" He said, slowly turning to meet Geralt's eyes, "I know I had quite the night last night…. But I never asked, what happened at that party?"

Geralt grew a deathly serious look on his face. He could tell his adopted father was worried, quickly he ripped the letter in half, and turned down to him.

"I'll tell you on the way," He said, his voice low and sturdy. The rest of their friends all looked over to them as he continued, "Think you're okay enough to fight?"

He scoffed and slid off the bench he was on, "For Triss? Always. I should be fine, right Freya?"

He looked over and met the blonde's eyes. Freya looked between Geralt and he, before staring back at him finally.

"You should be, just don't overdo it," She instructed in a strict tone, "Try to keep the magic, the signs to a minimum."

Hearing the strict tone in her voice, he finally managed a genuine laugh for the first time in the day.

"Doctor's orders, got it," he said, turning back to Geralt, "So should we get going. Whatever it is, it seems urgent."

Geralt swung his legs around the bench and stood up as well, "Yeah… are you sure you're up for this today?"

Ciri was out there, Triss needed their aid. He would be up for, and ready to help those he cared about. It didn't matter how his body felt, how fatigued, injured or mentally fragile he felt at the moment. He would always give everything he had into helping the ones he loved.

Carefully he nodded at Geralt, before looking out towards the sun streaming in from the streets of Novigrad, "Yeah… I'm up for it. No rest for the wicked."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"She spared me Geralt… she had her sword inches from my throat. Could have killed me in seconds but… for some reason she didn't," He explained, as they walked through the Bits, the sun beating down on their necks.

Geralt and he had left the Rosemary and Thyme a few moments after getting the letter from Triss. George, Freya and Faram all asked if they needed their help, but Geralt and he assured them they could go about their business for the day, and that they would be fine. Freya was still trying to gather enough money for her trip to Kaedwen, while George who was still recovering from his wound the previous night, said that he felt he could use a day of bed rest. Faram and Zoltan had both gone off into town on business as well, with Faram going back to the docks to continue buying supplies for their inevitable trip to Skellige.

So Geralt and he set out together for Triss's house. First, he figured out what happened at the Vegelbud party the night before. He learned how Geralt and Triss were able to smuggle young Albert from the party, but not without some difficulty. He wanted to ask more, particularly if Triss and he had talked about… other things. However, after seeing the hardened look on his adopted father's face, he decided against it. Not wanting to bring the subject up if it had ended sourly.

After he heard about that he finally spilled out everything that had happened to him the night before. How George and he initially found the Hunt in the cave they though they'd be hunting a Fiend in. He told him about the fight with the Wild Hunt soldiers, how George was injured, and the commander attempted to strike a deal with him…. And finally, he told him how she seemed to know everything about him, and about Ciri. From where they grew up together, to her knowing his father's name. He explained their duel in detail, how she had summoned a circle of flames, and how she had spared his life. It had truly been the most intense fight of his entire life, surpassing that of his fight against Nithral, the bounty hunter when he was 17, and even the Battle of Brenna.

He left out what she had told him about Ciri and the King of the Aen Elle, for the sole reason being if Geralt knew the truth of the matter, he didn't want to hear it from him. If Ciri really had laid with this King, then he would want to hear it from Ciri herself, just like he would tell Ciri that despite the fact they had never been intimate, he had shared beds with and been with Freya.

The two of them tried to keep their heads down as they walked through the muddy roads of the bits. Geralt stroked his white beard, and looked over to him as they walked, the sun reflecting off both his blades.

"Maybe she could have been trying to keep you alive for this plan she mentioned," The older Witcher guessed, "So that she could capture you, and try to lure Ciri to them by using you."

He had thought that himself for a few moments, however, he wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew that it wasn't true. She had kept him alive for some other reasons, and he couldn't figure out why.

Slowly he shook his head, the sun gleaming off his armor, "I don't think so…. Besides, they could have still used me to lure her out if she killed me. Geralt, do you remember anyone like her from your time with the Hunt?"

He knew the subject of Geralt's time riding with the Wild Hunt had been a sensitive topic since it ultimately led to his amnesia. However, Geralt thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"I don't… I don't remember them having any women in the Hunt, let alone a human commander… she has to be extremely powerful for Eredin to let her in," Geralt said slowly, keeping his eyes on the streets in front of them.

Shuddering, Dominik nodded his head as well, "She is…. She went easy on me Geralt. I know when an opponent is going full speed and… well she wasn't. I saw what kind of power she had."

"You need to be careful," Geralt said quickly, his tone low and serious, "If she knows this much about you, and about Ciri… she can use that against you. If you really do run into her again… you need to watch yourself."

When she had spoken his fathers name, Sir Gregory of Cintra, and knew that Ciri and he had grown up in Cintra before escaping the massacre, it had almost sent his body into shock. There was no possible way that the Wild Hunt could know his past, particularly his past with Ciri. Had the Hunt been watching her that long? So long that they knew him as a result?

One more thing had sent his brain into a frenzy when the commander had said it.

Sighing, looking down at his black boots sloshing through the mud he felt his body grow cold.

"And… what did she mean when she said I was… beginning to unlock my inner magic? I thought magic wasn't hereditary, mages can't have children. I thought it wasn't unless you're a special case like… well Ciri," He said, his voice getting lower as they neared Triss's home.

The bits had been surprisingly empty that day, it was past midday, and the sun would soon start its descent. The lack of people sent a small bell tolling off in his brain, it was his first clue that something had to be wrong.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Well… not all mages can't have children. I don't know much about the genetic side of things when it comes to it. You're better off asking Triss or Yen."

He nodded in understanding, feeling himself shudder. It had to be completely impossible, there couldn't be anything hidden inside him. If there had been any mages, or other significantly powerful magic wielders in his family, he was sure that he would have known, his mother and father would have told him. Even if there had been, unless it was the case of Elder Blood, like inside of Ciri, he never heard of magic abilities being passed through genetics. Even with the Elder Blood, it would pass through some generations. Ciri's mother Pavetta, and Ciri herself were born with powers of the Elder Blood, however Queen Calanthe wasn't.

A cool breeze blew through his body, and carefully he looked up at Geralt, unsure if he should ask his next question. It ate at him, and despite the fact he said he didn't want to know, words spilled out of his mouth before he could stop.

"Geralt… when Ciri came back the first time did she… did she… mention anyone," He asked the older Witcher.

Geralt slowed his footsteps for a moment, and looked back down at him, "Mention anyone how…?"

He felt the hairs on his arms stand up, and like his insides were slowly being stretched out. A horrible tingling feeling went up his spine, as he felt his face get hot. He didn't know why he was asking, who Ciri did and didn't sleep with wasn't the important thing they needed to know then. However, the words had already left his mouth, so he sighed and looked back down at the ground as he spoke.

"Did she mention anyone that… that she… well… you know that she-," He was cut off when Geralt held his arm out in front of him.

"Shhhh, look," Geralt said, stopping them both completely in his tracks, "Witch Hunters, outside of Triss's house."

His mind completely glossed over the previous night as soon as he heard the words. He looked up to see where Geralt was looking. They had both reached the large townhouse that Triss was living, and in two different alleys leading to new streets, he saw groups of Witch Hunter's. Four of them in total, two down one street keeping guard, and two a few feet from Triss's front door, interrogating a group of peasants.

"We need to get too Triss…" He said quickly, looking up to meet Geralt's eyes.

He could see the intense look in Geralt's eyes, very few times had he seen his adopted father look the way he did in that moment. While he felt the worry and anger flare up in his own gut as well, it was nothing compared to how Geralt seemed in that moment. His bones were still aching but seeing the possibility of Triss being in danger shot new energy into him. He followed closely behind Geralt, as they both lightly moved behind the two Hunter's in the streets. Their footsteps were silent, and they were quickly able to reach Triss's door.

The sun was starting to set, and a cool breeze blew through the dry air, and he felt the sweat slowly trickle down the back of his neck. He had been fighting since the moment he entered Novigrad, and he was amazed at himself that he hadn't passed out during the day yet. However, as he and Geralt slowly and quietly opened the door to the townhouse, he felt the new rush of energy again flow through him. It didn't matter how his bones felt, if Triss needed him, then he was going to be there.

To his surprise he wasn't greeted by the grouchy old couple that had taken Triss in on the ground floor. The fire was still burning, with gwent cards and other herbs, meats and food strewn over the table. He looked around frantically, hoping that the two of them weren't too late, and that the Witch Hunter's hadn't found their way inside yet. Geralt apparently thought this as well, because his adopted father sped past him towards the staircase heading upwards.

He was taken aback for a moment by his adopted father's sudden urge, but quickly followed him. Geralt didn't bother quietly going up the steps, skipping two at a time he followed behind the older Witcher, and he could hear Triss's voice, and arguing up on the second floor.

"But I paid up for the whole month," The sorceress said, her voice at a desperate plea.

"Aye… that's the old rate," He heard the old man say quickly, "But now there's a new one… more dangerous… we're putting ourselves more at risk."

Finally, he made it to the second floor with Geralt, and saw the scene unfolding. Triss's landlord and landlady had her cornered, and certainly didn't look happy. With Witch Hunter's flooding outside their house, it wasn't hard for him to piece together what they had wanted from his sorceress friend.

"I'm out of coin…" Triss said, her voice lowering to a low, sad squeak.

"Aye… but you have something else dear," The older woman said, her eyes going to Triss's pockets.

He was about to step forward, but he saw the scowl that grew on Geralt's face. Quickly he walked up next to the sorceress, and he could see the couple step back. However to the woman's credit she still looked over to Triss.

"Give us the necklace and get out," She screeched, as he saw Triss's eyes go wide, her hands gingerly going around her neck.

He was about to step forward again, but Geralt quickly stepped in front of Triss between the sorceress and her landlords.

"Hand's off or I'll cut them off," The older Witcher hissed, his tone low and dangerous.

There had been many times in his life he had seen Geralt truly angry. All of those times had been when he, Ciri, Yennefer or one of their friends were in danger. Now was one of those times, he himself almost took a step back after hearing the tone he spoke with.

"Geralt, you don't-," Triss quickly said behind him.

"I wanna," Geralt quickly cut her off, looking back to him, and gesturing to Triss, "Grab your things. Dom and I are getting you out of here."

"Triss," He said, quickly walking up next to the sorceress.

She turned and saw him, quickly reaching out to pull him into a quick hug. However, after she was done her landlady screeched again.

"Get out now, all of you," She screeched at the three of them, before her and her husband quickly huffed back down the stairs.

He slowly let go of Triss's hand as he made sure to keep a close eye on the two owners of the house. He listened to them as they trudged down the stairs, making sure that they didn't run out their doors to the Witch Hunter's. His listening however was interrupted by both Geralt and Triss.

"When I need your help, I'll ask for it," The sorceress hissed at the older Witcher, making him shoot around.

"Triss, we-," He tried to reason, before Geralt cut him off.

"What are you angry," Geralt spat back at her, just as standoffish.

He looked between the two of them and could see the momentary anger and annoyance they both felt. The last thing he needed after the previous night he had, was for Geralt and Triss to start arguing, and being at each other's throats. His mind was already mentally fatigued enough, he didn't want to have to mediate a fight in the moment. However, just when he thought he'd have too anyway, Triss sighed, looking up between the two of them.

"Argh… angry? No… I'm glad you both showed up," She said, giving Geralt a small smile before looking over at him. When she saw him, Triss's eyes went wide, "Dominik what… what happened? You look so pale, you seem like you haven't slept in days."

While he did appreciate the concern, he quickly shook his head. He came back over next to Geralt across from the sorceress and met her eyes.

"I'm alright, but don't worry about me, I'm not important right now," He said with a shake of his head, "Geralt and I got your letter. What's wrong, what happened?"

"We were worried about you," Geralt quickly added after him, "Witch Hunters are all around outside, and in the streets."

It had been true, the streets had been particularly empty, and he saw many more temple guards and Witch Hunter's then he normally did. Triss sighed shaking her head in dismay as she paced in front of them. The sorceress finally shook her head again and looked up at them.

"I know… we had everything in place! We were ready to set sail… but the Hunter's moved faster. They locked the gates, placed guards at every corner. All in one night. Then they started searching the city- street by street, house by house," Triss said, her voice finally cracking. She turned to regain her composure before looking back at them, "They arrested anyone who looked even slightly suspicious. Most of the time it was just someone with a lucky rabbit's foot or a horseshoe but… sometimes they'd get it right, arrest actual mages."

He felt his fist curl in anger again. He knew what it was like to watch your friends be dragged from their houses to their certain deaths. It had happened in Cintra, Nilfgaardean troops had drug anyone, men, women, children from their houses and gutted them in the streets. It was similar to what was happening to Triss and the other mages, and he wasn't going to let it continue. It was a Witcher's job to protect people from monster's and that's exactly what he and Geralt would do.

Despite the chill that still ran through his bones, the small ache he felt, he would do what he could. He remembered Freya's orders to keep his signs to a minimum, but she also said that he should still be able to fight, so that was what he'd do. To help Triss, one of the members of his new family, he didn't care how he felt.

"Dom and I will help in any way we can, right," Geralt said looking over to him, his yellow eyes filled to the brim, dripping with concern for the sorceress.

Quickly he nodded his head and turned to Triss, "Of course we will. Remember the wagon train ambush? I didn't let anything happen to you then… and I won't now."

Triss had been sick in the back of the wagon during the Societal ambush when Ciri and he were young. He would never forget the ambush, it was the first time he ever had to kill a man, and as Geralt told him that was something that stayed with you forever. The elf was about to gut Ciri, he had to do something to save her. He had stabbed the elf in the back, saving Ciri, and nearly throwing up before the both of them went and stood by Triss's side while the battle finished, with Geralt finding them later.

Triss clearly remembered as well, because a small smile crossed her face, "Thank you… thank you both. Everything is falling apart; I don't know where to start…"

He took in a steadying breath, his hand's twitching as they normally did before a fight, as he watched Triss pace to one side of the room and back to them.

She sighed and looked at them both, her light green eyes pleading, "I should get all the mages to the docks as soon as possible, get them on board the ship. But Berthold and Anisse have yet to show up to the meeting point!"

Dominik could see the frantic look in the sorceress's eyes as he digested her plan. If she wanted to get all the mages to the docks, moving them through the city would require a lot more manpower then just Geralt and he. He suddenly regretted not asking Faram, George and Freya to come with them, with all of them combined they would have certainly had a chance, however even then it was slim.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Won't be easy getting to the port with all those guardsmen there…"

"I could go see if I can get Faram, George and Freya, with all of us we may have a chance," He said, looking between the both of them.

Triss quickly shook her head, "Even with all of them we'd still not have enough. That's why we won't take the roads. We'll take the sewers. Incase of trouble we were all to meet at the Kingfisher, there's a passage to the sewers there. It's said it can lead you all the way to the docks."

"I know the Novigrad sewers, think Dom's done a few jobs there as well, doesn't mean it'll be safe though," Geralt said hesitantly.

The sorceress sighed and lowered her head for a moment, before looking back up at them. He could see the pleading eyes she gave them, and it made his heart stir.

"I know… which is why I'm asking you both for help. I need you both to clear a path through the sewers, find a way to the docks. Once it's safe for everyone we can lead them through," She asked them both, her eyes pleading with them still, "We need to do it fast though… Hunter's could catch onto our tail at any moment."

He nodded quickly himself, "We'll help you. Don't worry, Geralt and I have cleared plenty of sewers before."

She sighed in relief and smiled at him before looking back to Geralt, "And then there's Berthold and Anisse…. They still haven't showed up at the meeting point. He's an alchemist, had a practice in Gildorf, she studied at Aretuza…. I'm afraid their hosts turned them in. Now do you see my biggest problem?"

He sighed looking down at his feet for a moment, he felt for the mages he truly did. The thought of leaving two behind to certainly face death didn't sit right in his stomach. Geralt next to him carefully nodded his head.

"Yeah… help the two and put all the others at risk…. Or go straight to the Kingfisher and abandon the two to certain death…" Geralt said slowly, piecing together the puzzle as well.

Triss looked as if tears were about to fall from her face as she shook her head, holding her arms out, "Geralt… what do I do?"

He saw his adopted father think for a moment, but then the words came sprouting out of him, along with a jolt of adrenaline.

"You don't have to choose either," He said quickly, his arms crossed. Geralt and Triss both quickly turned to him and he met Triss's eyes, "Tell me where they're at. I'll go get them, you two head to the Kingfisher, and I'll meet you there after I got them both."

He wasn't about to abandon two people he could save to certain death. Geralt's words echoed in his brain, '_sometimes you just can't save everyone'. _The words were true, however in that moment he had the opportunity to save two innocent lives. He couldn't save people from being dragged out of their homes and executed back in Cintra when he was young… but he could save people now, he wasn't helpless anymore. So despite Freya's potion starting to wear off, his bones starting to ache again, he was going to do what he could.

Geralt was the first to speak up, "Dom, are you sure? After last night… don't know if I like the idea of you going off to fight on your own."

A scoff left him right away as he waved off the concern, "Don't worry Geralt I'll be fine. This is important, I'm not about to leave two people to certain death. Triss… tell me where they're at, I'll get them I promise."

Triss looked at him, and the sorceress's eyes almost seemed like she was going to cry. She sighed and slowly nodded her head, "Only if you're absolutely sure…. And you promise to be careful. The Hunter's are out in droves, it'll be dangerous."

He gave her a confident smile and slowly nodded, "I'll be careful, I promise. Caution's my middle name," He said, trying to lift their mood.

A small chuckle came from the sorceress. She slowly walked over to him and wrapped him in a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her with equal force, taking in her perfume smell, and trying to convey how much she meant to him in that one hug. He didn't want to face the reality of it, that Triss more then likely would be leaving them that day if their plan went well. Her name was on his inner forearm, she had been one of the most important people to him growing up, she had saved his life, taken care of him when he was at his most vulnerable.

If Triss Merigold needed him to hike to Nazair and back, then he would go out to buy hiking gear to do so.

"I'm so… so proud… of the man you've become," She whispered into his ear, tightening her hold on his neck as she embraced him.

He felt his breath shake as he sank into her hug. The stress and fatigue from the last few days was all finally coming to him as he hugged her. He melted into her hug and squeezed his arms around her.

"Thank… thank you Triss… for everything," He said quietly, before regrettably slowly pulling back from her.

He looked and saw the approving nod of Geralt before he took in a shaky breath, turning to meet Triss's eyes again.

"I won't let you down, I promise," He told her.

And he meant it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"This should be it…" He said quietly to himself, the corpses of Witch Hunters littered behind him.

Triss had given him very specific instructions on where to find the house Berthold and Anisse had been staying at. Apparently, the duo had been sheltered with some wealthier people a few blocks from the Kingfisher. It would have been out of the way and certainly would have resulted in more deaths had they all gone to help the two. He exited Triss's house without alerting the Witch Hunter's around him, and carefully maneuvered the streets until he found the house Triss described.

Two Hunter's had been posted outside, so that was how he knew he had the right place. From his concealed hiding spot behind a building corner, it had been easy for him to throw a samum bomb, disorienting the Hunter's before he swiftly cut them down. His bones had been moving slightly sluggish, but after throwing a few parries and striking a few times, the movements slowly returned to him. He still felt the aches, but his speed was starting to finally come back to him.

Taking in a deep sigh and he kicked open the door, and initially saw nobody on the bottom floor. The light from a beautiful sunset shone through the mosaic windows as he carefully rounded the steps, quietly creaking up them.

"They's the ones, been casting spells on us this whole time," He heard a woman wail as he slowly got higher.

"We're innocent! We've done nothing wrong," Another woman's voice rang.

"Shut your mouth you dumb wench, we're here to purge this city in the name of the Holy Fire," Another deep voice muttered out.

He knew it had to be the Witch Hunter, so he trampled up the rest of the steps two at a time. Using what speed he had left, he finally burst onto the top floor, a larger bedroom, one window and a large double bed to his right. To his left a man and a woman stood cowering, no doubt the 'gracious' hosts that were supposed to be concealing them. Two more people were bound on their knees. A man in a black doublet, and feathered hat, along with a woman wearing a blue dress and large necklace. Standing above them was the Witch Hunter, his sword held up, ready to strike.

Anisse screamed as the sword was about to come down on her. Seeing the only way to save them, he reached into his belt, loosing his silver dagger from his hands with as much strength as he could muster. It whistled through the air and implanted itself into the Hunter's bicep, just before he could bring the sword down.

"GAHHHHH," He screamed, blood seeping from the wound. The shock of what happened hit the man, as he ripped the dagger from his arm and tossed it to the ground.

The Hunter whirled around to see him, his sword leveled, his wolven armor sparkling in the sun.

"Leave them alone and get out of here or you die, this is the only warning you'll get," He told the Hunter, his voice low and gravely.

The Hunter however didn't falter. He had seen bloodlust in men before, and the man was clearly in the middle of it. Going house to house and dragging out more and more innocent people suspected of being mages, he was sure had gone to the man's head. The Hunter laughed at him, and turned around, pointing his sword.

"And who'll kill me boy," He taunted, keeping his sword pointed at Dominik, "You? What could you possibly do!?"

"Oh… you're about to find out," Dominik said, his voice growing ever darker.

He felt his anger and agitation rising, not just at the Hunter, but at the entire situation he faced. The previous night he and his friend had been trapped, both nearly killed by the Wild Hunt. Their commander knew everything about his past and taunted him by opening up old wounds he thought healed. Triss, one of the most important people in his life would be forced to leave him later and was currently being hunted. His bones still felt like they could be smashed to bits at any moment with how brittle they felt. Even though he didn't know if it was true, he heard that the woman he loved supposedly had been fucking the king of the Aen Elle. Despite all of the leads and trails they followed to get to Ciri, the one thing that he wanted in the fucking world, Geralt and he still seemed to be just one step behind her.

All of that, combined with the fact that he had barely slept due to the fucking nightmares and dreams he'd been having, he felt something erupt in his gut at hearing the Witch Hunters words.

His vision flashed bright blue for a second, and he slowly started walking towards the man. The Witch Hunter laughed again and walked to meet him.

The Hunter threw a strike from the right, but he parried it with such force the man got sent stumbling backwards. With renewed determination the man charged again, lashing out this time from the right. He parried the strike this time with enough strength to knock the blade from the man's hand. The Witch Hunter stood before him weaponless, so he twirled his blade to a reverse grip, and slashed it with all of his strength across the man's chest. The Hunter wailed and stumbled backwards, gripping his chest, as the slice had such force behind it, it seemed as if he had cut right through the man's armor.

He looked and saw the window behind the man. The anger still hadn't subsided, his fingers went white from gripping his sword so hard. He saw Ciri's face in his vision again, the sweet dream that he had, the first one in ages that morning, and somehow it only made him even angrier, remembering how she had been unfairly ripped from him, and for eight years he had so many chances that he could've taken to see her, had he not been such an ignorant petulant child.

"ARGHHHHHHHH," He finally felt himself scream, his voice echoing through the building, and he fired his hand forward.

A blue blast shot from his hand. It was the Aard sign, but more powerful then any, any sign he had ever produced. It erupted from his hands and slammed into the Witch Hunter. The man screamed in horror as it sent him firing backwards, right through the window, shattering the glass and sending him over the edge, screaming the entire way down.

He walked towards the window and looked out the shattered hole. The Hunter had fallen and splattered on the ground below, right next to the two he killed on the way in. His felt his left hand, the one that had shot the blast begin to uncontrollably shake. He squeezed it into a fist and looked down at his glove. It had almost been smoking, as he felt heat rushing to it. Slowly he took in deep breaths, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat. He heard whimpering behind him and whirled around.

The couple that had turned in Berthold and Anisse shuddered at his gaze. He assumed that his emerald eyes had to be horrifying at the moment, from how his hand shook and smoked. Slowly he walked over and picked up his silver dagger carefully sliding it into his belt. He looked up and met the couple's eyes again.

"Leave. Now. Don't come back for an hour," He said, trying to keep his voice steady.

The two didn't argue and scurried away down the stairs. He could hear their rapid footsteps running. Finally, when he couldn't hear them anymore, and a loud sigh finally came out of him. It turned out that Freya had been correct, he felt his stomach begin to churn and while his hand stopped shaking, his body felt weak again. Carefully he slid his sword into the sheath on his back before whirling around again.

He saw Berthold and Anisse both still bound, and quickly pulled the dagger from his belt again.

"Don't worry, Triss Merigold sent me. Want's me to get you both to the Kingfisher," He said, quickly kneeling down behind both and them, and sawing through their binds.

Anisse was the first to speak up after he freed her.

"Are you another mage," She quickly asked, as he cut Berthold's bonds.

He shook his head as he finally cut the ropes on the man's wrists, "No, a Witcher. She was worried you hadn't shown up, sent me to get you both. You can trust me I'm an old friend."

Anisse scoffed as she rubbed both her wrists, "You can't tell me you're not a mage. That some seriously powerful magic you just used."

"It was just a Witcher sign, no big deal," He said, sliding the dagger back into his belt and looking at them both.

Quickly the brown-haired woman shook her head, "That was more powerful than any Witcher sign I've seen. You channeled a large amount of chaos. Not many who are untrained can control it, let alone put it into a spell like that."

_'It seems you're beginning to unlock your inner magic'. _The commander's words rang through his head again, and for a moment he felt his legs wobble. However, he remembered why he was there. They had little time as it was, and he couldn't waste anymore at the moment trying to decipher her words.

He quickly shook his head, before looking to them both, "That's not important right now. Come on, we need to get to the Kingfisher, Triss had a plan to get you to the docks."

"Well wait just a bloody minute," Berthold said, speaking up for the first time, "The city is crawling with Hunter's it isn't safe! We were just almost killed; I refuse to put myself or my wife in danger!"

"Berthold please," Anisse chastised the man.

The sunset continued to shine in on them through the broken window as he felt his eyes roll. He put his fingers to his head to rub his temples, feeling a large headache start to come to him.

He looked up and locked eyes with the man, "Yes, it's dangerous I know. Yes, I know you almost just died. But I saved you, I'll save you again if the Hunter's attack. Now let's go, we have no time to argue."

The man however despite his words was steadfast, he shook his head, "Absolutely not. I won't drag myself and my wife out only to be slaughtered by Hunter's! You saved us yes, but what if this is just a trap!?"

"Berthold stop it," Anisse quickly chastised.

Again, he rubbed his temples. With the anger that he had just unleashed on the Witch Hunter still slightly running through his veins, he steadied his breathing, trying to calm himself. The last thing he wanted to do was unleash his anger again on the poor man, who was probably only scared out of his mind.

"For fuck's sake I don't have time for this…" He muttered, as the couple began to argue.

He gently moved Anisse out of the way, and held up his hand, moving his fingers in the appropriate motion.

"It's alright, Triss sent me, you can trust me," He said to the man, trying for as soothing of a voice as he could.

He finished the movements with his fingers and waved his hand. The axii sign did its work, and small white sparks appeared above Berthold's head. The man got a dreamy look on his eye flickered for a few moments, before he looked back down at Dominik, a little too deep for his comfort.

"It's okay… Triss sent you," The man said, as he sighed again, raising up his hand again.

"You'll come with me to the Kingfisher now," Dominik said again, moving his fingers appropriately again.

After another moment, the man finally sighed, as if nothing were wrong in the world at the moment.

"I'll come with you to the Kingfisher now…" Berthold said again, the white dots appearing around his head once more.

He finally sighed in relief and met Anisse's eyes with a nod, before turning back to the steps. Carefully he escorted the couple down the stairs, as his blood and heart finally began to flow. What Anisse had told him ran through his head. She told him he unleashed chaos. From the little he knew about magic chaos was the source of it. However, he knew that signs were magic, he had been using magic this entire journey so far. So why had all of a sudden, was he unleashing more of it, why had all of these things started happening to him now?

None of them were his primary concern, it was always and always would be finding Ciri and keeping her safe, along with the one's he loved. But the feeling of a power you never knew, slowly opening up inside of you was one of the worst fears he could ever experience.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The sun was almost finally set as he burst into the Kingfisher with Berthold and Anisse closely behind him. He was able to escort them around Witch Hunter patrols and get them to the inn with no problem. His strength was finally returning, and his hand had stopped smoking from the Aard sign he produced to kill the Witch Hunter. He felt the blood begin to flow normally again as he quickly held up his blade as they entered, leveling it in case the Hunter's had beat them to it.

The Hunter's had seemed to arrive before them, but all of them lay dead. He noticed the precise sword wounds on their throats and stomachs, along with the singed and charred armor. A small smile crossed his face as he felt a rush of relief pass over him.

"Looks like Geralt and Triss kept busy…" He said, before he heard rustling behind him.

He whirled around with his blade to where he heard the noise, Berthold and Anisse quickly coming behind him. The noise had come from the bar, and when he saw the innkeeper poke his head up, he sighed out in relief and slid his blade onto his back. Triss had told him that she would inform the barkeep of his arrival. The skinny man with white rags slowly looked up to meet his eyes, when he saw Berthold and Anisse behind him, he also sighed out.

"Aye… you're Dominik then," The man asked, his voice slightly shaken.

He nodded his head and walked over towards the man, "I am, Triss sent me. The dead Hunter's… did they get anyone?"

The man quickly shook his head, "No thank the gods. Triss and the Witcher cut them down before they could do any harm. Follow me, they're down this way."

Nodding he went to follow the skinny man. He rubbed his hands together, the shaking had finally stopped in them both, but he still felt on edge. What he really needed was a few drinks and more then eight hours of sleep. He felt currently as if he had been awake for four days straight, fighting one long continuous fight, that was how he felt in one half of his brain.

The other half of his brain kept telling him that he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop fighting for a moment, because every fight brought him closer and closer to Ciri. Every fight was important to help the one's he cared about. He couldn't stop, not when he was starting to feel closer and closer with every day.

However both halves of his brain agreed that he needed a drink after everything had been finished that night.

The Kingfisher like Triss had described, had a secret passage that led underground into its cellars. After the barkeep had opened it, he gave the man a quick nod before descending with Berthold and Anisse right behind him.

As soon as he reached the bottom, he saw the scale of what Triss was trying to do. There had to have been at least thirty to forty mages. Almost all of them paced around frantically or sat in corners shaking uncontrollably.

"Thank you for saving us both…" Anisse said giving him a nod as she went to join some of her associates.

Berthold also gave him a curt nod before going to join his wife. Finally, after they had left, he let out a large sigh and rubbed his hands into his eyes. He rolled his shoulders, the feeling finally fully returning to his muscles. At that point, it wasn't his muscles that were fatigued, it was his mind that was. The headache started to boil, as he rubbed both his temples.

"You made it, we were starting to worry," He heard the voice of Triss say.

He turned around and saw Triss with Geralt coming for him. Seeing them both brought a smile to his face, as Triss hugged him quickly. Geralt stood behind her with a proud smile. Looking and meeting Triss's eyes calmed him as he let out a shaky breath.

"Is everything ready, the route for us to clear the sewers is open," He asked her, the musty smell of the cellar hitting his nose.

The sorceress nodded and gestured towards the center of the room, "It is, just need to talk to everyone and explain the plan."

He nodded to her, and the sorceress gently touched his cheek for a moment, before turning from him. After she did Geralt came up besides him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder.

"Good job, I'm proud of you. That was a great thing you did, saved lives," The older Witcher told him, as they both maneuvered around some of the mages.

The compliment made him feel good both physically and mentally, as he turned to look at his adopted father.

"Thanks Geralt… I… I'm just not excited about Triss leaving," He admitted, the idea boiling up inside his gut.

He was afraid it would be the breaking point for him. With how hard, and how much he had been fighting since they arrived in Novigrad, Triss had been a constantly calming presence. He subconsciously looked down at the tattoo on his inner forearm, and her name written in elegant black letters. He remembered the nights he'd wake up in the early hours of the morning, screaming his sisters name, his mothers, his fathers, seeing the blood all over his hands. Then he'd have Triss, or Ciri, or both of them come into his room. They'd lay with him, Triss would sing and cast a protective spell over him. Ciri would lay next to him and talk his ear off, until they both finally fell asleep. Triss would pull a blanket over them both, and it'd be a pleasant night.

Then the sorceress had saved his life in Rivia, she was the reason he was standing there that day. She was the reason he could still be looking for Ciri. And now she was leaving, heading almost as far north as you could go.

"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite father and son Witcher duo," A deep voice said, making the both of them turn.

Dijkstra had been the last person he expected to see, and he scowled when he saw the fat man. The larger man limped over to them and squeezing between the mages in the tight cellar. He made a quick mental note to keep his mouth closed. With everything that had happened to him the last few days, and in his current state of mind, he knew that all it would take was for Dijkstra to make one snide comment for his sword to flash, and he didn't want to risk ruining all of Triss's plans because he couldn't keep his temper.

Geralt crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, "You fleeing to Kovir too?"

Dijkstra snorted and shook his head, "No, but I am helping them set off. You know me… bleeding heart and all."

He felt his own eyes roll, but bit down on his tongue so he didn't make any comments. Geralt however took the words right from his mouth.

"It only start bleeding now. They've been burning mages for months around here," Geralt shot back at the former spy.

The fat spy chuckled lightly, "Only recently on this scale… besides. I look forward to having friends in Kovir… in King Tancred's entourage."

"Of course.…" He said lowly, crossing his arms and turning toward Triss.

He saw the sorceress climb up onto an old crate, and as soon as she did all thirty of the mages seemed to stand at attention. It small a small bit of pride and happiness through his heart. Triss had truly done something amazing. She had managed to organize and get enough coin to get all the mages out of the city. She had worried about more than just herself; she easily could have fled months before.

But she stayed for the other's out of the goodness in her heart. That was the kind of person Triss Merigold was, and the type of person he strived to be.

"We've waited long to escape. Until we made sure Kovir would take us, till we could acquire enough coin for a ship, till we could find a captain we could trust," Triss said loudly, her voice echoing through the cellar, "We've waited too long. There's no more time for hesitation. We must leave Novigrad… today!"

"This is madness," One sorceress quickly spoke up from his left, "Hunter's stand on every corner!"

A few mages all started muttering in agreement, but Triss quickly shook her head.

"We won't go through the streets," She announced loudly, turning to face Dominik and Geralt, gesturing towards them both, "This is Geralt of Rivia, and Dominik of Cintra, two of the greatest Witcher's to walk the continent. They'll clear a path for us through the sewers!"

He felt all the eyes start to look at Geralt and he. Triss's words brought a small smile to his face, as he reached around his neck to grip the swallow pendant. It was something that he automatically did before a fight, a contract, or just when he needed reassurance.

One mage to Geralt's right however still wasn't convinced, "They'll still catch us! They'll find us, they'll hunt us down you'll see!"

He was about to speak out to the man himself, but Triss was quick to act, like a true leader.

"Perhaps, but if that's the case, we'll die with honor. Swords in our hands… not tied to a stake begging for mercy…" She announced loudly, as more murmurs echoed through the room.

There was silence for a few seconds as the murmurs of worry got louder. Triss looked like she was trying to figure out what else to say. He was thinking of something himself, when Geralt came up with the words.

"Don't worry. If the need arises, Dominik and I will defend you," Geralt said, loudly enough for every mage to hear.

Inspired by hearing his adopted father speak up, he turned to face all the mages, nodding along with what Geralt had said.

"He's right! No matter what it is, monsters, Witch Hunter's… Geralt and I will defend you. We're going to make sure you ALL get on that boat," He announced to the room, hearing the murmurs begin to die down.

"And you can also count on my help as well," Dijkstra quickly added when he was finished.

The mage from the right of Geralt quickly spoke up, "Bah, the word of a Redanian spy, Radovid's right hand man!"

He quickly whirled back over to Dijkstra, but to his surprised the man simply shook his head, "That was long ago sir."

"You raised that madman! Taught him to kill and-," The mage quickly tried to fire back, but was silenced by Triss.

"The time for old grudges is gone. We need to move now," The sorceress said, making the other mage quickly pipe down.

Geralt let out a sigh and looked down to him, "You ready?"

The blood pumping through his veins and heart was slow, it felt as if his heart was only pumping a few beats per minute. He looked up and saw Triss's hard, determined face, and he knew he was ready. He was going to help her finish what she had started.

"Yeah…" He said slowly, looking back to Geralt, "I'm ready, let's do this."

Geralt smiled down at him, and the smile made his mental fatigue lighten for a moment. The older Witcher turned to the collection of mages.

"Alright, Dom and I are going to enter the sewers now," He started, speaking loudly and clearly with authority, "We'll clear a path and signal when it's clear, so do NOT stray from the path we clear."

A few more determined mages all nodded at them, before Triss spoke up again from behind.

"Alright, I'll go with Geralt and Dominik. You Dijkstra, go to the port, and make sure everything is in order with the ship. We'll meet there… I hope," Triss ordered, looking towards the former spy.

After her speech, Triss finally stepped down from the box, and Dijkstra went to leave the cellar. He let out a deep steadying breath. He would have to push away the mental fatigue, at least for another hour or so, for the sake of helping Triss. His arm and movements had to be precise if he wanted to help Geralt clear a path through the sewers.

However, the more he tried to put what was happening in the back of his head, the more it tried to fight its way back to the forefront. Triss could be the only one to help him until he saw Yennefer, and he wanted to ask her. However, they were in the middle of something much more important, she was in the middle of something much more important.

He was going to have to sacrifice to help her, and he had no problems making it. For his family, and the ones he cared about… he would have sacrificed anything, even his own personal peace of mind.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Triss… do you really have to leave now…" He said desperately to her, as he could feel the end of the sewers approaching.

The trip had gotten done relatively quickly at the urgency they moved with. Drowners had been all they had to deal with until the end of the line, when a Katakan had attacked them. It had to have been an old one, because between a powerful sorceress and two Witcher's, the beast was taken down with relative ease. He had hit it with a Moon Dust bomb, and distracted it from the front, while Geralt plunged his silver sword into its back.

Now however, as he could smell the air of the sea, he knew they were getting close. His last fight for a while with Triss Merigold, his last bit of time with her was drawing near. Geralt had gone off a few steps ahead of them, with Triss and he both walking behind him. His sword was on his back, and he squeezed his gloved hands together, as he met Triss's eyes over the light of the fire she had ignited in her hands.

The sorceress looked over at him, then up to Geralt for a moment, before sighing and turning back to him, "Dom… I can't. I… I must leave now; I need to make sure they handle everything okay when they get there. I… I'm sorry."

He slowly nodded his head, knowing that it was the truth. However, the words, '_You're unlocking your inner magic,' _continued to play over and over in his head. The thought of not having Triss to go and talk too, to laugh with, to talk about their old times at Kaer Morhen, it all was driving him mad.

The dank sewer smell hit his nose as he looked back up to meet her eyes, "I know… it… it's just Triss. I need to ask you something… I… I know we're in the middle of something important, but it's just-."

"Does this have anything to do with the commander of the Wild Hunt you fought," She cut him off to ask, a gentle breeze coming from in front of them.

He had assumed Geralt would tell her. Slowly he nodded his head, looking down at his hands again.

"I… I don't know what's going on Triss," He said, his voice starting to grow desperate, "Last night… today I… I don't know what it is. It… it feel's like something… something is unlocking inside of me and… well I'm fucking terrified," He said, finally admitting the words out loud.

It had been happening since the fight itself. After he felt that spark between himself and the Wild Hunt commander. He felt his signs grow powerful, his adrenaline rise with every fight, his hands would shake as signs erupted from his hands. Combined with what he was trying to focus on in finding Ciri, it was draining his mind every second.

Triss however, as she always did, looked at him reassuringly, her green eyes trying with everything to make him feel as if everything was okay.

"Well… now you know how Ciri felt. Not to the extent that she did obviously but… now you have an idea," She said to him, her words smooth, and calming.

He felt himself laugh and scoff, "I… know what you mean but…. I don't exactly think I'm a source, or a child of the Elder Blood. I would switch places with Ciri if I could… so she didn't have to go through it all."

Triss smiled but slowly shook her head, "You're not either of those don't worry…. The closest thing I can guess that may be the answer… is that you're a carrier."

His head shot over to her, he considered himself well versed. Over the years he had studied what he could about magic, hoping to learn something that could lead him to Ciri. However, he had never heard the term 'carrier' before.

"Carrier? I… I don't know what that means," he said shakily, the sea air smell getting more pungent.

Triss nodded as if she expected this, "An activated carrier is exceedingly rare thing… sort of like a source, but not nearly as powerful. Anyone can learn magic, and in the days of old they didn't have Aretuza. But there were still powerful mages. A large number discovered ways to pass their magical abilities down inside of their blood, inside their DNA," She started to explain, looking over to meet his eyes, "Unlike a source, a carrier's abilities don't activate until they start using magic, the mages line can go on for years without any of their descendants using that power, so these abilities often dilute, and don't activate, however those mages still pass that affinity on in their blood and… every now and then they do activate, giving the person great abilities with magic."

He carefully narrowed his head at Triss, "To be honest… it does sound more and more like a source. Like Ciri…"

Again, the sorceress shook her head, "The difference you see, is a source is much more powerful. So powerful that if they don't receive training for their abilities , it can make them go mad, and become very dangerous, which is why I came to see Ciri when I did," She explained again, talking slower articulating her words, "A carrier on the other hand… well they're perfectly capable of living life without knowing of their abilities while a source isn't. There have probably been many carriers, but only a few that have activated their abilities. The abilities they have will only begin to activate if they actively begin practicing magic. So… when you started casting signs…"

"I might have unlocked something…" He said, tearing his eyes away from his hands to look at her, "Then how come I'm only starting to feel it now? Not while I was in Velen?"

For the first time she shook her head, seeming unsure, "It could be that you're finally starting to feel the weight of your task. You're putting yourself in more high-pressure situations, trying to force more out of yourself. Geralt told me about your fight with the commander… she tried to mentally manipulate you, got you angry, forced you to use all of your power, and you tried to use more energy then you thought you had. If you are a carrier, it seems that in an effort to defeat her… you tapped into those extra magical abilities in your blood."

He looked back down at his hands again. The fight flashed before him, and he remembered how hard he pushed. He had been so angry, so furious at the commander's goading, her words about Ciri that he had felt himself go over the edge. It had amazed him at the power he unleashed at the final blow that they both struck in their duel. His hand had smoked afterwards, and it felt like he was on fire.

Could what Triss said be true? Could he truly have some magical abilities from an old mage inside of him, that he was just now activating?

He sighed again and rubbed both hands to his temples, "I… I don't know what to do. How… how the fuck do I control something like this if I have it? I have to find Ciri I don't have time for something like this!"

The anger began to raise in his gut again but was soon calmed when Triss placed a hand on his shoulder, "Well… you control it by practicing, letting it come naturally. How far did you make it the first time you ran the gauntlet at Kaer Morhen?"

Scoffing he remembered the day vividly, "Ha, barely made it a mile. Ciri and I both had a hundred falls."

A small smile crossed her face and she nodded, "Yes… but as you trained more, you got better and better. It'll be the same thing with this. Continue to train your signs… and eventually your body will get used to the power. Dominik… this could help you save Ciri. Don't think of it as a curse, that'll only drive you mad like it had been…. Talk to Yen about it when you see her… she'll help you if she had too."

It had been driving him mad. He still didn't want to believe and of what Triss said was true, although he knew that the sorceress would be the best person to know if he truly was a 'carrier'. He felt the sea breeze go through his hair, and he could smell the salt clearly now. Triss had told him if this magical affinity he had was real, that it would only help him find Ciri. She urged him to not treat it like a curse. He would have to do just that. The more he thought about it, the more that he felt knives digging into his head.

He would take Triss's advice, he would continue to train as he was now. George of Toussaint, the master of the Griffin School would be his next trainer. Then he would train more with Faram, and with Geralt, and he would do everything he could to be strong enough to fight the Hunt next time it came, when it finally came time to rescue Ciri. If this 'magic' inside of him continued to unlock so be it, if not, then he would still train and fight with everything he could.

It was time to put everything else aside after he had helped Triss. It was time for him to finally get to Ciri, and special magic powers or not, he would get to her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dijkstra… I don't know how to-," Triss started, as they all walked down the docks towards the old ship.

After finally emerging from the sewers, Triss had sent for the other mages. There was a small skirmish, where some Witch Hunter's tried to intercept them. However, between Dijkstra's thugs, he and Geralt's blades, and a very pissed off Triss Merigold, they were dead before they stood much of a chance.

Now the moment had finally come. The other mages had been loaded onto the boat, and only Triss remained. He walked slowly next to Geralt, as Dijkstra gave her a small smile before nodding.

"My pleasure my dear, but no time for courtesies, hope on board," The former spy said, the night finally fallen over them.

The ocean sparkled in the light of the moon, and he could feel his heart drop to the pit of his stomach. The former spy smartly took a few steps back, letting Geralt and he step forward for a moment with the sorceress. He very rarely ever saw Geralt speechless, this was one of those few moments. The older Witcher looked like he wanted to say a thousand things but couldn't find the words for any of them. A cool breeze blew through his hair, and he felt his green eyes begin to well up. Triss looked at them both, her own eyes almost welling up as well.

"Two more farewells…" She said, her gaze lingering at Geralt for a moment before she turned to him.

She held out her arms, and like he was a child again at Kaer Morhen, ran to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He was flashed back to when he met her on the snowy trail, Ciri behind him. Even back then she had calm welcoming eyes and wanted to help them however she could. He remembered how standoffish he had been at first, until that day she helped him pick flowers for Ciri. Triss had been the first one he told he truly had feelings for Ciri.

Then he remembered the nights he saw the blood on his hands, the blood on his walls, the corpses rolling out from under his bed. He screams would vibrate through the thick walls of Kaer Morhen as he experienced Cintra again, night after night. No matter how long he stayed up and cried, no matter how long he couldn't fall asleep, Triss would stay with him. She had taught him how to be a good boyfriend for Ciri, as much as a 12 and 13-year-old could know about being a good boyfriend.

She had saved his life. She torched the whole mob of people attacking him, and healed the sword wound that went inches deep into his chest. She had kept him alive, only for him to be a petulant child and not even thank her properly afterwards. And even after that she had still embraced him when he finally found her again. As she was running for her life, and the life of all the other mages, she still took the time to comfort him about what had been going on, try to make sense of it for him.

He gently pulled back from the hug. Her hands still holding on his shoulders.

"I…. I wanted you to be there when we found Ciri she… she would have loved to see you I'm sure…" He said, finding words hard to formulate.

The sorceress looked at him with her green eyes fallen and slowly shook her head, "And… I would have loved to see the two of you… together again. But… I know that you'll find her. She… she's going to be in great hands when you finally get to her," She promised, cupping his cheek, trying for a smile.

He felt the first tear fall from his eye, after the last few days, it was all finally coming to a head.

"I…. I don't know if I'm strong enough… I… I really don't Triss. What… what if I-," He started only to be cut off quickly.

"You WON'T fail, you won't Dominik…" She started slowly, the cold night breeze running through their hair, "You're going to find Ciri. You ARE strong enough… carrier or no carrier. I've never met someone so determined… so headstrong… so passionate. You're going to find Ciri… and you're going to protect her… just like you did from me on that trail all those years ago."

He managed to sob out a laugh, and Triss did as well before she met his eyes again. She touched his cheek one last time, before removing her hand.

"I remember the little boy I had to save from nightmares almost every night in Kaer Morhen," She said slowly, a small smile growing to her face as she met his eyes, "And he's grown up into an outstanding young man…. I'm so… so proud of the person you've become."

Quickly he had to take his hand and rub the tear from his eye, not wanting Geralt or Dijkstra to see him cry. Despite the falling of his stomach, he cherished every word he said. Growing up he always wanted to impress them all, Yen, Triss, Geralt, Vesemir, even Lambert and Eskel. Hearing Triss say how proud she was of him… it almost completely shut out his mental fatigue.

He sighed shakily and met Triss's eyes, "You know when… when I find Ciri we'll both come to Kovir. We'll walk there if we have too, I know she always wanted to go see the snow there."

Triss let out a small laugh and sniffled herself before nodding at him, "And you'll both have a place to stay… always. Go and get her… not because destiny tells you too…. Go save the girl you love."

He would, he wouldn't let either of them down. Looking down, he squeezed the sorceress's hands one last time, looking to meet her green eyes again.

"Thank you… Triss. For… for protecting me from nightmares, for… for helping me pick flowers for Ciri," He told her, gaining a small laugh from the sorceress before he continued, "And… and thank you for saving my life… I wouldn't be here if not for you."

She genuinely smiled, leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek before pulling back from him, "Go save Ciri… I know that you will…. I have… one more goodbye."

He squeezed her in a hug one more time, before reluctantly taking a step back. The moon shined between them all as Geralt looked at Triss and he. He gave one last smile to the sorceress, before moving and letting his adopted father finally make his decision.

His had been made long ago… when he was eleven years old in Cintra.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Shakily sighing he watched the ship sail away from the harbor, with one of his family members aboard. The moon was fully up now, and the pleasant breeze went through his brown hair. He gently pulled up his arm sleeve and saw the tattoo again. Triss, was written in the elegant black letters. She wasn't really gone from him. She was going to be with him always, that's why he had gotten the swallow and the names on his forearm in the first place.

As a reminder and a promise. A reminder of what he fought for, and a promise he'd protect them, and make them all proud.

He sighed again and loosely grabbed the swallow around his neck, squeezing it reassuringly. She was still out there, and soon he would find her as well.

"Dom," Geralt said from next to him breaking the silence.

He slowly turned his head to look at his adopted father, looking out at the ship as it got smaller and smaller on the horizon. It hadn't been easy for Geralt, this he knew. He had never seen his second father so shaken, so conflicted. Slowly the older Witcher turned and met his emerald eyes with his yellow cat ones.

"Can I ask you something," The older Witcher said slowly, turning back to look at the ship again.

The question caught him off guard. Of course, Geralt had asked him questions before, however they never sounded as if they would have so much weight behind them. After looking at the ship for another moment, he looked back around to Dominik.

Slowly he nodded his head at his adopted father, "Of course anything…"

Geralt took in a deep breath, steadying himself before meeting his eyes again, "How… did you know?"

"Know what…," He asked right away, wondering what he could be meaning.

Finally, he turned completely from the water, meeting Dominik's eyes, the both of them standing on the docks edge.

"That it was Ciri… and just Ciri," The older Witcher slowly asked him.

It had been the last question he had been expecting Geralt to ask. For a moment he thought his adopted father had been joking, but he saw the look in his eyes, and it was then Dominik knew he truly wanted to know.

Sighing, he gripped his right hand to the swallow, looking down at it for a moment, then back to Geralt.

"Well… you know Geralt that… I knew back in Cintra…" He said, a small smile growing on his face, "I was 11… didn't realize it at the time but… as soon as I saw her on that balcony, something just clicked. Soon as we raided the kitchen, hid in that broom closet it… it was just something."

For the first time in what felt like days he felt a genuine smile come to his face. He looked up at the moon, and down at the swallow again, not taking his eyes off it this time.

"I guess I knew because… well, no matter what, nobody made me feel the way she did," He started, remembering how different they were at first, "I was shy, reserved, never really talked much but… but she changed me for the better. Made me more confident, outgoing… and even when we went to Kaer Morhen. Every moment I spent with her, every time we trained, snuck off, did anything I… I didn't want it to end. When I wasn't with her… well I just didn't feel complete."

Geralt let out a small laugh and met his eyes as he looked up, "We used to have to pry the two of you apart. Even then… barely ever worked."

He laughed again and looked back down to the swallow, "I know… it was because well… like you know I loved her. Nobody gave me that… that spark, that… that feeling in my stomach, the floating feeling… nobody else ever gave me that…. Never."

His adopted father sighed again, looking to lock eyes with him, "You were tempted though right? Tempted to go another way… to someone else? When… when you thought that it wouldn't work."

Scoffing he nodded right away, "Of course… you know that Freya and I we well… we were together for a decent amount of time. And I mean it when I say. well… at one point I thought I was in really in love with her, that we could be something… more. She started giving me that… that spark."

Quickly Geralt shook his head, "But it didn't work in the end... what… made you realize?"

Again, he sighed, remembering the moment vividly. Feeling an embarrassment rise inside him, he met his adopted father's eyes.

"One morning after we… kissed, and almost well… you know, I fell asleep in the same bed as her," He started, his face reddening as he remembered, "When…when I woke up the next morning with her in my arms… you know what I did? I… said Ciri's name. I had a dream that I spent the exact night with Freya I had the night before… with Ciri, so I said her name when I woke up."

"I can't imagine Freya was very happy about that," Geralt said quickly, crossing his arms as the night breeze blew through his silver hair.

His eyes widened and he quickly shook his head at his second father, "She never figured out, didn't say it loud enough for her to wake up. And don't you DARE tell her back at the Rosemary, she might kill me."

Geralt had a good laugh at his expense, before his face fell serious again, "And… that's how you knew? Did… did you have any animosity or… anything towards Freya?"

Again, he felt himself laugh as he shook his head, "Of course not! I fought a Bruxa for her yesterday, I never fight those unless I have too. But… yeah that's how I knew. Happened a few more times and well… I realized that I had never fallen out of love with Ciri. What I had with Freya it… it was just a temporary band-aid, to put over the cut Ciri disappearing had left. It… it didn't mean I cared for Freya any less. I still do, I… consider her a great friend, one of the best after yesterday."

Slowly Geralt nodded his head. A silence passed between the two of them. He could see the gears turning in Geralt's head. He knew what his adopted father was trying to do. He was trying to figure out if he had made the right choice. It was something that ran through his head for many weeks after he left Freya. Had it been worth it? To throw away something so solid and so genuine with Freya, for the slight chance he could reunite with Ciri again, and she would feel the same as she did when they were together?

The answer was yes. It was always going to be worth it.

Sighing he looked and met Geralt's eyes again, "Geralt I… I know that you're usually the one to give me advice but I… I just want to say…. Do whatever your heart tells you to do. It sounds simple I know but… sometimes simple solutions are what we need."

His adopted father let out a deep breath. To his surprise, the older Witcher reached over and pulled him into a hug. He managed to crack a smile as he wrapped his arms around the man who had become his father. Gregory of Cintra was his father, his birth father, and given him everything, he couldn't have asked for more.

However, Geralt of Rivia was also his father. He had risked his life countless times and raised him to be the man and Witcher he was today. Geralt didn't have to take him when he found Ciri. He easily could've left him to rot in the woods and taken Ciri to Kaer Morhen alone if he truly wanted. However, he didn't, he had taken Dominik in and raised him as his own son, by his own choice. When people lost their father's, most never got the chance to have a second one.

Geralt had given him that chance. So when he hugged him, he hugged him back tightly.

"Thank you…" The older Witcher said, pulling back from him, looking at him on the docks, "I heard Triss say it but it's true for me too… I'm really proud of the man you've grown up to be."

He felt himself laughed and another genuine smile came to his face, "Thanks Geralt… for everything you've done. And I… wanted to reassure you it… it won't make me and I'm sure Ciri as well… make us love either of them any less."

Another smile crossed the older Witcher's face as he let out a sigh, "Thanks…. Speaking of Ciri, I think it's time we got back to her."

His hand quickly went to the swallow around his neck, "Yeah…. I'm glad we helped Triss obviously but… I can't take it for much longer. I NEED to find her Geralt."

Nodding in agreement Geralt gestured his head towards the end of the docks, "Yeah I agree…. Seems like our pal Dijkstra wants to have a chat first."

Quickly he looked down at the edge of the docks, and saw the former spy surely enough waiting for them both. Sighing he shook his head over at Geralt.

"He's the last one I want to talk to right now… you mind listening to whatever he's cooked up," He asked the older Witcher.

His father nodded, looking at him sympathetically, "Yeah I'll handle him. What about you? Finally going to go get some rest?"

Sighing he felt the swallow tremble around his neck. He saw Ciri's name, and the elegantly drawn swallow on his arm as well. He knew what he was going to do, slowly he shook his head at Geralt.

"No… not right away at least," He said, taking in a deep clean breath, meeting Geralt's eyes, "I'm going to go back to the Kingfisher… talk to Priscilla about Dudu and Dandelion, it isn't late. I'll get a room there if I'm that tired, if I don't come back to the Rosemary tonight that's where I am."

Geralt narrowed his eyes unassured, "You sure? We can go and do that tomorrow morning."

Quickly he shook his head again, "No… I want to get it done now. No rest for the wicked Geralt…. Ciri's out there, and every second is another chance that Hunt's gotten to her…. And I'll die before I let that happen."

**A/N: Wow, we had a LOT of important developments in this chapter. Let's run through them. **

**We started with a dream sequence between Dom, Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt. I like adding these dreams and flashback now and then just for some romantic fluff, and to add some more depth to the relationships between our characters, so we can understand how deep the bond they shared was. What's been some of your fav flashbacks so far? Do you like seeing them?**

**I also want to clarify a timeline questions i've been getting. In my timeline after Ciri spends a few months in the Temple of Melitele, Geralt and Dominik are attacked on the barge by thugs looking for information about Ciri just like in the books. In my timeline Geralt contacted Yennefer to go and train Ciri, so she did. After this Geralt, wanting to finally let Dom and Ciri be together again after months apart, and because he felt he could better protect her took himself and Dominik to Ellander. It was in Ellander that Dom reunited with Ciri, and for about a year the four of them lived in Ellander, Ciri training with Yen to control her powers, and both of them training with Geralt, that's where this flashback takes place. In my timeline just before Dom turns fifteen almost a year later is when Yen and Geralt decides Ciri needs Aretuza, which leads them to seperate Dom and Ciri just before Dominik's fifteenth birthday.**

**After that Ciri's in Aretuza for a few weeks, and Dom goes back to Kaer Morhen where he forges his medallion and trains a bit more before Ciri disappears. That is the timeline of events for this story, slightly different from the books. I hope this clears up that part of the timeline!**

**Then we get some more bonding, this time between Dom and his 'company'. I wanted to parallel the books a little. Just like how Geralt gathered a company to go rescue Ciri and Yen from Stygga Castle, I thought it would be cool parallel to have Dom do sort of the same. Faram of Undviik, George of Toussaint, and Freya Kaminski of Ellander. What do you think of the comradery so far? Who's been your favorite of the group of three? How do you think they'll fare in the fight to come?**

**After this we get to see more Triss Merigold, and more about her relationship with Dominik growing up. More importantly however… she believes that Dominik is a carrier, an inheritor of powerful magical blood. Yes the 'carrier' concept is one that I invented, I always wondered how genetics would work if they played a part in having more powerful magic. **

**What do you think? If Dominik is a 'carrier' where he did get that magic blood from? And if he had these powers and they're unlocking, how will that help him in the future?**

**And finally we get an emotional goodbye from Triss Merigold and father son heart to heart with Geralt and Dominik. What did think of these scenes? Can you believe the father son bond Dom and Geralt have? What do you think his relationship with Yennefer will be like?**

**I'm not saying you have to answer all these questions in a review, I'm just trying to make you all think haha! If you do have any questions though feel free to shoot me PM or leave a review, I try to respond to everyone who reviews at least once, and will multiple times if they have questions!**

**The support has been overwhelming… Novigrad is almost over! Soon we'll be off to Skellige, thank you all so much again, and I'll see you next update!**


	32. The Play's the Thing

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 32: The Play's the Thing**

**Narrator: After his intense duel with the mysterious female commander of the Wild Hunt, the Young Wolf Dominik of Cintra was injured, not just physically, but mentally as well. However, after the careful medical treatment he received from Freya Kaminski of Ellander, he was able to recover from his wounds. That day however Geralt and Dominik both received an urgent letter from Triss Merigold. The White Wolf and the Young Wolf helped Triss get the mages out of Novigrad. Now, with all other tasks finally complete, Dominik set off for the Kingfisher, to see the incredibly talented and beautiful Priscilla, hoping that they may formulate a plan to break myself out of prison, so I may tell them what happened to Ciri.**

The workers at the Kingfisher had surprisingly cleaned up the bodies relatively quickly. The Witch Hunter's Geralt and Triss had slayed were cleared out, and people had quickly filed back in for music, drinks and food. He got a small curt nod from the barkeep as he walked through the door. The people were drinking and socializing as if nothing had happened, which relieved him. It would have been dreadfully hard for him to concentrate on his conversation with Priscilla if he felt he was watching over his shoulder for more Witch Hunter's.

His sword clunked on his back, as he took in the musty smell of wine and cooking meet. Some people gave him odd looks as he passed by, perhaps remembering him from a few days prior when Geralt and he first visited Priscilla. He ignored them however, while he walked up the steps, trying to settle his mind. It had been more a mental then physically taxing last few days for him, but there was something about being back in the Kingfisher that calmed him. The smell of incense and burning candle wax, the cool breeze that blew through the few open windows from the night. It helped him calm his mind and spirit.

Geralt had talked to Dijkstra while Dominik quickly left the two. He didn't know yet what the former spy had wanted to ask his adopted father, but he was sure that the offer was more then likely only meant for Geralt, which he didn't mind. It was time for him to focus on finding Ciri, not the schemes of some crime lord. Talking to Priscilla would be the first step, getting Dudu the second, and finally he'd rescue Dandelion. He wasn't going to let his friend spend any longer in some dank cell on temple isle.

His armor was scuffed and starting to get dirty with dried blood and dirt from his fights the last few days. It would almost be time for him to at least get it polished and oiled, the same with his sword. However, that would be after they had rescued the bard, and figured out where Ciri had gone. If he had any luck, then she was hiding out somewhere in Novigrad still or Velen, and Dandelion knew where.

When he entered Priscilla's room, he could see the trobairitz at her dresser, combing through her golden blonde hair in the mirror she had.

"Priscilla," He said when he closed the door behind him.

She jumped and whirled around brush still in hand, when she saw that it was him, she sighed out in relief dropping her brush to the ground. She was dressed in a similar outfit to when he saw her the first time, she got up from the stool and walked over to him, and he could see the worry in her eyes.

"Dominik thank the gods," She said, she tossed her blonde hair behind her shoulder and met his eyes, "I hadn't heard from you or Geralt in days. Where is he? Have you figured out what happened to Dandelion?"

He felt himself laugh a little as he held up his hands to calm her, "He's alright no need to worry, we know where he is. Turns out you were right his heist… didn't turn out well. Temple Guard nabbed him, they got him in a cell on Temple Isle. Caught him after his run in with Whoreson."

The words didn't seem to reassure her, "Well we need to figure out how to get him out. Temple Isle is a fortress! What happened with Whoreson, and is the woman he was helping the one you and Geralt are looking for?"

Her words made his head suddenly shoot back up at her.

"You know that Geralt and I are looking for… a woman," He said to her carefully, the flames from the candles in her room, and the light from the room illuminating the area.

Priscilla scoffed, "Of course I do. You mentioned her name last time I saw you, after I said Dandelion was helping an old friend. Besides, he's told me your story. That you've been on an eight-year quest to find your lost love. I'm… guessing this Ciri is her?"

He sighed and mentally scolded himself for giving away information like he had. If Dandelion trusted Priscilla and was even falling in love with her like Zoltan had said, then he assumed he could trust her. However, Geralt had been very specific that the fewer people that knew about Ciri the better. It was a miracle the older Witcher had been okay with him telling George, Faram and Freya. He of course understood why keeping her name secret was of such importance, however at the moment he had been bursting with excitement that he finally figured out where she had gone.

There wasn't anything he could do to change it if Priscilla already knew she already knew. Besides the trobairitz did seem trustworthy, so if anyone were to know, he would be okay with it being her.

Slowly he met her darker brown eyes and nodded, "Yeah… Dandelion helped her. He's the last one to have seen her. So by saving him, not only am I saving my friend I'm-."

"Also figuring out where your woman went," Priscilla quickly interrupted, meeting his eyes with a determined nod, "I'll do what I can, not just for Dandelion but to help you as well. So… what did you figure out?"

Hearing someone say they would help him always brought a smile to his face. His bones were finally beginning to relax, the aching slowly fading. He wouldn't be afraid to admit that Geralt and Triss did most of the heavy lifting in their trip through the sewers and fight against the Hunter's at the docks. He stayed back and provided cover, only engaging when he needed. His body had gotten a small amount of rest, and now he finally felt like he had a few moments to sit and relax.

He looked up an met the trobairitz eyes, "I'll tell you but first… do you have a bottle of anything? I have had quite the last few days let me tell you."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Oh Dandelion…." Priscilla said from next to him on the bed.

Priscilla had a bottle of wine stashed away in her room and had ordered the two of them up plates of cheese, bread and other things for dinner. For the next few minutes as they drank and ate, he explained everything that had happened. He started with Geralt and he's trip to Sigi Reuven's bathhouse, all the way up to when they went to Whoreson's mansion itself. He even found himself telling her what happened to Ciri and Dandelion at the estate in detail. The more he talked to Priscilla, the more he found himself telling her. The trobairitz was good company, she listened intently and asked questions only when she truly needed, it was something he appreciated at the moment. He felt like she could see that he had been exhausted from the previous few days.

Sitting in her room, drinking a cup of wine, and having dinner was relaxing. The music gently strummed in from down below, and the warm flames from the candles all helped his muscles and spirit relax. In a way now he felt he was actively trying to find Ciri, and he also was giving himself the much-needed rest he desperately needed. For the moment all he thought about was finding Dandelion, and then learning where Ciri had gone. He wasn't worrying about the female commander of the Wild Hunt, or if he truly was a 'carrier' for powerful magical blood as Triss described, or trying to train. All he was worried about was Ciri.

He looked back at Priscilla reassuringly, taking his sword sheath off his back, and leaning it against the bed.

"Don't worry, we're going to get him out," He said to her, making her turn to him, "Geralt and I have a plan, but for that we need your help. We need to find Dudu."

The two of them were sitting on Priscilla's large bed, a comfortable large mattress that relaxed his bones. He could see how truly worried the blonde was, so he tried his best for a calming and reassuring tone. He was expecting her to reply with a worried nod or ask him again to please go and save Dandelion, however it was the complete opposite.

She nodded with a hard-determined look on her face, "Alright, brilliant. This plan of yours, what is it and how can I help?"

A smile came to his face again. He took a long drink from his cup, letting the last of the wine pleasantly slide down his throat, before turning to face her.

"I killed Menge yes, but nobody knows that he actually died," He explained to the trobairitz, "His body was burned so to anyone's knowledge he could've escaped. We'll have Dudu take on Menge's appearance, and order Dandelion moved to Oxenfurt. Geralt and I will gather up some men and ambush the transport on the way and free Dandelion."

Finally hearing himself say the plan out loud to Priscilla brought him immense relief. The last two days had felt as if it were one long continuous one, and that his search for Ciri had finally stalled again, like it had so many times over the past eight years. Priscilla however also seemed like she was eager to get the plan rolling.

"Alright, and do you know of any way to find Dudu," She asked him, standing up to stretch her legs.

He grabbed both of their cups and plates, moving them over to the table in the corner of her room. Sighing he turned back to face her, the light of the candles around them illuminating the room fully.

"Well that's what I've come to you for. I've known Dudu a while but haven't seen him very recently. You're his friend, I figured you'd have a way to contact him," He said, hoping that she had some ideas bouncing around her head.

She thought for a moment, walking over to sit in the chair by her dresser, "Well with a doppler, the question is never where, but as whom. Previously when there had been trouble, he'd simply disappear one night and reappear on the morrow as someone else… but this time he hasn't returned…"

Sighing himself he hoped that no Hunter's had nabbed his doppler friend. Dudu had risked his life to help Ciri, and for that he'd be eternally grateful to the doppler merchant. After he had put himself at such risk, Dominik was going to do anything he could to make sure he was safe. If the doppler had been captured along with Dandelion, he would break into the Temple Prison himself if he had to, in order to save them both.

"Have you and Geralt known Dudu long," Priscilla asked him, causing him to whirl his head around to her.

A small smile came to his face as he nodded, "Yeah for most of the time I've been with Geralt. Ciri and I used to love seeing him. Over the last few years I've been alone I've seen him a few times. He'd help me try and track down leads on her, or… well just help get me a place to stay in general. How about you, known him long yourself?"

An amused smile crossed Priscilla's face as she scoffed, "Truth be told, I can't really be sure. It seems he'd been circling me for some time in various forms trying to attract my attention."

"Can't really blame him," He complimented the trobairitz, "After seeing you and hearing you sing, I can see why he was making the effort."

The compliment was a true one, after talking with Priscilla for longer it was clear to him why Dandelion had been falling for her. Beautiful and talented, and not just some witless and helpless dame that threw herself at him, it must have been a large change for his poet friend.

She chuckled lightly, her face getting a tinge redder, "Thank you…. I failed to notice him at first. Then he decided to shoot for the moon, assume Dandelion's form."

He scoffed and felt himself laugh again, "Ha, Dudu not much of a singer? That what tipped you off?"

Priscilla laughed again and shook her head, "Haha no, he simply talked about something other than himself!"

The two of them shared a laugh again, and he felt a relieved feeling run through him. It felt good to be around a friend, laughing, drinking and having a good time. He of course could have headed to the Rosemary and done the same with Faram, George, Zoltan and Freya, however in coming to the Kingfisher, he was able to knock out two birds with one stone. He was able to eat, drink and relax, while also continuing the quest to find Ciri.

After the laughter finally died down, he met Priscilla's eyes again, "Alright well we need to find a way now to lure him out of hiding. Do you know where he may be hiding? Did he have any friends who he might be with or have tried to contact?"

Priscilla nodded right away, and he sat down on her bed across from her.

"Dandelion of course, and then there's Irina Renard's troupe-that's all. I'm not certain he was friendly with anyone else," She explained to him, her voice sounding upset, "He would spend dawn till dusk with the troupe, either on stage or in the crowd."

A smile crossed his face again. It reminded him of being a child back in Cintra. One of his favorite past-times as a child would be going to mummings, the theater, or the inn's for poetry and songs with his mother. It had always been a secret want of his to join the troupe one day, that was before he started to get older, when he met Ciri and started training more with his father.

"So if Dudu liked going to the mummings… maybe we can use that," He said, an idea slowly starting to form in his head.

Priscilla nodded eagerly, "Yes I'm sure they'd help. I'm surprised that he didn't come to us right away. Irina and the troupe are deeply indebted to him. We need only mention Dudu, and I'm sure they'd help."

The idea finally sprang to full form in his head. It was crazy, and he had no idea if it would possibly work, however he had learned over the last few weeks that the best thing he could do was to trust his gut. Chasing after the Wild Hunt in Velen when he and Keira had entered the elven mage's hideout seemed like a bad idea at the time, yet it had turned out well. Just two days prior, running headfirst into a cave that the Wild Hunt had clearly been too with only one other Witcher for backup hadn't been the best idea, but he had survived and learned new important things. Things that bothered him greatly but were still imperative for him to know.

Compared to those ideas, what he thought then was nothing at all.

"Maybe… we can use a play," He said, and he could see Priscilla's eyes eagerly grow before he continued, "We can write a grand new play, and work in a hidden message to Dudu, lure him out of hiding that way!"

There had been few times he felt genuinely excited over the years. He had been over the moon almost every time they had gotten even a lick of information about Ciri of course. He had been excited of course when he saw his Uncle Vesemir and Geralt again, and when he reunited with all of his friends. However, other then those few moments, genuine excitement had been scarce for him the last few weeks during his journey.

For a moment he felt like a young child back in Cintra, sitting next to his mother eagerly watching mummings, or listening to bards sing.

Priscilla nodded a similar look of excitement on her face, "That could work yes, but like you said we'd an entirely new play, a few lines wouldn't suffice. Most importantly it must have a grand title!"

"We don't have a moment to waste then," He said excitedly, shooting up from his spot on the bed.

Priscilla laughed and got up from her own chair, walking over to one of her dressers and pulling out sheets of parchment. The trobairitz seemed to be absolutely buzzing, she placed the stack of parchment and pulled out a new quill from her desk. Eagerly he grabbed a chair from the table in the corner of her room and pulled it next to her.

The blonde smiled and looked over to meet his eyes, "Forgive me but I… didn't expect you to be so enthusiastic."

He felt his face get hot as he leaned back in the chair, laughing nervously, "Ahaha well… when I was younger I… guess you could call me a frequenter of the mummings back in Cintra. I loved going to them with my mother."

The trobairitz smiled with an amused look, "Well, well, the rough tough Witcher has a soft spot for the theater. This is perfect, we'll have a grand time together!"

"I think we will," He said with a smile, looking to meet the trobairitz's.

Writing a play for a mumming was another thing he would have to add to the list of things he never thought he'd need to do in order to save Ciri, that was along with saving a goat, and looking for rat shit with Geralt and Triss. Unlike those two however he was particularly excited. Priscilla stroked her chin for a moment before turning to him.

"Alright now the key is to convince Dudu he can rely on you, that we wish to free Dandelion. The message must be clear, though naturally woven into the play's dramatical essence," Priscilla began, the light from the candle on her desk illuminating her face.

He nodded in agreement, "You're right, it has to be seamlessly integrated into the plot. If it seems forced, then he may think it's a trap. We need an appropriate dramatical structure, I was thinking something gripping and contemporary would be best," he said excitedly, feeling his blood begin to race, the excitement boiling over.

The candle's lit the room, the moon was shining, and he could still hear the music filtering in from beyond the door and the inn down below. He got up from his seat to walk to the large vase of wine Priscilla had ordered for them. Priscilla turned around as he went to pour himself another glass, and the trobairitz smiled broadly.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," She said excitedly, stroking her chin in thought again, "How about the condottieri of Poviss?"

He finally filled the cup to the brim, and took a long sip, the wine again sending a pleasant feeling through his body as it slid down his throat. He bit his lip in thought, before looking at Priscilla and shaking his head.

Taking a few steps towards her with the cup in his hands he met her eyes, "I do like that tale but… may be kind of hard to fit a doppler and a Witcher in there. And as much fun as this is, we are on a bit of a time crunch."

Priscilla nodded, having a look of realization, "Yes good point…. I got it! How about Lorenzo Molla!? A handsome yet ruthless bandit, and the doppler who fools him. But now the doppler must hide… and he can only count on the help of his friend, who's a Witcher! A witcher in turn is prepared to do anything to save his daughter," She stopped for a moment before turning to meet his eyes, and he could see them go wide, "No not his daughter, better yet… his beloved!"

He had met Lorenzo Molla before, and wasn't particularly fond of the man, however he didn't feel like going into that particular story at the moment, so he laughed nervously and shrugged.

"Maybe… but let's throw around a few more ideas first," He suggested taking the wine cup to his lips and drinking heavily.

Again, the blonde trobairitz nodded in agreement, her excitement not leaving her, however. She thought contentedly for another few seconds before she smiled and scoffed.

"I got it! We shall stage the story of the Urcheon of Erlenwald! Secret lovers, their-," She was cut off when he nearly coughed the wine he was drinking into her face.

As she spoke, he had been in the middle of taking a long drink from his cup. As soon as he heard the Urcheon of Erlenwald however, he gagged and coughed up all of the wine in his mouth. A large fit of coughs attacked him as he almost keeled over, leaning down on his knees and nearly vomiting up the food he ate from the fit of coughs, the wine going down all the wrong pipes of his throat.

Priscilla had been so shocked she leaped backwards and nearly falling over her desk. Her eyes widened at him as he tried to keep the coughs under control.

"I… I take it you don't like that idea, are you alright," She asked with concern in her voice, as she leaned down to put a hand on his back.

No, he hadn't been alright. Growing up he loved the story of the Urcheon of Erlenwald, the play was legendary, and he was a fan. However, the like for the play ended when he learned the truth.

The play was based off the romance between Ciri's mother Princess Pavetta, and Ciri's real father the current Emperor of Nilfgaard, Emhyr Var Emrys. He also learned that the Witcher who saved the cursed Urcheon was none other then Geralt, that was how he ended up with Ciri as his child of destiny. He wasn't a fan of the tale anymore; however, he knew that without it, Geralt never would have been linked to Ciri by destiny, and in turn he himself more then likely never would have met Geralt. The play however reminded him of the awful truth that played over in his head. Var Emrys was truly Ciri's father, and the man would want them to bring her to him when they found her.

From what Geralt had told him, the Witcher had a large distaste for the Emperor. Dominik had his own obvious reasons for hating the Emperor of Nilfgaard, the man had been responsible for the slaughter of Cintra, and in turn the deaths of his entire family. However, along with all the vile things the Emperor had done, he knew for a fact there was another, deeper reason that Geralt had such hatred for him. After they had left Vizima, he asked Geralt why he hated the Emperor so much.

The older Witcher had refused to tell him the reason. When Dominik asked him why Geralt simply shook his head. Geralt had told him that if Dominik knew the reason he despised the Emperor so much, he was afraid the younger Witcher would have marched back to Vizima and died trying to put a sword through the Emperor's throat.

It had bothered him, Dominik couldn't think of anything else that could make him hate the Emperor, want to kill him anymore then he already did.

"I *cough* *cough*," He started, finally able to take in a deep breath, before meeting the Trobairitz's eyes, "I'm fine. It's just… that… that story hit's a little close to home for me."

It had been true, the story made him think of Ciri, her real father, and everything that she had been going through. He took a few deep, steadying breaths and sat back down in the chair he had pulled up to Priscilla's desk. She slowly walked and sat back down across from him.

"Hit's close to home? How so if you don't mind telling," She asked, crossing over her legs as she sat.

He let out a deep sigh, clearing his lungs and looking over to meet Priscilla's eyes, "Well you see in the story… Princess Pavetta, the real Princess Pavetta the story is based on, and the Urcheon well they… they're Ciri's parents."

"What," Priscilla said, her eyes growing wider as she looked at him, "This… Ciri you're looking for she… she's the princess of Cintra? The one who everyone was looking for after the massacre?"

Slowly he nodded his head, feeling that he couldn't leave anything out for the trobairitz now.

"Yeah… and the Witcher in the story? That was Geralt," He explained, feeling his skin begin to crawl, "He saved… the Urcheon and helped lift his curse. In return Geralt asked for the Law of Surprise. At the time, the Urcheon had no idea Princess Pavetta was pregnant… that child was Ciri… that's how Geralt became linked to her."

Priscilla's head looked like it was filled with a million questions. The warmth seemed to slowly leave the room, but the candles still flickered. After she seemed to think for a moment, trying to remember everything Dandelion had told her, she finally looked back up to him.

"Alright but… where do you fit into all of it? Dandelion only told me that Geralt had raised you, you fell in love with someone and were separated from them, he… he never mentioned anything about this Ciri," She asked him, true curiosity in his eyes.

He scoffed and met her eyes with his, "He didn't mention her because we made him stop. Ciri… a lot of people wanted to get their hands on her. Dandelion was actually almost killed by a man looking for her, because he heard him sing about her in ballads. So… instead of singing about Geralt rescuing two children a boy and a girl from Cintra… it changed to just a boy."

"And that boy was you," She asked, her tone completely astonished.

Slowly he nodded his head, "Yeah… you see my father, my birth father was Gregory of Cintra. He was captain of Queen Calanthe's royal guards, her right-hand man, her best knight. I… I met Ciri when we were 11. We… we were best friends right away… we escaped together after Nilfgaard attacked. About a month or two later… Geralt found us, took us both in. We trained together for years… fell in love, it… it was fantastic but… as I'm sure Dandelion has told you we… we haven't seen each other in a long time."

He felt his heart begin to beat slower. His hands gingerly went around to the swallow pendant as a shaky breath came to him. His eyes fell as well, they suddenly felt heavy, and his stomach began to spin like a tornado. Priscilla must have obviously saw his discomfort because she looked up at him and sighed.

"I… I'm sorry I asked and brought it all up. We can try something else if you-," She started, he quickly shook his head to cut her off.

"No… let's do it. If we switch out the Urcheon for a doppler, then it'll work perfectly. Come on, let's get writing. Let's not let me spitting wine all over you ruin our grand time," He said, a small smile coming to his face.

Only he, Geralt and a select few truly knew the true origins of the play. However, he knew it was their best chance at finding Dudu. The message they were trying to send was clear, that the doppler would be rescued by the Witcher. From what Whoreson had told them, Dudu assumed that Geralt, and he were coming. Hopefully the play about a Witcher saving a doppler would be enough to make him reveal himself again to the troupe, where they would be waiting.

Priscilla nodded and smiled at him, "Alright let's get to work. I must admit… you're an interesting man Dominik, it seems there's even more stories then just what Dandelion told me. I… do hope you eventually let him write a ballad about you and Ciri. Your story… it truly is inspiring it deserves to be told."

A small laughed escaped him as he met the trobairitz's eyes again, "Tell you what. Help me find Dudu here and…when I do find Ciri… and she's finally safe…. You and Dandelion can both write as many ballads as you want, I'll even help you by providing more details… that can be heard of course."

She smiled across at him, the light from the flame dancing across her face, "It's a deal, now let's get writing. I'll order us up some more wine since… well you spit all of it at me."

He laughed and she quickly got up from her seat, heading towards the door. Taking in a deep breath he looked out the window over the darkened city. A smile crossed his face. He was finally on the trail again, getting closer and closer to finding her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_That night the dream was cold. He couldn't feel the chills since he was looking down at the scene, but he could hear the wind howling. A thick fog was all around him on the sides of the scene, and he could feel the ground beneath his feet shift. He could smell the salty air through the mist, as he heard the clattering of weapons and the shuffling of armor. His blood was slowly turning to ice, and he could almost feel himself freezing on the spot. His head whirled around trying to see where he was, but as soon as he blinked, he realized. _

_ After he opened his eyes again the soldiers were surrounding him. Their skull helmets, and played armor, halberds and swords were all in their hands as they stood at attention, not daring to move an inch. They were soldiers of the Wild Hunt. The wind whirled past his ears again, the chills he felt going down his spine were uncontrollable. None of the soldiers saw him, and as he felt the ground shift he realized where he was. _

_ The ship of the Wild Hunt._

_ It wasn't made of the fingernails of dead men like most stories claimed, but he could still feel the dread. People had been tortured, killed and mutilated on that boat. The head of Eredin's fleet, his own personal command ship. He didn't know why his dreams would bring him there, but as the snow and frost howled past his ears, he could see why the soldiers were standing at attention. _

_ None of them moved an inch, because at the front of the ship, looking out into the thick, frosty fog was Eredin himself. The towering ruler of the Wild Hunt stood above all the others. A crude longsword, even longer than the ones Geralt and he carried hung at his hip. Frost slowly gathered on his armor, as he held his hands behind his back, the crowned skull helmet stood above the rest. To his right was a large warrior, his grey plate seeming to be even bulkier than Eredin's, a large shield and massive hammer leaning against the side of the ship. _

_ To Eredin's left, stood a tall elf holding a magical staff. A bright blue ball of magic swirled in a crystal ball at the top, as he stood facing the soldiers. He turned with his black faceplate and looked down towards the one person who was kneeling in front of Eredin. _

_ It was her, the commander that he had dueled the night before. She knelt down on one knee in front of Eredin, who still hadn't turned around to face her. Her head was facing down to the floor of the ship, her sword was gone, and he could see the singe marks on her armor from their fight. All of the soldiers stood around her in perfectly set formations, while the commander in the massive armor, and what was certainly a high mage standing next to Eredin faced her. _

_ "Su wyer esca den-mime heru," She said, her feminine voice lifting over the howling wind. _

_ The two commanders next to Eredin both looked to their King. He didn't understand what she said when she spoke in the elven tongue. It worried him for a moment that he wouldn't understand any of the conversation, however Eredin clanked in his armor and turned around to face her. His hands stayed behind his back, and the cold howling wind blew his black hair behind him. The King of the Hunt looked down at her, and to his surprise spoke in common tongue. _

_ "Speak to me in your native tongue Baelen," The King said, but the commander still did not rise as he continued, "Rise and face me. Don't act like a meek human, speak to me as if you are truly one of us."_

_ Baelen. He finally heard her name. It didn't ring any bells in his head, he didn't know the name… but from what Eredin said, she wasn't one of them. What would a human woman possibly be doing in the company of the Wild Hunt, let alone leading soldiers? How did she possibly know who his father was, and that he and Ciri grew up in Cintra. His heart began to beat faster, his blood raced as his limbs began to develop frost on them as his eyes went wide. Baelen slowly rose to her feet, and her own skull helmet looked up slowly to meet the eyes of Eredin. _

_ When she spoke, she seemed hesitant for a moment, "I… I'm sorry your majesty. D… Dominik of Cintra he… he got the best of me. It won't happen again, I swear."_

_ Her words seemed to hang between the four of them, Eredin, Baelen and his two commanders. He couldn't see any of their faces, all of them wore their helmets, but he could tell how they all felt by their body language. Baelen was almost shaking, as Eredin slowly turned back away from her, and the commander, the man who's shield and hammer laid against the boat's edge spoke. _

_ "A man… bested you? Not even… a Witcher? A human… bested you," The elf said, his common tongue clearly not as good as Eredin's, he stuttered more as he continued this time turning to Eredin, "My lord I told you and Caranthir training this… woman… was a waste of our time. First, she is bested by Zireael, now… she is bested by a man."_

_ He knew this wasn't true. He hadn't bested this Baelen, their duel had come to a draw if anything, but it could be seen to some that she was the victor. She had him at her mercy, her sword inches from his chest and throat. All she had to do was bring her blade down and she would have killed him, but for some reason she hadn't. _

_ For the first time watching the conversation he saw the true nature of the woman he had fought. Her head fired around towards the commander who had spoken. _

_ "He IS a Witcher, and much more powerful then he realizes as we discovered, you insolent fool. He's finally beginning to unlock his inner power! If he does, him combine with Zireael could prove even more dangerous," She hissed at the elf, her voice resonating over the frost, "He will lead us to her, she would die for him and he for her. All we need to do is get our hands on him, I will NOT fail again."_

_ "Ha, and you truly believe yourself strong enough," The armored elf roared again, taking a step towards Baelen, "It matters not what power you believe he holds in his blood… he is just a man. First you are bested by Zireael when we finally had her cornered, now you are bested by a man… it matters not what powers he holds you were bested by a weak… pathetic human. This is twice now… twice now you have failed."_

_ He held his breath as he could almost see Baelen's nostrils flare under her face plate, she whirled to face the massive elf again. _

_ "Zireael eluded you as well in the swamps," She spat at him, not backing down from the much larger commander, "You were too busy fucking those Witches, that you let Zireael escape right from under you… I'm not the only one who's failed."_

_ Armor clunked as the elf stomped towards her, getting inches away from her. Baelen however did not back down, and looked up, the eyes slits of their helmets meeting as the commander towered over her. _

_ "Your usefulness will soon come to an end GIRL," The elf spat down at her, his breath spewing from his helmet, "Why Caranthir bothered with you I'll never know. Your bloodline brought disgrace to our people, the reason we now chase Zireael. Perhaps you were unable to kill this man… because you have yet to suppress your own feelings…"_

_ "They're gone, dead just like-," She started to spit back, but she was quickly cut off by Eredin's booming voice. _

_ "Silence Imlerith, silence Baelen," He bellowed to them both, "Imlerith, back away… now."_

_ The commander Imlerith took one last look towards Baelen, before walking back to his position besides Eredin. Baelen stared at him, and while he couldn't see her eyes, he knew it wasn't a friendly stare. She slowly turned her head, looking back towards Eredin who had turned back to face her. The wind howled in his ears, as Eredin looked over to his left, towards the mage holding the staff. _

_ "Is it true Caranthir? Do we still have no new traces of the girl," Eredin asked the mage in a slow drawn out tone. _

_ The mage Caranthir didn't look to Eredin, his helmet stayed locked on Baelen. _

_ "Yes my lord…. I have sensed no traces of her since she and Baelen's encounter…. Avallach's doing… of this I am sure," The mage said, his common tongue broken but clear for him to hear._

_ After the mage had finished Baelen took the opportunity to speak again, taking another step towards Eredin. _

_ "My lord please, allow me one more chance to get to Dominik of Cintra," She pleaded with Eredin, her voice growing desperate, "With him in our grasp I promise Zireael will show herself! She would do anything to save him from us, including giving us her power, allow me to redeem myself!"_

_ His own blood stiffened, and he could feel his body overlooking the dream begin to completely freeze over. It was more and more clear now that he did know this Baelen from somewhere in his life, but he just couldn't put his finger on where. If it was someone from his childhood it would make sense how she knew about Ciri and he, even then however how did she end up with the Wild Hunt? How did she have such extraordinary powers? And if she seemed to have such animosity towards him, why hadn't she killed him? One question however rang through them all as he saw Eredin slowly turn towards her again. _

_ Where had she fought Ciri?_

_ Eredin slowly shook his head at her, "No Baelen we will choose a different strategy. We will be patient. If this… man holds such love for Zireael, then let he and the Witcher do the work for us. She will show herself again… and we will be waiting. You'll have your chance at both Zireael and this… man again. A chance for your revenge… and this time… for your sake… you'd best not hesitate again."_

_ Before Baelen could comment anything, he felt the ice completely overtake him, slowly coming into his vision, until it went completely it was black._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Well, well, well what do we have here. What will Ciri and Dandelion say," He heard the deep voice of his adopted father blare through his ears.

His eyes shot open, the sun piercing his pupils. The freezing cold he had felt in the dream seemed to almost seep into reality, because he felt the tip of his nose unmoving, the toes in his boots stuck together. He felt his bones aching as he slowly groaned, rubbing his hand to both of his eyes, the sun insistently shining through the windows of the room. He heard a similar groaning next to him, and saw Priscilla slowly sitting up with a yawn, the hat she normally wore had fallen off onto her bed, and her hair was in tatters. His bones ached again, as he realized he had fallen asleep without taking off his armor. It was lucky for him that he had fallen asleep on Priscilla's bed, and not in some chair or in the middle of the forest, with the fatigue he felt from the past few days, it wouldn't have been good.

Again, he groaned as he sat up, his feet falling to the side of the bed along with Priscilla. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, to see Geralt standing across from both of them, leaning against the dresser with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face.

"Have a long night, did we? Now what did you two get up too," Geralt said sarcastically, the smirk on his face getting larger.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "You're hi-fucking-larious let me tell you… we were working on our plan to lure Dudu out of hiding we… we did finish it right Priscilla?"

The last thing he had remembered before sleep had overtaken him was arguing with Priscilla if the doppler princes character development through the script had made sense. He had been sitting on her bed at the time and assumed that he had fallen asleep from the fatigue in the early hours of the morning. For a while he enjoyed a peaceful dreamless sleep, until the cold howling winds hit him.

The scene played in his head again, the commander he had fought, Baelen, kneeling before Eredin, begging for another chance to kill him. It had taught him the one thing that he had been craving to know, who the commander had been. He was also finally able to put faces to the name he had learned from Geralt, Imlerith, Coranthir… and he had seen Eredin again. The being that had been the reason for Ciri going through so much of the hell in her life. He would meet Eredin one day he knew that, and when he did, he would be ready.

And he would kill him.

The first thing they needed to do however was find Ciri, despite the fact he now knew this was what the Hunt was waiting for. Even if they had been waiting for Geralt and he to locate her, wherever she was they needed to go and get her to make sure if she did use her powers again, she was protected. And the play that he had stayed up slaving to write with Priscilla was part of the plan to get to her.

The trobairitz yawned, slowly getting up from her bed, and picking up the stack of papers that they had wrote the night before.

A small sleepy smile adorned her face when she turned to Geralt and he, "We did yes. 'The Doppler's Salvation.' Reckon the two of us could've made a true masterpiece given more time."

"Yeah… I think that we could've," He said, a small smile coming to his face, as the sun streamed into the room.

He quickly checked the position of the sun and realized Priscilla and he slept longer then he thought. It was already midday, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was a stark contrast to the dream where his bones had completely frozen over by the end. The sun streamed in and it sent a warm feeling through his body. Thankfully Geralt either had business to take care of in Novigrad or had decided to let him rest longer before coming to get him.

Geralt looked between the two of them oddly before meeting their eyes pointedly, "Alright…. Do you both want to let me in on what you have planned?"

Nodding he looked and met his adopted father's eyes, holding the script up to him, "Priscilla tells me that Dudu was good friend's with Irina Renard's mummers' troupe. They're indebted to him, and our doppler friend always loved going to mummings. So… Priscilla and I wrote this play, we'll put it on with Irina's troupe, it has a hidden message inside, letting Dudu know he can trust us."

He smiled broadly, looking over at Priscilla with a smile. Geralt himself quickly nodded, walking over next to them both.

"Alright that's actually not a bad idea," The older Witcher complimented, looking to Dominik who had the play in his hands, "What's the hidden message, come to the Kingfisher at dawn? Meet at the Rosemary and Thyme? Where did you put it?"

"Yes, the hidden message," he said, flipping through the pages of the play. He saw page after page of he and Priscilla's elegant handwriting, but soon felt his blood turn cold and his face flushed up in embarrassment as he looked back to the trobairitz.

"We… um… did put the hidden message in here didn't we," He asked her, his facing getting flustered red.

Priscilla's eyes went wide again, "Um… secret message?"

"We forgot to put it in there didn't we…." He said slowly, mentally slapping himself as hard as he could.

He sighed and felt a feeling of annoyance and disappointment rush over him. He had been so caught up in his boyhood fantasies of writing a play, that he had completely forgotten why they were writing the play in the first place. Sighing he ran a hand through his hair and turned to Geralt, who looked at him with his arms crossed.

Sighing the older Witcher rubbed his hands over his temples, "I gotta stop leaving you alone when you wanna get drunk…"

"Shut up," He quickly hissed, his face still flustered, as he rolled up the parchment, carefully slipping it into his bag, "We'll have to make do. It's a play about a witcher saving a doppler, I think the message is pretty clear. Besides, Dudu heard that we were coming, he may see this as a chance to reveal himself."

Geralt sighed again, and turned over to Priscilla, "How do you see this working?"

Priscilla shook off her embarrassment and met both of their eyes, "I don't know exactly. I was hoping to recognize him by his scar… or just improvising. We'll worry about that later you both must get the script to Madam Irina. Do you remember where I told you it was?"

She looked over to Dominik when directing her last question and he quickly nodded, "Yeah I remember, be sure to join us later and Priscilla… thanks, thanks for well… helping, it really does mean a lot."

The trobairitz smiled and pulled him into a quick hug, before letting go of him and meeting his eyes, "You're welcome. I really hope this works not just for Dudu and Dandelion but… so it can finally help you find your Ciri."

A warm feeling flushed over his heart, and a real smile came to him. Slowly he nodded to the trobairitz, "Like I said… you and Dandelion get the first crack at the song… I promise."

The two gave each other one last nod, before Priscilla smiled and did the same to Geralt. His adopted father and he both then went and walked out of her room. As he walked through the halls and down the steps of the Kingfisher, he felt his bones rejuvenated. The warm fires, the sleep and food from the night before had all finally given him his strength back. He remembered something Keira Metz had told him back in Velen during there treck through the elf's laboratory.

She had told him that he had to understand he did have limitations. He would get tired, hungry, fatigue, his bones would ache. Most importantly she and many others had told him, he'd be no good to Ciri dead. Keira had told him she assumed Ciri would understand if he simply took time now and then to rest his bones and recover. However, he simply didn't want too at times. That was the situation in the current moment. He could feel himself so close to knowing where she had gone, what had happened to her. From his fight with Baelen he knew that Ciri was indeed alive and fought her recently. As soon as he got to Dandelion he could figure out where she had gone after Temple Isle, which was hopefully into hiding somewhere around the city.

Him being able to rest, eat and drink while still actively pursuing her trail the previous night was part of the reason for the first time in a few days, he genuinely felt in high spirits. He did hope however, that if there was some locked power inside of him like Baelen had been indicating, or if he truly was a 'carrier' of powerful magic blood like Triss had theorized, that whatever power it was, helped him in his quest.

He would even be happy with it simply helping him stay awake longer.

"So all jokes aside, how are you feeling," Geralt asked, as the two of them exited the Kingfisher's front door.

The shining sun hit his face and he breathed out a sigh, "Well I ate, drank, figured out how to get Dudu out of hiding so we can save Dandelion… and finally got some fucking sleep. I feel pretty good…. How about you? How'd your talk with Dijkstra go?"

He remembered the night before; the former spy had been very insistent he talk to Geralt. Whatever the fat man had wanted, he was sure that it couldn't be good. He also wanted to tell Geralt about his dream, hoping that the older Witcher could help him figure out more from what he had heard, if his dream had indeed really happened.

His adopted father scoffed and looked to meet his eyes as they walked, "It's… a lot more than we thought."

Sighing he nodded in understanding, "Yeah… well I'm sorry to add to your worries but… I should probably tell you about the dream I had."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"They want you to help them fucking kill Radovid," He hissed under his breath, just as they entered the butcher's yard past the ticket seller.

Upon hearing what Geralt said, he almost couldn't believe his ears. Dijkstra and Roche both wanted Geralt's help in killing the King of Redania, the man who was responsible for thousands of innocent deaths. Despite all of Radovid's madness however, the man was the only thing keeping another evil from the south at bay. After hearing that Geralt had gone and saved his old friend Thaler, one of the co-conspirators, he nearly couldn't believe what he was hearing. It had seemed so absurd to him, that he genuinely thought his adopted father was messing with him.

However, when Geralt looked back to him, he could see that his second father was truly not joking.

Slowly Geralt shook his head, "I'm not helping them strike the blow. I only went and saved Thaler for them. That's it."

He felt himself scoff again as they walked passed the stage, towards Irina's quarters where the ticket seller had said she'd be.

"Geralt we have MUCH more important thing's to worry about," He said quickly again, trying to keep his voice from rising as they stopped outside the door to the quarters, the sun casting shadow's between them, "Ciri is what matters, we can't be going off and joining assassination plots!"

The truth of the matter was, that if circumstances were different, he would have been intrigued by the idea, possibly even tempted to help himself. Radovid was a menace, who's madness was truly ruining what was left of the Northern Kingdoms. Killing him would make the world a safer place for Yennefer, Triss and even Ciri who all would be burned at the stake under Radovid's rule. A dagger going through the man's heart was something he would gladly see, do himself even if the circumstances had been different than they were.

However, they weren't. Ciri was out there, still in danger from the Hunt. He had spent the last eight years of his life looking for her half-heartedly. He would follow leads on her right away when he found them, and asked every mage he knew about elder blood and travel between worlds, always looking for more clues, and he felt at times he was coming close, but most of the time, he had been doing nothing but wallowing in his own self-pity, thinking about her every day and lamenting the fact he had lost her. There were months on end where he'd just travel around aimlessly, drinking his sorrows away, completing contracts for close to nothing. He always thought about her, but he would only think about how unfair the whole situation was, how angry he was at Geralt, Yennefer, the universe. All that time he could've spent putting everything he had into the search.

And now that he was finally close, he wasn't going to put anything less then a thousand percent into their search. He loved her more than anything before she disappeared, and the last eight years apart had only made that love somehow grow even more. She was all that mattered now, all that he wanted. That was why he couldn't stop, couldn't put anything less then everything he had into looking for her, even if he felt his bones about to shatter. He had failed her too many times in the last eight years, and he wouldn't do it again.

That was the reason he was so adamant, he had wasted enough time, and now he WAS going to find her.

Geralt seemed to sense his anger rising and slowly shook his head, "I understand that. Which is why like I said, I only helped them find Thaler. Only took me a couple hours. That'll be the extent of my involvement I promise… we're focusing solely on finding Ciri from here on out."

Hearing the genuineness in Geralt's words made his heartbeat slowly calm. He took in a deep steadying breath and felt the sun beat off his neck. Slowly he turned around to meet his second father's eyes and sighed again.

"I… I'm sorry I snapped Geralt. It… it's just that-," He started, but Geralt quickly shook his head to cut him off.

"It's alright Dom, I understand. You just want to get to her… nothing else matters to you," The older Witcher said, watching him pace back and forth.

Slowly he nodded his head, feeling his brain race a mile a minute. He felt a tingling sensation in his hands and stomach, as the anxiousness flowed through him like a river.

"Look Geralt I… I'm glad that we've helped our friends through this I really am," He said, turning back to face the older Witcher, "I'm glad that I helped Freya, and George. Obviously, I'm glad we helped out Triss, Roche, Zoltan…. Even back in Velen, despite how I ended up I'm glad I helped Keira. And I'm glad that we could help the Baron find his family and give him some piece but… but to be honest for me I'm starting to go crazy! I'm glad we helped everyone it's just I…I-."

"You want to finally focus solely on finding her," Geralt finished for him, meeting the younger witcher's eyes with a look of understanding, "I understand what you mean. You're ready to finally get to her… after all these years."

He nodded slowly to confirm what his adopted father said, his hand slowly going up to grip the swallow around his neck, which reflected the sunlight.

"I know you love Ciri Geralt, I know you miss her and want to see her but… but… you got to see her two years ago…" He said slowly, the bomb of regret exploding in his chest again as he turned away from his adopted father, "I… I wasn't able to join your group to go rescue her because I was still being a bratty child…"

Geralt sighed behind him. The mummers were all rushing around them, moving props and reciting lines. None of them seemed to pay the two Witcher's mind on that hot day.

"It's not your fault… you had a right to be angry with me," Geralt said, and Dominik finally managed to turn around and meet his adopted father's eyes.

"No Geralt… I didn't. Even if I did, I should have put it aside to find you and come with you. I never got a chance to thank the people who came with you… to fight by your side at Stygga Castle… to fight by Ciri's side and save her…" He said slowly, closing his eyes to sigh deeply, gripping the swallow tighter, "I… I haven't seen her since we were children… children. She's a woman now… I'm a man I… I just want to SEE her."

It had been stewing in his head for the entire journey. Geralt had told him during their travels so far about his company, the trip to Stygga Castle to save Ciri and Yennefer. He of course hadn't been there and missed out on his chance to see Ciri. The picture they had gotten from the Emperor's spies was only what they assumed she looked like. The last memory he had of her, was her waving to him as she entered the portal with Yennefer, her young fourteen-year-old face smiling at him, as she clutched his bronze ring around her neck.

He would have given any amount of gold or done anything just to get a glimpse of her now, even for only a moment.

Geralt finally shook his head, gripping on hand one Dominik's shoulder and turning the younger Witcher around to face him.

"Dominik, this needs to stop now," The older Witcher said, his yellow eyes meeting his adopted son's emerald one's with new fierceness, "You were the one to tell me yourself, no more living in the past. We can't change anything that happened. All you can do now is put everything you have into saving Ciri like you have been."

"But Geralt if I had just-," He started, but the older Witcher quickly cut him off again.

"No but's, no if's…. You couldn't join my hansa two years ago… but you have your own now," His adopted father said sternly, making his head fire up, finally meeting his yellow Witcher eyes.

"I… I do… I really do," He said slowly, remembering his friends who were back at the Rosemary and Thyme.

Geralt quickly nodded and spoke before he could even think, "Yeah and it's probably a stronger batch then even the one I put together if we're being honest."

He squeezed the pendant around his neck and remembered the faces of his friends, all laughing, joking and enjoying each other's company the day before. They had all smiled, and with each minute they were together seemed to become closer and closer. It brought a smile to his face, all he needed to do was add Ciri… and he felt he'd have a group that would make him happy forever.

His adopted father quickly continued when he looked up again, "George just helped you go toe to toe with the Wild Hunt, took out half the soldiers even after he got stabbed…. Faram's becoming one of the toughest Witcher's I've ever met…. And even that Freya, girl can heal almost any wound, and I saw a little bit of what she could do with a sword, when she gets a good teacher… she'll be deadly."

He scoffed after Geralt had finished, "Ha, you should've seen her kill the Bruxa. No hesitation at all, stabbed it right in the back."

It was Geralt's turn to smile as he met his eyes again, "Then of course there's you and me…. We're going to find Ciri, and when we do, with her at our side… we'll kill Eredin, and the rest of the Hunt."

They would. Geralt's words rung true. He had been saying for the previous few days it was time for him to quit feeling sorry for himself and throw himself even more headfirst into looking for Ciri. His company would do the exact same thing's Geralt's had done. They would find wherever she had gone, kill whoever took her, kill the one's trying to come after her. Whether it be this Baelen who was trying, the commander's Imlerith or Coranthir… or even Eredin himself. Anyone who got in his way, in his way of him being able to give Ciri her freedom… they would die.

And it was going to be his job to see it done.

He slowly looked up to meet Geralt's eyes again, "We will… you're right. Thanks Geralt, and well… for what it's worth. I'm sorry I didn't come with you to Stygga Castle."

A small smile came to the older Witcher's face, as he slowly shook his head, "No need to apologize. Now come on… let's go put on your play."

He nodded in agreement and they both turned towards the door to Irina's quarters. It was just past midday so the sun was still high, and he could feel a beat of sweat slowly rolling down the back of his neck. The sense of optimism that he felt after leaving the Kingfisher was slowly returning as he entered the large building with Geralt right on his heels.

A cool breeze ran through his back as Geralt quickly closed the door behind them. The mummers house was large, with at least three floors. The bottom floor had multiple tables for makeup, wigs, and mirrors for making yourself look ready for the stage. Upstairs he could see signs of personal quarters, where he assumed the mummers all slept. He quickly reached into his bag and pulled out the parchments and looked over the title again.

The 'Urcheon of Erlenwald', had been changed to 'The Doppler's Salvation', and he was glad of it. Not just because it was going to help them lure Dudu out of hiding, but because it momentarily made him forget it would be a play about Ciri's real parents. Back in Cintra, he remembered he only asked his father once what had happened to Ciri's mother, and why Queen Calanthe was the one to raise her. His father's face had grown dark, and always refused to speak of it. He never wanted to ask Ciri about her mother because he thought it would've been hard for her to talk about it, and he also wasn't sure if Ciri even knew.

Finally, one day he had gotten so curious, that he asked his mother why his father had never talked about Princess Pavetta. His mother had revealed the story to him, making him swear to never bring it up to his father. It turned out, that very similarly to Dominik and Ciri, his own father had grown up close friends with Pavetta. Dominik's grandfather had died when his father was younger, so by the time Gregory had turned 20, he was already in line to be the next captain of the guard, and had already been knighted by the Queen. This only made the friendship between him and Pavetta grow, as he often protected her along with Queen Calanthe. A rumor even began circulating at one point that his father and Princess Pavetta were in love, and had been secretly together, however, unlike he and Ciri, the rumors about his father and Princess Pavetta weren't true. They simply were the best of friends.

Ciri's mother Pavetta had died out at sea with Ciri's father, that was what they thought. Ciri's father Emhyr Var Emrys was indeed alive, but Princess Pavetta had died. His father had been devastated, and claimed that he was responsible, for when Pavetta left for the voyage, Queen Calanthe and his father insisted that his father go with her to protect her. Pavetta however refused, stating that she was perfectly safe with her husband. His father blamed himself, thinking that if he had only gone with Pavetta things would have been different, perhaps he could have saved her.

Dominik learned that this was the reason that his father was so protective of Ciri, why he treated Ciri as his own daughter, just as he did Dominik and Bella. Ciri was his father's only reminder of his best-friend, and if what his father always told him growing up was true… it was his destiny. It had been his father's destiny to protect Princess Pavetta, and then in turn protect Ciri as well. However, he learned that his father just like he, protected them both because he cared for them deeply, not just because destiny said so.

And now to save Ciri… Dominik would have to put onto stage the story of her mother, his father's old best-friend.

"Madam Irina," Geralt said from next to him, pulling him out of his thoughts.

His head shot up and he saw Irina sitting in her chair, a brush in her hand. The slightly older woman placed down the brush and stood up to meet both of their eyes. After a few moments her eyes widened, and she smiled holding out both of her hands.

"Geralt of Rivia and Dominik of Cintra! The White Wolf and the Young Wolf, Dandelion has told us so much about the both of you. Is he with you by any chance," The woman asked eagerly.

Hearing the nickname Dandelion had come up with for him again made him roll his eyes, "If that nickname sticks… I'm going to strangle him," He muttered loud enough for only himself to hear.

Geralt spoke up for them, shaking his head, "He isn't with us. But we hope to get him back soon. We're actually here to talk about Dudu."

Upon hearing the doppler's name Irina's eyes grew wide again and he could see the worry flush to the woman's face as the sun streamed in through the windows.

"How can I help? We've not seen Dandelion or Dudu for quite some time it's been worrying," The brown-haired woman said, looking between them both.

Slowly he shook his head, "That's because they're both in trouble. Long story short… they pissed off the Temple Guard. Dandelion's trapped and Dudu is in hiding. We need your help to find Dudu, so that way we can save Dandelion."

Irina's jaw nearly hit the floor as she quickly looked between Geralt and he, "It seems this is much more serious then I thought… like I said I'll help how I can. Do you have a plan?"

A small smile came to his face as he nodded, "Yeah… Geralt and I want to put on a play. Something that'll really draw the crowds in. In it… we have a hidden message for Dudu, one that'll make him feel comfortable enough to reveal himself to us."

"And after he does that, we can save Dandelion. We're a little crunched for time, so we'd need to do it soon," Geralt quickly added after him.

Quickly Irina seemed to understand the magnitude of the situation, which he was thankful for. She looked between the both of them again, "Alright we can certainly help with that. But as I'm sure you know one of the play's we already have simply won't due. We need an entirely new play from scratch."

"Priscilla and I already handled that," He said, feeling a hint of pride come out of him, as he handed the script to the woman, "The Doppler's Salvation. Two of us wrote it last night."

"Oh my… a Witcher and a writer," Irina said with an excited smile, taking the script from him.

He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, "Aha… very amateur but… I guess you could say that."

"Does this mean I'm going to have to deal with you writing Ciri poems when we find her…" Geralt quietly from next to him.

"Shut up Geralt," He hissed, elbowing the older witcher in the gut.

Geralt scoffed a laugh as he absorbed the blow. Irina looked over the first few pages of the script, before looking back up at them, eagerly nodding her head. The sun was slowly starting to descend but they still had plenty of time until sunset. He was happy that it decided not to rain that day, from the last few he was starting to worry that his armor would get even more water damage than it already had. He also didn't feel like sitting to watch a play in the rain.

Irina met both of their eyes again, "This is actually quite good. I'll read it more in depth while we set up. We'll handle the set, actors and production but we do need a few more things," The woman started, looking between them both, "Firstly we're going to need some ushers to keep the peace…. And if we really want to draw in the crowds, we'll need to be sure to get it publicized. Do you think you can handle these matters?"

He felt himself breathe a sigh of relief, and he also felt a small twinge of nervousness run through him. The play he and Priscilla had wrote was truly going to be performed, something he had always dreamed about when he was a young child. He was going to accomplish something he always secretly wanted to do, and he would finally get information about Ciri as well.

So, he would of course do whatever he could to make sure it went well.

"Think we really need ushers? A play about dopplers could be controversial, but are ushers really necessary," Geralt asked the woman, the sun casting their shadows over the room through the windows.

Irina scoffed quickly, "Can't be sure if you've attended many performances, but Novigrad crowds can be particularly… difficult."

"Rotten fruit, tomatoes stuff like that," Geralt quickly asked again.

"Axes, butcher's knives and bricks actually. And like you said, a play about dopplers is sure to be controversial. So, we must hire some good protection for all of us," Irina stressed, her hands going to her hips.

An idea creeped up into his brain right away and he turned to Geralt, "Why don't we go down to the docks? Faram should be there, he said he's gathering the last of a crew for us to sail to Skellige. I'm sure he'd be willing to help."

The idea of having his friend come in to help them brought another broad smile to his face. Geralt seemed to agree with the idea, because the older witcher nodded, "Alright shouldn't be a problem. What was that you said about publicizing?"

"Yeah," He said quickly after Geralt was finished, "If we really want Dudu to show up, we need to make sure we get the world out to everyone we can."

Irina quickly thought for a moment before looking up at them with realization, "Well if we want everyone to hear about it, then we must talk to the puffins. They're a street performing group, if we can get them to promote the play, then everyone in town will be clamoring to get seats."

Quickly he nodded, his hands twitching, eager to get to work, "Alright, where can we find them?"

"They own a townhouse in the bits," Irina said, slightly biting down on her lip, "Although I haven't seen them in quite some time. They must be staying home for some reason."

Nodding in understand he quickly turned to Geralt. His felt his brain flowing rapidly like a river, all the pieces were now in place. All they had to do was pray that Dudu was interested in the mumming. He knew for a fact that if the doppler saw him or Geralt at the premier he would right away reveal himself to help them. If what they heard from Whoreson was true, Ciri and Dandelion were going to send for Geralt and he. Dudu knew this, so surely their doppler friend would realize it was safe when he saw them.

Soon they would have Dudu, then a means to free Dandelion, which meant he'd soon know where she had gone, what had happened to her.

"Time for us to split up," He asked his adopted father, a small smile coming to his face.

Nodding Geralt looked out the windows, "Yeah, I'll head down to the harbor, see if I can't find Faram. You go see if you can find the puffins. Meet back here when we're done."

Sighing he looked out the window as well. The day truly was beautiful, perfect for a mumming, a cool breeze, and not a cloud in sight. After the hell he had gone through the previous two days, all the fighting he had done, it was good to finally have a night where while still looking for Ciri, what they were doing actually excited him. It made him think back to the days in Cintra.

His mother would take him to the mummings at night, he'd sit there with her, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulder, the bright green eyes he inherited from her sparkling as he was so enthralled by the performances. She would have to carry him back to the house when he was young, it was always so precious to him, that time he spent with her.

Something his mother had done till the very end, all the way up until her death, was defend the ones she loved. Whether it was a shady merchant trying to give them rotten grain, a thug at the tavern… or even Nilfgaardean soldiers. She had protected he, Bella, and their father with absolutely everything she had. She protected the people from threats when they could, a thief in the market, a pack of wolves attacking a traveler in the woods as they were there… his mother Sofia was always willing to help, and fiercely defended the ones she loved.

_'You know you love someone, when you care about their own happiness more than your own, I would sacrifice the world, just to see you, your sister, or your father smile… you three are my world. When you have someone that you love, love so fiercely you care for their wellbeing more then you do your own… that's something that will always be worth fighting for.' _

He remembered the words as if they had been spoken yesterday. It was what she had said to him as he walked out the door for the final ball he would get to attend. The one right before his father and Queen Calanthe left with the army to fight the Black One's. It had ended up being the last night he saw Ciri until they would escape Cintra together. He didn't know if his mother could see it, see that he was in love with Ciri before he did, but she had been sure to share those words with him when he went to see her… before everything changed.

And those would be words he'd remember, as he went to find the person, he felt that fierce of a love for.

**A/N: So after the non-stop action of chapters 28-31 our young hero FINALLY get's a bit of a break. We have some very interesting developments going on in this chapter, let's break them down a bit. **

**First we have Dominik and Priscilla writing their play to lure Dudu. One of my very few gripes with the Witcher 3 was how they basically threw Priscilla's character away after Novigrad. I understand she's recovering from her attack, but you can't even ask Dandelion how she's doing, or get any updates at all after that arc. So I knew I wanted to add more of her to my story.**

**Then we have the dream of the Wild Hunt…. The name of the commander Dominik fought is Baelen, and it seems she has a thirst for revenge against Dominik and Ciri both… so what's your theories? Who is she? How did a human come to be in the Wild Hunt? Why does she want to kill Dominik and Ciri so badly? Drop your predictions!**

**The rest of the chapter is set up for the next with some character development and father son bonding between Dominik and Geralt. We also learn more about both of Dominik's original parents. His father grew up friends with Princess Pavetta, while his mother seemed to know his son was in love. What do we think about them? What else are you interested in learning?**

**Next chapter is going to be a smaller one but will be HUGE for Dominik, for the first time in eight years he'll actually get to SEE Ciri, see the woman she's grown into (thanks to Dudu). How do you think he'll respond? And what about the impending rescue of Dandelion? How do you think the play will go xD**

**The support continues to be overwhelming. I can't thank you all enough for the reviews follows, favs, PMs, everything. Please everyone stay safe during these difficult times, and I hope that I can bring you some enjoyment during your lockdown! Stay safe everyone and I'll see you next time!**


	33. The Play's the Thing II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 33: The Play's the Thing II**

**Narrator: After many days of constant fighting and searching, Dominik and Geralt finally were back on Ciri's trail. After helping their friend Triss Merigold and the rest of the persecuted mages escape from Novigrad, the White Wolf and the Young Wolf set into motion their plan to free myself, the bard Dandelion from Temple Isle. To do this however, they needed our old doppler friend Dudu. However, the doppler was in hiding so the two Witcher's would need to find a way to lure them out. Dominik teamed up with the talented Priscilla and wrote a play with a hidden message weaved in for the doppler. After taking the play to Irina Renard's mumming troupe, they agreed to help the Witcher's with their plan. Now Dominik and Geralt could only hope the play lured Dudu out of hiding, so they could rescue me, so in return I could tell them what had happened to Ciri. **

After the mass Witch Hunter purge the day before, he was surprised to see so many people out and about in the bits. The sun was just starting its descent, marking the time just past midday. His sword clunked on his back, as the shining sun pleasantly warmed his face. After what had felt like days of non-stop fighting, his bones had finally felt recovered, and the strain on his mind was finally letting off. For the first time in a day's he was focusing on one solitary goal again, the one that mattered, figuring out where Ciri had gone.

Despite his dreams the night before he wasn't worried currently about this, Baelen, one of his friends being in mortal danger, or what abilities he started to feel slowly unlocking inside himself. All he was focused on was getting the play done right, so that they could find Dudu. Dudu wouldn't only be able to help them rescue Dandelion, he could possibly tell him more about where Ciri had gone, and possibly what she had been rushing to get the phylactery enchanted for.

The small magic box currently sat on his dresser at the Rosemary and Thyme. In the little amount of time he'd spent there since they acquired, he, he had tried to pry it open with his bare hands multiple times. Late at night the day after they'd got it, he took it outside when everyone was asleep and tried blasting it open with a sign. He had smashed it against the walls, tried everything he could to get it open, but it just wouldn't budge. If a curse was truly trapped inside like Triss had theorized, and Ciri needed it to be unlocked to lift one then he was hoping if he could get it open, somehow whatever was inside could lead him to her. His medallion hummed every time he touched it, so it had to have some magic trapped inside. If the curse had truly been casted on Ciri, then he and Geralt had even less time then he thought.

So, when he finally found the flier posted outside the townhouse, that said the Puffins were inside he sighed in relief. He ran a hand through his messy brown hair and felt the sweat dripping down his neck from the heat. It was a modest sized townhouse with only two floors, with a set of glass windows and door.

Carefully as not to startle anyone inside he slowly pushed the front door open, and when he did, he heard the strumming of a lute. To his right sitting at one table was a woman with long black hair, her fingers gingerly strumming the instrument. On a mattress on the floor a young eleven woman sat huddled, her head shooting around to him as soon as he entered. On the table to his amazement in the back of the room a man stood juggling with perfect precision. He could sense the tension in the room, so he tried for a calming smile when they all looked at him.

"That was a nice song," He said, looking to the black-haired woman, "A bit sad though…"

She scoffed for a moment and shook her head, "And it perfectly conveys our mood. What is it you seek here?"

"Looking for the puffins," He said, turning to face them all, "I heard there's not a better performing troupe in all of Novigrad."

He saw the elven woman's eyes quickly dart towards him, "We've no coin, leave us be!"

A small laughed came over him as he held up his hands, "Not here for coin don't worry… actually looking to hire you guys. I'm staging a play with Madam Irina's troupe, need to get it publicized."

His optimism took a slight hit when the man juggling on the table amazingly kept on juggling but looked and met his eye while he did.

"I'm afraid that's quite impossible. Ever since we debut our… less then flattering ballad about Hierarch Hemmelfart, Fatso's gang has been harassing us incessantly," The man said, a melancholy tone to his voice.

Upon hearing the man's name, he scoffed right away, looking over to the juggling man, "Fatso? And I thought Whoreson Junior had a stupid name… who is this guy?"

Rolling his eyes but keeping all three balls moving in his hands the man responded, "A common group of thugs' in the churches pay. There's many of them nowadays."

He was in a decent mood at the moment, after his conversation with Geralt earlier, and the fact their plan was finally underway it had severely raised his spirits. However, he felt his fists curl, the gangs of Novigrad, the thugs he'd been running into had been making things harder and harder for him since he entered the city, not to mention all of the innocent people they had been terrorizing.

"They chase away our spectators… break out instruments…. Lately they've even taken to lurking outside our house. We're at a wits end… we've no idea what to do," The elven woman said, her hands curling her legs up to her chest.

"They threatened Nissa! Said they were going to round off her pointy ears with a carving knife," The black-haired woman said from the table.

If there was one thing, he was sure he hated in the world, it was a people who preyed on those weaker than them. When he had been young in Cintra before he met Ciri, he had been a meek, shy child. Other kids in the streets would often chastise him and harass him for being so small. He never threw around his father's name in an attempt to scare them away, determined to fight his own battles. Most of the time he had lost and would return to his home with bruises all over his body. However, it had changed when he met Ciri. She had been so headstrong, confident, and sure of herself; it was one of the many things he loved about her.

They had both promised each other when they began their training, that they would never be helpless again. Not helpless like they were in Cintra, they would protect those that couldn't protect themselves, saving people from monsters. Whether the monsters had claws and fangs, or whether they were humans.

He felt his eyes darken, as he crossed his arms over his armor, meeting all the performers eyes, "Have they hurt any of you? Tried to attack you?"

"No, not yet. But it's only a matter of when," The juggling man said from the table, the balls perfectly landing each time in his hands.

The black-haired woman spoke up after him, "Nissa said she overheard them talking about setting fire to something!"

He uncrossed his arms and felt a small spike of anger run up his spine. The poor performers were obviously terrified for their lives, and he could see why. Radicals in the churches pay, they were never the easiest people to deal with. Temple guards had been the one to chase Ciri and Dandelion. Caleb Menge's words rang through his head, _there'll be a pyre waiting for her. _Those were the words he said in reference to Ciri, right before he blasted the man's desk back, before dueling and killing him.

A twang of sympathy ran through his heart. A joke Lambert had always made at Kaer Morhen, was that witcher's weren't meant to be defenders of the downtrodden. However, he always though the opposite. It was true that witchers killed monsters for money, however how he saw it, was that witchers protected people. They protected people from the unknown, from the monstrous stories they heard when they were children. Most importantly to him, witchers protected people from monsters, whether it be man or beast. That was what he and Ciri were going to do, protect people, help the helpless.

He had no idea how he survived half of the contracts he had over the years, perhaps whatever 'inner magic' as the Hunt commander Baelen had described, was what kept him from dying. Either way, no matter how desperate the situation, he always helped people when he could.

And it just so happened he could help the poor people in front of him and get what he needed for his own quest.

He lowered his arms to his side and looked at all three of them, "Alright. If you tell me where Fatso and his gang are, I'll go deal with them. If I do, will you three be able to promote Madam Irina's new play?"

From down on the floor he could see the elf Nissa's eyes go wide, she nodded eagerly, "Why of course we would… but I don't know how much luck you'll have. Go out and go left, head down a set of stairs nearby they usually stalk folk from there. There's no talking to that lot."

A small smile crossed his face as he slowly shook his head, walking towards the door, "Not much of a talker… inherited that from my father. Shouldn't take that long."

As he walked back out into the hot sun, he thought of Geralt, hoping that the older witcher had been able to find Faram at the docks. Despite what his adopted father always said about witchers being neutral on principle, he knew the older witcher had a code. Geralt would have helped the puffins, they were innocents being harassed by monster's in men's clothes. They needed his help, so he would be there, just like he knew his adopted father would have.

Turning to his left he sloshed through the mud that had been left over from the previous rains, making his way towards the staircase that Nissa had described. He knew it wouldn't take him long. He hadn't survived the Wild Hunt, Whoreson Junior's lair, a Bruxa and so much up to that point only to be stopped by a few rogue thugs. He could see that the sun was slowly moving more towards the horizon, sunset would more than likely be coming soon. A part of him wanted to head to the Rosemary and Thyme to check on George, to see him and Freya, so he made sure to move fast.

He saw the townhouse that Triss had been staying in off in the distance as he walked and felt a twang of sadness run through his body. The sorceress was really gone, and he already missed her terribly. Not only did he miss Triss because of the company she was, but he subconsciously looked down at his gloved hands. He still barely had any idea what being a 'carrier' could mean. And if he was one, then what was the extent of the power he could wield? Who was this ancestor that had passed down their blood to him? His father and grandfather to his knowledge were not mages. On his mother's side he didn't know much about her family. His mother always only told him her family had originated in Kovir, and slowly moved south before Dominik's great grandfather settled in Cintra.

His father's family of course had lived in Cintra for hundreds of years. They had been guard captains of the royal line, ever since his ancestor saved King Coram the second of Cintra in battle, and King Coram promoted him to captain of the guards, gifting him the bronze ring he'd eventually give to Ciri. His father had told him that Cintra's royal line and their own family had intertwining destinies, they were meant to protect them. Him and his mother both claimed it was his destiny to meet and protect Ciri. He didn't care if it was destiny or not, he was going to protect her now, and on the way to that goal, currently stood Fatso and his gang.

After finding the steps Nissa had told him about he quickly jogged down them, finally taking in the scene he saw. Three men had cornered a poor peasant man up against the brick wall. The one in the middle wore a cream-colored gambeson, and a kettlebell helmet with a sword at his belt. He had two men flanking him on the left and right, the one had stringy grey hair and a leather jerkin over a blue top, while the one on his right was holding a blackjack over the man against the wall.

"Please! Please I beg you, I've done nothing wrong," The man screamed, gripping his right kneecap, and from what he saw Dominik could tell it was near broken.

The one man in the middle spit towards the man, "Teach you to speak those blastphemin words again! A broken kneecap will set you straight really quick!"

"PLEASE, mercy sirs please," The man shouted, meekly raising his hands up try and defend himself.

"Let that man go. NOW," Dominik quickly yelled from behind them, his voice getting lower, as he felt his eyes get dark.

He kept his hands at his sides and analyzed the situation. His fingers began to twitch as all three men turned to him, and thankfully the man they'd been torturing managed to get up and limp away. The alley between them was small, and he was too close to them to draw his blade quickly enough. He'd have to rely firstly on his reactions, and then pull out his dagger or blade. The one to the right of him had a blackjack already out, while the other two had no weapons drawn yet. He would have to move quickly.

"Aye Fatso get a load of this smart mouth. Who the fuck you think you are to interrupt the Holy Fire's punishments BOY," The one in the blue tunic and leather jerkin spat at him.

His eyes quickly turned to the man in the middle who he singled out as Fatso. The cream-colored gambeson was hard on his eyes, but the fat man spat to his side and looked up to meet his eyes. The beady brown eyes the man had reminded him of Whoreson. And if he had his way, the man would end up just like him.

Fatso sneered, "Last person who got in our way is at the bottom of the Pontar. What the fuck so you want boy!? Speak quick before we break your fuckin legs!"

He wanted to scoff in the moment. However, he felt his annoyance and anger reach a new level. His voice was low, and he looked between all three of the men, his arms stay at his sides, twitching and ready to go to his blade.

"I'm going to give you ONE, chance to leave the Puffins alone," He told the three of them, feeling blood rush to the tips of his fingers.

The man from his left in the blue laughed, "HA, those fuckin poets who insulted the Hierarch? I'd sooner sniff out the Holy Flame myself!"

"You'll be eating dirt in a few seconds if you don't leave… NOW," He told them, with more urgency in his voice.

Fatso scoffed again and spit down in his direction, "You tell those fuckin minstrels to come down here themselves. We'll shove their flutes up their blastphemin assholes!"

His fists curled into a ball, and he felt something swirl and thump in his chest. He shot his head up again, almost seeing red through his emerald eyes.

"You caught me in a good mood today. So, I'm going to be generous. You have till I count to FIVE to get out of here, and not come back…. 1…2…3…4…" He said, slowly counting, the sun dripping sweat down his forehead.

To his little credit, Fatso still didn't look deterred, "HA he thinks he can scare us. Give him hell in the name of the church!"

"Five…" He said slowly, as the fight went just how he anticipated.

The man with the blackjack lashed out at him from the right. The beefy man swung his club from the right, and quickly he reached up and caught the man's wrist with his left hand. His right hand which was already twitching shot for the silver dagger at his belt. He brought it up from his hip and jabbed it into the man's underarm. Blood spewed like a waterfall from the man's arm as he screamed. Dominik used his momentum to throw the man into the brick wall behind him.

A loud crack could be heard as the man's head slammed into the wall, making him quickly crumple to the ground. He heard the sloshing of the mud around him and quickly turned. The man in the blue tunic and leather jerkin charged at him. The man wasn't charging with any skill or direction. It was as he thought, the louts were simply larger than most and used this to take advantage of poor folk, they had more than likely never fought anyone with real skill. He sidestepped the attack and jabbing his dagger into the man's side. The larger man screamed as he dropped his blade to the ground. Dominik quickly caught the man's sword with his free hand in a reverse grip and slashed it with as much power as he could muster. He cut right through the man's jerkin and into his chest, sending him stumbling to the ground, blood gushing from two holes.

Fatso was left by himself. The leader of the little gang went for an overhead strike from the right. He spun and putt all the strength into his parry, using the dead man's blade. His parry as he expected knocked Fatso's sword to the ground. He finished his spin and it would have cleaved through Fatso's neck, but he kept the blade leveled right at the man's through.

His darkened emerald eyes met the man's beady brown ones, "Leave, and don't come back. Next time I'll kill you."

The man gulped for a moment and shot him an angered looked before smartly turning away and running. He watched as the man's cream-colored gambeson retreated out of his view. After he lost the man in the crowd, he let out a deep breath. He turned and looked down at the two new dead bodies littering the street, tossing the man's sword to the ground, and sliding his dagger back into his belt. He let out another deep breath and looked down at his gloved hands.

He didn't know what it was, but something had felt different during the fight. Of course, he had pulled off the combos and killed much more skilled men before, however it felt… particularly easy the last fight. His movements had been perfectly precise, his strikes hard and fast. He cut clean through a man's jerkin into his chest, and if had wanted, could have killed three men in what had only been about thirty seconds. He let out another small breath and a smile suddenly came to his face.

Of course, he had known he was, but he was finally starting to see the results of how much stronger he was getting.

"Ah what a sight," An excited voice yelled from behind him, making him whirl back around.

He felt himself smile as all three of the puffins had come, stepping over the bodies and coming to meet him. The man who had been juggling had a huge relieved smile on his face as he eagerly reached out, grabbing Dom's hand, and shaking it.

"You really showed them! One, two over the back and then POW right on the noggin," He said excitedly, the smile not leaving his face.

Dominik felt a flush of red run to his face as he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Nissa the elven woman spoke up next, smiling over at him and bowing.

"I can finally leave my home without having to hide beneath a hood," She said, her voice full of relief and thankfulness, "Thank you… thank you very much!"

"Oh c'mon…" Dominik said nervously, feeling his face fully red now as he met their eyes, "It was really nothing. You were in need, I'm glad I could help."

The black-haired woman quickly shook her head at him, "It was far from nothing! And don't think for one minute we've forgotten our promise! We'll sing out voices ragged praising Irina's new play!"

Seeing the three of them with such relieved, thankful looks on their faces brought another smile to his own. Over the last eight years he had been mostly on his own. For a short while he traveled with Geralt when he was young, and then with Faram for a time as well, they were genuinely happy times for him. However, a large majority of the last eight years he had spent alone. He would spend night crying when he was young, looking up at the stars and the swallow pendant around his neck, crying, shouting, being angry at the universe for what had happened to him, lamenting the loss of Ciri almost every night.

However, despite all the bad moments, some good ones were sprinkled in. His time with Freya in Ellander brought him joy. When he completed contracts and saw the grateful relieved faces of those, he was able to save or help… it would make it worth it at the time. When he was able to save a villager's lost family member from a monster den. Or when he was able to stop a beast from ravaging a villages livestock and fields. The grateful look, the thankfulness, and most importantly the knowledge he had done something good, truly helped people. Those were the happy moments when he had been alone.

He managed a small laugh and his face finally stopped flustering red, "Thank you, I really appreciate it. How much'll I owe you? I got plenty of-."

"Not a single copper," Nissa said excitedly from next to him, "You helped us! So, there's no reason we shouldn't help you. We'll get half the town to come out to the play you'll see!"

A rush of thankfulness himself ran through his heart. The man that had been juggling grabbed and shook his hand again.

"A few moments to prepare and we'll be out on the streets! Thank you again my friend, till the next," The man said happily, as all three of the puffins smiled at him once more, before turning to jog back towards their home.

He liked to think that the world had done him a small favor. In return for doing the right thing, he had gotten what he needed. He would of course happily have paid the performers, but he knew better then to refuse a gift like they were offering. He saw them scurrying towards their house, Nissa happily clacking her heels and he smiled again.

His hands wrapped around the silver swallow around his neck. Ciri and he wanted to do things like this together. They wanted to both go and travel the Path, to help people, save people, protect the helpless. Whether it was a merchant who had a broken wagon wheel, or a village who needed a leshen killed… they would always be willing to help.

On his journey, he not only wanted to find her. Along the way he wanted to do what he thought she would do.

He didn't only want to find her, he wanted to make her proud.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When he finally arrived back at the butcher's yard and saw the stage, he was amazed at the speed the troupe had moved. A brand-new set had been placed on the stage, with the appropriate props all set out. It brought a smile to his face, reminding him of seeing the different sets, and displays for all the mummings he attended when he was a child. On his way in past the ticket seller, he could even begin to see crowds already beginning to form. A few seemed to be particularly unhappy however, and he assumed these were the 'holy flame faithful' who wanted to come see how the play was blasphemous to their doctrine. Either way he still felt in high spirits as he entered, a cool breeze running down his body under his armor. If all went according to plan, they would plan their rescue of Dandelion that night, and then tomorrow they would free their friend and learn where Ciri was now.

It also brought a smile to his face when he saw Geralt's little journey down to the docks had indeed proved fruitful. They had there ushers indeed, and he assumed that anyone who wanted to throw bricks, butchers' knives or axes like Irina predicted, would think twice after seeing their protection. He counted at least ten men; all had the look of hardened sailors. Some wore armor and carried blades, while others were simply large beefy men with biceps larger then Dominik's head. Some wore nothing but trousers, exposing their torsos and he could see the large tattoos some of them had. His own inner forearm twitched, and he couldn't help but wonder what it felt like getting one so large.

He pushed the thoughts aside and smiled broadly again when he saw who appeared from backstage, coming from near Irina's office.

"Faram," He said loudly, chuckling a little, glad to see his friend again.

The Bear School Witcher's masterful ursine armor clunked as he turned around. His friend laughed and held out his arms as Dominik walked to the stage. Laughing Dominik reached out a hand and shook the massive witcher's gauntleted hand.

"Haha good to see you mate! We missed you last night! Zoltan had to throw this one bum out on his arse for sneaking a shot of Mahakam from behind the counter," Faram said, laughing heartily from his gut.

He suddenly slight regretted not going to spend the night with his friends. Laughing nervously, he ran a hand through his messy, curly brown hair.

"Ha, I'm sorry I missed it. I was at the Kingfisher, we were-," He started before his friend quickly shook his head.

"No need to worry about it mate. Geralt explained to me the situation, found me at the docks and explained everything," The black-haired Witcher said, smiling and crossing over his arms.

Breathing out in relief he looked up and met his friends' yellow eyes, a smile was on Faram's face as it normally was. That was one thing he always admired about the Bear School Witcher. He was always smiling, always looking on the bright side of things, it was something he had desperately needed at the moment when they first met. Now he was there helping him still, he would have died for Faram, as he knows Faram would have for him, and he knew he'd have the man by his side whenever he needed.

He looked around and gestured towards the group of sailors who had been gathered around, talking, joking, arm wrestling, while some even wrestled.

A smile crossed his face as he looked back to the Bear School witcher, "Thanks for your help Faram, it means a lot. So… I take it this is your crew. I never asked, where did you even get the coin for a ship? Witcher's don't exactly make THAT much."

Faram laughed as he normally did and slapped Dominik's shoulder good naturedly, "Ha you're welcome mate, always happy to help. To answer your question yes, this band of fuckin degenerates is my crew. Couldn't ask for a better one, as for how I got the ship well… that's a story better told with drinks. Which after we learn where your poet friend is tonight, we'd best be having!"

Again, he laughed, feeling his heart warm up. Drinks and food with his friends around a fire before going to rescue Dandelion and find out where Ciri went, he couldn't think of a better occasion.

"There will be I promise," He said to his friend, looking to meet his witcher eyes again, "What about George and Freya, what were they doing today did they say?"

Faram quickly nodded, "Aye, I think George stayed in bed again sleeping off the last of his bruises. He's a tough fucker though, should be fine. Freya said she'd be in town, had a few more things to trade. Showed the lass a few combos last night, she's going to be deadly with a blade mark my words!"

"Oh, believe me I know," He scoffed, "Killed a fucking Bruxa two days ago."

Nodding in agreement Faram unfolded his arms, "Aye I could hardly believe it! Taking your ex-lover vampire slaying, never knew you were such a romantic mate."

His eyes went wide, and he felt his face get hot right away as he stuttered his words, "She… she um… told you about-."

"Bahahaha she did yeah. Could've done a lot worse mate let me tell ya," The Bear School Witcher teased, his massive shadow casting over him.

"What!? No, we never… well we...technically did share a bed but… we-. We didn't well…" He tried to stutter out, only to be cut off by the Bear School witchers laughter again.

The Bear School witcher held hid gut and laughed heartily at his expense. Dominik sighed and rolled his eyes. The truth of the matter was, other than Freya he had never even come close to becoming intimate with a woman. There had been… grateful woman he had saved, and others who offered, but it had just never seemed right to him. He could never bring himself to do it. It just was never something he wanted to do with someone other than the person he truly loved.

He had thought he was with Freya. It was a night he didn't think he'd ever forget. The two of them had gone for a walk-through the forest that night, with him even picking her flowers, and teaching her how to read the stars. It had all led back to his room in Ellander. They had kissed, she had taken off his shirt before taking off her own as well. She had been just as nervous as he was, but she overcame her fear first removing all her clothes, sitting on his lap, and kissing him on his bed. In that moment he almost committed, he felt in love with her at that moment. A part of him wanted to remove the rest of his own and finally commit to her fully.

However, he looked over for a single moment and saw the swallow pendant resting on his nightstand. After he saw it, he knew he couldn't. They had kissed more, and rolled around in the bed, naked and half-naked for some time more before Freya finally said it. She told him she loved him, and in the moment he froze. He had been so lonely in that moment for so long, he hadn't found any solid leads on Ciri for almost years. Before he had met Freya, he would spend days sitting and stewing in his own sadness, and it had almost killed him when the bounty hunter attacked him. So that night he lied to her, telling her he loved her as well. It was one of his greatest shames to that day.

They weren't intimate that night, but they fell asleep together, naked and half naked. The next morning was when he awoke… and had said Ciri's name. That was when he knew he was lying to himself he would never truly be able to love Freya like he loved Ciri.

He was blessed beyond belief that Freya had seemingly forgiven him. He only hoped he could somehow make it up to her.

Freya being the person she was however, still had offered to help him find Ciri, and he was eternally grateful for it. Just like he's be eternally grateful to Faram, and George. Having friends, you could count on, friends you knew had your back no matter what. It was a rare thing in that day and age he knew, and despite the situation he faced, having the friends he did was one of the blessings he'd been given.

And another of those blessings, was that he also now had Ciri so close to him.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at Faram as the Bear School witcher finished laughing and looked back up to him.

"Hi-fucking-larious Faram," He said with obvious amusement in his voice, "Is Geralt back with Irina?"

Faram rubbed a tear of laughter from his eyes before nodding to him, "Haha, yeah mate he is. They're actually in there waiting for you. Seems your little play has begun to draw quite the audience."

A new feeling of excitement ran through his chest as he nodded to his friend with a smile, "Alright I better go see him, thanks again Faram."

"Aye no problem mate," The larger witcher said, a small smirk coming to his face as he clapped a hand on Dominik's shoulder, "And good luck with your… performance."

He could see Faram trying to control his laughter, but the Bear School Witcher walked away to join some of his crew before he could ask anything. He rolled his eyes and put it out of his mind as he turned to walk through the stage.

When he got around back, he could see multiple members of the troupe walking around, one nearly knocked him over. They were rehearsing lines, singings and doing vocal exercises. The smile stayed on his face, and the rush of excitement made his blood race like a river. While he knew that the true purpose of the play was really what mattered, he couldn't help but feel a little starstruck. Starstruck and amazed a professional troupe of actors was really going to be putting on a play that he co-wrote.

The door to Irina's office was wide open, and the sun would soon be setting so he put extra purpose into his steps. The cool breeze blew through his messy, curly hair as he took in a deep satisfied sigh. Geralt was leaning up against one of the dressers, in deep conversation with Irina standing across from him. Smiling and feeling as if the world were finally giving him a night off, where he could proceed with his quest for Ciri and also lean back and relax. A part of him wanted to go find Freya and George, so the three of them could sit together.

"Nissa from the puffins promised they'd get half the town to show up," He said with a smile, walking over to the two of them.

Irina turned to him first with a smile. Geralt on the other hand looked like he was also trying to hold in a laugh like Faram had been. Very rarely did Dominik see the older Witcher with such an amused look on his face. Geralt was 'very low on vocal and facial expression' by his own admission, so seeing his adopted father look as if he were about to burst into laughter made him narrow his eyes.

"What are you smirking about…" He asked the older witcher slowly.

The sun shone through the glass windows, reflecting light of he and the older Witcher's swords. Geralt simply shook his head, the grin still presents on his face.

"Oh nothing… Irina and I were just talking about the text itself," Geralt said, looking over to the head of the troupe.

He suddenly felt himself laugh nervously as he turned over to the woman, "So did you… have a chance to read it over fully?"

The brown-haired woman smiled and nodded to him, looking down at the script in her hands again, "I have, and I must admit I actually quite like it. I was willing to relax my standards to help Dudu but… I must admit lad, you have quite the talent for writing. I daresay you'll have something to fall back on."

A warm feeling washed over him again, and he smiled over at the woman, "Thank you… you never know maybe I will one day. Got a lot of things I need to do first though…. So, what now? I already saw crowds gathering, do we have the cast figured out?"

He saw Geralt out of the corner of his eye suppress a laugh again, but he decided to pay no attention to him. Irina eagerly nodded her head, as the sun outside slowly began to descend further.

"I already believe I know who to cast as the servant, the Queen, and the Witcher," She explained, and again he paid no mind to Geralt laughing in the corner of his eyes as she continued, "Which only leave the roll of the prince and the princess."

Nodding in understanding he felt a small chill run down his spine. The role of the prince and the princess, Princess Pavetta and Emhyr Var Emrys. He thought again to the story his mother had told him so long ago, about his father and Princess Pavetta. The two of them hadn't fallen in love like Ciri and he, however they were still the best of friends, growing up together. He remembered in his father's delirious ramblings as he lay dying in Cintra, Dominik hastily trying to patch his wounds, his father had said Pavetta's name, along with his mothers and sisters.

He always wished he could have met Pavetta, tell her that his father and he were going to look after Ciri as best they could for their whole lives.

"The princess is a small role, but an important one, do we have any options," He asked the woman, crossing his arms over and scratching the scruff on his chin.

Irina crossed her arms for a moment and met his eyes, "Priscilla is the obvious choice. She's young, talented, beautiful…. However, I do have more stage experience."

His eyes widened slightly as he nervous scratch the back of his head, "Um… let's have Priscilla do it. No offense, but she did help me write it. She'll understand the text inside and out."

Again, he could see Geralt still smirking at him from the left as Irina slowly nodded, "Yes, I see your point, I understand…. Now for the prince we have two candidates. Abelard Rizza would be a safer bet. Flawless technique, been with the troupe for ages but… he doesn't exactly captivate crowds. On the other side with have Maxim Boliere, outstanding actor, audiences love him… but I can't be sure he'll show up sober… or at all."

Quickly he shook his head, seeing the problem, "Let's go with Abelard. I know we wanna put on a good show but… in the end we're doing this for Dudu. Don't wanna risk this not working."

Irina nodded in agreement, "You're right. Project is risky enough. Now, we have the cast all figured out, we should soon be able to begin as soon as you're ready Dominik."

He sighed with a smile as a cool breeze shot through the open door. The sun was almost set, and he knew most mummings began at sunset and went on into the night. After seeing how much the crowds were packed outside, he wanted to find good enough seats. One where he could watch the play unfold, and so he could keep an eye out for Dudu in the crowd. A play about a doppler being saved by a witcher was sure to draw him in.

Finally, he looked back to Irina, "Oh yeah, I didn't ask. Who'd you get to play the witcher?"

To his left Geralt stifled a laugh, this time loud enough to finally make Dominik turn and narrow his eyes at him, "Alright what have you been laughing about this whole time?"

Irina quickly cut in before he could get any answer from his adopted father, "He's a self-proclaimed amateur- it'll be my first time working with him. However, from what I've seen he's extremely talented and I'm sure he'll be wonderful!"

The woman sounded extremely excited, and it was infectious. However, she stood there looking at him with a smile, as he looked back waiting for her to say the man's name. A silence hung over the three of them for a moment, and he began to wonder if he should ask further. He was about too, however Geralt finally couldn't hold his laughter, nearly keeling over. He whirled around to look at his adopted father, who he very rarely saw laugh like that.

"Okay what the hell are you laughing about," He demanded, crossing his arms, and glaring at the older witcher.

Geralt laughed again and finally lifted his head up, meeting his emerald eyes with his yellow ones, "She means you, you idiot."

He digested the words for a moment, turning back to Irina, "Me for what? What is he… oh…. Oh NO, no, no, absolutely not. Not happening, not a fucking chance!"

There were only a few times in his life he remembered being that flustered, his face feeling that red and hot. His heart pumped in his chest, feeling as if it were going a thousand beats per minute.

Irina sighed and shook her head, "Geralt told me you wouldn't like the idea."

His eyes widened and he quickly shook his head, "NOT happening. I'm sorry but absolutely not. I am HORRIBLE in front of crowds, last time I tried to get in front of a giant crowd and talk I literally almost died."

The large diagonal scar across his chest from Rivia ached. He had tried to stop the people from killing Geralt that day first by talking to them, pleading with them, however his words had absolutely no effect. The crowd was ravenous, and eventually he and Geralt were separated. He remembered the screaming, them jabbing at him with pitchforks, scythes, and swords. He tried to not fight for as long as he could, not wanting to kill innocent people, however he was eventually forced to draw his sword. They cornered him into an alleyway where the one young man who looked like he never held a sword before cut one across his chest, and he almost died from the bleeding before Triss saved him.

It had been an irrational fear he knew, but ever since he had struggled going in front of large groups of people and speaking.

Geralt sighed with an eye roll and stepped off the dresser next to him, "That was different. Come on don't be a baby, you don't even have that many lines."

He scoffed at his adopted father, "Easy for you to say!"

Irina shook her head next to him, "Oh come now Dominik. You're one of the people who wrote the play, like you said it's fitting you act in it," The leader of the troupe said reassuringly, "All you must do is waltz on stage broadsword in hand and spout a few lines in a deep voice and you're done. Besides Dudu must see you, it's the crux of the whole endeavor!"

"Well why can't Geralt do it then he's known Dudu longer," He said quickly, pointing over to Geralt with his heart pounding, the hairs on his arms shaking.

Geralt rolled his eyes at him again, "Because as you know I'm a little low on vocal expression."

"That's perfect for playing a Witcher," He shouted again quickly, right after his adopted father had finished.

Sighing Geralt stood up straight and looked at him, "Come on Dominik you need to do this. Do it for-."

"Don't you do it," He said quickly cutting the older witcher off, knowing if he said her name he would crack and do it, "Don't you say her name to make me do this!"

Geralt laughed a little and shook his head, "Alright, alright, but I'm serious Dom. You need to do this. Ciri told Dudu she was sending for us both, but also told him you'd be here sooner. If he sees you on stage, he's more likely to reveal himself. I'll stand in the crowd and keep an eye out."

"I fucking hate it when you volunteer me for things without me around…." He muttered, slowly running his hands down his face in agitation.

His adopted father smirked and shook his head, "You'll be fine. Just look at it this way, this is what you have to do, to find her. You can add this to the list of amazingly brave things you had to do to save her!"

He felt his eyes roll again, it felt as if one of his bombs had gone off inside his stomach, this time however it wasn't a bomb of anger. It was a bomb of anxiousness, apprehension, and stage fright. He never thought he'd have to overcome his fear of speaking in front of large crowds to save Ciri, however he had done a lot of things in the last few weeks he'd never have thought he could do before.

He went toe to toe with two generals of the Wild Hunt, he had killed a fiend almost single handily, he fought and broke a Pesta's curse, cured a botchlings curse, learned another school of Witcher combat, and finally after eight years was only weeks behind Ciri. How hard could it possibly be for him to go on stage and say a few lines? He wrote the play, and the Witcher only had a few, and he remembered them exactly, just like he did almost every other. If he was going to write a story of the mother of the woman he loved, he was going to make sure he knew it.

Sighing he looked over to Madam Irina, who was smiling at him reassuringly, before turning back to Geralt. The sun was almost set now, he didn't have any more time to argue. If he didn't go and play the Witcher nobody would, and then the whole play would crumble, and they'd never find Dudu.

He finally looked up and rolled his eyes at Geralt one last time, his stomach still churning, "Fine… I'll do it. We can start whenever we're ready… hopefully I don't get sick."

Geralt smiled at him, a hint of amusement and pride in his eyes. He was about to say something when he heard the door open to his left. Both Geralt and he whirled around, and his eyes went wide.

"Ahhh, Zoltan, George, Freya, how nice of you to join us," Geralt said sarcastically, looking over to their three friends.

His stomach churned like an active volcano. It was indeed Zoltan, George, and Freya, all with amused looks on their faces. It did bring him a small comfort however seeing that George was back wearing his Griffin School armor, his swords both tied to his back. The wound that he had in his torso seemed to finally be fully healed, and he assumed it was thanks to his enhanced healing as a Witcher, and Freya's potions.

Freya looked at him with an amused look on her face. Her light blonde locks cascaded down her back, and his eyes widened when he realized she was wearing her sword on her back as opposed to on her hip. A simple longsword in a brown leather sheath, but it looked natural on her. She wore brown trousers and black, leather heeled boots. She had the black gambeson he assumed was from her time with the army tied tightly, a light white cotton top over it. She wore a leather belt around her waist, with two pouches attacked to each side.

She slowly clapped when she saw him, "Well, well, well a little bird told us you were trading out witchering for mumming! I never knew you were such a theater junky."

Geralt laughed from next to him, along with George and Zoltan. Zoltan walked up and looked up at him, another amused look on his face.

"Prissy came by, told us you lot were putting on a play, with our young witcher here as the lead," The dwarf said with a smile, his axe tied to his back.

"I'm not playing the lead," He said quickly, looking between the three of them.

Zoltan scoffed and nodded, "Though that meself, I'd sooner shave me beard the miss this! Tell me lad… are you going to be wearing hose and a codpiece?"

All four of them started to laugh and he felt his stomach about to burst again. His head began to race as he tried to remember the line for the Witcher, and suddenly he was having a much harder time remembering them then a few minutes priors. He let out a shaky breath as he uncrossed his arms and narrowed his emerald eyes at the four of them.

George stopped laughing first, and looked at them all with a smile, "Alright, alright, I believe we've sufficiently teased our young friend enough. He must go and rehearse for his big performance!"

The slight sarcasm in George's voice made them all laugh lightly again, and even he felt himself begin to slight smile. Something he learned from knowing Lambert all the years he was at Kaer Morhen, was that your friends weren't your friends unless they teased you. He remembered George who just two days prior was by his side fighting the Wild Hunt. If that didn't make George of Toussaint a true friend, then he didn't know what would.

He finally managed to bring a smile to his face, "George I never got a chance to ask, how are you feeling?"

Zoltan, Freya, and Geralt's eyes all turned to the Griffin School witcher who smiled at him and nodded, "I am fighting fit my friend! Thanks to you getting me here, Freya's healing, and Zoltan's hospitality. I'm more than ready for our next fight, how about you?"

All the eyes turned to him again and he felt a chill run through his body, "Well… I was great up until a few minutes ago…"

They all laughed together again, and another genuine smile came to his face. It warmed the chill that went through him and calmed the nerves he had begun feeling. Seeing their laughing face brought him hope, hope that hopefully after all this questing was done, and they had found Ciri, they would be able to beat back the Hunt, and live like regular friends then.

"Alright, alright enough dawdling," Irina said quickly, coming up next to him and grabbing his arm, "Come now Dominik you must ready your mind for the stage!"

All the warmth seeped out of him, as all four of them looked at him again with bemused expressions. Geralt chuckled and met his eyes first.

"Good luck… and just remember what this is all for," The older witcher said, making him feel the swallow around his neck begin to slightly tremble.

Freya took a moment to laugh at his flustered red face, "Haha good luck Dominik, we'll be watching! Come Zoltan, George, Geralt… we'd best go find our seats!"

He watched as all four of them turned to nod at him, before they filed out of the building. Again, he let out a shaky breath feeling himself shudder. Sunset was finally upon them, and thankfully it didn't seem like they needed to change him into any costumes. He held a hand over his stomach, trying to do anything to calm the swirling feeling that continued inside it.

Trying to keep himself calm, he let out another long deep steadying breath, "Okay Dominik… you've killed vampires, werewolves, fiends, leshen's… fought the Wild Hunt… this can't be nearly as bad."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I never thought I'd wish for the Wild Hunt… fuck that's a lot of people," He muttered to himself backstage as the main announcer was on stage, loudly and proudly announcing the cast list.

"Oh, relax you'll be fine I know you will," Priscilla said from behind him.

He had seen the crowd of people and it was even more then he had expected. All the seats had ben full, and no monster he ever faced compared the current fear he felt with almost a hundred pairs of eyes staring at him. He was waiting backstage for his signal, which was coming up shortly, but his legs were completely locked together.

Priscilla stood behind him, trying to keep him calm but not doing a particularly good job. He could the sweat rolling down his palms underneath his gloves, and the slow bits that trickled down the back of his neck. She had been wearing her dress to play her role as the princess, and finally grabbed his arm to turn and face her.

"Listen you just need to pretend the audience isn't there and-," She started but he quickly shook his head.

"How am I supposed to pretend there aren't a hundred people out there look at me at once! Last time that happened was at Rivia, I'm sure Dandelion told you what happened there," He shot back at her quickly, cutting her off as he felt his blood begin to race even harder.

The sun had finally gone down, so her face was illuminated by the moonlight and the multiple torches the mummers had lit. She rolled her eyes at him as he heard the woman playing the queen and the man who was the servant speaking on stage. He knew his que was coming but he still couldn't move his legs.

Priscilla sighed in annoyance, "I promise this will be completely different. Remember what's at stake!"

He quickly shook his head, still not feeling his legs able to walk due to the shaking. Finally, he heard the man playing the servant loud on stage pronouncing his line.

"Majesty! The monster slayer awaits! Your summons he's answered and stands at the gates," The man announced loud and proud before the audience, as if he had done it a million times, which he of course probably had.

His eyes widened and he quickly turned back to his blonde trobairitz friend, "I can't do it! I can't do it Priscilla I-, OW!"

He winced in pain after she slapped him across the cheek, glaring at him, "Just relax and you'll be fine! Do it for Ciri and Dandelion their lives are at stake!"

He rubbed his right cheek where she had slapped him and heard Ciri's name ring through his head. Sighing he felt the cold breeze of the night run up his back, and he whirled back around to the stage. He could see the two still on stage, as the woman playing the queen, who was supposed to be Queen Calanthe spoke her line.

"Let him in, I must speak to the man! Lest that dread beast take my daughter's hand," The woman said, her line delivery absolutely perfect.

He saw the man playing the servant come back behind the stage and gesture for him to come up the steps. His legs were still locked, but he felt them move when Priscilla urged him forward.

"Just pretend you're talking to the real Queen Calanthe, and go, to slay beasts most foul," She whispered loudly in his ear, giving him another urge forward.

Pretend he was talking to Queen Calanthe. He would have given almost anything for that opportunity again. He would tell her how sorry he was that he hadn't been able to protect Ciri like he had promised. He would tell her that he was doing everything in his power now to try and make up for that mistake and save her now. His eyes widened when the thought crossed his mind.

Do everything in his power and save her now. He gripped the swallow around his neck tightly and let out a deep breath as he walked up the stage. This was for her in the end, he would put his fear aside.

When he finally got up onto the stage the amount of light from candles made him blink a few times. Quickly he looked out into the crowd, hoping that perhaps he could spot Dudu right away and be done with it. He couldn't make the doppler out however, he had been hoping to recognize him by his scar, but he saw no such person. The amount of people still astonished him, and he felt the over a hundred sets of eyes on him. Faram's crew members all lined the rows, keeping their eyes on the stage and the people.

The eyes started to overwhelm him, but that was when he saw his friends. On a bench in the front row on the right they all sat, looking up at him. Freya, Faram, George, Zoltan… and of course Geralt. All of them smiled at him, giving him reassuring nods, and looked. He locked eyes with Geralt however, the older Witcher leaning on hand on his knee as he sat forward. His adopted father gave him a small nod and a smile, and he felt some of the nervousness leave him.

"Witcher! Your task is a matter most tender," The actress playing the queen said from next to him, his head whirled around, and he met her eyes, "A monster shall show at tonight's feastly splendor. Stand guard, beware, kill the beast if it shows… and a grateful queen shall reward your woes!"

As the woman spoke, he imagined the real Queen Calanthe's voice ringing in his head. _Keeping an eye on Ciri for me?_ That was the question she always asked him.

And soon he would be.

He cleared his throat and looked over towards the bench with his friends, trying to keep his voice level. His eyes carefully zoomed over the crowd.

"To slay beasts most foul- 'twas for this I was made," he said, looking over to see the smiles of amusement on his friend's face, keeping his voice high, "I kill as my calling! Not just to get paid."

After his line had finished, he took one last quick glance at his friends on the bench. While Faram, George and Zoltan seemed good-naturedly amused, Geralt nodded to him, while Freya gave him a small reassuring smile. He turned and walked back from the stage, letting out a long deep breath after he finally got down the steps.

He let out another deep breath of relief, feeling his guts finally begin to untwist. The witcher had very few lines in the play, and he knew there were only four more lines he had to recite. Most of the scenes he simply stood in the corner, before delivering he final line of the play. It would give him time to relax himself, and perhaps even try and locate Dudu in the crowd.

Priscilla quickly came up to him after he got backstage, holding up her long blue dress, looking up at him with a smile, "That was fantastic, see I told you you'd be alright!"

Keeping his heart rate steady he managed a smile back at her, "Thanks to you, never would've gotten out there otherwise. Thankfully, we didn't give the Witcher many lines."

She scoffed and nodded in agreement, her face lite by a nearby torch, "You're right. So, did you see anyone who may possibly be Dudu?"

He shook his head disappointedly, "No… didn't get a good look. But I spend most scenes brooding in the corner, so I'll have some time to look."

Quickly the trobairitz nodded, "Alright let's get moving, we're about to start act 2. You ready to share the stage together?"

Scoffing he rolled his eyes and nodded his head, "Yeah… least I'll have you there. I swear I'm going to stick to witchering for a while after this…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His next line delivery came up quickly, and while the servant next to him spoke his lines, he scanned the crowd again. A few people he hadn't noticed before had entered the butcher's yard, not sitting down but standing. He knew that Whoreson had left Dudu a fresh scar on his right eye, so he tried to scan for anyone by the description.

He looked to his right and the bench that had his friends were missing a few. Only Freya, Zoltan and George sat there now. Geralt he assumed had been sneaking about the crowd, trying to see if he could find the doppler. Meanwhile Faram had begun to stand guard with his crew members, more than likely doing the same thing.

The cool breeze of the night ran through his hair, and it clunked his blade around in the sheath. Ciri had risked her life to go back and save Dudu from Whoreson, it was simply the type of person she was. He was hoping that she had told the doppler to look for him, and that he truly was amongst the crowd, only waiting for the play to end to reveal himself to Dominik. He had seen the doppler merchant occasionally during his travels, and while he knew he didn't stand out as much as Geralt did in the crowd, he was sure that the doppler would recognize him.

He got caught up scanning the back row of the crowd of people. Finally, his eyes fell on something that made him pause. It was a solder of the Temple Guard. The portlier man had on a breast plate, and the white and red colors of Novigrad. A sword was at his hip, and just before he could try and focus on the man's face, the man playing he servant next to him delivered his line.

"Gathered are we, a host fair and noble," The man loudly announced next to him, making him quickly tear his eyes away from the crowd, and turn to the man playing the servant as he continued, "To celebrate this day, the princess's betrothal!"

Clearing his throat again his looked out over the crowd, "Alas, no monster do I see or hear… perhaps midst the guests he hides in fear?"

After finishing his line, he shot a desperate look over towards the bench with his friends. All three, Freya, Zoltan and George met his eyes and quickly he gestured his head towards the back of the yard. They looked at him confused, and he quickly sighed internally before turning to walk off stage.

They hadn't seen his que, so he would have to hope that the doppler revealed himself, or Geralt spotted him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The final scene had come, and he waited patiently in the corner for his line. The crowd had only gotten bigger, but couldn't spot the temple guardsman anymore, and he hoped that it truly wasn't an actual member. If he had reported back and brought the guard back, the whole ordeal would get bloody, and they'd be at a loss to find Dudu. Everyone was on stage now, the queen, the servant, the princess and the doppler prince, while he stood watching in the corner.

He looked and saw the bench with his friends was full again minus Faram, who he saw by his ponytail standing guard on the outskirts. If Geralt had sat back down, he had to assume the older witcher didn't find Dudu himself. So, he could only hope that after their performance was over, that he would come and find them. He had made himself plenty visible, the earlier nerves finally gone. All he was focused on now was getting his lines right and seeing if he could possibly find the doppler from onstage.

The lines from the doppler prince onstage brought his attention back to the stage.

"My dear! Long have we hid our love's tender fires. In stealth we'd meet, in deceit, like liars," The man said dramatically, standing up and looking down at Priscilla, "Tonight it shall end-be my wife, that's my plea! Our hearts torment over, we shall love for centuries!"

It took every bit of power he had not to laugh at that moment. It was a touching scene that if he didn't know the context behind the play, he would have found quite nice. However, he assumed the only person Emhyr Var Emrys ever said words like that too was himself when he looked in the mirror.

Priscilla who had of course been delivering her lines perfectly all night, feigned shock, and happiness, "Oh darling I will, I will, I will!"

He almost gagged again, wondering if Princess Pavetta ever learned of her husband's true intention. However, he managed to control himself. The man playing the servant came up next from the center stage holding up a prop goblet.

"Wait! With wine must we toast this moment joyful! If not, a foul curse rend your lives woeful," The man said with perfect delivery.

He reached to the table next to him and picked up the prop. He held it up to his lips and wished at the moment it really had been filled with wine as he pretended to drink. The rest of the cast did the same, all pretending to drink. He tried to look over the crowd again, but the doppler prince made a large scene of dropping his goblet, and he rolled his eyes at his search being disrupted again as he turned back to the scene.

"Treason! Tis not wine, but a brew spiked with silver! Soon… all shall see my true monstrous figure," The man wailed, quickly pulling out the prop mask and holding it up to put on his face.

"If only someone had poisoned the real Urcheon…" He said under his breath, loud enough for only himself to hear.

The whole crowd gasped in surprise. He saw children pointing and shouting that the prince was really a doppler. He was so distracted scanning the crowd again, that he almost forgot the prince turning into a doppler was his cue. He cursed under his breath and stepped out from the corner of the stage.

"Hark! Hark! Tis no prince but a doppler imposter! Seems men's hearts can love for changelings foster," He said, putting on a joyful tone as he looked over at the doppler.

He wanted desperately to look into the crowd again, but he knew that this part was his busiest. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see his friends watching on, Freya on the edge of her seat as the rest snickered.

"Behold, witcher, the beast of which I spoke," The woman playing the queen shouted from behind him, "Unleash your sword! Let fly the killing stroke!"

He had made it a point never to ask Geralt about the story of him saving the emperor this night. However, as the play went on, he felt the urge to ask him if Queen Calanthe had genuinely wanted him to kill the Urcheon. And he would also ask if he knew what the man would go on to do, whether he would have done it or not.

The light of the moon illuminated the stage with the torches, as Priscilla shot up from her seat next to the doppler prince.

"Stop! Stop! Beast or man, 'tis my love, my betrothed," Priscilla said, delivering the line in a defensive tone.

Again, he felt his eyes roll and his heart leap. If only the real Princess Pavetta had known. If only she had known that her husband would turn out to be even more monstrous after his curse from a beast had been lifted.

However, he pushed the thought from his mind and rushed to the center of the stage, holding his hands up and looking towards the crowd. He knew if Dudu were out there, he would need to put everything he had into the next few lines. If he had any shreds of acting talent, he would need to use it now.

He shook his head looking to the actors around him, "Sheath your blades! Fear a doppler? 'Tis a thing most foolish! Changing one's shape does not one make one ghoulish. Remember! 'Tis not flesh a monster makes… but a heart that is base, such as in this knave aches!"

When writing the lines, he was sure to add the truth to it. The people in the crowd seemed to approve, some even cheering for the doppler prince.

Little did they know in the true story the play was based on; the cursed man truly was the monster in the end.

He whirled around when the woman playing the queen perfectly delivered her next lines.

"Witcher, 'tis true! This wretch's foul suspicions… tainted my mind with his plan so malicious," She said loudly, rising from her chair and walking towards center stage, looking to the crowd, "The doppler must live, my daughter he'll wed. Beast or man, she loves him truly, without dread!"

Finally, he was able to turn back to the crowd once again. He strained his eyes scanning the outskirts, trying to find anyone out of the ordinary, or with a scar over their right eye. Quickly he sucked in his breath, delivering his final line.

"'Tis our tales end good folk, and it's moral is this… no monster is he whose shape can shift…" He said, looking to the left near an old set of fences.

His eyes widened when he spotted the temple guardsmen again. This time he had made his way closer to the stage. Clearly able to see his face, he almost collapsed on stage from the relief when he saw the long scar over his right eye, shutting it completely.

It was Dudu it had to be. He almost let out a large sigh as his heart pumped faster, the relief flooding over him, relaxing him like a hot bath. They had done it. Soon they would have Dandelion, and then after that… he would know where Ciri had gone.

"The witcher is just- a true dopplers friend," The queen announced loudly to the crowd, making him turn his attention back to her and the stage, as she walked over to the servant, "But you, foul page, in chains you shall end!"

"Guard! Call the guard! Remove the traitor at once," Priscilla quickly yelled to the crowd, a broad smile now adorning her face, and he could tell she had seen Dudu as well.

A smile crossed his face as well. After everything he had done in Novigrad, from first arriving and finding Triss, to Corinne Tilly's dreams, to reunited with Zoltan, Faram and Freya, fighting a bathhouse in just a towel. His fight with Baelen, discovering he could have a power inside his blood, to watching Triss leave, and writing the play with Priscilla.

To overcoming his fear and putting on the performance. And now his reward for finally going through all of that… he was going to know where she had gone.

"Hey," He yelled out into the crowed, holding his hands out for the guardsmen.

Dudu shot from the fence he was leaning on, looking around nervously at the spectators, before he looked up and met his eyes. He smiled widely down at the doppler, holding his hand out further. Dudu looked up and he could tell as soon as he saw Dominik's emerald eyes, the ones that were the same exact color as Ciri's he felt safe.

"Come on you heard the princess! Come toss the scum in the dungeon," He said happily, holding his hand out over the stage.

Slowly Dudu left the fence, walking past people, nervously looking at them as he walked. The people of course had no idea he was a doppler, and patted him on the shoulder, and urged him forward to throw the traitor scum in the dungeon. He almost scoffed out another smile he felt his heart well up so much.

Finally, Dudu reached the stage and looked up at him apprehensively.

He slowly nodded his head down at the doppler, "You're lucky… I hope I'll be helping out a princess soon."

Dudu's eyes grew wide for a moment, before he clapped his hand into Dominik's and the younger witcher pulled him up onstage. The doppler stood for a moment as the people all stood up and cheered, clapping for him as he looked out amongst them in amazement.

He himself let out a long, relieved sigh as his head tilted over to his friends. All of them stood at their feet and clapped. Freya clapped wildly and held her hands up to her mouth to whistle between applause, as George and Zoltan smirked up at him their hands going a mile a minute as they applauded. Finally, he moved over to meet Geralt's eyes. His adopted father smiled broadly at him, and he mouthed a single sentence to him, that finally made all the anxiousness leave his body.

_Proud of you. _

Sighing out in relief, he almost chuckled when he saw Dudu taking in the attention. He gently smirked and pushed the doppler towards the actor playing the page. Finally feeling the fear gone he turned to face the audience again.

"Doppler and princess wed the same night," He said, looking out to the crowd again, a smile coming to his face as he crossed his arms, "The servant's heart melted… he wept at the sight."

After his finally line finished more people began to get up and clap. A new rush ran through his body, a rush of excitement, relief, and pride. He had overcome everything in the last few days, the last few weeks, and now finally, finally he would be on his way to Ciri soon.

Tomorrow they would go and rescue Dandelion. He'd get to the poet, and he would learn exactly where Ciri was. And after that he would get to her, no matter what the cost.

He felt himself taking a bow and was really beginning to enjoy the applause. Over to his right his friends were all still clapping, laughing, and smiling up at him, beams of pride in their faces as they looked on. He was about to go and join them, when a new, loud screeching voice pierced the air.

"Doppler's to the stake! Burn them ALL,' The voice screeched into the air.

His head whirled around to the left and saw a group of armored men. They had to be at least six or seven strong, and at the head of them was a man with a kettlebell helmet and a familiar cream-colored gambeson.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me…" He said, taking a step towards the end of the stage.

Fatso had apparently recovered awfully quickly from the death of his two lackeys earlier. He had come to the play with more armed men, and apparently a newfound confidence. One of his men standing on his right spit towards the ground and waved his fist up towards the stage.

"He's right! Oy, mummers! Don't know the Eternal Fire's commandments," The man shouted, before Fatso stepped up again, closer to the crowd of people now.

"Blasphemers! Oughta teach them respect for the faith," He yelled, loud enough to where a few members of the crowd started mummering in agreement.

He had been having a great to that point, and the annoyance shot through his body in a moment. The wind blew through his messy brown hair, and he felt as if something exploded in him. There was no way that he was going to let some upstart religious fanatic get in the way of him finally getting his way to free Dandelion, and then in turn to Ciri. He was about to leap off the stage himself. He was going to walk right up to Fatso's gang and this time he wasn't going to let the man live.

However, it seemed that Geralt and he had indeed gone and got the right ushers. Because Faram's much larger crew surrounded the group right away. Right before he could leap off the stage himself, he heard the Bear School witchers loud booming voice.

"OY MATES," The black-haired witcher yelled, stepping in front of one of his men, directly into Fatso's face, he looked down at the pudgy fat man, "I suggest you sit your ass's down and fuckin clap! Before I rip your fucking arms off and clap them for you!"

Almost any man would have soiled themselves at the sight of Faram of Undviik standing over them, threatening to rip their fucking arms off. Plenty of times on their travels together all Faram had to do was show his medallion and get a little closer to the head of a band of thugs and they'd be running.

However again to Fatso's little credit, he didn't back down. The man with the cream gambeson scoffed and looked up at Faram, "Rip MY fuckin arms off!? We'll show you! Up and at them lads! In the name of the chur-. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Faram before the man could finish his sentence, reached, and gripped his massive hand on the man's wrist. His friend then proceeded to rip the man's arm forward and smash his large armored opposite elbow onto the middle of Fatso's arm, and Dominik could hear the crack from the stage. Fatso wailed as his arm hung limp from his side. And before he could scream much, Faram gripped the man's neck with one hand, and with the other, took Fatso's kettlebell helmet, ripped it off his head and smashed it into the side of the man's skull.

Blood gushed from the side of the man's head, covering the kettlebell helmet as his body went limp. Faram dropped the man's now lifeless body to the ground, before tossing his now bloody helmet back to the ground. The Bear School witcher pretended to dust off his hands and looked up to the rest of the men Fatso had brought.

"Now…" The Bear School witcher said, crossing over his arms, "Does anyone else have any issues with the play's message!?"

Dominik half expected the men to charge, however the sight of the towering Faram of Undvik and the rest of his crew seemed to sufficiently scare them. All six men that had accompanied Fatso turned and ran. The audience watched on in stunned silence, the ones who had been agreeing with the now dead man suddenly silent.

Faram sighed and the Bear School witcher turned to the crowd with a smile on his face, as if the whole situation hadn't happened.

"Thank you all very much for attending tonight's performance," Faram yelled to the crowd formally, "We cordially invite you all back, and hope you have a safe trip back to your houses. Show's over folks!"

The effect was instantaneous as the audience began to file out of the butcher's yard. Everyone except for his friends all seemed to be in a hurry now. He scoffed and felt himself laugh as he looked over to meet Faram's eyes from across the yard. His friend shot him a wink, and he nodded in thanks.

"Dominik… it's really you, you recognize me, how," He heard a deep voice say behind him.

Dudu still disguised as a guardsman came up behind him and Dominik smiled at him. A new feeling of relief washed over him, as the disruption from Fatso and his gang really had led to nothing. It was all still coming together. They had Dudu now, soon they'd have Dandelion, and then… Ciri. The people in the play whom he wished he could speak too, Queen Calanthe, Princess Pavetta… he wished he could tell them somehow their story had helped them on his search for their daughter and granddaughter.

However, that was impossible, so he would settle for finding Ciri, and finally bringing himself some peace after eight years.

He smiled as he placed a hand on Dudu's shoulder, "Go wait inside Irina's office, Geralt and I will be right there… I'm… sorry I didn't get here sooner. But we're going to make everything right."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dudu had right away gone into Irina's office to talk to the woman and Priscilla. He quickly had leaped off the stage and helped Faram dispose of Fatso's body, before helping usher out of the butcher's yard. For the first time in weeks he felt his heart racing, but not with fear or anxiousness for an upcoming fight. He was genuinely elated, after what he had been through the past few days it would finally all be worth it, he'd get the information he needed. And it was in a large part due to the help of all his friends.

Speaking of his friends, he saw George, Freya and Zoltan all helping Faram and his crew usher people out of the butcher's yard. He heard bits of a conversation between Freya and George, where the young woman was asking the Griffin School witcher how he was so easily able to slide his sword into the sheath on his back. A small smile came to him as he heard George say that after you'd been doing it for over seventy years, you got used to it.

As much as he wished to celebrate their success, after a few moments he quickly walked back towards the stage, the torches and moonlight lighting his path. The cool breeze of the night was pleasant, and there was still not a cloud in the sky. He adjusted the strap for his sword, and spotted Geralt as soon as he made his way down the steps backstage.

His adopted father slowly clapped for him, and he could help but roll his eyes and give a mock bow.

"Fantastic, absolutely inspiring performance, you really stole the show," The older Witcher said sarcastically as the two of them walked side-by-side towards Irina's office.

He scoffed, "You think so? You know I personally think Irina was right, maybe I do have something to fall back on incase this whole witcher thing doesn't work."

Geralt smirked as he turned the door handle, "I cannot wait to tell Yen and Ciri about this."

He stumbled at his adopted father's words and felt his face get hot, and the older witcher had another good laugh at his expense. His head shot up and he pointed a finger up at the older witcher.

"We never mention this to Ciri, EVER. She would never let me hear the end of it," He said flustering, but with a small smile on his face.

Geralt chuckled again as the two walked into Irina's office. It was lit with candles and the warmth hit his bones right away. Dudu was seated on a chair, back in his normal form, in deep conversation with Priscilla and Irina herself. Another relieved sigh left him, as Geralt and he both clunked towards them in their armor. The doppler's head shot around and he smiled broadly upon seeing them.

"Dominik, Geralt it's really the both of you! How'd you recognize me," The doppler asked happily, climbing down from the stool.

Geralt smiled, reaching down, and shaking his doppler friend's hand, "Good to see you Dudu. Glad to see that you're alright."

Quickly he nodded in agreement and looked down to meet the doppler's eyes, "Yeah so am I. Geralt and I we… had a little chat with Whoreson. Heard about the mark he left on your face."

Dudu crossed his arms with a sigh looking down at his feet for a moment, "So… you both know then… have either of you seen Ciri?"

A sigh shot out of him for a moment, slowly he shook his head and met the dopplers eyes.

"No… still looking…" He said, biting down hard on his bottom lip.

Geralt looked over at him, and Dudu quickly frowned up at him. The doppler shook his head, "I really am sorry Dom. Dandelion and I tried to convince her to wait for you to come back. But she was insistent, said she wanted to wait, but didn't-."

"She had to move I understand. She's being hunted… which is why it's even more important that we get to her and fast," He said, a white-hot bomb of determination firing off in his heart.

Dudu was about to say something else, but the door opened, and a cascade of footsteps poured in from behind. All his friends had come in, Zoltan, Freya, George and Faram taking up the back.

"Marvelous! Spectacular! True genius, I've never seen anything like it, I should've brought you a bouquet of flowers," Freya said sarcastically, looking at him with an amused smile.

He rolled his eyes but managed to smile, as George came up and clapped him on the back before leaning against one of the tables.

"I never knew you had such a flare for the theater my friend! You should audition for the plays in Toussaint, you'd steal the show," The Griffin School witcher said in his southern accent, smirking over at him.

He scoffed again as Freya stood next to George with her arms crossed. Faram winked and smirked at him again as he took a place next to them. Despite being flustered, his face red, he felt a warm feeling wash over him from more than just the candles. His friends had been there supporting him the entire time and having them all there at once meant the world to him. He truly wasn't alone anymore.

Zoltan laughed and strode up next to the Geralt he and Dudu, leaping up and taking a seat on one of the tables.

"Haha Dominik masterful lad! You did great! Haven't laughed that hard in ages! Lads won't believe it when I tell them," The dwarf said with a smirking smile towards him.

He rolled his eyes and gave a small mock bow, making the dwarf laugh more. Geralt was the one who brought his attention back to what they were doing. The older Witcher looked back down at Dudu, and this brought Dominik's eyes back to the doppler as well.

"Dudu we gotta know. How'd you manage to displease Reuven, Whoreson, and the Temple Guard all at once," The older Witcher asked the doppler.

Dudu looked like he was about to answer, but then wearily looked over to Dominik's friends sitting and standing to the left. Quickly he saw this and nodded his head towards the doppler.

"It's alright Dudu you can trust them," he assured the doppler, making Dudu turn back to him, "This is Freya, George, and Faram. I trust them with my life… you can too. Now tell us, why didn't you at least try to get ahold of Priscilla or the mummers?"

He could see all three of his friends smile towards the doppler reassuringly, and Dudu sighed before looking to the ground for a moment. The doppler finally looked back up and met the eyes of Geralt and he.

"Well I came to a few performances, different shape each time, but I dared not show myself. I feared I'd put them all at risk," He started, looking back toward Irina and Priscilla who were watching with a smile before he continued, this time looking at Dominik, "Then I heard about a new mumming. I thought it was my chance to learn anything about Ciri or Dandelion! The last time I saw her, she told me you and Geralt would be coming, and to only reveal myself to you both."

A small scoff escaped his lips… she knew they were looking for her or would be. Another twang of anger flared up inside him, three days, three fucking days he had missed her by. If only he had stayed like Dandelion had suggested, none of this now would be happening. Quickly he dashed the thoughts from his head. There wasn't going to be anymore wallowing in the past. He sighed and squeezed the swallow around his neck, looking down at the doppler.

"Dudu, we know that Ciri went back to Whoreson's to get you. How'd you manage to escape? We know she fought Whoreson, but that's it," He explained, yearning to know what had happened.

Dudu scoffed and shook his head, "She didn't just fight Whoreson she completely walloped him. He threatened to throw you into his arena when you arrived, and Ciri lost it, never seen her get so angry!"

At that moment he was sure his friends could have heard his heartbeat. A chill washed over him, as his stomach fluttered like a swarm of moths and butterflies were flying around inside. The feeling rushed up his throat, and he felt himself scoff and as he smiled. She still fought for him when he was threatened, she was still trying to protect him just like he was for her. That was another of their promises, they'd always protect one another. He always insisted that he'd protect her like his father did her grandmother, and Ciri would scoff, saying she'd protect him the same way, they'd protect each other not just one way.

Dudu continued his story, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I ran after her, wanting to keep up, but… I know I'd have been a hinderance. She called out to me, entreated me to shapeshift and disappear…." The doppler said, a hint of disappointment in his voice as he started to pace, "I tried to find them-Ciri and Dandelion. It was as if they'd turned into vapor. Fearing for my life, I shifted each day, becoming someone else…. I even considered turning into Ciri, to trick her pursuers, but-."

"Woah, woah, slow down their marmalade. Hmm…" Zoltan quickly said from the table next to them. The dwarf slowly looked over to Geralt and he, his brown eyes looking at them both, "Geralt, when'd you last see Cirilla, hm? Been a while hasn't it?"

His blood turned cold, and his head shot over to Geralt, his eyes going wide and his heart beginning to pump at an alarming rate. His adopted father met his eyes for a moment, before turning back to Zoltan.

"A while… yeah," Geralt said, as his eyes slowly turned to him.

The hair on his arms slowly stood up, he felt as if he could melt into the ground on the spot. His gloved hands began to shake, as he shakily held them up to hold the swallow around his neck. He could see his three friends all look to him from the left, their faces full of concern. Zoltan then turned his eyes over to him, and after a moment he met the dwarf's gaze.

"And Dominik lad… how… long has it been again for you? It's got to be-," He started, but Dominik cut him off, the number burned into his brain.

"Eight years…. We… we were fourteen…. Still… still kids," He said, feeling his eyes begin to sting, as he gripped onto the swallow so hard his hands turned white.

He could feel pins and needles in his legs, he would have been unable to move from the spot if he needed too. Zoltan slowly turned his head over to Dudu and sighed.

"For me… a while as well. Must be a full-grown lass by now," He said, before nodding his head towards the doppler, "Dudu, do us a wee favor-show us Ciri, just for a moment."

His face stayed frozen with his mouth agape. He tried to form some kind of words, but his lips couldn't move. For weeks, the only times he had seen her was in his dreams, and they were back when they were still children. He had the crude drawing of what the Emperor's spies thought that she looked like, but he knew that it couldn't be that close to the real thing. Dudu had seen her only a few weeks prior. He could show him, show him the woman that he never stopped loving, the one that all he had been yearning for, was just to see her.

Two days prior, when he had almost crawled himself and George back to the Rosemary and Thyme from their fight with the Hunt, what he wanted most in the world in that moment was Ciri. He of course had wanted her again through the previous eight years, but in that moment, he had never wanted her more. All he had of her was the swallow around his neck, a crude drawing, and his memories.

For weeks whenever he felt like Geralt and he were getting close, the trial would wind, send them in the opposite direction, throw them for a loop. He knew what the end of the path would give him, but all he wanted to do was see her. He had heard her voice in the dream Corinne Tilly had given him… and all he wanted to do was put the face to the voice. Ciri's face. He knew he couldn't have the real her now, but that didn't stop his heart from racing when he turned to face Dudu.

He just wanted to see how much more beautiful she had gotten.

The doppler slowly looked up at Geralt and he, "Geralt… Dominik?"

The question made him let out a breath that he felt he had been holding for an hour. His hand shook around the swallow, and his other twitched at his side. He saw to his left his friends till staring at him with concern. Freya took a step towards him, like she was going to say something, but stopped herself. Faram and George looked at him both, their yellow eyes shooting him reassuring glares.

He whirled his head back around to meet Geralt's eyes, and his adopted father seemed just as fazed as him. Geralt had seen Ciri more recently then he, but he knew that it hadn't been for long, and the older witcher missed her almost as much as he. He missed the three of them together, the four of them adding in Yennefer.

His adopted father nodded at him, "It's your choice."

Geralt's tone was low and steady. Dominik closed his eyes for a moment. This had been something he wanted for the last eight years, to see her. However, he felt his heart pump even faster, and the swarm of butterflies in his stomach churn even faster as he looked down to meet Dudu's eyes.

"Please… show me," He said slowly, his hand not leaving the swallow.

Dudu nodded, and all his friends seemed to step off what they were leaning on. All of them turned to look at the doppler. Dominik himself felt his legs completely locked, nothing in his body was able to move, as his eyes didn't leave Dudu. The hairs stuck up on the back of his neck, as the doppler looked down at the ground, and squeezed his hands together tightly in focus.

He had been waiting eight years for a moment like this, but as he heard Dudu's flesh begin to mold, he quickly squeezed his eyes shut. As they were closed, he saw her face as he remembered it. The young beautiful girlish face, the slightly rounder face, her ashen hair tied loosely in a bun, as she tried to cover the freckles across her face with the loose strands of hair. Her small slim mouth contorted into a wicked smile, her cute nose, and finally her beautiful eyes, a sparkling emerald color perfectly matching his own. He heard her young voice say her last words to him, _'Everything will be alright. I'll see you soon. I love you.'_

When he finally opened his eyes again, that whole vision disappeared from his head.

"Wow…." He said quietly, his eyes not leaving the woman in front of him.

"She's beautiful…" Freya said from his left, her voice lite and amazed.

He had expected she had grown even more beautiful, but even he was shocked at just how much so. His breath left him when he finally took in the sight, even with one of her eyes completely closed and scarred over with Dudu's scar. She was tall, slim, her once plumper and rounded face was slim, sharp with high cheekbones. Like the reports they read, and like Geralt had told him, a beautifully healed scar ran under her left eye. She still had the adorable smaller nose he remembered, as he felt goosebumps run down his skin again.

She still had her hair tied up in a loose bun. The spot of freckles across the bridge of her nose had slightly faded, but he could still see them. She had a cotton white top on, with a silk strap tying it together over her chest. The shirt went down just past her breasts, where she had on a dark brown leather underbust corset, with a decorative silver belt with turquoise blue gems. Around her waist as well was a snakeskin belt with a dagger sheathed. She was also wearing brown leather pants with small studs, along with brown leather heeled boots, and brown suede gloves.

And of course, in the one eye he could see, they were still the same shining emerald color.

He managed to keep his composure, until he looked around her neck. The bronze ring he had given her all those years prior bounced on her upper chest, still there… just like the swallow was for him. That was when he first sobbed.

His breath had completely left him as he partially scoffed and sobbed at the same time, feeling his eyes tingle, "Ciri…I'm so sorry…"

When her eyes went wide, and she crossed over her arms the realization came back to him. This wasn't really her. Dudu had done him a favor, and he was now more than likely sufficiently freaking out the doppler. He let his gaze linger for a moment longer, taking in her figure one last time, before quickly shutting his eyes. Feeling his legs able to move he turned to the left, shakily sighing as he felt the tears stab at his eyelids.

"Can… I change back now. It's a bit unnerving, all of you staring at me bug eyed," He heard, Dudu was speaking in her voice.

It wasn't the same young, vibrant girlish voice he remembered. It was the one he had heard in his dream, the voice of a fully grown, fierce, proud, beautiful woman. He wanted to turn back and look again but he couldn't bring himself too. Her image was burned into his brain, he would never forget it, not for as long as he lived. He didn't wish to make Dudu anymore uncomfortable then he already was, so slowly he nodded his head, keeping his eyes shut tight, a singular tear managing to escape.

"Yeah change back…. Bad idea…" He heard Geralt say next to him, the tone of longing in his adopted father's voice as well.

He didn't dare look back when he heard Dudu transforming back into himself. The image of her wouldn't leave him, not ever, not until he found her and saw her for real. A tingling shiver went up his entire body, and he felt himself shake. Eight years, eight years had passed since he had seen her face, and for a moment he thought about all the horrible things she'd endured.

Her being trapped in that arena to fight for her life, being held captive by the Aen Elle, all the men who tried to rape her, kill her, all the people who tried to use her, manipulate her for their own selfish purposes. All of this had happened, she had changed, was now a fully-grown woman, she had endured it all, and now was on the run for her life again.

And he hadn't been there for her.

Another tear slowly slid down his face again, as his fists started to shake. He was afraid he'd break down, cry in front of all his friends and let it all out, all his pent-up frustration, all his anger and sadness.

"You… you alright mate," He heard the low, calming voice of Faram say next to him.

He felt himself sniffle and let out a sob again as he finally looked up. Faram was in front of him, his hand on Dominik's shoulder. Every set of eyes in the room looked at him. Freya, George, Dudu, Irina, Priscilla, and he turned around to see of course Geralt and Zoltan both looking at him as well.

None of them laughed, none of them chastised him for getting so upset. They all looked at him, and he could tell that they understood. They understood the love he felt for her, the shame he felt for not being there for her, the longing that he felt to see her, the real her. They understood the effect seeing her had just had on him. And they were there for him, doing everything they could to help him get back to her.

And now it was his turn to repay them, by giving them everything he had.

His head shot up as his fists uncurled, he met Faram's eyes and sharply nodded.

"Yeah… I'm alright, better then alright…. I'm going to see the real thing," He said, turning around to see a smiling Geralt before he looked down to Dudu, "Dudu we need to get to Ciri, but to figure out where she went, we need Dandelion. We know where he is, and we need your help to save him."

The tone in the room shifted, and all of them turned back again to the doppler. He saw Geralt with a look of pride out of the corner of his eyes. The older witcher lightly clapped him on the back before turning back to the doppler. Dudu quickly nodded and crossed his arms as he looked back up to them.

"I was just about to ask, were you able to find where he is," The doppler asked them, looking between both he and Geralt.

The older witcher quickly nodded, "Yeah, Witch Hunter's nabbed him, they got him in prison on Temple Isle."

"We can free him Dudu, but we need your help," He stressed to the doppler, his voice reaching an urgent tone.

Dudu quickly nodded at the words, "I'll help of course if I can. But what can I do?"

Geralt smiled over at Dominik, before looking back down at the doppler, "We need you to take on Menge's appearance. Then go and give the order to have Dandelion moved to Oxenfurt."

As soon as Geralt finished his sentence he could see the frightened, bewildered look on the doppler's face. However, before he could say anything, Zoltan explained the rest of the plan, hopping off the table he was sitting on.

"We'll lay an ambush in the ravine en route, oy Faram," The dwarf said, looking over to the Bear School witcher, "You and your lads looking to make some extra coin?"

They all whirled around as Faram laughed next to him, "Ha no coin needed. We're doing this for a friend, that's good enough for us. You can count on me and me mates!"

Zoltan laughed and nodded, looking back towards Dudu, "Perfect! Like I said we'll lay an ambush in the ravine. My boys and I combined with Faram and his, we can overpower the convoy and spring Dandelion."

"You can count on me too," Freya said from next to him, and he turned, his mouth dropping at the blonde's enthusiasm as she looked at them all, her hands on her hips.

Quickly he met her eyes as she looked at him, "Freya I can't ask you-."

She quickly rolled her eyes to cut him off, "If you say 'I can't ask you to do this, it's too dangerous' I'm going to smack you. I promised you I'd help. I want to see this through to the end."

His mouth went dry as he went to try and say something else, but he was cut off by the clunking of armor.

"You can of course count on my help as well my friend," George of Toussaint said, coming to stand up next to Freya, "And before you ask yes. I am sure. You saved me, you're my friend. I promised you back in Oxenfurt I'd help you in this fight, and so I shall."

He scoffed again, and a smile came to his face. His heart felt warm, seeing all his friend smiling at him, promising their aid in one of the hardest times of his life. They were his best friends… his company. He didn't have words to describe how he felt, what he wanted to say to the three of them, so he simply nodded.

"Thank you… for everything, all of you," He said, getting smiles from all three as he turned back to Geralt and Zoltan, "Alright so when should we-."

"Woah, woah, not so fast," Dudu quickly cut him off, making everyone turn to him again, "How am I to be Menge!? And you said he's on Temple Isle, but I don't know where! What if they get suspicious and start asking questions!?"

Zoltan scoffed from their right, "Bet my best axe nobody would pester the commander of the Temple Guard…. Besides you're an actor and a doppler- and a doppler and an actor! Got double the spark to improvise your way out of any situation. Things get spicy, you just nip around the corner and turn into a buxom wench, a jackdaw or whatever else strikes your fancy!"

The doppler scoffed and looked at Geralt and he again, "Yes cause it's that easy, thank you."

He met the doppler's eyes, the urgency shooting through him, "Don't worry Dudu, Menge's dead. I killed him myself. He's not coming back, but the thing is nobody knows he's dead. Nobody will pester you."

Menge's words about threatening to send Ciri to a pyre had sent him over the edge. He could remember the shaking of his fists, the power the coursed through him out of nowhere as he fought. He had never felt rage like that, until the next night when they had confronted Whoreson. Both times, both fights something exploded inside of him, and he felt new power surge through him.

Dudu looked back up at him with his mouth agape, "You killed him!? And nobody knows he's dead… would this have anything to do with the fire at the Witch Hunter barracks?"

He scoffed but Geralt answered for him, "We… were in the area."

Zoltan laughed from next to them, "Haha, I sorely regret missing that!"

A small smile crossed his face before a new fire raced up his spine. After seeing her face, he had to get to her now. There would be no more games, no more playing around, he would find her, and he would do it soon.

He knelt down and met Dudu's eyes, "Dudu I know this won't be easy, and we wouldn't ask you if the situation wasn't desperate. You'll need to find where Dandelion is being held and order him moved to Oxenfurt. Find a way to send word to us once the order had been given…. Please Dudu… Dandelion and Ciri are counting on this…"

Every time he had seen the doppler in his travels, he had always helped Dominik. He would give him a place to stay, he would point him in the direction of contracts, a few times he had even directed him to leads of magical anomalies. Each time he was thankful, beyond thankful to the doppler. Dudu knew how it felt to him, losing Ciri and knew how much finding her meant to him.

The doppler sighed and looked up to meet his eyes, "Alright… I'll do it for them. But I hope you don't expect me to carry on as Menge! Burning the occasional heretic to keep up appearances!"

Feeling the relief and excitement rush back into his chest, he laughed and shook his head at the doppler, "Haha no… after everything's over I expect you to go to the Rosemary and Thyme, where we'll all meet up."

"And get drunk like wild badgers haha," Zoltan shouted from next to him, coming up between Geralt and he.

"Haha I knew from the start we'd get along great, about time we all got ass blasted together," Faram laughed from next to him.

He saw Freya roll her eyes but with a smile on her face, as she looked up at the Bear School Witcher, "Do you ever think about anything other then drinking, monsters and money?"

She was teasing obviously and Faram took it in stride, letting out another bellowed laugh, "Baha very rarely! You'll learn as you spend more time with us witcher's goldilocks, that nobody can hold their liquor like a witcher!"

Freya scoffed a laugh and rolled her eyes, with George laughing next to her, "Haha I'm older than everybody here, save for Geralt… and I can confirm this is true."

The whole room shared a laugh and the feeling of optimism and hope ran up through his body again. The moon was fully in the sky, and he finally got their plan in place. His bones didn't ache, and for the first time in days, his mind felt at ease, hopeful, optimistic, finally not feeling as if needles were being stuck into it.

He managed to stop laughing and looked over to Geralt, "Alright… looks like we're ready to go. If all goes well, we should all be at the Rosemary and Thyme tomorrow, with Dandelion in tow."

Geralt stopped laughing as well and his adopted father met his eyes. The look of pride that shone through them washed over him, and he almost felt embarrassed. It was his hope that during the quest he would not only find Ciri but make her, Geralt, Yennefer, and all his friends proud. Proud to say they fought alongside him, proud to say that they were his father, mother, and hopefully lover.

His adopted father nodded to him, "It will all go well. How are you feeling? You ready to finally do this?"

Her face flashed in his mind. The leather corset, the white top, the gloves, the heeled boots. Her loosely tied ashen hair, the freckles over the bridge of her nose. Her sharp angled face and high cheekbones. And most beautifully to him, the emerald eyes that still shined brightly.

He took in a deep sigh and smiled up at his adopted father, "Yeah, I am. You know Geralt I gotta admit during this whole thing… I've never felt more ready."

**A/N: Another huge chapter in Novigrad is in the books! The Doppler's Salvation was put on to great reception, and very little bloodshed thanks to Faram of Undviik. Quite a few things happened this chapter, let's run through it.**

**So when taking on Fatso and his goons we see Dominik is finally starting to come into his own, realizing how much stronger he's gotten. I know that they were only common thugs, but what fights are you looking forward to him and Geralt tackling the most? What ones would you personally like to see? How do you think they'll go?**

**In a short bit we learn more about Dominik's relationship with Freya. They were extremely close, but ultimately he couldn't commit, thinking only of Ciri. With Freya in the picture now, how do you think she'll interact with Ciri down the line? What are some interactions you look forward to seeing?**

**And finally the play. I LOVED writing out Dominik acting in the play. I had a great time with his inner monologue, since he knows the true story behind the tale, I loved writing his comments about the lines spoken. How did you enjoy the play? What about his comments during it?**

**And finally for the first time in eight years Dominik finally see's Ciri, see's what she looks like, the woman she's grown into. He almost broke down seeing a doppler version of her, how do you think it'll be when he finally finds the real thing? That's my most anticipated chapter, and I hope I can convey some great emotion and you guys all enjoy it!**

**We're almost finished Novigrad everybody! Next chapter Dominik, Geralt and their friends free Dandelion, and finally figure out what happened to Ciri. What are you looking forward too? How will Dom react when he learns what happened with her? What about Ciri, what was she thinking during the fight?**

**I again can't thank you all enough for the continued support you all have given me. I love seeing every fav, follow, review and message they always bring a smile to my face! If you review thank you, if you're just reading thank you! Stay safe everybody and see you next time.**


	34. A Poet Under Pressure

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 34: A Poet Under Pressure**

**Narrator: After their play with Madam Irina's troupe was a smashing success, Dominik and Geralt were finally able to make Dudu reveal himself to them. With their doppler friend now safe, the White Wolf and the Young Wolf finally set into motion their plan. First however, Dudu used his powers to transform into Ciri. For the first time since they were children, for the first time in eight long years, Dominik finally got to see Ciri again for a moment. With new motivation running through their veins, Geralt and Dominik gathered their band of friends to help them. The beautiful and dangerous Freya Kaminski of Ellander, the great Witcher's Faram of Undvik and George of Toussaint. Them along with my faithful friend Zoltan Chivay, joined Dominik and Geralt in their attempt to finally rescue me, so that I may tell them what happened to Ciri on that faithful night.**

The sun had barely risen, but the sweat was already dripping from his head. He managed to use a piece of cloth as a blindfold, and he felt his sword move flawlessly in his hands. He spun and twirled his blade, moving his feet with perfect footwork. He felt his feet move flawlessly, as he swung his sword in the air, twirling and switching hands, switching to a reverse grip he kept up the exercise. The sweat slowly dripped down his forehead as he didn't stop moving, not for a second as he trained on the green outside the back of the Rosemary and Thyme.

After getting back from the play the previous night, the group of them all had gone over the plan to ambush the convoy and free Dandelion. Zoltan laid out what the ravine looked like, stating how his dwarf company along with Faram's crew would cut down two large trees to block the road. Faram, Zoltan and George would all charge from the front of the convoy, while Geralt, himself and Freya would attack from behind, all of them trying to reach the transport that held their poet friend. They would of course be supported by Faram's crew and Zoltan's boys.

The planning had gone by swiftly and then they all proceeded to drink. All his friends had a spectacular time, and he did as well. However, he was careful how much he consumed. He would look into the mug of ale and see Ciri's face, look into the fire and see her face. Her face now, the one Dudu had shown him. When the vision of her shining eyes, round face, and ashen locks popped into his head, a smile came to his face, along with a feeling of apprehension and unease. The hairs on his arms would stand up, and he'd be filled with a feeling of urgency, like he needed to move at that very moment to go try and find her.

It had led him to very little sleep, however despite this his bones still felt in top shape. The blindfold covered his eyes, but he could see the sun through it as it slowly rose. After managing to get a couple hours of for once dreamless sleep, he realized he had awoken before everyone else. He grabbed his sword and went right to the backyard of the Rosemary and Thyme to try and train.

Ever since he had heard Baelen's words when he fought her, _it seems you're beginning to unlock your inner magic, _he had been on edge whenever he trained. Over the years he had always experienced what he called his 'second wind'. He would be fighting a particularly tough monster, or a gang of thugs that vastly outnumbered him. When the fight got desperate, and he thought about all the reasons he couldn't die yet, something always seemed to click. He would feel his body move faster, his strength shoot back into him, and he'd be able to leap up and fight back. It had saved his life many times, but he had never thought anything of it.

Could it really have been some sort of magic, or power of his blood unlocking to help him? Could his mother or father have had a powerful mage as an ancestor who passed on their gifts somehow through their blood? The entire idea sounded ridiculous to him, however what he had done in the cave against Baelen had surprised even himself. That last blast of Aard that he used to clash the with the Hunt commander had been more powerful than any sign he had ever produced.

He felt his anxiousness rise as he let out a shaky breath, his sword dipping to the ground.

"Forget what Vesemir always said about training alone," He heard Geralt ask from behind him, hearing his adopted father's footsteps.

Sighing he pulled the blindfold from his eyes. The sun shone into his eyes making him blink, and a cold breeze attacked underneath his armor. He turned and saw Geralt indeed behind him. The older Witcher seemed well rested, his black armor shining along with the pommels of both his swords.

He reached and slid his sword into its sheath on his back as he met his eyes, "Don't train alone it only amplifies your mistakes…. That's why Ciri and I always snuck off together."

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, "Please don't act like it wasn't normally her idea. All she had to do was bat her eyes at you and you'd agree to anything back then."

A small smile crossed his lips as he looked to the ground, "Yeah… you're right. All she had to do was give me a look with those eyes…" He said longingly.

His adopted father smiled, and he felt his heart grow warm. It had been the complete truth, all Ciri ever had to do to get him to do anything, sneak off into the woods, skip lessons to run the pendulums or the gauntlet, all she ever had to do was blinked those beautiful eyes at him. The image of her eyes flashed into his head again, and he looked over to Geralt. He remembered how angry Vesemir would get at them for skipping lessons, and while their Uncle had scolded them, Geralt was always behind him with a smirk on his face.

The older Witcher took another step towards him and met his eyes, "So what are you doing up so early? Couldn't sleep? Think this is the first time I've ever seen you up before me."

He carefully nodded, and felt his anxiousness rise, "You could say that yeah. Got a few hours in, but just couldn't stay asleep. Decided to come out here and swing my sword around."

Geralt nodded in understanding the sun casting their shadows towards the building.

"No such thing as a bad time to train…. How are you feeling after last night," The older Witcher said, meeting his eyes again, "I never got a chance to really ask how you were after… after seeing her."

A warm feeling came over his heart again, as her face flashed into his head. He had seen her of course with only one eye due to Dudu's scar, but even than she had been even more beautiful than he expected. Tears had almost fallen from his eyes then and during the night. Eight years it had been since he saw her in anything other than his dreams, and now after finally seeing her again, his heart raced. If it was possible for him to be even more determined to find her it had happened. He remembered growing up that he had always told himself, he never thought he'd find a woman he thought more beautiful than Ciri, and it still held true to the day.

A small smile came to his face as he met Geralt's eyes, "She… she's even more beautiful than I thought she would be. Eight years Geralt, she's… she's…"

"A woman now," The older Witcher said, a slight bit of amusement to his voice.

He scoffed a laugh and nodded in agreement, "Yeah… a woman now. I… I just can't wait to see her Geralt," He said, his voice growing like an excited child's, "I… I can't wait to see her, hug her, tell her all about what I've done, kiss her and-."

"Okay, okay," The older Witcher said with a small laugh, holding up his hands, "There are some things that I don't need to know you two will do when we find her."

His face flushed red again and goosebumps ran up his arms, as he nervously laughed and scratched the back of his head. The truth of the matter was he barely thought much about what he would do when he found her. He knew that the first thing he would do, would be to hold her, make sure she was real… before apologizing to her for not being there when she needed him most. After that he knew the battle with the Hunt would come, but after that, what would he and Ciri do?

It would almost definitely end up being her choice. For too long people had been trying to control her, tell her what to do and not to do. So whatever Ciri wanted to do, after all the fighting was over, that was what he'd do. Where she went, he'd go. Just like they had promised.

Geralt laughed at the flustered look on his face before meeting his eyes, "So, what were you working on? Ready for later, should be a decent skirmish."

The sun began to get hot, as he could feel the musty smell of morning due on his face. He took in a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders, "Just some basic footwork patterns…. To be honest I… I was also trying to force out whatever this power thing is…"

Geralt nodded slowly, crossing his arms, "This magic blood that the commander of the Hunt said you had?"

Carefully he nodded his head, looking down at his gloved hands, "I… I don't know what it could be Geralt. If I am a 'carrier' like Triss thought, how the hell am I supposed to learn to control whatever power this is, if I don't even know what it is!"

The older Witcher shook his head, "Did you ever think this Baelen could have been lying? Just trying to get in your head?"

The thought had crossed his mind many times. Baelen had been trying to taunt him, make him loose his cool. She told him about Cintra and Ciri, his real father and for some reason had offered him the chance to live. Why not make up some lie about him having magic inside him waiting to be unleashed? It could give him false hope, make him overconfident.

However, he slowly shook his head towards Geralt, "Geralt I… I don't think so. She was barely conscious; she had no reason to lie in that moment. And I… I felt something when we fought. When I fired that last Aard blast to try and knock her back I… I NEVER felt power like that. And when we fought? I was moving faster than I ever have, I don't know what it was but I… I just kept thinking about what losing that fight would've meant and I couldn't stop. I felt… something more coursing through me."

He paced in the yard, looking down at his hands again. It had also happened the day after. When he went and saved Berthold and Anisse for Triss, he had blasted the Witch Hunter clean through the window, and his hand begun to smoke afterwards. Anisse had told him he unleashed a large amount of chaos, magical energy, more than she saw from normal men. His anger had been spiked through the roof in that moment, thinking about all the things that had happened.

If whatever this magic was, he was supposed to unlock, he wanted to know how Baelen had figured out about it. How did she know it was inside him, and how did she possibly know so much about he and Ciri altogether? With every day he had more questions that swirled around in his head. All he knew for sure, was that if he truly did have this magic, he would need to learn to control it. And the thought terrified him, there was no way he could control it if he didn't even know what it was.

He sighed and felt Geralt come up next to him, as they both looked out onto the Novigrad streets.

"Like I said, I don't know much about what a 'carrier' is but look at it like this… you know how Ciri felt now in a way," His adopted father told him, as the morning breeze swept through their hair.

He could remember how terrified Ciri had been some nights. In the year they spent in Ellander, there were nights when Ciri would come home from training exhausted. She would lament to him how worried she was, how she didn't understand the powers swirling inside her. All she had wanted was to be normal, so that the two of them could set out on the path, be together without having to worry about her powers or any prophecies.

There were times when she'd cry, and he'd have to sit there and hold her. He himself also wished for her powers to just be gone, so that they could lead a normal life, but he knew miracles like that rarely happened, and her powers weren't going anywhere. They would only grow, and she needed to master them before they killed her. He remembered when she had blown up the barn when her and Yennefer had been training.

He was walking by the barn, going to find her and Yennefer when Ciri's spell made the structure explode. The pain was excruciating, and after seeing what she had done Ciri ran off. Thanks to Yennefer he had been fine, however Ciri was a wreck when he had found her. She shouted how she almost killed him, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did, or hurt him, Yennefer or Geralt.

Shuddering he looked over to Geralt, "I guess in a way I do… she never understood what was going on and… and neither do I. I can't figure out how to use a power when I don't even know what it is…"

"That's exactly what she said," Geralt commented, turning around to face him, "But she didn't stop. I still don't think she controls her powers fully to this day but… I know she works at it every day."

"How am I supposed to work at it, when I don't even know how to activate it, or what it is? Do I need to be angry? Do I need to be almost dead? It's so frustrating and I don't-," He started rambling before Geralt cut him off by shaking his head.

His adopted father met his emerald eyes with his yellow ones, "Don't change up anything. You've been fine the last eight years right, haven't died yet?"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Geralt smirked and continued, "Then that makes you luckier than Ciri. It seems whatever gene, or strand of DNA you inherited that gave you whatever it is hasn't been fully unlocked. Ciri's a source, and combined with her blood, her powers would've eventually drove her mad."

His head only began to swirl even more as he narrowed his eyes at his adopted father, "Geralt… what are you trying to say?"

The older Witcher met his eyes again and slowly shook his head, "Don't try to force yourself to use whatever it is. Let it come, naturally. When we see Yen in Skellige, she'll more then likely be able to tell you more. But for now, don't force anything out, we don't know enough about it. Let's focus on what we're here for… what really matters in the end."

With a sigh he digested his adopted father's words. As usual the older witcher was right. If he had to choose between going and finding Ciri or figuring out what was supposedly waiting to be unlocked inside him, he was going to choose Ciri every time. Perhaps along the way he would learn something more, Yennefer could help him, or like Geralt said whatever was starting to become unlocked inside him would unlock, naturally.

Either way finding Ciri was what mattered more, magic or no magic that's what he would focus on, and just hope that when whatever it was truly unlocked inside him that it would help him better protect her.

He looked up and nodded towards his adopted father, a new wave of determination rushing through his blood at high speeds.

"What matters in the end… you're right. Thanks, Geralt, you always know what to say," He said, looking towards his adopted father with a smile.

Geralt smiled back and slowly nodded, "You're welcome…. So, are you ready for later?"

Eagerly he nodded, "More then ready! If all goes well Dandelion tells us where Ciri is, and by tomorrow we'll be on our way to wherever that is. Was anyone else awake when you came down?"

Nodding the older witcher gestured back towards the Rosemary and Thyme, "Yeah, Freya was up helping Zoltan make some food. You notice she started wearing her sword on her back? You convince her to become a witcher," His adopted father said jokingly.

He scoffed, "I meant it as a joke, but she handled herself really well. Her, Faram, George… I'm thankful for them. All of them they… they said they were going to help me find Ciri. I don't know what I did to deserve it."

It was Geralt's turn to scoff, "Easy, it's because you're a good friend and you'd do the same for them if the roles were reversed. Loyal friends are hard to come by these days."

A warm feeling washed over his heart, and he sighed with a new smile, "You're right… they are. I'm lucky to have them… I can't wait for them to meet Ciri."

"Even Freya," Geralt said, a new smirk on his face.

"Of course, even Freya," He said right away, narrowing his eyes at the older witcher.

Geralt let out a small laugh, "You plan on telling Ciri that you two were well… you know."

His face felt hit as he looked down at his boots with a sigh, "Of course I am. There's never been any secrets between us, and I don't want to reunite and start hiding things from her now."

Geralt looked like he was about to make some type of joke, however the older witcher sighed and smiled. His adopted father placed a hand on his shoulder and turned the both of them back towards the building.

"You know… I love you and Ciri both, raised you, saw you grow up together," The older Witcher said as they walked back towards the building, "I'd like to say I know you two better than anyone…. And well… I don't think I've ever seen two people that seemed made for each other."

A smile creeped onto his face again, as he slowly reached his hand up around the swallow pendant. He looked up to meet his adopted father's eyes and he felt an embarrassed laughed escape him, as his face grew hot and red, his heart awash with warmth.

"Thanks, Geralt… I… I hope that she hasn't forgotten what we had…" He said slowly, the worry dripping from his voice.

Geralt looked down and shook his head, "I wouldn't worry about that… couldn't rip you two apart when you were younger… don't think I'll be able to when we find her either."

The warm blanket he felt over his heart ran through his entire body as he sighed with a smile, squeezing around the swallow again. The cool morning breeze whipped his brown hair and sent a pleasant chill down his back as they got to the door of the Rosemary and Thyme.

"Come on," Geralt said to him, turning the knob, "Freya told me she makes a great plate of eggs in the morning, and Zoltan won't admit it… but the dwarf can cook."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

By the time everything had been set up in the ravine, it had become around midday. For the next few hours in the morning he ate, trained more with Geralt, and went over the plan so many times with his friends he was sure that they were tired of hearing his voice. The sun was high now, with some clouds slowly beginning to roll in, making sure the sun didn't shine to harshly. A chilly breeze also swept through the ravine, making the hairs on his arms stand up as he looked over the cliff.

It was truly the perfect spot for an ambush. The river to the far side blocked any means of escape in that direction, and after Faram and Zoltan's crews knocked down the trees both sides would be cut off, and they could charge from above. While he looked out over the ravine, the breeze blowing back his hair, Geralt and Zoltan stood next to him. Faram was down below organizing the ambush points, directing the men they had exactly where to go. While behind him, Freya had gotten a fire going with the help of George, and the Griffin Witcher was explaining to the blonde the differences between blade oil formulae that witchers used.

Sighing he turned looking over to Geralt next to him, "So are we sure everything's ready? Everybody knows where to be and-."

"Aye, aye slow down and relax lad," Zoltan cut him off from his left, the dwarf laughed and shook his head, "You'll know where your Cirilla's gone soon enough. Just gotta relax and play the waiting game."

An uneasy feeling washed over him as he sighs and looked back out over the water on the far side. He of course knew Zoltan was right, the plan was perfectly set. All their men and his friends knew their roles and it was only a matter of waiting for Dudu to give the order at Temple Isle. However, the uneasy feeling wouldn't go away, he knew even the best plans went astray, and not only would Dandelion's life be at risk, but their information about where Ciri had gone as well.

He would make it to that transport and get the bard, he had too.

"He's right, you just need to take a deep breath and relax," Geralt said from next to him, making him turn his head around to the older witcher before he continued, "We'll be alright, if the two of us can fight through the entire Witch Hunter Barracks this shouldn't be anything."

He laughed a little and nodded his head, "I guess you're right… just a little nervous. A lot is riding on this."

"We know… everything will be alright," Geralt said to him, as he watched the sun slowly become covered by the clouds.

Rain would be one of the worst things that could happen now. Rain would muddy up the roads and force the convoy to wait until tomorrow or be even more delayed. They hadn't received any message yet from Dudu, and a small part of him was afraid the doppler had been caught. If that had been the case, he would've had to break into the Temple Isle prison himself and become a wanted man through all Novigrad, having to fight almost the entirety of the Temple Guard.

_Everything will be alright. _Geralt had been trying to reassure him, but those words had always stirred his stomach over the years. They had been the last words Ciri spoke to him, before she walked through the portal with Yennefer, leaving him alone. She had been wrong, only a few weeks later she had disappeared. He had only received one letter from her at her time in Aretuza, he assumed the old parchment was still back in his room at Kaer Morhen. The letter had told him how she felt overwhelmed and slight afraid at the magic school, and it ended with her begging him to try as hard as he could to convince Geralt to let him visit her.

And so, he did, he tried for days to wear Geralt down, let him go and see her, and he was sure Ciri had done the same with Yennefer. Ever since he heard her say the words to him when she left, they had always caused a stir in him, because nothing had turned out alright. For eight years nothing had been alright in his life.

But now was his chance to finally make her words ring true, to make everything alright.

Zoltan laughed heartily from the ground next to him, "Haha he's right lad! Soon as we catch sight of them, we'll block the road…. I was also wondering, you know I think it's a great plan and all, and I'm always happy to help," The dwarf said, pacing back behind them, making Geralt and he turn, "I'm always happy to crush some holier-than-thou buggers skull but… since we have a doppler, wouldn't it be easier to just have Dudu order Dandelion release and have it done with?"

The idea had run by his head for a moment, but Geralt and he both agreed that it would have raised too much suspicion. He was still feeling his stomach churn, so Geralt looked down at their dwarf friend and slowly shook his head.

"Would've been too suspicious. Think about it, Menge shows up after being missing with a new scar on his face and sets Dandelion free… would've raised too many questions," The older witcher told the dwarf.

He sighed after Geralt had finished, thinking about their doppler friend disguised as Menge, "I hope Dudu's alright… I would hate to think we sent him into the lion's den. He's already risked a lot for us."

Zoltan shook his head with his arms crossed, "No worries lad, like I said nobody will pester the commander of the Temple Guard. Besides we-."

"Dom, Geralt, Zoltan over here," Freya yelled from behind them both.

They all whirled around in an instant. Freya and George had easily gotten the fire going, and a pot of something boiling was sitting on top of the flames. A way to the left all their horses had been tied to an old log, and he could see Clop eagerly biting into the grass. The sun casted all their shadows over the cliff, as through the brush he could see Priscilla walking towards them, and his jaw nearly dropped.

"Priscilla? What are you doing here, it's dangerous," He said worriedly to the trobairitz as she walked to meet them all around the fire.

All of them had gathered now, apart from Faram who was still down in the ravine directing their men. Priscilla wore her usual outfit, but he could see the look of worry in her eyes. Over the past few days, he had been becoming very fond of the trobairitz, and was starting to consider her one of his better friends. Not to mention the fact that Dandelion was in love with her, so he knew that he would soon be seeing more of the young woman. She had been kind and understanding, and a good person for him to talk too after what he had gone through the previous few days.

Which was why he didn't want to risk her getting hurt in what would soon be a skirmish.

She looked over and met he and Geralt's eyes, "Some child brought a note from Dudu. The convoy is leaving soon from Novigrad… may I stay with you? I can't stand it, sitting at home thinking about Dandelion."

He sighed and a rush of relief shot through him. Dudu hadn't been caught, hopefully their doppler friend was on his way to the Rosemary and Thyme to meet with them. He could hear the desperation in Priscilla's voice, and he felt a pang of sympathy. He knew exactly what she was feeling then. While Ciri was in quite a bit more danger then Dandelion, Priscilla and he were both currently in the same boat.

Zoltan laughed and shook his head, "Never fear, my dear, you'll get your warbler back, just hope he's got his p-. Dammit! Gotta watch my rhymes in the presence of a lady."

Freya scoffed from next to the fire, "I heard you say much worse just last night."

He scoffed a laugh at her words, but Geralt turned his head back to Priscilla. The older witcher sighed and shook his head at the trobairitz, "Go back to town Priscilla, it's too dangerous out here."

"Please… I won't be a bother I promise," She asked again quickly, her voice pleading with them now.

His heart panged and he slowly looked up towards Geralt, "Come on Geralt let her stay. There's no harm in it, we let Freya come and-."

"And what's that supposed to mean," Freya shot over to him, her arms crossed as her blue eyes glared at him.

His eyes widened as he realized his choose his words wrong, "Nothing! Nothing at all, it's just I was meant um…"

Freya scoffed but he could see a smile on her face as she rolled her eyes and looked at Priscilla, then back over to Geralt, "He's right though Geralt. What's the harm in her staying? It'd be nice to have another woman here, after hanging out with witchers and a dwarf for three days I need it!"

He found himself laughing as was everyone else. Even Geralt managed to crack a smile. The chilly breeze had picked up and he could feel himself growing colder, goosebumps going up his arms. If the convoy really had been just getting ready to leave, then they'd have a few hours to prepare and wait, and it was always nice to him to have more friends around. Having them around helped sooth his nerves and keep him from thinking too much about the task ahead of them, the overarching task.

Geralt saw them all looking and pleading with him, so the older witcher finally sighed and looked over to Priscilla, "Fine she can stay… on one condition-."

"I know, as soon as the fighting start's I'm to stand at a distance, I promise I will," The trobairitz said, as they all went to gather around the fire.

Whatever George and Freya had made over the pot smelled great, it was a soothing smell, more than likely tea. Zoltan took in a large smell of it and sat down in front of the fire, next to where Priscilla had sat down.

"Should be a few hours before they arrive with a convoy that size, probably around sunset," The dwarf said, placing his axe next to him and scratching his beard.

He looked down and saw Priscilla's eyes widen, "Well if that's the case how about some Gwent? Have a small tournament."

"I like that idea," Freya said happily leaning back as she poked the fire with a stick, "The ladies versus the boys to start, what'll it be witchers?"

A small smile crossed Geralt's face as the older witcher shrugged, "Why not, I'll play. Curious to see if Freya can heal, cook, fight AND play gwent."

Freya laughed from her spot on the ground and reached into her bag, "Oh just you wait and see… Dom are you in?"

A smaller smile crossed his face as well, but the stirring in his gut didn't stop. He blinked and every time he did, Ciri would pop into his mind, other times he would see the large arena of fire, and Baelen standing across from him. The cold breeze made him shiver, but he looked down and saw all his friends looking at him. He didn't want them to begin worrying, so he put on a fake smile and slowly shook his head.

"I think I'll pass… gonna go keep a lookout for that convoy," He said, seeing a few of them grow disappointed looks on their face.

Sighing and not wanting them to see his hands begin to shake, he turned and walked towards the cliff again. He heard a few of them mutter questions to Geralt, mentioning his name, but he faintly heard Geralt say to just give him time.

With a sigh he finally reached the cliff overlooking the ravine. He could see Faram down below, barking out orders and even having watched some of his men spar. The Bear School witcher would occasionally step in to correct footwork and parries. The ever-present chilly breeze blew back his brown hair, as he tried to close his eyes and focus on the task at hand. When he closed his eyes however, things begin to flash in the blackness. Ciri's face, her face now and her face when she was younger. Baelen, the cave, the Hunt soldiers, the ring of fire she had erected around them.

The words she had spoken, taunted him with rang through his mind. _She shared the bed of King Auberon. Sir Gregory of Cintra… you do remember him, don't you? If she loves you so much, why didn't she try and find you when she came back? I fought Cirilla herself not long ago… I hope you prove as worthy a challenge._

Would Ciri had been able to defeat Baelen? Baelen had spoken of Ciri as if she were alive, and the Hunt hadn't invaded the continent yet, so they couldn't have. However, Baelen was unbelievably strong. It took him unleashing powers within himself that he didn't even know existed for him to even stand a chance. And even then, he should have died by the Hunt commander's blade, she had him at her mercy. Had Baelen fought and wounded Ciri and now she didn't have long? Or what if the curse she had been trying to lift in Novigrad had been casted upon herself, and it was slowly progressing in her… and the phylactery was the only way for her to stop it.

If this was the case and she only had a short amount of time before the curse took her over, then he would need to move quick. He suddenly didn't want to be sitting on that cliff overlooking the ravine anymore, as Geralt and his friends argued over Gwent behind him. He wanted to run and find where the convoy was now, spring Dandelion and then run to wherever he said she had gone. He cupped his hands together, squeezing them as the possibilities ran through his head.

If he had done all of this, survived so many battles, contracts, monsters, men… only for him to be too late, and for a curse to overtake her… he didn't know what he would do.

All of this happened while something was unlocking inside him, and he had no idea what it was, no idea how he could control it, or if it would even end up helping him. He remembered the strength that coursed through his limbs, the speed at which his arms and feet moved during his fight with Baelen, the power he felt come out when he used his signs. Baelen could have been lying the whole time about some magic unlocking in him, and it had just been his sheer will that made him move so fast.

However, the speeds he moved at… they weren't speed's even the fastest man could move at. The more he began to think, he thought back to all the moments he moved at speeds and felt strength he never knew he had course through his body. He remembered how many monsters and men had almost killed him, only for him to quickly roll out of the way unexpectedly, or his sword to come and parry at just the right moment.

Could whatever this power was inside of him… really had been one of the reasons he survived through the years?

"How are you feeling my friend," A voice behind him said, cutting off his thoughts.

His head whirled around, and George had come up behind him. The Griffin School witcher like the night before had finally seemed completely rejuvenated from his wound sustained in their fight with the Hunt. His long golden hair was tied in a ponytail, and his angular face and yellow witcher eyes looked down at him, as his green and gold Griffin School armor sparkled in the sunlight. He sat down and hung his legs out over the ravine, looking out over the countryside and the water besides Dominik.

He sighed and looked to meet the Griffin witchers eyes, "I'm alright… get knocked out of the Gwent tournament already?"

George laughed and leaned down with both hands on his knees, "Haha, I was yes. Priscilla plays a mean hand I will give her that."

A smile crossed his face, as the cold breeze hit him again, making his body shake. He remembered the cold breeze and the smell of sulfur that hit George and he's noses outside the cave.

Remembering the fight, he nodded toward his friend again, "You know, I've been pretty busy since I came and saw you…. I don't think I properly thanked you for helping me in that cave… and sticking with me now. Haven't had the chance to talk to you and say that I'm sorry."

George scoffed and waved his hand, "Bah think nothing of it. You keep good company. Faram I knew but Zoltan, Freya, Priscilla… they are good people. And Geralt well, I heard stories of the White Wolf during my training, and while I've been on the path."

The sun slowly popped out from behind the clouds, shining its rays down on his face again. He smiled, remembering Faram having a similar reaction to meeting Geralt for the first time.

"You know, Faram said the same thing. I… I'm really lucky, first father died… not many people get the chance to have a second… and I got one of the best," He told his friend, feeling a blanket of warmth wrap around his heart.

George nodded next to him, and leaned back to stretch out his arms, "Aye… you and your Cirilla both…. She is a beautiful young woman, and soon you'll find her, I'm happy for you my friend."

He knew that George had meant to lift his spirits, and it had slightly worked as a small smile came to his face, "Thanks George… still gotta find her first though. And if I gotta go through an entire legion of the Wild Hunt I will."

The Griffin Witcher laughed and smiled, "Haha it is nice seeing such devotion…. Are you thinking about her, that commander you fought?"

Slowly he nodded his head, as he let out another sigh. He could see the sun reflecting it's light off waves of the river. The echoing, raking voice of Baelen emanating through the cavern, ripping off her faceplate as she spoke to him. After the battle it had been blown off and he heard her real voice, the voice of a normal woman, but he hadn't seen her eyes or her face, his vision had been too blurry, his eyes unable to focus.

He shuddered and looked to George, "She… she somehow knew everything. About me, Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer… my real father. After our fight she said that thing about magic unlocking in me… how does she even know?"

George narrowed his lips grimly and shook his head, "I am not sure my friend. But you cannot let it distract you from your goal. That siren was trying to rattle you, distract you, you cannot let her succeed."

Sighing he turned around to look back out over the river, feeling the cold return to him, "You could be right, and I'd never let it distract me from Ciri but… if this powers unlocking inside me now and I don't know what it is… how will I be able to control it, let alone use it to help me in fights?"

The Griffin School witcher met his eyes with sympathy and slowly shook his head, "I wish I had the answers for you my friend I truly do… but alas I don't. Again. you must not let it distract you. Your Ciri is what matters for you. When you feel yourself nervous or lost… do what I do… think of her, think of that person you are fighting every day for. Find a happy memory, let it flow through you… and I promise, everything will feel better for that moment."

He slowly looked down at the swallow around his neck, and the one that was tattooed into his arm, along with the names. Trying what George said, he found one of the memories in his head. It had been winter in Ellander, only a few months after they had been staying in the town. Snowstorms trapped the two of them inside for a few days, but once it had finally finished, he remembered how excited Ciri had gotten. She had woken him up in the early hours of the morning, she grabbed his hand and eagerly led him outside. In warm clothes they walked through the forest, trudging through the snow until they came to the frozen lake.

Together they had skated, with Ciri skating circles around him, but being sure to hold onto his hand and help teach him. They had skated together for what felt like hours, until finally they collapsed back onto the snow together. She kissed him and for what felt like hours they stayed there, hugging, kissing, and keeping one another warm, before she slammed a snowball into his face. They hurled snow at each other for a few more minutes, until two snowballs flew from the woods and hit them. Yennefer and Geralt both had found them, and for hours the four of them stayed outside, tossing snow at each other and skating… like a real family.

A laugh escaped his mouth, as what George suggested worked. For a few moments all he saw was Ciri and he, snowflakes covering their hair and faces, kissing, skating, and throwing snowballs at each other, before having a snowball fight with Geralt and Yennefer. After his eyes finally opened, he could almost see the snow still.

Sighing he turned to George who was smiling broadly at him, "Thanks George… that really helped."

The Griffin School witcher smiled and clapped a hand on his back, "Of course my friend… I know how you feel. I was in love once too you know."

"Really," He said, turning around to face his friend again, "I remember you mentioning it in the cave, but we ran into the Hunt before I could ask more."

George scoffed and nodded with a longing smile, "Of course! It was long… long ago like I mentioned. It was before I became a witcher, back when I was a boy in Toussaint."

"What was her name," He asked his friends, as the mixture of sun and the cool breeze blew through him.

A smile crossed the Griffin witcher's face as he looked out over the cliff, "Her name was Lilia… I daresay I loved her almost as much as you seem to love your Cirilla."

Scoffing with a smirk he looked out over the water with him, "That's a whole lot then…. I remember you also said you went to the School of the Griffin willingly?"

The smile that had been on George's face fell. He was afraid for a moment he had asked a bad question, one that opened old wounds, however his friend simply nodded. The golden-haired witcher reached down and looked at his griffin's head medallion twisting it in his hands for a few moments, before turning back to face him.

"Both are true yes…. You see in Toussaint my father he was a wealthy knight, in service to the duke himself. I received top notch training and education my whole life… I became a sniveling brat…" His friend said, spitting out the words with disgust, "I thought myself better then everyone, my arrogance knew no bounds. One thing though… one person who kept me sane was my Lillia…"

He felt a tingling in his spine. It had been similar for him and Ciri, he sounded like he himself was the opposite of George growing up. However, he was able to understand what it was like to have that one person, that one person who seemed to keep you from going off the deep end.

"What did she look like," He asked his friend, turning to look at him.

George sighed and a small smile returned to his face, as he kept his eyes on the griffin medallion, "She was beautiful beyond measure. Long, silky black hair, blue eyes the color of the sky, wore a perfume of jasmine… it's been so long and still… I remember. If I close my eyes… I can still see her… I daresay she's more real than even you."

A small chuckle escaped him as he looked down towards the swallow, "Ciri… juniper and cedarwood…. Even when we went to Kaer Morhen I still smelled it…. Did she love you back?"

The Griffin witcher laughed and raised his head up, "Ha I would like to think so! Our fathers were friends, we… we were betrothed from a young age. I learned over the years betrothal's sometimes go sour but… but not ours, we loved each other…. My life was fantastic with her."

He felt a warm feeling wash over him for a moment, however it was soon covered in a cold chill. He knew that George was over seventy years old, and as everyone knew, witchers lived much longer than humans. The heartfelt story he heard his friend telling about his old love… he knew it wouldn't have a happy ending.

"What… what happened," He asked carefully, wanting to know the end, but not wanting to force him to speak.

George sighed and let his Griffin medallion fall to his armor, "She… she brought out the best in me. Taught me to be humbler… taught me to be a better man. I swore up and down to protect her, that we would grow old, live in a great keep, and eventually own our own vineyard. I swore for her I would become a true knight… protect her, and all the innocents of Toussaint."

His heart began to fall again, as he tried not to meet his friend's eyes. The Griffin Witcher's eyes went forward. They narrowed over the water, as the sun beamed off his golden hair.

"We were fifteen. I had been insistent we go out late at night to visit one of our favorite spots in the countryside, to watch the stars for a night while our fathers were at a ball. They were hesitant but let us go, my father sent one of his knights to protect us from any danger," George explained, a small twinge of bitterness coming to his voice as his eyes didn't leave the horizon, "We spent a wonderful few hours together… before we started back towards Beauclair. We were riding along… when the beast attacked us."

A chill went down his spine. He hadn't expected George's story to end happily, but still he felt his heart reaching out for his friend.

"What was it…" He asked him slowly, the sun slowly moving down, but still higher in the sky.

George picked a flower that had been sticking out from the ground, before crushing it in his hand and letting it fly in the wind.

"A Garkain…. Thing dove at us from a nearby tree. I had my blade with me, I tried to fight back but… I wasn't a witcher yet. Only a boy who didn't know only silver could harm a vampire," The Griffin witcher said, his voice filling with regret as he sighed, "The 'knight' who was supposed to be protecting us… the bastard soiled himself and ran, rode off like a coward. Left Lillia and I there to the mercy of the beast. I… I tried to get to her, but… but I was not fast enough."

"You were a kid George… there was nothing you could have done," He said to his friend right away, looking over to meet his eyes.

George scoffed and a small amused smile came to his face, he looked over and met Dominik's eyes, "When Geralt tells you that exact same thing when you are upset you couldn't help Cirilla all those years ago… does it ever make you feel any better?"

He felt his face get hot, as he realized what a hypocrite he sounded like. It was true. Geralt, Yennefer, Triss everyone assured him that when Ciri disappeared when he was fourteen, that there was nothing he could do, he wasn't at fault, he was just a kid at the time, he couldn't have done anything. And as George had said, it never made him feel any better. It never made him feel any better because he knew in his heart, there was still something he could have done.

Sighing he shook his head, "No… it never does, I'm sorry."

His friend smiled and shook his head, "No need to apologize my friend…. As I was saying, after that coward fled I… I tried to protect her, but I was knocked aside, cut across the stomach almost died…. And the Garkain it… it tore into her. She was dead before she hit the ground… I thought I was going to be next…."

The bitterness and anger that came from his friend resonated with him. It was exactly how he had felt when talking about what happened to Ciri. However, unlike him… his friends one true love had died, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

George sighed again, before gripping his griffin pendant and looking at it longingly.

"It came for me… when an Aard sign blasted the beast back. A witcher came leaping out of the woods. I… I had never seen anyone fight like him. He blasted fire, and magic from his hands, spun and moved so swiftly I could barely see him," George said, a small smiled forming back on his face, "His name was Kasamir… he'd come to be my mentor eventually… saved my life that night."

He remembered back to the first time he had seen a witcher in combat. It had been after Geralt found Ciri and he and was taking them back to Kaer Morhen. A group of thugs had attacked, Ciri and he watched on in amazement as Geralt killed all the men with ease to save them. He remembered being so enamored with the witchers quick movements, hands, and footwork, that it had slightly calmed his nerves.

Not wanting to interrupt he looked over the sunny river again while George continued.

"Kasamir killed the beast… but it was too late for Lillia... she was dead before he could do anything…. He did manage to heal my wounds, however. I thought he'd demand I come with him to be a witcher, all the coin I had, or the Law of Surprise like I had heard that witchers do," He said, a small scoff and smile coming to his mouth, "But he asked for none of it. He said that I had suffered enough that night… and he was simply doing what was right, that I needed aid, so he helped…"

"Sounds like he was a great man… what happened to him," Dominik asked carefully, not wanting to bring his friend more horrid memories.

George laughed genuinely, letting his medallion fall back to his chest, "Ha, he's still alive if that's what you mean. I'm sure he's down in Toussaint, told me before I set out on the Path, he wanted to die with a belly full of wine in a nice feather bed… and dammit I bet you he will, tough old bastard."

He laughed as well, trying to imagine Geralt retiring the same way. No witcher had ever died in his own bed, that was the rumor. He didn't know how long he would live; it could be for much longer then he estimated if he decided to undergo mutations, or it could be fighting the Wild Hunt. All he knew was he wanted to do it sword in hand, with his friends and the ones he loved near him.

George sighed and the sun casted both their shadows back over the camp.

"That night I learned an important lesson. That not all knights are chivalrous. That witchers… are true heroes of the continent, they can be even more noble then the greatest knights," George explained, squeezing tightly around his medallion, "I promised that night I would protect the people of the continent as he did. I asked him to take me, to train to be a witcher… and he did. Taught me everything I know… and then I set out on the Path… to try and honor her memory."

George's story sunk into him. It sounded like his own, that was the reason that he wanted to become a witcher. As Ciri and he learned more and more about what witchers did, heard more stories from Geralt… they knew that that's what they wanted to do together. They would travel the Path and help those in need, saving them from monsters, and making the continent a safer place. However, all those plans would mean nothing without Ciri, and he was lucky enough to have the chance now to get back to her, to the one he loved.

George wasn't that lucky. His Lillia was dead, and he couldn't bring her back. Despite that, and despite how easy it could have been for him to simply return to his knight father, and live a quiet, comfortable life, he picked the life of a witcher. A newfound respect for George of Toussaint ran through him, despite everything that had happened, losing the one that he loved, he set out on the path despite it being the harder option, and did so to honor her memory.

Sighing he looked over and met his friend's eyes, "I… I'm sorry that happened to you. I… I don't know what I'd do if I lost Ciri like that… thank you for staying and helping me."

Despite the somber mood a small smile appeared on George's face, as he nodded to him, "You are welcome my friend. I try every day to honor her memory, what she would have wanted…. Besides what I went through… losing the one I love, I would not wish that upon anyone, especially not you."

A warm feeling washed over him. The sun shined brightly, the clouds now all gone from the sky. The rays of light warmed his face, as his inside grew in temperature. He didn't know how to properly convey how thankful he was to his friend. So, he simply held out his hand, and shook the Griffin School witcher's armored hand firmly, meeting his eyes a small smile on his face.

"Thank you George…" He said slowly, meeting his friends yellow witcher eyes.

His friend nodded and smiled, letting go of his hand, "You are welcome…. I'm going to help you find your Ciri in any way I can, and then when the final fight comes… I will be right there to fight by your side, you need but ask. Let's send these phantoms back to whence they came."

A smile crossed his face, as he imagined them all fighting. He, Geralt, Yennefer, the witchers of Kaer Morhen, Zoltan, Freya, Faram, George… and of course Ciri all fighting off the Wild Hunt. Killing Eredin, saving the continent and every world from him and his Hunt, finally giving Ciri her freedom.

The more he thought about it, the more wicked of a smile came to his face. He nodded and looked back out over the horizon, "Yeah… let's show them how we do things on the continent, before kicking their asses back to their world."

George laughed and clapped his back before rising to his feet and offering him a hand, "Haha we certainly will my friend! Now come, have some tea the pot Freya made is excellent. We should still have some time before the convoy arrives."

He sighed and looked out to see Faram now actively taking part in giving his crew sparring lessons. Everything was in perfect place, and he could hear his friends continuing to chat behind him. Optimism flowed through him, there were still a few hours until sundown. If all went well then, that night… he'd know where his search would take him next.

He gripped George's hand and the Griffin witcher lifted him to his feet, "Yeah… come on. I could use some tea, maybe it'll warm me up. Maybe I'll play a few rounds of gwent."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Why the fuck do I even play this game…" He muttered to himself, tossing his last card onto the hand as Geralt thoroughly finished trouncing him.

"Bloody hell lad, your cards are shite. Gotta get you some better ones, can't have you embarrassing me, already got Dandelion for that," Zoltan commented next to him, gently patting his shoulder.

The had played gwent and drank tea for a couple more hours. He was sitting across from Geralt who was smirking at him with amusement. The sun was indeed starting to set, just nearly lowering down past the horizon. It had gotten colder as the sun went away, the breeze sending chills up his spine, and making the hairs on his arms stand up. With every hour that passed his apprehension grew. What if the convoy had taken a different route? What if they had decided to postpone? Or what if they had just decided to execute Dandelion in Novigrad?

His worries were pushed aside however by his friends laughing at him.

Freya scoffed, her blonde hair now tied up in a ponytail, "You were bad a couple years ago when I met you… and I don't know how but you've somehow gotten worse."

He rolled his eyes and Priscilla suppressed a laugh from next to Freya. George had gone to keep Faram company on his lookout, as he sighed, cleaning up the cards from in front of Geralt. Gwent was the last thing currently on his mind. All he could think about was getting to Dandelion and rescuing his poet friend. Then in turn he could figure out where Ciri had gone, and then within the next day Geralt and he could be on their way there.

Sighing he slid the cards back together as his friends chatted more. He quickly scooped the Northern Realms deck back into his bag and quickly stood. His fingers were beginning to twitch as he got up, pacing back and forth as he looked out over the ravine, still not sign of anyone coming from either way. He had everything he needed. During the hours he also used a whetstone to sharpen his blade, made more bombs, dancing star to cause a fiery explosion, and samum to disorient the Witch Hunters and guards.

Everything was ready, everything had been ready for hours, but the convoy was still nowhere in sight. Geralt must have noticed his unease, because his adopted father came up next to him.

"You okay? I mean you're normally bad but that time well… you were REALLY bad," The older witcher joked.

He sighed and turned to face him, "Why hasn't the convoy arrived yet? What if something happened, what if-."

"They'll get here just relax. Be patient, should be any minute now," Geralt told him, crossing his arms, and meeting his eyes.

The boiling pot of anxiety spilled over inside of him as he shook his head, "We can't afford to be patient Geralt! If Ciri is trying to lift this curse off herself, then we don't know how much time she has!"

His adopted father seemed to be able to tell how anxious he was, because he slowly shook his head and spoke in a calming tone, "We don't know that yet. Ciri's tough she can take care of herself; we're close I can feel it."

He scoffed again and shook his head, "She can take care of herself I know but if she can't figure out the curse or needs the phylactery to do it, we-."

"OY MATES," The deep voice of Faram of Undviik yelled from behind them.

He, Geralt, Zoltan, Freya and Priscilla all whirled around, and he could see George and Faram both running up the hill towards them. Faram clunked in his armor with George close behind and came up to meet them all.

"Faram what is it," He said right away, his hands beginning to twitch even more.

The cool breeze shot through the ravine, as the sun slowly began to get lower and lower. He looked over at Faram and the Bear School witcher smirked wildly and stroked his long black beard.

His friend pointed down the road, "Lads have got everything set up, they're coming down the road now!"

His mind began to race as he quickly looked at Geralt. The older witcher quickly nodded, and Dominik turned back to all his friends. His hands instinctively went to the swallow around his neck, which as he did before every fight, he squeezed with everything he had. Her face quickly popped into his head, and he heard her voice speak. That was enough for him to shoot his eyes open and look at all his friends.

"Alright we went over this. After the tree's fall Zoltan, Faram, George you all attack from the front," He said looking at his two witcher friends and the dwarf before turning to Freya, "Freya you come with me and Geralt, we'll attack from the back. Priscilla you stay here until one of us come to get you."

All of them quickly nodded in agreement and he let out a long sigh before his eyes shot open again.

"Dandelion is going to more then likely be in the middle of the convoy, the prison transport. Fight to get to that, but be careful, got it? Now let's get moving," He said, and before he could see their reactions he turned and unslung his sword.

The shining steel sparkled in the remaining sunlight as he rushed down to hide in the appropriate spot, right in a cluster of bushes on the cliff. Freya and Geralt quickly rushed in behind him, Freya for the first time unslinging her sword from her back as opposed to her hip. They quickly knelt next to him, as he felt a cold sweat beat down the back of his neck. It was finally it; it was finally going to happen.

He had felt like he had been in Novigrad for months, fighting more and more each day, just for this moment. As soon as he had the dream from Corinne Tilly, and learned that Dandelion had seen Ciri, finding the bard had been the only thing on his mind. He took some time to help friends, and fight other battles, but it had never left his mind that his true goal was to find the poet. He knew where Ciri had gone, and just as he had done in Velen, he was prepared to do anything for that information.

The convoy slowly rolled into his view. It was large, with three wagons. He had heard of this type of tactic from his father when he was young. When they transported prisoners, they often had more then one transport, he was hoping the Witch Hunters wouldn't be smart enough to do the same. They had however, and he cursed under his breath. He also saw three mounted riders towards the front of the caravan slowly trotting by. There were several foot soldiers, at least twenty all walking along the sides right near the transports.

"Which one do they have Dandelion in," Freya quietly asked behind him, her longsword out in front of her.

He sighed and quickly shook his head, "I don't know…. But I'm going to break them all open if I have too…. Are you sure you still wanna do this?"

The blonde scoffed and smiled softly up at him, "I promised I'd help. I want to see this through to the end… lead the way."

A small smile came to his face as he nodded back at her, his face going slightly red from the loyalty. Quickly he turned back to the convoy however as the end of it was just passing them. All three of the wagons pulling transports looked the same. He did his best to scout what he saw.

All the Hunters seemed to carry longswords, with a few carrying crossbows. He counted between twenty to thirty in all. Faram had brought ten of his men, while Zoltan brought another seven. Combined with Faram, George, Zoltan, Freya, Geralt and he it was an even fight numbers wise. However, he knew that they were much more skilled then the Witch Hunters. They could overwhelm them from both sides quickly enough. He could see no place for them to run unless they wanted to jump into the Pontar. His father had told him they always switched up in short intervals where the prisoner was kept in the three wagons. He focused his attention on the one in the middle, all he needed to do was make it there.

He was going to break open every transport until he found the poet.

A sharp whistle rang through the air, as he saw one of Faram's grew just ahead of him, the makings of a bomb just igniting. His head whirled around towards the front of the convoy, as he heard a loud snap. The tree just as they had planned was splintered in half, falling over right in front of the convoy, cutting off any means of escape from the front. Horses neighed and bucked off the riders at the front and all the Hunters quickly unsheathed blades.

He could hear the chorus of blades unslinging as all the men quickly whirled around on a swivel, trying to determine where the sounds had come from. A few tried to suggest retreating the way they came, but as soon as he heard that another loud whistling zipped through the air. One of the large members of Faram's crew tossed the bomb towards the base of the tree and booked it back up the hill.

Slowly he reached to his own belt, grabbing a samum bomb from his hip. His hands gripped tightly around the leather grip of his blade, so far that he was sure his fingers were turning white. A cool breeze blew in his hair, as the rays of the sunset hit his face. He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, thinking about everything he had done to get to this point.

He saw Ciri's emerald eyes, her high cheekbones and ashen hair loosely tied in a bun. She still tried to cover her freckles with strands of her hair. She was taller, slimmer, more athletic, and more beautiful then he could have imagined. And she had been trying to find him, she had been looking for him, and still cared about him. He remembered back to that day in Ellander in the snow, the light flakes covering her face and hair, the giant smile she got when she hit him with a snowball, and the goofy smile he got when he even saw her.

But then everything else flashed in his head. Her being ripped away from him, watching her look back at him as she walked through the portal. He remembered all the horrible things he knew happened to her. When she was force to fight in the arena of Leo Bonhart, kept prisoner in the world of the Aen Elle. How Vilgefortz had capture her to rape her and gain access to her blood, how Emhyr wanted her now to use her in some sick twisted schemes. How the lodge of sorceresses wanted her to run off and have a child with a random prince mere days after she had gotten back. He saw how close he was in Rivia to seeing her again, only for her to leave, not coming to see him again for his own good, so the Wild Hunt wouldn't come down on him.

And then the thought flashed through his head again. He had missed her by three days… and now there was possibly off a curse casted upon her and was slowly but surely eating away at her.

That was when he felt something erupt, and he saw a light blue flash appear in his eyes as he limbs shook.

A loud _***BOOM* **_erupted as the tree cracked at its base and fell, finally trapping the Hunter's from both sides. His hands were set aflame and the bomb in his hand ignited. He chucked it towards the convoy and a loud explosion shook them again, blinding them and sending them spiraling out of control.

"Dom… hold on what's-," He heard Geralt start to say behind him, but he ignored the older witcher's words.

An uncontrollable anger coursed through his body, and he felt his legs sprint from the bush just as Faram and Zoltan's men charged. It was as if someone had shot adrenaline into all his limbs as his legs moved faster then he ever felt them move, he saw small strands of blue light coming from his arms and legs, but he didn't pay attention to them, focusing solely on his goal. His eyes narrowed onto one Hunter, and the man had just enough time to raise his finger and yell before Dominik was on him.

He leaped and spun crushing right through the man's block. Spinning with perfect precision while the man was off balance, he cut his blade across the man's chest. His strike was so powerful it cut clean through the man's armor and into his rib cage, making the man scream and sprawling him to the ground.

"DOMINIK," He heard Geralt yell faintly in his ear.

He whirled around to try and find his adopted father's voice, but saw two Hunter's charging at him, as the sounds of a battle erupted in his ears. The men came charging, but he shot his free hand forward a giant wall of fire from the Igni sigh erupted, and it singed right through the Hunter's armor setting them both alite. He didn't take time to marvel in what he had done, because he felt footsteps come behind him, right behind him. The man behind him was so close that he could hear his sword cutting through the air.

But that was when he saw the flash of blue, he blinked and he saw a light blue light flash in his eyes again as he stepped forward, whirled around and shot his sword up into the air blocking the man's strike, and then continuing with a spin and cutting across the man's neck.

After he had come back around, he felt his knees wobble as he almost fell to the ground. Bits of blue magic swirled around his arms, and they both felt like they were burning. But despite it, all he thought about in that moment was Ciri, and how he needed to get to Dandelion to get to her. He whirled around again and finally Geralt had caught up to him, stabbing his blade through one man who was charging at him.

Freya was by his side, and he watched the blonde parry one man's strike to the side, before spinning and thrusting her longsword into his torso. He heard battle cries from the front of the convoy, as he could hear Faram laughing and George shouting as fires crackled from his Igni sign. He heard the twang of a crossbow as the blue light continued to swirl around his arms, and he whirled around just in time to swing his blade upwards and deflect a bolt that could have impaled Geralt.

His adopted father looked at him with his eyes wide, but Dominik didn't care, all he could focus on was getting to the transports and finding Dandelion. More Hunters began to surround them, as he fought side by side with Geralt and Freya. He thrust and parried, his limbs and sword moving with such great speed he surprised himself. The blue bits of magic running up and down his arms slowly disappeared as he thrusted and threw parries, as slowly but surely, he felt his movements get slower.

He parried one man's strike and spun underneath his blade as he cut across his neck, coming back up, his eyes widened when he realized Freya had broken off from the group. She was locked into an intense duel with one man who kept coming at her. Despite how nimble she was, his strength was overpowering her. The man struck down and the strike had so much power, her blade was knocked from her hand. She ducked another strike and rolled to the ground and reached down to her boot, she pulled a dagger up from her boot and stabbed it into the man's spine, sending him sprawling to the ground with a scream. With so much adrenaline pumping through his body he almost didn't notice the man charging behind her as she went to retrieve her sword.

"FREYA," He yelled, ducking, and rolling under the strike of the man he was fighting.

He came up right next to Freya as she was picking up her sword. Her eyes widened and she ducked out of the way, he fired his hand forward, and he could see the bursts of blue magic up and down his arms shoot out into the sign. The blast of telekinetic energy from the Aard sign erupted from his hands, and it sent the Hunter firing backwards with such force, he smacked into the cliff, his head smashing against the rocks, killing him in an instant. The moment the blast erupted from his hands, he saw the light blue swirls of magic disappear and his legs wobble uncontrollably.

The sounds of battle clashed all around him, and shakily he whirled around to see Freya. Her blonde hair was coaxed in blood, dirt and mud as her blue eyes were widened staring at him, as clashes of steel rang through his ears, he felt wobbly and almost fell to the ground, thankfully Freya was able to catch him.

"Are you alright!? When you ran in there was this… glow that came from your arms and-," She started, but he quickly shook his head to cut her off.

"I don't know, we'll-. MOVE," He yelled, pushing her behind him parrying the strike of a man who came charging.

He parried the blow with such force he sent the man sprawling, and he quickly cut his blade down through the man's back. Freya behind him parried a blow and locked blades with a man. She gracefully sidestepped before jabbing her blade through the man's gut. For a few moments he fought besides her, parrying blades from each side and spinning off her movements. His legs began to wobble however, and his movements were becoming slower as he felt his muscles begin to ache more and more.

Two charged at him at once, he parried from the left, and shot up his hands, a yellow Quen shield erupted around him, and the second man who attacked couldn't stop himself. He smacked his blade into the yellow shield, and it erupted, sending both men flying back, as he could see the light blue magic swirl lightly in his hands as it discharged. Both men who had attacked him flew back, their armor blackening from the blast.

As soon as the shield discharged, he felt his hand steam and screamed falling to one knee, only catching himself on his sword.

"GAHHHHHH FUCK," He screamed, looking down to his left gloved hand.

The black glove was smoking as the small bits of blue magic were slowly disappearing, His glove steamed as if he had just held it out over a fire, and his hands felt as if it was covered in hot blisters. It shook uncontrollably, and he heard footsteps rushing at him from the right. He was still on his knees when he saw the man charging at him, he was going to raise his blade to weakly defend, but Freya came running in, stabbing her blade through the man and looking down at him, she saw his smoking hand and her eyes went wide.

"What the fuck happened are you alright," She yelled over the fighting, getting down to his side, running her hand over his gloved one.

"What happened-. OW, fuck that's hot," She yelled as soon as she touched his hand.

He felt himself barely able to close his hand as the ringing of steel kept clamoring in his head. Whirling around he met Freya's eyes, remembering why they were there he shook his head.

"We'll worry about it later, right now we need to-," He started, when a new loud pitched voice pierced the air.

"HELP, HELP MEEEEEEEE," He heard the distinct shrill voice yell.

He and Freya both looked around, and his eyes widened when he saw Dandelion tied to the back of a horse. The Witch Hunter had kicked his reins and he sped off towards the opposite direction, managing to ride around the trees that had blocked their path.

"DANDELION, DAMMIT," He screamed, whirling back around trying to find Geralt,

All thoughts of his hand which was still burning and shaking abandoned him as he tried to find his adopted father. He finally did and he saw the older witcher cutting through Hunters, knocking them back with signs and his blade.

"GERALT, DANDELION," He yelled over to his adopted father, his hand shaking at an alarming rate.

"GO AFTER HIM, I'LL CATCH UP," The older Witcher yelled, spinning under an attack and killing another hunter.

Ciri's face quickly flashed in his head again, Dandelion was his only chance of finding where she went. Whirling around again he saw Freya nod her head towards where the Hunter had ridden off.

"GO! I'll stay here and help finish them off, go and get him NOW," She yelled, turning, and sprinting over towards Geralt.

He felt his arms about to fall off, as the heat coming from under his glove was almost unbearable. However, he powered through, remembering the true reason he was there. To save his friend Dandelion, and to figure out where she had gone. He saw his friends fighting the last of the Hunter's and quickly turned around and sprinted off towards where the Hunter had ridden.

He brought his hands to his mouth and let out a sharp shrill whistle, "CLOP COME ON LET'S GO!"

He sprinted as fast as his exhausted legs could take him, and as he expected his loyal companion came galloping down the hill, running up alongside him. He slid his sword onto his back and using his right hand he lifted himself onto Clop's back as swiftly as he could. He winced as he felt his shaking left-hand sting, but he kept following the path he saw Dandelion's captor run in, following the tracks.

He looked down for a moment, and saw his black gloved hand shaking still. It didn't matter now however, there would be time to wonder later.

For now, he needed to get to him, and then get to her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Horse finally collapsed…. Come on Clop, just ahead," He said, spurring his horse forward with his right hand, keeping his left hand tucked into his stomach.

It seemed as it normally did that Clop was able to sense his urgency as they rode. The tracks the Hunter had left were easy enough to follow, and after finding the horse he knew he was close. He looked up and saw a house, a barn, and another smaller shed. It looked like it could be a dye makers workshop, or perhaps a lumber yard. He slid off the back of Clop and quickly tied his loyal companion to a nearby tree branch.

He let out a deep breath and winced when he looked down at his left hand again. His glove hadn't seemed like it was burnt, but his hand still felt prickly, like a thousand needles were being stuck into him at once. He quickly squeezed his hand open and shut to try and make the feeling go away as he looked down at the ground. The prints the Hunter had left were easily seen, and he followed them closer towards the houses.

His hand was getting to a point of being bearable as he approached the house, where the tracks finally led. To his left he saw a group of three halflings arguing amongst each other, but he paid them no mind. The only thing on his mind was finding Dandelion and putting his sword through the Witch Hunter who had ridden off with him. He managed to curl both of his fists, as he followed the tracks towards what seemed to be the halflings workshop. His anger was starting to spike through him as he finally got to the door and went to try and push it open.

"Dammit," He hissed, as he threw his shoulder into the door, but whatever barricade the Hunter had put up to lock himself in it had been large.

He was about to try and find another exit, or perhaps try and break the window when he heard voices coming from inside.

"I said shut your fucking trap," A deep voice shouted from inside.

His eyes widened as he leaned up against the blacked-out window, covered by bookcases and other materials.

"Alright, alright I'll be quiet… but what then? How long do you really think you hold out like this," Dandelion questioned the man.

"I said SHUT your mouth," The Hunter hissed back at the poet.

The anger shot up his spine, and his hands curled into balls again. Not only did Dandelion have to knowledge of where Ciri had went, he owed much to the poet. The bard was one of his closer friends, and he had helped him much in the past. Also, there was the fact he had risked everything to help Ciri, despite the obvious danger it put him in. The bard was deceptively brave, while some of his stories were… exaggerated, the man truly was brave.

He heard the bard scoff, "Okay, okay… I'll be quiet… but those halflings? You can't trust them you know. They can-. OW."

He heard a thud and the bard yell out in and he growled taking a step back towards the locked door. Bombs continuing exploding in his mind, and he held up his hand, intent on blasting the door open off its hinges. He went to throw out his left hand instinctively, focusing all the chaos around, him into his hand, as he'd been doing basically the entire journey so far. After whatever had happened at the convoy ambush, he expected the door to be blasted open.

However, when he went to launch the sign, he felt excruciating pain run up his hand and arm.

"GAAAHHHHHH SHIT," He screamed, grabbing his wrist with his left hand, and falling onto his knee.

His hand couldn't stop tingling again, and now it felt as if needles were being stuck into him all up and down his arm. He felt down to one knee again as he grabbed and gripped tightly onto his arm, trying to make the pain go away. After an excruciating minute, he could see his arm begin to smoke, and that only made him even angrier. Whatever was happening picked the worst moment, he couldn't focus on it right now, he needed to save Dandelion.

"DOM," He heard his name yelled behind him.

Still wincing he whirled his head around and saw Geralt jogging up behind him. His adopted father had blood covering his armor, as he saw Roach tied next to Clop in the distance. The older witcher came up and saw what was happening, the smoke coming from his hands and his yellow eye widened. He knelt as Dominik felt himself wince again from the needle like pain in his arms

"What the hell happened? Are you alright, before you ran off, I saw you-," Geralt started, but he quickly cut him off by standing up.

"We don't have time to worry about that right now Geralt I'm fine. The Hunter has Dandelion locked up in the workshop," He said, gesturing his head towards the blocked door.

Geralt gave him a hard look and shook his head, "Dom I'm serious your hand is smoking we need to-."

"I SAID I WAS FINE GERALT," He yelled whirling back around to his adopted father, meeting his eyes as he felt his own growing increasingly dark, "We'll worry about this later, we need to get Dandelion out before he gets himself killed!"

There had only been a few times in his life he saw Geralt get truly angry at him. The first time had been when he and Ciri were twelve. The two of them had snuck downstairs to eavesdrop on a conversation the witchers were having with Triss. The conversation had been about the witcher neutrality, how Triss was trying to convince them they needed to take a side in the current conflict with Nilfgaard. They had listened to Triss tell the story of the Battle of Sodden Hill, how everyone had thought she died she had been so injured.

He didn't remember exactly what was said, but the conversation had sent Ciri and he into a rage. They both came out and screamed at Geralt, they stated how they were training to defend themselves, and so they could kill the knight in the winged helmet for what he had done to them. Geralt had screamed at them, for the first time truly angry at them both, telling them how their training wasn't for the purpose of killing and revenge. He had taken both of their swords and Ciri stormed off.

That had been the first time he ever argued with Geralt, he remembered the angry eyes the older witcher had, and the deadly tone at which he spoke. Later they had gone to find Ciri, and Geralt managed to save her just before she fell off the walls of the keep. Dominik had cried, grabbing onto Ciri, and holding her, and Geralt eventually hugged them both and they got their swords back soon after.

Now however, he didn't think Geralt would be hugging him anytime soon.

The older witcher shook his head, "I'll be damned if I let you throw yourself into danger when you can barely fight. I won't let you get yourself killed!"

"I told you I was fine Geralt, we have much more important things to worry about! If you want to worry about things other than saving Dandelion and Ciri BE MY GUEST, BUT THAT'S ALL I CARE ABOUT," He screamed back at the older witcher right away, his anger and fatigue reaching new levels.

"I ALREADY LOST ONE OF YOU DAMMIT," Geralt yelled at him, taking a step closer, "I'll be damned if I let anything happen to you now, especially right when we're about to find Ciri. DO YOU REALIZE WHAT IT'D DO TO ME, YEN AND ESPECIALLY CIRI IF YOU DIED!?"

The older witcher's sank into him like a boulder into the bottom of a river. They washed over him like a waterfall, and while his anger was still spiked, he felt himself take a long drawn out breath. He realized that Geralt had already lost Ciri twice, lost one child twice. While she was alive, he was sure that just like him, there were times Geralt thought her dead. And he was also sure that over the years that he had been traveling alone, his adopted father worried over him in a similar manner.

He didn't want to lose the both of them, especially when they were so close to being all together again. Throughout the entire journey they had taken so far, he knew that Geralt was just as worried about Ciri as he was, had the same fears and concerns. However, his adopted father had stayed strong and confident the entire time for Dominik's sake, knowing that if he broke, or showed signs of doubt, they'd only amplify in his adopted son. While he had been screaming, yelling, worrying and lamenting their entire quest… he knew that Geralt was just as worried, despite that he might not have shown it at times. He suppressed his fears… all for Dominik's sake, and it was something he appreciated from his adopted father more than almost anything.

Sighing and still holding his left arm he looked and met Geralt's eyes, a feeling of shame washing over him, "I'm sorry…."

Geralt's eyes had been hard, but he saw them fall slightly as he shook his head, "So am I…. Come on we'll talk later, let's get Dandelion out of here, how's your arm?"

He rolled his eyes and turned back towards the workshop, "Feels like someone's sticking hot pins and needles in it…. Tried to blast the door down with Aard, couldn't get it off. Has to be another way in."

His adopted father came up next to him and looked towards the door, "We'll have Freya look at you when we get back. Maybe we can find another way too-."

"OY, WITCHERS," A loud voice came from behind them.

They both whirled around and the three halflings all sauntered up to them both. He assumed quickly it was the ones who worked in whatever workshop they had there. Still holding his left wrist, the feeling slowly returning to his arm, he looked down at the smaller men.

The one in the middle looked to the workshop door and back to them, "They some friends of yours who barged in? The Witch Hunter ran in and kicked us out before we could even stage a protest!"

He felt himself scoff and look over to Geralt. There were sometimes during their journey, when the two of them just got so unbelievably lucky that even they couldn't believe it. Slowly letting go of his arm, the feeling starting to return to it, he looked down to meet the halflings eyes.

"The one he had thrown over his horse is yeah…. I take it you want him out huh," He said, crossing over his arms as he looked at the small man.

The halfling smirked, "Course I do! We got projects going on in there, can't have him ruining them."

Geralt smirked down at the three of them, "Well… there has to be another way in. Give it to us and we'll deal with him."

Sighing the halfling reached into his pocket and pulled out an iron key. Dominik quickly reached out his hands and took it from the man. Despite the anger, annoyance, and the prickling feeling still in his arms he smiled. He closed his fist around the key and looked back to the halfling, who pointed towards the woods behind the workshop.

"Cellar couple yards behind the workshop… make it quick and begone all of ye," The halfling said, before turning to his friends and leaving with them.

A rush of relief ran over him as he gripped the key. He had no idea what had happened to him at the convoy ambush, no idea what the light blue magic that swirled around him was, why his signs had seemed to become amplified. All he knew was now his arm felt like it was on fire, all his bones felt like they had after his fight with Baelen, completely brittle, able to be smashed with one blow. Geralt had been right in the end, whatever had happened to him had no explanation at the time, he had no idea what it was.

However, he didn't care about any of it at the moment. Dandelion was what was important, getting him out of the Hunter's grasp, and learning what he had spent the last week trying to figure out. Sighing deeply, he clutched the key to his chest with his left hand and reached for his sword with the right.

He drew his blade before looking up to meet Geralt's eyes, "I'll go sneak in through the back, make sure that they don't come out for any reason?"

Geralt's eyes narrowed and he sighed, "Are you sure? Don't know if I like the idea of you going off alone right now."

Quickly he shook his head, "Geralt I'll be fine… trust me. Let me finish this."

For a moment he locked eyes with his adopted father, the man who had saved him, taught him almost everything he knew. The man who took him in when he didn't have too, and despite how much of a complete brat he had been over the years still loved him, and still would do anything for him. He knew that Geralt would have a hard time coping if anything happened to him, especially after what happened with Ciri. He wouldn't blame his adopted father for refusing him then, and going into the workshop himself.

However, one thing he always appreciated about Geralt, was that he trusts him.

Sighing the older witcher nodded, "Alright go… just be careful. We don't know how badly hurt you are."

A smile and a small scoff escaped his lips, "You know me Geralt I've had worse… I'll be right back."

He turned and jogged off towards the woods behind the workshop. The sun was started to get even lower and the cold breezes were coming back. He didn't know what was going on with his arm, or the blue swirling magic, a part of him was terrified, his arm while he could now move it, still felt like pins and needles were going through it. He sighed deeply and gripped up on the swallow.

First, he would figure out what happened to her, then he would figure out what was going on inside of him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The cellar that the halfling let him into was full of beautiful dyes, paintings, and other artistic projects. He had found the hatch easy enough and climbed down just as the sun was starting to set. It would be dark outside now, so if the Hunter were to escape and somehow make it past Geralt, he would be impossible to find. He needed to get Dandelion out now, before the bard got himself killed. Dandelion was a smart man he knew; however, he knew sometimes the bard would talk too much and may put himself in a worse situation then he was already in.

His sword was out and in his right hand, and his left still had the pins and needles feeling running through it, however it was much more bearable. If he couldn't take down one lowly Witch Hunter with only his blade and no signs, he would need to rethink his career path. He almost took a moment to examine the beautiful dyes and colors he saw scattered about the halflings workshop, however he managed to resist. The anger that had shot up his spine was up at his neck, and as he finally got to the ladder going upwards, he was ready to stab his blade through the Hunter.

He could vaguely hear Dandelion trying to negotiate his release as he climbed, rolling his eyes at the bard promising the man he could get a ransom of multiple silver ingots. He knew that Dandelion wasn't a fighter, but one thing the bard did know better then most was how to use words. His stories had fascinating Ciri and he to now end when they were younger, even thought he would learn later from Geralt that most of them were greatly exaggerated on his part.

Through his years alone he would often go into taverns and heard Dandelion's ballads, ones about Geralt and Yennefer, or other adventures his adopted father and the bard had been on. They were a small source of comfort through those years. Despite the anger and bitterness, he had felt, his ballads reminded him of the days they were all together, and while he had very few sources of it, he didn't manage to find comfort when hearing them.

And whenever he visited the poet, whether it'd been in Novigrad, Oxenfurt or by coincidence, the man was always willing to help. If Dandelion had heard news of a magical anomaly, or anything that sounded like it could be related to Ciri, he would set out to search right away. Even the times the bard couldn't tell him anything relating to her, they'd always drink, talk about the contracts he had done, the people he'd help, and the bard would always try to lift his spirits. It hadn't been easy with how bitter and angry at the world he'd been during that time, but the bard always would try, and sometimes he'd succeed.

So not only was he getting information about Ciri by rescuing him, he was saving one of his dearest friends.

He managed to get up the ladder, his sword still in hand, his left arm still prickling as all the hairs on his neck and arms stood up. To his right he could see the door that had been barricaded by a large bookshelf, and one more room in front of him.

"Shhhh shut your mouth… heard something…" He heard the Hunter say from behind the door.

The rage that had been building up inside him finally had reached a boiling point. For what had felt like months, but in reality, was only about a week he had been fighting in Novigrad. From looking for rat shit with Triss, and his dream with Corinne Tilly, finally hearing her voice. The fight in Dijkstra's bathhouse, breaking into the Witch Hunter barracks and killing Menge. Going with Roach to help him save Ves, fighting the Bruxa and reuniting with Freya. His fight with Baelen and the Hunt alongside George, helping Triss escape with the mages, overcoming his fear and going onstage for the play…. To the fight that just took place as they ambushed the convoy… all while something was happening inside of him that he just couldn't explain.

All of it was to get to Dandelion, to save one of his oldest friends. And to finally figure out where she had gone.

He kicked the door open with as much strength as he could muster. Right away he looked and saw Dandelion tied to a chair with a gag in his mouth.

"MHMMMMM! HMMMMMM," The bard screamed through the rag, thrashing wildly in his bonds.

His eyes then shot to the hunter who charged wildly at him right away. He raised his blade up and parried two strikes, before the man finally locked blades with him. The Hunter was much stronger than he was at the moment, most of his energy drained from what had happened at the convoy. He could see the beady, desperate eyes behind the man as he pushed harder on Dominik's sword, pushing him up against the wall.

He bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood. His eyes drifted down to the man's knee and he lifted his foot kicking it as hard as he could. The plan had worked, the man winced in pain and reared back, giving him just the amount of space he needed. He used all the strength he could muster and pushed up, ducking, and spinning under the man's blade.

His sword cut down the back of the man's legs, and he wailed, falling to the ground, before Dominik ended his suffering, plunging his blade into the man's back. He pulled out his blade with a large squelch, and the man's lifeless body slumped to the ground. As soon as it did, it felt like all the fatigue he had accumulated throughout the day had finally hit him. His knees wobbled, almost giving out under him, so much so he had to lean onto one of the tables for support. He fumbled for a moment but was eventually able to slide his sword onto his back.

A deep shaky sigh left him, as his arms still had the tingling pins and needles sensation. The goosebumps on his arms hadn't gone away, and his bones felt brittle. It had been exactly how he felt after his fight with Baelen in the cave, and he knew that if he were facing opponents with more skill then Witch Hunter's he more then likely would have been dead with how he felt.

A flashback ran in his mind. The light blue magical energy, the way his limbs moved, his sword and footwork had never gone so fast, the power of his signs had been more then he ever unleashed, and he had no idea where it all came from. All he remembered was thinking about all the things that had happened to that point, how angry he was, and it had all exploded inside of him.

"MHMMMM, MHMMMM," He heard Dandelion muffle to him, making his head whirl around to the poet.

Despite the fatigue a rush of relief ran through his body. He pulled the silver dagger form his belt and walked over to the chair the poet was tied too. He went around behind him and craved through the tight ropes binding his friend's legs and arms to the chair. After he was free, he came back around and yanked the giant rag out of the bard's mouth. As he expected, the first thing he did was start talking.

"Oh, come on Dom, must you barge in and ruin everything! I had him right where I wanted him and-," The bard smartly stopped his comment when he saw the dark look in Dominik's emerald eyes.

Dandelion laughed it off and placed a hand on his shoulder with a smile, "Haha you know I'm joking. It's good to see you again my young friend where's-."

"Just shut up for a minute okay," He said, trying to keep his anxiousness under control.

The poet did as he asked, and Dominik placed both hands on his shoulders and looked into his friend's eyes.

"Dandelion… was she alive and okay the last you saw her," He asked, the worry dripping from his voice.

That had been one of his biggest fears, that somehow Whoreson's thugs of the Temple Guard had harmed her severely. He locked his green eyes with the poet's brown ones, and he could see his friend understood exactly what he was asking. It was always the first topic of conversation whenever they met.

Dandelion sighed out and slowly nodded his head, "Yes… she was alive and okay. I'm sorry Dom you missed her… I tried to convince her to wait while I got ahold of you, I swear I-."

"It's alright Dandelion," He said, quickly cutting the poet off, the fatigue inside him being replaced by relief, "She's in danger she had to keep moving I know… come on. Geralt's waiting outside."

She was alive and okay. Even if he didn't learn anything about where she had gone from Dandelion, at least he knew that the last person he knew that saw her, saw her alive and okay. He gestured for the poet to follow, as they went towards the door.

His body felt as if it were completely shutting down… he only hoped that the news about Ciri would reinvigorate him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ahhh Geralt good to see you old friend," The bard said enthusiastically as the two of them exited the workshop.

The night had finally come, and the cold breeze he had been feeling earlier was out in full effect. The freezing breeze combined with his aching bones were a horrid combination. However, he did feel the small bit of relief and optimism running through him. No matter what happened they'd get some kind of lead, Dandelion had to know something.

He jumped when the poet clapped him on the shoulder and spoke.

"Let you me tell you Geralt, this one right here, basically a mini version of you, can you believe how good he's gotten," The bard said, a smile on his face as he looked towards the older witcher.

A small laugh escaped him as the complement sent some warmth into his bones. A small smile came to Geralt's face as he looked down to Dominik, and then back to Dandelion.

"It's good to see you alright… and yeah. He's gotten really good," The older witcher said, a hint of pride to his voice.

Again, the warmth washed over him. He felt a triumphant feeling wash over him as well, a well of pride swelling up inside. Despite everything that had happened, all the crazy unknowns he still had, he had managed to rescue his friend. A cold chill ran through his body as he heard leaves and grass being crunched. His head shot past Geralt, and apparently the older witcher and dandelion heard it as well.

Zoltan and Priscilla both were walking towards them, Priscilla with a large look of relief. He hadn't seen the trobairitz with such a look on her face in the short time he'd known her. Another pang of relief washed over him, he hadn't been reunited with Ciri, but at least he was able to reunite Priscilla and Dandelion, that was something he could be proud of.

"Priscilla, what are you doing here," Dandelion said excitedly as the three of them turned to meet the dwarf and Trobairitz.

He smiled when he could see the mixture of relief, anger and relief on Priscilla's face as she met Dandelion's eyes, "Are you all right? You had me worried sick!"

Zoltan laughed and came up next to his bard friend, "Haha Dandelion you rascal! Got this lass to thank for us racin after youse. She chivvied and chivvied!"

Before he could laugh at the dwarf's words, he scanned around behind them, and for a moment panic began to set him.

He quickly looked at the dwarf, "Zoltan, Faram, George, Freya are they-."

"They're all right lad no worries," The dwarf promised him, "Three of them stayed behind with the boys to help clean up the mess. They all said they'd meet up back at the Rosemary when they were done."

He sighed out in relief. When he hadn't seen his friend right away, he thought the worst. If any of them had gotten seriously injured while helping him, he wouldn't have been able to forgive himself. He knew that all three of them were prepared to do whatever it took to help him, they had all said as much, however it didn't stop him from worrying.

"George, Faram and Freya," Dandelion asked, looking over to meet his eyes.

A shot of energy went through him, as finally he would be able to ask the question that had been burning in his brain. He turned around and met the bard's eyes again.

"Their friends of mine helped us spring you. You'll meet them later but for now Geralt and I need you to focus," He said, his tone dripping with urgency, "Where's Ciri, I know she arrive three fucking days after I left the last time I saw you."

He could see Geralt listening with bated breath as well. The poet turned and looked between them both slowly shaking his head.

"I thought that well… seeing as you're here she found you," He said, turning to meet Dominik's eyes in particular, "She… she was devastated when she learned I had just seen you. I… I don't know where she is, I'm sorry, both of you."

His heart felt as if it sunk to the bottom of his stomach. He wasn't expecting an exact location, however he had been hoping more so she was still around Novigrad, and somehow Dandelion knew where she might have mentioned going to hide. His fists curled again, if he hadn't been so fatigued, his arms still tingling, then he was sure he might have blasted a sign through the workshop or a tree. Even after everything that he had done in Novigrad, he still didn't know where she had gone.

He wanted to scream, yell, punch a wall, cut a man open with his sword. However, he looked over to Geralt and saw a similar look of disappointment on his adopted father's face. They both had been hoping for the same thing. He couldn't get angry, for Geralt's sake now. He had to hold in his worry and anger, just as his adopted father had been doing for him. If he started to lose it, the older witcher would have to stop him, and he didn't want it to lead to another argument.

Slowly he let out a sighed, "If only I had fucking stayed like you suggested…."

Dandelion sighed and looked over at him, "I'm sorry… if it makes you feel any better… you were one of the first things she asked me about. Made me sit and tell her everything I could about what you've been doing since she saw you last…. She was still wearing that ring."

Hearing the poet's words sent a jolt through his heart. His hands shakily went up to the swallow. Knowing that she still thought of him… care enough about him to ask what he had been doing, cared enough to still wear the ring… it had given him some small comfort. Now all he could do was figure out everything that Dandelion knew… and then he and Geralt would keep looking.

Sighing he looked to meet the poet's eyes again, "Thank you…. And thank you for trying to help her… even though you decided to take her to Whoreson of all people."

"Yeah," Geralt said from the other side of the poet, "Don't know why of all people you'd choose that fucking degenerate."

Dandelion sighed and shook his head, looking between then both, "Nobody else came to mind! I tried to convince her to wait for me to get word to you Dom, but she said the Wild Hunt was on her tail, Whoreson seemed pretty harmless by comparison."

"Can't argue with that logic…" He said begrudgingly, crossing over his arms.

When Yennefer had first found him in Claywitch, she told him the reason Ciri truly had not gone to find him. She had not wanted to bring the Wild Hunt down on his head, so despite the fact she wanted too… she had gone, to keep him safe. Ciri had been looking out for him, just like she always had. A part of him didn't care if the Hunt had descended upon him. He would have fought them all, even back then if it had meant getting to see her.

Then on the other hand, it made him realize how much she cared for him truly. She was willing to lead away the entirety of the Wild Hunt alone… just to keep him safe, and she was still doing it to this day.

Dandelion sighed and shook his head disappointedly, "My plan was perfect! Well… until I set it into motion, how was I supposed to know Menge was after Dudu!"

Geralt sighed from the other side of the poet. The wind in the night was getting colder, and the goosebumps on his arms intensified. After they were done, he was craving his bed back at the Rosemary and Thyme and a bit of whatever he was sure Freya had cooked up.

His adopted father shook his head, "We don't need to know any more about your plan. When did you last see her, tell us."

"Yes, and leave nothing out, and no embellishing," He said, pointing his finger accusingly at the bard.

He was sure Dandelion could see the intense looks in Geralt and he's eyes, because the bard sighed and nodded.

"We were on Temple Isle, running from Whoreson's men. Ciri had just broken out of the house. We got on some horses and made it all the way up to the temple itself…" The bard started, as the cold breeze whisked through the night.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She slipped off the horse as quickly as she could and sprinted after Dandelion. It had been hard to fight her way out, as she was trying to use her powers as little as possible, if the Hunt descended on them, it would be even more of a problem them they had now. The ring coldly bounced against her chest as she sprinted, her blood racing, the cold air from the night whipping through her hair. She had managed to get out of the house and onto the horses, now it was only a matter of disappearing.

Whoreson had gone all out to try and get to them, she counted at least thirty of his thugs after them, barricades set up in the road, trying to block their escape. She had to maneuver her way around the tight streets, but thankfully with all the riding her and Dominik did at Kaer Morhen in Ellander she had been able too. She would have given anything, absolutely anything to be back in those moments.

A horse race, a sparring match, running the walls, anything. He would always say that she was better than him at most things, but she knew that wasn't the truth. Despite the fact she had initially taught him how to ride, she knew he always would let her win their horse races. If not for her powers enhancing her movements, he was equally on par with her in terms of sword play, and he had always blown her out of the water when it came to bombs, potions and oils.

But despite it all he did whatever he could to put a smile on her face, even if it meant letting her win the competitions they had. She knew that he did, and the competitive side of her wished that he would stop…. However, a larger part of her found it incredibly sweet, because she knew he only did it to help make her feel better. And now at the moment, with the wound across her side, all she wanted was to see that goofy smile on his face, the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, which made her feel like she was the only person in the world to him. A part of her almost asked Dudu to transform into him when she saw the doppler, but quickly dashed the idea from her head.

If she had seen him, seen what he looked like now she wouldn't have been able to continue. All the choices she made, the choices she regretted would've come back to her. She should have gone to him two years ago. She should have found him, reunited with him then, and she believed in her heart fully he would've gone with her anywhere, even to a whole entirely different world. But now that option was gone, she needed to keep moving. All she had to do was get Dandelion and herself away. After they were hidden the poet would send word to him and Geralt, and then they would figure out what to do from there.

She burst up towards the alter, barreling over a priest who was walking, the wound in her side almost gushing.

"Come on Ciri run," Dandelion yelled in front of her, as the cold night air blew back her hair.

The moon was high at its apex. The large braziers and pyres were lit next to her as she moved across the stones, her blood spilling out onto them. Her blood, the reason that all of this happened, the reason that nobody would leave her the hell alone, and just let her live her life, let her and Dominik live their lives. Not only did her fucking blood take away most of her life so far, it had taken away his. The Hunt, Vilgefortz, Bonhart, the Lodge, almost every fucking person she came across. All of them wanted her for her blood, and it had robbed her and the man she loved of their lives. All of them… except for Dominik and her second family.

She remembered the day in Ellander when she realized she'd never love anyone else. During that time, she knew she loved him of course, but the one memory burned into her brain was that day in the snow. She had woken him up early in the morning, snow had just fallen in Ellander, and she took them both out to ice skate and sled. Their sled had gone down a hill and flung them both into piles of snow. They blasted each other with snowballs, rolled around in the mounds of snow, kissing, hugging, cuddling together as they watched the flakes gently fall and the clouds roll by. He had made her feel like the most special person in the world… like he always had. He told her that he loved her, thought her special not because of any blood or powers she had… but because she was Ciri. She had kissed him for saying that… and it was in that moment she knew she'd never want to be apart from him again. She had made him swear to never let her go, and she had promised she'd never leave him… and she had betrayed that promise three times now. Once when she let Yennefer take her to Aretuza, and twice when she had come back to their world… only for her to run. She had done it to keep the Hunt from coming down on him, to keep him safe… but in doing so she had ripped her heart apart. She had ran, when she shouldn't have… he would have traveled anywhere with her… but she ran, like she was running from the Hunt and the Temple guard now… all because of her fucking blood.

No more. There wasn't going to be anymore running. She was going to get Geralt, back to Yennefer, back to her second family. Back to Dominik, the one person who finally made her feel like she was more then just some princess, or a vessel for the Elder Blood.

"Dandelion GO," She yelled towards the bard, sliding her sword from her back, a white-hot anger firing through her spine.

"GUARDS! GUARDS," The priest she had knocked over wailed.

The bard did what she said and ran up the steps to the Temple, and she whirled around, her gloved hands both gripping tightly onto its hilt. The sleek blade had been with her through almost everything, and she was finally going to show it to Dominik. She was going to get to him, fight by his side, they'd defeat the Hunt together with Geralt, and then they'd finally make up for all the years that they had missed.

The bronze ring bounced against her neck, and she reached up to grip it tightly with one hand as she normally did, and the cold breeze sent chills down her spine. Her emerald eyes shot open just as they charged at her. She had promised him when she left that everything would be alright, they she would see him soon. It had been dreadfully late… but she was still going to get back to him like they promised in the cave.

Her blood dripped to the stones again as the first man came from her left. She raised up and parried the mans strike away. He went for a thrust again and she ducked under his arm reaching her blade up and slowly raking her blade through the man's neck. She winced for a moment at the wound in her side as it bled more and more as she moved. Two more came at her, she parried one strike to the right and ducked under the second one that came. She raised her blade up to parry again, but then another one came from the second man quickly after. This strike knocked her sword from her hand as she leapt back to avoid a strike that would've cut her open.

No, it wouldn't end like this. She was going to kill them, and she was going back to Geralt and Dominik. She would see that goofy smile on his face, see those emerald eyes that matched hers, she would see how much more handsome he had gotten, if he had finally grown a beard, and how much better he'd gotten with a sword. They'd spar and she would try to trick him by pretending to be hit, before sweeping his legs out from under him with her practice sword. He'd be angry for a moment then they would both laugh. They'd run the walls; she'd sit down and rest her head on his shoulder as he told stupid jokes. They'd go back to the cave, the first place she told him she loved him, and she learned he loved her.

The first man charged at her, she sidestepped and grabbed his arm, jabbing her elbow into him and ripping his sword from his hands. She came around and cut across his stomach, before the second man came charging again. This time she sidestepped and thrusted the blade through the man's gut, her momentum taking her forward to the ground. She tried to get up but winced again and felt pain erupt in her stomach from the wound in her side. Her blood was slowly spilling more and more onto the stones and she just managed to crawl over to her blade and gingerly wrap her right hand around it.

"CIRI," She heard Dandelion yell from above the steps of the temple.

"Dammit… come on… come on Ciri. You need to get back to him…" She muttered to herself, barely hearing the bard's words.

Slowly her hand gripped around her sword and she rose, on her knees looking up at the moon again. The cold breeze made her shiver as her other hand slowly went to her stomach to cover the wound and staunch the bleeding. For a moment she blinked, and she heard his voice in her head.

_Where you go, I go. We'll always try to get back to each other! I love you I… I'm pretty sure I always have. To me you ARE the most special person in the world, not because of any blood or powers you have… but because you're you. I love you because you're Ciri._

She let out a shaky breath as she looked over and saw the group of guardsmen with the priest at their head.

"What are you waiting for! Shoot her already," The priest screamed, as one of the Temple Guardsman fumbled for a crossbow.

Another slow, weak, shaky breath left her; it would have to happen again. She saw the soldier load the crossbow and aim it at her. Her limbs wouldn't let her move, she was too weak, and no matter how she moved she felt the pain shoot through her body. His face popped into her head, as she slowly reached her hand up around the ring. She was going to let him down again.

"I'm so… so sorry," She said slowly, tears creeping down both her cheeks, as the bolt from the soldier's crossbow loosed, the bolt soaring towards her.

Her eyes closed and gripped the ring with every bit of strength she had left. Again, she had let him down, and it would be even longer now before they both finally got the ending they wanted, as the magic swirled around her, and she felt herself disappear.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ah what an adventure! One minute we were pulling off the heist of the century, the next we were prey, a pack of hunters on our tail," The bard said enthusiastically from the bench outside the workshop.

He leaned up against the fence with Geralt, his arms crossed digesting what he had heard. She slipped through their fingers again, just barely slipped through. She had been intent on contacting them, if only she had escaped from Whoreson's thugs and the Temple Guard. The thought made him even more glad that he had decided to kill Junior. But he felt anger rise in his spine again, as both of his fists curled. With every lead they had followed they had only been a few steps behind, and now they had no idea where Ciri had even teleported too.

If he hadn't been feeling as if he would fall over at any moment, he probably would have screamed. However, he managed to take in a deep steadying breath, calming his heartbeat, and thinking that the trip to Novigrad had still been far from a waste. He may not have found Ciri, but he had found his friends. Faram again, George, Freya, Triss, he had gotten to see them all again, and help them. Despite the fact it still scared him, he had learned about something that was unlocking inside of him, something that seemed it would either get him killed, or help him fight.

Priscilla sighed and stood from the bench next to Dandelion, the moon and torchlight dancing on her face.

"Yes, a splendid story, but I think I've had my fill of this boasting. Come Zoltan, we must convince these halflings that they didn't see anything," The trobairitz said to the dwarf, the both of them walking off towards the halflings.

Sighing he looked down at his hands. The pins and needles feeling had finally gone, but if he blinked, he could see the blue swirling magic. He had no idea how, and why it had made him feel so weak, but after he initially charged into the fight, after a few moments he felt completely drained after the magic had gone. All he remembered during the fight was how angry he felt, how determined he was to find Dandelion. The effects were finally starting to sink in. If he hadn't felt that way, he more then likely would have felt angrier. However, he simply didn't have the energy for even that now.

Dandelion scoffed, making Geralt and he both look down at him, "Gave me enough material for a volume of ballads! And this one'll sell like hotcakes!"

He may have been to tired to raise his voice, but after hearing the bard's words his eyes narrowed, "Is that all you fucking care about!? The ballads this'll inspire, for fuck's sake Dandelion are you getting more selfish with age!?"

His outburst, with the venom dripping from his mouth, the anger flaring in his eyes would have scared most men he was sure. However Dandelion just looked at him, seeming slightly offended.

"What's that about," The bard asked defensively, meeting Dominik's eyes.

The anger rose in him again as he stepped off the fence and felt his firsts curl, "This is about Ciri dammit! She's in danger, was bleeding last time you saw her and all you can think about is the songs you can make out of it!?"

"Dom you need to calm down," Geralt said from next to him, making him whirl around to his adopted father.

"I can't calm down Geralt! The Hunt is still on her trail, and we've lost it again, what if she's seriously hurt somewhere," He reasoned, feeling the sweat trickled down his neck.

After he finished, he felt the fatigue wash over him again, as he began to feel more and more agitated. Dandelion scoffed from next to them. Her whirled around and the bard stood up between Geralt and he, placing a hand on Dominik's shoulder meeting the young man's eyes.

"Dom look, I know that you want to protect Ciri, saw it right from the moment I met you both," The bard said, giving him a reassuring smile, "But you haven't seen her fight lately. I wouldn't worry that much about her. Anyway, she needs to come back for that little box, the trinket that started it all."

His eyes flew to Geralt, and the older witcher's yellow eyes widened. He reached into his bag and walked up to Dandelion, pulling out the black and gold phylactery. Remembering the curse, and that Ciri had been so desperate to get it sent a new shot of energy into him.

"This is what she needed right," Geralt said, showing the box to the poet by the torchlight.

Dandelion scoffed and nodded, "You got it back from Whoreson!? That's fantastic, Ciri will be overjoyed. Whoreson though… must be pretty furious."

"I killed Whoreson," He said quickly, and the bard turned to him and whistled.

"Well you know I actually said to Ciri Whoreson would pay if he laid a finger on her, that if you figured out it wouldn't turn out well for him," The bard said, smiling over at him with his arms crossed.

A small smile came to his face, but he scoffed and shook his head, "He hurt her, couldn't do anything to the other's that did, this one I could."

Geralt quickly interjected again before the bard could say anything else, "Dandelion listen this is important, what did Ciri want to do with the phylactery?"

His skin began to crawl, as that had been the question on their minds since they found the magic box at Whoreson's. Their best guess was a curse like they had learned in Velen, however they needed to know more. He needed to know how much time they had, if she was in danger from more then just the Wild Hunt.

Dandelion took a step back and met both of their eyes, "She was trying to find a way to enchant it. She was trying to figure out an incantation for a curse. I didn't know how obviously, but Whoreson had access to mages who could help."

A shaky breath escaped his mouth as he reached up around the swallow. The moonlight was shining down and illuminated their views with the torches. The cold breeze was making the goosebumps go up and down his arms. His stomach churned as if someone were trying to squeeze his intestines through a net.

Geralt sighed and met Dandelion's eyes, "What was Ciri trying do with the curse, cast it? Lift it? And if she was trying to lift it off who? Herself? Somebody else?"

His eyes shot over to the poet as he shook his head.

Dandelion sighed and looked between them both, "Well she wasn't exactly that willing to talk about it, and I didn't want to pry."

"The ONE time you prying would have been good," He said with an annoyed sigh, crossing his arms again.

The poet sighed and shook his head again, "I'm not too sure. I'm almost positive that she wanted to lift it. I knew when she said that she couldn't wait for me to send me to send word to you both… that it had to be serious. I… think off someone I… I mean she didn't seem cursed."

"That doesn't mean anything…" He said feeling his blood race even faster through him, as he took a seat down onto the bench.

The cold had begun to penetrate his body further. He shivered as he leaned his elbows down against his knees. The swallow dangled in front of him, and he wondered if Ciri did the same thing as he. He wondered if she just took the bronze ring around her neck, and would look at it for hours on end, simply thinking about him like he had for her.

In his eight years alone, he had done this often. Instead of being out there, searching, looking, putting everything he could into the search for her, all he would do was sit and wallow in his own self-pity. He would of course follow any tangible lead he found, no matter how far it would take him. However, most of his years he had spent going from inn to inn, laying in bed, drinking around a fire, taking on contracts, all the while feeling bitter, sad, and pathetic, thinking about how he had failed, about how the world wasn't being fair to him. He blamed Geralt, Yennefer, the mages at Aretuza, the Black Ones, everyone but himself during those earlier years of his search… before Rivia, and then afterwards was when he realized… he was just as much at fault, possibly more than all the others.

It was all time he could have spent looking for her. It was another reason why finding her meant so much to him now. It was would make up for all those years he spent wasting time, sitting around, wondering and feeling sorry for himself. He had always been searching for her, but there were times when he hadn't put all of himself in it, as he would sit around a fire and whine about how the world wasn't fair to take her away from him.

He wasn't going to sit around and complain about her being missing now like he had then, he wouldn't give anything less then every fiber of his being now.

Dandelion must have seen the distraught look on his face because the poet looked between Geralt and he.

"Well there was one thing I remember, the words of it, they were elven," The poet said, and the effect on Geralt and he were instantaneous.

"You're kidding," Geralt said, whirling around as Dominik shot to his feet.

His eyes widened at the poet. Triss had tried to open the phylactery, but she had said that they would need the proper incantation. It all made sense now, the puzzle had fit perfectly. She had needed the phylactery enchanted and to decipher the words of the curse. It all made sense now why she had been reading about curses in Velen, and why she had gone to Whoreson of all people. If the curse were truly casted on her, she would need to be moving quickly.

Dandelion nodded looking between them both, "Yeah they're elven. Ciri was repeating them to herself constantly so she didn't forget… went like this. Va fail, elaine, ceadmil foile! Glaeddyv dorne aep't enaid, bunn'droh ithne I'yachus!"

The words obviously had made no sense to him. He didn't know Elder Speech, that had been one of the few lessons he didn't attend at Kaer Morhen when Triss had come. However, he had picked up and was able to understand a few words of elven from over the years. Despite that, none of the words made any remote sense to him. A million possibilities ran through his head, wondering how Ciri could possibly have come into possession of the phylactery and how a curse could've been casted.

That was the key question they still needed answered… who was the curse casted on.

"Doesn't mean a thing to me," Geralt said, his voice reaching an annoyed tone.

"Don't know much elven, but never heard them before either… dammit," He cursed, sighing and leaning back in the bench, he turned over and looked up at Dandelion, "Dandelion there has to be more. That's just not enough, did she say anything else, ask anything else?"

His tone was becoming desperate, as he wanted any source of information to hang onto. Anything that could give him some type of hope. After the days of fighting in Novigrad, Geralt and he were basically back where they started.

Dandelion sighed before a small smile came to his face, he looked down and met Dominik's eyes, "Well she didn't talk much but… one of the first things like I said was…she did was demand I tell her about what you had been up too."

His head shot upwards, and he could see a slight smirk on Geralt's face to his right. He had felt tired, fatigued, angry, cold, but hearing Dandelion's words sent a warmth through his body. A small laugh escaped him, and for what felt like the first time in hours he smiled, a fluttering feeling beating in his chest. He felt the swallow tremble around his neck as he met the poet's eyes.

"She… she did, really? What um… well what did you tell her," He asked, feeling the hairs on his arms begin to stand up.

The poet smiled and met his eyes over the torchlight, "Just a few stories you told me. Like the one about the succubus and the fisstech dealer. The cyclops that had kidnapped a woman in Aedirn, that Katakan in Ban Ard."

He scoffed remembering all three stories extremely well as he looked down at the swallow for a moment. The contracts Dandelion mentioned were all ones he was particularly fond of. When he killed the fisstech dealer, the succubus later opened a makeshift shelter for poor folk in the cave he had been sent to clear her from. In Aedirn he remembered how he almost got smashed by the cyclops club, but managed to slay it, and return the pregnant woman it had captured to her husband. And finally, in Ban Ard a Katakan had taken to killing the homeless beggars on the streets. After disguising himself as one and luting it out he had managed to slay it, the local compilation of beggars had tried to give them what coin they could, but he refused, just happy he was able to do something good.

Dandelion must have seen the new smile on his face because the poet sigh with a smile and sat next to him. He placed a hand on Dominik's shoulder and got the younger witcher to look up at him.

"She still thinks about you all the time too, she told me herself. I made sure to tell her in the end… you never stopped looking," The poet said to him, meeting his eyes with a calming stare.

Sighing he felt the fluttering in his chest ramp up. Even though they hadn't found her or knew exactly where she had gone… at least he was reassured again she still thought of him. He knew that they still had one more lead, and with all the others exhausted, it had to be the one that completely solved the puzzle for them.

"Thanks Dandelion…sorry I snapped… just really fucking tired if I'm being honest," He said with a small laugh.

The poet scoffed and shook his head, "No worries my young friend."

After he nodded the poet stood and looked over between Geralt and he. He sighed and put both of his hands on his hips. A small smile came to the bard's face as he looked over to Geralt.

"You know Geralt… they're far from the same little kids that ran around Kaer Morhen together anymore," The bard said fondly, meeting Geralt's eyes, "Ciri she's still impulsive, alive…. Dom here's still loyal and protective to the largest degree… but they're both stubborn and sulky. I guess the apples don't fall far from the tree."

He felt himself scoff a laugh as he also saw Geralt try to suppress a smile. The older witcher sighed and shook his head, leaning up against the fence again.

"You're right about that… proud of it," the older witcher said, giving Dom a small smile, before turning back to Dandelion, "Still frustrating… she just slipped away again. We can't be that far behind."

Quickly he nodded in agreement, standing up from the bench next to them both again. Geralt was right as he normally was. It felt as if she had just slipped through their fingers, but he also knew that the trail still was warm. They were only a few weeks at most behind her at most. He wanted to feel angry, to scream, shout and lament how close he had been.

However, hearing what Dandelion had said, knowing that wherever she was she was still fighting, doing everything she could to stay alive, so that they could find her gave him hope.

Dandelion looked at them both again, "She said someone helped her in Velen. Maybe she went back there for help again?"

Geralt quickly shook his head to answer, "Doubt it. Been to Velen, talked to the Baron that helped her. He said she had ridden off to Novigrad to look for me, Yen and Dom."

His eyes quickly lit up at the mention of his adopted mother, and a jolt of optimism ran through him, a smile coming to his face.

"Well, the trails not dead yet. Yen's in Skellige, investigating that magical explosion right," He asked Geralt, wanting to reconfirm the news.

His adopted father whirled around to meet his eyes, a small smirk coming to his face, "Yeah she is…"

Dandelion looked between the two of them and the poet smiled in a similar fashion, "So… Skellige?"

"Skellige…" Geralt said slowly, looking over to meet Dominik's eyes again.

Again, a smile crossed his face as Dandelion and Geralt both looked at him. He reached his hand up and gripped around the swallow. It hadn't turned out the way he wanted it too in the end, his time in Novigrad. He was hoping that they would find Dandelion, he would tell them where Ciri was, and he and Geralt would be on their way to find her. He'd reunite with her, tell her how sorry he was, and they'd be on their way to Kaer Morhen.

It didn't turn out like that at all. However, at the moment he didn't focus on what he didn't have. He had reunited with Freya, and George, both willing to do whatever they could to help him. He had been able to help Triss Merigold and multiple innocent mages escape being burned alive on pyres for cheering spectators. He had killed Whoreson Junior and Caleb Menge, making the streets of Novigrad safer from them. He had gotten to meet Priscilla and gotten over his fear of large crowds. Dandelion had told him how Ciri was asking after him, and how she still thought of him.

And he had even gotten to see her, see how beautiful she had become, the woman she had turned into. And even though he wished that he had known where she had teleported too, he knew that she was still fighting, it was just the type of person she was.

In the end, they also had a lead. Skellige. And it also happened that someone had offered to take them there.

"Skellige…" He said smiling, looking between Dandelion and Geralt, "And luckily for us, we already got a ride."

**A/N: Chapter 34 is in the books, Dandelion has been rescued, and Dominik and Geralt finally know what happened to Ciri. However, we don't only have that important development we have a few important things happen in this chapter. Let's break it down really quick.**

**First, we have Geralt and Dom continuing to talk about this power that he feels unlocking inside of him… and how scared he is. I wanted to make the attack on the convoy a little bit bigger than in the games, just so we can see some more action. During this fight we see some of this power in action, but we also see how it nearly gets him killed. So, what are your guesses? What is this mysterious power in his blood, if he's a carrier from a powerful mage who from? How is this power going to help going forward, who could teach him to control it? And how does Baelen of the Wild Hunt fit into it all?**

**We also learn the story of the Witcher George of Toussaint. We learn about his origins and see what kind of a person he is. What do you guys think of George? How's he going to help in the future? Who's your favorite so far out of Dominik's three friends, George, Freya and Faram? Also, I understand Faram has been a little sidelined in Novigrad lately, but that's because we are going to see a TON of him in Skellige, so I want to give Freya and George a chance to shine now.**

**What about the Ciri POV? She's forced to flee much to her dismay again, what do you think will happen on Hindersfjall when we see her again?**

**We have two more chapters in Novigrad. Next chapter Dominik is going to help Dandelion with some business, and he'll get another day or two to recoup before we head to Skellige! We're going to learn a few things about Dominik's eight years alone the next two chapters. We saw a small bit in this chapter with him talking about how he acted in those eight years, what are you excited to learn?**

**I can't continue to thank you all for the amazing support you've given. The quarantine had been hard on me and this story had given me a great outlet, I hope that my updates can brighten your days a little! Stay safe everyone and see you next time!**

**P.S: I am looking for anyone who is lets say musically gifted xD I want to write some original songs/ballads for this story to have in it. (Ballad of the Young Wolf and the Swallow, song about Dominik alone, Geralt rescuing Dominik from the flames, etc...) They don't have to be very long or complicated, i'm just horribly inept at songwriting xD So if anyone is and wants to help i'd greatly appreciate it, i'll of course give you credit and it'd be a HUGE help! Just send me a PM or review saying you can and i'll PM you, thank you all in advance!**


	35. Cabaret

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 35: Cabaret**

**Narrator: Finding me proved no simple task. After successfully laying an ambush, Dominik, Geralt and their allies attacked the Temple Guard transport that I was being held in. During this ambush, the Young Wolf started showing signs of powerful magic inside of him, still not knowing where it was coming from. The power had almost killed him, but he fought through it with the help of Geralt and his friends. After finally finding me I informed them of the terrible news. I did not know where Ciri was. Chased by bandits and cornered by the Temple Guard she disappeared in a flash of light… where to, I did not know. Far from ready to give up their search however, Dominik and Geralt planned their next move. The Young Wolf's adopted mother, Yennefer of Vengerberg, had sailed to the Skellige Isles to investigate a magical explosion, possibly related to Ciri. So, with the help of their friend and Skellige native Faram of Undvik, the two witchers got ready to set sail for the isles…**

_The dream had brought him back to his room at the inn in Ellander. He could see the carved wolf that Ciri had given him for his birthday on the dresser next to him. Under the blankets his younger self was sleeping peacefully. His chest rose and fell as he snored lightly. Outside the windows, he could see the snow's covering the ground around Ellander. A good amount but enough to where someone could walk through it, and he could see smaller snowflakes trickling down and hitting his window, as the sun was just starting to rise over the village. _

_ He couldn't think of what the dream could possibly be, that was until he saw his door open. As he watched he could feel the fluttering in his heart again when he saw her. Ciri's ashen hair was tied loosely up in a bun, as her young girlish face smirked with mischief. She was wearing clothes fit for the snow. She had on her heeled boots, a heavy, warm long-sleeved top with a scarf. She was wearing leather studded trousers and her brown gloves, his bronze ring tied around her neck, bouncing against her chest. He could see her smile broadly, a bag slung around her shoulders. _

_ His younger self continued snoring as she carefully came over to his bedside. She sat down next to him, and gently reached down, shaking his shoulder. _

_ "Psssttt, Dom. Dom come on wake up! Come on sleepy head get up," She whispered to him, looking down to meet his eyes. _

_ "Mhmm… what, Geralt I don't wanna start training yet," His younger self muttered rolling around to the other side of the bed. _

_ Ciri rolled her eyes and shook him harder, "Dominik! Come on, get up it's me Ciri. If you think I sound like Geralt then I'm kind of offended," She said with a small eye roll. _

_ His younger self still wasn't budging, but he rolled back around, the sun from the window hitting his face. Ciri sighed and he could see a smile cross her face, the sun hitting her at a perfect angle, casting a glow across it. Her freckles could be seen clearer now, and her cute girlish face couldn't seem to stop smiling down at him. He was downright amazed at how much his face had changed. Seeing his younger self so… boyish and childlike had made him wonder if she would still find him just as handsome now. _

_ Ciri leaned down and kissed his cheek as he slept, smirking and shaking him again, "Come on get up! Geralt and Yen won't be up for hours, come on wake up!"_

_ He could see his younger self's face blush a deep red as a smile came to his face. His eyes gently fluttered open and he looked up, seeing Ciri smile down at him. He was only wearing the white top and his trousers like he normally did, but he still laughed and flushed wildly when he saw her. _

_ "Ciri…" He said, looking out towards the window and then back to her, "It's the crack of dawn… what are you doing here?"_

_ Ciri scoffed and placed her hand over his after he sat up at the head of his bed and leaned back against his wall, "Are you really complaining?"_

_ His younger self blushed even deeper, a laugh escaping him as he met her eyes and slowly shook his head, "No… not one bit."_

_ "Good," Ciri said, leaning forward, both hands resting on his shoulders as she kissed him. _

_ She kissed him deeply, and he raised one hand to cup her right cheek. He didn't remove his lips from hers for several moments, as they sat there in the embrace. His blood raced, as he couldn't feel himself stop smiling. Finally, Ciri broke the first kiss, kissing him again quickly once more before leaning back and smiling at him. His younger self scoffed and smiled, a large goofy smile as he laughed and looked at her. _

_ "So as much as I don't mind, I assume you didn't come in here JUST to kiss me," He said, as she leaned back, their hands locking together._

_ The wicked smile that had been on her face when she entered returned as she looked out the window, "Well the snows have finally let up enough for us to go outside. I was thinking we could go have a little fun!"_

_ His younger self's eyes went wide as he looked outside at the snow again. Slowly he turned back to Ciri on his bed with a smile. _

_ "That sound's amazing… but didn't Yen and Geralt have stuff planned for us today? I know Geralt said we were practicing new combos and didn't Yen want to take you to the barn," He asked her, not letting go of her hand._

_ Ciri smirked wildly again looking towards the door, and then back to him, "Yes they do but they were… well… up late last night. Don't think they're waking up anytime soon. Come on, let's go sled, and I got our skates for us already!"_

_ He knew exactly what Ciri had meant, and after a moment of shuddering at the thought, he smiled at her. The two of them were so young that he could hardly believe it. After seeing what she looked like in the current day, and seeing her younger face then, only made him realize just how long it had truly been. He wished he could take the moment he saw then and replay it every night in his dreams. _

_ His younger self laughed and nodded eagerly, "Alright let's do it. I was getting surprisingly good at skating last winter don't you think? I bet I'll be able to beat you soon."_

_ She scoffed and leaned back at him, "HA, let's see if you can stay on your feet without me holding your hand first! We'll skate a little, go to that big hill that's right near and sled down, and then we'll be back before Geralt and Yen know it."_

_ He could see the excited, enthused look on his younger face, he quickly leaned forward and kissed her. Ciri laughed and he could see her face go red, as she stood up from the bed, and he whirled his legs around to the side. _

_ "Alright you convinced me, let me get dressed and we can head out," He said, as she helped lift him off the bed. _

_ She smiled with a triumphant look on her face. They were basically the same height then, so she quickly leaned across and kissed him again. She whirled around and quickly walked towards his door, before turning back to him._

_ "I'll be waiting near the front, I'll make sure Yen and Geralt stay asleep, hurry up slow poke," She joked, winking at him quickly before exiting his room. _

_ His younger self sighed happily and fell back onto his bed. He remembered exactly what he was thinking in that moment. He thought about how lucky he had felt. After the horrible things that happened to him in Cintra, his family being cut down by the Black Ones, his dreams being plagued by nightmares…. He had been lucky enough to be blessed with another family. Ciri, the woman he loved, Geralt and Yennefer, two people who had become a second set of parents to him. Vesemir, Triss, Eskel, Lambert, Dandelion, Zoltan, he had all of them now. _

_ And as he went to dress in his snow clothes, he couldn't have felt any happier._

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_ "Alright are you ready!? 1…2…3… NOW," She yelled gripping one hand tightly around his waist, the other pushing their sled down the hill._

_ The two of them had made a sled of an old, large piece of tree bark they had found in the woods. After skating for a while, Ciri finally managed to show him how to stop by breaking it the heel of his skates, and for almost an hour they danced over the frozen lake, spinning and racing one another. The laughs, the smiles, the looks of absolute joy in their eyes made his heart ache, remembering the whole event like it was yesterday. The snow was still lightly falling and hit their faces as Ciri pushed them both down the large hill. _

_ Wind howled as they both screamed and yelled with a smile on their faces. He rode in the front as Ciri tightly wrapped her smaller arms around his waist, the old piece of bark speeding down the clear snow-covered hill. _

_ "HAHAHA YES, WOOOHOOOOOO," She yelled from behind him, holding one of her hands up._

_ The snow lapped over their makeshift sleigh as his younger self whirled his head around to look at her, shouting over the wind in their faces, "Easy princess! Gotta be careful you could lose your balance and fall!"_

_ He shouted out to her, repeating the first words he had ever said to her back in Cintra, when he had found her balancing on the balconies railing. They came towards the end of the giant hill as Ciri laughed from behind him, leaning over and wrapping both hands around his neck and squeezing him, as she held her head up next to his, repeating the same words she had said to him that first night. _

_ "No need to worry about that! I do this all the time my balance is perfect," She yelled over the howling wind, a tone of complete delight in her young voice. _

_ "Haha, this was a great idea I'm so happy that you-. WOOOOAAHHHHHH," He yelled when he felt the piece of tree bark lifted into the air. _

_ Ciri fell from his side and he realized that their makeshift sled had flown over a rock and sent them into the air. She fell into the snow, and the ground came rushing at him faster then he could react. He was flung into a large pile of snow, landing face first into the pile as he felt the snow completely cover his body. Coughing from the snow getting into his lungs, he frantically opened his eyes and climbed up, poking his head out from the mound he had been buried under. _

_ He could see their sled tossed a few feet to his left, as they had finally made it to the bottom of the hill. Sighing in relief he let out a shaky, chilly breath as the snow seeped onto his bare skin. However, the freezing feeling that surrounded him was soon replaced by a hot fear thumping through his chest. He looked around frantically and his eyes widened when he couldn't find where she had gone. _

_ "CIRI!? Ciri where are you," He shouted, stumbling up to his feet, snow seeping into his boots. _

_ He stumbled for a moment, dizziness overtaking him as he wondered towards the small cluster of trees to his left. His heart began to race even faster, he couldn't see any sign of where she had gone. He couldn't see any footprints, holes in the snow anything. _

_ "Ciri are you alright!? Ciri," He yelled again, walking closer towards the trees that he saw. _

_ His boots crunched in the snow, and panic began to well up inside him. She been flung from the sleigh midair, if she had fallen on a smaller patch of snow, she could have hit the ground and seriously hurt herself. A part of him almost ran back towards Ellander to get Geralt and Yennefer, but he forged on getting to the tree line, his heart beating a mile a minute. _

_ "Ciri, where are you!? Are you-,"_

_ "GOT YOU," She yelled at him, slamming a ball of snow in his face, the shock stumbling backwards. _

_ "AHHHH," He yelled, stumbling back and falling onto his butt into the snow. _

_ "HAHAHA, oh you should see your face, I got you good," Ciri laughed from above him, a new snowball already in her gloved hands. _

_ His eyes widened and he looked up at her. She was perfectly fine, no injuries, cuts, bruises anything at all. All she had was a look of complete glee in her shining eyes, and a mischievous smile on her face. Breathing heavily, he let out a relieved sigh, feeling a new warmth wash over him. He looked up and met her emerald eyes with his own, and the smile he saw on her face warmed him better than any fire could have. He laughed and a goofy smile appeared on his face, as his hand curled around a large clump of soft snow. _

_ "Oh, you got me alright…. This means war princess," He said, the smile creeping wider onto his face, as he chucked the snowball, he had formed at her. _

_ She scoffed as it hit her in the face, exploding the white fluff into her hair and she recoiled. He quickly got up to his feet, scooping up more snow as she laughed and wiped the snow from her face and shirt, before she whirled around, picking up more as she did. _

_ "Oh, I am going to thrash you! Bring it on," She said with a laugh, chucking more snow at him and running past him as it hit him. _

_ And for the next twenty or so minutes, the two of them hurled snow at each other, laughing, smiling, and having the time of their lives. He ducked one ball she threw and hurled his own at her, hitting her in the stomach as he knelt to collect more. She took that opportunity to throw another one and hit him on the top of his head, snow splattering into his brown hair. She laughed and he smirked, picking up two more large balls of snow in his hands and throwing them at her one after another. One hit her in the chest and the other hit her neck, his bronze ring bouncing on her neck from the impact. _

_ She laughed and scoffed again, crouching down to avoid another ball as she picked up a new large clump. She took off in a run towards him and threw them as she got close. He held his hands up to block them and laughed when as soon they hit his arms and he lowered them she leaped and smacked a handful of snow into his face, laughing wildly as she did. Seeing his opportunity with her close, he reached down and grabbed around her waist, lifting her smaller body up over his shoulder, raising and tossing the pile of snow he gathered right into her face covering her ashen hair._

_ Laughing she pounded on his back, "Haha put-, haha, put me down!"_

_ "Do you finally admit defeat," He said jokingly, spinning in place as she was on his shoulder, the wind whipping through her hair. _

_ It whipped through her hair as she laughed, pounding her smaller hands on his back. He finally paused and she readjusted herself, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Her ashen hair fell from its loose bun, flowing down around her shoulders as she leaned her head over his shoulder next to him. _

_ "I'll admit defeat the day you beat me at a game of gwent! Now put me down so I can continue to demolish you," She said between her laughs the wind howling through both of their hair. _

_ He took in the beautiful scent of cedar and pine from her hair, and he could feel his heart swirl. His younger-self smirked and looked up at her as he found himself laughing again. _

_ "Well your wish is my command if you insist," He said with a smile, before turning his legs and spinning her around on his back more. _

_ She screamed for a second in shock then laughed as she grabbed onto his neck and squeeze tightly, "Dominik! Dom stop not so fast haha, no stop don't-."_

_ Her laughter and yelling was cut off when he dropped them both into a large pile of snow. He could hear her laughing again from under the pile as he couldn't help but laugh as well, sitting up and poking his head out from the large pile. He spit some snow out of his mouth and laughed as he heard her laughing uncontrollably next to him. _

_ He was almost worried when she didn't come up but was knocked onto his back when she shot up from the pile and tackled him in a hug. He felt her slam into him and for a few amazing moments they both rolled off the pile of snow onto the ground, fighting to get on top of one another, tossing snow into each other's faces and laughing. His heart had never felt more complete then in that moment, and he couldn't remember a time he ever felt more connected to someone. _

_ Finally, she rolled around on top of him, straddling his waist as she looked down at him triumphantly as neither of them could stop laughing. _

_ "HAHA! I win again, haha, I will now accept your gracious surrender," She said, holding her hands down on both of his shoulders to keep him from moving, a huge smile not leaving her face as she tried to control her laughter._

_ He looked up into her eyes, and he could see the look of utter joy in them. He knew how much pressure she had been under in the time. With everyday that passed her powers would grow, and her training with Yennefer became more and more intense. She was becoming more and more scared of what was awakening inside her by the day, and he had been doing everything he could to reassure her. _

_ The both of them lived for moments like the one they were having now. _

_ He laughed lightly, smiling goofily at her as he held his hands up, "I humbly surrender to you my lady…"_

_ Her face went red as the blush overtook her, but she kept her green eyes locked on his, slowly smiling. _

_ "Good…" She said, as she leaned down and locked her lips with him. _

_ She sat their straddling his waist as he lay back in the snow and reached both hands up to hold his face. He moved his lips with hers, kissing her with every amount of emotion and passion he could, as his one hand covered hers on his face, and the other went to her waist. She slowly leaned her body down, laying on top of him and melting into his arms, as he did into her lips. Her one hand stayed on his cheek as she ran the other through his brown hair, moving her lips in motion with his. His one hand wrapped around her waist again, the other resting on the back of her neck, his fingers twirling around her ashen locks that cascaded down his face as they were out of its bun. _

_ After what felt like hours of them being locked together like that, she gently pulled away from him, her face beat red from the cold and the blush in her cheeks. As soon as she did and looked down at him, he laughed stupidly, a completely enamored and goofy smile on his face as his cheeks were a similar color of red. _

_ Ciri slowly smiled and held a hand on his cheek as her hair fell down her shoulders, "I love it when you get that smile on your face…"_

_ "You're the one who makes me like that," He said right away, making her lightly laugh, as she rolled off him and fell onto the ground next to him. _

_ She cuddled up closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, and right away he wrapped his arm around her. He felt himself twirling a strand of her ashen locks in his hand, as she sighed happily, lightly kissing his cheek before they both looked up at the sky. Snow still gently fell, as clouds of all different shapes slowly rolled across the blue sky past the sun. _

_ It was a moment he wished could last forever, staying on repeat in his mind. That one year they had all spent together in Ellander, he had never experienced anything like it. He had finally had a family again, and the one that he loved was next to him, her head on his shoulder as the beautiful snowy day played out around them. After what they had gone through, what they had both experienced, they deserved days like that forever._

_ "Dom… can I ask you something," She said, moving her head from the sky and looking over to him as they stayed on the ground in the snow. _

_ His heart fluttered again, and he turned his head down to her, "Of course you can, what is it?"_

_ She sighed and he could see a smile form on her face, as she got even redder, almost seeming embarrassed to ask the question. _

_ However, she looked and locked their eyes, "When… when did you know?"_

_ "Know what," He asked her right away, not leaving their gaze. _

_ She laughed a little and blinked a few times, looking at him again, "When did you know that… that you loved me? I… I just wanted to know."_

_ Scoffing he smirked down at her, "You want the truth?"_

_ Slowly she nodded, the wondering look pinned to her face. He sighed happily and looked up at the clouds again the memory shooting back to him. _

_ "The night we met. Remember when we ducked into the broom closet? You put your hand over my mouth and told me to be quiet," He told her, looking back down to meet her eyes again. _

_ She laughed and slowly shook her head, "You're kidding… you're telling me you loved me from that first night?"_

_ It was his turn to get red, as he slowly nodded, "Yeah…. You… you were just so… so different. So outgoing, confident, playful, funny… it was everything that I wished I could be! I honestly… had never felt so immediately drawn to someone. I asked my father to take me to the palace to see you almost every day after that…"_

_ He looked down and their eyes locked again. She smiled up at him and reached her hand over to rest on his stomach. Her face still blushed as she brought her other hand up to play with his hair. _

_ "I… I asked him to bring you almost everyday too," She admitted, laughing a little, keeping their eyes locked, "You… you made me feel special. Like I was more than just some princess. You… you actually came and played with me without knowing that I was the princess, you… spent time with me because you loved who I really was, not what my title was, like… like other kids my grandmother introduced me too did. You treated me the same… even after you figured out I was royalty…"_

_ Smiling he continued to play with strands of her hair. She so rarely had it down, and every time he saw it, he loved it. Her cedar and juniper scent hit his nose and sent tingles through his body. What he had done for her, was almost exactly what she had done for him. He learned how to be more outgoing and confident thanks to her, and he had taught her that sometimes it was good to take your time and keep your emotions in check. They had been exactly what the other needed. _

_ Feeling himself continue to blush he smiled down at her again, "And… what about you? When… when did you know?"_

_ Scoffing she rolled her eyes playfully, "Well… I will admit I had a huge crush on you from that first night. Gregory he… he kept telling me about you, said that one day I'd meet you. So… when I saw you at that ball, I threw the apple at you. You were shy, protective… it was cute."_

_ "Well I must admit I am pretty cute," He said cheekily, making her roll her eyes and gently smack his chest before she continued. _

_ She laughed and rolled her eyes at him before continuing, "As for when I knew I loved you well… well it was when you almost fell off the double pendulum."_

_ He scoffed remembering the memory, "That wasn't really one of our best ideas…"_

_ Quickly she nodded in agreement before looking at him again, her green eyes gleaming, "I… I thought you were going to fall. I thought I was going to lose you, and I started thinking about what it would be like to wake up without you down the hall, to train without you, to not see your face again and well.. well that was when I finally knew that I loved you, I almost said it to you that night… I stopped because well… I was scared you didn't feel the same."_

_ The thought made him laugh, as he slowly rolled around, both of them facing each other now. Her hair gently fell over her eyes and shoulders. Carefully he reached over and removed the strand from in front of her emerald eyes, and then wrapped that hand around her waist. A hundred butterflies erupted in his chest, as he gently smiled at her. _

_ "Well… I can confirm that I loved you then, before that, I love you now and… well I'm going to love you for a long time… I… I've never been surer of anything," He said slowly, trying to convey what he felt as best he could. _

_ Her face went beat red again, and he could almost see tears start to well up in her eyes. The smile quickly grew on her face as she blinked away the tears, laughing lightly and holding a hand to his face again. _

_ "How do you do that," She asked him, her eyes staying locked with his._

_ "Do what," He asked his hands playing with her hair again. _

_ She laughed again, "Ha… how do you always know exactly what to say. Exactly what to say to… to make me feel like the most special person in the world?"_

_ Shrugging his shoulders lightly he slowly smiled at her, "It's easy… I just tell you the truth… tell you exactly what I think. I tell you exactly how I feel, and I feel that well… well I love you, and to me… you ARE the most special person in the world. And… and it's not because of any special blood or powers you have… it… it's because of the person you are. I love you because you're Ciri."_

_ A small tear rolled down her cheek as she sniffled, a small sob escaping her. She didn't wait again; she leaned over and planted a long lingering kiss on his lips, holding her one hand to the side of his face. He kissed back with vigor, and after a moment she pulled back, her eyes not leaving his as she gently stroked his cheek. _

_ "I love you… more then you will ever know… never let go of me…please…" She said slowly, as he could feel her anxiousness rise. _

_ He smiled gently at her, squeezing her waist, and pulling her closer to him, "Never… I promise"_

_ "And… and I promise I'll never leave you… me and you versus everyone," She said slowly, looking up at him, her emerald eyes sparkling. _

_ Another large goofy smile appeared on his face, as he slowly nodded, "I wouldn't have it any other way."_

_ She nodded and went to gently lean over to kiss him again. For a moment, their lips connected, only for it to be interrupted by a large ball of snow falling and smacking onto both of their faces._

_ "OW, what the fuck was that" He yelled as the both of them shot up to a sitting position on the ground, the snow crunching beneath them. _

_ "I don't know I didn't see where it came from," Ciri quickly said next to him, as they both scanned around the meadow they laid in, and the small patch of trees near them. _

_ He had no idea where any snow could have come from, but as soon as he and Ciri stood up he heard the laughing. _

_ "Well, well, well Geralt, it looks like you were right," The voice of Yennefer said from their left. _

_ He looked at Ciri for a moment and both of their faces froze, as they slowly turned to the left. Geralt and Yennefer both stood at the treeline, wearing winter attire. Yennefer in her normal black and white, with a long elegant black scarf around her neck. While Geralt wore a long sleeved warm looking shirt, gloves and boots as the older witcher smirked at them both. _

_ "They used to do this all the time back at Kaer Morhen… some things never change," Their adopted father said with a smile. _

_ Ciri and he didn't say anything, only sitting their looking wide eyed at the sorceress and the witcher. Yennefer smirked uncrossing her arms and looking over to Geralt. _

_ "Weren't they both supposed to have a training session this morning Geralt," The sorceress asked innocently. _

_ Geralt nodded pretended to think for a moment, before meeting Yennefer's violet eyes, "They were…. Hmmm, I think there's one thing we can do instead. Since they love the snow so much well… let's see how good they are at using it."_

_ "I think that's a splendid idea… Snua fendel,"_ _The sorceress said quickly in elder speech shooting her hand outwards. _

_ Two wads of snow fired up from the ground and hit both Dominik and Ciri in the face making them stumble. They both fell to the ground and he looked over at Ciri completely dumfounded at what had happened. She was the first to finally recover from her shock, scoffing and scooping snow up from the ground. Quickly he laughed and did the same, as they both stood up with balls of snow in their hands, facing their adopted parents. _

_ "It is so on, we are going to destroy you both," Ciri yelled, pointing over to the sorceress and the witcher. _

_ "No magic either! It is so on," He yelled, before chucking his first snowball towards Geralt. _

_ And as soon as it left his hand, a new fight began, one that he had loved taking part in._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

After the dream he had, for the first time in what felt like weeks he awoke peacefully. There was a small ache in his bones, however when he made his way down towards the bottom floor of the inn he felt finally in high spirits. After returning to the Rosemary and Thyme with Dandelion in tow, the group of friends had celebrated. George, Freya, Faram, Zoltan, Dandelion, Priscilla, Geralt and he all sat around the warmth of the fire and ate their fill and drank till their stomachs were full.

He however had to retire early, the pain and fatigue from what happened to him at the convoy ambush becoming too much. Freya had been sure to make him one of the potions she had before, that soothed his bones and helped him fall asleep. A part of him had been expecting a horrible nightmare, the ships of the Wild Hunt, a daunting vision of Ciri in danger, but his brain seemed to finally give him a break. With the full night of sleep, a full stomach and finally some pleasant dreams, he had slept better then he had in what felt like years, completely to midday.

In the end they hadn't figured out exactly where Ciri had gone like he hoped. However, they knew what she was doing, what she had intended, and had the phylactery to help her once they found her. The more he began to think, the more he thought that perhaps the magic explosion Yennefer had been investigating on Skellige really had been caused by Ciri. Perhaps the portal Ciri opened to escape had been so powerful it blew down that forest, and now she was on Skellige hiding and trying to recover.

A smile came to his face knowing that he would soon find out. She had to be there, it had to be the final piece of the puzzle.

He had been feeling so particularly good that morning he didn't even put on the upper part of his armor, wanting to let his slightly aching shoulders breathe. The aching had been there yes, but it was a pleasant ache, and made him feel like he had done everything he could the day before. So, when he walked down the steps to finally get to the bottom floor, he was only wearing the trousers of his set of armor, the boots, and the white top he had slept in. His brown hair was curly and messy from his night of sleep, and he had felt more comfortable then he had in weeks.

He expected to get to the ground floor and see his friends chatting, eating, laughing and waiting for him. However, he had gotten the exact opposite. He didn't see his friends, instead he saw multiple dancing women, dressed in barely any clothes. He stopped for a moment and wiped the sleep from his eyes, thinking for a moment he was still dreaming.

The dancers mulled around the bottom floor, and he remembered in the back of his head that the Rosemary and Thyme was a brothel before Dandelion had inherited it. Scoffing he looked at the scantily dressed women and wondered where they had all come from.

His thinking was interrupted however by Priscilla's shrill voice.

"Is this truly what you want!? To be a purveyor of cheap whores and watered-down wine," She yelled, right into the face of Dandelion who looked downright offended.

"Hey, I can't control what I inherit," The bard quickly shot back at her, his voice just as shrill.

He sighed and rolled his eyes in annoyance, running a hand through his messy hair. No other patrons were inside yet, despite the fact the sun was shining through the windows. The day looked to be beautiful. He walked down towards one of the tables that had food lined on it, bread, bacon, apples, grapes and as soon as he saw it, he felt his stomach rumble. Trying to ignore the arguing of Priscilla and Dandelion he sighed happily and sat down on the bench, reaching for one of the apples. A few of the dancers looked at him with suggestive looks, and he felt his skin crawl as he shuddered, biting into the red skin of the fruit.

"Well good afternoon sleepy head," A voice said behind him, and he whirled around to see Freya coming up behind him, two mugs in her hands.

A small smile crossed his face as he continued to try and block out the trobairitz and the poet arguing. All he heard was Priscilla yell the words 'whoremonger', and 'witless hack'. A part of him wanted to intervene, but then another part of him knew his friends would ask him to take sides, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Hey Freya," He said as she smiled and sat down across from him, sliding one of the mugs over to him, he picked it up, realizing that tea was inside, "Thanks, could really use it."

Freya smiled and nodded. She was only wearing a light red long sleeved shirt, and a small cloak over her back. She had on her brown trousers and boots of course, and her blonde hair fell in waves down her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled as she nodded to him, meeting his own green ones from across the table.

"No problem just made it…. And you're right. Geralt tried to wake you this morning, but you were sleeping like a rock, wouldn't budge," She told him, gently blowing on her tea and taking a small sip.

He scoffed and did the same, the hot brown liquid pleasantly flowing down his throat, "Well I'm glad he let me sleep, gods know I needed it…. Where is Geralt anyway? I don't see him anywhere."

"Went out on some business with Zoltan," She told him, holding her hand around the mug as she looked over at him, "Don't know what it was about, saw Zoltan arguing with some thugs out front something about… gwent cards I think? Geralt told me to tell you when you woke up, he was going to run some errands today, get things ready before you head off for Skellige tomorrow, he should be back later tonight."

For a moment, his eyes narrowed around the room, and indeed he didn't see either Geralt or Zoltan. Geralt and he just like before they left Velen for Novigrad, decided to take a day to recuperate and gather supplies before their trip to Skellige. They were going to be sailing aboard Faram's boat the next day, and the Bear School witcher said the journey should only take about a day of sailing. It normally would take longer, with most captains wanting to avoid the skelligan pirates. However, Faram had made a deal with Clan An Craite and the other jarls as well. Since he was coming back to slay the Ice Giant, he was granted free passage to Kaer Trolde, where Yennefer said she would be.

Despite the fact he of course wanted to get to Skellige to see Yen, and pick up Ciri's trail, he was relieved at having a day to relax. He would more then likely head into town, get his swords sharpened and armor oiled, but he planned on spending a good chunk of the day relaxing and letting his body heal. Whatever power had coursed through his body the day before, the swirling lights of blue magic around his arms, the flashes in his eyes, whatever it was, it had drained him.

Slowly he nodded, swallowing more tea before meeting Freya's eyes again, "Alright and Faram? George?"

Freya reached over and took his apple from him, biting a chunk out of it before gesturing towards the windows, "Both went into town. George wanted to get some shopping and errands done. Faram is down near the docks and his boat, getting everything ready for tomorrow."

"And you, what do you plan on doing today," He asked the blonde, taking his apple back from her and taking another bite.

She scoffed at him and a small smile came to her face, "Well I think I'll do the same as George… Kaedwen is a decent ride, need to stock up…. Zoltan, Dandelion, Faram, George… you and Geralt… I wouldn't be able to do it if not for your help. Zoltan and Dandelion loaned me some coin, called in a favor or two. I'm picking up a new mare today, then I'll go stock up in the market."

He smiled and felt a shot of relief go through his body. A part of him had been afraid he was keeping Freya back, not allowing her to go and complete the goal she had told him. He could still see the golden rose pendant hanging around her neck, the necklace she intended to return to her dead friend Damien's wife and daughter. He bit into the apple again as he smiled at her, the sun from the windows hitting off her shining face.

"I'm happy for you… and well… I didn't say it yesterday but, thank you Freya. For well, keeping me alive, and for fighting with me…" He said, his hands wrapped around the mug of tea.

Freya's face flustered, going slightly red as she looked down sheepishly for a moment, then back to him, "You're welcome… and well thank YOU. If not for you, Geralt, Zoltan, Faram, everyone well… I'd probably be wondering the streets broke, or maybe in a cell. I'm sorry again for how I treated you when you saved me… I was being a bitter shrew."

Scoffing he shook his head, "You had a right to be, still do really. But… you're welcome. Are you sure you don't need anything else to help you get to Kaedwen?"

She shook her head and grabbed the apple back from his hands, taking the last bite out of it.

"I'm sure, thank you though. You've all done so much already," She said, looking out the window before letting out a content sigh a smile forming as she looked back at him, "I'll see you and Geralt off to Skellige tomorrow, then I'll be on my way."

He smiled and nodded, taking another long drink of the tea. Not only did it warm his bones, but it helped wake him up. He could feel the light breeze from the open window run through his hair, a pleasant breeze hitting his face. He slid another plate over to him, and ripped off a loaf of bread, popping it into his mouth and looking over at a smiling Freya as she took another long drink of her tea, the sun casting a glow on her face and hair as it fell down her shoulders.

"What about after that? You going to go back to Ellander, see Old Eustace," He asked out of curiosity, raising the tea to his mouth again.

She smirked at him and confidently nodded her head, "I'll go back for a little yeah, see Eustace and my parents, but after that well… I've talked it over with Geralt and… I'll be going to Kaer Morhen."

He coughed as the tea slid down the wrong pipe of his throat, as he let out a flurry of coughs, making Freya laugh as he finally managed to compose himself. He pounded his fist on his chest, clearing it as he looked up into Freya's blue eyes. She was laughing hysterically, as he still couldn't believe what she had said. He was waiting for her to say that she was kidding, but sure enough she looked at him with an amused stare and scoffed.

"Freya you… know I WAS joking when I said you should become a witcher right," He said, his eyes staying locked with hers.

She laughed again and nodded her head, "Haha I know that of course. I'm not going there to become a witcher, I'm just going there to well… train."

"Train for what, you can handle yourself well, saved my life in that fight yesterday," He asked her, still completely miffed that she would go all the way to Kaer Morhen.

Rolling her eyes, she met his eyes again, "I can fight bandits and Witch Hunter's yes but… well the Wild Hunt is certainly going to be a tougher fight then them."

The bread that he had been lifting to his mouth froze, and he dropped it back to his plate. He suddenly felt the scars on his body all flare, a cold chill run down him, making the hairs on his arms and legs stand up. Slowly he met her eyes and shook his head again.

"Freya I… I can't ask you to fight the Wild Hunt. You have no idea how dangerous they are. After we find Ciri well… we'll more then likely be facing its entirety you realize that? They're even more dangerous then-," He started to ramble on, only for her to scoff and shake her head.

"Well it's a good thing I'll get some training then," She said with a smirk, looking and meeting his eyes, her blue ones growing serious as she sighed, "Dominik listen, I promised you I wanted to see this through to the end. George and Geralt told me about what the Hunt want to do, and I can't just sit by and let them without lifting a sword to try and fight! Besides… you're my friend, I care about you. I'd go to Skellige with you if I didn't have to go to Kaedwen. When you find Ciri and the fight begins… I want to be there with you to beat them back."

A warm feeling washed back over him when he heard her words. Freya Kaminski of Ellander continued to show him the true meaning of friendship, and forgiveness. After what he had put her through, it would have been easy for her to slap him, tell him off and leave never to be seen again. However, she had chosen the opposite. She had found it in her heart to forgive him, not only forgive him, but offer him her sword, her word that she would help him in the largest fight of his life.

Slowly he scoffed and smiled at her, giving her a slow nod, "Thank you…I… I don't know how you can forgive me but… I'm grateful. I… I'm glad that I met up with you again Freya."

She smiled warmly at him, reaching her hand over and squeezing his reassuringly, "I can forgive you because well… I know you weren't lying. You… could've told me from the beginning yes but, I probably still wouldn't have believed you. But… but then I saw the look on your face when you saw her. That… that was the look of true love. You're going to find her soon; I can feel it. And after that… I can't wait to meet her, and then we'll all beat back the Wild Hunt, and after that well, in the words of Zoltan, get piss drunk like wild badgers!"

A laugh escaped him, and for a moment they both threw their heads back and laughed together. He laughed and imagined Freya, himself, Ciri and the rest of their friends at the Rosemary and Thyme, drinks all in hand as they celebrated the defeat of the Wild Hunt. It seemed a pipe dream at the moment, they still needed to explore Skellige, find Ciri, then proceed to find Eredin and kill him.

However, with every day that passed, the task seemed less and less impossible.

"Haha, I think that we will," He said, raising up the mug of tea that he had.

Freya smiled and tapped her own mug to his before they both drank the last drops. She smiled and placed it back down on the table, looking over to him.

"So, any advice for when I finally make it there," She said, grabbing another apple from the table.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Well Vesemir's lectures may bore you to death but they'll keep you alive. Eskel doesn't talk much at first but get a few rounds in him and he won't shut up and well… just don't piss Lambert off."

"Haha, you know Geralt told me the same thing," She said standing up and taking another bite of the apple, "I need to start heading into town and get a few things. I'll catch up with you back here later… I just wish I could take a hot fucking bath, haven't had one in weeks, wish Dandelion had a tub here."

Hearing what she had to say sent an idea shooting through his head. He had nothing planned for the day as of that moment, but he had been wondering a way to thank his friends. The three of them, Freya, George and Faram had been through hell and back for him the past few days, and he wanted to find some way to show his gratitude.

The idea made him smile as he looked up at her.

"I think I got an idea, I happen to know the owner of an exclusive bathhouse in Novigrad," He said, thinking of Dijkstra who owed Geralt after his adopted father had helped him with the business of finding his friend Thaler.

He knew the former Redanian spy bore him very little like, but he was sure that he wouldn't want to cross Geralt. Dijkstra knew that down the line he could have use of his adopted father and wouldn't dare do anything to him in fear of losing that. So, he was sure that if he walked up to his bathhouse with his friends, the man would let him pay for them to soak for an hour or two.

Freya tilted her head, "Okay… and do I want to know how you know him?"

Scoffing he shook his head, "I'll explain it later. But let me treat you, you, George, Faram, you've all done a lot for me the past few days. Least I could do is take you all for a bath. It's a pretty nice place, I think it'd be fun."

He could see her face go slightly red as she smiled and slowly nodded, "Well… I guess I really could use a bath…. Alright sounds like a plan. I'll get Faram and George while I'm out, we'll meet you there in an hour?"

"Sounds like a plan," He said with a smile, looking up and meeting her blue eyes, "Thanks Freya… be careful out there, see you in an hour."

She nodded to him once more and shot him a wink before she pulled up the hood from her cloak and walked out towards the back door of the Rosemary and Thyme. Another cool breeze shot through his body after she opened the door and departed, making his bones feel even better. He couldn't rightly remember a time when he simply took a friend and went to spend time together. Ciri was his best-friend as well as the woman he loved, however other then her it was a rare thing. When he traveled with Faram a year and a half prior the two would often get drunk together and spend nights in taverns, Faram trying to woo the local women while he sat back and laughed.

However, he had never experienced taking a group of his friends to have fun for a day. What he genuinely wanted was of course to find Ciri, however Geralt had told him the night before, that they had to trust in her to take care of herself. They could afford to take a day to recuperate their injuries, stock up on supplies and help friends. She would understand, he was sure. Besides, their supplies for potions, oils and bombs were running low, and after the previous day, Dominik quite literally felt like he couldn't move anymore after he had fallen into his bed.

Whatever power was coursing through him, it had helped him for a short while, only to completely drain him of any energy he had left, almost getting him killed.

He put it all out of his mind however, as he reached for a fork, and went to lift a spoonful of eggs into his mouth. However, just before he could, he heard the shrill voice of Priscilla yelling again.

"You may not be able to control what you inherit," The trobairitz yelled towards the poet, making him sigh and lower the fork as he looked over and she continued yelling, "But you can control what you do with it!"

Dandelion scoffed and shook his head, "I know, I know, which is exactly why I'm considering-."

"UGH! You're always considering! If it's not one thing, then it's another! Let me know when you finally decide," Priscilla finally yelled, stomping her foot before turning around and storming out the front door.

"Oh god…" He muttered to himself as the trobairitz slammed the door on her way out.

Sighing he looked back down to his plate of food that looked even better by the second. Wanting to put the fight he saw between his two friends out of his mind, he quickly scooped eggs into his mouth. They had tasted fantastic, and he continued shoveling eggs, bacon and bread into his stomach, savoring every bit. He realized how little he had been eating the previous few days, as every bit of food tasted amazing.

He was about to raise another piece of bacon to his mouth when he was interrupted and almost bit his finger.

"Can you believe what she said to me!? Called me a whoremonger and witless hack," Dandelion said in outrage, sitting down across from him with his arms crossed, "Wit is my forte!"

He looked at the piece of bacon and sighed in disappointment, slowly lowering back to his plate. Rolling his eyes, he looked up and met the poet's gaze.

"Priscilla's becoming a good friend of mine… you better not hurt her," He said to the poet, leaning his arms onto the table before looking back over to him.

Dandelion scoffed again and looked offended, "I would never! But can you believe what she said!? Acting like I haven't been working to improve this place!"

Scoffing he rolled his eyes, "Well don't just sit around and do nothing! Go and prove to her she's wrong."

The poet sighed and nodded his head, a serious look on his face, "That's what I'm trying to do! I've always dreamed of having my own cabaret! A bit of paint and plaster and this place will do splendidly."

He admitted to himself he also enjoyed the idea of his bard friend owning the place. It had helped Geralt and he greatly the previous few days. They had somewhere they could talk, and plan their missions in peace, without having to worry about who was looking or watching. The beds were also much more comfortable then the inn near Crow's Perch in Velen.

It would also help him greatly knowing there was always a place he'd be able to go, a place he'd always be able to stay.

So, he sighed and nodded towards the poet, "Gotta admit I like the idea too. It'll be nice to have somewhere i can always go."

The poet's eyes softened slightly, and he met the younger witchers eyes, "You'll always have a place here my young friend…. How are you feeling? Geralt was telling me about how you've been the past few days since you arrived."

Sighing he poured himself apple juice from a pitcher on the table and took a large cold drink. He put the mug back onto the table and rolled his eyes at the poet.

"Well let's see. I missed Ciri here by three days," He started, feeling the swallow on his neck tremble behind his medallion, "I had to fight the Wild Hunt, Temple Guard, Witch Hunter's… and apparently there's this powerful secret magic in my blood that's unlocking and it knocks me out more than it helps me."

He saw Dandelion's eyes fall for a second, so he sighed and continued.

"But… I got to see Freya, George and Faram. I helped Triss get the mages out of Novigrad, I saved you, met Priscilla, saw Zoltan… and well I still know where to look for her," He said, feeling the small bit of optimism rise inside of him.

He smiled over at the bard, and Dandelion could see his mood and smiled back at him. The bard sighed and nodded to him.

"I have to admit, you did inherit Geralt's stubbornness," Dandelion said, making the both of them laugh before he went on, "Like I told you… after telling me what was going on, you were the first thing she asked about."

He could feel his face get a little red as he smiled, reaching and gripping the pendant around his neck, looking back up to the poet, "Thanks Dandelion, she… she's all that I want. I'll find her, I know I will…. By the way, I found the 'ballad of the young wolf and the swallow.'"

The poem that Dandelion had wrote notes for was still fresh in his mind. He remembered finding it while he, Geralt and Zoltan all looked in the downstairs of the Rosemary and Thyme for clues about where the bard had gone. He had been extremely specific to Dandelion that he didn't want any poems or songs wrote about him until he found Ciri, possibly not even then. However, he couldn't be mad at his friend. He watched as the poet sat across from him sighed, looking to meet his eyes.

"I know, I know, you said no poems until you found her. I was just writing out some notes, I truly do believe it had the makings of one of my best," He promised the younger witcher.

Dominik sighed, looking to meet his eyes, "Well I need to find her first. After that, you and Priscilla can write as many as you want…. Speaking of her, any plans to show her she's wrong?"

Upon hearing his words Dandelion straightened, a new look of determination showing on his face. He almost laughed as the bard leaned forward and met his eyes.

"I do. I'm going to spruce this place up nicely… the hitch is this, I need coin, more then I currently have," The poet explained, sitting back in his seat.

Scoffing he wiped the food off his mouth with his sleeve and nodded, "Well why don't you go to Vivaldi's bank? Or well how much do you need? Geralt and I could loan you something if you need it."

Quickly he shook his head, holding up both his hands, "Thank you for the offer Dominik, but I won't take a single crown from either of you. You know what they say, fastest way to lose a friend is to take a loan from him… but I COULD use a favor, that's different. And seeing how Geralt is out and about for the day…"

Sighing Dominik rolled his eyes and lowered his mug back to the table, meeting the bard's gaze.

"Alright… and what does this favor entail," He asked the bard, leaning forward on his arms.

He had heard multiple stories from Geralt about Dandelion's 'plans. Most of them involved ex-lovers and ended with Geralt having to break him out of prison or defend him from vengeful cuckholds. While he didn't particularly feel like having to fight off angry cuckholds or get chased by guards, he could tell how desperately Dandelion wanted to impress Priscilla, and what it meant to him.

The poet nodded and went on, "You see I dated this girl once, Sophronia. Has a father who's a merchant, imports spices from Zerrikania. And daddy dear would never refuse daughter dear a thing. We can borrow the coin from her."

He had never heard the name Sophronia, however he did know that very few of Dandelions former girlfriends were still fond of him. Geralt had told him plenty of stories of women throwing flowerpots, knickers, and bricks at both he and Dandelion.

Sighing he met the bard's eyes, "Alright what did you do to this one to make her angry?"

Dandelion scoffed and shook his head for a moment, but quickly sighed when he saw the glare Dominik was giving him.

"I… may have left for a bottle of wine and… forgot to return," The poet said quickly, rubbing the back of his head.

"For fuck's sake…. Fine tell me what your plan is. I assume you got one all cooked up. I got plans with George, Freya and Faram in an hour, so need to do it quick," He said, drinking down the last bit of his juice.

Dandelion held up his hands and shook his head, "No worries my friend, you need only show up. You see Sophronia may still hold a grudge after our… unfortunate parting. But with a little help from you I know she'll forgive me and give me that loan! All I need you to do is show up outside Sophronia's at midnight. She lives in the upper parts of town near the Passiflora, look for me there."

The whole idea made him roll his eyes. He didn't even want to ask what Dandelion had cooked up, but he had already offered his help, so he wasn't going to back out. Also, he realized his poet friend was doing his all for Priscilla. He wanted Priscilla to be happy, and for Dandelion to be happy, he wouldn't be seeing either of them for some time, so if he were going to leave, he wanted them to at least be in the best position they could be.

"Alright I'll help you… I'll meet you there just after sunset," He told the bard, and right away Dandelion sighed in relief and looked at him thankfully.

"Thank you so much for your help Dom, this will work like a charm I know it," The poet said confidently.

He couldn't help but laugh at the man's enthusiasm. The sun continued to shine through the windows as the dancers continued to peruse around the Rosemary and Thyme. A few scattered patrons had wondered in and the women were serving them, and the cool breeze from the open door hit his face again, blowing back his messy brown hair. It felt slightly odd not having the upper half of his armor on, he felt lighter and like something was missing.

Whirling his legs around the other side of the bench, he quickly grabbed another piece of bacon and tossed it into his mouth, before downing the last of the apple juice. The cold drink ran down his throat as he took in a long deep breath, a relieved feeling again running through him. It had been the most peaceful he'd felt in weeks, and he wanted to savior it while he could, because he knew that after they arrive in Skellige, he wouldn't stop, he wouldn't stop until he was back with Ciri.

Dandelion stood up with him and met his eyes again, "So you said you were going out with Faram, Freya and George? Where are you going, could use some distraction myself before later tonight."

Dominik quickly laughed and shook his head at the bard, "Oh I don't think you want to go here. My friends and I are going to the bathhouse."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ahhh the steam of the bathhouse, reminds me of being a boy back in Toussaint," George said, as he slowly lowered himself into the steaming water.

Faram scoffed from across him, leaning both his large arms back against the larger tub, "Bah must've been nice growing up there. Back on Undviik growing up in my village we'd bathe in the river, bloody fuckin cold all year round!"

Freya ignored them both, sighing deeply with her eyes closed, a pleasured look on her face as she sunk her body neck deep into the water, "This is fucking fantastic, I'm so glad that you suggested this…. I REALLY needed it."

The warm water relaxed every muscle in his body, and he quickly nodded to Freya next to him, "I'm glad I suggested it too… after the last few days we've had, we deserve it."

Just like he had predicted, Dijkstra had no problems letting him and his friends use his bathhouse. The man when Dominik had spoken to him even looked excited at the prospect for a reason unknown to him. He didn't think much of it however, and simply paid Happen the Eunuch to ready a large pool for him and his three friends. Dijkstra had apparently spared him no expense, and given them the back pool, the largest private one in the bathhouse. The same room that just a few days prior he had fought in, in nothing but a towel.

Freya like she had said she would, went and gathered Faram and George in town. The two witchers were extremely excited with the idea, Faram stating how he only hoped they had a pool large enough for him. The three males went into one room, while Freya went into another and got down into towels and their undergarments. He had brought an extra pair and wore only the white briefs around his waist, his toned, bare, scar filled chest and torso were exposed, and the hot water seeped into the deep scars across his chest. The small pink flower petals and pleasant smell of lit incense filled the room, and he felt completely at piece.

Faram leaned his massive frame across from him, his long black hair out of a ponytail, cascading down his shoulders along with his beard. The Bear School witcher had told him part of the mutations they received at the school of the bear enhanced your muscles greatly and made you taller and with longer arms and legs. Faram had just that, his arms were as big as Dominik's head, while his exposed chest and torso were littered with scars just like all witchers.

George sighed in content next to the bear school witcher, his golden blonde hair also falling over his shoulders. The griffin witcher had no beard, and was toned and defined like most witchers, not as large as Faram but still larger than Dominik himself. Like Faram however his blonde witcher friend's chest and body was littered with scars from monsters and men. He could even see the large fresh scar in the side of George's abdomen, from where a soldier of the Wild Hunt had stabbed him a few days prior.

The only problem they had getting into the bathhouse to his surprise hadn't been with Dijkstra. Freya had emerged from her changing room before them. Her blonde hair fell in curls down her back, as she wore only her white knickers and bra to cover her chest. She was toned, defined, with a slender waist, she was extremely beautiful he knew. However, when he and his friends had emerged one very brave, drunk man was ogling her, attempting to make unwanted advances. Freya had proceeded to slap the man and kick him in the balls.

The man's two brothers hadn't been very happy, and went to their brother's aid, trying to make another pass at Freya. However, when they saw three half-naked, exceptionally large, and very angry witchers walk up behind her, they smartly decided the risk wasn't worth the reward and scurried off. After this Freya and the rest of them all walked towards the back room with Happen, and while men looked at her as soon as they saw himself, George and Faram walking by her side, they smartly looked away.

Freya now sat next to him in the bath, her entire body submerged under water as she leaned her head back against the elegant walls of the pool. He leaned back as well, taking in the sweet-smelling incense and soaking in the feeling running through his bones. Between the night of sleep, he had, Freya's potions, and the water now, he couldn't quite remember a time when he had felt so rejuvenated.

Faram sighed loudly and happily across from him, his arms leaning up against the pool, as the other three all turned from.

"You bet your ass we do! Haha, this place is fantastic mate how'd you find it," His friend asked, as they all now turned to him.

"Yeah… you told me you'd tell me," Freya said from next to him, sitting up so her chest came above the water.

George laughed lightly and spilt water over his golden hair, "I must admit I am curious too my friend. The owner he… seemed quite glad to see you."

Scoffing he leaned back, the pink petals floating around him as he met all their eyes, "Funny story, actually fought some assassins here with Geralt a few days ago in nothing but a towel."

They all laughed, and George rolled his eyes and spoke next, "And why am I not surprised? And the owner?"

Rolling his eyes, he looked at them all again, "Old friend of Geralt's… don't know why he was so happy to see me. Don't think he likes me very much but… well I'm not complaining. I'm going to sit back and enjoy this, because tomorrow a new journey begins."

He truly had no idea why Dijkstra had let him in so easy and given him his best pool. However, as he said, he wasn't to let it distract him from enjoying the time with his friends. He could see Freya pouring the water over her hair, and Faram smiled as he leaned back against the tub.

George nodded from his left and met his eyes, "Aye a new journey yes. I am sorry I cannot come with you to Skellige my friend. I have some things I must attend to here and in Oxenfurt. I promise though, after you find your Cirilla and the fight versus the Hunt comes, you will have my blades!"

"And the same goes for me," Freya quickly said from closer to him, as he turned, she continued, "Like I told you earlier. After I finish up in Kaedwen I'll be ready to fight… just be sure to be careful on Skellige."

"I will, I promise…" He said quickly, a warm feeling not just from the water building up in him as he looked between them both, "I can't begin to thank the both of you enough for what you did…. If Faram and I can kill a group of Zeugal's neck deep in sewage, Skellige will be no problem, eh Faram?"

George and Freya both laughed and looked to Faram. The Bear School witcher smirked and leaned up in the water, causing ripples to go through the whole pool.

"Your damn right about that mate! We'll get to Skellige, kill that fucking Giant on Undviik, then we'll find Ciri," The Bear School witcher said confidently, looking at George and Freya before he finished, "Then we'll come find you lot. We'll beat the piss out the Wild Hunt, and then after all that's done-."

"We'll get piss drunk from dusk till dawn," Freya finished for the Bear School witcher and Faram laughed, clapping both his hands together.

"Haha you're finally catching on goldilocks," The Bear School witcher said happily.

The four of them all laughed, and he felt his chest begin to swirl as he smiled. Faram's confidence was infectious as he felt the hope begin to rise in his chest. Around him now, was his own hansa. While not as large as the one Geralt had assembled, he knew that they could be just as powerful. The four of them, plus Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, and all their other friends and allies were going to be enough to beat back the Wild Hunt. There had been times during the last few weeks of searching he didn't know if they could possibly do it. After fighting Nithral in Velen and almost being killed, after Baelen had fought him in the cave… a small part of him didn't know if it was possible.

However, as he saw friends there now, and knew the other's they had…. He knew that they would succeed.

George finished laughing and looked over to him, "So Dominik my friend. I was wondering, why don't you tell us more about your Cirilla. Faram knows most I'm sure, but I'd like to know more, tell us what she is like my friend!"

He scoffed a little and felt his face get hot from more than just the steam. The red hue more then likely appeared on his face. Subconsciously he turned towards Freya, worried that talk of the woman he loved would bother her. However, the blonde simply smirked at him and nodded in agreement with George.

"I was curious too. Didn't tell us much other then about her… gifts. And of course, the fact you're in love with her," She said, looking over at him with wondering eyes.

Again, he felt his embarrassment rise as he scratched the back of his head, "Do… you guys really want me to tell you about Ciri?"

Freya nodded and George gestured for him to go on, "Of course my friend come, tell us about her. Freya is right we only know that you love her, what is she like, tell us."

Faram scoffed from across the pool and smirked, leaning his head back on the side of the pool.

"BAH, be prepared to be here for a few hours if you're asking him that," The Bear School witcher joked.

"Fuck you," He quickly said, feeling his embarrassment reach his cheeks.

All three of them laughed again, and he felt himself sink into the water as he felt his face get even redder. The white and pink petals gently floated on the steaming water as he finally felt his eyes roll. He poured some of the water over his hair, and felt it coolly slide down his neck and chest, as his three friends finally stopped laughing. George was the first to finish and looked over at him with an amused smile.

"Ahaha we jest with you my friend, come tell us about her," The Griffin witcher said with a smile, as Freya and Faram finished their laugh and looked as well.

He looked around at the three of them, and sure enough with the water still steaming they all looked at him wonderingly. Faram of course knew more then George and Freya, the Bear School witcher had traveled with him for half a year, and Dominik had told him basically everything. Faram knew of his childhood in Cintra, meeting her there and escaping the massacre together, before Geralt found them. Freya knew this all as well; however, she knew few of the intimate details of their relationship.

Sighing he looked at all three of them, "Well, I'll try to make it quick I promise…. It all started back in Cintra. Ciri was its princess, next in line for the throne, and me, well… I was the son of its greatest knight, captain of Queen Calanthe's royal guards."

For the next few minutes, he told his story. From meeting Ciri on the balcony at the royal ball, to his family being murdered as he and she escaped the flames of the burning city. He told them of the months Ciri, and he spent alone, living off tree bark and nuts in the woods, up until Geralt had found them. He told them about how according to his father, he was linked to Ciri by destiny, destined to protect her as his ancestors had been for almost a hundred years. Also, he made it clear that he didn't care what destiny said, he protected Ciri because he loved her.

He told them about his training with her at Kaer Morhen, the first night she kissed him, the day they met Triss Merigold, and when they had to leave for Ciri to go to the Temple of Melitele. Bringing up the wagon train ambush with Yarpen Zigrin's company against the Scoia'tael, made him wonder how the old dwarf was doing. He told them how Geralt and he were attacked on a barge crossing the Pontar by men looking for information about Ciri, which caused them to go to Ellander, where he, Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt all spent the year together. Freya was surprised to learn that they had both been so close.

He ended by telling them how she went to Aretuza, and after traveling with Geralt for a year to look for her, he set off on his own when the older witcher suggested going back to Kaer Morhen for the winter.

Sighing he looked around at them all again, "And after I was on my own well… you all pretty much know. I've been from basically one side of the continent to the other. I never went too far south of the Yaruga into the Nilfgaardean mainland but… I've been pretty much everywhere else. Followed some crazy leads."

His friends had been fantastic listeners. Even Faram who knew most of the story still listened with bated breath. George and Freya both looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and respect. Freya in particular seemed to be having a hard time digesting the information. The blonde sighed deeply, the petals gently floating around her chest. She slid closer to him, and quickly reached around his neck, her wet arms squeezing around him. He wrapped an arm around her waist as he hugged her back, and she gently pulled away, looking at him sympathetically.

"I… I'm sorry you had to go through all of that," She said, her light blue eyes meeting his emerald ones, "And well… I'm sorry I didn't believe you…."

Sighing he shook his head at the blonde, smiling reassuringly, "Freya you have nothing to apologize for… it was my fault. Like I said before I went about everything the wrong way… it's still a miracle to me you were able to forgive me, and not leave me to be eaten by a Bruxa."

She scoffed and laughed, looking back up at him and gently sliding away, lowering her chest into the still hot water. He felt a warm feeling swirling up inside his stomach, a small smile on his face as he turned to George who was nodding at him with admiration.

"To go through so much so young… truly admirable my friend," The Griffin Witcher said with a nod.

He scoffed at him and shook his head, "I had it easy compared to what Ciri had to go through. That's why I want to find her… after the Hunt's dealt with, she'll get a fucking break."

The four of them all shared a laugh again. He knew it was true in his heart. Ciri really did have it much worse than he did. The more he dreamed, and heard about what she had suffered, made him realize what he had been going through in the last eight years was really not much.

George finished laughing and nodded again, "Still my friend, eight years…. You said you followed crazy leads, like what? Where did some of them take you?"

He scoffed remembering some of the places the leads had brought him, some of the monsters they'd lead him too, and some of the people he had met because of them. He had been as far north as Kovir and Poviss, and as far south as the ruins of Cintra. He traveled all of Aedirn, Temaria, Redania, Kaedwen and Cidaris. Leads had taken him everywhere… but one would stick out in his mind.

Scoffing he leaned back gently against the wall of the pool behind him, leaning both his arms against the cold granite.

"Well to be honest I've been to almost every part of the northern realms," He said honestly, looking to meet all of their eyes, "The most memorable one though brought me near Maribor, where I fought in the Battle of Brenna."

All three of their eyes right away went wide. Freya's jaw almost dropped to the water as she shot up to look at him, her blue eyes widened in disbelief.

"You fought in the battle of fucking Brenna!? How the hell have you never mentioned this before," She scoffed at him, looking at him with a mixture of amazement and confusion.

Faram scoffed from across the pool, and leaned forward looking just as astonished, "You never even told me that, what the fuck mate!?"

Even George who he thought wouldn't know of the battle shook his head in disbelief next to him, "You fought in the largest battle of the second Nilfgaardean war… damn my friend how old were you?"

"It was a few months after I turned eighteen," He said, looking at the them all, feeling his heart begin to pump even faster, "I… I don't really like to talk about it. Nothing really came of it and well… well I saw some pretty horrible things there."

He remembered the battle in his head vividly. It was very rarely he thought about it, and with good reason. There were already enough horrible things in his life for him to think and remember, and the Battle of Brenna wasn't something he wanted to remember. It hadn't led him any closer in the end, and despite the fact he was slightly proud that he managed to take part, the things he had to see were horrible.

Over the last eight years he had seen hundreds of monsters, corpses, heard screams of dying men, women, children. However, the battle of Brenna had been one of the toughest fights he had ever been in, in his entire life. The steaming water with the flower petals floated gently around him, as his friends looked at him with bated breath. Freya from next to him gently shook her head.

"I… I can relate," She said slowly, more than likely remembering her own time with the army the previous few months, "A few weeks ago outside White Orchard… it was horrible."

Carefully he lowered himself lower into the water down up past his shoulders, only his neck being above the water. His friends looked at him for a few moments, more then likely wondering if they should ask any further questions. Despite the hot water, he felt a small chill run through his spine as he shivered.

The battle had been a short while after he turned eighteen, when he left Freya and Ellander. He had a newfound determination running through his veins after seeing her, for the months afterwards he did everything he could, he even considered contacting Geralt or going back to Kaer Morhen. He decided against it however, still holding the irrational anger towards his adopted father. So, he decided to head south, towards Cintra again, something drawing him back towards his old home.

Faram sighed and slowly shook his head, "Bloody hell mate…. I gotta ask, what… what made you fight? What brought you down there?"

He shifted in the water, sitting up against the wall of the tub again meeting all their eyes, his skin slightly crawling.

"Well… it was a few months after I turned eighteen. I… was trying to get back on her trail again, find anything that could be useful. I was traveling south, heard the north was losing pretty bad," He said, remembering when he heard the mumblings in the taverns, meeting his friends eyes again before going on, "Heard they wanted to eventually keep pushing south, try to retake Cintra…. And well, I… I heard some people saying that Ciri was alive, being held in occupied Cintra…."

He specifically remembered his reaction when he heard that news. It had almost made him fall off his stool at the tavern. The new sense of optimism and determination that was shooting through him after his months with Freya had exploded. He got onto the horse he had at the time and nearly killed it riding towards Maribor, where he heard Foltest's army was gathering.

Freya shifted in the water and looked over to him, "So you went and fought? Just for the chance to get to her?"

Slowly he nodded, looking between the three of them again, the stench of blood flooding his nose over the incense.

"Yeah… I thought it would be great. A double whammy. I could help beat the Nilfgaardeans, help fight towards Cintra and find Ciri… all in one swoop," He said, looking down at the floating flower petals, a dread feeling watching over him, "Got there and didn't want to join with the main army. So, I joined up with a group called the Free Company, a group of mercenaries from Kovir who were heading there to help."

He would never forget meeting the mercenaries from Kovir, and the charge that they had led when the initial lines almost broke for the Northern army. Their presence had reinvigorated their troops, and they had managed to push the Black One's back, just enough for Foltest to send in the rest of his forces. He wanted to continue charging forward with the rest of the army, however he saw the remnants of the first wave, the poor infantry men who were lying dead, bleeding out, limbs halfway cut off, swords and arrows lodged into their bodies.

Their screams and pained cries for help could be heard if he concentrated and closed his eyes. The Nilfgaardeans were hard to break, but eventually they had. He remembered he cut down knights, and soldiers, trying to protect the dying men from the northern army on the ground. The Black Ones had shown no mercy, it didn't matter if you were half dead on the ground, had a limb missing, were already bleeding out, begging for mercy, they killed you, and he had done everything he could to protect the soldiers who couldn't fight anymore.

His friends looked at him, not asking him to continue, but he felt that since he started the story, he would need to finish it. He sighed deeply, pouring more water over his brown hair, despite the warmth of the water another small chill ran through him.

"I… didn't charge with the rest of the company. I… I saw the men dying from the first charge, so I stayed behind defended them from any stragglers, helped dragged them to the medical base," He told them, all remembering the time vividly.

He had drug men towards the hospital tents, trying to keep them from dying on his shoulders. Some men had their guts torn open, some had limbs falling off, but he had gotten as many of them to the medics as he possibly could.

One man in particular had stood out to him, he would never forget him. His name was Jarre, and he had studied in the Temple of Melitele to be a scribe, at the same time Ciri had been studying at the temple. While he had been dragging the poor man, who was delirious from blood loss and a missing left hand, muttered Ciri's name, causing Dominik to almost drop him. After he had gotten Jarre to the medical tent, he demanded to know how he knew that name. The man stuttered out how he was hopelessly in love with Ciri, despite the fact Ciri was younger, and she had never noticed him.

_"She's great can't say I blame you." _That was what he said to the poor delirious man before leaving him on the cot in the medical tent, before rushing back to the field to collect more.

"You… dragged wounded soldiers to the medical tent…. Dominik that's really brave, why wouldn't you want people to know about that," Freya said next to him, gently waving her hands through the water.

He shrugged his shoulders, sighing deeply as he felt the water warm him even more.

"Well I… never saw it as that. I just did what I thought was right, did what I would hope that someone would've done for me," He explained, feeling his stomach shift under the water, "Besides there were braver people then me there. I met one medic, her name's Shani. She was seventeen, even younger than I was, but she still enlisted. She was sewing men back together like it was nothing."

He remembered the red headed medic he had met, one of the bravest people he could recall meeting. She had helped patch men back together, saving many lives that day. He had held men down while she sewed their arms back on, and their guts back together, the two of them had made quite the team. She had also been slightly infatuated with him afterwards, but he had denied her advances, still however, he enjoyed her friendship. He hadn't seen her since the battle, but he still considered her a friend.

Freya smiled and scoffed, "Gods I know Shani. I met her in a few of my lessons in Oxenfurt, a damn prodigy. What… what happened after the battle? Obviously, they… never retook Cintra and… well seeing as you're looking for Ciri now…"

Scoffing he shook his head, looking at his friends, "Well a few weeks after the battle… the war ended. Emhyr he… he married 'Ciri' to solidify the Cintran crown. Knew right from the start it wasn't really her, I had been chasing another fake rumor. So, I had Shani cover for me, she told the rest of the Free Company I died, and I went back north."

The steam in the water slowly began to get cooler, but his bones still felt completely refreshed. Shani had told the Free Company he took a spear to the chest and died in a skirmish, but in reality, he had traveled back into Northern Temaria.

George looked at him in disbelief, "How did you know the woman he married wasn't Ciri?"

"Aye I'm wondering that too," Faram asked across from him, "If I know you, if you heard something like that, I'd expect you to go put a sword through the emperor's throat."

A small laughed managed to escape him as he shook his head, "I would put a sword through Emhyr's throat gladly. But… but I knew it was fake right away like I said. Ciri she… she would sooner die then have done that. Would've jumped off a balcony or slit her own throat. No… I knew she was still out there, so I left and headed back north."

He would never forget how he almost broke his hand punching a tree when he had heard the news. Like Faram had said, when he heard the news initially, he had intended to march to Cintra, to find the Emperor and kill him by any means necessary, getting Ciri back and saving her. However, after calming down he realized the truth. Ciri would never have married the emperor, not even under the threat of death.

She would have leaped off the castle balconies, or bit off Emhyr's ear if she had too. No, Ciri would never have went through with it, no matter how forced she was. She was still out there, so he left, said goodbye to Shani, and went back North. After this, for two more years until Rivia, he wondered, wallowing and feeling sorry for himself, following the smallest leads he could, crushed that he had felt so close again, only for it to lead nowhere.

George of Toussaint however nodded and looked at him with admiration.

"It was a very valiant thing you did my friend," The Griffin School witcher said, meeting his eyes, "To fight like you did for her. Eight years of searching, and now to finally be so close… not many men would go to such lengths."

"Aye he's right mate," Faram said as well, lifting his arms up out of the water and the flower petals, "I always said you were the toughest fucker I ever met, not just physically but mentally as well. I could never imagine eight years of what you did."

The more they praised him, the more he felt his stomach churn. Freya to his right gave him a small smile as well, gently nodding her head, her blonde hair dark and soaked from the water.

"They're right…. You did a brave thing. It takes dedication to pursue something, let alone someone for that long," She complimented looking at him with a smile.

Their praise made him slowly shake his head. The more he thought about the eight years, the more disappointment he felt. It wasn't the complete truth. While his goal had always been to find Ciri, he far from did everything he could. Tavern to tavern, village to village he would wander, trying to track down what leads he could. However, he had been in completely over his head. He had been a sixteen-year-old boy, starving, barely making it by at first. All he would do was lay up at night, looking at the swallow pendant, crying himself to sleep thinking about how he had failed her, blaming everyone in the world for his problems.

As he got older, he got better at surviving on his own. He got stronger, was able to take on more contracts, followed any lead that involved magical anomalies, or any even slight mention of a blonde woman that was particularly interesting. However, he still had been doing the same, spending most of his time wallowing in his self-pity, wishing that things could have been different, and Ciri would just reappear so his nightmare could end.

Sighing he sat back up in the pool, the water slowly dripping down his chest, over the large, deep scars from Rivia, and from Nithral.

He bit his lip and looked at all three of his friends.

"To be honest… I don't deserve any praise for it. The last eight years well… well I was nothing but a bitter, petulant child," He said, looking down at the small puffs of smoke from the water.

All three of his friends seemed to scoff and Freya was the one to speak up from next to him.

"How could you say that? You did everything you could to look for Ciri for eight years, and well, you were just a kid for most of it, it's amazing you survived," The blonde said, turning and churning the water to face him.

"I didn't do everything I could," He spit out, crossing his arms underneath the water, all of his friends staring at him, wondering looks on their faces before he continued, "I… I was in way over my head when I separated from Geralt. I was a sixteen-year-old brat, who thought he could do it all by himself."

"You were a child still my friend, you had just lost your love, your best-friend, nobody could blame you," George reassured him from his left.

Quickly he shook his head again and sighed, looking to all three of them.

"I… I followed leads when they came up yeah but… those leads were always stretched apart. I would spend most of my time wondering around, trying to survive… drinking myself stupid, crying myself to sleep, wallowing in my own self-pity, cursing the world, blaming everyone else, shouting how it wasn't fair," He spat out, feeling the anger rise through his chest.

"It really wasn't mate… nothing about the situation was fair," Faram tried to assure him from across the water.

Quickly he shook his head however, "It wasn't. But all the time I could have been out, looking for her, trying to find her and help her with what she was going through… I was sitting around blaming everyone, being angry with Yennefer and Geralt for letting her leave, I… I just feel as if I never threw myself completely into looking for her. I could have found Geralt, I knew that would be my best chance… but I let my anger and bitterness take over me. So no… I didn't do everything that I could…"

A silence fell around the pool. The incense around the room was still slowly burning the pleasant smells through the room. He sighed, looking down at the petals slowly floating in the water, as he looked at all of the scars and marks on his body from the years of fighting. He had many regrets in his life, but not going to find Geralt would always be the biggest one. Letting his anger get the best of him.

He looked around at his friends, and all of them looked at him. He remembered how not much earlier they had all been laughing, enjoying the bath and having a great time. Sighing he realized how he dampened the mood. A regretful feeling ran through him, and he looked around to meet all of their eyes again.

"I… I'm sorry you guys I-," He started before Freya quickly cut him off.

"You don't have to apologize. We all understand Dominik… that's why you feel like now you need to do everything you can. We're your friends, and we're going to be here to help you every step of the way," She said, leaning over and gently holding her hand on his shoulder.

A tingle went down his back when she touched him and he looked over to Faram and George. The Griffin witcher nodded sagely, moving back his golden hair, nodding his head.

"Aye she is right my friend," He said in his southern accent, rubbing the water over his arms, "Don't feel the need to apologize. We will be here for you, and for your Cirilla when you find her."

Faram scoffed across from him, "I'm right along with them mate. Like I told you, can't worry about the past. We'll find Ciri in Skellige I'm sure. After that nothing in the past matters anymore, the future is all that's worth discussing!"

A small a laughed escaped him as he looked around to them all. The warm and relaxing feeling from the water soon returned to him, and as he saw their smiling faces, all the worries left him. That day had truly been one of the best he had ever had so far, he, his friends, a bath, and stories. Sighing he leaned back down in the water, it seeped into his deep scars warming them and his entire core. He whirled his head around to look at all three of them.

"Thank you again… all of you, for everything," He said slowly, feeling the water continue to seep into his bones.

Freya and George smiled and nodded, while Faram clapped and nodded at them all.

"Alright now time for some fun! Let's order some wine in here," The Bear School witcher said, making them all laugh before he turned to Freya, "And you, it's your turn goldilocks, tell us some stories!"

Freya scoffed and looked at the three of them, "Me? I can't say my life's been all that interesting are you sure?"

Faram smiled and nodded again, "Aye you were in the army, you're a doctor. You met Dominik before all of us, and your more wind then woman with a blade. Besides, George and I are both much older, our stories would take longer!"

They all laughed again, as Freya slowly nodded. He looked around and smiled broadly at them all. The water continued to relax and warm him, the cuts and bruises from fights the past few days slowly leaving him. Geralt had told him, true friends, good friends were hard to come by anywhere on the continent. And he had the advantage of having three of them he'd go to hell and back for, and he knew that they'd do the same for him. Faram had said earlier they would go to Skellige, kill the ice giant, find Ciri, beat the piss out of the Wild Hunt, and then Freya said they'd get piss drunk together.

And as he saw them all around him, the more he thought it was going to be true. Now all they needed was Ciri, and the group would be complete.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Keep your eyes to yourself before I break your fucking legs old man," He quickly shouted over at an ogling old man in the middle pool.

He regrettably couldn't get as drunk as he wanted with his friends, because he remembered that Dandelion had asked to meet him at sundown. So, while he still drank wine with his friends for the next few hours, he made sure to keep himself comprehensible for whatever the poet needed from him. Finally, they all noticed that their skin was becoming shriveled and the water began to get cold, so they finally decided to all return to the Rosemary and Thyme for the night, while he went to see Dandelion.

They had all wrapped towels around themselves as they walked back out towards the entrance to retrieve their clothes. He had walked next to Freya and felt his anger spike when he saw on old man staring at her ass as she walked by, so he quickly had turned to threaten the man, which made splash water over the pool as he turned away. Faram and George laughed behind him, and Freya scoffed turning to him with a small smile on her face as they walked through the doors.

"Well that was awfully sweet of you, but I can look after myself you know," She said with a small smirk on her face.

He rolled his eyes as he got to the two changing rooms. Faram and George ducked into the room while he stood across from Freya, taking the towel and starting to dry the water off his body.

Scoffed he shook his head, "Doesn't give those creeps the right to look at you like that. Little do they know that you could probably kill them within twenty seconds."

She laughed and it was infectious, before he knew it, he laughed as well. After a moment she looked at him, her blue eyes sparkling as they met his.

"Haha either way, it was sweet thank you…. You better get dressed, you need to go and help Dandelion with his master plan," She said, adding some dramatic sarcasm to her voice.

He rolled his eyes and she laughed, before disappearing into her dressing room. Despite the cold breeze that ran over his wet skin, a warm burst welled up in his gut. The day couldn't have gone anymore perfectly. He had pleasant dreams, a full night of sleep, breakfast, and had gotten to spend time with his friends, enjoying wine and a hot bath. It had warmed his bones all the way through, and he felt at better strength then he had in years.

Before he could go into the changing room however, he heard a new voice call out to him, making him freeze.

"Well, well, well if isn't my favorite witcher protégé," The deep sarcastic voice said from behind him.

Sighing he let go of the doorknob and whirled around, the towel staying tightly tied to his waist. He was hoping to get out of the bathhouse before Dijkstra could catch him, however he had underestimated the former spy's quickness. The fat man limped a few feet in front of him and stood with his arms crossed, smirking at him with his beady brown eyes.

Finally accepting he wouldn't get out of the conversation he crossed his arms over his bare chest and met the man's eyes.

"Dijkstra…" He said slowly, not taking his eyes away from the man.

The former spy continued to smirk and nodded towards him, "I take it you enjoyed my fine establishment's services with your friends? Or… more then friend's in the case of that blonde beauty you were talking too."

His eyes quickly widened, and he felt his face get red as he quickly shook his head, "She's just a friend!"

Dijkstra laughed with his arms crossed, "Haha, the way she looks at you seriously doubt that. You'd be smart to jump at that opportunity my young friend, lass like that doesn't stay alone for long."

"Did you just stop me to chat, or did you actually want something from me," He said impatiently, trying to force the redness out of his cheeks.

The fat man laughed heartily and met his eyes again, "Ahaha right to the point, just like Geralt…. Well to that point, as you can see, I was… generous enough to let you and your friends use the deluxe pool for a discounted rate."

Sighing he mentally scolded himself, he should have known that Dijkstra didn't do anything out of the kindness of his heart.

"And I was wrong to assume when I came in, that you just did it out of the kindness of your heart… what do you want from me. Gotta be quick, I'm leaving Novigrad tomorrow," He told the man, the cold draft sending a chill down his wet body.

Dijkstra slowly shook his head but still smirked, "Not much at all…. Meet me in my office after you've dressed, there's… someone who'd like to meet you."

His eyes shot to the door to Dijkstra's office behind the man, before he looked up and met the mans eyes, "And who exactly is it? Don't beat around the bush, you know I hate that."

The former spy snorted and shook his head, "Someone who's already been waiting almost an hour for you to finish your little party with your friends. Let's try not to keep them waiting any longer."

"And if I decide to just walk out, I have two witchers with me and a woman who I promise could cut through any of your men," He said with an eye roll, not particularly feeling like talking to anyone else.

The large man laughed lightly, "I don't think that'll be a problem. You inherited a lot of things from Geralt. One of them is your stubborn sense of honor. I did a small favor for you, and now you'll do me a small favor by talking to my associate."

He felt the net pulling through his stomach again. He was starting to think that he should have simply gotten large tubs from the market and filled them with hot water for his friends. Or perhaps he could have taken them hunting, or to watch the races at the Vegelbud estate. However, remembering the experience he just had, he wouldn't have traded it for anything. Those few hours with his friends had been the happiest he'd been in weeks.

"Just gotta talk to them? You aren't going to send me on some wild goose chase through the streets of Novigrad," He asked the man, keeping his voice level.

"All you have to do is talk to them," The former spy promised with a nod.

Sighing he realized Dijkstra was correct. He had inherited Geralt's sense of honor. Dijkstra had done him a favor, no matter how small.

"Fine," He said, meeting the former spy's eyes, "I guess I can at least hear what they have to say."

"Good…" Dijkstra said with a smirk, gesturing his head towards the changing rooms, "Wouldn't tell anyone if you snuck into the changing room with your female… friend."

"For fuck's sake…" He muttered to himself, turning and entering the changing room.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You know I got the distinct impression you didn't like me very much," He said to the fat man, walking besides him, "Why does your friend want to meet with me instead of Geralt?"

Dijkstra scoffed and he could see the sarcasm's in the former spy's eyes.

"Oh, quite the opposite in fact. You're an arrogant, sarcastic little brat, but I can appreciate your dedication and loyalty," The fat man said with a dash of sarcasm, "To answer your question, they'd like to meet with Geralt yes, but when I told them his adopted son was currently in my bath house…. They requested to meet with you."

After he had finally gotten dressed back into his armor, his friends had asked him what had happened. He explained to them all the situation with Dijkstra, and all offered to stay with him, however he knew that the former spy's invitation was for him only. After assuring his three friends he'd be alright, he promised to meet them all back at the Rosemary and Thyme. Reluctantly they had left him alone in the bathhouse, walking towards Dijkstra's office.

He had on his full set of wolven armor now, with his sword strapped to his back. A part of him wanted to go out with just his sword on his back, without his armor on when he had left. However, after what had happened in Rivia two years prior, when he didn't wear his armor to try and make his horse ride faster to get there he had sworn he would never go out without his armor on like that again. Besides, he knew that Dijkstra's bathhouse was indeed a fine establishment, along with one of the more dangerous places in Novigrad.

He thought long while he was getting dressed about who could possibly want to meet with Geralt and he. Sighing he looked over at Dijkstra just before they entered his office.

"Look Dijkstra, Geralt told me what you talked to him about after we saved the mages," He said to the fat man with his arms crossed.

Dijkstra scoffed and rolled his eyes, "I assumed as much. So, you know what we aim to do."

Nodding he looked up and met the spy's eyes, "I do. And I'll admit if the situation were different, I'd consider helping myself but… I have something more important to focus on. Don't ask what, but… it's much more important to me. I'm not getting involved in this."

He waited for Dijkstra to explode at him, scream and tell him how the North was what mattered. However, to his shock the former spy did neither, simply nodded his head, holding one hand on the door to his office.

"Aye, Geralt told us something similar… take care of your business, but I think after your conversation with my associate that you'll think about what comes after," The man said, opening the door to his office.

He narrowed his eyes and followed closely behind the man, entering the large office and library he remembered from a few days prior. He was dry now, but the cold draft still sent a chill up his spine. The large dusty bookshelves were towering over him. It hadn't changed since a few days prior, except for the fact that two men in black cloaks and gambesons were standing at Dijkstra's desk. Both of the men had longswords at their hips, standing at attention on both sides of the desk. He froze for a moment, thinking horribly that Dijkstra truly had meant to kill him.

However, the fat man gave a quick bow to the other person in the room, before stepping to the side and gesturing towards him.

"My lady may I present, Dominik of Cintra… adopted son of Geralt of Rivia," The former spy said, looking at the woman near the bookshelf.

She was a tall, slender, beautiful woman, with a mane of long flowing red hair, and a long red dress. A scarf was around her neck, and a black hood placed down beneath her head. She had narrow hips, and brown gloves as she quickly closed the book she was reading, carefully placing it back onto Dijkstra's shelf. She turned to face Dominik, and he could now see her intense, yet beautiful brown eyes. The front of her dress was low cut, and she smiled lightly at him as she met his eyes.

He had never seen the woman before in his life however she certainly didn't seem the type to hangout in Dijkstra's bathhouse. Slowly he narrowed his eyes towards her as he crossed his arms and gave her a slight bow.

"My lady…." He said politely, staying on the balls of his feet, his hands twitching.

The woman smiled at him politely and gave him a small bow back. She seemed to be harmless enough, however, deep in her eyes Dominik could see a burning fire of ambition and intent.

She raised her head back up and met his eyes, "Ahhh it's a pleasure to meet you Dominik… I must say, I heard the rumors Geralt had taken in a young boy, never did I think I'd meet him."

He felt himself laugh a little and rub the back of his head, "Geralt saved my life… would've died if he didn't take me in. And I'd be dead a hundred times over if not for him after that."

The woman laughed lightly and folded her hands in front of her, "Well, well, we share that in common then Dominik of Cintra. I also owe my life to your adopted father… twice over."

He began to rack his brain. Growing up Geralt had told Ciri and he hundreds of stories about the contracts he had fulfilled over the years. The two of them had taken in all the information with bated breath. Over the years many times he had encountered many people who Geralt had saved, with his adopted father having been to almost every part of the continent.

However, the wine and bath must have dulled his mind because no matter how he much he racked his brain around it, he couldn't place who the woman was. Still wishing to be polite however he slowly nodded, keeping eye contact with the woman.

"Well Geralt's been around a lot. I… I'm sorry but have we met? Is… there a reason you wanted to talk to me," He asked her, keeping his arms crossed as the musty smell of the dust hit his nose.

Lightly she laughed, holding a hand over her chest. She gently shook her head and met his eyes.

"Haha, you must forgive me, how incredibly rude," She said, giving him a slight bow again, "We haven't met Dominik of Cintra. My name is Adda, Queen of Redania but if Geralt's told you the story… he probably mentioned me as Princess of Temaria, daughter of the late King Foltest."

If he had been eating or drinking anything in that moment, he was sure that he would have choked. His eyed widened and he felt his heartbeat almost a thousand times in a few seconds. He couldn't form words for a moment. In one moment, he thought that Adda had come to take revenge on Geralt for allegedly killing her father, and she was going to kill him since she couldn't get to Geralt. Then he remembered that she was also the Queen of Redania, Radovid's wife, and a man in the room was currently planning her husband's assassination.

He was outnumbered, and sure as well Dijkstra had more thugs in the bathhouse ready to pounce on him. His mouth went dry, the skin on his arms standing up as he subconsciously took a few steps back, staring at her with wide eyes and an open jaw.

"You… you were a stryga, Geralt he… he and Triss saved you," He managed to stutter out, still not believing that the woman was actually in front of him.

Adda laughed lightly and nodded towards him, "He did yes… and then again when I was cursed and changed into a beast again. I wouldn't be here today if not for your adopted father."

Quickly he shook his head, holding his hands up, "Your majesty I swear Geralt's innocent. He didn't kill your father; it was a plot by Emhyr and Nilfgaard to-."

"Easy, easy Dominik, this is all knowledge I am aware of," Adda quickly said, holding her hands up for him to stop rambling on, "I never believed Geralt would save my life, and the life of my father the first time only to kill him. Besides… I heard the story from my half-sister, young Anais who was there to see the assassination unfold. You need not worry, I'm not here to kill you or Geralt."

A quick breath of relief left him, that had been one of his greatest worries. He remembered the story; it came flooding back to his brain now. Geralt had called it one of his most memorable contracts. He assumed his adopted father called it that because it was during this contract, that he first had met Triss Merigold. Also, after healing his daughter Foltest had been eternally thankful, which was good because of what happened after he had lost his memory.

After the Salamandra attack on Kaer Morhen just after Geralt had come back, his adopted father said he had met Adda again in Vizima when they were trying to track the Salamandra down. Geralt had also revealed to him the princess at the time had been in league with the gang, and almost had Geralt killed, before she was turned back into a stryga. Geralt had ultimately decided to lift her curse again, saving her life. After completing a few more jobs for Foltest, Geralt had to save Adda's father from an assassin. That was what let him to be working for the Temarian King with Triss up until Letho of Gullet had killed him, and Geralt took the blame.

He didn't know what happened to Adda after this… however after hearing her introduce herself he still felt his hands twitch.

"I… thank you, your majesty," He said carefully, looking over to Dijkstra, who leaned against a bookshelf, "But I… must ask, why are you visiting your former head of intelligence, and… why did you wish to speak to me or Geralt?"

Adda quickly looked over to Dijkstra and rolled her eyes before turning back to him. Her intense brown eyes were calm now, but he could see the fire inside of them. The Queen of Redania paced in front of him for a few moments before turning to him, a small smile on her face.

"I assume you are a busy man Dominik; I am also a very busy woman as you could guess," She said to him, stopping in place and meeting his eyes again.

"Being a Queen of a Kingdom at war keeps one busy I assume," Dominik said, remembering how whenever he saw Queen Calanthe, she was always busy.

He also was sure to keep his cards close to his chest. Geralt had just recently helped in a plot to murder her husband. He knew Dijkstra was smart, and he wouldn't have ever let the Queen of Redania into his bathhouse without good reason. There had to be a reason Adda was there, and he needed to be careful. They were leaving for Skellige the next day, he couldn't afford to be dragged into any plots or favors in the moment.

Adda laughed lightly and smiled at him, "Haha it most certainly does you would know…. You grew up in Cintra, your father was Sir Gregory of Cintra, knight captain of Queen Calanthe's honor guard was he not, that is what the songs say after all. Geralt of Rivia escaped the flames of Cintra with a young boy, the son of Cintra's greatest knight."

"He was yes…" He said, feeling his anxiousness rise. The last thing he needed was for her to begin asking questions about Ciri, or Cintra.

The Queen nodded and met his eyes again, "Then you must know a good ruler when you see one. Queen Calanthe made Cintra the envy of the Northern Kingdoms during her reign… how does it feel to you that for years now, your home, the kingdom she built is now a Nilfgaardean vassal state? They speak the Nilfgaardean language, practice Nilfgaardean customs, fly the sun banners as opposed to the golden lions? How does it feel that the culture of the place you grew up has been all but eradicated?"

His hands went behind his back, as a jolt of anger ran through his body. He curled his fists, that horrible truth had made him furious for years. It had been secondary to losing Ciri and looking for her, but Cintra's fate had always hung in the back of his head. The Nilfgaardeans claimed to let Kingdom's have autonomy and rule themselves after they invaded, however he knew that this wasn't true.

The people of Cintra now would never know what it was like, the freedom and prosperity that Queen Calanthe had brought. The Riannon's line had made Cintra the jewel of the North. It had powerful armies, a navy, and one of the most prosperous cities on the entire continent. The three golden lions on a light blue field was replaced in the castle by a golden sun on a black banner.

Now, Cintra wasn't even Cintra. It was still named that yes, but the culture, the people, the way of life that Queen Calanthe and her ancestors, the ancestors his family had protected for almost a century was gone. It was Nilfgaard now, the language, way of life, everything had changed. If he had returned to the city, he knew he would hardly have been able to recognize it. While he had traveled that far south, he had never entered the city. He hadn't been inside Cintra since that night almost eleven years ago to that day… and he didn't know if he would even be able to return.

"It pisses me off… but there's nothing I can do about it," He said, bringing his arms back in front of him and crossing them.

Adda smiled, satisfied with his answer as she nodded. She looked quickly over next to him and gestured to Dijkstra.

"That's what I was hoping for," She said, looking to the spy and then back to him, "I said I knew you were busy, and so am I so I won't waste your time. I know that you and Geralt, as well as I are aware of the plan that Dijkstra and his cohorts have assembled."

He scoffed as soon as he heard the words, turning to Dijkstra, not believing his ears.

"You let the Queen of Redania in on your plan to murder Redania's King? Are you fucking insane, you could get Geralt killed," He said loudly to the former spy, feeling his anger rise.

Dijkstra smirked at him and shook his head, "I didn't let her in on anything…. Who do you think it was that whispered this idea in my ear?"

His eyes widened and he whirled around back to Adda, who still calmly held her hands folded in front of her. The Queen of Redania, in on the plot to murder Radovid. It almost seemed impossible, and it only made him more suspicious. Slowly he scoffed and shook his head.

"You're helping Dijkstra in a plot to murder your husband…. Why? What could make you want to do that? And what'll you do if it works? Surrender to the Nilfgaardeans, let them walk across the rest of the continent," He spouted out, feeling all of the questions spew out of him.

The Redanian Queen slowly nodded her head, a look of disgust forming on her face. The once calm, welcoming yet intense eyes she had before, were set alight by a new fire. She met his emerald eyes and he could see the ambition and fire about to spill over.

"I don't even consider him my husband, seeing as I barely ever see him," She spit out, the mention of Radovid seeming to disgust her, "All he did was use me to rally the last of the Temarian nobles to him after my father's death. It was a loveless marriage, and contrary to popular belief Dominik of Cintra, not everyone among the Redanian court believes in the process of hanging every soothsayer and herbalist we come across."

Her words stewed in his mind. While he wished that Radovid would smash every Nilfgaardean he came across, he knew the man was pure evil in the flesh. When he had looking into the man's eyes when he met him, he could see the true madness, never in his life had he met a man who truly seemed so far off the deep end. He thought about how Triss and all her fellow mages had to hide their identities, and even Freya in the army couldn't use potions to treat the soldiers because they were too close to magic.

Slowly he nodded, "And what about the war? After you manage to kill your husband what happens with Nilfgaard? You going to surrender, let Emhyr make the entire continent his?"

"Of course not," Adda sharply snapped at him, looking at him with fire in her eyes for a moment, before she looked at him again, "Emhyr was the one who ordered my father killed. They've raped and pillaged Temaria, my home. And now in Vizima, my father's palace, where I grew up after my curse was lifted… that bastard sits there. He's removing the Lillie's from the walls, replacing our banners with that fucking golden sun! No, Dominik of Cintra after my husband's death I will NOT surrender to the Black Ones, I will continue to fight them, and I will push them all the way back south of the Yaruga, until Temaria, Aedirn, and even Cintra are free once again!"

Her answers had caught him off guard. He hadn't expected to see such fierceness and determination out of the woman. A small part of him wanted to bow, and apologize for being insolent. However, he knew that there was the distinct possibility that this was all a ruse. Slowly he nodded his head and met the Queen's eyes.

"Noble goals yes… but why do you have to kill Radovid," He asked her, feeling his skin begin to crawl, "Your husband could accomplish that same goal, and you wouldn't even have to go through the trouble of assassinating him."

She quickly scoffed and shook her head, pacing again in her red dress before looking back to him.

"It's because my husband has no intentions of restoring the old boarders Dominik of Cintra," She said, her voice still full of disgust, "He plans on a great northern empire. When Kaedwen asked for our aid, pleaded with us to help stop the Black Ones advance what did he do? He invaded, forcibly conscripting its people, and pillaged their land. Now he creates fear and paints mages, magic and the Black Ones as enemies. He's an evil man… as I'm sure you know."

His thoughts quickly went to Freya, and her deceased friend Damien. Freya had told him she was taking her lessons in Oxenfurt when she was forcibly recruited into service. And her friend Damien, who's family she was traveling to Kaedwen to see, wasn't even from Redania. The poor man was from Kaedwen and was chucked into the army when Radovid invaded. He knew evil, he had stared into its eyes many times, and Radovid was one set of eyes he could tell was mad.

However, one question continued to burn in his mind as he met Adda's eyes.

"He's an evil man yes… but what is it you want from Geralt and I," He finally asked the Queen, feeling his skin continue to crawl.

Adda sighed out deeply to regain her composure and met his eyes, "I know that Geralt has already helped with a small part of our plan…. I would ask you both for your aid once again. Your aid in fighting for a truly free north."

He felt himself sighing again. Turning around he looked at Dijkstra for a moment, and then back to Adda. It was true when he said that given different circumstances, he more then likely would have joined on the plot. There was the chance to take out one evil man in the north, and then unite under a Queen who from what he had seen so far just, an wanting the right things… however he truly didn't know the full story. Adda could have just been trying to usurp power from her husband. There was no guarantee she would change any of his policies, no guarantee she would come through with any of her claims.

There was also Ciri. As much as he wished to see both Radovid and Emhyr dead, and the Black One's beat back, she was what truly mattered to him. He blinked for a moment and saw her face. Her still shining emerald eyes, high cheekbones, slender waist and loosely tied ashen hair. He felt the swallow tremble around his neck and sighed. No matter what he encountered, she would always be the first priority for him.

Slowly he looked up and met the Queen's eyes again.

"Your majesty I agree with your goal. I'd put a sword through Emhyr and your husband's neck. I appreciate what you're trying to do for Cintra, and the rest of the Northern Kingdoms but…" He said with a sigh, feeling his skin begin to tremble. "Geralt and I are both on a different quest right now. It's important… more important than anything to me, and I know to him too. We just can't get involved at the moment…"

He waited for her to get angry, to scream and order her two guards to try and run him through. However, the moment never came. Dijkstra shuffled behind him, and Adda simply bowed her head towards him. She slowly looked up and met his green eyes with her own.

"I understand, what we ask you to do, is not something to be undertaken lightly," She said, in a light understanding voice, "Dijkstra has told me Geralt said the same thing. I only ask you this Dominik of Cintra… when your business is concluded… that you would consider coming to find me. That's all I ask, is that you consider."

After Ciri had been rescued and the Hunt defeated, he knew that he would do whatever she wanted. However, if he knew her like he thought he did, he knew she would be intrigued by the idea as well. Slowly he looked back up at the queen and nodded again.

"I promise," He said carefully, keeping his voice level.

The Queen of Redania smiled at him, and gently nodded her head.

"I thank you for your courtesy, and your time," She said to him kindly, looking back to her guards and gesturing for them to follow, before she looked back to him, "I wish you luck on your quest…. And do please tell Geralt I said hello, and I send my best."

"I'll be sure too," He said quickly, knowing he would of course tell Geralt as soon as he arrived back at the Rosemary and Thyme, after his business with Dandelion was done.

One last time the Queen smiled at him and gave him a small head bow, "It was my pleasure to meet you Dominik of Cintra. Good health to you… and I do hope this isn't the last I see of you."

Carefully he nodded to her one more time and she left the office with her guards closely in tow. He let out a large breath as soon as the door had closed. He was still enjoying the day as a whole, but the last person he had expected to meet was the Queen of Redania. Adda, the young girl who Geralt had cured of her curse all those years ago. He remembered Geralt and Triss telling Ciri and he the story many times, and he was always marveled Geralt was able to lift the curse. He himself had only lifted one stryga's curse in his years alone, and it had been far from easy.

And now the Queen even wanted their help after their quest was done. Finding Ciri and battling back the Hunt would of course be his first priority, but the more he thought, the more the idea of the Nilfgaardeans being beaten back south of the Yaruga appealed to him. After the Hunt had been defeated and he and Ciri both were safe, and had their freedom, it would certainly be something he would consider.

He knew for a fact it wouldn't be his last meeting with Queen Adda of Redania.

First however he needed to go and find Ciri. And before he could do that… he needed to help Dandelion with one of his schemes.

**A/N: So here we are, the penultimate chapter of the entire Novigrad arc is complete! Next chapter Dominik, Geralt and Faram will set sail for Kaer Trolde, to meet up with Yennefer and investigate Ciri further. This was a much more calm chapter, but we still had a lot of important developments. **

**Before we quickly recap I want to say YES, Dominik did go and help Dandelion get his loan. I was going to add it but the chapter just got too long, and I didn't want to cut the last scene. We'll hear what happened at the start of next chapter.**

**The finale of Novigrad next chapter is the longest of the story to date! We'll have aciton, humor, character development, before we finally head off to Skellige!**

**First we have a flashback dream about Dominik and Ciri. I'll admit I'm a complete sucker for romance, and writing cute scenes like this makes me so happy. We have a cute flashback of Dom and Ciri in the snow, and just being a couple. I always feel it's important to add these lighter moments, just to show the depth of the relationship they shared. After seeing these, what do you think it'll be like when Ciri finally comes back? Will we find time for some romance between fighting the hunt?**

**We also learn that Freya is going to Kaer Morhen! She won't be there until a bit later, since she has her own quest, but she will be there for the battle. She won't become a witcher xD but she is going to train to fight. What are your opinions on Freya? How well will she get on with Ciri?**

**And finally we have some friend bonding. I wanted to develop a sort of tight bond between the group of four and I loved writing that bath scene. We also learn Dominik fought in the Battle of Brenna alongside everyone's favorite witcher universe red head Shani, what will that mean down the road? Also I want to clarify, Dominik doesn't know Geralt and Dandelion know Shani, and Geralt doesn't know Dominik knows Shani.**

**Also we learn one of the reasons why Dom is so dead set on finding Ciri, because he loves her yes but… he believes he didn't do everything he could to find her, and regrets it, we learn a bit more about his time alone, and what he went through. **

**And finally the big scene at the end. I made a slight change to the cannon and introduced Queen Adda of Redania, the real one who gave Dijkstra the idea for the assassination…. What are your thoughts on this? What do you think it'll mean in the future for the war with Nilfgaard? And how in the future will her and Dominik meet again?**

**Guys I am SO excited to finally get to Skellige, we're almost at the half way point, and I cannot thank you all enough for your support. I never thought I would get this far so the support you've all given truly means the world.**

**Everyone please stay safe during these dangerous times! I'll see you all next time for the finale of the Novigrad arc!**


	36. Carnal Sin

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 36: Carnal Sins**

**Narrator: After successfully rescuing me from the clutches of the Temple Guard, Dominik and Geralt prepared to head to Skellige, to continue their search for Ciri. However, they took the day to prepare and rest their injuries before their journey continued. Dominik spent the day bonding with his close friends, Freya, Faram and George, before, like the good friend he is, helping me secure a loan to help the future of my cabaret. The Young Wolf's peaceful day however was interrupted in the bathhouse with his friends by Sigismund Dijkstra, who said someone wished to speak to the young witcher. Dominik met Queen Adda of Redania, former Princess of Temaria, who asked the young witcher if he and Geralt would help them in their plot to assassinate her husband King Radovid. Dominik however, not taking his eyes off the true goal refused the Queen. Now the day has finally come, the day where Dominik and Geralt, along with Faram of Undviik, set out for Kaer Trolde, to find where Ciri had gone.**

_The first thing he felt in the dream was the torrent of snow. It was blowing like a snowstorm through his vision and he couldn't see a thing for a few moments. It howled in his ears and a he felt his stomach churn as if the storm were inside his stomach and not outside. Finally, the snows began to clear, and he could see the scene unfolding ahead of him. It looked to be a large battlefield of snow and ice. It was as if the small canyon of snow had been made especially for an arena, to the right frozen water with large ice blocks were floating, and he saw it. The ship of the Wild Hunt, the command ship, but he didn't see Eredin or his commanders, or any of the soldiers. _

_ His eyes whirled back and forth, and his stomach continued to churn violently as he finally heard the snarling. He looked down towards the center of the snowy and icy plain, and he saw the combatants. They weren't two men or women, but two wolves. Two bloodied grey wolves circling each other in the center, leaving paw prints in the snow, their fangs and claws dripping blood, turning the ground red. His heart thumped faster in his chest, wondering what the dream was showing him, and why it was important. _

_ The two wolves lunged at each other and engaged in a bloody fight. They bit and clawed at each other, ripping into the other wolf with as much power as they could muster. He didn't know how he could tell, but he knew one was male and the other was female. The female wolf was slightly smaller but growled and howled with just as much ferocity as the male. It lunged itself at the male, sinking into the male's neck, as the male howled and whirled slicing its claws across the female's torso, sending her yelping and flying back. _

_ His eyes widened when the female wolf started to glow blue, an aura of power radiating around it. It lunged with renewed ferocity at its male counterpart. It blasted through the snow and slammed into its opponent and the two got sent spiraling back. He didn't know if his eyes were deceiving him or not, but the male the entire fight had seemed to be on the defense. It didn't want to hurt the female wolf, only defending from attacks and dodging when it could. _

_ With the new magic swirling around her, the female wolf slamming into the male and sent him sprawling back, not giving him an inch. The snow continued to fall even harder around the two of them, as the male continued its best to avoid the females claws and fangs. However, his dodges and quick attacks to defend itself weren't enough. The female smacked away his claws and smashed into him again, rolling the two wolves around into one of the walls of snow._

_ The female came out on top of the male, snapping her jaws as the blue magic swirled around her. She barked, howled and growled in the male's face, but Dominik could see in the male wolf's face he still did not want to kill her. The male wolf bared his fangs and howled back at the female on top of him, almost sounding as if it was pleading for her to stop. The female didn't respond, trying to snap at the male's neck again, before growling down at him howling while looking directly in the male's eyes._

_ As soon as the female howled, he could see something unlock inside the male wolf. The wolf's eyes glowed a bright blue color, and the same blue magic that had been emanating from the female wolf started to blast out from the male as well, as it leaped up smashing the female back away from him. Both wolves circled each other with renewed vigor, the both of them with torrents of light blue energy erupting in storms around them, mixing with the snow to create a torrent of blue energy and white snow. _

_ Finally, they launched at each other and a large __**BOOM **__erupted as he could see the wolves slam into each other. Their claws and fangs sank into one another, however this time the male wasn't on the back foot. He sank its fangs into the females next, cut down her torso with its claws, and used its larger size to dominate over the female. Finally, with the blue magic still erupting around them both, the male wolf's eyes bright blue it cut its claws through the female's torso, making her side erupt with blood as she fell to the ground. _

_ The male's eyes finally returned to normal, but the murderous rage still was erupting from the animal's eyes. The female was finished, underneath the male wolf's paw, her stomach bleeding, and her breathing labored. Her male counterpart looked down at her, his fangs bared towards her neck, and he could see that the wolf was deciding if he should finish the job or not. He remembered at the beginning of the fight the male wolf had been trying to defend itself, not seeming like it wanted to fight, however the look on its face now was the furthest thing from peaceful. _

_ As hard as it was for him to believe, he could see the conflict, the uncertainty in the male wolf's eyes as it tried to make a choice. He was hoping that it would spare the female, the whole fight made his blood race and turn cold, the snow continued to fall over the two beasts, as the light blue energy that had swirled them was now gone. He saw the female wolf, scratches and holes all over her body, bleeding from each part, as she labored and breathed on the ground._

_ "One you once loved has returned…" A deep voice rang throughout the dream. _

_ His head whirled around, and he couldn't see anything. The male wolf still stood perched atop the female; his fangs bared as it growled down towards the defenseless female. _

_ His blood turned even colder than it already was. It was as if pure ice ran down his veins, but it was soon replaced by a burning hot anger, a rage the bubbled inside his blood as he continued to try and find the source of the voice, because he remembered it now…. It was the voice of one of the three crones. _

_ "A single choice you make shall seal their fate," Another deeper of the crones three voices shouted from the over the wind. _

_ He blinked rapidly as the snow began to churn so violently in the storm, that it almost completely covered his view of the wolves. What he did see, he saw a new fire unleash in the male wolves' eyes as it looked down at the female. Her blood slowly dripped from his fangs onto her body, as he inched closer and closer to her neck. _

_ "The choice you make, the fate of your family… to preserve or raise…" The final crone said in her deep shrill voice. _

_ The final thing he saw made him scream out, as the male wolf brought its jaws down, clamping them over the female's neck, blood splattering from the impact, just as the snow overtook his vision._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHHH," He screamed, his head firing upwards from his bed, sweat beating down his bare chest, he whirled around, trying to get the echoing of the crones out of his head as he scanned his room.

He groaned and covered his eyes with his arms as the sun beat down into his room from the window. From its position he could tell it was just passed dawn when he normally awoke. Despite the warmth that appeared outside, his body chilled, and he had felt himself shiver. A cold sweat ran down his chest as he ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. It had been weeks since he thought about the prophecy the crones had given him in Velen. He mentally scolded himself for forgetting. Geralt had told him that some prophecies took years to come to pass, the one Geralt received about meeting Ciri and he took years to come true.

However, the more he listened to the prophecy over in his head, the more he shuddered.

_One you once loved has returned. _It had been the only line that made sense to him and was the line that made him believe this prophecy had to be coming to fruition soon. Ciri, she was the only one he thought of that the line could apply too. He loved her, he had his whole life, and she was finally returning. The next two lines however were what worried him the most.

_A single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raise. _The lines themselves were straight forward. According to them he would make some choice pertaining to Ciri that would seal her fate, and either destroy or save his new family, the family he had been working so hard to protect. He quickly looked down onto his inner forearm. The names of his family were elegantly drawn into his skin, and it reminded him what he fought for, along with the beautifully drawn swallow underneath it.

It was the family that would either be destroyed or protected with one choice he made.

Sighing he wiped both his hands over his eyes, "I guess two nights in a row without a nightmare was too much to ask."

The two wolves tearing each other apart also had made no sense. One male, one female fighting out front the ship of the Wild Hunt, it he couldn't make out what it meant no matter how hard he thought. Geralt had told him that some dreams had true meaning, while others could indeed be prophetic, flashes or symbolism of things that were to come.

His adopted father had told him that a few weeks before Dominik had fought the bounty hunter outside Ellander, he had a dream he was in danger, and recognized the forest and lake near the town so rushed there to find him. Geralt he also knew had dreams of Ciri, and every time he did, she had indeed been in danger.

The thought of Ciri reminded him of what they were going to do that day. It was finally going to be the day that they left Novigrad. For the first time in his life he was heading to the Skellige Isles, where he would meet all the people Ciri had told him about growing up. He heard so many stories of Crach and Hjalmar an Craite, Ciri's Uncle Ermion, and of course all the beautiful scenery and oceans. He remembered how they used to sit on the walls of Kaer Morhen watching the sunset or looking into the fire in their cave. She'd lay her head on his shoulder as she told him stories of the isles, promising to take him there one day.

And now his first time there would be without her, but he was going to find her there. That was their last lead, she had to be there… she had to be. He pushed the dream with the wolves out of his mind for the moment, wanting to focus on the present. And after the pleasant day he had before, he didn't want to damper the pleasant mood he was in.

Slowly he rose to his feet, and as soon as he did, he heard a knock at his door. He was still only wearing the trousers and white top he had slept in, but rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, and running a hand through his brown hair he walked over to his door.

He yawned as he reached down and opened the door and looked up to see Geralt's withered face smiling down at him.

"Well now you know what it's like to be kept up by one of Dandelion's brilliant ideas," His adopted father said sarcastically, smirking down at him.

He scoffed right away and shook his head, "I still can't believe that it fucking worked."

After his meeting with Dijkstra and Queen Adda, he had indeed gone to help Dandelion to help him with his plan as he promised. He had never thought the bard's crazy plan of staging the robbery of his former girlfriend would work. However, despite the fact he didn't read from the cards the poet had so graciously provided him. He took the blunt swords Dandelion had gotten from Madam Irina, and let Dandelion pretend to 'slay' him to impress her.

So, after fighting the worse duel of his life, Dandelion smacked him in the stomach with a blunt blade, and he pretended to be knocked out on the ground. Dandelion had told him he'd be back at the Rosemary in the morning, as Dominik went straight back after that, and met back up with Geralt and the rest of his friends. They had proceeded to drink and eat dinner, before he took Geralt up to his room to tell him about his conversation with Adda.

His adopted father didn't seem shocked to hear Adda was the one who was whispering to assassinate Radovid, even though he was surprised she had wanted them both to continue helping. In the end Geralt had come to the same conclusion he had however. Finding Ciri was much more important now than anything else. Her time was continuing to run short, and if a curse truly was progressing on her, they needed to move.

Geralt laughed lightly and shook his head, "Despite how crazy they may sound, Dandelion does have some good plans. So, you ready to set sail later? Faram said we should be good to set off later today."

A small smile crossed his face as he nodded, "Yeah I'm ready…I miss Yen, I didn't get to talk to her much before we had to separate again. And well… it's our last lead Geralt… it has to be the one, right?"

The idea had been crossing his mind the last day. They had been through Velen, they had been through Novigrad, and in all they had to show for it, was the phylactery, and the news that she had indeed been there, along with other bits of information that fitted into a larger puzzle, that they still needed more clues to solve. The only lead they had left was in Skellige, the only option they had left was to go to Skellige.

She had to be there, or a clue to point them exactly where she was had to be there.

Geralt gave him a small reassuring nod, "Don't worry we will. If she's not there we'll know exactly where to look. I promise."

A shot of hope quickly ran through him and he smiled, the sun from his window heating his neck. Sighing he turned and looked to his armor laid out on his dresser. His room at the Rosemary and Thyme had served him well the previous few days. It was a smaller room, with a bed that would be big enough for two people if they huddled together. A dresser, a table with two chairs, and a window with a beautiful view over Novigrad.

He would get dressed and leave it that morning, and he wouldn't return until he had Ciri with him.

Slowly he turned back to Geralt, a small smile on his face, "Alright… I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Do we have anything else we need to do? Did you finish up all of the business you needed yesterday?"

Geralt had told him the previous night about his own quests the previous day. First, he had helped Zoltan collect some Gwent cards he was trying to sell. Turns out their dwarf friend was entering the surprisingly dangerous gwent black market, the business of selling rare cards. After Geralt had finished with that, he had helped a local elven swordsmith named Hattori secure iron and supplies for his shop. After some complicated gang politics he couldn't remember at the moment, Geralt helped the elf get his shop back open, and now judging from the new gleaming longsword on Geralt's back, he could tell they had access to quite a talented weaponsmith for the future.

They had done everything they needed to do in Novigrad, and Geralt confirmed it by nodding.

"All finished up yeah, what about your friends? George and Freya aren't coming to Skellige with us I heard," His adopted father asked, leaning against his door.

He sadly nodded and turned back to his room. Slowly he started donning on his armor. He pulled the red coat over his shoulders to put on his upper armor. He had of course wished that all his friends could have come, but he understood perfectly they had their own paths to take. Freya and George needed to walk their own paths, and he understood. He took solace in knowing that when he needed the two of them, they would be there for him.

Geralt took a step inside his room and leaned against the wall as Dominik tied the straps of his armor on his chest.

"Yeah… Freya's heading to Kaedwen, has to go see her friends family… after that she told me how you said she can go to Kaer Morhen," He said, narrowing his eyes at his adopted father, still not believing the news.

The older witcher smirked and nodded, "She's good with a blade, and wants to help us. I can see it in her eyes, she wants to become a master. I got a soft spot for people who want to learn so they can better protect others. I think she'll do well."

He had no doubt that Freya would indeed do well. She was already great with her blade as it was, and with a few lessons from Vesemir, Eskel, and Lambert, he genuinely believed as Geralt did she would make a great warrior. He knew that Freya dreamed of becoming a doctor, that was what she had studied for, but she also wanted to help them, see their quest through to the end.

"She will you're right, just hope Lambert doesn't piss her off too much," He said with an eye roll, making Geralt laugh as he sat down on his bed to put his boots on.

After pulling the boots from under his bed and pulling them over his feet, he walked over to the dresser next to his bed. He grabbed his sheathed blade and slung it over his back, before taking his silver dagger off the top of it, spinning it and placing it back into its place on his belt. He looked out the window, over the city and felt the sun heat up his face. They had only spent a week in Novigrad, but to him it had felt like several. It would be slightly bittersweet for him leaving the city, he had some extremely happy, and extremely taxing moments.

He looked down at the top of his dresser and smiled down at the parchment, slowly picking it up in his hands. It was the drawing of Ciri he had taken from Vizima, the drawings of what they assumed she looked like now. He had drawn a scar under her eye on the parchment, but the more he looked at it now, the more he realized that it didn't look like her. He closed his eyes and took in a pleasing, pleasant breath of air through his nose, thinking about her face that Dudu had shown her.

Tall, slender hips, high cheekbones, the freckles that still ran over her nose, the beautiful ashen hair, and those big emerald eyes that to this day he was sure would still make him do anything. And around her neck, was still the bronze ring. The ring he had given her all those years ago was still firmly wrapped around her neck, just like the swallow was for him now.

He took in another deep breath and wrapped one hand around the swallow, dangling over his witcher medallion. As his eyes closed, he saw her face, before he slowly opened them and looked down at the drawing.

A small smile crossed his face, as he tore the paper in half. He didn't need it anymore. He wouldn't forget her face now, never.

After he dropped the paper to the ground, he turned to Geralt, who was looking at him proudly. His adopted father always knew when to press and ask him questions, and when to leave him be. It was something he always appreciated about him, and he was thankful that Geralt seemed to understand what he was doing. He tightened the last straps around his armor and looked over to the older witcher.

"So, where's everyone else? Are they up downstairs," He asked him.

Geralt nodded and took a step off the wall, "Yeah. Faram went out to the harbor for the final preparations, and Zoltan's out on business. Priscilla's downstairs, and so is George, he said he wanted to talk to you. Freya's still asleep, poor girls gotten up at the crack of dawn with me to cook for us the last few days, decided to let her sleep in."

Quickly he nodded and adjusted his sword on his back. He grabbed his bags and tied them all to his waist. He took in one last deep breath and walked towards the exit to his room with Geralt. His adopted father walked out first, the dark armor from Kaer Morhen perfectly polished, the two swords glinting off his back from the sun. After he had taken the first step outside the room, he turned.

He took one last look at the room. It was never dirty because he didn't have many belongings. The bed with white sheets and a comfy blanket was in the left-hand corner, the dresser on the right wall, and the end table right under the window. Near the front was a small table with two chairs. Sighing a warm feeling washed over his chest.

"Next time I'm here I'll have a guest with me… I think there's room for both of us," He said, her face popping into his head, her mature womanly voice.

His heart fluttered in his chest, like more butterflies had been released. He would see that room again, and as he said, next time he did… Ciri would be with him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Weren't you just down here… what the hell is going on," He asked Geralt as they reached the bottom floor of the Rosemary.

"Don't know… they must move quick," Geralt said, as he looked over at the scene just as amazed.

The bottom floor of the Rosemary looked as if it was in the middle of an extreme rebuild. A crew of dwarves sat around at one table. Building materials and tools were all hauled into the bottom floor. He looked around and a few of the women Dandelion had hired were mulling around, trying to dodge all the construction. He noticed that were wearing much less revealing outfits and noticed how particularly clean the inn looked in that moment. Dandelion's workers must have done more cleaning the previous night, and his dancers while trying to avoid the chaos, were practicing some routines.

He scoffed and crossed his arms, realizing this all had to be part of the plans that Dandelion had been mentioning. A smile crossed his face as he looked at the lavish plants and decorations were littered on the bottom floor, waiting to be place. The light streamed in through the windows, and a cool breeze shot through his armor from the open door. His thoughts were interrupted by Geralt who tapped his shoulder and directed his attention towards the front door, and his eyes narrowed when he saw and heard a frantic Priscilla.

"But there has to be a mistake, you weren't meant to be here this early," The trobairitz said worriedly, looking down at what seemed to be the head dwarf builder.

"Me crew is here, and we's raring to work, I need you or someone to make a decision lassie," The dwarf said looking up at the blonde trobairitz.

Quickly he looked over and met Geralt's eyes, his adopted father nodded at him, and they both quickly walked over to Priscilla's side. He stepped to one side of her and quickly held up his hands to the dwarf.

"Woah, woah, what's all the commotion, is there a problem," He said, crossing his arms and looking down at the dwarf.

Priscilla let out a relieved breath and looked between Geralt and he both, "Dom, Geralt thank the gods your both here."

"No problem," Geralt said from the other side of her, looking down at the dwarf, "What's going on, I went upstairs for a few minutes, I come back down, and it looks like they're about to redecorate."

He looked around the inn again and saw all the elegant decorations lying around on the ground. A few worker dwarfs were sitting at tables playing gwent, and he could see the tools strewn about in bags and boxes. A small thought trickled into the back of his head. Had Dandelion managed to get it done already? Get the loan from Sophronia and order his cabaret redone. Scoffing he looked back down at the head dwarf who narrowed his eyes at them both.

"Master Dandelion ordered us to be here this morning! I got all the materials, me crew is raring to work, it's just a matter of choosing the décor, and the young lass here refuses to give us an answer! Which is ironic because the whole renovation is for her," The dwarf said, rolling his eyes up at the Trobairitz.

Another smile crossed his face as his theory was confirmed. Priscilla's eyes went wide, and so did Geralt's. The looks on their faces couldn't help but make him laugh, as his heart went out to his two friends. Priscilla hadn't been expecting any of it, and from how he heard Dandelion speak of her the night before, he knew that she truly was the one for the poet. He wouldn't have gone through with his crazy plan of staging a robbery, if he didn't think Dandelion truly meant what he had said.

His friend had wanted to own his own cabaret and show Priscilla the true person he was. Compared to the Dandelion he had known growing up, it seemed that the poet had greatly matured. And he had grown extremely fond of Priscilla over the previous few days. He wouldn't be in the position he was without the trobairitz. She helped him get over his fears during the play, she had done everything she could to help them find Dandelion and in turn the information about Ciri. She had told him that she would be willing to do anything she could to help.

She scoffed and looked between them both, completely miffed, "He… he's doing it for me?"

A small laugh left him, and he smiled over at her, "It seems he has… he actually fucking did it."

"Gotta say, he's maturing that poet of ours," Geralt said, crossing his arms with a smile.

The dwarf however didn't take the time to appreciate the tender moment. He rolled his eyes and shouted back up at them.

"Aye it's for her! Now will someone please decide before I blow me gasket," The man yelled up at them.

Geralt quickly whirled around and narrowed his eyes down at the dwarf, "Easy there. Relax and tell us what the options are."

The dwarf huffed with his arms crossed, "Master Dandelion was deciding between theater style décor, and boudoir style."

Scoffing he couldn't figure out what either style looked like in his head. The dwarf looked over to Priscilla, who was still looking at the dwarf baffled. She quickly shook her head and stuttered.

"Well I… I don't know which he'd prefer," She said frantically, looking at both him and Geralt before continuing, "Geralt, Dominik, you've both known him longer, what do you think he'd like better?"

A warm feeling washed up over his chest as he saw the frantic look in her eyes. Slowly he shook his head and looked over to meet Geralt's gaze. His adopted father had a similar smile on his face as he looked down to Priscilla slowly shaking his head.

"Well seeing as he's doing this for you, you should be the one to pick," Geralt said with a slightly amused tone.

Quickly Priscilla turned to him, but he nodded his head before she could say anything.

"He's right, Dandelion did this for you. Pick out whichever you'd like. Besides, Geralt and I spend most of our time on the road, don't know too much about interior design," He said, getting a small laugh from Geralt across from him.

Priscilla stuttered again for a moment. It looked like she was about to argue, but soon he saw a small blush appear up on the trobairitz's face. She laughed lightly, and seeing her smile sent another warm feeling up his body. He had said if he was going to leave Novigrad, he wanted to make sure all his friends were in the best position possible. Dandelion, Zoltan, Freya, George, and of course Priscilla.

So, seeing her so happy brought a large smile to his face.

"Well…" She started, looking down to meet the dwarf's eyes, "I've always been a fan of boudoir style. And I think it would suit the place quite well, I know Dandelion is fond of it as well."

"Wonderful! Finally," The dwarf muttered, turning to the workers playing gwent, "Alright lads up and at them."

He rolled his eyes as the dwarf went and pulled his workers practically by their ears from the gwent game they had been playing. The crew put up a fuss, but soon the group of dwarves all went about collecting the materials and sorting them accordingly. The workers and dancers all frantically skipped out of the way, and soon the construction began in earnest. Through it all however, he didn't see Dandelion, or George. His thoughts however were interrupted when Priscilla spoke up again.

"Thank you both… is… is he really doing this all for me," The trobairitz asked, making him turn back to her with Geralt.

A small laughed escaped him as he nodded, meeting her eyes, "Of course he is. Geralt and I have known him for a long time and well… has he ever gone so far for someone Geralt?"

His adopted father let out a small laugh before shaking his head, "Can't think of anyone. Gonna regret not being able to see this place's first few days. Seems to be coming along quite nicely."

He agreed with his adopted father. If they had more time, he would've stayed for the first few days of the inn's opening week. He was thankful that they had found it, and that his friend had inherited it. If not for the Rosemary and Thyme, they would have had to spend the week more than likely in the Golden Sturgeon or some other cramped tavern while they were in Novigrad. The fluffy beds, along with the good food and wine Dandelion had stocked the place with had given him a good source of comfort through the tumultuous week.

They would be leaving that day however, and he assumed he wouldn't be back for quite some time. He didn't know how long it would take them on Skellige, and after that he was even more unsure. After they found Ciri he assumed the Hunt would track them. If what he had seen in his dreams a few days prior was correct, the Hunt was indeed biding their time, waiting for Geralt and he to find her. If Baelen truly had a way of tracking him, then as soon as they found Ciri she would be in danger, they'd know exactly where she was.

Priscilla looked at them both with a small red hue across her cheeks. She sighed with a smile for a moment, before looking up at them both.

"Is what I heard from George and Faram earlier true, are you really leaving for Skellige today," She asked them both, looking between their eyes.

He met her brown eye and slowly nodded, "Yeah, that… that's where our last trail on Ciri is."

"Should be heading out just before sunset, Faram has a deal with the jarls, should be smooth sailing," Geralt said from next to him, his arms crossed.

The trobairitz's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, "Oh please, you can't leave before you at least see the performance Dandelion and I are planning! It's the first one!"

Laughing a little he rubbed the back of his head, "Priscilla I… I don't know if we-."

"Please Dominik, please Geralt," She pleaded, looking at them both, her excitement brimming, "At least stay for the dress rehearsal, come on you have to at least stay and watch that!"  
She looked at them both her wide, pleading eyes and he felt his heart stir. A warm feeling washed over him, it felt good to him that his company meant so much to someone. It wasn't like Faram would leave without them, and due to the deal, the Bear School witcher had made, they wouldn't experience any trouble unless they hit a storm.

Carefully he looked over and met Geralt's eyes, a smile on the older witchers face as well.

"Well… I guess we could stay for at least the dress rehearsal, right Geralt," He said to his adopted father, a smile on his face.

Geralt let out a small laugh and nodded, looking over to Priscilla now, "I guess we can… alright, alright we'll stay. But speaking of you and Dandelion, where is he anyway?"

"Yeah, he told me last night we'd meet back here in the morning," Dominik quickly added, not seeing the poet anywhere.

Priscilla quickly smiled at them both and nodded, "Thank you both, you won't regret it…. As for Dandelion that was my next question. I was wondering if either of you knew where he was or could go look for him. He said he was going to stop by Polly's our choreographer's house."

He felt his eyes roll at the fact Dandelion had gotten stuck at another woman's house. However, he did feel a ping of worry for the poet. After hearing that he was missing and taken by the Temple Guard the first time, he didn't know if the guard was still looking for him. He could also see that Priscilla was thinking along the same lines.

Geralt next to him held his hands up to calm her, "Don't worry I'm sure he's alright. Probably just got caught up doing some stuff on the way back."

Quickly he nodded in agreement, "Yeah or he's probably lost. I'll head out and look for him, drag him back here by his ears if I have too."

Priscilla sighed out in relief, but Geralt quickly looked over to him and shook his head.

"I'll head out and look for him, you chased him around last night," Geralt said with a small smirk, before looking up around the in for a moment, "Besides, George said he wanted to talk to you. Should be around here somewhere."

Quickly he turned and scanned the room, his Griffin witcher friend indeed still wasn't there. He wondered for a moment what his friend could possibly be doing, and what he needed. However, he did feel like getting some food in his stomach. Geralt of course could go longer without eating, while himself on the other hand was still hungry from his sleep.

He turned around and nodded, before Priscilla sighed in relief again. She looked up at them both thankfully before nodding, "Thank you both again, and thank you for staying to watch. I'll talk to you both later, I need to go and study up on some lines."

Geralt and he both smiled at her and nodded. She quickly scurried up the stairs, her blonde hair bouncing behind her. A smile crossed his face as he could see the joy she exhumed. He quickly let out a pleasant sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He rolled his shoulders and adjusted his sword. His bones had been rejuvenated from the night before, and he felt like he could take on any fight in that moment.

He quickly looked down at his gloved hands, and squeezed them together, remembering what had happened to them two days prior. The light blue magic that had swirled up his arms and flashed in his eyes before he fought. After he had fired his signs his left hand, the hand he normally fired the magic from was smoking, and his body was completely drained. However, whatever the power had been, it moved his arms and legs at speeds he had never reached before, his senses heightened, and all his signs had been much more powerful.

He shuddered however, when he remembered how he had felt afterwards. When he went off to rescue Dandelion, he could barely close his hand, and the muscles in his body went brittle.

Quickly he reached his hand up and wrapped it around the swallow. She was what mattered now. Anything else could wait, and if he really did need help with whatever had been unlocking inside of him, he had Yennefer to see soon. Also, there was the fact that if anyone knew what it was like to have power in your blood, to have it slowly unlocked unexpectantly, then it was Ciri. Another reason he needed to find her. Just like when they were children, she'd be the only one to understand.

Sighing he turned back and saw Geralt looking at him with a slightly concerned look. His adopted father however was good at knowing when to ask questions and when to keep quiet.

"So, we should be leaving just before sunset still. After you're finished with George, and I find Dandelion we'll meet back here, go over the plan with Faram one more time. After that we'll watch the rehearsal, before we get sailing, should be in Kaer Trolde by tomorrow," His adopted father explained, as he walked near the door.

Quickly he nodded, his arms crossed, "Yeah, sounds good. I just wish I knew where George actually was."

"You call my friend," A southern Toussaint accent said from behind him.

Whirling around he saw George walking towards him, the Griffin witcher having entered from the back. He looked back around to meet Geralt's eyes, and his adopted father simply smirked and nodded, before walking out the front door into the streets of Novigrad. A broad smile came to his face as he turned around to see his friend.

George's golden blonde hair was tied back up in a ponytail again. His elegant green and gold masterful Griffin armor gleamed in the beams of light that shined in through the windows. The pommels of both his steel and silver swords sparkled, as Dominik admired the beautiful green and gold sheaths. His griffin medallion bounced around his neck, almost as if it were looking across at his wolf one. His friend smiled and held out both his arms as he approached.

Dominik smiled and nodded at him, "I did call yeah. Where were you? Geralt said he saw you right before he went to wake me up."

The golden haired witcher let out a small laughed and met his eyes, "Haha I am sorry my friend. I took the liberty of going to prepare our horses. Where is Faram, and Freya?"

He narrowed his eyes slightly, before gesturing towards the stairs, "Faram's at the docks getting everything ready for us to leave later. We decided to let Freya sleep in, felt she deserved it."

George scoffed and nodded in agreement before smiling, "Haha I agree, lass has a long journey ahead of her, as do you my friend. Are you ready for your trip to Skellige?"

A quick chill ran through his body, but he nodded slowly, "As ready as I can be…. Ciri used to tell me stories about Skellige growing up. She fostered there for a few months out of the year when she was little…. Always thought my first time there would be with her."

His friend quickly shook his head and met his emerald eyes with his yellow cat ones.

"Your first time there may not be with her, but it is where you will find her, I know it my friend. Stay true to yourself, and when in doubt do what I recommended yesterday. Remember her, remember why you are fighting, pick out a happy memory and let it flow through you… you will find your Cirilla. And after that as Faram said… we will beat the piss out the Wild Hunt," The Griffin School witcher said with a smile on his face.

He smiled remembering the advice George had told him yesterday. George had told him that when he felt moments of doubt, what he should do is find a memory, a happy memory of the person you fight for and let it wash over you.

Taking in a deep sigh he had the perfect one in that moment. They had been thirteen, still in Kaer Morhen before they left to take Ciri to the Temple of Melitele. It was the winter, and the lake had finally frozen over. She had right away rushed to his room that morning, and excitedly bounced onto his bed. Shaking him awake, she told him that she had found ice skates for him, and that she was going to teach him how to finally skate. He had been hesitant at first, but all she had to do was bat her pretty eyes at him. Eventually he relented, and they had snuck out to the frozen lake.

Ciri was of course a great skater, learning from her years in Skellige. Himself however, had fallen nearly every time. At one point he couldn't stay on his feet without having his arm around her shoulder. They had laughed, held each other close, and eventually he had learned to move on his own. She had beat him in races of course, but he had gotten her back when he finally lifted her off the ice. He surprised her and plunged the both of them into a pile of snow. If he closed his eyes and listened carefully, he was able to hear her laughing, the laugh if pure joy and excitement. And if he concentrated, he could feel her lips over his from when she kissed him afterwards.

Slowly he opened his eyes, and George was smiling down at him. Laughing lightly, he met his friend's eyes again.

"Thanks George…" He said slowly, before sighing and looking out the door, "So what is it you needed? You said you got our horses ready, where did you wanna go?"

George let out a happy sigh as he smirked down at him with his yellow eyes, "Well from all the commotion the past few days, all the fighting and quests… I forgot what I had promised you."

Narrowing his eyes, he scoffed, "What did you forget? I can't think of anything."

A small laugh escaped his friend's lips as the wicked smirk remained on his face, "Well… I was under the impression you wanted to learn tactics from the School of the Griffin. This is still true correct?"

He scoffed himself as his eyes went wide. George had been right, with so much going on the previous few days he had completely forgot. Between his duel with Baelen, the magic in his blood coming out, putting on the play with Priscilla and rescuing Dandelion he forgot the main reason he had gone to find George in the first place. He scolded himself again for being so forgetful. Mastering the witcher schools had been one of his main goals since the start of the quest.

His Bear School lessons with Faram had gone well. They had a few smaller lessons here and there over the past few days, and he assumed he would have more with his friend in Skellige. However, George wasn't coming with them, so now would be the only time he could grasp some knowledge of the school. He knew that it was impossible for him to completely master the other four schools like he did the School of the Wolf. He had been training in Wolf tactics for almost his entire life, and he knew it took just as long to master the other schools.

However, if he collected as much knowledge as he could from the other schools. Learned as many tricks, combos and tactics as he could, he could develop a new style. A style that would incorporate all five schools of fighting into one. If he could switch styles seamlessly in fights, or combine tactics from all fighting styles, it would give him a great edge. That combined with whatever apparent new magic was unlocking inside him, it could be what he needed to truly be ready to face the Wild Hunt, and any enemies down the line

He didn't get ahead of himself, however. He was just starting to get the true grasp of Bear School tactics, and he hadn't learned anything from the Griffin, Cat and Viper schools. And whatever powers were inside of him, he couldn't use them without almost killing himself from the fatigue.

So, he'd settle for a few lessons in Griffin School tactics before he thought further ahead.

Quickly he nodded his head at George, "Of course I do. I'm sorry I forgot, like you said, the last few days have been hectic."

George laughed and shook his head, "Haha no worries my friend. I know you are leaving today, but in a few hours, I can show you some moves and exercises to help you train more without me. Come, we will be back in time for Dandelion and Priscilla's dress rehearsal."

"Why do we need our horses? Poor Clop's going to be terrified of the rocking boat later, kinda wanted to let him rest now," He said with a small laugh.

The Griffin school witcher chuckled again, "Ahah well let's just say we need a… bit more space than the green outback. Come I have already found a suitable spot. Time to show you how to fight like a Griffin."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The spot that George had chosen was indeed much larger then the backyard of the Rosemary and Thyme. The sun was moving past midday, and they had ridden for about a half hour out of Novigrad. They had tied Clop and George's mare to nearby fenceposts, and together they both gathered in the middle of the field. George had seemed to find an old abandoned farm.

A large, old rickety fence lined the fields, as the dead soil and weeds were set up in perfect rows. A large old, wooden windmill stood unmoving in one corner, creaking loudly whenever the wind picked up and the giant blades spun. The sun beat down on his neck, sweat slowly beating onto his face from his brow. He rubbed some sweat from his eyes, face and stubbly chin, as George clunked forward in his armor. The Griffin school witcher's swords glinted in the sun, and so did his elegant gold and green armor. He quickly adjusted the sword on his back, and took a deep breath of the cool, warm air.

"Now, this spot should be sufficient," His friend said, turning back to him with his hands on his hips, "My friend please tell me, what is it you know about Griffin School tactics."

The tone in George's voice shifted, more authoritative, like he was a teacher asking a student question in the front of a class. Suddenly he was flashed back to Kaer Morhen, Ciri and himself in front of their pacing Uncle Vesemir, answering questions from the reading they had been supposed to do earlier.

He felt himself stand up straighter and look at George as he paced, "Well… I heard you developed more unique ways to use signs. More powerful ways. Gotta admit… that flaming sword thing in the cave was pretty awesome."

His friend stopped and let out a small laughed, crossing his arms and meeting his eyes.

"Haha yes, I will admit it is a personal favorite of mine, requires a great amount of power, however. You must keep the Igni sign going as you fight if you want your blade to stay alight," His friend explained quickly, the sun reflecting off his golden hair, "Onto the basics, however. You are right, we have developed unique ways to use signs. In terms of blades, we are not far off from the School of the Wolf. So, we will save swordplay for next time we meet, our lesson today will primarily focus on your signs. I want to help you learn how to get the most out of your sign with every cast and show you a few new ways to use them before we conclude. Understand?"

George had such a commanding voice he quite literally stood at attention. The sun beat down hard on his neck, and he could feel the small beat of sweat dripping down his spine. Later that day they would be on their way to Skellige, he wouldn't see George again for a while he knew, so he was going to take in as much information as he could. He had seen Geralt use his signs in unique ways before as well. Also, he knew that George's signs were even more powerful. In the cave against the Hunt a few nights prior, his Aard sign had erupted in a huge blast and he managed to send soldiers flying, all while he was bleeding out.

The sun shone off George's golden hair, as he slowly nodded his head at his friend.

"Understood, I'm ready," He said confidently, a smile coming to his face.

The Griffin School witcher nodded and continued pacing as he spoke, "Now, as you know my friend witcher signs are a form of magic. I'm no mage, but in the school of the griffin, like mages we learn to better channel chaos, the source of magic. Tell me, who is the most powerful sorceress or sorcerer you've ever met?"

"Probably Yennefer," He said right away, his adopted mother on his mind as he continued, "If not her there's Triss, Keira was pretty powerful…. Then I mean I never saw him, but Geralt always said that Vilgefortz was the most powerful sorcerer there was. Man beat even Yen with ease at Stygga Castle according to him…"

Saying the man's name sent tingles down his own spine, as the hairs on his arms stood up. The man who was responsible for everything that had happened to him, to Ciri, to his second family. If not for that man Ciri would've learned to control her powers at Aretuza, and then returned to him and Geralt. She would've been with him in that moment he was sure. She wouldn't have been forced to flee, fight in Leo Bonhart's arena, to get trapped in the world of the Aen Elle, to have her life ripped away from her.

Ever since Yennefer told him about what happened, he had dreamed about killing the man. It didn't matter how powerful he was, Vilgefortz had been responsible for the beginning of the hell Ciri had gone through and was the one who caused him to be so alone for the past eight years. It was another reason he regretted not going to Stygga Castle with Geralt. He never got the opportunity to kill him.

George seemed to recognize the name, "Yes Vilgefortz… I remember you mentioning his name at the bathhouse yesterday. I've heard of the man, a dangerous one…. You said Geralt met him?"

He slowly nodded and crossed his arms, feeling a spike of anger shoot up his back, "Yeah, bastard had Ciri and Yennefer captured at Stygga Castle. Geralt went with a group of fighters to rescue them. Geralt fought Vilgefortz, Yen says he teleported away before Geralt could cut the fuckers head off, but he got him good across the chest. No way anyone could survive that…wish I had gotten the opportunity."

If the man had survived somehow, he was sure that he would've come back for Geralt and Yennefer, and for Ciri, so he'd never get the chance, however. He decided to push Vilgefortz from his mind and focus on the task at hand. He didn't have the chance to save Ciri from one mad man, from one evil, but now he had the chance to protect her from another.

His friend nodded and he gestured for Dominik to come next to him. Slowly he walked over the dead soil and joined his friend. George took in a deep, cleansing breath and sharply opened his witcher eyes. The Griffin witcher took a few steps forward, a few feet ahead of him. He watched as his friend closed his eyes, seeming to concentrate hard for a moment, before stepping forward and firing out both of his hands. The Aard blast had been so powerful he took a few steps back himself. The large ball of telekinetic energy ripped through the sky and soared through the field before it slammed into the giant windmill. It had hit it with such force he could see cracks begin to form in its wood, as the blades started spinning. They spun wildly for a few moments before they slowed down, the creaking getting louder as it slowly came to a stop, the cracks now evident in the wood.

Scoffing with his eyes wide he looked over at George, who looked no worse for wear. The windmill had to be several yards off, but his Aard blast had been powerful enough not only to reach the windmill, but make the blades spin, cracking the structure and sending ripples through the sky. He had almost stumbled onto the ground, his armor and sword clanking as his medallion and the swallow bounced off his chest. George turned around and looked at him, a small smirk on his face.

"Fucking hell George… how was it that powerful," He said, his voice sounding completely amazed.

A few days prior when he was rescuing Berthold and Anisse for Triss, Anisse had told him he unleashed a large amount of chaos. His sign had sent the Witch Hunter clean through the window. Then during the ambush on the convoy to free Dandelion, he had sent one man who was ready to stab Freya in the back blasting back so hard, that he had hit the side of the cliffs and died instantly. He had no idea how he unleashed such power, he assumed it had to do with the swirling light blue magic around his arms, the power that was supposedly unlocking. However, that had almost killed him in the end, George had unleashed powerful sign, and the Griffin witcher seemed like he could do it again.

Slowly his friend gestured for him to join him again, so Dominik did. When he was next to him, George put a hand on his shoulder and pointed to the now cracked, wooden windmill.

"I channeled my chaos," His friend said, meeting Dominik's eyes before he continued, "That is one of the first things we learn in the School of the Griffin. You must channel your chaos, call upon your emotions, your feelings, channel everything you can into every sign you cast."

"Okay but… I… I don't know if I can make it that powerful at will," He reasoned with his friend, looking down at his gloved hand.

George laughed lightly and shook his head, "I saw in the cave versus the Hunt, and during the ambush two days ago. That was powerful magic, your signs were extremely powerful."

Scoffing he shook his head, as the sun casted their shadows over the dead fields.

"That was because of whatever the fuck this thing in my blood is," He told his friend, remembering his smoking hands, "Still don't know what it is, but it almost killed me. I don't know how it activated, and I don't know if I want too. I can't get that kind of power naturally!"

George kept on smiling at him, and slowly shook his head. The griffin witcher took a step back and pointed out towards the windmill.

"That is why we are training my friend. Now aim for the windmill same as I did," He said, pointing up towards the old creaking structure, "Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. Focus them all into your cast, feel the chaos swirling in you, and fire."

Sighing he finally relented and turned towards the windmill. He watched as the blades slowly spun as the wind began to pick up. His toes wriggled in his boots on the soft dead soil. His brown hair got blown back as he rolled his shoulder, taking in a deep sigh, the fresh air washing in his lungs. His wolf medallion and the swallow slowly bounced around his neck in the wind, as he felt the hairs on his neck and arms stand up. The sun in his eyes made him squint, as he slowly closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth. His black gloved hands turned into fists as the thoughts began swirling in his mind.

_Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. Feel the chaos swirling into you._

He opened his eyes and it was dark. He saw the streets of Cintra, the mangled, bloody corpses of all the people he'd cross in the streets during his life. The one's who would smile at him, call him 'Gregory and Sofia's boy.' He could see the golden sun banners planted in the streets as Nilfgaardeans pillaged and raped his home, before the knight in the helmet shot down his sister and mother, both dying in his arms. Their blood stained his hands as he looked down them before he left their bodies in the streets like a coward and ran away. He ran away, only to lead the knight to Ciri and his father. His father had fought off an entire squad of troops, before one of them plunged a spear into his stomach, he saw his young eleven-year-old self-sprint towards his father's dying body, doing everything he could to stop the bleeding. His father told him it was too late, and grabbed him by the shirt, telling him to go and find Ciri.

_'The princess… Ciri… you… you must find her. Find her… and protect her. Find her… and find Geralt of Rivia…. Protect Ciri… find her… find her and keep her safe.'_

That was the last request his father had made of him, he promised his dying father that he would, and so he set out to chase her down. Now, eleven years later he had failed his father's last request. Ciri, the woman he loved had been forced to flee, go on the run, she was tortured, beaten, men tried to rape her, kill her to gain access to her blood. All the while he was running around the continent feeling sorry for himself, blaming the world and everyone else but himself. He was supposed to be there, he loved her with every fiber of his being and had promised her he'd always be there to protect her.

He promised her he would never let her go, never leave her, and he had lied.

She had been beaten, tortured, men tried to rape her, she had to stay on the run, running for her life, all because of something that had been completely out of her control. Now he was finally on her trail, after eight years he was only weeks behind her. He had missed her by only three fucking days in Novigrad. After all this time she had still been asking for him, thinking about him, trying to get back to him. However, he had missed her and now two of their leads came up short, and there was only one remaining.

And if he didn't find her in Skellige, he didn't know what he would do.

The emotions boiled up inside him like a pot of tea slowly spilling over the edge. It was if an active volcano was bottling up inside up him, shaking his body to the very core. He thought more and more about all the men who tried to rape her, Leo Bonhart who beat her and forced her to fight in his arena, Vilgefortz who had captured her and Yennefer, intent on killing them both, how every ruler in the land seemed to be looking for her to force her to marry them. He saw the face of Emhyr Var Emrys appear in his mind, the man who had given them the leads to find his daughter… all so he could take her from him, and use her for his own benefit, no matter what she wanted.

_'You are not good enough for her…' _The words the man spoke rang in both of his ears piercing his brain like a knife.

And then when he opened his eyes, and saw the flash of bright blue light, he felt his insides erupt.

"ARGGHHHHHHHHHHH," He screamed out into the field, George took a leap backwards as the light blue tendrils of magic whirled around his arms and he fired his hands forward.

The magic shot to his palm, and he felt as if the skin on his hands was being ripped off, as the Aard fired from his palms, the enormous blue telekinetic blast ripping off his hands and shooting out into the sky. Right away he felt as if blisters and burns had erupted from his left hand, and he could see smoke beginning to billow from his glove. His legs wobbled and he fell to one knee, as he could hear the magic ripping through the sky like a knife cutting through a sheet.

He gripped his wrist as George quickly rushed down to his side, the griffin witcher was about to say something, when a large _***CRACK* **_rang through the field, and both of their eyes shot back towards the windmill. His Aard blast had hit the lightly spinning blades of the mill, and they had finally shattered. It blasted to splinters, and the windmill cracked, and creaked until it slowly started falling apart. The blades splintered, erupting to pieces as they all fell to the ground as if it were raining pieces of wood.

His thoughts were taken away from the windmill when he winced again, feeling his heart beat a thousand miles a second as he looked down to his hand. He ripped off his left glove, expecting it to be covered in red blisters. It wasn't, however, his hand seemed to be perfectly fine other than the smoke that came from it. A large bang ripped through the day, as the windmill finally crumbled. He took in a deep slow breath to try and calm his heart rate, as George slowly helped him to his feet.

"Dom are you alright my friend. Gods above, you closed your eyes and after a few moments these… lights started swirling on your arms," The griffin witcher quickly asked, the sun glinting off his armor.

He let out a shaky breath as his hand finally stopped smoking. The blue magic light, the flash in his eyes, the rapid beating of his heart, the new fatigue that washed over him. It all made his brain ache. Something he always did was imagine every contract and problem he face like a puzzle, and as he got clues, he started to try and slowly put the puzzle together. Whatever was happening to him, there were no pieces he could put together to figure out.

He wasn't a source, if he had been Triss would have sensed it when he was younger, and he quite literally would have needed training to survive. For most of his life he hadn't even used magic. He couldn't have Elder Blood like Ciri. He couldn't open portals, or teleport, and if he had been a child of the Elder Blood, the Wild Hunt would have been after him as well, not just Ciri. If he could have switched places with her, he would've, but no, that wasn't the answer.

Letting out another shaky breath he met George's eyes, "I… I don't know. I just did what you said. I thought about… about all the things that've happened to me. Cintra, Ciri going missing… and I… I just let it all out like you said."

Another shaky breath left him, as he felt the tingling in his hand slowly subside. The shaking stopped after a moment, but as he looked over at the splintered remains of the windmill, he couldn't help but feel his stomach twist around again. His bones felt fatigued, his knees were still wobbling.

George looked over to the windmill, his face completely miffed. His friend slowly turned back to him and met his eyes, and he could see the concern on the griffin witchers face.

"I have never seen magic like that my friend…" He said slowly, standing back and shaking his head, "Whatever this power you have is… you must learn to control it."

Scoffing he squeezed his hands together to regain feeling before shaking his head, "Don't know if I want to. For fuck's sake I woke up feeling great this morning, completely rejuvenated, but I used that once and suddenly, I feel like I need to fucking sleep for three days. I was fine without it… I don't want it."

George sighed and slowly shook his head again, the sun casting his larger shadow over them.

"I don't think that is possible my friend. Whatever is awakening inside of you it… it doesn't look like it will be going away," His friend said, meeting him with sympathetic eyes, "It awakened inside of you, and doesn't look like it's possible to close. Whatever it is… it seems to be part of your destiny."

Destiny. Destiny had told him so many things through his life. That he was meant to protect Ciri, to meet Geralt of Rivia and train under him. It told him that people linked together by it would always find each other. He believed in destiny of course. Believing in it helped him stay hopeful during his eight years alone. His mother and father always told him, that Ciri and he shared a destiny, that they were both destined for great things, and that they were destined to do them together. If people linked by destiny were always meant to find each other, then he knew he would find Ciri.

However even if destiny hadn't bound the two. He would still be looking for her like he was, because of the love he had for her. If this power inside of him was his destiny, it was the first time in his life he wished destiny would fuck off and leave him alone. His whole body tingled, and he felt anxiousness burn up inside his throat. The question kept branding itself in his brain. How could he learn to control a power when he didn't even know what it was?

George seemed to sense his apprehension, because the Griffin witcher placed a hand on his shoulder, meeting his emerald eyes.

"Are you alright? Do you want to head back for the day, get some rest," His friend asked him, sincerity in his voice.

Quickly he shook his head, feeling the churning in his stomach come to an abrupt stop. He thought for the moment of Ciri when she had learned of the powers inside of her. She had been frightened of course, she would often come to him crying, or worried, telling him how she still couldn't control what was stirring inside of her, and all she wanted was to be normal. Each time he'd sit with her, calm her and reassure her that she would be alright. Even to that day he didn't know if she controlled her powers fully. And he didn't know if he would ever be able to control whatever was inside of him.

However, like Ciri he would do everything he could. She had been fighting, learning to control her magic, all in an attempt to get back to him, Geralt and the rest of her family. She had been through more hell then he would ever be able to experience. The least he could do was work to become stronger, to try and somehow control whatever it was inside of him like she had done. And then use it to get back to her.

Carefully he looked up and met George's eyes, "No… I wanna learn. I'll be fine, nothing too serious. Come on, show me what you got."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

George had indeed shown him everything he had. For the next few hours, the Griffin School witcher had shown him ways to use signs that he would never had been able to learn by himself. George had blasted his Aard sign into the ground, and it erupted up into the air around him, a great tactic for knocking flying enemies out of the sky. He also finally helped Dominik perfect his Quen shield. No longer did he have to hold up his hand the whole time to keep the shield active. He learned how to cast the shield around him, and have it incased his body, and it would only disappear if he were hit. While he didn't learn the trick to set his sword aflame like he had seen George do in the cave, the griffin witcher had also taught him how to finally aim his Igni sign, casting it in a stream of fire he could aim, instead of just a large wall.

He had no more incidents of his eyes flashing blue, or magic swirling around his arms as he casted. It was a normal training session, and he learned even more then he had anticipated. The sun was still up in the air, but he could see it was descending. Sunset would soon be upon them, and their time to leave for Skellige. So, after hours of training, and his bones feeling sufficiently tired, the two of them had ridden back to Novigrad, the ruins of the windmill still shattered on the ground in the abandoned field. Despite the fatigue that ran through him, he felt in higher spirits.

Through it all, through all of the difficult questions whirling around in his head, who was Baelen and how did she know him, what was the power unlocking inside of him, would his friends be safe when he left… through it all he was still on Ciri's trail. They had one more lead to follow, and soon they'd be in Skellige, and he'd get to find her, and see Yennefer. There were so many things he wanted to tell his adopted mother, but the first thing he wanted to do was hug her, feel that safe warmth he had always felt as a child when she was around.

"Well, well, those dwarfs really moved fast," George commented as they turned the corner to the front yard of the inn.

His eyes looked up and he could see dancers out front, doing an extremely skillful routine on the deck out front.

"Come by the Chameleon! Grand re-opening tonight," One shouted from near the front door, holding out new placards to travelers.

Scoffing he looked up at the new sign hanging above the door. It read 'The Chameleon.'. A smile came to his face as he realized what had happened.

"Dandelion… that bastard really did do it," He said in an amazed tone, the smile not leaving his face.

A well of pride washed over him for his poet friend. George followed closely behind as he walked through the front door, and the smell was the first thing to hit him. The pleasant smell of fresh fruit, berries, flowers and burning incense hit his nose, and it made him stop in his tracks as he finally got a view of how the redecorating had gone.

Beautiful plants, sculptures, paintings and other décor hung from the walls, and were scattered about. He didn't know what boudoir style was, but whatever Priscilla had picked, it was clearly the correct choice, because the inn had looked fantastic. He saw women and men dressed in workers clothes going around and cleaning frantically, as he could also smell a hot pot over the hearth with soup.

"Aye mates you're finally back," A loud booming voice said from their left.

George and he both whirled and Faram was waving them over to his table. The sun shone in through the windows off his masterful Bear School armor, as his black beard and ponytail seemed freshly washed. He sat there with a mug of ale, and across from him he saw Freya. Freya smiled over at them both, her light blonde hair cascading down her back. She was wearing her brown trousers with black boots, and a long-sleeved white top, with the golden rose necklace firmly around her neck.

Smiling he and George both walked over to their table, where Faram and Freya both handed mugs up to them.

George laughed and gestured over towards him, "Haha sorry we are late. Training went a little long."

Faram shook his head and laughed, looking over at Dominik, "Aye I heard from Geralt you had gone to train. So, how's it feel mate? Probably the first witcher in history to learn three different schools of combat."

Laughing he took a long drink of what turned out to be ale from the mug and met his three friends' eyes, "Haha well I'm hardly a master at you guy's schools. Feels… nice though. I feel myself getting stronger every day…. How about you two? Faram we ready to set sail soon?"

The Bear School witcher sagely nodded, his yellow eyes growing slightly dark, "Aye we are. Soon we'll be in Skellige. Decided to come back and have a round with the four of you and watch Priscilla's and Dandelion's rehearsal before we head back to the harbor."

A smile crossed his face and he looked down at Freya, who's blue eyes were sparkling up at him, "And what about you? Sorry we didn't wake you, Geralt and I thought you could use a little bit of extra sleep. Do you know when you're leaving for Kaedwen?"

George went and sat next to Faram, as Freya looked up at him, her blue eyes shining in the sunlight.

"No need to apologize, I needed it," She said, taking a long drink of the ale in front of her, "And as for when I'm leaving, I think I'll set out tomorrow morning. I want to see you, Geralt and Faram off today. Got my new mare all saddled outside the gates."

A large smile crossed his face, as he met her eyes, "Good, I'm happy for you…. And I guess I'll be seeing you at Kaer Morhen afterwards."

Her face went a twinge red as she laughed and nodded, "I think you will, and I hope during that time I get to meet Ciri."

A warm feeling washed over his heart as he looked at his three friends. He'd miss having them all together. The previous day at the bathhouse with them all had been one of the best he'd had in years. Through all the death, fighting, magic and quests, his friends the past few days had been a bright spot. While he still felt himself on the edge of finally going off the deep end, his friends had always been there to bring him back down. If not for the three of them, Geralt, Dandelion, Priscilla, he didn't know if he would've survived.

Faram clapped his arm from the seat below and smiled, "Geralt wanted to see you mate. After that bring the white wolf over here, the five of us can have a round before we set sail!"

He whirled around and sure enough saw his adopted father standing over with Dandelion and Priscilla, who were locked in an intense conversation. Geralt leaned up against the bar and watched the pair argue with an amused look on his face. He met Dominik's eyes for a moment and nodded, gesturing for him to come over.

Quickly he nodded back, before turning to Faram and his friends, "Keep a mug full for me, be right back."

Faram nodded and then he saw the three of his friends quickly all begin to converse. He smiled seeing them all getting on so well. Two witchers and one medical student, combined with him they made quite the group. He imagined for a moment how Ciri would get along with the three when he finally found her, and they were all introduced. He assumed she would take to Faram right away, since they had similar personalities, outgoing and impulsive, those two words described them both to a tee. George, he knew could win over anyone with his kind demeanor and his southern Toussaint charm. While the griffin witcher didn't talk much to people he didn't know, as soon as he opened, he became one of the most talkative you'd find.

Then of course there was Freya. The one woman who he had ever thought he was falling in love with other then Ciri. He wasn't blind, he could see the way she still looked at him, the way her face got red when he complimented her, how she always seemed to be trying to get closer to him. He didn't know if she was simply infatuated with him, or still had love for him in her heart. Either way she was his friend now, and he was surer of his true feelings for Ciri now than he ever had been. Freya wouldn't press him, or try to make any moves, this he knew. She wasn't that type of person. She supported him, wanted to help him, and even wanted to meet Ciri now. The two of them would get along he knew.

But what would Ciri think when he told her that Freya and he had been together, spent romantic evenings with one another, kissed, held hands and stayed together for months? Would she feel betrayed, would she hate him for it, would she not want to be with him, would her feelings be shattered? They were all thoughts that raced through his head. He wouldn't lie to her; he wouldn't try to hide what had happened from Ciri. They had promised to always be honest with each other. He had promised her he'd never lie, and always tell her the truth. So, no matter how scared he was of her reaction, he would tell her.

The thought brought him back to what Baelen had told him that night in the cave. _She laid with our King; she shared the bed of King Auberon. _The idea had made his knees weak. Hearing the words had made him feel as if a knife plunged into his heart. He didn't know if it was true of course. He wasn't going to take the word of a commander of the Wild Hunt who had been trying to kill him as fact, at least not until he talked to Ciri and asked her. However… even if it hadn't been true, what if Ciri truly had been with others during her years alone? What if she had really met a handsome knight, or powerful sorcerer?

And what if just like he had done with Freya, the loneliness and need for some type of companionship had become too much to bear, and she found comfort in the arms of another? He thought to all of the times they had cuddled together, sitting in their cave while the fire crackled in front of them, or on the walls of Kaer Morhen as they watched a sunset, and then in Ellander where they'd go, roll around in the grass, look at the flowers in the meadow, and into the crystal water of the lake. He knew it had meant as much to her as it had to him. He knew she had loved him just as much as he loved her. And from what Dandelion, the Baron, young Gretka, and all he had learned… she still was trying to find him like they promised.

He had made mistakes, he used Freya's companionship to heal the wounds of Ciri leaving, but he had to believe that Ciri and he still had the bond that would never be broken, even if she had found comfort in the arms of another.

"So, we'll start in B-sharp and make our way to flat-," Dandelion started as he walked past them both.

Priscilla quickly cut him off and shook her head, "No, no we should start in G-flat and make our way to an A-minor, trust me on this."

He smiled at them both as he sighed, finally reaching Geralt. His adopted father stood up off the bar, and reached behind it, pulling out a small shot glass and handing it too him. Despite the thoughts that ran through his head, seeing the look of pride on his adopted fathers face warmed his heart. He reached over and grabbed the small glass, and he could smell the vodka in it.

"We did it," Geralt said with a smirk, holding the small glass up to him.

He scoffed and felt a smile come to his face, as he gently tapped his glass against Geralt's.

"We did it," He said, the both of them holding the glasses up, before downing the shot of vodka.

The alcohol pleasantly slid down his throat, and he felt it fall to his gut, giving him a pleasant burning sensation. Sighing he realized Geralt was trying to make him feel better, and it had succeeded. Despite the fact their main goal hadn't been accomplished, they had done a lot since they had got to Novigrad. They had saved their friends, helped Triss get the mages out of Novigrad, rid the city of Whoreson Junior, and most importantly figured out exactly what Ciri had been trying to do.

They both placed the cups back onto the bar and he sighed, looking to meet his adopted father's eyes.

"So, I see you managed to find Dandelion okay… place is coming along nice," He said, looking over to the bottom floor of the cabaret.

Geralt slowly nodded and met his eyes, "I did yeah… so how did training go? You look a little pale."

Sighing he shook his head, "Long story, I'll tell you later on the ship… Skellige bound, you know I tried for years to find a way there. Never had enough coin, or no captains would take me."

His adopted father smiled at him, "Well first time for everything. What did Ciri ever tell you about the place?"

Scoffing he smiled as he remembered the stories vividly, "A ton. She was trying to convince my father in Cintra to let me go with her when we were eleven. But besides that, well… she told me everything. Crach, Hjalmar, her Uncle Ermion."

"Good people, all of them. We'll get there, and we'll find her," Geralt said confidently, placing the small glass back onto the bar.

A warm feeling washed over him again, and he was about to say something else when Dandelion and Priscilla both came up next to them. The poet placed a hand on both of their shoulders and smiled at the father son witcher duo.

"I cannot begin to thank the two of you enough, the décor looks absolutely amazing," Dandelion said enthusiastically.

He smiled and gestured over towards Priscilla, "Don't thank us, thank Priscilla, she was the one who picked them out. Got no idea what a boudoir is myself to be honest."

Geralt laughed and Priscilla flushed slightly when Dandelion looked down at her.

"Really, you picked them out. You have excellent taste," The poet complimented with a smile.

The flustered look on the trobairitz's face brought another smile to his own, as she looked up at all three of them.

"Thank you…" She said breathlessly towards Dandelion, before looking at Geralt and he, "And thank the both of you, for everything. We wouldn't be here if not for you. And thanks for staying, we should be beginning the dress rehearsal, soon right?"

She directed the question towards Dandelion and the poet nodded with a confident smile.

"We should be yes. Polly has been fantastic, whooped all the girls into shape as soon as she came in! We're going to have a packed house tonight. I'm sorry you two will have to miss it," The bard said confidently looking over at he and Geralt.

His adopted father smile and shook his head, "We'd stay but… well we don't know how much time we have. Yen's already probably been waiting a few weeks, and if any trail's there we need to be sure to pick it up soon."

Dandelion sagely nodded in agreement. He remembered back to when he and Ciri were younger, and how much they had loved visiting the poet. Dandelion's ballads and poems would always intrigue the both of them, and he remembered how excited Ciri was to have ones written about the two of them. He thought to the 'ballad of the young wolf and the swallow' that Dandelion was workshopping, and a small smile came to his face. If he found her, another one of her smaller dreams could come true.

Priscilla smiled at them both and nodded, "We understand don't worry. We'll start in about an hour. Performance itself won't take long. I just need to pop over to my house and get my dress. I won't be long."

Geralt and Dandelion nodded to her, and the trobairitz went and walked towards the front door. He watched her golden blonde hair bounce against her back, and as she walked out the door, he felt something stir in his stomach. He didn't know what it was, but something was screaming at him to not let her go. The streets of Novigrad nearing sunset were dangerous, and the thought of letting Priscilla go off by herself.

He looked over and saw Freya at the table sitting and chatting with Faram and George, and he remembered she had been attacked just a few days prior. She of course was wanted for desertion, however the thought still stayed plugged in his mind and gnawed at him. Priscilla was becoming a close friend of his, and he always did everything he possibly could for his friends.

"So, how about a round you two? Still haven't properly drank with the both of you together yet," Dandelion said behind him, as he still looked at the open front door as the poet continued, "I remember when Dom was little and he always use to try and-."

"Keep a glass poured for me… I think I'm going to go with Priscilla," He said, cutting off the poet and turning to Geralt and Dandelion.

They both narrowed their eyes at him wonderingly, Geralt shook his head, "She doesn't live far, I'm sure she'll be okay."

Quickly again he shook his head, the gnawing feeling in his brain not going away, "I know, I know I just… don't like the idea of her going off alone in the streets of Novigrad near sunset… pour me a mug of Cintran, I'll be back."

He turned and speed walked towards the door before Geralt and the bard could say anything else. After seeing Freya attacked a few days prior and knowing all the dangerous thugs that wondered the streets, he felt the hairs on his neck stand up. He had gotten into enough fights in Novigrad to know that the city wasn't safe near sunset. Priscilla he was sure could take care of herself, but he just couldn't shake the worried feeling from his stomach.

His sword clunked on his back as he finally stepped outside. The sun was indeed starting to get lower. The pretty orange rays that came from the sunset were slowly beginning to stream into his vision, as a cold tense chill ran through his spine. The musty smell of the city beat into his nose, and he couldn't see Priscilla anywhere out front. The trobairitz had been so excited, that he could tell she more than likely was hurrying home. He adjusted the strap for his sword, and took in a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that still ran through him.

He still couldn't see her, so he quickly looked down to the ground. It didn't require witcher senses to find her footprints since she had so recently left. He cursed however when he realized the prints ended when he got out to the stone road. Sighing he looked down the path ahead, the one that he knew led towards the Kingfisher.

"Okay… let's just make sure you make it home okay," He muttered to himself, as he took off in a slight jog down the street.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He knew that the Kingfisher hadn't been far, the direct route from the Chameleon to the other inn wasn't far, and you didn't have to stray from the stone roads. So, when he saw the smaller footprints walking off towards the side dirt road right before Hierarch square, that looked incredibly like the ones Priscilla had left earlier, he narrowed his eyes and followed the trail. Priscilla knew her way back to the Kingfisher, she had been traveling between there and the Chameleon the previous two days, in the process of moving her stuff from there to Dandelion's inn. She wouldn't have strayed from the path.

The sun was slowly getting lower, the bright orange rays of the sunset beaming down and casting his shadow over him as he knelt. He assumed that the footsteps were a woman's, they were smaller and matched the same ones Priscilla's shoes had left out front of the Chameleon, however when he slowly reached his hands down and ran them across the print he noticed something that made his heart drop in his chest.

"Prints are deeper… more weight on the front… she started speeding up," He said, as he was about to stand when he looked to the left and noticed more prints.

Slowly he walked over to where the prints were, and he knelt again. The gears in his head started moving, trying to put the pieces that were floating around together. He felt his heart race faster, if something were to happen to Priscilla and he hadn't been quick enough to stop it, he didn't know what he would have done. To his right was a large wall with thick vines at the top, he assumed it led to a small lot used for a workshop, he remembered the place from earlier trips through the city. It was near the city morgue. Priscilla wouldn't have walked by it unless she had a good reason.

Carefully he ran his finger over the new set of prints and crushed the bits of dirt in his fingers.

"Footprints are bigger, a man's more than likely… they keep going on with Priscilla's… she was being followed," He said slowly to himself, feeling his eyes go wide and his heartbeat so hard he could hear it in his ears.

"Fuck, gotta find her," He said shooting up to his feet, panic beginning to build up.

In Novigrad you only got followed if you were getting robbed, or worse, someone was trying to attack you. He wouldn't let that happen to Priscilla. He had let it happen to Ciri all those years ago, he didn't trust his gut and force his way to Aretuza with her, and it had cost him. Geralt always told him there wasn't any way he could've gone with her, but he knew it wasn't true. He could've rushed into Yennefer's portal after her, could have argued more, done anything more.

He was a child when Ciri had gone missing and was in danger. A sixteen-year-old in way over his head. Now however, he was more than able. Saving people was what witchers did, saving people was all he and Ciri had wanted to do. And now one of his friends needed saving, he needed to find her, he would never leave behind those he cared about. He would fight for them until the bitter end like his mother had done for him, like Ciri was doing for him now.

He was about to rush off and follow the tracks when a pungent smell hit his nose. It smelled like sulfur and some kind of chemical, but he knew the smell, remembered it from potions lessons when he was younger in Kaer Morhen, and when he had learned more from Freya.

Standing up straight, his hands twitching he sniffed the air and confirmed what he thought.

"Formaldehyde…" He said slowly looking to his right and trying to follow the scent.

HE was stopped when he heard the screaming.

"AHHHHH STOP GET OFF STAY BACK," He heard the distinct shrill voice of Priscilla scream, and she was right near him, right behind the wall.

"PRISCILLA," He yelled as loud as he could, pumping his arms and taking off in a sprint.

His legs moved as fast as they could take him, as the wind slammed into his face. He continued to hear her scream as he turned to the corner and found the entrance to the yard that the wall had been around. The smell of Formaldehyde got stronger in his nose as he sprinted, his hands tingling as anxiousness and anger boiled up inside of him. Too many of his friends had been in danger during his time in Novigrad, Freya, Triss, George when they fought the Hunt. And Priscilla he knew was the only one who couldn't really defend herself. She would fight back he knew, but she wasn't a fighter like his other friends.

When he finally got into the yard to his left was an old open shed with multiple saws and tools. To his right was a smaller alley where he saw the screaming Priscilla. Her hat had been knocked from her head, as the assailant pulled on her hair, a dagger in his hand as he could see multiple smaller scalpels and knives around his waist.

"Nobody can hear you. You blasphemous whore," The man said in a calm, yet deep, terrifying tone.

The man was tall and sturdy, wearing a tight black gambeson, trousers and boots, a cloak over his head, and piece of cloth up over his mouth. All he could see was him yanking on Priscilla's hair as she tried to escape. She whirled around and slapped the man across the face, and he stumbled back, tripping over a black brazier, he dropped a vial of liquid and the smell of formaldehyde erupted into the air. Priscilla had tried to run, but the man recovered quickly, grabbing her by the neck, and this was when Dominik finally reached him.

"PRISCILLA," He yelled again, as he tackled the man away from her, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

"DOMINIK," Priscilla yelled, crawling back up against the wall, as he stumbled back to his feet, standing in front of her.

The man growled deeply, and the growl made his head perk up, it wasn't the growl of a man. He didn't have time to think however, before the man whirled around, his long sleek knife in his hands. He could only see the man's eyes as the orange light from the sunset casted both of their shadows over the wall. The small alleyway in the yard was too small for him to draw his blade, so he kept his hands up, ready to dodge out of the way with Priscilla when he had too. The trobairitz quickly stood back to her feet, staying behind him, her cheek bruised, with a small amount of blood dripping down from her eye.

His heart continued to race, and the hairs on his arms stood up under his armor as he saw the man's eyes. Completely demonic, almost red, and that was when he knew this man wasn't a man. It was some type of beast. And when he spoke, he could feel the venom dripping from him.

"Give me the girl, and you'll live. I'm only interested in her…" The man said slowly, the point of his knife pointing towards him.

He could hear Priscilla whimper lightly behind him as her breathing got heavy. The words sent a shot of rage up his throat as he went to his belt and slid the silver dagger from his waist. Quickly he held his hands up to his medallion, pulling it forward and showing the man the carved wolf's head.

"Know what this medallion means? If you do then I suggest you fuck off NOW," He yelled threateningly, the silver dagger pointing out towards him.

The man slowly tilted his head, eyeing his medallion. He couldn't see his facial expression, but the man's eyes widened at the wolf head, before he slowly looked up to meet Dominik's eyes. As soon as the man saw his green eyes, he could see the amusement dancing in the assailant's iris's.

"My, my… a witcher," The man's deep voice said, a small laugh escaping him as he continued, "Or should I say… a boy… pretending to be a witcher."

The words made his muscles tense. His entire life he had to deal with that stigma. People when he was younger would see him, see the medallion around his neck, but then they would see he only carried one sword, he didn't have yellow cat eyes, and they called him fake witcher. They refused to do business with him, some even threatened to call the guards, telling him he robbed a witcher for his medallion. It had always infuriated him. He went through all the training at Kaer Morhen, all the trials through the forests, had all the sword lessons, and even forged his medallion.

He had gone on the trial of the medallion when he was only fifteen, younger than any witcher ever had. After he returned to Kaer Morhen from Ellander, after Ciri had gone to Aretuza, he went and completed the trial. He forged his medallion, went on the grueling trial up to the circle of elements. He had snuck past old Spear Tip himself, fooled the trolls on the mountain. He had done everything, everything to earn the medallion. But still, all because he didn't have those yellow eyes, people still doubted his abilities. He hadn't undergone the trials because he needed to look for Ciri. They were going to undergo them together, that was the plan, neither of them had been worried about dying, they were both too strong, too confident. However, he still hadn't returned to Kaer Morhen since he left to search for her, swearing to not go back until he had her with him.

No matter what Geralt, Faram, George and everyone assured him he truly was a witcher, the comments still sent rage through his stomach to that day.

"I'll show you a fucking witcher," He yelled, lashing his hand out and trying to cut the dagger through the man's throat.

He pushed Priscilla to the side as the man quickly leaned back and lashed back out at him. The man had moved so fast that he barely saw him, he lunged forward gripping his hands around Dominik's throat, his large hands growing large and grey, long talons stretching out around his neck. His eyes widened as he recognized the Katakan's claws. He went to stab his dagger through the man's arm, but he squeezed around his neck and he gagged for air dropping the dagger into the ground.

Priscilla screamed as he was lifted off the ground and slammed up against the wall. If not for his armor he may have broken his back, but it cushioned the blow as he gasped for air, both his hands trying to remove the vampire's hand from his throat. He felt himself losing circulation around his neck, as spots danced in his vision. He looked down and the black and brown demonic eyes of the beast looked up at him, still in human form.

"Is this… the strength of a real witcher? I last fought one centuries ago it seems… they've dipped in quality," The man said, his voice low and terrifying.

He tried to choke out words, but the claw slowly gripped harder, and he could feel the consciousness slowly leaving him. He looked down and saw the smugness in the man's eyes. Visions flashed in his eyes, his training, his Uncle Vesemir going over the various strategies for Katakan's while he and Ciri listened on, more than likely planning how they'd sneak out of the lesson. He saw Eskel mentoring him on the reverse grip. Then he saw Priscilla, her hair being yanked, dragged across the years, and realized that if he died, she'd be next.

"DOMINIK NO," She screamed from next to him.

"You are next… you blasphemous wench…" The vampire said slowly, turning his demonic eyes on his friend.

Seeing him look at her, the murderous, delirious gaze in his eyes, sent a new anger up his spine. No, the vampire wouldn't kill her, not while he still had breath inside of him. _Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. Feel the chaos swirl inside of you, _the voice of George of Toussaint rang in his head. He put everything he could into his hands, squeezing them tight, thinking how the creature had just tried to murder one of his friends, and would more then likely go on murdering people. He thought how he couldn't die, he couldn't die now, that would mean Priscilla's death, he wouldn't be able to find Ciri, see Yennefer again, and Geralt would be devastated.

That was when he closed his eyes, and the flash of blue shot into his vision as he reopened them.

"You… won't… touch her…." He choked out, making the vampire turn back to him, his eyes narrowing.

The light blue energy swirled around his arms again, and the vampire's eyes went wide. Before the beast could say anything, Dominik lifted his hand and shot it forward. A huge torrent of flames shot from his hands, the Igni sign burning to life in the beast's skin. After a moment, the vampire screeched, his face being set alight, and he finally dropped him from the wall, his claw returning to human form.

"AHHHHHHHHH," The beast yelled, smacking his face as the flames roared to try and put them out.

He knew that only fire wouldn't be enough to kill a Katakan. As soon as he fell, the magic returned to his arms, he got up to one knee and fired his hand forward again, the whips of blue magic shooting from his palms again. The Aard sign he fired hit the beast so hard he slammed against the back wall, the flames on his face finally smothering as he looked back up at Dominik. He could see the mands hood fallen now. He had a black beard and hair, but now his face was cracked and blistering from the fire, as he stumbled forward off the wall.

Reaching over he picked up his silver dagger from the ground. He whirled around and threw it with as much precision and strength as he could muster. The throw would have planted the blade right into the vampire's heart, but just before the dagger landed the man/beast leaped up higher than Dominik had ever seen. With blood dripping from his face, he leaped up to the top of the wall, he grabbed the ledge and climbed over to the other side.

"FUCK," He yelled, running to the wall and scooping up his dagger from the ground.

He looked up and could see the blood slowly falling down the wall. Cursing himself he slipped his dagger into his belt, and right away went to his bag. He had moondust and grapeshot on him. However, he tore through his pocket for vials of oils, looking for the vampire oil.

And he cursed when he couldn't find any.

"Fuck…. I need to get a silver sword and bad…" He muttered, closing his bag and whirling back around to see a pale Priscilla.

"Priscilla," He yelled, rushing over to her, grabbing her in his arms before she could faint.

He looked up at her eye, and it was bleeding quite heavily. The trobairitz however ignored it and threw her arms around him in a hug.

"He…. He would have killed-," She said hysterically, squeezing him tightly.

He knew he had to chase the vampire. He had done nothing but piss it off, and he knew when a vampire got into a bloodlust it didn't stop until it was satisfied. The beast could have been tearing more people apart as he stood there. The blue light had flashed in his eyes and swirled around his arms, and he was sure he'd drop soon, but the adrenaline kept him going. He took a step back, and met Priscilla's eyes, the cut above her right one still bleeding.

"Are you okay!? Can you walk," He asked quickly, not taking his eyes off hers.

She was breathing heavy, but she quickly nodded her head, "I… I can yes, what… what was that man!?"

"Higher vampire, a Katakan, old and powerful by the looks. Priscilla. I know you're hurt but I need you to listen to me and do what I say okay," He stressed to her, keeping his hands firmly placed on her shoulders.

The trobairitz quickly nodded her head, her eye almost twitching shut. He felt horrible not being able to walk back with her, but he had to start chasing the vampire before the tracks were covered up. He knew the beast couldn't have gotten far with its face like it was, it more then likely left him a perfect trail of blood. He would need to follow quickly, but he knew three witchers would have no problem following it later.

He met Priscilla's eyes again and narrowed his own, "I need you to RUN back to the Chameleon. Stay on the main road's and go straight there. Tell Geralt what happened, tell him I went after it and to follow my tracks from here. Freya will take care of your eye, do you understand!?"

Her eye was shut now, but her other one went wide, "You can't go after that thing by yourself!"

Sighing he shook his head, "I need to, when vampires go into a rage or bloodlust like this, they attack people. I need to find it and stop it. No time to argue, tell Geralt, Faram and George exactly what happened, GO!"

The trobairitz didn't argue again, she turned and took off in a sprint back from where they had come. A small part of him worried the vampire would attack her again, but he quickly pushed the thought from his head. He had injured the beast severely with his sign, it would more then likely head straight for its lair or base, somewhere it was familiar with. Sighing he groaned in agitation as he pulled a Moon Dust bomb from his belt. He chastised himself for not making more oils the day prior, normally he stocked up, but had gotten caught up the day before.

Slowly he pulled the silver dagger from his hip and twirled it in his hands. He remembered the day that Geralt had given it to him. It was their first day in Velen, and Dominik had felt honored to receive it. A witchers first silver sword was often a huge moment for them. Over the years he had found few people skilled enough to work silver in their forges to get a silver sword, and the few that had them for sale, he never nearly had enough coin. So, when he had received the silver dagger from Geralt he had been over the moon.

And it had served him incredibly well. It had helped him kill the Fiend in Crookback Bog. It killed Caleb Menge, multiple monsters, the Bruxa that had attacked Freya and he a few days earlier. It had been extremely reliable. However, in all of those fights the dagger had been an emergency option. He felt his blade on his back clunk in the cool breeze, as he knew that going into the fight without it as his primary blade would be dangerous.

"Alright…" He said, twirling the dagger to a reverse grip, "Let's see how this goes…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The trail had been easy enough to follow. It had brought him right to a warehouse in the harbor. However, the blood slowly started to pool less and less as he followed, indicating to him that the beast was healing, and healing quickly. His dagger was still out in his right hand, a moon dust in his left as he slowly pushed open the door. The trail of blood ended when he got inside, as his boots slowly crunched against the dirt on the floor of the warehouse. He had to be careful, he rarely took contracts on beasts that could be Katakan's in his years alone. They were quick, strong, and their bites were deadly.

He let out a shaky sigh to himself as he leveled his dagger, slowly spinning as he made his way further into the warehouse.

"Okay magic blood powers… if there was ever a time for you to come in handy and well… not almost kill me, now would be great," He whispered to himself, as he stood under one whole in the roof, the orange sunlight streaming down onto him.

He heard a whoosh and whirled around, holding his dagger up level near his chin.

"My oh my… a witcher without a silver sword how… cute…" He heard the deep voice of the vampire say, as the footsteps slowly came from behind the bookshelf.

As he had expected, the man healed incredibly quick. He came into Dominik's view, wearing the robes of someone who looked like they could be a doctor. Suddenly the scalpels on his belt from earlier made sense. He had slicked back brown hair, and a full beard and mustache, and seemed like if you didn't know he was a vampire… you'd trust him to perform surgery on you.

He felt the anger spike up his throat again, "Silver kills vampires… no matter how big the blade."

The man laughed lightly, but he could hear the demonic evil he resonated. He knew that some higher vampires were highly intelligent, and even integrated into human society. They would eat, drink and even marry humans, and they could live an entire life without revealing their true forms except to defend themselves. This man however, he could see the look of pure madness and rage in his gaze.

Slowly he shook his head and narrowed his eyes at him, "I'm more interested in that magic you showed boy… I daresay it was immensely powerful. I haven't seen magic like that in… I'd say a hundred or two hundred years…."

The last thing he wanted to talk about in that moment was powers in his blood. His insides continued to burn with a white-hot rage. The beast had tried to kill Priscilla and had probably killed multiple people in the city already. He was leaving Novigrad later that day, and he wouldn't leave it knowing that a monster such as this one was walking the streets. No matter if he was mutated or not, he was going to kill this monster, and protect its next victims.

And that's what witchers did. They protected people from monsters.

"I'm not here to talk. You tried to kill my friend… you'll die for that," He said, holding his dagger out towards the beast.

The vampire laughed one last time. He could see the veins on the man's neck strain, as his claws grew grey and long, as he grew in height, and Dominik could only look upwards as he grew.

"One puny witcher against me… I think you'll need a bit more then a dagger…" The beast said, as it grew to full form.

"Fuck…" He whispered to himself, as the fully grown Katakan screeched and echoed throughout the warehouse.

He was disoriented for a moment, but quickly dove back to the right to avoid a claw. The beast's claws whisked right past his ears, and he quickly ignited the Moon Dust bomb he had been holding and chucked it towards the vampire. The silver exploded out of the bomb, and he heard the beast screech as the silver molted onto its body. He saw the opportunity as the beast reeled under the skylight. He darted forward, ducking under one of its claws, and cut his dagger across one of the beast's legs as he slid on both his knees. The Katakan screeched again as he came up, twirling the dagger to a reverse grip, and plunging the smaller blade hilt deep into the vampires lower back.

For a moment he felt triumphant, but before he could pull the silver from the beast, it screeched again and smacked his claw against the front of his armor, sending him skidding back across the floor. His chest erupted in pain, and if not for his armor he surely would have been ripped open. He looked down at his hands and realized he was weaponless. Sighing he pulled his sword from his back. While it wouldn't hurt the Katakan, he would at least be able to deflect its claws. He slowly rose to his feet and coughed as he tried to breathe, feeling the bruise form across his chest, as he could see new cuts through the leather of his armor, but thankfully the metal and chain had kept him from dying.

His decision to draw his sword was a good one, because the Katakan ripped his dagger from its back and tossed it aside and charged at him again at the speed of a blur. Right before it could cut its claws across him, he fired up his hand and he felt the Quen shield wrap around him, just as George had shown him earlier. It proved a good move, because he couldn't get his sword up, as soon as he casted the sign the beast emerged at his side and tried to smack its claws through his neck. Right before it could make contact with him however, it hit the Quen shield around him and the shield discharged, sending the Katakan sprawling back.

He looked over at the smoking monster and felt the anger build up inside him. _Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. Feel the chaos swirl inside of you. _George's words rang through his head again. He felt his anger rise as he saw the beast dragging Priscilla by the hair, intent on killing her, and then other people when he was done. He thought about everything that had happened to Ciri, how even if he did find her, they still had to fight the Wild Hunt, how as soon as he found her again, everybody would try and take her from him.

The flash of light blue shot through his eyes again, as energy swirled around his limbs. He could feel the chaos and energy swirling around him. He tossed his blade to the side, and just as the Katakan looked up to charge again, he fired his hand forward, all of the energy around him rushing to his palm as the Aard blast sent the beast back as if he had been fired from a crossbow. The Katakan slammed into a shelf with so much force he could hear the wood crack. The beast slowly got up to his feet, but Dominik felt the rage continue to overtake him.

A blue flash went through his eyes again as more blue magic swirled in his arms. He walked forward and as soon as the Katakan stood and went to move towards him again he shot out his hand. The Igni sign roared in his palm and a torrent of fire blasted from his hand. He held it out towards the vampire and fire continued to spew in a stream towards the beast, the flames roaring so loudly it filled his ears completely. The heat had been so intense for a moment he thought he'd burn down the warehouse as the wall of flames kept spewing forward from his hands, the white-hot rage continuing to pour out of him. The flames engulfed the Katakan completely, and the monsters screech could have made any other man's ears bleed, but it didn't affect him, he kept up the fire. He craned his neck, focusing to hard the veins on his arms almost burst, as the hot feeling ran up his arms, the torrent of flames so large he almost couldn't see the creature anymore.

After a few moments of hearing the beast screech, he saw his silver dagger gleaming from the ground. He let go of the sign, and the vampire screeched frantically smacking itself to smother the fire. Feeling the adrenaline and anger continuing to course through him, he reached to the ground and scooped up the silver. In his vision he could see the beast in front of him and the entire warehouse a light shade of bright blue, as the flames finally disappeared from the now charred Katakan. It was near death but came charging at him one more time. He sidestepped a claw and jabbed his dagger up into its neck with every bit of strength he had left. After the blood spewed from the vampire's neck like an active volcano, he still heard it weakly shrieking, so he yanked out his dagger and spun around to its back, slamming into it and stabbing the silver through its spine.

The Katakan let out one final loud screech before it fell to the ground, Dominik's silver still wedged into its back.

"FUUUUCK," He yelled, falling to his knees as he felt his hands begin to smoke as if blisters were erupting on it.

He fell onto all fours as he let out labored breaths, amazed at what he had managed to do, but feeling as if at any second his bones would turn to dust. He didn't dare close his eyes for a second, as he lifted his upper half back up, sitting on his knees besides the beast's body. He could see smoke slowly billowing from his hands, he could barely feel them, but slowly reached down and unclasped the bag he kept his potions in.

White spots danced in his vision, as the light blue hue that had been overtaking his vision finally went away; his hands felt like they were about to fall off. However, he managed to have enough coordination to slowly see the potion vile in his bag. He held it to his eyes, and he could see the pink liquid swirling around inside of it. Carefully he reached up and pulled the stopper out of it and tossed it to the side. His hands were shaking and still smoking, but he brought the vile to his lips and drank. The pleasant berry taste washed over his tongue and mouth. It fell to his stomach and he let out a loud, deep, shaky sigh.

"Thank you Freya…" He said relieved as he fell onto his butt into the dirt, the smoking body of the Katakan next to him.

The previous day Freya had given him a few vials of the potion she made him that day after his fight with Baelen. He had no idea what she had put in it, however it soothed his bones and helped the blood run through his body and tasted quite pleasant. He looked down at his hands and while they were still smoking, the burning had subsided, but he still felt himself dripping a cold sweat, his vision still slightly blurry. Despite the fatigue and dazed feeling that shot through his body, he scoffed looking down at smoking body of the Katakan. Looking down he saw the silver dagger loosely hanging in his hand, he scoffed, a small smile coming to his face, realizing that he had actually done it.

Letting out another shaky breath he slowly shook his head, looking down at the Katakan's body, still feeling slightly dazed but satisfied.

"How… how's that for a fucking witcher…" He spit out at the body, slowly reaching up and holding his wolf medallion.

He was so dazed that he barely reacted when he heard the door burst open, and the clanking of footsteps and armor.

"Let me at that vampire bastard! Teach him to try and kill my-…. Bloody fucking hell mate didn't leave any for us," The deep voice of Faram of Undvik said from his left.

"Dom are you alright," The more urgent voice of Geralt said, as he heard the footsteps get closer.

Finally, he turned his head to the left and saw all three of his fellow witchers. Geralt, George and Faram all had busted into the warehouse, silver blades drawn their armor polished, ready for battle. However, when they all saw the dead Katakan, their eyes widened. George quickly stayed and stood near the entrance to make sure no guards came, while Geralt and Faram both rushed over to him. Faram knelt next to the corpse of the Katakan and whistled appreciatively.

"This is one big fucker… damn mate, how'd you do it," The Bear School witcher asked, turning to face him.

"To hell if I know… fuck I'm tired," He muttered as Geralt knelt next to him.

Geralt let out a small laugh, but he could see the pride well up in his adopted father's eyes. Suddenly through his fatigue he remembered what had happened before his fight, and his head whirled over to Geralt.

"Priscila is she-," He started frantically, his eyes wide, but Geralt quickly held his hands up to calm him.

"She's alright, thanks to you,' Geralt said with a smile, meeting his eyes, and offering him a hand. His adopted father lifted him off the ground to his feet and continued, "Freya's patching her up now…. You saved her life."

He let out a relieved sigh and a small smile crossed his face. Looking up he met Geralt's eyes, "Well, I'm a witcher, it's what I do…. Besides, I'd do anything for one of my friends."

Geralt smiled and looked down to the Katakan for a moment, nodding his head appreciatively before looking back to him.

"Faram's right, that's a big one. Are you okay," His adopted father asked him.

Feeling the wave of fatigue wash over him, he scoffed, "I just killed a fucking higher vampire with nothing but a silver dagger and magic that makes me feel like my bones feel like dust…. Uncle Vesemir would be screaming at me for not being prepared."

Geralt let out a small laughed and shook his head, meeting his adopted son's eyes again, "No… I think Vesemir would be proud, just like I am. Good job Dom…"

The praise heated up his face, and sent a warm cooling feeling up his body. He let out a shaky sigh, the white spots dancing in his vision slowly fading. Whatever the power was, it was certainly useful in quick bursts like he just had. What worried him, however, was how it would affect him in larger battles, like how it had almost got him killed when they attacked the prisoner transport to free Dandelion.

However, in that moment he was only focused on one thing.

He lightly smiled and met Geralt's eyes, "Thanks Geralt…. So… is it time? It's just about sunset."

A small smile crossed his adopted fathers face as he sheathed his silver sword, turning to Faram.

"We should be ready yeah, Faram," Geralt asked the Bear School witcher.

Faram smirked and stood up from the Katakan's corpse. The sun from the skylight glinted off his Ursine armor, and his bear head medallion as his best-friend smiled at them both.

"Aye we're all set. The _Adrestia _is ready to sail. Let's head back to the Chameleon, gather everyone up to see us off. We're Skellige bound my friends," Faram said, as they could all feel the salty breeze of the sea blow through the warehouse.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Now you'd best be sure to come see us again soon as you find Cirilla," Zoltan said as he shook his hand firmly, the dwarf's eyes almost looking wet, "To see the two of you together again… all grown up well… it's enough to bring a dwarf to tears it is."

A flush of red came across his face as he nodded down at the dwarf, he laughed a little as he finally let go of his hands.

"I will Zoltan, I promise… maybe you can make the both of us a gwent card since you're going into the business," He said with a smirk as he looked down at his favorite dwarf.

The dwarf scratched his beard before throwing his head back and laughing, "Haha not a bad idea lad. You're pretty bad at the game itself but must admit you'd make a good card."

A smile crossed his face as he looked up to the rest of his friends. He stood with Zoltan, Dandelion and Priscilla, who held the bard's hand with a fresh bandage covering her eye. After they had disposed of the Katakan, the four witchers had made their way back to the Chameleon. He walked in and saw Freya applying solvent and paste to Priscilla's eyes, as Dandelion decided to delay their opening another night. The bard had almost hugged Dominik when he saw him, thanking him for what he did.

When he turned to him, Dandelion reached out a hand and shook his hand firmly, meeting his eyes with a smile, "Thank you Dominik, for everything you did…. I've known you since you were a boy, you've grown into quite the young man. Ciri… she misses you something terrible, go find her."

He laughed lightly with a smile and reached up to grip the swallow after he had shaken Dandelion's hand. A warm feeling washed over him; he knew Dandelion wouldn't lie to him about a thing like this. He had spoken to Ciri, told her about what he had done, and of all the people they met who had interacted with her, he had trusted Dandelion the most.

"Thanks Dandelion… for everything, but mostly for helping her," He said, the beautiful sunset casting their shadows over the wooden planks.

Faram's ship, which was named the _Adrestia, _was a massive vessel. He still had no idea how Faram had come to acquire it, but it had a captain's quarters above deck, three giant sails and crew cabins underneath the top deck. It looked like it would give any pirate a second thought before they attacked. He knew there wouldn't be any trouble however, because he could see multiple coats of arms painted on the sails. Faram had explained to him that he painted the coats of arms of the Skellige clans on his sails and flew their flags around the side of his ship, this was to let the pirates and raiders know the ship wasn't to be attacked.

He sighed and smiled up at the beautiful ship, the sunset casting a beautiful orange glow over it, before he turned back to them both.

Dandelion slowly nodded at him, "It's no problem at all my young friend. You go and find her, and when you do, you'll always have a place to stay."

Smiling he nodded, the warmth returning to his bones. He still felt drained and would more than likely sleep as soon as he got aboard. However, with the warm feeling running through his veins then, and the optimism running through him, he felt rejuvenated already.

He looked over and met Priscilla's gaze, her one blue eye covered by the bandage. She tore herself from Dandelion's arm and threw her arms around his neck. He quickly wrapped his arms around her smaller waist. She squeezed around his neck for a moment before pulling back from him, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Dominik I… I'd be dead if not for you. I… I don't know how I can thank you," She said slowly, the sunset shining off her face.

Slowly he shook his head a smile staying planted on it, "You don't need to do anything. You're my friend. And I'd do anything for a friend. Besides… who's gonna write my ballad if you're not around, JUST Dandelion," He joked, pointing over to the bard.

Priscilla laughed right away, and it was contagious because he started too as well. Dandelion sensed that it was a joke, and just smiled at them both. It warmed his heart, the way he saw Dandelion look at a laughing Priscilla. He knew that she was being left in good hands.

The trobairitz quickly hugged him again, and he returned it. He took a step back and smiled at them both, he looked over and met Dandelion's eyes, gesturing his head towards Priscilla.

"Now I'm growing pretty fond of her Dandelion, you better take care of her," He said with his arms crossed, the gentle sea breeze running through his hair.

Dandelion scoffed, and he saw an arm go around the trobairitz's waist, "You can count on that… good luck Dom, you'll find Ciri, I know you will."

He nodded to them both and felt the sun's glow wash over him. The waves gently lapped over the docks, the salty sea air pierced his nose, as he turned and walked towards the ramp to get onto the _Adrestia. _Around the ramp he saw Geralt, conversing with his three friends. His adopted father had already had a heartfelt goodbye with Dandelion, Zoltan and Priscilla, and he could see him smiling at Dominik's friends.

Geralt shook George's hand firmly and met the griffin witchers eyes, "Thanks for being with him in that cave… and thank you for all your help, and for all the help you've promised."

George smiled and nodded, letting go of Geralt's hand he gave the older witcher a small bow, "It has been my honor to meet and fight by your side White Wolf. I look forward to fighting by both your sides again soon."

Geralt nodded and turned around to Freya. Freya looked as if she were about to tear up. She was wearing her white long-sleeved top, her brown trousers and boots, with her blonde hair now tied up in a ponytail. When Geralt looked down at her, she had a bittersweet smile on her face. His adopted father smiled at her, and gave her a hug, Freya quickly squeezed the older witcher and pulled back from him, looking up at Geralt with a smile.

"Geralt I… I can't begin to thank you enough. If… if not for you, Dom and everyone else I… I'd probably be dead, in a cell or begging right now. But… but I can actually do what I need to now and… and accomplish my dreams of being able to save people," She ranted, the longsword on her back looking more and more natural.

The older witcher smiled down at her and nodded, "No need to thank us. You just be careful on the road. Keep up those exercises I showed you. You're gonna be good, really good."

A large smile came across her face and she nodded, "Thank you Geralt… I hope to see you both at Kaer Morhen soon."

Geralt nodded to her, "I think you will. You remember how to get there, let me run over it one more time."

He watched as his adopted father went on to describe in detail how to get to Kaer Morhen. Sighing he felt a pleasant chill run up his spine, as the wind continued to blow his hair. George turned around to him, his griffin armor and sword reflecting perfectly off the orange sun set. His friend came over and held out his hand, he smiled and shook the griffin witchers armored hand firmly, meeting his friend's yellow eyes.

George smiled down at him and crossed his arms, "So… are you ready my friend?"

He let out another sigh and slowly shook his head, "As ready as I'll ever be. Ever been to Skellige?"

"A few times," His friend said, keeping their eyes locked, "Cold and rainy, yet also green and beautiful…. You are going to do great things there my friend. You will find your Cirilla, I know it."

A new wave of hope washed over him. He took in another deep breath, before meeting George's eyes again. George had gone and fought what was more then likely the toughest enemy either of them had ever faced, and he did so without a second thought. The griffin witcher knew what he would be fighting when he went into that cave in the Oxenfurt woods with him. He knew and yet he still went with him and fought by his side to the bitter end. He hadn't given a second thought to agreeing to help him fight the hunt, to train him, and to be by his side.

He was one of the best men Dominik had ever met, and he was lucky to have the man as his friend.

"Thank you George… for everything. It means more to me then you'll ever know," He said, meeting his friend's yellow eyes.

George bowed to him and smiled, "It was my honor to fight by your side Dominik of Cintra…. And it will be my honor to fight by your side again soon."

He did the same as George, giving him a small bow, before standing up and smiling.

"Aye I'm gonna miss ya goldilocks," Faram's booming voice said from next to them.

Looking over he saw Geralt had finished talking with Freya, and was leaning on a post near the ramp, waiting to board the ship. Faram looked at Freya and smiled, the blonde held out her arms and gave Faram a huge hug. She smiled up at the much taller man and pulled back, crossing her arms and smiling.

"I'm going to miss you too you tall bastard, make sure you get them there in one piece okay," She said, gesturing towards the massive ship.

Faram let out a bellowing laughed and nodded down to her, "Aye lassie I will, don't you worry. And you be careful on the road! If any brave fuckers try to make a move, crack a few skulls for me will ya?"

"Haha, I will I promise," She said, slowly turning around to where Dominik himself were standing.

She locked her blue eyes with his green ones, and the cold sea air blew their brown and blonde hair in the wind. George smiled from next to him and went over to shake hands and say goodbye to Faram, giving Dominik and Freya the moment alone they needed. After George had moved, Freya speed walked towards him, practically leaping and slamming into him with a hug. She threw her arms around his neck, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, the smell of fresh strawberries hitting his nose from her blonde curls. For a moment, he felt like he was back in Ellander when he knew her the first time, her eagerly greeting him in the morning.

He sighed and squeezed her tighter, knowing that he truly wouldn't be alive without her. If not for her potions and care, he more then likely would be dead. She had saved him during their ambush on the convoy. And most importantly, she had been there for him. She was there for him when he needed someone back in Ellander, and she was there for him in Novigrad. Despite the horrible thing he had done to her, breaking her heart, she still vowed to help him, and it was the sign of an amazing person, to be able to forgive a thing like that.

She gently pulled back from him and looked like she regretted letting go of his hands as she locked her blue eyes with him.

"T…thank you… for everything," She said slowly, looking as if she was doing everything in her power to not cry.

He smiled at her, the breeze blowing back his hair and slowly shook his head, "You don't need to thank me for anything. You're the one who saved my life… I think it's five times now?"

She laughed and sniffled, wiping her sleeve over her eyes, before she looked at him curiously, "Five times? Once in Ellander, once when we fought the Bruxa, after your fight with the Hunt, during the ambush… that's only four, what's the fifth?"

His heart grew warm as he looked into her blue eyes, "You saved me twice in Ellander. Once when you helped Eustace sew my shoulder back together…. And a second time when… when you gave me hope, hope that well… I could do whatever I set my mind too, helped me get my confidence to keep going back… and made me realize that there were still good people in the world, during a time when I didn't think there were any."

He had spoken what he truly meant. When he laid on that operating table, and his room at the inn, recovering from the bounty hunter attack he had felt all the hope leave him. He had thought he would never be able to find her, never be strong enough. He thought that all the good people in the world were gone, because if there truly were good people, why hadn't on of them stopped Ciri from going missing? Freya had been there and saved him from himself.

A small tear fell down her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him again.

"Thank you…" She whispered in his ear, as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

She pulled back and kept her hands on his shoulders. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment, and she brought her lips up to his cheek. She gave him a long lingering kiss on the right side of his face, and gently pulled back, letting go of him, and taking a small step back. His face went slightly red itself, but it was nothing compared to the red hue on Freya's. She sighed, looking down for a moment, before looking up to meet his eyes.

"I… I knew when I saw you look at her…. That I'd never have a chance again, I knew when I saw the ways your eyes lit up, the way you reacted," She said lightly, wiping the tear from her face again.

He felt his whole body begin to heat up as he met her gaze with pleading eyes, "Freya I… I'm sorry I-."

"Don't apologize for being in love with somebody else," She quickly said, lightly shaking her head before continuing, "I just want you to be as happy as you can be. And to do that… you need to find Ciri. So, I'm going to do everything I can to support you. I can't wait to fight by your side again…"

He let out a shaky breath and slowly nodded to her. Her character continued to amaze him. Freya Kaminski of Ellander would be his friend for his entire life. She would always be a part of his company, of his hansa. She would always have his back he could see it in her eyes. And just like she had his, he would always have hers.

A small smile came to his face, "When I see you in Kaer Morhen, wait till Geralt and I get you on the pendulums. We'll see how quick you are then."

She scoffed and laughed, looking up to meet her eyes with a new broad smile on her face, "I yearn to be there already…."

"Aye enough of that mushy stuff," Faram said, walking over to the two of them with George by his side.

Freya and he both turned, and George took a place next to her. He and Faram stood near the ramp, while George and Freya both stood towards the docks. Sighing he looked around at his three friends, a new broad smile coming to his face, warmth running through his heart.

Faram clapped him on the shoulder and looked to them all, "Dom and I will finish up business on Skellige. We'll find Ciri and then we'll all be back together before we know it, and when we are we'll send the fucking Hunt back where they came from!"

Freya smiled and George let out a laugh. The griffin witcher looked to the three of them a broad smile adorning his cleanly shaven face.

"Ahaha Faram is right. I must admit… I've always preferred to travel the path alone, walked this world myself for decades" He started, his yellow witcher eyes meeting all of theirs, "But you three… you three are some of the best friends I have ever met. I cannot wait to fight by your side again."

"George of Toussaint, that is the nicest fucking thing I've ever heard you say mate," Faram said with a laugh, "Gonna bring a fuckin tear to my eye!"

The four of them all laughed. In his mind he did the best he could to take a mental picture, so he could remember this moment when he felt lost. Around him were his friends, his company, his hansa, the people who were going to help him achieve what he had been trying to do for eight years. After they all stopped laughing he let out a content sigh and looked at them all.

"George is right…. You're the best friends I could ask for. The best fucking hansa anyone could ask for," He said, crossing his arms, the wind blowing down his back.

The sunset casted all their shadows over the water. Freya tilted her head and looked over at him.

"A hansa," She asked him wonderingly, and all their heads turned to him.

He sighed and the smile stayed on his face, even broader then before, "Well… like I told you all. Two years ago, when Ciri came back, Geralt went to rescue her. He gathered up a group, a company of fighters and friends to go and rescue her. He… couldn't find me, so I didn't get the chance to go fight. But… now I have my own hansa, my own company. You guys, Geralt… and then Ciri once we find her. Together… we're going to show the Wild Hunt they picked the wrong world to fucking mess with."

"You're damn right we are! We'll smack those phantom fuckers right back to where they came from," Faram said confidently from next to him.

A smile crossed George's face as he nodded in agreement, "I like the idea…. As Faram says, we will send those fuckers back to their world!"

Freya slowly nodded looking around at all three of them, "I like that idea too… I may not be a witcher, but I don't plan on backing down from these specters."

Faram clapped and rubbed his hands together with a smile, looking between them all, "Haha I LOVE it! So, Dom mate… you ready to finally set sail on the Adrestia?"

Sighing with a newfound fire and determination shooting through his body. He looked over to Dandelion, Zoltan and Priscilla who were smiling at him, and then over to all his other friends around him. The beautiful Novigrad sunset casted it's beautiful orange glow over them all. Slowly he turned, looking out across the beautiful ocean, calm and ready to be sailed.

He let out a long breath and slowly nodded his head, "Yeah…. I'm ready."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

After a few more hugs and handshakes, he finally boarded the _Adrestia. _He walked next to Geralt as Faram pointed out different masts and sides of the boat, shouting in terminology he didn't understand. He didn't mind however, the optimism and hope that ran through him didn't feel like it would be broken anytime soon. He didn't think about powers inside of him, the Wild Hunt, his failures from the past, all he thought about in that moment was his family. He looked down at the tattoo on his arm, the elegantly drawn names and the perfectly depicted swallow.

He smiled and gently ran his hand over Ciri's name, before reaching up and gripping his swallow pendant.

"AH captain! Are we ready to set sail," An old enthusiastic voice yelled from the higher captain's deck, right behind the wheel.

Faram laughed loudly and turned to them both, "Haha come Geralt, come Dom!"

Geralt and he looked at each other with confused looks but followed Faram. The Bear School witcher climbed up the steps and they quickly followed. His friend held out his arms and walked over to a skinnier old man. He had grey hair, a grey beard, and it seemed to be a front tooth missing. He wore only a light blue top with trousers and boots, a skelligan style longsword at his waist. Upon closer inspection he also noticed the man only had one eye. One was a clear brown color, while the other was completely white. For a horrifying moment Dominik thought Faram would crush the man, but the Bear school witcher pulled the older man into a tight hug, which the man quickly returned.

"Barnabas you old bastard! Aye we should be set, the boys all ready," Faram asked, crossing his arms as he looked at the older man.

Eagerly the older man nodded, gesturing towards the deck, "Aye captain, everyone's in position, winds are favorable, and it's a beautiful day to sail! No storms in sight, and if the aching in my bones is correct which it usually is there won't be any!"

Faram nodded happily and turned back to Geralt and him, "Dom, Geralt, lemme introduce you to my right-hand man. This here's Barnabas, former captain of this tub, sailed the _Adrestia_ for near twenty years!"

The sun was continuing to set, so the bright orange glow still casted over them. Geralt looked at him for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders and holding out his hand.

"Good to meet you Barnabas, names Geralt," Geralt said, the older man eagerly shaking his adopted father's hands.

Not wanting to be rude he held his hand out as well, "Dominik, good to meet you too."

Barnabas eagerly shook his hand at well and looked at them both with a huge one tooth missing smile, "Aye the famous White Wolf himself! And you're Dominik of Cintra, captain here has told us so much about you both. I look forward to sailing with you!"

He smiled lightly and nodded to the old man, but one question gnawed at his mind.

"Same to you but…. Faram said you were the former captain. What… what made you give him your ship," He asked the older man, making Faram laugh and smile at the question.

Barnabas laughed loudly and clapped Faram's larger shoulder, having to reach up to do so.

"Aye a great story lad! You see, I served King Bran and Clan Tuirseach for years on the sea! Oh, the raids and battles I fought in! Spent my whole life at sea, but one day, this giant fucking siren attacked our vessel," The old man said dramatically, looking up at the sky as if the siren were coming back, "I killed the beast, but bitch took my eye! Had to retire from the army after that, but I had gathered enough loot from raids to purchase my own vessel! That is my dear _Adrestia _which you stand on today! Sailed for years, running goods and cargo, traveling to new places, that was the life even in my old age!"

The enthusiasm with which the man spoke, made him hope that he could have the same amount when he was old and grey. He laughed a little at Barnabas's tale, realizing the old man hadn't answered his question. Geralt looked at the man and gestured for him to continue.

"And… how'd you end up giving command of your ship to Faram," Geralt asked slowly.

The Bear School witcher smirked and Barnabas's eyes lit up again. The old man clapped his hands together and gestured towards his friend.

"Haha well, not long ago I was making a delivery in Novigrad," The greying man explained, pointing towards the golden sturgeon, "Let's just say I… might have been a little dishonest during a card game. These beefy bastard's drug me outside and dunked my head into a pot! I couldn't breathe, thought I was going to the gods for sure…. Until Faram shows up! He beat the piss outta those thugs and saved my life! As honor dictates I had to reward him, and I was happy to do so! Told me he was looking to sail back to Skellige in a few months, so I offered him my ship and the few crewman I had left!"

He scoffed and smiled at the story, he looked over to Faram with a look of disbelief, "I didn't think you'd have enough coin for a ship like this."

Faram shook his head and clapped a hand on Barnabas's back, "Haha you're right about that. Barnabas here has been fantastic! Never met a more talented sailor in my life, I'm glad that I saved you mate!"

Barnabas laughed again, as Dominik assumed he often did. The old man turned to Faram and gave the Bear School witcher a small bow.

"And I am thankful you did captain! It would have been downright shameful for me to spend half my life at sea, only for me to die, drowning in a fucking pot," The old man said, and he couldn't help but laugh even harder.

He laughed and even Geralt chuckled from next to him. Faram smirked down and looked up at both Geralt and he.

"Alright mates, time to cast off! Wanna rest on the railing? Seems our friends are still bidding us ado," Faram said, walking up to the wheel of the ship.

Barnabas quickly ran off to the deck barking out orders, as the men quickly stood at attention. He quickly looked at Geralt and his adopted father nodded, gesturing for him to follow. They both walked out towards the edge of the deck, behind Faram at the captains wheel. Sure enough he looked over the edge and could still see the smaller forms of Zoltan, Dandelion, Priscilla, Freya and George all watching them cast off, waving up at them. A new warmth washed over him as he raised his hands to wave back with Geralt.

The sun was still out, casting its beautiful orange glow over them all. The wind slowly picked up, blowing aside his brown hair and sending a pleasant breeze down his spine. It was finally happening, they were leaving Novigrad. They were leaving the continent. His treck through Novigrad in Velen had only been a few weeks, but it felt like months had passed. He couldn't even remember being on his own before Claywitch. It all seemed to become more and more of a distant memory. He couldn't imagine traveling, waking up at the fireplace without Geralt, training with him day and night. Now however, they were getting closer and closer. Soon it would be the three of them, him, Geralt and Ciri, just as it had been for the weeks they traveled to Kaer Morhen.

The three of them were linked. Geralt and Ciri were the ones linked by the Law of Surprise, but both had always assured him, that he was a part of that destiny too. Geralt's prophecy did say, the girl and the boy in the woods would be with him always. So, he slowly and slowly began to believe, that the three were truly all ordained to meet, to do great things together. And they would, he knew this, all they needed to do was find her.

He stopped waving as the sight of his friends in the distance became smaller, as the water churned under their vessel. Taking in a deep breath he turned and looked out over the horizon, the sun slowly going down. He closed his eyes and he saw her face. He truly didn't need the drawing anymore, because when he saw her with his eyes closed, she was as real as could be. The high cheek bones, slender waist, cute nose, the freckles running across her face, her bun of loose ashen hair, and those beautiful emerald eyes that he would still do anything for.

And of course, the bronze ring she gave him, still bouncing around her neck.

"You got some really good friends," Geralt said from next to him, his adopted father leaning on the railing.

A small smile came to his face, "Yeah… I really do."

The breeze ran through Geralt's white hair, as his adopted father looked over at him, meeting his emerald eyes with his witcher ones.

"I know I said it earlier but…. I'm really proud of everything you did in Novigrad," He said, making Dominik's face go slightly red.

He scoffed a little and nodded, "Thanks Geralt… but I wouldn't have been able to do any of it without you. I… I was never going to be able to do this without you. I should've stayed with you from the start, the start of it all…. I know you say I don't need to but… I'm sorry I didn't come back."

His adopted father slowly nodded, shaking his head, "It's alright. You were a kid; you were forging your own path. You know… you and Ciri both, I would walk the entire continent to find either of you. Did it to go save Ciri the first time, I did it to look for you when I found you in Ellander…. I've traveled the whole continent to find you both… never have any intention of forcing either of you to do anything."

The words had made a tear swell up in his eyes. The love he felt for his adopted father in that moment shot through him. He turned and walked over to Geralt and hugged him. Geralt smiled and hugged him back, the both of them wrapping their arms around each other.

"Thank you…. Thank you Geralt…. Thank you for everything," He said, slowly pulling back from him, wiping his eyes with his gloves.

Geralt gave him a small smile and nodded, "You're welcome…. And now I want to apologize to you. I should have listened to you all those years ago. Yen and I, even if Ciri needed to go to Aretuza… we never should have separated you both…. Can you forgive us?"

He scoffed and sniffled, wiping his eyes with his glove again, "I already did… a long time ago. Let's kill the past now… I want to get our family back… let's go do it."

Slowly his adopted father nodded, "I agree one hundred percent…. Come on, let's get a spar in before we get some rest."

Sighing he felt the cool breeze run through his back, and the salty air hit his nose, "Let's… I can't think of anything better right now."

**A/N: So here it is ladies and gentleman, we are FINALLY finish Novigrad! We are almost at the halfway point, next chapter we'll be in the Skellige Isle. I really didn't think when I posted the first five chapters of this story I would reach this far. I thought I would get bogged down in Velen or Novigrad and ditch the whole thing. But you guys have been giving a ton of support, and this has been the most fun I've ever had writing. Now, let's quickly recap this chapter!**

**We have the dream at the beginning with the two wolves, and the reminder of Dominik's prophecy. What did the dream represent? And what about the prophecy, remember that? What are you predictions for it?**

**Dom also symbolically rips apart the drawing of Ciri he had been carrying. He doesn't need it anymore, because after seeing her face from Dudu, he knows he can never forget it. **

**Then we finally have a Griffin school training session! During this we see more and more of this power inside Dominik's blood beginning to show…. It seems he is indeed a 'carrier'. As I said a 'carrier' is a concept I made up. I always wanted to dabble and see how I could make magical genetics work. It goes like this. Some powerful mages found ways to pass on their talents to their descendants (Yes some mages can have kids). Unlike a source, these powers in the descendants can lay dormat for their entire lives, but if the carrier begins to use magic like Dom had with his witcher signs… the powers start to unleash. SO, what are you predictions, where did this power come from, and will he learn to control it?**

**Also, Priscilla is all well! Dominik managed to save her from the attack by the vampire! One gripe I always had with the game was that we NEVER got an update on Priscilla after this quest in the actual game, like you can't even ask Dandelion how she's doing! So I knew from the start she would be okay in my story. We WILL see her sing again in this story.**

**Finally, after the fight with the Katakan we have the heartfelt goodbyes between Dom and his friends. We will be seeing a lot more Faram in Skellige, however George and Freya will be gone until the Battle of Kaer Morhen… I hope you guys enjoyed them these last few chapters. After the Battle at Kaer Morhen don't worry we will see them a LOT, as well as Faram. Dom, Ciri, Faram, Freya and George, a deadly group indeed for the fights to come.**

**Also, quick note for anyone wondering the **_**Adrestia **_**and Barnabas, Faram's ship and first mate are 1000000% percent Assassin's Creed Odyssey references xD If you played that game you know the **_**Adrestia **_**and our man Barnabas.**

**So, what are your predictions for Skellige!? I will confirm this arc will be shorter then Velen and Novigrad. What are you looking forward to most? What are some predictions?**

**Also, quick armor and weapons update for all characters that are important!**

**Dominik of Cintra: Superior Wolven Witcher armor, Witcher's steel sword, and his trusty silver dagger (silver sword coming soon I promise) along with a superior/master oils and bombs**

**Geralt of Rivia: Kaer Morhen armor (Default/trailer armor), Witcher's silver sword, Blade of the Bits.**

**Faram of Undvik: Mastercrafted Ursine Armor, Mastercrafted Ursine steel/silver sword**

**George of Toussaint: Mastercrafted Griffin Armor, Mastercrafter Griffin steel/silver sword**

**Frey Kaminski of Ellander: Novigrad longsword, steel dagger, (Next time we see her she'll have significantly better gear/weapons/armor)**

**Thank you all so much again for reading. I have been pouring my heart soul and all my time into this story, and I hope that the end result is something good and helps you pass the time in quarantine! Please, follow, fav and review if you have time, and if you don't I STILL appreciate you. Stay safe everyone, and next time I see you, I'll see you in Skellige!**


	37. Destination: Skellige

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 37: Destination: Skellige**

**Narrator: After long journeys through Velen and Novigrad, Geralt and Dominik, the White Wolf and the Young Wolf, were finally on their way to the Skellige Isles. Needing to follow their last lead on Ciri, they set sail for Kaer Trolde with the aid of their friend Faram of Undvik, aboard his ship the **_**Adrestia. **_**In Kaer Trolde, Dominik and Geralt were due to meet with Yennefer of Vengerberg, Dominik's adopted mother, and Geralt's lover of yore. Yennefer had been on Ard Skellig, investigating a magical explosion that had destroyed half a forest on the Isle. Thinking it was related to Ciri, the sorceress awaited Dominik and Geralt in Kaer Trolde, so that the three may set out together, and finally reunite their family by finding Ciri.**

_ The dream was cold again, chilling him to his bones as he saw the storm of ice and snow. He had no idea where he was, it seemed like the cabin of a ship, similar to the one he was sleeping abord the Adrestia at the moment. There was one window that looked outside and that was how he saw the storm, the ice and wind howling so loudly it nipped at the glass window, ice overtaking the view out of it. It felt again as if he were a fly in the room, hovering over the inside, resting on the wall as he watched what happened inside unfold. _

_ His heart began to beat a mile a minute, and it almost leaped out of his chest when he saw her. In the middle of the room, she was kneeling on her knees in front of a bed. It was Baelen, this he knew. She was still dressed completely in her armor, the skull face plate still covering her eyes as she sat silently in front of a small fire she had started. He had no idea how the fire was spreading to the room, he assumed she was using a spell to keep in contained. The frost and wind hit the window, but she didn't lose her concentration. _

_ There was only a bed, a desk and nothing else in the barren room. He could see her crude longsword leaning against the wall, along with her two gauntlets sitting next to her. Her hands were the only part of her body not covered in armor, as she carefully reached them both out just over the flames of the fire. A chill went down his spine as he heard her female voice raking off her skull faceplate as she spoke. _

_ "Suede e tras… raenn aep e aen bled," She said in what he recognized as Elder Speech. He knew she was chanting some type of spell, but of course he couldn't recognize the words._

_ After she had finished chanting her spell, he saw her reach to her hip and pull a sleek bronze dagger out. He could hear her take in a huge breath in through her mask, as she held the knife over one of her hands. With a quick inhale, she slit the knife over her exposed palms, and he could her the woman wince. She kept her cut hand out over the fire, looking deep into its flames as she slowly squeezed her hand together, and the blood slowly slipped from her palms into the flames. _

_ He was almost shocked awake when the flames erupted, smoke billowing towards the top of the room. Baelen however was unflinching, watching the roaring flames erupt to her ceiling right in front of her eyes. She didn't move an inch as the flames continued to smoke, the ice pounding against the window as the storm continued to howl outside. The flames got so intense that he could almost feel it in real life, as his stomach began to churn the flames slowly subsided, falling down to the regular size that it had started in. _

_ However, he felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest when he saw white smoke begin to bellow around it. It swirled in a large circle, gathering around the top of the flames. After it had finally stopped, Baelen looked sharply down to the new screen of white smoke over the flames. He narrowed his vision as well, trying to see what the woman saw in the flames. Finally, the vision that she watched became clear, and when he did finally see what Baelen was seeing, it was as if the storm from outside had busted down her window and frozen him solid in the room. _

_ "So… Skellige bound…" She said quietly to herself, as her eyes didn't tare from the vision in the flames. _

_ In the flames he saw himself. He was on the docks of Novigrad, hugging Freya as he said goodbye to all his friends the day prior. He tried to force himself to wake up, but he failed, his eyes stayed glued to the flames, as Baelen seemed to examine every single aspect of the scene. He watched as she looked on, as he finally waved to all his friends and boarded the Adrestia with Geralt and Faram. She had somehow used her blood to see where he was, some kind of dark ritual. Could she have done something to him the night that they fought? Or was she truly someone that he knew from the past retuning to kill him?_

_ He couldn't see her face, but he heard a small sigh come from behind her helmet. He had expected her to lash out at the vision, tare it to pieces as she put out the fire. However, she continued looking on, watching him as he sailed away in the ship, waving to his friends, and hugging Geralt as the Adrestia sailed on into the distance. _

_ Her head suddenly shot up and he could see her swipe her hand into the flames, just as he pulled back from his hug with Geralt. He could see a flash of blue light from behind the eye sockets in her faceplate, as she slashed through the fire, the small spot erupting with heat as the fire and vision disappeared, leaving a charred spot behind on the floor. _

_ "You need to stop this Baelen… stop it NOW," She cursed to herself, shooting up to her feet. _

_ Her anger seemed to flare, as he saw small tendrils of blue magic shoot onto her arms. It looked like she was about to destroy the entire room she was in. He could almost feel the rage she was emanating through the dream itself. Her bare hands curled, her light skin the same color as his, she curled the so hard that the blood from the cut on her hand slowly dripped to the wooden floor, as her fingernails dug into her palms._

_ She was interrupted by a knock on the door, her head whirled around the eyes of her faceplate facing the entrance. _

_ "Caemm en," She shouted to towards the entrance, the anger spilling from her mouth like an active volcano. _

_ Slowly the door creaked open, and again his stomach dropped. The mage Caranthir, the man whom he knew was Eredin's closest advisor. The tall elf held his large, swirling staff in hand, as his eyes locked with Baelen. As soon as she had saw who had come into her room, Baelen fell to one knee, her head going low to the ground, both hands resting on her knee. She didn't move, and the blue magic that had been swirling in her eyes and around her limbs was now gone, as she didn't deign to move a muscle before Caranthir. _

_ Caranthir looked down at her, he couldn't see his face, but he knew in his gut that the elf was smirking. He held his staff in one hand, and while holding his other one down in front of her, he gestured for her to rise with his free hand._

_ "Rise… Baelen," He said, his common tongue broken, but good enough for him to understand. _

_ Slowly Baelen rose, giving the mage another small bow, still not deigning to speak a word. Caranthir slowly circled her, the bottom of his staff hitting the ground. His eyes stayed locked on Baelen, as she didn't move. The snow and ice smacked constantly against the window, seeming to speed up at Caranthir's arrival. Finally, after a moment he stopped in front of her again and faced her. _

_ "Did you complete… your ritual," He asked her in broken common tongue._

_ Baelen looked up and slowly met her faceplate with Caranthir's, "Y…Yes my lord."_

_ "And," The mage of the Hunt asked quickly, his voice sounding impatient, "What is the status of the witcher… and the… man?"_

_ His blood raced through his body. He tried to scream but nothing came from his mouth, if she had told them that Geralt and her were on their way to Skellige, they wouldn't be able to follow the leads on Ciri. If they knew exactly where they were, they would lead them right too her when they were following leads. Or, if Baelen could track him with her blood, and she somehow got wind of the leads Geralt and he had, she could get the Hunt to cut them off, get to the lead before they did. _

_ He thought that their entire quest could fail at that moment, that all of their hard work to find Ciri was going to be for nothing, and they would have to scramble for a new plan. He saw many things that terrified him in the dream so far… but what happened next terrified him the most. _

_ Baelen slowly shook her head, "No different. They're still in the city… haven't left yet."_

_ She had lied. She lied to Caranthir; he knew that she knew the truth. He had just seen her watching him leave Novigrad, Baelen knew they were on their way to Skellige, but she hadn't told the mage. His heart felt like it was about to pump out of his chest, like his brain was being stabbed a hundred times as he tried to wrap his head around what she had done. A moment prior she seemed as if she were about to blast her entire room with magic out of anger. _

_ Caranthir tilted his helmet, "Still… you are certain?"_

_ "Yes, he's still recovering. He unleashed parts of his powers before he was ready, it's taken its toll on him, he's recovering," She said quickly after the man asked. _

_ He wished he could see the reaction from Caranthir, but the faceplate stopped that from being possible. The mage of the Hunt slowly shook his head and turned his back to her. _

_ "He must not learn to control it Baelen…" The mage said slowly, not turning back to face her as he continued, "The fact you were allowed to learn to control the powers in your blood… you are lucky I was so… generous. The blood of the one responsible for bringing shame to our race… one of you is enough…you will kill him next you meet… am I understood?"_

_ His skin crawled as he watched Baelen slowly nod her head, "Yes my lord… I will not fail again."_

_ "Good… meet with us above deck," Caranthir said in his broken words, slowly walking out of Baelen's room, closing the door behind him. _

_ A thousand questions ran through his brain, why had Baelen lied to Caranthir, how had she been able to find him through the fire, and what power was inside of him. It frustrated him to no end that more questions kept coming with no answers, but his rage was nothing compared to the rage he saw flash in Baelen's eyes. As soon as the door closed, she stood there for a few moments, before he saw a flash of blue light up in her eyes as she screamed. _

_ "ARGGHHHHHHHH WHY, WHY," She screamed, whirling around and punching her hand into the wall of her cabin. _

_ A loud fiery explosion crackled from her hands, and the flames erupted up, overtaking his vision as Baelen finally disappeared from his view…._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You said she saw us? Saw us in the fire, knows where we are," Geralt asked him, as his adopted father leaned against the railing of the _Adrestia, _the wind blowing through his silver hair, the sun glinting off his swords.

He let out a sigh, the smell of the sea air hitting his nose. Looking up he met his adopted father's eyes, his heart still racing, the hairs on his arms still standing up from the dream he had woken up from, as the wind blew through his brown hair. The sun was slowly beginning its descent, and he knew that they were nearing Ard Skellige and Kaer Trolde. They had been lucky enough to have no rain, and while a few raiders ships sailed near them, as soon as they saw the coats of arms painted on the sails, and the flags flying they left them alone. This had allowed him to sleep clean through to midday. The fatigue that he had felt from the day before, the power he still couldn't control had helped him fall asleep within minutes after Geralt and he had a small training session.

His bones were feeling rejuvenated, full of energy, but despite the heat, he still felt a chill running down his body. He had wished with everything that he had, that he could simply focus solely on finding Ciri, but the more questions that popped into his mind, the more he had to ask the questions. The biggest ones in his head, were what power was unlocking inside of him, and who this Baelen was. Geralt had assured him that for a human female to fight in the Wild Hunt, Eredin would have needed an exceptional reason to allow her. And then past those questions, how did she know so much about him, and why had she lied and covered for him?

He took in a deep breath, the salty smell of the sea piercing his nose as he crossed his arms, looking out over the crystal blue water.

"Yeah… and that wasn't even the scariest part," He said, turning to meet Geralt's eyes, "She… lied to them for some reason Geralt. She didn't tell them we left Novigrad, that scares me even more then her knowing how to find me."

Why had she offered him the chance to live in the cave, why had she spared him, and why now was she lying to Caranthir for him. She had done all of this, but it perfectly clear she despised him, and Ciri. She had wanted to use him to lure Ciri out of hiding, that had to be the reason. She needed him to get to her, and she knew that he was the best way to lure her out. It was the only reason he could think of that made any practical sense.

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Don't know why she would lie either…. We need to figure out who she is. I've never heard of her, the only person who may have is Ciri, you said that she fought her before?"

Quickly he nodded, "Yeah, before she fought me she said she had fought Ciri recently. Ciri must have either beaten her or gotten away, because we know she's still alive, if she wasn't Baelen wouldn't have bothered setting a trap for me."

His adopted father stroked his white beard for a moment, before meeting him with deathly serious eyes, "You need to be careful Dom. This could be a way she's messing with you, trying to get you to let your guard down, make you feel comfortable. Let's focus on finding Ciri, and I'm sure that after we do… you'll run into her again, and this time we'll be ready."

Slowly he shook his head, the chills still running up his body. Baelen had spared him last time, she hadn't used the full extent of her powers, this he knew. She had taken it easy on him, and for an unknown reason had spared him. Geralt had been right, it could her way of trying to lure him into a sense of security, that he could somehow trust her, and then after he did, she would kill him, and use him to lure Ciri directly to her. She could be the one manipulating his dreams, doing these things just to make him somehow trust her. He didn't know if any mage had such power, but there were still things he didn't know about how powerful the Hunt truly was.

He wasn't going to fall for it. Baelen was a commander of the Wild Hunt. She along with the rest of them, had been chasing Ciri for years, making her life hell. They were the reason that after she had come back the first time, he hadn't been able to see her. If they hadn't been on her trail, she would have come to find him, and they could be together in the moment. Ciri's face popped into his head, her beautiful, mature, gorgeous face. Those sparkling eyes that he missed, the loose ashen hair. According to Dandelion she was looking for him, asking about him, she still wanted to get to him.

And if he had to kill Eredin himself, Caranthir, and Baelen to get to her, to be able to hold her in his arms again, then he would, with or without magic powers in his blood.

Sighing he nodded, feeling the sun beat down on his neck. He reached his hand up and gripped the silver swallow around his neck. The breeze was pleasant, as he listened to the waves lap up against the boat. One of Faram's crew members were manning the wheel, while Faram himself and Barnabas his captain were on the main deck. Geralt and he stood watching over the edge on behind the wheel. He looked closer out onto the horizon, and he could see Ard Skellig getting closer and closer. His first time on the isles, it sent a small bit of excitement running through him, along with the fact he'd see Yennefer again.

Slowly he whirled around and met Geralt's eyes again, "We will be… but first we need to get to Kaer Trolde… still mad that I was never able to get there over the last few years.

Geralt nodded, the sun glinting off the pommel of his swords, "So you told me Ciri told you about it all right?"

Smiling fondly at the memories he nodded, "Yeah she did. Like I said when we were eleven, she was trying to convince my father to come let me stay with her there. She told me about Hjalmar, Crach, her Uncle Ermion… don't know much about it now though."

The large island got closer and closer. They were getting close enough that he could see smaller skiffs and boats gently gliding across the water. The sun was descending, so he knew that in a few hours' sunset would be upon them again. The journey just as Faram had predicted only took them about a day, and that made the optimism running in his body rise. Velen and Novigrad had taken them far too long, he was glad that they were able to accomplish what they did, but every moment that passed, was another moment a curse could overtake her. So, he was ready to do whatever he had to get right on her trail as soon as they landed.

The wind blew through Geralt's hair as he nodded to him, "We'll probably have to meet with Crach, Hjalmar and Ermion soon so you'll get to meet them. Crach has a lot of influence, but King Bran ruled the last I heard, but I also heard he wasn't exactly in good health."

Hearing King Bran's named made his head perk up, the sea spray spitting above the boat into his face.

"King Bran… he was King Eist's brother wasn't he," He asked his adopted father.

Geralt quickly nodded, "Yeah, Eist was actually a Jarl before he married Calanthe, that's why Ciri always fostered on Skellige for parts of the year."

He didn't interact much with King Eist when he was young in Cintra. Ciri was fond of him and always told him about the King. The rumor was Eist had no interest in marrying until he met Calanthe and asked her to marry him. His father Gregory had told him Eist was a great man and was critical in helping him and Calanthe both when Princess Pavetta had died. Eist had died in the battle versus the Nilfgaardeans, the battle that Calanthe and his father had lost before the Black Ones came to Cintra.

There had only been a few times when he met King Eist, and they had never talked much. His father had introduced him when he started bringing Dominik around the castle more, and the man had always been kind and courteous to him. However, there had only been one time that he actually had a conversation with the man. Ciri and he had been playing knucklebones with each other out on the balcony where they had met. They were laughing, playing, and having a great time, before King Eist came out to see them both. He remembered trying to bow so fast he tripped, making both Ciri and the King laugh.

The King had helped him to his feet, and proceeded to play knucklebones with Ciri and he for a while longer. Before he left he remembered the look King Eist had given him and Ciri. He smiled down at them both and said, _'You two seem quite fond of each other. Be sure to keep an eye on one another now.' _It had made Ciri particularly happy, because Queen Calanthe, his father and most people when they saw the two together, looked to Dominik and said, _'Make sure you keep an eye on Ciri now' _And after this Ciri would scoff, and insist she looked after him just as much as he did her, which was of course true.

Sighing the thought of her sent a warm feeling through his chest, he looked up at the Island, and realized that it hadn't gotten any bigger. He poked his head over the side of the boat and realized that the water wasn't churning anymore. He whirled around to Geralt and he could see his adopted father had seen the same thing.

"Why'd we stop," He asked, looking around and seeing they weren't that far from the shore.

Geralt shook his head slowly, "Don't know… haven't had any problems yet."

"GERALT, DOMINIK," The old loud voice of Barnabas shouted from behind them.

The way the old man shouted, both Geralt and he reached for their swords, thinking that the ship was indeed under attack. However, he sighed in relief when he saw Barnabas slowly walking towards them, and none of the crew running for swords or screaming. From the previous day and from the interactions with the old captain he had that day, seeing Barnabas with such a forlorn look on his face made him narrow his eyes.

Geralt sensed this as well, pulling his hand away from his sword, "Barnabas what is it? Why'd we stop?"

"And…are you okay," Dominik quickly asked the man, his hand removing from the hilt of his sword as well.

Barnabas shook his head, sniffling, looking as if he were about to cry, "Nay, nay I'm not my friends! We've arrived at Kaer Trolde… but just in time for the funeral of King Bran. He returns to the sea… the best man I've ever known!"

Geralt sighed and lowered his head, and he felt a small twang of sadness run through him. He had never met King Bran of course, but a small part of him wanted to meet the man. He wanted to meet King Eist's brother, and see if the two were anything alike, and maybe he could have been reminded of better days when he was younger in Cintra.

He remembered Barnabas telling them his story the day before, how the man had sailed under King Bran for years. Sighing he looked and met the older man's eyes, feeling a pang of sympathy.

"I'm sorry Barnabas, he sounded like he was a great man," He said to the old sailor.

Barnabas sniffled again, looking at Geralt and he both with one his one brown eye and one white one.

"Aye thank you lad…. The funeral is beginning soon, they don't want any ships docking in Kaer Trolde," The old captain explained, gesturing towards the deck, "Captain asked me to get the two of you. He's taking a smaller skiff to the shore now, wanted you with him. I'm going to sail around, wait for the funeral to end before I pull into the port."

"Don't wanna come to Bran's funeral," Geralt asked the older man, the sun glinting off his black Kaer Morhen armor.

Barnabas quickly shook his head, "Nay, nay, I don't think I could bare it. I'll stay aboard and wait till it concludes…. It was a pleasure sailing with you both, I hope to have you aboard again soon."

A small smile managed to come to his face, as he reached out and shook the old man's hand. Geralt quickly did the same next to him, as he looked out quickly towards the sliver of sea leading to Kaer Trolde. He was closer, closer and closer with every step he took. Yennefer was there, and he had been yearning to see his adopted mother again ever since they separated in Vizima. He only gotten to spend a small amount of time with her, and a decent amount of that time was in a Nilfgaardean controlled city.

Yennefer's name was tattooed onto his inner forearm with the rest of his family. He had missed her dearly, and now more then ever needed to talk to her. With magic he didn't know about coursing through his veins, being so close to Ciri, it all was driving him mad, and the sorceress always had ways of calming him.

"Thanks for your help Barnabas," Geralt said, shaking the older man's hand as well, before he followed his adopted a father down towards the deck.

The wind blew through the sails of the _Adrestia. _The beautifully drawn clan symbols flapped and ripped in the breeze, as it washed over him, sending a small chill down his body. He quickly adjusted his sword on his back and tightened the straps of his armor. Soon he would be taking his first steps in Skellige. It was surreal to him. Meeting the Emperor and getting the three leads had felt like months prior, but in reality had only been a few weeks. He had felt himself change dramatically from the man he was when he first set foot in Velen.

Dominik back then wasn't ready for the full totality of what they were going to do. He had rose tinted glasses on, thinking that between Geralt and he, they would find Ciri in a week and be on their way to Kaer Morhen. He had been wrong, he realized now that finding her would be one of the most grueling experiences of his life. He had almost died every day, he had hit low points, and he had high points, and there were times when he believed that he wouldn't make it. After getting almost cut in half by Nithral, he didn't know if he would ever be able to stand up to the might of the Hunt.

However, after that, he had gone toe to toe with Baelen in the cave. Baelen's skill made Nithral look like a militiaman, and yet he was still able to stand up to her. He still thought that Baelen had gone easy on him, not unleashing the true extent of the power she wielded, but if what his dream had shown him was true… he hadn't either. It terrified him, and every time it came out of him, he had felt afterwards like he would crumble to dust, but if he could somehow figure out what it was, perhaps he could stand up to her again.

Either way, when he set foot on Skellige, he wouldn't be afraid of anything again. Not of any monster, not any of his past failures, and any man or woman who tried to stand in his way, he would defeat them all. He gripped on the swallow, and he felt the love and yearning swell up inside him. It had been building, building and building inside of him for eight years and now it was almost ready to explode. Ciri was on Skellige, she had to be.

And he was going to find her, one way or another.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"A damn shame… Bran was a good King… never seen Kaer Trolde this quiet," Faram said as they walked through the town.

Skellige from what he saw so far had been just as beautiful as Ciri described. After managing to row a smaller boat to the shore, he, Geralt and Faram had all made the short walk to Kaer Trolde on foot. The tree's the grass, the beautiful bushes of flowers, the cool breeze, everything about the Isles had been absolutely beautiful. The smell of the sea was slowly becoming one of his favorite smells, as the sun slowly got lower and lower, approaching sunset. An orange glow got casted out over the port town, as he walked next to his friend and father, their feet clunking on the wooden dock. Houses were lined to the left, and multiple smaller fishing boats were lined in the water to his right.

They of course saw a huge crowd of people gathered towards the end of the docks. Despite the large amount of people however, there was somber silence. He saw people walk by with flowers, pouches of gold or pretty heirlooms. The people mourned their King's death, and from everything that he had heard, Bran had been one of the best. He took in a deep breath and sighed as they all approached the crowd. Looking to his right he saw Faram with a hard look on his face. It was a stark contrast to how he usually looked.

"You alright Faram," He asked his friend as they got towards the back of the crowd.

Quickly his friend sighed and nodded, "Aye mate… I'm alright. It's just… hard being back."

He nodded in understanding, knowing that he more then likely didn't want to talk more. Faram he knew had sailed out a year prior to slay the Ice Giant of Undvik, his old home island. He had explained to Dominik how the giant had nearly killed him, describing how he went into the fight arrogant, boisterous, and it had almost cost him his life. He was chased off the island, before sailing back to the continent to train more, take on more contracts before heading back to slay the beast again.

Dominik was going to help his friend if he could. His first priority would be finding Ciri as it always had been, but Faram had done so much for him, he couldn't not help the Bear School witcher in his one quest, the one that was most important to him. A beast had destroyed his home. Faram was young for a witcher, only being around forty years of age. Being so young, he knew his friend still remembered his home. During the half a year he had traveled with him, the Bear witcher had told him many stories, and spoke fondly of his youth on Undvik.

He saw Geralt ahead of him gently push through the crowd, so he followed behind. After getting to the front of the crowd with Faram closely in tow, he stood next to Geralt. His adopted father was looking upwards, towards a small scaffolding. A cluster of people were perched atop it, watching the body of King Bran be lowered onto the ship for his final voyage. One older man with a long grey beard wore a pointy hat, with animal bones going upwards. Another he saw was much larger, a red beard and head of hair, wearing the colors of clan An Craite.

Looking to his right, King Bran's body was slowly placed down into his boat. The boat was loaded with swords, axes, and other treasures for the King to use in his next life. He folded his hands in front of him and stood tall, as he watched a young brown hair girl, tears streaming down her face walked towards the boat. He tilted his head wonderingly, when he saw the girl kneel next to the deceased king's body, holding her arms around him. He had of course never observed Skelligan customs, but when he saw nobody move or bat an eye, he assumed this had to be a normal occurrence. So, no matter how worried he was, that the girl seemed to be ready to drift off to sea with the dead king… he didn't move. Geralt had taught him that everyone had a right to follow their customs, even if they didn't make sense to us.

Geralt tore his attention away from the boat by nudging his arm. He whirled his head around and his adopted father gestured upwards, directing his attention to the scaffolding. Slowly he moved his eyes up, the sun shining in them as he saw what Geralt had been pointing too. The old man, the one with the bones attached to his hat and a long grey beard, he looked down at both Geralt and he. The older man gave Geralt a respectful nod, before turning his eyes to Dominik. His eyes went wide for a moment before they narrowed, and he nodded to him as well.

He felt his own green eyes go wide, as he heard a younger Ciri's voice say the old man's name in his head.

"Is that…." He said lightly to Geralt next to him, not taking his eyes off the druid.

Geralt nodded to him, "Yeah… Ermion."

A small scoff escaped him, as he couldn't help but smile, "Uncle Ermion…."

Ciri had told him all the stories she could of the druid. When they were in Cintra, Kaer Morhen, and in Ellander together, she always told him stories about her former mentor. She told him how incredibly skilled, smart and caring the old man was. That along with all the other amazing stories he remembered her telling him about Skellige came flooding back. He remembered how she begged his father to let him go with her when she had to go back when they were eleven. During that year with the rising tensions with Nilfgaard, Ciri had stayed in Cintra and not gone to the Isles.

The both of them had thought the tensions would be over quickly. Queen Calanthe, King Eist and Gregory his father would smash the Nilfgaardean threat. So Ciri had constantly asked his father to let Dominik go to Skellige with her when she finally went back. His father would always laugh, saying it was Dominik's mother that they needed to convince not him. Right before they finally thought they'd get him to say yes, the army had left, the gates to the castle were barred, and he didn't see Ciri again until they escaped Cintra. After this, during their time on the run after escaping, their main goal had been to get to Skellige. They traveled and did everything they could to reach a boat to take them there, that was until Geralt found them, and they set out on a new path.

He finally managed to tare his eyes away from Ermion when he heard the grunting of men to his right. Turning to the source, he saw the men push the boat off into the water. The crowd remained silent as the cool breeze blew through his hair. He reached up and itched the scruff growing on his chin and knelt his head in respect as he watched the boat sail further and further out towards sea. He didn't know what would happen next, but soon he heard the draw of a bowstring through the silence. His head shot up towards the scaffolding again, and the red haired-larger man had drawn an arrow, a fire burning at its tip. With the orange sunset still in his eyes, the man pulled back the bow and fired the flaming arrow out towards the sea. There was no way he could see if it hit its mark, but he saw smoke start to billow in the distance, and once again lowered his head, wishing King Bran, the man he didn't know, but somehow felt great respect for farewell.

"Oh, how much you've grown… in only a few weeks," A breathless voice said from behind him.

He knew Faram wouldn't speak to him like that, but soon the smell of lilac and gooseberries hit his nose. A warm feeling rushed over him, as he whirled around, a warm tingling feeling washing over him. He laughed and felt himself smile broadly as he met the violet eyes of the woman who became a second mother to him.

"Yen…" He said breathlessly, holding out his arms and the sorceress quickly wrapped him in a tight hug.

She was still half ahead taller then him, but he buried his head onto her shoulder, her raven locks swarming his face, as he closed his eyes and squeezed around her waist. He made sure to completely take in her presence, her scent, and squeeze the sorceress with everything he could. She hugged around his neck just as hard, and he almost felt himself tear up. After everything that had happened the last few weeks, all the quests, all the questions he had, all of the times he had been half dead from fatigue, or had just felt like giving up, he melted into his adopted mother, feeling in that moment as if everything truly had been fine.

He remembered the exact moment he met Yennefer. Geralt and he had finally gotten to Ellander, intent on going to see Ciri. Geralt had already wrote to Yennefer, and the sorceress had already arrived in the town before them, collecting Ciri from the Temple of Melitele. He had slid right off his horse and ran into Ciri's arms when they arrived and he saw her. Those few months she had been at the Temple, had been the longest they'd spent apart since before they met each other in Cintra. It was after he had lifted Ciri up, hugged her, and kissed her right in front of Geralt for the first time that he had met Yennefer.

'_Well, well, you're the Dominik I've heard so much about… you're just as handsome as Ciri has been saying.' _Those were the first words Yennefer had said to him, he only remembered because of how red his face got, and flabbergasted both he and Ciri were, when they realized they had kissed right in front of both Yennefer and Geralt. It had taken him some time to warm up to the sorceress, but after a month or so… he considered her his second mother. She had taught him to always stick true to what you believe in, no matter how unpopular or popular it was. She had cared for him and loved him like he really was her child.

And in that moment he didn't think he'd ever been so glad to see anyone.

The sorceress pulled back and gently held her hand to his cheek, a smile planted on her face.

"I can't believe how different you look, even after only a few weeks," She said quietly, not wanting to raise her voice during the funeral.

He scoffed quietly and slowly shook his head, meeting her violet eyes, "Yen… I've missed you more then you know… there… there's so much I need to tell you."

His adopted mother slowly nodded her head, taking a small step back and giving him a reassuring smile, "We'll have time later, and I'll listen to everything I promise."

Slowly he nodded his head, and Yen walked to stand between him and Geralt. He couldn't help but smile even wider when he saw his adopted father look at her. The way Geralt's eyes lit up when he saw her sent a warm feeling through his thumping chest. He remembered how conflicted Geralt had been back in Novigrad, having to spend time with and say goodbye to Triss. He had told his adopted father to follow his heart, no matter what his brain said. It seemed that Geralt had done just that.

"You look beautiful," His adopted father said to the sorceress.

Yen slowly turned and smiled up at him, "Thank you… it's good to see you. I'm glad we're all back together again."

Geralt looked over Yennefer's head to him and gave him a small smile. He nodded back to his adopted father, a similar smile on his own face. Yen quickly nudged both of their arms and gestured her head back up towards the scaffolding.

"Shh… the eulogy," She said, as he whirled his head upwards.

Ermion stepped forward to address the growing crowd. Since the boat had set off he noticed Faram had moved his way to the edge of the docks. His friend looked somberly out over the water, towards the pillar of smoke that kept getting further and further away. He sighed and a small part of him wanted to go try and talk to his friend, but he knew that Faram wasn't the type for deep emotional conversations. He turned his head back up towards the scaffold, and saw the druid raise up his hands.

"King Bran of Clan Tuirseach has embarked on his final voyage! At its end, our glorious ancestors await him. Together they will hunt and raid! They will sit and praise the deeds of ages past," The druids loud voice boomed through the crowd, he folding his hand in front of him again, and kept his eyes on the older man as he continued, "For now he lives on in our hearts. One day, we too shall stand at his side and face the sea together…. That will be a good day!"

"You smell wonderful," Geralt said quietly in a joking tone, his head back down towards Yennefer

He felt himself scoff out a laugh and try to contain himself. Yennefer rolled her eyes but kept her gaze up on scaffold.

"Geralt we're at a funeral," She chastised his adopted father quickly.

The older witcher rolled his eyes with a smile, "You smell wonderful at this funeral."

A laugh burst out of him, but he was quickly silence when his adopted mother elbowed him. Geralt chuckled and Dominik only felt himself laugh more, but he was able to contain himself. Yennefer even cracked an amused smile, as she slowly shook her head.

He looked back up to the platform again, and Ermion made way for the larger red-haired man. Finally, he had gotten his first good look at him. A long axe was strapped to his back, and he wore a red cloak with a fur scarf. His mail armor glinted in the orange sun beams, and he had an aura of command and respect around him. He raked through his brain and finally remembered who the man was, remembering young Ciri's voice in his head again, telling him stories of how she'd ice skate with the man.

"Crach…" He said questioningly, looking over to Yennefer.

Yen slowly nodded, and he felt his chest thump again. Crach an Craite was King Eist's nephew, the head of Clan an Craite, to his knowledge the most powerful clan in Skellige. Crach had let Ciri foster at Kaer Trolde during her years growing up, playing with his son Hjalmar, and learning from Ermion. Ciri had always described Crach as tough and stern, but with a softer, kinder side. He was a fair man, one of the most loyal you could ever have as a friend. Ciri had said that she always thought Crach would love him, and that he'd get along great with Hjalmar. A small smile came to his face as he watched the man hold both his hands up, wondering if what Ciri said would come true.

"Skellige is its clans. In times of war, tradition holds the clans unite under the leadership of their king. We bid Bran farewell. Time to pick his successor, who will lead us against the Black Ones," Crach boomed to the gathered crowd, his commanding voice drawing all of their attention, "The gates of Kaer Trolde stand open to all who hold Bran of Clan Tuirseach dear. Mead and meat will be plentiful! During the wake, all those who believe themselves worthy of the crown will step forward."

From the little he did know about the culture of Skellige, was that the position of King was more symbolic than on the continent. The Jarls were left to rule their lands mainly, and as Crach said, would only unite in times of war. A small jolt of anger ran up his spine, making his fist curl. Emhyr was continuing his conquest without any thought. The man wanted it all, all of the continent, all the way to Kovir, and then Skellige for good measure. The man didn't care the rape, violence, and destruction that he wrought across the land. And somehow, he wanted to fit Ciri into his plans. He still didn't know what he wanted with her, but he wouldn't let him get his hands on her.

If he could choose one man in the world, any man to be able to kill… the man would be Emhyr Var Emrys.

"Come to the wake with me," Geralt said jokingly besides him, bringing his thoughts back to the current moment.

He looked over to his two adopted parents with an amused smile. Yennefer laughed lightly and looked up at his adopted father.

"Gladly…. Feasts in Skellige-so predictable. Slobbering drunks, brazen boasting, and the inevitable rows that result…" Yen said quietly, making Geralt smirk and turn around to her.

His adopted father smirked as Yennefer turned to him.

"Yeah, nothing like the banquet mages attend…. Remember the one on Thanned," Geralt said, a deep suggestive tone in his adopted fathers voice.

He whirled his head around, feeling his skin begin to crawl, and an embarrassed churning spin in his stomach. Yennefer didn't help the situation as he could see the sultry look she had on her eyes when she looked back up at Geralt.

"You were there-how could I forget? I also remember excruciatingly well what happened after the banquet…" His adopted mother said slowly, as her and Geralt's eyes seemed to already have undressed one another.

Feeling his skin continue to crawl, and trying not to imagine what happened after the banquet in his head, he sighed with annoyance, making both his adopted parents turn to him.

"Will you two… please not talk about your sexual exploits in front of me… you know I hate it when you do that," He said, crossing his arms and looking over to them both.

The wind blew through their hair, and Yennefer let out a small laugh, seeming to be amused at his discomfort. The last thing he wanted to think about in the moment was his adopted parents in bed together. Plenty of times in Ellander were Geralt and Yennefer were 'up late' the night before, which gave Ciri and he the morning to spend together, whether it was eating breakfast or going out into town.

While Yennefer looked amused Geralt rolled his eyes down at him, "Oh please. Don't act like we're not going to have to pry you and Ciri off each other to stop you from going at it every hour when we find her."

He felt all the blood in his body rush to his face as his eyes widened. Yennefer scoffed and looked like she was going to smack Geralt's arm, but his adopted mother instead laughed more. The hairs on his arms stood up, and for a few seconds Ciri flashed into his vision. Ciri how she was now. The shining eyes, beautiful face with high cheekbones and cute nose, her long legs and slender waist… and he suddenly felt a buzzing feeling run through his body down into his stomach, overtaking his entire body… that was until he remembered that it was actually Dudu he had seen transform into Ciri back in Novigrad, and it made him sigh and roll his eyes, the redness taking over his entire face.

"Hi-fucking-larious Geralt…" He said, turning from them both, trying to force his face to go back to its normal color instead of bright red.

Both of his adopted parents laughed as the crowd for the funeral began to disperse. Despite the embarrassment he felt as they both laughed at him, he felt a small smile come to his face. The cool breeze blew back his messy brown hair, and hearing them laugh and having them both next to him again, sent a feeling of warmth washing over him. For a moment he almost felt like they were back in Ellander, all sitting around the dinner table at the inn, telling jokes, laughing and smiling with one another.

The three of them were there now… and all they needed was Ciri, and his second family would be back together again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The crowd from the funeral had dispersed quickly. Yennefer sat cross legged on a barrel at the edge of the docks, while Geralt knelt back against one of the stacks of crates. He stood between them, practically bouncing on his toes. They had finally had their reunion. He hugged his adopted mother, she had seen Geralt again, and now they were all finally back together. It was time then to move onto the main reason they were there. They had two leads worth of clues, and if all three of them could put the pieces together, it would lead them to Ciri.

The sun was gently still setting over the horizon, casting a brilliant orange glow over them all. The wind was a steady breeze, still blowing back his messy hair, sending a pleasant chill down his spine under his armor. It his own theory was correct, the magic explosion on Skellige had been caused when Ciri teleported away in Novigrad. She could have teleported to Ard Skellige, blasting powerfully and destroying the forest. Now Ciri could be in hiding somewhere on the island trying to recover.

His thought were interrupted when he heard footsteps behind him. He whirled around along with his adopted parents to see Faram of Undvik coming towards them. The Bear School witcher stopped with a sigh next to him, and he could see how troubled his friend was truly feeling. It wasn't like Faram to be like that, he had never seen his friend anything other then confident and full of energy. Now however, Faram seemed drained, and he saw something on his friends face he never had before. It was doubt.

"You okay," He asked, looking up and clapping his friends armored shoulder.

The larger witcher sighed as the sun glinted off his master bear school armor, and the pommels of the two blades on his back. His black ponytail and long beard were growing even longer, he knew his friend hadn't shaved in weeks, constantly training and preparing for the trip back to the Isles.

He looked down and met Dominik's eyes and slowly nodded, "Aye mate, I'll be alright. Just talked to Jarl an Craite, said he'll tell me more tonight at the wake about the giant."

Nodding he reached up and clapped a reassuring hand on his friends back, before turning back to his two adopted parents. Quickly realizing Yennefer was looking at them both slightly confused he laughed and held his hands over to Faram and met his adopted mother's eyes.

"Yen, this is my friend Faram of Undvik, witcher of the School of the Bear," He said, as Yen looked up towards the much taller witcher before he continued, "Faram and I traveled together for a couple months about a year ago… save my life a hundred times. He's been helping Geralt and I in Velen and Novigrad, he sailed us here. He knows… well everything, I trust him with my life."

He quickly added in the last part, knowing that Yen didn't like people knowing about Ciri unless absolutely necessary. A part of him expected the sorceress to look at Faram suspiciously, or even ask him to leave. However, she did neither. His adopted mother gently nodded her head and smiled up at the Bear School witcher.

"A pleasure to meet you Faram. Thank you for keeping him safe… while I couldn't," She said to his friend, repeating the same words Geralt said to Faram after they met.

Faram gave his adopted mother a small smile before bowing respectfully towards her, "Lady Yennefer, the pleasure is all mine. And I'll promise you just like I promised Dom and Geralt, if you have any need of my help, you need only ask."

"Thank you," Yennefer said with another small nod and a smile.

For a few seconds silence hung over the four of them. Faram quickly looked and met all of their eyes and nodded to them all.

"I can tell you all want some time alone, I need to head into town, get a room, make sure Barnabas gets the ship in here," The Bear School witcher said, a small smile forming on his face before he continued, "I'll see the three of you later at the wake. Geralt, Dominik… a pleasure as always my friends. Lady Yennefer I'm glad to have met you."

A smile came to his face as Geralt stepped forward and shook his friend's hand, "Thanks for everything Faram, we'll see you later."

"Yes, thank you from me as well for getting them here, and for all your help so far," Yen said with a small smile from the barrel she sat atop.

Quickly he turned and faced his best-friend, shaking the bear witchers hand firmly, "Thanks again mate… for everything."

Faram let out a guttural laugh, sounding like his normal self for a moment, before a smile finally returned to his face.

"Always mate, always… I'll be seeing you all tonight," Faram said excitedly, turning and walking further into Kaer Trolde.

A small tinge of worry ran through his body as he watched his friend walk away. He had seemed like his normal self when he said goodbye, but Dominik could tell there was something seriously bothering his friend. He made a mental note to ask him later when he saw the Bear School witcher at the wake. If Faram truly meant to set out and slay the Ice Giant, Dominik wanted to make sure he was in the right frame of mind. He would make sure Faram was okay before he left, just like he did with his friends back in Novigrad.

Finally, he saw his friend walk out of view, and Yennefer's voice pulled him back to the conversation.

"I like him, very polite but…. You told him everything? Everything about Ciri," His adopted mother asked him, making him look to meet her violet eyes.

Slowly he nodded to her, "Yeah… I… I was in a bad way when I met him. I thought you and Geralt were dead… Ciri out of my reach. I… was basically throwing myself at monsters, waiting to get killed…. Faram saved me on one. One of the best men I've ever met, I trust him with my life, and my secrets, even Ciri."

"I can vouch for him too," Geralt quickly said, as both he and Yennefer turned to him, before his adopted father continued, "He helped us with everything in Novigrad, don't know how well we would've done without him."

Yennefer seemed to be convinced and smiled at them both, nodding, "Alright, if you do trust him, then so do I. Now… let's start where I sent you first, what happened in Velen?"

His mind quickly began to race again. The journey through Velen, encountering Keira Metz, the Baron, the Crones, it had all felt like ages ago. However, he knew in reality it had only been about two weeks. Geralt and he had been traveling together for almost a month, and Velen had been the first part of their journey, but he could still remember it all vividly. He waited for Geralt to start explaining, but his adopted father looked over and nodded towards him. Seeing this, Yennefer turned and now both of his adopted parents looked at him.

He took in a deep breath as the wind chilled his bones. Finally, it was time. It was time to lay all the pieces of the puzzle they had out and try to figure out what pieces they needed to finally put it all together.

"Don't know how or from where, but Ciri teleported into Crookback Bog in Velen, this was after she was badly hurt," He said, remembering the tale the monstrous crones had told them.

"She was hurt, was it serious," Yen quickly asked, her voice raising an octave.

He shook his head, "Doesn't look like it, she's tough. She had a run in with some… witches? To be honest they're more like beasts. They almost gave her to the Hunt, but Ciri escaped, still injured. Thankfully, she found some peasants and they took her to the local Baron at Crow's Perch."

"Beasts, witches, what do you mean? Geralt," His adopted mother asked, looking over to his adopted father.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Don't rightfully know what they are… all we know is their dangerous, extremely dangerous. Ciri's lucky to have escaped them."

Yen quickly nodded in understanding, the wind blowing through her raven locks. She looked back to Dominik and gestured for him to continue, so he took in another deep breath and continued their tale.

"After she went to the Baron, he gave her food, place to sleep, she was able to heal and then went off to Novigrad. She…. She was looking for me, you and Geralt," He said, a small part of him wondering how the Baron was faring in his quest to heal his wife.

His adopted mother nodded again and met his eyes, "Thank goodness she found help… did anything else happen in Velen?"

He sighed again and felt his skin crawl, remembering his friend Keira Metz. She had tried to use him of course, but he couldn't help but consider her a friend. She had saved his life in the mage's laboratory, and he was glad that he sent her to Kaer Morhen. He hoped that she had gone, or was in the process of going, and she didn't go through with her mad plan to go to Radovid with the research notes she had recovered.

Carefully he nodded to his adopted mother, "Yeah… you see when we first got there we had two leads. The baron, and that Ciri had clashed with witches. Geralt went to the Baron, I went to see about the witch, said she was in Midcopse. It wasn't the witches Ciri had a run in with, it was one of your old friends actually, Keira Metz."

He saw a small amused look begin to appear on Geralt's face and he quickly shot his adopted father a death glare. Yennefer didn't notice however, simply shaking her head and scoffing.

"What on earth was Keira Metz doing in Velen," His adopted mother asked him.

"Hiding from Witch Hunters. She thought I was one of them at first, nearly killed me. Let me go though, after I told her who I was," He said, quickly adding in the second part when he saw Yen's eyes go dark.

A colder chill ran through his body remembering his first adventure with Keira Metz. The scar running horizontally across his abdomen seemed to tingle. He remembered watching who he knew now as Caranthir summon the white frost, as he had to stay under Keira's magic shield and fight off the beasts of the Hunt. The whole cave had been his first real challenge, the first major obstacle he had to climb to get to Ciri. Nithral had almost killed him then, he would have been split open on the cavern floor to that day if not for Keira. He had killed the general in the end, but it was far from easy.

He knew for a fact however, if he ran into Nithral as he was now, he would have killed him, within minutes.

"Keira told me an elven mage had come by to see her, asking about Ciri. Keira hadn't seen her, but the elf had told her to send Ciri to his hideout if she did," He started, crossing his arms, feeling the scar tingle as he went on, "Keira and I went to the hideout, thought I could find the mage or even better Ciri there. The Hunt was there before us though. Keira and I went through the cave… nearly died fighting a general of the Hunt. I managed to kill him though. We didn't learn much, only that Ciri was traveling with this mage at one point."

Yennefer looked and met his eyes, and he could see the worry fill up in his adopted mother's eyes. He felt a chill run through his body, remembering himself laying half dead on the stone floors of the cavern, Nithral's axe over him. He'll never have any idea how he managed to get up, perhaps it had something to do with the magic inside his blood, or maybe it had just been his sheer will. Either way, he knew he was much stronger now, and wouldn't let anyone else stand in his way.

His adopted mother gave him a small smile, a rush of relief running over her face.

"I'm proud of you, I know firsthand how powerful the Hunt is. You'll have to tell me more later. Now… what about Novigrad? You said she went there looking for the three of us," She asked him, and right away he felt his face fall.

A shot of annoyance ran through him, as he met his emerald eyes with his adopted mothers' violet ones, "Yeah she did…. She went to see Dandelion when she couldn't find us… found him three days after I was with him…"

He was sure that his eyes had grown dark then as he felt the sadness, anger and annoyance run through him. However, he saw the sympathetic look in Yennefer's eyes. Her eyes calmed him, and he felt himself letting out a deep breath. A secure, calm feeling washed over him as the wind blew his hair to the side. He walked between his two adopted parents and sat down on another crate. Geralt looked down to him, and clearly could see he didn't wish to talk more. So his adopted father looked up and met Yen's eyes.

"She wasn't in Novigrad anymore, but she had been there trying to find a way to lift a curse, that's why she was looking for us… heard it all from Dandelion-no embellishments," The older witcher continued.

A sudden shot of urgency ran through him as he looked to meet Yen's eyes as well, "We don't know if it's on her or not. If it is we don't have much time, we need to move."

That was his worse nightmare. The curse was slowly taking over Ciri's body and now without the phylactery she wouldn't be able to lift it. The urgency raced through his blood like a streaming river, washing over him and seeping into his brain. As much as he has liked Skellige so far, he knew that they needed to get out and look as soon as possible, before Ciri ran out of time, or the Hunt somehow managed to find her.

Yen slowly nodded, looking at them both, "Do you know anything else about the curse?"

Geralt quickly nodded, "Yeah, we recovered a phylactery, she was looking for a way to enchant it."

"And I remember the words of the curse," He said when Geralt had finished, remembering them vividly, "Va fail, elaine, ceadmil foile. Glaeddyv dorne aep't enaid, bunn'droh ithne I'yachus."

The truth of the matter had been, ever since he heard the words from Dandelion he had been repeating them to himself in his head. If they were the words needed to somehow lift the curse and save her, he wasn't going to forget them. He wouldn't lose her all because he had a forgetful memory.

Sighing his adopted mother shook her head, "Can't think of what they mean off the top of my head. I'll think on them and look at the phylactery later."

Nodding he felt some relief run through him. Yennefer had always seemed to have that ability to calm his nerves, even when he was younger. The sun's rays still shone a bright orange over the port. Geralt nodded after she had finished and looked over to her.

"What about you? What did you learn, you said there was a magical explosion on Ard Skellig," The older witcher asked the sorceress.

Yen quickly nodded down at them both, "Yes there was some time ago. I actually discovered there was two of them. One on Ard Skellig, and one on Hindersfjall, the one there happened a few weeks after the one on Ard Skellig. Haven't been to Hindersfjall yet, but the one on Ard Skellig was brought about by an extraordinary magical anomaly. Never seen anything like it. My intuition tells me that Ciri is the cause."

After hearing his adopted mother's word's, he narrowed his eyes towards her, "Two explosions? If Ciri's the cause, how could she be in two places at once?"

Slowly the sorceress shook her head, "That I can't be sure about. I'd be able to know for certain if I was able to inspect the disaster zones. Unfortunately, Ermion and his druids aren't letting anyone near."

He was about to ask something else when Geralt scoffed next to him, "Ermion's the head of the Skellige circle… haven't seen him since well…"

"Since Ciri was a little girl," Yennefer said, slowly shaking her head, "Doubt he'll do you any favors, even for old times' sake."

The thought raced through his mind a hundred miles a minute. Two separate explosions. If both had happened at the same time, then it was impossible Ciri could've caused both on two different islands. How could she have teleported to Ard Skellig from Novigrad, but also caused an explosion on Hindersfjall? The only explanation was as Yennefer said, if one explosion happened first, and somehow Ciri had been on Skellige twice.

Then he also was baffled at the idea Ermion wouldn't let Yennefer investigate the site. Growing up Ciri talked all the time about the druid, and from how she spoke he could tell he loved the girl. Why would he suddenly not be willing to help find her?

He looked up and met Yen's eyes, "Why would Ermion not help us? Ciri told me so many stories about him… I thought he'd be one of the first to jump at the opportunity to help."

Yen stiffened for a moment and sat up straighter on the barrel, "Well… let's just say we had a difference of opinion… a loud difference. Look here comes Crach," She said quickly, stepping off the barrel she was on.

His head whirled around, and he stepped up off the crate he was on along with Geralt. From his right he could see Crach an Craite coming towards them. He felt the palms of his hands inside his gloves get slightly sweaty, a nervousness setting into him. During all his time with Ciri he had heard the stories of Crach from her, and he was always anxious to meet the man. He had hoped it would be with Ciri at his side, but despite that, he felt a smile come to his face when the man smiled and held his arms out to Geralt as he approached.

"White Wolf! Good to see you again my friend," The jarl said, holding out his hand for Geralt.

The older Witcher smiled and reaching out his hand, gripping Crach's with a firm shake. His adopted father turned to him for a moment, holding up his hand and gesturing to him.

"Greetings Crach, it's good to see you too. Let me introduce you, this is-," His adopted father began to say, but Crach quickly cut him off with a laugh and shake of his head.

"Haha no need Geralt, I know who this is," The man said, looking over and meeting Dominik's eyes, "My, my lad, the last time I saw you, you were just a babe. All grown up now, damn I feel old."

His eyes narrowed, as a thousand thoughts race through his head. He had never met Crach before in his life, he had been sure of that. All he knew of the man was what Ciri had told him growing up. They were of course trying to convince his parents to let him go to Skellige to meet him when he was eleven in Cintra, but the plans had never fell through. Not wanting to be disrespectful, he met the man's eyes and gave him a small bow.

"Um… Jarl Crach, I… I'm sorry but… you've seen me before," He asked in a respectful tone, keeping his arms at his side.

The jarl let out another laugh and shook his head, "Ha, first off none of this 'Jarl' business from you lad. I'm Crach to you… just like I was to your father."

He felt his mouth get dry at the mention of his father, he could see Geralt and Yennefer look confused as well.

"My… my father," He said wonderingly, his heart thumping loudly in his chest.

Crach smiled down at him, the sun casting his large shadow over them all as he nodded at him.

"Aye lad… you're Gregory and Sofia's boy. You got your mother's eyes… but damn you look just like your father," He said, a hint of fondness in his voice.

He felt a smile come to his face as he scoffed. He hadn't been called "Gregory and Sofia's boy' since Cintra. That was what most of the soldiers and shopkeepers knew him as. Geralt and Yennefer both grew smiles on their faces as well, as they saw the excited look on his own. His heart thumped in his chest, he had never met a man that was friends with his father in all his travels. There had been people who had heard of him of course, but never any that had known him.

"You.. you knew them, knew them both," He asked, feeling the smile stay on his face.

Crach nodded to him with his arms crossed, "Course I did! Your father was the one who brought Ciri to Kaer Trolde when she came to stay here every year. Only met your mother a few times, but she was a great woman. And your father? Damn, Gregory was one of the finest men I've ever known, a great friend. You were his pride and joy lad, you, your sister and even Ciri, loved you all with everything he had!"

A warm feeling ran over his heart. He knew that his father always considered Ciri to be a second daughter to him, what with him having been best friends with her mother. Along with Bella and he, his father had always talked about them. The warm feeling ran up to his heart, as he felt his face get slightly red. Geralt and Yennefer were the second set of parents he had been blessed with in his life, and he loved them both just as much as he had loved his first set of parents.

However, he always thought since they had died if they would be proud of him. If Gregory and Sofia would be proud of the man he had grown into… even if he had failed both of their last wishes. His mother had told him to save his sister, and he hadn't. His father had told him to go and find Ciri, and to protect her. He had done it for a short while, but he lost her… letting him down. And now he was meeting one of his father and mother's friends… and hopefully he would help him fix his biggest failure, and find Ciri.

He gave Crach another respectful bow, "I… I had no idea. Ciri always told me about this place, you, Hjalmar… she was even trying to convince my father to bring me here with her before… before the attack."

Crach let out a sigh and slowly shook his head, a grim smile on his face, "Aye lad you would've been allowed to stay as long as you'd have liked. What happened… was a damn shame. Your parents were good people, died to young… but it warms my heart to see you've found another family. I know your parents would want it for you."

The smile grew wider on his face as he looked to Geralt and Yennefer both, a smile adorned on his face, "Yeah… I got really lucky… I love them both."

Geralt smiled at him, while he felt Yennefer place a hand on his shoulder, squeezing him reassuringly. Crach laughed and looked at all three of them.

"Haha I had heard the stories, the songs about Geralt escaping with the son of Cintra's greatest knight. Always wondered if it was true… I'm glad to see it is. It's my pleasure to finally mee you lad," Crach said, holding out his massive hand for him to shake.

He reached out and shook the jarls hand, and he thought of how lucky he truly was. Despite all of the hardships that he had faced, at least he had Geralt and Yennefer with him now. There was still a large hole over half his heart. That whole half could only be filled when they found Ciri, this he knew. However, the hole had been much bigger the previous eight years, but when he found them both again, it had slowly filled. Now he was going to fill it completely, with the help of Geralt, Yennefer, and now hopefully Crach, he would finally fulfill Gregory of Cintra's last wish to him.

Crach smiled at him and took a step back, looking at all three of them.

"I'll be seeing you all at the wake later, and I'll have no excuses! I have an important matter to discuss with you all," The Jarl said, giving them one last smile and head nod, before walking off towards Kaer Trolde.

The wind started to howl in his ear as he let out a satisfying breath. It had been so long since he had spoken about, or spoke with anyone about his first parents. Remembering them and his younger sister brought a smile to his face, the better time, back in Cintra. Only one of them had survived the flames with him, knew what he went through that night. And she had been going through another, worse hell for even longer, and it was time for him now to finally get her out of it.

After Crach had receded in the distance, Yen turned and smiled at them both, "Come now, I got us some rooms at the inn in town. I took the liberty of getting outfits for you both. Let's all head there now."

Geralt seemed reluctant, but his adopted father nodded his head. He let out a huge sigh and took a step up next to Yen, hugging his adopted mother again. She seemed surprised for a moment but smiled and squeezed him back. He took in her scent of lilac and gooseberries one more time, before pulling back from her, giving her a small smile.

"Thanks Yen… I… I just really have so much I want to tell you too," He said, the feeling of relief washing over him.

As he looked around and saw both his adopted parents back with him, a sense of hope rushed over him. All he had to do, was fight a little bit more. If he did that… his new family would finally be together again.

And his heart would finally feel whole after so long.

**A/N: And so we are FINALLY here everyone! We have set foot on Skellige, Dom and Geralt have reunited with Yennefer and we are on our way towards Ciri again. Let's break down the chapter real quick. **

**We have a really important dream sequence to start with Baelen of the Wild Hunt. What are you thinking after this scene? How did she see Dominik, why did she lie to Caranthir? She is going to be super important going forward, and I can't wait to show more of her. **

**We have a short scene with Dom and Geralt, and then we were in Kear Trolde for King Bran's funeral. What's going on with Faram, how will he fare in their quest to slay the giant? Dominik also finally gets to reunite with his adopted mother, a huge relief for him. What do you think of the mother son dynamic so far? Are you looking forward for more? Are Yen and Geralt going to need to 'pry' Dom and Ciri off each other lmaoo xD**

**We learn that there were TWO magic explosions, one on Ard Skellig, and one on Hindersfjall… what was that second explosion on Hindersfjall?**

**We get a quick recap of the story so far before Dominik finally meets Jarl Crach an Craite! Crach was always one of my favorite characters in the game so we will see a bit more of him in this story! We learn that he knew and was friends with Dominik's real father, so what could this lead too down the line?**

**I know this chapter lacked action, and that was intentional. We had an intense last few chapters in Novigrad, but I can promise Skellige is going to be nonstop action after the wake next chapter. **

**As I said next chapter we'll have the wake for King Bran, before Dominik and Geralt set out to help Crach and his children! Next chapter will be a little more fast paced, but after that we will have non-stop action. Skellige will be a lot shorter then Velen and Novigrad, so make sure you stay tuned, we're almost at the halfway point!**

**I can't thank you guys enough for the support…. I saw recently that if you go and sort all the stories on the witcher category of this site with an Original Character by favorites/follows, this story is on one of the first two pages… I know there aren't many witcher stories, but that is still surreal to me. **

**This has become such a passion project of mine, and I hope you all continue to enjoy. If ANY of you want to PM me to give advice, ideas or just talk witcher, please do so I'll always try to respond to all! Also be sure if you leave a review to check your PM inbox! I always try to respond to first time reviewers and any reviews with questions, so make sure you check your inbox!**

**So that is all for now guys, I have BIG plans for the rest of this story so please stay tuned! Thank you all again so much, stay safe and I will see you next time!**


	38. The King is Dead, Long Live the King

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 38: The King is Dead, Long Live the King**

**Narrator: After sailing aboard the **_**Adrestia**_** with their friend Faram of Undvik, Geralt and Dominik arrived in Kaer Trolde just in time for the funeral of the late King Bran. When there, they finally reunited with Yennefer of Vengerberg, Dominik's adopted mother, and Geralt's lover of yore. After a heartfelt reunion, Dominik and Geralt told Yennefer what had happened in Velen and Novigrad. They learned from Yennefer there had been two magical explosions in Skellige, one on Ard Skellig, and one on Hindersfjall, however the druid Ermion had no intention on letting Yennefer examine either site. To move forward with their quest, the three sought out Jarl Crach an Craite, a man who to Dominik's shock was good friends with his late father, Gregory of Cintra. Dominik, Yennefer and Geralt all prepared to attend King Bran's wake that night in Kaer Trolde, where they aimed to get help from Crach, to break down the druids resolve.**

"So…. Triss believes you could be a carrier," Yennefer said to him, as he tried to squeeze his head through the new outfit.

After leaving the port, they had made their way to the inn in the main square of Kaer Trolde. Yennefer had taken the liberty of renting them the largest room in the inn. It was more like two rooms combined, with one much larger bed along with Yennefer's possessions, which he assumed was for her and Geralt. There was a smaller area with a desk and multiple shelves, books and trunks for him to store the very few belongings he had. The first thing he had done was removed the elegantly carved phylactery from his bag and shown it to Yen. After a few moments of examining it, she had placed it on her desk, and helped him pick from the outfits she selected.

Geralt had gone into town to get Roach and Clop settled into the stables after retrieving them off Faram's ship. It finally gave him and his adopted mother a few moments alone. He pulled his head through the skelligan shirt that Yen had gotten for him. While he got dressed into the outfit, Yen sat and listened to his entire story. He told her everything, every single excruciating detail of what he had done up to that point. It started with Velen, his journey through the elf's laboratory, the ice that shot through his veins when he fought the Hunt for the first time. He told her about Crookback Bog, returning to fight the Fiend and receiving the horrible prophecy that still shot through his mind.

He told her about hearing Ciri's voice in the dream Corinne Tilly had given him, and their long journey to find Dandelion. He went through how he killed Menge, Whoreson, and fought to help Triss get the mages out of Novigrad. He described in excruciatingly painful details what had been happening to him, the blue flashing lights in his eyes, the magic that swirled in his limbs when he fought, how they moved faster and helped him produce signs more powerful then he had ever been able to. He told her Triss's theory about being a carrier, that one of his ancestors had extremely powerful magical blood, and it hadn't been activated in either of his parents, or him up until that point because none of them activated it by using magic.

And finally, he told her about Baelen. The fight with her outside Oxenfurt, he told her what she had said to her, everything, including what she had said about Ciri. He felt himself shuddering when he described the fight, the ring of fire that had swirled around the two of them, how fast he and Baelen both moved, the power that swirled around him, and how ever since it had been coming back, almost knocking him out whenever it came through him. He ended it by telling her more about the dream he had of her the night before… and how he heard Caranthir tell her, that he must not learn to control his powers.

Sighing he looked down at the elegant brown tunic he was wearing. It was certainly more comfortable then what he had used to wear to balls in Cintra, or what he wore in the Emperor's court. Slowly he looked up and met his adopted mothers' eyes. She wore a long elegant black and white dress as she leaned against her desk. He crossed his arms and slowly nodded to her.

"Yeah… she said that it's different from a source because a carrier's abilities only activate when they start using magic. When I started using signs it… it slowly started creeping out. I… I have no idea where it could have come from, both of my parents were normal as could be," He said, sitting in a spare chair across from the sorceress.

The apprehension built up inside of him again. If he had simply had magic opening inside him that enhanced his signs and movements, then that would have been fantastic. However, whatever the power inside him was, it drained him to the point where he could barely move afterwards. He hadn't got the chance, but he would've slept for days if he could have after he used it. What if during one of his fights with the Hunt, he activated this power, and it left him too fatigued and dazed to see it through to the end?

Yen slowly shook her head, "That doesn't mean anything. As Triss explained a carrier can go their whole lives without knowing of their powers. One of your parents must have had the power inside them, they never used any magic, so the abilities never activated in them."

He ran a hand through his brown hair, slowly shaking his head. He looked down at his hands and could see his rough, calloused fingers, the cuts and small bruises on his palms. He could almost feel them blistering up, the smoke slowly rising from them. Squeezing them together he looked back up to Yen.

"I don't know if I want this power to come out Yen… every time I've used it well, it's almost made me pass out. I can barely move afterwards if it activates at the wrong time… well it'll be bad. If it didn't make me feel like I was dying after I've used it'd fine, but it does…. Is there some way that I could just… I don't know make it stop, suppress it," He asked, locking his eyes with hers again.

His adopted mother gave him a small sympathetic smile, before slowly shaking her head. She took a step from the desk and took a step closer to him.

"I'm afraid there isn't darling," She said, giving him a small reassuring smile, placing her hands on his shoulders, "When a carrier's abilities activate well… it's like Ciri when she was younger. They'll grow to great heights, it all depends on who your ancestor was, the one who passed the powers down to you. From what you've described… well whoever it was, they wielded immense power."

His skin tingled again as he shook his head, apprehension swelling up inside his gut. He didn't rightfully care who his ancestor was, all that mattered to him was that whoever it was, their powers didn't kill him so he could finally focus on getting to Ciri.

Sighing again he looked into the sorceress's eyes, "I didn't even know mages could pass on their powers like this. I've always heard that it was impossible, that they're infertile. Geralt and Triss both told me it's not the case for all of them… but still."

Quickly Yen nodded again, crossing her arms and keeping a reassuring look on her face as she looked at him.

"Well they're correct. It's possible for anyone to learn magic, even without going to Aretuza. There are rumors that some mages conducted experiments, found ways to pass down their power to their descendants," She explained to him carefully, slowly shaking her head, a wondering look on her face, "Whoever your ancestor was… it seemed they found a way, and passed down their great power. From what you described, magic enhancing your movements, your signs becoming that powerful… trying to suppress that much power is dangerous. We must find a way to unlock it completely and show you how to control it."

He scoffed right away, feeling his heart thump and his stomach churn. Shaking his head, he took a step away from her and reached around his neck, gripping the swallow pendant.

"I don't have time to learn Yen! I couldn't care less about unlocking some power, Ciri's still out there. I don't have the time to spare to learn magic," He said, turning back around to face her, his arms crossed, his heart racing.

He knew that they had to be running out of time. Whatever curse was progressing they needed to find Ciri before it overtook her, or whoever she was trying to lift it from. If what his dreams told him were true, the Hunt was waiting for them to find her. No matter if they were waiting for them to find her or not, that was their number one priority. For all he knew Eredin was lying, his dream hadn't been true. Or perhaps the curse that Ciri was trying to lift was casted by the Hunt themselves, and after it finally progressed fully they would be able to track her location.

There was no time for him to learn to control any powers or go off learning magic while she was still out there.

His adopted mother quickly shook her head, "I'm not saying you have too Dominik. You already know how to cast your signs, that's enough as it is. We don't have time to teach you advanced spells and Elder speech I know… but we have to find a way to unlock your full powers, before they get you killed. If we can find a way to unlock your them fully, then you should be able to control it, only use it when you command it."

"What do you mean unlock? Baelen said that to me in the cave… I have no idea what she meant. If I'm using the abilities already, aren't they already unlocked," He asked her, the questions swirling in his mind like a whirlpool.

Yen thought for a moment, before meeting his eyes again, the flames from the candles in their room dancing on her face. The warmth from the candles, and the inn that was behind the door warmed up his bones. He hadn't fought in almost the entire day, and it almost felt odd not having drawn his sword at least once. The wake would begin soon, and he remembered how Crach had wanted to meet with them. With any luck, the Jarl would help get Ermion to let them investigate the magical site. As much as he was enjoying Skellige so far, if they investigated the site the next day, they would be able to quickly determined where Ciri had gone, within the next few days.

For the first time in eight years, and his entire quest he could feel her right at his fingertips. The thought of her being so close sent tingle through his heart, a wave of hope, and optimism that he hadn't felt in years. He wasn't going to let whatever was happening in his blood distract him from that.

Yennefer finished thinking and met his eyes slowly nodding her head.

"With carriers, it's different then a source. When a mage passes on their abilities and their descendant uses them, it takes some time for them to unlock fully," His adopted mother carefully explained, as he slowly stood up from the chair.

"So, I do need to train," He said quickly, titling his head at her.

Quickly she shook her head again, "Not fully. Obviously as you use your powers more, you'll become more accustom to them. However… for you to be able to use them to their full extent, for your body to be able to handle it. We need to figure out a way to unlock the strands of your DNA that hold this power. If we can unlock these strands, it would one, give you the full extent of the power, and two it would also help you better control it."

His head began to race as he digested all of the information. He remembered what Baelen had told him, that whatever mages power he had inherited was beginning to unlock inside him. How she knew he had no idea, but it had turned out to be true. The more he thought about, the more he wanted to know what mage could have possibly passed down power through his family. It was more then likely he'd never find out, the mage or sorceress was more then likely long dead, simply someone who wanted their power to live on.

Slowly he shook his head, "Yen that sounds well… painful. How the hell is that even possible?"

The sorceress shook her head, "I don't know right now… give me some time to think on it. I promise that this won't get in the way of what matters. For now, let's focus on finding Ciri."

He looked and met her reassuring violet eyes. His adopted mother spoke in a soft, calming voice, her scent of lilac and gooseberries, her smile and presence just calmed him. She had been the one to originally enchant his swallow pendant, and it had protected him from nightmares for years. The enchantment had only recently worn off in Velen, and a part of him wanted to ask her to reenchant it. However, he wanted to keep having all the dreams he was. They had given him information he needed, shown him things that terrified him, yet motivated him.

Her words had brought a small smile to his face. In Velen and Novigrad both, getting information and clues as to what Ciri had been doing where the high points. Even when he had to learn from the Crones, or Whoreson what had happened, it still always made his heart well up, because with every clue and lead they got closer. Hearing Yennefer say how it was time to focus on solely that shot relief through his body.

While following both of their first leads, he was happy to have helped his friends. However, with every day that passed, every night he slept, especially since he had seen her face, he got more and more anxious. Under a normal occasion he would have been rather excited to go to his first Skelligan feast, and talk more with Crach an Craite, a man who knew his father. However, now all he wanted to do was go, get the permission to examine the blast site that they needed, and then head straight there.

Slowly he nodded, a small smile coming to his face as he looked at the sorceress.

"All right… thanks Yen. Always knew how to calm me down. I… I miss Ciri, I'm so close now that I feel like I'm going crazy… she's all I want to focus on," He said, feeling his face get a tinge redder.

The light from the candles danced in the room, and warmth washed over his body again. His adopted mother smile at him and nodded, her violet eyes not leaving his emerald ones.

"You're welcome… I'll always be here. I miss her too…. After hearing everything you told me, I'm even prouder of you then I already was. It'll all pay off soon, I promise," She told him, reaching around to hug around his neck again.

He sighed happily and wrapped around her waist, squeezing tightly. Burying his head into her shoulder again, he felt hope wash over the feeling of anxiousness that had been building inside of him. After weeks of wishing he could have seen her again, having his adopted mother, most of his second family back was reassuring. However, as glad as he was to have them back, the person he truly wanted more then either of them was still missing.

And he was finally so, so close.

"Thanks Yen… so you got any idea what Crach wanted to talk to us about tonight," He asked, taking a step back, looking to meet her eyes.

Yen smiled and smoothed out her dress, "I don't. However, it'll be a smart idea to help him. He promised to protect Ciri when she was young, he'll be more then willing to help, so it'd only be right of us to help him."

Nodding in agreement he walked back towards his side of the room, looking at his armor laid out on his bed. The wolven witcher armor that he had been wearing and getting improved the whole journey. It had scuff marks and smaller rips from the monster claws, the blades and everything else that he had been fighting. His sword and dagger laid in their sheaths next to it, the sword he'd had since he was fifteen, and the dagger that had saved his life on in multiple hunts. A small smile came to his face, thinking on just how much he had been through since he and Geralt set out from Vizima.

They had done great things; he had fought enemies he never thought he'd be able to fight. He'd learned new techniques, becoming the first witcher to have knowledge of three different forms of witcher combat. He had managed to kill a general of the Wild Hunt, and almost managed to defeat what he was sure, was one of its strongest warriors in Baelen. All of the times he had woken up at the crack of dawn, been knocked to the ground by Geralt and Faram, learning to better hone his signs from George, it had all led him to Skellige. He felt as if he were a completely different person from when he first accepted the contract in Claywitch, where it all began.

If he couldn't find and protect Ciri now, he didn't know if he'd ever be able too.

Whirling around he looked at Yen, "If he really knew my father, and wants to protect Ciri then I'll help him how I can. As long as it doesn't take us away from looking for her for too long. So close Yen… I can barely believe it."

He felt a smile come to his face, as he gripped the swallow in his hands and looked down at it. Her face flashed in his eyes and he felt a pleasant tingle run through his body. He squeezed his hands around the silver and closed his eyes for a moment, imagining the exact moment he'd see her. Would she still smile at the sight of him? Would she still have that same passion and energy? Would she rush into his arms, leaping up and wrapping her legs around his waist likes she used to?

"I know…. Seeing the two of you together again, I can't wait for it," She said, coming up next to him, an amused tone to her voice, "I think what Geralt said is true. I thought we had a hard time tearing you apart before, can't imagine what it'll be like now."

"Yen stop," He said quickly, a small smile on his face, his cheeks getting even redder, as the tingling sensation ran through his body again, "I… won't let her go again… that's for sure."

The sorceress let out a small laugh next to him and held a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her and smiled when he saw her reassuring eyes.

"We'll all be together again soon, I promise. Now, I'm going to head up towards the castle now, I have a few people I wish to talk to. Come with Geralt once he gets back… and make sure he puts on that outfit," She said, a small hint of amusement to her tone.

He laughed as well, slowly nodding back to her, "I'll make sure he wears it, I promise. I'll see you up there."

She smiled, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before turning to exit the room. He watched as she walked away, her dress trailing behind her. She was about to walk out of the room, towards the main section of the inn, when she quickly turned back, an amused smile still on her face.

"One more thing…. I'd wear your sword on your back like normal if I were you. Feasts in Skellige are well… different then the ones you attended back in Cintra," She informed him, before nodding once more and walking out the door.

He laughed and looked down at the brown sheath containing his blade. Forty-two inches of steel, a straight crossguard, a circular pommel, and a leather-bound grip. It was the same design that most witchers used for their steel sword, and he remembered getting it vividly. He had gotten a slightly smaller one when he was thirteen along with Ciri. The witchers had made her a special blade, fit for her size and the both of them had been over the moon. A few years later however, after he came back to Kaer Morhen when Ciri went to Aretuza, he had received the blade in front of him. He used it in the trial of the medallion and kept it at his side ever since. There had been times when he could have gotten a new one, but each time he almost did, something drew him back to his current sword. He didn't know if it was because of the sentimental value it held, or because no other sword had felt right in his hands, but he could never part with it.

It was still as sharp as ever, he made sure to keep it in pristine condition. The blade had killed Nithral in Velen, Caleb Menge, and Whoreson Junior in Novigrad. It had been coated in more oils then a blade ever should have been, but still it kept its edge, and had helped him slay more monsters then he ever should have realistically been able to kill over the years. Most monsters could be killed with steel, silver was just much more effective. However of course there were the monsters that could only be killed by silver, or a steel blade coated in the correct oil. This had made contracts difficult for him at times, but his blade had never failed him.

Soon it would cut through the Wild Hunt, cut all the way through monsters or men until he had reached Ciri. A small smile came to his face, he lifted the sheath up and wrapped the strap around the brown tunic he wore, before strapping the dagger sheath around his belt again.

Taking in a deep breath, he looked at his reflection in the mirror that Yen had placed on his end table. He almost scoffed when he saw the state of himself. His brown hair was unruly as ever, so he ran his hand through it a few times, making it look somewhat presentable. His emerald eyes were bright and shining, but he could see the dark bags that had formed under them. A few nicks and cuts adorned his face, and he rubbed the scruff around his chin. The small bits of brown stubble was patchy, and he rolled his eyes remembering that when his facial hair had first started coming in Ciri had always teased him for, 'only being able to grow half a beard'. It would make him self-conscious for a moment, but after that she would always smile at him. She'd grab his face and kiss him, telling him, 'half a beard or no beard, you're still handsome to me'.

A small smile came to his face as he looked at his reflection, reaching up to grab the swallow.

He sighed and kept his eye fixed on the reflection, a small laugh coming to him, "Almost there… almost there…. I hope you'll still think I'm at least somewhat handsome."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He learned the hard way how cold the nights in Skellige were. The hairs on his arms stood up and he felt the goosebumps running across his arms as he crossed the bridge next to Geralt. The both of them were wearing similar outfits, and for once he didn't hear his adopted father complain about the attire he had to wear. The skelligan tunics that Yen had gotten for them were much more comfortable then the doublets they both had to stretch out in Vizima. The sun was full that night, and along with the torches set up on the bridge to the castle, their way was beautifully illuminated. The wind blew his hair to the side, erasing any effort he had made to try and tame it before they left.

Looking over he saw the reflection of the flames dancing off the pommels of Geralt's swords. He subconsciously adjusted his own on his back and wondered what it would be like when he finally did manage to get his hands on a silver sword. He had become so accustom to having the one sword on his back, he hoped that he would still be able to move as freely as he could now when he did. He didn't think rolling around like he normally did would be as easy with another sword on his back.

It had seemed that they had gotten to the wake a bit later, because only guardsmen and a few drunk patrons were outside on the bridge. A particularly cold breeze hit him and he shuddered.

"Fucking hell it's cold… would it be wrong of me to undergo mutations just so I wouldn't freeze like this anymore," He said, looking over to Geralt as their boots crunch over small bits of what he recognized as snow.

Geralt gave him an amused smile, "Mutations don't fully stop the cold…. Winter normally comes earlier in Skellige… but I've been feeling it get colder for a while now."

"Winter is coming," He said quickly, letting out another shudder, looking out over the bridge, "Ciri's birthday is in a few weeks… she'll be 22…"

He sighed and kept his eyes out over the bridge. The view over the sea, mountains, and Kaer Trolde was beautiful at night. The castle was so high up he swore the clouds were only at arm's reach. The air was thick, and the breeze while chilly was pleasant. He thought about what it would have been like if he had been able to come there with Ciri when he was 11. He would have been able to spend six glorious months on that beautiful island with Ciri, playing with Hjalmar, meeting Crach sooner, and had lessons with the druid Ermion.

His father had already agreed, and he knew all he had to do was beg his mother, and Sofia would have eventually agreed. That would have been the real test of he and Ciri's friendship and fledgling relationship. In the beautiful forests, during the lessons, ice skating… would he have realized then that he loved Ciri? Would she have loved him? She had always told him she had a crush on him when they met. And if he and Ciri both fell in love then… what would have happened? Would Queen Calanthe have let them be together?

He quickly pushed the thoughts from his head, there was no use in asking those questions now. He knew he loved Ciri, and Ciri loved him, and if she could find a way to forgive him for not getting to her sooner, for being with Freya… for taking so long to get her then… if she could forgive him for all of that… then they would finally be together again.

"We'll find her before then, I know it," Geralt said to him reassuringly as he could see a smirk cross his adopted father's face, "Know what you're gonna get her?"

Scoffing he slowly shook his head, a small smile appearing on his face, "No… haven't exactly thought about it…. I'll decide after we find her."

Geralt smiled down at him again, the wind blowing his silver hair. He looked like he was about to say something else when he suddenly stopped and looked towards the gate to the castle. The keep truly was magnificently constructed, the great iron winches had pulled the gate up, and he could hear the distant sound of music, and smell the mead and food coming from the hall from where he stood.

In front of the entrance he saw his adopted mother. Yennefer stood locked in an intense conversation with another woman dressed in an elegant purple dress. Smiling he walked up towards them both, Geralt closely next to him. The woman had brown hair, and from the tone she spoke in, he could tell she wasn't very happy. His adopted mother's dress flowed behind her, as she nodded towards the woman speaking in a calm respectful tone.

"Bran indeed was a great ruler," The sorceress said to the woman, the wind blowing back her raven hair.

"He needs a worthy successor," The woman said quickly, her voice terse and annoyed, "Skellige's problems derive from it not being a hereditary monarchy. Any upstart king can come and destroy his predecessor's legacy."

He could see the calculating look on his adopted mother's eyes as she shook her head, "The king of the isles is a more symbolic position."

As Geralt and he finally got to Yennefer's side the woman shook her head again.

"And that should change as well. A strong leader who wields true power-that is what the times require," She said candidly, before turning when she realized that he and Geralt had come next to them.

The wind blew through his hair, and he could see the rather annoyed look still on the woman's face. It rubbed him the wrong way, but he simply looked over at Yennefer, and his adopted mother smiled at the both of them for a moment, before turning back to the woman.

"Birna, allow me to introduce my… friend Geralt of Rivia, and this is my son, Dominik of Cintra. Dominik, Geralt, this is Birna, widow to the late King Bran," She said to the woman, a dash of pride in her voice.

He felt a smile come to his face, hearing himself introduced as Geralt and Yennefer's son always did that. It was a sense of accomplishment for him, welled up his pride. He of course knew that they considered him their son, however hearing it out loud had always made him feel better. He was the child of the greatest witcher to ever live, and the famous Lady of Vengerberg, it was something only he and Ciri would ever be able to say and experience. He of course didn't go around announcing this to people, wanting to earn his status from his own merit. However, in cases like in Velen, when Keira tried to kill him after they first met, dropping the fact he was their son had gotten him out of a few jams.

Remembering his manners he gave the woman a slight bow, however Birna didn't seem interested in meeting them at all. The woman gave a curt nod to them both, her hands planted on her hips.

"The Queen mother. A pleasure to meet you both. You must forgive me, but on a day like today, I'm afraid I can't indulge my penchant for long conversations," The woman said, before turning and walking back into the castle.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched her walk back, slightly annoyed by the passive aggressive tone she had. However, he pushed it from his mind when he turned and saw Yennefer smiling at them both. She looked at their outfits, and he suddenly felt the goosebumps from the gold shoot up his arms again. He had seen bits of snow on the ground, and the colder it got, the more he wished he was actually fighting. When he was in a fight he always felt warm, his blood boiling and keeping his body warm.

Quickly he reached around and adjusted his sword on his back, remembering that Yennefer said he'd better wear it. He had no idea why, but he didn't question it. It had always made him feel more comfortable wearing it. If he had been able to wear his armor to the wake he would have, however he doubted his wolven armor would have complimented the outfits of his adopted parents.

"Well, well, look at the two of you, Ciri would be speechless seeing you dressed like this," His adopted mother told him, reaching over and adjusting the top of his tunic.

He rolled his eyes but scoffed out a laugh, feeling his heart warm up, the swallow around his neck trembling. Yen then looked over to Geralt, and he saw their eyes meet. He could see the spark that passed between them. Another smile came to his face. In Novigrad, he knew it had been hard for his adopted father to say goodbye to Triss. His adopted father had even consulted him, asking him how he himself knew he was truly in love with Ciri. He had told his adopted father, that he knew because nobody had ever made him feel the same way Ciri had.

And from the look his adopted parents gave each other, he knew that Geralt had made the correct choice for him. It didn't make him love Triss Merigold any less as he had promised, he was just glad to see his adopted father seem truly happy.

"A lovely outfit, I appreciate you putting it on for me. You look… dashing," His adopted mother complimented the older witcher.

A smile crossed Geralt's face, as he looked back down at her, "Thank you. You're… dazzling."

Another warm feeling washed over him as he could see the sly smile on Yennefer's face as she looked between them both.

"You know i missed your candidness," She said with a smile, looking over to him for a moment, "I'm glad that the three of us are all here together…"

He smiled and met the sorceress's violet eyes, crossing his arms to try and keep himself warm, "So am I… now we're only missing one more. So, Crach wanted to talk to us right? If what I heard of Skelligan feasts are true, we should find him before everyone gets drunk."

For a few seconds, the three of them all standing there, he felt like he was back in Ellander again. During their year's stay in the town, he, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri, they had often gone to festivals, and any special occasions that had been held. It had always been a joy, he and Ciri would dance while Yennefer and Geralt sat on and watched from the tables with their cups. Some of the greatest moments of his life had come in that year… his new family.

So after years of being alone, feeling nothing but pity, sorrow and anger, being together with even just Geralt and Yennefer again brought a smile to his face. His heart panged at not having Ciri there of course, but if the feast went well, they would have her there soon.

Yen quickly nodded in agreement, "Good thinking. Like I told you before, I don't know what Crach wants. But when we meet with him we should have clear minds."

He nodded quickly and looked over when he saw Geralt do the same. His adopted father smiled and he could see the playfulness in his eyes.

"Not gonna drink, don't wanna dull the mind. Especially when I'm in such pleasant company," Geralt said, looking down at the sorceress.

Despite the fact seeing the two of them undress one another with their eyes made him extremely uncomfortable, he couldn't help but smile.

"Do you plan to compliment me all evening," Yen asked him in a slow, drawn out voice.

Geralt smirked again, the wind blowing his silver hair, "I plan to tell you what I think."

He looked on as both of his adopted parents looked at each other. Both had sultry smiles, and suggestive looks in their eyes. Finally shivering and feeling his skin crawl, he stepped between them both and looked between them.

"Okay enough. Stop undressing each other with your eyes and let's get going. I need a drink that's for sure," He said, letting out a chilly sigh as the wind swept his hair aside.

Yennefer laughed but he could see Geralt roll his eyes.

His adopted father scoffed at him, "Don't start, you do not want me to start reminding you of some of the situations I caught you and Ciri in. Yen was out in town that day, but should I tell her about the time you both brought a tub into your room in-."

"Nope! No need come on let's get going," He quickly cut of his adopted father, feeling his face burn like a hot fire.

Yennefer laughed again even harder, and Geralt smirked at him. He rolled his eyes and quickly walked towards the gate, the smell of cooking meat and mead getting stronger in his nose. His stomach began to rumble, and after the previous few weeks he had, he knew he could use a drink. Like Geralt said he would make sure not to get drunk, but a mug of Cintran ale had been calling his name since the day before. He would be sure not to dull his senses, that night was important, it could be the beginning of his family finally reunited together.

So, if he had to drop from five cups of ale down to two, he would gladly sacrifice it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The feast hall while not nearly as large as the one he used to go to back in Cintra, was beautifully decorated. Shields, swords, and banners hung from the walls and ceilings. Music strummed from lutes, got beat from drums, and sung from tables. The sheer amount of kegs of mead, wine, ale and other drinks amazed him, and the smell of boar roasting over the fire attacked his nose as soon as he set foot inside. It was filled to the brim, warriors, women, all were seeming to have a great time. He realized that Yennefer had been right, most of them carried weapons at their sides, axes, swords and some even had spears attached to their backs. He subconsciously adjusted the strap for his blade, as he stood between Geralt and Yennefer.

Yen smiled and looked to their right. A man dressed in a yellow and red tunic stood there with a grey beard. He nodded respectfully to all three of them, and Yennefer stepped to the man, gesturing towards he and Geralt.

"Greetings Lady Yennefer, sir's," The man said giving them all a small bow.

Yennefer smiled as the music played loudly, the conversations and laughter loud. The large fire in the center of the room roared as multiple boars roasted on a spit. His mouth almost salivated as he could feel his stomach rumble. Yennefer had been right when she told him the feasts in Skellige couldn't be more different from the one's he attended in Cintra.

His adopted mother smiled and nodded to the man, gesturing to Geralt and her, "Greetings Arnvald. My companions are Geralt of Rivia and Dominik of Cintra."

"I'm honored," Arnvald quickly said, bowing to them both.

Quickly he laughed and held up his hands, "Good to meet you too, no need to bow, I'm nobody important."

Geralt nodded in agreement next to him, "Yeah what he said. Quite a lot of guests here tonight…"

Arnvald nodded, holding both his hands behind his back, "They come to big their King farewell. They come to see the claimants to the crown."

From what Geralt had explained to him on the way to the feast, Skellige picked its new rulers in a much different way then anyone else. Whoever completed the greatest feat and garnered the most support from the Jarls was the one who got crowned. A small part of him believed that this was a much more superior method to how they did things on the continent. A hereditary monarchy worked for many reasons, but then you had cases like you did with Radovid in Redania, where a good ruler is replaced by a tyrannical son. Or you had cases like Ciri. Ciri would often spend hours lamenting to him how she truly hated being a princess, and didn't even want the crown, she was going to become a witcher and help save people.

His attention was brought back to the situation when he heard Geralt speak again.

"We were here to speak to Crach an Craite," His adopted father said to the man, the smell of the roasts on the spit coming to his nose.

The older man nodded again, "Aye the jarl will be joining us shortly. He's assigned you a place of honor at the table just besides his daughter, Cerys. Follow me please."

They all nodded and followed Arnvald into the feast hall. The name Cerys didn't ring any bells to him, and he was sure Ciri would have told him if she knew her. He knew that Hjalmar was Crach's son, but he didn't know the man had a daughter. As they walked he could smell more and more types of mead, ale and other drinks. The fire was starting to warm his bones from the chilly cold outside. He glanced around the room, trying to see if he could find Faram. His friend had told them he would be at the feast, but Dominik couldn't see any signs of him, and the Bear School witcher was awfully hard to miss.

His stomach continued to grumble, so when Arnvald finally stopped them at a table with mead, fruits, fish, meat and stew he felt his mouth salivate. If he could get help continuing his search for Ciri and have a delicious meal all in one night he would consider it a success.

"They seated us here," Geralt asked, as the three of them came to an empty bench on the table.

He looked up and saw three larger men all sitting at the table. They seemed to be the same age as Dominik was, although they all were much bigger then he. One sat on the left, another across from them, and a third on the right. The last person at the table was a young woman, who looked to be even younger then she was. A light scar ran across her right face, but she was still a beautiful young girl. She had red hair tied in a ponytail down her back and wore a long red gambeson with a leather corset and armor pauldrons over her shoulders. When she looked and saw them she stood up with a fiery smile.

"I asked them to. Wanted to meet the notorious witcher Geralt, and the young boy he rescued and raised," She said enthusiastically, looking between Geralt and he.

He titled his head at her for a moment before looking back up to Geralt with a questioning look. Geralt slowly shook his head and looked over at the young woman.

"Sorry…. Have we met," Geralt asked her politely, the sounds of laughter and conversation making him have to raise his voice.

The girl laughed and shook her head, "That was ages ago. Hjalmar and I were children when you last visited our da…. And I've never met you before, but I heard the stories about Geralt raising a young boy he rescued from Cintra."

She spoke with such enthusiasm he felt his face get a little red from the embarrassment. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head, nodding towards the red head.

"That would be me yes, Dominik of Cintra," He said with a nod towards her, figuring she more then likely wouldn't have wanted him to bow to her.

She kept her hands on her hips and nodded back towards him, "Pleasure to meet you Dominik. Allow me to introduce you, Geralt and Yennefer to your feast mates. That's Halbjorn, son of Holger Blackhand. Blueboy Lugos, Madman Lugos's firstborn. And choking down a stockfish over there's Otrygg an Hindar!"

After registering all of the faces, and trying his best to remember the names he nodded to all the larger men at the table. After seeing both his adopted parents do it, he went and took a seat next to Geralt. Right away when he sat on the wooden bench, the smell of the roasted fish and boar that were at the table hit his nose. He recognized the pitcher in front of him as Cintran wheat, and eagerly went to grab an empty cup, but stopped when he saw Yennefer shook him a look that clearly said, 'later', from the other side of Geralt.

Sighing internally, he moved his hand back, and leaned against the table looking and meeting the feast mates around him. A part of him wondered what would have happened if Ciri and he truly did make it to Skellige when they escaped Cintra. Would Crach have taken them both in, and he and Ciri would have been raised as Skelligers? Or what if like they had planned they set out on the path together, and made their first trip to Skellige with one another. Thinking of her brought a small smile to his face, as he looked to Geralt next to him.

His adopted father nodded to everyone before looking up at the girl.

"Forgive me, I remember our meeting those years ago, but I don't recall your name," Geralt asked the young girl.

The music began to play quicker, as the laughing and chatter continued fervently. One of the jarls sons from his left spoke up, gesturing his towards the red head.

"Cerys an Craite, her da and big brother call her Sparrowhawk. A jarls daughter she is. Fat load of good it's does her," The man said with a hint of amusement, looking at him and his two parents, "Cerys is jealous, for the one among us who performs the greatest feat will be crowned King."

He looked up and saw Cerys again. She clearly was annoyed at the way the man was talking and rolled her eyes. Ciri as he said never mentioned Cerys. He assumed that she was far enough apart in years from Hjalmar, that she didn't play with Ciri and he when they were young. He didn't have any stories about her he could remember from Ciri, but so far he had enjoyed her headstrong personality, reminding him of Ciri herself.

A small part of him wanted to scarf down a plate of food and talk to Crach, ending the night as soon as they could. This way they could get back to bed, and then start up looking for Ciri again in the morning.

Cerys finally scoffed looking down at the man who had made the comment.

"We all know these feasts are a sideshow. Our fathers will choose who will wear the crown. What'd you think they wanted to talk to Crach about," She said, crossing her arms and glaring across the table at the man.

He looked between the two, the candles casting small shadows over the table. A small part of him laughed at Cerys's tone. If her father and brother were even a bit like her, then he assumed he would like them. That headstrong, confident personality was something that had always drawn him to Ciri when they were younger, and he appreciated that quality in people to that day. He made sure to stay silent and just observe, not wanting to get in the middle of a row.

The man across from Cerys scoffed and shook his head, "You talk like that cause you're short of strength and skill. Remember when Hjalmar challenged us to a race up the mount? You didn't stand with us then. As he buried his axe in that stump to mark his victory, you were warming your chicken bones by the fire."

Hearing Hjalmar's name again made him wonder where the man was. He had been one of Ciri's best friends, with her even admitting to him she used to have a small crush on the boy. She told him all the time about how they used to ice skate, swim and go to the beaches on the isles. He had always wanted to meet the man, Ciri told him that he was one of the best friends she had, and that he and Dominik would get along greatly.

"I had my own reasons for not participating… I still would've won then, as I'd win now," Cerys said confidently, her eyes narrowing across the table at the man.

He felt a small laugh and smile escape him. Whirling his head around his curiosity finally got the best of him. He looked up and met Cerys's eyes and smiled.

"You know speaking of him, I heard a lot about Hjalmar, was hoping to meet him. He isn't here now," He asked the youngest an Craite.

The annoyed look on Cerys's face was instantaneous. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. The fire danced in her face, only making her hair appear to be an even more fierce ginger color. He thought he had said something wrong for a moment, and the warmth from the fire almost left him, but Cerys simply shook her head with a sigh.

"My brother walks his own path," She said, looking around the table with a new fierceness in her eyes, "As for the race… why don't we have a repeat? I'm willing to challenge any of you, a witchers son included. Venture to say if I beat him to the top that'll be a great feat eh? So, you in?"

The man she had been arguing with scoffed, "I'm in if the witchers kid is in!"

"Well Dominik…" Yennefer asked him from the other side of Geralt, as both of his adopted parents looked at him.

He scoffed and saw every set of eyes on him. A small part of him dreaded going back out into the cold, and wanted to sit by the fire, eat his fill and drink before talking to Crach. However, a larger part of him realized he couldn't back down from a challenge like this. Of all the places he had been so far in his journey, he had liked Skellige the best so far, and he had only been there a short while. One thing he knew the Skelligers respected was strength, courage and confidence.

He knew for a fact he'd beat Cerys and any of the men at the table up the mountain. His father had been a large man, tall and muscular, however he had never seemed to inherit those traits. He was always smaller, more leaned and defined. His body of course was in peak condition, but he had always been a little self-conscious about his height. When he was younger Ciri had always been as tall as him, and if she was as tall as she had been when Dudu transformed into her really, he was only about a few inches taller then her now. Faram and Geralt always told him he was deceptively strong, and he knew this as well, but always tried to avoid attacks rather then use pure muscle.

One thing he was certain of however, was how fast he was. And he wanted to make a good impression on the Skelligers, because he knew how important people like Crach, Hjalmar and he assumed Cerys would be as well to Ciri. So he looked around the table and eventually met Cerys's eyes. With a smile he nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure, why not. What are the rules," He asked, going and pulling the strap from his sword off his back.

Cerys gave him an appreciative look and smirked at him confidently, "First one to reach the top of the mountain and remove Hjalmar's axe from the stump wins. Stray from the path and you lose."

"Alright, guess we should get going then," He said, mustering his own confidence.

He leaned down and handed his sword to Geralt. His adopted father looked at him with an amused smile and took it from him. He could see Yennefer also smirking just as wildly, looking up at him with a look of pride. His stomach still rumbled, but he ignored it, a newfound sense of competition and determination running through him.

The one man across from him, whom he remembered was named Blueboy scoffed and smacked his mug back down on the table.

"Ha, and here I was ready to puke from all this boredom! Let's go," Blueboy said, quickly standing up from the table.

All them laughed and he felt a smile come to his face. In Velen and Novigrad their first days had been hell. In Velen they had to investigate the village of Heatherton, which had been completely raped and pillage by the Wild Hunt. The man who they were looking for who had gathered their leads on Ciri was tortured and mangled for information. Then in Novigrad, he had to watch a sorceress and a doppler be burned before he and Geralt had to help save Triss from a Witch Hunter ambush later in the night. In both of their journeys they had very little to go on at first, and despite how proud he was of what they accomplished, he wanted to get through Skellige as quickly as possible.

In his first day in the Isles however, he had both Geralt and Yennefer with him. He got to meet Crach an Craite, and would soon meet Hjalmar and Ermion, people who he heard all about growing up. Being on Skellige was a constant reminder of what his true goal was. The people he had met so far had been kind to him, and they all seemed willing to help. It made the hope that had been welling up in his gut burst. Soon he truly would find Ciri. Despite knowing he was only a few weeks behind her this whole time, the end goal of finding her had seemed so far away. When he was laying in bed half dead from his fight with Baelen, after raiding Whoreson's mansion, when he fought Nithral in Velen, or went up and fought the Pesta for Keira. In all those moments he had felt so far away from his goal, like it was getting more and more impossible by the hour.

However now in Skellige, he could feel how close he was. So close that he began to truly think about what he would do when he finally found her. He knew the first thing he would say to her, was how sorry he was, how sorry he was he hadn't found her sooner. But besides that, he thought more and more about what he'd do, one thing was for sure, he would truly need to be pried away from her to be separated again.

So, he decided entertaining Cerys's race was something he could spare a few moments for. It would just be another fun story for him to tell her when they found her on the Isles.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The wind was still chilling him to the bone as he sat back down on the bench. He had still not been fully prepared for just how cold the nights in Skellige would get. However, running, pumping his arms and legs as fast as they would take him, his blood racing through his body had kept him warm. Cerys had been right, she was extremely quick, but he hadn't gotten up almost every day at the crack of dawn to train for most of his life to lose a footrace like that. With just a few steps to spare, he had yanked the old axe out of the stump, just barely before Cerys was able to catch up to him. After the adrenaline had worn off, and his blood stopped pumping however he had almost frozen on the mountaintop, so Cerys had beat him in regard to not almost freezing to death. After they had arrived back, the rest of the people sitting at the table were all awaiting them both. The wake was still in full swing, and the legs of boar and mead looked even more appetizing to him as he sat back down next to Geralt, who smiled at him with pride and handed him back his sword.

"Lost sight of the two of you, so who won," Blueboy asked them again as soon as he sat.

He almost sniffled, and rubbed his nose, still feeling the frost built up on it. Cerys frowned, but crossed her arms and looked around the table.

"I lost," She admitted in a low voice.

The man from next to her quickly shook his head, "Lost to a witchers son Sparrowhawk, like to happen to any of us."

Quickly he looked around to meet everyone's eyes, before looking up at Cerys. He could see how disappointed she was, so feeling a pang of sympathy he quickly spoke up.

"She's quicker then just about anyone I've ever met, was right on my heels the entire time. Dare say if we raced ten times, she would probably win about half of them," He said, meeting her eyes and nodding to her.

A small smile crossed the younger An Craite's face and she gave him a curt nod back. The feast had not let up one bit. He saw new pigs roasting on the spit in the center of the room, more freshly opened barrels of meet, as the drums and music played incessantly. The chill from the outside slowly started to wear off as he sat, smiling as he finally reached over and grabbed an empty mug from the table.

As soon as his hands wrapped around it however, he heard his adopted mother's voice.

"You've all been lovely company. However, I'm afraid Dominik, Geralt and I must move on," The sorceress said, turning to both he and his adopted father.

"We do," Geralt quickly asked her.

"Yeah… we do…" He asked, feeling his stomach rumble as he slowly let go of the mug he had just picked up, his face falling.

His adopted mother eyed them both and slowly nodded, "We do… follow me, all will be revealed beyond that door."

She spoke lightly and slowly as she stood up. Sighing he took his hands off the mug and gave quick nods to all the people around his table. Cerys met his eyes for a moment, and he saw her give him a thankful look. He smiled and nodded at her as he passed, following closely behind Geralt and Yennefer. The feast hall wasn't nearly as large as the one he used to be in at Cintra, so he had to carefully dodge around people as he walked. The laughter and merrymaking was contagious, as there didn't seem to be many people not enjoying themselves. He yearned to only have one cup of mead in his hands, but he knew that Yen would only be doing what was necessary. He dodged around a woman carrying a new tray of freshly cut boar, and subconsciously started trying to look for Faram again.

He had been worried about his friend the last he saw him. Coming back to Skellige he knew had to be hard for his friend. Being defeated by the Giant on Undvik the first time had shaken his friend's confidence. One thing that he always associated with Faram was his confidence, along with his jolly demeanor, how he always looked on the bright side of things. Seeing how the Bear School witcher was at the funeral had troubled him. If Faram wasn't in the right state of mind, he would be slightly worried about him going to face the giant again. He had been hoping to talk to his friend, see how he was feeling that night. However, as they got to the large set of double doors Yennefer had led them too, he still hadn't seen him.

Sighing he turned around just in time to walk through the doors behind Geralt. As soon as the large set of oaken doors closed behind them, he was cut off from the pleasant smell of cooking meat. The hallway they had come too was wide, with more swords, shields and décor lining the walls. He could also see multiple trunks, tables and other bits of decoration on the ground. One way to their right had another large set of doors, while the way straight ahead of them led to more winding hallways. He shuddered for a minute and rubbed both his arms to keep his bones warm.

"Fucking hell it was freezing out there," He said, turning to face both his adopted parents.

Geralt crossed his arms but smiled, "At least it was a nice win. Didn't think you'd agree to race to be honest."

He shrugged his shoulders, feeling a smile come to his face, "We were waiting for Crach anyway. Besides, I'm always up for a good challenge. Ciri never mentioned Cerys before."

His adopted father nodded, "Yeah that's because Cerys wasn't that old yet when Ciri last came around. Seems more level-headed then Hjalmar," He said before looking over to Yennefer, "So you got us here, what are we doing now?"

Yen looked at the both of them with a slight smirk, "Now we sneak into Ermion's laboratory."

His eyes went wide, and he felt himself scoff, "And… why are we doing that?"

The sorceress turned around to him quickly, meeting his emerald eyes with her violet ones, "There's something in there that can help us find Ciri. It'll help me better examine the blast zone. Also… you won't be coming with us. Geralt and I will go, you stay at the feast and cover for us if the need arises."

"What, no that's not fair, I wanna come with you both," He said quickly looking to Geralt for support.

His adopted father however looked at Yennefer and then back to him. He knew exactly what the older witcher was thinking as soon as he looked back at him. Geralt sighed and looked over to Yen.

"I'm guessing that Ermion won't be there," His adopted father said, looking to meet Yennefer's eyes.

Yen quickly nodded, looking between them both, "That's right. Geralt, me and you will go. We're looking for the Mask of Ubaros. It helps one see the echoes of the past… we can use it to examine the site of the explosion."

"And we can see if Ciri caused it…" He said, feeling his mouth get dry.

Yen nodded in confirmation, and he felt his blood quickly race again. A small part of him realized they more then likely were not invited to Ermion's lab. The two of them would likely be breaking and entering, but as soon as he heard the purpose he didn't care. All thoughts went from his mind except that the mask could help them see Ciri, see if she had been on Ard Skellig, and possibly where she had gone off too if she really landed back on the island. Her face flashed in his mind, and he didn't care anymore how he got to her, as along as he did.

He looked and met his adopter mother's gaze with pleading eyes, "Yen you need to let me come with you, please!"

Sighing the sorceress shook her eyes again, "I'm sorry Dominik, but if all of us left the wake at the same time it'd raise too much suspicion. Stay here, mingle have a drink, get some food in you. If anyone asks out whereabouts, tell them we've stepped outside for a moment, we we'll be less than an hour."

Feeling his agitation rise he looked over to Geralt, "Geralt come on, please let me come!"

Right away his adopted father shook his head, "I'm sorry Dom, Yen's right. All of us leaving would look shady. Stay, see if you can find Faram. Like she said, we'll be back soon. By tomorrow we'll be on the trail again."

"He's right. If all goes well we'll be on Ciri's trail by tomorrow," His adopted mother quickly added.

If there was one thing his adopted parents knew, it was how to get him to cooperate. All they ever had to do was mention Ciri and he always relented. The truth of the matter was, he wanted to be a part of every single thing they had to do to find her. He didn't want to sit back and hope that she was found, or let other people look. It was something he had done too often the previous eight years. So, he wanted to be a part of everything, not sit back and let others get the job done.

However, if there was anyone he trusted, and knew wouldn't stop until they got what they needed to find her, it was Geralt and Yennefer.

Sighing he heard the distant banging of drums and the lingering smell of mead from the other room. Looking up he met the eyes of them both.

"Fine… I'll cover for you both. Just be careful, and try to hurry. I want to talk to Crach as soon as we can," He said, a small twinge of worry running through his body.

Both of his adopted parents smiled at him, Yennefer reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Good, we'll try to hurry we promise, if Crach or anyone asks for us like I said, just tell them Geralt and I stepped out for a moment," She told him, her reassuring voice making him smile again.

Geralt looked at him and smiled in a similar way, "Have some food, get a drink. Just like I said earlier don't get completely drunk. And for the love of god no gwent, if I come back and see you with your cards out I'm taking them from you."

He heard Yennefer laugh but he rolled his eyes, before a small smile came to his face. While he wished he was going with them of course, another small part of him was glad they'd have a few moments alone. He knew that both his adopted parents had wanted that since they had reunited on the isle, but neither had the heart to tell him. A small ball of excitement and enthusiasm ran through him as well. If the mask could really help them see what happened at the explosion, it could lead them right to where Ciri was hiding out.

Also, the smell of the roast boar managed to crack through the door, and his stomach rumbled. He's enjoyed the feast while he could because the next day would be one of the most important he had ever woken up too.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When the door closed behind him upon arriving back, he felt the hair on his arms stand up. Yennefer and Geralt had disappeared further into the castle, and like they had instructed he returned to the feast. He still didn't see any sign of Crach, but the hall was still completely crowded. The great smell of meat, drinks and the banging of drums still hit his ears. A small part of him was still upset that his adopted parents had sent him back, but after hearing his stomach rumble and his mouth go dry he felt a little better. He was trying to look for a place to sit again, perhaps returning to Cerys, when he heard his name get yelled.

"AH DOMINIK," A loud enthusiastic voice yelled.

His head whirled around, and he narrowed his eyes feeling himself scoff, "Barnabas, what the hell are you doing here?"

The skinny sailor, Faram's first mate on the _Adrestia _was surprisingly well dressed. The grey haired, one eyed old man smiled broadly at him, holding two cups up in his hands. He wore a long blue tunic, an eyepatch over his one eye. He scoffed and smiled when the old man came and handed him a mug, filled so much that the mead spilled over the edges when he grabbed it.

The old sailor raised the cup up to him, "Haha I am here to bid my King farewell! Where is Geralt!? Faram and I finally arrived, he sent me to find you!"

His eyes widened as he let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head as he took a large drink from the mug. The mead slid down his throat and before he knew it he had downed half of the cup. A small smile came to his face, feeling the pleasant good burn, and the oaky aftertaste slid down his throat. He looked down and met Barnabas's eyes again and laughed.

"Geralt he… stepped out for a bit, where's Faram I've been looking for him. You said he just showed up," He asked, holding his hands around the mug.

The old sailor smiled and gestured for him to follow, "Come my friend come! Faram last I saw, was speaking with the young An Craite."

"Cerys," He asked as he began to follow the man through the hall again.

Barnabas quickly nodded and walked back towards the front of the hall, slightly tipsy to the point where he almost knocked over multiple patrons. He wondered what Faram could possibly be speaking to Cerys about, but quickly followed behind the old sailor, helping to keep him propped up so he didn't knock into any larger patrons. He could feel a tense aura starting to develop in the room. People still drank and laughed, famous songs he had been hearing all his life played in his ears. The yellow frothy mead in his cup swirled as he took another drink. Carefully he eyed some of the patrons, looking for any sign of Crach an Craite.

He didn't see anyone he recognized, except for Birna Bran whom he had met out on the bridge. She was with who she assumed was her son, Bran's son, the one who she believed should be his heir. It seemed however that most of her argument were falling on deaf ears by the reaction he could see people who spoke to her giving. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind. In Novigrad they had almost gotten involved in the complicated politics of the cities underworld, something he had been firmly against. Now that he was on Skellige, he wanted his main focus to be looking for Ciri.

The thought of being so close brought an odd taste to his mouth. After being what seemed so far away for so long, he was finally close to her. What would he, Geralt and Yennefer do after they found her? He knew that a fight with the Wild Hunt would come, but where would they fight them, how soon after they found Ciri would the fight happen? Where would they take her after they found her? He would never take her to Vizima and the Emperor, unless for some reasons she said she wanted to, and from everything Geralt had told him, she hated Emhyr just as much as either of them did. Would the two of them set right out on the Path? It seemed unlikely as well, the Hunt could descend on them, especially if Baelen could track him.

Maybe he could take her to Kaer Morhen? He had swore to himself eight years prior that he wouldn't return to the fortress until he had found her. Multiple times he had considered breaking that promise over the years. However, he knew that going back to the fortress would have been too much for him. Seeing the place where they had both grown up, fallen in love with each other, and spent years of their lives together would have only made him feel even worse about losing her. He wondered if the near whole that they both made in the wall from testing out their first bombs was still there, or if their rooms in the keep had been untouched. Would the carved wolf Ciri made him for his birthday still be on his dresser where he forgot it, or the letters he received from Ciri during their time apart when she was at the Temple of Melitele, and the one or two he received in her few weeks at Aretuza.

The thought of being so close sent both feelings of joy and anxiousness through him. Finding her was only the first step, only the beginning a much bigger fight.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his name yelled again, this time he had almost knocked over a much larger man, but he managed to look up and step to the side, almost spilling his drink.

"Ah Dom mate, good to see ya, how you enjoying the famous Skelligan hospitality," The voice of Faram of Undvik yelled to him.

He blinked to bring himself back to reality as he looked down and indeed saw the towering sight of the Bear School witcher. It had been the first time he truly saw Faram dressed in anything other then his armor, besides when his group of friends had gone to Dijkstra's bathhouse. He wore a long black tunic, his long black beard trimmed so now it only went down to his shoulders. His black hair was still up in a ponytail, and he held a tankard of ale in his hand, both his swords tied to his back.

Scoffing he smiled down at his friend, "Faram, for fuck's sake been looking for you all night."

"So have I. It seems there's no limit to the amount of witcher's I'm meeting tonight," Cerys said from across the Bear School witcher.

Sure enough the young An Craite had seemed to moved on from her previous table, and was now sitting across from Faram, a cup in her hands as well. Barnabas went and sat back down next to the young girl, while he moved his legs around the bench to sit next to Faram. His friend raised his mug and met his eyes.

"Sorry to keep you waiting mate. Had to make sure the _Adrestia _made it into port. Came in here and met young Sparrowhawk, was just telling her about our contract together in Velen," Faram said, lifting the mug to his mouth.

Cerys nodded and scoffed from across them, "Completely mad! A woman leads her sister to be mauled by a werewolf so she can sleep with her husband!"

He scoffed, remembering the contract in detail, and marveling at how long ago it felt. It had been during the day off he had in Velen, when Geralt was waiting for the Baron's botchling to change into a lubberkin. Dominik had gotten a few errands done, before riding to Blackbough to complete the contract while he waited for Geralt to be finished. This had been where he met up with Faram again before they both went to follow the lubberkin that night with Geralt. He slightly shuddered, remembering the size of the werewolf, and the fact Niellen had been forced to suffer. If he had known the man was a werewolf before hand he could have lifted the curse, but it was too late for him to regret it.

"Damn shame what happened, wish we could've helped him. Faram, did you talk to Crach yet," He said, looking up at his friend.

Slowly the Bear School witcher shook his head, "Aye not yet. Probably waiting till after the claimant's step forward. Surprised to see you by yourself, Geralt and Yennefer aren't with you?"

Laughing nervously, he took another drink and shook his head, "They um… stepped out for some air. Shouldn't be that long. In the meantime, I'm fucking starving."

Not wanting to have to lie further he quickly reached and pulled an empty plate from the table, and started loading it with as much meat, bread, and fruit as he could. None of the people at his table seemed to bat an eye as they did the same. He scarfed down boar and chicken, washing it down with the mead from his cup, as he savored every last bit he ate. Faram, Cerys and Barnabas continued to talk about previous adventures they'd been on, while Dominik focused solely on the food. With every minute that passed, he felt his apprehension rise. If Geralt and Yennefer didn't get back in time for them to meet with Crach, then he didn't know how he'd cover. As he ate however, he thought more about the pieces of the puzzle floating around in his head.

Yennefer had said there were two magic explosions in Skellige, one on Ard Skellige, and the other on Hindersfjall. If Ciri really had teleported back to Ard Skellige after being in danger in Novigrad, how did an explosion occur on Hindersfjall? Ciri would often tell him how Hindersfjall had the best beaches of any of the isles, and her and Hjalmar would often swim there. Perhaps after landing on Ard Skellige she went there? Another small piece of the puzzle floated into his head. He remembered what Baelen had said to him in the cave.

_'I fought Cirilla myself not long ago… I hope you prove as worthy of a challenge.'_

The music and voices of the crowded feast hall tuned out for a moment, as the words played over and over in his mind. He had known that there was always the possibility everything Baelen said was a lie. She had told him all of the things she did about Ciri to make him lower his guard, fighting her previously, that Ciri had been with the Aen Elle King, it all could have been a ploy to make him lower his guard. However, Baelen had also known things about him that there was no way she could have possibly known, the name of his father, that he met Ciri in Cintra, that Yen, Geralt, Ciri and he had spent the year in Ellander. And if his dreams were true she could see what he was doing by performing that blood ritual. So… why would she have lied about fighting Ciri?

Baelen had immense magical powers, and he knew Ciri did as well. What if Hindersfjall was where they had fought? What if the magical explosion that happened on the island, was from Baelen and Ciri clashing. That much magical power in a duel would surely have been enough to cause the explosion. If that had truly been the case, Ciri could be seriously injured. He knew Ciri had her powers, and she knew how to control them to an extent, but Baelen was very clearly in complete control of the power she possessed. In his duel with the Hunt commander, he knew for a fact she was going easy on him, and even then he had barely survived, only making it because of the powers in his blood activating. He wasn't sure what did more damage to him, Baelen, or the magic that unleashed from him. Either way, Baelen could have hurt her, he knew that the commander couldn't have killed Ciri, because if she had, Geralt and he would currently be fighting an invasion from the Hunt.

No, Ciri was alive, this he knew, but the question was where. On Ard Skellige, on Hindersfjall? Or had she hidden away, teleported somewhere else… or worse, had a curse finally taken over her?

He quickly pushed the thoughts from his head. She had to be there in Skellige, that was where all the trails led, it was the final lead they had. She HAD to be in the Isles, and if she wasn't… he didn't know what he would do. If they didn't find her at the end of the trail in Skellige, it would go cold… and he'd be back to square one. So he quickly pushed the negative thoughts from his head, after everything he had gone through to find her, she HAD to have been there, the universe wouldn't put him through that much torment to not give him the one thing he truly desired in the world.

His hand had stopped halfway to his mouth with the chunk of boar, and suddenly he placed it down on the plate, his appetite leaving him. Quickly he picked up his mug of ale, and downed the rest, before coming back down and looking at the swallow dangling from his neck.

"Oy Dominik, you with us mate," Faram's voice said from next to him, making him nearly choke and look over to him.

"What, I'm sorry I… got distracted," He said, looking around to Faram, Barnabas and Cerys.

From across the table, he saw Cerys meeting his eyes, a tankard still in the young An Craite's hand, her one arm leaning forward on the table, and eager look in her eyes.

"I was asking you what it was like growing up as a witchers son! Come on tell us, it had to have been exciting," The red head asked excitedly, looking into his emerald eyes.

Right away he scoffed and leaned forward with both his arms on the table. A small smile came to his face, as his first few weeks at Kaer Morhen flashed into his brain. Getting up at the crack of dawn every day, Lambert, Eskel, Coen at the time, and Geralt all always putting Ciri and he into the ground. For the first few weeks they had both collected more bruises then he cared to remember. It had taken them almost a month before they could even last a few minutes sparring, and after that they truly taken off in terms of their talent.

All three of his table mates looked at him, so he smiled around at all three.

"Well if you call waking up at the crack of dawn every day, listening to a three-hour lecture on monsters' species and differences, before intense physical training for another four hours every single day then… I guess you could call it exciting," He said with a small amused smile, the music in the crowded hall getting louder.

Faram laughed from next to him and shook his head, "Aye I remember it as well. You feel like your limbs are about to fall off, and you get used to being bruised from head to toe."

"How old were you when you went," He asked his friend, not remembering the answer.

Scoffing again Faram's face slightly fell as he looked down into his tankard. Again, he saw the confusion and apprehension in his friend's eyes.

"Ten… you were eleven right," He said, looking to meet Dominik's eyes.

He nodded to confirm, and a terse silence passed between them both. If you had asked him if he were happy he went to Kaer Morhen when he was eleven, it would be a hard question for him to answer. Was he happy that after two months on the run with Ciri, that they were finally saved by being taken to the witcher fortress? Of course, he was. Did the witchers there treat both Ciri and he like family, and show them skills that he was glad to have learned, skills that have saved his life? Of course, he was. Was he happy that in going to Kaer Morhen, he grew even closer to Ciri, the two of them falling in love and being together, and getting to meet Geralt, his adopted father, and then eventually Yennefer? Again, of course he was.

But was he happy what had to happen to him, Ciri and their first families for it all to happen? No, he wasn't, and to that day he still had nightmares of it.

Cerys and Barnabas both looked between Faram and he. The loud chatters, clapping, and music rang through the hall, and soon Cerys quickly shook her head, looking to Dominik again.

"Sorry to ask, it was insensitive," She said quickly, meeting his eyes with her, "Enough about the training. How'd you come to be in Geralt's care? He was mates with my da. He told always told Hjalmar and I that he took in Ciri, and you as well. How'd you end up with him?"

The mead he was drinking slid down the wrong pipe of his throat, and he coughed it up onto the table. He looked over and saw Faram look to him with his eyes freezing as well. He coughed a few more times and looked up to meet Cerys's eyes who looked at him worriedly. A small scoff escaped from him as he leaned closer over the table.

"You… know about Ciri? I'm sorry but she… she never mentioned you like Hjalmar and your dad, I didn't think you knew her," He asked the young An Craite, the music from the drums playing over their voices.

Cerys laughed and nodded, "Didn't expect her too. I wasn't that old the last time she came around, never really played with her and Hjalmar, but I have heard of her from them."

He let out a sigh, if Cerys really knew who Ciri was he assumed that he could trust her. She was an An Craite, and if he could trust Crach and Hjalmar when he met him, then he had to assume it was the same for Cerys. He subconsciously looked around, making sure nobody was listening. Biting his bottom lip, he quickly down the rest of his mead and nodded to Faram, before placing the mug back down and meeting Cerys's eyes.

"Well… I grew up in Cintra with her. My real father was a knight, captain of Queen Calanthe's guards. Long story short I met her there, we escaped together, traveled around for a month before Geralt found us. Trained at Kaer Morhen together after that. We were… close," He said, looking back down at his plate, feeling his face get red again.

"Really close from what you told me eh," Faram said elbowing him, getting a laugh from Cerys.

He scoffed and felt himself smile. The hearth in the center of the room roared, and he felt it warm his bones. More people were beginning to gather in the hall, making it even more crowded, and he felt people almost bounce off him at the table as he sat. He felt himself wondering what Geralt and Yennefer were doing, if they had made it too Ermion's lab yet, and found the mask. He didn't particularly want to talk about Ciri with anyone in that moment, a small part of him thought that if he talked about it more it would jinx him. With being so close he wasn't taking any chances.

Cerys however scoffed a curious look on her face and met his eyes again, "The two of you were together? I heard from da that she hasn't been seen for some time."

Slowly he nodded, "We were…. She hasn't been yeah… hoping to find her soon. I… I'm sorry I don't really want to talk about it."

He made his tone clear, and a part of him was expecting Cerys to ask more questions. However, the young An Craite simply nodded, a respectful look on her face as she met his eyes.

"Alright, sorry for bringing it up, simply curious…. So how about you tell us a witcher story, we got some time still before the claimants to the crown come forward," She said, looking between the both of them with a smile.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, the smell of more mead and meat washed over his nose. It had been some time, and he was sure that Geralt and Yennefer both had to almost be finished with their task by now. He hoped that the mask they were looking for had been worth it. Either way he was going to be sure to move quickly as soon as they returned. He still had seen no sign of Crach, who he assumed was speaking with the other Jarls as Cerys said earlier. The longer he sat there, the more he wished that he could be outside, continuing his search. However, so far he had been in good company, and if he found another person he could trust in Cerys, and hopefully Crach when he talked to him further then it would all have been worth it.

What had only been a few weeks had felt like a months to him. He had spent eight years of his life alone, with only his sword and his horse, and for a few moments between, friends. Now however, he was still closer then he had ever been. And for the first time in their quest, he was amongst people who all had the same goal as he. Yennefer, Geralt, Crach, and he assumed Hjalmar, Ermion and Cerys as well, they all wanted the same thing as he. To see Ciri safe, to stop her from having to continuously run.

Something he had said to Keira Metz back in Velen, in his very first quest of the whole search, was he would be eternally grateful to anyone who helped him find Ciri. So if Cerys and her family were going to do just that, he felt he could at the least tell her a few witcher stories to stroke the young woman's curiosity. A small smile crossed his face as he looked over to Faram.

"A witcher story huh? How about we tell her about the Bruxa in Aedirn, when we met George, that was a tough fucking fight," He said, smirking and looking over at Cerys.

His heart warmed more when he saw Faram smirk and laugh.

"Haha a fucking tough fight it was. Damn beast had a small army of thralls! The bombs you made combined with George's signs turned it around for us," Faram said, the excitement he normally showed returning as he looked over to Cerys, "Alright Sparrowhawk, it all started when Dom and I made our way to eastern Aedirn, wondered upon this one village where people kept going missing…"

A warm feeling washed over him as he heard the music and chattering from the all begin to get even louder. A small twang of worry ran through his body as he still didn't see any sign of Yennefer and Geralt. He slowly turned back around to face the table, picking up an apple and biting into it. As he felt the fire warm his bones, the fresh fruit slide down his throat, and the pleasant music play as Faram told their story of fighting the Bruxa and her thralls with George, he did manage to a have a moment of peace however.

And he did everything he could to savor it, because he knew after that night, it would be quite some time before he had another moment to enjoy himself like that.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"No fucking way it was that big, you've got to be lying," Cerys said with a scoff, shaking her head, her cup still in hand.

He laughed and shook his own head, "True I swear. Geralt and I fought it in the bog, damn thing was bigger than a house. Sword got stuck in its hand and it flung me up! I came down, stabbed my dagger into it, and leaped off."

Faram shook his head, taking another large gulp from his mug before slamming it back on the table with a laugh.

"Haha Fiend's are hard to take down that's for sure. Let me tell you Sparrowhawk, he may not have mutations, but Dominik of Cintra is the toughest fucker you'll ever meet," His friend praised him, smacking him on the back, causing him to almost spill his drink.

He smiled at the praise despite the fact he had almost choked. He was on his third mug of ale, and he knew it would take a lot more to get him drunk. Despite the fact he had been having a wonderful time, and was sufficiently full, the more time that passed, the more his worry began to rise. It had been a lot longer than the one-hour Yennefer had said they'd be, and a few moments prior he had finally seen Crach again. The man was mingling with other Jarls, but he could see his eyes gazing around the room, more then likely looking for him, Yennefer and Geralt. He tapped his finger incessantly on the table, looking towards the doors they had gone into when they left, and was only brought back to the conversation by Cerys.

"Ha, a witchers life is full of stories I'd like to hear. Thanks for sharing them… but I should be going I… have something I must prepare for," The young An Craite said, standing up from her seat and nodding to them all.

"Aye fair well Sparrowhawk," Faram said, raising his cup to the young woman as she nodded and walked off towards the opposite end of the feast hall.

He readjusted his sword on his back as he sighed, biting his lip and looking towards the back doors again. His hands squeezed around his mug, as he saw no sight of his adopted parents still. More and more people were beginning to cram into the hall, so he had to assume that the claimants of the crown would step forward soon. After that was surely when Crach meant to talk to them, and as much as he wanted to talk to the man, he didn't want to do it alone. He looked down and chugged the rest of the ale inside his cup, and slowly shook his head.

Faram nudged him and he looked up to meet the yellow eyes of the Bear school witcher.

"So, where are Yennefer and Geralt really," His friend asked, stroking his black beard to get the bits of food out of it.

Slowly he looked over his friend's taller frame to once again confirm neither were there. He sighed again when he saw neither of his adopted parents and looked to meet Faram's eyes.

"Snuck off to Ermion's lab, Yen says there's something there that would help us find Ciri. Said they'd be back in an hour… we're supposed to talk to Crach soon," He said, trying to keep his voice loud enough so Faram could hear it over the music and chatter.

His friend nodded slowly, "Aye mate… been a bit longer then that safe to say. So you think you'll head out to look for Ciri tomorrow?"

Slowly he nodded his head, feeling the swallow around his neck tremble, "Yeah hopefully. What about you, when do you plan on heading to Undvik?"

Faram paused with the cup going to his lips and slowly sighed shaking his head. His friend carefully lowered his mug back to the table. He could see the look of anxiousness return to the Bear School witchers face. A look of dread and nerves was never something he thought he'd see on the face of Faram of Undvik. The face his friend made seemed so unnatural, so misplaced that it sent an uneasy chill down Dominik's own spine.

The larger witcher sighed and met his gaze, "To be honest mate I… I don't know. Now that I'm here I… I'm not sure that I'm ready to head back. That giant bastard he… he nearly killed me last time. He destroyed the village I used to live in I… I don't know if I'm ready to go back."

His eyes widened at hearing his friend's words. He noticed as they sailed there the look on Faram's face growing more and more somber. If anyone knew anything about being afraid to face past failures it was Dominik himself. Sighing he reached up and clapped a hand on his larger friends' shoulder.

"You're the one who told me we can either run from the past… or we can learn from it. You're going to go kill that fucker Faram, and if you need me to come with you, to kick your ass in the right direction, I'll be by your side," He assured his friend, feeling his heart go out to the man who had saved him in multiple ways.

If not for Faram he would quite literally be dead. He remembered the leshen contract he had been on when he met the Bear School witcher. He very rarely accepted contracts on leshen's, knowing that his non mutated body would have a harder time killing one. However, at the time, it was a few months after Rivia, where his mental state had all but deteriorated. He had subconsciously taken such a tough contract, thinking that if he died… he died, he felt at the time he didn't have much else to live for. He though Yennefer and Geralt were dead, Ciri was either dead or out of his reach… he had been alone.

So, when the leshen had him pinned against a boulder, ready to stab a branch through his throat, he had almost accepted his fate. That was when an Aard blast had shot the beast back and freed him. Faram had come charging in, urging him to fight on and not let the fucker take him without a fight. Together Faram and he had killed the beast, the leshen had been no match for them both. It turned out Dominik had accepted the contract from a village to the north, while Faram had accepted a contract from the village to the south. Both contracts had been on the leshen, so the two of them naturally took the beasts head and collected both rewards. That had been the start of a long, lucrative six-month partnership between the two of them.

During the time, other then of course Ciri, Faram had become the best-friend he ever had. He had never entrusted the information about Ciri to anyone until he had met Faram. The Bear School witcher had learned everything about him, and they both saved each other multiple times. Not only had he been saved by Faram from the leshen… he gave him hope, confidence and reminded him that there could still be plenty of things worth fight for. Faram had left when he learned about the giant on Undvik… and now his friends was back to avenge his failure.

His friend sighed and slowly shook his head, "I can't ask you to do that mate. You're finally so close to Ciri, I won't stop you from picking up her trail."

He scoffed and shook his head, "I wouldn't be on Ciri's trail if not for you. You helped me find what I needed to do to stay on her path in Novigrad and Velen. You've helped me with my quest this whole time, there's no way I'm not helping with yours. Besides, shouldn't take that long. Between the two of us, the fucker won't stand a chance."

After everything his friend had done for him the last few weeks, he knew that he couldn't not help Faram when he went to slay the giant. Geralt and he wouldn't be in Skellige, they wouldn't have had ushers for the play, they wouldn't have had enough men to ambush the convoy, he wouldn't have learned Bear School tactics, he would've had to raid Whoreson's casino by himself. A large reason he had so much success in his journey was because of his friend. Faram had been there for him, so he would be there for Faram.

During the quest he didn't only want to find Ciri but do things that would have made her proud of him. And he knew for a fact she'd tell him to go help Faram. He also knew what he said had been true, one giant wouldn't stand a chance against them both, not while they both had so much to fight for.

A smile came to his friends face as he held his cup up to him. Dominik quickly held up his own mug and tapped it to his friends.

"Thank you mate… we'll kill that fucker, and then we'll find your Ciri," The Bear School witcher said, his yellow eyes dancing with determination.

He scoffed and nodded, "You bet we will, I can't wait to…. Fucking finally, look over there."

Faram's head shot over, and he could tell the Bear School witcher saw what he saw as well. A rush of relief ran through him as he saw Geralt and Yennefer both enter back through the front entrance they had come in to start the night. Faram whirled back around to him and gave him a quick nod. He quickly nodded back to the larger witcher and they both quickly rose form the bench they had sat at. Barnabas didn't seem to take notice to either of them, the old sailor singing a sea shanty, seeming so drunk he wouldn't remember a thing.

The hall hadn't been that crowded all night, as everyone started to gather towards the center hearth. He saw multiple younger men, all with weapons firmly out in their hands beginning to walk and gather towards the center of the room. In front of the large hearth a massive table had been pulled out, and he assumed this was where claimants to the throne stepped forward to throw their name in the ring. Faram had no trouble barreling through the all much smaller patrons, but Dominik had to step around and gently push drunk men away from him, as he finally caught up with the Bear School witcher. Another relieved breath left him, as he saw both Yennefer and Geralt again, however he narrowed his eyes when he noticed how they looked.

Both were still wearing the same outfit they had left the hall in, however they seemed discombobulated. Geralt's hair was sticking out at all angles, his tunic was slightly crooked. and he could see a slightly withered look on his adopted fathers face, a small red and black mark on his neck. He felt his mouth slightly fall agape as he looked to see Yennefer in a similar state. The hair on his arms stood up and he felt his body tingle.

His adopted mother's hair was also frazzled, her dress slightly crooked as well. He watched as she covered her raven locks over her neck quickly when she saw Faram and him approach.

"Where have you two been, that was way more then an hour," He whispered to them quietly, not wanting to attract more attention.

Yennefer quickly looked up at Geralt, and for the first time in his entire life he saw a flustered look on both his adopted parents faces. Geralt scratched the back of his head and slowly looked down to meet his eyes.

"We got… sidetracked," His adopted father said quickly, before looking up towards Faram, "Good to see you again Faram."

Faram had apparently caught onto what he had as well, because he could see the smirk on his friend's face. The Bear School witcher slowly smirked, reaching out to shake Geralt's hand.

"Geralt, an honor and a pleasure as always. Lady Yennefer, good to see you again," His friend said respectfully, giving his adopted mother a bow.

His eyes went wide as he looked between both his adopted parents as Yen smiled up at the Bear school witcher.

"It's good to see you again as well Faram," The sorceress said, before quickly looking to meet his eyes, "Sorry we took so long, as Geralt said we got… sidetracked."

He sighed and rubbed both his hands over his face, looking up to meet both of their eyes.

"Did the two of you… really sneak of and have sex, you gotta be fucking kidding me I was waiting and-," He started complaining only to be cut off by his adopted mother's eye roll.

"Oh, stop child, we got the mask and we're here now that's what matters. Now hush, Crach is about to speak," She said, grabbing onto his shoulder and pointing him towards the center of the room.

He sighed in annoyance as he saw a smirk on both Geralt and Faram's face as he looked towards the center of the feast hall. The last thing he currently wanted to be thinking about was his adopted parents in bed together, so he drew his attention to Crach standing before everyone who had gathered. He also felt another small rush of relief. No matter if they had taken a little longer or not, Geralt and Yennefer had gotten the mask, and if what Yen said was true, he was glad they had gotten it. Even if he did feel slightly bad about having them break into Ermion's lab, if it was to help them find Ciri he would be able to quickly get over it.

The feast hall for the first time that night had gone completely silent. He saw Geralt move closer towards the center, towards where Crach was standing to speak with Yennefer in tow, so he quickly followed behind with Faram. It had been more crowded then ever before, and he felt his skin crawling at the silence, with tension falling over the room. He recognized a few of the young men he had been sitting with when they had first arrived all in the center of the room, weapons in hand, standing in front of the table, watching as Crach got up behind it, an axe in the elder An Craite's hands.

He finally perched himself next to Geralt and Yennefer, with Faram leaning on a pillar behind him as they watched the seen unfold from the right of Crach in the crowd. An older woman had come before the table and held out her hands, saying words, prayers in the name of the gods, telling the room that there was no greater honor then serving them. After she had finally finished Crach cleared his throat and held up his hands to address the large crowd.

"Words of common beauty. We thank you and will take them to heart… but now-let's begin," The jarl said loudly, and Dominik could feel the tension in the room shift.

Among the young men up in front of the table, he saw all three of the ones he had been sitting with earlier. They all held axes, swords and maces in their hands, respectfully standing at attention and listening to Crach. One young man however stood with Birna Bran, the woman whom he had met outside on the bridge. It was as if the man was hugging to his mother's coattails, he assumed that must have been King Bran's son, the one Birna felt was owed the throne by right. If her goal had been to get her son on the throne, she wasn't helping her case by practically holding his hand while they stood before Crach. He could see multiple guests casting them odd, annoyed glances.

"We have seen Bran off into the great beyond and now we must choose his successor. A king must be wise. A king must command respect. A king must have bollocks. We've no lack of men like that," Crach said, narrowing his eyes to all the men who had stood present, gesturing towards the table, "Let those who feel worthy of the crown of Skellige, step forth!"

To his credit Bran's son stepped forward confidently himself, dropping his sword onto the table, which made his mother beam with pride. He watched in fascination as one by one more young men stepped forward, dropping axes, swords, maces all onto the table. With everyone that stepped forward, all the eyes of the people followed. He remembered that many people had come to the feast not only to say goodbye to King Bran, but also to see the new claimants to the throne. He also knew in the back of his head, that the Black One's were beginning plans of invading the isles, and the Skelligers hated them more then they hated anyone, so whichever claimant was picked, would more then likely be leading them into war.

After a few men had dramatically dropped their weapons onto the table, he scanned the room, wondering why he didn't see Cerys. She had told them she had something to do, but he had expected to see the younger an Craite in attendance. Soon it seemed everyone who wanted to put their name forth had, so Crach stood up towards the table, holding the axe in his hand up for everyone to see.

"My son could not be here, behold his axe. Behold his will," He announced to the room, dropping the axe onto the table.

He wondered where Hjalmar could possibly be. The man had been one of Ciri's closest friends, so the he had been one of the people Dominik wanted to meet most. From what he had heard from eavesdropping on people passing by, Hjalmar was considered a front runner in the race to become king, why this was he hadn't managed to hear. However, while one young an Craite hadn't been there, another one had, and his eyes widened when he finally spotted her.

"Cerys…" He said quietly to himself, as the youngest An Craite made her way to the table, a dagger in her hand.

"Aye… you go get'em Sparrowhawk," Faram commented from behind him, a hint of pride in his voice.

A small smile came to his face as well, as Cerys walked to the table. The youngest An Craite looked up and met her father's eyes for a moment, before dropping the dagger onto the table, and quickly retreating back into the crowd. He could see Crach trying to control his emotions, shock, worry, a hint of pride, and anxiousness all in one. Quickly he followed Cerys through the crowd, and he remembered one man had said earlier, _'a jarls daughter, fat load of good it's done her,'_. The smile grew on his face, it seemed that it had finally done some good for the young woman.

After Crach finally recovered from his shock he turned his gaze back to the crowd, "May the best man… or woman… win."

Upon his final words, small murmurs began to break out amongst the crowd as people started to disperse. He watched in front of him again as Yennefer and Geralt both quickly made their move to walk towards the Jarl again. He maneuvered around a few people who had walked in front of him, as he felt his heart rate begin to go faster. As happy as he was for Cerys who was slowly becoming a new friend to him, what they had come there for that night was in the front of his mind. They had retrieved the mask of ubaros, and now they were finally getting to talk to Crach. He gingerly reached his hands around his neck and gripped the swallow behind his medallion.

He saw her face pop into his head as they finally approached Crach, and it sent a tingling, buzzing sensation through him, as a smile came to his face.

Crach turned to them all and sighed, shaking his head, "What's into her…"

Yennefer laughed lightly and shook her head, "She's your daughter, is she not?"

A small smile came to the jarls face but he scoffed again, "Now I know why she's sailed to Spikeroog. Ah, children! The older they grow, the more trouble they are. I have been waiting for all four of you, you included Witcher Faram, it is even more imperative that we talk now."

He looked behind himself to Faram and smiled at his friend, but he could see the hard look return to the Bear School witchers face. Slowly he sighed and turned back to see Crach gesturing for them all to follow. His stomach whirled, and he felt all of the food he had ate that night sitting in the pit of his stomach. He reached around and kept his hand gripped on the swallow. If Ciri had been there, she would have known exactly what to say to help his friend. When they had been younger, whenever he was upset about anything, all she needed to do was smile at him with those beautiful eyes, say a few words and he would feel better.

He doubted she'd have that effect on Faram, but along with being the woman he loved, Ciri was one of the best friends anyone could ask for. A small smile came to his face as he imagined all of them together, him, Ciri, Faram, George, Freya and Geralt, all of them together, playing gwent, drinking and enjoying the time together. It was something that he had been craving for the last eight years of his life.

And as he followed Crach towards the exit to the feast hall, he could feel the swallow tremble. When it trembled and he grabbed it, that was always his way of remembering that she was out there somewhere, waiting for him to come get her again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Crach had escorted them out to the castle walls, and the view had taken his breath away. While he still felt goosebumps go up his arms from the wind, seeing the mountains, the ocean, the horizon, being so close to the clouds made it all worth it. He took in a long deep breath, inhaling as much of the fresh air as he could. The wind howled in his ears as he looked out over the side next to Crach, a peaceful feeling washing over him. There had only been a few time in the previous few weeks he had felt truly at peace, and as he looked over the side of the castle that night, he took a moment to savior that peace.

Crach leaned over the stone walls, both his hands resting on the sides. Yennefer was seated cross legged on the wall behind them, as Geralt leaned against the battlements to the left of Crach. He was on the jarls right, with Faram right next to him. He could see the look of determination growing on his friend's face, as the Bear witcher curled his callused bare hands into fists looking out into the sea far down below. His medallion and swallow pendant swung in the wind, and his hair blew wildly, as he slowly saw the details of Ciri in his head once again. It was finally time now, soon he would see the real thing, just like he had yearned so long for.

The Jarl finally sighed, taking a step from the wall, both hands on his hips as he looked over to Geralt.

"What was it like Geralt, when Ciri and young Dominik here were growing into adulthood," Crach asked his adopted father, a small smile coming to his face, "I remember well Ciri's nan, her mother, as well as Gregory and Sofia… they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

A small smile came to his face as he turned around to face the Jarl. It had still been a shock to him that he finally met someone who knew his mother and father. Geralt always told him he met Dominik's father once, and that was at Princess Pavetta's birthday when he saved the cursed Urcheon. Other then that he hadn't heard much mention of his mother and father through the years. People had of course heard of Gregory of Cintra, the cities greatest knight, its youngest ever guard captain, Queen Calanthe's right hand man. However, he had never met anyone who knew him or his mother personally.

So, a part of him wanted to sit there and ask Crach questions about them both for hours. However, he knew at the moment they had more important matters, there would be time to ask about his parents later. Despite this however, he looked and saw a smile grow on Geralt's face.

He shifted and stood, the moon reflecting off his swords as he smiled over at Crach.

"Ciri was impossible to control. No telling her what to do. Had to do things her own way, almost always. And this one," His adopted father said with fondness in his voice, looking over to meet Dominik's eyes, "Well all Ciri ever had to do was bat those pretty eyes at him, and he'd do whatever she wanted. Impossible to separate the two of them. Dom… always kept an eye on her, never let things get too out of control. He DID always try to take the fall for her though…"

Hearing Geralt's words made his face feel hot, and sent a warm tingling sensation up his body, protecting him from the wind chill. Faram smirked from next to him, and he could see Yennefer smiling at him as well from her seat. He looked down at his feet, feeling the embarrassment heat his face even more before his eyes slowly went to the dangling swallow. Geralt knew them both too well. He remembered all of the crazy things Ciri had gotten them to do, and all she ever had to do was look at him with those beautiful emerald eyes. Whether it was sneaking out to their cave at some crazy hour of the night, sneaking into the kitchen, going to hunt, skipping lectures for more sparring… he was never able to refuse her, because he knew that it all made her happy.

Crach looked over and met his eyes, a large smile on the mans face.

"Ha, smitten from the moment you met her eh lad," The eldest An Craite asked him, the wind howling the mans red hair.

He laughed and slowly nodded, not taking his eyes off the swallow.

"From the minute I met her… yeah…. Never wanted to let her go, I promised my father, and Ciri herself I'd protect her with everything I had…. Been doing a pretty bad job of it… I hope to make up for it all soon," He said, looking up to meet Crach's brown eyes, as the wind sent a new chill down his back.

The jarl nodded sagely at him, keeping his eyes locked with his, "If you're anything like your father, I'm sure you'd walk through a fire for her….. Let us speak of Ciri more, Yennefer tells me the lass is in danger, and you seek to find her?"

"That's right," Geralt said from his right, Crach's eyes turning to him, "Already been to Velen and Novigrad, she was seen there but she's not there now. Signs point that she could be in Skellige."

Crach nodded again, a determined look coming to the jarl's face. The moon had risen and casted a luminescent glow over the man and the circlet he wore. Ciri had always told him Crach promised his grandmother he'd protect her, and that the jarl had treated her as if she were his own daughter, so he felt that he could trust the man. He also knew that anyone who was friends with his mother and father was someone he could confide in. That was why he didn't flinch when Geralt mentioned more of where Ciri had been.

The Jarl looked between them both again, a new fire in his eyes.

"If you require aid- gold, ships, anything- merely say the word, and I'll give you all I can," The man said proudly, before looking back out over the ocean, "And I know the lass lives. I'm sure of it. When the blood of Riannon's daughters is shed, the sea grows white with fury. I'd mark such a storm."

Hearing the man's words sent another shot of adrenaline up his throat. He knew that Ciri was alive, she had to be. If she wasn't, then the Hunt would already be invading their world. However, hearing someone so confidently say that she was alive, it couldn't help but bring a smile to his face. It was another reminder to him of how close he was. Ciri was just within reach and all he had to do was fight just a little bit more, and he would reach her.

He stepped in front of the man and gave him a respectful nod, before meeting his eyes.

"Thank you… it means more then you know. We… we know where she might have been. There was two magical explosions in Skellige, one on Ard Skellige another on Hindersfjall. Yennefer believes that they could be related to Ciri," He told the man, gesturing over to his adopted mother.

They all turned to the sorceress who looked up to meet Crach's eyes, "It's my strong suspicion yes. But I can only know for certain by examining the sites themselves. I intend to start with the larger one on Ard Skellig."

Crach rubbed his red beard and nodded in understanding. He paced and looked to meet Yennefer's eyes.

"I haven't been to Hindersfjall, but I saw the explosion here. I saw the twisted forms-right unnatural. The druids were barely able to contain it," The jarl started, taking a step back to look at all four of them, "Explain to me, Yennefer, how Ciri might've caused this great catastrophe."

His adopted mother sat up straight and met the Jarl's eyes, "I'm intent on finding out that very thing. Which I will do, as soon as Ermion stops hindering my investigation."

The wind chill sent a particularly cold chill down his spin at the mention of the druid. He had hoped that he wouldn't make a bad impression on Ciri's 'Uncle Ermion', however if what they had done was truly to help them better find her, then he would be able to live with it.

Crach laughed and shook his head, "Don't concern yourself with him. Druids have little trust for mages, but Ermion's heart is in the right place. Ard Skellig's my isle however, and you have my permission to investigate how you see fit."

He breathed out a sigh of relief, as his excitement started to rise. After retrieving the mask and now with Crach's permission they could begin their search the next day. As he stood there, he felt the tips of his fingers twitch, and felt a new buzzing sensation run up his body. A small smile came to his face as he looked to meet Geralt's gaze. His adopted father smiled at his enthusiasm, before he turned back to Crach.

"Thank you…" The older witcher said to the man.

"Truly…. I… I haven't seen her in eight years and now… I've never been this close," He said to the jarl, almost feeling his voice crack.

Crach smiled over at him and nodded, "Aye I swore an oath long ago like you, and your father. I intend to keep it. Fear not lad, if you're even half as fiercely protective as Geralt and your father were… she'll be in good hands."

He nodded, his hand quickly reaching up to grip around the swallow, One thing everybody had always told him growing up in Cintra, was about his father's determination, bravery, and protective instinct. All it would take was someone to look at he, Bella or their mother the wrong way and he would set them straight. His father was the same exact way with Ciri. Ciri had often told him how Gregory was the closest thing she had to a father until Geralt of course. His father had saved Queen Calanthe in battle many times, he had led armies of his own, all to protect Cintra, to protect him, his mother, Bella and Ciri.

He had died trying to protect them all. And he would die himself to protect Ciri, and any of the members of his new family. The smile stayed on his face as he gave Crach a respectful nod, trying to not let his eyes sting with tears. The wind howled, and Crach finally sighed again, this time turning and looking at he, Geralt and now Faram in particular.

"I have another matter to broach with you all now, you as well witcher Faram. My children…." The Jarl started, sighing before he looked up and met the Bear School witchers eyes, "Faram my friend I am sorry, I tried to convince him to wait for your arrival, but my son Hjalmar… he gathered a crew and set out to kill the Ice Giant on Undvik."

"What," Faram said quickly, his eyes widening as he shot up from the wall, "Sir with all due respect to your son's abilities, this giant… he's not to be taken lightly. The bastard is smart, powerful, commands an army of sirens!"

He felt his mouth fall open and looked over to see Geralt had a similar look on his face. Killing the Ice Giant had been Faram's main goal, and now he also had his answer to his question about Hjalmar's whereabouts. The anxiousness and worry Faram had been exhuming early had gone, and now he could see the frantic panic in his friend's eyes. Crach gave the Bear witcher a sorrowful look and slowly nodded.

"Aye I understand, and I am sorry my friend, as I said I tried to convince him to wait. Told him a witcher was coming to slay the beast, that you'd assist him. However, he's as stubborn as I am unfortunately," Crach said, leaning and looking out over the battlements again.

Faram was speechless for a moment, he quickly turned around to Crach himself, "Is this the feat he's trying to perform to become King?"

The jarl nodded and turned around to face them again, "Aye it is… gathered a hearty crew at the Newport inn, and sailed out to face the beast. He set out days ago… and still hasn't returned."

He felt as if a dagger of ice had been stabbed into his body. After hearing all Ciri's stories about Hjalmar an Craite, he knew she'd be dreadfully disappointed to come back, only to see the man had been torn apart by an Ice Giant. He also knew what it meant to Faram to go and see the beast dead, and how much he lamented the fact that he couldn't slay it the first time. If Hjalmar and his crew had died, Faram would be devastated, thinking that if he had managed to slay the giant the first time, they could still be there.

Geralt took a few steps closer to them, his brown tunic blowing in the howling wind, looking at them all.

"Not that I don't believe you Faram, but I heard giants died out centuries ago. What's the deal with this one on Undvik, I never asked you," Geralt said, looking up to the Bear School witcher.

Faram's yellow witcher eyes grew darker as he nodded, looking to all of them.

"Aye… bastard showed up around a year ago. Forced all the members of Clan Tordarroch, my old clan from before I became a witcher off the island," His friend said in a dark tone, crossing his arms, "Went to slay the fucker… was arrogant, underestimated him. Barely escaped with my life. Went to Velen and Novigrad to train, gather more coin and get a ship… now I'm going to finish what I started."

He had never heard a tone so dark come from Faram of Undvik, not even when he tried to scare off thugs who tried to attack them on the road. He could hear the venom, the anger and determination coming from his friend, and a part of him was scared. If Faram went off to the isle in that state of mind, it could prove disastrous for him. The Bear school witcher had stopped him from losing it many times during the previous week in Novigrad, so he knew he had to be there for him now.

"I heard about an unnatural frost that gripped Undvik a year ago, right before the giant came," Yennefer said, looking up at Crach, Faram and he.

Crach slowly nodded his head, "Aye… Hjalmar wanted to slay the giant, give the isle back to its people. A deed worthy of a king he believes. I am sorry that it turned out this way Faram, but I was glad to see you arrived with Geralt and Dominik. As I said, a crew of that size should have killed the giant and been back days ago… so I ask you now…"

"I'll set out first thing in the morning Jarl Crach," Faram said right away, giving the jarl a respectful bow.

His head shot up to meet Faram's, "And I'll go with you too."

Faram's head whirled down to meet his eyes, and the Bear School witcher shook his head, "I appreciate it mate but like I said inside, you've finally gotten your leads on Ciri. I can't ask you to take yourself away from it now."

A small part of him was screaming for him to head right to the site of the magical anomaly. That part was tearing at his brain to head straight there with Yennefer and Geralt, confirm that Ciri had caused the explosion and find where she was. However, another part of his brain knew that helping Faram and Crach was the right thing to do. Faram had been helping him for his entire journey, he wouldn't be where he was without his best-friend. And Crach had just handed him the means to finally complete his journey to find Ciri and offered any aid he could to find her. There was also the fact that one of Ciri's best-friends was now missing, more then likely trapped on an island with an Ice Giant.

He had been saying the entire quest, he didn't only want to find Ciri, he wanted to make her proud, try to be himself, do what he and she would have done in every situation he had come across. A few times he had lost his temper, and perhaps did things that he wouldn't normally do, but trying to stay true to himself was what he was still trying to accomplish. He still wanted to be the person she fell in love with when he found her.

And he knew then that helping Faram, and finding Hjalmar was the right thing to do, what she would have done.

He scoffed and looked up to meet his friend's eyes, "And I told you in there too that I can't let you go alone. If not for you I don't know if Geralt or I would be here. We're in the position we are to find Ciri in part thanks to you, so I won't leave you alone now. Besides, Hjalmar was Ciri's friend, think she'd be pretty upset to come back to see he's been killed by an Ice Giant."

Geralt quickly came up next to him, "He's right Faram, we owe you. We know how much this means to you, won't let you do it alone. Dom, you go with him to find Hjalmar, I'd go with you… but I got a feeling Cerys is in some trouble as well."

The three witchers all turned back around to Crach. The jarl smiled at them grimly and nodded.

"Aye you're right Geralt. Cerys has set off for Spikeroog, got it in her mind that Udalryk is not mad, but cursed," The jarl announced, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

He remembered Cerys walking up to the table and tossing her dagger onto the stack of weapons. The wind howled, and the moon shined brightly over the five of them. The clouds had begun to slowly roll in, and he could hear the distant lapping of waves against the rocks. He sighed as he ran a hand through his blowing brown hair. He adjusted the sword on his back and looked over to meet Crach's eyes.

"And I'm guessing Cerys wants to lift the curse… try to match her brother. Remember when my sister used to do things like that…." He said, the memories flooding back to him.

Growing up Bella had always wanted to do everything he did. If he carried two sacks of flower into the house, she had to carry two as well. If he had gotten pancakes for breakfast, she had to get them as well. When he wanted to go for a walk, she had wanted to go for a walk. It was always precious to him, and it had always made the pride swell up, seeing his sister wanted to be like him. She had even shocked him when she said that she wanted to learn how to use swords as well, after their father had started showing him the basics when he turned eleven. His father had promised that as soon as she turned eleven as well, their mother and he would show her just like they had for Dominik. Bella had of course never gotten the chance.

He wondered how good with a blade his sister would have gotten if she had gotten the chance to learn.

Crach rolled his eyes and nodded, "Aye, but the problem is there's no curse to speak of. I don't trust Udalryk as far as I can spit. She won't listen to me or her brother…. I was hoping if confronted by a professional who can explain why she's mistaken…she might just come to her senses. So, I ask that you explain things to her… and bring her back."

He could hear the slight tone of desperation in the man's voice, he was clearly worried about his daughter. Quickly he ran through the scenario in his head. Both of Crach's children needed help, Hjalmar with the Giant, and Cerys on Spikeroog. He would have gone to see Cerys herself if he could have, however he knew he couldn't abandon Faram. He wanted to help Crach in return for giving them the one thing they needed to continue their search, however he also wanted to get both of the quests done as soon as they could, so they could jump right back onto Ciri's trail.

His head shot over to his adopted mother, "Yen… we got time right? The anomaly isn't going anywhere I assume?"

The sorceress stood, and he felt his heart well up at the beaming look of pride she gave him.

Slowly she nodded, "You don't have to worry about that. It's a good thing you're doing. While you're gone I'll start examining that phylactery, and the words of the curse. Also, I'll think more about…what we spoke about."

A rush of relief quickly shot through him as he looked over to Geralt. Before he could say anything his adopted father seemed to read his mind. The older witcher nodded and turned over to Crach.

"If Hjalmar and Cerys need help, the three of us will help them," Geralt said, looking over to him and Faram now, "You two head to Undvik tomorrow and find Hjalmar. I'll head for Spikeroog and talk to Cerys. After that we'll meet back here."

"Got it, you ready Faram," He said confidently, looking up to meet his friend's eyes.

For a moment, a smirk appeared on Faram's face, and he looked like the Faram he had always known. The Bear School witcher cracked his knuckles, and rolled his neck, his yellow cat eyes growing dark, the moonlight glinting off the pommel of the silver sword on his back.

"Dom mate… I'm more then ready…" His friend said, slowly crossing over his arms.

He couldn't help but smirk himself. A wash of anticipation ran over him. From what Faram had said, the Giant would possibly be one of the toughest beasts he'd ever face. He had originally thought as Geralt did that the giants were all extinct, killed centuries ago. His fingers twitched and he gingerly held them around his medallion, and his swallow. The part of his brain that was screaming at him to head straight to the magical anomaly was still there, however he quickly silenced it. Ciri he knew wouldn't want him to lose sight of who he was, become a different person just to find her. Dominik knew he was a lot of things, he was protective, headstrong, stubborn, sulky, too trusting at times, far too often got buried in the past.

However, one thing that he would never compromise, was the fierceness with which he fought for the one's he cared about. Whether that be Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, or right now Faram.

If he had to plunge his sword into the ice giants' eye to help his friend, then he was going to do it.

**A/N: Two chapters down in Skellige, and now it looks like it's time for Dominik and Geralt to split up again. Geralt will go to Spikeroog to help Cerys lift the curse on Udalryk. Meanwhile, Dominik will travel with Faram to Undvik to save Hjalmar, and help his best friend complete he ultimate goal. We have a LOT of development this chapter, and learn a bunch of new things. I know it didn't have much action, but I still hoped to make you ask a few questions, and get you pumped for the next few chapters. **

**First we have Dominik and Yennefer, Dominik finally breaking down and telling his adopted mother everything. What do you think of Yennefer's words about carriers? Who could Dom's ancestor have been to pass on the power in his blood? How will they unlock it like Yen says, and it it's unlocked how will it help Dom save Ciri, could it be enough to stand up to the Hunt?**

**After this we have the feast, and I tried to keep the feast as entertaining as possible. I cut out the actual race with Cerys because well… I don't know how interesting it would have been to read about two people running up a mountain lol. I tried to give us a lot of family bonding, so we can see the bond that Dom, Yennefer and Geralt share, and a taste of what it'll be like when they finally find Ciri. **

**We have the claimants to the throne stepping forward, and we see Faram growing ever more anxious to go on his quest. What are your predictions for Undvik, how will Dominik and Faram fair against the Giant? **

**Tell me what you think in a review if you have the time, tell me what jumped out at you, what you liked, what you're looking forward too, how you think I can improve. I want this to be as great as it can be, and I hope you guys are enjoying!**

**Like I said many times this is a passion project of mine, and I appreciate you all more then you know! Stay safe, and see you all next time when we sail to Undvik!**


	39. The Lord of Undvik

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 39: The Lord of Undvik**

**Narrator: After arriving on Skellige, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer all attended the feast to celebrate the life of the deceased King Bran. Dominik and his adopted parents intended to speak with Jarl Crach an Craite, to enlist his aid in their search for Ciri. The head of Clan An Craite agreed to help in anyway he could, telling the three that they were free to investigate the magical explosion on Ard Skellig. The Lord of Kaer Trolde then asked Dominik, Geralt and their friend Faram of Undvik, if in return they'd assist his two children Cerys and Hjalmar. Hjalmar had set out to slay the Ice Giant of Undvik, while Cerys had gone to Spikeroog, to lift the curse off the islands Jarl. Deciding that it was time once again to split and help the An Craite's before resuming their search for Ciri, Geralt headed to Spikeroog to find Cerys. Meanwhile, Dominik set out with Faram aboard Faram's ship the **_**Adrestia, **_**bound for Undvik, to find the young An Craite… and to finally slay the Ice Giant.**

_In the dream there was snow again. This time however, he didn't see the ship of the Wild Hunt. He stood on a large hill, overlooking a large crumbling spire. The tower was being swirled in a snowy vortex. His boots were stuck in the snow, he tried to move forward, down the hill but he couldn't, it was as his legs were incased in ice and snow on the side of that mountain. The wind howled in his ears and he held his hands up to stop the snow from piercing into his eyes. His vision was white as he still stayed glue to his spot. All he heard was the wind blowing in his ears, and the snowy vortex swirling around him. The giant spire, the tower in front of him jutted out, bits of the rock and other parts of the structure began to crumble. Despite the tip of his nose freezing from the cold, he managed to look upwards and see the scene unfolding before him. _

_ A loud piercing howl hit his ears, it was a desperate howl, a pained howl, a pleading howl that was so loud it overtook the howling wind. His head shot down towards the base of the tower and he saw what was happening. His eyes widened even further when he saw the wolf. It was a giant grey wolf. The beast was scarred and bruised, looking as if it had been through hundreds of fights, and now it was pleading, begging the universe to finally let him have peace. The animal howled again, right towards the entrance of the great spire. The wind continued to howl and as the wolf's mournful howl pierced his ears, a large __***BOOOOM* **__erupted from the spire. The building stood, but more stone and chunks of its side began to fall off its sides, and down into the freezing water below. He tried to turn and run, but his feet stayed glued in the snow on the hill, and he saw what the wolf howl even louder when he looked up towards the top of the spire. _

_ From the top of the tower, a large beaming bright blue light had erupted. It shot in a spiraling vortex, it picked up more snow, wind and rocks as the tower stood tall despite the frothing storm. His arms turned to ice in front of him, as his eyes didn't leave the spire or the wolf in front of him. The animal shot up again to all fours, a growl leaving him as blood slowly dripped from its fangs, as it looked ready to rush into the spire at any moment. He had no idea what the wolf had been so angry about, but as soon as the blue magic light erupted more and more, spiraling even more violently the beast howled even more fiercely, looked up towards the spire with water dripping from its, the wolf was crying, as he bared its fangs and howled and barked as loud as it could. It ran back and forth at the entrance to the spire, as if it was trying to control the magic, stop the vortex from swirling, the magic getting out of control. _

_ His eyes widened as he saw the wolf's eyes glow a bright blue as it charged into the spire finally. He blinked snow from his eyes and as soon as he opened them, he had finally moved. He was inside the spire, the large stone walls jutting up to the sky around him. Finally, he was able to blink, as the walls had stopped the violent churning snowstorm from piercing his eyes. He was still glued to the stones, unable to move his legs, being rooted to the spot. However, a large growl pierced his eyes and he shot his head over and saw the wolf yet again. The wolf no longer looked mournful, pleading and desperate, it no longer had tears falling from its eyes. The grey wolf's eyes glew a bright blue color had overtaken its eyes, and while he couldn't see its pupils, he could tell that they were filled with a primal rage. Tendrils of blue magic whirled around its limbs and body as it slowly circled around the stone floor, circling not a man, but a large specter, it was floating above the air, it was black with a red glow in its eyes. It shouted out towards the wolf in a language he didn't understand. The wolf, however, didn't listen, it snarled and lunged towards the specter, its glowing blue eyes and limbs erupting as it just nearly got to sink its teeth into the phantom. _

_ However, just before the wolf could sink its teeth into the black specter, a loud chirping sound pierced the air. A flurry of red and black shot from towards the spire and came right in front of the wolf before its attack could land. The wolf froze and came to a stop, it's blue eyes returning to normal, the blue magic dissipating from its limbs as snow kicked up from its feet as it roared to a stop, taking steps back, its eyes wide open. Another loud __***BOOM* **__shook the spire and his eyes shot to the right. The source of the bright blue swirling vortex of magic had erupted from inside the tower. Its swirling magic howled even louder then the snowstorm outside. He heard a loud chirping from his left and his head shot back around to the wolf, who's eyes were still wide. _

_ A swallow had come in front of the wolf. The bird flew in front of the wolf, chirping in a calm collected tone, staying in front of the specter, speaking to the wolf, its chirping was reassuring, pleading with the beast. The wolf's eyes almost popped from its head, as it looked directly at the swallow, a mournful howl coming from it, as he took steps closer to the bird, its eyes welling with tears, as the begging, desperate tone returned to it. The swallow chirped mournfully as well, but he saw its head shake slowly inching closer to the wolf. The wolf didn't growl, or howl anymore, it wailed, leaning its head closer towards the swallow, tears starting to stream from its eyes as it continued to sound as if it was begging. _

_ His eyes widened, and his heart started to freeze over, as the swallow gently flapped its wings towards the wolf. It gently leaned its much smaller head forward… before chirping quickly and dashing off towards the portal. The magic swirl in the vortex, and the swallow raced towards it, its wings flapping so fast he couldn't see them, it flew directly towards the magic spiral, not looking back towards the wolf. The wolf howled again, and sprinted towards the vortex after the swallow, howling, pleading again with the bird…. However, the bird soared into the swirling magic spiral and as soon as the bird did… the magic disappeared. The wolf came sliding to a stop, running to where the vortex had been, looking around for the swallow… but it wasn't there, the bird was gone. _

_ The wolf stood in the spot; its body shook. He expected the animal to glow with a bright blue light like he had seen before, its eyes contorting into a blue primal rage… but it didn't. It let out a long mournful howl, and the howl did not stop. The wolfs lament rang over the howling snowstorm, the animals sorrow an anguish piercing his soul as he watched glued to the spot in the room. His heart completely froze, and he could feel it taring in two, as the animal continued to wail, thrashing about wildly, falling onto its side right in the spot where the swallow had disappeared, its mournful howl piercing the very fabric of his soul. _

_ However just when he thought the wolf was breaking down… the black specter said words in a language he didn't understand. And as soon as the words hit the wolf's ears… the beast slowly stood to its feet. Gently the grey wolf turned, its eyes locking onto the phantom, the beast's fangs showing as a low growl came from the animal's throat. The growl got louder and louder, and he felt his skin begin to crawl, the hair on the back of his neck standing up… as the primal animal rage returned to the wolfs eyes. Its growl turned into an intense bark as it snapped its jaws at the black specter, now slowly taking the form of a tall man. The wolf walked slowly, its eyes piercing into his very being as he watched. The specter said more words, and before it could finish the wolf snarled violently again as it stalked closer and closer, the blood on its fangs slowly dripping into the stones and snow, its teeth like a collection of daggers. He saw the power emerge again, bits of bright blue light began swirling from its paws, with every step it took, magic swirled under its feet, spiraling around its body as his eyes didn't leave the black phantom. It growled and barked towards the specter one more time. Finally, the specter yelled back in garbled words, and that was when the wolf finally snapped. _

_ A large bright blue eruption exploded from under the beasts legs and its eyes turned solid blue, as it lifted up and leaped towards the specter, and the specter reached to its belt, raking out a blade, and just as the wolf hit the black phantoms sword, a new eruption shook the spire. _

_ Bright blue colors filled his eyes, and eventually overtook his vision,.. until he could no longer see the wolf and the specter. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on mate concentrate, ground yourself," Faram yelled to him from across the deck.

He shook his head to regain his vision, as he quickly managed to get his blade up to parry Faram's incoming strikes. The sun shone up over the _Adrestia _as they sailed, but the wind was still chilly. Goosebumps ran up his arm, but he could feel his blood slowly warming up as he sparred. Faram had decided to give him more lessons on grounding himself in the School of the Bear as they got closer to Undvik. For the previous hour or so after he had breakfast, he had been spinning his sword, carefully shuffling his feet all while trying to keep himself grounded, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back at his friend. Salty sea air blew back his brown hair, as a part of him was relieved to be wearing his armor again and be spinning and parrying with his blade. He had the smith who traveled with Faram patch up his armor as best he could, so his wolven armor along with his blade would be ready for when they landed.

Despite the fact that he'd soon be on a quest to slay and Ice Giant and had a much larger witcher coming at him during a spar, he felt his mind drift. The dream played over in his head, the swirling magical vortex, the specter, the wolf, the swallow. A swallow had represented Ciri in his dreams before, but he had no idea if the one he had that night would possibly be eluding him too. The wolf could have represented him yes, but it also could have been Geralt, and who was the black specter that the wolf attacked? Where had the swallow gone, and why was the wolf mourning? Geralt had told him about dreams like these. Sometimes they could lead to premonitions of the future, while at other times they simply showed your worst fears.

His worse fear indeed was finding Ciri, only to have her ripped away from him again. He tried his best to tell himself that, however the more he saw the swallow disappearing, the more he felt his heart and stomach begin to stretch out, and his brain feel as if someone was stabbing a knife into it. Geralt had gone to Spikeroog like he said he would, to help Cerys with the Jarl of the islands curse. Meanwhile Yennefer had told them she'd stay in Kaer Trolde, and examine the phylactery they had recovered, and try to figure out the curse as best she could, seeing if it could give them any additional leads on where Ciri had gone. His adopted mother had also promised to think more on how they could possibly unlock the abilities he apparently had inside of him.

He had been worried when the sorceress had said this. From how she made it out, 'unlocking' the power in his blood sounded painful and time consuming. The power drained him of everything he had every time it unleashed, and he still had no idea how to activate it without having himself fly into a rage, even then he didn't know how it activated. It only seemed to spring out of him when he was near death, or feeling himself at a breaking point, and then it only proceeded to enhance his skill and magic greatly, before he felt as if his bones would fall apart. His stomach suddenly started swirling, as he thought about what could happen on this very quest if he lost his temper and unleashed the power again, it could mean the deaths of Faram and Hjalmar when he found him, so he had been determined to try and keep his emotions in check. Either way if Yennefer could or couldn't figure out a way to unlock these powers in his blood, he was going to worry only about finding Ciri after his quest with Faram. There wouldn't be anymore side quests, no more distractions after helping the An Craite's… his quest would come to a close… and he would find her.

And unlike the wolf in his dream, he'd never let his swallow go again, he'd protect her from the black specter, or anyone else who tried to take her.

His thinking had taken him away from his sparring session, and he felt the flat of Faram's steel sword crash against his hand, and he nearly leaped overboard he had been so shocked.

"FUCK," He yelled, his heart rising to his throat as he dropped his sword.

"Mind somewhere else still mate," Faram asked from across the deck.

He took in a shaky breath and reached down to the wooden deck to retrieve his blade. All around him Faram's crew moved in perfect motion to pull sails, transfer supplies and keep the ship moving. A few watched the two witchers spar in admiration and awe, however when Faram walked over to him, his Ursine armor clunking, all the men quickly returned to their duties. His friend had shaved the sides of his heads short, the top of his hair gathered back into a ponytail, as his bushy beard was tied in a narrow know down just past his shoulders. The sunlight glinted of his plated Bear school armor, along with his two blades and bear head medallion.

Carefully he slid his own blade into the sheath on his back, and looked out over the water for a few moments, trying to regain his composure. If he let himself daze for too long, he could feel the windy storm freezing over his ears and nose again, he could hear the dark voice of the specter, and the mournful cries of the wolf. However, he was quickly brought back to reality when Faram placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Mate you hear me? Bad dreams get to you last night," His friend asked, finally making Dominik turn around and look up at him.

His friend was a good two to three heads taller than he, so his shadow dominated the deck. A particularly chilly breeze ran up the back of his armor, and shook his sword in its sheath, but slowly he managed to meet his friend's yellow eyes and nod.

"Yeah… weird one too. Don't know if it was a premonition… or just a dream," He said carefully, walking over towards the side of the boat.

He leaned his elbows out over the side and watched the blue waves lap over the hull. A small beam of heat from the sun hit his face, as Faram came over and leaned with him. The Bear school witcher looked down towards him, leaning his back against the railing.

"Wanna tell me about it," His friend asked, crossing over his armored arms.

Slowly he shook his head and turned to face him, "No… not really. It's too confusing… plus I want to forget it. If I keep thinking about it I'll go mad. Let's focus on what we're doing now, we should be closer to Undvik right?"

Faram nodded in understanding, seeming to realize he didn't want to be pressed. The real reason he hadn't wanted to talk about the dream, was that he thought if he talked about it, or even thought about it more, then it had a better chance of coming true. There was also the fact that he knew Faram was feeling tense. Killing the giant on Undvik had been his goal for the last year, and despite the brave, confident face the Bear School witcher was putting on, Dominik knew that it was partly an act. He wouldn't want to worry Faram with more of his problems.

The Bear witcher looked out over the horizon and slowly nodded again, "Should be yeah… ride's only an hour or so from Kaer Trolde."

"What can we expect there? Did you get any clues at the Newport," He asked the taller witcher.

Before they had left the port at Kaer Trolde earlier that morning, Faram had told him he went to the Newport inn in the town. It was where Hjalmar had apparently recruited his crew to go slay the Giant. His friend had learned more about the young An Craite's plans, so that they would have an easier time finding a trail.

"Aye I did. Apparently they went to the village of Uskar first, planned apparently to cross a frozen lake to find the Giant's lair, crazy idea. Ice would crack under the pressure of so many men… and the giant's lair is up in the mountains anyhow…" His friend said, leaning forward and gripping both his hands on the railing again.

Dominik nodded and turned around as well, the salty sea air hitting his nose.

"That where you fought it the first time? It's lair in the mountains," He asked the bear school witcher.

Faram quickly nodded, "Aye… and the best way to get there is through the mines…. Caves are infested with sirens and harpies. And with all the corpses I reckon drowners, rotfiends and maybe ghouls have taken over as well. If they were smart they'd take that way, crew like that could probably make it to the top but… that giant is something else…"

He could sense the unease in his friend's voice. Sympathy for his friend's plight washed over him. Faram had felt guilty he couldn't finish the job the year prior, and he knew if Hjalmar and his men died, his friend would feel responsible. He knew that in the previous few weeks he had been in a similar state, and yet Faram stayed strong for him. So, it was his intention to do the same for his friend then.

"I'll get some hybrid and necrophage oil cooked up before we head out. Fuckers won't know what hit'em," He said with a smile, looking up and watching his friends reaction.

Faram gave a small smile as he looked out over the sea. Slowly his friend nodded, turning his yellow gaze back to him.

"Aye… they won't. Thanks for coming with me mate. Said something to me last night that stuck. Been a hypocrite, told you to not beat yourself up about old failures, but that's what I had been doing…. Not anymore," His friend said, stepping off the railing and cracking his knuckles, "The two of us are going to find the fucker… and kill him. The people of Undvik will have their home back…."

A rush of pride and warmth ran over him. The small part of him was still screaming that he should have went right to the site of the magical anomaly to continue searching for Ciri… but a much larger part of him was proud of what they were doing. The Giant had ravaged the island and displaced hundreds of innocent people and killed hundreds more. He knew that going out and killing it, helping to give the island back to its people was something she would have leaped at the opportunity to do.

And there was also the fact that in doing so, he'd be helping his best-friend, and saving one of Ciri's oldest ones.

He smiled, crossing his arms and look up at his friend with a wicked smirk.

"You bet we will. So, my captain… what's the plan," He asked, the salty air blowing his hair back.

Faram smirked as well and nodded, "Aye so we'll land on the south of the Island. It'll be a bit of a hike but the fastest way to Uskar is by traveling through a small canyon. Got attacked by a fuck ton of sirens last time, so we should expect them."

Quickly he nodded in understanding, "George showed me a way to use my Aard sign to helped knock sirens and harpies out of the air. Good place to try it out. After we get to Uskar what then?"

The Bear witcher sighed, "We look for signs of Hjalmar…. You may not have witcher senses but you're a damn good tracker. Between the two of us we should be able to figure out what happened. After we find him, we'll head through the mines and up to the fuckers lair."

Another smile came to his face as he nodded. His friend was a natural born leader, and with the quest meaning so much, he knew that the bear school witcher thought of the best plan he could. Faram he knew also grew up on the island, so he was thankful he didn't have to go trudging through it alone, trying to find his own way.

"Alright sounds like a plan. I'll go brew up the oils we need before we land," He said with a smile, turning to return to his cabin.

"Mate hold up real quick," Faram said, quickly putting a hand on his shoulder.

He stopped in his tracks and whirled around. Faram's yellow witcher eyes met his emerald ones, as the sun made both of their shadows dominate the deck of the ship. The air continued to blow a cool, chilly breeze through their hair, as the rest of the crew all chatted and did all of their tasks around them. He smiled and met his friend's eyes, feeling the confidence and optimism run up his chest.

"What is it," He asked his best-friend.

Faram sighed and looked at him again, "Before we got there I… wanted to thank you again mate. Thank you for coming with me. I know I said last night you didn't have to but… to be honest I'm glad you did. Don't know how I would've acted alone… it means a lot to me."

Scoffing he shook his head with a smile, "Oh come on Faram, like I said there's no need to-."

"No mate, there is a need, a big need," His friend said, his voice sincere.

He laughed a bit as the sun shone into his bright green eyes, causing him to squint up at the Bear School witcher. A smile came to his face, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Ha come on, it's really no big deal. You've been helping me with finding Ciri this whole time. There's no way I wouldn't return the favor," He said, dropping his arms to his sides.

Again however Faram shook his head, reaching out and placing a hand on Dominik's shoulder. His best friend met his eyes again, and he could see the thankfulness and sincerity prominent on the Bear School witchers eyes.

"It is a big deal mate…. I know better then most what finding Ciri means to you. I know what you've been through to look for her, to find her. And now… for you to be so close, have your last clue within your reach… and still come to help me… it means more then you'll ever know," His friend said in a soft voice, a tone he had never heard in the man's voice.

The smile creeped onto his face again, as he looked down at the swallow around his neck. The cold silver chain send a small shiver down his spine, as he gently reached his hand up to hold it. Faram truly did know how much finding her meant to him, he saw firsthand how Dominik was during the months after Rivia, when he thought her, Geralt and Yennefer all gone to him forever. The Bear witcher had been there for him during that horrible time in his life… just as he had been there the previous few weeks during some of the hardest days of his journey to her.

Slowly he sighed, the smile not leaving his face.

"I told myself that… that to find Ciri, I didn't want to compromise who I was," He said, slowly looking up to meet his friends eyes, "When I find her, I still want to be… that same person she fell in love with, I want to still be Dominik of Cintra…. And Dominik of Cintra no matter what would never leave his best-friend to complete the biggest quest of his life alone, especially after he'd just done so much to help him… so yeah… I'm going to help you kill this fucking thing… then I'll go find Ciri, and when I do-."

"We can tell the lass all about it together… and get piss drunk while we do," Faram said with a smile, cutting him off, but getting a laugh from him.

He scoffed and a confident smile came to his face, "Yeah… we will. You were there for me Faram… when I needed it the most. There's not a chance I won't do the same for you."

The Bear school witcher stood up taller, and he heard the larger man take in a sharp breath and let out a sigh, a smile on his face. Ciri would always be his best-friend… but she was also the woman he loved. If there was one man in the world other than the obvious candidate in Geralt… it was Faram of Undvik, the friend who had been there when he needed it most.

Slowly the black-haired witcher held out his armored hand, "You're welcome mate… and thank you…. For being the best fucking friend, I've ever had. So… are you ready to go get this bastard?"

A smirk came to his face again. He looked out over the railing, and he could see the island approaching, he could see the snow-covered mountains as he felt the chilly air run through his body again. Slowly he turned back to his best-friend and gripped up to his forearm as he normally did and shook his hand.

"Yeah… let's go kill us a giant," He said, confidently being able to think to himself… the Ice Giant of Undvik wouldn't live past the day.

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He had been pleasantly surprised every time he saw the snow since he arrived in Skellige. His black boots crunched over small bits of the white powder, as the cold breeze was still present as Faram and he sloshed through the island. After they had landed, Faram told Barnabas and the rest of his crew to keep an eye on the coast, clearing out sirens and harpies for when they came back. Now, Faram and he trudge through the island, and had been for around an hour, with still no signs of Hjalmar or anyone else, besides harpies. His skin was crawling as he followed behind the Bear school witcher, both of their swords drawn, oil dripping from them.

"We should be getting close to Uskar, right past the ravine here," His friend said, his armor clunking as he trudge through bits of snow.

The tenseness in his friend's voice was evident, as they drew closer and closer to the giant, he knew it would only increase. He needed to make sure that they also kept focused on their goal of finding Hjalmar, that was another quest that they had been sent on. They needed to kill the giant yes, but Crach had also asked them to find his son. He wondered if Geralt had gotten to Spikeroog and found Cerys, he knew that lifting a curse was no small feat, however it seemed slightly easier than fighting an Ice Giant, that had given even Faram of Undvik a run for his money. Between both him and Faram now however, and Hjalmar when they found him, he assumed that the giant would have a bit harder of a time defeating their band.

He looked up and saw that their path was narrowing. The had indeed come past a ravine like Faram said they would. Growing up Ciri had always told him of the beautiful mountains and landscapes that there were in Skellige, and her words had completely rang true. Despite everything that had been going on, and despite the tasks they were facing, he couldn't help but admire the trees, snow, foliage and mountain landscapes. He remembered vividly how for hours the two of them would sit huddled together in their cave, around the fire as she told him stories. Or they would run the walls of Kaer Morhen, racing to the tallest spire, where they'd sit and watch sunsets, look out over the mountains and forest. He'd do most of the talking, while she sat there resting a head on his shoulder, smiling out over the horizon, and up at him.

She'd also tell him plenty of stories of ice skating, swimming, and running around the keep at Kaer Trolde with Hjalmar. When they finally did find her and bring her back, he wanted everything to be perfect for her. He wanted her to be able to come back to him, and they would finally be able to go and do all the things they had said they wanted. One of them was to go to Skellige, so he could meet Hjalmar, Crach, Ermion, and the two of them could swim and walk along the beautiful beaches. He wanted them to be able to do it all, visit all their old friends, go to all of the places they had always dreamed. With him so close to finding her, a small part of him wanted to begin preparing for this, so when he heard the Hjalmar was possibly in danger, along with it being a chance for him to help Faram, he wasn't going to say no. And in the end, Faram was his friend, and Hjalmar was Ciri's, and any friend of Ciri's would be a friend of his.

Another cold breeze blew through the back of his armor, as he looked up around him at the high stone sides of the ravine, before looking back towards Faram.

"Still remember a lot about growing up here," He asked his friend, as they stepped over rocks and bushes.

Faram scoffed and nodded, "Aye I do… a lot. I'm not nearly as old as George and Geralt, thank the gods."

He laughed as his boots crunched higher piles of snow. Faram was only in his forties, extremely young by witchers standards. He never asked Geralt how old he was, but he knew his adopted father was well over a hundred, and George had told them he was in his seventies. He knew the art of making witchers was becoming lost, to his knowledge Ciri and he were supposed to have been the last ones made before everything had happened.

As the ravine got wider, he walked up next to his friend, his sword out towards the right.

"Said you left when you were ten right? How'd you end up with the witchers, law of surprise, first thing you see when you get home," He asked the black-haired witcher, as he could see them getting to a larger clearing.

Faram sighed as the sun reflected off the plate of his armor, "First thing you see when you get home…. Da was out on his boat, swarm of sirens attacked, witcher saved him…. Ma and Da gave me up to him."

It was the story of most who became witchers. There were very few who went through the process willingly, and even fewer who ended up being happy about the decision. He had heard stories of witchers who went mad, leapt at monster upon monster until they were killed. Some hung themselves, some turned to other means of work… doing anything to get off the path. Slowly he looked to his left up at his friend, his much larger shadow casting over the snow.

"I'm sorry… I know most people don't get a choice… must've been hard," He said, as the wind began to howl.

His friend slowly shook his head, "No need to apologize mate. I was terrified at first, but Ma and Da they… they looked me in the eyes and said, 'Pay no heed to those rumors about witchers Faram. They pay near the ultimate price to kill the monsters of the world and keep people safe from them. You'll do great things, bring yourself great honor.'."

"Good to see not everyone hates us…. My eyes aren't yellow, never really had to deal with that kind of hatred towards me…" He sighed, looking up towards the rolling clouds above.

Faram scoffed and shook his heads, "Not your fault mate. Like I said you may not have mutations, but that doesn't make you any less of a witcher. I… I was terrified for my first few years but… but I learned that my parents were right. Us witchers… we protect people from monsters, from the things they heard horror stories about as children, from the unknown… we're the unsung heroes of the continent."

A smile crossed his face. Through his years he had been told many times that witchers were 'relics of a bygone age', they were 'mutants', 'demons, devils, self-serving'. And while the self-serving part would be true for most witchers, it had only been to provide for themselves. He had been told that the witcher mutations don't really take away your emotions, witchers felt just like anybody else. And Faram was right, they protected people from the horrible fear of the unknown, from the creatures they were told horror stories about as children… from monsters, in whatever form they took. Monsters may have been in decline, but that didn't make witchers any less of a band of heroes. As with every group of people there were bad, and there were good witchers, but that was only another way to show that they were still human.

Sighing he felt a chill wash over him again. The sun had just gone past midday, and with every step they took, another tingle rang up his spine. His dreams the previous night had given him little sleep, but he hadn't fought in two days, so his bones were rejuvenated. He looked down and saw his blade still slowly dripping the hybrid oil, its steel glinting in the sun.

"We are… we really are. We save people from monsters, no matter what kind…. I hope that once we find Ciri I can-," He started to speak, but suddenly stopped when he heard the shaking.

He quickly shot out his arm to stop Faram, but his friend had heard the rumbling as well. The two of them looked at each other, and after nodding both jogged closer towards the edge of the ravine. The rumbling had been distant, but he could feel bits of the ground shake from the impact. They came to the end of the ravine, which led out to a much larger valley, the hills flattening, as a new large shadow covered them both. Faram came to a stop next to him, and he could see his friend's yellow eyes widen.

"For fucks sake…" The Bear School witcher said to himself, his silver sword dipping into the ground.

"Looks like he's been keeping himself busy…" He muttered, his sword falling in a similar fashion.

A large wooden ship was being built right in the middle of the island. It's massive hull and sails were even bigger then the _Adrestia, _and he could the large swarm of sirens resting against the sides of the ship. It was crudely made, with multiple slits between the wooden planks, as the sirens flew around it, bringing more wood and planks towards the top of the deck. He had never seen anything like it, and he knew that it hadn't been there before from the look on Faram's face. His friend's jaw had almost dropped, as the slow shaking of the ground got closer and closer. The Giant had been building some kind of ship with the sirens help, and actually seemed to be making progress. A large hole was still in the hull, and he could see fallen over beams, barrels and scraps of wood, along with bones and corpses littering the ground near it.

After finally managing to get over the shock, he heard the rumbling from beneath his feet again. His eyes whirled to the right, and his heart leapt up to his throat.

"Faram, down now," He whispered loudly, reaching up and grabbing his friend's shoulder, and pulling the Bear School witcher behind the boulder that had been to their right.

Faram went to one side of him, as he carefully peaked around to see out towards the ship again, that was when he finally caught sight of the Giant. The pebbles on the ground beneath his feet rumbled, and a small pile of snow near him collapsed as the beast came marching through. His eyes widened, he had fought cyclopes', fiends, leshen's, and other enormous monsters, but the Giant was easily the biggest he had ever seen. Its skin was pale blue, and it wore only a loin cloth, and armor down its legs made of bones and dead animal skin. It had stringy brown hair, and its beard went down to its belly. A large fur cloak was hanging from its back of bear and other animal hides, as it seemed to be holding a large wooden bowl in its hands.

"There's the fucker…" Faram said quietly from next to him, as he heard his friends armor clunk.

His eyes widened as he whirled around, holding his arm out to stop the Bear witcher from charging.

"SHHH, not yet. We need to find Hjalmar first, we'll get him I swear," He hissed quietly to his friend.

The contorted look of rage on Faram's face almost scared him, but his friend slowly nodded, leaning back up against the rock.

He poked his head around again when he heard the screeching of sirens. The chill had stopped, and he could feel sweat slowly trickling down his brow as he saw the sirens all fly and leap of the boat, and the ones in the air all swarmed around the giant. He narrowed his eyes to see what was unfolding, as the Giant finally stopped at the front of his constructed ship. The large wooden bowl stayed under the beast's arm, as it reached down and pulled out multiple small chunks of raw meat.

Careful to stay leaned up against the boulder, he watched as the sirens screeched, piercing and ringing throughout his ears. He shivered and felt the chill return to him, when the Giant tossed the meat into the air, and all the sirens swarmed to the chunks, fighting over them and tearing into them once they were in their grasps. The more meat the giant threw, the more sirens he saw appear, and he slowly started to realize, that despite the fact sirens were easy creatures to kill, that many in a large group could prove dangerous, they'd need to be careful. The giant aimlessly threw more meat into the air as it was eagerly taken by sirens as it continued walking, however he froze when the beast stopped at the open hull of the ship.

It reached and pulled one last piece of meat out of the bucket and placed it inside the ship, before he heard a delighted human yell from inside. His eyes widened again, and he saw the Giant freeze. Quickly the beasts head turned directly towards Faram and he, but he was able to move his head back out of view just before the beast could see him. Faram from next to him ducked back in a similar manner, as neither dared poke their heads out again. He could hear his own heartbeat, as his blood began to race. His hands curled around his blade again, ready to leap out if need be, knowing that his steel blade could indeed kill the giant if the need arose. The hair on the back of his neck stood up sending a prickling feeling down his spine, but when he heard the rumbling of the giant's massive footsteps slowly recede, as the grip of his blade slowly loosened.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, he saw Faram quickly move from the boulder. He looked up and scoffed, meeting his friend's eyes.

"I'm guessing that the ship wasn't there when you were here last time…" He asked the Bear School witcher.

Slowly Faram shook his head, "No… it wasn't. The fuck could the bastard be building a ship for."

"Can't be anything good, we should probably kill him before he could finish though…" He said, his hand staying firmly gripped around his swords hilt.

His friend quickly nodded and gestured forward, "You're right… let's go see if we can find An Craite first. You see him through that chunk in the ship? Sounds like someone's singing."

He had acutely trained his ears over the years, and he considered all of his senses to be three times that of a normal mans. However, he didn't have a mutated witchers ears, so he couldn't hear the singing of the man in the hull. He did remember however hearing the delighted squeal of glee come from the insides of the boat.

"Didn't hear singing but I heard someone in there… come on, let's go see who's crazy enough to stay here, let alone take food from a giant. Sirens seem too busy with their little feast, come on," Dominik said to his friend, slowly moving forward, keeping his sword raised.

Careful to keep his eyes up near the sky, keeping the sirens in view. Faram's armor while much bulkier than his managed not to clunk too loudly to attract the flying beast's attention. He saw the small valley that the boat had been constructed in. It had smaller hills going out towards the right and left, trees and bushes sprawling either way, the snow starting to disappear as it went on. He could see sirens, harpies and regular sea fowl flying over distant hills and mountains, as his black boots careful and quietly crunched over the snow. Up in the air the sirens were still devouring their feast given to them by the giant.

As they got closer to the hull of the ship he could hear the singing coming from inside as Faram had mentioned. He almost scoffed when he recognized the tune, the man's voice sounding as if he were in absolute delight, not in a ship eating raw meat fed to him by the giant. He carefully slid his sword back into its sheath, as he climbed up a makeshift wooden ladder that had been set up, and eventually pulled himself into the hull. Faram behind him was so tall all the Bear witcher had to do was reach his hands up, grip the ledge and use his massive armored arms to yank himself up.

He took a few creaky steps, the singing from the man clearly heard now. His eyes fell upon the rest of the room as long beams of wood were strewn about, barrels, chests, old bones and meat all lay in complete shambles. The smell of rotting meat and decay hit his nose as he finally turned to his left. When he did he finally saw the scrawny grey haired and bearded man, he was biting into a steak of raw meat, singing his tune as he sat around lit candles. Also, near those lit candles, on three separate sticks were human skulls, he coughed when the smell from the meat and the bones finally hit his nose as the man's head shot around to the two witchers.

"Look men, another one! And so many times, I've told'em…" The man yelled, dropping his meat and pointing towards them both.

He turned around and met eyes with Faram. Quickly he held his hands up to his friend, and they had a silent agreement. Faram while good at a great many things, preferred the sword first, ask questions later method, he wasn't much of a talker. Dominik himself wasn't either, however he had been learning from Geralt the previous few weeks how to better hold his tone. His adopted father had been teaching him that it's always good to talk and get as much information as you could before bringing out the blades if necessary. Sometimes Dominik ignored this advice, however, he knew that this crazy man was probably the only human nearby on Undvik, and if Hjalmar and his crew took their route to get to Uskar, the man might have seen them.

Faram gave him a nod that said,_ 'You do the talking'. _He took in a deep sigh and tried for a relaxing look on his face, as Faram and he both walked towards the man.

"I know that song…. What are you doing here," He asked the old man, walking to the man's small corner.

Faram followed closely behind eyeing the skulls on poles. Dominik felt his skin crawl, feeling the dead eyes of the heads staring at him. The old man scoffed and looked to the head on his left.

"What's that you say Wilfred," he asked the skull, before laughing and standing up to his feet, leaning back against a barrel, "Aye right you are, they never learn. Least these ones heard a song 'fore they died."

His skin crawled again as he looked and gestured towards the skulls, "Who… were these men?"

"My crew! They swore they'd never leave me, kept their word," The man said sharply, looking and gesturing his hands towards the skull, "Tall one's Wilmar. Wilfred's the one to his right. And the lad with the stutters Wilhelm!"

"Fucking hell…." Faram muttered from behind him, crossing his arms.

Dominik did his best to keep a straight face as he turned back to the man, "Why did… you and your crew… stay with the giant?"

The man scoffed and his eyes grew wide, "HA. We cannot leave. If we ventured it again, the giant would kill us all. Like he did the others!"

A small twang of sympathy went out to the now clearly crazy man. He had to have been some kind of survivor from the Giants initial attack, and now he saw and talked to the skulls of his old men. The giants beady gaze ran through his head again, and a shot of determination to kill the creature cut through him.

"Listen, me and my friend here… we're looking for Hjalmar an Craite. Word is he came to this isle with a crew, aimed to defeat the giant… have you seen him," He asked, crossing his arms and meeting the man's gaze.

He had expected some kind of difficult response, but the man didn't make it hard for them. Quickly he nodded, crossing his arms as he leaned against the barrel.

"Aye I did yes, and so did Wilmar," He said, gesturing to the skull to his right,

Faram came up next to him, towering over the older man as he looked down at him, "Are you sure it was them? I'd hate for you to have wasted out time…"

Looking up he could see the darker look growing in Faram's eyes. Normally when the Bear School witcher used that type of tone, the men they were talking too ran for the hills. The crazed man however simply nodded his head again.

"Aye Wilmar's got eyes like a hawk! They stood were you stood now. Poor shape they were in. Leif the Red. Folan, Vigi… that boy's not right in the head if you ask me. Them and the young an Craite were here as well yeah," The man said, looking proudly over at the skull next to him.

He breathed out a sigh of relief. From what he had heard, it was going to take much more than a few sirens to take down Hjalmar, however a small part of him had been worried he hadn't survived. After seeing the size of the giant, he knew now that while he and Faram would more then likely be able to kill it, having the extra blades would be a large help. It had also been the mission Crach set them on, to find his son and bring him back if he was alive.

Faram from next to him, didn't look to happy with the mans continued madness. Dominik along with his friend could also see the human arm, and other limbs scattered around the man's corner of the boat. He had seen horrible, sick things, and if the circumstance were different he would have been angry as well. However, he knew that they'd need to keep moving. If they lost the sunlight, then finding clues would be much more difficult, not to mention that despite the importance of their task, he himself wanted to complete it as soon as possible.

"Can you tell us where they went? Be as specific as you can," Dominik said to the man, taking a step-in front of Faram.

"Did they Wilmar," The man said, turning to the skull on a pole, before he looked back to the two witchers, "Oh yeah aye they did. Aimed to make camp at the old guard tower. Easy enough to find down the road, just stands there in the middle of the valley… guarding nothing."

Quickly he let out another breath, looking over to Faram with a nod. The inside of the ship was beginning to make his skin crawl, and seeing the limbs, corpses and skulls was starting to send chills up his spine again. His fingers began to tingle, as he knew they were getting closer to another major fight. He turned back and quickly nodded at the man.

"Thanks for your help, after we kill the giant you'll be free to leave," He told him, but right away he could see the man scoff and laugh, sitting back down on the floor.

"Oh aye, aye… that's what they've all said. Good luck now," The greyed man said sarcastically, and he quickly held out his arm to stop Faram from bashing his head in.

His head shot up to his friend and quickly met his eyes, "Come on… let's go we know where his camp is now."

Faram nodded and they both started back out of the ships hull. He could see the cracks where sun slowly seeped into the boat, he stepped over old sails and wooden beams. When they had both finally made it to the exit, he looked up and could see the sun beginning its slow descent. There was still going to be plenty of daylight, but with every second that passed, it was another second Hjalmar and his men were in danger. The harpies and sirens had been ravenous, and the Giant was somehow controlling them all.

Carefully he slid back down the makeshift ladder, and his boots lightly crunched the snow as he landed. Faram followed closely behind, the sun glinting off the pommels of his swords. His own armor was caked in snow and grime, but still he felt his limbs ready to fight at a moments notice. It had been almost two days since Novigrad, their last day when he fought the Katakan. Two days had seemed like the longest he had gone without a fight in weeks, so a part of his body was itching to finally get at the giant.

"Crazy old fucker… doesn't look like Hjalmar's crew was in very good shape… judging by some of the bodies here…" Faram said, gesturing around the makeshift shipyard.

He looked around and saw what Faram meant. Multiple fresher corpses lay mangled and mutilated around the ships base. Skelligers he knew were tough folk, but against the sheer amount, of sirens he had seen, it would have been almost impossible for event he toughest of men to handle them. One thing Ciri had always told him, was that Hjalmar was headstrong and stubborn, it was a reason they had both gotten along so well. So, he had a feeling the young an Craite losing his crew would only make him more determined to kill the giant, to avenge the men he had lost.

The cool breeze hit his face and swept through his hair, as he could feel the bit of heat hitting the back of his neck. He could see the desperate look starting to form on Faram's face, and he knew his friend was just as anxious to get at the giant, ready to finally avenge his previous failure from a year prior. And Dominik was ready to help him, and to save Hjalmar as well. Crach was a good friend to both of his fathers and mothers, as well as being on of Ciri's favorite people. He had sworn he'd do his best not to lose track of who he was, so he was going to make sure they were all there when she came back.

He turned around and looked down the dirt trail that trickled further into the valley and gestured for Farm to follow.

"Yeah… come on, let's get to their camp, see what happened. Don't know how much longer they have," He said, getting a nod from the bear school witcher, as they both quietly set off down the trail, further into the valley.

Gingerly his hands went around the swallow pendant, and he squeezed it, feeling a tingle go up his spine. A part of him wondered how Geralt was doing on Spikeroog. He wondered if his adopted father had already completed his quest and was on the way back to Kaer Trolde. If Geralt was already back, then he would need to hurry as well. Because as soon as they were done… it would be time to get back on the trail.

But before he did, he was going to make sure one of Ciri's best-friends was around to see her when she came back.

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"Looks like he finally got the fucker… arrow right between the ribs, good shot," Faram complimented, standing up from the snow.

Dominik gently ran his hands over the prints that had been left in the snow, they were still relatively fresh, perhaps only a day or two old. He saw the much larger prints along with those of the man they'd been following and gestured for Faram to join him.

"Looks like I found out where our archer went too…. Must be a troll cave, I'd recognize the footprints anywhere, they probably nabbed him. Prints are fresh, couldn't have been long ago," He said, as the Bear School witcher came up next to him.

His friend scoffed as he helped Dominik to his feet, "Aye… let's get in there then, hopefully they haven't eaten the poor bastard yet."

They had found the watchtower in the valley that the man had described with relative ease. He had been right in saying the watchtower didn't really have much to watch over. The valley was filled with icy shrubs and trees, piles of snow, but the path that they had followed was easy enough. Right away they saw that Hjalmar and his crew themselves weren't there, only the bloody remains of a few men, and the bodies of dead harpies and sirens. The tracks had gone in two different directions, one made it look like someone had drug a boat down towards the water, while another set of tracks were from before the attack by the sirens. Faram had easily spotted them, they were left by two men leading away from the camp.

Faram had told him crossing the lake would be fruitless and the best way to get to the giant's lair would indeed be the mines, so they had followed both sets of tracks. They found signs of what looked to be an archer, chasing after another one of the men from the camp. After passing by a few old houses, the tracks had led them to an icy cave. A small part of him began to panic, because the last time he had entered an icy cave he had run into the Wild Hunt. He knew there were no Hunt soldiers in the cave then, but he still would have gone even if there had been. He would fight them every chance he got, even if it only meant he cut their numbers down by a few soldiers.

A cold breeze blew from inside the cave, it was dark with only the light from the sun blowing through a few cracks. With one hand he reached around his back and slid his sword out again, and he carefully held up his other.

"Ready…" He asked Faram behind him.

"Aye mate let's get moving we're burnin daylight," The Bear School witcher said, looking back to the sun above them.

The sun indeed was getting closer and closer to setting, only a short time away. It would be almost impossible for them to fight an Ice Giant in the dark, in such cold weather already. If the archer inside the cave was one of Hjalmar's men, he could lead them to the young an Craite quickly, so they could get to him before the day was out. He let out a deep breath and channeled his energy into his palm. After a second the Igni sign lit in the palm of his hand, a pleasant glowing ball of fire appearing. A small smile came to his face, a wave of pride washing over him. In Velen at the beginning of his journey if he had attempted to even light a bomb with Igni, he'd pass out. He had gotten strong enough now to hold it in his palm and use it as light… it was a small way for him to see how far he had come.

"Okay… let's do this," He said, taking a few steps forward into the cave, his boots crunching snow with Faram behind him.

It was a narrow corridor at first that gave way to a much larger inner portion of the cave. The cold air got even thicker the further he went, as small bits of light shined through the walls of rock, helping the fire in his hand illuminate his path. Gripping his sword in his right hand he kept the fire out in front of him. Faram clunked in his bear school armor behind him, his silver sword at the ready. He made a hard left, and he could see small splatters on the ground. Holding up arm for Faram to stop he quickly knelt down, running his fingers across the blood.

Carefully he used the light from his fire to examine it, "Blood… human blood, dried but not for long. Looks like they drug him this way while he was still wounded."

He got back up to his feet and Faram nodded at him.

"Aye, trolls are tricky buggers. On one hand they're so fucking dumb you wanna spare them, on the other hand they're dangerous when angry, and there's the fact they eat people…" Faram said, getting a small laugh from Dominik before he turned back to the way ahead, the fire in his palms still glowing.

He started forward again, hearing a slow drip from all of the condensation coming from the walls. The chill had begun to turn his blood to ice, as goosebumps formed up his arms, both his medallion and swallow gently bouncing against his chest. It was a smaller and enclosed space, it would have been the perfect place to practice more Bear School tactics.

"It's quiet… way too quiet on this island," He said slowly, his feet sloshing in snow and puddles as he pushed on.

Faram scoffed from behind him and nodded, "Aye… only had to kill a few sirens. Fucker's probably planning something… don't like the idea of that."

He nodded as well, thinking that it now was even more imperative that they find Hjalmar. If the giant truly was planning something, then Hjalmar could be walking into something he couldn't handle. From what they had seen so far, his crew had been mostly killed, and if the young an Craite wasn't dead himself, then he couldn't have many men left with him. His blood suddenly ran colder, he didn't want Ciri to come back only to see one of her closer friends from childhood was dead.

"Yeah… even more important we find Hjalmar now," He said, as they turned right, following the trail of blood down another section of the cave.

"You said that Ciri grew up knowing, the an Craite's," Faram asked him, as he could see beams of light shooting into the cave through the wall they were walking towards.

Slowly he nodded, turning his head around to his friend as they walked, "Yeah, when Eist Tuirseach became King of Cintra by marrying Queen Calanthe, Ciri got sent to foster in Skellige for a few months out of the year. She'd stay with Crach, Cerys was too young to really play but that's how Ciri knows them."

His friend nodded, ducking his much larger head down under a hanging stalagmite. The part of the cavern they were walking under got narrower, and when they came up to the wall, he could see the cracks and small spots where light was streaming in. The sun pierced his eyes as he squinted, able to tell by the sun's rays that it was getting late. He looked down and saw the trail of blood went off to the left, up a small cliff. So, he sighed and put out the ball of fire in his hands, reaching up and grabbing the ledge, and pulling himself upwards.

He turned around and saw Faram get up with even more ease then he did, barely having to reach up. As soon as they both stood on the new path, he could see the blood splatters again, they were getting smaller and smaller which he knew was a good sign, it meant the man's bleeding had been slowed. He only hoped it didn't mean the trolls decided to eat him early.

"Aye I remember Eist… a good man," Faram said from behind him, "Also heard Crach saying how he knew your real father too."

A smile managed to come to his face as he ignited the Igni sign in his hand again. His father's kind face popped into his head, but then he also quickly remembered his dying one. The Nilfgaardeans who attacked him didn't stop coming, but neither did his father. He had watched from his hiding spot in the alley, as his father parried, spun, took blows off his armor, but still didn't stop. He cut down an entire squad before he was taken down… and died with Dominik at his side, his last wish for him to get to Ciri and to protect her.

And for the last eleven years that's what he had been trying to do.

"He did yeah… says my father was always the one to bring Ciri here." He said, a new smell slowly trickling towards his nose before he continued, "Never met anyone who's known my father…. He told me to protect Ciri before he died… been trying and failing for the last 11 years."

Faram came up next to him and clapped him on the back, "You're making up for it now mate! We'll find Hjalmar, kill that fucking giant, then before you know it, I'll finally get to meet the woman you never shut the fuck up about!"

He scoffed and Faram laughed from next to him. He was about to turn around and give some witty retort, however the smell he had sensed before hit his nose again. Quickly he extinguished the flame in his hand and held it out to stop Faram from advancing.

"Do you smell that…" He said, slowly looking up at his friend.

The Bear witcher took a moment to sniff the air, before his eyes slowly widened, looking back down at Dominik.

"For fuck's sake they're cooking him, come on let's get moving," Faram said, taking off in a run down the path they were on.

"Fuck…" He yelled, sliding his sword onto his back and running besides his friend.

If the man they were looking for died, then they'd have an even harder time figuring out where Hjalmar had gone. His boots splashed in puddles of water and crunched through bits of snow. His heart rate shot through the roof as he almost ran into Faram when they reached the end of the tunnel, leading them into a new spacious cavern.

His eyes widened when he saw the scene, an exceptionally large pot was hanging over a roaring fire from a spit. The two edges of the spit were hanging off two smaller ridges. Two trolls were perched in the room, one on the right ledge, above the pots lid, and the other scratching its arse while watching the fire slowly crackle. He coughed when all of the smells hit his nose. Onions, spices, blood, the smell of stinking troll. Whirling around the room he could see it was enclosed except for one smaller tunnel, in which he could see sun streaming in from a small exit.

He scoffed and looked to Faram next to him, who's hand was going to his silver blade. Quickly he held out his arms to stop his friend. He could see the size of both the trolls, and while he was sure that Faram and he could kill them with relative ease, they still didn't know where the man was. And if he was in the pot, they didn't know how long he had been or if he was still alive. Faram looked at him wide eyed, but Dominik pleaded with him silently. The trolls hadn't spotted them yet, and Faram finally sighed. The Bear witcher relented and slowly let go of his sword, gesturing his head from Dominik to the trolls.

_'Trolls are dangerous creatures yes, but they are also intelligent to a degree. Some villages and armies even offer them jobs building and protecting bridges, and other projects. Most of them can be bargained with, they're relatively easy to trick and are fond of riddles. So, don't take after Lambert, always try to talk first, draw your blade second.". _His Uncle Vesemir's lecture rang back again in his head as he let out a slow breath and walked towards the trolls, Faram closely behind him.

"Cooking something," He said, trying to keep his voice calm as he walked towards the large rock creatures.

Both shot around. The smell from them both almost made him gag, but he kept a calm look on his face, crossing his arms and looking between the both of them. There had been plenty of times over the years when he'd encountered trolls. Some of them had tried to eat him right away, others had asked him to answer riddles, but like his Uncle Vesemir had always said, he tried to use his words as opposed to his blade first. With the two trolls he saw in particular, he could see bones and other chunks of what he hoped were animal carcasses strewn about in corners of the room.

"Aye, cooking," The one on the bottom of the ridge said in his broken, gravely voice, pointing towards the pot.

He was about to say something else when he was stopped by a loud banging. Whirling around he realized that it was coming from inside the pot.

"Hey! You there! Help me! Water's getting hot! Ah! Argh," A man's voice yelled from inside the pot, his voice echoing from the inside.

"For fuck's sake," Faram quickly said next to him, reaching for his blade again.

Quickly he reached up and stopped his friends' hand from going to grab the hilt of his silver sword. He assumed he'd never again in his life out muscle Faram of Undvik, but he managed to keep the bear school witcher from drawing his silver. He felt his heart begin to pump even faster, he let out a shaky breath, looking back between both trolls as Faram gently lowered his hand again.

"I need that man," He said calmly to both of the trolls, "Anyway you'd consider releasing him?"

"NO," The bottom troll yelled quick, "We win human from Myrhyffl!"

He let out a sigh, truly wondering how Geralt always seemed to be able to keep his cool in situations like that. Both the trolls were massive, and there was no way the man would survive being boiled for that long while Faram and he fought them.

"Mhmm… I figure riddle," The troll from above the ridge over the pot said.

Again, his eyes widened as he saw his opportunity. He held his hand out to Faram who seemed to be twitching, ready to spring and try to free the man from the pot. His heartbeat was so loud he could practically hear it in his ears. He had to trust in his mind now as opposed to his sword.

He forced a smile onto his face and gestured towards Faram and he, "Alright I'll play you for him. If I win, that man comes with us. If I lose, my friend and I will jump in the pot too. Look at the size of him, you'll have enough for weeks."

"Mate… I swear…" Faram said from next to him, muttering a few unpleasant curse words about him and trolls.

"WHAT!? Ploughin' riddles? NOW," The man shouted from inside the pot, only to be silenced when one of the beasts kicked the pot.

His skin crawled as he heard the troll from above laugh, clapping together his rock hands. A shaky breath escaped him, if there was ever a time for all of his trips to the mummings in Cintra, and all the times he had to listen to Dandelion were to pay off, that would have been the perfect time. Faram stood at the ready next to him, his friends hands were twitching, and he could tell the Bear witcher was ready to go for his sword.

With another shaky sigh he looked up at the troll above the pot, who looked down at him.

"Good! Good game! First riddle…" The beast said in a broken, rocky voice, "Lots eats, lots drink. Big he be, steps big he, big he bash!"

He was waiting for more before he realized that was the entire riddle. Narrowing his eyes, he almost didn't believe that they had given him something that easy. He didn't know if it was from the intense few weeks he had been having, or he had just expected to much from the trolls, but he thought it'd have to make him think more.

"A troll…" He said skeptically, wondering if it was a trick question.

Sure enough however, the rock beast looked down with a disappointed sigh, "Good…good… you ask now."

A cold breeze whipped through the cave, making the hair on his arms stand up. He could see the beams of sunlight; from it he was able to tell that the sun was continuing to set. And he could tell that the man in the pot didn't have any longer. Faram looked down at him pleadingly after he answered, but luckily he had a riddle that Geralt told him would normally always fool trolls.

He cleared his throat and looked at them both, "I'm light as a feather… but even a troll can't hold me for long."

Right away he could see the visual confusion on both beast's face. He remembered back when he was thirteen, during the short time he had traveled the path with Geralt. During Ciri's months at the Temple of Melitele his adopted father had completed a few contracts with him in tow. One of these had been from a village where the troll they had hired to keep their bridge in good condition, had started demanding taxes from people who were coming across it.

His younger self had expected Geralt to whirl out his silver and slay the beast, but his adopted father simply had a riddle contest with him. After asking the troll that exact same riddle Geralt had won, and the troll agreed to leave the bridge, and it had been possibly the easiest hundred orens he ever saw anyone earn. And it seemed in that moment, just like the troll under the bridge back then, the ones in front of him couldn't guess the riddle either.

"Uhhh…piss! Yes, piss," The troll from below the pot guessed, sounding awfully confident.

"Nope… sorry. Looks like I win," He said, uncrossing his arms and looking between both trolls.

He heard Faram breathe out in relief next to him, as neither troll looked particularly happy.

"No fair! Riddle hard, human cheat," The troll from above the pot yelled, stamping his rocky foot.

Quickly he narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "I won fair and square, now you get out of here for a bit while my friend and I take that man with us."

For a horrifying moment he thought both trolls would attack. However, after a few seconds they both trudged off, retreating down the cavern from where they had come. Their footsteps continued to echo, and he could hear them saying things about stupid humans and having to find tougher riddles. After they were far enough away he breathed out in relief and looked over at Faram with a nod.

"Thank you Geralt and Uncle Vesemir…" He said breathlessly to himself, as he saw Faram race up to where the lid of the pot was.

He ran over and joined his friend, pulling himself up off the lid as Faram began pulling the wooden planks off the top of the pot. As he did he felt himself cough when smoke billowed up and entered his lungs. He smacked the smoke away with his hands as he could see the outline of the man they had come to find. Faram reached into the water first, and grabbed up both of the man's arms, yanking him upwards, taking steps back as the boiling water splashed over the pots side.

"Are you all right, what's your name," Dominik quickly asked, leaning down to help the man up from one side.

The man had light blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, and a bushy beard that was dripping with the boiling water. Smoke billowed from the man as the cold air washed over him, the steam getting higher and higher. Bits of the boiling water spilled out onto his gloves and trousers; however, he managed to ignore it and help the man to his feet. After what had happened a few days prior, how he felt as if his entire hand had erupted into flames when he unleashed parts of the powers in his blood. Ever since he had experienced that, the heat had begun to bother him less and less.

He stood in front of the man, as he finally made it to his feet, holding onto Faram's arm for support. He looked and met Dominik's gaze with brown eyes, wide and still seeming to be steaming.

"Name… name's Folan," He said before letting out a flurry of coughs before he continued, "Thank you… you saved my life. Who are ye? So I can thank you properly."

He let out a sigh of relief as Folan nodded towards Faram and stepped off him. He was about as tall as Dominik, wearing only his white undershirt and pants. Quickly the blonde man wrapped his arms around himself, his arms and exposed feet beat red from the heat. Looking up to meet the man's eyes Dominik nodded towards him.

"Not a problem. I'm Dominik of Cintra, this is Faram of Undvik," He said gesturing over towards the Bear School witcher.

Folan's eyes went wide as he looked over towards Faram.

"Aye, you're the witcher Hjalmar was supposed to be waiting for before we set out for this fucking rock," He asked the Bear School witcher.

Faram nodded down to the man, crossing his arms, "Aye… would've been able to take you right to the fuckers lair too."

Folan scoffed and nodded, "Crach tried to tell him to wait for ye, so did I. If we'd had a witcher with us, gods know we would've been back in Kaer Trolde by now."

"Don't worry we should be soon," Dominik said, getting the attention of both of them, "Crach sent us to find Hjalmar and the rest of your crew. You know where he went?"

Folan shivered from the cold and shook his head, "Wish I did… something must've happened, or else they'd have come looking for me that night, I know they would've."

Sighing he bit his bottom lip. He knew from the corpses he had seen so far, that there couldn't be many members of Hjalmar's crew left. The sun was continuing to go down, and he knew that they needed to move fast. Slowly he turned back around and met Folan's eyes.

"We're gonna need to know what happened during the expedition. Faram already knows the way to the giant's lair, come on. Let's get you outside and get you some clothes," He said, gesturing for the man to follow them.

Folan sighed our relieved and nodded, "Aye, you saved my life, plus I need to find Hjalmar, I'll help how I can. Luckily, the trolls didn't use my bow for kindling."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When they had finally emerged from the cave, he could see the sunset. Wind slowly began to howl ever faster in his ears, and the chill ran up his back. They would have about an hour or two of daylight left at most, and he knew at night was when sirens became more active. He didn't want to have to deal with both the giant and his army of sirens, so getting to the beast's lair and finding Hjalmar was even more imperative now. Luckily Folan had told them on the way out, that they had a plan, that in the event of an attack they'd cross the frozen lake. Hjalmar if he were alive, was on his way to the giant's lair, so that was where the three of them would be going.

Folan had strapped back on a red gambeson and tight black trousers, a bow was slung to his back, along with an axe at his hip. He exited first out of the cave entrance they'd come in from, and when he saw no signs of any trolls giving pursuit he whirled back around to both Faram and Folan. Folan nodded to him gratefully.

"Never going to go in the fucking sauna again… but thank you both again," The man said, nodding to both the witchers.

Faram nodded to the man, "Aye no problem mate but tell us, how the fuck did you end up in the troll's cauldron?"

Folan scoffed and crossed his arms, "Had the night watch. Saw Egnar of Faroe steal Hjalmar's hornwall horn, one he uses to drive away the sirens, I followed the bugger when he tried to get away. Caught up with him outside the cave. Bugger screeched so loud it drew out the trolls. Thought they'd eat me right there, but the dropped me in a fucking marinade first."

He shuddered at the idea. However, he did see how talented an archer Folan was as they were following his tracks. Between the three of them, getting up to the mountains and the Giant's lair wouldn't be much of a problem. As he saw the sun getting lower, he knew in his head that Geralt had completed his task by then. His adopted father was probably back in Kaer Trolde with Yennefer. He was hoping that the sorceress had found something out, so when he got back the three of them could head right out. However first he needed to finish his own business.

Folan looked over to him now, "You said Crach sent you?"

Whirling back around to the man he nodded, crossing his arms as the wind blew his brown hair.

"He did yeah. He's an old friend of my parents. Asked us to find Hjalmar, they're picking a new king on Ard Skellig. Everyone's waiting for him to get back," He explained to the blonde-haired man, and right away he could see his eyes go wide.

Folan scoffed and shook his head, "So it'll finally happen… Hjalmar ruler of all Skellige."

"Don't think he's cut out for it," Dominik quickly asked, wondering the question himself.

Again the blonde man scoffed, "Hjalmar's irresponsible, stubborn and heeds no counsel, but he's a born leader. Been mates since we were children, him me and Cerys."

Faram let out a laugh from the left of them, "Haha young Sparrowhawk has put forth her own name as well."

Folan's eyes went wide as his mouth fell open, "Cerys!? How could-. But she's…"

"Just like her father haha… runs in the family," The Bear school witcher said again, crossing over his armored arms.

Shaking his head Folan looked back over to him, "And Crach? Does he support her? Did he let her go off on some daft quest by herself? If I had only waiting… I could've maybe, or me and Hjalmar-."

"She's alright no worries," He said to the man reassuringly, "My foster dad went to help her on Spikeroog, best witcher to ever walk the continent. She's more then safe with him there, both of them are probably back at Kaer Trolde."

He hoped that Geralt had an easier time helping Cerys then he was having on Undvik. They still hadn't even gotten to the toughest part of their journey on the island yet. However, he knew they had to approach the end soon, the sun was rapidly descending and they still needed to cross the mind. Folan let out a sigh of relief and looked between the two of them.

"Thank the gods for that then… so what's the plan? You said you know how to make it to the Giant's lair? As I said, Hjalmar's probably on the way there already," Folan asked them both, crossing and rubbing his arms, still trying to get warm.

Faram turned around and looked off into the distance, "Aye… we'll head east out of here, find that old ruined village and head through the mine. It's the quickest way, it's best we get there before dark."

Folan scoffed again, "Vigi the Loon suggested that we head through the mines. It may have been faster but I still don't fancy walking into a monster pit."

The Bear witcher turned around and slowly reached up to draw his silver sword, the long gleaming blade with a bear for a pommel glinted in the orange sunlight.

"Well now you got two witchers with you, won't be no problem. If we don't get there before the sun goes down, we'll be facing an army of sirens as well as a giant," His friend said, meeting the man's eyes with a hard look to them.

Sighing Folan nodded, running a hand through his blonde beard, "Aye fine. We should've waited for you in the first place, I'll follow you both now. We ready to head out?"

Dominik nodded and felt a particularly cold breeze come from his back.

"Yeah, should be ready, Faram's right, we'd best get there before-," He stopped mid-sentence when he turned around.

As they had been talking they wondered out towards the left, down the trail Faram said the village they needed to enter was, the one that had an entrance to the mines. They were about a half mile to the left of the cave entrance when he turned, and when he did he felt his knees lock into place. Behind the cave that had entered was another large mountain, and series of cliff's and rock formations. All of them led out onto a wide strip of land, that lead to a tall structure, which was the edge of the island itself. His mouth slightly fell open, he felt as if a hundred spiders were crawling up his spine, as he didn't feel himself able to even form words. He heard Faram and Folan say something else, but he didn't pay attention.

"Mate? You alright, what were you saying," He heard Faram say from behind him.

However, he didn't turn to meet his friend. His eyes stayed glued to what he saw, a hot burning feeling coming up his esophagus. It all came flooding back to him, despite him doing his best to forget that it had ever happened. The wolf, the swallow, the black specter, the wolf's mournful howls, the swallows lament and final flight. He heard the garbled, dark, muffled voice of the specter, and the look of primal rage that formed in the wolf.

Again. and again in his head he screamed at himself. _It was just a dream; it was just a dream Dominik. It was showing you your worst fear, it was just a dream. _He tried to shake his head, but his eyes still couldn't move as he felt his entire body begin to tingle, the entire scene playing out again in his head. The wolf's lament and mournful howl rang in his ears, the blue energy that swirled from the beast as it attacked the specter. He saw the swallow and heard its chirping, the regretful, sorrowful chirping. The swallow had touched its head to the wolf's before turning and flying into the magic swirling beam, disappearing from the wolf forever.

No, he'd never let that happen. After he found her he would never leave her again. Even if she told him she wanted to travel too and live in a completely different world for the rest of her life, he would follow her. He would never leave her side again, just like he had promised, just like they had promised each other, they would never be apart again. _It's just a dream. It is just a dream. It is just showing you your worst fear. _His skin continued to crawl as he could feel every bit of hair on his body stand upwards, slowly he felt himself begin to shake. That's what it had to be, it was just his fear manifesting. He was finally so close to her after so long, that his dreams were playing tricks on him, trying to scare him. The dream didn't mean anything, it couldn't.

"Dominik mate! Are you alright what's wrong," Faram said louder, this time from right next to him.

He felt his friends hand clamp onto his shoulder and he nearly leapt out of his skin, as he finally tore his eyes away from the sight and looked over to Faram. His friend and Folan both looked over at him, and their gazes made his skin crawl. He looked down around his neck, and the swallow was still there.

_It was just a dream. It was just a dream._

He repeated it to himself in his head, and slowly shook his head towards the Bear School witcher. With every bit of brain power, he could muster he pushed it all from his head, focusing on the task he had at hand. Finding Hjalmar, killing the giant, then he would return to Kaer Trolde, and he, Geralt and Yennefer would finally find her.

"I… I'm fine, come on we need to get moving we're burning daylight," He said quickly, walking further down the path at a brisk pace, past both Folan and Faram.

He didn't stop, and he didn't dare look back. It wasn't real, it was just his imagination and worry messing with him. He refused to believe it or the dream was at all real. He was so close now; she was at his fingertips and all he had to do was reach a little bit more and they'd be reunited. And just like they promised each other, they would never leave each other's side again.

It wasn't real. He didn't just see the exact same tower he had seen in his dreams the night before.

**A/N: And while we didn't have any combat in this chapter, we end on a very intense note. Dominik and Faram have finally landed on Undvik and are setting out to find the young an Craite. I was originally going to have this whole quest as one part, but I decided to cut it into two, so it didn't feel too dragged on. As I said we don't have any fights this chapter, (Don't worry there will be plenty to make up for the lack of it in the last few next chapter) we still have some interesting things happen. **

**First we learn a little bit more about Faram of Undvik and his past. I said it before in a previous AN that I intentionally sidelined Faram slightly in Novigrad after his introduction in that arc. I knew he'd be in Skellige with us, so I wanted to give the other members of Dom's hansa (George and Freya) some more time to shine because I knew we won't see them again until the Battle of Kaer Morhen and beyond, so I gave them both extra shine in Novigrad. All of Dom's friends along with Ciri will be featured heavily after the Battle of Kaer Morhen and for the final fight so we will see PLENTY more of all of them. **

**So, since I knew Faram was going to be featured heavily in Skellige I gave him a little less screen time in Novigrad, but here we get to see a lot more! He truly is Dominik's best-friend outside of Ciri, and I wanted to show that in Skellige as we see much more of him during his ultimate goal!**

**And the big thing of this chapter… the dream. Now if any of you have played the Witcher 3 in its entirety (Which I assume is most of if not all of you lol) You'll know what this dream represents, if you haven't played, well I won't spoil you. I'd pay an ungodly sum of money to wipe my knowledge of the games plot from my mind so I can experience it all again fresh lmao**

**But what will having this dream do to Dominik going forward? We finally started to see him grow more confident and optimistic about finding Ciri the previous few chapters but… how will this dream impact that? **

**Overall we have a very character focused chapter. These first three are a sort of calm before the storm chapters, because as we'll see the next few are going to be non-stop fighting. **

**Thank you all so much, I can't describe how much the support means! We are almost at the halfway point, and almost to the biggest chapter of the story, when Dom finally reunites with Ciri, it's excited and I can't wait for you all to see it!**

**So please stay safe during these dangerous times, leave a review if you can and stay awesome everybody, see you all next time!**


	40. The Lord of Undvik II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 40: The Lord of Undvik II**

**Narrator: After arriving in the Skellige Isles, Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer and their friend Faram of Undvik sought out Jarl Crach an Craite, to enlist the mans help in their search for Ciri. The Jarl agreed and in returned asked Geralt and Dominik to help his two children, Hjalmar and Cerys. While Geralt sailed to help Cerys on Spikeroog, Dominik and Faram sailed to Undvik. Hjalmar an Craite had intended to kill the Ice Giant terrorizing the island, but the young an Craite and his crew had gone missing. After arriving, Dominik and Faram had managed to save one member of Hjalmar's crew, who told them Hjalmar had gone after the beast with the remnants of their men. So, Dominik and Faram raced to find the young an Craite, and to finally free Undvik of the Giant's grasp.**

Faram had led Folan and he to a small costal village. His friend had told them the smaller village had an entrance to the mines that could get them to the top of the mountain faster. The wind was still chilly, and the sun was finally slowly lowering below the horizon. They'd only have about an hour of daylight left, and if they didn't get to the top of the mountain by then, they were warranted to run into a possible snowstorm. He followed slowly behind Faram and Folan, as he felt the back of his neck tingle. Feeling the tingling going up and down his arms, he reached his hands around his neck and squeezed around the swallow pendant, looking down at his feet crunching over snow and leaves, trying to steady his breathing.

They would need to move fast, and he knew that he couldn't let mind stray now. He couldn't worry about any dreams or premonitions, Faram, Folan and soon Hjalmar would need his help, and he wouldn't let his friends suffer because he had a bad dream. The mournful howls of the wolf, and garbled taunts of the black specter roared in his mind, but he quickly shoved the thoughts from his head as he looked back up, the three of them had finally entered the smaller village. It wasn't any bigger than a normal Skelligan village, a collection of smaller houses, with one longhouse, along with one more much bigger building that he assumed was the old inn. He had seen plenty of abandoned villages and houses since they entered Undvik, all of them having been ravaged by the giant. All those places had been littered with blood, mangled corpses, bodies smashed against the wall. In those villages however, he noticed that it they must have only been attacked within the past few months, in the last year at most.

But this village had been destroyed long ago, and the damage he saw made what the Giant had been doing look like child's play.

"Aye… isn't this Brekka? Never knew they had an entrance to the mines, nobodies been here in years," Folan said from ahead of him, as they slowly began to enter the main square of the village.

Faram quickly nodded from next to him, "You're right, place was destroyed two years ago. People say an ice dragon swooped in and destroyed the village, killed everyone. Bollocks, no dragons on Skellige. Probably just got raided a group of pirates… poor sods."

The buildings were burned to the ground, only the frames of houses and charred remains were in the ruins of Brekka. He crunched over what he thought was snow, and while his boots were stuck in a mound of it… he heard something crack. His body froze, he felt as if a hundred rats were crawling up his arms, leaving bites all over his body, as if a thousand bees were stinging him at once. Folan and Faram continued walking towards the entrance to the mine that he saw, but he stopped in his tracks. His eyes fell to the ground and as his foot moved again, he felt even more crunching, and his arms trembled as he slowly knelt to the ground.

The wind howled as the orange rays of the sunset hit his eyes and made him squint. On one knee he reached his hand down to the pile of snow. His eyes didn't leave the ground, his heart didn't stop thumping, the goosebumps on his arms didn't go away, as he gently wiped away the pile of snow underneath his boot. Slowly the snow moved, and despite the chilly wind, small bits of sweat dropped from his brow onto the earth, onto the skull helmet that made his blood completely run to ice.

"Faram…" He said slowly, feeling his voice crack and shake.

"Aye mate, what is it," The Bear School witcher said, turning around to him with Folan.

He shuddered as his hand closed around the helmet, still refusing to believe what them being there had meant.

"How… how long ago did you say this village was attacked," He asked, raising back to his feet with the helmet in his hands.

His friend narrowed his eyes at him as he crossed his armored arms, "Two years ago… why you asking, you alright mate?"

Slowly he shook his head, "No…. Raiders attacked them that's for sure but… not the raiders you're thinking about."

Shaking he held up the helmet of a soldier of the Wild Hunt, showing it to the both. Faram's eyes went wide, and Folan's mouth almost fell to the ground.

"The Wild Hunt!? The beginning of the end… their raids signal the end of times," Folan said, shaking his head in disbelief.

He turned his head back to lock eyes with the helmet. His dream from the previous night had wiped from his mind, as he was reminded of one he had while he was in Novigrad. The young girl and her father who were attacked on their way back to the village by a group of pirates. The young brown-haired girl, the one he knew that he knew but couldn't have placed the name of, feeling as if his memory of her was blocked. She had seen her father murdered, and unleashed an extreme burst of magic, the likes he had only ever seen produced by Ciri. The blast had killed all the pirates attacking her before she had passed out herself, and then after she had… he had seen the ships of the Wild Hunt sailing towards the island. At the time he had wondered what it meant, where it had happened, how he knew the girl from the dream. He wondered if it had even happened at all, or it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

However now he stood in a graveyard. He dropped the helmet to the ground and whirled around, his heart leaping up to his throat. The more he looked at the scene the more he could see the tell-tale sign of a Hunt raid. The buildings had been burned; the bodies limbs frozen as well as bloody. He sniffed the air and he could still smell the faint traces of sulfur lingering in the air. His knees began to buckle as he heard Faram crunch through the snow, his armor clunking as he came up next to Dominik.

"Mate… there's nothing we can do for them now. We need to keep moving, doubt the Hunt will be showing up here anytime soon," His friend said reassuringly.

Quickly he shook his head, his eyes widening as he looked up to Faram, "That's not what I'm worried about…. Do you remember the dream I had in Novigrad? About the girl on the island, the one I couldn't remember where she had come from, we thought she was a source?"

Faram narrowed his eyes and slowly nodded, "Aye I do. You said it ended with…. Oh gods… you don't think-."

"Faram if that dream I had was true… what's to stop my other ones from being true," He said, frantically, feeling his stomach turn as if bombs were exploding in quick succession.

He knew Faram had been right when he said there wasn't anything they could do. The people of Brekka, the young girl he had seen, all were more then likely dead, there was no saving them from the Hunt now. But the dream he had the night before flashed and played back into his mind. The tower, the spire he had just seen a few minutes prior, it had been in his dream he knew, if the tower were real, the dream could come to pass as well. His dream of the girl on the island, from the village they were standing on had been real. If one dream had really come to pass, what was stopping the dream with the wolf, swallow and the specter from coming to pass?

The wolf and the swallow in his dream had to refer to he and Ciri, nothing else made sense. But who was the specter? Emhyr, Eredin, Baelen, or could it have been someone else entirely? The bottom line of the dream was clear to him now, someone was going to try and use Ciri to control powerful magic, to sacrifice her and rip her away from him. He remembered the swallow's mournful cries; it didn't want to do what it did, but it seemed to think it had too. The specter urged it one, telling it to go forward, to sacrifice itself. The wolf's mournful and pleading howls rang in his head, it had pleaded and begged, and for a moment he saw the swallow give pause. But the specter had gargled more words, and then the swallow had flown off into the magical spire. The wolf failed; the swallow was gone.

Somebody was going to try and manipulate Ciri, make her sacrifice herself, that had to be what the dream was telling him. His mind raced, and his hand shot up to the swallow around his neck, he squeezed it so hard, that if he hadn't been wearing the gloves he was, he was sure it would've cut into his skin. If the dream with the girl on the island was real, what was keeping the dream about the wolf, swallow and specter from being real? He needed to find her, and he needed to hurry, there couldn't be anymore delays. He had to find her before the specter did, whoever was poisoning her mind, grooming her to sacrifice herself. She was out there still, and he had the means to get back on her trail. He needed to get off Undvik, he needed to find Hjalmar, kill the fucking giant before he headed back to Kaer Trolde, where Geralt and he could set back out right away. He wouldn't fail her again, he was going to find her, every stroke of his sword, every footstep he took had to be to get to her before the specter poisoned her mind.

And if he found out who the specter was, the one who wanted to use her, sacrifice her… he was going to kill them.

Faram seemed to notice the frantic look in his eyes, because the larger witcher clamped both hands down on his shoulder, looking down to meet his eyes.

"Mate, dreams are dreams. This one may have been true but that doesn't make them all true. You need to focus, we're on a mission here. You need to get to the end, the quicker we do, the quicker you're back on Ciri's trail," His friend said with an edge to his voice.

The Bear witcher knew him well enough to infer the dream he had the previous night had been about Ciri, so he picked his words accordingly. However, his friends message only made his blood race more, going through his body so fast he felt it would puncture through the walls of his skin and leak out. His chest thumped at a thousand beats a minute, his heart coming up in his throat, and his stomach felt now felt as if kegs of dynamite were exploding. The swallow was trembling around his neck, as the wolfs mournful howls from his dream rang louder and louder.

His head shot up and he met Faram's eyes for a moment before he turned back to see the sun was continuing to set. They had to find Hjalmar before sunset, so that way he could start his search with his adopted parents fresh the next day. He had to get to her, he had to get to her before whoever the specter was, before the dream started to come to pass. He wasn't going to let Ciri finally return, for someone to come along and try to twist her wrist into something else she clearly hadn't wanted to do. Nobody was going to use her anymore, he was going to make sure of that, and anybody who tried to force her into anything would find a blade in their throats from him.

She was going to do what SHE wanted to do.

"You're right we need to move come on let's go, into the mines," He quickly said, walking out of Faram's grip, towards the entrance to the abandoned mine of Brekka.

Faram quickly whirled around again, as Folan peered at him as he walked past.

"Mate hold up, are you sure you're alright," Faram yelled to him, but he kept on walking towards the mine entrance.

He felt the swallow tremble around his neck as he stopped around the darkened entrance to the mines. Feeling his anxiousness, urgency, determination and fear all rise at once, a giant, burning ball of fire erupted from the Igni sign in his hands, illuminating the way forward into the dark abyss. His heart beat so loud he could hear it echo throughout the cave in front of him. The sunlight continued to shine a bright orange color, he savored the last of the cold breeze hitting his back, before he whirled around to Faram and Folan, and he could feel how dark his emerald eyes grew.

The specter wouldn't harm her, Emhyr wouldn't harm her, the Hunt wouldn't harm her. He was going to get to her… and he would protect her against everything that came, even if it meant his life.

"I'm fine come on now. We're running out of time lets get moving," He said quickly, before turning and delving into the cave, seeing her face in his mind.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Gods above, how the hell does a fucking tree that size grow down here," Folan asked, as the light streamed in above the tree from above as they saw in from the ledge.

Faram scoffed from next to him, "Light from above helps it grow, probably gives it rain…. Problem it looks like a siren nest as well. Count at least twenty of the fuckers…"

"It doesn't matter we can't stop, but there's no sneaking around them. Folan you stand back and hit them with your bow, Faram and I will keep them busy. Make every shot count," He ordered, extinguishing the Igni sign in his hand, the grip on his blade tightening.

With the blood still feeling as if it were going to burst through his body, he had taken point into the caves while Faram directed him. It had started with a large leap down into a lake below in which they thankfully hadn't broken their legs. The drop had reminded him of the large hill above the lake in Ellander. You needed to climb up a large tree to reach the top, and he remembered how he and Ciri used to scale the tree, make it to the top before leaping together into the water. The first time they had ever done it, he had to grab Ciri around the waist and leap off with her in his arms, she screamed as they shot down towards the water, but once they splashed into the depth below she had come up laughing. He felt his lips tingle where she had kissed him that day… the sensation lingered as he yearned for it again, just as he felt his heart flaring up at being so close to her.

His fingers twitched around his sword hilt, as he knew that they needed to get the fight over with and get it over with fast. He needed to get to Hjalmar, not just to help the young an Craite, but so that he could get back to Geralt who he knew was waiting. A sense or urgency ran through him. Ciri could have a curse casted upon herself, the Hunt was still trying to track her, and whoever the specter from his dream had been could be twisting her mind and manipulating her at that very moment. He needed to finish his current quest, so that he could continue with his real one.

Folan gave him a nod, but he could see the worried look on Faram's face. His friend however didn't argue with him, the Bear witcher nodded, and all three of them slowly slipped off the edge, and as soon as their feet hit the ground, they were within twenty yards of the great tree. There was a scaffolding with a ladder heading up towards what he hoped was the exit to their left, but if they wanted any chance to get to it, they would need to pass right by the sirens. After his feet hit the rocky ground, he slowly looked back towards his two companions as Faram and Folan both carefully followed behind him. A cool breeze ran through his armor, as he saw Folan slowly take up position closer behind them, and just as he and Faram both slowly clunked towards the tree.

"Mate you sure you're alright," The Bear witcher whispered to him as they slowly as they tried to make their way towards the next exit.

"I'm fine, we just need to get moving come on," He said, picking up his pace, while trying to keep his footsteps silent.

He could hear himself lightly echo through the cave, the dripping of water, and the howling of wind hit his ears. The harpies and sirens continued to screech as he heard Faram sigh next to him.

He clunked in his armor and looked over to Dominik, "Mate you can't lie to me. Ever since we left the cave with Folan something's been up, what hap-."

"I told you I'm fine, now come on we need to find Hja-," He started to retort, but was quickly cut of by a large screeching piercing the air.

"Fucking hell…" He said, standing up tall and whirling his blade back around with Faram.

"Incoming, Folan ready that bow," Faram yelled, his silver sword raking from its sheath.

All the sirens and harpies surrounding the large tree were flocking towards them. Seeing the group of them he counted almost twenty just like Faram had. His anger began to rise, as his hand shot to his belt. He had decided to take grapeshot bombs into the cave with him. Quickly he lit the fuse on the first bomb and tossed it upwards and the silver and fire exploded in the air. A few of the sirens had managed to fly out of the way, but a few more screeched and fell to the ground. He saw arrows loose from behind them as Folan hit the ones falling to the ground with perfect precision. Folan's arrows killed some of them that were falling, but they were still outnumbered, and the rest of the flock descended on he and Faram.

The hair on his arms stood up and side-stepped and swung his blade upwards in a wide arc, cutting through one that swooped down for him. As soon as he did however he felt one slam into the back of him, its claws raked against the back of his neck and he yelled out, before whirling around and cutting it out of the sky as well. He shot the energy to his hand and raised a Quen shield around himself, as he whirled his sword around in another wide arc, keeping the swarming horde away from him. To his right one dived so low that Faram managed to reach up, gripping his massive hand around a harpy's leg before slamming it to the ground and cutting off its head. The Bear school witcher fought with perfect precision. Every stroke of Faram's sword cut through one of the beasts as he grounded himself, only performing small sidesteps and spins. His friends silver deflected the claws of harpies and sirens, he waited until the perfect opportunity to strike.

_Ground yourself… _He said in his head, as he heard a loud screech coming from behind him. Without even turning around he shot his blade up behind him, and a harpy's claw that would've cut his back raked off his sword. The yellow hybrid oil still dripped from his blade and hissed as the beast reared back, its claws now steaming. He went about using the Bear school techniques he was taught. He slowly moved his feet, staying grounded to his spot, one came down from the right and he took a small step to the left, chopping out of the air before he heard another screech from behind him. He whirled around to deflect, but an arrow soared through the air and impaled itself in the sirens neck. Folan continued to loose arrows, hitting his mark with near every shot. However, despite this the beasts kept coming. He could see in the distance, past the tree where they had been roosting, more and more come up from the depth of the caves.

"Faram we got more coming," He screamed out to his friend, deflecting one sirens claw, before spinning and cutting through another.

Faram jabbed his blade through the body of another siren before one latched itself onto his neck. Just before the beast could into his friend's throat, Faram reached around and gripped it by the neck, slamming it towards the ground and cutting It clean in half. While neither had been severely injured, he knew that the shear number of sirens, added by the ones continuing to come towards them would soon be overwhelming.

"Well we need to try and make a break for it," Faram yelled to him, swinging his silver at the beasts in a wide arc, cutting through any that got too close.

He winced as one scratched along his forearm before an arrow shot through its back. Whirling around he saw some of the harpies and sirens had found Folan's location as well and started to descend upon him. There were simply too many despite the Skelligers arrows loosing at great speed. He needed to do something. If they ran the beasts would surely all chase after them, but if they stayed, the number of sirens would almost certainly overwhelm them. He needed to do something, he hadn't survived everything he did, gotten so close to Ciri just to be killed by fucking sirens and harpies.

The mournful howls of the wolf and swallow in his dreams played and rang through his head again, and he felt fire race through his body. There was no way he'd die in that cave, not to sirens and harpies, he wouldn't die facing the giant, or any other creature, not until he had Ciri in his arms at least one more time. Another harpy screeched behind him, but he had been so lost in thought he didn't whirl around in time. The beast slammed into his back and sent him sprawling forward onto his knee. His sword clattered out of hand and he tried to reach for his dagger, but the sirens had seen he was disoriented. They swarmed him, knocking into him, raking their claws against his armor, scratching and clawing at his limbs, and with every beast that slammed into him, he heard them screech. He clamped his hands over his ears as they felt like knives were being stabbed into them.

"DOM," He heard Faram yell, just before he was knocked to the side, onto his back, his vision being overtake by a huge blue of white and black sirens.

"FUCK," He screamed, hearing his voice echo loudly through the cave, his arms being ripped to shreds as the sirens and harpies clawed and bit into him.

If not for his armor he would've been dead in seconds. He heard Faram screaming for Folan, but then heard nothing as all he could hear was the screeching and wails of the beasts all surrounding him. He squeezed his eyes and wince, feeling as if he was being attacked by a swarm of rats, all trying to dig into his corpse for a feast of fresh warm meat. They were overpowering and it was all he could do to keep his arms up to keep them from cutting at his face. He needed to do something; he raked his brain for anything to do. He knew Faram and Folan both were more then likely being overwhelmed themselves. However, he found it hard to think, all he could think about was how he couldn't die, how these fucking sirens and harpies were standing in his way of finding Ciri, in the way of him helping his friend complete his quest. He heard the mournful cries of the wolf from his dreams over the screeching, and felt the anger and urgency rise inside his throat.

_Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. Feel the chaos swirling into you._ He heard the words of George of Toussaint ringing in his ears over the monster's cries.

He fought through the onslaught of bites and claws, as the harpies and sirens seemed to be fighting each other over who gets to dig into him first. He shut his eyes and felt he anger, the urgency, the anxiousness, the worry and fear all bubbling up inside of him like water in a boiling cauldron. The dream from the previous night flashed in his eyes, he thought about how close he finally was to Ciri, how even after they found her a new fight would begin… and now there was a black cloud around her, poisoning her mind and trying to manipulate her.

His eyes shot open again, this time with a flash of bright blue light as magic began to swirl around his arms.

"GET OFF," He screamed with everything he could shoving both his hands forward as the Igni sign erupted from his fingers.

The flames were so intense out of his sign that he could almost feel his hair catch on fire. As the flames shot from his hands it was so intense, he felt like Triss Merigold for a moment, a torrent of flames spinning from his palms. Right away he heard all the harpies and sirens that were around him screech, they cried as their feathers and flesh were all set alight and right away he could see them all disperse. The wall of flames had been so large that it caught fire onto the hanging moss and other plants in the cave, the old crates, barrels and scaffolding would be next. Pain shot through his body as he could feel his bones pounding, every single bit of his body felt like it was being stretched the length of a farm, trying to squeeze every last bit of energy out of him as they could. However, he managed to climb himself to one knee, small white dots dancing in his vision as he fumbled around the dirt nearby for his sword.

The screeching of the harpies, sirens and the crackling of wood as it burned, the cave feeling as if it was an oven, and his friends and he were loaves of bread waiting to rise. He whirled and saw burning, frying harpies and sirens screeching in the air, and regular ones still swarming around the tree in the distance. One flaming bird came screeching for him, but it was cut down by an arrow from Folan. He still hadn't located his sword when another siren came leaping down from the left, right before it could smash into him the beast was launched away by a powerful Aard sign, as he heard the loud clunking armor ringing in his ears over the crackling of fire.

"FOLAN, head up the ridge now," Faram screamed, kneeling down next to him.

He had to keep blinking to keep his vision as he felt smoke begin to enter his lungs. He turned around and saw the fire he had unleashed was slowly beginning to spread along the moss on the walls, the old crates and other barrels were being set flame, sending harpies and sirens flying back towards the tree. His knees began to wobble as he couldn't stand up, his limbs were buckling, and he still couldn't find his blade. Silver flashed in his view, as Faram cut a siren out to the sky before quickly reaching down to the ground. The Bear school witcher picked up Dominik's blade from the ground and slid in into the sheath on his back. He felt his blade slide back onto his back, before Faram quickly reached down and wrapped his arm up around his shoulder.

"Keep me covered Folan," His friend yelled up to the ridge, breaking out into a jog, "Bloody fucking hell mate, never seen anything like that…."

Wincing he kept his one arm reached up around Faram's shoulder while the other held his stomach. From the multiple bruises and cuts now running along his torso, and the burning feeling erupting inside of him, it was a miracle he was able to move his legs to keep up with his friend as they ran. He could hear the screeching of sirens in his ears, the burning and crackling and wood as smoke continued to billow up in his lungs. He let out another fit of coughs just as he got to the ledge, looking up he saw Folan, his bow still drawn as he loosed more arrows towards advancing sirens who were trying to escape the flames.

He stumbled onto the ridge, smoke beginning to fill his vision, as he heard Faram whirling his blade and firing more blasts of Aard. His friend whirled around and looked at him, pointing up to Folan.

"Up you go mate, I'll cover, FOLAN," Faram screamed, before turning around and cutting through more flaming sirens.

"Aye, I got it," The skelligan yelled, dropping his bow to the ground for a moment and reaching his hand down.

Another flurry of coughs escaped him, as he looked up still completely dazed. He looked up and saw three of Folan in that moment, his vision completely blurred. When he reached his hand up, it took him several tries to grab Folan's hand, the double vision and smoke from the cavern fogging his vision. Folan went to pull him over the ledge, and using what strength he had left in his legs leaped up and managed to grip both hands onto the ridge. He heard the squelching of flesh as Faram continued to dispatch sirens below him, the burning fire around the cave getting even larger, spreading towards the great tree the sirens had roosted.

A shot of pain winched through his arms, and his fingers lost their grip on the ledge. He felt himself fall for a moment, before Folan quickly reached down and gripped his forearm. He whirled his head up, and reached his opposite hand up to grab the ledge again. Above him Folan grunted and yanked upwards, and he felt himself lifted up and tossed onto the ledge above. Through the white spots in his vision he could see the mind shaft continuing, but if he narrowed his eyes he could see small bits of orange light, the exit. He cough again and fumbled up to his feet, looking over to Folan.

"Thanks *cough* *cough* for the save," He stuttered out through his coughs, feeling as if his throat was about to explode, and his bones turn to dust.

Folan gave him a nod and helped him up to his feet, "Aye come on, we're almost at the exit!"

"Faram, where's Faram," He stuttered, weakly turning around.

A sirens head flew from a body and landed on the ridge with a squelch, as the Bear school witcher easily pulled himself up over the ledge. He had a new cut across his eyes but his best friend looked right to him. The black haired witcher sigh in relief and met his eyes.

"We should run, before they realize this is the only way to escape the flames," Faram said, sliding his silver onto his back.

He nodded weakly, pointing forward further down the cave, "Yeah *cough*, we… we need to keep moving, exit should be just up ahead. I can see-. UGHHH."

He had tried to take a step forward, but the pain in his gut, and burning throughout his body flared up and he stumbled. Faram thankfully stopped him from falling, lifting him back up. He shuddered, feeling the cold breeze run through his body again, sending goosebumps down his arms. The power in his blood again had almost gotten him killed. He hadn't wanted to unleash it, he hadn't wanted to make his eyes flash blue and the magic appear through his arms. He had only wanted to cast a sign, but the powers had taken over him, and now he felt like his bones were going to fall apart at any moment.

Faram who knew what had happened to him before with the powers, quickly wrapped his arm around his much taller shoulders.

"We gotta figure out about this magic of yours mate… stuff always almost kills you…" His friend said, looking forward towards the mine exit.

He coughed again and almost felt blood come up, as it felt as if someone was raking a fork along the inside of his throat and was continuously pounding his bones with a hammer. There was a point where he though the powers could help him, but the more he used them, all the times he involuntarily activated them, the more he wished he could eradicate it from his body. It was becoming more of a hindrance to finding Ciri then an aid. If not for whatever it was inside his blood the three of them could have already been out of the cave and up the mountain. However, they would now need to move slower as he felt his body drain.

"You're right I need it to fucking stop…. Come on we're wasting time, we need to get out of here," He said, as Faram, Folan and he started forward at a brisk pace, Faram helping him move along.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His legs finally gave out when they burst onto the mountain side, he felt the wobble and Faram let him gently sit on a large pile of snow, leaning up against the side of the cave exit. The cold breeze made his entire body shiver as all three of he, Faram and Folan coughed smoke out of their lungs. His hands and limbs sank into the snow, and he could almost hear a hissing sound as his body cooled, with his bones still panging as if they had been pounded repeatedly. He squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped his hands around the swallow, as he felt continued erupting in his gut. The pain that shot through his bones, and the exhaustion creeping up inside him had completely drained him. He kept his eyes closed, gripping around the swallow as he took in deep steadying breaths, trying to get his heart rate back to normal.

George had told him before he left, that when he felt himself at low points, to close his eyes and remember something. Remember something, anything about the reason you were fighting, the reason you wanted to get back up and move forward. So, he raked his brain and memories quickly came flooding back to him. First he saw her, her face, the beautiful emeralds, her freckles, her cute smaller nose, her strands of ashen hair. He had destroyed the picture of her they had gotten from the Emperor in Vizima, the drawing that his spies had drawn, assuming what she looked like. He destroyed it because after seeing her thanks to Dudu, he knew he'd never forget it, and he was correct. As his eyes closed, he could see her in that moment. She was more real in his eyes then either of his friends with him.

While his eyes were closed, he saw them all back in Ellander. It was late at night, Geralt and Yennefer had let the two of them go out to the festival for the Belleteyn holiday. The four of them had all gone originally of course, but Ciri and he had insisted on staying later, and after some coaxing Geralt and Yen had both agreed. The two of them danced, ate, and sang to the songs the bards rang throughout the festival grounds. He couldn't remember what it was called but Ciri and he had participated in one festival tradition. It involved a woman tossing their shoe into a lake, and to prove their love for the woman, their partners had to dive underneath the water and retrieve the shoe for them. He had insisted to Ciri they play right away, even though Ciri had been worried he would drown she eventually relented and tossed her shoe into the lake. He had in fact almost drowned, having to come up for air several times. Ciri shouted at him from the shore he didn't have to continue, worrying more and more he'd not come back up. Young fourteen-year-old Dominik however was not about to give up that easily, and he had gone under one last time, managing to find Ciri's shoe and bring it back to the shore.

By the time he finally had retrieved the shoe, his attempts had drawn quite the crowd. So, when he had finally dragged himself back onto the shore, exhausted, completely drenched and out of breath the crowd had cheered and clapped. They clapped even more when he got down on one knee to make a big deal of giving Ciri her shoe back, asking her if he'd proved his love for her. When Ciri had laughed, grabbed his wet face and kissed him, the crowd had clapped wildly, he had even heard one woman ask her husband why he didn't look at her the way Dom and Ciri looked at each other.

The night had finished for them a few moments later since he had been absolutely drenched, and the chilly wind was making him sneeze uncontrollably. Ciri had gone to get them food to take back to the inn, and while she had been gone he asked a nearby vendor for flowers. He proceeded to quickly tie and weave together a small crown of white flowers. As his eyes were closed on the side of that mountaintop, his bones aching, his energy drained, his body ready to give out, the chilly breeze and orange rays of sunset hitting his face… he saw the red blush that had appeared on Ciri's cheeks when he put the crown of flowers on her head, and felt his lips tingle where she had kissed him.

_ 'For you princess," _He heard himself say, his voice young, higher and boyish.

_'I love it… and you," _Her young voice said, echoing through his mind.

He let out a low steadying breath before his eyes slowly opened, the wind chill freezing his eyeballs as the sun was now almost completely set. His hand squeezed the swallow tightly again, and he looked up at all of the clouds slowly rolling by, seeming to be so close he could touch them.

"Almost there…. See you soon princess," He said quietly, wincing as he felt the ache in his bones.

He gritted his teeth together as he reached his hand down to his bag before he slowly drug it up to his lap. Letting out another deep breath as he heard his companions coughing, their boots crunching in the snow, he flipped the bag open and sorted through the smaller vials of potions and oils he had. Slowly, wincing from his aching bones, and coughing from the smoke still in his lungs, he pulled out the correct potion and closed his bag. He held the small vial up in front of him and swirled the pink liquid for a moment, before uncorking it and downing the entire vial in one go.

One of the potion's Freya had made, it washed over his body quickly, the pleasant berry taste hitting his taste buds. While it didn't erase the aches and fatigue in his bones completely, a warm, cooling feeling washed over his body. It was enough for him to be able to move his legs without feeling them ready to fall off, as he groaned, rubbing both of his temples, realizing that the sun in a matter of minutes would be down behind the horizon and they'd lose all daylight.

"One of Freya's potions," Faram asked, clunking up besides him, his bear school armor adorned with multiple claw and bite marks.

He scoffed and held out his hand. Faram grabbed it and helped lift him up to this feet. He stumbled for a moment but managed to regain his footing, rolling his shoulders to regain the feeling in his muscles. Freya's potion washed over him slowly, his bones starting to feel rejuvenated. He wasn't going to be at full strength until he got a full night of sleep, but he had faced much worse situations in much worse conditions.

He let out a slow deep breath and nodded at Faram, straining and groaning as he spoke, "Yeah… don't know what the fuck she puts in them, but they fucking work."

Scoffing, Faram nodded in agreement, "Bah you're right about that. Lass knows her herbs, we could all learn a thing or two I bet. How you feeling, gonna be alright?"

Rolling his arms and stretching them, he felt his head pound. Slowly he let out a breath and looked up to meet Faram's eyes, gently nodding his head.

"Yeah… I'll be alright. Thanks for pulling me out of there…" He said, feeling his heart pang out to his friend.

It had been the truth; he didn't know if he would've been able to get himself out of the cave if Faram hadn't intervened. He had never produced a wall of flames that large, with a heat so intense it set an entire cave on fire. The white spots had been dancing in his vision, and he knew he had been close to collapsing. If not for Faram he would've been choking to death on the cavern floor, all because stupid magical powers had decided to open up inside him… and he still couldn't control them. If they started appearing just when he wanted to normally use signs, then it was going to be a huge detriment, and it wasn't something he could afford.

Faram laughed and clapped the side of his arm, "Ha no problem mate. After all the fucking monsters you've killed, would've been downright shameful for a group of fucking harpies to take you out!"

He rolled his eyes but managed a smile, he looked out over the side of the cliffs, the drop several hundred feet to the ground of Undvik below. A shiver went up his spine, as he knew they had to be close to the giant's lair now, with Faram and Folan both saying it made its home in the mountains. He shivered again, rubbing both his arms as he turned back around to Faram, the last bit of the sunset dying as the minutes passed.

"Should be close now right? Didn't ask, what should we expect? Does it use magic or anything like that, I heard some giants can. Or does it just throw itself around," He asked the Bear School witcher.

Faram's eyes narrowed as he shook his head and looked up the mountain further, "No magic… but he's a quick fucker for his size. Keep the Quen shields up."

He quickly tried to imagine the scenario in his head. After a moment he dug into his bag, fiddling around with the few bombs he had left. After digging around for a few moments, he found the two he had been looking for. A small smirk appeared on his face as he tossed one to Faram. The Bear School witcher tossed the bomb and examined it, after realizing what it was his friend smirked back at him, clipping the bomb to his belt.

"Dragon's dream… gods I love that one. And since you made them I'm sure the explosion is going to be pretty fucking big," Faram said jokingly, crossing his arms as Dominik's laughed.

He tossed his own bomb up and caught it in his hand, clipping it to his own belt with a small smile.

"You bet it will. I got a dancing star on me here. You toss that first and release the cloud of gas, then this should help it explode even-," He started explaining, before he was cut off by the shocked of Folan from afar.

"OY witchers… you'd best come take a look at this," The man said, both Faram and Dominik whirling around to where they had exited the cave.

When he whirled around and started jogging towards where Folan was, he realized what the man had found. Faram and he had been standing to the left outside the cave, while Folan had gone off to the right. To their right was a large wooden house, which right away made him suspicious. What was a house of that size doing in such a remote position on the side of a mountain. When he saw Folan however, he felt his own blood begin to drain. Over the short time he'd known the man Folan wasn't afraid of much, however when he saw the mans face pale, he almost didn't want to investigate inside the house.

As Faram and he got closer, the archer gestured for them to follow, and slowly walked inside the door to the house. He had smelled the inside of the house before he saw it, and it was only confirmed when he walked inside. His stomach which had just begun to calm, felt as if it exploded once again. His innards churned and felt as if someone was stirring them in a bubbling cauldron. The stench of death and decay hit him, as his boots became sticky as they sloshed through the river of fresh blood that ran through the house. On multiple large jagged spikes, he could see the corpses of men, which had to all be a part of Hjalmar's crew. Some had limbs ripped off, he almost tripped over a severed arm as he slowly examined the scene. Faram was the one next to him who he could see shaking with a burning rage.

"Fucking bastard… I'm going to kill this fucking thing if it's the last thing I do…" The Bear School witcher growled from next to him, stopping and turning to them both.

He could see the murderous intent in his friend's eyes. It coursed through him as well, and while he also knew they needed to get the job done fast, he needed to keep Faram in check as well. He himself needed to get back to Kaer Trolde, Geralt and Yennefer needed to hear about his dream, he had to tell them what kind of new danger Ciri was in, and then he'd want to head out right away, it didn't matter the time he arrived back. Before he could do any of that however they needed to find Hjalmar. Finding the young an Craite was the main reason they were there, that was what Crach had asked of them.

Carefully he whirled back around to Folan, "Never seen Hjalmar before… none of these are, well…"

"No, none of them are him…. Gods above twenty good men, but still no Hjalmar," Folan said mournfully, looking at the corpses of his dead ship mates.

"We'll avenge them don't worry…. Faram any idea where to go from here," He said, turning around to face his friend again.

The black-haired witcher slowly nodded, turning around to face the opposite side of the blood splattered room.

"Aye… we just need to keep following the path if Hjalmar came through he's probably at the village by now…. I'm finally here," The Bear School witcher said slowly.

His friend's armored fists curled, and he could see them shake, Faram had been training now, preparing for almost a year for the moment they were about to encounter. Dominik knew how much it meant to his friend, and it meant equally as much to him, not only because it had meant so much to his best-friend, but because he knew that killing the giant was the right thing to do. It was what Ciri would have done if she had been there, especially since Hjalmar had been her friend.

The more he thought about that however, the more he thought heard the cries of the wolf and swallow from his dreams. He needed to get to her, and he needed it to be within the next day. After they had killed the giant and made sure Hjalmar was safe, they'd sail back to Kaer Trolde, and then he didn't care what time of the night it was, he'd get Geralt and Yen and they'd go to the site of the magic cataclysm. They would search it and figure out where she had FINALLY gone. They'd finally get the final pieces of the puzzle that would finally lead them to her. For the last few weeks Geralt and he had seemed to gather the pieces around the corner for the puzzle, but they had been missing the large integral parts of the middle. They needed to figure out what happened so they could fill it, and finally go to where she was.

And he needed to do it before the specter in his dream did.

He slowly nodded towards his friend, looking between Faram and Folan.

"Yeah…. Let's go get this son of a bitch," He said, reaching behind his back and drawing out his blade, as they all exited to go further up the mountain.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Their path up towards the mountain hadn't been long, but the sun had finally completely gone down by the time they reached the village. He and Faram both had to ignite the Igni sign in their hands to illuminate their path. The moon was full that night so they had a little bit more light, but when the finally approached the village they could see that torches were somehow lit on the front fences. The village was right on the mountain slope and seemed to be a dangerous place to have lives. He could see the village was clearly abandoned however, as the buildings were run down, and snow had been everywhere. Plants and other shrubbery were covering the outside gates, and the path leading there, he didn't know if the giant had gotten to the place, or if it had been abandoned well before.

"Aye right through here. The cave just around the bend in the village, fucker sleeps there. Probably snoring away right now," Faram said to both Folan and he.

Quickly he nodded, his bones still aching. The new cold night breeze wasn't doing him any favors, as the chill had gotten even more intense. He pulled the sleeves of his armor down past his forearm and reached around to rub both his arms. His armor had several new holes and scratches. He had meant to get it repaired and oiled in Novigrad, but that plan had been dashed when he had a training session with George, and then had to save Priscilla. He knew he wouldn't have free time for a while after their current mission was done, but the next time he did manage to get some, it would soon be in need of serious repair.

Folan from next to him nodded, "Aye… but I wonder where Hjalmar could have gone off to."

He shook his head, hit boots crunching through the snow, "Wouldn't worry too much, if even half of what Ciri told me about his was true then-."

"COME ON, COME AT ME YOU FILTHY BEASTS," A deep voice yelled from ahead of them, deeper inside the village.

His head shot around, and all his senses went off at once. Both of his companions turned as well, as they heard the familiar sound of screeching sirens. Just as they crossed under an overhang into the village he could hear the clanging of steel. He looked up ahead and saw one singular man battling a hoard of at least ten sirens. He wore an orange coat and had a mane of bright red hair.

"I'm… guessing that's him," He said to Folan, who was already knocking an arrow

"Aye, we have to help him," The archer said urgently, loosing an arrow, knocking a siren from the sky.

For a small moment he felt himself smile, as he gripped tightly onto his sword and rushed towards the sirens with Faram next to him. He remembered all the times he had been sitting up on the high walls of Kaer Morhen, or on the balcony at Cintra, Ciri by his side, her head resting on his shoulder as she held his arm. She'd tell him about the games her and Hjalmar an Craite would play, the ice skating, the swimming, swinging wooden swords at one another. She had sworn up and down that Hjalmar and he would be great friends, and he never doubted it for a minute, mainly because anyone who was a friend of Ciri's would be a friend of his.

Hjalmar an Craite swung his blade with more ferocity then almost any man he had ever met. He couldn't have been but a year or two older than Dominik himself, and he seemed the spitting image of his father Crach. His bushy beard and mane of red hair whipped in the wind, and he spun to swing his sword upwards at a harpy. The an Craite seemed to be having the time of his life as he lopped off one sirens head, before spinning towards another. Faram had rushed to fight off a group from the cliffs, while he sprinted for Hjalmar.

Hjalmar had been busy with two sirens to his right and left, and the young an Craite didn't see the one coming from behind him. His eyes widened and he sprinted, thrusting his hand forward as an Aard blast shot the beast into the ground. Hjalmar turned just in time to see Dominik come running through to chop off the beast's head.

Dominik had just finished his strike when he heard another screech from behind him, he whirled around and just before a siren could sink its claws into him, Hjalmar came through and ran the beast through with his blade. He felt his heart beat faster and could still feel the aching taking over his bones. Freya's potion had taken effect, but it hadn't meant his bones were completely healed. He heard louder screeching from behind him, and whirled around to breathe a sigh of relief, as he saw Faram chasing the last of the sirens away, the beasts flying away from the cliffs.

He breathed out again and slid his sword into its sheath, trying to steady his breathing.

"Ha thanks for the save there! Bugger would've probably gotten me if you hadn't intervened," Hjalmar said from behind him, smiling with his hands on his hips.

A small laugh escaped him as he turned to face the younger an Craite for the first time. After hearing so much about him over the years, he almost felt as if he already knew the man. Of course, however it had been even longer for Hjalmar since he had seen Ciri then it had been for Dominik.

He smiled and nodded towards him, "Right back at you…. So, you're Hjalmar an Craite, it's nice to finally meet you."

Hjalmar looked confused for a moment, but a smile stayed on his face.

"Aye so you heard of me. Apologies don't rightly recognize you. Recognize that medallion though, you're a witcher then," The young an Craite asked him.

He laughed a bit again and nodded, "I am yeah…. Sorry you'd have no way of knowing me. As for how I know you well… Ciri told me all about you. Crach he… he said he knew my parents, you might've too. I'm Dominik of Cintra, my father was Gregory of Cintra."

Crach had told him he knew his father because Gregory had been the one to always take Ciri to Skellige. He assumed that Hjalmar had to know the story as well, and his hunch was right. The young an Craite smiled and scoffed, meeting his eyes.

"HA you're Gregory's son!? I loved that man he was the best," Hjalmar said with a smile, before his eyes slowly widened in shock, "You said Ciri told you about me? So, the stories da told me are true, you and her both escaped with Geralt of Rivia from Cintra!?"

A warm feeling washed over him as he slowly nodded, "Yeah… well Ciri and I escaped and Geralt found us later. Two of us trained together in Kaer Morhen for years, she told me all about you, Crach, Ermion… said she thought we'd be the best of friends."

Hjalmar laughed again and clapped his shoulder, "Haha of to a great start I reckon! Any friend of Ciri's is a friend of mine. Haven't seen her since we were kids, Da says she hasn't been seen in a while…"

"Yeah… she hasn't. Haven't seen her myself in eight years…. But I'm in Skellige with Geralt, we… we're looking for her," He said slowly, feeling the swallow around his neck begin to tremble.

The wind howled through his hair as the reaction on the young an Craite was obvious. He nodded towards Dominik and held a fist to his chest.

"Aye it'll be good to see her again! After my mission is done here and I'm crowned, should you need any aid I'll send it. But what makes you think she's on Skellige," Hjalmar asked him, the wind tossing back his flaming hair.

Slowly he shook his head. His heart warmed to see someone else so eager to help Ciri, but he knew that they had to deal with the matter at hand first. If there was anyone he could trust with information about Ciri, it would be Crach and Hjalmar. He felt the chilly breeze go up the back of his armor, as he could hear a distant howling of wolves. The light of the moon and a few lit torches gave them any light, but he knew they would need to move quickly. If any of the sirens they had smoked out of the cave went to help the giant it would only make the fight harder, in addition to how hard it would be to scale back down the mountain in further darkness, so he held his hands up with a small laugh at Hjalmar's question.

"Ha, don't worry we'll talk more about that later. We got something else we need to do now," He said, when he heard the crunching of snow behind him.

"Wait, you mean to tell me that ballad about the witcher rescuing a boy from Cintra… that boy's you? You were raised by Geralt of Rivia," Folan said, walking up from behind him with Faram, carrying a torch in his hand.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning to them, "Yup that was me. My greatest accomplishment to date," he said sarcastically, a small smile on his face.

It had always been a source of pride to him, being the son of the greatest witcher to ever live. Thanks to Dandelion and his great deeds, almost everyone on the continent seemed to have at least heard some stories about Geralt of Rivia, and that man was his father. Folan and Faram both quickly came to either side of him, and as soon as Hjalmar saw his crew member his eyes went wide, and he smiled.

"HA, Folan! I was sure you'd died, where have you been," The young an Craite asked him.

Folan's face narrowed and he shook his head, ignoring the question, "Cerys has gone to Spikeroog alone! Couldn't wait, couldn't wait for the witcher your father said was coming to help us! You was afeared someone would come steal the giant out from under you!"

Hjalmar's eyes widened, and Dominik could see the worry at the mention of his sister. He recognized it because he remembered having it himself. Bella and he were young, but his sister always had a knack for getting herself into trouble. It could be wondering off when they were in the woods, heading out for the market square without him or their parents. He had inherited his father's protective instinct so whenever she was lost or in trouble he'd always scramble to find her. He felt a small knife push through his heart when he remembered the truth however, when Bella needed him most in Cintra he hadn't been able to save her.

And now she'd never need him to save her again.

"Cerys!? She's staked a claim to the throne then! And you'd have rather gone with her," Hjalmar yelled at Folan, tossing his hands up in disbelief.

"I'd like to have had the choice," Folan said in anger, crossing over his arms.

Hjalmar shook his head, before looking over at he and Faram. The cold night breeze blew and he could see the young an Craite's face from the moonlight. His eyes were grateful, and full of respect. So far he had been exactly like Ciri had described, loud, impulsive, boisterous, and just arrogant enough to where it was endearing and not annoying. Hjalmar gave a bow to them both.

"Enough of that. I need to thank you again Dominik of Cintra. And you as well witcher Faram, apologies I didn't wait for you to set off, needed to get the isle back to its people, needed to do it before the King was chosen," Hjalmar said, crossing over both his arms and looking to the two witchers.

Faram scoffed from next to him, shaking his head, "No need to apologize lad. Nothing we can do about it now, nothing except kill the bastard."

He quickly nodded in agreement, "He's right. We came through the caves… where's the rest of your crew?"

Hjalmar nodded, but he could see a slightly somber look on the young man's face.

"Had to fight our way through a swarm of sirens to get here. Now there's only three of us," he started, turning over and gesturing towards a mans body smashed up against barrels before continuing, "Sirens cut Leif up pretty good, we should see to his wounds!"

He could tell that Hjalmar had been trying to convince himself as well. As soon as he saw the body of Leif he could tell that the man was dead. Just to be sure he looked over to Faram who was biting his bottom lip and slowly shaking his head. Witchers could hear heartbeats inside people if they listened closely enough. Geralt had even told him after a time he could understand whose heartbeat was who's in a crowd, if the witcher knew that person well. His adopted father had said he knew what Dom's heartbeat sounded like, and it helped him find him on battlefields.

Slowly he looked back to Hjalmar and shook his head, "He's… dead."

"What!? No can't be, he's just unconscious, lost too much blood," The young man said, sounding as if he was till trying to convince himself.

Sighing he slowly shook his head, "No… he's dead… trust me."

Hjalmar looked between him and Folan over to Faram. Faram slowly shook his head as well. Hjalmar sighed sadly and shook his head. Dominik could tell that while the young an Craite was boisterous and confident, seeming to be yearning for glory, he still cared about the lives of his men. He sighed with a regretful feeling rushing over him, as Hjalmar slowly walked over to his dead man's body, slowly shaking his head.

"Promise to sink his blade into the Giant's heart…. Swore it on the bones of his ancestors," The young an Craite said slowly, reaching down and picking up the man's sword, before turning back to them looking to Folan, "You coming?"

"Stupid question," Folan said bitterly with his arms crossed.

Hjalmar nodded and turned to both him and Faram, "Faram I hope you'll still join us now. You as well Dominik…"

Faram scoffed from next to him, uncrossing his arms and looked up towards the mountain, "I stood in this exact same spot a year ago…. Thought I'd waltz up there and kill it in minutes, bring the head back to Kaer Trolde before I stuffed it on my horse's saddle all the glory mine…. If I hadn't been so arrogant then perhaps your men wouldn't be dead… but it's different now. Let's do this…"

A smile came to his face as he clapped his friend's arm. He knew what Faram meant when he said it was different. He had friends with him now, he had gotten stronger, he knew better, and he had an even better reason to fight. Faram wasn't fighting for glory anymore, his friend was fighting for the people of his home island, for the betterment of their lives, to give them back their island, because it was the right thing to do. Faram was doing it to help people, to help save people from monsters… like witchers did.

He sighed deeply and reached his hands around the swallow pendant. It blew in the wind, but he caught it and looked down at it for a moment, feeling his heart pang, but a smile came to his face. He saw her face as he looked down at it, and again she seemed even more real then the men around him. Ciri would have helped, she would have gone in to try and kill the giant herself if she knew what it had been doing to people. He would do the same thing now, do what would make her proud. It was also important that they get moving, she was still in danger, and helping Hjalmar he knew in the long run would help him in that goal of getting to her. Squeezing his hands around the pendant he slowly raised his head to meet their eyes. He shot his hand up into the air and the Igni sign blazed to life, the flame igniting in his hand.

"You can count on me. Let's go give the island back to its people…" He said, as they all turned to face up the mountain.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The cave was even chillier then the cold night outside like he had expected. The snow crunched under his boots as he took the point, leading both Faram and Hjalmar behind him. After clearing the front of the beast's cave, Folan had went to the left, taking up a better position to use his bow, while the other three of them had gone to the right. He made sure to keep as light on his feet as he could, not wanting to risk the giant seeing them before they were ready or alerting any sirens that may have been in the area. His hands began to twitch, he still had the dancing star bomb on his waist, and he knew that his steel blade would still be able to hurt the giant, it was a monster who could be killed with normal metal. He did yearn slightly however to have a silver blade, it would have made that fight and many to come much easier.

Snow crunched lightly under his boots as he tried to rack his brain for any information he could about giants. Geralt and his Uncle Vesemir both assumed that they had gone extinct, so he never received a lesson on one in Kaer Morhen, so he went to the next closest thing. Cyclopes' he had fought and killed before, and he knew they weren't intelligent at all, and would just throw their massive weight around. He knew giants were different in the regard that they were much smarter, and from what Faram described, the giant they faced that day was even more intelligent then that. All monsters who had some type of intelligence and weren't just mindless beasts were dangerous, this he knew. He would need to move quickly, and his dodges would need to be precise.

"Right around here…" Faram whispered from behind him, his voice low.

He slowly nodded and when they finally turned the corner he heard the massive snoring. His eyes shot across the large circular cave, ice and snow covered the floors, with only a few spots of stone visible. The whole cavern seemed to almost be frozen, with one large fire roaring to the left. He also looked up and saw pieces of old timber, multiple planks of wood, which he assumed was what the giant had been using to make the ship they had seen earlier. The beast itself laid on a large rug of animal skins, snoring loudly as Dominik realized it was just as big as it seemed earlier in the day. It had to be at least four meters tall. He let out a shaky breath, remembering the Fiend in Crookback Bog, that beast had been twice the size, and he still managed to take it out.

"Don't know how far we'll make it without waking him… I could try to sneak up-," He started saying to his friends behind him, only to be cut off by a shrill whisper.

"Hey! Hjalmar, you lot, let me out 'fore he wakes," The voice said from his left.

They all whirled around to the left to see the man trapped in the cage. He wore the colors of Clan an Craite, and had a horned helmet. The wild look in the man's eyes made him slightly uneasy, but it was clear he had been a member of Hjalmar's crew. He sighed in relief knowing that they would be able to save at least one more member of the man's crew. Faram walked up to the cage, slowly shaking the lock. The Bear School witcher cursed and looked up to him.

"Locked, I could rip it open but that'll certainly wake him," His friend said, taking light steps away from the cage.

"Should be a key around here somewhere," He said, looking over towards the feet of the giant and seeing a chest before he turned back to them, "I can probably sneak-."

"Wait! You know what they call Vigi… the Loon," Hjalmar quickly said, looking between both witchers, "They call him that for good reason… we should leave him in there will we finish it off."

"Are you out of your bloody mind an Craite," Vigi almost shouted from inside the cage.

Scoffing he met Hjalmar's eyes, "I thought he was one of your men?"

"He is," Hjalmar said quickly, "Which is why I'm likely to know what he'll do!"

"Well whatever you do mates, we need to do it quick," Faram said urgently, keeping his voice at a whisper, slowly drawing his silver sword.

He sighed and looked towards the foot of the giant. He mapped out his path to the chest and looked back to Vigi in the cage. What Hjalmar was saying could have been true, but Dominik knew he couldn't leave the man in there in good conscious. There was also the fact that the more blades they could surround the giant with, there was a better chance the fight could be over with quickly.

"Can't just leave him in there. Besides, we could use the extra blade," He reasoned with Hjalmar.

The young an Craite scoffed, "Even if it's swung by a madman?"

He rolled his eyes and turned to the giant again. His eyes scanned the ground, pathing out his route in his head. There had been plenty of contracts where his life depended on how quiet he could have been. In Kaer Morhen, one of the first things Ciri and he learned was how to be light on their feet. If you weren't light on your feet and swift, you would get knocked off the pendulums over the walls of the keep. His birth father Gregory had always been an extremely tall man, however Dominik seemed to have inherited his mother's height. His mother while a fierce, strong warrior, had never been very tall, and he and Bella both inherited that trait. When Dudu had shown them Ciri and grown to her full height, Dominik had only been about a half a head taller than her.

Growing up it was always something he had been subconscious of, and insecure about. However, he learned over the years that being a bit smaller had its advantages, and one of those included being able to move much more silently. As he carefully maneuvered around the snow, not wanting to crunch it so close to the giant, he said a silent thanks to his mother for gifting him with his smaller stature. The giant's snoring got louder, and as he got to the chest, he looked and saw Folan perched on a ledge, an arrow knocked and ready to loose when the beast awoke.

He got to the chest and let out a shaky breath. As carefully and quietly as he could he lifted the lid of it up. His cover was almost blown when the smell of the chests contents almost made him gag. He could smell old rancid meat, and felt animal bones hit his hands as he rummaged around. The giants foot moved and he felt a nervous tingle go up his body, as the beasts foot was mere inches from him now. He started to frantically move his hand around the chest before he finally wrapped his hands around a large iron key. He let out the breath he felt himself hold when he found it, before quickly and quietly getting to his feet and following his path back to the cage where his friends were waiting.

Hjalmar had his sword drawn while Faram stood with his silver in hand. The Bear school witcher sighed out in relief when he finally returned and flashed the key in front of them.

"Bloody fucking hell mate, bastard almost kicked you," Faram said, as Dominik fit the key into the lock of Vigi's cage.

His eyes widened and he nodded as he turned the key, hearing a satisfying unlocking sound.

"You're fucking right about that. Now we should try to get him while he's asleep," He explained to them both, "Faram why don't we toss the bombs first and-."

"Thanks mate you won't regret it," Vigi said quickly, and as soon as he opened the man's cage, every bit of him wished he had listened to Hjalmar.

"The fuck are you doing you fucking moron you're going to get yourself killed," Dominik hissed as the man sprinted straight towards the giant.

He watched as Vigi sprinted through the piles of snow towards the giant, raking his blade from his hip. Miraculously the Loon had made it to the beast without it waking up, he had his blade right above the giant's head, all he had to do was thrust his blade forward into the beast's eye. If Vigi had done that he wouldn't have been as angry, but the Loon decided it was best to kick the giant's head and scream, before taking a few steps back and pointing his blade towards the beast.

"YOU FUCKING IDIOT," He screamed, sprinting out towards the man as soon as the giant began to rise.

His legs took off in a sprint as the giant got to its feet. It somehow seemed ever taller now as it did not look very happy about being waken up from its sleep. Bones and furs covered its legs, a large bear skin was draped over its back like a cape, and he could see the beast open its mouth and the teeth were caked in blood. It was a monster that any witcher would think twice about a taking a contract on, and when it roared he had to stop in his tracks to cover his ears. Its blood curdling roar shook the cavern, as Vigi the Loon slowly took steps back, seeming to now be doubting his plan. The giant's beady brown eyes however focused on the Loon, and it reared back its giant fist.

Widening his eyes, he sprinted again, and just before the beast's fist could smash Vigi to pieces, he slid forward and shot his hand up into the air. A large yellow Quen sign sprang up around both of them, and as soon as the giant's massive fist made contact with it, he felt himself crumble. While the shield did discharge, exploding with magic and sending the giant stumbling back, the force had made his knees wobble as he looked up at Vigi and felt his eyes flare up as he grabbed the hem of the man's shirt.

"Make yourself useful and attack from the side! FARAM, BOMB NOW," He yelled, turning back to see both Faram and Hjalmar charging as well.

"ON IT MATE," The Bear School witcher yelled, holding out his arm to stop Hjalmar before pulling the Dragon's Dream from his belt.

He heard a roar again and whirled around just in time to roll back away from the giant's fist. Coming up to one knee he looked up and saw the giant distracted for a moment,. Folan had fired arrows from afar, and the giant was busy trying to locate the source. He heard Faram yell and toss the bomb Dominik had given him. The thing exploded and a cloud of green dust settled around the giant, making it turn its head back towards them. It waved its giant hands in the air and tried to get the gas out of its eyes, but to no avail. A small smirk crossed Dominik's face as he ripped the dancing star bomb from his waist. He ignited it with the Igni sign and stood to his feet, throwing the bomb forward.

The bomb hit the cloud of gas and exploded. The fiery explosion was so large that he had to hold his hands up above his head as the giant roared even louder. The smoke billowed in his vision and he almost felt it enter his lungs but pushed through, he looked up and felt a smile come to his face when he saw the giants charred face. It was blackened and the beast fell to one knee, and this was when he finally reached behind his back and drew his blade. He looked over towards Faram and Hjalmar, who he could tell were itching to move.

"NOW LET'S GO," He yelled, twirling his blade into a reverse grip and sprinting towards the disoriented beast.

"REMEMBER ME WHORESON!? IF YOU DON'T YOU'RE ABOUT TOO," Faram screamed from his right, going right for the giant's hand.

The giant shot to its feet roaring with newfound determination, just as Dominik got to him. He slid on his knees underneath one of its fists and cut under his legs, making the beast yell out in pain. It whirled around to try and find him, but this gave Vigi, Faram and Hjalmar the chance they needed, all while Folan peppered the beast with arrows. Vigi and Hjalmar jabbed their blades into the monster's arm, just before the beast whirled it back around and neither had the speed to dodge. Both got knocked back, but Faram leaped back to avoid the strike. He could hear Hjalmar and Vigi both hit the cavern walls, he almost ran to them, but the giant's roar brought him back to the fight.

He whirled around and saw the beast swing its hand down towards him, but just before it could smash him, Faram came slicing with his silver. The Bear School witchers blade cut across the giant's hand, and the beast screamed and reared back, giving Dominik time to whirl around and level his blade towards their foe. Faram did the same and the both of them slowly circled the beast when it reared its head back up, standing to its feet and whirling its head around to keep track of the two witchers.

"I'M NOT ALONE THIS TIME FUCKER, COME ON," Faram screamed as his friend charged again.

He did the same, charging at the giant from the opposite side. The beast whirled its giant fist at him, and he had to roll under it, coming back to at the beast's front. It had been so distracted with him, it barely had time to smack its hand towards Faram. His eyes widened when he saw his friend sidestepped, before coming around and cleaving his silver blade clean through the monster's hand. As soon as the blade carved through, blood began dripping to the stones below, as a new cave rattling roar came from the giant. Faram barely had time to marvel in his work before the giant flailed around and grabbed his friend around the waist, squeezing him as hard as he could, making Faram yell out as his stomach was crushed.

"FARAM," He yelled twirling his blade and running towards the beast.

"COME ON, IS THIS ALL YOU GOT WHORESON-. GAHHHHHHHH," His friend yelled from inside the beasts, hand dropping his sword as he screamed, slowly being crushed by the giants grasp.

"NO, NO FARAM," He screamed, running forward and leaping up with every bit of strength he had left in his legs.

He soared up and stabbed his blade as deep as he could into the back of the giant's back. As soon as his blade sank half deep into the back of the giant's shoulder, he heard the squelching of his blade into the beast's flesh and it screamed again. The now one-handed giant threw Faram against the side of the cavern, piles of timber falling onto his friend as he could hear the Bear School witcher cry out from under the pile.

The giant whirled around, and he tried to keep a grip on his blade, but the giant roared and whirled his hand around, gripping him around the waist and yanking him from his shoulder. He felt himself spin in the air as the giant squeezed around his smaller body with its massive hand.

"GAHHHHHH FUCK," He screamed, feeling his insides underneath his armor begin to crack.

His vision began to go white as the life was slowly squeezed out of him. He tried to fire his hands forward and cast a sign but whenever he tried he just couldn't concentrate long enough, and he just didn't have the energy left in his body. There wasn't going to be any hidden magic power inside of him to save him this time. He had to do something else he couldn't die, Ciri was still out there, Yennefer and Geralt were expecting him back, if he died they'd have lost two children. All of his friends, Freya, Faram, George, Zoltan, Dandelion, Priscilla, all of the people he had met in Skellige so far, he needed to get back to them all. His armor slid up and he could see the tattoo on his forearm, the swallow drawn underneath the names, the reminder of what he's fighting for that he now always had.

He was trying to think of something anything he could do, but the giant looked at him with a hungry, murderous gaze in its beady black eyes, and only squeezed him harder, and Dominik felt the air begin to leave his lungs, white spots dancing in his vision, when he heard the battle cries hit his ears.

"YEAHHH COME ON, COME ON," Hjalmar an Craite yelled, as he came charging back in, slashing his blade along one of the giant's legs with Vigi the Loon besides him.

He took in a gasp for air when the giant wailed out, loosening his grip on him. Dominik was about to shoot his hands forward forming a sign, but he saw arrows whiz past his face. The giant screamed when two arrows entered his hand in quick succession, making it roar again and drop Dominik back to the ground. He felt gravity take effect as he fell to the ground, feeling himself wince as he landed on his stomach. Quickly he rolled back, gasping for air, trying to regain any semblance of breath inside of him. Every time he breathed he felt his torso flare up in pain, and he knew that there had to be bruising all around his rib cage, but when he heard another roar his head shot around.

Hjalmar tried to thrust another strike at the giant's torso, but the beast grabbed up the young an Craite by the stomach. He almost rushed into help, but Vigi the Loon stabbed the giants one good hand, and the beast roared, dropping Hjalmar and smacking both he and Vigi aside again.

"Come on Dom…. Come on Dominik… get your ass up come on," He stressed to himself, slowly getting up to one knee first, and then wobbly getting up to both legs.

He looked up and saw the giant whirling and screaming. It picked up a large chunk of wood and chucked it towards Folan's perch, it smacked into where the archer had been standing and he saw the man barely duck out of the way. Nobody was left standing except for him, and even he was wobbling, small white blurs still dancing in his vision. Faram was still motionless under the pile of timber, while Hjalmar and Vigi struggled to stand against the cave wall. The giant roared again, whirling around and looking at them all, blood still dripping from the stump where Faram had lopped off his hand.

Slowly he let out a shaky breath, and his hand gently reached up to the swallow around his beck. His left hand gripped around the silver on his neck, while he slowly reached his right hand down to his belt, to unsheathe his silver dagger, as he saw the beast yank his blade out of his shoulder and toss it aside. The sword he carried since he was fifteen years old clanked to the ground in the corner of the cave. He slowly looked down to his right hand, his knees still wobbling as he stood alone versus the giant and saw the silver gleaming weapon in his hand. It was all he had left. Even if he could get a bomb from his belt, he didn't know if he had enough energy to even produce a sign to ignite it, and the giant had already shrugged off two of his most powerful bombs. He would never reach his blade before the giant killed him. No magic power was going to unleash in his blood, there was simply not enough energy inside of him for it, even if he could activate it at will he wouldn't have, at that moment he felt as if he would literally burn up from all the power.

All there as in that moment was him, a giant, and a silver dagger.

There wasn't a bone in his body that didn't ache. Sweat gently dripped down his brow despite the freezing cold cave of ice. His knees still wobbled, and all the hair on his neck and arms stood up. A chill ran through his whole body as his eyes fell to the giant, it was three times his size. They had come in with two high trained warriors, two witchers and a master archer, and it still hadn't died. It knocked them all aside and now he was all that stood left, his heart leaped to his chest, the blood raced through his body, and his right hand slowly gripped around the hilt of the dagger.

He let out another slowly shaky breath, closing his eyes as he could hear the giant slowly turning towards him. He kept his eyes closed, as his hands didn't leave the swallow. For a second all he saw was her face, there was no giant, no cave, nobody except for her in his vision, and she seemed more real then all of it. He looked into those two sparkling emerald eyes, and took in every last detail of her face, and he felt his entire body tingle, as he heard the giant roar, but it sounded as if it was in the distance.

_'I love you too you stupid boy', 'Always yeah? Let's promise to always find and protect each other', 'I'll never leave I promise, me and you versus everyone'. _Ciri's voice rang in his head.

_'I am so proud of the man you've become', 'You're not the little boy I had to save from nightmares in Kaer Morhen anymore,', 'You are going to find Ciri. You ARE strong enough, carrier or no carrier,' _He heard the voice of Triss Merigold say inside his mind.

_'It was my honor to fight by your side Dominik of Cintra, and I look forward to fighting by your side again', 'I can't wait to fight by your side again…', 'Let me tell you my good man, Dominik of Cintra is one of the most talented witcher's you'll ever meet,' _The voices of Faram, Freya and George all said.

_'Look how much you've grown… in only a few weeks', 'I'm even prouder of you then I already was,' 'We will find her, and we'll all be together again soon I promise,' _His adopted mother's soothing voice rang in his head.

_"I'm really proud of you Dominik,' 'You're a son to me… I'm so proud of the man you've grown into,', 'You ARE a witcher… never forget that,' _He finally heard his adopted father say, pinging inside his head.

"I'm a witcher…" He said slowly, opening his eyes as he finally heard the giant coming towards him.

His eyes didn't flash bright blue, there was no magic to save him this time, he was going to save himself. The giant charged wildly from the front, and for the next few moments he ducked and rolled, staying as directly underneath the beast as he could, jabbing his dagger into the back of his legs and his kneecaps as hard and as deep as it could go. The dagger more then likely felt like a toothpick to the giant, but it was all he had and with every stab more blood slowly began to fall from the beast's legs.

"I need a fucking silver sword," He muttered to himself, pulling his dagger out of the giant's leg.

He rolled back around when it almost picked up him in its one good hand and came back up to one knee. There wasn't any other option, he had to keep wearing the beast down, and as he saw small bits of blood leaking from its body like a dam, he knew he was making some semblance of progress. However, all the work he had done was taking its toll on him as well. His head was spinning, feeling as if he was being stabbed in the head repeatedly as his head whirled from all the dodging. The giant came with a lunge, and it was so quick he had to leap out of the way, but winced loudly when he landed on his stomach, the pain in his torso flaring up. His dagger clanked onto the ground from his hand and he rolled around onto his back, hearing the giant come crumbling towards him again.

Frantically he looked around for his dagger but it had been lost in the snow. His eyes widened however when he saw a bear pommel near his head. Faram's fallen silver sword was only a foot away, and he rolled around, trying to crawl over to the weapon, but heard the giant's footsteps getting closer. He rolled onto his back again and saw the beast right overtop of him, his one good hand ready to smash him to bits. His eyes went wide again as he felt himself about to dodge, when he heard a loud scream from his right.

"GET AWAY YOU UGLY BASTARD," Faram yelled, shooting up from where he had fallen, and sprinting towards him.

Just before the giants hand could smash him to bits Faram of Undvik stepped between him and death. The Bear School witcher caught the giants attack with his armored hands and held it there. For a moment the giant looked stunned that the witcher had caught its fist, but soon roared and tried to yank his hand away. Faram of Undvik however showed greater strength then Dominik had ever seen from a witcher. The black-haired witchers ponytail came undone and his long black hair flowed down his back, as he gritting his teeth, biting down so hard on his lip that blood seeped onto the ground. Faram had the giants fist locked in an iron grip, and Dominik could see the veins popping out of his friend's neck as he screamed up towards the beast, meeting its eyes an yelling even louder.

"COME ON, COME ON IS THIS ALL YOU GOT WHORESON," Faram screamed as the giant brought its other arm, the stump where Faram had cut off on top of his other fist to push harder.

The giant strained with both hands, trying to push its arms down and crush Faram, but the Bear School witcher grounded himself and bit down harder on his lip, the sweat trickling down his forehead as he kept the giants hand at bay, unmoving and unbreaking. The Bear witchers knees stayed locked together as the veins on his neck seemed like they would pop, as blood slowly began to spew from his mouth. Slowly he turned his head down to Dominik on the ground, his voice at a higher octave then it had ever risen.

"KILL IT, DOMINIK KILL IT NOW, GO ON KILL IT," His best friend screamed to him, as the giant tried to wriggle its hand free, but Faram's grip was like iron.

Dominik finally tore his eyes away from the incredible scene, and he managed to scramble himself to his feet. His friends amazing display of strength shot new energy into his own body, as he ran over and scooped the Bear School witcher's silver sword from the ground. He gripped his hands tightly around the silver sword, feeling it much lighter and nimble then the steel he was used to carrying. He whirled back around to see Faram finally losing ground, as the Bear witchers feet shifted, screaming as the giant roared again with newfound strength.

"ARGHHHHHHHH," Faram yelled, giving back one final push, not letting the giant out of his grasp.

Dominik took the opportunity and rushed forward. He jumped and leaped in midair, feeling the much lighter silver blade make him go faster, as he sliced down, cutting clean through the giant's other hand that Faram had been holding. Right away Faram fell to the ground, his muscles convulsing from the strain. The giant roared and stumbled back, his emerald green eyes grew dark as he spun back around and saw the giant rearing.

"COME ON FUCKER," He screamed, running towards the beast again, and springing into the air.

He plunged the silver sword deep into the giant's chest, and right away the beast fell with a loud thud to the cavern floor. The squelch from the silver entering the giants flesh hit his ears, as he stood up, removing the blade from the beast's chest. It tried to roar one more time when he silenced it, by plunging the silver hilt deep into the beasts eyes, finally killing it.

The cavern finally went silent, except for his hyperventilating as he shakily walked off the giant's corpse. As soon as he hit the ground he stumbled, and he had to use Faram's sword to steady himself. Slowly he heard more groaning as he looked around the room, Hjalmar, Folan and Vigi were all finally managing to get to their feet. He didn't focus on them however, and slowly, feeling his feet almost drag made his way back over to Faram. The silver blades tip slowly drug on the ground, as he finally made it back to his friend.

Faram looked feral, his long beard and flowing black hair out of its ponytail. The Bear School witcher hyperventilated, his yellow witcher eyes wide and dashing all over the room. When Dominik came into his view, his best-friends pupils went right to him. Dominik fell to his knees, Faram's silver clunking to the ground. He fiddled into his bag and after a moment managed to find another vial of the potion Freya had made. He uncorked it and handed it to Faram, whom he helped sit up straight.

"Taste… taste better then witchers potions believe me," He said, handing the vial over to his friend, breathing heavily between his words.

Faram nodded and down the vial in one swig, tossing it to the side and letting out a deep breath he had been holding. The Bear school witcher looked down at his armored hands, as Dominik fell to his ass besides his friend, white spots dancing in his vision, his arms feeling as if they could fall off at any moment. After digesting the potion for a minute Faram let out another deep breath, slowly looking over to him.

"Thank you goldilocks…." His friend said breathlessly, "Did… did you get him?"

Dominik scoffed and quickly nodded his head, feeling his breathing still far from steadying.

"Ha… yeah… yeah I got him. For… for fuck's sake Faram, you… you just basically arm wrestled a fucking giant and won," He said, feeling a laugh escape him.

Faram laughed as well, and the both of them had been so tired at that moment they laughed for a solid minute at the stupid joke he had made. He keeled forward, grabbing his gut as he laughed, and eventually let out a fit of coughs, Faram doing the same. After he had finished coughing Faram looked over and met Dominik's eyes. The Bear School witcher reached over and clamped a hand on his shoulder, looking and meeting his eyes.

"Dominik… thank you mate…. Thank you…" His best-friend said breathlessly.

A small laughed escaped him and he smiled, "Ha… you… you're welcome. Thank you to… for… for fuck's sake I need a drink."

The Bear school witcher laughed again breathlessly, "Ha… you… you can fucking say that again. We fucking deserve it."

He cough and smiled again, looking down at the gleaming silver blade in front of him, caked now in giants' blood. The bear head pommels glinted in the small bit of fire light they had, as he gingerly picked the silver blade up in his hands. He scoffed and looked to Faram, a small smile coming to his face.

"And… and I REALLY need to get myself one of these," He said, letting the silver clank to the ground, letting his own head fall back into the snow, just as Hjalmar, Vigi and Folan got to them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, the Wild Hunt's after Ciri… and while she was running she came here…. Dammit Ciri, should've just come to us," Hjalmar said, downing another swig of ale as they both looked out over the nighttime ocean.

He scoffed and took a long drink of ale himself, "Yeah, would've made this all a hell of a lot easier…. But yeah… they're after her. Geralt, Yennefer and I are looking. Me well… I've been looking eight years."

After they had finally managed to drag Faram and he back down the mountain, they were lucky Barnabas was such a good first mate. The old sailor had been worried when they hadn't come back and pulled the _Adrestia _around to the side of the island closest to them. So instead of having to trudge back through the mines, they only had to take a short slope down to an old abandoned fishing hut, where Barnabas came to get them all. Dominik had been so tired and thankful he almost kissed the old sailor. They all loaded onto the smaller skiffs and rowed back to the ship.

After they had gotten on board, they got Faram into a bed. He had wanted to sleep too, but a part of him was still paranoid about the dreams, besides, it would have been hard with Faram snoring the moment after his head hit the pillow. While Folan and Vigi slept as well, Hjalmar had gotten Dom and he a pitcher of ale and they had gone above deck to talk. He had downed the first few cups, as Hjalmar and he leaned against the railing, watching the waves lap over the side of the ship, the moon reflecting off the sea. During this time, he had explained to the young an Craite why they were searching for Ciri in Skellige. And Hjalmar had been a good listener.

"Eight years… you said you two trained and knew each other for how long," Hjalmar asked him, as the waves gently hit the side of their ship.

He let out a calming breath, feeling the wind beat against his face. Normally he wouldn't have been so enthused to talk about how long it'd been since he saw Ciri. However, at the moment he had been so tired he didn't even have the strength to be upset, and he knew he was also talking to one of Ciri's friends, someone he could trust. And in the end, he would be setting out on her trail the next day.

"Well I met her when we were eleven. After we escaped we trained and stayed together for three years. Every day, just the two of us… it was fantastic," He said breathlessly, feeling his hand gingerly touch the swallow, before he looked back to Hjalmar, "We were… well close…very, very close…"

From the smirk Hjalmar had given him, he knew that the young an Craite had assumed this already, so he had no problem admitting it. His eyes gently fell down to the swallow again, and he remembered hearing her voice in his dreams back in Novigrad. It had been a while since that dream with Corinne Tilly, and while he had actually seen her and heard her voice when Dudu changed into her, in that moment he craved to just hear her say something, anything. He felt so exhausted, and all he wanted was her. When they were younger after long days of training, the two would often simply find a comfortable spot and hold one another. He wanted that more than anything in that moment.

Hjalmar laughed and drank the last of his ale, "Haha I could tell you were sodded with her from the moment you started talking about her here. So, what's the leads you got on Ard Skellig?"

"Magical anomaly, the blast that destroyed the forest. There was also one on Hindersfjall, Geralt, Yennefer and I think Ciri may have caused them," He explained, taking one last long drink from his mug.

"Aye, don't know much about that gonna be honest. Like I told you before though, you need help with fighting the Hunt, finding anything on Skellige, you just need say the word. Ciri was one of me best mates when we were young," Hjalmar said, clapping him on the back with a smile.

Despite the fact it had almost sent him over the edge in that moment, he appreciated the gesture. He smiled and nodded back to the young an Craite.

"Thank you…. You know before Cintra, Ciri was trying to convince my father to let me come to Skellige with her. Ciri insisted that me and you would be the best of friends," He said, smiling and leaning his back against the railing, letting the sea spray hit his face.

Again, Hjalmar laughed and nodded, "Haha I bet we will! Just like our Da's were! Gotten of to a good start here in Skellige. Dominik the Giantslayer, I'll make sure the skalds sing it!"

A small smile came to his face, but he could see the true look in Hjalmar's eyes. Over the years reading people was a skill he developed greatly. He could tell when a merchant was shady, when someone would pull out on a contract, or could tell what someone was truly feeling. He could see that Hjalmar was upset that the glory couldn't be his. The young an Craite did deserve credit, the giant would have crushed Dominik if not for the man. Feeling a swell of warmth run through him and remembering how eager the man was to help him find Ciri he slowly shook his head.

"Glory should be yours. I think Faram would agree, you were the one to lead the expedition, any glory that stems from it is yours. Hjalmar the giant slayer has a better ring to it anyhow," He said, a smile overtaking his face.

Hjalmar's eyes went wide, and Dominik almost laughed when the young an Craite nodded.

"Aye… I supposed you're right! Still couldn't have done it without you though, so… thank you, thank you Dominik," He said, holding out his much larger hand.

Dominik felt himself laugh, a genuine smile adorning his face as he reached out and shook Hjalmar's hand, the cool sea wind blowing his hair back.

"No problem an Craite, happy I could help. Any friend of Ciri's is a friend of mine," He said, meeting the man's eyes.

Hjalmar smiled and nodded, "Aye, the same goes for you. So, you heading back out on her trail tomorrow? Or will you wait for me to be crowned King, feast for it's early in the morn!"

A bit of him wanted to scream that of course they weren't, they were going to head straight out to find Ciri no matter what. That was what he wanted to do, head straight out and find her as soon as he got back with Geralt and Yennefer. The dreams played in his head again, and he knew that they needed to move with even more urgency. However, he wasn't sure what Geralt would want to do the next morning, and he was sure neither him nor Yennefer would be keen to move once he got back like he wanted, however he would still try to convince them.

So, he met Hjalmar's eyes and shrugged, "Don't know, depends on how the morning goes. Either way… we set out to look tomorrow, and we'll find her soon… I'm going to make sure."

**A/N: And just like that, the Ice Giant of Undviik is no more! And this also means we're just about halfway done with Skellige. As I said this arc is going to be quicker, what with Dominik's growing impatience and urgency to find Ciri. So soon we'll be done Skellige, and then we'll head to Kaer Morhen, then after that…. We finally get to the chapter we're all waiting for. Let's talk about this chapter though!**

**First Dominik see's the village that was destroyed in his previous dream…. Did you remember the girl and the dream? Do you still have predictions on who the girl was? And what do you make of Dom's new fear of his dreams coming true? How will it affect him going forward and when we meet certain characters down the line…. PS The dream with the girl and the village is chapter 28 if you want to re-read.**

**We have an intense battle with some sirens in which Dominik again due to his anger unleashes the power inside his blood…. The more you see it, what do you think the deal with this power is? Is it basically the dark side where he can only use it when he's angry? How will he be able to control it, who's the ancestor that passed the power down?**

**And then after meeting Hjalmar, we finally have the epic battle with the Ice Giant. I hope you all enjoyed it because I REALLY enjoyed writing it. I was originally going to have Dom unleash his blood powers again when he was alone facing the giant but ultimately decided against it. **

**I don't want his powers becoming a sort of deus-ex machina that come to save him whenever he's in trouble. So in this chapter he continues the fight through his own sheer will, and of course with the help of Faram of Undvik. How'd you like the fight? What's been your favorite fight of the series so far, I really would like to know!**

**So next chapter a new ruler will be chosen in Skellige, and well… Dominik has to be rewarded for helping Hjalmar… I wonder what Crach is going to give as a reward xD**

**What are your predictions for next chapter… will we see Dominik continue to spiral more as they get closer to the end of this arc…? What are your predictions going forward, what are you thinking overall? Let me know your thoughts!**

**Thank you all so much again, we are almost at the halfway point and that is just amazing to me. Your support is awesome thanks so much and see you all next time!**


	41. King's Gambit

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 41: King's Gambit**

**Narrator: After a long journey on the island of Undvik, Dominik of Cintra and Faram of Undvik found Hjalmar an Craite. Together the Young Wolf and his friends battled the Ice Giant, with Dominik striking the killing blow thanks to an incredible feat of strength from Faram of Undvik. Now, after sailing back to Kaer Trolde Dominik is reuniting with Geralt and Yennefer, hoping to continue their search for Ciri. All is not well however, the Young Wolf has continued to receive daunting dreams of Ciri's fate, making him become increasingly on edge, giving him little sleep and time to rest. To solve this however he goes to the two people he trust's above all, his adopted parents, Geralt and Yennefer.**

Kaer Trolde was dark and silent when he walked through it, feeling himself practically drag his feet. The chilly wind blew up his back, as he didn't dare close his eyes. If he closed his eyes he'd fall asleep, and if he fell asleep more dreams would come back to him. He'd see the wolf and the swallow again, along with the black specter, he'd hear the wolf's mournful howling, and he'd only be reminded how they needed to get to her now, not tomorrow, not the next week, they needed to go now. After the _Adrestia _landed he left right away, telling Barnabas to tell Faram they'd speak later, he needed to go find Geralt and Yennefer. He felt himself cough as the wind blew harder through his hair as he finally made it to the inn at Kaer Trolde.

He could see a few drunken Skelligers exiting the bar, but he ignored them as he stumbled forward onto the door. He cursed again and wrapped his hand onto his torso, feeling the bruises from where the giant had squeezed him. Letting out a deep breath to try and steady himself, he fumbled into his pockets for the key to Yennefer's room she had given him. The fatigue didn't matter, he needed to get inside and get both of his adopted parents. It was the middle of the night, the perfect opportunity for them to examine the site of the magical explosions, nobody would hinder them at night. Finally, he managed to wrap his hands around the brass key in his bag and fumbled for a minute to get it into the lock.

"Please don't be fucking…." He muttered to himself as he heard the lock click.

He tried to push the door open, but he felt it get jammed, he groaned and pushed harder to get it open with what strength he could muster. However, he overestimated how much was left in his muscles and pushed forward too hard, falling forward into the room and stumbling.

"FUCK," He yelled, wincing in paid as he tripped forward, falling down and landing onto his back just inside the room.

His back hit the ground and he felt it flare up in pain again he groaned, looking up at the wooden ceiling. Every bit of his brain was screaming at him to sleep, to rest his bones, he knew that would make him feel even slightly better, but then his heart panged. In those few seconds he lay on the floor he thought about it all. Every single thing that had happened the previous few weeks. Everything that happened in Velen and Novigrad all flashed in his eyes, and he kept seeing Ciri's face over and over in his vision. Eight years, eight fucking years, and now he was finally so close, and he was laying on the fucking ground half asleep. She was just within his reach, he would be able to hold her and look into her eyes, her real eyes. He had of course yearned for her and wanted her, but in that moment his want for her had never been higher. After putting his body through the ringer for so many weeks straight, he just wanted to hold her.

When they were younger, after the hours they had spent training they would normally both be completely exhausted by the time they were finished. There were some days when of course they had plenty of extra energy and would go run the gauntlet or spar extra times, but some of his favorite days had been when they would both be completely exhausted. There would be days, both in Ellander, and at Kaer Morhen where after they trained they'd both be completely drained. On those day's they'd take a blanket, go and find a spot on the walls, they'd go to the lake in Ellander, or some days they'd even just lay in one of their beds, and they'd nap. They'd hold each other and fall asleep until they felt completely rejuvenated. No matter how tired he had been, being there in her arms for even a minute would make him feel like he had slept for an hour and make him feel like he could do anything. That was how he felt with her all the time, she made him feel like he was able to accomplish any task.

He didn't have her to wrap his arms around in that moment, but would do it soon, and the thought of having that moment again was enough to get him to sit up. His head spun and his sword clunked, but he managed to sit up and rub both his eyes with a groan.

"Dom, what the hell happened," He heard Geralt yell from his left.

Whirling around he saw both of his adopted parents walking in through the door that led to the inn. The smell of mead and food hit his nose from the inn, but it went away as soon as the door shut. He saw both of their eyes widened as they sped over to them, while he leaned his back up against the wall. A small laugh escaped him as he laughed, a small smile coming to his face as they filed out on both sides of him. Yennefer knelt next to him and held the back of her hand against his forehead. The sorceress's eyes violet eyes met his and they went wide.

"Dominik you're cold as ice, you're pale, to echo Geralt, what the hell happened," She said worriedly, meeting his eyes, and he could see the concern in them.

He scoffed and looked between both of them, their yellow and violet eyes looking at him. A small smile crossed his face as he let out a sigh, feeling his gut swell.

"Well Faram, Hjalmar and I just killed an Ice Giant about two hours ago," He said, the smile still on his face, he slowly turned over to Geralt, "Should've seen it Geralt, Faram caught the fucking giants hand's and held it in place while I-."

He couldn't finish his sentence before he felt his ribcage flare up in pain, coughing and almost falling forward, only for Geralt to put a hand on his shoulder and lean him back. He let out another breath and he could see his adopted father giving him a small smile.

"Sounds like you had quite the contract. You can tell me all about it later, right now, you don't look so good. Should probably get you into bed first, let Yen see your wounds," The older witcher said, looking at all the fresh holes and scratches across his armor.

At hearing his adopted father's words, a jolt shot through his brain. Quickly he shook his head, his eyes shooting between both of his adopted parents. No, there wouldn't be time, they needed to go now. He suppressed another fit of coughs, but still winced in pain, feeling the bruises on his ribs flare up.

He shook his head vigorously, "I'll be fine… help me up."

He held his hand up, both of his parents looked at each other, before Geralt sighed and gripped his son's hand. His adopted father helped him up to his feet, and when he finally stood up he wobbled for a moment. He almost fell again from so much blood rushing to his head, but luckily Yennefer managed to catch his arm and steady him. He closed his eyes hard, trying to get the pain out of his brain. Ciri's face flashed in his mind, and he felt a new shot of adrenaline run through his body again, as thanks to Yennefer he was able to stand.

His adopted mother narrowed her worried violet eyes at him, "Dominik, you're white as a ghost, and I know you well enough to know you're hiding more injuries from me."

Again, he shook his head and looked between both of them. Yennefer was still in her black and white outfit, however Geralt wasn't even wearing his armor or swords. His adopted father only wore a white top with his trousers and boots, not seeming like he was at all ready for travel. However, he currently didn't care how he felt, or how Geralt was dressed. He wanted Ciri, he needed her in that moment more then he ever had in the previous eight years. He wanted her and she was just within his reach, so they needed to go now. Not only did he need her, she was in danger still, it was only a matter of time before Eredin, Baelen and the rest of the Hunt got to her.

If they didn't find her soon the Hunt would get to her, the black specter from his nightmare would get to her, he couldn't let that happen, he needed to get to her first, he would get to her first. And he would do it then, there couldn't be anymore waiting, no more side activities, no more games and beating around the bush. Ciri, she was what mattered, nothing else anymore.

So he looked up and met his adopted parents eyes, shaking his head.

"I told you I'm fine, come on we need to leave," He said, turning back and starting to walk towards the exit again, "Yen get the mask, Geralt get your armor back on, we need to go."

"And where exactly are we going this late at night," Geralt said, his arms crossed.

He sighed in annoyance and turned around, his feet still dragging on the ground. Both of his adopted parents looked at him with worried eyes. Quickly he scoffed and shook his head.

"Were do you think? We're going to the site of that magical explosion. Come on we need to go, we don't know how much time Ciri has left," He said, crossing his arms, trying to stop the wobbling in his knees.

For a second Geralt and Yennefer both looked at each other. They seemed to be deciding who was going to try and reason with him. He felt his heart racing up in his throat, and the swirling in his gut reach new heights. Yennefer slowly looked and met his eyes, taking a step closer to him and seeming to plead with him.

"Dominik… we can wait till the morning, it's really okay we-," She started but quickly he cut her off with a shake of his head.

"Yen we don't have time," He stressed to her, looking between she and Geralt, his eyes wide, "This is the perfect time to go. We won't even have to deal with Ermion, the site is clear, we NEED to go now. We're so close come on!"

He went to turn and walk out the door, but as soon as he did his knees bobbled. An ache shot through his bones, and he almost fell, but thankfully Geralt had come up behind him again. Before he could fall Geralt grabbed onto his shoulder and pulled him upright again. He took in a few quick, shaky breaths and turned around. Yennefer and Geralt both had come to either side of him, with Geralt holding onto his shoulder and Yennefer looking at him with pleading eyes. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest, he could feel the small pangs of pain in all his bones, his eyes were droopy, but still he shook his head.

"Geralt, Yen… I… I NEED to find her. We're so close, we can't stop now… I… I just want her back, I… I just want her back," He pleaded with them both, sucking in a deep painful breath as he grabbed his stomach with both hands.

His eyes began to tingle, as he felt his longing inside of him grow higher then it had since he last saw her. His body was tired, his mind was tired, it was tired of the emotional strain that it had been going through the last eight years, his bones in that moment seemed to feel the combined fatigue of everything he'd done in the last three weeks, he was tired, so, so tired. Hasn't he done enough? Hadn't he been through, and suffered enough in the last eight years to find her? Hadn't Ciri herself suffered enough, hadn't she been forced to fight enough? Was the universe really so cruel, as the keep them apart for so long!?

Or was all that was happening now, all of the ordeals he had to go through, all the pain he had to endure to find her, just a punishment for not putting every fiber of his being into the search for her the last eight years. Was this the universe punishing him for acting like a delusional, bitter child, sitting back and lamenting his loss instead of actually doing something about it? Was his lack of action, or effort the previous eight years the reason that Ciri was suffering so much, was the universe punishing her to punish him? He choked back a sob, looking between both his adopted parents, willing himself not to let tears fall in front of them both.

Geralt looked to Yen, and his adopted mother slowly nodded turning back to face him. Slowly she nodded at him, holding her hand on his arm, sending a warm reassuring tingle up his body.

The sorceress spoke in a light, calm, reassuring tone, "We will… we'll find her, and we will soon I promise you child…. Come, let me heal your wounds, we'll get you some food, and then after you get some sleep tomorrow we-."

"NO, I can't sleep! I can't, I can't fucking sleep, I'll see it again, I'll see that fucking dream again I know it, or worse I'll have another one," He yelled, feeling his eyes widen, as the cold vision of the spire on Undvik clashed into his brain.

He felt his arms begin to tingle, as the mournful cries of the wolf and the swallow pierced his ears like a knife. All of it flashed in his vision, the black specter, the pillar of magic, the swallow disappearing into it, the wolf crying over the spot, before it erupted in a blue light and lunged at the specter. Quickly he shook his head, looking down at his feet as he felt a cold shiver run through his body, both his hands reached up to the swallow and wrapping them around the silver, trembling as the insistent howling of the wolf, and the garbled speech of the black specter rang in his ears.

Geralt quickly reached over and gripped onto both his shoulders.

"Dom, you're not going anywhere. Come on, come sit and tell us about these dreams," His adopted father said, leading him over to Dominik's side of the room.

He didn't resist, he could only move his feet along as both his adopted parents led him. His eyes kept blinking, and he could feel his body urging him to sleep, to close his eyes and let his body rest. However, he couldn't close his eyes. If he did the dream would come back he knew that, and then he would only be driven madder. The fatigue hit his face like a brick, and it kept pounding and pounding him. He knew that if he only slept he'd be alright, but the fear of seeing the dream again, or getting another one that could come true terrified him.

Slowly he lowered and sat on the side of his smaller bed. Yennefer sat down next to him, one arm wrapping around him as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He sank into the mattress as he sat, it felt pleasant finally sitting on something other then the hard deck of the _Adrestia, _or the cold ground. As he sat he felt the urgency to lay down and sleep shoot through him again, but he kept blinking to keep his eyes from staying shut, not daring to sleep. Yennefer squeezed around his arms reassuringly, and her pleasant smell of lilac and gooseberries sent a calming feeling down his chest like it normally had, but it didn't stop his insistent heartbeat.

He looked up and saw Geralt crouched in front of him, "Alright… now what'd you dream about that was so horrible you don't even want to sleep?"

Shakily he let out a breath and looked between both his adopted parents. For a moment he felt like a child again, back in Ellander. Before Yennefer had enchanted the swallow pendant to keep his nightmares away, he was still plagued by the terrors as he slept. Sometimes Ciri would rush down to his room to comfort him, sometimes it was Yennefer. And a few times, it was like the scene that played before him now. Geralt kneeling in front of him, Yennefer on his bedside with an arm around him…. But it each of those times Ciri had been on the other side of him.

After Cintra he had been plagued by nightmares naturally. Ciri had been as well, but Dominik's had always been more frequent, and much more severe. It came to a point in Kaer Morhen where he would stay up for as long as he possibly could at night, being afraid to even go to bed. Triss had told him when he was younger, that some people were just more susceptible to nightmares then others, and with everything he had gone through, it was easy to understand why he was this way. His entire family dead in one night, all killed right before his eyes, it would leave a mental scar on anyone's dreams. After the swallow had been enchanted by Yennefer they stopped, and for years he almost forgot about his nightmare problem. Now however… it was coming back. And now he didn't only have nightmares about Cintra. He had eight years of pain, eight years of loss and longing built up that his nightmares were taking advantage of.

He slowly looked between them both again, "I… I was in a snowstorm; I know I was on Undvik. There was this… this spire, this tower with a magic beam of energy shooting from it. I saw… I saw a wolf, a swallow… and a black specter…."

Carefully he explained in excruciating detail every single facet of the dream he had. It was easy for him because the dream had been playing incessantly in his mind. He told them about the wolf, how it begged the swallow to stop, to not go, and how the swallow was about to not do it, but the specter spoke, and the swallow then went to fly into the magic. He saw the wolf's lament and lay in the spot where the swallow had gone, before its eyes turned on the specter, its eyes and limbs erupting in a blue light, and it lunged at the specter. As he told it, the wind from the snowstorm, the blast of magic and the cries of the wolf and swallow howled in his ears as he felt his arms tingle.

He looked between them both and told them how he, Faram and Folan had come across the village that had been destroyed in the Wild Hunt in his dreams. Geralt's eyes went wide when he mentioned the girl's village, but didn't have time to ask any questions, because Dominik couldn't stop. He kept spewing out words, feeling his arms shake as both his hands wrapped around the swallow pendant again as he slowly looked up between his adopted parents again, feeling himself choke on the words.

"It… it can't be a coincidence it just can't. If my dream about the village being destroyed came true, what's to stop that dream with the spire from coming true!? The wolf and swallow have to be me and Ciri! I need to get to her before whoever that specter is, I need to find her, so again, let's go we need to-," He started, trying to get up from his spot, only for Geralt to grab both of his shoulders.

"And I said you're not going anywhere, Dominik you can barely stand up," Geralt said to him, holding both his shoulders in place.

"And I said I was FINE Geralt, now come on we-. FUCK," He shouted, when he tried to leave but Geralt gave him a light shove in his stomach.

As soon as he felt Geralt's hand hit his stomach, the bruises all flared up. It was as if someone smashed a window of glass inside of him, and Geralt had barely even hit him. He fell back onto his bed, and winced, grabbing his stomach and looking up at the both of them. Geralt slowly shook his head, crossing his arm as he sighed.

"Just like I thought, you're hurt, you need rest. You're no good to Ciri like that," His adopted father said, not moving from his spot.

Yennefer sighed from next to him and helped him sit up again. His adopted mother held a hand over his and met his eyes.

The sorceress slowly shook her head, "Dominik, they're just dreams. Just because the one came true, doesn't mean they all will. You've dealt with nightmares your whole life; this one could just be a manifestation of what you're scared of."

"Geralt tells me all the time how he has dreams of Ciri and me," He quickly yelled back, looking up to his adopted father, "You told me that when you dreamed of me in Ellander you knew I was going to be attacked by the bounty hunter! And you said when you've dreamed of Ciri she's normally in danger!"

Yennefer and Geralt both looked at each other. Again, he could tell they were probably having a silent discussion about who was going to be the one to try and reason with him. He blinked wildly, feeling his blood race faster then it ever had, as his hands stayed around the swallow. His feet were twitching, ready to get going. However, neither of his adopted parents looked particularly ready to let him leave. Finally, Geralt sighed and knelt down in front of him, narrowing his yellow eyes at him.

"Yeah but those dreams are few and far between. Dom… we understand how you feel, we really do. But Ciri can take care of herself until we find her, you have to trust her," Geralt said slowly, not leaving his gaze.

Scoffing Dominik shook his head, "I DO trust her, I trust her more than anyone in the fucking world. But that doesn't mean she should have to face this alone. The longer we wait, the more danger she's in! She could have a curse casted on her right now, we NEED to go now!"

Geralt sighed and looked down to Yennefer. Yen slowly nodded and looked to meet Dominik's eyes again, "And you'll be in danger if you go out in this condition. We'll head out to the site tomorrow; we'll figure out exactly what happened. Just be patient child… wait until your wounds are healed, they should be alright by tomorrow, then-."

"I'M SICK AND TIRED OF FUCKING WAITING," He finally felt himself snap, shooting up, his legs still wobbling.

Both of his adopted parents jumped back, as he finally managed to find strength in his legs, as he walked and slowly paced the room. The mixture of rage, and annoyance all were reaching a boiling point. Whirling around he felt his eyes begin to tingle again, and his hands shake as he felt all of the pent-up frustration and anguish from the past eight years of his life spill out of him. He saw Geralt and Yennefer, but he didn't see Ciri, he STILL wasn't with her. She was just within his reach and they were all sitting there worrying about something as little as him lacking sleep. He shook his head and paced, shooting his head to look at both his adopted parents.

"I've been waiting for EIGHT years, EIGHT FUCKING YEARS," He yelled, feeling a sob escape him, as his heart fell to the pit of his stomach, "Eight years… eight years of looking, waiting, trying to find any kind of lead! And now here I am, so, so close to knowing where she is and we're just sitting around! I just… I just…."

He couldn't feel himself finish his sentence, as his legs finally gave out from the wobbling. He managed to stumble himself forward and let himself fall onto the bed. Slowly he sat on the side of it as he had been, his boots and hands shaking as he choked out a sob. It all had reached the boiling point inside of him and it was spilling out. There hadn't been a single moment in the previous eight years he had missed Ciri more then in that moment. He tried to control his breathing but choked out another sob as the tears started to slowly come down his cheeks. She had suffered enough, he had suffered enough, they deserved to finally be reunited again, they deserved the normal life that they had always dreamed of.

They deserved to finally have each other, to finally get to be together without the threat of someone hunting them down. His bones felt like they were slowly falling apart, he could barely keep his eyes open, he had been so tired that he had been surprised he had the energy to even cry. All of the pain, anguish, longing, all of it was streaming out of him, his body tingled, his hands shook as he gripped his hands around the swallow. He kept seeing her face just before she walked into the portal to go to Aretuza. _Everything will be alright, I'll see you soon, I love you. _The last words she had spoken to him replayed over and over again in his brain, it hadn't been her fault of course, but she had lied to him. Eight years, eight long, grueling, painstaking years had passed, and he still hadn't seen her. If he had just fucking stayed with Geralt they'd be together then. After Rivia he would have went to any world she wanted, he didn't care if it was a planet of nothing but fucking deserts, or ice, he would have went with her. The regret shot from him as he raised his hands to wipe the tears from his face, now feeling ashamed he had cried like a young child in front of his adopted parents.

Yennefer didn't say anything, his adopted mother simply wrapped her arm around him again and squeezed him. He felt himself sob again and melt into the sorceress, shaking and finally opening his eyes to slowly look back up at Geralt. His adopted father had sympathetic eyes, and between Yennefer's calming presence, and Geralt's gaze, he felt his heartbeat begin to slow. His stomach still felt like it was a bubbling cauldron of longing and sadness, he didn't have Ciri… but at least he had the two of them. Yennefer slowly removed her arm from him, and Geralt slowly knelt and met his eyes again.

"We know how hard it's been… we can see it in you, I've seen how it's affected you. But Dom… you can't go anywhere tonight," His adopted father said, managing to sound stern and reassuring both at the same time.

His eyes went wide and he quickly reached up and wiped his eyes again, shaking his head and meeting the older witchers gaze, "But Geralt we don't-."

"Listen," His adopted father said, quickly cutting him off, "We'll get up first thing in the morning. We'll go get our reward from Crach while Yen heads to the site. After we talk to him we'll head straight there. We'll know where she is by tomorrow night, but the next day we'll be on our way to get her."

"How can you be so sure? I'm sick of all the games Geralt, I'm glad we helped all of our friends, I'm glad I went with Faram, I'm glad you went to help Cerys, but I'm tired of all these little side activities! I don't want to spend time on anything else, other then finding Ciri," He said, keeping his adopted father's gaze.

Geralt didn't speak, only looking down to Yennefer. He whirled his head around and his adopted mother slowly nodded.

"We know, and there won't be. Crach knows how important it is that we find Ciri, he won't impede us. I feel the same as you do Dominik… I promise tomorrow we will find something. But for now… you need to sleep," His adopted mother said calmly, her reassuring voice washing over him.

Sighing he looked down at the swallow dangling from his neck again. Slowly he let out a breath to steady himself. The room was only lit by candles, and he could see the flames from the light dancing of both off his adopted parents faces. The air was stiff, but he sucked in another deep breath and closed his eyes. After they were shut his body was screaming at him to keep them closed, to lay down on his bed and sleep, finally recuperating from the long day that he had. Trudging through Undvik had taken hours, climbing the mountain and killing the giant had made him feel like he could sleep clear through the next day.

However he couldn't, and he knew then he wasn't going to convince either of them to leave. The thought of sleeping however sent a jolt down his throat, he looked over at Yennefer and shook his head.

"I can't sleep Yen… the… the dreams will come back, and if I see another nightmare of Ciri I may lose it," He said shakily, looking between the two of them again.

His adopted mother gave him a small smile and stood up. He tried to protest at first, but she managed to get him to lay back on the bed, his head gently hitting the pillow. The pillow had been light and fluffy, and as soon as he felt his head hit it, he let out a sigh as a rush of relief ran through his body. He blinked rapidly, trying to force his eyes to stay open. However, Yennefer's powerful, pleasant scent of lilac and gooseberries hit his nose, as his adopted mother sat down on his bedside, and Geralt stood at his feet.

The sorceress gently held the back of her hand over his forehead again, as he could feel the sweat beating down it. She pulled her hand back and smiled lightly down at him.

"Let me worry about that. I'll make sure no nightmares come, I'll take care of your wounds, you'll wake up feeling like a new person," She assured him, her voice resonating in his mind.

He kept blinking to keep the sleep from overtaking him, trying to force himself to stay awake. There were still so many things he needed to talk to them about. He needed to ask Geralt what happened on Spikeroog, he needed to ask Yen if she had figured out anything about the phylactery, the words of the curse, or the blood within him. And he still needed to tell them more about what had happened on Undvik.

Slowly he shook his head, "Yen did… did you figure out about the phylac-."

"Shhh," His adopted mother said, gently shaking her head, her eyes not leaving him, "We'll have plenty of time to talk tomorrow…. Tomorrow is the day Dominik, the day you've been waiting eight years for, you'll need a good night's sleep for it… _dearme a'taeghane"_

His eyes widened, and he couldn't say anything before the sorceress touched his forehead, her fingers glowing a dark blue as she casted her spell. As soon as her fingers made contact with his head, he felt his eyes shut, his body completely shut down. One second he was awake and within another he felt his body slumbering, and as he finally drifted off in his mind, one sentence she said played in his mind.

Tomorrow was the day… the day he had been waiting eight years for.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"When she said I'd feel like a new person… she wasn't lying," He said, feeling completely amazed he was able to move so well.

Geralt chuckled and smirked at him, "That's Yen for you. Good to see you back up, you were in really bad shape last night."

His chest panged and he sighed, reaching his hand up around the swallow, gripping it tightly before he met Geralt's gaze.

"I still am really…. Still can't get the fucking dream out of my head and… well as much as I really like Crach, Hjalmar and everything about Skellige so far, I'd really prefer if we can get this done with quick…. She's so close to us Geralt, I don't want to wait anymore," He said, as the smell of the cooking meat on the hearth hit his nose.

Just like Yennefer had promised, he had a deep dreamless sleep the previous night. Despite the fact he had seen her perform even more impressive feats of magic, he was still amazed with how rejuvenated her spell had made his body feel. The bruises on his torso, the cuts, bruises, and aching in his bones had all gone when he awoke, despite the fact in the end he had only slept for a few hours. His armor still had some holes, and was ripped in a place or two, but that was the last thing on his mind. After they had spoken to Crach, Geralt and he were heading straight to meet his adopted mother at the site of the magic cataclysm. As Yennefer had told him the night before, that day was finally going to be the day, the day he had been waiting eight years for.

First however he knew that they had to speak to Crach, the Jarl had promised them a reward for helping his children, and he knew that it was always right of a witcher to collect payment for his contracts. It was extremely early in the morning, and just as Hjalmar had told him the night before, the feast was already in full swing. When Geralt and he had arrived the gates had been initially shut, with only 'Sons and Daughters of Skellige' allowed to enter. However, Crach and everyone else at the keep had known what Geralt and he did for Hjalmar and Cerys, so they had been allowed to enter so they could see Crach. After seeing a small row between Hjalmar and Cerys, nostalgically reminding him of the small arguments Bella and he had used to get into when they were younger.

Despite the whole situation a small smile managed to come to his face. So far during their time in Skellige, they'd been treated like family, with kindness and respect, and he was eternally thankful for it. If the circumstances were different he'd more then likely find himself staying in Skellige for sometime, getting to know Hjalmar, and Cerys, asking Crach for old stories about his father. However, that wasn't the situation, and he had something far more important to accomplish. He hoped that Cerys or Hjalmar took the throne, he knew either would make a great ruler, however he wanted to get out of the feast as quick as they could. They did have two magical explosions to investigate, and with the mask Yennefer and Geralt retrieved they would be able to see what had happened, and where Ciri had gone.

It was their last lead, it had to be the one that reunited him with her.

Geralt nodded as they approached Crach's room, turning to face him, "I understand how you feel, I really do. But remember, keep your cool, don't act recklessly now that we're this close."

Sighing he nodded, feeling his gut churn, "I'll try… but I feel like if one more person gets in my way I really might lose it."

He meant it as a joke, but there was still some truth to his words. For too long had people tried to get in his way. He was happy that he accomplished all his quests for his friends, proud of what he did, but there wasn't going to be anymore distractions for him. Ciri was all that mattered now, and it wasn't going to end well for anyone who tried to make him stray from that goal.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "You need to keep your head straight. Don't throw yourself into any danger like you were trying to do last night. Ciri would be-."

His adopted father's lecture was cut off by the door to Crach's room opening. Both he and Geralt's eyes shot around, and he noticed Birna Bran emerge, a clear look of annoyance on her face. On their way up to the castle, Geralt had caught him up to speed on what had been happening since he got back from Spikeroog. Birna's son Svanrige was the one who she demanded the throne was due by right, however Cerys and Hjalmar had become the clear frontrunners.

Geralt also told him about how he and Cerys managed to trick a hym that had been possessing the Jarl of Spikeroog. It had made him slightly jealous since the contract had sounded exciting. However, when he saw the look of beaming pride Geralt had gotten when he described his fight with the giant, Dominik had been happy he went to Undvik. Despite the fact his wounds had healed, he could still feel the tingling on his ribcage where the giant had squeezed him. Around his waist he saw his silver dagger sheathed, and still felt amazed at himself that he had managed to go toe to toe with a giant, with only his dagger in hand. He mentally scoffed, reiterating to himself how much he truly needed to find a silver sword.

A silver sword was almost a rite of passage for a witcher. He was sure that if he had stayed at Kaer Morhen longer, and the situation had been normal, he would have received one before he set out on the Path with Ciri. However the universe had sent him on his eight year quest, so he had never gotten to use one.

Geralt met his eyes for a moment and looked back to Birna Bran who's eyes widened when she saw them.

"Greetings Birna, feast not to your liking," Geralt asked her, as Dominik came up next to his adopted father, crossing his arms and eying the woman.

Birna scoffed and puffed out her chest with her hands on her hips, shaking her head at them both.

"This is no feast! It's a farmers market where votes are bought and sold like sheepskins," She complained loudly, crossing her arms again.

He felt himself roll his eyes. He remembered back at the wake, when Birna had been talking with Yennefer, and had insisted Bran's son be given the throne by right. The woman had barely waited for her husband's funeral to end before she started scheming and complaining to put her own son up as ruler. Her words and tone rubbed him the wrong way then, as they did now.

Geralt chuckled sarcastically and looked to meet the woman's eyes, "So Svanrige's not trying to gain support?"

In the hallway the bright morning sun pounded through the window. The sun had been high, but he knew that outside the wind was howling. If the universe was doing him any favors, they had at least given him a beautiful day for his search to come to a peak. He sighed in annoyance and ran a hand through his hair that he had managed to clean that morning before they left. He could see the detestable and entitled look on Birna's face, and he wanted to snap back with a witty retort, but he just didn't care about what she had to say enough to use any energy to respond.

The woman scoffed and shook her head, "Bran's son will not grovel for support to gain what's his by right!"

Geralt rolled his eyes at the woman, crossing his arms, "Far as I know, crown goes to the claimant who garners the most votes."

"That is the tradition yes. But not all traditions are good," The woman spat out, her hands going to her hips again, "The isles care should be entrusted to a single family."

Scoffing he finally couldn't keep his mouth shut, "Ha and I guess you just so happen to think it should be your family. Why am I not surprised?"

His annoyance reached its peak as Birna whirled and narrowed her eyes at him. A small breeze shot through the hall, as she nodded at them both.

"Of course it should be! Bran was the best king Skellige has seen in centuries. The throne should pass to Svanrige, his true born son, and then to his sons," Birna complained, looking between both witchers.

Again Dominik felt himself laugh, thinking about all of the dynasties on the continent that would be ruined by one son taking over. From all he heard Radovid's father Vizimir was a great ruler, and now his son was a tyrant. When he grew up in Cintra, Ciri had been the heir to the crown, but she had made it perfectly clear she didn't wish to be. He was sure Ciri would have ended up making a great ruler, but the fact of the matter was she would have been doing something she didn't want to do.

A monarchy had its advantages for sure, but a part of him was slowly deciding, that if he ever decided to settle anywhere, preferably with Ciri… Skellige was rising up on the list. He was beginning to respect their traditions and customs more and more, and he truly wished he would have been able to stay longer. He pushed the thoughts from his head however, the thoughts of settling anywhere. He knew that he'd never truly have a physical home, his home was going to be wherever Ciri was.

He slowly shook his head and looked to meet the woman's eyes, "If there's one thing I learned from what's happening on the continent…. Just because a man is a good king doesn't mean that their son will be."

He stood there with his arms crossed and barely flinched when Birna's eyes filled with anger. The woman looked like she was about to screech something else to him, when Geralt quickly cut her off.

"So, you leaving Kaer Trolde," His adopted father asked her, stepping in front of him before she could say anything else.

Finally, she scoffed again, stepped between them both, "Tomorrow at daybreak. Enjoy yourselves… witchers."

Standing there Geralt and he watched as she sauntered back towards the feast hall. He watched as the large doors opened and for a second he could hear the music again, smell the roasts on the spit and the chattering. His stomach rumbled but he ignored it, remembering what that day was going to bring. All he had eaten was an apple on his way out of their room at the inn, before they had said goodbye to Yennefer, so he thought to quickly grab something else for him to eat on the way there after their conversation with Crach had finished.

Either way he was happy that the woman was gone, and he felt the swirling in his gut go away. Sighing he reached up and adjusted the sheath for his sword and turned back to Geralt.

"Don't really like that woman," He said with an eye roll, his arms still crossed.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Neither do I… should be careful with her though. I know her type, might not look like much, but could be dangerous."

He rolled his eyes again and shook his head, "Don't rightfully care what she does. If she tries anything I'm sure the Jarls will take care of it. Come on let's talk to Crach, I wanna get moving while the sun's still out, don't wanna risk getting caught in the fucking rain…"

His adopted father sighed but didn't try to argue with him. The both of them turned and walked the rest of the way down the hall to where Crach's room was. The hallway was the same that he, Geralt and Yennefer had gone in during the wake to separate, while his adopted parents went to find the mask in Ermion's lab. A small part of him hoped that his adopted mother hadn't gotten into anymore arguments with the druid at the magical site. While he loved Yennefer with everything he had, he understood how she could come off a bit grating to some people, and if the druid knew that they had broken into his lab, he was sure to be unhappy.

He understood however that his adopted mother just like Geralt and he were prepared to do absolutely anything to save Ciri. If he had to make a bad first impression on Ciri's 'Uncle Ermion' to find her, he didn't care. With the point he was at, he didn't rightfully care who he pissed off, what he did, he was going to find Ciri that night, he didn't care if she was hiding in a cave under the sea and he had to swim there, that's what he would do. He didn't care if he had to fight six more Ice Giants, or any number of soldiers from the Wild Hunt.

Geralt entered Crach's room first, his adopted father pushed forward, and he followed closely behind. The study that Crach had was beautiful, and he felt his bones warm right away. He could smell a pitcher of ale, and he saw a stand with armor, along with swords and shields hanging from the walls. A great fireplace was roaring in the room, and he felt a smile come to his face when he heard the voices from within.

"You can count on me sir, I'm just glad the islands people can go home," The voice of Faram of Undvik said from in front of the fire.

Crach laughed and clapped the Bear school witcher's arm, "HA the honor is mine my friend! You've done the entirety of Skellige a great favor."

"Faram," He said with a smile on his face, as Geralt and he both walked towards the fireplace.

Faram of Undvik turned and Dominik was relieved to see his best-friend finally appeared like his old self. His long black hair was tied back into its ponytail, and his black beard had been neatly combed. His masterful Bear School armored seemed to have been completely polished and oiled, the dents and scratches from their journey completely repaired. His friend's swords had been polished as well, as Dominik smiled when he saw the silver sword with the bear pommel on Faram's back. Both Faram and Crach smiled at the two of them, both seeming to be in incredibly high spirits.

And despite how he was feeling inside, the mental strain he was experiencing, it warmed his heart to see his best-friend happy.

The Bear School witcher laughed and quickly reached out to shake his hand, "HAHA mate we fucking did it! Barnabas told me how you went back to the inn, it's good to see you alright mate, you didn't look to be in good shape last we spoke."

He scoffed and the smile stayed on his face, "You didn't look too good either! You looked like a fucking caveman by the time we were done."

Faram laughed heartily and Geralt stepped up and shook the Bear School witchers hand.

Smiling at the man Geralt gave him a nod, "Congrats Faram. Dom told me what you did. Impressive, don't even think I could fight a giant bare handed."

He knew that Faram had heard multiple stories about his adopted father growing up. The first time he had taken the Bear school witcher to meet Geralt, for the first time in his life he had seen Faram of Undvik speechless. So, hearing Geralt's praise then, Faram laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"Ahaha thank you wolf, you should've seen your boy though. Bastard took on a giant with a fucking dagger! Wouldn't have wanted anyone else by my side," Faram said slowly, smiling and looking over to him.

All three of the men's eyes turned to him, and for the first time that day his mind felt at ease. He knew it would quickly return to what it had been earlier, but in that moment he felt the pride well up inside of him. Geralt looked over to him, and the smile of pride he saw on his adopted fathers face sent some warmth up his spine along with Crach's fire. He let out a relaxing breath as Geralt looked back to Faram and nodded.

"I bet it was quite the sight, good job," His adopted father said, pride welling up in his voice.

"Thanks Geralt, and thank you Faram…" He said, the smile welling up on his face, his mental strain finally going away for a few moments.

Both his adopted father and his best friend smiled down at him, and for that moment he marveled at what he had done. It was thanks to Faram that he had been able to strike the killing blow, the two of them together had taken out the Ice Giant and given the island back to its people. The well of pride in his stomach nearly burst, if that truly was going to be the last thing he did before going to find Ciri, at least it had been something great. A small bit of excitement trickled down the back of his brain, thinking about how proud Ciri would be of him as well that he had managed to accomplish something like that.

Then for another moment he thought about everything else Geralt and he had done in their long search for her. From Velen all the way up to Skellige then, he thought of all the amazing things they both managed to accomplish. Saving a man's family from the crones, helping the mages escape Novigrad, both times he had fought the Wild Hunt. He remembered how she used to simply lay on his arm, her head on his shoulder while he talked and told stupid jokes. Or she would go and do the same, telling him stories from Skellige, or the thing she had done in the palace.

He couldn't wait to sit with her, and simply tell her of all the things he had done during his journey to find her.

His thinking was interrupted when Crach laughed again, nodding over at him.

"Haha Faram told me the story lad, great courage you showed. Geralt's trained you well, Gregory and Sofia… they'd be proud of you, I know they would," The Jarl said, smiling over at him with his arms crossed.

A small laughed left him as he rubbed the back of his head, "Haha… thanks Crach, for everything."

The jarl nodded at him and smiled, and Faram clapped his hands together, a large smile on the Bear School witchers face.

"Haha time to celebrate! You and Geralt heading out to pick up Ciri's trail today mate," Faram asked him, crossing over his massive arms.

Right away he nodded, his chest pumping up to his throat, "Yeah… we finally are. Probably going to be heading out right after we're finished here."

If anyone understood the situation it was Faram. The Bear school witcher nodded, taking a step towards him and clapping him on the shoulder with a smile. He turned to both Geralt and Crach, giving them respectful bows, before smiling back at Dominik.

"Haha I'm happy for you mate, I really am. Crach had told me he was waiting for you both, so I'll give you the room," Faram said, walking over towards the exit to the study before looking back to them all, "Be sure to stop and have a round with Hjalmar and me before you head out!"

He laughed and smiled before Faram ducked his head under the door and exited the room. A warm feeling washed over him again as the fire in the room crackled. Geralt nodded his head and smiled towards where Faram had left.

"He's a good man, great witcher," His adopted father said, turning back to Crach and him.

"Yeah… he is," Dominik said, knowing that he had chosen the perfect person to be his best-friend.

A small sigh escaped him, as he thought more about how excited he felt to finally take Ciri to meet them all. The more he thought about it, the more he almost couldn't believe it. He was really going to get the final pieces of the puzzle that night, the pieces of the puzzle that had been missing, and after combining it with the pieces they already had, the jigsaw puzzle to where she was would finally be solved. It had felt to him as if he had been solving a ten thousand piece puzzle, and over the last eight years he had been slowly and slowly collecting the pieces, and after the previous few weeks, he finally just needed to fill in the spots in the middle.

He was there, Geralt and Yennefer were there as well, now all his family needed was Ciri to be complete. It didn't matter what came afterwards, no matter if he had to fight hordes of the Wild Hunt, if he had to fight and somehow kill Baelen, Eredin, Caranthir, none of it mattered. Because just as when they were younger, when he was with Ciri he felt as if he could do anything, accomplish anything. And that was what they would do after they found her, the two of them would accomplish anything they set out to do together. And if they needed help along the way, they'd always have Geralt, Yennefer, and all of their friends.

Crach came up and smiled at the both of them, "He is a great man. Didn't even ask for gold as a reward, only asked how he can help the people of Undvik further. So I put him in charge of coordinating the people's move back to the island. He'll sail soon with ships of men to begin cleaning the villages, burying the dead, reconstructing the houses, and clearing out monsters."

Another smile came to his face as Geralt and he both turned back to the Jarl.

"I couldn't think of anybody better," He said to the man, and Geralt quickly nodded in agreement.

Crach nodded again and gestured for the two of them to come near the fire. Geralt and he both quickly did, with the Jarl leaning down and tossing another log on the roaring blaze. He quickly held his gloved hands out over the fire, and he could feel his hands get warmer, sending a pleasant warmth through his body. Geralt quickly did the same, as Crach stood back up with a smile on his face.

"So, have the feasts been to your liking? Better then those continental balls I'm sure you've both attended," The man asked them both, a large smile adorned on his face.

He smiled, and Geralt spoke from next to him, crossing his arms as he spoke, "Well, there's definitely more to drink."

"You can say that again, probably gonna chug a mug of Cintrian wheat before we ride out," Dominik said, looking up to meet Crach's eyes with a smile.

The Jarl scoffed and laughed loudly, "Aye it's certainly so! Rolled it all out of the cellars! Double meads, Cintrian plum brandy, Mahakaman spirit that burns the mouth like boiling water. Clan an Craite knows the meaning of hospitality!"

Hearing about the Cintrian brandy made him think that he truly would try and grab a mug on the way out, along with some food for the ride. The ride out to the site of the explosion would take them around an hour, and he still felt his stomach grumble. A small part of him was upset he wouldn't get to see either Hjalmar, or Cerys be crowned king or queen, however his want to finally get to Ciri easily outweighed it. Besides he knew that in the future, Skellige would be one of the first places he'd take her, to let her see all of her old friends.

"Not feeling torn between Hjalmar and Cerys both vying for the throne," Geralt asked, a smile still on his adopted father's face.

Crach scoffed but Dominik could see a smile on the Jarls face as he spoke, "You mean do I have a favorite? Nay, they're as different as fire and water. But an Craite blood flows through them both."

He felt a warm feeling well up inside him as he remembered Bella and he growing up in a similar way. Bella was always the smiling talkative one, his younger sister could talk your ear off for hours if you would let her, whether it be about flowers, food, just about anything. She had such a love for life, and he missed her every day. He missed her saying _'wake up big brother' _right in his ear when the sun came up. He even missed her teasing, _'Dom's in love with the princess, Dom's in love with the princess'. _Of course, he had been in love with the princess, but he never admitted that to his sister.

Not a day went by that he didn't miss her, regret not getting her out like their mother had asked him. However, he tried to have that same life loving attitude that his younger sister had to honor her memory, and he did have it for a few years, those years he spent with Ciri. He had lost in in the previous few… but he hoped tonight he would gain it back.

"You really think the Jarl's will put a woman on the throne," Geralt asked the man, making Dominik rip his eyes away from the fire to look up.

Crach laughed and paced, a smile of pride on his face.

"Ha, if you had asked me some months ago, I would've laughed in your face…. But today I see I'm not alone, Cerys has something as rare in the isles as a hot summer- patience," The man started, smiling as he walked back to join them at the fire again, "Others act, then think. She's different. She thinks things through-the for, the against. But once she takes action, not a force in the world can stop her!"

He nodded in agreement when he saw the smile on Geralt's face. In the short time he knew the youngest an Craite, he could tell she was of a different breed. She was skelligan to the core of course, but he could see the calculating and intelligence she exhumed. That was what his father had always told him a good ruler needed, to know when to use force, when to take action, and when to sit back and examine the best option. It was what made Queen Calanthe such a great queen.

Biting his lip, he looked over and met Crach's eyes, "Think she'd make a great Queen…. But what about Hjalmar? Between the three of us I… got to know him a little. You don't think he's too hot-headed to be king?"

Crach laughed again and shook his head.

"Depends on what kind of king you have in mind. Want one who will send emissaries, move figurines on a map, and calculate the most profitable option… then yes, he's too hot headed," The Jarl said honestly, crossing his large arms and looking into the fire, "But Skellige wants a different ruler. One who'll drown Nilfgaard in blood, sooner jump into a fire then surrender… that's Hjalmar."

Scoffing he nodded, a smile coming to his face, "I'd love to see Nilfgaard drown in blood more than anyone trust me. I think either of them would make great rulers, and once we find Ciri well… let's just say that we'll be visiting often."

The idea had brought a smile to his face. Ciri and he, the Hunt finally defeated, the both of them coming back for vacations and contracts in Skellige, drinking and having fun with Hjalmar, Cerys and Crach. All of it was within his reach.

Geralt quickly nodded from next to him, "I agree, either would be great. So… you did promise us a reward for helping them both."

He moved his hands from the fire and turned around to face Crach, "Yeah, sorry normally we'd stay and watch Cerys or Hjalmar get crowned but, well we're heading out to follow Ciri's trail, gotta get moving."

Crach nodded in understanding and smiled, looking over to Geralt with a smirk. Dominik whirled his head between the both of them, the crackling fire dancing on their amused faces. His mind began to race, as both Crach and his adopted father seemed to know something that he didn't. He was worried for a moment that something was wrong, when Crach smiled at him and nodded.

"Aye, I know you're moving out to search today, Geralt came by the keep after Cerys returned yesterday to tell me more. Gave him his reward… and we talked about yours," Crach said with a smile, as Dominik whirled around to his adopted father.

"You did? Why didn't you tell me," He asked the older witcher, who simply smirked and gestured his head towards Crach.

"Wanted to make sure it was all ready, go on show him," Geralt said to the Jarl, making him turn around again to see the man walking towards the side of the room.

His mind raced at what they could possibly have gotten him. The truth of the matter was he was expecting a pouch of gold before they set out. He didn't care if it only had ten crowns in it, he didn't even really feel he needed a reward for what he did. He had simply been doing a favor for his friends, and he never charged his friends, he always helped them however he could without a second thought. A small part of him wanted to tell Crach that no reward was necessary, and that since he had helped them get on the path to Ciri, that was a reward in itself. However, he stopped and felt his legs lock when he saw Crach walking back towards him. Geralt smirked and walked in front of him, as Crach held out his hands to show him what his reward was.

It was a long blade, in a simple brown leather sheath with a strap on it to sling over your back. The pommel was circular, with a red leather grip and a crossguard that reached out and down like a semi-circle. He felt his mouth fall open, as he remembered just the day before when he had to fight a giant with only a silver dagger, all his other weapons exhausted. He took off his left glove and slowly reached out, running his hand around the cold circular pommel, and he scoffed, a huge smile coming to his face as he felt his heart well up with warmth, as he looked up to see a smiling and smirking Crach and Geralt.

"A… a silver sword…" He said, still questioning if the moment truly was happening or not.

Geralt smirked even more wildly as Crach slowly nodded with a smile.

"Aye, Fate, that's its name! Geralt was telling me yesterday how you've been looking to get your hands on one. This little bauble has been in my family for generations," Crach said, his voice welling up with pride, as he gently handed the sheathed blade to him, "I give it to you now lad, for helping ensure that the line endures."

When Crach finally placed the sheathed blade in his hands, he almost dropped it, forgetting how much lighter silver is then the steel he normally carried. He put his glove back on, and for a moment kept staring at the blade, trying to form words but completely failing. For so long he had been trying to find a silver sword, he had almost died so many times because he didn't have a silver blade. There had been people who refused to work with him, didn't believe he was a witcher because he didn't carry two swords. So many times, he had to frantically rush and make the correct oil and bombs before a fight so he could even stand a chance. He never had the coin, and very rarely could find anyone skilled enough to work with silver. When his journey with Geralt began he had hoped that he would eventually find one, but even when he was holding the one in front of him then, he could still scarcely believe it.

Fate, that was the blades name.

He laughed thinking how fitting the name was. A witcher receiving his first silver blade was always a rite of passage, showing that they were finally ready to set out on the Path, their medallion, and their silver and steel swords, that's what a witcher needed to be successful on the Path. Circumstance prevented him from getting one, but as he gripped the sheath and realized what was in front of him, he felt the pride and warmth in his chest swell up. He felt like a true witcher now… finally after all of the years. Slowly he reached his hand up and wrapped it around the red leather-bound hilt.

When he heard the blade rake against the sheath, and saw the silver glint in his eyes, he laughed again. He slid it out more and saw his reflection in the sleek blade. It was a silver sword worthy of any witcher, the craftsmanship was beautiful, the edges almost put a hole in his glove just from touching it, forty-two inches long just like a standard witchers blade, the grip was comfortable and the blade was light but not too light. He took another look at his reflection in the blade. For the first time in what felt like days he could see the genuine amazement and happiness in his emerald eyes. His hair as usual was an unkept mess, while the small bits of scruff on his beard was growing. He could see the black bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep, but a smile was still firmly planted on his face.

That day he received his first silver sword… and later he would use it to help find Ciri, so he finally felt he had a reason to smile.

He looked back up at an amused Crach and Geralt, looking over to meet the Jarl's eyes.

Finally, after stuttering he managed to find his words, "Crach I…thank you, I… I don't know what to say I-."

"Ha no need to say anything lad…. Your father was a great friend of mine, one of the best. Your foster father here, also one of my best," The man explained, crossing his arms with a smile, meeting his eyes, "And I also swore to protect Ciri. Take that blade lad, and may it help you finally find her."

"Thank you…. I will," He said, looking down at the silver sword in his hands, and the silver swallow around his neck.

He wouldn't be able to put into words what the sword meant to him in that moment. After so much fighting, so much anguish, so much pain in the last few weeks both physically and mentally, somehow receiving that sword made him finally feel like he was truly, really going to find her. While he looked into the blade, if he focused hard enough, he saw Ciri's face reflecting in the metal. He may not have the mutated body of one, but for the first time in his eight-year career as one… he finally felt like a real witcher. Two swords, a wolf medallion, potions, bombs oils, and the knowledge of just about any monster that walked the continent… a witcher.

It felt to him in that moment, that everything he had ever worked for, every training session, every fight, every near death experience, every scar, cut, bruise and blow he had received, every trail he had followed, every quest and contract he completed in the last eleven years of his life, half of his life… it all had led him to that night. As Yennefer had told him the night before, it was the night that he had been waiting eight years for. That was the night he was finally going to keep and fulfill his promise.

"Well, don't just stand there," Geralt said, making his head whirl around to his adopted father before he continued, "Go on, try it out. We got room in here right Crach?"

"HA, plenty! Go on lad," Crach said with a joyus tone, gesturing towards the larger,

A laughed escaped him as he looked down towards the blade again. He squeezed it for a moment, to confirm it was real again, before he slid the strap on his back… right next to his steel blade. The feeling of having two sword on his back felt… odd for a moment, He wondered how effectively he could still dodge and roll, but after a few moments his body adjusted. Rolling his shoulder, he let out a deep breath and stepped to the middle of the large study that Crach had. He turned around and saw Geralt with a beaming look of pride he leaned against the table in the room.

He found the center of the room and stood, taking in a deep breath before reaching his hand up to the brand-new sheath on the right side of his back. Slowly he gripped his hand over the red-leather grip of _Fate _and quickly slid the silver upwards, and he was un-used to a blade being so light he almost dropped it, but managed to catch it and swing it a few times in front of him, looking at the metal whirling in the front of his face with a smile, scoffing and laughing.

"It's so… light. I always knew it was lighter then steel but… but wow," He said, turning back to Geralt, twirling the blade in his hands again.

Geralt smirked and nodded, the pride almost beaming out of him, "You get used to it quick. How's it feel having two sheaths on your back?"

Scoffing he whirled the blade more, slowly performing the training combos he had been since he was eleven. His feet moved and spun, the silver blade cutting through the air. He would have normally been able to go much faster, but he didn't want to damage anything in the room. After performing a three-step half turn, he twirled his blade between both hands a few more times, he whirled it back around and slid it easily back into its sheath.

Rolling his shoulders again, the smile stayed on his face, as he whirled around to face Geralt and Crach both.

"It feels… a little weird. Am I still going to be able to dodge and roll the same," He asked his adopted father, still barely able to believe that two swords were strapped across his back.

Again, Geralt smiled, stepping off the table, "It'll take some adjusting the first few fights, but you'll get used to it quick. Key to it is-."

"LUGOS, LUGOS, LUGOS," A loud scream began, so loud they heard it clean through the door to Crach's room.

He whirled around towards the exit to the room with Geralt, Crach stepping up next to them both. All thoughts of his new sword left him, as he listened his highly trained ears as carefully as he could. The cheering got louder and louder, but he could hear faint yells of wonder, of confusion. He looked over to Geralt who he could see was even more focused then he, his highly sensitive witcher ears could even hear Dominik's heartbeat, so he decided to trust his adopted father.

"Dammit, Hjalmar's probably started another row," Crach cursed, coming up in between them.

His mouth slightly fell open when he heard the first scream. The scream was full of pain and terror, it was followed by another, and another, before the screams pierced their way all the way through to their location. He felt his blood drain to ice, no, nothing could happen now, they needed to go and find Ciri, nothing could get in the way of that now. The ice was soon replaced by a large roaring fire, the anger shot up through his chest, as he quickly reached up onto his back and grabbed his steel sword, he may have received a new silver sword, but he raked his faithful blade from his back and looked over to Geralt.

His adopted father did the same thing, a new hard look on his face.

"That's not Hjalmar, come on we need to move," The older witcher yelled, sprinting towards the door.

Dominik's gripped around his blade so hard he felt as if he would burst out of his gloves. No, nobody was going to stop him from, or take him away from finding Ciri again. Whoever was out in that feast hall causing trouble, whoever had started it… they were going to realize how bad a day they picked to spring their plan. Because when he got his hands on whoever it was who was slaughtering guests at a feast containing his friends and had taken his time away from finding Ciri… it wasn't going to end well for them.

He felt his emerald eyes glow dark as he chased out the door after Geralt.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When they finally burst into the feast hall, the stench of the blood hit him right away, as the roar from the bears came second. After Geralt had bust through into the hall, he came up right next to him, with Crach on their left, his long axe out and ready to fight. The roar from the bears pierced his ears as he watched one bite a man's leg clean through, before tossing the body against the wall. He heard the clanging of steel and managed to see people still fighting. Blood and bodies had been strewn against the wall, tables were overturned, mead barrels and horns were knocked to the ground, and when he looked right ahead of him, the bear just finished tearing into another servant before turning and roaring at he, Crach and Geralt.

The anger boiled over even further; the bears were three times the size of normal ones you'd find in the woods. He didn't have time, he needed to go, he needed to finally get to Ciri, and the bears were in his way. His skin tingled and he could feel them emanating heat. No, nothing was going to stop him today, there wasn't going to be anymore distractions, he was finished playing around, he was going to slaughter everyone of the bears, and then find the person who set them loose and remove their heads from their shoulders. He felt something erupt inside of his gut, and after his first step forward, everything spilled over and he felt his eyes flash bright blue.

"COME ON YOU UGLY BASTARD," He screamed, sprinting straight towards the larger beast in front of him.

"DOM WAIT," Geralt yelled from behind him, just as he got to the beast.

The bear roared and he could feel its spit fire out into his face, as it raised up its giant paws to swing down on him. As soon as it raised up however, he felt the magic blue light swirl around his arms, he fired his hands forward and the Aard sign erupted from his hands. It knocked the bear onto its back it was so powerful, the animal got sent skidding backwards, almost knocking over one guard who was trying to run.

He continued forwards towards the beast, and leaped up, landing on its stomach and jabbing his blade right into where he knew its heart was. The beast let out one final weak roar, before its head slumped to the side, dead as soon as it hit the ground. He leaped off the bear and could feel his hand smoking and the fatigue coming into effect, but he kept his body moving. He whirled around and in the center of the room saw Faram and Hjalmar both trying jab at one bear, Faram keeping it busy while Hjalmar jabbed a spear into its side. From behind him he saw Geralt leap and spin at another, while Crach swung his great axe towards the beast's head.

A yell came from his left, as he saw Cerys back up against one of the pillars, the youngest an Craite with only a sword in her hands. His eyes widened and flashed a light of blue again, and he sprinted over towards her. Just before the bear could bring its paw down to knock her sword away, he sprinted in front of her and shot up his hand, a yellow Quen bubble shield erupted around him and the bear smacked into it. The shields discharge was so large it sent the beast sprawling back its fur smoking with bits on fire. Cerys yelled something behind him, but his vision tunneled. The blue light swirled around his arms and legs, and the blue flashed in his eyes again, as he sprinted faster then he had ever felt his legs move. As he swung his blade he saw it incased in the light blue light that had been swirling around him, and just as the bear got up to all fours it swung its paw at him. He leaped up and spun in mid-air, the spin moving him faster then he ever had before, as he brought his blade down to cut through the bears neck. As soon as his blade hit the animals skin a _***BOOM* **_of the light blue magic smacked into it, as it severed the beasts head from its body, and sent the headless body flying backwards.

He landed on his feet and finally didn't hear anymore roaring or screaming. His vision as he scanned the feast hall, his sword dripping blood had a light blue tint to it, as he felt his heart rate still sped up, his blood feeling as if it would burst through his skin. After blinking a few times and taking in a deep breath he saw the light slowly disappear from around his vision, as the fatigue shot up through his body, his bones beginning to ache. He stumbled for a moment and fell to one knee, needing to use his sword to keep him upright. Again, he took in shaky breaths, as he looked down to see smoke still slowly billowing from his hands.

"Dominik, what… what the hell was that," He heard the voice of Cerys say, as the youngest an Craite knelt down and helped him to his feet.

Scoffing he took in a deep shaky breath as he finally got upright, "Believe me Cerys, if I knew I'd tell you. You okay?"

For the first time since he had used this power in his duel with Baelen he was surprised to see he could still walk. Normally he had to be dragged after he used it, but there was so much anger and energy coursing through him at the moment, that was all he felt, like he wanted to stab his blade through something again. He looked around the room and saw the sight, blood everywhere, bodies ripped to pieces, only a few guards and most of the Jarls left alive, and his hand shook with so much anger he missed the sheath to put his sword away, clanking it against his new silver blade.

Cerys took another step next to him, her mouth agape, "I… I'm alright. I… I've no idea how this all happened."

"Whoever did it… is going to lose their head," He said darkly, holding one hand to his head as the headache began to overtake him.

"Dom," Geralt yelled from his right.

He looked over and his adopted father stepped over a body and bench, before coming up next to him, meeting his eyes right away.

"Are you okay? Saw that magic coming out of you, how do you feel," Geralt asked him, his yellow eyes meeting his.

Breathing out a sign he rubbed his head again. He didn't know if it was his body becoming used to the powers, because it hadn't been a long fight, or if his anger was keeping him going, but he wasn't shaking, and his hand had stopped smoking. He still felt aching in his bones, and a pounding headache, but it wasn't anything he hadn't had before.

"Well my head is fucking killing me, bones are aching but…I feel alright," He said, looking around the survivors scrambling in the hall, "Geralt what are we-."

"CLOTH! SOMEONE GET ME SOME CLOTH," A man's voice yelled from the center of the room.

Geralt and he both whirled around to where the rest of the survivors had gathered. Quickly he and his adopted father jogged over to the scene. Dominik spotted Faram and came up next to his friend, and when Faram saw him, he could see the look of horror on the Bear school witchers face. They didn't say anything to each other, as Geralt and he looked at the scene unfolding before them. All the rest of the survivors, the Jarls, a few guards and servants, but not many at all.

One man set down next to his son's corpse. He felt his heart nearly burst when the young man said his fathers name over and over, while his father begged him to stay awake. However, he didn't need to have witcher senses to know that the young man died. The Jarl who had been kneeling over him screamed, having to be pulled off the body of his son. He felt his fist curl into balls, everything had been going to smoothly, something had to fucking happen. It was all too simple, and he chastised himself for getting so comfortable.

He had just received a new silver sword, and they were supposed to head right out for Ciri, now someone had decided to murder almost an entire feast of people. They had tried to kill his friends, murdered innocents, and took him away from his main goal. It was still early in the morning, but he hadn't wanted to spend a single minute doing anything other then following Ciri's trail, and whoever had let the bears in had stopped him from being able to go do that. His one hand began to shake from the anger shooting through his body, as he quickly brought his other hand up to hold it. Whoever let the bears in was going to pay, he was going to cut them in half when he found them. And he already had a sinking suspicion he knew who it was.

Looking around the room as the Jarls argued, he could already start slowly piecing together the puzzle already in his mind. He recognized many of the dead young men, he recognized them because he had sat with most of them during King Bran's wake, they were all the young men who were claimants to the throne. The only claimants who he saw left were Cerys and Hjalmar, the two who would take the fall for the massacre should they not find the one responsible, and the only one who hadn't been there, along with one woman who not surprisingly was absent from the feast hall…. Birna Bran.

"Fucking hell… when I get my hands on whoever did this," Faram said from next to him, his friends voice growing dark.

Slowly he shook his head and looked up to his friend, "I already know who did this… and I'm going to cut the bitch in half."

Faram looked at him wide-eyed, "Who do you think it is?"

He saw Geralt had gone to listen to Crach and the Jarls arguing, so he looked up at Faram and whispered.

"Birna… notice how she and Svanrige aren't here? And the only claimants alive are the ones who would take the fall, and what is it she's been trying to accomplish…. I swear I'll cut her fucking head off," He said slowly, feeling his voice dripping with the white-hot anger that was boiling inside him.

The Bear school witcher looked down at him worriedly, "Mate as… as much as your theory makes sense. We can't go cutting people in half without proof. That… that doesn't sound like you mate-."

"I should be on my way to find Ciri right now," He hissed quietly, turning up to meet his friend's eyes, "She also tried to murder my friends, and murdered dozens of innocent people. When I find her, I'll cut her in half-."

"Find the guilty an Craite, or else your clan will be cursed for a thousand generations," One angry Jarl said, loud enough to cut him off.

He whirled around and saw the Jarls storming out of the hall. Only Crach, Cerys, Hjalmar, Geralt he and Faram remained. He was about to go over and join them, when Faram quickly held a hand on his shoulder.

"Just don't do anything rash mate, find proof and then take action," Faram whispered quickly in his ears, before the both of them walked to join the rest of them.

As he walked towards the an Craite's and Geralt he took another look at the bears corpses. They had been three times the size of normal ones, and twice as aggressive. He raked his brain for any solution, and finally found his way to one. His mind felt sharper than it ever had in that moment, the anger and annoyance he felt, the adrenaline was still coursing through him all rushed to his head. He scoured the hundreds of contracts he had done, thought over every page of the bestiary he had been forced to memorize, and widened his eyes when he finally remembered the contract in Kovir.

Managing to finally put the pieces of the puzzle together, he jogged up next to Geralt who was looking at the an Craite's. He didn't want to confirm anything until he spoke to Geralt first, so he kept his realization to himself for a moment, as his adopted father looked at them all.

"Did anyone see how the bears got in," Geralt asked, looking between them all.

Hjalmar was the first one to scoff, "Doesn't matter. I know where to find the guilty party already!"

It wasn't that he didn't trust Hjalmar's intelligence, but he knew that the young an Craite would more than likely run off to chop off Birna's head without proof. And as much as he currently wanted to see her head roll as well, he knew they couldn't act without evidence, that would only make the an Craite's look even more guilty. If his theory was correct, he'd know exactly what evidence they needed to look for in the room to confirm it, and they couldn't go off chasing people already.

Thankfully Cerys seemed to have the same idea.

"What!? Are you mad? You're going to start killing folk before you even learn what happened!? The Jarl's aren't listening anymore! Stop playing hero and think for a second," The youngest an Craite scolded her older brother.

Hjalmar scoffed, "Our honor's at stake sis, that can't wait!"

"Are you listening to me!? Someone let those bears in. We must know who, and the answer lies in this room," Cerys scolded back to her brother.

He saw Geralt look down at him, and he had a silent conversation with his adopted father. Geralt was clearly asking him what he wanted to do, and it made him sigh. A part of him wanted to run off and leave to the site of the explosion now and meet up with Yennefer. However, he saw the blood on the walls, it stained his boots and he felt his stomach churn at the dismembered bodies. He knew what would happen to Cerys, Hjalmar and Crach if they didn't prove Birna's guilt. They would be killed or banished for what happened, and he knew he couldn't let that happen to them, not after everything they'd done for him.

The pieces of the puzzle were all there for him. He looked out the window and realized that it was still early in the morning, so if they got this done fast, they'd still have plenty of time to go and find her, even though he knew every minute of time was precious. If he just focused and Cerys helped him like he needed, they'd be able to pull this off. It was done after that, bringing Birna to justice for what she had done there, that was going to be the last thing. There would be no more games after that, and Birna would pay for delaying him, he was going to make sure of it.

Slowly he nodded to Geralt, and his adopted father looked towards the an Craite's.

"Don't worry Cerys, Dom and I will stay and help you," Geralt said to the youngest an Craite.

Cerys turned and he nodded to affirm what Geralt said. He saw the thankfulness in her eyes as she gave them a grim smile.

"Thanks, we'll figure it out I know it," She said, and Hjalmar scoffed right away behind her.

"Fine! I'll see you all when I return with the killers head," The young an Craite said, running off out of the feast hall.

Crach after he had gone turned to him, Faram and Geralt, "I'll go gather some men and come back, someone needs to see to the wounded, start getting the dead to their families."

"I'll help you Crach, if anyone can figure out what's going on, it's these three," Faram said confidently, walking over to the Jarls side.

Crach quickly nodded, "Aye, thank you for that Faram. And you wolf, Dominik… I thank you as well."

He quickly nodded towards Crach, before Faram and he left the hall as well. As soon as he heard the door shut he turned to Geralt and Cerys. He did everything he could to remember the contract in Kovir in exact detail. It had ended up being a lucrative contract for him, setting him up for almost a month, but it had also almost gotten him killed. If his theory was correct, then as Cerys said the answers lied in the room. First they needed to confirm what had happened, then they could go about accusing the guilty.

It needed to go smoothly, everything needed to go exactly how it was playing out in his head, if it did, they'd be out of the castle within an hour and on their way to Yennefer. So, as he normally did before a contract, he took in a deep breath and slowly reached up around his neck. He gripped his hands around the swallow pendant, and sucked in deeply, closing his eyes tightly and seeing her face appear in his vision. Soon, he would see the real thing soon, he would. And Birna Bran was currently preventing him from going to get to her… little did Birna know she picked the wrong day to piss him off.

"Have either of you ever seen anything like that," Cerys asked them both, stepping in front of Geralt and he.

Geralt let out a sigh and shook his head, "No… and I hope I never do again."

"Where'd the bears come from? We were all laughin', eatin', drinkin'," Cerys said, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke, "And then suddenly- a massacre… torrents of blood on the walls."

He bit his lip as Geralt turned around to him. His adopted father looked at him with his intense yellow eyes.

"I know that look," He said to Dominik, meeting his adopted son's eyes, "What are you thinking?"

Sighing Dominik took one last look around the room, before turning back to meet Cerys and Geralt's eyes. He felt his heart beating up in his chest, as the fire that was going into the hearth still warmed him. The aching in his bones stayed, and he felt his head continue to pound. He wanted to be on the road to Ciri in that moment, but first he knew he needed to finish just one more job.

"First off, I actually have seen something kind of like this," He said looking between both Geralt and Cerys, "I was nineteen, was up in Kovir. Got a contract from this wealthy baron, used to throw these wild parties in his castle every week, problem was eventually, guests started getting killed during them. They'd go out for a piss or to get another drink and show up dead."

Geralt narrowed his eyes at him, "Never knew you made it that far north… did you figure out what it was?"

"Yeah, you see I figured out that the killer had to be attending the balls themselves attacking from the inside, no way they could've gotten past the guards or over the walls unless they were a vampire, and the bodies were ripped apart, blood wasn't drained so it couldn't have been one," He explained, crossing his arms and pacing back and forth to keep his blood moving.

"And… you figure out they were… bears killing the guests? How'd they manage to get inside the castle, a bear couldn't sneak through the entrance," Cerys asked him.

He laughed and turned remembering how proud of himself he was when he came to the realization on that contract. He looked between Geralt and Cerys's eyes again.

"That's the thing, they DID just walk through the entrance. I learned later on that the baron had been knocking down and confiscating land in the surrounding forest. They were forcing a group of nomadic people there to leave their homes. The people they were a sort of tribe of lycanthropes," He said, stopping his pacing and crossing his arms again.

Geralt narrowed his eyes, "A tribe of werewolves?"

Again he quickly shook his head, "Not totally. Some of them were werewolves yeah, but some could turn into bears, some could turn into wolves, deer, owls, hawks, and other woodland creatures. Was pretty pissed at the Baron when I learned what he did to their homes, but at first, I just thought they were a group of rabid lycanthropes attacking the Baron's land, killing the people at his parties for no reason like he told me…. I think these bears were something similar. They were way too big, way to fast, had to be them."

"Bearserkers," Cerys said suddenly, a look of realization appearing on her face.

His adopted father looked at him with an impressed and prideful look, nodding at Cerys's words, "Yeah, the tales of warriors that turn into bears in battle. I've heard stories of some shapeshifters like you described, could explain how the bears got in."

He nodded again, feeling his plan come to fruition, a small smile coming to his face, despite the anger running through him.

"Yeah, that's what I think these things were. I also think I know exactly how they transformed," He started, getting both of them to look at him again, "You see at first I was still working for the baron. So I knew to catch them I needed to somehow force them to transform in the feast hall. Told the Baron to double his guard."

"How'd you get them to transform," Cerys asked quickly.

He sighed and started pacing again, crossing his arms as he did, this time feeling his face get slightly red as he looked to meet Geralt's eyes specifically.

"You see two years earlier when I was… with Freya, when my shoulder was still recovering she used to make me chew on this herb called psilocybe, it helped dull my pain. I wanted more of the stuff, but Freya told me in high doses…" He started, looking at Geralt to continue.

His adopted father nodded and finished his sentence, "In too high a dose it causes visions, and nightmares. So, you used it to lure out the ones who were attacking people?"

He nodded again, remembering the day vividly, "Yeah. I had my suspicions on who the changers were, so I had some servants lace their goblets with a good dose of the stuff… and I laced it with blood. Between the psilocybe and the blood, it was enough to force them to transform. Managed to trap and capture the guy who turned into a bear, interrogated him for the position of the rest of the tribe. That's when I learned the Baron was killing them off, taking their land. I… had a small falling out with the baron after that but, that's a story for another day. Bottom line is I think that's what happened here."

Cerys looked at him completely stunned, while Geralt gave him a smirk. Normally he would have been happy to see such a prideful look on his adopted father's face, but in that moment his brain was being put into overdrive. He needed to get the proof they needed and fast, every minute he felt pass panged Ciri's face into his mind, as he knew that she was what really mattered, so he needed to bring this matter to a close quickly.

"That… that's amazing, you already figured it out! But… but how do we prove it, and we don't even know who did it," Cerys said, her mouth still floundering.

Slowly he sighed and shook his head, "I… got an idea about that too. I have an idea as a whole but… I need you guys to trust me."

Geralt smiled and looked down to him, "You know I do…. I'm proud of you. I know what we were supposed to be doing right now but… you put it aside to help out friends."

Scoffing he felt a smile come to his face as he met his adopted father's eyes, "Well, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get back to it. Come on, let's find a few things… I got a plan."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Are you sure this is going to work," Cerys asked him, as she turned her key in the lock to the cellar.

Quickly he nodded, "Yeah. Since the bears didn't take out you and Hjalmar, she's going to try something else. Plus, she knows by now Geralt and I are helping you, she probably had whoever she got to spike the mead trying to find a way to take us out now."

After they had finally figured out what happened in the feast hall, the second part of his plan was set into motion. He had found the horn spiked with psilocybe, while Geralt and Cerys confirmed from the bears corpses and the surviving servants, that the men had indeed turned into bears and attacked. By the time they had been done, less then an hour had passed, so he knew that he was making good time so far, and he only had to hoped that Birna had been as arrogant and loudmouthed as he had hoped.

As he told Cerys he knew that she was going to try and bring their investigation to a quick end, so as the two of them descended by themselves into the cellar to find the poisoned keg of mead, he made sure Geralt hid near the entrance, out of site. If anyone tried to follow them, his adopted father would hear them, and be able to stop them. He followed slowly behind Cerys, keeping one hand around the swallow on his neck as they finally got to the bottom row of barrels.

The youngest an Craite sighed, "I still can't believe Birna would stoop so low. I know she wanted Svanrige to rule, but never thought she'd resort to murder."

Scoffing he used the one hand not on the pendant to open a barrel as he spoke.

"Never doubt for a second what people would and wouldn't do to get what they want… that's something you learn quickly in my line of work," He said with a sigh, sniffing the mead barrel, and not smelling anything out of the ordinary.

There had been men three times Ciri's age who were trying to get their hands on her, just so they could rape or impregnate her for her Elder Blood. Vilgefortz had tried to kidnap and impregnate Ciri, a fourteen-year-old girl at the time, all so he could have access to the power he wanted. Radovid invaded all of Kaedwen just to have more land to himself before he turned his attention to the Black Ones. Emhyr Var Emrys had waged war on basically the entire continent, all because he just wanted more…. He had learned plenty of times over the years, that there was no limit to what some people would do to get what they wanted.

He didn't think he himself was any different. He was prepared to do anything to find Ciri, and to keep her safe. He'd like to think he wouldn't resort to murdering dozens of innocent people, but with how he felt at the moment he didn't know. He sighed shakily and kept his hands on the swallow, hoping he'd never be faced with a choice like that. He was just prying another lid off a barrel when he heard Cerys behind him.

"So… I was wondering, what's with that swallow pendant? Don't think I've seen you let go of it once since I met you," The youngest an Craite asked, sorting through more barrels, trying to find the poisoned one.

A small chill went through his body as he sighed, slowly letting go of the pendant and moving onto another barrel.

"Ciri gave it to me," He said to her, not taking his eyes off the barrels, "It… it's the last thing I have of her, at least until I find her."

"You must really love her. Geralt told me a bit on Spikeroog, told me you were henpecked from the moment you met her," She teased back to him.

Scoffing he felt a small smile come to his face, "Yeah… I guess you can say I was. I should be on my way to find her right now… but Birna got in the way of that, which is why if the Jarl's don't decide to kill her… I will."

For a moment there was silence, before he heard footsteps next to him, just before he could open another barrel. He whirled around to his right and saw Cerys had come next to him. The youngest an Craite gave him a respectful nod and grateful smile.

"I… wanted to say thank you. You didn't have to help; you could've gone right off to look for her. But instead you stayed, and you helped up," She said, meeting his gaze.

Sighing again he managed to form a smile, a small warm feeling rising in his chest as he met her eyes.

"You're welcome. You guys are my friends… I always do everything I can for them, no matter what," He said, finally popping the lid of the barrel before he met her eyes again, "And I wanted to say too…. I think you're going to make a great queen."

Her eyes went wide, and for the first time since he met her, the youngest an Craite was flustered. She let out a scoff, holding her hands on her hips as she met his gaze.

"Thank you…. And I promise once you find Ciri, whatever comes next, you'll always have Skellige at your side," She said confidently, smiling at him.

He nodded, and felt another warm, happy feeling run up his chest, before looking down at the open barrel of mead. Slowly he ran his fingers over the liquid and held it up to his nose. The smell of mushrooms and blood rushed to his nose, as he remembered the smell from that night in Kovir as well. After he had figured out what the baron had done to the tribe's people he had been… less then happy. Thankfully, the people had forgiven him after he helped them reclaim lost land they had stolen from them, but he still did regret that he had to hunt them in the first place.

A smile crossed his face as he met Cerys's eyes, "Well, well, well blood and mushrooms, it looks like-."

"GET OVER HERE NOW," He heard the loud deep voice of his adopted father yell.

Cerys and he both whirled around, and he heard a loud pounding of a fist, and a man fall to the ground. He looked up the steps that led down to where Cerys and he were standing and saw the tall figure of his adopted father standing over someone, his hand in a fist. Geralt looked over and met his eyes, and he could see the older witcher smirk and nod at him.

Across from him Cerys scoffed, "I… I can't believe that worked, you were right. So, do you really think we have enough?"

He took in a deep breath and looked down at the swallow pendant. If the universe, the gods, or whoever controlled fate and destiny were ever going to do him any favors, then would have been the time. He knew they couldn't have been more then an hour since the massacre itself, and he had to hope that he spoke convincingly enough, and that the little bit of evidence was enough. As he looked down at the silver around his neck, he could feel the adrenaline and the impatience continuing to boil up inside of him.

Today was going to be the day he found Ciri or found out exactly where he had to go to get her. There wasn't going to be anymore games, no more being sidetracked, all that mattered now was finding her. After he made sure that the an Craite's were okay, he would have finally helped and made sure that all of his friends were okay, that they were all in the best position possible. And after that, it would finally be time for him to finish what he and Geralt set out to do from the second they left Vizima. And anyone else who tried to get in his way, was going to die, it was that simple.

Slowly he looked away from the swallow and met Cerys's eyes, "It'll have to be… come on, let's get going. You should go summon the Jarls."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I've assembled the Jarls in council as you demanded Cerys an Craite. You claim to know who's behind the slaughter at Kaer Trolde. Speak, then! The blood of Skellige's sons and daughters-who's hands does it stain," The eldest Jarl announced loudly as the wind howled in their ears.

He could tell by the height of the sun it was only reaching about midday, and it made him breath a sigh of relief. The cold wind sent chills down his spine and gave him goosebumps, but he crossed his arms standing on the left of Cerys, while Geralt filed out to the right. He could see all the Jarls out before them, and sure enough Birna standing in for her son on his right. It had took every bit of self-control he every accumulated over his years as a witcher to not cut the woman in half then and there. The look on the woman's face made it even harder, but he managed to curl his hands into a fist and keep it at his side. He crossed his arms as he saw Geralt give him a reassuring nod from the opposite side of Cerys.

It turned out the man that Birna used to poison the mead was Arnvald, the an Craite's servant. Cerys had nearly torn the man's head off but showed incredible self-restraint and made him drag himself before the Jarls. It almost hadn't surprised him that Birna poached one of the servants to help commit the crime. He had met men and woman like her in his years alone, and it had never ended in a pleasant interaction when he did. She was the reason that he wasn't at the site of the magical explosion at the moment, she was the reason he wasn't on Ciri's trail again, finally finding her after eight years. The woman had also tried to kill and destroy Clan an Craite, the family that had taken Ciri in when she was younger, that had helped him and Geralt with their ultimate goal of finding her.

Cerys gave him a quick look and he nodded to the youngest an Craite. The young woman's eyes grew dark and she shot back to the eldest Jarl and nodded.

"I do, it's Birna Bran," Cerys said with certainty, her eyes shooting to the woman.

The group was all silent, as every Jarl turned to Birna. The only thing that could be heard was the howling of the wind around them. Just as he expected the woman scoffed, her hands on her hips as she looked towards Cerys.

"The lass is mad! Do you truly think anyone will believe you," Birna shouted over the wind, but Cerys kept her ground.

"You had them serve poisoned mead to the bearserkers! So that they would transform into bears and kill us all," The youngest an Craite shouted at the woman.

He heard a few murmurs from the Jarls, as Birna scoffed again and pointed over towards Crach.

"I beg your pardon!? The servants of Kaer Trolde are not mine to command! 'Twas your father who called for the feast," The woman shouted again, keeping her eyes locked on Crach.

"There's truth to these words," One Jarl shouted from behind the eldest.

The eldest of the Jarls nodded again, before looking over to Cerys, "Have you any proof to confirm your accusations?"

He quickly looked to Cerys and nodded, and the youngest an Craite turned back where Arnvald had been waiting for them. Cerys pointed to him and spoke loudly again.

"I've better, I've a witness! Arnvald," Cerys yelled, gesturing for the former servant to come forward.

Dominik quickly moved out of the way, as Arnvald came up to face the Jarls. He could see a look of fury in Crach's eyes, as Arnvald stood before him. All of the Jarls looked at the former servant, and Arnvald bowed to them all, and cleared his throat, pointing over towards Birna.

"Cerys speaks true. Birna commanded me to poison the mead…. And when Cerys and the young witcher descended into the cellars-," The man started, only to be quickly cut off by a furious Crach.

"You betrayed us!? The clan that took you in," The man screamed at the servant a fiery look boiling in his eyes.

He could see a few of the Jarls nodding, before Birna laughed to cut off the scene.

"Good men! He's a servant to an Craite, a lackey! He will say what they command him to say! He would lie for them even if he were to pay for it with his life," The woman said, the smugness in her voice starting to raise his irritation to new heights.

"Birna speaks the truth. Arnvald has served at Kaer Trolde for as long as I remember. Loyally, like a dog," One more of the Jarls said with irritation, crossing over his arms.

A small shot of worry and annoyance ran through him. He kept his mouth shut however, wanting to leave his last bit of questioning for the end, only bringing it if their evidence wasn't sufficient enough, and so far it had seemed that was the case. Still though, he kept his mouth shut, watching the scene unfold before him.

Geralt took a step forward holding his hand up and gesturing to himself and Dominik both, "Dom and I can vouch for what Cerys says. She's telling the truth."

The wind howled as Birna laughed again, "HA, two more an Craite's lackeys? Did Cerys offer herself to your son or did Crach pay you to slander my name!?"

He would have stepped and cut the woman in half then if Crach hadn't stepped forward. The eldest an Craite looked furious again, and for a moment, Dominik could see a fire that he had never seen before flash in the man's eyes.

"What did you say, you dare accuse me of such things," Crach screamed, taking a step closer to Birna.

The eldest of the Jarl's quickly stepped between the two, before another Jarl with an eyepatch stepped forward, "After what I saw on Spikeroog, I trust the witcher! More than I trust you…"

Birna scoffed and turned to the one-eyed man, "Aye you have that right, but it still isn't proof of my guilt!"

He could see the situation about to erupt, but he still held himself back. Quickly he nodded towards Geralt. His adopted father quickly nodded in response and pulled the rolled-up parchment from his back pocket. The sun was still shining and beating down his neck, but he was cold despite this. The wind blew his brown hair to the side, as he thought over his words carefully in his head. It took every bit of self-control he had to not shove the woman over the battlements, as Geralt stepped forward with the unfolded parchment.

"We have one more piece of evidence" Geralt said, handing the paper over to the eldest of the Jarls, "A letter from Birna to Arnvald, with instructions on how to poison the mead."

For a moment all of the Jarls looked over the parchment, as if blew in the wind in the man's hand. A minute passed where he may actually think it was going to work, however, Birna quickly sneered, turning back to face Cerys.

"It lacks my signature… it lacks my seal," She said smugly, looking back to Cerys again.

Cerys crossed her arms and shook her head, "But perfume has been soaked through the parchment. A very strong scent, you know… still to be sensed."

As he had been expecting Birna laughed, "Hahahaha! Is this your proof lass? Is this what you call evidence of my supposed treason? Don't make me laugh."

He internally sighed, realizing that he would have to speak after all. However, he had figured out exactly what he needed to figure out through the entire conversation. Behind Birna she could see her son. While he listened, he was sure to keep an eye on the young man and try to gage what he was thinking. His years of learning how to read people had paid off, as he could see the guilt racking in the young man's eyes. Svanrige had been conflicted the entire conversation, Dominik could see it in his eyes, and he knew now exactly what to say.

The eldest of the Jarls sighed and shook his head, "Birna is right Cerys. Tis all too little proof of wrongdoing. Alas your brother Hjalmar has also not presented anything that could clear your families name…. So there is but one path left to us. Lugos! Holder! Come, we must decide which punishment Clan an Craite will face."

"WAIT," Dominik finally yelled, stepping forward with his arms crossed.

The wind howled in his ears, as all of the eyes at the meeting on the battlements turned to him. He could see Crach, Hjalmar, Geralt, Cerys, Birna and every set of eyes on him. Letting out a slow breath as he felt the annoyance and anger that had built up inside of him was slowly leaking from his voice. He crossed his arms and turned to face all of the Jarls, looking between them and doing everything he could to keep his tone level.

"Good sirs if you would allow me, I would like to pose one more question," Dominik announced, turning around to where Birna was standing.

The woman naturally scoffed, "Silence wonderer! I don't have to answer any questions from the likes of you, another an Craite lackey!"

For the first time in hours he felt himself smile, as Birna had taken the bait right from him. He held both his hands behind his back, all eyes on him as he let out a small laugh and shook his head, looking up to meet Birna's eyes.

"Oh no, I'm sorry Birna. My question isn't for you… it's for your son," He said, looking past Birna and over to Svanrige.

The Jarls quietly watched the scene unfold which he was thankful for. If they had decided to cut him off then, his plan would have crumbled. The sun beat down on his neck as it reached just to the midday point. Birna's eyes widened for a moment, and he could see Svanrige freeze, as he slowly turned around to meet his gaze. Before the young man could say anything however, Birna quickly stepped forward.

"What's the meaning of this? What could you possibly want to ask my son, what you ask him you can ask through me," The woman screeched, her hands staying on her hips.

Slowly he shook his head and laughed again, "Oh is that so? I mean according to you yourself, he's King Bran's son, the one the throne belongs to by right. The one who the throne should pass too, and then to his children after him….. I mean this is the point you've been preaching to all the Jarls gathered, am I wrong?"

He asked the question and looked around to the group of Jarls gathered. It seemed that his bout of words had caught their attention, as they all seemed to nod, and look at both Birna and he. A small smile formed on his face as he turned back to face Birna again.

"I mean surely if you truly believe what you say, he can answer for himself, and not hide behind you… correct," He asked the woman, for the first time all day making her speechless.

Birna tried to form sentences but floundered on her words. A smirk appeared on his face, as he could see her flustered look. From his right he saw Geralt and Cerys both smirking as well, as he felt relief flush through him, his plan seeming to finally begin working. After a minute or so, Birna still hadn't spoken. So, Dominik nodded, and took a step closer, meeting the eyes of Svanrige.

The young man who had looked nervous and anxious the entire time, nearly shuddered at his gaze. Under normal circumstances he would have felt slightly bad for the young man, however at the moment he felt no sympathy at all. With every minute that passed he knew it was another minute that Ciri was still out there and in danger. So when Svanrige managed to step forward he didn't hold back.

"Svanrige, I saw you in the feast hall when I entered with Geralt. On our way to see Crach we ran into your mother, and then approximately ten minutes after the conversation… the attack happened," He said, starting to pace with his arms crossed, "When we came out to fight… you weren't there. And after the fight was over, all the claimants to the throne lay dead. All except for you, and the two who would stand to lose the most should the massacre be placed on the an Craite's. So… I must ask, where were you? Why did you leave the feast hall?"

"This is ridiculous! I won't stand here and let my son be berated by questions from some outsider," Birna yelled, crossed her arms and stepping in front of her son.

Another smirk crossed his face as he turned to all of the Jarls. It seemed he had finally peaked their interest to the point where they were giving his words thought. The eldest of the Jarls stepped forward again, looking to Svanrige.

"Svanrige… where were you," The older Jarl asked the young man, who was trembling in his spot.

He smiled and realized that his plan had been a success. Slowly he walked back next to Cerys, who smirked at him with her arms crossed. He winked down at the youngest an Craite and saw the prideful look she had on her eyes when she looked back over at the scene. He felt his own pride well up, as he watched Svanrige slowly turn to his mother.

"Mother… you bade me to leave the hall… why!? Why did you tell me to leave!? How did you know!? How," The young man asked his mother.

He felt a large twang of satisfaction run down his body when Birna's eyes went wide as she shook her head, "Son, not now!"

Svanrige slowly shook his head, "You gave Cerys no credence, the witchers no credence. But you must give credence to a son that accuses his own mother! The massacre was her doing. She's shamed herself, me, the family, the clan!"

"Svanrige, I did it for you! And only you," The woman pleaded, backing up against one of the battlements.

"And there's the confession…" He said quietly to Cerys standing next to him.

While the Jarls cornered Birna, Cerys scoffed next to him, and he looked over to see Geralt with a satisfied smile on his face. He let out a large breath of relief as he slowly reached up and gripped his hand around the swallow. It had finally been done. Everything was finally done. All the quests, all the side things, all of their friends were safe, they had done everything extra that they needed to do. The sun shined down on him as the wind howled in his ears, blowing his hair and messing the brown locks up even more. He reached to his back and adjusted both of his swords, still feeling a bit odd and more weighed down from carrying two. He adjusted the strap for _Fate_, and remembered how excited he was only about an hour earlier at receiving the silver blade.

Now that all of the business was concluded, all the friends they needed to help had been helped… it was finally time. The breath he let out next he had almost felt like he was holding for eight years. There wasn't going to be anymore games, no more being sidetracked… he was going to find Ciri that night, and nothing else was going to stop him. And just like Birna, who's punishment he heard would be being chained to a rock to die at sea… whoever tried to get in his way, or impeded him in any way, whether it be the Hunt, Emhyr, the black specter… anyone who got in his way, it wouldn't end well for them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The ride out had only taken an hour, and thankfully the sacred oak where the Skelligan rulers were sworn in was close to where the magical explosion had occurred, close to where Yennefer was. As he stood there next to Geralt and Faram in the crowd, a small part of him was urging him to leave, to go hop on the horses they'd borrowed from Crach and head for the site. The sun told him it was just past midday, and there still wasn't a cloud in the sky. The breeze was pleasant, and he knew that they'd be able to get to the site quickly, in less then an hour… and they'd finally begin their last steps. The wind blew his hair up, the headache was still prevalent, and his bones still felt like they were aching. All he wanted again was Ciri, to finally be back on her trail, and he was so, so close finally, all of the tasks in front of him had been completed… so now all he wanted was to be with her again.

However, he couldn't help but smile when he heard the large group of people around him cheering as the eldest of the Jarls walked up onto the stage.

"Weren't long ago we gave King Bran back to the sea. Today our mourning ends," The old man announced loudly, the crowd of spectators all silencing and watching intently.

A smile came to his face as he saw Crach and Hjalmar on stage, looking on behind the oldest Jarl at Cerys. Despite the situation he felt a well of pride swell up in his chest. The wind howled in his ears as he watched behind the man, Cerys standing there with her face still in disbelief. Geralt and Faram both stood next to him with their arms crossed, satisfied looks appearing on both witchers faces. He may have wanted to leave, but he couldn't help but smile even wider when he watched the eldest Jarl turn to the youngest an Craite, gesturing both his hands to her.

"Today by the grace of the gods and clans, a new ruler takes the crown! Let us, swear her fealty," The Jarl announced, bowing and gesturing his hands towards the crown.

The large sacred oak was the most beautiful tree he had ever seen. It stood tall and strong its roots intertwined with the stage that Cerys stood on. On a small stone pillar sat a silver crown, and he was flashed back to Cintra for a moment, watching Queen Calanthe walk around with her gleaming silver crown in the halls. While the queen didn't always wear a long elegant dress, one thing she always had on was her crown. Queen Calanthe's voice rang in his head, _keeping an eye on Ciri for me. _He would be, soon he would be keeping an eye on her again.

Cerys would make a great queen, this he knew, and he was glad that Geralt and he managed to help. He was glad that the two of them helped everyone that they had in their journey so far, but now that all of their friends were helped, it was time for them to finally do what they had wanted to do, all he had been trying to do for years.

The youngest an Craite slowly walked towards the stand, and carefully picked up the crown. Despite his heart thumping, his hands twitching and his mind feeling like mush, he couldn't help but keep the smile on his face, as he crossed his arms and watched his friend walk towards the front of the stage, her arms crossed and a smile on her face.

Cerys held up her hands, looking out into the large crowd of people, the wind whipping her red hair in the wind.

"I know some would see another in my place. I thank those who stood by my side," She announced loudly over the wind, her eyes for a moment falling to Geralt and he, a smile on her face before she continued, "Here beneath the sacred oak. I pledge to be a good queen to the ones and others! I want peace and prosperity to reign in Skellige, and I count on you to help me fulfil that dream!"

"CERYS, CERYS, CERYS." Faram of Undvik yelled from next to him, chanting the new queen's name.

A smile came to Cerys's face as she looked to the three witchers, just as the rest of the crowd started chanting her name as well. He looked around and saw the crowd begin to chant louder, clapping and shouting her name, and he could see the proud and slightly flustered look on Cerys's face, as she bowed to all of her people. Sighing he smiled and looked up towards the stage again, as Crach and even Hjalmar went to join the youngest an Craite. Cerys looked over and met his eyes for a moment, before the youngest an Craite nodded, a grateful smile on her face. Feeling warmth rise up in his chest he nodded back, before doing the same with Hjalmar and Crach. A small part of him wanted to go up and speak with the an Craite's more, but he knew there wasn't time.

Crach met his eyes again for a moment, the one man whom he knew who knew his first father, the man who'd gifted him his silver blade, and was the reason they could go search for Ciri now on Skellige. He gave the man a small bow, and the Jarl responded with the same gesture. The wind howled in his ears again, goosebumps going up his arms, as he finally realized it was time. For so long it had felt like finally getting to Skellige, to the last clue to where Ciri had gone, it had felt so far away. When he was taking his first steps in Velen, when he faced down the crones, and first heard of what Ciri had done. That first clue of what he had done from the crones felt like months before to him, that had been the first clue they had received. It was the first lead he had gotten on Ciri in almost two years… and now she was finally at his fingertips. He remembered all the way back to Claywitch, when he had accepted the contract from Alesky to come and help his village. He had accepted the contract thinking it would have been like any other… but it turned out that it was the catalyst for the biggest moment of his journey so far, to finally accomplish what he had been trying to do for eight years. It was finally his chance to make up for all his failures, and tell Ciri how sorry he was…

He felt Geralt elbow his arm, and he looked up at his adopted father. The older witcher gestured for him to follow, and with a smile on his face, he followed Geralt down towards where the horses they borrowed were tied. His feet begun to twitch in his boots, a tingle went down his spine as he finally got to the brown mare he had borrowed, and gently stroked its mane. He didn't bring Clop because he knew that if they needed to go to Hindersfjall his horse, while talented, couldn't cross the water, so they'd have Yen teleport them, and teleporting the three of them and two horses would have been impossible. As he heard Geralt and Faram come up behind him, he looked down and smiled at the swallow pendant, and let out a sigh as he grabbed it in his hand.

"Soon… soon…" He said quietly, before hearing Faram's booming voice behind him.

"Haha, Sparrowhawk will be fantastic, I just know it," The Bear school witcher said, his brown ponytail blowing in the wind.

Geralt smiled and nodded his head, "Yeah… I think she will. What about you? Crach tells us you're going to help the people of Undvik get back to the island."

Faram quickly nodded with his arms crossed, a broad smile on his face, "Aye I'll be heading out with a group to Undvik tomorrow… what about the two of you? Heading out to follow Ciri's trail now I'm guessing?"

A smile came to his face again as he nodded towards his best-friend, the words bouncing in his ears, sending the jolt down his spine again. He ran a hand through his hair, and adjusted both his swords on his back.

"Yeah… finally. It… it's finally happening," He said, feeling himself almost breathless as the wind howled in his ears.

The Bear School witcher smiled and nodded, pointing towards Dominik's back.

"Well with that pretty new silver sword on your back it'll be much easier," He said with a laughed, before his yellow witcher eyes looked between Geralt and he, "I… I wanted to thank the both of you. Never would've been able to accomplish what I did without the both of you."

Geralt shook his head from next to him, his black and brown armor sparkling in the sun. The older witcher reached out and shook Faram's hand.

"You're welcome and thank you for helping us how you did. We wouldn't be in the position we're in now if not for you," His adopted father said, his silver hair blowing in the wind.

Quickly he nodded as well, reaching out and shaking his best-friend's hand again as well, a smile on his face.

"Yeah he's right. Thank you Faram… for everything. Good luck on Undvik, can't think of anyone better to help those people," He said, feeling his chest well up again.

"Aye… thank you mate, thank you both," Faram said, taking a step back, crossing over his arms and smiling at them both, "Good luck on your path my friends. I'll be here for a few weeks. So… when that fight versus the Hunt come… you know where to find me."

He felt the blood race faster again, and he could almost feel the ice forming on his nose. As soon as they found Ciri, if his dreams were correct, the Hunt would be on them. His reunion with her would be short lived, because soon another fight would begin. He took in a shaky breath and gripped the swallow around his neck again. It didn't matter who would come after he found her, it didn't matter how many soldiers they threw at the both of them. As long as he had her, he would beat them back, he'd find a way to beat them back. If he needed to fight Baelen, Eredin, or any number of soldiers, he would.

He had never gotten to fight by her side, truly fight by her side. When they were ambushed with Yarpen's company on the way to Ellander, they had just been children. There had been times when they fought wolves together in the woods, or stood back while helping Geralt, and other witchers fight drowners and forktails in Kaer Morhen. However, he had never truly fought by her side, not like Geralt or Yennefer had two years prior. That would soon change.

Soon he'd hold her and tell her how sorry he was, how sorry he was for failing her. He'd fight by her side and beat back Eredin, Emhyr, the mysterious black specter from his dream, anyone who tried to get their hands on her again. Between the two of them, he didn't think anything or anyone could stop them. Every single day she had been on his mind since she disappeared, the woman he loved, his destiny, the person who saved him the most, the one person who never failed to make him happy.

Finally he was going to get to her that night.

Geralt smiled and nodded towards Faram, before looking down towards Dominik, meeting his yellow eyes with his emerald ones. The look his adopted father gave him sent a shot of hope up his spine, reassurance. Their quest was coming to a head, all of his training, fighting and heartache he had been experiencing over the past few weeks would soon all have been worth it. And he wouldn't want anyone else by his side to finally finish it then his adopted father, the man who had taught him almost everything he knew.

"We're definitely going to need them," Geralt said to Faram, before looking down and meeting Dominik's eyes, "So… you ready?"

He let out one final shaky breath, gripping his hands around the swallow again, before his green eyes shot open, Ciri's face appearing in his mind.

"Geralt, I've been ready for the last eight years… let's go find Ciri," He said slowly, his heart thumping up in his chest, as he knew all of his pain would soon be worth it.

**A/N: So a new ruler reigns in Skellige, Cerys an Craite has taken the throne, with some help from Dominik and Geralt. Faram of Undvik is heading off to help his people regain their land, while Dominik and Geralt both are FINALLY going to follow their last leads on Ciri. We had some very important stuff happen, so let's recap real quick.**

**The first scene we have Dom finally stumbling back to Kaer Trolde. We see just how desperate he's feeling, how anxious and worried he feels. After so much fighting he just wants to find Ciri. Thankfully Geralt and Yennefer manage to calm him, I wanted to show a nice little family moment here. That dream Dominik has is haunting him… how is this going to continue to affect him? How is it going to be when we get to sites of the magical explosion?**

**Once we get to Kaer Trolde, after 41 chapters, Dominik FINALLY gets a silver sword xD I saw a review that made me laugh that said Dominik had been 'running around with a silver butter knife'. And now finally he has his silver blade! I hope I conveyed how big a moment this is, especially with him being so close to Ciri. **

**Then of course we have the slaughter at the feast. I know it seems that figuring out what happened may have been solved relatively fast, but that was intentional. Dominik is tired of the distractions, he was pissed, and knew he needed to move fast. So, Dominik was able to solve the mystery thanks to knowledge from an old contract. (That contract in Kovir will be in "The Young Wolf Alone, when it comes out).**

**And finally, FINALLY Dominik and Geralt are on their way to find Ciri again, towards their last lead, Dominik ready to finally have all his years of pain and suffering come to an end…. Or so he thinks. We're going to see a much more desperate, intense and impatient Dominik in the next two chapters….Again I assume most of you have played the Witcher 3 in it's entirety, so… what do you think it's going to be like when Dominik figures out what happens? I can't wait to get these next two chapters out. **

**Next chapter will be using the mask of, and getting to Hindersfjall, and then the chapter after that we'll get a LONG Ciri POV, the last POV we'll see from her until she and Dominik reunite. After they reunite we'll have some entire chapters from her POVs, but for now that chapter will be the last one until then. **

**The story is really picking up, and we are officially almost at the half way point! I can't begin to thank all of you who are reading enough, I want this to be as great as possible for you all, I hope you're still enjoying! Stay safe and see you all next time!**


	42. Echoes of the Past

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 42: Echoes of the Past**

**Narrator: After his long journey through Undvik, Dominik returned to Kaer Trolde and reunited with Geralt and Yennefer. Upon healing his wounds and preparing himself, the three were finally ready to head out on Ciri's trail. Yennefer went to the site of the magical explosion on Ard Skellig, while Dominik and Geralt went to see Crach an Craite, to be rewarded for helping his children. After receiving his first silver blade, **_**Fate, **_**from Crach, tragedy struck Kaer Trolde. A massacre occurred, killing most of the feast's guests, with the an Craite's needing to figure out what happened. Dominik and Geralt both helped young Cerys an Craite figure out the mystery of who was behind the massacre, solidifying the youngest an Craite as the first ever Queen of Skellige. After completing this new quest, after eight long years, after weeks of questing, the Young Wolf was finally ready to set out on his last lead with his adopted parents. After so many years of pain, and searching, Dominik was finally ready to find where Ciri was.**

The ride had only taken around an hour to get there, which he was thankful for. The brown mare that he had borrowed was no Clop, but it was able to get there swiftly as he nearly left Geralt in the dust for the first few minutes of their ride. A mixture of apprehension and impatience shot through him as they got closer. The sun was still high, they were still going to have plenty of daylight left, and as he rode he felt himself examining every single thing he passed, seeing if it could be a possible hinderance to his progress. Nothing else was going to hinder him, and he was going to make sure of that. All he could hear for a moment as he rode was her voice, the two of them laughing and playing in the snow, he could see the two of them sparring, running the gauntlet, the walls, riding through Ellander. He never told her, but he used to let her win most of the races they had, because he knew it made her happy. Seeing the smile on her face, her laughing after she had won, whooping and cheering, it had been worth it.

"DOMINIK," He heard yelled from next to him, making him almost jump and fall off the mare as he rode.

"Huh? What," He said with a start, looking next to him to see Geralt finally caught up to his side.

The sun glinted off the back of the pommels of Geralt's swords, his armor was awash with nicks, cuts and smeared blood, while his silver hair blew back in the wind as the sun shone off it. He let out a shaky breath, the shock finally leaving him, he had been so lost in his thoughts that he almost forgot his adopted father was still behind him. Both the swords on his own back still felt like they were slightly weighing him down, but the mare he rode didn't seem hindered. He looked and could see the worried look in Geralt's eyes as he looked at him, his adopted father narrowed his eyes at him as their horses came to a trot, as he could finally see them approaching the druids camp.

"Are you still alright? You had to use that magic power back at the hall, haven't seen you use it without almost passing out before," Geralt asked him, as their horses came to a slow halt.

Sighing he nodded, "I'm fine Geralt. We have more important things to worry about right now."

The truth of the matter was he had a pulsing headache and his bones were still aching. Whatever spell Yennefer had used the previous night to heal his wounds and rejuvenate him was slowly wearing off. If he closed his eyes for a moment he could feel the light blue swirls of magic swirling around his limbs, and the color dancing in his vision. His sword had even had the magic begin to swirl, his limbs moving at speeds he had never experienced, even during the previous times he had used the powers. He didn't know if it was his adrenaline, or the fact he hadn't used it for very long, but while he still did feel weaker, for the first time he used the power and not been completely unable to move for a few moments afterwards. Even the previous day on Undvik after he had used it to save himself from the swarm of harpies in the cave, he needed to drink one of the potions Freya had made for him to get back up.

He pushed all thought of his locked powers away however, because he knew he needed to focus on his one solitary goal.

"I think you not almost dying is pretty important," Geralt said as they both slid carefully off the horses, tying them both to a tree, "We don't know what this magic is Dom, you need to be careful, you can't-."

"Geralt I'll worry about these magic blood powers AFTER we find Ciri," He snapped, cutting off the older witcher, tying the reins tightly around a low branch.

Geralt's eyes hardened at him, "Don't start with this again. If these powers get you killed-."

"They won't get me killed," He shot back again, turning to face his adopted father, "Geralt I'm done worrying about anything else. I'm glad that we were able to help all of our friends Geralt, Triss, Dandelion, George, Freya, Keira, Crach, Hjalmar, Cerys, I really am, but I am DONE with all that. We're going to find Ciri, and this is finally our best chance!"

The frustration and annoyance had been building inside of him for weeks. He really was happy that they were able to aid all of their friends. In Velen he was glad he helped Keira, and helped the Baron find his family, he as glad that they had helped Triss save the mages in Novigrad and rescue Dandelion. He was happy beyond measure he had managed to save Priscilla from being attacked, along with being able to help and meet up with all of his friends.

He was also glad that when they did get to Skellige he helped Faram kill the Ice Giant and save Hjalmar and the remaining members of his crew. Cerys was going to make a great Queen of Skellige, this he knew as well, and a part of him was glad that they had been able to help make that possible. It had gotten him excited he was able to meet Crach, hearing that the man not only knew Ciri, but his father as well, he was thankful he had managed to clear their name of any stain for what happened at the feast. He was even beyond ecstatic he finally received a silver sword.

However, all of the questing, all of the pain and grueling journeys they'd gone on, it had to lead him to what they were ultimately trying to achieve, the one thing he truly wanted, getting Ciri back. He would have done anything, fought anyone, stolen anything, anything in that moment to find her. And the explosion site that they were at now had to give them the answers they needed, it had to be the thing that finally led them to her. They had no more leads after the explosions, they had to be it, they had to be.

Because he didn't know what he would do if they weren't.

Geralt sigh, either not having the energy to argue with him, or seeing that it would be no use, because he shook his head.

His adopted father narrowed his eyes at him and sighed, "I understand that. You just need to be-."

"YOU ARE MAD WOMAN! MAD I SAY," An old voice bellowed over the blowing wind.

He whirled around with Geralt, and his eyes finally narrowed when he heard the voice of Yennefer yell back with just as much venom.

"MAYBE, BUT I HAVE GOOD REASON," His adopted mother screamed back at the old druid.

He finally got his first good view of the druid camp. Several tents were lined in a row, with a roaring fire howling in the center. Pots of tea, sleeping bags and other camping supplies were strewn about, as he could see druids lingering around, examining the destroyed trees and scorched earth. There weren't many of them, but his eyes widened when he recognized his adopted mother was indeed arguing with Ermion. Ciri's Uncle Ermion was dressed like he had been when Dominik saw him at the funeral. Dressed in the brown robes, and large hat adorned with bones. The druid certainly didn't look happy, it was clear to him now the old druid did figure out Yennefer and Geralt had broken into his lab. Under different circumstances he would have been upset that they weren't making a particularly good impression on the man whom he knew Ciri cared for. However as was the case for most of his quest so far, they weren't normal circumstances he was operating under.

Since Yennefer had first told him about the explosion, he had been trying to imagine what the site could have looked like. He knew that with Ciri's immense power, the explosion could have done great damage. However, when he saw the black twisted forms of the trees, the scorched completely black earth he walked over. He tuned out the yelling he heard from the druid and his adopted mother, taking a minute to lean down and run his fingers along the blackened earth. It was a combination of ash and dirt, and seeing it made his entire body shudder. He knew that Ciri would only unleash such a large blast of power if she was in danger, immense danger. His hand went around the swallow pendant as he shot back to his feet, his heart leaping up into his throat.

"That's Yen for you, always making friends…" Geralt commented, walking up next to him as he stood.

He shuddered and shook his head, "Come on Geralt we need to move."

Before his adopted father could say anything he was walking towards the screaming druid and sorceress. He could hear Geralt sigh for a moment behind him before the older witcher began to follow. His brown hair blew sideways in the wind, and his swords clunked on his back, his heartbeat was growing to an alarming rate this he knew, but he ignored it and picked up his pace.

Yennefer clearly wasn't happy, his adopted mother had a ravenous gaze in her violet eyes, seeming to be just as prepared to do anything as he was. He didn't rightfully care at that point what plan the sorceress had come up with, as long as it got them to Ciri, he would go along with it. His hands twitched under his gloves as druids shouted and glared at him as he trudge through their camp. Finally, he got to where the screaming druid and sorceress was and saw out over the forest that had been destroyed, sucking in a breath at the twisted trees, and scorched earth. However, he pushed all those thoughts away, he'd have time to feel sorry for the trees later.

"I HOLD CIRI DEAR TO! YOU KNOW THIS DAMN WELL," Ermion screamed again, turning Dominik's eyes to him again, "But the mask of Ubaros is no trifle! Have you any idea what could happen if its used!? Any idea of the consequences!?"

"NO, but neither do you, so stop panicking," Yennefer bellowed back at the druid.

"YEN," Dominik yelled, making both of the magic users turn to him as he ran towards his adopted mother.

The sorceress's eyes widened as she held out her arms, "Dominik! Where's Geralt?"

"Should be right behind me," He said quickly, as his adopted mother pulled him in for a quick hug before she let go as they both turned back when they heard Geralt's voice.

"Can hear the two of you clear on the other side of the Island," The older witcher said, coming up and looking between Ermion and Yennefer.

The old druid's eyes softened for a moment upon seeing Dominik, but then seemed to realize he was with Yennefer. Geralt had told him he was old friends with the druid, even before Ciri had been born, so a part of him hoped the man would calm at the site of his adopted father. However, it was clear that the druid just like Yennefer had told them when they first arrive, wasn't going to give do Geralt any favors for old times sake.

Ermion scoffed, turning his gaze to Geralt, "GOOD! May all of Skellige know, that Yennefer of Vengerberg if a common thief!"

He almost shouted back at the old man, his annoyance shooting through the roof at the insult. However, his adopted mother as he expected stepped forward into the druids face again.

"CONTROL YOURSELF DRUID! I've not stolen anything, I simply borrowed something and have all intentions on returning it," The sorceress yelled, her hands on her hips as her raven locks blew in the wind.

"Oh, the generosity," Ermion shouted sarcastically, the sun bouncing off the bones of his hat, "Just one small problem! After it's used the mask is rendered completely useless! Not to mention the risk you'll bury us alive! And the Isles with us!"

For a moment he paused and met his adopted mother's eyes. Yennefer scoffed and shook her head, walking towards the cliffs away from him. He looked up and saw the mountains in the distance, wondering what it would be like for the entire mountainside to come down on them, burying the forest completely. He did also know however druids were masters of controlling the weather, so any storm that came from using the mask would be under control. They needed to use it to figure out what happened to Ciri there, there wasn't any other option that would be quick enough.

He didn't care about the consequences in that moment.

"Consequences be damned! Ciri's in danger and we don't have time for this pointless arguing! How do you even know the mask will do that," He shouted, crossing his arms as he looked between Geralt and Ermion.

The sun beat down on his neck over the wind, and he could feel his impatience reach a new high. Geralt shot him a glare, screaming at him silently to keep his mouth shut, but the anger and annoyance was slowly spewing over in him. Ermion scoffed again and shook his head before looking at him.

"I see that you inherited both Geralt, AND Gregory's stubbornness," The Druid said loudly, "I know you care for Ciri as they did boy, but the mask of Ubaros could bring about the destruction of the entire island!"

He was about to shout something else, when Geralt stepped in front of him. The older witcher held his hands up to try and calm the druid, slowly shaking his head.

As normal his adopted father spoke in a calm tone to begin, "Ermion calm down, don't exaggerate it's just-."

"No Geralt! There is no 'just'," The druid yelled again, turning away from Yennefer to face them both, "The myth saw Ubaros created the mask when the envious sea swallowed his beloved. Unable to believe he would never see her again, he made the mask, which allowed him to peer into the past! He knew however that he could only use it once. So, he waited, waited until his longing grew so great it became unbearable. When the sea learned of the mask, it was quick to respond. It made it known that whoever used the mask would bring the sea's wrath down upon them. For in vengeance the sea would rise and flood all the lands and drown the living!"

From Geralt, his Uncle Vesemir, and years on the Path by himself he knew better then to discredit ancient myths. All myths stemmed from some semblance of reality, how close that reality was to the myth that was told varied, but it was never wise to discredit them. A small tingle of worry ran down his spine, what would happen if they used the mask and the island truly flooded, engulfing much of the land. The thought bounced around in his head, he knew that the legend couldn't be completely true, how would the entire sea manage to engulf the entire island? With all the druids present they would surely be able to handle any storm that came their way, the island would be fine, he HAD to use the mask.

It was the only way that they could find her, the fastest way, there wasn't going to be anymore waiting on his part. Geralt looked like he was about to say something, but Dominik quickly scoffed and shook his head.

"She did it for Ciri! We're doing it for Ciri, I don't rightfully care what the consequences are, we're going to figure out what happened," He yelled, taking another step from behind Geralt.

"I also care deeply for the girl, as I'm sure you know child," Ermion scolded towards him, meeting his gaze with his old eyes, "I proposed a series of other methods, but Yennefer refused to listen! She claimed they would take too long-."

"THEY WILL TAKE TOO LONG," He finally felt himself scream, his hands shaking as he pointed down towards the destroyed forest, "ALL THE METHODS HAVE BEEN TAKING TOO LONG. SHE'S IN DANGER AND WE NEED TO MOVE NOW, I'M SICK OF WAITING, I'M DONE WITH THE GAMES!"

He felt as if something was exploding inside of his stomach, something that had been building for weeks. He didn't care in that moment about any ancient myths, the druids worries, that Yennefer had stolen a mask, he didn't care about any of it, something else was trying to get in his way. For eight years there had been excuses and reasons why he couldn't get to Ciri, why he couldn't have found her. Most of them were made up by himself as he wondered around feeling sorry for himself, blaming the universe for being unfair, blaming everyone else around him for her going missing, everyone except for himself. No, there wasn't going to be anymore excuses, anymore obstacles, nothing was going to get in his way anymore. Not Ermion, not any storm the mask brought about, not the pounding headache he felt, nothing.

Geralt's head shot around to him, "Dom calm down now! We need to think about-."

"NO, NO MORE," He snapped over to his adopted father, his eyes growing dark, "I'm DONE with the waiting and thinking Geralt! We can figure out where Ciri in right now before the Hunt gets to her, I'm going down there to help Yen-."

His ranting was interrupted by a loud _***CRACK* **_from the sky. It seemed that within moments the clear sun had gone, it was covered by clouds and the sky darkened. He could smell smoke and ozone, as the lighting continued to crackle down on the already destroyed forest. His hair became soaked in the torrent of rain that started spewing from the sky like a waterfall. All of the lighting started blasting down onto the trees, and fog began to roll in and set over the forest. His eyes narrowed and he felt as is firecrackers were getting set off in every part of his body, a bomb exploded in his chest and his heart leaped up into his throat.

Geralt and Ermion both ran up next to him, and he could hear the druids yelling and scrambling in the camp behind him. Despite the pounding rain and howling winds the hair on his arms stood up. Yennefer had used the mask, it was finally starting, the last phase of finding Ciri. After running from almost one end of the continent to the other, after completing so many contracts, following so many leads, seeing so many horrible things, feeling as if he was about to give it all up at so many points, it was finally happening. He went from one night thinking his family was dead, Geralt and Yennefer dead, Ciri out of his reach, his first family long dead, in one night he went from thinking he was truly alone, to having a chance that almost nobody else ever got, the chance to reunite their lost family. He would get to hold Ciri again, get to hear her laugh and see her smile. They could go and hunt monsters, while spending time with Geralt and Yennefer. He could feel genuinely happy again for the first time since she left him.

And it all finally would come to a head down in that blackened forest.

"Yennefer had used the mask, we must neutralize it," Ermion shouted from his left, the druid's old eyes not leaving the sky.

To his right he heard the raking of Geralt's silver blade, "Dom we need to find Yen, the fog's going to attract foglets and other necrophages!"

Finally, he managed to tear his eyes away from the storm, his mind still pulsating and racing. He whirled around to Geralt, the drops of rain pounding his head and armor, completely drenching it.

"I don't have any necrophage oil on me, I forgot to make any," He stumbled out, feeling his gut still swirling and exploding.

"You have a silver sword now, oils are a luxury," Geralt shouted over the rain, his yellow eyes intensely narrowing towards him.

"Shit I nearly forgot," He yelled, reaching behind his back, and gripping his hand around the red-leather grip of _Fate. _

He slid the silver out of its sheath with so much speed he almost fell forward. Quickly he slashed the blade out in front of him and twirled it, narrowing his eyes back towards forest. He saw more bolts of lightning smash into the trees, as the rain torrentially poured down over the scorched earth, puddles of water and mud filling up the path down the side of the hill into the forest. His brown hair had become drenched and marred to his forehead, the drops of rain so large he felt them sting as they smashed onto his head. His armor had become drenched within seconds, his boots filling with water and the blade became so slippery it nearly fell from his hand.

His grip on the hilt of the silver sword tightened however, as he narrowed towards the center of the forest, where he could see the blue bolts of magic his adopted mother was casting spells. The bomb continued to erupt in his stomach, and for a second he could hear his heart thump it was beating so loudly. He reached up and gripped the swallow around his neck as tightly as he could, feeling the roaring wind send a freezing chill up his spine. It was time then, he had a silver blade, he had bombs on his belt, he had his signs, he had Geralt and Yennefer. The mask had to give him the answer he'd been looking for, for nearly half his life, where she had gone.

He shot his eyes opened and his grip tightened again around his silver, as Ciri's voice popped into his ears, the voice he'd hear soon.

"Come on we need to get going and help Yen," He yelled over the wind, finally taking off, his feet sloshing through the puddles in the blackened earth, towards the answers he's been searching eight years for.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The rain hadn't slowed him down, despite one deeper puddle of mud almost taking his boot off. The rain smacked against his forehead, weaving his way around he trees as he left Geralt and Ermion both in the dust. _Fate _was wrapped tightly in his hands, the rain smacking against the silver, as he tried to fight his way towards his adopted mother. His heart raced, his stomach continued to flusters and explode as he could smell the ozone of the lighting hitting against the forest, the fog not too thick, but plenty enough he knew for Foglet's. Every step he took, every stroke of his blade, every bomb he threw, sign he casted, was for Ciri. Every bit of himself right now, was fighting for her, finally fighting for her again. Another bolt of lightning exploded in his hears as he could feel his socks soaked through, but he quickly managed to move right, finding a small clearing with a large puddle of mud, as the fog was thicker. He whirled around, the rain and wind howling in his ears, but as he expected he could hear his adopted mother over the gale.

"DOMINIK, MOVE," He heard her yell from his right over the rain, her voice echoing.

He didn't question her order and rolled to the right, surprisingly easy despite feeling his back much heavier with his steel sword still sheathed. Splashing into the muddy puddle, he heard another blast of lighting shoot past his head, and then the screech of a monster as the blast smacked into a foglet that had been ready to cut across his back. He came back up to his feet and finally saw his adopted mother with a bolt of magical energy in her palm, her raven hair blowing fiercely in the howling wind, her violet eyes locked onto him. She looked like she was about to say something, but then he saw the shimmering of mist behind her. His hand shot down to his hip and he unsheathed his dagger, with as much precision and strength as he could muster he threw it, and it sailed through the rain and implanted itself in a foglets eyes. Running forward again he saw three more shimmering into existence around him.

His eyes narrowed and something exploded inside of him, no foglets were going to stop him. Hearing the first screech from his left he gritted his teeth and spun, side-stepping a claw strike and spinning to lop off the beast's head with one strike. The edge of his silver was even sharper than he saw, as he seamlessly whirled back around splashing through a puddle as one more charged wildly at him, he slashed aside one claw and spun to cut the beast clean in half. He heard one more growl behind him and feeling his stomach erupt again, he spun back around and fired his hand forward, the Aard sign erupted from his palms and sent the foglet shooting backward with a screech. The monster shot back, and he saw a flash of silver swing in a wide arc as Geralt came running, cleaving the creature in two. Another blast of magic erupted in his ears behind him as he turned back to see Yennefer incinerated another.

Geralt rushed up to his back, while Yennefer closed in from the right. Foglets disappeared and reappeared in quick succession, only to be cut down by his or Geralt's silver blade or incinerated by Yennefer's magic. Fighting by the side of his adopted parents, Yennefer blasted a torrent of electricity out of her palms, and he saw Geralt lash out with a spin and cut through another one. He heard a screech coming from ahead, and he saw three more foglets come howling towards him. His blood race again, as another bomb of rage erupted inside of his stomach. The foglets were keeping him from Ciri, they were standing in his way, and it all sent his limbs into overdrive, feeling his longing, his yearning erupt inside of him like an active volcano, all of it spewing out of him. He narrowed his eyes and saw her face flash in his head, and after a moment, the rage overtook him, and the light blue flashed in his eyes and all at once he felt his limbs erupt as blue light erupted from his arms, his vision as filled with a blue ting as he lashed forward.

The first foglet didn't have any time to raise its claws before his sword sliced through it as if it were a piece of parchment. He heard another come up behind him slashing its claws, he ducked forward feeling it soar over his head, and with a spin that was so fast he felt like a blue he whirled around and jabbed his blade through its gut. Another bolt of lightning shot down onto the forest as he spun around one last time and shot his hands forward, an Aard blast erupted from his palms, the magic from his limbs smashing into the foglet and sending it blasting into a charred tree, the foglet and the blast hit the tree with so much force the dead bark was uprooted and the tree fell backwards. He hyperventilated, his chest rising and falling at an alarming rate, as he saw the magic slowly start to disperse from around his body, the tinge of blood in his vision leaving him.

"GAHHHHHHH," He yelled, slinging his silver sword back into its sheath and grabbing his smoking left hand, almost stumbling forward but managing to stay on his feet.

"Dominik," Yennefer yelled over the thunder behind him, rushing to his side, putting a hand on her back and helping him stand upright.

The storm continued and despite the downpour his left gloved hand continued to smoke for several more seconds. A shot of pain ran through his arms, but he shrugged it off. He would worry about his pain and anything else later. Another clap of thunder rang through his ears, as the rain continued to pound his head, as he whirled around to see his adopted mother's worried violet eyes staring back at him. He knew she would worry after seeing the power unleash from him, so he quickly shook his head.

"Yen I'm fine we don't have time right now, what happened," He yelled over the wind, taking another step towards her, his bones aching as he did.

Yennefer scoffed and shook her head, "Dominik that was incredibly powerful magic, I… I've not seen or sensed anything like it in-."

"We don't have time Yen! We need to get to Ciri, did you activate the mask," He asked her, raising his voice over the howling wind.

His eyes must have had a desperate look to them, because his adopted mother sighed with a nod. The rain lapped over her raven locks, wetting them and sticking them to her back, as she turned to face deeper into the forest for a moment. He finally let out a shaky breath, feeling his heart rate return to normal. He moved a strand of his soaking brown hair out of his eyes, the rain continuing to pound on his head, the wind blowing the trees back.

Yennefer sighed and turned back to him, "Yes I did. The power of the mask attracted the foglets. We must-."

"Ermion said the mask can cause a natural disaster, why didn't you wait," Geralt yelled over the wind cutting her off, as he and his adopted mother whirled around to him.

Geralt's silver hair flew back furiously in the wind, soaked and falling down his back. He could see the intense look in his adopted father's yellow eyes as his gaze moved between he and Yennefer both. The sorceress was the first to roll her eyes at him, a clap of thunder booming as the rain poured between them.

"Well it's a good thing he's here then, he and his druids can control it," His adopted mother shouted over the wind.

He scoffed himself meeting his adopted fathers gaze, "She's right Geralt stop worrying. We needed to use the mask to find Ciri, I don't rightfully care how pissed that makes Ermion!"

Geralt narrowed his eyes, "That's not you talking. I understand we're close, but that doesn't mean-."

"Yen how do we use the mask, how does it work," He yelled over the wind, cutting Geralt off and turning to his adopted mother.

Both of his adopted parents looked between one another. His chest and stomach boiled, as he could feel his skin crawl, as the rain and wind roared in his ears. He needed to move faster, they needed to move faster, she was close, she had been where he was standing he could feel it, and every second that passed he could feel more small pins pricking into his skin. Finally Geralt sighed, wiping his silver hair back and looking to Yen, seeming to finally realize neither of them were going to get through to him in that moment.

"Fine… Yen what do we do now," Geralt said, both he and Dominik finally turning to the sorceress.

Yennefer looked to him with one more concerned look, before her hard-violet eyes returned. She reached around to the back of her waist and he finally saw the mask of Ubaros. His medallion hummed as soon as the wooden mask was in front of it, and he could see the small bits of magic emanated from the eyes. Despite that fact it wasn't particularly elegant, he knew that it had to contain immense power for it to cause the storm. At that moment he didn't care what it did, as long as it showed them what happened, what had happened to her.

His adopted mother turn to him and handed the mask out to him.

"The mask reveals the past, but only in certain places. Places that have left a strong magical imprint," She hollered over the still howling wind.

The swallow trembled around his neck, as he gently gripped the mask in his hands. His mouth went dry as he looked back up to her, back and forth between both his adopted parents, as Geralt his eyes trained on him.

He let out a shaky breath, "So it can show us where Ciri was…. How do we see it!?"

"We only have to wear it," She explained, gesturing towards him while she met his eyes, "Dominik you put it on in places where we sense the imprints. I'll cast a spell to let Geralt and I see through your eyes. We'll protect you while you see what happened!"

The thought of seeing her again, even a wisp of magical vapor that was her spurred him on. He quickly slid the mask into his bag and nodded between the both of them. His fingers trembled as he slid his silver out of its sheath again, curling his fists around it. He let out another shaky breath as the rain continued to pound on him, every howl of the wind sending an intense chill down his body, making his arms shake and the hairs on his arms stand up. His heart leaped up in his chest as he looked out towards the path through the forest Yennefer stood in front of.

Geralt looked over to him, yelling through the wind. "Are you sure you're okay!?"

Slowly he nodded his head, wrapping a hand around the swallow again, soon, it was finally time, he was going to figure out where she had gone, after so much time, he would finally know.

"Yeah, I'm fine come on let's move," He yelled over a clap of thunder.

Yennefer looked over to him, the rain spattering onto her raven hair, as a hard look grew in her violet eyes, and she gestured for them both to follow.

"Good, come on let's go, right this way," She yelled to them both, turning and jogging off down into the forest.

Feeling his heart leap up again he nodded towards Geralt and they both ran to follow Yennefer. He felt the mask of Ubaros bounce in his bag, the magical bauble that would finally do it for him. Finally tell him where Ciri had gone, so all of his pain could end.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The storm didn't let up, and a small part of him hoped that Ermion and the druids would be able to get a handle on the weather. However, despite hearing the thunder continue to boom, and the rain continue to smack down onto him, he got to the first clearing and he could feel his medallion vibrate uncontrollably. Smalls bits of blue magical vapor appeared in his eyes, and the fog began to swirl. He still had _Fate_ in his hands, he sidestepped the foglets claw and cut off its hands, before spinning and lopping off its head. A bolt of lightning shot out of Yennefer's hand and it incinerate another group, while to his left Geralt fired a blast of fire from his hands before sloshing through a puddle and cutting through more of them with ease, spinning from one to the next as the thunder and rain continued to pound down onto the earth.

"Dominik, we're here use the mask now," Yennefer yelled over the rain, making him fumble for the wooden mask in his bag.

His face had been completely soaked, and as he heard Geralt's blade squelching into the body of the final foglet, he took in a deep breath a held the magic mask up to his eyes. As soon as he saw through it, the magic from the area began to churn violently as a clap of thunder boomed overhead. Blue tendrils of misty magic shot from the right of the mask, right towards Geralt and Yennefer standing next to him. His stomach churned violently, and his eyes widened when he saw the magic begin to take form. Through the fog he finally saw the magic take shape, and despite the rain he felt his mouth go dry.

In the vision of the mask he saw a large portal rip open in the sky. Through it he saw two figures emerge and walk forward from it, one larger man, and one woman. He couldn't see any features on the echoes, but as soon as he saw the woman begin to walk he felt his heart drop to his stomach, he almost reached out before remembering it was just an echo. Alarms started going off in his head. The woman's form was spry and walked lightly on her feet, her head moving around to keep track of her surroundings, seeming to examine them from any threat. It was the way he learned to walk in his training, always on alert, ready to spring at a moment's notice.

"Two people emerged from the portal, a man and a woman!" Geralt yelled from his left, his silver sword tightly on hand.

"It's her, the woman was Ciri I know it was!" He yelled, pulling the mask off his face and shoving it back into his bag.

Yennefer looked over to the two, frantically shoving her raven hair out of her eyes, "How can you be sure!?"

"The way she walks, on her toes, looking around, ready to spring, like a witcher," He yelled out to them both, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"He's right, she went that way, we need to follow them," Geralt bellowed, looking over to the them both.

"Alright come on, let's keep moving," His adopted mother yelled, rushing forward, her high boots sloshing through the mud.

He followed quickly behind her with Geralt, his thoughts going a mile a minute, trying to connect the dots as he did. A few times he almost tripped over an uprooted tree, or got stuck in a puddle of mud, but he managed to keep pace with both Geralt and Yen. _Fate _stayed glued to his right hand as he sprinted, feeling the swallow around his neck bounce against his chest. A hundred thoughts muddled his mind in that moment, as he could feel his entire body tingle as the rain poured onto his skin.

Ciri had exited the portal with a man, that was his first clue. When he saw the vision it also didn't seem like she was injured when she arrived, so that meant she didn't appear there after Novigrad. The idea made his heart sink, but he knew there HAD to be more to the puzzle. He scanned his brain and remembered back to Velen, when he first met Keira Metz and remembered why the two had gone on their adventure in the first place. An elven mage had been looking for Ciri, and from what he saw in the lab, that mage was quite powerful. Could that have been the person Ciri emerged from the portal with? Keira and he managed to deduce that they were traveling together, so this could be one of the biggest clues. If he could find the mage he could find Ciri.

His thinking was interrupted when he heard screeching again. He shot his head up to see that they had come to another clearing. Yennefer had fired a blast of magic towards the foglets that came running at them. She incinerated them, and more came out of the mist towards Geralt and he. Back to back with his adopted father, he side-stepped and spun, cutting his way through more monsters with his silver, feeling the lightness of the blade finally becoming accustom to his hand. He moved more swiftly, his feet sliding over the mud as he side-stepped and cut his blade through another foglet, sliding over to the middle of the clearing, where the magic became too strong his medallion almost vibrated off its chain. The headache he had already been dealing with flared and he grabbed it with his left hand.

Quickly he shook it off after seeing that the foglets were finally killed, he slid the mask from his bag and held it up. Yennefer and Geralt ran to his side, just as the magic in the clearing began to churn, forming into blue magical specters as he saw the scene unfold again before him as more thunder boomed overhead. His eyes widened again, and he felt his skin crawl and tingle, shooting up his body and into his chest when he saw Ciri's ghost again.

"CIRI," He yelled over the wind when he finally saw the fight.

Ciri and her companion were completely overwhelmed, surrounded by more of the magical specters then either of them could handle. He watched as Ciri's ghost lashed out and took down several, along with her companion, before their attackers finally started to overwhelm them. Ciri and her companion were pushed to the brink, before the man she had been with smashed his hand down into the earth, a giant eruption shook the scene, the blast had been so powerful he almost fell backwards, both he, Geralt and Yennefer all stumbled at the power of the blast, and the last thing he saw was Ciri and her companion fleeing further into the forest.

He felt himself cough, the smoke and ozone filling his lungs as his bones felt shot. He blinked away the white spots that started to dance in his vision and looked around to see Geralt and Yennefer both looking just as shocked. He couldn't see anymore from that spot, he quickly shoved the mask back into his back, looking frantically between his adopted parents, his heart beating up into his chest further and further as the realization started to dawn on him. He felt his eyes sting, and despite the howling cold that ripped through his body. This had been the beginning of Ciri's journey… a piece of the puzzle that he had been missing, but not one that he needed at the moment. He shook it off however when he heard both of his adopted parents yelling.

"What the hell was that!? I felt the explosion still," Geralt yelled over the win, flipping back his silver hair.

Yennefer quickly shook her head from next to him, "The explosion must have been so powerful we can still feel it in the echo. I wager that was what destroyed the forest."

"Ciri and him still ran, come on let's go," He yelled, turning and running off into the direction that he saw Ciri's ghost run.

He must have surprised both of his adopted parents with his urgency because he left them in the dust when he ran. The fear coursed up through him, the trail was getting more and more complex. It hadn't been a straight line the entire quest, but he thought that when they finally arrived there in Skellige that it would finally begin to make sense. The explosion hadn't been caused by Ciri, her companion had caused it, so it couldn't have been where she landed after Novigrad. Was he still chasing a ghost, were they going to come up short again after so many weeks of running through challenges, after he had almost died more times than he could count?

No, he couldn't afford to think like that. He could already feel himself getting more and more desperate, the urgency rising up in him. If he continued to think like he was, he was going to drive himself crazy. He had to keep marching on and get the rest of the puzzle pieces. She was there, she was in Skellige he HAD to believe it. Because if he didn't, and she wasn't there, if they came up short again, if he failed again, if he wasn't fast enough again, he didn't know what he would do. This was supposed to be his redemption, his redemption for failing her so many times in the past, for not being there for her when she needed him most, this was all supposed to make up for it.

He skidded to a stop at the next clearing, feeling his medallion vibrate around his neck again. Yennefer and Geralt quickly caught up to him, as another loud clap of thunder boomed. Rain splattered against his head, as the fog began to slowly disappear. He slid his silver back into its sheath, and looked between both of his adopted parents, making sure they were in range. Slowly he tilted his head down towards the mask. This next vision had to tell them something more, it had to tell him something to reaffirm that she was there, that he was still close, and he wasn't chasing a real ghost again.

"Please Ciri… please," He whispered under his breath, holding the mask up to his face.

His medallion continued to vibrate, as he held the wooden mask up to his face, and once again saw the specters continue to swirl and churn in his vision.

The magical rays finally all formed, and he saw the ghosts of Ciri and her companion again. The both of them continued to fight their attackers. He saw Ciri executed a combo, before one of them cut her across the stomach, and he almost shouted out, before his stomach dropped, and he could feel his body turn as cold as ice. Ciri's companion shot her hands up and a portal ripped open. It seemed as if he turned back to yell something to her, as Ciri ran, leaping into the portal and out of his vision. Her companion fought off one more of their attackers, before turning and fleeing further into the forest.

Slowly he almost felt himself unable to move his arms. He lowered the mask and kept looking at the spot, feeling as if a hundred small knives were being thrust into his body at once. She had gone, the ghosts of the pasts didn't lead her to where she was, and he felt as if sand was pouring out of his mouth as he looked between both his adopted parents.

"She… she opened a portal. She was hurt, escaped through it," He yelled over the rain, feeling his voice finally crack, the air leaving his body as he shivered in the wind.

Geralt looked down at him wide-eyed, before looking over to Yennefer and yelling, "Yen can you figure out where her portal went!?"

"I can one moment," His adopted mother yelled, her voice growing desperate just like his. She held up her hands, and he could see the magic begin to swirl before she looked to them both, "Magic residue trail leads to… Velen!"

As soon as the words left the sorceresses mouth, he felt all of the pent-up frustration and anger explode inside of him, just as a large clap of thunder rang overhead.

"No…no, no, NO, NO," He screamed taking a few steps forward, feeling his arms continue to shake. He whirled around back to Geralt and Yennefer, feeling his eyes wide as the rain pounded onto his head, "We already know she's been in Velen, that must have been the portal she came out of in Crookback Bog! WE WENT IN A FUCKING CIRLE, DAMMIT!"

He felt his anger and aggression whirling up inside of him, he turned around and gripped both his hands to his hair, yanking, trying to control his frustration. His bones aches so much that if he got too angry and unleashed his powers again they would crumble to dust. It really had been one huge circle. He remembered the three crones appearing in front of Geralt and he, telling them how Ciri had landed in the swamp wounded badly. They now knew where she had come from, answering one question that had been lingering in his mind, but not the one that he needed to know.

The vision still hadn't shown them where Ciri was now, and they still couldn't go and get her. His hands curled into fists, he was ready to erupt again when he heard Geralt behind him, as Yennefer and the older witcher came up next him.

"We still got things to learn, don't worry. Yen," His adopted father yelled, turning around to the sorceress, "Can you figure out where Ciri's companion fled to!? His portal has to be around here somewhere!"

His adopted mother quickly nodded and gestured for them to follow her, "I think I can, come on follow me, it's not dead yet!"

Geralt nodded and turned to him speaking in a low, meaningful tone, "Come on, don't quit on me now. We'll figure this out."

He felt his skin crawl again as he looked down at the swallow dangling from around his neck. There were two explosions in Skellige, one on Hindersfjall as well, not just Ard Skellige. The one on Hindersfjall, that would be it, that would be the one that showed him where Ciri was. He had theorized why two explosions had happened in Skellige, wondering how Ciri could have caused them both but now he knew.

Ciri had come to Skellige twice. She landed there when she first came back and had to have come back after teleporting in Novigrad. His brain raced a mile a minute trying to put the pieces together again. He couldn't stop now, her face flashed in his head over and over again, the green eyes and the loose ashen hair, he remembered her as she was now, how she looked when she was fourteen when he last saw her. So, so close, he was closer than he had ever been, the last time he had felt himself this close was as she walked into that portal to Aretuza. He could see himself, his fourteen-year-old self-breaking down and crying into Geralt after she had left, knowing deep in his stomach, in his gut that something would go wrong. And something had gone wrong, he hadn't trusted his gut, he didn't try and force his way there with her, didn't spend enough time looking for her, and she had suffered because of it.

It wasn't going to happen again, no matter who was in his way, no matter how bad the weather was, he was going to get to her, and she was still close, this he knew. His eyes shot back up to Geralt and he could feel them go dark.

"Never, come on let's go," He yelled over the rain again, running over towards where Yennefer was, following his adopted mother down the path.

Geralt gave him a small reassuring nod and ran with him, the both of them following the sorceress's raven hair which was flying to one side in the wind. The rain was beginning to slowly let up, but it could have kept downpouring and it still wouldn't have detracted him from how fast he was running. The pieces, the pieces continued to whirl in his head. He couldn't think about anything else except following the trail. She was at the end of it, the one he loved, the one he needed, the only person to ever make him feel complete. There had been a giant gaping hole in his chest for eight years, and it could only be filled by her.

No matter how many women he met, no matter how many professed their feelings for him, none of them were the same as her. She had become everything, and she still was, and she would always be. He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to keep the water from them as he sloshed through the mud, able to hear his heart thump over the rain and wind. She gotten through hell with him, it wasn't just some silly childhood infatuation or fledgling love they had for each other. It was real, passionate, true love, the kind where when you felt it for another person you said damn the consequences and would be willing to do anything for them, put yourself in any amount of danger. It was the kind of love that made that other person a part of you, a part of you that felt essential for you to function and full capacity, that was what Ciri meant to him, she had completed him. And no matter how amazing Freya had been, or the other strew of beautiful women who had professed their feelings for him, none of them were Ciri, nobody else would ever be.

All he ever wanted since he met her, was her.

"Right here! Dominik the mask," Yennefer yelled to him, pulling to a stop in front of him.

Geralt came up by his side and his trembling fingers reached back into his bag and produced the wooden mask. Its magic continued to tremble in his fingers and his medallion hummed behind the swallow pendant. Right in between both of his adopted parents, he brought the mask to his face, the blue wisps from the magical specters forming in his vision. The magical length of telepathy shot from his eyes to both Geralt and Yennefer, as one final large boom of thunder ripped overhead. The rain began to finally slow down, the wind not howling in his ears anymore, but he didn't focus on any bits of the weather, he focused solely on the specters in front of him, showing him the past.

In the vision he saw Ciri's companion, the one who had been in all the visions with her. He fought with the attacker, seeming to be laboring as he did. Just when it looked like he would be overrun, the man who Ciri had been with shot his hand forward and a huge blast of magic erupted from his hands, sending his attacker spiraling backwards, before Ciri's companion turned and leaped into a portal. His head shot to where the attacker would have landed and saw a completely uprooted tree had been blasted back, laying on top of a pool of blood, and realized that Ciri's companion had quite literally blew the tree out of its roots. If it had been any other moment, he would've been amazed at seeing such an incredible feat of magic.

However, at the moment he couldn't have cared less. After pulling the mask off his face, he could feel the rain had turned into a light drizzle. The sun still hadn't come out, but the fog and thunder had ceased. He had been completely drenched and the small gusts of wind now blowing sent shivers up his spine. If not for his adrenaline he was sure he would be freezing. However, his blood had been pumping so fast, the rage, unease and desperation growing so hot inside of him he could feel his chest and stomach bubbling with heat. He put the mask in his bag and whirled back around to Yennefer, who was closing her eyes in concentration, holding the ball of magic in her hand, tracing where the portal had gone.

"So, what do you got Yen," Geralt asked from next to him, his soaking armor clunking as he came up next to him.

Yen let out a deep breath and opened her violet eyes, looking between both Geralt and he, her raven hair having been drenched by the rain.

"Hmm…. His trace leads to Velen as well. But the target coordinates of his portal differ from those of Ciri's. The explosion must have disrupted his teleportation," His adopted mother theorized, a tired look on her face.

"Fuck," He cursed right away, before a thought came to his mind, he whirled back around, looking at both of his adopted parents with wide eyes, "We don't have the time to go and find him. But this has to be the elven mage. Remember I told you Keira and I went to check out his hideout? He told Keira he was looking for Ciri, it can't be a coincidence."

He didn't care too much about the identity of the mage anymore like he had in Velen. All he knew was that Ciri traveled with him, and if he really had gone missing in Velen as well, then they didn't have any time to find him. They needed to move now, and it needed to be quick. Hindersfjall had to be there next stop if that explosion had been caused by Ciri as well it had to be where she landed after Novigrad. Her portal on Ard Skellig led to Velen, and the last thing he wanted to do at the moment was travel back to Crookback Bog. It had to be there on Hindersfjall, it had to be, he kept repeating it to himself. She was there, she had to be there, hiding, waiting for him to come and get her.

Geralt nodded his head in agreement from next to him. Dominik could see the slightly worried look deep in his adopted father's eyes, however it was nothing compared to how he and Yennefer looked. Geralt was keeping strong for both of their sakes, this he knew, and was thankful for, but knowing this didn't stop him from feeling the unease and restlessness rising in his gut.

His adopted father looked over towards the knocked over tree, "He's right, can't be a coincidence. Look over there, it looks like there's something left of the one he attacked."

Yennefer let out a breath and looked over to the tree as well, before looking up into the sky. The clouds were slowly beginning to part and the small rays of sunlight were beginning to seep through. The rain was coming down as a slow drizzle, and the wind had died down. For the first time in what felt like an hour he didn't hear the howling wind or pounding rain in his ears. All he could hear was a buzzing, a light buzzing sound, and he almost thought that it could perhaps be his own brain thinking and running through all the possibilities. They still had one more lead, and it had to be it.

_'It has to be it, she has to be there, she had to be there… she had to be there,'_

"It finally seems to be clearing up," Yennefer said from next to him, letting out a breath of relief.

"Ermion and his druids must finally be getting a handle on the weather," Geralt said, crossing his arms and looking up into the clearing sky.

Yennefer scoffed and crossed her arms, "Which means he'll be free to attack us again."

"DAMMIT," He screamed whirling back around to both his adopted parents. Curling his hands into fists again as he could feel his arms tingling, he looked up and met both their eyes, "I don't give a damn about Ciri's companion, or how pissed the druids are we need to go to Hindersfjall NOW!"

He could feel it all slipping away, the trail, her being so close, he could feel it all slowly falling away from him. They needed to go figure out something else, anything else to stay on the trail, to show him how close they were again. And to do that they needed to get to Hindersfjall, the last place where she possibly could have been. He had no time to argue with druids, dry his clothes, or focus on anything else other then where she could have been.

"ARE YOU PLEASED WITH YOURSELVES, LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT DOWN ON US," A screaming Ermion shouted, coming down the path they had come from. He and both his adopted parents whirled around to the absolutely furious druid, who came in front of them with a wild, angry look in his eyes, staring at all three of them, "If someone's death were to help you find Ciri. Would you be going around making human sacrifices as well!?"

"I'M READY TO DO ANYTHING FOR CIRI," He found himself erupting, stepping in front of the druid and feeling his chest erupting as he spoke, "I don't care how angry it makes people! EIGHT YEARS OLD MAN, IT'S BEEN-."

"DOM CALM DOWN RIGHT NOW," Geralt screamed from behind him, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him back next to him.

Geralt's grip was like iron, and he couldn't budge. He felt a cold feeling wash over his entire body, as he could see the angry, wild look in Geralt's eyes as he looked at him. Feeling his arms still shaking he finally yanked his shoulder out of his adopted father's grasp. Yennefer looked over at him for a minute, but he tore his eyes away from her as well. He heard Ermion begin scream more at both of his adopted parents but decided to ignore and sloshed away in his drenched boots. He could feel his feet wrinkling from the water in his socks, as he felt every cell in his body about to erupt in a moment's notice. He had never felt anger coursing through himself, he felt as if it were about to burst out of his skin.

He walked away from his adopted parents and the screaming druid, reaching his hand up and gripping around the swallow pendant so hard he almost ripped it off its chain. If he blinked he saw her face again, realizing she had been right where he was standing, he had been right where she was standing so many times over the past few weeks, and yet he STILL wasn't with her at that moment. He had done everything he could, followed every lead, fought every enemy he could, given absolutely every part of himself he could. He had stopped helped all his friends, completing quests he hadn't needed too, did so many great things in the last few weeks, but STILL he wasn't with her. He mentally slapped himself again as he felt his arms continue to shake, and stopped walking away finally when he saw the giant fallen tree.

It had been exactly where Ciri's companion had blown his attacker away, and despite the drizzling ran he could still see the skid marks where the tree had shot back, it created a ditch and he could see the puddle of blood left from where the attacker had died. Both of his adopted parents were busy still arguing with Ermion, but he didn't have time for the angry old man. He needed to know who was attacking Ciri that day, so feeling fire still burning in his gut he walked up next to the tree and looked down to his hands. His bones creaked, the headache he had was still pulsating with pain, but he knew that there was only one way he'd move that tree.

He let out a shaky breath while staring down at his hands, "Okay… never tried to activate you on purpose before… let's see how this goes."

His voice was low and dark as he shut hit eyes. _Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. _The words of George of Toussaint rang through his head. He could feel the anger swirling in his mind, channeling his chaos and energy was easy with how he felt in that moment, it was easy for him to channel it. He thought about how the trail seemed to be going cold, how the explosion on Ard Skellig didn't lead them to her, now they truly only had one lead left, and if didn't lead them to her they would need to start over from scratch. He thought about all the distractions and people trying to get in his way, that have been on her tail, making her flee, how if he only waited a few more days he would have been with her in Novigrad.

And finally, he thought about what it would mean if he truly had been to late… and a curse had taken over her body.

"ARGGGGHHHH," He screamed, shooting out his hands, as a giant flash of light blue magic appeared in his eyes, and he felt it scorch down his arm as an Aard blast shot from his hands.

It felt like someone was ripping the skin of the palm of his hands as it shot forward. The blue blast of telekinetic energy smashed into the dead tree and got sent flying backwards, smashing into more trees with a loud thud, as the path to the attacker's body was finally clear. Right away with all the fatigue he had, he felt his legs wobble as he tried to take steps forward, seeing smoke billowing from his hands as the drizzle slowly doused it. His vision went blurry for a moment, but he tried to walk anyway, he couldn't stop now, he needed to keep walking.

"DOMINIK," He heard Yennefer yell with a worried tone to her voice, and soon he heard the footsteps of his adopted parents and Ermion.

He ignored it however and kept stumbling towards the dead attackers, where the pool of blood originated. Falling to his knees mud splashed up onto his armor, as he had to blink rapidly to try and regain his vision. Despite the mud, dirt and grime he still smelt the fresh scent of lilac and gooseberries as he felt his adopted mother kneel down next to him. However, for what felt like the first time in his life, he ignored the presence of his mother, his heart felt like it was hit with a bolt of lightning, the cold gust of wind that blew through his wet armor chilled him down to his tried bones as he saw the armor.

They had attacked her as soon as she returned, they were on her trail, and again… he hadn't been there.

"Y…Yen the Hunt, they were after her as soon as she came back," He said, turning his head to meet his adopted mother's eyes.

He looked up and saw Geralt and Ermion both near the feet of the dead rider of the Hunt, while Yennefer stayed at his side, holding onto his arm. Letting out another shaky breath he looked up and saw Geralt slowly shaking his head.

"As soon as she landed…. This one, armors clean, no sword wounds, looks like Ciri's friend… what do you call it," His adopted father asked, looking over to Yennefer.

"Vaporized him," The sorceress said, gently helping Dominik stand to his feet.

As soon as he stood up he felt his head swirl again, and his bare hands under his gloves tingle. He grabbed both sides of his head, trying to rub his temples to force the headache away. As the bright light of the sun slowly came through the clouds he found that harder, as the rain slowly continue to drizzle. After a minute he let out another long shaky breath and looked again down at the rider of the hunt, seeing that Geralt was indeed right. The blood that pooled outside the body, but it seemed as if the armor hadn't been cut by any sword.

The puzzle was still slowly coming together. Ciri had come back to the continent with the mage she had been traveling with, and they had landed on Skellige. And after that the Hunt had attacked them, they must have been able to sense her as soon as she landed. After that she had used a portal to escape to Velen where she landed in Crookback Bog. After this she had gone to the baron, and then Novigrad, but the most important piece was still missing, where she was at the moment, where she had gone after she teleported from Novigrad. The more he thought about it, the more furious at himself he was he hadn't stayed with Dandelion like the bard had suggested. She wouldn't have had to flee if he were there, and even if she had, he would have gone with her.

Yennefer looked at him with concern, holding her hand over his hand and meeting his eyes. She looked like she was about to say something but Ermion interrupted her by speaking up, as the druid looked at the Hunt armor breathlessly.

"So, it is true… the Wild Hunt. First here, then on Hindersfjall… you say they're after Ciri. What… what could they possibly want from her?" The druid asked, his aggressive tone turning to one of concern, as he looked over towards the three of them.

Despite the druid's lighter tone, the question still sent another jolt of anger down his spine, as he felt it erupt in his throat.

"The same thing everyone fucking wants from her. The same reason nobody's been able to leave her the hell alone," He spat out walking off Yennefer's arm, biting his lip and gripping the swallow pendant, trying to somehow control his anger, "They want the Elder Blood in her veins. Ciri can use it to travel between space and time, they want to kill her, and use her blood to launch a full-scale invasion of our world."

The word spewed out of him like hot lava. The threat of the Wild Hunt invasion had been lingering over him the entire time. He had first learned about it from Alayna the Alp he had killed in Claywitch. It turned out the beast had been an Anne Elle elf, living in their world before it had been cursed into a vampire. So now, he wasn't only fighting to save Ciri, but to stop the Hunt from invading the continent. He felt ashamed to say that the only reason he cared about was saving Ciri, but in that moment it was the truth. He let out another shaky breath as the rain gently spat onto the back of his neck, as he could feel his bones continue to tingle from head to toe. It was three times that day he had used his powers, and he had no idea how he could have been standing. It could have been from the adrenaline, it could have been from him having so much anger still built up inside of him, keeping him going, or he could have just been becoming more and more used to it.

However, he still felt as if he could fall over at any moment.

"Aye… it seems that the situation is even worse then I believed," Ermion said, slowly shaking his head as he met their eyes, "As I said, they attacked here first, and then a fortnight after the cataclysm, they attacked Hindersfjall."

"What," He said, his head shooting up to meet the druid's eyes, "How long after did you say!?"

Ermion and both of his adopted parents looked to him, as the druid slowly looked at him with a confused look.

"A fortnight… they attacked in a blizzard out of nowhere, the village of Lofeton, I know not how, but it caused a large magical explosion there as well" The druid explained carefully.

_'I fought Cirilla myself not long ago… I hope you prove as worthy of a challenge." _The voice of Baelen when he fought her in the cave pierced his ears. The timeline lined up perfectly, it had been before Dominik himself fought the commander of the Hunt, and with Ciri's powers, and the immense power he knew Baelen had, it would have been more then enough power to create an explosion. He had been thinking it, but he couldn't have been surer of anything now, that Lofeton was where Ciri had landed after Novigrad, and that was where she had fought Baelen.

And if Ciri was already wounded from her fight in Novigrad, then had to fight Baelen right afterwards… he knew Ciri was strong, but he also knew the strength of Baelen firsthand. The Hunt commander had him at her mercy, but for reasons he still didn't know she had let him go. Baelen had only unleashed a fraction of the power she possessed in their fight, she took it easy on him for reasons he also didn't know. Through it all however, he had learned one thing, that Baelen was extremely dangerous, and he was lucky to have come out of that cave alive. He knew that Ciri was tough, and had her own powers to defend against Baelen's, but if she had already been hurt or fighting non-stop for days before, she could have been in serious danger.

He had to get to Hindersfjall and figure out what happened to her, they all did.

"Geralt, Hindersfjall that has to be it, that has to be where she fought her!" He quickly spewed out, turning to his adopted father.

Geralt looked confused for a moment, before thinking on his words, and he saw a look of realization dawn on his adopted father's face.

"Where she fought Baelen… yeah, that makes sense," His adopted father said, crossing his arm with a solemn look.

"Baelen? Who's Baelen and why would she be fighting Ciri," Yennefer quickly asked, stepping between the two of them.

"Baelen is the Wild Hunt commander I told you that I fought near Oxenfurt," He answered, looking down and feeling his gloved hands tingle, "She told me when I fought her, that she also fought Ciri not long before. Ciri must have beat her, or survived somehow. Baelen she… she's really powerful, I'm lucky I survived. Between her powers and Ciri's, it would have been enough to cause an explosion like that!"

"Aye you're more then likely correct," Ermion said, making all three of them turn to the druid. The old man slowly nodded, looking and meeting all of their eyes, "Witnesses described large clashing light that scorched the earth."

"Were there any survivors," Geralt asked the druid, wiping his soaked silver hair out of his eyes.

His eyes went to Ermion as well, as the druid sighed, slowly nodding with his hands on his hips, the rain slowly letting up, as the clouds gently rolled away from the sun.

"Aye, about a dozen women and an old man," The druid said sadly, slowly shaking his head, "They say the wraiths attacked in a blizzard…. Don't know how much I believe it, but they peasants also reported sightings of a dragon."

He felt himself scoff, "A dragon? Geralt, does the Wild Hunt have dragons? I'd rather not add that to my list of fucking problems."

The idea that the Wild Hunt had a dragon somehow under their command wasn't something that he wanted to think about. It was bad enough and caused them enough trouble that they had legions of soldiers, and a commander that somehow knew of his past with Ciri, and that could somehow track him with her blood by doing some dark ritual. The last thing he needed to get in his way of finding Ciri was a fucking dragon.

Geralt looked over to him and shook his head, "Last time I checked they didn't have a dragon…. Guess there's only one way to find out. Next stop is Hindersfjall."

His heart began to race again, Ciri had to be on the island in hiding. His journey had to finally come to a head there. All of his suffering from the last eight years had to finally amount to something. If it didn't, and he was too late… he didn't know what he'd do. He couldn't fail her again; he didn't know how he would be able to bare it. Feeling his skin begin to tingle again he whirled around to Yennefer, water spraying from his messy, drenched brown hair as he met his adopted mother's violet eyes.

"Okay, Yen can you teleport all three of us there? We need to get moving as quick as we can," He said urgently, a pang of desperation in his tone.

The sorceress sighed and nodded, "I can…. But Dominik you're incredibly pale, you look like you're about to fall over at any moment. Besides, don't you want to meet me there? Geralt detests being-."

"I'm fine Yen I promise," He snapped quickly, "And Geralt will deal with the portal…. Right Geralt!?"

He whirled around and looked at his adopted father, who could clearly see the frantic look in Dominik's eyes. Sighing his adopted father moved his wet hair out of his eyes and nodded.

"Yeah… come on we should get moving Dom's right," The older witcher said, taking a step closer to Yennefer, as Dominik sighed out in relief.

For a moment he felt the wind and rain finally stop. One last gust of wind shot through his body and he felt the hairs on his arms stand up, the cold seeping into his already aching bones. A small part of his brain screamed at him to stop, to take a moment, rest, drink a potion, and think more on what he had learned. However, a much large, much angrier part of him told him he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop then, the trail was slowly getting colder and colder, and the only way for it to warm up again was for him to not stop moving.

So, he didn't care what his body was telling him. He reached his hand around the swallow pendant and his trembling hands wrapped around it. It was as if the hole in his heart was slowly growing larger and larger, and with every second that passed when he was so close, it felt as if another sharp knife was being plunged into his body.

No, no matter what his body was screaming at him to do, he wouldn't stop. He'd never stop again, not until he finally reached the end of his path.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The first thing he noticed on the palisade outside the village was the ice. Ice had been spat across the top of the fences surrounding the village, and he saw small patches of it as he walked besides Geralt and Yennefer. The sun had come back out and was shining brightly over the smaller village, but before he even entered the square, he could feel the somberness, the sense of dread and loss hanging in the air, he could almost feel the tragedy that had happened there. After the Battle of Brenna, he had returned to the sight of the battle a few months later, and as he walked across the ground where he had drug wounded soldiers to Shani's medical tent… he could still feel in his bones the horrible things that had happened there. As he walked and slowly took his first steps into Lofeton… the sense of hopelessness, and fear made the battlefield he walked through at Brenna feel like nothing at all.

All of the houses he saw, he could see the ice and frost forming on the tops and side of them. Sheets of ice and snow littered everywhere on the ground, and it almost felt as if it were abandoned. The only people he saw were a collection of women gathered around a mass circle of charred earth in the middle of the square. One of the first things he noticed was the giant tree that had been completely uprooted in the town square, it had been knocked completely out of the ground onto its side, and he could see the giant branches and trunk almost completely covered in frost, and despite the sun shining brightly and harshly down onto the town, it didn't seem as if it would be thawing anytime soon.

He could see all the signs, long streaks of frost up and down parts of the town, large claw marks taken out of the sides of buildings…. He had never seen a dragon before, but he knew from his lessons at Kaer Morhen, that the witchers code strictly forbid killing them, seeing as they were sentient and intelligent creatures. One of the favorite stories that Ciri and he both loved hearing Geralt tell back in Kaer Morhen, was that of the great dragon hunt Yennefer and he had gone on. During the hunt Geralt and Yennefer met the golden dragon Villentretenmerth, who using polymorphy was traveling under the name 'Borch Three Jackdaws'. After Geralt and Yennefer had helped save his newborn hatchling, Borch thanked them both and flew off, promising to repay them one day.

That had been the only story of a dragon he had heard, other then learning about the subspecies at Kaer Morhen. Slowly he turned his head to Geralt, and he could see that his adopted father was thinking the same exact things that he was.

"Geralt… you don't think…" He said slowly, looking around at the torrents of ice and frost that covered chunks of the village.

His adopted father turned and met his eyes, and more then he had the entire quest, Dominik saw a look of uncertainty in Geralt's eyes. Slowly his adopted father shook his head.

"We'll worry about it later…" The older witcher said slowly, his tone final.

He let out a shaky breath and turned to see Yennefer had stopped walking. Despite the cold ice and frost that littered the town, he could still feel his entire body burning with a hot determination. Ciri had to be somewhere on that island, she had to be there herself or something that could lead them to her had to be there. It didn't matter to them if the Wild Hunt had a thousand dragons, and a thousand soldiers behind them. If it meant that he would get to Ciri he would fight them all, kill them all if it meant he could have her back in his arms for only a second.

Looking up he saw the scene Yennefer was looking, both Geralt and he joining by her side. The women who were all gathered at the base of the uprooted large tree. He could see littered in front of them was a series of graves, mound of frosted earth. The second thing he noticed after the tree being uprooted was the ground itself. The large area around the tree was completely scorched black, and he now wondered if a dragon had really uprooted the tree, or if it had been whatever magical explosion. The more he looked at the scene of the village, the more he could feel his heart stir, slowly sinking lower into his stomach. It would have been impossible for almost anyone to survive this. He knew Ciri wasn't just anyone, but the more he saw the destruction, the more he felt the panic begin to well up in his chest. They needed to figure out what happened to her there, and if she had really caused the explosion.

All of the remaining survivors from the attack stood at attention, seeming to be praying. And as the three of them stood there watching on, he could hear them reading off names of the deceased. It seemed to be a long list, and he could see the somber looks and tears welling in some eyes. A small twang of sympathy rang through his body, but it only stayed for a moment, when he remembered why they were there, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck.

"Ritual of some kind for the dead, we're going to have to wait till they're done," Geralt said from one side of him.

He was about to protest himself, but Yennefer quickly scoffed from the other side of him. His adopted mother shook her head fervently, an urgent tone in her voice.

"We'll do no such thing, come," She said, walking forward towards the circle of people.

Geralt shook his head, eyeing the sorceress, "Yen stop we can't-."

"She's right Geralt," He snapped over to his adopted father, "We don't have anymore time to wait, we need to move."

His adopted father looked between both Yennefer and he for a moment, seeming to realize that he was outnumbered. Finally, Geralt sighed and Dominik turned back to follow Yennefer, who had already started walking towards the circle of prayer. He quickly followed behind, with Geralt on his heels. As they entered the mass grave, he could feel the frost still crackling off the uprooted tree, its dark and branches still incased in ice. It had to have been weeks since the attack, and the frost still hadn't melted, whether it was a dragon, or it was Baelen, the frost almost seemed as if it would be impossible to break. Simply turning in the tree's general direction made his eyes feel as if they were freezing up inside his head.

However, Ciri's voice quickly played in his mind, and as he stopped next to Yennefer his eyes turned back to the group of women. He felt his skin begin to heat up again, as he looked around the group. Yennefer tried for a welcoming smile and held up her hands.

"Dear sisters… pardon the interruption," She started, getting all of the surviving women to look up at them as his adopted mother continued, "But we've an important matter we must discuss with you all."

"Can't you see we're commemorating the dead," One younger woman snapped from his right.

He almost felt himself shout, but Yennefer quickly shot him a glare to quiet him. She calmly turned back and looked at the group again, just as Geralt came up next to him.

"And we're looking for someone who's still alive! Please… this is urgent," Yennefer begged to them all.

Looking around he could see the uncomfortable looks some of them were giving. However, he knew that he was close, after so long he was close. Ciri had been in that village, he knew she had to have been. Only Ciri could have left such a powerful magical imprint behind, such an explosion. If she had been there he was going to figure out, whether it was a dragon he had to get the information from, or a group of women.

The brown-haired young woman who snapped first rolled her eyes at the three of them, and Dominik could see the detest in her eyes as she answered, "Ughhh, fine speak what is it!?"

Before he could right away open his mouth to ask about Ciri, Geralt stepped in front of both him and Yennefer. He gently bowed his head towards all of the women in the circle, slowly coming up looking at them all.

"Before we ask, it's said that the Wild Hunt destroyed this village…" His adopted father slowly asked the group, looking around and meeting all of their eyes.

The brown-haired woman scoffed again, "This is true… though few believe us. You don't either I'm sure."

He took another quick look around the village. Some huts were burned, some were completely covered in frost, some had been completely knocked over. The large claw marks in the roofs of some houses, the sulfur smell that still lingered strongly in his nose, the complete destruction that had been left in their wake. It was all the telltale signs of a Wild Hunt raid, signs that had been haunting him since he saw the village of Heatherton in Velen, that had felt like so long ago.

And if the Hunt truly had a dragon somehow under their control… then he didn't know how they could stop it. But one thing he did know, is that if he had to try and kill that dragon to get to Ciri, then he would find a way to kill the fucking dragon.

"Did you see riders on skeleton-horses, wearing frost covered armor," Yennefer asked the group, looking between them all.

"Aye, they came in a ship made from the fingernails of dead men, just like in the ballads," An older woman wailed from his left. He whirled around to the woman with Yennefer and Geralt, and he could see the distress the poor old woman was in. She had a bloody shirt wrapped around her waist as she slowly shook her head and continued, "Leif yelled to grab the children…. Then they came… cut him across the face, he… he tried to whisper, but only blood came out!"

He felt a chill run up his spine. The sun beat down on his neck, although he had still been completely drenched from the rain. Hearing the story of the raid made him remember back to the cave in the Oxenfurt woods. The raking of Baelen's voice off her faceplate, the soldiers of the Hunt descending upon him and George, every one of them greatly skilled. George and he were two highly trained witchers, and they had barely escaped alive. He knew the Skelligers were tough folk, made of much thicker stuff then most… but they'd still have been no chance for them to beat back the Hunt.

Geralt took another small step towards the woman, "And… it's said they had a dragon with them…. Do you remember anything about it? How big it was, what color its scales were?"

The woman began to shake again, her head shooting up to the sky as if the beast would descend again. She slowly shook her head, still speaking in a shaky voice.

"They… they came so fast. But… but we managed to fight back, thought for a moment… one moment we may make it. But… then it screeched, it shot down from the sky, long as a warship, it descended and froze the great oak with its breath! Its scales were white as the clouds, it… it landed on the houses and roared, almost made my ears bleed it did, it-," She went to ramble on more, but Geralt quickly held up his hands.

"No need to go on, that's enough, thank you," His adopted father said, slowly walking back towards he and Yennefer.

His body felt as if the dragon had come down and froze him whole as well. Ciri had been here when it attacked, Ciri was immensely powerful, but he knew that she'd have little chance against a dragon by herself. She had been in even more danger then just from the Hunt, he needed to get moving, he understood why Geralt had asked the question, but he knew they needed to move now. There would be time to figure out about the dragon later, time to worry about how the Hunt came to control one later, now it was time to focus on Ciri, where she had gone.

The young woman who had snapped at them earlier did so again, making all three of them turn to her.

"You came here to ask about someone! Not prod open our old wounds, now speak," She screeched at them, her hands going to her hips.

Finally feeling his impatience reach a boiling point he took a step forward to look at them all again, his emerald eyes going dark as he felt his words spew out of his mouth like lava from a volcano.

"We're looking for a young woman named Ciri," He said, loudly enough for all of them to hear, "She's got ashen hair, green eyes, probably carrying a sword on her back."

He crossed his arms and he could see a few of the women back up at his glare. He didn't know how dark his eyes were, but he assumed that his gaze couldn't have been very inviting. None of them answered him for a moment, their mouths simply floundering in place. Again, he felt a shot of rage shoot up his chest, as he aggressively ran a hand through his wet brown hair and looked between them all again. Right before he could scream at them again, one woman with greying hair stepped up across from him.

"This… this Ciri, does she got a scar on her cheek, right here," She slowly asked, holding her finger up under her cheek.

His eyes widened and he felt a small bit of the weight lifted from his chest. Yennefer quickly stepped up next to him, eyeing over to the woman who had spoken.

"Yes! Yes, what happened to her," The sorceress quickly asked, as Geralt joined the both of them.

Slowly the woman shook her head, "I… I only remember seeing her for a short while. She was in the stables just before they attacked, with Craven. She… she was very tired, and… and her hair was wet!"

"So we know she bathed," Yennefer said dryly, the sarcasm dripping from her voice, "I guess that's progress."

"I'm sorry," The older woman said, quickly backing up, "Craven, Craven could've told you more."

Feeling his frustration mount he stepped forward towards the woman again.

"So… who is this Craven? Does he got a name," He said angrily, his arms crossing again.

"Dom calm down…" Geralt said quickly, coming up and gripping a hand on his shoulder.

He quickly shrugged his adopted father's hand off and looked between all of the woman again, his frustration reaching a boiling point. He was getting sick and tired of people giving him the run around, and not answering his questions directly. His gaze shot around to all of the women in the circle and he held his hands out, feeling the frustration spew out of him.

"WELL!? Does he have a name or no," He urged to the women around him, his tone making more of them step back.

His hands began to shake, and he was shivering from the cold left behind by the Hunt attack. He was soaked from head to toe, the sun barely doing anything to dry him, and all he wanted was Ciri. He wanted to know where she was, he wanted to go and get her, he wanted to hold her again, and he was prepared to do anything to do it. It didn't matter to him anymore who it was standing in his way.

The snapping woman from earlier spoke up again, "He HAD a name, until the ancestors struck it from our records! A thousand curses upon him, he ran from the Wild Hunt, and only him!"

"And now it's as if he ceased to exist," Another woman piped up from next to him, "His name has been struck from records. The law forbids anyone from touching him, speaking to him, even uttering his name…"

"Well we're on a BIT of a time crunch," He snapped again before Yennefer could say anything else, "We need to talk to him, don't rightfully care what your customs say. Now TELL ME, where he is."

"Dominik stop…" Yennefer said behind him, coming up to try and grab his arm, but he shook it off him as soon as he felt it. A look of panic and alarm went off in his adopted mother's face. For a split second he could see something he had never seen before when she was looking at him… fear, worry, panic.

The one woman who had been snapping at them seemed to have grown braver, because she took a step towards him, scorn and anger in her eyes.

"Sorry, we don't like to share information like that with outsiders. Especially ones who seem to have such foul temperaments. We don't have to tell you a thing," She yelled at him, crossing over her arms and meeting his eyes.

And in that moment, years upon years, of anger, of regret, of longing, of loss, of frustration finally all erupted in him within seconds.

"Oh, you WILL tell me, or I SWEAR to every god you can think of, that I will make what the Hunt did LOOK LIKE ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING AT ALL-."

"THAT'S ENOUGH," Geralt screamed from behind him, grabbing both of his shoulders in an iron grip, using every bit of strength his witcher mutations had given him.

"LET ME GO GERALT," He yelled, trying to break out of his adopted father's grip to no avail.

"Please forgive him, he's went through an immense amount over the last few weeks…" Yennefer quickly began to explain to all the terrified women.

He stopped paying attention to the sorceress's voice as Geralt continued to drag him away from the square. The whole time he thrashed, trying to get out of his adopted father's grip, but to no avail. The older witchers grip was clasped onto him, and he dragged Dominik towards the northern gate to the town, finally letting him go when they stepped through it. He whirled around and saw Geralt's yellow witcher eyes narrowed down at him, as his adopted father stood in front of him with his arms crossed.

Letting out a shaky breath he paced, feeling the heat bubble up inside of his body. They had known the moment he mentioned Ciri that this Craven had seen her, they knew where he had gone, knew that they would ask, but still didn't deign to tell him. It shot anger up his spine, someone else was trying to stop him. For eight years people had been trying to stop him, the universe had been trying to stop him from reuniting with Ciri and now that he was so close, more and more people were trying to stop him from getting to her.

He was sick of it, sick of everyone seeming to be standing in his way of getting back to her, of finally being happy again, of finally fulfilling the gaping hole in his heart. For eight fucking years all he wanted was to get back to her. For so long he didn't do anything, just traveling around feeling sorry for himself. That wasn't happening anymore, he was going to keep moving, he was so close he could feel it, and if he just kept moving then he could hold her in his arms within the next few days.

"Are you done now," Geralt asked him in a deep, serious tone.

His head whirled around, and he frantically pointed towards the village, "They knew Geralt! They know what happened, they know where that Craven went, and they weren't going to tell us!"

"Maybe it's because you threatened them all. Ever think about that!?" His adopted father shot back, his gaze piercing into Dominik's head.

"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE," He shouted, feeling himself ready to rip out chunks of his brown hair, "For eight years, eight FUCKING years Geralt, and the last few weeks EVERYONE has been playing games, giving me the run around, I'M DONE WITH IT!"

"THIS ISN'T YOU DAMMIT," Geralt screamed at him, pointing towards him, a new fire ripping to life in his yellow eyes, "I've seen it happening since this morning! The Dominik I know, the one I raised, would NEVER have said what you just did to a group of people who just got their home destroyed by the fucking Wild Hunt."

Scoffing he shook his head, "I was never going to really do anything! Besides, they knew where to find Craven, who can tell us what happened to Ciri, or WHERE SHE IS!"

"THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO ACT LIKE THIS DOMINIK," Geralt screamed at him, louder then he had ever heard his adopted father raise his voice, even louder then when he was a child back in Kaer Morhen.

However, his rage didn't subside. He felt his hands curl into fists, and he took a step forward to meet the one his adopted father took.

"I'M DONE WAITING! I'M DONE CHASING LEADS, I NEED HER, I NEED HER BACK GERALT, I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE. I'LL DO ANYTHING TO FIND CIRI," He yelled, feeling his voice scream and screech off the back of his throat, as he locked eyes with Geralt again.

"CIRI WOULD BE DISGUSTED WITH YOU RIGHT NOW," His adopted father screamed again.

For the first time Dominik felt himself falter, as if something was being lifted off his chest. The words bounced through his head, and he felt himself shrink, he blinked for a moment, but kept his eyes locked with his adopted father, who kept staring at him with his intense gaze. He tried to formulate words back, but felt himself floundering. His mouth felt dry, and a cold feeling washed over his body, but not from the wind or frost, despite the sun still being up, but slowly setting he felt the chill come from inside of his own body.

Geralt took another step towards him and kept their eyes locked, his adopted father's glare feeling as if it pierced into his soul.

"SHE WOULDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE YOU RIGHT NOW IF WE FOUND HER," The older witcher screamed again, and for the first time Dominik ripped his eyes away as his adopted father continued, "The Dominik that I raised, that Yennefer raised, that Gregory and Sofia raised…. The Dominik Ciri fell in love with… would NEVER act like you've been acting today. And you know it…"

He felt as if a cold blanket was being draped over his body as Geralt's words washed over him. For a moment he thought back to how he really had been acting all day. The events from everything ran through his mind, the feast slaughter at Kaer Trolde, meeting with Ermion, a few moment ago when they had arrived on Hindersfjall. He had solved the mystery of the feast slaughter yes, but the whole time he had done it more so to get out of there and get to looking for Ciri. He had met Ermion, one of the most important people to Ciri, and hadn't even bothered to introduce himself, only screaming at the old druid, when all he was trying to do was prevent the island from being harmed….

And he had just threatened to kill a group of women, who had just had their homes attacked and destroyed by a dragon and the Wild Hunt

Ciri would have been ashamed of him, would have been disgusted just as Geralt said. Gregory and Sofia, his parents who had raised him in Cintra, his birth parents, would have been disgusted. He thought back to the shocked and horrified look on Yennefer's face when he had been screaming at the group of women, it had been a look he had never seen on his adopted mother's face. It had sent tingles down his spine, as if a thousand spiders were crawling up his entire body, the entire feeling washed over him, as an icy cold feeling of regret and shame covered him like a blanket. Shaking, he reached both of his hands up to the swallow around his neck. Gingerly he took the silver bird in his hands, seeing the small reflection of himself in the tiny silver bird.

His hair was wet, wild, stuck out at all angles, his emerald eyes, the feature Ciri had told him multiple times was her favorite about him, they were wide, a wild look to them. He truly didn't look like himself, and as the feeling of shame, regret, and remorse all ran over him, he felt his eyes begin to sting. They stung and he blinked a bunch of times, but he felt the wet tear slowly slide down one of his cheeks. It had been ages since he last cried, he had teared up when he had to say goodbye to Triss Merigold in Novigrad, and small ones since then, but he hadn't shed true tears in what felt like years.

But the thought in his head now was enough to make them begin to fall from his eyes. Ciri would be disgusted with him, ashamed of him. He had been telling himself the entire journey that he not only wanted to find Ciri but wanted to make her proud. He still wanted to be the person she had fallen in love with when they reunited.

And he hadn't been that day.

"You… you're right…." He said shakily, letting out a shaky sob, squeezing his eyes shut, and gripping his entire hand around the swallow.

For a few moments he felt the tears silently stream down his cheeks. The red-hot fury, the desperation and anger he had been feeling was all finally switching to regret, pure regret. He was finally so close to her… and he finally was starting to lose his way. He couldn't let that happen, he had to be him, he had to be Dominik when he finally found her again.

After tears streamed for a moment, he heard Geralt sigh behind him. He felt a light hand on his shoulder, where only minutes before his adopted father's grip had been like iron.

"I understand Dom… I really, really do understand what it's been like for you to be apart from her," Geralt said in a slow voice, as Dominik took in a shaky breath to meet his adopted father's eyes, before the older witcher continued, "I know the two of you better then anyone. I know what you have is real, how being apart has affected you both. Even when I saw Ciri two years ago she… she wasn't completely alright and that… that was because she hadn't gotten to see you when she came back."

"I… I miss her Geralt. I… I miss her so much," He finally felt himself sob, the tears starting to flow, the years of loneliness, panging and want had all finally boiled over.

Geralt met his watery eyes and slowly nodded, the hard look in his yellow eyes now replaced with a calming one.

"I know you do… and I know that being so close is making you desperate. It… it's partly my fault. I remember how you were in the few months she was at the temple, you were a wreck, and from her letters, I know she was too," Geralt said, a look of regret slowly coming to the older witchers face, "I should have never separated you both again. And I regret that to this day…. But now it's our chance to make up for it. You can't lose yourself, not now Dom. Not when we're so close, we WILL find her… we will, and soon."

He sobbed again remembering back to the time they had first ever been separated. When Ciri had gone to the Temple of Melitele, she had only lasted there a few months. He remembered the letters he'd get from her, begging him to try and convince Geralt to bring him to visit. During that time he had only been thirteen, traveling with Geralt, and his adopted father had been correct, he had been a wreck the entire time with how much he had missed her.

And that had only been a few months, now he hadn't seen her for eight years. It had driven him a little bit crazier every day, dropped more drops of sadness, anger, every emotion into his body, and in that moment all of the sadness and regret poured out of him. Even with how long he had been apart from her, how long he had suffered, it wasn't going to be an excuse. He had to be him, he had to be Dominik. If he was finally going to see her again after so long… he would be sure that he was still the same person she had fallen in love with.

Slowly he sniffled and wiped his hand over the tears that had fallen, looking back up to Geralt's withered face.

"I… I'm sorry…" He said slowly, shutting his eyes and shaking his head, "I… I just need her; I need her back Geralt. I miss her… I miss her so much."

"I know… it's alright, come on," His adopted father said, reaching out his arms and pulling him into a hug.

He sobbed once more and reached around to hug his adopted father. Both sets of their swords clunked, but he didn't let go of the man. For a moment he thought about what he did have. He didn't have Ciri, but he did have Geralt back, he had Yennefer back. For two whole years he thought that they were both dead. He thought that they had died in Rivia, and he would never see either of them again. Just like his first set of parents they had died, been slain and taken from him. Most people didn't get the chance to have a second set of parents, and he had managed to be one of the lucky few, and he thought they had both been ripped from him as well.

However, despite the fact Ciri still wasn't with him, he had both of his adopted parents back. They were with him searching, they wanted to get her back just as much as he had, wanted to reunite their family like he had. He squeezed his arms around Geralt as hard as he could, remembering how pained he was when he thought the older witcher had died. Geralt had taken him when he didn't need to, raised him as his son by choice. And now the older witcher was doing everything he could to stay strong for his sake.

He knew that Geralt was just as worried for Ciri as he. He didn't even want to think about the nightmares and dreams Geralt had been having of the both of them, the visions he had seen. Throughout every quest they've been on, Geralt's kept himself cool, calm and collected, when at times Dominik knew his adopted father wanted to lash out. All of this he had done, because Geralt knew if he broke, then Dominik would break even worse. Geralt knew that if he lost confidence for even a second, Dominik would as well. He appreciated this from his adopted father more then he could describe in words.

"Well, well, it seems like we've all calmed down," Yennefer's calming voice said from behind them both.

Tearing himself away from Geralt he looked over and saw his adopted mother giving him a small smile. She came up between them and put a hand on their shoulders, her warm smile sending a wave of reassurance through him, warming his body to the core.

"Yen, I-," He started before the sorceress quickly cut him off by shaking her head.

"Shhh, I know. It's alright son, come here," She said, holding out her arms as well.

He wrapped his arms around the sorceress, burying his head into her shoulder, squeezing her and feeling her warmth send reassurance through him. She had the motherly feel to her that he had been craving and missing over his years alone. Yennefer was his mother, just like Sofia had been, and he was thankful for it, more then he would ever be able to express. Just like Geralt he knew Yennefer had been just as desperate to see Ciri safe. His adopted mother endured grueling years of working in the court at Nilfgaard, all so she could find possible leads on Ciri, and have spies who could keep an eye on him.

He knew better then most how cruel the Black Ones were, and while he knew she could take care of herself; he also knew it couldn't have been easy for the sorceress. The pain and regret still washed over him, as everything he had done that day came flooding back into his mind. He managed to blink away the tears, as Yennefer's embrace sent a new warm feeling down his spine. The image of her face looking at him, horrified by his words, seeming to be scared of him flashed in his mind. No, he would never make her like that again, and he wouldn't disappoint them again. He would make both his adopted parents, and Ciri proud from then on.

"I… I'm sorry I scared you…. I… I just-," He started, but Yennefer quickly shook her head.

"I know Dominik… I know, I miss her too," The sorceress said reassuringly, pulling back from the hug, and giving him another reassuring smile, "You didn't scare me… I was just worried for you."

He quickly reached his gloved hand up and wiped his eyes again. Clearing all of the tears from his cheeks and in his eyes, he saw both of his adopted parents looking at him. The looks they gave him, it sent more warmth through his body, as he felt love for the both of them surge up in his throat.

"I… I love you both," He said simply, rubbing his hand under his nose, clearing his eyes one more time.

Geralt smiled at him and nodded, and Yennefer did the same, looking between them both, her violet eyes growing serious again.

"Well, now that we established how much we all love each other. I believe there's still one of us missing," The sorceress said, her hands going to her hips.

A pang of regret shot through his heart, as he bit his lip and met his adopted mother's eyes, "Did I… did I ruin our chances of finding Craven?"

He let out a breath of relief when Yennefer slowly shook her head. The sun was beginning to set, the orange rays shining between the three of them, casting their shadows over the frosted earth. The daylight would soon go away, but he knew that they would still search in the dark if need be. If Craven had known where Ciri was, they needed to find him by any means necessary. The man could was quite literally their last lead to her, he had to give them something.

The sorceress pointed further up the road they were on, "I managed to get them to tell me he headed up north towards the garden of Freya they have. He's going to kill a cursed beast named Morkvarg… they seem to think he could be dead already."

"WHAT!? How's he supposed to help us if he's dead," He frantically asked the sorceress, feeling himself ready to break down all over again.

His adopted mother however remained calm, looking between Geralt and he. She let out a shaky breath, taking a few steps past them both, looking back at the two.

"No worries, dead or alive Craven WILL help us… come on, let's get moving," She said, turning and jogging back up the path.

He met Geralt's eyes for a moment, and he could see his adopted father sigh before turning and jogging after Yen.

Dominik didn't know what Yennefer had meant, but if he trusted anyone, it was his adopted mother. She knew what she was doing, and if she was reassuring him, then he would believe her. Slowly he let out one more shaky sigh, reaching to grip the swallow around his neck again.

"Soon…" He said breathlessly, looking down at the pendant again, "Soon… I promise."

**A/N: And another intense chapter in Skellige is done! I originally planned to have the quest with Ermion be one chapter, then finding Sjkall's body be another, and then the Ciri POV being it's own. However, I decided to cut the chapters down like I have them now. Next chapter we get to see a lot of important things. 1.) It'll be the last Ciri POV until she, Dominik and Geralt all reunite on the Isle of Mists, 2.) We'll get to see the duel between Ciri and Baelen, and 3.) We'll get to see how being so close, only to come up short again affects Dominik. But first lets breakdown this chapter. **

**First we have Dominik having a not so nice introduction to Ermion, they will talk more later, but we right away see just how desperate he is growing. After some fighting, we see his control and tolerance for his powers growing, but still they aren't fully there yet. **

**The big plot for this whole chapter obviously is Dominik slowly losing who he is. He says and does some things that we'd never think he'd do. All of it stemming from the years of pent up frustration, yearning, longing and anger, and it all finally comes to a head.**

**Luckily his adopted parents are right by his side to talk him back to himself and help him see the error of his ways. **

**Now I love writing action scenes as much as every other author, but I LOVE writing family scenes like the last one, family bonding scenes and romance I am a complete sucker for xD We'll see plenty more of those scenes when Ciri finally comes back, mixed in with all the action haha. **

**One other HUGE thing we learn is that the Wild Hunt attacked Lofeton with a dragon… we will see that dragon next chapter. With a dragon being introduced on the Hunt side, what does this mean for the good guys? How'd they get the dragon, and who on the good guys side could possibly go toe to toe with it, can any of them… or maybe they'll need to call in some help…**

**So we only have THREE chapters left in Skellige! Next chapter we get the big Ciri POV, after that we'll have Geralt and Yennefer off doing The Last Wish quest, while Dominik takes some time alone to reflect. Then after that is the Skellige wrap up and heading out to get Uma. After that is all done… we're on our way to Kaer Morhen, and after that… FINALLY the reunion!**

**What are you guys looking forward to the most? Excited for the Ciri POV, the duel with Baelen, the dragon? How about once we get back to Kaer Morhen? Or the reunion? How will Dom react going before Emhyr the second time? If you got some extra time let me know in a review!**

**As usually guys and girls I appreciate your support so much. Thank you all for reading and keeping me going during this quarantine and being so kind in your reviews and PMs. I hope I continue to impress! See you all next time!**


	43. Nameless

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 43: Nameless**

**Narrator: After finally helping the Skelligan Jarls proclaim a new ruler, Dominik and Geralt both set out to meet with Yennefer at the site of the first magical explosion in Skellige, on Ard Skellig. After using the Mask of Ubaros, the three of them were able to see into the past, learning that Ciri had indeed been on the island. Ciri and her companion, a mysterious elven mage, had landed on the island, before being forced to flee. After investigating one magical explosion, Dominik and his adopted parents headed to the island of Hindersfjall, to investigate the second explosion. It turns out that the Wild Hunt had attacked the village of Lofeton, with the aid of a great white dragon. Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer learned that Ciri had been there for the attack, in the presence of a man called Craven. After figuring out the man's location, they all set out to locate him… hoping that he could finally be the lead that helps them discover Ciri's location….**

The orange rays of the sunset were slowly starting to dry his completely soaked armor. He walked slowly behind Geralt and Yennefer, the fatigue from the day slowly catching up to him. From the aching in his bones, the headache piercing in his head, and the shame that ran down his body, it all washed over him, but he kept his feet moving as they finally reached the garden of Freya. The name of the place made him wonder for a moment how his friend Freya was doing, if she had made it to Kaedwen and delivered her friends necklace back to his family, if she was on her way back to Ellander before she went to Kaer Morhen. It made him wonder what George of Toussaint was doing, if Faram was preparing his expedition back to Undvik. All of his friends, it had only been a few days, but to him in that moment it had felt like ages since he saw any of them. The three of them, himself and Ciri, it's all that he wanted, he wanted to sit around a fire with them, tell stories while Ciri sat on his lap and rested her shoulder on his head like she had used to.

But now he far from had that. He was drenched from head to toe still, both his swords felt like they were weighing him down, slowly dragging him to the ground. However, he felt himself shake it off, as he saw they were finally approaching the gates. All he had to do was walk a little bit farther, fight a little bit more, and then he could have that. After how he had been acting that entire day, he didn't know if he deserved it. The universe hadn't done many favors in his life, but if there was ever a time it could… it would have been then. Craven had to be alive, he had to help them find Ciri, or knew where she was. Yen's words rang in his ears, that the man would help them either way. He didn't care how he helped, as long as he did. Anything, anything for him to just know where she was. It was all he was craving, craving and working for. All he wanted to do was hold her, have her in his lap while they looked into a fire like they had used to, her head on his shoulder while they told each other stories, and he told stupid jokes. She'd give him that cute smile and laugh at his jokes before kissing his cheek.

His thoughts were cut off by a loud beastly snarl hitting his ears. He shot his gaze up and looked up towards the gate, finally coming up between both Geralt and Yennefer.

"Well… it looks like that's Morkvarg," Yennefer said slowly, as he saw the beast behind the locked iron gate.

"Fucking hell… kind of looks like a deformed werewolf," He muttered, crossing his wet arms over as the beast snarled loudly over a dead wolf.

Geralt slowly shook his head, his voice low and wondering, "Thing sure ain't pretty… that's definitely a powerful curse."

He peered through the iron gate and got a closer look at Morkvarg. Under normal circumstances he would have been more interested, trying to figure out more about the beast. It had a bluish color to it, its teeth and fangs large and digging into the wolf carcass. Peering his eyes, he could hear the beast speaking in a low drawl, its voice raked off his ears, sending shivers down his arms. It spoke to the wolf carcass, begging and begging more for just as single morsel of food. He let out a shaky sigh as the beast screeched and ran off further into the garden.

There had been plenty of curses he lifted over the years, plenty had seemed like Morkvarg, and he had killed or cured them all. He knew firsthand how dangerous beasts like it could be, and he knew Skelligers were a hardy group of people, nobody other than a witcher would stand a chance against that beast. If he didn't feel the urgency running through him, he would have suggested that he and Geralt go and find out where the curses source was. However, he didn't rightfully care about Morkvarg at the moment, only focused on finding Craven… the one way they'd know where she went. He had to be the final lead, Craven had to be it, had to tell him where she had gone.

"Well, he certainly doesn't look friendly," Yennefer commented, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

Quickly he shook his head, "Don't really care how he looks. So… let's get going."

He started walking up towards the right. Geralt nodded in agreement and quickly followed behind him, "Yeah, Yen you said that the sisters mentioned a tree in the center?"

He continued to climb up the walls of the garden, reaching and leaping up, pulling himself onto the higher walls. Looking further into the herbarium, he could see the large tree that Yennefer said the sisters mentioned. He didn't know much about the Skelligan gods, but he knew one of the major goddesses of the pantheon was the goddess Freya. His friend Freya had told him when he met her in Ellander, her father named her after the goddess in the hopes she could bring sun and warmth to people's lives. It was part of the reason she had wanted to become a doctor. He thought more about Freya, and the rest of his friends as he jogged across the stones, both his adopted parents looking worriedly at him from behind.

The next time he saw his friends, he had promised he'd have Ciri with him to introduce to them all. He couldn't break another promise to the people he cared about. He had promised things to so many people, most importantly Ciri, and he had failed all of them. The feelings of anger, annoyance and frustration he had earlier, had all fallen, now all he felt was desperation. Desperation, fatigue, longing, it all washed over him as he turned left and kept jogging towards the tree. He needed her, he needed to finally find her, it had to be the final clue. He didn't know if he had any favor with any particular god or goddess, or the universe at all, but if it could give him anything, all he wanted was Ciri, or the final clue that would lead him to her.

Faintly he heard Geralt and Yennefer both coming up behind him. His bones still felt as if they were being continuously hammered, but he couldn't stop. He had to keep moving, every step he took, every clue he examined, it all had to lead him to her, it was all for her, all of it for Ciri. He first noticed the alter, with blood splattering over it, and he saw the imprint of someone who had kneeled on the ground. His eyes narrowed, and his highly trained eyes could see the footprints with specks of blood and boot imprints trailing outwards towards the edge of the raised platform they had been on housing the tree, down further into the garden. For a moment he listened, and could hear the distant howling of wolves, as all of the beautiful green foliage of the garden slowly blew through the wind. Letting out a shaky breath, feeling his damp hair blow with the wind, a chill running through his body. The swallow trembled around his neck again, and he slowly reached up to grip it, letting out a second shaky breath as his adopted parents both came up behind him.

"Check it out, Craven had to be here," He said, turning around to them both, "Geralt you see the impressions? He knelt here, and then the blood on the alter, bled himself before the goddess."

Geralt nodded and knelt down for a moment to examine the impressions himself, before turning back to Yennefer and him.

"You're right," He said looking at Dominik, "Tracks lead off, easy enough to follow the trail. Shouldn't take us that long to find him."

Yennefer quickly scoffed and gave them both a small smirk, "Ha, I may be inhumanly beautiful, but I don't have witcher senses, or have trained my eyes to notice the smallest impressions from a young age."

"Which is why you should stay up here," Geralt said right away, gesturing towards Dominik and himself, "Dom and I will follow the tracks…. No offense but down there in the underbrush you'd be like a…"

"Ball and chain," His adopted mother said with a smirk.

He felt himself scoff and laugh for what felt like the first time in ages. The sun continued to set, and he knew they only had a few hours of light left. He was hoping that they could find Craven, and then hopefully they'd have a lead to bring them right to her. The laugh sent a warm feeling up his stomach and throat, a small smile coming to his face.

"Well, I was going to say it gentler, but…. yeah, that's what I was trying to say," Geralt said with a small smile.

Yennefer sighed but a smile crossed the sorceresses face again as she looked towards him as well, "Oh alright. If the need arises I'll cast spells from here. Besides, some father son witchering would be good for you both."

"We've been doing that for the last few weeks Yen," He said in a jesting tone, crossing his own arms as well.

Rolling her eyes his adopted mother managed to keep smiling at them. Her reassuring smile sent another warm blanket down his chest. Other then Ciri, there was nobody he wanted more in the world in that moment. The longing, the desperation… it all slowly kept creeping up on him, but he knew at least he had both his adopted parents.

"Oh, I know. It… warms my heart to see the two of you together like this… all of us being together like this. Now… now we just need Ciri. Go on, I'll keep track of your progress from up here," The sorceress said with a smile, nodding towards the both of them.

He smiled again, warmth washing over him as Geralt let out a relieved sigh.

"Alright… we'll be back, come on let's get going," His adopted father said looking down at him with a smile on his withered face.

Quickly he nodded feeling his body turn to follow the tracks. He was stopped however when he heard his adopted mother shout out again.

"Be careful the both of you. Ciri would be furious with me if I let anything happen to either of you…. Particularly the man she's in love with," She joked, her hands on her hips as she smirked at them.

Despite the cold, the aching in his bones, and the desperation building up inside of him, he felt himself smile and a small tingle go up his arms. Through it all, all the longing he felt, how desperate he felt, the pang of fatigue and sadness… he at least knew that she loved him. From everyone he had talk to about her, from everything they had told him… she still loved him. She was still out there fighting to get back to him like they had promised, like they had promised when they were thirteen years old in that cave. She still wore his ring around her neck like he did the swallow pendant. Dandelion had said that the first thing she asked about was him, what he had done in the last eight years, the contracts and quests he had gone on.

And as long as she kept fighting for him, he would keep fighting for her with everything he had.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Just like they had assumed, it hadn't taken Geralt and he long at all to find their way into the cave. After following Craven's footprints through the garden, having to dive into the water again, killing wolves and following more blood trails, they had finally found their way into the small cave that it seemed Craven had fled. So, he reluctantly dove down into the well, feeling his entire body shiver and freeze as soon as he hit the icy depths below. Combined with his armor still being damp from the rainstorm earlier, he felt as if it would be completely soaked through for some time now. The shiver went through his entire body, pinging into his chest as he dragged himself up out of the depths and onto the rocky shore. He fell and rolled onto his back, sighing as he looked up towards the ceiling, feeling every single cell in his body soaked through, freezing him. His heart raced at an alarming rate, both his swords clunked underneath him as he slowly moved his hands to wipe his eyes and rub his temples, the headache overtaking him.

It wasn't long after he managed to get himself to the shore, when he heard another loud splash in the well. He poked his head up and saw Geralt had landed and pulled himself out of the water and right up to his feet on the rocky shore. The cave they were in was cold and damp, but he knew it had to be the one Craven ducked into to avoid Morkvarg. It was a cave that led down to the temples well and water supply, the door had been locked so Geralt and he had been forced to go around. If Craven hadn't been in the cave, he didn't know if he'd have the energy to continue moving, but he did know he'd have to find it in himself. As long as Ciri was fighting, he'd be fighting, he'd keep moving, he'd find someway to keep moving.

"You feel alright," Geralt asked him, reaching a hand down to help him off the ground.

Sighing he took it, and his adopted father lifted him from the ground. After stumbling for a moment, he rolled his shoulders, feeling his bones ache before he looked back to the older witcher.

"Just… tired. But we need to keep moving she… she can't be far off Geralt, she… she just can't be," He said breathlessly, turning towards the rest of the cave.

Geralt slowly nodded, "Yeah… she should be. After we figure out everything with Craven, you should get some sleep when we go back to Kaer Trolde, you seem like you're about to fall over."

"I'll be fine," He started, readjusting his sword straps, "I'll be even better when we figure out where she went, come on let's go."

He heard Geralt sigh from behind him, as they both started walking further down the cave. The echoes of water dripping from the rocks, the echoes from Geralt and he's footsteps all hit his ears. One small sound felt like a thousand bells going off in his head at the moment, as he could feel his blood running so fast it felt like it would burst through his skin. After stumbling for a moment, he stayed by Geralt's side as they got further and further down the cave, as he noticed the roots from underneath the great tree they had started at. They had to be close, this he knew because he could also see the small blood trail leading them on.

A part of him couldn't blame Craven for running from the Wild Hunt, for ordinary people it was really the only option to escape the specters, and even then, it wasn't guaranteed. There was also the fact that a dragon had apparently attacked, a white dragon. If his memory of the bestiary and dragon lesson were correct, it made sense why the Hunt would use a white dragon. White dragons spewed dangerous breaths of frost, that could freeze entire villages with one fell swoop. The people of Lofeton may not have seen it that way, but they had gotten lucky the dragon didn't do more damage. The part however that continued to baffle him was how the Wild Hunt had gotten a dragon to do their bidding. From what he did learn, dragons were intelligent magical creatures, who were supposed to be no threat to humans unless they attacked the beasts first. That was why the witchers code strictly forbade killing them, they were no threat unless they were threatened, and it's said they were some of the wisest beings known to man. Humans had hunted them to near extinction not because they were a threat to mankind, but because of the vast hordes of treasure that dragons collected.

So, the thought of the Wild Hunt somehow taming one, and having it do their bidding… it only made his blood even colder then it already was.

"Fuck… look," Geralt said slowly from next to him, ripping him from his thoughts of dragons.

"What is it," He said, before slowly turning his head towards what Geralt saw… and when he saw it his blood stopped flowing, "No… no, no, no, NO. DAMMIT!"

They had indeed found Craven, but he didn't need witcher senses to see that the man had died. He quickly ran up next to the body, and saw its lifeless eyes closed, a gash deep across his stomach. The man didn't look that much older then Dominik himself. He wore a blue tunic, with yellow and blue striped trousers, slicked black hair marred with blood and dirt. An old axe lay discarded next to him, he had put up some semblance of a fight, but as he guessed, it wasn't nearly enough to kill the beast, or fight off the Hunt. It had to be the one they were looking for he knew, he could tell from the wounds that he had died recently, and the trail finally ended at his body.

It was gone, the final possible lead to find where Ciri had gone, he was dead. The trail was cold again, he would have to go all the way back to square one. It was starting to feel to him as if the previous few weeks had meant nothing now, because now he had no way of knowing where she continued to go. He didn't know if she was injured in her duel with Baelen, if she had gotten away from the dragon unharmed…. He felt in that moment as if he was sixteen again, wondering and trying to find ANY type of lead towards where she had gone, but coming up with nothing, the trail completely cold.

He fell to both his knees next to the body, and curled both his hands into fists, feeling them shake as he looked at Craven's unmoving corpse.

"FUCK," He screamed again, forcing his eyes shut as his entire body began to shiver.

"Geralt, Dominik," Yennefer's voice echoed into the cave above them, "What's wrong, have you found Craven!?"

He realized they were underneath the tree again, and Yennefer had to have been able to hear them. However, all he could focus on was the man's body. Inside his unmoving head, in his dead brain was the knowledge of what happened to Ciri, where she had gone, where she was now. It was all he could focus on, as he felt the anger and desperation both slowly begin to rise in him at once, hot and cold feelings both rushing through him. The swallow around his neck trembled, and he could feel his eyes beginning to well up again as he grabbed it.

Geralt sighed, but he could see the worried look plastered on his adopted fathers withered face as he looked up.

"Yeah, just one small problem… seen rotfiends in better condition" The older witcher shouted up to Yennefer.

"Shit… alright haul his body up here. Like I said… I have an idea," His adopted mother shouted back down through the roots.

His head shot back up towards the roots for a moment, before looking sharply back over to Geralt. His adopted mothers' words rang through his head. _Dead or alive Craven WILL help us. _That's what she had said, although he had no idea what she could have been referring too. However, it was all he had to latch onto at the moment. In Craven's memory was the location of where Ciri had gone, what had happened to her. He couldn't start over again, he couldn't let the trail go cold, he didn't know how he could bare it, he didn't know if he would be able to period.

So, he quickly sniffled and wiped the small tears welling up in his eyes and shot his head over to Geralt again. He saw another concerned look on the older witchers face before he looked down at Craven, and then back to Dominik with a sigh.

"Okay… let's get him up there. Someone's dying to meet you…" The older witcher said, as both Dominik and he went to start lifting the dead man's body.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Mhmm… putrefaction's set in but.. vocal cords are still intact," Yennefer deduced, as the three of them all stood there, looking down at the dead body.

He crossed over his arms as he stood there between them both, but his fingers twitched, and his knees bobbled. Geralt and he had hauled Craven's body back under the tree, where Yennefer, he and Geralt all now stood over the corpse. His eyes kept glaring between his adopted mother and Craven, his mind racing, the desperation building. If Ciri had still been somewhere close, then they didn't have much time, they needed to get moving. It had been a few weeks since the attack on Lofeton, so she couldn't have been too far away.

"Yeah… but I don't think he's very talkative right now," Geralt said from his right, his arms crossed over his drenched armor.

His adopted mother took a step forward towards the body, before crossing her own arms and turning to them both. The sun was still slowly setting, the orange glow casted their shadows over the green garden, but despite this the wind still howled, making him shiver as his adopted mother looked at both him and Geralt.

"Anyone can be made to talk… even a corpse. Given that one knows the proper ways," The sorceress said slowly, looking between both of them to gage their reaction.

"Necromancy," Geralt said, sounding completely abashed, "Yen necromancy is forbidden."

"So is premarital sex, yet we don't exactly adhere to it," Yennefer shot back sarcastically.

He felt his mouth run dry as both his adopted parents began to go back and forth about the taboos of necromancy. They both quickly became tuned out in his brain as he stood there, his arms falling to his sides as he looked at Craven's body. The man's unmoving eyes, the gaping wound in his stomach. He knew what had happened to Ciri, was with her in Lofeton before the attack, talked to her, knew where she had gone, where she could be now. If he were alive he could tell them, and then they could be on their way to her. Yennefer was powerful enough, her spell would open Craven's eyes, force him to speak, tell him where she was.

Under normal circumstances he would have agreed with Geralt. He had seen what horrors necromancy could wreck on a mage. He had been twenty, it was only a few months before Rivia. Just outside of Tretogor, he had come upon a small village that he heard was having problems with corpses going missing. He talked to the ealdorman, and got the details, thinking that it had simply been a grave hag, going and stealing bones from the graveyard. It hadn't just been a grave hag. After lying in wait, he discovered it had actually been a rogue mage, bringing the corpses of the dead back to life. He followed the mage to where he had his lair, only to discover a large group of the reanimated corpses, with limbs, eyes, and other parts of their body all missing. The mage had been trying to recreate the body of his dead love by mixing all the different body parts of dead people into one human form, using necromancy and twisted science to sew the bodies together.

It hadn't ended well for him at first, after trying to confront the mage, Dominik had been routed. The man brought back to life all of the cut apart corpses he was operating on, and Dominik had been forced to flee. He saw the madness the man exhumed, and thinking of the sick, twisted created bodies sent chills up his spine and nearly made him get sick on the spot. It hadn't been easy to take the mage down, and he had even tried to reason with him at first.

What he had done was go to the family of the mage's dead lover. It turned out that the mage had been in hiding with the family, as he had been an alchemist, becoming more and more harassed by followers of a cult of the Eternal Fire. During the time the mage had fallen in love with the elderly man and woman's daughter, both truly coming to love one another. However, the mages lover had been kidnapped, tortured, raped and killed by this cult, leading the mage to desperately try to revive her… and the necromancy eventually drove him mad.

After hearing this, he tried to figure out a plan to reason with the mad mage. The girl's younger sister, who had only been the same age as he volunteered to go with him, thinking that since she looked extremely similar she could reason with the man. So, Dominik had taken her with him back to the cave where the mage had been hiding and tried to talk to him. For a few moments he thought that the plan would work, that was until the armed men from the cult of the Eternal Fire broke into the cave, and the mage had gone over the edge, screaming that Dominik and his lovers sister had consorted with the cult to kill him. After barely managing to save the sister from being stabbed, Dominik had to kill the mage, with the cult managing to escape. After this, he had gone and hunted the cult down, killing them all….

The eyes of the mad mage popped into his head, the sick twisted corpses. He would never have considered even entertaining Yennefer's request under normal circumstances.

However, the circumstances were far from normal in that moment.

"STOP IT," He finally yelled, making both of his adopted parents turn to him. Yennefer had a desperate and slightly angry look in her eyes, while Geralt's witcher eyes looked the same. Taking in a shaky breath he slowly turned his head and met his adopted mothers' eyes, "Yen… do it."

Geralt's eyes shot to him, "Dom, you know what-."

"I know Geralt," He said quickly, turning to meet his adopted father's eyes, "But… there's no other option, and you know that. Ciri's on the line…"

After a moment Geralt seemed to realize he was outnumbered in the argument. Dominik didn't dare second guess himself. He knew that Yennefer was powerful enough and smart enough to not be sent mad by the necromancy, she wouldn't turn out like the mad mage after using it once. His adopted mother was ready to do anything, just like he was. He knew Geralt was ready to do anything as well, but his adopted father was simply worried for their safety. There was no other way around it. They needed to know what Craven knew, and as Geralt said, he wouldn't be talking of his own free will any time soon.

Sighing Geralt looked over to Yennefer, "Fine… do you need anything for the spell?"

His adopted mother rolled her eyes, "The blood of a virgin, water from the springs of brokolon, and a troll's tongue…. I'm a sorceress not an alchemist. I only need a large amount of magical power…. Luckily, we're in a place saturated with magical energy."

"You mean the garden…" He said slowly, looking around at the green around him.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "I don't exactly think that the sisters will be very happy about that…"

"Well they don't exactly like me already…" He said with a sigh, looking between Geralt and Yennefer both, "Do we have any other choice?"

His adopted mother slowly shook her head, meeting his eyes now, "Not unless I could somehow teach you to use the spell, with the magic you've been showing it may be enough but… you look like you can barely stand as it is, so that's out of the question."

He felt his eyes go wide, "But Yen if I can-."

"Absolutely not," His adopted mother said firmly, the sunset casting a glow over her face, "We don't have time to teach you, plus even if it did work I don't know what the effect on you would be, and I refuse to risk it."

"Yen I want to-."

"NO Dominik," She said, this time far more sternly, her violet eyes lighting up, "One of you are already in danger. I refuse to risk you I won't lose you as well!"

Sighing he felt the words wash over him. He looked over at Geralt for some type of support, but his adopted father simply shook his head.

"She's right Dom. If it's between the garden… or you…" The older witcher said slowly, not taking his eyes off him.

He looked between both of his adopted parents again and sighed in defeat. The truth of the matter was he didn't even know how much magic he could produce if any. His body was still wet and shivering at even the slightest bit of wind. The powers in his blood had unleashed three times that day, more then they ever had, and it had been a miracle he was still able to walk. He felt a surge of love for them both well up inside of him, despite the fact he still wanted to risk everything for Ciri.

Taking one more look down at Craven's body he sighed, reaching his trembling hands up around the swallow pendant. He let out one more shaky breath and looked over to Yennefer again.

"Alright… go ahead do it," He said to the sorceress, feeling the sunset for the first time heat up the back of his neck.

Yen slowly nodded, and all three of them turned back to Craven's body. He took up a place next to Geralt as Yennefer slowly got to the dead man's feet. The hair on his arms and legs stood up, and goosebumps ran down his arms as the wind shot through his armor. Geralt crossed his arms, the orange rays of the sun shining of the pommels of his swords. He rolled his shoulders and adjusted his own two blades, the weight of them both finally becoming adjusted to his shoulders. He kept one hand gripped around the swallow, as Yennefer took in a deep sigh.

He watched as his adopted mother slowly closed her eyes, the blue ball of magical energy cracking and sparking in her hand. It slowly built more and more, and he watched as small blue tendrils of magic shot around the garden, attacking the bright green of the plants. For a moment he was worried the magic would spiral out of control, but his head shot back around when he saw the magic shoot into Craven's body. His head finally whirled back around to his adopted mother as the words in elder speech echoed from her mouth.

_"FELAIN, FEALIN, CAES ANGEATH MARW," _Yennefer bellowed, her voice echoing through his ears and the garden.

Geralt and he almost had to take a step back when more magic shot down into Craven's body. It erupted in a blue pulse in the man's chest, and he felt as if a thousand ants had begun to crawl up his arms. He was flashed back to the mad mage, reanimating the sewn together corpses that attacked him. It was all too similar to him, as Craven's closed eyes shot open, they were white as the clouds above them, and they seemed to pierce into his soul. Slowly the man screamed and rose up to his knees in front of Yennefer.

"ARGGGGHHHHHHH, GAHHHHHHHHHH, AHHHHHHHHHH," The deep echoing, gravely voice of Craven screamed throughout the garden.

His eyes widened as he saw that Yennefer's spell indeed had worked. The man was alive, and could speak, his hands gripped harder on the swallow as he realized what it meant. They could figure out, they could figure it all out, they would be able to know what she had done in Lofeton, where she had gone. It couldn't have been far, she had to be close, and he knew where. He ran over next to Yennefer, as he could see his adopted mother's eyes narrowed in concentration as she bellowed down towards the corpse.

"Are you Craven of Lofeton!?" The sorceress screamed down at the corpse, the ball of magic erupting in her hands.

"AGHHHHHHH, SKJA, SKJAALLLLLLLL, MY NAME, MY NAMES SKJAALLLLLLLLLL," The corpse yelled again, his voice pinging in Dominik's ears.

Feeling the boiling impatience overtake him again, he bent down to get closer to the writhing man's face. He knew, this man knew everything, knew where Ciri had gone, the last person he needed to talk to, to figure out where she had gone.

"We're looking for Ciri," He screamed at the man, ignoring the tingling and fire ripping up his arms, "Ashen hair, green eyes, scar on her face. WHAT HAPPENED TO HER!?"

His skin felt like it was going to boil over again, as if all along his skin was a series of festering blisters already to explode at a moment's notice. So, so close after so long he was finally right there. Eight years, eight years he had been praying to any gods he could, wishing, hoping, yearning for the exact moment he stood at then. Skjall's body continued to fester as he screamed louder, his voice continued to echo through the entire garden.

"AHHHHHHH, GAHHHHHH, SHEEEE, SHEEE'S THE REASON THEY CURSED MEEEEEEEE," The dead man yelled, his screams of pain sending shivers and tingling down his chest.

"WHAT HAPPENED," Yennefer screamed from behind him, taking a step closer and squeezing her fist closed tighter.

As she did the effect on Skjall was instantaneous. Another loud scream came from the body, shaking Dominik's already shaking bones.

"ARRRGGHHHHHHHH, NOOOOOOOOO," The body screamed again, twitching frantically, his bones crunching loud enough for Dominik to hear.

The fire erupted inside of him again as he shot upwards, his hands balling into fists as he could feel the information right within his grasp, but yet someone was STILL trying to stop him.

"TELL US WHAT HAPPENED, OR I SWEAR I'LL THROW YOUR BODY TO THE FUCKING DROWNERS," Dominik screamed, his hands shaking uncontrollably, the swallow and wolf medallions around his neck bouncing off his chest.

"Dom…" Geralt said slowly from next to him.

He whirled his head around, intent on screaming back at his adopted father again. However, before he could Skjall screamed again from below him. His eyes widened and he met the white eyes of the dead man as he writhed and twitched below him.

"GAHHHHHH SHE, SHEEE, SHE FEEEELLLLLLLLLL, FEELLLL, ALLMOOOOSSSTTTT DROWNEEEEED."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Pain. Pain was all she felt as her eyes slowly fluttered, black and white spots dancing in her vision as all she could feel was the pain. She remembered falling, falling and smacking into the water but that had been it until then. Her entire body felt like a poison was slowly coursing through it, as she couldn't even find the energy to keep her eyes open. She saw a ceiling for a moment, felt her bones laying on a mattress, but the black spots kept dancing and dancing, as she wanted nothing else in the world but to get up, to get up and find him. He always knew how to make her feel better, no matter what type of injury she had. It was three times now she had failed, three times now she had the opportunity to get back to him, and all three times she had failed. She felt a cold chill running through her body, up her legs, over her chest and into her throat. All of her limbs tingled, every cell in her body yearned just for him. He would have made her feel better somehow, he would have been by her bedside, trying to say whatever he could to make her laugh, make her injuries and fears go away. She had promised him she'd never leave, promised him she'd always get to him. He had been fighting and looking for her still, still loved her after eight years apart, just like she still loved him… and she had just now started to keep her promise of getting back to him. She dreamed of him most nights after they had separated, but the dreams had turned to nightmare since she left Geralt outside Kaer Morhen two years prior. Night after night she'd dream of him, in different scenarios, different fights, almost being killed and trying everything to find her…. And with each dream she felt more ashamed.

She had come back after seeing the dream of him and the hunt, knowing that he had to be in danger, and when her yearning to see him, Geralt and Yennefer had grown too much. But now she had only put them all in even more danger. She wanted Dominik, she wanted Geralt, Yennefer, her room back in Ellander, the last time she felt genuinely happy. All thoughts of Avallach, of the Hunt, of her blood, of running were gone as she lay there, trying to blink her emerald eyes open, but to absolutely no avail. She concentrated how she could, and she could see his boyish face, the goofy smile he would get when she kissed him, how frazzled and speechless he'd get, how he looked at her, she missed simply having him look at her, looking at her like she was the most beautiful person in the world. For so long she had been running, training, watching her back, fighting. For so, so long she had been fighting. In that moment, all she wanted was him. Dominik's arms around her, her sitting in his lap, while Geralt and Yennefer sat nearby, watching over the two of them as they always did. She wanted to hear some of his stupid jokes, see that goofy smile, to hug him tight and wrap her legs around his waist, to lay in a field or mound of snow and watch the sky… to have him call her 'princess'. She had always told him she hated being called that… but the truth was she loved it when he did, and only him. She would have given anything to have him smile at her, call her 'princess' and hold her in that moment.

_'I humbly surrender to you my lady…', 'I loved you then, before that… and well I'm going to love you for a long time,' 'To me you are the most special person, but not because of any blood or powers… but because of the person you are,', 'I love you because you're Ciri.'_

"Ciri," A sharp voice said next to her, "Zireael, can you hear me!?"

She blinked harder, recognizing Avallach's voice. The elf's voice registered in her brain, but she couldn't formulate a response. All she thought about was him, his gorgeous emerald eyes that matched her own, the scruffy stubble he could never grow… the look he'd get when she walked into a room. She thought about them and Geralt, the three of them all being together. Her father's silver hair, withered face, and proud yellow eyes he'd get when he saw her and Dominik sparring. And when she did find words, that was all she could say.

"G…Geralt… Dominik…. Dominik…. Dominik…." She said, feeling her eyes continue to blink.

"FOCUS ZIREAEL," Avallach snapped from next to her, his voice full if anger and annoyance. She tried to snap her head over to him, but every muscle in her neck strained. Blinking the spots out of her eyes, she heard the elf's voice again, "Listen and do what I say. You MUST meet me at drowned dead rock… do you hear me!? Do you understand!?"

"D… Dominik…. I… I'm sorry…" She said, feeling her eyes flutter again, her heart thumping so loudly she could hear it in her ears.

"FORGET THAT WRETCHED BOY! Drowned dead rock Zireael!" Avallach hissed at her again, his voice almost raising an octave, "Focus and repeat it to me!"

For the first time she seemed to finally realize what the elf was saying. She felt herself groan, his boyish face dancing in and out of her vision, his laugh, his smile, his eyes. She had missed him more and more every day since she saw him last, but in that moment, it had never been more so. She HAD to find her way to him, not only to fill the hole that had been festering in her heart for eight years… but to keep him from danger. The dream played in her head, him and the Hunt commander, the woman and him, clashing in a ring of fire, she had to save him, she had to find him. And to do that, she knew she needed to listen to Avallach, who hadn't steered her wrong yet.

"D…drowned… dead… rock," She said slowly, feeling her throat rip with every word she spoke.

"Good, now sleep… this ridiculous idea of yours will soon be over with," Avallach hissed behind his mask, as soon she heard footsteps walking away.

She could barely hear what he had said, but she remembered it in her head. Drowned dead rock, that's where she had to go. To get back to Dominik, to Geralt, to Yennefer, to everyone she loved, she had to get there. She'd get there, she'd get there and continue to fight. She was tired of fighting, tired of running, of always having to watch her back, but he didn't stop fighting for her… so she wouldn't stop fighting for him.. All of her limbs felt as if they'd fall off the second she moved them, it felt as if pins and needles were being poked into her brain with every thought. She couldn't stop however. Just like he still hadn't stopped fighting to get to her, she would never stop fighting to get back to him. It was what they promised, what they swore to each other all those years ago in the cave.

It wasn't just destiny that linked the two of them, it was something more, so much more. She loved him with everything she had, and even that wasn't the way to describe it. For the last eight years, even when she had come back to the continent and reunited with Geralt and Yennefer, something had still been missing the whole time. A part of her had been missing… as if a large part of her heart were missing. She'd never forget how her heart tore when Geralt told her Dominik wasn't at Stygga Castle, and how much it leapt when Yennefer said they would see him in Rivia. An emptiness, a part of her heart and soul had been missing since they separated… and she yearned to have it back, to finally have it full again.

Slowly she closed her eyes, not trying to keep them open anymore, the effort finally becoming too much. As she did she saw his face again, him and her in Ellander together, huddled around the fire. She sat in his lap, her head on his shoulder, he was telling her a story, and she didn't know if she had been listening. All she did was look up at him, feeling his love for her wash over her body as he smiled and enthusiastically told his tale, while Geralt and Yennefer both watched over them from a table some distance away, smiling at the two.

She would get there, she didn't care how old they were now, she'd replay that exact scenario over once she found him and made sure that he was safe.

But first, she knew that she needed to rest.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_Her dream had brought her to an old brown barn. She didn't recognize the village, or the area she was in at all, but in the distance she could see a cluster of houses to the left, with a group of frantic villagers all running around the town square, congregating around one yelling woman, who seemed to be pregnant. It was dark, the moon was full, and while she watched the dream unfold, she could feel how chilly the breeze was. If not for the commotion out in the village, it would have been a peaceful sight. Outside the barn she could see gardens full of herbs and other fresh vegetables, multiple bushels and barrels of grain and other ingredients strewn about. _

_ She was taken away from the barn however, when she heard the rushing footsteps, and that's when all of her breath left her. _

_ It was him. Dominik, she saw him, but not his young fourteen-year-old self like she normally did. He sprinted towards the barn, his sword in hand. He wore a red leather coat with brown straps across his shoulders, brown gloves and trousers with black boots. While he was sprinting, she couldn't get a good look at his face, but she saw his head of messy brown hair, and when he came skidding to a halt, it felt as if all her blood began to heat up at once. She saw him now, the boy she had fallen in love with all those years ago, the boy she had a crush on as they ran through the castle in Cintra… she saw him again, and he was a man now. A fully grown man. His emerald eyes were wide and frantic, almost glowing in the dark night sky. She was glad in that moment that he hadn't undergone mutations… she always loved his eyes, the sparkling green emeralds that matched hers perfectly. His face looked like it had been chiseled to perfection, and as she watched the scene unfold she felt her own face get hot, as she tried to call out to him, but her voice didn't come to her. She felt a small bit of tears begin to well up in her eyes, as she realized how much he was beginning to look like his father Gregory. He only seemed to be about a half a head taller then Ciri herself, but she could see his arms were defined, his chest was broad, as she yearned to just have those arms around her, and her own arms around his neck. He still only had scruffy brown hairs around his chin… but just like when they were younger he was still breathtakingly handsome to her. She had thought often over the years what he looked like now… but she could never have imagined how much more handsome he could have gotten. The warm feeling ran to her face as a small smile crossed her lips, and she would have laughed had she not seen him come face to face with the group of armed men. _

_ Seven men all rushed out of the barns doors and surrounded him. Her eyes went wide and again she tried to yell out, but her voice was still silent. Dominik stood in the middle, his sword still down at his side, gripped tightly as he looked around at the men surrounding him, the frantic look still in his green eyes. Her own eyes widened when she saw the absolute mountain of a man stomp from the barn, a large axe in his hands._

_ "Out of my way, NOW," Dominik demanded of them all, his voice deeper, more manly and demanding, and again she felt heat rush through her chest. _

_ She remembered the boyish tone, the laugh and voice he had when they were fourteen, and how much she loved it. Now he was grown, a man, a deep, commanding, yet soothing voice to him. She kept watching with wide eyes, as amazingly the mountain of a man simply shook his head, smacking the large woodsman's axe he carried in his hands. _

_ "Lady Alayna has ordered us to kill any intruders at this hour," The large man bellowed. _

_ In Dominik's eyes she saw something snap, "Your lady is an Alp! A vampire you idiots, now let me through!"_

_ Sucking in a breath she realized what the dream had been showing her. Dominik was on a contract, he was hunting a vampire, a dangerous one at that. She knew Alp's were some of the oldest and most deadly forms for even a mutated witcher, but Dominik still was trying to help the village. She had heard from Dandelion that to keep making money, to help him travel and search for her he had been taking on contracts over the years, and it had made Ciri's love for him rise. He wasn't mutated, he didn't have the supernatural skills of a mutated witcher, yet he still went out to try and help people, to try and save people, exactly what they had both wanted to do together. _

_ And all the while he was still looking for her. _

_ But she wondered why she would be seeing this dream in particular. Over the previous two years since she left to draw the Hunt away from him and her family, she had been receiving dreams like this. However, they never showed him as he was now, she would always see his fourteen-year-old boyish self, fighting, or in some kind of danger. Avallach had told her they were simply dreams and to ignore them, however when she dreamed of the female commander of the Hunt, lashing out and trying to kill him, she had enough and told Avallach she was returning, with or without him, and the elf had reluctantly agreed to go with her._

_ She had never seen him how he was in the present day however, so she watched with her skin trembling, shaking as she saw the large mountain of a man slowly shake his head at him. _

_ "Lady Alayna said you'd try to trick us… we won't let you harm her," The large man bellowed, brandishing his axe again. _

_ "You're enthralled… should have guessed," Dominik said darkly, leveling up his blade as the large man charged towards him._

_The man was absolutely huge, and for a moment she was horrified, thinking that Dominik was going to be cut in half. However, after a few seconds, Ciri saw just how good he had gotten. He quickly sidestepped, before he parried a strike from the axe, stepping forward and slicing his sword across the large man's chest. The large, beefy man screamed in pain, and smacked Dominik's legs out from under him, and tried to bring his axe down on him. The boy she loved had been ready however, grabbing both ends of his blade and catching the man's axe head on his steel, flicking the man's weapon away before rolling up to his feet, stabbing his blade through the giant man, killing him._

_ Her eyes widened as she watched him spin, parry, pirouette and side-step, cutting and fighting through the men, trying to get into the barn and kill the vampire. He fought them with ease, twirling his blade to the reverse grip that she knew he had spent hours upon hours practicing at Kaer Morhen. She had always said to herself, that if not for her powers, they would have been completely even in terms of their sword skills. If they had sparred ten times in the day back at Kaer Morhen, the matches would have been split even, with her winning more some days, and him winning more other days, if she didn't use the same trick she always did to make him lower his guard, he would have won even more. She would always pretend that he had hit her too hard, or had seriously injured her hand. _

_ 'OW, that really, really hurt…' She'd say, reeling back her hand. _

_ After she said that he'd almost always stop and lower his sword, His eyes would go wide and he'd run over to her saying, 'Ciri are you okay, what's wrong!?' _

_ And after he did that she'd smirk and knock his legs out from under him, making her and anyone who was watching laugh. He'd be annoyed for a moment, before sighing with relief and smiling at her. It may have been a bit harsh, this she knew, but she'd always help him off the ground and kiss him afterwards, telling him how glad she was he cared so much. He'd get that goofy smile, and his face would go red. _

_ The Dominik she saw then however, had far from that look on his face. _

_ He had cut down the last enthralled man, and she watched him reach up and grip around his neck. For a moment she thought he was checking his medallion but felt her heart pang again when she saw the swallow. He was gripping the silver swallow she had given him, before running into the barn. He still wore it… just like she always wore the ring. She couldn't help but wonder if like she did, he'd stay up at night, holding it up to the moon, just looking at it, remembering the good times. It was all that got her through some of her days alone, and some of her tougher days the previous two years. _

_ She watched as Dominik busted through the back door of the barn, his blade leveled as he slowly walked a few steps into the graveyard, his sword leveled. _

_ "I knew you would come witcher… and I am oh so glad you did," A sweet voice pierced the air, as both her and Dominik's visions shot towards the only tree in the graveyard. _

_ A beautiful red-haired elven woman emerged from behind the tree, wearing a low-cut, revealing blue dress, her breasts almost completely showing. When Ciri saw her, she had felt her blood turn to ice. It was her, it couldn't have been, Ciri hadn't thought about her or seen her in years, and the last time that she had, the woman had been in a different world, she had been in the Aen Elle world, in Tir'Nala the capital. _

_ Alayna, one of Auberon's concubines she had seen during her imprisonment there. In the days she'd spend being forced to try and share Auberon's bed, Alayna had always come to pleasure the king after he forced Ciri out of his room, refusing to touch Ciri's what he called, 'repulsive human skin'. While she had been escaping after Auberon died, all she had known of Alayna had been that she was accused of consorting to kill the king and had been cursed and casted out of Tir'Nala. Now she was across from Dominik, on the continent. It had been damn near impossible, but somehow it had happened. She watched as he simply shook his head, lowering his blade towards her. _

_ "Enough talk, spare me the pleasantries," He screamed over at her, "You're going to die, I won't let you harm anyone else in this village!"_

_ She watched as Alayna laughed and twirled her red curls, slowly beginning to circle him. _

_ "Oh but I do so love talking to you. I was surprised with how honest you were with me earlier. I've seen into your mind Dominik of Cintra. I must say you and your lost love made SUCH a lovely little couple," She said to him in a honey sweet voice. _

_ Ciri felt her face get hot, no, if Alayna knew about Dominik and her, and somehow found a way to get to Eredin… she could have told the Hunt about them both. Eredin and the rest of them could have gone to try and get him, to use him to draw her out, kill him to make her come to them. _

_ And she knew that it would work if they did. _

_ He shook his head, slowly following her with his blade out, screaming, "I said that's enough! You don't know me vampire!"_

_ "Oh, but I do young witcher," Alayna replied, slowly coming to a stop and looking at him, "Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon…"_

_ She barely had time to react herself before Dominik lashed out, trying to cleave her in half. However, as she knew, Alp's were extremely quick, and Alayna quickly dashed out of the way, reappearing behind him with a small laugh. _

_ "My oh my, you must really love her for you to get so angry at the mere mention of her name," Alayna cackled at him with a coy smile. _

_ "You don't deserve to speak her name," Dominik yelled, leaping and trying to strike again, but Alayna quickly dashed away. _

_ Ciri felt her blood slow in her body. Alayna she knew wasn't only an Alp, but an Aen Elle who could use powerful magic. The look in his eyes when Alayna mentioned her name, it was murderous, he had wanted to cleave the vampire in half, but Alayna simply smirked and shook her head again. _

_ "Zireael, the Lady of Space and Time, Lady of Worlds… the Lion Cub of Cintra, oh yes… I know who she is," She said coyly, meeting Dominik's eyes and Ciri tried to scream out again. _

_ She knew exactly what Alayna was trying to do. She was going to toy with him, offer him information about her to make him lower his guard, before dragging him to Eredin. When she tried to scream however, again her voice was silent, she was unable to move from the spot as she saw Dominik's eyes go wide, his blade slightly dipping to the ground. _

_ "What do you know about Ciri," He screamed at her, his blade shooting and leveling back towards the beast. _

_ Alayna laughed again, slowly shaking her head, "Now we are getting somewhere. Promise to hear me out witcher, and I will tell you all I know about the Lion Cub of Cintra… the woman you still love."_

_ Again, she wanted to scream out to him, tell him to turn and run, not to trust her. However, she couldn't, she watched on hopelessly as she could see the troubled look in his eyes. The swallow pendant she gifted him bounced around his neck. She liked to think she knew him better than anybody, and when she saw the look in his eyes she nearly wept. In his emerald eyes she could see the pain, the loss, the longing… how much he yearned for her. She knew because it was a similar look she'd get after having dreams of him, or while she lay up, looking at the ring around her neck. _

_ So, despite the fear that gripped her, she wasn't surprised when he answered the vampire. _

_ "Talk, and get to the point," He screamed over to her. _

_ Alayna smirked again and did just that. She listened as Alayna went on to explain how she had been an Aen Elle before she was cursed, and how she saw Ciri in their world. Hearing it flashed Ciri back, back to the horrible days she spent trapped there. Forced near every day to be brought to Auberon's bed chamber, the king screaming at her, degrading her, telling her how the small drop of elven blood in her was a 'pearl in pig shit', refusing to even touch her, not wanting to touch her skin, the very thought disgusting him, making her feel like she was less then human, less then any race, less than trash you'd find on the side of the road. She had tried every day to find a way to escape, to end her own life, or even to get Auberon to just do it so she could leave. She lay awake every night in that world, crying, feeling disgusted in her own body, disgusted by her own blood. _

_ The ring had been what gotten her through it, the thought of him, Geralt, Yennefer, being back together with them all, being able to be in the arms of ones who truly loved her. One's who loved her not because of the blood that flew through her veins of an ancestor she'd never met and had no control over. One's who loved her because she was Ciri. _

_ "Eredin had just taken over the throne of the Aen Elle," Alayna said, snapping Ciri's attention back to the dream as the vampire went on, "Our world is dying, and his Hunt decreed they'd save us all. He wants to invade this world, but to do that he needs power. Power to open enough portals for thousands of Aen Elle, and to do that…"_

_ "He needs Ciri… and her power," He said slowly, as she saw the tip of his sword dip. _

_ Alayna slowly nodded, a smirk still on her face as she went on, "And he will get it, it's inevitable."_

_ She saw his eyes go wild, as his blade shot up, only inches from Alayna's throat. His green eyes had a feral look to them, as his voice was deep and demanding. _

_ "He won't, not if I have anything to say about it! I'll kill Eredin and anyone that tries to hurt Ciri. I'll find her, and I WILL protect her!" He screamed, his voice reaching new levels, as she felt her love for him surge. _

_ Even after all these years, he still wanted to protect her, loved her with the same fierceness as she did for him. When they were younger all it took was someone to even slightly gaze at her wrong, and he'd be on them in a flash. It had been the same way with his father Gregory, the man whom she loved like a father as well, who protected her till his dying breath. She saw Dominik's handsome face grow a fierceness in them, his stronger jawline, higher cheekbones, his nose flared up, as his brown hair was messy and unruly, specked with blood and dirt. _

_ Alayna laughed lightly and took a small step back, "Yes, yes, very noble of you. I could… help you in that endeavor."_

_ "What are you talking about!? You aren't getting out of this alive! I won't let you terrorize this village anymore," He screamed, his blade shooting up towards her neck again. _

_ Ciri felt her blood begin to race again, it was still made of ice, but ran through her body at an alarming rate. Her eyes widened as she watched Alayna slowly shake her head, beginning to pace around him again. _

_ "Again so hasty young witcher. I speak the truth. I've seen your dreams, know your deepest desire, your deepest fears. I have the magic of the Aen Elle, I can open portals to anywhere, to anyone. All I need is a sample of something that once belonged to them," The vampire said slowly, looking around Dominik's neck, and when he shot a glare back at her she smirked again, "Oh yes with your pendant I can open you a portal, one that would lead you right to your lost love…. The two of you can be reunited again."_

_ She was lying, Ciri knew this. Alayna would have opened him a portal yes, but that portal would have been right to Eredin. After he had landed on the Hunt's command ship, he would be killed, his body put out on display, his death used to lure her to them. And it would have worked, if any of them so much as touched him, she didn't care how many of them there were, she would murder every single one, just like she wished to murder Alayna then and there. _

_ Dominik sneered back at her, "And I assume you wouldn't do this out of the kindness of your heart?"_

_ "Where would the fun in that be? I do require something for this help, and it is quite simple…" The vampire said slowly, taking another sultry step towards him, gently gazing up at his eyes, "All you have to do… is leave. Tell the villagers I am slain, leave the village and as soon as you are out of sight, I will open you a portal right to your dear Cirilla. Then you can go and try to stop Eredin. He'll kill you eventually, but at least… you'll get to see Zireael again."_

_ "You think I would let you terrorize and kill more innocent people," He screamed, leveling his blade at her again. _

_ Alayna chuckled still and shook her head, "No… but I think the thought of seeing your beloved Cirilla, reuniting with her, being able to protect her again… outweighs all for you."_

_ She saw the look in his eyes change, the regret, the lament, the failure. In that moment Ciri wanted more then anything to be able to wrap her arms around him, hold him and tell him how it wasn't his fault. The panging look he had, the sadness in his emerald eyes, seeing him like that only made her hate herself even more. If only she had gone to him, they could have traveled worlds together, did everything together again, ran off and been together, just the two of them like they had planned at times. _

_ But she hadn't. She didn't want to risk the Hunt descending down upon him to get to her two years prior, so she had fled, and then again after she had saved Geralt… she left him again. And then in Novigrad she had been so impatient, and instead of waiting for him, she insisted on moving…. She had failed him. She promised him she'd never leave him… and she had broken that promise. _

_ "You blame yourself…. You think you could have stopped her from going to Aretuza…. If only Geralt and Yennefer had listened to you and not taken her. If only… you could have protected her from all the people who tried to rape her… impregnate her for her blood," Alayna whispered to him, slowly walking circles around him, "She was still wearing that bronze ring around her neck when she visited my world. You haven't even seen her since you were what…14? She's grown into such a beautiful young woman. I know you would like to see her… and all you have to do… is walk away."_

_ It wasn't his fault, none of it was his fault, yet he still blamed himself. She remembered the last night before she had to leave with Yennefer for Aretuza. They had sat in front of the fire at the inn, her head on his shoulder, but he didn't tell stupid jokes that time. He simply sat there, looking down at her, trying to take in every single bit of her that he could. She remembered how he suggested that the two of them simply make a run for it, live off the land together, hunt monsters for money, be together, just the two of them. She had wanted to… but she knew that they couldn't have. He lamented to her how worried he was, telling her that he loved her, and he just knew something would go wrong, and he couldn't lose her. She hadn't been very excited herself, worrying in a similar manner. However, she knew she had to be strong for him, so she had told him everything would be alright… and promised if anything did happen she would do anything to get back to him. _

_ She wished every day that they had run off that night. Looking at his face, she could see the turmoil. She knew he wouldn't accept the deal, even if he didn't know it was a trap, it wasn't who he was, he would have never let the vampire have the village. However, she could see the torment in his eyes, and it made her eyes sting. If she had just gone back to him, gone to find him… he wouldn't be in this scenario. She knew the dream had to be real, either having already happened, or somehow a premonition of what was to come, it had to be the only reason she saw him as he was now, as a man…._

_ A small tear ran down her cheek finally as she watched him grip tightly around the swallow pendant, and slowly look up to face Alayna. _

_ "A flattering offer… really is. You're right… I've always blamed myself. I could have tried harder, convince Geralt not to let her go, or searched harder. I love her… and miss her more than anything," He said slowly, as she saw his hands tightening around his sword, dripping an oil. _

_ Alayna smiled sweetly at him, "And with one small easy task… you can see her again."_

_ He let out a shaky breath and nodded, "Aye, I could… but Ciri would never forgive me. Besides… I think I'll find her on my own."_

_ Before Alayna could say anything, Dominik lashed out and tried to cut her in half again. His blade just nicked Alayna's cheek and Ciri heard a loud hiss and growl before the vampire dashed off into the barn. Ciri tried to call out to him, scream for him not to follow, but of course her voice came out silent. She saw has he slowly looked down again, gently gripping the swallow around his neck and gazing at it. _

_ "Just one monster to kill…then I'll find you… I promise…" He said, before letting it bounce against his chest. _

_ "DOM, DOMINIK, DOM STOP, I'M HERE, I'M HERE," She finally felt herself scream, her voice raking against her throat, as the dream shifted and shifted, until it finally left her vision. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dom… Dominik…don't…" She felt herself muttering, as her eyes finally began to flutter open.

The first thing she did was suck in a sharp breath and try to move her limbs, but it was as if they were frozen solid. She was on the mattress again, as her vision slowly returned she was able to crane her neck to see a nightstand with some candles and cups on them. The heat from the melting candle warmed her face slightly, but her head still pounded. His face, his grown, manly, mature face kept popping into her head, as the thought of it warmed her more, but not enough to thaw out her bones. She felt a small draft go through the room, and she realized she was only wearing trousers and boots, with bandages wrapped around her breasts and one shoulder, going down a few inches to cover a small bit of her torso. The draft sent goosebumps and another chill down her exposed mid-drift and arms, her neck feeling particularly cold.

Her head craned around, and her vision remained blurred, she saw a man sitting on the chair next to her bedside. For a few glorious seconds she thought that every prayer she ever made had been answered, and somehow, someway the universe had finally done something for her, and Dominik had found her, and was sitting at her bedside while she recovered.

However, she felt her eyes widen, and a cold shiver run down her chest as she saw it wasn't him. A larger man who couldn't be much older then she was, with slicked back black hair, and a beard around his chin. He was wearing a blue tunic, and yellow and blue striped trousers. Every muscle in her body tried to move, but he must have heard her thrashing because he slowly turned to her, a relieved and satisfied smile on his face.

"You're awake… I thought you'd-," He started speaking, but her panic began to mount, as she tried to sit herself up.

"Where… where am I!? And who are you," She quickly hissed out frantically, feeling every bit of her muscles begin to try and move at once.

After a few seconds she managed to slowly raise herself to a sitting position, needing to use both her arms to hold herself up as she looked over to him, a panicked feeling still racing through her body.

Despite her panic, the man gave her a calming smile and leaned on one of his knees.

"It's all right. You're on Hindersfjall, village of Lofeton…. They call me Skjall," He said in a kind tone, a small smile perched on his lips.

"But… but how'd I…" She said lightly, using her one hand to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"We fished you out of the sea…. Me and that friend of yours," Skjall said in a relaxed tone, not taking his eyes off of her.

All the thoughts from her few moments of lucidness before drifting off had come back to her. Drowned dead rock, Avallach, she had to meet him there. She had to get there as quick as she could, she had assumed the elf simply tracked her after she teleported and that was how he found her in the water. The last time she had seen him the curse had just taken hold, and now she knew that she needed to move fast if they wanted any chance of curing it. But to do that she needed to get the phylactery back, and to do that she needed to return to Novigrad, then needed to find a way to enchant it like she had planned. And to do all that she needed to find them, Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer, all of them.

And she knew now from her dream that it was even more imperative she find Dominik. Not only because of the yearning and love she had, wanting to have him back, but because she needed to know he was safe. First she had the dream of him fighting the female commander of the Hunt, Baelen was what Avallach told her the name was. Now she had a dream of him seeing Alayna, and she knew if he had confirmation Ciri herself was indeed alive, and that the Hunt was after her, he'd come looking for her, he'd hunt down Eredin himself to find her, he wouldn't stop, this she knew. She wasn't going to run off to another world again, she wouldn't do that to him anymore. Even if she did need to eventually flee between worlds again, she was going to get to him first, and then she would see Geralt and the rest of her family as well. And in the end if she did need to leave, she had to believe Dominik's love for her was still strong enough for him to go with her.

But before she could do any of this, she needed to heal Avallach, she didn't have any chance of finally controlling her powers, of finding Dominik, Geralt, getting away from the Hunt, anything at all if she didn't heal the elf.

Her eyes shot over to Skjall, who continued to peer into her eyes, making her skin slightly crawl.

"And… where is he? My… friend," Ciri asked, saying the word friend slowly.

To her honest opinion she didn't know what to call Avallach, he helped her, had saved her of course, helped heal her scar, had hid her from the Hunt, and had been teaching her to control her powers for upwards of two years. She liked to think that he was her friend… despite their first meeting in the Aen Elle world, what he had done to her, forced her to try and do. He had been the one to force her to stay, Avallach and Eredin had forced her to stay for months upon months, telling her she owed it to them, and wouldn't let her return to her world until she had an heir with Auberon, slept with him and produced a child of the Elder Blood. Avallach had been the first one to force her, telling her multiple times she wouldn't be allowed to leave until she did. It was because of him and Eredin that she was forced to be verbally abused, reduced to feeling like she was garbage, shit, less then human for months on end, the reason a small part of her was so worried about seeing Dominik again… what if Auberon was right? What if she was less then nothing, and Dominik finally realized it? She was the daughter of Emhyr Var Emrys the man who had ordered his family killed, and what would he think when he learned about the horrible things she did with the Rats? It was a small part, but the worry was there that he wouldn't see her as the same… that she wasn't the same girl he fell in love with.

Despite being extremely cold towards the elf at first, Ciri had eventually come to accept his help. He was kind, helped her, taught her how to control her powers better, and kept her concealed from the Hunt, so while what he did still lingered in the back of her mind, she had come to see the elf as a sort of mentor, and she did trust him, he hadn't steered her wrong yet. The only time she ever questioned Avallach, which was still a mystery to her, was the elf's reaction whenever she mentioned Dominik.

She would never forget the first time she ever mentioned him to Avallach. She dreamed of Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer and the people she knew almost every night, Dominik in particular. However, when she started having the nightmares and dreams of him fighting, being in increasingly more and more danger, she went to Avallach and asked if there was a way to check on him, with her already feeling guilty enough she hadn't gone to get him. After describing him, his name, what he looked like, and who he was to her… the elf had grown angry. He told Ciri that they were just dreams, nothing more, and that she needed to ignore them and anymore thoughts of Dominik to truly be able to master her powers and fulfill her destiny.

More and more times she had gone to the elf about Dominik as her dreams about him fighting, being in danger got more and more frequent. Every time she did, a twisted look grew on his face, and he told Ciri over and over they were just dreams, and to forget them, and him. This was until she had the dream of Dominik fighting Baelen, and her longing to see him, Geralt, and the rest of them all grew too strong, she had to threaten to leave and go by herself before the elf finally relented, agreeing to come back with her. She thought that after two years the Hunt had finally been off her trail… and she had been wrong.

She was brought out of her thoughts by Skjall's answer.

"Stepped out a while ago. Said he needed to find a boat," The man started, his eyes still not leaving her, "Why's he wear that mask? Somethin' not right with his mug?"

Scoffing Ciri shook her head, not wanting to reveal too much information, "No… he just doesn't like others to see it…. So, how long was I out for?"

"All day nearabout," The man started, his voice level and kind, "Twas morn when we brought you in, night's near come now."

It had felt like months ago at that point she was in Novigrad, when in reality it had only been the previous night. If she had just been fucking stronger, if she could have held of the guards and gotten away, she would be waiting for Dominik and Geralt in the city now. And then there was the fact that she had landed there from using her powers, and if Avallach could track her… she knew the Hunt could as well, that had to have been why the elf sounded so urgent.

They needed to leave before the Hunt caught her scent, the last thing she wanted was for them to descend upon and innocent village.

"Dammit… too long already…" She said, rubbing her head, trying to make the pulsing go away.

"You needed rest desperately," Skjall said, his eyes going down to her torso and arms, before looking back into her eyes, "Been through a lot, eh? Got some nasty fresh-lookin scars…"

What he said finally registered in her head. She felt her skin begin to crawl, realizing there would only be one way he saw some of her scars. Feeling herself exposed, she instinctively held a hand over her chest, despite the bandages covering her breasts, she crossed her arm over them, her skin continuing to crawl and she felt her body heat up, and as she felt the embarrassment rise, her anger and annoyance rose as well.

"What's this!? You mean to say you undressed me," She spat out, her arm wrapping around her chest, as she narrowed his eyes at him.

A flustered look appeared on his face, and she quickly shook his head.

"I-I'd no choice! Soaked through you were," He said, his face flustered and blushing red as he fervently shook his head, "And I had to make sure you had no wounds that needed tendin!"

"Mhm, and if my breasts had needed smearing with fox tallow…" She said, her arm not leaving from over her breasts, as her heart thumped even more rapidly, the panic continuing to rise.

"Nay, nay," The poor man said frantically, his eyes wide as he shook his head, "Th-that was mum and sis! I-I'd never dare, I swear, on my honor!"

The flustered look and tone on Skjall's face slightly reminded her of Dominik…. Back in Kaer Morhen and in Ellander, even all the way back in Cintra, he'd always get so flustered when she teased him. She remembered all the times she'd tease him about having a crush on Triss, and he'd get all flustered, his face would get red and he'd stutter out how he didn't, and he only liked her, and it was the cutest thing. It wasn't just when she teased him, there were times when simply being with her would make him go all red.

Sometimes, they'd be walking, eating, studying, and she'd grab his face and kiss him, his cheek, and he'd get that goofy smile she loved, he'd get all red and ask, _'What was that for,' _and then she'd smile at him and answer, _'Because I felt like it… and I love you'_. He'd do the same thing to her at times, and it was small moments like those that she missed the most, and the fact she remembered them so often after all those years… was what let her know it was real.

So, after seeing the flustered look on Skjall's face she sighed and shook her head, looking to meet the young man's eyes again.

"Easy… I believe you. Thank you, I do appreciate it. Sorry I snapped I just get… a bit… well… sensitive about who sees me," She said, trying her best to describe how she felt.

_'A pearl in pig shit… your repulsive human skin', 'You're not afraid, just nervous, it'll pass, this is your reward', 'I mean… you do owe me, you'll enjoy it eventually.'_ The voices all rang in her head, and she shuddered again, as if a huge gust of wind got sent through the house.

She shook her head to clear her mind, her limbs still feeling frozen. She had already spent too long there, she needed to get up and leave. Drowned dead rock, she needed to reach it, and do it before the Hunt somehow tracked her, she needed to get there to get back out on the path to Dominik and Geralt… before they were put in even more danger.

"Help… help me stand," She said, moving her stiff limbs off the bed.

Skjall got up and put a hand on her back as she felt her boot hit the ground, "I don't… I don't think you should-."

"Less talking, more giving me a hand," She hissed at him, as the first few steps made her stumble.

Her legs shook for a moment, her knees bobbled as Skjall helped her stand to her feet. After she finally did she sucked in a deep breath, and crossed her arms over her chests, for the first time feeling her head not pounding. For the first time she could properly think without feeling pins sticking into her brain. For a second she felt a small smile come to her face. She was alive, and despite what had happened in her dream… she had seen him. His older, mature, chiseled, handsome face, that somehow still had that boyish handsomeness she had fallen in love with.

That would be what got her through the next few days… the thought of seeing that face in person.

"Ah that's my brother for you. Outta sight for one second, and he's already put his paws on a girl," A new female voice said, as she heard the door to the house open and close.

Her mouth fell open, and she subconsciously took a step to her right, away from Skjall, feeling her skin crawl again. The woman was wearing an orange dress and yellow bonnet, she looked similar to Skjall and Ciri quickly deduced this was the sister he was talking about. She was about to snap something back, feeling her arms wrap around her breasts and torso, but Skjall quickly scoffed.

"Dah Astrid, you're as dim as dishwater! You know perfectly well I'm helping her up," He shouted back, turning with a slight frown growing on his face when he saw Ciri had moved.

Astrid laughed with both her hands on her hips, "It's a shame I know, but I've got to interrupt your courtship. Come, we're off to the sauna!"

It took Ciri a moment to realize Astrid had been talking to her. She shook her head and met the woman's eyes.

"What? What are you talking about," She said breathlessly, feeling a new chill run up her arm giving her goosebumps.

"Why's your mouth agape like you're noodling for an eel? The sauna," Astrid said enthusiastically, taking a few steps between Skjall and her, "Girl… you was blue as a whale when we brought you in, your blood needs thawin!"

"Really there's no need… I feel fine now, I really must-, HEY," Ciri hissed, as she felt her legs fall out from under her as soon as Astrid touched her.

The girl had come and gently shoved Ciri's shoulder, and as soon as she did she felt herself lose her balance. Despite her brain not pounding anymore, her limbs still felt frozen stiff. Skjall quickly helped her to her feet, and she wobbly stood up, feeling her annoyance rise, but the fatigue she was feeling quickly outweighed it. She held a hand to her head, subconsciously moving a few strands of her hair in front of her freckles.

"Fine? You can't stand on your own two feet," Astrid said with a smirk, "And it's no surprise with your muscles frozen stiff. But don't you worry…. Mum and I will take care of you."

Quickly she shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I need to get to Drowned Dead Rock as quickly as possible."

The last thing she wanted was to bring the Wild Hunt down on the people who had helped her. Too many times had she almost brought the riders down on innocent people, she didn't want to risk it again. Skjall, and it seemed his family as well had all saved her, been kind to her, and she knew the longer she was there the more risk they were in.

"Shan't force you to stay," Skjall said to her, turning to meet her eyes again, "But the Rock's a ways off, and you can barely walk. You'd best take a horse."

"True! Skjall can prepare a horse for you," Astrid said, making Ciri turn to her, "Skjall can prepare a horse for you. You'll have to wait a spell, but even so you'll get there faster than on foot."

She sighed and knew it was her best chance. The feeling was only slowly beginning to return to her limbs, and she remembered the sauna's from when she had visited Skellige in the past. While she didn't feel like taking off anymore of her clothes in front of the people she really didn't know, she assumed if she wrapped a towel around herself it would be the same. Every minute she spent there put the people of the village in even more danger, but she knew she had no chance of making it to Drowned Dead Rock without a horse, and if she could get one, then it was a bonus.

So, she finally slowly unwrapped her arms from around herself and gave them a small bow.

"Fine… that will do. Thank you both, very much, I truly do appreciate it," She said sincerely, looking between the two siblings.

"Pish-posh, there's no need," Astrid said with a smile, gesturing for her to follow, "Now come, we need to sweat the sick outta you!"

A small part of her felt relieved, and truly wanted to feel her limbs thaw out. Another cold chill ran up her body and she quickly wrapped her arms around herself. She felt exposed, and not safe without her sword on her back. Her fingertips were frozen at the top, and she was having a hard time even squeezing them into a fists, her hair was damp, but the bun had somehow stayed intact. Another small smile managed to cross her lips as she saw his face pop into her head again, and the determination to get back shot through her.

After the chill ran up her torso again, she missed her corset, and her gloves, so she looked to Astrid again before she followed.

"Um, where are my clothes," She asked the young woman, as she took a few shaky steps to follow.

"I've taken them already, come on," She said enthusiastically, gesturing for Ciri to follow again.

Sighing again with a small bit of relief, Ciri nodded and took more steps to follow, her heart thumping up in her chest.

"Did anything…. Wait, no, no, no, no, NO," She said, feeling every bit of her blood begin to race again, as she had gone to reach around her neck and hadn't felt anything there.

The ring, the ring wasn't around her neck, it was gone. She had lost it, the one thing she had left of him. It rarely ever left her neck if at all, she couldn't even remember the last time she had removed it. In her dream Dominik had still had the swallow around his neck, the ring and the swallow were symbols of their promise, of the love they had for one another. She had given it to him and gotten the ring from him the first night they ever told the other they loved each other, and it had been ALL that had gotten her through many nights since she last saw him.

She couldn't lose it, it was him, it was the two of them, it was their relationship, it meant everything to her. It was her only way of reminding herself that he was still out there, and that he was looking for her just like she was him.

"What, what is it," Skjall said from behind her, as Ciri whirled around, the panic overtaking her body, the hairs on her arms standing up.

"The ring, where's the ring," She asked frantically, stumbling down to her knees looking under the bed she had been laying in, trying to find it on the floor.

"What… what ring," Skjall asked her carefully, staring at her wide-eyed.

"The BRONZE RING, it's on an iron chain" Ciri asked frantically, coming up and throwing the pillow and blanket that were on the bed to the side, "I was wearing it around my neck when I fell I KNOW I was, where did you put it!?"

She whirled around and met the young man's eyes, her mind raced a mile a minute, as she saw his face in her vision again, over and over. She saw his boyish face, his face now, his grown face, heard his laugh, felt her lips tingle from where he kissed her when they last saw one another. There had been so many nights where she'd lay awake for hours, in the bowels of Leo Bonhart's arena, the prisons of Tir'Nala, in the hideaway with the Rats, simply looking up at it in the moonlight, thinking about his face, his goofy smile and all the cute things they used to do together.

She had already let him down, didn't come back for him when he could have. So close, she had been so close to him, there had to be some way for her to find him, she wasn't leaving the world again until she did. And if she found him, and didn't have the ring, she'd feel even more shame then she already did. He still had the swallow, his side of the promise… she couldn't lose her side.

Skjall looked at her with concern, "I… I don't remember. If you were wearing it, it… it may have fallen off when you fell-."

"Then you need to take me back to where you found me, NOW," She quickly demanded, the panic setting in on her, "I CAN'T LOSE it! It's important to me, it's the last thing I have of-."

"Slow down girl, slow down," Astrid said, making both her and Skjall turn to her before she finished, "I remember putting a ring away with your clothes. They're stowed away at the sauna, should still be there."

She let out a relieved sigh, as she kept her hand up around her now barren neck. It felt empty, and she felt another cold chill run down her neck, through her chest under the bandages, down her entire body. The ring made her think of him, had he been able to kill Alayna? What had she done after he did? After thinking more, she realized the dream had to have been some sort of premonition of the future. According to Dandelion he had been traveling up towards Tretogor, and it had only been about three days she had missed him by, so at the time she teleported he had been a week away from her.

After she got to Drowned Dead Rock, she would talk with Avallach, and she had to believe that the elf would help her. They had to lift the curse off of him before she did anything, and to do that they'd need to go back to Novigrad, back to the phylactery. And if Dominik had been fighting Alayna, she had to believe that he had managed to kill her. He was out there, the swallow pendant around his neck… fighting for her and looking for her. He had never stopped, not stopped trying to keep his promise.

If he continued to fight for her… she would never stop fighting for him. And no matter if it were Alayna, Eredin, or anyone else… if they tried to hurt him… she would make them pay. She'd get back to him, she'd see Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, hopefully more people like Uncle Vesemir, perhaps Crach and Hjalmar… but in the end she'd be with him.

And if he could look past all of the horrible things she'd done, if he could forgive her for not coming earlier… if he could love the person she was still… then that's all she would need.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"All right in you go, and get out of those rags," Astrid said enthusiastically, gesturing towards the changing room.

"A…all of them," She asked hesitantly, both her hands still wrapped around her exposed torso, and her chest.

Astrid scoffed again, "Ha well I should think so! Go on, go on."

Ciri was ushered into the changing room, and then Astrid quickly closed the door behind her. Feeling a chill run up her bare neck again she rushed over to the neatly folded clothes she saw resting on the table in the room. Her sword lay in its sheath in one corner, but she quickly moved away her corset and shirt, and found it. It had been there just like Astrid had said, and she quickly gripped it up in her hand. The iron chain slipped loosely through her fingers, it chilled her fingers even more, but she managed to gently wrap her fingers around the ring itself.

A sigh of relief left her, as she slowly whirled the small bit of bronze in her bare fingers. Dominik had told her the story of the ring, the one he had learned from his father. Apparently her ancestor King Coram the second of Cintra, had been saved by one of Dominik's ancestors, and in reward, King Coram named that man captain of his personal royal guards, and gifted him the ring. Ever since the ring was passed down through Dominik's family, with each guard captain wearing it as they protected Cintra's royal line. She had remembered Gregory wearing it before he eventually gave it to Dominik, both Gregory and he both had told her it was supposed to bring good luck. It may have been old, and probably wouldn't be worth much if it was sold… but it had meant so much more to her. It had been him; it had been Dominik in the years she'd been alone. His face would pop into her brain when she looked at it, as it did in that moment. And now she saw his mature face, the face of the man she was in love with, not the young boy. They were both grown now, hadn't seen one another since they were kids…. She hoped that he still thought her as beautiful as he once did.

She sighed and gently brought the ring to her lips, kissing it lightly before wrapping the chain around her neck.

"Soon… soon, this time… I'll keep my promise," She said, as she fastened the ring around her neck.

If she wanted any chance of seeing him, she knew she needed to move. And it was clear to her now she wasn't getting out of the trip to the sauna. A small part of her was a little relieved that she'd be able to warm her bones. The walk from Skjall's home to the village had only seemed to freeze her more. The village was peaceful, just like she remembered it when she was younger. A small part of her began to wonder what would have happened if she and Dominik had made it to Skellige, after they had escaped from Cintra. She was sure Crach would have accepted him as one of his own, she knew Crach and Gregory had been great friends.

She'd figure that out later if she could. Knowing that she still had some time, she quickly refolded her clothes, and reached down to grab a towel, wrapping it tightly around her body. It went from right under her arms to midway down her thighs, and she finally sighed as she started to feel slightly warmer, as she turned to exit the room. As soon as she did, she could feel the warm steam billowing up around her, piercing into her skin, sending a comforting warm feeling through her bones. Despite the towel, she could feel the warmth seeping into her skin. She instinctively tried to curl her fingers into fists, and for the first time managed to do it without trouble.

"Wrap a towel around yourself? Well, whatever makes you comfortable," Astrid said from the right of her when she walked out.

She nearly jumped when she realized the young woman was completely naked except for her knickers, her breasts fully exposed and dripping sweat. She almost felt herself wrap her arms around herself again, but quickly followed Astrid into the sitting room where the pot of coals was. She let out a relieved breath, trying to take in every minute she could, as she saw Astrid walk towards the far side, as Ciri managed to find a bench to the right calling her name.

For so long she had been fighting and running, she had spent most of her time back on the continent so far almost half dead. So, although she knew it would only be for a few moments, she tried to savior the heat, and let her bones absorb as much as she could.

"Finally!" An older, also naked woman said from the left of her as she sat, "I was worried she'd-."

"Ach, Mum, you always worry," Astrid cut the older woman off with a wave, "Everything's fine ain't it?"

Ciri finally sat down on the heated bench and realized Astrid had been talking to her. As she sat she slowly looked over towards the older woman, the ring bouncing off her now sweating chest.

"Oh, yes, everything's fine," Ciri assured the older woman quickly.

The withered woman smiled at her and gently nodded, "Good that's good… but why've you got a towel? It'll just get wet!"

She floundered for a moment, feeling her face heat up from more then just the steam. She knew that every other woman in the bathhouse had been naked, but she knew she didn't want to be wearing close to nothing in front of the group of people she hadn't know. Her skin slowly crawled under the heat, as she could feel the sweat slowly begin to drip down her body. As she tried to formulate a response. Thankfully however, Astrid had answered up before her.

"Mum… she's from the continent! She's… shy," The younger woman said, standing up next to her.

A small shot of annoyance ran through her. It wasn't that she was shy, she just didn't enjoy exposing herself in front of people she wasn't comfortable around. There were very few people nowadays for her that she would… none that she had seen in the previous two years. There had been multiple people professing their love for her over the previous years as she visited worlds, however other than a slight infatuation here and there… she hadn't been with any of them. They all gave her the horrible flashbacks… and they were only stopped by thoughts of him.

Nobody had ever made her feel the way he had… which is why she knew she hadn't wanted anyone else. She would only have to hope that he could forgive her… forgive her for breaking that faith. The loneliness had taken hold, she hadn't seen him in almost three years, and… as Mistle had said, a small part of her became pleasantly submissive to it after a while. She didn't always like what Mistle had done to her, but it had been her way to stave off the loneliness… her way of trying to make herself forget, make the pang of losing him finally go away. It had been so long since she had seen him at that point… and she was craving the companionship… little did she know, that nothing could have replaced what he had given her, no matter what she told herself while Mistle did the thing she did to her. Ciri got the tattoo because of her, she truly believed Mistle had been a good person, despite the things she did… that was at least what she told herself to wash the shame down.

Then of course there had been Auberon. Her being forced to spend days upon days in his bedchamber, sitting there listening to him refuse to even touch her. Refuse to touch her because of how much she repulsed him, how much her human skin was disgusting, her human body disgusting… the only redeeming quality being that dash of elven blood in her from Lara Dorren…. A pearl in pig shit.

So, it was safe to say that she was reluctant to show herself to almost anybody. It was the one thing she was hesitant about.

"I… I was worried about drafts… a lung infection is the last thing I need right now," Ciri said, looking between Astrid and her mother again.

"Ha, see," The old woman said, getting up to douse the coals with more water, "At least some girls your age are sensible."

"Sensible girls aren't tossed onto the shore by waves," Astrid said with an eye roll.

Ciri managed a small laugh as she breathed in deeply through her nose, taking in the steam and feeling it seep into her bones. Her arms and legs had felt like blocks of ice that were slowly thawing out, as she was soon better able to move them. She didn't know when her next fight would come, or who it would be against, but with how rejuvenated her body felt, she liked her chances. She slowly reached up and gripped her hands around the ring as she looked aimlessly into the steam. She wondered if Avallach knew anything about Alayna, where the former Aen Elle turned Alp had landed on the continent. If they could find out where Dominik was when he fought Alayna, perhaps they could intercept him and find him. After that he could know a way to get the phylactery back, or better yet find Yennefer and Geralt so they could enchant it.

She had no clue where either of her adopted parents were, Dandelion hadn't known, only telling Ciri about his adventures with Geralt six months prior. She learned how her bastard of a real father started yet another war with the Northern Kingdoms, and Geralt had been caught up in a complicated political scheme, in which he was accused of killing a king. Hearing all of this, along with stories of some of the contracts Dominik had been on had only made her wish to find them more if it had been possible. She wanted to hear every little detail. She wanted to sit next to Dominik in front of a fire, her head on his shoulder, Geralt next to them, while all three told stories of what they had done, what they had done to get to each other. The thought brought a small smile to her face.

"So, you gonna tell us what the story is with that ring? You were ready to dive back into the water for it, must be important," Astrid suddenly asked from her right, the young woman finally sitting on the stool.

The question made her scoff, a small smile coming to her face, as she gently held the ring up in her hands, looking down at it.

"It… it is," She said, looking up and meeting the young woman's eyes, "Someone… very important gave it to me a long time ago. I… I haven't seen him in years, I… I've been trying to get back to him for a while now. The ring it's… all I have left until I do."

She watched and as soon as Ciri said the word 'him' Astrid sighed and slowly shook her head. The young woman leaned back and crossed her legs, meeting Ciri's eyes.

"Him? Oh… it's too late for poor Skjall then," Astrid said with a shake of her head again.

"What…" Ciri asked, her brain feeling slightly muddled.

Astrid scoffed and smirked over at her, "He's head over heels for you girl! Sat at your bedside all day, starin' like you was painted by a master!"

"Astrid! I told you not to tell her," The older woman scolded from her left.

Astrid rolled her eyes and looked at Ciri with a smirk, "Oops… well now that the milk is spilled… do you fancy Skjall?"

Despite the steam in the room Ciri felt her blood get cold. Skjall had been kind enough, and wasn't bad looking by any stretch, but over the years there had been plenty of men and women alike who had professed feelings for her. Within the last two years, she had rejected them outright… with her dreaming of Dominik almost every night. She turned some down because they truly weren't good people however, some she had turned down were genuinely good… she just simply hadn't felt it.

She hadn't felt it with anyone, not since him. Nobody made her feel like the most special person in the world, nobody got the same goofy smile on their face when they saw her. Every time she would look at him, she felt loved, safe, secure, like she was all that mattered. She had missed that, missed that feeling, and it had only ever been him that gave it to her. After what happened with Mistle… she had been surer that she could never love another like she did Dominik again. She missed everyone terribly, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss… all of them, but her nightmares of him in danger was the catalyst that sparked her finally coming back. She had let him down too many times… and she wasn't going to do it again.

She would find him, and just like Gregory always said to her back in Cintra, like Geralt and Yennefer said to them both… the two of them were going to do great things together.

"He…. He's very nice, it… it's just that I…." She said slowly, not wanting to reveal too much, looking between both Astrid and her mother.

Astrid sighed and slowly shook her head, a dreamy look on her face however, "Oh my… that bad? Whoever this mystery man is, he must be handsome, probably a knight or a sorcerer."

A small laugh escaped Ciri's lips as she shook her head, "Ha no… he's… neither… he's something even more."

Astrid's eyes widened, an excited look to her face, "A baron!? A lord's son!? Is he a-."

"Oh Astrid, stop pestering the poor girl! Who she likes and who he is, is her business not yours," The young woman's mother quickly scolded, wagging a finger at her.

Feeling herself laugh nervously Ciri quickly looked between them both. She felt the ring tremble around her neck, and quickly remembered the time crunch she was on. If she wanted any hope of getting to him again, getting to Geralt, Yennefer, avoiding the Hunt, and controlling her powers… she needed to get to Avallach. The elf surely was growing impatient, patience she had learned was something Avallach was always short on.

"Listen… it's lovely sitting here with you both," She said, standing up, finally feeling her limbs able to move freely as she looked between them both, "But… I really must be going."

Astrid sighed from next to her and stood up, "I understand. Who'd want to stay in this hole? We're all related three times over and the air stinks of fish."

The old woman scoffed and waved her finger again at her daughter, "I can't see how you're related to anyone here. No one in Lofeton groans and bitches quite like you! Sit down and be quiet!"

Astrid huffed and rolled her eyes, before plopping herself back down onto the bench. A small laugh escaped Ciri's mouth as the older woman turned to her.

"And you child," She started, making Ciri turn to her, "Skjall's sure to have readied the horses by now, but before you go, you outta take a quick jump into the water it'll do you good!"

The heat had overtaken her body, the sweat continuously dripping down her body. The bandages over her breasts and shoulder were becoming damp, and the wounds underneath she knew had to have healed. She'd be able to take them off and get changed, before heading out completely refreshed, which was a good change for once. Her ashen locks were slowly becoming undone out of their bun. A small smile came to her face as she remembered how much he always loved seeing her hair down, something she only indulged him in occasionally.

She'd be able to see him, Geralt, Yennefer, and all of them soon. All she needed to do was get out of there and get to Avallach. For the first time in a while, she felt a spark of optimism run through her. His face popped into her head. She may have seen him in the middle of a fight, but she felt her face get redder at the thought of seeing him smile, smiling that goofy smile at her when he finally saw her.

"I suppose… why not," She said with a shrug, a small smile forming on her lips.

The old woman smiled and nodded, "Head through the door and you'll see the pier. Be careful, it's slippery."

Nodding she looked and gave a small head bow to both Astrid and her mother. She ran into so few genuinely good people, that it always warmed her heart the few times she did. Now however, she had to flee, before she brought down even more trouble upon them. Still… they would always have her never ending gratitude.

"Thank you both again… truly it means a lot," She said kindly, giving each a small smile.

Astrid gave her a small smile as well, and the older woman bowed her head.

"And again, there's no need! Gods bless your journey child…. And I hope that you find your man. The look in your eyes… a woman in love, I'd know it anywhere," The older woman said, a kind smile on her withered face.

The ring trembled around her neck, and she gingerly reached up to wrap her hand around it. A warm feeling slowly washed over the inside of her body, a larger smile coming to her face. She would find him… she didn't know if it were because true love conquers all, because destiny said it would be so, or just from plain old luck… but one way or another she would find him.

And she would be with him, through that world, or any world.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She had never been so glad to have her sword on her back. _Zireael, _the faithful sword that had gotten her through it all. Despite the fact it had been given to her by a madman, she still cared for it, and had grown incredibly attached over the years. It had been with her through everything, from the arena, to Tir'Nala, to Stygga Castle when she plunged it into Bonhart's stomach. A small part of her brain was excited to show it to Dominik, to have sparring matches with him, to see how much better they each had truly gotten. It was towards the bottom of her list of wants, but a small smile crossed her face thinking of it. She passed by the large oak in the center of the town square, just as she saw the sun was beginning to set. If she really had been out all day, then she knew they had to have her scent by then. The sooner she got out of the village, the sooner they'd be safe, and she could be out heading towards her true goal.

Taking in a breath of the fresh air, her bones felt rejuvenated, thawed out and ready to move. She adjusted her corset and tied her top shirt tighter while pulling her gloves, for the first time in days she felt like almost a new person. Despite the fact it had only been for a short while, Astrid had been right when she said the sauna had truly made her feel better, sweating the sick out of her and thawing out her bones. She tried to avoid the gaze of some of the villagers as she finally made it towards the stables. If Avallach had been waiting for her a while she surely would get a lecture from the elf if she took any longer, so when she noticed Skjall with two horses readied in the open stable, she picked up her pace, the ring bouncing off her neck. She subconsciously reached and grabbed it with a relieved sigh… she truly would have jumped into the water to find it if she needed too… but it was with her now, he was with her.

She saw Skjall turn around, a kind smile still planted on his face. After hearing what Astrid had said, she could see in Skjall's eyes what he felt. Her skin tingled as she walked towards him, realizing that even if she had felt the same, it would have been best for him to avoid her. Dominik was in danger from the Hunt now, especially if he figured out from Alayna that they were after her. She knew that as soon as he figured it out, whenever the dream she had came to pass, he'd set out to find her, find the Hunt so he could stop them… always trying to protect her.

He was strong this she knew, he had been surviving on his own for eight years according to Dandelion, she had to believe in Dominik. However, Skjall, and the rest of Lofeton, she knew didn't have his skill, and if the Hunt descended upon them, it would be a horrible result.

"Oh… you're here. The horses are ready," The man said, a nervous tone in his words.

"I am," Ciri said, reaching up to tie her hair into a tighter bun, "Shall we ride?"

She noticed two saddled grey horses ready to ride, and she was itching to get back in a saddle. Before she could go and try to mount one however, she could see the nervous red hue appear across the man's face. He looked and met her eyes again, and Ciri could see him flustering to get out words.

"Listen I… I hope…. My sister didn't talk any nonsense to you, did she," The man asked her, his face red now as Ciri sighed.

There had been multiple times where she was in this exact same scenario, however she could help but feel slightly and for the flustered younger man. He had been kind and helped her to the best of his ability. She knew that he hadn't had too, he could have left her to drown, ran off and not did anything. However, he and his family had nursed her back to health, and like she was to everyone who risked their lives for her, she was eternally grateful. The people who had helped her, Skjall and his family, the Baron, Dandelion, all the ones who helped hide her in Novigrad, none of them knew the true extent of the danger they put themselves in by helping her.

She sighed and looked up to meet the man's eyes, "She… she just told me how you liked me."

As soon as she finished his eyes went wide and he fervently shook his head, his face becoming beat red. The flustered look only reminded her of Dominik more, of the red cheeks, and smile he'd get when she kissed him.

He met her eyes again, a pleading look in his own, "What? Gods, I asked her not to say anything, like I said I swear on my honor that-."

"Look relax," She snapped, cutting him off, sighing as she saw him quickly go quiet.

She sighed again and felt the ring tremble around her neck. Slowly she looked up and met the poor man's gaze, gently shaking her head.

"I'm eternally grateful to you and your family. You're extremely kind truly, it… it's just that well…." She said slowly, feeling her voice trail off, as Dominik's face popped into her vision.

Skjall sighed and finished her sentence for her, "You.., you love someone. Is… is it a fellow named Dominik?"

Her eyes widened and she felt her mouth flounder, "What!? How did you-."

"You muttered a lot of names while you slept," Skjall said slowly, a forlorn look on his face, "Dominik though… that was the one you said the most, kept repeating it incessantly."

She felt a shot of heat rush to her cheeks, as she slowly nodded, "Y…Yes. I haven't seen him in a long, long time… I'm trying to get back to him."

Slowly he nodded, another sigh leaving him as a small smile grew back on his face, "Well… I'm sure he's great. He's a really lucky fellow."

A small laugh escaped her lips. She looked down at the ring again, slowly feeling her fingers touch it. It was supposed to all go swimmingly, she'd learn to control her powers at Aretuza, she'd come back and the two of them would set out together, help people, save them from monsters, be together. They would finally be together like two normal young people in love would be, enjoy their time together, go on dates, hunt monsters, fall asleep and wake up next to one another… but the universe had different plans for them both, and they had missed out on all of that. Not anymore, she would get to him, and together with Geralt, Yennefer and their family… they'd be able to do what they had always wanted.

People linked by destiny would always find each other, this she knew. However, she also knew that just destiny wasn't enough to truly unite two people. It required something more, something even deeper then that.

And she and Dominik had that, that bond and true love that wouldn't be broken..

"Thank you… again for everything," She said, looking up and smiling at the man, "So like I said, shall we get going?"

"Aye we can," He said gesturing towards the two horses behind him, "I'll take Njord, you can ride Greyback, she's old but she'll-."

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES, RAGH NAR ROOG, THE WORLDS END," A screamed pierced through the barn, making her whirl around and look out the doors with Skjall.

"No… no, no…." She said under her breath, as she could see the unnatural frost gripping the entire town.

The skeletal riders clunked through the town, screaming and laughing wildly as Ciri saw men and women alike being rode down. Beasts of the hunt screeched, and tore through buildings, leaping and attacking the villagers as they passed. The sulfur smell pierced the air, and she felt her skin begin to heat up, rage and anger burning up inside of her. They had come for her again, they were going to destroy another innocent town, raid it and burn it to the ground all to get to her. The mist and cold air continued to sweep through the village, and she could feel the fires beginning, as more and more riders darted into the town square.

Her hands twitched, and she belt the ring tremble around her neck. She reached up and squeezed it, just like she had seen Dominik do with the swallow before his fight in her dream. No more, she wasn't going to run again, she was going to do what she could to save the people who had just saved her.

Skjall looked over to her with frantic eyes, picking up an axe from the walls of the stable, "You stay here! I'll go and-."

"I can take care of myself," She said quickly, her voice growing dark, as she sprinted out of the barn, feeling the magic from her blood begin to seep out of her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Her blade slid from her back and she focused her energy, her magic just like she had been training to do for so long. She saw the blood, heard the screaming as beasts of the Hunt and riders all chased down the villagers, killing anyone who resisted. A few of the men fought back with everything they could, their axes and swords trying to clang with the riders. She had to use her powers, she had no choice, they had already known she was there, so there was no use in hiding. In the town square she saw one rider advancing on an older man who was weakly holding an axe up to defend himself. Just before the elf could bring it down to end the old man she focused her energy and blinked over.

Just as the rider's crude longsword was coming down she reappeared and got her blade up in time to parry. Her parry sent him off balance, and she could hear his screaming, she heard him scream _Zireael, _confirming to the other soldiers they had indeed found her. She didn't wait for him to finish however, she spun and cut her blade through the chinks in the riders armor, her arms glowing as the strike had so much power behind it she nearly cut through him completely.

Loud snarling came from behind her, and she was so angry she could feel the power emanating in her. Her eyes went wide, glowed and she saw bright blue for a moment, as she whirled around and blinked forward, cutting her blade clean through a beast of the Hunt, the blood splattering onto the earth right beneath the great oak tree. The magic kept swirling around her limbs as she heard the crackling of boots over snow behind her, and quickly she teleported again, just barely missing a sword strike that would have cleaved through her.

"COME ON," She screamed, as she saw three more of them advance on her.

She heard the screams, the dying screams of men and women, as the villagers desperately fought back. A man screamed to protect the women and children, as she saw the ones who weren't fighting retreating towards the woods, but another rider came by, freezing the exit as his horse rode past. She couldn't let it continue. For so long she had been running, letting the Hunt leave destruction in her wake, all of it to try and find her. She heard the clunking and screaming and whirled back around to feel the wind chill her neck, sending goosebumps up her arms, but they quickly went away when her anger heated her body up again.

Three of them advanced on her, and she gritted her teeth, feeling the ring bounce against her cold chest, the sun slowly setting, the moon rising in its wake. The first one advanced from her left, and she quickly raised up to parry, spinning and as she came to the next elf he smashed his blade down on hers, locking swords she looked up into the eye sockets of his face plate, and heard the rider yell. She quickly side-stepped and cut through the man's back, before she teleported to her left just before the third rider's sword could cut through her. She saw the rider reeling, she felt her anger swirl, the magical energy moving around her arms as she teleported forward, slicing her blade clean through the elf before coming to a stop in front of the tree. Her anger mounted, and the magic around her churned violently as the moon continued to slowly rise, the last of the orange sunset rays slowly descending.

She heard the clunking of armor behind her and whirled around to see a rider inches from her. If not the axe that cut through the elf's torso, bringing him to the ground, she didn't know if she would've gotten her blade up in time. She watched and saw Skjall plunge his axe into the rider's chest and look at her with frantic eyes.

"Go on Ciri! Ride, ride and get out of here," He screamed over the clanging of blades, screams of death and laughing of the riders.

She shook her head, "But what about everyone-."

"DRAGON, GODS ABOVE IT'S A DRAGON," A man screeched, before a loud roar pierced the air, so loud it felt as if it would rip apart the sky itself.

"Dragon!? What-," Ciri started, before the roar pierced the air again, and she saw a giant torrent of frost spew from the sky, smacking into the great oak behind her.

"LOOK OUT," Skjall yelled, pulling her to the ground as she heard the roar again, and felt a huge gust of wind blow past her as the beast soared over head.

Her head shot back up as her and Skjall both scrambled to their feet. She looked and saw the great oak had been completely uprooted, sprawled out on the ground, completely incased in a block of ice. Dragon's didn't attack humans, and they didn't work with the Wild Hunt. No legend or story Avallach had told her mentioned a dragon at all, but she heard the roar pierce the air again, and Ciri's mouth went dry as her grip on her blade tightened. A large *****_**CRASH* **_rippled through the air like waves, as she finally saw the beast land atop the roof of the inn, roaring so loud Ciri felt as if her ears were about to bleed.

The beast looked just like she had been told back in Kaer Morhen, when her and Dominik listened with bated breath during the few lessons they received on dragons. It was a massive, four-legged beast, with its wings stretching out to the length of two longships. Its sword like talons crunched into the roof of the inn, as it roared again, making Ciri's entire body shiver from the pure cold it exhumed. It's scales were pure snowy white, as it had two large black eyes with white iris's on its head, perched atop a long neck, and as it roared Ciri could see its teeth were all the size of her sword, all of them sharpened ready to tare through anything in its path.

"CIRI, WE MUST GO, COME ON," Skjall screamed from behind her, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her with him, but she shrugged it off and looked up at the dragon again.

The dragon itself wasn't what made Ciri freeze… it was the person perched on the back of its neck. Never had she ever heard a story of a human riding a dragon, let alone a commander dressed in the armor of the Wild Hunt. The beasts roared again and fired more streams of pure ice and frost from its mouth, freezing entire houses and groups of people hole. More people screamed, the echoes of riders laughing, people dying, Skjall screaming for her, it all got tuned out when she saw her perched on the dragon's back.

It was her, Baelen, the one who had attacked Dominik in her dreams, the dream that was the reason she had come back.

"It's her…" Ciri said, feeling heat shoot up her throat, wrapping her hand tighter around her blade.

"CIRI! WE MUST LEAVE," Skjall yelled behind her again after cutting his axe through yet another rider.

She whirled her head around as the fire reached up to her emerald eyes. She met the man's gaze and gestured for him to go on.

"GET THE HORSES, I'LL BE THERE IN A MOMENT," She yelled, not waiting for a response as she turned and sprinted towards the dragon, towards Baelen.

Skjall yelled again but she ignored it, as another roar from the dragon pierced her ears. The dream she had played over and over again in her head. Baelen and Dominik circling each other, a large ring of fire around them both. She taunted him, goaded him, and eventually they crashed, she could see them both fighting, Dominik doing everything he could to stave her off, but Baelen would overpower him, and just before her sword could cut him apart the dream would end.

After figuring out that this woman was indeed a commander of the Hunt, that was when she demanded of Avallach they return. She didn't know if the dream had showed her the future, if Dominik would meet Baelen soon, but she wasn't going to take the chance. If she could take the commander out then, she would be eliminating one of the Hunt's strongest warriors, and she would also finally be taking measures to keep him safe. She wouldn't let Baelen get him, she wouldn't let any of them harm him.

She tried to sprint towards the inn, cutting through and spinning around attacks from a few more riders, as she saw the last of the men of Lofeton doing everything they could to fight back. The screams of dying men hit her ears, but her vision narrowed towards the dragon. It's roar pierced her ears again as it took off into the sky, and she cursed, but her eyes went wide when she saw a portal of frost appear on the beasts back. Baelen had teleported, and she heard clunking behind her. She whirled around just in time to parry a blow, and using her powers she teleported forward, cutting her blade clean through the rider, his body slowly fell in half, and the magic from her powers continued to swirl around her arms. She was going to try to move towards the stables, thinking that she had lost Baelen, when she heard the bone rattling voice.

"Charging towards a dragon Cirilla? I must admit I'm surprised at your bravery. Although I'm sure if Dominik were here, you'd simply throw him at it," A female voice raked behind her, and Ciri felt both her arms tremble as she whirled around.

Shaking off the momentary shock at the fact she was speaking common tongue, Ciri finally saw Baelen. The commander of the hunt was no taller then she was, Ciri saw the mane of brown hair flowing behind her, as she realized the commander was a woman, a woman just like her, not at an Aen Elle. However, all she heard ringing in her ears was the words she had spoken. She felt her powers swirl and she teleported forward, trying to cut her blade through Baelen in one fell swoop. However, the woman blinked away in a puff of frost, and Ciri heard her speaking again from behind her.

"My oh my, so much anger. I only speak the truth…. He'd do anything for you, and you know it… I'm hoping that will be used to our advantage…" Baelen said, a crude longsword in her hands, as she slowly began to circle Ciri.

"You WON'T hurt him; I won't let you!" She yelled, leveling her blade as she slowly walked in a circle around the commander.

The screams around her grew louder, as she could hear the dragon roaring and descending more and more, its frost breath completely incasing people and buildings in ice. However, Ciri kept her eyes trained on Baelen, who slowly walked with her sword at her side as she kept the eyes of her faceplate trained on Ciri.

A scoffed came from behind Baelen's mask, "Oh dear, such fire. I had no idea you cared so much about him still."

"I LOVE HIM, and I WON'T let you get your hands on him," Ciri screamed, her hands gripping even tighter around her sword, as the ice and smoke danced between them both.

Ciri couldn't see Baelen's eyes, but the commander slowly shook her head, coming to an abrupt stop. The eyes of her faceplate shot over to meet Ciri's eyes, and she could see blue mists of magic starting to swirl around Baelen's arms. A thousand questions raced through her mind in that moment, but all she could focus on was Baelen's eyes. Large bits of light blue magic swirled in the eye sockets of her face plate, and it swirled down over the commanders limbs, even incasing her sword, as when she spoke next Ciri could hear the venom, the hate, the pure loathing that came from it.

The commander took slow steps towards her as she spoke, "If you love him so much… why didn't you go back to him? All you've ever done is abuse the love he has for you! He hasn't stopped fighting, hasn't stopped looking for you in eight years! He goes on quest after quest for you, but WHAT, have you ever done for him Zireael!? All you did… was leave him, abandon him, you know he would have gone anywhere with you, but you ABANDONED HIM, TWICE-."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH," She erupted, feeling her power teleport her forward as she swung her blade down from above, with what should have been enough power to cleave clean through the commander.

The swirling magic around Baelen's limbs flashed and the commander raised up her sword, and Ciri clashed against it. A giant _***BOOM**_***** erupted when their blades met, sending her and Baelen both sprawling backwards. She tumbled and quickly sprang herself back up to her feet, feeling the anger and power course through her blood, her heart thumping a mile a minute as she could feel how dark her emerald eyes were. Baelen had been trying to goad her this she knew, and it had worked, because Ciri felt her heart erupting with a new fury. She saw Dominik's face in her head, she would get back to him, and Baelen wouldn't stand in her way.

She watched as the commander of the Hunt slowly rose, her crude steel longsword slowly raising up to point at Ciri. Light blue magic still swirled on Baelen's arms, and in the eye sockets of her face plate, Ciri could see the magic swirling still as well. All around them chaos and destruction roared, men screamed, the dragon above them roared, but for that moment, all Ciri focused on was her opponent. She shifted her feet, and leveled her blade, feeling the magic swirl around her own limbs, her powers coursing through her. She could feel her blood pumping through her limbs vigorously churning more and more energy into her. The magic continued to swirl, as she had every intention on killing Baelen, killing all of them…. She wouldn't stop fighting, not as long as he was.

"I've been waiting for this… for my chance to kill you," Baelen hissed over at her, as the dragon roared overhead, "I WILL kill you for what you did to me… then I'll kill Dominik of Cintra… you'll both pay for it…"

"YOU WON'T HURT HIM, I WON'T LET YOU," Ciri erupted again, the magic beginning to swirl even more violently around her, as she could see her vision starting to glow blue.

"COME THEN ZIREAEL SHOW ME HOW DEEP YOUR LOVE FOR HIM RUNS," Baelen yelled, the magic around her churning to violent new heights as well.

She teleported forward, and Baelen did the same, their blades met with another giant _***BOOM***_ right in the town square, right next to the uprooted great oak. Ciri felt her powers completely overtake her, her eyes shining bright blue as she danced in a whirlwind with Baelen who matched her every move. A similar blue light shone in Baelen's eyes, as for a moment Ciri didn't know what to do except to keep moving her blade. She struck with every combo she had ever learned in Kaer Morhen, her powers spurring her limbs on, moving them at speeds nobody should have been able to match, but Baelen kept matching them, as their steel clattered in a giant steel whirlwind.

With every clash of their blades small magic bursts erupted, and Ciri saw the ground was becoming more and more blackened as they fought. Baelen was relentless, striking from every angle, perfectly transitioning into spins, her footwork was precise, and her blade always hit its mark. However, Ciri knew she was just as skillful, she saw her feet moving on the pegs of the pendulums back at Kaer Morhen, Dominik cheering for her from below as Geralt shouted out more instructions. Knowing she needed to end the fight as quickly as she could, Ciri parried one more strike and kicked her foot forward, smacking it into Baelen's chest, giving her a small bit of room.

She teleported behind the commander and tried to strike from above, but just before her blade could make contact she disappeared in a puff of frost. Ciri knew she was trying to get behind her, so she quickly turned and managed to block the strike that would've ended her just in time, but another loud _***BOOM***_ erupted as soon as their blades made contact, blackening the ground below them as she felt herself get sent tumbling backwards again. She skidded across the blackened earth and quickly leaped back up to her feet, her vision still tinted blue, her powers erupting magical energy around her.

Baelen quickly did the same, singe marks covered her armor, and Ciri could still see magic churning violently around her as well. Avallach had only mentioned that Baelen was an extremely talented warrior, the elf had said nothing about her being a woman, being able to speak common tongue, her wanting to kill Dominik and Ciri both, or whatever power the commander was currently exhuming. Ciri hadn't been ready, but she only felt the blood race through her body faster, her heartbeat speed up even more, her powers and a hot rage rushing through her limbs.

"I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF YOU, LOST EVERYTHING TWICE BECAUSE OF YOU," Baelen screamed at her, her voice screeching over the dragons roar and the screaming of the people of the village, "YOU AND HIM BOTH! I WILL HAVE MY VENGENCE, FIRST YOU AND THEN THE BOY YOU CLAIM TO LOVE!"

"I DO LOVE HIM, AND YOU WON'T GET YOUR HANDS ON HIM," She screamed back, feeling her anger continuing to boil over inside of her, her blade leveled as they slowly circled each other again.

A cackling laugh came from behind Baelen's face plate, the blue magic still churning in the sockets where her eyes were, also churning around her arms. As Ciri and she circled one another, the magic that ripped off both of their arms scorched the ground even further beneath their feet. She kept her eyes on the commander's sword, as Baelen let out another loud cackle.

"HAHAHA YOU CLAIM YOU LOVE HIM, BUT ANSWER ME THIS ZIREAEL," The commander shouted, stopping in her place and leveling her blade at Ciri, "IF YOU LOVE HIM SO MUCH, THEN WHY DID YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FUCK KING AUBERON!?"

And that was when Ciri felt herself lose control.

"ARRRRGGHHHHHHHHHH," She screamed, almost as loud as the dragon was roaring overhead, as she felt all control leave her.

She teleported forward, with her eyes completely blue she swung her blade down on Baelen, as the commander raised her sword up to block, the magic swirling just as violently around her as well. Ciri came down with the strike from above, feeling the power completely overtake her, as Baelen screamed at the top of her lungs from underneath her mask, and when their swords finally met the largest _***BOOOOOOM* **_of their whole fight seemed to shake the very island they were on.

Ciri felt herself fired backwards as if she was shot from a ballista. She felt herself get sent sprawling down a hill, her body smacking against the now blackened earth as she felt her sword clunk out of her hand, the ring around her neck bouncing from her chest to her nose. The magic had finally disappeared from her limbs as she felt her body, which had just felt so rejuvenated ache from head to toe. The dragon roared loudly overhead as she felt a gust of cold frost blast over her head as she finally stopped rolling. Slowly she groaned, trying to get to her feet as quickly as possible. For a few moments, her vision was blurry, all she could see was the ring dangling and loose strands of her hair as she slowly managed to get herself to all fours, coughing and trying to blink the blurriness away.

"CIRILLA," The voice of Baelen screeched from above, making Ciri shoot her neck up, looking back towards the main square where they had fought.

Baelen had somehow stood, but she was stumbling, her armor singed and burning, half of her faceplate gone. With her vision so blurry Ciri couldn't see anything, only the commander trying to stumble her way down towards where she had fallen. Baelen stumbled and fell to her knees, coughing as she peered her eyes back down towards Ciri. The dragon roared overhead, and Ciri realized the only way she could save anyone else was with Avallach. A dragon, riders, and Baelen all at once, she stood no chance now on her own, she needed to get to the elf.

"Come on… come on Ciri… get your ass up," She muttered to herself, trying to fumble around on all fours for her sword.

"CIRI, CIRI HERE," A voice screamed behind her, as she felt herself being lifted up to her feet.

Skjall had come and lifted her up. As soon as she stood straight she stumbled for a moment before she reached and grabbed onto Skjall's shoulder to steady herself. She blinked a few times and saw him, his tunic covered in blood as they stood right near the stables. The man reached over, and she realized he had retrieved her sword. She quickly took it from him and after fumbling for a moment slid it back behind her back.

"They… they're here for me, I must go," She quickly managed to get out, her vision returning to her.

Skjall quickly nodded, and Ciri realized he had brought the two horses out of the stables. The dragon roared above, and she could hear Baelen continuing to scream, shouting out orders in the Hunt's language, ordering them to chase after her.

"Come on, let's move I'll show you to the rock!" Skjall said, pulling himself up onto one of the grey horses he had pulled out.

Ciri whirled her head around and took one last look at Baelen, who had managed to get to her feet, her sword loosely in hand. For a second she locked eyes with the hunt commander, and from the half of Baelen's face she could see, she could see the loathing and hatred she contained in her, along with one single green eye. She narrowed her vision for a moment, that eye, she had seen it somewhere before she knew, she tried to wrap her mind around it but just couldn't.

Her thinking was interrupted by the great white dragon swooping down and freezing the ground between them, before the riders began to rush forward, mounting up on their horses. Ciri had seen her before, way before any of this, and she knew it. Avallach had to know more, and the only way she had any chance of saving the village was if she got to him. So she tore her eyes away from Baelen, turning to mount the horse next to Skjall.

And she rode off, just as the dragon roared and followed overhead.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"PULL UP HERE," Skjall yelled next to her, pulling his horse to a quick stop.

"WHAT," Ciri yelled, yanking the reins of her own mount back, skidding it to a stop.

"Over there look, GO," Skjall yelled, pointing down towards the beach.

Her head whirled around, and she saw underneath a stone archway was a set of stone steps leading down to the beach. Avallach was there, dragging a boat into the shallow of the water. She quickly slipped herself off the horse, hearing the loud roar of the dragon overhead getting closer and closer. Her eyes fell over to Skjall who was still atop of his horse. She couldn't find words to express how grateful she was, but it seemed that he didn't find them necessary, because he simply nodded and gestured urgently towards Avallach. Ciri let out a shaky breath, biting her lip she nodded back to him and turned.

The roaring of the dragon got closer, as she sprinted down the steps, leaping down two steps at a time until her boots finally hit the sand. The sun had gone down, and she could only see by the light of the moon now, and the small torch the elf had lit at the edge of the boat. The ring bounced against her neck as her body ached, and she felt the cold breeze of the night send goosebumps up her skin. Baelen's one eye was burned into her mind, the dead people of Lofeton, their screams, the dragon, it all raced in her head, as she could hear the rapid hoofbeats of Skjall's horses finally running away. After she had gotten closer, she could see Avallach reaching down and pulling rope into the boat.

"Avallach since when do they have a fucking dragon!? It was white, it attacked the village," She screamed coming up behind the elf.

He whirled around, his eyes meeting hers through the gold mask, the moonlight shimmering off his robes.

"Kilgarrah…." The elf hissed darkly, looking up into the sky, as the dragon's roar was beginning to approach.

"You know it!?" Ciri exclaimed, a thousand new questions racing through her mind as her heart almost pumped out of her chest.

"We have no time Zireael, into the boat now, we must go," He hissed back at her, trying to grab her arm and drag her to the boat.

"We can't leave," She hissed quickly, yanking her arm away from him, "We have to help them. They saved me I can't leave them, Baelen is leading them!"

"Will that family ever cease to torment me…" Avallach said darkly, the venom slowly dripping from his voice, his head shooting up.

"You never told me she wasn't an Aen Elle," Ciri yelled again, feeling her frustration begin to mount, "I saw half of her face! I know her from somewhere I've seen her before, I know that-."

"WE'VE NO TIME FOR THIS ZIREAEL," The elf screamed again, his voice piercing through his mask.

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM!"

"They must not get their hands on you," Avallach hissed darkly, gesturing towards the boat, "Into the boat, we are leaving now!"

She couldn't leave them, they saved her, she couldn't simply abandon them. It wasn't who she was, it wasn't what Dominik would do. She was still going to be who he fell in love with when she got back to him. She'd still be the Ciri he fell in love with.

She gripped onto Avallach's arm and tried to drag him with her, "WE NEED TO HELP THEM! They don't stand a chance without us!'

Avallach ripped himself from her grip, and she was sure his nostrils were flaring underneath his mask. She heard an angry growl come from him as he stared at her.

"We've already exposed ourselves thanks to your foolishness," He screamed at her, as before she could react she saw a glowing ball of white magic in his hand, "You WILL listen to me, you WILL obey!"

"WHAT ARE YOU-," She started to scream, before his hand came up and gripped her forehead.

And after a second, the last thing she felt was the ring bouncing against her chest.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"No, no, no… NO," He screamed, feeling every one of his limbs tingle, as he whirled his head back around towards the writhing dead man, "WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT CREATURE, TELL ME RIGHT NOW!"

She couldn't be gone; she just couldn't be. The elven mage had screamed at her, before knocking her out with a spell and putting her on a boat. A separate pot of rage was boiling in him towards the mage, he didn't care if he thought it was for her own good, Ciri had been trying to save innocent people, nobody did something like that to her and got away with it, not while he was alive. But now all he was focused on was the cursed little creature Skjall had described, the only thing to wash back up on the beach after she had gone. Despite how much he ached, how much his entire body was fighting him to stop, he felt his insides drain, his body tingle as the anger couldn't stop spewing out of him.

He stood and watched as Skjall wreathed in pain.

"SSSTTTOOOOOPPPPPPPP….. HUUUURRRRTTTTTTSSSSSS…." The body screamed again, piercing his brain, only making him angrier.

"SPEAK, TELL US," Yennefer screamed behind him, squeezing her hand tighter, the now black tendrils of magic churning in her fists.

Skjall screamed again, twitching even more wildly, "SSAAAAAWWWWWW HIMMMMMM, ATTTT, DONAAARRRSSSS, BUT, BUT HE SOOOOLLLLDDD HIMMMMM!"

"TO WHO, GIVE ME A FUCKING NAME," Dominik screamed again, coming face to face with the body, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

"DOOONNNNTTTT KNOOOOWWWWWWWW," Skjall screamed out again, and it was at that moment, he felt himself fall apart.

It felt in that moment as if his entire soul left his body. His skin turned to pure ice, and it felt as if a thousand needles were being poked into his arms. He had been too late… he hadn't gotten to her in time. Again… again he failed. _She was looking to figure out a curse_. One of his biggest fears was that the curse was casted on her, and that he was taking too long, that if he didn't find her the curse would kill her… or worse.

"No… no, no, no, NO," He screamed taring himself away from the body, walking past both his adopted parents, "I WAS TOO LATE FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!"

He fell down to his knees and couldn't bear to turn around and face either of them. His knees gave out from under him and he fell down to them on the stones. His entire body shook as he felt his eyes sting, the swallow pendant around his neck began to tremble, and the tingling on his arms became so bad he fell onto his hands, the tears slowly beginning to fall onto the stones below him. Through it all she had been thinking of him, she had spoken so passionately about him that the dead corpse had even mentioned it. She was fighting, doing everything she could to get back to him, and through it all he had been too late. For weeks they had been chasing some creature, and if he had only fucking stayed in Novigrad with Dandelion none of it would have happened. She wouldn't have almost been killed by Baelen or a dragon, she wouldn't have had to flee, he would've killed Baelen, a dragon, any number of riders. If he had just stayed in the city for three more days he would have been with her right now… but now she could be cursed.

Right away when he heard of the creature he had remembered Uma. Uma from Crow's Perch, the ugliest man alive. He remembered how the Baron said he had won the creature off a Skelligan merchant, and now the story finally made sense. For a few moments he had thought that perhaps it wasn't Ciri, but only someone who had been cursed and saw what happened as an after effect of the mages spell. But then… but then he remembered Uma's reaction when he locked eyes with the creature back at Crow's Perch. When the cursed man had seen Dominik, he remembered vividly how its eyes went wide, and it tried to go after him, trying with everything it could to get to him, before the Sergeant came into the room and dragged him out. The horrible thought kept stabbing into his mind.

What if that creature really was Ciri? And she had noticed him, that was why Uma tried so hard to get to him.

If it was a curse they had to find a way to lift it, it should have been easy. But even Yennefer hadn't been able to figure out the phylactery, or the words of the curse. And if Ciri and whatever elven mage she was traveling with couldn't solve it… how would there be any chance? None of it would have even been necessary had he just been faster… had he been putting everything he had into searching for her, if he truly was then he would have stayed with Dandelion. If he had stayed there longer with the bard, he could have figured out Geralt and Yennefer were alive, Ciri would have fallen right into his arms… but no, he had wanted to leave, start out on the road again too much. He always made it a point to not spend too much time with Dandelion, not because he didn't like the bard, but because spending too long with him made him think of her and thinking of her brought him nothing but grief in that time. And now he was paying the ultimate price for it… Ciri was suffering, and it all would have been different if he hadn't failed.

He looked around and saw the now blackened garden. The great oak was barren, its leaves fallen off, the bark slowly peeling. If he had been there normally, it would have saddened him, but all he could see was her face. Her ashen hair, the sparkling of her eyes, her mature voice, she was the most beautiful thing in the world… and now there was a chance she was cursed… all because he had failed. He didn't hear much, but he heard both his adopted parents talking behind him. It was hard for him to make out what they were saying, because all he kept hearing in his head was their young voices.

_'We'll always try to get to each other,', 'I love you too you stupid boy,', 'Never let go of me… please,', 'I'll never leave you, I promise', 'Me and you versus everyone'._

"Ciri… gods Ciri… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" He said, still on his knees as the orange rays of the sunset continued to stream over him.

His damp body shook, his arms tingled as he saw the swallow dangling from his neck. For the first time in what felt like months he cried. The tears slowly streaming down his face, down his neck, under his armor. Both his swords clunked, as he fell down to all fours, feeling himself sob, as he tried to control the crying, but as his arms shook, all he saw was her face, and it was as if she felt further away now then she ever had. He sat there, shaking as he felt his tears slowly drip onto the stones. He felt by himself… until he felt arms wrap around him, Yennefer's voice softly hitting his ears.

"Shhh, it's alright, it'll be alright," His adopted mother said softly, her raven hair slowly coming into his view.

Quickly he sucked in a breath, as he wiped his eyes with his glove, determined not to continue crying in front of them both. However, when he looked up, and saw Geralt in front of him, Yennefer next to him, he couldn't help but sob again, as he felt like a child burying his face into his adopted mother's shoulder. She didn't say anything, neither did Geralt, his adopted father simply stood there, looking at him, trying for a reassuring smile. Yennefer's scent of lilac and gooseberries always calmed him, and while his heart continued to race at nearly a thousand beats per minute, she somehow managed too then.

He wrapped his arms around the sorceress, just like he used to back in Ellander when he'd wake up with the nightmares. And just like back then, she hugged him back, one hand in his hair, the other wrapped around his neck. He sobbed again as he tried to control himself, but Ciri's face kept popping into his vision, and he felt as if his soul was still out of his body as the weight of the situation continued to fall over him. She could be cursed… and she wouldn't be if he had just waited.

"Yen… Yen I… I should have just waited in Novigrad," He sobbed, the tears falling onto her shirt, "If… if I had just stayed. If I had stayed like Dandelion asked-."

"Shhh, you had no way of knowing, none of this is your fault," His adopted mother said soothingly, trying to reassure him, "We know what the key is… we know what we have to do next."

"She's right Dom," Geralt said from above him, as he finally felt himself let out a shaky sigh.

His heartrate still worried him, and his entire body felt as if it would fall to pieces at any moment, but he managed to detach himself from his adopted mother. With some help from the sorceress he shakily stood, feeling the fatigue in his bones all wash over him at once. He let out another shaky breath, as the breeze from the approaching night washed over him, his teeth chattered for a moment, as both his medallion and swallow blew around his neck.

Slowly he shook his head, "I… I could have prevented all of this. I could have stopped it all, I… I wouldn't have let her out of my sight… if… if I had just waited…"

Yennefer put a hand on his shoulder, but it was Geralt who spoke. His adopted father took a step towards them both and slowly shook his head.

"You can't think like that now Dom, the trail isn't dead," His adopted father said, looking over to Yennefer, "Dom and I have actually seen that cursed man before. Dom, you remember Uma from Crow's Perch?"

"What!? Uma, what are you talking about," Yennefer said quickly, looking between them both.

The idea slowly pierced into his brain again as he slowly nodded at the two of them.

"When Geralt and I were in the Baron's castle in Velen, saw the creature there, they called it Uma. But… but Geralt you remember what it did when it saw me," He asked his adopted father, his voice slowly cracking, "It… it tried to run at me…. What… what if… what if it was actually-."

"Stop," Geralt said right away, his yellow eyes meeting his with an intense glare, "We can't think about that right now, it'll drive us all insane. This was NOT your fault Dominik."

Before he could protest any further his adopted mother gently let go of him and looked between them both.

"You must both go and get this creature then. I don't know, buy him, kidnap him-," Yennefer started before Geralt sighed and shook his head.

"Yen this curse… it's complicated. Its mind was a jumble, can't have anything resembling a normal conversation with it... it's a miracle it somehow recognized Dom," Geralt said, gesturing over towards him.

He sighed and felt his body shake again, "If that thing really is Ciri… then that could be how it did…"

Yennefer looked over and shook her head, "Like Geralt said we can't focus on that. It matters not if it's cursed. We're a sorceress and two witchers, a curse should be no problem for us."

A shaky sigh left him as he nodded, he wanted to say something, but he couldn't even bring himself too. All he kept seeing was her face pop in and out of his vision. He heard her laugh, her voice, both her young voice and her current voice ringing in his head. Aimlessly he felt his hand fiddling with the swallow pendant, as every single part of his body from head to toe was screaming, screaming at him to let them rest.

The wind howled, and the sun was setting, its golden rays shooting out over the now blackened garden. Goosebumps ran up his arms and his sword clanked behind him, as the thought kept popping into his head. _Three days… if you had only waited three days._ Geralt quickly nodded, and he could tell more then ever his adopted father was trying to hold it together, for both he and Yennefer's sake now. The older witchers silver hair blew in the wind, as he met Yennefer's eyes and gestured to both him and Dominik.

"We'll head back to Kaer Trolde and rest up," His adopted father started, "Then tomorrow Dom and I will get Clop and Roach and head back to the continent, think you can open up a portal for all of us?"

Yennefer quickly nodded, "Shouldn't be a problem no… though I think this is the first time I've ever heard you suggest being teleported."

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, "Don't get used to it. After we arrive back in Velen, Dom and I will go collect Uma and bring him to Kaer Morhen… first thing's first though…. We need to get some sleep… all of us."

Kaer Morhen. He hadn't been to his old home since he left to look for Ciri, eight years, eight long years he had been away from the keep. So many times, he had considered heading back, heading back to see his Uncle Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert, try to see if any of them could help him in finding Ciri, or to just be back somewhere that felt like home. He wondered aimlessly if everything in his room would still be there. The only things he had taken from it were his sword, blanket and a few essential supplies… were his letters from Ciri still there? The carved wolf she had gotten him for his birthday? The first, smaller blade he had received when he was thirteen? Would the keep even look the same to him, would it still feel like home?

He had sworn when he left that he wouldn't return until he had her. He wouldn't return until both he and Ciri could come back, she could undergo her trial of the medallion, then they could undergo mutations and set out together. It was all supposed to only be for a little while… but now it was almost a decade later… and he'd finally be returning, except it would be without her. And if Uma truly was Ciri… then he would be keeping his promise in a sick, twisted way. Sighing he pushed the thoughts of Kaer Morhen out of his mind for a moment, and focused on what else Geralt had said. For the first time in a while… he told himself he needed to sleep. The previous few days had felt like it had taken a larger physical and mental toll on his body then almost all of the last eight years combined.

Yennefer nodded again, before slowly looking between both he and Geralt, "I agree but… first there's something I need to ask the both of you. A… favor. It's important, shouldn't take long at all."

If anyone at all, even his closest friend asked him to do anything other then head back to Kaer Trolde to get ready to leave the next day, he would have outright refused. However, even without noticing the desperate look on Yennefer's face, words left him before he could even think.

"Of course, what is it," He said exhaustedly, turning towards his adopted mother.

"Yeah, what is it," Geralt quickly asked after him.

Yennefer looked over to him first, his adopted mothers' eyes looking at him sympathetically. The gaze from her violet eyes sent some warmth down his spine, despite his entire body still feeling frozen. He couldn't bring himself to smile however, whenever he tried… she kept appearing in his mind, her face, and then the image of Uma. His skin crawled, crawled and festered as he thought about Ciri being trapped inside that sick, twisted body.

And the fact it could have been prevented had he only been more determined, had he not failed her again….

"Let's get out of here first… I'd like to be out of this place before the priestesses come," She said, a small sigh leaving her before she looked at them both again, "Come, let us head for Larvik, we'll warm up in the warriors hall, and I'll explain more there."

"Another portal… we're pushing it with the one tomorrow," Geralt said, a small joking tone to his voice.

Finally, the small smile managed to come to his face for but a moment. He felt a small bit of warmth run through him, and it rushed through him again when he saw Yennefer's smirk, as she got between the both of them, placing her hand on both their shoulders.

"Oh, stop whining… come on, let's get moving," Yennefer said, her reassuring smile, sending a small bit of warmth up his body, giving him a small bit of hope, which he appreciated.

Because in that moment… it had all left him.

**A/N: And just like that ladies and gentlemen, we are all finished with the longest chapter of this story to date, and WOW it was an absolute BLAST to write. This is the first chapter I've gotten to write where it was basically ALL from Ciri's POV. For some contexed this chapter was 28,000 words and Dominik's povs at the beginning and end came out to about 8-10,000. The rest was allll Ciri's pov. After her and Dominik are reunited I'm going to have entire chapters from her POV, so this was a little preview of that. (Quick note, yes the priestesses see them, the scene is just like in the game)**

**I do want to say however, I am sorry if her POV seemed kind of exposition heavy. That was kind of intentional because after all this is the last POV we'll get from her until the Isle of Mists, so I wanted you guys to learn everything I wanted you to know before she comes back into the main story. I wanted to you all to see just what she's thinking before her and Dominik reunite.**

**So let's run through this chapter quickly. We find poor Skjall's body, and we can see more and more that Dominik's gone from optimistic, to desperate, to angry, to completely devastated, an emotional roller coaster indeed. **

**NOW onto Ciri's POV. Some of the important things we learn are 1,) That she had been having nightmares of Dominik and dreams, and her dreaming of him and Baelen along with missing everyone of course was the catalyst to spark her coming back, 2,) Avallach doesn't seem very fond of Dominik, trying to stop Ciri from coming back for him… and urging her to forget him 3,) We get a view into what her mindset is, she's still the stubborn, headstrong, confident, the normal Ciri… but she's also is damaged, worried about her past, worried about what Dominik will think, just like Dominik is… **

**So the questions from these are why does Avallach not seem to like Dominik, how does the elf know the Dragon, does he knew Baelen's true identity? Also, what'll it be like when Dominik and Ciri finally reunite? **

**We'll see them obviously go through a bit of a 'honeymoon phase' when they first see each other again, but after that… when they sit and start discussing the nitty gritty details of what happened to each other over the previous eight years, of their relationship… what will that conversation be like?**

**After that we see the destruction of Lofeton, the great white dragon that descended and tore the village to shreds. We also see that Baelen was riding it… what's going to be the deal with this dragon?**

**And after that we get a duel I've long anticipated writing, Ciri versus Baelen. We saw in Baelen's duel versus Dominik she was holding back for some unknown reason… not this time however, we see her go all out in an intense duel with Ciri. Both of their powers clash and it ends in what can be seen as a draw, or a slight victory for Ciri. I know the duel was a bit shorter then Dominik vs Baelen but with her and Ciri's powers going at it like they were, it naturally didn't last as long. **

**So. the big question… what is the deal with Baelen, how's she connected to Dom, Ciri, the Hunt, and what's her connection to the dragon? Leave your theories in the comments, I won't respond to reviews with them because I don't want to confirm or deny anyone's theories haha, but go crazy with the speculation, who is she how'd she get where she was, and let me know!**

**And finally, we are almost done with Skellige. We have two more chapters, next chapter Dominik will go to Kaer Trolde to reflect on the quest so far while Geralt and Yennefer head off for the Last Wish, and after that we'll have a short goodbye in Skellige, we'll get Uma, and THEN we're on our way to Kaer Morhen!**

**Next chapter is officially the halfway point of this story if my outline holds true… and I am so excited for it. I really hope you guys loved this chapter, it was definitely in my top 1-3 favorites that I've had to write, after writing nearly half the story from Dominik's pov it's nice to switch to Ciri's.**

**To let everyone, know quickly know in this story we're going to have basically all Dominik and Ciri's povs, there will be a few chapters where we get short Geralt povs, and a few other ones sporadically but that's it.**

**SO, leave a review with your theories and thoughts if you have time. I can't get over how much I've love writing this story, and how much support from you all means! I hope you all have a fantastic day, stay safe, and I'll see you next chapter at the halfway point!**


	44. A Wolf's Rebirth

**A/N: Hey everyone a really quick pre-chapter A/N. I wanna say a massive THANK YOU all, this story has just reached 100 followers, and i am absolutely baffled by the support and how fast it's growing! This chapter is officially the halfway point in the story if my outline holds true, and i can assure you I have SO many more awesome moments planned. My goal was to create a story where it's truly believable my created character could have existed, and not only existed, but actually have an impact, and i'm so glad you are all enjoying. Me, Dominik, Ciri, Geralt and everyone truly appreciate it, and i hope you continue to enjoy! We have two shorter chapters here in Skellige before we finally head back to Kaer Morhen, i hope you all enjoy and THANK YOU all again -TheWitcherDom**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 44: A Wolf's Rebirth**

**Narrator: After their long journey through Skellige, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer's journey led them to the island of Hindersfjall. On the island, in the village of Lofeton Ciri was fished out of the water and nursed back to health by the villagers, but after she had recovered the Wild Hunt descended and attacked, intent on capturing the young woman. During this attack Baelen, the mysterious human female commander of the Wild Hunt, led the raid of the village…on the back of a great white dragon. Ciri recognized Baelen from her dreams and faced down the commander, both of their immense magical powers unleashing, leading to an intense battle between the two of them. After this battle Ciri managed to escape but was knocked out by a spell, and put on a boat by her mysterious elven companion. Now the only lead Dominik and his adopted parents have, is Uma, the ugliest man alive whom Geralt and Dominik saw back at Crow's Perch in Velen. So now, with only one lead left, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer prepare to head back to the continent, to continue their search for Ciri…**

The priestesses had indeed caught them before they could teleport. Naturally, the women had been furious at the destruction of their garden and combined with how mad they already were with Dominik themselves; it hadn't been a very pleasant conversation. They had screeched at them, Yennefer in particular, and the way they had spoken to his adopted mother had almost sent him off the deep end again. Geralt and Yennefer had both held him back however, and after hearing the women scream how his adopted mother would never be welcome in Skellige again, he had again almost lost it. Again, however Geralt managed to hold him back before the priestesses stormed off in a huff.

After having Yennefer assure him that she was okay, he had aimlessly held onto her arm as she teleported them to Larvik. By the time they got there, the sun was just setting out over the horizon, the moon starting to rise. His skin was damp, his armor wet and cold, and he yearned to take it all off and simply sit in a bath, a sauna, anything to warm his bones. That combined with his armor also having holes in the leather, bits of the chain and metal were ripped apart by monster claws and swords. His gloves were tattered, and his boots were waterlogged. His hair was damp and strewn about like a bird's nest, he could feel the bags under his eyes, and every step he took he felt like he could fall asleep where he was standing. The wind as the sun slowly began to set only sent more chills down his spine, making the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand up.

All of this would have been bad enough on its own… but it was all just extra, piled on top of the pain from what felt like a knife slowly syphoning the blood out of his bleeding heart.

"Dom… it's going to be alright," Geralt said to him, as they followed Yennefer through the door of the warrior's hall.

He hadn't been paying attention, feeling as if he was in limbo, not really there, thinking about nothing but Ciri, Uma, and all of the work they had done, so he nearly jumped when he heard Geralt speak. Letting out a shaky breath he managed to move his shaky legs to walk behind Yennefer through the warrior's hall, and slowly craned his neck over to Geralt.

"Right to Crow's Perch right Geralt? I… I don't want to take up anymore time after this," He asked, as they both finally stopped behind Yennefer.

"Yeah, rest up tonight, get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll ride right there, after that… Kaer Morhen. Don't worry, Yen's right, if anyone can figure out the curse, it'll be us," His adopted father reassured him.

Yennefer had gestured for them to sit and went over to the innkeep to get them all a drink, so he slowly nodded as he sat next to Geralt. The hall in Larvik was large, and the massive fireplace in the center of the room slightly warmed his bones. Despite the roaring blaze however his body still felt cold as he aimlessly looked into the roaring flames as he leaned forward on the bench. He was flashed back to Ellander, all those years ago and the night he and Ciri would spend simply sitting and staring into the fires at the inn. The two of them wouldn't even say anything sometimes, simply sitting and enjoying each other's company, she'd lay her head on his shoulder, or sit in his lap, and he'd have her there in his arms, and he would've done anything in that moment to live that memory again.

He was sure that they'd make it to Crow's Perch, he'd rip Uma right away from the castle if he had too, and then Geralt and he would get the creature to Kaer Morhen, it wouldn't be that hard. But the thought that it was Ciri, that cursed creature was the woman he loved, that she was writhing and suffering inside the sick, twisted little body made his body shiver, and the thought that he was so close, that he could have saved her… it made his eye tingle as he let out a shaky breath. His shaking hand reached up and gripped around the swallow pendant as he could feel Geralt looking at him worriedly. He knew his adopted father was trying to find any way possible to make him feel better… but he knew that Geralt also knew nothing would.

"Alright, here drink up the both of you," Yennefer said, coming up next to the both of them, sitting down next to Geralt and placing three mugs in front of them.

Turning back around he saw the frothy ale in the mug and felt his mouth dry. He grabbed the mug up in his hands and downed half of its contents within seconds. The fire continued to crackle, and he could hear a few patrons of the inn muttering about the three of them. If he had more energy he would have perhaps tried to get food, been happy to be in the inn having dinner with both his adopted parents. However, with the fatigue he felt he could barely look up and look at them both. His armor for the first time ever, felt like it was weighing him down.

"Thank you both for coming, I know you probably both want to head right out…" Yennefer said, taking a small drink from her own mug.

Before Geralt could say anything he quickly shook his head at his adopted mother, "It's no problem of course… what is it you needed?"

His adopted mother bit her lip and looked between both Geralt and he. She let out a breath and tossed her raven hair behind her shoulder.

"Amos Var Ypsis, a specialist on djinns- heard of him," His adopted mother said, making both Geralt and he whirl their heads around to her before she continued, "I found a tome he'd penned in the emperor's library. Var Ypsis set off for Skellige one day and was never heard from again. I asked some local folk and they still remember him."

"Djinn expert? What happened to him," Geralt asked quickly, drinking another swig from his mug.

"The local's say they last saw his ship off the coast of Hindersfjall. Then a once-in-a lifetime storm hit," Yennefer quickly explained, looking over towards the rest of the patrons who were beginning to give them strange looks.

He looked between both his adopted parents and felt his skin continue to tingle. It didn't even take him being their child to know that a djinn was what brought the two of them together. It was well known that they tried to tame a djinn in the village of Rinde, and Geralt used the last wish he had to ask for Yennefer and he to always be together. It hadn't worked exactly, with the two of them separating multiple times, but they had always found their way back to one another.

A small part of him wanted to ask what his adopted mother wanted with the man, but he knew that she had to have a good reason. Sighing he took another drink out of the mug, feeling the alcohol slowly slide down his throat as he listened to both his adopted parents talk.

"Well if that's the case, he's probably fish food by now. Why do you care, do you know him," Geralt asked, turning to face just the sorceress now.

"It's not the mage that interests me… it's his djinn," Yennefer said, her voice growing low so nobody could hear them.

He knew exactly what he would have wished for if he had a djinn. It had been one of the few creatures he hadn't encountered. They were extremely rare as it was, he knew you needed to find one sealed and then tame it somehow before you got your wishes. He had lifted a striga's curse, killed a necromancer, and managed to somehow kill even the most dangerous of monsters in the previous eight years, however the one beast that could have solved his search right away… he had never found.

"Yen… why do you want a djinn? We of all people should know djinn's are dangerous sometimes, and malicious all the time…" Geralt said, not taking his eyes off her.

Yennefer scoffed lightly and nodded, "I remember. But the advantages outweigh the risks. If I can tame a djinn, I shall gain incredible power. And that could be useful in the days to come."

Downing the rest of his mug of ale he looked over at his adopted mother, a small yawn escaping him as he met her eyes.

"You know, I always wished I could have found a djinn the last few years…. So, what do we need to do? I'm assuming we're going to try and go find his wreck," He asked his adopted mother, slowly turning to face both of his parents.

For a moment, the both of them simply stared at him with worried looks. He could feel the bags under his eyes, and his body was still screaming at him to sleep. However, if his adopted mother needed help with anything he would do it without question. She had just gone against everything she learned and used necromancy to help them figure out what happened to Ciri. She had paid for it by having the priestesses basically tell her she wouldn't be welcomed in Skellige again.

However, his adopted mother simply sighed and shook her head at him. She came over and sat next to him, gently putting a hand on his arm. Her touch was warm and reassuring, and he gently lifted his eyes to meet her gaze.

"Yes, that's what I want to do but…. Dominik I'm sorry son but… this is something I need to do with just Geralt," His adopted mother said, looking over between him and his adopted father.

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "What? Come on Yen I know you're worried, but I'll be fine I-."

"You're not alright Dominik. I know you too well child," The sorceress said, looking over to Geralt, "Besides… this is something that Geralt and I must do alone."

"Why? Is everything okay…" Geralt said slowly from next to him.

Yennefer quickly nodded, "Yes it's just… this is something that just you and I must do Geralt. Dominik, I'll open you a portal back to Kaer Trolde."

"But Yen, I'm fine I swear, I don't want to leave you guys to do this alone," He reasoned, meeting his adopted mother's violet eyes with his own pleading gaze.

The sorceress sighed and looked over to Geralt for help. Sure enough his adopted father nodded, and looked over at him as well.

"Yen's right Dom," The older witcher started, trying to give him a reassuring smile, "Head back to Kaer Trolde, get out of your armor, take a bath, get some food. And tomorrow we'll head back to the continent, right to Crow's Perch."

The idea of both his adopted parents going off by themselves sent a tinge of worry up his spine. Not because he thought they were in any danger, but simply because he didn't want to be on his own in that moment. A small part of him was screaming that if they separated he wouldn't be able to find them again; he would be alone again. He wouldn't be able to get back to them, just like he hadn't been able to get back to Ciri. It was a ridiculous notion this he knew, but, with how he felt then, he couldn't help it, the thought that ran through his mind. He didn't want to be alone again; he couldn't even remember being on his own before Claywitch after the previous few weeks.

For years upon years, all he had for company was his horse, his sword and very occasionally people like Faram, and Freya. But for most of the previous eight years he had been by himself, stewing in his own sadness, the longing and loneliness taking over him. He'd lay awake for hours looking at the swallow pendant, crying, remembering the days where he actually felt genuine happiness. Before Claywitch he had thought that Geralt and Yennefer were both dead, and that Ciri was all but out of his reach. He slowly began to feel that he was going to be alone for the rest of his days, walking around the continent chasing Ciri's ghost until he was killed by some monster.

But in the last few weeks everything had been turned around for him. Within two days after Claywitch he learned that both Geralt and Yennefer were alive, and he was back on the path to find Ciri, with genuine leads, a real trail, she got closer and closer. He had his family back, both his adopted parents, the few friends he made over his years alone all came together, and he set out for Skellige thinking he would finally find Ciri there, and that even if they died fighting the Wild Hunt, at least he would get to hold her in his arms again, and get to be besides his second family before they did.

However… he had failed, not been fast enough, had he just waited, perhaps looked through the leads faster… he could have saved her.

Despite the fact he was hesitant to leave them however, his body continued to ache, and he yearned to finally get his armor off. He could also see that the two of them weren't simply going to find a djinn. They needed time to talk about the two of them, their relationship, they wanted to have some time alone. The look in Yennefer's eyes confirmed it for him. In the previous few days, they had clearly needed this time alone. They had gotten it for a small bit while they went to search for the mask, but he had been with them most of the time, and with what they had to do next, this would be their last chance.

So, he sighed and slowly nodded to them both.

"Alright… come on, I guess I could use some sleep," He said, slowly getting up off the bench.

Yennefer gave him a grateful smile and stood up with him. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him again, giving him a small kiss on his cheek before she pulled back, her smile sending a small bit of warmth down his body.

"Thank you…. Now let's get you back. Eat, bathe, and just relax," She said to him reassuringly.

"She's right Dom, get some rest, you've earned it. Tomorrow we'll head right out, promise," Geralt said, standing up with them as well.

He let out a shaky breath and slowly met both of their eyes again, "Okay… please be careful. I… I can't do this alone."

They both smiled at him. Yennefer gave him another small squeeze of his arm and met his gaze with her reassuring violet eyes.

"Don't worry child, we won't leave you alone," His adopted mother said reassuringly, "And whatever happened to Ciri, we WILL pull her out of it, I swear it."

A small smile came across his lips, his adopted mother had never lied to him before. Goosebumps went up his arms, as he could feel the swallow tingle around his neck. He let out a sigh and slowly nodded. They would do everything they could to pull Ciri out of the danger she was in.

But she wouldn't have been in that danger if he had just been faster.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAAAHHHHHH, FUCK," He screamed as soon as he fell face first onto the stone battlements, groaning as he spit snow out of his mouth, "Maybe Geralt has a point about portals…"

After leaving the warriors hall, he had followed both Yennefer and Geralt down towards the harbor near Larvik. Before both of his adopted parents got into the boat to go and explore the wrecks, Yennefer had opened him a portal to Kaer Trolde, she told Dominik to think where he wanted to land, so he had thought about the last spot he had been at in Kaer Trolde. It hadn't been their room at the inn, it had been on the battlements when they confronted Birna Bran and the Jarls condemned her. So, he had landed a few feet in the air, and fell face first into a large pile of snow out on the walls of the castle, only soaking him further, his armor ripping even more.

"I guess that the universe really can't do me any favors…" He muttered, using his wobbly limbs to slowly rise to his feet.

The moon had risen, a large full moon as he only saw a few guards of Clan an Craite clunking around in their armor, amazingly none of them seemed to jump at seeing him there. He tried to wipe the bits of snow off his armor and readjusted both of his swords as he felt the night breeze blow through him again. He let out a shaky breath and slowly walked out towards the walls again. He looked out over the edge and saw the view, the same view that only two days prior he was looking over, feeling so full of optimism. Crach had given them the mission of going to find Hjalmar, and Cerys, and he had eagerly agreed, thinking that after they did it would be no problem for him, Geralt and Yennefer to go find Ciri at the site of the magical explosion.

Slowly he let out a shaky sigh, feeling his drenched body freeze in the night sky. The first few steps he took he could feel his knees wobble, as he went to lean out over the walls. His ripped, battered gloves slowly dipped into the snow on the walls as he leaned over, taking in the view again. The mountains across from him had clouds slowly rolling over them, as the sea air hit his nose. He sucked in a breath and the cold air hit his lungs, sending a tingle through his body. His damp hair blew in the wind as he could see the small town of Kaer Trolde down below, he curled his hands into fists, picking up bits of the snow on the walls and crushing them. His medallion and swallow pendant slowly bounced coldly against his chest, and he reached up to grab the silver.

"Ciri… gods Ciri what have you gotten yourself into…" He said quietly, shaking as he let out a breath, his eyes beginning to sting.

He didn't know where she had been the last two years since Rivia, he didn't know anything about her elven mage companion, he didn't know how she had avoided the Wild Hunt. All he knew was that he wanted to be there for her, wanted to be there for her to protect her, hold her, be with her. He had missed her over the last eight years every day but the yearning and want was finally spilling over. She could be a cursed little creature now or knocked out on a boat somewhere in the middle of the sea. Dandelion had asked and begged him to stay with him for the day he was there for stay. The bard has insisted to him that Dominik was working too hard and should take a few days off to enjoy the pleasantries of Novigrad.

But he hadn't stayed, he told the bard he didn't want to stay in one place for too long, especially so close to Velen with the Nilfgaardeans closing in, along with the fact staying with Dandelion for too long gave him painful reminders of Ciri. Little did he know if he had listened to the bard he would have been reunited with her only a few days later. Right then and there, in the Rosemary and Thyme he would have seen her. She would've ran up to him, leaped up into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist like she had used to. He could've figured out exactly what was going on with her, about the Hunt, why she had come back, and he could've stopped them from going through with their crazy plan of robbing the vault for Whoreson. She wouldn't have had to flee; she wouldn't have had to almost be killed again on Hindersfjall, and she wouldn't have been knocked out by her mage companion and shoved into a boat.

But none of that had happened. He left Novigrad, and Ciri had gone through even more hell. And then he finally got back on her trail, and after weeks of almost dying every day, of highs, lows, fights he never thought he'd be in… the whole time she had been right near his fingertips and still, just like two years ago at Rivia, she had slipped through his fingers. He failed her first by not stopping her from going to Aretuza. He had known something horrible would happen if she went, he failed her again two years prior, if he had been strong enough at Rivia, if he had lasted longer, he would have seen her, gotten to her. And he would have traveled to any world she wanted after that…

And now she had gone through even more hell… and he hadn't been able to prevent it. If he had only been stronger… and no matter what powers he had in his blood, they were useless to him if he wasn't able to protect her with them. He thought back to Novigrad, when he saw Dudu transform into her, and for the first time in eight years he had seen the woman she grew into. She was only a half a head shorter then her, her ashen hair still tied in the same bun she had always had it in, her slim waist, high cheekbones, cute smaller nose, her beautiful emerald eyes… and the ring that still bounced against her chest. All he wanted, all that he needed in that moment was to have her in his arms, after eight years, so much heartache, so much longing… it was the only thing that would heal the wound in his heart that had been festering.

"Ciri… Ciri… I'm sorry… sorry I wasn't strong enough…" He said, his eyes tingling as the tears slowly rolled down his face, almost feeling as if they were going to freeze to his cheeks in the night air.

She had slipped away from him again… slipped away and he again had failed. He stayed leaning against the walls, his black gloves curling into fists, the snow churning in his hands as the tears slowly fell from his face onto the stone battlements. The moons light shone onto his neck, as his damp hair blew in the wind more, the chill continuing to freeze his limbs. Tears fell harder from eyes as he let out a choking sob, Ciri's face popping into his mind, her laugh, her voice, the feeling of having her arms wrapped around his neck. He had felt so close, so, so close to finally having it all again and he was ripped away from it.

His damp armor continued to send additional chills down his body as he cried, sobbing there on the walls of Kaer Trolde, where just a few days earlier he was full of hope and optimism. He thought that by that day he would have Ciri with him, or he'd be riding out with Geralt and Yennefer to where she was to finally retrieve her, and after that they would all be riding for Kaer Morhen together, so that way they could finally battle back the Hunt. He, Geralt, Ciri, one of them would kill Eredin… and then Ciri and he would finally be able to make up for the lost years. They both had been through and experienced more then any person their age should. First they met when they were 11, first kissed when they were 12, and by fourteen they were completely in love with one another. They were just going to start the best years of their childhood… but it had been ripped away from them.

Their destinies were each other; it was so much more then just childhood love. The bond they shared ran so much deeper then that. He didn't know if it was because of destiny, fate, the universe, but all he knew was that Ciri, was the love of his life, the only one he'd ever have… the one person he wanted with him for his entire life. Destiny wasn't sufficient enough to bring two people together, it required something more, something much, much deeper, a love, a bond that would never be broken.

And that's what he and Ciri had, a bond and love that couldn't be broken. Which is why he sobbed even more when he thought about how many times he'd failed to be strong enough for her…

"One of the servants said a man had fallen from the sky… wasn't expecting for it to be you out here lad," A deep voice said behind him, as he heard footsteps crunching through the snow.

He whirled around the tears still slowly falling down his face, the night air freezing them on his face, and widened his eyes.

Quickly he reached his cold gloves to his face to wipe the tears that were falling as he stuttered, "Crach? I… I'm sorry I didn't mean to just barge in, Yen she…she opened a portal for me and-."

"Easy, easy lad, you're always welcome in my home," The Jarl of clan an Craite said, as he slowly walked up towards him, "More worried about you lad. You're white as a ghost, seem like you haven't slept in ages!"

He frantically went to wipe his eyes again, not wanting to cry in front of the man. It was something he was always subconscious of. He didn't cry often, but when he did he didn't like to show people, thinking it made him look weaker. However, at that moment he had a hard time drying his face, because the wind kept blowing and drying the tears, along with the fact he was seeing a man who also wished to see Ciri safe. The wind howled over the battlements and he managed to look up and meet the man's eyes, as he came up and looked over the walls with him.

"I… it was just a long day, teleported a lot, learned a lot…" He said, slowly turning back out towards the mountains again.

Crach slowly nodded his head, "Aye, I can see that much. So, how did the search go today? Ermion came back in a huff, told me you were heading to Hindersfjall. If you had found her… I assume you'd seem a little happier."

Hearing the name of the island, it all flashed back into his head. He let out a shaky sigh and turned around again, leaning down onto the walls, his eyes darting out towards the mountain across from them.

"I… I was too late… to late again…. Ciri was there, she was injured, villagers nursed her back to health but… but the Hunt attacked," He managed to stutter out, slowly looking to meet the mans intense brown eyes, "Ciri she… she escaped, but… but she disappeared…."

He went on to explain in more detail what happened on the island. He let the jarl know about the dragon attacking, Ciri escaping and being taken away on a boat. With every word he told the man, Crach listened intently, taking in every word he said. And with every word he said, he felt the blood syphoning more and more out of his heart. Every word plunged a knife deeper and deeper into him, twisting and twisting, slowly draining him of every bit of will he had left. He could barely believe the optimism he had only a few days prior.

Finally, he told Crach about Uma, the small, sick, twisted little creature he saw at Crow's Perch, and how it could be Ciri. He even found himself telling the man about how he only missed her by three days in Novigrad, and if he had only stayed none of this would have had to happen. As he continued to speak he felt himself fluster more and more, the tears slowly streaming down, as every word hurt for him to speak. Crach was a good listener, the man stood there and looked out over the walls with him, the moonlight danced between them both, off the jarl's chainmail armor. With every word he spoke, and every gust of wind that came their way he shivered, the dampness in his boots and on his armor.

The clouds slowly moved over the tops of the mountain across from them, the moon casted its glow out over the sea. He normally would have been glad to see such a beautiful view, standing there to admire it, but with every second that passed, he thought more and more about the possibility of Ciri suffering inside the cursed body at Crow's Perch.

"If… if I had just stayed in Novigrad… if I had just… just somehow gotten to her sooner, if I had been quicker, if I had been stronger… she may not have gone through this all…" He said with a slow shaky breath, wiping the tears falling from his eyes again, turning to look at the man, "Sorry, I… I don't normally-."

"Nay, nay lad, don't apologize," Crach said quickly, shaking his head, "Everyone needs to let it out now and then, even the toughest men will shed tears at least once in their lives. The fact you do so now… it only shows how much this quest means to you."

"It means everything," He said quickly, rubbing his eyes again as he sniffled, "I… I just can't stop thinking about it, about her… how… how I failed again. I promised to protect her… and for so, so long… I've just been failing…"

For a moment, the Jarl was silent. He slowly nodded his head down at Dominik and sighed, looking out over the walls. Dominik had felt ashamed, breaking down and crying in front of the man whom, while he considered a friend, in reality he barely knew. However, all he kept thinking about was her, and all the moments he had where he could have gotten to her.

In those few moments of silence he thought about every day over the last eight years he had spent feeling sorry for himself, drinking and lamenting the fact the world was unfair, feeling bitter at Geralt and Yennefer, bitter at the world, calling his whole situation unfair, just sitting and complaining. It all could have been time he could have spent looking for her, he could have found her, and prevented everything that had happened.

But he hadn't, and that was one of the first few times he failed her.

Crach finally sighed and looked over to meet his eyes, "You know lad… it feels like yesterday. I remember finding your father in a similar state that you're in now, in damn near this same spot."

His head whirled around, the tears freezing to his face in the night sky as he met the man's eyes.

"My… my father? Really…? What… what was wrong," He asked the older man.

Crach slowly nodded in confirmation, "Aye really, like I said it was in damn near the same spot we find ourselves in now. I assume you know of Pavetta? Ciri's mother."

"I have yeah… I heard her and my father were best-friends," He said, remembering his mother telling him the story.

"Aye, they were. Thick as thieves the both of them, could hardly ever separate them back in the day when they were growing up Gregory told me," Crach said a fond smile on his face, "Thought the two of them would end up together until Gregory met your mother, and Pavetta met that bastard…"

The thought of Emhyr Var Emrys did little to improve his mood. Hearing the fact that his father and Princess Pavetta almost ended up together, which could have made him Ciri's brother also did little to improve his mood. It sent even more tingles down his spine, and a shot of sadness when he remembered Pavetta's fate.

"Yeah… I… I heard when she died my father took it hard," He said slowly, looking to meet the man's eyes.

Crach scoffed and shook his head, "An understatement that is. He told me that he knew something would go wrong, said that he knew it in his gut and did everything he could to get on that ship with her. But 'Duny' was fervent that he not go, and eventually your father relented."

"Just like when Ciri left for Aretuza…" He said, feeling his skin crawl as he heard her last words, _everything will be alright. I'll see you soon, I love you. _Slowly he shook his head with a shaky breath, "I knew something would go wrong…. I felt it in my gut but… but I relented… let them take her there and… and she never came back…"

The an Craite slowly nodded, "Aye… just like that. And just like you, your father, poor man was devastated beyond belief for years. He kept saying how he failed, failed to protect her… and like I said, one night after he had brought Ciri here… found him in damn near this same spot, crying over the walls like you."

Scoffing himself he remembered his father in his last few years in Cintra. His father had protected Ciri and treated her like she was his own daughter. If his father could see how he was now, how he failed… he didn't want to know what he would think. With his dying breath his father had asked him to go and protect her, to find her and keep her safe… and he hadn't been able to do even that.

"Yeah well… not only have I failed Ciri now… but him as well," He said bitterly, looking out over the walls again, "His last words, the last thing he asked me… go find Ciri, and to keep her safe… and I couldn't do it…"

The shame washed over him again as he curled his hands into fists, the snow churning in his palms over his black gloves. _The princess… Ciri… find her… find her… and… and protect her. _Gregory of Cintra, Cintra's greatest knight, his father, had used his last words to tell him to go and protect her. If he shut his eyes he could remember the desperate, pleading tone that his father had as he bled out, gripping Dominik's arm for life. All his life he had tried to keep that promise, and a small while he succeeded, he saved Ciri from the knight in the helmet, stayed with her for a few years… fallen in love with her even more then he already had been… but for most of his life he had failed in keeping that promise.

"Aye, your father was saying similar things here when I spoke to him, telling me how he failed Pavetta, couldn't protect her, was damn near inconsolable he was," The man started, turning and clunking in his armor as he met Dominik's eyes, "And I'll tell you the same thing I told him…. No man goes through his life without failure. You show me a man who says he's never failed in his life, and I'll show you a liar!"

He froze for a moment, trying to digest what the man was saying. Slowly he managed to move around and lock eyes with the Jarl. The moonlight shone between them, off the pommels of Dominik's swords, and the chain of Crach's armor. Again, he let out a shaky sigh and shook his head.

"I know that… I know everyone fails but… but when my father failed… Pavetta died," He said slowly, looking down at the swallow, "And.. and Ciri she… she's had to go through more hell then anyone should have too. All… all because I couldn't get to her… because I failed…"

"My boy, LIFE is all about failure, life isn't about how few times you fail no," Crach said waving his hands and meeting Dominik's eyes, "Life is about how many times you can fail, and get back to continue moving forward! The true measure of a man isn't about how hard you swing your sword, it's about how many times you can be knocked down and away from your goal but keep moving forward! That's life my boy! A series of blows that wallop you one after the other, it's relentless, nobody will ever strike at you as hard as life strikes you, but as I said, it's about how many times you can take those hits, those failures life throws you, and keep on moving forward towards your goal!"

Dominik felt his mouth get dry again, as for a few moments he floundered. The Jarl's words washed over him like a warm bath. So many times, in his life had he failed, and worried so much about failing again he was hesitant to go out and try again. There were times where after he discovered a lead on Ciri, and it didn't give him anything useful, he'd be hesitant to search out another one, fearing he would fail again. He hadn't gone to find Geralt and Yennefer, partly because at the moment he was irrationally angry with them, and also partially because he didn't want to feel the failure of not being able to find her again. And now, he was going to go to Crow's Perch and get Uma, but a part of him was dreadfully afraid to do it, because what if he failed yet again, what if he couldn't lift the curse, what if they did lift the curse, and it wasn't Ciri, and whoever they cured didn't know anything?

His arms tingled again but this time not from the cold night air, but from the shaking of his own body. Slowly he looked up and met Crach's eyes again.

"But… but what if I mess it up? What… what if I can't figure out the curse, what if I do but it's not Ciri!? What if I do everything I can to cure this thing, but it leads me no closer to her, what if I somehow fail at this AGAIN," He said desperately, feeling himself begin to pace back and forth in the snow.

Crach scoffed and shook his head, "Then you go find another lead! If you fail you get out there an fail again! You keep on going and failing, taking the strikes life gives you, and you keep moving forward, you'll never succeed if you roll around and stop! You keep going on until you find Ciri, you keep heading forward until you achieve your goal! Unless of course that goal has changed?"

"Of course not, it hasn't! Nothing's changed," He found himself snapping, whirling around to the man, feeling his chest heat up, "She hasn't stopped fighting! She's been fighting for eight years to get back, she left to lead the Wild Hunt away from me, she hasn't stopped, I won't stop fighting for her if she's fighting for me!"

"HA good then! And if you're half as stubborn as your father was, you won't stop, this I know," Crach said, crossing over his arms and smiling down at him, "After Pavetta died and I had this conversation with your father, he threw everything he had into protecting Ciri. Treated the lass like she was his own! He made sure Pavetta's memory lived on, and he didn't stop until his death!"

"And I won't stop even if it means that! Ciri means everything to me," He said, stopping in his tracks, feeling his body heat to a new level, "My father he… he gave his life to save her. I love her, I'm ready to do the same! I won't stop until she's safe, and I don't care who gets in my way, the Wild Hunt, Emhyr, a dragon, I DON'T CARE!"

Crach laughed and smiled wildly at him nodding his head, "Aye I could see it in your eyes lad. You got that same fire, that same fierce protectiveness that Gregory had my boy. If anyone is going to find Ciri, it's you, Geralt and Yennefer."

The tears had stopped falling from his face, as every part of his body felt like it was on fire. His heart rate had been shooting through the roof, he had no idea it was possible to go from one mood to another so fast, and with such ferocity. His stomach had felt like one of his bombs had gone off in it. Crach's words pierced into his head, life was indeed a series of failures. It wasn't about how many times you failed, it was about how many times you failed and continued moving on. Just like his father had done after Pavetta's death. After she had died Gregory had wallowed just like he did, until apparently hearing the same words as Crach just said to him, before throwing himself headfirst into protecting Ciri with everything he had. And he had done it. Ciri never would have been able to escape Cintra without his father, without his sacrifice, without him not stopping the fight until he couldn't anymore. Dominik had done his father's memory a disservice, there he was weeping and feeling sorry for himself again, when he should have headed back into town, sharpened his swords, brewed oils and bombs, tried to study the phylactery, healed his wounds, and ready himself for the next phase of his journey.

Instead however he had done the same thing he had done the previous eight years. He had gone off and wallowed in his own self-pity, felt sorry for himself and lamented his failure, instead of getting back up and beginning to fight again right away. Ciri had gone and tried to kill Baelen, charged headfirst towards a dragon to fight. And if what Skjall had told them was true, she was shouting to Baelen about him, fighting for him. She had truly never stopped fighting, not for eight years, she was doing everything she could still to protect him, to get back to him. And she had done it with more fierceness then he could ever hope to muster, but he was going to try. He felt his hands curl into fists as her face popped into his head again, he tried to imagine her going toe to toe with Baelen, clashing against the Hunt commander in a blast of magical energy. It had been suicide to charge against both her and a dragon, but Ciri had done it anyway, done it for him.

And now it was his turn to fight for her with just as much ferocity. He was going to get Uma from Crow's Perch; he would keep trying until he lifted the curse. And if it was Ciri trapped inside of his body, he'd nurse her back to health until she was herself again. If it was someone who knew where she was, he'd get that information and head out for her right away. If the person trapped in Uma's body couldn't help them, he'd hop on a boat and sail out until he found her. Nothing would make him stop, not anymore, he was done feeling sorry for himself, he was done wallowing. He would take the hits that life was giving him, fight through the failures, if he failed he'd go out and fail again, he'd keep on failing until he succeeded and Ciri was in his arms, and Eredin was dead at his feet. If he to unlock the magical powers inside of his blood he would, if he had to fight the Hunt barehanded he would, if he had to kill Baelen, a dragon, Eredin, Caranthir, he would do it.

Just like his father, just like Ciri, just like Geralt and Yennefer, he wasn't going to stop fighting. Not again, not anymore.

He took in another deep breath, the crisp night air seeping into his lungs and cooling his heated body. His hand wrapped around the swallow pendant, and he gripped the silver with a new fierceness as the light from the moon reflected off both he and Crach's faces, as the Jarl smiled widely at him.

Meeting the man's eye's he gave him a respectful bow, "Crach I… thank you… for… for everything you've done, I can't begin to-."

"Nay lad nay! And don't be bowing, you'll never need to bow to me lad," The Jarl said, slowly sighing and meeting his gaze with another smile, "Like I said when we met… you got Sofia's eyes, but damn do you look just like Gregory…. Some of the greatest people I've ever met, the both of them… they'd both be proud of you lad… damn proud."

His face heated up, and another wave of warmth washed over his freezing bones. Ever since they both died, he wondered if he would have made them both proud. He remembered his mother teaching him lessons in the woods, how to make fires, climb trees, swim, read directions with the stars, make shelter and weave, all things he thought that he'd never need to know how to do, but all had ended up saving him over the years. He remembered her kind green eyes, flowing mane of bright blonde hair, her soft and reassuring voice, how she'd do anything for him, his sister and father. She had fought off an entire patrol for he and Bella to try and escape…. And his father, who taught him the basics of using a sword, even though he never began to get truly good until he got to Kaer Morhen. His father taught him how to fiercely care for and protect the ones close to you, how to be kind, fair and generous to everyone. He taught Dominik that respect was earned, not given.

And of course, they had both told him of the great destiny he had ahead of him. How together Ciri and he would do great things.

He had never met anyone who knew them personally in the years he spent alone. Geralt had only met his father once for a brief moment and never his mother. There had been people of course who heard of Gregory of Cintra, the great white knight of Cintra they called him, Queen Calanthe's right hand man, the best warrior the city had. However, none of these people knew his father like Crach had, on a personal level, considered him a friend. The same went for his mother, one of the best agents of Cintran special forces, sent on some of the most dangerous and volatile missions the queen had needed, that was until she retired when she first became pregnant. His mother had actually been a few years older then his father, but despite this they fell in love, resulting in he and Bella.

Bella wasn't there anymore either, and just like his parents… he fought everyday to try and make them proud… so to hear it from someone who knew them… it had brought a genuine smile to his face for the first time in what felt like ages.

Slowly he looked up and met Crach's eyes again, "Thank you… I… I can't begin to thank you enough. Geralt and Yennefer are out doing something we… we're going to head back to the continent, and we're going to find her!"

"You're welcome lad, I owe it to your father, was one of the best men I've ever known, and it warms my heart to see his boy turned out like him," The jarl said the moonlight shimmering off his face, "You'd best get moving lad, I'm guessing you got some preparations to make!"

His eyes widened when he realized all of the things he truly needed to do. If they were heading back to the continent and then right to Kaer Morhen, the ride would take them at least a week, and naturally they would want to only stop when necessary. That night could have been his last chance for some time to get more supplies, make more bombs, oils and sharpen his blades.

Scoffing he nodded and looked back up at Crach, "You're right about that. I need to make more oils, bombs, the silver is sharp, but I'd still like to take a whetstone to it… and for fuck's sake it's a miracle my armor hasn't fallen off-."

"Mhmm, let me take a look," Crach quickly cut him off, taking another step towards him.

He froze as the Jarl came to him and started examining the damage to his armor. It had felt like ages ago that Geralt had gotten his armor improved for him in Velen. He had been over the moon at the time, and the first quest he had worn it on was to fight the Pesta for Keira Metz. It had gotten him through that fight, and then through everything in Novigrad and Skellige, there had been a point where he thought nothing would ever tare through it. However, he had learned over the years that even the best armor will eventually chafe, and his armor indeed had. The leather coat underneath the chainmail and metal had holes in it, and he could see the small links of chain cut and missing. His gloves had small holes forming at the tops of his fingers, while his trousers and boot were close to having holes as well.

A part of him wasn't surprised, he fought everything from fiends, to bruxae, to the Wild Hunt, but then another part of him was disappointed, because he didn't know how much longer it would last even if he had it repaired, and with their search for Ciri coming into its final stretch… he needed it more then ever.

Crach looked at and examined the holes and scratches along his armor for a few second, before coming up scratching his chin, and meeting Dominik's eyes.

"Aye definitely in need of a repair… come with me lad, I think I can help in that department," The Jarl said, a broad smile coming to his face.

A scoff and smile came to his face, "Crach you really don't have to-."

"Nonsense boy! I promised you aid in finding Ciri, gold, ships… and even armor if it came to it, now follow me," The Jarl said, gesturing for him to follow, "When the survivors from Clan Tordarroch came to Ard Skellige, one of the survivors was one of the islands master armorers. Clan Tordarroch smiths made the best armor on the isles and the continent! I gave him work in Kaer Trolde… I think he could fix this… even make a few improvements."

"I… I got some diagrams Geralt gave me," Dominik said, remembering all the way back to when they first left Vizima, which felt like years before, "They… they're witcher diagrams, show you how to make some great improvements to armor."

His excitement started to rise as the smile on Crach's face grew even broader, as he gestured for Dominik to follow again.

"Even better then! Come on lad, let's go see the man, he'll make you armor, that can stand up to the bloody Wild Hunt itself," Crach said, as the night wind howled, and Dominik finally moved and followed.

It was time for the final leg of their search to begin, but first… he needed to prepare.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Okay… samum, grapeshot, dancing star, northern wind… what am I missing… fuck more moon dust," He said, as he quickly reached over to his bag he got from the herbalist, looking for more saltpeter, "And after this I need… vampire oil, then I should be good… crazy to think that oil started it all."

His new armor laid out on his bed. It had completely amazed him the speed at which the man worked his armor. He had taken the damp, wet, ripped and clawed armor he had been wearing, and improved it to the highest quality he could, with the best materials that Clan an Craite had in their castle, which also was the best quality. He couldn't even describe how high the feeling of excitement raised when he saw the final product. The light red leather coat that had been under the chainmail was patched and reinforced, but still somehow lightweight and didn't weigh him down at all. And in addition to that the chainmail was like a coat in its own, with smaller pauldrons over his shoulders, the rings of chain and metal were strong, but still also felt incredibly lightweight. He wore it on his walk back to Kaer Trolde, and it hadn't restrained his movement, he ran, even rolled like he did during fights down the hill. His boots and gloves were a powerful and durable black leather, his trousers having small leather pads of protection around his knees, with metal studs in them, and again didn't restrain his movements.

It was truly master armor, armor any witcher would have been honored and lucky to wear.

After he had gotten back to the inn, Yennefer and Geralt still hadn't gotten back, so he assumed that they were going to come back in the morning, and at the moment he didn't mind. He had no idea where it came from, it could have been the inspiration from Crach's words, the excitement of getting the new armor, but a surge of adrenaline was running through him. He first went to the herbalist and spend an incredible amount of coin and every kind of herb or plant he'd need, before then going to the bar and buying all the right alcohol he'd need for oils and bombs, along with a large plate of roasted boar and vegetables, then a pitcher of ale to wash everything down, along with a pot to brew his oil.

With everything he needed he proceeded to run around the room, mash herbs, brew small pots of oil over a small contained fire he made with his Igni sign, all while simultaneously eating and studying the small bestiary he carried with him that he wrote recipes in. He had brewed two vials of every single oil he needed except the vampire oils which he had brewing and steaming out of the pot he had. He sat at Yennefer's desk with all different kinds of herbs strewn about as he sat forward on his elbows, smashing together the saltpeter and quicksilver solution as finely as he could. The mortar grinding against the stone, as he smiled and gently picked up small bits of the fine dust with his bare hands and smiled satisfactorily.

"Good consistency… and that's four, good on bombs, now…. SHIT," He yelled when he saw the pot of oil bubbling over.

He almost knocked the chair from the desk over as he ran towards the small fire he had going, and quickly snapped his fingers to put out the flames and frantically picked up the pot from both sides. A small bit of the red oil fell and hit the ground with a hiss, and he brought it over to the table where he kept the vials. He bit his tongue in concentration and poured the contents of it into the vials on the table and let out a relieved breath as soon as they were both full. A satisfied smile came to his face when he finished, as put the pot off to the side on his nightstand, where both his steel and silver swords lay against it in their sheaths.

Sighing the smile came back to his face as he corked both vials and placed them with his others on his bed.

He was only wearing his white top, along with his trousers and socks. The bags under his eyes were still there, and his bones still slightly ached, but the energy from getting his armor, and his conversation with Crach still ran through him. He ran his hand through his damp, dry brown hair, and let out a relieved sigh as he quickly ran back over to the table, and slowly grabbed the mortar again, and proceeded to carefully pour the dust into the bomb casings he had made. After finally managing to tie together the casings with the adhesive he made, he clamped the bombs shut and with a satisfied smile he brought the bombs over to his bed as well.

"Okay… let's take stock," He said to himself, looking out over the complete witchers arsenal he had in front of him.

On one edge of laid his armor, while his boots and gloves sat on his nightstand and under his bed. Then he looked at the large assortment of bombs he had made, and counted plenty of each, and then finally all the smaller vials of different colored oils he thought he would need. He knew that he had a silver sword now, but if he ever needed an extra kick the oils would still be needed, and he hadn't spent so long mastering them to not use them as soon as he got silver. His dagger was in its sheath and he had quickly took a whetstone to the smaller silver weapon so it was sharpened back to a razor sharp point. His armor glistened, and both his swords laid against his nightstand as well.

Over the years he had of course kept himself stocked, but never in his life did he have such an arsenal at his disposal. He used up almost all of the gold he made to buy the herbs and give some kind of compensation to the smith at the castle. He had four of each bomb, and two vials of each kind of oil he made. He had even considered making some witcher traps, but he had been spending so much time running around with the bombs and oils, he didn't want to risk messing up the formulae.

"Okay… four samum, grapeshot, dancing star, northern wind, and moon dust…" He said, picking the bombs up as he spoke, dropping them into his bag, before looking over at his oils, and picking up the smaller vials, "And as for oils… necrophage, specter, hybrid, draconid, relic, and… vampire. Okay… finally good."

He smiled lightly again as he collected all of the oil vials into his bag again. He needed to be prepared if he was going to finally find her. It was obvious he didn't have enough material to make every single type of oil, so he had only made the ones he thought he would need most, the same with bombs. He was finished with the wallowing, like Crach had said, he was going to keep moving forward, and to do that he needed to be prepared. Also, if he was going back to Kaer Morhen a part of him wanted to make sure he brushed up on all of his oil and bomb recipes, so that he was able to show his Uncle Vesemir just how much he had improved. He only saw his Uncle for a few moments in White Orchard, and that had felt like months prior, so he was eager to see him again, and while a pot of nervousness also was boiling for it, he was eager to get back to his old home.

After finally getting everything into his bag, he moved his armor and dagger to the dresser he had in his side of the room and cleared his bed. He also went over and cleared off his adopted mother's desk, scooping and moving all of the herbs into the bag that Geralt and he used for them. His bones continued to ache, but after everything had been sufficiently cleaned, he brought himself onto his bed and quickly sat cross legged, he sank into the mattress and felt his medallion and the swallow pendant dangle over his chest.

"Okay… one more thing," He said, reaching over and pulling the sheath for his silver sword onto his lap, "Let's see how sharp I can make you…"

Over the years taking a whetstone to his blade was one of the most calming things he could have done. He knew that he was already at a disadvantage with just a steel sword in those years, so making sure it was in its sharpest condition was always necessary. So, he grabbed the whetstone he had been keeping on his nightstand and unsheathed the silver. The gleaming silver laid out on his lap and he could still see his reflection in _Fate's _blade. His brown hair was completely unruly still, the bags under his eyes would tell anyone how fatigued he was, but his emerald eyes still glowed with determination, as he raked the stone over the blade's edge just like Uncle Vesemir had shown him at a young age.

"I WILL get to you…" He said lightly, seeing the swallow bounce against his neck, "I won't stop anymore. No more excuses… no more distractions…"

With every stroke across his blade the silver panged against his ears, and he saw her face pop into his head. With every rake he promised, promised from that point on there was not going to be anymore distractions, he wouldn't give anymore excuses. He wouldn't get caught up in his failures anymore, he would keep moving forward. He wouldn't stop moving forward until he found her, he wouldn't stop fighting, no matter what happened. He had told himself before that he would stop getting caught up in his failures but hadn't been able to do that.

But now he was going to go and get Uma, and he was going to lift the curse, and then he would go out and find Ciri. He would have her back in his arms, he would reunite their family, and then no matter who tried to come for them, he would defend them until his dying breath. In that moment, with every step he took, it would be for her, every swing of his sword, every bomb he threw, fight he took part in, would be for her. For Ciri, to protect his new family, to honor his old one, everything he did from then on would be for them all.

He slid the stone over the edge and heard the satisfying ping of the metal, as he held the blade up closer to his eyes, as he could see his reflection up close. His emerald eyes sparkled in the metal, and if he focused his vision for a moment, he could see Ciri's smirking face next to his in the reflection. Her freckles ran from the side of her cheek, across the bridge of her nose to the other side, and her own emerald eyes sparkled with mischief like they normally had, while she smirked wildly. And as the image of her face popped into his head, he knew he didn't need anymore inspiration then that.

_'I love you, you stupid boy!', 'Me and you versus everyone,', 'We'll always try to find each other!', 'You make me feel like the most special person in the world,' 'Never let me go… please, I love you.'_

A small sigh escaped him as he gingerly ran his hands over the swallow, still looking at his reflection in the blade.

"I'll see you soon… I love you," He said quietly, before he heard a loud knock from the door that led to the tavern and his eyes shot over to the door, "Come in!"

The door creaked open and he heard the clunking of armor. He whirled around and a broad smile came to his face when he saw Faram of Undvik walk into his room with a large bottle of vodka in hand, a broad smile on his face.

"Haha I heard you were back mate," The Bear School witcher said happily, coming over and sitting down on his bed.

Dominik scoffed and sheathed the silver blade, placing it against his nightstand again. He whirled his legs around to the side of the bed and saw Faram's black beard was specked with food and ale, dressed in his bear school armor his friend smirked wildly as he met his eyes.

"Ha I am yeah… just getting some stuff made, sharpening the sword. Yennefer is teleporting Geralt and I back to the continent tomorrow," He explained to his friend, his socks hitting the stone floor.

Faram took a large swig from the bottle and handed it over to him, smirking wildly as he did.

"Aye good for you mate! So, I take it you learned something about Ciri then," His friend asked in an excited tone.

"You could say that… it's a long story," He said, taking in a long drink again before he finally told the story.

He went on and explained to his best-friend what had happened, down to the last detail. He explained about Ciri landing on Hindersfjall before the villagers nursed her back to health. The Bear School witchers eyes went wide when he told him about the dragon, and Ciri's intense magical duel with Baelen. Finally, he ended it with telling Faram about Uma, about their theory the cursed man being linked to Ciri… or worse the thing was Ciri herself. After he had finished Faram took the bottle back and took a drink.

"Bloody fucking hell mate… a dragon, a dragon in control of the Wild Hunt," The bear witcher said in disbelief, "And your woman charged it. For fucks sake, this lass has got bollocks that's for sure!"

A laughed escaped him as he grabbed the bottle back, "She is yeah… she really is. Good news is that Geralt and I have seen that little creature before, back at Crow's Perch. Baron said he won it in a card game, it's there now. Geralt and I are going to go get him, bring him back to Kaer Morhen."

Faram quickly nodded in understanding, rubbing a hand through his black beard. His friend was good at that, at knowing when to ask and not ask questions. The Bear School witcher looked over and smiled at him, taking another drink before handing Dominik the bottle back.

"Aye good for you mate. Always wanted to see the famous Kaer Morhen, the school of the wolf keep! I'd go with you mate I really would but…" His friend slowly started, and Dominik quickly shook his head.

"You got your own things to do, don't worry I understand. So, you start tomorrow right? You and Barnabas sailing for Undvik," Dominik quickly asked his friend, taking another swig from the bottle.

Again, his friend nodded a small smile coming to his face, "We are aye, got my boys and a bunch of volunteers from Clan Tordarroch, gonna start cleaning up that fuckers mess."

"You'll be great," Dominik said right away, handing the vodka back to him, "Thank you again Faram… for everything you've done… wouldn't be in this position if not for you."

The Bear witches smiled again and took one last large swig from the bottle before looking back to him with a smile, the light from the candles dancing off the pommels of his swords.

"Aye mate, and the same goes to you," Faram said, a wicked smile appearing on his face, "This is far from goodbye though! I'm expecting to see you again soon, with Ciri finally in tow! When that fight with the Hunt comes… you come get me mate, my swords, my ship… we're all going to help you beat the fuckers back."

A relieved sigh washed over him again. He always knew Faram would be there for him when the fight came, his friend had reminded him multiple times. However, in that moment it could be closer then they both expected. After they figured out where Ciri was… or it turned out Uma was indeed Ciri… the Hunt would surely be able to track them. And if Baelen had truly wanted to kill both Ciri and he, as soon as the two were back together again, she'd surely give Eredin their position. As much as he wished it were possible, he knew that Ciri and he wouldn't have much time to enjoy being back together after Geralt, Yennefer and he found her. Soon after the fight would come, and it would either be the end of them both… or, the beginning of their new lives.

For so long he hadn't been there for her to beat back the people trying to harm her. He didn't fight Leo Bonhart, he didn't fight Vilgefortz, or any of the Aen Elle who trapped her in their world… but now he could fight. He could fight Eredin, Baelen and the rest of the Hunt. And no matter if he had to unleash magic powers in his blood or not, he WOULD beat them back. He would beat back wave after wave, rider after rider, beat them all back until she could live her life how she wanted. No people controlling her, telling her what to do, trying to tell her what she could and couldn't do. Anyone who tried would meet him, and it wouldn't end well for them. Especially now… because he wouldn't stop fighting until she was back with him.

No more excuses, no more wallowing, no more worrying, no more thinking about failure. All he needed was the image of her face in his head, and he knew that after spending almost half his life looking for her, after so many failures, fights, and emotional trauma… he'd get to her.

And after he got to her… all of it would have been worth it.

"Yeah…" He said slowly, reaching his hands around the swallow, and looking back up to Faram, "Next time you see me… you'll get to meet Ciri… and then we'll beat them back."

**A/N: And with the end of this chapter my dear readers, we have officially passed the halfway point of this story. There wasn't any action, but I feel like 'A wolf's rebirth' was an extremely appropriate title, and a good thing to happen at the halfway point, our young hero gets refreshed a rebirth, and is ready to complete his quest. Let's quickly break down what we got!**

**So, we have a short conversation before Geralt and Yennefer go off to find the Djinn, finally getting some time alone. They'll be back next chapter, but that meant Dominik got some time to reflect on his own for a while. **

**The big point in this chapter, we get a long, inspiring, emotional conversation between Dominik and Crach, the one man he knows who knew Dominik's birth parents. What do make of Crach's words? And after seeing how they affected Dominik, how do you think we'll see him act in upcoming chapters? I was waiting to have this conversation with Crach and Dom, because I really want to establish a dynamic between them. We'll see them talk much more in chapters later on. **

**Dominik also officially had his end game armor! So, for a refresher, Dominik has been wearing the wolven witcher gear set for the entire story so far. Now however, thanks to Crach and a smith from Clan Tordarroch he has finally received the Mastercrafted Wolven Witcher armor! Get used to this armor, because it will be what he wears all the way until Blood and Wine when he gets Grandmaster Armor. **

**Also, I realize I didn't have a quest where Dominik went out and searched for diagrams, I just decided to have Geralt already have the diagrams, and then give them to him. I said at the start of this story I wouldn't have fetch quests like that because well I feel it would just drag the story on, and I want to add some level of realism. Dominik wouldn't go off to search for diagrams when he knows Ciri's in danger like she is xD**

**After that we get a quick montage of Dominik brewing oils and making bombs to prepare. I wanted to add this scene in just to show how much more motivated he is now, how he truly will have no more wallowing, no more excuses and no more worrying about failure. He's ready to finish the quest and find Ciri. **

**So after last chapter and this chapter we get a good view of how Dominik and Ciri's mindsets towards each other are… what are you looking forward to seeing them talk about? What about their reunion, how will that go? What about the brother's in arms quests, how will they go!? What about the next meeting with Emhyr that's coming up….?**

**Next chapter will also be relatively short, but it will officially be the end of the Skellige arc! As I said it was much shorter then Velen and Novigrad, but i believe it was certainly one of the most intense few chapters we've gotten… After Skellige ends next chapter we'll make a forced pit stop in Vizima, and then after that back to Kaer Morhen!**

**We'll see Yennefer and Geralt come back from their quest, we'll get a quick recap, and we'll get Uma from Crow's Perch! It'll be another short one, but after that we will get an intense chapter in Vizima….**

**I can't begin to thank you all enough again, this story has truly become such a passion project and that's thanks to all of you! Leave a review if you have the time, make sure to follow to keep up with the story, because I update very quickly xD And finally as always please stay safe in these dangerous times around the world, I hope you all stay healthy and I'll see you all next time!**


	45. Ugly Baby

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 45: Ugly Baby**

**Narrator: After a long, arduous journey through the Skellige Isles, Dominik, Yennefer and Geralt had discovered that Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse, was the key to finding Ciri. After learning that his lost love had fought Baelen, the mysterious female commander of the Wild Hunt, along with her great white dragon, the Young Wolf had been devastated that Ciri had slipped through his fingers yet again. After Yennefer and Geralt both left on a quest of their own, Dominik made his way back to Kaer Trolde, where he talked with Jarl Crach an Craite, an old friend of his fathers. After inspiring words from the Jarl, the Young Wolf readied himself for the journey ahead, the last stage of his journey before he could finally be reunited with his lost love after eight long years. Before they reunited however, Dominik and Geralt must travel back to the continent, to Crow's Perch to collect Uma, the key to finally finding Ciri….**

_In the dream he was freezing again, the swirl of the snowy vortex around him blocked his vision for a few moments, before it finally cleared, and he returned to the Hunt's command ship. Around it was nothing but pure flowing snow and frost, as if the ship were sailing across an ocean of frost and ice, the wind constant, the ship somehow flying through it at a brisk pace. The command ship he finally saw was larger than any warship he had ever seen, with its crude sails raising higher then most buildings, with crude ice forms jutting off the sides of the masts. The crude construction on the outside sent shivers down his spine, as the frost whirled past it, only seeming to freeze onto the ship itself, making it even larger. _

_ He didn't focus on the construction of the ship for too long however, when he heard the clattering of blades. His eyes shot to the massive foredeck where he saw a large collection of riders of the Hunt, along with Caranthir the navigator, the Hunt's mage standing at the front, watching the fight completely unmoving as he stood with his staff swirling blue magical energy. The clanging of steel got louder and louder, as he saw small bits of blue magic started to explode on the deck, while he couldn't see Caranthir's face, he saw him slowly shake his head, as he spit words out in broken common tongue._

_ "Sloppy… slow… more ferocious," His voice raked out over the howling wind. _

_ "URGGHHHHHH," He heard screamed from the deck, as he finally turned and saw what he was watching. _

_ It was Baelen. She was cutting through and whirling her blade, as rider after rider came at her. He watched as blue tendrils of magic shot around her arms, moving her limbs at speeds he didn't know possible, much faster then she had moved them when they fought outside Oxenfurt. Rider after rider came at her, all of them standing several inches taller then her, but with ease she parried, spun, side-stepped, thrusted and cut her blade across them, sending them all sprawling back, it didn't even seem as if she was breaking a sweat. However, it wasn't her prowess with a blade that made his eyes go wide, he already knew she was plenty skilled from his own duel with her. _

_ What made his eyes go wide was the magic she emanated from around her. The light blue rays swirled around her arms and legs, around her blade, and he even saw the eye sockets from inside her faceplate glowing with that same blue light. The magic erupted around her and he could see the very deck of the ship scorching from the power, small fires came up, but were quickly blown away by the frost. Her growls, her anger was contagious, it only seemed to make the magic around her swirl and churn even more violently, as she moved with perfectly precise motion her blade swinging up to parry with greater speed then anyone should have found necessary. _

_ She parried a strike from one rider and shot her hand forward, and the blast of magic that erupted from it sent the rider firing backwards, where he smacked into the side railing of the ship, almost cracking the wood whole. After she was done she turned again and parried strikes from three riders at once, her blade moving from one parry to another parry, knocking them aside, and spinning to cut down every single one of them, her anger only flaring her powers up even more, as she came up to one last rider who came towards her, thrusting her hands forward again and blasting him back across the deck, right past Caranthir who still stood unmoving. _

_ Baelen was breathing so loud under her faceplate he could hear it over the wind, as she looked around at all of the riders she had knocked aside, her sword dripping bits of blood. The riders must have been incredibly loyal, because they all managed to stand up again, and ready their much larger blades for another session. Baelen looked around at them all, and the power radiating around her limbs didn't cease. He knew that she had immense power when they fought, but he hadn't seen the full extent of it yet. He imagined her clashing with Ciri, both of their powers radiating and blasting off full force, and it made his blood run even colder, thinking about the danger Ciri would have been in. That much power fighting each other all at once, it would have left complete destruction in its wake, just as it did on Hindersfjall. Despite the display of amazing power and skill, Caranthir slowly shook his head again. _

_ "Sloppy still… more ferocious. Control your anger, channel it, unleash it, focus Baelen. Unleash the power you have from HIS blood," Caranthir hissed, and only seemed to enrage Baelen more. _

_ "I AM CONTROLLING IT," She screamed from underneath her helmet, a desperate, angry screech. _

_ "Show me then…" Caranthir said slowly, his voice broken, sounding as if a knife was raking across metal. _

_ Baelen didn't get a chance to scream again before all of the riders charged her at once. The magic erupted from her arms again, her eyes glowing a fierce light blue as it overtook the sockets on her faceplate. She cried out again and lashed through all of the soldiers again, cutting through them and firing them back with her magic and blade. Her limbs moved so fast he had a hard time keeping track of her. Screaming again she parried two strikes and blasted a rider back with a gale of frost that incased him completely in ice, before she turned and parried through three more of them, knocking them all to the ground, moving with incredible skill as the riders continued to come at her. _

_ Again, it hadn't been her skill that scared him… it was the magic. The light blue magic swirling around her arms and legs, coming from her eyes, her limbs moving at immense speeds, all while her magic erupted from her hands, more powerful than anything he could have normally produced. She had what seemed to be almost complete mastery of the magic, using it at the perfect opportunities, her limbs erupting with magic and every time her blade smashed into another, small bursts of magic would erupt._

_ It was exactly the same kinds of power he exhumed when he unleashed them. Although his of course were to a much smaller degree._

_ "Is this all HIS blood can offer? FASTER," Caranthir screeched in his broken tongue, a new hard edge to the elf's voice. _

_ "SHUT UP," Baelen screeched again, her blade move even quicker as she cut through the riders with even more power. _

_ "Show me your anger! Your ancestor's family brought disgrace to our entire race, it is YOUR duty to fix their mistake, you have already failed TWICE," The mage hissed again from behind his faceplate, still not moving a muscle. _

_ "I WON'T FAIL AGAIN I'M STRONG ENOUGH," She yelled again, slamming her hand into the ground, and a large blast of frost shot out from around her. _

_ The blast sent a torrent of cold out from under her, with Baelen at the epicenter it swept all of the riders off their feet and sent them firing back. Some became incased in ice, other slammed into chest and barrels aboard the top of the ship, one smacked into the mast pole and the impact was so hard a small crack appeared in the wood. Baelen hyperventilated as she looked around, daring any of the riders to get up and attack her again. None of them seemed eager anymore however, he could see blood slowly seeping from the one who had hit the mast, and the other were either out cold, dead or frozen solid. _

_ Despite the fight being over he could still see the magic erupting from her, her eyes tore over to Caranthir and the magic continued to erupt in her eyes. _

_ "Is that strong enough for you!? I WILL kill them both the next time we meet," She screeched, her arms out as the magic continued to swirl around her. _

_ Caranthir's helmet slowly turned, the frost howling from both sides of the ship, as he slowly shook his head. _

_ "You are as arrogant as he was…. You have already failed twice. You've let your feelings cloud your judgement… do you not remember what Zireael and this… man did to you," He asked her, slowly walking forward and circling her, his staff pounding against the ground with each step. _

_ "Of course, I remember! I WILL, kill them both for it, I will-," She tried to yell back, but was quickly cut off by Caranthir slamming the butt of his staff into the ship. _

_ "Then how come you hesitated? Why did you not kill the man…" The mage slowly asked, his eyes still unmoving. _

_ Baelen froze for a moment and vigorously shook her head, "He was better than I anticipated! He slipped from my grasp; it matters not next time I will-. GAHHHHHHHHHHHH"_

_ His eyes widened when he saw Baelen begin to writhe in pain, she was brought to her knees, the magic around her disappearing. It was replaced by fierce tendrils of black magic that shot up from the ground and yanked her arms to the side. Her arms were stretched and her brown hair fell behind her back with specks of blood, as her screamed raked off her faceplate, the sound hit his ears, and he could feel his skin begin to crawl, and the hairs on his arms stand up, she screams of pain were so loud he could hear them almost completely drain out the sound of the wind and frost storm around the boat. _

_ Caranthir stood in front of her, his hand out with a giant ball of black and blue magic erupting from his palm, the tendrils shooting over and gripping Baelen down to the deck. He squeezed his palm closed tighter and the screams Baelen gutturaly let out were going to haunt his nightmares for months to come. _

_ "GAHHHHHHHHH, STOP, ARRGGHHHHHHHH I WON'T FAIL AGAIN, I WON'T GAHHHHHHH," She screamed, her arms being yanked back even further as the wind-built frost up on her armor, the magic yanking her arms back. _

_ Her screams were desperate, and she didn't sound like the intimidating commander of the Wild Hunt, she sounded like a girl, a young woman who was screaming out for help from anyone. He never thought he would feel anything but hatred for the Wild Hunt, but Baelen's guttural cries, her screams of pain, it washed over him, and he wanted to make them stop. For a moment she wasn't a commander of the Wild Hunt, she was a woman being tortured by the Hunt's mage. _

_ "You lied to us Baelen…." Caranthir said slowly, circling her again, his palm still outstretched and squeezing shut. _

_ "I DIDN'T UGHHHHHHHHH, I DIDN'T LIE, I, ARRRRGHHHHHHHH, I SUMMONED THE DRAGON, I SUMMONED HIM LIKE I SAID I COULD," She yelled out again, as she slowly craned her head over to look at the mage. _

_ Caranthir squeezed his fist closed even more and Baelen wailed again, her brown hair blowing back in the wind behind her. The tendrils of magic overtook her arms, her body, all the way up to her helmet, and he could feel his skin crawl as her screams pierced his very being. The mage showed no mercy however, and slowly walked towards her, the erupting magic in his hands swirling and getting more and more intense by the minute. _

_ "You lied to us Baelen… we know the witcher and Zireael's… lover, left the city…" The mage said darkly, looking down to meet Baelen's eyes, "You show sympathy to the man…. It is my own mistake for believing you were ready."_

_ "UGHHHHHHH, ARHHHH I AM, I AM READY I SWEAR, I WONT HESITATE AGAIN, AGHHHHHHH I WON'T I WON'T," The woman swore, the frost from the swirling vortex around the boat drowned out by her screams, as the magic yanked her arms more and more._

_ Caranthir didn't relent. The mage continued to squeeze his fist and Baelen was yanked to the ground, her stomach and head smacking onto the cold deck of the ship. Her helmet smacked into the ground with such force he could hear a crack over the wind. The magic tendrils erupted around her body again, and her last guttural scream hit his ears so hard that they would have begun to bleed had it not been for the snowstorm whirling outside the ship. Caranthir slowly walked around to the front of Baelen, the magic still swirling in his hand as he slowly turned his helmet down on her. _

_ "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, ARGHHHHHHHH PLEASE, PLEASE, I'LL KILL THEM BOTH, I WILL, I'LL ATONE, I'LL MAKE UP FOR HIS MISTAKE, I'LL KILL THEM, I'LL KILL THEM GAHHHHHHH," Baelen screamed again, her voice muffled against the deck of the ship. _

_ The mage again squeezed his fist tighter while he looked down at her, black and blue magic still erupting from his hand down towards Baelen, as her screams did nothing to deter him. He had no idea what Baelen was speaking about, but whatever she wanted to do by killing Ciri and he, it was clearly important to her, but he also had no idea why she'd suffer so much at the Hunt's hands to get it. After one more guttural scream from Baelen, Caranthir finally let his fist go, the magic quickly disappeared, and she was finally released. He could hear her hyperventilating, gasping for air, as she was clearly labored to breathe. Baelen didn't dare look up, as Caranthir simply kept his head leveled down at her, his voice deeper, sounding like a sword scrapping against metal. _

_ "You are LUCKY, that I didn't kill you the moment I discovered your heritage…" The mage slowly said, the magic at the top of his staff whirling, "You WILL atone for your ancestors mistakes… you WILL kill Zireael, and this… Dominik… and erase their lines from this world… or you will die yourself…. Am I understood… Baelen?"_

_ He felt his stomach feel like it was being ripped open. Was Baelen really being forced to try and kill them? Was the Hunt using her, and whatever power she had to try and kill Ciri and he… but if that was the case, how did she seem to know both Ciri and he? He didn't have time to think more and he could feel the wind, snow and frost picked up to alarming speeds outside the boat, he felt his ears begin to freeze at the tips, as he saw Baelen still facedown on the deck of the ship, slowly nod her head, struggling to get up and look at the mage. _

_ "Y…Yes…. I understand, I will… I will kill them both…" She said weakly, her voice slowly being drowned out by the wind. _

_ "Good… now go complete your ritual again… and this time I suggest you don't lie to me…" Caranthir said slowly, before walking away, over the bodies of the riders Baelen had strewn about. _

_ The cold and ice began to overtake his vision again. He kept his eyes trained on Baelen as the helmet slowly fell off her head as she was trying to rise. So many mysteries would be solved if he figured out who Baelen was and what she could truly do. His eyes stayed locked, and he only saw the long mane of brown hair on the back of her head, slowly she lifted her head, but right before he could see her face, the wind became too intense. _

_ And the snow clouded his vision, just as her head rose above the deck, and he couldn't see her anymore._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHH," He yelled, his head shooting up from his bed, as he could feel the frost beginning to well up on the tips of his ears.

His head darted around the room, and he breathed out a sigh of relief when he realized he was still in his room at Kaer Trolde. He was by himself with Geralt and Yennefer not having come back the night before, which worried him slightly, but he knew that if anyone could take care of themselves, it was his adopted parents. Still however, he was hoping that they arrived back soon, with him wanting to get back to the continent as soon as possible. The previous night he had a few more drinks with Faram, before taking a much-deserved bath and heading to bed. He couldn't see what time of the day it was, but he assumed if not for the nightmare he would have slept right through to midday. However, another nightmare of Baelen had haunted him, and he wondered more and more everyday how he could be having dreams of her.

He yawned and pulled the blanket off of him, slowly whirling his legs around and managing to stand up without wobbling. Only wearing the white top and his undergarments he stretched out his arms and looked over at his armor he had laid out by his nightstand. A small smile managed to cross his face as he gazed upon the masterful armor he had acquired the day before. He was going to find Ciri soon, he wouldn't stop until he did… and having armor of such a high quality would certainly help him with that and far beyond. He slowly walked over, and ran his hands over the lightweight chain and leather, hardly believing that only the day before it had been littered with holes and scratches.

A cold chill ran across his neck as he slowly looked down at the swallow, it slowly bounced against his neck with his medallion, and seeing both of them made a small smile run across his face.

"I'll see you soon… it'll all be alright, but first…" He said, slowly looking at the wolf behind it, "but first… I'm gonna need to go home."

Back to Kaer Morhen, that's where they'd have to go first. To the place where they fell in love, the place that became his second home. When he left there at fifteen, he hadn't taken the time to stop, take it all in and enjoy his last few moments in his home, and he hadn't been back since. He remembered the walls, the high walls and winding rooms of the keep, they had intimidated him at first, terrified him the moment he had first arrived with Geralt. If he closed his eyes he could remember the storm that poured down that first night he walked in besides Geralt and Ciri. They had been led to the hall where they met Vesemir, Lambert, Eskel… their blades, yellow eyes and intense glares had intimidated him, he had only just been getting used to Geralt. A small part of him had wanted to run that night.

But Ciri had held his hand, looked at him and promised that they'd be alright, as long as they stuck together. And then Geralt had put his arm around them both, looked at the witchers and said the words that stuck in his head.

_"These two they're my-…. OUR destiny," _Geralt had said to them all.

After that, and a few weeks of getting used to the training and Lambert's sarcasm, the witcher keep had become their home. He hadn't been to his home in eight years, hadn't seen his old room, seen the walls, listened to one of Vesemir's lectures, had Eskel or Lambert beat him into the dirt, spar with Ciri or run the pendulum. He and Ciri would spar often, and he'd always fall for the same trick. He would hit her hand, or her torso and she'd pretend she was hurt, and this would make him right away drop his guard to check on her, and then in turn she'd knock his feet out from under him and win. Her and anyone watching would laugh and for a few moments he would be annoyed… but seeing her laughing and smiling always washed it away. And she would always help him off the ground and kiss him afterwards if nobody was watching, saying _'I'm glad that you care so much'. _

A small smile crossed his face as the memory came back to him, as he dressed into his armor. It had fit so perfectly he was almost sure that the armorer must have taken his measurements, it was so lightweight it almost felt as if he weren't wearing anything. He fixed the straps onto his armor and wondered aimlessly if his Uncle Vesemir had cleaned out his room. When he went back, the first thing he was going to do was go there, see if his old bed was still there, his very few belongings that he had, his old sword, his letters to Ciri, the carved wolf she had made him. The same room where he had woken up almost every night, the nightmares of his family, of the corpses, the smell of blood. He'd blink and see blood splattering on his walls, he'd look and see corpses on his floor, he'd look and see Bella's blood on his hands. He'd scream and curl up on his bed, his pillow over his head, yelling for it all to go away.

And then that's when Ciri would have burst into his room, and later both Ciri and Triss Merigold. Ciri would rush to his bed, grab his arms, tell him that it was her, and that they were fine now, they were together, they had survived. He'd managed to tare his eyes up and look at her, and the sight of her reassuring emerald eyes, having her arms around him… it would calm him after a while, and he'd be able to fall asleep. Some night Ciri would stay with him, fall asleep in his bed with him, when Triss had gotten there she'd cast a spell over him, keeping the nightmares away for the night.

He continued to get dressed, pulling his armored trousers up onto his legs, and reached under his bed to pull out his new boots. If he concentrated he could hear the voice of his Uncle Vesemir, reading out chapters upon chapters from different sections of the bestiary. Ciri and he would listen, take their notes, and if the old witcher had fallen asleep they would often sneak off. He would be hesitant at first, but Ciri would beg him, blink at him with those pretty eyes and he'd always relent, then as Geralt said, Dominik would always insist on taking the blame so she wouldn't get in trouble, which only led to the both of them getting in even more trouble. After this they would often split up, Ciri going with Lambert, him going with Eskel or vice versa. After seeing the reverse gripped style Eskel used often, he had been insistent the witcher teach him. Soon after his lessons with Lambert or Eskel ended, Ciri and he would meet up again with Geralt for the pendulums, before ending the day sparring in front of their adopted father, or with him.

After the training had ended was always his favorite part. Ciri and he would go off, run the gauntlet, keep running pendulums, or spar more. On some days however they'd be completely exhausted, they'd climb up to the walls, sit out over the side and enjoy the sunset, or somedays they'd return to their rooms, take naps and fall asleep together, before they'd finish their day joining the other witchers for dinner. Everything had been so much simpler then, just the two of them and the witchers, training, being kids when they could, enjoying each other's company.

But soon their childhood was ripped from them both, they were ripped from each other. And now to get her back, he'd have to return to the place where their journey as witchers began.

"Just hang on a little bit longer…" He said, pulling on both of his gloves, "A little bit longer, and I'll be there…"

He ran a hand through his messy brown hair, and quickly went to grab both of his swords. The fact he truly had two of them now was still setting in, as he hefted both the straps around his armor, and locked them into place on his back. _Fate, _and his old steel blade fit perfectly on his back as he adjusted them, looking around the room they had in Kaer Trolde one last time. They had only been in Skellige for three days, but it had felt like weeks to him, just like the journey as a whole had felt like months. They were approaching the one-month mark since they began, they were into December now, and he also knew Ciri's birthday would be soon. He knew once they got back to the continent, it would take them around a week to get to Kaer Morhen if they rode hard, and then he assumed it would take them another week or so to ride out to wherever Ciri was, or… if Ciri was Uma they'd have her right there. It would have been just in time for her 22nd birthday. He didn't want her to have to spend it alone… so he was going to get to her before then.

However, to do that, he knew he'd need both of his adopted parents, who were still yet to return.

"Where the hell could they be… I hope they're not off somewhere fucking…" He said with a slight eye roll, as he walked over to the desk where Yennefer had multiple tomes, and the phylactery set out.

He was genuinely happy that both his adopted parents seem to be solidifying their love for one another, however the thought of the two of them in bed together wasn't one that he needed in that moment. A small red hue came to his face when he thought about Ciri and he after she came back… would he even have time to be alone with her? Enjoy being with one another for even a moment before the Hunt came to attack? He hoped there would be, so he could at least get her something for her birthday… and tell her everything he wanted to tell her.

Aimlessly he started to look at some of the books his adopted mother had brought with her, that she had stacked on her desk. He couldn't do anything until either of them had gotten back since he had made all the oils and bombs he needed the night prior. His swords were sharpened and while he was eager to get moving, he didn't dare go any further without either of them. So he sat himself down in the chair at his adopted mother's desk, and perused the small stack of books she had seemed to be studying.

"The poisoned source, The Elder Blood, Skellige's tales of the Wild Hunt… wonder if she's found anything useful…. Jeez this one's huge," He said, gently pulling out the largest book of the stack on the bottom, and wiping the cover of it, "Histories and genealogies of ancient houses of the northern realms… wonder why she was reading this…"

The book was larger than most, with a brown leather-bound cover with the title engraved at the top. On the bottom half, he could see multiple coats of arms from all of the northern houses, Redania, Temaria, Lyria and Rivia, Kaedwen, and even Cintra. He had no idea why his adopted mother would be reading about ancient houses of the north, Ciri obviously was from a powerful line of northern rulers in Cintra, but his family hadn't been royalty, and they already knew about Ciri's lineage, coming from the line that started with Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod, that was how she received her powers of the Elder Blood.

Curious to what would be so interesting he began to flip through the pages, seeing multiple houses he recognized. In the chapter for Temaria, he found their royal line, and went all the way down till he found the name of Adda, the now Queen of Redania he had spoken to in Novigrad.

"Adda… daughter of Foltest, red hair, married to King Radovid of Redania… well not for much longer," He said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he flipped to another chapter, a small smile coming to his face as he recognized the three golden lions on the light blue field, "Calanthe Fiona Riannon, daughter of Dagorad… the lioness of Cintra… mother to Pavetta Fiona Elen… grandmother to Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon…."

The memories of the Queen all came flooding back to him. Her hard yet kind eyes, her amused tone when she said, _'Keeping an eye on Ciri for me?'. _The Queen would only wear her dresses on formal occasions and like Ciri often preferred to dress much more comfortably, even wearing a sword on her hip at times. He would never forget that night he met her, and she asked him to watch after her granddaughter, and protect her the way that his father protected her. So many things had been set into motion that night, he learned that night destiny linked people in many more ways then just the law of surprise.

He'd keep his promise to the Queen soon enough.

"I'll get her… I promise," He said, flipping through the larger book again, this time finding a small page with the corner folded, "Mhm… wonder why she singled out these ones."

The chapter had been labeled 'miscellaneous great houses of no Kingdom', and the name had intrigued him. Multiple corners of multiple pages had been folded by his adopted mother, the scent of lilac and gooseberries emanated from the pages, so he could tell that she had been spending much time looking at them. He continued to flip through, going to all the pages his adopted mother had folded, studying the names with great interest wondering what could have made Yennefer so interested.

"Von Everec, Johnstone, Casadore… what could she be studying those for," He said quietly, turning to the very last page in the chapter, the last one his adopted mother folded, "Lod… would you look at that, one I actually recognize…"

The page that had the House of Lod was small with only two names listed, a few words about each member beneath their names. The crest of the family was drawn at the top, two swords crossed over the top, with a dragon's head. He knew the last name Lod of course, it was the last name of Cregan of Lod, one of Ciri's ancestors, the one who had fallen in love with Lara Dorren and married her. Their line of children eventually resulted in Ciri, and that was how she had such immense power. That was the only reason he knew the name, but he had no idea why Yennefer would be interested in studying them or any of the families she had folded pages of.

Since there were only two names, he quickly ran his finger along the first one.

"Creganan of Lod… known by some as the most powerful sorcerer of his era… lover of Lara Dorren…" He slowly read, looking down to the one name below it, "Alexander of Lod… known powerful sorcerer, student to his adopted older brother Cregan, rumored to have killed a great dragon, resulting in his family being lifted to royalty… where they took the last name Lod as a royal title…. Huh, wonder what Yen was-."

A loud _***POP* **_interrupted his reading, a loud black and yellow portal appeared right on the desk, and he felt himself blown backwards, all the books he had been looking at, the phylactery, and other objects on shelves all got knocked over, and his chair was sent falling back.

"AHH SHIT," He yelled, dropping the book, and feeling his chair smack into the ground, as books, candles and everything else the shelves had been holding fell on top of him.

"Dominik," He heard his name yelled, managing to roll off the chair, just in time to see Yennefer coming back over to him, Geralt right behind her.

His head slightly ached from the fall, but he took in the view of both his adopted parents, all thoughts of the book gone from his mind. Both of them were dressed in the same outfits they had been in when they separated the night before, but he noticed the satisfied look in both their eyes. He didn't want to ask what had happened, he could see from how they looked that they had enjoyed their night, they were happy, and that was all he wanted. Both of his swords clunked as Geralt came to help him off the ground. He wiped off his armor and huffed at the both of them, a small smile on his face.

"You two look like you enjoyed yourselves… so everything's okay? Yen you… found your Djinn," He asked, crossing his arms and looking to his adopted mother with a smile.

He smiled again when he saw the smiles come to both their faces as they looked at each other. On both of their necks he could see small love marks which he quickly tried to ignore, not wanting that image to come to his mind… but it didn't make him any less happy for either of them. They had reconciled, Geralt had made his choice… and now their family was all the closer to being back together again. All they had to do now was finish the last leg of their journey, and the four of them would all be reunited, and while it wouldn't be just like it was back in Ellander… it would be close enough for him.

Yennefer smiled and looked back to him, "Yes… I did. Everything is alright…"

"You alright? You seem… to be in a bit of a better mood," Geralt asked him, looking over Dominik's new armor, "And when did you get the armor? This is some great looking stuff."

A small laugh escaped him as he looked down at his armor as well, still not believing how light weight it was. The words from Crach rang again in his head, and while he smiled, he felt a small bit of shame run through him, remembering how he had been acting the previous day. He had been angry, impatient, and both his adopted parents had been forced to deal with the brunt of it, the brunt of his outbursts.

So, he rubbed the back of his head and nervously let out a breath before looking at the both of them.

"I… I am yeah. Your portal teleported me quite literally right into the Kaer Trolde castle. I… I had a talk with Crach, he told me a few things… I realized a few things, realized that well, if I just sit around and complain about failing, I'll never get Ciri back, so I'm not going to do that anymore," He said confidently, the smile growing on his face as he gestured down to his armor, "As for the armor well, Crach helped me with that too. He had a master smith from Clan Tordarroch who was here after escaping Undvik, he made… some improvements."

A look of pride appeared on both of their faces, and he felt warmth wash over him. Geralt slowly nodded, crossing his arms as he smiled.

"Good… I'm glad. As for that armor, that should last you a good while, that's some top-quality stuff…. I'm proud of you," His adopted father said, and he felt himself smile again.

"Thanks… both of you, and well… I'm sorry for how I was acting yesterday," He started, sighing and slowly shaking his head, "I was way out of line. I… I just-."

"You were nervous," Yennefer said soothingly, coming over and holding a hand on his arm, "We understand… but no worries now. We're going to find her, and soon."

He smiled broadly and nodded, stepping between them both and smiling.

"We will if anyone can figure out a curse it's us. So, what we do now," He said, a small bit of excitement to his tone, "You wanna teleport us back to Velen, while you go to Kaer Morhen? Then we'll meet you there?"

"Yeah we should get moving as soon as possible," Geralt said in agreement from next to him, "Road to Kaer Morhen takes a week if we ride hard."

Yennefer who had just seemed to be in a great mood sighed. She went over and leaned against her desk. It wasn't often he saw his adopted mother nervous, but at that moment she was. Her gaze went to Geralt for a moment before her eyes bore into him. He could see the apprehension in them, that she truly didn't want to deliver him the news.

However she finally sighed and shook her head, "I won't be going right there no… I'm due to appear in Vizima. We need to report to the Emperor after all."

"WHAT!? You're kidding right? Come on Yen this isn't funny," He said, feeling something erupt in his stomach right away.

That had been the last thing he expected to hear come out of his adopted mother's mouth. He didn't know his mood could shift so suddenly, as it felt like someone had lit a dormant bomb inside of him. After his first visit to Vizima, he hadn't expected to ever have to go back. If not for the information the man had on Ciri, he never would have gone in the first place. And now that they were so close, he had absolutely no intention of even sparing Emhyr a moment, he didn't know if he'd be able to go in front of the man again without trying to kill him. The thought of having to go in front of the man again infuriated him so much, he felt his hands begin to tremble.

He looked over and could see the appalled look on Geralt's face as well and felt slightly better he wasn't alone in his anger. Yennefer looked at them both, a sorry look in her violet eyes, and yet he still couldn't believe she would have suggested such a thing. Not wanting to yell at her, or get angry when he had just been in such a good mood, he let out a shaky breath and looked to meet his adopted mothers eyes for an explanation.

The sorceress sighed and nodded, "I'm afraid I'm not joking darling. I'm due to appear there and so are you. It is what we agreed to after all."

"I never agreed to anything. He's lucky I didn't try to stab him last time," He hissed quickly, taking a step back and looking at both of them, "You two can go report if you want, but I got no intention of doing that. I'm going to get Uma and heading straight to Kaer Morhen!"

"Gotta agree with Dom on this one," Geralt said quickly, a hard tone on his voice as well, "I don't have any intention on doing that either. Ciri's our concern, and only ours."

A small bit of relief washed over him seeing his adopted father agree with him so quickly. He thought for a moment Geralt would have agreed with Yennefer, and wanted to go there as well to report, so hearing him say that made him tense up a little less.

Yennefer sighed again and looked at them both, her gaze light and reassuring.

"And I don't have any intention on forcing either of you to do that. I won't put you through that again," She said, looking over to Dominik in particular, "But I must go myself…"

Scoffing he shook his head, "Yen, I understand why you started working for him in the first place… but we know how to get to Ciri now. We don't need him anymore! Just come to Kaer Morhen with us!"

His adopted mother slowly shook her head and sighed again. She took a few steps and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and met the gaze of her violet eyes, and as they usually did, they sent a reassuring warmth down his spine.

"I understand Dominik, and like I told you from the beginning, after we find Ciri we won't force her to do anything at all," She said reassuringly, before her eyes grew slightly harder, "But you must understand that we may need him in the future. As strong as we all are, we don't know if we'll be able to face the might of the Wild Hunt ourselves. I must save face with him, just so that if we do need that aid in the future we can call upon it."

"But Yen if we accept any help from him, then he'll have a chance to get his hands on Ciri! I WON'T let him take her against her will, I'll kill him myself if he tries, and you know he will," He reasoned with the sorceress.

Quickly again she shook her head, "And if he does I swear we will ALL defend her. I swear to you my child, that Ciri won't be forced to do anything, not from anyone. If she doesn't want to go near him, then we won't let him change that. I'm only going to make sure we have help in the future if we need it, and if we do end up needing it… I swear after this is done; we won't let him touch her."

He sighed and looked deeply into his adopted mother's violet eyes, her reassuring warm, violet eyes that always seemed to have a way of calming him. The idea of her going back to Vizima terrified him. He'd never think Yennefer would do anything that could possibly harm Ciri, it wasn't his adopted mother he was worried about, it was what Emhyr would try to force out of her. She had been working in Emhyr's court solely to help herself find Ciri, which was a brave thing to do, he knew how dangerous the man could be. He himself had no intention of returning, but the thought of his adopted mother being around the man made his skin crawl. A small part of his body was screaming to tell her not to go, but he knew that if anyone could take care of themselves Yennefer could. He also trusted her with his life, and Ciri's, she had never steered him wrong before, and he wasn't about to begin doubting her.

He didn't think that they'd ever need Emhyr's help again, even if they did, he'd rather die then fight alongside a Nilfgaardean. Geralt had taught him many lessons on neutrality as a child, and he tried to apply those lessons to most of the events in his life. He always tried to remain neutral, however when Nilfgaard had been involved, he wasn't able to hold himself back. Seeing that golden sun, their banner, it never failed to send a jolt of hot anger down his chest. It had been part of the reason he fought at the Battle of Brenna. The main reason had been because he knew that the north was marching towards Cintra, but also because he knew it was his chance to finally fight back against Nilfgaard.

On that day, that battle, he had seen even more of the brutality the Black Ones wrought. Men from the north had been on the ground, dying, helpless, bleeding out already, arms and legs would be missing, but the Black Ones showed no mercy, cutting down any man that still drew breath. So that was why he didn't charge with the rest of the army, and he spent hours upon hours dragging men to Shani's medical tent. There he had held men down to tables, held their limbs together, their gut closed while Shani sewed, some he had to put out of their misery, hearing their last screams for their families, their wives, children and mothers. The hours he spent running back and forth from the battlefield to the medical tent, it had felt like weeks, and when he had finally finished his gloves had been stained with blood, his sword had to be cleaned for a week afterwards, and if not for Shani he wouldn't have been able to keep it together. She had been a calming presence, and for the few weeks he spent with the free company, marching with the army, she had become a great friend, and there had been times where he wondered what became of her.

However, other than a new friend, the battle hadn't gotten him anything. It didn't get him any closer to Ciri, the north hadn't gotten any closer to Cintra. All it had done was make his hatred for that golden sun grow. So, when his adopted mother said she had to go into the heart of the beast… he didn't like the idea, but he knew he had to trust her.

Sighing he met her violet eyes and nodded, "Alright… just please be careful Yen. Don't tell him anything, he doesn't need to know what we've found. Just save face and come to Kaer Morhen…"

The sorceress slowly nodded and stood up, leaning against her desk again as she looked between them both, "I promise. Don't you worry about me, I'll be alright. I'll more then likely still get to Kaer Morhen before you. I should have things prepared for the curse by the time you arrive."

Geralt smiled from next to him and nodded, looking between Yen and him, his swords clunking. A small smile appeared on his adopted father's face as he looked over and met Yennefer's eyes.

"It's settled then. Dom and I will ride to Crow's Perch after you teleport us, get Uma, and then ride for Kaer Morhen. Yen… before we go, last night it-," His adopted father started before Yennefer quickly cut him off with a shake of her head.

"Was very nice, please let's not discuss it now, especially in front of our son," Yennefer said quickly, looking over to him.

Geralt sighed and Dominik felt his face go red as he shuddered.

"Yes, please don't discuss it now, I'm glad you two are happy again, but I really don't need to know the details," He said with a shiver, crossing his arms.

His adopted father rolled his eyes again and looked at him, "Fine, when I have to physically pry you and Ciri apart when we find her, you better not have any complaints."

"We're not children anymore Geralt we'll control ourselves," He shot back quickly, feeling his stomach flutter lightly as Ciri's beautiful face popped into his head.

Geralt proceeded to roll his eyes, "We'll see about that…. I mean you haven't seen each other in eight years, and you were already all over each other when you were younger, I can only imagine-."

"Okay, okay I get your point are we ready to leave!?" He said, quickly cutting the older witcher off, making both of his adopted parents laugh at the completely flustered look on his face.

Before he had the chance to do anything with Ciri, hold her, kiss her, tell her he loves her, he needed to find her first. And despite the fluttering in his chest, the embarrassed red hue on his face, he smiled seeing both his adopted parents laugh, his second family almost complete. He hadn't been able to save his first one, but he was blessed to be able to have a second for a short while. After he had lost it, he didn't know how to react, but now he did. He was going to fight for it, every step, every swing of his sword, everything he did would be for that family.

For Ciri, for Yennefer, for Geralt, for Triss, Faram, George, Freya, Dandelion, Zoltan, Priscilla, Vesemir, for all of them, every step he took would be for that family.

Yennefer finished laughing first, and his adopted mother slowly walked to them both. She grabbed up Geralt by the shoulders and kissed the older witcher, before turning back down to him.

"We'll head outside, and I'll open up the portals, one for you and Roach first Geralt," She said, before looking down at him with a smile, "And then one for you and Clop…. Be careful on the road, and I'll see you again soon."

It wouldn't be that long before he saw her again, but he felt his heart pang that he had to say goodbye to the sorceress so soon. His mother, one of the few people in the world he was sure that he loved, who had taught him valuable lessons, and saved his life on multiple occasions. It hadn't just been in Claywitch that Yennefer saved his life. He had seen her once during his eight years alone, just like he had with Geralt. He would never forget the contract, the small village, how he had been on his own for months at that point.

It was a small village in Aedirn, and he had taken a contract on what turned out to be a striga, that was haunting the villages cemetery, killing anyone who ventured out at night. After seeing the evidence at first, he thought it had been a ghoul or perhaps just a grave hag, but he had been very wrong. He wanted to lift the striga's curse, after he learned it had once been an orphan girl's younger sister, and the first time he tried to keep it from entering its crypt he had almost been killed. It turned out that the sister had been cursed by a boy whom the older sister met had rejected. He'd never forget it, the girl who gave him the contract was only sixteen, the same age as he was at the time, nobody else had taken her seriously, and she had refused to tell anyone it had been her younger sister that was cursed. He knew he wouldn't have received a reward for the contract, the girl he was helping had nothing, but she begged and begged him, and he didn't have the heart to refuse. He imagined if he were in her situation and Bella had been cursed, he would have wanted her back as well.

So, he had agreed to take on the contract, and just like he heard the stories of Geralt keeping the cursed Adda out of her crypt for a full night he attempted to do the same. After he had failed the first time, the girl was tending to his wounds as best she could… when Yennefer had finally found him. At the time he still had been furious with the sorceress, so he hadn't been happy to see her at first. After talking for a while though she helped him solve the contract, and the young girl's sister had been cured. Yennefer had even managed to arrange for the two girls to be taken in by the local ealdorman of the village, where Dominik hoped they were to that day. After this Yennefer had asked him to come with her to find Geralt… but he had rejected her, still not having forgiven them both yet. His adopted mother hadn't given up on him however, that had been when she enchanted his swallow pendant to stave off nightmares.

His adopted mother had been there for him, even when he didn't want it, just like Geralt was. So, when she hugged him, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and buried his head into her shoulder.

"Thank you Yen… for everything," He said muffled into her black and white outfit.

His adopted mother pulled back, before slowly leaning and kissing his cheek. She pulled back and smiled broadly at him.

"You're welcome, I'm so proud of you Dominik, for the man you've grown into," She said holding a hand on his shoulder, meeting his gaze, "We will find her soon I promise. And the four of us will be together again… good job on Skellige…"

"She's right, I'm proud of you too," Geralt said, coming up next to him as well, a smile on the older witchers face, "You recognized what you did… and now you're changing it. And we're closer to finding Ciri now then we've ever been. We just gotta push a little bit more."

Taking in a deep breath he thought back to all he had done in Skellige in just three short days. He had killed a giant, helped solve a murder, assisted in crowning a new ruler of the isles, one that promised him aid whenever he needed it, he finally felt like he had become a real witcher when he received his silver sword. There had been a few hours when he felt he had lost his way, lost track of who he was, but as Geralt said, he recognized it. He was still going to be the man Ciri fell in love with when he found her, he was going to make her proud with actions, how he went about finding her. He had been furious when he realized they came up short yet again on Skellige of getting to her, but he realized now as Geralt said they would only need to push a little bit more. Ciri was close, she could even be trapped in a cursed body at Crow's Perch, or whoever it was that was trapped there would know where she was. A little bit more push, that was all he needed to give.

And he had been pushing for eight years… he could push a little bit more.

He slowly looked down at gripped his swallow, before gently raising up his head to meet his adopted parent's eyes.

"Yeah… just a little bit more. Back to Velen… back to where this journey started," He said slowly, tightening his grip around the swallow.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You know one thing I didn't miss about Velen was the fucking rain…" He muttered, as Geralt and he slowly walked past the gate, into the courtyard of Crow's Perch.

The teleport hadn't been pleasant, but thankfully Clop hadn't fallen on top of him after his faithful companion walked through the portal. He was also thankful he had thought of the ground right outside Crow's Perch, so he didn't fall himself again. A small part of him had missed Velen, they had spent a week there, but the time had felt like much more then that. He remembered back to how he was when he first started the search, he had on rose colored glasses, thinking that he would be able to find Ciri in no time, and they'd be back to Kaer Morhen together by the end of the month. However, now it had almost been that one-month point, and they were still on her trail, but he knew that returning to Crow's Perch then would lead them even closer. It had felt so long ago that in the courtyard they walked through, he had rushed into the barn to save Gretka from a fire and had buried the Baron's botchling. A small part of him wondered how the man had been doing on his quest, if he had found the hermit he had intended to and managed to heal Anna's mind.

Looking back on it now he was amazed how he survived half of his trials in Velen. One sign almost knocked him out, his armor had been worn, and he could feel how much his skills with a blade had improved since. He also now had a tattoo, a silver sword, and had fought enemies he never knew he would be able too. He had become the first witcher to be able to combine different school's of witcher combat, he had some sort of magical power from an ancient magic user emerging from his blood. So much had changed, in only a few weeks. Gently he led Clop behind him through the courtyard as the rain continued to spit down on them, the sky covered in clouds as Geralt led Roach next to him.

His adopted father scoffed, "I'm surprised we didn't run into more in Skellige. Come on there's the Sergeant. Kaer Morhen's a ways off, wanna get moving while we still have some daylight."

Clop huffed out behind him and he gently patted the horse's nose before looking forward and seeing the Sergeant. The man leaned casually against the tree, watching them as they approached with an amused look. The man's face rubbed him the wrong way, just as it did when they were at Crow's Perch the first time. One beam of sun streamed through the clouds, as he felt his stomach begin to churn. When he put Uma on his horse… he could possibly be putting Ciri on Clop's back. It hadn't been how he imagined his first ride with Ciri when they reunited. His stomach continued to churn, thinking of her suffering inside that creature's body, her body writhing in pain… all because he hadn't gotten to her first.

Quickly he pushed the thought from his head. If anyone could cure her, lift the curse and return her to her normal form, it was him, Geralt, Yennefer, and the witchers at Kaer Morhen. There was no doubt in his mind that his Uncle Vesemir could think of some trick with herbs and moonlight that could be a possible cure. He wasn't going to stop until Uma's curse was lifted, and if it weren't Ciri trapped in the body, whoever was would tell him where, and he wouldn't stop again until he got there. And if whoever were trapped inside the body couldn't help him, he was going to find a boat, and sail around in Skellige off the coast of Hindersfjall until he found where she was.

The Sergeant continued to smirk when they finally got close, "Ahhh, the witchers have returned. Must admit you're the last set of people I expected to see-."

"We're not here to talk," Geralt said, quickly cutting the man off, "We're here for Uma, we're taking him with us."

The balding man narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms and stepping forward from the tree, "Gonna need to ask the Baron's permission for that… and seeing as he's not here you'll just have to-."

"You must have misunderstood what Geralt said," He quickly said, cutting the man off and taking a step towards him, "We weren't asking, we were telling you. We're taking him with us."

A small clap of thunder boomed in the distance as he crossed his arms and met the man's beady eyes. The rain slowly continued to lap over him, wetting his messy brown hair, hitting against his armor and slowly seeping down it. Geralt stood behind him with his arms crossed, and he felt his annoyance rise as the Sergeant sneered at him, not backing down.

"You think you're tough now since you got two swords on your back? Think you got me shaking in my boots," The man asked nasally, the rain hitting against his bare bald head.

Dominik scoffed, darkly looking over at the man again, "You should be… you can try to stop me, but it won't end well for you… none of your men would get to you in time."

His eyes didn't leave the man, as Dominik could see his words washing over the older soldier. The rain started to flow a little bit harder, and he felt himself smirk when the Sergeant finally scoffed, pointing over towards the barn that only a few weeks prior they had stopped from burning down.

"Fine, he's over in the barn… been eating all the feed bags anyway, take him," The man said, turning and walking away from them before either Geralt or he could respond.

He couldn't help but smirk as he watched the man walk away. Geralt smirked and clapped a hand on his shoulder from behind.

"Good job, you managed not to strangle him, really thought you would for a minute," His adopted father joked, the rain continuing to fall.

Scoffing he shook his head, "Would've taken too long…. Come on, like you said Kaer Morhen's a decent ways ride."

He picked up Clop's reigns again and started slowly moving his loyal companion near towards the barn. His horse neighed reassuringly and lightly batted his head against Dominik's face. A small smile crossed his face as he pet the horses nose.

"Thanks…" He said to the animal, gently stroking his companions nose again, "I appreciate you carrying me everywhere buddy… hope you don't mind the extra company."

As Geralt came up behind him, he slowly got to the doors of the barn. A small shaky breath left him, as he could see Ciri's face if he closed his eyes. The rain continued to hit down on his head, his brown hair getting wetter and wetter, as for a moment he couldn't open the door. Carefully he looked over to Geralt and handed his adopted father Clop's reigns. Geralt seemed to understand what he was thinking, so when he met his adopted father's eyes, the older witcher gave him a reassuring nod. Another shaky breath left him as he turned back towards the door again.

He remembered exactly in that moment what he had felt when he first saw Uma. He hadn't thought much, thinking that he had much more important things to worry about then the ugliest man alive. In the end however irony had gotten the best of him, and it turned out that cursed little man had been the key to his entire search. There had been no way for him to know at that moment… but the way Uma reacted to him, he hadn't thought much of it in that moment, but he remembered it vividly now. It had been impossible to have anything resembling a conversation with the cursed creature, but when it had seen him… when it met Dominik's eyes, the little man had started coming right towards him.

That scared him the most. What if Ciri truly was in Uma's body, and she had recognized him… and just like she had been trying to do for the last eight years, she tried to get to him. It could have been that, or maybe he had just smelled particularly bad that day and Uma was attracted to it. No matter who was inside that body, he would lift the curse, they were the key, the key to what he had been looking for all the years he had been alone. He was twenty two years old, and he had spent eight years alone, searching for Ciri, it had been more then a quarter of his life dedicated to find the one person he truly loved, the only person that made him feel complete, the one he knew he wanted to spend his life with. The key to all of it was behind that barn door.

He let out another shaky sigh, and slowly reached up to grip the swallow pendant around his neck. Gingerly he twirled it in his hands and examined the silver. He quickly shut his eyes, and took the advice George had given him, picking out a happy memory, one that would make him want to go on even further. It didn't take long until he did, as he closed his eyes, it wasn't raining anymore, he wasn't in Velen, he was back in Ellander, both he and Ciri were out at the meadow of flowers that they would always head too. One of the things they had always loved to do, was simply lay in the grass and watch the clouds roll overhead.

That day he was trying to show her how to weave plants and grass like his mother had shown him. He picked out a beautiful assortment of purple, yellow, white and red flowers, managed to weave their stems along with other pieces of grass for form an elaborate crown for Ciri. She had tried to do something similar for him, but she hadn't been nearly as talented at weaving as she was at carving. He had smiled at her, put the crown of flowers on her head as she sat in his lap.

_'A crown for my princess,' _He had said, leaning back and smiling at her.

He continued to focus, and saw the red blush appear on his young face, as she smiled back at him.

_"You know… I love it when you call me that,' _She had said to him, her emerald eyes baring into him lovingly.

_"You always get mad when Geralt calls you it as a joke,' _He said back to her in a teasing tone.

She scoffed and slowly shook her head, both her arms wrapping around his neck.

_"Well… that's because when you say it… it makes me feel special…" _She said slowly back to him.

_"That's because you are…."_ He quickly fired back at her.

The blush that appeared on her face sent fluttering through his chest, as her smile got broader, as she met their emerald eyes together again.

_"I love you…."_ She said, before pulling her lips onto his and kissing him.

He felt his lips tingle from the memory as he slowly opened his eyes. His vision fell on the barn door, as his lips continued to tingle, and her voice echoed in his head. A shaky breath escaped him, and he managed to let go of the swallow pendant. She would be back by his side soon, one way or another, and he would make her another crown, he'd weave her as many as she wanted, he'd hike all the way to the Nilfgaardean capital, all the way up to Poviss, fight a dragon, Eredin, Baelen, anyone, do anything… just to see that smile on her face, or hear her laugh.

"Okay… let's get you out of here," He said lightly, finally managing to move his feet forward.

Carefully he pushed his hand forward and opened the barn door. The creak was so loud he managed to hear it over the rain falling to the ground. As soon as it was open, the smell hit his nose first, and he almost gagged. Looking down he could see multiple dead rat corpses, and sure enough like the Sergeant had said the feed bags along the walls had holes in them, some of them half empty. And sure enough right in the middle of the stable, sitting there trying to get his toe in his mouth, was Uma. The small, cursed, deformed creature, dressed in only a small what looked like old hat under his legs as pants, hunched over, boils and other deformities all over his face and back. A small wooden toy train was attached to his waist, along with a small string of rat corpses. He could hear Clop and Roach neigh and move uneasily in Geralt's grasp behind him, as he let out another slow breath, squatting down low to the ground.

"Hey there little guy… remember me," He slowly said, holding his hands together to prevent the shaking.

His words seemed to hit Uma's ears right away, because the small man stopped what he was doing and slowly turned his way. For a second he locked eyes with the creature, and he could see the little man's pupils go wide. He didn't dare think of Ciri in that moment, he didn't dare try to imagine her face. As Geralt had told him, he knew he'd go mad if he thought of it anymore. He'd get Uma to Kaer Morhen, and he'd lift the curse, he wouldn't think of Ciri and the cursed creature in the same vein unless he was forced too.

"UMA! UMA, UMA, UMA, UMA," The little man screamed, as it sprinted over to him, leaping up and down on his little legs, waving and spinning in place in front of him, as if he was desperately trying to let Dominik know something.

Carefully he shook his head and placed a hand on the cursed man's wrinkly shoulder.

"Woah, woah, easy there," He said reassuringly, holding the creature in place and meeting his eyes and pointing over to Geralt, who was still holding the reigns for Clop and Roach, "That's Clop and Roach… we're gonna take you to Kaer Morhen… and we're going to help you… I promise."

"UMA, UMA, UMAUMAUMA," The cursed man urged again, gripping onto Dominik's arm like iron, an almost desperate tone to his garbled words.

He looked down and met the little man's eyes again. Letting out a shaky breath he found himself staring deep into the creature's pupils, and despite him telling himself not to think it, he felt the swallow tremble around his neck.

"Is… is it you? Are… you in there…" He said slowly, his eyes not leaving the cursed man.

"Uma…. Uma, uma…." Uma said slowly, his beady eyes not leaving Dominik's.

"Dom… don't… come on, let's get going," Geralt shouted in from behind him over the rain.

Again, he let out a shaky breath and shot to his feet. His hand quickly wrapped around the swallow again, as he quickly shook his head, getting the thoughts out of it. No matter what the outcome was, Uma was the key. He was going to help the person inside that body, just like he would have if he had encountered him in his travels alone and figured out he was cursed. Witcher's helped save people, he helped save people, Ciri would have helped save people with him if she had been able, they would have accomplished so much by then. She had been ripped away from him… and that would never happen again.

Being back in Velen had reminded him of the first few days of his quest to find her with Geralt. He remembered going and delving into the elven mage's hideout with Keira Metz, and how far from his goal he felt as he laid out on the cavern floor, the wound from Nithral's axe wide open in his stomach. Had it not been for Keira's quick healing it would have been much worse than a scar. When he was laying there on the floor of that cave after he finally managed to kill the general, was when the full weight of what he had to do hit him, when he realized just how much it would take to get to Ciri.

Then he had fought Baelen in the cave outside Oxenfurt, inside that ring of flames that had went up to the ceiling. If she had unleashed even half of the power he saw her unleash in his dreams that morning, he more then likely would have been dead. If the powers he had waking up inside him, if some ancient sorcerer had really given him their power through his blood, then he needed to learn to control it so he could not kill himself if it unleashed. After that fight, when he was laying in his bed, Freya tending his wounds, he had never felt so far away from her. He felt like no matter what he had done, he wasn't getting any closer.

That had changed after he rescued Dandelion and they had set out for Skellige. He thought he had finally reached the end, the finish line, the prize of reuniting with Ciri was finally in his sights… but it turns out there had been another turn in the race. He had been ashamed of how he reacted, he thought about poor Sjkall's body, whom he didn't even go and tell the people of his village he had been a hero and led the Hunt and the dragon away from them. He was ashamed… and now he would make up for it. The quest to find her, his eight-year long quest that had taken more then a quarter of his life… was almost over.

Ciri had never stopped fighting, she had fought right up to the minute she was put on that boat. She was doing everything she could to get to him, so he would never stop, never stop trying to get back to her as well. He wouldn't stop fighting to get to the one person in the whole world who had made him feel like it was all utterly worth it, his love, his woman… his Ciri. She was his Ciri, just like he was her Dominik. And after he finally saw her… it will have made every single moment of the last eight years' worth it.

And all he needed to do, was push a little bit more.

"Come on buddy, you're gonna love Clop. Best horse a witcher could ask for, with all due respect to Roach," He said, slowly picking the cursed man off the ground, and walking him over to his horse.

The last leg of his journey was finally about to begin.

**A/N: And with the end of chapter 45 ladies and gentlemen, we are officially finished with the Skellige arc of this story! As I've been saying it was much shorter than Novigrad and Velen, but either way, the three main arcs of this story are finally finished, and I am buzzing with excitement! No action again in a shorter chapter, but some particularly important things happened, and I hope that it was a satisfying conclusion to the arc, and you are ready for the next part of the journey! But first let's break down this chapter. **

**We start this chapter with another dream of Baelen. It seems the Wild Hunt's training methods are much crueler than the one's Dom and Ciri were subjected too. So, what is this Caranthir was talking about? Baelen's blood, her reason to kill Dom and Ciri, making up for her ancestor's mistakes? Drop your theories and your reasoning in a review! I won't respond to those exact parts of reviews because I don't want to confirm or deny theories yet, but I am curious what you all think!**

**We get a scene with Dominik saying goodbye to Yennefer and heading off with Geralt to Crow's Perch. Obviously, we'll see them all together very, very soon (Next chapter) but what do you make of the family dynamic? What'll it be like when Ciri finally returns and the family is back together? **

**The finally, the big scene at the end where we finally get Uma from Crow's Perch. A simple scene, but I hope I packed it with some emotion, as we're finally on the road to Kaer Morhen! Let me know any predictions you have and your overall thoughts, I'd love to hear them!**

**Next chapter we'll make an unscheduled pitstop in Vizima… what are your predictions on how that meeting will go? Will Dominik now bow to Emhyr like Dominik in chapter four did? It'll be another shorter chapter, but I have some interesting stuff planned to make it interesting don't you worry! After next chapter after that we FINALLY get back to Kaer Morhen! What'll it be like for Dominik back at his old home?**

**And after that's all done… we'll gather some allies and head to the isle of mists. Obviously, the story has been going for quite some time, but when Ciri and Dominik finally reunite on the isle, that is when the REAL story begins haha, where most of the bigger changes and plot twists will come. What are you looking forward to most!?**

**The support has been absolutely overwhelming, and I can't thank you all enough for taking the time to read this, even if you click on it, read and then click right off thank you STILL xD So thank you all again, as usual if you have time feel free to leave a review, and I hope you continue to enjoy, see you all next time when we have a visit with Emhyr Var Emrys….**


	46. Old Wounds

**The Witcher: Through the World's **

**Chapter 46: Old Wounds**

**Narrator: After their long journey through the Skellige Isles, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer discovered that tragically, Ciri was no longer in Skellige. After attempting to save the village of Lofeton from the Wild Hunt, their commander Baelen, and a great white dragon, the young woman was knocked out by a spell and put on a boat by her mysterious elven companion. The only lead left to them was Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse. Dominik and Geralt set out to retrieve Uma, while Yennefer reported back to Vizima, to save face with Emhyr Var Emrys in the city. Dominik and Geralt took Uma to where they could find the worlds leading expert on dark spells, the witcher fortress of Kaer Morhen. So, after eight long years away from the keep, Dominik was finally set to return… but he and Geralt's ride would soon be interrupted…..**

"Geralt… how… much cleaning has Uncle Vesemir did since I've been there last," He asked his adopted father, as Uma finally stopped wriggling from in front of him.

His adopted father scoffed, the sunset bouncing off his swords, "Ha you kidding? You know the old man cleans every other week, why do you ask?"

Sighing he bit his lip and looked over to meet Geralt's eyes from atop their horses.

"Do… do you know if he cleaned out my room? I was kinda hoping that well… some things would still be there…" He said slowly, feeling his chest begin to flutter.

Geralt seemed to realize what he was asked, and he felt a rush of relief run through him when his adopted father slowly shook his head.

"No… don't think so. He wouldn't have thrown all that stuff out… everything should still be there," He promised, and Dominik slowly nodded, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck.

They had been riding for about a day at that point, and with every step Clop and Roach took his anticipation grew. He was excited to go back to his old home of course, but a small part of his brain was conflicting with him. When he left all those years ago he had sworn he would return one day, but that wouldn't be until Ciri was with him. It was possible that Ciri was trapped in the cursed body in front of him, but even if it was her, in that state he didn't count his promise fulfilled. In the end he was returning back to help find her, but the fact he hadn't been able to keep his word rubbed him the wrong way. There was also the fact he'd be seeing Eskel and Lambert for the first time in years, and while his Uncle Vesemir had been happy to see him in White Orchard… a small part of him was worried that after thinking more his Uncle would have been resentful, upset that he never returned to finish his training.

It wasn't long after his trial of the medallion that Ciri had gone missing, and he left with Geralt. If he could focus he could still remember the layout of the castle in perfect detail. Geralt had told him that there was a fresh hole in the wall, from where the Salamandra had attacked the keep about a year prior at that point. He could remember sitting in the hall with Ciri, scarfing down their dinner before sneaking off together again. His room flashed in his head as well, it was smaller with only a bed, dresser and small chest where he would put anything particularly interesting he found. He remembered keeping flowers, his letters, and other random baubles he'd find. The flowers he'd often weave into bracelets and necklaces for Ciri, and the two of them would spend hours after a hard day of training laying in his bed remembering the good memories from Cintra, talking about all the things they'd do after they became witchers, all the places they'd go with their freedom. It had been where they fell in love, and officially had begun dating.

He thought that they had done a good job hiding it, but according to Geralt they hadn't done nearly as good a job as he thought. Either way, it had been where their journey's as witchers began, and he had thought when he returned, it'd be with her, where they'd undergo their mutations, and then set out together. Mutations, something he had thought about ever since he left the keep. To that day he thought about them, to that very moment. What if they were the thing he finally needed? The thing he finally needed to be strong enough to get her, and keep her out of danger? He didn't dare bring the idea up to Geralt, but it stuck in his mind like a knife.

"Good… I… have some things that I wanted to see," He said, as Clop neighed under him, "I wonder how much it's changed… haven't been there in eight years too."

Geralt smiled light and shook his head, "Bet it hasn't changed much, it'll be just like you remember it."

"Do you think we'll bring Ciri there after we find her," He asked his adopted father, the light breeze shooting through his brown hair.

The sun was slowly beginning to go down, signaling just past midday. They had ridden hard the day before, and the beginning of that day, so they were sauntering at the moment, giving Clop and Roach a few hours to relax, as they had both been alternating carrying Uma as well as Dominik or Geralt. Clop had been nervous of the cursed man at first, especially since Uma kept pulling on the white stallion's mane, but after a few hours his loyal mount had gotten used to it and bayed with much less annoyance then he had been. The wind lightly blew through his body, sending a small tingle through his chest. They were almost out of Velen, so Dominik could tell they were making good time. If they kept up the pace, they may have even made it to Kaer Morhen in a day less.

Geralt slowly trotted alongside him atop Roach as he looked over to meet his eyes, "Yeah more then likely. We don't know what the Hunt will do when we find her, so we should take her somewhere secure."

A small chill ran through his body, as he remembered Baelen, and the command ship from his dreams, "Yeah… we'll need to figure out a plan to deal with the Hunt. I don't want to find her just so that she has to run again, we should-."

"Shhhh…. You hear that," Geralt quickly said, cutting him off and pulling Roach up to a stop.

He quickly pulled Clop up to a stop as well, as his white stallion neighed nervously, and Uma began to twitch rapidly. Focusing his highly trained ears, he could hear the thundering hoofbeats quickly approaching from the dirt road behind them. His eyes widened as he could feel the sun piercing onto the back of his neck, the sweat slowly trickling down his back. No, they weren't going to get in his way, he wouldn't let them. His hands twitched on his reigns, and he whirled Clop around and could see the clouds of dust forming up in the distance.

"Fuck… I hear them," He said slowly, looking over to Geralt who had a similarly hard look in his eyes.

"Nilfgaardean battle mounts…looks like Emhyr's a little upset with us," Geralt said sarcastically, as Roach moved nervously underneath him.

"Uma! Uma, uma, uma," Uma yelled nervously from in front of him, as both the cursed man and Clop wriggled nervously.

"Easy there both of you…" Dominik said slowly, as the hoofbeats got closer, and he could see the horses and armored knights now, "Geralt… what do we do?"

"Just play it cool…." His adopted father had time to say, before the group of what he counted as six knights finally descended on them.

Some wore heavy plate, while others light gambesons, but the sight of that fucking golden sun didn't fail to send a jolt of anger up his spine. They rode around Geralt and he for a few seconds, their horses neighed and cried loudly, making Clop and Uma rear up even more. Over the years he had his loyal mount, he felt he had been able to tell what the animal was thinking. As the dust finally settled, Clop brought his hooves back to the ground, and beat them through the dirt, and he could tell the white stallion was ready to run at a moment's notice, and he felt a pang of love for his horse shoot through him, they were of the same mind. The dust continued to kick up as the sun beat down on them all, as Uma continued to worm in front of him. He quickly held the cursed man's shoulders and kept him steady, as he carefully looked around Geralt and he, the two of them now surrounded.

The one man in the lead of the riders wore all heavy plate, and a winged helmet, and he was flashed back to that night in Cintra. The knight in the winged helmet, the man Cahir who had shot down his family without a second thought. A new boiling pot of anger shot through him at the memory of the man. He didn't care what Geralt said, what the man had done to try and make up for it. His family was dead, his mother and younger sister, the man had almost killed both him and Ciri, he refused to believe the man had a pure change of heart. Cahir had apparently joined with Geralt's company to redeem himself and find Ciri… there was also the fact he had apparently had dreams of her, and fallen in love with her, the man who shot down his family, and tried to kill Ciri and he both apparently had a drastic change of heart because of love he felt for who at the time was an underage girl. It only sent another hot spike of anger up his back as the sun beat down on him, he whirled his head along with Geralt to the man in the lead.

The knight sneered and looked between them both, "The Emperor is very displeased with you both…"

Geralt looked like he was about to say something, but Dominik's anger overtook him as he spit out in the direction of the knight.

"The Emperor can go fuck himself, don't rightfully care whether he's upset or not," He spit out, the venom dripping from his voice.

"Gotta say I second that notion…" Geralt said carefully after he had finished, pulling on Roach's reigns when the mare stirred.

He could feel the tension around the knights rise, as some looked at him with disgust, as he felt his hand begin to twitch. A light breeze ran through his hair again, his one hand stayed on the reigns while the other twitched, ready to reach up for his sword at a moments notice. Six men against him and Geralt, he almost felt bad for the knights, they wouldn't stand a chance against either of them. He had fought dozens more monsters and men then this, and came out on top, he had fought more Nilfgaardeans then this before at once and still managed to kill them all. He tried to show mercy to anyone whom he fought, but Nilfgaardeans were the one exception.

If any of the knights around him tried to make a move towards him, Geralt or Uma, they would find their throat cut.

"You INSOLENT boy! You will address your emperor by his full title, or not at all," The lead knight spit out, his dark eyes digging into him.

Scoffing he met the man's intense gaze, "He's not my emperor, and he doesn't order me around. Now since Geralt and I are in a great mood today, we're going to give you one chance to leave now with your heads. Don't normally give this chance to degenerate fucks like you, so I suggest you take it."

The tone in his voice surprised even him. It would have scared off any bandit trying to rob him on the side of the road, or made any shifty trader pay up the appropriate amount for a job. The Battle of Brenna smashed into his mind, the mindless Nilfgaardeans cutting down and slitting the throats of helpless men, he saw the streets of Cintra, the men raping the women, killing men, children, the elderly anyone who stood in the streets, trying to run and flee for their lives.

Above him the sun seemed to grow more intense as the horses all around Geralt and he neighed nervously, all of them seeming to anticipate a fight. He could see the eyes of a few men, one in particular made him do a double take. Next to the knight captain was a man with a black bow strung over his back with a quiver of arrows and a longsword at his hip. He wore a black gambeson with a breast plate, that fucking golden sun adorned in the middle. Strands of black hair stuck out from his helmet, while he had a cleanly shaven face. The man's brown eyes didn't bare into Dominik like the rest of them, the man couldn't take his eyes off of Geralt. He wondered what the man could be looking at his adopted father like that for, but the knight captain's dark tone brough him back to attention.

"He IS your emperor, and you WILL obey his commands," The man spit out, as he looked between Geralt and Dominik again, "You will both ride with us to Vizima… now."

"You sure about that," Geralt quickly snapped from next to him, pulling up on Roach's reigns.

"Don't even try it witchers… it will not end well for you," The captain said again, his hand resting on his longsword.

He let out a genuine laugh, and he could see all the Nilfgaardean's around him bare into him, hatred in their eyes as Dominik had insulted their precious emperor.

"HA, he's making threats, how cute is that Geralt," He said, looking over to his adopted father, as he could see a small amused look appear on the older witcher's face.

"Pretty cute, especially since he seems to think he scares us," Geralt said, the sun reflecting off his black and brown armor.

Dominik smirked and turned back, baring his eyes into the captain's head. Gently he reached down past Uma who was still wriggling and gently patted Clop's mane.

"I think we will try. Clop here's pretty fast, could outrun any of the lame sows you're riding," He said, as his loyal stallion beat his hooves into the dirt, "And if you somehow catch up, I promise that won't end well for you either. Fought drowners tougher then you lot… Geralt and I will send you back to Emhyr in pieces."

Clop bayed again and neighed, his front hooves ready to dart at a moment's notice. He tried to play the fight out in his head. Clop and Roach would outrun any of the horses the Nilfgaardeans had mounted, and there was absolutely no chance any of them would be able to take down Geralt and he, even with the larger numbers. He would be damned if he let a group of Nilfgaardeans distract him from what he was trying to do. It relieved him that Geralt seemed to have the same mindset as he did, a small part of him expected his adopted father to agree to go, but he could see just as hard a look in the older witcher's yellow eyes as his. Uma struggled in front of him, and he quickly held the cursed man down with his one free hand, as he looked up to meet the captain's eyes again.

The man slowly narrowed his eyes at the both of them again, "Very well… if you will not appear before the Emperor you are in direct violation of military law. The punishment for ignorance of a direct order from his imperial majesty is death… so we are going to be force to issue the punishment here."

"You're welcome to try," Dominik said darkly, slowly taking his hand off Uma, ready to go towards his back.

For a moment he thought the fight was about to begin. He almost spurred Clop's reigns back, readying his mount to run, Geralt from next to him was in a similar state, his adopted father's hands ready to reach for his steel. The riders around him all readied themselves as well, pulling up on their nervous mount's reigns. Six Nilfgaardeans against both Geralt at he, normally he would feel slightly sorry for his opponents, but in that moment he felt no sympathy. Anyone who tried to keep him from finishing his quest then was going to die, he had already decided.

However, the fight didn't start, because the Nilfgaardean who was staring at Geralt earlier, the one with a bow strung across his back, quickly pulled his horse forward, looking back to his captain.

"Captain we cannot! The Emperor was clear," The man said, his accent sounding not quite Nilfgaardean, "They are to be brought to him alive. If we do not do that, then we are in direct violation of his orders!"

"They insult our emperor Declan," The captain hissed, turning his eyes back to the man, "Besides, they have made it clear that they aim to resist us."

The man, Declan quickly shook his head, "I am sure they can be reasoned with. If you explain the article in the law, the one that states what will happen should a person not face their punishment!"

His eyes narrowed at the man who had spoken up. Quickly he looked over at Geralt for some form of answer, but his adopted father seemed just as miffed as he was. Declan, the Nilfgaardean had spoken up to stop them from being attacked, he remembered the way the man had been looking at Geralt, and it only made him all the more suspicious. He darted his eyes between the two men, as the captain bore into Declan, before a small coy smile appeared on his face. Slowly the captain turned back to face both Geralt and he, the smirk on his face only making Dominik want to remove his head more.

"Declan speaks true," The captain said in a smug tone, looking between Geralt and he again, "Even if you somehow defeat us, your punishment must still stand. The punishment by law will be inflicted on your next of kin… and it is well known that the young boy Dominik of Cintra, was adopted by Geralt of Rivia… and Yennefer of Vengerberg."

"I swear if Emhyr lays so much as a finger on her…" Geralt said darkly from next to him, pulling Roach forward, as he could hear the venom dripping from his adopted father's mouth.

He whirled his eyes around to the man, Declan who had spoken up, and he never knew his hatred for a Nilfgaardean could spike so high. His hands curled into fists as Uma wriggled in his grasp. The cool air blew past him again as he listened to the horse's neigh, his skin started to crawl. The thought of his adopted mother being touched or arrested, tossed in a cell with dimeritum around her wrists. It infuriated him to no end, as his eyes darted to the captain who now smiled at them darkly.

"She will be forced to bear your punishment for not coming when summoned by the emperor," The captain said, the smirk he gave them sending him into further fury, "So now I suggest you come with us to Vizima… and quietly."

"Uma… uma, uma! Uma," Uma screeched below him, and Dominik quickly squeezed the cursed man in place.

The sun continued to beat down on him as he looked over to Geralt, his eyes meeting with his adopted father's. He could see the intense look in the older witcher's eye's, and it was a fury that outweighed even Dominik's. Something he always marveled at, was his adopted father's ability to not swing out his sword the moment his eyes got like that. He assumed it was his witcher mutations helping him suppress his anger, but in that moment he had wished his adopted father would have unleashed it. According to Yennefer Emhyr trusted her, but he knew better then to ever take the Emperor at his word.

"Geralt… do you really think Emhyr would hurt her…" Dominik asked him slowly, as he kept eyeing the Nilfgaardeans around him.

Geralt leaned closer to him from atop Roach, and he could hear the anger laced in his adopted father's voice.

"Don't know… but do you wanna take the chance…" His adopted father asked, already knowing what his answer would be.

"Can't promise I'll hold my tongue when we see him…" Dominik said slowly, as he could see all six pairs of Nilfgaardean eyes on them both.

His adopted father looked and met his eyes, trying for a reassuring smile through the anger Dominik knew he was feeling.

"I think you'll be okay…" The older witcher said, before slowly looking up and meeting the captain's eyes, "Fine… lead the way…"

His anger spiked again as the riders all circled them again, taking up positions around Geralt and he. He truly didn't know what he would do being in the presence of the emperor again, it had been the last place he had wanted to be. The plan was supposed to be simple, right to Kaer Morhen, but the Emperor had yet again thrown a wrench into his plans. He was finally so close, so close to figuring out where Ciri was, and now someone else was trying to stop him. However, he knew Geralt had a point. They truly didn't know what Emhyr would do, he wouldn't have put anything past the man, the man who had hired witchers to assassinate northern kings, sent his army to burn Cintra to the ground. It had been a while since he thought about her, but in that moment he heard the words of Queen Adda ring in his mind.

_I will push them all the way back south of the Yaruga, until Temaria, Aedirn, and even Cintra are free once again! _

Witchers were supposed to be neutral, and he was sure that after he found Ciri, she would be all he focused on. He would spend as long as he could, doing what she wanted to do, they would be together, he wouldn't let anyone separate them again. However, after they had finally been settled… he would give Queen Adda's offer more thought. The offer to have him go and help her fight for a truly free north. If Ciri were at his side, and supported him, which she had promised to always do… it would be something he would consider. The Nilfgaardeans around him then, and he was sure his next meeting with Emhyr would only heighten his desire to see them eradicated out of the north.

After the captain gave them another shit eating smirk, he heard Clop neigh sadly, as Uma continued to pull on the stallion's mane. He patted his horses' neck, but his face was still twisted in anger as he pulled up next to Geralt and he started to ride forward. Up onto his right he could see the man with the bow on his back, Declan he had been called come up next to him. His arms tingled with a hot anger at seeing the man, if he hadn't interfered, the captain would have foolishly attacked both Geralt and he and if that had happened, all the Nilfgaardeans would have been dead by then. The man looked at him as their horses gently started to trot back the way they had come. Dominik looked over to meet the man's gaze, and to his surprise he saw a remorseful look in the Nilfgaardean's eyes.

"I am truly sorry," He whispered to him as they rode, "I would not have said anything, but I must speak with-."

"Piss off," Dominik hissed right away, feeling the anger rise up in him more as the wind blew down his back, "You're lucky I don't put a fucking sword in your throat right now."

The man looked like he was going to try and say something else, but he quickly stopped and sighed. Declan couldn't have been any older than thirty, and Dominik could see in the man's complexion he wasn't quite Nilfgaardean, between his look and his accent the man had to be from another kingdom. However, Dominik didn't quite care where the man had come from.

If he wore that fucking golden sun on his armor, then he was a Nilfgaardean, and he'd have been damned if he ever forgave a Nilfgaardean.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik of course would always count himself as a man of Cintra, however he couldn't help but feel the infuriation run through him when he saw the hall's of Vizima's castle. He remembered during his first visit, seeing the multiple construction workers pulling down the Temarian lilies, and replacing them all with that golden sun. As he walked next to Geralt he could feel his anger spike at seeing the multiple suits of black armor, weapons, and tiles depicting that fucking sun. The thought of them doing the exact same things to the castle halls of Cintra, the halls he and Ciri grew up in, made him curl his hands into fists, as he felt his very skin crawl as he followed closely next to Geralt up the staircase towards the same study they'd met with the Emperor in the last time. Seeing all the hard work put into the reconstruction, all the time spent putting the suns up over the lilies… it was clear to him Emhyr didn't think he'd be leaving Vizima anytime soon.

He prayed to every god he could think of for Adda's plot to succeed, so she could sweep in and crumble all the Emperor's hard work in one fell swoop.

"Uma…uma, uma…" Uma said aimlessly from down next to him, somehow seeming to be calmed.

A cold chill ran through the palace, as Geralt and he finally reached the door. He had been looking around frantically for Yennefer, wanting to see his adopted mother just to confirm she had been safe. However, when he still hadn't seen her he felt his blood begin to boil, as his heart began to thump in his chest. He knew that he had come just to make sure she was safe, but the fact he had ended up taking a direct order from the Emperor… it had made his skin crawl, feeling as if a thousand small bugs were crawling up his arms. He would be damned if he told the man anything about Ciri, or anything they had learned… Ciri wasn't his concern, only there's, her families.

"I'm not telling him anything Geralt… not a single fucking thing," He whispered as they both walked into the room.

His adopted father slowly shook his head, "We may not have a choice Dom..."

"You said it yourself, Ciri is our concern not his," He hissed quietly as they walked into the room, Uma closely behind, "He doesn't need to know anything."

Geralt sighed and shook his head as they made it inside the room. Over at the table where he knew laid a map of the continent, he could see Emhyr, and the general that had questioned them when they first arrived in Vizima, Voorhis is what his name had been. He crossed his arm as he listened to them talk about capturing Ban Glean by paying the mercenaries guarding the fort, and he somehow felt his disgust rise even higher. The room was lined with bookshelves and the musty smell of dust and rock hit his nose. He looked down at Uma aimlessly twirled around and looked at the room. Crossing his arms impatiently, he felt his back completely bare, as the guard had taken his swords when they entered.

It had taken them until the next day to get to Vizima, and he hadn't even slept the previous night, refusing to close his eyes when surrounded by Nilfgaardeans. He felt himself wired, the fatigue from no sleep the night before only worsening his mood. They could have been to Rivia by then, near Ellander. If they had made it to Ellander, a small part of him hoped that they would have seen Freya, and they could have recouped before finishing their journey within the next few days. Every single day they wasted, was another day he knew that Ciri was suffering, either inside Uma's body, or somewhere else. He had promised he wouldn't stop looking, and the trip to Vizima had made him do just that. His hands shook while he crossed his arms as he tried to control his emotions, but he could just feel himself ready to explode at any moment.

He heard footsteps as Voorhis and Emhyr talked, and he felt a small bit of relief wash over him as he saw Yennefer walk into the room and meet both he and Geralt's eyes right away. Upon seeing her violet eyes, he sighed out in relief, however, he saw something else in his adopted mother's eyes, a look of unease, of shame. He was about to ask her what was wrong, but Geralt's voice interrupted him.

"Your imperial majesty…" His adopted father said, with a drop of sarcasm, and a tinge of bitterness to it.

With his arms still crossed he turned back around just in time to see Geralt give a lazy bow, before the older witcher looked over to Yennefer.

"Yennefer…" Geralt said, a relieved look appearing on his face as well.

His face whirled around and for the second time in his life, he could feel himself looking into the eyes of a monster. Emhyr's dark beady eyes bore into him, and he felt again like his skin was crawling with thousands of small ants. He had no idea how someone so beautiful on the inside and out, so light, loving, tender, someone like Ciri would have been related to a man like him. If everything Geralt told him was true, Ciri held just as much disdain for the Emperor, perhaps even more so then he did. The fact that he could have been on his way to find her then, figure out where she finally was, only made his anger boil more. And he yearned to have even his dagger on his hip in that very moment, another part of him was glad that it wasn't there however, because if it had been, he didn't know if he would've been able to keep himself from loosing it into the Emperor's eye.

He kept his arms crossed as the Emperor looked at him. He could remember a time when he was young, when the man had terrified him, had been the cause of his nightmares. That however had been back when he was a boy, unable to defend himself, not knowing the full extent of what happened. He did in that moment however, and he was far from helpless. He wasn't a little boy anymore, Emhyr didn't scare him, the sight of the man only enraged him. It was clear to him in that moment the man was waiting for him to bow, for Dominik to lower himself before him and address him by his title in his court.

However, it wasn't his court, and he had regretted every day since it happened, that he bowed to the man during his first visit to Vizima.

So, he slowly turned his head over to his adopted mother, and bowed to her, just her.

"Yennefer…" He said, before lifting his head back up, crossing his arms and looking back to Emhyr.

The room had gone silent, he could see the panicked look that grew in his adopted mother's eyes, as the tenseness in the room could have been cut with a knife. Geralt shifted next to him, and crossed his arms, as Dominik stood there unmoving, Uma wriggling on the ground next to him. Emhyr bore into him again, and he could see the quiet, cold, calculated anger in the man's dark eyes, the eyes of a monster who had brought destruction upon the continent, the eyes that had ordered his home burned to the ground.

"All those years you spent growing up near Calanthe's court," The man said in a deep, dark tone, as he walked closer to Geralt and he, "I assumed Gregory had taught you the basics of court etiquette, like to bow before your superior's…"

His fist curled at the mention of his father. The despicable man that stood before him didn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as his father. Gregory of Cintra was a hero, Emhyr would never amount to even half the man his father had been, no matter how much land he conquered. His father was a hero, and Emhyr was a monster in human skin. He spoke out again, as he saw Geralt and Yennefer both looking at him along with Emhyr's eyes still baring into him. His voice came out tart and short.

"My father taught me that bowing is a form of respect," He spat out, his eyes not leaving the emperor's, "I bowed to Queen Calanthe every day because I respected her. You're lucky I bowed the first time; I've regretted it every day since."

"Dominik!" Yennefer quickly said from next to him, however for the first time he completely ignored his adopted mother.

Geralt shifted next to him, seeming to be ready to intervene at any moment. The words had come out of him before he could even think, but he hadn't regretted them. A musty smell hit his nose again, as the light from the candles lit the room, and he could see the flames dancing off the emperor's face. He had hoped his words somehow rattled the man, but Emhyr simply sneered at him, and the man's deep brown eyes didn't leave his. Slowly he walked towards him, and if it had been Dominik from a few weeks prior, he may have backed up, but in that moment he wasn't scared, there was nothing Emhyr could have done to him that scared him anymore.

"I am the emperor boy," The man said in a deep voice, slowly with each word being drawn out as he was inches from Dominik now, looking down at him, "You WILL show me the proper respect, I did not come here to listen to your childish insults, now report to me."

"Any man who has to say, 'I am the King, or I am the Emperor', is no true emperor, you really think a crown gives you power," He spit right back, and a second later he felt Geralt's hand on his shoulder.

"You don't know the fire you are playing with boy…." Emhyr said, taking another step closer to him, his voice growing to an even lower octave.

He scoffed, and felt himself take another step towards the man, looking up to meet his eyes directly, "Oh… I think I do. You used to scare me, back when I was a boy… but now you don't scare me at all."

Something would have happened had Geralt not grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. The grip his adopted father placed on his armored shoulder was like iron, and if Dominik had tried to wriggle out he would have had absolutely no luck. Emhyr kept his eyes trained on him, but once Geralt pulled him back, the man turned his eyes to his adopted father. He knew Geralt bore the emperor just as much hate as he did, however Dominik also knew Geralt had a lot less of a chance of getting them killed then he did, so he let his adopted father move him back and take the place in front of Emhyr. Yennefer stood to their right, her eyes darting back and forth between the emperor and them.

Emhyr slowly shook his head, "I've had enough of your disrespectful little brat Geralt. Dispense with the courtesies and report… NOW."

A small part of him expected his adopted father to apologize, or go along with what the man wanted, just so that they could get out of there faster. However, he couldn't help but feel a small bit of satisfaction when his adopted father narrowed his yellow eyes at the man.

"No courtesies needed? Perfect," Geralt said, taking another step towards the man, speaking in a low dangerous tone, "But remember… me and Dom aren't your soldier's, or page, or dog. So, don't give us orders."

For the first time he could see Emhyr's eyes flare up as he looked between Geralt and he, "Would you prefer I order my guards!? Look around, I need only beckon."

"Ha, I'd love it if you did that… I don't need a sword anyway…" He said, feeling something in himself snap again.

"Dominik, Geralt, stop…" Yennefer hissed from the right of them, her violet eyes turning hard as she looked to them both.

Never in his life had he felt a surge of anger run through him directed at his adopted mother, he had never, ever found himself annoyed with her, but in that moment he had been. He told himself that she was just doing what she thought best for him, so for a moment he managed to curl his fists again and squeeze his arms as he did. He pursed his mouth shut as Geralt seemed to be doing the exact same thing he was, his adopted father kept looking at Emhyr with hard eyes as he took a few steps back next to Dominik.

The emperor seemed to be satisfied with this, and finally held both his hands behind his back, he paced up to them both and looked between them, "Now… report, tell me what it is you've discovered."

Geralt cleared his throat, and he saw his adopted father look down to Uma for a moment, "Well you see-."

"You called us here for nothing," Dominik quickly said, cutting off his adopted father and taking steps towards the evil man in front of him, "You need to invest in new spies. We followed the leads, went to Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, couldn't find a thing. Didn't find any signs that she's been there."

After his words, he could feel the tense silence take over the room again. He could feel Geralt shifting again next to him, and when he looked over to his adopted mother, she didn't dare look and meet his eyes, which made him pause for a moment before turning back to Emhyr, who's eyes hadn't left him. The emperor of Nilfgaard was trying to stare into his soul, his face completely expressionless as he bore his gaze into him. It was a gaze that Dominik was sure most people would have crumbled under, but the anger that shot through him kept him standing upright, his arms still crossed as he met the man's intense gaze.

There was no way that he would tell the man anything about Ciri, he refused to let him try and take her away. He had no idea what the man wanted to do with her, and he had no interest in finding out. According to Geralt Ciri had hated the man just as much as he did, and he had to believe she wouldn't have any interest in meeting with him anyhow, and he would never bring her by force. She wasn't going to be used anymore, not by Emhyr, not by any ruler of the land, not by anyone.

"Nothing at all…" Emhyr said slowly, taking steps towards them again, looking down towards Uma who was flustering on the ground, "And what is this… monstrosity you've brought into my court?"

Quickly he looked down to Uma who was busy spinning in place, before looking back and meeting the man's eyes, trying to keep his voice level.

"This is my buddy Uma, won him in a card game in Skellige," He said quickly, remembering the Baron's story of getting the creature, "Beat the merchant out of everything he had, wanted to play one more hand, bet Uma here. Good company, doesn't talk much, doesn't eat much. Thought he'd fit in well with you and most of the people you have here."

He let his lie sit between the two of them for a moment. Looking over he tried to meet Yennefer's eyes to urge her to help him, however again, his adopted mother hadn't looked at him, and he could see the regretful look on her face. Geralt next to him didn't say anything, but kept his eyes glared between Emhyr and he. The emperor himself slowly looked down at Uma for a moment, sneering at the cursed creature, before slowly looking up to him again.

"Do you know the crime for lying to your emperor boy…" The man said slowly, his arms crossed behind his back, his dangerous eyes baring into him.

Dominik shrugged, "Like I told your men, you're not my emperor, so I don't rightfully give a damn. Besides, you asked for a report and I gave you the report, so now Geralt and I must be-."

"You are LYING to me boy," The Emperor hissed, finally seeming to lose his patience, he took a step closer, now inches away from Dominik as he looked down, "Luckily for you, Yennefer knows when to swallow her pride… she told me of what you found. Now you come into my court and blatantly try to lie to me!?"

"What," He said quickly, feeling his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach as he looked over to his adopted mother, "Yen… you promised… you promised me."

"Dominik we'll talk about it later…" The sorceress quickly said to him, before her attention turned back towards the emperor.

His heart had never sunk so low into his stomach then in that moment. He remembered the exact moment she had promised the exact moment she wouldn't tell him anything, she had promised him, and she had broken that promise. He tried to compose himself, but the pang hurt so bad, he had felt betrayed, she knew how much he wanted to give away as little information as possible, she knew how much he hated Emhyr, and despised the Black Ones, along with how terrified he was of Ciri being taken away as soon as they found her. Yennefer, his adopted mother, the one who had held him when he had been crying from the nightmares and lamenting just a few days before… she had broken her promise to him.

He tried to form some words when he turned back to Emhyr, but all of his anger had been shot, replaced by a feeling of bitterness, of sadness, of betrayal. He looked over to Geralt for support, but his adopted father hadn't taken his eyes off Yennefer yet. And Emhyr finally seemed to realize he had gained the upper hand in the conversation, because the man glared at them yet again, as he paced around both Geralt and he, his eyes baring into them with malice as he spit out each word.

"I give you three leads, trails as fresh as morning dew, the aid of my spies and court sorceress," The man said, the words dripping out of him slowly in a dark tone as he stopped and looked down with disgust towards Uma, "Yet in my daughters stead you bring me this… monstrosity? And you have the audacity to try and lie to me!? I hope for both of your sakes that you have more to say…."

Every bit of him wanted to bite back, scream at the man for daring to even say that Ciri was his daughter, to scream how his threats didn't scare him, wanted to try and blast his hand forward and ignite the man into flames… however he couldn't stop looking over at Yennefer. The anger he had been feeling continued to slowly melt away, replaced by a feeling of betrayal, of disbelief. Yennefer looked up and managed to meet his eyes for a moment, and he could see the devastation in the sorceress's eyes as well, but Dominik's heart still continued to pang in his stomach.

Geralt seemed to realize he was now at a loss for words, because his adopted father stepped between Emhyr and he, looking and meeting the man's eyes.

"Listen we're looking for a needle in a haystack," Geralt started, the hard edge still in his adopted father's voice, "A needle that at any moment can-."

"It is a difficult task, I know this, what of it," The emperor spat out, beginning to pace again as he looked towards them both, "I rule the largest empire the world has ever known. I wage war against the North, command men in the tens of thousands, while at home the nobles and trade corporation seek to dispose me. You cannot expect me to pity the difficulty of your task! I ordered you to bring me my daughter, not this monstrosity, this sick, twisted-."

"That monstrosity might very well be fucking Ciri," Dominik finally snapped, ripping his eyes away from Yennefer back over to Emhyr, "Someone's inside that body and it could be her. So why don't you try to show some fucking sympathy for once in your life!?"

He partly expected the man to lash back out at him. However, his words seemed to have an effect on the man. A look of pity didn't appear on his face, but only a look of irritation, as he looked down towards Uma again. For a moment he looked curiously at the cursed creature below him. His skin crawled, and he could feel the anger well up inside of him again, it came back with such ferocity he had to grab his left hand with his right to stop him from thrusting his fist forward to blast the man against the wall, his entire body shook with a rage he had never felt before.

Slowly Emhyr turned and looked to Yennefer, and it only made his anger spike more.

"Can you lift this curse," The emperor asked his adopted mother.

"I've done a great deal of research, made inquiries, but to lift it," She slowly said, carefully looking over to Dominik, the regret still in her violet eyes, "I would need to know the words of the curse to lift it…"

"I know them, got them memorized," He said, still not able to meet his adopted mother's eyes, "Been repeating them since I heard them, won't forget them anytime soon."

"And the words of this curse? And how you obtained them," Emhyr asked him in a slow draw, turning and peering into him again with his dark eyes.

His head snapped back to the man, "Not going to tell you that, it's none of your business. Don't go ordering me to either, because like Geralt said, I don't take orders from you."

Finally, he could see something snap in the man's eyes. His beady brown eyes finally flared up and he took a furious few steps towards Dominik again, looking down and baring his gaze onto him, but Dominik stood there, his arms crossed as he looked up and met the mans glare with one just as intense. He could see the fires in Emhyr's eyes, the fires that had burned his home to the ground, burned half of the north to the ground.

"You WILL tell me boy, I'm the one who hired you, the reason you are even searching in the first place. You have been ordered to bring me my daughter," Emhyr spat at him, his voice raising a slight octave, "You already tried to lie to me, you are searching under my orders-."

"For the last time you don't 'order' me to do anything! You didn't hire me, I'm looking for Ciri because I love her," He spat out, finally feeling his anger explode all throughout his body as he met the emperor's eyes, "She is OUR concern not yours! You don't deserve to even be in the same room as her! And, if you think for one fucking second I'll let you get your disgusting hands on her then you-."

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU BOY," The man screamed, his calm, cool collected tone finally breaking. He got inches from Dominik's face, but Dominik still stood there, looking up and keeping his gaze locked into the man's eyes.

He assumed that Emhyr very rarely got this angry, because he could see the veins pulsing out of the Emperor's neck. A small bit of satisfaction ran through him, that he was able to break the man. It all happened within seconds as he could see Geralt take a step closer to him, his adopted father's fist curled into balls, ready to spring at a moment's notice.

Emhyr bore his dark eyes into him again, "You will NEVER see my daughter again boy. You have this ridiculous, childhood fantasy that she loves you! You are just as arrogant, clueless, and disrespectful as your DESPICABLE father, you-."

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY A WORD AGAINST MY FATHER," He screamed, feeling a second string of explosions erupt inside of him, as he got inches from the mans face, "NO MATTER HOW MUCH LAND YOU CONQUER, NO MATTER WHAT YOU TELL YOURSELF, HE WAS THREE TIMES THE MAN YOU'LL EVER BE IN YOUR SAD, PATHETIC LIFE 'DUNY'!"

At the mention of his old cursed name he could see Yennefer suck in a breath, and Geralt step next to him. Dominik felt the veins on his own neck about to pop out themselves. An explosive anger tingling ran up both his arms, and he could feel his entire body shaking as he looked into the Emperor's unmoving eyes, as he could see the fire burning inside them even louder then before. Over the previous few weeks, he had experienced rage, but hearing his father's name slandered by such a despicable excuse for a man had unleashed something else in him. Every single part of his body felt like small eruptions were going off, and he stood there, completely unmoving.

Emhyr's eye's bore into him still, as the man slowly took a step back, his arms still held behind his back. Slowly the man shook his head, and Dominik could almost feel the heat radiating from his nostrils.

"You have crossed the line BOY," The man spat out, his eyes unmoving from him, "You are going to be thrown into a cell NOW. And after festering in the dungeons for weeks you'll be brought before a crowd and hanged for your ignorance…"

He was about to shout something back at him, but before he did Geralt quickly stepped in next to him, his adopted father glaring his eyes over at the Emperor.

"If you want to do that, you're going to have to get through me first..." Geralt said darkly, his yellow cat eyes not leaving the man in front of them.

His love for his adopted father skyrocketed in that moment, but it only took away the anger for a second. He started planning in his head a way for them to escape. Over at his right, Yennefer was still looking between them both, more then likely trying to figure out a way to salvage the situation.

Emhyr scoffed and met Geralt's gaze, "That can be arranged as well…. I should have had you killed that day at Stygga Castle…"

"Umaumaumaumaaaaa," Uma wailed worriedly from below him, the cursed man starting to panic.

He started to try and formulate a way for them to escape. If Geralt and he ripped blades off the wall they may have a chance, but the real challenge would have been corralling Uma. The look of pure loathing and hatred on Emhyr's face directed towards them. His hands twitched and he knew if they had to fight their way out, he would hit Emhyr with every bit of magical power he had. If the magic in his blood truly activated when he was enraged, then he knew he wouldn't have any trouble activating them then.

It may have been slightly overstepping, he may have ruined their chances of getting out, but every word he had said to the man had invigorated him. They were words he had been yearning to scream at the man since their first meeting. Ciri was their concern, his father and Geralt were more of a father to her then Emhyr would ever be. There was still the one thing that he knew he did to her, the thing that Geralt was continuing to hide from him. He had no idea what it was, what made Geralt and Ciri hate Emhyr to such a degree, and why Geralt wouldn't tell him, nothing would ever make him hate the man even more.

Emhyr looked over to the exit of his study and seemed finally ready to call for his guards. Dominik started to channel the energy to his palm, but it was at that moment, Yennefer finally found her voice.

"Your majesty, you can't do this!" His adopted mother said quickly, striding into the middle of the hall, between the emperor and both he and Geralt.

Emhyr sneered again, "And please explain to me why not Yennefer?"

His adopted mother quickly shook her head again, "Because your grace you know as well as I do, that if you do this, there's no chance we can find Ciri anymore."

"We have the creature, you can figure out the curse, there's no need for either of them anymore," The Emperor said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

The sorceress quickly shook his head and met the man's eyes, "Again your majesty, you know as well as I do… Ciri will never agree to help you with anything if you kill the two of them…. Dominik is also the only one who has the words of the curse. I can't lift it without them."

He didn't expect his adopted mother's words to work, he fully expected them to have to blast their way out. His gut continued to swell, as he kept his left palm open, ready to fire any sign that he could when Emhyr called for the guards. However, he could also see the sick, twisted annoyed look on the Emperor's face as he thought over Yennefer's words. If the need he had Ciri for was truly that great, that it made him want to give up killing them, then it only made him even more determined to stop him. The longer he stood there, staring in the man's eyes, the more he hoped that one day soon, Queen Adda would smash into the city, and destroy everything he had worked so hard for.

Slowly Emhyr turned his head and peered over to them again.

"You both should count yourself extremely lucky that lady Yennefer is correct…" The man said slowly, his dark eyes still full of malice, "You will go and lift this curse… you will receive your reward once you've brought me Ciri."

"I wouldn't count on that…" Geralt said darkly next to him.

Emhyr's eyes flared up one final time, "I am not asking you Geralt… I am giving you an order; you'd be wise not to disobey me again… I will not be so merciful next time."

Slowly he shook his head, meeting the gaze of the man again, "And I thought I told you, I don't take orders from you… never have, never will."

He could see Yennefer tense from his right, but he ignored it, keeping his eyes trained on the emperor. Slowly the man shook his head, peering deep into his eyes.

"I suggest you change your attitude Dominik of Cintra… before you end up just like your father…" The man said, slowly turning away from them, back to the map, "This audience is over, get out, now."

Hearing the man mention his father's name again made him snap a second time. He went to take a step forward, but Geralt quickly and smartly gripped onto his arm, not letting him move. He whirled his eyes around to Geralt, and he could see both him and Yennefer staring at him, as Uma looked between all three from the ground. Both of his adopted parents sets of eyes stared daggers at him, urging him to leave the room, and not do anything that would get them killed. Every bit of his body was screaming at him to turn and blast Emhyr out of the window, but he knew there was no escaping Geralt's grip. He looked around and took one last disgusted look at the back to the man who had caused him so much misery in his life, so much misery in both he and Ciri's lives.

Finally. he let out a sigh and nodded to the both of them, feeling his anger still spiking as they all turned to exit the room. His skin continued to crawl, the anger shooting all over his body as he slowly walked out of the door. They could have been only a few days from Kaer Morhen at that point, a few days from finally figuring everything out, but they had to make a worthless stop to Vizima. The stop had done nothing but amplify an already existing hatred in him. As he walked out of the room, as soon as he heard the door behind him close, he had made a choice in his mind.

After Ciri was safe, and if she was willing to help him… and if Adda was successful… he was going to help the Queen drive the Nilfgaardeans back…. And destroy everything Emhyr had worked so hard to build.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"How could you do that Yen!?" He screamed, whirling around and facing his adopted mother, the feeling of betrayal building up back inside of him again.

The had walked a ways down the hall from Emhyr's study, where they hadn't seen many guards posted. His anger had turned to bitterness and betrayal again as soon as they were alone, when he remembered what his adopted mother had done. A mixture of the pain and anger shot through him, as he tried to control himself. They stood in front of a wall of shields and weapons, that golden sun painted broadly on it, only serving to worsen his mood. Geralt stood next to him, looking between Yennefer and he, seemingly trying to find words to defuse the situation, with Uma down on the ground by his side.

A regretful look appeared in his adopted mother's eyes as she sighed, "Dominik son, I'm sorry but I had to, there was no other-."

"No, Yen you PROMISED me! You told me before we left Skellige you wouldn't tell him anything," He said, quickly cutting her off, feeling his skin continue to tremble, as he narrowed his eye sat her.

For the first time in he couldn't remember how long, his adopted mother's violet eyes had an angry glint to them.

"Let me explain myself child and don't interrupt me," She snapped, both her hands going to her hips, "I had no intention on telling him anything! But when I heard he was sending riders after you to bring you back; I knew that when you got here you'd tell him nothing. I could get away with reporting back with nothing, if you two had reported with nothing however, you would have been executed! And I quite like both your heads attached to your shoulders!"

Her words washed over him, but the anger still shot through him, from his conversation with the emperor, from a compilation of everything that had been happening, it all made the anger continue to swell up. His hands continued to shake, and he crossed his arms, keeping his eyes trained on his adopted mother as he fiercely shook his head. His emerald eyes felt like they were erupting in little balls of fire in his skull as he met his adopted mother's fierce violent ones.

"It didn't mean you had to tell him anything! We would have been perfectly fine, and if he had tried to do something, between the three of us we would have been fine! HE DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW YEN," He screamed, feeling his veins beginning to burst in his neck.

"Be reasonable Dominik! We weren't going to be able to fight our way out of here," The sorceress shot back quickly, her voice rising as well, "I understand why you didn't want him to know, but in order to secure his help if needed we need to report something to him!"

"How very loyal of you! The mighty Yennefer of Vengerberg, reduced to acting like a meek schoolgirl brought before the rectress while she's in the presence of the emperor. I thought your loyalty would be to reuniting our family, not HELPING SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO TARE US APART," He screamed, feeling the anger slowly spill out of his mouth, bubbling as he looked at the sorceress wide eyed.

"Don't you DARE accuse me of that child! You KNOW that is what I want more then anything," His adopted mother screamed, taking a step closer to him, "I simply know when to swallow my pride, and when to indulge in it, unlike the two of you!"

"HE WANTS TO TAKE CIRI FROM US AS SOON AS WE FIND HER," He felt himself screech, his body shaking as he felt his eyes begin to sting at his adopted mother's words.

Yennefer's eyes fell for a moment, before a new fire erupted in them, "AND I WOULD NEVER FORCE YOU TO BRING HER TO HIM-."

"BOTH OF YOU CALM DOWN, NOW," Geralt yelled stepping between the two of them, his yellow eyes darting between them both, "You're both on edge, neither of you are thinking straight right now. Let's take some time to cool off before we all say something we'll regret."

"I just saved the both of you from being executed," Yennefer quickly said, her eyes darting between the both of them, "All because you couldn't put your hatred aside for one moment for CIRI'S SAKE!"

Geralt's attempt to calm them both seemingly failed because Dominik felt his insides erupting again. He could see the fierce look in his adopted mother's eyes and all he could think about was the dark, sickening voice of Emhyr continuing to play over and over in his head. The man had insulted his father, tried to compare himself to a man who died a hero, given his life to save him, and Ciri both. All he could see in his head was him finally reuniting with Ciri, for them to defeat the Wild Hunt, and then only to have Emhyr try to swoop in and take her away again, use her in his own twisted game. Nobody would tell her what to do anymore, it had been something he repeated to himself over and over, and something he would never let happen, he would never let her be used again.

"He's the reason my first family IS DEAD YEN," He yelled, stepping in front of Geralt to be face to face with his adopted mother again, "And now he wants to take Ciri from me! You PROMISED ME, you PROMISED you wouldn't tell him anything!"

"I told you I was sorry Dominik," The sorceress quickly said again, her eyes growing desperate as she met his eyes, "I was only doing what I thought was best and-."

"THE LAST TIME YOU DID WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS BEST WAS WHEN YOU TOOK CIRI TO ARETUZA," He screamed, feeling his eyes begin to sting, "YOU SAID IT WAS FOR THE BEST, THAT SHE HAD TO GO, AND BECAUSE OF YOU I HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE!"

He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, as he blinked quickly to keep the tears from falling to his eyes. Uma sat on the cold stone floor, trying to stick his toe in his nose as a silence fell over the three of them. His eyes didn't leave his adopted mothers, and he could feel his eyes continue to sting, as the look of regret, pure regret and sadness built up in her violet eyes. He had very rarely if ever saw his adopted mother speechless, and a pang of shame washed over him, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything, because he could still feel the tingling anger running through his veins.

Geralt slowly turned his head to him, a look of complete shock in his adopted father's eyes, it was clear he couldn't believe that he had said those words either. For years he carried around anger at both of his adopted parents for that reason. He remembered the weeks upon weeks he spent in Ellander after Yennefer had first suggested she go to Aretuza with Ciri, and Geralt had agreed. For hours a night after Ciri had gone to bed, he'd go into his adopted parents' room and beg them for hours to not let her go, or to let him go with her if she really had to go. The both of them had assured him that she would be alright, Yennefer promised that she'd make sure she was alright, and Ciri would only be gone for a few months at most while she learned to control her powers, then she'd bring her back to him.

Just like his father had known something bad would happen to Princess Pavetta when she went on that ship, Dominik knew if Ciri went to Aretuza something would go wrong. For weeks upon weeks he had nightmares, nightmares of Ciri being locked in some tower at the magic school, they had happened almost every night, he would wake up screaming Ciri's name. After this, Ciri would burst into his room, she'd come and lay next to him, stay in his bed for the night and he'd fall asleep gripping onto her for dear life, not wanting to let her go for a moment. He had never told her about the nightmares, he told her he was having more nightmares of Cintra, not wanting to worry her more then she already had been. It turned out his worries had been right in the end… everything went wrong when Ciri had gone to that school. He had only received one letter in that time she was there before she was forced to flee.

And for years after this he blamed Geralt and Yennefer… thinking that it was their fault for sending her there. He had known deep down it wasn't their fault, things out of their control had happened, it wasn't their fault Vilgefortz did what he did. It hadn't been their fault the Aen Elle had trapped her in their world. None of it was there fault, they had only wanted what was best… but young Dominik had wanted someone to blame other then himself.

Yennefer sucked in a breath, and he saw her eyes tremble, as she slowly shook her head, meeting his gaze, her violet eyes quivering.

"I… I am sorrier about that Dominik then you will ever know," She said slowly, crossing over her arms and letting out a shaky sigh, "I… I blame myself for it every day."

"Dom… you didn't mean that," Geralt said slowly, his adopted father's eyes light and still full of shock.

Dominik looked between the both of his adopted parents, feeling his skin begin to crawl again. A mixture of anger and shame washed over him, and he blinked rapidly as his eyes continued to sting. He tried to meet Yennefer's eyes, but he could see the sorceress blinking herself, and he felt as if someone were stabbing a knife into his heart. Never had he ever seen his adopted mother anywhere close to crying, and yet with one sentence he had brought her to near tears. Letting out a slow shaky breath, he ripped his eyes away from them both, unable to look at either of them.

"Geralt I… I'm going to go get Clop and Roach…. We… we need to get going, Kaer Morhen's a ways off," He said, quickly walking back toward the hall, where they had first arrived, "We… we should get moving."

"Dominik, please, wait," Yennefer's voice rang in his ears, her words shaky and broken, but again he ignored her, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Let him go… he'll cool off," Geralt quietly said after she had finished.

The regret overtook the anger as he walked away, as he heard words that Geralt told both he and Ciri so long-ago ring in his head.

_'To be neutral does not mean to be indifferent or insensitive. You do not have to kill your feelings. It is enough to kill hatred within yourself'_

He was beginning to let his hatred get the best of him, a small part of him was beginning to see why witchers remained neutral in conflicts. His hatred for Emhyr and the Black Ones would never be killed… but he had let it get the better of him… and in doing so hurt one of the ones he loved most.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You know you have to apologize to her… right?" Geralt said to him from across the fire, his yellow eyes looking up to meet his.

Sighing he poked the stick into the crackling flames, "I know… I… I'm sorry Geralt, I didn't mean it, I was just… just so angry I-."

"I know… and so does she, but you still need say it… it really upset her, and you know Yen. Doesn't get upset like that over much," His adopted father said, leaning forward on one of his knees.

"I will I… I just needed to get out of there," He said, the regret washing over him, as he finally sighed and tossed the stick into the flames.

"Uma… uma, uma…." Uma said from next to him, his large wide eyes looking up at him.

Rolling his eyes, he scoffed a little, meeting the cursed man's eyes, "Thank you very much for your input."

"Uma, uma, umaaaaa," The little man said, kicking his legs as he sat on the log.

Geralt had given the phylactery to Yennefer after he had left the palace. He couldn't turn back; he couldn't have faced his adopted mother in that moment. While he regretted nothing of what he said to Emhyr, he had regretted getting into the argument with her. Even growing up he very rarely fought over anything serious with either her or Geralt. He of course got into spats with Geralt during his training, or Yennefer when she told him he and Ciri couldn't stay out late during their year in Ellander, but nothing had ever been to that degree. His adopted mother had teleported to Kaer Morhen ahead of them, so she would be there when they arrived with Uma… and he would talk to her more then.

After he had walked out, the sun had slowly been beginning to set. After retrieving his swords and getting them back onto his back he went and retrieved their horses. For a few hours into the night they had rode hard and managed to get a decent ways away from Vizima, but soon it had simply gotten too dark, and Uma began to get restless, with Clop getting tired of the cursed man yanking on his mane. So Geralt and he had pulled over towards the side of the road and found a suitable spot to camp. After lighting a fire and having a small sparring session, they had laid out their bedrolls under the stars. It had felt slightly therapeutic to him, being out sleeping under the stars again, the dew and from the grass wetting him, the cool night breeze that whipped through his hair, the light from the moon reflecting off his face. Sighing he reached over to his swords which he had unstrapped and leaned next to him, pulling out his silver and placing it over his lap.

Geralt continued to lean forward with one elbow on his knee, as his adopted father tossed more wood onto the fire, the pleasant crackling sound and smell hitting his senses. Despite everything that had happened that day, he felt a small smile come to his face. He pulled a whetstone from his bag and gently began raking the stone on the edges of his steel, the blade that he had left Kaer Morhen with, that would soon return with him there. When he was younger, he and Ciri used to dream about setting out on the path with Geralt, the three of them hunting monsters together, the two of them learning everything they could from him in the real world. He had gotten that for a small while when he was thirteen, when Ciri was at the Temple of Melitele.

Despite the fact he had learned a lot in those few months, he had missed Ciri so much that he didn't truly enjoy the experience as much as he would have liked. He would spend hours up at night, training with Geralt, before falling asleep looking at his swallow. The moment he was reunited with her in Ellander and he met Yennefer, he could remember the day like it had happened yesterday, it was near the happiest he had ever been. He would never forget the smirking look on Geralt's face when Ciri and he rushed into each other's arms and kissed in front of him for the first time. Ciri and he had been flushed of course, thinking at the time Geralt had no idea they had been together.

"A witcher normally travels the Path alone…" Geralt started, doing his best Vesemir impression, looking up and meeting Dominik's eyes with a smile.

A small laugh escaped him as he raked the whetstone one more time, "But one companion they will always have is their blade…. I'd kill for one of Uncle Vesemir's lectures right now."

The cold night breeze whipped through their campsite, as Clop and Roach neighed lightly from the tree they were tied around, and Uma aimlessly bit his own fingers from next to him. The moon was high, it's rays and the fire illuminated both he and Geralt's face as the smile stayed on his face, the wind blowing back his hair, through his new armor making his silver clunk on his back.

Geralt scoffed, a smile on his withered face as he looked over across the flames, "Don't know if we'll have time for one when we get there. Gotta say though, Vesemir will be awfully proud when he learns about some of the beasts you've taken down."

Another small laugh left him as he slowly shook his head, "It… it hasn't been that much. It's thanks to his lessons that he made me and Ciri slog through."

"Not much? You gotta be kidding," Geralt said in an amused tone, "I've seen you kill a Fiend three times the size of a normal one, you lifted a Pesta's curse, fought two generals of the Wild Hunt, not to mention a Katakan, and an Ice Giant. And that was all before you got a silver sword."

"Had a lot of help along the way… half of those I'd be dead if not for someone," He said, looking down at his reflection in the steel.

Geralt slowly shook his head as the fire crackled, "No shame is being helped by friends. I'll let you know this now… there's no way we're defeating the Hunt by ourselves. It's going to take all of us, all of our friends, all our allies."

He felt his hand grip around the hilt of his steel, the light brown leather grip felt perfect in his hands as it always did. He saw his own worn face, the black bags under his eyes getting even larger as he knew he would need sleep soon. His brown hair as usual was unruly, and his emerald eyes sparkled against the light of the steel as he saw the swallow bouncing around his neck with his medallion. He focused hard and he saw her face, and as normal, the vision of it brought a smile to his face. Next to him he could hear Uma muttering incomprehensively and was reminded of how close he was.

And like Geralt had said, soon after they found her, the fight would come… and they'd need everyone at their side.

"You're right… makes me wonder how everyone's doing," He said, looking and meeting Geralt's eyes across the fire, "I hope Freya made it to Kaedwen okay…. That Faram is doing alright on Undvik, and George, Dandelion, Zoltan and Priscilla are all okay in Novigrad…"

Geralt smiled lightly and shook his head, "Wouldn't worry too much about them, they're all tough, bet they're doing great. Bet you we'll see Freya at Kaer Morhen and-."

"Shhhh," He hissed quickly, as he heard the crunch of leaves behind him, he met Geralt's gaze, his emerald eyes gone wide, "Did you hear that?"

"I heard it, a few steps back, right beyond the treeline," His adopted father said, as he slowly stood up to his feet, raking out his steel sword.

He shot to his feet as well, Uma slightly festering from next to him, as Clop and Roach both neighed nervously from nearby. The night was dark, and outside of their fire he couldn't see much, but they had set up their little camp a few meters from the treeline into a deeper forest. Geralt was quickly at his side, the older witcher had his steel out and leveled, while Dominik gripped tightly around his own blade. He scanned the treeline, and could hear the area the leaves had crunched, Geralt quickly met his gaze and nodded to him. If someone had been following them from Vizima, it would mean Emhyr truly didn't trust them. However, he didn't believe that a trained spy would be so sloppy. There was also the possibility it was a monster, ready and waiting to spring.

After getting his blade up he gave Geralt a quick nod as well. His adopted father nodded and silently turned back towards the treeline.

"HEY! We hear you; we know you're there behind the treeline," Geralt yelled out towards the forest.

"You're facing down two armed witchers, I suggest you either fuck off, or come and show yourself now," Dominik quickly yelled after his adopted father had finished.

Carefully he scanned the treeline again as he could hear Uma start to get anxious behind him, and the fire they had made burn and crackle even higher. The light from their fire and the moon only illuminated so far ahead of them. He couldn't see the treeline rustling, but he could still hear the uneasy crunching of leaves. For a moment he heard it stop and thought that whoever or whatever had been there had gone, however it didn't last for long, as he heard a voice yell out from behind the line, making his blood begin to race.

"Please! Please master witchers, I mean no harm," The voice yelled out, as he finally saw the man emerge from the treeline.

In the dark he couldn't make out any details but Geralt quickly yelled out from next to him to their new guest.

"Take it nice and slow now… walk towards us," The older witcher yelled, his steel slightly lowering.

He narrowed his eyes again, as he could see the man's form getting closer and closer. The cool breeze blew through his hair again as he slowly began to make out the man's figure. He was a head taller than Dominik, and didn't seem to be much older, he looked over to Geralt and he shot his adopted father a wondering look. Geralt simply shrugged and shook his head, and Dominik wondered again how someone could possibly track two witchers through the woods. Geralt and he were light on their feet, careful to leave prints that were damn near impossible to follow.

As the man got closer to them however, he felt his mouth slowly fall open… when he saw the fucking golden sun. His blade shot back up, and just as the man got into the light where he could see them, Dominik felt his anger begin to rise again.

"STOP, you take another step and I will cut you in fucking half I swear," He yelled, as his blade leveled out towards the man.

It was Declan, he remembered the man's face vividly from earlier, because he remembered wanting to remove it from his shoulders. The man was still wearing a black gambeson with a black breast plate, that golden sun implanted into the center. It was clear to Dominik now how the man had gone undetected, he was wearing black trousers and boots as well, with the same black bow and quiver of arrows he had on earlier strapped to his back, and a broadsword was on his hip. He wasn't wearing his helmet anymore, and Dominik could see a head of neatly combed black hair, with a set of piercing blue eyes that went wide when he heard Dominik's threat.

"Please! I mean no harm, I do not wish to fight," He quickly shouted, pulling the bow off his back and throwing it in front of him, before doing the same with his sword, "I have only come to talk, I swear it!"

Dominik felt his anger begin to boil as he looked over to Geralt. His adopted father slowly while keeping his sword leveled walked over to Declan's discarded weapons, carefully picking up the sword. He rushed over with his adopted father, his eyes not coming off the fucking golden sun on the man's chest. Carefully however he leaned down and picked up the man's bow in one of his hands, looking over to Geralt for more direction. The older witcher looked over to the man and gestured towards their fire.

"Come into the light over here… and no sudden moves or you're dead," Geralt said in a low tone, getting behind the Nilfgaardean.

He kept his blade leveled and followed as they brought the man closer towards their fire. As soon as he got into the light, Dominik could see that Declan truly couldn't be much older than he was. His cleanly shaven face was young, and he could tell from the complexion that he wasn't from the area, he looked to be from another kingdom, somewhere that didn't speak Nilfgaardean, because his common tongue was perfect.

"Uma…. UMA, UMA, UMA," Uma cried when Geralt grabbed Declan and threw him down onto the log Dominik had been sitting on.

"Easy there little guy, come over here, keep Clop and Roach company," Dominik quickly said, leading the tiny cursed man over to the two horses, where Clop seemed dreadfully angry with him that he had disturbed his alone time with Roach, however Uma quickly began wondering aimlessly through the horses legs.

Rolling his eyes at Clops' neighs of protest, he turned back to see Geralt had sheathed his steel and was standing in front of a weaponless Declan in front of the fire. Feeling his skin crawl from having a Nilfgaardean in the camp, he reluctantly sheathed his sword next to _Fate _on his back and went over to join Geralt.

"So… heard your name earlier when you ambushed us on the road, but tell us who you are, and why you're following us," Geralt quickly demanded of the younger man.

He scoffed and met Declan's blue eyes, "Emhyr send you to follow us!? Tell you to nab Ciri as soon as we found her!?"

The Nilfgaardean floundered for a moment before he found his words, "No none of that I swear it! I am here of my own free will. For years I've been seeking Geralt of Rivia, and his adopted son Dominik of Cintra. My full name is Declan Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach!"

The younger man had said the last name like Geralt, and he should have known it. Declan slowly bowed his head as he sat, gingerly bringing his head back up to meet both he and Geralt's eyes. Dominik looked over to Geralt, and he could see Geralt actually seemed to have a wondering look on his face.

"You heard that name before? It mean anything to you," He asked his adopted father, the wind howling in the night as he could hear the bugs chirping with the distant howl of wolves.

The fire crackled and casted Geralt and he's shadows out over the man sitting before them. His adopted father slowly nodded, and his gaze turned back down to Declan who seemed relieved.

"Yeah that last name I think it was….Oh... Oh no… you need to leave right now," Geralt said, his eyes baring into Declan.

His adopted father spoke with such urgency towards the man he scoffed with amusement. He could see the floundering look on Declan's face, and he felt himself feel slightly satisfied. Even if it was a Nilfgaardean, he wouldn't kill a defenseless man, he had intentions on sending him back to Emhyr with another message telling the emperor to go fuck himself. Through it all though however, he was ready for that conversation to be over. He needed sleep, they had a long day of riding ahead the next day, and he wanted to start early.

Declan however didn't take Geralt's advice, he grew hard look on his face and shook his head.

"I cannot leave I am sorry. I have been searching for you both, seeking you out for years… I am here to pledge my sword to you, pledge my sword to you both," The man said, making a dramatic gesture of kneeling to one knee.

Dominik didn't know if it had been the lack of sleep giving him visions, but the last thing he had ever expected to happen in his life would be a Nilfgaardean soldier bowing to him and offering Geralt and he their blade. He had his fill of Nilfgaardeans for the day in Vizima, he had seen that fucking golden sun enough to last him the rest of his life after the day, so he had no interest in anything else to do with them that day. His main focus now was Ciri, getting to Kaer Morhen to figure out Uma's curse and get to her. Declan was standing in his way, and he felt a jolt of anger and annoyance run up his spine as he crossed his arms and looked down at the man.

He scoffed and the younger man looked up to meet his eyes, "Piss off now. Don't want your sword. Geralt and I are in a good mood, so we'll let you leave. Go tell Emhyr or whoever really sent you I said to fuck off."

"No, you do not understand, I MUST accompany you both," Declan pleaded, slowly standing up to his feet, still with no weapon, "I am on a quest of my own. My cousin, I must help you both in your quest to save Cirilla and finish his mission of redemption!"

"Look, I HIGHLY suggest you leave right now," Geralt said to the man, looking between him and Dominik, "I can't promise you'll make it out of the night with all your teeth if you stay."

Hearing the Nilfgaardean mention Ciri's name sent enough anger through him, but he paused before he could step forward to punch the man. His cousin? Mission of redemption? He had no idea what he could be talking about, but he currently hadn't been in the mood for riddles, but it was clear that Geralt knew who the man was, or at least his family. Dominik slowly looked over to his adopted father who was looking between Declan and he, a conflicted look in his eyes. He felt the cold breeze run up his spine, and the howling of wolves in the night get closer. Looking deep into the man's dark blue eyes he could see a look of fiery determination, as the question continued to burn in his mind.

Declan looked at Geralt and slowly shook his head, "I cannot do that Geralt of Rivia, I know that my cousin did horrible things, but I also know he did what he could to redeem himself. He died before he could see his mission through, I am going to honor his memory and finished that quest, and along the way I hope you and Dominik can forgive him…"

He narrowed his eyes at his adopted father as Geralt slowly shook his head.

"I already have, that's not the problem… now leave," Geralt said again in a low, pleading tone towards the younger man.

"Alright enough beating around the fucking bush," Dominik said, feeling his anger rise as he whirled around to look up at Declan who was slightly taller than him, "Who the fuck's your cousin. And how the hell do you know about Ciri!?"

Geralt crossed his arms next to him, and he could see his adopted father's gaze shift between he and the Nilfgaardean. Dominik felt his anger begin to build up even more, his pleasant night under the stars interrupted, his search for Ciri interrupted again. The moon and firelight danced of Declan's nervous face, as the younger man gulped and let out a shaky breath, meeting Dominik's emerald eyes with his blue ones.

With one last gulp he finally spoke, "My… my cousin was Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach. I understand he did horrible things to you Dominik of Cintra, but I-."

"YOU'RE FUCKING RELATED TO HIM," He felt himself scream, as he threw his fist forward and connected with the left side of the man's cheek, feeling a pent up anger he had been holding in ever since he learned the name of Cahir unleash from him.

"Dom… don't do something you'll regret," Geralt said from behind him, his arms crossed, as he watched him carefully.

"STAY OUT OF THIS GERALT," He screamed, looking down to see Declan had hit the ground, one of his hands covering his right cheek where Dominik had struck, "And YOU, you have the GALL to show yourself to me!? You DARE to fucking even say Ciri's name!?"

"Please… please, allow me to explain! I understand that-," The younger man started to say, but was cut off when Dominik yanked him up to his feet by the collar of his gambeson and slammed the man up against the one tree they had camped under.

"Don't you DARE claim to fucking understand," He screamed in the man's face, holding him up against the tree by his collar, his rage reaching another boiling point as it had earlier with the emperor, "Ciri and I had fucking nightmares for YEARS after your cousin chased us down and tried to kill us. Don't claim to fucking understand what that's like!"

"I… I am sorry," The man squeaked out, his hand up not trying to stop Dominik at all, "Please… please. I know he did horrible things, he regretted them until his dying breath, he wrote letters to me saying how he did! He tried to redeem himself, and I only wish to continue his mission!"

"Oh, you want to continue his mission!? Finish his mission!? What mission is that," Dominik screamed, his hands beginning to shake as he held the man against the tree, "Are you going to complete his mission of delivering Ciri to Emhyr, like he tried to do in Cintra, almost killing me in the process!? OR IS YOUR MISSION TO FUCK HER, DO YOU WANT TO FUCK HER JUST LIKE YOUR COUSIN DID!? WILL THAT BE YOUR MISSION TO REDEEM HIM!?"

"Dominik calm down now" Geralt said, his voice sterner then before, as his adopted father came up next to him, "Let him go before you strangle him to death."

He scoffed and felt his anger continue to rise as he turned to Geralt with his hands both still around Declan's neck, "YOU KNOW WHAT HE FUCKING DID TO ME GERALT! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'VE FORGIVEN HIM, HE KILLED BELLA, HE KILLED MY MOTHER!"

Geralt didn't get angry with him. His adopted father simply shook his head and pointed towards Declan, whom he still had choked up against the tree.

"I'm not saying you have to forgive him… but it was Cahir who did those things," His adopted father said, taking a step closer and gesturing towards Declan, "He didn't do any of them. Don't punish him for something he didn't do."

Ciri's face popped into his head, her horrified face when they were eleven years old, and he had found her, Cahir had gripped her up by the hair and got her on his horse. He would never forget leaping off the horse he was riding, the one that he was barely big enough to ride. After he smacked into Cahir on his horse, both he, Ciri and the knight had gone sprawling to the ground. Cahir had punched him and cut him across the stomach when he tried to get up and get to Ciri, before gripping him up by his hair, and trying to stab his sword through his gut. If not for the fact that Ciri had unleashed a portion of her powers, he would have been dead then and there.

His mother's kind, beautiful face popped into his mind, her blonde hair, and shining emerald eyes he had inherited. He could see her desperately trying to fight off advancing Nilfgaardeans so he and Bella could escape… before Cahir's arrow his her in the chest, straight through her heart, killing her in an instant.

Then he saw Bella, his little sister, the one who his mother had tasked him with protecting… a little girl. Nine years old, her long brown hair, shining emerald eyes, a younger female version of himself if you asked anyone who knew them. He could hear her shaking him in his bed saying, _time to get up big brother, _before they both started their day. She was so joyus and full of life, she loved exotic flowers, foods, animals, and wanted to travel the continent to see where they all came from. Toussaint, his sister read so many stories from Toussaint, and had begged their parents to take them their one day. He had missed his little sister everyday since she had been murdered. Murdered by Cahir, he had murdered his nine-year-old sister.

Cahir had killed them, not Declan, Geralt had been right. He left out a shaky breath, still feeling his arms shaking, as he let go of the younger man's neck and let him fall to the ground, as Dominik turned his back on him, trying to control his shaking hands. He shot his hand up and wrapped it around the swallow pendant, as he saw Geralt look down at Declan and then back over to him.

"Good choice," His adopted father said, before looking back down to Declan, "I tried to warn you, knew that would happen…"

He slowly turned around and saw the Nilfgaardean slowly rise. A large red and blue mark that was slowly bleeding was fresh on his right cheek, and he coughed as he slowly turned back to face both Dominik and Geralt.

"It… it is alright, I… I expected this," Declan said slowly, rubbing his neck where Dominik could see red marks from where his fingers were.

Scoffing he crossed his arms, "I didn't apologize, and I don't plan on it. How the fuck do you know who I am anyway!? I never met your cousin, if I had, he would have died a lot sooner…"

Declan coughed one more time and slowly looked to meet Dominik's eyes again, "Cahir while… while he traveled to try and join Geralt, and when he was with him… he would send me letters back in Vicovaro… he… he mentioned you and Cirilla, Geralt told him about you."

"ONE, if you say Ciri's name one more time I'm going to cut your fucking balls off," He said darkly, before his head shot around to Geralt, "And you, you told him about me!?"

Geralt slowly nodded, "Yeah, you see I didn't exactly trust him at first either. But after a while… he asked me if the stories about me taking in a boy were true, asked if it was the one who knocked him off his horse."

"The one he chased through the streets and almost fucking killed," He added, feeling his anger bubble like a stew in his stomach.

Again, Geralt nodded, "Yeah, I told him who you were. Mentioned how after we had found Ciri that he wanted to seek you out as well… atone for his mistakes."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "Atone my ass. You told me yourself he was running from Emhyr, he was trying to save himself. Probably would have grabbed Ciri and taken her right back to him to get back in his good graces. You also mentioned the small fact he fucking claimed he fell in love with her, despite the fact he saw her for a total of about twenty minutes when she was fucking ELEVEN!"

His adopted father's eyes grew dark, "True…he told me he had dreams of her, had fallen for her, pissed me off myself, but we were already so close, needed the blade."

Declan quickly shook his head, "He told me of these dreams in his letters. While I admit it was… a bit strange-."

"A bit!? She was FUCKING ELEVEN WHEN HE SAW HER," He screamed at the Nilfgaardean, "Now tell me the real reason you're fucking here before I lose my patience."

The young man's eyes grew wide and he looked between Geralt and he again, "It is like I said… I am here to pledge my sword to you both! I will finish Cahir's quest, and protect Cir-. The girl… I will die for it if I have to…. He was always my hero my cousin. I joined with the Nilfgaardeans to hopefully one day run into the two of you, or… or hear any leads of her."

Geralt quickly shook his head, "You don't need to redeem anything. Cahir died trying to save Ciri, Leo Bonhart killed him… I know Dom won't see it this way, and I can't say I blame him, but to me… he redeemed himself."

Dominik felt his eyes roll, and he didn't bother trying to argue with his adopted father. He remembered in the first week of their journey after Geralt had told him more of the story of his hansa, and their journey to find Ciri, the two of them had argued about Cahir extensively. Dominik refused to ever feel sorry for the man and would never see him as anything other then the knight in the black winged helmet, the one who had killed his mother and sister, and haunted he and Ciri's nightmares. Geralt thankfully didn't press him then and didn't in that moment either.

Declan however despite the assurance shook his head, "And I am truly happy about that Geralt of Rivia, but… but she is in danger again. And there is one person who Cahir wronged, who he wished to meet and make things right for… he is no longer here… so I will complete his task."

For the first time all day he let out a genuine laugh as he saw Declan looked to him and met his eyes, as he could tell the young man was referring to him. Quickly he scoffed and shook his head.

"You think that I'm going to ever forgive that bastard? I don't care what he did, if there's any kind of hell I hope he's burning in it," Dominik spit out, as the night air blew through his hair.

Geralt shifted uneasily next to him, as Declan sighed in front of him, looking up top meet his eye again.

"I cannot undo his mistakes… but this I swear Dominik of Cintra, I will do everything I can to protect you and… her," The man said, smartly not uttering Ciri's name as he continued, "I… I know that he did horrible things to you and I-."

"Do you know!? Do you really fucking know!? Let me tell you…" Dominik spit out, feeling his anger overtake him again, slowly he closed his eyes as he turned his back to the man, "I was eleven fucking years old…. My mother dragged me and my little sister through the streets of Cintra. I stepped over the corpses of my neighbors, my friends, people who I knew my whole life…. My mother finally got my sister and I to an exit. She fought a whole fucking patrol of soldiers so we could escape, and you know what Declan!? She fucking beat them all!"

Slowly he felt his hands begin to tremble even more. It had been years since he described the massacre, the only one who knew the intimate details were Ciri and Geralt, he hadn't even been able to tell Yennefer or Triss. The cold night air blew through his hair and up his spine as he heard the muttering of Uma, Clop and Roach neighing, and the howling of wolves. He looked deep into Declan's dark blue eyes and he could see how frozen the man was. Geralt from next to him looked between them both, more than likely being ready to spring and stop Dominik from attacking the man again. Dominik however simply shook his head and let out a shaky breath, his eyes narrowing into the Nilfgaardeans eyes.

"I thought we'd make it for a second, my mother would make it she was about to shout our name… but then an arrow went through her chest, and she was dead before she hit the ground. An arrow that YOUR cousin shot…. My sister and I watched, and you wanna know what fucking happened then," He asked rhetorically, feeling his voice grow darker and darker.

"No, no I don't I-," Declan started but Dominik quickly laughed sarcastically to cut him.

"HA, but you wanna know what you're trying to redeem your cousin for right," He said, feeling his eyes begin to sting as he went on, "What happened next… my sister screamed for our mother. She darted out of my arms and threw herself over her dead body. And do you want to know what your cousin did then!? He shot her…. He shot an arrow through my nine-year-old sister without a second fucking thought. He then proceeded to chase me through the streets, trying to shoot me too. After that he found Ciri… and when I leaped off my horse to get her away from him… he cut me across the stomach and he tried to stab me, would've killed me if not for Ciri…. So now… I suggest you don't waste both yours, and my fucking time trying to redeem your cousin to me… it's a waste of your life…"

He didn't dare turn around to look at the man, or at Geralt. The wolves continued to howl in the distance, as he reached his hand up to grip around the swallow. Anger had been boiling up inside of him, but now it was being replaced by a slow weeping well of sadness, regret, bitterness. How Geralt was ever able to forgive the man, even let him come to save Ciri with him, Dominik would never know, but he would never tell his adopted father how to feel. When he looked over at Declan behind him all he saw was that winged helmet, the blood and fires of Cintra roaring around him, his mother and sisters' blood on his hands. There had been plenty of moments over the years where he wished he had witcher mutations, but it normally wasn't for the enhanced strength and speed, most of the time it was to see if they really suppressed emotions, squashed them, so that maybe they could take some of the pain away from remembering that night. However, he also knew that would be a double edge sword, what if he did undergo the mutations, and his love for Ciri dampened, or he forgot about his first family?

His mother and father both had wanted to save Ciri, his mother was supposed to get he and Bella out, and then his father was supposed to bring Ciri to them after they escaped… but it hadn't gone according to plan, none of it had gone according to plan. Now all he had left from that time in his life was Ciri, and now she was finally perfectly within his reach… but now he was being reminded of that night much more then he ever wanted. Emhyr might have given the order and led the raid that burned his home to the ground… but Cahir was the one to kill his mother, kill Bella, and almost killed him. He tried not to judge people for the sins that their family committed, the crimes the horrible things. If he did then he wouldn't be looking for Ciri, with her birth father being the man who ordered his home burned. No, Geralt always taught him that every man and woman was their own person, and they should be judged by their own actions.

However, he couldn't look at Declan behind him without seeing his younger sisters face, her blood on his hands.

"I… I am truly sorry, I am," The man said behind him, the howling of wolves getting further away, "I know you won't believe it but… but Cahir was as well. I am here to make things right in his honor. Please… let me come with the both of you, I will help you in any way I can."

Something stirred in his stomach as the firelight danced off his face. Slowly he turned back around, and he could see the man's pleading face. He truly couldn't have been much older than Dominik himself, the man's neatly combed black hair blew apart in the wind, and he could see in his blue eyes the regret. A small pang of sympathy went out to the man himself, but it was quickly dashed when he vigorously shook his head.

"Not a chance I'm letting you anywhere near Ciri," Dominik said quickly, crossing his arms and meeting the man's eyes, "Get out of here, I'll let you go this time. But if I catch you following us again I WILL kill you, you understand?"

He whirled around to look at Geralt, expecting his adopted father to protest, but the older witcher simply stood there with his arms crossed, his yellow eyes clearly saying, _'It's your choice.'_ And Dominik had made it. He didn't care what the man's intentions were, he wasn't going to have a constant reminder of the tragedy he endured constantly with him. He also saw the golden sun on the man's armor and was reminded of how loyal Nilfgaardean soldiers were to their emperor. He wouldn't have put it past Emhyr to send this man to them, with this story, and have it all been a lie so he can have one of his men right near Ciri when they found her.

Declan quickly shook his head again, a desperate tone coming to his voice, "I know… I know you are reticent to trust me Dominik, and with good reason. But I swear on my honor, I only wish to help protect you and Ci-… her…"

"I can protect myself just fine, and so can Ciri," He shot back quickly, "You wanna help? You really want to help me? Then LEAVE, and don't show your face to me again. Go, NOW, before I lose my patience."

He picked up the man's bow from the ground and threw it at his feet, before doing the same with his sword. Geralt watched between the two of them again, his yellow eyes baring into him as he crossed his eyes and stared down the Nilfgaardean again. He could feel his anger rising, as all he continued to see was the face of Bella and his mother, the feeling of Cahir's sword being poked into his stomach just before Ciri saved him with her powers. She was what mattered now, all that mattered, and he still had no idea if Declan was telling the truth or not.

He had heard about too many plots by Emhyr, to many sick, twisted tricks to believe the man. He wasn't going to risk Ciri's safety, he would never do that. She was so close to him that he didn't want to be constantly worrying and watching over his back. He should have been in a relatively good mood that night. Soon he'd be back at Kaer Morhen, he'd know where Ciri was, and all of his journey, all eight years of it would soon have been all worth it.

So, he wasn't going to take any risks.

The Nilfgaardean floundered for a moment, keeping eye contact with him as he reached down and picked up his bow and sword. After slinging the bow around his back, and putting the sword back onto his hip, he let out a shaky sigh and bowed his head to both Geralt and he. Dominik felt the breeze from the night wash over him, and he felt his whole body go cold as he didn't take his eyes off the man, looking directly at that golden sun on his armor.

"All I can say, is that I am truly sorry for Cahir's actions… and I know he was as well…" Declan said slowly, taking in a slow breath, "I hope that one day you can allow me to finish his quest Dominik of Cintra… it was still my honor to meet you both…"

Geralt didn't say anything, only nodding at the man, while Dominik was unmoving. The man spoke with such sincerity in his voice he almost faltered, but the screams from Cintra rang in his mind, he could see Bella's face, hear Ciri's screams as he rode to catch up with her. He reached up and tightly gripped around the swallow pendant, and gestured his head back to the road, urging the man to leave. A part of him expected him to argue more, to plead more, to try and reason with him, however Declan did none of those things. The younger man simply nodded, and walked between the both of them, past their fire and onto the road, heading back south towards where they had come from, his sword and bow clunking against his armor. He felt his skin crawl as he watched the man walk away, his figure slowly disappearing down the road into the darkness.

After he had finally been out of sight he let out a shaky sigh and felt his legs wobble, the anger, worry, and regret all seeming to flow at great speeds through his body. He shakily sat down on the log in front of their fire again, leaning both his elbows down on his knees as he gazed into the flames of the fire. He saw a few things flash into the fire, his mother, Bella, Cintra, Ciri… the image of Cahir chasing him through the streets. For years after this happened, Ciri and he both had the nightmares about the man, he haunted their dreams and plagued them. He had no idea of the specific details that made Geralt seem to forgive the man, he had never wanted to hear them. All he could think about was the nightmares he and Ciri had to comfort each other over, the nights they'd wake up screaming, seeing him chasing them through the streets.

The hatred that had boiled up inside him from that whole day sent shivers down his spine. He was amazed how he had gotten out of Vizima alive, without stabbing anyone in the process…. It had been thanks to Yennefer, and he was also amazed how he didn't kill Declan for following them right away… and that had been thanks to Geralt. He was starting to let his anger and hatred get the best of him. Something his adopted mother screamed at him earlier rang in his head in that moment as he looked into the fire.

_"All because you couldn't put hatred aside for one moment for CIRI'S SAKE!," _The sorceresses voice rang in his head.

Sighing he picked up another piece of firewood they had gathered and tossed it onto the crackling flames. Was he really letting his hatred control him? Was he ruining bettering their chances at keeping Ciri safe, all because he couldn't put his hatred and anger aside? He had just kicked out a potential ally in the fight against the Hunt, and earlier with the Emperor, while he still didn't regret what he said, he did almost get Geralt and he executed, and that would have devastated Ciri more then anything.

"You know… you were a tad bit harsh," Geralt said, taking a seat down next to him on the log.

His head shot around to his adopted father and he narrowed his eyes, "He's lucky I let him go. Would you really put it past Emhyr to send someone with a fake story like that to tail us? Send him to track us and try to grab Ciri the moment we find her?"

"No, you're right I wouldn't put that past him," Geralt reasoned, "But I don't think that was the case."

"Why because he claims to be your buddy Cahir's cousin? I don't want to have another conversation about him Geralt," He said bitterly, picking up another stick and poking it into the fire, "Sorry, but I'll never forgive the man that killed my fucking sister."

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "And I'm not asking you to do that Dominik. I knew that you'd never forgive him for what he did… but that doesn't mean you should take it out on his cousin."

"And how the hell do we know he's telling the truth," Dominik spit out, breaking the stick in his hand as the night air howled, "Why you let that Nilfgaardean fuck come with you to save Ciri I'll never know…"

His adopted father sighed and shook his head, "I didn't at first, he followed us for weeks. Milva threatened to put an arrow in his horse… and by the way he wasn't Nilfgaardean, and neither was Declan, they're both from Vicovaro."

"I don't give a fuck where they're from, if they wear that armor they're Nilfgaardean," He shot back, "Besides, Cahir seemed plenty Nilfgaardean to me when he shot my mother and sister before chasing me and Ciri down through the streets, and then for weeks longer after we ran, I didn't sleep for nights at a time, all because I was watching for him so Ciri could sleep... Almost got us a few times those first few weeks."

For another moment Geralt was silent, and Dominik could feel his skin begin to crawl. His head started to pound with a headache as he looked down at the swallow pendant. The pleading eyes of Declan flashed in his face, seeming so desperate for his forgiveness. If he thought about it for a moment, he heard the cries of his sister, saw Bella's blood over his hands, and he had to quickly shut his eyes, the goosebumps building up on his skin. A part of his brain was telling him that Geralt was correct, he had been too harsh, while another part of his brain was screaming that he wasn't harsh enough.

He let out a shaky breath and kept his hand around the swallow as he yearned for Ciri more in that moment then he ever had. Her voice would soothe him, she'd put her arms around him and saw just the right things. Only she would understand what it was like, what it was like to go through that night.

"I'm not asking you to forgive him Dom," Geralt said lightly from behind him, making him look up to meet the older witchers eyes, "What I am saying, is that you need to learn to put your hatred aside, even if it's just for a few moments. If you let it continue to fester, it'll continue to eat at you. We need to be able to put aside hatred to protect the ones we love."

Feeling his skin crawl he saw the tattoo on his inner forearm. The names and the elegantly draw swallow had always calmed him when he looked at them. His hatred had begun to fester more and more through the day, and he knew that Geralt was right to a degree. He didn't think his hatred for Nilfgaard, for Emhyr, for Cahir, would ever go away, they had cut scars too deep into him. However, one thing that overcame his hate, was stronger than the hatred he had for those people… was his love for Ciri, and his love for his new family. He would never do anything to put them in jeopardy, and just like when he brought himself before Emhyr the first time, if it meant saving one of them… he would do anything. It was a reason he knew he needed to apologize to his adopted mother when he saw her.

Sighing he slowly looked over to Geralt again, "I… I guess I was a little harsh…. I just… I just… wanna get to Kaer Morhen. I want to finally get it done, and he was in the way…. We're on the last leg Geralt, I… I can actually know where she is in a few days…. A physically location of where she is, or… or in the other case…"

His head slowly drifted over towards Uma, whom Clop was doing his best to try and ignore, as the cursed creature tried to climb up his legs. The night breeze shook him to the core as he turned back to Geralt, holding the swallow around his neck, Ciri's face popping into his mind. There had been times when she felt like a ghost, like he was just chasing wisps of vapor… but she was real, he'd see her, and he would have the real her in his arms.

Geralt slowly nodded and met his eyes, "Yeah… you've grown a lot since we started this. You aren't the same man you were when we first got to Velen…. I'm proud of you. And it'll all be worth it soon."

He let out another shaky breath as a small smile managed to come to his face, "Thanks Geralt…. Couldn't have done it without you… and Yen… I'll talk to her when we get to Kaer Morhen…"

His adopted father smiled and nodded, before standing up and clapping him on the shoulder, the howling of wolves in the distance as the fire lit his face.

"Good… now I'll watch first, you haven't slept in two days, you need it. You've gotten a bit cranky safe to say," Geralt said in a joking tone.

He scoffed and nodded, "I guess you could say that…. Alright I'm gonna lay down… tomorrow… we set out… and soon I'll finally be home again."

When he said that he meant both homes, his home in Kaer Morhen… and his true home. His true home, that was wherever Ciri was.

**A/N: HAPPY WITCHER ANNIVERSARY EVERYONE! By the time this chapter comes out it will have been well past, but as I'm writing this now it is the FIVE-year anniversary of the release of the Witcher 3! I spent my witcher-versary, writing this chapter and I had SO much fun doing it. I planned on it being a lot shorter, but I loved writing some of these scenes. It was an emotionally intense chapter… so let's break it down first. **

**We see a lot more of just how deep Dominik's hatred for Nilfgaard runs as he's brought before Emhyr with Geralt again. He almost gets himself and Geralt thrown into a cell, but thankfully Yennefer was able to save them both. What was it like reading this scene? I tried to make it feel just as tense to read as it would have been for Dominik to experience, he's changed much since his first encounter with the man… and after this conversation, how will it effect the future? Also… what do you think his reaction will be like when he eventually learns of what Emhyr had wanted to do to Ciri after she returned the first time from Stygga Castle?**

**After that we get probably the most heartbreaking scene I've ever had to write. Yennefer and Dominik get into an intense argument, and Dom say's some things he right away regrets. I always hate having to write family fights and drama like this, but in the end it's a part of life, and as Geralt said, both Dominik and Yen are on edge. Yen may have been right in the end, but can you blame Dominik's anger? What was going through your mind? What do you make of Yennefer's words of putting hate aside?**

**And now easily the biggest scene. We are introduced to Declan Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, a character of my own creation, the cousin to Cahir…. Now this was an intense scene to write, probably the hardest ever for me because I really wanted to nail it, and I think that I did. We WILL be seeing Declan again you can be sure, and we will learn more about his relationship with his cousin Cahir.**

**We see Dominik's hatred for the man who killed his mother and sister and haunted he and Ciri's nightmares for years. Now I know Cahir is an extremely popular character and a lot of people's favorites, and I'll admit, his arc was fantastic and I loved him in the books as well. **

**However, we need to remember, Dominik wasn't there to see his arc, to talk to him and listen to how much he regretted what he did like Geralt was since he wasn't there for it. So to him, Cahir is just the man who killed his mother and sister, and tried to kill him and kidnap Ciri, despite what Geralt told him, that's the only memories he has of the man, so naturally he's going to hate him, and not trust any of his family…**

**Thankfully however Geralt manages to talk him down. What did you make of Declan's appearance? Of his words of continuing Cahir's quest of redemption? Where will we see him again, how will he affect things? Dom's stated that he won't be able to ever forgive Cahir, but what about Declan, will they ever find common ground? Let me know your thoughts!**

**It ends with a small speech from Geralt about putting aside your hatred for those you love, and just like that we're off to Kaer Morhen! Next chapter Dominik will arrive back at his old home for the first time in eight years…. The next few chapter will be relatively lighter in tone after the intense few we had.**

**Next chapter Dom and Geralt arrive and we'll see Dom reflect on how long it's been. Then we'll help Eskel hunt forktails, figure out the curse… get drunk, and then finally we're going to help cure Uma. After that we'll be off to gather allies, and then FINALLY we will get to the Isle of Mists, we're close! Just a few more chapters everyone!**

**Thank you all so much for your support I have been BLOWN AWAY by it this whole time. If you search all of the witcher stories on this site, and you sort them by the most favorites or follows, this story is on the FIRST page of results. I know there are only around 600 of them total, but it is still mind boggling to me! I hope you all continue to enjoy, truly I do, I'll keep on doing the best I can for you all! Stay safe as always, and see you all next time at Kaer Morhen!**


	47. Home, Return to Kaer Morhen

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 47: Home, Return to Kaer Morhen**

**Narrator: After long and arduous journeys through Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, Dominik and Geralt discovered that Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse was the key to finally finding Ciri. After setting out and retrieving Uma from Crow's Perch, the two of them both intended to set out for the witcher fortress of Kaer Morhen. On the way however, they were intercepted by Nilfgaardean battle mounts, and taken before Emhyr Var Emrys. After an intense argument with the Emperor, Dominik and Geralt were almost thrown into the dungeon, but thankfully Yennefer was able to save them both. Now with the audience behind them, Dominik and Geralt set out again for Kaer Morhen with Uma in tow. Now, for the first time in eight years Dominik will return to the place where he trained, grew up, and fell in love with Ciri… hopefully to finally figure out where his long-lost love had gone…**

"Ciri, C-I-R-I, ashen hair, green eyes, scar on her face," He stressed, crouching down in front of the cursed man again, "Have you seen her?"

"Umamamama… uma….." The little man said, looking past him towards Clop who was still tied to the tree.

Sighing he slowly shook his head as the sun beat down on his neck. He had tried everyday since they had left Vizima to communicate in some way with Uma. It was more then likely worthless he knew, but something in him kept on urging him to at least try, and he hoped that it could have been one of the few times in his life he got lucky. He hadn't however, so he slowly shook his head and met the cursed man's large, deformed brown eyes again.

"Do you think universals exists as distinct entities, or only mental constructs," He asked, trying in any way to amuse himself.

"Uma…uma, umamamama…." Uma said, sounding as intelligent as he could.

"Yes, exactly what I thought as well, very profound," He said dryly, finally standing back up to his feet.

He heard Geralt laugh from over near Roach, as his adopted father rolled their bed rolls back onto their horse's backs.

"You know you won't get anything out of him," Geralt said, turning and walking back towards him, "Besides, we're almost there, no use in trying now."

Shrugging his shoulders Dominik sighed and turned to look back out over the cliff's again, "Yeah I know… just can't not try… still can't get over how small the keep looks…"

He sucked in a clean breath of fresh morning air, feeling it wash over his body and make the hairs on his arms stand up. After their encounter with Declan, they had ridden hard for Kaer Morhen the next few days. As normal it seemed to him that Clop could feel his urgency, because his stallion, despite the extra weight with Uma, seemed to be riding extra hard for him. If they hadn't had to take the side-trip to Vizima, they truly would have gotten there in less then a week with how fast his loyal mount and Roach rode. He decided to push all the events from Vizima out of his mind, wanting to focus solely on getting to the keep, back to his old home… to where he'd finally figure out where Ciri was. Not where she had been, not where someone saw her… where she actually was.

During their trip they had made a stop in Ellander, and he had hoped he could have caught Freya there, to see how his friend was doing, but he had spoken to Eustace, and he informed Geralt and he they had just missed her by a few days, so he hoped to see her at Kaer Morhen. It had been pleasant and relaxing the ride, even with the lingering thoughts of Ciri possibly being trapped inside Uma in his mind. It was for her, he was going there to find her, either way if she was inside the cursed body or not, he would find her soon. It had felt like ages since he simply rode, rode through the countryside, the wind in his face, camping on the side of the road. For so long he had done it alone, just him, his sword and Clop. The nights he'd stay awake, laying on the ground looking up at his swallow in the light of his fire and the moon all flashed in his head, the loneliness, the yearning, the regret… it would all have been worth it soon.

Geralt slowly nodded and came up next to him as they looked over the cliffs, the morning sun brightly shining above, the wind nice and cool, blowing pleasantly through his brown hair. His adopted father crossed his arms, both their sets of swords glinting in the sunlight, as he couldn't take his eyes off the view.

"It hasn't gotten any smaller, you've just gotten a lot bigger," His adopted father said amusingly, his own yellow eyes falling over the fortress as well.

Scoffing out a laugh a small smile came to Dominik's face, "I guess… still though. I was FIFTEEN… eight years…I expected it to look… well somewhat different…"

He could see the fortress over the cliffs they stood on, nestled perfectly into the valley. The tall towers all jetted up into the clouds, and he remembered all the days Ciri and he would race to the tops. After they raced, they'd spend hours sitting up there, looking out at the clouds and the views, talking, holding each other close… being together. He could remember back in that moment, to the very first time he had seen the keep. It had been a dark and rainy night; lightning had flashed as he and Ciri both had managed to huddle onto Roach's back in front of Geralt. They had been riding for weeks from Cintra, with Roach only being able to go so fast with all of them on her back. He had been terrified when they arrived, and he hadn't let go of Ciri almost the entire ride, scared to death that they would be separated again, he would be taken to train and then Ciri would be sent away somewhere else, he had heard enough stories that witchers only trained boys, and he hadn't fully trusted Geralt yet at that time.

Ciri however was the one to calm him. After Eskel had opened the gates for them that night, and after they had got off Roach he had been shaking from the rain, and almost tried to turn back. Ciri had grabbed both of his hands, looked him in the eyes and told him, _'We'll be alright, we're in this together… where you go, I go'. _Even back then at eleven years old, she had been able to calm him with only her smile and a few words. She had walked with him hand and hand into the keep that night, to start their journey to become witchers that. It's where they fell in love, first kissed, trained, and solidified their destinies as intertwined. It was when he knew that he'd never want to lose her, never be apart from her.

And now after so long he'd be back, back in the place where so many happy memories came back to him. So many memories with Ciri, with Geralt, his Uncle Vesemir… where he had learned so many things that saved his life over the years… and all of it was to find her. He would, and after he got to her, he'd bring her back there with him… and they'd be together again in Kaer Morhen, where another new journey would begin for them both.

"Well you're different now too," Geralt said from next to him, taking in the morning sun rays with him, "Eskel always asked about you, and Lambert won't admit it, but he did too."

A smile came to his face, as he turned to meet his adopted fathers eyes, "I never asked… after Ciri left you in the woods with no memory and they found you… do you remember them mentioning me at all?"

Geralt slowly nodded, sighing and keeping his arms crossed, "They did yeah. Triss thought that if I saw you, it could jog my memory, maybe help it come back. Eskel, Lambert and Vesemir kept mentioning you, telling me memories to try and help… didn't really do anything."

"Triss was going to take you to find me," He asked, warmth running through his chest at remembering the sorceress.

"Yeah, that was actually the main plan," His adopted father explained, "Triss was working on ways to try and track you down, was gonna take me to get to you… but then the Salamandra attacked, and well, we got a little sidetracked."

"You told me they stole the secrets to mutations right," Dominik asked him, remembering the story Geralt had told him at the start of their journey.

Slowly his adopted father nodded, "Yeah, the secrets to the potions, put a giant hole in the wall to do it. After they got away well… we had to track them down. Lambert and Eskel went east and west, I went south to Vizima to meet up with Triss, try and track them down. And well, you know the story after that."

"You wiped them out right… wasn't… Adda working with them," He carefully asked, the story coming back to him fully now.

Geralt nodded and turned to him, "I wiped out the leaders, a few remnants were running around Vizima, nothing serious though. And yeah Adda had helped them… which is why when this is all over, if you do decide to help her, you need to be careful, she may seem well spoken and composed… but she's a prickly one."

He remembered the kind, composed way that Queen Adda had spoken to him, and what she had asked of him, to come and help her fight for a free north when his business finding Ciri was complete. While in Vizima, seeing all the Nilfgaardeans, speaking with Emhyr and encountering Declan, it had spurred on his desire to take the queen up on her offer, just to help destroy everything that the Emperor had built, beat them all the way back south of the Yaruga. If her plot to assassinate Radovid worked, and she did come to rule, Dominik hoped that she marched to Vizima and wiped out them all and put the Temarian lilies back up in the palace… and unlike Cintra, Temaria could be saved.

However, whatever he did or didn't do would depend on Ciri, and in that moment she was all he truly cared about. His anger had subsided, he didn't plan on thinking about, or worrying about Nilfgaard anymore, not until he had her safe. If they managed to survive the fight with the Wild Hunt, if they managed to finally settle, and set out together like he had hoped, after this quest he was on was over and he had her back… they would do whatever she wanted to do. If she wanted to settle on a farm and raise cows, he'd sell his swords for cows. If she wanted to hike to Kovir and live in an igloo, he'd invest in winter clothing for both of them. They'd do what she wanted, for once in her life she'd control her own destiny. And if after a bit, the two of them agreed to go and help Adda… they would.

In that moment as he looked over Kaer Morhen however… he wasn't worried about what would come after, he was worried about then there and the now. Ciri, she was all that mattered anymore. He reached his hands up and gripped around his swallow, the sun shone into his green eyes as he turned around to Geralt.

"That's a long ways off. If we managed to survive all of this, we'll do what Ciri wants to do, she'll control her own destiny," He assured Geralt, turning and walking back towards Uma, "But before we do anything we need to find her… come on, I've been gone from home for too long…"

A smile managed to form on his face, as he went over to their ashy fireplace. Geralt smirked and came up behind him, just as Dominik lifted Uma up and got him onto the back of Clop. His loyal white stallion knickered annoyedly and shot him an annoyed sideways glance as Uma began pulling on his horses' mane again.

"Sorry buddy… just a little bit longer, not far off," He said to the horse, and Clop knickered at him again, seeming to roll his eyes.

He couldn't help but scoff out a laugh as he adjusted his swords and climbed up onto the animals back, on hand going to the reigns, the other going to Uma, stopping the cursed man from yanking on his horse's hair. Geralt smirked up at him, and pulled onto the back of Roach, as the wind continued to howl. He let out a crisp, clear breath and for a few moments he felt excitement rush through him. Kaer Morhen, his home. He had many homes in his life, Cintra, Ellander… but Kaer Morhen had been where he learned to survive. Only a few miles down into the valley was the cave, the cave where Ciri and he had professed their love for each other, the woods they used to take walks in and hunt for rabbits and other game, then further in was the fortress where the love they had was solidified.

It would be the place now where he finally was able to finish the quest that had taken up more then a third of his life… finding her, and being able to protect her. It wouldn't just be him protecting her, she'd protect him, they'd watch each other's backs, go where the other one went, they were linked, she was his destiny, the love of his life… Kaer Morhen had been a home to him, Cintra had been a home, Ellander had been a home.

However, his true home, was wherever Ciri was.

"Vesemir told me it's been awfully quiet without you and Ciri around," Geralt said with a smirk, as he looked over to him from atop Roach.

He laughed and scoffed, "I bet it has… I hope that him, Eskel and Lambert aren't upset with me."

Geralt quickly shook his head, "Was Vesemir upset with you when he saw you in White Orchard?"

"No…" He said, slowly shaking his head, "But still, kinda worried they'll be upset that I never came back."

"You were on your own path," His adopted father assured him, "Every witcher travels one, you were just on yours. Doesn't matter anymore… you're back, and soon we'll all be back."

A small smile managed to come to his face, "Yeah… soon we'll all be. Yen's probably been working them like crazy… I hope she can forgive me for what I said."

His argument with his adopted mother played over and over in his head, and it still made the shame wash over him. The combination of anger, regret and fear had taken over him, and as Geralt had warned him, he said things he had regretted. He urgently wanted to get to his adopted mother, tell her he was sorry for what he said, the last thing he wanted was to be at odds with her when they were so close to finally finding Ciri. He hadn't meant any of the things he said to her, and despite how Geralt assured him she would forgive him… it still worried him.

The sun continued to beat down on them, the sky clear of all clouds and incoming storms. He wondered if he would be able to get any training in, perhaps run the pendulum for old time's sake before they got around to lifting Uma's curse. However, if he knew his adopted mother as well as he thought he did, he knew that she was more then already hard at work getting everything prepared. He trusted her, she would make sure everything was alright, and their family was reunited like she had promised. Yennefer often told him that she had lived for over a hundred years… and never in those years had she ever loved something like she loved him and Ciri, their family, and he had been a fool to question that in Vizima.

Geralt looked over and gave him a reassuring nod, "She will, you were both on edge, said things you regret, you'll be alright I promise. You trust her right?"

"Of course I do," He said quickly, meeting his adopted father's eyes.

"Then we have to let her work, and help her however we can," The older witcher said, turning Roach towards the path down the cliff, "She'll forgive you, we'll lift the curse, and by tomorrow we'll be out on our way to find Ciri."

"You said that in Skellige…" Dominik said in a low, careful tone.

Sighing Geralt nodded as they both began to trot Roach and Clop down the path.

"I did… and I really thought we would, but turns out we need to just push a little bit more. After everything we've been through the last few weeks, what's one more night?" The older witcher asked in a slightly amused tone.

The words made him scoff, a small smile coming to his face, "Ha… after eight years? Safe to say I can wait one more night."

It had been the truth, for so long all he had of her were his dreams, his memories, and the swallow pendant around his neck. He was surprised how the small silver bauble was still attached to the chain with how much he had been grabbing it the past few weeks. It had been a month since he set out with Geralt, but it had felt like several. He could barely even remember what it had been like to be by himself for the eight years he was. 2,920 days, eight years, 96 months, it had been that long since he had seen her, and every day was painstaking. Of course, he had a few good memories, and there had been a few times where he felt happier… but in the end each day he felt as if the hole in his heart was slowly being chiseled more and more.

After so much pain, heartache and longing… he could wait one more day, because he knew after he figured out where she was, he felt slightly bad for how hard he would make Clop ride.

Geralt smirked and nodded, "Good, now let's get moving, before Yen drives the guys too crazy."

He laughed and rolled his eyes, "I love her, but you're right. Yen she can be a little-."

"UMA, UMAUMAUMA," Uma screeched from in front of him, almost flinging himself off Clop's back.

A loud roar pierced the air and he was cut off, Clop neighed loudly, and he had to grip onto Uma's small arm before the cursed man could be flung off the horses back. A loud _***whoosh* **_came from overhead, as a massive purple forktail swooped down from just overhead and he could see Geralt struggling to get a handle on Roach next to him as well. His eyes widened as he slipped in the saddle, Clop unable to calm himself. Quickly he moved his hands in the proper motions and shot his arm forward, touching it onto the stallion's white coat on his neck.

"Woah, woah easy Clop, easy buddy, he's gone," He yelled out to his horse, gripping Uma back down onto the saddle in front of him.

"Uma, umamamama…" Uma said nervously as the cursed creature finally wriggled and gripped onto Clop's mane again, and if his axii sign hadn't worked, he was sure Clop would've kicked the creature off.

He scoffed and looked over to Geralt, who had used the same sign on Roach as well, the brown mare finally seeming to calm down. The forktail roared again, but this time it had soared away back over the mountains. A small smile managed to come to his face, despite the close call, as he remembered the last time Ciri and he had gone forktail hunting before they left for Ellander.

The two of them had begged Geralt and Eskel to take them out to help the two older witchers clear an infestation of Forktails from the area. Ciri and he were supposed to stay back, stay with them both and just observed Eskel and Geralt took down the beast. However, like usual, they had snuck off to try and have some time alone. It had worked for a short while, they held hands and walked through one of the meadows they loved, and even planned a date for later that night. However, it was interrupted when a forktail had cornered them. It almost swopped down to grab Ciri, but he managed to push her out of the way getting smacked with one of its barbed wings, making his shoulder bleed. It tried to corner Ciri again after that, and he had tossed rocks at the draconid to get its attention back, and it had worked…. He would have been killed for sure had Ciri not slashed her smaller blade across its wing before it could attack. Geralt and Eskel arrived soon after and saved them both. His shoulder had been bloody and he couldn't train for days, and neither could Ciri, they were both punished for sneaking off, and spent the next few days in the library, copying notes and listening to lectures.

They had saved each other that day, protected one another like they always promised.

"Forktails this close to the fortress…" Geralt said slowly from next to him.

He scoffed, a small amused look on his face, "Look's like somebodies been slaking off.

His adopted father nodded and turned to meet his eyes, "Seems you're right… come on, let's get moving."

Geralt flicked Roach's reigns and he did the same with Clop. After a moment, his white stallion started cantering down the road after Roach and Geralt. The cold morning breeze whipped through his brown hair again, as the smile continued to stay plastered on his face as they rode towards the fortress.

Towards home, towards where his quest had begun eight years ago… and soon it would end there.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The loud winches of the gate slowly turned open, and he didn't wait for them to be fully up. Before the gate could even reach the top he had slid off Clop's back, before gently bringing Uma down to the ground. After the cursed man had been secured with Geralt next to him, he speed walked into the courtyard, and for a moment he was flashed back to that night he arrived when he was eleven. He got just inside the gate and he could hear the thunder booming, feel the rain smacking onto his head… and if he focused he could see Ciri. Her young, adorable eleven-year-old face, her calming, reassuring eyes as they looked into him, her ashen hair soaked to her head. _'We'll be alright, we're in this together… where you go, I go'. _Those were the first words she said to him in the keep, the first promise they ever made to each other, all the way back in Cintra.

Now he was in the same spot they stood when they were eleven… except he was by himself, and instead of rain and thunder, the bright sun and a cool breeze were pleasant. He'd see her there again soon… and like him, he knew she'd be amazed with just how little everything had changed. He gazed around the courtyard and breathlessly scoffed out a laugh, the smile ever present on his face. It was as if nothing had even been moved, the sword racks, the stables, everything had been there, everything was the same.

He could see the old practice dummies that Ciri and he had been forced to spar with, the racks of old swords, which they had both been forced to clean all of on multiple occasions. The smell of old stone, clay, mortar, horses and herbs that had been growing… it all came and attacked his nose, and for a few moments he felt like a child again. He slowly walked forward again into the middle of the training yard and he could see the dummies, the swords, and more memories all came rushing back to him. After they had become proficient enough, the witchers had started letting them spar with each other. He laughed a little and remembered all the times Ciri would trick him into lowering his guard by pretending to be hurt, only to sweep his legs from under him, her joyful laugh echoed in his head, how she'd help him up off the ground, and if nobody was watching she'd kiss his cheek, telling him how happy she was he cared.

"Gods… it hasn't changed a bit…" He said, walking over to the direct center of the grounds, staring down at the spot and scoffing, "Our first training session was here…"

The memory came flooding back. Young Ciri and he had been at the keep for a few days, and after they had sufficiently eaten and healed all the injuries they had sustain in their time on the run, their training had begun in earnest. The first day they had been awoken at the crack of dawn and started learning the basic history of the witchers guild, and what they did, and an overview of everything they would be learning from Vesemir. After a few grueling hours of that they had been brought out to the training yard with Lambert. Lambert had tossed practice swords in their hands and told them both to come at him with everything they had. And in the exact spot he stood then, Lambert had knocked them both to the ground in less then thirty seconds, and for hours after that they spent the entire day getting repeatedly and repeatedly knocked to the ground.

A small part of him hoped he could have a sparring session with Eskel or Lambert… just to show how good he had gotten.

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair in amazement, looking around him again, "Lambert kicked our ass here…. No… no fucking way, it's STILL there!"

His eyes fell on the blackened and scorched part of the wall right near the old broken fountain. He felt a genuine laugh of amazement leave him, which was rare for him in the previous few years as he jogged over to it, both his swords clunking on his back. Behind him he could hear Geralt corralling Uma and leading Clop and Roach to the stables, but he didn't look back, finally getting to the wall, and gently rubbing his fingers over the scorched stone on the wall. It had felt like years to him since he smiled that much, feeling such excitement and joy running through him as the memory from making that spot came rushing back to him.

When they had been twelve, Ciri and he had a system in place when they had been studying bombs, oils and other potions. Potions they didn't need much at first since they weren't mutated, but bombs and oils had always interested him greatly. So Ciri and he each spent hours mastering one half of the formulae and bombs that witchers used. Over his years alone he had perfected and even improved upon many of them, what with oils and bombs being his only way to survive some contracts, but he would never forget the first time he and Ciri had tried to make a real bomb. The two had spent hours arguing, going back and forth over the proper ingredients, and had snuck out almost the entirety of his Uncle Vesemir's store of ingredients to keep starting over. After a few hours however they had both excitedly took the three bombs that were supposed to be grapeshot down to the courtyard at night to test them.

The were about to light them but got into a stupid argument over who got to throw it first, and eventually Ciri relented and let him do it, but before he threw it she snatched it from him and threw it herself. However, they had started arguing again and she missed her throw, which had been meant for a dummy, hitting the wall instead and almost blasting them both back. It had been night then, so it hadn't seemed like they did any damage. So, they both quickly returned to bed before any of the witchers could notice. The next morning however, they went to the courtyard to find Vesemir waiting in front of the now completely blackened wall, and they had been grounded for a week to polish swords and write notes on chapters.

In the end they had both laughed about it and promised not to fight over stupid things again. And somehow, seeing the blackened wall still there had made him feel happier than he had that entire quest. It was because the fact that within the next day… he could truly know where she was had finally begun to set in.

"Tried for years to get it out, but no amount of scrubbing or chiseling would work," An old voice said from behind him, "Decided to leave it be, thought you'd get a kick out of it when you returned."

He whirled around and scoffed, seeing his Uncle Vesemir smiling broadly, the old witcher stopping with his arms crossed in the middle of the courtyard. A laugh escaped him again, as he jogged over, feeling his excitement overtake him as he slammed into his Uncle with a hug. He was still half a head shorter then his Uncle, but the older witcher sighed with a huge smile and hugged him back with just as much ferocity. The two swords on his back clunking as he slowly pulled back, meeting his Uncle's amused yellow eyes.

"Uncle Vesemir…." He said fondly, feeling like it had been years since he saw his old mentor at White Orchard, "It… it all seems so much… smaller, the… the walls used to seem like they went on forever…"

"Ha hasn't changed much no," His Uncle said in a slow, yet satisfied tone, "But you have… welcome home child. You've gotten huge, even since I saw you in White Orchard! Even got yourself a silver sword now… damn I feel old."

A laugh escaped him, as he gently reached his hand back and drew _Fate _from its sheath. The shimmering silver blade glistened in the sunlight, and he held it out in front of his Uncle, looking at both their reflections in the silver. He could see himself smiling for once, and it only heightened the mood he was in. It had felt like so long since he was actually enjoying himself, what with what happened a week prior in Skellige and Vizima.

"Got it in Skellige, Crach an Craite gave it to me, ran around with nothing but a silver dagger for most of this though, oh I can't wait to tell you about some of the monsters I've fought," He said, feeling his excitement rise, as if he were twelve-years-old again.

His Uncle whistled appreciatively, running his finger down the glistening blade as the sun sparkled off it.

"A sword worthy of a witcher, that's for damn sure," Vesemir said, looking back up at him with a smile, "And I can't wait to hear about them… been awfully quiet around here without you and Ciri."

"Well, hopefully it'll get a lot louder soon," Geralt said from behind him, a broad smile on his adopted father's face as he came up next to him.

Vesemir and Geralt both smiled, and his Uncle firmly shook his adopted father's hand with another broad smile. The three of them all standing there only made his excitement rise, the last time they all had been there like that, he had only been a child. While Vesemir and Geralt hadn't changed much… he had, and the smile that had been eluding him for weeks stayed plastered to his face.

His Uncle laughed and smiled, crossing his arms, "Well, well, the both of you here together… it's been a long time."

"Too long…" Geralt said fondly, a smile on his adopted father's face as he turned to face him.

"Yeah… too long," Dominik said, feeling the warmth run through his body.

"Umamamama…." Uma said from down below them.

The cool breeze blew through his brown hair, as all three of them turned down to the cursed man. A small amused smile came to him as their passenger spun around aimlessly and fell down to the ground. He sighed and looked back up to his Uncle who slowly shook his head, the sun glistening off the metal of his armor, off the pommels of his swords as the elder witcher faced Geralt and he again.

"And your journey, how was it," His Uncle asked them both.

He scoffed right away, running a hand through his hair, "If you want to hear about the whole thing I'll need to be completely drunk first."

Geralt chuckled from next to him, and he could see his Uncle roll his eyes with a slightly amused look. Growing up he remembered multiple times that he and Ciri had tried to break into the stash of alcohol the witchers had kept in the castle. There had been one time where Lambert had almost let them, but Vesemir had walked in at the perfect time, it resulted in Ciri and he having to slog through an entire book on distinct differences between drowners, drowned dead, and rotfiends.

His adopted father looked down at Uma again before answering, "If you mean our journey from Vizima, then it was calm, at least until a forktail flew over our heads a few miles back, passenger got a little restless."

"Ummmmmmmma," Uma muttered from the ground below.

His Uncle knelt down, and studied the cursed man with great interest, "Hm, what have we here? Multiple deformities, eyes, ears, nostrils, a harelip. And is this…?

The elderly witcher went to reach for something hanging from Uma's body, but the little man freaked out and spun around. He screamed and his uncle quickly took his hand away, standing back up.

"Now, now, calm down… Yennefer was right on one count…. Thing sure isn't pretty," His Uncle said, turning back to the two of them.

He scoffed a little, looking down at Uma who was still spinning aimlessly. Over the previous week he had grown strangely fond of the cursed creature. Although he tried not to think about it, he knew in the back of his mind, there was the possibility it was Ciri inside the cursed body, so he tried to treat Uma with as much respect and dignity as he could. It had become hard at times when the little man tried to rip out Clop's hair, or climbed up his legs, or started randomly screaming in the middle of the night. However, he thought about Ciri whenever he had to calm him, and it always helped him.

Geralt crossed his arms and looked at Vesemir, and then back down to him, "So looks like Yen is here ahead of us. Arrived about a week ago right?"

His skin lightly tingled, as the shameful feeling ran over him again. To his right his Uncle Vesemir scoffed and shook his head.

"And how…" His Uncle said, with his bitterness plenty.

He sucked in a breath and looked to meet the elderly witchers eyes, "You two start arguing? She… has that effect on people sometimes."

He saw his Uncle roll his eyes and let out a sigh, looking between Geralt and he, "Dominik lad, I understand you think of her as a mother. And Geralt I know she's a- well how do I put this? Emancipated, strong willed woman… but do manners count for nothing? She teleported in, not even a 'nice to see you.' Jumps right into uh- 'We've a curse to lift. There's this to do, and that-so Eskel and Lambert, get going.' Then she went to the guest room, to rearrange things… threw the bed off the balcony."

He felt his skin begin to tingle again; afraid it was partly his fault that his adopted mother had been in such a bad mood. Between the fight Dominik and she had in Vizima, and the urgency with them being so close to finally finding Ciri, he wasn't surprised to hear she had been in a foul mood. Under normal circumstances he would have taken his time, walked around the keep slowly, taking in his surroundings, reacquainting himself with the walls, letting all of the old memories come back to him… but he knew they had much more important things to worry about then his reminiscing.

His adopted mother and he needed to talk… and they needed to get right to figuring out the curse, so he would do whatever the sorceress needed. Ciri, she was what mattered, he'd have time to explore the castle again later… hopefully with her by his side.

"She's just on edge because we're so close…" He said slowly, his Uncle turning over to him, "I'd stay and chat all day Uncle Vesemir… I got so many things I want to tell you. But… the faster we help Yen, the faster we can find Ciri. I'll go help her out with anything she needs, she's a lot less well… intense with me, at least I hope she will be…"

Geralt shot him a reassuring look and he sighed, hoping that he would be able to hash things out with his adopted mother. She was just as on edge as he had been, and he was sure that for the last week after their fight in Vizima, she had been working frantically. He knew that she more than likely hadn't told the witchers everything, and he also knew that Vesemir and the others wouldn't be happy about it. However, whatever his adopted mother had planned… he trusted her, he would never doubt her again, it had been a mistake too in Vizima, to doubt her at all.

Vesemir sighed and looked down at him with a fond smile, "There you go again, always looking after that girl. Always had to pry you apart when you were younger…. Haven't seen her myself in… a long time…"

A small warm feeling washed over him as he saw the fond look on his Uncle's face. Geralt had told him since he and Ciri, Vesemir only had one more pupil. He had trained a young man named Leo, but before he could undergo his mutations he had been kill during the Salamandra attack on Kaer Morhen. The idea was tingling at the back of his brain… what if he had undergone them? What if he underwent them now? Could he risk dying during them before he found Ciri? The witchers had always said that he and Ciri would more then likely be the last Trial of Grasses in history, and it had been a small source of pride for him, as he knew that he and Ciri had to be strong enough to survive.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind however, he would focus on that later, in that moment he needed to figure out what it was they needed to do for the curse.

Geralt took a step closer and looked over to his Uncle, "Then we should probably get moving, get done everything that Yen needs. Where is everyone?"

The sun shone off the pommels of his Uncles swords as he sighed, "Eskel's out hunting Forktails, gotta nip that infestation in the butt, besides Yennefer needs to distill ingredients from its organs, two birds with one stone. Lambert's still in the keep, preparing to venture into the mountains to enrich the phylactery with elemental power."

"Geralt, I want to… go see some things in the keep first, but after that I'll head out and help Eskel with the forktails," He said, feeling his excitement begin to rise again as he turned to his adopted father, "If you go help Lambert, we can probably get everything done quicker."

He had remembered his last day in Kaer Morhen before he left out with Geralt to look for Ciri. During that day he had an intense training session with Eskel, and he had stormed off like a brat, without even properly saying goodbye to him, or any of the other witchers who had come to be his family. Eskel in particular he had been close to, the both of them having similar quiet, more reserved demeanors. He had trained with Lambert plenty of times of course, however Ciri had always got along better with him, their snark and sarcasm meshing well together. Eskel had spent hours upon hours training him on his reverse grip, and a small part of him was eager to show them all how good he had gotten.

"Good call," Geralt said, before turning back to Vesemir, "And what about Yen, where's she at?"

His Uncle scoffed again with an eye-roll, "Fiddling with her megascope. Wanted me to run around with some-chirping contraption, searching for something, but I'm too old for that nonsense."

"Don't worry Geralt and I will take care of it," Dominik said a small laugh escaping him as he quickly remembered something he had been wondering, "Uncle Vesemir… has anyone else arrived? Geralt and I we… sent one of my friends here. Names Freya, blonde hair, wanted to come to train…"

Carefully his Uncle turned around to him and shook his head, "A friend eh? Well she'd be more then welcome if you two can vouch for her, trust her."

"We do," Geralt quickly said from next to him, "We can trust her. She wants to help us fight back the Hunt, doesn't wanna be a witcher, but I told her she could come here and train a bit."

Vesemir nodded again, the sun casting his shadow over them both, "Aye, well if she's on her way she hasn't arrived yet. Like I said she's more then welcome though if you two vouch for her… been a while since I trained someone new."

He scoffed and laughed, "Ha, you'll love her. She could teach Geralt and I a thing about potions, she'll eat your lectures up."

A small amused smile came to his Uncle's face for a moment, but quickly it left him as he turned over to look at Geralt.

"Well I look forward to meeting her then. Speaking of friends though…" His Uncle said, a wondering look in his eyes, "Geralt your… friend, that Viper witcher arrived a few weeks ago."

The mention of Letho of Gullet made his eyes go wide, and his gaze shot over to Geralt, who slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah… I sent him he's telling the truth if you were wondering. Letho causing any trouble," His adopted father asked, his arms still crossed.

Vesemir shrugged and shook his head, "Not really. Argued with Lambert and Eskel a bit when he arrived, but that was it. Keeps to himself mostly, should be somewhere in the keep."

He had been worried in after Skellige that he may not be strong enough, but the mention of Letho of Gullet sent a shot of adrenaline down his spine. The witcher from the School of the Viper was an acquaintance of Geralt's, this he knew. He didn't know if Geralt considered him a friend, considering Letho had been the reason Geralt was framed for the murder of King Foltest. However, he also had heard the horrible story from Geralt. After Eredin had kidnapped Yennefer to try and lure Ciri out of hiding, Geralt had saved Letho's life, and the Viper School witcher had gone to fight the Hunt with his adopted father.

Geralt had explained to him that he let Letho live after the events of the summit of Loc Muinne because of that comradery he felt. Fighting the Wild Hunt together was something that bonded you, the hell that Letho and he went through to get Yennefer back, he didn't want to kill the man he had fought besides. In the end as well, Letho had been used and lied too. The man had been told by Emhyr, that if he and other witchers from the School of the Viper helped him by assassinating northern kings, Nilfgaard would restore the school to its former glory. However, as soon as he had done it, Emhyr had gone back on his word, and had been hunting Letho ever since. His adopted father had helped Letho in Velen when they had split up, and sent him to Kaer Morhen weeks ago, and Dominik nearly forgot.

Learning the witcher schools, it was something that he had been trying to do since he started the journey. He needed something, anything to help him gain an edge, to help him become strong enough for the fights to come. The magic in his blood had helped, but the hybrid school of witcher combat he was developing also would help, it had too. Being able to seamlessly switch between styles would give him a great edge, help him keep his enemies on edge, and his movements unpredictable. He would never master the other schools like he did the school of the wolf, not without years of training, however he knew he could become proficient enough in them all to use them in real combat.

Over the previous few weeks with Faram, he felt he had a good enough grasp on _grounding himself, _like you had to do in the School of the Bear. While he only trained once with George, the Griffin School witcher had taught him much about channeling his chaos, his magic energy into his signs like they did in the School of the Griffin, and he was sure that he'd train with George more soon. And of course, he had mastered the School of the Wolf, with it being how he was trained from a young age.

Three of the five schools were down, and he only had two more to go. He would convince Letho to train with him. Geralt had told him Letho was a stubborn bastard, but Dominik had to somehow figure out how. He had no idea where he'd learn the School of the Cat… but even if he could learn four of the five it would give him a great edge.

His adopted father nodded again, "I'll talk to him when I see him. As for Yen, well Dom and I will go help Lambert and Eskel with what she needed them to do, then go see her."

Vesemir nodded quickly and looked down to Uma, "You do that… and I'll take care of our little friend here."

He scoffed and looked over to his Uncle, "Just be careful with him, gets spooked easy and… and well… it… it could be Ciri…"

Slowly his Uncle nodded to him and met his eyes, "Aye lad I'll be careful…. I'm proud of you… very proud. We'll find Cirilla soon, then you'll both be yapping my ear off before I know it."

A warm feeling washed over him as he felt the sun cook down on his neck. The smile managed to slowly return to his face, as he realized it was finally time. For so, so long he thought that his search would go on forever, that he would die chasing Ciri's ghost. There had been nights where he would lay awake, looking at the empty spot in the bedroll or bed next to him… and think that it would never be full, she'd never be there. There had been a few points in the last few weeks, where thought despite all of their hard work, all the pain and suffering they had to go through… she was still out of their reach. Everyday the chisel slowly broke away another piece out of his heart, the hole that was left by her disappearing would grow bigger, and bigger. He had small times of happiness, finding Geralt and Yennefer, all the time he had spent with his friends, Faram, George, Freya, Dandelion, Zoltan, Priscilla Triss, he loved them all but… in the end he still hadn't had what he truly wanted.

He was glad that in the past few weeks he had been able to accomplish so much, help all his friends the way he did. In Velen, he had saved a man's family, and stopped his friend from going to her certain death in Keira, and helped her possibly do something great, even if she did say it was for selfish reasons. In Novigrad he had helped Triss and all the innocent mages of Novigrad escape, and he had saved Priscilla, another new, great friend from certain death. He had managed to put to rest one of the biggest regrets of his life… what he did to Freya, she had forgiven him, and they had reconnected, and she'd even soon be at Kaer Morhen. Despite the fight that ensued, he managed to find George of Toussaint, one of the few friends he had made in his years alone. That day they all spent in the bathhouse together… had been one of the best he'd had in the past eight years.

In Skellige he helped his best-friend fulfill his ultimate quest and killed the Ice Giant to finally give Undvik back to its people. He had made new friends and allies in the an Craite's, even helped Cerys become the Isles first ever Queen, a job he was sure she'd thrive at. For his troubles he had even gotten a silver sword… and despite the lead not taking them directly to her, he knew from it Ciri still thought of him… was trying to get to him.

All of it was finally coming to a head however… and soon he would get the one thing he had truly, truly been yearning for. Ciri, soon all the pain, suffering, longing, heartbreak and ache… soon it would all be worth it.

Taking in a deep breath he looked to his Uncle, then slowly up to the keep, "Soon we will be yeah… just a little bit more, I just need to push a little bit more…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Do you remember when you first brought Ciri and I in here…" He said breathlessly, the smile still plastered on his face as he looked around the inside of the hall.

Scoffing Geralt looked at him with an amused smile, "Course I do. It was wet, storming. You were terrified… wouldn't dare let go of Ciri for a second."

He rolled his eyes but met his adopted father's gaze with an amused smile, "Yeah… didn't want you to separate us. This was the start of it all… it all started right here."

Inside the keep it was a little worse for ware, but he could still feel the high ceiling and huge walls seeming to go on forever. A small chill ran up his spine, as the inside of the stone fortress was still as cold as he remembered. He felt himself scoff and laugh when he saw the large mural of the famous Witcher George slaying a dragon, and he realized how ironic that his friend who was also a witcher from the School of the Griffin had the same exact name. His George hadn't slain any dragons to his knowledge, but remembering his friend brought a smile to his face. He walked down past the entryway a few steps ahead of Geralt, spinning and taking in every last bit of the keep he could, thinking that if he blinked, he'd be back by himself on the side of the road wondering the woods.

A small smile came to his face as the first night they were there flashed in his eyes again as he got closer towards the back, towards the long table where they used to eat their meals. That first night he would never forget, Ciri had been so thirsty she had taken a mug of what she thought was water off the table, and after that was when she first spouted the prophecy about the White Frost, it had terrified him. He tried to rush to her but the magic she emanated shot him back, and only after she had spoken did Ciri fall to the ground unconscious. That night had been one of the greatest, and the most terrifying of his life, he thought she was gone for a moment, until he remembered Geralt and Vesemir bringing her up to what would be her room. They tried to show him to the room what would come to be his, but he refused and stayed with Ciri all night until she woke up.

When she finally had, he truly didn't let go of her for hours. The two stayed there and talked about everything, spoke for hours, and finally in the end decided that as long as they were together, then they would be alright. So after a few days, they had thrown everything they could into their training, wanting to one day be able to avenge Cintra, before they would set out together, hunting monsters and keeping people safe for over a hundred years with their mutations.

Mutations kept creeping into his mind. He always imagined if he ever did return to the keep, that it would be with Ciri, and that the two of them would take the trials, and they'd be true witchers. He had survived without them for eight years, partly do to his knowledge and skill, and he also realized now that it was in part due to the powers in his blood, coming and saving him at times. He wasn't worried about being able to survive the Path without them… but what if they helped him fight off the Hunt? What if they were able to finally push him over the edge to be able to truly protect her? The Trial of Grasses itself he knew was dangerous, but he was grown, he was sure he could have a better chance of surviving. Geralt and Vesemir always told Ciri and he growing up that they were waiting until they were adults, older so their bodies would be better able to handle it.

What if then, he could finally become a true witcher. He had the steel and silver, an arsenal of bombs and oils at his belt… but what if the mutations inside being forced inside his body was what finally made him able to save Ciri? He didn't dare bring the idea up to Geralt then, but it stayed stuck at the base of his brain.

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," A voice rang from near the roaring fireplace of the hearth, "Little Dom back in Kaer Morhen damn near brings a tear to my eye."

He scoffed and smiled at the source of the voice, "Probably be the first time in your life you cried other than during the snowstorms in the winter then right?"

Lambert chuckled and slid his silver sword onto his back and crossed his arms, "And I see you've inherited Geralt's sarcasm as well. Look at you, you're fucking huge, even got two swords like a proper witcher now. Might last more then thirty seconds against me now."

"We'll have to see about that later," He said, the smile coming onto his face as he stepped in front of his old trainer, "Sarcasm aside… it's good to see you again…"

He partly expected some of his famous sarcasm, but Lambert simply smirked at him, meeting his eyes, "Likewise… good to see you're still breathin. Kinda weird seeing you, and you not being attached to Ciri's legs though."

"And there's the famous sarcasm I missed so much," He said, the smile sticking on his face as he crossed his arms at the witcher, "You're going to hopefully have to deal with both of us soon…"

Lambert had been the one to train with Ciri and he for their first few weeks. Geralt would come and train with them when he could, but the basics were taught to them by Lambert. For almost a week straight all he had Ciri and him do was come at him, try to land a hit. And day after day they would charge and get knocked to the ground over and over again. He had told Ciri and he that he wouldn't teach them anything else until they managed to land one hit on him, and it had infuriated Ciri and he to no end. Finally, one day when they had enough Lambert scoffed at them and he would never forget what the witcher had told them.

_ 'I know the two of you seem to need to be fuckin breathing on each other at all times, but instead of throwing yourselves at me one at a time, why don't you try coming at me together, use your brains if they aren't mucked up thinking about each other,' _The witcher said, and Dominik could still remember how red Ciri and he had both gone.

After this however they had finally managed to land a hit. Ciri and he finally came at Lambert from different directions, with quicker and more precise moves. Instead of just aimlessly waving their swords about at him, they had managed to finally land a small hit on Lambert's torso, and the witcher chuckled at them both, before saying real lessons could begin then. Later on, when their training got more advanced they would train even more with all the witchers at one point, learning different moves and styles from them all. While he had more one on one training with Eskel as opposed to Lambert, he still had been with the sarcastic witcher plenty, he had taught Dominik one of the most important lessons, one that had gotten him through multiple fights on his journey so far. He remembered back to the fight with Nithral in the cave in Velen, being half dead on the floor, fighting Baelen, the giant, all the obstacles that had almost got him killed.

'Don't feel sorry for yourself, get your ass up and fight. Sometimes you'll come across opponents stronger, faster, more skilled. The key is spotting the weakness, every enemy has one and exploiting it, and most importantly of all, having the confidence in yourself, and not staying down. When you're on the path, lives are at stake, a Witcher can't afford to not be confident in their abilities,'.

Get your ass up and fight, that was the saying Lambert had pounded into his head.

"Lambert cooking in the kitchen, now that's something strange to come back too," Geralt said with a smirk, coming up behind him, "Helping prepare for our welcome back feast?"

His adopted father came up next to him and Dominik couldn't help but let out a small laugh at Lambert's eye roll. His old trainer's sarcasm and bitterness annoyed him at times, while at other times he found it endearing, making him laugh during hard days on multiple occasions. The sun from the few windows bore into the castle walls, and casted a beautiful glow over the three of them, and he could feel the warmth begin to overtake him. For the first time in weeks he felt content, a small smile on his face as he looked between Lambert and Geralt.

"Ha, more like my farewell feast," Lambert said with another eye roll, reaching behind his back and pulling out the gold and black phylactery, "Didn't hear? Madam sorceress has requested I go and fortify the phylactery with power from the Circle of Elements, claims its essential in lifting the curse off that monstrosity of yours."

He rolled his own eyes as he crossed his arms, feeling his annoyance rise at the words. However, he knew one thing that was more impossible then getting Lambert to not be sarcastic, was to argue with him. So, he bit his tongue and let out a sigh, uncrossing his arms and looking over to Geralt, who seemed to realize the same thing that Dominik had, because his adopted father sighed out in annoyance as a cold breeze somehow blew through the inside of the keep.

"Don't sound too thrilled about all this…" Geralt said, meeting Lambert's eyes.

"I'm not," Lambert said with a tinge of bitterness, "You both know the trek to the circle's no walk in the park, in more ways than one."

He scoffed and nodded, "Can't argue with you there. Trolls almost smashed me to fucking pieces."

Lambert smirked at him, "If you had waited to learn your signs, would've made it a lot easier."

His path up to the Circle of Elements had been different then any other witchers. First off he had been younger then most, only being fifteen when he made the treck up the mountain. Ciri had only left for Aretuza a week or two earlier, and he wanted to do something to impress her while she was gone, so he had decided to urge his Uncle Vesemir and Geralt to let him undergo his trial of the medallion earlier then any witcher ever had. Normally it had been done after mutations, and after a young witcher had learned to use their signs. However, he had no mutations, and he hadn't learned to use signs, so it made the path much more difficult for him.

First he ran into Old Spear Tip in the caverns, and had to run and hide from the beast, before sneaking out of the cave. To get past the trolls that guarded the path up the mountain itself he used a complicated series of riddles and promised to help the trolls collect more rocks for some structure they had been building. After he finally made it to the circle, he didn't have the Igni sign at the time to light the fires, so he had made fire himself from some leaves, sticks and had cut off a long strip of his gambeson to use as a bow drill, the same way his mother had showed him how to make fire. Then he spent the next two days forging his medallion and fortifying it with elemental power.

He could remember how excited he had been to write to Ciri about it when he got back, and he had. The letter never got sent however… because soon after she had disappeared.

"Dom's going to help Eskel hunt forktails," Geralt explained, gesturing towards him, "Want me to come with you? Bound to be quicker with two of us."

Lambert smirked and nodded, handing the phylactery to Geralt, "Well…. Might just have more step with the famous White Wolf at my side… you ready to leave now?"

"No reason to wait," Geralt said, looking down towards him, "You said you wanted to go see your old room first right?"

Quickly he nodded, looking between them both, "Yeah… wanted to see a few things. After that I'll head out and find Eskel, meet you two back here later."

"Gonna go back and sniff Ciri's sheets for old time's sake," Lambert asked in an amused tone, his arms crossed as he met Dominik's eyes.

"No, fuck you," He said with an eye roll, "I know the trolls are a little bit above your grammar level, best to have Geralt do the talking."

All three of them managed to laugh and Dominik could feel the warmth seep into him again. For so long when he was growing up, he dreamed of the day he and Ciri would be older, able to joke, drink and go hunt monsters with all the witchers at the fortress. Lambert was a prick this he knew, but he was also one of the best-friends you could've asked for, Eskel didn't talk much at first, but growing up Dominik always thought of the man as a brother, while if not for the lectures Vesemir made him slog through he would've been dead. He knew that during the spring summer and fall they would all go out and travel the path, with the exception being the almost two years the two of them had trained. Geralt had stayed with them the whole time, while Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert went to travel the path for weeks at a time, they'd always return to train with them. Ciri and he had dreams about traveling the Path in the spring, summer and autumn, before returning to Kaer Morhen and spending the winter with Geralt and the other witchers.

And now, with only a little more pushing, that dream could become a reality. A small smile came to his face as the sun continued to beat through the windowpanes, as around him Geralt and Lambert both finished laughing.

His adopted father looked down to him and smiled with a nod, "Alright we'll head out. Be careful out there, we'll meet up later and talk to Yen."

He nodded and smiled, looking towards the back of the keep, towards the stairs that led up the towers… towards the room where he had made so many memories. The room where he would awake at night screaming from nightmares, only for Triss and Ciri to come comfort him. His hands twitched slightly as the musty cold air of the keep hit his nose, and he felt his heart begin to flutter in his stomach, if he focused hard enough he could hear the both of them laughing, snickering as they snuck back up to their rooms with an extra plate of food, or trying to silently move after sneaking back in from a night of staying out too late.

Her face came into his vision, and he slowly reached up to the swallow, nodding over to Geralt.

"Yeah I will be… see you guys soon," He said, walking away from both Geralt and Lambert towards the towers… towards the room he grew up in.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Second room up the tower…" He said slowly, letting out a breath he was holding as he stood in front of the door, "Come on Dom… it's just your room…"

He had surprised himself with how well he remembered the castle layout. Ciri and he had to memorize it so they could sneak around for their nighttime excursions when they were younger. A small bit of him wondered if when he brought her back, if his Uncle would be alright with them staying up later, drinking and spending time together late into the night, or training intensely to the early hours of the morning. He felt an intense tingle run up and down his body under his armor, the hair on his arms and necks sticking up as his hand gently reached around the doorknob. The lock gave a satisfying click, and he slowly pushed the door open, and sucked in his breath, feeling as if he was eleven years old again in that moment.

"Wow…" He said slowly, his eyes gently scanning across the walls, feeling just how small it felt to him now, "I remember when it used to look so big…"

Like was becoming the normal scenario, everything had looked smaller. His room was the perfect size for only one person, perhaps just as big as his room back at the Chameleon in Novigrad. His bed was just underneath the one window in the room, where the afternoon sun was still streaming in, casting a glow so bright he could see the multiple small dust particles that were floating around. He coughed for a moment when a few entered his nose and his mouth fell open in a smile when he looked over and saw the small trunk at the foot of his bed, along with the small extinguished fireplace to his right. He could see the small nicks that were still on small parts of his walls from when he foolishly tried to practice combos indoors.

He slowly walked in towards his left, and saw his dresser, the drawers had never been full in the first place, but they were covered in dust and cobwebs now. If he were going to stay there for a bit, he would need to quickly get to dusting the room completely. His bed was still relatively large, and could see the mattress, along with the blankets and pillows were covered in dust as well. It was so silent that with every step he took, he could hear his boots echoing against the stone ground, as he remembered the knights where he'd wake up, and see the room covered in blood, littered with the corpses from his nightmares. A small smile came to his face as he remembered Ciri always bursting into the room, rushing to his bed to his side. She'd speak in her light calming voice, telling him how everything was okay, that he was fine now, they were both fine, and the two would gently fall back to sleep.

Triss Merigold's face popped into his mind, as he remembered the sorceress on one side of him, and Ciri on the other. Triss would cast a spell to keep the nightmares away from him for the night, and the sorceress hadn't cared how many nights in a row she had to do it, she was always willing.

All of those thought were pushed from his mind however when he saw the top of the dresser, what was still there, and it made his chest flutter, and sent a pleasant vibrating tingle through his stomach.

"It's still here…." He said lightly, looking down at the carved wolf, scoffing and gingerly taking it up into his hands, "Can't believe I didn't bring this with me…"

The carved wolf was the last birthday present Ciri had gotten him. It was a few months after they had been in Ellander, on his fourteenth birthday when she had gifted it to him. The wolf was elegantly carved, resting on a small carved stand, the head looking like the same shape as the medallion from around his neck. He lightly laughed again, feeling his eyes sting as the swallow trembled around his neck making him gently reach up and grab it. In his rush to leave and get onto Ciri's trail when he first left with Geralt, he had forgotten to drop it into his bag, and just like when he got it all those years ago… it had made the love he felt for her somehow rise.

He wiped the dust off the small wooden figurine, and gently turned it upside-down, and when he read the words he had to bite his lips, and blink to keep the tears away.

_**To Dominik,**_

_**Happy birthday! Thank you… for everything. Wherever you go, I go. I love you.**_

_**Your Ciri.**_

"I'll get you back soon, I swear it," He said, as a mixture of a sob and a laughed escaped him while he squeezed the wood close to his chest, "And when I do… I won't lose you again."

Gently and regrettably he put the carving back down onto the dresser, and quickly brought his glove up to wipe the small tears that had been welling up in his eyes. He ran his hands carefully along the dresser and came to his nightstand, where he saw an unlit old candle, the wax having just barely been falling down the sides. Carefully he whirled himself around gingerly plopping himself down onto the mattress. As he expected as soon as his ass hit the bed, a large cloud of dust popped up into the air and attacked his lungs.

"Fuck, _***cough* *cough***_, seems like Uncle Vesemir skipped the dusting part…" He said, slowly craning his head over to the nightstand, his eyes falling to the drawer underneath it, "I… hope that he didn't throw any of them out."

His mattress was somehow still comfortable, just like it had always been. A small fluttering feeling filled his chest and he felt his face get hot remembering the nights Ciri and he would huddle together in it, and subconsciously wondered if they would both be too big to fit in their again or not. So close, soon he would finally be able to figure out all of these questions. The fact he was mere days from having everything revealed to him sent tingles up his spine. All he wanted was to finally be able to wrap his arms around her again, have her leap up and wrap her legs around his waist like she used to when they were younger. He knew that soon after he did find her, the fight would come, their reunion would have to be short lived, but he would be sure that they had more time afterwards. If he had her by his side, the Hunt, Emhyr, nobody would be able to stop him, the both of them. Just like she had said to him, it was the two of them versus everyone.

Carefully he reached over and pulled open the drawer to his nightstand. After he had opened it, he looked over to the candle and quickly he snapped his fingers, the energy shot to his hand and he saw the top of the wax set alight by his fire, and it gave him slightly more light in the room. He craned his head over and felt his heart beat ever faster, as the smile stayed planted on his face, gently he reached in, and ran his fingers on the multiple old pieces of parchment, pulling them out of the drawer and onto his lap.

"Remember how excited I was to get one of these…" He said slowly, his heart continuing to pound at great speeds, "We should've just run off…"

In his hands were his letters from Ciri. During the few months she had stayed at the Temple of Melitele in Ellander, they had sent each other multiple letters, and while he was traveling with Geralt, trying to learn all he could, the letters had been his greatest source of comfort. That had been the first time Ciri and he had been separated in almost three years, and it had hit them both hard. He had been excited to get to travel the Path with Geralt, but doing it without her had felt wrong, and he spent most of those nights laying awake looking at his swallow, waking Geralt up with his nightmares on multiple occasions. The both of them had received letters from her, and Dominik used to spend hours of the day when he wasn't training reading them over and over. For months he pleaded with Geralt in person, and Ciri pleaded with him in letters to have them go and visit the Temple. After their encounter with men searching or Ciri on the barge crossing the Pontar however, is when Geralt finally decided to take Dominik to Ellander, where for almost a year he was happier than he'd ever been.

The day they arrived in the town and he saw her played over in his mind. He slipped off his horse without even bringing it to a stop, and the two of them ran for each other. Ciri leaped up and wrapped her legs around him, and he held her like he never had before. Finally, she had kissed him, and they had stayed like that for several minutes, before finally they both pulled back, _'I missed you… more then you'll ever know'. _She had said to him, almost in tears, and he had said the same. It was after this they had gone red, realizing they kissed in front of Geralt for the first time, and also Yennefer who he met shortly after.

Remembering her sent the warm flutter up his chest again, and he sucked in a shaky breath while still smiling. He put down the stack of letters and picked up a random one from the pile. Gently un-folding it, he could see her elegant handwriting as the musty smell of dust hit his nose. Seeing the beautifully written letters made his eyes sting again, as he could remember the exact moment he had gotten the letter, remembering how ecstatic he was whenever Geralt came to him with one. This particular letter he could remember was a week or two after he and his adopted father had lifted the curse of a werewolf, and he had eagerly wrote to her telling her all the details, as he started to read, the small tears finally started rolling down his cheek.

_Dear Dominik,_

_ Remember when I told you that I would be bored out of my mind while you and Geralt were out hunting monsters? Well it turns out I was right! You're out saving people, lifting curses, finally traveling the Path, while I'm stuck here completely bored out of my mind! You think Uncle Vesemir's lectures got boring, you should hear some of the one's I've had to sit through here. At least at Kaer Morhen I had you with me, and Uncle Vesemir's lectures could actually keep us alive!_

_ I've made a few friends but most of the girls I've been forced to spend time with are nothing but mindless gossips. If I have to hear about Isabel and Katrina's falling out over a stolen hairbrush one more time I swear I might have to sow their mouths shut! The other day was quite exciting however, a group of us were out in the garden studying when a wild turkey busted in and started trying to attack all of us! The rest of the girls screamed, even our advisor darted off, the thing really was going quite mad. So, I grabbed a knife our advisor had been using to cut her apple, and chucked it, hit the thing right between the eyes! _

_ All the rest of them were completely amazed, asking me how I did it, but little do they know a wild turkey is nothing compared to drowners and forktails. _

_ The next night was dreadfully annoying however, I was trying to fall asleep, but the rest of the girls in the room wouldn't stop yapping next to me. They wouldn't shut up about all the different boys they found cute in the Temple, and finally I had enough and told them to shut their yaps before I made them! They teased me, saying how I must prefer women, or was just blind to not think some of the boys they were talking about were cute. I told them I didn't think any of them were because I had a boyfriend of my own, and he was more handsome then all of them!_

_ None of them believed me, and even laughed at me when I told them you were a witcher, can you believe the nerve!? Little do they know you'd be able to knock out any one of these boys who keep ogling us. There is this one boy who won't stop staring at me when I'm trying to study in the garden, all the girls keep muttering that he likes me. You don't got nothing to worry about, he smells bad, and he's also a lot older then me which is gross! Besides, he'll never be you… nobody will ever be you. _

_ The nightmares were bad the first few weeks, but they're few and far between now. Even with them only coming back now and then… they're dreadfully awful. I wake up in the middle of the night, clutching at my pillow, thinking it's you but… then when I see it's not I get terribly upset. I know Geralt thinks this is for the best, and I said that everything would be fine but… I miss you, more terribly then I can describe. I miss hearing you laugh, whooping you up and down the pendulums and knocking you over in sparring. I even miss sitting through Uncle Vesemir's lectures with you, I miss the gauntlet, the walls, kitchen raids… our cave. I clutch onto your ring every night. Isabel tried to snatch it from me one day and I nearly cut her hands off! When I see it, it reminds me of you… and some nights it's what gets me by._

_ How have your nightmares been? I'm sorry I can't be there to help you… I've had a few fun moments here, but I miss you more and more every day. I miss Geralt dreadfully as well of course but… it's been hard not being with you._

_ I put it in my letter to Geralt, and I know you already have been, but please, please, please keep asking him to come visit. That's what we promised each other yeah? We'll always try to get to each other. That's what I remember whenever I'm worried, I'll stop worrying when I do because I know if anything happens I'll have you coming to get me, and I'll be coming to get you…._

_ Again, I miss you dreadfully, I hope that Geralt is convinced to bring you by soon. Until then, know that I think about you every day, and if you're missing me like I'm missing you just remember, I love you, and we WILL see each other soon. _

_With love, your Ciri._

_P:S: Please, please, please keep asking Geralt!_

_P:P:S: I mean it when I say you're more handsome then any of the boys at the temple, if Isabel and the other girls saw you, I bet they'd get right jealous!_

"Ha… you always knew… always knew exactly what to say," He said, sobbing and laughing at the same time, bringing his glove up to wipe his face, "We WILL see each other soon…always try to get to each other…."

While he had been reading he could hear her voice in his head, her young, girlish tone begging him to come back to her, to beg Geralt to go visit. He remembered how much he had begged Geralt, day and night he would ask his adopted father if they could go visit her, go see her again, and Dominik was convinced the attack on the barge combined with how insistent his asking was, was what ultimately made the older witcher finally take him to Ellander to see her. He had managed to keep his promise then, he had made it back to her they had made it back to one another after those months she was away at the Temple. After that… they had promised never to separate again.

That year in Ellander would go on to be the greatest of his life, him, Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri. It was then that he realized he wasn't just linked to Ciri by destiny, or by their love, it was by something more then that. He didn't know what to call it, but something deeper then destiny and love was what bound the two. It was how after so many years apart, after he had failed to get to her for so long, that he was able to keep moving forward with the search, keeping trying to get to her. It felt as if without her he wasn't complete, and the thought of her suffering for so long almost made the tears flow from his eyes again.

So many people had tried to use her, rape her, kill her, all because of something that had been completely out of her control. It angered him, infuriated him, he was angry at so many people, all of the ones who had tried to harm her, had been making her life hell. Most of all he was angry with himself, furious with himself for not doing something more, being there when she needed him most, during the hardest times of her life. When she had been tossed into an arena, trapped in the world of the Aen Elle, captured at Stygga Castle. The thought of her having to pull herself out of all those situations ran through his head, and he quickly brough his glove to his face again to wipe the tear.

Quickly he shot to his feet and gathered the letters, putting them back in his nightstand and putting the flame of the candle out. If he read more he would drive himself crazy, and he needed to get moving, the faster he did, the faster he could make up for it all. There wouldn't be any more pitying himself, worrying about the times he had failed. Ciri was finally within his reach and he could get to her, pull her out of the danger she was facing then. He hadn't endured eight years of heartbreak and pain to give up on her now. He would never give up on her, never stop fighting for her and trying to get to her, because he knew that she was still doing the same for him.

He let out another slow breath and adjusted his swords before gripping up on the swallow pendant, walking towards the exit. After he had reached the doorway, he carefully turned around and looked at his old room again… imagining having two people there, he and Ciri huddled together in the bed again.

"I'm gonna find you, and bring you back… wherever you are… I'll bring you back," He said, slowly turning back towards the steps, "But first… I need to go and bait a forktail."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Forktails… samum, Aard, and draconid oil," He muttered to himself as he quickly laid his silver blade out over the table in front of him.

He had quickly darted back down the steps and found himself alone in the hall. Before he left the fortress he had tossed his bag and raked _Fate _out of its sheath and quickly went to take inventory. A small rush of excitement ran through him, as he remembered multiple times he and Ciri went out to help Hunt forktails. The two of them of course would simply lay the bait, and then be ordered to stand back and observe the tactics the witchers used to kill the beasts. It had been somehow both excited and dull to them both at the time. He had killed plenty of forktails and wyverns during his years alone, so he knew their weaknesses like the back of his hands, and he gently pulled out a rag to grease the red draconid oil onto the silver.

The pleasant hissing sound never failed to make him smile, as the oil reacted even better with the silver then it did his steel blade over the years. He saw how quickly the sword took in the oil, and smirked when he saw the faint runes carved out onto the silver surface. He saw his face in the reflection still and was amazed at how long his hair had been getting. Along his chin he still only had faint scruff and a small part of him laughed, wondering if Ciri would tease him for it like she used to when he found her. His emerald eyes shimmered in the silver as his reflection slowly disappeared, mucked in the red oil. A small smirk came to his face as he slung the sword back into its sheath, and clipped samum bombs to his waist. He went and stood up from the table and went to started towards the door of the keep when he heard a deep voice echo off the walls.

"Well, well… so you're Geralt's kid," The man said, and Dominik finally whirled around when he heard the footsteps as it continued on, "Told me a bit about you back in Velen, thought you'd be… taller."

When he finally found the source of the man's voice he sucked in a breath. Geralt's description of Letho of Gullet had been spot on. A bald man, absolutely huge, with cut off sleeved armor, and two knives strapped in front of his chest. The man's yellow witcher eyes looked more like that of a viper like his school as opposed to a cat. Two swords were strapped to his back as befitted all witchers, as he walked across from Dominik. The medallion around his neck depicting a slithering viper was more complex then any witcher medallion he had ever seen. The man's arms seemed to be even larger than Faram's, which he always thought would be impossible.

After hearing Letho's story from Geralt he had mixed feelings of the man. On one hand if he hadn't gone and killed the northern kings, destabilizing the realm, Nilfgaard would have never been able to launch their invasion. However, just like most that Emhyr ended up working with, he had turned on Letho, and Geralt had explained how the Viper witcher had been on the run ever since the summit at Loc Muinne. There was also the fact he couldn't ignore that Letho had fought the Hunt with Geralt the first time, and helped his adopted father save Yennefer. In the end, Dominik knew that if his adopted father trusted the man enough to send him to Kaer Morhen, then he could trust him as well.

He also knew that Letho would be his only chance to learn the School of the Viper, what with the rest of them seemingly extinct. After the curse was lifted from Uma, he knew that Geralt and he would set out straight away, so if he was going to learn anything, it was going to need to be now.

So, he slowly nodded his head and crossed his arms, meeting the Viper witchers intense glare, as the sun shone in through the windows of the keep.

"Being smaller has its advantages, means I move quicker…" He started slowly, being careful not to leave the mans gaze, "I'm Dominik… and you're Letho."

The large man scoffed, "Seems my fame runs before me… you're not a mutant?"

"No…" He said, feeling the hair on his arms stick up, "Something happened before I was supposed to be mutated. Never got back around to taking the trial."

"Lucky you, probably would've died anyway," The man said dryly, his hard eyes not leaving Dominik's gaze.

He narrowed at the man, feeling a jolt of annoyance run through him, "I would've survived, still will if I decide to do it. I'm a bit stronger than most nine-year-old boys who they try to mutate."

Letho laughed heartily, which Dominik assumed was a rare occasion. The thought of him dying during the Trial of Grasses always crossed his mind obviously, but he knew he would survive. His determination to find Ciri, to keep her safe, combined with how much he had grown, the potions and concoctions wouldn't take him out. He managed to compose himself, keeping his arms crossed as his own glare didn't leave the larger witcher.

The man finally stopped laughing and slowly shook his head, "Trial doesn't give a damn how old you are kid. You could be a nine-year-old or a spry twenty, don't matter how determined you are, how strong you think you are; the trial eats you up disintegrates you from the inside…. Gotta admit though, eight years on the Path alone without being mutated, pretty damn impressive."

Under his armor he could feel his arms tingle again. That was something else he had heard often that the Trial attacked you from the inside, tried to tare your very cells open to change. He didn't know how long it had been since a trial was performed in Kaer Morhen, when he spoke to Vesemir, Geralt or any of the witchers about it, they would always dodge the question, stating that they'd worry about it when their time came. That time of course had never come for Ciri and he. At times during the last few weeks he had wondered if they could both come back to Kaer Morhen and undergo their mutations, or if she would even want to anymore, or if he truly wanted to anymore. While he wanted to have that strength… would he risk dying before he got to Ciri?

Slowly he nodded towards the larger witcher, "Thanks…. Geralt told me how you fought the Wild Hunt before… you know that we're going to be fighting them soon again right?"

Letho reached up and cracked his knuckles, "Yeah, mentioned it back when he helped me with some business in Velen. Tough fuckers those elves… beat them back last time though."

Scoffing he nodded in agreement, "You can say that again. Killed one of their generals in Velen, fought another outside Oxenfurt, tough fuckers you're right… but we'll beat them back. Won't stand a chance against all of us."

"Ha, like the attitude kid," The viper witcher said, going to walk past him, clapping Dominik's shoulder before he went on, "See ya around… hope you're as good as Geralt was saying."

"WAIT," He said quickly, feeling his heart beat faster at his opportunity slipping by. At his words Letho stopped and slowly turned back around and Dominik sighed in relief before continuing, "I needed to ask you…. I know you just met me and all… but I want to train with you."

Letho narrowed his eyes and seemed to digest his words. Slowly the Viper witcher scoffed and took a few steps back towards him. Dominik felt a small bead of sweat drip down his back at the man's wondering glare. He learned from Faram that certain styles of mutations gave certain witcher schools different traits, like his friends School of the Bear mutations helping him grow much taller and enlarge his muscles. In that moment he wondered if the Viper school mutations gave them even more intense yellow eyes then other witchers.

The larger man crossed his arms and scoffed again, "Why would you wanna train with me? From what Geralt says, you're plenty good yourself. Besides, eight years on the Path without being a mutant? You gotta be trained plenty from that on its own."

"You can never train enough," He said quickly, meeting the mans intense glare, "Like you said, don't have mutations. Survived on luck and a lot of skill the last few years but the Wild Hunt? That's different… I've been learning combat styles from different witcher schools. Got two friends who taught me Bear and Griffin schools, known Wolf my whole life obviously, I want to develop a style that works them all… wanted you to teach me Viper School tactics."

Letho gave him a slightly amused look, and Dominik kept the man's gaze. He could remember all the way back in Oxenfurt, when they were searching for Tamara when the idea had come to him. It seemed like so long ago that. If Dominik now went up against Dominik from then… it wouldn't have been a contest. He was still baffled that the idea had somehow been working. According to what Geralt, Faram and George had told him, no witcher had ever learned styles from multiple schools at once, so he was the first, and the thought sent a small bit of pride down his spine.

However, it was all just to save Ciri. If he somehow failed again, then all of the training would have been for nothing. But he wouldn't fail again. Soon they would figure out the curse, and he'd finally be on his way. When he did however, the Hunt would be waiting, be waiting to come take her away, to kill her, use her. And he would beat them back. He hadn't been there to protect her from Vilgefortz, from Leo Bonhart and the Aen Elle who had trapped her in their world. However, he was there now, he could protect her from the Hunt… and he would. All it would take was one more day, he knew that tomorrow, they would set out, and they wouldn't return until they had found her… the day he truly had been waiting eight years for.

The Viper witcher finally looked and met his eyes with a small smirk, "I like the confidence kid… you sure you'll be able to keep up?"

"I'll keep up, I'm sure," He said assuredly, keeping the witcher's gaze, "The person I love more than anything is at stake. I'll do anything for her… so yes, I WILL keep up, I know I won't master anything, but I want to learn as much as I can."

"Admirable," The Viper witcher said with a nod, "So… when do you wanna start?"

A small laugh and scoff escaped him, as he realized another one of his plans were finally coming together. He had no idea where he'd find a Cat School witcher but having four of the five schools was better then nothing. There wouldn't be much time, and he knew that Lambert and Geralt would take a while to get to the Circle of Elements and back, while if Eskel had already tracked the forktail, their journey wouldn't take long, so he would have a few hours after he returned from the forktail hunt before his adopted father returned.

And then either that night, or early the next morning they would figure out the curse… and learn where she was. As soon as they did, Geralt and he would be setting out to get her, and after that… the fight would come soon after. So, he only had a small amount of time, he needed to learn as much as he could then… for her, for Ciri. After so many weeks of pain, longing and loss… it would all soon be worth it, he'd get to hold her again. However, that wasn't good enough for him. He didn't only want to get her back but wanted her to be able to have a life after it, he wanted them to be able to have a life together. So, he would beat the Wild Hunt, as long as she was at his side, he would beat them. He would stab _Fate _through Eredin's neck if that what he needed to do, he'd defeat Baelen, the dragon, Imlerith, Caranthir, the ominous black specter from his dreams… anyone who tried to take that away from them.

They deserved to have back the life they had ripped away from them… and he'd give it to her.

He slowly reached up and twirled the swallow in his hands, meeting Letho's intense eyes, "In about an hour or two… first I need to go hunt myself a forktail."

**A/N: And we have arrived in Kaer Morhen ladies and gentlemen! After eight long years away, Dominik had finally returned to the place he called home with Ciri, the place where they solidified their love, learned to survive, and had so many wonderful memories together. We have four chapters left in Kaer Morhen, two to recruit allies, so six chapters, then FINALLY, we will be heading to the Isle of Mists, and after that… the Battle of Kaer Morhen, which safe to say will look a little different in my story. I've said this before but after Ciri comes back is when what I'm calling the REAL story begins xD It's where a bunch of the bigger changes to the plot will come in, as Dominik and Ciri's love for each other, and Dominik's determination to keep her safe will cause some major changes! We're a bit off from that though so let's talk about this chapter…**

**We finally arrive at Kaer Morhen and reunite with Uncle Vesemir! I hope I conveyed how big this moment was, and you all liked some of the little stories Dom told from his time there. They're so much fun to write, and I hope you guys find them as cute and endearing as I do haha. So, what're some predictions you have for this smaller Kaer Morhen arc? How will it be when Dom talks to Yennefer again? Looking forward to the party xD**

**After this we meet up with Lambert, and after some of his famous sarcasm and wit, Dom finally makes his way back to his old room…. I tried to convey the emotion again and hope that I could, because this is another huge moment, him finally being back in the room he spent so much time with Ciri in. We read one of the letters that Ciri sent him during their first time away, and I just hope that it was a cute, emotional and enjoyable scene for you all. So after Ciri comes back what do you think it will be like at first? After the battle what's it going to be like for them? And when the finally sit down and talk about the nitty gritty details of their time apart… what will that be like? **

**And then finally to end we have a quick chat with everyone's favorite Viper school witcher Letho of Gullet! It was a shorter interaction I know, but we will have a training session with him before we figure out the curse. We'll get to see Dominik's great silver butter knife return in some epic sword/dagger duel wielding action during training xD**

**Overall, this chapter didn't have much action I understand, but I hope you could all still find some enjoyment in it. I always feel in stories that these, every now and then you need chapters like these.**

**Instead of action we learn more about Dominik's past and hear some old memories. I LOVE writing him remembering old times with Ciri and his family, what;s one of the stories/memories he's talked about that you guys want to see? **

**I understand we haven't had much action in a few chapters, but to be honest there isn't much in this part of the game until Isle of Mists/ Battle of Kaer Morhen xD**

**Next chapter will be a bit shorter, as we'll get to see Dominik and Eskel go forktail hunting, before he returns for a training session with Letho… and then after that a long talk with his adopted mother, and after that we're going to get to see four witchers piss drunk xD**

**I can't thank you guys all enough, we are approaching almost a hundred follows on this, and we have over 20,000 views now! That is mind boggling. This all started out as just me saying at the end of a witcher playthrough "Man I really wish there was a guy/girl out there who actually was actually worthy of Ciri xD" I never thought it would grow this big, but I'm so glad it did! We're passed the halfway point and still chugging on! See you all next time, stay safe and have an EPIC day!**


	48. To Bait a Forktail

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 48: To Bait a Forktail**

**Narrator: Their long search for Ciri led Dominik and Geralt to conclude that Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse, was the key to finding the young woman. After embarking on his quest to find his long-lost love at the age of fifteen, eight years later The Young Wolf finally returned with Geralt to Kaer Morhen, the place where he and Ciri fell in love and trained together. His adopted mother Yennefer of Vengerberg had already arrived at the keep ahead of him and Geralt, hard at work to prepare a way to lift Uma's curse. So after a reunion with Vesemir, one of his old mentors, and meeting the famous killer of kings the witcher Letho of Gullet, Dominik and Geralt split up to help their friends the witchers Eskel and Lambert, to find the ingredients Yennefer needed to lift the curse. Soon, Uma's curse would be lifted, and both Dominik and Geralt will finally know where Ciri has gone….**

"Looks like he kept heading up this way… can't be far off," He said, standing up and pulling himself up onto Clop's back, "Alright Clop, let's get moving buddy, don't have any time to lose…"

After his conversation with Letho he had set out right away to retrieve Clop from the stables. The sun had signaled just past midday, and he still couldn't see a cloud in the sky as the wind gently blew his brown hair back from atop his loyal stallion. He clicked his tongue and Clop began to ride out, his horse taking off in a light sprint as he followed the trail towards where he remembered forktails had nested. The trail out of the keep had led him a way's down the valley, past one of the small streams and up into the forest, where he could remember going all those years ago. He tried to both spur Clop on urgently and keep his eyes on the faint horse tracks at once, as the pleasant wind continued to smack against his face. He looked around and took in the beautiful sight of the valley, a small part of him still not believing he had actually come back. The last time he saw Eskel, was when he was leaving, swearing that he wouldn't come back until he had Ciri with him. He did have Ciri with him if his worse fears were correct… but he quickly pushed the thought from his mind as he rode.

He needed to listen to Yen, listen to Geralt, and if breaking his promise to not return until he found her meant that he would finally be able to get to her, he could live with it. Other then of course Geralt, Eskel had been the first witcher he ever truly had a one on one training session with. He knew that the witcher was just as old as Geralt and had been one of his adopted fathers' closest friend during their training and throughout his long life, so Dominik had been eager to learn. Eskel was much quieter and more reserved then Lambert, and while he was hard on Dominik still, the witcher had taught him valuable lessons that to that very moment had kept him alive. He would never forget the first time he saw Eskel sparring with his sword in a reversed grip, how swiftly he moved from one attack to the next, and seamlessly changed between a forehand grip and the reversed one. For hours upon hours Eskel would grill him on the reverse grip, showing him exactly how to make sure you moved seamlessly between opponents, and make sure the blade didn't fall from your hands. And to that very day, he had been able to take on groups of enemies with that very style.

The warm sun bore down on his as he narrowed his eyes over towards the left after Clop had gotten him a ways up the side of the mountain. A small smile came to his face looking up at all the beautiful green foliage, the tall oaks and patches of bright flowers. Ciri and he had combed every part of those woods when they were younger, he could remember how he'd spend hours picking flowers and herbs, flowers that he'd weave into gifts for Ciri. A small smile came to his face as he remembered how red she'd get when he put a flower in her ear, or he made her a crown or bracelet. His thinking was interrupted when Clop neighed and bucked up in front of him.

"Woah buddy… what is it," He said, pulling his mind away from his reminiscing as the wind blew his hair. He noticed the light roaring fire and black stallion to his right and smirked at his good luck, "Must be Eskel's camp and his horse… you stay here and make friends Clop, I'll be right back."

Eskel had made a smaller camp site out in the mountain side. Gently he slid himself off Clop and walked his own horse over to where his old mentor had tied his own. Clop was the best horse a witcher could have asked for, but Dominik couldn't help but be impressed by the large, strong looking black stallion, who eyed Clop suspiciously as he tied his horses reigns next to it. The wind started to pick up again, and he could feel himself get goosebumps under the armor as for the first time in a few weeks a pleasant feeling washed over him. For so long he had been fighting, feeling so angry, bitter and desperate. However now, he was back home, back in the place where it had all begun, and soon his long journey would finally come to an end… and a new one would begin shortly after… a new journey with Ciri at his side.

His boots crunched over the leaves and twigs as he made his way towards Eskel's camp, a bed roll, a satchel with a few spilled out ingredients and a few empty potion vials were strewn about. He reached over and looked at the pot that was resting over the crackling fire and scoffed with a smile when he recognized the oil.

"Draconid oil, looks like he had the same idea," He said in an amused tone, as he first noticed the tracks leading further up the mountain, and he turned to see them heading further up, "And we got some tracks, looks like Eskel's and… a goats? Must be using it as bait, can't be far off."

He subconsciously looked over at Clop to help feel as if he wasn't talking to himself. Clop had seemed to be making good friends with Eskel's horse and he knew that if a forktail did sweep down both of them would be able to easily outrun it. The prints that Eskel and the goat left were easy enough for him to follow, as he adjusted both his swords, and the dagger on his hip before trekking further up the mountain to follow the prints. He took one last look at the two horses before continuing on and heading around the bend higher up the side of the mountain as the wind continued to blow, the sun so bright he had to squint to keep track of the prints.

A small smile came to his face as he did, feeling the wind wash over him, and if he focused hard enough looking next to him… he could see her. She was smiling, the ring bouncing around her neck, her smaller sword strapped onto her back, as she went on telling him a story, talking about all the things that she wanted them both to do that day… her voice, her laugh, the smell of juniper and cedarwood, it all came back and hit him at once. Warmth washed over him from the sun as he could remember the exact day that they had been attacked by the forktail. They had been planning a date for them both that night, he was supposed to sneak the blanket out of his room, she was going to get food for them, and they were going to meet in the cave together, and spend a few hours there before heading back. It hadn't happened of course, because he ended up getting hurt by the forktail, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. For the next few days, he was in bed recovering, and Ciri hadn't been able to train, being forced to copy notes as punishment for leaving Geralt and Eskel. She had spent those few days in his room while he healed, and together they took notes and spent nearly the whole day together.

He could have been locked in a room for a month straight with her and still never get enough of her presence.

There had been other times like this, like when he had broken his ankle running pendulums. He had been cut and slashed by almost every monster in existence, but the pain he felt after that fall had been the worst he ever felt. Luckily Vesemir was able to help it heal properly so Dominik didn't end up like Dijkstra, with a limp for the rest of his life. He was in bed for weeks, having to keep his leg propped up on pillows, not allowed to move it a muscle so the bones set back properly. Ciri had been at his bedside every single day, she'd bring him food, lay in bed with him and talk his ear off. He would've given anything to have her talk his ear off in that moment, hear her soft, reassuring voice, telling him that he would be, _'Up in no time,', 'Getting whooped by me on the gauntlet soon,', 'Skating again soon, you're actually getting quite good'. _Winter had set in during the time, and with some extra help from Triss, his ankle had healed perfectly, and he could remember the day his ankle was finally healed, and he could walk again in vivid detail.

Ciri wasted no time jumping into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and hugging him, which worried Triss to no end, but he could remember how the sorceress smiled. He learned later on that Geralt and the rest of the witchers did indeed know Ciri and he had been together basically the entire time at Kaer Morhen, but at that moment they believed that only Triss knew. Ciri had later told him like he did, she had confided her feelings for him to the sorceress, so Triss had helped the both of them with their fledgling relationship.

That day he healed, Triss had covered for them and Ciri brought him out skating on the frozen lake. He thought he was finally getting good, but naturally Ciri had gotten up and skated circles around him, being sure to hold onto his arm when his ankle felt sore. For hours the two of them skated, at one-point Ciri even rode on his back, before they eventually went out to their cave together. They had kissed, talked, told stories and ended up falling asleep there together, only for them to find Geralt waiting angrily for them at the gates the next morning. The two of them had gotten punished again, but the trip had been completely worth it.

If he found her soon, if he were able, he'd take her back to the cave, and when they survived and beat the Hunt he'd take her to skate when the winter came around. He'd make sure that after everything she had gone through, she'd have the time of her life, and experience all the things they both missed out on. The cool wind blew through his hair again, as the tracks brought him out to a clearing, and he could see plenty of trees, but an open field of soft looking grass, plenty big enough to fight a forktail. Plenty of tougher beasts had stood in his way so far, he wasn't going to let a forktail be what stopped him.

The loud bleating of a goat piercing the air made him narrow his eyes, "A goat? Well seems the bestiary's instructions were quite literal…"

He walked over towards the goat tied to the stake and saw the poor creature wriggling and felt slightly bad, before a deeper voice pierced the air, making him whirl around, his hair blowing wildly as he did.

"Well, well, well, I was supposed to be hunting forktails, but I guess the bait works on witchers too…" Eskel said, a smirk on his disfigured face as he emerged from behind the tree.

His chest warmed up when he saw the smirk on his old mentor's face. Eskel had the same armor he wore all those years ago, the armored red coat that looked similar to his own armor. The sun sparkled off the pommels of his two swords, and Dominik there were only a few things that could have made him happier in that moment. The day was still beautiful, no clouds were in sight, and the breeze was pleasant, and for the first time he'd be hunting forktails with one of the witchers, it was a small one, but that day he got to accomplish one of the few things he had dreamed about growing up. While Ciri being there would have made it perfect, the smile still stayed plastered on his face as he made it over to his old mentor.

"As for forktails bait them thusly: pound a stake in the soil, bind a goat to it," He said with a smile, remembering the line exactly as he finally got across from him, "Then hide ye in nearby shrubbery posthaste…"

Eskel laughed and met his gaze with a smile, "Brother Adalbert's bestiary page eighty-two…. Can't believe you still got that memorized after all these years."

He scoffed and felt the smile grow wider on his face, "Ciri and I used to split up and memorize the monster groups, I had draconids. Already got the silver oiled up."

Eskel laughed again and slowly nodded, his scarred face curled into a smile as for a moment he said nothing. The wind lightly blew as he felt himself happier in that moment then he had in a long time, seeing Eskel, Lambert, Vesemir, it all gave him a reminder, that his past had really happened. At times during his years alone he almost began to think his growing up with the witchers had never happened, it felt like it had been so long ago at times. Now however, all the memories came flooding back, all the good memories, even the bad memories seemed like good ones to him, compared to what he had been through, he even missed the times when Ciri and he got screamed at and beaten into the ground during training.

It all also helped remind him what he was fighting for, that she was still out there, she had been there with him through it all… and soon she'd be there again.

Eskel sighed and looked over him again, "It's good to see you again kid, two swords, bombs on your belt, and I'm sure plenty of scars… damn I feel old."

He laughed lightly and gently nodded, meeting his old mentor's eyes, "It's good to see you again too… I'm sorry for… acting like a brat when I left. Been gone way too long."

Shaking his head Eskel met his eyes, "Got nothing to apologize for. You were on your own Path, every witcher sets out on one. I'm just glad to see you back, and alive."

The smile stayed plastered on his face, as he reached around and Eskel quickly gave him a fierce hug, their swords clunked and Dominik pulled back and could see the smirk on Eskel's face as the witcher crossed his arms and gestured his head towards the swords on his back.

"So, where'd you get the silver? Vesemir said when he saw you in White Orchard you only had one still," He asked, his scarred face still in a smirk.

The sun beat down on his neck and Dominik smirked himself as he reached behind his back. With a dash of pride running through him, he slid _Fate, _out of its sheath, and the red draconid oil was still dripping from the silver as he held it out for Eskel to see. The sun shone off the silver imbued with the red oil, as he could hear Eskel whistle appreciatively at the site.

"Got it in Skellige. Geralt and I did some favors for Crach an Craite. I helped his son kill an Ice Giant," He explained, the pride ever evident in his voice, "Gave it to me as a reward, should've seen, ran around with nothing but a silver dagger for most of the trip."

Eskel laughed and shook his head, "An Ice Giant!? Seems like you've inherited Geralt's flare for the dramatic. Been gone eight years, must've seen your fair share since you've been gone."

Scoffing he nodded, "You could say that again. Was hunting an Alp before all of this started, damn thing would've killed me if not for Yennefer. Katakan's, Fiend's, Bruxa… surprised I'm still alive to be honest."

Shaking his head Eskel smirked at him again, "That's because you had some good trainers. Gonna have to tell me more later. When Geralt came and told us you'd gone off by yourself, got a little worried not gonna lie."

"Biggest mistake I ever made… going off without him," Dominik said, slowly shaking his head with a sigh, deciding to not bring up the topic as he looked back to meet Eskel's eyes, "What about you? What have you been up to?"

His old mentor scoffed with a smile, "I'm a simple witcher Dom, don't go fraternizing with kings, sleeping with sorceresses and fighting dragons like Geralt. Another day another drowner."

The mention of dragons made his skin crawl, as he remembered the destruction at Lofeton. He had hoped that like Ermion initially suspected, the people were lying about the sighting, a dragon being in command of the Wild Hunt wasn't something he wanted to add to his list of worries. If the Hunt had somehow gotten the dragon to obey them, he had no idea how they would be able to combat it. He knew that there was a special group of warriors from Cinfrid that Geralt had run into during her and Yennefer's encounter with the gold dragon, reavers that hunted dragons, and there had been plenty of stories of men slaying dragons. However, when they already had the Wild Hunt to contend with, a dragon was a daunting task.

It didn't matter to him in that moment however, if it stood in his way of keeping Ciri safe he'd kill the dragon somehow.

"Well that may have to change," Dominik said, crossing his arms with a scoff, "If what Geralt and I learned is true… Hunt's got themselves a dragon. Used it to help them destroy a village in Skellige… Ciri just barely got away."

"What color," Eskel asked, a harder look growing on his face.

"White," He responded right away, letting out a sigh, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck, "Some of the buildings were still frozen. Ciri charged the damn thing to try and save the people."

A small fond smile grew on Eskel's face before he slowly nodded, "Sounds like something she'd do. How… have you been holding up? Before Vesemir came back from White Orchard, last I heard about you was that Geralt found you half dead in Ellander, some bounty Hunter had almost killed you while you were looking for Ciri."

His shoulder panged, and he could remember the day in that moment. The sun had been shining, it was a beautiful cloudless day like it had been right then. He had just left the inn at Ellander and was going out towards the meadow where Ciri and he used to go and spend time together. On his way there was when the man cornered him, and he would never forget the large bald man, the double-bladed axe he had carried. Only being seventeen at the time he was even smaller than he was now, and he must have seemed like a toothpick to the man. He shuddered remembering the deep voice the man spoke with, how his beady eyes bore into him in that flowered meadow, the same place where Ciri and he had spent so much time together.

Dominik never learned how the man figured out where he was, who he was, or about his relationship with Ciri, but after some back and forth he demanded he help him find her. Even if he had known anything at the time, Dominik never would have said anything. The news the man was looking for her had only made him angrier, and he wanted to know what that bounty hunter knew in return. The fight had been brutal, and he had been smacked around much more then he cared to admit. Looking back on the fight then, he wondered if the powers inside his blood had somehow helped, or if it really had just been from his own sheer will that got him to finish the fight. He managed to stab his sword through the man's side, right into his arteries, for a second he had thought he won, but before the man fell to his feet, he had smacked his axe down into Dominik's shoulder.

It was after he was hit by the mans axe that Geralt had showed up. His adopted father came in and cleaved the bounty hunter's head clean off. After that, his shoulder had still almost been split open however, and he honestly thought he would die in that meadow. However, Geralt had managed to get him back to Ellander, back to the doctor, Old Eustace, and of course that was when he had first met Freya. Eustace and Freya had sewn his shoulder back together, and it took Dominik a week before he was able to leave Eustace's house, with strict orders from the doctor to stay in Ellander for a few weeks so he could be checked on. After this, Geralt had tried to convince him to come back to Kaer Morhen, and he regretted again to that day how bitter he still was at that time. After some arguing Geralt reluctantly agreed, and left him in Ellander. The words his adopted father had spoken to him a few weeks prior rang in his head.

_'I've traveled the whole continent to find you both… never have any intention of forcing either of you to do anything…'_

And his adopted father hadn't, simply leaving and telling him that should he ever need him… that he'd still always be there. He was still ashamed of himself to that day he had been so bitter. However, after Geralt had left, the next few days is when he had first met Freya. After a few days, Dominik could see that Freya had been infatuated with him, and he tried to deny himself feeling anything like normal. However, Freya spent days listening to him, coaxing him to talk about his problems, the bitterness, the loneliness. He went to leave… but found himself wanting to say goodbye to her. So he had went to find her before he left, and found her being harassed by a group of drunk men outside the inn… and after Dominik had saved her, and they went back to his room to say goodbye was when she had kissed him. And those few weeks turned into months.

It had been a defining moment in his journey the last eight years… and he sighed, realizing how much he truly must have worried Geralt, Eskel, and the other witchers.

He pushed his hair from his eyes and nodded towards his old mentor, "I've been better the last few weeks since Geralt and I started looking. I… I've missed her, every day more and more…. People ask how I survived those eight years, well… it was because I believed that at the end of it all I'd find her. And well if everything goes well tonight and tomorrow… it'll all have been worth it."

Eskel sighed with a small smile as he shook his head, "I remember how god damn hard it would be to separate the two of you… you know that's the only reason I agreed to come do this little job for Yennefer. Mentioned how you and Geralt would be back soon, that we had to lift a curse, and it was for Ciri. Remembered how you said you would only come back once you'd found her… so I swallowed my pride and headed out."

"Thanks, Eskel really… I know she can be a bit much," He said, a small smile coming to his face, as he could feel the appreciation wash over him, "But she's right if we can lift that curse, whoever's inside that body will be able to point us to where Ciri is… or… it could be Ciri in there herself."

He knew better then most that his adopted mother could be a little grating for some people. However, he also knew that just like he, she was prepared to do anything to get Ciri back. The sun casted Eskel and he's shadows out over the green field, and he felt sweat trickle down his neck as the smile stayed on his face. If there was one thing that he knew he could count on from the witchers always was there loyalty. It didn't matter how long he had been gone, Eskel, and despite all of his moaning he knew Lambert as well were ready to help them in any way they could. For years he had felt like he was completely alone… but in only a few weeks it had all changed, and he kept asking himself how he could have been so ignorant in his last eight years to believe he would do it all alone.

But that past didn't matter anymore, because soon they'd all be there, all together again.

Eskel laughed and shook his head, "No problem kid, we'll always have your back. You and Ciri both. So… hunted any forktails in your last few years, remember the weaknesses?"

Scoffing he smiled and nodded, "Bombs, Aard, Draconid oil. Hunted a few, wyverns too, a Cockatrice in Rivia a few months ago actually.

His old mentor smirked and crossed his arms, "Alright gotta admit it it'll be a nice to fight one with you. You know without Geralt and I having to rush in to save you and Ciri because you decided to wonder off for some alone time."

He scoffed and felt his face get hot, "You still remember that?"

Eskel laughed and nodded, "HA course I do. One of you and Ciri's many little escapades that you thought we knew nothing about."

His chest thumped for a moment and his face got red as he let out a nervous laugh, "Ha yeah… Geralt, uh… told me you all knew about most of those."

"Most of them yeah," Eskel said with a laugh, slowly uncrossing his arms, "Could tell from the minute Geralt brought you both. The two of you would barely-."

A loud pinging _***screech* **_cut Eskel off and the both of them whirled around and saw the bright sun get covered out for a moment. The large purple forktail had seemed to finally sensed the tied-up goat and was swooping down to gather its next meal. His blood began to race as for a few moments' excitement ran through his veins as he could see Eskel smirk at him. He couldn't remember the last time that he had actually been excited to fight a beast. Over the previous few weeks with Geralt, all the monsters he fought, he had been preoccupied thinking nothing but about finding Ciri, so while he always loved fighting besides his adopted father, his mind almost always felt somewhere else.

However, in that moment he slid _Fate _off his back with a wild smile on his face. He knew how he could find Ciri now, within the next few days he would be on his way to finally get to her, his search finally giving him what he had been craving. He had both Geralt and Yennefer with him, he had returned to Kaer Morhen to see the witchers again… and now he wasn't a child anymore, he was strong enough to help hunt forktails instead of sitting back and observing. He whirled around and Eskel had drew his silver, his old mentor gesturing his head towards the beast as it went to land.

"Alright… let's see how good you've gotten," The witcher said, twirling his sword and looking out towards the forktail.

He scoffed and twirled his sword into a reverse grip, the red oil slowly dripping to the ground, "I'd love to show you, come on let's go get this thing."

The excitement continued to rush through him as he turned and rushed forward. He could see the forktail was huge, and the excitement continued to rush through him as Eskel charged besides him, and as he closed down towards the draconid, he felt something spark in him, as his eyes flashed a bright color of blue, and just before the forktail could bite down into the tied up goat, he shot his hands forward, and an Aard sign ripped from his hands and smacked into the beasts, knocking it completely off balance, off its stubbier legs and onto its side.

He looked down and the blue swirls of magic whirled around his legs and arms, and he got to the forktail just before Eskel did. It managed to stumble up to its feet, and smack its wing forward while it was disoriented. He managed to leap back in time and slash his silver through its wing, and the loud hissing sound from the oil hit his ears as the draconid screeched louder from the pain. It shot around again and its barbed tail came right for his head, he heard Eskel shout out from behind him, but his eyes flashed blue again as the magic continued to radiate off his body, and he lowered his head back quickly enough to avoid the tail. The forktail screeched and lunged again after he had dodged, this time with its wing, but he leapt back to avoid it again, the speed at which his limbs moved still astonishing him.

After the forktail had missed him again Eskel had finally gotten to the scene, he watched, still feeling the magic whirling at a frantic pace around his limbs as the sun continued to beat down on his neck. Eskel spun under the beasts broken wing and came back up to cut clean through the wing that Dominik had already cut and the beast screeched as its wing was almost severed. Eskel whirled back around to strike at the beast's head, but the forktail went crazy, swinging around and smacking its barbed tail towards his old mentor. It smashed into Eskel's chest and he skidded back, and Dominik leaped forward again, the magic swirling around his arms, as he felt the magic swirl in him. A forktail wasn't going to delay Eskel and him anymore, all he thought about in that moment was how he felt finally being home, being back in the place he grew up, where Ciri and he fell in love, and how soon she'd be back there with him. It surged him on and he saw the tinge of blue shoot through his eyes as the forktail thrashed wildly, it whirled around to swing its barbed tail at him again, and he shot his hand up, a Quen bubble shield popped up around him and when the tail smacked against it, the shield erupted violently with a loud _***BOOM* **_as he could see the blue magic from himself, and the yellow sparks from the Quen shield send the beast sprawling backwards, tumbling down the open field, the blast so intense it was setting bits of the grass alight, but Dominik knew the beast was what mattered.

Feeling his limbs spurred on by the magic still flowing he rushed forward again and leaped just as the forktail go to its feet. It tried to swipe its tail at him again, but his silver made contact with the tail and cleaved clean through it. The beast roared and screamed again as blood started spilling from its severed tail, and just before it could do anything else, Eskel had charged again, and his old mentor leaped in, ducking under a meek wing attack the beast through and cleaving through it with his silver, before spinning and plunging his blade into the beasts ribcage, and finally the forktail's screech ripped into the day, as its blood seeped into the grass, mixing into the ground along with the ash from his magic. As the beast finally died, he felt himself breathing heavy, his vision filled with the light blue color, Eskel and all the trees were tinted, and he could see it still lightly swirling on his arms, legs and blade. As Eskel held his blade down to make sure that the beast was dead, Dominik let out a long breath, feeling the magic slowly disappear from him, and the green of the field and trees around him slowly returned, and he felt a small tingle run through his bones as he stumbled.

He felt vertigo run through his body, as a quick bit of pain shot into his head and he grabbed his temple as he stumbled for a moment. His powers had unleashed, that was nothing new, but it was the first time that afterwards his bones hadn't felt like they were being hammered to dust, other then the headache he felt himself perfectly fine, and he didn't know if it was because the fight hadn't been long, but it still shocked him. He looked down at his glove, expecting his hand to be smoking like it normally did, however his glove was perfectly normal. He breathed heavily and realized as well, that for the first time they hadn't activated when he was angry or desperate. He'd fought plenty of forktails before, and they had always been a relatively straight forward fight. He had fought tougher opponents without his powers activating in the previous few weeks and had managed to come out on top. His powers had only ever activated when he was angry or been near death.

When he had fought Baelen in that cave near Oxenfurt, he had almost died, the Hunt commander had almost killed him. He was desperate, half dead and so angry from her words, from her goading, angry that she knew where Ciri had been but wouldn't tell him. He had clashed with Baelen, his powers and hers colliding, and the effort had nearly killed him. He had to drag himself and George back to the Chameleon, and if not for Freya's incredible healing abilities, he didn't know if he would've survived. Multiple times after that he had unleashed them, and every single time he had been angry and desperate. At the ambush to save Dandelion they had unleashed and were erratic, he was unable to control them, and again they had almost gotten him killed. He remembered Triss and Yennefer both saying that he couldn't suppress them, and the more he used them, the more he would become accustom to them. That had been what he tried to do. He killed the vampire that attacked Priscilla largely thanks to his powers, and then on Undvik they had saved him from sirens in the cave. And then finally after the massacre at Kaer Trolde and when they had used the mask to see into the past, that whole day he had unleashed them more, but in every scenario he was angry and felt nothing but rage shooting through him.

He was slowly becoming more and more tolerant, but every situation before that one had drained him completely, and he felt his bones almost shatter to dust. Not just then however, he still felt slightly woozy, like he could use a nap, but nothing that made him feel he needed to stop and recover, or drink one of the potions Freya made.

"What the hell was that… thought Geralt would teach you signs but… I've never seen anything like that though," Eskel asked him as he walked up to the body of the forktail with a sigh, squeezing his wrist wonderingly.

Slowly he shook his head and met the witchers eyes, "Don't rightfully know myself… it's a long story, Yen and Triss don't even really know what it is…. I'll tell you all later, what did Yen need from this thing?"

The light gust of wind blew through his air as the smell of charred earth hit his nose and blew his hair. He let out another clean breath, feeling the headache fade as a small bit of fatigue set in over him. He'd certainly need a drink later that was for sure, it would feel slightly gratifying if he did, finally drinking in the keep after Ciri and he had tried to sneak it into their rooms when they were younger. The sun was starting its descent and he knew that Geralt and Lambert couldn't have been far away from the circle at that moment, and he did tell Letho to meet him to train in an hour or two. He would've stayed up and camped on the mountainside with Eskel, hunting more forktails and telling his old mentor about contracts he had taken on.

However, he knew that he'd have more time to talk to him and the other witchers later. He needed to get Yen what she needed, and they needed to get to Ciri. He'd tell them all about what he had done, and when he did he'd have Ciri with him, and they both could tell their stories, with hers being much more exciting then his he was sure.

Eskel sighed and crossed his arms, "Spinal fluid, let's collect it and head out. Cut into its back, just below the skull, take it as your right of passage."

He sighed and pulled his dagger from his belt, twirling it and looking over to meet Eskel's eyes, "Did Yen mention why she wanted this? Got no idea what she would need spinal fluid for…"

"You mean… she hasn't told you," Eskel said, just as Dominik knelt down behind the dead creatures back.

Slowly he shook his head, looking back up to meet his old mentors' eyes, "No… last time I talked to her was when Geralt and I got sidetracked to Vizima. She didn't mention anything about this…"

Eskel sighed again and shook his head, "Look Dom, I know you think of her as a mother and all but… that doesn't bother you at all that she hasn't said anything, to any of us?"

He sighed and felt his skin get cold, despite the sun above. The truth of the matter was he couldn't blame Eskel or any of the other witchers for not being too please with Yen. When he had run into Lambert earlier he could tell that he wasn't happy with her either. His adopted mother was a secretive person this he knew, and whatever she was planning, it more than likely wouldn't sit well with the witchers, that had to be the only reason that she wasn't telling them. He had no idea himself what she could have been planning, but if it helped them lift the curse, he didn't rightfully care in that moment. He also knew that despite the fact he knew that they loved each other now, his adopted parents did have a spotty past. Yennefer had used Geralt and tricked him on multiple occasions, and Geralt hadn't exactly been the most loyal partner.

However, they both had told he and Ciri multiple times, that the two of them were what brought them together again, and what kept them together. So, while he could understand the skepticism from Eskel, Lambert and Vesemir, he would trust his adopted mother. He wouldn't doubt her again like he did in Vizima, she was doing everything she could to reunite their family, just like he was. So, he would do what she and Geralt said. He wouldn't ignore them again, not like he did all those years ago.

Sighing he met Eskel's eyes again, "No, I trust her. I understand she's a bit… rough around the edges, but she's just doing what she can to help us find Ciri. I understand why you may not trust her, but just trust me and Geralt, she knows what she's doing."

His old mentor lightly shook his head with another sigh, "Should've known as long as Ciri was involved you'd go along with it…. Well one thing I'll never doubt, is you always trying to do what's best for her. Come on, let's get moving. You remember how to get the fluid out right?"

He scoffed and saw the small amused smile on Eskel's face. Whirling around his dagger he nodded and stabbed it into the corpse of the beast right at the base of its skull. The wind blew his hair and the blood form the body seeped onto his hands, the sun sending sweat trickling down his back. A smile came to his face as he saw the prouder look on Eskel's face. After so long of feeling he had nobody he could trust, nobody he could rely on at times while he was alone… being back home, meeting up with all of his old friends and making new ones the previous few weeks had made the trip even more worth it.

And now he knew that in the future if he and Ciri ever needed help, they had people they could rely on. He had people then he could rely on to help him go and rescue her, and to help keep her safe.

He slowly nodded, the sun casting Eskel's shadow over him as he smiled, "Yeah of course I remember. Come on, let's start heading back, I got a ton of contracts to tell you all about…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, fancy magic powers in your blood huh? Starting to sound a lot more like Ciri by the minute," Eskel said from atop his black stallion, just as they both rode through the gates.

Scoffing he nodded, just as he pulled Clop to a stop, "I'd switch places with Ciri in a heartbeat if I could, but yeah…. Don't know how they activate, who the ancestor that gave them to me was, all I know is my eyes go blue and it makes me feel like death afterwards."

"You seem alright now…" Eskel said, as they both slid off their mounts into the courtyard.

Sighing he pulled Clop over to the stables following Eskel, "I know… just adds more mystery to it. I'm trying not to focus on it right now. Just trying to get Ciri back, I'll try and figure it out after I do."

"Always looking out for her," His old mentor said with a smirk as he tied his horse's reigns to the wood, "If anyone's gonna find her it's you and Geralt. So, what you gonna do now?"

After finally getting the spinal fluid, he had ridden back to Kaer Morhen with Eskel, explaining the situation with his blood powers along the way, also telling him about a few of the notable contracts he had over the years he'd been alone. The prideful look that appeared on his old mentor's face as he told him of some of the jobs he'd taken warmed him, and by the time they had arrived back at the keep, the had almost set. The wind blew through his hair and armor, and he sighed looking down at his hands, where he had been producing powerful magic only a little bit earlier, and so many times throughout the previous few weeks. There was something else he would have to ask Yennefer now.

He would have something else to ask his adopted mother later that night. In that moment however, he didn't see Letho anywhere for the training session he asked the Viper School witcher about, and he knew that Geralt still wouldn't have been back from the Circle of Elements by then, so as he turned around and saw the old training dummies a small smile came to his face as the memories came flooding back. For the first few weeks that Ciri and he were there, all they were allowed to do was spar with the training dummies, and he remembered how annoyed they used to get.

The sun still slowly began to set as he sighed and turned back to Eskel, "Probably just gonna stay here, swing my sword a little. What about you? Anything planned before tonight?"

Eskel nodded and gestured back towards the keep, "Got something to do up in the keep. Try not to beat the dummies too bad."

He scoffed and smiled, meeting his old mentors' eyes, "I won't no worries…. It was good to see you Eskel."

"You too kid," The witcher said with a smile, reaching out and gripping his hand, "Looking forward to all of us sitting down later, see how well you can hold your liquor."

"Oh, you'll be surprised trust me," He responded, the smile staying plastered on his face as Eskel laughed.

The witcher gave him one more small nod before walking back off further into the castle towards the keep. He sighed with a smile and turned back towards the training dummies again. The lessons all came whirling back to him, Vesemir and Geralt sparring themselves and shouting instructions for them, while he and Ciri took turns wailing on the dummy. It had been so long ago, but as he looked out over the yard then, he could see it all unfold before his eyes. An old bucket was still placed over the dummies head, Ciri and he would take turns sparring against the dummy, seeing how much further they could knock the helmet off then the other. She would yell out instructions for him, and he'd do the same for her, and he could practically hear her younger voice in his ear at that moment.

'_Half-turn, pirouette, side-step!', 'Don't forget to keep your elbow locked, stop lunging,', 'Oh good one, you sliced his jugular,', 'HA you got him!'_

Her voice continued to play in his head when he slowly walked over towards one of the old dummies. A bucket was still on its head, and he slowly ran his hand along the sacks full of sand on the post in the ground, and slowly smiled as he let out a breath, taking a step back and reaching for his sword. He pulled out his steel blade, the same one that he received only a few weeks before he left the keep when he was fifteen. Those few weeks had been some of the worst training of his life, he could remember how anxious he felt, how quickly Eskel would take him to the ground, how inattentive he was at Vesemir's lectures. All the witchers seemed to understand how Ciri leaving had affected him, and cut him a bit of slack, but he could remember just how miserable he had felt. The only high point was going to forge his medallion, and even then, after he did it, it felt worthless since he couldn't have that moment with Ciri. He would never forget the nightmares he had during those few weeks. Practically every night he had dreamed of Ciri, dreamed of her being trapped in some tower, or kidnapped by some power-hungry sorcerer. And every night he'd wake up screaming, the only difference had been that he didn't have Ciri or Triss in that moment to help him through the nightmares.

It had turned out he was right, a power-hungry sorcerer did try to kidnap her, and for so long she was forced to flee. She was still running then, for so long she had been running, but soon that would stop. When he found her, they wouldn't run anymore, he'd take a stand, and anyone who continued to try and chase her, to take advantage of her would find his sword through their necks.

He let out a clear breath and started moving his feet, twirling his sword and striking it at the dummy when he could. While he spun and parried with perfect precision he could hear her still yelling to him from the side. He could hear her shouting encouragement, Geralt shouting instructions, for him to focus more on his foot work. When he was younger his footwork had always been slow compared to Ciri's due to her much lighter frame, but as he whirled and spun then, he could feel his feet moving in such perfect motion, he had to believe that even Geralt would be impressed. Every stroke of his sword, every spin, parry, every combo he performed he wanted it to be to perfection, because to save Ciri he couldn't afford to be anything less then perfect.

The descending sun beat down on his neck, and he could feel the sweat continuing to trickle around it. Her face popped into his mind as the wind blew through his hair. So close, so close to her finally, and as soon as he did find her, he'd only have a few moments with her until the fight came. If he wanted any chance to give her the life she deserved, the life together that they both deserved, he needed to be perfect in almost every asset of his combos, signs and magic. If he could just figure out how to 'unlock' his powers like Yennefer had said, they could provide him with even more of an edge. He had learned earlier in the fight with the forktail that apparently they could be used without him almost keeling over, he still had no idea how it had happened, but if anyone would know it would be his adopted mother.

He let out a sharp breath, grunted and spun, striking up at the head, and a satisfied smirk appeared on his face when the bucket went flying off the dummies head into the stables.

"Not bad kid," A deep voice said from behind him, and he whirled around to see Letho had indeed come to the training ground. The Viper witcher's eyes bore into him as he leaned against the stable, "Your ability to kill and take down unarmed dummies is quite impressive, gotta admit."

"How long were you standing there," He asked the man, ignoring the jab, astonished he hadn't heard the much larger witcher.

Letho laughed sarcastically and sauntered towards him, "Don't let the size fool you, when I don't wanna be seen, I'm not seen. How long has Geralt been teaching you?"

He slid his sword back into its sheath and slowly met the man's gaze, "I was eleven when I came, trained for about four years, left on my own when I was fifteen. Just met up with Geralt again about a month ago."

A part of him expected Letho to poke and prod more about why he had left, why he had just met up with Geralt, but the Viper witcher was either uninterested, or knew not to pry. The sun beat down on his bald head, and the man simply nodded, reaching down to his waist, and yanking out one of the two knives that he had sheathed. Gracefully the much large man twirled the smaller blade in his fingers before gripping the hilt and gesturing down to Dominik's hip.

"Alright, enough chit chat, let's get this started," The man said in a low voice, the sun glinting off the steel of his dagger, "You gotta a dagger on your hip, bring it out, grab one of your fancy swords too."

"Both? You want me to try and fight you with a dagger and a sword," He asked the man skeptically, slowly reaching down to the dagger on his hip.

Letho laughed and nodded again, "At the School of the Viper we believed the gods gave you two hands for two weapons. You can't tell me you've never duel wielded weapons before."

Scoffing he nodded, twirling his silver dagger from his hip, "Course I have, but never intentionally. Besides, swords are too long, if it were an axe or something it may work, but unless their shorter swords, they'd be way too clunky, they'd get in your way."

"It's a good thing I told you to use your dagger then," The Viper witcher said with a smirk, pulling out his own silver longsword, "School of the Viper is all about quick movements, one opponent to the next, slither between enemies. Every move is also an attack, and with two weapons that helps. Not gonna be able to teach you everything like you said… but I'll show you some of the basics, you did still want too right?"

He quickly nodded his head and pulled his steel sword from his back, "Of course I do!"

The Viper witcher nodded, "Good, then let's get started. First thing to remember, in one on one duels, we still use only the one sword, more precise helps you focus better. But for crowd control, or a swarm of monsters, we like to use the two weapons. Probably don't got too long before Geralt and the mouthy one get back, you ready?"

Over his previous years there had only been a few times when he fought with two weapons in his hands. They had all been when his own sword was knocked away, and he was forced to pick up an axe, or a dagger, but never had be purposely fought with two weapons. He had seen plenty of people fight with two smaller blades however and knew that the style could be very efficient if mastered. He could remember his own mother fighting back Nilfgaardeans in Cintra with two swords while she covered he and Bella's escape. He was also sure that like Letho said it was good for controlling large crowds, and if the Hunt did attack them he knew they'd attack in full force. Plus, there was more to learn about the Viper school then just duel wielding, every school had unique combos and techniques. Faram had taught him several out of the more grounded Bear School style, and while George hadn't taught him sword techniques, he knew the School of the Griffin had them as well.

He looked down at the sleek silver dagger, that thanks to his constant care still had a wicked sharp point and edges. It had been what kept him alive through so many close encounters, and he still remembered the day Geralt gave it to him at the Crossroads Inn. It had felt like ages ago when in reality it had only been a month. A whole month had passed, a whole month since he started the whole journey, a whole month since Alayna the Alp in Claywitch. A small part of him wondered how Mikel and Danara were doing, if Danara had her child, and if they really had named it Dominik like the man said. Of course, he still had the Law of Surprise to collect, however he knew that it was more then likely an old shirt Mikel found, or an extra bushel of grain so he didn't worry too much about it. He would head back there one day, and when he did, it would be with Ciri, a part of him wanting to show her where it had all began, where he learned she was truly alive, truly within his reach after thinking she was gone from him for so long.

But the Hunt needed to be dealt with first. And to deal with them he needed to train. He had felt himself grow stronger over the last month. If the Dominik from before Claywitch met the Dominik now, he was sure Dominik from before Claywitch would have been stunned at what only a month of training with Geralt and his old friends had done. His whole life had been turned upside down in one night at Claywitch, and he couldn't have been more grateful. Soon it would all finally come to a head, the next day everything would finally fall into place, they'd finally find the last piece to the complicated puzzle he'd been trying to solve for eight years.

The next day would be busy, so he was going to take every last second he could to train.

"Yeah… I'm ready," He said to Letho, the sun casting their shadows over the training ground, "Teach me how to fight like a Viper…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on slither, don't stop moving, one attack right after the other, sometimes the best defense, is to attack," Letho called out as Dominik continued to lash out, the sweat continuing to beat down his forehead.

He struck out forward with his sword, which was in his right hand, and tried to strike low with his dagger. Letho parried his sword strike and knocked aside the stab he tried for with his dagger. For almost an hour Letho had Dominik come out him with both weapons, and he realized that the Viper School witcher had been just as intense a teacher as the witchers at Kaer Morhen growing up. He was showing Dominik no mercy, and he could feel that he would indeed have plenty od new bruises from the times he was knocked to the ground later. Dominik knew how to fight with two weapons but was not nearly on the level that Letho had been. The Viper witcher seamlessly transitioned between attacks, relentlessly coming at him, not taking even a minute to think about his defense. However, even when Dominik went on the offensive Letho was still trying to attack. He had tried to execute a spin combo to attack from ahead, and the Viper witcher performed a perfect riposte, managing to knock his dagger and sword aside before he slammed his massive shoulder into his chest.

He tumbled back, breathing heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead, looking over at Letho to realize that it seemed he had barely broken a sweat. The sun was setting now, the yellow rays beating down onto his neck, as the pleasantly cool breeze shot through his hair, cooling his heated body. He breathed out and managed to get up to stand up high and meet the Viper witcher's eyes.

"For… for fuck's sake… never knew that duel wielding could take so much out of you," He said, leaning on his sword and twirling his dagger in his hand.

Letho scoffed and laughed, "Ha, you said you could keep up. Haven't been horrible, I'll give you that. But you need to learn to slither, slither like a viper, one attack to the next, don't relent. It'll take a bit more out of you yeah, but the quicker you move, the quicker the fight ends."

The style as Letho described, was extremely fast paced. He could see why the Viper school was named after the animal. Just like the snake, Letho's attacks were quick, hard, and extremely precise, barely taking a minute to stop. In order for the style to be effective, you needed to be precise, you needed to move quickly and not miss a beat. As Letho said, Dominik could see how it was used well when fighting large crowds of enemies. It fit his normal fighting style more then the Bear School had, and he was already thinking of ways to incorporate it into the way he fought. It was starting to baffle him that he really had been learning the different styles of witcher combat, he remembered how Geralt said in the witcher golden age, the secrets of their fighting styles were closely guarded. No witcher to any of their knowledge had learned multiple schools, and if he could continue to learn more, then he could be ready for any types of opponent.

He could see that the sun was continuing to get lower, and he knew that soon Geralt would be back, so he was eager to learn as much as he could from Letho. This would more then likely be the last bit of free time he had for a while, so he wanted to use his last bit of training to get as strong as he could, learn as much as he could. Letting out a sigh he met Letho's eyes.

"Okay got it… so what now? Anything else," He asked the Viper witcher.

Letho quickly nodded and slipped his sword back into its sheath on his back. The much larger man twirled the dagger he had in his hand and gestured for Dominik to do the same.

"Sword away, enough duel-wielding for now. Let's see how well and fast you can move with just your dagger. If you learn to fight with just the dagger, it'll be easier when you're duel wielding," The Viper witcher explained, continuing to twirl the knife in his hands.

Letting out a quick breath he slid his steel onto his back and twirled his knife in his hands again. The silver gleamed in the orange sunset, and he quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had known he wouldn't have too much time, so he was making sure to get the most out of the training that he could. As he fought and sparred, the wolf and swallow bouncing violently on his neck, and he could subconsciously hear Ciri's young voice spurring him on, and it made him move faster, knowing that with every strike he was preparing himself to fight for her more.

"Killed a Katakan in Novigrad with just this thing…" He said, remembering walking into the warehouse with just the weapon, "Think I've gotten pretty good with it… let's do this."

Letho laughed and shook his head, tossing his dagger between both hands, "You got balls kid I'll give you that. Let's see how this goes."

Quickly Dominik adjusted his footwork, and just like Letho had been showing him he lashed out as fast as he could. Letho was put on the defensive for only a few seconds by his flurry of attacks, he moved his dagger and twirled it from one side to the next, stringing his attacks together with perfect precision and moving his feet constantly. Letho slid under his attacks, side-stepped and thrusted his own dagger forward and it clanged against his smaller silver weapon. Small sparks erupted from their smaller weapons clashing and bouncing off each other as the two spun around each other. Letho was one of the largest men he had ever seen in his life, but just like the Viper witcher had said, he moved quicker then almost any opponent he had ever face. Dominik prided himself on being one of the fastest warriors his opponents faced, but Letho matched his speed and he was again put on the back foot.

The Viper witcher swung up towards his head, and Dominik ducked underneath and went to thrust his dagger into the larger witchers side. Letho had expected this and whirled back around and their daggers clashed again sending sparks up into the air before the man went on the attack again. He thrusted and slashed from both sides, the Viper witcher attacked high from the right before spinning and going for Dominik's back. The man moved so fast he barely had time to get his dagger up behind him to block. After the parry Dominik spun around again went for a strike from above, Letho threw his parry and again lashed out. This time the Viper truly didn't seem to show no mercy, he slashed from the right and he leapt back to dodge, he was going for a stab, but Letho right away swung again from the left and he had to throw another parry. The parry he threw was almost too late, and Letho's strike knocked him off balance. He stumbled back and Letho didn't relent, going to attack again, but Dominik managed to sidestep and leapt up to try for a decisive overhead strike.

Letho was still extremely quick however and raised his dagger up to block, and he caught Dominik's dagger blade on his knife. He locked weapons with the much larger witcher for a moment, trying to bring it down through the man's parry. He struggled for a moment but quickly realized that there was no way he'd overpower the Viper witcher with pure strength. He was about to move his blade again, but after a few seconds of being locked with the man, Letho dropped his dagger from his right hand, and let it fall right into his opposite hand. The Viper witcher quickly caught the weapon and thrusted it forwards, and Dominik could feel the point right near his artery, if Letho had thrusted his knife forward his artery would have been ripped apart and he'd be dead in seconds.

"And just like that you're dead," The Viper witcher said with a smirk on his face as he pulled back his knife, twirling it and carefully sliding it into the sheath on his chest.

Dominik felt his eyes widen, and looked between his stomach, his dagger and Letho himself, feeling completely miffed. The sun beat down on his neck and the sweat continued to trickle down his spine, the wind blowing his sweaty brown hair. He scoffed and couldn't believe what had happened, he never had an opponent pull out a move like that on him, something that felt so cheap, so… dishonorable and dirty. He slipped his knife back into his belt and glared over at Letho.

"What the hell was that," He demanded of the Viper school witcher, crossing his arms and breathing heavily.

Letho scoffed and crossed his own massive arms, "We were in a fight, I won, you'd be dead with one little thrust of my knife."

"That was a dirty trick," He said, feeling his annoyance rise as he shook his head, "You dropped your knife, switched hands, how the hell was I supposed to have a chance to block that!?"

"You weren't supposed to have a chance, that was the point kid," The Viper witcher said in a knowing tone, the sun beating down on his bald head.

He had learned from Geralt to fight honorably, every opponent needed to be treated with some form of respect, give them all a fair chance. There had been times of course where he lost it, broke those teachings and felt himself snap. However, for most of his time during the previous eight years, despite the fact he wasn't happy with his adopted father for most of the time, he tried to fight in a way that would've made him proud. Never attack an unarmed opponent, always treat your opponent with respect, don't try to trick or humiliate them. What Letho had done was never something he would have considered, with it going against everything that he learned.

He fiercely shook his head, "Geralt always taught me to fight honorably, having to resort to tricks like that? What good is winning a fight if you had to trick your opponent like that!?"

Letho sighed with a slight bit of annoyance, "Should've known you inherited his annoying sense of honor."

"It's served him well through the years," He said with an eye roll, as the sunset casted he and Letho's shadows over one another.

"Look kid, being honorable and all is good, gives you a clean conscious, but you're a fool if you think every opponent will fight that way," The Viper witcher said, baring his eyes into him, and Dominik could see the intensity as the man spoke, "You were fighting honorably, and I wasn't, I would've killed you. When you're out in the world, and you're in a fight for life and death, if you're in a fight to protect the one's you care about, and the only way to get yourself or them out alive is to resort to a trick like that, you're telling me you wouldn't take it?"

He scoffed and shook his head again, "I wouldn't need to resort to a trick like that! I would-."

"When the King of the Wild Hunt attacks," Letho quickly started, cutting him off and baring his intense snake eyes into him, "When he attacks and is trying to drag your woman away, you're telling me you wouldn't stab him in the back when he was walking away to save her?"

At the mention of Ciri he felt his blood turn to ice. He tried to imagine the scenario Letho had just described, her being drug away by Eredin, the King of the Hunt's back to him as he drug her into a portal. Quickly he felt himself floundering, the goosebumps running up his arms, despite his blood being hot and the sun intensely beating down on him.

Meeting Letho's eyes he tried to form words, "I… I… wouldn't-."

"What would you do kid? Would you throw a stone at his head and demand an honorable duel, he'd laugh at you and walk through a portal dragging your woman by the hair," The Viper asked and told him, his massive arms still crossed, "What will you do if your only option to save her, is a dirty trick like that?"

"I… I would do anything to save her," He said, knowing the answer to be true, finally realizing what Letho had been trying to tell him.

The realization started to beat down on him. Not everything was cut and dry, not everything in life was fair, he had learned that the hard way. Life wasn't like the stories you heard growing up, where the person with a good heart and noble goals always prevails. If that had been the case, Ciri and he would have been together then, on the Path hunting monsters. He would've been thinking of ways to ask her to marry him, they'd be at the start of their adult lives together, living their best lives. However, the cold hand of reality had smacked him at a young age. Life wasn't like the tales he heard, sometimes evil people prevailed through their dishonorable and vile trickery. Emhyr, Radovid, Vilgefortz, the Wild Hunt, all were examples of cruel, vile base people, who didn't deserve even half of what they had, yet they had gotten it anyway.

Letho slowly nodded and walked towards him clapping him on the shoulder with his massive hand, "There's your lesson for the day kid. Like I said, being honorable, fighting honorably is good and all, not trying to get you to change…. But just know that if it comes down to you or them, the ones you care about or them… think about what's more important."

Ciri, his family, they would always be what was most important. He had said from the beginning he would kill Eredin in anyway that he could. If it meant he had to stab the commander of the Hunt in the back while he wasn't looking then he would. The move Letho had pulled played over and over in his head, when the man dropped his dagger from one hand to the other, and if they really had been fighting, Dominik would be bleeding out on the ground. If he was fighting Eredin, and he had to use that same exact trick to kill him then he would, he would kill him with a chicken bone if he had to, anything, anything to make sure Ciri and his family survived. He had been fighting for too long, suffered too long, lost too much to let the Hunt take his second family away from him. He had done too much, searched for too long to find Ciri, to free her, to finally let her forge her own path, pick what SHE wanted, just for the Hunt to come in and take her away again.

No, like Letho had said, he was prepared to do anything, no matter the cost. He would still be himself, honorable like Geralt had always taught him, he'd never try to purposely be anything but… however if he needed to stab Eredin in the back, drop his dagger from one hand to the other to do it, then he would.

He let out a sigh and turned to face the Viper witcher one more time. For the first time he met the man's intense eyes with a smile, and slowly nodded to him. He reached and held out his hand, and the Viper witcher almost looked surprised at the gesture.

"Thank you, thank you for taking the time, wasn't long, but I learned a lot" He said, keeping his eyes locked with the man's intense gaze, "And thank you for helping us fight. Beating the Hunt back won't be easy but, we'll beat them… one way or another."

A small smirk appeared on the Viper witchers face, and Letho grabbed his hand and shook. The orange rays of the sunset casted their shadows over the ground, and the breeze blew his hair, but this time he didn't feel his arms chill up, a warm feeling ran through his body, as he finally felt ready. All through his journey he had been training, training as relentlessly as he could, all for the moment where he went to finally get Ciri. And in that moment, after learning the lessons he had from Letho… he felt ready.

The Viper witcher nodded, letting go of his hand and walking by him, "No problem kid. Look forward to fighting with you, we beat the fuckers last time, we'll beat them again."

Letho continued to walk away back towards the keep, the orange rays from the sun glinting off the Viper witcher's swords. A sigh left him as he looked down at the dagger on his belt, and a small smile came to his face. It was so long ago that he had received it, and it had saved him so many times, it had killed men, monsters, and kept him alive through most of his journey. He quickly adjusted his sword and heard them clunk behind him. He took another look up toward the keep, the multiple towers, and could remember he and Ciri climbing each of them. They would race, run the walls and when they got to the top, they would lay there and admire the beautiful views the castle gave them. No matter how many times he lay there with her and look over the walls, the views had never gotten old, the view of the valley and the view of her. As he stood in the courtyard at that moment, if he focused enough he could see the memories play out before him. Roach slowly walking into the keep with Geralt, he and Ciri on her back. Himself being reluctant to go forward before Ciri assuredly grabbed his hands and smile up at him in the rain. He could hear her young voice in her head, all the things she had said to him, she always knew exactly what to say.

_'Where you go, I go,', 'I love you to you stupid boy,', 'Never let me go… please,', 'And I promise that I'll never leave you,', 'You and me versus everyone.'. _

It wasn't just destiny that had linked the two of them, it was something more, something even deeper than the love they felt for one another. For eight years he felt a part of him was missing, for the first ten years of his life before he met her, he had always felt like something was missing. That was how he knew even more then just destiny and love had bonded them both, what they went through together, what they shared, he would never experience anything else like it, nobody made him feel the way she did… and when he got her back, he truly would never let her go again, even if it meant his death.

And now he was finally there, finally at the cusp. Either that night or the next day he would know exactly where to go. First he knew however he needed to talk to his adopted mother. Yennefer he knew was more then likely worried about Geralt and he, and was waiting for them both. He heard the words he shouted at her in Vizima play over and over in his head and the shame washed through him again. He wouldn't never doubt her again, he wouldn't make the same mistake he made so many years ago. Yennefer had found him again when he was sixteen, Geralt when he was seventeen, and both times he had opportunities to reunite their family then, to go with them and search for Ciri together. Both times he had made a horrible mistake, and let his bitterness and anger get the better of him. If he had gone with them then, then everything would have been different, he would've been at Stygga Castle, he would be with Ciri in that moment he knew he would be.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again; he wouldn't doubt either of them anymore. It was foolish of him then to believe he could do it all alone, foolish to think they weren't doing everything they could to find her. He loved Ciri yes, but he wasn't going to save her alone, he wasn't going to be able to protect her alone. For so, so long he had been alone, thought he had nobody, chose to have nobody, chose to sit and stew in his own sadness instead of taking real action. It wasn't going to be like that anymore.

Letting out a shaky breath he saw the image of the four of them all pop into his head. He, Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt, the snowball fights, going into town and training together. A smile came to his face as he saw Ciri and he sitting in front of the fire, she was on his lap, he was talking her ear off, she was looking at him lovingly, and gently kissed his cheek, making him finally stop talking to he could blush. In the corner of the inn Yen and Geralt were sitting there together, both smiling over at them, at their children, the reason they came back together again.

He had said things he regretted in Vizima, and he wasn't going to let it drive a wedge between them. The breeze gently blew through his hair again, and he scratched the light stubble around his chin, the smile staying plastered on his face. Gently he reached up and gripped the swallow again, feeling it tremble, as all of their faces popped into his head, the scene in Ellander playing over and over.

The sun was gently setting, the orange hitting off the silver as he looked at it, the smile staying on his face.

"I'm coming for you…." He said to the small pendant, picturing her face in his mind, focusing to make her more real then anything else, "And we will all be back together again… our family… I'm coming for you princess."

"Was that Letho I saw you sparring with," The voice of Geralt quickly rang behind him, making his drop the swallow around his neck and whirl back around.

Breathing in relief he saw Roach tied to the stables next to Clop, and his adopted father walking towards him. Geralt's black and brown armor was smeared more with monster blood and claw marks adorned over it, the orange sunset casted a glow over his silver hair and sparkled off the pommels of his swords. He didn't know what came over him, but he walked over and hugged the older witcher, surprising him for a moment, before a small smile came to his adopted father's face as he wrapped his arms back around him. The sun casted their shadow down over the training yard, and the wind blew through his hair for a moment, as he just stood there and Geralt close.

"Ha… what was that for," His adopted father asked, as Dominik finally pulled back, feeling a smile come to his face.

"I'm just… really glad that… we're all going to be back together soon," He said, seeing the smile come to his adopted father's face before he sighed with a smile and went on, "And to answer your question yeah, that was Letho. Guess who just got lessons in Viper School tactics."

Geralt smirked and crossed his arms, looking down at him with a prideful look, "Impressive, think you were the first to know three schools, let alone four now. What are you gonna do for the School of the Cat?"

He shrugged, the smile still on his face, "Don't know yet, but four is better then one. So, how was your trip with Lambert? Trolls or Old Spear Tip give you any trouble?"

"Nah, snuck past Old Sper Tip easily enough," His adopted father said with a wave of his hand, "Managed to keep Lambert from killing the trolls. He should be back any minute. How about you and Eskel, have fun hunting forktails?"

The smile stayed on his face, but he quickly remembered what had happened during his trip to hunt the draconid. He bit his lip and rubbed the back of his head, the light breeze making the hair on his arms and neck stand up.

"Eskel and I got one yeah… my… powers unleashed, got no idea how," He said, feeling the worry start to creep up inside of him again.

Geralt's eyes narrowed and he looked at him oddly, "Not that I'm not glad to see you okay but… normally those powers tire you out pretty good. And can't imagine seeing Eskel or just a forktail made you that angry they'd unleash."

Despite the warm sun he shivered, "I wasn't angry, actually was in a surprisingly good mood…. I hate to spring this on Yen right now but… I'm hoping she can tell me something."

"Don't worry, she'll take the time for you, she always will," His adopted father said reassuringly, looking up towards the top of the tower again, "Speaking of Yen, we shouldn't keep her waiting much longer… you ready to go see her?"

His skin tingled again, and he gently rubbed his hands together to stop the feeling. For almost a week he sat and strewed on how angry he had been with his adopted mother, and how angry she was with him. Never had he ever had a fight with either of his adopted parents, or either of his birth parents to such a degree. She had told him she was doing what she thought was best, and despite the fact she had to break her promise to him to do so… he just couldn't find it in himself to stay angry with her. What he said to her, he knew hurt her, he knew it would and he had said it anyway. After so long alone, thinking that both she and Geralt were dead for a whole two years… he couldn't help but feel even more shame wash over him.

He didn't want to fight with her, Geralt, either of them. They were going to find Ciri together, be all together again… and he loved all of them. Yennefer's face after he screamed the last words burned into his brain, the sadness, the regret, the shame she showed. He didn't want to ever make her feel like that again, someone he loved, one of the few people he trusted with his life. He loved his adopted mother with everything he had. For that year he spent in Ellander, she became his mother. Sofia would always be his birth mother, he missed her every single day, and would never forget her, or the sacrifice she had made for him. But Yennefer had become his second mother, when people lost there first one, very few people were ever blessed with the opportunity to have a second, and he was. He could remember the bitterness and anger he felt towards her for so long, and it had all changed when he got the letter to go to Rivia. As the years went on he slowly forgave her and Geralt both, and by the time he had gotten to Rivia, all he wanted to do was save them both. After he thought they were both dead, he remembered how he cried for weeks at night, thinking they had both died thinking he hated them still. And now that he had Yennefer and Geralt both back… he'd always let them know how much they both meant to him.

Sighing he met his adopted father's eyes and slowly nodded before turning up to the tower, "Yeah… I'm ready. I hope she can forgive me…. Come on I need to tell her how sorry I am."

**A/N: And just like that another chapter at Kaer Morhen is done, we have three more to go before we head off and gather allies! I love writing the chapters with training montages, it's just so much fun writing the different witcher styles, and I think I've been capturing them pretty well. We reunite with Eskel, see more Letho and see more of how Dominik is feeling that he's finally so close….**

**First we head off to Hunt Forktails with Eskel. I wanted to develop the big-brother type of dynamic with Eskel, since he is my favorite witcher outside of Geralt, I just always thought of him as this silent badass (except when he's drunk) His fight scene with Caranthir is legit a top ten video game cutscene ever for me xD We catch up a little, and then kill the forktail! Dominik's powers unleash for the first time in a scenario like this…. I won't say much but I can confirm this we are just BARELY scratching the surface of how powerful these powers are for him it's going to be explained more as we go on, what are you guesses? Who's Dom's ancestor, how's he going to fully unlock these powers, how can he control them?**

**After this we have a training session with Letho of Gullet, whom I am very glad we can get some more screen time with. I wanna confirm also yes Keira will be coming to Kaer Morhen, but we won't see her until the battle itself, and we will see Freya before this little arc in Kaer Morhen is over. **

**After this we have a training session with Letho, and Dom learns an important lesson. The training session was so much fun to write, I will confirm that we will see Dom fight with his sword and the great silver butter knife. Also, if you're trying to think of that move Letho used on Dom, basically imagine a version of (SPOILER ALERT) Arya Stark vs the Night King at the Battle of Winterfell from GoT xD What do you think of the training sessions? Will Dom learn the Cat School, and what's it going to be like when he can train more and finally fully develop this hybrid style?**

**We have a quick father son moment, and some words from Dominik about his family, before we finally head off to see Yen, where her and Dom will have a long talk while Geralt heads to help fix the megascope. **

**So next chapter will be that talk with Dom and Yen, and the call with Ida the elven sage to help finally figure out the curse on Uma. After that we have arguably the greatest quest in the game, when Dominik finally gets his chance to get drunk with his fellow witchers xD After that we lift the curse and get Ciri's location from Avallach…. We'll have two chapters of gathering allies in Velen, Novigrad and Skellige… and the ISLE OF MISTS! Getting to that chapter will be such a great feeling for me xD **

**Like I keep saying after Dom and Ciri are reunited, that's when the REAL story begins, and it'll pick up even more then it already is! xD**

**Thank you all so much for reading again everyone…. I still can't believe that when you search for the top witcher stories on this site, that this story will appear on the first page of results, its mind boggling. I hope that I can bring some joy and entertainment to you with these updates, and I hope you continue to enjoy! Review if you can, and if you want to ask questions or talk witcher feel free to PM me! Stay safe everyone and see you next time.**


	49. Disturbance

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 49: Disturbance**

**Narrator: After arriving at the witcher fortress of Kaer Morhen, Dominik and Geralt quickly went about helping their fellow witchers gather the ingredients that Yennefer needed to lift the curse from Uma. Geralt set out with the witcher Lambert to enrich the phylactery with elemental power at the Circle of Elements. Dominik meanwhile met up with the witcher Eskel, one of his main trainers back when he was younger at Kaer Morhen. After reuniting with his old mentor, Dominik and Eskel slew a forktail, but during the battle the powers inside the Young Wolf's blood unleashed, growing more and more powerful. After returning to Kaer Morhen our young hero trained with the killer of kings, the witcher from the School of the Viper, Letho of Gullet, and became the first witcher to ever have knowledge of four different schools of witcher combat. After Geralt returned however, the time had finally come to meet back up with Yennefer, so that they could finally figure out how to lift the curse and discover where Ciri had gone….**

"Don't worry… I promise she isn't angry with you," Geralt assured him, just as he walked back out of his room.

He had gone and put his swords in his room, assuming that he wouldn't need them the rest of the day. The sun was only a few minutes from setting and after they had figured out the curse, he assumed they'd rest for the night and head out first thing in the morning. His armor was still on, but he felt his skin tingle still as he slowly closed his door behind him. Geralt and he had both quickly walked into the keep and saw Vesemir trying to communicate with Uma. After watching his Uncle perform several tests on the cursed man and helping Eskel cut up a Katakan, they had both finally decided to make their way up to Yennefer. Normally he leapt up two steps at once, but as they got closer, towards the room at the top of the tower only a small ways from his room, he felt his hands begin to tingle. He knew Geralt was right to a degree at least, he hoped that was the case.

Sighing he looked up and met Geralt's eyes, "I hope so… I… I didn't mean what I said at all. I was just angry, so… so angry that I just took it out on her… I don't want to fight with you guys, especially being this close…"

His adopted father tried for another reassuring smile, "She loves you and Ciri both more then just about anything. Always had a soft spot for you, remember that time you came back sick from the Belleteyn festival?"

Scoffing a smile came to his face as they both started walking higher up the steps, "Ha yeah… I spent like an hour in that water looking for Ciri's shoe, was pretty windy that night but totally worth it."

Geralt nodded as they approached the top of the steps, "Yeah, I was furious with you both because you also came back at about three in the morning. But while I was screaming at you…"

"Yen was smiling at us both," He finished for his adopted father a smile adorned on his face, "Helped make the cold I had go away the next day, told me I was a hopeless romantic and that you could have learned a thing or two."

His adopted father rolled his eyes, but he could see the amusement in the older witchers face, "As true or untrue as that may be, she loves you, if anyone will understand it's her."

Slowly he nodded again, it may have only been a year that he spent with his adopted mother in Ellander with Ciri and Geralt, but that one year had felt like so much longer. Just like when he first met Triss, he was skeptical of Yennefer at first, thinking that she was going to take up all of Ciri's time, and he would be tossed to the wayside. However, that couldn't have been further from the truth.

_'Well, well, you're the Dominik I've been hearing so much about… you're just as handsome as Ciri has been saying,'. _Those were the first words his adopted mother said to him, just as Ciri and he's faces were beat red after they kissed in front of both Geralt and she.

He had been distant to her the first few weeks, but just like had been the case back in Kaer Morhen with Triss, Yennefer eventually brought him around. It was approaching Ciri's fourteenth birthday and he had gone into the market to try and find something for her, he had arranged with Geralt to keep her busy so he could look. He had intended to go into the market by himself, but Yennefer had tagged along with him. During their trip to the market the sorceress had helped him pick out a suitable arrangement of flowers, and even helped him make a perfume of juniper and cedarwood, the kind that he knew Ciri loved. Dominik had wanted to take Ciri's sword and have it sharpened, maybe have a dagger forged for her, something to help her better train. However, Yennefer had told him that Ciri despite how she acted, sometimes just wanted to feel like a normal girl. So, she helped him make the perfume, and helped him pay for a makeup brush for Ciri, and just like the sorceress had told him, Ciri loved them both.

Yennefer had helped take care of him, helped him experience the love of a mother that he had been missing since his own had died defending him in Cintra. She took care of him, taught him lessons that he used to that day, cared for he and Ciri both more then anything, and he would always love her, be thankful for her. He never brought it up to her, but Geralt had told him that after she became a sorceress and had the chance to have children taken away from her, Yennefer had tried for most of her life to find a way to have them again… and she had found a way, when she had taken in Ciri and he.

A small smile came to his face as he looked to Geralt, "I hope you're right…. I owe her so much. She was right when she said that together we can figure this out and hopefully soon… we'll all be together again."

He could tell they were approaching the top of the tower, because he could see the orange rays of the sunset hitting his eyes. The light breeze shot through his armor again and he felt a small smile creep onto his face. No matter what they would do it, Yennefer would do anything to get the curse lifted, and he was prepared to do the same. A small bit of excitement managed to run through him again, after so many weeks, almost a month of non-stop fighting, it will all have finally been worth it.

Geralt smiled at him just before they reached the top of the steps, "Yeah you're right. The guys aren't very happy with her… but we gotta trust her. I think seeing you will put her in a better-."

A loud _***BOOM* **_cut his adopted father off, and the both of them stumbled in place. He could feel the smaller blast of magical energy shoot around him, sticking his hair up. His eyes went wide and he looked over to Geralt to ask what happened, but the shrill voice of his adopted mother rang through his ears.

"GODS DAMMIT! YOU PIECE OF SHIT," The sorceress screamed, making both he and Geralt's eyes go wide, "YOU DAMN CRYSTAL, URGHHH!"

"Uh oh… I may have spoken too soon," Geralt said as he met his eyes.

Sighing he felt his skin crawl, as he nodded, "Yeah… we should probably get up there."

The tone he heard his adopted mother scream with wasn't one he had ever heard from her, but he could tell she wasn't happy. Geralt and he continued to climb up the steps, and when he got to the top the smoke continued to billow and he coughed as he finally reached the top with Geralt close on his heels. The sun from the balcony shot into the room and he had to squint and wave his arms to get the smoke out of his vision. When he finally did he could hear the crackling magic from Yennefer's megascope. He had seen it used plenty of times before, and normally all three crystals lit a beautiful color and allowed you to communicate with crystal clear image. However, when he looked and saw the top of his adopted mother's megascope crystal sparking and broken, he could tell then why the sorceress was angry. She coughed and waved her hands in front of her face, and finally he could see the furious look in her violet eyes. He bit his lip and gripped the swallow around his neck as Geralt decided to speak up first.

"So, you finally decide to blow us all up," Geralt said, trying for a jesting tone as they both looked at the sorceress.

His adopted mother whirled around to them both, and she stared right to Geralt first, her gaze not going to him.

"Geralt I am NOT in the mood for jests," She said, her hands going to her hips, as he stood there, watching the exchange between his adopted parents.

Geralt scoffed and crossed his arms, "What's eating you?"

Yennefer narrowed her eyes between both Geralt and he that time. And why he saw her eyes lighten for a moment when she saw him, the furious look quickly reappeared in her violet eyes. A cool breeze shot through the room, and Dominik could see the tense energy between both his adopted parents rise. He was trying to figure out something to say, something to calm the situation, but he floundered, and his adopted mother quickly shot back before he could say anything.

"Let me think- that was the… third crystal to explode," She snapped at them, pacing back and forth with her hands on her hip, sighing and shaking her head angrily, "It's been a week and Lambert still hasn't done what I asked. Vesemir spitefully insists on repairing the wall just beneath my window and starts hammering at the crack of dawn, while Eskel seems to have gone mushroom picking instead of forktail hunting!"

His adopted mother had turned to look at him, but he couldn't bring himself to look up and meet her eyes. Nervously he ran a hand through his hair and crossed his arms, looking over to Geralt who narrowed his eyes over at the sorceress. Biting down on his lip, he still couldn't find his words as he knew an argument was coming by the tone of both their voices. He knew that during the year they spent in Ellander the two of them had argued, nothing was ever all sunshine and rainbows, but they normally tended to fight when they were on their own, never in front of Ciri and he. He would never forget one night that the two of them were arguing so loud, that he could hear them in his room next to his, and for the whole night he couldn't sleep, so he had to go down into Ciri's room down the hall. He didn't know what they had fought over, but it was loud enough to where he knew they were words his mother would have washed his mouth out for repeating.

Awkwardly he stood there, the breeze from the open balcony whipping through his hair as he felt the hairs on his arms stand up. Geralt kept his arms crossed and scoffed, slowly shaking his head.

"The guys, they aren't exactly happy with you," His adopted father explained, meeting the sorceress's eyes, "You're not exactly willing to say what you're planning. You're treating them like pages, not including them-us, actually, cause I feel that way too!"

"Geralt…" He said lightly to his adopted father, knowing that Yennefer wouldn't be particularly happy with his words.

Before his adopted father could respond his adopted mother sure enough snapped back at him. She tossed her hair behind her shoulder and quickly shook her head.

"And I'll tell you what I told them. I will tell you everything when the time is right. First, we must finish our preparations," She said, her eyes baring into Geralt's, and Dominik could almost see a spark pass between them both.

Geralt scoffed and met her gaze with just as much intensity, "Heard what you did with the bed…. Really prefer to sleep on the floor? Wouldn't recommend it. The stone gets pretty chilly."

"Frankly, I prefer a chill to bedding littered with red hair…" His adopted mother said with a low drawl.

His eyes widened and he took a quick step back. He knew that Triss was an extremely sensitive subject between them both, and he didn't dare open his mouth. Geralt he knew had a relationship with Triss for a while, before Ciri and he even came to Kaer Morhen. And he also knew that after Geralt's memory had come back, Triss had been at the witcher keep, and for months the two of them had been together again. He knew that when they had gone off on their quest together for the djinn, that his adopted parents had solidified things, however he knew that both of them were extremely tense, and with how their personalities both were, something like this could lead to a fight between them.

Geralt he knew throughout the entire quest, was holding back his emotions, his worry and urgency for both he and Yennefer's sake. His adopted father was just as worried as they were, was just as ready for their search to finally conclude as both Yennefer and he, and with his mutations Dominik knew concealing his emotions was much easier for his adopted father. However, in that moment as he looked between both his adopted parents, he could see the anger slowly pouring out of his adopted father, and with how he knew Yennefer was feeling, he didn't dare say anything, not wanting either of their anger to turn on him.

"So mad about Triss you gotta take it out on the furniture," Geralt spit out, the sun from the windows and balcony casting their shadows over each other.

"Would you prefer I take it out on something else," His adopted mother quickly snapped, her nostrils flaring. She looked over to him for a moment, and he felt his eyes widen, before his adopted mother sighed and shook her head, "You know what, I'm going to keep my mouth shut, before I say something to regret. Besides, I don't want to fight in front of our son."

He breathed out in relief for a second, however his adopted father's eyes glared down into the sorceress. Geralt scoffed and shook his head.

"Dom's an adult, he's a big boy. Go on, I would LOVE to hear what you have to say," His adopted father shot back, and for the first time Dominik could hear him slightly losing his temper.

Yennefer scoffed and shook her head, "You want to hear it then!? Fine! You shagged my friend, for quite a while in fact. I don't know what your witchers code says about that, but decent folk call it base, vile, foul… and all of this while our son was out there himself thinking we were both dead!"

His eyes widened and he felt his heart race. The topic of Geralt's memory loss wasn't something he liked to bring up to his adopted father. In the times they did talk about it, he knew how ashamed his father was that he hadn't come to find him. When he saw Triss, she had told him that her main goal to help restore Geralt's memory was to bring his adopted father to find him, but they both had gotten caught up working for Foltest. He understood, and wasn't mad at either his father or Triss, he had them both now and that was all he cared about. However, he knew that it bothered his adopted father. After Geralt's memory had finally started to come back, and he started traveling with Vesemir, he had told Dominik how he struggled for a while on whether to come find him or not.

Geralt had said that he thought Dominik was still furious with him, but despite that he and Vesemir had looked for him when they could. They hadn't been able to find him initially, so Geralt had decided to let him follow his own path, knowing that they would find each other one day. They had indeed found each other, and Dominik was thankful for it every day, he had gotten something that people normally never got, a third chance, and third chance to have a family again. So when the wind blew through the three of them, and Dominik saw the furious looks in both his adopted parents eyes, he felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach.

His adopted father seemed to snap completely, "Don't you throw that in my face! You knew where he was the entire time and didn't go to him, like you said, he thought we were dead!"

"Because I knew he would be alright, if anything had happened I would have gone to him," Yennefer quickly yelled back, taking a step closer to Geralt, "I was also trying to find our daughter! All while you were fucking one of my best-friends!"

Geralt scoffed and crossed his arms again, "I already told you about that! Yen, I had lost my memory-."

"AND I'VE LOST MY PATIENCE," Yennefer screamed, firing her hand forward to Geralt's feet.

He leaped back just as a loud _***POP* **_shot through the room, and a portal appeared at Geralt's feet. His adopted father fell through the black and white portal, yelling as he disappeared, and Dominik looked around frantically trying to find where he was, or listen for his adopted father yelling. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he whirled around to meet the sorceresses gaze, as his adopted mother stood there, her hand still closed in a fist as she shook.

"Yen… where did you send him…" He said carefully, not wanting to make her even angrier, as he saw her eyes begin to quiver.

She huffed and whirled around to meet his gaze, "Towards the lake, he'll be fine he can swim…. The nerve of him… thinking that I didn't do everything I could…"

His adopted mother crossed her arms, and Dominik could see the annoyance, sadness, desperation and quivering in her violet eyes. For the whole journey, both of them had been taking care of him, helping him, talking him down, she had held him when he was breaking down a week prior. The sunset was beautiful out of the balcony, and he could remember back when he was young, Triss had stayed in that room, Ciri and he would always come to talk to her and stare out the beautiful views of the mountains around the keep. The breeze was light and cool, and he could see his adopted mother trying to keep herself calm then. His own stomach felt like a bomb was slowly festering, as he slowly walked up next to her, his knees nearly buckling.

"You… know he wasn't trying to say that Yen," He said softly, slowly coming up next to her as they both looked out the balcony, "We… we're all just on edge, we're so close and we can't mess this up. We've all said things we regretted… me especially…"

The breeze blew back his adopted mothers long black and white dress, and she huffed, a small frown coming to her face. Dominik felt his skin crawl, as he reached back and scratched the back of his neck, not knowing what else to say. For the week they were riding he had been playing the conversation he'd have with his adopted mother out in his head, however all of that practice had gone out the window the moment he saw her. In that moment, the three of them were all ready for their search to finally be over.

Yennefer sighed and slowly shook her head. She had endured years working in the court of Emhyr, all so that she could keep an eye on him and find any leads that could help them find Ciri. His adopted mother had fought the Nilfgaardeans at Sodden Hill, she knew how cruel they were, knew the chaos that they brought about. However, she had endured it, for them, for their family, and he could see how it had taken the toll on her. He had been the same way for eight years, longing, panging for their family to be back together again.

Sighing she turned around and looked to him, "You don't have anything to apologize for Dominik… you were right. I've made many mistakes… I never should have separated the both-."

"No, Yen, it wasn't your fault," He said quickly, turning to face her, feeling his stomach churn and his arms tingle when he met her eyes, "I… I'm so… so sorry for what I said in Vizima… I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it at all. I… I was just angry."

His adopted mother sighed and shook her head, "I'm sorry as well my son…. I broke my promise to you. I separated you and Ciri the first time… and as Geralt said, I knew where you were for two years but… but I let you think I was dead."

"Yen, it's okay, you were doing what you thought was best… I never doubted you," He said, slowly shaking his head, "I'm not upset with you I… I was more worried you'd be furious with me. You've been doing everything you can for our family-."

"You may not have meant it Dominik but you were right," His adopted mother snapped back, turning away from him and walking towards the balcony, "All of the things I did that I thought was best has only messed things up. I… I ruined everything for you and Ciri both by taking her to Aretuza… because of me you went through hell for eight years on your own."

"No, don't you say that," He said quickly, walking up next to her just outside the railing next to her on the balcony, the sunset shooting over his eyes, "It was my own fault that I was alone… I had a chance to go with you and Geralt both, but I was being a brat, and decided to go off on my own."

It was the truth. If he hadn't been a bitter and petulant child then he would have found Ciri two years prior with Geralt, they'd be together in that moment. He never truly hated either of his adopted parents, he had just wanted someone to blame, someone to say that it was their fault, anyone to blame other then himself. Geralt and Yennefer couldn't control what Vilgefortz attempted to do, it hadn't been their faults, only that of the crazy sorcerer. He was glad when Yen said Geralt had killed him, cut the man across the chest forcing him to flee and die on his own.

The view off the balcony of course was beautiful, the sun gently setting out over the mountains as the golden orange rays shot over him. He could see everything, the training yard, all the towers, the beginning of the gauntlet, the pendulums, and he took in the cool breeze of air that hit his face. He looked over at his adopted mother, turning to see her leaning over the railing, gripping tightly to it as she sighed.

"I still should have come to you again… you inherited a lot of things from me, and my stubbornness was one," She said, slowly moving around and turning to face him, "I love you and Ciri, and well… I may not show it sometimes, but Geralt as well more then anything. But… but I've failed all three of you. I WON'T let you all down again, that's why I… may be acting a little erratic right now… I'm sorry."

He felt his eyes begin to slightly well up. The love he felt for his adopted mother surged through him, and the thought that she had failed him was ridiculous. She had done everything she could for him from the moment she met him. He would have done anything for her as well, for Geralt, for Ciri, for the second family that he gained. In one night, one horrible night his first one was ripped from him, shot dead right in front of him. He had to watch his mother, sister and father all killed in front of him, Ciri and he both had them all ripped away. Ciri lost her grandmother, and his father who had been the closest thing she had to a father at that point, that was something that brought them together, only the other knew what the other had gone through that night.

But the both of them were lucky, lucky enough to become a part of a new family that loved them, wanted to protect them with everything they had. He wouldn't go through that again, wouldn't let Ciri go through losing a family again. They were finally so close to her, that he didn't want anymore fighting or animosity between them all. He also knew his adopted mother had nothing to be sorry for, and it was time for them all to bury the past, not just himself.

"Yen… you don't have anything to be sorry for. We all made mistakes, we all failed Ciri somehow…" He said slowly, the sorceress finally turning to meet his gaze, "But… none of us could have predicted what Vilgefortz did, couldn't have prevented it… none of that matters anymore. All that matters is that we're finally so close to all being back together again…. You can never fail me Yen. We're going to figure this curse out… and we will be together again. I love you Yen… I… I'm sorry for what I said… and how I acted."

Before the sorceress could say anything he stepped forward and hugged her. Yen was taken aback for a moment, before he heard her let out a shaky sigh and wrap her arms back around him. Her strong scent hit his nose as he buried his head into her shoulder, squeezing tight around her waist, not wanting to let her go. The sorceress wrapped around his neck and he felt her squeeze as tightly as she could, as she let out a shaky breath, not letting him go as well. For a few moments everything was forgotten, he felt like he was fourteen again, just a young boy hugging his mother, nothing wrong in the world.

He could feel the sun beat off his neck as he held her, the wind blowing through his messy brown hair and her raven locks. Yennefer would figure out how to lift the curse, not only because he believed in her abilities, but because she had Geralt and he. They had each other, and together they would pull Ciri out of whatever had happened to her, they would be there for her, just like they always were.

"No matter what… I'll always be yours," He said into her shoulder, before she gently pulled back from him, keeping her hands on his shoulders.

She smiled down at him, and her gaze and smile sent warmth and reassurance through him like it normally did. Gently she leaned down and kissed his cheek again, as she rapidly blinked her quivering violet eyes, before shakily sighing, the smile staying plastered on his face.

"I love you Dominik… and I swear that we will get Ciri back, and soon. And when we do… while we may go off our separate ways… we will always find our way to each other, we will always be a family," She said reassuringly, as she sighed and they both turned back in towards the room.

A smile managed to come to his face as they both stopped in front of her megascope, "We will, I know we will. We're going to figure this out Yen, me, you and… Geralt when he gets back."

Yen scoffed and a small smile came to her face again, "Yes… I guess I should apologize to him when he gets back."

"Yeah… you probably should," He said, smiling and meeting her eyes, a small bit of amusement running through him, "You know I can kind of see why he hates being teleported."

His adopted mother laughed again, the sunset bouncing off her hair, "You do know that Ciri teleports a lot right? You're going to have to get used to it."

A small red hue appeared across his face, and he could feel his heart begin to flutter. The idea of teleporting anywhere and everywhere they wanted to go together, he and Ciri against the world. It was something he always dreamed about. He was prepared to get over his distaste for teleporting for her, he'd manage to do it in a heartbeat. Whether she wanted to teleport over the continent, to another world or dimension completely, it didn't matter to him, as long as he had her, it would all be alright. As long as they were together, everything would be fine.

And even if it were just the two of them traveling together, he knew they'd always have Geralt and Yennefer both. They'd always find their way to each other, all four of them.

He sighed with a smile on his face and met his adopted mother's eyes, "Yeah I know… I think I'll be able to get over it pretty quick… I'll go anywhere with her…. But first we got to find her."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The two of them hadn't had to wait very long for Geralt. His adopted father had been soaked through completely and he had been trying to help Yennefer put her megascope back together when they finally heard him trudging back up the stairs. He sucked in a breath and crossed his arms when he saw Yennefer crossed her arms and watch as Geralt, who had a very annoyed look on his face come back up the steps, flipping his wet silver hair with an eye roll. Water dripped off his armor and he spit out a bit of the lake scum onto the stone floor and crossed his arms. He watched a moment of tenseness pass between them both before his adopted mother let her stubbornness get the best of her.

"Ah Geralt, you've finally returned… is there something you'd like to say to me," Yennefer said, her hands going to her hips.

He bit down harder on his bottom lip as Geralt sighed and the wind blew through the balcony through his hair. A relieved sigh escaped him when he saw Geralt slowly let out a sigh of his own and meet the sorceresses' eyes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said what I said," His adopted father said, seeming to finally swallow his pride as he sighed again, "Didn't mean it, sorry for being a bit insensitive. I'm just a bit on edge."

A smile came to his face again as Yennefer sighed and slowly shook her head. The sun was finally almost set, and he knew they'd only have about an hour or so of daylight left. He kept looking between both of his adopted parents and he could see both of them looking side eyed at him, and for a moment he felt like the parent of the group. Meeting Yen's eyes he urgently gestured towards Geralt and finally the sorceress looked back up to meet his adopted father's eyes.

"We all are, including me as well," She said to him, looking between both Geralt and he, her hands staying on her hips, "I'm sorry for teleporting you like that, it was childish. I'm sorry for being a vengeful shrew, I just… can't let this go wrong."

Geralt's hard look disappeared and the older witcher sighed, looking to him first and then back to Yennefer. Dominik and Geralt both took a few steps towards her, and Geralt was the first to speak up.

"We trust you Yen, you know what you're doing, and we'll help you anyway we can," Geralt said, looking over to Dominik for reassurance.

Quickly he nodded in agreement and met his adopted mother's eyes, "He's right Yen. We're going to do this, all of us are. If anyone can do it, it's you."

The smile appeared back on Yen's face and she looked at them both, the sunset casting over her long raven locks. She sighed for a moment before nodding at them both with a grateful smile.

"Thank you both… it means a lot to me," The sorceress said, crossing her arms as she turned back to her still steaming megascope.

Geralt met his eyes and gestured towards Yen, and as normal he could tell what his adopted father was asking right away. He was asking him if he and Yen had talked, so he quickly nodded back, and a small smile came to his face. The three of them were all spurred on by the common goal of their family being reunited, by pulling Ciri out of the danger she was in. With wind light blowing through his hair a small smile came to Geralt's face as he looked back to Yen.

"No problem… now what can we do to help," His adopted father quickly asked, crossing over his arms.

"First help Eskel and Lambert," His adopted mother said, turning back around to them, "One was supposed to get me forktail spinal fluid, and the other was supposed to enrich the phylactery with elemental power."

"Already taken care of," Dominik said quickly, a hint of pride in his voice as he remembered the forktail hunt, "I went and got a forktail with Eskel, Geralt helped Lambert, everything's waiting for you down below."

A smile crossed his adopted mother's face as she nodded to them, "My, my, the initiative. That's good, only leaves one small trifle to resolve. As you can both see my megascope is acting up in spectacular fashion."

"What is it you need," He said quickly, looking at the smoking crystal, "You said this was the third one that exploded?"

"Yes, and I'm certain there's an energy source nearby, causing the disturbances," His adopted mother said, turning to face Geralt and he fully, "We must find it and neutralize it quickly, it's urgent. I must contact someone."

Geralt nodded but slowly narrowed his eyes, "Okay, who do you plan on contacting?"

Yen sighed and looked at him nervously, then back to Geralt, "Ida Emean. Remember her?"

The older witchers shook his head, "Yeah… member of the lodge how could I forget. Elven sage, member of the lodge."

"The lodge!? Yen, I don't know how I like getting them involved, they tried to use Ciri the last time she came back," He quickly shot out, turning to his adopted mother with wide eyes.

After Ciri had returned to the continent the first time, she had been summoned to a meeting of the Lodge of Sorceresses, and Yennefer had been forced to take her there. Not only did this infuriate him because it meant she was forced to delay meeting back up with him, but because of what they had tried to make her do. Quite literally only a few days after she had returned, finally gotten back after the hell she went through, they wanted to force her to go have a child with the son of Esterred Thyssen in Kovir. He didn't like the Lodge of Sorceresses, the fact that they were trying to force the woman he loved to go have a kid with someone else, the fact it was just after she had gone through years of hell with men trying to kidnap and rape her, and the fact that after Ciri had refused them, some members tried to force her to go, and wouldn't let her leave Vengerberg were all reasons he didn't trust the group. It had only been after Yennefer and Triss convinced some of the women to vote to let her leave, that Ciri had finally left with Yennefer and Triss for Rivia, where she was supposed to see Geralt and he.

Of course, he loved Yennefer and Triss who had both been members of the lodge. There was also Keira who he considered a friend who was a member, but those were exceptions. Triss and Yennefer helped raise him, and Keira saved his life. However, he knew he would be hesitant to trust any other member of the lodge for what they had done. He also knew of the plot some of them tried to pull with Geralt a few months earlier, so just like his adopted father, a cautious look came to his face when Yennefer said it.

"Gotta agree with him there Yen," Geralt said quickly, "Besides, a lot of your sorceress friends have let me down in the past…"

"We aren't going to mention anything about Ciri, no worries," His adopted mother said to him first, before looking over to Geralt, "And I understand your hesitation, but Ida is a sage. She should know a great deal, and I want to ask her for advice on Uma."

Sighing he slowly shook his head, "Don't rightfully know if I trust the lodge… but I do trust you Yen."

"Yeah, he's right," Geralt said after he had finished, "If we gotta we gotta…. So how do we find the source?"

Yen smiled and walked over to one of her desks. When his adopted mother came back, she was holding in her hands a small apparatus, and handed it to Geralt.

"Use this potestiquisitor," His adopted mother said, as Geralt took the device from her, looking at it oddly before Yennefer continued, "It's ever so simple to use. Grasp it firmly, move it around, and the louder it squeaks, the closer you are."

Geralt sighed and nodded, "Alright easy enough yeah. I'll head and find it, need to dry off anyway. Dom you stay here and help Yen with anything else she needs."

A small smile came to his face as he nodded, and his adopted father turned to walk back down the stairs. He sighed in relief when he could see the smile on Yennefer's face as she looked at Geralt walking away. The two of them had stopped fighting, which was the important part to him, they would all finally be able to figure out where she was now. If this Ida was able to help them figure out Uma's curse, then some of his hatred for the lodge would be lifted. Words that both Geralt and Yennefer both spoke to him rang in his head, _'You need to put your hatred aside'. _And with the point he was at, he was ready to accept aid from almost anyone.

For so many years he carried around hatred, he thought he hated Geralt and Yennefer, he hated himself, the world…. He had been alone for so long, been so angry for so long, and as recently as a few weeks prior in Skellige, he hadn't even felt like himself, and it was only slowly starting to return. If he closed his eyes he could see the garden in Skellige, blackened, destroyed, all of its magical power drained. He could hear himself screaming at the poor women and survivors, screaming at Skjall's body as he writhed in pain on the ground. Of course he knew it had been the only way to figure out where Ciri had gone… but he couldn't help but wonder what she would have thought of the things he had done over the previous few weeks. He had done so much, so much he was proud of, but there had also been the things he regretted.

In Crookback Bog, a group of children had been taken by the Crones because of a decision he made. In Skellige he was ready to kill Birna Bran before they had even found any evidence of her crimes, and it only would have made things harder for Crach and the rest of the An Craite's. He didn't know if Ciri's Uncle Ermion would be very willing to talk to him after their first interaction, and then of course there was what he did on Hindersfjall. The villager's homes had just been destroyed by the Wild Hunt, and he threatened to kill the rest of them for information. And then when they had reanimated Skjall's body… he had threatened to throw the poor man to the drowners. That man had helped Ciri, saved her and led the Hunt away from his village, and his body deserved better then what they had done to it.

He hadn't been proud of these things… and he hoped that he could make it up by finding her, and after he had found her, by doing things that would make her proud. He was home now… he had both Geralt and Yennefer, the witchers, and all of his friends waiting to support him. It had felt like so long since Claywitch, since he thought that he may die on the Path alone… and now he was so close to having everything back. He sighed and reached up to grab his swallow pendant, his fingers trembled around the silver and he saw her face, in that moment she was more real then anyone else…. And soon he'd have the real thing. He'd get to see her mature, womanly face, her high cheekbones, cute smaller nose, and finally see those eyes that matched his staring back at him.

"Dominik… are you alright," His adopted mother said, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Nearly jumping out of his boots he whirled around and saw Yennefer looking at him. The sun beat in over them both, casting their shadows over the stone, as he slowly nodded his head.

"Yeah…." He said slowly, looking up to meet her eyes, "I… was just thinking about-."

"About Ciri? About seeing her again finally, it's what I know you think of most days," She said, a small hint of amusement in her tone.

Scoffing he shook his head, "That's an understatement. I dreamed about her almost every night… thought about her every night. I miss her… so fucking much Yen."

His adopted mother smiled lightly at him and nodded, "I miss her as well, seeing you two together again… it'll make me feel complete again, any ideas what you'll do first when you see her?"

Under his armor he felt his skin tingle, as he had been going back and forth in his mind, picturing the scenario for weeks. For so long he only had the fleeting memory of her touch, the feeling of her arms around him, her lips against his. Would she even want to kiss him when he found her, hold him, would she even find him handsome? How would she react when she learned about Freya, about some of the things he had to do over the last eight years? The idea stewed in the back of his mind, it was pushed back, but every now and then it creeped up on him.

However, he had to believe the people he had heard. Dandelion told him Ciri had been asking about him insistently. When he spoke to the Baron about her, Ciri had even left a message for him with the man, telling the Baron to tell him she was sorry, and still trying to keep her promise. Then of course she had apparently spoken of him so passionately to Skjall, that his corpse even found need to mention it to them when they were getting the information from it. Everyone had told him that she still loved him… and he had to believe it himself. Their bond wasn't something that could be broken by time apart. Something more then just destiny linked them. Growing up he had often rolled his eyes at stories that ended with 'true love conquering all'. Bella had eaten up stories of chivalrous knights finding their true love and living happily ever after. He didn't know if he would have a happily every after, but true love was something he felt, something he had to believe that he and Ciri had.

He had decided a while ago the first thing he'd say to her however.

"I'm… going to tell her I'm sorry," He said, turning and meeting his adopted mother's eyes.

A small smiled appeared on Yennefer's face as she sighed and held her hands on her hips, her smile turning to an amusing smirk.

"Really? No kiss, no jumping and leaping into each other's arms, staring lovingly into each other's eyes like you used to," She asked him, the amusement evident in her voice.

He felt his chest thump and his face get hot as he laughed nervously, "Ha… come on Yen, we weren't over each other THAT much."

"HA, oh darling I'm sorry to tell you but you were," His adopted mother said with a genuine laugh, "It was adorable, however. How she'd jump up and wrap her legs around you to kiss you, she'd sit in your lap with her head on your shoulder… you kissed plenty then, I can only imagine now that you're both grown-."

"Okay, okay I get it," He said, feeling his face get hotter, but a warm fluttering feeling crop up in his body, "I… just can't wait to see her… just… just to see she's actually real. For years I've felt like I was chasing a ghost but… but I just want to see her… and have her be real."

There had been so many times, so many years and months where he wouldn't have a lead on her, and all he'd have of her was his dreams and memories. He had seen her in Novigrad thanks to Dudu, so many people had told him they had seen her, so he knew she was out there. However, he just wanted to see the real her, just to finally after so many years see that his search wasn't for naught. Yennefer smiled over at him, as the cool breeze pleasantly chilled his bones and the sun continued to set.

His adopted mother smiled and walked over to hold a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes, sending the reassuring feeling back down him.

"She's real… and she's out there waiting or us," The sorceress said, the smile staying plastered to her face, "So, you said you went forktail hunting with Eskel? How'd it go?"

The sudden change of subject made him remember what had happened in the woods. His fight with the forktail flashed into his mind, and he remembered the magic. His powers had unleashed, and he had no idea how. Every time before that they had, he could see how they did, he was angry, trying to force more out of himself… but against the forktail he hadn't even needed them. He was in a good, a great mood even as he sat and talked to Eskel.

He quickly nodded and met his adopted mother's eyes, "Yeah I did, that reminds me… Yen my powers, the magic it… it came out again."

"What!? Are you alright," His adopted mother said quickly, the worry flooding into her eyes as she looked him over, "What happened? Did the forktail injure you? If I sent you out there and almost-."

"No, no, none of that," He said, quickly shaking his head and sending a reassuring glance his adopted mother's way, "I… I was actually perfectly fine, and well I am a bit tired but… I feel pretty okay now. They just… activated, I wasn't in danger or anything, I was with Eskel, could've won the fight without them."

Yennefer quickly sighed out in relief her hand on her chest. Quickly the sorceress straightened and met his eyes again.

"Thank the gods you're alright, that's the important part," She said, before a curious look grew on her face as she looked at him wonderingly, "That does sound odd however… you said you weren't hurt, or in any danger?"

He nodded in confirmation, "Yeah, it was weird, there wasn't any danger really, just a forktail. I was… actually in a surprisingly good mood. I had just gotten back; I was happy to see Eskel… they've never activated like that before."

The wind blew in through the balcony and the sunset was beautifully glowing through it. It had been forever since his duel with Baelen in Novigrad, and when Triss had told him he could be a carrier. A carrier who had inherited great magical power from a mage ancestor. Magic wasn't naturally hereditary this was common knowledge, but Triss and Yen both explained that some ancient, powerful mages found ways to pass down their affinity for magic, for channeling chaos through their blood. It was sort of like a source, like Ciri, where a carrier had the potential to wield immense power, depending on how powerful their ancestor was. And all the mages who were able to pass on their abilities, naturally had to be powerful to be able to figure out how.

The difference however between Ciri and he, between a carrier and a source, was that a carrier could go their whole life without even knowing of their powers. Sources like Ciri, they quite literally needed to learn to control their powers, or else they would be driven mad. An untrained source was dangerous, which is why it was such good luck Triss discovered Ciri's abilities when she had. A carrier, however, could lead a perfectly normal life, without ever using magic and knowing of the power they could wield. Triss theorized that their may have been many dormant carriers, ones who had the blood and didn't know of it. One of Dominik's parents, Gregory or Sofia was clearly a dormant carrier, it was the only way that he could have gotten the powers he did. He was descended from some powerful mage, and once Geralt had started to train him to use witcher signs, a form of magic, is when the power and magic in him began to unlock.

Yennefer had explained that for a carrier's powers to unlock, they simply needed to begin using magic, and it would trigger the reaction in their blood. An activated carrier had the potential to be just as powerful as their mage ancestor, possibly even more so. However, he had learned from Yennefer, that for him to get full control of his powers, they would need to somehow unlock the hidden strands of power inside of him.

"Interesting… like you said, they normally never activate unless you've been in danger," His adopted mother said, scratching her chin wonderingly.

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah… and besides, I thought you said for me to have full control to activate them at will, I would need to unlock them somehow."

"They do, I don't think this was full control," She explained to him, her hands going to her hips, "But I must admit I am curious to how it activated. You said you were in a good mood? You weren't angry, upset or anything right?"

He shook his head, "No, like I said I was surprisingly happy. Eskel and I were talking about contracts, Ciri, what we've been up to… and then the forktail swooped in. I was actually really excited to fight with him."

A look of realization appeared on her face as she met his eyes, "Then your powers must be activated by strong emotions. Think Dominik, what do all the times your powers have activated have in common?"

Slowly he narrowed his eyes, already knowing the answer, "I've… always been really angry. The first time they unleashed in that fight with Baelen she… she was shouting things about Ciri, I got so, so angry. In Novigrad, they activated when we attacked the convoy to save Dandelion, I was really anxious, knowing that I was so close. Then there was when the Katakan attacked my friend Priscilla, she was gonna die, I had to save her. In Skellige well… you save those times."

"Exactly," Yennefer said quickly, turning from him to pace for a few moments, "And after all of those times you were exhausted, almost knocked out. But this time however, you were in a great mood. It seems that strong emotions are what trigger your powers now…"

"Is that even possible," He said, feeling a bunch of questions begin to well up in his brain, "And how come I don't feel like I'm gonna pass out now."

His adopted mother shook her head, "Of course it's possible, magic is volatile, and you tap into chaos and unleash it with powerful emotions. As for how you feel, well darling it's simply because you're becoming more accustom to it. It could also be from the fact you weren't angry or in a desperate situation."

Scoffing he shook his head, "Well as powerful as these 'carrier' abilities make me, I don't like not having control. In case you haven't noticed Yen, I've… been tending to get kinda angry the last few weeks. Last thing I need is for it to activate at the wrong time, and for me to pass out afterwards."

"Well like I told you before in Skellige, we need to find a way to unlock your powers," Yennefer said, her lips still pursed in thought, "I don't know how, but we need to find a way to open those sealed strands of DNA in your body, that should allow you to control your powers at will…. There are two sometimes three things required for a carrier's abilities to fully unlock. First, the person must start using magic. Second, is like I said, we must unlock those strands of DNA."

"And you said sometimes there's three things," He quickly asked, running a hand through his hair as the wind blew, "Do I need to drink the blood of a virgin or something?"

When he saw Yennefer slowly shake her head instead of laughing at her joke he felt his skin crawl, the orange sunset heating up his forehead even more.

"That may not be as crazy as it sounds," Yennefer said dryly, "Sometimes when a mage passes down their abilities, they manage to add a sort of… trigger, or indicator other than just the first two stipulations. Only sometimes however, so we won't worry about that now."

He crossed both of his armored arms over, and felt his skin continue to crawl. If there truly was some special condition he had to meet for his powers to unlock fully, and it all depending on whatever condition his ancestor set, then there could be a true possibility he never could fully control his powers.

"Is… that why you were studying old houses in Skellige? I found the one book you were reading about old houses," He asked his adopted mother, the book of great houses popping back into his memory.

"Yes, I was seeing if I could find any houses with magic users you could have come from," She explained to him, crossing her arms and leaning against one of the pillars in the room, "I found multiple powerful old sorcerers nothing solid however. We don't even know if that third stipulation is going to be necessary, so we'll focus on unlocking those strands of DNA first."

He let out a deep sigh and slowly shook his head, "Yen I know you said it's important and all but… to be honest I don't care much right now. I just want to find Ciri… nothing else."

A small amused smile appeared on his adopted mother's face, "Don't worry child, I understand. However, please… I understand you can handle yourself, and you want to keep Ciri safe above all else… but please, please don't throw yourself into unnecessary danger. You need to remember how important you are to us, me, Geralt, and especially Ciri."

Despite her words being a warning, a small smile stayed on his face as he felt his chest get warm. He felt the loving feeling wash over him as Yennefer continued to smile at him. For the first few weeks of his journey and the previous eight years, he had thrown himself into situations that could have easily gotten himself killed, but he hadn't cared in the slightest, because he knew that in the end it was all to find Ciri. He hadn't cared about the consequences then, and he still didn't. If he needed to fight the Hunt, Eredin, Baelen, their dragon, anyone to keep her safe he would. However, Yennefer's words washed over him, and realized the truth in them. He was so close to finally having Ciri back, to them all finally being back together, and while he would die for any of them… he knew that was the last thing they wanted. If something happened to him, they would all be devastated.

Soon he and Ciri would be together again, and he knew that if she still felt the same as he, they'd set out together. It would be the first time that Ciri could take control of her own life, do what she wanted to do, as opposed to others ordering her around, or trying to force her hand. He also knew after this all was over, his adopted parents would finally want to settle down and have some peace of their own. A normal life, a witchers normal life, a life with Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer. It had been something he always dreamed of, but something that also seemed so far out of his reach for most of his life. Before Claywitch he was almost at a point where he thought he was going to be doomed to wonder the continent chasing a ghost until his death, and he would have to live the rest of his life thinking that both Geralt and Yennefer died, thinking he hated them both.

He had been given a third chance however, something almost nobody had ever gotten. And if he had a chance at that life, that amazing life for Ciri, he and his adopted parents… he would never throw that away. Yennefer was telling him to think to the future, and if learning to somehow control the power in his blood, instead of letting it fester and overtake him did that… then he would learn to control them.

Ciri would always come first however, and she was so, so close to him then.

"Don't worry Yen," He said with a small smile on his face, looking to meet his adopted mother's gaze, "When we're all finally together again… it will make everything worth it. All of it."

His adopted mother smiled, and her violet eyes sent warmth down his chest, "Good… and we will be soon. Have you given any thought to what you and Ciri would do when this is all over?"

"Ha, easy," He said with a smile, a happy sigh leaving him, "Whatever SHE wants to do. If she wants to go live on a farm, hike to Poviss, I don't care… as long as I have her."

He had just finished his sentence, when a large whirring sound shot into the room, and Yennefer and he both whirled around to her megascope. A laugh and a wide-open mouthed smile came to his face when he saw the megascope crystals activate. They glew a beautiful bright blue color, the same color his eyes glew when the magic flowed through his body. Yennefer quickly rushed over and started fiddling with the crystals, a relieved look on his adopted mother's face. He rushed over next to her, feeling his chest begin to whirl again.

The megascope was beautiful when the crystals were activated, and he smiled in realizing that Geralt had completed his task down below. With every step that they completed, every task they completed for the sorceress the closer they became, and by the next day he would be out on the road to her, to the road he had been trying to find for eight years, more than a third of his life. The sunset was just starting to go down past the mountains, and the breeze through the balcony got even colder. His hair blew back in the wind, and he scratched the small bit of stubble that was growing on his chin… still barely half a beard, just like Ciri had always teased him about when he was young.

After finally fiddling with the megascope crystals, Yennefer looked up to him with a smile.

"It looks like Geralt found the disturbance," She explained the smile staying on her face as she sighed in relief, "So, when he gets back we'll call Ida. Now, I know you… don't have the best view of the Lodge, but please be cordial, we need her help. Do you remember the words of the curse?"

He let out another relieved breath as he could hear the words in his head. Ever since Dandelion had told them to him, he had been able to repeat them perfectly. They were the key to finding her, the key to making his whole journey worth it, he wouldn't lose his chance all because he had a bad memory. The breeze shot through his hair again, making the hair on his neck stand up, as he could feel the small smile come back to his face. He gripped up on the swallow and felt it tremble as he looked down at the small silver pendant. The pendant he had worn for so long.

The swallow was Ciri, the swallow was their relationship, their love, the promise they made to one another. The promise to always try and get to one another, to go where the other went, to protect each other. Looking at it in that moment he remembered the very first night she had given it to him, and ever since it rarely left his neck. It had gotten him through so many nights. During the nights he'd lay awake, tears welling in his eyes, missing her, lamenting what had happened, it had reminded her that she was real, all his memories with her were real and that she was still out there. The swallow to him represented the intertwined destiny they both had, their bond that couldn't be broken, that small silver pendant was what had spurred him on for all those years, the swallow was her.

And with just a little more pushing, she would really be with him.

Smiling he met his adopted mother's gaze, "Yeah I remember. I'll hold my tongue I promise. Let's finally figure this out…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Sure you want me and Dom here," Geralt said, as the blue portal around the megascope whirled, "Members of the Lodge don't just let anyone in on their secrets."

Yennefer sighed and rolled her eyes from in between them both, "Consider it a token of our faith. Besides, like I said this is the only way."

He bit his lip and looked at his adopted mother, "Yen… maybe Geralt's right. Even with Keira in Velen she didn't tell me about her little scheme until the end after she almost got me killed."

"Keira did what!? How come you're just now telling me this," Yennefer demanded, her violet eyes starting to burn with anger.

He widened his eyes as the sorceresses eyes bore into him, "Well she… had me do something for her and well… didn't exactly tell me what it was for. Almost died fighting a Pesta to help her, and then well we had a… small disagreement."

Geralt laughed from the other side of her and Yennefer turned to him, her flaring purple eyes demanding to know what happened. He specifically hadn't told his adopted mother for the very reason he saw before him. She was very protective he knew this, and if she figured out what Keira had done to him, he was afraid she'd be as angry as she looked then. He also considered Keira a friend despite it all, however Geralt decided he needed more amusement that night after his unscheduled swim.

His adopted father smirked, "A disagreement as in Keira asked him to sleep with her, and when he said no she drugged him and-."

"SHE ASKED HIM TO DO WHAT!?" His adopted mother yelled, whirling around to him, "And why did you not find this important to tell me!?"

He felt his heart race at an extreme rate as the magic of the megascope swirled next to him. Behind his adopted mother he could see Geralt trying to control his laughter, as the sorceress was demanding an answer out of him, the wind in the now night sky blowing her raven locks.

Biting his lip, he met his adopted mother's eyes, "Well you see Yen we kind of-."

"Caed'mil, Yennefer aep Vengerberg," A voice said from the megascope, making all three of him and his adopted parents turn around before the voice continued, "Gwynbleidd…"

A rush of relief fell over him as he saw his adopted mother shoot him a look that clearly said, 'we'll talk about this later', before she turned back towards the megascope. Dominik finally got to look as well and the relief washed over him again when he saw that the call had indeed worked. The elven woman Ida stood there, her hands on her hips as she looked between the three of them. The only light they had was the light from the bright moon behind them now, and from the multiple candles in they had lit. The cold breeze ran up his back under his armor as he felt a bomb of nervousness building up inside of him.

Geralt seemed to react first, gently bowing his head towards the portal, "Ceadmil, Aen Saevheme."

After his adopted father had spoken, he saw the woman's image turn to face him, and when she bore her eyes onto him, he felt his skin tingle again. Quickly he held his hands behind his back and kept his head up, remembering how he promised he'd behave to Yennefer. So, he tried to make himself appear as presentable as possible.

Ida tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him, "And greetings to you as well young man… I don't believe I know who you are…. Though I must say… you do look awfully familiar."

"Ida, allow me to introduce you. This is my son, Dominik of Cintra," Yennefer said, gesturing her hands towards him.

Quickly he bowed, "I don't know Elder Speech, or I'd greet you like Geralt did. Still, greetings, it's a pleasure…"

A small smile appeared on the sage's face as she nodded towards him as well, a look of realization dawning on her face.

"And greetings to you as well young man," The sage said, her eyes narrowing at him for a moment again, "I must admit the resemblance you share to a man I once knew… is extremely uncanny…. That matters naught now however, why have you summoned me?"

The sage had directed her question towards Yennefer, but Dominik felt his mind slightly race. Ida was an elven sage, so naturally she had to have been alive for an extremely long time, met many men in her life, however he had reminded her so strongly of someone that she mentioned it? The cold night breeze shot up his back again and he quickly shook his head, the thought of Ciri overtaking the situation. He looked over as his adopted mother, who also looked at him curiously did the same, before she looked to meet Ida's gaze again.

"We've come up against a curse, one we must lift," His adopted mother explained, both Geralt and he crossing their arms next to her, "It was uttered in a dialect of Elder Speech unfamiliar to me."

"Mhmm I see," Ida said from the megascope portal, her voice cracking in the magic beam, "And the words of this curse?"

"Dominik," His adopted mother said, turning to face him.

All three sets of eyes were on him as he sighed out shakily. He could remember when he first heard the words, and how surprised he was that Dandelion was able to remember them himself. That patrol ambush with his friends had felt like so long ago, and he couldn't believe that it was finally coming back to help him now. He had felt so far away still after that fight, after Dandelion told him what happened to Ciri in Novigrad. After so long he was finally making use of them, and they would help him get to her finally. And when he did he'd make it a point to bring Ciri to the Chameleon.

He looked up into the vision of Ida in the portal, "Va fail, elaine, ceadmil foile. Glaeddyv dorne aep't enaid, bunn'droh ithne I'yachus."

The effect on Ida's face was instant and Dominik caught onto it. The sage's eyes widened and she had to take a few steps back, and it made his mind race with new questions. From simply seeing Uma's body, he knew that the curse had to be old and powerful, but for it to make an elven sage take pause… it had to be even more dangerous. Ciri could have been trapped in that body… and it could have been her suffering, so he felt his blood continue to race faster, as he quickly looked over to both his adopted parents.

"You've heard those words before… haven't you," He heard Geralt say from the other side of Yennefer, his adopted father's eyes narrowed.

In the whirling magic Ida grimly nodded, "I have… in legends. Of the kind that do not end happily."

"Please," Dominik found himself saying, just before his adopted mother could say anything, meeting the sages gaze, "Please we need help. This curse… we need to lift it, it's imperative…"

Next to him Yen quickly darted her gaze between Ida and he, as the sage continued to examine him with curiosity. He felt his blood about to burst out of him, the thought that Ciri could be trapped pounded into his head. Ida could be there last hope, and if he had come all this way to not be able to figure the curse out… he would have jumped into a boat and sailed the Skellige waters for the rest of his life until he found her. The hair on his arms stood up, as Ida slowly nodded to him.

"Yennefer…" Ida said, slowly turning back to his adopted mother, "Agnes de Glanville's incantation combined with Eldar's triangle-inverted of course. They are the only possible recourse. But I cannot guarantee that even they will suffice."

He almost scoffed out in relief, as it all rushed over him. She had actually helped them with relative ease, and now they were only a few hours away from really being able to lift the curse from Uma. A part of him wanted to fall to his knees and thank the sage, however he didn't think Ida would find it endearing so he composed himself. The smile came to his face however, as Yennefer slowly nodded and went to the megascope crystal.

"Thank you Aen Saevherne. Va fail…." His adopted mother said, going to turn the megascope crystal off.

"That does not conclude our conversation," Ida quickly said, just before Yen could end the call.

His blood suddenly stopped racing as he could see the determined look in Ida's eyes. He tried not to roll his eyes in realizing that she was more then likely going to ask for something in return now. They didn't have time to go running off on another quest, his skin began to crawl as he thought of all the things that the sage could possibly ask them to do. He wasn't going to do anything other then go to try and lift Uma's curse, it had been too long, they had been fighting and hurting for too long, he was going to finally get to her, without anymore distractions from side activities.

Geralt from the opposite side of Yennefer stepped forward, "What is it…?"

Ida looked between both Geralt and Dominik now, "The Time of the White Frost and White Light is nigh…"

"And the world will perish amidst ice…. I know Ithline's prophecy," Geralt quickly snapped, and Dominik felt as if the frost was overtaking his body.

Ithline's prophecy was something he always cared to forget about. He would never forget that night when Ciri and he were on the run, he had nightmares about it for years afterwards, and occasionally when he remembered the memory his skin would still crawl. Geralt he knew was hard pressed to believe in prophecy's, however the words had always haunted Dominik himself. Hearing them now sent chills up his spine, as the memory from Ciri and he's time on the run had all come back to him in that moment.

It was after about three months they had been on the run, only a few weeks before Geralt would find them both. Ciri and he had stolen two horses from a woman, and were camping out in an old swamp, he had just made a fire and they were talking about more ways that they could possibly get to Skellige. Ciri had already sold her silk gloves, and one of her bracelets in order for them to eat the previous few weeks, and the two of them were getting desperate. However, he tried to keep her spirits up the best he could by weaving her a new bracelet out of flowers and grass. They were happy for a moment after he gave it to her, but that was before the men attacked them. A group of four of them were refugees from Cintra, they had noticed Ciri and knew there was a high bounty on her from Nilfgaard, so they tried to kill Dominik and grab her.

He had tried to fight them back, but he had been eleven, and extremely malnourished from the previous weeks. They had knocked him to the ground and grabbed Ciri by the hair. He remembered biting one man's hand, before being punched across the face again, and that was when the man had pulled the knife out, intent on stabbing him and killing him there.

Ciri saw the knife at his throat however, and as soon as she did was when she screamed. Her scream had been so loud his ears bled, and it emanated so much power it knocked all the men and their horses back. The magic started swirling from her eyes, and that was when he first heard her shout Ithline's prophecy… and after that the magic erupted from her as she screamed. His young eleven-year-old self's ears began to bleed, and somehow, someway he made his way over to her, every step had been agonizing, but he managed to grab her around the waist, and when the magic finally disappeared… all of the men had been killed, and he had fallen unconscious at her feet, his ears full of blood.

He woke up a few hours later, early in the morning, with Ciri crying over his chest. It wasn't a memory he was fond of, but it had been one of the many times she had saved him. He had no idea at the time the implications it had.

"Yes, I don't doubt you know it, but do you understand it," Ida said, taring him away from his thoughts as the sage turned to him as well, "And you young man, are you aware of it as well?"

"I've… heard it before, yes," Dominik said shakily, crossing his arms like Geralt was as well.

Ida slowly nodded and looked between them both again, "The Elder Blood can initiate the Final Age, the Time of the End… or stop it. Remember this Gwynbleidd, and you as well Dominik of Cintra. For it will be the both of you that will determine if the seed bursts into flames…. And you, young man, you may have a destiny far greater then you understand…"

"W… what are you talking about," Dominik said quickly, as Ida's gaze slowly turned back to Yennefer.

The sage met his adopted mother's eyes as she gestured towards him, "Yennefer, your son is a carrier… and activated carrier at that is he not?"

"He is… yes…" Yennefer said slowly, looking between Ida and he, "What of it?"

Ida slowly nodded and turned back to him, "It is as I thought then. Young man you have an extremely potent magical signature, one I can sense clean through this call… and not only is it potent, but I believe I recognize the signature as well…. If it is from who I believe it is… then your destiny is intertwined with that of the Elder Blood."

"I already knew that…" He said quietly, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck as he slowly looked up to meet Ida's eyes, "You… you said you recognize the signature so… so does that mean you know who the ancestor who gave me the powers were?"

The sage shook her head, "I am not certain, and I apologize but I will not share my theory, if I'm incorrect… it would be breaking a promise I made long ago. Just know this… you must protect the Elder Blood, I know of your love for Zireael, and hers for you…. Hard times lay in wait ahead of you, Dominik of Cintra, difficult decisions, and trying times, through it all, remember your destiny…. Good luck young man…"

Before he had a chance to shout out any questions, Ida bowed and the megascope call ended, and he felt his arms begin to tingle. The cold breeze from the night blew through his hair and he let out a shaky sigh, as he could see both of his adopted parents looking just as baffled as he was. He ran a hand through his hair, and looked over to meet the eyes of Geralt and Yennefer both.

"Well she's… certainly cheerful," He said, trying in any way to calm himself.

Geralt sighed and looked to Yen, "What did she mean when she mentioned Ithline's prophecy?"

"Ciri of course… that's who she was talking about," Yennefer responded quickly, her arms crossed as she looked between them.

He felt something in him snap as he scoffed, "I swear when I find her, everyone's going to leave her the fuck alone. Nobody is going to try and tell her what to do anymore…"

"I wouldn't count on people doing that darling…." Yennefer said forlornly, looking to meet his eyes.

Slowly he shook his head as his arms continued to tingle, "Let them try… and they'll see what a big fucking mistake it is…."

For so long people had ordered her around, told her what her destiny was, tried to control what she did. She had never truly had freedom to do what she wanted, even starting all the way back in Cintra. As much as he loved Queen Calanthe, she had tried to shoehorn Ciri into marriages when she was younger, and tried to turn her into a proper princess, when Ciri had no interest. After she had gone missing, so many people tried to capture her, control her, tell her what she was meant to do, and through it all she had fought to get back to them, fought to get back to him, just like she had promised him.

So, after he found her, if anyone tried to control her, to tell her what she was meant to do… it wouldn't end well for that person. She would get the life she always wanted, the life that she deserved, they both would. He knew it was his destiny to protect her, he knew that their destinies were intertwined, they both had been told they were and as they grew up they both slowly began to realize that it was. As their love for each other grew, they accepted that fact, and came to love it. Not just through destiny were they bound, but by the deep true love they had, a bond that could never be broken.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Agree with Dom on this one…. But how the hell could Ida even have an idea who his ancestor was? The one who gave him the powers, and how they link him to Ciri?"

Yennefer slowly shook her head, "Ida is several hundreds of years old, she's known a great many powerful mages, plenty powerful enough to pass on their gifts."

"Doesn't matter to me," He said quickly, making both his adopted parents turn to him, "Destiny or not destiny I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Ciri's safe…. And I'll finally give her the life that she deserves…"

What Ida had said continued to pound into his mind. He didn't need to have some ancestor, or some elven sage tell him that he was linked to Ciri. It was something he learned from a young age, that he would always be linked with her, because of that love he had for her, and the love she had for him. He was reserved to the fact that destiny was linking them both, however he wasn't doing everything he had been doing for her because of destiny, but only because of the love he felt for her. She would decide what her fate was, what she was going to do, not some ancient prophecy, not anyone else other then her, and he would make sure of it.

And soon he'd be able to do that. He didn't want to worry about his ancestor, his powers, or anything in that moment, not anything other than finally lifting Uma's curse, and finally, finally after so long knowing where to go and get her.

Geralt sighed one last time and looked over to Yennefer, "All in all… and interesting conversation…. What now?"

"Yeah, Yen are we ready to lift it finally," He asked his adopted mother, as Yennefer took the time to look between them both.

His adopted mother slowly nodded, and looked between them both, "Yes… all is ready. Come, let's gather the others and then we can begin."

The last cold breeze from the night sky hit his cheeks, and he could feel his face almost freeze over. Claywitch, Velen, Novigrad, Skellige, almost every single part of the continent he had been too, all that time he had been searching, looking, agonizing. Alayna in Claywitch had felt like ages ago, Nithral, Baelen, the Ice Giant, everything he had gone through all seemed insignificant now. All of that hardship, and anger he had was all gone, and it was replaced by the hope and soaring optimism he felt then. With trembling hands as he followed behind his adopted parents he gripped up the swallow pendant like he had done so, so many times during the previous eight years. Every time he used to grip it, it felt like she was a ghost, and he was chasing her specter all across the continent, like no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't getting any closer, yet the memories kept him going, kept him looking for so long.

And in a flash, all within a few days it had been turned upside down. Both his adopted parents were alive, Ciri was back on the continent within his grasp. There had been plenty of times through the years where he thought that the universe, whatever divine power-controlled luck, good or bad things happening to people simply hated him. It hated him and would never give him a break, that was what he constantly thought. However, in that moment it had given him the greatest gift he could have ever asked for, the only thing he ever wanted. A chance.

A chance to get his family back, and to finally fill the gapping hole in his heart that Ciri disappearing had left…. And now thanks to whatever it was, destiny, fate, true love conquering all… that hole would soon be filled.

**A/N: And just like that, we are finally almost finished in Kaer Morhen. We have two more chapters to go at the witcher keep, and then we are finally off to gather some allies, and FINALLY get Ciri. I wanted to get the family dynamic settled and solidified this chapter, so while there was no action, we get some character building and more information about the powers in Dominik's blood…**

**First we have a bit of a spat between Geralt and Yen. I know in the games if you romance Yen she doesn't teleport Geralt into the lake like that, but to be honest I couldn't resist putting it in anyway xD I remember laughing crazy hard at that moment. After that however, Dominik and Yen finally talk more, and we see a bit more of a sensitive side to the sorceress, and just how much that family means to them both. **

**After this Geralt comes back all wet, and after he goes off to fix the megascope, we learn some more information about carriers from Yen, and potentially what Dominik can do. Once again a 'carrier' is a made-up concept by me when I was thinking about how genetics and magic could mesh. **

**Finally, we have the big conversation with Ida, and it goes like normal at first, but then we learn a bit more about Dominik's destiny and the destiny of Ciri. Who is this ancestor? How could they possibly be connected to the Elder Blood? And because of this connection how could Dominik affect the end of this story?**

**Next chapter will be what is almost everyone's favorite quest, where we have some drinks and catch up with the witchers, what are your predictions for drunk Dominik xD How will he look in his adopted mothers dress?**

**After that we will finally lift the curse, and meet a certain elven sage… and after that Dominik is finally in the home stretch to finding Ciri, but first we must recruit allies, what are you predictions for allies, how will that go? Then of course after that… we head to the Isle of Mists, which is naturally followed by the Battle of Kaer Morhen, which will be an epic undertaking.**

**As usually thank you to EVERYONE who is reading, I appreciate you all and I hope you are continuing to enjoy. I have loved writing every bit of this story, but once Ciri gets back into the fold, that's when the real fun will begin, and I can't wait for you all to see it! Leave a review if you have time, and if you have any questions feel free to PM me. See you all next time and stay safe!**


	50. No Place Like Home

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 50: No Place Like Home**

**Narrator: After their long journey led Dominik and Geralt to conclude that Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse was the key to finding Ciri, the two brought the cursed creature to the witcher fortress of Kaer Morhen. When they arrived, Yennefer was hard at work attempting to find a way to lift the curse. After helping her retrieve essential ingredients for a spell that could be the key, Dominik and Geralt helped the sorceress contact Ida Emean, an elven sage who helped them figure out the correct way to lift the curse. However, Ida also revealed that Dominik's destiny was intertwined and interlocked with that of Ciri's, dating all the way back to the ancestor who passed down his magical powers to him. However, with the means to lift the curse finally in their hands, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer prepare to begin to lift it, so that after so many years they can finally find where Ciri was trapped…**

The smell of the food Lambert had really managed to cook surprisingly smelled great to him. With the sun finally having set, he could feel the colder draft blowing through the bottom floor of the keep as he followed closely behind Geralt and Yennefer. He felt his stomach welling up with a mixture of anxiousness, excitement and apprehension. They would only have one shot at lifting Uma's curse, and their clock was ticking, every second that passed was another second that Ciri was either suffering in the body or trapped somewhere else. Either way however, a small smile came to his face when they finally got to the dining tables that Lambert, Eskel and Vesemir were sitting at. On the opposite side underneath the now darkened windows, both his old mentors were sitting with mugs in their hands, while his Uncle was standing in front of Uma, who was aimlessly waving his legs on the front bench.

"What's up buddy, Uncle Vesemir's not working you too hard I hope," He said, as he came to the table, sitting down next to the cursed man.

"Uma… umauma," The cursed man muttered aimlessly, looking out at all the people gathered around him.

He heard his Uncle scoff from above him, "Got him to respond to some simple commands… never seen a curse like this before, not in all my years…"

"Well hopefully we'll have it lifted soon," Geralt said, coming up and standing across from him, quickly followed by Yennefer.

He could see the tenseness pass between his old witcher mentors and his adopted mother as she came and sighed, looking around at all of them. Sliding down on the bench, his adopted mother sat for what he assumed was the first time all day, as he looked around towards him and all the other witchers. He reached behind him and ripped off a chunk of a loaf of bread, finally eating something in what felt like forever. As he looked around he took notice that Letho hadn't gathered with them, and he chalked that up to the Viper witcher not being a very social person.

"Listen everyone. All is in place, we may begin," His adopted mother said, looking around to all of them, her eyes falling on Lambert and Eskel, "Lambert, prepare the apparatuses, Eskel go-."

"Last I heard, my dear, I give the orders around here. Not you," His Uncle said quickly, stepping forward next to Uma and glaring at his adopted mother.

He sucked in a breath when he saw his adopted mother's eyes flare up. Leaning down on his knees he looked to meet Geralt's eyes and he could see that his adopted father was clearly telling him to keep his mouth shut, and let them duke it out. Sighing he leaned back on the bench and watched as Yennefer scoffed.

"I believed we had an agreement, that we'd seek to cure Uma my way," His adopted mother quickly shot back at the elderly witcher.

"And I said we'd help you, that's it," Vesemir quickly shot back, the firelight dancing off his Uncle's armor, "I don't know what you intend to do with him- you haven't deigned to inform us, but it isn't safe is it?"

Slowly he turned to look at the sorceress, and he could tell Vesemir's words rang true. Dominik had thought little about what his adopted mother intended to do, trusting that whatever it was, that it would be the best possible option, and the quickest. He considered himself to be an expert on curses, he had lifted plenty of them during his years on the road, however as Vesemir said, he never saw a curse quite like Uma's. He also knew that it was casted with powerful magic, and no matter how powerful his powers as a carrier were, he had no idea how to even go about beginning to lift it, he had no idea about any of the suggestions Ida gave to his adopted mother.

So biting his lip he looked and saw Geralt urging him to continue keeping quiet, so he sighed and pursed his lips together as his Uncle slowly shook his head.

"As I thought. Which is why I think we should first try another, less invasive method," His Uncle said in a steady tone, crossing his arms and looking at them all.

"You know I respect your methods Uncle Vesemir,,," He spoke up quickly, feeling the worry boil over inside of him, "But the clock is ticking... the longer we wait… the longer Ciri's out there, or well…"

His gaze slowly turned over to Uma, as the idea started to creep up inside his head again. It made his skin crawl, the idea that for the last week as they rode Ciri was sputtering and suffering inside of Uma's body. If it had been her the curse had overtaken, and it happened because he hadn't stayed in Novigrad to protect her… he didn't know if he could forgive himself. Quickly he erased the thought from his head, ever since Skellige, since he talked to Crach, he had been trying to forget the mistakes he couldn't control anymore. No matter how much he wished he could go back and change what happen, make himself stay in Novigrad he couldn't. Now however, he had the chance to make all of his past failures insignificant, all of it would be insignificant when he found her.

With a sigh his Uncle turned and looked down to him, and he could see the elderly witchers yellow eyes soften, "I understand your urgency child, but I only ask for one night. If my method doesn't work, I'll return and we can try it Yennefer's way."

Biting his lip again he slowly nodded, feeling his chest begin to thump faster. After so many years of waiting, so many lonely nights, he assumed that one more wouldn't kill him. He was prepared to wait the night before, but the anxiousness and apprehension was continuing to eat at him. His fingers slowly began to twitch and he closed his hands into fists to stop them, before slowly reaching and fiddling with the swallow around his neck.

"Alright… so what is this method Vesemir," Geralt said from above him, looking over to the eldest witcher.

Vesemir nodded again and looked to them, "I will leave with Uma now, and take him into the mountains-."

"What then," Yennefer quickly snapped, "Will you howl at the moon together!?"

"A bit more respect from you," Lambert shot back out towards her from behind him, "You aren't talking to Geralt…"

His skin crawled again as he could feel Eskel and Lambert both baring their eyes onto the situation. The last thing he wanted was another screaming match to break out, and for him to be in the middle of his adopted parents and of the witchers, so he felt his knee bounce anxiously as he didn't stop fiddling with the silver around his neck. Slowly he craned his head to Uma, and still couldn't believe that all of their chances on finding Ciri relied on the cursed little man. If he trusted anyone to have some other secret method to which they could lift the curse, it would be his Uncle Vesemir, as he knew his Uncle had lifted hundreds of curses, and if he thought he could have something that could help, or even figure out more about Uma, then Dominik trusted him.

He looked down at the swallow, and a small smile came to his face when he could picture her in his brain. Back when he was in Novigrad, he still carried the drawing that Emhyr's spies had given him at the very beginning of their journey, but he had ripped it up before he left. After seeing how she looked now from Dudu, he knew that he would never forget, he hadn't needed it anymore. And in that moment he could see her, her beautiful face, her high cheekbones, smaller nose, her hair still tied in a loose bun… and her eyes, which had always been his favorite feature of her. And soon he would be able to gaze into those eyes again and get lost in them for hours like he used too.

"No, we will not howl at the moon," Vesemir quickly said with a tinge of bitterness in his voice, "I'll lay him down on a gravestone. Come midnight, I'll give him tea made of hemlock leaves from… well I don't see that I need to explain this to you…"

His adopted mother rolled her eyes and huffed again, "In my opinion-."

"I know your opinion and I'm not asking anyone's permission. I'm saying what will happen," His Uncle snapped quickly again, looking down to Uma now, "I'll be back at dawn. With Uma… or whoever hides inside him."

He watched and his mouth dropped when he saw Vesemir quickly clap his hands together, and like a trained dog, Uma leaped up the bench and went to follow the elderly witcher towards the exit to the keep. In the whole week he had traveled with the cursed little man he hadn't gotten been able to keep his attention for more than a few seconds, but it seemed a few hours with his Uncle could get even cursed men to straighten up. He let out a shaky sigh and looked up to Geralt who was still standing with his arms crossed, and he could also hear Yennefer huffing next to him.

Vesemir's words rang in his head, _'With Uma… or whoever hides inside him'. _He wanted nothing more then for his Uncle to walk back into the keep with Ciri in tow. It would have saved them all so much time, and certainly would be the safest method. However, even if it had worked, there was no telling the damage the curse would have done to Ciri's body, so a large part of him hoped his Uncle didn't come back with her. If someone came back with his Uncle, they had to be the ones that could tell them where she was, and in that moment she was all he could think about, as he could feel his hands continue to twitch with anxiousness, as the thought that he truly was so close to seeing her again was beginning to finally set in.

For years he had hoped for this, for this moment, to finally be so close to getting to her, to have her right at his fingertips. Finally, being at that moment however, he couldn't help but feel the anxiousness rise, as all the erratic questions began to flood his mind at once. How would she react when she saw him? Had she truly thought of him as much as he thought of her since they had last been together? Did she still like all of the same things she had when she was younger? Would she even remember some of the dates they had gone on, some of the smaller memories they made? Did she still love him as much as she did back then?

Biting his lip again he felt the swallow tremble, he knew they were all ridiculous questions, but they kept floating around his mind as he knew that they'd all be answered soon. He felt nervousness build up inside of him again, after they had reunited, how did you even begin a conversation with someone who you loved so much after not seeing them for eight years? What would be an appropriate first thing to even ask or speak about? Would he ask her about what she had done the previous eight years? Geralt had told him small bits and pieces, but even his adopted father didn't know every detail, considering he only saw Ciri for a short time before the rescue at Stygga Castle, and the riots at Rivia. No, he couldn't ask her that, he couldn't bombard her with questions about what she had done as soon as she returned, he knew it would be hard for her, and she'd tell him when she was ready. Would he tell her about what he himself had done? How would he even go about starting a conversation like that? Would he start all the way at his first contract when he was sixteen, or just what happened after Rivia? How would he even begin to explain what happened with Freya, telling her about the one time he had ever been unfaithful to her, and how angry would she be when she found out?

"Well we have the evening off now… what do we wanna do with it," Geralt said, pulling him quickly out of his thoughts as his head whirled around.

Vesemir had left the hall, and he turned himself around to lean his slightly shaking limbs onto the table across from Eskel and Lambert. The cold draft that blew through the keep felt particularly cold as he could feel goosebumps run up his arms. The thoughts and anxiousness built up inside him and he yearned for a way to simply clear his head. He fiddled with the swallow as Eskel quickly spoke up from across him.

"Well… Vesemir mentioned some roof beams in the tower need replacing. Maybe we could see to that?" Eskel asked them all, placing his mug back onto the table.

The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was dirty his armor and sweat more doing manual labor after the few weeks that he had. It appeared that everyone else shared his sentiment as well, because Lambert, Yennefer and Geralt all stared at his old mentor, and Eskel finally sighed picking up his mug again.

"Or… we could have a drink," His old mentor suggested, down the rest of whatever had been in his cup.

Lambert scoffed and did the same, "Sounds better than the beams!"

"Wouldn't mind a shot or two myself," His adopted father said from above him, before he slowly craned his head down to him, "How about it? You're finally old enough."

He scoffed and a small smile came to his face as he looked around at the witchers. So many times when they were younger Ciri and he dreamed of moments like that one, sitting around, drinking and enjoying themselves with their witcher family. He wouldn't get to experience it for the first time with her at his side, but he was happy to do it nonetheless. And a couple mugs of vodka and ale sounded like exactly what he needed, something to just take his mind of things for the moment. He also couldn't remember the last time he had gotten properly drunk, he never liked to do it by himself, and in the previous few weeks he hadn't wanted to dull his senses.

However, with what he had gone through, he wanted all of his senses to be dulled by the end of the night.

"Ha, you kidding I've been waiting for this for eight years," He said, reaching over and picking up one of the empty mugs on the table, "And after the last few weeks I had, I fucking deserve more than a few."

Lambert scoffed and slid the bottle of vodka over to him, "Ohh… big words from you little Dom. You sure you'll be able to hold your liquor with the rest of us?"

Scoffing he took the bottle of vodka and without even pouring it into his mug held it up to his mouth and downed a good amount of it, before slamming it back onto the table and sliding it back to Lambert, who whistled appreciatively.

"You're about to fucking find out…" Dominik said, a small smile appearing on his face.

Eskel smirked at him, and Lambert laughed again, pouring more vodka into his mug.

"And what about mommy," Lambert asked, looking over to Yennefer, "Does mother dear approve of her darling son getting piss drunk with us witchers?"

He turned to his adopted mother next to him and shot her a pleading gaze. The sorceress huffed with slight annoyance but looked over to him with a small smile. Yennefer like Geralt he knew would always let him make his own decisions and be there for him no matter what. And in that particular moment, Dominik wanted to get drunker than he had in practically his entire life. Thankfully both she and Geralt didn't seem to mind, because Dominik could see his adopted father smirking down at him.

The sorceress let out a sigh and stood from the bench, "He's a big boy, he can do what he pleases. I'd be delighted to join you all but first… Geralt, the two of us must speak."

Turning around he could see the look his adopted mother was giving Geralt and right away he felt his chest thump as he widened his eyes. Quickly he shuddered and whirled when he saw the smirk appear on his adopted father's face he sighed out in annoyance and grabbed another bottle of vodka and started pouring more into his mug. The last thing he wanted to think about that night was his adopted parents fucking, and it occurred to him in that moment just how thirsty he was, as he lifted his mug to his mouth again and drank more.

"Oo, sounds serious," Eskel said sarcastically across from him, looking to Lambert and Dominik both, "Come on Dom, why don't you tell me and Lambert about more of those contracts you've been on…. See you later Geralt."

"Gladly…." He said, turning around away from his adopted parents, and he could hear Geralt lightly chuckle before the sound of he and Yennefer's boots got further away.

He took another drink and the cool alcohol pleasantly slid down his throat, making him shudder even more as the draft blew through him again. He of course was happy for both his adopted parents, happy their love for each other was solidified and they were together again, but them going to make love wasn't something he wanted on his mind, it was something that always made him slightly uncomfortable. Any person he believed would feel uncomfortable at the thought of their parents making love, however Dominik also wasn't very well versed in that part of his life, so he didn't like thinking about it too much. The topic normally made his skin tingle, his heart flutter, and make him think of Ciri. They had discussed the topic of sex a few times after they had turned fourteen, and while they both obviously thought themselves too young at the time, they had just both automatically assumed since they loved each other, their first times would be with the other. That was what he always thought as he got older on the Path by himself, that he was waiting until he found her, and if she still wanted too, his first time would be with her, both their first times would be with one another.

While he was on the Path alone however and he grew older, developed more, he discovered that it also meant his hormones kept hitting him hard as well. There had been more then a few woman who had shown interest in him, and a good amount who had offered to sleep with him, be his first time, whether it was because they were infatuated with him, or as a form of reward for saving them. He had small moments of infatuation as well, however other then a few kisses on the cheek and pecks on the lips, he managed to stop himself from ever acting on any of these impulses… with the one exception being Freya. Freya and he had never had sex, however on a few occasions they had come close. They had spent multiple romantic evenings together, there had been a few times his shirt came off, hers did, or he ended up with love marks on his neck. At the moment he had finally felt the emptiness slowly begin to fill when he was with her.

However, it hadn't been as real as he thought. To that day he still cared deeply for Freya, she was one of his best-friends, a member of his hansa, and someone who he would fight any enemy for, or help her with anything she needed. He had used her however, only used her to stave off the panging, the pain from losing Ciri. There would be multiple nights where he spent time with Freya, but his thoughts would be on Ciri, he'd have dreams of he and Ciri in the exact same scenario as he and Freya had been in…. and when the opportunity finally came to lose his virginity, to give someone his first time, he couldn't do it. Freya had been unclothed in front of him, he wore nothing but his white undergarments. She had tried to reach for the hem of them, to pull them down, but she must have been able to sense his apprehension, because she stopped, gently smiled at him and said, _"when you're ready'. _After this they had kissed more and fell asleep. And the next morning was when he finally muttered Ciri's name, and he realized that nobody would ever replace her… and a week later was when he tried to leave, and for years after that he carried the guilt for how he had betrayed Ciri, and how he used and lied to Freya. He was thankful she had forgiven him in Novigrad… but it also made him realize that he would never want anyone other then Ciri again.

After this for the next few years until that point, a few more women had tried to offer him the same, offer to sleep with him again. However, he had fervently denied them, remembering what happened with Freya. Ciri was all he wanted, and he knew that better then ever in that moment. He could only hope she would somehow forgive him… forgive him for letting himself give into the loneliness, the pain, the loss. She was the only woman he'd ever want again, and if she told him that she didn't want him anymore… then he was ready to accept the fact he'd die without having ever slept with a woman. The thoughts continued to swirl in his mind as he sighed again, downing the entire mug of vodka in front of him.

"Woah, woah easy there kid, save some for later," Lambert teased across from him, as Dominik saw the smirk on his face when he slammed his mug down.

Eskel chuckled lightly, "He's got a point, gonna be plenty of it tonight…. You alright?"

"Fine," He said, wiping his mouth with his glove, "It's just been a well…. VERY long few weeks, and I'm prepared to get as drunk as I possibly fucking can."

Lambert laughed again and drank from his own mug, "Ha, finally you're talking my language kid. Before you get completely ass-blasted though, why don't you tell us what you've been up too. Last I saw you, you were walking out in a huff, whining 'I won't come back until I have Ciri'."

He rolled his eyes as he realized the witcher was doing his best impression. Picking up his mug again, Dominik poured himself ale this time and quickly took another long drink. He was about to snap back at Lambert, but thankfully Eskel had his back.

"Lambert… we don't joke about that," His old mentor said firmly, before turning back to Dominik, "He does got a good point though Dom. Tell us what you got up too after you found Geralt again, how's the search been."

One more loud scoff left him as he down more ale. For weeks he had been saying he'd need to be sufficiently drunk to tell the story. The last month with his adopted father all started rushing through his mind, from Alayna in Claywitch, to Skjall in Skellige, it all played rapidly in his mind at that moment as he sat across from his old trainers. A small smile came to his face as he sighed bringing the mug back to the table and met both Lambert and Eskel's eyes.

"Ha, for weeks I've been saying I need to get drunk to tell it all," He said, remembering all the way back to when it started, "Well, I was in Tretogor, just finished a contract on a basilisk. I was at a bar, drinking away the crowns I made, when this old man comes running into the bar, screaming how his village was being terrorized, people were dying, drained of their blood. Nobody took him seriously, some bouncers were roughing him up and trying to kick him out, and well… I couldn't sit by."

"Wow look at you, seems you inherited Geralt's sense or right and wrong," Lambert said sarcastically, pouring more vodka in his mug.

"Inherited a lot from him and Yennefer both, one of those things was stubbornness," He started, rolling his eyes at the witchers sarcasm, "I saved him, walked outside with him. Asked me to come save his village and well… couldn't turn him down. Turns out… the thing killing all the villagers was an Alp."

"An Alp? Damn, tough bitches to take down those are… how'd you manage," Eskel asked him, his scarred face meeting his gaze.

Scoffing he slowly shook his head, "Wasn't easy, would be dead if not for Yennefer actually…. Had no idea that one contract would change everything for me…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"An Ice Giant, with just a silver dagger? Absolutely no fucking way," Lambert said with a scoff, downing more of his ale.

He scoffed and drained the rest of his glass, feeling a buzzing in his head, "Believe it or don't believe it, but it fucking happened. Thing was huge, nearly smashed me to bits. My friend Faram, that Bear School witcher basically arm wrestled the fucker before I took it down."

"School of the Bear does that," Eskel said, pouring himself more vodka, "I met a Bear witcher one-time, biggest fucker I've ever seen."

"Ha, and if you wanna see someone put back a few Faram's your witcher," He told his two mentors, letting out a large sigh as he could feel the alcohol stirring in his liver.

For the last hour he had been telling Eskel and Lambert about their journey to find Ciri, telling them everything Geralt and he had done since they found each other in White Orchard. He started with their first trip to Vizima, and arriving in Velen, and ended it all the way in Skellige, and heading back to Crow's Perch to find Uma. After that he had downed about five mugs of ale, and he still regrettably didn't feel himself drunk enough. Talking about all the memories over again, reliving them in his mind, just brought all the stress of the situation back, and he currently wanted all of it to go away, so he downed and finished his sixth mug full of ale, and just finally started to feel his head buzzing.

"God damn kid you gotta breathe between shots you know," Lambert joked, leaning down on his elbow as he met his eyes, "So tell us more about some of these people you met, any good looking women in the batch?"

Shuddering he let out a breath as he went to pour himself vodka in the next time. At hearing Lambert's question his mind went to Freya, and where she could possibly be. When they had stopped by Ellander and spoken to Eustace, Freya's old mentor had said they missed her by a few days, so Dominik had assumed she was on her way to Kaer Morhen. She hadn't arrived yet, so he hoped that she was alright. He quickly pushed the thought from his mind when he remembered how she fought back in Novigrad; it would take more then a few wolves on the road to kill Freya Kaminski of Ellander.

Scoffing he rolled his eyes at Lambert, "A few, one of them is actually coming here. My friend Freya, met up with her in Novigrad. Wanted to help us beat back the Hunt when they come. She's pretty good with a sword, Geralt and me sent her here to train."

Lambert scoffed and pointed to him, a smirk on his face, "Well I graciously offer to train her personally."

"Do that and I'll show you just how good I've gotten over the years," He threatened, his head going back to the vodka as he lifted to drink more.

Scoffing his old trainer met his eyes, "Oo, a bit sensitive about her? I can see that look in your eye…. Haha so you grew a pair, so tell us how was she?"

"Lambert," Eskel snapped quickly before Dominik could, as he turned to the witcher, "Not appropriate right now. He don't got to tell us a thing."

He felt his skin crawl as shame began to wash over him again. He genuinely cared about Freya, she was one of his best-friends and he was glad that he had met her and got to spend time with her. But the thought that he had been unfaithful to Ciri ripped through his mind. How could he have betrayed her like that? How could he have laid in bed with another woman besides her? Freya was beautiful, sweet, kind, and any man would have been lucky to be with her, but he had someone else, he was in love with someone else when he laid in bed half naked kissing her while he didn't truly love her, how could he have done that to Freya and Ciri both!? He was finally so close to finding Ciri, and this was something he had to explain to her soon, along with all the other things he'd had to do, but the thing he was scared most to tell was how he'd been unfaithful, sex or no sex he had been with another woman, and he didn't know if Ciri would be heartbroken, or if she'd be angry with him.

In the moment the loneliness had finally gotten to him, and he had been so weak that he gave into it, and used Freya's love, and betrayed the woman he cared about and loved more then anyone in the world. And while Freya was still important to him, Ciri meant more to him then anyone, and he had been unfaithful to her, betrayed her, he promised to never let her go and he had. He shuddered from a cold draft and downed the entire mug of vodka he had, before reaching and grabbing another one.

"I was with her for a few months…. Spent some nights with her, never… sealed the deal though," Dominik said, feeling his voice begin to slur as he poured more.

Scoffing Lambert shook his head, "Should have expected that. To be honest I thought we'd eventually find you and Ciri fucking somewhere in here."

"We were fucking thirteen Lambert," He quickly hissed back at his old trainer, finally filling his mug up again.

"Ha, I know that, but some of the times we caught you two? For fucks sake I thought you'd both be going at it eventually. Right Eskel," Lambert said, turning over to the other witcher.

Eskel rolled his eyes, "Lambert quit being a prick. But… I will admit, we did catch the two of you in some pretty well… intimate moments."

"And you never tried to stop us so it's your fault," Dominik slurred to them both, feeling his heart begin to beat up in his chest.

He had heard from Geralt that multiple times he, Eskel and Lambert had caught he and Ciri when they thought the witchers weren't around. They had never interrupted them because according to Geralt, the witchers could see the connection, and decided to let them just grow up and not try to stop their fledgling relationship. Thinking about how they used to run around the fortress when they were younger did little to make the anxiousness of seeing her soon go away. Letting out another shaky breath he drank more, feeling his head continue to buzz, as the blood ran at an alarming pace through his chest. Would Ciri remember all the times they snuck off to kiss, cuddle and hold one another at the keep? Would she want to do anything like that again? He hadn't kissed a woman, really intentionally kissed a woman since Freya five years prior, a few women gave him pecks on the cheek, but he hadn't kissed any himself, not wanting to ever be unfaithful to Ciri again, but it still didn't erase the shaking feeling in his gut, as he felt the buzz continue to overtake him.

Lambert scoffed in front of him, "Well, well, well, speaking of lovebirds, look who decided to finally join us?"

Whirling around, Dominik almost felt himself fly off the bench backwards as he heard the footsteps pinging in his head. Geralt and Yennefer had both come back, and he could see the satisfied smiles on their faces. Normally it would have made him scoff and his skin crawl but seeing the obviously satisfied looks on their faces only made his heart fall. He wanted to feel like they obviously felt, they had just had a romantic evening together, enjoyed each other's company and obviously had done more than just sit and talk in their rooms. Dominik wanted that as well, but would Ciri even want to? Would she want to kiss him anymore, or had he gotten too ugly over the years, would his scars turn him off to her, would she even want to be in the same bed as him?

Sniffling again he belched and scoffed at his adopted parents with a smile, "G…Geralt, Yen… I… I am SO happy that you two love each other."

Geralt looked at him with an amused look and sat on one side of him, "Thanks Dom… so how are you feeling?"

"HA," He laughed, slowly shaking his head, feeling it begin to buzz again, giving his adopted father the best fake smile he could, "I feel, AWESOME. I feel GREAT, I am going to see my girlfriend soon, my girlfriend I haven't seen in eight fucking years…."

The thought washed over him again, he hadn't seen Ciri in eight years, what guarantee was there that she still liked him!? Would she even still want to be his girlfriend anymore, he hadn't been faithful to her, he still hadn't grown a beard, and he had taken so long to find her! Slowly he shook his head, letting out a long shaky sigh as the draft came over him again, sending goosebumps up his arms under his armor that felt much heavier then it normally did. He picked up the mug and downed the rest of the vodka in front of him. Yennefer came and sat down next to him, and his adopted mother's lilac and gooseberry scent pleasantly hit his nose as he poured himself more vodka from the bottle, blinking rapidly as his head swirled.

He saw his adopted mother gently take a mug in her hands and pour spirit from a bottle in front of her as she narrowed her violet eyes at him.

"Dominik… how many mugs have you had exactly," She slowly asked him, her eyes not leaving him.

"Not enough…." He said slowly, taking the first drink out of what he counted as his ninth mug full.

Lambert scoffed from across him, "HA, kids been knocking them back the whole time. What's he at Eskel? Seven, eight?"

"Nine… pretty damn impressive," His old mentor said, drinking from his own cup with a smirk on his scarred face.

Geralt whistled appreciatively from his right, "Damn Dom, you weren't lying when you said you could hold it back."

He felt his skin crawl as he let out a shaky sigh, drinking even more of the vodka in his mug, the liquid burning his throat again. The truth of the matter was he could continue at that pace all night and he still wasn't sure if it would have been enough for him. For so many weeks, so many years he had been angry, regretful, impatient, anxious, nearly every emotion he could think of. All of it was to finally find Ciri, and the next day one way or another he'd be out on his way to get her, and he felt he fucking deserved to be as drunk as he possibly could, trying to make all the unpleasant memories go away.

Would Ciri want to drink with him, or even be in the same room as him when she learned he was unfaithful, or hadn't spent every second he could looking for her? He of course had been looking for her to make sure she was safe, but he also wanted his girlfriend back. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, make love to her, everything, all because he loved her, loved her more then he could possibly fucking describe. As he sat between is adopted parents he could see the dark love marks on his adopted father's neck and imagined what it would have been like having Ciri leave one on his neck, and he shuddered pleasantly at the thought. It had happened with Freya, and while he enjoyed it at the time, he slowly shook his head and bit his lip, taking a large gulp from his mug as he remembered again how unfaithful he'd been.

"Dominik… son… perhaps maybe…" Yennefer said slowly from his left, looking between all the witchers and then back to him, "Maybe… you should slow down. Make that last-."

"Hey, I DESERVE this okay," He felt himself snapping, sniffling as he felt his head begin to spin again, looking around to them all, "I… I killed a LOT of monsters, and a LOT of people, I… I… I killed a Katakan, with nothing but a fucking silver butter knife! Tell them Geralt!"

"That he did, he did kill it with a silver butter knife," Geralt said from next to him, an amused tone in his adopted father's voice as he looked over to him.

He quickly nodded and felt himself bring the mug to his lips and pour it back so quickly the vodka went up into his nose and he began to cough. All around him he could see Lambert, Eskel and Geralt smirking, while his adopted mother on his left simply sighed and rolled her eyes. For a few moments there was silence as he remembered the Katakan vividly. The thing tried to tell him he was a pretend witcher, and he had showed him what kind of witcher he was after he stabbed it and burned its fucking face off. He gripped tightly around the mug handle, would Ciri have been impressed with that? Or did she find another, more handsome witcher while she was traveling? One that was taller, faster, mutated and again much, much more handsome then he was. Or what if she had met some sorcerer that could turn water into wine and silver into gold, or a knight that was huge with muscles that could squeeze his head!?

"Uh… Yen, we don't have any glasses," Eskel said from across the table, "You okay drinking from a mug?"

His adopted mother scoffed, "I could drink from an old boot tonight…."

"You can say that again mom!" Dominik said, holding his mug up for a second, before downing himself another gulp of vodka.

Rolling her eyes, he watched as his adopted mother took a long gulp of the spirit and look between them all. The cold draft continued to make him shake, but with every drink he took he could feel heat run through his body again. The drinks made him feel warmer, but he more he drank the more he felt his head begin to whirl. Had Ciri gotten drunk over the years she hadn't seen him? The first time he had ever drank was after he turned eighteen, he'd never forget after the Battle of Brenna when the Free Company, had cracked open cases of mead and he proceeded to end up passed out by the fire that first night. The battle had been horrible, and still ranked as one of the worst experiences of his life. Getting to meet Shani was good, he had a new friend, but everything else he wished he could erase from his memory. Shani had tried to sleep with him, but being so soon after what happened with Freya, he had turned her down quickly, yet the two of them still parted on good terms.

The reason he had even gone and fought was because he thought that he could find Ciri…but he hadn't. He had fought in a war to find her, would he tell her about that, or if he did would it sound too much like bragging? He still had no idea how he'd even begin the conversation with her, let alone bring up topics like the Battle of Brenna. All he had done the last eight years had been in someway to try and find her, constantly trying to find her, and after so long he would finally be on his way to get to her. He had wanted to talk to her for so long, but the thought of talking to her in that moment sent more tingles down his spine.

He couldn't believe how fucking inconsiderate Eredin and the Wild Hunt were going to be, not even giving him a moment to talk to Ciri before they tried to murder them both.

"Urgh, well now that you've gotten my son sufficiently drunk, instead of getting crocked in deep glum, we could perhaps do some catching up," Yennefer said from next to him, bringing her mug to the table.

"Hey! I've gotten MYSELF sufficiently drunk for your information," He said to his adopted mother, "And you know what it's still not sufficient enough for me!"

Everyone at the table seemed to ignore him, which made him feel slightly irritated, but he got over it when he poured more vodka down his throat.

Geralt nodded from his right and looked over to Eskel, "So Eskel, that Katakan we cut up, how'd you end up nabbing him?"

Lambert whistled appreciatively, "A Katakan? Oh-ho-ho, dangerous whoresons those. Apparently not for our mighty witcher here who fights them with butter knives though."

"HEY," Dominik slurred when Lambert looked at him, "That butter knife has served me loyally! Eskel, how'd you get the son of a bitch?"

Eskel chuckled and looked between them all, "Ha, finicky specimen it was. Only went for women of the upper class."

"Like me," Lambert said with a smirk.

Yennefer scoffed from his left, "We've no interest in your fantasies, Lambert. Whereas the vampire… even I'm curious how you managed."

"I fought one in Ban Ard once," Dominik said with a shudder, feeling his skin crawl at the memory, "Only went after beggars, had to disguise as one and live under a bridge for a week before I could lure it out…"

"Had to do something similar," Eskel said with a nod, "My client threw a masquerade ball for the cities notables- to lure out the vampire. I was there too, in disguise, Lemme tell you, never had so much success with the ladies as I did that night."

"See that Dom," Lambert said, turning his head to him, "If Eskel can have some luck with that face of his, there's hope for you yet!"

"Hey FUCK you Lambert," Dominik said, feeling his gut begin to swirl as he belched again and pointed to the witcher, "I have had TONS of women want to sleep with me, Freya, Keira, Val… uh… this one princess in Aedirn… fuck what was her name…"

"Enough," Yennefer quickly said from his left, glaring at Lambert and him both, "The last thing I want to hear is about the 'almost' sexual exploits of my son, go on Eskel."

Geralt laughed from his right, and only seemed to laugh more when Dominik shot him a glare. Rolling his eyes, he picked up and finished the rest of what was in his mug. He slowly tried to reach across the table for another bottle, but his adopted mother quickly shot him a glare and he rolled his eyes, retracting his hand. He'd simply wait until she went to bed, then he'd have more, because he still didn't feel drunk enough.

Eskel smirked over at him and went on, "So I'd made a deal with this young alchemist. She really loaded up- fisstech, vodka, magic mushrooms. Went out into the garden, vampire found her and drank his fill. Fight was an afterthought."

"Hm… a fairy tale on gluttony for modern times," Yennefer said from next to him, drinking more of her spirit.

"Alchemist come out of it alright," Geralt asked from the right of him, and Dominik nearly jumped, forgetting his adopted father was there for a moment.

Eskel nodded, "Fine. Lost a bit of blood, I suppose. Hangover was the worst part. She drank nothing but pickle juice for the next month."

A small part of him was worried about the hangover he'd have the next day, what with the fact he would finally be on his way to get Ciri. However, Clop would steer him in the right direction. Sometimes during the previous two years since he found his loyal mount, he simply let Clop pick the direction they traveled in. When he didn't have a lead to follow, or a certain place he wanted to go, sometimes he'd simply instruct his loyal white stallion to pick a direction and ride, and wherever he ended up was where he ended up. So, wherever they discovered Ciri was, he was confident Clop could get him there, especially with Geralt going with him.

Had Ciri named any new horses she had Kelpie or Clop? Had she gotten any better at riding? Would she still want to have races with him, spar with him, cuddle around a fire with him while sitting in his lap? Soon he'd find out, soon he'd talk to her again, get to tell her all the things he wanted to tell her. However, the thought of it made his stomach whirl, why was he so apprehensive? Ciri loved him, he had to be sure she did… but did she still want to be his girlfriend? Would she want to kiss, hug, and eventually have sex and be together like he did? Or did she find someone else she like more, and wanted to be with them instead? Shuddering he wanted to reach over for another bottle but could see Yennefer staring at him.

"What about you Lambert," Geralt said from his right, looking over to the sarcastic witcher that Dominik both hated and loved, "Last I talked to you, you were heading out west."

Lambert quickly nodded, leaning forward on the table, "Uh yeah. Contract in Lan Exeter. Not to boast, but a pretty lucrative one."

"Yeah, in Kovir's where the gold's to be made," Eskel quickly commented from across him, "Know how much they pay for a drowner?"

Dominik shuddered remembering how cold Kovir had been, "Did a job up in Kovir a few years back. A Baron, a masquerade ball, tribe of skin changers, lot of fun up there…"

"Shush up kid you'll get your turn," Lambert said with a smirk, looking around at them all again, "So this giant was giving them trouble. Attacking convoys, dropping folk off into the swamps-."

"And relieving itself on the highway, rendering it dreadfully slippery," Yennefer quickly cut in, "You've built up enough suspense get to the point!"

"Fine…" Lambert said with an eye roll, "Turned out it wasn't a giant, just a fat forest troll. And a group of bandits were ambushing the convoys."

"What did you do," Geralt asked from next to him, and Dominik jumped again as he forgot his adopted father had been next to him again as his head continued to buzz more and more.

"Killed the bandits to keep the roads safe," Lambert said, as if the task had been no problem at all, "Then I killed the troll. Needed it's head to uh, collect the bounty."

"Pragmatic as ever…" Geralt said next to him, and Dominik was beginning to think his adopted father was scaring him on purpose because he nearly leapt out of his skin again.

"You could stand to show some of Lambert's expediency," Yennefer chastised from next to him, as the word expediency made Dominik's head hurt before his adopted mother continued, "Put ideals like justice for trolls aside, keep yourself out of poverty instead."

He had been far from rich over his last eight years, but he somehow managed to not go hungry most nights. Using the same sword for eight years had given him the opportunity to save a decent amount of money, and he considered himself to be good at saving it. But if he was going to travel around and be with Ciri, would he need more? He wanted to buy her all sorts of things, anything she wanted, he'd buy her a cow or a chicken for all he cared, as long as it made her smile. He would see her smile again soon… but would she even smile when she saw him? What if she was smiling but was smiling just because she saw Geralt and not him!?

His head continued to buzz harder and started to pound, as finally he ignored his adopted mother's glares and reached for a bottle of spirit, pouring the clear liquid into his mug for what was his… eleventh… tenth mug? He had lost count, and quite frankly he didn't care, all he wanted to do was drink more to somehow make himself feel better, and it had been slightly working so far, as he could feel the tingling continue to spread through his body. His heart raced a mile a minute, he'd get to see Ciri soon! Finally, after so long he'd see her again, see his girlfriend… but could he even call her his girlfriend, did she still consider herself his girlfriend, did she still think of him as her boyfriend!? Wanting the thoughts to leave his mind he downed a good amount of spirit as Lambert smirked across from him.

"Knew the sorceress would see it my way," He said, before turning over to Dominik, his old trainer smirked and spoke in a sarcastic tone, "Alright kid your turn. Tell us what you've been up to, youngest witcher to ever travel the Path, and even did it without being a mutant, the famous son of Geralt of Rivia!"

"My greatest accomplishment," He said just as sarcastically holding up his mug before downing more of the spirit.

Geralt managed a laugh from next to him, and he even saw Yennefer smirk as they all drank again. He slowly let out a shaky breath as he lowered his mug, feeling his mind race and pound at the same time. He rubbed his gloved hand over his chin and bit his lip, before Eskel spoke up from across him.

"Told me a few things on the way back," Eskel said, meeting his eyes, "But only about what you've been doing since you met up with Geralt. What about before that? How long did you go those years ago before you had to take your first contract?"

"Yeah, you never even told me about that," Geralt said from next to him, looking down to meet his eyes, "Lambert meant it as a joke, but being on the Path at sixteen and surviving for so long is incredible… really proud that you managed to do it."

"He's right Dominik," Yennefer quickly said from his left, and he turned as his adopted mother continued, "Did you take on any contracts before I saw you and we cured the Striga when you were sixteen?"

Sighing he could feel his skin begin to crawl as he did indeed remember the contract vividly. He could remember how cold and hungry he'd been, it was a few weeks into the winter, and the little coin he had was running out. It was a miserable time for him, and he had been miserable for so long. It would all change soon however when he found Ciri! That was however if she could forgive how awful of a boyfriend he'd been the previous eight years. What kind of boyfriend doesn't see his girlfriend for eight fucking years!? And let's multiple men try to rape her and do nothing!? And then on top of all of that, almost has sex with another woman!? He had been the worst boyfriend in the world, or several worlds in Ciri's case, he almost wouldn't be able to blame her if she left him for someone taller and more handsome then him.

He lifted up the mug of spirit and downed half of what was left, and slammed the mug back against the counter, looking at his adopted parents along with Eskel and Lambert staring at him. Letting out a long breath he bit his lip hard before he looked back to his adopted mother first.

"Yeah, it was… a few weeks after I split off from Geralt…" He said, feeling the guilt overtake him as he looked over at his adopted father, "I was freezing, almost out of coin, just stumbled into a village in eastern Temaria. Used the last of my coin to get a room for a few days, needed to do something, so I did what I always saw Geralt do at a new village… went to the towns notice board…"

"Just like a proper little witcher, taught you well we did," Lambert said in an amused tone drinking more vodka.

"Shut up Lambert," Geralt shouted with an eye roll from his right, looking down to meet his adopted son's eyes, "So, what did you find?"

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "Let me tell you some of those notices were ridiculous. But I did find one that said a ghost was haunting a nearby farm, said it killed three men, bodies pale and ripped to shreds."

"Noonwraith? Vengeful spirit? How'd you handle it," Geralt asked from his right, looking down and meeting his eyes.

"Ended up being a Noonwraith yeah," Dominik explained, feeling his throat burn and his head continue to buzz, "Turns out the ealdorman had been cheating on his wife, a few weeks before the wedding. Wife confronted him about it, they argued… ealdorman shoved her against the wall, knocked her clean unconscious. He thought she was dead so went and buried her out in a field… turns out she wasn't, suffocated and died right there in the dirt…"

He shuddered as he remembered the specter. It had a large bash in the side of its head and dried blood was marred to its side, and his at the time sixteen-year-old self-had been extremely ill prepared and he knew that if he looked hard enough he would still carry the scar somewhere on his back from the fight. A small part of him felt therapeutic, sitting there and telling the stories of contracts he had been on, he hadn't thought about that Noonwraith in years, and he was glad of it. He had seen some horrible things over the previous years, and that first contract had been one of them. Maybe when he talked to Ciri, he could start with a contract story? Would she even be interested, or want to hear his stories? Or had she found an older, much more handsome witcher to tell her stories?

Just like that ealdorman Dominik had been unfaithful to the woman he loved. Scoffing and shuddering he downed more of the spirit, finally emptying the cup he had been on.

"Well, well, noonwraiths are tricky, even with Yrden, or a silver sword," Eskel commented, "How'd you end up killing it?"

He slowly shook his head, "Manage to scrap together what I needed for moondust and specter oil. Problem was the ealdorman though, bastard tried to lie and told me some bullshit story about his wife being mauled by wolves. Gave me an old bracelet of hers to burn, managed to kill the thing that night, thought it was all done. Got my reward and thought I was fine. But then the next night… another body washed up near the fields, so I went back to the fucker."

Yennefer scoffed from his left, "I'm assuming you weren't very happy? You did seem to inherit both Geralt and I's temper."

"You're damn right I was pissed," He said, feeling his head continue to buzz as his words began to slur more, "Got the bastard to tell me the full story. Turns out he had kept her wedding band before he buried her. So, I took the ring, burned it, had to kill the wraith again. Ealdorman gave me a bit extra to keep my mouth shut about the situation, fucker deserved to be punished. Didn't want to take it but… well I was starving, and he gave me enough to set me up for a while…."

The cold draft only seemed to get even colder as he bit his lip and looked around the table. He had been so young, so hungry, so cold, he regretted to that day that he let the ealdorman get away with what he did. The man hadn't even been remorseful, and only gave Dominik the ring to burn when he lied and said the spirit would soon come after the man himself. The crowns had lasted him for another month, but it didn't erase the guilt he had felt. What would Ciri have thought of his actions? What would she think of all the things he had to do the last eight years when he told her? She would more then likely be furious with him, she was perfect to him, she would never do what he had to do.

"You did what you had to do to survive," Yennefer quickly said from his left, holding a hand on his shoulder.

"She's right Dom, you were just a kid," Geralt spoke up from his other side, "Fact you were even able to take the thing down is incredible."

"Ciri would be so upset with me…." He said slowly, picking up the vodka bottle again and pouring more.

It was either the witchers and his adopted parents agreed with him, or simply could tell how drunk he was because none of them said anything, simply staring at him. He could see the bemused look on Lambert and Eskel's face but could also hear Yennefer sigh on his right. It was true! Ciri was going to be so upset when she heard about all the bad things he had done, combined with how he had kissed other women when she was gone, he had been such a horrible boyfriend, and she had a right! How could she possibly even begin to like him again!?

His hands gripped tightly around the mug and he slowly lifted it to his lips. As the alcohol slid down his throat he looked down at the swallow and saw her face. She was so utterly beautiful that he couldn't even put into words how much so. He felt his skin tingle and butterflies well up in his stomach. Seeing the completely satisfied looks on both Geralt and Yennefer's faces along with the multiple love marks and mixing smells around the two of them, he could easily tell that the sex they had clearly just went and had was fantastic, and they were two people who loved each other, and came together as one. All he had wanted for years was that with Ciri, everything was supposed to be so simple. The two of them would train, become witchers, go kill monsters, get married, save people, and be together for their lives. They truly loved each other, he was so sure that she loved him, she had told him so many times, and had shown it. It wasn't fucking fair that that asshole Vilgefortz had ruined everything, or that giant prick Eredin was trying to ruin his reunion with her.

It wasn't fair, none of it was fucking fair.

"So, speaking of Ciri…. While you two lovebirds were off, Dom told us about what you've been up too," Lambert said quickly across from him, turning to Yennefer, "Yen, what do you plan to do with Uma?"

"I said I'll tell you tomorrow," His adopted mother snapped back, finishing the last of her spirit.

Eskel scoffed from next to Lambert, "Well just about past midnight, tell us now then."

Yennefer sighed loudly and looked around to them all, "I'll subject him to the trial of grasses. But only-."

"YOU'LL FUCKING WHAT!?" Lambert snapped, standing up from his seat.

"HEY, easy there that's my mother you're talking to!" Dominik felt himself snap, before a loud belch left him and he felt his stomach whirl again.

Lambert scoffed and shook his head, "DID YOU HEAR WHAT-."

"Dom's right Lambert," Geralt quickly snapped from his right, "Mind your manners… I won't ask you again."

His head continued to spin as he realized what his adopted mother had said. She was going to turn Uma into a witcher! That wasn't fair at all, he had been waiting for his chance to undergo the trial of grasses and become a real witcher, and now they were going to change Uma before they changed him!

Slowly he turned to face his adopted mother, his mind continued to buzz as his words slurred even more, "Wait so… you're gonna turn UMA into a witcher before you turn me into one!? What the hell that… that's not fair…."

"You already are a witcher child," Yennefer quickly snapped at him before turning back to Lambert, "As I was about to say. I'll only apply the first half of the trial, because-."

"Because you want to watch him suffer!?" Lambert snapped at the sorceress, shooting back down to his seat.

"Stop interrupting or I'll watch you suffer," Yennefer snapped back at him, before sighing again and continuing, "To restore Uma's former appearance , we must first, well… how do I explain it? Imagine a lump of clay. In order to shape it, you must moisten it or it will crumble. The trial's first part does that, it opens the body up to change. Only then can the mutagens produce a witcher."

If his mind hadn't currently been jumbled, he would have asked more questions, but he only shivered at the thought of Ciri, who was possibly inside of Uma's body being forced to undergo the trial. They were also going to do it to the cursed little man before the did it to him, he had thought for years about coming back to Kaer Morhen for the Trials, but he had always stopped himself, thinking that he didn't want to die before he made it to Ciri. However, now that he knew where Ciri was… and with how strong he'd gotten, maybe it would work, he certainly had a better chance to survive then Uma.

Geralt scoffed next to him, "It'll be the first trial in years… decades."

"I knew you'd be wary…" Yennefer said carefully.

"Ha, what's the big deal," Dominik said, downing himself more of the vodka he had, slamming his mug back on the ground and looking around him, "You were going to do it to me and Ciri, what's the big deal if you break out the table for Uma? Even though I AM pretty annoyed you'd do him before me…."

Lambert let out and annoyed sigh and scoffed, "Hate to break it to you kid, but we were never going to do it to you and Ciri. Those secrets have been forgotten and that's how they should stay!"

He let out a laugh and shook his head, "HA not your best joke Lambert. How can I be a witcher if I don't undergo the trial!? Tell him Geralt, go on!"

Geralt shifted next to him and looked down to meet his eyes. He narrowed his eyes and in his adopted father's yellow gaze he could see the unease. When they were growing up Ciri and he both always were trying to figure out ways they could better prepare themselves for the trial. Vesemir, Geralt and the witchers always said they were waiting until they both turned eighteen and they would do it then. He and Ciri both knew the risks, but thought that by the time they were that old they'd be fully trained and prepared, and it would be no trouble to survive.

The two of them would survive the Trial and live hundreds of years together hunting monsters, it was going to be fantastic! The School of the Cat had been the first witcher school to let in women, and Ciri was ecstatic that she'd get to be the first female witcher from outside of that school. And he was ecstatic to be married to her, and together they could go and help people for a long time! However, of course people had decided that they wanted to fuck with their relationship and ruined that chance for them. He wanted to see Ciri so bad, wanted to tell her how much he missed her, and get the chance to do all the things they wanted.

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "He… he's actually right Dom…. We were never going to risk you both. We trained you to like we would any normal witcher, to defend against anything, and well it-."

"WHAT!? You mean to tell me I'll never have that super strength and witcher senses," Dominik shouted, getting up to his feet, feeling his anger suddenly rise.

He belched again and felt like pins and needles were going into his head. The more he heard the more his head began to spin and he realized that if he wanted to dull out this new discovery, then he was going to need even more to drink.

Eskel scoffed at him, "Ha doesn't seem like you've needed it. Especially after I saw those powers you were showing off earlier."

"Yeah Eskel's right! Keep your stupid Trial," he said, shooting back down to the bench and downing more of his spirit, "I… I have su… super awesome magic blood powers! So, take that… fuck I'm hungry… I'm going to get more food."

He could see them all staring at him, and he scoffed, turning and trying to get up, feeling his stomach rumble. His foot got caught up in bench, but he managed to get his feet and right away felt his knees wobble. What would Ciri think of his blood powers? Would she help him, be scared, think they were cool? There was so much that could happen when he found her, and so much he wanted to tell her. He wanted to hold her and kiss her, he just wanted to feel her lips on his, wrap his arms around her slim waist and for just a few fucking seconds he wanted to hold her. He didn't need mutations! Or what if he did… what if it made him able to save her? But on the other hand… they would change his eye color! He knew she loved his eyes, and it could make her upset if his eyes changed color.

His legs wobbled and he tried to walk straight as he made his way towards the kitchen. He was starving, and he felt like he could have shoveled food and drink into his mouth for hours and still not be full. Inside his head he felt like there was a small ball being bounced around as all he thought about in that moment was how fucking beautiful he thought Ciri was, and how anxious he was to finally see her.

"Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure drinking with you all, Lambert especially, but I'm afraid I must retire for the night," He heard Yennefer say, followed by footsteps, "Geralt, please make sure he doesn't hurt himself…"

"I'm FINE, I could go for hours," Dominik said, just as he heard both his adopted parents come up behind him.

He hadn't realized how far away from the table he'd walked, and how it hadn't been anywhere near the direction of the kitchen. When he felt Geralt's hand go on his shoulder he realized that he had almost walked into a bookcase and a pillar. It seemed that the… eight, nine, ten mugs? He had lost count but he could feel it all finally starting to take effect and he sighed out as he could feel another cold breeze hit his body.

"Dominik," Yennefer said to him, coming around in front of him, as he could feel himself blink multiple times before his gaze finally settled on her.

"Y…yes Yen," He said, feeling his words begin to slur even more.

Geralt smirked and laughed lightly behind him as his adopted father held onto his shoulder. The sorceress tossed back her raven hair and sighed. His adopted mother smelled great, her scent of lilac and gooseberries always reassured him, but he missed the juniper and cedarwood that Ciri smelled like. Would she smell like that even at all when he saw her in a few days? She could have smelled like Crookback Bog for all he cared, he would still kiss her no matter what. Would he be a good kisser? He hadn't kissed anyone in five years at that point, and before Freya he had women give him a peck on the lips, but he hadn't really, really kissed anyone other then Freya and Ciri, and it had been so long since he kissed Ciri.

"Dominik… you know tomorrow is a big day right son," Yennefer said with her arms crossed, her eyes not leaving his.

He scoffed and laughed, "HA of course I do. We.. we… we're gonna find out where Ciri is. Y…Yen, b… be honest with me do.. do you think Ciri still likes me…"

"Yes, Dominik I think Ciri still likes you," His adopted mother said with an eye roll before her eyes shot over to Geralt, "Tomorrow is an important day, don't stay up too late. And for the love of god please don't let our son do anything stupid."

"HEY," He said quickly, looking between both his adopted parents, "I can take care of myself!"

"I'll keep an eye on him," Geralt said quickly, an amused smile still on his adopted father's face.

"Good, I'll see you all in the morning," Yennefer said, before his adopted mother went and walked away, up towards the tower where her room was.

Scoffing he whirled around and met Geralt's eyes. He was fine, he could hold his liquor perfectly fine, and could finally feel the tingling overtake his body. He loved Yennefer of course, but she wasn't going to stop him from celebrating and enjoying himself. For so long he had been looking, searching, fighting, aching, all of it to look for Ciri, and the next day he was finally going to learn where she was! It deserved to be celebrated with a drink, after everything he had done the previous month he felt like it was a cause for him to get as drunk as he possibly could.

He wondered what his first time being drunk with Ciri would be like, did she even drink? Did she have time while she was hopping between worlds? If Eredin wasn't being such an ass and would let them spend some time together BEFORE he tried to kill them he could find out. All the little questions he hadn't taken the time to think about pertaining to Ciri were all coming back to him, and the more he thought the more he felt the need to drink, the more he drank however the more he wanted the answers to those questions. Looking back behind him he saw Geralt smirking down at him, and the amusement was clear in his adopted fathers eyes. He knew that witchers had an extremely high metabolism, he had no idea if it helped them hold their liquor for longer, but he wished he had it at the moment. Geralt was lucky, he had gotten to see Ciri, he had the woman he loved there with them, but Dominik still had to go out and look.

Sighing he fumbled around his neck for a few moments before his hand gripped around the swallow. There had been a few times over the years where people had asked to by the pure silver off him, and one time some bandits tried to steal it off him when he slept. He hadn't reacted very well and proceeded to slaughter the group of five men that had been trying to take it without even thinking. He hadn't seen her in seven years at that point, and wasn't particularly happy that night. Everyone had told him she still wore the ring, did she protect it like he protected the swallow? Did it still mean a lot to her, or had she found another man she liked better and wore THAT guys ring around her neck instead of his!?

"So… how's your liver feeling," Geralt said in an amused tone.

"HA, my liver feels great, but…. but G… Geralt… dad…. I… I gotta ask you something," Dominik said fumbling his hand up, trying to put it on his adopted father's shoulder.

Geralt smirked and rolled his eyes, grabbing his hand and putting it back at Dominik's side. The older witcher laughed lightly and shook his head.

"Yes, Dominik I think Ciri still likes you," His adopted father said, gesturing for him to follow.

Scoffing he looked up at him, "How did you know I was going to ask that woah… can… can you like read my mind or something like… like Yen does to you?"

Geralt laughed again and put a hand on his back, "Ha… no it's just because I know you so well. Come on, let's get some food, Yen's gone, time for some serious drinking…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"S…So, so Dom," Lambert stuttered out, slowly craning his head over to him, "T…tell us, about this… this woman you sent here. F…Frankie? Francesca...? Fannie…, Fra-."

"Freya," Geralt slurred from next to Lambert, lifting his mug to his mouth again quickly, "Got…gotta admit, even I was a bit surprised when I met her."

"Why were you surprised!?" Dominik said, feeling completely offended, his eyes glaring over to his adopted father, who he was now seeing three of.

The 'gauntlet' as Lambert had called it was certainly doing a better job of muddling his mind then any of the ale or vodka he had been drinking. Equal part spirit and white gull, and Dominik knew how hard white gull was from how much he used it in the potions he made. It felt like his liver was being kicked repeatedly over and over again, and it was the greatest feeling he'd had in a long time, despite the fact that he could see two of Lambert, three of Geralt across from him, and about six of Eskel on his left.

"Be…because she's… she's fucking like… gorgeous," Geralt said, leaning forward on his arms.

He scoffed and felt himself burp at the same time before answering, "And why… does THAT make it surprising!?"

"Because, you… always seem to be, well… intimidated by beautiful women…" Geralt said slowly, his yellow eyes blinking as he looked at him, "You know, Freya she… she kinda looks like Ciri when… when you look at her from a certain angle. Like… like for real if… if you were putting on a play a…about our lives and… and you needed someone to play Ciri I… I think Freya would be a good choice."

"HA, I guess he's ALWAYS been with Ciri in a way then," Eskel said from his left, downing another drink of what Dominik thought was vodka, but could have been anything.

He nearly choked on the white gull, and coughed a few times before looking up at Geralt, a completely incredulous look on his face as he stared at his adopted father.

"Hey! Freya… F…Freya is… is pretty don't… don't get me wrong but," He stopped when he belched again and coughed once before continuing, "But Ciri she… she is SOOOOOOO beautiful like… like I wanna kiss her and stuff, REALLY bad. Remember how pretty she was in Novigrad Geralt?"

"You… saw her in Novigrad," Lambert said, looking over at Geralt.

His adopted father chuckled a little and downed more of the 'gauntlet', "N…no, it was Dudu, a doppler. Should've seen Dom here he… he almost fucking kissed him on the spot."

"FUCK YOU," He yelled right away, feeling his skin crawl as he downed more white-gull, and felt it burn as it went down his throat.

All of the witchers laughed at him, and he scoffed, holding one hand around his mug, the other around the swallow pendant. He had to blink a few times to make it so there was only one of the small pendant instead of seven, but eventually he saw it in his hand. Ciri's face and her figure popped into his head, and he felt a tinge a pleasure run up his body, when they were younger they'd spend hours holding each other. And now she was tall, had a slim waist, was built and defined, and while all of her clothes had obviously been on, he could tell just from the picture popping in his head, she was one of the sexiest women he had ever seen.

He missed her, and it wasn't fair that he didn't get to spend all those years growing up with her, being with her as they both developed. He himself had developed quite nicely, at least he thought he had. He still wasn't very tall, but his arms were defined, you could see his abs through all of his scars, and everyone told him he was deceptively strong. He only wished he had grown more, what if Ciri had found someone taller then him, and she liked them better because she wasn't eye level with them!? He shuddered at the thought and drank more, before Geralt across from him slurred his words and looked at them all.

"Let… let's have some fun, c'mon," His adopted father said in a slurred tone.

Eskel scoffed, his scarred face turning to Geralt, "We… we not fun enough for you?"

"No, no… it's just… just kinda," Geralt said slowly, seeming to lose his train of thought.

Lambert slammed his mug down, "Slow. Pretty boy's right there… there's this game, student at Oxenfurt academy taught me."

"Did… did she teach you how to spell?" Dominik asked, blinking a few times to try and see only one of Lambert instead of four.

"NO," Lambert said annoyedly, before looking at them again, "Someone starts by saying, 'I've never'- and finishing the sentence however they want. Whoever's done that thing down's a shot, then it's the next guys turn…"

Scoffing Dominik nodded, "I… I played that game with this one girl I met once…. Now… what was her name… she was just about to go to Oxenfurt actually-uh… Sherly? Shelly? Ah fuck… I don't remember, just go on, you first."

Lambert rolled his eyes and nodded, looking to them all, "I've never… slept with a succubus."

He rolled his eyes at not getting the opportunity to drink. However, he looked and saw both Geralt and Eskel drink as well. Rolling his eyes again he realized that all the questions could be sex related, and he had never had sex before! He only wanted to have sex with Ciri, nobody else, especially not a woman with goat horns. Ciri may have been able to overlook the fact he almost slept with Freya, but he didn't think she would've been happy if he fucked a goat.

Lambert laughed and looked over at Eskel, "HA, I thought Geralt might have but you…? Eskel, Eskel, still waters run deep!"

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for women with horns…" Eskel said, downing more of his vodka, "Right, my turn. I've never, after a bender… woken up in nothing but my knickers."

"Dammit…" He said, as he kept his mug on the table, feeling his head and eyes begin to spin again.

Looking over he saw Geralt and Lambert both drink. Slowly he shook his head, seeing the vodka sitting in his mug, just begging to be drank. He didn't need to have sex with anyone, he didn't need to worry, he'd have Ciri soon, and if she still liked him he could have sex with her! She's the only one he wanted to to have it with, and he slowly shook his head, remembering that he almost had done it with Freya, which would have been the ultimate betrayal. He hoped that Ciri hadn't had sex with anyone else… but in the end she was really, really pretty so a lot of much more handsome guys or even women may have asked her.

And he had been a horrible boyfriend anyway, so why would she have waited when he'd been unfaithful and not gone to get her! He let out a sigh as Eskel laughed next to him.

"HA! Geralt… Lambert's a lost cause, but you!? What would Papa Vesemir say…." Eskel said with a laugh.

"I think… papa Vesemir would have… drank that round too," His adopted father said, lightly belching as he slowly looked over to him, "Alright Dom you go. I've never… what?"

He belched again and racked his brain, his mind continued to feel fuzzed, as he still was seeing double and triple of all the witchers around him. Finally, he scoffed and smirked looking over at them all.

"I've never… had sex with a woman, HA, you all need to drink now," He said, looking at them all, feeling incredibly satisfied with himself.

"That's not fair," Lambert shouted, as Geralt and Eskel both downed another shot, "Just because you're a virgin doesn't mean you get to use that!"

"Hey, you said I had to say something I've never done! And I have never had sex," He said, as Lambert scoffed and lifted up his mug and Dominik looked over at Geralt, "O…Okay Geralt, you're turn. I've never…"

His adopted father blinked rapidly a few times as he looked between all three of them, "I've never…. Taken fisstech."

Scoffing he put his mug back down to the table, and for a few seconds he regretted not taking fisstech with that succubus back in the cave years prior, but only for a moment. Lambert didn't drink, but he managed a laugh when he saw Eskel down a shot next to him, and apparently it had surprised Lambert as well, because his sarcastic old trainer scoffed.

"Damn Eskel… really?" Lambert asked blinking over in Eskel's direction.

Eskel scoffed, "Once… with that succubus."

Geralt laughed and shook his head, "Alright men, let's end on that…. Before I can never look any of you in the eye again.

"Hey! No fair," Dominik complained, looking over at all three of them, "I didn't get to drink anything…."

"Not our fault you're a fucking prude," Lambert snapped from across him with a smirk on his face.

He rolled his eyes and took another large drink from his mug, finishing the last of the vodka inside. After realizing he had no more, and still not feeling like he was drunk enough tried to reach and find more but sighed in annoyance when he realized there was no more full bottles left. It wasn't his fault he was a prude, he just wanted to have sex with Ciri, and nobody else! And who needs fisstech, he had plenty of other ways to amuse himself, and soon he'd have Ciri back, and he could sleep with her, and that would finally show Lambert!

Belching he looked over at his adopted father who kept staring at him and blinking aimlessly. Dominik wondered if Geralt ever thought it was weird Ciri and he dated, they were basically his children after all, and it would be most parents' worst nightmares to have their kids start dating. The honest truth of the matter was he didn't care what anyone thought, he was going to find Ciri soon and he was going to date her, just like he used too. Had they technically been dating this whole time? She never formally broke things off with him, so he had to assume that they still were. Or… what if she had broken up with him and he hadn't known it!? What if she really didn't like him anymore and found someone taller and MUCH more handsome then he was!? The idea sent a horrified chill down his spine as Eskel groaned next to him.

"Aan…. Vodka… vodka's gone. Who's gonna go get some more…" His old mentor asked, looking between the three of them.

Dominik groaned himself and blinked rapidly, "I… I don't think I can stand up too fast. Besides I… I went to get food."

"Same… I… I had to show him," Geralt said from directly across him, his adopted father's words continuing to slur more and more.

Eskel sighed and very slowly started to get up, "All right… I'll do it, kitchen is… that way right?"

He went to try and turn his head around but when he did he felt his stomach almost leap through his throat, so he held a hand up and belched loudly before turning back to Geralt and Lambert. There really wasn't anymore alcohol and he scoffed, wishing that more were sliding down his throat. He needed more, because the more he thought about it, he realized how big the odds were Ciri had met someone MUCH taller than him who she liked better. She had to have met someone who she liked more, she had been to different worlds, there had to have been plenty of better looking much taller guys that she liked now.

With a sigh he slammed his head down onto the table, feeling the worry begin to stew up inside of him. He wanted to keep Ciri safe above all of course, but if he had come all this way, done all he had done, if she didn't want to be with him, he'd need a lot more then alcohol to get over it. He bit his lips and grabbed onto the swallow, seeing her face pop into his head. She was so beautiful, her high cheekbones made her face absolutely perfect, and everything from her slim waist, slender torso and sparkling eyes sent pleasurable chills down his body.

Lambert belched loudly and his head shot up before his old trainer spoke, "And I… men will.. will be right back…. Gotta go drain the dragon."

He whirled his head around to his adopted father after he heard Lambert's footsteps recede. Geralt was slowly tilting back and forth and blinking, and his yellow eyes bore into Dominik and he could feel like his adopted father was trying to think of something to say. He could see the love marks on his adopted fathers neck, the dark marks that his adopted mother had surely left on him and he sighed, feeling the pang of sadness come up through him. For so long he had wanted to hold Ciri, kiss her and show her how much he loved her. He was drunk enough to admit to himself in that moment he had thought of having sex and other sexual things with Ciri multiple times over the years.

When a grateful young woman had offered to sleep with him, or tried to make advances on him, he thought about how much he wished it had been Ciri. She was truly all he wanted, just her, her love, her body, her warmth, the security he felt when she was in his arms. He wanted to wrap his arms around her slender waist while she wrapped her legs around him. The closest they had ever come to doing anything sexual when they were younger was one day in Ellander when they had gone out swimming together. They had been fourteen, and leaped off the large cliff together, it had been after Ciri was finally comfortable doing so. They splashed each other in the water, she rode on his back as they swam, and gently floated on the surface together in the hot sun. After this they had gotten out for a picnic they had brought, and he wasn't sure what it had been that day but when she got out of the water he had wanted to kiss her in that particular moment more then he ever had, he saw the water gently dripping off her, and the sun had casted a glow over her and she looked like a goddess to him in that moment. He kissed her, and she had quickly seemed to be just as passionate and intense as him then, and if they hadn't controlled themselves he thought they more then likely would have done something sexual that day.

But he had stopped when he realized and she did the same, both of them agreed that while they really had wanted to have sex, they were too young and decided to wait another year or two. They thought they had all the time in the world in that moment… but they had both been wrong, and now she was gone and possibly found someone much taller then him that she liked better.

He sniffled and slowly shook his head, feeling his eye tingle at the thought when he heard Geralt finally speak up.

"D…Dom… s…son," Geralt said, making his eyes shoot up to meet his adopted father.

He blinked away the tears, "Ye…yeah dad…."

Geralt tried to reach over to put a hand on his shoulder, but his adopted father seemed to realize too late the table was too wide and missed him before blinking rapidly and looking at him.

"You… you know I… I'm really proud of you and… and stuff," Geralt slurred quickly nodding his head, "You… you killed a lot of monsters, and I… I fucking love you son."

Feeling the tears well up in his eyes he met his adopted father's gaze, "Geralt that… that's so fucking nice, i… I love you to… pops!"

He tried to reach over and hug his adopted father but realized he was much further away then he assumed and ended up falling forward onto the table. Pain shot through his nose as he slowly sat up and sighed. Ciri had a cute nose, it was smaller and always had the cutest way of flaring up when she was angry…. And it would probably flare up a lot when she saw him, when he had to tell her he had kissed another woman while she was gone and was a horrible boyfriend. He couldn't lose her! He already lost her once, and had been looking for so fucking long, if he found her and lost her again he'd never be able to do anything ever again. She had to like him still, he would be devastated if she didn't, he had worked so hard, done everything he could, been stabbed, slashed, bit and almost died hundreds of times to find her, all to get back to her, and now he didn't even know how he would begin a conversation with her!

Maybe he would tell her how much he loved her, maybe he would write her a letter. A letter yes! A letter to tell her how much he loved her, and it would be able to explain everything. Would she like a letter? Or would it be better for him to explain everything he could in person? The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he was with Eredin for being so inconsiderate, didn't he know he hadn't seen Ciri in eight years and he had so much he wanted to tell her? Couldn't he try to kill them all like, maybe a few weeks after they had finally reunited?

"G…Geralt, Geralt…" He slurred, making his adopted father shoot his glare back to him, "Do… do you really think that Ciri still likes me?"

"Wh…why, why wouldn't she," Geralt asked drunkenly.

Quickly he shook his head, "I… I don't know maybe… maybe she… she met someone taller, and… and more handsome then me."

A breath of relief shot out of him when Geralt quickly shook his head, almost falling off the bench in the process.

"She… she never mentioned meeting anyone tall and handsome when… when I talked to her," His adopted father slurred, "She… she only really asked about you to be honest."

"She, she really did…." Dominik asked, feeling his heart beat faster as his eyes welled up again.

Geralt nearly slipped off the bench again as he nodded, "Y…yeah she… she was all like 'where's Dominik at', and… and I was all like, 'oh well I looked but couldn't find him, let's go do that now'. And she… she really wanted to see you."

"God I… I miss her so fucking much Geralt," Dominik wailed, his head falling down to his arms, "I… I wanna see her so bad! She's SO pretty, I… I just wanna see her again."

He felt himself sob, and tears finally started flowing from his eyes. All he wanted to do was see his girlfriend, was that too much to ask of the universe? Ciri and he never did anything wrong to anybody, what did they do to deserve all the stuff that happened? They were just children being used in a much larger game, and because of it he hadn't seen the woman he loved in eight fucking years, and they both had to go through so much more then anyone their age should have! All they wanted to do was kill monsters, save people, get married, have sex and enjoy themselves, but no, Vilgefortz, Emhyr, Eredin, they ALL just wanted to keep them from doing that.

"Tears!? A witcher does not shed tears, a witcher causes the tears! Fear not my young pupil for I shall show you the way," A deep voice, sounding like his Uncle Vesemir came from his left.

Managing to stop his tears for a moment he looked over and saw Lambert holding his head high with his hands on his hips, all the while he had one of Vesemir's old hats on his head, and Dominik couldn't contain himself.

"BAHAHA, you look fucking ridiculous," He said, feeling a laugh come from the pit of his stomach.

"Where'd you dig up that old bonnet," Geralt said with a slur, trying to control his laughter.

Lambert scoffed and shook his head, continuing in his Vesemir voice, "So, I see you got a carnival going young'uns! Men, a witchers life is not all cards and liquor. It is toll, it is labor! No gurgling babes to wean for us, nay, not for us!"

"HAHAHA, I… I wonder if Uncle Vesemir ever had a lover… a lover like I do… who's missing… gods Ciri I miss you…." Dominik said, the image of her face slowly coming back to his mind as the tears started flowing again.

Again, Lambert scoffed and looked over to Geralt, "For… for fuck's sake does… does he EVER talk about anything else?"

"Very rarely…" Geralt said dryly, as Lambert knocked over a bottle trying to sit.

"SCREW YOU BOTH," Dominik felt himself snap, "I… I fucking miss Ciri I…. I wanna see her and… and kiss her, have sex with her and stuff…. Fuck where's Eskel!? I need another fucking… drink…."

His adopted father shakily stood up and almost tripped pulling his feet from the bench but managed to finally do it. After blinking rapidly, himself, Dominik finally managed to only see one of his adopted father in his vision. He had kept himself from having sex, from being with a woman for so long, and all he wanted was Ciri. Ciri was the prettiest, most awesome, beautiful, nicest, coolest girl in the world, and she was his girlfriend, and he just wanted her back. He had done enough, suffered enough, and fought enough, he deserved to have her back. And it was the same situation with her, she had fought for so, so long and now she deserved to live her life!

And FINALLY, he was close! Yennefer was going to lift the curse the next day, and then Geralt and he would go find her, and then he could have the conversation he had been looking forward to and feeling anxious about at the same time. Maybe he shouldn't even say anything first, maybe he should just go right in for the kiss, and plant one right on her lips before she could say anything. And now that he was super strong with his magic blood powers, and a silver sword he would be able to fight Eredin! He was going to stab the commander of the Hunt, that would teach him to mess with he and Ciri. And if he didn't stab him, Geralt would, or any of their other friends! But first, he needed another drink because he could feel his throat getting dry.

"Yeah where… where's Eskel, he… he should be back by now," Geralt said, looking rapidly around the room.

Lambert scoffed and stood up, putting his Uncle Vesemir's hat on his head, shouting dramatically, "This looks like a job… for Vesemir!"

He scoffed and laughed, "HA, that… that's fucking hilarious Lambert. Unc…Uncle Vesemir won't like you touched his hat but… but he's busy trying… trying to cure Uma so we… so we… gods Ciri… CIRI!"

"Ugh… come on, let… let's go find Eskel, and get more vodka in Dom here," Geralt said, stumbling around the table running into the edge of the it, "Be…because if… if you get him going about Ciri he… he won't stop bitching for hours…."

Lambert nodded dutifully, walking out towards the exit, "Where's that whippersnapper wandered off to!? He could be… beleaguered… I wager! Come men, to the rescue!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Sounds…. Sounds like the panting of… of a wounded wyvern," Geralt said as Dominik stumbled down the steps behind him.

It had been absolutely freezing outside, and even with his armor he was still cold. He almost threw up when he had to push open the door to the keep, but thankfully Lambert had kept him from falling. He looked out over the courtyard and could hear the loud roaring sound in his one ear, but he couldn't stop thinking about how Ciri and he had been there. In the exact spot he was standing, Ciri and he had stood one time, and they were only kids then. He loved her so much then, and he loved her so much now, and soon he'd have her there again! But first he needed another drink, and Eskel was the one who had gone to get more, so he needed to find him.

He stumbled over to his left and he managed to skid when he saw a patch of extremely pretty flowers his Uncle had seemed to be growing. Yellow, red, blue, purple, all sorts of different flowers were sitting there, and he felt his eyes sting when he remembered how much Ciri liked it when he weaved things out of flowers for her. His mother had taught him that you could make beautiful things out of the simplest things in nature, and with just a little work, simple things like grass and flowers could be made even more beautiful. So many times he had gone out to collect flowers, and longer blades of grass to skillfully weave grass and flowers into elegant bracelets, necklaces and crowns for Ciri, she liked white flowers the best, and he had wove things for her out of them often. His head continued to whirl as he knelt down next to the flowers, and he almost felt all that he had drunk that night come up. Spotting a small cluster of white flowers, he reached and had to grab a few times, but eventually picked a few up, tough long stems, but flexible enough to bend, and of course the petals were beautiful.

Gently twirling the flowers in his hand, he looked over to Geralt who had walked pass him, "Geralt you… you know Ciri loved white flowers… you.. you think I should make her a-."

A loud goat bleat cut him off, and Lambert laugh, "HA we found him! With his ever-faithful little bleater!"

He narrowed his eyes and saw the goat that he remembered Eskel using as bait earlier in the day licking his old mentors face as he snored on the ground. Scrambling up, he yanked a large cluster of at least ten white flowers from the ground and stumbled over, knocking into Geralt just as his adopted father gently nudged Eskel with his foot.

"Eskellllll chop, chop! We… we need more vodka so… so Dom stops fuck…fucking bitching," Geralt slurred out, nearly tilting over in place.

"Hey… hey Geralt… shut up! I… I'm gonna make her a hat," He said, his hands fumbling around the flowers in his hand.

Lambert scoffed and Eskel finally started to move, "You've had your rest! Now get up! It's time for a drink!"

He bit his lip in concentration as he tried to remember the proper way to fold the flowers and move them without breaking them. His mother had been so good, she had been able to turn blades of grass into a basket within minutes. He himself hadn't weaved anything in a while, there had been a few times where he used his skill with knots and weaving to make traps for monsters, but it hadn't been since Ciri he that he did it for fun. And in that moment he bit his lip so hard concentrating he started tasting blood, but it didn't matter! He was going to make Ciri a present for when she came back!

Eskel groaned loudly, and started carefully lifting himself off the ground, and his old mentor stumbled when he finally got all the way up. Did he want to make Ciri a crown, a bracelet? A crown was what Dominik normally did, Ciri probably had dozens of flower crowns back in her room in Ellander, all of different colors, but he was glad he found the white ones, now if he only had a rose… that would make the whole thing perfect! It worked out perfect, because he knew her birthday was within the next week, so he could give her the crown for her birthday! It would be perfect, and she would be so happy, and she would laugh, her laugh had always made him smile, and he hadn't heard it in so long. He would have swam from Novigrad to Skellige back then to just make her smile, just to have her happy for a moment… and he was prepared to do the same then, even if she could never forgive him…

"Ugh… no more, bad enough with the three of us," Eskel slurred out, his blinking yellow eyes turning to Dominik, "But now we gotta add Dom into the mix… fuck…"

Dominik ignored them and kept looking down at his hands, moving the flower stems in a circle, and tying them together, before moving the flowers themselves, trying to remember how he did it when he was younger.

"A fifth then! Better yet a woman," Lambert said enthusiastically, the hat from Vesemir's trunk tilting on his head.

Geralt quickly sucked in a breath and shook his head, "Oh no… the only woman we have here is Yen… and we DON'T wanna wake her up believe me…"

"And you just put this under here…." Dominik muttered to himself, twisting together the stems of the flowers to study them.

Lambert scoffed, "So we get the megascope! Call up that Ida woman you were talking to, maybe she comes… maybe she brings some friends! Maybe if Dom fin…finally ploughs someone he'll stop being such a hardass."

"Hey…." He said annoyedly, looking up at all three witchers, "I don't wanna have sex with a sorceressessesss…. I wanna have sex with Ciri!"

Again, Lambert rolled his eyes, "How… how are you gonna have sex with Ciri if… if you have no idea where to stick your prick!"

"I know where to put my prick!" He said incredulously, almost dropping the crown he was making.

"Yeah… yeah… of course you do," Lambert said with another eye roll turning back to Geralt, "Dom can go… finish making his… whatever that is. But the rest of us…."

He pulled one of the flowers stems through and he could, and saw he had a somewhat solid base, and could see the crown coming along nicely. It would really have made him upset if he made it, and it didn't even fit around Ciri's head. So, he pulled tight and whirled back around, looking in the garden of flowers again and slowly reached down, nearly falling before he managed to pick out a rose, a red one that his Uncle had been growing a few of. He ripped off the top part of the stem and started fiddling to put it right where the ear should have been on the crown.

After he finally got it in place, he smirked down at his creation, it… kinda looked like the ones he used to make Ciri in Ellander. Carefully he put it around his head, and it was a little tight, but it stretched a tad bit to fit around his head, and he smirked when he turned back around to see Geralt clap his hand on Lambert's shoulder.

"Lambert… you're a genius!" Geralt said, quickly nodding his head, and he stumbled his way back over towards the witchers.

Lambert laughed and turned around to face all of them now, "Perfect! What do you say, should we summon the lodge to our little bash!?"

"FUCK YEAH," Eskel slurred from his left, stumbling and putting a hand on Dominik's shoulder, "SUMMON THE BITCHES!"

"Hahaha…. OH, Geralt… Geralt do… do you like the hat I made for Ciri," He said, stumbling over to his adopted father and nearly falling forward onto him.

Geralt gently narrowed his eyes towards him and they went wide when he saw the white crown on his head, "Wow… fuck me that… that's fucking AWESOME."

"Yeah kid, damn…" Lambert said, slowly coming up next to him, and pulling his head closer to examine the crown, "If… if Ciri doesn't have sex with you after… after you give her THAT, I… I don't know what you have to do."

"You want one," Dominik slurred, whirling around and pointing towards the flowers, "May… maybe it… it could help you impress one of the sorceressessesss…"

Lambert sniffled and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "You… you are SUCH a pal, you.. you may be a fucking blowhard like Geralt… but DAMMIT I love you."

"Lambert that… that is the nicest fucking thing I've ever heard from you," Dominik said, as Lambert slammed a hug into him.

Making sure the crown didn't fall off his head he slapped his arms around Lambert to hug him back, and he heard Geralt and Eskel both clunk over through the snow and wrap their arms around the group as well. Dominik was lucky, he had a family again, and even though those fuckers from Nilfgaard destroyed his home… at least he had a second one now.

And as soon as he had his woman, everything would be alright, just like Ciri said before she left. It may have taken a long time, but he didn't fucking care, as long as he had her, it didn't matter what happened… everything would be alright.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"How… how did she use this thing again Geralt…" Dominik sputtered out, gently poking the megascope crystal.

They had somehow managed to get themselves up to the room that Geralt, he and Yennefer had used earlier to contact Ida. The crown had managed to stay on his head, and now all three of the witchers around him were wearing one. Around Vesemir's old hat, Lambert had a crown of red and blue flowers that was sloppily put together, that he insisted he'd give to the first sorceress that showed up, while Geralt had made his out of purple for reasons unknown to him. Eskel had made one that had every single color he could find in the garden, and the crown was so colorful he almost puked. He didn't want to sleep with any sorceresses himself, but he decided he may as well help Lambert and Eskel in that endeavor, he was a good friend it was the least he could do.

Geralt stumbled up behind him and used his shoulders for support as he poked the crystal as well. Quickly his adopted father nodded so hard that he almost fell and turned to Lambert and Eskel.

"Ye…yeah you just say some words in elvish and… and you move the crystal… things…" Geralt said, trying to poke the crystal over him.

From behind him Eskel belched and quickly shook his head, "Hold on! If this… Ida sees us she'll get scared. We don't look nothing like sorceressessesss…."

"I got it! Yennefer's clothes! Let's dress up. Bags're right over there." Lambert said, lazily pointing over towards the side of the wall where his adopted mother had stacked her bags.

"What's this thing you got for dressing up…." Eskel slurred out, narrowing his eyes over at Lambert.

Lambert scoffed, "Shut it wiseass, or I'll lace your corset up so tight you'll shit your bloomers!"

"He… he's right Eskel, stop whining! You're stuffing into that dress," Geralt slurred out as well, looking over to Dominik now, "And… and so are you, come on, chop, chop, let's get going."

He finally felt his stomach begin to churn loudly as he stopped himself from belching. His hand fiddled around his head as he adjusted the crown, he looked over towards the bags. He loved Yennefer; he loved her a lot. She had actually spent a few weeks with Ciri before Geralt and he had gotten back to Ellander, and they had begun the year the four of them spent together there. Ciri had gushed over her when he first arrived, already seeming to think of Yennefer as a mother. She had even told him she was thinking about calling herself Cirilla of Vengerberg, daughter of Yennefer. And after spending enough time with Yen himself he saw why, because he came to love her the same way. If it weren't for the fact he started referring to himself as Dominik of Cintra from the moment he met Geralt, he would've considered it as well. He couldn't wait to finally see how happy she was when he came back with Ciri, her and Geralt both. The four of them together was what he had been chasing for years, and the fact he was finally so fucking close nearly made him cry on the spot.

Wearily he looked over to the bags of dresses and other outfits his adopted mother had. It was a ton of clothes, and he had no idea why she had brought so much, considering he only ever saw her in two outfits. A cold draft shot through the balcony and he shuddered, looking up at Geralt. Lambert and Eskel had already started rummaging through the bags, starting to try on dresses and trousers as he simply shook his head.

"I… I don't know Geralt," He said carefully, feeling himself nearly belch again, "Do… don't you think Yen would get mad at us?"

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, "Probably, but think of it like this…. Ciri… is a woman right?"

"Uh… yeah…" He said blinking rapidly, fighting his stomach.

His adopted father quickly nodded again, "And… and you wanna give one of these, crown… things to her when she gets back right!?"

"Yeah…." He said slowly, consciously fixing the crown on his head.

"Exactly! And you… you wanna make sure it looks good on her," Geralt explained slowly, walking Dominik over towards the bags, "So if you… dress like a woman, and.. and wear the crown, you'll be able to see if it looks good on her or not!"

His eyes widened and he met his adopted father's eyes, "Geralt that… that is a fucking BRILLIANT idea…"

Geralt quickly nodded and handed him one of Yennefer's dresses before going to find his own.

As quickly as he could managed, he untied the coat of his armor, and let it quickly clunk to the floor. If he looked good in the crown and the dress, then of course Ciri would! He had gotten Ciri clothes, and make up and stuff before, small things in Ellander, but unless he had been with Yennefer, he always picked the wrong things. Ciri never got mad at him though, she was always so sweet, kind, understanding, nice and pretty. He was sure she still was then, and he was so excited to hug her again, smell that great smell she smelled like and hear her laugh. He felt the draft run through his bare chest as he slipped the dress over his head, and while he did hear a small rip he managed to get his head in the hole and yank the dress down. The hair on his bare arms shot up, and he realized that he did in fact have some pretty defined arms. Maybe Ciri would be able to overlook the fact that he was so short, he did have a pretty broad chest, defined abs and arms, maybe that would be enough?

Or… maybe it wouldn't be. Maybe someone super tall and handsome had given her a ring, and she liked him now, loved him now! And what competition would he be to some super tall, handsome person from another world!? He had been just the worst boyfriend, he had let other girls kiss him, almost slept with Freya, and hadn't talked to her in eight years! He felt his chest and torso surprisingly fit in very nicely to his adopted mothers dress, as the apprehension built up inside him even further. His stomach continued to churn as he adjusted the white crown on his head. What good would a crown do? Would it be enough for her to at least smile when she saw him? He let out a shaky sigh as the dress finally fell around his feet, and he looked down to shockingly realize that it fit him relatively well.

"Damn Eskel! Look at that hourglass figure," Lambert said, as he stood at one of the megascope crystals, the crown Dominik had made for him still on his head.

Eskel scoffed and shook his head, "And you're an ass. C'mon go! Thing's tight as hell."

"I'm going! Dom! Dom, come on, me and you will do the talking, I… I don't got the best reputation with sorceresses…" Geralt said waving him over, and Dominik narrowed his eyes when he saw his adopted father in nothing but Yennefer's trousers.

He scoffed as he stumbled over to him, "D…damn Geralt, look at those thighs…. How do I look? Do… do you think Ciri would like it?"

Geralt slowly looked over at him and twirled around him, examining him like an art critic examined a painting. Dominik ran his own hand down his hard torso, and felt the dress surprisingly fit his figure perfectly, and a part of him was actually comfortable, wondering why Ciri didn't wear dresses more often.

"You know not… not bad, Ciri she… she may like that big chest of yours…." He said, turning around to face the megascope again, "Okay I… I'll say the words you gotta… say something in elvish, and Eskel Lambert you… fiddle with the crystals… GO!"

He had no idea what Eskel and Lambert did, but they started shaking the crystals. His stomach continued to churn, as he had to hold his one hand over to calm it down. All he thought about in that moment was Ciri again, like he normally did. He aimlessly grabbed around his neck for the swallow which bounced around his medallion on his bare chest. He really hoped she still had the ring, the ring and the swallow was the promise that they made, and he had to believe if she still wore it… she still felt the same as he did to a degree.

With his hands still on his stomach he heard Geralt finally spoke up and remembered the words.

"Caed'mil, bloede dh'oine…. Hocus-pocus… abracadabra… arse blathanna," Geralt said, and the screeching from the magic megascope nearly made him stumble.

For a few seconds Dominik thought the thing hadn't worked again, and he was going to get in trouble with Yen for breaking her megascope. However after a few moments he heard deep breathing, and while he was wobbling in place next to Geralt he looked over and saw the man currently sitting down on the privy in the portal of magic.

"What is this…. Who's there!?" The man demanded, his voice raising to a panic.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, as Lambert and Eskel gathered around Geralt and he, "We…. We're here… her to steal all your toilet paper!"

"GUARRRRRRDS," The man yelled, standing up without even having the decency to wipe himself.

"More paper excellency?" A voice shouted from the megascope that was out of view.

"NO, YOU FOOL THE LODGE HAS FOUND ME," The man screamed, running out of view with his pants down.

"HAHAHAHAHA," He laughed, nearly falling over as all of the witchers laughed behind him.

He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard, but while he did he could feel almost everything he had eaten the last few days come out of him. Shooting his head back up Geralt, Eskel and Lambert still hadn't stopped laughing, so despite the fact anxiousness was still running through him, he started laughing again. He reached up and adjusted the crown on his head, as he felt like his celebration of being so close had gone relatively well so far, other then the fact he realized that Ciri could not like him anymore. His head was buzzing and with all the laughing around him he blinked rapidly and grabbed both hands up to his head. The headache started to overtake him, and it felt as if all the witchers voices had started rattling inside him at once.

Stumbling he almost knocked over one of the stands of Yen's megascope, and if the dress had been a little longer he would have. The swallow and his medallion bounced coldly off his chest, and he let out a shaky sigh, feeling the cold from the balcony wash over him. How the hell did Yen wear dresses with no sleeves? He felt his entire body chill, and the laughter from the witchers was so loud he almost didn't even hear the footsteps.

"There had better be a fantastic explanation for this," The distinct voice of his adopted mother screeched in his ears, "My fucking son is in my room wearing one of my dresses!"

His head whirled around, and he saw his beautiful, loving adopted mother staring at his adopted father, Eskel and Lambert with absolutely murderous eyes. He felt his stomach whirling when he saw she was only wearing her knickers and a lace bra to cover her chest, and his extremely brave and drunk adopted father somehow managed to smirk and look down at the sorceresses chest. He could see the fury about to explode out of his adopted mother, so he stumbled over and quickly came to Geralt and the witchers defense.

"Y…Yen, there… there IS a great explanation for this," He said, stumbling and stepping in front of the sorceress, holding his hand up to stop himself from belching into her face.

Yennefer saw him and Dominik could see she was trying to control her anger, "Dominik, I am currently NOT furious with you. I suggest you be quiet."

Quickly he shook his head, and pointed up to his head, "No, no Yen you… you see I made this hat for Ciri, and… and Lambert wanted one too so… so he could… so he could…. Fuck…"

He quickly ducked past his adopted mother and felt his stomach, chest, and throat all explode at once, and every single thing he had ate or drank from the previous week came up onto the stone floor in the middle of the room. As he sat there, vomiting on the floor, every negative thought seemed to shoot into his head. Chunks continued to spew out of his mouth as he saw the swallow bouncing around his neck again.

What if Ciri really, was really mad at him, and… and she didn't wear his ring around her neck anymore? He had let her suffer for so, so long, suffer for eight years without him. People had tried to rape her, kill her, use her, everything and he hadn't been there to help. What kind of boyfriend doesn't even protect his girlfriend from people trying to kill or rape her? He slowly shook his head as he watched the swallow dangle, and he fell onto his back on the cold stone floor, rolling just out of the way of the pool of vomit he had chucked up.

"You three to bed NOW," Yennefer yelled from behind him, and after a few seconds he could hear footsteps walking away, before the scent of lilac and gooseberries pleasantly hit his nose, "Remind me to never let you drink alone with Geralt again…."

He saw his adopted mothers beautiful face and violet eyes appeared in his vision. Her hands were cold as she sighed and kneeled down next to him, gently placing one of them on his chest, and the other on his back as she helped him sit up. His head whirled again and he almost felt stomach acid come out of him from how his stomach churned. The swallow bounced against his chest, as his mother looked at him with her annoyed, yet somehow reassuring eyes.

She sighed once more and went to help him up, "Come on… let's get you cleaned up and get you to your room. Tomorrow-."

"Yen…" He said, cutting her off and slowly turning to meet her eyes as she looked at him, "Are…. Are you really sure that Ciri still likes me?"

The sorceress must have heard the sincerity in his voice, because she kept one hand on him to keep him upright, and the other went to his cheek.

"Yes darling, I'm sure that Ciri still likes you…" She said lightly, her once annoyed glare turning into a small smile.

Quickly he shook his head, "But… but I was a horrible… horrible boyfriend Yen. I… I kissed other women, I… I almost had sex with Freya. What if… what if she-."

"Shhhh, it's alright darling," She said reassuringly again, "You were alone, you didn't have anyone…. I'm sure she'll understand. You weren't a horrible boyfriend I promise, you did what you could… and soon you'll see her again."

He sniffled and let out a shaky sigh, meeting her violet eyes, "You… you're sure? Geralt he… he said was asking about me when she came back…. Was upset I wasn't there."

Yennefer quickly nodded, her eyes staying locked with his, "Yes she was very upset. You should've seen how furious she got with the lodge when they wanted to send her to Kovir. I believe her words were, 'I'm going back to find who I really love; you won't force me to do anything.'."

"She… she said that really," He said, feeling his voice brake.

"Yes, and she was so excited to see you in Rivia…" She said to him, gently stroking his cheek, sitting on the stones now and looking at him, "And I promise you Dominik, that she is out there right now… waiting for you, still loving you."

No matter how he felt since he had known her, Yennefer had always been able to reassure him. After his mother had died in Cintra, for years he craved that type of love, the type a person could only ever experience from their mother. Everything about her, from her presence, to her scent, to her calming tone always seemed to reassure him, calm him, make him feel loved, and he was thankful for it everyday since he had met her, even during the years he had thought himself furious with her.

"Yen I… I love you so much," He slurred out, leaning over and falling onto the sorceress.

She let out a small laughed and wrapped her arms back around him, "And I love you too Dominik… now come on, let's get you cleaned and in bed."

"You know, if… I if I hadn't picked my name from the time I first started training I… I would want to call myself Dominik of Vengerberg… son of Yennefer," He admitted, not letting go of his adopted mother, "Me… me and Ciri were actually both thinking about it when we were young. Or she would be Cirilla of Vengerberg, and I'd be Dominik of Rivia… we… we love you both so much."

Yennefer had been trying to keep somewhat of a stern look to her, but as soon as she heard him, he could see the sorceresses eyes melt, as she leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"And we love you both more then anything," His adopted mother said slowly, pulling back from him and smiling down at him, "I'm going to put you to sleep… then teleport you to your room. Sleep son… because tomorrow is really the day you've been waiting for, I won't fail you, I swear…. _Dearme a'taeghane."_

Before he could say anything else, he saw his adopted mother's finger come to his forehead, magic glowing at its tip… and then he finally fell asleep, the nest day truly being what he had waited over a third of his life for.

**A/N: And just like that ladies and gents we get a little taste of what drunk Dominik is like, he's a bit sensitive about his height in case you couldn't tell xD This is either going to be one of my best or one of my worst chapters to date lmao. I was so worried about how I would approach this, how I wanted him to act, and how I wanted him to say. I decided to even make his inner monologue sound drunk as well xD So next chapter Dominik will FINALLY learn where Ciri is, and be on his way out to find her after looking for over a third of his life…**

**So we have a standard start to the chapter, before we get right to the drinking! I loved telling about Dominik's first contract. All of these contracts we hear Dominik talk about, most will be covered in "The Young Wolf Alone", the series of short stories I'll be writing that tells us about the eight years Dominik was alone searching before he reunited with Geralt and Yen at the start of the book. **

**I decided in the end to have Dom's inner monologue drunk as well xD I apologize if my humor fell flat, but I wanted to also use the opportunity to explore some of the smaller worries, and get his opinion on smaller things that he normally wouldn't worry about. For example we hear a lot about his non-existent sex life, how he's kinda tired of being a virgin but really wants Ciri, and of course his height xD Of course he doesn't normally think about this stuff, knowing what's more important, but when he's drunk he thinks and worries much more xD**

**I also went from a sort of happy drunk, to a worried, sad and desperate drunk xD I wanted to add a few more things, but in the end I'll be honest I don't know how I feel about it as a whole. I hope I could give you guys a couple laughs, learn some things you may have been wondering and you enjoyed the sweet mother son moment at the end!**

**So as I said next chapter the curse is lifted, and then after that we have two chapters to gather allies and then… the Isle of Mists! Three more chapters to go people and we finally are there! We have over 100 followers, and I cannot thank you all enough, your support means the world, and I love writing this for you all!**

**As a special treat I'll announce that I AM going to have some artwork made for this stories cover soon, so stayed tuned for that! If any of you want to draw something or make any art yourself, feel free to PM me! **

**Next chapter will be a big one! I hope you all enjoyed this one, chapter FIFTY, leave a review if you have time, and PM if you have any questions or want to chat! See you all next time, and stay safe!**


	51. Va Fail, Elaine

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 51: Va Fail, Elaine**

**Narrator: After weeks of dangerous quests through Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, Dominik of Cintra, after eight long years, over one third of his life, finally found the key to finding Ciri, so he could reunite with his lost love after so many years. With the aid of his adopted parents, Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg, they figured out that Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse was what would lead them to Ciri. After taking the cursed man back to the witcher fortress of Kaer Morhen, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer figured out the means to lift the curse. After a night of drinking and reveling between Dominik, Geralt and their old witcher friends, the day the Young Wolf had been waiting for had finally come. After so many years of loneliness, longing, regret and pain, Dominik was finally going to learn where to find his long-lost love….**

_When he saw the golden lions on the blue field, it sent immediate warmth down his chest. The royal halls of Cintra's palace, the place that he had spent so much time with Ciri. The place that they first met, the beginnings of their relationship, and their destiny began. He watched and saw himself at eleven years old, with a white silk shirt and brown trousers, with black boots, he couldn't believe how small he had been, as he saw his younger self across from the throne that Queen Calanthe would render judgments on, he looked so small and insignificant, yet he could see how comfortable his eleven-year-old self-looked, and he had a giant smile plastered on his face. The sun beat down through the beautiful stain glass windows into the throne room, and the sight of it, the sight that he missed so much every day. He would sometimes wonder what would have happened had Cintra not been burned, if he had continued to grow up with Ciri in the city. Would Queen Calanthe have let them be together? Would they even have fallen in love like they did? His father had been ready to take him to Skellige to spend the months there with Ciri. _

_ And he also would have seen more of his younger sister, and while he watched the scene, he could feel his eyes begin to sting when he saw her. _

_ "Wow… it's so beautiful in here! The banners, the armor… wow… the throne is huge…" Bella said from next to him, rushing ahead of him, a few steps from the base of the throne. _

_ "Woah, woah easy Bell," His younger self said, rushing up next to his sister, smiling down at her, "I don't think even father would be able to save us if we did something to the throne."_

_ Bella scoffed in amazement, her eyes staying plastered onto the throne as her mouth was dropped in astonishment. His sister could have passed for his twin if you looked at them both long enough. She was wearing black trousers with a green silk shirt, that wrapped up her arms, and only exposed a part of her chest while she had on brown boots. Normally she had worn dresses, but he could remember the day as he watched the scene unfold. They had been out with their mother at the lake, when their father had come to get them, saying how Ciri asked for Dominik, and also wanted to meet Bella as well, so their father had taken them right to the palace. He was intent on bringing them right to Ciri, but after they got to the throne room, he had a summons from the Queen out in the courtyard, so he had left Bella and he in the room with specific instructions not to leave, but Bella had darted right around the room to look at all the shields, swords, elegant banners and columns around the room. It had been her first time in the palace, and his younger sister had been completely astonished. _

_ His eyes began to well again, his skin crawled, and his stomach felt like it was about to explode as he saw the elated look on his sister's face. Her young face, she had only been nine, nine years old before her life was ripped away from her. Her long brown hair bounced, and she tossed it behind her back, as her bright green eyes gazed up at the throne. Her hands twitched and he scoffed again with a smile, turning over to look at him, her eyes wide and full of life. _

_ "Big brother it… it's beautiful… no wonder why you always come here," She said walking over to a suit of armor on a display stand, gently rubbing her hand over it, "Well, this and the princess that is…"_

_ He watched as his younger self laughed nervously and rubbed his head, "Ha yeah… yeah it's nice, and well, I wonder where Ciri is actually."_

_ "I bet you REALLY want to know," His sister said, smirking up at him, walking past him again towards the throne. _

_ Biting his lip he shook his head, "Bella, I really don't think-."_

_ "You're here! Finally," Another voice yelled from the front of the room. _

_ Dominik and Bella both whirled around, he felt his heart soar and a smile come to his face when he saw her. He remembered how utterly beautiful he thought Ciri was, even back when they were eleven years old. Her boots clicked against the cold floors of the throne room, and Dominik saw a young Ciri eagerly speed walk towards them. She normally ran but Dominik could remember the dream vividly. A small smile came to his face as he saw Ciri in the elegant brown dress, her hair intricately tied back in a braid as it cascaded down her back. The blush that appeared on young Dominik's face was the same as he got in the modern day thinking about her. However, Bella as well seemed to be amazed, as she looked over at Ciri wide-eyed. _

_ "Ciri!" Young Dominik said excitedly, moving over to meet her. _

_ A small laugh escaped him as he watched his younger self eagerly wrap his arms around her in a hug. Ciri tossed her arms around his neck and squeezed him, and as he saw the blush appear on both of their faces, he was baffled how he didn't realize how much she liked him then. She had admitted to him that she had a crush on him from the first moment they met each other, but never thought he felt the same way until later at Kaer Morhen, after they kissed for the first time, and finally decided to be together. _

_ He had only been a half a head taller then her during that time, and he could also remember how embarrassed that always made him. Pulling back from her, his younger self smiled broadly at her, the sun casting a beautiful glow over her face. Her sparkling emerald eyes met his and she smiled light at him, and he could feel his heart completely melt at the sight, seeing her so utterly happy. _

_ "You… you look really nice," His eleven-year-old self said, his face still red, "What does the queen have you in a dress today for?"_

_ Ciri rolled her eyes, "Ugh…dignitaries from Temaria are visiting, I think that's why Gregory had to rush to the courtyard. Grandmother says that I must look proper for our guests. Ugh, I'm dying to take it off."_

_ Dominik gave her a small smile, "Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be long. You… you do look really pretty…."_

_ "Th…thank you…" Ciri said, her face red as she lightly laughed, her eyes slowly went to her feet and she gripped her hands, the nervousness clear in her eyes. _

_ For a few moments they stood there, goofily smiling at one another, not taking their eyes off the other. He hoped that when he found her soon in the present that it would be much less awkward, but he could remember how ridiculous the thought Ciri liked him back was to him when he was that age. He didn't think he would have a chance in the world, she was going to be married to some King's son, someone who was of a much higher status then him. Queen Calanthe had betrothals' for Ciri in the past and he remembered how much she used to lament to him how much she hated it. _

_ He watched the dream unfold as he saw his sister smirk wildly at him from a few steps back. Bella eagerly came up next to him and looked between them both, however young Dominik and Ciri were both far too engrossed in each other's gaze to even notice her for a few moments. Bella scoffed an amused laugh and gently pulled on his arm from next to him. _

_ "Um…. big brother? Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend," Bella said with an amused tone, looking over at Ciri. _

_ A nervous laugh left him as he quickly nodded, both he and Ciri finally moving. The sun from the windows beat onto his neck and he saw himself sweating, as he looked from Ciri down to Bella. _

_ "Ha yeah… Ciri, this is my sister Bella," He said, turning back and gesturing towards his sister, "Bella, this is Ciri, our lovely princess."_

_ Ciri scoffed and lightly punched his arm, "Ha, oh please I thought I told you not to call me that! It's really nice to meet you, Dom's told me a lot about you. I was glad Gregory finally brought you around."_

_ He smiled when he saw how happy his sister was. She was always like that, happy, full of life, eager and excited over the smallest things and he had loved it. During the month that their father had been gone, off fighting the Black Ones with Queen Calanthe, his sister had been what got him through. During that time, he hadn't been allowed in the palace to see Ciri, so for days at a time he would be at home, playing and spending time with Bella. He adored her, and she had been his best friend. Even before he had met Ciri, growing up his sister had always been right at his heels. They would both get into spats from time to time, but they were very rare. It was great for their mother who was home dealing with them both. There were a few things he liked to do that she didn't, for example his father and Bella would often roll their eyes when his mother and he went out to the playhouse to watch the mummings. _

_ However, he would never forget Bella's love for exotic things. She loved flowers, and he often helped her grow different plants outside, from Toussaint, Zerrikania, she wanted to fill their outside garden with as many blooms as she could. She loved trying the different, spices and other foods they got from the market, and one of her favorite things to do was listen to the old stories of valiant knights, dragons and princesses in distress. He could remember how eagerly she lapped up the stories, and insisted they reenact them when they were younger. So, in that moment when she came face to face with a real princess, he could see Bella's eyes go wide, as she tried to formulate words. _

_ "It… it's an honor your majesty," Bella said, the smile staying plastered on her face as she bowed. _

_ Ciri laughed and Dominik couldn't help but scoff one out as well. He didn't think he had ever called Ciri 'your majesty' once during the whole time he had known her. He called her 'princess' often, but always meant it as a term of endearment, not a title, and she had always told him she secretly loved it. Back in Ellander when he'd call her that her cheeks would flare up and the cutest smile would appear on her face. _

_ Eleven-year-old Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "Oh none of that now. I don't even think Dom's ever called me that, have you?"_

_ He laughed lightly and shook his head, "Ha, no I don't think so. Unless it was to mess with you."_

_ "And you know better then that," Ciri smirked over at him, before turning back to Bella, "You can call me Ciri, you're my best-friend's sister, that makes you one of my best-friend's too!"_

_ Bella scoffed out a laugh and slowly nodded, meeting Ciri's eyes, "Okay it… it's nice to meet you… Ciri. Dominik's right your dress is beautiful, I wish I had something like that…"_

_ He smiled at watching the both of them. This had been the first time Bella and Ciri met, but after this they had become fast friends. Bella would only come to the castle now and then, but when his father had brought Ciri and he to the lake, or into town, Bella and she would often spend time together. She had come back to the castle a few times, and both Ciri and Bella were excited to finally have another friend that was a girl._

_ So looking at them in that moment he felt his heart soar again, rising up in his chest as Ciri smiled at him, before looking back down at Bella._

_ "This thing? Gods it's pretty I know but I have tons like it," Ciri said with a hand wave, "I'll have Gregory bring you one back home. I don't mind, maybe if I have less dresses, my grandmother won't make me wear them as much."_

_ Bella's eyes widened as her mouth fell open, "R…really? You mean it, I can have one?"_

_ "Of course, it's no problem at all," Ciri said with a smile, looking over to Dominik, her smile quickly sending flutters down his chest before she turned back to Bella, "Why don't we go do that first? Come on, we can go to my room, I'm sure you'll find one you like."_

_ He scoffed himself a smile still on his young face, "So, you're dooming me to a day of looking through dresses?"_

_ Ciri rolled her eyes and smiled over at him, "Oh quit your whining! It won't be for that long, after we're done we can sneak out to the garden, play knucklebones!"_

_ He rolled his own eyes, but Dominik remembered how excited he had been. Ciri and Bella, his two best friends, they had finally met each other, and were seeming to like each other. Ciri had indeed gotten Bella a dress that day, and he would never forget the flabbergasted look their mother had when they brought it home with their father. He wondered if Bella had survived, if she would have come with Ciri and he to Kaer Morhen. His sister had wanted to learn to use a sword, but their father had always insisted she wait until she was eleven like Dominik had been when he started. _

_ His sister would have become a master he was sure, when Bella had her mind set to something she wouldn't stop. There had also been the fact that his sister had always been following at his heels, wanting to do everything he did. He always found it endearing, and would try to help her with anything she tried to copy. From an early age they both had often went out and learned the survival skills their mother wanted to teach. Bella had always been good, but would try to mirror everything he did, and he loved every moment of it. He had to believe that if he and Ciri went to become witchers, that Bella would have been right with them, he tried to imagine what it would have been like to have her with him in the present, the both of them searching for Ciri. He would never know of course… he quickly pushed the thoughts from his head when he watched younger Dominik sigh and slowly nod. _

_ "Alright, alright, we can show Bella here how to play," He said, turning around to his smiling little sister. _

_ Bella eagerly nodded, and looked over to Ciri, "I'd love to! Thank you so much… you're really nice. And you're really, really pretty. It's no wonder Dominik's in love with you!"'_

_ "Bella…" He quickly snapped, his face getting red and his eyes going wide. _

_ Ciri's face quickly went beat red as well, as she nervously grabbed onto her ponytail, and started twirling her ashen locks in her hand. Dominik met her eyes for a moment and laughed nervously as he bit his lip. They had only been eleven at the time, and if you had told his younger self that three years later Ciri and he would be laying in a pile of snow, kissing and telling the other how much they loved each other, his little heart may have burst. Bella smirked wildly as she watched the nervousness pass between Ciri and he, and his sister even managed a laugh. _

_ Thankfully Ciri recovered before he did and laughed lightly, her face still beat red. _

_ "Ahah… well, thank you," She said, smiling towards Bella, before putting a hand on his sisters back and gesturing for them both to follow, "Come on, I want to get moving before my grandmother comes back! Dominik and I will give you the tour!"_

_ Bella eagerly nodded and slowly followed next to Ciri, and Dominik smiled seeing the two of them together, they talked aimlessly about dresses, flowers, food, makeup, he didn't understand much of it, but he followed next to them, feeling his younger heart flutter. The golden rays of the sun casted off them both, and a cool breeze ran through the castle. He saw his younger self eagerly jog after them, but this time however, when he saw his eleven-year-old mouth move, he didn't hear a thing. Himself, Ciri and Bella got further off, and the dream hadn't let him follow. He tried to move his own legs, but he felt himself glued to the spot he was on, and another cold breeze shot through him. _

_ The cold continued to billow, wind blew in his ears, and he could feel all the hair on his body shoot up. His younger self, Ciri and Bella were gone, and the sun that had been shining outside the walls seemed to flash in an instant. He looked up in the halls and saw the lion banners hanging being blown in a torrent of wind, armor and swords rattled on the walls before they were blown off and sent scattering around the throne room. Wind blew open the door that had been closed by himself, Ciri and Bella and he heard glass begin to break as the windows all shattered at once, glass splintered into the room, and he held his hands over his eyes. He tried to scream, to call anyone that the throne room was being destroyed, his mouth had just opened when the voices screamed in his head. _

_ "ONE YOU ONCE LOVED HAS RETURNED," One of the voices screeched in his head, piercing his ears like a knife. _

_ He felt himself fall to his knees, clutching the sides of his ears as he felt them begin to bleed. The voice had echoed so loudly it felt as if a bomb had gone off inside his brain, like someone was taking a long needle and slowly sticking it inside his head. The voice continued to bounce around as he tried to scream, but words didn't come out. _

_ "A SINGLE CHOICE YOU MAKE SHALL DECIDE THEIR FATE," A second much deeper voice yelled loudly, and he could feel the words pinging in his brain._

_ His knees hit the ground and he shot his head down to the floor, screaming silently he held his hands to his ears, gripping onto his hair as the demonic voices continued to swirl, crash around and smash into his brain. _

_ "THE CHOICE YOU MAKE, THE FATE OF YOUR FAMILY, TO PRESERVE OR RAISE," A third monstrous voice ripped through his brain. _

_ "SHUT UP, GET OUTTA MY FUCKING HEAD," He finally found himself yelling, as he shot up to his feet and whirled around to see the throne room again. _

_ The voices stopped cackling in his head, and they were replaced by the screams of men, the dying, agonizing screams that haunted his nightmares every night after the massacre. He whirled around when he heard the marching of boots and the clunking of armor. It wasn't sunny in the throne room anymore, the glass from the windows had been shattered, the armor and weapon displays knocked about… as a squad of Nilfgaardeans in full plate armor marched into the throne room, right past him towards the throne. One carried the golden sun banner and upon getting to the foot of the throne whirled around and stood at attention, as the whole squad that had entered the hall parted… and one man walked through them all. _

_ Emhyr Var Emrys walked to the base of Cintra's throne, Queen Calanthe's throne, the throne he had stolen from her. The man was younger, but Dominik still recognized the crude look in his eyes, the eyes of a madman, a cold, calculated madman. The door burst open behind him again, and a man's rapid running footsteps rushed past him, as a lightly armored soldier came and quickly bowed to one knee before Emhyr. He felt his skin crawl as every part of him wanted to cut the man down in that moment. The words of the demonic voices rang through his head, as he watched Emhyr gesture for the man to speak. _

_ "We've no sign of Sir Gregory your imperial majesty, we've combed the whole castle," The man quickly said, his voice quivering. _

_ The Emperor's eyes grew dark, "He won't be in the castle you imbecile's… he'll have taken her to escape… search the streets. I know he has a wife, two children… find them, use them as bait if you must… but I want him found and I want him dead within the hour. Bring him to me alive if possible… and I will show him the true power I wield…. If you must though… kill him, his wife, and both his children as well… tell Cahir to keep an eye for them as well, deal with them if possible, but he will focus on his main goal."_

"_ONE YOU ONCE LOVED HAS RETURNED, A SINGLE CHOICE YOU MAKE SHALL DECIDE THEIR FATE, THE CHOICE YOU MAKE, THE FATE OF YOUR FAMILY, TO PRESERVE OR RAISE," The demonic voices all shouted at once, making him fall back to his knees, just as Emhyr's soldiers began to all run from the room._

_ "NO, SHUT YOUR MOUTH GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HEAD," He screamed, out, just as he shot his head up, and the golden lion banner of Cintra fell… and soldiers raised the golden sun of Nilfgaard._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"God my head… my fucking head…." He muttered as he rubbed both his eyes, his swords clunking on his back as he walked.

His dream continued to pound into his head all morning, after he woke up, dressed himself, and strapped his swords to his back. The dream hadn't helped the massive headache his hangover was causing, as the last thing he remembered was throwing up on Yennefer and her putting him to sleep with a spell. He had no idea how his adopted mother managed to get himself, and his armor cleaned and back in his room. Chalking it up to her using magic, he rubbed his eyes as the harsh rays of the sun poked into his eyes as he walked through the hall, already hearing the other witchers and his adopted parents talking ahead of him. The dream continued to also pierce into his mind, it had started out so sweet, and he thought for once he'd get a good nights sleep, but of course the dream had turned for the worse, as the image of the lion banner burning and falling to the ground, being replaced by that fucking sun haunted him.

And then of course there was the prophecy, which he had almost forgot again. He mentally scolded himself and realized that so much vodka must have gone to his head, because hearing the words again had jarred his memory. He remembered first hearing it in Crookback Bog, when they had gone with the Baron to rescue his wife, just before he had slayed the giant fiend. The crones, the monstrous witches had shouted the prediction into his head, and then again the morning they had left Novigrad for Skellige. The words rang through his mind and all the anxiousness for it coming to pass came back to him. Geralt said some prophecies took years to come to pass. His adopted father had heard one that told him, _'The girl and the boy in the woods will be with you always'. _At the time Geralt hadn't thought anything of it, but years later he began having dreams of the prophecy again, and eventually it had led him to finding Dominik and Ciri.

However, the prophecy he received; he knew it had to be coming to pass soon. He had tried several times to figure it out, and the first line was the only one that had ever made sense. _'One you once loved has returned,' _the line had to refer to Ciri. She had been lost, he loved her, and she had finally returned. The rest of the lines, _a single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family to preserve or raise, _while what they meant was obvious, how they would come to pass still reeled in his mind. He was going to have to make a choice concerning Ciri, one that would either destroy or preserve his second family. What kind of choice it was going to be had always made him wonder, but what if the dream was an indicator? Was the choice he was going to have to make regarding Emhyr and Nilfgaard somehow?

"Uhhh… fuck me, why did it have to do this to me now," He muttered to himself, rubbing the sides of his temples.

That day was going to be the day he finally found out where she was, so he could finally go and get her, he didn't need to be worrying about a prophecy in that moment, or whatever choice it was he was going to make. He needed to reunite with her first according to the prophecy before he did anything, and he had told himself he wanted to think about Emhyr or Nilfgaard as little as possible. Sighing heavily, he felt his stomach continue to churn, and the pins and needles poke inside of his head. Ciri was what mattered, not any dream or prophecy, and he was going to get to her that day.

The sun shone in brightly from the windows and he had to blink as he walked closer. When he looked up he could see the table… the table used to apply the trial and remembered what his adopted mother had said they planned on doing the night before. The trial of grasses on Uma… and hopefully it would be what restored his true appearance. And he also remembered learning the fact that they had lied to him for years… never planning on letting him undergo the trial. He bit his lip as he got closer, seeing Yennefer over Uma, while Geralt, Lambert, Vesemir and Eskel all gathered around. His annoyance flared as he remembered all the years he thought he'd come back to finally become a real witcher. But it seemed that they truly had no intention of it. He couldn't risk undergoing the trial now, despite how he knew he had a chance to survive, he would never take the chance of dying while he still hadn't gotten to Ciri.

But he couldn't get over the fact that they had lied to him for years.

"Ahhh look who decided to join us," Lambert's voice rang in his ears, just as he passed the beds and reached the group of them, "How's the hangover treating you?"

"Ugh… my fucking head hurts, are we ready? I wanna get this done," He said, rubbing his eyes as he looked around the table.

He looked down at Uma, who's eyes were wide as he tried to kick his legs out of the table. It was large enough to fit a normal sized man… or woman. It looked as if it were a torture device, that at any moment one of them were going to reach down and start cutting the cursed man across the stomach for information. He shudder slightly, thinking of the fact that Ciri could be on that table. He crossed his arms and sighed, rubbing his eyes as his body finally started to get used to the weight of his armor again. Trying to not meet his adopted mothers, eyes he looked around and saw his Uncle Vesemir slowly shaking his head as he looked down at Uma. The table for the Trial had to have been in hiding somewhere in the fortress, and one hadn't been conducted in dozens of years.

To his right he felt Geralt clap a hand on his shoulder, and give him a slightly amused look. Sighing out he rubbed his eyes and realized that there was no doubt that Geralt, or Yennefer would indeed tell Ciri about the time he got drunk and wore his adopted mother's dress to harass a sorcerer on the privy. It would be added to the list of extremely brave feats he had been coming up with to tell Ciri about. She would be enthralled he was sure when he told her about the time he had to save princess the goat from a bear, look for rat shit in a warehouse with Triss in Novigrad, or put on a stage production that he wrote himself. He rubbed his temples again and looked around the table, feeling the glare hit his eyes and make him squint, as he tried to ignore the light distress moans of Uma tied to the table.

"So now that everyone's up and at'em," Geralt said, crossing his arms and looking around the table, "I think we're about ready to get started now."

Slowly he nodded and looked over to his Uncle, "Uncle Vesemir did you learn anything from your trick with the hemlock?"

"While you were out hunting forktails and playing with the megascope I examined Uma," His Uncle said, looking around to the group of them, "Noticed one thing-at moments of, what's the term… relaxed consciousness he behaves differently."

He felt his skin crawl as he remembered his time on the road with the cursed man. Like Vesemir had described he could recall times where Uma had looked at him and seemed to actually have a look of intelligence to him. When he had first met the cursed man and he saw Dominik, he had tried to get to him right away… as if he recognized him. That was what had him scared so much at first that the creature had been Ciri, Ciri recognized him and tried to get to him, even in Uma's body.

Slowly he sighed, "I know what you're talking about. I saw it a few times on the ride here."

His Uncle nodded, "Aye, while he was falling asleep, he'd pause awake for an instant. Something different about his movements, his gaze but only for a moment," The elderly witcher started, looking down at a wriggling Uma, "So I induced a trance, hypnotized him, essentially. No effect at first, but as he dropped into deep lethargy. I heard something… a sigh or a moan. And it wasn't Uma's voice."

Lambert scoffed from next to Eskel, "All right. I just don't get why that helps us."

"Then keep quiet," Yennefer quickly snapped from across him, "Thank you Vesemir…. And I apologize for what I said earlier. Have the boys told you about what I plan to do?"

His Uncle scoffed, "Yes. Don't like it one bit. But I suppose I have to trust you."

"Must really not have liked it for years…. Considering you were never going to do to me…" Dominik found himself snapping, making all the eyes turn to him.

He could see the hard yet disappointed look on his Uncle's face. All the eyes were on him, and he felt his skin crawl as his stomach started to unwind. He was confident in his abilities now, knew he could kill just about any monster, was confident he could match any man he came across, and if he ever learned to control the powers in his blood, there was no telling how powerful he could have gotten. He had two swords, bombs and oils… yet he still wouldn't be a witcher, he never was going to be, they never were going to do it, never give him that chance.

For so many years as he traveled, he had to deal with people badmouthing witchers, and when he told them he was one they'd laugh, scoff their noses up at him, and refuse to let him take contracts or other jobs. He had been working his whole life as a witcher, and the whole time it had been a lie, and no matter how hard he worked, he would never be one. He knew that his Uncle, Geralt or Yennefer would never let him undergo the trial now, no matter how much he thought he'd survive, they wouldn't take the chance. That chance he had to become a real witcher, the chance that Ciri and he had was gone, gone forever now, and it apparently had never been there. He crossed his arms and squeezed on his arms as he looked over to meet his Uncle's eyes, as the elderly witcher sighed.

"So… the boys told you didn't they," Vesemir said, look over to meet his eyes, "I'm sorry lad, but this is one time I'll agree with Lambert. These are secrets that should stay dead."

Scoffing he shook his head, "Could've told me that from the beginning. Instead of lying to me, letting me think that one day I'd be a real witcher! Ciri and I worked our whole lives for it."

"You ARE a real witcher Dom, for the last time," Geralt said from behind him, as he scoffed and shook his head, "You've been doing perfectly fine the last few years. The hell do you need mutations for?"

"He's right Dominik," Vesemir said sternly, shaking his head, "We weren't about to risk you. We taught you and Ciri both to defend yourself from anything. And clearly it's been effective."

"Ha you're kidding right!? Have you seen the scars," He said incredulously, feeling every monster claw that had ever sunk into him over the years flare up, "I've had to choose what contracts I took carefully, couldn't take ONE hit from most monsters or else I'd be dead!"

"Good thing you're fast kid," Lambert said sarcastically from in front of the table.

He rolled his eyes and felt his blood begin to heat up as he could remember all the contracts that had almost killed him. So many times, he had ended up half dead in a cave that he had to drag himself out of. He remembered as recently as Velen when he fought the Pesta, he couldn't even get anywhere close to the creature, one claw and its disease would have festered inside of him and killed him within minutes. So many times, he couldn't take contracts as well because he knew he wouldn't stand a chance. He didn't know if somehow, someway his blood powers as a carrier activated earlier then he thought, but somehow he had survived all those years without mutations, but he wouldn't even have needed them if he could have mutated.

The choice was never going to be given from him, they were going to let him and Ciri go without them, not wanting to risk them. He didn't care if they truly did never want to mutate him, but he had at least deserved the choice, the choice to risk his life to become a real witcher. For so, so long he had dreamed of it, he and Ciri had dreamed of it. That was what they were going to do for the rest of their lives, save people, travel the continent as witchers. However, that dream was never going to be a reality.

"Fuck you Lambert," He quickly snapped, feeling his blood race again as his head ripped back between Vesemir and Geralt, "You weren't even going to give me the choice! It doesn't matter how many monsters I've killed. I could survive the trial, I'm not a REAL witcher, I don't the yellow eyes, I don't' have the witcher senses! I worked my whole life to be a witcher, and now I learn that it was all for nothing!? Me and Ciri wanted this, we were going to be witchers together, travel the continent killing monsters and saving people!"

"You can still do that child," Yennefer quickly said across from him, "There's nothing stopping you from that."

"You all LIED," Dominik snapped, whirling around to Geralt and the other witchers, "I was never going to even get the chance…."

"ENOUGH child stop this ridiculous talk right now," Vesemir snapped, the sun from the windows reflecting off the swords on his back, "We were doing what was best for you boy. The trial doesn't care how strong you are! It tears at your soul, rips you apart, do you know how many boys survive!?"

"I WANTED THE CHOICE," He screamed, feeling his limbs begin to crawl again, his hands curled into fists as she turned around, "I'm a lot stronger than most nine-year-old's that take the trial…"

It was the truth, most boys who took the trials were young, barely trained and it seemed natural that they didn't have much of a chance to survive. If he had gotten the chance, he could have been stronger, strong enough perhaps to get to Ciri, to save her, maybe he could have survived Rivia, and been able to get to her. He could have helped so many more people, saved so many more if he were a real witcher, but he wasn't, and he was never going to get the chance.

Geralt snapped from his right, "Dom that's enough stop-."

"NO Geralt," His Uncle Vesemir snapped, a tone to his voice harder than Dominik had ever heard, as he furiously shook his head, "Being a witcher boy is more then just mutations! I taught you that much. Contrary to belief, witchers DO have emotions, and I wasn't about to risk you dying-."

"I WOULD have survived," Dominik snapped, feeling the anger bubble up in his chest, "If I was mutated maybe I could have saved Ciri! What kind of witcher doesn't have witcher senses-."

"YOU WANNA MUTATE SO BADLY BOY!? You want to risk your life," Vesemir snapped at him, before furiously turning behind him to a bookshelf, knocking over books until he found one small leather-bound tome, and furiously turned back to him, "READ THIS FIRST! Read this and tell me how good your chances are! I'll tell you now, they're NO BETTER THEN ANYONE ELSE!"

The book came flying at him and he managed to catch it. It was small and bound in brown leather but had dozens of thick pages of parchment. He had never seen his Uncle so furious, but all he could think about in the moment was that he and Ciri's dream was never meant to come true. He was so close to finding her, and he thought that after they could finally go out and achieve it. However, he had been wrong, and now he was going to find her, and lead her right into an almost impossible fight with the Wild Hunt. If he had been a real witcher it would have made it so much easier, if were like Geralt then he could have stood up to the Hunt then.

Despite the anger that ran through him, and the annoying glare that casted into his eyes through the windows giving him a massive headache he managed to read out the title that was scrawled onto the book. He narrowed his eyes and slowly read out the words.

"Kaer Morhen, School of the Wolf…. Trials of the grasses," He said slowly, looking around and seeing all the witcher tense, "What is this, what-."

"Skip to halfway through… read loud enough for everyone to hear…" His Uncle said in a dark voice, almost as if he didn't want Dominik to read, but was still forcing him too.

Slowly he looked down at cover again, and felt a cold draft run through the castle. His adopted father and mother both stood looking at him with hard eyes, while Eskel and Lambert narrowed eyes at him. Uma wiggled on the table in front of him and he was reminded of Ciri, so he quickly decided to get his Uncle's test over with and carefully opened the pages, the thick parchment easily separated as he saw names dozens of names, places of birth and small lines of text scrawled in ink. Some were longer then others, and some were simply one or two lines. He stopped hallway through like his Uncle instructed, still feeling his blood boil, as he felt the anxiousness boil up inside of him.

When he read the first name on the page however… his heart slowly sank. The hair on his neck stood up, and he let out a shaky sigh as he looked over the lines, dead, dead, dead, dead, all of them were dead. The sun beat down into his eyes, and the hangover didn't do his headache any favors, and he read name after name of the men and boys who had died trying to become witchers, men who he was sure that his Uncle had trained. The hair on his arms began to stick up as he let out a shaky sigh and looked up to meet everyone's eyes, beginning to read the first name.

"Sir Bartel of Hengfors, age 20… died after administering Witchgrass, heart failure. Deidrick of Ghelboil, age 22… survived the trial, died shortly after… multiple organ failures…. And… and more like that," He finished slowly, closing the book gently in his hands.

He swallowed hard and felt his skin continue to crawl as he looked to the witchers and Yennefer staring at him. Men his age, knights who had somehow been recruited to be witchers, from years and years ago, the trial hadn't spared any of them… they had all died, just like most of the nine-year-old's who underwent the trial. All with multiple organ failures, and one that even survived, but his brain had become to muddled and he came out with a deformed body so he had to be euthanized. Some of them had been the same age as him, and surely much larger, probably stronger… and they had still died. He didn't know if they had been forced to come to the keep, forced to train as witchers, why someone his age would come to the keep willingly, or if they had felt like they owed something, but they still had come… and they still had died.

Another cold draft ran through the keep and he shivered, looking down at Uma. The causes of death flashed in his brain, heart failure, brain damage, spinal deformity… all of the ones he read had been on fully grown men… and Uma was just a cursed man, cursed man that could have Ciri's body inside of it. If Ciri was inside… the trial could kill her, just as it could have killed him. The words of Letho of Gullet rang in his head again, _trial doesn't give a damn how old you are kid. You could be a nine-year-old or a spry twenty. _They had been looking out for him in the end… they didn't want him or Ciri to risk dying, having the chance of having their bodies ripped apart, all so they could be turned into a mutant.

"The witchers were formed to save people from monsters, to pay the ultimate sacrifice to do what other people at the time couldn't," His Uncle Vesemir said slowly shaking his head, "But people have come up with ways to save themselves now…. Which is why when they say we're relics of a bygone age… they're right. If you think being a witcher lad, is all about mutations… then I failed in teaching you."

He bit his lip and let out a shaky breath, gently tossing his Uncle back the book, which the elderly witcher returned to the shelf. Something Ciri had always said panged through his mind, that witchers were heroes, the unsung heroes of the continent that went and killed the monsters that people couldn't, and that was why she had wanted to be one… that had been why they had wanted to set out together. To help people, to save people from the monsters that they couldn't save themselves from. His Uncle was right, in the day and age they lived in, people had come up with ways to slay monsters. He had seen men take down drowners, rotfiends, other necrophages, seen men kill griffins, basilisk, and tons of monsters. Of course, the witchers were still needed in some capacity, to kill monsters permanently, to fight the toughest ones… but it would only be a matter of time until people figured out how to kill them as well.

Being a witcher was a source of pride to him. They were the experts, the ones called upon where the monster fighting was worst… and that was what he had been doing the previous eight years. Whenever a village needed his aid, whenever a village needed him, he always tried to help, and no matter if it was a peasant paying him five crowns, or a baron paying him thousands… he always did what he could. Somehow he hadn't died yet, and while his eight years on the Path were lonely and agonizing, the grateful looks on peoples faces, the flush of relief when he saved one of their loved ones, or rid them of a monster… they had been the few good moments. And he had done it all not as a mutant, without mutations. His Uncle as normal was right… being a witcher meant saving people from monsters. Saving people from monsters with fangs and claws, or monsters disguised as men… and he didn't need to risk his life for yellow eyes and enhanced speed to do that.

"U…Uncle Vesemir," He said, slowly shaking his head, "I'm sorry for yelling I, I just-."

"I know lad, I know," The elderly witcher said, holding up his hand, "We're all a bit on edge… now, let's get back to what we were planning. Yennefer?"

His adopted mother had been watching the scene with intent and for a moment her violet eyes shot him a reassuring look. After the previous night he somehow felt his love for his adopted mother grow even more. She had cleaned the vomit off him, and managed to get him into bed, of course being a sorceress made it easy for her, but he still appreciated the gesture, as the sun from the windows still shot pain through his head. He had to refocus his attention, he had to trust his adopted mother could get Uma through the trial… and that by the end of the day he'd have a location.

Eight years and over a third of his life later, he'd finally know where she was, and he'd finally be able to keep all the promises he made. He could remember all the way back to when they first escaped Cintra together. It was the next morning after the ambush, and they had run clean throughout the night, their young smaller legs finally tired and they both collapsed. He was in particularly bad shape, as Cahir not only punched him across the face, but also had cut across his torso. So next to a stream for several minutes he walked Ciri through how to dress his wound. She poured the water over it, and finally ripped off a piece of her cloak to wrap around him. It wasn't very tight, but it lasted them until they found the Cintran refugee camp and got better treatment. That had been when Ciri finally asked him… asked him if his father, mother and Bella were dead. He remembered crying into her arms, as he frantically tried to get Bella and his mother's dried blood off his hands.

She had begun to cry as well, and for almost an hour they both simply sat by the stream and cried, cried into each other's arms. They had no direction, and only the instructions that they had to find Geralt of Rivia, and at the time neither had any idea how to go about doing that. She had asked him what they would do. And he told her that as long as they stuck together, they would be alright. He swore to her he wouldn't leave her side, no matter what, and she promised the same.

After that they came up with the idea to keep heading north, until they could find a way to Skellige… and they hadn't left each other's side once. That continued for years after… until they were separated, and after he found her within the next few days… he would never leave her side again.

His adopted mother quickly nodded, "Everything is ready. Geralt, you and Dominik prepare the potions, I'll give you the formulae. Eskel, take a bottle of spirit and-."

"Ugh… no more, not after last night," Eskel moaned, rubbing both of his eyes as his adopted mother sighed.

"No… not to drink, but to clean the tools. Come on then, chop, chop," The sorceress said, quickly clapping, meeting his eyes one more time with a reassuring look.

He tried to look over to Vesemir, but his Uncle simply nodded and started to examine Uma in the table again. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as the anxiousness finally started spilling over in him. They were beginning the process, and by the end of it… he would either be heading out to find Ciri… or he would be trying to figure out a new reason for going on. He looked down at his gloved hands and saw them twitching, before he gripped them both together, and he could feel Geralt's hand on his shoulder.

"Come on… let's go make those potions," His adopted father said, as Dominik looked up to meet his yellow eyes, "I think we have a little talk too…"

Quickly he nodded and followed Geralt towards the table they had set up to make potions. They were more then likely going to be the most important potions he had ever made… ones that would finally bring his journey to an end one way or another.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You know… Vesemir is right," Geralt said, as they both watched the potions boil, the pleasant hissing sound hitting his ears.

Sighing he slowly nodded, his hand tightly around the swallow, "He normally is…. Geralt I… I'm sorry I got mad I… I just can't help but thinking-."

"I know exactly what you're thinking," Geralt said before he could finish, meeting his gaze from across the table, "You're thinking that you could've saved Ciri if you were mutated, that you could've helped more people over the years…. I know you too well."

The potions had been complex, but between Geralt and he, they were both able to quickly get the formulae correct. The sun pierced through the windows again and he felt sweat trickling down his neck as he sat across from his adopted father, the potion boiling between them, almost to the color they needed. He heard his Uncle Vesemir and Yennefer talking in the background, and all of the names started to float around in his head again, the causes of death. Heart failure, spinal deformity, cerebral hemorrhage, survived but damage to the brain was so bad he had to be euthanized. All of those men had been his age, and he thought about how many pages of young children he had passed over. For years he had called himself a witcher, yet never truly felt like one. When he got his silver sword for a few moments he did, but the fact he still didn't have the 'witcher senses', he couldn't see in the dark, it all pounded into his head.

Geralt had been right as well. If he had gone back and undergone his mutations, would he have been able to get to Ciri in Rivia? Or would he had been able to move faster or somehow get to her in the last month, to get to her and stop her from possibly being cursed. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind, none of it mattered anymore, in a few hours he'd hopefully be able to have a physical destination that he knew she was at, and he'd be able to get to her now. His stomach churned again, and he felt as if someone was stirring his insides like they were cooking a stew as he thought of her. The headache didn't help him any, but he managed to look up and meet Geralt's eyes as he slowly nodded.

"I guess you do know me too well…" He said, standing up from the bench as Geralt slowly began to take the potions off the burner, "And well… there's the fact that no matter what… some people won't think of me as a witcher."

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, meeting his eyes, "Dom… let me tell you something. You don't have to do everything by yourself. You aren't perfect, you won't save everyone, you won't be able to please everyone, I'm not perfect, I've done far from good my whole life, Ciri isn't perfect… but the important thing is we're doing everything we can for one another."

He shook his head, "Geralt I know that, I just… really hope that I'm strong enough to protect her. Carrier or no carrier, I… I'm scared I'm just gonna find her, only to lose her again. Maybe if I was real witcher… I'd have a better chance."

"I told you when we first started this that you ARE a witcher, never forget that," Geralt said quickly, pouring the potions into the apparatuses, "You heard what Vesemir said, being a witcher is about more then just mutations, we make the ultimate sacrifice."

"Yeah, the sacrifice of undergoing the trials," Dominik rationalized, just as his adopted father poured the last of the liquid.

The older witcher sighed as he finally finished and slowly turned to him, "That's a sacrifice yeah, but not the main one we make. We go and save people from the horror stories they hear when they're kids. We protect them… and that's what you've been doing the last eight years right?"

"Yeah…" He said slowly, as his adopted father came around with the potions in hand.

"No matter what you think Dom, you still save people from monsters," Geralt said, slowly putting a hand on his shoulder and meeting his eyes, "You ARE a witcher. Witchers save people from monsters, the kind that exist, and the kind that we create, you do that, as long as you do that, to me, you are a witcher. And I couldn't be prouder of not just the witcher, but the man you've become…"

He laughed out a small scoff, and slowly looked up and met his adopted father's eyes. Multiple times over the last few weeks his adopted father had said how proud of him he was, but in that moment it hit him particularly hard. He felt the warmth run up his chest as he sighed and adjusted his swords. Geralt, Ciri and he were all linked through destiny, he had learned that, what with him and Ciri's destinies being intertwined, along with Geralt and Ciri's being intertwined, they all combined to form their trio, all of them locked by one destiny. However, growing up he hadn't always thought that. So many times, and for so long he believed that Geralt only brought him along because Ciri refused to go without him. Ciri was Geralt's child of surprise, linked from the moment Ciri was born, he wasn't Geralt's surprise child, had never even heard of the man before Ciri had told him back in Cintra. He could remember how excitedly Ciri talked about the witcher in the castle halls, she had told him all about how they met in the Brokolon Forest, and how one day he'd come back for her, and take her to be a witcher. For so long she'd try and convince him to come with her, and at the time he would simply nod and tell her wherever she went, he would go, not thinking that it would ever truly happen. He believed that they would both grow up in Cintra, Ciri would become Queen, and him the captain of her guards… or hopefully her husband if Queen Calanthe had allowed it.

It all had come true however, destiny led them to Geralt. He'd never forget how he tried to smash Geralt's knees in with a rock when he saw him pick Ciri up in the woods. For months they had been on the run, and people had tried to kidnap her, so his young eleven-year-old self-rushed the man, determined not to let him take her. Thankfully Geralt quickly disarmed him, and when Ciri told him it was the witcher they had been searching for, the panic had begun to set in, as he didn't know if the yellow-eyed man would take him with them. Thankfully, he had, but the feeling always lingered in Dominik's mind that it had only been because Geralt could see that Ciri wouldn't leave him. Even as they began to grow up, and he came to love Geralt as a second father, he always had the nagging feeling that it had only been because of Ciri. So many times, had Dominik did extra, hurt himself in training or sparring to try and impress Geralt.

So to hear him say it then, after they had been through so much, after working and training for so long… to have his adopted father say he was a true witcher after it all, that he was proud of him for what he had done… he finally felt himself vindicated.

"Thank you Geralt…" He said, slowly nodding and letting out a shaky sigh, "And… and thank you for taking me with you all those years ago, and not leaving me behind."

His adopted father nodded again, a smile coming to his withered face, "You're welcome, one of the best decisions I ever made. Now… come on, let's go finish this thing."

Slowly he reached his hand up to the swallow and gripped it tightly as Geralt walked past him holding the potion vials. He let out a relieved sigh as he looked back to see Yennefer smiling over at him, and he felt his heart flutter again.

He and Ciri's dream had always been to help people, to save people from monsters, to help them fight things that they couldn't fight themselves. They wanted to make the continent safe, to live a life of adventure, to see all the places they could, experience everything they could… and the most important thing was that they wanted to do it together. And after he found her, they would finally get the chance. To do that, they didn't need to be mutated, all they needed was their swords, and the knowledge they'd studied for years in Kaer Morhen. But most importantly they had needed each other.

And to do that, he only needed to wait a little bit more.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Potions are ready," Geralt said as he came up next to him.

Eskel nodded from the head of the table, "Tools are cleaned and ready too."

Yennefer sighed and looked over to Vesemir, "Okay good… and Vesemir?"

"Hookweed extract to deaden the pain," His Uncle said, his voice low, and for the first time Dominik could hear slight fear in his Uncle's voice, "I know… done this before…"

He felt his skin slowly begin to crawl when he saw Uma wriggling in his bonds on the table, his large brown eyes darting between them all. He had to tare his eyes away from the cursed creature, the longer he looked the more Ciri popped into his head, the idea that they could be performing the trial on her, and if something went wrong with the trial, she could come out deformed with brain damage…. But it was the only way. Letting out a slow breath he looked over at his adopted mother, who he could tell was trying to relax her own nerves. He remembered in his drunken state the night before how she had promised him she wouldn't fail him again… and he trusted her. She wasn't going to let him down, let Ciri or their family down, she was going to do everything she could, and soon he'd have that second family back.

The sun beat down through the windows again, and he could tell it was still early in the morning. They hadn't taken up much time, and if they hurried then, Geralt and he could leave before sundown. He didn't know how, but somehow Clop was always able to sense his urgency, and he knew his stallion would get him where they needed to go as fast as he could go. His anxiousness rose, and he could feel his gut swelling as sweat slowly trickled down the back of his neck, one hand stayed wrapped around the swallow, and the other at his side in a fist. It had been weird to him, that he could wait for something, one specific day for so long, to finally have it come and then he be so nervous. He deduced that it was because he more then likely knew his search would either conclude and go into its final days, or it would be over then and there.

"Okay… Eskel make incisions into the veins, insert the tubes," His adopted mother quickly ordered before looking over to Geralt, "Geralt, place the potions into the feeders and Dominik… come around here with me."

He nodded and met Geralt's eyes for a moment as his adopted father went to pour the potions into the feeders. Quickly he walked around the table to Yennefer's side, and he could see his adopted mother's hand shaking. He looked and saw the apprehension in her eyes, the worry starting to build. For so long she and Geralt had been strong for him, and they were still doing it now, but he could see it breaking in the sorceress. He reached down and gripped her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze as his adopted mother looked over to him.

"This'll work… I trust you… you're going to do this Yen…" He said lightly, meeting her violet eyes with a nod.

Letting out a shaky sigh Yennefer nodded her head, a small smile coming to her face as she squeezed his hands back, "Thank you… I won't fail you both again… I won't…"

"You'll never fail us… I swear," He said to her, slowly nodding his head.

Again, his adopted mother smiled and nodded at him. During the year in Ellander, there had been a time when Ciri and he considered changing their names to Cirilla of Vengerberg, and Dominik of Rivia, to take their adopted parents names. They had been separated before they could decide, and he had been going by Dominik of Cintra for so long, he couldn't change his name now, however he would have been proud to have the name. He loved and missed his birth parents every day, but Geralt and Yennefer he loved just as much, and considered them both to be his true parents that day and would until he died.

He didn't know what would happen after they found Ciri, but he knew what he wanted to happen. The four of them together, at least for a small time, just to experience that all again. And to get to that he had to trust his adopted mother then, and it was easy to, because he knew that she wanted what he did possibly even more then him.

"Umaumaumaumaaaaa," Uma moaned from the table, making his head dart back around as Eskel placed the tubes into the cursed mans veins, and the wails made his skin crawl more.

Geralt finished pouring the potions and looked over to them, "Okay… all ready now."

Yennefer squeezed his hand once more and slowly nodded, "Alright, Geralt… open the valves, it doesn't matter which order…"

He crossed his arms over again as goosebumps ran down his body again. The causes of death, brain failure, cerebral hemorrhage, multiple organ failure, lung collapse spinal deformity all rang in his mind. It all flashed and pounded into his head, ringing around as he saw Geralt take in a deep breath and move his hand towards the valve. He almost shouted out to stop, but he quickly gripped his hand around the swallow pendant, as the loud click of the valve opening echoed in his mind, and then after that the prophecy did. _A single choice you make shall seal their fate. _What if that moment then was the choice!? What if it were up to him to decide to continue the trial on Uma, and that was the choice that would either kill Ciri or save her, she would either die or live based on his decision.

Before he could think more then, was when he heard Uma scream, and he was confident nothing would haunt his nightmares worse.

"Aaachh…. AAACCCCHHHHH," The cursed man screamed as he tried to wriggle from his bonds, desperately trying to escape, "AAA…. AAAAA…. UMAUMAUMUMAUMAAAAAA!"

"I'm sorry…" He said quietly to himself, his hand gripping tighter around the swallow as he closed his eyes shut.

The pain, the anguished screamed rang in his brain, drowning out all other sound and he felt like he was about to shed his skin it crawled so much around him. He gripped the swallow as tightly as he could, and his hand shut so tightly he could almost feel his glove rip. Any thoughts about the trial he had were dashed from his mind, Uma may have been a cursed man, but he saw the creatures eyes begin to bleed, as he finally wreathed and fell silent, his mouth agape and his eyes stuck wide open.

He let out a shaky breath and looked over to Vesemir, "Uncle Vesemir… the hookweed?"

Slowly his Uncle nodded, "If it hadn't worked the pain would've sent him into shock… killed him."

"Ha, well everything's going smoothly then…" Lambert said sarcastically from behind him, a disgusted look on his old trainer's face.

"No…" His Uncle said dryly, the pain still in his voice, "But…. it is within known norms."

"Geralt… next potion," His adopted mother said, bringing the attention back to Uma, who was still wriggling his smaller arms to get free of his bonds.

Sucking in his breath he turned back and made the mistake of meeting Uma's large eyes. The eyes recognized him somehow, he knew this, he could tell. If it weren't Ciri in there then how could whoever it was possibly know him? He didn't have time to think because he quickly shut his eyes as his hand didn't leave from around the swallow.

His adopted father slowly reached over and with a regretful look on his old withered face unleashed the next potion into the cursed man's bloodstream. The unlocking of the tube once again felt like it echoed through the entire hall, the place he grew up in and trained in echoed with Uma's screams and he let out a shaky sigh, realizing that this truly could have been his choice, the choice he made to seal Ciri's fate, and to preserve or destroy his second family.

However, he knew that if there was one thing more dangerous than the trial, it more then likely would be stopping it midway through.

Uma's eyes started convulsing as his smaller arms writhed in agony, "AAAACCCHHHHH…. AAACHHHHHH! UMAAAAAA UMA UMAAAAAAAAAA."

"Fuck me…. Ciri…" He said, turning away from the table and gripping the swallow with both hands as the screams pierced his ears, "Ciri…. Ciri…."

All he could do was say her name, if she were on that table right now he had subjected her to the worst pain she could ever feel. Her cells were being ripped open, feeling like her body was on fire, and he couldn't even turn back around as the screams continued. He slowly tilted his head up to look out the window and the sun continued to shine right into his green eyes as he let out a shaky breath and shook his head. Through the years he had heard people screamed as their limbs were torn off, their throats ripped open by werewolves or monsters. He remembered Shani's medical tent at the Battle of Brenna, he could hear the screams of men he had to hold down while she sawed off limbs and tried to stitch others back together. He had heard so much screaming, so many pained screamed that he had almost become accustom to it.

Uma's screamed however were more blood curdling then any he had ever heard, and there was the distinct possibility the woman he loved was screaming them right then. There had been so many things he regretted over the last eight years. He regretted not looking harder for Ciri, not going with Geralt of Yennefer when he had the chance, he regretted how he had used Freya and how he ended things with her, he regretted not getting to Rivia faster, letting the Crones take the children in Velen, screaming at Ermion, destroying the garden on Hindersfjall. But none of them made him feel as horrible as he felt as he sat there listening to the screams of the cursed creature….

"I… I had hoped I'd never have to watch this again," His Uncle slowly said, and the anguish in his Uncle's voice nearly broke him.

"Well why did you keep the table then!?" Lambert said angrily, as his sarcastic old mentor started pacing.

The tone in his Uncle's voice told him why they had never planned on conducting the Trial on Ciri and he. He tried to imagine himself strapped to the table, those dangerous herbs mixed together and being forced into his bloodstream. From everything he learned about potions, he knew the specific ingredients they mixed together was deadly, and could almost always kill a man, and the trial injected them into your blood. Something his Uncle said rang through his head, '_The witchers were formed to save people from monsters, to pay the ultimate sacrifice to do what other people at the time couldn't'. _He knew that the witchers were formed after monsters had been unleashed into the world from the conjuncture of spheres, and the people of the continent at the time had no idea how to deal with them.

The trial was almost always a death sentence. Of the names he read off the list, he had only seen about three of the thirty or so names he saw survive and move onto more training. And he knew that most new witchers died in some swamp hunting drowners only months later. Back in that age, people needed the witchers, and what his Uncle had always called the 'witcher golden age' had dawned. However, after hundreds of years, people as Vesemir had said started to develop ways to deal with them. There were groups of ordinary people, knight errants, dragon hunters, and even though he despised them, the Witch Hunters were one of these groups in a way. Witchers were becoming more and more scarce, it was a miracle he had met Faram and George on his travels, and now he knew why. People were having less and less need of them.

And because the trial was normally a cruel death sentence. A small part of him could see why Lambert was so bitter now. Geralt had been right, his Uncle had been right, he was a witcher, but not because he had his mutations… but because he saved people from monsters, saved and protected them, and had the intimate knowledge that all master monster slayers had. Witchers were becoming the elite of the elite when it came to saving people on the continent, the disdain people had for them was obvious, but little did they know that without them, they would have died out hundreds of years ago… and in the current day and age, there would be nobody to come deal with the beasts that haunted their nightmares. He was a part of that group, because he had been trained as one, he knew the bestiary front to back, knew how to make all the bombs and oil he ever needed… and he wanted to keep people safe. And he didn't need the Trial of Grasses for that.

He knew now why his Uncle wanted the secrets to be hidden… he'd more then likely trained dozens of young boys, only to put them through a trial that almost always meant their death.

"Geralt… the last potion, go on," Yennefer said slowly from next to him, as he finally managed to turn around.

The valve clicked through the hall again, and blood poured from Uma's eyes as he screamed, as Dominik didn't let go of the swallow.

"YYYYYAAAAAAA, UMMMMAAAMAMAMAAA, AAACHHHH, AHHHHHHCCCHHHH," The cursed man's curdling voice echoed through his ears as he tried to break free.

For a moment Uma writhed so much he thought the cursed man may really break out of his bonds. The creature's eyes were bleeding, slowly he could see blood trickling from the sockets, his nose, out of the incisions in his veins as the cursed man's skin began to deteriorate. He almost rushed forward to let him out, but finally he saw a blue ball of magic erupt out of his adopted mother's hands.

"Oesi, caeyfyn!" Yennefer yelled, as the ball of magic erupted from her hands and she transferred it to her other one, as she held them out. The magic shot forward and enveloped Uma, as soon as the rays hit him, the cursed man stopped screaming, but Dominik could still see the pained look in the creatures eyes.

He froze as he looked around to see Geralt and the other witchers watching in horror at the cursed man's body. To his right he could see his adopted mother beginning to strain, a pained look appearing on her face as she held the spell, moving her hands and keeping the magic active. His heart fell to the pit of his stomach at her pain, and he wanted to try and help himself, but he didn't know any spells, and didn't know if his powers would be able to even helped her.

"What now…" Geralt slowly said from across him.

Vesemir slowly sighed, "Now we wait for the potions to do their job…. No telling how long that could take."

His adopted mother slowly sighed and looked at them all, "You all need only wait, true. But I must maintain the stabilizing spell Uma's body is not nearly as resilient as a young candidate witchers…"

"I'll wait with you, I promise," He said quickly, turning to his mother as he met her eyes, "I don't care how long it takes… I won't let you do this alone."

She lightly smiled through the obvious fatigue she was feeling and nodded, "Thank you…. The rest of you should get some rest. If I don't maintain this spell Uma will-."

His mother was cut off by Uma regurgitating over her, vomit spewing onto her black dress, and Dominik's jaw dropped. He knew that she had spent some of the previous night wiping his own vomit off her floor, and now she was maintaining a spell to save the key to finding Ciri, and she had just been thrown up all over again. His skin crawled as she slowly turned to him, and he could see a slightly pleading look in her violet eyes.

"Dominik… darling do you think you could…" She said slowly, as he quickly nodded.

"I'll get you some rags… don't worry," He said, turning and rushing towards where he knew they kept some.

He would stay with her, he wouldn't leave his mother's side, he never would, just like he'd never leave Geralt's or Ciri's. He would wait there; he would wait there as long as it took.

Eight years he had waited… a few more hours wasn't going to kill him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Are you okay…? Yen you look really pale," He said, as he set the bucket of water down next to her.

She let out a shaky sigh and nodded, "I'm alright darling I… I promise. Do you mind…?"

"Of course," He said, leaning down and picking up one of the rags from the bucket and wringing it out.

Almost a half hour had passed, he had gotten a bucket of water from the well outside, and rags to help wipe down his mother. Uma's vomit was slowly falling down her mid-drift and he didn't think twice before wiping down her dress. He wiped her dress as best he could, as he saw Geralt and Eskel both wiping the vomit that had gotten on the floor, while Vesemir and Lambert both rested their eyes on chairs and beds. Uma hadn't screamed or writhed in any pain, so Yennefer's spell had to be working. The sun beat through the windows and he could see from the position of the sun they would still have plenty of hours before sundown. He knew that it could take as much as a day or more, or only a few hours. Either way as soon as they figured out the location he and Geralt would set out, even if it was the middle of the night.

"Th…thank you my boy," His mother said, as he finished wiping down her dress, "You… you should get some rest darling, you'll need it."

"Not gonna happen," He said with a sigh, standing up to her side, and gently leaning on the side of the table, "If you stay up I stay up…. Like I said I won't let you do it alone."

The magic whirled and sputtered in her hands but she laughed lightly, "Ha… you always were my sweet boy, no matter how much you grew. Do me another favor will you?"

"Anything, what do you need," He said, sweat trickling down his arms as he looked over to her.

She smiled lightly at him through the fatigue in her eyes, "Tell… tell me a story. You're favorite memory from Ellander…"

He could sense the longing in her voice, she wanted that time back just as much as he did. For a moment as she saw her desperate smile, asking him for more motivation to keep going. A small smile formed on his own face as all the memories started flushing back to his face, all with him, Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer, and he could feel his heart begin to flutter, remembering how utterly happy they all were. Ciri and he together with their adopted parents, always watching over them, keeping them safe. The fields of Ellander, the buildings, the people, their rooms at the inn… he would've loved to have all of that back, but he'd settle for his family.

A small smile came to his face as he looked over to her again, "Do… do you remember Ciri's birthday during that year? You… you helped me find presents for her."

She laughed lightly and nodded, keeping her hands raised with the magic, "Yes… I do. You were going to get her a dagger… or sharpen her sword."

"Still think it would've been a good idea," He said with a small eye roll, feeling his own fatigue flare up from his headache, and the little sleep he had, but he managed a smile, "But… she really loved the makeup brush… and the perfume. And well… I was never much of a cook, wouldn't have gotten the picnic if not for you…"

"She did… I'll never forget how sweet it was when you gave them to her," His mother said, the magic whirling louder, but the smile stayed on her face, "You tried not to kiss in front of us, but… but she grabbed your face and kissed you then and there. Your got so red, and when she hugged you, you looked at me with the happiest look… and for the first time I felt like you were truly my son…"

He laughed again, feeling his face go red, "You know I… I didn't really like you too much at first, remember that?"

Scoffing she nodded, "Of course I do. You were very… cold at first. I thought you hated me for a while, but Geralt he… he told me why you seemed that way, said you were like that with Triss at first too."

"Yeah… I was," He said, a small smile coming to his face, "I… thought you were going to take up all of Ciri's time… that she wouldn't have time for me anymore… ridiculous I know ha…"

Yennefer lightly laughed and shook her head, the smile coming to her face again as she held the spell, "Yes… I… I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get back to her… I WILL reunite us all again… I swear it child."

"I know you will…" He said, smiling at her, as he could feel his eyes begin to droop, "Thank you for everything Yen… for it all…"

His adopted mother smiled and lightly nodded at him, and he felt his love for her rise. He continued to sweat under his armor as he could feel himself blinking. Between the massive headache, hangover and dream turned nightmare, he knew he hadn't slept much. His bones were begging him to lay in a bed, but as he saw Uma lightly groaning on the table under Yennefer's spell he knew that he couldn't break. Ciri was on the line, Yennefer needed him, and he could find it in himself to move.

However, he felt himself nearly keel over when Geralt came up behind him from the floor.

"Hey… why don't you get some sleep, hangover must have killed you," His adopted father said from next to him.

He turned around and saw Eskel get up off the ground, heading for the beds as well. His eyes blinked and he could see the concern laced in the older witchers eyes as he looked up at him. Blinking a few times, he looked to Yen next to him, before gently shaking his head.

"I… I'm alright Geralt, I promise," He said, turning his gaze back to Uma on the table.

Geralt sighed and turned him back to face him, "Dom… I know you had a nightmare last night; you don't look like you slept well. We're going to need to head out after this right? If we want to get there as soon as possible, you need your rest."

He bit his bottom lip and looked over towards his adopted mother, "But Geralt, Yen she-."

"I'll be alright darling I promise," His adopted mother said, whirling her hands as the spell continued to churn, "Geralt's right, go and get some rest, you need it."

"But… what about you, I need to stay with you, make sure you're okay…" He said, pulling his hands from the table and looked up at her.

Geralt put another gentle hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll stay and watch after her. I'll wake you up as soon as something happens I promise. You'll need all your strength for what's about to come…"

He tried to argue further but felt a yawn escape his lips. Slowly he reached up and fumbled for the swallow around his neck as Geralt's words sunk into him. All of his strength, not just for the ride to her… but for the fight that he knew would come afterwards. Finding Ciri was only the first part of a much larger quest, one that he would complete, and with her at her side he knew that he could. He could remember how when he was younger how she inspired him to be the best version of himself, how a simple smile from her, a few words of encouragement spurred him on to do great things. And he knew it had been the same way for her.

The two of them inspired each other, during those months that they wondered north, avoiding the Nilfgaardeans, hiding, doing anything they could to survive, all they had was each other. He could remember how they both wore one of Ciri's gloves to keep warm, they would huddle together at night to fight off the cold, he always gave her the bigger portions of food much to her annoyance as she claimed he needed it just as much as he. The wound Cahir had given him across the stomach had made him useless the first week or so they traveled, as he would only be able to walk so much before the pain overtook him. Ciri would wash the bits of her cloak they had ripped off for a bandage and reapply it, treating him as best she could. She didn't have much experience, but his mother had taught him basics of cauterizing wounds and healing in the woods, so he'd sit there and tell Ciri what to do through gritted teeth. However, it was when she laid and cuddled up to him as he lay on the ground, the cold making him shiver, that soothed him the most. She would lay with him and put her head on his shoulder and hug around his chest, telling him how they would be alright, he'd be alright.

They had each other, and that was how they both made it through. When they had come across a small camp of Cintran refugees was when he finally got proper treatment. However, when the camp was attacked by Cahir and the Nilfgaardeans they were forced to flee, and his wound reopened. Finally, he decided to cauterize it, he bit down hard on a stick and held onto Ciri's hand for dear life as he did, and it somehow had worked. He would have been dead if not for her, she was the one who got him through that time, and so many tough years after… all the way until they were separated. He had saved her as well, she always told him he did.

And soon he'd save her again, but he knew that he needed rest. Geralt had told him that there was no chance they'd save Ciri and defeat the Hunt without each other, their friends and allies. So he looked up and slowly nodded at both his adopted parents, their smiles and eyes reassuring him.

"Okay… just promise you'll wake me up in an hour or two," He said to them both, and when they nodded he turned and walked towards the beds, feeling his head whirl, as he face popped into her brain.

"It'll all be over soon… I'm coming princess," He said lightly to himself, just as he reached a bed.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He had somehow slept without any dreams or nightmares. It hadn't been either Geralt or Yennefer that had woken him up, but the sun from the window shining was particularly harsh. He fell asleep in his armor again, so while he felt slightly refreshed his bones ached. Ignoring it he managed to roll himself to the side of the bed and swing his legs around, his boots hitting the cold stone floor. Rubbing his eyes, he looked out the window and realized he had slept all the way past midday, and he mentally scolded himself. He blinked his green eyes and reached around his neck for the swallow and the sun sparkled off the silver as he looked at it. He heard her voice when he did, her voice now, saw her face now… everything that he'd see and hear soon.

"Told them to wake me up in an hour…" He complained with a yawn, gently getting up to his feet, and turning back towards the table.

Vesemir was knocked out in a chair, while Eskel and Lambert both curled up in two beds near the table. He faintly could hear Uma's moans as he saw his adopted parents both on one side of the cursed man, talking so lightly that he couldn't hear them. A sigh escaped him again as he managed to get to his feet, he picked up both his swords and strapped them across his back and again made his way over towards Geralt and Yennefer both. He walked past his snoring Uncle and rubbed both his eyes. After so many weeks of rushing around and chasing leads, it felt slightly odd to him to just be sitting and waiting. Even during the few days, he did have off during the month, he was always trying to do something to help them move forward, give them a better advantage. But all he had to do in that moment was wait, sit and wait for his mother to finish her spell. He felt his impatience rise as he realized for the first time there wasn't anything he could do except wait, sit there and be there for his adopted mother while she worked.

He got over towards the table and he could see her eyes falling, he knew how much it took out of you unleashing such a large amount of magic. Yennefer of course was much more used to using that kind of power then he was, however he could still see the toll it was taking on her. Geralt stood across from her, staying with her like he said he would, and his adopted father was the first one to notice him, a small smile coming to his withered face.

"Ah look who decided to wake up," The older witcher said with a smirk.

He scoffed but managed a small smile as he came up next to him and Uma, "What happened to waking me up in an hour or two."

"You needed your rest darling," Yennefer said, her voice low as he could hear the fatigue laced in it, "You've been going non-stop for weeks, and after this well… I know you probably won't sleep much, Geralt and I decided a few extra hours wouldn't kill you."

The smile came back to his face, he wanted to try and get annoyed or a little angry that they hadn't woken him, but he couldn't bring himself too. They were looking out for him like they always did, and like they always would, this he knew. And he knew that Yennefer was correct, over the previous few weeks it had been non-stop fighting and training for the most part, and after the curse was lifted, it'd only be more of it. He still felt his chest thumping loudly as he looked down at Uma.

He bit his lip when he saw the blood still slowly spewing from the cursed mans eyes, yet he still had managed to stay asleep thanks to Yennefer's spell. Uma's body had scrunched, but the bonds from the table stayed locked tight, and he could see the blood and veins pulsating throughout his body. His hand reached up to the swallow as he looked on, with the other one leaning against the table and gripping onto the railing, feeling in his gut that something had to be close. Anxiousness continued to bubble inside of him. He was close, so, so fucking close, she was at the tips of his fingers he could feel it. The sun continued to beat into his eyes from the windows as he sighed up at Geralt next to him.

"I guess you're right…" He said, turning over to Yennefer, "Yen are you okay? You've been at this for hours."

His adopted mother sighed and nodded, "I'll be alright don't worry. Geralt here's been keeping me up, telling me stories…"

"Just got done telling her about the time you and Ciri brought me out ice skating for the first time…" Geralt said after she finished, a fond smile on his face.

The memory flashed in Dominik's head, and he scoffed out a laugh, "Ha, I remember… still wasn't that good myself, but Ciri whooped you into shape."

"Yeah, and I also remember how you couldn't go five feet without holding onto her arm," His adopted father said, turning over to face him with a smile.

Dominik rolled his eyes but the smile stayed, "Yeah… I'd give anything for that right now."

"Soon darling, soon," Yennefer said, making Geralt and he turn over to her, "Why don't you tell us another one, go on it'll help… help keep me awake."

A smile stayed plastered on his face as he raked his brain for all the memories. He would never forget the advice George had given him back in Novigrad. He told Dominik that when he felt at his lowest points, it helped to relax your mind, and think of a memory, any memory to help you remember the reason you were fighting, focus on nothing but that memory. Dominik had done it multiple times since then, remembering all the fun moments, the loving moments he and Ciri had experienced together.

And now he wanted to do it for his adopted parents.

"Do… do you both remember during the winter, that giant snowstorm that lasted for like a week," He said lightly, one hand fiddling the swallow as he looked at them both.

Geralt scoffed and nodded, "Course I do, was stuck in the inn the whole time. Couldn't train you guys in anything."

"And I do as well… it was surprisingly pleasant, getting to spend that time together," Yennefer said, her hands still moving above Uma.

He felt his smile grow wider as he nodded, "Yeah… remember the first day it let up? Ciri she… she snuck into my room while you two were asleep, convinced me to go out to sled and skate with her. We skated for a while, slid down this giant hill, took a tumble and played in the snow…."

"I remember," Geralt said with a smirk, "Yen freaked out when we couldn't find you, but I knew better. Knew exactly what the two of you were doing."

Scoffing he nodded and smiled again, "Yeah, it… it was great. We kissed and she… she made me promise to never let her go, and she… promised me that she'd never leave. That was before the two of you ambushed us."

"We without a doubt got the best of you," Yennefer said sleepily, but with a smile still coming to her face, "The two of you were adorable, warmed my heart."

"Hey, you only won because you used magic," Dominik quickly defended, feeling his heart begin to warm up.

Geralt scoffed from next to him, "Please we would've walloped you either way. Wasn't the first time that you both-."

"Uma… Umauma… Uma…." The cursed man weakly groaned from the table.

His blood race right away as his eyes darted towards the table, he could see Uma's eyes slowly open as the cursed man awoke. He hadn't died, the trial had worked thanks to Yennefer's spells, and now they just needed it to be lifted. Ciri, Ciri would be with him soon, he'd have the location, the way to finally go and get her. Eight fucking years of pain flashed in his mind at that moment, every step he had took, every stroke of his sword had come down to that moment, and he felt like his blood would begin to burst out of his body. The fatigue completely left him, and he could feel his heart thump at an alarming rate as he could feel a bomb exploding in his stomach.

He whirled his eyes over to Yennefer who breathed out in relief, and slowly looked over to him and Geralt. The sorceress's eyes were drooping, and Dominik could tell that she was expanding every last bit of her energy. He looked over towards Geralt and met his adopted father's eyes, and he could tell the older witcher was thinking the same thing that he was. Finally. For weeks they had felt like they were one step behind, one lead only giving them a million more questions, but now it had all led up to the small man in front of them.

"He's awake, Geralt, Dominik it's time… time to lift the curse, get the phylactery," His mother ordered quickly, moving her hands quicker as the balls of magic grew.

"On it," Geralt said, his adopted father speed walking towards the phylactery.

He felt a shaky sigh leave him as he looked over at him, "Yen….."

"I won't let you or her down… I promise," The sorceress said sternly, moving her hands with renewed force as the magic churned, "I swear it Dominik, I separated you both, I WILL get the two of you back together now…"

He tried to form words, but he couldn't, only slowly nodding his head as his skin began to crawl. Whirling around he saw Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert all slowly waking up, and that was before he heard more of Uma's cries. Yennefer had saved him at the very beginning of this journey. Claywitch and the Alp had felt like eons ago, when he had laid there on the floor of the barn, bleeding, his neck almost ripped open, Alayna's fangs inches from his neck, he thought it would be all over. He'd never get back to her, he would finally die alone like he had been reserving himself too. However, destiny had intervened, said that he still had more to do, because Yennefer had saved him.

Years ago, when he was only sixteen, he had been starving, tired, alone, freezing, but he had taken the contract to help cure the striga anyway. In that moment he had also almost been dead and would have been if not for his adopted mother… the woman who treated him like her own from the minute she met him. He knew that for years Yennefer had wanted to have children, looked for ways to cure the infertility so she could have them, but she had told Ciri and he enough times that they were her own, and she loved them both more then almost anything. He looked up at her eyes as Geralt rushed back over with the phylactery in his hands and stood next to him. The sorceress's violet eyes grew darker as she sucked in a deep breath and spoke in a deep tone, the elder speech echoing through the hall.

"NEVID, CYVIR! CANIATAD…. NEVID…. CYVIR," She screamed, and he let out of the table, feeling his skin bubble as his hands went to the swallow. He gripped it with everything he had and kept staring over at his adopted mother as she continued, "COALLE…. ARIVA…. AENDIR!"

Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert all came rushing towards the table, as Dominik felt a bomb erupt in his stomach. The fiery explosion washed over him, and his hands shook as one gripped around the swallow, and he tried to let her face pop into his head. The magic whirled violently in Yennefer's hands, before it zoomed down to Uma's chest and a loud ***POP* **shook the table and his mother got sent stumbling back, her spell finally breaking. He had to cover his eyes with his hands and when he finally looked back he saw Uma, the blood trickling down his eyes, out of the incisions in his veins as he finally stopped wriggling, and when Dominik saw him lifeless… he felt his heart drop to the bottom of his chest as he was frozen, his mouth agape.

"N…No…no, no… Uma…" He said slowly, leaning over the railing of the table again, his one hand gripping the swallow so hard he thought he may rip it off.

"NO, NO, NO I WON'T LET YOU," His adopted mother yelled, rushing over to the cursed man's body and shaking him. Dominik's eyes started to water as Yennefer pounded on the creature's chest, her eyes finally beginning to water as her desperate gaze shot up to Geralt, "GERALT! YELLOW FLASK, MY SATCHEL. COME ON, DON'T YOU-."

"QUIET," His Uncle quickly yelled, rushing over and moving Yennefer's arms away from Uma, as they all looked down at the cursed man's body, "Listen… listen closely…"

He blinked rapidly as he could feel the tears begin to well up. No, it couldn't happen, after so long, he had suffered too much, lost too much, he couldn't lose this as well. If Uma died it could be Ciri in the body, it could be the one link to find her, he couldn't fail, he couldn't move however, he couldn't even formulate words as his chest pounded at a mile a minute, and more bombs were going off in his stomach.

Her face, her face kept pounding into his vision as he blinked away the tears. That beautiful smile, her sparkling eyes that attracted him from the moment he met her, her ashen locks, he could remember how much he used to love it when it fell in waves down her shoulders. Everything about her popped into his mind in that moment, and he thought about how much he just wanted to hold her, so, so long since he had touched her, held her, and now it could all have been for nothing, all of his suffering and pain…

But then he heard the deep voice come from Uma's body.

"Coalle… Coalle… Caniatad…" The deep voice of a pained man rang through the hall.

His eyes widened and looked up to Yennefer, who still had her hands swirling with the blue magic. The sun beat down onto his neck as the hairs on it stood up, and sweat trickled down his forehead. He didn't know how but whoever was inside of Ciri had called out to them, told them what they needed to do. A large breath of relief left him, now they knew how to life the curse, but also, he knew that Ciri wasn't inside the cursed body, she was out there, waiting for him and Geralt. And whoever had called out to them knew where she was.

"NEVID, CYVIR! COAELLE, COALLE CANIATAD! NEVID! ARIVA! AENDIR," She yelled loudly, the magic overtaking her hands so much she had to grit her teeth and hold her hands up, as the ball of magic zapped energy from Uma. He took a steps back as she strained her eyes over to Geralt, "GERALT THE PHYLACTERY OPEN IT! CANIATAD! TARON ANEDEL DIST!

A ***BOOM* **erupted in the room and he had to take steps back, covering his eyes as the light erupted and the magic smashed into the phylactery. Geralt closed the small box so loudly that it echoed through the hall, and he felt his ears almost bleed when he felt the magic stop swirling. He blinked and felt the swallow bounce on his neck as he tore his vision back to the table, Yennefer had stumbled back, along with Geralt and the other witchers, and Dominik was the first to rush back to the table and grip the railings of it, looking in the spot where Uma once lay.

"The elf…" He said breathlessly, feeling his skin continue to crawl, as mixtures of anger, relief and shock tore through his brain.

The elf had a receding hairline of grey hair with tattoos all over his body, and Dominik could see how pale and weak the spell and trial had made him. He could remember Skjall's body telling them what happened, how the elf had screamed at Ciri so loudly he heard it from a distance away, before Ciri's companion had knocked her out and drug her onto the boat before sailing off into the mists. He felt his anger boil up, he didn't care if he had been trying to save her, he screamed at her, and forcibly knocked her out and put her into the boat, however, he pushed the thoughts from his head, knowing that the man was the key to finding Ciri, he knew where she was.

Around him the witchers and his adopted parents all staggered back towards the table and looked down at the man. Dominik's eyes didn't leave him, as he felt his arms begin to shake, the swallow around his neck tremble as the sweat beat down his forehead. The elf was lightly stirring, and Dominik felt the years of longing all boil up inside of him, the years of wanting anything to go on, anything to get to her… and now the man down on the table in front of him was going to give him the location.

"Avallach…." Geralt said lightly from next to him, his voice full of astonishment.

"You know him?" Eskel said from the foot of the table.

His adopted father slowly nodded, sharing a knowing look with Yennefer before he went on, "Yeah. An elf. Aen Elle, a sage-."

"I don't give a damn who he is," Dominik said, finally feeling his legs able to move as he rushed to the head of the table. He felt his heart almost burst from his chest as he saw the elf's eyes beginning to flutter, and he asked the question he'd been wanting the answer to for so many years, "Alright we lifted your curse, now tell us. Where is Ciri!?"

For a few moments Dominik stood there, feeling his skin crawl and his heart almost burst out of his chest. He could see Yennefer across from him, white as a ghost as she breathed heavily. To his left Geralt watched down at the elf with intense eyes, as Dominik felt his patience quickly begin to thin. Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert all stood wonderingly around him, they all looked at him and the sage, but he didn't care for the attention, he kept his eyes locked on the elf's head, waiting for a response.

Slowly Avallach fluttered his eyes again, he met the sage's brown eyes for a single moment, before the elf closed them again, a snarl growing on his face, as he weakly shook his head from the table. Elegant robes reappeared through his body, and he spoke with a weak, tart voice.

"I…. I won't… won't speak to… to… the… the likes of YOU," The sage hissed, his eyes stayed closed and Dominik felt his grip tighten on the railings.

And just like it had on Hindersfjall, every single bit of anger, impatience and pain came out of him in that moment.

"OH YOU'LL FUCKING TELL ME," He screamed, his voice ripping off the back of his throat as he gripped the railing of the table, not letting his eyes leave the elf, "IF YOU WANT ANY CHANCE OF LIVING YOU'LL FUCKING TELL ME!"

"I REFUSE to heal you until you tell us, you WON'T survive without it," Yennefer quickly hissed from across the table, and Dominik felt his love for his adopted mother rise.

He was sure under his gloves that he was gripping the railing so hard his hands were turning white. He had no idea what the elf's problem with him was, but he didn't have any time to wonder about it, think about it at all. All he was focused on was her, her location, where he had to go, where he had to ride. Outside he could see it was only a small bit past midday, so they could head out then and there, Clop wouldn't let him down, his stallion never did, he'd get there in as little time as possible. He furiously gripped the bars of the table Avallach was strapped to, and he saw Geralt with a furious look on his face.

He also put the fact his adopted father knew the man out of his mind, he would ask him later. He would figure out why the elf was with Ciri, and what they had done later, everything was secondary then, none of it mattered except for where he had taken her.

On the elf's face he could see the pained expression as he spoke again in a broken voice with his eyes close, "Hidden… the Isle of the Mists…. But… it's not safe… she's not safe… the Hunt…"

His skin almost fell apart as he let out a sigh of relief. The Isle of Mists, a location, a physical location that he was going to go to, where he would finally get to her, finally hold her again before going and keeping her safe. The Hunt was coming, he knew that… and he was going to slaughter them all if he had too if it meant keeping her safe.

"Isle of Mists, where is it," Geralt demanded from next to him, leaning down on the table similar to Dominik now.

The elf shifted again and spoke in a fading voice, "It… it is… everywhere… and nowhere-."

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE," He screamed, feeling himself snap again, "I'VE LISTENED TO RIDDLES FOR EIGHT YEARS SAGE. TELL US WHERE IT IS BEFORE I THROW YOU OFF THE FUCKING WALLS!"

Someone was trying to give him the run around again, but he wasn't going to let it happen. He felt a lot less guilty then screaming at Avallach then he did the group of survivors in Lofeton. The elf was trying to hide her from him like so many fucking people had, and he was sick and tired of it. He had no idea why the elf wouldn't want him to know, and a pot of anger boiled up inside him for that. Across from him Yennefer crossed her arms furiously at the sage, and he could tell that Geralt was just as ready to throw the man from the walls as Dominik was.

"Praevein…arwein… syrraen," The elf slowly muttered, waving his hands weakly.

A large ball of white light fluttered to life in the sage's hands, and it gently floated upwards, and Geralt quickly caught it with both hands. The bright light flashed in his eyes, and he felt his heart begin to beat even more alarmingly fast then it already was.

"In… Skellige…. Follow it… into the mists… hurry…the… Hunt has not found the Isle… as yet… tis… only a matter of time. But if she leaves… they… will detect her at once…" The elf managed to rake out, before his head slowly craned over towards Dominik again, "She… she was safe but… but foolishly wanted… to… to save HIM… and… and then the curse…."

The sage couldn't finish his sentence before he fell unconscious, his chest slowly rising and falling. He felt his heart beat slow in that moment, Ciri had come back for him… she had risked her safety to come back to save him…. And now she was in even more danger then before. Slowly he lifted himself up from the table, and his arms tingled as he reached up to grab the swallow. He ignored the elf's words about her being foolish and only focused on the sole fact that she was trying to keep her promise still. Mentally he scolded himself for ever doubting it, she would always try to get to him, just like he would always try and get to her. She had risked everything, she was more then likely safe wherever she was after she led the Hunt away from him the first time, but she risked that safety to come back to him.

And while he had known it in the back of his mind all along, Avallach had confirmed it. The Hunt would come, as soon as he found her, Eredin, Caranthir, Imlerith, the dragon… Baelen, they would all come for her and him. He was twenty-two, since he was eleven he had been training. He couldn't help but feel in that moment, all eleven years of training, everything he learned from the moment he has his first lesson with his father back in Cintra, to his first lessons in Kaer Morhen, to all the contracts he'd completed on his own, and all he'd done in the last month, it had all led him to that point. All the pain, longing, loss, regret, all the wounds, all the stabs, cuts, bruises had been to ready him for that moment when he found her.

He had been learning about these powers inside him, the powers of a mage ancestor he had never met and had no idea who they were. While a part of him did wonder who gave him the powers, in that moment it didn't matter one bit, all that mattered was he passed Dominik down power. All the way back in Novigrad, Triss had told him not to fear the powers, that they could help him find Ciri. And they would… he'd find some way to activate them, and he'd will himself to control the power, and if he had to die to do it, to keep her safe, to defeat the Hunt then he would. He blinked a few times, still not truly believing to himself that the moment had come and passed, that the knowledge was now in his head and he barely heard Geralt speaking next to him.

"Dom and I are going to get Ciri," His adopted father quickly said, turning to Yennefer and all the witchers.

Eskel scoffed from the foot of the table, "Hold up. Don't you think you owe us an explanation? How do you know this Avallach? And what's Ciri been doing with him?"

"Yeah good questions," Lambert quickly said from next to Eskel, "And why the hell doesn't he seem to like Dom too much?"

He wanted to know the answer himself, but in that moment he knew he had much more important things to do. He adjusted his sword straps and looked out the window again, from the time he could tell if they rode hard enough they could get back to Velen, and in turn Novigrad in less then a week. A small part of him wished she had somehow been closer, but after eight years of waiting and searching, a week was going to feel like nothing.

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Don't know why he doesn't like Dom. But Yennefer can tell you. Just keep an eye on him, he's not a friend."

That thought quickly ran through his mind as well. This Avallach was an Aen Elle, and from his very limited experience with them, they weren't the nicest elves in the world. He also knew that they had trapped and kept Ciri in their worlds for months, and while he didn't know what they did to her, it couldn't have been good. So why Ciri would be traveling with one of them he had no idea, he knew better then to judge one person by the actions of their race, but from the very little he had interacted with Avallach, he wasn't very pleasant.

So, he pushed the thoughts from his mind. The Isle of Mists, that's where he would go. And on his way… he'd gather together his hansa, his friends, the ones who he trusted with his life. Faram was still in Skellige he had to be, and then of course George had told him he'd still be in Novigrad. He heard Freya had been coming to Kaer Morhen, and was slightly worried that she still hadn't arrived, he had to believe she was tough enough to make it there. And after that, he started listing off the people in his mind. Roche in his hideout in Velen, perhaps the Baron had finally come back with his healed wife, he also knew that Keira Metz was somewhere and supposedly coming to the keep, why she hadn't been there yet he didn't know, but he had to believe the sorceress would keep her word. Of course there was also Letho who was somewhere in the keep then who had already said he'd fight the Hunt again. Zoltan would kill for the chance to crack some Hunt skulls and would die for he and Ciri, and despite how annoying he found the man, Geralt and he had done Dijkstra plenty of favors, perhaps he could send men? Or maybe if Adda had been meeting with her former head of intelligence, Dominik could offer his aid later on in her plot, and she would be able to help. Then of course also in Skellige there was Crach, Cerys, Hjalmar, all people who he felt he could trust, and despite their first encounter, he had to believe Ermion would be willing to come help defend Ciri. And perhaps Yennefer had a way to contact Triss in Kovir, and the red-headed sorceress could teleport to them. All the scenarios rushed into his head, and he was only brought out of his thought by his Uncle Vesemir.

"Perhaps he's not, but Ciri apparently trusted him., We should at least take his words seriously," His Uncle said, crossing his arms, "You heard what he said, if you and Dom take Ciri from that Isle of Mists, the Hunt will pick up your trail right away-what then?"

Dominik sucked in a breath and stepped closer to them all, "After that… we'll be waiting for them, swords in hand…. And we'll beat the fuckers back, we WON'T let them take her… we'll be ready."

His skin heated, it was the moment he had known would come as soon as he learned the Hunt was after her. He would finally find her after all of these years, after looking for a third of his life, and then the Hunt would come and try to take her from him. It wasn't going to happen, him, Ciri, Geralt, and their friends and allies would beat them back from where they came.

He didn't care if he had to kill Eredin, Baelen, Caranthir, Imlerith… or even their dragon, he would beat them back to keep her safe.

"Yes…." His Uncle said slowly, looking around at them all with a determined look, "Time we the hunted became the hunters. Geralt and Dominik will find Ciri and bring her here… and the Hunt will follow…. They'll expect to take us by surprise… but they'll be sorely mistaken."

Yennefer scoffed, the fatigue evident on her face, "And us six will fight them? In a crumbling castle?"

Lambert laughed from his right, "Ha, pretty boy's over here have told us plenty about the people they've met, they can round up a few others who can swing a sword."

"Or wield magic…" His mother said, a small smile coming to her face as she met his eyes.

His chest thumped as he smirked back at her, thinking of all the friends he had made in his journeys. It seemed like so long ago to him that he and all his friends were gathered in Dijkstra's bathhouse, talking about how they would all fight the Wild Hunt together. Faram, Freya, George and he had sworn to fight together against the Hunt, they swore to be there for him, for Ciri when they needed it… his friends, his hansa. He remembered the day he had left Novigrad, and said goodbye to all of his friends, that day when the sun was setting on the docks. They were the best fucking hansa, the best group of friends he could have asked for.

_"We'll smack those phantom fuckers right back from where they came from," _Faram had said, his confidence contagious to them all.

_"I like the idea…. As Faram says, we will send the fuckers back to their world," _George had said quickly afterwards.

_"I like the idea too… I may not be a witcher, but I don't plan on backing down from those specters…" _Freya said, as he could remember the confident smile in her face.

It was finally time to gather his hansa, his friends and allies. Geralt had told him the night that they left Vizima that it was okay for him to have help from his friends. His adopted father had said they would need all the friends and allies that they could to beat back the Hunt, and as usual he had been right. He slowly reached his hand up around the swallow and gripped it, for a moment he saw her face again… the face that was on that island waiting for him to get to her.

He shot open his eyes and looked to everyone gathered, "Geralt and I will round up what allies we can, we have a few favors to call in. My friend Freya should be here any day now, like I said, wicked with a blade, can heal anything. When I talked to Keira in Velen she said she was coming as well, Yen do… do you think you can get ahold of Triss?"

His adopted mother slowly nodded, a proud smile on her face, "I was already planning on it. What about Faram? You can stop and see him in Skellige."

"I will yeah, a few people in Skellige who'll help us," Dominik quickly said, crossing his arms with one hand around the swallow, "Got another witcher friend too, George, School of the Griffin in Novigrad, and I'm sure Zoltan will come. Geralt and I will handle it, right Geralt?"

The prideful look his adopted father had in his yellow eyes washed over him, and the older witcher smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, we will," Geralt said confidently, looking back to Yennefer and the witchers, "And what about you all? What do you plan to do?"

"I've Avallach to care for," His adopted mother said, but Dominik could tell from her tone she was doing it begrudgingly, "He's certain to die without gentle, gradual magical treatment. There's hope if I help him… but not much."

"The boys and I'll consider how we should greet our uninvited guests…" His Uncle said, and Dominik couldn't help but smile at his Uncle's smirk.

He felt a breath of relief leave him, he didn't know the extent of how manty soldiers the Hunt had, it didn't matter though. They could have had thousands, and he was still going to fight, fight for Ciri's freedom, fight so that she could have the life that she deserved. And not only was the fight for Ciri, it was for the continent. Even after so much time he didn't know if Alayna the Alp in Claywitch was telling the truth, but if she was… the Hunt needed Ciri for an invasion. If they captured her and used the powers of her blood, they would launch a full-scale invasion of the continent. Thousands upon thousands of Aen Elle would appear, and Nilfgaard, the North, Skellige, elf, dwarf, mage, it didn't matter who you were or where you were from, they would kill and enslave all of them.

And he would be damn if he let them do that without putting up a fight, without raising his own sword. For too long had he let Ciri fight them alone, for too long had she gone through hell, and she had willingly put herself back in harm's way to come back to him. For Ciri, for his family, for the continent him and his friends were going to fight. And if he died… he'd make sure that Ciri got away, if he had to die for that, then he would without a second thought.

"Listen this is all well and good, but there's one problem," Eskel said, making him, Yennefer and all the witchers turn back to him before his old mentor went on, "Dom tells me that they got a fucking white dragon. How the hell do we prepare for that AND the Hunt?"

Dominik would have fought the dragon if he had too, but he knew that it would be a risk, and that he'd more then likely die. It was in the witchers code to not kill dragons, but he also knew that if they were forced too, if the dragon for some reason attacked that they could fight them. The dragon from the Hunt would be there, and while he knew it was possible to kill them, Dominik knew it required several men, and complicated traps. And while he was sure they could take one down on it's own… how would they managed while they had to fight the Wild Hunt at the same time? He was going to suggest something when Geralt slowly shifted and looked over to Yennefer.

"I think I have an idea…. Don't have the manpower or resources to kill a dragon," His adopted father said slowly shaking his head.

"What about those reavers from Cinfrid you two met," Dominik suggested, thinking that was where his adopted father was going.

Slowly Geralt shook his head, "No, most of them are dead besides they… kind of were terrible at their job last I saw them. Yen… during your time in Emhyr's court did you… hear anything about him?"

Yennefer clearly knew who 'him' was when Geralt said it because his adopted mother slowly nodded, "Yes a few months ago… rumor has it he was in Zerrikania…"

"Think you can get ahold of him somehow," His adopted father asked, crossing his arms as he met Yennefer's gaze.

His adopted mother floundered for a moment and slowly nodded, "I… can try…. Geralt you want me to ask for his help? Would he even do it?"

"He said he owed us," Geralt said with an uncertain sigh, uncrossing his arms as he grimly nodded, "Besides if he learns about a rouge dragon working for the Wild Hunt, he'll more than likely-."

"Okay, you guys know I hate it when you beat around the bush," Dominik said, cutting them both off and turning his gaze to Geralt, "Geralt who are you talking about, who are you trying to call?"

His adopted father sighed and looked around to them all one more time, "Well since we don't have the manpower and equipment to fight a dragon, we gotta fight fire with fire. Or in this case, to counter their dragon… we should try and call one of our own…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Alright Clop, I'm going to need you to move quicker then we ever had… you got my back," He said, rushing up next to his stallion, and gently stroking his white coat.

As usual he had been sure to brush Clop's coat as often as he could during their travels despite their urgency, so the sunlight glistened off his stallion's beautiful white hair. He locked eyes with the animal, and just like how it had been the previous two years, he could see that the horse could understand his desperations and urgency. Clop neighs dutifully and bumped his head against Dominik's and a broad smile came to his face.

"Thanks buddy… can't wait for you to meet Ciri," He said jokingly, patting the side of the horse's neck before he went to pull his swords off his back and attach them to the saddle.

After Geralt explained his plan Dominik and his adopted father had rushed down to Clop and Roach. Yennefer and Geralt both assured Dominik and the witchers that the odds Borch Three-Jackdaws answered their call and came to help them were slim, but they knew they had to at least try. If the golden dragon didn't show up, they'd find a way to handle the Hunt's dragon, they had too, if it meant saving Ciri then Dominik would find a way, somehow, someway he would find one. His legs had never moved with such purpose as his heart equally fluttered and churned with anxiety at the same time. He was actually going to see her, he was going to where she was, not where she had been seen, not to talk to someone who had supposedly seen her… where she actually was, where she was waiting for him.

The sun was still high, and he knew that they would have a few hours until sundown. If they rode hard enough and he knew Clop would, they could make it to a village and sleep in an inn, and within the week they would be back in Novigrad. After that they'd have to find a captain to take them to Skellige, and he knew with Cerys now as Queen and the Black Ones closing in, that they wouldn't have too much of a problem with pirates. Geralt and he had talked about it on the way out of the keep. First they would head through Northern Velen, and pass by Roche's hideout, before heading to Crow's Perch to see if the Baron had returned. After that they would stop in Novigrad and talk to Zolton and George at the Chameleon before attempting to talk to Dijkstra, and Queen Adda as well if she happened to be there. After they arrived in Skellige they hoped that Ermion would be at Kaer Trolde, so that they could talk to the druid, Crach, Cerys and Hjalmar, before they went and found Faram.

"Got everything you need, we won't be making many stops," Geralt asked, coming up behind him and strapping his swords onto Roach's saddle.

Quickly he nodded his head, "Yeah I'm ready. Geralt I know you saved his and his child's life and all but… do you really think Borch will come and help us?"

The sun beat down on his adopted father's neck as he slowly shook his head, "Can't be certain. He said that he'd assist us if we ever needed it, but that was years ago. Let's not worry about that, let's worry about getting there. Are you… okay?"

Scoffing he nodded, finishing up tying his swords to Clop's saddle, "Of course I am why wouldn't I be? Geralt we're FINALLY going to get Ciri! I… I've been waiting for this ride for eight years."

"I know you have, and that's why I wanna make sure you're okay, ready for this," His adopted father said, turning to him as his swords glinted in the sun, "You know we… won't get much time after we find her. We'll have to ride hard back for Kaer Morhen."

A small smile came to his face, behind that anxiety and anticipation was a flutter of excitement. For years he had dreamed, dreamed and fantasized about finally hearing where she was and going to get her. The day had felt like it would never come, he was starting to reserve himself to the fact that he may never find her, and he'd die alone in some monster cave, wondering what it would have been like if he had gotten back to her, what their reunion would have been like. Would she hug him, kiss him, slap him? He would have gladly taken any of those things if it meant just seeing her.

The fact the Hunt was going to attack after he found her was something he had been anticipating. He would have maybe a week with her at most when they found her as they rode hard for Kaer Morhen. In his mind, now that it wasn't drunk, he began to compile the list of things he wanted to tell her, there was so much that fluttered in his mind, so many things that he wanted her to know, wanted to express to her, and he knew that only a week wouldn't be enough time.

In that moment it didn't matter, however. He could find her and then be cut down by a rider's sword a half hour later, but as long as he saw her again, got to look into her eyes tell her he loved her once, and tell her how sorry he was, he would be happy. She was all he needed, she had been all he ever wanted, and soon he'd have her back. So he didn't mind that he'd have to fight afterwards, because he knew that even if it cost him his life, he was going to make sure she got away with hers, so that she could live that life she deserved after so long. And as long as he got to see her and hold her once, he could die a happy man. The sun hit the back of his neck and he could feel the beads of sweat slowly drip down, as he slowly nodded up at Geralt.

"I'm ready… I promise. Geralt… it's time to finally go get her," He said, feeling his chest and stomach slowly starting to flutter.

Nodding his adopted father smiled down at him, "It is… I've said it a lot but I'm proud of you. Come on, let's go-."

"Hello? Is… anyone here, anyone at all," A light voice rang through the courtyard.

His eyes widened as he recognized it. He whirled around and scoffed out a huge smile, when he heard the crunching of boots and saw the head of blonde hair.

"FREYA, you made it," He said, feeling himself laugh, and the excitement from everything that was happening spilled out of him.

Freya Kaminski of Ellander had finally made it to Kaer Morhen. She walked through the gates and when she saw him, he could see her sky-blue eyes light up, as she jogged over towards him. He had been worrying about her in the back of his head ever since they left Ellander on their trip to Kaer Morhen from Vizima. Eustace the doctor, her old mentor, had told Geralt and he they had missed her, and she was already on her way to the witcher keep. He knew of course Freya could handle herself, she had helped him fight a Bruxa in Novigrad, and fought alongside him at the convoy ambush to free Dandelion, saving him at one point. She had finally arrived and all the worry from her being in danger left him, and that turned into excitement at seeing her. All of it on top of the fact he had learned Ciri's location, he was finally going to her, he could feel the excitement boil over.

The last time he had saw Freya she was only carrying a longsword she stole from a group of thugs they killed, and an old withered gambeson for armor from her time in the Redanian army. And he could see in her trips the previous few weeks, she had gotten a massive upgrade, she looked like a true warrior woman, ready to fight at any moment. On her back was a sleeker yet elegant blade with a steel pommel that sparkled in the sunlight, and on her waist was a slim long dagger with a wicked sharp point. She had only tight black leather trousers and brown boots. Around her waist and across both her shoulders were a brown leather belt and bandoliers. He could see on the shoulder of her one bandolier small potion vials ran attached down the leather, while a small pouch was at the bottom on her waist. The bandoliers and belt were over a tight black leather gambeson, that went over her shoulders, while she could see a white long-sleeved shirt under it that ran down her arms to her gloves. Small tight black leather straps were around her elbows, as she wore black hunting gloves, she looked like a true warrior, someone any bandit would think twice about robbing on the road.

Through all the swords and impressive armor however, Freya still had her kind eyes and natural beauty. The sun kissed off her light skin and sparkled in her bright blue eyes, as her wavy blonde hair was tied down in a ponytail down her back. Her eyes widened and she smiled broadly when she saw him, and he laughed as she held out her arms.

"It's so good to see you again," She said, as he finally got to her and wrapped his arms around her waist to hug her tightly. Wrapping her arms around his neck she quickly pulled back with a wicked smile on her face, "Sorry I'm a bit late, I got lost for a while to be honest. What are you-."

"Freya we found her! We know where she is," He said breathlessly, as he smiled and ran his hand through his hair, still barely believing it himself.

Freya's blue eyes widened, and she scoffed a smile as well, "You did? Really? Where is she is she alright!?"

"She's okay for now yeah," He said, slowly reaching and fiddling with the swallow as he smiled, "She's on the Isle of Mists, it's in Skellige… we're going to get her now we-."

"Well, well, look who made it," Geralt cut him off, coming up next to him with a smile, "It's good to see you again Freya."

"Geralt!" Freya said excitedly, quickly giving his adopted father a hug.

She pulled back and smiled at them both, and Dominik couldn't remember himself being so happy so many times for so long. When he first arrived back, saw Eskel, Lambert and Vesemir… now he was seeing Freya, and he finally knew where to go and find Ciri. A fight would come soon after, but at least it would be with his friends and Ciri by his side, and Freya would be one of them. He knew it would be hard for him to explain to Ciri the relationship that Freya and he once had… but he pushed the thought from his head in that moment, deciding for once in his life to only focus on the good.

Geralt whistled appreciatively and gestured towards Freya's armor, "Gotta say, that's some nice armor. Kinda looks like a set I used to wear…. And I'm guessing that sword's not just for show."

Freya laughed and gestured her head towards the blade, "Ha you bet it isn't…. My father gave it to me in Ellander, said he carried it on raids back in Skellige before he moved to the continent. Said if I was going to fight… then I'd best be prepared."

Hearing about a fight coming reminded him what they were going to set out to do. The first member of his hansa had already arrived at Kaer Morhen, and soon he'd gather the rest, and they'd all fight together. Fight for Ciri, fight for the continent, fight for each other… and the more he thought about it, the more he thought they truly had a chance.

Slowly he nodded his head and met Freya's eyes, "It's a good thing too because… once we take Ciri from the island we… won't have much time before the Hunt attacks. Freya I know you said you would but, I have to ask again… are… you sure you want to do this? If you wanted to back out I'd-."

"Don't you dare even finish that sentence," Freya said, quickly shaking her head, but the smile still staying on his face, "I'm with you Dom… I'm here for you… just like I know you would be for me."

He laughed a little and rubbed the back of his head, "Thanks Freya…. So, head right into the keep, doors open. Find Yennefer and Vesemir, tell them Geralt and I sent you. They're preparing for an attack, but I'm sure one of them will find some time to train with you a little."

"Yeah just… don't let it be Lambert," Geralt said with a smirk, as Dominik managed to laugh again.

Freya smiled and nodded, moving a strand of her blonde hair from her forehead, "Alright I'll head there now. Where are you headed? Going to find Faram and George too?"

"Yeah of course," He said a small smile coming to his face, "Don't know how long we'll be, but we're going to gather some more allies, get Ciri, and then we'll be back."

"Alright," Geralt said with a smile, turning to face him now, "First ally down, a few more to go…. You ready?"

The pleasant breeze ripped through his brown hair and he sucked in the clean air. The sun beat down into his emerald eyes and he took one last look around the courtyard. He had only been back at Kaer Morhen for a day but returning had brought him the one thing he had been looking for, the one thing he had wanted for so long. He had said so many times over the years how he didn't want to return until he found Ciri, how the memories would have been too much for him to bare if he had made his way back to the keep. However, within a day of his coming back he had found out where to get her, where she was.

He didn't know if it was destiny or just pure luck, but he couldn't help but wonder if he had come back earlier, if he would've had the same thing happen. Quickly he dashed the thoughts from his mind. The past didn't matter to him anymore, all that mattered was he knew where Ciri was. The puzzle that had been floating around in his head for eight years was finally solved. Ciri had come back to the continent for him and their family, she was traveling for some reason with Avallach. They had landed in Skellige, the Hunt had descended, and they were forced to flee, Ciri landed in Velen where she was forced to flee the crones until she found her way to the Baron. Avallach meanwhile was cursed from a spell and went to look for her. After leaving the Baron she went to Novigrad looking for him, Geralt of Yennefer. After the incident with Whoreson she teleported back to Skellige, where she fought Baelen and the dragon, before Avallach found her and knocked her out, bringing her to the Isle of Mists.

And now she was on the Isle waiting for Geralt and he to get to her. Yennefer had promised him in his drunk hysteria the previous night that Ciri was out there waiting for him, still loving him. For so many years he had imagined how they'd meet again, and he was sure in that moment none of them would come true, it would be even better then he had imagined. He thought about finally having his arms around her again, hearing her say his name, she would have given anything to hear her say his name.

Soon he would, soon he'd have his Ciri back again. He'd bring her back to their home.

He let out a slow breath and smiled at Freya before turning to Geralt, "Yeah… come on Geralt, let's go bring Ciri home…"

**A/N: The curse is lifted and Avallach finally reveals to Dominik the information he's been searching a third of his life for. Ciri is on the Isle of Mists, and now Dominik and Geralt are going to go and gather all of the allies they can before staging the desperate defense of Kaer Morhen. It's crazy that we're this far, I literally remember writing chapter 2 like it was yesterday xD We have an emotionally intense chapter for everyone involved and a dream to break down so let's do it real quick.**

**So first off Dom had a dream turned nightmare. We get a quick sweet scene of Dom, Ciri and his younger sister Bella, before he's reminded of the prophecy…. One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family to preserve or raise. After that his dream turns into a nightmare with Nilfgaard in the Cintran throne room. So drop your predictions, what does the prophecy mean? How do you think it will play out? I won't respond to theories because I don't want to prove or disprove anyone's theories yet haha, but still leave them!**

**After this we get an intense moment before Uma's trial begins…. Now for so long so many people have asked me to have Dom undergo mutations, and I hope all you people won't be super mad that he ended up not doing it. Let me go into my reasoning. **

**I want to keep this story as realistic to the cannon as I can. And in the books, the simple fact is the witchers are in decline, with their only being about a dozen left if that. The reasons are as Vesemir stated, in the books regular people are developing ways to deal with them, and witchers while they still serve a purpose are needed less and less.**

**Also another reason or this is the trial, the trial is effectively a death sentence, and it's a reason that the witchers have been in decline, because the trial just has such a low success rate. And as we know, witchers do have emotions, the mutations just make it easier to conceal, and there's just no way Geralt or Vesemir would let the kids they see as their own risk dying in agony. **

**And then there's the final reason, you all don't know yet, but I do, there's the simple fact that the full extent of Dominik's carrier abilities are going to power him up PLENTY I can promise that lol. When you discover more about them, and see them in action you'll understand that if I gave him mutations he'd be overpower ASF. You'll see the full extent start to come out after we find Ciri, and as Yennefer said in a previous chapter, that strand of DNA is finally unlocked. After some training with Ciri, Yen and growing more used to them they are going to grow immensely.**

**I also want to say that it's all part of his character development. I have NEVER been fan of stories (And there's a LOT on this site lol) where the main character is super duper powerful from the start and can take down just about anything. I love reading characters going through struggles and growing strong as a result of failures. Like come on if Dominik won every single fight by himself without any help and dominated that wouldn't be any fun to read! Failure is a part of life, and for people who have been reading since the start, chapter 1-10 Dominik would be demolished by chapters 40-50 Dominik. I love watching a character struggle, develop and become strong as they achieve their goal, it makes them more relatable then characters that can just fight anyone and have a chance from the start. And I hope that's what I've done with this character, and the development is still coming. **

**I also got the concept of Dom and Ciri believing witchers were heroes, they saved people and protected them and them wanting to do so as well from an actual quote Ciri had in Blood of Elves, it goes like this…. **

'**A witcher has to defend and save. To defend men so that they aren't hung on trees from their hands, aren't impaled and left to die. To defend fair girls from being spread-eagled between stakes rammed into the ground. Defend children so they aren't slaughtered and thrown into a well. Even a cat burned alive in a torched barn deserves to be defended. That's why I'm going to become a witcher, that's why I've got a sword to defend people like those in Sodden and Transriver-because they don't have swords, don't know the steps, half-turns, dodges and pirouettes. No one has taught them how to fight, they are defenseless and helpless in face of the werewolf and the Nilfgaardian marauder. They're teaching me to fight so that I can defend the helpless. And that's what I'm going to do. Never will I be neutral. Never will I be indifferent. Never!'**

**So yes, as we'll see Dominik and Ciri want to become witchers so that they can save people, and they will struggle with their neutrality as we'll see. To the two of them, this is what being a witcher is**

**Also if anyone is wondering yes, I believe that the witchers did put older people through the trials, this is evident with the character of Leo in the witcher 1, an apprentice who dies during the Salamandra attack at the start of that game, he hadn't been mutated yet but was going too and he was an grown man.**

**And I wanna say I got the idea for that book from an actual note I found in an old cave when I was recently playing the witcher 3, that has a list of the Trial of Grasses deaths. **

**SO after all that we have just like the games, Yennefer lifts the curse from Uma. I tried to add some sweet family moments that I hope you all enjoyed, before we finally get to see Avallach. The main thing after that… why does Avallach seem to have this distaste for Dominik already? After a threat he does tell them, but why would the sage not want Dominik to know? What does he have against him? Leave your theories in the reviews…**

**Another big thing… to counter the great white dragon the Hunt has under its command, Geralt and Yennefer are calling on an old friend, Borch Three-Jackdaws, Villentretenmerth the golden dragon, safe to say the Battle of Kaer Morhen just got more exciting….**

**To end the chapter our first ally to fight has arrived. Freya Kaminski of Ellander has arrived and she's gotten a major upgrade! For those wondering yes, she is wearing armor based off the Manticore Witcher Armor, and Geralt's armor from the Witcher 1. She's going to start training and helping prepare for the attack while Geralt and Dominik gather more allies. **

**Next chapter we'll stop in Velen to gather more allies, the chapter after that, Novigrad and Skellige…. So what are you guesses for who the final defenders of Kaer Morhen will be? I am adding a few that I hope will add some flare to it, it will be one biggest battles I've ever had to write. **

**After gathering allies… we're heading to the Isle of Mists, for the chapter I have and I think a lot of people have been waiting for. So… what do you think it'll be like when Dom finds Ciri dead initially? What about after that? Any predictions for the Battle of Kaer Morhen?**

**I can't thank you all enough for real, this story is approaching the top ten on the entire site for witcher stories when sorted by most reviews follows and favorites. Thank you all for the support, we are ALMOST at the Isle of Mists everybody, two more chapters to go, and I can't wait for you all to see it! Thank you all, stay safe and I'll see you all next time!**


	52. Brothers in Arms: Velen

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 52: Brothers in Arms: Velen**

**Narrator: The curse that held Uma proved hard to lift, but thanks to great strength and determination from Yennefer, she, Dominik, Geralt and the witchers managed to do it. The ugliest man alive proved to be not man, but elf, and an elven sage at that. Avallach, for this was his name, was the elven mage who had helped Ciri flee the Hunt. After Dominik asked where he hid Ciri, the elf refused to speak to the Young Wolf, after coaxing however, Avallach revealed he had hidden Ciri away on the Isle of Mists, but also told our heroes that the moment they removed Ciri from the Isle, the Wild Hunt would attack. So, after eight years, Dominik finally knew where to go find his long-lost love. However, with the battle against the Hunt looming, Dominik and Geralt set out to gather friends and allies. After finding the beautiful and deadly Freya Kaminski of Ellander on their way out of the keep, the Young Wolf and the White Wolf rode for Velen, seeking out their friends and allies… to help them protect Ciri and battle back the Hunt….**

"Never thought it would be this hard…" He said slowly, sighing as he felt the wind blow through his hair while he looked over his elegant handwriting on the parchment. Slowly he shook his head and folded it, stuffing it back in his pocket, "How do you fit everything into one letter…."

He trotted alongside Geralt atop Roach, Clop and he had fallen slightly behind his adopted father and his loyal brown mare, but Dominik knew Clop would catch up easy enough. Biting his lip he slowly reached up and fiddled with the swallow as he rode, thinking about the words he had wrote. After they had left Kaer Morhen, the first night they were on the road, he thought more about the fact they had to fight in what would be the biggest battle of his life soon, and right after he found Ciri. He knew they'd have the week to ride back to Kaer Morhen for them to talk, but he also knew that only a week wasn't even close to enough time for him to say everything he wanted to say to her. He remembered back to the Battle of Brenna, and knew that the battle against the Hunt at his old home would make it look like nothing… and as much as he didn't want to think about it, there was the possibility that he could die, not survive afterwards to spend more time with Ciri and tell her everything he needed.

So, every night for the previous five days they'd been riding, he had stayed up for hours trying to write the letter. He only had two pages, one parchment front and back to tell her what he wanted to say to her. After he was done… he planned to give the letter to Geralt, so that incase he did die in the battle, his adopted father could give it to Ciri, so that she could have some kind of clue what she meant to him, how much he loved her. He thought it would be easy, that he could write down how he felt, he knew that if he did die, it would devastate her, but at least she'd have the letter, and she'd be able to somehow say what he had been waiting to say for eight years. However, writing it all down, fitting everything into the front and back of that parchment was driving him crazy. Even if he filled every part of that paper with words, it wouldn't have been enough. However, he was trying his best, and now they were in Northern Velen, only a few hours from their first destination.

The sun was shining beautifully, and he really thought that it had been the first time he entered Velen and it hadn't been a rainstorm. It was just near midday, and by sunset he was confident they could have made it to Vernon Roche's camp. A small part of him wondered if he knew of Adda's conspiracy, he had too, she was a former princess of Temaria, Roche was more than likely one of the first people she went too. He would have to ask the Blue Stripes Commando if he knew where Adda was, because he thought that she could provide them with some semblance of support, and if he had to take out a Nilfgaardean garrison for her in the future to get that aid then he would. They had planned on after meeting up with Roche that they would head to Crow's Perch and see if the Baron had returned, and if not they'd head to Novigrad to see George, Zoltan and Dijkstra. After this they'd sail for Skellige, and talk to the An Craite's, Ermion and Faram. And once that was over… they'd grab a skiff from the harbor… and they'd set out for the Isle of Mists.

A cool afternoon breeze shot through his hair as he could see they were coming just out of the treeline, and the site he saw when he did was as beautiful as a painting. He stopped thinking about the letter for a moment and enjoyed the view of the beautiful countryside. The village below had seemed to be abandoned and it was only a few meters away. The sun shone hard and he could feel anxious bits of sweat running down his back under his armor. In their stop in one village he had it polished, along with his swords. The masterful wolf armor glinted in the sunlight and he could see it also reflecting off the pommels of his swords. He let out a relaxed sigh, the thought that he would really be seeing her soon racing through his mind.

It was weird feeling that he had been waiting and chasing that moment for a third of his life, and now that it was finally in front of him, he almost couldn't believe it. Ciri, Ciri would be there, not a lead, not a person who may or may not have seen her… but she was actually there. He felt a buzzing anticipation run up and down his arms, and her face had kept popping into his mind, as he thought about finally getting to wrap his arms around her waist, and it made his stomach flutter and his heart thump so loudly he could hear it. The woman he loved, the only woman he ever would… finally back with him. Clop as he assumed sensed his urgency as soon as they left the keep. Thankfully, Roach and his stallion were both seeming tapped into how Geralt and he felt, because both of their mounts had gotten them to Velen in five days. In thanks he and Geralt were currently letting them trot so they could rest.

"Thanks for everything buddy," He said, gently patting his horse's mane, making the white stallion knicker back appreciatively, "Wouldn't have made it all these years without ya…"

"You talk to your horse as much as I do," Geralt joked with him, slowing Roach down so he rode next to Dominik.

Dominik scoffed and nodded, "Yeah… I guess I do. It was just me and Clop for a while… but soon we'll have some more company right buddy?"

He asked his horse the question and patted his mane, and his loyal mount whinnied and nodded from in front of him making Dominik smile. Geralt laughed as the sun sparkled off the pommels of his adopted father's swords and armor, the wind blowing back his silver hair.

"Yeah… it'll be nice, so how's the letter coming along," Geralt asked him, the afternoon wind howling.

Sighing he shook his head, "Don't know... hard to fit everything I wanna say into one page…"

"You can just tell her yourself," Geralt said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Don't know what you need to write her a letter for, you'll have time when the fight's over."

He hadn't told Geralt the real reason he was writing the letter, not wanting to put the thought in his adopted father's mind. Geralt he knew had been staying strong for weeks for him, putting his own personal worries about Ciri and their quest aside to appear more confident to keep Dominik's spirits up. He knew that Geralt on the inside was just as worried as he was about the battle, about keeping Ciri safe. However, his father was talking as if surviving would be no problem, that they'd be fine. Dominik himself was confident as well of course, but the thought that he wouldn't get to say everything to Ciri that he wanted to was too big a fear for him, so that's why he had started writing the letter. He appreciated what his adopted father was doing and didn't want to dampen the excitement and confidence he knew they were both experiencing. He tried to hide the letter at first, but Geralt being as silent as he was caught him writing it one night, and Dominik quickly lied and said that he was writing it because he was nervous of what to say to Ciri when he first saw her.

A small chill ran through his body, but a smile managed to stay perched to his face. Looking up he couldn't see a cloud in the sky, above him was the purest form of blue he had ever seen. If all went well, by the next day they could be in Skellige, and then on their way to her. He didn't care if the Isle of Mists was a ten day sail, he'd head straight out. They'd be at Roche's camp by sunset, to Crow's Perch and Oxenfurt by nightfall. They could spend the night in the Chameleon, and then set sail for Skellige. And the beautiful day he saw then he had to believe was the universe finally sending some luck his way.

His father had told him growing up in Cintra that Ciri was his destiny, and whether that was true or not, Dominik knew he loved her, and wouldn't stop, finally he'd fulfill his father's last request of him, and if he truly was meant to do this, to find her and protect her, then he had to thank the universe for making the skies clear.

Smiling he looked back over at Geralt, "You're probably right. Besides, battle should be no problem with your dragon friend. Fire and ice don't mix well."

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, "That's if Yen can get a hold of him, and if he actually shows up. I think he will, he's honorable, and when he hears about a dragon more then likely cursed and under the control of the Hunt he'll want to investigate. And in the end… he does owe Yen and me."

"You know, that dragon hunt story was always one of Ciri and I's favorites," Dominik said, the wind blowing through his hair, "It'd be pretty cool to meet him. You know that along with the whole having a dragon on our side thing."

His adopted father smirked and nodded, "Would be yeah, like I said I just hope that Yen-."

A loud sky shattering, ***SCREEEECH* **ripped through the air followed by a loud ***WHOOSH* **coming from above quickly cut Geralt off, and both Clop and Roach bucked wildly. Dominik yanked on his stallion's reigns to bring him back down when the screech ripped overhead again, and soon the light from the sun was block out for a moment.

"DOM! It's a griffin," Geralt yelled, as Dominik finally got a hold of Clop and managed to look upwards.

He had seen plenty and killed a few over his years, so he recognize the royal griffin swoop down overhead towards the village. His eyes widened at the size of the beast, and it smashed through the air towards the village, screeching and flapping its massive wings so hard it sent up clouds of dust from the field of beautiful wheat around them. Quickly he reached up to his back and pulled _Fate _out and looked over to Geralt, his adopted father finally getting a hold of Roach.

"Thought the village was abandoned," Dominik yelled over to his adopted father, "There wouldn't be any food here, why would the griffin be attacking!?"

Geralt shook his head as the screech of the griffin got more intense as Dominik could see it diving towards the center of the town.

"Guess it must not be that abandoned after all," Geralt yelled out to him over the monster's cries, "Your call, are we going!?"

He felt his blood race as he saw the griffin violently land in the center of the village, and he knew Geralt was correct, the beast wouldn't be attacking if it didn't see food. If the village really weren't abandoned then it would be attacking innocent people, and he knew exactly what Ciri would have done in that situation.

No matter how close he was to her, he was still going to do things that made her proud. He was a witcher, he saved people from monsters, and he knew that if Ciri were with him, then they'd both charge in to defend those who were being attacked without a second thought. Besides… Geralt and he versus one Griffin, it wouldn't take them much time. So he gripped tightly onto his silver sword, looking over to meet his adopted father's eyes from atop their horses.

"Yeah… we're going come on, let's go," He shouted, flicking Clop's reigns as Geralt and he rode hard through the wheat fields towards the center of town, towards the monster.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Stay back with Roach buddy," Dominik yelled, seeing the dust flow up as the griffin landed before Geralt and he slipped off Roach and Clop.

The griffin's screech ripped through his ears and he felt his blood race as Geralt slid off Roach next to him. He flashed his silver out in front of him and realized that the town just like Geralt had said the village hadn't seemed abandoned. He saw a group of about ten men, all huddled around a massive cart where the horses had been impaled by the griffin's claws. The royal griffin was massive and swung its wings out at the men, who were all armed but clearly didn't know how to fight the beast, because they wildly swung their blades and were knocked back by the griffin's wings. The screech from the beast continued to rip through his ears as Geralt and he rushed forward, his adopted father ahead of him as one of the men managed to slice along the griffin's wing, but the strike only seemed to annoy the beast.

"PROTECT THE CART," The man yelled, before he was knocked back into the fields of wheat.

"DOM AARD," Geralt screamed from ahead of him, pushing his way past some of the men towards the beast.

The village was small with only a small cluster of homes as it seemed the men had been pulling their cart through town before the beast attacked the horses pulling their cart. The griffin was large with its dark wings and barbs, Dominik could see the blood dripping from its beak as it smacked its barbs through one of the men. Like Geralt said he got closer and thrusted his hands out, he could feel his eyes flash blue as the sign erupted from his hands. It soared through the air and smashed into the griffin and sent it stumbling back just as Geralt got to the monster. He let out a quick breath and looked down realizing that his powers had just unleashed again, he had no idea how it happened, but he saw the men crying out as Geralt leaped up towards the knocked back griffin.

His adopted father cut across the griffin's eyes and it screeched before smacking its wing towards Geralt. Like usual the older witcher was spry and leapt back to avoid the wing. Quickly Dominik pushed all thoughts of his powers out of his mind, and rushed in with his adopted father, and leaped to bring down a slash towards the griffin's wing. It screeched and lashed out with one of its barbed wings and his eyes flashed again before he ducked under the attack and cut across the beast's gut. It roared in his ears again and Geralt came across him again. For a few moments, his adopted father and he both circled the monsters and as the afternoon wind blasted through his hair he fought the beast with the older witcher. For a few moments they dodged and rolled, with Dominik holding the beast's main attention while Geralt cut and sliced his silver across the beast's torso. Dominik felt his limbs move with great speed, feeling the magic swirl in his eyes and around his limbs as he ducked down under wings and cut through the beast when he could, at one point stumbling back and knocking into the cart that the men had been defending.

All of them had retreated back, gathering together as Dominik and Geralt both fought off the beast. His back got knocked up against the cart they had been defending, and he felt the magic swirl inside him again as he thrusted both his hands forward and another Aard blast erupted, the magic shooting to his hands and knocking the beast back, his blast ended up being so powerful it tumbled the griffin over right into the path of Geralt's sword. It continued to screech and try to attack his adopted father, but Geralt skillfully evaded and cut his silver across the beast again. Dominik felt his blood racing faster then it ever had, he had no idea how his powers were unleashing, but just like back with Eskel and Kaer Morhen they had erupted from his body out of nowhere. He had been thinking about finally getting back to Ciri, how after so long he'd finally do it before the fight started, it could be that Yennefer's theory about his powers unleashing with powerful emotions were true, but he tried not to think about it in that moment.

He saw Geralt spin and cut across the beast's beak before it swung its wing and knocked him back. His eyes widened and he tried to run forward away from the cart, but something stopped him, sweat beat down his forehead as the sun shone down on him, and his skin crawled when he heard the voice pierce his ears.

_"Dominik… Dominik…. Dominik…." _A voice pierced into his ears, making him whirl around towards the cart.

_"Dominik… Dominik…. Your destiny…" _The voice said in his head again, a man's deep voice as his eyes widened towards the multiple chests in the back of the cart covered by a tarp.

"The hell is that…" He said slowly, his sword still dripping griffin blood, he tried to reach for the tarp, but the griffin's dying screams whirled him back around.

Geralt had finally gotten the best of the griffin. The griffin tried to lift up into the air, but Geralt leaped and cut across the beasts stomach making it screech out one more time before it fell down and crashed to the fields of wheat, its blood seeping up the amber grain of the field. Geralt looked over at him, and Dominik felt himself hyperventilating, as they both slid their silver onto their backs. For a moment he didn't know what to do, his blood continued to race and he could see some of the men who had been fighting the griffin and defending the cart start to gather back around.

_"Dominik…. Dominik…. Your destiny awaits…"_ The voice pierced into his head again, as he finally whirled around to see the cart again.

It was a decent size, and he could see multiple chests and sacks covered by the tarp, and as he looked at it more he could hear the voice continuing to pound harder and harder into his head. The voice was deep and incessant, and the more he stared down at the cart of valuables, the more it rang. He slowly turned back around to Geralt who was staring at him oddly, but before his adopted father could call out for him, one of the men came running up to the older witcher, reaching and fervently shaking his hand.

"THANK you my good man, we surely would have been goners if not for you two," The tall and lanky man said, not letting go until Geralt yanked his hand back.

He got a better look at the men as they slowly started to gather back around Geralt. They all wore gambesons and leather armor, while they all had swords, he could see that they were injured and weary. A few of them were injured from the griffin fight, but he could see others with eye patches, and wrappings around their arms. It was clearly a group that had been through enough trials and tribulations up until that point. Around him he could see some of them had indeed been killed by the griffin, so only about five remained as they gathered around Geralt a few steps away from the cart they had been so fervently defending. Dominik stayed back and watched as the tall scrawny man finally let go of Geralt's hand. His adopted father met Dominik's eyes for a moment, and he could tell they were both thinking the same thing.

No traveling group of peasants would have a wagon that large with so many goods. They also certainly didn't seem like normal merchants, and the fact they were heading so far north through a remote part of Velen had set alarm bells off in his head. He could see the steel the men all carried was professionally made, and the fact they wore armor denoted that they had to be of some higher status or obtained it some other way. Instead of fleeing from the griffin they all stayed behind to fervently defend that cart, their men had died to do so. Whatever they were doing, he didn't think it could be anything good and Geralt seemed to realize the same thing. With a subtle eye movement, he could tell exactly what his adopted father was ordering him to do, they hadn't spotted him near their cart, so Dominik carefully walked around to the back of it as he heard Geralt and the men speak.

"No problem… brave men all of you, fighting down a griffin," His adopted father started, as Dominik slowly moved to the back of the cart as the older witcher went on, "So, what brings you through here? Village is abandoned, and you don't look like merchants."

He could hear some of the men shift, and he looked over to see the tall, lanky man leading them begin to laugh nervously.

"Ahaha… right you are my good man. We… used to be an alchemist guild, based out of Vizima, we've been traveling north since the Black Ones took the city," The man tried to say, as Dominik finally got to the back of the cart.

_"Dominik… Dominik…destiny… Dominik…" _He heard pierce into his ears again as he almost grunted and gave away his position.

Looking down at the tarp, he made sure Geralt had all the men's attention before finally pulling it back. He had to bite his lip again as the voice kept pounding into his head, it said his name over and over again, kept saying destiny, the deep voice over took his brain as he could tell it was coming from somewhere inside the cart.

_"Dominik… Dominik… your destiny is nigh," _It said in his head, just as he could see all the goods that the group had been transporting.

"What kind of alchemist guild carries this much…" He said slowly, as he could see the large sacks and chests lining the back, and it was a wonder to him in that moment how two mares pulled it all.

_"DOMINIK… DOMINIK…" _The voice shouted in his ears again, as it finally almost made him fall.

"The fuck is that…" He winced quietly, grabbing his temples as he scanned the cart, and his eyes finally fell on a smaller strongbox near the edge.

The box was a simple lockbox, but he could see that it had hastily been thrown in the back of the cart since it wasn't locked. It was wooden and the sun casted his shadow over it as he could hear the voice continuing to shout for him. He heard Geralt talking in the background, asking the men why they had decided to come north, but Dominik tuned it out and slowly reached for the box, and when his gloved hand finally touched it, he felt a jolt of energy spark up his arm. He almost pulled it back from the energy bursting into his body, but he ignored it and pulled it in front of him, feeling his mouth go dry as he looked back over to Geralt.

His adopted father's arms were crossed, as he could vaguely hear the lanky man trying desperately to explain themselves and why they had been passing through that abandoned village. For a second he locked eyes with Geralt and the older witcher urged him on. It was clear the group was lying, the Black Ones wouldn't have forced out an alchemist guild, and they had taken over Vizima months prior, so there's no reason the group would just now be getting to Velen. Dominik tore his head back to the box and slowly opened it.

_"Your destiny… Dominik…." _The voice slowly said, before it disappeared from his mind as the lid opened on the box.

In the box he only saw two things, one was a book, a leather-bound journal with a strap to keep it closed, and next to it was a small potion vial, with frothy blue liquid stirring inside of it. He narrowed his eyes and picked up the book first, and blew off the dusty cover, on the brown leather he could only see a few words all written in Elder Speech, and then initials at the bottom. He narrowed his eyes as he had a hard time seeing in the sun, he could recognize a few words of Elder Speech, but none of them made sense.

"Proktechers oe te bloed…. AL," He said slowly, "AL? The owner maybe… why would this be calling out…. Fuck, why won't it open."

He had tried to pry the small latch open so that he could read inside the journal, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard he pried. It had to have been the thing that was calling to him, because as soon as he picked it up the voice had stopped. He had no idea what the words in Elder Speech had meant, and he assumed that AL was the initials of the journal's owner, but the initials didn't help him any, there had to be tons of people with the initials AL. Slowly he shook his head and looked over to the small potion vial in his other hand. Quickly he uncorked it and smelled the liquid, it didn't smell like any potion that he had ever made, and it smelled like nothing that he had ever used.

Sighing he slipped the journal into his pockets, along with the potion vial, "I'll ask Yen about the words… as for these guys… what are they-."

He had thrown the tarp back over the cart when he went to step back towards Geralt and nearly tripped. Below him there had been a body of one of the men, his back was ripped open by the griffin as he lay at Dominik's feet, his face in the dirt. He almost went to step over the man, when he noticed something on the back of the bodies head, a tattoo. He didn't know many people who got tattoos on their heads, so he gently kneeled down and moved down the collar of the man's gambeson and saw the black ink on the side of his skull. His eyes widened as he saw the intricate design of a drawn salamander, and the stories Geralt told him came rushing back to him.

"GERALT," He yelled, shooting to his feet as he grabbed his steel sword from his back, "SALAMANDRA!"

As soon as he yelled all the men turned around to see him, as Dominik rushed forward and brandished his sword to the tall lanky man's neck, taking him by surprise. All the men whipped out their blades. Geralt raked out his steel and came up towards the lanky man in command as Dominik's steel stayed at the man's throat. All the men around him saw the blade at their leaders throat and smartly stayed back as Geralt swung his blade in a wide arc to keep the others at bay, before slowly approaching the tall man, coming face to face with him, and Dominik could see a murderous gaze appear on his adopted father's face. Geralt had done a good job the entire quest but in that moment the cool, calm collected look his adopted father had been keeping nearly broke. Dominik slowly circled the lanky man, keeping his sword at his throat as he got next to Geralt. On the side of the man's skull under his scruffy red hair he could see the salamander tattoo, and he remembered how Geralt said that was how members of the gang identified themselves. Around them Dominik looked and saw the other men all shifting and holding their blades out, but they held back charging when he kept his blade at their leader's throat.

The Salamandra he knew was the gang that attacked Kaer Morhen a few weeks after Ciri had left Geralt outside the walls with no memory. Triss and the witchers took Geralt back to the keep, and according to Geralt the plan had been to take his adopted father to see Dominik in hopes that he could jog the older witchers memory. But the Salamandra had attacked the fortress, even blowing a hole in the wall. They had stolen the secrets to mutations and teleported away, and after that Geralt had proceeded to hunt down and exterminate the gang in Vizima, and according to his adopted father they had been wiped out, so he had no idea how they were traveling there in northern Velen now away from Vizima, and carrying the journal he found, and a potion that he had never seen before. Were they still continuing experiments, were they going to set up a new base?

Geralt didn't seem to be interested in motives, because his adopted father seemed more furious then Dominik had seen him in quite some time.

"How the fuck are you all still here!? I killed Javed," Geralt said darkly, taking a few steps towards the man with his steel sword poking into his gut, "The professor is dead, they're all dead. I thought you'd all scurry off after that, what are you doing here!?"

Dominik kept his blade leveled at the man's throat and he could see his eyes go wide. The sun casted all their shadows over the blood soaked ground, as he kept both hands gripped tightly to his blade, ready to move at a second, he knew that Geralt and he would be able to take them out without trouble, but he also didn't know what they had up their sleeve.

The tall lanky man gulped and slowly looked up to meet Geralt's eyes, "You… you're Geralt of Rivia… you… you were the one-."

"The one who dismantled your group one by one," His adopted father said darkly, gesturing towards the cart, "What's in the cart, where are you going, what do you plan to do!?"

The lanky leader sucked in a breath and Dominik could see the fear in the man's eyes. Slowly he shook his head, holding his hand up for his men to stand down. One by one all the remaining men sheathed their blades, but he made sure to keep his blade pointed towards the leader's throat as he slowly shook his head.

"We don't plan on doing anything except finding somewhere to settle," The man said assuredly shaking his head, "We… we were routed out of Vizima by the Black Ones, took what we had remaining and ran. We… planned on selling most of it, maybe making it somewhere to Redania."

"What the hell is this then," Dominik said, keeping one hand on his blade as his other pulled the potion from his bag and held it up to the man, "Don't recognize the ingredients, the smell, anything….."

He handed the potion over to Geralt while keeping his blade at the man's throat. The journal wasn't something he was going to show he had, it had called out to him and he knew that they more then likely just thought it an old book. However, he did remember Geralt saying that the Salamandra were conducting experiments with different potions thanks to what they stole from the witchers, so seeing the potion that he didn't recognize, he was worried. His adopted father sniffed the potion and narrowed his eyes towards the lanky man.

"Dom's right… never smelled anything like this," Geralt said darkly as the afternoon sun whipped through his silver hair, "You continuing your experiments? If you want any chance of getting out of this alive you'll tell us what it is, and what you planned on doing with it."

The lanky leader's eyes went wide, and he quickly shook his head, "It… it was leftover and experiment from Javed and the professor. Javed he… he believed that it could be used to unlock secrets of the blood! I… I was just a grunt didn't know much, but he thought that he was… some kind of vessel… fuck me I forgot the name…"

"A carrier!? He thought he was a fucking carrier," Dominik demanded, feeling his blood begin to race as his sword point dug deeper into the man's neck.

He had never thought he'd see or hear of another carrier. Triss had theorized there were many carriers, but their powers being fully unlocked were extremely rare. Yennefer had also told him that for a carrier to unlock his powers they needed to use magic, unlock hidden strands of their DNA and in some cases there was a third trigger added by the mage who passed down their powers. He and his adopted mother had been looking for ways to do just that with his DNA so he could control his powers, so that he could activate them at will and learn to fully control them. He gently took the potion vial back from Geralt and stared at it, had the Salamandra leader actually figured out a way?

The man quickly nodded, "Yeah that… that was the term. It was a part of the reason he wanted to steal the mutation secrets from the witchers! Thought it would help him, he made that potion before… well… he died. We only put it in the cart because we were rushing, swear it!"

"So, you don't know if it works…" Dominik slowly said, and right away his adopted father gave him an incredulous look.

Before Geralt could say anything however, the leader of the group shook his head, "No sir I don't, honest! But… but Javed did drink another vial he made and survived, he… he was still killed however, it didn't activate any powers in him though…."

"Maybe because he didn't have the third trigger… so it might have worked, he just didn't have all the requirements…" Dominik slowly said, feeling his sword dip slightly at the man's throat.

Yennefer had told him that the third trigger needed to activate a carrier's powers was very rarely added, but when it was, the full potential of the carrier couldn't be realized until it had been activated. What if Javed had a third stipulation, but he just never got to it? Geralt had told him Azar Javed was a powerful mage, the leader of the Salamandra, but his adopted father still had managed to kill him. If Javed had survived drinking the potion, but it didn't work… what would be the harm in him trying it? If it didn't activate the powers in his blood, then no big deal, he would survive. If the potion truly unlocked secrets of the body, hidden strands of DNA… then he could finally control his powers. As long as he didn't have a third trigger for them to unleash, then he would be able to fight back the Hunt using the full extent of his magic.

The moment he knew was coming his entire life would be soon. He remembered all the way back to the very first day his father had given the bronze ring back in Cintra. His father had told him that people would come to try and take Ciri, try to capture and hurt her, and that it was Dominik's destiny to protect her, it was imperative, the fate of the world relied on him protecting her and the power she wielded. Of course, at the time he hadn't known at all what his father was talking about, but now he did.

Ciri's elder blood, her gift and her curse. Sir Gregory had been correct, people had gone to try and kidnap her, kill her and use her. He hadn't been there to protect her, he hadn't been able to protect her from Vilgefortz and Leo Bonhart, or all the other people who tried to kill her, he left her to defend herself when he couldn't get to her. Now she was in danger again, the Wild Hunt wanted to kill her and take her. However, unlike all those years ago, Dominik was in a position to do something about it now, in a position to protect her, he'd make up for not being there to do it all those years ago. And with the potion in his hand… he had a chance to reach his full potential.

Geralt could apparently read what he was thinking just from his face, because his adopted father turned furiously to the man.

"GO, all of you now, leave the fucking cart," He said, slinging his steel onto his back, looking around at all of the men, "You got thirty seconds to start running, if I ever see you again I'll slaughter you all like I did Javed…"

His head stayed locked down onto the potion vial in his hand as he gingerly slung his own steel onto his back. He could hear the rushing footsteps of all the men around him as the wind blew through his hair and the sweat trickled down the back of his neck. The sun casted his shadow over the blood-soaked dirt in the middle of that abandoned village. The blue liquid of the potion sat motionless as he let out a sigh. If the potion worked great, if not, then he was still confident he could go into the battle. Javed wouldn't have made a potion that would kill him, the man had apparently survived drinking it… and he could feel something panging into the back of his head. The potion had been in the same box as the journal that had been calling to him, so perhaps he was meant to find the potion as well.

Biting his lip, he could hear the men getting a decent distance away as the wind blew through him and sent chills down his spine again. Whether the potion did anything or not, he was taking steps to keep her safe. He remembered all the way back to Novigrad when he first expressed to Triss how scared he was of the powers opening inside of him. When they had first activated in his fight with Baelen outside Oxenfurt, they had nearly ripped him apart. Freya had to stay up the entire night to make sure he didn't stop breathing. Now however he had some semblance of tolerance for them, they had unleashed multiple times and while he still felt extremely fatigued after, it had been getting easier and easier. However, he still couldn't activate them at will, they only seemed to come at moments of high emotion.

When he had been angry or near death, or when he had been happy and optimistic, all of them were times that they came out of him. Whoever his ancestor was had to have been extremely powerful, Yennefer and Triss both had said a carrier's abilities all depended on how powerful the mage that passed the powers down had been. From what he experienced when his powers activated… he had rarely seen magic like that. The magic whirled through his body without him even thinking and moved his limbs at speeds he didn't know possible, and his signs became super charged, blasting more powerfully then he could ever imagine. In Skellige he remembered on Undvik that his Igni sign had smoked out the entire cave of sirens and harpies, and his Aard blast had just knocked back a griffin. When he had first started using his powers his hands would literally begin to smoke after he had used them.

If he had control of them, the ability to activate them at will… he could learn to master them, and it could keep Ciri safe.

"Don't even fucking think about it," Geralt said firmly, bringing Dominik's attention back to him, "Don't you even THINK about drinking that."

The tone in his adopted father's voice was normally one that he wouldn't dare argue against, however in that moment he felt a jolt of determination run through him. The sun pasted both their shadows over the blood-stained earth as Dominik sighed and slowly shook his head.

"Geralt we're about to fight the fucking Wild Hunt," He reasoned with his adopted father, meeting his yellow eyes, "If… if this can unlock my powers and help me protect Ciri… then I'm going to take that chance."

"NO, I won't let you drink a fucking Salamandra potion. We'll find another way to unlock your powers, I'm sure Yen can," Geralt said firmly, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

"That doesn't help us now Geralt. I don't have time to wait for Yen to figure it out…. If this can help me unlock my powers now to help save Ciri, then I'm taking it!" He said, looking down at the small potion vial again.

His adopted father didn't relent, his voice raising, "You weren't there while I was fighting them Dominik. Javed was a lunatic, there's no telling what's in that potion, it could kill you!"

"It didn't kill him, he survived," Dominik quickly reasoned back, "If I drink it, it either unlocks my powers, or it doesn't. If there's a chance it can I have to take it!"

Finally he saw Geralt sigh, and annoyedly run a hand through his silver hair, "It's like I'm talking to Yennefer…"

"Well I did inherit hers AND your stubbornness, so I'm a combination of you both," He said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Geralt I… I don't know what it is, but somethings telling me I NEED to do this! If it works great, if not no big deal, we can move on!"

"Dominik… listen to me," His adopted father said, taking a step closer to him and putting a hand on his shoulder, "You ARE strong enough to protect her. You don't need to do this…"

He sighed and slowly looked up to meet his adopted father's eyes, "Geralt… do you trust me?"

"Of course, I do, you know that" The older witcher said quickly.

Carefully Dominik nodded his head and held the potion vial up, "Then trust me now…. Geralt I can do this, I'll be fine. I… I want to have every possible advantage I can have to fight for her…. Please, trust me…"

Slowly his adopted father sighed, keeping his yellow eyes locked with Dominik's for a moment. He needed to do this, he could feel it stirring in his gut, his head kept urging him to drink that potion, to take the chance of becoming stronger so he could protect her. It wasn't like the trial of grasses where he would more then likely die, the potion would either work, or it wouldn't, and that day he'd still be able to carry on with what he needed. He didn't know if he had a third trigger like some carriers had as Yennefer explained. However, he already had the first stipulation for unlocking his powers down, if the potion really did unlock his DNA, then that would be two of possibly three stipulations down… he had to take that risk. If the potion was dangerous, then he didn't think Javed would have risked it.

For Ciri he would do it, for her he would take every chance to better protect her. And when the Hunt came for her after they had her in a few days, if he could have those powers activated to protect her, if he had that chance he would take it. Slowly he let out a shaky breath as Geralt carefully nodded his head at him.

"Okay…" His adopted father said, meeting his eyes to give Dominik a reassuring nod, "I trust you… if you want to do this… I won't stop you."

"Thank you Geralt…" He said, letting out a shaky sigh before he uncorked the potion and bit his lip, "Well… bottom's up."

Quickly before Geralt could change his mind he brought the vial to his mouth and drank. He could see Geralt's eyes go wide as he did, and he almost coughed right away from the absolutely repulsive, bitter taste that the potion exploded onto his taste buds. It felt like he was drinking three year old expired ale, and he gagged as the last bit of the potion slipped into his mouth, and he could feel it running through his body, entering his blood stream and dripping slowly down into his stomach. He coughed violently a few times just from the taste and Geralt reached a hand forward onto his shoulder.

"Dom… what's wrong, are you okay? Feel any different…" His adopted father slowly asked as Dominik continued to gag and cough, trying to force the taste out of his mouth.

He blinked a few times and felt his throat ripped from the violent coughs. There had been a few witcher potions he had actually been able to drink over the years. Potions like Cat, Tawny Owl and Killer Whale were much less toxic then say Swallow, Thunderbolt or Blackblood. They always tasted horrible, but none compared to the potion he just drank. Those few witcher potions had also made him feel sick for a week afterwards, however other then the horrible taste, he didn't feel anything different about his body. His blood was racing at a normal pace, and other then goosebumps from just how vile it tasted, he couldn't feel a thing.

Shaking his head, he scoffed lightly, spitting onto the ground before he looked back up at Geralt.

"Well that was… a bit of a letdown," He said slowly, feeling the potion begin to stir in his gut, "You think… maybe it takes a minute to take effect?

Shrugging Geralt slowly shook his head, "Some potions are like that yeah…. What do you wanna do? You wanna wait a few minutes to see, or do you feel alright to head out?"

Sighing he slowly shook his head, "I think I'll be alright. Let's get moving. If we get to Roche fast, then to Crow's Perch maybe we can get to Novigrad-. FUCCKKKKKK, FUCK MY HEAD!"

The pain washed over him instantly, he felt out of nowhere that a bomb of shrapnel had exploded in his skull, and small bits of metal were bouncing around and cutting his brain to bits. He stumbled and almost fell to his knees, but Geralt quickly reached over and grabbed him. Dominik blinked wildly, trying to compose himself, but soon he felt his eyes flash bright blue like they did when his powers activated, and all he saw in his vision in that moment was the blue light.

"DOM! DOM ARE YOU ALRIGHT," He could hear Geralt yelling, as he could also feel his adopted father's hand continue to grip his shoulder.

"FUCK, GAHHHH FUCKING SHIT MY EYES WHY CAN'T I SEE," He screamed, feeling like a long knife had been plunged into his brain as all he could see was the bright blue light.

"HOLD ON, I'LL FIND SOMETHING… FUCK…" Geralt yelled, but Dominik felt his adopted father's voice getting further and further away.

He whirled his head around but all he could see was blue, and he felt the panic begin to set in. He couldn't see or hear Geralt, but he still felt his adopted father's hand on his shoulder. The pain from his head spread through his body, and for a few moments it felt like his limbs were on fire. The pained feeling of his bones being hammered washed over him and he felt his knees, buckle. It was exactly how he felt when he overused his powers, and it spread through every inch of his body, not sparing a single limb. Bringing his hands up to his head he gripped furiously onto his hair, as a voice finally popped into it, not the voice of Geralt, but the same deep male voice he had heard calling to him earlier.

_"Dominik…. Dominik your destiny is nigh…. You must protect it… you must protect the blood; you must protect their line. If they get it… the continent will fall…" _The voice echoed into his brain, as Dominik whirled himself around.

Through the pure blue light in his vision he saw a man. A tall man with black robes, a longsword hung at his belt and a magic staff with swirling blue magic at the top was in his hand. Dominik's eyes widened as he looked at the man's face. He had light blonde hair with streaks of white in it, along with a long beard that was tied intricately into braids that reached all the way down to his stomach. The biggest thing Dominik realized was the old man's eyes, they were a startlingly bright emerald green, exactly like his, and the man's face, his nose, his ears, the angular face and strong jaw, he looked exactly like Dominik did. He tried to shout out to the old man as he was all Dominik could see in the swirling blue light that was overtaking his vision. His mouth was silent however, as the man seemed to be staring directly into his soul.

_"Dominik boy, the time of your destiny is near. You MUST protect the blood… if all seems lost remember…. Ae minne taedh essea heyu," _The old man said in a deep, wise, relaxed voice.

He tried to scream out again, but as soon as the man uttered the last word he vanished in a puff of smoke, and he felt his limbs flare up one more time, one last explosion as the blue violently swirled in his vision. He tried to blink and slowly the magic whirled less and less, and he felt his legs almost give out. Stumbling forward again, he felt Geralt's hands grab both his shoulders and bring him back up to a standing position, as he could finally hear his adopted fathers voice again.

"DOM, DOMINIK," His adopted father yelled, as Dominik finally felt himself able to see again.

"GAHHHHH FUCK," He yelled as his eyes blinked as the afternoon sun pierced into his emerald irises.

Shooting his hands up to his eyes he rubbed them and saw black spots dancing in his vision, his limbs tingled, the fiery feeling was slowly but surely leaving him, and he felt his body returning to normal. He let out a shaky breath as he finally saw Geralt's withered face come into his vision. Blinking rapidly, he was finally able to make out his adopted father, and he could see the frantic look in his yellow eyes.

"Dominik WHAT happened," He demanded, meeting Dominik's eyes and he had rarely seen such a worried look on his adopted father's face, "Your eyes went blue with that magic and started stumbling, are you alright?"

While he hyperventilated the vision flashed in his head again. The mage, it had to be a mage, his ancestor, the one who passed down the powers to him. He had no idea how it was possible for him to appear in Dominik's vision, let alone for him to hear the man's voice. It had to have been his ancestor, the old man had looked exactly like him, and he radiated magical power. The words pounded into his head, _the time of your destiny is near, _did he mean Ciri? Did his ancestor somehow know that he would end up in this situation!? He didn't know how it was possible, he didn't know how any of it was possible. And the final words, the words in Elder Speech the mage had told him, they had sounded like a spell, but Dominik had no idea what it could possibly be.

_'When all seems lost… Ae minne taedh essea heyu,' _He couldn't recognize the words, and he was furious with himself again for not taking lessons on Elder Speech from Triss or Yennefer when he was younger. And what did he mean, when all seemed lost? He tried to think about it all, but he pushed it from his mind and focused on the one thing that he actually knew. Something had happened in his blood, he could feel it, he felt himself open up as he saw the vision of his ancestor. Did it mean that he could activate his powers at will now, or that it would be easier for him to control them?

Thinking about that made him remember why he had drunk the potion in the first place. He slowly reached up and his hand shook as he wrapped his hands around the swallow. Ciri, she was why he had done it, and despite all the new questions he had… she was what mattered. All he had to do was travel a little bit further, and finally all his pain would be worth it. He could worry about his ancestor, the potion, the journal and the words he heard from the old man after she was safe, after he had her back…

Slowly he let out a breath and met Geralt's eyes, "I… I'll tell you on the way let's go… if we hurry we can be at Novigrad by tonight…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You said it called to you? Like called out your name," Geralt asked him, as they rode through the forest south of Crow's Perch.

Slowly he let out a breath and nodded, "Yeah… said my name, something about destiny. Have no idea why, but that box was calling for me to open it, so… that's why I drank the potion. But I have no idea why the damn thing won't open."

Geralt trotted Roche forward as his adopted father tried to pull the latch on the journal. Just like Dominik however, the older witcher had no luck in getting it open. Sighing, Geralt handed it back to him as they rode, Clop and Roach going at a slow trot.

"Must be some kind of magic seal, our medallions are humming. Best to bring it back to Yen when we're finished," His adopted father said, handing him the journal back.

Dominik sighed and put it back into one of Clop's saddlebags, "If we have time…. But why was it calling to me? It… was weird, I've never heard something like that before."

Geralt slowly shook his head, "I have…. Remember how I told you when I first met Ciri?"

"You met her in Brokolon Forest, yeah I remember her telling me all about it," Dominik said, remembering Ciri's story of it all the way back in Cintra.

"Yeah, but did she tell you how she got there? She told me the forest called to her, called her name, said her destiny awaited…. And when she got there…" Geralt said slowly, letting him infer the rest.

Slowly Dominik nodded, piecing together the puzzle, "And when she got there she met you…. So you're telling me this fucking book has something to do with my destiny? Do you know what the cover said? I couldn't recognize any of the words."

"Proktechers oe te bloed…." Geralt said slowly, the wind blowing his silver hair, "Protectors of the blood… and like you said AL, is probably the initials for the journals owner."

"It has to be the mage from the vision the potion gave me," Dominik said, feeling his blood run cold as he remembered the vision, "He said my destiny is near, and those words…_ Ae minne taedh essea heyu…_. Any idea what those mean?"

His adopted father shook his head, "No… but they sound like a spell, we'll have to ask Yen. As for your destiny being near well… I think you can already tell what that means…"

"Yeah…" He said breathlessly, slowly reaching his hand up around the swallow, "I guess my father and mother were always right… my destiny is to protect her. Let's… focus on that. So let's take count on who we have so far."

Geralt could see that he didn't want to speak further, so his adopted father quickly nodded, the sun glinting off the pommels of his swords.

"Alright. Yen, Vesemir, Lambert, Eskel and Freya are already there," The older witcher said, rattling off the names, "Triss will come when Yen contacts her, and Roche will try to go by himself, but if I know Ves she'll sneak off with him."

"To bad the Baron wasn't back," Dominik said with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, but there's nothing we can do about it," Geralt said with a shrug, "In Novigrad we'll have Zoltan and George, don't think Dijkstra will help but we can try…. Still don't know how I feel about asking Adda for help if she's there."

"It won't hurt to ask," He assured his adopted father, "The worse thing she can do is say no, besides, odds are she won't even be there."

Rolling his eyes Geralt nodded, "Alright fine…. So, all of them, combined with Ermion, and whatever help Crach and Cerys can send-."

"And your dragon," Dominik said in a joking tone, feeling himself laugh lightly.

His adopted father rolled his eyes but smiled, "Yes, if our dragon shows up…. Overall, not a bad group… still gonna be outnumbered, but we can make up for it by being prepared. Oh yeah… do you really think Kiera is going to come?"

"I trust her, I do," Dominik said firmly, "I know we had that… incident, but we saved each other's lives, she owes me, I have to believe she'll show up."

After the situation with the potion in Northern Velen, they had continued to ride, even harder than they had from Kaer Morhen. He had felt his urgency spur on after the vision and hearing how his destiny awaited. He didn't give a damn if it was his destiny or not, if the vision was real or not, the woman he loved was waiting for him to come and get her, to save her and protect her. He was finally right near the end, the end of the long eight year treck was finally in sight, and whether the potion had worked for him or not he was going to get to her, then he and his friends would beat the piss out of the Wild Hunt. After telling Geralt on the way what happened, the vision, he was glad his adopted father had some semblance of answers for him.

Ciri had told him of her trip to Brokolon Forest and the first time she had met Geralt many times, and if the forest had called out that her destiny was near, just like the journal had called to him, he had to believe they were similar situations. However, he was going to worry about the journal, the spell from the vision, and figuring it all out later, all that mattered then was Ciri, and getting her from that Island. He tried to imagine her there. Had she still been knocked out from Avallach's spell? Or was she surviving on that island, awake and waiting for Geralt and he. All they had gotten to lead them was the magic firefly that Avallach had given them. The Island he knew had to be some kind of magic, while from what he saw so far he didn't quite like the elf, he knew that he had to be powerful, and wouldn't be dumb enough to leave Ciri somewhere that was easily accessible. No, they'd find her easy enough, but after, that was what they had needed to prepare for, and they had already begun just that.

Along with Yennefer, Freya and the witchers already at Kaer Morhen, they had stopped by the Temarian Partisans hideout and like they had expected Vernon Roche had right away agreed to help them. The former Blue Stripes Commander had said that Dominik and Geralt helped him when he was in need, so he wouldn't turn his back on them, before debating whether to bring Ves with him, however from the little Dominik had seen of the young woman, and what Geralt said, he fully expected to see Ves at Kaer Morhen. After they had finished their, they had ridden further south into Velen, wanting to see if the Baron had returned to Crow's Perch, if he had found a cure for his wife's madness.

The man hadn't been back, and it worried Dominik more, and infuriated him at the same time. He knew that Anna's madness had to have had something to do with the Crones, if Dominik had killed them, then perhaps her mind would have been able to return to normal. Dominik back from when they were in Velen however, hadn't been nearly strong enough… he knew he was now however. If they survived the Battle at Kaer Morhen, he fully intended on keeping his promise of he and Ciri returning to kill the beastly sisters. If they did, perhaps the Baron's wife would be able to return to a semblance of human life.

After that they had rode into the forest rode just south of the castle, intent on going to gather a few more supplies and water for their skins while they took stock of what they had. The arsenal he had made before they left Skellige was still plentiful, and now with his silver blade he knew he could do more damage to the phantom riders. During the ride back to Velen, he had also made it a point to spar with Geralt for hours a night, practicing all the different styles that he knew, Viper, Bear, Griffin and of course his normal wolf style. He had felt himself going harder and harder, not stopping the sparring until he physically couldn't anymore, and Geralt had been happy to help him. With every second that passed, he could feel his hands twitch more, the swallow around his neck tremble, and the tattoo on his inner forearm continuing to flare up. The sun was getting lower, and he knew that they only had a few hours until sunset, and he wanted to get to Novigrad before then, so after gathering more water and a few herbs, Geralt and he had ridden back north, towards the city.

His adopted father shook his head an amused smile on his face, "You know, Yen might try to kill her, I mean we did tell her about Kiera trying to sleep with you."

"She'll keep her head… at least I hope so," Dominik said, feeling his skin crawl as Geralt laughed at his flustered face.

"Ha, you know Yen, protective to the end," The older witcher said with a smirk, as a cool breeze whipped through his silver hair, "Still I gotta admit I'm kinda impressed you were able to resist her charms."

Biting his lip Dominik remembered back to the moment. After helping Kiera, she had indeed tried to sleep with him, before he rejected her and she proceeded to knock him out with a spell. She had been trying to find the research on the Catriona plague on Fyke Isle, and while it had infuriated him at the time, he couldn't bring himself to attack the sorceress or let her go to her death at the hands of Radovid. She had saved him in Avallach's laboratory, he would have been killed by Nithral in that cave if not for her. When she hadn't arrived at Kaer Morhen he was worried, but he just didn't believe that the sorceress had lied to him again.

Some people would have found it impressive that he resisted the opportunity to sleep with a beautiful sorceress, but to him it had been easy. He'd never betray Ciri, not again. She was all he wanted, and he was already ashamed enough he had broken that faithfulness once.

"Wasn't hard… I won't betray Ciri again. I really think Kiera will come through," Dominik said, but he stopped himself when he sniffed the forest air and gagged, "Urgh… Geralt… do you smell that? Smells like-."

"Ghouls… you hear that?" Geralt asked, his hand going to the silver on his back.

"Yeah… come on let's go," He said, snapping Clop's reigns and urging him forward as Geralt followed closely behind.

After the potion earlier Dominik had his fill of horrible smells, so when the stench of ghouls and rotting corpses hit his nose he almost gagged. The ride had been pleasant through the forest so far, but as soon as Dominik heard the ghouls then his eyes narrowed forward, and he could see the smaller cluster of buildings gathered and remembered that a village was south of Crow's Perch nestled in the woods. The sun shone through the trees and he felt himself spurring Clop's reigns forward as he slid _Fate _from his back. Where there were ghouls, there were corpses, that was one of the first lessons Dominik had learned about necrophages. Not wanting to possibly leave the village in harms way, just like when they had heard the griffin, Geralt and he raced forward. He managed to pull Clop around one of the buildings when he saw the town center, and his mouth dropped open.

Blood ran over the entire village it had been completely slaughtered. Corpses with bites taken out of them were strewn about the streets, and he could see trails of blood leading out of all the houses. A group of five ghouls and two alghouls were devouring corpses, tearing into them just as Clop neighed loudly and bucked up. Quickly he slid down off the stallion and reached to his belt just as Geralt pulled up next to him. He ignited the Dancing Star bomb and chucked it forward, it erupted into a fiery explosion right in the center of the beasts, and charred them, they got blasted back just as Geralt rushed in.

His adopted father leaped and cut one ghoul clean in half, before he shot his hand forward and a Quen shield appeared around him. More ghouls and one of the alghouls bounced off it and shot back with an explosion of magic. Every time he watched his adopted father in action he was more and more amazed, but his watching was interrupted when he heard one of the alghouls sprinting from his right. It had come out of one of the buildings and was sprinting to leap at him. His eyes widened and he thought in his mind for a second about how he needed to move faster, and then that's when his eyes flashed blue and he whirled around shooting his hand forward. A torrent of fire from the Igni sign erupted from his hands and the creature screeched before being knocked back by the flames, he kept his hand fired out and the stream of fire kept erupting from him. The monster screeched louder as it roasted, and Dominik could see the tinges of blue around his vision as magic swirled on his arms. Finally the alghouls stopped squirming and his eyes widened as he looked down at his hands.

"Woah… maybe it did work…" He said lightly, hearing more leaves crunch behind him.

He whirled around and focused his chaos just like George had always taught him, and he felt his eyes flash blue again. One ghoul had come leaping and he quickly spun around it and completely cleaved through the beast, the magic whirling around his limbs and sword. They hadn't stopped, two more emerged from another hut and came charging, and another had broken off from Geralt and charged. His eyes flashed again as he spun and cut through one, before pirouetting around and thrusting his hands forward, the magic whirled off his arms and through his sign as an Aard blast shot from his fingers and smacked the ghouls back into the buildings, and Dominik heard their bones crunch as they stopped squirming.

Somehow he felt himself scoff out a laugh as he saw more ghouls advancing on Geralt who was killing them all with ease. A small smile came to his face as he rushed forward, feeling his limbs swirl with magic more as he slid forward on one knee to cut through a ghoul that was leaping towards him. His adopted father's eyes widened for a moment before he refocused on the fight. Dominik saw another group of three coming from his side, one leapt and he quickly cut it out of the air, the magic whirling around his blade before he laughed again and shot his hands forward, a torrent of fire erupted from his Igni sign and roasted both of the remaining ghouls, just as he heard Geralt's blade squelch into the body of the last ghoul.

Dominik smiled back and tried to put more power into his sign as he could see the ghouls still alive, but as soon as he felt his eyes glow bright blue again a large ***BOOM*** erupted from his hand and he felt himself shot backwards, as sparks of magic and fire singed the ground where he was standing.

"DOM," Geralt yelled running over to him, just as Dominik landed on his back onto the blood-soaked earth.

He coughed a few times and sat up, feeling smoke billow up inside his lungs, as he wiped his face he could see small black soot marks falling from it as he tried to blink the soot out that had blasted into his eyes. Slowly he looked down at his hands and could see it smoking. He coughed again and slowly reached his hands up to fiddle with the swallow pendant and felt it trembling. Memories from Ellander flashed back into his mind. Moments when he remembered Ciri trying to train and use her powers, but they had ended up erupting back in her face. One time it had almost even killed him and Ciri was devastated for weeks.

Yennefer had been trying to show her simple spells at a barn they normally went to train at. It was some type of fiery spell he assumed, and Ciri had been trying to channel her powers to cast it. Geralt and he had been coming back from hunting at the moment and were walking to find Ciri and Yen both. Dominik had seen Ciri and tried to run over to her, but it was just at the moment she was trying to cast the spell at the side of the barn. Ciri's spell had been so powerful the barn erupted and splinted nearly to pieces, and it had knocked him back, with wood and splinters sticking into him along with multiple burns. Yennefer, Geralt and Ciri all rushed to him right away, and thankfully Yennefer had been able to heal him. Ciri however was horrified with herself, and ran off into the woods, and when he had found her, she cried into him for hours about how scared she was she'd hurt him again and never be able to control her powers.

In the current day he knew that she didn't control them fully, but they were to a much greater degree then she had back then. Slowly he remembered what happened, he had tried to use them, activate his abilities more then he was ready for it seemed. He hadn't been ready for the surge of power that ran through him while he was casting and just like had happened with Ciri it had erupted in his face. He didn't know just how powerful this ancestor of his was, but it had to be even more then he was thinking… because Dominik had never felt that type of power before. Yennefer, Geralt and Triss had all said it, but in that moment he truly seemed to understand more than ever what Ciri had gone through.

And just like Ciri he was going to need to train the power. The potion had apparently done its job, and unlocked the strands of DNA needed for him to activate them at will… but for it to be of more practical use, for him to get the most out of it he'd need to work at it. However, he mentally chastised himself, because he knew that mastering his powers wasn't what was most important. If he could use them somewhat during the battle after they found Ciri great, but in that moment all that mattered was keeping her safe, getting to her. He'd worry about everything else later.

"Geralt I… think that it worked," He said breathlessly, as his adopted father helped him off the ground.

The sun shone off Geralt's blood stained armor as he narrowed his eyes, "Yeah… kinda reminded me of when Ciri was training with Yen in Ellander."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking," He said, letting out a deep shaky breath to settle himself, "After this is over… well I'll have to learn to control it better, good thing I'll have Yen… and Ciri."

If anyone could help him it would be the two of them. A small smile came to his face as he thought about having her back again. It had done that to him the previous few days, thinking about how close he truly was, that in only a few days he'd have her back. Despite the fact they'd have to fight only a few days after… he'd still see her again soon.

The pleasant thoughts of Ciri however were interrupted when the stench of death hit his nose. He blinked a few more bits of soot from his eyes and looked around the village. It was small with only a few houses and a large barn. He hadn't seen a village nestled so far into the woods, it would have been the perfect area for some creatures to attack, but when he saw the death wrought out around him, he knew better then to assume it was a monster. The ghouls and alghouls wouldn't have attacked if they were alive. The air blew through his brown hair and he felt a chill run up his spine as his arms tingled. He bit his lip and looked towards the barn, where he could see blood smeared into the ground. Underneath his feet he could see how fresh it was.

Slowly he shook his head and crouched down, running his gloved finger over the pool of crimson blood.

"This is fresh… Geralt this happened recently, and it wasn't a monster," He said slowly, looking over towards his adopted father who was kneeling down near one of the corpses.

Geralt slowly nodded and turned back to him, "You're right. Ghouls tore this one to pieces, but there's sword wounds on his body… cut clear through a few arteries. Whoever did it knew what they were doing…. Your call again, what are we gonna do?"

He sighed and quickly ran a hand through his hair. Biting his lip, he looked up at the sun and realized there would only be another hour or two until sunset, and he still wanted to be in Novigrad by then. A small part of him was saying to leave, head out then, the village was slaughtered, there wasn't anything that they could have done. However, when he felt the swallow tremble again a small smile came to his face as he remembered what Ciri and he had always promised.

They would become witchers to help the defenseless, defend people who didn't know how to half-turn or pirouette, to stop them from being slaughtered by the things they had nightmares of. He had to check and see if the village at least had any survivors, and with him knowing the attack happened so recently, whoever did it still had to be nearby. If he could find them he would be doing his part to keep future people safe. There was also enough evidence around them to where he was confident that between Geralt and he they could find out what happened and find tracks quickly. So, he let out a small sigh and gripped around the swallow, looking over to meet Geralt's eyes.

"Let's stay and at least figure out what happened," He said, looking up towards the sun, "Got about an hour or two before sundown, you check the buildings, I'll look in the barn."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Cuts… shallow but still hit an artery with each blow," He whispered, pulling his hand away from the corpse.

Geralt had quickly went to look in the few buildings and examine the corpses while he knelt at the busted open door of the barn. Another alghoul had leapt from it but he easily managed to take it out, and that was when he saw the blood littering the floor of the barn. Outside were two corpses, but a trail of blood was leading inside, and he felt his skin crawl as he took the first few steps inside. There had been a few times he would come across villages like the one he saw now. Each time it made his skin crawl, sometimes it had been a werewolf that found the village, or a leshen, a fiend, sometimes a vampire had managed to take a village and drain them all. Every time it made his heart sink, just like it did then.

It would've been the one time he wished for rain in Velen, so the musty smell of blood would be washed away. The sun however made sweat drench underneath his armor, and the smell of blood only amplified as he got further into the barn. He almost gagged again as the stench of coagulating blood and flies hit his nose, and the heat only seemed to make it worse. The first thing he noticed was the large pool of crimson blood, lighter, and all in one puddle under his feet. Feeling himself finally cough from the stench he knelt down and pulled off his glove before gently running his finger along the ground.

"Light… must've been hit in an artery and that smell…" He said carefully, holding his finger up to smell it, "Alcohol, earthbell, and wolfsbane… a potion. Smells like one me or Geralt would make…"

His skin lightly crawled again as the buzzing of flies hit his ears as he could see the body leaning up against the wall. A pitchfork lay bloody next to the dead young man as he knelt down again. He slipped his glove back on, knowing perfectly well what killed the one in front of him. The sun beat down on his neck and he bit his lip as his eyes fell to the man's severed arm.

"Severed… just above the elbow, cut it clean in half…." He said, turning over to the bloody pitchfork, "And a pitchfork… Geralt knows how dangerous those are…"

He stood up again and turn to his right, seeing the final corpse that was there. It was clearly someone of a higher status, the clothes were made of silks, and he was older, possibly the ealdorman. He had a bushy white mustache, and it was clear that he had much more to eat then the other skinny villagers he had seen. Flies buzzed around the man's corpse and he almost gagged again when he knelt. He let out another shaky sigh as a small breeze blew through the open barn door and he looked down at the man's wounds, a deep stab wound in his stomach.

"Stab wound, blade between the ribs… straight into the heart, perfect precision," He said slowly, feeling his skin begin to crawl again as he looked down to the man's hand, "A silver chain… snapped it, must've ripped it off someone…. Better go see what Geralt's found."

The only thing he was able to conclude was that whoever was responsible clearly was an extremely effective killer. They had stabbed straight though arteries, between ribs, into lungs, cut off limbs at the precise point you needed to cut. It was hard to believe however that only one person could do so much damage. He could see through the door of the barn that the sun almost seemed to be rapidly descending. Their time was starting to run short, and they'd have a much harder time finding one person in the dark. Sighing and feeling his heart sink he stood and walked back towards the exit to the barn.

"Couldn't have gotten far… that was definitely not peasant blood," He muttered to himself as he passed over the pool of blood again, "It may have-."

He was cut off by a squeak, and his head shot up. For a millisecond he saw a smaller girl with brown hair and his eyes, widened, "Hey kid wait, don't-. Shit, Geralt!"

As soon as the girl saw him look at her she had darted, and he felt himself rushing out of the barn to meet his adopted father who had come running. His head shot down and he saw the smaller footprints along with Geralt reaching down and picking up a small doll. At seeing a child he felt his heart begin to race again, he could really save at least one person from the massacre. Next to him Geralt met his eyes and his adopted father pointed over towards the tree's.

"Went this way, come on," His adopted father said as they both started jogging and following the prints, "Found a leshen's head in the ealdorman's house… find anything in the barn?"

"Yeah, same as the bodies out here, all cut in the perfect way," He said as they got passed the village outskirts, "And I found our killers blood, smelled like a bunch of our potion ingredients, was fresh too, couldn't have gotten far."

Geralt nodded and they continued to follow the smaller footprints. The girl's brown hair had right away reminded him of Bella, his own dead sister who the girl couldn't have been much younger than. That night from Cintra flashed into his mind, how he hadn't been able to get her out and protect her like their mother had asked him. Everyday since it happened he promised he'd do everything he could to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Ciri and he both had sworn they'd protect and defend people, save them from monsters. He had been helpless back then, but he wasn't anymore. He was strong now; he could help people now.

He still couldn't figure out what happened in the village, but he was going to make sure there wasn't another corpse. A small more selfish part of him was still screaming that he should be on his way to Ciri then, he needed to get to Novigrad and refocus on his goal. However, a louder, much more reasonable part of his brain won the argument. Ciri never would have left the girl in need, she would've investigated what happened, so he would do that as well. It was a preview for what the two of them would do once he found her, and once the two of them were safe, and could set out and experience the life that they deserved. The sun beat down on his sweating neck, as the swallow and wolf bounced off his chest, the wind gently blew through his hair as he couldn't seem to hear any animals or bugs at all, all of them seeming to want to avoid the death as the young girl did as well.

Next to him Geralt stayed close behind as Dominik could see the tracks now, leading to a large tree just a few meters past the village outskirts. Its huge trunk sat on a small hill, and Dominik could hear the faint whimpering of the poor girl, as he couldn't help but think of himself and Ciri. They had both also been the only survivors of a massacre, their entire families wiped out, only having each other. The difference however between them and the girl was that she was much younger… and she didn't have anyone else left. So, when Dominik saw her, and she leapt back up against the tree in fear, he felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach, and goosebumps run up his arms.

"Hey there…" He said slowly, kneeling down a few meters from the girl as her eyes went wider, "It's alright, no need to worry. My names Dominik, this is Geralt… we aren't going to-."

"Leave me be! Killer! Murderer," She cried right away, her big green eyes going back and forth before they finally landed on Geralt who crouched next to him, "He's got cat eyes! Same as him!"

His gaze shot over to Geralt and he could see his adopted father's face fall for a moment, before he slowly looked over to him and gestured towards the girl. As usual he could tell what he was telling him, Dominik would need to do most of the talking. Slowly he turned his head back towards the girl and gestured towards Geralt.

"Geralt's not going to hurt you, he's my father…" He said slowly, making the girl slowly back off the tree, slowly Dominik nodded his head and continued, "This man that attacked… did he have two swords on his back like us?"

"No! Not telling yous anything, go away," She said, curling her arms over her face as Dominik continued to feel his heart fall.

The poor girl was clearly terrified, and he could understand why. It all made sense now, all the pieces fit, a witcher had killed the villagers, slaughtered every one of them. He knew that not all witchers were good, some were bitter, angry, and took it out on people, really buying into the 'witchers are heartless beasts' rumor. The precise cuts, the blood that smelled like potion ingredients, it all made sense to him now. Witchers were already monsters to some, already evil heathens who stole children, so the massacre at the village wasn't going to do anything to help that reputation.

He was about to say something else, perhaps even use Axii on the poor girl to help calm her. However, Geralt slowly took a small step forward and pulled out the child's doll, and held it out for her, and Dominik saw her eyes widen as Geralt spoke in a low calm voice.

"Hey… this doll yours maybe," His adopted father said gently, holding the doll out for her.

Slowly the brown-haired girl took another step forward and nodded, "T-tis yes…:

"He got a name…" Geralt asked, a small smile coming to his face.

"Mis… Mister Freckleface," The girl said nervously, taking another brave step towards Geralt and he, "G…give em to me… please…."

A small smile appeared on his face as he could remember Bella and himself at the same age as the girl. Bella had a doll that she used to call 'Prince Ali', and until she got a bit older she would carry the thing around with her everywhere, and the amount of fake dinner parties his mother and he had to attend with Bella and 'Prince Ali' had used to annoy him. However, in that moment he would have given anything for one of them. For him to be walking into the castle halls looking for Ciri with Bella at his side, before the three of them went off to play knucklebones or look at the exotic blooms the royal gardens had.

They had been so young, and he could remember how he thought that nothing could have made his life any better. It was all ripped from him however, Bella had been killed, Ciri was with him for a while before she was ripped from him as well. Like the girl there for a while he had nobody, and he wouldn't wish that feeling upon anybody.

He felt the swallow tremble again and he slowly reached his hands up and fiddled with it. For a second he saw her face, her beautiful face that soon he would see again. It was going to make every single last bit of pain worth it when he found her, but first he was going to make sure that the young girl in front of him didn't have to experience what he did.

"Mhm… don't think Mister Freckleface would do me or Dom any good on the path here…" Geralt said, turning over to face him, giving his adopted son a fond smile before turning back to the girl, "Now… do you think you can tell Dom and me what happened? We're going to try and help."

Dominik watched as the girl clutched at her doll, and he could still see the fear festering in her green eyes. She had managed to take a few steps closer to Geralt and he before she shakily spoke.

"Our woods-they was haunted. Some spook…. Uncle Sobemir said we'd best fetch a witcher. So, one came. Looked lots like you, but… there were evil in his eyes," The girl said, sniffling as the sun casted her smaller shadow over the tree trunk, "He brought us the spooks head 'cept…. Uncle Sobemir weren't happy about something…they yelled, and they cursed. And then… then… they went to the barn and… and…"

"Shhh, shhh, hey it's okay, you don't gotta go on," Dominik quickly said, shaking his head, trying to keep his voice steady, "We know what happened. Geralt and I are gonna make sure the bad man doesn't come back…"

The girl wiped her tears and kept the doll clutched to her face, "He let me go. I don't know why. And then… he went thataway, towards the circle where we leave gifts for the gods. I… hid in the barn. Found this lyin' in the hay…"

Slowly the girl reached into one of her pockets, and Dominik sucked in a breath when he saw what she pulled out. A small medallion, in the shape of a cat's head. He could feel his own wolf medallion around his neck slowly hum at the sight, as he gently took it from the girl, biting his lip as he looked over at Geralt. He knew the School of the Cat was one of the main reason witchers had started to get such a bad reputation. They had turned into more of a group of assassins as opposed to monster hunters, and they had almost been wiped out as a result. He also knew they were the one group of witchers who were rumored to have allowed women in for training, it was one of the things Ciri had always repeated. He had studied every bit of her when Dudu had transformed into her in Novigrad, and one thing he remembered noticing was the School of the Cat medallion that had been hanging around her waist, and a small part of him had wondered how she obtained it.

The thought of Ciri spurred him on, as he shared a knowing look with Geralt before he closed his hand around the medallion and slid it into his pocket. He would get to ask Ciri about her medallion soon, but first he needed to find the School of the Cat witcher who had attacked the village, he knew the man was bleeding heavily and couldn't have gotten far.

Geralt slowly nodded down towards the girl with a smile, "Thank you, you've been a big help…. Do you have any family around here Dom and I can take you too?"

Slowly the girl nodded, her hands still shaking as she clutched her doll, "Me… me auntie. Lives in Oreton… will you take me there?"

Quickly Dominik nodded and gestured to Geralt, "We will don't worry. Listen, you stay here with Geralt, he'll keep you safe. I'm gonna go see to this bad man…."

"You sure," Geralt quickly said, turning over to face him, "Cat witchers are crafty bastards, and this one slaughtered a whole village."

"He's also bleeding out heavily and injured. Don't worry I'll be alright," He said, turning down and smiling towards the girl, "Besides, you made a new friend. You're just a big teddy bear aren't you?"

His adopted father rolled his eyes and sighed, "Fine… just be careful, like I said they can be slippery bastards, even if he's hurt."

"I will be no worries…. I won't be long, he couldn't have gotten far," He said, before turning and jogging back towards the barn.

He gripped around his own medallion and looked down at the carved wolf's head. He could remember how proud, and how excited he was when he finally completed it, and how great it felt the first time it's eyes lit up and he heard it hum. There were always the two chains around his neck, the silver swallow and his medallion, they represented the two most important things to him. Ciri, and saving people, being a witcher. He knew that some people were forced into the profession, but especially after he got Ciri back by his side, he'd always be proud to be a witcher. Growing up he always believed he was destined to be Ciri's guard captain, and if the Queen had allowed it, her husband. He'd protect her, and the innocent people of Cintra for his entire life, and in doing so he'd be by the side of the one person that made him feel complete.

Now however he was going to do the same thing, he'd be with Ciri, he'd protect her, and together they'd go around and protect people, save them as witchers. He knew the world wasn't black and white, and there were always two sides to a story, and he could remember the bloody pitchfork next to one mans body. There was no telling who struck first, but one way or another he'd let the man speak, and one way or another he'd make sure he didn't harm anyone again.

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"Prints are getting deeper… he stopped trying to hide them, can't be far now," He said, standing up from the deep boot prints.

The sun's rays were slowly starting to turn orange, and the cool nighttime breeze was slowly starting to come in. His messy brown hair blew back, and he could see the small bits of blood on the trail leading towards where he knew the witcher was. The man he could tell had lost a lot of blood, so he wasn't too worried about him putting up much of a fight if it came to that. The prints from the circle the girl had described were extremely light, but he had managed to follow them either way. His eyes had been trained enough to see them, but he could see how light on his feet the man was, like Geralt and he the man was carefully trying to cover himself. However, the blood that Dominik could tell was seeping from his wound had been what ultimately gave him away.

He had to kill a few wolves, but it had been simple in the end to follow the trail, and he could smell a fire burning, and hear the crackling through the still air. He didn't know much about the School of the Cats techniques, but Geralt had told him that they were extremely quick and have developed extremely effective ways to kill. From the bodies he saw back in Honorton, he knew that had to be true. He tried to figure out why a witcher would do what the man had done. He knew that witchers of course were treated with disdain by most, but he didn't think any peasants would be stupid enough to attack one, and he also knew most witchers got used to the treatment as it went on. He did know however that even the best witchers had bouts of anger that couldn't be stopped, and his adopted father had moments like it.

Dominik had of course never referred to him as such, but he knew Geralt would always be known by some as the Butcher of Blaviken. One night when he was fourteen, Ciri and he had steeled up enough courage to ask Geralt about the story, the night that Geralt told them the heads just started to roll.

Geralt had been in the village of Blaviken, just before one of their busiest markets of the year. While he was there he met the mage Stregabor, and a woman named Renfri, both of whom asked Geralt to help them kill the other. Stregabor had been the mage at the kingdom Renfri was princess in, and had her casted from the castle when the woman had been born under the Curse of the Black Sun. Renfri landed on her feet, and over the years formed her own gang and swore vengeance on Stregabor. Stregabor hid out in Blaviken for years to hide from Renfri, but soon the woman found the mage. Both of them had asked Geralt to help in dealing with the other, and Geralt, not wanting to choose between one evil or another told them both to settle the dispute on their own. Renfri however had gone to try and convince Geralt to help her, Geralt had refused and tried to talk the woman out of revenge. Renfri feigned that she had decided not to kill Stregabor and spent the night with his adopted father.

The next morning however, Renfri took her men to the market and left them there while she herself went to Stregabor and threatened to the mage that she'd start killing off villagers one by one if he didn't come out. Geralt learned of this and ran to the market, killing all of Renfri's gang before the woman herself returned, stating Stregabor said he didn't care if she killed every last villager. She and Geralt had fought then, and his adopted father had been forced to kill her. After this the villagers, not realizing Geralt had been trying to save their lives hurled stones at him, and Geralt was forced to leave Blaviken, never to return.

His adopted father had told Ciri and he this was the first time he heard the words, _'the boy and the girl in the woods will be with you always.', _the prophecy that eventually led him to Ciri and Dominik.

He knew that there were two sides to a story, and he didn't wish to pass any judgements if it wasn't his place.

"Well, well, well, wolven medallion, wolven armor… and two swords," A deep pained voice rang in his ears, as he finally found the clearing. After he looked up and finally saw the man the wounded witcher scoffed and shook his head, "But he's no mutant…. You an apprentice kid? Want my advice, find a different line of work, nothing glorious about this job…."

The man was clearly laboring, as Dominik could see his pale face. As the girl had described the witcher's eyes were intense and he could still see the bitterness in them. He was bald but tall, wearing armor that cut off at his shoulders. Dominik could see just like any other witcher the multiple deep scars running up and down his bare arms, as the two swords on his back glimmered in the sunlight that shone through the trees. Dominik bit his lip as he could see the man still holding his wound, and quickly crossed his arms as his skin began to crawl.

"I guess you can call me an apprentice…" He said slowly, taking another step towards the man, "Dominik of Cintra…. School of the Wolf… you?"

The man scoffed as he looked over the fire at Dominik, "Gaeten…. School of the Cat, but I'm sure you know that already…."

"I did," Dominik said, slowly reaching into his pocket and showing the man his medallion, "Lost something…. My mentor always told me a witchers medallion was a symbol of the craft… thought you may like it back."

Scoffing the man shook his head, "You came all this way to give me my medallion? Thanks…. Craft solidarity is alive and well."

Biting his lip Dominik slowly shook his head, "Thing is, crafts solidarity is on its last legs. Folk won't easily forget this massacre…"

"Occupational hazard…. Could've happened to any one of us," Gaeten said, gently removing his bloody hand from his side before looking back up at Dominik again, "Well? What're you still doing here? Gonna let me go or try to finish me off?"

He crossed his arms and felt his skin crawl. The man was clearly not looking to beat around the bush, and Dominik could see that his wounds were still bothering him greatly. The Cat witcher spoke with an urgency in his tone, as if he didn't care if Dominik cut his throat then and there. However, over the years he considered one of his greatest skills the ability to read people, and supposedly emotionless witchers were no exception. He could see the sadness, the completely tired and remorseful look deep in the man's eyes.

Something he had learned from Geralt and all his mentors, was that every man deserved the chance to plead his case, to explain himself. The images of the dead villagers still haunted his mind, but even in cases as extreme as this, he wanted to hold true to that.

Slowly he shook his head, the sun beating down onto his neck, "Wanted to chat first actually…. Then I'll decide."

Gaeten scoffed and gestured for the bench opposite him, "Ha, well sit down then kid."

He bit his lip for a moment, but slowly walked over and sat down on the bench opposite the Cat witcher. His ass hit the stone and he felt relief wash over his bones. It was the first time he had sat down on anything other then Clop's saddle since he woke up, and in that moment he felt a wave of relief wash over him. He let out a relaxing breath, before looking up and meeting the man's eyes again.

"Alright… now talk, what happened at the village," Dominik said slowly, leaning over and holding his hands out over the fire.

The man rolled his eyes, "Come on kid, apprentice or no apprentice you seem smart. You know what happened…. Know how much they wanted to pay me for the leshen?"

"Over the last few years would never take anything less then fifty for one," Dominik responded, leaning both his elbows on his knees.

"HA, if only…." The Cat witcher laughed, shaking his head, meeting Dominik's eyes with his yellow ones, and in that moment he could see the anger flare up in the man's eyes, "Twelve, twelve fucking crowns. Understand kid? Don't know how or why the hell you'd choose to, but you seem like you've been on the Path a while, got plenty of scars I can see. You know then that barely covers my fucking potion ingredients."

Biting his lip again he knew that man was correct. Twelve crowns for a leshen was insulting. He knew from experience the power of a leshen, how dangerous of a creature they could be. Especially for him, not having any mutations, he would normally demand a significant price for the few he had managed to kill over the years. He knew what it was like for a merchant or ealdorman to give him a cheap deal, to flake out on paying him what they agreed, it had happened to him enough times, particularly when he was younger.

When he was only sixteen, seventeen even eighteen years old, so many people who hired him would toy with his pay after he had finished a contract. He was only a child then, and was most of the time already hurt from killing the monsters. They didn't see a tall, brooding witcher with yellow eyes and two swords, they had seen a boy who they could exploit. Some hadn't even paid him, stating how they only hired him because he asked, and they thought he'd die fighting whatever beast the contract had been on. There had been times when he had to threaten people, even draw his blade to get what he was owed. As he got older it happened less and less as he grew stronger, taller, and in his bitterness and anger stopped caring as much. He never resorted to slaughtering an entire village… but he knew where the man's anger was coming from.

He met the Cat witchers eyes and shook his head, "When I was younger… that used to happen to me a lot. People would see a sixteen-year-old witcher, normal eyes, only one sword… and think they could get away without paying me…. I'm guessing you agreed to a lot more then twelve crowns?"

Slowly Gaeten looked up over the fire and met his eyes, and Dominik could see a softer look in the man's eyes then.

"Damn kid, sixteen? How the fuck did that happen…" The Cat witcher asked, leaning forward on his knees again.

Dominik felt the swallow tremble around his neck and shook his head, "Wasn't supposed to go out until I was a lot older. I'm not important though. Even if they only wanted to pay you twelve, no reason to slaughter the entire village…"

He could see the anger slightly flare up in the man's eyes again as he shook his head. Dominik knew that he hadn't always done good while he was on the Path. There were times when he had to threaten people, extort more out of the people who tried to wrong him. Even as recently as on Skellige, he had threatened all the survivors of Lofeton, only weeks after they had been attacked by the Wild Hunt, before going and blackening their sacred garden.

A small part of him hoped he could go back there one day, so he could apologize, and somehow heal that garden.

Gaeten scoffed again and shook his head, a harder edge to his voice, "Not so fast kid, I didn't even finish…. They gave me the whole song and dance, 'Good sir, me young'uns are starvin'. There's a war going on have some pity!'"

Slowly the Cat witcher got up, so Dominik did as well. There had been a few times over the years he had taken contracts for free or very, when people had begged him, and he felt like he was there only way. When he was sixteen he would never forget the orphan girl who asked him to cure the curse of the striga that was her sister. Yennefer had found him and helped him, but he had taken the contract free of charge, because he couldn't turn down the pleeing young girl, only the same age as him, who was begging him to help her cursed sister. Along with that however there had been other times where he refused to take any less then what he was owed. People had asked him to bring down their price and he refused.

He only did it when he was desperate, that first year when he was sixteen, up until he found himself back in Ellander with Freya, he could remember how particularly miserable he had been. Half the time he went to bed starving, or only having eaten nuts and roots. It had gotten slightly better when he was older and he learned to better survive, but the Path he knew was miserable for some witchers, and it had been for a decent amount of his time on it.

When he got Ciri back however, he knew that it would all change… it'd be everything he dreamed of.

"Told them I wouldn't show pity, I had barely eaten in fucking weeks, I needed the fucking coin," The Cat witcher spat, "Told them if I didn't see gold they'd wish for the leshen back. They got these grim looks… then the ealdorman spoke… 'Calm now, master witcher. Me and the lads, we hid some coin in the barn, so the barons men wouldn't take it. Come, you'll get your coin right quick…."

He felt his skin tingle as he crossed his arms and shook his head, "Saw a bloody pitchfork on the ground… along with a lot of your blood in that barn."

"You're a sharp one kid I'll give you that…. I fell for it, like a fool. One of them chattered on… while the other jabbed me in the back with a pitchfork," Gaeten spit out, his hand going to the wound on his torso.

Dominik knew how deadly a pitchfork could be. He would never forget the last image he saw of Geralt in Rivia was his adopted father being stabbed with a pitchfork and falling to the ground, completely soaked in blood. After that he was driven away and cut in the alley before Triss saved him. Ever since Geralt had ironically joked with him about pitchforks, but Dominik knew that his adopted father was also trying to warn him.

Nodding he met the man's eyes as the wind blew under his armor, "Know how dangerous pitch forks can be. How'd you survive?"

"Turned at the last instant. Prongs went in shallow, at an angle. Missed my lungs," The Cat witcher said, letting out a breath and looking back into the fire, "I lost my temper, I admit… lost it bad. I'm used to shit bounties. To the cheating, to them begging me for help then spitting as I walked by. Small part of me wishes they'd had got me… but… to stab me in the back, just to save a few crowns!? So… I drew steel. And I didn't sheath it until the ground was slick with blood…"

Dominik felt his skin crawl and his head race as the fire crackled between the two of them. The sun was starting to set finally, and he could see the first bit of the orange rays piercing through the trees, sunset was only an hour or so off. He tried to bounce around both sides of the story in his head. He was sure that the people of the village just didn't sit by after Gaeten had killed the men attacking him, they more then likely went to try and attack after seeing it. However, the Cat witcher could have showed restraint, and tried to talk or just run. There had been good and bad on both sides, and it made his head spin.

On one side of his brain, he empathized with the Cat witcher. He knew from experience what it was like to be starving, looking desperately for work just so you could even have the chance to make a few crowns. Even if you found a contract there was no guarantee you'd survive to get your reward. Gaeten would have had an easier time getting one they he did when he was young, but it didn't make Dominik empathize any less with the mans plight. He could also see the small pang of remorse running through the man, Dominik knew while that why he wasn't showing it, he regretted what he did in some way. Whether he regretted it because he almost got killed or took innocent lives Dominik couldn't tell, but there was remorse none the less.

There was another side of his brain however, that couldn't stop seeing the dead villagers, and he knew in his heart that they hadn't needed to die. Even in Blaviken Geralt hadn't killed any villagers, only the members of Renfri's gang. None of them would even have stood a chance against Gaeten this he knew as well, it wasn't a fair fight from the start. He could see the young girl's horrified face, and slowly he met the man's eyes.

"The girl… why'd you spare her," Dominik asked slowly, keeping his arms crossed as the wind howled.

The Cat witcher sighed, "Cause…. Well it doesn't really matter."

"It does matter, tell me," Dominik said, not taking his eyes off the man.

A pained look grew on the man's face, and Dominik could hear the panging in his voice, "Reminded me of my sister… how I remember her from… just before they took me away to the School of the Cat."

"And… how is she now," Dominik slowly asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Gaeten's face grew hard again and he slowly shook his head, "Died… about ten years ago… of old age."

He felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach as he remembered Bella. The girl at the village, while she didn't look like Bella had reminded him of her. Every single day he was alive he missed her, missed her presence, her happiness, her smile, her love of flowers and even the fake tea parties she'd make him go to. He didn't know how old Gaeten was, and his sister had died in a much different way… but he knew what it was like to lose one. He knew particularly what it was like to lose someone you loved, have them taken away. He was sure that the Cat witcher hadn't seen his sister in her dying hours, or for most of her life.

"I had a sister too…" He said slowly, feeling his arms tremble as he met the man's eyes, "And I had someone very important to me disappear…. Don't know how hard it would've been to watched them die of old age… but I'm sorry."

The Cat witcher sighed again and slowly shook his head, "Ever since he happened…. I've been trying to be free of it all. I've lived three times as long as I would've ever wanted. All I ever do is go from town to town, people sneering at me, spitting at me… all so I can risk my life for a job I never chose…. Did you choose to be a witcher?"

Slowly he shook his head, "No, I was supposed to be captain of the Cintran royal guard…. I'm proud to be a witcher, I am… but I sometimes can't help but wonder what would've been."

He didn't know if Gaeten believed him or not but the Cat witcher slowly nodded, keeping his arms crossed as he sighed.

"Truth is, been throwing myself at monster after monster since she died… hoping for it all to end… be free of it…." The Cat witcher said, slowly looking up to meet his eyes, the sun casting their shadows over each other, "You may give me that…. So, we've talked, witcher to witcher… what's your choice kid. Fair warning, I may be ready for it to all end, but I'll have to go down fighting, just how I am…"

Dominik slowly looked down at the Cat medallion in his hand as a hundred thoughts raced through his head. He remembered how he was for the year after Rivia, and the time after he had separated from Faram, even all the way up to right before Claywitch. For him it had been as Gaeten felt then. He thought that Geralt and Yennefer were dead, died thinking that he hated and resented them both. There hadn't been any leads for him to follow on Ciri in years. He remembered after he received the letter from Yennefer, saying to meet in Rivia, he had ridden there so hard because he was finally ready to reunite with his adopted parents, tell them how he wanted to find Ciri together. It turned out Ciri had been there, and he had just missed her, and after he thought Geralt and Yennefer both died there… was when he lost most of his hope, and his will.

He had thrown himself at monster after monster, he was reckless with what contracts he took, didn't care how much danger he was in. When he fought he often abandoned all caution, and it had been an absolute miracle he hadn't been killed earlier. There had been times when he considered ending it all, plunging his sword into one of his own arteries, however every time the thought crossed his mind he had been disgusted with himself. If he was going to die, he was going to do it fighting, fighting to get back to Ciri. So, he knew how the Cat witcher had felt. The man was ready for it all to end, for himself to finally be free of the Path, free of the constant fighting and hunger.

Dominik had something to fight for now and thinking about her is when the idea came to his head, and he slowly looked up to meet the Cat witchers eyes again. He wasn't going to let himself judge the man, there was evil on both sides, and he refused to pick between them.

"Not my place to judge you, not gonna choose between two evils," He said, holding the medallion out for the Cat school witcher to take.

Gaeten met his eyes and scoffed, slowly reaching and taking his cat head medallion, "That's it? Not gonna lecture me, tell me to change my ways?"

"They call my adopted father the Butcher of Blaviken… he told me sometimes heads just roll…" Dominik said, crossing his arms again and keeping his eyes locked with the man, "But… if you are looking to go out fighting… trying to find a way to escape it all, do some good before you go, maybe atone for some of the things you did… I got a proposition for you."

Scoffing again the man met his eyes, "Oh yeah kid? What's that?"

"Ever heard of the Wild Hunt?" Dominik asked him, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck.

The Cat witcher nodded and spoke with a slightly amused tone, "Of course I have. Heard the rumors about a few witchers fighting them a while back. What, you want me to come fight them?"

"That's exactly what I'm asking you to do," He said slowly, reaching one hand up to grip the swallow, Ciri's face popping into his head before he continued, "Ever been to Kaer Morhen?"

**A/N: ONE more chapter ladies and gentlemen. We have ONE more chapter to go before we finally set sail to the Isle of Mists. However, we have this chapter and one more VERY important chapter to get too before that, so I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the next one as well. Before we think about next chapter and the Isle of Mists however, we have this chapter in which we learn and see a few VERY important things. Let's break it down. **

**First we see Dom's writing his letter to Ciri. I keep saying this, but I'll give you all fair warning Dom and Ciri are going to go through a MAJOR honeymoon phase when they first reunite xD I mean come on, they're two people who've loved each other their whole lives and have spent the last EIGHT fucking years trying to get to each other, of course their gonna be a bit mushy at first xD But after that… well we'll get down to the nitty gritty of what they've both done and how it will effect their relationship. **

**After that Dominik and Geralt save a group of Salamandra remnants from a griffin. For those of you who didn't play the witcher 1, they were the main group of antagonists. It isn't them who are important however, it's what they're carrying. Dominik hears a journal call to him, along with an experimental potion created by Azar Javed, who along with the Salamandra's main goal, was trying to unlock his own carrier powers. **

**Now for those of you who may be new or forgot, a carrier is my own made up concept, so NO Javed isn't really a carrier in the cannon. I just thought it would be a cool way to bring a Salamandra easter egg in and give them a good reason for making a potion like this. **

**First off however… the journal. Who is Dominik's ancestor? What does the journal mean, how will it be opened, how will it be important? Also, after drinking the potion and unlocking the strands of DNA inside him, Dominik see's a vision of his ancestor, and hears the words of a spell… leave theories about who his ancestor is, and what his message means in a review!**

**I also want to say sorry for anyone who may be disappointed I made them recruit Roche and Ves off screen, I just didn't think the scene would play out any differently then the games, and they also agreed no problems lol I will say though Roche will play a MAJOR role in "The Great Northern Gambit: The First Push" which is a short story I plan to write after this…**

**After this we complete the "When the Cat and the Wolf Play" Quest, which is one of my personal favorites. At the start we see that Dominik can unlock his powers at will now, however like Ciri before him, he's having a hard time controlling them. For those who may be wondering YES, he will learn a few new spells and ways to use his powers other then just powering his signs and movements… but now that he's unlocking them, what fights are you excited to see!? Are you excited to see him and Ciri fight together, both their powers unleashing?**

**And finally to finish off we have our conversation with Gaeten, School of the Cat witcher. I know I changed up his personality a little bit from how it comes across in the games, but I think it is somewhat realistic, and Dom even finds some common ground. What was this conversation like for you, did you enjoy reading it?**

**To end, we have the Cat School witcher going to Kaer Morhen to fight, so in this chapter Dom gains new allies, and control of his powers….**

**Next chapter we stop by Novigrad and Skellige, to recruit more allies, and finally set off for the Isle of Mists! The Battle of Kaer Morhen will be a bit different, with more defenders and a MUCH more powerful Wild Hunt… I hope you are all as excited as I am!**

**So I want to thank you all again everyone for making this story such a success. Getting to the Isle of Mists and these chapters is surreal, I really didn't believe that I would make it this far at all, but I am SO glad you have all enjoyed so much… **

**Stay safe everybody! Especially my friends in the USA, with Covid 19 and the unrest in all fifty states, please, PLEASE stay safe! I'll see you all next time, for the penultimate chapter before we get to the Isle of Mists!**


	53. Brothers in Arms: NovigradSkellige

**A/N: Quick pre-chapter A/N everybody! I wanted to let you all know i've started a witcher/witcher:through the worlds instagram fan page! I was already planning on making a witcher fanpage but i also decided to dedicated it to this story! I'll be posting witcher fanart, and then eventually fanart from this story. Along with excerpts and writing updates for this story as well! Follow dominik_of_cintra if you on instagram if you're interested! :)**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 53: Brothers in Arms: Novigrad/Skellige**

**Narrator: After lifting the curse from Uma at Kaer Morhen, the ugliest man alive proved to be not man, but elf. Avallach, the elven sage who helped Ciri flee the Hunt told Dominik and Geralt that he had hidden Ciri away from the Hunt on the Isle of Mists. However, he also revealed that once Ciri was removed from the Isle, the Wild Hunt would sense it and attack…. So, needing to gather allies, Dominik and Geralt first made a stop in Velen. While there they recruited the aid of their friend Vernon Roche, former commander of the Temarian Blue Stripes, along with his protégé Ves. After this, Dominik and Geralt stumbled upon a slaughtered village… after investigating they found out that the villagers were killed by Gaeten, a witcher of the School of the Cat. After seeing the man's regret and hearing his story, Dominik offered him the chance to come to Kaer Morhen and fight. Now with Ciri's time dwindling, Dominik and Geralt headed back to Novigrad, to recruit more allies for the battle to come….**

"Novigrad at nighttime… nothing good ever comes from it," Dominik muttered, as he felt the rain slowly start to patter on his head.

Geralt next to him slowly nodded and his adopted father's yellow eyes stood out in the darkness, "Yeah got a good point. I know you want to hurry Dom but…."

"Yes, yes I know. We'll stay at Dandelion's for the night, I won't make us go sail out in the dark," He said with a small eyes roll, just as the light of the Chameleon came into view.

His adopted father chuckled lightly as they entered the yard, "Good. We may even make it to Skellige by sunset tomorrow if we leave at first light."

A small smile came to his face at the thought. The whole quest he had been looking down at the swallow, saying 'soon' to it, promising Ciri that he would be there soon, and finally it was the truth. He was exhausted after the day, but even with the rain beginning to pour it didn't dampen his mood. If they could make it to Skellige by sunset the next day, they'd have enough light to set out for the Isle of Mists… and then he'd finally fulfill all the promises he made, to Queen Calanthe, his father, and most importantly Ciri. First he knew that he needed at least one more nights sleep, and as he smelled the aroma of ale, wine and food coming form inside the Chameleon his mood only improved further. Dandelion's inn was bustling, he could see everyone from Witch Hunter's, city guardsmen, to rich folk and poor folk pouring in and out of the inn. The torches on the outside lit the entrance just as he and Geralt got through it. After so much riding, it felt good to be on his feet again, and not be fighting for his life.

They would have arrived sooner, but the two of them right away had taken the young girl Millie to her Aunt in Oreton after he had sent Gaeten to Kaer Morhen. Geralt and he both gave the Aunt enough coin to last her for a few weeks so she could provide for the girl, and despite the fact it made them arrive in Novigrad later at night, he had been happy they did it. Dominik had also carefully explained what happened with Gaeten after they had dropped her off, explained how the villagers tried to kill him, and the Cat witcher agreed to go to Kaer Morhen to atone, and possibly gain the death fighting that he was looking for. The Cat witcher had thought Dominik crazy at first, but after some explaining, only giving the needed details, Gaeten had agreed and set out for the fortress. He had a feeling that the Cat witcher would get along quite well with Lambert at the least, both of them seemed sarcastic enough to bounce off each other well.

Geralt had been proud of him for not choosing between one evil and another and welcomed the help for the battle to come. Their small group of defenders was growing, and after dropping the girl off at Oreton, they had ridden hard for Novigrad. Upon arriving the sun had finally just set, and a full moon glowed above the city. There were still a decent amount of people however after they left Clop and Roach at a stable outside the city, and quickly Geralt and he both made their way towards the Chameleon. It had felt like so long since he had been in Novigrad that he felt blood rush to his head when he entered the Chameleon. The fire from torches and lanterns warmed his bones as the smell of the fresh cooking meat made him smile as he saw the inn completely packed.

On the stage dancers were doing their routine and many of Dandelion's workers were rushing around with trays and plates. The bard's business was bustling and it couldn't help but make Dominik smile, knowing how important it had been to his friend before they left.

Geralt whistled appreciatively next to him over the chatter, "Not bad…. Looks like that poet of ours actually did it."

Dominik scoffed and nodded, crossing his arms as they looked around, "It looks like he did yeah…. But I wonder where-."

"Dominik, Geralt! You've made it back," A female voice lifted over the crowd of people.

He whirled his head around just in time to see the flash of blonde hair walking towards, them. He laughed and couldn't help but smile broadly when he saw the trobairitz again, the wound that she sustained above her eye had left a faint scar, but she was still beaming with a bright smile.

"Priscilla," Dominik said, feeling his excitement rise as the trobairitz wrapped him in a hug, "It's so good to see you again. You're eyes healed great wow…"

Priscilla wore her normal outfit minus her hat. Her honey blonde locks fell down around her shoulders as the music and chatter grew around them. She seemed happier then he had ever saw her, and it was a relief to him after seeing her so shaken last he saw her. After he had managed to save her from the Vampire attacking her, Dominik had been worried she'd grow afraid to venture out, and that her eye injury had been severe.

However, the trobairitz seemed elated, and reached over to hug Geralt as well, and Dominik could see the smile slowly crawl on his adopted fathers face. Workers and patrons walked around them as Priscilla pulled back with a smile, looking up at them both. Slowly she ran a hand over the faint scar above her eye and shook her head.

"This thing? Freya's healing paste was fantastic, it healed perfectly," She said with a fond smile before turning her eyes to Dominik, "Of course I would've had it a lot worse if not for you. Looks like you finally have more then your silver knife!"

He laughed and patted the pommel of _Fate, _"Ha, yeah I did, got it in Skellige. I'm really glad to see you're alright."

Another broad smile appeared on her face as she looked between them both again, "And I'm glad to see you both back here! So, what happened in Skellige, how'd it go?"

Geralt from next to him smiled at the trobairitz, "Well, long story short… we know where Ciri is. Dom and I are actually on our way to get her…"

"You finally found her!? That's amazing," The blond said excitedly, an open mouth smile coming to her face as she turned to Dominik now, "Dom, you're finally going to find her! Finally! I'm so happy for you both!"

He felt his heart warm up as the swallow trembled around his neck. Slowly he smiled widely as he reached up to hold it in his fingers. He fondly remembered the night that he and Priscilla had stayed up for hours writing the play to lure Dudu out of hiding. Between having too much wine, finding the trobairitz to be excellent company, and them writing the play based on the 'Urcheon of Erlenwald', he had found himself telling her much about Ciri. If not for Priscilla's help then they wouldn't have found Dandelion, and in turn the information they needed to get to her.

And seeing her so excited made him remember about all the things he wanted to do with Ciri. He wanted her to meet all of his friends, go see all the places he had seen with her by his side. A laugh escaped him as he imagined he and Ciri coming to spend days at the Chameleon, spending time with Dandelion and Priscilla, perhaps finally getting themselves gwent cards made by Zoltan. So many things ran through his mind, so many things that he wanted to do with her, things he wanted to experience with her by his side. It was all so close, but there was still one thing standing in his way, and as he remembered he slowly nodded and met Priscilla's eyes.

"Thanks… we wouldn't have done it without you," Dominik said, making the blonde smile before he continued, "The only thing is after we find her… the Wild Hunt will attack soon after."

"Yeah… so that's why we're here," Geralt said after him, "We're going to take her to Kaer Morhen, the Hunt will attack there. Do you know where Zoltan and George are? We're looking for allies to help us fight."

"And no offense but…" Dominik said slowly, biting his lip and rubbing the back of his head, "You and Dandelion well aren't exactly… well…."

Priscilla laughed and shook her head, "We're not exactly fighters, don't worry I understand and I'm sure he will as well. Come on follow me, they're actually all up in the suite upstairs, come on!"

The trobairitz gestured for them to follow and Geralt gave him a quick nod before they speed walked after her. He had to pass around a few drunken patrons but soon he finally got to the steps. A small smile came to his face as he remembered the few mornings he, his friend and Geralt all would wake up and have breakfast together, laughing and telling stories about what they had done, and what they would soon do. He could remember the promise that he, Freya, Faram and George all made. To, as Faram so gracefully put it, _'beat the piss out of the Wild Hunt.'. _At the time, that battle had felt so far away, Ciri had felt so far away still, and now those moments with his friends felt like long ago. In reality his journey with Geralt had only been about a month long so far, it was almost the turn of the year, Ciri's birthday had passed in the days that they had been riding to Velen from Kaer Morhen.

If the circumstance had been different he'd be in Ellander at that moment. Every year since she had disappeared he would make the annual trip on her birthday to the last place they had seen each other. After he had turned eighteen most of the nights ended in him throwing up in an alley near the inn and crying himself to sleep as he clutched onto the swallow, yet he still found himself going year after years.

He heard the stairs creak under his feet as he followed behind Priscilla while he gripped the swallow. When the journey had started he wanted to try and find her by her birthday. He had gotten her location by then but hadn't managed to get to her by the day itself. It didn't matter to him then however, after the battle was won he'd still give her a present and celebrate it with her. Warmth and fluttering ran through his chest as he realized that he didn't have to spend her birthday alone in Ellander this year anymore. He would spend it with his family, with her, and he was going to make sure that it happened. Soon he'd be on the Isle of Mists, and he'd get her back to Kaer Morhen, and with his friends, his hansa, they'd protect her. And then once again as Zoltan and Faram both elegantly put it, they'd get _'piss drunk like wild badger's'. _

They passed his room as they got to the next set of stairs to go up one more level, and he felt his stomach flutter again when he remembered the last time he was there. He had promised the next time he was there; he'd have a guest, he'd have Ciri. A small part of him wondered if the torn-up picture of her was still on the ground, the one that he had gotten all the way back in Vizima. He had torn it because after seeing Dudu transform into her, he knew that he didn't need it anymore, the picture hadn't even really looked that much like her. He's never forgot her face after he saw it, and to that day he hadn't. Of course, he had seen her with a scar closing her one eye thanks to the one Dudu had, but soon he'd see her real face, hold her real body. That's all he had wanted, was to see the real her, for her to be real and not just a ghost of his past and dreams.

"Ahaha Geraaaaalt, Dominik you're back," The excited voice of Zoltan Chivay rang, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He had been so lost in his mind thinking of her he didn't realize that Priscilla had gotten them to the top suite in the Chameleon. The room was absolutely beautiful, with a fireplace roaring, a balcony that went out and winded around the outside, giving one a beautiful moonlit view of the city. A large, comfortable looking bed was to one side, and on the other was a table lined with wine, ale, a roast boar, grapes, apples, and pie that made Dominik's mouth salivate. It was certainly a better change from the charred squirrels, rabbits along with nuts and wild berries Geralt and he had been eating. Geralt and he were good at a great many things, but cooking wasn't one of them. He was happy to see the food he was surely going to dig into later, but he was even more happy to see the people around the table.

Zoltan had leapt up off his seat right away, his stocky dwarf friend had a wild smile on his face as Dominik could see his axe lying against the table. On the other side Dandelion had eagerly gotten up to rush over as well, and finally with his swords clanking he saw his friend the Witcher George of Toussaint with a smile on his clean-shaven face. George's armor always amazed him, while he still preferred the wolven armor he wore himself, the elegant green and gold Griffin School armor never ceased to make him nod and smile in appreciation for how beautiful it looked.

"Zoltan, good to see you all again," Geralt said first, leaning down to shake the dwarf's hand, before looking up to see Dandelion and George, "George, Dandelion, looks like the cabaret business is booming."

Dominik scoffed and gestured towards the way they came, "He's right, it's packed down there, looking nice fellows."

"Haha, my friend you are correct," George said excitedly, a smiled coming to the griffin witchers face as he shook both Dominik and Geralt's hands, "It is so good to see you again my friend. How are you, how was Skellige, how was Faram, and what about Freya have you seen her?"

George's yellow witcher eyes were wide and full of excitement, but before Dominik could answer him Dandelion came bounding over to them both.

"Geralt, Dominik it's all thanks to you my friends," The poet said, reaching and shaking their hands as well, before taking a step back next to Priscilla, "George is right, how was Skellige, any news on Ciri?"

"Aye, do we know where she is? That lassie's been through enough," Zoltan said from below them with a smile as he crossed his arms.

Hearing her name over the previous few days had been making his heart flutter and a smile come to his face every time it was spoken. Around him he saw all of his friends smiling and eagerly awaiting the news. He let out a relieved breath as the night breeze blew in from the outside through his hair. His heart continued to flutter, and he couldn't remember the last time he had felt his chest feel that way. The smell from the floors below hit his nose, as he adjusted his swords and smiled at all three of this friends.

"We know where she is… exactly where she is," Dominik said breathlessly, as the reaction on his friends faces were instant.

Zoltan was the first one to laughed loud and smile, "Well what are we waiting for then!? Let's go get the lassie!"

George smiled broadly and reached over to clap a hand on Dominik's shoulder, "This is fantastic news my friend! Your journey is coming to an end, I must conclude with Zoltan however, what are we waiting for!? Let's go and get her!"

A shot of warmth ran through him from the fire as he saw the excited looks on his friends faces. They all seemed to be almost as excited to finally have her back as he was. Ciri had always had that effect on people, she was naturally charismatic, and everyone always seemed to gravitate towards her. It was one of the many things he loved about her. All of his friends would love her when they met her he knew this, Faram, George and even Freya after they got to know each other. At hearing their words every part of him wanted to go and dive into the harbor right then and there to go to her, however Geralt next to him smiled but shook his head.

"Dom and I will handle that," Geralt said a smile staying on his adopted father's face as he looked between George and Zoltan, "But we got something else we need you guys to do. We need you to set out for Kaer Morhen, after we get Ciri we're going to take her there."

"Yeah, and after that… the Wild Hunt will attack, we could use you at our side," Dominik said, looking to the dwarf and the griffin witcher, "Freya is already there, along with Yen, Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert and a few more allies we've recruited. We plan on giving them a warm welcome…"

He could feel the breeze from outside rush through his hair again as his heart started to pump faster. It had been a long time since he was in a large-scale battle. The fight at the village against a Bruxa and a large group of thralls a year prior with Faram and George was the most recent. Before that there had been the Battle of Brenna, but he knew that when the Hunt attacked Kaer Morhen it would make that battle look like nothing at all. And the other different would be that he wasn't going to be fighting alongside the Free Company, soldiers he didn't know. He would be fighting alongside some of his closest friends, he was going to be asking them to face a dangerous enemy that most of them had never fought before.

And they would be outnumbered by a large margin. The Hunt wasn't like a normal army, they didn't fight like a normal one, they used magic, could freeze the whole keep in seconds if they had wanted too. They also showed no mercy, no mercy to anyone who fought back, and even those who didn't. He would never forget the village of Heatherton, the very first time he had seen the destruction that the Hunt could cause. All the villagers slaughtered and frozen to the ground, the skeletal riders burning and freezing houses both at the same time. He could remember back on Undvik the village of Brekka, the one he and Faram had walked through before they entered the mines. It was devastated, he remembered the corpses, the skeletons… and then of course there was Lofeton. Only a dozen survivors, all women who had somehow managed to survive. The massively armored soldiers, and the extremely powerful magic was only part of the danger. A white dragon, a dragon that could end the battle in seconds, and somehow the Hunt had one under its command, and Baelen had rode it.

And then he couldn't forget the leaders. Baelen, Caranthir, Imlerith, and of course Eredin. His dreams of Baelen smashed into his mind, her being ruthlessly tortured for not reporting his location to Caranthir. She had ridden the dragon on Hindersfjall somehow and tried to kill both Ciri and he. She knew them both, knew them both somehow and wanted some type of revenge, for what, Dominik had no idea. He refused to believe anyone who knew him well enough to know his fathers name back in Cintra would join with the Wild Hunt. A small part him even panged out for the woman no matter how much he tried to suppress it.

No matter what he heard her blood curdling screams in his nightmares. He could see the dreams till as Caranthir used his magic to pull her to the deck of the command ship, ripping apart her limbs as she screamed, begged the mage of the Hunt to stop, that she'd kill Dom and Ciri, to atone for some ancestors mistake. If it was someone that he knew, he refused to believe that Ciri and he did something so horrible it'd cause them to join the Hunt, and it they somehow had, he knew that it wasn't intentional. Either way he knew that he would see her again at Kaer Morhen, he'd have to fight her again, if she could somehow track him like he had seen, she would find him at the battle. His fight with her with George by his side in that cave felt like an eternity ago, but it still flashed into his mind at times. The ring of fire, his arms and limbs flashing with the bright blue magic, his powers finally unleashing as Baelen only unleashed a part of her own and still managed to take him down. That was the scariest part of the whole encounter, he could remember looking up into her faceplate, and seeing her blade only inches from his chest, with one thrust she could have killed him.

But she hadn't, she had hesitated, and he had been able to continue the fight. He didn't have any clue why she had, but he didn't think she'd give him a second chance.

These were the opponent that he was asking his friends to go and fight. A small part of his heart was aching from asking them to come… but the thoughts were quickly drained out when he saw the confident looks appear on his friends faces.

"Aye, you'll have me! And my axe, no question about it mates! We won't let them get their hands on her," Zoltan said enthusiastically, walking over and patting the handle of his axe.

George met his eyes and the griffin witcher must have sensed his discomfort, because his friend slowly nodded.

"Zoltan is correct, I swore that I when the fight against the Hunt came I'd be by your side my friends," George said with his southern Toussaint accent, he met Dominik's eyes and slowly nodded his head, "And do not worry yourself for a second my friend. We know what we are signing up for. Not only is Ciri at stake, but the continent as well. We will beat them back together, we will not let them have this world!"

Geralt from next to him slowly nodded appreciatively and looked over to Dominik. His adopted father could sense his apprehension as well like he normally could. Geralt he also knew could feel his heartbeat quicken in that moment. It had been one of Dominik's biggest fears, that he was asking his friends to come fight, knowing just how dangerous the fight was, how dangerous the Hunt was. Most of them didn't even know Ciri, and he was still asking them to come and protect her. If he was stronger, then he could protect her himself, there wouldn't be any need for his friends to put themselves in danger, their lives wouldn't be at risk. He had been a soldier in a battle before, but never one of the leaders, the one who was calling the shots, doing the planning and giving the orders that could either get them killed or have them survive.

Leading men into battle was what he always thought he'd do one day when he grew up in Cintra. His father had led the armies of Cintra into battle with Queen Calanthe plenty of times, beat plenty of revolting armies and lords, and was right by her and King Eist's side when they went to fight the Black Ones. His mother as well had been a member of Cintran special forces, had men and women under her command plenty of times, and Dominik was expected to follow in their footsteps. It wasn't what he expected, but eleven years later he was now facing that same task. Even back in Kaer Morhen Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert and the other witchers had deferred to Geralt and he. The two of them were effectively leading the fight, and now Dominik was asking fighters to come risk their lives against a foe he knew they'd be outnumbered vastly against. And then after that he would need to help plan the defense, make key decisions.

He bit his lip but Geralt gave him a quick reassuring nod, and just from the simple nod he felt himself breath out in relief. Combing his mind, he was flashed back to when he was younger in Cintra, talking with his father while they were outside training at the lake early in the morning. He forgot which one it was, but he had asked his father about a recent battle he had fought in, all he could remember about it was that it was an overwhelming victory for his father and the Queen. His father had told him it was a massive victory for them yes, but he still lost hundreds of soldiers, so he didn't consider it a victory. Young Dominik had asked how his father did it, how he gave the order for men to move somewhere, or to attack a certain target, how he was able to do it and make it look so easy.

_"It's never easy my boy, never…. Leading men and women into battle will be one of the hardest things that you will ever have to do. I'd trade all my medals and honors if it meant even one more of my men's lives could have been saved. It'll never be easy for you to give orders Dominik, especially one's you know that put your soldiers in danger, but you must remember, your men will reflect how you are. You must be 100% confident in yourself when you speak to your men, when you give them orders, because if they sense even the slightest bit of doubt in you my boy, then they'll doubt themselves as well. Remember son, if you don't believe in yourself, then there's no chance that your men will, and if they don't believe in your leadership… they won't believe in themselves, and that put's their lives at stake."_

He couldn't let them sense any doubt. Dominik knew that his father had been correct, and he could see that was exactly the same kind of message Geralt was giving him. For weeks his adopted father was staying strong for him, speaking and acting confidently even when he may not have felt that. It had all been for Dominik's sake, for Dominik and Yennefer's sake. Geralt knew that if he weaned for even a moment, that Dominik would feel it too, and their search could fall apart.

Dominik in that moment had to do the same, not just for his friends' sake, but for Ciri's as well. If he felt this way now, Dominik couldn't even imagine how Ciri would feel when they found her. He knew her better then most, and he knew that when Ciri learned all the people were coming to fight for her, that she'd feel even more anxious and guilty then Dominik did. So, he would need to be strong for her.

George also had made a great point. As much as Dominik was doing it mainly for Ciri, he also knew much more was at stake then just his lost love. If the Wild Hunt got their hands on Ciri, they would invade the continent. And just like his ancestor had said in the vision he had, if the Hunt got her, then nobody would be able to stop them. Not the North, the South, Skellige, Nilfgaard, Redania, nobody would be able to stop the mass force of the Hunt. And they would get their hands on Ciri if they didn't hold them at Kaer Morhen.

He would never let that happen, Dominik was going to protect Ciri, and he was going to protect the continent, so he quickly nodded and faced his friends again.

"Thank you both… we're going to show them they picked the wrong world to fuck with," Dominik said, crossing his arms as a small smile came to his face, "I can't thank you all enough."

Dandelion quickly scoffed and looked at them all, "Well as exciting as this all sounds, as I'm sure you both know, I'm not exactly a fighter. But I can give you guys a place to stay before you set out."

A small smile came to Dominik's face as he turned over to Geralt. His adopted father nodded in a agreement with a similar smile on his face as he face their friends.

"That sounds like a good idea. We can fill you in on who we have there so far, and what we were thinking planning wise," Geralt said, crossing his arms and turning over to Dominik.

Crossing his arms Dominik smiled, he was about to say something when he felt a chill run down his spine from the balcony. He looked out over the darkened city of Novigrad, and quickly remembered the other reasons they had come. George and Zoltan weren't the only allies that they were going to recruit. Feeling his heart race he reached his hand up and fiddled with the swallow before turning back to Geralt.

"You do that Geralt… I'm gonna go see if I can talk to Dijkstra," Dominik said, quickly turning back towards the door, "I don't think it's too late. Like you said, I want to leave first thing in the morning. I'll head back here when I'm done."

Geralt scoffed and narrowed his yellow eyes at him, "You sure you wanna go alone? You know how dangerous that place can be."

A small smile came to Dominik's face as he fiddled with the swallow. He hadn't survived everything up to this point only to be killed in Dijkstra's bathhouse. There was also the fact he knew that the former spy wouldn't try to harm him, especially with Adda having stated she wanted Dominik's help in the future. If the Redanian Queen was there he would talk to her as well, and it would have been best if he did it alone. Dominik knew that despite saving her being a striga the second time, Geralt was still weary of trusting the Queen.

If he really were going to lead at the Battle at Kaer Morhen, Dominik knew that he would need to become more confident in his own abilities. He knew that he could fight well enough, he knew that he was skilled enough, but now he needed to learn to trust himself when it came to giving orders and trusting his friends words when they said they knew what they were signing up for. Ciri, the love of his life and the continent were at stake, and he couldn't afford to waver for one second, because just like his father had taught him so many years ago, if he wavered, then everyone else would as well, and they would surely have no chance then.

But his life was at stake, he had been fighting for so long, fighting to reach Ciri and give her the life that she deserved, the life they both deserved. So, he would fight, he would lead, do whatever it took to get that life for them. To do any of that first, Geralt and he still needed allies, and there was two possibly very strong ones waiting in the city.

So confidently he smiled at Geralt and nodded, "I'll be alright no worries. One more day… and we'll finally be on our way… finally…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Fuck it's freezing out here…" He said, feeling the wind blast out under his armor.

After a few more words with Geralt and his friends Dominik had made right for Dijkstra's bathhouse. The guards had given him a few odd looks for being out so late, but he had to assume he didn't look enough like a mage for them to try and arrest him. It all made him think back to the escaped mages, and in particular Triss. He missed Triss, he remembered how excited he had been when he finally saw her again and got to properly thank her for Rivia. Yennefer had told him that she was going to try and contact the red-headed sorceress and it couldn't help but make Dominik smile at the thought of Triss being there when Ciri and he got back.

As he walked and felt the wind continue to howl in his ears, and the light bits of rain hit his head, more memories came rushing to him. Over the previous few days after he had learned where Ciri was, happy memories had come rushing back to him one by one. He always thought about them when he was slowly beginning to lose hope over the years, but now with him finally being so close they had been coming back even more rapidly. Each one made him smile as the swallow trembled, as the news still didn't feel like it was truly setting in.

The memory that popped into his head in that moment was just after Ciri and he had both turned thirteen. Triss was at Kaer Morhen, and Dominik would never forget the first day she had introduced Ciri to makeup. Ciri had worn it in Cintra of course but to a very small degree since she was so young, but now that she was getting older Triss had begun to show her how to apply it herself, and how to blend and use different kinds. At first Ciri had been hesitant, but quickly she had grown to actually quite enjoy it. Dominik would never forget how speechless he was when his thirteen-year-old self-first saw Ciri after Triss had done her hair, makeup, and she put on a dress the sorceress conjured for her.

He had seen Ciri in a dress of course before, but at that time it hadn't been since Cintra. Ciri wanted to show him first, and he'd never forget she wore a beautiful emerald green dress that cut off at her elbows, along with a beautiful white scarf as her hair was tied back in intricate braids. Triss had done her eyeliner, blush and the entirety of her face in the perfect amount of makeup, and Dominik at the time couldn't remember her being more beautiful. As the wind blew through his hair on that cold night the smile came to his face, and he even managed a laugh as he remembered his reaction when he saw her.

_"Ciri… wow… you… you look… wow… you…" Young Dominik had said breathlessly as he stood in his room. _

_ Ciri laughed just as nervously and looked down at the dress, "Do… do you like it? Triss she… she said it would go with my eyes and-."_

_ "Ciri you… you're beautiful…" He managed to let spill out, as he couldn't take his eyes off her. _

_ Her eyes had widened, and he remembered the blush that appeared on her face before she spoke again, "You… you think so? You really think so?"_

_ "Yeah… I… I do…" Thirteen-year-old Dominik had said, taking a step towards her. _

_ They were about to kiss one another before they both turned to see Triss who had come with Ciri to see him smiling broadly. The red-headed sorceress laughed and gestured at them both. _

_ "Go on, don't let me stop you. Don't worry I won't tell anyone," Triss said, smiling as Dominik and Ciri both laugh. _

Even in the dark streets of Novigrad Dominik could still feel the place where she had kissed him that day. Triss had then proceeded to let them be alone together, and that's when Ciri and he both snuck off outside and sat in the small garden with one another, simply talking, telling stories and talking about what they'd do in the future. Those were the best times, when they would just sit and talk, sit, talk and look at each other. Other than training there hadn't been much to do at Kaer Morhen, but he never got tired of simply looking at her and listening to her talk.

He let out a relaxed sigh and reached into his back pocket, slowly he pulled out the letter. It was Dominik's intention to have it finished before they found Ciri, and he knew that he'd need to get it done that night if he wanted that to be the case. Biting his lip, he unfolded it as the small droplets of water spit from the sky onto the page. With the light from the moon and the torches lining the streets he read what he had wrote already and still didn't feel satisfied. Dominik had known when he first started writing it that he wouldn't be able fit everything he wanted onto the one page of parchment. There was no way that he could fit eight years of longing, feelings and love into one letter. But he knew that he needed to finish it. If he somehow didn't make it, then there were so many things that he wanted her to know that he wouldn't be able to, and even the week it would take them from Skellige to Kaer Morhen wouldn't be enough.

The rain started to come down harder as he walked, and he felt the wind chill his bones to the core as he sighed and refolded the letter, still feeling like it lacked so much that he wanted to tell her. He was barely able to even write the first paragraph; how did you start a letter to someone you loved who you hadn't seen in eight years? How did you convey eight years of love that you been holding in that you wanted to give all in one piece of parchment? For so long he dreamed of what he would say to her, what he would say to her when he first saw her, and while he knew one of the first things he'd say was that he was sorry, he didn't know what to say after that, and no matter how long he thought he knew he'd never find the right words.

However he didn't care, because he knew that she would never be more beautiful to him then she would be the moment he found her. And he had to believe the words would just spill out of him, and just like when they were younger, all he would need to do was sit by her side, listening to her talk and he knew everything would be alright.

The wind howled again as the night slowly started to creep up around him. His armor and swords rattled as he looked down at the swallow, feeling it tremble again.

Sighing he picked it up in his hands and looked at the sparkling silver in the moonlight, "I'm so close princess… just sit tight a little longer. I hope-."

He was cut off when he heard the stone fall in the night. Quickly he stopped, and after focusing his ears he could hear the footsteps shuffle. It wasn't the clanking of plate armor, so he knew it wasn't guardsmen, and as soon as he stopped walking the shuffling stopped as well. He felt his begin to crawl as the rain started to pick up drenching both his hair and his armor. Someone was following him, and he had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't picked it up until then. Dijkstra's bathhouse was close, but he had no intention on letting whoever was following him know where he was going. Slowly he brought his hands back down to his side as he stood there alone in the middle of the street. He also didn't dare turn around because if he did the person following could flee if they realized he saw them.

Slowly Dominik let out a breath and darted his eyes to the left, noticing an alleyway. Quickly he started towards it, and with his ears now focused, even over the rain he was able to hear the soft pattering footsteps behind him. His hand twitched as he finally got off the main street, and onto the dirt alleyway. Looking up he could see there was a large garden that led out to a four-way intersection back out into the streets. The garden was lit by torches, so he picked up his pace and quickly made a right turn.

Hearing the footsteps quickening behind him, he leaned his back up against the back of the building that led out to the garden. The garden looked well maintained and it led out in three other different directions then where he came so he knew him or the person following would have an escape route. Normally he would have turned and faced the person right away, however he remembered back to when Priscilla had been followed in Novigrad and knew that he was in even more danger considering the fact it was the night. He expected some thug saw his swords and armor and assumed he'd be a sufficiently wealthy enough target. Quickly he reached up and gripped the swallow like he normally did before fights and waited as he could hear the footsteps get closer.

It was too close ranged to pull out his blades, so he waited and sure enough he heard the footsteps get closer as they picked up to a more urgent pace. And once he heard them right on top of him and he saw the figure come into his vision he sprung forward and gripped them by the hem of their gambeson and shoved them up against the wall he had been standing on.

"Thought you could sneak up on me did you!? Never understood why people attack fully armed witchers," Dominik yelled as the man wriggled in his arms, but Dominik kept him firmly pushed up against the wall.

"I…I'm sorry I… you are in danger," The man croaked out from under a black hood, and Dominik could tell the man was trying to make his voice sound different.

The man was only about a few inches taller than Dominik was, and he could see he was wearing a black gambeson, with a bow on his back and a sword at his hip. The rain started to pour down even harder onto his armor. Dominik felt his blood race as the man stopped resisting, holding both his hands up in surrender.

"The only one in danger here is you right now, why the fuck were you following me, and who the hell are you anyway," Dominik yelled angrily over the rain, feeling it drip off his nose. He reached up and yanked the man's hood down, and when Dominik realized who it was his eyes widened, and despite the cold rain he felt his skin begin to boil, "YOU!? I thought I made it perfectly fucking clear what would happen to you if you showed your fucking face to me again you Nilfgaardean bastard!"

It was Declan, and Dominik felt his anger spike up through his back as the black haired Nilfgaardean's blue eyes widened when he met Dominik's eyes. No, the fucking Nilfgaardeans weren't going to get in his way now, not when he knew exactly where Ciri was. A thousand thoughts raced through Dominik's head. Had Declan come to follow them under Emhyr's orders like he had feared? The young man claimed to be the cousin of Cahir, the man who killed Dominik's mother and sister, before he proceeded to chase Ciri and he for weeks, giving them nightmares for years. The relatively good mood he had been in turned around as he looked down onto the man's black gambeson and saw the golden sun insignia.

He remembered Geralt saying how for weeks Cahir chased down his company, trying to join it to go and save Ciri. Was Declan trying to do the same thing to him? If the man was, Dominik didn't have plans on being as merciful as his adopted father was. He wasn't going to take any chance of letting Ciri fall into Nilfgaardean hands.

Declan squirmed under his grasp again and kept both his hands up, as Dominik didn't let up while holding him against the building.

"I… I am sorry. I had full intentions on staying away! I rode back to Vizima but-," The man started, but Dominik cut him off smacking Declan's body up against the wall again.

"DID YOU HAVE DREAMS OF CIRI TOO!? DID YOU DREAM OF THE FUCKING ROSE TATTOO ON HER THIGH LIKE YOUR DEGENERATE COUSIN DID AND NOW YOU DECIDED YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH HER TO," Dominik screamed in the man's face, feeling the anger slowly pour out of him, "Or did Emhyr order you to fucking follow me!? Follow me and either grab Ciri or report back to him when I find her!?"

All of the anger he felt from the visit to Vizima came sputtering back to him. Dominik could see Emhyr's smug face, hear him demanded them to bring Ciri to him, and his skin crawled thinking of what he'd force her to do. It didn't matter what, he wasn't going to get his hands on her, Declan wouldn't get his hands on her, none of them would, she'd choose her own path, what SHE wanted to do.

The rain slowly started to let up but still beat down marring his hair his forehead, as the wind blew the swallow and his medallion around his neck. Despite the chilly breeze Dominik's body was awash with a hot rage as he could see Declan's black hair sputtering in the wind. The man tried to form words, but Dominik quickly realized he was choking him. As much as he wanted to keep his promise to Declan of killing him if he came back, Dominik also knew he needed to figure out what the Nilfgaardean was doing there, following him in Novigrad. So he let out a controlled sigh and slowly moved his hands from around Declan's neck and crossed his arms.

Declan hyperventilated for a few moments, before rubbing his neck and looking back up to him with frantic eyes.

"No, no I swear Dominik I am only here to warn you," He breathed out, rubbing around his neck as he frantically met Dominik's eyes again, "I… I returned to Vizima but… but that was when I overheard orders being given. The Emperor he… he had ordered your assassination!"

"HA, you expect me to believe anything coming out of your mouth regarding Emhyr," Dominik said, keeping his arms crossed as he kept his eyes locked with Declan's, "But if you were so worried, why didn't you stop Geralt and me at the same time? And how fucking long have you been following us!?"

Declan quickly shook his head as rain slid off his nose, "I… I managed to find the witcher keep. I… I even helped one… one young blonde woman find-."

"Freya!? You saw Freya," Dominik demanded, feeling his anger rise even more, "I swear if you so much as fucking TOUCHED her I'm going to-."

"No, no I swear, she… she was being attacked by wolves and I aided her! After you and Geralt left I… I followed you both. I… didn't stop you earlier because the Emperor, he ordered just your assassination, not Geralt's. If you were together you were okay but when you went off on your own in Novigrad…" Declan quickly explained, his blue eyes growing desperate.

Dominik scoffed again and shook his head, feeling his head begin to race. If Emhyr had really ordered his assassination he wasn't surprised. He had hurt the man's pride and he was sure that the Emperor had villages burned for much left. However, he didn't want to believe a word Declan was saying, and the thought the man had been following them since Kaer Morhen sent more alarm bells off in his head. If Declan had been following them he knew that they had gone to see Roche, and were gathering allies, and could have possibly even heard of the plans they had for Kaer Morhen, the Nilfgaardeans could be marching there right now.

He felt his anger flare up as the night wind howled and he scoffed at Declan, "If you've been following us you know I went off by myself in Velen at least once. Don't believe a word you fucking say. You were lucky I let you go the last time; give me ONE reason I shouldn't cut your fucking throat right now!?"

"Please Dominik! Kill me if you must later, but I saw one of the assassins at the inn, you are in danger! They waited there because it's known you are friends with the bard," Declan pleaded with him, taking a step closer.

Scoffing Dominik shook his head again, "I can handle myself…. Now tell me, did Emhyr want you to nab Ciri right when we found her? And don't feed me that bullshit about you-."

"LOOK OUT DOWN," Declan suddenly yelled, lunging forward, and tackling him to the ground.

Dominik was ready to get up and finally run the man through but as he hit the ground he could hear a crossbow bolt whiz through the air and impale itself into the building they had been standing in front of. The rain continued to pound, and Dominik quickly pushed Declan off him, and both he and the Nilfgaardean quickly rose to their feet. The rain made the ground muddy in the garden as Dominik heard footsteps rushing forward from all directions. His hand went up to his steel and drew it out with Declan doing the same just as four armed men rushed into the garden from all the entryways. Quickly Dominik leveled his blade Declan stood next to him with his longsword drawn, pointing it out at all the assassins.

They weren't heavily armored, only wearing light gambesons that had the golden sun, along with black face masks, with only their eyes showing one held a large crossbow aimed directly at them both, while the others all carried longswords that Dominik could see dripping a dark liquid that clearly wasn't rain. The rain itself finally decided to stop in that moment as all four of them slowly came out of from deeper in the shadows and into the light.

"Blades are poisoned don't let them touch you…." Declan said quickly to him, as the Nilfgaardean next to him kept his blade raised.

Dominik nearly snapped his neck with how fast he looked back to him, "You're telling me you didn't fucking lead them to me!?"

"NO I did not," Declan quickly hissed to him, and for the first time Dominik heard a harder edge to the young man's tone, "If I had wanted to kill you I would've slit your throat one night while you slept! Or I would have shot you with my bow…. I only wish to help!"

Rolling his eyes with a sigh Dominik nodded, "Grounds muddy… watch your moves, let's see if you're any good…"

Declan's words rang true in Dominik's head. If the man had really wanted to kill him, he apparently had plenty of opportunities. He still didn't feel a lick of trust running through him for Cahir's cousin, but he at least reserved himself to the fact that the man wasn't trying to kill him. Declan still could have been trying to get Ciri from him to take her to the Emperor, but in that moment Dominik knew that he had a better chance of surviving that attack with help.

"You have displeased the Emperor boy…." One of the assassins hissed over the night air from his left.

Dominik scoffed and held out his blade, keeping it leveled at them all, "Don't rightfully give a damn. I'm going to give you all ONE chance to leave. Or else I'm going to send you back to Emhyr in pieces…"

Declan shifted next to him, "Stand down, all of you! Leave now with your lives!"

One of the assassins laughed from under their mask, "Well, well, well, looks like we'll be taking in a deserter as well! Don't you know the punishment for desertion soldier? You'd die alongside the man who insulted your emperor?"

Dominik's eyes shifted towards Declan, but he made sure to keep his sword leveled. A large part of him expected the man to run, leave him there to fight off the assassins by himself, or even worse, turn and try to stab Dominik in the back. The full moon and the torches in the garden casted a glow over Declan's face as he looked over at him, and when the Nilfgaardean's eyes narrowed, Dominik almost attacked first. However, Declan turned back to level his blade at the assassin who had spoken.

"He is not my emperor…" Declan said darkly, moving back to back with Dominik before he continued, "I am already ashamed I served such a vile man for so long…. Now I suggest you all leave… now, you won't get another chance to-."

Dominik heard the crossbow being fired before Declan could finish, he quickly whirled around the Nilfgaardean and deflected the crossbow bolt out of the sky, just before it could have pierced Declan's throat. For a second Dominik and the man both were speechless, he couldn't believe he had just saved the Nilfgaardean himself, but it didn't compare to the look of disbelief on Declan's face.

"Don't make me regret this…" Dominik said darkly, meeting the man's blue eyes with his emerald ones.

"You won't, I swear it," Declan quickly said, nodding and turning to get back to back with him again.

"KILL THEM BOTH," One assassin screamed, before all four charged at them at once.

The first one that had the crossbow and one to his right both came at Dominik at once. His steel flashed as he heard Declan clash with two more assassins behind him. The one on his right reached Dominik first, and leapt out with a strike from above. Quickly he grounded himself and parried with a small side-step before cutting across the man's legs, sending him sprawling into the mud. The one with the crossbow quickly rushed next and tried to stab at him with a long knife, but Dominik quickly grabbed the man's arm with his free hand and yanked him forward before raking his steel across the assassin's throat. The one he had attacked first charged again, but Dominik thrusted his hand out and an Aard blast knocked the man back into one of the torch poles, and he could hear a loud crack as the man hit the pole spine first before he slumped to the ground.

He whirled around when he heard a loud yell, as he turned he saw Declan locked in combat with the final two assassins. They moved quick but Declan was extremely skilled with his blade. The first one came at him and he executed a perfect riposte and cut across the man's stomach to send him stumbling back. The final assassin caught him by surprise, Declan wasn't as quick as Dominik was so when he put his blade up to loosely parry it was knocked from his hands. The assassin tried to stab forward, but Declan quickly sidestepped and grabbed the man's arm before throwing him forward into the garden of herbs. The assassin recovered quickly and charged for Declan again.

Declan however was ready. He quickly slung his bow off his shoulder, and quicker then Dominik had ever seen a man do it reached into his quiver and knocked an arrow. The arrow loosed and found its way into the assassin's neck and the man gurgled on his own blood before slowly falling to the ground. The assassins blood spewed out onto the herbs and Dominik couldn't help but scoff and feel impressed. Declan quickly slung his bow back onto his shoulder, breathing heavy as he turned back to face Dominik.

"Are… are you alright," Declan asked him, taking a few steps towards him.

Dominik was about to answer but his eyes went wide when he saw one assassin Declan had cut back get up and charge. His blood race and his hand quickly shot to his belt.

"DOWN," Dominik yelled, pulling his dagger from his belt and loosing it from his hand.

Declan didn't question his orders and quickly ducked down, and Dominik's dagger zipped through the air and impaled itself into the final assassin's eye. Silver or not silver, a dagger going into your eye would kill you, the assassin crumpled to the ground in an instant and Declan shot back up from the ground.

For a few moments, the wind howled, and Dominik digested what had just happened as Declan looked over at him. He had promised himself that he would never fight side by side with a Nilfgaardean, yet he had done just that. Declan could have easily killed him while his back was turned or stabbed him while they were talking with the assassins… but he hadn't. The man had also not lied to him when he said that assassins were after him, and while Dominik wasn't surprised Emhyr wanted him dead for insulting him, if Declan was truly working under the Emperor's orders and had been following them, then surely he already knew what they were planning. Declan had to know at least that Geralt and he were gathering people to send to Kaer Morhen… and that would have been more then enough for Emhyr.

And when Dominik looked over at him now, he could see the slight smile on the man's face as he breathed heavily, before he ran over and retrieved Dom's dagger from the assassin's corpse. Dominik felt the swallow tremble, and his skin crawl under his armor as Declan scoffed out a smile and held out his dagger to him.

"Ha, it seems we make quite the team, that was an impressive throw! And the magic! I always wanted to see a witcher in action," The young man said excitedly as he continued to hold out Dominik's dagger.

Dominik scoffed out a small laugh at first, the young man's enthusiasm making him smile. As Dominik looked in his eyes he could see a youthful enthusiasm, an excitement… the same kind that he himself had been having the previous few days as he got closer to Ciri. Declan wasn't that different from him, a young man who wanted to go out and help people, fight, travel, see amazing things, he had just happened to be born south of the Yaruga. Apparently he had been following Geralt and he for weeks, just so he can make sure when the assassins did attack him he could make sure Dominik survived. He remembered back when he had first encountered Declan on the road out of Vizima, and the young man had tried to offer his sword to Geralt and he, wanting to make up for his cousin's mistakes. Dominik had gotten angry at first, almost choked him… but then Geralt had reminded him that Cahir was the one who did the horrible things to him… not Declan.

Slowly he felt a smile come to his face as he reached out to take his dagger back. He made the mistake however of looking up and meeting Declan's eyes. And as soon as Dominik touched the handle of his dagger, he saw the dark eyes of Cahir back in the streets of Cintra. He saw his mother, he saw Bella, the both of them on the ground in front of him, their blood staining his hands as he cried over them both, arrows sticking out of their bodies. And as he gently pulled his dagger back to him and slid it back into his waist… he could hear the screams, the thundering hooves of Cahir's horse as the knight chased him through the streets.

As he looked at Declan, he could feel Cahir's blade cutting across his stomach, having it pointed into his gut before Ciri screamed and unleashed her powers to save him. As he looked at Declan he could hear Cahir and his soldiers chasing Ciri and he through the woods for weeks, hear them slaughtering the Cintran refugees they had taken shelter with.

And that was when Dominik had to shut his eyes and shake his head.

"There's no team…" Dominik said feeling his voice tremble, and right away he saw Declan's face fall, "Thanks for the help. I'll let you go now but…don't follow us again."

The wind howled in the night and Declan's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head, "But… but Dominik please, please allow me to come with you! I know you and Geralt are gathering fighters at Kaer Morhen, to fight the Wild Hunt-."

"And you're lucky I'm letting you leave here now…. Go back to Vizima, tell Emhyr that he's never going to get his hands on Ciri," Dominik said, crossing his arms as he felt his skin crawl and the swallow tremble.

Declan quickly scoffed and shook his head, "For the last time I am NOT working for the Emperor! I don't wish to take Cirilla to him, I only wish to redeem my cousins-."

"And I already told you I'll never forgive your cousin! He killed my sister, my nine-year-old fucking sister Declan," Dominik shouted back out over the wind, Bella's face popping into his mind as his skin begun to boil.

Declan sighed and angrily ran a hand through his black hair, before firmly shaking his head. The young man took another step towards Dominik and firmly shook his head.

"Fine. You won't forgive Cahir. He did horrible irreparable damage to you I understand. All I can tell you is how sorry he was for his actions. I will no longer try to redeem him to you, I won't offer you my sword to fight in his memory," Declan said firmly, his blue eyes not leaving Dominik's.

Scoffing Dominik nodded, "Good. Now go and remember I won't-."

"So instead of fighting to redeem Cahir to you, let me come and fight because I choose to for myself," The young man yelled, a new fierce tone to his voice, "I don't know why the Hunt wants Cirilla, but I know that they must plan on invading afterwards. I will not go and fight to redeem Cahir's memory to you Dominik of Cintra…. I will go and fight because I Declan Mawr Dyffryn Ceallach wish to fight for this world!"

Dominik felt his mouth flounder as Declan's eyes didn't leave his. The breeze from the night blew through his armor and hair, as the light from the full moon and the garden torches casted a glow over them both. His mother's lifeless face, Bella's lifeless face, Ciri's terrified expression every time they had to hide from Cahir on the run all flashed through his brain. He felt his rage boil for a few moments, as he could see the determination in Declan's eyes, they were unmoving, unwavering, and they reminded Dominik of himself when he set his mind to a goal. Just like he had observed before, Declan wasn't that much different then he was, a young man who wanted to protect people. He slowly let out a shaky breath as he reached his hand up around the swallow.

_"All because you couldn't put your hatred aside for one moment FOR CIRI'S SAKE!" "We need to be able to put aside hatred to protect the one's we love."_ The words from both his adopted parents rang in his head, as he slicked back his wet brown hair.

He would always hate Cahir, he would always hate Emhyr, the Black Ones. Geralt had always taught him to try and be neutral, however he was beginning to realize that he could never be neutral. He would never be neutral or indifferent, he would stand up and fight for the injustice he felt he saw in the world, that was something he knew Ciri felt as well, something that they both agreed on that had brought them together. He would always do everything to protect the defenseless, the people who couldn't defend themselves. And more importantly he would do anything to protect his family, and most importantly Ciri, the one who he loved most in that world, and through any other world they ever traveled too together.

And in that moment he needed to protect her, he needed to gather allies, and ready himself for the largest fight of his life to protect her. So, to do that, he was going to have to put his hatred aside. Declan wanted to go fight not in Cahir's name, but in his own. Dominik didn't hate Declan, he hated his cousin, and the Emperor he at one point served. However, Declan denounced that Emperor, and said he wouldn't be fighting in his cousin's name for him. In every time that he had met the young man, he had never done anything to try and hurt him, he even took the beatings that Dominik gave him both times.

A large part of his brain was screaming at him what he was about to do was the worst idea that he ever had, however he shot that thought from his mind, and followed his gut.

"Fine…. Go back to the Chameleon, talk to Geralt, tell him I sent you, and he'll explain more of the situation," Dominik said slowly, not taking his eyes off Declan in the night, "I got two other friends, Zoltan and George who you'll go to Kaer Morhen with."

Declan scoffed out and vigorously nodded, "Thank you… you will not regret this Dominik I swear. But… but I can set out for Kaer Morhen now, I swear I don't-."

"Oh no," Dominik quickly said, taking another step towards the young man, "You'll go with George and Zoltan, so that they can keep an eye on you…"

"But I told you, I swear I only wish to fight," Declan said with a shake of his head, "I told you I am not-."

"Don't push your luck…." Dominik said darkly, the night wind blowing through his damp hair, "George and Zoltan will go with you. If you even try to LOOK south, they'll kill you. If they get any sense you're trying to contact Emhyr, they'll kill you. Am I understood!?"

Declan looked like he was going to argue more, but Dominik's glare quickly made the young man sigh and slowly nod.

"Okay… I will go with them…. What will happen when we get there," He asked, his eyes bravely not leaving Dominik's.

"You stay there and help prepare," Dominik told the man, his arms crossed, "Once Geralt and I find Ciri and bring her there the Hunt will attack. Go to the Chameleon, Geralt will explain more details there."

Declan nodded sagely and adjusted his bow, "Alright… I will go to him. I must thank you again for the chance to help Cirilla and you both-."

"That's the last thing," Dominik said, taking a step closer, bringing himself only inches from Declan's face, "When you get there. You don't talk about Ciri, you don't ask about Ciri. And when Ciri gets there, if you touch her, talk to her… if you even look in her general direction… I WILL kill you without a second thought, do you understand me!?"

His words may have been harsh, but he still felt the idea that Declan was a plot by Emhyr to get Ciri tickling the back of his mind. And it may have seemed insignificant, but Declan's perverted cousin had claimed to be in love with her, so there was no way that Dominik would let Declan near her. It wasn't Declan's fault Cahir turned out to be perverted as well as a murderer, but Dominik just didn't feel comfortable with him even looking at Ciri now.

Declan himself however seemed to understand because the man slowly nodded.

"I understand… thank you again for this chance Dominik…. Why won't come back with me? Where are you going now," Declan asked, meeting his eyes one last time.

Sighing Dominik ran a hand through his wet brown hair, remembering the main reason that he had set out in the first place. Dijkstra's bathhouse and more possible allies were close, and within the last hour he had already now gotten three more fighters for the battle ahead. He slowly gripped his hand around the swallow pendant, and he took in a steadying breath, closing his eyes as he could see her beautiful, gentle face pop into his mind, and as usual she calmed him.

A small smile managed to his face as her voice rang in his ears, her mature, womanly voice, and he tried to imagine her simply saying his name. Soon he'd have that, but first he needed even more allies, all to make sure she was protected, and she could have the life she deserved.

One more cool nighttime breeze ran through Dominik's hair as he turned back towards the street, "I'll join you guys later…. I'm going to get more help."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He scanned around the entrance to Dijkstra's bathhouse before he descended down the stairs towards the door. Torches lined the street above the entrance and combined with the full moon he was able to easily find his way there. It still wasn't too late into the night, and he could practically hear the table of food and wine calling for him back at the Chameleon. A small part of his brain was still screaming at him for letting Declan go back off to the inn by himself, but he smashed the thoughts with the reality that he had already done it and couldn't undo it now. He rubbed both his gloved hands over his eyes, trying to digest the fact that he had actually agreed to have a Nilfgaardean soldier go and fight with them when the voice hit his ears.

"Turn back now boy, bathhouse is closed, gonna need to come back in the morning," A sharp feminine voice rang from below him.

Shooting his gaze up Dominik saw himself come face to face with a woman, she had long fiery red hair, and only seemed to be a few years older than Dominik himself. She wore a leather corset around her waist over a white shirt, along with a lightly thick, tight black leather jerkin around her upper half. She had tight brown leather trousers and boots along with black gloves. On her waist was a sleek curled saber with a gold basket hilt and hanging from the other side of her waist was a small repeating crossbow. She had an incredibly pretty face with large brown eyes and a sharp jawline.

He didn't stop at her warning and took a few steps closer to get a better look. His keen eyes noticed the Redanian coat of arms painted skillfully onto her crossbow, along with a gold badge with the coat of arms on her belt. He almost scoffed, not believing how lucky he had gotten. Even if he hadn't seen the coat of arms he would have been able to guess she wasn't one of Dijkstra's men, no woman like that would work for him as a soldier. He shook his head and ran a hand through his wet brown hair as he adjusted his swords and met the woman's eyes.

"Look I'm wet, I'm tired, and I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow," He said breathlessly, as the woman narrowed her eyes at him, "I would like to get back and get some sleep. So, tell Dijkstra and tell Queen Adda that Dominik of Cintra wants to talk to them."

The woman floundered for a few moments, as Dominik kept his arms crossed, a small amused smirk coming to his face. He could tell from the start she was one of Adda's soldiers. Geralt may not have trusted the Queen fully, and Dominik didn't know if he did either, but if he had been able to put his mistrust for a Nilfgaardean aside and have Declan go to help fight, he'd be able to get over his slight distrust of Adda.

Besides, ever since his visit to Vizima, he was rooting for the Queen to complete her goal of assassinating Radovid and bringing the mad Redanian kings rule to an end. Adda had claimed she wanted to continue to fight and free the north from the Black Ones. She wanted to push all the way south past the Yaruga, even freeing Cintra again. Dominik didn't want to help her at the moment, with Ciri being his only focus. However, he knew that the Queen wanted his and Geralt's help. And if he had to offer his aid to her after the Hunt was defeated to help better protect Ciri, then he would.

"Don't know what you're talking about," The woman said sharply, crossing her arms and meting his eyes, "Now leave, like I said, the bathhouse is closed, you can come back tomorrow."

Sighing Dominik reached around and unclipped his swords from his back with an eye roll, "Look I know it's your job, but the coat of arms on your crossbow and belt gave you away. Here, take my swords, I won't even go in armed, trust me, Adda and Dijkstra will want to see me."

He handed out both his swords to the woman, and he tried to give her a reassuring nod. The night wind howled through his hair again as he met the woman's eyes. She seemed like a good soldier and he truly was ready to get back and sleep. All day he had been fighting and riding, and the next day was going to be the largest of his life.

"Fine…" The woman said, grabbing both his swords and turning towards the bathhouse, "Don't try anything, you'll get a bolt between your eyes if you do."

"Understood, lead the way," Dominik said as the woman turned to unlock the door.

He was flashed back to the first time that he entered the bathhouse as he entered behind the woman. The smell of incense, wine and blood hit his nose as he entered. He did feel warmth rush through him from the lanterns that were lit, as Dominik could see no patrons obviously, but a few of Dijkstra's men were mulling around at the pools, cleaning them and washing the floors. He saw no other Redanian soldiers except the woman escorting him then, but he did know that Adda must not have wanted her husband learning that she was in Novigrad, especially meeting Dijkstra. He had no idea how they all planned on assassinating the mad king of Redania, or what Adda had planned after he was dead, but she did tell Dominik she didn't believe in some of Radovid's more extreme policies of burning soothsayers, alchemists and mages. '

None of that mattered to him at the moment however, all that mattered was Ciri and he fiddled with the swallow as he followed behind the woman escorting him. The fighters they had gathered so far were strong, Freya, George, Zoltan, Roche, Ves, Gaeten, and despite his small bit of distrust still, he saw that Declan was a capable warrior. He knew that Faram would agree, and that Cerys, Ermion and Crach would give them at least some form of support. It wouldn't be the largest force gathered, but he had to believe that them being prepared would tilt the odds in their favor.

And if he could learn to control his powers to some degree… he had seen how powerful he could be. With help from Yennefer, Triss, Ciri and others he would hopefully be able to learn. Combined with Ciri, he had to believe that the two of them could take down anything. If she were by his side he'd feel like he could do anything. He had only fought by her side a few times when they were young, however he didn't really count wolves in the forest, standing by and watching the witchers fight drowners or forktails, or the Scoia'tael ambush when they were on their way to take Ciri to the Temple of Melitele. He would fight by her side soon however, Geralt would more then likely try to get her to stay in the keep, but Dominik knew her better than anyone, he knew she'd come out to fight. And finally, he'd get to fight with her, after so, so long.

"Elise, what's the meaning of this, nobody was supposed to enter," A deeper male voice said, making Dominik shoot his head back up.

A man stood in front of the door to Dijkstra's office, and the woman, Elise, that had escorted him quickly leaned Dominik's swords up against the wall.

She crossed her arms and gestured towards Dominik, "Sorry Arno, but he claims that the Queen would want to see him. Gave me his weapons, didn't think he'd be much of a threat."

The man's eyes turned to him and Dominik quickly nodded and gave him a small bow. Just like the woman the man in front of him didn't seem to be much older then Dominik was, in his late twenties at most. He had lighter brown eyes and a scruffy brown beard and mustache. His hair was combed back with a small ponytail gathered behind his head. Dominik saw a dark blue and black hood behind the man, as he wore a tight black gambeson, and similar to the woman wore a black leather jerkin that seemed to be both incredibly lightweight and protective. The man wore a snakeskin belt and on the buckle was a badge, the symbol of the Redanian coat of arms. Dominik had noticed a similar symbol in Roche's camp with the Temarian Lilies, and he could remember back when he was younger, his mother had a similar badge with the golden lions of Cintra.

His mother had told him the badges were symbols of a kingdom's special forces units, a way for soldiers in the regular army to identify special forces. Dominik realized that Adda had brought only two soldiers yes, but they had to be the best of the best. Just like the woman, the man had a handheld repeater crossbow at his waist, along with a curved saber that had a gold basket hilt, elegant weapons that Dominik had rarely ever seen. The man's eyes bore into him and quickly he gestured to Dominik's neck.

"You're a witcher?" The man asked him carefully, crossing over his arms.

Dominik nodded and looked between them both, "I am yeah. Dominik of Cintra. Tell the Queen and Dijkstra I'm sorry to interrupt their meeting, but I have urgent business to talk about with them both."

"Didn't see anything else around him Arno," Elise said from next to him, her arms crossed, "What's the harm, if he tries to run we put a bolt between his eyes."

"You've mentioned that…." Dominik said under his breath as the man, Arno, looked at him.

"Alright, wait here, Elise, keep an eye on him," The man said to the red head.

Elise gave Arno a smirk and mock saluted, "Aye, aye captain, whatever you say my fearless leader."

Dominik watched as Arno scoffed, trying for a serious look, but Dominik could see a smile start to slowly creep onto the man's face as he turned and walked into Dijkstra's office.

The door quickly closed, and Dominik turned to see the smile form on Elise's face. He was far from an expert on love, he had only ever loved one woman in his entire life, and he had met her when they were young, so he never had to go out and search for that other person. However, he had spent enough time seeing Geralt and Yennefer look at each other to know the look of two people who had feelings for one another. He looked over and saw Elise lean up against the wall and stare back over to him.

"You two special forces," Dominik asked her, not wanting there to be an awkward silence.

Elise narrowed her eyes at him and nodded, "Aye we are… how'd you tell?"

"Your badges, the one's on your belt," Dominik said, pointing towards the woman's belt and the gold Redanian coat of arms, "My mother, she had one like it, she was Cintran special forces under Queen Calanthe."

Scoffing Elise whistled appreciatively, "Damn, gotta say I heard legends about them, an elite group."

"They were yeah…. So, what're you two doing protecting the Queen? Don't exactly think Radovid would send two special forces agents to protect his wife," Dominik said with an eye roll as he remembered his meeting with the man.

At the mention of Radovid the red head sneered, "Fuck him, I don't serve that bastard. Arno and I, we used to be Temarian Blue Stripes. When Adda married that cuck, Foltest sent us as her bodyguards. I've been protecting Adda since her curse was lifted the second time, after her arsehole new husband saw us in action though, put Arno and me in charge of Redania's special forces. But our blood will always be Temarian, so that's why Arno and I are here now."

Dominik was taken aback with how open the woman was with information. It wasn't everyday he heard a Redanian soldier badmouth their king to such a degree. However, upon hearing that the two of them were former Blue Stripes he tilted his head at Elise.

"Blue Stripes you said? You guys were under Roche's command then," Dominik asked her, leaning against the wall himself.

Quickly she nodded, "Aye we were, Arno was actually his second in command for a while. He's helping Adda with her plan. I fucking hope it works. I'll plunge a knife into the degenerate's neck myself if I have too."

"You're… pretty open with… your information and beliefs," Dominik said with a nervous laugh, locking eyes with the woman, "You barely know me, I could be a spy for all you know."

Elise shrugged her shoulders, "Like making conversation, besides… I can read people, wouldn't have given me your swords if you wanted to do something. And if you know Adda's here, and she really wants to talk to you she has to trust you to some degree. And if you've been lying this whole time and Adda doesn't wanna see you, I can always kill you, won't say nothing to anyone then."

Dominik couldn't help but laugh, Elise was a straight shooter and it was something he could appreciate. After so many weeks of people giving him the run around, beating around the bush, it was nice to meet someone who was straight to the point. Deciding to test his luck, he gestured towards the door.

"So, you and… Arno it was right? How long you been in love with him," He said in a jesting tone, fully expecting the woman to lash out at him, but she only laughed.

She smirked and shrugged, "A while, stubborn bastard only came around a while ago. 'We're soldiers Elise, let's wait until we serve our time, I'm your commanding officer'."

He laughed at the impression she did and smirked back at her, "Got him to come around though?"

She let out another laugh, but Dominik saw a small smile appear on her face, "Yeah… eventually. We're lucky to have Adda, just asked me to marry him not long ago, she said after her cuck of a husband's dead we can go on leave to enjoy ourselves for a while."

A warm feeling washed over him, and he nodded to her, "Well, congratulations then."

"Aye, thanks. You're not too bad Dominik of Cintra," She said in a jest, "I hope you don't turn out to be a spy, I'd hate to have to put a bolt in your eye."

Scoffing he shook his head, "Don't gotta worry about that."

The two of them laughed for a moment, before Dominik felt the swallow tremble around his neck. Hearing about a couple who had gotten the happy ending they wanted made him think of Ciri and he. Would their story have ended up a happy one if they had gotten left in Cintra? Would Queen Calanthe had let them be together, that would have made Dominik King of Cintra, he would've called himself Ciri's prince consort for all he cared, all he wanted was Ciri. What about if Vilgefortz hadn't gone after her? What would have happened if she mastered her powers at Aretuza and returned to him at Kaer Morhen, would they have set out together, or would someone else had come to try and take her?

He slowly let out a breath and fiddled with the swallow around his neck. None of those what if's mattered anymore. Tomorrow, the very next day he would get Ciri back. Even thinking the words still sent flutters and tingles through his entire body. For so long that had been his dream… and now it was here. A small smile formed on his face as she popped into his vision again, and he realized how he would truly get to see the real thing, that very next day…

"What about you," Elise said, making him turn his head back around to her.

"What about me," Dominik asked her, as the woman lightly laughed.

She shrugged and gestured towards him, "You're a decent looking fellow. Got a special lady or 'ladies' of your own?"

He managed a genuine laugh as a smile plastered to his face and he gently gripped the swallow, "Yeah… just one…. Actually, she's what I'm hoping to get some help with from Adda."

Elise scoffed, "Don't know how much-."

"The Queen and Lord Dijkstra will see you now," Arno said, coming back out into the hall and looking over at him next to Elise.

The red head laughed and gave Dominik a respectful head bow, "Well, well, looks like you weren't lying. I'm glad, would've been awfully sad if I had to kill ya."

Arno slowly rolled his eyes and looked down at him, "She talk your ear off the whole time?"

Dominik laughed lightly and shook his head, "No, not at all. Good talk actually, nice to meet someone who's a straight shooter. Oh, congratulations by the way."

Arno's tough brooding act fell for a moment as he turned to Elise, "Elise… did you really have to tell a complete stranger…"

Elise scoffed and shook her head, "Oh come on don't be such a hardass, he's no stranger. He's friends with Roche!"

Dominik laughed as the two of them started to argue and walked over towards Dijkstra's office. The smile stayed plastered on his face as he got to the door and looked back, seeing that both of them were still arguing, but he could tell it was more playful then serious. A fondness washed over him as it normally did when he saw a scene like that. Every now and then on his own he would see a young couple walking together, laughing, playfully arguing, and he would be flashed back to he and Ciri together.

Slowly he looked down at the swallow again and smiled as he could see his reflection smiling back at him in the silver.

"Soon princess…" He said slowly, before opening the doors to Dijkstra's office.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Well, well, well, your majesty may I once again introduce my favorite witcher protégé," Dijkstra said sarcastically. Dominik rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he stood before the former spy and the Queen as the man went on, "Dominik of Cintra… gonna be honest, didn't think I'd be seeing you again for some time."

"Didn't think I'd be back either," Dominik said with another eye roll, before turning over to Adda with a small bow, "Queen Adda, your majesty, good to see you again."

Adda laughed lightly, giving him a bow back as well, "And you Dominik of Cintra. I must agree with Dijkstra… I was hoping I'd see you again, and Geralt as well. However, I didn't think it would be this soon."

The Queen of Redania had been dressed in a similar way to both of her guards. She wore a long black dress and scarf with silk brown gloves that went halfway up her arms. Her long red hair cascaded down both her shoulders and her fiery brown eyes looked into him with curiosity. Dijkstra meanwhile leaned back on his desk with that shit eating smirk that still infuriated Dominik to that day, however he simply rolled his eyes and ignored it, looking between both Adda and the former spy.

"Geralt's here to, but he's busy doing some planning," Dominik carefully explained, trying to choose his words carefully, "I came here to see Dijkstra, and you your majesty if you were here…. I've come to ask for your help. Both of you."

"Well, well, well my help…" Dijkstra said slowly with a drawl before he looked over to Adda, "And yours as well your majesty. Would you look at that."

Adda to his relief simply scoffed and waved off the former spy, "Oh must you always sound so dramatic Sigi? However, Dominik I must say I'm intrigued… what can we do for you?"

He felt his skin begin to crawl as he saw them both bare into him. Dominik didn't particularly like Dijkstra, and while the Queen had been kind and composed so far, Geralt's warning about her being prickly rang in his head. Earlier in that day they had run into Salamandra, and Adda had been actively working with them only a few months prior to gain power in Temaria. And now she was working to assassinate her husband to gain control of Redania and what was left of the Northern realms. He had learned his lesson with Kiera that most people always have a hidden agenda. Kiera he considered a friend now, but it was still something he learned from his encounter with her.

However, no matter the agenda, if they were willing to send aid then he would accept it. Everything was bigger then politics now, bigger then the North and Nilfgaard. It was about Ciri, and the fate of the whole continent.

"The Wild Hunt will attack Kaer Morhen soon," Dominik said, and right away he could see the incredulous looks both the spy and the Queen had before he went on, "Geralt and I are out gathering allies, fighters to come defend, coin to help buy supplies, resources, anything. And… I was hoping that the both of you could help in that endeavor."

Dijkstra was the first to scoff, "The Wild Hunt? Tales of phantom riders they use to scare babes in swaddling clothes? Come now Dominik, you and Geralt can't really believe in that nonsense."

"They're real believe me, Geralt's fought them, so have I, got the scars to prove it," Dominik snapped, feeling his annoyance rise up, "They'll attack Kaer Morhen and if we don't beat them back… the continent is next…."

He moved his eyes over to the Queen, hoping that she would be more reasonable then Dijkstra was. The Wild Hunt was indeed used to scare children, most people thought they were a myth, this he knew. Dominik himself heard horror stories from his parents when he was younger, they were normally used to scare him and Bella into going to bed on time. His parents said they were phantom riders who'd freeze entire villages and would one day come to attack and freeze the continent itself, riding on their skeletal horses to trample over them all.

Little Dominik had never believed the tales, however the scars on his body proved him wrong. The fact that these riders were after the woman he loved also proved those tales true. This tale wouldn't end like the horror stories he heard as a child however, it would end much, much differently. The musty smell of dust from the study hit his nose as Adda tilted her head at him.

"I heard tales of the Wild Hunt…. They threaten the continent you say. Tell me Dominik, why are they attacking Kaer Morhen specifically?" The Queen asked him, her arms crossed as she looked at him.

Sighing he felt his skin crawl. He couldn't reveal anything about Ciri, if Adda learned she was alive, he didn't know what she would try and do. Emhyr wanted Ciri, and if Adda somehow knew this, or he told her about Ciri, she could try to maneuver her way into taking her away to use her against the Emperor.

"I… I can't exactly reveal that information your majesty," Dominik said slowly, looking between Dijkstra and the Queen, "All I can do is ask you to trust me. Roche has already agreed to help and set out to go there. Geralt and I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important, if it wasn't really happening. And what's the worse that can happen, you or your men get there and there's no Hunt, you have nothing to lose."

"Yet a good amount to gain…" Adda said slowly, her eyes meeting his as she continued. For a moment she looked at Dominik, before her vision turned to the door, "Arno, Elise, come in here please."

He whirled his head around and in an instant, both Arno and Elise who had seemed to finally stop arguing came into the study. Elise met Dominik's gaze for a moment before Arno and she both came up next to the Queen and both gave her a bow.

"You needed us both your majesty," Arno said to the Queen, standing back up and crossing his arms.

Adda looked to Dominik quickly and smiled, before looking back to both Elise and Arno.

"Arno, Elise, this is Dominik of Cintra," The Queen said, gesturing towards him, "The adopted son of Geralt of Rivia, the witcher who saved my life."

Elise scoffed and turned around to him, "You're Geralt of Rivia's son!? The one from the ballads, the one he saved from the sack of Cintra?"

"My greatest accomplishment…" Dominik muttered with an eye roll, before Adda quickly went on.

The Queen nodded to both her soldiers, "He is that same boy yes. Now, I want the both of you to set out for Kaer Morhen, the witcher keep, and help him and Geralt fight back the Wild Hunt."

Dominik's mouth fell open, and he floundered for words. Arno and Elise were clearly extremely talented fighters and seemed to be her personal bodyguards. She was going to leave herself exposed, all so she could send him aid. He was both grateful and suspicious at the same time, he thought that he'd have to do more convincing. His own floundered look was nothing compared to that of Arno and Elise however.

"The Wild Hunt? Come now your majesty surely you're joking," Elise said, crossing her arms and looking over to Dominik.

Arno nodded in agreement, "I… have to agree with Elise your majesty. Even if this is real, we can't leave you alone, what if-."

"Oh don't fuss about it too much Arno. I'm sure Sigi here can provide me suitable protection," Adda said with a light smirk on her face as she turned to Dominik again, "Now Dominik, I'd like to introduce you to Arno Dorian, and Elise De le Serre. I'm sorry I can't offer more but-."

"Woah, woah, woah hold on," Dominik said, still not believing that the help was coming this easily as he met the Queen's eyes, "I'm… grateful yes but… why are you agreeing to help so easily? I… thought that i'd have to do a lot more convincing."

Adda lightly smiled at him and shook her head, "Consider this a repayment of debt Dominik. I owe my life to your adopted father twice over. I'm not like my husband or Emhyr, I repay those who give me aid. I don't try to trick or deceive them."

Dominik carefully nodded and kept eye contact with the Queen, "Well, thank you then…. And am I right to assume that you'll wish for something in return for your help?"

The Queen laughed gently again and met his eyes, and in that moment Dominik could see the fiery spark of ambition.

"You're a sharp young man Dominik," She complimented, "In return for my aid, I ask that after your task is complete… you simply remember how I aided you in your time of need."

He could remember how he felt back in Vizima, seeing the Temarian lilies being ripped from the walls and replace with the golden sun. He could remember how Emhyr infuriated him, and how he was been wishing for Adda to come in after she killed Radovid and destroyed everything he had built. She was clearly trying to buy his help in the future, and while he didn't like being extorted he wouldn't turn down the help, two talented fighters from Redanian special forces, he could have done a lot worse in terms of aid.

The dusty smell from the old books in Dijkstra's office hit his nose again as the dampness in his armor started to hit him. Slowly he bit his lip and fiddled with the swallow. If Ciri had no interest in going to fight and help Adda then they wouldn't, if she wanted to go of and live in a small hut by a lake then that's what they'd do. However, he had to believe that she felt the same way that he did in some way. He thought about Cintra, about the golden lions being ripped from the wall. The nightmare he had at Kaer Morhen of Emhyr marching into Queen Calanthe's throne room, of his men ripping down all the banners smashed into his brain. He wanted to see the man knocked down, everything he had worked so hard to build destroyed.

He could think of a lot worse people to be in debt to then Adda, someone else who wanted that goal.

"Alright… I won't forget this… thank you your majesty," Dominik said, giving Adda a small bow.

The Queen smiled satisfactorily and turned to Arno and Elise, "Arno, Elise, Vernon Roche is already on his way to Kaer Morhen as well. I want you all to listen to Dominik and Geralt's commands, and then after the battle is finished report back to me. Understood?"

"Roche is there? It'll be good to see that bastard again, understood your majesty," Elise said with a smirk, giving the Queen a small bow.

Arno did the same before turning over to Dominik, "If what you say is true, and the tales I hear of the Wild Hunt are true… we have much preparing to do. Do you have a plan?"

Dominik quickly nodded and met both he and Elise's eyes, "We do yes…. We'll head over to the Chameleon. You can both come back with me, Geralt's there we'll explain more."

Arno quickly nodded and Elise spoke up, "Aye, fighting alongside the famous Geralt of Rivia. Looking forward to seeing what his son can do as well…"

"You'll see, trust me," Dominik said, managing a scoff and a smile before he looked back to Adda and Dijkstra, "Thank you again your majesty…. You won't regret it."

The Queen curtly nodded, and Dominik was about to bid his leave when Dijkstra quickly stepped up off his desk and met his gaze.

"Aye if her majesty here is offering aid, the least I can do is offer some as well," The former spy said with his arms crossed, "I'm no good in a fight anymore, and I'll need to keep all my men on hand now to protect the Queen…. But I can give you a fat purse, hopefully it'll do you some good. Let me know if there's anything else I can do before you leave."

Dominik nearly jumped but quickly caught the larger pouch of coins Dijkstra picked up from his desk and tossed at him. He quickly bounced the coin in his hand and scoffed realizing that it was a good amount, and his mind right away went to Zoltan. With the amount of coin, he was holding, the dwarf could buy a good amount of dynamite and other explosives as well. Slowly he reached down and tied the pouch to his belt and looked around to the room again. Arno and Elise were coming to fight, Dijkstra had given him enough gold to help them prepare, and they still had more allies to gather in Skellige. Dominik was slowly starting to believe that they really would have a chance, a chance to beat them back now. Roche, Ves, Arno and Elise were all special forces members, elite fighters and tacticians. Yennefer, Triss and hopefully Keira and Ermion's magic he knew was powerful, and then of course there were the witchers. Himself, Geralt, Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert, Letho, Gaeten, Faram soon, and of course there would be Ciri. The swallow trembled around his neck as he aimlessly fiddled with it, thinking that he now truly had the chance to protect her.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow was a day that he had been chasing for his entire life. A day that he had been yearning for and trying to reach for over a third of his life. Ciri, his Ciri, his love, his woman, his girlfriend, his best-friend, his partner, his destiny, she was waiting for him. She was out there fighting, fighting every day to get back to him, just like he was doing for her. And finally, after so much fighting, so, so much fighting he would finally get her back, he would finally have her back. All of, all the things he had been dreaming of for so many years was waiting for him in Skellige, waiting for him on the Isle of Mists. In reality what happened afterwards didn't matter to him… all he needed was just to see her.

And it all waited in Skellige.

"Yeah, actually there is one thing," Dominik said, slowly taking his eyes off the swallow and looking up at Dijkstra, "You think you can get us a ship to Skellige?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The next day the universe had done him another favor, and he couldn't help but wonder why it couldn't have started doing them for him a lot earlier in his life. Dominik sucked in a deep breath of the beautiful Skelligan air, as he couldn't help but think that the beautiful clear sunset was given to him on purpose, so that Geralt and he could sail smoothly. Dijkstra had managed to get them a boat that left at sunrise that morning, and after Dominik flashed a bag of gold in the captains face, the skinny sailor had gotten them and Geralt to Kaer Trolde by sunset like he had hoped, and it ended up being the best use of gold he ever had. His adopted father and he both walked through the village, towards the inn where Crach had told them Faram was still staying in, thankfully they had caught the Bear School witcher while he wasn't on Undvik.

At the Chameleon the previous night, after Dominik had managed to keep Arno and Elise from shooting Declan with a crossbow, Geralt and he had gone over the plan with the allies they had there. Dominik had tossed Zoltan the bag of gold Dijkstra gave him and told the dwarf to buy a cart, a fast horse and whatever he needed to blow the Hunt all the way back to their world. Geralt and he explained the situation, how the Hunt would attack as soon as Ciri was taken to the keep, and that the other witchers were already there preparing. After giving them as many details as they could, George, Zoltan, Arno, Elise and Declan had all set out for the witcher keep. Dominik like he promised he would, gave George specific instructions to kill Declan should he so much as even look south. However, he didn't think he'd have to worry about the Nilfgaardean, because just as he did with Dominik, Declan took the insults and jabs Zoltan, Arno and Elise threw at him, and kept his temper, stating how he only wished to fight.

Geralt had been proud of him for agreeing to let Declan come, putting his hatred aside to give them another blade, another ally to fight. Dominik was still hesitant, not believing that he actually had let a Nilfgaardean soldier come to fight. However, as they walked and got to the inn at Kaer Trolde, he felt his fingers continuing to twitch, his brain rushing a mile a minute, as soon as they talked to Faram they'd set sail, and then they'd get to her. A mixture of nervousness, excitement and childlike eagerness filled him as he gripped the swallow, not having let go of it almost the entire day.

After they had finally docked, Dominik had almost left Geralt in the dust as they made their way up to the castle at Kaer Trolde. After he and his adopted father had finally gotten there, they had thankfully run into Ermion, the druid had been on his way out of the keep to return to his camp when he noticed Geralt and he. After an initial awkward conversation with the druid, Dominik had apologized for how he acted the first time they had met. Geralt quickly injected into the conversation to let the druid know about the Wild Hunt attacking Kaer Morhen. The druid as Geralt and he expected quickly agreed to come and aid them, before bringing them to see Crach and Cerys.

Neither of them could send much, what with Emhyr starting his campaign against the Isles. It would have taken them weeks to move an army to Kaer Morhen, and they would leave themselves exposed to the Black Ones. However, just like Dominik had expected, the An Craite's came through for him. Cerys had called for Hjalmar, and the younger An Craite eagerly agreed to come and fight to protect Ciri and fight the Hunt, even stating he would bring Vigi and Folan for him, three more fighters just there. Crach couldn't send any men, but he had gifted Geralt's Winter's Blade, the most beautiful sword Dominik had ever seen. Initially Crach and Geralt had wanted to give the sword to Dominik, however he couldn't part with his faithful steel blade. That steel sword had gotten him through the last eight years, and it would've simply felt wrong using anything else.

After farewells to the An Craite's they had told Geralt and he where they could find Faram, and they had set out for the inn at Kaer Trolde.

"Hey, Dom, you alright," Geralt asked just as they got to the door of the inn.

"Huh," Dominik said, his head shooting up from the ground, his mind finally returning to the present as he met Geralt's eyes, "I'm okay, why do you ask?"

Geralt smirked at him as he opened the door to the inn, "You seem a bit out of it. I had a full-on conversation with you for a good minute and you didn't answer."

Scoffing he shook his head, "Sorry it's just… eight… eight fucking years Geralt. Eight fucking years I've been waiting to get here…"

"I know, don't worry by the end of the night, we'll have her," His adopted father said, as the smell of mead and meat hit his nose.

The inn wasn't very busy during midday, he could only see a few scattered patrons, but it still smelled fantastic. After how much he had eaten the previous night, and the excitement seeming to suppress it he didn't feel hungry, thirsty or anything in that moment. All he wanted to do was find Faram… and then find her. She was all that ran through his mind, her face, her voice, her laugh, everything about her, he saw her when they were young, he saw her now, and his entire body couldn't stop buzzing as the fluttering stayed up in his heart.

He sighed out and met Geralt's eyes as the warmth from the fire ran through his bones, "Yeah… the end of the night…. I just wonder-."

"HAHA DOMINIIIIIK GERALT! Get over here ya bastards!" A loud voice boomed through the inn, followed by the clunking footsteps of armor.

Dominik let a laugh escape him as a broad smile came onto his face. He even saw Geralt crack a smile as they both turned and finally saw Faram of Undvik again. Just like always the Bear School witcher had a broad smile on his face as he eagerly walked over to them. The fire danced off his masterful ursine armor and the two swords on his back. His best-friends yellow eyes danced with excitement as he excitedly reached out and shook both Geralt and he's hands. Faram's long beard was braided and reached down passed his shoulder, and his silky black hair was tied back in a tight ponytail. The Bear School witchers enthusiasm was contagious as Dominik felt his heart warm up even more and he couldn't help but smile.

"Good to see you again Faram, how's it been going on Undvik," Geralt asked the Bear School witcher, as they all stood in front of the large fireplace.

Faram laughed and crossed over his own massive arms, "Haha it's going great mates! Got a small camp set up, been hard at work clearing out Uskar! Tons of the islands refugees signed on the help, should be up and running in a few months."

"That's great to hear," Dominik said, the smile staying plastered on his face as he met his best-friends' eyes, "I told you nobody would be better for the job. How's Barnabas and the crew."

"Ha, the old bastards on Undvik now actually," Faram said with a smile, "I only sailed back here to bring Crach our request for new supplies. What about the two of you? I'm glad to see ya both of course but didn't expect to for some time!"

Dominik let out a breath and felt his heart thump, saying the news out loud still invigorated him to that day.

"Faram… we found Ciri, we know where she is," He said, and Faram's eyes right away went wide at the words before he went on, "She's on an Island in Skellige, Geralt and I are sailing there right after this."

"HAHA YES! FINALLY, I'm gonna get to meet the lassie," Faram said excitedly looking between them both a broad smile on his face, "Do you need a ride to this island!? I can have anchors up in less than an hour and we can set off!"

The idea sent a jolt of excitement through him, but he managed to control and refocus on the task, what they had really come to see Faram for. Dominik kept a smile on his face, and so did Geralt, but his adopted father quickly shook his head at the Bear School witcher.

"Thanks for the offer but we'll handle it. We actually came to ask you for other help," HIs adopted father said, looking back down to Dominik.

Quickly he nodded and looked over to his best-friend, "Faram, we found Ciri but… as soon as we take her from the island, the Hunt's going to sense her. We're going to take her to Kaer Morhen, and that-."

"Say no more! I'll set out right away! Those phantom fuckers won't stand a chance," Faram said confidently, scratching his black beard.

Dominik scoffed and felt his body continue to buzz, "Ha yeah… we will. Freya's already there, and I talk to George yesterday. We got them and other allies already on their way."

"You'd best head up and find Ermion," Geralt suggested to the Bear School witcher, "He's teleporting with Hjalmar and a few others soon. Yennefer will give you more of the details there."

"Aye… it's finally time! We're going to send the specters back from where they came," Faram said, pounding his fist in his hand as he looked over to Dominik, "And you're finally about to get your woman back mate… I'm so happy for you my friend."

"Thanks…. Faram are… you still sure you want to do this," Dominik carefully asked his best-friend, feeling a bubble of worry build up in him.

Faram scoffed and waved his hand dismissively, "Bah of course I do! I'd die for you both in an instant just like I know you'd would for me! You never turned your back on me, and I won't do it to you now. I'll meet up with George, Goldilocks and the others, I'll be there waiting to finally meet your woman! Then after we beat the fuck out of the Hunt, we'll have a big bash!"

The worry quickly melted away, of course all his friends had his back, would fight for him. Like Faram had said, he'd die for any one of them, just like they would for him. He wouldn't let that happen however, none of them would die, Ciri wouldn't die, the Hunt wouldn't get her, the continent, or any of his friends. The warmth from the fire in the inn washed over him again, and the smell of the cooking meat pleasantly hit his nose, and he felt the smile come back to his face.

"We will yeah… thanks again for everything Faram," Dominik said, his eyes not leaving the Bear School witchers.

"Yeah, he's right. We really appreciate this," Geralt said, turning his eyes to look back down at Dominik, "So… you ready? We should probably set out before the sun goes down."

At Geralt's words and the gaze both his adopted father and Faram gave him, Dominik felt his skin begin to tingle. His stomach whirled and the excitement, nervousness, anxiousness and eagerness all began to boil like it was a potion. For years whenever he thought about Ciri, he could feel the swallow tremble around her neck, and he often wondered if his ring did the same thing around Ciri's neck. In that moment he almost thought his medallion was humming with how hard the swallow trembled around his neck then. It bounced against his chest and he could feel it almost shaking off his armor. She had been wearing the ring when he saw Dudu transform into her, and a small part of him couldn't wait to see it around her neck again soon.

He didn't care if the Isle of Mists was a weeklong sail into the sea, he was going to leave from port then and not stop sailing until he had his Ciri. The Young Wolf and the Swallow, that was what Dandelion had called the song he intended to write about Ciri and he both. It could have been called anything for all he cared, the bard didn't even have to write a song, but the title kept popping into his head in that moment. His swallow, his Ciri, his woman, his girlfriend, his best-friend… his destiny. She was everything, it didn't matter what came after, as long as he had her by his side.

They could go to any end of the continent, fight any monsters, fight any enemy, do anything, and he would never feel alone, never lose her again. He could remember all the lonely nights that he spent laying up, dreaming of her, her touch, her presence, her voice, her laugh. For so long it all had felt like he was chasing a ghost, chasing the specter of someone who he only dreamed about, that she wasn't real. The swallow was always his reminder that she was real, and that she was still out there. Still however, so many times he had dreamed of her, thought her out of his reach, there had been times he thought that his search for her, the search for the one person that completed him was for nothing, and that he'd never find her.

But she was real, and she was out there waiting for him now. And when he found her, everything will have finally been worth it.

'Yeah…" He said breathlessly, turning towards the door of the inn, his hand holding onto the swallow, "Come on Geralt… let's go get her…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Maybe I should man the tiller…" Geralt said carefully, just as Dominik leaped into the boat.

He scoffed and looked up at the older witcher, "What, why? I know how to steer a boat, I'll be fine."

Geralt laughed lightly and shook his head, "It's just that you're… a little erratic right now."

"What do you mean erratic?" Dominik asked, feeling slightly offended.

"Well one I don't think your hand has come off the swallow since we landed," Geralt said, gesturing towards Dominik's hand which sure enough was gripped to the swallow, "And well your other hands shaking, your knees are shaking…. Why don't you just sit and relax, let me steer."

Dominik looked down and sure enough his gloved hand that wasn't on the swallow was indeed shaking. He could feel both his knees bucking too as his entire body was currently buzzing, a pleasant buzzing that ran down both his arms and legs. He could barely find himself able to form words as all his mind could do was think of her, think of her face and what he'd do once he found her. For so long he had dreamed of it, and it was finally here, a third of his entire life was leading up to that moment, to that day. The vision of his ancestor from the potion he drank flowed into his mind, _'the time of your destiny is near'. _

Growing up that was what he always got told, his mother and father both kept repeating it incessantly. His destiny was to protect Ciri, protect the woman he loved, the woman who made everything worth it, the person who would make every struggle he had gone through the last eight years' worth it. She would be all he needed, all he ever wanted, and their destinies were interlocked, intertwined.

_"We all have a destiny Dominik. We all have the capacity to do great things and fulfill that destiny, And you my son, you and Ciri both are destined for great things, and you're destined to do them together."_

His mother had said those words to him, his father had said words similar, and he knew then and he knew now that it was true. Destiny had led him to the woman he loved, brought them both together. It had also separated them, but now it was the chance for them to finally reunite, and finally fulfill that great destiny they had.

And he would find her, because people linked by destiny would always find each other.

Sighing he nodded at Geralt, "Okay… come on, let's get moving though."

Quickly Geralt nodded and stepped into the boat across from him, sitting with his hands on the tiller of the small skiff they found. The day was clear, the beautiful rays of sunset casted out over the Kaer Trolde harbor, but in the distance Dominik could see the fog, the mists that Geralt and he would sail into to find her. Avallach had instructed them to sail into the mist and follow that magic firefly they had corked into a potion vial. The universe, destiny, mother nature, whoever controlled the weather couldn't have given him a better day.

A better day for it finally to end. He sat down across from Geralt and looked out over the front of the boat, as his adopted father finally kicked them into the water, and the wind quickly took their sail. The cool breeze washed over him and under his armor. He remembered back in Claywitch how his armor had only been a red coat and a few straps of leather, the basics of the wolven witcher armor, but now in only a month it was masterly crafted. Two swords were slung across his back, bombs, oils and potions were in his pocket. In just one month he went from thinking that he would die alone, no Ciri, Yennefer or Geralt to be with anymore, his second family dead, his first family dead, and only he remained.

Now however, he was across from his second father, his second mother was waiting for them both to get the last member to finally reunite that family. Geralt had heard the prophecy, 'the boy and the girl in the woods will be with you always'. Destiny didn't initially link Geralt and he like it had his adopted father and Ciri. However, he was linked to Ciri through those iron bonds of destiny, and now he knew he was to Geralt as well. For the month it had felt like so many times they were only one step behind her, but now they had finally caught up.

He let out a shaky sigh and looked over to meet his adopted father's eyes, "Geralt… thank you…"

A small smile crossed the older witchers face, "You're welcome… we're going to find her Dom. No more run around, this is it… she's waiting for us."

He looked down at the swallow and as usual her face popped into his head. Those beautiful eyes that matched his own, her loosely tied ashen hair, her mature, womanly face, her slender waist and high cheekbones. Even the scar that now ran under her eye was beautiful to him. She was more beautiful than anything he had ever seen, and she was waiting for him. Finally, finally it would all soon be worth it. All the pain, all the misery, all the wounds he'd endured, none of it would matter anymore after he found her. After he did, it would be a clean slate, a new life, but first he wanted to hold her, hold her and tell her he loved her. He'd have his swallow back soon.

And he knew he would, he knew he'd find her.

Letting out a shaky breath he turned and looked out into the mist, "We will… you're right…. People linked by destiny will always find each other."

**A/N: And just like that ladies and gentlemen… we are off to the ISLE OF MISTS! Next chapter will be the one that I and I'm sure so many of you have been waiting for, the chapter where after eight long years of suffering and pain, Dominik and Ciri will finally be reunited with one another, finally it will all have been worth it. First however, we have one more chapter to break down so lets do it!**

**First we arrive in Novigrad and we can add Zoltan Chivay and the Witcher George of Toussaint to the roster of defenders at Kaer Morhen! What do you think of the final list of defenders? What are your predictions for who dies and lives? How do you see the battle going?**

**After this Dominik heads into Novigrad and is saved from an assassination by Declan, the cousin to Cahir…. So what do we think of this interaction? First off yes, we will revisit the fact Emhyr is trying to assassinate Dom later on, but first we must talk about Declan. After threats and strict rules, he is off to Kaer Morhen. What do you all think of the cousin of Cahir? How will he fare in the battle? What else will he add? **

**After this we once again see Dijkstra and Queen Adda of Redania, who in exchange for Dominik's promised help sends fighters to Kaer Morhen…. And for those of you who played Assassin's Creed Unity, you know Arno Dorian and Elise De le Serre xD AC Unity was my first and remains one of my favorite Assassins Creed games, so I decided to name these two characters after them.**

**How will Arno and Elise help, what do you think of the dynamic? What will Adda ask Dominik to do in the future? How will the pair fare in the battle?**

**And now we go to Skellige. Yes I know I cut the parts talking to Crach, Cerys, and Ermion however like with Roche last chapter I just didn't think it would be that exciting. The interactions would have turned out exactly the game and I don't think that would have been exciting. **

**We do get Faram of Undvik in the crew, and just like that we are off! Now the final roster for Kaer Morhen defense is like this. **

**Dom, Ciri, Geralt, Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert, Letho, Gaeten, George, Faram for the witchers. Yennefer, Triss, Kiera Metz, and Ermion for magic wielders. Hjalmar, Folan, Vigi, Declan, Arno, Elise, Zoltan, Freya, Roche, Ves for the normal fighters. Now what are your predictions!? Who are you looking forward to seeing fight the most? The Battle is going to be epic, and I hope I can bring you all that sense of epicness xD**

**More important now however is the fact that 54 chapters later we are FINALLY off to the Isle of Mists. How will it go? How will Dom react when he finds Ciri dead at first? What about after? We will have the reunion next chapter, a chapter where Dom Geralt and Ciri all recap their journeys, then we are off to Kaer Morhen for the battle. **

**I truly NEVER thought I'd get this far, and I want to thank every single one of you. I never thought I'd actually get to bring Ciri into the fold, I thought this story would flop. But now we are on the very first page of the most popular witcher stories on this site and I am just so honored that you all have enjoyed and I hope I continue to impress. **

**As usual thank you all again, review if you have time, and stay tuned for next chapter where the Young Wolf will finally find his Swallow…..**


	54. The Isle of Mists

**A/N: A quick pre-chapter A/N to say a massive thank you to everyone who is reading this. As I'm sure you all know the entire story so far has led up to this chapter. I set out to create a character and add him to the story so that he wouldn't only change some of the ways things happened, but also felt like he could have actually existed in this world, and I hope I've done that. I am SO proud to bring you The Isle of Mists, where Dominik of Cintra and his long-lost-love are finally reunited.**

**PLEASE to everyone reading, if you enjoyed please leave a review, this chapter took me almost a week to write, then another week to edit, and even if you never review again PLEASE let me know what you think of this chapter, the biggest of the story, i want to know how i did capturing this huge moment. **

**Also if you want some behind the scenes writing stuff, to see official fanart soon, and even see sneak peaks of future chapters, go and follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram for that!**

**Now onto the Isle of Mists!**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 54: The Isle of Mists**

**Narrator: For eight long years the Young Wolf Dominik of Cintra has been traveling the continent, all the way from Cintra to Poviss he searched and searched. For eight grueling years he was alone, with one goal on his mind, to find his destiny, his long-lost love Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. Now after so many years of regret, pain and loss, with his adopted father Geralt of Rivia by his side, Dominik finally had Ciri's location. After a long grueling journey that took them from Velen, to Novigrad and Skellige, even all the way back to his old home at Kaer Morhen. Their journey finally led them to Uma, the ugliest man alive and the victim of a curse, after lifting this curse, Uma proved to be Avallach, an elven sage who had helped Ciri flee from the Wild Hunt. Avallach told Dominik and Geralt Ciri was hidden away on the Isle of Mists, but after they removed her from the Isle, the Wild Hunt would attack. So, after gathering their friends and allies, Dominik and Geralt set sail from Skellige towards the Isle. And finally, after so many years, the Young Wolf was finally going to be reunited with his Swallow….**

"I think we're far enough…" Dominik said, as the mist became as thick as curdled milk around him, he looked back over to Geralt who's hand was still on the tiller, "Here, give the bottle, let's see if the sage was telling the truth…"

They had both sailed for around an hour, and Dominik's leg still hadn't stopped twitching. He hadn't been able to seat himself, so he had reserved to standing up and pacing the small length of the boat between Geralt and the front of their small skiff. The fog was so thick around them that he could barely see ahead of him, but the fog and the bright moon up in the sky, along with the small torch they had jetting out of the boat managed to keep them going. The wind was light and still carried the sail, as he could feel the floor beneath him moving. Avallach had said to follow the firefly into the mist, and he didn't know how much further into the mist they could go without smashing into a land mass.

His skin continue to buzz, as the thumping and his heart could almost have been heard outside his body. One hand stayed wrapped around his swallow as his mind continued to race, a thousand thoughts flooded into his brain and with each inch the boat moved it only made it go faster. He had asked to uncork the bottle as soon as they first entered the mist, but Geralt had insisted that they wait a bit longer until the fog was at its thickest. With his blood racing he met his adopted father's eyes and Geralt slowly sighed before he reached into his bag and pulled out the glass bottle that had the magic firefly corked inside of it.

"Dom… before we do this, are you sure you're ready?" Geralt asked, his hand leaving the tiller.

Scoffing Dominik nodded, "Of course I'm ready why do you even ask? Now come on, let's get moving, open the thing!"

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Dom… you haven't stopped shaking since we set off. You know… it's okay to be nervous."

"Why would I be nervous," Dominik quickly said, feeling his heart continue to race, "I've been waiting for this for-."

"It's not a bad thing Dom," His adopted father cut him off, "You haven't seen her in a long time. I just want you to be settled, relaxed when you see her… it's Ciri… you've finally made it."

Dominik tried to form words but quickly floundered. It had been something that settled into the back of his mind early on in their quest. That Ciri simply wouldn't feel the same, and it had made him lay awake at night nervously thinking that she forgot everything they had. As they went on however he realized how ridiculous the notion was. Every person he encountered that had seen her had said the opposite, that she still loved him, was still out there looking for him. Even Avallach had admitted that she came back to save him, to get to him and their family again, she was fighting for him, wearing the ring around her neck as she did.

He didn't know how many people had been in the same situation as him, but Dominik knew that seeing someone you loved after not having seen them for eight years had to put a lot of weight on other people's minds as well. He knew she'd love him, he knew she would be happy to see him, so why was he so nervous? Was it because he simply didn't think she'd find him as handsome, not as funny, not the same person? Or it could have been the small fear in the back of his head that when he got there she wouldn't be there, that they'd been tricked again, or if he was too late again she'd be gone. A million thoughts and scenarios ran through his mind for ways that the trip could go wrong.

However, a more powerful emotion was running through him. Love. An extreme, pounding, fierce love as he thought about finally getting to hold her again, getting to hear her voice in person, hear her say his name and wrapping his arms around her waist like he used to. He could see a vision of them when they were younger, how she'd excitedly jump into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as she buried her neck into his shoulder before kissing him. She would excitedly say his name and hug him fiercely as he would pick her up. He could see them both on the walls, the towers overlooking the mountains outside Kaer Morhen, huddled in their cave with a fire lit as she cuddled closer to him, her head leaning against his shoulder as she sat in his lap.

The love he felt for her in all those moments rushed over him, and instead of the cool chilly sea air, a feeling of warmth and love washed over him. He glance down at the swallow that he still didn't let go of. It was Ciri, Geralt was right, it was his best-friend, the woman he loved, the one person that would make it all worth it.

Everything flashed in his mind as he looked out in the fog. It all seemed to flow into his vision. He saw himself starving in the woods when he was sixteen, going village to village, begging people to let him risk his life in contracts for even the smallest amount of coin. He could see himself facing down the bounty hunter outside of Ellander when he was seventeen, and almost felt the man's axe swing into his shoulder again. The Battle of Brenna, the screams, the death, the carnage, he experienced it all just because he thought he could get to her. And then there was Rivia, where he had only been a mile or so from her, from being with her, from traveling to different worlds together with her before she was ripped from him again. Eight fucking years, 2,920 days of heartbreak, pain, and missing her more and more every single day.

There wasn't a chance he would let himself be anything less then happy that day. Slowly he turned his head back to Geralt, to his father, his second father. He wouldn't think about what would've happened if he went with him all those years ago anymore, because this time he hadn't made that mistake, he had gone with him… and now he was finally going to be with her.

"Thanks, Geralt…." He said slowly, as the older witcher smiled, and Dominik slowly held out his hand, "Okay… I'm ready, let's do this."

Geralt smiled, and slowly handed Dominik the bottle, "You're welcome… come on, let's go bring her home."

Home. His home would be wherever she was, no matter where they went together, Ciri would always be his true home. Gingerly he took the glass bottle into his hands. He remembered how Avallach refused to speak to him, refused to tell him where he had hid Ciri at first. It took Yennefer threatening to let him die for the elf to finally tell them. A small part of him thought that the sage may had been trying to trick them, he didn't know what the Aen Elle wanted with Ciri, or why Ciri had been travelling with him, but if Ciri trusted him enough to do so, then Dominik had to believe he would be telling the truth.

Quickly he looked up and met Geralt's eyes one last time, and his adopted father nodded. The salty sea breeze whipped through his hair and chilled his bones under his armor as he carefully moved his hand to the cork stopper.

"Okay… let's bring her home…" He said, before yanking up the cork.

As soon as he did his already wobbling legs almost gave out as the bright light flew upwards. His eyes widened and he fell back onto his seat at the front of the ship, as the bright white light danced around their sail for a few moments. A fiery ball of light, full of life, energy, that shined its light over him… just like Ciri. Geralt and he both looked as it whirled for a few moments, before it took off into the mists, lighting their way as he could see the fog gently parting as it passed.

A small laugh left him as he felt his smile grow wider, as he turned and saw Geralt with a similarly amazed look on his face. Dominik met his adopted father's eyes and scoffed out another laugh.

"Come on Geralt let's get moving!" He said, grabbing onto the mast pole and facing out to where the firefly was moving.

"Couldn't agree more…" Geralt said, an amused tone to his voice, as he moved the tiller and followed the firefly.

The wind began to pick up, and Dominik thought for a few moments about possibly using some kind of sign to make them move faster, but it seemed that the universe did him another favor as their sail spurred them forward. The smiled stayed plastered on his face as he could feel his chest continue to flutter, as if a hundred butterflies were floating around, a pleasant sensation ran up his arms and legs as goosebumps began to form. Ciri, he'd really see Ciri and that firefly was going to lead him to her. He could feel his eyes even beginning tear up as he didn't dare let his eyes leave the magic light. Geralt was silent behind him, and it was as if his adopted father knew there was nothing he could say that could make the moment any better for Dominik then. It didn't matter to Dominik if he had to fight a horde of monsters when he got onto that island, he wouldn't stop moving until that magic firefly did, until it showed him where she was, until he could wrap his arms around her and see that she was real.

He could remember back to only a month prior before Claywitch, Ciri had felt like a ghost, a specter of his past he would constantly be chasing, chasing for the rest of his life only to always come up short. He truly had believed that he would die chasing her, trying to find her, and his corpse would forever be stuck in a monster's den somewhere on the continent, all alone. His hand wrapped around the swallow and he kept his emerald eyes widened as the firefly continued to move forward at a quick pace, but the wind and Geralt's boating skills kept them on the path. The cold sea wind picked up and went through his armor and his swords clattered, the goosebumps and sensation kept running up his arms, but his emerald eyes were unmoving as he looked out into the fog. In that moment he was glad he hadn't undergone mutations. Ciri had always told him how much she loved his eyes, loved that they were a beautiful emerald color that perfectly matched her own.

The time he first looked into those eyes flashed into his mind. Cintra, that royal ball. He would never forget the apple hitting the back of his head, and he never would have guessed when he whirled around to see the mischievously smiling girl in the white dress, that deciding to follow her would lead him to his destiny. All the way back then he hadn't known what it meant, the spark he felt when he first saw her, but he did in that moment. If he focused enough he could see her sitting on the balcony railing, looking out and admiring the beautiful mountain and forest views. When she first turned to him and he saw those eyes, the eyes that matched his own, they eyes that sent a fiery spark of sensation and excitement down him. Even back then at only eleven years old he thought she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

And she had been his destiny, along with the one person who would make all the suffering worth it.

"Dom… check it out," Geralt said from behind him, taring Dominik away from his thoughts.

Dominik's head finally tore away from the firefly and he looked out around him. The fog was still thick but compared to what they had been in, Dominik could see quite well. With the light of the firefly he could see on the sides of the boat. Geralt quickly to maneuver left and right as large rocks were jutting out from the sea, and Dominik could also see the remained of other ships who hadn't had a magic light to guide them. They passed through what could only be described as a graveyard for ships. Dominik had seen magic in many forms through the years, but it still amazed him to that day. His medallion was slowly humming around his neck and he had to assume Geralt's was as well. An entire island hidden by magic, by the thick fog that surrounded them. It was clear from the mast poles, busted hulls, and ripped sails, that some found the isle, but without the proper spell to lead you, it would normally not end too well.

The firefly however maneuvered around left and right, around the rocks, around the wrecks and Geralt manned the tiller, moving their skiff wherever the firefly was taking them. Dominik himself didn't have much experience boating, but he assumed that if things had been different in Cintra, and he did end up going to Skellige with Ciri that would have changed. After the Hunt had been dealt with, he wanted to take her back there, to see Hjalmar, Crach, Cerys and Ermion, and get o finally experience the Isles with her like he never got to do. He would also take her to Kovir, she had always spoken about wanting to see the snow there, and perhaps they could visit Triss while they were there. He would take her to all of the amazing places he had seen, they would help people, kill monsters to keep them safe, visit all of their old friends. But most importantly they would be together, be together with one another like it was always meant to be, like they had always planned when they were younger.

He bit his lip as the goosebumps went up his arms again, the tingling sensation that ran through him only got more and more intense as he moved his eyes back to the firefly. He would let her meet his friends, Dominik could imagine Ciri and Faram drinking and loudly chatting about the monsters they've killed as their confident boisterous demeanors bounced off each other perfectly. He could hear her and George swapping tales of their favorite stories, George of course being able to make anyone like him with his southern Toussaint charm. The best thing he imagined however was her, him, Yennefer and Geralt, the four of them being together as a family again. Maybe they could go back to Ellander, and spend a few weeks there with one another, go back to that meadow of flowers, or the lake.

His thoughts were only interrupted when the firefly stopped moving. The magic ball of light stopped and swirled in place, and Dominik's blood almost busted through his skin with how fast it raced when he saw what it was floating above.

"Land… we're here…" He said, with a laugh escaping him, feeling the gaping hole that had been in his heart for so long slowly begin to fill as he whirled around to Geralt, "Geralt look! Tree's, a dock, we… we made it!"

Geralt scoffed and smiled over as he looked past Dominik, "We did… let's pull-. HEY, Dom wait up, don't go too far!"

Dominik hadn't waited for the boat to get to the dock. He could see the bottom of the water in the light from the firefly, and quickly hefted himself around the side of the boat and into the water. Just as he expected the water only went up to his knees as he sloshed through towards the shore ahead of Geralt and their boat. The water seeped into his boots and socks but Dominik didn't care, he kept moving feeling his blood pump as the vision of her face kept popping in and out of his head. She was on that island, Ciri was there, not someone who saw her, it wasn't some place she had been where Geralt and he would search for signs of her… she was actually on the island herself.

Finally, the water got lower and lower before he finally felt his wet boots hit the dirt on the shore of the island, the island where it would all finally be worth it.

"I'm here princess… I'm actually here…" He said breathlessly, feeling himself almost unable to breathe from his heart beating so fast.

The mist around the isle was lighter, and almost seemed to give off a glow. That combined with the firefly and the light that the moon above gave off was enough for him to see the path ahead. Mist covered trees, bushes and rocks jutted out, and Dominik could smell a bog somewhere further inland. He had no idea how there was an actual pathway on the island, but he pushed the thought from his mind, it couldn't be large, and the firefly still swirled above him, that magic ball would lead him to Ciri, he didn't care if he had to climb a mountain, he'd get to her, every type of monster had tried to stop him, powerful men had tried to stop him, all had tried to get in his way, but none had kept him from her, the last thing that would was going to be the geography.

He heard the water rushing behind him and turned to see Geralt pulling their skiff into the dock. His adopted father rolled his eyes, but Dominik could see the hints of amusement as he met his eyes.

"Come on old man! Don't give out on me now," Dominik teased down to the older witcher, feeling a fit of laughter come to him.

Geralt scoffed and quickly moored the skiff to the dock, his swords clattered as he moved up onto the dock and jogged over towards Dominik.

"Easy there with those old jokes, don't let the silver hair fool you," Geralt said as Dominik laughed. His adopted father looked ahead and sighed with a smile, "Looks like a straight shot… let's get moving."

For weeks Dominik knew that Geralt had been holding it in for him, holding back his worry and anger so that Dominik himself wouldn't lose it. Now however, he could see the excited look behind his adopted father's eyes. Being a witcher made it easy for Geralt to hide his emotions, but Dominik liked to think he knew his adopted father well enough to read what he was feeling from his facial expressions. And just like Dominik in that moment, Geralt was just as excited to be so close as he was, and it made Dominik's heart warm up. He loved Yennefer of course, but at the beginning it had just been the three of them, him, Geralt and Ciri. It had been a dream of he and Ciri's for so long to travel the path with Geralt, the three of them forming the ultimate monster slaying trio, as they saved people and saw the continent together.

It was fitting that the three of them would be together that day, that Geralt and he were the ones to finally pull her out. They were linked by the iron bonds of destiny, and people linked by destiny always found each other. The boy and the girl in the woods had indeed been with Geralt always, he and Ciri, he knew that no matter what they'd always have him, and he'd always love them both.

"Yeah…" Dominik said breathlessly, looking up the dirt path, "Let's get-."

He was cut off by the bright firefly. The small ball of magic bounced around Geralt and he both, almost seeming as if it was playing with them. Dominik laughed again as he looked at the light ball of magic floating around them. He looked over and saw a small smirk appear on Geralt's face as the ball quickly flew around them once more, before heading off down the path.

Dominik scoffed and laughed again, turning to his father, "Come on, let's get going! She's here! She… she's really here!"

Geralt laughed lightly, "Alright, alright, calm down. Come on let's-. Dom wait up!"

He hadn't waited for Geralt to finish. Another scoffing laugh escaped him, and he rushed forward, his legs taking off into a run as he followed the firefly.

As he followed it towards his destiny.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

A foglet made the horrible mistake of trying to attack him on the path. However, Dominik even without his powers activated, felt himself move faster then he ever had before. The beast screeched behind him, leaping out from the mists and he could practically feel its claws near his neck. As quick as a flash however he spun around and slid his dagger from his belt. The monster landed in front of him and he quickly jabbed the small silver blade into the monster's skull, its blood pooled onto the ground as he pulled his blade out of its body with a squelch.

"Not a chance… not today, nothing's getting in the way again," Dominik said, as the foglets body slumped to the ground and he slid his dagger into his belt.

The wind picked up and howled in his ears. He turned and saw Geralt come up behind him as Dominik had run off ahead of his adopted father. They had passed a bog where Dominik swore he heard a loud roar, Geralt had suggested they investigate, but he quickly shot down the older witchers idea and continued to follow the firefly up the path. The fog was slowly starting to part as Dominik looked and met Geralt's eyes, his adopted father looked down at the body of the Foglet before whistling appreciatively.

"Well, well, well, you're as sharp as ever, maybe more so," His adopted father said in an amused tone.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head with a smile, "I've fought leshens, higher vampires, fiends, bruxa, the fucking Wild Hunt, I'll be damned if I let a foglet be what takes me out just before I find her."

Geralt smirked and shook his head, "Didn't think one would. Now let's-. It's moving again come on."

His adopted father was quickly cut off by the firefly darting in front of their face again. Dominik shot his gaze around as the ball of magic whizzed by him and raced up a hill. A laugh left him again as he could see the magic ball fly up the hill, it soared and soared before it finally came to a stop, and when Dominik saw the house sitting up on the hill, he felt like his heart was going to thump out of his chest.

A small house, no bigger than any normal peasant's home sat perched atop the hill and the firefly swirled above it. He couldn't ever remember himself smiling as much as he did then, feeling the pleasant tingling run through all his limbs he felt the swallow tremble before quickly grabbing it. He looked down at the small silver pendant and remembered back to that very first night in their cave, the day they gave the ring and the swallow to one another. _'If you have it, you'll always have me with you in a way'. _Those words rang in his head as he smiled up at the building. For the entire eight year search the swallow was all he had of her, his constant reminder that she was out there, and just like she had said it was his way of always having her with him.

But up in that building was the real her.

"Well, what are we waiting for," Geralt said, drawing Dominik's attention to him before he went on, a smile coming to his face, "You've been waiting for this for eight years, I thought you'd be moving a little faster."

"Ha, you know it old man," Dominik said, feeling his heart race faster as he turned and ran forward up the hill.

The fireflies light illuminated his way as the dirt crunched under his soaked boots. He ignored the wetness of his socks however and kept moving. Smiling he remembered back to the last time they were reunited after such a long time apart. She had only been at the Temple of Melitele for a few months, but those months without her were some of the hardest of his life. He could remember that even with Geralt he still felt lonely, missing waking up with her either next to him or right down the hall. He missed hearing her laugh every day, feeling her arms hug around him, her lips on his, how excited she would get when she saw him for the first time in a day. For years he got to experience that every day, and he never wanted anything else in his life. Those few months without her had felt like torture, and they had sworn to each other after that they wouldn't be apart like that again. They had always promised each other, _'where you go, I go', _and after the months she spent in the Temple they had intended to keep that promise. Of course, they hadn't been able to, but that would all change when he found her then. They weren't children anymore, they were both adults, powerful, strong and able to forge their own paths with one another.

But still as he ran up that hill he could almost see the day they had been reunited in Ellander. He could see himself running to her, her running to him before she leapt up and wrapped her legs around him and kissed him, right in front of Geralt and Yennefer both. That had been the start of the greatest year of his life, where their love had been solidified, they had promised to never leave or let one another go. It had been where his second family formed, and soon it would be back together again.

The cold breeze of the night whipped through his hair again, he was breathing heavy as he finally could see the house only a few steps away. He pulled up to stop in his tracks for a moment, feeling his heart begin to race as his hand quickly went to his hair. He tried in some way to push it over to one side, trying in any way to tame it, but the wind quickly came and messed up all his work. He rubbed around his chin and realized there was still only patchy stubble, he mentally scolded himself for not just shaving it off, but quickly pushed the thought from his head. He adjusted his swords on his back and tightened the straps on his armor, and scoffed out a laugh, the fact she was right there not having set in yet.

He reached his hand around the swallow one more times and let out a shaky breath, almost feeling tears fall from his eyes as he slowly walked towards the house, shouting the words he had been waiting to say for so long.

"Ciri! Ciri, it… it's me," He yelled, walking up towards the door, and with the fireflies light shining down on him he let out another laughing breath, "I… I'm here, Ciri!? Ciri I… I finally made it, it… it's me, Dominik…"

When he didn't hear a response from the house he narrowed his eyes up at the firefly, almost tempted to ask it what was going on. The wind howled and he slowly reached down to the door handle, his skin crawled as he carefully gripped it and tried to push forward.

"What the hell… why won't it open," He said under his breath, trying to push harder, and harder, before he found himself pounding on the door itself.

He felt his childlike excitement slowly begin to turn to panic. Had Avallach really tricked them and played some cruel trick on him? Had the firefly been wrong? Did this house have some tunnel that led to where Ciri really was? All of the worry he had for the trip slowly came creeping back to him as he started pounding his fist on the door again.

"Hello!? Ciri!? Anyone home!? Open up," Dominik yelled, trying to jiggle the handle open again, but to no avail, "DAMMIT! Come on why won't it-."

"AYE! Begone! Begone demon," A shrill voice yelled from inside.

Dominik nearly fell backwards from the sudden voice. It was deep and shrill, and he could sense the fear rippling from it. He had no idea anyone could possibly get to the island, let alone survive on it with all the monsters he knew were roaming. The wind howled again as he felt the swallow and his medallion bounce around his neck. With the silver hitting his chest he quickly pushed any questions from his mind, none of it mattered, absolutely none of it mattered, she was all that mattered. He didn't know if she was inside the house itself, or the clue to where she was on the island was inside the house, but one way or another he was going to enter.

Scoffing he crossed his arms and took a small step back, yelling forward towards the door.

"What the hell are you talking about I'm not a demon," He yelled, trying to keep his anger under control as he looked at the door, "I'm here looking for someone! Her names Ciri, a young woman, ashen hair, green eyes-."

"Aye you'll here nothing from us! You claim to not be a demon!? That's exactly what a demon would say! Enough spooks have been outside our door already," The voice shouted back at him again, and Dominik felt the heat in his blood begin to rise.

Whispering could be heard behind the door as well as Dominik tuned his highly trained ears. He was dealing with more than one person behind the door, and normally he would have been extremely interested to know how they washed up on the island, how they managed to survive the mist and find their way there. However, all he cared about was getting inside that fucking building.

"That's because you washed up on a magical island infested by monsters! Don't know how you did, but right now I don't fucking care," Dominik growled, getting closer to the door as he felt the anger slowly boil out of him, "I need to get inside this building, let me in, NOW!"

The last thing he needed in that moment was more people trying to get in his way, more obstacles to get to her. He had gotten over enough fucking obstacles, fought enough, and soon the childlike excitement was completely gone, he knew it would come back easy enough when he found her, however in that moment annoyance and anger were all that ran through him.

A loud scoff came from behind the door, "HA, you think we're that stupid!? Three of us are already missing, we know where they went but haven't returned! No way we're opening the door for some-."

"YOU BETTER OPEN THE DOOR," Dominik finally felt himself snap as he pounded on it with his fist again, "Because if you don't I swear I will blow it off its FUCKING HINGES-."

"Please forgive my boy here," His adopted father's voice rang from behind him. Dominik whirled around to see Geralt had finally caught up to him, and quickly the older witcher moved him aside and stood in front of the door, his voice loud, yet still much calmer then Dominik's had been.

Geralt crossed his arms and shot Dominik a calming look before turning to the door, "He's been through a lot the last few weeks. He is right though, we aren't demons, and I swear we aren't here to hurt you."

"What!? Geralt what are you-." Dominik started to yell, only for Geralt to cut him off with an intense glare.

He felt his skin boil again as he scoffed stepping aside for Geralt to do the talking. Dominik felt his annoyance rise as the cold wind from the mist ran under his armor. Geralt nodded and Dominik tried to figure out if Ciri was inside the house or if she possibly was somewhere else. The firefly had led them there for a reason, so she either had to be in the house itself, or the clue to where on the island she was had to be there. Perhaps there was some kind of tunnel or cellar? He had to believe that if she were awake inside that building that she would have come out when he called her.

The wind whipped through his hair and he felt a chill run down his neck, something was amiss, something was going wrong and he had to get inside. Was she okay inside, was she even in there at all, how the hell had the people inside got there and why wouldn't they tell him if she was in there!? All the horror thoughts he'd have, that he was too late again, that he would have to run off to look somewhere else, that Avallach had lied. The elf already for some reason showed a severe dislike for him, and Dominik didn't know where it stemmed from, but at the moment he didn't care either. He was going to get inside that hut, so he tapped his foot impatiently as Geralt shot him another calming glance, holding his hand up to calm him. And for once his adopted father was telling him that he would do the talking.

Dominik sighed and slowly nodded, because he knew as well as Geralt did that if the people behind the door tried to stop him he may do something he regretted.

Geralt knocked on the door again, "Come on open up, like I said we're not going to hurt you I promise."

"Aye that other one made it sound like quite the opposite! We don't even know who yous are! Now, begone," The voice from inside spat back quickly.

"I'm Geralt, and the first one you heard is Dominik," Geralt said in a controlled tone, "We're witchers, we're looking for an ashen-haired woman with a scar-."

"And we said we ain't letting yous in! Now bugger off," The deep voice yelled again, and Dominik finally saw Geralt's eye twitch.

His adopted father's fist curled, "Okay… like Dom said before we're BOTH running short on patience now."

"Good! Means you're about to go the fuck away…" The voice said, and Dominik had finally had enough, he went to run towards the door, intent on blasting it off his hinges, however the voice from inside stopped him.

It shouted again, but this time not at Geralt and he.

"By me mum's beard, get yourselves together lads," The voice shouted towards who Dominik assumed was the other's in the house, before it directed towards Dominik and Geralt again, "You two out there, outside the door! Geralt and Dominik-that right!?"

"Yes…" Geralt said slowly, turning between Dominik and the door, "Dominik and Geralt…"

Dominik could hear the distant echo and howl of beasts ringing in his ears as the wind howled. The smaller hut was jutted into a mountainside, with black rocks jutting from the sides and multiple dead trees behind it and around the mountain. The moon was at its apex, and Dominik's annoyance would soon reach it as well. His skin continued to crawl and chill in the wind, as he could indeed see his adopted father's patience thinning.

If Geralt lost his temper, then Dominik knew all hell would break loose, because his adopted father had been holding it all in for their entire journey. He could hear monsters getting closer, he knew that the place had to be a practical breeding ground for foglets, harpies and sirens. And the Fiend that Geralt and he heard in the bog as they passed, from its roar, and the ripped-up trees and large prints he remembered seeing, could tell it was massive. They needed to get in that building, the key to her was in that building. He wanted to Aard blast the door off its hinges like he had threatened, but he knew just like he had trusted Yen in Kaer Morhen, he needed to trust Geralt then.

"Listen Geralt, listen Dominik, Let's cut to the thick of it," The deep voice rang from inside the hut, taring Dominik's attention back to it before it went on, "We survived a shipwreck-recently. Beasts from the depths ate some of my lads, the rest of us found shelter here. Not too special, that, as dangers litter this isle. But it does explain why we're a wee bit distrustful…"

Geralt growled deeply and shook his head, "This conversation's getting tiring. Listen let's make a deal…."

"What!? Geralt you can't be serious-," Dominik started, but quickly was cut off by an intense glare from his adopted father.

Geralt glared at him for a second then turned back to the door, "We're not demons, and we're not here to hurt you. Give us a chance to prove it."

"HA, and how do you plan to do that," The voice from inside said, and Dominik felt himself lose it again.

"How about I fucking blow this door off its hinges," Dominik screamed, smacking his fist into the door again, "And then you can fucking see for yourselves!"

His blood began to boil again as his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. The distant roar of the Fiend could be heard, and Dominik couldn't stop his mind from racing. He felt his stomach churn and almost went to throw his hand forward, but Geralt quickly grabbed his arm and shot him another glare. Dominik knew he could blow the door to pieces, his Aard blast had taken down monsters three times the size of the door, and with the rage and annoyance that ran through him in the moment he had the perfect amount of chaos he could unleash.

Ciri was there however, and in the end he managed to let out a slow relaxing breath. He gripped a hand up around the swallow as the goosebumps ran all the way up his arm while he could hear his thumping heart over the distant roars and howling wind. She was there somewhere, either in that hut, or on the island somewhere and she was waiting for Geralt and he. He wouldn't lose control, he was finally at the finish line, finally going to find her. And he was still going to be himself, he wouldn't let his anger get the best of him again. Attacking survivors of a shipwreck that were obviously terrified and lost wasn't something he'd do, so while he kept one hand around the swallow he curled his other one into a fist as the voice rang back from inside the hut.

"You try! These hinges, this lock-they'll withstand anything! Course you could always come back with a battering ram and a Mahakaman locksmith," The deep voice yelled back, before it shouted again in a more reasonable tone, "Why the threats!? We's all in the same boat. We'd do better to help each other than argue…."

Geralt sighed annoyedly and turned to face Dominik, and when his adopted father met his eyes Dominik could tell what he was asking. Still feeling his heart race he slowly nodded at the older witcher, as the light from the torch outside the wall of the hut danced off their faces.

"Fine… what do you want," Geralt said to the door, his arms crossing, but Dominik could see the annoyance flaring.

"I want the both of you to go find our mates," The voice said, sounding as if it was a particularly persuasive market salesman, "Ivo, Ferenc and Gaspard. They ventured off, but they're on the isle, missing and probably lost. Help'em, help me. Please, if anyone can find them I know you can."

Dominik could hear the dose of sarcasm at the man's words, and it almost made him snap again. However, he squeezed the swallow and resigned himself to the fact there truly was just one more thing that they had to do. The more he stood there and looked at the hut, the more he wondered if Ciri were in there, was she still knocked out by Avallach's spell? Were the people inside some kind of ghosts and they were playing a cruel trick?

He'd figure out soon enough, he would drag the three missing people back to the hut and rip the door open if he had too. Any monster that dared to try and even stand in front of him when he left that hut would be cut in half, and he found himself fondly wanting that childlike excitement he felt only a few minutes before back. His hair that he had tried to make look more presentable was amiss, his swords were sliding and now he'd have to go get monster blood all over his armor. The night before he had polished both it and his swords before they left the Chameleon, and it had been because of course he wanted to make sure his gear was in pristine condition, but in the back of his head he wanted to look his best when he saw Ciri again.

And now they had to do yet another small quest before they could find her, or the key. It almost made him lose it again, but he kept remembering what he promised, that he'd be himself. In a normal situation he'd find the missing men no problem, and then probably try and figure out a way to get the men off the island. So, if he was going to be himself when he found her, then he would do what he normally would. Letting out a shaky breath he saw Geralt looking back over at him, and slowly Dominik nodded, making his adopted father do the same before the older witcher sighed and turned back to the door.

"Fine…" Geralt said with a tinge of bitterness, "We'll find your friends…. Where can we find them? Can't just go wondering off on this island."

"Ha, see we can be civil now can't we!? Ivo, that idgit insisted he'd explore the caves to the east," The voice explained over the howling wind, "Gaspard said it would be defeatist to sit and wait to be rescued, Claimed to have spotted a lighthouse, said he'd climb to the peak and look for ships. And finally, Ferenc said he'd go back down towards the bog to the west, claimed he'd see a ship there."

Sighing again Geralt nodded, "Fine, we'll go see if we can find all three. Sit tight we won't be long…"

Dominik finally let out his own sigh as Geralt and he quickly walked away from the hut. Above the building the magic firefly still soared, and he couldn't help but feel his annoyance spike up into his throat. It could never be simple for him, but he figured if it had been then it wouldn't have felt right. So many hoops and puzzles he had to solve, so many monsters he needed to fight, people to fight, places to travel, it all had led him to that Isle, and now he was going to have to yet again finish one more quest. All of the puzzle pieces to where she was, finally getting back to her had floated around for his entire life, and now they were all finally falling into place. Every contract he always treated like a puzzle, and while finding Ciri wasn't a contract, it was still the most important thing to him, and now finding the dwarves were the final piece.

He readjusted both his swords as Geralt, and he finally got a few meters away from the building out of earshot of whoever was hiding inside. In the distance he could hear the roar of the fiend and realized that it was more then likely the one in the bog, the same place one of the men had gone. He also remembered seeing a lighthouse, so he was relieved that they both at least knew where the men were and would be able to collect them.

However, the idea of Ciri being locked inside that building still trickled at the base of his skull. She could be knocked out inside that hut, in danger from one of the monsters… if she were in the building why hadn't she responded when he called out to her? His mind became muddled with all the thoughts of everything that could go wrong and while one hand remained on the swallow, his other curled into a fist as the wind whipped through his hair and the moon casted light down on him. He felt his foot tapping impatiently as Geralt sighed and shook his head.

"Looks like it can never be easy…" His adopted father said, obviously trying to lift his mood.

Dominik however scoffed and shook his head, "No it can't…. Geralt you heard me calling to her… if she's in that building why… why didn't she-."

"Let's not think about that right now," Geralt quickly said with a shake of his head, meeting his eyes and putting a hand on his shoulder, "Don't let your mind start wondering. There could be a hundred different things in that hut. Let's just find the dwarves and get inside."

"How do you know they're dwarves," He asked slowly, crossing his arms and meeting the older witchers eyes.

Geralt shrugged, "The accent, and when you've been alive as long as me you can start to tell."

Scoffing again Dominik rolled his eyes, "Seven dwarves protecting a loss princess…? I swear I've heard a story like that somewhere before…"

His adopted father rolled his eyes, "You're right about that, irony aside let's just help them and get this over with."

"You're right," Dominik quickly said turning and facing down the road they had come down, "Wanna split up? I'll head down to the bog, you head to the lighthouse and caves?"

Geralt quickly shook his head, "No, don't wanna split up on this island. Fog's too thick, and we don't know what kind of magic's at work. Besides I don't…."

"Want me to lose my temper and blow the door to the building down," Dominik said dryly, rolling his eyes.

"You said it, not me," Geralt said with a shrug.

Feeling his temples pound with a sudden headache Dominik rubbed them with his gloved hands before gripping the swallow and turning back down the road.

"Probably a smart idea. Come on, let's go… I'm getting in that building one way or another," Dominik said, as he took off down the path, with Geralt closely behind him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The dwarf in the bog had been dead, slashed apart by the fiend. Geralt and he had rushed down there, but after taking a few steps into the mucky, horrible smelling water they were able to find the poor dwarf's body. It had made the mistake of wondering to close to the monster's den and had severely paid the price. There wasn't anything they could have done; the Fiend was close they were able to see its tracks and hear its roar. Geralt again suggested that they deal with it, but just like the first time Dominik hadn't had the time or patience. So, he had sprinted back up towards the house, and with Geralt sighing behind him they had made their way east, towards the winding cliffs that would lead them down to the lighthouse.

They had even managed to find the second dwarf, one who had somehow found himself perched atop a cliff being accosted by a group of water hags. Dominik and Geralt's silver had been out in a flash and Dominik had cut them both in half before they even had time to attack. He didn't feel anything except a strong, panging urgency. He needed to get into that building, she was there, the clue to her was there, and finally after eight years he was tired of waiting. For the last week as they road from Kaer Morhen he had been telling himself that after waiting for so long, he could wait one or two more nights as they road there.

However, as the climbed up the lighthouse with Geralt at his tears, he had finally been tired of fucking waiting.

"Dom, slow down, you need to relax," Geralt said from below him, as Dominik climbed up another floor, and growled in agitation when he saw yet another ladder upwards.

With trembling hands he grabbed the first rung and shouted back down at his adopted father.

"Geralt now is NOT the fucking time to tell me to relax," He said angrily as he pulled himself upwards to climb more, "This is the last dwarf, then I'm getting inside that house…"

"I know Dom, but you still need to calm down," Geralt said, and Dominik saw the light from the fire at the top just as his adopted father went on, "This is supposed to be a good moment, don't let your worrying distract you from it all."

"I'll stop worrying when I see her Geralt," He said with an eye roll, as he finally pulled himself to the top, and a loud snoring sound hit his ears.

A large brazier somehow was lit with a roaring fire, and it slightly warmed his chilly bones. For a moment he looked out and could see the graveyard of ships again beneath the fog. He could also see the bog they had just come from and saw the massive fiend roaring and a loud screech pierce the air. He knew the screech of a wyvern anywhere; he had killed enough to know what they sounded like. Fiends, wyverns, difficult dwarves, it seemed the universe had decided to stop doing him favors and was trying to throw new obstacles in his way. If that truly was the universes plan, then he was going to have to disappoint it, because with every single second that passed he could feel another needle of worry being jabbed into his skin.

He whirled back around when Geralt climbed up the last ladder and the snoring hit his ears again. Slumped against one of the pillars snoring loudly was who he assumed was Gaspard, the last dwarf that they had needed to find. Rolling his eyes, he did feel slightly relieved that at least one of them was alive, he had been afraid that they went back to the hut with them all dead, then the dwarves inside wouldn't have let them in. He couldn't believe however that somehow someone was asleep on that island with the wind chill and the monsters surrounding them.

Geralt scoffed, "How the hell is he asleep."

"I don't care how, but he's going to wake up," Dominik said quickly, crouching down in front of the dwarf, "HEY come on wake up, get up now!"

"WHAT," The dwarf yelled, his eyes shooting open and darting between Geralt and Dominik both, "Who… who are the two of you!?"

"I'm Geralt, and this is Dominik," Geralt said, gesturing over towards him before turning his gaze back to the dwarf, "Your friends sent us to come find you. The other two… well they're dead."

The dwarf seemed to get over his initial shock because he yawned lazily, "Aye… Ivo was being accosted by the spooks and Ferenc… we heard him scream… absolutely horrible."

Geralt slowly nodded and stood up, "Nothing we can do for them now. Come on, Dom and I are gonna-."

"Wait a minute," Dominik said, cutting Geralt off, feeling his skin tingle before turning over to the dwarf, "When you were in that house, or on the island at all. Have you seen an ashen-haired woman, green eyes, scar on her face?"

Her face popped into his vision again as the swallow trembled, he grabbed it and watched as the dwarf lazily yawned and shook his head.

"A woman? Nay… but I miss a lot, due to the narcolepsy you see," Gaspard said, rubbing both his eyes.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me…" Dominik said annoyedly, shooting up to his feet and walking towards the ladder, "Come on, we're getting you back to your friends lets go."

Geralt sighed at his words and turned to the dwarf, "He's right, come no let's get moving."

Slowly Gaspard nodded with another yawn, "Aye I'll follow ya. Be good to get back. But I must warn you, I tend to fall asleep quite easily, on account of the narcolepsy and all. So if I fall asleep on the road just-."

"If you fall asleep I'll drag you there by your feet," Dominik said, crossing his arms and feeling his heart almost thump out of his chest, "So I suggest you do what you can to stay awake."

His words had an instant effect on the dwarf who quickly gulped and nodded. Geralt shot him a look that was clearly meant to calm him, but Dominik felt all of his limbs trembling. His legs were so wobbly that he almost tripped when he went to step down on the ladder again. He went down rung by rung and with every step the trembling only got worse. Another loud screech pierced the air that was so loud he could hear it clean through the tower itself. All thoughts were pushed from his mind however as he felt himself start to slide down the ladders, with Geralt above him trying with everything he could to keep the dwarf from falling on top of them both as they climbed.

He couldn't even accurately describe the feeling running through his chest. With every second that he spent on that ladder, on that island without her, was another moment that something could be happening to her. Every lead they had followed so far she had been in danger, running, fighting, being hurt and he hadn't been there in all of those scenarios. If Avallach had lied to them, and she wasn't there, or if his spell had hurt her somehow he would make sure the last thing he did on that world was hunting the elf down and slowly killing him. If any one of the dwarves had harmed her he would cut every single one of them in half, if anyone did anything to her anymore they would die. He hadn't been there to protect her for the last eight years, he hadn't protected her from Vilgefortz, Bonhart, or all the people who tried to take her, rape her, capture her. But he was there now, he was there with her now and he would make up for all that lost time.

If she weren't on the island he'd dive into the water and swim until he found the right island. He still felt the swallow trembling around his neck as he finally slid down the last ring of the ladder. The salty sea air and the smell from the nearby bog all smashed violently into his nose and he nearly gagged as he made his way out the tower. He felt both his hands buzzing, feeling numb as he rung them both together, feeling his heart ready to beat out of his chest. He let out a shaky breath and despite the cold he felt his entire body begin to sweat as his arms and legs couldn't stop tingling.

Ciri was there, she had to be in the building. He couldn't think of any reasonable scenario in which she wasn't. If she was, how come she didn't answer when he called out to her when he ran to it? If she was in there and awake why hadn't she shoved the dwarves out of the way to rush to the door? No. He pushed the thoughts from his head, there had to be some tunnel or some basement she was hiding in, she just hadn't heard him when he ran there, she might have been in the other room, or maybe a sign of where she had gone was in the building. He WAS going to find her on that island, she was there waiting for him, after eight years of waiting she was finally going to see him, and he was finally going to get to hold her again.

Because if he didn't, if he had been too late again, she wasn't there, or worse… the spell Avallach casted did irreparable damage to her, he didn't know what he would do. The thought of her not being there at the end of the treck, it had never passed his mind. He had the swallow, of course she was out there, of course she was still waiting for him. All he had to do was push more and finally all his pain and suffering would be worth it…. But if she wasn't, and it all had been for nothing, all eight years had been for nothing… then he didn't know if he'd be able to handle it all. All he had gone through, the fighting, the loss, the loneliness, it all had been to get back to her in the end. Back to his Ciri, back to his love, his destiny, his heart.

Slowly he let out a shaky breath as all the noise from the crashing waves, the howling of monsters and buzzing of insects got tuned out. He almost felt his legs give out as for a few moments his arms trembled so bad he had a hard time getting a grip on the swallow, and when he finally did it took him a few seconds for his shaking hands to lift it up into his vision.

_"And I promise that I'll never leave you… me and you versus everyone,", "I love you too you stupid boy!" "Where you go, I go,", "You won't fail me, you never could.". _

Her words started pouring into his mind, and soon he'd hear them all again, but first he needed to get back to that house. His hand begun to tremble almost uncontrollably as he squeezed the small silver bird.

Letting out a shaky breath he shut his eyes, "Ciri… I'm here… I'm really-."

"DOM WYVERN LOOK OUT," Geralt screeched from behind him, finally making Dominik's eyes shoot open.

He whirled around and a loud ***SCREEECH* **ripped through the air and he saw the creature diving towards him from the left. His eyes widened and his blood raced as he saw Geralt drop the sleeping dwarf and sprint towards him, but the wyvern was closing in. No, nothing was going to stop him at that point. The air whooshed through his hair as the draconid darted down towards him, only a few meters from snapping him up off the ground.

All the chaos that had been channeled up in him at that point unleashed out of him, and he felt a bright flash of blue overtake his vision. The magic swirled violently around his arms and he could see the large creature get close, and he fired his hands forward, and an Aard blast ripped from his hands so powerfully he thought he could feel the skin underneath his gloves. The large blast of blue telekinetic energy erupted with bits of light blue magic and smacked into the creature, and right away it screeched so loudly it would have made most men's ears bleed. It was smacked out of the air and its body came crashing down right where he was standing. It flashed its wings wildly and screeched, but despite the powerful blast of magic, Dominik still could see light blue in his vision as he felt raw, pure magic energy run through his limbs.

He reached up to his back and pulled _Fate _from its sheath, and with the magic spurring on his limbs he leapt to one side and swung it upwards just as the beast crashed down towards the ground. And as soon as his blade made contact with its wing a loud ***BOOM*** erupted through the island and blood spewed from the creature like an active volcano as Dominik's silver blade cleaved clear through the beasts wing, and it wailed in pain as it crashed to the ground. Singe marks from the magic blast littered its body, and it bled from the gaping wound where Dominik had cut through its wing.

A long shaky breath escaped him, as he felt his vision slowly return to normal. He turned back around, still feeling his arms and legs tremble almost uncontrollably, but not from the magic he used, but from the thoughts of Ciri being alone or hurt up in that building. Next to him he looked down and saw the wyvern breathe its last breath. The creature was huge, massive, twice the size of the wyverns he normally saw, and he quickly deduced it had to be a royal wyvern. It more then likely was the top predator on the island along with the Fiend, and that's why it and the monster in the bog had grown to such a massive size. Taking down a monster so huge, it normally would have amazed him, he would have amazed himself.

He turned around and saw Geralt, his silver blade out loosely in his hands as he looked up at Dominik in astonishment. It looked like his adopted father was trying to form words, words to try and either calm him, or praise him for taking down such a beast.

But Dominik slowly felt the magic dissipate from his arms, as he reached and slid _Fate _into its sheath on his back, his still quivering hands reached up and touched the swallow while he met Geralt's eyes.

"Come on, wake him up, drag him if you have too… lets go," He said, turning around as Gaspard's snoring rang in his ears.

He saw Geralt nod before sheathing his own silver, and Dominik started off up the path through the cliffs again.

And he hoped that when he got back to the house it would finally end all the pain.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"We're literally right here, stay awake," Dominik hissed sharply, just as the house came into view.

Geralt pushed the dwarf forward and urged him awake as Dominik continued forward. His legs still shook but as soon as the light from the magic firefly hit his face he jogged up towards the door again. He got only inches from it as he turned and saw Geralt right on his heels with Gaspard finally having awoken. His heart thumped and he went to go knock on the door, but just before his fist hit it, he felt a shaky sigh escape him, as he almost stumbled back with how hard his hands were shaking. His knees buckled and he felt as if his heart was falling to the pit of his stomach. Both his hands began to shake uncontrollably, his limbs shook so bad that he could hear his swords clanking on his back, as the wind howled and the distant roaring of monsters hit his ears. He closed his eyes and felt like his skin was beginning to shake.

She was behind that door, she had to be. Everything he ever wanted was behind that door, the only thing he ever wanted was behind that door, but he couldn't bring himself to knock, he shook too much and thought about the silence that pierced the air when he had called out to her earlier. His hand that was near the door began to shake so hard that he needed to grab his own wrist to stop it, and his brain was going to explode as it felt like pins and needles were being jabbed into it and he found himself unable to move. Slowly he turned around and Geralt met his gaze, and his adopted father seemed to right away know what was going on inside his head.

"G…Geralt can… can you…" He said slowly, feeling his voice begin to break.

Geralt slowly nodded and let go of Gaspard. His father slowly came over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, and at his touch Dominik let out a shaky breath, pain shooting through his esophagus as he did.

"Yeah… I got it, just wait here," Geralt said in a calming voice, the sea air blowing through his silver hair.

Dominik slowly nodded, and took a few steps back, every step he felt his legs begin to shake more. He slowly turned back to the door and saw a yawning Gaspard walk up next to Geralt. His father turned and gave him one final nod as Dominik had to cross his arms to stop the chill from becoming unbearable, but he could feel everything from his toes all the way up to his brain rattling. With his head still shaking Dominik slowly nodded, and Geralt let out a sigh as well, turning back to the door.

She had to be there, she had to be behind the door, the end and the new beginning was behind the door. But if she was… then why didn't she answer him when he called. His fingers twitched as he quickly ran them through his messy brown hair again and he felt himself almost start to hyperventilate. The feeling was coming back, that feeling of dread, it felt as if he had a sixth sense, and something at the base of his skull was screaming at him, screaming to not go inside of the hut, not go inside the building.

He could remember the feeling. It was the same feeling he had the moment he and Ciri learned she was going to Aretuza. A screaming feeling, a screaming that emanated from the bottom of his skull and ripped through his body. It had yelled for weeks at him to not let her go, to stop her from going at all costs, that if she did bad things would happen. He hadn't listened to it then, and it turned out to be right. And now it was pleading, begging and screaming at him to not go inside the house now. Only an hour earlier getting inside was all he wanted to do, all he was trying for. But now that six sense that had predicted the biggest catastrophe of his life was telling him to not go inside.

However, he knew that again he would ignore it as soon as Geralt knocked on the door, and that sound of him knocking blasted into Dominik's ears louder than any noise ever had.

"Hey, its us, come on open up," Geralt yelled through the door, looking down at Gaspard, "We got your one friend, kept our end of the deal."

"Aye it's true! The witchers saved me, open up lads," Gaspard yelled, and it was louder than Dominik had heard him speak the whole walk.

He bit his lip as he waited for a response, the voice still screaming at him, pounding into his head giving him a headache. A shaky breath escaped him as the deep voice from behind the door finally called back.

"Haha Gaspard! One sec mates we'll be out in a jiff," The voice said, and when he started to unlock all the locks on the door, Dominik felt his headache intensify with every latch opening.

Four more dwarves poured out of the hut, and Dominik tried to maneuver his head to see inside but after the last dwarf came out the door was quickly closed again. Geralt looked back at him and gestured for him to come, and with his legs still quaking he managed to move himself up next to his father, and as soon as he got there Geralt put a hand on his shoulder. It normally calmed him, but the sense in the back of his head was still shouting and as the dwarves spoke beneath them, Dominik couldn't take his eyes off the door.

Behind that door, one small piece of wood, she was there, the swallow didn't stop trembling. Slowly with his shaking hands he grasped it again as the dwarf in the lead finally spoke up to them both.

"Aha and the two of you! Geralt and Dominik, thank you for yer assistance! I must ask though, where are Ivo and Ferenc," The dwarf said, and while he saw Geralt look down to respond to the dwarf, Dominik couldn't tare his eyes from the door.

"I'm sorry, but both of them are dead. Ferenc wondered into a fiends lair, and we found Ivo, but he fell off one of the cliffs," Geralt explained with his arms crossed, as Dominik felt his stomach begin to churn like a violent sea storm.

The dwarf sighed and shook his head, "Aye terrible… a damn shame but nothing we can do now. We still do need to find a way off this rock though."

"Dom and I got a boat," Geralt quickly explained, pointing down towards where they had landed, "Go wait down there but first we need-."

"Ashen haired woman… scar on her face," Dominik said, his voice just above a whisper as he looked down to the dwarves, "Is she…"

He couldn't finish the sentence, as he felt like everything was about to come up from his stomach. His hands didn't leave the swallow and his eyes went back up to the door. The entire island seemed to go quiet. In the distance the only thing he heard was the distinct roar of the massive Fiend that they had seen in the bog. His one hand stayed wrapped around the swallow while his other still shook uncontrollably. Geralt looked down at the dwarf for an answer, and when the words finally left the man's mouth, Dominik could feel a bomb explode in the gaping hole in his heart.

"Aye… she is… but I'm sorry mates she… she's cold as ice," The dwarf said, as Dominik could hear Geralt shuffling behind him again before the dwarf finished, "Come on lads… lets go give them both a moment…."

The shuffling of the dwarf's footsteps receded and soon Dominik knew it was just he and Geralt. He and his father both stood there, the both of them staring at the door. In the one small window he could see it was dark, cold, as if no living thing would dare go inside. The wind howling and the roar of the fiend getting closer was the only things he heard, and his hand fell limp as it dropped from around the swallow to his side. He couldn't even crane his head over to look at Geralt his body was shaking so hard. Despite how fast his body was moving… his skin and blood felt as if it turned to pure ice.

As cold as ice, that was what the dwarf said. Had he been to slow again? He slowly shook his head and felt the pain, the pure pain of failure and loneliness slip up his spine. There was no chance that he could move his legs in that moment, they were shaking too uncontrollably and if they even shuffled he felt like he would stumble to the ground. At the base of his head the screaming intensified, it was shouting at him, he could hear it pleading with him, pleading his name to not go into the house. But he needed to see it, he needed to see her… it wouldn't end like this, his journey wouldn't end like this, he and Ciri's story wouldn't end like this it couldn't end like this.

It wasn't fair, none of it was fair. Ciri was the purest person in the world, he had never met someone who deserved a happy ending more then she did. They hadn't done anything to anyone to deserve for their story, their journeys to end like this. He hadn't always done good in his life, he had done horrible things, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if the horrible things he had done came back to haunt him, and instead of taking it out on him… the universe took it out on Ciri.

Geralt looked and could see that he was unmoving. His adopted father had been holding everything in for so long, and only a few times for just a small amount over the last month did Dominik see it break. Geralt had told him before that he didn't know how to cry, since he hadn't done it in so long. In that moment however he could see the pure pain ripping through his father's eyes. Geralt slowly ran a hand through his silver hair, met Dominik's eyes for a moment and then managed to move to the door. His father stopped right in front of it just as Dominik felt his own eyes well up, the wetness threatening to spill over. Geralt went to reach for the handle, to push the door open to enter, but he stopped, and Dominik saw his father slowly lift his head up and stand there unmoving. A look that Dominik never saw appear on his father's face came.

A look of pure anguish.

"G… Geralt…" Dominik said slowly, feeling the first tear slide slowly down his cheek.

Slowly Geralt turned around to him, and the anguish that appeared in his father's eyes was something that he would never want to see again. The wind whipped through the older witchers silver hair and he slowly shook his head.

"D…Dom, Dom…" His father slowly said, his yellow eyes not leaving Dominik's, "D…don't, don't-."

"MOVE," Dominik's voice broke, feeling more tears slowly stream down his cheek.

He finally found his legs able to move as he pushed forward. Every step he felt pins and needles violently jabbing into all his limbs, but as soon as he got to Geralt his adopted father held his arm out and blocked him. He fiercely grabbed his shoulder in an iron grip, and it only made Dominik's breathing more erratic.

Geralt's pained yellow eyes met Dominik's watery green ones, "Dom… don't… don't do it… don't go-."

"I SAID MOVE GERALT," He yelled, feeling his voice raise an octave as he was able to shove Geralt's hand off him.

Before Geralt could grab him again he pushed forward and the door swung forward into the house, and a cold breeze shot through him and sank into his body like the soil absorbing water.

"CIRI," Dominik desperately said, feeling his voice continue to break.

The inside of the house was small. To his right was a dead fireplace with a shelve and dresser, but his vision tunneled forward, and when he saw her, he felt all of his breath leave his body, he could feel his very soul being violently ripped from him, and finally the voice that had been screaming at him slowly quieted as Dominik took in shaky breath after shaky breath.

She was laid out on the bed; her back was facing him. She was dressed exactly how she had been when Dudu had transformed into her, only without her sword on her back. Brown studded trousers with brown suede boots. An underbust leather corset with a beautiful belt of blue gems was around her waist, with her white silk shirt tied around her upper half. Her hair, he swore he could smell the juniper and cedar wood from where he stood in the doorway, it was tied loosely in a bun just like it had always been. He hadn't even seen the front of her yet and she was already the most beautiful vision he had ever seen. But she was unmoving, she didn't even move an inch when he called her name and as he stood there staring at the back of her, it felt as if someone was inside his body, violently pounding his heart with a mace.

And when he saw the chain running around the back of her neck, is when he finally broke down.

"Ciri…. No, no, no, no… Ciri," He said, feeling his voice croak and break more with every word as he moved his legs over to her.

With only a few steps he was at her bedside, and he right away fell to his knees at the head of the bed, his hands trembling as he gingerly reached out. When his gloved hands first made contact with her, when he touched her arm and she didn't respond, he felt eight years of loneliness and pain come rushing back into him at once.

"Ciri… Ciri… please Ciri wake up… please, please Ciri it's me… it's me, Dominik, I… I found you…. Please… please come on, come on Ciri…." He said, as he slowly turned her around onto her back on the bed.

Her arms fell lifeless to her side, as her beautiful, beautiful face came into his vision. He saw the scar that ran under her left eye, and even with it he still thought that he had never seen a more beautiful person in all of his life. She was there, in front of him, his Ciri, his love, the love of his life, his destiny, she was right there, right there in front of him and she wasn't moving. He didn't see those beautiful eyes, those eyes that he fell in love with eleven years ago when he was just a child in Cintra. They were unmoving, her eyes were closed and unmoving, her face was unmoving, her arms were unmoving, and just like the dwarf had said… she was as cold as ice.

"No… no… no… Ciri come on! Ciri, Ciri please, please come on," He begged, as he reached over, his hands wrapping around her shoulders.

He pulled himself up and sat on the side of her bed and leaned over her. Her lips weren't moving, all he had wanted for so long was to just hear her say his name. She was in front of him, she was a grown woman, the girl that he had fell in love with running the castle halls of Cintra was a grown woman in front of him now and her eyes still hadn't opened to look at him. Slowly he felt his breath begin to leave him at a rapid rate and no matter what he did he couldn't control it.

"CIRI! CIRI, CIRI COME ON WAKE UP PLEASE, PLEASE," He begged, feeling the tears begin to stream down his face like a churning waterfall.

His eyes went down from her face to around her neck. The iron chain, the exact same one he had given her so many years ago, the same exact one his father had given him, promising that it would protect him. He had given it to her to remember him. It was the symbol of their promise to each other, the symbol of their love and commitment to always trying to find one another. The swallow violently trembled around his neck, as if coming back into contact with Ciri and the ring had set it off.

Slowly he ran his arms around her lifeless shoulder and found his hand gingerly grabbing the ring, and a sob escaped him when she still didn't react. Nothing he did made her move, and with every second that past, he felt someone slowly jabbing the knife further into his chest, twisting it more and more to slowly siphon more of his will to live out of it.

"Come on… come on Ciri it's me! It's Dominik, come on… come on please wake up," He cried, his tears slowly falling onto her shirt as he didn't dare let go of her shoulder, "I… I can't do this without you anymore, I can't do any of it without you, not for another second… PLEASE CIRI COME ON… WAKE UP!"

He tried to gently shake her shoulders, but she still didn't move, and everything came crashing down inside of him. He sobbed again loudly and gently lifted her body up to him, wrapping an arm around her waist, his hand supported her lifeless body as he held her up to him. Her head limply fell into his shoulder, her head buried in his shoulder as he hugged her, just like she had used to do when they were young. Except this time her arms didn't excitedly wrap around her neck before she pulled back to kiss his cheek. This time she was lifeless, lifeless and unmoving. She didn't respond to his touch, to his voice, to anything. Ciri had always been the warmest person in his life, if he was ever cold and chilly, all he had to do was hold her, be around her and her life and warmth would completely overwhelm him. But now… she was cold, her entire body was cold as he held her.

She was as cold as the wind howling outside that hut. He hadn't been fast enough, he had failed her again, failed to get to her and bring her back. Just like he had failed to protect her from Vilgefortz, from being thrown into Leo Bonhart's arena, or being held in the prisons of the Aen Elle. He was supposed to protect her, not just because of destiny, but because that was what you did for the people you loved. You protected your loved ones, especially the love of your life, the person you knew made every day worth it. She was the only thing that got him through the eight years of hell he had gone through, her memory, the thought of being back with her, she was the reason he was alive. She had inspired him to keep going, her laugh, her smile, her presence was the only thing he wanted.

Most of all however he wanted to hold her, just to hold her. But he was holding her now and she was unmoving, her arms limply laying at his side. And it was all because he had failed, broken his promise. He broke his promise to Queen Calanthe, his promise to his father, to Geralt, to Yennefer… and most importantly to Ciri. He swore that he would never fail her… yet all he had done so far was just that.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry, I wasn't fast enough… I… I let you down," He said, burying his head into her hair as his tears flowed onto her shoulders, "Please… please don't leave me… don't leave me…. You promised…. I'm here again…I'm here, I know I'm late and I'm sorry but…. but I swear I will NEVER let you go again… just please… please wake up…."

Everything came crashing down when again she didn't answer. Slowly he pulled his head back and Ciri's head slumped backwards, and he felt his breath begin to get short. Carefully he laid her back down and he felt his brain begin to become erratic. His eyes didn't leave her and his skin crawled, as if a thousand beetles and ants were all biting into him at once. He hyperventilated and shot up, his eyes not leaving her body as he paced back and forth at her bed side.

"No, no, no, no NO…. CIRI, PLEASE GODS CIRI," He cried out, falling down to his knees again at her bedside, and finally he managed to tare his eyes and look to the doorway, "GERALT! Geralt we… we need to do something! We need to-."

He sobbed again when he saw his adopted father. For so, so long Geralt had been holding it all in, holding it all in for his sake, so Dominik didn't lose it. However, the sight of his daughter lifeless, his son crying into her arms and yelling her name had finally broken him. Geralt had fallen to his knees, his hand still on the door to support himself as he couldn't form words, his yellow witcher eyes locked on Ciri's lifeless body.

This made Dominik breathe ever quicker, feeling everything fall apart inside of him. He felt as if his heart, lungs, everything in his body fell to the pit of his stomach as he whirled back around to Ciri's body as she still hadn't moved. He shook his head and reached, one hand on her shoulder and the other on her stomach he continued to sob, feeling as if his body would soon burst into flames.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! You can't be dead, you won't die NO," He yelled, feeling his voice break again, "DON'T DO THIS TO ME! PLEASE! CIRI, CIRI WAKE UP, PLEASE CIRI!"

A large sob left him as his breath hitched, His head fell over her shoulder and buried into her neck again as he sobbed into her.

"Please… please I can't do it… I can't do it without you anymore, please…." He pleaded, pulling his head back to look at her face again.

She was still unmoving, no part of her body moved and she was still cold. When he pulled back and looked at her again, and he saw her eyes shut, her lips unmoving, something finally replaced the anguish, the pain, something washed over him, and it completely consumed every fiber of his being, every last cell in his body.

Rage, rage, a raw, powerful, seething rage ran through him. He didn't know where the rage was directed, he didn't know if it was towards Avallach, Eredin, or himself, but it completely overwhelmed him his arms shook violently, and rage flowed throughout every limb in his body. He blinked rapidly as he knew what would happen, the chaos, the rage that he had been holding in for so long was finally going to unleash inside of him.

It wasn't fair, none of it was fucking fair. He and Ciri deserved their happy ending, deserved to go off together and be in love with each other, to live with each other and be together. Even if he had done horrible things and didn't deserve it anymore, she did. Ciri deserved life, and she deserved everything good, everything that made her smile, made her laugh and made her feel complete. She had done nothing to deserve what happened to her. She had no fucking control over the blood she was born with, no control over whether she got powers or not. She didn't deserve to be hunted, attacked and kidnapped. The pure white rage boiled and boiled, it had been boiling for eight years and he knew that it was about to explode.

And the only things there he could take it out on would have been Geralt, or Ciri's lifeless body, so when he heard the loud monster roar in the distance getting startlingly close to the house they were in, both of his hands turned to fists. He looked over one more time at Ciri's face, her beautiful, angelic face that he had been yearning to see for so long.

"I'm so… so sorry…. So sorry I… I broke my promise again…. I love you… I love you more than anything…. I'm so sorry…" He cried one more time, before he slowly brought his head down and placed his lips over hers.

He kissed her, and she was still unmoving. He had been waiting to do that for so long, to lean forward and kiss her, to have her excitedly kiss him back while she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him. All he had wanted was for her to hold him, and to hold her back… but he hadn't been fast enough, and he had failed again. And now the rage filled him as he slowly stood to his feet, the fiery, white hot anger flashed into him, as he thought about every single opportunity he had to save her.

If he had just fucking been faster, been stronger then she would be alive, her eyes would be open and he'd have his arms around her and her arms around him again.

And when he heard the roar of the Fiend get closer, he reached behind his back and slowly slid _Fate _out of its sheath. He took one long, lingering, longing gaze at Ciri, and felt his heart finally shatter, the small frame that had been holding it together finally broken. The cold wind from the open door shot in and washed over him, but the rage kept his blood boiling.

Geralt was still on both his knees, not even paying attention to Dominik who had stood up. Slowly Dominik reached up and gripped the swallow as he finally turned away from her.

The fiend's roar got closer, and Dominik rushed out the door, right past Geralt, with all caution gone to the wind.

Because now he had nothing to lose anymore.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_The dreams had been sporadic, most of them nightmares, nightmares of him fighting, of Dominik fighting in increasingly dangerous battles. Sometimes he was on his own, in others she saw Geralt at his side. And now both to her slight pleasure but mostly horror she saw how he was now, the man he was now instead of the boy she remembered. In the previous year up until her dream in Lofeton when he saw her fighting Alayna, she had seen him fighting as the young fourteen-year old boy she remembered, but now in every dream she saw him as a man. It was to her pleasure because with every dream, she had gotten to see him, his handsome angular face, his messy brown hair that she just wanted to run her fingers through, and of course those eyes, those gorgeous eyes that matched her own. _

_ With each dream she realized what was happening, she was seeing everything that he and Geralt had been doing to find her, follow her tracks… to keep his promise to her. The dreams had been continuous, and she felt like she was watching a play, a play of an epic odyssey that they were both going on all to get to her. It made her heart somehow swell with love for him and Geralt both and fall at the fact that they seemed to be cleaning up the messes she had made…. And if she had been strong enough, more careful, then they wouldn't have had to do any of it. _

_ She first saw Dominik trailing through a cave, but he wasn't with Geralt in that moment. He was walking alongside a blonde-haired sorceress, carefully tracking his way around defenses, and she soon realized that he had been searching Avallach's laboratory in Velen. At the end she watched in horror as he fought one of the Wild Hunt commanders and was almost killed, silently she screamed when he was cut across the stomach to bleed out on the cavern floor. He had gotten up however and killed the commander, and Ciri was able to see just how good he was now, how the boy she loved had grown into a man, a handsome, powerful man. _

_ In another dream she saw Geralt and he in Crookback Bog, the exact same village that she had escaped from the crones. She watched on as Dominik and Geralt both slew necrophages with the beastly sisters setting out a thick fog around them to block their escape. She saw how Dominik saved a young woman from being gripped by a Fiend larger then she had ever seen, before he was flung up onto its back and stabbed it with nothing but a silver dagger, before she saw him unleash what she realized as the Aard sign and blasted it off its feet. After he had landed on his feet the dreams began to shift, rapid all at once, playing through her mind as she watched, unable to shout anything. _

_ They arrived in Novigrad, and Ciri saw Dominik hugging Triss before it quickly shifted. She wasn't afraid to admit how she felt her heart thump rapidly under her breast when she saw him following Geralt into a bathhouse, only a towel wrapped around his waist. In the few seconds she saw his bare chest and torso, she took in two long visible scars across his body, a long one from his right shoulder all the way down to his waist, and another deep, long one that ran across his torso. Multiple small scars and stab wounds littered his broad chest, defined torso and arms, but to Ciri he was even more handsome then she could have thought. She felt a wave of sadness run through her as the vision shifted again, and she watched as he and Geralt both nervously walked Triss, who was in handcuffs into a large barracks. A fight broke out when Dominik blasted a table at the commander of the Temple Guard, before the boy she loved dueled and killed the man. _

_ It shifted forward again, and the next vision Ciri had seen before, but this time it was in even more detail. Dominik was back to back with what she realized was another witcher, wearing gilded green and gold armor, as they both spun parried and blasted through soldiers of the Wild Hunt, before Baelen shouted through the cavern._

_ Dominik and Baelen exchanged words Ciri couldn't hear, before Baelen unleashed a blast of magic, and erupted a ring of fire around herself and him. What resulted next was the most intense duel Ciri had ever witnessed, as Dominik and Baelen both spun, parried, and whirled around one another. She watched as Dominik's eyes grew bright blue, and a thousand questions whirled in her head as small blast of magic erupted every time he and Baelen's swords crashed. Just like when she unleashed her powers magic erupted around his limbs and after one final __***BOOM***_ _erupted, Ciri's vision went completely black. _

_ "What… what's going on…" She said breathlessly, as she looked around and all she could see was the black void filling in around her. _

_ "Ciri… Ciri… come to us…" A voice whispered loudly into her ear, as if someone were standing right next to her and speaking. _

_ "Who's there!? Who is that," Ciri demanded, whirling around and that was when the blast of frost hit her. _

_ Her vision went white and wind howled in her ears. She felt her bones chill to the core as she held her hands up to protect herself from the violent winds and snow. She was on the side of the mountain, and she realized that she was back in the dream that she had so many times since she last remembered being awake. It had been intermixed with her dreams of Dominik and Geralt. She peered through her hands as she could feel frost building up on her nose and snow gather in her hair, that was when she saw the tower again, the spire jetting out from the snow. The entrance, the portal was only a few meters away, and if she moved her feet she knew that she could make it there. _

_ "Ciri…. Come… come… come now…" The voice pierced into her ears again. _

_ It asked her every time, beckoned her to come forward, urged her to enter the portal, but every time she was hesitant. She couldn't bring herself to do so, every time she thought of it, she found her overwhelming desire to see more dreams of Dominik and Geralt overtake her, and that was when the dreams of them both flashed into her vision. This time however the voice was more incessant, and the snow began to churn even more violently, the wind howled even louder in her ears. Around her neck the bronze ring swirled violently and bounced off her chest as she tried to focus her vision on the stone spire, the beam of magic that was erupting out of it. _

_ She had no idea what it wanted, but it kept calling to her. One half of her brain was telling her to go, to finally figure out what it wanted, but the other was screaming at her to stand her ground. Slowly she looked down at the ring blowing in the wind, and she carefully reached one hand down and grabbed it. She held it up to her eyes, and his face flashed into her mind. Her destiny, Dominik and Geralt, her destiny, the two people she knew she would be forever linked, to forever love, all she wanted to do was be back with them again. _

_ She didn't want to run anymore, to hide, she wanted to be with them both. She wanted to be with Dominik, just like they had planned when they were younger. All she wanted was to feel his strong arms around her and leap up to wrap her legs around his waist. She wanted to hear him say her name, see that goofy smile he got when she kissed him, have him call her 'princess' and smile at her like she was the most important person in the world. They would go out and travel the Path together, see the continent and save people along the way, being together like they had wanted from the moment they met one another. _

_ But the portal kept beckoning to her, frost started to cover the tip of her nose, the tops of her ears, and she could feel the snow getting caught in her ashen locks. _

_ "Ciri… come Ciri…" The voice continued to call, and she finally felt herself growling in agitation. Normally when she thought about Dominik and Geralt the dream would shift, but this time it didn't. _

_ Her legs started to move forward, intent on finally going towards the spire when a new voice pierced the air, and for the first time it wasn't a voice calling her to enter the tower. The voice rang clear over the wind, and Ciri's head shot up towards the sky as soon as she heard it. _

"_CIRI! CIRI, CIRI COME ON WAKE UP PLEASE, PLEASE," The pleading voice rang in her ears, overtaking the voice telling her to come to the spire, it rang over the wind and pierced down into the very depths of her soul. _

_ "Dom…." She said breathlessly, her hands coming out from in front of her face. The ring dangled around her neck as she looked up into the sky, trying to find where it came from, "DOM!? DOMINIK!?"_

_ "Come on… come on Ciri it's me! It's Dominik, come on… come on please wake up," His voice rang again, and Ciri could hear the pang and anguish washing over him. _

_ Ciri's breath quickened as her boots churned in the snow and she looked around, desperately trying to find his voice. Her hand went up and gripped around the ring, as his voice, his anguished pained voice washed over her, and all she wanted to do was make his pain stop. She had never heard him speak that way, with so much regret and lament, and she knew that if she could just find him that she could make it go away. So many times had she been upset, hurt, worried or crying, and when she did, he would do everything he could to make her feel better. _

_ No matter how he felt, she had always been his first priority. _

_ "DOM, DOMINIK I'M HERE! I'M RIGHT HERE, DOM," She yelled, feeling her voice rake against her throat as she screamed. _

_ He didn't hear her because his voice came back again, "Please… please I can't do it… I can't do it without you anymore, please…"_

_ "I'M RIGHT HERE, PLEASE DOM I'M HERE, IT'S OKAY I'M HERE! DOMINIK," Ciri desperately screeched again, her hand gripping tighter on the ring as she tried to find him. _

_ He had never stopped, and now he had finally found her, but she couldn't see him. All she saw around her was a swirling vortex of snow. The white flakes continued to swirl as no matter where she turned she couldn't locate where he was, where his voice was coming from. She couldn't do it without him anymore either, for so, so long she had been apart from him, she knew he had been traveling alone looking for her for all this time, and she had been doing the same. Both of them had been fighting, fighting tooth and nail to get back and now all she wanted was for it all to finally stop. Anyone who stood in her way of that was going to pay. _

_ Baelen had told her they planned to capture him and use him to lure her out, and if they did get their hands on him she knew it would work. She'd kill every last one of them, every one that laid a finger on him or any member of her family. And now she didn't know where he was, but she could hear his voice as clearly as if he was right in front of her, but she still couldn't see him, couldn't locate where his voice was coming from. _

_ Dominik hadn't deserved it, hadn't deserved what happened. She had done horrible things to survive, but she didn't know why the universe was taking it out on him to punish her. _

_ "I'm so… so sorry…. So sorry I… I broke my promise again…. I love you… I love you more than anything…. I'm so sorry…" She heard ring in her ears, and it felt as if he was right in front of her, speaking right to her face. _

_ She could even feel a warm burst hit her neck as if he were breathing right next to her. He was near her, he was close, he was right on top of her he had to be. But she still couldn't find him and finally it made her scream. _

_ "I LOVE YOU TOO. DOM I'M HERE WHERE-," She was cut off when she felt her lips tingle. Her lips tingled and she felt them become wet. A rush of sensation ran through her body, through her breast, through her entire core, as she could feel his kiss but still couldn't see him. _

_ The hot feeling that felt like he was next to her, breathing right on her neck slowly went away, and soon the wind stopped howling and all she heard was the distant roar of a monster. The monster's cry was so distant but somehow she knew it had to be near. She didn't hear his voice again as a blackness and silence overtook everything around her. Whirling around she was in a black vortex, feeling as if she was standing on air all she saw around her was the black. Her hands started to shake as she felt frost begin to melt off her nose and ears. _

_ "Dom… Dominik…. Geralt… anyone!? Is anyone there," She called out desperately, the sound of his anguished voice bouncing inside her head. _

_ Dominik and Geralt, her dreams had been showing her small bits of their quest, their quest to find her. According to Dandelion Dominik didn't know what happened in Rivia. He thought that Geralt and Yennefer were both dead, that she was all but gone, and that he was all alone… but he had still been looking for her, trying to keep his promise. _

_ And she had failed… she had broken that promise three times now. Three times she had the opportunity to go to him, but she had taken none of them. Now he was somehow so close to her, she felt like he was right on top of her, but she hadn't been able to get to him… and she didn't know if she even deserved it anymore, deserved that love he was trying to give. Despite that thought running through her however, all she wanted was him, him, Geralt, Yennefer, her room at the inn in Ellander, her family back… but as she stood in that black vortex… it all felt gone._

_ "I'm so sorry… I'm so, so sorry…" She said with a shake of her head, feeling the makeup around her eyes begin to run as she looked down at the ring._

_ "Ciri… gods Ciri…." A deep voice said in her ears, but this time it wasn't Dominik's. _

_ Her head shot up, and she felt something, felt as if someone was wrapping their arms around her, and she was being lifted up off the ground. _

_ "I'm sorry… it was my job to protect you both…. I'm so sorry…" The voice rang in her head, and upon hearing it the second time, Ciri finally realized it, and her emerald eyes widened. _

_ "GERALT!? GERALT," She yelled, whirling around and looking into the endless blackness, "GERALT I'M HERE!"_

_ She felt her body squeezed tighter, and she kept whirling around, blackness was all she saw. Her body began to quiver, as now Dominik and Geralt both had called out to her, but she couldn't find either of them. _

_ "GERAAAALT! DOMINIK, GERALT I'M-," She began to scream, but soon she was cut off by the bright white light enveloping her vision. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Her eyes fluttered open, and all the senses in her body returned to Ciri at once. She darted her emerald eyes to the left and saw the head of silver hair, and in that moment she felt herself completely melt, her heart filled up. The feeling returned into her arms, and she after so long wrapped her arms back around her father, back around his neck and his waist… and for a few seconds, Ciri felt like nothing was wrong in the world. She felt Geralt stir, and her heart thumped rapidly in her chest as he slowly pulled his head back, and when his yellow witcher eyes met hers, she saw something in her father's eyes that she had never seen.

Anguish, but it was quickly replaced by a swarm of relief.

"C…Ciri…." Her father said breathlessly, his arms still wrapped around her.

She let out a shaky breath as she could barely speak, "Geralt…."

"I… I thought-," He started, but she quickly cut him off by fiercely wrapping her arms around him, her father, her destiny, and when he hugged her back, she felt like everything would be okay.

She heard Geralt scoff out and relief, and even manage a small laugh. She knew how rare it was for her father to laugh like that, to show so much emotion and it only made her feel more loved. When he had come for her and Yennefer at Stygga Castle she could remember how she threw herself into her father's arms, and how safe she felt. A cool breeze of salty sea smelling air washed over her, small goosebumps went up her arms for a moment, but it was quickly washed away by the warmth she got from her father's embrace. The feeling was slowly starting return to her limbs and she felt her lips curl into a smile as she squeezed tighter around the older witchers neck, not daring to let him go in fear that she was in another dream.

Since she had met him in the Brokolon Forest so long ago she felt it, felt that spark of destiny pass between them both. He was her destiny, one of the two people who would be with her always, always love her, always be there for her. She was the daughter of Geralt of Rivia, she didn't care what anyone else said, she was Cirilla, the daughter of Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg. A thousand thoughts began to race into her mind at once, where had he come and found her this time? She could smell the dust and the musty smell of sea air, how had she gotten there, how had Geralt gotten there?

Geralt seemed reluctant but slowly pulled back from her, and for a moment Ciri yearned for her father's embrace again, but when she saw the older witcher smile it sent just as much warmth through her body. She loved it when he smiled, most people saw a large brooding witcher, but her and Dominik knew on the inside Geralt was a loving person, who would do anything for the ones he cared about. She blinked a few times to quickly take in her surroundings. They were inside a small hut, Geralt was sitting next to her as she sat on a bed, to her right the door to the building was swung open, and outside she could see rocks, trees, and smell the distinct smell of a bog and the sea.

Slowly she moved craned her head back to Geralt, a dose of fatigue still washed over her, the kind you felt after waking up from a long sleep, which she assumed that she had. The final thing she remembered was Avallach's spell, and now she didn't know where she was, but in the back of her mind she didn't care, Geralt was there, and where Geralt was she knew Dominik had to be.

"Where… where are we," She asked, bringing one of her gloved hands up to rub her eyes.

Geralt sighed out in relief and his eyes didn't leave her for a moment, "It's called the Isle of Mists, a hidden magic island in Skellige… are you alright? Ciri you… you were lifeless."

Slowly she nodded, feeling her brain begin to whir again, "I… I'm alright. Isle of Mists? How… how did I get here? The last thing I remember is Avallach-."

"He took you here, hid you away so the Hunt couldn't track you," Geralt quickly explained. One of his hands slid off her shoulder, but his other stayed on her arm, "What's the last thing that you remember?"

The dreams all came into Ciri's mind again, all the dreams she had about Dominik and Geralt both. And then the spire, the spire with the magic portal beckoning her to enter, the snow and wind blowing her hair. She slowly shook her head to clear her muddle brain and looked up to meet Geralt's eyes again however, remembering the voices.

"I… I heard your voice, felt you wrapping your arms around me," She said slowly, looking out the window again, "What happened when you got here?"

She felt her legs yearning to move, so Geralt moved aside on the bed, and Ciri slid her legs around. When her boots hit the floor, she felt her knees buckle, as it felt like pins and needles were being shoved into the bottoms of her feet. After a moment she composed herself and looked back over to Geralt who still hadn't taken his eyes off her. Warmth ran through her chest despite the sweat that she felt covering her body, and a yawn escaped her as her father gestured towards the door.

"We… found you in here… like I said, you weren't moving," Geralt said, his voice still slightly shaking as he met Ciri's gaze, "Dom he… he broke down, he tried to wake you but-."

"Dominik," She said breathlessly, remembering his anguished voice playing in her head, begging her, pleading her to wake up, she looked around the house and he wasn't there, remembering the exact scenario playing out at Stygga Castle she met Geralt's eyes with a pleading glance, "Geralt where… where is he? I… I heard his voice, I heard his voice while I was dreaming and-."

"ARGGGHHHHHHHHH FUCK, GODS DAMMIT YOU SON OF A BITCH," A loud guttural yell flooded into the hut, cutting her off an making both Geralt and he whirl around.

Her eyes widened, and she felt her skin begin to tingle, running all the way through her body, all the way from her core to her head it shook. It was him, that yell was him, she recognized the voice. However, he didn't sound in pain and anguish. She had never heard him, or anyone scream with such a fiery rage in her life. A loud ***ROAR*** ripped through the house after the scream and Geralt quickly shot up to his feet as another loud ***BOOM* **erupted from outside, and Ciri could almost feel the ground beneath her boots shake.

"FUCK, we need to get to him NOW," Geralt said sharply, shooting to his feet and turning to Ciri, "I've never seen him like that… if his powers unleash more then he can handle-."

"Powers…" Ciri asked quickly, feeling her mind begin to race again, as she could see his face pop into her head, but the continued roar and yell from outside sent a wave of worry rushing over her, she shot to her feet as well and after stumbling for a moment she looked and met Geralt's eyes again, "Geralt what are you talking about is he alright!?"

"We'll explain later, he needs to see you, needs to know you're alive, he thinks you're dead," Geralt said quickly and her father's eyes narrowed to the corner of the room.

The older witcher quickly stepped over to one corner of the room and Ciri's eyes widened, and a small bit of relief washed over her as he saw her sword in Geralt's hands. She moved over and gingerly took it, slinging the strap over her, and when the sheath hit her back she felt like her old self again, all her senses finally returned. Another loud ***BOOM*** sent a small quake rippling under Ciri's feet, and her eyes darted outside the door.

Wind howled in her ears and she could see the trees churning violently in the breeze, and a smell of soot and salty air hit her nose. Dominik was there, she could hear him yelling. He thought she was dead, after everything he had gone through he thought she was gone, and that he had suffered for nothing. She remembered all the times over the years where she would lay awake, the memories of their time together pounding into her head. She'd lay awake for hours at a time looking at the ring, remembering the feeling of his arms around her, thinking about the goofy smile, how flustered he got just by looking at her, even after years of being together.

And now he was hurt, hurting more then she could possibly fathom. Dandelion had only told her about a small portion of what he had done, what he had been through, and Ciri was sure that he had gone through even more then he had told the bard. She knew how he felt, carrying around that loneliness, missing the other person, the person you loved with all your heart. She would have reacted in a similar way that he was then if he had found him dead after all these years. Getting back to him, back to Geralt, Yennefer, her family was all that got her through most of her time alone, and if she had returned to find even one of them dead, let alone Dominik, she would have erupted.

A million questions ran through her head, what powers were Geralt referring too, and how could it harm him? How had they gotten to her, what would happen next? How had they known where to finally get to her? What did they have to go through? She pushed all the questions from her mind in that moment, however. He needed her then, needed her more then he ever had. And for so long she hadn't been there for him, but now she was back, and he was only meters away from her. So many times when she was young she would either injure herself, have nightmares, lay awake with the weight of her powers weighing her down. And every time she was, no matter how big or small her problem was, he was always there. He would have done anything to even put the smallest smile on her face. Whether it was carrying her back to Kaer Morhen on his back when she twisted her ankle after falling off the gauntlet, sitting by her bedside and feeding her apples when she had her cramps, letting her lay her head on his shoulder to nap after a long day of training, or simply sitting and speaking to her, and looking down at her like she was the most special person in the world. He had always been there for her.

After so long, she finally had the chance to be there for him. And in doing so, she would finally get to see the boy she loved after eight fucking years.

"Where is he!? Do we know where he went," Ciri asked frantically, straightening her sword on her back as Geralt walked out towards the door.

The wind smacked against her face and she felt chills run up her spine as Geralt and she both ran out of the smaller building. She stopped in her tracks when Geralt quickly nodded and ran his gloved hands along the dirt. Ciri looked down as well and saw the same thing her father did. Prints, deep prints that indicated someone was moving at a quick pace, and they ran off to the right, down towards a set of cliffs.

Geralt shot to his feet and turned to her, "He went this way. A fiend, we saw it when we landed. I told him we should've taken it out, but he wasn't having it. After he found you it roared again, sounded close. He… pulled out his sword and ran."

"It's just a fiend…" Ciri said, meeting Geralt's eyes as both their hair blew in the wind, "I'm sure he's killed plenty…"

Geralt nodded, "He has, it's not that I'm worried about. But it's those powers I mentioned. When he gets too angry and they unleash-."

"SON OF A BITCH, COME ON, ARGHHHHHHHHH," Dominik's screams ripped through the air and Ciri felt her heart sink into his stomach.

The mixture of anger, anguish and pure pain washed over Ciri and she felt her thumping heart fall down to the depths of her stomach. He was in pain, so much pain and she could hear it in his voice and it almost made a tear fall from her eyes. She needed him, and for so long she hadn't been there.

But now it was different, she'd be there for him this time.

"Come on let's go then," She said, looking down and seeing the direction the tracks go in before she met Geralt's eyes again, "I won't leave him alone…. Never again."

Ciri's blood raced as she quickly wrapped her hands up around the ring before letting it bounce down against her chest. For so long she had been dreaming of this, wondering how it would happen, what it would be like when she first saw him. In an ideal world it would be like that day she finally saw him again in Ellander, after all those months she spent away from him in the Temple of Melitele, the two of them running into each other's arms, her wrapping her legs around his waist as he eagerly hugged her, one hand in her hair and the other around her waist. She'd pull back and kiss him, finally get to kiss him again after so long.

But she knew in that world or any other world, things rarely ever went the exact way you wanted them too. She didn't care however, she was finally going to have him back, her Dominik, her love, her destiny, and with Geralt next to her now and Dominik close by… she'd soon finally feel complete and safe again.

Another loud ***ROAR* **and ***BOOM*** ripped through the sky, and with Geralt close at her heels she took off down the path towards the cliffs.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"There, near the base of the lighthouse see him!?" Geralt said from next to her, his hand pointed out.

A loud ***BOOM* **shook the ground beneath her again, and she looked up to finally see what she had been waiting to see for so long, what she had been dreaming about for eight years. The fog around the island was becoming thick, but the bright blue magic that emanated from Dominik's limbs and the fire from the lighthouse gave her a clear path of vision. Her eyes widened and she felt her heart beating wildly and fluttering behind her breast as she pulled up next to Geralt and couldn't take her eyes off the fight, she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Dominik…." She said breathlessly as he leaped to avoid the smash of a fiend's arm and slammed down a spell, Ciri saw the glyph of the Yrden sign appear and the Fiend was immobilized.

For a second he stood there and Ciri could see his chest rising and falling rapidly. He was wearing some of the most beautiful armor she had ever seen, and on his back she could see two sheaths, one long sleek glinting silver blade was in his hands as his steel was still on his back. The wind blew through his messy brown hair that was still as unruly as Ciri remembered. Her stomach and chest fluttered, and she could feel as if her heart were slowly being put back into place. Finally, she saw him, he was right there only a few meters away, the boy she had a crush on as they ran through the castle halls of Cintra. The boy who she fell in love with, a deep love that even after eight years she still felt, not having been broken even after so long. Like she had told Gretka, some relationships are so strong that it didn't matter how much time had passed by since you saw each other, those feelings would never break. And that was what the two of them had, a bond that wouldn't be broken, a bond forged through so many hardships that it didn't matter what other ones they face, they would come out of it together.

She looked and could see his broad chest and defined arms, but when she looked to his eyes, she didn't see the gorgeous green that matched her own. His eyebrows were furrowed, and they were completely overtaken by a bright blue light of magic, the same color she always saw radiating from herself when her own powers activated. She could feel the raw, powerful magic rushing out of him, it churned violently around his arms and legs, and Ciri's eyes widened when the Fiend finally escaped from the Yrden glyph and lunged out for him again.

"DOMINIK," She screeched out, just as the monster's fist smacked down towards the ground, right where he was standing.

"ARHGGHHHHHH," He screamed, side-stepping and slicing his silver blade upwards.

Another ***BOOM* **erupted, she and Geralt both had to put their hands up to avoid the large cloud of soot that shot through the air. When she finally looked again the fiend roared in agony, its cry could have been heard all the way in Kovir it had roared so loud, and Ciri's eyes widened in astonishment when she saw its bloody hand hanging off its wrist, blood gushed down from it and her eyes darted to Dominik who stood there with his now bloody silver sword in hand.

"DOM, DOMINIK," Geralt screamed from next to her.

However, Dominik either didn't hear him or ignored Geralt because next he tossed his silver to the ground, and Ciri saw all the magic channel into his palms. The magic that whirled around him all circled him for a moment, and Ciri saw the magic churn and then when he screamed next, Ciri heard eight years of pain ripping out of his voice.

"GAHHHHHHHH FUCK, FUCK, FUCK," Dominik yelled, as she shot his hands forward, and all the magic erupted from his palms and an Aard blast more powerful then Ciri had ever seen shot from his hands.

The blue burst of telekinetic energy rippled through the air and smacked into the roaring fiend. As soon as it contacted the beast it was fired backwards as if it had been shot from a ballista. It got knocked back so hard Ciri's mouth fell open as it tumbled off the cliff, towards the rocks jetting out of the water, and a loud splash of sea water soon shot upwards. Dominik ran to the side of the cliffs to make sure his opponent was dead, and when he seemed to realize the fiend wasn't resurfacing Ciri saw his knees shake, as he fell down to both of them, screaming out into the howling wind as he faced the sea.

"NO, NOOOOO, FUCK, NO," He yelled as Ciri could hear his voice breaking and it made her heart almost crack to pieces right there.

She could hear the pain, it was so real that Ciri felt her stomach erupt in regret. If she had just gone to him, gone to him one of the two times she had come back, or waited for him in Novigrad, he wouldn't be feeling this pain right now. But it was all in the past now, now she was there, she only a few meters away from him, but for some reason she couldn't move her legs. She felt her eyes begin to tingle, as water started to build up in them. She knew that she wanted to say she was sorry, but she had no idea how to even begin the conversation. For eight years she had wanted this, wanted him, and every fiber of her being wanted to run to him, but for some reason in that moment a tingling of nervousness flooded over her whole body.

What if he hated her for leaving him? What did he think of her being the daughter of the Emperor, or what would he say when he figured out about Mistle, and all the horrible things she did with the rats, or that she had the chance to come back to him, but didn't? It was a ridiculous notion and she felt childish for even thinking it, but what if he simply didn't feel it anymore? Didn't feel that spark she felt when she first saw him…. She loved him, and he was sitting there on his knees thinking she was dead, and finally she'd have the chance to help him, to hold him again, but she couldn't find the will to move her feet.

For a few seconds she simply stared at him, stared at his back as the magic slowly disappeared from his limbs. She couldn't find it in herself to move, the nervousness and regret flooding into her and washing over her like a rapidly flowing river. But when she heard his sobs, the loud sobs that came from him… she wanted nothing more then to go hold him, just like they used to do when they were younger.

"It's alright," Geralt said slowly, and Ciri looked over to her father when he put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile, "Go on, it's alright I promise."

"But… but Geralt I, I could have gone to him, gone to him-," She started, but Geralt quickly cut her off with a shake of his head.

"None of that matters anymore. All that matters is you're here together now," Geralt said, slowly turning his head over towards Dominik at the cliffs, "You've both been-. DOM NO STOP NOW!"

Her head whirled around, and her eyes widened when she saw why Geralt was screaming. Dominik had gotten up off his knees, and he had taken steps backwards, and Ciri's heart nearly leapt out of her chest when she saw him shakily grip the swallow around his neck, before taking steps towards the cliff.

"NO," She screamed, as she sprinted forward, but he didn't hear her.

He took another step towards the cliffs, and just as his foot was about to step off of it, plunging him down into the rocky, violent churning waters she felt magic whirl around her own limbs. She closed her eyes and focused on the spot just behind him and willed herself forward. Teleporting forwards she found herself inches from him, and just as he was about to fall off the side she lunged forwards and grabbed onto his arm. She pulled backwards with everything she had, and since he wasn't ready, he whirled around and fell forward. He slammed into her and they both fell backwards down the small hill and rolled. Dirt got into Ciri's mouth and she coughed when she finally stopped rolling, before she quickly whirled her head back around to see Dominik coughing as well.

Her heart nearly thumped out of her chest, and she felt a tingle run from in her chest all the way down through her entire body, when she saw him blink. He blinked and coughed and when he finally turned his head towards her, Ciri saw his eyes. Those gorgeous, beautiful, loving emerald green eyes, and the mere sight of them made her let out a shaky breath as every one of her limbs tingled.

"D…Dominik…" She said, managing to find her voice, and when she spoke, for a moment she felt like she was a giddy thirteen-year-old again, just seeing her boyfriend for the first time after months apart when she was at the temple.

She felt the fluttering continue to build up in her chest as she quickly ran her gloved hand through her hair and pushed the strands out of her eyes. Dominik finally stopped coughing, and when her voice seemed to register in his head, slowly, still on his knees he turned to finally meet her gaze.

And when he did, still, still after eight long years, the meeting of their eyes sent sensational tingles down her chest all the way through her body. She was flashed back to the first time their eyes met, all the way back when they were eleven years old on that balcony in Cintra. And just like all the way back then, Ciri felt and instant connective spark, as if after so many years she finally felt her heart complete again. He didn't even blink as his mouth moved and Ciri could hear his still labored breathing. Finally, he blinked multiple times as if he were trying to make sure he were dreaming. Ciri didn't dare blink her eyes however, for the fear that if she did he would disappear forever, that it would all disappear again.

Dominik almost stumbled as he got up to his feet and seeing him do so, Ciri quickly did the same. She shakily stood up, but their eyes never left each other. They both stood there, and she took in every single detail of his face. His strong jawline, his messy hair that he quickly tried to run his hand through. She almost laughed when she saw the patchy stubble around his chin, he still hadn't managed to grow a full beard just like she had always teased him about. Just like back then however, beard or no beard, Ciri had never found him more handsome then she did in that moment. He was beautiful, there was no other way she could describe him.

He quickly sucked in and let out a shaky breath, and Ciri felt her entire body tremble with anticipation as he slowly took a step towards her. In his gaze Ciri could see water forming, threatening to burst from his already swollen green eyes. She watched and felt a smile slowly begin to form on her lips as he scoffed lightly. The nervousness was replaced with relief, and she felt her heart begin to soar and swell up as she saw him taking in every detail of her face. And in that moment she knew she had been right. His gaze, his look of love made her heart swell more then any of the people she met who claimed to love her over the years. Nobody had the look on their face that Dominik had in that moment, nobody had ever made her feel so loved.

She watched as he slowly pulled off both his gloves, and took another step closer to her, and she felt herself pleasantly tremble as she could feel his breath hit her neck. He looked down at her, he was only about a half a head taller then her, and she felt herself let out a small breathless laugh. He brought his hand slowly up, and gently, lovingly ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, right over her scar and when he did, she felt an electric spark run through her, a sensation, a pleasure she hadn't felt in eight years. Slowly she slipped off both her gloves as well, and carefully put one hand on the arm he was using to gently stroke her cheek, and at her touch she heard him let out a breathless laugh, and finally, after eight years of missing it, she saw that goofy, loving smile appear on his face as he looked at her, their emerald eyes stayed locked with one another and when he spoke, Ciri felt a warming chill run through her breast.

"You…. You're real…." He said slowly, his deep mature voice washing over her, as she could see a small tear finally fall down his cheek.

She let out a shaky breath and felt herself sniffle as well, the water in her eyes finally beginning to slowly fall down her face.

"I… I am…" She said slowly, bringing her other hand up to touch his arm as well, not daring to let her gaze leave him, "I… I missed you…. I missed you so… so much…."

He let out a laugh, a true genuine laugh as the tears started streaming down his face, and when he did Ciri finally felt herself melt into him as well. She leaped up and wrapped both of her hands around his neck, squeezing them both around him and just like when they were young he caught under her legs for a moment before wrapping both of his strong arms around her. One of his hands went up to the back of her head to hold her hair while the other wrapped tightly around her. She wrapped both of her legs around his waist as she heard him sob, and before she knew it she was sobbing uncontrollably into his neck as she didn't dare let go, not even for a moment, she wanted to stay there forever, she didn't care if they had been in the middle of a lake, an active volcano, she never wanted to leave that embrace.

After eight years of running, fighting, so much fighting and pain, she finally felt safe, safe in his arms, knowing that Geralt was also watching close by. She had him back, she had her Dominik back, her love, her destiny. He was back, he was really holding onto her and she could hear him continuously sob into her shoulder, as his grip around her continued to tighten but she didn't care, with every squeeze she felt loved, she felt love rush over her, love that she had been craving for so long, his love, Dominik's love, the only love that had ever made her feel complete.

And in that moment she forgot about everything. She forgot about the Hunt, Avallach, her powers, the last eight years, nothing mattered in that moment other then him. Her heart which had been slowly falling to pieces, blood siphoning with every nightmare and dreams he had of him, in an instant it was complete again. She felt like a child again, the two of them hugging and rolling around in the meadow outside Ellander, and she couldn't think of another moment in her life that she would feel more complete.

After everything she had been through, from Aretuza, to the Rats, to the arena, to Tir'Nala, to Stygga Castle, it had all been worth it in that moment. Everything she had gone through and fought for had been worth it as she sobbed into his arms, for the first time in she didn't know how long happiness, fulfillment and love had washed over her completely, and she would never need anything else. She had finally kept her promise, the promise they had made to each other all those years ago in the cave to always love and get to each other.

Even though she had broken it at first, she could remember that snowy day in Ellander. The day that they sledded and rolled around in the snow, and like usual he had made her feel like the most special person in the world, and she had promised him that she would never leave him. She had no intention on breaking that promise at first, but she had… but now, now she never would again.

It was going to be her and Dominik versus the world, just like it should have been from the beginning.

She felt herself sob and laugh as she squeezed harder around his neck, and he did the same. His arms or legs must have been shaking too hard because slowly he got down to his knees, his arms still around her waist, so Ciri slowly slid her legs down and got to her knees as well. He sobbed again and as soon as their knees hit the ground she felt his hands slowly slide down her back and she felt a pleasuring tingle run up her spine as both his hands finally rested on her waist as he held her only inches from him, he sobbed again, she felt him pull his head out from her neck, and so she reluctantly pulled her head back, sobbing and laughing at the same time as she finally met his eyes and she could see the joy, the pure joy and fulfillment in them and neither of them seemed to be able to control their laughter or sobs.

Around her neck she felt the ring bounce in the wind, and she saw the swallow and his witcher medallion do the same. The cold breeze however had no effect on her, as she felt nothing but warmth in his embrace as his hands stayed wrapped around her waist. Her eyes didn't leave his as her bare hands slowly slid from his neck and she found herself gently grabbing his face, and her cold hands warmed as she did. He laughed and sobbed again before she gently leaned her forehead against his, and when their heads connected the spark erupted again and she choked out a sobbed laugh. She had no idea what to say next, but she felt the stubble around his chin and said the first thing that popped into her head.

She sobbed a laugh again as their eyes stayed locked, "You… you still haven't grown a full beard yet!"

He laughed and she did the same, tears flowing from each of their faces. She felt her makeup run down her face as tears continued to stream. His laugh washed over her and she felt more complete then she ever had, more loved, and more in love then she ever had. She continued to sob and laugh, but when she saw his eyes lovingly stare deep into hers, and the goofy smile appear on his face, she felt her whole body give a pleasant shudder as her heart beat quickly behind her breast, and her stomach felt like a thousand pleasant butterflies had been released.

And when he spoke she almost felt her heart burst from her chest.

"I…I never thought you could get more beautiful…." He said breathlessly, his arms wrapping tighter around her waist.

She felt another sob and laugh escape her, as she kept her forehead against his, and under the bangs of her ashen locks she met his eyes again. For a few moments they simply breathed heavily, sobbed and laughed, smiles adorned on both of their faces. She bit her lip as the smile grew on her face, but for a second she remembered what she wanted to say. She remembered what she had promised would be the first thing she said to him.

After eight years, she finally got ready to say the words she had been holding in, but before she could say it, he spoke again.

"I… I am so… so sorry," He said, a sob escaping him as he slowly shook his head, closing his eyes fiercely for a second, before he opened them and met her gaze again, "I… I won't let you go… not again…. I love you… I love you so much."

He sobbed and this led her to doing the same. Him being sorry? The idea was ridiculous to her, he had absolutely nothing to be sorry for, he hadn't done anything. Everything that had happened was completely out of his control. He couldn't control what Vilgefortz or Bonhart did, what happened at Rivia, he couldn't control any of it… but she could have. She had three opportunities to have this moment happen earlier. They were together now yes, but she slowly shook her head, keeping their eyes locked she breathed out a few shaky breaths before she gazed deep into his green iris's.

"I… I'm sorry to," She managed to sob out, her gloveless hands gently holding onto both his cheeks, "I… I'll never leave again… me… me and you versus everyone…. I love you… I love you Dominik…."

He sobbed out again but this time Ciri's smile widened when she could hear the laugh in it. She met his eyes as Dominik gently pulled her waist closer, their bodies touching, as again he brought one hand up to stroke her cheek. When Dominik's hand gently brushed over her scar, a pleasurable chill ran down her entire body. His gloveless hands were callused and rough, but also gentle, and she could feel him trying to transfer every bit of love she could to him. The pleasurable tingle continued to wash over her, and when his hand slid back to her waist, she gently wrapped her arms around his neck again. And when he looked back into her eyes, she felt the love from his gaze wash over her.

Another small laugh and sob left him as he gazed into her eyes, "I… I've been waiting so long to hear you say that…. Like… like I said I promise-."

And she cut him off by kissing him, smashing her lips onto his like she had been yearning to do for so, so long. When he realized what was happening she felt his arms wrap tighter around her, as his one hand went up to gently run through her hair. Every time his lips touched hers she felt the pleasure rush through her body, from her breast to her core she felt like every single cell in her body was erupting in a pleasurable tingle. Other then Mistle she had a few pecks on the cheek and lips over the years, but none of it made her feel the way that simply kissing him did. She put every bit of passion and love into her kiss as she could, moving her lips with his in perfect motion as she didn't dare pull back, again wanting that moment to last forever.

The feeling of his lips against hers, his hand running through her hair as he gripped her waist was something she missed, and she felt herself melting into him as she hugged tighter around his neck. Their lips moved in perfect motion and with every time they met Ciri did everything she could to show him how much she missed her, and from his passion and intensity she could tell he was doing the exact same thing. And with every movement she felt of his lips, she felt more of her worry melt away. For so long she had been yearning for this, for his kiss, for his touch, to simply hear his voice.

His hands explored up and down her back, and with every new nape of her back that he touched, she felt herself shiver with goosebumps running up her spine, and she let out breathless sighs between the kisses they shared. He brought his hand from her hair to gently run across her cheek again, and Ciri felt her skin begin to tingle. She didn't know how much time passed, but she could have stayed locked with him there for hours, she never wanted that moment to end. In that moment nothing else mattered, nothing else mattered except the two of them.

However, they both got so caught up in each other, that they both forgot they weren't the only ones happy to be back together.

"Mind if I interrupt?" Geralt's amused voice rang out from their left.

And in that moment just like when they had been children again back in Ellander, they both quickly pulled back from one another, and Ciri laughed when she saw the flustered, goofy smile on his face. His cheeks were completely red and Ciri couldn't help but laugh even though she knew for a fact her face was heated up just as much. They both looked and laughed at each other again, and finally both of their eyes pulled away from one another as they both looked to their left.

Ciri had never seen such a large smile on her father's face. She kept one hand on Dom's neck and used the other to quickly wipe her tears and makeup before quickly returning her hands to him. Dominik did the same, wiping his tears but keeping one hand on her waist. He scoffed out a laugh, and the look on his face, the look of pure joy, love and finality washed over him, and seeing him like that made her feel better than any kiss or touch could.

"Geralt…." Dominik said breathlessly, as the older witcher came and knelt to both his knees right near them both. Dominik returned his hands to Ciri's waist but looked over at Geralt with an open-mouthed smile, "Geralt we… we actually-."

"We did it… we really did it, I know," Her father said, holding out both his arms, one of them going to Ciri's and the other to Dominik's shoulder, "We're finally back… all of us… and we always will be."

Dominik laughed and Ciri did the same, feeling a new wave of tears wash over her. Both she and Dominik leaned into Geralt and for the next few minutes, the next few glorious minutes, Ciri sat there with both their arms around her, the arms of her father, and of the man that she loved… and despite what she knew was coming next, she felt complete, and safe. Safe with the both of them.

"We always will be…" Dominik said, as Ciri looked over to meet his eyes, before the man that she love laughed and gently stroke the back of his hand against her cheek, "People-."

"People linked by destiny will always find each other…. I love you both… so much," Ciri finished for him. And both Dominik and Geralt smiled down at her, before Ciri melted into their hug.

She had them back. And she would never let them go again.

**A/N: 54 chapters, over 800,000 total story words later, a ton of re-writes and edits later… the Young Wolf had finally found his Swallow. The moment that I and I'm sure all of you have been waiting for has finally come. Dominik of Cintra's eight-year long journey to find his long-lost love has finally been completed… but as we know, this is only the beginning of a much, MUCH larger fight. Let's break this enormous chapter down really quick. **

**There really isn't much to break down xD as we have what is basically the same quest as the main game, but we see just how nervous Dominik and Ciri both were to see each other, and what it finally meant when they saw one another. **

**We see just how powerful Dominik's powers can be as in this chapter he takes down two massive beasts… he still has a ways to go, but with Ciri by his side now how will it go?**

**The moment where Dominik finds a lifeless Ciri was both the hardest and incredibly amazing times I've ever had writing anything in my entire life. It was hard because I knew that I needed to nail it, my entire story was leading up to this moment, and I wanted to make it as spectacular as possible. I wanted it to be heartbreaking, that after so, so long Dominik finally finds her… only for her to be cold as ice. I hope that I conveyed some great emotion, and I captured how big that moment was. Did I capture it? Did I bring any tears to your eyes? xD**

**After that we switch to Ciri's pov, and we see her have some dreams about Dominik's quest so far, before she hears his voice. After waking up and seeing Geralt, we finally get the moment that I have been waiting to write since I first got done chapter 1. **

**After eight long years of being apart, after being ripped away from each other, ripped apart from their true loves, both of them being forced to fight, flee and go through hell and back… Dominik and Ciri are finally reunited. This moment as well has gone through tons of edits and rewrites, as this truly is more then likely the biggest moment of the entire book. **

**I'm also so excited because this means that we'll get to see a completely new side of Dominik. There have been spots of light heartedness here and there, but for the most part, he's been so serious, determined and dead set on finding Ciri. Now that he has her back, we're going to see so much more of who he really is, the more fun loving and carefree side.**

**I decided in the end to write it from Ciri's POV because to be honest I was just having such a hard time putting into words how Dominik felt when I tried to write from his POV. I consider myself pretty good with words and conveying emotion, but nothing I wrote from Dominik's pov seemed good enough, so I switched to writing it from Ciri's POV and I like it a LOT better, and I hope that you all did as well. I REALLY hope that I did this moment justice, and that you are all pleased with how it turned out!**

**So, after that MASSIVE chapter how do you even follow up xD I will say this the next two chapters are going to be all from Ciri's POV, so I hope you're as excited as I am to get a POV switch for a whole chapter! **

**I also will confirm that Ciri is basically going to be the co-main character with Dominik now, we will get pretty much equal POVs from them both moving forward.**

**Next chapter may be shorter as it's going to be Dominik, Ciri and Geralt all sitting down and telling their stories before we teleport back to Kaer Morhen for the big battle…. We'll learn more about what Ciri's been doing along with seeing her reaction to everything Dominik and Geralt have done!**

**After that we'll be back in Kaer Morhen for reunions and meeting galore before the battle starts!**

**I can't begin to thank all of you wonderful people enough. I honestly thought this would flop, this whole story would flop and I'd have to abandon it, or everyone would simply think it was no good. I never once thought while I was publishing chapters 1-20 that enough people would like it enough for me to get this far. I of course wanted to get this far, but I never thought I'd get enough people interested to inspire me to keep going. **

**I ESPECIALLY didn't expect this story to become so popular that it's on the FIRST page of results when you search witcher stories by the most favorites follow and reviews. I know the fandom is small relatively on this site, but that is still mind boggling to me. **

**So from me, Dominik, Ciri, Geralt I want to say THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your support and viewership. **

**As I've been saying for a while, now that Ciri is back in the picture… this is when the REAL story will begin. I have EPIC plans for the second half of this book… and it all started with the Battle of Kaer Morhen….**

**So please, please leave a review if you have time, I especially want to know what you all thought of this chapter, which is going to turn out to be the biggest chapter of the story. Even if you don't review however thank you still SO much for your viewership, it means the world. **

**I do want to announced here however, that the next update may be a tiny bit later then normal. Instead of two days it could be three or four. Everything's fine with me personally, however right now I am in the middle of writing the Battle of Kaer Morhen, and that is five extremely intense and long chapters. And I want to completely focus on them right now, I don't want to rush out the next two chapters before that arc without taking the time to properly edit, so it may be an extra day or two, however not that much longer!**

**As usual everybody please stay safe, and thank you, thank you so much. I'll see you all next time!**


	55. One Journey Ends, Another Begins

**A/N: Hey everybody i just want to quickly say in a pre-chapter AN that i am SO grateful for the amazing support on the Isle of Mists last chapter. I am SO glad i was able to capture what will be more then likely the biggest moment of the book so well, i am SO happy you all enjoyed, and i hope that i can continue to impress. These next two chapters are soft, emotional chapters as a calm before the storm because as we all know the Battle of Kaer Morhen is coming. **

**I also want to thank you all for being patient! I am just about done the battle of kaer morhen, and i got some really good work done, i just really wanted to focus solely on that so i took a few days off from editing to solely write. However, we are going back to the 2-3 days between updates now so thank you all! If there will ever be a delay i will let you all know!**

**Also thanks to everyone who followed the instagram! I am going to have official cover art for the story, and more art for characters soon so please go follow that if you want to see that, and also see sneak peaks of chapters, behind the scenes from my writing, or you just want to chat about the witcher and the story. Let me know if you've followed!  
**

**Once again the instagram is dominik_of_cintra if you wish to follow!**

**I've rambled enough, now onto chapter 55!**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 55: One Journey Ends, Another Begins**

**Narrator: After their long grueling journey led Dominik and Geralt to learn that Ciri was hidden away on the Isle of Mists, the Young Wolf and the White Wolf both set out right away to bring her back home. However, Avallach, the elven mage that hid Ciri on the Isle to hide her from the Hunt informed them, that once the young woman was removed from the Isle, the Wild Hunt would detect her and attack. So before heading out for the Isle, Dominik and Geralt went and gathered allies for the fight to come. After gathering all the friends, allies and resources that they could, Dominik and Geralt set sail for the Isle of Mists. When there, after eight long, grueling, painful years, Dominik finally completed his quest of finding his long-lost love. Ciri and Dominik were reunited again, their long grueling journeys to get back to one another finally coming to an end. However, with one journey ending, Geralt, Ciri and Dominik all know that them reuniting is only the beginning, the beginning of an even more grueling and dangerous quest, but at least in this moment, the White Wolf had found his children, and the Young Wolf was finally reunited with his Swallow….**

"Dom… it's beautiful wow…" Ciri said breathlessly as she gently ran her hands down the silver of his blade. The fire crackled in front of them and warmth washed over her, but when she turned around and saw the smile both Dominik and Geralt gave her, it warmed her more than any fire could. A small scoff left her as she met Dominik's eyes again, "I still can't believe you got silver before me! It's so… so light…"

Dominik let out a light laugh and it washed over her, he nodded slowly and Ciri didn't dare let her gaze leave him.

"You get used to it after a while," He said breathlessly, the smile staying plastered to his face as he looked at her, "It's called _Fate, _I actually got it from Crach. When Geralt and I went to Skellige, I helped Hjalmar kill an Ice Giant, and afterwards he gave it to me."

Ciri's eyes widened and a small laugh left her, "You got to meet Crach? And Hjalmar?"

"You bet I did," He said with a laugh and a smile, leaning back on his hands as he looked at her, "Hjalmar is every bit like you described him. And did you know that Crach was-."

"Friend's with Gregory yeah," Ciri said, eagerly feeling her heart swell, "Remember how we were about to get him to take you there with me?"

"Yeah…" He said breathlessly, his emerald eyes not leaving hers, the goofy smile she loved so much still adorned on his face, before he looked down at her own blade she had given him to look at, "Ciri this sword is perfect for you… sleek, sharp, I love the flame in it."

He spoke so excitedly it made the smile even broader on her face. She slowly turned her head up to see Geralt smiling down at them both, watching over the two of them as he always did. After they had finally left their reunion near the base of the lighthouse, all three of them had come back to the hut they had found her in. Geralt explained more how Dominik and he came to the island and had to help some dwarves that were in the hut with her, before they had finally found her lying there lifeless, and then the magic firefly that had been leading them awakened her. They had ignited the fireplace, and Dominik sat on the ground across from her while Geralt did most of the explaining from the chair next to them, the smile never leaving her father's face. She hadn't asked about the powers that she saw Dominik use, or what they had done to find her, or what would happen next, she didn't want to bring it all up yet, only wishing to enjoy that moment with them both.

After Geralt had finished Dominik decided to pull out his blade to clean, and Ciri finally caught a glimpse of the beautiful silver he now had. Feeling the giddiness well up inside of her, the small childlike desire to show him her blade as well, she did the same with her own sword. After seeing each other's blades, they both eagerly went about studying the other, cleaning them for one another. She gently ran the rag she had across _Fate, _and Ciri lightly smiled as she saw him doing the same, and for a few moments she felt like they were children again, sitting and cleaning their blades as their Uncle Vesemir taught them the proper technique.

Geralt smiled over at them both as the fire crackled, "It's good to see some of Vesemir's teachings haven't receded into oblivion."

Ciri felt her blood warm from the fire as she looked over at them both, their smiles warmed her more than any fire could. She gently ran the rag over Dominik's blade, and she still could hardly believe they were both in front of her. Geralt, her father, and Dominik, who for so long all she had was the dreams, the dreams of them as children and the love she still carried for him. He was a man now, and after eight years of looking they had finally found each other, she didn't know if it was that love conquered all, if it was destiny, but she didn't care, she had Dominik back, she had Geralt back.

She thought of her dreams, seeing all the enemies they had to face since they began looking for her, and all the things that Dominik had done over the last eight years by himself, all to find her. After all of that they had finally found her, only for her to be there unconscious, cold as ice. Dominik's cries, his begging and pleading of her to wake up had been so strong, so passionate, and it made all the nagging worries she had that he somehow didn't love her still go away. And then she saw his rage, the pure rage and lament he exhumed as the magic swirled from his limbs, and she thought for a moment how she would have reacted if she looked for him for so long only to find him dead.

But when she looked at him now, as he gently cleaned her blade for her, she could see the smile, the smile that hadn't left his face for a moment since he saw her. She looked up and saw the joy on Geralt's face as well, and despite what she knew was to come, what would happen soon… she had them back. And just like when she was a young girl in Kaer Morhen, in Ellander, she was together with them again. Her father, and the now man that she loved-all three of them finding peace beside the fire, something she had been dreaming about for so long.

"A witcher can forget to eat, to drink, to breathe even," Dominik said lightly, slowly looking over at her with a loving smile, and Ciri slowly nodded looking to them both.

"But a witcher never, ever forgets to care for his blade…" Ciri finished, remembering the lines from Vesemir her Uncle used to repeat to them both.

Geralt laughed lightly and looked down at them, "Yeah… used to repeat that incessantly. Never got tired of doing it either."

"And it's served us both well it seems," Dominik said with a smile, as Ciri saw him gently slide her blade into it's sheath before he looked back to her, "You should've seen, for years I used the same sword I got back at Kaer Morhen, had to make oil for every single monster I fought."

She looked and noticed the steel sword that was lying next to him. It looked exactly like the ones that they both received when they were young, only much longer, like a true witchers blade. His words washed over her, and she thought about things that Dandelion had told her, that Dominik had been on the Path to support himself, make money so that he could continue to look for her. She didn't know the circumstances in which he finally found Geralt again, but she wanted to know everything, she wanted the three of them to sit there for hours so she could simply listen.

Carefully she slid his silver sword back into its sheath and handed it back to him. She took her own blade and placed it gently next to her. The fire continued to crackle, and she could smell the distant sea air, and as she looked over at them both her heart continued to thump under her breast. Her eyes fell to Dominik as she still couldn't believe how he'd grown, she saw small scars on his cheeks and glanced down to his chest, over his entire body as she could barely believe how that handsome, boyish face she loved so much those years had changed, sharp and angular with a strong jawline. And while he had his armor on now, she felt her cheeks go slightly red when she remembered a dream she had.

"Dandelion told me that you were on the Path… where did you get the scars on your chest, the long ones, what creature," She asked him, the smile growing on her face as she looked over to Geralt as well, "And Geralt what about yours? The one above your eyes, I don't remember it from last time."

Dominik scoffed, the amused smile growing on his face as the fire casted a shining glow over him, "How did you know I have scars on my chest?"

Ciri's eyes widened for a moment before she leaned back on her hands, "I… had a dream while I was asleep. It was quite odd, the two of you were fighting in a bathhouse in only towels. I… saw them on your chest."

Geralt's smile grew and Dominik let out a genuine laugh, the two of them shared a smile before Dominik slowly looked back to her, the smile still on his handsome face.

"Yeah… that was in Novigrad, feels like so long ago," Dominik said, his hand gently resting over his chest and he sighed with amusement as he looked at her, "Funny enough neither of them were creatures. The one across my torso, long story short one of the leads took me through Avallach's lab in Velen, the Hunt was there, I had to fight one of their commanders, Nithral. Fucker almost got me, and the other one? Well that's kind of embarrassing, it was some peasant boy in Rivia, nearly killed me, I would've bled out if not for Triss saving me."

Hearing about Rivia, and about him having to fight the Hunt sent nervous tingles through her chest. If she had gone to him after Rivia… none of this would have happened, and if she had simply waited for Dandelion to contact him in Novigrad, he wouldn't have had to fight the Hunt by himself. The shame slowly started to wash over her, but she paused when she saw the amused smile still on his face. She almost scoffed as he looked like neither thing had been any big deal, like he didn't mind at all he had been near death both of those times.

She managed to keep the smile on her face but slowly shook her head as she met his eyes, "I'm… sorry you had to go through that. And… well I'm sorry that the both of you seemed to need to clean up my mess to find me."

Geralt looked like he was about to say something, but Dominik did first. Scoffing he slowly slid his hand over the wooden floor of the hut, and when he placed it over hers, Ciri felt electric sparks run up her arm, and her heart soared, fluttering in her chest when he warmly smiled at her.

"Don't apologize… it was all worth it. Every single second was worth it," He said, the smile not leaving his face, and Ciri barely had time to smile before he turned to Geralt, "Geralt I actually never asked you about your scar. She's right I… actually don't remember you with it before all of this, where'd you get it?"

His hand stayed over Ciri's, they still hadn't put their gloves back on, so the feeling of his skin against hers, that contact washed over her, and the realness of the situation spread through her. For so long she only had the distant memory of his touch, sometimes she'd be laying awake remembering the times they'd huddle together over a fire, rolled around in the snow, and she could feel her skin tingle, her lips tingle as she yearned for it again.

And now it was all real, after eight years it was all finally fucking real, and Dominik was right. Everything had been worth it, just for that moment she spent there with him and her father.

Geralt laughed and leaned on his elbows on his knees, "Ha, souvenir from the cockatrice of Spalla. Another addition to the collection, nothing special. Yours has healed beautifully though."

"He's right," Dominik said quickly, smiling fondly over at her before an amused look appeared on his face and he looked at both Geralt and she, "Kinda jealous I'm not a member of the cool face scar club."

Slowly she nodded, the smile not leaving her face. She could remember when it had gotten there, how badly it bled how she thought for a few moments she'd never see again. And then two years prior when she learned she was supposed to see Dominik in Rivia, like a child she had thought he wouldn't find her as beautiful because of it. However, all those worries went out the window when she saw him look at her then.

She gently ran a hand over it herself and remembered when Avallach had made the ointment for her, it had saved the scar from growing more disfiguring. As she looked over at both Dominik and Geralt, Dominik in particular she bit her lip. She had never told Geralt what Avallach had done in Tir'Nala, when the sage had been the first one to force her into Auberon's bed chamber, it hadn't come up between the time he rescued her and Rivia. Dominik she knew that if she told him, he'd more then likely be furious with the elf, and she knew for a reason that was still a mystery to her, Avallach didn't seem to like Dominik at all. She already had a sinking feeling they'd be at each other's throats, and she didn't want to fan the flames.

Of course, she would tell him what happened, what the sage had done eventually. Dominik and she had sworn to never keep secrets from one another, and she didn't want to start breaking that promise now after finally reuniting. However, she didn't want to ruin that moment, that reunion they had by bringing up such a topic. They'd have time later to talk about everything, she was going to make sure of it.

"Avallach-he made a special ointment for me that helped it heal," Ciri explained, looking down into the fire for a moment, "But… that was before the curse gripped him. I wonder where he is now…"

She looked back up to Dominik and Geralt both. Dom's hand to her regret her left its position over hers, as both he and Geralt shared a look with one another. Ciri could see that they were having a silent conversation with one another. In that short time that they did, Ciri felt a tinge of worry run over her. While at first of course she hadn't trusted the elf, Avallach hadn't steered her wrong since he appeared to her those months ago. The only thing that they argued about was Dominik when she brought her dreams of him up to the sage.

So, she was hoping he was alright, she did owe him, he had hidden her from the Hunt and kept her alive more than a few times. She was beginning to see the sage as another mentor, one that she wanted to still learn more from. Her worry quickly turned to relief however when Geralt slowly nodded his head at her.

"He's alright, we lifted the curse, he's at Kaer Morhen recovering," Geralt said, his tone slightly careful.

"Wasn't easy but we did it," Dominik said, as Ciri turned and met his eyes before he went on, "Your sage friend… he doesn't seem to like me very much. Refused to tell me where you were when I asked him after the curse was lifted. Took Yen threatening not to heal him before he said anything."

And for the first time during their reunion, Ciri saw a doubtful look in Dominik's eyes. She bit her lip and wasn't surprised at hearing this. So many time's she had gone to Avallach, worrying and asking him if there was a way they could check on Dominik as her dreams of him got worse and worse. She kept seeing Dominik in more and more dangerous situations, fighting more and more, and then there were the horrible nightmares of him dying, being frozen and screaming her name. They had gotten so bad and after a while she thought the Hunt had finally gotten off her tail, so she kept asking the sage to do something to check on her. But Avallach always told her the same thing.

_"They are just dream's Zireael, forget this boy,"_ is what he would say every time. It would normally lead to an argument, and it only made Ciri's worry fester.

She had no idea why Avallach seemed to detest him so, but despite it all the sage had still done everything he could to help her. After she finally had the dream of Dominik fighting Baelen however was when she finally cracked. Between how much she missed Geralt, Yennefer and Dominik, the dream had sent her over the edge. She told Avallach she was going back, going back to make sure they were all okay and to see them. The sage of course had been fervently against it, but the image of Dominik being stabbed by Baelen ripped through her head, and she told the elf she was going with or without him. This had made him relent, so she and Avallach then teleported back.

Sighing she met both of their eyes, "He… can be a bit stubborn. But still, I'm glad he's alright. He's been helping me for a while, keeping me out of Eredin's hands."

"And you trust him…" Geralt asked slowly, as both he and Dominik's eyes looked at her.

Slowly she nodded. Despite his odd dislike for Dominik, Ciri trusted the elf. She had to believe that he had her best interests at heart despite what he had done to her in Tir'Nala, for the months she had stayed in that other world with him he had been training her, keeping her safe, and hadn't tried anything nefarious. In the end as well, he had agreed to come back to the continent so she could see everyone. He hadn't let her down yet, so again she nodded to them both.

"He's not let me down to date, not once," She said, and Dominik and Geralt both shifted uncomfortably for a moment.

"Why is he helping you? Sages aren't exactly fond of humans…" Geralt asked her carefully, and Ciri could see the calculated look in her father's eyes.

Ciri scoffed lightly and rolled her eyes, "He doesn't do it for me. It's about my powers. As if it could be about anything else…. He was trying to teach me to control them and keep me out of Eredin's hands."

It was never about anything else. A bloodline she had no control over, powers she had never wanted. All from an ancestor that she had never met and didn't even know about until she was older. For so long that was all people wanted from her, her powers, her ability to travel between time and worlds. Vilgefortz, Eredin, the Lodge of Sorceresses, they never cared about what she wanted or what she felt, they tried to control her, kill her all because of something that was beyond her control.

She slowly looked over however, and when she saw Dominik's eyes they were staring at her lovingly. His eyes didn't leave her, the worrying eyes he had when they mentioned Avallach was gone, and he gently slid closer to her. A smile slowly came to his face as she looked at her, and it combined with the crackling fire sent a warm wave through her, and when she saw Geralt looking at her, she remembered what the feeling was like. The feeling of having someone who loved her for her, not for the powers in her blood. Again, Dominik slowly reached his hand over and placed it on top of hers. The electric spark ran up her arm again and in that moment it was like they were fourteen again, rolling in the snow, and again his gaze made her feel like the most special person in the world.

"We're not going to let Eredin get his hands on you," He said to her, his eyes not leaving hers, "I know what he wants with you, that he wants to invade. We won't let that happen, right Geralt?"

"Yeah… they're not going to touch you," Her father said with finality, and Ciri could see them both lovingly look at her.

For so long she had been running, running and fighting by herself. Avallach had explained what Eredin planned to do. She remembered her dream in Lofeton, of Dominik encountering Alayna in that graveyard, the Alp who was a former Aen Elle had told him about Eredin's plan, so it finally confirmed to Ciri the dream had been true. And judging by the fact Dominik was sitting in front of her, a flash of relief ran over her as it was obvious now that he survived. And now they were all together again, and she had people to fight with her. She had them back now, and now she was tired of running, tired of hiding.

Slowly she looked over into Dominik's eyes, and they fell down to the swallow dangling around his neck with his medallion. She gingerly reached up to her own and fiddled with the ring as she smiled over at him.

"I missed that smile…" She said, lightly holding onto his hand as she looked over to Geralt and he, "I missed it so much…"

An amused look appeared on his face, "Better get used to it, because you're going to be seeing a lot of it from now on."

"I wouldn't want it any other way…" She said lightly, gripping tighter on his hand.

Geralt laughed a little from behind them, "Alright you two easy with those eyes, you'll have plenty of time later. Ciri, tell us how'd you even start traveling with Avallach?"

A small laughed left her, and her heart fluttered when she heard Dominik do the same. She looked up and he playfully winked at her, before she regrettably felt his hand leave hers when he leaned back, his emerald eyes not leaving her.

"Yeah, go on tell us," He said enthusiastically, as the smile on his face grew, "How'd you meet that darling sage that seems to have an eternal stick up his ass."

Ciri scoffed out a laugh and it felt like the first time she genuinely laughed in years. However, when she met Dominik's eyes she felt her heart slowly begin to fall.

"Well, after I left Geralt and Yen on the Isle of Avalon, I found myself pursued. Eredin and his Red Riders were on my heels," She said slowly, her eyes not leaving Dominik's as she felt her skin tingle as she slowly shook her head, "I… I wanted to go to you, I wanted to go to you so… so bad but… but the thought of Eredin and the Hunt getting their hands on you I-."

"Hey, hey, hey, Ciri… it's okay," He said, the smile not coming off of his face, and Ciri's eyes widened as he slowly shook his head, "You were trying to keep me safe. Would I have loved to come with you, of course but… you were protecting me, just like we always promised."

"But Dominik I should have-," She started, he quickly cut her off by shaking his head again.

"None of that matters anymore. We're here together now all three of us, THAT is all that matters, right Geralt?" He asked, turning around to their adopted father.

Geralt slowly nodded at them, the smile still on his withered face, "He's right Ciri. We're here now, we found you, you found us, that's what matters. Now go on finish your story, how'd Avallach find you?"

It had been her biggest worry, that he would be upset with her, furious with her that she hadn't come to get him, left him to wonder alone again. After everything she went through to come back, just to get back to him and her family, to not even get to see him, to leave after she saved Geralt and Yen had been the hardest thing she ever had to do. It was a decision that haunted her, and even with him assuring her then it was okay, it would continue to do so. He would have traveled to any world with her, she knew he would have. But she wanted to protect him, they had sworn to always have each other's back, to do everything to protect one another, and she had tried to keep that promise, but in doing so she broke another even more important one, to try and always get to one another….

But in that moment the smile still didn't leave his face, he looked at her lovingly and she could tell he truly meant his words, and she didn't know why she was surprised. That was the person Dominik was, kind, caring, loving and forgiving, and it had been a part of the reason she fell in love with him.

Even after all the years they spent apart, in that very moment he was still trying to do everything he could to make her feel better, to make her happy. She could tell from the look he was giving her, how he kept his smile trained on her, and seemed to be trying to transmit every bit of love and care he could. She had missed it for so long, simply having him look at her, having him look at her like she was the most important person in the world, like she was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. And just like when they were younger, it still worked in that moment.

She nodded and the smile came back to her, "I fled, fled through worlds many times…. They were close to catching me once. It was then that Avallach appeared, out of nowhere. I didn't trust him myself at first but, he took me somewhere Eredin couldn't find us, and that was for… perhaps the last half a year or so."

"Well, I guess I have to thank him for that then… for keeping you safe," Dominik said, and Ciri could see his face slightly fall, and it made her heart sting.

Before she could say anything though, Geralt looked nodded towards her, "The world you stayed in, the one Eredin couldn't find you, what was it like?"

Dominik's eyes lit back up and he smiled again, sending the warmth back into Ciri's chest as he eagerly leaned forward.

"Yeah tell us when I learned about it… I always wondered what another world could be like," He asked, enthusiasm evident in his voice.

Her mind raced with all the places she had visited. The one Avallach and she had stayed in had seemed so advanced she could hardly believe it herself when she had been there. She imagined what it would have been like having Dominik with her. If she had gone to him, and taken him with her, they could have traveled and ran between the worlds together, just the two of them, like they had always wanted. She thought about some of the places she visited, some of the people she met in different worlds, and despite the fact they would have been running, the two of them would have been so happy together, she knew it. However, if Avallach had truly been intent on finding her, what would the elf have done when he discovered Dominik with her? That was the one thing she was nervous about seeing her mentor again, what would the elf's reaction be when he met Dominik in person? His dislike for the man she loved was evident enough and the sage had never even met him, what would it be like then when Dominik and the sage met?

She managed to push the thought from her mind, not wanting the moment to be spoiled. The eager look on Dominik's face was almost contagious for her, and just like she was doing, it seemed to her as if he still hadn't taken his eyes away from her since he first saw her.

"Neither of you would believe me if I told you," She joked with the both of them.

"Try us, go on," Geralt scoffed with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes and nodded, her eyes looking between them both.

"Well people there had metal in their heads, waged war from a distance, used things similar to megascopes," She said, seeing Geralt roll his eyes but Dominik's widen before she went on, "And there were no horses, everyone had their own flying ship instead!"

"Ciri, come on stop fooling around," Geralt said in a joking tone, and it made Ciri laughed and roll her eyes.

"See, I said you wouldn't believe me," She said, leaning back on both hands and looking to Dominik whose eyes were still widened.

Excitement danced in his green eyes as he shook his head, "What else was it like? What else did they have!?"

His tone warmed her, and she smiled fondly, "Well one amazing thing they had were these small devices, they were… picture boxes of a sort. You point them at something and after you clicked a button a… small painting of sorts would come out, and it would be of whatever the thing was pointing at!"

She could remember how excited the small device had made her, she even grabbed one for herself until Avallach made her get rid of it when they left. That world had been amazing, there were times when she genuinely enjoyed herself, met some people who she came to like, she was safe, learning to control her powers, Eredin couldn't find her…. But then after a month or so the dreams had started to intensify, and she began to miss everyone more and more before the nightmare finally sent her over the edge. There were night she felt like a little girl again, afraid to sleep because she knew the nightmares would come.

Dominik scoffed, a wide-open mouthed smile on his face, "Wow… that sounds absolutely amazing. You… you sound like you really enjoyed it… you were safe."

She knew Dominik better than anyone did, even after eight years apart she could still tell what he was thinking by how his face moved, the tones in his voice. He smiled still in that moment, but Ciri could see his eyes slightly droop, his brow furrow. The truth of the matter was that she had enjoyed the world… but it never made her truly happy. She had seen Geralt and Yennefer again, knew that she had helped them survive, that they would be safe after Rivia…. But she hadn't seen Dominik. She hadn't gotten to see him at Stygga Castle, hadn't gotten to see him in Rivia, and after all the work she did to come back the first time… hadn't seen the one person she would admit she wanted to see the most.

Geralt told her he tried to go and find him before he traveled to rescue her, but he was nowhere to be found, and she learned he was out searching for her as well. She would never forget how her heart fell when she realized he wasn't at Stygga Castle. She could remember fighting Leo Bonhart, him taunting her, telling her how her little boyfriend truly hadn't come for her, and that after he killed her, he'd take her head or a lump of her hair to him before killing Dominik himself. It sent her into a furious rage that Ciri would never forget, and when she plunged her sword into Bonhart's stomach, killing him Ciri had wanted nothing more then to go find Dominik afterwards.

After the battle Geralt and she had searched for a few days, before the damn lodge had called her, and she once again had to stop her search for him. When Yen had told her however that she and Triss managed to locate Dominik, that he was in Vizima and she was sending word for him to come to Rivia, she had been ecstatic. For the first time in so long she felt genuine excitement and she, Triss and Yen rode there, she asked the sorceresses about him, what he'd done, where he'd been and if he missed her. That was when Ciri learned he had separated from Geralt and been searching for her non-stop for six years at that point.

But she hadn't seen him in Rivia, she knew he was there, and she was left with two options. Go and find Dominik, or leave Geralt and Yen to die from the rioting crowds… and she knew exactly what Dominik would have told her to do, so she had went and gotten Yen and Geralt to the Island of Avalon, and Triss had gone to save him. While she got to spend time with both her parents, she hadn't even gotten to lay her eyes on him, and for the next two years, even when she felt happy at times in the world with Avallach… a deep, dark hole was still drilled into her heart.

She met his eyes again, and the fire casted a beautiful glow across his handsome face. Slowly she shook her head at him.

"It was brilliant yes… and I had a few good moments there but…" She started slowly, gently reaching her hands up around the ring, "After a month or so… that was when the dreams started… then the nightmares."

"Dreams and nightmares? What do you mean," Geralt asked her, his yellow eyes meeting hers as she could hear Dominik slide slightly closer to her.

She nodded and as she saw him get closer to her she met his eyes, "Well… I dreamed of you all a lot… you in particular…"

"I dreamed about you almost every night too…" Dominik said lightly, his hand reaching up and gripping around the swallow as she kept their eyes locked, "Yen enchanted the swallow for me to keep nightmares away but… recently the enchantment wore off…. And the nightmares… they've been coming back. What were yours of?"

Her skin crawled and she let out a shaky sigh, "Sometimes they were good ones, of us all in Ellander, Kaer Morhen. But… but after a month or so they turned to mainly nightmares about you… I… I saw you fighting, fighting, being hurt, screaming, pleading for me. And then… one nightmare finally sent me over the edge."

Geralt looked between them both a delicate look on her father's eyes as he spoke, "What was it about?"

Ciri turned and looked directly into Dominik's emerald eyes, and he right away gave her a light smile and nodded. She could remember it all popping into her head, Baelen, them in the cave, the ring of fire, the magic that erupted from them both… and then the worst part, the female commander of the Hunt with her sword inches from Dominik's heart.

Letting out another shaky sigh she didn't dare leave his gaze,

"You… you were in this cave…. Fighting the Wild Hunt," She said slowly, and she saw Dominik's eyes widen before she went on, "You… fought in this giant ring of fire, magic like I saw when you killed the Fiend was swirling, and… you were fighting-."

"Baelen…" He finished for her slowly, as she could see his arms begin to shake as he bit his lip.

"Yeah… Baelen," She said slowly, wondering how he knew her name before she continued, "You… you both clashed, and erupted in a blast of magic. And finally, she… she'd have her sword at your chest, and right before she killed you, the dream would end."

The warmth of the fire seemed to leave her, as the shivering from the wind outside the hut seemed to pick up. It haunted her to that day, seeing him so close to death, fighting the Wild Hunt. Dominik shared a quick look with Geralt, and her father looked similarly worried. Sighing Dominik turned back to her.

"I'm… sorry to tell you but your dream came true," He said slowly shaking his head, his gaze fell back over her and he sighed, "I fought her, a cave in the woods outside Oxenfurt, ring of fire and all, magic and all like you said. She… she beat me, she had her sword at my chest, could've killed me but… for some reason she didn't. I managed to counter, fought for a bit more and that magic explosion you described came when we clashed. I almost died… had to drag my friend George and I back to Novigrad…."

The thousands of questions that were whirling in his head all began to come back to her. She could remember Avallach acting as if he knew who Baelen was, and the sage had only told Ciri that the commander of the Hunt was an extremely powerful warrior and wielded great magic. The elf had mentioned nothing about Baelen being human or seeming to know her and Dominik. In her dream she always assumed Baelen would kill Dominik, but now she learned that she had let him go. When they had fought in Lofeton, Ciri could tell how much Baelen wanted to kill her, and saw just how powerful the commander was, there was no chance she would have let Ciri go, but for some reason she had spared Dominik when she had him at her mercy. She could hear the destruction in her ears for a moment, the dragon roaring overhead, as Baelen promised that one day she'd kill both Ciri and Dominik.

But she had spared him, and it frightened Ciri, however she could see it scared Dominik even more. Then of course there were the powers, the powers she saw him radiating when he fought the Fiend, the powers that she remembered Geralt saying could injure him if they unleashed too much. She thought about the light blue magic swirling in his eyes, spurring off his limbs and the loud magical explosion that ripped from blade and made his signs more powerful than anything Ciri had ever seen. There were so many thing she wanted to talk about, ask about, learn about concerning what he had done.

But more than anything she simply wanted to sit there in his presence, in the presence of him and Geralt, finally feeling safe and complete. So, she decided to save her questions for later.

"You need to tell me more later… I want to know everything," She said slowly, her eyes not leaving his.

The fire crackled and the smile on his face grew before he nodded, "Don't worry we'll have plenty of time, I promise. Now… after you had that nightmare what happened?"

Sighing she looked between them again, and like she had decided earlier left out the part about her having to convince Avallach to come, she'd tell them more later, she didn't want to dampen the joy of their reunion.

"After the dream, I knew that you had to be in danger, that the Hunt may soon try and come find you," She explained carefully, the fire and their gaze warming her, "And well… I missed you all, you two, Yen… everyone. I thought the Hunt had lost my trail; thought I was safe… so I came to find you all."

"So, you really did come back for me…" Dominik said slowly, his eyes almost seeming as if they were going to well up.

She laughed light and smiled, "Of course I did… we promised each other didn't we?"

"Yeah… and now it was all worth it… all of it was worth it…" He said, and she could see that goofy smile come back to his face, as his cheeks were completely red.

Ciri wanted to kiss him again then, feel his lips on hers for the second time. However, they would have time later, so a small laugh escaped her as this time she slid the tips of her fingers over to gently graze his, and she felt a pleasant shiver run up her shoulder. Geralt smiled at this, and her father sighed looking down into the fire, his normally withered face looking particularly tired, but Ciri could still see the happiness in his yellow eyes.

"You were looking for us, Dom, Yen and I were looking for you, there were times when we thought we were just a step away…" Geralt started slowly, turning over to look at her, and his gaze washed over her, "Others times… felt like we were going around in circles…."

"It's true… there… there were times when I thought… when I thought I was STILL so far away, so far away after so long," Dominik said, before his fond gaze finally found her.

A light scoff left her, and she nodded, "I'm not surprised. There were times I fled pell-mell headfirst and forward…."

"Well, tell us how it happened, step by step," Geralt said, the smile staying plastered on his withered face.

She felt Dominik's fingers grip around her hand as he leaned back, and he nodded as well when she looked over to him.

A smile had overtaken his handsome face as he spoke, "Yeah, we followed your trail, but we want to hear it form you. We know that you landed on Ard Skellige."

For so long this had been exactly what she wanted, sitting by a fire, by a hearth and talking with the two of them about her adventures. She could remember when they were younger, how Dominik and she always dreamed of traveling the Path with Geralt together, saving people and fighting monsters. Their plans had been muddled, but her inner child was giddy at the chance to finally do it. So she slid herself closer to Dominik, and crossed her legs like he had, gently she placed her hand over his, and looked between him and Geralt.

And finally one of her childhood dreams came true, as she got to tell her story to them both, the two she knew would be there for her always. The man she loved and her father, while a part of her wished Yennefer were there as well, she still felt herself complete and excited to tell them.

"Well, Eredin located us mere moments after we landed on Ard Skellige. Soon after his riders surrounded us, I thought it was the end…" She said, remembering the thick fog that set in.

"But you kicked their fucking ass," Dominik said with an amused tone, as his smile washed over her.

She scoffed, "We held them back for a bit yes, but it turned out Eredin had other plans. He produced the phylactery, uncorked it and a deep fog enveloped us. After a minute, that was when Avallach started gasping for air."

"So, it was Eredin," Geralt said with a look of realization, "He cursed Avallach, triggered his transformation into Uma."

Ciri nodded to confirm, "Yes. He didn't wish to kill him, humiliation, that's what Eredin was after. Avallach didn't succumb without a fight, however. He casted a spell that wrought havoc through the Hunt's ranks."

"Destroyed half the forest on Ard Skellige too, after that… you escaped through the portal right? You were supposed to meet him Velen," Dominik finished for her, his eyes not leaving her.

"Yes… the blast gave me time to escape, he was supposed to follow but was impaired by the curse," Ciri explained, as her skin crawled remembering what happened next, "We were supposed to meet in his hideout, but the portal didn't take me it. It spit me out right in the middle of Crookback Bog…"

Dominik scoffed next to her and shook his head, his eyes going to the fire, "Those Crones…. I almost killed them on the spot when they told me what happened… Geralt had to hold me back."

Chills went down her spine as she remembered the beastly sisters. Leaning back on one arm she could see the look of regret on his face, and Dominik's eyes grew dark as he looked back to her.

"By the way… promised the three of them I'd find you, and we'd go back and kill them, may need your help with that," He told her, a slightly amused look coming back to him.

Scoffing she nodded, "You can count me in for that when the time comes. You're actually the reason I didn't bleed out in the swamp. I… remembered you telling me a story about your mother cauterizing an arrow wound with a hot dagger. Managed to seal the wound myself before the Crones nabbed me…"

His eyes widened and his smile returned, "You remembered? Ha… wow…. I… wanted you to know too… the Baron he… he gave me your message when we went and saw him."

It was her turn to flush red. She remembered how desperate she had been when she got to the Baron's castle. The curse was progressing, and she only had the phylactery, she was unable to find Avallach. She was so sure that she would be able to find him, Geralt, or Yen in Novigrad. However, when she did get there, she had only missed him by three fucking days, and her impatience had made her miss out on the opportunity to get to him again.

She looked at him with her flustered cheeks, "Good… I'm glad he did. He's a good man, do you know he took me hunting!? I killed a wild boar with my sword."

The giddy excitement she felt washed over her, and both Dominik and Geralt continued to smile. Being there next to them had always brought that excitement to her, that feeling of comfort and safety she had missed. She remembered all the days they would huddle around the fire at the inn, or the three of them would light a fire outside and simply sit under the stars. She'd be in Dominik's lap, or next to him leaning her head against his shoulder. They'd take turns excitedly telling stories and talking about all the places they wanted to see and things they wanted to try.

Of course, Dominik had probably done most of the things they talk about already, what with him becoming the youngest ever witcher to travel the Path, all without mutations making it even more impressive. And now they'd get that chance again, soon they'd get that chance again. It had been the journey of her life to get back to him, however she knew, and she knew he knew as well that just because the journey to find each other had ended, didn't mean their hardships were over. A new journey would soon begin. And that's all Ciri and he's life had been so far, one journey after another, the last one had taken up over a third of their lives.

But at least with this journey now they had each other, and unlike years ago they weren't children, they weren't helpless anymore.

"We both heard," Geralt said, an amused look coming to her father's face.

Dominik scoffed as he made sure their fingers were still touching, "Yeah, Baron said the pig was worthy of one of Foltest's feast."

She laughed and shook her head with a fond sigh, "It was a coincidence really. I had no desire to hunt that day, but it felt wrong to refuse. I'd taken nothing resembling a hunting weapon, I simply hadn't intended to hunt!"

"Like that time we found the buck in the woods back in Ellander," Dominik said, the fondness evident in his voice, "Remember I tried to throw my sword at it?"

Ciri laughed wildly remembering the time vividly, "You almost kill the merchant that was coming back to town!"

"It was an accident," He said innocently a laugh leaving him, as his hand slid further over hers.

She rolled her eyes and felt her heart flutter, "Anyways, I was wondering through the forest, breathing deep the air, and then I heard a strange sound, unsettling."

"And the boar attacked you," Geralt asked, the fire crackle hitting her ears.

"Mhm. Big as a bison, came charging right at me! All I had was my sword, had to manage," She said, the laugh leaving her and Dominik whistled appreciatively.

"I don't see you for eight years and now you can teleport, got a fancy sword AND you're a master hunter? Damn Ciri you're leaving me in the dust," He said, a bemused smile on his face, and between the firelight and moonlight casting over his face, Ciri couldn't stop looking at him.

Scoffing Ciri shook her head, "Youngest witcher ever to travel the Path, you fought two generals of the Wild Hunt, and from what I saw out there… special powers of your own. Who's leaving who in the dust?"

He slowly nodded his head and laughed, "We'll see how good we both got later. Oh yeah, by the way I talked to your friend Gretka. Promised her when I found you we'd both come back for a visit."

"He also saved her from a burning barn, humble as always," Geralt said with a smirk, looking between the both of them.

Again, Ciri's jaw fell and she felt her heart beat quicker. She felt her face get hot as she remembered all the things she told Gretka about Dominik, and now she was hearing that he had even saved her life.

"You did? Dominik that's amazing," She said, feeling pride well up inside of her as she smiled fondly over at him, "I miss her, and the men as well. Simple soldiers the lot of them, a shame I had to leave… but I didn't want to bring the wild Hunt down on them."

"It was nothing really… just did what I knew you would do," Dominik said with a shrug of his shoulders as his fingers stayed overtop of hers, "The Baron told us you were heading to Novigrad afterwards."

Quickly she nodded again, "Yeah I did. Apart from the fact I didn't want the Hunt to get them all, I knew the curse was progressing. So instead of looking for Avallach, I decided to try and find the two of you and Yen."

Again, she looked and could see Dom's eyes fall right away at the mention. She regrettably felt his touch leave her as he leaned forward and looked into the fire again. Ciri felt her heart pang when he saw the look of regret on his face. Slowly he turned over to her and let out a shaky breath.

"We heard it from Dandelion yeah…" He said, slowly shaking his head, "I missed you by THREE fucking days. Dandelion he… he tried to convince me to stay. Said I could use a few weeks off, just sit around and relax but… i said no. I love Dandelion but… I tried not to spend too much time with him, it… it always reminded me too much of you… and.. and when I thought Geralt and Yen were dead…."

"Hey, hey stop it, stop it now," Ciri quickly said, sliding over to him, feeling her heart flare as she grabbed his hand, "Weren't you the one just telling me none of it mattered? We're here together now, and THAT is what matters, you're the one who told me that."

She didn't want him to be upset, not now, not ever again. It would be impossible she knew, but just like he had always done for her. It was a small does, but the hurt, the pain that he exhumed in his voice gave Ciri the first dose of what he had been through in the last eight years, how he had been physically and mentally affected. She had gone through the same feelings, the loss, the longing, the pain both mentally and physically. The both of them had been through hell and back to get o one another, and what he said before washed over her.

They had each other now, and that was what mattered.

Geralt seemed to agree because he nodded, "She's right Dom. We found her, we did it. We're here now, nothing else matters anymore."

Ciri squeezed his hand reassuringly and just like it did for her, she could see him laugh and let out a shaky breath as he looked over to her, and his green eyes sparkled. She smiled and he looked back between Geralt and he.

"You're right, both of you. I'm sorry I… just… still can hardly believe that you're here," He said fondly, as she felt his thumb gently run over the back of her hand.

She smiled back at him and shook her head, "Well… I am. And I'm not going anywhere again. I swear it."

Gently he nodded and she saw him gently fiddle with the swallow in his hands, and it made Ciri do the same with the ring around her neck. Just like they had promised all the way back in that cave all those years ago, just like they promised when they gave the ring and swallow to one another, they had found each other. It took much longer then either of them had anticipated, but they were together now, and she still loved him, and from the look he gave her, she knew he felt the same. Their eyes stayed locked together and she felt a small laugh escape her, and it seemed to wash over him, because she squeezed her hand, before slowly removing it from hers, before he leaned back, stretching out his legs. Ciri smiled and leaned back on one hand again, but their eyes never left one another.

Geralt seemed to be amused but rolled his eyes.

"Okay lovebirds, you can stare lovingly into each other's eyes later," Her father said in a light tone, and right away she felt her face get hot, looking over she saw Dominik's did as well before Geralt went on, "Ciri, how'd you even manage to get mixed up with a man like Whoreson Junior."

She noticed Dominik's scowl and she scoffed herself.

"Well… Dandelion had told me I missed Dom just barely," She said, looking over to him quickly, before her gaze dashed between the two of them, "I would have waited for him to come back but… I didn't know how far behind me the Hunt was, and I needed someone who could fix the phylactery."

"Yeah, Dandelion told us he helped you," Dominik said quickly, the fire still casting a glow over his face.

Nodding Ciri went on, "He took it upon himself yeah. It was as if his honor depended on it. He arranged a meeting with a mage, but it proved a trap set by the Temple Guard."

Dominik scoffed and Geralt and amused smile.

"Well, well, he failed to mention that" Her father said, and Dominik quickly nodded.

"He did forget that yeah… I'm glad I fucking killed Menge," He said, slowly shaking his head as he looked over to her, "Triss told me the fucker and the Temple Guard set traps like that all the time."

Ciri nodded as she remembered the dream she had of Dominik killing Menge. She had very rarely seen him get so angry, but he had done the city of Novigrad a service taking out such a man. She felt herself itching to hear more but knew that she needed to continue on.

"You're right, it was a trap set by the guard, so we needed to find another option," She said, sighing and slowly shaking her head, "Dandelion suggested we wait for you… but like I said I… I didn't know how far behind me the Hunt was. So he told me he knew a man who owned a piece of Novigrad as he put it. Said he would surely know someone who could fix the phylactery."

"Whoreson Junior… fucking degenerate…" Dominik said, and Ciri could hear the disgust in his voice.

It was clear to her now that she should have waited for Dominik. He would have been able to figure out something, and even more importantly their reunion could have happened earlier. In that moment however she didn't care. It had finally fucking happened, and even though she knew soon they would begin an even bigger journey, she wasn't going to be anything less then happy at that time anymore.

"I suspected it may not have been the best idea…. But I was desperate," Ciri said, and right away Geralt shook his head.

"But he cheated you in the end, turns out he wasn't exactly the ideal partner in crime," Her father said, shaking his head and looking back into the fire.

She scoffed and nodded, "Damned simpleton got it in his head that we'd cheated him and kidnapped Dudu."

"Yeah, whom you promptly freed," Dominik said, drawing her gaze back to him and she felt her stomach flutter at his proud smile, "And Dudu told us you proceeded to kick Junior's ass in the process, before fleeing to Temple Isle."

Her skin chilled when she remembered the cold night. How angry she had been, how annoyed with herself she was that she let them get the best of her. They were supposed to escape and then wait for Dandelion to send word to Dominik to come, but she had gotten caught off guard. That wouldn't happen again, she would be ready for what came next, ready to defend him, herself and her family until her dying breath. Now that they were together again, it would take more than even the Wild Hunt to force them apart.

"I didn't even realize it was a trap, that the guardsmen were driving me there," Ciri said with a shake of her head, looking between them again, her eyes falling to Dominik, "We were supposed to escape and Dandelion was going to contact you. Said you were in Tretogor and that you would've run back bare foot if you have too."

"You're damn right I would've," He said, a smile forming on his face.

She light laughed, but shook her head, "I was surrounded, had no way out. So I knew I had to flee, disappear at once."

"And you did, landed back in Skellige," Geralt said, the fire crackling and dancing off his old face.

"The shore of Hindersfjall, first pleasant place that came to mind," Ciri said, her eyes turning over to Dominik, "Hjalmar and I used to swim there, I remember how bad I wanted to take you there when we were younger."

Laughing lightly Dominik nodded, "And I would've loved to go there…. Did you and Avallach arrange to meet there?"

"No, he simply sensed me use my powers…. Just as Eredin can sense where I am, where I travel," She said, feeling an icy chill wash over her as she shook her head, "He sensed me soon after I landed, he… sent Baelen, and riders after me."

"Along with a fucking dragon…" Dominik said slowly, as he carefully met her eyes, "You fought Baelen in the village, we saw the scorch marks from it when we went there."

She let out a shaky sigh and sat forward with her legs crossed again. Feeling the fire warm her, she slid closer to him, their knees were almost touching, and she looked and met his eyes. Her fight with Baelen all flashed in her brain, she could see the magic sparks, the energy she felt coursing through her veins, she could hear Baelen's goading as the dragon roared overhead destroying the village. Ciri had never faced an opponent with such power, so much magic flowing through them. Vilgefortz had been the closest thing, and while she didn't know how to compare Baelen and that mad mage, the base of it was that Ciri could tell that Baelen would be one of their strongest adversaries.

Another shiver ran down her spine in realizing that she'd more then likely have to face the commander again soon. And the next time she did, Ciri would be ready. She could hear Baelen's threats, that she'd kill Ciri and Dominik both, vengeance for something that they had done to her. Ciri saw the one green eye that the commander had, the one half of the commander's face that she saw, and she knew she recognized. Where she recognized it Ciri couldn't remember, but she knew she'd have to talk to Dominik about it more later. The Wild Hunt didn't just employ any human into their ranks. Avallach had told her enough about their hatred for humans, and Ciri had experienced it in the Aen Elle world, from Auberon, from every elf she ran into in that world. She refused to believe that if Baelen truly was someone Dominik and she knew that she would be willingly working for the Wild Hunt.

But if Baelen really did intend on killing her, and killing Dominik… then Ciri didn't care, she would do whatever she could to keep them both safe.

Slowly she nodded, and Dominik's smile warmed her chest again.

"I did yeah…" She said, letting out a shaky breath, "I've never faced someone with that much power before. I recognized her from the dreams and thought… if I could take her out, that my dream of her and you fighting wouldn't come true."

"Hope you fared better against her then I did…" Dominik said, a small amused smile on his face, obviously trying to make her feel better.

It worked because she laughed lightly but shrugged her shoulders.

"I'd call it a draw… she's really powerful, and somehow was riding a fucking dragon," She said, her gaze going over to Geralt, "I thought dragon's didn't get mixed up in human affairs, let alone with the Wild Hunt?"

Geralt bit his lip and shook his head, "Normally yeah… been wondering how myself. We'll worry about the dragon later, what happened after that?"

She felt her skin crawl again as she slowly shook her head. She could feel both of them looking at her, but all the dreams, the dreams of the tower came into her mind. Dominik's voice, his screaming, pleading voice rang in her brain, and the amount of pain in his voice, she never wanted to hear it again. The two of them had both been through so much to finally get to that point, and for him to find her… but for him to think her dead.. he didn't want to imagine what it would have been like for her if the roles had been reversed.

His hand gently went over hers, and when she saw his smile she felt the spark pass between them again. He would never look more handsome to her then he did in that moment, and he was hers again, hers again after so many years. Now she would always have that source of comfort, of love again.

"After I fought her… that was when I fled, everything happened so quickly. I fled, found Avallach near a boat but then…. dreams… just the dreams…" She said slowly, and when she looked at Dom and Geralt both, she saw them meet each other's eyes for a moment.

Geralt was the first to shake his head, "What did you dream about? Been having nothing but nightmares lately… pretty horrible ones at that."

"Same with me…" Dominik said with a shake of his head, "I had a few good ones mixed in but… mainly nightmares."

She shuddered at some of the dreams. Ciri could see them slowly rolling through her mind. A monster of a stillborn child chasing them both, Dominik in Avallach's laboratory, or him in the cave with Baelen again. All of them would end with the tower however, the tower and the snow, the voice beckoning her to enter. But when she didn't, when she couldn't find an entrance or refused… all she'd have to do was think of them again and the dreams would shift. A small smile crossed her face however when she remembered the good ones, the ones of her, Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer all back in Ellander. Or the ones where she saw all of them now, sitting around a fire, in an inn drinking good wine while they all laughed and danced.

The fire in front of them continued to crackle, and between that and the smiles they both gave him still her body felt completely warm, her heart was warm, her stomach was calm, and she felt that no matter how bad the dreams got, the days got, at least she had them. Dominik's squeezed her hand, and every single cell in her body felt as if they were pleasantly buzzing. She couldn't take her eyes away from him, she had been overjoyed to see Geralt of course, but she could still hardly believe the man in front of her was that same goofy boy she fell in love with all the way back in Cintra. However, despite how handsome he'd grown, how strong his jawline was and broad she could see his chest was… she could still see that boyish charm, that innocence and pure love she exhumed when he looked at her.

To him she was the most special person in the world, and nobody, not Mistle or any of the people who proclaimed their love for her over the years ever made her feel the same way he did. So, while he looked different, he was still that goofy boy she fell in love with, and still loved then. A small part of her wished to be alone with him for a few moments, there was so much that she wanted to tell him, ask him, she wanted to kiss him again, just be in his presence with only the two of them. But she knew there'd be time later, she'd be able to sit down with him, lay her head on his shoulder and hear about everything he had done, and tell her about what she had been through.

That long, long conversation would come later, the conversation about all that they had to do, what they didn't do. There were things she didn't want to tell him but knew she would have too. All the horrible things she did with the Rats, how he had broken her faithfulness by being with Mistle, what happened to her in Tir'Nala, what Avallach made her do, her bastard of a 'real' father, they were all things she needed to tell him. If they planned on being together like they both wanted, it would all need to be laid out. She was slightly scared of what he would have to tell her as well… but she had to believe they would come through it.

But she knew that would come later, in that moment she felt nothing but love and warmth run through her.

Sighing she looked between them, "Likewise for the most part. In one… a monster from a stillborn child and specters chased you both. I… I saw Dominik fighting in Avallach's lab… fighting that general of the Hunt."

"Nithral…" Dominik said slowly as Ciri remembered him mention the name earlier, when he was explaining how he got his scars. Gently he ran his hand over his torso and shivered, "He nearly got me… would have if not for my friend Keira. Did… you see anything else I did?"

"Yeah… it was actually when I was knocked out in Lofeton," Ciri said slowly, remembering the barn, the graveyard and him fighting, "I… I saw you in a graveyard, you… you were fighting down an Alp who used to be and Aen Elle…."

"Claywitch, Alayna…" Dominik said with a sigh, he shook his head and he gently met her eyes, "She nearly killed me, that was when Yen found me. You… you're telling me she was actually telling the truth? She was actually an Aen Elle?"

It all came flooding back to her for a second, '_a pearl in pig shit', 'your repulsive human skin.'. _All of Auberon's words flooded over her, but looking at Dominik again, all of that hate was washed out by the love he exhumed.

"Yeah… she was, but… but I'm happy you killed her, she would've taken you right to Eredin not to me," She assured him when she saw his uneasy look.

A small smile came to his face and it washed over her. He squeezed her hand again and nodded.

"I found you in the end…. We'll talk more about it later… did you have any more nightmares?" He asked her, as Geralt leaned forward to look between them.

Warmth washed over her again at his words. She laughed lightly and nodded.

"A few but… there were some great ones too," She said fondly, looking at the two of them, the smile getting wider on her face, "In one, we… all sat around a fire, me, the two of you, Yen, and a group of others. We all drank good wine, laughed and danced… there was this one really tall witcher with a beard. He was a surprisingly good singer."

Geralt chuckled and she felt her heart flip when she saw Dominik toss his head back and laugh. The pure joy he exhumed was contagious because Ciri felt herself laugh as well. She remembered the large witcher with the long black beard from her dreams, along with one in gilded green and gold armor, then a few other's as well. Geralt and Yen had been there while she laid her head on Dominik's shoulder, and all of them swapped stories, laughed and drank, dancing to the sound of lute music, and in all her years it had been probably the best dream she ever had.

She hadn't spoken much in the dream, simply spending it sipping wine and looking up at his face, his handsome face she had missed for so long. Finally, the roles had reversed, and she looked at him like he was the most special person in the world, because just like she was for him, that's what he was too her. Ciri hoped the dream could become a reality soon, and that just like when they were younger they'd finally get to do all they wanted.

"Hahaha don't know how but that… sounds like my friend Faram," Dominik said with the excitement evident in his voice, "I can't wait for you to meet him. He's one of the BEST friends you could ever ask for, and as you said, surprisingly good singer when he's drunk."

"Ha… I can't wait to meet him," She said, feeling his smile overwhelm and warm her again.

Geralt laughed and nodded, "Gotta agree, he's a good man Faram. Your dreams… what else happened?"

A small chill from the outside ran through the hut and down her spine. She remembered the last dream before she awoke again. The spire of magic, the tower calling her to enter, the snow, the wind, and then finally… Dominik's voice. He had felt so close to her, she felt his arms around her, her lips tingle when he kissed her, but the whole time he hadn't been able to see him. And then when Geralt had called out to her and the light came… Dominik hadn't been there. For a few moments she was scared it'd be like Stygga Castle, where she was rescued again but he still wasn't there, but that was when she heard him scream, heard the anguish and Geralt told her he thought she was dead.

With how powerful she knew her powers could be… she shuddered at what she could have done if she had found out he had died in a similar way. If after so many years of her searching, aching and paining to have him back… if he had died so soon after she found him, or she found him dead… she'd unleash everything inside of her, and she didn't think anyone around her would be safe.

Sighing she bit her lip as she spoke, "I had a few more of you both fighting but… but all the dreams would end with the tower. A tower in a snowy vortex, a tower with a beam of magic, It… it beckoned me forward, urging me to come in."

Her hand had been with Dominik's and as soon as she mentioned the dream she felt his hand clam up, and goosebumps grow on his skin. She looked up and saw his eyes wide, and she knew that he was holding back something, something horrible that he wanted to say or reveal. Had he seen the towers as well? Did he have a dream similar to hers? She could see that he wanted to, but before she could inquire further Geralt spoke.

"Did you recognize the place? Could you tell where it was," Her father asked, and Ciri slowly turned over to him.

She saw as Dominik let out a slow breath, and she could tell that the subject, whatever he had wanted to reveal bothered him, scared him even. She didn't want to ruin their moment, so she decided she would ask later. Her gaze turned to the fire, the smoky smell hit her nose, and she sighed before looking back at them, and Dominik in particular.

"No… just a tower. But, it always called me to enter, but I could never find the entrance, or… or I simply didn't want to enter," She said, and her eyes locked with Dominik's before she went on, "Normally when I'd think of you or Geralt, the dream would shift but… this time it didn't. Instead I… I heard you, I heard you yelling for me, begging me to wake up. I… I felt your arms around me, even felt you kiss me but I just couldn't see you."

"The dwarves that were in here…" Dominik said slowly, his eyes moving over to the fire, "They… they said you were cold as ice…. That you were dead."

"Yeah…" Geralt said slowly, and Ciri's head moved over to her father before he went on, "And when I got to the door… I couldn't hear your heartbeat, we… we both thought you were gone. I… didn't want Dom to see, I was going to check myself first but…"

"I had to see… after so long I… I just had to fucking see you," Dominik said slowly, his loving eyes boring into her, but she could see the worry behind them.

She again tried to imagine herself in their situation, after going on the search they did, only to come to that island and find her dead. The thought washed over her and made her shiver. However, despite the fact they both thought she was dead inside that hut… they had still come. She looked and saw Dominik still gazing at her, as she was sure he had been doing almost the entire time. He had kept his promise to the end, gotten to her even if he believed she was gone. She could remember the crush she had on him when they were children, two eleven-year-olds running down the castle halls. It was a ridiculous thought to her at that time, the thought he liked her back, and the thought they could even possibly be together was even crazier. Her grandmother never would have allowed it, despite the fact she saw Gregory as a son, and trusted him with all her heart.

Dominik was slowly starting to look more like his father, and it made Ciri's heart flutter. Sir Gregory of Cintra had been the closest thing to a father she had growing up in that city, and he had promised her, that his son Dominik would be with her always. He was her destiny as much as Geralt was, the two of them were linked, and as they grew up the thought made her more and more excited. Dominik and she, the two of them traveling the Path, saving people, being together, seeing the continent from Kovir to Nazair. The two of them, swords and horses, all they would ever need was each other. Geralt and Yen would be with them always, they'd always find their way back to them both, but just herself and him… that was all she ever wanted, and what she knew he wanted as well.

And despite what they had thought, they both still came inside. Dominik had come inside, he had to have known Geralt couldn't hear her heartbeat. Yet he loved her, loved her enough to walk inside and keep his promise till the end.

"But you still came in…" She said lightly, her eyes not leaving him, as she felt her heart almost burst behind her breast.

A small smile came to his face and he nodded, "I did… yeah… and you're more beautiful then I ever could have imagined…"

It took all her self-control not to lean across and kiss him. She wanted too, but she knew that Geralt, while he wouldn't have minded may have felt slightly uncomfortable, so she'd save that kiss for later. She settled for grabbing his hand and squeezing it again, looking up she could tell he wanted to lean across to her as well, but their hands connected satisfied them both for that moment.

"After I couldn't hear you anymore is… when I heard you Geralt," She said, looking over to her father with a smile, "I heard you, felt your arms and… that's when the light came and suddenly I was awake! And you were right there, but… Dominik wasn't."

She slowly looked over to meet Dom's eyes again and remembered how worried Geralt got when they heard his scream. And after they had found him… the magic. They didn't have that much time Ciri knew, but the one question she wanted answered out of them all was that. She knew that Dominik was powerful of course, talented, but she had no idea he could even use signs, let alone the magic she saw. She just assumed Geralt taught him signs when they got back together, but the magic was still a mystery.

It seemed to be like hers, the swirling energy around his limbs, the raw power he exhumed. Ciri knew of course however from what Avallach had said, what others had said, her powers gave her the chance to be one of the most powerful people on the continent, in any world, with the ability to shift between planes between worlds themselves. Ciri felt far from that, and while she could shift between worlds, she still had no idea if she would ever fully control the power she had.

The power she saw Dominik exhume however he seemed in control of to a degree. Even then as she sat she could see the fatigue he felt. He had bags under his eyes and she could tell he hadn't slept much, and in that moment despite how happy he felt he needed a nap. She didn't see him teleport, and she also knew for a fact he didn't have Elder Blood. If he was a source like she was they'd have certainly been able to tell when they were younger at Kaer Morhen, he would have undergone the magical training with her.

He sighed and met her eyes, "Yeah… I… I got so angry. Didn't know if it was at Eredin, myself what but… but I knew my power would come out. And well… I didn't want to take it out on your body and Geralt. So, I grabbed my sword and ran towards the first monster I saw."

She could tell how exhausted he was, and she remembered how horrified she was when he almost walked off the cliff. His voice, him saying he couldn't do it without her anymore rang in her head, and she could remember how her heart broke at the words. She had gotten to him however, and everything had been alright now.

"What… what was it? I… don't exactly remember you doing any of that back when we were younger," She said, trying for a joking tone, but Dominik simply sighed and looked over to Geralt.

"We got time?" He asked their father.

Geralt slowly nodded and gestured his head towards her, "Yeah, tell her… just try to make it quick. Those dwarfs are probably getting impatient."

"Tell me what," She said, looking between the two of them before her eyes landed on Dominik, "Dom… what were those powers. The… the way you fought, it… was amazing."

"May have looked it but believe me were the scenario any different I'd probably be passed out right now…." He said carefully, letting out a shaky sigh as he squeezed her hand again, he met her eyes and she could see the worry in them before he went on, "I… had small flashes of it in Novigrad but… but the power first came out during my fight with Baelen. Yen and Triss they… they figured out that I'm a carrier."

"A carrier? I've never heard of that before," She said right away, sliding so she was directly facing him, her one hand staying locked with his.

Slowly he shook his head and locked their eyes again, "Yeah, I didn't either. Triss explained it to me first. She said that in the older days, before Aretuza and any magic school. Some powerful mages who were fertile and could have kids they… found ways to pass down their magical abilities, their power through their descendants. These children and descendants have the potential to be just as if not more powerful then the mage who passed down the powers to them."

"Dom that… that sounds like me…" She said, feeling the worry begin to rise inside of her, "Like a source or something like Elder Blood."

Quickly he shook his head, "In a way it is, but there's a difference. A carrier is capable of going their whole life without knowing of their powers, while a source needs to learn to control them, or else they can be driven mad, and the power could kill them."

Ciri felt herself slightly shake as she nodded, "Yeah… that's why Triss and Yen needed to train me…. But how do they activate? You said they can go their life without knowing."

"An activated carrier is rare yeah," He explained to her, looking down at his hand that wasn't connected with hers, "Yen says there are two sometimes three triggers for a carrier to fully activate and control them. If you unlock one or two you get some semblance, but I won't unlock my full powers until I have them all. Even if I activate them fully… I still need to learn how to control them…. Guess I know how you felt now."

The smile he gave her, and his joking tone warmed her. She watched Geralt looking over them fondly. Ciri felt slightly bad they seemed to be leaving Geralt out of the conversation, but her father's face told her he didn't mind. He seemed contempt to simply watch Dominik and her talk, and it made Ciri's heart rise. A small laugh left her as she turned back to Dominik and nodded.

"Yeah… I guess you do. So, what are these triggers? You said there's two, sometimes three of them? You seemed pretty in control when you were fighting," She asked him, as the smokey smell of the fire hit her nose.

"Well the first is that I needed to start using magic. Geralt started teaching me to use signs in Velen, so that activated one," He explained, before looking down at his hand again, "The second is tricky, you need to unlock the hidden strands of DNA inside you. I'm assuming there was a spell or something to do it in the older times, but it's just been lost."

"How did you find a way then? Did Yen figure it out," Ciri asked curiously.

He shuddered and shook his head, "No, I actually just did it recently. Long story short, Geralt and I saved a caravan. There was this… box calling to me in their cart. Inside was a journal, and this potion. Don't know why but I… just felt I had to drink it. I did and well… now I can activate them at will, but I… still don't know if I have full control. It takes a lot out of me, and sometimes my power blows up in my face."

She tilted her head and kept their eyes locked, "And you said sometimes there's a third trigger? What is it, and why is it sometimes?"

Sighing he shrugged his shoulders, "That's why I don't know if I truly have control or not. Yen said sometimes a mage passing down their powers would add a certain condition, like you have to touch something, drink something certain, and that would unlock your power. For me to even know if there is a third trigger, let alone what it is well, I'd have to know who the ancestor who gave me the power was to even have a chance."

"And… do you know? You said carriers could be just as powerful as their mage ancestor. That fiend was huge, and if you went toe to toe with Baelen… they must have been powerful," Ciri said, feeling herself more and more intrigued by the minute.

Slowly he shook his head, and the look that he gave her in that moment made her feel more loved then any previous one had. His lips upturned and he smiled broadly, and he sighed out a breath.

"No," He said, as if the situation where no big deal, and Ciri's jaw dropped as he went on, "All I cared about was getting to you… I wasn't thinking about magic powers, ancestors anything at all… nothing except getting to you."

"Dominik…" She said breathlessly, feeling her love for him rise as she kept her eyes locked with his, as she could feel her cells combusting, "This…. This is important. If you figure out who your ancestor is you can be incredibly powerful, and if you don't… you could-."

"None of it mattered… none of it," He said, the smile still on his face, as he gently grabbed her other hand, both their bare hands finally holding one another, "YOU are what mattered… you're all that's fucking mattered for the last eight years Ciri… all of it. I love you, and for fuck's sake, I've waited so long to say that to you again…"

She felt herself let out a laugh as she tried not to sob, the water flowed up in her eyes. Ciri tried to cry as little as she could, but with him in that moment, all the emotions she had been holding in, all the love she had wanted to give for all those years was slowly spilling out of her. So many night she had laid awake, his ring in her hands as she remembered how he made her feel, how he made her feel like nobody else mattered in the world except her. With the Rats, after what Mistle had done, the first few times she'd cry, stay awake looking up at the ring, and as it happened more and more, Ciri felt herself growing more and more ashamed, disgusted with herself that she was letting it happen while he was out there, missing her, and she'd cry more. Then in Tir'Nala, having to listen to what Auberon shouted at her, making her feel like she was less than trash, shit on the side of the road, making her feel disgusted in her own skin, all that would make her feel better were thoughts of him, the one person who truly loved her, loved her for her, and always would.

So many times, she had yearned for this exact moment, and hearing him say he loved her still even after all that time, after all she had done, all that had happened, for a few moments it all left her. She had made it back, and just like she promised him all those years ago she wouldn't leave him again, she wouldn't leave her family again. The two of them would get the ending they deserved, and Ciri was going to make sure of it.

A small laughed left her again as she smiled at him, "I… I've wanted to hear that for so long…. I… I love you too. I won't leave again… I promise."

"I promise too princess…" He said lightly, and he slowly leaned his head forward.

She laughed at her nickname, remembering how she hated to be called it by anyone but him. Slowly she leaned forward to him as well, intent on saying fuck the situation and kissing him again, she could have sat there for hours in that hut with him, simply looking at him.

Just before their lips could meet however, Geralt chuckled lightly behind them.

"Okay, okay you two you'll have plenty of time for that later," The witcher said, getting up from his chair, "I let you go at it once, was afraid you'd start fucking in the swamp to be honest."

"Geralt!" She said, as her eyes widened just before her lips met his.

Ciri felt a very small ping of annoyance flare through her for a moment, but when she saw the cute, goofy, flustered look on Dominik's face, the red hue that appeared on his cheeks she felt it quickly melt away. He winked at her before sighing and stood up to his feet, reaching a hand down to help her up.

"He's right… we got the boat on the beach, after that we're riding for Kaer Morhen, Yen and some others are waiting for us," Dominik said, reaching down at picking up his swords to strap onto his back, a small laugh escaped him as he went on, "Ciri you'll never believe it, the spot where we blew the wall testing bombs is STILL there!"

"HA, you gotta be kidding, Uncle Vesemir hasn't fixed it," She asked, reaching down and grabbing her own blade before strapping it onto her own back.

"He thought we'd get a kick out of it when we came back," He said, adjusting the straps on his swords until they were properly in place before turning to Geralt, "Think everyone's there by now?"

Her father nodded before turning to meet her eyes, "They should be. Dom's right, we're gonna go on horseback. Two of you will have plenty of time to catch up, just gonna have to set up my own tent a good distance away from you both so I don't hear nothing I don't wanna hear."  
"Geralt…." Dominik said this time in an embarrassed tone, his face getting red as he looked over to Ciri.

Ciri laughed nervously as well but felt her inside flutter and the red hue come to her cheeks. The idea of a week's ride to Kaer Morhen with Dominik and Geralt both sounded fantastic, the three of them and the open road…and the thought of getting to spend time alone with Dominik after all these years made her chest thump harder. Geralt seemed to enjoy their flustered looks because he laughed and came in between them. Their father put an arm around them both and looked between them.

"Jokes aside…. Seeing you both back together again… makes me pretty fucking happy," Her father said, and Ciri felt her body warm up again.

She looked over and met Dominik's eyes and he smiled back at her before they both looked up at Geralt who kept an arm around them both. The two of them were really there, and Ciri was flashed back all the way to when they first met. She would never forget the first time Geralt had picked her up and hugged her, only for Dominik to try and smash the witchers knee in with a rock. It was a funny moment looking back on it, Dominik had been so scared someone else was trying to take her, and just like usual he did everything to protect her.

Geralt had managed to disarm eleven-year-old Dominik, and that was when he said that anywhere Geralt took Ciri, the witcher had to take him too. And after that Ciri did the same, refusing to go anywhere without Dominik. For a few moments she had been scared that Geralt would try and leave him in the woods, and just take Ciri. That wasn't the person her father was however. Geralt had taken them both without any issue, and raised the two of them as his own children… and Dominik and she both would forever love him for it. Their father, their destiny, the three of them were going to do amazing things together.

Because people linked by destiny always found one another, and eleven years later as they all stood in that hut it was living proof. Living proof that they were all linked.

"I'm so happy to see you both again…" She said, looking between them, "As great as a ride sounds… you know a portal would be faster."

Geralt shook his head, "And lure Eredin right to us. Rather not risk it…. Besides… I still hate portals."

Ciri laughed and Dominik did the same, before Geralt gave them both a bemused look and gestured for them to follow. Dominik came up besides her again and she could see the excitement almost boiling over in him.

"Geralt and I sent Roche and Clop, our main horses back to Kaer Morhen with some of our friends," He explained, just as they both walked out the door and the breeze hit her face. She smiled as she saw the wind cutely whip his brown hair in front of his face before he continued, "Can't wait for you to meet Clop though, I swear the horse can read my fucking mind."

She laughed again and met his eyes as they walked, "You still name all your horses Clop?"

"Of course I do, and I can't wait for you to meet him," He said, and his boyish excitement made Ciri smile broadly before he went on, "And I can't wait for you to meet all my other friends…. Gods know I talked about you enough to them."

"You talked about me? All good things I hope," She joked with him, as they started down the hill towards the beach.

He smiled at her once more and nodded, "Of course…. I can't wait for you to meet them all…. Come on princess, let's go home."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"DAMMIT, FUCKING DWARVES," Geralt spat angrily as they got to the beach, and Ciri could see a small skiff distantly sailing away.

Dominik scoffed from next to her, "And after everything we fucking did for them!"

The three of them had all jogged back down towards the beach, and the fog was beginning to set even heavier over the island. Ciri's ashen hair blew in the wind, and she felt a chill scrape down her neck. She looked around frantically, trying to find another boat as she saw Geralt and Dominik both doing the same. A part of her wanted to see if she could teleport over and throw all the dwarves overboard, but the skiff had gotten so far away. To her right she saw Dominik bite his lip and turn to her.

"Do you think you can teach me to open a portal," He asked her, his green eyes growing wider as he looked at her, "Maybe if I activate my powers I'll have enough magic too open one."

She shook her head and sighed, "I can't, to be honest I don't even know how I do it. I don't know a spell or anything I just think of a place and activate my powers!"

Geralt came over to them both with his arms crossed, "That won't work. Besides Dom after how they activated earlier, don't know if I wanna risk you trying them again."

Ciri looked over at him, and she could see the fatigue plastered on his face. She felt her heart slightly drop as she realized the energy of seeing her again must have been what was keeping him up. The black bags under his eyes were large, and Ciri could see him slightly slouching. However, he kept a determined look on his face and nodded slowly before looking back down to her.

"Well, trapped on an enchanted island together," He said, trying for a joking tone as he could see the worried look on her face, "I'd consider it a romantic first date if Geralt weren't here."

She laughed again and she could see a smirk appear on Geralt's face as they all stood there. Her heart warmed up as she met his eyes again. Just like when they were back at Kaer Morhen, no matter if she was injured physically, mentally, or simply having a bad day, he'd do everything to make her feel better, no matter how he felt.

Smiling at him she nodded, "A romantic first date indeed, I'm starting to think you planned it all this way."

"Oh yeah, totally," He said, the smile and amused look still plastered on his face, "Planned it with Avallach from the start, he took you here on purpose. Tried to ditch Geralt along the way a few times but he's stubborn."

A laugh came from the pit of her gut, and her laughter seemed to be infectious because Dominik smiled broadly and did the same. His laughed washed over her, and for a few moments the two of them stood laughing with each other, and Ciri even looked over and saw Geralt trying to contain himself as well. She forgot about the situation for a few glorious seconds, there was no Hunt, no powers in either of their blood, it was simply her, Dominik and Geralt laughing with one another.

She managed to stop first and used her now gloved hand to wipe her eyes with a smile. Looking up Dominik did the same, before he shot her a wink which made her scoff another laugh. Something else he had always done was be able to make her laugh at the best times, he would tell her those stupid jokes and she would eat them up. Sometimes she'd simply sit in his lap and let him talk, all while she just listened and looked at him.

Geralt saw them finish laughing and with an amused eyes roll came back up to them both.

Sighing her father looked between them, "Alright we had our fun. But now we need to find a way to-."

She felt her blood turn to ice when the cloud came from Geralt's mouth, and the cold wind begin to set in.

"Sulfur…" Dominik said quickly across from her, and she saw him frantically look out to the water, and gently point, "Geralt… we got company…"

Ciri's eyes widened and she whirled around, and that's when she saw the ships. The longships that had been chasing her through space and time for years were closing in, and she felt a panic begin to set in. They had already found her, Eredin had barely even given her a fucking hour of being back together with him before he came for her. To her left she saw Dominik take a step in front of her, and she could see his eyes go dark as he kept looking out over the water at the ships.

She had left him to make sure he was safe, left to travel the worlds without him so the Hunt didn't come for him, but now she had led them right to him and Geralt. She sighed, knowing that she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up, the happy ending she was picturing wasn't going to be easy. Her gaze fell to Dominik, and she slowly realized that just because their eight-year fight to get back to one another was over… it didn't mean their journey was complete. That day on the isle one journey had ended, and as the ships of the Hunt closed in, Ciri readied herself for the new one that was about to begin.

The only difference would be that for this one, Dominik would be right at her side. It would be the last one, and then they would get the ending they deserved… she was going to make sure of it.

Geralt whirled back around and her father's yellow eyes met hers. He shot her a calming glance but spoke in a slightly frantic.

"Ciri, you're going to have to teleport us out of here," Geralt said, coming up closer to Dominik and her.

Her eyes widened and she felt her gut begin to swirl. No matter where they teleported, where she took them Eredin was going to follow. She would put the two of them, and everyone else in the area she teleported to in danger, just like she did in Lofeton. She looked between Dominik and Geralt both, feeling the panic begin to slowly spew out of her, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if either of them died for her, died because the Hunt came, and they were after her.

Slowly she looked at them both and she felt her head shake, "But.. but they'll track me. They'll be able to find us wherever we."

"Ciri they already do, we need to go," Geralt said urgently, his yellow eyes widening.

She started breathing heavier, feeling her heart almost burst from her chest. Where she went they would soon follow, the Hunt would follow and even if they took them to Kaer Morhen, Yen, Vesemir and everybody else was there.

Biting her lip she felt the panic well up more, "I… I don't know if-."

"Hey, hey, hey look at me, Ciri look at me," Dominik quickly said, coming around in front of her, placing his strong hands on her shoulders as he gave her a reassuring glaze, "We prepared for this, we're ready okay? Don't worry, we'll be-."

She shook her head and cut him off, "But Dom I don't know if I can! I've never teleported three people before, and I still don't know if-."

"Yes, you CAN, we both believe in you," He said again quickly, locking eyes with her and Ciri could see the trust, the love spewing from them, he brought one hand up and gently touched her scarred cheek, "Ciri you can do this, come on… let's all finally go home."

He leaned over and quickly kissed her before she could react, holding both of her cheeks, and he pulled back with a broad smile before he grabbed onto her hand with his gaze not leaving her. She looked over to Geralt and her father gave her a prideful nod as well before he grabbed her other hand, and now she stood with both of them on either side of her.

Home. For so long she had wanted to go there, back home. She looked besides her, and she saw Dominik smiling still, before he gently nodded. He was her home, wherever he went she would go, and wherever they went Geralt would always find his way to them. With the two of them she was safe, she was home. However, she closed her eyes and thought back to the place where it all began, the journey that started eleven years ago, and all culminated in she, Geralt and Dominik being there in that moment.

The place where she fell in love, trained, where her journey began, and the place that she for years imagine herself and Dominik walking back into.

Kaer Morhen, she was finally going back to Kaer Morhen.

**A/N: And just as one eight year journey ends for Dominik and Ciri, another, possibly even more dangerous one begins this chapter. This chapter is my record for longest scene without a line break and I'm pretty proud xD Like I said in the last AN, after so much emotion in the last chapter I wanted this to be calmer, and show us a few important things before we move on to the insanity that is the Battle of Kaer Morhen, let's break it down. **

**So the majority of this chapter is Ciri telling her story to Dominik and Geralt, along with her learning about Dominik's powers and some of what they did. Before the Battle and the rest of the story gets going, I wanted to take this chapter to show exactly where Ciri's minds at. We learn a few new interesting things about what she's done, and the dreams she had, and what made her come back. **

**Also we learn that Avallach is not Dominik's biggest fan, why do you all think this is so? What kind of conflicts can this lead too in the future?**

**I am one of the people who absolutely despise Avallach xD I already didn't like him after I played the game. I didn't care if his intentions were good, he gave absolutely ZERO fucks about how Ciri felt, and basically just treated her as nothing but a vessel for her powers. Along with the fact he claims to be 'helping' her, while secretly hating her, and shoehorning her into battling the White Frost (I know Ciri chooses to in the end, but he basically left her no choice). And THEN I learned what he did to her in the books, how he and Eredin were the ones who made Ciri try to sleep with Auberon while lying to her about letting her leave if she had a kid, and that made me hate him even more xD**

**So as we know Avallach is a schemer, he has this dislike for Dominik, how will all of it affect the end game? Let me know your opinions!**

**The rest of the chapter is basically a recap, and showing us the bond Dom and Ciri still share, and what she's been thinking and is thinking now. **

**Again I want to reiterate I KNOW that Dom and Ciri are a little lovestruck right now xD But come on if you didn't see the person you love for eight years and have been through hell and back to get to them you'd be the same. They're going through a honeymoon phase, but as Ciri mentions this chapter, eventually they're going to need to sit and talk about everything, about everything they've done and what's happened. And while I'm sure you obviously all know their love is going to prevail in the end, I'm excited to explore their relationship more. **

**Also as I've told you all before I'm a sucker for romance, so I'm sorry but expect cute, sweet, romantic scenes to balance out all the doom and gloom xD I also want to answer some questions of people asking if there's going to be intimate scenes between Dominik and Ciri...**

**There will be, i will be writing them and they will be in the story, however it won't be right away. They have a few things they need to talk about first and settle first, (Talking about what they've done, Mistle & Freya, etc...) After this however they will be intimate more then once in this story, Dominik is a 22 year old virgin who has been waiting his whole life for Ciri, and Ciri has never had sex that wasnt basically rape. They will, and hopefully it'll be a tender sweet moment to read. **

**After all this talking we teleport to Kaer Morhen and it's almost time for the battle to get underway!**

**The Battle of Kaer Morhen will play out slightly different in my story, and the Wild Hunt is going to be MUCH more powerful this time around. What are you predictions for battle? Who dies, who survives, who are you looking forward to seeing fight?**

**Next chapter isn't the start of the fight, it's going to be once again from Ciri's POV as Dominik takes her around to meet all his friends and the defenders before the fighting starts. Ciri gets to meet some of Dom's friends, see her old ones, and see just how much the boy she loves has affected people and how he's grown. Who are you looking forward to her meeting/seeing again the most? **

**And after that… the Battle begins, and I am SO excited. **

**Thank you all so much as usual, I hope you are all enjoying, it's still surreal I've actually made it this far and am writing full chapters from Ciri's POV and her and Dom are actually together! I can't wait to bring you all more, I got a lot of great stuff planned. **

**So as always my friends stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!**


	56. United We Stand, Divided We Fall

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds **

**Chapter 56: United We Stand, Divided We Fall**

**Narrator: After their long and perilous journey led them through Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, Dominik and Geralt finally found Ciri's location, the Isle of Mists. After eight long and grueling years, the Young Wolf, Dominik of Cintra, was finally reunited with his long-lost love. Finally, Dominik and Ciri were back with one another, and with their adopted father. After an emotional reunion however, Ciri, Dominik and Geralt realized that as one journey was ending, another was quickly beginning. After the Hunt closed in on the Isle of Mists, Ciri teleported the three of them back to Kaer Morhen. At the keep, Yennefer and the rest of the allies Dominik and Geralt had gathered were hard at work, as they knew the battle with the Wild Hunt was closing in. Dominik, and Ciri knew that if they wanted any chance of defeating the Hunt, that they needed to stand together, Northerners, Nilfgaardeans, Skelligers, it mattered not where you were from, Dominik and Ciri knew that they must all stand together, or else they would surely fall….**

Ciri didn't think she'd ever get used to the churning she felt in her stomach, the violent churning she felt after a teleport, especially one that was over such a great distance. She was almost starting to understand Geralt's dislike for portals, but with him and Dominik holding onto both her hands, she felt a new strength and confidence run through her, and she found the will power to get them there. After hearing the loud ***POP* **of them landing, and her feet hit the ground, the first thing she felt was the intense rays of the sun hit the back of her neck as small beats of sweat began to trickle down. Dominik's voice was the first she heard before she opened her eyes.

"See, I told you you'd do it… welcome back princess," He said, and his loving words washed over her before she finally managed to flutter her eyes open.

A scoffing laugh was the first thing to leave her, as she gingerly took her first few steps forward. Her hair whipped in the cool breeze and she felt herself spin, trying to take in every little detail. She was amazed by how little had changed, the training dummies with buckets and helmets over their heads, the empty fountain, the stables… and Dominik there right next to her. She felt the sun cast a warm glow over her face and for a few moments again she felt like nothing was wrong. Back behind her she saw the broad smile on Geralt's face, and Dominik was trying to control his laughter as he walked towards her. She looked over at the dummies and remembered the very first trainings session they had, Lambert smacking them into the dirt, but then they got better and better, and so many times the two of them would sneak off to whack the dummies and spar with one another using their dull practice blades. She felt a breathless laugh leave her, as if she focused hard enough she could see the two of them, 11, 12 and 13 years old sparring with each other and hacking at the dummies, and she could hear their young voices yelling out encouragement to each other.

_"Go on! Keep moving your feet, got him haha awesome Ciri!" "Half-turn, pirouette, go on, slice his jugular, haha!" _Dominik's young voice rang in her head and she felt herself laugh again. The sun warmed her, and she breathlessly turned to see Dominik smiling just as wildly as she was. They were there together, the two of them were finally at Kaer Morhen again, twelve years later the two of them finally returned and she felt her heart flutter when she met his loving gaze. The tall towers, the walls, everything looked exactly the same except smaller. Dominik didn't say anything only looking at her with that goofy smile she loved, and Ciri couldn't stop whirling and looking at every single brick, every blade of grass, every pebble. She scoffed out another laugh and she couldn't help it, she tossed her arms around Dom's shoulders and squeezed as hard as she could. Laughing she heard a laugh escape him again as he twirled her in place, and she felt her boots swing before he finally put her down and she gazed up into his eyes.

She was about to say something when she heard the neighing of horses, and both of them world around.

Dominik scoffed out another breathless laugh and quickly looked back to her, "Someone's been waiting to see you…"

Her eyes widened when she saw her Uncle Vesemir standing there staring over at them. The elderly witcher, the Uncle that she loved so much gazed at her with his mouth agape, a broad smile on his old face. She felt her heart begin to race with childlike excitement she hadn't felt in years, she quickly looked back to Dominik who scoffed out a laugh and gestured his head towards their Uncle. Ciri assumed that he had already been back and seen the elderly witcher, so she tore herself away from Dominik and ran off towards her Uncle, the cells in her body exploding as she did, and finally she leaped up to hug the older witcher.

She heard Dominik's footsteps get closer, but like she was a little girl again she kicked her legs as she felt her Uncle's older, yet strong arms tightly squeeze her. The sun and the wind washed over her as she completely forgot about the Wild Hunt, Avallach, her powers, the past, and she just focused on squeezing her Uncle, her mentor, the one who had taught her how to survive.

"Ahaha. I…I'm back… we're… back…" She said breathlessly, as she felt her Uncle slowly lower her to the ground, and when she saw the smile on his elderly face Ciri's smile couldn't get wider.

Dominik ran up next to them and when she looked at him they both laughed. She knew he must have arrived back at the keep a few weeks prior and had a similar reaction to her, but now they were finally back together. She remembered that stormy night when they were eleven, when they first began that journey with one another. Dominik hadn't let go of her for the entire ride to the keep, and she could remember his frightened face, how terrified he was that they'd be separated. She would never have let that happen however, from the moment she met him in Cintra, from the moment she heard Gregory tell her about his son Dominik, she knew that it would be the two of them, and she would never let it not be again.

Then they had begun to train, and warmth ran through her chest as she remembered how they'd need to be forced apart, they didn't dare leave one another. It had been some of the most amazing years of her life, Dominik, Geralt, Vesemir and the other witchers, Triss when she came and then eventually Yen. As she looked and held her arms up on her Uncle's shoulders all the lessons came back into her mind. Her and Dominik would split up monster groups, bombs, and listen with bated breath at all the information. Of course, however at times they'd get bored and sneak off, preferring practice to theory. Vesemir would always scold them and sometimes punish them. Dominik would try to take the fall for her, but she always would admit it in the end. Even after he scolded them however, she remembered always seeing the smirk and amused smile on the elderly witchers face.

And that smile was plastered on her Uncle's face now. Dominik next to her laughed, and Vesemir turned to him, and just like she had Dominik hugged their old mentor, before their Uncle turned back to face her, the smile staying plastered onto his withered face, the sun casting a glow, and the wind blowing his grey hair.

"Welcome back child…" Vesemir said breathlessly, before taking a small step back and looking between Dominik and she before slowly shaking her head with a smile, "I remember when you both first arrived… now you're here again both grown…. Damn I feel old!"

She laughed and whirled back around to look at everything again. Her gaze went up to the multiple towers, and she could feel the wind hitting her face as she remembered running them, climbing up them with Dominik next to her after training sessions. She could remember how they'd sneak food from the kitchens, take it up there with them and spend hours looking out into the mountains. She took steps further into the yard and her heart continued to thump, she bit her lip as she heard Geralt start chatting with Vesemir before Dominik came and gently grabbed her hand.

When she turned and saw his face, she could see the elation building, and if she focused right near the empty fountain she could see them both as children. They had just been through hell for months, before they finally got somewhere safe. She remembered nights when they both lay awake in the woods on the run, she tried to stay strong for most of it, but there were times the weight of the situation would weigh her down, and she'd cry as they lay there. Dominik would always wrap his arms around her, _'We're going to be okay; we'll stick together, I won't leave you alone, I promise,' _he'd say, and right away she would feel better. She'd huddle into him, and they did that for weeks until they got to Kaer Morhen, and they finally found another home.

And then when they had gotten there, the nightmares had taken hold. Dominik's were the worst and Ciri remembered having to walk down the hall to his room, his anguished cries and terrified yells making her heart sink. She'd lay with him for the entire night some nights, and then while her nightmares weren't as frequent as his he still always came to her. Despite the nightmares they still made the keep their home, she would never forget the night she knew she loved him, when he almost fell off the pendulums over the walls. It was then she knew that more then destiny linked them, they had a love, a deep bond that wouldn't be broken, no matter who tried to come for it.

And finally, after so long, she stood in the place where it all had started. Their witcher journey, their journey of love for one another, it all started int hat keep. The orange rays of sunset casted a beautiful golden light over him, and she melted at his gaze. Dominik had already said it, but she knew it as well as she looked at him in that moment.

Everything had been worth it.

He looked over towards the wall for a moment and he laughed, before she felt him reach for her hand.

"Ciri, come here look! I told you, it's STILL here can you believe it," He said enthusiastically, gently pulling her behind him.

She felt the spark run up her arm as she laughed like a little girl again, and finally she saw what he had been talking about, remembering him telling her about it. He pulled them to a stop and their gloved hands stayed locked as she let out a scoff, seeing the wall completely covered in black soot.

That night they made the bombs together eagerly ran through her mind. How they argued for hours about the proper ingredients, pounding them into a fine dust, before making the bomb shells. Geralt, Lambert and Eskel had almost caught them sneaking out, but the three witchers were far too drunk to realize. They made it to the exact spot that they both stood in that moment and argued for a solid ten minutes about who got to throw them first.

Being her ever mischievous self Ciri nabbed the bomb from him first and threw it against the walls in only the light of the torch outside the stable. Dominik had shielded her as the explosion took a part of the wall, and she scoffed when she saw to that day the explosion they caused was so large that it still blackened the wall.

Slowly she shook her head, feeling another laugh escape her as she looked at him.

"You're the one who insisted we put extra saltpeter in them! I said we had enough, but you wanted to use more," She said playfully, the smile not leaving her as he scoffed, feigning offense.

"What, that's outrageous," He said playfully, his other hand coming around to grip her second one, and he smiled at her with both her hands in his, "If I had thrown it, then maybe it wouldn't have-."

"AH! CIRI HAHA, DOMINIK," A voice pierced through the air, and right away Ciri recognized it, almost making the tears fall from her eyes as her and Dominik both whirled back around.

"Yen…" She said breathlessly, as she gently let go of Dominik's hands before she saw him turn around towards the sorceress as well.

"Finally,… all of us…" He said breathlessly, as Ciri saw a small tear come down his cheek.

She scoffed out half a sob and half a laugh before she saw her mother coming towards them, and Ciri didn't hesitate before she took off to meet her in a hug. Lilac and gooseberries. The beautiful scent pounded into her nose, and she heard her mother choke out a sob as Ciri felt her arms wrap around her neck. Her mother, Yennefer of Vengerberg. She remembered after a couple of months in Ellander, Dominik and she were considering changing their names to Cirilla of Vengerberg, and Dominik of Rivia, after their parents. Gregory had always told her back in Cintra her mother loved her more then anything, but Ciri had no memory of the woman. Yennefer was her mother, and she felt herself squeeze even harder around the sorceress's waist, as she felt her excitement rise even further.

That year in Ellander had been the most magnificent of her life. After going through so much hell, after what happened in Cintra, Dominik and she had a family again, and instead of having to beg to have him come visit her in a castle, Ciri got to wake up down the hall from him, or next to him in one bed. She felt the love of a mother and father, and so many times over the years the memories from that time were all that got her through the nights. She remembered the meadow, the lake with the tall mountain that Dominik had to help her get over her fear of jumping from. The snow, the town, their rooms, she remembered the festival for Belleteyn where he had made himself sick getting her shoe from the lake to 'prove his love for her'. And through it all, Yennefer and Geralt were always there, watching over the both of them.

Pulling back her mother's arms were still on her shoulders, as she eagerly touched Ciri's face, seeming to make sure she was real. She was real, and they were all real, for a few moments since she woke up in Geralt's arms and finally put her own around Dominik, she believed a few times it was all a sick twisted dream. But no, they were real, they had finally done it. She looked and felt another breathless laugh escape her as she twisted her hand in Yennefer's raven locks, and finally she saw a small tear fall from her violet eyes, as she gently stroked Ciri's cheek again.

"You're back… my you've grown so, so beautiful," The sorceress said breathlessly, pulling Ciri into another hug.

Ciri let out another laugh and tried to keep the tears in her eyes as well. She wrapped her slender arms around her mother and squeezed for dear life. She was flashed back to how Yennefer had defended her from the Lodge of Sorceresses, how she was always willing to do anything for her and Dominik both.

"Yen! Yen…" Dominik said, coming back up next to her, and Ciri felt Yennefer slowly move her head back, and while keeping one arm wrapped around Ciri the sorceress looked over to Dominik.

Ciri gazed over too, and she saw he had a small tear flowing down his face as he scoffed out a laugh, and smashed into Yennefer with a hug, wrapping his arms fiercely around their mother. Ciri heard him sob before Yen turned and looked at her once more, and then wrapped both her arms around them both. Ciri quickly wrapped one arm back around Yen, as she slid her other around Dominik's waist, as she saw him continue to cry into their mother's shoulder, and it almost made Ciri cry tears of joy as well.

Dominik sobbed out a laugh, and he gently pulled his head back, looking from Yen over to Ciri.

"We… we did it, Yen, we… we actually-," He started to cry out, when Yennefer pull the both of them to her again.

"We did… I told you we would… I promised we would," The sorceress said slowly, and Ciri fiercely wrapped her arms around them both as she heard Yen sob lightly before she went on, "My children…I love you both… I love you both so much…. I'm so proud…"

Ciri laughed and squeezed with all the muscle her arms could muster. The words washed over her, for so long she had wanted to hear them, hear all of their voices, feel all of their arms around her, and now it was finally happening, she had found her family, the ones who made all her deeds worth it, all of her struggles worth it. The sun casted their shadows over the yard, and Yennefer slowly pulled back, one of her hands on both her and Dominik's shoulders.

The look that her mother gave her warmed her more then any fire or the sun ever could. Dominik next to her sniffled, and Ciri saw his emerald eyes still welled up as he wiped them, and despite the fact she knew they were happy tears, she instinctively slipped her hand into his, and the smile that came right to him sent a tingling sensation up her spine. Her touch still gave him that goofy smile, those flustered cheeks and loving eyes. He looked down at her, and Ciri could tell that his eyes wouldn't leave her anytime soon, and she didn't mind one bit. She was his, he was hers, and when she looked down and saw their hands locked together, she felt not only love, but strength, confidence, and most importantly safety.

They were always going to be there for one another, just like during and after the sack of Cintra.

Yennefer smiled at them both, before the three of them all heard footsteps near them. Turning around Ciri saw Geralt and Vesemir walking towards them. Their mother gently touched both hers and Dominik's cheeks, before she looked over and Ciri's heart leapt when she walked over to Geralt. A small laugh escaped her as she watched her mother hug tightly around Geralt's neck, before kissing his cheek and turning to look back at them.

Yennefer, Geralt, Vesemir, and Dominik next to her. She felt Dom's arm slide around her waist as he held her close, and Ciri looked around at the four of them. A warmth ran through her body and her hair whipped in the wind as she felt him squeeze around her waist. She knew it had been so much longer, in that moment it felt like only a few days prior they were all there, she had seen them all, and they hadn't changed a bit. Of course Vesemir, Geralt and Yen hadn't changed in appearance, Dominik was the only one who had. But as she looked up at him, those loving eyes hadn't changed, he was a man now, handsome and strong, but he was still that goofy, flustered boy she had a crush on in Cintra. He let go of her waist and laughed, his eyes still not leaving her, and Ciri laughed too when she looked at them all.

"You… haven't changed a bit, any of you," She said to the three of Vesemir, Geralt and Yen, before slowly looking back to Dominik again with a smile, "Just like I remembered…"

Laughing he gently held a hand up to her face, "And we still love you all the same…"

She grabbed his arm and squeezed it, before they both turned and Ciri found herself smiling widely as she saw Yennefer grab Geralt and kiss him. Dominik and she both laughed, as their adopted parents melted into each other. Ciri felt a new warmth over her, and she turned back to Dominik. She watched as he scoffed out another smile while Geralt and Yennefer kissed, with the smile staying plastered to him he slowly turned his head down to her.

He scoffed out a laugh and smiled at her, "Ha… and what are you-."

She cut him off by leaning up slightly and kissing him, his arms right away went to her waist. She put a hand gently on his strong chest and her other went around his neck as for a few moments they melted into one another, and she felt every single bit of her body erupt in pleasurable tingles. She pulled back from him and right away he let out a laugh, and Ciri smiled at the red on his face.

He gave her that goofy smile and rubbed his head while keeping an arm around her waist, "Ha i… I… um… wow… I love-."

"Hahaha… I missed that look…" Ciri said fondly, as her heart continued to flutter.

"CIRI, DOMINIK," A voice rang from their left, and again they both whirled around.

"Triss! You made it," Dominik said excitedly, as the red-headed sorceress came jogging down the steps towards them.

Ciri felt her heart grow again, when Dominik and Geralt had said everyone was there, they truly meant it. Dominik kept one hand on her waist and stayed closed when Triss came up to them both, Ciri wasted no time in hugging her. She could still remember the cold snowy day out on the road when she had fallen off the gauntlet, right in front of Triss Merigold, only for Dominik to come running, threatening to stab the sorceress if she didn't get away from Ciri. She could remember how she nervously told the sorceress about her love for Dominik, and how Triss had laughed, assuring Ciri that she had never seen a boy more in love at such a young age. Ciri had thought it was a joke, but if not for Triss telling her that she didn't know if she ever would've gained the courage to kiss Dominik that first night they did.

"Little sis… god you've grown beautiful," Triss said happily, before turning over to look at Dominik, and reaching over to hug both arms around him as well, "And you… I told you! I told you that you would find her!"

She watched and felt her heart soar at the look of elation that grew on Dominik's face as he hugged the red-headed sorceress. A small laugh escaped her as she remembered how much she used to tease him about having a crush on Triss. Ciri never meant it of course but he always knew Dominik had grown close to the young sorceress, so despite the fact she knew Dom always loved her, she would tease him relentlessly about having a crush on Triss. He would get the cutest, most flustered look on his face, _'What, no! I only like you, Ciri I swear it,' _he'd say, before Ciri pulled him into a hug.

Triss had helped her at one of the most crucial moments of her life, came to help her and stayed with her and Dominik both for a whole year to take care of them. She would never forget the day Triss had done her hair, conjured her a dress, and helped Ciri try makeup for the first time since Cintra. She had felt so beautiful that night, and the flustered, loving look that grew on Dominik's face had made her love it all the more.

_"Triss… do you really think he'll like it," Young Ciri nervously asked the sorceress. _

_ The red-head scoffed a laugh and nodded as she dabbed the blush on Ciri's cheeks, "I'm sure, I promise. He's going to love it, you look beautiful Ciri."_

Dominik had indeed loved it. They spent that night in the small garden after Triss distracted the witchers for them both, and butterflies still fluttered in her heart at the memory. The wind lapped through her hair again, as Dominik pulled out of Triss's hug and breathlessly looked between Ciri and the sorceress.

"You did…. And I did," He said, his handsome gaze turning to Ciri.

Triss smiled and looked to Ciri as well, "It's so good to see you again…. It feels like yesterday I found you two on the road."

Ciri laughed and smiled, "He tried to stab you!"

The three of them all laughed and Triss sighed with a large smile, looking between them both.

"He did… but I'm glad he did in a way," She said with a small shake of her head, but still smiling widely, "And now you're both all grown up! I remember having to sneak you both away to spend time with each other."

She felt herself blush but managed a laugh and next to her, she saw that cute flustered look come to Dominik's face. The sunset still casted a beautiful glow around him, and he sighed with a smile, looking over to her. Ciri wanted to lean over and kiss him again, but held herself back before she smiled back over at Triss.

"We wouldn't be here if not for you…" She told the sorceress, and a broad smile grew to Triss's face.

"I'm sorry to interrupt everyone's reunions… but we need to get to work," Vesemir's voice said behind her, and instantly she, Dominik and Triss all turned to the elderly witcher.

She saw that Yennefer and Geralt had both stopped kissing, and she could also see the forlorn look that appeared on Triss's face at seeing the two. Ciri felt her heart go out to the red-headed sorceress for a moment, before she realized what her Uncle was saying. Eredin had tracked them within the hour she had awoken on the Isle of Mists, and she hadn't even opened any portals using her powers. Now she had, and surely the Hunt was on their way. Her home, her family would soon be under attack, and it was all because she was there now. Ciri's skin crawled for a few moments as her gaze went down to her boots, feeling her heart almost thump out of her chest.

However, quickly she felt Dominik grab her hand and squeeze it. Her gaze shot back up to him, and when she met his eyes, a new look had appeared in them. For the short time they'd been back together, the loving gaze hadn't left his eyes. It was still there in that moment, his green eyes bore into her lovingly, however she still knew him well enough after all of these years to know what he was trying to tell her.

Just like always he was telling her that they'd be okay, trying to reassure her. Love washed over her at his gaze, but something else did as well. Confidence, strength and safety, he could tell what he was trying to say. They were together now; they didn't have to face the threat alone anymore. For so long the both of them, him there on the continent, and her between so many worlds had traveled, bled, fought and searched all on their own. They had faced enemies and adversaries on their own, all while they had yearned to be together, to be fighting together. And now they were, they didn't have to fight by themselves anymore. They weren't children anymore, helpless children training.

They were grown, they had each other, and just like when they were children, as long as they stuck together, they'd be just fine. At his gaze Ciri felt the strength shoot into her, and she slowly nodded up at him, and a wicked smile appeared on his face.

"You're right Vesemir, we should get started soon," Geralt said, coming to join them all with Yennefer at his side, her father turning to face Yennefer, "Yen did you ever manage to get ahold of Borch?"

Ciri's eyes widened, the only time she had ever heard the name Borch was from the story of the famous golden dragon hunt Geralt used to tell them about. Before she had time to inquire more, her mother quickly nodded, the sunset casting over her raven locks.

"I didn't get ahold of him directly, but I was able to get him a message," Her mother said with a dejected tone, crossing her arms, "I don't know if he got it… we'll have to wait and see."

Triss crossed her arms and sighed, "If what I've heard is true… and the Hunt has a dragon, how are we going to defend against that?"

A silence fell over them for a moment, as Ciri saw Vesemir, Geralt, Triss and Yen all at a loss for words. If the dragon she had faced in Lofeton really came to the keep, she had no idea how they would even begin to defend against it. The beast had been as big as some of the towers of the keep itself, and its breath had completely destroyed the village, freezing the buildings whole and knocking over the great oak. Ciri knew that Dominik and Geralt had gathered a band of great fighters, but what chance did they stand against a dragon, and not just the dragon, but the hundreds of riders as well?

But while the people around them all seemed to falter for a moment, Dominik took a step past her into the middle of them all, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

"We'll find a way to deal with it, I know we will," He said, the confidence in his voice overwhelming. He quickly turned over to Vesemir and spoke again, "Uncle Vesemir, is everyone here? Has everyone been preparing?"

The elderly witcher sagely nodded, "Aye, they're all here, everyone you gathered. Those Bear, Griffin and Cat witchers all came, along with your blonde sorceress friend."

"Good…." Dominik said slowly, a thoughtful look coming to his face as he stroked his stubbly chin before looking at his Uncle again, "What about Avallach? Could use a sage, and from what Ciri tells me he knows the Hunt better then all of us."

"Still in the tower resting," Vesemir said with a head shake, "Still in pretty bad condition, but he's stable for now."

Ciri's heart thumped. The confidence and tone with which Dominik spoke surprised her. And she also knew that he was already wary of Avallach, so the fact he'd put aside his worries to better help them, made her heart whirl. He was doing everything he could, and Ciri saw him still despite the news confidently shake his head.

"Okay… we'll figure out a new way," He said assuredly, "What about Zoltan, did he put that coin we got from Dijkstra to good use?"

Vesemir nodded again, "I'd like to say he did, got enough explosives to bring the whole keep down. And that one Redanian fellow, Arno I think his name was, mentioned he had a plan."

"Good," Dominik said with a smile still on his face, this time he turned over to Geralt, "Are you ready Geralt? Do we want to get everyone together?"

She looked over and saw her father nod, a prideful look on his face as the evening wind blew his silver hair.

"We can take a few more minutes," Geralt said, turning over to Triss, Yen and Vesemir, "Wanted to talk to you all about a few things."

The sorceresses and Vesemir nodded in agreement, and Ciri felt her heart flutter. Dominik nodded confidently and the smile on his face was strong, assured, and Ciri couldn't help but think how handsome it made him look.

"Alright, you guys go on ahead," He said with a smile, before he turned back to face Ciri herself. When he looked at her she felt a small red hue come to her cheeks.

His look had grew lighter, but Ciri still felt the strength surging threw it. The way he smiled, stood, spoke, the confidence he was exhuming, the loving gaze he still held, it all made her heart continue to flutter. She had thought it before when she first saw him as he was now, but he was beginning to look more and more like his father Gregory. Along with Gregory's looks, Dominik seemed to also be inheriting the man's confidence, and natural leadership, the ability she remembered Gregory had to rally anyone, inspire confidence in anyone.

Sir Gregory of Cintra had been the closest thing she had to a father in Cintra. She had heard the stories how Gregory and her mother were best-friends, and multiple times the man had told her he saw Ciri as one of his own, and Ciri was proud to hear him say that. She remembered how the man would always be laughing, exhuming a raw confidence and humor that was contagious, and he adored she, Dominik and his sister Bella with all his heart. There were so many times he'd cover for her so she could skip royal gatherings, help her leave them early, and sneak her out to ride and skate. And then once she had met Dominik, Gregory would always bring him to see her whenever she asked, no matter the time or day.

Gregory was a hero, and without him she'd surely be dead. She would never forget when he stayed behind, stayed behind to cover her escape, giving his life to do so. He had urged her to go with Lazlo, his squire on the horse and flee, promising her that he would be right behind her. She had cried, tossing herself into him, screaming for him not to leave her. But Gregory had hugged her, looked her in the eyes and swore to her that he'd always be with her, and that Dominik would be there, if he didn't find her, his son would, and just like he did, Dominik would always keep her safe. He yelled for her to get to the lake, find Sofia, Bella and Dominik there… but he had never gotten there.

Along with being her personal hero, Gregory was Cintra's hero. She had learned if not for him, for his tactics in battle the city wouldn't have had nearly the amount of time it did to prepare for the siege, and even more citizens would have been slaughtered. Everyone said that he was a hero, Gregory of Cintra, the great White Knight of Cintra, the cities protector, and Ciri's herself. He had been one of the greatest men that Ciri ever knew, and she would love and appreciate the man's memory until her dying breath. If not for him she'd be dead… and more importantly she wouldn't have met his son, her destiny, the man she loved.

And Dominik as he grew, seemed to inherit all the traits his father had tried to pass to him, because in that moment as he looked at her, she could see Gregory, all the things that made the man a hero were inside his son. She watched as Geralt, Yennefer, Triss and Vesemir all seemed to smile at them both, before walking towards the middle courtyard, leaving the two of them alone. Dominik sighed lightly, the smile still on his face as he looked off into the sunset for a moment. Ciri's heart fluttered, as while she could still see that boyish giddiness, the childlike excitement in his eyes… she could finally see the man he had grown into in that moment, and she loved it.

"So, before we gather everyone one up… I had some people I wanted you to meet," He said, his voice calm, soothing and reassuring as he looked at her.

Her smile grew and she nodded, "Alright… who's here?"

"A few people you know actually," He told her, the excitement growing back up on his face, "Ermion and Hjalmar are here, and I'm sure Zoltan will be ecstatic to see you, then there's a few friends of mine that I want you to meet."

"I didn't get to see Zoltan in Novigrad, and Ermion and Hjalmar are here!?" She asked, feeling her own excitement rise, somehow feeling ecstatic despite the situation.

Laughing lightly, he pushed his messy hair to the side, "Yeah, they're here. And… I… got something I want to show you inside."

She breathlessly nodded, feeling her blood race even faster. She loved that despite the fact they would soon be going into a battle, a battle that she didn't know if they could win, with the fact that their reunion could be very short lived hanging in their heads… he was still doing everything he could to enthuse her, to make her smile. He was giving her strength, and his words worked, because Ciri felt herself smiling broadly.

"Okay… come on, I want to meet some of your friends," She said, her heart thumping faster behind her breast.

He laughed as a huge open-mouthed smile came to him, "Alright let's get going! Come on, I can't wait for you to meet everyone!"

And when she saw him turn and start walking Ciri immediately got to his side and followed. She knew that they would more then likely be facing life or death in less than an hour, after all she had done to get back there, it could all be ripped away from her right away. However, when she looked up at the sunset casting its glow over his face, her confidence soared.

They were together not, they were home, and they would protect one another.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You've really been learning fighting styles from other witcher schools?" She said in astonishment, the sunset casting their shadows behind them as they walked.

He nodded enthusiastically and met her eyes as they rounded the ramp, "Yeah, I thought that I needed something to give me an advantage. My friends, the witchers George and Faram I told you about, they've taught me Bear and Griffin schools, I learned a bit from the Viper, all I need is the cat, it'll give me that edge I need."

"Oh," Ciri said in a joking tone, smiling wildly at him, "And your super powerful magic blood powers don't give you an edge?"

Scoffing Dominik rolled his eyes but smiled at her, "They do, but they also almost knock me out after every use."

She laughed and rolled her eyes playfully, "Well I guess we'll have to see just how good you are with these different schools in the training yard later."

"Are you challenging me to a sparring match," He said playfully, one of his eyebrows raised and it made Ciri laugh before he went on, "Don't forget I normally let you win back then."

"Oh, stop it you did NOT, let me win," Ciri said, the smile not leaving her as they walked.

He shrugged his shoulders, "I had to, my mother always told me to be a gentlemen. What kind of boyfriend knocks their girlfriend into the dirt with a sword?"

She scoffed and punched his arm playfully, "Well just like back then, I hereby give you full permission to NOT let me win. Not that I need it, I'll whop you any day, don't matter how big and strong you got."

"Oh you are so on princess," Dominik said, just as they came to a bend going into the first courtyard. Her chest raced when he smirked at her before he went on, "After this is done, me, you, training yard, and then pendulums after-."

"HAHA CIRI, DOMINIK! You both finally made it," A loud booming voice rang from ahead of them, making Dominik and her both shoot their gaze forward.

Ciri's eyes widened and she laughed, "Hjalmar!"

Dominik smiled broadly next to her as well, and when Ciri met his eyes he smirked and gestured his head forward, telling her to go. Ciri scoffed and turned to face her old best-friend, she sped forward and the An Craite was smiling broadly as he placed a large axe back down against an anvil. Behind the younger An Craite, Ciri saw two other Skelligers, one with a bow slung across his back while the other sharpened his blade. Dominik quickly took a step ahead of her, and firmly shook Hjalmar's hand, and Ciri could see the look of great respect the two of them gave each other. She was flashed back to when she was a young girl, arriving on Skellige with Gregory, and watching him and Crach joyfully greet one another. Dominik and Hjalmar looked just like that, and it made Ciri's heart leap.

"Good to see you again An Craite," Dominik said with a head nod, a wild smile on his face, the confidence and strength exhuming from him.

Hjalmar laughed and nodded, "Aye you as well mate! And Ciri! Gods you've gotten huge!"

Dominik shot her a wink before walking forward towards the other two Skelligers, "Folan! Vigi! How's it going, how're we looking weapons wise?"

Ciri watched him go off and eagerly shake hands with the other two men, and seeing it, seeing him so naturally lead and speak to the others made her heart leap again. Seeing him so happy, despite the situation they were facing was amazing to Ciri, his confidence was contagious as she quickly saw the two men, Folan and Vigi laughing and conversing with him, and the effect Dominik had on the men was obvious. She smiled fondly, her heart continuing to race before she looked back over at Hjalmar.

Hjalmar had grown tall and Ciri laughed remembering the crush she used to have on her old best-friend. She loved Dominik now of course but seeing the An Craite again made her heart soar, a familiar face, a face that she used to be so excited to see every time Gregory and she landed in Skellige. He was beginning to look more and more like Crach, and Ciri's mind began to race, thinking about the adventure that Dominik and he seemed to have gone on. She could remember how she'd skate circles around the An Craite, and how excited she was back in Cintra after she met Dominik, knowing for a fact that the two of them would become fast friends.

And it seemed Ciri had been right, because the more she looked between Hjalmar and Dominik, the more she saw Crach and Gregory.

"It's so good to see you again! I can't believe you're here," Ciri said, reaching up and hugging the An Craite, Hjalmar hugged back around her waist and she smiled as she pulled back.  
Hjalmar laughed and crossed his larger arms, "Haha I wouldn't miss it! No An Craite's ever battled such a foe! Besides, once your man over here told me what was going on I came right away."

Ciri felt her heart spin and a sheepish smile come to her face hearing Dominik referred to as 'her man'. They technically had never broken things off, so he really had been for all those years. Hjalmar had been just as she remembered, confident and headstrong, always itching for a fight. Ciri had been just a little girl when she last saw him and seeing him then really made her think about how much time had passed.

The wind howled through her hair and sent a small chill up her spine, as the realization of the situation was still setting in. All the defenders there, were either people she knew, or had helped Dominik and Geralt along the way, all people who would be fighting to keep her safe, fighting to protect her. The idea made her skin crawl again, but she quickly pushed the thoughts from her head, willing herself to enjoy that moment.

"Ha well… thank you, I really do appreciate it," Ciri said, as Hjalmar smiled and nodded. She looked up and met her old friends eyes with a curious gaze, "Dom told me something about the two of you killing an Ice Giant?"

"We did yeah," Dominik cut in, making Hjalmar and her turn back to him as he came up next to them both, still smiling, "Would be dead without Hjalmar here, damn thing nearly squeezed me to death."

Ciri was about to ask further questions when Hjalmar scoffed loudly.

"Bah modest to the end, you should've seen him Ciri," Hjalmar said with a smirk, looking over to meet her eyes, "All of us were outta commission! Me, Folan, Vigi, Faram, all of us were out! Just Dominik, a Giant and a fucking dagger! Never seen a man dodge, roll and fight like him!"

"Ha… it really wasn't that much," Dominik said quickly, and Ciri saw the nervous red hue appear on his face as he rubbed the back of his head.

Hjalmar laughed again and clapped him hard on the back, and Dominik almost fell forward, which made Ciri laugh.

"BAH take credit for something once in your life mate! Don't let him fool ya," Hjalmar said, wrapping an arm around Dominik's shoulder before he looked back at her, "If not for him, there wouldn't be any more Clan An Craite! Him and Cerys saved our honor, cleared our name! You picked a good one here Ciri hahaha!"

"I did… didn't I," Ciri said with the smile lightly growing on her face, and she only laughed more when Dominik nervously smiled back at her, his cheeks red and flustering.

When he smiled back at her, Ciri felt the pride whir up inside of her, she didn't know what Hjalmar was referring too, but she assumed Dominik would tell her later. Either way, just like she had predicted so many years ago, Dominik had loved Skellige, and the An Craite's. A small part of her mind wondered off and thought about what it would have been like if they had made it to Skellige after Cintra's fall, or if the city hadn't fallen at all, and he started coming with Ciri to Skellige a few months out of the year.

He smiled down at her, and Ciri could read what his face was saying, _'I'll tell you later'. _She slowly nodded back at him, and he smiled broadly before turning back to Hjalmar.

"So, how're the weapons looking? Folan and Vigi tell me you've been sharpening and mending," Dominik asked with his arms crossed, and Hjalmar quickly nodded.

"Aye mate, blades are in tip, top shape," Hjalmar said confidently, looking between Dominik and Ciri both again, "We're going to beat those wraiths back we will! By the way mate, that one stuffy fellow, Arno I think his name was, said he was looking for you."

Dominik quickly nodded, "I heard yeah, I'll talk to him before I head into the keep. If you're finished with all the weapons, start gathering them to the keep. I… got some stuff I wanna show Ciri first, then we'll meet up and talk defense."

Ciri's face went red and her heart gently whirred, and her gaze turned up to him. He smiled down at her, and Hjalmar nodded next to them.

"Aye got it. Good seeing you as always mate," The An Craite said before his friendly and excited eyes turned to Ciri, "It was great seeing you again lass, all three of us for a round after this!"

"Sounds like a plan," Ciri said with a smile, before Hjalmar walked back to join his other men.

The sun was continuing to set, and Ciri knew they couldn't have any more than an hour before the sun was gone, and the wraiths would more then likely come. She watched Hjalmar excitedly walk back and start barking out orders to his two men, and she felt her stomach begin to whirl. Someone else she knew, someone else she cared deeply for was at risk now, all because she was simply there. Dominik had already risked everything, his life every single day to get to her, and now all it took was being in her presence and they would be set upon by the Wild Hunt. Her skin began to crawl in the wind as she looked down at her feet and quickly adjusted her sword. They could all die that night, all because she was there. Ciri had been ready to sacrifice herself to save them all, but she knew that they would never let her even have that option.

As much as she felt loved from the protection, it didn't mean she wanted them to have to sacrifice themselves. She gently bit her lip when she felt the son on her back, and she looked to see Dominik smiling down at her like he had been the entire time, and his kind eyes, kind and loving eyes washed over her.

"So, I'm guessing Hjalmar hasn't changed a bit?" He said, coming next to her, and gently putting a hand at the base of her back.

She felt a small jolt run up her spine at his touch, and his words made her scoff and smile.

"Not one bit no," She said, as they both began to walk further into the keep, "What's this he said about you saving the clan?"

He sighed and a small smile came to his face, "Well long story short, you remember Cerys?"

"Of course, she was always too young to come out with us," Ciri said, remembering the youngest An Craite at a young age.

They passed by the outer courtyard, and Ciri right away noticed lines upon lines of red barrels. The smell hit her nose, the smell of tar and pitch almost made her gag. She saw the barrels were lining around the courtyard almost completely and scoffed when she even saw some strategically dug into the smallest nooks and crannies of the yard. She had been around enough explosions to know it would more then likely cause a severe chain reaction of blasts; ones that would seem to be enough to set the entire courtyard aflame. A small part of her wondered if this was a part of a plan some defenders had, a large explosion of fire to counter the ice from the Hunt.

She followed closely next to Dominik as he went on, and Ciri's gaze went back up to him as he spoke.

"Well King Bran died recently, so they were getting set to pick a new King at Kaer Trolde," He explained as they both got deeper into the courtyard, "During the feast, King Bran's widow used bearserkers, a sort of lycanthrope to slaughter the guests, tried to blame it on Crach, Hjalmar and Cerys, Hjalmar and Cerys were leading in contention for the throne, she did it to have her son take the crown."

Ciri's jaw dropped open as she scoffed, "And what did you do?"

Dominik shrugged, "Geralt and I helped Cerys track down the truth, exposed the woman responsible. And now… Queen Cerys An Craite rules over Skellige."

"Ha, Cerys? Good for her… I'm glad that you helped them," Ciri said, the wind blowing through her hair as the smile stayed plastered on her face, "I… miss them all. Gods it really has been so long…"

"I'll take you back there," He said confidently, and Ciri's heart rose up in her chest when she looked and saw the confidence in his eyes as he spoke, "After this is done we'll go there. And trust me I have so many places I've been that we can go too. Wherever you want to go we'll go!"

"I love that idea…" She said slowly, as the idea started flooding into her head.

The two of them traveling, keeping people safe and simply being together. It had been what they both wanted from the moment that they arrived at Kaer Morhen all those years ago. If she focused hard enough she could imagine it in that very moment. She saw the two of them in Skellige, at Kaer Trolde at one of Crach's feasts, or she saw them in a warm room at an inn, all the way up in Kovir as the beautiful snows fell and the stars lit up the sky. She could even see them south in Nazair, Zerrikania and Toussaint, everywhere. And she even ran through all of the beautiful worlds she had visited, would he come to them with her? Of course, he would, it was a stupid question for her to even think about.

Wherever she went, he would go, and wherever he went, she would go. She wasn't going to leave him alone, not again. She watched as the wind ran through his messy brown hair, and she saw his green eyes glow up with childlike excitement, and she wasn't afraid to admit hers did the same.

His hand went to her upper shoulder and gently fell to her waist as he gestured towards further into the keep, "It's a plan then. After this is all over, I'll take you to ANY place you wanna go, you choose, we can go north, south, wherever-."

"HAHAHA! You finally found her, damn near brings me to tears," A new deep voice ran from their left, and Ciri scoffed when she turned around.

She hadn't gotten to see Zoltan when she went to Novigrad, Dandelion had told her the dwarf was out on business and to Ciri's regret she had to teleport before she could see him. The dwarf looked just like she remembered, with an axe on his back he eagerly walked over towards them both, and she felt the smile come right back to her.

"Zoltan, it's so good to see you," Ciri said excitedly, just as the dwarf got over to them, a broad smile on his withered face.

Dominik laughed from next to her as well, "It's good to see you made it okay! You and George have any trouble on the road?"

Zoltan reached up and eagerly shook both their hands as the smile never once left his face. The dwarf smirked wildly and crossed over his arms as he looked between Dominik and she.

"Aye not much trouble at all. George and I had to keep our passengers from killing each other, but we made it none the less," Zoltan said with a smirk, gesturing around them, "And the coin you got from Sigi went to good use! Got enough Mahakaman mix to blow every one of those wraiths back where they came!"

Ciri felt herself laughing at the dwarf's enthusiasm, but when she looked over at Dominik for the first time she saw his confident look fade as his green eyes grew darker.

"Did Declan give you any trouble? Arno and Elise weren't happy having him when you all set off," He said slowly, and Ciri could see the worry in his eyes.

Zoltan shook his head however, "Not much no. They all got into a few spats but that's it. Got to admit, lad isn't that bad, even changed his armor on the way."

Ciri wanted to ask more questions but she saw the look on Dominik's face and decided against it. On his face he could see the confliction, and when he looked back at her he let out a shaky breath. With what she knew would happen later, Ciri didn't want to spoil any of the moments with him, the few moments they would have together before they had to fight. Quickly however he nodded, and Ciri saw the confidence shoot back into his eyes, as he gestured around towards the barrels around them.

"I… assume that the barrels are spread out like this for a reason? Is everything set up, how are we looking?" He asked the dwarf, and Ciri's stomach fluttered at hearing the confidence back in his tone.

Zoltan laughed and nodded, "You bet, all part of that Arno blokes plan. Him, Elise, Roche and Ves are in the upper courtyard. But yes, everything's all ready. Got a few more odds and ends to tie up and we'll be ready for the fight!"

"Good, it won't be easy, but we're gonna beat them back, I know we will," He said, and slowly his head craned over to Ciri.

A small smile formed again when she saw the look he gave her, and she could see the love and certainty in them. She felt safe, safe there with him, and if he believed that they would win, then she believed it as well. They were finally not going to have to fight by themselves, all banned together they would finally have a chance to beat the Hunt back, and she wouldn't have to run anymore. A small part of her was also giddy to finally have the chance to fight besides him, besides the wagon train ambush on the way to Ellander with Triss and Geralt, she hadn't gotten to besides a few hunting trips. Now after so long they could face their foes together, she didn't have to grip onto the ring before the battle to remember him, he'd be right next to her.

She looked up at him and could see that his gaze lingered on her. A small laugh escaped her as she begun to feel her heart flutter more, seeing him constantly give her that look. She was doing the same with him, looking at him constantly to make sure he was really there, that he wouldn't disappear if she blinked or looked away. She had missed Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, her whole family every day while she was gone. However, in the end, she had gotten to see them much more recently then him. Eight years, eight long, grueling, yearning years, for him, the one person who made all the suffering worth it. She still kept seeing the young fourteen-year-old she had been with all those years ago when she blinked, but after her eyes came back, she saw the man he had grown into, a man who was leading the charge to protect her, protect her still after so long. He had never stopped loving her… just like she hadn't, for so long that was her fear, that he had stopped, found someone else.

But the way he looked at her then, the spark she felt, she remembered it was a bond that could never be broken.

Zoltan laughed from below them and looked up, "Haha we will you're right lad! Seeing you two back together… damn near makes me cry. See lad, we told ya acting in that play would be worth it!"

Ciri raised an eyebrow and felt her mind race as a new multitude of questions ran through her head. She looked over and laughed when she saw Dom's eyes widen and his face get beat red.

"You? Acting in a play…" She asked, feeling herself begin to laugh at his flustered look.

"I'll tell you about it later," He said quickly, and for the first time he tried not to meet her gaze as he nervously ran a hand through his hair.

She felt another laugh escape her at his flustered face, "Oh no, oh no, no, no, I want to hear more about this play you were acting in!"

"Dammit Zoltan…" He muttered, looking down at the dwarf, who laughed heartily and looked up at Ciri.

"Haha! Oh you should have seen it lassie," Zoltan said, and Ciri felt herself laugh again as she saw Dominik flustering more and more at the dwarf's words, "You see we needed a way to lure Dudu out of hiding after your incident on Temple Isle. Dominik here came up with the brilliant idea of putting on a new mumming! Wrote it and played the lead himself!"

"I didn't play the lead…." Dominik muttered, his face beat red, and Ciri couldn't help but feel a laugh come from the pit of her stomach.

Zoltan and she both stood there laughing, while Dominik sighed with an eye roll once more. Ciri felt herself have to hold her gut, as she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard. She managed to look over and see his face as he looked at her, and the look of slight annoyance turned to one of love, as he bore his gaze onto her, and Ciri couldn't help but laugh more and feel her senses begin to buzz. Finally, she felt the love wash over her, and while still chuckling she walked over to him and put her hands on his arms as he had them crossed.

"Well, well, well I never knew you had a soft spot for the theater," She said teasingly, as he playfully rolled his eyes at her before she went on, "You will HAVE to recite some lines for me when we have some time."

Playfully he rolled his eyes and the smile came back to him, "Fine, fine, but only because you're the one who asked."

"How sweet, I'm sure it's an exclusive privilege," Ciri joked, smiling up at him as she held his arm.

"It is, nobody's ever gotten it before, you should feel honored," He said, his eyes turning back down to her.

She scoffed out a laugh and nodded, "Oh I do! The great Dominik of Cintra, mummer extraordinaire!"

He laughed and seeing the smile taking hold on him warmed her heart as the wind whipped through her hair. She smiled and let out a relaxing breath as he looked back down at her for a moment before turning over to Zoltan.

"We'll be meeting up in the keep soon Zoltan," Dominik said, smiling down at the dwarf, "Thanks…. Thanks again for coming."

"Aye lad, for the two of you? Anything," The dwarf said with a smile, and Ciri felt herself warm up when he happily smiled up at her, "Warms my heart seeing ye again little swallow. The two of you stay close together now, protect each other just like you always did."

"Always…." Ciri said with a nod, "Thanks Zoltan, we'll talk more when we're done."

"Aye lass we will," The dwarf said with a confident smile, turning over to Dominik as well, "And good job lad… good job."

The dwarf walked back off towards the barrels of explosives, and she looked over to see Dominik smiling over at her still. She felt her heart race again and thought about all she had heard so far, all the things she heard Dominik had done. She wanted so much to sit down and listen to the stories, not just from his journey with Geralt to find her, but what he had done in the entirety of the eight years since she saw him. She wanted to know how he had grown up to be the man she saw before her there today, the confident, loving, protective and fun-loving man she saw in front of her then. In his eyes and his mannerisms she could still see plenty of that boy she hit with the apple at that royal ball all those years ago. She wanted to know every single detail, the good, the bad, the painful… and she wanted to tell him everything she had done. When Geralt had come to get her the first time she was back from Stygga Castle, she only had enough time to tell her father the bare minimum between being summoned to the Lodge an Rivia. She'd tell her father too of course… but she wanted to sit with Dominik first.

She wanted to sit with him and tell him everything, every small, large and even the insignificant details of her journey back to him. And she wanted to hear the same from him. There were things she didn't want to tell him, for fear that he would see her differently, but there had never been any secrets between them, and she didn't want that to start now. She would tell him how she was unfaithful, how she eventually began to lay with Mistle willingly, about the horrible things she did with the rats, about the arena, about Leo Bonhart, about being imprisoned in Tir'Nala and going to Auberon's bed chamber… she would tell him everything, and she had to believe their bond was strong enough to last. She also was slightly scared of what she'd learn from him.

Had just like it did for her with Mistle, had the loneliness overtaken him, and he found comfort in someone? What did he have to do to survive, where had he traveled, what did he have to do to find her? She knew it would almost be nothing compared to the horrible things she had to do… but she still wanted to know it all. If they were going to be together, truly be together, their relationship had to be based on trust, trust and love in one another. It had been like that before they were separated, and she had to believe that they could be like that now. They had both changed, they both had to do things they weren't proud of.

But as she saw him looking at her, she knew that no matter how much either of them had changed, their love for each other was still there.

Dominik sighed with a smile, before looking back down at her, and right away his eyes warmed her and made her feel better just like they always had.

"Come on, still some people I want you to meet," He said lightly with a smile, gesturing for her to follow, "Then well… I want to show you something."

She wanted to be alone with him, even if it was just for a minute. They stood there in the sunset, right in the middle of the courtyard with the wind howling between them but she could hear people chatting ahead, and the clanging of metal on metal. Just the two of them, just for a minute. The moment they reuniting had been magical, and she would never forget it for as long as she lived, the first kiss they shared after eight years still lingered on her lips. When they both first arrived in Kaer Morhen, the kiss they shared, reuniting with their family, the family they had both been yearning years for had also been magical.

But she just wanted him alone, the two of them. He had been her family, her family longer then even Geralt and Yennefer had. She remembered that long treck from Cintra, from the ruins. In that moment she remembered the day after the massacre, when he was bleeding out from his stomach. She drug him to a small stream, and he had walked her through how to wrap his wound, the wound the knight in the winged helmet had cut across his stomach. Ciri could remember how her fingers shook as she wrapped the torn piece of her cloak around the wounds and dressed it as best she could. That had been when she finally asked him about his family, his mother Sofia, his sister Bella who Ciri loved, and of course Gregory…. She would never forget his cries, how he wailed and buried himself into her.

She had cried herself, the thought lingering in her head that if they hadn't been so dead set on saving her… perhaps all three of them would be alive. However, she knew she had to take care of him, at least in that moment like he had done for her. She had squeezed him tight and promised him she was his family now, that she would never leave his side just like she knew he wouldn't leave hers. And during those months, that was when she felt her love for him continue to grow, and he became the most important person to her, they relied on one another, loved one another, and were all the other had for so long. And then even when they found Geralt, eventually Yennefer, they had relied on one another, loved one another, that bond they shared only growing even stronger.

He was her family then, and he still was now, and after eight years she just wanted a few moments alone with him. And she was hoping they could get that in the keep.

"Okay… come on, I… want to spend some time with you in the keep before things get started," She admitted, feeling her face get slightly red as she smiled at him.

He laughed lightly and nodded, before they both turned and started walking, "I like the sound of that… come on, let's go."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So, tell me more about this little play that you wrote," Ciri asked him teasingly as they got to the middle courtyard.

He scoffed out a laugh and shook her head, "I actually wasn't the only one who wrote it. Priscilla helped me, between the two of us it only took a few hours."

"Priscilla?" Ciri found herself asking right away, looking up at him, feeling her heart race at an alarming rate.

"Yeah, Dandelion didn't tell you about her? Calonetta?" Dominik asked, as Ciri heard the distant twanging of a bow and crossbow.

She felt herself breathe out in relief quickly, her heart rate returned to normal as she nodded at him. Dandelion had indeed told her about Calonetta, but Ciri had of course been in hiding, and didn't want to draw any unwanted attention. The bard hadn't told anyone of her being there other then of course Dudu, but she did remember him fondly mentioning the trobairitz.

"He mentioned her yes, you met her," She asked him, as her boots crunched through the dirt.

He sighed and nodded again, "Yeah, she's really great, helped me write the play. If not for her we wouldn't have found Dudu, and in turn Dandelion. Gonna be seeing more of her, considering how head over heels Dandelion was for her."

"Dandelion in love," Ciri scoffed, the idea sounding incredulous to her, "You can't be serious, I thought she was just another one of his flames."

"Oh no, not this one," Dominik said with a small laugh, "She's got him sodded. You'll more then likely get to meet her when-. HOLD UP!"

She heard the twang of a crossbow from her right, and Dominik quickly shot his arm out to stop her. With more force then she ever saw, the bolt implanted itself half deep into one of the archery targets that Dominik and she had just been about to walk past. The bolt was dead center in the middle of the red target, and she let out a breath of relief when she realized he had just saved her from being killed yet again.

"Aye sorry about that," A female voice said from there right, "But look who's finally back!"

Dominik let out a sigh and rolled his eyes down at Ciri before turning up to the source of the voice.

"Fuck's sake you almost killed us, hope your aim is that good later," He said, and Ciri finally turned around to see where the bold had come from.

A few meters away from the targets she saw four people, and she recognized Temarian and Redanian colors on them all. The one who shot the crossbow was a woman, who's fiery red hair was tightly tied back in a bushy ponytail, like Ciri she wore a leather corset, over a white silk shirt, with a tight black leather jerkin. The woman smirked and slipped the small handheld repeater crossbow back onto her belt, Ciri could also see a curved saber hanging with a gold hilt. She smirked over at them both and looked to Ciri in particular.

"You can be sure it will," She said, smirking over at Ciri, "Took you long enough to get here!"

Ciri saw the woman couldn't be that much older then she was, perhaps in her mid to late twenties. She felt her chest begin to quickly thump when Dominik walked towards the group and nodded. One of the men standing next to the woman Ciri saw quickly step up next to the red head.

"Easy Elise, they had an important quest," The man said in a deep voice, looking up at Dominik, "Dominik, good to see you again."

"Aye, same here," Another man said, this one wearing a black headwrap around his head, with a much larger crossbow around his back, "We've been helping prepare, things should be ready soon."

Dominik sighed and looked to Ciri, gesturing for her to follow. She did naturally and when she got closer she got a better look at the men and two women in the group that were there. The one who had spoke first was tall, with what almost looked like robes for armor, as Ciri could see a gold badge with the Redanian coat of arms on his belt, he had parted dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, and intense yet soft brown eyes as he looked down at the red head. The other man with the black headwrap had a much more intense gaze, and Ciri could feel the air of command around him. And finally, behind that man was a younger woman with shortly cropped blonde hair, and Ciri couldn't help but feel her eyes narrow when she noticed the woman looking far too closely at Dominik's face.

She subconsciously took a step closer to him, as Dominik smiled and nodded to the group of them.

"Good I'm glad to hear, thank you all for coming again," He said, looking over to the man with the headwrap in particular, "Roche, Arno and Elise here told me they were under your command once?"

The man, Roche quickly nodded, "Aye they were, damn shame when I had to lose them both. I did set out alone, but Ves here tracked me down and insisted on coming."

"I ought to give you a hiding for not inviting me along, loved fighting with you last time," The young woman with the cropped blonde hair said, smiling broadly over at Dominik again, "But I took it out on Roche on the way here…. It's really nice to see you again."

Ciri felt her heart almost thump out of her chest as she narrowed her eyes and took another step closer to Dominik as he laughed nervously and nodded. Her annoyance was slightly calmed by the smile that he gave her, as he nodded towards the group of four and gestured to Ciri.

"It's good to see you too. Everyone, this is Ciri," Dominik said, turning to face her, "Ciri, this is Vernon Roche, Ves, Elise De Le Serre and Arno Dorian, former and current Temarian Blue Stripes."

"It's nice to meet you all," Ciri said with a small bow, narrowing her eyes and taking another step closer to Dominik when she saw Ves still eyeing him.

"How do you do, it's good to finally meet you," Roche was the first to say with a bow.

"Aye, nice to meet you lass," Elise the red head said, looking between the two of them, "Gotta say Dom you know how to pick'em!"

"Elise! That's not important right now," The man Arno said with an eye roll, before he looked over to Ciri, "But it is good to meet you girl. We heard much about you on the way."

"All good things I hope," Ciri said, a small smile coming to her face.

Elise laughed and nodded, "Good things yeah, mostly about how sodded with each other the two of you are to be honest."

Ciri's face went red as she looked over to Dominik whose cheeks did the same. He smiled down at her before looking back to the soldiers in front of them, his brown hair gently blowing in the sunset breeze.

"Well I hope you guys are ready, how're preparations coming along," Dominik asked, looking over to Arno, "And I heard you had a plan, wanted to talk to me?"

"I did yes," Arno said, looking over to Roche, "Roche and I have been coming up with a plan to use the extra explosives we've brought. A way to put them to good use, take out as many as we can, and I think we've come up with something."

A wicked smile came to Dominik's face as he nodded, "Alright I like the sound of it already. Does it have something to do with the barrels set out in the middle courtyard?"

"It does yes," Roche said with his arms crossed, "The druid also found that Kaer Morhen is a hot spot for flammable gas, been making holes in the ground for the gas to flow up through, it's extremely flammable, so between them and the barrels…."

"We can cause an explosion big enough to wipe out a decent amount…" Dominik finished, an excited look coming to his eyes as he looked down at Ciri.

Ciri felt herself warm at his gaze, and her stomach felt giddy. The more she heard him talk, the more she truly began to feel they would have a chance. Between her, Dominik and the fighters she'd seen so far, their chances were getting better and better. He was inspiring her, and she could see that it was contagious to the people they talk to as well.

He was a leader, just like Geralt, just like Gregory, that goofy boy she fell in love with at eleven years old had grown into a man, and she couldn't help but flutter at the site.

Elise smirked wildly and nodded, "Aye we'll blow the cucks right back to whatever fuckin world they came from! That one mouthy witcher has been trying to get the ballista to work."

"Lambert…." She and Dominik both managed to say at the same time before they both looked at and laughed at one another.

He gave her a cute smile before turning back to Elise, "What's he trying to get the ballista working for?"

"Because we'll more then likely be pushed back to the inner courtyard," Roche answered, gesturing towards the gate they had come through, "There's some loose stone at the top of the gate coming into the middle courtyard. A flaming arrow from the ballista could knock the stones loose and set off the explosives."

"And the gates to the inner courtyard are sturdy, if we retreat behind there, and trap them out here in the middle one, the explosion would cause havoc," Arno continued, a determined look on the man's face, "It would give us time to regroup, and take out a good amount."

Ciri's eyes widened, "But who's going to fire the ballista? Whoever does, won't have much time to get back to the inner courtyard and close the gates before the explosion goes off in the middle one…"

Arno quickly shook his head at her worry, "Don't worry lass, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

The man's words did nothing to reassure her. Ciri looked back down the courtyard and could distantly see Zoltan, Hjalmar and his two men moving more barrels of explosives. She could also see the gas that the soldiers had explained about slowly floating around small cracks in the ground. The plan was a sound one, but she couldn't get the feeling out of her head, she looked again at the soldiers near her, or pictured Hjalmar, Dominik, Eskel, Vesemir, any of them try to cover the distance between the ballista and the inner courtyard before the explosions engulfed everything. Someone could die, very easily die during that run, trying to fire the ballista to set the plan into motion.

And they would have died trying to keep the Hunt away from her, to protect her…. And she felt her head beginning to race, and her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. She was flashed back to Cintra, when Dominik had first told her how Bella and his mother died. The guilt she had felt came raking back into her. If Sofia and Gregory hadn't been so dead set on saving her that day, perhaps they could have survived, perhaps Bella could have survived, and Dominik could still have his first family. She remembered young Bella's laugh, how enthusiastic she was whenever she came to the palace, and they looked through Ciri's dresses. Bella had her whole life ahead of her, and perhaps if she hadn't known Ciri at all then she could have lived that life.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Dom's hand on her back, and she turned over to him. He smiled broadly at her and gave her a reassuring smile, and while it warmed her, the thoughts stayed lingering at the base of Ciri's skull. She gently smiled back up at him, and in his eyes she could see he was trying to reassure her again, tell her everything would be fine.

He rubbed her back, before turning back to the soldiers, "It's a good plan, I'm glad that you're all here, your experience will prove-."

"Ah, look who finally showed up, was starting think I wouldn't see ya here kid," A deeper nasally voice said.

Another deep sarcastic one quickly followed, "And he's even with some old friends…"

"What the hell is this whoreson doing here!? Dominik," Ves quickly hissed from next to Roche, stepping up and turning to face the voice.

Ciri whirled around with Dominik next to her and found the source of the voice was possibly the largest man she had ever seen. The source of the voices had been two witchers, Ciri noticed the yellow eyes right away as the sunset glinted off the two swords they both carried. They were both bald, but one had massive arms, with a medallion in the form of a viper glinting around his neck. While the other made Ciri subconsciously reach down to her own belt, the cat medallion she carried almost vibrated when she saw the second witcher and the cat medallion now around his neck. He was bald as well, and crossed his arms looking over at Dominik.

She looked to Dom next to her, and she could see that he realized who the witchers were. Ciri remembered a few minutes prior when he had told her about learning the different witcher schools, and how he said he had learned some tactics from the school of the Viper, and now it made more sense. She was about to ask him herself who the two men were, but Roche, Ves, Arno and Elise all seemed to be ready to draw weapons then and there.

"She's right, Dominik, what the fuck is he doing here," Roche demanded, his voice getting low and Ciri could hear the pure rage laced in it.

Elise quickly scoffed from next to Arno and looked over to Roche, "This is that bastard you said murdered Foltest isn't it!? What the fuck kid, you expect me to fight alongside him!?"

"And a cat school witcher as well…" Arno said his dark eyes taring over to the cat witcher, "Met one of them once, got hired to kill one of my charges as a bodyguard, nearly killed me in the process, nothing but murderous assassins."

"Well, well, well Letho the hospitality is just as great as you said it would be," The Cat witcher said, crossing his arms and looking to the Viper witcher.

The larger man, Letho rolled his eyes, "Right? We're all on the same side now, their bleeding hearts damn near bring a tear to my eye."

"We aren't on the same side you cuck! You think I'm fighting alongside the bastard who killed my king, and causing my kingdom to be invaded," Elise said quickly, taking a step forward, and for a moment Ciri thought blades were going to be unsheathed.

Dominik however shot from her side and stepped between the two witchers and the group of soldiers. Ciri watched in awe as he stood firmly with his arms crossed. He looked between the two much larger witchers, and the group of four heavily armed, heavily trained special forces soldiers, his gaze was hard and unwavering. Ciri felt her skin tingle, as she listened to him speak in a commanding tone, as he stared down both groups.

"Elise calm down, we need them, the both of them," He said to the red-head, before looking at the rest of the special forces, "Same goes for the rest of you, they're going to fight, we're ALL going to fight together."

Ves scoffed, "You may not have been there, but I know for a fact you know what he did!"

"I must concur with them," Arno spit out, shaking his head in disgust towards the two witchers, "I refuse to fight by the man who plunged the north into war, and a glorified hit man!"

"Glorified hit man, not the worst thing I've been called, but it's certainly a new one," The Cat School witcher said with an eye roll.

Letho crossed his arms and rolled his eyes as well, "Glad to see the impending invasion is bringing us all together."

Dominik turned around and shot both the witchers a death glare that clearly said, _'Shut your mouths and let me talk.' _Ciri watched as he slowly turned back to the special forces soldiers, his arms were still crossed, he looked at Ciri for a quick moment and she felt her skin pleasurably tingle at the look, before he turned back to the group of soldiers.

"We need to protect Ciri at all cost," He said in a deep, commanding voice before gesturing back towards the two witchers, "Gaeten's another witcher, you all know how they fight. And Letho has faced the Hunt before, his experience with them is gonna prove invaluable."

Roche scoffed and shook his head, "I don't question their abilities, I simply don't trust them. Not at all."

"Aye he's right! It's that bastard's fault the Black One's have the north under their control! I'm not going to fight besides someone responsible for my homeland being destroyed," Elise snapped again, and this time Arno grabbed her shoulder and held her back.

After making sure Elise was held back Arno shook his head, "She's right. I'll never trust bastard's like these, it could get all of us killed!"

"Just gotta fight," Letho said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Ain't gotta marry me."

"Unless you're into that sorta thing," Gaeten, the cat witcher sneered, his eyes rolling at the soldiers.

"I'll cut that disrespectful tongue right out yer fuckin mouth," Elise snapped, stepping forward again.

"Easy there girly, don't want to get your boots dirty," Letho said sarcastically, his massive arms still crossed.

Ves scoffed and stepped forward next to Elise again, "I'll never know why Geralt spared you, but I'm awfully close to fixing that mistake!"

"Ha, you'd last about three seconds," Gaeten said with an annoyed eye roll.

And that was when the screaming started. Ves tried to lunge forward, but Roche rushed forward and caught her. Elise went to pull out her crossbow, but Arno grabbed it from her hands, before all four of the soldiers, and the two witchers started screaming at one another. Insults were slung, and Ciri had to take a few steps back, she saw Dominik in the middle, his arms out trying to stop Arno from pulling out a sword, and Ciri's brain rattled from listening to Roche scream words at Letho, all the shouting jumbling at once.

She was almost ready to run to the keep and get Geralt, or someone else to defuse the situation, the Hunt was almost upon them and defenders were fighting. The sun was almost set, night was almost upon them and in turn the Hunt, and she didn't know how much longer the fight could go without blades being drawn.

Her legs moved towards the keep, ready to run for Geralt, but that was when Dominik's deep voice rang out through the courtyard.

"ENOUGH ALL OF YOU, STOP IT NOW," He screamed, and Ciri froze, turning around to see him in the middle of the fight, his hands out against both sides.

Ciri watched in complete astonishment when indeed, both sides stopped. His voice washed over them, all of Roche, Ves, Arno and Elise stopped, while Gaeten and Letho who were already standing, took steps back. Slowly she started walking back towards the scene, as she saw Dominik's dark emerald eyes dart between the two groups, and when he spoke Ciri felt her skin begin to tingle again.

"Do you all realize the fucking Wild Hunt is at our doorstep!? We're ALL on the same side right now, we can't be ready to kill each other," He said firmly, crossing his arms again, looking between both groups.

Gaeten scoffed, "Not our fault they can't hold their temper."

"Yeah, well if you could not be sarcastic pricks for a few hours that would be great," Dominik snapped at the two witchers before turning to the northerners, "And you all, the north, the south, Temaria, Redania, Nilfgaard, NONE of that matters right now!"

"How could you say that!? That bastard is the reason we're in the middle of a fucking war right now," Ves shouted, pointing accusingly over at Letho.

"She's right. You're naïve as Geralt, too trusting," Roche said with his arms crossed, "Normally I don't give a shit, but now it can get me, Ves, Arno and Elise all killed."

"Aye he's right," Elise said with a firm shake of her head, her red ponytail flapping back in the wind, "You can't expect me to put my life on the line for these fucks!"

"And I'm not asking you too! I'm asking you to put your life on the line for the fucking entire continent, this whole fucking world," Dominik said, his voice strong and commanding as he looked between them all again, "If we don't beat back the Hunt here, if we don't ban together here and hold them, not only will we die, but the ENTIRE continent will fall!"

Ciri's eyes widened and she watched on in amazement. The way he spoke, with such command and conviction, Ciri felt herself tingle, feeling her face heat up as he looked between the groups again.

"If we don't hold them here, then they WILL invade this world," Dominik started, pacing and looking between them again, "And if they do invade, the North, Nilfgaard, Skellige, NOBODY will be able to stop them, and it won't matter where you're from, what race you are, they'll kill us, enslave us, and make OUR world their own."

Quickly he turned over to the northerners, "I'm not asking you to become friends with them, I'm not asking you to get rid of your hatred. I'm asking you to put it aside, put aside your hatred for the sake of all of us. Because if we don't unite here, unite and fight together… then we'll surely fall… and if we fall… the continent will be next."

She found herself speechless, Ciri floundered for words and even thoughts. She had really just watched the goofy, flustered young boy she fell in love with talk down two groups of much larger armed soldiers, soldiers that were just intent on killing one another. He spoke with such passion, confidence and strength, that Ciri felt herself staring at him in awe, as she watched all of Roche, Ves, Arno and Elise give pause. Dominik had done that, he had spoke the truth, and spoke it so well he got the sides to both put down their arms.

He was a leader, and he reminded her more and more of Gregory, a combination of Gregory and Geralt both. She felt her face get red as she looked at him, her blood raced, and his words washed over her as well. It was true, Eredin wanted to conquer the continent, enslave the citizens, murder them and create a whole new world for the Aen Elle. If the Hunt got their hands on her, their world would be next, the world she had worked so hard to get back to, and the ones she loved in that world would be killed, and all because Eredin had gotten her. While she looked over at Dominik, he met her eyes for a split second, and when she did her heart fluttered.

He cared more about her; she could see it in his eyes. Even so many years later he was doing everything he could to keep her safe.

"He's right," Arno's voice rang from the left, and all the eyes turned to the taller man.

Elise scoffed right away, "HA, Arno you can't be-."

"You're right Dominik," The taller man said, turning to face him and slowly nodding his head, "This is much bigger then the North or the South…. I am glad that the Queen sent us now."

Dominik himself seemed to be surprised that his words worked, because Ciri saw his eyes go wide. However, he quickly composed himself and slowly nodded.

"Thank you…" He said slowly, as Arno quickly nodded back.

"You're wise beyond your years Dominik of Cintra," Arno said with a smirk before he turned to coral Elise, Roche and Ves, "Come, let's the four of us head to the keep, we should meet up with the druid there."

"Aye, you're right," Roche quickly said in agreement, and Ciri could see him give Dominik a look of begrudging respect.

Ciri could still see Elise and Ves both furious, but Arno and Roche quickly had them walking towards the main keep. The wind wiped through her ashen hair, and she turned around with a small scoff towards Dominik, who she could see let out a breath of relief. A small laugh escaped her as he looked up and gave her a goofy smile with a shrug of his shoulders. She would never get tired of that smile, that smile and look of love he gave her. He had grown into a leader, a strong, confident man who could inspire. However, he also kept that boyish charm and goofiness that Ciri had loved.

"Well, well kid, inspiring speech," Letho complimented sarcastically from their right.

She quickly went and stepped next to Dom as he turned to face both witchers.

Rolling his eyes he looked between both of the witchers, "Thank you both for being here. How's morale for everyone?"

Gaeten the Cat School witcher shrugged, "About as good as it can get. Letho here says you fought the Hunt before, beat them back."

"We did," Letho said with a smirk, looking to meet Dominik's eyes, "Hope some of that training I gave you pays off kid. We beat them last time, we'll do it again."

"Yeah… good seeing you kid," Gaeten said, before both of the larger witchers walked off towards the keep as well.

As soon as they left she looked and heard Dominik let out a long sigh. A small laugh escaped her as she saw the look of pure relief wash over him. His words still rang in her head, the north, the south, the isles, all would be at risk if they didn't stop the Hunt there at Kaer Morhen, and everything they both had worked so hard for would have been for nothing. She wasn't going to let that happen. Dominik and she, they both had been through too much, done too much, worked too hard to get back to one another, to reunite their family. She wasn't going to let it all be for nothing, they would get that ending that they wanted together.

She smiled lightly at him and walked over to place a hand on his arm, and the moment she made contact with him he let out another relaxed breath. Gently she laughed and met his eyes again.

"Dom, that was amazing," She said, with a broad smile, "Ha, you just stopped them all from killing each other."

"I just told them the truth," He said with another relieved sigh, looking over and meeting her eyes with a smile.

Her heart warmed again, and she nodded at him, "Well, I think it was incredibly inspiring. Come on then, you said you wanted to show me something right?"

"I did yeah, back up in my room," He said, a cute, flustered smile on his face, "I… got you something… something for your birthday."

"Dominik you did not," She said, feeling her blood begin to race as a breathless laugh left her, slowly she shook her head and kept their eyes locked, "You've spent weeks trying to track me down, fighting the Wild Hunt, monsters, bandits…. And you took the time to get me something for my fucking birthday?"

"Well I made it but… yeah I did," He said, the goofy smile staying plastered on his face and Ciri scoffed out another laugh.

She had almost completely forgotten about her own birthday. It had passed she knew, her and Dominik were both twenty-two now, eleven years had passed since they met one another back in Cintra. Eleven years since she threw that apple at his back, had him chase her through the palace halls to lead him to that balcony. Eleven years since she met the person who would change her life, be there for her always and never leave her side. They had been forced apart, but still they found each other. And despite the situation, despite the fact they were only an hour or so away from the battle of their lives, and despite the fact that she knew he was fighting for both his and her life almost everyday for the previous few weeks… he had remembered her fucking birthday. And Ciri couldn't believe it.

There were a few times in the last years since she saw him that she thought she felt some type of romantic love. She had tried to convince herself she enjoyed her nights with Mistle, even getting the fucking tattoo on her thigh to do so, something she regretted to that day. She had other men and woman alike try to capture her heart. There had been a few times where she felt infatuated, felt herself blush under the gaze of a handsome man or beautiful woman. But she had never felt more loved then she did in that moment as Dominik stood there looking down at her, smiling broadly with his cheeks flushed red. And she had never felt more love for a person run through her then she did in that moment.

She reached up and kissed his cheek quickly, and right away he got redder, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha, come on, let's get going, I'm curious as to what you could've found time to make me between battling ice giants, the Wild Hunt and putting on plays," She said playfully, pulling back before she crossed her arms and smirked at him.

He laughed and rubbed the back of his head like he always used to when he was nervous, and looked back down at her, the sunset still casting a gorgeous glow over him.

"Ha.. well… I'll admit I may have been a tiny, tiny bit drunk when I made it," He admitted with a nervous laugh, before he reached and grabbed her hand, "I hope you'll like it none the less, come on."

And with another laugh she followed him into the keep, back into their home.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

While the walls may have seemed smaller to her on the outside, the inside of the keep was still as large and magnificent as she remembered. She felt the usual cold draft whip through her hair as he laughed at the sight of the great murals and high ceilings. She could hear multiple voices chatting inside as she recognized a few, and she scoffed with a smile remembering all the days that Dominik and her would sneak out through those halls, would sit in the library laboring to take notes on monsters, or try to spar with their practice blades in their rooms. She whirled around to get the full effect and next to her he laughed.

"Ha, I did the same thing…. I remember when we first walked in here…" He said fondly, and Ciri looked at him and slowly nodded.

"I know… you wouldn't let go of me, and to be honest I wouldn't let go of you," She admitted to him, as she remembered the night vividly.

He had been so scared she'd be taken away, that they'd be separated to go train. She had known he didn't fully trust Geralt yet at the time, and they were both still having nightmares from the massacre. She had told him the same words she always had, that where he went, she'd go and vice versa. That had also been the night however where she had first said Ithline's prophecy…. She would never forget the feeling of control being ripped from her body, but the oddest thing had been how she heard Dominik's voice. When the light had overtaken her eyes, and the voice spoke, she heard him calling for her, and felt his arms wrap around her.

The next morning, she had awoken with him slumped asleep next to her bed, and she would never forget how desperately he shouted her name and hugged her after she awoke. She had gone as red as she could at eleven-years-old, and it had also been the first night she thought he may truly feel the same for her as she did him. It had been the beginning of their next journey together, all in that keep where they finally were now. Finally back there together, she kept looking over at him and blinking rapidly, still slightly worried he would disappear if she didn't keep checking.

He laughed lightly and reached over for her hand, "Ha… and we're finally back…. Come on I-."

"Ahh there's my savior, I was beginning to wonder when you'd be showing up," A female voice said from their right, interrupting them.

"You've got to be kidding…." Ciri muttered to herself under her breath, slightly annoyed their chance to finally go to be alone for a small time was interrupted.

She was happy to see and meet everyone of course, but she was beginning to yearn more and more for simply one minute alone with Dominik. Just the two of them, and they could have a few moments of peace with only one another before everything began. However, she looked further up the entrance hall and her eyes widened as she finally recognized the illusion. It looked like a large bright vanity, a mirror, hairbrush and all, it looked like the one she remembered having all the way back in Cintra.

A woman was sitting in the chair, an extremely beautiful blonde sorceress who was smiling wildly at both she and Dominik. Ciri recognized her from the dreams she had of Dominik, she had been the one to travel with him through Avallach's lab, but Ciri also recognized her from the meeting she was forced to attend with the Lodge of Sorceresses. Upon remembering her from the meeting, and seeing her look far too closely at Dominik Ciri right away felt her heart race faster as she narrowed her eyes.

"Ha, I could say the same for you," Dominik said with a smile however, and Ciri could see the clear look of trust he had as she followed him forward.

The sorceress laughed lightly and shook her head, "Ha, and break my promise to you? The one who saved my life, I wouldn't dream of it…. It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too, it's felt like forever," Dominik said with a smile, turning over to Ciri and gesturing towards the sorceress, "Ciri, this is Kiera Metz, you may already know her. But if not for her I'd be dead on a cavern floor."

"We've met yes," Ciri said quickly, feeling her heart continue to race as she looked over to the sorceress, "Thank you… for saving him."

Despite the fact she didn't like how the sorceress looked far too closely at him, Ciri was thankful for her, thankful she had been there to fight with and save him while she couldn't. Keira was wearing an extremely revealing red and blue dress with her enchanted hair brush in her hand as she smiled over at Ciri. The blonde sorceress smiled and gave her a nod in greeting.

"It was my pleasure, it's good to see you again Cirilla," Keira said as she looked between Dominik and she both.

Dom nodded next to her and smiled, "So what are you doing? Getting yourself all pretty for the Wild Hunt? And jokes aside what did take you so long? I was worried when I didn't see you here when I first arrived."

Keira scoffed, "I started off going in the opposite direction actually."

"Oh yeah? And what made you change your mind," Dominik asked her, his arms crossed with a smile on his face.

The sorceress sighed and looked over to Ciri, "Because…. You saved me, quite a few times. I've grown quite fond of you and well… as I told you, I'm a sucker for a good romantic reunion. You have quite the man here Cirilla, never have I met someone so dedicated to the woman they loved."

"Aha… Keira…" Dominik said nervously next to her, his face flushing red as he looked over to her.

All the worry she had been carrying melted away in that moment. A smile overtook her, and she felt her heart flutter as she looked over to him.

"I do… don't I," She said with a small smile, as she laughed at his flustered expression.

Keira laughed at them both again, "Ah young love, a wonderful thing to see. You truly do, and extremely handsome to boot, you're a lucky woman."

Ciri laughed herself and felt her own face heat up. She looked over at him and when their eyes met the spark passed between them. Even more then she just had before she wanted that moment alone with him. He bit cutely bit his lip and laughed lightly before turning back to Keira.

"Thanks Keira… I'm glad you're here," He said, giving the sorceress a bow.

Ciri quickly did the same, "Thank you again… for what you did for him."

Keira scoffed and shook her head, waving it off as if it were no big deal, "Oh it's no problem at all. Now both of you go, spend some alone time together before the fighting starts, Dominik told me it's been eight years, I'm sure you're both dying for some!"

They both laughed nervously and Ciri saw Dominik gesture further into the keep, and she quickly followed him. She got to his side and when their eyes met they both started to laugh. Ciri watched his joyful face laugh, and his eyes glew with a playful happiness, and in that moment she did feel like the luckiest woman in the world. If you had told her that at any other time she'd have called it crazy, the notion that she was a lucky person. She had been born with blood that she didn't want, had no control over, and was hunted for it. For eight years she was separated from her family, and the man she loved, all while she had to constantly flee from all the people hunting her. She had to do horrible things, she had been raped, had that first intimate moment she was saving for him ripped away from her, reduced to feeling like she was less then garbage on the side of the road, and at times no matter how hard she fought she got no closer to being back.

However, she was back then, she was next to Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer, Vesemir and so many people she cared about were there. She was back at Kaer Morhen, back at her second home, her and Dominik were walking through the halls laughing with each other like they were children again. And as she looked at him, she thought he couldn't get anymore handsome, and she finally had that love she missed for so long back. And that was lucky, if getting back to them all finally, getting back to Dominik was the only bit of luck she received for a while then she would be happy.

Her footsteps began to echo and more voices ring in her ears as she looked up to find them both in the main hall. She saw the portraits of famous witchers she couldn't remember the names of but still thought beautiful. Cots and beds still lined the hall, and Ciri could feel the fire from the kitchen begin to warm her bones. The window patterns and the orange sunset sparkling into the hall was still as beautiful as she remembered, and to her far left she could distantly hear the voices of Geralt, Yennefer and the others. To the right she heard the scrapping of a whetstone against blades as Roche, Arno, Elise and Ves all sat chatting with her Uncle Ermion, and upon seeing the Druid Ciri right away made it a point to go and see him later.

Next to her Dominik continued to laugh before he gently pulled his head up and looked into her eyes. She didn't know what it was about that particular moment but she felt his loving gaze bare into her, and he continued to simply smile at her. His strong jawline, smaller ears along with his higher cheekbones and beautiful eyes made her stomach flutter, her skin tingled pleasantly, she felt the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck slowly stand up as she let out a small laugh, feeling her face get red. He didn't let his eyes leave her as he slowly walked towards her and she felt her stomach erupt when he gently put his hands on her waist and held her. Lightly she laughed and placed both her hands on his shoulders.

"Ha… why are you looking at me like that," She said with a smile, not letting their eyes leave one another.

He slowly shook his head and let out a breathless sigh, "I… I just still can't believe you're here… that you're really… really here…"

"I am…." She said a small laugh leaving her, as she smirked up at him, "You know, you were brilliant out there. That commanding voice, strong words… you looked extremely handsome."

He laughed lightly himself, his face getting red, but he smirked down at her, "Did I now?"  
She felt her entire body heat up down to her core as she gently nodded, smirking up at him she moved her hand over his chest and slowly nodded.

"You did yes… extremely handsome…." She said slowly, biting her bottom lip and moving her one hand to his torso as her other went around his neck, "I missed you… so much."

Gently he wrapped both his hands tighter around her waist and pulled her closer, he bit down on his own lip with a laugh and Ciri almost felt her body go into overdrive. She laughed as he pulled her and she felt her stomach hit his, she could feel his hot breath on her neck and she felt the tingle wash down her chest.

"I missed you too…" He said slowly, a small laugh leaving him as she felt his gaze wash over her, "When we were younger… I never thought you could be more beautiful… but boy was I wrong."

"You suck up…" She said playfully, "Do you plan on complimenting me all night to get a kiss out of me?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smirked at her, "Well… is it working?"

"I guess we'll have to see," Ciri said, feeling a spark from his touch run up her spine, through her chest and around to her stomach, she slowly leaned her head up closer to him, "But I think you're heading in the right direction…"

"Guess I gotta work a little harder then…. We have a decent bit of catching up to do" He said to her, his deep voice sending another tingle down her chest as his breath hit her.

She laughed lightly again, "And I'm looking forward to it, let's-."

"HAHAAAA look who's back George! Certainly took him long enough," A voice interrupted them, and Ciri never felt her eyes roll harder.

"You have GOT to be fucking kidding me…." She hissed to herself just before she got her lips to his, feeling her annoyance shoot through the roof.

"We'll get some time, I promise," He lightly said to her, a smile still on his face, he brought his hand up and gently stroked her cheek before turning to where the voice had come from, "George, Faram, come on over you bastards! Got someone I've been dying for you to meet…"

He looked at her and when she saw the pure excitement in his eyes she sighed, and the annoyance quickly left her as the giddiness rose up in him. She turned when she heard the clunking of armor, and when she saw the two witchers coming towards them she instantly recognized them both from her dreams. When she looked and saw the elated look on Dominik's face she felt her own heart flip at seeing his happiness. She remembered again that he said he was learning other schools of witcher combat, and that he had learned Bear and Griffin schools, and she could remember him mention witcher friends he had fought with during his journey.

The first man had a head of golden hair tied back into a ponytail, he had a handsome clean-shaven face, and his yellow witcher eyes shone with pride and confidence. He had a silver medallion around his neck depicting the head of a griffin, and for a horrible second Ciri saw Bonhart, the griffin medallion hanging from his belt, the man had claimed to kill a Griffin witcher. The man Ciri saw then however, looked as if he would give any monster or man paused before attacking. The gilded green and gold armor he wore was beautiful, and Ciri remembered seeing the man fighting besides Dominik in the cave before Dominik had fought Baelen in her dreams. She also remembered Dominik telling her how he drug himself, and that witcher back to Novigrad after the fight. Two swords were naturally on his back, one with the head of a griffin, and when he locked eyes with Ciri he right away gave her a respectful head nod before he looked over to Dominik.

"Haha my friend, you have finally returned," The Griffin witcher said, reaching out and firmly shaking Dominik's hand before he looked over to Ciri, "And you must be the famous Cirilla Dominik has spoken so fondly of. It is an honor to meet you my lady."

The Griffin witcher bowed and Ciri right away laughed, feeling slightly embarrassed as she shook her head.

"Thank you the honors mine, but please, you don't need to bow, let alone call me 'my lady', I'm Ciri, just Ciri," She assured the man, smiling and nodding up at him.

The Griffin witcher laughed and nodded, "Aha forgive me. Where I come from 'my lady' is used as a term of respect, and if even half of what Dominik tells me you've done and accomplished is true, then you already have it. Again, it is an honor to meet you Ciri."

Ciri felt her face heat up in embarrassment again as she looked up to Dominik for a moment. The idea of him talking so strongly about her to his friends, speaking so highly of her and praising her made her heart fluster even more. He smiled at her and looked like he was about to say something before the second, much larger man came over and wrapped his massive arm around Dominik's shoulder.

"HAHA MATE! You FINALLY did it, gods I'm happy for you," The much larger man said before looking over to Ciri, his yellow witcher eyes were full of excitement and glee as he smiled broadly at her, "And you lass! HAHA it's so great to finally meet ya! I feel like I already know you with how much yer man never shut up about ya!"

Ciri couldn't help but let out a loud laugh when she saw the red flustered look on Dominik's face as his friend held his massive arm around him. She took a look upwards, and Ciri could tell that she had never seen such a massive man. He was even taller than Letho the Viper witcher she saw earlier. She was sure that the massive man was the witcher she had seen in her dreams, the one who loudly sung and danced while they all drank, and remembering the dream made her smile even wider.

The man had black hair tied back in a long ponytail down his back, and Ciri laughed when she saw the man's long braided beard smack into Dom's face as the massive witcher laughed. He wore large armor that went down to his legs, plate on his shoulders, and Ciri remembered seeing the armor sketched in old books she and Dominik would study about old witcher schools. Her idea was confirmed when she saw the witcher medallion in the shape of a bear's head around his neck. The armor was Bear School armor, and it was clearly masterful. It seemed to Ciri that if someone were to wear it they would have an extremely hard time moving around freely, but the man was so massive that Ciri didn't think that would be any problem for him. On his back were two longswords and just like she had with the griffin one, she marveled at the bears head carved onto the pommel of the man's silver.

She felt her heart flutter as she laughed again, looking between the two witchers.

"Ahaha… so he talked about me a lot did he?" She asked them both, turning to Dominik who cutely rubbed the back of his head nervously as he bit his lip.

The Bear witcher finally let go of Dom and scoffed, "HA that's an understatement! Got bloody crazy at times how much he'd praise ya!"

"Ha… I must agree," The Griffin witcher said, and Ciri recognized the man's accent as a southern Toussaint one as he went on, "He told us much about you. As Faram said, I dare say I feel I already know you! You are as beautiful as he described, and I look forward to fighting with you in battle!"

The Griffin witcher gave her another bow and Ciri laughed before she looked over to Dominik again.

"Well how incredibly sweet of you," She said playfully, holding a hand on his arm and looking back to the two witchers, "What else did he say?"

The Bear witcher laughed again, "HA, so much lassie! You should've seen him during that play, he-."

"Okay, okay, enough of that," Dominik said with a nervous laugh, and Ciri felt her heart warm up again when he gently placed an arm around her shoulder and gestured to the two witchers, "Ciri, these are my friends… my best-friends. Our southern charmer here is George of Toussaint, School of the Griffin."

"Once again it is my honor Cirilla," George said quickly, smiling and giving her a small bow again.

Ciri laughed and did the same, "And once again the honor is all mine."

George nodded and Ciri turned to see the wild smirk grow on Dom's face as he gestured up towards the Bear witcher.

"And this tall fucker here is Faram of Undvik, School of the Bear," He started. With a broad smile that made Ciri laugh, Dominik sighed and looked at both witchers, "I would be dead a hundred times over if not for the both of them…"

She smiled and felt her heart flutter as she looked over and gave each of the two witchers a grateful bow, and met their eyes with a look of thankfulness, trying to convey just how much them being there for him had meant to her.

"It's fantastic to meet you both," Ciri said picking her head up and keeping the smile on her face, feeling her arm wrap around Dom's waist as he kept an arm around her, "Thank you both so much… for being there for him when I couldn't be."

Faram scoffed and shook his head, "Aye lassie no problem at all! Your man's modest to the end, George and I both would be dead if not for him as well! Never would've killed that fucking giant if not for Dominik here."

"I concur, he is far too modest," George said with a smile, crossing his arms he gestured towards Dominik, "I would be dead in a cave around Oxenfurt if not for him. I have met very few men as valiant as Dominik."

"Guys come on… none of it was that big a deal," Dom said next to her, rubbing the back of his head nervously making both his witcher friends laugh, and soon Ciri did as well.

Faram scoffed and shook his head, "Aye there he goes again…. I'll have no modesty after the battle mate! After we beat the piss outta those wraiths, drinks all around, I have GOT to hear more about your journey."

Ciri laughed again and looked over to see the elated look on Dom's face as well. Faram's confidence had been contagious, and Ciri felt her skin tingle as she looked over and nodded to the two witchers.

"Sounds like a plan," She said with an eager nod, the thought of drinks in their hands, laughing around a fire, swapping stories and jokes wrapped in her mind, "You know I've heard about this play you put on, I'm eager to hear more about it."

"Oh it was super exciting let me tell you," Dominik said, playfully he rolled his eyes back at her, before he turned his head back to Faram and George, "Speaking of friends… where's Freya? She was here before all of you, and I haven't seen her since I got back."

Ciri watched and saw the look shift on both Faram and George's eyes. Witchers were good at hiding their emotions, but the subtle blink and look they shot her was enough for her to determine they didn't know if they should answer. She looked back up at Dominik and he seemed as if the topic was no big deal at all. Freya, he hadn't heard him mention the name before, but she had to just assume that it was another friend he had made, so why the Bear and Griffin witcher would react as such was a mystery to her.

She turned her gaze back over to Faram, who stroked his black beard before carefully answering.

"Aye… goldilocks went out to the woods just outside the keep an hour or so ago," The Bear witcher said, crossing his arms as his tone was careful, "Said she had a few more herbs she needed to gather up for potions, ones that could help us."

"And she went by herself? The woods are dangerous, especially now," Dom quickly asked, and Ciri could hear the urgency and slight worry in his tone.

George quickly shook his head, "She is not alone. Declan went with her; they shouldn't be much longer."

"Declan went with her? How was he on the ride back," Dom asked carefully, crossing his arms, "Zoltan said he had a few spats with Arno and Elise, but that was it…"

Again, the Griffin witcher shook his head, "No problems at all. I spoke with him a few times myself… he's a good man. I think he will fight valiantly; we can trust him."

She looked up and saw a conflicted look on Dom's face, before he let out a shaky breath and nodded. Ciri wondered for a moment who the people they were speaking about were, but she assumed that she would learn soon enough. She had enjoyed meeting everyone, even the Northerners despite their mistrust had seemed like honorable fighters and good people. Dominik had great friends, this she could tell, but the more she looked at him, the more she yearned for that moment alone.

The sun outside she could see had finally set, with the last of the glowing orange light slowly receding. They would be there soon, the Hunt would be there, and they would try to kill them all… and Ciri would be in the middle. She felt her skin slightly crawl, she was confident yes, but the more she thought the more the idea of Dominik's friends, the ones who she could clearly see he loved and cared for, could die, and he would be devastated. She looked and saw the confident smile on Faram's face, and the cool confidence that George exhumed. In the distance she could see and hear the eager chatting of Roche, Ves, Arno and Elise, she saw Elise leaning against the wall with Arno, her head on his shoulder as they eagerly spoke with Roche and Ves. And then of course further in on her left, Yennefer, Geralt, Vesemir, Triss, Eskel and Lambert, all the people she cared for.

Her stomach began to whirl as she looked up to see Dom slowly nod over at George, letting out another sigh before the smile returned to his face.

"I think we can too…. Thank you both again for being here," He said, reaching out and shaking both of his friend's hands, "We're all going to meet up to go over the plan soon."

"Aye mate, we'll see you there," Faram said eagerly, before looking over and giving Ciri a wide friendly smile, nodding as her assuredly, "And I look forward to fighting with you lass. We won't let those phantom fucks get their hands on ya!"

"He is right Ciri," George quickly said, giving her another respectful bow, gently smiling at her, "We will fight them back, the specters will not have you, or this world."

Ciri felt her stomach churn again, but managed a small bow at them both, "Thank you… the both of you, for all your help."

Both of the witchers bowed back, and a small laugh left her when Faram looked between Dominik and her with a wink. George and Faram both went to walk back towards the hall, their swords and armor clunked and as their footsteps receded Ciri's stomach continued to do flips. She knew the Hunt wanted her, knew Eredin would use her power to open portals for an invasion, and the defenders were fighting to stop that from happening… but in the end people who she didn't know, people who she knew had families, lovers, homes to get back to, were all coming together to fight and protect her.

All of the people in that keep were in danger, could lose their lives that night all because she was simply there. She bit her lip and felt a cold chill run up her arms, quickly she let out a shaky breath and rubbed her arms to stop the cold, but the warmth quickly ran back over her when she felt Dom's come around her shoulder. She felt herself shudder quickly and look back up to him, and she didn't see any worry, any doubt on his face.

She saw love, warmth, reassurance, strength, confidence, and it washed over her body like she had just sat in a tub of warm water. His eyes were still dancing with excitement and eagerness, it was as if he had completely forgotten about the battle they soon had to fight, and all he was focused on was her. It made her own heart warm, and she sighed out wrapping her arms around him and squeezing his waist. She felt him lean down and kiss the top of her head before pulling back with a smile.

"Faram's pretty eccentric, and George may seem all serious and brooding, but get a few rounds in him and he doesn't shut up," He said, a smile broadly adorned on his face as he looked at her.

A small laugh left her, and she felt her body warm back up again. He had that effect on her from the moment she met him, a simple look could calm her, sent reassurance down her body, and in that moment she had needed it. The cold draft shot through the keep again, and she could see that the sun had fully gone down now, and the beams of moonlight shot through the hall. She looked up and smiled at his handsome face, and slowly nodded.

"You have some good friends," She said, a smile formed as she reached over to grab his hand again, "I… I just want to spend some time with you… even just a minute."

His smiled warmed her again and he squeezed her hand assuredly before gesturing for her to follow.

"I've waited eight years to hear that… come on," He said lightly, his eyes not leaving her as they began to walk further into the keep.

And for a few moments she didn't feel anything wrong with the world.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"It's so much smaller, wow…" She said breathlessly, as she ran her hands along his dresser, and smiled when she saw the old carved wolf, "I can't believe you still have it…."

Scoffing with a smile she picked it up and could remember the exact day that she had finished it. She had spent hours upon hours for days carving the wolf's head, there were multiple times she had to have Geralt or Yen distract Dom so she could work on it more. It had made her slightly nervous she couldn't get him something more, but just like always he had loved it when she gave it to him. The smile she had grew when she remembered how he hugged her, telling her he loved her, and kissed her. They were such simple times, and the thought of them being that young made her laugh. Eight fucking years it had been, but in that moment it had felt like yesterday. She turned around and looked at him smiling at her, and she felt like nothing had changed.

She loved him, he loved her, they weren't fourteen anymore, they were grown, adults, a man and a woman, and somehow she felt that love survive all eight years apart. He gazed lovingly at her, and slowly came closer, she felt his arm wrap around her waist, sending tingles up her spine as he smiled and gently took it from her. She looked on as he let out a small laughed and examined it before he gently looked back to her.

"I didn't take it with me when I left first… I was in such a rush," He said with a small laugh, before he put it down and looked back to her, "All I wanted to do… was get out there and find you…"

She felt his other arm wrap around her waist, and she lightly laughed before reaching up to rest both her hands on his shoulders. Finally, it was just the two of them, the two of them alone, nobody else, nobody else mattered to her except for him in that moment. She looked up and his loving gaze bore into her. For so long she wanted to be looked at like that again, wanted him to be the one looking at her like that.

Lightly she laughed and brought a hand to the side of his face, "And you found me… and I finally found you."

He pulled her closer and his soft green eyes bore into her, Ciri felt her body run into overdrive as finally for so long she had what she wanted, something had finally gone her way. She was back with him, back with her family, it had felt like a pipedream for so long, but it had actually fucking happened, and in that moment Ciri wanted nothing more then to kiss him.

She went to lean her head up, but Dominik sighed with a smile gently shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry I took so long," He said, sounding slightly despondent, before he looked back up at her again, "I… I had to do so much, and the whole time you were-."

"Dominik," She cut him off softly, bringing both her hands around to cup his face.

He stopped talking right away, and slowly nodded, "Yeah?"

A small laugh left her, and she shook her head, meeting his loving gaze with one of her own, "I love you, you're so sweet… but please… please just shut up and kiss me."

She didn't even give him time to respond before she brought his face down to her and locked her lips with his. Right away they melted into one another, as Ciri finally got the moment she had been craving. As much as she did enjoy meeting everyone, she felt her mind run away with glee as finally nobody came to interrupt them. Their first kiss back on the island had been magical, and she wouldn't forget it for her entire life, but the fact of the matter was they had Geralt there watching them from afar, and the kiss they shared in the courtyard was watched by everyone.

That kiss they shared then in his room, to Ciri, felt like their true first kiss since being back. Just the two of them, as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, and she felt him squeeze her waist as her chest hit up against his. A laughed escaped her as she breathlessly kept kissing him, and soon the two of them were laughing, kissing, holding one another and after everything, every cut, scratch, scar, stab and wound she had received, physically and mentally, all of them had been worth it for that moment. Running from Aretuza, the desert, the rats, Bonhart, Tir'Nala, Auberon, Vilgefortz, running from Eredin… everything was worth it, and she wouldn't have traded anything for that moment then as his lips moved perfectly with hers and she heard his gleeful, breathless laugh between each kiss.

His hands explored up and down her back, and Ciri felt every cell in her body erupt in the same moment. His lips were soft, wet, and she felt heat rush down her chest, from her pumping heart, through her stomach down to her core as she didn't want to leave that kiss for a second. However, when the need to breathe eventually hit them both she quickly pecked his lips one more time, before they both pulled back and she couldn't help but scoff out a childish laugh. He did the same, pulling her as close to him as he could, the breathless laughs escaped them both as she gently leaned her forehead against his before she moved her eyes to meet his, and she gently wrapped her arms around his neck again.

"It was worth it… everything was worth it," She said lightly, as his grip on her tightened, and she smiled at his cute flustered face.

Lightly he laughed and slowly nodded, "Yeah… it was all worth it. But… but I still want to hear everything… when you're ready."

Slowly she nodded, not letting the smile leave her, "And I want to hear everything too… but… for now…. Just hold me again will you? It… it's all I've wanted for so long…I missed you… so much."

A small goofy smile appeared on his face and he smirked at her, "You know I always will but… do you mind if I grab your present?"

Right away she laughed and slowly nodded, "No, I don't mind at all… I still can't believe you made me something."

She felt her body right away feel cold as he laughed and gently let go of her. She almost felt her soul leave her body as she felt her legs almost give out from the pleasurable tingles still running down her. Carefully she leaned against his dresser to steady herself, smiling she watched as he seemed to be unable to control his giddiness. With his eyes staying on her he went to the foot of his bed and opened the small trunk. For a moment Ciri felt as if they were back in Ellander, and they were giving each other their birthday presents. They had both spent their fourteenth birthday there, and Ciri could remember how giddy she got when he got her the perfume, and the makeup brush. He claimed to have gotten it by himself, but Ciri deep down knew Yennefer had helped him, but she still loved it nonetheless.

She had to go to Aretuza only a few weeks before his fifteenth birthday, but she could still remember what she was making him. Despite the fact he was horrible at it, she was going to have Yennefer help make him his own gwent card, with a picture of him fighting off wolves that had fifteen attack power. It wouldn't have been an official card of course, but she knew he would have gotten giddy over it. She could also remember the crowns and bracelets he used to make her, he would randomly give her these presents, and it unlocked the inner girlish excitement in her. Biting her lip she laughed and felt her heart continue to race as before he reached into the trunk, he laughed and smiled broadly up at her.

It felt to her as if they were really just a young couple, a young couple who had finally saw each other after years apart, and they were eagerly spending their first moments together. She had forgotten all about the impending battle, the people downstairs, everything that had happened the last eight years left her mind, and all she could do was look at his cute, excited face that made her face heat up. His armor sparkled, and Ciri was still amazed at how beautiful it was. After closer inspection she recognized it as the wolven armor that the School of the Wolf used to always wear. It didn't look that much different from Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert's armor, but Ciri could tell it was much more protective, all while still being lightweight. She also still couldn't believe she was looking at him with two swords on his back, one steel one silver, she could also see the assortment of bombs tied to his belt, he was a real witcher, so was she. The first part of their dream had come true.

And Ciri was going to be sure the second part did as well.

He laughed and bit his lip again as he kept her gaze, "Okay, now it… isn't exactly my best work. And like I said I may have been a… bit drunk when I made it, but I still hope you like it."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "Oh come on now, I don't care, you didn't even have too-."

Her eyes nearly watered when she saw the crown of flowers he pulled out and she felt her voice leave her. He had been write, it wasn't the best crown that he had ever made for her, she remembered times in Ellander when he would give her ones that had layers upon layers of flowers, and be perfectly weaved to fit her head. The crown of white flowers he had in his hand then was loose, a few of the flowers were smushed, a rose was in its ear, and Ciri could smell a hint of what she thought was vodka coming from it.

But to her then, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and the greatest present he had ever given her. He had remembered white flowers and roses were her favorite and remembered how much she loved the crowns he had made when they were young. Ciri had thought he would have forgotten such a small detail of their time together and it would be something she jokingly brought up to him later.

He had remembered though, he remembered such a small detail and had actually taken the time out of his journey to make something for her so she could smile when she came back. He nervously bit his lip as he walked over to her, gently holding the crown of flowers in his hands, and Ciri felt like she was thirteen again, the two of them out in the meadow around Ellander, and she was watching him work his fingers like magic to make her something beautiful. She had always kept them in her room until the flowers wilted, and when they did he'd always make her another one.

She felt water begin to well up in her ears, as in all eleven years since she met him, she never felt her love for him higher then in that moment.

"Ha…. like I said I was seeing like three of everything when I made it. I'm… also sorry for the smell," He said nervously, getting over to her, and when she looked up at him with the tears welling in her eyes she saw his face fall before he sighed out, "Yeah… I'm sorry. I should make you another one, this is-."

"I love it," She said breathlessly, reaching out and holding her hands on both his as she held the crown.

He laughed nervously and his flustered smile made her heart race again. She laughed herself and felt the water continue to swell up in her eyes. Biting his lip he slowly raised the crown up, and she felt the leaves and grass hit the backs of her ears as he gently placed it on her head. And her heart raced so fast in that moment she laughed again and nearly felt her chest burst. She felt like they were back in the meadow, just outside the lake in Ellander when it was just the two of them, Geralt, Yennefer, and their relationship blossomed into the love they had for one another now.

"For you princess… happy birthday," He said breathlessly, looking back down at her, and when she saw that loving gaze is when Ciri felt the tears begin to gently fall.

She felt herself sob and laugh before she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck tighter then she had yet, and right away she felt his strong arms wrap around her, and Ciri felt herself completely break. All eight years of missing him, all eight years of yearning for that moment seemed to finally come spewing out of not just her, but him as well. His one hand stayed wrapped around her waist and the other went up to the base of her head, and he gently ran his hand through her hair.

Eight years, over two thousand days, she had been yearning for that, to feel the type of love only he was ever able to give her. She felt herself sob again as the smile grew on her face, she squeezed and buried her head into the crook of his neck. She tried to cry as little as possible, but being there with him, being with them all had brought her to tears more then she had been in years. She loved them all, loved him more then she could describe, and after everything she had done, everything she had been through, the assaults, the rape, the verbal and physical abuse she had gone through, she finally felt safe, felt like she was home as she stood there in his arms.

And she would never leave him alone again, she would never be alone again.

"I missed you…. I missed you so, so much," She cried to him, feeling herself sob and reach one hand up behind his head to hold his hair, "Every… every single night, I missed you so much."

"So did I," He cried, as she felt his tears gently fall down onto her shoulder, "I… I was so alone…so… so alone… for so long…"

She felt herself sob, and she gently pulled her head back. Meeting his eyes she could see the tears welling inside of them, she bit her lip and let out another sob, before she reached her gloved hand up and wiped the water from her cheeks. Quickly she leaned her forehead against his again, the crown on her head slightly crumpled, but she didn't let her eyes leave him.

"Never again… I… I will NEVER leave you again… I promise," She said, and slowly she shook her head, "And… and this time I mean it…. I love you…"

He let out a small laugh and gently nodded, one of his hands came up and cupped her cheek right over her scar and it sent tingles down her chest. Slowly he smiled at her, the tears still welled but he managed to give her that goofy smile again.

"I love you… I love you…. I'll never let you go, I promise…." He said slowly, before the smile grew wider and he laughed, "You… you're stuck with me princess, sorry to tell you but… but not even the Wild Hunt's gonna take me away from you."

She let out another laughing sob and quickly nodded, "And… I wouldn't want it any other way."

It was his turn to lean down and kiss her, and when his lips hit hers she felt her body erupt again. She smashed her lips back to his and kissed him with everything she had, knowing that it would more then likely be there last for a while. She kissed him like she never had before, holding both hands on his neck and not daring to leave the embrace, putting every bit of emotion and passion into it she could, she tried to convey all eight years of longing, of love she had wanted to give him into one kiss.

The kiss was long and Ciri didn't want to pull back, because when she did was when she knew that everything would begin. The battle would begin, the fighting… the death. If she lost him so soon after finding him, she didn't know how she would cope with it. If she lost Geralt, Yennefer, Vesemir, she didn't know if she would ever be able to forgive herself. Even if any of his friends, Faram, George, or Hjalmar and Zoltan, she would never forgive herself if they died to protect her.

For months upon month she had nightmares of Dominik dying, fighting the Wild Hunt. And now all of her nightmares were going to come true, they'd go out there and they'd all be fighting the phantom riders that had followed her through space and time, they had wanted to kill her, get her powers so badly they traveled through entirely different worlds. Two years ago when she had left, she purposely didn't go to Dominik just to make sure she didn't bring the Hunt down on him, so they wouldn't kill the man she loved, or any other member of her family again.

And now she was leading them right to him.

She felt his lips leave hers, and right away her heart began to beat at an alarming rate. Gently she shook her head and looked up at him, and for once his calming, loving eyes didn't do anything to calm her.

"I… I can't lose you, I can't lose any of them, not just after finding you," She said urgently, feeling her hands slide down off his neck to rest on his chest.

He laughed lightly and gently shook his head, "You won't. I just promised you were stuck with me didn't I?"

Ciri scoffed and quickly shook her head again, "Dom, I've been having nightmares for months about you fighting the Hunt… and you dying while you did. I just got you back, just got everyone back if we-."

"Hey, hey, hey calm down," He said gently, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek again as he calmly shook his head, "We all know what's at stake. We WILL beat them Ciri, we're all ready to do anything to make sure that they don't get you."

"But I don't want anyone to die for me! Our family, your friends," She said frantically shaking her head, her eyes widened as she looked back up at him, "And… and least of all you. Dom if… if you were to die-."

"I won't, I promise," He said, the sincerity in his words washing over her, and again he gently smiled at her, "I just got you back. I won't let anyone split us up again… ever. Remember? Where you go… I go. I love you."

Ciri felt herself let out a shaky sigh as she met his eyes, "I love you…. Where you go, I go… always."

He pulled her closer to him and buried her face into the crook of his neck. She felt his lips reach down and kiss the top of her head. Being there wrapped in his embrace, she felt the safety wash over her. His words spread through her, and she felt the warmth rise up inside of her chest. He had kept his promise to get to her, it took longer then they both wished, but he had kept it in the end, and he had gotten her. She had kept her promise to him in the end as well, it was ashaming to her that she took so long, but she had done it. They had gotten to one another, and now this was when a new promise began.

A promise to never leave again, never leave one another's side. It was the two of them versus everyone, where he went, she would go.

So many years ago, when they had been separated the first time, they had just been children, helpless children that despite the little training they had, wouldn't have been able to do anything to prevent it. For so many years they had trained, fought tooth and nail just to get back to one another, and now there was another threat that was trying to split them apart. Unlike back then however, in the current day neither of them were helpless, they were the complete opposite, they weren't going to sit down and let themselves be ripped from one another again.

They were both strong now, capable of fighting back, of being able to truly protect one another. And that was what Ciri would do, she wasn't going to let that promise be broken, wasn't going to let them be ripped apart again. She would never forget the day she had to walk through that portal to Aretuza, looking back and seeing Dominik next to Geralt, tears streaming down his face as he clutched the swallow around his neck. He was right, they had just gotten each other back, and just like he had said, she wasn't going to let anyone split them up again, not ever.

And there was also still so much she needed to speak to him about, so many things she wanted to tell him. She had waited so long for it, for the chance to sit with him, so that they would tell their stories to one another, so that the love they had for one another could blossom even further then it had when they were younger. She wanted to go out and hunt monsters, save people, see the continent, go on dates, give him everything she had, wanted that future that they always planned, and she knew that he wanted it just as badly as she did.

She wasn't going to let the Wild Hunt stop that. No more running, no more hiding away, she had her family, and Dominik with her now.

He smiled down at her and gently nodded, "We're going to have plenty more… believe me. Like I said… you're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

She felt herself laugh and a smile came back to her face as she nodded, "Good… I can think of much worse people to be stuck with."

The two of them both laughed, and with his arms still around her waist, she gently laid her head on his shoulder. She let out a relaxing breath and he kissed the top of her head, right onto her ashen locks once again. A relaxing feeling washed over her for a few moments before she gently looked up at him again and he smirked at her.

"We'll be alright… I gotta read some lines for you don't I," He said jokingly, and Ciri laughed at the handsome smile he got.

Gently she nodded and leaned her head up closer, "You bet you do… I want to hear them all."

She went to lean up and kiss him again, but the sound of the door creaking open made her heart sink to her stomach.

"Aye I'm… sorry for interrupting mates I… truly, truly am," The deep voice of Faram of Undvik rang in her ears.

Letting out one last shaky sigh she looked up at Dominik again. She felt her body begin to tingle… but when he smiled and gently nodded at her she felt the worry melt away. She managed a smile, and when she turned with Dom to face the door she couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the nervous flustered look the tall Bear witcher had on his face. She looked up at Dominik for a moment and felt her own heart rise when he laughed and met his friend's eyes.

"It's okay, what is it you needed," He asked the larger witcher.

Ciri turned as well and regrettably felt Dom's touch leave her. Gently she removed the flower crown from her head and gingerly set it next to the carved wolf on his dresser. She let out one last shaky breath and found herself reach up to her neck and squeezing tightly around the ring, before she made it back to Dominik's side.

Faram grew a determined look on his face and nodded, "Aye, good. It… it's time mate. Geralt sent me up to get you, everybody's gathered, we're waiting on you and Ciri."

For a moment her heart began to race as she looked up towards Dominik, but the rate at which her heart went slowly went down as she saw the confident smile appear on his face. He looked down to her and his smile washed over Ciri, warming her to the core she gave him a gentle nod, readying herself for what was to come in her head.

"Alright…. I guess it's finally time," Dominik said, adjusting his swords and crossing his arms before he looked to Ciri with a smirk, "Let's go give these fuckers a warm welcome."

**A/N: Reunions galore and some loving scenes this chapter. And now after so many emotionally intense chapters, we are finally going to get some action. The Battle of Kaer Morhen begins next chapter, which is absolutely insane to think about considering it feels like yesterday I started this story for fun. Before the intensity picks up next chapter let's break down this emotional one first!**

**I wanted to give us a lighthearted much more upbeat type of chapter first before the emotional and physical intensity of the Battle of Kaer Morhen. So we see Dominik and Ciri finally able to be together even if it's just for a little while, and we also get reunions galore!**

**As you can all tell I decided to do this chapter from Ciri's POV yet again, don't worry, our boy Dominik will be back in the spotlight next chapter. However I will say that from here on out, Dominik and Ciri will basically be co-main characters so we will be getting lots of POVs from them both, along with the occasional one from Geralt or someone else. **

**We reunite with Uncle Vesemir, Triss, Yennefer and everyone at first, before we quickly move on to all the other defenders : ) I really wanted to show Ciri's reactions to some of the things Dom and Geralt had done, I loved writing her finding out about the play xD I also love just writing the two of them joke around and interact, showing how happy they are after so long even if it's only for a little while. **

**They're pretty lovey dovey right now I know, but for fucks sake I think after everything they've been through they deserve it at least for a bit xD**

**I also love being able to also just write the more fun loving carefree side of Dom now that he's with Ciri, because even I'll admit, he'd been a bit of a hardass up to this point lmao. We do get to see just how far he's come however, when he breaks up a fight between witchers and the northern special forces, I LOVED writing that scene and showing that Dominik isn't that same person he was in chapter 1. **

**However, what do you think of the plan Arno mentioned? Who will go and fire the ballista? What are you most looking forward too in the battle?**

**I also want to mention I know that I skipped a few character reunions, but I did that because all the ones I did skip I can promise for a fact we will see much more of or have a bigger role down the line. The ones I did include will be back however I felt like they would be more entertaining. **

**Ciri also gets to meet Faram and George! That's been a meeting I've been looking forward too for such a long time xD However, what will it be like when Ciri meets Freya? Will they get along, will they fight at first? I am actually really looking forward to writing that!**

**And the finally scene is an emotional one between Dom and Ciri, which is their first and will more then likely end up being their last for some time. I have been waiting for so long to write scenes like this, because after going through so much, Dominik and Ciri finally, finally get to be with one another again, and I hope that these scenes are sweet and romantic without being too mushy. I think I got it just the right amount, they love each other and after eight years I'd like to think they have a right to be a little all over each other xD**

**The Battle of Kaer Morhen is going to be massive, we will have 5 parts, in the next chapter we get the planning of the battle, a few more emotional scenes and then Yennefer finally slamming down the shield to begin the battle. **

**What are you most looking forward to in the battle? Who do you think dies and survives? Who are you looking forward to seeing fight the most? What about the Hunt, what do you think they have up their sleeve? The dragon, Baelen, Caranthir, Imlerith, Eredin, who do you want to see fight who, who you want to see a smackdown between? Leave all your battle predictions in a review and let me know!**

**With Ciri finally back in the picture this story is going to pick up extremely fast, and we are almost at the end! I can't wait for you all to see what I have in store… Thank you all so much for reading as always, and I'll see you all next time!**


	57. The Battle of Kaer Morhen I (Unity)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds **

**Chapter 57: The Battle of Kaer Morhen I (Unity)**

**Narrator: After eight years of fighting, pain, longing, regret and loss, Dominik of Cintra, the Young Wolf was finally reunited with his long-lost-love, his destiny, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. Together with his adopted father Geralt of Rivia, the Young Wolf and the White Wolf traveled for weeks through Velen, Novigrad and Skellige, before finding Ciri on the Isle of Mists. After so long, Dominik and Ciri were finally reunited, their reunion however had to be short lived. After teleporting back to their old home, the witcher fortress of Kaer Morhen, Dominik, Ciri and their family prepared to battle the Wild Hunt at the fortress. Before they went to get Ciri, Dominik and Geralt had gathered friends and allies to help battle back the Hunt at the fortress.**

**These allies included great witchers, such as Faram of Undvik, George of Toussaint, Gaeten of the School of the Cat, and the famous killer of kings Letho of Gullet. **

**They also recruited the aid of the beautiful, fierce and dangerous Freya Kaminski of Ellander, along with Declan ****Mawr Dyffryn Ceallach, the cousin of Geralt and I's old ally Cahir Mawr Dyffryn Ceallach. Also, at the keep, is commander of the remnant of the Temaria Blue Stripes Vernon Roche and his protégé Ves, along with this, Queen Adda of Redania sent her two most loyal agents, Elise De Le Serre and Arno Dorian. Among these fighters was also my dear friend Zoltan Chivay, and Queen Cerys An Craite sent the aid of her brother Hjalmar and some of his most loyal men. **

**Steel was not all Geralt and Dominik sent to Kaer Morhen, they also sent powerful wielders of magic, such as the great druid Ermion. Among these as well were former sorceresses of the Lodge of Sorceresses, in Keira Metz and Triss Merigold. **

**Dominik, Ciri and Geralt all readied themselves as the Wild Hunt closed in on the keep, as they prepared themselves to fight for not only Ciri, but for the fate of the whole continent….**

"Did Freya and Declan make it back," Dominik asked Faram quickly, as he followed behind Ciri down the steps of the tower.

"Aye, just arrived back a few minutes ago. Goldilocks has got potions for us," Faram explained just as they got to the bottom of the steps, and Dominik saw Ciri turn around to him.

"Is this Freya another one of your friends?" Ciri asked, as Faram rushed pass them both towards the hall again.

Dominik felt himself tense for a moment as he looked down at her, that was the last moment that he wanted to explain the situation with Freya so he simply nodded.

"Yeah, she's a good fighter, a genius with potions," He told her, as they started to walk side by side towards the hall again. His heart raced quickly as he looked back down at her, "We have everything we need… I just hope that-."

He was cut off when Ciri held her arm out to stop him. He almost fell forward, but she pulled his arm and whirled him around back to her. Lovingly she looked up at him, and he barely had time to react before she pulled him down to quickly kiss him. At the feeling of her lips quickly hitting his he felt the hairs on his arm stand up, goosebumps ran through his body as he barely had time to even try and wrap his arms around her before she pulled back with a confident smile on her face. He laughed lightly and felt his face get hot and flustered.

She slowly nodded at him, her smile not leaving her, "I'm sorry, I just needed to do that one more time…"

The goosebumps ran up his arms and he felt his heart almost thump out of his chest. She was really there, right in front of him, after thinking he was chasing a ghost for so long… it still felt like a dream to him she was real, real and in front of him. The moment when he went tumbling down the hill, the moment that he first heard her voice, heard her saying his name… it was a moment that would be burned into his memory until the day he died. When he looked down at her then, saw her brilliant eyes full of life, full of love and emotion, he knew he needed nothing else. His Ciri, she was back, and he was never going to let her go again.

Gently he leaned over and placed his hands on her waist again, smiling down at her and slowly shaking his head with a smile.

"Never gonna have to apologize for that…" He said, with a small smirk coming to his face as he looked over towards the table where everyone was gathered, "Come on… let's go give the Hunt a warm welcome."

And when she smirked back at him he felt his heart nearly explode.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," She said, and Dominik bit his lip with a laugh.

He gestured his head for her to follow and she did, as he walked closer towards the table where he heard everyone chatting as they gathered. Ciri being by his side made him feel warm and confident, however when he saw the force that they had assembled, he couldn't help but smile again. Fighters, mages, witchers, some of the most talented ones Dominik had come across, and they were there to protect her, to protect the continent, and it was up to him to lead them, him and Geralt.

It normally would have made him nervous, but he felt his lips still tingling from where Ciri had kissed him, and he felt his confidence surge. Words couldn't properly even describe how amazing it felt to have her next to him again, he found himself looking down at her constantly, almost certain that if he blinked or didn't look enough she would disappear. She didn't however, she stayed by his side no matter how long he tore his eyes away from her. He watched the ring still bounced around her neck, and his heart swelled when he saw her fiddling with it, it was the exact same way that he did it with the swallow before a fight and he soon found himself doing just that with the small silver bird around his neck.

After eight years one journey had finally come to an end, but as he predicted from the start of his journey, it was only the beginning of another. But at least for this one he wouldn't be alone, he had Ciri with him, Geralt, Yennefer, all his friends, and between them all they would finish it. They would finish it much quicker then his last one, and then he would be sure to give Ciri the ending she deserved, give her everything she deserved, the life they both had been craving.

"Well, well, well, you two seemed busy, what were you getting up to," He heard Geralt's deep voice ring from in front of them.

He whirled his head up and saw their father standing in front of them with his arms crossed, and a smile on his withered face. Instinctively he looked over at Ciri, and when their eyes met the both of them gently laughed nervously, their cheeks going red before they both turned back to Geralt.

"You know there are some things we don't have to tell you," Ciri said playfully, crossing her arms and smirking at the older witcher.

Dominik scoffed a laugh and after sharing another smile with Ciri turned back to Geralt, "She's right you know. So… everyone's here right? Ready to get everything started?"

Geralt rolled his eyes but Dominik could tell that he was amused. Their father had taken the time to quickly polish his armor, and Dominik could also see his swords got the same treatment. He subconsciously adjusted the straps for both his own blades and wondered for a moment which blade he would draw when the fighting began. He was becoming more and more accustom to using _Fate, _and silver was also much more effective on the wraiths. However, his faithful steel blade had fought the Hunt with him before. He used it to fight Nithral and Baelen, and he would admit that he did feel much more comfortable using it.

He looked over at the blade on Ciri's back and couldn't help but think how natural it looked on her, how it fit her perfectly. A small part of him was giddy at the thought of finally fighting besides her. They hadn't done so since the wagon train ambush back when they were thirteen. Dominik had to kill his first man in that fight yes, but Ciri and he had spent most of it huddled against the wagon protecting Triss. That battle was going to be the first time that they properly fought together.

Dominik knew Yennefer, Geralt and Vesemir would more then likely try and confine her to the castle at first. However despite the years he still knew that he knew Ciri better then anyone, and the woman he loved wasn't going to stand back and hide in the keep, no matter what she was ordered.

Geralt nodded and looked over to Ciri, "Yeah, everyone's ready. Ciri Triss wanted to talk to you, head over there. I… wanted to talk to Dom for a minute."

Ciri nodded and smiled at them both, she quickly came over and held onto his arm, looking up and pulling his face down for her to quickly kiss. He felt her wet lips hit his cheek and right away he felt his face heat up. She pulled back and winked at him playfully and Dominik felt himself laugh before she walked off towards the table.

Watching her walk away he sighed out, feeling his heart racing as Geralt came next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw his adopted father giving him a small smile.

"How's it feel?" Geralt asked him, crossing his arms and meeting his eyes.

"Surreal… she's actually here…" He said breathlessly, as he looked over to Ciri who took a seat at the head of the table and quickly started chatting with Triss. The smile came to him as he looked back around to Geralt, "I… I can't take my eyes off her. I'm… almost scared if I do she'll disappear again."

Geralt laughed lightly and nodded, "I almost feel like that too…. I'm sorry that you two couldn't have more time…"

"It's alright," Dominik said quickly, feeling the smile come back to him as he met Geralt's eyes again, "We'll have plenty of time after this… I'm going to make sure."

"I swore that I'd protect you both," His adopted father said, his voice growing lower as he met Dominik's eyes, "Dom… before we meet with everyone, I want you to promise me something."

"What is it," He asked, feeling his stomach begin to churn at the seriousness of his adopted father's tone.

Geralt sighed and looked up to meet his eyes, "Dom… if we don't hold them, and we get pushed back…. If me, Vesemir, Yen, if we fall-."

"Not going to happen, it won't," He said, quickly shaking his head as he felt his heart begin to beat faster, "We will ALL get out of this Geralt, I swear it!"

The older witcher sighed and shook his head, "We'll do everything we can to make sure that happens Dom but still…. I need you to promise me, that if anything happens to me, and we look like we're going to be overrun… you take Ciri, and you get out."

He felt his eyes widen at what his adopted father was suggesting. Geralt was effectively telling him that if he died, if they were overrun to leave them. It's something Ciri and he both would never even dream of. The both of them, a part of the reason they had wanted to come back so fiercely was to have that family back. He felt his skin begin to crawl as his stomach began to erupt.

"Geralt me and Ciri can't do that…. I would never leave you guys, even if you died! And Ciri? Gods she'd never do it and you know it," Dominik pleaded with the older witcher.

Geralt sighed and Dominik could feel the cold draft returning to the hall. The sun was effectively set, and the last few beams of orange sunlight were coming through the stain glass. He bit his lip nervously as he could hear the eager chatting of the people gathered at the table, and above them all he was able to make out Ciri's eager voice as she talked with Lambert and Yennefer. He could hear George and Faram chatting away with Freya, and all the people he had come to see as friends.

Then of course Geralt in front of him, he could never imagine leaving any of them behind. He wanted that life with Ciri, and he knew that she wanted it as well, they wanted that life together that they always dreamed of. However, one thing he also knew, was that the both of them wanted Geralt, Yennefer, and their family besides them. He looked down at his exposed forearm and saw the tattoo that even after so many weeks was still perfectly visible. The elegant black names, the people he was fighting for, the swallow that was drawn, he would always fight for them, it was a reminder of what he was fighting for who he would die for. He didn't have much more room on his arms or else he would add more names.

But Geralt and Ciri were the first two.

"I know that she won't and I know that you don't want to think about it," Geralt said, taking a step closer to him and putting a hand on his shoulder, "But you need to face the reality that it could happen. And if it does, remember, Ciri is what's most important. Only you would be able to convince her to teleport away. Dom… I need you to swear to me."

"Geralt I… I don't know if I can do that," He said, feeling his voice shake as he let out a long sigh.

Geralt shook his head and kept their eyes locked, "You can… I know what I'm asking is hard, but I need you to promise. Dominik… you've been doing it your whole life. Keep Ciri safe, no matter what the cost is, do you understand?"

Keep her safe no matter the cost. That was the same thing his father Sir Gregory had said to him as he lay dying in Dominik's arms. Find Ciri, protect her, and keep her safe no matter what. Geralt was correct, if it really came down to it, he would be the only one who could even possibly convince Ciri to flee. He had sworn to protect her always, to keep her safe no matter what the cost was. And Geralt was correct about another thing, he couldn't ignore the possibility of it happening, that he would have to do something like that.

He had always said for Ciri he would do anything, absolutely anything, and this would be the ultimate test of those words. Slowly he let out a shaky breath, he met his adopted fathers eyes and slowly nodded. He was going to do everything he could to prevent it from having to come to that, he wouldn't have to keep this promise, because he wouldn't let it come to pass. Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, they would all make it, they would all make it through to the end, they would… and Dominik was prepared to do anything to make that so.

"Okay… okay I promise," Dominik said slowly, and he shakily wrapped a hand around the swallow as he met the older witchers eyes, "But I'm not going to let it have to come to that. I… I love you Geralt, you, Yen, Triss… Ciri, everyone."

Geralt smiled down at him, and Dominik could see the pride well up in his adopted fathers withered face. Slowly Geralt reached over and clapped a hand on his shoulder, and Dominik right away felt himself smile as the older witcher nodded.

"I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't come to that too, I promise," The older witcher said, before they both turned and face the table, "So… are you ready to get this started?"

Dominik saw his parents faces pop into his head, Gregory and Sofia, two heroes, two people who had told him his whole life he was destined for great things. His parents who had died to defend him and to defend Ciri, made the ultimate sacrifice. He would have given anything to see them in that moment, to ask them if they were proud of him before he went to lead and plan his first battle. People could live or die all depending on what he planned at that table.

And then he saw Ciri's smiling face. His heart warmed and he felt his face get hot at the sight of her as it always did. He watched as she eagerly started chatting away with Faram who took a seat next to her, and Dominik had no doubts the Bear witcher was regaling Ciri with tales of their misadventures from the half a year Dominik and he traveled together. He sighed out with a smile at seeing the entertained and enthralled look on her face as she listened and chatted back. She was happy in that moment, and that was all that he had ever wanted.

She was what made it all worth it, his best-friend, his woman, his love, his destiny, his Ciri. No matter what happened he would get her out of it. He would fight Baelen, the dragon, Caranthir, Imlerith and even Eredin himself if he had too, all so she could have that smile on her face and to give her the life she deserved.

He let out a shaky breath as he felt inside his pocket. He had finished the letter. He had finished it that night he had gone back to the Chameleon after he had recruited the aid of Adda and Dijkstra. There were still things he felt were missing, but he had put as much of his heart and soul into it as he could, trying to tell her how much she meant to him, how much he had missed her and still loved her.

She'd be devastated he knew, but if he had to die to make sure she got out, got the life she deserved, then he was prepared to do it.

Sighing he managed to tare his eyes away from her and look back to Geralt, "Yeah… I'm ready. Come on, let's go get everything finalized."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

All of the eyes turned to Geralt and he as they walked towards the table and seeing so many eyes on him made his stomach churn for a moment. However, he looked across the table and saw Ciri lock eyes with him. She gave him a small smile, she nodded as well, and her bright shining green eyes invigorated him, and he was able to let out a relaxing sigh, finally feeling himself manage to look around at everyone gathered. So many friends, people he had fought with before, people he knew had lives and families to get back too and goals they no doubt wanted to accomplish. But they all had made the sacrifice, signed on to fight for the fate of the continent, and to save Ciri.

To his left he saw Triss standing up with her arms crossed, and the red-headed sorceress he love smiled broadly at him and nodded. His eyes gazed down to the left of the table and just like Triss, Yennefer, his mother was smiling at him reassuringly, and like always he felt it wash over him. Next to his mother was Lambert, and then Faram who had stopped eagerly chatting with Ciri to look up and nod at him. On the steps out towards a storage room he saw Letho and Gaeten, Letho was fiddling with one of his daggers, and Gaeten had his silver over his lap, gently stroking it with a cloth. To his right on the table he saw his Uncle Vesemir, and next to him he felt himself sigh out in relief when he saw Freya. Her blonde hair was still tied tight up in a ponytail, and when she saw him looking at her she smiled broadly and nodded at him as well.

To his right standing up was George, who seemed to be deep in thought or meditation, the southern Griffin witcher from Toussaint had one hand resting on his griffin medallion, but when he saw Dominik his friend slowly nodded.

Congregated in the right corner were the northerners, Elise was leaned up against a wall rubbing a cloth across her small crossbow, while Arno met his eyes from next to Roche and Ves. Roche and Ves were in a quiet conversation, but Arno slowly nodded at him, and Dominik couldn't help but smile at the look of respect the man gave him. To the right of the Northerners were the Skelligers. Hjalmar stood at the ready, the An Craite smirked wildly as he stood with his axe handle in the ground. Next to him Folan and Vigi did the same, as Ermion gave Geralt and he another nod as the druid saw them approach.

And finally, Dominik saw Declan. The former Nilfgaardean soldier had indeed changed his armor like Dominik had been told. He didn't wear the golden sun anymore, Dominik didn't know how but the young man had gotten an armored coat, one that looked similar to Lamberts. The black-haired young man, the cousin of the man who had haunted Dominik's dreams seemed prepared for battle. A longsword sparkled, perfectly polished on his hip, and in front of him, Dominik saw him sharpening the arrowheads one by one before he slipped them back into his quiver, his black bow laying at his side. For a moment, his head went up, and Dominik locked eyes with him.

He thought for a moment Declan would sneer at him, but the former Nilfgaardean sergeant still gave him a respectful nod, and even a smile. Dominik looked back over to Ciri quickly and realized that the man truly had taken his order to not even gaze in her general direction literally, as the young man didn't dare turn his head an inch right towards where she was. Dominik bit his lip, and in that moment felt guilt wash up inside of him. If there was a chance he'd die that day, he didn't want to have hatred in his heart for any of the people there. They had all come knowing what was at stake, and what could happen. And in that moment Dominik thought about all he had done to the young man, nearly killing him twice, and refusing to give him his trust.

Dominik hated Cahir, and he would never find it in himself to forgive the man. He didn't hate Declan however, and if he were going to fight besides him, he'd make sure that the young man knew it before they fought.

Sighing he took one last gaze over the table, before he looked back over to Geralt. He crossed his arms and gave his adopted father a nod, and Geralt finally turned to face their group of fighters.

"Thank you all for coming," Geralt said to them all, his yellow eyes moving across the room, "The Wild Hunt'll be here soon. They're coming for Ciri, they want to take her."

"And we're going to stop them… here and now," Dominik finished for the older witcher, looking around the room before his eyes fell on Ciri.

She let out a small sigh and nodded at him, and it gave Dominik the strength to look around the room again.

"We're all from different backgrounds, different kingdoms," Dominik went on, as all the eyes turned to him, but he kept his voice clear and strong, "Some of you may not know each other, may not fully trust one another. But all that needs to be thrown out the door. We need to stand united now, or else the Hunt will get their hands on Ciri… but we won't let that happen."

A few people shifted in the room as the last of the sunset rays shined in. However, his words must have had some form of confidence in them, because Ciri smiled and nodded towards him, and Dominik didn't see anyone's faces fall, only growing more determined.

"So how do we know the Hunt will even show?" Lambert asked from his left, and Dominik was about to answer, but Ciri quickly did it for him.

She craned her head over at the sarcastic witcher, "They always know where I teleport to, and they move from place to place in an instant."

"Alright then… so what's our plan?" Lambert asked again, turning back to Geralt and he.

"Eredin, King of the Hunt-he's confident, he'll strike hard, hoping to defeat us with force and numbers alone," Geralt started, and Dominik quickly looked around to the room again.

"He's confident but also arrogant," Dominik spit out, his eye grew hard and he met everyone's eyes, "He'll think we're gonna try to hide behind the walls of the keep. So, we gotta take the initiative ourselves, foil his plan."

He realized in his head that the battle would be the first time he had ever come face to face with the King of the Wild Hunt. Geralt had told him the stories of course, but other then the one dream he had of Baelen, Dominik hadn't ever come face to face with him. That would change that night. He knew that the King was arrogant, and would show himself, whether he would fight Dominik didn't know, but even if Eredin did, he would be there, Dominik would never let him get his hands on her. HIs gaze fell over to Ciri, who's look he realized turned hard as she held both her hands on the table in front of her. She looked down at them, her gaze was unmoving, slowly one of her hands went to fiddle with the ring around her neck, and Dominik to his own amazement still found it so easy to read her emotions just by her facial expressions after so many years.

Her mouth twitched, and the small scar she had on the right side of her bottom lip flared up. He let out a slow sigh through his nose as he realized how worried she was becoming. In his room he had promised he'd be with her, that he wouldn't let her go or leave. But in that moment he knew she wasn't thinking about him, she was thinking about all the people gathered around them, their lives being at stake.

When she finally looked up he made it a point to meet her eyes, and when he nodded at her she sighed, her hand making a fist around the ring.

"Dominik's right," Yennefer said seated from his left, Dominik looked over to her and his adopted mother went on, "I'm going to generate a magic dome over the fortress. It will scatter them, force them to land in the woods. The only problem will be their navigators will be able to sense where my portal comes from, they'll try to attack me so they can lower it. I'll have to hold the spell so I can't fight back, I'll need protection."

"I'll go with you," Dominik said without a second thought as soon as his mother finished, "I won't let them get anywhere close to you I promise."

His mother turned and smiled at him, and Dominik felt more reassurance from her gaze as he normally did.

"Thank you darling, but as strong as you are you'll need some back up," The sorceress said, turning back to the group.

"Alright, I'll take two with me to protect Yen while she holds the barrier, any volunteers?" Dominik said quickly looking to the group.

"Aye I'll go with you mate," The deep voice of Faram quickly rang through the hall. Dominik looked over at the Bear witcher who stood up from his spot next to Ciri with a smirk, "No worries lady Yennefer, we won't let any of the fuckers get to ya!"

Dominik couldn't help but smile, as he nodded towards his friend, "Alright, Faram and I will-."

"Dominik, if you'll allow it I'll go with you as well," Another voice rang from the right, and Dominik looked over to see Declan twirl an arrow in his hand before stuffing it back into his quiver. The young man's blue eyes grew dark as he met Dom's eyes, "You'll have my bow and my blade with you, I swear it."

All the eyes in the room turned over to him, and Dominik felt his heart leap up in his chest. For a moment he looked over to meet Declan's gaze, and he could see the determination practically burning around him. The eyes of everyone in the room also bore into him. Anyone who knew him even relatively well knew of his hatred for Nilfgaardeans, for Nilfgaard, particularly his friends and Ciri. He looked down and met Ciri's eyes, and he knew that she must have learned about Declan while she was chatting at the table, because her worried eyes met his. She was worried seeing him so conflicted, and when he met her eyes she gently nodded reassuringly, and Dominik sighed.

He met more eyes, the northerners, Faram, Yennefer, George, and their eyes all said the same thing. To trust his gut. A small part of his brain was screaming at him, telling him how much of a idiot he was for having even let Declan come in the first place. Normally when he met Declan's eyes he saw Cahir, saw his winged helmet chasing him down in the streets, shooting his mother and sister before hunting Ciri and him. When he looked into Declan's eyes he saw Cintra burning, his father dying, his entire life going up in flames before him. The young man had followed Geralt and he, intent on saving Dominik from the assassination attempt that eventually did come in Novigrad, and to help them fight. He told himself that he wouldn't be as merciful to Declan like Geralt had been to Cahir.

Cahir would always be the monster who murdered his sister, his mother, and haunted his nightmares. However, Declan in that moment wasn't that man's cousin, he was just a man who wished to fight, fight for the fate of the continent.

And after all like Geralt had told him, Declan wasn't even Nilfgaardean.

"Okay," Dominik said, as a few of their allies shuffled, but he kept his eyes locked with Declan's as he sighed and crossed his arms, "It's settled. Me, Faram and Declan will protect Yennefer while she raises and holds the shield. Like Geralt said, that will make them have to land in the woods."

Declan seemed to be more shocked then grateful as Dominik looked over to him, but after a few seconds the young man simply nodded, before sitting back down and sharpening more arrowheads. Dominik sighed out, feeling his skin slightly crawl. Had he really just voluntarily let a Nilfgaardean soldier fight alongside him to protect his mother? Protecting Yennefer and making sure she could keep the shield up was going to be crucial. If his adopted mother fell, then the Hunt's freezing blizzard would be able to sweep over them, an Yennefer couldn't protect herself while holding the spell. So just like he promised he'd protect his family, protect the woman that was his second mother, and he'd have his best-friend by his side while he did, Faram and he had been through hell together, and Dominik only trusted a few people more than the Bear Witcher.

He told himself again, Declan wasn't Cahir. Declan wasn't Nilfgaardean, and even if he was, he just asked everyone to put their hatred aside to fight together, he'd be a hypocrite if he didn't do the same.

The small smile Ciri gave him put his worries to bed. She smiled across at him and nodded. He knew that Ciri bore the Nilfgaardeans just as much hatred as he did, so since he had her seal of approval for his choice it put his mind at ease.

"If they're dispersed out in the woods," Lambert quickly spoke up taring Dominik's attention away from Declan and back over to the table before his sarcastic old mentor went on, "We can hunt down small groups of riders…. I actually got a plan I wanna run by you in a bit Geralt."

Dominik looked over to his adopted father who quickly nodded, "Got our first volunteer for the hunting party, I'm the second, anyone else?"

"I will go with you Geralt," George of Toussaint quickly said from their right, stepping forward with a small bow, before the Griffin witchers yellow eyes grew intense, "I will ride with you, together we will hunt down the wraiths."

"Count me in too…" Letho said in a deep raspy voice from the steps making everyone turn back to him before he went on, "I always believed attack was the best defense."

Gaeten who was sitting below Letho scoffed and slung his silver sword onto his back, "Count me in too… five witchers? Fuckers won't stand a chance."

Geralt from next to him quickly nodded, "Alright hunting party is settled. Me, Lambert, George, Letho and Gaeten will ride down groups of riders out in the woods, try to delay them from getting their main force inside as long as possible."

Dominik felt his skin slightly crawl again. The idea of his father, Lambert and the group heading off into the woods where the main bulk of riders would be didn't sit well with him, a small part of him wanted to volunteer to go as well. However, he pushed the idea from his head, realizing that he wasn't going to be able to be everywhere at once, and he was going to have to trust the skill of all those around him. And if there was anyone's skill he trusted it was Geralt's, along with four other witcher's, some of which who had trained him.

He bit his lip and wondered for a moment what Lambert's plan was, the sarcastic witcher could be a prick he knew, but Lambert was also smart. He kept his arms crossed but fiddled with the swallow around his neck and couldn't help but smile when he saw Ciri smile up at him as she did the same with the ring.

"The Hunt will try to penetrate into the fortress through navigator portals," Yennefer explained again quickly, looking at all the members of the hunting party, "So it's imperative you find and close as many as you can while hunting in the woods."

"Lambert'll make extra dimeritium bombs," Geralt said looking over to George on their right and he nodded at the Griffin witcher, "George your yrden's pretty advanced right? That should work on the portals as well."

"Indeed it is," George said with a tinge of cockiness, "One of my glyphs will stop the whole party in its tracks, and close the portals for good."

"Excellent, I shall also give all five of you an amulet. Snap them in half and you'll become invisible, at least while you remain silent and move slowly," Yennefer quickly began to explain again, "Move abruptly, engage any foes, clash with them, and they will see you. Apart from they'll be able to hear and smell you. If you come across a large unit, do not attack. Signal Triss, and she will provide support."

Triss quickly nodded from her place next to Yen, "I'll look for your signal. Soon as I see it, I'll rain fire down on them."

"Alright great, that's settled then," Dominik said quickly, taking another step towards the table, and before he spoke his eyes fell on Ciri who was still holding the ring, "No matter what happens, Ciri is what's most important. The Hunt's after her, and we will NOT let them get their hands on her."

He felt his voice growing darker, as when he spoke he didn't tare his eyes away from his love. The reaction in Ciri's face was instant, she narrowed her eyes and Dominik could see the fire light up inside of them. Even back when they were younger, when Ciri set her sights on a goal she didn't stop until it was completed. It was one of the multiple things that Dominik loved about her, her fire, her determination, the passion she put into every single thing she did.

Dominik knew she wanted to fight, and the fire he saw in her emerald eyes in that second made him smile. She was what was most important, he didn't even let the thought of her being taken cross his mind. He wouldn't let it happen, not after finding her so recently, he wasn't going to let everything he had done, all the hard work he had put into finding her be for nothing. He wouldn't let all the work SHE did over the last eight years go to waste, and in the process he would finally get to fight with her. Together they would protect each other, and fight for that future they both wanted.

Ciri brought her hands down to the table, crossing them over as she finally looked away from him and to Geralt.

"What do I do? Where do you want me?" She asked, her voice hard and determined.

"Stay inside the keep," Yennefer quickly said, and Dominik bit his lip, knowing that was the last thing that Ciri wanted to hear as his adopted mother went on, "If they break through, come inside, we'll all converge to help you."

And just like Dominik thought Ciri wasn't happy at the idea.

"Out of the question," Ciri quickly said, her voice raising to an incredulous level, "I can look after myself, Dom, tell them that-."

"Nobody's doubting that child," Their Uncle Vesemir quickly said from the right of the table, saving Dominik from a very awkward situation before the elderly witcher went on, "But remember the most important moment while hunting a monster?"

"Wait for an opportunity…." Ciri said slowly, her eyes moving up to meet Dominik's, and he could see the disappointment in her eyes.

Dominik carefully met her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. He knew her better then anyone in that room still, and Dominik knew that she would be out there fighting, she wouldn't stay in the keep. Just like when they were younger, when Ciri set her mind to something she did it and did it with everything she had. She wanted to fight, and Dominik knew that she would. He'd see her out in the keep fighting, and he also knew for a fact it wouldn't have been that long after the battle began when she did.

However, in that moment he could see the despondent look, so along with the reassuring smile he managed to wink at her, and a small smile came back to her face. She smiled back and went to grab the ring again before Dominik saw Triss turn back to her.

"After the council I'll give you an amulet. If you use it, a ball of fire will land where you're standing. Just in case," The red-headed sorceress said reassuringly, before she turned back to face Geralt and he.

Dominik nodded, and could feel all the eyes turn back to him. He quickly racked his brain for anything else that was important. Over in the corner he looked and saw Arno give him a quick nod and remembered the plan the man had explained to him back out in the courtyard. Ciri's concern for the plan came running back into his mind. The run from where the ballista was perched to the middle courtyard back to the inner courtyard was a long one, and whoever fired the bolt to trigger the explosion wouldn't have much time to get to safety. Arno had assured him that they would worry about that when the time came, and in that moment he saw an assured look on the taller man's face, along with Elise smirking wildly behind him as the red head polished her smaller crossbow.

Sighing he remembered what his father had said.

"_It'll never be easy for you to give orders Dominik, especially one's you know that put your soldiers in danger, but you must remember, your men will reflect how you are. You must be 100% confident in yourself when you speak to your men, when you give them orders, because if they sense even the slightest bit of doubt in you my boy, then they'll doubt themselves as well," _his father's words rang in his head, and Dominik knew he had to apply that lesson now. He couldn't show any doubt.

So, after Triss finished, he nodded and looked around the room again.

"We need to all remember, there's only a few of us. We have to trust and support one another, work together if we want to have any chance," Dominik said loudly and clearly, before his head turned over to Arno, "If anything goes wrong and the Hunt puts us on the defensive, we pull back to the inner courtyard…. Arno here has a plan for if we do have too."

All the eyes in the room turned to the new head of Redanian Special Forces. Arno quickly nodded around the room. Dominik saw the confidence in which the man walked with, the certainty in his brown eyes as he scanned the room. Elise after hearing Arno's name smirked and slung her crossbow back onto her belt and confidently stepped forward as well. Her bushy red hair was tied back tightly, and the confidence they both exhumed was contagious to him.

Arno cleared his throat and spoke clearly, "Dominik's correct. The inner courtyard is our last line of defense. If we're overwhelmed in the middle courtyard, it is imperative everyone quickly gets behind the inner gates. We've set a trap for the enemy in the middle courtyard."

"We're going to blow the cucks right back to their fucking world," Elise said with a wicked smile, "We got explosive barrels in every nook and cranny of the courtyard, there's also the gas you may have seen coming up, Master Druid?"

Elise gestured over to Ermion, who cleared his throat to speak as well, "They are correct. Kaer Morhen sits on a vast deposit of gas. I opened cracks in the ground to let the gas seep through. It is extremely flammable, and will burn in even the coldest of winds."

"Exactly," Arno said, turning back to all the defenders again, "So after everyone's inside the inner courtyard, we're going to fire the ballista at the top of the gate in the middle courtyard. We managed to wedge a barrel above the gate, and on the impact it'll set the gas alight, and between it and all the explosions we should wipe a good amount of their forces."

"Blow them right out of this fucking world," Elise said with a small laugh as she crossed her arms, "The fires burning in the middle courtyard won't let them open anymore portals there, and with the outer one blocked off we can cut them off. It'll get us time to regroup and force them to narrow their forces and bottle them into an area where we can contain them."

The plan in theory was a great one, and Dominik could see why Arno and Elise were Adda's personal protectors. If the plan worked and the middle courtyard burned, then the Hunt would be forced to open all of their portals in the inner courtyard, right where they were. If they opened in the spot they were all congregated, then they would be able to more easily close them and take out the waves of enemies that came through. A lesson he remembered that he learned from his father and from Geralt both was that you should always try to dictate the terms of a fight, control the tempo and pace. If you controlled that then the enemy would have to fight on your terms, and if you set the terms of a fight you had a much larger chance of winning it.

However, while the plan was smart, the one problem with it seemed to run in more then just Dominik's mind.

"A good plan and all… but who's going to fire the ballista," Eskel asked from the table on his right, his old mentor looked up towards Arno, "If you fire it and the bolt right away causes the explosion… whoever fired it won't have much time to get back to the inner courtyard before the flames catch up."

The whole room shifted uneasily, however Arno quickly shook his head without a second thought.

"I'll fire the bolt," The man said without a second thought as he nodded, "Elise and I will make sure the bolt gets fired. We're quick enough we'll make it."

The confidence Arno exhumed seemed to put the matter to bed for everyone. A few nods were all around the table, but Dominik still felt his stomach begin to churn. As he normally did to reassure himself he looked over to Ciri, but just like him, she also had the same worried look. He didn't doubt how quick Arno and Elise were, but Dominik had to believe that they both knew the little chance they had to make it back. A shaky sigh left him, as he tried not to show any signs of doubt, if he doubted the plan for a moment everything would falter. His father had always had the fortune and misfortune of leading hundreds of soldiers, plenty of men and women to carry out assignments, so even though it sounded cruel, if some died others would be able to reinforce.

During that battle however, if they lost even one fighter then their odds fell drastically. Let alone how guilty he would feel. If he were leading a normal army it would have been slightly easier, but looking around that room then, even if one of the assembled fighters died, then Dominik would never be able to forgive himself, he was the one who asked them all there, they wouldn't be there if he hadn't brought them.

Looking at Ciri again however, he remembered why he was fighting. Not only the woman he loved, but the continent itself was at stake. From all the way south in Nilfgaard, to Kaer Trolde, all the way up to Poviss, every single person would either be killed or enslaved if they didn't beat back Eredin and the Hunt. Those people had no idea that the battle for their fate was happening at that moment, and it was up to Dominik and everyone gathered to make sure they lived their lives.

And when Ciri met his eyes his heart melted. She bit her lip and continued fiddling with the ring as if her life depended on it, it reminded him so much of what he did with the swallow for all the years they were apart. It turned out that she did indeed use the ring like he did the small silver pendant, they used it to remember one another, remember why they were fighting. She met his eyes, the two of them had a silent conversation, and Dominik could tell they were both doing the same thing, trying to reassure the other that they were going to be alright.

"Alright that plans settled, what else do we have, what else can we use? We don't have much time, so we need to get moving," Geralt asked, and his adopted father's voice regrettably turned his gaze away from Ciri.

"If you plan to ambush them in the woods, I could dig some trapping pits," Roche said, stepping up next to Arno and Elise with Ves, and for the first time ever Dominik saw the man smirk, "Blue stripes style, help delay their advance."

Ves scoffed and nodded next to her commander, "Deep as the dark abyss. Bottom bristling with sharpened stakes."

Zoltan Chivay laughed heartily from the crate he sat on, "Haha and thanks to the coin you got from Sigi, I was able to get plenty of Mahakaman mix. Flammable as bone and ploughin' sticks to anything! Put that at the bottom of yer traps and no chance they get out."

"And we also have the laboratory and the workshop," His Uncle Vesemir said, turning over to face them all.

Dominik almost scoffed, remembering how Ciri and he hadn't been allowed anywhere near the laboratory underneath Kaer Morhen when they were younger. Ciri must have remembered too because he saw a small smile cross her face across him.

Eskel from his right quickly nodded in agreement with Vesemir, "One thing to remember- we've got limited resources and even less time. We oughta decide what kind of weaponry'll be most useful against the Hunt."

"Alright then let's start with the workshop," Dominik said, leaning both his hands down on the table and meeting Vesemir's eyes, "What can that help us with?"

Vesemir sighed, "Been wanting to fix the breach in the wall. But we'll need the same tools to clear the rubble from the armory."

"Rubble?" Geralt quickly asked from next to him.

"Didn't you hear," His Uncle asked with a scoff, "Roof caved in a couple of years back. There's some excellent swords in there. Swords we could use."

"Yeah but if they come through that breach, this siege will be over awfully quickly," Lambert quickly said from the left of him.

Dominik quickly nodded in agreement, "Lambert's right, if they storm that breach doesn't matter what our plans are. We should patch that up first."

He stood back up and felt the chill from the inside of the keep shoot down his back. Looking over at Ciri again and seeing her eyes look at him, he yearned for another moment alone, another moment like the one they had just shared in his room. They could have sat on the bed and simply held each other for an hour and he would have loved it. He felt slightly selfish thinking such things in the middle of planning the battle, but the thought didn't leave his mind.

Sighing a small smile came to his face, he'd have more moments like that, all he needed to do was get them through the battle then.

"As for the laboratory, well we might be able to get more then one kind of weapon out of it," Vesemir said with a hint of pride in his voice, and Dominik saw the elderly witcher look over to Freya who was sitting between himself and Eskel, "Thanks to Freya here helping me, we've already got a good amount of potions made, potions that'll help us."

Dominik looked back to Freya whose blonde hair was tied back in a tight ponytail. He also saw Ciri's gaze dart over to her, and Dominik suddenly felt himself bite down hard on his lip. Freya was still dressed in the impressive armor that she had obtained in her journey's since he last saw her in Novigrad. At the elderly witchers compliment Freya slightly blushed, but with the sword on her back clunking she nodded and stood up, pulling one of the potions from the bandolier strap on her shoulders.

Freya seemed to fit naturally and spoke in a clear yet commanding voice.

"Vesemir and I have made potions that'll work for everybody not just witchers," She said, holding the vial up for everyone to see, "Before we head out I'll make sure everybody has one. It won't heal you instantly, but if you feel yourself running low on energy it'll perk you back up."

Dominik scoffed right away and nodded, "Trust me everyone, Freya knows what she's doing these things will get you right back into shape. Saved my fucking life they did."

His praise for her made Freya's face go redder, and Dominik had to bite his lip again when he noticed Ciri narrowing her eyes up at the blonde.

Freya laughed lightly and clipped the small vial back to her bandolier, "And Vesemir's showed me even more ways to improve them. They'll work for all of us, not just the witchers."

"Aye, extremely talented she is, even taught me a thing or two which I thought was impossible," His Uncle Vesemir said in an impressed tone, before turning and looking up at Dominik and Geralt, "We'll try brewing a few more, but this means we can get something else from the laboratory."

Dominik again noticed Ciri biting her lip and staring at Freya, as the blonde blushed again before sitting back down. He sighed and quickly met Ciri's eyes to give her another reassuring glance. And he was happy to see that it seemed to calm her, as she let out a sigh and went back to fiddling with the ring around her neck. Her presence calmed him as well, as he started doing the same thing with the swallow bouncing around his own chest. Despite the fact she was there with him now, he still felt the silver tremble in his hands, and he couldn't help but wonder if the ring did the same thing in Ciri's

Eskel nodded next to them and looked up to Geralt and he, "Then if that's the case I can get to work on some witchers traps, set them up at chokepoints around the courtyards."

"Okay… I think that's everything then. We only got about an hour or two before everything gets going, so we need to get moving," Geralt said, and his adopted father looked over to him.

When he met Geralt's withered face, Dominik felt a sigh leave him as his skin began to crawl. Slowly he looked around to the other defenders and managed to cross his arms and nod.

"Okay, let's sum everything up," Dominik said, feeling himself starting to pace at the head of the table, "Me, Faram and Declan will go to protect Yennefer, who'll cast a magic shield around the fortress to repel the main assault, that should push the Hunt forces out into the woods."

He felt himself slowly stop and his eyes fell on Ciri. In those few seconds that he looked at her, everything he ever thought his life would be like flashed in his eyes. If you had asked him when he was eleven years old where he would be at the age of twenty-two, he would never have told you that he thought he'd be leading a force to defend the witcher's keep from the Wild Hunt. He'd never think that he was a carrier, a descendant of a powerful unknown sorcerer, with a destiny to protect the Elder Blood and the entire continent. He would have told you Ciri would be there, however he wouldn't have thought they'd have just been reunited after eight years apart.

If you had asked his eleven-year-old self where he'd be at twenty-two, he would have told you he'd more then likely be a knight of the Cintran Royal Guard under his father, or even the captain of the guard himself. He'd have told you he'd hopefully have his younger sister by his side, either her wishing to become a knight herself, or a traveler to exotic lands. And he would have told you that hopefully, he'd either be married too, or still together with Ciri, despite her being the kingdom's princess or Queen by that time. That part was still true, and it was the most important part to him then.

For a second he felt himself falter, unable to find words to continue speaking, thinking about everything that could go wrong. What if he had chosen the wrong option? What if Arno's plan went wrong? What if Geralt and the hunting party were cut down? What if he let Yennefer be slain while she was trying to hold the shield? What if one of the defenders, his friends died during the assault, and it had been because of a decision he made?

However, it was then that his eyes fell on Ciri again, and he felt his anxiousness melt away. He saw her eyes, the worry hiding behind her beautiful green iris's. Just like when they were younger he knew exactly what was wrong. Dominik was worried that he had made the wrong decisions, and that if his friends died they'd have died because he called them there. Ciri however, was thinking that if she hadn't been there at all, then none of them would. She knew Eredin was after her, and if she wasn't at the keep, Dominik, Geralt, Yen none of them would be in danger. And it was eating at her, eating at her very soul this Dominik knew. Yet still when he met her eyes she gave him a small smile and tried to reassure him.

That was when he felt his heartbeat race, and his blood start to quicken as it flowed through his veins. He needed to be strong for her, for everyone gathered. His eyes shot back up and looked around to all the defenders.

"Geralt, Lambert, George, Letho and Gaeten will be waiting. They'll use dimeritium bombs and Yrden to close the navigator portals and stop as many riders as they can from entering the fortress," Dominik said, feeling his voice strong and clear, before he looked over to Triss with a smirk at the red-headed sorceress he loved, "Triss'll be waiting for their signal… then Merigold the fearless will blow them all to tiny fucking pieces."

Triss managed to smile and scoff out a laugh. And Dominik heard a few more snickers and laughs as well come from everyone. He felt a small smile come to his face and he looked around to see them growing on people's faces as well, he even saw Letho and Gaeten both smirking from the back. Ciri let out a small scoff and kept looking at him, as Dominik crossed his arms and smiled out at everyone again.

"We'll position everyone else around the fortress to repel any of the fucks that get inside," Dominik said, feeling the smile stay on his face as he looked over to Arno and Elise, "If we get overwhelmed everyone falls back to the inner courtyard, that's when Arno will fire the ballista. After it's fired him and Elise will come back to the inner courtyard and then as Elise so articulately puts it, we'll blow those cucks back to their fucking world."

Another laugh rippled through the table as Dominik felt his heart begin to thump faster, a smile coming to his face as well. Over next to Arno Elise smirked and nodded at him, and Arno crossed his arms with a broad smile on his face. The laughter died down, and when Dominik saw the smile on Ciri's face, heard the small laugh that escaped her, he looked around to the room one more time, and with every word he spoke, he put every bit of strength and confidence he could into them.

"Remember, Eredin can't get his hands on Ciri, that's the most important thing," Dominik said, a smirk coming to his face as he looked and met her eyes.

He saw her bite her lip again and Dominik nodded towards her. Slowly he sighed out and looked around at the defenders once more, feeling his heartrate steadily increase. He knew he needed to say more, needed to say something else to assure everyone things would be okay. His father had been the most powerful speaker he had ever known, and while Geralt had said multiple times that he wasn't good with words and expression, his adopted father he knew could inspire just about anyone. He remembered back to Cintra, when he'd watch his father perform knighting ceremonies with the queen, give orders to his men, when Sir Gregory spoke, people listened, and they listened with bated breath.

His father or mother had also been a descendant of a mage powerful enough that he could pass down his abilities. He had Geralt and Yennefer there, and he loved them both, would die for them both and considered them his parents. Dominik, however, would have given anything to see his birth parents in that moment, see his mother's kind green eyes or the smirk his father got when he did something to make him proud. Would they be proud of him? What would they have told him in that moment? Again, when he looked over at Ciri, he felt any doubts fade away, and realized exactly what both his mother and father would say to him in that moment.

_'Protect the one's you love, with everything you have, hold them, protect them, and never let them go,'. _Both his parents had always told him Ciri and he were destined for great things, and they were destined to do them together. They had both done great things so far, but Dominik knew they were far from done.

"I want to thank you all again for coming here today… for fighting. The people of the continent, they won't know your names, they won't know what you do here tonight, you won't get any glory, you won't have ballads written about you, hell they don't even know that their lives are on the line and we're risking ours for them," Dominik said, leaning forward on the table again and sighing deeply, before turning his head back up and looking at them all, "But all of you were brave enough, honorable enough to come fight for them. Tonight, you don't fight for the Northern Realms, you don't fight for Nilfgaard or Skellige."

A couple of the gathered fighters shifted, and Dominik could hear his heartbeat so hard it rung in his ears. He crossed his arms again, but one hand went to fiddle around the swallow, he saw Ciri doing the same with the ring before he looked up again.

"You don't fight for humans, you don't fight for dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes, mages, you don't fight for any of them because the Wild Hunt doesn't fucking care who you are, where you're from, what race you are," He went on as all the eyes stayed glued on him, and as he continued to speak he felt his whole entire chest heat up, "They want to invade this world, they want to bring thousands upon thousands of soldiers onto the continent, freeze everything, knock it all over, enslave anyone who survives and make OUR world their own!"

He saw a few heads shake as he had to start pacing again to keep himself from shaking, and he let out another breath before fervently shaking his head and looking at everyone again.

"If they make it into this world, the Northern Realms won't stop them, Nilfgaard won't stop them, Skellige won't stop them, ALL the kings and queens of the continent won't be able to stop them," He yelled out, feeling his voice raise an octave as he slammed one of his fists into his hands, "I don't know if we can beat them back, I don't know if we stand a chance here, but you know what? I don't care! Because I DO know that I'm not about to lay around and let them invade OUR world! We may not beat them here we may die but at least we'll give the fuckers a fight! You're all brave enough to take that chance! All brave enough to fight back!"

A few murmurs came and when he saw everyone looking at him, he noticed his friends, his mentors and his family all staring at him. He looked at Ciri staring up at him and felt her loving gaze wash over his body and finally he sighed, he felt his heated skin cool and look around to all the defenders once more before slowly nodding.

"You won't hear this from people after the battle…. So, thank you all for this sacrifice you're making," Dominik said, before he leaned over on the table, slowly he looked up at them all once more, "Follow the plan and have each other's backs. And if the dragon shows… no heroics from anyone. The witchers here will handle it, we WILL find a way. Together… we're going to show Eredin and every single fucking one of those riders that they picked the WRONG world to invade…"

After he finished a silence fell over the room. Dominik felt his heartbeat come to a slow, and despite the fact he knew all the eyes in the room were on him, the only pair he focused on were hers, Ciri's gaze was all he wanted in that moment. And just like she always had, he didn't disappoint her. Despite the fact he knew that her stomach was whirling and churning just as much as his, he smiled broadly at him. The site of her cute smile, the scar on her upturned lip, her eyes that for so long he had been yearning to see, it made him think in that moment that everything would be okay.

And he would make sure that it was. She was going to make it, and he was going to do anything to make sure of it.

He heard footsteps come up behind him, and soon he looked and saw Geralt next to him. Pulling himself back up, he didn't dare let his gaze leave Ciri's, as they both fiddled still with the ring and swallow around their necks. Dominik sighed and felt her warming eyes wash over him one more time before he looked over to Geralt next to him. The look of pride in his adopted father's yellow eyes were enough to make him smile again, and he also liked to think that his first father, Sir Gregory was watching. If you got to look down on your children, watch over them after you died, he hoped that his father, his mother and Bella were all watching, and that he could make their sacrifice worth it.

"Dom's right. If the dragon shows, the witchers will handle it. Any questions?" Geralt asked from next to him, and when the group of defenders was silent, his adopted father grimly nodded and gestured down to the map of Kaer Morhen on the table, "Alright, let's look at the map of the fortress, work out the details of where everyone will be positioned…."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Geralt, I can't help but think we forgot something," Dominik said, as he finally managed to look up from the map, over towards Geralt across the table.

His adopted father sighed and nodded, "Yeah… I feel it too…. That dragon's still what worries me."

"Maybe Borch is just running late," Dominik said with a shrug, trying to sound optimistic.

Geralt sighed and nodded, "I hope that's the case…. Still though can't help but-."

"Relax, relax don't think about it," The voice of Lambert rang, as Dominik looked up he saw his sarcastic old mentor came around to them both with a smirk on his face before he went on, "You both worry too much. She's one of us, we protect our own. We won't let them take her."

Dominik wanted to see her, but he hadn't since she smiled at him after everyone went off to finish their last preparations, and she went off to speak more with Triss. Only about two hours had passed since the defenders all dispersed and he saw her last, but those two hours had felt like another whole year. He knew that it was just from the fact he was seeing her for the first time after so long apart, but not having her near him made his skin tingle with worry, he felt as if he'd have to run off on another multiple year long quest to find her. She was in the keep however, he knew it in the back of his head, but it didn't stop his heart from panging.

Slowly he lifted himself up and tore his eyes away from the map. They had spent some time placing everyone in positions in the outer, middle and inner courtyards. Keira, Ermion, and Vesemir were going to the outer courtyard to help close the gate for the hunting party after they returned. In the middle courtyard, Arno, Elise, Roche, and Ves were going to prepare the ballista for firing, while Triss waited on the battlements between the inner and middle courtyard so she could watch for Geralt's signal to rain fire onto the forest.

Eskel would wait to open the gate for everyone in the inner courtyard, in their as well would be Hjalmar, Vigi, Folan and Freya, while Dominik, Faram and Declan would be on the towers just above the entrance to the keep with Yennefer. And all the meanwhile Ciri would be inside the keep, although Dominik knew it wouldn't be for long. All the barrels to blow the inner courtyard were in place, Eskel had made plenty of witchers traps, Roche and Ves had finished digging their trapping pits. Everything was in place, everything seemed to be in order.

But he just couldn't help but think that he forgot something, overlooked something so important that it would mean the difference between them all surviving or not. But in the end however Lambert was correct, they wouldn't take her, none of them would.

"What's ready? How's everyone's preparations coming along," Geralt asked Lambert, as Dominik finally tore his eyes away from the map.

Lambert shrugged his shoulders, "Haven't had much time to prepare, but we got a decent amount done. Thanks to Dom's old flame, everyone's got potions at the ready, here's some for you both by the way."

Dominik rolled his eyes, but Lambert quickly pulled out two potions vials and tossed them to Geralt and he. He caught it and quickly examined the frothing light pink liquid, and he couldn't help but smile, he knew Freya and his Uncle Vesemir both had to be ecstatic to finally find someone as dedicated to alchemy as the other. Freya's potions on her own had saved him multiple times, so he knew that with his Uncle's help, his friend's recipe was probably improved even further.

Sighing he slid the vial into one of his pockets, and felt the rough parchment as well, the letter. He wanted to make it a point to hand it to Geralt before they left the keep. Looking up he remembered the ridiculous plan that Lambert had explained to both Geralt and he, and while Dominik thought it was crazy, it could have been just crazy enough to be genius.

"Thanks Lambert… for everything," Dominik told his sarcastic old mentor, "You should probably get leaving now if you want your crazy fucking plan to be of use."

Geralt scoffed next to him, "Dom's right, are you sure you want to try this?"

Lambert laughed and nodded, "Ha, trust me I'll make it work. That Cat witcher and I won't be long. Old Spear Tip may finally be of some real use. Sure you'll be okay in the hunting party without me?"

Lambert asked the question sarcastically, but Dominik felt the worry run through him. Gaeten was going to help Lambert, while Geralt, Letho and George went straight into the main bulk of the Hunt's forces. Geralt, Letho and George all Dominik knew would have no trouble fighting off riders, but it they were accosted by the dragon, or too many at once he was scared to leave them to fight by themselves. He sighed however, realizing that he needed to protect his mother, if Yennefer fell, then the fight would be over.

Geralt must have seen his apprehension, because his adopted father shot him a reassuring glance before nodding and turning back to Lambert.

"I'll be alright," Geralt said with a nod, "I'm bringing Letho and George with me."

"You know my opinion…" Lambert said with an eye roll, "Griffin guy doesn't seem too bad, but Letho? Well I know I won't be talking you out of it…. Good luck, I'll see you both out there."

Lambert gave him one last smirk and nodded, before he turned and walked towards the exit to the hall. Dominik felt all of his breath leave him, his skin began to tingle and he looked at his hands beginning to shake. He looked down at both his gloved hands and saw that they wouldn't stop, he even tried to grab the swallow and still they shook. Every breath he took he could feel a hitch. For so long he knew that the fight was coming, that after they found Ciri he'd only have a few moments with her, a few precious moments before he had to battle them back, keep her safe from them. He had been trying to mentally prepare himself for it, knowing that if he didn't succeed that Ciri would die, Ciri would die, and then the continent would be covered in ice. Everything relied on them there, and what he did.

His father had used to tell him, that before every battle he went into, even if Cintra's victory was all but assured, his hands would shake in a similar manner to how Dominik did then. This memory didn't bring him any comfort, because unlike his father, he didn't have thousands of soldiers on his hands, he had a group of a few of his closest friends, any of whom would devastate him if they died. He continued to try and breathe, but every breath felt like someone was punching him square in the chest. The cold breeze that shot through the hall was particularly cold, as he could hear people chatting and walking out towards the exit, and the sound of the doors to the keep opening and closing was louder than it had ever been.

Still his hands shook, and even when he closed his hands into fists they still did. If he had made the wrong choices, it wouldn't just mean the death of himself, of Ciri, but all of the friends he had brought, who had come to help because he asked them too.

"Dom… we aren't going to let them take her," Geralt said, as he felt his adopted father's hand gently fall on his shoulder, "We've known this was coming, we're prepared. We'll beat them back."

Dominik slowly turned up and saw Geralt looking at him, his yellow eyes and withered face was trying to reassure him. Slowly Dom let out a breath, and for the first time he didn't feel a stabbing pain as he did. He couldn't think of any words to say, but his hand ran over his pocket, and he gently slid his right hand inside before pulling out the parchment.

He looked down on the outside of the letter, and saw _'Ciri' _wrote across the outside of the parchment in his elegant handwriting. Letting out another shaky breath he squeezed the letter in both hands almost ripping it as his hands shook, but for a few moments he managed to make them stop and look up to Geralt.

Gently he held the letter out towards his adopted father, "Geralt I… I lied to you… I… was writing this incase-."

"I know," Geralt said, reaching forward he took the letter from him and slipped it into his back pocket before meeting Dominik's eyes again, "I won't let it come to that, I'll protect you both… just like I always have."

Water started to gently pool up in Dominik's eyes as he slowly nodded. Meeting Geralt's eyes he was flashed back to all the times his adopted father had saved him, saved Ciri and he. When the wagon was ambush by Scoia'tael, Geralt, who had just finished giving Ciri and he a lesson about neutrality, broke that neutrality to save them both. The older witcher had traveled the entire continent to find Dominik, only for him to be an ignorant brat and tell his adopted father he wouldn't come with him, and yet still Geralt promised that should he ever need him, to simply find him.

When most people's fathers died, they weren't able to ever have a second one. After his father died to save Ciri and he in Cintra, Geralt didn't have to take Dominik in. Ciri was his child of surprise, his destiny, but the older witcher had raised him by choice, regardless of destiny or fate, Geralt took him in, and raised him to be his son, to be a witcher, to keep him close to Ciri. He owed everything to Geralt of Rivia, his teacher, his father, Geralt was the reason he was able to be with Ciri now.

"Thank you… for everything Geralt," He said shakily, and that was when his adopted father reached around and hugged him.

Both their pairs of swords and the armor clunked with the other's, and Dominik felt the cold of the keep leave him for a moment. A shaky breath left him after Geralt pulled back, and his adopted father slowly nodded at him, and a smirk even appeared on his face.

"I won't let anything happen to either of you… I promise," Geralt said slowly, before he gestured towards the exit, "I'm gonna get going to meet up with George and Letho. Head to Yen when you're ready, you know her, if you're a minute late she'll think you're dying."

He managed a scoff as he leaned up against the table with the map, and Geralt nodded at him once more before heading in the direction of the doors to the keep. As his father's footsteps receded, Dominik felt a long sigh leave him as he rubbed both his still shaking hands to his eyes. Along with the nerves, there was also the fact he hadn't slept in over a day, and after unleashing the powers inside of him on the Isle of Mists, he didn't know how strong he could be. He had found himself able to activate the magic at will, but when he did it was erratic, and hard for him to fully control. Biting his lip he looked down at his shaking hands, and realized that he would need to be conservative with how often he let them come out during the fight, he needed to save Freya's potion and the rest of his strength for when it was needed most.

His heart began to race again, and he wondered how his father had done it, how he truly had done it. There had been battles Dominik heard about where his father Sir Gregory and the Queen lost thousands of soldiers, but in the end it had been a victory for Cintra. He had gotten caught up in the victory, but his father had never seen it that way.

'_No victory Dominik… no victory in battle ever comes without some type of sacrifice,'_.

What would he have to sacrifice that night to make sure that Ciri got out alive, that the Hunt didn't get their hands on her? He would have made it anything, no price would be too high for her life, for him to let her live the life she deserved. His one shaking hand went up to his neck and he squeezed the swallow so hard that he almost felt himself rip the chain off his neck. His other stayed out in front of him and shook uncontrollably.

"Ahhh pre-battle jitters," A voice rang from his left, and Dominik's head tore to his left to see Arno smirking as the tall man walked towards him with a smile as he went on, "I used to get them all the time. Remember one-time Roche put me in charge of an assignment and the night before I damn near slept for about five minutes I was shaking so bad."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head as the man approached, trying to close his hand to stop it from shaking. He looked up and saw the special forces badge sparkling on Arno's belt, the man didn't seem to think anything was wrong with the world in that moment, as his brown eyes danced with amusement. His dark brown hair was tied back into a ponytail and parted down the middle, and when he met Dominik's eyes he gently nodded.

Sighing Dominik looked up and met his eyes, "Is everything ready in the middle courtyard? Have you and Elise-."

"Everything's ready, no need to worry," The man said reassuringly, holding his hands up with an amused smile on his face, "You know, that was quite the speech you gave at the council."

"Ha have no idea how I did it…. And now my fucking hands won't stop shaking," Dominik said with a shake of his head as his hands shook and he locked eyes with the taller man.

Arno laughed lightly and shook his head, "It's because you're a natural born leader Dominik of Cintra."

"Don't exactly feel like it right now," Dominik said, shaking his head and looking down at his shaking hands as he spoke, "My father used to say, if you don't believe in yourself, your men won't… and if they don't believe in themselves then they can die…"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Arno quickly said with a wave of his hand, "We believe in you, believe in your abilities, your leadership."

Scoffing Dominik looked up and met the man's eyes, "There's people here more experienced, who have actually led battles, I'm younger than everyone. And I'm here shaking before the fighting starts…"

"You're not shaking because you don't believe in yourself. You're shaking because you care, you care about all our lives," Arno explained to him, crossing his arms he looked down to meet Dominik's eyes, "And yes, some of us have more experience… but we still believe in you. Because we all know you're not only fighting for the continent, you're fighting for the one you love."

Dominik felt his heart pang again, as his hand slowly reached up for the swallow again. His heartbeat got slower, and he felt his blood run colder. He looked down and his hand had also begun to shake slower, not going as fast as he felt himself let out a shaky sigh. Slowly he looked up and met Arno's eyes again.

"How… how do I know I made the right choices?" He asked slowly, not expecting the man to know.

Arno however shrugged, "You don't it's as simple as that. But… we believe in them, and you know who else believes in them? Your woman… she believes in you, Geralt believes in you. Hell, I was skeptical, until you managed to keep me from stabbing the man who killed my king."

Dominik felt himself scoff a laugh, as he squeezed around the swallow again, "Thanks… thanks for coming, and for believing in me…"

The tall man smiled back at him and nodded, "I look forward to fighting with you out there Dominik of Cintra…. By the way, I got rid of the shakes by speaking with Elise…. Cirilla was by the entry hall… think she was waiting for you."

Right away his eyes tore over towards the exit to the keep. Arno saw this and a small laughed escaped the man before he nodded and went towards the exit as well. He had missed her, even in only the two hours since he last saw her, and Dominik wasn't afraid to admit it. Turning around he took one more look at the diagram of Kaer Morhen, before he turned and finally found his legs able to move. They were shaky at first, but he managed to get to a steady pace as the cold draft continued to shook up his back under his armor.

He ran a gloved hand through his messy hair and started subconsciously adjusting the straps on his armor. A small smirk came to him when he remembered how just a month or so prior for armor he wore nothing but a red padded coat, and a few strips of leather across his shoulders. And now, in only a few weeks he had the most beautiful set of armor he had ever seen. He rolled his shoulders and still barely felt it weighing him down, along with both swords on his back being light as well. He had finally decided he'd draw his silver, as much as he loved his faithful steel blade, he was going to need every advantage that he could have, and the extra effectiveness with silver was just that.

Slowly he let out another breath and finally didn't feel like his heart was being pounded. He looked down and still saw both of his hands slightly shaking, but all he focused on in that moment was Ciri, seeing her and hearing her voice one more time before everything started, before the largest battle of his life began. His fight for her, for her life, to give her the future that she deserved. He had heard enough from Geralt and Yen, and even though he still didn't fully know everything, there was still one thing he knew for certain.

He was going to make sure everyone left Ciri the fuck alone from now on.

"You gotta keep clear, keep yourself out of trouble," Geralt's voice rang in his ears, making Dominik look up from his hands.

Looking up he saw them both, Ciri was leaned up against one of the tables, and Dominik could see the aggravated look flaring up in her eyes. As he slowly approached he couldn't help but smile lightly. Ciri's fieriness was one of the many things Dominik loved about her, and seeing her spark, her passion, her energy again warmed his heart, and despite the anger he saw coming from her emerald iris's, Dominik couldn't help but find her upturned lip and flaring cheeks cute as he got closer to them both.

"You can't treat me like a child!" She yelled, and when her eyes turned and saw him, she pointed to him and looked accusingly to Geralt, "You've been letting Dominik fight for weeks!"

Geralt just like Dominik did smiled before shaking his head.

"Didn't treat either of you like that even when you were," Geralt said with an amused smirk, before looking over to Dominik again, "And don't let him fool you, Dom spent a good amount of the trip passed out."

"Ha, you can say that again," Dominik said amusingly, looking over and meeting Ciri's eyes, and he lightly laughed, "And besides, he nagged me for half the time anyway."

Ciri rolled her eyes, but Dominik could see the amusement behind them. He met her eyes for a moment, and within a few seconds he felt his hands stop shaking. Warmth washed over him despite the cold drafts from inside the keep, and all the worry left him as he got a reminder that she truly was real. She was still there, none of it had been a cruel dream or trick, Ciri was there, there with him.

She sighed and smiled at him before she turned back to Geralt, and Dominik saw the smile that appeared on his adopted father's withered face. He knew that after weeks of holding it all back, keeping himself controlled and confident, that Geralt was finally ready to let himself smile, be happy that he had them both back.

"I like it when you smile… come here," Ciri said lightly, looking and meeting their adopted father's eyes, "Come here…. Everything will be alright."

Ciri reached up and hugged the older witcher, and Dominik could see the smile that appeared on his adopted father's face while he hugged her. It washed over him, and again, just like back on the Isle of Mists, Dominik felt his world complete. Ciri, Geralt, himself, and then Yennefer he knew was waiting for him outside. His second family, not many people were blessed with a second one after they lost their first. For so long he thought that the universe hated him, that the world was working against him.

However, in that moment he thought himself the luckiest person in the world. He lost two parents who loved him, and then gained two parents who loved him. His home had been sacked and burned, but he soon gained a new one. And through it all, he had Ciri, he had the woman he loved that had made everything worth it. Yes, he spent years apart from them, went through more hell and pain then anyone his age should have ever had to experience.

In the end however, he had gotten them all back. And now it was time for him to defend them all again.

Ciri pulled back from Geralt, and then she slowly turned to meet him, and Dominik felt that spark pass between them both again. That spark he had felt every time they locked eyes. Ever since that first time on the balcony outside Cintra he had felt it. He didn't know what it was at first, being so young it was impossible for him to have any idea. But now that he was older he knew, he knew what that spark he felt was.

It was love, an unequivocal, deep, electric, passionate, deep love that even after spending eight years apart from one another they both still felt.

"I think I'll give you two a minute…" Geralt said with a smirk as he looked between them both, his eyes finally fell to Dominik, "After you get up to Yen… we start on your signal."

"Okay…" He said softly, before his eyes went right back to Ciri who was still leaning against the table.

Geralt nodded once more, and Dominik could feel him take one last look between Ciri and he, before he heard his adopted father's footsteps walk away towards the door. He heard the latch and door to the keep open before it closed, and the sound echoed throughout the keep. The breeze shot through him again, but it was quickly warmed as he kept his eyes locked with Ciri's. Gently she stood forward off the table taking a small step closer to him. In her eyes he could see the conflict, the annoyance, regret, the worry, it all bubbled up inside of her. He knew that no matter how he felt, it couldn't compare to what was going through her mind right now.

So just like he did when he was younger, he would do everything he could to make her feel better.

"So, what did you think of my rousing speech," He asked her, keeping the smile on his face as he looked at her, "You know, the leader of the troupe in Novigrad says I may have something to fall back on if the whole witcher thing doesn't work."

His words had the intended effect, because her smile came back, and when he heard her laugh it was the most beautiful sound in the world. It washed over him, and any lingering shaking in his body he had was gone now. All the thoughts of the things that could possibly go wrong, of what they were about to do left him, and all he focused on was the two of them. Just the two of them, as they had always wanted it to be.

She finished laughing and gently looked up at him, taking a step closer, "Truly inspiring, makes me even more excited to hear about this play you put on. Don't forget, you have to read some lines for me later."

"Of course, I could never deny my lady such a request," He said with a mock bow and she laughed again, taking another step closer to him.

"Good…" She said slowly, reaching her hands up and placing them on his shoulders as she kept their eyes locked together, "It's a date, me and you, tomorrow… you better not be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it…." He lightly said, like when they were younger both of their faces got red, and gently he reached over and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him and she slowly nodded.

For a few moments he saw the shining love in her eyes, but quickly the anger and worry came back. She sighed and rested both her arms on his shoulders as she shook her head.

"I want to be out there with you… fighting with you," She said despondently, and she turned her head back up to meet his eyes.

"And I want you out there with me too," He said, before slowly shaking his head and keeping their eyes locked, "But… you know Geralt and Yen, always worrying…. I'm not going to let them take you… I won't."

She sighed shakily and shook her head, "I know you won't… but I don't want them taking you from me…"

"And they won't," He said, a small smile coming to his face as she looked back up at him, and when their eyes met he smiled even wider, "We have a date tomorrow, you know how long I've been waiting for one of those? I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Ciri tried to keep a straight face, but soon the laugh escaped her, and hearing it washed away any lingering doubts. No matter what happened he'd hear that laugh again, he'd get her out, she was what mattered, all that mattered to him then, getting her out and giving her that life she deserved after so many years of suffering.

She finished laughing and looked up at him again, "And you better not be a minute late, or I swear I'll stop going easy on you in sparring."

"Oh stop you never went easy on me," He said with an amused eye roll as he pulled her closer, "You only beat me so many times because you would pretend to be hurt!"

"It's not my fault you fell for it," She said with a smirk and laugh, after she did, she looked at him with a warm stare, and brought one hand around to gently hold his face, he felt himself shiver pleasantly at the touch of her cold hands, but her smile warmed him again right away, and her voice made his stomach flutter, "But… I was glad to see you cared…. Please be careful out there… come back to me alright?"

"I will, I promise," He said gently, "You're stuck with me remember?"

She laughed again and nodded, her eyes glowed and she smiled, "And I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else…"

When she leaned up and kissed him, he felt himself melt into her. He wrapped both arms as tightly as he could around her slim waist, and her arms tied tightly around his neck. It had been five years since he properly kissed anyone since that day. The thought was childish, but he had been slightly worried he would almost forget how to kiss Ciri when he found her.

However, some things you never forgot how to do. And for him, being able to kiss Ciri was one of them, and something he would never get tired of. He moved his lips with hers and didn't dare part them from her, because he knew that the moment he did, everything would begin, and for just a few more precious seconds he wanted it to be just the two of them. He and Ciri, just like it had been in Cintra, in Kaer Morhen, in Ellander, the two of them.

They were a team, partners, best-friends, lovers, each other's destiny and even more then that, so, so much more.

She smashed her lips onto his one more time, and Dominik could feel the intensity, as if she were trying to transfer eight years' worth of love, passion and emotion to him. He did the same, trying to make it known to her how much finding her meant to him, how much she meant to him with one kiss. And when he finally felt her lips leave his he could feel it, feel her lips lingering on his, and feel her love wash over him.

"I love you…I never stopped… remember that," Ciri said lightly as she looked up and kept her arms around him.

Slowly he nodded, a shaky breath left him, but he smiled, "And I love you…more then you'll ever possibly know. I… should get going, you know Yen, if you're even one minute late she'll start worrying."

She lightly laughed and nodded, and he could feel both their arms shake as they regrettably let go of one another. He took one small step back, their eyes stayed locked, and he could tell they were both having a silent conversation. After so long of trying to reach one another again, they weren't ready to say goodbye, nowhere near ready to say goodbye, and wouldn't be for a very, very, very long time. This wasn't a goodbye when they left each other in that moment because he knew, and Ciri knew that they would see each other out in the courtyards, and they would fight together, fight for one another.

"Tomorrow, your room, sundown, I'll bring food you get gwent cards," She said, taking a step up off the table as she smiled over at him, "I've waited a long time for this so don't you dare be late Dominik."

A new laugh escaped him as he walked backwards towards the exit, making sure he kept their eyes locked he nodded.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare believe me. Even though it's pretty cute when you get angry," He said, feeling his heart rise as he saw her get further away, "And just wait till you see how much better I got at gwent!"

She laughed and her voice was further away, "Well you couldn't have gotten much worse! I… I love you! Don't you DARE die on me, at least not before our date!"

He felt the wind from the night howling in his ears. Finally he had reached the door and could feel his hand ready to push it open to enter the courtyard. Ciri stood in the main hall just past the entryway, their eyes had never left one another, and in that moment he felt his heart nearly thumping out of his chest. She was breathing heavily he could see, but the smile didn't leave her face as she looked at him.

A smile stayed plastered on his own, as he felt the spark still passing between them even standing so many meters away. She was real, and no matter if he left the keep or not, she was real. He had found her, and he aimlessly thought how happy Dandelion was going to be that he could finally write, 'The ballad of the Young Wolf and the Swallow'. He could have called it anything for all Dominik cared, Ciri was back, he had found her, and she was real. And now he was going to beat them back, beat them back so the both of them could live to hear that ballad.

Gently he reached up and grabbed the swallow around his neck, he held it up in his hands and showed it to her from across the hall, and when she saw it he saw the smile grow even wider on her. His own heart fluttered when he saw her grab the ring in her fingers and hold it up to him as well. It was the same thing that they had done as they looked at each other before she left Ellander for Aretuza.

That time it had ended in tragedy, but this time it wouldn't.

"I love you! Everything is going to be alright… I promise," He said, letting out a deep sigh and holding one hand to the door outside the keep, a smile came to his face when he saw one form on hers and a small laugh left him, "See you out there princess!"

And the wide-eyed and then determined look on her face was all he needed to move forward.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The cold air was thick, and he even found it harder to breathe then inside the musty hall. He looked out over the keep, and in the distance he could see his friends, all the defenders watching out the walls from their positions. Geralt he knew had to have already rode out with George and Letho, with Gaeten and Lambert possibly already at Old Spear Tip's cave. The last time he had been so high up in the towers had been one of the multiple times Ciri and he climbed up there, climbed up there and watched the beautiful view while cuddling together with one another. That was normally during the sunset however, in that moment the moon was full, and between it and all the lit torches and lanterns around the castle, they managed to get a decent sense of visibility.

He bit his lips as he felt goosebumps run up his spine, the wind continued to howl and every time it did he felt himself reach for his blade, thinking that it was the Hunt's blizzard. The spot that he, Yennefer, Faram and Declan were at could be defended easily enough. They were high over the inner courtyard, right overtop of the main gates to the keep. He currently stood next to Yen on a higher perch on the tower they were on, and he looked as his mother held out two large magical staffs swirling with blue magic at the top that would act as her power conduits. Below him was a large surface of stone from the rest of the tower, the stones jetting up from the walls were about half as tall as he was, but there was plenty of room for he, Faram and Declan to fight freely without being restrained. He was going to protect his mother there, he wouldn't let her fall.

Below him, for what he thought was the first time in his life, Dominik saw Faram quiet, and kneeling down on his knees. The Bear witcher had both his swords laid out in front of a small fire he had started, and sat there in a meditative position with his eyes closed, his massive chest was rising and falling, and Dominik had never seen his best-friend in such a position.

Declan meanwhile stood silent with his bow in his hands, he held it out in front of him and wringed it as the wind blew his black hair and rattled the arrows in his quiver. The new red and black armored coat he wore was clearly too big for him, and Dominik felt guilty he had made the man get rid of the armor he was wearing that actually fit him.

"Dominik? Darling are you alright," Yen said next to him, and Dominik nearly jumped out of his skin.

He turned and saw his mother's violet eyes looking at him, her raven locks whipped behind her in the wind, and despite the cold Dominik felt her reassuring gaze warm him as it always did. Quickly he adjusted his swords and found himself looking down at the swallow again before looking back up and slowly nodding at the sorceress.

"I'm alright…" He said slowly, feeling a small smile come to his face as he looked from the swallow to his mother again, "You know, me and Ciri have a date tomorrow."

Yennefer's laughed warmed his tingling skin, and the sorceress smiled wildly at him and nodded.

"Oh do you now? My, my that was certainly quick," Yen said to him, her hands resting on both her hips as she looked at him.

Dominik smiled and nodded as the wind howled in his ears, "We do yeah…. I'm going to read her some lines from the play I wrote and put on in Novigrad. We'll have some dinner, play gwent…"

"Geralt told me about you're little play," His mother said with a mischievous smile, "If I wasn't certain Ciri and you wanted to spend that time alone I'd asked to come watch the performance."

A genuine laugh escaped him, and his mother's gaze warmed him as he nodded, "I'll put it on for you all eventually…. Yen, I-."

"I love you too darling," His mother quickly cut him off, as if she could tell that the conversation was about to run serious. Quickly she came over and wrapped him in a hug, she pulled back and kissed his cheek, her scent of lilac and gooseberries washed over him, and she smiled down at him, "We'll make it out of this, I swear it. I will protect the both of you, I won't let anything happen to either of you."

He melted into his adopted mother's hug; he wrapped his arms as tightly around her as he could and felt her motherly affection wash over him. He could remember how much distrust he had for the sorceress when he first met her, how he thought she was going to steal Ciri and all her time away from him. But he ended up being as wrong about Yennefer as he was about Triss, possibly even more so, as she had become that mother, his second mother after his first one died defending him.

And just like Sofia, Yennefer would die to protect him, just like he would for her.

"I love you…. Thank you for everything," He said into her shoulder, before he pulled back to gently let go of her, taking a few steps back he met her eyes, "And I won't let them get to you… I swear it."

The sorceress smiled and it washed over him again as she spoke, "I know you won't…now go, I'm going to set down the shield in a moment, I just need to ready the spell."

He nodded and turned from her. Letting out a shaky sigh he leaned down and leaped from the perch Yennefer was standing on, and his feet heavily hit the ground of the battlements below him. The cold winds howled loudly and whipped through his hair, his heart thumped so slowly and so loudly that he could feel every beat. He couldn't hear any insects, animals, anyone, only the wind and the crackling of the fire Faram was meditating at. Every step he took he could hear the echo from his boots, and when he finally got to the edge of the battlements he saw he was standing next to Declan.

The young man didn't look at him, Declan simply stared out over the walls down into the keep, and Dominik saw him ringing his black bow in his hands. There were things he wanted to say to the former Nilfgaardean, now that he had Ciri back, and if this possibly would be his last night in that world, he didn't want to either continue living with Ciri, or die, with hatred in his heart for a man who had come to protect them. The light from the moon and few torches that were lit around the battlements they stood on were enough to illuminate both he and Declan's faces, and he could see that the man truly did look like his cousin Cahir.

Biting his lip, he willed himself not to think about that man, the one who had killed half of his first family. That man wasn't Declan, he didn't punish people for the sins of their family, if he did, then he certainly wouldn't be with Ciri considering that her birth father was the one who had sacked and burned their home. In each time Declan had encountered him, the young man had wanted to help, wanted to fight for them to protect them, but until that moment he hadn't been able to put his hatred aside.

But that night before the fighting started he would, and it would be easy, because he didn't hate Declan, he hated Nilfgaard, and Declan wasn't Nilfgaardean.

"Where'd you learn to shoot," Dominik asked him as he stood there next to him, he crossed his arms and let out a breath with the wind as he looked down into the courtyard.

He shifted for a moment, the wind still howled his black hair, and Dominik saw him wringing and gripping tightly to the black bow as arrows rattled in his quiver. He managed to look over at him, and Declan sighed before turning to meet his gaze, their blue and green eyes meeting.

Declan let out a sigh and looked back to his bow, "Cahir taught me… I was eleven, he was nineteen before he left… left to fight at Cintra."

"He was pretty good, I'd know…" Dominik said, unable to restrain himself. He saw the pained look appear in Declan's face, and again he sighed and shook his head, "Sorry, didn't mean that, I just-."

"No, don't apologize," Declan said with a shake of his head, "I know what he did… Geralt told me more while you slept that night in Novigrad…. I am so, so sorry for what he did..."

Dominik sighed and bit his lip. For a moment, his mother and Bella's faces both popped into his mind, their blood, the arrows sticking out of them both. He bit his lip so hard he tasted blood for a moment, and when he looked back over to Declan, he slowly shook his head.

"You don't have to apologize… you didn't do anything," Dominik said with a shake of his head as he met the young man's eyes, "I'm not going to judge someone for the sins their family committed. If I did well… I wouldn't exactly be with Ciri."

He couldn't help but laugh lightly, and even Declan managed to crack a smile. Sighing again Declan finished his light laugh and looked back out over the walls to the courtyard. Dominik did the same and leaned forward, his hands rested atop the stone battlement, and he felt like he needed to say more, but just couldn't formulate the words at first.

After a minute or so of silence he finally turned back to face Declan again.

"I should be the one to apologize," He said, as Declan turned to him with an incredulous look before he went on, "I've… treated you like shit. Treated you like shit when all you've wanted to do was help me. Fuck I even made you get rid of your armor."

Declan laughed nervously and shook his head, "And to you as well, you do not need to apologize. You had truly little reason to trust me at all. I… I know what Cahir did to you is irreparable."

"True yes… I'll never forgive your cousin," Dominik said slowly, feeling the wind whip through his hair and goosebumps ran up his arms as he slowly looked over to Declan, "But… you're not him. And I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you so… I'm sorry."

Declan and he both were silent for a moment. The cold air hit his nose and he felt it begin to go red. A cold night, they were fighting in the Hunt's element, and with every gust he could practically feel them getting closer. With every second that past he felt colder, and his hands began to twitch more and more waiting for the fight to begin.

The moon was large and beautiful, and Dominik found himself looking up at it as he waited for Declan to speak. He thought about Ciri inside the keep, more then likely twirling her sword impatiently as she waited for the fighting to begin. He had meant it when he thought that there was no chance she was staying inside, Dominik knew as soon as the fighting began she wouldn't be able to sit by, and she'd be by his side within moments. His own hand twitched to draw his silver out in the silence, but it was finally interrupted when he heard Declan sigh and finally speak up.

"After Cahir left… I was thrilled. Excited, thought he was going to find glory for the Emperor, bring our family honor. However… after he failed his mission in Cintra and went on the run… I received his first letter," He said slowly, and Dominik turned around as he saw the young man dig his hands into the snow on the battlements, "He… he told me the horrible things he did, the horrible things they did in Cintra. And… and he said how despite doing everything to follow his orders… after his failure, the emperor still chased him down to try and kill him."

"Emhyr doesn't take too kindly to failing…" Dominik muttered as he turned to face the young man, he leaned against the battlements and met his eyes, "His mission in Cintra was to get Ciri… wasn't it?"

"Yes… his mission was to find her and bring her to the Emperor," Declan said with a sigh as he turned back to the courtyard, "But… he described how you took him off his horse. After running he… told me he came to realize what a heroic act it was for someone so young. And… after years of running when… when he decided to find Geralt he said he wish to atone for the mistakes he made."

Dominik sighed and shook his head, "Geralt told me he gave his life for Ciri…. Despite the fact I hate him I… I have to be grateful for that. But something my father always taught me, is that one act of good, no matter how good it was… it doesn't immediately wash away all the bad."

Declan actually laughed and turned to meet his eyes again, "That… is actually the exact same thing Cahir said in his last letter to me. It… was just after Geralt finally let him go with them. He told me he would fight at Stygga Castle to save… her and-."

"You can say her name," Dominik said with a sigh, feeling ridiculous that he had even let himself set stupid stipulations for the man as he met his eyes, "You can say her name, hell, I'll even introduce you properly after this is all over."

A small laugh escaped the young man as he nodded and continued, "Thank you…. But in the letter he told me that just because he was going to save Cirilla, that it didn't erase all the horrible things he had done and… that was why he planned on finding you afterwards…. He learned from Geralt of the relationship you and Cirilla had and wanted to reunite the both of you."

He let out a chilly sigh and felt himself fiddle with the swallow again. Slowly he looked out over the keep, and despite being so high up he could see his allies pacing around, waiting for the fight to begin. He didn't know if Cahir had been telling Declan the truth, he had learned that the man was somehow in love with Ciri as well and that was something that always enraged him. However, he had no idea of figuring out now, no idea if what Declan said was true, but if it truly was what Cahir wanted to do, what the man wanted, then it had happened.

Looking over at Declan again, he could see the fiery determination that appeared in the man's eyes. Just like he had seen back in Novigrad, he could see himself in Declan. That same fiery determination to do good, to help people, to do what was right. Declan had been the same age as him when Cintra was sacked, was the same age as him now, and the only difference between them now seemed to be Declan was born south of the Yaruga.

Sighing Dominik met his eyes, "Well… I guess you're helping in that endeavor after all. Seem's like in the end… if it was true… you are fighting for what Cahir wanted."

Declan quickly shook his head, "I was at first yes, when I first came to find you I was. It is what he wanted yes but… something else he told me was… was to forge my own destiny. He told me to fight for what I believed in, not what he would have wanted. I… am happy that his goal of you and Cirilla being reunited was accomplished, and… I hope he would be proud of me but…now I am here fighting because I wish to do good for this world… do good for its people, and I shall do it of my own will and volition. I am willing to give my life, so that the people of the continent may live."

Dominik couldn't take his eyes off the young man, the young man whom he thought was more and more like him by the minute. He was happy to have someone like that by his side, someone who he knew that wanted to protect the people just as bad as he did, wanted to do the right thing just as much as he did. Scoffing he remembered only a few weeks prior when he almost choked the poor man, almost choked and killed him for something he hadn't even been responsible for.

Cahir would always be the man who murdered his mother and sister, the knight in the winged helmet who haunted his nightmares for years. Despite the fact Dominik knew he had done some good, and apparently had wanted to do more for he and Ciri, he would never be able to forgive him for ripping his sister and mother from him. All he thought about when he heard the name Cahir was his sister, Bella's young face that had screamed for their mother the moment she had been killed… and then the arrow going through her as well a second later. Bella would be alive, be alive and more then likely with him in that moment if not for what Cahir had done, so no, Dominik would never forgive him.

When he thought of Declan however, he thought of a young man who wished to help people, to do the right things and fight to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

"You're a good man Declan… a really good one," Dominik said, and at hearing his words Declan's eyes widened, and after meeting his eyes Dominik held out his hand, "Thank you for coming here… I hope we get to fight together more after this…"

For the first time that whole day, Dominik saw a smile grow on Declan's face. The young man laughed nervously before reaching and firmly shaking Dominik's hand. A cold gust of wind ripped through his hair, and the moon and lantern light illuminated both he and Declan's face, the young man's blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he continued to excitedly shake Dom's hand.

After he finally let go Declan scoffed, "Thank you… but… I thought you said you would never fight besides a Nilfgaardean?"

Dominik shrugged and a small smile came to his face, "That's true, and I still won't. But… you're from Vicovaro aren't you? That's what Geralt told me at least."

Declan scoffed again and quickly nodded, "I… I am yes. Thank you Dominik… thank you. Now… let us beat back these wraiths and-."

"AHAHA! Finally, gonna knock these fuckers back to their own world," The loud, excited voice of Faram of Undvik cried out, and Dominik and Declan both whirled around upon hearing the clunking of armor.

He couldn't help but scoff a laugh as Faram came up between Declan and him. The Bear witcher smiled widely, and Dominik assumed that his meditation must have been complete. Faram smirked wildly, his bear medallion bounced along his neck and he wrapped an arm around Declan's shoulder, and Dominik had to stop himself from bursting out laughing when Declan nearly tipped over from the weight of Faram's massive armored arm.

The Bear witcher smirked down at the young man, "Oho and I cannot wait to see what you can do with that bow mate! But on a good show here and Goldilocks might just take notice!"

Dominik scoffed and crossed his arms, "Aha… trying to impress my dear friend Freya now are you Declan?"

"I… I have no idea what either of you are referring to," Declan said nervously, wriggling his shoulders in Faram's grip as the young man's face turned beat red.

Faram scoffed, "BAH! You were all to eager to volunteer to go pick those herbs in the woods with her mate… come on, don't be afraid to admit it!"

Dominik found himself somehow laughing only moments before a battle in which could very easily decide the fate of himself, his family and the woman he loved. He looked and saw Declan's completely flustered face, and he felt a bit of warmth run through him. The look on the young man's face was one of someone who was completely sodded. Dominik remembered how Declan said he saved Freya in the woods on her way to Kaer Morhen, while he was following Geralt and him. And then of course when he got back, George had told him like Faram said that Declan had gone to the woods with Freya to pick herbs for more potions. And Dominik had to assume that they had spoken more then just those two times, and once again Declan reminded him of himself.

The wind howled in his ears again and the cold chill ran up his spine, but that didn't make Declan's face any less red. It was the same exact look he got on his face when he thought of or was around Ciri. Declan just like he was, was sodded, and a part of Dominik couldn't blame him, after all, he had almost fallen for Freya himself. And if anyone deserved some happiness, it was her, and he found a smile coming to his face as Declan finally managed to wiggle out from under Faram's arm.

"I… I enjoy her company yes, she is… polite," Declan said rubbing the back of his head as his eyes tore over to Dominik, "She… she told me that the two of you were once-."

"Together? Yeah for a few months," Dominik said with a smirk, trying to contain himself from laughing as Declan's eyes grew wide before he went on, "So I know better then anyone how great she is."

"Come on mate if 'polite' is your way of saying she's easy on the eyes, then she's REALLY fuckin polite haha," Faram said, crossing over his massive arms, and smirking down at the man.

Declan sighed and leaned back against one of the battlement's, the young man bit his lip nervously and laughed lightly before he looked up at Faram and him.

"Aha… I guess she is… as you say… easy on the eyes… very easy on the eyes," Declan said with a smile, before he slung his bow around his back.

Dominik and Faram both laughed and soon Declan joined them as well. The three of them all stood there and laughed in the moonlight, for a moment there was no incoming battle, the Wild Hunt wasn't about to invade, and they weren't about to all be in the battle of their lives. The three of them were simply friends, laughing and standing together as they admired a beautiful view of the mountains. He never thought he'd describe a former Nilfgaardean soldier as a friend… but in that moment he felt it for Faram and Declan both. The wind howled in his ears again, and one last chill went up his spine as he looked back down into the courtyard.

Faram and Declan started to chat again, but Dominik's view went down to the courtyards. He could make out who he assumed was Arno and Elise near the ballista in the middle courtyard, while back in the inner courtyard he could see Freya, Zoltan, Hjalmar, and Triss's fiery mane of red hair on the lower battlements. The wind slowly began to pick up and he let out a shaky sigh, he aimlessly listened to Faram and Declan as he reached up to grab the swallow again. He folded the silver in his fingers, and he felt his lips tingle, his skin warm, and his heartrate begin to slow as he thought of her again. She wasn't miles away, she wasn't in another world, she was there, and he would see her soon, he wouldn't have to wait eight years again, he would fight there for her, and give her all she deserved.

He looked to the left over to the pendulum, and he could see the exact spot she kissed him the first time. If he focused hard enough he could see them both. Twelve-years-old, they had made the stupid decision of trying to help him master the double pendulum blindfolded at night. He had barely been able to do it during the day, and that bad idea nearly killed him that night. Quickly he was knocked over and hanging by his fingertips over the walls of Kaer Morhen. Ciri had grabbed him, pulled him back up to solid ground, and it had been the first time he saw her cry since Cintra. She had hit him, punched him repeatedly and yelled how she thought she almost lost him, how he couldn't leave her, she couldn't lose him.

In the middle of it all, after punching him repeatedly, she had finally melted into him in a hug, squeezing him tighter then she ever had. Twelve-year-old Dominik was shocked, the girl he knew he was falling in love with was crying, before he could have said anything however, Ciri pulled his face down and kissed him, kissed his lips for the first time. She had kissed his cheek before plenty of times, but that had been the first time she properly kissed him, and he felt his heart flutter and warm up despite the cold night breeze as he looked down at the pendulum. He continued to stare and compared that kiss to the one they had only shared a few moments ago. His lips tingled and he smiled as he watched the pendulum blow in the breeze.

His heart sank however when he felt the wind pick up, and the pendulum started churning violently. The wind howled louder in his ears, and apparently Faram and Declan both heard it as well, because both of them came closer to look over the battlements.

"Aye… it's finally time… let's beat the piss outta these fucks…" Faram said, and Dominik heard him rake out his silver sword from his back and lean it up against his shoulder.

Declan from next to the Bear witcher nodded and slung an arrow out of his quiver, "It is… and I agree…. One arrow for each of them…"

"DOMINIK! Dominik, it's time," Yennefer's voice rang out from behind him, and all three of himself, Faram and Declan turned.

He looked up and met his adopted mother's eyes, and he could see the fire starting to burn in them as she held both staves up in her hands. Dominik gripped around the swallow once more and felt his stomach begin to churn, but the thought of Ciri in the keep and the howling wind were what quickly made his eyes shoot open and a new heat run through his chest. He balled his hands into a fist around the swallow and thought about everything that had happened to that point, everything that had happened to himself and Ciri, everything they had both gone through to get to that point.

Dominik hadn't been there to protect her before. He hadn't been there to fight Vilgefortz, kill Leo Bonhart for what he had done to her, or fight any of the people who tried to kidnap or rape her. For two years she ran from Eredin, and he hadn't been there for her, hadn't been there to help her run, help her escape or fight back if need be. He hadn't been able to stop her from going to Aretuza in the first place, he had been too young, too weak, too much of an ignorant bratty child. None of those times had he been able to help her, to fight for her and protect her like he always swore he would.

He had fought tooth and nail, been stabbed, slashed, bitten, almost blown up, starved, and all of it had been to get to her. All eight years of panging, loneliness, pain and regret had been to get back to her. To get back to his destiny, his woman, his best-friend, the one person in the world that had made everything fucking worth it. Everything had been worth it, almost starving to death when he was sixteen, almost being killed by the bounty hunter, the Battle of Brenna, Rivia, and every single thing Geralt and he had done in the previous weeks all became worth it when he heard her say his name on the Isle of Mists.

Now Eredin wanted to rip that all from him, take her from him again. And he wasn't going to let that happen. Nobody would take her away again; nobody would use her again.

And he would be the one to make sure.

"Do it Yen!" He yelled back to his adopted mother, as he reached up and raked _Fate_ from his back, and the beautiful silver glinted in the moonlight.

He turned back around the courtyard, and moments later he heard a loud ***BOOM* **from behind him, and right away he looked up at the night sky and saw the blue magic beginning to slowly take shape in a dome over them. A small smirk came to him, but that was when he felt the wind begin to pick up again. The frost began to build up on his nose, and all of his exposed skin began to freeze, his medallion and the swallow pendant whooshed upward, and when he looked up towards the forest, he saw nothing but white, a white blizzard of snowy frost.

The Wild Hunt had finally arrived.

"Get behind me now!" He yelled to Declan next to him, as he could see the young man begin to lose his balance, "FARAM QUEN!"

He had to scream to the Bear witcher who held up his massive arms to stop the wind. Faram looked over to him and nodded, his long black beard zipped behind him and Dominik could see his long black braided ponytail almost come undone. The wind and frost began to swirl in a torrent around his ears, and as soon as Declan got behind him he knelt down and stabbed his blade into the ground and shot his hand down, he channeled his magic and he felt the large Quen bubble shield pop up around both he and Declan. He looked over and saw Faram do the same, and the blizzard continued to churn past them, it was so powerful that even with the shield up, Dominik felt himself begin to shake, and if not for his sword being in the ground he more then likely would have tumbled back onto Declan who knelt behind him with his hands up.

Rubble from parts of the crumbled battlements zipped up around him, and he heard the struggling groans of Yennefer behind him. Every bit of him wanted to whirl around and look to his adopted mother, to help her, to try and do something but if he moved even an inch the gale would have knocked him aside. He could faintly see his allies in the courtyard and battlements down below scrambling and trying to find something to hold onto. He gripped so hard around the handle of _Fate _that he almost felt all the feeling leave his hands as for a few moments he felt the force of the wind begin to wobble him.

"COME ON, COME ON YA FUCKS IS THAT ALL YOU CAN THROW AT ME!?" Faram screamed over the gale next to him, and Dominik almost found himself laughing but he looked forward and saw the magic barrier getting larger and larger.

Finally, with one more loud ***BOOM* **the shield was finally erected and slowly he let the Quen shield dissipate, slowly he let out a shaky breath and stood up to his feet with Declan close behind him. Right away he whirled around and saw Yennefer, she was standing upright, both her hands were raised, and Dominik felt his heart fall at the pained expression plastered on his mother's face as she kept the magic swirling.

"YEN," He yelled, running up towards the battlement as his frantic eyes widened, "Are you okay!? Do you need anything, do you want me to-."

"NO…. No, I'm alright Dominik, I swear it," She croaked out, as she looked down to him with the pained expression still evident on her face, "I… I won't let them take her, and I won't let them get you either, I swear it!"

He could see the fire burning up in the sorceress's eyes, so despite his heart beginning to race, he slowly nodded before turning back to Faram and Declan who were still looking out over the battlements. Dominik jogged up to join them, and his eyes right away went to the woods beyond the front gate.

Geralt was there, and he was riding out to fight off the navigators. He scanned the courtyards and so far no portals had opened inside, but he was sure that would change. A cold breath left him as his skin continued to crawl. His silver dipped down to his side, and his other hands went up to grip the swallow. He thought about Ciri still in the keep, surely she felt the wind shaking the very castle itself, and Dominik didn't think it would be long until she decided to leave and join them in the courtyard. A small part of him wanted to make his way back down their now, join her and stay where she was.

However, he looked back and saw his mother, the mighty Yennefer of Vengerberg, she was doing everything she could, struggling, hurting to make sure that they weren't overwhelmed. No, Dominik wouldn't leave her, he'd protect her, just like he would all of them.

And Ciri was his destiny, it had led them back together, and he was sure that night it would lead them together again.

"Well mate… it's finally time," Faram said coming up next to him, his large silver sword with the bear pommel resting on his shoulder as his best-friend looked down at him, "Let's send those icy fuckers back to their world."

Dominik let out a shaky breath and hefted his silver to his shoulder as well before slowly nodding, "Yeah…. And so it begins…."

**A/N: And the Battle of Kaer Morhen is underway! I know, I know I had no action again xD but trust me the next four are going to be jam packed and full of enough action to last us for quite some time. These next four chapters are going to be some of the most intense that I've ever wrote, and I am SO excited to bring them to you. This chapter however is quite literally the calm before the storm. We have some emotional talks, plans for a date xD And, then of course, the Hunt descends… let's break it down.**

**First we have Dominik and Geralt having a very serious conversation before we plan the battle. What do you make of the defender's plan? Who are you looking forward to seeing fight most, and what part of this battle do you want to see most? Geralt, George, Letho, Gaeten and Lambert will all be going into the woods, Lambert has a crazy plan, what that going to be like?**

**Next chapter will begin with the first ever Geralt POV of the story as they hunt down riders in the forest… that will be quite intense as we'll see. **

**After this we have Dom and Ciri's final goodbye before the battle. Like I've said before, they're in a bit of a honeymoon phase right now, but I still love writing every interaction and conversation between them. We get to see a much lighter and more fun loving side of Dominik after 53 chapters of work to finally get to Ciri. We see a cute moment where they plan a date before Dominik heads out… but as we all know Ciri's stubborn, so soon they'll be fighting together. **

**After that we get Dominik and Declan. I wanted this to be a serious conversation, one where Dom finally is able to put aside his hatred, and we learn more about Declan's relationship with his cousin Cahir. I honestly loved writing this conversation because I just think back to the person we saw Dominik as early on, and now here we are and we see how much he has changed. Also, we learn Declan has a bit of a crush on Freya xD**

**After that the fog rolls in, and the battle officially begins….**

**Next chapter as I said Geralt will battle the Hunt outside Kaer Morhen, and after eight years apart Dominik and Ciri will finally get to fight alongside one another. What are your predictions for the battle as a whole?**

**As I said before we have four more parts of this epic battle. We have Baelen, a dragon, Eredin, Caranthir, Imlerith and so many more enemies closing in. The Hunt is going to be much, much more powerful in this story, and I cannot wait to show them, and see our heroes fighting. **

**Thank you all so much of reading this, we are actually at the Battle of Kaer Morhen, I remember back when I first posted chapter 5 and now we're at 57 it's surreal xD**

**Also I have an Instagram page where I'm going to post the fanart I'm going to have made for this story, along with any other cool witcher stuff I come across xD If you feel like following it, follow dominik_of_cintra **

**The fanart is coming out REALLY soon, so if you want to see it the cover art first, and more art of created characters and scenes from the book, make sure to go follow dominik_of_cintra **

**Thank you all for reading as always, it is so much appreciated, and I can't wait for you all to see more… stay safe and see you all next time!**


	58. The Battle of Kaer Morhen II (Destiny)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 58: The Battle of Kaer Morhen II (Destiny)**

**Narrator: After weeks of grueling searching finally led Dominik and Geralt to the Isle of Mist, they were both finally reunited with Ciri. They had found Ciri yes, but the three all knew that the Wild Hunt would soon attack. Ciri teleported them all back to Kaer Morhen, at the fortress where all the friends and allies Dominik and Geralt had gathered. After spending a few precious moments alone, Dominik and Ciri finally gathered the fighters, and together Geralt and Dominik laid out their plans for the defense of Kaer Morhen. After the plans were dispersed, Dominik and Ciri after eight long years apart from one another, had one last moment together, before the Wild Hunt finally descended on the fortress. Up on the walls, Dominik watched the Hunt cast their howling blizzard over the fortress, but thanks to great strength from Yennefer, a magic shield was erected around the fortress. The moment of Dominik's destiny had finally come, now he would battle the Hunt, all to protect Ciri, his best-friend, his love, his destiny and in doing so, the fate of the continent itself hung in the balance…..**

"Please remind me to thank lady Yennefer when this is over," George said from Geralt's right with a small scoff, "The spell is incredible magic, the invisibility is working wonders."

Geralt quickly nodded and looked down at his invisible arms. He had known of Yen's power and skill for years, and to that day it still amazed him. The smell of sulfur and the cold breeze flashed him back to his own days riding with the Hunt, and as he took one last final gaze behind at the keep, the place he had trained himself, and trained both of his children, Geralt felt his fists curl. He wouldn't let them be taken, he would protect them, just like he always had promised. The smell of sulfur began to pound rapidly into his nose, and he knew that the portals were beginning to open, he looked down towards the stretch of road that led towards the river, mentally he cursed Lambert for not leaving earlier, but quickly turned back to George and Letho.

"Remember, the hounds can still sniff you out so don't get too close," He said to them both, before slowly turning back towards the woods as they continue to walk, "And you'll be visible as soon as you start fighting, we can move quick but we can't get overwhelmed."

George's invisible head nodded, and Geralt saw the griffin witcher reach to his back for his silver blade.

"Aye, I understand, come now! Let us send these phantom curs back from whence they came!" George said dramatically, as Geralt couldn't help but sigh as the southern witcher walked ahead of Letho and him.

Letho grunted behind them, "Is he gonna talk like that the whole time?"

"Probably, you get used to it though," Geralt said to the viper witcher as George had already walked a few steps ahead.

Quickly Geralt jogged to catch up with the griffin witcher, Letho was at his heels, but as soon as they both caught up, George held his arms out to stop them and Geralt could see why. A large patrol of riders came stomping over the water, and there had to be at least twenty of them, more then they had in the entire castle along with several hounds. The wind continued to howl, and frost caught up on Geralt's nose, but if he narrowed his eyes he could see the massive portal that had opened in a clearing. They didn't have the numbers to fight the patrol and George seemed to know this as well.

"We gonna try and take'em out?" Letho asked behind them both.

Quickly Geralt shook his head, "No, to many there now and we need to keep the element of surprise. Let them move forward, and Triss'll show them what she can do."

Letho scoffed, "You mean Merigold can conjure up more then patches of butterflies?"

"Ha, much more," Geralt said with a smirk, "Just you wait and-."

A loud _***BOOOM* **_ripped through his ears and Geralt watched as the road leading towards the keep was bombarded by balls of fire from the sky. Geralt felt himself laughing, as Dominik had said at the meeting, Merigold the Fearless had indeed blown the riders to pieces. He looked on and saw the riders whirling, he heard them shouting in their native language as they fell to the ground with their armor melting. It warmed the cold night air and Geralt couldn't help but smirk at the absolute destruction that Triss had brought down on the riders, but he could see further off in the distance more riders spewing out of the portal.

"Damn… you know some powerful sorceresses Geralt," George complimented him, and the griffin witcher scoffed, "Remind me never to make Miss Merigold angry."

"Oh, he knows plenty of sorceresses reeeeeeal well," Letho commented from behind him.

Geralt sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes before he pointed forward at the portal in the distance, "There, that's the first portal, come on let's move, stick to the trees."

He started jogging ahead and he heard George and Letho quickly started following behind him. They got to the treeline and he could hear the Hunt's language ringing in his ears, he picked up a few words but not enough to string together full sentences. Slowly he reached up and raked his own silver from his back as George had done and carefully led them through the trees. The one words he kept hearing insistently was _'Zireael' _and _'Hiu potomek'. __Zireael, _Geralt had of course heard hundreds of times, and he knew that the riders had to be referring to Ciri, their main goal of finding her. He knew in the pit of his stomach that his daughter wouldn't be in the keep when he got back. Geralt knew that she'd be out fighting, and more than likely be doing it right besides Dominik.

_Hiu potomek, _he recognized the phrase as well, _'his descendant'. _Geralt felt his skin begin to crawl as he realized they had to be referring to Dominik. The mystery of his son's ancestor, the one who had passed down the great powers Geralt saw exert from him was one of the things Yennefer and he had been slaving to try and figure out. Yennefer and he hadn't told him, but Yen and Triss both sensed the extremely potent magical signature inside of Dominik. The magic he radiated when his powers activated was equal to that of three mages let alone one, so it was no wonder that he normally passed out after using them. Stubbornly his son hadn't been taking it seriously, putting off even attempting to learn to control it to focus on finding Ciri, but Geralt knew now that they had her back, it was only a matter of time before the true depth of his son's power unleashed. That was why Geralt had to keep them safe, if anything were to happen to Ciri, not only would he lose his daughter, but Geralt knew for a fact he'd lose Dominik as well. If Ciri were taken or killed, nothing would be able to stop his son from burning himself up from trying to use the immense power inside of him, and then Geralt would have lost them both.

And he wouldn't let that happen, he wouldn't lose either of them.

Yennefer had a few theories about Dominik's ancestor, they mainly stemmed from the reaction that they saw Ida have when the elven sage saw their son. Yen had told Geralt in secret that she knew Ida once had taken a powerful human mage as a lover, and for years the sage grieved over his death, but Ida had been tight lipped on the man's name, so it would be impossible to tell if that man could have anything to do with their son's ancestry. None of it mattered in that moment however, Geralt continued to slowly sneak forward with George and Letho at his heels, as when they got close to the portal a loud screaming could be heard from a few yards ahead of them.

"What is that…" George quietly asked behind him, and Geralt smirked when he realized.

"Roche's traps… perfect choice," Geralt commented, as he slowly moved his way around the pits.

As they passed by one he saw a dead rider with jagged spikes shot through its armor and the smirk stayed plastered on his face. Letho behind him whistled appreciatively.

"Damn, nice little trick. Sure we won't fall into one of those by accident?" The Viper witcher asked as the three of them came just inside the treeline.

Geralt quickly nodded back to them, "Yeah, Roche has been doing this a long time, made it so the trap won't fall under our weight. But a Hunt rider in full plate…."

Letho sneered and nodded, "You know, if not for your boy I may have killed that fucker earlier."

A small smirk came to Geralt's face as he felt the pride well up inside him. For so long he had seen his son hard, sulky, stubborn, focused, thinking of nothing else but his one solitary goal. After they had found Ciri however, he had seen the change right away. The real Dominik he had raised was back, the goofy, loving, excitable, yet fiercely protective and determined boy that had tried to smash his knee in with a rock was back.

And if the Hunt was looking for him as well, he had even more to worry about now.

It all started with the swirling portal ahead of them, Geralt could see more and more riders pouring from the portal, while a good chunk of them stood guard. He mentally cursed, knowing that there was no way they'd close the portal without having to fight, however to his surprise, he could smell or see any other portals, only the one large one that was smack dab in the middle of the road that led just before the main road to the keep. Carefully Geralt narrowed his eyes and scanned the area while he stood between George and Letho. His witcher senses were sharp, and he knew that the two witchers next to him had trained their just as well.

However, one thing that they couldn't sense, were traps, when things were going wrong. Geralt however, in his more then hundred years of living had trained himself to know when things like this were wrong.

"Something's not right…." Geralt said slowly, as he slowly narrowed his eyes towards the portal.

While riders slowly spilled out of it, they were doing so at a much slower rate then he expected. He couldn't hear, smell or see any other portals nearby, and they were clearly expecting much more opposition out in the woods. A small tingle started crawling down Geralt's spine, he knew that they couldn't land many portals inside Yennefer's shield, not until she weakened, and he also knew that Eredin wouldn't not charge a frontal assault. The King of the Hunt's arrogance and bravado Geralt knew would make him want to break down the front gate.

George from next to him nodded as well, "You are right… I can't see or smell anymore portals nearby…"

Letho sneered from behind him, "Think they're already teleporting inside?"

Geralt shook his head, "No… Eredin will want to break down the gate, just who he is. They're more out here, that's for sure… I just don't know where-"

"AWAY NOW," George screamed from next to him, and Geralt felt himself blasted forward by a powerful Aard blast from the griffin witcher.

Geralt got send tumbling forward with Letho next to him, and right away the invisibility spell that Yennefer had casted over them broke, and he could see his limbs again. His vision was blurry for a moment, but then a loud _***BOOOM* **_shook the ground beneath him, and he heard George's voice yell out.

"BACK AWAY HEATHENS!" The griffin witcher yelled, as Geralt heard the griffin witcher's silver smack against a shield.

"DAMMIT!" He cursed as he fumbled to find his silver blade and got up to his feet with Letho.

He looked around and as the wind continued to howl the riders closed in on them. Geralt whirled around and he saw the source of the ambush. He recognized the massive hammer and shield, along with large plate armor. George tried to fight back against Imlerith, but the Griffin witcher wasn't prepared after being taken by surprise. Imlerith blocked a blow from George's silver with his shield, before he smacked it into George's chest, and the blonde witcher from Toussaint got sent stumbling to the ground next to Geralt. Quickly he reached down and pulled the griffin witcher to his feet, and before he knew he, Letho and George were all surrounded, they leveled their blades, and Geralt looked at the overwhelming numbers of riders surrounding the three of them.

Imlerith had been waiting for them in the woods. Geralt realized now that they had figured out about the hunting party they were sending, and landed their troops out in the woods to wait for them to come, so that they could draw them to the one portal before they ambushed him and the witchers with him. After landing Imlerith and the bulk of their outer force, they had then send the blizzard to force Yennefer to raise the shields. And instead of opening multiple portals out in the woods, they had only opened the one to draw them to it. So that way they could take them by surprise and hopefully take out some of the best fighters that were in his hunting party.

"Looks like we got a spy…" Letho sneered from one side of him, the viper witcher leveled his blade as the three of them all stood back to back, "How the hell did someone tell them where we'd be?"

"Nobody told them…" Geralt said slowly, realizing what had happened as he watched Imlerith clank his way towards them with his hammer raised, "Baelen…. Looks like Dom wasn't lying when he said she can see him…"

Geralt remembered back to when they had first arrived in Skellige. Dominik had a dream the night before that Baelen, the mysterious female commander of the Hunt completed a ritual that somehow let the woman see where they were. In that first dream Dominik had, Baelen had lied to Caranthir and Eredin about their position, it appeared that this time however, the commander hadn't lied. He couldn't remember this human female commander from his time riding with the Hunt, it was as if she appeared out of nowhere. Geralt couldn't think of any scenario in which Eredin would allow a human into his Hunt, however, he assumed that if the woman was as powerful as Dominik and Ciri described, Eredin was using her to gain access to that power. And somehow this Baelen could track his son, tell where he was.

He pushed all the current thoughts of Baelen from his mind however, because now he was surrounded, and he had no idea if the Hunt knew where Dominik and Ciri were in the castle.

"Where the hell is Lambert… could use two more witchers right about now," George hissed from next to him with his sword pointed out as well.

Geralt growled as he jabbed his blade forward to keep the riders from advancing, "Don't know… but he better show up soon. We can't retreat without him, we gotta hold them until he gets back, then we make for the keep. Get the portal closed, one of us focus on Imlerith."

"He the big guy?" Letho asked, somehow sounding casual in the life and death situation they faced.

"Yeah…" Geralt said as the frost from the night sky nipped at his nose, "He's the big guy…"

"I will deal with this cur…. he will not get the best of me again," George said from next to him, and in all the time Geralt had known him, the griffin witcher had never spoken with such a tone.

The general of the Hunt strode forward with his massive hammer leaned up against his shoulder. Geralt remembered the general from his time riding with the Hunt, cruel and powerful, not to be taken lightly. However, George of Toussaint was practically radiating anger, clearly angry that the general had gotten the drop on him. The cold wind howled through Geralt's ears and he glanced up near Kaer Morhen and could see faint flames flying, he felt his blood begin to race as he realized that the fight had finally gotten going inside. If Baelen had learned they were coming to the advanced squad, then surely she could have told Eredin exactly where Ciri was. They needed to get back, but first they needed to hold, hold out until Lambert got back.

His silver hair blew in the wind as George, Letho and he kept circling the riders surrounding them, their silver blades outstretched. He felt the dimeritium bomb on his belt and readied himself to throw, however first he heard the deep metallic laugh coming from Imlerith as Geralt finally turned to face the general.

"You thought… you could fool us… witcher," The deep raking voice came from behind Imlerith's helmet as he swung his massive hammer, "We know… about… HIS descendant… first you… then him… then Zireael."

"Over my dead body…" Geralt growled, feeling his own anger begin to flare.

Imlerith chuckled again, "You… don't even know… the power… the power that boy wields…. It matters not… Eredin killed HIM…his children…. Next… he will kill this boy… and end their line permanently… and then… we will take her… first you… then them…"

"YOU WILL TOUCH NEITHER YOU CURS," George yelled from behind him, and Geralt saw the griffin witchers silver sword erupt into flames, "YOU WILL NOT HAVE THEM, OR OUR WORLD!"

The next thing Geralt saw was the most powerful blast of Aard he had ever seen from any witcher. George leaped and spun mid-air, it looked like he was going to strike at Imlerith from above with his flaming blade, but instead he came smashing into the ground, Geralt and Letho both just had enough time raise Quen shields before George's Aard blast erupted upwards and sent the entire first wave of riders flying backwards. Imlerith slammed his shield into the ground, but even with that the general of the Hunt was still sent stumbling backwards, and that was when George of Toussaint leaped into action with his flaming silver blade.

George silver crashed against Imlerith's shield, and before Geralt could admire the dueling and power the griffin witcher showed, he quickly ripped the dimeritium bomb from his belt and ignited it, before throwing it towards the navigator portal that had been opened. The bomb erupted the portal closed, just as hounds of the Hunt and riders all finally shook off the Aard blast, and as George was locked into an intense duel with Imlerith, Geralt saw himself and Letho become surrounded. The loud clatters of George and Imlerith's battle rang in his ears and Geralt leveled his blade as he got back to back with Letho as Geralt saw the overwhelming number of riders surrounding them both. He felt the crossbow that Arno and Elise had given him on his back, and all he needed to do was light the bolt to summon Triss, but first they needed Lambert and Gaeten, as much as the sarcastic prick annoyed him, Geralt could never leave his brother behind.

"Well, well, well… looks like pretty boys got some neat tricks," Letho commented sarcastically from behind him.

Geralt watched as the intense battle between Imlerith and George raged. George moved with precise movements, blasting Aard and Igni into the general's shield while skillfully avoiding the hammer strikes and shield bashes.

"Looks like he does…" Geralt said, looking around once more to the riders who started charging forward with halberds and swords drawn before speaking back to Letho, "You ready?"

Letho scoffed and Geralt saw him pull one his dagger from his chest, the viper witcher twirled the smaller blade in his hand before readying to duel wield steel and silver.

"I was born ready wolf… let's kick these fuckers' asses a second time," Letho said darkly, before Geralt turned back, just as the riders got to them.

And that was when the fight began.

The first thing Geralt did was thrust his hands forward, his Aard sign while not as powerful as George's sent two riders firing backwards before he waded into the enemy. From his time with the Hunt Geralt remembered every weak point of their armor and struck his silver with precision and moved his feet with perfect grace. He parried and spun with Letho right by his side lashing out with his dagger and silver. Each rider that came his way fell as he ducked, rolled and thrusted, every strike to protect his daughter, protect his son, his lover and all his brothers and friends who had come to his aid in his time of need. He flashed his silver up to parry one strike before rolling underneath and the rider's sword, coming up he stabbed his silver through the riders back with a squelch.

Letho behind him waded through riders, and Geralt despite having fought the man once before himself was still amazed at how quick the mountain of a man moved. The viper witcher caught a rider's blade on the hilt of his own sword before jabbing his dagger into the man's side, and then performed a perfect spin and cleaved clear through the rider's helmet. Geralt heard the crunching of boots behind him over the howling wind and whirled back around to fire his hands forward to shoot the Igni sign into an oncoming wraith. Spinning his blade in his hand he swing it in a wide arc cutting through one more of the phantoms before he saw a halberd coming at him from the right. The heavy axe head came down and he side-stepped before cleaving his blade clear through the halberds shaft and transitioned into a spin to cut through the riders back.

The air got thick with the smell of sulfur and blood, and Geralt didn't dare stop moving his feet, moving his blade, every stroke of his sword he thought about his children inside the keep. For some reason they weren't just after Ciri now, they wanted to kill Dominik as well. Of course, he knew that they would have killed his son if they had to, because Geralt knew that if the Hunt wanted Ciri they wouldn't have to just go through him, but they'd need to go through his son as well. However, from Imlerith's words he learned for some reason Eredin himself was going to take a special interest in killing him, they were looking for him and Ciri both, wanting to kill Dominik before they took Ciri to launch their invasion. Geralt couldn't even begin to think why the Hunt would be targeting Dominik specifically, and what special interest Eredin had in him, it had something to do with his sons heritage he knew, but all that mattered to Geralt now was getting back to them.

They were going to be overrun, he parried one strike before ducking and rolling between two blades. He came back up and launched another wave of the Igni sign to set both riders alight before cleaving through them both. Footsteps came from behind and Geralt whirled around to see another soldier ready to cleave through him, but Letho's dagger zipped through the air and implanted itself right into the eye socket of the rider's helmet. Geralt turned and gave the Viper witcher a nod, before reaching down and ripping the dagger from the rider's corpse and quickly tossing it back to Letho. The mountain of a witcher caught it and quickly raised both his sword and dagger to catch a blade on both his weapons. Letho thrusted his hands up to send the rider off balance before swiping down both his blade to cleave clean through the rider's arm before blasting him back with an Aard sign.

Geralt spun back to parry a blow that would have cut through Letho and fired back the rider with Aard before getting back to back with the viper witcher again. The riders seemed to be regrouping around them so Geralt and Letho took the time to catch their breath. If not for the light of the moon and the light radiating off the magic dome around the fortress, Geralt would have had to rely on his witcher senses to fight. He breathed deep the air, and heard more crunching of boots and soldiers coming from around the woods, as despite the large amount Letho and he had taken out, more continued to come, if Lambert's plan was to work, then it needed to happen soon.

"Where the hell's Gaeten and the mouthy one…." Letho grumbled from behind him, leveling both his sword and daggers towards the riders around.

"They'll be here, we just gotta hold out," Geralt swore feeling his blood rush as he looked behind them, "We need to help George, Imlerith's no push over."

Letho grunted, "Pretty boy seems to be doing alright…"

"COME NOW, THIS CANNOT BE ALL YOU HAVE!" George's deep voice shouted through the night, and Geralt turned to see the duel that was ongoing.

Imlerith swung his hammer towards the griffin witcher in an arc, magic beginning to glow around the general, "You… will die this day… dh'oine…."

"You will have to do better then you have been then!" George yelled back indignantly, and Geralt saw the southern witchers silver sword still set alight.

This was when the riders charged again, and Geralt continued to wade into them, but he kept glancing back to watch the duel between George and Imlerith unfold. Geralt had heard stories of griffin witchers, but until Dominik had introduced him to George he never saw one in action. George moved with perfect grace and fluidity and every sign he casted erupted with power from his hands, as his gilded green and gold armor glinted in the moonlight.

Imlerith smashed his hammer down, but George quickly side-stepped, Geralt thought he would strike forward, but instead the griffin witcher smashed his hand into the ground, and the largest Yrden glyph Geralt had ever seen sprung up around Imlerith and completely immobilized the commander's feet. George laughed and spun back around and cut across the general's back. Imlerith cried out, but the general's arms still moved at normal speed, and his hammer swung down towards George, and the griffin witcher just barely managed to roll down below it, but he rolled right into the path of Imlerith's shield. The Hunt general smashed the griffin witcher aside with his massive shield and George got sent rolling backwards and as soon as he did the Yrden glyph disappeared and Imlerith was able to move again.

The general rushed forward to a groaning George, and Geralt almost ran to help, but when Imlerith's hammer swung down a yellow Quen shield sprang to life and the hammer smacked it with a loud _***BOOM***_ erupting Imlerith was sent stumbling back. The block gave George time to spring back up, the griffin witcher had lost his silver sword and went to scoop it from the ground but Imlerith recovered quickly and swung his hammer in a wide arc again. Just before he could grab his sword George had to leap back, and when Imlerith went to swing his hammer again George shot both his hands forward and an Aard blast erupted from the griffin witchers fingertips, it was so powerful Imlerith's hammer flew from his hand, and George took the opportunity. The blonde witcher scooped his sword up from the ground and leapt high into the air to come down with a decisive overhead strike. In one hand he held his sword, and Geralt saw another blast of Aard ready to fire from his other hand. He came down but Imlerith managed to raise his shield, and another massive _***BOOOOOM* **_ripped through the forest as the magic from Imlerith's shield erupted and while the commander got sent skidding back George was flown backwards and landed into the shallow water with a splash and a groan.

"GEORGE!" Geralt yelled, ducking under a rider's sword strike and cutting through him before sprinting towards where the griffin witcher had fallen.

George groaned and tried to rise but Imlerith had recovered and moved towards him. The general of the Hunt still had lost his hammer so slowly stomped towards George and reached down to pick up the griffin witchers sword. Geralt took out in an all-out sprint just as Imlerith got above George with his shield still in one hand and the griffin witchers in the other. Imlerith's massive plated legs waded into the shallows of the stream as he stood above George who was clearly laboring at the moment, and Geralt was just about to try and fire a sign or leaped to intervene but Imlerith quickly went to swing the blade down.

"You… will… die… dh'oine," The general said with his deep voice raking through his helmet as he went to swing down, "You… dare… think-. GAHHHHHH!"

A flash of steel zipped through the air and a dagger jutted out from Imlerith's side just before Geralt could get to the scene. Imlerith growled and went to bring the blade down but faltered. The dagger had been thrown with pinpoint precision and landed right into one of the general's arteries. Geralt knew any normal man would have been killed, but even with Imlerith's immense strength and magic it was seriously damaging to the general. Geralt went to continue charging forward but he heard branches and leaves crunch from the treeline, and a flash came leaping out just in time to parry the weak blow that Imlerith tried to bring down on George.

"Gaeten!?" Geralt yelled when he saw the Cat school witcher flash his silver and parry Imlerith's blow.

Gaeten parried Imlerith's blow and fired an Aard blast from his hand and the general dropped George's silver. The Cat witcher caught it and quickly turned back to George who had stood up and tossed the silver to him.

"BACK YOU PHANTOM CUR!" George yelled as he caught his silver blade before firing a powerful Aard blast towards Imlerith who got sent tumbling back before he was finally brought to his knees.

"Nice moves pretty boy…" Gaeten compliment to George before the Cat witcher turned back to Geralt, "Sorry we're a little late!"

"GERALT!" A familiar voice rang through Geralt's ears and he whirled around to see a rider charging at him.

Geralt went to raise his blade, but before the rider could get to him, Lambert came rushing through the woods and fired an Aard blast to stop the soldier, and Geralt took the chance to spin forward and cut through the wraith, just as he saw his sarcastic brother come rushing to his side with his sword drawn. Letho quickly cut through another rider and joined them back to back.

"What the hell took you so long…" Letho sneered as the three of them all circled around as the riders regrouped around them.

Towards the water Geralt saw Imlerith rise and finally find his hammer. The Hunt general growled in anger, and that was when Geralt saw George and Gaeten advance on the commander in a flash of silver. Around him he could see the riders beginning to gather again, more and more emerging from the woods and when he looked up at the keep he could see the explosions, and with his enhanced senses Geralt could hear the clanging of steel and the yells of the defenders. Portals had begun to open inside the fortress, and if they didn't get inside soon they'd be overrun.

"Fog almost made it fucking impossible to find the cave… what the hell happened out here," Lambert asked as the riders all began to charge.

Geralt parried and cut through one, "They knew we would be out here. We need to get back inside they're after Dom and Ciri!"

Lambert scoffed as he parried and rolled up next to him, "HA, we already knew they wanted Ciri. The hell do they want Dom for!?"

More began to charge and Geralt continued to wade through them. Letho and Lambert rolled off one another and cut through more riders as he saw Gaeten about to be smashed by Imlerith, only for George to block the blow. Another loud explosion came from one of the battlements and Geralt growled.

"Don't know, they were shouting to find him, Eredin wants to kill him," Geralt shouted over the clanging of steel, "Did you're plan actually work!? Where the hell is he!?"

Lambert scoffed and fired a wall of flames from his hands, "Oh he's here. Fucking thing will finally-."

A large _***CRASH* **_ripped from Geralt's left, and he whirled around to see a tree completely knocked over and riders of the Hunt scattering. A loud _***ROAR***_followed, and he almost scoffed at the fact Lambert's plan had actually fucking worked.

"Well, well, well…. It's about damn time," Letho commented as he cut through a rider.

Old Spear Tip ripped through the treeline, and Geralt had to roll out of the way to avoid his charge. The cyclopes swung a massive club which Geralt thought for a moment could be an entire tree. It swung through riders and sent them scattering, more poured in from the woods, and Geralt had to whirl around to parry a blow, but finally some of the pressure had been taken off them. To his right in the shallows of the water, George and Gaeten were managing to hold their own against Imlerith, but when the general looked back and saw the cyclops he screamed in anger, and Geralt knew that Imlerith had twice much more power that he was yet to unleash.

His thoughts were interrupted by the air behind him whooshing. He ducked forward and spun around to jab his silver through another rider, and just as he did Lambert turned to him with a frantic look.

"Geralt! What the hell are you waiting for," His wolf brother yelled before ducking under a sword and firing an Aard blast, "Signal for Merigold, come on!"

Geralt cursed at himself for forgetting and reached behind his back to grab the crossbow. Old Spear Tip roared as Geralt saw him swing his club, but this was before a rider jabbed the back of the cyclops leg with a halberd. Spear Tip responded by grabbing the rider from the ground and ripping him in half with another roar. Geralt knew the cyclops would buy them some time, but they would soon be overwhelmed again. He lit the top of the crossbow bolt and looked up again toward the keep.

More blasts, explosions, and yells rang through Geralt's ears as he thought about Dominik and Ciri. Ciri had to have been outside the keep by then, Geralt knew in his heart his daughter had inherited too much of his and Yen's stubbornness to stay inside. And he also knew that as soon as she emerged, Dominik would have run right to her side, and now the Hunt was targeting the both of them. Eredin wanted to take and kill his children, the one's he took and raised by choice, the one's he had just gotten back together.

He promised Dominik and Ciri both he would never let them be separated again, and Geralt was going to keep his promise that time.

"I'm comin…" Geralt muttered as the sounds of battle with his fellow witchers rang around him before he fired the flaming bolt into the air.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"How you holding out Yen!?" Dominik yelled to his mother over the howling wind and sounds of battle below.

Yen managed to tilt her head down to him with a pained expression, "I… I'll be alright darling I promise. Keep an eye out for Geralt's flare!"

He let out a chilly sigh and nodded before joining Faram and Declan against the battlements again. While he loved his adopted mother with everything he had and wanted to keep her safe, he was beginning to regret positioning himself there as he watched his friends and allies fight below. On the inner courtyard battlements he could see Triss firing blasts of magic towards riders who had come to her, she melted soldier after soldier not even seeming to break a sweat. He had a hard time discerning who was who below, but he could see steel flashing in the courtyards as more and more portals slowly began to open. Riders were pouring in, and he could hear the faint yells of his friends fighting, and his eyes tore to the middle courtyard.

The gas that Ermion had raised was floating around, and he could see very faintly who he guessed were Arno, Elise, Roche and Ves all twirling around and fighting to keep riders at bay, away from the ballista. And then of course out in the outer courtyard he could see blast of magic and fire, and he assumed Kiera or Ermion were firing spells at the portals to try and close them. The one thing he hadn't seen yet was Ciri's magic, he hadn't seen the swirling blue light from her teleporting or unleashing her powers. She hadn't come from the keep yet.

But he only knew it was a matter of time.

"Mate… something's wrong…" Faram said darkly from next to him, Dominik and Declan both turned to him as the Bear witcher slowly shook his head, "I know we expected a lot but… there are a lot more portals on the inside then we thought…"

Dominik felt his blood turn to ice as he looked up to Faram, "Well there's no way that they would have known we'd send out an advanced squad unless…. No, no, no FUCK! How the hell could I not remember!?"

"What!? What is it," Declan shouted next to him, just as the wind began to pick up even louder.

He felt his blood coldly run through his body as he cursed himself. Dominik had known she would be there, he had assumed he would have to fight her at one point, but he couldn't believe that he didn't remember what she was capable of. He quickly shook his head and _Fate's _point dipped into the stone as down below more and more portals began to open. Three more in the middle courtyard, two more in the inner, dimeritium bombs were thrown, but Dominik knew that they only had a few. The only other way to close the portals was with the Yrden sign, and only the witchers could have casted them.

And most of their witchers had gone into the advanced squad.

"Baelen…." He said darkly, feeling his eyes widen as he turned back to Yen, "YEN! GERALT'S WALKING INTO A TRAP! WE NEED TO-."

"LOOK ALIVE MATES!" Faram yelled from next to him, and that's when he heard the portals ripping to life around them.

He whirled back around from Yennefer who hadn't heard him, the energy she was exerting from casting he spell was beginning to become too much as Dominik could see the blizzard hitting it outside the shield. Turning he saw two portals rip open, riders and hounds of the Hunt began to pour out, fifteen or so in all and Dominik cursed as he saw Declan knock his bow, and Faram twirl and level his silver.

"Fuck… they're going to get overwhelmed down there! They knew we were sending the hunting party," Dominik cursed as the riders began to circle around him, Faram and Declan, "They're opening more portals inside, Geralt and the others are walking into a trap!"

"How the fuck did they know mate!?" Faram cursed as the three of them all backed up against each other, the riders and hounds completely surrounded them with the portals still whirling to their right.

Dominik knew he had the dimeritium bombs around his waist, and the riders around them would be no problem for he, Faram and Declan. He narrowed his eyes and realized that if Baelen had truly told Eredin of all their defenses, they had to know that the shield being up was most important, so why only two portals? And why were no more riders coming through them? He pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused on his friends and allies down below, and the fact his adopted father was walking into a trap. He needed to do something, they needed to get the hunting party back in the keep.

He felt the violent wind whip through his brown hair as he could hear the shouting of the riders in their language. He looked up and saw Yennefer beginning to stumble and bit his lip.

"Baelen… fucking Baelen…" Dominik said to Faram and Declan both, he let out an annoyed sigh and shook his head, "I should have fucking remembered. We need to-."

"LOOK OUT," Declan yelled as he lunged forward and parried a blow from a rider that had first charged. The young man parried the blow before spinning and jabbing his blade that he had drawn into the rider's torso.

Dominik saw another rider come rushing to cut through Declan, but he quickly rushed and blasted his hand forward. The Aard sign ripped from his hands and sent the rider flying backwards. Declan's eyes widened and he gave him a thankful nod before the fight finally began in earnest as Dominik heard the hounds growl and all the boots and armor of the riders begin to charge forward.

"COME ON THEN! COME ON YOU PHANTOM FUCKS LETS DANCE!" Faram yelled as he flashed his silver forward.

He took one last look up at Yennefer to make sure no riders were heading for her, and when he confirmed that none were he began spinning into the riders moving his blade with precise motions. With the grace of a dancer, for a moment Dominik felt like he was ice skating with Ciri out on the frozen lake, he glided through each rider, raising up his blade and cutting it across any when he had an opening. Behind him he heard Faram actually laughing in delight as the Bear witcher barely moved as he swung his blade clear through one rider, before blocking another one sword strike and backhanding him backwards into one of his comrades. Dominik had seen Faram arm wrestle an Ice Giant, and in comparison he made the soldiers of the Hunt look like weaklings as his silver blade parried and thrusted.

Declan on the other hand had seemed to discard his blade, and Dominik wanted to strangle the young man for being so foolish as to try and use a bow in such close quarters. However, after a few moments Dominik realized that the close quarters meant little to Declan. The young man rapidly pulled arrows from his quiver. Three riders came charging at him, and Declan loosed an arrow into one's eye and the wraith quickly crumpled to the ground. The remaining two both lashed out, but Declan raised up his bow and used it to quickly parry two quick strikes, and with the grace of a dancer as well ducked and rolled forward, he ripped the arrow out of the dead wraith's eyes and loaded it back into his bow before whirling back around and firing it into the eye of one of his final two attackers. The final rider charged but Declan side-stepped and swung his bow underneath the phantom's legs, taking the rider to the ground he quickly reached into his quiver and aimed his bow to the ground before he fired his arrow into his enemies eye at point blank range.

Dominik scoffed out in amazement before he heard more boots rushing towards him and the snarl of the Hunt's hounds behind him. He whirled back around just in time to spin and cut through a leaping hound before he waded into a group of four riders that came for him. He parried and ducked under a strike before remembering Letho's lessons only a week prior. Quickly he slipped his hand down to his belt and unsheathed the silver dagger and when he came back up he jabbed it into the side of one rider, and while it was still lodged inside the wraith he whirled back up and slung his sword up, he completely lopped off the riders head before gracefully spinning to parry more blows from the other riders around him.

With both his silver blade and dagger whirling he tried to remember what Letho had said, slither from opponent to opponent, attack and attack some more, your attack was your defense, but when he began to be overwhelmed he remembered Faram's lessons, ground yourself and wait for the perfect opportunity. He found himself seamlessly switching between all the lessons in witcher combat he had so far in his journey as he thought of Ciri and his allies down below with every stroke of his sword or thrust of his dagger.

He quickly raised and crossed both his sword and dagger to catch the head of a halberd, he side-stepped and cut through the stomach of the rider with both his dagger and sword before he looked up and saw the portals. A few more riders began to pour out, but he was completely baffled, he knew that even more could be coming, they could overwhelm himself, Declan and Faram with ease. He quickly looked over and saw the Bear witcher and Declan both skillfully cutting through riders as Declan loosed arrows and Faram punched and lashed out with his silver. If Baelen had used that same ritual he saw her use before, then surely she would have known that overwhelming the three of them at Yennefer's shield would be key, and if she did the magic barrier would fall, and the Hunt could roll over them with their blizzard. First she had spared him in the cave and offered him a chance to survive, and now it seemed she was sparing him from having to fight the bulk of the force. She had done all this, but she had tried to kill him, and she had made it clear that when they met again she wouldn't show mercy.

Quickly he pushed the mystery of Baelen out of his mind and unclipped a dimeritium bomb from his belt. He would worry about it later, all he knew now was that soon the courtyard would be overwhelmed, and that Geralt was walking into a trap. He used his Igni sign to ignite the bomb, and quickly ducked under a sword strike before chucking it towards the two open portals. He heard a blade zip behind him and whirled around to deflect a strike, and just as he did the bombs exploded and Dominik took the opportunity to thrust his hand forward and knock the rider back with an Aard blast. The wraith flew backwards and like he was chopping down a tree Faram swung his blade and cleaved clear through the phantom rider and his friend laughed with glee.

"BAHAHA! IS THIS ALL EREDIN HAS!? BRING THE FUCKER OUT HIMSELF!" The Bear School witcher shouted with his silver swinging in a wide arc.

One brave wraith came charging and swung his sword at Faram from above, but the Bear witcher reached up and caught the riders sword hand, and then his friend plunged his silver sword deep into the riders torso with a loud yell, before slicing it clean through the wraith, blood splattered onto the stones and the top of Faram's opponent slowly fell from the other. Dominik went to charge forward when he saw a hound of the Hunt leaped up behind Faram, but an arrow zipped through the air and implanted itself right into the beast's neck as Declan came rolling up next to the Bear witcher. Declan met Dominik's eyes for a moment, and soon after he saw the young man's bright blue irises widen as he pointed forward.

"Dominik look! Geralt is sending his signal!" Declan screamed, and Dominik whirled around toward the edge of the walls.

Sure enough, a sparking crossbow bolt was fired up into the night sky. It came all the way from the woods and Dominik's eyes widened as he remembered that Geralt was riding into a trap with Lambert, Letho, Gaeten and George. If the Hunt knew the hunting party was coming and knew about the invisibility then they would be needing to retreat fast. Quickly he rushed to the edge of the walls and looked out over the battlements. Behind him he heard Declan and Faram continue to loose arrows and swing swords clashing with riders, Dominik focused solely where the bolt had been fired from. He felt the howling wind freeze the tip of his nose and the tops of his ears as the sounds of clattering steel and explosions ripped into his head. With the light from the moon, lanterns and magic barrier, he could see his allies getting quickly overwhelmed in the courtyards.

More and more portals began to open, he could see them whirling and see more and more hounds and riders slowly pouring out. He could see specks of his friends fighting for their lives and bit his lip so hard that he could start to taste blood. They needed Arno's plan, if they wanted any chance to fight them back then they had to narrow the places where the riders could land. They needed to bottle the enemy into the inner courtyard so that way they wouldn't have to fight on so many fronts. And then hopefully Eredin would either give up or show himself, and if they could take down the King then the Hunt would crumble, or if Dominik could take out one of their generals then this would make them retreat. He didn't care in that moment why Baelen seemed to be sparing him, he would kill her if it meant keeping Ciri safe. Ciri hadn't left the keep he could tell, he couldn't see her powers, but he also knew that it wouldn't be long before she decided to come.

Before they could do anything however, they needed to get the hunting party back into the keep. While his friends fought behind him, he gripped his hands into the snow and kept his eyes trained to the sky, he was waiting for a rain of fire from Triss to come down on where the bolt had been fired from, but no fire came and Dominik tore his eyes over to where he remembered the sorceress had been.

"TRISS," He screamed out when he saw the riders descending on the sorceress.

From the battlement he saw her perched on Triss was firing large blasts of white hot fire from her hands. Riders and hounds kept coming, and it was all Triss could do to conjure walls of flames. She was barely holding her own, and if she fell or couldn't send aid to Geralt, he didn't know if his adopted father and friends would make it. He whirled back around, sliding his dagger back into his waist he raised his sword as a hound came leaping for him. He ducked and plunged his sword upwards into the beast and ran forward to join Faram and Declan.

He looked up and saw Yennefer beginning to stumble as the magic shield swirled from her hands, and Dominik could tell one small blow and his mother would be knocked aside. Biting down hard on his lip he waded into the remaining riders on those high battlements and shouted to Faram and Declan next to him.

"Triss is getting overwhelmed," Dominik yelled as he thrusted his hands forward, a wall of flames erupted and ignited riders before he turned back to them, "We're getting overrun down there, we need to get the hunting party back inside so we can retreat, and they won't make it without Triss!"

"Go on mate! Run down and help her, we'll hold them off!" Faram shouted as he parried a blow with his blade and spun to decapitate a rider.

Declan loosed three arrows in quick succession before ducking and sweeping a rider's legs from under them with his bow and turned to him.

"He is right Dominik," The young man yelled, as he knocked another arrow, "There aren't that many here! Faram and I will hold them off, you go and help them below!"

Dominik parried another strike and cut through a rider before his eyes went wide, "But what about Yen!? I can't just-."

"GO! Go Dominik, go on," Yennefer yelled in a strained voice from above them, "I'm in good hands! I WILL hold, go and help Triss!"

Dominik let out a sigh and quickly parried a series of blow to run back to the edge of the walls. He looked down and saw Triss, a member of his family, one of the names tattooed into his forearm, the sorceress who saved him. She was fighting back with everything she had, and Dominik could see she was looking to the woods, trying desperately to give herself enough time to rain fire on Geralt's position. His adopted father had run into a trap, and it was all his fault, all his friends were down there fighting and almost being overwhelmed because he had forgotten something so important.

He had to make up for it, he had to save Triss, Geralt, all of them, and in doing so keep Ciri safe.

His hand gripped tighter around _Fate, _and he turned back around to get one last look at Faram and Declan wading through the remaining riders. No more portals had opened, and he was sure they'd both take the rest of the wraiths out soon. However, he didn't want to leave them both and then Yennefer, his mother alone. However, Yen managed to crane her neck to meet his eyes. Her violet eyes were strained, but she still slowly nodded at him and gestured her head for him to go.

"GO ON MATE WE'LL BE ALRIGHT! THESE WHORESONS DON'T STAND A CHANCE," Faram yelled as he parried one riders' blade with such force the wraith got sent tumbling back.

"He is right Dominik! We will hold them here," Declan yelled confidently over the howling wind before the young man ducked a sword strike, he came up behind the rider and grabbed an arrow from his quiver and stabbed it into the back of the rider's skull.

Dominik breathed deep the air, the thick air that had been rolling in and whirled back around to the courtyard. Because of his oversight all of his friends were in danger. He gripped tighter onto his silver and reached up to grip the swallow. He would push them back, he was going to push them back for her, they'd survive, and he'd go on that date with her the next day.

"Alright… let's run the walls," He said to himself, before taking off to the right, and leaping over the first battlement to a lower one towards the inner courtyard.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri's leg hadn't stopped bouncing since Dominik had closed the door. She sat there at the dining table, the room they had first come into all those years ago together. Her head was down watching the bronze ring dangle from her neck, and sure enough her leg wouldn't stop shaking still. The cold chill that normally ran through the keep was even colder now as she could hear the wind smacking debris against the windows, and the worst part was that Ciri could hear the clattering of steel and the explosions of magic as she sat. They were all out there, Dominik, Yen, Triss, Geralt, Hjalmar, Zoltan, all of Dominik's friends who had come to fight for her, yet she was resigned to sit in the keep and wait, the accursed waiting.

She thought about Dominik's smiling face as he walked from the keep, how he kept his gaze lingering on her for as long as he possibly could. Those emerald eyes, the emerald eyes that matched her own and she loved more then anything, the one she had been yearning to see and fight besides for so long. Now he was out there, fighting and trying to keep her safe just like he always had. Geralt and Yennefer, her parents, the ones who took them both in and gave them that sense of family, they were both out there, Geralt had went right into the main force of the Hunt, Yennefer was raising a shield to protect them all. She hated the feeling, the feeling that she was sitting inside and not doing anything while they all protected her.

They all just wished to keep her safe she knew, but she wished to do the same for them. She bit her lip and tried to get her leg to stop shaking, but she kept on remembering her dreams. The dreams that had haunted her for months before she and Avallach came back to the continent. Dominik and Baelen, Dominik fighting the Wild Hunt and being killed, it had been the catalyst for her forcing Avallach to come back. She didn't know if her dreams came true, but the more she sat there, the more and more she saw the dream playing again.

And despite it all she was sitting there, sitting there doing nothing except worrying. He would always protect her she knew… but she had promised to protect him all the same. It wasn't a one-sided promise. She wasn't some damsel in distress, their relationship wasn't him being the gallant knight who protected her from danger while she was the helpless princess. Their relationship was built on trust, love, mutual respect for one another abilities, and the promise that they were equals, and would always protect each other, not one way around. He would always tell her how it was his destiny to protect her, and Ciri knew that because Gregory had said the same thing incessantly back when she was growing up.

But just because it was his destiny to protect her, didn't mean she wouldn't sacrifice everything to protect him as well, him and her family.

Biting her lip harder she gently took the ring in her fingers, she remembered that first night he gave it to her, the flustered look on his face, how elated she was to hear him say he loved her for the first time. She could remember the giddiness, the boy she had liked for so long admitted he had feelings for her, and had promised to always be there, to always try and get to her. That promise had been everything to her, for so long people had treated her specially, just because she was a princess, or because of the blood in her veins. Even Avallach didn't help her for her, the elf helped her because of the power in her veins from an ancestor she had never met. Not Dominik however, he had been the first to love her for the person she was, not because of a title or powers she had.

And now him and her parents were out there fighting, and she wasn't there by their side. Her home was under attack, and the wraiths were there for her, to take her, and she was just sitting there. She had been so tired of running, of hiding, or leaping through worlds to avoid capture.

She would run no more.

"Enough is enough…" She said, gripping the ring tightly in her hands she shot up to her feet and looked back to her sword, "I won't leave them alone again… not ever!"

She reached over to pick up her blade and a loud ***BOOM*** blasted from outside the keep shaking the ground beneath her. Her eyes shot around and through the stain glass she could see the frost continuing to build up. The sound of wind howling inside the keep pierced into her ears and she scooped up her blade, squeezing it as tight as she could she whirled it around and strapped it to her back before turning to the exit.

Quickly she gripped the ring around her neck again as she normally did before a fight. She let out one shaky breath and thought about her family, Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer, they were all out there for her, and now it was time for her to be there for them, to finally be there for them. Letting out one final breath she took off in a sprint towards the exit, her boots echoed off the ground and the ring kept on bouncing on her chest. She remembered back to the first true fight that Dominik and she had ever been in.

The wagon train ambush was something she would never forget, the elf had been above her, Dominik and she had been separated and the elf's bow was aimed at her. She thought that she was going to die, but that was before Dominik rushed in and leaped onto the man's back to stab him. She'd never forget the blood spewing from the man's back onto Dom's face, and how he couldn't stop shaking uncontrollably after he had done it. It had been the first time he had to kill a man, and he had done it to save Ciri. She had to grab his hand and pull him back to the cover of the cart to protect Triss. For multiple nights after that his nightmares had gotten worse, and Ciri had felt guilty, she stayed with him every night and tried to calm him, but between that and the nightmares he still had of Cintra, Dominik had barely been able to sleep. He had done so much for her up to that point.

She would have been kidnapped by the knight with the winged helmet if not for him, she'd never forget him leaping from his horse and crashing into them, before they all tumbled to the ground. The knight cut Dominik across the stomach before going to stab him, and Ciri had screamed, she screamed and could only remember her eyes going blue and then after she had found him unconscious. And after this, so many times on the road while they were on the run he had kept her safe, kept her from harm and calmed her when she was afraid. And now, for the last eight years, for the last month with Geralt, he had been fighting and fighting, all of it to get to keep him safe.

But she hadn't come back for him both times she could have, she had left him on the continent without knowing she was alive. It was time for her to repay him, repay him for loving her for all of those years still, even after she hadn't been able to be there for him he still was there for her. She was back now however, and she was finally going to be there for him.

"I'm here… and I won't let you do this alone," She said to herself, as she rushed forward and burst into the courtyard.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She felt the freezing, thick air smash into her face like a brick as she moved with her sword at her side. Ciri had felt the pure cold of the Hunt's blizzard before, but outside the magic barrier she could see the full strength of their blizzard passing over, and she imagined Yennefer struggling to hold the magic. Her eyes widened and scanned the courtyard, and she heard the clanging of steel right away, to her right and left portals were all beginning to open, more, much more then they had expected at this point in the battle. Riders slowly poured out of the portals to her left and right, as she ran down the first set of steps she heard the loud clanging of steel to her right.

Whirling around she felt a particularly cold breeze shoot through her ashen hair, and the snarling of a hound clattering in her ears. She turned around and saw the beast leaping, and feeling the anger, the energy swirl through her veins magic surrounded her limbs and she spun. Her blade cut right through the beast and its blood splattering onto the stones. She felt her heart almost burst from her chest when she heard more footsteps, just before she got to the steps up to the battlements the clunking of plate armor rang around her and she whirred back around. Several riders had already accosted her, and she felt her blood begin to boil. They shouted in their language and Ciri was only able to make out a few words in the heat of the moment.

_'Zireael,' '__Hiu potomek.' _They were the only phrases that she heard pierce her ears. Zireael she had been called enough times to know what it meant, but '_hiu potomek' _was another phrase she recognized. It meant _'his descendent' _and when Ciri realized what they were saying her eyes widened and she felt both her hands grip around her sword as she leveled it.

She remembered Dominik explaining his powers to her, the powers of a carrier. A carrier got their powers from a powerful mage ancestor, and Ciri couldn't think of anyone else who they could have been referring too. They were after him, they weren't only after her they were after Dominik as well now. She had no idea and neither did he who his ancestor could possibly be, but whoever it was had to be powerful, and threatened the Hunt greatly in the past for them to be targeting him. Now they weren't only there to take her and invade, they were there to kill him, to kill Dominik the man she loved, the one she had been yearning to get back to for eight fucking years, the one that along with her family had made everything she went through worth it.

"You won't take him…" She growled, as she felt the magic begin to whirl around her body, around her limbs, it spewed from her like an erupting volcano.

Counting quickly, she saw three hounds and eight soldiers as they all began to rush at her. With the grace and speed of even the greatest mutated witchers Ciri waded into them. She felt the magic whirling on her limbs as she disappeared and reappeared in front and behind riders cutting her blade across them. Her powers whirled her on, moving her swiftly from rider to rider, parrying blows and thrusting forward she felt her eyes begin to glow as her heart thumped loudly beneath her chest.

If the Hunt wanted her powers so badly, she was going to give it to them, just not in the way that they expected.

Two more came charging for her, she teleported passed them both and raised up to quickly parry a strike, and she jabbed her blade through one's torso before she heard a whoosh come from behind her. She ducked down and whirled back around and blinked herself forward while slashing her blade, and as she finally landed she looked back and saw the rider slowly fall in half. She barely had time to admire her work before another hound leaped from her right, she whirled around and stabbed her blade upwards through its stomach, the blood fell out of it and she quickly moved on closer to the steps. She charged for the steps, she needed to get up to the battlements, she needed to find where Geralt and Dominik were, but the riders kept coming.

She thought she had a clear run up the steps to the walls, but that was before another Hound darted from a portal and leaped. It took her by surprise and Ciri yelled when it slammed into her. She fell into the snowy ground and looked up, trying to shove the hound and its snapping jaws off of her. Her sword had cluttered to the ground and she was about to teleport away, but that was when a loud squelch came from the hound's body and it quickly went limp on top of her. Ciri's eyes widened and she didn't take the time to think, she pushed the hound's body off her and got up to her knees. She saw a long slim silver dagger jutting from the hounds back, and for a moment she thought Dominik had found her with his famous silver dagger.

Her thinking was interrupted however when she heard a wraith charging from the left, and the wind howled in her ears as she whirled around. Sure enough one came running towards her, she still didn't have her blade but just before she could roll out of the way a flurry of blonde black and white came lunging forward. Ciri's eyes widened when she recognized the beautiful young blonde woman, Freya was what Dominik had called her. Freya's sword pierced through the riders torso, and then the woman quickly spun around and cut through the riders back and kicked the lifeless wraith to the ground.

Ciri looked to the dead hound and realized the dagger had belonged to Freya and quickly retrieved it. She turned back around and the blonde's eyes met hers, Ciri took a moment to realize how beautiful the young woman was, and how natural she looked on the battlefield with her sword in hand. Breathing heavy Ciri held up her dagger and quickly tossed it to her.

"Thanks… thanks for the save," Ciri said breathlessly, she felt the wind pick up even further as she found her sword and scooped it from the ground.

Freya quickly nodded and tossed her blonde ponytail back behind her shoulder. Ciri saw the young woman actually smiled and ran closer to her, she came to Ciri's side just as more of the riders advanced on them both.

"You're welcome," She said, leveling her blade towards the new wave of wraiths that had come towards them as Ciri did the same, "I don't think we've properly met. I… I'm Freya."

"I'm Ciri… Dominik mentioned your name, said you were one of his friends" Ciri quickly said with a nod as she raised up her blade as well.

Freya seemed to pause for a moment before she quickly nodded, "We are yes…. I thought you were supposed to be waiting inside the keep!?"

Ciri quickly shook her head just as the wraiths charged, "I won't sit back and let everyone fight to protect me without raising my own blade!"

"Ha, I knew I'd like you when I met you!" Freya said excitedly as Ciri and she both waded into the remaining riders.

Ciri parrying the swung her blade while making sure to keep an eye on Freya, however she quickly realized that the young woman didn't need any protection. Freya parried one strike from a rider that came from above. She parried and sidestepped before dropping to one knee, pulling out her dagger from her belt she stabbed it into the back of the wraith's leg before the rider came to the ground and she quickly came back up and swung her blade to decapitate her opponent. Ciri almost scoffed as she watched her seamlessly move between opponents with both her sword and dagger. The blonde held her dagger in a reverse grip while her sword was in a forehanded one. One rider came swinging his cruel longsword wildly and Freya parried a series of blows before crossing both her blade up to catch her opponent's blade. She effortlessly ducked under the sword before cutting her dagger across the wraiths knee before leaping to spin and cut through his back. Freya was quickly accosted by another, but the young blonde leveled her sword crossed over her dagger and quickly advanced.

Scoffing, Ciri had been so interested in watching her fight that she almost didn't notice the riders advancing on her. One attacked from above, but she performed a perfect riposte and with her powers speeding her movements, with the magic flowing through her she spun and cut through her attackers' torso before seeing another one quickly advance. She leaped and spun in mid-air to bring the full force of her attack down. And soon she saw the magic incase her sword and when she came down on the rider who was trying to block a loud ***BOOM* **erupted when her sword clashed with the wraiths. When the smoke had cleared Ciri smirked with satisfaction as she saw she cleaved clean through the rider's sword and shoulder.

She heard one advancing behind her and turned to face the wraith, but before it could attack Freya came lunging again and stabbed her blade through the phantom before she quickly got back to back with Ciri. Ciri almost smiled as Freya and she effortlessly waded through the enemy. She realized however that without closing the portals that the two of them would be quickly overwhelmed. Her mind went to Dominik who was still protecting Yennefer, her eyes drifted up to above the main gate where she knew that her mother and Dominik were. She didn't see any explosion's, but she could see arrows flying and hear the clattering of steel.

"We're going to be overwhelmed if we don't close the portals!" Freya yelled behind her as the blonde spun and parried.

Ciri quickly nodded as she did the same, "You're right! There's way too many, has Geralt sent the signal!?"

"Yes! He sent it a couple of minutes ago, but Triss still hasn't casted the spell!" The young woman responded as she pulled her sword from a hound with a loud squelch.

Quickly Ciri tore her eyes up towards the battlements, and she could see her Uncle Vesemir dodging and rolling through enemies. She bit her lip hard as the wind was so harsh it almost blew her hair down, and the yells and clanging of steel only got louder. The portal needed to be closed, they needed to bottle the riders to the inner courtyard to make their stand. A bolt of worry ran through her chest as she realized that the Hunt had to have somehow known that they would be sending out a hunting party, Geralt was out there and she needed to save him.

One rider came and Ciri parried the blow with such force she knocked the rider off balance. She blinked forward and cut through the wraith before turning and jabbing through a leaping hound. Freya looked up to her and Ciri gestured her head towards the battlements.

"Triss is up on the battlements she could be overrun! If she doesn't send her spell Geralt and the others are done for!" Ciri stressed as her blood began to heat up in the icy wind.

Freya's blue eyes widened and she quickly nodded, "Go on! Get up to the battlements I'll cover you!"

"Are you sure!?" Ciri yelled rushing up to the young woman's side.

Quickly Freya nodded and leveled her blade towards the courtyard as more riders were slowly coming through the portals with hounds at their side.

"I'm sure! You don't need to worry about me. I'll link up with Hjalmar on the other side, I'll lead them away, GO," Freya yelled frantically pointing up towards the battlements.

Ciri didn't have time to thank the young woman as she darted off. With speed and grace Freya rushed forward and waded into another wave of riders and parried her way through them. Ciri saw her leap and thrust, before she took a dimeritium bomb from her belt and chucked it towards one portal. It exploded and the swirling portal of frost closed making all the riders and hounds turn towards Freya, the young blonde smirked before taking off in a run towards the other side of the courtyard and Ciri almost laughed.

She didn't know how Dominik had met Freya but in that moment she was glad that he had.

Remembering what the blonde had said Ciri quickly turned back to the steps leading up the battlements. A chorus of clanging steel and voices rang in her ears as she raced upwards. She turned to see Freya leading away the riders and let out a shaky breath just as she got up to the top. The magic shield around them along with the moon lit her way as she came up to the first tower to see her Uncle Vesemir skillfully parry a series of blows before ducking under a sword strike and cutting through the back of his opponent before his eyes landed on Ciri. Ciri stood there with her sword at her side, and in the background she could see the forest, see where Geralt was out fighting for his life and hers. With every second that passed she imagined more riders descending upon her father in the woods, and she felt her hair whip through her eyes as she gripped tightly to her blade.

"You were meant to wait inside child!" Her Uncle yelled at her as she ran up next to him, his blade was out and ready as Ciri fiercely shook her head.

"I cannot hide forever, I must face them," Ciri shouted, looking out towards the battlements stretched out in front of her, "I will not sit by why everyone fights for me without doing what I can to help!"

Her Uncle shook his head and shouted over the winds, "Back inside now! You're the one they're after!"

"NO," Ciri shouted firmly, her hand gripped tighter around the blade as she pointed back out towards the forest, "Freya said Geralt sent the signal, but Triss hasn't casted the spell!"

Vesemir let out a groan and finally relented with a nod, "FINE! Dominik already came down from the walls, he went to help Triss, go to them!"

"Dominik came down!?" Ciri asked frantically, feeling her heart begin to quicken.

"He did look," Vesemir yelled over the wind and pointing towards the further battlement only a few yards away, "He said that they know where we are! I'm going to go make my way to the outer courtyard, you go and help!"

Ciri quickly looked over to where her Uncle was pointing and when she saw the battlements her heartbeat quickened. Dominik was there and she saw him leaping and parrying through waves of riders with Triss at his side. She watched as his eyes began to glow bright blue and spun and parried with so much speed he began to look like a blur. Despite the fact he was parrying and wading through the riders with perfect precision and Triss was blasting riders with fire, she could see that the Hunt had sent sheer numbers towards the red-headed sorceress. Her blood began to heat up, and her eyes widened as she saw how fiercely he was fighting. He moved and swung his blade with more ferocity then Ciri had even seen on the Isle of Mists after he thought she was dead. He parried a blow and spun back around to fire his hand forward, and an Aard blast quickly sent a rider flying over the walls. The blast was so powerful Ciri's jaw dropped, but she screamed out when she saw a rider quickly dart forward and cut him across the back, he had dodged at the last minute but still winced as the blade raked across his back. Triss quickly fired forward and incinerated the rider before Dominik's eyes returned to their normal state, he whirled back around and leveled his blade towards the multitude of riders coming towards Triss and he.

"Ciri go! Go on!" Her Uncle yelled next to her before the elderly witcher raced down the steps.

Ciri shook her head to regain focus and started charging forward across the walls to the other battlement. She watched the riders charge Dominik and Triss again and seeing them both in danger only made the magic swirl around her limbs even faster. He was there fighting for her, and she could see him that despite the new wound he received didn't stop, he didn't stop swinging his sword for a moment. His footwork was perfectly precise, he moved with even more grace then she remembered him having, but that didn't mean he didn't show his strength. One rider swung a halberd down towards his head, and he raised up his silver, grabbing the edge of his own blade with his free hand Dominik caught the massive axe head on his sword. Showing incredible strength, he flicked the axe to the side before side-stepping and swinging his silver upwards to decapitate the wraith and with continued momentum he continued to wade into the enemy.

She could see his teeth gritted together as he didn't relent for a moment, he whirled and twirled with such speed Ciri almost thought more magic was flowing through him, but he didn't have his powers activated. He simply fought, fought and fought more for her, to protect her and keep the Hunt from taking her. And now she was finally going to be able to repay him, repay him for all the years he spent fighting for her by being there for him. She knew he had gone through hell, the little bit she had heard from Dandelion, and from Geralt when she had come back the first time had been enough for her to know that. He was alone for so long just like she had been, looking for her and now after they had finally come back together, someone was trying to rip them apart again. Dominik clearly wasn't going to let that happen and Ciri saw it in how he fought. He parried a series of blows from one particularly skillful rider, he parried and thrusted his hand forward to knock the rider back with an Aard blast before Ciri saw his eyes flash blue, he whirled around and thrusting both hands forward a torrent of flames erupted from his hands and two more riders were charred, and then Triss threw a ball of fire forward as well and it blasted a hound that was leaping towards him. No matter how quickly they fought more kept coming.

She saw Triss and he get pushed to the brink as a new large group of riders leapt from the portal that had been opened, and in a flash Dominik and the sorceress were surrounded.

"DOMINIK," She screamed just as they all charged, and Ciri saw the overwhelming odds facing the man she loved and Triss.

He waded into them as Triss was knocked to the ground. The sorceress was just about to be stabbed but Dominik came thrusting his blade forward, with a loud squelch Ciri heard over the ring he stopped the rider from killing Triss before he pulled the sorceress up from the ground to make sure she was alright. But Ciri's eyes widened and the magic exploded around her limbs when she saw the rider coming up behind him as he was unaware. The crude longsword went to come down on him but Ciri had finally gotten there.

She willed herself forward and teleported right behind him. Raising up her blade a loud ***CLANG* **rippled over every sound in the castle. Ciri locked blades with the rider and it seemed that for a few seconds the world moved in slow motion. She managed to move her eyes to the side and saw Dominik and Triss both with their eyes wide looking at her. Dominik looked down and seemed to meet her sideways gaze, and Ciri couldn't help but smirk as she saw the open-mouthed smile that grew on his face. Ciri almost laughed as she pushed the riders strike upward and spun to cut across his stomach, and then Dominik with his silver sword still in hand thrusted his free hand forward and an Aard blast shot the rider back and for a few moments no more came.

Ciri let out a sigh and turned to see Dominik and Triss both looking at her with wide eyes, and she felt her heart warm at the open-mouthed smile that was on Dominik's face now. The wind flushed through his messy brown locks and Ciri saw his emerald eyes sparkling with a mixture of excitement, shock and amazement. A small part of her wanted to grab the collar of his armor and kiss him in that moment but she knew they had much more important things to worry about.

"Are you both alright," Ciri quickly asked them both while keeping her sword at the ready.

Triss quickly nodded, "I am now thanks to the both of you. That was close, I got swarmed right away as soon as the portals opened, it was as if they knew I would be here!"

Ciri looked and saw the elated look quickly fade from Dominik's face and his eyes narrowed. She saw it was as if a fire had erupted inside of him as he shook his head.

"It's my fault… fucking Baelen, she's tracking me again!" He said, and Ciri heard the pure anger ripping from his voice.

"What? What do you mean," Ciri quickly asked him feeling her heart begin to race quicker, "How can she track you?"

He shook his head and sighed annoyedly, "I don't know! It's a long story but she uses this… ritual thing to track me, she can hear what I hear, I don't know how, but I should have fucking known! I could get us all killed!"

"It's not your fault," Ciri said right away taking a step closer to him, "None of it's your fault, we can't focus on that right now there's nothing we can do! Geralt sent the signal!"

"I know, I saw," Triss quickly said as the sorceress shook her head, "I'll try to-. LOOK OUT MORE INCOMING!"

A giant ball of fire erupted into Triss's hand and Ciri whirled around to level her blade. She felt the magic still whirling from her limbs as Dominik did the same, Ciri looked as saw a new larger group of riders coming out of the portal and she cursed herself for not closing it as soon as she arrived. Next to her she could see Dominik's eyes narrow as magic began to whirl around his limbs as well, Ciri saw his eyes begin to glow a tinge of blue as he quickly turned back to Triss.

"Triss use your spell! Geralt's walked into a trap he needs help! Ciri and I will keep you covered," He promised and Ciri saw the red-headed sorceress quickly nod and run to the walls overlooking the forest.

She turned her attention back to the riders, and they seemed to narrow in on Dominik and her without even paying Triss no mind. Quickly she got back to back with him and they slowly moved as the riders began to circle them. They both kept their blades leveled and Ciri could hear his deep, heavy breathing behind her and she could tell how his anger was spiking. Geralt's words about his powers being dangerous if he gets to angry whirled in her brain and she quickly reached one hand behind her and grabbed onto his elbow.

"We do this together," She said sharply to him over the wind and the chatter of the riders, "I'm not leaving your side, not for a minute, I won't leave you alone again!"

Slowly she could feel the tension leave him, and out of the corner of his eyes she saw him slowly nod as they both gripped their blades with both hands. She felt her own magic begin to whirl around her limbs as when he spoke she could almost hear excitement in his tone.

"You're right… together," He said slowly, as the riders slowly continued to circle them, and when he spoke again he could hear the hint of amusement. "You know, I've been waiting for this for a long time… curious to see how good you've gotten!"

She managed to laugh and quickly look back to him, "You're about to find out! I'll try not to make you look too bad!"

He laughed as well and it washed over her, despite the howling gale of cold wind she felt her heart warm, her skin warm. No matter what happened he was at her side, he was at her side again and no matter what she knew he would never leave it, just as she would never leave his.

"I count fifteen… care for a friendly wager," He shouted cheekily over the wind, and Ciri right away scoffed with a smile.

"You're on, loser has to polish the other one's sword after the battle," She shouted back at him, just as the soldiers all began to chatter louder and Ciri knew the charge was imminent.

Dominik scoffed out loudly behind him, as she saw him nod from the corner of her eyes, "It's a deal…. Okay… you ready princess?"

She felt her heart rate increase at hearing him call her 'princess'. It was the one nickname he had for her, and despite the fact she had hated being called it by everyone growing up, Dominik was the only one who she didn't mind it from. She knew he meant it as a term of endearment, of love, and to that day it still made her face heat up. And as she looked into the faceplates of the riders around her, she knew that they, Baelen, and even Eredin wouldn't stand in their way.

"I've been ready for this for years…" She said fondly, as the magic swirled even more violently around her limbs and soon she started seeing tinges of blue in her eyes, "Let's do this…together."

"Together.…" He said behind her, and she could feel the power starting to whir in him as well, as his limbs began to swirl and churn with blue magic.

And then finally, eight years later Dominik and she got to fight with one another.

All at once the riders seemed to charge and keeping each other close by Dominik and Ciri waded into them all. Pure magical energy erupted from the both of them, and with every stroke of their swords small magical explosions erupted into the riders and sent them skidding back. Spinning perfectly off his spins and moving perfectly off his movements Ciri parried and thrusted, blinking back and forth to cover his back, while he twirled his blade into a reversed grip and spun seamlessly through enemy after enemy. She saw that he slowly broke off from her, he parried a combo from one rider before spinning underneath his enemies blade, he locked eyes with her for a moment before blasting the rider forward with an Aard blast, the wraith stumbled forward and Ciri blinked forward and cut through the phantom with ease before coming back to Dominik's side being back to back with him again.

"That's one for me!" She shouted as another came charging at her making her have to parry a blow.

"That does not count! I sent him right into your sword that's no fair," He complained parrying and ducking under a blade before blasting the rider over the walls with Aard.

Ciri laughed as she parried another blow and teleported back to his side, "It completely does! You never specified rules-. DOWN!"

Right away he listened to her command when she saw two more coming for his blindside. He ducked his back down and Ciri rolled over him before blinking forward and cutting through one, she parried one more blow from the second rider and kept its attention before Dominik slid forward on his knees, his blade was in a reverse grip and he cut clean through the legs of the wraith before coming up with a spin and decapitating their foe. He stood back up with a smile and Ciri saw the blue magic tinting in his eyes and churning around his limbs.

"I'm up to three now!" He yelled with glee, before spinning back around her and firing up a wall of flames that torched three more riders, "Make that six!"

Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smile before teleporting forward and cutting through the bodies of all three burning riders, after she had cut them down she blinked back to his side and smirked up at him as they got back to back again.

"Actually, I think it is three, meanwhile make that five for me!" She shouted with the smirk still on her face as they both waded into riders again.

She looked and when she saw him roll his eyes and smile she nearly felt her heart melt. For a few precious seconds she felt like they were children again, she could see the two of them at eleven, twelve, thirteen years old spinning and sparring with one another. And all in a flash she saw all the things she had to do. She saw herself killing and robbing people while she was with the rats, forced to kill for the entertainment of a madman in that fucking arena, she saw herself stuck in King Auberon's bedchamber forced to try to sleep with the old elf all because of an ancestor she had never fucking met, she saw herself skating along the bloodstained ice as Rience pleaded for his life with his fingers dug into the thick ice, fighting at Stygga Castle, and all that time, all she had fucking wanted was to get back to him and live her fucking life.

And now she was back, she was back and for a few moments she had him, just the two of them and their family but now they were back. They wanted to kill Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer all of them, they wanted to kill her and use her power to take over her fucking world. She wasn't going to let them, she wasn't going to run, she wasn't going to fucking hide. Ciri was going to kill them all, find them, kill them and then she would be with Dominik, the two of them would travel the path, she wasn't going to let anyone else take that away from them.

She wouldn't be alone again, he wouldn't be alone again, she wouldn't let it happen.

Her eyes flashed with a new intense brightness at the same time as Dominik's did and she blinked forward to cleave her way through two more riders. She came to a quick stop and parried two strikes from one of the wraiths and felt the magic explode out of her as she teleported forward and a loud ***BOOM* **ripped through the air as the singed and cut in half body of the rider fell in half. Another loud clang of steel ripped through her ears as she turned around with her eyes still blue to see Dominik in a similar state. He was surrounded by four riders and spun in a silver whirlwind as he parried blows and with every stroke of his sword a small magical explosion erupted, and he fired his hand forward, finally he yelled and slammed his fist into the ground and a large blast off Aard erupted around him and sent all the riders flying backwards, two got sent over the walls, one slammed hard against one of the small battlements and Ciri right away saw blood begin to pool, and the third got sent flying backwards right into Ciri's path and she quickly cut through the wraith.

She rushed forward and again leaped before rolling over Dominik's back just in time to block another strike that would have cleaved through him. Quickly she pushed the blade up, before she spun and thrusted her sword forward to send the rider crumpling to the ground. Behind her she lifted her head up and with one final parry and side-step Dominik twirled his sword and cut through the head of the last wraith before quickly getting back to back with Ciri again. For a moment they both looked around them and saw the carnage that they had both wrought. Riders lay dead at their feet; the whole squad was dead and Ciri couldn't help but have a small smile come to her face as she breathed heavily.

Slowly she went to turn around to Dominik again, but before he looked at her he quickly unclipped a dimeritium bomb from his belt and chucked it at the swirling portal. It erupted into a flash of green and the portal disappeared, she saw him let out a loud sigh that she heard clear over the howling wind and sounds of battle before he slowly looked back down at her. His hair was all over the place, and she could see specks of blood, ash and snow on his head along with a small nick on his cheek, but as she looked into his eyes she found him more handsome then she ever had. Slowly she let out a small laugh as their eyes didn't leave each other, and as she couldn't hold in the laughter he soon started chuckling as well.

Before Ciri knew it they were both laughing hysterically, as she kept her grip on her blade she saw him grab his gut and his laugh warmed her entire body.

"Ahahaha… ha… dammit Ciri you… just… wow…" He said in complete astonishment as Ciri felt her face get hot.

She scoffed and shook her head as her face stayed red, "It… it was nothing. You were incredible…"

All her breath was leaving her as she felt her heart race. She spoke breathlessly as she felt the wind blow back her hair. She could remember back to the two of them fighting, or hiding as she realized it now, at the wagon train ambush when Geralt and Triss were taking her to Ellander for the first time. Back then they had cowered near the cart, let Geralt and Yarpen's company do the fighting. She remembered how horrified she had been at the scene, she tried to be brave at first, but her and Dominik both had ended up hiding, with Dominik only killing the one elf when he tried to kill Ciri.

And now there they were, nine years later, and they had just defeated a group of riders of the Wild Hunt.

"We need to get back down to the middle courtyard," He said suddenly, and he seemed to remember at the same moment as Ciri they were in a battle, but still he smirked at her, "I had eight by the way."

Ciri's eyes widened and she scoffed, "Well that seems kind of impossible because I had eight too and we only counted fifteen."

"I told you that first one I blasted was mine!" He said indignantly stopping as they were on their way to the walls.

She rolled her eyes as the wind blew through her hair, "My sword killed it, so it counts for me!"

He scoffed at her again as he shook his head, "But you wouldn't have killed it if-."

A loud ***BOOM* **ripped through the sky and cut them off. They both whirled around with their swords raised but Ciri let out a relaxed breath when she saw the fire raining from the sky. It exploded down onto the forest, Dominik and she quickly nodded to each other before they rushed over to the edge of the walls where they found Triss just lowering her arms as she looked tired, but still ready to put up more of a fight. Dominik and she both got to one side of the sorceress and Ciri's eyes widened at the loud ***BOOMS* **she saw the explosions caused as the wind continued to pound into her ears. She remembered Dominik's words about Geralt riding into a trap and she felt the relief flush over her when the fire started to erupt over the forest.

Triss sighed and turned to them both, "That should give Geralt and the hunting party enough time to retreat. I'm going to head back to the middle courtyard! The two of you stay here!"

"What!? No way, we're going with you," Dominik quickly protested next to her.

"He's right," Ciri said indignantly with a shake of her head, "We'll go with you, we can't just stay here!"

The red-headed sorceress firmly shook her head, "Stay here and make sure Eskel opens the gate when the time comes! Start clearing off the battlements!"

Before either of them could protest further Triss shot her hands up and teleported in beam of light. Ciri growled and rolled her eyes before looking up at Dominik who had a similarly irritated look.

"We should be out there with them!" Ciri complained to him as they both turned back around to the walls.

Dominik sighed and shook his head, "As much as I wanna be this is probably for the best. If Baelen can track me, then it's best I stay back here, stay where we're already going to be going."

"How can she track you? I don't understand, and did you hear what they said!? They're looking for you Dominik they're hunting you!" She said worriedly, all the rider's words coming back to her.

Sighing he shook his head, "I don't know how she… does this weird ritual with her blood, I saw it in a dream. As for them hunting me… well I guess my ancestor must have really pissed them off somehow."

Ciri rolled her eyes and at how unbothered he seemed, "Dom, you need to be careful. If they're targeting you if they want to kill you-."

"They already wanted to anyway," He said turning to face her as they jogged further down the walls before he stopped to face her, "It doesn't matter. I'm not leaving your side; we do this together like you said!"

She looked up and met his eyes, his words washed over her as she watched his messy brown hair flow in the wind. His eyes had such a hard look of determination, of love and protectiveness in them she felt her body get warm despite the howling gale around them. He was always working to protect her, just like he always had. And as she had been saying, it was finally going to be her turn to return the favor to him. For so long she had worked to get back, and when she had once… she left him alone still, but this time would be different.

Slowly she nodded to him, "You're right… we stick together, just like we always did. Come on we should-."

"LOOK OUT," He yelled, before pushing her aside and thrusting out his hand. She whirled around to see his sign blast into a hound of the Hunt.

She quickly whirled around and leveled her blade as she saw riders advancing, and soon she felt Dominik's back up against her as she quickly looked to see more advancing from both side of them. She bit her lip and felt her power begin to swirl around her limbs again. She looked down to the ground and saw more portals and the flurry of Freya's blonde hair along with Hjalmar and his soldiers fighting, and Ciri realized that the fight was far from over.

"Looks like we got company again… wanna keep our little wager going!?" Dominik shouted to her over the wind as the riders began to approach on the walls.

Scoffing she smiled and nodded, "Of course! Let's add to the stakes, loser has to polish the others swords AND cook dinner for our date tomorrow, I'm sure you've learned how to cook by now right?"

"HA guess you'll have to win so you can see," He yelled back to her just as Ciri saw the tinge of blue light appear in his eyes along with the magic starting to flow from his limbs.

And despite the situation, Ciri still managed another smile.

"You're on… prepare to be thrashed…" She said with a bit of cockiness to her tone.

She felt the power build up in her limbs and just when the rider got to her, she teleported forward, and the fight continued.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Behind you wolf!" Letho shouted from behind him, and Geralt whirled around to see the Viper witcher loose a dagger into a rider's eye.

Geralt gave the Viper witcher a nod before turning back and parrying more blows from all around him. They had kept coming, he didn't know how so many riders kept coming, he didn't know how many soldiers Eredin possibly could have gained since his own time with the Hunt, but Geralt pushed the thoughts from his mind as he thrusted and parried. It had been several minutes since he had sent the signal and Triss still hadn't rained fire and with every minute that passed the more worried Geralt got. He scolded himself for not remembering Dominik's dreams of Baelen tracking him, and he knew that his son as well had to be kicking himself even more then Geralt himself was. If they really had known about the hunting party, and that some of their strongest fighters would be outside the fort, then surely they would have zeroed in on Triss, Yen and Dominik.

Then there was what Imlerith had said, said about Dominik's ancestor, how Eredin had apparently killed the one who passed down the magic to him and his children, now he was after Dominik. Geralt had no idea who Dominik's ancestor could be, or what they did to piss off the Wild Hunt so massively, but the thought of them now zeroing in on both his children made his blood race, and spurred him to swing his sword even faster. He wouldn't let them take either of them, he wouldn't.

"What the hell is taking Merigold!?" Lambert yelled from next to him as Geralt spun around his Wolf School brother.

Geralt parried and cut across one rider before yelling back, "Just hold out she'll come through I know she will!"

A loud roar came from behind him, and Geralt quickly grabbed Lambert and pulled him to the ground to avoid the club of Old Spear Tip, who while taking out several of the riders didn't seem to care who he knocked out of the way. Lambert and he both scrambled up to their feet and Geralt quickly flashed his silver up to parry another series of blows. Behind him he looked and saw Gaeten and Letho had gotten side by side, and Geralt had never seen two witchers move so quickly.

Gaeten screamed out and plunged his silver into a rider's torso, and then the Cat School witcher quickly pulled it out before spinning around Letho to cut across another.

"HA, so this is the fight the kid promised!" The Cat Witcher yelled before cutting through another rider.

Letho grunted and jabbed his dagger into one rider before spinning and decapitating the enemy with his blade, "Don't get too excited… Geralt we need to retreat and fast!"

"I know…" Geralt grumbled as he spun around Lambert to cut through another wraith, "We need to get back to everyone else! Triss should be-."

"GEORGE," Lambert yelled next to him, as Geralt parried and spun under one attack to see the Griffin Witcher still dueling with Imlerith.

Geralt knew that Dominik's friend had been locked in an intense duel with the general of the Hunt, and multiple times Geralt had tried to go and help, but George of Toussaint was proving to be more then able. However, when Geralt turned he saw the magic of the Aen Elle whirling around Imlerith as George got knocked back into the water again by the general's shield.

"You… are. STUBBORN dh'oine! You WILL… DIE!" Imlerith bellowed in his deep voice as he tried to swing his hammer down, but George quickly rolled out of the way and the general's hammer smashed in the water with a splash.

"HAHA! You think I am tough, you stand no chance against Dominik and Cirilla," George taunted the general as he lunged forward and cut down across the general's back again before rolling to his feet, "My name is George of Toussaint! And I will NOT let you have this world you demon!"

George blasted a dose of Igni that would have roasted any man or monsters, but Imlerith slammed his shield into the ground and the frost it exhumed doused the flames. With a charge of swirling frosty magic, the general charged forward. George barely had time to roll out of the way of the charging commander. Geralt thought that George would be flattened, but the Griffin witcher smartly slammed his hand into the ground and a Yrden glyph immobilized Imlerith's feet. George lunged forward and managed to cut again across Imlerith's thigh but the general of the Hunt swung his hammer and this time George wasn't quick enough. The Griffin witcher yelled as he was smacked in the stomach, Geralt heard the green and gold armor crack as his son's friend got sent skidding back with a small magical blast as the hammer made contact.

Geralt's eyes went wide and he parried a strike from one rider and spun to cut across him, he ducked under a strike and stepped to lop off one wraith's arm before rushing to the Griffin Witcher's side. George groaned as Geralt got down to his knees to help him, and despite the fact Geralt knew the man would be okay he could see the distress on the Griffin Witcher's face.

"You alright?" Geralt asked as he reached down to help the man up off the ground, the clattering of steel and roar of Old Spear Tip rang in the background, but Lambert, Letho and Gaeten all seemed to close ranks around them to fight off more riders.

The wind howled and George coughed as he held his stomach and slowly rose to his feet. Dominik's friend was powerful Geralt knew, but with the power he saw Imlerith exhuming as the general marched towards them, he knew that they would have trouble taking him out then. From his own time with the Hunt, he knew it would take immense power.

George let out a shaky breath and nodded, "I… I can still fight. Thank you Geralt I-. EVERYBODY DOWN, QUEN NOW!"

Geralt didn't have time to turn around or cast the sign, George pulled him to the ground and popped up the bubble shield around him just before the loud ***BOOM* **rang through his. Geralt looked up and finally saw that Triss had come through as fire continued to rain from the sky. It exploded around them, Geralt saw all the other witchers raise their Quen shields as the riders were burned to a crisp and knocked back, even Imlerith was knocked down, and after the initial wave Geralt finally saw the opportunity. After George raised his shield he looked up and could see that the strength of the shield was slowly going down around them, and he knew Yen had to be waning.

"Come on, back into the keep Triss will cover us don't stop riding!" Geralt yelled pulling George back to his feet, as all the witchers around them seemed to hear him.

The riders and Imlerith were all burning, Geralt knew that the general would be fine, but he didn't take any chances. With all the witchers behind him he let out a shrill whistle and his faithful mare came bounding from the woods. He slid up onto Roach's back, and he heard a chorus of hooves behind him as his companions did the same. He shot his head up to the keep as the fire rained down below him and he thought about Dominik and Ciri, his children, both of them now being hunted by the Wild Hunt, both of them now targets.

Geralt might claim he can't feel emotion, but if any of them so much as laid a finger on one of his children, he would unleash a fury that no witcher had ever unleashed before. He was going to protect them, he would die to do so, he would make sure that they both got to live the life they deserved, the life that Geralt knew they had been craving since they were young and he first took them both in.

He would protect them, and nobody would rip them apart or take them from him again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

When they got into the courtyard Geralt took in the absolute madness around him. Sliding off of Roche he right away saw all the portals erupting in the outer courtyard as he noticed Ermion and Kiera blasting spells from atop the battlements, but they just kept coming. Despite being under Yen's shield the wind kept howling through the fortress and Geralt was almost knocked back. He heard the thundering footsteps behind him as the rest of his witcher allies all came riding in. Lambert rushed up next to him as just as he did two more portals opened up in front of them.

"We need to get back to the middle courtyard!" Lambert yelled as right away before the riders and hounds all right away charged.

He heard footsteps rushing behind him and Geralt whirled around, just before he could raise his blade to parry the blow another blade pierced through the riders. His attacker slumped to the ground and Geralt saw the frantic eyes of Vesemir in front of him. The elderly witcher quickly nodded to him before Geralt had to whirl around to parry more blows as his old mentor got to his side. For a few moments he fought with Lambert and Vesemir both next to him as Geralt saw blasts of magic coming from the battlements. He heard the deep voices ringing from Kiera and Ermion's spells as to his left and right he saw the other witchers.

Gaeten fought alongside Letho and George as the trio moved closer to the steps up the battlements. The Cat witcher skillfully leapt and parried strikes from all angles, as beside him Letho and George quickly did the same. George despite his injuries fought with new vigor, his golden hair had fallen down his back and it whipped violently behind him. Despite the small crack Geralt could see in his gilded green and gold armor, the Griffin witcher still waded through the riders as next to him, Letho quickly spun and parried with his silver and his dagger. He knew that there were even more then they expected, riders came from left and right, and their best chance now would be retreating to the inner courtyard. Even if the Hunt knew of their plans, their best option as to still retreat there, and they needed to set Arno's plan into motion. If they could trap the Hunt's forces in the fire in the middle courtyard, then they would have a better chance.

Geralt also knew the explosion hadn't killed Imlerith, and the general would soon be back for them.

"We need to close the gates! We don't stand a chance if we don't'," Vesemir yelled next to him as he parried multiple blows.

Spinning around his old mentor Geralt cut through one rider, he ducked under one sword strike and when he came up he looked and saw the other group of witchers. Gaeten cut and swiftly ducked underneath one strike before coming up and lopping off the riders arm, and then with a quick spin the wraith was decapitated. Slowly the Cat witcher moved upwards on the steps as George and Letho fought at their base, the bald man's frantic yellow eyes turned and met Geralt's.

"I got it, you all get ready to run!" The man yelled over the howling wind before Geralt saw him take off along the walls.

Geralt watched as rider after rider came for the Cat witcher, but each one quickly fell to the man's sword. One swung its blade horizontally and Gaeten slid down on his knees under the blade. The Cat witcher pulled a sleek dagger from his belt and jabbed it into the riders back, it hit directly into an artery Geralt knew would kill the strongest men in an instant and just like expected the wraith quickly fell. And after this Gaeten pulled the knife out before whirling back around and loosing it from his hand. The dagger found home in a rider's eye, the Cat witcher rushed forward and slid again picking his dagger out of the wraiths corpse before slipping it into his belt and raising his silver longsword again. He parried a series of blow from two more and cut them both down, and soon he got to the main battlements with the winch to lower the gates.

Geralt rushed from the group he was fighting, intent on going to support the Cat witcher but was quickly accosted. Alone with his allies out of reach Geralt quickly became surrounded, three riders all came at him, but Geralt quickly parried and flashed out his silver. He parried two quick blows from different riders before blasting his hand forward, Aard erupted and sent one skidding back before he whirled back around to side-step one blow and cut off a rider's arm. He ducked and rolled under one more strike before coming up and cutting through another wraiths armor before turning around and realizing he had missed one. The last rider was on him and Geralt just managed to raise his blade to parry, but the force sent him stumbling back. Geralt went to raise his blade again to block, but before the rider could bring his sword down and blood suddenly splattered from his opponent's head, and Geralt realized a crossbow bolt sticking from one end of the riders eye.

"AYE! What's taking ya so long witchers!?" An amused voice shouted from across the way, and Geralt quickly knocked aside the dead body of the wraith to find the voices source.

He looked up and saw Elise, the red-headed special forces agent that Dominik had recruited from Adda. She smirked wildly as she reloaded her handheld crossbow with more speed then Geralt had ever seen as she continued to wade through two more riders that had come for her. She raised her saber with a gold basket hilt and skillfully parried before spinning around with grace and cutting the saber through a rider's neck. Geralt saw one coming from behind her and started to run towards her, but Elise seemed to hear the footsteps because she turned and raised her blade. She blocked an overhead strike from the phantom rider before spinning pulling up her crossbow and firing a bolt into her opponents' eye from point blank range.

Geralt felt himself scoff, feeling impressed with the young woman as she ran towards the group of them dodging and parrying strikes as she did. She got to Geralt's side just as she heard more boots crunching behind her. He whirled around to parry and cut through one more before locking blades with another. Geralt shoved his enemies' blade into the air before coming around with a powerful strike and lopping off the rider's arm and killing him in an instant. Another came rushing at him, but a crossbow bolt quickly found its way into the soldier's eye.

"Arno's all set in the middle courtyard! Got the ballista primed and ready he says," Elise yelled coming up next to him as for a moment it seemed they could actually breathe, "We're just waiting on you all to come back!"

"We just need to close the gate, Gaeten went to the winch," Geralt yelled as he looked back up to where the Cat witcher was locked in an intense duel.

Elise next to him despite the howling wind raised up her smaller crossbow and fired a bolt up towards the walls. Geralt watched as it quickly soared through the air and still perfectly found its mark. It implanted itself right into the neck of a rider that was rushing up behind the Cat witcher, and Gaeten didn't seem to even notice as he fought what seemed to be a higher-ranking captain as Geralt could tell by the rider's armor.

Gaeten side-stepped the rider's axe however, and quickly brought his blade up to cleave clean through the wraith's weapon. The captain screamed and tried to swing his hand towards Gaeten, but the Cat witcher was far too quick, he ducked under the strike and using the flat of his blade knocked the rider's legs out from under him, and as he crumpled to the ground the Cat witcher thrusted his blade down into his back. Geralt let out a small breath of relief as he watched the bald witcher run towards the winch and quickly spin it. A loud ***THUD* **rang through his ears and he let out another sigh as he realized the gate had closed.

"LAMBERT!" He heard Vesemir yell, and Geralt whirled back around with Elise to see that his Wolf School brother was in danger.

He watched as Lambert had gotten separated from their old mentor and faced down a large group of riders. Lambert parried two blows from one who was charging in the front but tripped as he was put on the back foot and cut across the arm. Geralt went to rush forward as Elise loaded another bolt into her crossbow, the red-head went to aim, but that was when Geralt heard the loud voice ring through the air in Elder Speech.

"AZAR! ANATHA VELLOS!" The booming voice of Kiera Metz yelled, and Geralt saw the blonde sorceress perched on the tower above the gate. She waved her hands and the magic erupted as all the riders were picked up and flung aside.

Geralt let out another sigh of relief as he saw Lambert scramble to his feet and start ogling over towards the sorceress. Rolling his eyes Geralt turned back to Elise who twirled her saber in her hand. He could see that the outer courtyard was cleared for the moment, but he could hear the pounding on the gate, and Geralt assumed Imlerith had finally made it to the front. They needed to move quickly, and he watched as Gaeten ran down from the battlements to join Letho and George, Vesemir quickly rushed over with Lambert as well. Geralt saw Ermion and Kiera teleport and he assumed they were heading to the middle courtyard as well. Quickly he glanced and saw nobody was seriously injured before meeting Elise's eyes.

"You said everybody is back in the middle courtyard!?" He asked, yelling over the howling wind.

The red-headed special forces agent nodded, "Aye we're all set! We were waiting for you all to get back, they seemed to know we'd send you out, we need to retreat now!"

"GERALT," Vesemir yelled as his old mentor came rushing up besides him with his silver still in hand, "Yennefer's shield is waning! We need to retreat to the inner courtyard!"

The thought of Yen spurred Geralt's mind into overdrive. Not only were his two children being hunted, but his love was in danger as well. If she fell then they would all fall, the blizzard was enveloping the shield, and they needed to do something to end the battle quickly, it was their only chance. They were being pushed back already, and Geralt hadn't even seen the dragon appear yet but the beast still lingered in the back of his mind. The dragon had been described as having Baelen riding atop its back. Geralt had no idea how it was possible, he hadn't heard any stories of anyone riding dragons let alone a commander of the Wild Hunt. If it came down to it he knew he'd need to get Dominik and Ciri out, but if he could somehow make Eredin show himself, perhaps they could slay him, and the Hunt's ranks would crumble.

Geralt heard the pounding of the gates again and quickly gazed around the group once more, nobody was seriously injured so he whirled back around to the keep. He could see the frost building up on the towers, and the clattering of steel and explosions of magic kept pounding in his ears. He needed to get control of the situation, he needed to make sure that they were both safe, so he turned back to the hunting party.

"Alright come on, to the middle courtyard, we're gonna get back to the inner courtyard, let's just hope Eskel is there to open the gate," Geralt said as he turned and gripping tighter around his blade took off in a run towards the middle courtyard.

"Aye Arno's ready, Roche, Ves and everybody are holding them back, but we need to hurry before the fuckers get in," Elise yelled as she took off next to him, and as they ran she quickly turned back up to Geralt, "By the way Cirilla came out of the keep! I saw her and Dominik fighting up on the walls of the inner courtyard."

Geralt sighed and felt his eyes roll as they passed under the next gate, "Of course they were…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"DAMMIT! Where the hell's Eskel!?" Vesemir yelled as Geralt and he both tried to pry open the inner doors.

Geralt cursed in his mind and shook his head, letting out an annoyed sigh. Nothing from their plan had seemed to be going correct so far. He could see multiple of Eskel's traps ensnaring riders and violently throwing them back, and he could see plenty of spells being fired from Ermion and Kiera, but nothing seemed to stop the steady flow of portals that were opening in the courtyard. The gate that led to the outer courtyard was still opened, and Geralt could see the loose stone that would not only block the gate but set off the multitude of explosives that were lined and primed across the courtyard. A small part of Geralt was worried it would collapse some of the towers, but Vesemir had assured him the old walls would hold. If they could set the middle courtyard alight, it would allow them to cut the Hunt's forward forces off from entering, and that would be their best chance. But first, they all needed to be in the inner courtyard, and Eskel still hadn't opened the gate.

Quickly he scanned the middle courtyard and saw that the hunting party had fanned out to help. Portals kept ripping open and Geralt saw dimeritium bombs being thrown, as the witchers smashed down Yrden glyphs to close them, but whenever one closed another seemed to quickly take its place. Geralt watched Elsie run back to the side of Arno who was still fiddling with the ballista, he remembered that Lambert was having trouble with it earlier as well, and cursing Geralt realized that if the thing didn't fire the whole plan would be for naught. With Roche and Ves by her side, Elise and the blue stripes all spun, parried and cut through riders coming their way, while George, Gaeten and Letho all quickly worked to close the portals with their spells while they could. Meanwhile Ermion and Kiera were careful to use no spells with flames as to not set the gas alight, and from time to time Geralt could see arrows zooming into the courtyard from the battlements, as he looked up and could see the man Folan, the Skelliger that Dominik had told him was a master archer.

The blue stripes fought in perfect unison together, while Geralt watched Arno's hand furiously work to wind the ballista and prime it Elise, Roche and Ves were wading into riders. Elise spun gracefully with her curved saber in hand, all the while she found target after target with her crossbow in one hand. One rider came rushing for her and she parried, spun around before leaping and firing a bolt directly into a hound that had leapt for her, and on her way down she cut her saber across the riders back and killed him in an instant. Roche meanwhile parried and thrusted with pure strength, and Geralt also got a sense of how well the commander had been training Ves. The young blue stripe parried and thrusted, she spun off Roche and parred a blow before swinging up and cutting a riders arm, after that Roche swung back around and ended their foe. Arno cursed loudly over the wind and sounds of battle, one of the riders had gotten past his comrades and came rushing for the man. Geralt watched as without even looking, still from a crouching position Arno picked up his own saber from the ground and cut through the riders torso. After this the man quickly drew his crossbow from his waist and took aim, the bolt Arno fired lodged itself right into the eye of a rider who was coming for Elise. Geralt remembered Dominik mentioning to him that the two were engaged, and Geralt couldn't help but smirk at the look they gave each other, before Arno waded into the fray next to Elise.

"GERALT!" Vesemir quickly said next to him, as his old mentor rushed forward and parried a blow before cutting down a rider.

Geralt was brought back to the fight when he saw more rushing towards his old mentor. He leaped down from the steps and brought his blade through a rider's parry before spinning and cutting through another. For a few moments Geralt spun around and parried next to his old mentor as he took in more of the battle around him. He saw a large blast of Aard blow his hair back and looked to see George still fighting next to Gaeten and Letho. Geralt took a moment to realize that the battle they were in had to be the first time all five witcher schools united to fight together. Faram was up on the tower, the Bear witcher was protecting Yen, while George, Letho, Gaeten, then himself and his brothers, the Griffin, Viper and Cat were all fighting on the same battlefield.

While he parried and made sure to keep his eyes on his own enemies, he saw the trio of witchers fighting together. George spun and cut through the back of one rider and blasted him forward with Aard, and the wraith got sent right into the path of Letho who ducked and cut his sword and dagger through the rider. Then when another hound went to leap for Letho Geralt saw Gaeten's dagger zip through the air. It implanted itself into the hound's neck, and Letho quickly turned. The Viper witcher quickly reached and retrieved Gaeten's dagger and tossed it back to the Cat witcher, the bald man came running and caught his weapon before sliding it back into his waist. After this Gaeten quickly parries strikes with more speed then Geralt had ever seen, finally the Cat witcher spun and cut off a rider's arm just above the elbow before spinning to the wraiths back and plunging his silver into his enemy's spine.

They were fighting and holding them back, but Geralt knew if Imlerith got through the front gates and to their position they wouldn't be as lucky. Even with all the skilled fighters they had, the numbers would soon overwhelm them, and if Yennefer's shield fell, it didn't matter how much fire they had, the Hunt's blizzard would swoop in and freeze them all. It would all come down to Eskel getting that gate open, and bottling their forces, and hopefully it would lead Eredin to show himself.

And if the King of the Hunt made that mistake, Geralt would be there to kill him.

"We need that gate to get opened," Geralt shouted over the wind to Vesemir as he cut down another rider, "If he hasn't opened it yet then-."

"He'll be fine," Vesemir yelled as the elderly witcher thrusted his blade through a rider and turned to him, "Right now-. LOOK Triss is getting overrun!"

Geralt whirled around to see where Vesemir had pointed. He narrowed his eyes and indeed saw the red-headed sorceress surrounded. Geralt rushed as he watched balls of fire erupt out of Triss's hands, she blasted them forward and three riders were blown backwards. One came at her from behind and Triss whirled around to fire her hands forward and a burst of powerful magic splattered the wraith against the wall. Geralt couldn't help but smirk as he remembered the times his children both had spent with the sorceress. If not for Triss he didn't know if he would have ever been able to raise Dominik, let alone Ciri properly. The sorceress had also just saved their life in the forest, so Geralt wasn't about to let her be killed in that moment.

He leapt forward towards a rider that hadn't seen him yet and cleaved his arm clean off. Triss whirled around and Geralt quickly ducked when she pointed behind him. Despite the freezing wind Geralt felt his skin nearly boil as the ball of fire soared over his head, he whirled around and saw it obliterate one rider and send the wraith splattering against the side of the keep. Quickly he rushed up next to Triss with Vesemir behind him.

"You alright!?" Geralt shouted over the wind as Vesemir came next to him.

Triss turned and while letting out sharp breaths nodded quickly a small smile on her face as the ball of fire was still in her hands, "Yeah thanks… things were getting shaky for a minute there."

"We had to fall back! Geralt ran into a trap out in the woods," Vesemir yelled as the for the moment no riders approached, "We managed to fall back and hold them at the front. They knew exactly what we were doing!"

"Dominik told me that the one general can track him," Triss yelled over the wind, the ball of fire sparked in her hands as she shook her head, "I don't know how, but we need to retreat!"

Geralt quickly nodded as his grip on his blade tightened, "Arno's ready to fire the ballista, we just need Eskel to open the gate! Is anyone in the inner courtyard!? Where's Dom and Ciri-."

A loud ***THUD* **interrupted him as Geralt had to jump back to avoid the body of the rider who had fallen from the battlements. Himself, Vesemir and Triss all shot their heads up to the tower from where the rider had fallen and Geralt quickly had to move as another fell from the walls but this time it had no head. He saw the smaller explosions of blue magic, heard the battle cries and the steel clattering against each other. The tower was higher up, but soon Geralt was finally able to see what was happening above him.

And despite everything that was happening, the battle raging around them, Geralt couldn't help but smirk and feel the pride well up in him as he watched his two children fight.

"That counts as two!" He heard Dominik yell, as he saw his son blast two more riders from the walls with a powerful Aard sign.

Ciri quickly flashed to his side and scoffed, "They do not! I'm the one who cut them and sent them your way, they were basically already dead!"

"You said the same thing to me earlier after I roasted three of them," Dominik complained as he parried and blasted back another rider before turning back to Ciri, "They died when I blew them-."

"DOWN," Ciri yelled, and his son quickly obeyed her commands.

Dominik quickly ducked and Ciri rolled over his back before parrying one rider and thrusting her blade into its torso, and then Dominik came spinning in and lopped the wraiths head clean off. Geralt watched his children both fight, both of their eyes were glowing tinges of blue as they blasted, cut and beat back every rider or hound that came their way. The two of them spun perfectly off one another. At one-point Ciri was stabbing through one rider but another came from her right. He watched as Dominik grabbed her free hand and spun her around him to get her out of the way of the attack, and quickly after he had parried and cut the rider down. Ciri who had been spun by him continued to move in perfect motion as she parried two strikes from two different riders before teleporting forward and cleaving clean through one of their torsos. She then quickly ducked down when Dominik yelled as he watched his son loose his silver dagger from his hand. Dom's dagger implanted into the rider's head, and before the body could even hit the ground Ciri reached up and yanked it out, she turned around and tossed Dominik back his knife before yelling at him to get down again. Dominik obeyed and Ciri rushed forward, she took one step up onto his back and leaped into he air, in midair she teleported and reappeared right behind another rider before cleaving through him.

The two both smirked at each other before wading into the enemy again as they charged on the walls.

"Ha… as sharp as ever, the both of them," Vesemir commented from next to him as his mentor held tightly to his silver.

Geralt scoffed and nodded, "Yeah, you can say that again…."

"Eleven, twelve!" Dominik yelled as he parried and quickly cut through two riders.

Ciri spun around him and teleported forward leaving a trail of magic in her path, she cut clean through two riders at once before smirking back at Dominik, "Thirteen and fourteen! You're falling behind!"

"You know the fact you can teleport through them at once is a BIT unfair! Thirteen!" Dominik yelled back to her as his eye fiercely glowed blue, he performed a perfect riposte before cutting through another.

"Just using what I got!" Ciri yelled, and both of them sounded as if they were almost having fun.

Geralt continued to watch both his children with pride and astonishment. They continued to whirl and spin perfectly off each other as their bodies swirled with magic. Dominik blasted signs and spun around her in perfect synchronization, while Ciri teleported from place to place leaving trails of magic on the walls. Even after so many years apart Geralt smirked at seeing how they still seemed to know exactly what the other was going to do before they moved.

He jokingly used to think when they were younger that they could quite literally read each other's minds. There had been times when Geralt would see them both training or studying and they'd simply look at each other, one of them would start laughing, or nodding their head without the other having said anything, it was as if they could have an entire conversation by simply staring at one another. He also would never forget how long their sparring matches used to last. When Ciri wasn't tricking Dominik into lowering his guard by pretending to be hurt, when they both fully went all out, the matches lasted for sometimes even longer then an hour. The two of them had seemed to memorize each other's moves so well that it was almost impossible for there to be a winner, and their only would be when one of them finally tired out. It was a sign of two people completely in synch with one another, trusting in one another, and Geralt in all his years never saw two people fight in such perfect motion before he watched his children up on those walls.

Even after being apart for so long they still seemed to have that unspoken language that only the two of them understood. He watched as Ciri would tap his side, and after this right away Dominik would move or duck so Ciri could roll over his back for them both to avoid a strike. Geralt despite the battle found himself smiling, he would make sure that the two of them got out. And when they did he felt sorry for any man or monster that got in their way.

Dominik finally parried and cut down the last rider before looking back to Ciri, "HA, make that fifteen! I got you princess!"

Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I got sixteen for your information!"

"What!? No way," Dom yelled over the wind as they both came to the edge of the walls, "I told you the one I blasted into your sword was mine! This isn't over yet-."

"DOMINIK, CIRI!" Triss yelled up to the walls, as they both finally turned their attention down to them.

Dominik saw Geralt first and his eyes widened, "Geralt you're okay! I… I messed up big time, I completely forgot about-."

"Don't worry, I forgot too! We can't worry about that now," Geralt yelled back up to him as he could right away see the guilt coming to his sons face, after yelling Geralt turned his gaze over to Ciri and narrowed his eyes at her, "You were supposed to stay inside the keep!"

"Nothing we can do about it now," Ciri said with a shrug of her shoulders as Geralt saw her blade tightly in her hands.

Dominik smiled fondly at Ciri before looking back down to them with his silver still in hand, "Yen's okay for now, Faram and Declan are still with her! Why aren't you all inside the inner courtyard!?"

"We're trying! What's with Eskel!? He has to open the gate," Triss yelled back up as the ball of fire was still erupting in his hands.

Geralt watched as Dominik and Ciri both turned for a moment, he felt his blood begin to race as he realized that as powerful as they were, the two of them were the Hunt's targets. They needed to get that gate open and he needed to get to them. If Eredin was going to show himself, Geralt knew that he wouldn't risk it until he knew for sure that he could get to Ciri, and if they could bottle the enemy in a small enough area, he truly believed the defenders warriors were strong enough to continued to beat them back.

Ciri was the first to come back into view and Dominik quickly came to her side. Geralt saw around their necks, the swallow pendant, and the ring that they both always wore. He couldn't recall a time that Dominik had ever taken it off, and Geralt remembered even back two years ago at Stygga Castle watching Ciri fight with the ring not around her neck but clutched in her hand. He could remember the steps slick with blood as he fought with his daughter side-by-side for the first time. Ciri later told him that during her fight with Bonhart, the man had almost killed her, knocked her to the ground but instead of killing her outright decided to taunt her. The madman had ripped the ring from around her neck as she lay injured and taunted her, shouting how Dominik hadn't shown up, her little boyfriend hadn't shown up to save her, how perhaps he'd take Ciri's head or a lock of her hair and find him to finally reunite them before he would kill Dominik as well.

She had told him that was when she had lost it, that was when Ciri dug deep inside herself and managed to kill the man, she had sprung up to her feet, and finished the duel when she stabbed her blade through the man. After that she had taken the ring in her hand, and Geralt remembered how fiercely she fought as she clutched the rings chain in one hand, he could remember how after the fighting had stopped, how she had desperately asked where Dominik was, if he was okay and why he wasn't there. She had been devastated he wasn't there, and Geralt had often wondered what would have happened if he had brought his son to the fight at Stygga Castle like he had wanted.

Cahir, Regis, Milva, Angouleme, they all had been killed, and he had no idea of knowing if Dominik would have been killed as well. However, as he saw both of them on the walls in that moment, he realized that Dominik would have survived. He would have kept her safe, and Ciri him. That was a reason why Geralt was okay with the two of them going off together after everything was over.

"Eskel's in trouble! Dom and I will go help him!" Ciri shouted down as her sword stayed firmly gripped in her hand.

Dominik nodded firmly next to her, "She's right! We'll help him, be ready to get everyone to the inner courtyard!"

"Okay, just be careful! Ciri remember the amulet I gave you!" Triss yelled up to them both from next to him.

"And stay together!" Geralt quickly yelled up over the wind, as for a moment he felt his heart begin to race even faster.

Dominik laughed and nodded, "You can count on that! Ciri come on!"

"Right behind you!" Ciri yelled, and in a flash they both disappeared from Geralt's view.

A long sigh left him as Geralt turned back to Vesemir and Triss both. For a few seconds, his heart beat so rapidly he thought that it would burst from his chest. The Hunt was targeting them both, Eredin wanted to drag Ciri off to use her blood, while he wanted to kill Dominik to wipe out the entirety of his ancestor's line. They were his children, he loved the both of them, raised them by choice into the witchers and people they were today. He remembered how he felt after finding Ciri lying dead in the hut on the Isle of Mists, and he had no idea what he would do if they were both killed by the Hunt, Yen would take it horribly, and if she broke down Geralt would have done the same. He would have felt responsible if they both died, he had been the one to send them off by themselves.

"You sure they're going to be okay by themselves?" Vesemir yelled over the wind from next to him.

Geralt let out another long sigh and felt his heartrate slow. He shook the thoughts from his head and remembered the two of them fighting just then. He thought about the hell that they had both been through, everything that Ciri had to do to get back, and everything that Dominik had to do to get back to her. They had gone through more and experienced more hell and agony then most people experienced in a lifetime. However, despite it all, they had found each other, and just been laughing and fighting together despite the fact they were under attack. Geralt thought about seeing the two of them together, happy in each other's arms, the smiles that they both had when they found each other.

His life used to be about nothing but monsters and money, but it had changed when he found them both. Now, all he wanted was for them to get the life they deserved. And he would be there when they needed him… but in that particular moment as they went to find Eskel they didn't.

"Yeah… they'll be okay I know they will," Geralt said, turning back towards the courtyard with Vesemir and Triss.

"How can you be sure?" Vesemir asked cautiously as he, the elderly witcher and Triss all looked back towards the main part of the courtyard where the fighting was.

"Because…" Geralt said twirling his sword and looking back at them both, "As long as they have each other, nothing will stop them."

**A/N: And just like that we conclude the Battle of Kaer Morhen part two! We have three more parts to go in this epic battle for the fate of the continent. The first part was all planning, and now this part and the next three will be non-stop action as the battle rages on. In this chapter we are mainly in Geralt's pov, but we do finally get to see what a team Dominik and Ciri make on the battlefield. Next chapter they face Caranthir… but first lets break down this chapter!**

**In the first scene the plan goes astray as Geralt, George and Letho are ambushed by Imlerith! I knew for a fact I'd use Imlerith more in this battle, and we get to see an epic battle between the Witcher George of Toussaint and the General of the Hunt. I'm trying to give all of Dominik's friends signature moments of sorts. Faram arm wrestled the giant on Undvik, George battled and almost managed to defeat Imlerith but trust me we will see more of the Griffin witchers power! We see a bit of Freya this chapter, but we will have signature moments in the future for her!**

**But most importantly in this chapter we learn that the Hunt is not only trying to take Ciri… but kill Dominik as well. We learn that Eredin was the one to kill Dominik's ancestor, and that ancestor's children, take your guesses for this ancestor and who he could be and what he did to piss off the Hunt! Also we see that Baelen had revealed the defenders plan, how many remembered Baelen and Dom's connection? Why did she only seem to send the Hunt after everyone except him?**

**We see Dominik fight alongside Declan and Faram before we quickly switch to Ciri's POV. Her and Freya quickly team up (How will poor Dominik react if he sees this again? xD) Before finally after so long her and Dominik finally fight together! What do you make of how powerful they are together? How will they fare against the Hunt in the future? What do you make of their dynamic and small talk in battle? I LOVE writing every scene with the two of them haha**

**I also have planned on having them have a Legolas/Gimli kill count contest since chapter 1 xD**

**After that we switch back to Geralt and see the different witchers fighting together. Gaeten, Letho, George, Faram, and the Wolf witchers all fight together, all five witcher schools come together to fight and beat back the Hunt! I loved writing this part. I am going to try my best to get at least some description of every defender fighting I will try my absolute best, I'm sorry in advance if I don't get a lot of one particular fight lol**

**So next chapter, part 3 Dominik and Ciri are going to battle Caranthir before we all retreat to the inner courtyard! After that it's time for Arno's plan to go into action, the middle courtyard is going to be set alight, how will the plan work? Who will be the first to die? How will the battle end, where's the dragon, what boss fight do you want to see?**

**Next to the Isle of Mists, I believe that the next three chapters are going to be possibly three of the best of this story! I hope I've sated your appetite and have you on the edge of your seat eagerly awaiting more!**

**So please let me know what you think, let me know what you're looking forward too, and make sure to stay tuned because the battle will soon be at its apex, we have a few more epic boss fights to go…**

**Stay safe as always my friends, and I'll see you next time!**


	59. The Battle of Kaer Morhen III (Heroes)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 59: The Battle of Kaer Morhen III (Heroes)**

**Narrator: After finally finding Ciri, her, Dominik and Geralt's reunion unfortunately had to be short lived. With the Wild Hunt closing in Ciri teleported them all back to Kaer Morhen. At the fortress, their family, friends and allies were all waiting, waiting to try and battle back the Wild Hunt, for not only was Ciri's life on the line, but the fate of the continent as well. After careful planning, the defenders took positions, with Geralt leading a squad of witchers into the forest to hunt down squads of phantom riders. However, Baelen, the dangerous female commander of the Hunt used her mysterious bond with Dominik to figure out exactly what the defenders were planning. Geralt and his hunting party were ambushed by Imlerith the general of the Hunt. George of Toussaint dueled the general, while Geralt and his witcher allies fought back the soldiers. Back inside the keep, Dominik and Ciri finally were able to fight besides one another for the first time. After saving Triss Merigold who was able to cast a spell to save Geralt and the advanced squad, the defenders looked to retreat to the inner courtyard. Dominik and Ciri's former mentor Eskel, who was supposed to open the gate however was under attack. With the fate of the defenders hanging in the balance, Dominik and Ciri rushed to Eskel so they could open the gates and turn the tides of the battle….**

"I'll distract him from the front! After a few seconds you come and teleport in, take him by surprise," Dominik shouted to her as they sprinted.

She quickly nodded as she felt her blood almost race out of her chest, "Alright just be careful, he can teleport!"

"Baelen did the same thing, no worries I'll be okay, I trust you!" He yelled, just as they got to the left side of the courtyard near an old discarded fountain.

Ciri's heartbeat quickened as they both saw Eskel locked into an intense duel with Caranthir. She quickly remembered what Avallach had told her about the navigator, how he had trained the high mage personally, and she felt slightly worried about leaving Dominik to fight him alone for even a few seconds, but she had to trust him. The wind continued to howl in her ears, and the scene in the middle courtyard kept smashing into her head over and over. They were being overrun, and they needed to get them all to the inner courtyard. If they kept fighting, kept fighting and fighting she believed that it had to end soon, she wasn't going to stop moving her sword until they all were dead. Dominik was by her side, and she could feel his presence making her stronger, simply being by him made her stronger. It was as if they had never stopped, never left one another when they fought. She felt herself simply looking at him and understanding what he was trying to say without him even speaking, she still had his movements memorized, how he fought, how he liked to move his feet and it led to her feeling in perfect synch with him.

And when she saw Caranthir she felt her anger begin to rise. Where Caranthir was Eredin more then likely would be nearby, and Ciri at that moment wanted to fight the King himself. With Dominik by her side, with how her blood was currently racing, with how much momentum she felt running through her veins, she knew that they could kill him, if they, Geralt, and everyone else were together then they would have a chance, they would kill Eredin and perhaps she could finally have some fucking peace. She would kill Eredin herself if she needed too, if he came and threatened any of them, she wouldn't run from him anymore, she'd face him, and every one of their soldiers at that moment.

But she would start with Caranthir, who despite Eskel's best efforts had their former mentor on the breaking point.

She pulled up next to him just as she saw Caranthir swing his staff and smash it into Eskel's chest. Behind the navigator Ciri saw multiple riders sitting in wait and she only felt her blood boil even hotter. If Caranthir was there, then surely he already had to know where Eskel was stationed and how crucial it was they opened the main gate. It all came down to Baelen tracking Dominik, and she could see the anger contort on Dom's face as he rushed forward just as Eskel was knocked to the ground. The wind howled and churned violently as his brown hair blew upwards, and the swallow around his neck flew backwards as he ran. Ciri watched as his eyes began to grow blue again and his arms and legs started violently churning magic, his legs moved faster then Ciri had ever seen them and she took a minute to marvel at the power he exhumed. He had told her he couldn't fully control his powers, and she saw him as they were fighting pacing himself, being sure not to let them stay active for too long. However, in that moment he ran towards Caranthir with the magic nearly exploding off of him.

"OVER HERE FUCKER," He yelled leaping forward, just before Caranthir could bring his staff down onto Eskel he made it.

The high navigator quickly readjusted his strike and blocked Dom's blow, but quickly Dominik thrusted his hand out catching Caranthir by surprise, magic ripped from his arms into his sign. An Aard blast smacked into Caranthir and the mage just had the time to slam his staff into the ground and throw up a shield of magic. The blast however was so powerful, that the navigator was sent skidding back. He slowly started to circle Dominik, and for the first time Ciri heard the mage speak, he spoke in a low drawl, in broken common tongue.

"So…Baelen was correct…you…unlocked your powers…. HIS power…" Caranthir spit with his dark voice piercing the night air like a knife.

Dominik who quickly twirled his sword into a reverse grip still had a look of pure anger in his eyes as they flashed with tinges of blue. In the sides of his eyes Ciri saw the blue violently churning, the same bright blue color that churned when she teleported, when the Hunt casted spells, pure unfiltered magic power. As he slowly circled the navigator Dominik seemed to keep one eye on her and the other on Caranthir, she waited nearby as Caranthir hadn't noticed her yet, but with every second that past she felt her anxiousness rise. Eskel winced in pain from the ground and slowly backed up out of the way. Her old mentor's eyes met hers and he quickly seemed to realize what was happening and gritted his teeth as he moved. Dominik's voice was loud and hard, and Ciri had never heard such an edge to it.

"I don't know who HIM is, and I don't fucking care! You can leave now and go back to stroking off Eredin in your own world, because if you stay. I WILL kill you," He yelled, and Ciri had to almost stop herself from scoffing out a laugh.

Caranthir's face couldn't be seen but Ciri could practically hear him sneer, "You… are as… ARROGANT as HE was boy…. You think… you can stand against me… alone?"

"I'm not alone anymore! And you're about to see that" He yelled, and Ciri took this as her cue.

She ran forward and let out a shrill whistle, Caranthir turned to see her charging as soon as the navigator saw her Ciri leapt for a strike. Her sword connected with Caranthir's staff and she spun. She went to attack again but the mage parried, he was going to strike back at her again, but she heard a loud squelch as the navigator cried out in pain. He whirled around and swung his staff at Dominik, but he quickly brought his blade up to parry before spinning and going for a thrust. For a few moments her and Dominik both thrusting and swung their swords forward, they quickly put Caranthir on the back foot, they both kept a steady pace of attacks going. Just as they always had they attacked from each side, he would strike and then she would thrust forward, and Ciri's eyes widened as they push the mage further and further to the brink, she thought for a moment they would get the best of him, but when she leapt up for a decisive strike, a puff of frost hit her face as Caranthir disappeared.

Ciri knew that he was coming behind her, but she was to slow to turn around or teleport, she whirled back around, and Dom rolled in front of her. He shot up a yellow Quen shield just as Caranthir went to swing his staff down on her. A loud ***BOOM***erupted behind her and she was sent skidding and tumbling back. She quickly got up to her feet to see Caranthir hadn't been taken off his feet, but Dominik's limbs only seemed to grow more violently as he didn't wait for Ciri to get back up, he rushed forward and struck out with multiple combos and thrusts. Ciri's eyes widened as she scrambled forward, she saw the magic begin to churn even more violently around his limbs, his eyes had been completely overtaken by the blue tinge. He screamed and went to leap up for a strike coming down, and Caranthir quickly raised up his staff to block and side-stepped. Dominik fell to the ground and when Caranthir went to strike down he shot his hands up, and an eruption left his hands as a sign didn't leave him, but a blast of pure magic. When the navigator saw this, he shoved his hands forwards as well, and the two blasts of magic erupted so loudly Ciri was almost knocked back again from the force.

She covered her eyes from the dirt that shot up, and when she looked she saw Dominik had gotten up and charged again somehow. Caranthir however was still standing tall. He parried Dominik's strikes before disappearing in another portal, she went to rush forward but she was too late, Caranthir swung his staff and smacked it into Dom's torso, he just barely managed to raise up his sword which absorbed some of the blow, but another large blast erupted.

"GAHHHHH FUCK," Dom yelled as he got sent flying to the ground.

Ciri's eyes widened and she continued to rush forward, Caranthir however slowly circled above him as Dominik writhed on the ground his silver fallen out of his hand.

"And just like Baelen… you lack control… lack… the will… the mind… to control it…" The navigator said, coming to the side of him and gripping both hands to his staff, "And now… I… will kill you… Eredin's blade… would be wasted on you-."

"GET OFF HIM," Ciri screamed leaping again into the air to bring her blade down on the navigator.

Dominik seemed to see she was coming and quickly mustered his strength to roll out of the way and scoop up his sword, but Ciri felt her own magic begin to burst. She kept on spinning and thrusting forward, she spun her blade and lashed out from below the mage's knees, but he parried and came back up to strike from above. Ciri raised her sword up and blocked before quickly turning it into a spin and going to strike at his torso, but he disappeared in another puff of frost. She knew he was coming behind her and this time she spun around quick enough to parry another strike. Caranthir however spun and swung his staff towards her, Ciri managed to lean back and watch the ball of light swing right above her eyes.

It passed over her and she came back up before teleporting herself right behind the navigator and finally she cut her blade across his torso. Caranthir yelled out in pain and looked like he was about to counterattack, but an Aard blast shot past Ciri's head and slammed into the navigator as Dominik came rushing back up next to her with his blade leveled. Ciri gripped both hands to her sword and leveled it as well, and she felt her heart almost pound out of her chest as while she couldn't see Caranthir's face she could tell he was in pain.

"See… I can do it too," Ciri said slowly, twirling her blade and leveling it again, "You don't stand a chance against the both of us…."

Caranthir seemed to snarl again, "You… will both fall…. Just like your ancestors…"

"We'll see about that…" Dominik said darkly next to him, and Ciri for a moment thought they were about to charge again.

However, before either of them could the large piercing sound of a horn rang through the air. It ripped through the cold wind and blew another time so loud that Caranthir and all the riders he had gathered all paused. Ciri's eyes shot upwards, and in addition to hearing the blaring horns, she could see the bleu magic from the shield above starting to ripple. Yennefer's strength was waning, and she knew that if the shield fell the blizzard would overtake them. The horn she also knew had to be Eredin calling back some of his forces, or at least Caranthir, because the navigator growled and shot his head back to them both.

"This… will not be the last we meet…" The mage said darkly, before he shouted out in his own language and waved his hand forward.

Ciri went to move forward, but Dominik quickly pulled her back when he saw all the riders converging now. She turned around and saw Dominik quickly run over to Eskel who had gotten back to his knees. Her former mentor coughed as Dom got him up to his feet and soon the three of them were all back to back with one another.

"Th…thanks for the save…" Eskel said with a cough as his silver leveled.

Dominik shook his head next to her, "Don't thank me, thank Ciri, we'd be goners if not for her."

Ciri could see the despondent look on his face. She knew how he felt, to have this great power inside of you, that you wanted to use it to help protect the ones you love, to control it to use it for good, but no matter how hard you worked control just wouldn't come. She also knew he was already feeling horrible enough about not remembering Baelen could track him. So she let out a shaky breath as the riders all gathered around them and shook her head, a small smile came to her face as she looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"We protect each other remember? By the way, I think Caranthir should count as two, so that makes seventeen for me, you're falling behind," She joked before looking back at the riders again.

He scoffed and Ciri saw him manage a smile, "Still got plenty of battle left to go princess… let's see how things turn out."

Seeing him smile despite the situation warmed her heart in the howling wind. Everything had to be coming to a head soon. If Caranthir was showing himself, then Eredin would have to be doing the same soon as well. She saw just how powerful they could be together, if they linked up with Geralt, and they could control the tide of battle they could perhaps come out of it.

She looked up however and saw the shield continuing to wane, her mother was powerful this she knew, but even she had limitations. The shouting and chattering of the riders around her pierced her ears and she knew the charge was coming. She could remember fighting with Freya, and hearing the blonde say Hjalmar and his men were in the inner courtyard as well, but in that moment she could only remember seeing her, Eskel and Dominik, and she could also hear all the portals opening around her, more and more hounds and riders were pouring out.

"I'm a little late opening the gates…" Eskel said from next to them, "We don't get them open and get everyone in here we're goners…"

"Geralt and everybody else is fighting in the middle courtyard," Dominik quickly said from her left, "All we gotta do is get the gates open, then Arno and Elise will blow it!"

"Alright… let's see how good the two of you have gotten," Eskel said again as he twirled his sword to a reverse grip.

"You'll see," Dominik said, and Ciri felt him reach around his body and gently touch her free arm. His touch sent warm reassuring tingles up her spine and she looked at him in the corner of her eyes, "You ready? Let's go get that fucking gate open."

His gaze gave her strength as it always did. For so long she had to look at the ring and find other sources of strength. However, even after so long apart he was still able to calm her, to give her strength, confidence and reassurance just through his gaze. Slowly she nodded back to him, and she felt the wind violently blow the ring around her neck. The cold bronze his just above her breast and went it did she felt the tingle run down her body again. She couldn't die there, they couldn't die there, they wouldn't, there was so much left that they had to do, wanted to do, wanted to see and experience. After going through so much, and feeling constantly angry, bitter, and in danger for so long, she was ready to relax, feel happy, loved, and safe with him, Geralt, Yennefer and their friends.

She wanted to get to know Faram, George, Freya, hear all about Dom's adventures from the last eight years. She knew he had trained more with Geralt and the other witchers, she wanted to learn as well, despite her powers she knew she could become stronger. The two of them still hadn't been on a contract together, she considered herself a witcher, but Dominik was much more experienced in the trade itself then she was, and she wanted the two of them to head out onto the path to help and save the innocent people who couldn't, the people who couldn't half-turn and pirouette, who couldn't make bombs and oils, or know how to properly trap a monster.

Most importantly however, she wanted to do it together. Anything they did, they wouldn't be alone again, they'd do it all together.

"Yeah… come on we need to hurry, let's get to that gate. We do it together," She said giving him a quick nod and smile before them and Eskel all waded into the riders.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Someone get to the gate winch!" Eskel yelled, parrying and spinning around him to cut down a rider.

Dominik blasted his hand forward and an Aard blast shot back a hound of the Hunt, after this he spun and thrusted _Fate _into a rider's torso, "CIRI! Ciri can you teleport there!"

"A little busy right now! The portals won't stop opening," She yelled a few feet away from him.

He looked and saw her becoming accosted by a large group of the riders, feeling his heart almost leap from his chest he ducked a strike and cut through a rider before rushing to her. Eskel followed closely behind and just before one of them could cleave through her, Dominik swung his blade up and cut off the rider's sword arm at the elbow before Eskel spun and decapitated the wraith. His old mentor quickly got by their side and they all slowly leveled their blade and saw the riders rushing towards them again. Closing the gate had been much harder than they had expected. The riders had swarmed them as soon as they were about to pull down the winch, now he was trying desperately to stay close to Ciri while she, Eskel and he were surrounded. More and more seemed to keep coming, and Dominik knew that if they didn't open the gate soon, that they would be overwhelmed, they needed the forces from the middle courtyard if they wanted any chance.

With every stroke of his sword and every thrust, he tried to kill one of the riders. He spun off Eskel and knocked aside a rider's strike before continuing his spin and cutting through the rider. Every time he moved however, he felt pain erupting in his gut, as from all the fighting so far and the fight with Caranthir he felt drained. A small part of him considered reaching into his bag to pull out and use Freya's potion, but he knew that the tougher fight was still yet to come. He would throw his hands forward for Aard, but they were weaker blasts then he could have produced. Eskel saved him by decapitating one opponent and he tore his eyes to the left, and he widened them when he saw that Ciri was breaking off from them. She was being pushed towards the left side of the courtyard, further and further away from the winch, and he felt his blood begin to race as she ducked one strike before coming up and stabbing through a riders back.

"ESKEL, CIRI!" He yelled to his old mentor, and Eskel's eyes shot to the left.

Quickly Eskel ducked and threw another series of parries before turning to him, "I'll get her you go get the gate open!"

"I'LL BE FINE GET THAT GATE OPEN!" Ciri yelled over to him, as he watched her teleport and cut through a rider.

Eskel nodded to him one more time and started spinning and cutting his way towards the riders to make his way towards Ciri. Dominik bit his lip, but quickly turned his attention towards the gate when he heard the clunking of boots behind him. He whirled around and raised his blade to block and catch a rider's sword on the hilt of his silver. After struggling with the wraith for a moment he sidestepped and spun, cutting through the rider's torso he soon located the winch to open the gate and took off towards it in a run. He craned his head back to see Ciri blinking behind one rider and thrusting her blade into the wraith, and just before she could turn around Eskel leapt and cut down another that would have taken her out.

A small breath of relief left him when he saw Eskel by Ciri's side, so he turned and refocused his attention on the gate. He could hear the yelling and clattering of steel from the middle courtyard, biting his lip he knew that if they didn't get the gates opened soon they'd be overwhelmed. It was already his fault that so many riders had made their way inside and not gone to the woods. He had known for a fact that he was forgetting something, overlooking something huge that could have turned the tide of the battle. Arno had told him that you never knew if you made the right choices as a commander until you were in the fight, and now Dominik was learning that he had made a mistake, the biggest mistake he could have. If he was smart and remembered he would have hidden during the council and only learned what they were doing after the fact.

But he had overlooked one of the biggest factors of the fight, and the worst part of it all was that the dragon still hadn't shown up. The dragon that the Hunt controlled still hadn't come and they were already being pushed to the brink. He needed to do something, he needed to do anything to make up for the mistake, for having such a drastic oversight. The only way they could possibly stop the tide of soldiers was with Arno's plan to blow the courtyard, and they couldn't do that until all the defenders were back in the inner courtyard, so when he got towards the winch he lunged and started churning the gate open, but before he could he heard a snarl from the left. His eyes widened when he turned, and as soon as he did a hound of the Hunt leaped up, he managed to spin and cut it in two, but more riders came charging for him quickly after.

The wind howled in his ears as he became accosted, one came charging from the right, he raised up his blade parried and spun around the rider before cutting across his back. He spun forward to the next group and twirled his blade to a reversed grip. For a moment he felt like he was skating, gliding on the icy lake with Ciri as he reached to his belt for his silver dagger. Switching his sword back to a forehanded grip, the wind blew through his hair as he whirled and spun with both of his blades out. He would parry with his sword, before thrusting forward and plunging his dagger into a rider's ribcage. After he did he would quickly spin again and move seamlessly between opponents. He was trying to keep his sign use to a minimum at the moment and let his magical stores replenish, he knew that Baelen, Caranthir, and possibly even Eredin would be there soon, so he needed to reserve his chaos. Every lesson he had popped into his head as he tried to fight towards the gate. He could hear Faram yelling at him to ground himself, Letho telling him to attack and slither, and if he focused enough he could hear Geralt, Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert all of them shouting out instructions while he and Ciri sparred. Their sparring sessions could have lasted an hour since they had known each other's moves so well, he not only trained with her, but learned from her as well.

And in that moment everything he learned was put to the test. He parried a strike from above before cutting his dagger across a rider's chest, after the wraith stumbled he spun forward and cut his silver through the enemy's neck. However, before he had time to move to the next rider, he felt his legs swept out from under him. He felt his back hit the dirt and he quickly rolled and looked up. A rider, who wore much better armor then the rest had accosted him. It seemed that he was a captain of sorts because he carried a much finer looking axe then the rest. He scrambled back but tripped as he saw the winch to the gate only a few meters away, but when he heard the whooshing of an axe he turned back around and quickly rolled out of the way. The riders axe smashed into the ground and Dominik looked up, he quickly went to grab his sword which had fallen from his hand but the rider was already raising his axe for another blow. Dominik thought for a moment it was over before blood splattered from the wraiths neck and he dropped his axe.

"AHHHHHH! Take this ya whoreson!" The deep voice of Zoltan Chivay yelled, and Dominik's eyes widened when he saw his dwarf friend on the riders back, stabbing him repeatedly with a knife.

"Zoltan!" Dominik yelled scooping up his sword and dagger from the ground as he spit dirt out of his mouth.

Zoltan kept on stabbing the rider until the wraith crumbled to the ground and the dwarf kicked the corpse,

"DUVVELSHEYSS!" Zoltan yelled before reaching and brandishing his axe again, the dwarf looked down to Dominik still on the ground with a wild look in his eyes. "Dominik what are you doing down there!? Come on, up and at them lad!"

Dominik scoffed as the dwarf reached and helped pull him to his feet. For a moment, his vision was blurry, but after shaking his head so he could see. He coughed a few times and looked down back at Zoltan, feeling his lungs fill up with dust and dirt he let out a shaky breath.

"Zoltan, C…Ciri where's… where's Ciri," He said between coughs as for a moment it seemed the riders hadn't accosted either of them.

Zoltan laughed and smacked his axe into his hands, "Aye don't worry about her lad! Me, Freya and the Skelligers were closing portals, came to get the gate open!"

He coughed again and felt the grip on his blade tighten as he finally looked up. It all happened so fast, but Dominik's heartrate began to skyrocket. He looked over and saw Ciri fighting alongside Eskel. She teleported and gracefully spun between opponents, she zipped from one end of the courtyard to the other swinging her blade, slowly he saw riders fall, but it seemed that they just kept coming. Ciri's limbs were swirling with magic and Dominik saw that just like him, her eyes were changing color to be overtaken by a bright blue. Soon she was separated from Eskel, and it seemed like nothing could stop her. However, when after one teleport a hound leapt up at her and she didn't have the time to raise her blade.

"CIRI," He yelled, all thoughts of anything else besides getting to her gone.

She kicked the hound off of her and stabbed her blade through it, but a rider quickly came up behind her. Ciri raised her blade to parry, but the rider knocked her off balance before bringing his massive armored arm across her face to send her sprawling to the ground. The wind blew past his ears as he rushed forward, her sword had fallen from her hand and Eskel was too far away to help. She crawled backwards towards the walls, but Dominik could tell the punch had dazed her. He was about to launch his dagger from his belt, or try and fire a sign but somebody else beat him too it.

With a loud squelch a dagger became implanted out of the rider's skull and the wraith quickly crumpled. Ciri's eyes widened and Dominik saw her scramble to her feet, but as soon as she got up another rider came rushing from the right. He thought she was going to be caught off guard, but a flash of blonde hair rushed forward to parry the blow. Freya had come and parried the strike before the blonde spun and cut the rider down. Ciri's eyes locked with hers and Freya quickly picked up Ciri's blade and tossed it to her.

"We've got to stop meeting like this!" Freya said with a hint of amusement as she rushed to Ciri's side.

Ciri caught her sword and laughed, "Ha, we really do! Come on, let's get to the gate!"

Dominik then watched as the woman he loved, his girlfriend, fought side-by-side with the one woman he had ever been with other then her. His heart somehow started to churn when he saw what a great duo Freya and Ciri seemed to make. Ciri would teleport and spin in synch with Freya, as the blonde whipped out her dagger and fought duel wielded. He watched in astonishment as her blonde hair whipped and fell out of its ponytail, but she still kept parrying and spinning. She raised up to block one strike before swinging her dagger across the rider's leg, she then spun to the left and cut through the enemy's torso. Another rider came charging from behind her, but just as Freya turned, Ciri teleported forward and cut her blade through the wraith, before the two looked at each other with a smile.

A small scoff escaped him, he was happy to see a small friendship forming, but wondered if it would be altered when Ciri learned the truth.

"Ahah, you sure know how to pick'em lad," Zoltan commented from below him.

"I guess I do…" Dominik said with an eye roll before turning back to the dwarf, "Come on, let's get-."

"BEHIND YA!" Zoltan yelled and Dominik whirled around to see a hound leaping for him.

He tried to raise up his blade, but the hound was too close. For a moment he thought that he was going to be torn apart, but that was before an arrow zipped through the air. It landed perfectly into the hound's eye, and Dominik whirled around just as he heard Ciri and Freya get back next to him. His eyes widened when he looked and saw the source of the arrow.

"Declan!? What're you doing down here, what about Yen!?" He yelled, as the former Nilfgaardean rushed up to them while knocking another arrow.

The wind continued to howl, and Dominik could see Declan's quiver of arrows getting low. However, the young man rushed to their side and looked at them all with frantic eyes.

"Faram and I closed the portals and killed the riders, she's safe," Declan said, turning and looking over to the gate, "Faram saw that the gate hadn't been opened, sent me down to help!"

"It's good to see you here," Freya quickly said from his right, and Dominik could see the two of them look at each other for a moment longer then was normal.

Declan however quickly nodded back to him, "He will be alright! I could see from above, they don't have much time in the middle courtyard, the Hunt's forward forces will break through soon!"

Dominik felt his blood race faster again and nodded, "Alright we've wasted enough time, come on let's-."

"DOM, another portal!" Ciri yelled from his left, and quickly he leveled his blade and looked where she had been pointing.

Sure enough a new series of portals opened in the center of the courtyard. Next to him Zoltan, Freya, Declan, Eskel and Ciri all raised weapons and Dominik cursed to himself. He felt his gut begin to swirl again as he looked to Ciri next to him. Her ashen locks were flying in the wind and he thought for a moment her bun would come undone. Freya's blonde hair was cascading down her back, but her blades remained raised, while Declan had his bow aimed and Zoltan eagerly smacked his axe handle into his hand. Eskel still seemed slightly shaken from his duel with Caranthir but his old mentor twirled his blade into a reversed grip and turned back to him.

"Dom! You and Ciri get the gate open we've waited long enough," The witcher yelled to him, before he looked and saw Freya turn back to him, her blue eyes wide and frantic.

"GO, GO ON! We'll keep you covered, get them in here now!" She yelled, before she turned back, and Dominik saw her loose her dagger towards the crowd of riders.

Ciri stood next to him as he watched all of them charge. Declan loosed an arrow and ran forward, he slid down onto his knees and knocked a rider's legs from under him before skillfully pulling an arrow from his quiver and killing the wraith from point blank range. He was almost stabbed from behind when Freya came and plunged her sword into the rider's torso. The two smiled at one another before wading into the enemy again. Eskel and Zoltan spun their axe and sword and Dominik was slightly amazed at how skillfully they spun off one another.

Soon however he felt his arm being pulled. He turned and saw Ciri, her green eyes were wide as her hair blew in the night wind. She looked as if she were about to say something, but a particularly cold gust of wind made them both look up. When he saw the shield waning more and more, he could see their mother was keeping it up through sheer willpower, and Dominik felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. Things wouldn't have gone so wrong if he had remembered Baelen, if he had thought the plan through, and now not only was Ciri at risk, all of his friends were as well. All of their families, lovers, homes would lose them, all because he had fucking forgot. He bit his lip so hard as the wind blew his brown hair violently, and he almost felt himself pop a blood vessel in his neck. He looked over at all his friends in the fight of their lives, riders kept coming and more and more portals opened up in the inner courtyard.

"This is all my fault…" He said breathlessly, shaking his head his, as his skin felt like it was slowly falling off his bones. He almost dropped his sword, but that was when he felt Ciri fiercely grip onto his arm.

She whirled him around and fiercely looked up into his eyes. In her green iris's he could see fire burning, she had that same ferocity, that same fire and passion that she always had, and it washed over him making the freezing chill slowly turn to a warm flutter.

"Listen to me, this is NOT your fault," She said gripping tightly to one of his arms. Shaking her head, she kept their eyes locked, "We can't worry now we need to get the gate open! Come on, you won't make me do it alone will you?"

"Never… never again," He said with a shake of his head as he felt the fire coming back up his throat. Biting his lip again he squeezed her arm and nodded, "Come on, let's go. Together."

"Together…" She said slowly before they both turned and ran for the gate.

His heart continued to churn as he ran behind her. He watched her loose bun bounce behind her back and the ring flow in the wind. The night air continued to howl and only seemed to get more violent by the minute, but he felt himself warm as he looked at her. One rider came charging at them both and Ciri whirled around to quickly parry and knock the wraith off balance. They didn't stop moving as Dominik side-stepped and with perfect precision cut his blade through the rider's neck. More came but he and Ciri continued to dispatch them. Despite the battle he felt at home, his home was wherever she was, and now that she was finally with him he was truly home. He didn't want to be anywhere else except by her side. For eight years when he was going place to place, nowhere felt like the place he belonged, and now he knew that was because he didn't belong in a singular place.

He belonged next to Ciri, wherever she was, they belonged next to one another.

The two of them finally reached the winches of the gate, and he saw Ciri quickly sheath her sword. He nodded over to her and he watched as she started to crank the lever, and the gate finally started to move. He could feel a new intense breeze shoot through him as the sounds of fighting from the middle courtyard got louder and louder. He couldn't make out distinct voices, but the sounds of steel, yelling and magical explosions grew and for a moment he thought they were in the clear. However, he heard boots crunching in the dirt behind him and whirled around. Four of them came charging at him, and his grip on_ Fate _tightened. Ciri behind him continued to push the winch and slowly but surely the gate continued to open. They would need Arno's plan to have any chance, and he wasn't going to let them ruin.

They weren't going to take her from him again, nobody was going to take her from him again.

Wading forward he grounded himself and parried the first riders strike before sidestepping and lopping off his arm, after this he ducked under another strike before grabbing the rider's arm and throwing him into the next enemy charging. After they collided one more came from behind and tried to swing its sword from the left, but quickly he got his sword up behind his back, and the riders blade locked with him, with such quickness he even surprised himself he spun back around and cut his blade through the riders back. Using his continued momentum while spinning he saw the last two riders come towards him, and feeling his eyes flash blue for a moment he unleashed a wave of fire from the Igni sign that smacked into the riders and they screamed as the flames consumed them. Quickly he dashed forward and cut them both down, just as a loud ***CLANG* **rang through the courtyard.

"Impressive, I still think you're one behind me though," Ciri said coming to rush up behind him.

He turned and couldn't help but scoff out a laugh as they both ran towards the entrance to the gate. With their friends still fighting behind them Dominik took in the scene in the middle courtyard and his eyes widened. All the fighters were on their last legs, and he could see over half a dozen portals spewing out riders. He saw a ball of magic zip through the air and smash into one portal, as he could see Kiera blasting riders with Lambert of all people spinning and parrying next to her. A few feet away he could see Hjalmar, and Vigi the loon smashing through wraiths as Ermion attempted to close the portals they came across, all while being careful not to set off the gas or explosives that would end the fight in an instant.

Dominik looked to the middle right below the steps up and saw all of the witchers. George, Letho, and Gaeten all parried and spun with perfect precision. His eyes widened when he saw a large crack in George's armor, but the Griffin School witcher continued to fight on, blasting signs and spinning his silver he moved in motion with Letho and Gaeten. The Cat and Viper witchers moved faster then Dominik had ever seen, just like he had showed him Letho didn't stop attacking, he relentlessly spun, parried and thrusted. While Gaeten seemed to actually thrust out and strike very little, dodging and parrying for the most part, but when he did thrust it was right into an artery, or to cut clean through a rider's arm or their neck.

"GERALT!" Ciri yelled from next to him, and Dominik saw where his adopted father was.

Geralt fought next to Vesemir and Triss right in the center of the courtyard near the ballista, while nearby he could also see Roche and Ves as the blue stripes waded through the enemy. Triss was carefully dodging attacks, staying close to Geralt and Vesemir she seemed to realize that her fiery spells would cause disaster if used in the wrong spots. She blasted balls of magic towards the riders, and next to her his adopted father and uncle both moved and rolled with perfect grace and skill. As powerful as everyone was, he looked behind them and could see that just like in the middle courtyard, Declan, Eskel, Freya, and Zoltan were being overrun, they all needed to converge on the one spot or else they were going to all die, die because of his planning, because he hadn't remembered everything.

He was about to shout something when Geralt whirled and blasted a rider back with Aard, and after he did his adopted father's eyes fell on Ciri and he. His yellow eyes widened, and Geralt turned back to every one of the fighters.

"EVERYONE BACK NOW THE GATES ARE OPENED," Geralt shouted, and his adopted father's voice was louder then Dominik ever heard. And sure enough it reverberated in the courtyard because all of the fighters seemed to turn.

Ciri let out a quick sigh of relief next to him, and if the circumstances were different he would have been as well. Quickly Ciri and he got to the side as the flood of defenders all flushed quickly passed the inner courtyard gates. Hjalmar and Vigi both whooped and yelled as they ran past Ciri and he, and Dominik saw them wade into the enemy in the middle courtyard. He watched as Freya, Declan, Eskel and Zoltan all seemed to breathe sighs of relief as they finally had some backup. The fighting got more intense at the inner courtyard, and the multitude of riders in the inner courtyard seemed to dissipate. Dominik narrowed his eyes as he watched the riders seemed to stop following the defenders, and either leap back into the portals or re-direct.

He tried to figure out what was going on, but he was distracted when the witchers ran past him. George shot him and Ciri a wink before going to wade into the enemy in the inner courtyard followed by Letho and Gaeten. One by one as all the defenders came back Dominik started counting off the list in his head. He made sure that every defender was accounted for plus the ones that were already in the inner courtyard itself. Kiera ran passed him with Lambert and began unleashing a hell storm of spells, finally able to use whatever she liked, and that was soon followed by Triss Merigold who threw her hands up and just as she did a giant storm of fire landed on a cluster of portals in the inner courtyard.

"Alright who's idea was it, yours or his?" Geralt asked as he ran up to the both of them with his silver in hand.

Ciri scoffed from next to him, "Mine, I wasn't going to sit by while everyone else fights to defend me!"

Dominik heard Geralt about to say something else, but his heartbeat quickened when he looked back to the inner courtyard. He had forgotten about Baelen being able to see what he could do during the planning, and it could still cost them their lives. His friends could die, Ciri could be taken all because he forgot, because his memory had failed him.

However, in that moment his memory hadn't.

"Geralt… where are Arno and Elise!? And Roche and Ves…" Dominik said turning back to his adopted father cutting him off from talking to Ciri.

Geralt shook his head, "Last I saw them they were priming the ballista, as for Roche-."

"We're here!" A deep voice said behind Geralt, and Dominik looked past his father to see Vernon Roche come through the gates, and on his shoulder was a hobbling Ves.

His skin began to tingle, and his heart nearly exploded in his chest when he saw the state of the blue stripes. Roche had a cut across his cheek, and Ves was bleeding heavily from the back of her leg, but still the young woman held her blade in her hand as Roche leaned her against the wall. The commander ran over and pointed frantically out towards the courtyard.

"The ballista got jammed! I would've stayed to help but they yelled for me to get Ves out, they're still out there now," Roche shouted frantically before running back over to get Ves on his shoulder.

Dominik ran past Geralt to the gate with Ciri closely on his heels. He looked out and his eyes widened as his stomach finally exploded. Arno was hunched over the ballista furiously twisting it and trying to unjam and aim it. A rider would come charging and the man would scoop his crossbow up off the ground, with perfect precision he'd whirl up and put a bolt into them. He would have to whirl his saber from his belt and fight them off until he was clear and could work on the siege weapon again. Meanwhile a distance away he saw Elise, and he had never seen anyone spin and twirl with such precision that wasn't a witcher. Her red hair had fallen out of its ponytail and frazzled all over her shoulders as with her saber in one hand and crossbow in the other, she spun like a whirlwind. She parried one riders strike before kicking the wraith's legs out from under it and firing her crossbow point blank into their eyes. She reloaded the smaller weapon quicker then Dominik had ever seen as she ducked under an attack and rolled, coming up she fired her weapon again and the bolt with perfect precision found the eye of a rider Arno hadn't seen.

The riders were all converging on the two and when Dominik quickly checked behind him, sure enough he could see more of the portals beginning to open in the inner courtyard. Every rider still left in the middle courtyard was heading towards Arno and Elise. If they couldn't set the middle courtyard alight and cut off the Hunt's forward force trying to get through the gate they'd sweep in and kill them all. The only chance they had was the original plan of bottling all the forces into the inner courtyard. However, the Hunt knew of their plan, and Baelen surely told them of their plans to set the middle courtyard alight, and that was why now they were converging all their forces on Arno and Elise, trying to stop them from firing, and he was sure as well that whatever force Geralt and the hunting party had to retreat from was close to breaking down the gate.

His eyes widened and it felt as if he was watching the scene in slow motion. Arno screamed out and punched the ballista as more riders converged on him. He shot up and parried two strikes with his saber before ducking under the riders swords and cutting them both down from behind, and then somehow he knew another was coming from his left, he turned around and fired a bolt straight into a riders heart without hesitation. Elise a few meters away from him continued to spin and fight like a red headed demon. Her hair whipped back in the wind and one hound of the hunt leaped up for her, he watched in horror as she cried out, the hound latched onto her sword arm but Elise brought her crossbow over and fired a bolt into the creatures eye. Dominik could tell the wound was bleeding, but Elise found the strength to raise her saber and keep fighting.

They were being pushed to the brink, their was no way they'd be able to get the ballista to fire and get back. The Hunt had narrowed in on them and it was all because of him. Everything got tuned out of his ears for a moment as all he looked at was the two fighting. No matter what came their way, Arno and Elise didn't stop, they slashed, thrusted spun and parried, they fired their crossbows with pinpoint precision and didn't stop. As talented as they were they were going to be overrun, they would be killed. The two of them were engaged, supposed to be married soon and go on leave to spend time with one another. And now they could possibly not get that chance, all because he had asked them to come fight, and all because of his mistake at the planning.

"DAMMIT," Geralt cursed from next to him, as the wind violently blew his silver hair back. Quickly Geralt turned down to the both of them, "If we don't get that-."

"I'm going to help them!" Dominik yelled, as he ran into the middle courtyard without a second thought.

"DOM STOP," Geralt tried to yell after him, but Dominik ignored his adopted father completely, and kept charging towards Arno fighting at the ballista.

"I'm going with him!" He heard Ciri yell behind him seconds after, and that was followed by another yell from Geralt.

"NO CIRI STOP GET BACK-," Geralt started to yell, but Dominik managed to look back to see his adopted father was charged by several riders and forced to defend himself.

Within seconds he saw Ciri rushed up to his side as they both ran. He looked at her and for a few seconds forgot all about the situation as his love for her somehow rose even higher. She craned her head over to him as they charged forward.

"Where you go, I go…" She shouted over the wind with her ashen hair almost blasting out of its bun.

Slowly he nodded, and when they turned they waded into the next fight.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"ARNO!" Dominik yelled with Ciri still close to him. He could see Arno almost overrun, and just before one rider could stab the man, Dominik came running in and blasted the wraith back with an Aard sign. Arno's head shot up and met Dominik's eyes for a moment, and before he could say anything Ciri teleported forward and cut clean through another rider who would've attacked the man.

Arno whirled around to them as the three all stood together. For a few moments Dominik whirled and parried, wading into the riders who came his way. Next to him Ciri's limbs started erupting with magic, she teleported and cut through rider after rider, and finally Dominik rushed forward and blasted both his hands forward. A huge blast of the Aard sign ripped from his hands and sent a group of riders sprawling back just as Ciri teleported back to his side. He managed to look up towards the gate to the inner courtyard, inside he could see Geralt near the entrance, and the absolute chaos that was unfolding. He could see the portals beginning to open, more and more riders descended upon his friends, and as he whirled around he could see the ones remaining in the middle courtyard swarming around the ballista. His blood began to race faster as the night air howled through his hair, they needed to get the gate to the outer courtyard closed before the Hunt's forward force came or there would be no chance at all, and this was all before Eredin or the dragon showed.

"What happened to the ballista!?" Dominik asked, whirling around to Arno as the man fervently shook his head.

"Damn things jammed," Arno yelled over the wind and the fighting, he got down and tried to winch it again to aim but came up short, "FUCK! We need to find another way to-."

"GAHHHHHH ARNO," The shrill voice of Elise pierced through the sky.

Ciri fought off the riders near them, teleporting clear through them while Arno and he both shot their heads over to Elise. Dominik's blood turned to ice and he almost dropped his sword when he saw Elise become surrounded, completely surrounded and outmatched as she gripped desperately onto her torso while loosely holding her crossbow.

One rider came from her right, she lightly parried and spun while cutting across the wraiths side. Her enemy was taken down but after this a hound of the Hunt leaped and its claws cut across her face and took her to the ground. She yelled for Arno, but the hound didn't relent. She managed to raise up her crossbow and shoot a bolt into the hound's neck to kill it, but as she slowly tried to get up Dominik could see the blood slowly drip from the cuts across her face. Two more came charging at her, and she parried one before rolling under another strike and stabbing her saber through one of her attackers, the second however went for a thrust into her torso with a halberd. Elise managed to sidestep the thrust, but it caught her along the side of her abdomen.

"AHHHHH YOU FUCK!" She yelled out, slicing her saber down clean through the halberd's shaft before spinning and cutting through the rider.

She stumbled during her spin and dropped her sword, she rolled to avoid a swing from one rider, she thankfully managed to come up right near her crossbow, picking it up she whirled around and fired a bolt into the rider's eye. She crawled up to her knees and Dominik had never seen so much fight from a person. Elise parried blows from her knees, all while firing and reloading her crossbow, blood was seeping through her armor Dominik could see, and the cuts across her were forcing her to shut one of her eyes. She yelled out in pain, and despite the situation she continued to fight, she threw herself to the ground and rolled to avoid attacks, cutting through riders legs and firing bolt after bolt the riders still fell to her. Ciri teleported back to his side but he could see more advancing on the ballista as well, and Elise was still a distance away. He looked to Arno, and was going to suggest something but the man had already ran.

"ELISE," Arno yelled, rushing forward and jumping down the steps. He leaped up and fired his crossbow, and the bolt soared and implanted into the head of a rider who was standing over Elise.

"ARNO, ELISE!" Dominik yelled, and was about to run forward but soon heard crunching of boots behind him.

He whirled around and a rider was coming for an overhead strike. However, just before Dominik could raise his sword Ciri teleported past him and the rider who was about to attack slowly fell in half. She reappeared next to him, and looked up at him with frantic eyes.

"Dom, we need to fix the ballista!" She stressed to him as for a moment the riders didn't seem to come for them.

He looked over quickly to the siege weapon, "I know, but I have no idea how to fix a fucking ballista!"

"Gregory never showed you anything!?" Ciri asked as they both quickly knelt down next to the siege engine.

He scoffed and begun to examine the complicated winches and machinery in the ballista. Dominik couldn't tell what was wrong with it and had no idea where to even begin. He heard yelling and the clanging of steel, looking up he saw Arno fighting like a demon near Elise who was still on her knees, trying desperately to rise up. Arno cut and spun around riders gracefully. He spun around one rider while cutting his throat and leaping up to kick one out of the way, before he skillfully whirled back around and fired his crossbow to kill another who would have stabbed Elise. The man whirled and spun with so much precision that Dominik thought he'd make a great witcher, however, all Arno was now was a man protecting the woman he loved.

That didn't mean however Elise was anywhere near ready to stop fighting. Despite the blood pooling up on her gambeson, and her eye closed by the wounds on her face, she managed to hold her own from the ground. Staying close to Arno she fired shot after shot from her crossbow, and it seemed the one eye being closed only made her aim even more precise. Bolt after bolt found their mark in riders and hounds, and if one got too close to her she'd roll and cut across their legs. The two of them stuck close to one another, but Dominik knew that he needed to move, he needed to do something. Even if he couldn't launch the ballista he needed to get Arno and Elise into the keep, or at least back into the courtyard.

He tore his eyes away from them and back to the ballista, "No! He didn't even work with the stuff. Ciri even if we can't-."

"Dom…. look," Ciri said slowly, and Dominik slowly got to his feet to see what she was pointing too.

When he looked to the gate he felt his heart drop, "They broke through…."

Riders and hounds began pouring into the middle courtyard from the outer one. Dozens more were soon going to descend upon Arno, Elise and them, and they needed to do something. If that forward force got to the inner courtyard they'd be overwhelmed, no amount of skill would save them, and it all would have been his fault. He bit his lip so hard he felt the blood begin to pool into his mouth and whirled back around to Ciri.

"We need to find a way to-. LOOK OUT," He yelled when he saw the rider charging from behind her.

The two of them both whirled around and two more riders were charging for them. They must have come from the inner courtyard, and Dominik quickly got his blade up ready to fight again, but before either of the riders could get to them two arrows pierced their skull and protruded out the front. His eyes widened as they both crumbled to the ground and he saw Declan sprinting towards them both. The former Nilfgaardeans black hair flapped in the wind, and as soon as he saw the ballista he shouldered his bow.

"Declan!? What're you doing out here, get back to the inner courtyard," Dominik yelled at him, as the black-haired young man quickly ran past him.

Declan whirled around and his blue eyes were wide and frantic as he shook his head, "I heard from Geralt what was going on! I can help, I worked with ballista in the army. Sometimes they get stuck in cold weather, I can fix it, I just need a few moments!"

"We might not have a few moments, Dominik look!" Ciri yelled from next to him pointing towards where Arno and Elise were.

Dominik whirled around and saw that the forward squad of the Hunt had descended upon them. Arno had three come down on him at once, he spun to parry and kill one, but the second knocked him down and he would have been killed if not for Elise, who was now on the ground completely firing crossbow bolts. A rider with a halberd went to swing it down on her, but she rolled to the right and loaded her crossbow again, she fired the bolt up into the rider's eye just as it raised the halberd again. A hound came to leap on her again however, but Arno desperately lunged forward and cut through it just before it could get to her.

They would both be killed, the Hunt's forward forces continued to pour inside the keep and they just wouldn't be able to hold them back. He felt his heart almost pound out of his chest and soon it was replaced by a fiery rage. Arno and Elise had been sent there by Adda, and despite being ordered too, the both of them had treated him with respect. Arno's words from before the battle, '_we believe in you, believe in your abilities, your leadership'. _They had believed in him to lead them, and it was because of his leadership that their plan was currently going to shit, and he needed to make up for it.

"Go Dominik! Go and help them, I will fix the ballista," Declan shouted as he got to the ground below him.

Ciri came up behind him and grabbed his shoulder, "Dom he's right! Come on let's-."

"BEHIND YOU!" Declan suddenly shouted, and Dominik whirled around to see a hound leaping towards them, but another arrow came soaring through the air and killed the beast before it could get to them.

Dominik and Ciri both turned and saw Declan with his bow aimed. Before he could say anything the clunking of armor could be heard, as some of the riders from the inner courtyard began charging out at them. Dominik leveled his sword, but Ciri grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back.

"GO! Go and help Arno and Elise, I'll cover Declan while he fixes the ballista!" Ciri yelled, as the smaller squad got closer.

Right away he scoffed and shook his head, "What!? Absolutely no way am I leaving you!"

"I can take care of myself for a few minutes! Think about everyone else Dom, I'll be fine trust me!" She yelled to him, as he could see the magic beginning to swirl from her limbs.

Trust me. He let out a shaky breath and looked back to see Arno and Elise almost had finally fallen, he could see Arno laboring as he continued to fight like a demon to protect Elise, who had lost so much blood it seemed she was close to passing out. If they didn't get a potion in her and to someplace safe then she would bleed out, and without her support even from the ground Arno wouldn't stand for much longer. He knew that he needed to help them, they'd have no chance otherwise, but the thought of leaving Ciri's side for a moment nearly ripped his brain apart.

He looked at her however, both hands firmly on her blade as it was leveled towards the charging riders. Power radiated from her, magic swirled and he felt the words 'trust me' wash over his body. He trusted her, she would be able to look after herself for a few moments, she had been okay for eight years… there was no reason to believe she wouldn't be now. Still however he tore his eyes over to Declan, and the young man met his eyes.

"How long will it take you…" He asked as his grip on his silver tightened.

Declan shook his head and knelt back down to the machine, "Not long, only a few moments I think I can already see what's wrong. Go! I will look after her!"

If you had asked him a week prior if he were okay with leaving Declan to look after Ciri, he would have laughed. Now however, he looked and saw the vicovaran's eyes, and when he looked at them in that moment, Dominik trusted him. He had promised himself that if Declan followed them, he wouldn't be as merciful to the man as Geralt had been to his cousin Cahir.

However, it seemed he inherited even more from Geralt then he thought.

"Alright… you look after her Declan, I'm trusting you," He said his voice slightly terse as he didn't leave Declan's gaze for a moment before he looked and saw Ciri who was looking at him, "Ciri you be careful!"

She laughed lightly and the magic churned around her arms as she smirked at him, "Don't worry about me, go!"

And before he could say anything he turned and saw Ciri blink forward and cut through one of the riders before wading and spinning into the enemy. She fought with such ferocity and cut through the riders with such ease Dominik almost laughed. He met Declan's eyes for a moment and after one more nod the young man's head went down to the ballista and his fingers quickly started working the mechanisms. He took one last look at Ciri teleporting and spinning between riders before he bit his lip and turned back to Arno and Elise.

Down the steps the two of them were still doing everything they could to move. Elise had gone to lean up against the set of steps as Arno stayed in front of her and parried blows. She quickly reloaded and fired into the crowd of riders that were starting to swarm. She seemed to have drunk one of Freya's potions because the color slowly returned to her, she wasn't able to get up, but it didn't seem to affect her aim. Every bolt found home in a rider as Arno spun and parried with his saber, his armor was smeared with blood and he slashed his saber through every rider that came. He wouldn't let them die; he couldn't let them die. They were stuck there overwhelmed because of his decisions, and he wouldn't let anyone loose their life because of his oversight. His hand tightened around his silver sword and he rushed forward, feeling his limbs begin to heat up as he did.

He got to the top of the steps and he leapt, he saw his eyes flash bright blue and channeled out all the remaining chaos that he could, and his powers activated. All the magic built up in his hand and he looked down to see Arno finally knocked aside by a rider. The wraith went to strike his blade down on Elise but that was when Dominik came down. He brought his hands down with all that he could and when he smashed his hand into the ground a huge eruption of telekinetic energy erupted around him and it blasted back every single rider that had come forward and for a moment none came they were all sprawled out on the ground around them as his Aard sign had sent them all back.

"F…for fuck… for fuck's sake kid… where… where you been," Elise coughed out from behind him, as Dominik couldn't believe he actually heard a bit of amusement in her voice.

"Yeah… thanks for the save…" Arno said as he stumbled back up to his feet, and Dominik reached over to grab the mans arm to steady him.

Quickly Dominik looked back and could see the riders recovering. He cursed and turned back to look down at Elise who despite trying to sound upbeat was extremely pale. The wound in her torso was bleeding and she was weakly trying to hold her hand over it. On her face her right eye was closed, and Dominik saw the long cut from the top of her face down to her chin on the right side of her. She couldn't lose much more blood, they needed to get her somewhere safe, quickly he turned back to Arno.

"Declan can fix the ballista," He said looking a few meters away to where he could see Ciri teleporting and fighting while Declan furiously cranked the weapon. Turning back to Arno, the man's eyes hadn't left Elise, they stayed looking down at her and he could see the conflict building up in the man's eyes. Dominik could tell what he was thinking, and soon he felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach.

"We need to get her into the keep or somewhere safe," Dominik quickly said to the man, "If we can blow the middle courtyard we can-."

"BEHIND YOU!" Elise yelled through gritted teeth as the bolt from her crossbow shot past him.

He whirled around and it implanted itself into a rider's eye and Dominik saw the swarm coming towards them again. The riders had recovered, and one came running wildly for him, feeling his arms swirl with the magic again his blood began to boil. He parried the strike and shot his hand forward to blast the rider back. He looked back and still saw Arno looking down at an almost unconscious Elise. Seeing the pain and anguish on the man's face, it made Dominik growl from the pit of his stomach as he turned around and waded through the riders again. Every stroke of his sword was perfect, every time he moved his feet it was the perfect motion. One came from his right and bringing both hands to his blade he knocked the riders sword away before spinning and decapitating him, before he whirled back around to spin and parry two more strikes, he leapt and smashed through one riders block before cutting across his chest, before he finally turned around and blasted another Aard blast, it ripped off his fingers and smashed back a wave of riders.

"GAHHHHH FUCK, FUCK," He heard Elise scream, and when he turned around he was almost knocked off his feet when Arno put the woman's arm around him.

Elise's bloody face came next to his as Dominik had to hold her up to keep her from falling. His eyes widened and he turned to Arno, who pulled his crossbow from his waist. While the riders were still knocked back by Dominik's Aard sign he walked over and clipped his crossbow to Elise's belt, and after this he pulled his lovers saber from her belt. Arno let out a shaky breath, he took one more longing look at Elise's face while she was on Dominik's arm, and gently he touched her left cheek, and Dominik saw Elise's eyes widen.

"NO! DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE YOU STUPID, STUPID MAN DON'T," She yelled before a fit of coughs interrupted her, Dominik saw blood spew from her mouth before she looked back up at him, "It's just a flesh wound, I'm fine I can-."

She was cut off when she almost hacked up her lungs and fell over. Dominik had to readjust her arm around his shoulder to keep her from stumbling to the ground. Arno let out a final sigh and slowly shook his head. The night wind continued to howl and churn at a violent pace, Arno's parted brown hair had come undone and it came down to his shoulders. With two sabers still in hand he twirled them, tossing the hair out of his eyes before looking at them both.

"I love you… you crazy red-head," The man said before slowly turning to the riders who were finally getting up again, as more marched in from the outer courtyard. Sighing again Arno shifted his feet and raised up both sabers before yelling over the wind, "Dominik, get her out of here, get her somewhere safe NOW!"

"What!? Arno we won't leave you hear you STUPID MAN," Elise yelled from his shoulder, and Dominik quickly shook his head as well.

"She's right," Dominik yelled over the wind violently shaking his head, "I can't let you both die here, we can find another-."

"You're a natural born leader Dominik of Cintra," Arno yelled without looking back at him as the riders slowly started to approach. He twirled the sabers again still not looking back as he yelled, "You inspire people… you're younger then us all but for fuck's sake you've been through more then anyone should ever have to go through… you're a brave man… but I need you to do this for me now!"

Dominik felt his heart fall to his stomach, the wind beat into his eyes and he felt his eyeballs freezing in his head as the riders chattered wildly. The tips of his ears were practically frozen, and the sounds of battle around him all seemed to tune out as all he could focus on was Arno, and Elise who was looking at her with her wide frantic brown eyes.

"Arno I won't leave you hear," Dominik yelled readjusting Elise's arms as he felt his eyes begin to sting, "I… I can't just let you-."

"You're fighting to protect the one you love Dominik," Arno yelled as he twirled the sabers again and swung them in a wide arc towards the riders, and finally he looked back and met Dominik's eyes for a second and yelled, "I'm asking you to get the one I love to safety… do this for me!"

"ARNO NO YOU STUPID MAN, I WON'T LET YOU-." Elise tried to yell again, but she coughed violently, and her blood spat onto Dominik's face, and before she could finish her sentence her eyes closed.

Dominik almost dropped her, but he could still feel her breathing on his neck. She was alive but unconscious, and he looked back to Arno whose eyes went wide.

"GO TAKE HER AWAY, DO THIS FOR ME!" The man yelled, before he charged and waded into the enemy.

"DOMINIK! DOMINIK THE BALLISTA IS PRIMED!" The voice of Declan yelled over the wind.

For a moment, Dominik felt as if the entire world, time itself had stopped around him. He looked back up towards the ballista, and sure enough the siege weapon was aimed at the front gate, where he saw more riders pouring in. He also could see the flashes of magic as Ciri teleported and fought, while Declan took aim with his bow and fired arrows. He knew he needed to get back up there; he could feel Elise's shallow breath on his shoulder. Next to him he saw her fiery red hair cascaded down her shoulders, the wound above her right eye was starting to bleed more and more, and he could see the blood getting darker and darker on her gambeson, the bleeding was slowing but if she stayed out side exposed to the elements and the cold it would get worse.

Then he looked up, and when he saw Arno Dorian fight then, he was convinced he'd never see another man move like he did. Arno spun and parried with both he and Elise's sabers in his hands. He would raise one to parry before shooting the other one up to defend his back. The man would duck under strikes and chop off the rider's sword hands before thrusting one of the sabers into their guts. And if one even looked towards him and Elise Arno was quick to leap and cut through them, he focused solely on the enemy leaping and slicing between each one, all to protect Elise, to protect the one he loved. Just like Dominik was doing.

_'I'm asking you to get the one I love to safety,'. _That was Arno's request to him, and it was what he'd do. He whirled back around and used what strength he had left to drag the unconscious Elise with him. They climbed up the steps and he kept sneaking glances back at Arno who kept flashing his steel without giving up an inch. With every step further he took Dominik felt like someone was plunging a knife into his heart. He forced himself to turn away from Arno and looked back up to see that Ciri had cut down one of the last riders near the ballista as she teleported and cleaved clean through the wraith. His eyes widened as the idea formed. He could get Elise into the keep, and still go back to save Arno.

Declan's arrows whizzed past his head as he got Elise over to near the ballista and Dominik could see that it was ready to be fired. He took one last look around the courtyard and saw the gas and barrels still in place, their plan could work after all but they needed to move. They needed to first get Elise to the keep, and then he would fire the ballista himself. He had to believe he was fast enough, he wouldn't let anyone else die under his command, all because he couldn't remember one of the most important details of the battle. He had to make up for it, he had to protect Ciri and everyone around him, he couldn't let anyone die for his mistakes. Ciri finished her teleport and ran over to him, he saw the ring churn against her chest as she came up to wrap Elise's other arm around her shoulder and helped him support her.

Ciri's head turned and looked to Arno who was still fighting before she turned her head back to him, the wind blew through her ashen hair and Dominik could see her nose and the tips of her ears turning red.

"Are you alright!? What happened," She asked him frantically, as Dominik slowly slid Elise's arm off him and looked at Ciri.

"Arno's gonna cover us, Ciri can you teleport Elise inside the keep!? She's lost a lot of blood, if she stays out here she'll die," He said frantically, as he tightened his grip around his blade.

For a moment he expected Ciri to protest, but to his shock she shared a look with Declan for a moment. His eyes shot over to Declan as well, and the black-haired young man nodded slowly, and then Ciri let out a shaky breath. Dominik whirled back around and Ciri met his eyes, and he could see the worry building up inside of them. For a moment he forgot about the battle around them, and only wanted to cup her face and figure out what was wrong. However, before he could do anything Ciri slowly nodded and adjusted Elise's arm on her shoulder.

"I'll get her there yeah… I'll be right back I swear, be careful," She said as it sounded like her voice was breaking.

He went to ask what was wrong, but before he could she took a step back and within seconds she had teleported away. His eyes were wide, and the wind continued to pound into them making his eyeballs feel frozen solid. Despite the already freezing wind, his blood somehow went even colder as he loosely gripped his sword and turned. Declan met his eyes with frantic ones as he tried to rack his brain for what the look between the man and Ciri meant. However, his thinking was interrupted when he heard the fighting behind him. He looked back to the inner courtyard to see the all-out battle. Magic, arrows, and steel all flashed before him as he knew if he didn't get the middle courtyard closed off soon they'd be overrun.

"Declan! Are we ready to go," He yelled as he managed to tare himself away from looking at the courtyard.

Turning around he looked and saw the vicovaran turning the winch ever so slightly as the ballista turned just to the left, and Dominik saw it was aimed directly above the gate to the outer courtyard. More riders were pouring in, and he knew it had to be the bulk of the Hunt's forces now, they needed to fire the bolt, and they needed to do it quickly. Declan turned and Dominik could see something in the young man's eyes. It was a look of dread, a knowing look, as if he knew something that Dominik didn't, but the man shook his head.

"Yes… we are ready, it will fire I promise," He said as he knocked an arrow into his bow.

Dominik quickly nodded and jogged up next to him, "Good. Now you get back to the inner courtyard! I'm going to fire the bolt, and then Arno and I will run back. Tell Geralt and the others too-."

"BEHIND US!" Declan yelled as he grabbed Dominik's shoulders and pulled him to the ground.

A hound had leapt passed them and over the ballista and Dominik scooped up _Fate, _from the ground and got up to level his blade. He looked and saw that they were surrounded. They had run out of time, the forward forces of the Hunt had caught up and now Declan and he were facing down dozens of riders. The wraiths all brandished their swords, and Dominik looked over to see a dangerously low number of arrows in Declan's quiver. Even if each shot found its target, the vicovaran would still quickly run out. He looked past the riders and saw his friends, his family all fighting for their lives in the inner courtyard, but it seemed the remaining riders in the middle courtyard and the whole forward forces were zeroed in on him and Declan.

This wouldn't be how it ended. He leveled his blade and shifted his stance, _Fate's _point already dripped blood, and his other blade clattered in the wind on his back. His hair churned in the violent wind, and quickly everything flashed in his mind, everything from the previous day. He saw himself about to walk off the cliff on the Isle of Mists, thinking that she was gone, that Ciri was gone and it all had been for naught. But then, he saw him seeing her for the first time, hearing her say his name for the first time in eight years, seeing that smile she got when he looked at her. He felt her lips connect with his for the first time, felt her arms around his neck, heard her laugh echo through his head, and soon he found himself gripping harder on his blade as Declan and he faced down the riders.

They had a date tomorrow night, and he promised he wouldn't be late, he wouldn't die then.

"I bet you never thought you'd die alongside a Nilfgaardean…" Declan said in a jesting tone next to him, and Dominik looked over to see an amused smirk on the young man's face.

A small laugh left him as he met Declan's eyes. Despite what Dominik had done to him, almost killing him twice just for being related to someone, questioning his intentions, forcing those stupid rules on him as he came. Dominik of course thought he had good reason at the time, however he realized then that it had only been keeping him from a new friend. A friend who was honorable, brave, loyal, and just like him, wanted to protect the one's he cared about, protect the innocent who couldn't protect themselves. As he had discovered, Declan was just like him, just a young man who wanted to do good in the world, and be with the one's he cared about.

Slowly while keeping his hands gripped on _Fate _with the sword leveled, he shook his head.

"I never thought I would no…" He said slowly, as he looked as deeply into the young man's eyes as he could and nodded again, "I won't die today, I'll stay here, and I'll fight. Fight besides a man from Vicovaro… a man who's my friend…"

Declan let out a small scoff and slowly nodded, "You're right… you won't die here today Dominik."

He narrowed his eyes at the man for a moment, but before he could ask anything else Declan loosed his arrow, and it zipped into the eye of a rider who had charged. After this Dominik saw all hell break loose. The dozens of riders surrounding them charged and he quickly thrusted his hand forward and blasted some back before leaping into the fray. He channeled the chaos and felt his limbs begin to swirl with magic as he blinked and felt his eyes turn blue. The magic, the pure, raw powerful magic flowed through his veins. Declan and Arno wouldn't die, Ciri wouldn't die, none of them would die, he wouldn't let them. The magic whirled up his sword and every time he clashed with one of the riders he felt the power erupt from his blade. His limbs churned with magic and he felt the energy whirl his limbs to move faster, faster and faster. With every stroke of his sword he looked and saw Declan had leaped into the fray as well, but his arrows were slowly and slowly dwindling.

The vicovaran ducked and rolled under one strike and took a rider's legs from under him while he did. He came back up and fired his arrow into the wraiths neck before quickly pulling it out of the corpse. As he did he ducked another sword blow and shoved the arrow up into the rider's throat before spinning and quickly grabbing another from his dwindling quiver. The arrow found its mark in a rider's chest just as another came thrusting his blade towards him. Declan side-stepped and grabbed the rider's arm before prying the sword from his hand and killing the wraith by stabbing its own blade through its torso. He reached up and pulled the second to last arrow from his quiver, he loaded it into his bow and fired it in the direction of Dominik. It soared passed Dominik's head and found its mark in the eye of another rider. Dominik expected him to reach up and grab his last arrow, but Declan pulled out his longsword and begun to parry and spin.

He had been so busy watching Declan that he almost didn't hear the whooshing of a blade coming from behind his head. A loud squelch rang in his ears, he whirled around to see Arno had come lunging forward to stab a rider that would have killed him. The man's eyes were wild and blood was dripping from both the sabers he was using.

"Did you get her out!?" He asked Dominik frantically as his brown hair was loose around his shoulders.

Dominik met his eyes and nodded, "Ciri teleported Elise into the keep! She's safe, come on we need to get to the-. DECLAN!"

Both he and Arno turned around, and he saw that Declan had made a run for the ballista. He was skillful with a blade Dominik knew, but the man was clearly missing using his bow. He parried one strike as more and more riders started filing in from all sides. Dozens and dozens were descending upon them all, and Dominik knew that it was now or never, if he didn't blow up that courtyard then that many riders at once would surely overwhelm the rest of them. As Declan parried one blow a hound leaped up and tried to snap at his neck, the vicovaran was taken to the ground but quickly kicked the hound away before scrambling desperately to his feet.

"Come on!" Arno yelled from next to him as they both rushed towards Declan's position near the ballista.

Dominik ran and leaped up, spinning in mid-air he cut his blade through a riders back just before it could stab at Declan from his blind side. Declan looked up and quickly nodded before Arno came leaping in with both of his sabers. For a few moments everything he saw was blue again. His rage continued to build up, as he needed to do something, anything to give them some space so that they could reach the ballista and fire that shot. In the distance the chaos continued to unfold in the inner courtyard. Magic explosions and shouting could be heard, and he knew that if they died there then that massive force closing in on them would completely overwhelm the remaining defenders.

He parried one set of blows from two riders and blasted one back with Aard and cut through another. Spinning to his left he went right around Arno who continued to spin in a steel whirlwind with both of his sabers cut through a rider, and then he shot both up to parry two blows at once. After ducking under strikes Arno came up and cut the throat of one wraith before spinning next to Declan. Declan may not have been as good with a blade as his bow, but that didn't mean the young man was a slouch. With both hands gripped he side-stepped and cut through one rider's arm before spinning and cutting across its back. He looked up and met Dominik's eyes and Dominik saw the man's blue iris's go wide.

"BEHIND YOU!" Declan yelled as he ripped his blade from a rider's torso.

Dominik whirled around and a huge group of four riders and a hound all seemed to leap up to charge him at once. His eyes went blue and he was about to blast his hands forward with a sign, when a burst of magic shot from the left, he could barely follow her as Ciri blinked and teleported in front of him. He darted his eyes from side to side while keeping his blade leveled, as the woman he loved teleported and cut her blade clean through the riders that were charging him. Dominik's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, as Ciri reappeared in front of one rider, the wraith went to swing his blade down on her but Ciri quickly teleported behind him, and before the rider could realize what was happening Ciri blinked forward and sliced her blade clean through the riders torso.

Finally she landed in front of him, her sword was dripping blood, and her eyes slowly went from being blue back to their usual beautiful emerald green. She breathed heavily and looked up to meet his eyes, Dominik's jaw dropped, and he almost dropped his sword. And he wasn't ashamed in the slightest to admit he had never found Ciri more attractive then he did in that moment.

"Elise is in the castle, I gave her my potion from Freya," She said before blinking past him to parry a blow and cut through a rider. Dominik shook his head to regain his focus as Ciri shouted out to him again, "They're almost overrun, we need to close the gates!"

He heard the clanging of steel and he returned to the reality of the battle. Ciri was next to him, but he looked over to near the ballista and saw Declan and Arno both spinning and parrying around one another. Quickly he looked to Ciri who's eyes were wide.

"I'm gonna fire it! Let's get Declan and Arno into the courtyard," He yelled to her before turning and rushing towards the two of them.

"Dom, stop wait!" Ciri yelled desperately from behind him.

For the first time in his life he didn't listen to Ciri as he ran towards Declan and Arno. The two of them were backed up against the ballista, and a part of him wondered why they hadn't simply fired it yet, it was aimed perfectly and would save them. He didn't think for long however as he leapt forward and busted through the line of riders that were surrounding them both. Finally the numbers were becoming too much, as the dozens of soldiers from the Hunt's advanced squad had arrived, he looked and could see some of them rushing towards their allies in the inner courtyard. He needed to fire that bolt, he had to save them all, he had to buy them time.

He cut through one rider and rolled up back next to Declan's side who swung his sword in a wide arc. Arno spun and kicked away a rider who came to cleave through him, and Dominik could see that the man was finally waning as well, his strength was starting to fail him, and it only spurred Dominik on more. He felt his eyes flash blue again and he quickly dropped his sword to shoot his hands forward, the telekinetic energy ripped from his hands and sent the riders stumbling back, but there were so many of them more quickly came their way.

"FUCK," He yelled scooping up _Fate _and turning over to Declan, "We need to fire the ballista! What are we waiting for, Ciri can teleport us to the courtyard!"

"The ballista will not fire," Declan said as he parried one strike and cut through a rider's chest.

"WHAT!? I thought you fixed it," Dominik yelled as he transitioned a spin into a parry and stabbed through another.

Arno leaped in from next to him and locked blades with one before kicking the rider's leg out from under him and jabbing both blades down.

"The firing mechanism is broken, we'll have to light the gas ourselves it's the only way," Arno shouted back to him as he waded into the enemy again.

Dominik's eyes widened and he turned to Declan who pulled his last arrow out of his quiver. Arno screamed out and lunged from rider to rider, keeping away any and all wraiths who dared come near them. For one moment Arno locked eyes with Declan and he could see the two men nod to each other, and Dominik felt his blood almost burst out of his skin. He whirled around with his sword still in hand and looked frantically at Declan. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, as Declan reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small piece of flint, and Dominik could tell what he was doing. He looked up wide eyed at the man as the wind violently blew their hair to the side.

"NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT, LET ME LIGHT IT," Dominik yelled as he tried to knock the flint from Declan's hands.

Quickly however Declan took a step back and held the flint out of his reach. He violently grabbed the collar of Dominik's armor and shoved him back as he backed up towards the ballista, both the flint and the iron arrowhead in his hands. Dominik knew a barrel and gas were right below and all he would need to do was set them alight and everything would blow, and no matter how fast Ciri was, none of them would make it.

"Thank you Dominik…. Thank you for my chance… but I am sorry," Declan said slowly, before his gaze went behind him, "CIRILLA NOW!"

"WHAT!?" Dominik yelled, whirling around just as he heard a loud ***POP* **behind him.

"DOM WE NEED TO GO," Ciri yelled as he felt her arm wrap around him.

And for the first time in his life he tried to rip himself from Ciri's grasp.

"GAHHHHHHHH!" He heard behind him, and he whirled around just in time to see a halberd stuck through Arno's leg.

Arno fell to the ground and dropped one of his sabers, blood right away pooled from his leg but he swung his saber down to cut through the halberd, before he somehow got up and cut through the rider. He tried to get up but his leg spewed blood like a waterfall. Arno didn't stop fighting however, as he managed to raise his saber to deflect a blow from his left, he thrusted forward through the riders torso, but as soon as he did another charged from his right.

"ARGHHHHH COME ON!" Arno yelled just as the blade pierced his side. He shoved the man back and managed to cut through him before ripping the blade out of his side.

Blood, pools of blood poured from his side and the ground soaked it up, the stones were slick with Arno's blood as the riders seemed to be toying with him. Arno however, didn't have plan on anything less then going down fighting. He lunged up and managed to leap forward and stab his blade right through the heart of one rider and take him to the ground. The lot of them all seemed to converge as Arno came up back up and pulled his saber out of the riders chest. From a sitting position on top of the riders chest he parried a few more strikes before another blade pierced his side. He knocked it aside before cutting across that riders chest, but then another shoved a halberd through his gut, and Arno spit blood into the man's face before falling backwards as the halberd exited him. He fell onto his back and weakly rolled, somehow someway he got slowly up to his knees, and Dominik's heart felt like it was ripped from his chest as he and Ciri couldn't move. With the last bit of his strength Arno threw his saber forward, it soared through the air and implanted itself into the side of a rider who was charging for them.

"No… no, no…no…" Was all Dominik could find himself muttering, as Arno coughed up blood, holes were all in his body, but the man met his eyes, and Dominik saw the desperation in them.

"G…go… t…tell Elise-," And those were the last words Arno Dorian spoke before a sword came protruding from his chest.

_'We believe in you, believe in your abilities, your leadership,', 'You're a natural born leader Dominik of Cintra,' 'I look forward to fighting with you out there Dominik of Cintra.'_

"NOOOOOO, NO, NOOOO!" Dominik yelled as he tried to get himself out of Ciri's grasp, and he would have if not for Declan running forward.

"CIRILLA GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" Declan screamed as Dominik felt a flame light behind him.

Dominik's eyes went blue as he looked at the riders slowly closing towards them, one kicked and stepped on Arno's bleeding body. Rage, an uncontrollable rage surged through him. It was his fault, he had let them go through with this plan, he had let the Hunt know what they planned, Elise just lost her husband because of him, Arno was laying dead because of him. And when he turned he saw Declan had lit the arrow. He let the vicovaran's eyes as he rushed to the edge near the ballista, one last time he met Dominik's eyes, and he could see the sorrow, the dread, the fear in the man's blue eyes.

"Live well Dominik of Cintra! Do not let them have this world! CIRILLA GO NOW!" Declan yelled, just as he turned to the edge.

"NO, NO DECLAN STOP, STOP NO DON'T," He yelled as he tried to lunge forward out of Ciri's grasp.

But she pulled him back and he felt the magic whirling, "DOM WE NEED TO GO WE CAN'T STAY!"

And the last thing Dominik saw before the teleport, was Declan Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, his friend, load his bow and fire the flaming arrow into the barrels below, and the fiery eruption filled his ears, before all he saw was the magic from Ciri's teleport.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"CLOSE THE GATES, GERALT DO IT NOW!" Ciri yelled as soon as she felt them land as she tried to grip onto Dominik's shoulders with everything she could.

But for the first time in her life, Ciri felt Dominik run from her arms.

"NOOOOO, NO DECLAN, DECLAN NO, ARNO, NOOOOO, NOOOOOOOO!" He screamed as he tore out of her arms and Ciri lunged forward to catch him.

"DOMINIK STOP NO!" She yelled as she saw him run towards the fiery blaze.

Ciri tried to chase after him, but Geralt, just like he had told her when she came back to the courtyard had been quick to close the gates. Despite the howling gale of wind, she felt the heat the pure blast of fire erupt from the middle courtyard. She completely ignored the raging battle behind her and looked as the fire consumed everything around it, she heard ***BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM* **go off in rapid succession, one after another the explosions kept coming, and Ciri almost tripped forward from the very ground beneath Kaer Morhen shaking as the cold wind was replaced by a heatwave that washed over her and she almost felt her skin burn. She had to hold her hands up as the bright, white hot flames erupted in front of her and almost overtook her vision. She looked and saw the gates quickly closing just as the flames started to erupt more and more, they race through the courtyard up towards the gate, and she looked to see Dominik still hadn't stopped running.

"NOOOOOOO, OPEN THE GATE OPEN IT, DECLAN, ARNO NOOOOO, OPEN THE FUCKING GATE, COME ON NOOOOOO," He screamed as Ciri saw him sheath his silver to his back and continue to sprint.

But just before he got to the doors they shut with a loud ***THUD***, and Dominik smacked into them, and banged his hands against the door with everything he had. His screams, the pure screams of anguish and pain from the man she loved were going to haunt her.

"DECLAN, ARNO, OPEN THE FUCKING GATE WE NEED TO GET THEM NO, NOOOOOO," He yelled as he slammed and punched on the gates with absolutely no effect.

Ciri stood there and felt her blood run to ice as she almost dropped her sword. Dominik slowly fell to his knees as he kept pounding and pounding on the door, with every scream and yell that he let out Ciri felt a knife plunge into her heart. She could hear him start to sob as he yelled, and no matter how the gate didn't move he kept pounding his fist, pounding his fist with every bit of strength he had. Ciri felt all the noise become tuned out of her ears, all the sounds of battle were gone, and all she heard in her head was Declan's words.

_"Cirilla! The ballista won't come unjammed, the firing mechanism is broken, it won't fire!" The young man yelled as one of his arrows zipped past Ciri's head. _

_ Ciri finished cutting her blade through a rider and turned to him, "What!? I thought you said you could fix it!? What the hell are we supposed to do now!?"_

_ Declan let out a shaky breath and for a moment he met her eyes, "I will light it myself. Elise is injured, you must get her to the keep, and then come back for Dominik!"_

_ "What!? Are you insane, if you light it yourself you'll never be able to get out in time. Even if I teleport you there won't be enough time for me to get you all!" Ciri yelled as she finally turned to the man. _

_ Declan's eyes quickly turned over to Dominik, and Ciri could see him with Elise on his shoulder. She felt her blood race and her heart slowly fall to the pit of her stomach as Declan slowly turned back to her. _

_ "You… do not know me Cirilla, but you must trust me," Declan said taking a step closer to her and shaking his head, "My cousin gave everything for you, for you so you could reunite with Dominik…. I will do the same, but because you are both my friends…. Dominik won't go willingly you MUST get him away!"_

_ "What… your cousin!? What are you-," Ciri started to ask, but Declan quickly shook his head and cut him off again. _

_ "I do not have time to explain! You MUST get him out Cirilla, PROMISE me!" He stressed to her, and Ciri could see the desperation in his eyes._

_ Ciri couldn't lose him, she knew Declan was right. Dominik would stay back, and he'd get himself killed trying to make sure all three survived, and there was no way that they all would. So feeling the ring bounce around her neck she slowly nodded._

"NOOOOOO…. No, no…. DAMMIT," Dominik yelled as he slammed his fist on the door again, and from behind it Ciri could still hear explosions going off.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered as she couldn't take her eyes off him.

She saw the pain radiating from him, the pain, anger, the devastation that came out of him. And she couldn't help but feel she was responsible. She knew that he would blame himself, he would blame himself for not getting them out, and for not remembering Baelen. But Ciri knew if she hadn't been there at all, the Hunt wouldn't be, and both Declan and Arno would be alive. She could hear Elise's light breath, _'Arno, Arno, Arno…' _the red head had muttered as Ciri laid her on a cot before teleporting away. And now Arno was dead, and so was Declan. Ciri didn't know what Declan meant by his cousin giving everything for Dominik and she to be reunited, but Dominik clearly did, because he stopped screaming, but sat there on his knees with his head facing the door. She saw him shakily reach down into his bag and flip it open, he pulled out a vile, a potion vile and she realized that it had to be the potion that Freya had gave to them all. He brought it up to his lips and downed it in one gulp, and that was when Ciri saw him slowly rise to his feet.

Her eyes widened and she went move forward, "DOM! Dominik over-."

"CIRI!" She heard behind her, and she whirled around to see a rider had charged towards her with his sword raised.

But just before she could raise her own blade Geralt rushed forward and parried the riders blow, her father spun and lopped off the riders head before turning back to her.

"Ciri what the hell happened!? Where's Arno and Declan," Geralt asked with his silver at his side, her father's yellow eyes were wide and Ciri saw his silver hair blasting back in the wind.

Shakily she shook her head, "The… the ballista wouldn't fire, Declan he… he…"

She couldn't finish the sentence, but Geralt seemed to understand what she was trying to say. Her father quickly turned and looked to Dominik and then back to Ciri.

"We all knew what we signed up for Ciri, we-. MOVE," Geralt yelled as he stepped passed her to quickly parry a riders blows.

Ciri's eyes widened as she realized her father and she were soon surrounded. The sounds of battle and the reality of the situation all returned to her. She looked and could see all the defenders from the witchers, to Freya, to Zoltan and Hjalmar, all of them were wading into riders. Ciri saw dimeritium bombs being thrown, blasts of magic zipping in the air, and sparks fly from the clashing of steel. Portals were opening on all sides, and Ciri could see that their plan had worked at least to a degree so far. The forces were all bottled into one area, and if they could just fight them back they'd have a chance.

Riders came charging for her father and her, and she quickly raised her blade. One came charging from her left and she performed a perfect riposte. She parried and side-stepped before cutting across the wraith's torso. Two people had already died for her and she wasn't going to let anymore do so. She heard one coming behind her and she turned around, she teleported and thrusted her blade through the riders chest. After this she removed her blade and spun to parry two quick strikes and killed another, and another, and as they kept coming she felt the magic in her limbs grow more and more. She looked to her right and Geralt was fighting with just as much ferocity, her father moved with more speed and grace then she had ever seen him move with before. He locked blades with one riders halberd before he reached out and grabbed the axes shaft with his free hand, he then shoved the weapon aside before turning and lopping off the wraiths head.

She almost scoffed as the wind blew through her ashen hair, she almost felt her bun become undone as the ring churned violently against her chest. Behind her she watched all the fighters wade through enemies, and the more she saw them the more the explosions from the middle courtyard rang in her head. She could see the flashes, the blade plunging forward through Arno's chest as Dominik screamed. His screams still played in her head, and she felt her heart still repeatedly stabbed. She heard chattering and wind rush behind her and she whirled around to see a new swarm of riders rushing towards her.

Quickly she leveled her blade, feeling her blood quickly rise, the anger starting to burst from her as magic violently churned in her eyes. Just before she could wade into them however, a torrent of fire ripped passed her, and she whirled around when she heard Dominik yelling.

"DOWN!" He yelled to her, and Ciri right away obeyed as she ducked down to the ground.

Dominik leaped over her and brought a strike down on one riders block. She heard a loud ***BOOM*** and when she looked up an explosion of magic erupted from his blade as all his limbs were churning with magic. Ciri's eyes widened when she realized his eyes were almost completely overtaken by the bright blue light of his powers, and quickly she got back up to get to his side. The riders came charging at them both again, and as she felt her anger rise as well, the magic spilled out of her as well. With him right next to her their footwork moved in perfect motion as they spun and parried. With every contact of their blades to one of the riders a ***BOOM* **erupted as they both unleashed pure, raw magical energy.

She parried a blow and felt him tap her right side, and she quickly understood what it meant, she spun to his right and he came to take out a rider that would have cleaved her in half. She parried and teleported forward to cut through another before rushing back to his side, he met her eyes for a moment and with one subtle eye movement downwards he ducked down. When he did Ciri rolled over his back and parried a strike that would have killed him for sure, before he came in and spun to finish the rider off. His limbs kept swirling with the bright blue light, but the tinge of blue in his eyes slowly went away as Ciri could see his hand shaking.

"Dom…." She shouted over the wind as she got back to his side, "I… I'm so sorry that I-."

"It's not your fault," He said firmly as they got back to back again, he shook his head and turned to meet her eyes, "I WON'T let them take you. Nobody is taking you anywhere!"

She could hear the hardness in his voice, and Ciri could see that he was trying to hold back a cascade of anger and tears that would have ripped him apart. She simply nodded and her eyes widened when she saw a rider he hadn't noticed. However, before she could get to the wraith, Geralt came leaping forward to cut the rider down.

"DOM, CIRI," Their father shouted as he rushed over to them, right away he looked over at Dominik and Ciri saw their father's eyes go wide, "Dom, are you okay?"

"I'll be fine…." Dominik quickly said, but Ciri knew it was a lie, she could see the emotion ready to explode out of him as the three of them all got back to back, "We need to close the portals, the more we close the more we-."

"GERALT, DOM, CIRI," A loud voice yelled and all three of them turned to see Triss Merigold rushing towards them with a ball of fire in her hands

For a moment it seemed they could breathe, but every second that passed felt like an hour for Ciri. She kept her sword gripped, and felt Dominik take more steps closer to her. She knew that after losing both Declan and Arno, he was going to be even more frantic about protecting her. Ciri didn't mind having him closer to her, but she could see the contortion of pain in his eyes, and all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and let him know things would be okay. They would be okay, she was going to make sure, she'd do whatever she had to make sure he was okay, just like he always did for her. Her skin began to tingle, and her loose strands of hair blew into her eyes. Triss frantically ran up and looked between all three of them.

"Triss what is it!?" Geralt yelled over the wind, just as they all heard the clattering of more soldiers.

Looking up Ciri could see a new group of riders coming towards them, she leveled her sword and saw both Dominik and Geralt do the same. Another ball of fire erupted into Triss's hands just as she looked back to them all again.

"I just got a message from Yen! She's running out, and Faram's almost overrun on the battlement's! Yen said the commander showed up, Baelen!" Triss yelled as she thrusted both of her hands forward.

Ciri felt her heartrate right away drop. Her head right away went up to Dominik who was looking up at the tower where she knew Yennefer was stationed, where he had been at the start of the battle. A dreadful thought ran through Ciri's mind. If Baelen had seen their plan through Dominik's vision, then she would have known he was up there. She had gone there on purpose, not only to lower their shield, but to find Dominik as well. Just like she had promised Ciri on Hindersfjall, she was going to try and kill him. Her eyes stayed locked on him, and Dominik's eyes after a few moment slowly looked down to her. For a few seconds both their eyes locked. Just like when they were younger, she could see exactly what he was thinking. He wanted to go, he wanted to go up there and save their mother, to fight Baelen and help his friend. However, he didn't want to leave Ciri's side, and Ciri could see him struggling with it.

"Dom, one of us need to go and help Yen," Geralt said coming over to them both.

She looked up and Dominik bit his lip, and for a split second Ciri couldn't help but think how cute it made him look. He hadn't told her much, but from what she had discerned so far, he had some weird connection to Baelen, he had seen her in his dreams, she had spared him when they fought, and just like Ciri, Dominik was trying to figure out how the commander could possibly know them from back in Cintra. Taking a moment Ciri looked and saw Geralt frantically looking between them both, and she heard a loud explosion as Triss blasted her fire towards a group of riders.

"Go, go save Yen," Ciri said to him, turning back to look into his eyes.

He still was only a half a head taller then her, so he didn't have to crane his head very far down. Ciri saw his eyes go wide as again all of the sounds of battle got tuned out for a few seconds. She thought about everything that she had done, all she had done to get back. From Mistle and the Rats, to Bonhart's arena and Tir'Nala, it had all been to get back to him and that face she loved so much. Baelen wanted to kill them both, and if it meant keeping them both safe so that they could live that life, one of them would have to kill her, or at least figure out why she was with the Hunt, and what they had done to her. Baelen for some reason hadn't killed Dominik when she could have, on the other hand she had gone all out to murder Ciri. Dominik was the one who had to go and fight her, and she reserved herself to this fact.

But just like always, she was his first concern.

"Ciri I… I can't leave you down here I-," He started to ramble, but she cut him off by fiercely gripping the neck of his armor with her free hand and pulling her lips up to his.

While keeping a tight grip on her sword she smashed her lips to his for a moment. The kiss only last approximately three seconds, but to Ciri it felt like hours. She took in the tingle feeling that his lips sent down her entire body. No matter how many times she had kissed Mistle, no matter how many times she laid with her, nothing made her body erupt like his kiss did, absolutely nothing had. She pulled back from him and gently shoved him back and she looked at him almost drop her sword.

"Go! I'll be alright I promise," She said with a shake of her head, turning her body back to the battle she kept her eyes locked with his, "Go and save our mother. I'll be right here waiting for you; I'm not going anywhere I promise!"

He looked like he was floundering to say more words again, but Geralt quickly stepped next to her and met his eyes as well.

"Dom she's right! You can do this, go, go and save Yen, I won't let anything happen to her I swear," Her father yelled, and Ciri looked as Dominik gave her one last long lingering look before his gaze went back up to the tower.

Ciri looked up as well and saw a large explosion of magic erupt from where she knew Yen was. Another loud ***BOOM*** erupted and she frantically turned back to Dominik again.

"GO! Go on, run the walls, get to Yen! I love you, now GO!" She yelled to him, before reluctantly taring her eyes away from him and turning back towards the battle.

She got closer to Geralt and to Triss who had closed in around her, and from the corner of her eyes she saw him running. He was running towards the scaffolding to climb up the tower and Ciri let out a shaky sigh. Standing between Geralt she looked at the riders advancing, and all of the defenders fiercely fighting.

Slowly she reached up and gripped the ring as she thought of Arno and Declan. Their sacrifice wouldn't be in vein, she wouldn't let anyone else die for her, and that was when she leveled her blade… and all the magic began to pour out of her.

**A/N: Well ladies and gentlemen, Dominik and Baelen's first duel was in chapter 30, and now exactly thirty chapters later they will have their second. We have TWO chapters left in the Battle of Kaer Morhen, the next two are going to be monsters for me to write, but GOD this one really took a lot out of me, let's break it down quickly. **

**First we see Ciri and Dominik battle Caranthir, and we see that Dominik still doesn't seemed to be able to fully control his powers…. However, Ciri and he defeat Caranthir and save Eskel, and once again we see that the Hunt is targeting Dominik, calling him 'HIS' descendant. Who is 'HIM'? And what did he do to piss off the Hunt so much? We learn that Eredin was the one to kill Dom's ancestor and their children, what will this mean in the future?**

**After this we get a fight scene in the courtyard. I'm trying to give every defender at least SOME time in the spotlight to fight, and I hope I'm doing that xD I'm trying to get some good action in, while of course showing just how powerful a team Dominik and Ciri are going to make in the future. They manage to get the gates open, but that is when the trouble starts…**

**I've only had Arno and Declan in the story for the second half of this story, but writing their sacrifice and death was absolutely the hardest things I've had to write yet. Like for real, I went and wrote the last scene of the chapter before I even wrote the scene itself xD Like I had to go back and write it after the fact because I just didn't want to do it. **

**Arno Dorian. Fun fact I was actually going to have Elise be the one to die, but I changed my mind for two reasons. 1.) I wanted to use the whole Arno sacrificed himself to save his love, and so that Dominik could go on to save his angle. And 2.) SPOILER ALERT, well Elise dies in AC Unity and I thought well might as well switch it up xD For real though, we didn't have much time with him, but I hope I did a good job of showing what kind of person Arno was. He was a good, honorable man who was the first to put aside his hatred and focus on the true threat. He loved his Queen and his fiancé, and in the end without him, the plan wouldn't have worked. We will learn more about Arno later on, and we will see more of Elise as well, and despite the short time in the story, I was still devastated that he died… RIP.**

**Declan Mawr Drryfn aep Ceallach. Well, it seems that history indeed tends to repeat itself. Just like his cousin Cahir, Declan died to defend Cirilla and Dominik. He went from an untrusted Nilfgaardean to a reluctant ally, to a true friend. As Dominik said, he was just a young man who wanted to see the world, and help people however he can, to protect his friends and those who couldn't protect themselves. I get so attached to my characters, and I had SUCH a hard time having to kill Declan. I wanted to write him surviving, joining Dominik's hansa like Cahir did to Geralt's, have him meet Ciri properly, develop his crush on Freya… but I ultimately thought this is what he would do. Declan's death is going to severely impact our heroes, particularly Dominik, as he thinks about how poorly he treated the young man. In the end Declan died not a Nilfgaardean, but a Vicovaran, and a friend… RIP**

**Now however, we still have two extremely intense chapters to go. Next chapter we'll get something new, we're going to get a POV from everybody's favorite Bear School Witcher Faram of Undvik as he battles Baelen, commander of the Wild Hunt and he tries to protect Yennefer while he waits for his friend to arrive. And then as I said, thirty chapters after their first duel, Dominik and Baelen will clash again. **

**Then after that we have the climactic finale of the Battle of Kaer Morhen, which is far and away the most intense writing I've ever had. For context, each of the first three chapters have been over 20,000 words, and the next two I fully expect to hit that as well :D **

**As usual thank you all so much for reading and going on this epic journey with me so far! We're going to hit chapter SIXTY next chapters which is surreal, and we STILL have so much left to get through! I like to think that first 53 chapters before Ciri came into the story was all the set-up… and now all those set ups will pay off in these last thirty or so chapters.**

**So as usual, review if you have time, let me know what you think, thank you all so much, stay safe and see you all next time for what will be the biggest duel of the whole story!**


	60. The Battle of Kaer Morhen IV (Blood)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 60: The Battle of Kaer Morhen IV (Blood)**

**Narrator: After reuniting Dominik, Ciri and Geralt quickly teleported back to Kaer Morhen, where the Wild Hunt soon attacked. With the Hunt descending on the fortress, Dominik, Geralt and Ciri all prepared to lead the defense. The defenders were quickly overwhelmed, the Wild Hunt knew of the defenders plans thanks to Baelen, their mysterious female commander. She used her mysterious connection with Dominik to see the defender's plans, and they were all quickly pushed back to Kaer Morhen's inner courtyard. Their only hope was the plan of Arno Dorian, who before the battle strategically had explosives planted over the middle courtyard, this way the defenders could cut off the Hunt from them in the inner courtyard…. The plan went astray when the ballista was jammed. Dominik was ready to sacrifice himself to light the fuse and set off the explosives, but Arno Dorian and Declan Mawr Drryfn aep Ceallach bravely made the ultimate sacrifice and set off the explosives. With the defenders pushed back to the inner courtyard, it is discovered that Baelen herself has arrived on the battlefield and was attempting to attack Yennefer on the battlements. Dominik reluctantly separated from Ciri to go and fight the commander, but for now all that stands between Baelen and Yennefer, victory and defeat for the defenders, is the witcher from the School of the Bear, Faram of Undvik…..**

"How ya feeling Lady Yennefer? Holding out alright," Faram yelled up the tower, seeing the raven-haired sorceress still somehow standing strong with the magic swirling from her arms.

Breathing heavily she slowly nodded back to Faram, "I'm alright Faram thank you… what… what happened down there? Did they set off the explosion!?"

"Aye I'll check and be back in a jiff!" Faram yelled to her, and the Bear witcher walked over to the walls as he felt the violent wind blast through his beard and ponytail.

He got to the edge of the battlements and looked down to see the chaos unfolding I the courtyard. Biting his lip Faram sighed as he ran his hand through his beard, his fingers twitched as he looked at all his mates and allies fighting. His hands itched to go to his blade, after he had sent Declan down to assist he had no idea he'd have no more action protecting Yennefer. However, he knew that it had to be the most important job of the defense, if Dominik's mother fell, then the castle would. He took a moment to look beyond the shield and could see the massive blizzard pooling around the dome of magic. Cursing he looked back down to the middle courtyard, and sure enough the entirety of it was in flames. A small smile came to his face as he could see more explosions still rippling as the flames burned. He saw a few portals try to open, but they were quickly closed when the flames consumed them, and after he looked and saw the fighters plowing through riders in the inner courtyard he could tell the plan had worked.

If he squinted he could see the flashes of blue magic, the quick teleports from one spot to another along with the blasts of blue magic energy and Faram smirked. For so long his mate had told him about his Cirilla, and despite the situation he knew that Dominik had to be happy to be getting to fight with her. The dash of blue magic whirled past and spun around the blue swirling blasts, and he knew it had to be his best-mate and Cirilla fighting. The riders were getting put down one by one, and he saw portals slowly beginning to close as dimeritium bombs and yrden glyphs were being thrown and placed. The plan was actually working, if they could hold out for just a little longer, before they knew it they'd be drinking around a fire. Gently Faram ran a hand through his tied and braided black beard, Goldilocks had done them in intricate knots for him, and as Faram watched the battle he yearned to be down there, his swords clattered on his back as he wished he could brandish it with his friends, the hansa as Dominik had insisted on calling it.

However, he sighed and kept his smirk as he knew that his friends would kick the Hunt's ass. He on the other hand had the task of protecting his mates' mother, and the rest of them by keeping her safe. He turned to walk back to the tower below Yennefer and thought about how their possibly couldn't be any more riders coming his way. According to Dominik that female commander he fought had saw their plans, if she really did know, then surely she knew that Dominik was supposed to be there, and that if the shield fell, they all would. However, after Dominik had run down to the battlements, Declan and Faram had easily cleared and closed the portals, and no more had opened since. Faram saw no point in having Declan wait with him while there were no portals, so he had sent the young man down to help in the inner courtyard when he saw the gate hadn't been opened. Faram had volunteered to stay and protect Yennefer, he had assumed that he could handle whatever the Hunt threw his way, but so far that had been absolutely nothing.

Sighing he stroked his beard and looked back up to Yennefer, "Aye the middle courtyard's blown, looks like they're doing alright in the inner one."

"Any… any sign of Dominik and Ciri?" The sorceress managed to choke out as she stumbled with her arms up.

Faram laughed lightly and nodded, "Aye I could see their magic flashing. Looked alright from up here."

"Good… good…." Yennefer said lightly as Faram saw her steady herself, "As… as long as they're together they… they'll be alright."

Faram smiled up. If he needed too he only needed to reach his arms up a small way to pull himself to the smaller tower Yennefer was on. Behind him he saw the large stone ground of the battlements, the scorch marks from their previous battle were still there, and the more he looked the more Faram's hand twitched to fight. Sighing he looked back up at Yennefer again with a smirk.

"Aye… I think they will be. Looks to me like they'll be an inseparable pair," Faram said as he turned to face her, he spoke in a lively tone, trying to keep the sorceress's spirits up, "Seems like you need to pry them away from each other!"

"Ha… you… you should have seen them when they were younger…" She said weakly, but Faram could see the smile forming on her face.

Faram laughed and nodded, "I look forward to seeing it, Dominik, that man… deserves to be fuckin happy for once. Wish I was down there with them… strange that none have come."

Yennefer's violet eyes managed to look down at him, "You… you're correct. From… from what Dom has told me this… this commander has a connection to him some… someone from his past perhaps and… and they can track him."

"Aye…." Faram started to say slowly as he scratched his beard again, "If this commander really knows our plans… then you'd think they'd have sent more, especially if-."

"FARAM!" Yennefer stressed, and Faram saw the effort almost make her fall over.

Faram's enhanced witcher ears picked up the sound right away as he heard the portal open. Sighing he reached back for his silver, and gently pulled it from its sheath, "For fuck's sake I gotta stop speakin so prematurely…."

"Well, well, well… you certainly aren't who I was expecting," The voice said behind him, and after he heard it, Faram let out a deep sigh and slowly pulled his silver from its sheath, twirling it he turned around to see the commander standing before him.

Dominik hadn't lied to him when he said she was a human, a human woman dressed in the armor of the Wild Hunt. Everyone was short compared to Faram, but the woman was only about as tall as Dominik or Ciri, however just like the two of them, Faram could feel the power exhuming from the woman. The hairs on his arms rose up under his armor, as her pure magical signature was enough to make them stand up. Sucking in a deep breath Faram looked back up to Yennefer.

"You gonna be alright Lady Yennefer?" Faram asked, as he slowly turned his head back to the commander, who simply stood near the wall with her hands neatly folded in front of her.

"I… I'll be alright…" Yennefer yelled, but Faram could see she was continuing to wane, however the sorceress looked down to him and nodded, "I… I can manage to send a message to Triss, I… I'll get you help."

"Aye thank you milady… but I promised that I'd keep you safe… and I plan on doing just that," Faram said as he slowly turned back around, and almost politely the commander had waited.

Her armor was clearly of a much higher quality then the riders he had faced earlier, and if even half of what Dominik described of her was true, Faram knew he couldn't underestimate her because of her size. The cold wind violently whipped through his hair, and he felt a small chill run up his chest as he slowly walked forward with his armor clunking. Letting out a breath he finally got a few meters away from her and twirling his sword he got a closer look at the armor she wore. The crude sharp black pauldrons along her arms seemed lightweight and durable, Faram saw her chest and torso were covered in skeletal armor, while her legs were covered in a pair of dark pink and purple greaves while bit of fabric blew in the wind. Her boots clunked as Faram saw the jagged longsword that she already had drawn. In the churning gale of cold, Faram saw her lightly brown hair violently rip behind her in the wind, and in the eye sockets of her faceplate all Faram could see was black.

Slowly he continued to move forward, and she finally did the same. At first he didn't say anything, as he could see magic beginning to swirl around her arms and legs. Faram hadn't lived long compared to most witchers, but in his time he had seen powerful magic, when Dominik was using the powers that he had, and even just being around Cirilla, he could sense the magic, feel the raw power inside of them. And the commander in front of him them, exhumed a similarly potent magic, and as she circled him, Faram saw it all begin to swirl first in her limbs, and then soon in the sockets of her faceplate. She had come with no soldiers, only herself, and instead of heading right for Yennefer she had waited for Faram to come forward. For some reason she wasn't even bothering to try and complete the Hunt's goal, and it sent a hundred new questions into Faram's head, but he let out a deep sigh as he knew the duel he was about to engage in, it would be like no other that he had ever been in.

Around his neck, the bear medallion vibrated more violently in the woman's presence then Faram had ever felt it vibrate before. The wind howled in his ears, and in the distance he could hear the explosions, the fighting and the yelling. Just like he had always been taught however, he focused on his opponent, and waited for the right moment.

"Aye, I'm sorry to disappoint you… you wanted me mate didn't you…." Faram yelled over the wind as the two slowly circled each other.

A crude laugh came from behind her faceplate, "I did yes…. Tell me, where is dear Dominik of Cintra? I was looking forward to seeing him again…"

Faram laughed and shrugged with his silver still tightly in hand, "He's probably down their kicking yer friend's arses. Can't blame ya for looking for him though, handsome, powerful, a good dancer if ya get a few rounds in him. He's pretty smitten with his Cirilla though hate to tell ya."

"Oh I know…." She said, and her tone grew dark as Faram heard her voice continue to rake off of her faceplate. Slowly she stopped in place and turned to him, "We don't have to fight, simply stand aside. Dominik will be here soon, Cirilla will more then likely be attached to his hip, ready to throw him at anything that threatens her like she always does… I only wish to kill them, not you, or anyone else defending this castle."

Faram felt a spike of anger run up his spine, but he managed to keep his cool. To many times in his past had he stabbed first asked questions later, however, spending so much time with George, Dominik, Freya and Geralt had taught him many things. Knowing when to keep your cool, and ask the appropriate questions, finding the best opportunity was one of the things he had learned. Yennefer had said she'd send word for Dominik, if his mate were there, or him and Ciri, they would be more then a match for the commander, and if they could take out one of the Hunt's leaders it could cripple their ranks.

Faram stopped as well, his black beard whipped in the wind along with his medallion, he let out a small laugh and looked to the commander's eyes.

"Aye… you wanna kill them both you say? Now that's interesting," He said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Known Dom a while myself, likes to act all tough, brooding and sulky, but the fuckers a big softy and I love him for it. Cirilla I just met but… well if half of what Dom's said is true, well let's just say they're perfect for each other, don't know why anyone would want to kill'em."

"SHE'S USING HIM," She spit out right away, and Faram took a step back as the magic started swirling even more violently as she screamed, "She sunk her claws into him! He does anything she says, and I LOST EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING TWICE BECAUSE OF THEM, I'LL KILL THEM FOR IT!"

Faram recovered and slightly raised up his silver, he looked and saw the light blue magic swirling around her. Slowly he began to circle her again, and Faram saw the opening he could exploit. He didn't know why, but the woman was angry with Dominik and Ciri both, and he knew that when people got angry, they got sloppy, and he could see the magic churning around her with a violence. He had no idea how powerful she could get, but if she lost control, then perhaps she would do more damage to herself then anything.

So Faram laughed lightly and shook her head.

"Aye lassie… you claim you want to kill them both? Bah, don't believe it for a moment," Faram said with a hint of smugness as he stopped circling her again and faced her, "You let me mate Dominik live in that cave."

"He got the best of me, it WON'T happen again," She hissed out, as Faram saw her longsword twirling in her hands.

"Oh come now lassie don't lie to me! Dom told me how you could've killed him but didn't. Besides, I'm a witcher! I can hear your heartbeat clear from here and you lied just now," He said, trying with everything he could to make her loose control.

And it seemed to be working, because Faram had to hold his arm up as magic violently erupted from her. She screamed again, and between the wind and the magic Faram felt himself almost stumble, but he steadied himself and smiled wickedly over at the commander, who's longsword was pointed out towards him.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING," She screamed at him, and Faram simply laughed again and shrugged.

"Oh I know some things! For example, you spared him again today," Faram said, smirking as he paced Faram could feel the magic erupting more and more from her as he spoke, "You knew our plan! You knew Yennefer and Dominik would be here. If you really wanted him to die, then why didn't you land more soldiers here? I think you got a soft spot for him, he's a handsome lad lassie, but like I said I'm sorry to tell ya, Ciri and him are smitten with each other! This infatuation you have-."

"YOU KNOW NOTHING YOU INSOLENT FOOL," She yelled, as she took a step closer to him pointing out her sword, "SHE TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF HER I WILL KILL HER FOR IT!"

"Her? So only Ciri then," Faram said with the massive smirk staying on his face, and for a moment the commander gave pause and Faram laughed, "Haha… so it's only Ciri you wanna kill then? Well I hate to tell ya, if you wanna do that you're going to have to kill me mate Dominik and-."

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" She yelled, and she leapt forward with so much speed Faram barely had time to get his shield up.

The commander leapt forward with the magic churning so violently Faram was almost blinded. The light blue magic swirled in his eyes and he could barely see, so he slammed his fist into the ground and a yellow Quen bubble shield appeared around him. He didn't dare lift it, but as he looked up from just outside the shield he saw her descend and finally the magic she exhumed was so bright it blinded him. A loud ***BOOOOM* **rippled throughout the keep and Faram while he didn't get hit felt himself get sent rolling backwards. It had been ages since anyone had knocked him off his feet, but when the smoke finally cleared he managed to scoop his silver off the ground and scramble up to his knees. His blood raced and he felt the knots on his beard come undone, the long bushy black hair cascaded down his chest, and he whirled around trying to find the commander again.

Thankfully his enhanced ears paid off, and he heard her coming down from behind him. He whirled around and parried the first blow, and his strength was able to send her off balance, but she quickly recovered and lashed out at him again. Faram grounded himself like he had always been taught, blow after blow he threw his parries with as much precision as he could, only side-stepping when he needed to, but the commanders thrusts and spins were so quick even with his supernatural reflexes he had a hard time keeping up. The magic was a similar light blue color to what he saw exhuming from Ciri and Dominik down below, and for a moment he wondered how the commander had similar power. The magic sent her limbs moving faster than Faram had ever seen, the magic seemed to push her limbs faster, the energy was so much that when she went for another strike Faram even with his own advanced speed barely had time to raise a block.

He spun and parried with her in a silver and steel whirlwind, and despite her being powerful, Faram could see her relentlessly throwing herself at him trying not to give him an inch. All he had to do was stand his ground, parry and parry until the perfect opening just like he had always been taught. He was much stronger then her this he knew, and if he could get one decisive blow it would be over. Parrying one of her blows Faram thrusted his hand forward and she stumbled back after his Aard sign hit her. As soon as she stumbled back however Faram saw magic whirl up in her hand.

"_GYNVAEL AENYE!" _She shouted before shooting her hand forward.

Faram's eyes widened as a blast of ice shot towards him, he slammed the tip of his silver into the ground and the Quen shield appeared around him again. The ice slammed so hard into the shield as soon as it hit Faram stumbled back and the sign broke. Faram was sent onto his back, but he quickly scrambled up to one knee just in time to see the commander disappear in a puff of frost. He whirled back around knowing that she would reappear behind him and sure enough she did. Faram raised up his blade and parried her strike, but another loud ***BOOM* **erupted as the magic that was swirling on her blade exploded onto his and he got sent tumbling back.

Coughing he felt his silver fall from his hand, quickly opening his eyes he reached and scooped up the weapon and slowly got back up to his feet. He turned around as he saw her standing before him again. It was as if a small vortex of the blue magic was swirling from her, and while Faram couldn't see her face, her breathing was so heavy he even picked it up in his enhanced ears. Slowly he let out a breath realizing that this wasn't a fight he could wait out for an opening, he had to take the offensive and find a way to at least knock her out of commission. He looked to the left and saw Yennefer was stumbling more and more, the blizzard outside the magic shield was getting more and more violent. And in the back of his mind Faram knew there was still a fucking dragon that hadn't shown up yet. To his right he could hear the yelling as the fighting in the courtyard he knew was getting more and more intense.

"You know your friends stand no chance! Give Cirilla to us and you can avoid needless slaughter!" The commander, Baelen he remembered Dominik calling her yelled to him.

Faram scoffed and leveled his blade again, "BAH you think your fuck of a King will do that!? No idea why you're with him lassie, but you're human, he'll toss you aside and slaughter ya just like he will to us!"

"HE WOULDN'T! He's helping me, he'll help me kill them both," She shouted to him as the magic continued to whirl, "After they're both dead I will have avenged HIS mistake! Eredin was there for me, Eredin promised me revenge, AND HE KEEPS HIS WORD UNLIKE DOMINIK OF CINTRA!"

Faram shook his head, "You're a fool if you think that lass! I don't know what Dom did to ya, but I know me mate would never intentionally break a promise to someone!"

"HE WAS TOO BUSY WITH HER, ITS HER FAULT, I LOST IT ALL BECAUSE OF THEM, I'LL KILL YOU FIRST AND THEN I'LL KILL THEM BOTH," She screamed over the gale of wind, and the raking voice pierced Faram's ears like a knife.

Slowly he shook his head and raised his blade, "I can't let you do that lass…. They're both me mates… and I protect me mates the same way they'd protect me…"

"IF IT COMES DOWN TO YOU OR HER HE'LL TOSS YOU ASIDE, I WOULD KNOW," She screamed and the magic erupted from her feet as she leapt forward ready to bring her blade down.

Faram rushed forward and brought his blade up to parry. He did and again after a ***BOOM* **erupted from their blades they engaged in a silver whirlwind. Faram thrusted and parried putting every bit of strength he could behind every attack. He kept his focus as Baelen screamed and smashed her blade to his and with every parry Faram felt his arms drain, with every time their blades met small eruptions of magic blasted, and he knew to have any chance he'd have to go make his move soon before the magic overwhelmed him. He put everything he could into his next few parries and took a step forward to finally try and put her on the defensive.

It worked and finally he threw a strike that knocked her off balance, he went to strike down again but he underestimated her quickness. She rolled and came up; he felt her blade rake across his torso. Faram gritted his teeth but just as she was cutting across him he swung his massive arm down and he saw that he managed to knock her arm aside. Her blade clattered to the ground and Faram whirled around to bring his blade down, but as soon as he did she disappeared in another puff of frost. He went to spin around but as soon as he did, he saw a blast of blue magic smack into his chest, and it erupted with what seemed to be all the pent-up magic she had been holding in. Faram felt as if one of the explosive barrels had gone off in his chest as she slammed her hand into him, and he got sent flying backwards like he was shot from a ballista.

"GAHHHH FUCKING GODS," He felt himself scream as his back smacked into the stone battlement on the walls.

Any normal man would have been killed on impact, Faram felt his back and chest both erupt, it felt as if they were both swirling with a tornado of fire. He let out a breath and winced sharply when he felt his torso flare up as well, he reached his hand down and pulled it back to see his blood pooling. He leaned his head back against the battlement and felt himself wince again and he slowly turned his head back to look in the courtyard again. More and more portals were opening, but he kept seeing the blasts of magic and hearing the yelling of battle cries pierce his ears. His heart began to race even quicker as he couldn't even feel himself able to move his legs. He looked down to the small pocket of his armor and weakly went to open it, if he could get Freya's potion in him, then maybe he could have a chance, but with every breath he took, with every move of his arm he felt his chest erupt and he winced.

"I gave you the chance to step aside, I told you that you could avoid this," Baelen's voice rang in front of him, and Faram turned to see her. She had picked up her longsword and she seemed shaken, but she slowly walked towards him.

Faram cough for a moment but managed to laugh, "BAH…. You… you're a tough lassie, I… I'll give you that. Damn… damn shame you've been brainwashed… you… you'd make a good witcher."

She stopped, and Faram gritted his teeth as with help from the wall and his sword pushed himself up to his feet. He felt himself wobble as he stood but managed to let out a shaky breath and raise his silver from the ground again. It laid at his side as he took in a few deep breaths to steady himself. He looked across at Baelen who had stopped a few meters in front of him, every breath he took he felt the pain erupt up in his chest, but he looked over behind the commander for a moment and saw Yennefer continuing to stumble as the magic whirled in her hands. For a moment he looked down into the courtyard again, he saw the people, his mates, his friends fighting. They hadn't stopped, he gave his word that he'd fight, that he'd send the phantom fuckers back to their world.

And to top it all off he promised his best-mate he'd protect his mother, help him protect his woman, and above it all help protect the continent. Faram remembered back to his parent's words. Both of them were dead now, both died of old age on Undvik years prior, and he would never forget returning to the isle to bury them. He got there for their last moments, a fever had gripped them both, his Da had gotten it first, and his Ma, the amazing fucking woman didn't care if she got sick caring for him. They both died a few days after he had arrived, and as he dug their graves himself, he remembered the last words they had said to him before he had to leave for the School of the Bear.

_"Pay no heed to those rumors about witchers Faram!" His mother had said sharply, holding a hand on his shoulder, "They pay near the ultimate price to kill the monsters of the world and keep people safe from them!"_

_ His Da got down to one knee to meet his eyes, "Aye she's right Faram. You're going to be a hero lad! You'll be alright, you're strong, I promise you'll have more heart then any of those other lads! You'll do great things… bring yourself great honor."_

That's what he was going to do, that's what he'd do until his dying day.

"You chose to foolishly throw your life away! All for what," Baelen yelled as she held out her sword, "You fight for people who claim to be your friends, for people who don't even know your name, people who would never do the same for you!"

Faram laughed again and slowly shook his head. His hair had fallen out of its ponytail and he felt his wild caveman like hair fall down his back. Along with his beard being loose around his chest he felt slightly weighed down. Every breath he took erupted his chest with stabbing pain, he looked down and saw his torso slowly dripping blood to the ground.

But still he looked across from him and raised up his silver blade towards the commander.

"Aye… the people won't know my name; they won't sing ballads about me… but my friends do. Dominik... George… Goldilocks… Ciri… I fight for them because I know that they would for me lassie…." Faram said slowly as he leveled his blade with his legs slowly wobbling, "Besides… I'm a witcher, I protect people… because that's what witchers do…"

The wind churned violently, and the blizzard seemed to almost completely envelop the magic shield around the fortress. He could hear the distant crackling of the fires from the inner courtyard. Faram wouldn't win this fight, he knew it. But it was all he could do to hold, he wouldn't stop fighting. His friends below hadn't stopped fighting for that world, so neither would he. Baelen's brown hair flapped back behind her in the wind, as the magic around her churned more and more she leveled her blade towards Faram. Faram did the same, and despite the pain that coursed through his torso, the blood falling from him to the ground, he did as he always did.

He grounded himself.

Baelen scoffed loudly from behind her faceplate, "Then you are a fool! WHERE IS DOMINIK, TELL ME WHERE HE IS-."

"LOOKING FOR ME!?" A deep voice pierced the air from his right, and before Faram could even react Dominik came leaping down from the right of the battlements.

Baelen just had time to turn and raise up her blade and thrust out her hand. Magic erupted from his best-mate and the commander both, Dominik thrusted his hand forward as he came down and Faram saw a blast of Igni leaving his hand as another shot of frost ripped from Baelen's. There swords and spells connected with a loud ***BOOOOOOM* **and Faram was sent stumbling back against the wall again. The blue magic that erupted from them both whirled in his eyes and Dominik got sent skidding back on his feet and came up in front of Faram. Baelen got shot back in a similar fashion, and Faram could see her armor smoking as she quickly came back up to her feet.

"HA! I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU'D SHOW UP! I'm surprised you're so late, even more surprised you aren't attached to Cirilla's hip!" Baelen screamed holding out her blade, and she sounded both elated and angered at the same time.

Dominik in front of him twirled his blade into a reversed grip, and in all the time that Faram had known him, he had never seen Dominik exhume such rage. His best-friends armor was slightly blackened, but the masterful School of the Wolf armor still seemed to be in good condition. His silver sword _Fate _was stained with blood and dirt, but the sharp edges still gleamed in the magic light. Slowly Faram looked and glanced up at his face, and the tinges of light blue magic were in the corners of his eyeballs threatening to overtake his eyes completely. Around his limbs in a similar manner to Baelen, the same color of magic he saw emanate from Ciri ripped around his arms and legs in a violent mini storm. Faram let out a relieved sigh, as he slowly felt his own silver dip into the stone below. He felt his torso shoot up in pain and winced as one hand went to cover the wound.

For a moment Dom's eyes stopped glowing as he looked back to him.

"Sorry I took so long… are you okay?" His best-mate asked turning around to him, and Faram scoffed with a cough slowly looking up to meet his eyes.

"Aye mate I'm alright… is… is Ciri okay?" He asked his friend as he still heard the shouts of battle from down below.

Quickly Dominik nodded, "She is… that wound it-."

"This thing? Aye just a flesh wound," Faram said with a small laugh as he coughed and looked up and gestured towards Baelen, "You know me mate, take a lot more to take me down. Come on lets take this lassie down…"

"No," His friend quickly said, slowly turning around and leveling his blade up towards Baelen, the magic began to swirl around him again as he spoke firmly, "Go and stand with Yen, make sure she's okay…"

"DOMINIK!" Yennefer yelled from the smaller tower just as Dominik mentioned her name.

Dom's head shot to her and he frantically turned back to Faram, "GO! She won't last that long, get a potion in her, make sure she's okay… I'll handle her…."

"HA! Such love and compassion for your mother! It's a damn shame you haven't had that quality your whole life," Baelen shouted across from them with her blade out and magic still violently churning.

Faram looked down and the magic began to churn just as wildly in his best-friend. Sighing Faram felt his chest and torso flare again. He didn't want to leave him to do it alone, but when he saw the gaze that Dominik gave across to Baelen. One thing he had learned over his years as a witcher, watching and seeing so much war, death, and being on the Path so long was that sometimes fights were meant to be between two people. Sometimes, two people were simply destined to clash, and Faram could see that it was the case before him. Once more he looked between Baelen and Dominik both, and he felt his heartrate spike. Dominik shot him one more look, and Faram knew that this was his fight.

"Aye… just be careful mate, she… she's a tough lassie," He said as Dominik slowly nodded, and took a few steps in front of him.

"I know…" Dominik said slowly, just as the magic began to swirl more heavily in both he and Baelen, his friend slowly looked back to him, "Thanks Faram…."

"Always mate… always," Faram said, before he tore his eyes away from his friend and zeroed in on Yennefer atop the towers, and with the last of his strength he started lightly jogging towards the sorceress.

As he passed the commander she payed him absolutely no mind, her eyes focused on Dominik. Faram sighed and took one last look at his best-mate and said a silent prayer to every god he knew, because he would need it.

But Faram trusted in his friend's skills, Dominik wouldn't die that day, not as long as his woman was down there fighting, Faram knew this for a fact.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Baelen as he guessed paid Faram no mind as the Bear Witcher ran past her. As soon as he saw his best-friend reach the tower Yennefer was on and quickly climb up it to his mother, was when Dominik finally let out a sigh and twirled his blade. He twirled it to a reversed grip, and slowly looked up to meet Baelen's eyes, the magic violently swirled off both of them as they circled one another. His skin tingled, he felt as if his entire body was a boiling cauldron of hot water, the fire kept erupting in his mind, the courtyard being set alight, Declan putting the arrow into the flames, the blade piercing through Arno's chest. The wind churned even more violently then it had been, slowly he tightened his grip on his blade, and as he circled her, his hair blew violently in the wind.

It was because of her, because of some mysterious connection that she had to him that Declan and Arno were dead. It was because of her that their plan had went so astray. But he couldn't get the thought out of his head, she had spared him twice now.

"I promised you we'd meet again Dominik! It seems that your magic has been unlocked, what FUN this will be," She shouted to him as her light brown hair violently blew in the wind.

Feeling his skin begin to crawl he nodded, "It seems you were right… Baelen."

"HA! So you finally learned my name! I'm so glad that you remembered me, it seems that you CAN remember some things," She yelled to him in an erratic tone.

He thought for a moment about all the dreams he had of her, he didn't know why he was dreaming of commander, why he had seen her, but all he did know was that she had the same connection too. She had lied to Caranthir about his location in one dream, was punished for it, and was obsessed with killing him and Ciri both. And somehow she knew everything, he remembered her knowing about his real father, about Ciri and he in Cintra as children. She knew everything, could see him, and for some reason was still trying to spare him. He remembered how she gave him the chance the surrender, to live in the world once Eredin conquered it, but in return he'd have to let her have Ciri. She wanted Ciri dead, and claimed to want the same for him, it was clear that Ciri and he knew her from sometime in their previous life, and they had done something horrible to her.

If what Ciri and he had done to her was so horrible it led her to serve the Wild Hunt, then Dominik needed to know what it was.

"I do remember some things…" He said slowly as he stopped circling her, seeing her stop as well he locked eyes with her black eye sockets, "I don't know how… and I don't know why but I've seen you in my dreams… and I know you see me in that… ritual you do!"

She cackled out a laugh and shrugged, "HA! Like I told you back in that cave… kindred blood will always find kindred blood. Now I'm feeling generous today! STAND ASIDE and let us take Zireael, and you can escape this fortress. Surely you know you cannot stand against us for long."

Dominik felt the wind howl in his ears again and felt his bones ache. He didn't look towards the walls, but he could hear the shouting, the clattering of steel and fighting from his friends down below. The swallow around his neck flew violently in the wind, and he wanted desperately to look over the edge to try and locate Ciri, but he didn't dare take his eyes off Baelen for a moment. No matter who Baelen was, whether she truly was someone that he knew from the past, she worked for the Wild Hunt now, and if she tried to harm Ciri she'd meet the same fate from him that anyone who threatened Ciri would. For so long he hadn't been there, for eight years he hadn't been there for her.

So many people had tried to kill her, hunt her, abuse or rape her and he hadn't been there to stop them. He promised to protect her, and while he knew that Ciri could protect herself perfectly well, he still knew it was his duty too. Whether it was because of destiny or not he didn't care, he was doing it because it was what you did. It was what you did for the ones you loved, especially the one person who you loved more then anything in the world, you protected them, you protected them with every single ounce of energy and life you had in your body.

And no matter who Baelen was, how powerful she was, that was what he'd do for Ciri.

"You already know the answer to that…." He said slowly as his eyes didn't leave the commander.

Baelen cackled again and shook her head, "I did yes…. Eredin was correct. She has sunken her claws too deep into you…. I'll kill you now. Then I'll kill her! And in doing so I'll have my vengeance, and I will finally right HIS crimes… just like Eredin promised…"

Dominik was getting tired of hearing everyone refer to 'him', but apparently every one of the members of the Hunt knew who it was. He didn't know, Ciri hadn't known, Geralt hadn't known, but whoever 'him' was apparently had been a great enemy of the Hunt, and apparently 'him was Dominik's ancestor. He pushed the thoughts of it from his mind as all he could focus on was Baelen's empty black eyes. While he looked at her, in his head he could hear her screams. He remembered the awful dream he had in Skellige, her training with Caranthir before being violently tortured, she screamed and screamed, paid for lying to the Hunt about he and Geralt's location. He thought about how her voice changed when she offered him a chance in the cave.

And now she truly believed that Eredin wouldn't kill her. After seeing how she was treated, he could tell that the King truly was using her, she was human, just like him and Ciri. The idea that Eredin would spare her, promise her anything after their task of getting Ciri was complete was incredulous to him. Geralt had told him how the Hunt went world to world collecting slaves, and Dominik thought all the way back to Heatherton, to Brekka and all the destruction that the Hunt had caused, how many innocents they had killed. They hated humans more then anything, thought themselves far too superior.

He scoffed and shook his head to her, "I've SEEN how they treat you! You can't possibly believe that Eredin will do anything other then kill you when this is all over!"

"HE WON'T, I'M ONE OF THEM," She screeched to him, and Dominik saw the magic begin to violently swirl more in her arms as she pointed her blade, "AND ALL I HAVE TO DO IS KILL YOU AND CIRILLA BOTH!"

"But you won't! I saw how you lied to them, you lied about knowing where Geralt and I were going," Dominik yelled back over the wind, feeling his voice scrape against his throat his cold freezing eyes narrowed on her, "In the cave you spared me, you could have killed me but you didn't! And even just now! You knew where I was going to be, you knew that Yennefer's shield was key to our plans, but you barely sent any riders after us! And now you show up by yourself, you could have killed Yen and knocked the shield down, but you didn't, and now you offered to let me go again! I don't think you want to kill me! I think you're being forced…."

She stood across from him unmoving, but Dominik could see the thick air rapidly coming in and out of her faceplate. Her hand tightened around the grip of her sword, and the magic around her limbs seemed to glow more and more. Dominik felt his own heart thump slowly, but every beat of it sent shocks through his body. If Baelen truly was intent on killing Ciri then Dominik would stop her, it didn't matter who she was, but even with her helmet and faceplate, he could see the conflict inside of her. He still hadn't the faintest idea how a young woman came to be under the command of the Wild Hunt, but Dominik was convinced that she was somehow being used. She didn't want to kill him, she had kept on sparing him, she lied to the Hunt for him, and despite what she said, Dominik could hear the tone she used. It was as if Baelen was trying to convince herself as well as him that she wanted to go forward with it.

He also had no idea who he and Ciri knew, that they could have wrong so much, and had so much power inside of them that the Wild Hunt would take them in as a commander to use them. The dream he had of her being tortured, Caranthir had showed her no mercy, the magic had gripped her limbs and almost tore them from her, and no matter how she screamed the navigator didn't relent. In that dream she hadn't been a commander of the Wild Hunt, she had been a young woman, one who couldn't even be older than him screaming for help while she was tortured. The young woman standing before him was being used, and he had no idea why she was trying to spare him in particular, but if he could convince her to stand down, then a multitude of problems would be solved.

To keep Ciri safe he'd kill her if he had too, but if he could save even one more person from the Wild Hunt, then he would.

"I don't know how you seem to know me, know me and Ciri both. I don't understand how you see me, or why I have dreams with you in them," He said slowly as he tried to pick his words carefully. She stiffened across from him, but he carefully went on, "You could have killed me, but you didn't. I don't think you're a killer…. I don't know what Ciri and I did to you, but I swear whatever it was, we didn't-."

"_GYNVAEL AENYE!" _She screamed at the top of her lungs as all of the magic around her erupted from her hands and the blast of ice and magic shot at him.

Her voice ripped through the sky over the howling wind, over the fighting and eruptions from down below. He heard Faram and Yennefer both yell his name from the tower, and Dominik barely had time to react, but he felt his limbs erupt with the magic as well. He stabbed his blade into the ground and the blast of magic slammed into his Quen shield, and the force from her magic and the magic he put into his sign sent a large ***BOOOOOOM*** rippling through the keep. The blast was enough to knock him aside, while he hadn't been hit he still felt his vision fog up as he coughed. _Fate _lay next to him, and he let out a shaky breath as he scooped it up into his hand and quickly rose up to his feet. His hand gripped around the silver and he grabbed the swallow around his neck to stop it from churning, squeezing it he shook his head to steady his vision, and sure enough Baelen still stood across from him, and the magic around her, the light blue swirls had almost completely overtaken her arms and legs, and her normally black eye sockets erupted in the same color.

"THE FACT YOU STILL DON'T KNOW PROVES HOW LITTLE YOU BOTH CARED ABOUT ME! THE FOOLISH GIRL I WAS THOUGHT YOU BOTH DID," She screamed out as the magic swirled up her sword, it enveloped her blade as she leveled it towards him, "YOU BOTH TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME, I LOST EVERYTHING TWICE BECAUSE OF YOU BOTH!"

"TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" Dominik yelled back to her as he twirled his blade and felt the magic whirl around his own limbs as well, it churned inside of him as he felt a fire begin to erupt inside of his stomach.

She cackled and she pointed her blade towards him as she screamed, "YOU DON'T CARE, YOU NEVER DID. IT WAS ALWAYS HER SHE ALWAYS TOOK PRIORITY! EREDIN SHOWED ME THE TRUTH, HE SAVED ME, HE'LL HELP ME GET MY REVENGE!"

"AND THEN HE'LL KILL YOU," He screamed across to her with the tinges of blue light beginning to overtake his vision, his skin began to boil again as the raw magic and power began to exhume from them both, "YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BELIEVE HE'LL LET YOU LIVE AFTER HE HAS CIRI! HE'LL USE YOU TO HELP GET HER, AND THEN HE'LL KILL YOU HIMSELF!"

"IF HE DOES THEN AT LEAST I'LL HAVE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM YOU AND HER, JUST LIKE YOU BOTH DID TO ME," Baelen echoed over the wind, and Dominik watched how she shifted her feet and leveled her blade towards him, her voice echoed and ripped over the churning wind, "I gave you the chance… but you've lost it…. I WILL kill you… then I'm going to go down there and kill Cirilla too…"

Dominik felt the magic continue to whirl inside of him. With every breath that he let out he felt he could feel his chest about to erupt, as if his heart were ready to leap from his chest at any second. He found himself near the walls again, this time he couldn't help himself, he gazed over the walls and looked at the fighting in the courtyard. Portals kept opening and closing, hounds and riders didn't stop coming, but his friends didn't stop fighting. If he narrowed his eyes he could make out George's gilded armor casting his powerful signs, he could see Freya rolling and dodging, spells blasted from the hands and staff of Triss, Kiera and Ermion. Tilting his head to the middle courtyard, it seemed that the explosions had finally stopped, and just like Arno had said it would, the fires kept raging. The smoke was billowing up, and the doors to the inner courtyard remained closed, the plan had worked, but all Dominik could think of were Declan's and Arno's bodies burning in the blaze. _'Live well Dominik of Cintra! Don't let them have this world!' _Declan's words rang in his ears. He looked down and saw his friends fighting for that goal, to not let them have their world.

But Dominik's vision finally focused on her. He watched Ciri blink from spot to spot, she twirled her blade and teleported clean through riders with perfect precision. Every time she landed one died, and she fought right next to Geralt, who just like he had promised didn't leave her side. In those few seconds he looked over the walls, he felt his lips tingle, he felt a shot of warmth run through his body as the magic whirled out of him. Her lips, her touch, her presence, all things that he had been craving for so long. He tried to speak to Baelen, he tried to get through to her, but now she wanted to kill Ciri, and for so long Dominik hadn't been there for her. He hadn't protected her from all the people who tried to use her, rape her and kill her. He would have wanted to be the one to kill Vilgefortz, kill Leo Bonhart. She had to protect herself, and while she had, she had and gotten back to him, Dominik would never let her have to do it alone again.

They both had gone on an eight-year long journey to get back to one another, a journey they had been forced to go on alone. That journey had come to an end, and only a few hours after it had, a new one had started, one that would possibly be even more dangerous then their first one. They would have to face enemies that wanted to kill them both, that wielded more power than any that they had faced before. It wasn't going to be easy, they could be killed, it could take them months, and they'd need to fight even more then they already had.

But at least for this journey they'd have each other, he could protect her, and she could protect him. In that moment however, it was his turn to finally protect her. And Baelen was the first obstacle.

Letting out a shaky breath as the wind flew through his hair he gripped the swallow around his neck behind his medallion. Like he always did before any fight since she had given it to him he squeezed it, and while he looked down at her fighting, he could have sworn that she did the same. Slowly he turned back around for Baelen who he could see practically shaking as the powers and magic erupted from her body. The pure, raw magic and rage she exhumed washed over him and made his skin crawl, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he finally turned around to face her. The last time he had fought her in Oxenfurt had felt like so long ago, he was a much different man now, much more powerful he knew. However, he knew in that fight Baelen had been holding back.

But in that moment he could tell that she wasn't holding anything back.

"You won't do that… you won't get her, Eredin won't get her… NOBODY is taking her away, not again," He said, as he slowly reached and slid _Fate _into its sheath and kept his eyes locked with the swirling blue magic where her eyes should be, "I wasn't there to protect her before… but I am now. You'll have to kill me first if you want to get to her…"

Baelen cackled again and twirled her crude longsword, "HA that can certainly be arranged…. Especially if you plan to fight me without your silver blade!"

"Silver is for monsters…" He said slowly, as he reached and pulled out his faithful steel blade, the one he had fought her with the first time, the blade that had been through everything with him for the last eight years. He twirled it a few times and the magic from his arms and legs slowly began to whirl down it as he leveled it towards her. "I may not remember who you are, but I know one thing… you're not a monster…."

"I'LL SHOW YOU A MONSTER DOMINIK OF CINTRA," The commander screamed as the magic erupted from her legs and she rushed towards him.

And he felt the magic whirl his limbs forward as well, and when his eyes met hers they were completely overtaken by the magic as he clashed with her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ciri behind!" Geralt yelled to her, and Ciri felt her limbs whirl around.

She turned and teleported behind the rider who would have cleaved her in half, and then quickly blinked forward again and cut her blade clean through the wraith. Geralt quickly cut through the chest of another before spinning to her side. She got back to back with her father and they leveled their blades at the group surrounding them. All around her she could see their attention focused on them, and as she heard the fighting continue to ring in her ears her blood continued to boil hotter and hotter. All the people around her wouldn't be in danger if she hadn't gone to Kaer Morhen. She was beginning to think she should have just taken Dominik and teleported to a different world, the two of them could have hopped and hopped between worlds to keep everyone safe.

But she would never do that, and she knew that he wouldn't either. For the first time in her life, Ciri was going to do what she wanted, and what she wanted was that life she and Dominik had always planned. The two of them, the Path, saving people who couldn't defend themselves. All of this would be supplemented with visits to Geralt, Yen and their other friends of course. The two of them would be together like they planned and get the life that they both deserved. There wasn't going to be anymore running, as she and Geralt waded into the enemy she saw the eyes of Declan, the eyes of Arno, two men she barely knew that had given their lives to keep her safe, to stop the Hunt from getting to her. Two people dying was two too many, she wouldn't allow anyone else to meet that same fate.

"YOU WANT ME!? COME AND TRY IT," She screamed as her eyes flashed up again and she felt the magic build up in her limbs.

From next to Geralt she blinked forward and cut her blade through a larger rider as they made their way towards the center of the courtyard, near the main bulk of the fighting. She stopped and one rushed her from the right, she got her blade up and caught the riders blade on hers. The wraith pushed down on her, and she was about to teleport again when blood splattered into her face.

"AHAHAHA! Take that ya fucks!" The voice of Hjalmar yelled, as Ciri watched him pull his large axe from the rider's skull, he smirked down wildly at her, "COME ON CIRI! LETS SEND'EM BACK TO THEIR WORLD!"

Her eyes widened and she blinked behind her old friend and thrusted her blade through a rider that was charging for him. For a few moments she spun and parried into the enemy as Hjalmar laughed wildly next to her while spinning his axe. Geralt as always stayed by her side as she thought about everything she still wanted to do. She wanted to go from one end of the continent to the other, Dominik right next to her as they saw everything their world had to offer. She wanted to take him to different ones she remembered visiting, take on contracts and help people like a real witcher. The two of them would become even more famous then Geralt was, they'd get to be together, finally be together properly without the weight of so many things on their backs. She would get them there, he deserved it, she deserved it, and she would make sure that it happened.

She ducked under one riders strike and cut her blade across his torso, she looked to her left and teleported behind another and stabbed through the wraith before twirling her sword out of him. More boots crunched behind her and she whirled around to see another charging for her. She was just about to raise up his blade when all of a sudden the rider completely stopped, white bits of magic swirled around his head and Ciri recognized the axii sign. Before she could do anything a flash of green and gold came charging and she recognized Dominik's friend George skillfully spin and cleave off the wraith's head before turning to face her.

"HA! You are just as skilled as Dominik described Ciri!" George yelled to her with a smile before he whirled to his right and fired his hand forward. A wall of flames from the Igni sign shot from him and set alight two of the wraiths who had come for him.

"CIRI!" A voice yelled behind her, and Ciri whirled around to see Freya, her blonde hair shot back in the wind as she skillfully and gracefully parried and cut down a rider before running up to her.

She pulled up to a stop and her wide blue eyes bore into Ciri, "Where'd Dominik go!? I haven't seen him since you both came back to the courtyard!"

Ciri felt the ring tremble around her neck. She remembered seeing how much Dominik had fiddled with the swallow, and it warmed her knowing it still meant as much to him as the ring did to her. Her head darted up to the tower, and she felt her skin crawl. After that first explosion she hadn't heard or seen anything else. He was fighting Baelen, and all of her nightmares came flashing back into her head.

"He… he went back up to the tower to protect Yen," Ciri said, and Freya must have been able to hear the shakiness in her voice before the blonde quickly shook her head.

"Don't worry, he's strong he'll be alright," She reassured him as she twirled her blade to level it at more riders before yelling again, "Besides, he just got you back… he loves you too much he won't leave you… I would know better then most…"

"What?" Ciri just had time to asked before more riders descended on them.

Freya lashed out with newfound determination. She parried and spun under an attack before cutting one rider down, and she didn't stop moving. Ciri wondered what the blonde had meant for a moment, but her thoughts were quickly dashed when she saw more of the riders coming for her. Biting her lip and feeling the ring still tremble she leveled her blade and blinked forward. She cut her sword through one rider and as it slowly fell in two she came up to another. It swung its sword at her and she leaned back, she watched the blade soar over her face before she came back up. She was about to cut through the rider herself when its head was cut clear off and she saw Geralt standing there. Quickly she got next to her father again and Geralt pointed towards a corner of the courtyard.

"Come on we need to start closing these portals quicker, won't stand a chance otherwise," He urged to her, as another quickly came for them both.

Geralt blasted the rider back with Aard, but Ciri's eyes had turned up to the tower again. She looked up over the walls, and she didn't know what it was, but she could feel the ring around her neck trembling particularly hard. Her fingers went numb around her sword, and she felt her stomach violently churn. She had let him go up there by himself, she could have gone with him, gone with him to help protect him. Her dreams always ended with Baelen killing him, the dream had haunted her for months upon months, it had made her come back, she had promised to protect him just like he did for her, just like he had always been doing for her.

Yet she had let him go off by himself. She knew just how powerful Baelen was, in her whole life she had never fought anyone with that kind of magic, that kind of magic that was also so proficient with a sword. Dominik was powerful, he could take care of himself plenty this she knew, his own magic was strong, but Ciri had seen how it affected him at that point. He wasn't used to the powers, he had openly admitted that while he had fully unlocked them, he was still far from being able to control them fully. She thought back to when they fought Caranthir, the magic had exploded back onto him, and if she hadn't intervened he would have died.

She trusted him, trusted his abilities, but every fiber of her being wanted to teleport up to that tower right now and be by his side.

"CIRI," Geralt urged from behind her, and when Ciri turned to him her father slowly nodded and gestured up towards the tower, "He'll be okay I promise, he can take care of himself."

"Geralt she's more powerful than anyone I've ever fought," Ciri pleaded with her father as she turned back up to the tower, "I know he can take care of himself but what if-."

"He promised to come back didn't he?" Geralt quickly said as he grabbed her shoulder to face him.

Slowly Ciri nodded, all the sound of battle tuned out, "He did yes…"

Geralt met her eyes with an intense gaze, "Then he'll come back, trust him."

She trusted him more then anyone. Biting her lip she took one last gaze up at the tower and managed to grip around the ring blowing violently in the wind. His voice rang in his head, '_We have a date tomorrow, you know how long I've been waiting for one of those? I wouldn't miss it for the world'. _She felt the spot on her lips where he kissed her heat up and thought about the words. She hadn't thought of something as common as a date in years. But tomorrow they'd have one, the two of them would finally get to sit and spend time alone together, like she had been craving for so long. He had promised her he'd be there, just like he promised that he'd always protect her, and always try to get to her.

He had kept all of those promises, he was protecting her now, and everything he had done the last eight years had been to get to her, to keep that promise he made so many years ago in the cave. He would be back, he would beat Baelen, he would beat her not just because of his skill, but because he promised her, because he loved her. She let out one last shaky sigh, and when she finally managed to tare her eyes away from the tower she gripped tightly around her sword again before turning back to Geralt who nodded to her again.

"Okay…" She said, as the loud yells of the defender started to fill her ears again, she looked over and another new portal opened up in the left of the courtyard.

Geralt quickly raised his silver again and looked back to her, "Okay, come on let's get moving we need to help close the portals and-."

A loud ***BOOOOOOOOM* **erupted and cut her father off. Ciri looked up towards the tower and an eruption larger than any she'd seen in years ripped through the air, as the light blue burst of magic shot from the tower. Her eyes widened and she almost went to teleport upwards, but that was when more came. ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM***, they all came in quick succession, and Ciri's heart fell to the pit of her stomach as she grabbed the ring again.

Biting her lip she turned back to Geralt and nodded, after this they both took off towards the open portals. Dominik had started fighting Baelen, and now their powers were both unleashing.

But he would come back, he would come back to her she knew. They had a date the next night, and just like her, she wouldn't miss it for anything.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"COME NOW DOMINIK! SHOW ME AGAIN HOW FAR YOU'LL GO FOR THE WOMAN YOU LOVE," Baelen screamed over at him, as her blade moved with more quickness and precision then in their last fight, faster then Dominik had ever fought before.

Magic swirled around her blade and with every stroke that hit his own a small burst would erupt. It took him a moment to readjust to using the heavier steel blade after using his silver for the whole battle so far, but he was quickly able to get used to the weight again and it felt like nothing had changed. That sword had done everything for him, from his first monster when he was sixteen, to the Battle of Brenna, the bounty hunter outside Ellander, and all the fights he'd had in the recent month, that sword had never let him down and it wasn't going to do so then.

Baelen lashed out at him from the right, he parried and went to spin left for another strike but as soon as his blade was about to strike her she disappeared in a puff of frost. He thought he'd have time to turn around to where he knew she was going to reappear, but she was much quicker in this fight then their previous one. He felt her crude longsword rake against his torso, it would have been a decisive blow but as soon as it rake Dominik turned around and fired his hand out. An Aard blast ripped from his hands and sent her skidding backwards and he felt the magic continue to whirl in his own eyes. His hand smoked and he still saw the light blue out of his eyes. Magic enveloped around his blade the same way it did on Baelen's and as soon as she recovered she came leaping for him again. She came down on him from above and he quickly grounded himself. He dug his feet into the ground and raised up to block, a loud ***BOOM* **rang with the clang of their steel as for a moment their blades stayed locked and he saw the swirling blue magic that was in her eyes.

"YOU SWORE TO ME! YOU PROMISED ME," She screamed at him, and he felt his skin crawl as she side stepped and tried to strike at her from behind.

She disappeared in another puff of frost, and this time Dominik took no chances and shot up a Quen shield, all of the magic swirling around his arms shot to his sign and as soon as Baelen hit it, all the telekinetic energy from the shield erupted and sent her flying back. The shield had done its job, but the massive blast from the magic whirling around her had sent him stumbling back. He whirled up to his feet and saw her quickly rise back up, her armor was singed but the magic around her continue to invigorate her.

"I WAS NOTHING, I WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO HER WAS I!? NO IT WAS ALL ABOUT HER LIKE IT ALWAYS WAS," Her voice erupted at him, and with every word Dominik's eyes widened and the magic pulsed more and more from her.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" He yelled at her desperately, feeling her words wash over and pierce into his brain.

She growled again as her brown hair churned and blew in front of her, "I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF HER, BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO KNOW!"

When she teleported forward he was almost stabbed, she thrusted her blade forward, but he managed to side-step and go for his own strike. She backed up and leapt forward with new ferocity. He had to block a series of strikes that put him on the defense, she came from the left, the right and in that moment he grounded himself. Digging his feet into the dirt he parried her blows, just like Faram had taught him he waited for an opening. However, the magic that whirled on Baelen's limbs soon became overwhelming. Every blow a small eruption would overtake his vision, and he felt himself soon begin to wane. Soon however, he saw the opening he needed.

She struck out from above, and quickly tried to spin and come at him from the left. He parried the strike down to the ground and brought his free hand down to smash onto her arm. It didn't hurt her but her blade clunked to the ground and he took the opportunity to cut his blade across her arm.

"GAHHHHH, _VORT ANGANA,_" She screeched in Elder Speech as she thrusted her hand forward.

The magic swirled into a ball in her hands, and he barely had time to fire the Quen shield from his hands before it smacked into him. Another large ***BOOOOOM* **erupted from their impact and Dominik felt himself fly backwards, Baelen shot backwards as well, he went back until he felt his back slam against the battlements. His armor saved his life as he felt his back erupt in pain, magic still swirled around him, and when he heard the sounds of fighting from down below he managed to slowly crane his head and look down at the chaos.

His eyes widened when he saw the scene, they were being overrun. Portals kept opening and opening, riders were pouring into the courtyard, and he watched the magic blast, the steel clatter and heard his friends shouting. Slowly he looked up and saw the smoke still burning in the middle courtyard. They had bottled the Hunt's forces in the inner one yes, but they continued to pour in, and no matter how many times he saw portals close another one just took its place, more and more, they kept coming and coming, and still they fought. He craned his head back over to the middle courtyard; the fire was still burning high just like Arno had said it would. Groaning he felt himself slowly rise to his feet, he pushed himself up with his sword, and when he got to his feet he couldn't take his eyes off the middle courtyard. Declan and Arno were already gone, they had died so that they could have a better chance, so that they could hold them off in the next courtyard.

But their sacrifice was becoming dangerously close to being in vein. He managed to see the bursting trails of magic Ciri was leaving in her wake as she teleported. Two dead were already too many, and if they didn't do something, anything to take the advantage, then they'd all die, she'd die. He coughed and felt the swallow bounce against his chest, he grabbed it as he leaned out groaning still over the battlement but managed to tighten the grip on his blade.

"You could have prevented this," Baelen said behind him, her voice was lower, and when Dominik turned around he could see her armor smoking as she went on, "Your friends will die here… all because you want to defend someone, who's never done NOTHING for you…."

"Shut up…" He said slowly, as he felt himself groan and manage to turn around.

His sword tip slowly drug along the stone, and when he saw Baelen she seemed to still be ready to fight. Biting his lip he rolled his shoulders to help the feeling return to them before raising up his blade. When he did she laughed again, and the cold freezing wind blew her brown hair to the right.

"HA! You know I speak the truth! What has Zireael ever done for you Dominik!?" She shouted to him, and that was when he felt his anger spike.

"SHE'S DONE EVERYTHING," He shouted, feeling his insides begin to churn even more violently as he continued to hear the shouting from the courtyard, "She let Eredin chase her, she ran through different fucking worlds by herself so that they wouldn't come down on me… she saved my life in Cintra… she's loved me, cared for me… been there for me… and I WON'T let Eredin have her, I won't let you have her…"

She scoffed out a cackling almost demonic laugh and pointed her blade at him, "IF SHE LOVES YOU SO MUCH HAS SHE TOLD YOU HOW SHE SPENT MONTHS TRYING TO FUCK KING AUBERON!?"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH," He screamed out as his voice rang over the wind.

He felt something slowly starting to unlock inside him. For so, so long he had been looking for her, looking for Ciri the one person in the world he loved more then anyone else. She had changed his life, made him a better person, saved him, sacrificed everything for him. For two years she ran from Eredin by herself, all so that they didn't come down on him and their family. She had gone through more hell then anyone should ever have too, she had been beaten, taken advantage of and hunted all because of something that was out of her control. And the whole time she had to do it by herself, protect herself, he wasn't there, he hadn't been there for her like he promised. He didn't believe Baelen, Ciri loved him, and even if she had been with someone else, he hadn't been completely loyal himself. He had been with Freya, spent several romantic nights with her for months, and almost slept with her, so if Ciri had done the same thing, then he had no right to be angry.

And he also wouldn't simply take the word of a commander of the Wild Hunt without asking Ciri about the topic.

The swallow churned violently around his neck, he thought about her down in the courtyard with Geralt, all of his friends fighting. Looking behind Baelen he could see the magic sparkling in Yennefer's arms as Faram who was injured still leaned over the tower wall and looked at him with wide eyes. He heard the massive crackling from the fire raging in the middle courtyard, and thought of Arno and Declan's bodies burning there, everything would fall apart, he needed to get back down to her, get her out, be there for her like he always promised. Baelen was standing in his way, and when he looked and saw the magic still swirling in the eye sockets of her face plate, he felt his own blood begin to boil even more. He tightened both hands around his sword and watched as her cackling laugh continued to sound more and more erratic.

"BAHA, you're sensitive because you know I am correct! You'll die here first, and then once Eredin has her blood, I WILL KILL HER," She yelled as with every word the magic in her eyes grew larger.

He could see his vision being overtaken by the blue tinge of light again. Every word she spoke, every yell he heard from down below, it washed over him like he was bathing in a fireplace. They were there trying to take her, they had killed Arno and Declan, they were trying to drag her away from him again. He wouldn't be alone again, he wouldn't let her suffer anymore, he'd never go back to how things were. When he had said on the Isle of Mists that he couldn't do it without her anymore he had been speaking true. He wouldn't go back to wondering the continent alone going from village to village, spending nights alone, starving when he couldn't find work. He was going to take Ciri and they were going to save people, help them, go see every part of the continent with one another, they would be together like it was supposed to be when they were younger.

She was not only his destiny, but the only person who made it all worth it. He had only spent a few hours back with her, and those few hours, despite the fact they were spent mainly planning a battle, were the most magical moments he'd had over the last eight years. He could feel his lips get wet despite the wind, he could feel her kiss on his lips, her arms around him, he could hear her laugh and her voice. Even those few minutes they spent alone in his room, they had felt like hours, and every single second she was in her presence replaced the next as the greatest moment of his life. After so long of only seeing her in his dreams, only having his memories of her and the faintest lingering feeling of her touch he finally had her back. She was real, down in the courtyard waiting for him, and he wasn't going to give that feeling up.

Nobody would take her from him again.

"I thought I told you, you have to kill me first…" He said darkly over the wind, he saw the magic whirl around his limbs, and he focused all of his chaos,

Baelen laughed again, the wind howled in his ears as he saw her level her blade towards him. Her hair whipped back in the wind, and Dominik could feel the heat and power radiating from her body, it was equal to that of his own, and his medallion vibrated so much around is neck he thought for a moment it would fall off its chain.

Slowly the eyes of her faceplate, the blue swirling magic turned to him, "That will be arranged Dominik… I'll kill you. After that, Eredin will take Zireael and after her purpose is served… I WILL kill her."

And as soon as the word 'take' hit his ears, is when he felt it all erupt.

"NOBODY IS GOING TO TAKE HER AWAY, NOBODY, I WON'T LET YOU," He screamed over the wind and the fighting, and the blue light from the magic over took his eyes, and now he saw Baelen in a tinge of blue, and the magic whirling around him churned and rung in his ears.

"YOU PROMISED HER AND OTHERS THAT BEFORE," She screamed and the magic erupted out of her eyes, "YET HERE WE ARE, COME THEN, DIE FOR HER LIKE YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED!"

And just like when they had fought back in the cave they lunged at each other. The magic erupted from his arms, it enveloped his blade as all he saw was blue, the pretty light blue color shot down into his sword and when he saw Baelen leap, he swung it up to meet her strike. As soon as her blade hit his own another large ***BOOOOOM* **erupted from their blades as they both fought in a new steel whirlwind. ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*** all shook the tower they were on as each time their sword met their magic discharged. He felt the ground beneath him shake with every blow, as Baelen's blade was all he focused on.

"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER!" He yelled as he leaped to strike at her from the right.

She parried and side-stepped, Dominik went to spin around and strike again but she disappeared in a puff of frost. He felt the magic shoot through his limbs and his cells erupt as he turned to block her strike as she came leaping out of a portal from above. Another ***BOOM*** shook him and they both got tumbling backwards. Dominik felt himself start to roll as when he finally stopped he had smacked up against the smaller tower Yennefer and Faram had been perched atop.

"DOM MATE! YOU ALRIGHT!?" Faram yelled down from the tower, but the Bear Witchers voice was muffled as he coughed.

He coughed the dirt out of his mouth and slowly gripped his hand around his sword again, using the top he pushed himself back up to his feet and looked up to Faram who's head had poked over the side.

Blinking a few times he nodded up to his friend, "I… I'm alright. Where's Yen is she-."

"LOOK OUT MATE," Faram yelled, and Dominik had time to whirl around just to see Baelen leaping at him again, and just before she made contact with him he shot his hand forward, and a powerful Aard blast shot her back, but her spell unleashed too and when they crashed he got sent back as well as the largest ***BOOOOOOOOOM* **of their entire fight ripped through his ears.

He smacked into the pillar where Yennefer and Faram were perched atop of and groaned as he slowly got up to his knees. Blinking rapidly he felt his heart ready to beat out of his chest as somehow the cold night froze even more. Under his gloves he could barely move his fingers, the cold seemed to catch up on his ears, and every breath stung him to take. Moving his legs it felt like his bones were about to shatter, but he did manage to stand to his feet, and across from him he saw Baelen was in a similar state. Her armor was even more singed, and he could see a crack running down her faceplate.

Coughing he managed to stumble forward and regain his foots. The ground beneath them was slick with their blood, and multiple black scorch marks. He felt his medallion and the swallow bounce against his chest as Baelen also finally managed to look up at him. She was breathing as heavy as he was. Like him as well, she was just a human, as much as she seemed to wish it, she wasn't an Aen Elle, and she didn't have the same tolerance for magic as they did. She was clearly a master of using her powers, but everyone had their limits. Slowly he managed to raise his blade as the sound of fighting continued to hit his ears. The yells of his friends, the sight of the smoke burning from the courtyard, the knowledge that Ciri was down there, it all made him level his blade again as he heard her cough and slowly look up.

"Well, well, well… I didn't think you'd unlock your power so soon…" She said with a cough, and from the crack in her faceplate he could hear her real voice. And just like in his dream, and when he heard it in Oxenfurt, it was a normal woman's voice.

He let out a shaky breath and leveled his blade at her, "If… if you just told me who you were… we could avoid all of this…"

She laughed and coughed before looking back up at him. The magic had stopped swirling from them both, the eyes of her faceplate were black again, and around her limbs and armor he could see how singed and scrapped it was. His own armor wasn't faring very well either, there were holes in the chain, and the metal around his shoulders was singed and dented.

"You… you had your chance Dominik… now and… and so many years ago," She said, and as she went on, for the first time he could hear regret in her voice, "I… I gave you a chance… de…despite what it cost me. But… just like always, all… all you care about is her… I'm going to kill you… and then… and then I WILL kill her. I'll have my vengeance… just… just like Eredin promised…."

He saw her perk up as the magic started whirling around her again, and seeing it sent another jolt up his spine. His grip around his sword tightened as the wind continue to freeze his ears and the tip of his nose.

"You're being used…. Can't you see that!? Eredin is going to kill you as soon as he has what he wants. He's using you," He yelled out to her, as every word that left him shot pain down his throat.

She scoffed and shook her head as magic continued to slowly begin to whirl again around her, "YOU are the one who's being used Dominik…. Cirilla will have you die for her, she… she'll throw your life away."

"I would die for her willingly…" He said darkly as he felt the magic start to swirl around him as well, keeping his blade pointed at Baelen he rose his voice over the wind, "Like I told you the last time… I don't expect you to understand… understand what it's like to love someone… truly love someone and have them love you back. I love Ciri… Ciri loves me… and that's all the motivation I need…."

And just like when they were in the cave Baelen's eyes erupted, "AND AGAIN YOU'RE WRONG DOMINIK! THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE VERY WRONG-."

It looked like she was going to leap forward to attack again, Dominik went to raise another Quen shield, but before Baelen could leap to start the fight again was when the horn sounded. He recognized it as the same horn that called Caranthir from the battle earlier. His eyes widened and all thoughts of Baelen abandoned him, he ran over to the side of the walls and shot his gaze down to the defenders. The battle still raged, and all the sounds started hitting his ears at once. He recognized his friends battle cries and continued to see blasts of fire and lightning shoot from the magic users. Ciri continued to blink down below between riders, and if he squinted he could see Geralt's silver hair whirling and twirling besides her. It seemed for a minute that they were gaining the advantage. He saw portals slowly start to close, riders continued to fall to their swords, and it seemed that the wraiths were starting to retreat.

However, when he took a closer look, he could see that it wasn't his friends that were closing the portals. The riders would leap into portals and slowly they were closing themselves. He knew that Eredin wouldn't be retreating now, not when he was so close. He had learned enough from his father when he was young to know, that sometimes the most dangerous thing an army could do was retreat. And he knew his opponent, slowly he whirled around and saw Baelen, furiously she slid her sword back to her waist before her eyes shot from the night sky back to him

"DAMMIT," She cursed, and Dominik quickly leveled his blade again when she shook her head and the magic continued to swirl. He could hear the bitterness as she looked directly into his eyes and spoke again, "I gave you your chance Dominik… you could have saved the lives of all your friends had you listened to me… but you chose her… just like you always have. And now you'll all die… this battle ends now."

"What are you talking about!? What are you-," He yelled over the wind, but quickly he was cut off when she shouted again, and this time he knew she was casting a spell, her voice echoed through the entire fortress, Elder Speech ripped through the wind and with every word Dominik felt the swirling blizzard get more and more intense.

Baelen's eyes were completely overtaken by the light blue magic as she shot her hands into the air, "_AE CALLAN AEN TAEDH AEP FLUAE TE ZVAERE!"_

At the words magic erupted from her hands upwards like a volcano, a loud ***BOOOM* **shook the fortress, and Dominik was sent tumbling back on his feet. He shot his head back up from his knees as the light blue magic from Baelen zoomed up in a swirling spiral into the air. It smacked into Yennefer's magic shield, and right away Dominik turned to look back up at his mother, who shouted out in pain.

"GAHHHH DOMINIK, DOMINIK GET-," His mother screeched, before he saw her eyes slowly flutter, and just as the magic finally disappeared from her hands she fell forward. Faram thankfully was there to catch her, the Bear Witcher gently laid his mother against the wall and Dominik managed to tare his eyes back to Baelen.

The magic shield that Yennefer had erected around the castle slowly crumbled, and the wind that had been howling already got louder, and louder as between it and the magic churning from Baelen he had to raise up his hands to avoid the debris. Small rocks and stones shot up from the walls and he slowly tried to walk towards the commander who's arms began to swirl above her as she looked up to the sky. The giant beam of blue magic pierced the clouds above them, and just as Dominik thought he would make it to her, his legs were swept out from under him and he fell to his knees as Baelen's voice echoed in his ears again.

"_CAEMM AEP MAE A OBYE DEIN MAE," _She shouted, and the magic churned and shot out of her from all angles, Dominik managed to get his head up to look at her, he had to grip his medallion and the swallow before they flew from his neck, his hair whipped to one side and when he looked up Baelen finally looked down to him, she locked eyes with him for a moment before looking back to the sky and yelling again.

She swirled her hands then shot them to the side once more, and her voice echoed so loud it almost made his ears bleed.

_"CAEMM AEP MAE…. KILGARRAH!" _She finished screaming and the magic whirled once more around her, and it erupted in the air one more time before it disappeared, and the magic around Baelen did as well.

Dominik felt his eyes widen as the cold wind whipped up again. For a few seconds there was a silence that was somehow louder than any sound he had ever heard. He looked up to the sky, and saw nothing, for a moment he tuned out the sighting in the courtyard. Looking past Baelen he could see the smoke still rising from where they had blown the middle courtyard. Only a minute or so had passed in reality, but as he stood there looking at Baelen, it felt like hours. Slowly his sword point dipped when he saw her turn away from him. Her boots clunked against the scorched stone from their battle as she slowly walked towards the walls. His eyes widened and quickly he followed her, when he finally got a few meters away from her, Baelen had stepped up on the battlements.

Down below, Dominik heard the sounds of battle get weaker and weaker, more and more distant as if the fighting was stopping altogether. He looked up again and when he saw that there was no shield he turned back for a moment to the tower Faram and Yennefer had been on. Faram was staring wildly at him, the Bear Witcher had Yennefer next to him, and clearly his friend was trying to tell him that something was wrong. His heart rate quickened, and he almost ran over to his mother, when Baelen's voice whirled him back around.

"A small part of me is upset it had to end like this Dominik…. But that part is still a foolish little girl…" She said with scorn evident on her voice as she didn't turn back to him.

"What did you do!? What was that spell," He demanded of her, his sword raising again as he felt his skin begin to tingle.

Her brown hair whipped straight back, and she slowly shook her head, "I ended this…. You had your chance. If you somehow survive… we will meet again. Kindred blood…. Goodbye, Dominik of Cintra."

Quickly he shook his head and took another step towards her on the walls, "What are you talking about!? Who the hell are you, TELL ME BEFORE-."

The roar echoed throughout the entire valley, it was so loud that Dominik thought it could have been heard all the way from Nilfgaard to Kovir and Poviss.

"No… no, no, no, CIRI," He yelled running up to the walls, just as the wind began to pick up more.

The roar continued to echo through the valley and when he looked down he saw the fighting had stopped. The portal in the inner courtyard had all closed, all of his friends stopped, and Dominik felt his blood freeze in his veins when he saw Ciri. The magic trail she left gave her away as he saw her standing next to who he picked out to be his Uncle Vesemir. Everyone seemed to stand for a moment not knowing what to do, Dominik's hands dug into the small mound of snow that had gathered up on the battlements, he looked over to Baelen who still stood on the wall with her hair blowing back in the violent wind.

He was about to shout something when he heard the yelling.

"DRAGOOOOOON! EVERYBODY DOWN NOW!" The voice of one of his friends yelled from down below, and Dominik heard the loud ***WHOOOSH* **zoom from over his head.

He leapt down to the ground and felt a beam of pure ice shoot over his head. Rolling back around and up to one knee he felt his frozen eyeballs look up, and a massive shot of white flew past him. The dragon, it was indeed real, any hopes he had of what the people saw in Lofeton being fake, or just an exceptionally large wyvern were dashed. It was a fully grown white dragon, for a second Dominik could do nothing but stare as it flew by. The lessons he had on dragons came flooding back to him, and it looked exactly how Vesemir had described. Its body was massive, and its wings almost stretched out the entire length of the courtyard. The wing's blocked out the light from the moon, but its torrent of icy breath didn't rip through the defenders in the courtyard. It soared right over them and landed on one of the battlements it's head went directly to the flames and smoke billowing from the middle courtyard… where Arno and Declan had sacrificed everything to set it alight.

"NO, NO, NO NO," He screamed running back over to the walls as he looked down and saw everybody begin to scramble around again in the courtyard.

The dragon roared so loud that it shook the very foundation of the castle, and after it had roared, its torrent of icy breath washed over the middle courtyard. Ermion had said before the battle that the gas would keep the fire burning through even the coldest of winds.

Yet the druid hadn't accounted for the dragon's breath.

All the smoke that billowed from the courtyard went out, and slowly, ever so slowly the flames were finally gone. Dominik felt his skin begin to crawl, a pot of anger boiled inside of his stomach.

Arno and Declan's had given their lives to set that courtyard alight… and within seconds all the work was for naught.

"NO, NO FUCKING NO, NO, CIRI, CIRI," He screamed looking down to the courtyard, he tried to look and find Ciri, but he couldn't spot her ashen locks, and she hadn't used her powers so he couldn't locate her. All of his friends seemed too shocked to move, but after a moment they all started to scramble.

His heart fell down to the pit of his chest. The dragons next roar almost made his ears bleed as when it took off, its wings sent another gust so powerful through the castle that it knocked over one of the trees in the inner courtyard. It soared up into the air, it went high up into the clouds and for a moment Dominik lost it. His brain was in complete scrambles as a million thoughts ran through his head, he needed to do something, something to deal with the beast, he quickly slid his steel to his back and replaced it with his silver. He gripped _Fate_ tightly in his hand and he was about to start moving when he heard Faram's yell.

"DOMINIK MATE! DOM YOU NEED TO GET OVER HERE," The Bear Witcher yelled, and Faram whirled back around to him, he felt like a dagger was being slowly stabbed into his chest when he saw Yennefer looking at him with pleading eyes as she lay against the wall of the tower, her violet eyes begging him to come to her.

"Yen! Yen I'm coming," He yelled as he finally felt his legs move, he sprinted towards her, but after a few steps Baelen's voice finally pierced the air like a knife.

"Don't go down to the courtyard Dominik…. Don't do it…" She said, and her words were laced with so much regret, lament and anguish he had to stop and look at her.

For a second she turned her head to look at him. He felt an electric spark pass between them just as it did in the cave. Gently her brown hair flew in the wind, and he tried to find words to say, something appropriate. He wanted to yell back, scream at her, but when he tried to speak nothing came out of his mouth. The roar pierced the air again, and he felt a large gust behind him, he whirled around and saw the dragon darting down from the sky again.

He ducked down to avoid it, and followed its trajectory, as he did his eyes fell on Baelen again. After one more look at him, the commander turned back around, and she jumped from the walls.

"WAIT!" Dominik yelled as a thousand questions rolled into his mind.

He sprinted off towards the edge of the wall, wanting to see if she somehow hit the ground, but another loud ***WHOOSH* **ripped through his ears, and the dragon shot upwards, however, this time it wasn't just the dragon. It roared and when Dominik squinted his eyes he saw her. Baelen had leapt onto the beasts back, and she rode it down towards the courtyard. He watched her get smaller and smaller as for a few moment she and beast soared above the clouds, as the freezing air somehow got even colder. Dominik felt his limbs freeze… everything had fallen apart… and he could have avoided it all if he had just remembered who she was.

"DOM… DOMINIK…." A strained voice yelled from behind him, he whirled around and saw Faram had Yennefer in his arms, the Bear School witcher had carried her down from the tower, but his friends own injury made him wince and fall to his knees.

"YEN," He yelled, feeling the water begin to well up in his eyes as he rushed over to them.

Right away he fell to his knees next to Faram. Gently he reached over and wrapped his arms around the sorceress, before gently laying his mothers back and head into his lap. Faram breathed heavy next to him, and for a moment he met his best friends' eyes and could see just how fatigued he was. Slowly the Bear Witcher nodded and gestured his head down to Yennefer, and Dominik soon felt his mothers' hand gently wrap around his arm. He looked down at her and had to blink to keep the tears away. She was pale, extremely pale and Dominik could feel how clammed up she was. Carefully he adjusted her head on his lap, and when she looked up at him he could see the fatigue in her violet eyes. His mother had black bags under her eyes, and he could see her rapidly blinking to keep them open.

She wouldn't die from the fatigue, but he could tell just how much keeping the shield, especially against Baelen's magic had taken out of her.

He felt his heart begin to race as he looked to Faram, "Faram did you give her your potion from Freya? We need to give her something to-."

"No… no child… you… you need to take it," Yen said weakly from his arms and Dominik's eyes went wide as he looked back down to her.

Shaking his head he felt her grip tighten on him, he made sure to look deep into her eyes as he felt his heart begin to race at an even more alarming rate, "What? No Yen you need it, you're about to pass out, I… I promised I wouldn't let them get you-."

"Oh… oh you always… always were my darling boy," She said lightly, as Dominik saw her shakily bring a hand up to the side of her face. "So… so sweet… always…. Dominik…my… my son listen to me. You… you NEED to get to Ciri… you need to leave me here and-."

"NO, not a chance, I won't do it," He said, readjusting her head he shook it down at her again as he felt the water continue to well up in his eyes. "I.. I'll get you back up on your feet and… and we'll both go and get her!"

Slowly the sorceress shook her head, "There… there's no time darling. I… I'll be alright… we… we'll all be alright. You… you need to get to her my child…"

He sucked in quick breaths as he sniffled in again, "Yen… we… we can't leave you guys here we… we won't. I… I love you, we love you all and-."

"And I love you both… Geralt he… he loves you both…. I love you both more then anything," She said as she slowly shook her head. "Which… which is why I NEED you to… to promise me… promise me you'll go… go and get her… her and yourself out."

"Not without you… not without all of you…" He said slowly, as the first of his tears fell down onto her shoulder.

Yen let out a weak laugh and shook her head, "I… I've walked this earth… more than a hundred years my darling boy. I… I've wanted children… more then anything and… and I was blessed with…with you and Ciri both. I… swore I'd keep you safe… I'll be fine darling… go… GO and get the woman you love…"

"She's right mate, you need to go NOW," Faram quickly said as the Bear Witcher got to the other side of Yennefer. "That dragon is nasty business, a tough fucker… you go and get Ciri out of here. Haven't known her long but I can tell she's a stubborn lass, you need to get her out mate."

His eyes tore over to his friend and his jaw dropped, "And leave you all here to die!? How can you expect me to-."

"This is bigger than us mate! You told us that yourself," Faram yelled back to him, and for the first time he could hear a sharp angry edge in his friends voice. "You said it yourself, if they get their hands on Ciri, not only do we lose her, but the whole fuckin continent will fall!"

Biting down on his lip hard he felt the swallow tremble around his neck as the wind began to churn even more violently around him. The tips of his ears felt like they were about to fall off, his eyes were so frozen it hurt him to blink, and his limbs felt as if they were going to fall apart at any moment. He heard the distant roar of the dragon, and he narrowed his eyes to see that Baelen was riding it in the clouds, and for some reason she hadn't attacked yet. She had to be waiting for support, and the idea made his stomach churn.

Yennefer reached and gripped his elbow taking him away from his gazing, he looked down and he could see the desperation in her eyes.

"He… he's right Dominik…. I… I love you my darling boy," She said gently with a small shake of her head, "You… you need to go and get her… get her… and keep her safe, you-."

"DOM SHIELDS NOW!" Faram turned and yelled to him as he his head up.

His eyes widened and he slammed his hand into the ground, a yellow Quen shield appeared around him as he held Yennefer's head close to him. Next to him Faram held up a shield as well, and the blizzard washed over his vision, he could see Faram's shield and heard the howling from the wind but that was it. They had arrived… the main force had arrived, they had sent the blizzard that Geralt had always described to him, and he knew that it would freeze any man no matter how strong completely in his tracks. He felt like his ears were going to fall off as he squeezed his mother's body closer to him. Looking down he saw Yennefer's breath quickening as her gaze didn't leave him. He looked down in his mothers violet eyes and he could see her pleading with him, pleading with him to go down and save Ciri.

He was flashed back to before the battle, the conversation he had with Geralt rang in his head. '_Dominik… you've been doing it your whole life. Keep Ciri safe, no matter what the cost is, do you understand'. _That was what he had told him, and as the blizzard slowly disappeared from around him he looked down and saw the swallow slowly bounce against his chest. Around him he could hear the wind still howling, but the darkness of the night was only illuminated by the glowing magic he could see down in the courtyard, After the wind finally stopped he let the shield down and shaky sigh left him, as one hand stayed around Yennefer, the other went up to the swallow around is neck and he gripped it with everything he had.

'_I love you…I never stopped… remember that', 'I love you! Don't you DARE die on me, at least not before our date!', 'I love you, you're so sweet… but please… please just shut up and kiss me.' '__Never again… I… I will NEVER leave again… I promise.'_

All of her words, all of the love he felt for Ciri came washing over him in that moment. He thought about everything he had done, all the fighting, all the longing, the pain, the cuts, stabs, bites, all the physical and mental pain he had endured in the last eight years while he was alone. He hadn't been his true self, he had been as his friends would describe 'a sulky, stubborn hardass'. And he knew that he still was that to a degree… but in only the few hours he'd spent with Ciri since he found her, he finally felt like his true self again. He had laughed more, smiled more, been happier in the previous few hours during the battle, even during the battle itself when the two of them were fighting he felt himself elated. She had that effect on him, all she had to do was laugh, and her smile, all she had to do was smile and it would put him in a better mood. It had been that way when they were younger, and it had been that way the previous few hours they had been together again.

He didn't know why, but in that moment he remembered back to when his journey to find her had started a month ago. Back in Claywitch, he remembered Mikel, the foreman of the mill ask him if he had ever been in love.

_'You know you love someone when you care for their happiness more then you do your own…' _That had been what he told them man after telling him that Dominik was indeed in love at once. He remembered how at that point, it had been two years since Rivia, two years that he thought Geralt and Yennefer were dead, and no new leads on Ciri had come up. He had reserved himself to the fact he would more then likely die in some monster cave, he would die looking for her, and he'd only ever have his memories of her, his memories and the swallow pendant.

But everything had changed now, within a day of him speaking to Mikel it had all changed, and now fast-forward a month and he had her back. She was real, she wasn't just a dream or his memories, she was real and she was down in that courtyard. The dragon roared and Dominik looked over to see that Baelen was no longer perched on its back, the beast landed on a battlement and roared, its roar sent shivers down his spine as the massive draconid launched a stream of frost into the clouds.

Ciri was down there, and she was in danger. For so long she had been in danger, been chased, attacked and almost killed multiple times. All those times he hadn't been there to do anything. Just like him she had been on her journey alone. She had to go through her quest to get back to him by herself, just like to get back to her he had to be alone. But now they weren't alone, he was there, he could be there for her this time. He loved and would die for Yennefer, Geralt, Faram, and everyone in that fortress.

But he loved Ciri more then all of them… and he always would. As he told Baelen, nobody was going to take her away again.

Slowly he felt his fingers curl, and when he looked down to Yennefer, his mother was already looking up at him. Gently she reached up and held her hand to his cheek, gently stroking her thumb across his face, she spoke in a quiet soft voice.

"Go my son… go child… go… go and keep her safe… protect like you always have…" She said, and Dominik let out a shaky breath before looking up to Faram.

"Faram… I need you to-," He said before the Bear Witcher gently cut him off by gently leaning over and taking the sorceress gently from his arms.

Faram nodded to him as he adjusted Yennefer in his lap, "Aye mate, I'll look after her… I… I'd go with you but… but fuck me I'll be no good to you as I am now… can still barely walk."

He shook his head, and finally moving his freezing limbs he managed to stand up to his feet. Looking out into the distance he still saw the dragon roaring and spitting breaths of frost into the air. He needed to move, and he needed to move fast. Looking down he saw _Fate _laying on the stone, gently he reached down and gripped the silver in his hands, and as soon as he squeezed, he felt the electricity run up his arms as he could see the faint wisps of blue magic starting to swirl again.

After gripping his blade hard he looked down to Faram again, "Thanks Faram… for everything."

The Bear Witcher nodded as his mother finally seemed to had passed out. After nodding Faram quickly reached down into the pouch on his armor. As quick as a flash he pulled out a potion vial and tossed it up to him.

"I think you need this more then I do… good luck mate…" His best-friend said as Dominik looked down at the clear vial.

Letting out a shaky breath he quickly uncorked the blue potion and downed it in a few seconds. Just like all of Freya's potions, they tasted much better then Witcher's potions. It pleasantly slid down his throat, and right away he could feel a new warmth spread through his chest. His heartrate slowed back down to a normal rate, and he looked out over the courtyard again from the tower. Again he felt his lips tingle, and he heard her voice in his head, her laugh, he could see her eyes, the scar on the bottom of her lip that cutely curled when she smiled. Everything he had done since he was eleven years old had been to see that smile. It wasn't just destiny, it wasn't just love, it was something much, much deeper that connected the two.

She was his Ciri, the woman he loved. And he would protect her, because that's what you did for the people you loved, no matter what happened to him when he went down to that courtyard… he wasn't going to let them take her.

"We're in this together… I'm here this time…" He said, and when he felt the magic begin to swirl in his again he leaped down from the tower and took off towards the courtyard.

**A/N: And just like that everyone the penultimate chapter of the Battle of Kaer Morhen has come to an end. This chapter was a bit shorter than the previous three but my god was it a monster to write, and so much fun. Baelen is one of my favorite characters to write, and I am loving slowly revealing more and more about her. This chapter was basically two epic duels, the dragon finally shows itself, and now we are onto the final of the Battle…. And it will be an intense one let's just say. First however, lets break down this chapter as always. **

**First, everyone's favorite Bear School Witcher Faram of Undvik goes toe to toe with Baelen. I wanted to sort of mimic the Eskel vs Caranthir duel with this and I had SO much fun writing it. Faram held his own, but just like Caranthir over Eskel, Baelen's magic gives her the edge. Dominik comes in and saves his friend, and we see what was one of the hardest, yet most fun duels I've ever wrote. **

**Dominik is new to controlling his powers, and while Baelen has control, like Caranthir says she is erratic and neither of them truly have complete control yet. What results is a master swordsman and swordswoman colliding with pure, raw magical power. We get a short interlude with Ciri before we get right to the duel. When I write fight scenes I try to have fight dialogue to make sure the fighting isn't too wordy and add some flavor to it! How did you enjoy the two duels? What do you make of the power that Baelen and Dominik both exhume? What will happen when they meet for a third decisive time?**

**The fight scenes are all well and good, however what may be more important is the dialogue between the combatants both before, after and during the battle. Faram gets Baelen to reveal a few small details, including us seeing that it seems she truly doesn't want Dominik dead… what did you make of the conversation as you're reading it? Does it help craft your theories about her?**

**We see Dominik as well try to appeal to her, appeal to her humanity. And for a few moments it seems like it may work before Baelen attacks. So continue to leave your Baelen theories in the reviews! I won't respond whether they're right or wrong just to keep the mystery going but keep speculating, I love reading them and discussing with everyone!**

**We get one final ending scene where Baelen summons the great dragon Kilgarrah. Kilgarrah freezes the middle courtyard and sets the scene for the finale of the battle of Kaer Morhen. Dominik's running to save Ciri, next chapter we'll see what happened below when the dragon showed up down below in the courtyard, and of course what happened when the frost came….**

**What are your predictions for the finale? How will we stop the dragon, what will Dominik do, can he save Vesemir AND Ciri? What about Ciri, what will she do? Will we see an epic final clash? I am beyond excited to bring this chapter to you guys and girls… I hope that you're as excited as I am!**

**Also! If you havent notice, the new offical cover artwork for this story is up and i LOVE it! I really hope you guys enjoy it, after working so long and so hard on this story, having official artwork, having Dominik and Ciri both in the same picture, i am just blow away, especially with how the amazingly talented artist who drew this for me got Dominik EXACTLY correct, and the same with Ciri, down to the bronze ring around her neck.**

**Now, i can only have one cover at a time obviously, but i am getting more art work done! I'm going to have artwork done for Faram, George, Freya, young Dominik and Ciri together, Baelen, and so much more! You can see all of that if you go and follow dominik_of_cintra on instagram, i post chapter excerpts, writing updates, sneak peaks, along with just cool witcher stuff! So if you wanna go see all that once again it is dominik_of_cintra**

**Thank you all so much as usual for your viewership, let me know what you think of the cover! I never thought I'd make it past Velen let alone the Battle of Kaer Morhen! But next chapter the Young Wolf meets the King of the Wild Hunt… and sparks will fly, see you then, and as always stay safe everyone!**


	61. The Battle of Kaer Morhen V (Love)

**A/N: Hey everybody, quick pre chatper A/N! Just like i did before Isle of Mists i want to thank absolutely all of you for your viewership and support. Whether you've reviewed every chapter, followed the instagram, followed, favorited, or even if youre just a guest who had been keeping up, i want to thank you ALL so, so much. This chapter i think other then Isle of Mists, was my favorite to write, and is possibly my best, i am REALLY excited to see what you all think, please, please let me know what you thought of this Battle of Kaer Morhen, and the story overall so far, we still have SO much to go, and i am so excited for you all to see!**

**That being said, after this, we have six chapters in Kaer Morhen where after so much action we're going to have tons of great character and relationship moments, mainly focusing on Dominik and Ciri as they try to catch up, and be with each other as much as they can before the final push comes, but as we know, they have a few things to talk about, and a few things keeping them from that. Those six chapters are MASSIVE in terms of length, and how much i want to add. That will be the case with the rest of the story as well, we're getting to the home stretch and i have so much i want to add and get out!**

**So i want to quickly announce, that after this chapter, similar to what i did with Isle of Mists, i may be slightly later with the next update, maybe 4-5, no later then a week at most! As i've said before, i edit my chapters like six times before i post lol, and with how many big, intimate moments are coming in these next chapters at Kaer Morhen before we go fight i want to make sure i get them 10000% exactly how i want to get them, i want them up to my standards! So don't worry, i will be writing the whole time xD It will just be a tad bit longer before the next chapters posted. **

**If you want updates, and more content from this story, go and follow dominik_of_cintra on instagram! I post updates on my writing, chapter excerpts, sneak peak of chapters, and soon more fanart! Thank you all so much for your understanding, i can't wait for you guys to see all the stuff i have planned for the home stretch!**

**With that out of the way, i hope you all enjoy, as we reach the finale of the Battle of Kaer Morhen 1,000,000 words later!**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 61: The Battle of Kaer Morhen V (Love)**

**Narrator: The Battle of Kaer Morhen rages on. After finally finding Ciri, Dominik and Geralt had little time to celebrate with the young woman. The Wild Hunt soon descended, and Ciri teleported the three of them back to Kaer Morhen, where their allies were waiting, and the Wild Hunt soon descended. The defenders plan quickly went astray when Dominik realized Baelen, the mysterious female commander of the Wild Hunt used their unknown connection to see the defender's plans. Dominik and Ciri both rushed to help their friends and allies, fighting together for the first time in eight years. Soon Declan Mawr Drryfn aep Ceallach, and Arno Dorian made the brave ultimate sacrifice. The two men gave their lives to cut the Hunt off from their forces and give the defenders a better chance. Soon after this, Baelen herself appeared on the battlefield, and Dominik reluctantly left Ciri to go and face her. After Faram of Undvik held her off, Dominik arrived on the battlements and engaged in an intense physical and magical duel with Baelen. After their duel however, Baelen summoned the Wild Hunt's great white dragon Kilgarrah. The dragon wrought destruction to the defenders before they sent a freezing blizzard to freeze the defenders all solid. With Dominik being one of the few to not be frozen by the blast, he quickly rushed down to the courtyard… to save Ciri from the Hunt's grasp…**

"Ciri look out," Vesemir yelled to her, and Ciri whirled around to see her Uncle stab his blade through a rider before quickly turning back to her.

She had been distracted by the explosions, up on the tower she had heard the ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* **from Dominik and Baelen clashing as she desperately tried to catch a view of him, but every time she did she had almost been killed. The courtyard was beginning to erupt into absolute shambles, everywhere she looked they were being overwhelmed. She was right down the steps from the door to the keep next to Vesemir, she looked down and saw Geralt spinning and parrying around Lambert and Eskel trying to reach a portal to close it with his Yrden glyph, the three Wolf Witchers spun and parried with more precision then Ciri ever thought possible. Eskel spun around Lambert and decapitated a rider before Lambert ducked under another strike to come up for a thrust. They both covered Geralt who spun and ducked under a halberd before leaping and slamming a yrden glyph into the ground to close the portal, but before they could take a moment to celebrate another ripped open near them.

"GAHHH GET AWAY," She heard from her left and she ducked under a rider's strike while staying close to Vesemir.

"FREYA!" Ciri yelled, as he saw the blonde go down near the pendulums.

Ciri almost ran forward to help, Freya had gone to parry a blow, but the blonde was finally overpowered. She got knocked down to the ground and her sword clattered down next to her, three riders, one carrying a massive halberd all converged on her. She thought that Freya was as good as gone, and another one of Dominik's friends would be killed for her, but Ciri was quickly proven wrong. Instead of laying down and accepting her fate, Freya's eyes narrowed, and as soon as the rider's halberd came down to try and split her in half she rolled to the side. She shot up to her knees and ripped the slim dagger from her belt, she rolled forward and came up to stab the knife into the back of the rider's knee. Ciri watched as the rider screamed and dropped his halberd, but he didn't scream for long because as quick as a flash Freya pulled her knife free and spun around to stab it deep into the wraith's chest. Ciri didn't have time to marvel at the young woman's resilience because before Freya could pull the knife out one of the other riders swung her sword and cut across her cheek.

"GAHHHHH!" Freya yelled as the last second dodge surely saved her life, but the crude longsword raked against her cheek and she was sent stumbling back onto the ground.

"NO!" Ciri screamed as she felt herself ready to teleport to her side, but before she could another loud voice pierced the air.

"AWAY YOU CURS!" George of Toussaint yelled as his Aard blast sent the rider that would have killed Freya stumbling back.

George came sprinting in front of the young blonde and parried a series of blows from one rider. While George was engaged in an exchange Freya once again didn't stay on the ground to play damsel in distress. She scooped up her blade and leaped to stab it into the back of George's opponent. The Griffin Witcher laughed loudly before spinning around her and decapitating another rider, and then the young woman and the Griffin witcher spun and parried around each other, Ciri managed to let out a breath of relief, but she could see the crack in George's armor, and the blood was starting to rapidly trickle down Freya's cheek.

"Haha! You fight like a whirlwind my young friend," George complimented as he parried blows with Freya at his back.

Freya pulled her knife out again and indeed spun and parried like a whirlwind with her two weapons, and to Ciri's shock the young woman managed a laugh as well.

"Ha, I hang around a bunch of witchers, I need to keep up now don't I?" She shouted gleefully as she performed a perfect pirouette around a rider before slicing her dagger across its stomach, and then ending it with her sword.

"CIRI, YOU NEED TO FOCUS CHILD!" The voice of Vesemir rang from behind her, and Ciri turned around to see her Uncle's silver flash before her eyes again.

Ciri whirled and she realized that a hound had almost leaped up to rip her throat out. Thankfully, her Uncle had been there to cut the beast down and seeing this made Ciri's grip on her own blade tighten. Her hair whipped in her vision as she could feel her bun slowly but surely coming undone, her ears felt like they were going to fall off from the cold and her eyes felt frozen open. But still she saw all the blasts of magic and heard the steel clattering, nobody had stopped fighting, so she couldn't, they were there to defend her, and she was going to do what she could to defend them in return. Both her hands gripped onto her sword as she teleported forward past her uncle and cut down another rider, after this she went and parried another series of blows before cutting the chest of another, and every stroke of her sword she thought of all the people there to defend her, some of them she hadn't even known, but they had come to make the sacrifice anyway. The least she could do was give everything she had for them, because if she didn't, if Eredin did get her, not only would she not get the life she wanted, but nobody on the continent would.

"YOU WANT ME!? TRY TO TAKE ME," Ciri yelled as she felt the magic violently churn out of her, her eyes flashed and she blinked forward feeling herself cut through two riders at once, before she landed and had to parry another.

As soon as she parried she spun around, and as soon as she cut her blade through the rider is when she heard the castle shattering ***BOOOOOOOOM* **erupt over the howling wind. Ciri landed and almost stumbled over the steps as her eyes shot up to the tower. A large eruption of magical energy ripped in all directions exactly from where she knew Dominik was fighting Baelen, where she had let him go by himself. She could see chunks of rock fall off the towers, and the magic that swirled after the blow made the hair on her arms stand up. Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach, she couldn't remember the last time that she saw that much raw magical energy unleash a few times, and they all had ended with someone dead on the ground. Her green eyes widened, and she felt her voice rake from the back of her throat.

"DOMINIK," She screeched over the sounds of the fight, as she ran towards the scaffolding near the walls.

She could only make it a few steps before she felt her shoulder held and pulled back, the voice of her Uncle Vesemir pierced her ears again and Ciri turned around to the elderly witcher with frantic eyes.

"LET ME GO! I NEED TO GET TO HIM," She yelled to her Uncle as the wind became choppy and her eyes wouldn't tare away from the tower.

"He can handle himself child! You need to focus," Her Uncle said as Ciri felt her frozen eyes begin to sting. She turned to her Uncle and again he shook his head. "He'll be alright girl, I promise, you need to-."

"I sent him up there by himself," She pleaded with her Uncle, feeling her eyes sting more and her heart begin to churn, "I… I can't lose him! I saw her kill him!"

"Trust in his abilities child! Worry about keeping yourself safe for now," Her Uncle yelled at her over the wind, and Ciri furiously shook her head.

She loved him too much, she couldn't lose him to them, that was what she had been having so many nightmares about for so long, and now she had voluntarily sent him to go fight one of the few opponents who may have a chance at killing him. But she had to trust him, trust his promises. He had promised to never stop looking for her, and he indeed had kept that promise, he promised to never let her go again, to not leave her alone to not die on her, and she had to believe that he would keep it just like he always had. She took one last glance up at the tower before she turned back to the battle around her, and for a moment Ciri gave pause. She looked down towards the middle of the courtyard, and could see that Geralt, Eskel and Lambert had indeed closed the portals, however this time more didn't open around them.

Keeping both her hands gripped firmly on her sword she looked around the courtyard and noticed that only a few portal still active. For a few moments it seemed to her like they were actually pushing the Hunt back, the riders were still coming from the portals, but it seemed like they had dealt with the main force. She looked up and saw Yennefer's shield slowly starting to crack, and if Dominik had really fallen then surely her mother would have as well and the shield would be down. A small bit of hope ran through her, what if Dominik had actually managed to beat Baelen, and the fall of their commander was making the Hunt slowly start to retreat?

She heard the crunching of boots behind her and she whirled around, she saw the rider rushing for her Uncle and quickly blinked forward. Parrying blows she turned and cut down a rider, Vesemir quickly rushed to her side again and Ciri looked back up to the tower one last time. No explosions or clattering of steel could be heard, ever since the last massive one it seemed that the magic from above had ceased. She let out a slow breath and gripped the ring around her neck, it seemed to tremble again as no matter what she couldn't shake the feeling from her heart, her heart beat slowly but every beat it felt as if it was going to erupt from her chest.

The wind continued to howl and the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood up. Her lips tingled from where she last kissed him, and for a few moments she thought about all she wanted to do with him, the traveling, the fighting, the love, everything that had been ripped away from them both. Her hand tightened around her sword and she felt her body heat up, just like he had said to her, she didn't want to do it without him anymore, she didn't know if she could after working so hard to finally get back to him.

"CIRI!" She heard her name called, and she whirled around to look down towards the gate where she discovered Geralt had called her.

Quickly she rushed to the top of the steps, she ducked and parried through strikes as she did and finally she came up next to her Uncle as they both looked down towards her father. Geralt quickly parried and cut down one rider before frantically looking back towards her again.

"Ciri, you need to get back inside the keep," Geralt yelled, and before Ciri could protest another rider charged at him, her father quickly dispersed the wraith before turning back to her, "I'll go and find Dom then the two of you-."

Geralt was cut off by the loud horn, and the sound of it made Ciri's heart fall to her boots. Her limbs felt like they were going to freeze and the cold wind stung her eye still as she frantically looked around the courtyard again. Just like when Caranthir had heard the horn, every rider seemed to abandon the duel they were taking part in. Slowly she twirled in place as she saw the rest of the defenders all cut down riders as they ran, but most of the wraiths indeed made it back to their portals. The more that she watched them, the more violently she felt her skin crawl. She could hear Hjalmar, Zoltan and a few more of the defenders even start to whoop and cheer as the Hunt seemed to be in retreat. To her left near the pendulums she saw Freya let out a relieved breath as she stumbled onto the point of her sword. George next to her smirked down at her like a proud older brother before quickly helping her back to her feet.

Over to her right she could see Triss, the sorceress Kiera and her Uncle firing spells at the last navigator portal as it closed while Hjalmar and his men all whooped and laughed with Zoltan as they walked back down near Geralt who was standing with Eskel and Lambert. She also saw the Viper and Cat witcher Letho and Gaeten slowly sheathing silver, as the whooping from some of the defenders got louder. Ciri however couldn't find any words herself, and she simply turned around again and looked up towards the tower.

Dominik would have been back to her side by now if he had defeated Baelen, this she knew. One thing she also knew, was that Eredin never retreated.

"It… looks like they're retreating," Her Uncle said slowly and skeptically as he came up next to her.

Ciri turned around to look up at the tower again, and feeling her skin continue to crawl in the chilly night. She had been running from him for two years now, she knew his cruelty, how his sick mind thought. No Eredin wasn't retreating… and she finally realized what was happening when she saw the magic start to swirl again from the tower.

"No… no they're not retreating…. NO, NO," She yelled turning and finding herself meeting Geralt's eyes, "GERALT THEY'RE REGROUPING THE DRA-."

"_AE CALLAN AEN TAEDH AEP FLUAE TE ZVAERE!" _The deep echoing voice blasted throughout the keep, and the Elder Speech ripped through Ciri's ears so hard she stumbled and nearly dropped her sword.

She managed to look up at Geralt again who was stumbling like she was, and she was about to yell something when the new loud ***BOOOOOOOM* **erupted from the tower behind her. Turning around Ciri saw magic erupt upwards like a volcanic eruption and her voice scraped against her throat as she saw the giant blast of magic hit the magic shield above.

"DOMINIK," She screeched again, and she watched as the magic slammed upwards and crushed right through Yennefer's shield.

As soon as her mother's shield began to crumble, the already howling wind violently churned around her, and swords, rocks, debris of all kinds began blowing rapidly in the courtyard. She looked around and saw multiple of the defenders all raise their arms and get sent tumbling back off balance. A few small skirmishes were breaking out as the last few riders were all trying to retreat to the navigator portals. Ciri watched as some of the defenders cut down riders that passed by them, but the wraiths paid them nearly no mind as they all were set on retreating into the portals. Her mind went to Dominik right away as she looked back up at the tower to see the churning magic vortex shooting up towards the sky. It hit the air and seemed to be ripping open a new portal in the air, and Ciri felt her heart drop, she needed to get to him, but whenever she tried to move she felt herself knocked off balance by the wind.

"CIRI THE KEEP," She heard Geralt yell as the magic died down, but the wind still churned, whirling around Ciri saw her father looked up at her with his yellow eyes frantic. "GET INSIDE THE KEEP YOU NEED TO-."

"_CAEMM AEP MAE A OBYE DEIN MAE," _The booming voice yelled through the keep again to cut Geralt off, and Ciri looked up to the tower to see the vortex slowly dissipate but the Elder Speech still rippled through the air. _"CAEMM AEP MAE…. KILGARRAH!"_

Finally the magic spurned to a stop, it gave one last explosion and all that was left in its wake was one single large churning portal right above the fortress. It looked like any other navigator portal, but Ciri knew what was coming. She heard the name ring through her ears, and she remembered back to that day in Lofeton. _'Kilgarrah'. _She remembered Avallach speaking the name, and when she did she turned back to face Geralt again who's eyes were still looking up towards the sky.

Her blood thinned and she almost felt herself drop her sword, "GERALT! WE NEED TO GET EVERYBODY OUT IT-."

Everyone in the courtyard stopped when they heard the roar. The roar from the beast almost shattered her bones, it pierced her very soul and her eyes shot back up to the portal above them. Ciri knew that it was only a minute at most, but after the roar pierced everyone's ears, she heard nothing but the crackling from the fire in the middle courtyard. The middle courtyard where she watched two men sacrifice their lives for them all to escape. Ciri felt her arms shake, the ring around her neck trembled as she took a moment to look around to every single person down in that courtyard, she thought about all of their lives, all of their families, and all that they had sacrificed to be there.

And now because she was there, they could now all die by a dragon's breath.

"DRAGOOOOOON! EVERYBODY DOWN NOW!" One of Hjalmar's men yelled, and Ciri had time to watch the large man grab Hjalmar by the shirt and violently shove her old friend out of the way towards the left.

"DOWN CIRI!" Her Uncle yelled as she felt him yank her down to her knees and throw his body over her.

She felt the cold, a cold more ferocious and biting then she had ever felt before shoot over her. Her limbs felt like they would freeze on the spot just from being near the beast, its roar pierced her ears again. After a moment she heard the loud ***WHOOSH* **fly over her head and finally Vesemir pulled her to her feet. To the left of the courtyard she saw Hjalmar slowly get to his feet, and when she saw what her friend looked at Ciri felt her heart nearly shatter. The man who had shoved him aside was completely incased in ice, and before he could even yell or Ciri could think anything else she felt the castle shake again. She tore her head around and saw that the dragon had landed on top of one of the battlements.

The dragon was even larger then Ciri remembered from Lofeton, its wing stretched almost the length of the courtyard, it stretched them and roared again. Ciri saw its mouth of sword like teeth that spewed pure white frost. The fire still crackled, and smoke rose from the inner courtyard, but she felt her feet glued to the spot she was at when the beast reared back its head and blasted a stream of pure ice and frost into the courtyard.

"NO!" She yelled out as she managed to move a few steps forward as within seconds the smoke was gone. The courtyard that they had worked so hard to set alight was extinguished within seconds. Arno and Declan had just given everything, made the ultimate sacrifice to buy them time, to set fire to the middle courtyard, and now their bodies instead of being burned were frozen, and everything they had died for was gone.

It all happened so fast that she barely had time to process. The inner courtyard was silent, and everyone started to scrambled to find cover, but before they could do anything the dragon roared once more and soared up into the clouds. Ciri tried to keep site of it, but for a moment it was a white blur. Its wings flapped and the gust of wind knocked some of the defenders off their feet, and before she knew it the beast was flying across the courtyard again. Her eyes narrowed and she had to duck as it soared practically right over her head.

She slowly got back up and narrowed her eyes. Her vision stayed locked on the dragon and as more people yelled to take cover, she thought that the beast was going to come around for another pass, but it didn't. It soared up high into the clouds, but just before it disappeared out of view, Ciri saw the back of its neck… and her heart nearly shattered.

"Baelen…." She said feeling all of her breath leave her, quickly she turned around to look back up at the tower, "No… no, no, NO, DOMINIK! GERALT!"

She turned around and saw that the courtyard had gone silent again. Her father hadn't heard her, and she watched Geralt's eyes stayed trained on the gate to the courtyard. It had still been tightly shut, but Ciri could see it starting to shake. Her skin began to crawl, the shield around the keep had been gone, and the light from the moon along with the torches somehow still lit illuminated her view. She took one last look around and saw all the defenders, the dragon was out of view, and all that she could hear was the ***BANG* *BANG* *BANG* **that came from the gate. For a split second she saw everyone. Vesemir was still next to her, George and Freya were to her right, the Griffin Witcher's armor was still cracked, and Freya was pale as the long cut was still across her cheek. Hjalmar was over the frozen body of his man, trying to find some way to unfreeze him while Triss, Eskel, Lambert and everyone else was filed out in different areas of the courtyard all of them focused on the banging of the door.

But one person still hadn't come down… and Ciri felt the ring tremble as her heart continued to sink. Baelen had come out, she had ridden the dragon of into the clouds, she had survived the duel on the tower, but Dominik still hadn't come back yet. A million horrible thoughts ran through her mind. The horrible dreams that she had been having for months all came back to her, the two of them fighting, Baelen plunging her blade into his chest, and suddenly her heart began to thump faster. The door continued to pound, and she saw Geralt slowly walk towards it.

It was all coming true, her nightmares, they were there… it was all coming true. After everything she had done, after having that happiness back for a few hours it was all about to be frozen in ice. Everyone around her would be frozen, killed because she was simply there, they would suffer for her presence. Her family, friends, all of the people she had thought she was protecting, she had put in danger.

And she had possibly sent the man that she loved to his death.

"No…" She said taking a step forward towards the small wall near the steps, "No, no, no, NO GERALT"

"DOWN CHILD!" Vesemir yelled behind her as soon as the gates blew open.

Ciri felt her head hit the ground, just as the freezing wave of wind blew through the courtyard, and everyone was frozen.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"D…Dominik…. Ge…Geralt…" She said to herself, as her vision came back to her and she blinked to control it again. She faintly could see her sword and tried to reach her hand out for it, but she was shaking too much and couldn't grab it. It was taken from her vision and she felt someone hold onto her arms.

"Come! Come child…" The voice of her Uncle said urgently in her ear as she heard her sword being raked back into the sheath on her back.

"N…no…. Dom…. Dom…Dom and Geralt…"She said weakly as she felt herself pulled to her feet, her vision was still blurry but she managed to crane her head up as her Uncle led her to the left, towards the pendulums, the place she used to love going with him as a child.

She continued to blink rapidly as her body was chilled to the core from the wind that slowly came into the courtyard. The light from the portals and magic were blinding and she could hear the dragon roaring in her ears, its icy breath blasted onto the towers, and finally after blinking enough times her vision came back to her but she felt her head continue to pound. Every time the light hit her eyes she felt as if someone was stabbing their dagger through her brain. Craning her head to the right as Vesemir held her arm she saw all the defenders frozen. She looked and saw George completely frozen in ice his hands up as he looked to have been trying to protect Freya who stood behind the Griffin Witcher completely still with her sword clutched in her hand. Next to them Hjalmar and Zoltan were standing next to one another with their axes out but just like all the others they were unmoving. Her heart thumped so loudly she heard it in her chest over the wind, and the ring loosely bounced against her chest as she looked for any signs of anyone moving.

Geralt had been near the front of the blast, Dominik still hadn't come down from the tower. Baelen had come down onto the back of the dragon, but Dominik still was nowhere to be found, she couldn't have killed him, he promised her he would be back, he promised her he wouldn't die. He was alive she knew, but now with the Hunt crawling into the fortress with them targeting him she needed to find him. She let out shaky breath after shaky breath and her heart continued to stew in the pit of her stomach, she looked and saw they were in the yard just near the pendulums and still she hadn't seen them, her vision craned up to the tower and still nothing. To her right she could see the scaffolding that her and Dominik used to climb up to the walls on, for a few seconds she saw movement and thought he may be there, but it was just soldiers of the Hunt moving down from the walls. The dragon's roar pierced her ears and it finally seemed to tare her vision back to Vesemir who was still dragging her arm away.

"D…Dominik… where…. He hasn't come back… and… and Geralt…" She said feeling her heartrate begin to quicken.

Her Uncle turned back to her and shook his head, "They'll be alright we need to get you-."

The ***BANG* **from Imlerith's shield smacking into him almost sent her flying forward. Her eyes widened when she saw the general of the Hunt smashed her shield into her Uncle. Vesemir got sent tumbling forward and the dragons cold loud roar hit her ears, she turned and saw it zoom over her head as Imlerith trudged towards the elderly witcher. Ciri's arms went into overdrive as she tried to teleport forward, but her vision was too blurry her body was too weak. Nobody else would die, she couldn't let it happen, she went to rake her sword out off her back, but within a second of her touching it she felt the massive hand smack into the back of her head.

"You will not escape me this time…." The deep raking voice said, as Ciri felt herself yanked to the ground, her hair fell out of its bun as Eredin yanked her backwards.

She hadn't seen the King of the Hunt since their encounter in Skellige, but he seemed to be even larger than Ciri remembered. His crown helmet and skeletal armor was covered in frost and suddenly she saw the bright light of a portal open as she felt herself dragged across the ground. She looked and saw Eredin's sword was longer than her body, it glinted in the light as he kept it pointed down towards her as he drug her.

"URGHHH GET OFF, GET OFF ME, DOMINIK," Ciri screamed as she tried desperately to wriggle herself out of Eredin's grasp, but with every move Eredin yanked on her now loose ashen locks.

"He is next…" Eredin said, the King's voice chilled her bones ever further as she felt the swirling of the portal behind her.

No, he couldn't be next, she wouldn't let him. What she had heard from all the soldiers rang in her head. She wouldn't let it happen, and it seemed neither would her Uncle. Ciri as she was being dragged managed to look up and see her Uncle spinning around Imlerith. The general tried to smash his shield into her Uncle, but the elderly witcher showed how spry he still was. He ducked under Imlerith's shield and stuck his silver sword into the side of the general's leg and drove him to the ground. Imlerith screamed and dropped his shield, after he did her Uncle got up and when he saw Ciri being dragged he rushed forward.

The air continued to churn violently as she heard riders and hounds pouring into the courtyard. Eredin's grip on her hair was like iron and she felt her body go into overdrive as he had her near the portal. It would all have been over; all have been for nothing, but her Uncle came leaping in towards Eredin. With one hand gripped onto her hair the King only had one hand to parry. She looked and saw Vesemir strike from above them below, and when Eredin went to strike out he spun to dodge and managed to cut the King across the torso and Ciri finally felt her hair released. Pain rushed to her head and she felt her bones continue to ache, she coughed and looked up to see Imlerith rapidly running towards her Uncle, Vesemir saw Eredin and Imlerith both charging in on him and she met her Uncle's eyes for a moment before he blasted his hand forward and Ciri felt the blast of Aard slam into her.

All her thoughts were jumbled as she felt her self-blasted back, her body smacked against the ground and she heard the dragons piercing roar overhead a large ***BOOM* **shook the keep as she saw it land on a tower and roar. All around her she heard the clunking of boots and the shouting of the riders in their language. She heard pounding and looked up to see Imlerith beating mercilessly onto her Uncle. All the cells in her body erupted into anger and while still stumbling forward, still dizzy from the blast, she raked her sword out of its sheath. She looked up and saw Eredin looking at her with his blade at his side, and Ciri in the background saw her Uncle grabbed by Imlerith. She was about to try and teleport forward, go to attack to save him when she saw Eredin's vision shift in the slightest and go behind her.

"I PROIMSED I'D KILL YOU," She heard the screeching voice of Baelen yell as the commander swooshed down and Ciri just had enough time to rise her sword.

Baelen crashed down onto her and their swords clashed against one another. Ciri's vision was in shambles and everything spun. She managed to get her blade to parry two of Baelen's blows but the commander was relentless. As Ciri's vision cleared she could see the singe marks on Baelen's armor, and that was when she remembered Dominik, Ciri had sent him up there to fight her, and now Baelen was here but he wasn't.

"Dominik isn't here for you to throw at your dangers this time Cirilla," Baelen screamed at her again as the commander spun to leap for another strike.

Hearing his name Ciri's eyes widened and she felt her skin boil. She parried one of Baelen's strikes but even with all of her anger she felt her arms weaken from so much fighting. Baelen's arms glew blue and her magic whirled around her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM," Ciri yelled desperately, but the second it took her to yell Baelen had parried her strike away, and the commander spun low and Ciri felt the blade rake against her torso. "GAHHHHHHHH FUCK."

Ciri had dodged at the last moment so it wasn't a killing blow, but between already feeling the fatigue killing her, her muscles aching and the dizziness, she screamed and stumbled backwards onto the ground. Her sword clattered away out of her hand, she went to reach for it but she saw Baelen kick it further out of her reach. She felt herself yell out in pain again and when her hand came away from her wound she saw her glove completely pooled with blood, her blood, the reason that all of this was happening. She went to whirl back around but she felt Baelen's armored boot clash into her side and every single bone in Ciri's body erupted in pain.

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME," The commander yelled to her, and Ciri while groaning rolled back around to see her flash her sword to her neck as she yelled more, "AND NOW I WILL TAKE EVERYTHING FROM YOU-."

"BAELEN! IMLERITH!" Eredin's deep voice erupted through the whirling air.

Ciri's eyes widened as Baelen, who's sword was inches from cutting across her neck stopped in a flash. The magic that was whirling around the commander's arms and in the eyes of her faceplate slowly dissipated. Ciri couldn't see her eyes but she could tell by the shaking of her sword how furious the commander was. However, Ciri also knew that Baelen wouldn't dare disobey a direct order from Eredin. She watched as Baelen gripped tightly on her blade before taking a few steps back, and in a flash a frozen portal opened up and she stepped through. Ciri's eyes darted to Eredin and she watched as Baelen remerged at the King's side, and watched as Imlerith had yanked Vesemir off the ground and held him up by the throat against the wall.

She went and saw her sword, she desperately crawled to it and with every movement she felt the wound on her torso erupt into pain. _"A witcher can forget to eat, to drink, to breathe even, but a witcher never, ever forgets to care for his blade…" _Her voice and Dominik rang in her head as she reached her sword, slowly she gripped her hand around it, and putting the point of it into the dirt she drug herself upwards to one knee. She looked down and saw the ring dangling from her neck. Where was he? If Baelen had really killed him, and his corpse was laying up on that tower because she had sent him there she would never forgive herself, she wasn't going to be able to do it without him, not anymore. He had never stopped fighting, Geralt never stopped fighting, the frozen defenders around her had never stopped fighting, and no matter how she felt, no matter how in flames her body felt she couldn't stop.

When she got to her feet she stumbled, and the roar of the dragon made her shake even more. She looked up and the massive beast took off from one tower with a large ***WHOOSH***. The great white beast soared over the courtyard and Ciri saw it slam down onto the walls, her eyes narrowed as she wanted to try and see what it was looking at, but the groan of her Uncle and the pain flaring up on her torso tore her attention back in front of her. Every step she took she felt herself wince her one hand shot to her bleeding stomach and the other stayed on her blade.

"CIRI RUN, GO!" Vesemir managed to scream out from Imlerith's grasp, and it only made the general tighten his grip.

Ciri's hair fell down around her shoulders, she whirled around in a circle with her blade pointed out. The riders and hounds all stood at attention; they were ready to spring on her at a moments notice. Her entire body ran cold as she whirled back around to see Eredin slowly remove his face plate, the King's beady brown eyes narrowed on her and Ciri could see the amusement in them, and she could also see how demonic they were… the same exact way they were back in Tir'Nala when she first saw him. Next to him Baelen was shaking with anger, Ciri could see her blade tightly held in her hands as if she were itching to have it at her throat again.

She saw her Uncle squirming, but Imlerith was too powerful, and for a moment Vesemir met her gaze with pleading eyes. She couldn't run, she had been running for so long, running from them for so long. Dominik and Geralt were both still somewhere in the keep, all the defenders were frozen, and to the last breath they hadn't stopped fighting, so Ciri couldn't. She winced loudly and brought a second hand to her sword as she turned back around to face Eredin who smirked and slowly shook his head.

"She will not leave you…." The King said deeply, his gaze slowly turned from Vesemir and looked back to her, "You humans… so impractical…. Where is he Zireael? Where is… his descendant."

"I… won't… let you hurt him…or… or anyone else," Ciri said, but every breath she took she felt her legs begin to stumble more and more.

Eredin's laugh echoed in her ears and felt like a knife was being plunged into her brain yet again. She fought through the pain and looked up to the walls again, to the scaffolding she remembered her, and Dominik would always climb to get from the pendulums to the walls. The dragon was perched atop it, the great beast roared loudly but it didn't seem to make Eredin, Baelen or the rest of the riders pay any attention. She narrowed her eyes to try and see what the dragon was looking at but again the pain shot through her entire body, she looked down and saw her blood slowly dripping to the ground, her long locks of ashen hair slowly blew past her in the wind and she let out shaky breath after shaky breath. The dragon roared once more and Ciri slowly looked back up to Eredin again, the magic of the portal continued to swirl casting a bright glow over the yard and every time the wind hit her skin she felt it blister.

"Come now…." Eredin said slowly holding his massive hand out to her, and when Ciri met his beady eye the King slowly shook his head, "Come now… and I will spare this castle…. I will hold off on killing his descendant… for now."

Ciri was about to shout something back, something to tell Eredin to go and fuck himself, or try to teleport forward with what strength she had remaining, but that was when Baelen stepped next to Eredin. The commander bore her black eye holes onto Ciri and sheathed her sword before holding her hands out.

"Come Cirilla… how long will you let people continue to die for you…" She said slowly, each word pierced Ciri like a knife as Baelen went on, "Do something for the ones who defend you… for once…"

Ciri looked around her. She looked and saw all the defenders that were incased in ice, frozen with their weapons out still trying to fight. She looked behind her and towards the middle courtyard and thought about Declan and Arno, two people whom she had only met a few hours prior, but still they had given their life to protect her. In her head Dominik's anguished cries from their deaths played over and over in her head. He still hadn't come down from the tower, he could be dead as well, Dominik, the one who had been her protector, her love, her partner since she was a little girl. Thinking of him made her think back to Cintra, back to his family.

She thought about Gregory's kind face, Sir Gregory, Dominik's father and her hero. Ciri could see the smirking face he got when she did something mischievous, when her grandmother would be scolding her, Gregory smiling behind her had always calmed her. The man would sit her down and tell her stories about her mother Pavetta, and the trouble the two of them would get into, how Ciri reminded him so much of her, and how much her and Dominik reminded him of Pavetta and himself. Gregory had been her hero, the Great White Knight of Cintra, the cities protector, he had treated Ciri as if she were his own child, and Ciri missed him every day… and like Baelen said he had died for her.

Dominik's mother Sofia she had only met a few times, but every single time Sofia would compliment her, tell her how beautiful she was, how much like her mother Ciri looked like. Dominik had told Ciri Sofia and Gregory's plan was for Gregory to get Ciri out, and for Sofia to get Dominik and Bella to the lake. They had both planned to save her… and just like Gregory Sofia had died for it. And then of course there was Bella, Dominik's little sister who was Ciri's only friend who was a girl, Ciri had adored her with everything she had. She could remember Bella's excited face when Ciri showed her dresses, let her play around with the makeup in her room or when they both played tricks on Dominik.

And all three of them had died for her, died to get Ciri out, and she didn't even want to begin to think about all the times that Dominik almost died, both during their time together and in the previous eight years. Slowly she looked down at her sword as the wind blew through her fallen ashen locks… she couldn't let anyone else die for her. And as she felt her blade leave her hands and heard it clatter to the ground, her hand slowly went up to the ring around her neck and she thought about his face one last time.

"I'm sorry… I'm so… so sorry…" She said quietly under her breath, before looking up at Eredin's hands.

Vesemir struggled in Imlerith's grip against the wall and shouted, "CIRI NO! RUN! I ORDER YOU!"

But she slowly shook her head and felt her heart fall to the pit of her stomach when she took her first few steps forward.

All of the riders seemed to shift, and for a split second she felt the wind begin to somehow get hotter. However, even as all the hairs on her arms stood up and goosebumps ran down her limbs she kept her pace. Every single step she took she felt the ring slowly bounce against her chest. She had taken two steps, and that was when her eyes went over to her Uncle, who was still looking at her from Imlerith's grip with pleading eyes. When she ignored him again, Vesemir slowly shook her head… and Ciri froze in place when she saw him reach for his dagger.

"You always were an unruly child…. You and Dominik both…. Trained kids faster…stronger… but none had the character you two had… I loved that," Her Uncle said, and Ciri felt her mind scramble when she saw him grip tightly to the knife, "Never have I seen… two people more made for one another… find him…"

"NOOOOO," Ciri yelled, as she felt herself stumble forward and her voice raked against the back of her throat, "NO DON'T-."

And she was cut off by the roar, however… this wasn't the roar of the white dragon on the battlements. Ciri felt the wind begin to heat up, the cold wind was overtaken by a large wave of heat and she almost felt herself begin to sweat. The roar was deeper, more guttural and it ripped through Ciri's ears so hard that she almost felt them bleed. Vesemir had been about to thrust his dagger into Imlerith, but as soon another ***ROOOOAR* **ripped through the courtyard and the air continued to get hotter.

Eredin himself, Baelen, Imlerith, Vesemir, every single rider all tore their vision up the night sky, and when the roar hit the air again she watched as Eredin whirled around to look down at Baelen next to him. And when he screamed, Ciri had never heard the King speak with such anger.

"BAELEN! WHAT IS THIS!?" The King screamed as Baelen's eyes stayed trained to the sky.

Furiously the commander shook her head and shouted back with just as much anger, "I DON'T FUCKING KNOW THEY DIDN'T DISCUSS-."

Baelen was cut off when the pure giant torrent of flame ripped through the courtyard of Kaer Morhen. Ciri had to jump and leap back down onto the ground as the ***ROAR* **came from overtop of her. It was even louder than the white dragon who Ciri saw turn from the battlements. She managed to look up and her jaw almost fell to the ground as the flames continued to spew into the courtyard over Eredin, Baelen and the rest of the Hunt.

The enormous golden dragon made one last pass around the courtyard, and Ciri felt her body completely heat up as all the frozen parts of the castle melted under the flames. Her eyes widened when she saw the jet of ice cold frost shoot forward as the white dragon turned on the battlements and spewed its breath towards its new opponent, but the fire that roared from the golden beast extinguished it and Ciri watched as it flew quickly towards the white dragon on the castle walls making the white draconid take off back into the sky. For a moment, the gold dragon stayed perched atop the walls, its roar shook the very stones of Kaer Morhen, it spewed its flames over the walls and turned its head down to a spot on the battlement. Ciri could only hear distant roars again before the dragon leapt from the battlements and soared through the air after its white counterpart.

She coughed as she felt ash and soot build up in her lungs, she looked around and smoke was churning all over the yard, the towers and structures that had been frozen were thawing and a mixture of cold and heat ran through her as she stumbled back to her feet. She looked over and saw Eredin slowly get to his feet, and Baelen stumble forward as she let down a magic shield.

"BAELEN," Eredin bellowed turning back to the commander before he pointed into the night sky, "DEAL WITH IT!"

"THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I CAN DO!?" Baelen screamed back up at Eredin as the roar from both dragons began to get closer. Ciri shot her gaze up and saw both beast spewing their streams of fire and ice at one another in the clouds.

Eredin ripped his gaze back around to her and yelled, "THIS ENDS NOW! TAKE HER!"

"GAHHHHHHH!" A loud yell screamed from behind the King as Ciri's gaze shot back to Vesemir. Imlerith had been so distracted by the dragon, that her Uncle had plunged his dagger deep into one of the general's arteries and he was dropped to the ground.

Eredin and Baelen barely had time to turn before her Uncle ripped his steel sword from his back and charged at them both. Vesemir leaped to try and strike for Eredin but the King didn't have his sword to parry. Instead Baelen stepped up, and just before Vesemir could bring down a strike that would have cleaved any man or Aen Elle in half Baelen's fists filled with magic, and she slammed her hand into the elderly witcher. Vesemir got sent shooting backwards and she saw her Uncle slam against the scaffolding up to the walls so hard she could hear the wood crack.

"NO!" Ciri yelled as she went to try and run forward, but the minute she moved her torso flared up as she felt blood begin to gush and she fell forward.

She fell onto all fours and shot her head up. Vesemir slowly stumbled up from the rubble, but she watched in horror when as soon as he got to his feet Baelen shot her hand forward. As soon as Baelen's fists closed a torrent of frost shot up from the ground around her Uncle and he was completely incased in ice. Ciri went to scream again but she fell face first into the dirt. She blinked as the pain started to overtake her, next to her she saw her sword and with every inch her hand moved the more she felt the pain flare up. Her blood slowly pooled under her, and with every second that passed she felt her head begin to get dizzier.

As her hand slowly wrapped around the hilt of her sword she felt her fingers tingle. She managed to drag herself up to her knees as she looked around, riders were still frantically trying to put out new fires off themselves, as Eredin was still looking down furiously at Baelen, who after freezing Vesemir slowly turned back to her. In the sky she heard both roars from the dragons and when her head tore up, Ciri saw the two beasts violently snapping at one another.

The gold dragon slammed into the white on and clamped its jaws down onto its neck, but quickly the white blasted its frost onto the gold's wing. The gold reared back and flapped the frost off its wings before slamming into the white again, but time they both spun and spiraled down from the sky as they clawed and snapped their jaws at each other. Right before they could slam into the castle walls they broke apart and the flapping from their massive wings made every rider in the courtyard stumble before both massive dragons soared back up into the clouds, and Ciri saw blasts of fire and ice shooting out with every blast she heard another roar.

She winced in pain as she pushed her hair out of her eyes and behind her shoulders. She didn't have time to tied it back up, so she gritted her teeth and gripped around her blade again. Slowly she pushed herself upwards and managed to shakily stand to her feet. Tightly she gripped one hand onto her torso to try and stop the bleeding while her other weakly held out her sword as the riders finally seemed to recover. Eredin as well finally slowly turned back to her with Baelen as Imlerith also slowly got up to his feet, the general ripped Vesemir's knife from his stomach and tossed it aside before they all surrounded her.

And this time there was no Vesemir, no Geralt, no Avallach, no Dominik to save her… just herself.

Eredin's eyes seemed to ignite with flames of their own as he looked to her, "This ENDS NOW! TAKE HER!"

Her hand slowly reached up from her torso to around the ring. As the rider's boots all started to churn and she saw them slowly move towards her she looked down at it. It was covered in her blood and her hand shook as she slowly let it fall back to her chest. She sucked in a shaky breath and whirled around with her blade. Everything had fallen apart… but she wouldn't stop fighting. Nobody had stopped fighting for her, so she wouldn't stop fighting for them, if they wanted to take her, she wasn't going to make it easy. If she were going to die, she was going to take as many as she could with her.

She let out a shaky breath and bit her lip as she felt the tears pool up in her eyes, she reached up and gripped tightly around the ring again. She was going to miss him… more than anything.

"I'm sorry… I love you…" She said lightly as she saw the first rider towards her.

And just when Ciri went to raise her blade, but when Dominik's voice slammed through the air her eyes tore upwards, and she saw the large violent churning magic spewing from his body. His eyes were filled with pure, raw unfiltered magical powers, it swirled around him with such force that it churned up its own small whirlwind around him.

"GET AWAAAAAAY!" He echoed throughout the courtyard, and when his hand slammed into the ground a ***BOOOOOM* **larger then Ciri had seen all fight ripped through the courtyard, and she fell onto her back just as she saw Eredin, Baelen, and Imlerith all do the same.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"OUT OF MY WAY!" He screamed as he side-stepped an axe swinging downwards before he slammed into the rider and with all the strength he had lifted him and tossed the wraith over the wall.

The magic had been swirling even more violently around him then he ever felt. Every cell in his body had erupted as he ran along the walls, riders had started swarming them, more then likely looking for any lingering defenders. Any rider that got in his way in that moment however fell to his blade. His mind lingered on Faram and Yen still up on the tower, they were both injured and unable to move but he had to believe that Faram was powerful enough to protect Yen if any riders did get to them. His thought's, however, quickly went back to Ciri. She was alone again, alone fighting off the forces who wanted to kill and use her. He had fulfilled his promise to get back to her, but now he had another to fulfill. Finally, he was there to protect her from the one's who wanted to use her, to take her away.

He remembered running the walls for days with Ciri when they were young, and he found himself remembering every foothold, every ledge. His limbs continued to swirl with magic, and he felt his bones and his joined move faster, spurred on by the extra energy. Normally he would have wondered how he could possibly have had so much left in the tank, but with each step he felt his medallion and the swallow bounce against his chest, and he remembered the only thing that mattered in that moment. Even if Ciri and he teleported they would follow them, but he didn't care, he would teleport with her, follow her through the worlds if he had to in order to keep her safe. He swore they wouldn't be apart again, and he also swore that nobody would use her or take her, and he didn't have intentions on breaking promises so soon after being back.

The run wasn't that long, and he knew exactly where he was heading, towards the pendulums that was the quickest route back down. He remembered after hours of running pendulums and sparring, the two of them would normally climb the scaffolding from an old building project that had been set up near them, and that would be their way up onto the battlements and towers where they'd spend hours cuddled together, looking out over the mountains. He wasn't far he knew, but he cursed when he saw that two more riders had charged towards him on the walls. The dragon roared up ahead and it almost distracted him, but quickly he looked forward again as the rider thrusted his blade forward. Side-stepping he spun and cut across the wraith's back. Another quickly came to try and stab him, but Dominik channeled the chaos to his hands and shot his hand forward. His Aard blast sent the rider flying over the walls, and it only seemed to make his magic swirl more as he started seeing tinges of blue. The more and more he used his powers the more he felt himself slowly gaining control. He didn't know if all three stipulations for unlocking his carrier powers were unlocked, but he felt himself able to activate them at will during most fights, but if he put too much power into hem he felt himself drain.

As he finally saw the light of the portal, he didn't care how much of his powers he used however. He saw Ciri's face in his mind, heard her words from only a few hours later, he couldn't lose her again so soon after finding her, he wouldn't lose her. He refused to do it without her anymore, he refused to be alone again, he was going to give her that life she deserved, the love that she deserved. The dragon's roar got so loud that he stumbled forward almost dropping _Fate, _but he managed to steady himself and when he finally came up he was only a few meters from the scaffolding down. His legs trembled from the shock of the dragon's roar, but he narrowed his eyes and saw the scene.

"CIRI, NO CIRI," He screamed when he saw Eredin. The King of the Hunt was even larger then he had seen in his dreams. Imlerith, the general he had also seen clashed with his Uncle Vesemir, but Eredin had come and grabbed Ciri's hair and started dragging her. She kicked and tried to wriggle out and her voice carried on the wind.

"URGHHH GET OFF, GET OFF ME, DOMINIK," Her voice carried over the churning wind and hearing her shout his name spurred his legs forward again.

"I'M COMING, I'M COMING," He yelled as he felt the magic erupt from inside his chest.

He was only a few meters from the scaffolding and as he ran he continued to look down at the scene. Vesemir stabbed his blade through Imlerith's leg and charged back towards Eredin who just before he got Ciri to the portal had to raise his blade. He ran on and watched as his Uncle lashed out and struck at the King of the Hunt. Eredin parried his blows but Uncle Vesemir showed how much skill he still had in his old age, he parried one of Eredin's blows before ducking and spinning, he raked his blade across the King's stomach and Eredin cried out as he dropped Ciri to the ground. Dominik had almost reached the scaffolding to climb down when he saw Imlerith get back up and charged again towards his Uncle. He saw Vesemir fire his hand out and Ciri got sent tumbling away, and then he saw the general slam his Uncle to the ground.

"NO, I'M COMING I WON'T-." He started to yell, before he was cut off right away by a large ***WHOOSH* **and ***BANG* **as the very walls beneath him shook so violently Dominik's legs gave out from under him.

He got sent stumbling and falling backwards, _Fate _clattered from his hands just out of his reach. The magic continued to swirl around him and quickly he reached over to grab his fallen sword, but just before he grabbed it was when he heard the roar. It was so loud he felt the walls beneath him shake, and he had to cover his ears as the sound pierced through them like a knife. His arms begun to shake as he could still see the tinges of blue light in his vision, slowly get got up to all fours, he didn't dare turn around because he knew what was waiting. His heartrate slowed, and soon his blood started to race. The dragon's low growl could be heard clean through his ears, and while looking down he saw the swallow dangling from his neck. Slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements his hand slid over to the hilt of his sword. Carefully, he wrapped his fingers around _Fate's _handle, and remembered back to when he received it, received his first silver blade that made him feel like a real witcher for the first time.

_"Take that blade lad, and may it help you finally find her,"_ Crach's words rang in his head.

_Fate. _It was the most fitting name he could have given a new sword of his. His destiny, his fate was to protect Ciri, protect her, love her, and always try to get to her. He had sworn he'd kill Eredin, Baelen, Imlerith… even a dragon to keep her safe, and he had meant it. Letting out a slow breath he could feel the dragon's icy breath gently trickle down his neck, and the cold was so violent it felt like he was being stabbed repeatedly. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and slowly he dug _Fate's _point into the stone and pushed himself up to his knees. He had no idea why the dragon hadn't frozen him, or swallowed him yet, but at that moment he didn't care. Gingerly his hands went up to the swallow, and when he focused he heard her voice in his head.

_"I will NEVER leave you alone again… I promise,". "__I love you…I never stopped… remember that." _"_It's a date, me and you, tomorrow… you better not be late."_. _"Me and you versus everyone… I love you." _

All he had ever wanted since he met her, was her. And now she was down in the courtyard by herself, fighting off the Wild Hunt by herself… and finally, finally after so long he was going to be there for her, and it didn't matter if there was a dragon behind him.

"I'm coming…" He said slowly, as he felt the night breeze low through his hair. Using his swords point he slowly pushed himself up to his feet, and his skin crawled as the dragon continued to growl deeply behind him.

It was all for Ciri, for his family, for all of them. He twirled his sword a few times and sucked in a deep breath before he finally turned, and the small bit of light he had was wiped out by the dragon's shadow.

The white draconid had perched itself atop a battlement, and its long neck was leaning its head down towards him. Its body was massive and as white as pure snow. Its wings were tucked into its body, but Dominik knew that if it stretched them out they could cover half the courtyard. It had dark black beady eyes with pure white iris's and its head was almost as massive as Dominik himself. It bore its teeth at him, and every single one that lined his mouth was at least the length of his sword which looked like a stick compared to them all. The low growl that came from the back of its mouth sent tingles down his spine. Behind its teeth Dominik saw the frosty mist, it looked as if a miniature ice storm brewed inside the beast's mouth, and it was ready to erupt at any moment. For a second Dominik glanced around at the towers and structures of the keep that were incased in ice and letting out a shaky breath he brought both hands to his sword, and he leveled the blade.

His medallion vibrated so powerfully around his neck that it almost flew off the chain. He knew that the courtyard just outside the pendulums was to the right, Ciri was right near him, but the dragon was perched over the scaffolding that he needed to use to climb down. The only way that he was getting there was by getting passed the dragon, getting past the massive white beast in front of him. All of his lessons on dragons came flooding back to him. His Uncle Vesemir had discussed the types, their rarity, and history of the few times that they have attacked men. He learned that they were intelligent and noble creatures, they possessed powerful magic, and they only ever interacted with humans when they needed too.

Never had he learned how to kill one, in fact he learned the complete opposite. He learned that it was in the witcher's code to protect dragons, not slay them.

However, in that moment, the dragon was what was keeping him from Ciri, so he didn't care about the witchers code.

"Come on… come on fucker… make the first move…." Dominik said slowly as he shifted his feet.

He decided to use the same tactic he did with wyverns, wait for them to lunge before trying to go for a blow on their neck or wings. The dragon seemed much sturdier then a wyvern, and he didn't even know if his sword would be able to cut through its scales, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to stop fighting, he wouldn't stop fighting until she was safe, she never stopped fighting, the defenders hadn't stopped fighting… so neither would he.

The dragon finally moved, and Dominik almost stumbled from the suddenness. It didn't lunge forward; it didn't fire its breath at him. He found himself unable to move as the beast's long neck and large head slowly inched towards him. The snowy vortex swirled up in its mouth, and with every second that passed he felt his blood race, his heart pounded, but most importantly he channeled his chaos. It he could produce a powerful enough Aard sign perhaps he could knock the beast off balance, and it would give him enough time to get down to Ciri in the courtyard. So he continued to channel his chaos, for a moment he closed his eyes, and thought about the situation. Eredin was trying to take her and kill her, they had frozen and killed his friends and family. Declan and Arno had both died, sacrificed themselves so Ciri and he could live, and all of it was happening after eight fucking years of loneliness.

When his eyes shot back open he could feel the outer part of his eyes glowing blue, and the magic slowly whirled around his limbs, they churned in a violently storm as he strained his neck so hard he felt he'd pop blood vessels. He urged the magic, the chaos in his limbs to keep whirling, and soon he felt his own miniature storm of magic churning around his arms and legs. Every single bit of pent up anger, bitterness, sadness and regret were pouring out of him as he watched the dragons head inch closer and closer to him. Its teeth stayed bared and its growl got louder and louder, the storm of frost churned more and more violently as its head stalked up towards him. The wind around him from the night blasted all of his hair to one side, the swallow and his medallion violently churned in the wind as the beast got closer, and closer, it stepped down from the battlement and he felt the walls shake under its weight as Dominik locked eyes with the largest creature he had ever seen.

The magic churned and he felt the anger spill out of him as it approached, "COME ON! COME ON FUCKER! I'M NOT AFRAID, I WON'T LET THEM HAVE HER, I WON'T!"

Around him all he could see were the sparks of blue as the dragon's eyes didn't leave him. The growling from it got louder, and finally he held his blade forward as the beast's head was so close his blade almost stabbed it. It stopped its head inches from his sword which was violently churning the magic around it, and this time when the dragon met Dominik's eyes it felt to him as if the beast was staring down it his very soul, but Dominik didn't dare let his gaze leave it as he finally got tired of waited and raised his blade back to attack.

But just before he could, the dragon slowly pulled its head back from him. The great white draconids head came all the way back up to his body as he looked down towards Dominik, and then instead of growling, the beast spoke, it's voice a deep low growl that pierced the very depths of Dominik's soul.

"You… are… blood of his blood…" The dragon said in its deep growl, and a conflicted look grew on its face.

Dominik's eyes widened when he saw it look down to the courtyard. It looked between the courtyard and Dominik; the beast seemed as if it was debating on where to blast its stream of frost. His eyes widened as the magic slowly stopped from around its limbs. The words rung in his head over and over again, he couldn't stop hearing them. The dragon speaking to him was surprising enough, but now it seemed as if it abandoned all thoughts of attacking him. He looked and saw the beasts gaze linger in the courtyard, seeing this made Dominik forget about any words the dragon had spoken and turn to look himself.

When he did, he felt as if his very soul had ripped from his body.

Ciri was wobbling on her feet by herself. Riders surrounded her and he saw his Uncle Vesemir being violently held up against the wall of the keep by Imlerith. He looked and saw Baelen standing next to Eredin who's hand was extending out to Ciri, and he couldn't hear what was said but he saw Baelen step forward and hold out both her arms. His body went into overdrive and the magic started to spin around him again, he knew that with Vesemir being held against the wall like he was, and everyone else frozen around her she'd surrender. It was just who she was, she'd giver herself up to save them all, but he knew that Eredin wouldn't spare any of them, and least of all her. He felt his body run into overdrive as the magic started to violently swirl again.

And when Ciri clutched the ring, and her sword hit the ground, Dominik felt his insides erupt.

"NOOOOOOO, NO CIRI DON'T, NO, STOP!" He screamed as he took off again along the wall again not taking his eyes off her.

He had only taken a few steps however when the ***BANG*** rang in his ears. Whirling around he saw that the dragon no longer bared its fangs at him but stood in his way refusing to move. The white beast growled low in its throat and stared down at him. He felt the magic still violently whirling around him as he skidded to a stop before running into the massive beast.

"OUT OF MY WAY NOW. GET OUT OF MY WAY," Dominik yelled up at the beast, his voice reached a desperate tone as he raised up his sword, "I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU IF I-."

He was cut off by the castle rattling ***ROOOOAR* **that pierced the sky, and that was when Dominik felt the violent, freezing cold wind around him get hot. It got so hot that he felt sweat begin to trickle down his neck. He looked up and saw the white dragon's head turn towards the sky, and then the white beast itself roared so loudly that Dominik had to hold his ears as his sword fell from his hands again. He felt the wind get hotter and hotter, he stumbled back again when he saw the white dragon turn itself on the battlement, the walls shook and Dominik stumbled back and the new sky piercing ***ROOAR* **ripped through the air again, and when he shot his head up his eyes widened as the giant cluster of golden scales came speeding towards them.

The white dragon roared in response, it finally opened its jaws and a torrent of ice more violent and churning then any Dominik had ever seen erupted from it. It shot towards the golden dragon, but as soon as the stream left the white dragon's mouth, a huge torrent of fire came shooting out from the golden blur. Dominik had to leap back as a loud ***BOOOM* **erupted as the two streams of fire and ice collided. He heard a new series of roars as he smacked face first to the ground, his vision blurred as ash and soot started to enter his lungs, and as he climbed up to his knees and furiously reached around for his sword. His medallion and the swallow bounced violently around his neck, as despite the arrival of the golden dragon all Dominik thought about was Ciri, she was still down there and he could hear voices screaming in the courtyard, he had to get there and he had to do it now.

Finally he managed to find _Fate's, _hilt and he furiously gripped it. He dug it into the ground before pushing himself up to his feet. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision as he heard the shouting from the courtyard, he was going to turn around but before he could another large ***BANG* **hit his ears and the battlements shook again. He felt a of pure heat make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and then a deep echoing voice hit his ears, not the voice of the white dragon he heard but a new one.

"Do not make me do this Kilgarrah…." The deep voice rang in his ears, it wasn't as deep and foreboding as the white dragon's, but Dominik heard the edge to it as it went on. "Leave now, and never return to the Wild Hunt's side, you of all beasts should know the destruction they will wrought not only on this world, but all worlds should they obtain the powers of the Elder Blood!"

Dominik whirled back around just in time to hear the loud ***WHOOSH* **and flapping of wings as the voice from the white dragon's dark voice rang in his ears.

"I am bound by oath Villentretenmerth… there is naught I can do, you know this…" The white dragon's deep voice rang.

"Yes… I know… but I cannot let you help bring about the destruction of this world… I am sorry, but I must do this," The voice of the gold dragon rung in his ears, and Dominik's eyes widened when he saw the gold beast perched atop the walls, and the white dragon flapping its massive wings just outside the battlements.

The white beast shook its head, "You always did have a ridiculous soft spot for humans… even after what they did to our kind… come then Villentretenmerth, face me…"

Dominik finally managed to steady himself in the howling wind as he felt the sweat start to trickle down his neck. He looked out to the left and another loud ***WHOOSH*** hit his ears as he watched the white dragon soar off up into the clouds, and looking around near the courtyard and the towers he could see smaller fires burning, he tried frantically to find Ciri but the golden dragon's deep roar shot his head back around as he saw the beast turn its massive head to him, and when he met Dominik's eyes he could see the intelligence and wisdom in the beasts gaze, and just like the white one he could see the jagged sword like teeth, except instead of ice a burning roaring fire burned in the beasts mouth.

For so long he had loved hearing the story of Villentretenmerth, Borch Three Jackdaws. He and Ciri would listen with bated breath to Geralt tell them how Yennefer and he saved the dragon's egg, and the beast swore to pay them back one day, and it seemed that day had finally come. For a horrifying second however, the golden beast looked like it was going to try and snap him up in his jaws. While it wasn't as large as the white dragon, Borch still dominated the battlements completely, and with every move of his legs the walls shook. Dominik felt his mouth go dry, as he couldn't take his eyes off the golden beast, his legs couldn't move as Borch slowly turned his head down closer to him.

"B…Borch…th…three-," He was cut off by the golden dragon shaking his head.

"Introductions will have to wait. Geralt and Yennefer saved my child once… I'm now here to help save there's," The dragon said, and Dominik felt his stomach about to erupt. Borch slowly nodded to him before turning his head back to the courtyard, "Go now Dominik of Cintra… your destiny awaits you."

Before he could say anything he was blown back, the gold dragon spread its wings and shot from the walls with more speed then Dominik thought possible. Again he felt his sword clatter as he groaned. All around him he could still feel the magic swirling as he rolled back around to find his silver again. His hands gripped around its hilt and he got up to his knees just as he heard both the dragons roar again. Stumbling he got up to his feet and looked up into the sky, his jaw nearly hit the ground as he saw something that despite the situation he couldn't help but find incredible. Never had he ever read a story about two dragons fighting one another, but that was what Dominik saw in the sky. The wind and magic continued to churn around him, a mixture of sulfur, soot and ash all whirled around his head as for a second he couldn't take his eyes off the sky.

Giant torrents of fire and ice shot from the clouds. One stream of ice came from the left over the walls. Dominik's eyes widened when he saw the white dragon spout its ice towards the battlements again, but before it could hit the walls fire shot from above and a loud hissing sound hit the air as for a moment the fire and ice collided. It resulted in a large ***BANG***as a large chunk of one tower fell from the walls, and both beasts roared again. The battle went over the inner courtyard as both beasts slammed into each other. The dragon's massive bodies slammed into each other, Borch clamped his jaws down onto the white dragon's neck, Kilgarrah was what Borch had called him. Kilgarrah roared but quickly shot a stream of ice that smacked into Borch's wing, but the gold dragon quickly flapped it and Kilgarrah flew up into the air towards the clouds. Both beasts disappeared into the clouds, but Dominik could see the torrents of fire and ice spitting down from them.

_"Go now Dominik of Cintra… your destiny awaits you," _The gold dragon's words echoed in his ears as he saw the massive gold beast soar through the air. Yennefer had said she got a message to the dragon, but there was never a guarantee that he would have come. He had however, slightly late, but Dominik didn't care, the beast's words echoed in his ears and he felt the goosebumps run up his arm. His grip on _Fate _tightened, and when he heard a loud ***CRACK* **his vision shot back down to the courtyard where he saw the Hunt had regrouped.

He ran to the top of the scaffolding and felt it shake as his head tore down. He watched as Vesemir was shot back and his Uncle was slammed against the wooden structure, the elderly witcher had hit the wood so hard it caused the crack and Dominik almost fell off the walls.

"NO!" He screamed as he steadied himself, and he looked down just in time to see his Uncle stand up.

Vesemir went to charge forward again but the moment he took a step, Dominik saw a massive torrent of frost shoot up from the ground and completely envelope him. Just like the rest of the defenders in the castle his Uncle was frozen in place, and then that was when Dominik finally heard Eredin's voice, the King of the Hunt's yell rippled through the cold night and he felt his skin crawl as the sound hit his ears.

"This ENDS NOW! TAKE HER!" The voice of the King rang in his ears, and that was when Dominik finally found Ciri again.

"NO, NO, NO, NO!" He screamed as he felt his feet begin to move again. If he went down the scaffolding he wouldn't get there in time, so he ran up the battlement and along the wall again trying to get closer, and the whole time he didn't take his eyes off her.

Every step he took his heart thumped and the magic continued to bubble out of him. His eyes got more and more blue, the color overtaking his vision. However, he didn't focus on the magic as all he did was keep his eyes on her. She was bleeding, he could see the blood pooled under her feet, she was pale, her sword was weakly raised and one of her hands was clutching the ring around her neck like her life depended on it. Everything flashed in his eyes past the magic, the blue light started churning and spurring from his arms like a tornado as he looked down to see it slowly seep up his blade. All of his cells felt like they were erupting and when he saw the first rider take a step towards her was when he saw the ledge, the ledge he'd leap from.

He remembered the rage that coursed through him when he thought she was dead, the anguish, the regret, every bit of anger that flowed through him then felt tripled in that moment. Rage, power, and unfiltered magic all poured from him. Eight years of pain, of fighting, of loss, loneliness, he had gone through over two-thousand days of it all to get back to her. It was all to get back to her, to give her the life she deserved, the life that they had both always wanted. Every fight, every wound he received, every night he spent alone was worth it the moment she heard him say his name for the first time, and he knew that it was the same way for her. And now only hours later, it was all at risk to be ripped away again. She was being hunted, attacked, all for her blood just like she always had been.

Even if he had to kill everyone in that courtyard, Ciri was going to get out, she was going to get the life she deserved, and nobody would ever Hunt her again. He hadn't been there before, Vilgefortz and Leo Bonhart hadn't died by his sword, all the people who tried to rape and kill her hadn't died from his sword, but now Eredin, Baelen, Imlerith, and every single rider down in that courtyard would. He promised her, promised his father, Queen Calanthe, Geralt, Yennefer, he promised them all that he would keep her safe.

And that was what he was going to do, and as he got to the ledge he finally felt the magic erupt.

"GET AWAAAAAY!: He felt rip from the back of his throat, as he built up the sign in his left hand and spiraled towards the ground. And when he hit the ground all of the magic discharged, and all he heard was a loud ***BOOOOOOM* **and smoke fill his vision.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The blast was so powerful it sent Ciri down to the ground. She felt her back hit the ground as her sword clattered to the ground as smoke filled her vision. Coughing she felt the pain rush to her torso again as it was slowly still bleeding, she winced as she blinked multiple times and managed to crawl up to all fours. She heard ***CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG***, and ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* **as a large fit of coughs left her and Ciri felt as if she would soon cough up blood. She blinked rapidly and looked up, and she saw him. Her heart nearly melted despite the pain as she watched him. Magic was churning more violently from Dominik's limbs then she had ever seen from anyone before. He spun and parried blows from riders, he cut them down and fired sign after sign as the smoke slowly cleared. A loud roar hit her ears as well and from all fours she tore her head up to the sky. Both dragons had slammed into each other again, Ciri saw the gold dragon was smaller then the white, but still they both clawed and snapped their jaws at each other with renewed ferocity.

With every blow she saw the gold dragon land, it was as if Dominik cut down another rider. She blinked again and saw the riders stumbling back to their feet, but no matter how many came at him he didn't stop moving. One came and swung down at him from the right, he shot his blade up and caught the strike before spinning and cleaving through the rider's legs. After this he blasted his hand forward, all the magic around him swirled into his sign and it blasted three riders at once into the walls. She tried to scream when she saw one charge to stab him, but the magic whirled his limbs around and he parried before side-stepping and cutting the rider down, his sword raked against the riders chest with so much speed the wraith was dead before he hit the ground.

"D…Dominik! D…Dom…" She tried to call out but was interrupted when a fit of coughs came from her and she felt herself wincing from the pain in her side.

She watched as he turned around at the sound of her voice. His eyes locked on her, and Ciri saw his eyes widen, but before he could take a step Ciri saw Baelen behind him. The commander was rushing for him and Ciri tried to scream, but all she could do was point behind him. As soon as he saw this he whirled around just before Baelen leaped up to bring a strike down on him. She watched as their blades clashed and tiny explosions of magic sparked from them as they both lashed out. The clanging of the steel and silver rapidly hit her ears as she saw them both move with more speed then Ciri had ever seen. Magic whirled around them both, and every time their swords met she could see both of them push harder and harder against the other.

Dominik threw one blow from the right and Baelen raised up to parry, but Dominik spun off the parry and managed to thrust his blade forward and stabbed just onto Baelen's shoulder. The commander yelped out in pain and just as Dom landed she thrusted her hand out. Dominik did the same with his own hand, an Aard sign erupted from him and a bolt of magic erupted from Baelen. Both the blasts smacked into each other, the magic ripped from the churning whirlwinds around them both and powered the spells even more. A ***BOOM***erupted as they clashed and while he stayed on his feet Dominik got sent skidding back as did Baelen.

"I warned you not to come to the courtyard…" She heard Baelen growl as she regained her footing and leveled her blade again.

Dominik did the same and shook his head, "And you knew that I wouldn't take that advice…"

"THEN YOU'RE A FOOL, TAKE THEM BOTH," Baelen yelled as she pointed her sword towards Dominik and her both.

Ciri heard the loud roars continued to rip through the sky above. As she heard the rider's boots begin to crunch and a new clanging of steel, the roars overtook all the sounds. Looking up at the two dragons spewing fire and ice at each other, Ciri almost thought that they were trying to communicate with one another, and while they on the ground saw a vicious duel of fire and ice, to the two dragons they were having an intense verbal debate. She watched as their fire and ice collided, and with every blow another burst of heat and frost ripped through the night.

Feeling the pain shoot through her she knew she needed to move. Dominik could only fight for so long before he was overwhelmed, she needed to do something, she needed to teleport them away or get up and help him. Still on all fours she looked at the ring bouncing down off her neck, and she quickly felt the surge of urgency run through her, he was buying her time and she needed to use it. Her eyes fell over to her sword and she tried to reach over for it but fell as soon as she moved her legs. As soon as she hit the ground she winced again and the rattling of steel got louder, however she pushed through it, and was just about to go for her sword again when she heard the boots crunching behind her.

She rolled around to her back and her eyes widened when she saw a rider rushing towards her. It reached down to try and grab her, she was just about to try and roll out of the way, but before she could an Aard blast shot past her and the wraith got sent flying back and slammed into the walls. She felt a quick breath leave her, she groaned and felt herself trying to turn around, pain was all she felt, pain all through her body and mind, but when she felt his arms wrap around her, and heard his voice hit her ears a rush of relief shot through her.

"I got you, it's okay, come on," He said quickly and he quickly got down to his knee next to her, and as soon as she saw his dirty, cut, scarred face she breathed out in relief and suddenly felt herself near tears.

"You… you came… I.. I thought…" She said weakly, but she was cut off when he quickly reached behind her and grabbed her sword. Just like Vesemir had done he slid it back into the sheath on her back and turned back to her frantically.

"Ciri you need to go," He said pulling her up to her knees. Behind him she could see two massive glyphs of yrden as well as multiple riders knocked onto the ground.

She blinked and the roars from the dragon pierced her ears as her mind raced. After a moment, her vision finally cleared, and she saw the look he was giving her. His eyes were hard, and he held both his hands on her arms. She could see the desperation, the pleading gaze behind his green iris's. In them as well she could see the fatigue, how absolutely exhausted he was. All in a few seconds she saw everything she had done flash before her eyes. She saw herself in Aretuza, with Mistle, in the arena and Auberon's bedchamber, she saw herself fighting at Stygga Castle and teleporting between all the different worlds to run from Eredin. All of it had been to get back to him, but now he was telling her to go again.

"Wh…what? No, I won't leave you here you're insane, we… we'll both go and-," She started, but he cut her off by furiously shaking his head.

He gripped harder on her arms and shook his head, "Ciri you're hurt, we don't know if you'll be able to teleport both of us. Even if we did they'd just follow, you go and I'll-."

"NO! I won't leave you behind, you promised me we'd stick together," She begged him, she went to reach out to grab him, but she winced and fell into him.

She looked up and saw his eyes bare into her, his gaze was loving even then, his eyes were soft and trying to send reassurance that everything would be alright. Everywhere around them riders were rising again, and their exchange while only a few seconds had felt like hours, it felt to Ciri that time had stopped around them just so they could have this conversation. She gripped firmly onto the sleeves of his armor and didn't dare leave his gaze. He looked at her and let out a shaky sigh, she felt his hand come up to quickly grab her cheek as he slowly shook his head.

"Ciri… I swore I'd never try to control what you do," He said quickly, as a small ***POP* **rang behind them and she knew his yrden glyphs had disappeared. Looking back to her his eyes widened, "But Ciri now I NEED you to listen to me! Teleport, please Ciri you need to-. I SAID GET AWAY!"

Before he could finish his sentence his green eyes flashed completely bright blue as he screamed. He whirled around and as he did she saw the four riders all slowly coming towards them, she had no idea where Baelen was, but just as she heard the gold dragon rip a torrent of fire through the air, Dominik shot both his hands forward and the Igni sign erupted from his palms. Ciri almost felt her hair, her loose fallen hair catch fire as the flames enveloped all three riders and caught their armor aflame. Ciri had never heard riders scream so loud, but all three of them dropped their swords and furiously tried to pat out their armor, but they didn't live for long, because Dominik thrusted his hands forward and the force of the Aard blast sent them all flying backwards. They knocked into other riders and sent their forces stumbling, Dominik back up right in front of her and picked his blade up from the ground.

Ciri winced and reached up to grab his arm, he kept his blade leveled but used his other hand to pull her to her feet. She fell onto his back for a moment before her hand went to her torso and she looked around them. They were surrounded, the riders had them pushed against the walls leading up to the pendulums, a place that had used to make them both so happy. She tried to reach her hand up and draw her sword, determined not to let him fight by herself, but as soon as she did she felt her entire torso erupt. She groaned and nearly fell as he had to turn back and keep her steady. The dragon's roars were right in their ears, as Ciri turned around she saw both beasts locked in an intense grapple as they snapped and clawed at once another.

Two dragons one way, riders of the Wild Hunt the other way. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, Dominik had been right. If she tried to teleport them both then, with how weak she was, she didn't know if she would get them anywhere in one piece.

"GET BACK, NOBODY TOUCHES HER," Dominik screamed turning Ciri's attention away from the dragons.

She stumbled as she watched him swing his blade in a wide arc, magic was still furiously radiating off him, so when he swung his blade the riders and hounds all smartly backed away. Ciri's eyes darted past them however, she could still see the massive swirling portal that had been opened, Imlerith was dusting off his armor as he gripped up on his hammer and shield again, and next to him she saw Eredin with his arms crossed, his faceplate was back on so the black eyes did nothing but watched the scene unfold. She reached out and gripped onto the back of his arm, and as soon as she did she felt him untense. Every step she took she felt the agony build up in her bones, but she willed herself through it and managed to move next to him.

His eyes turned to her, but Ciri focused only on drawing her blade. She wasn't going to let him die without fighting next to him, if she had to she'd use the last of her power to get him out, take out as many as he could. She looked up at his still handsome chiseled face, the dirt and small bits of blood were smeared on his cheeks, but she still found him more attractive then anyone else she had ever seen. Slowly he turned and looked down at her as she finally managed to rake out her sword. She stumbled but he quickly held one arm out around her waist to steady herself. He helped her back to her feet, and his hand lingered on her waist, the other held his sword, she reached up and had one arm around his neck as she used what strength she had left to grip as tightly to her sword as she could. When she finally felt herself steady she let out a shaky sigh and met his eyes again. He looked down at her and his gaze didn't leave her for a moment, and she thought about how much she had missed those eyes since she saw him last.

"Together…" She said, as every breath she took she felt a stabbing pain through her chest.

He bit his lip cutely as he normally did, and slowly nodded to her, "Always…"

And then she gently slid her arm off his shoulder and brought both of them to level her blade towards the riders. He did the same, she regrettably felt his touch leave her, as she gripped both hands to her sword, and just like they always would, turned and faced down their enemy together.

All the riders seemed to shift along with the hounds. The sulfur and wind blew her fallen ashen locks to the side, the dragons roared behind her, blasts of frost and heat made her neck sweat, but all she focused on was every rider in front of her, and Dominik at her side. He shifted his feet next to her, as she saw Eredin still looking over at them from in front of the portal with Imlerith. Dominik's magic swirled in him, and Ciri tried to activate her own. She saw weak blurs of the blue power radiating around her, but it wasn't nearly as much as she could at full strength. She let out a shaky breath, and the two of them were about to charge, when the riders parted, and her eyes widened when she saw Baelen walk through with her crude longsword drawn.

Dominik shifted next to her, and Ciri tried to move but had to bite her lip with each motion.

"Well, well, well, how touching a moment this is…" Baelen said in a low drawl as her eyes turned over to Ciri, "He is so eager to die for you… just like you've always wanted…"

"Shut up…" Ciri said weakly, but she felt her blood begin to race more as her hands tightened on her blade.

Dominik took a step-in front of her and pointed his silver towards her, "You protect the people you love with everything you have…. No matter what the cost is… my mother taught me that. I WON'T let you take her…"

At the words Ciri saw Baelen's eyes flash blue and the commanders shrill voice rang so loud it almost drowned out the dragon's roar.

She took a few furious steps forward, "AND YOU'VE FAILED TO HEED THAT ADVICE DOMINIK OF CINTRA, YOU FAILED BECAUSE ALL YOU-."

"BAELEN!" The deep ringing voice of Eredin shouted from near the portal.

The King's voice was so deep that she felt her knees begin to shake more. As soon as Eredin's rang, Baelen who was ready to attack stopped in place. Ciri saw the commander's hands tighten around her sword, before she seemed to reluctantly slide it back to her waist. Baelen slowly walked back towards the portal, she took a place next to Imlerith, and from the portal Eredin turned his head to Dominik and her both. Upon seeing the King's black faceplate look at her, she felt her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She could see Vesemir, and other defenders frozen, the two dragon's roars hit the air again, Ciri knew that still had to be fighting up in the clouds, but she didn't dare try to locate them, all she focused on was Eredin, and when the King took his first steps, she saw Dominik step in front of her.

"Dom…" She said quietly, as Eredin slowly walked towards them.

"Ciri… go…" He hissed to her, and Ciri saw him leveling his blade as Eredin got closer.

Her legs locked, and just from the look on his eyes Ciri knew what he planned to do.

"Don't… don't…. you can't-," She started, but as she took another step she felt her legs give out and she fell. Her sword clattered just out of her reach, and Dominik turned.

Ciri groaned and looked down at her torso, the blood had seeped clean through her corset, and every time she tried to move it only seemed to get worse. Dominik's gaze turned back to her for a moment, but Eredin's massive armored footsteps finally came to a halt, and Ciri watched as he quickly turned back to the King. She managed to get up to her knees and grab her torso to keep it from bleeding. Dominik took another step-in front of her as Eredin stopped. The riders filed out on both sides of him, Ciri watched as he slowly reached up and removed his face plate again, and when she saw him bare his monstrous eyes on Dominik, she felt her heart leap up to her throat.

"So… you are his descendant…" The King mused with the dragon's roars now not seeming to bother him. Eredin chuckled darkly and looked back to Ciri, "You humans… so predictable. For your sake Cirilla… I hope this… Dominik… is stronger than HE was."

Ciri was going to respond, say something to try and keep the King's attention on her, but Dominik took another step back towards her, his sword was raised still, and Ciri could see the magic begin to violently swirl around him again.

"I don't care who HE was," Dominik said darkly, his voice was so loud that it lifted over the wind as he pointed his silver out towards the King, "But I know who you are…. So you're Eredin? I'm surprised I know… considering all you do is hide behind Baelen and your riders."

"Dom…." Ciri said weakly from behind him, as she knew exactly what he was trying to do.

The stupid, brave, loving boy that she loved was trying to goad the King of the fucking Wild Hunt into fighting him. That goofy little eleven-year-old boy she had fallen for running the castle halls of Cintra, was now facing down and trying to fight the King of the Wild Hunt to keep her safe. All of it to keep her safe, just like he had always done. For what she thought was the first time in her life, Dominik completely ignored her words, and didn't dare turn around to her. Eredin was even more powerful then he knew, Ciri had seen what power the King of the Hunt can unleash, and she didn't dare let him do it alone. She tried to get up to her feet, but as soon as she took one step up she fell again, and she felt her annoyance bubble over as she looked down at her torso and saw the blood pooling onto the dirt below them.

She bit her lip and looked back up. At Dominik's words all the riders shifted, and Eredin was unmoving. The King's beady eyes were unmoving, and Ciri waited to him to lash out, to try and kill Dominik there on the spot, however Eredin's laugh was almost as terrifying as the King when he was angry.

"Ahaha… it seems Baelen was correct," The King said, slowly turning to look at the commander before turning back to Dominik, "You will do anything for her…. It matters not, you will die, just like he did…"

"Yeah, and I bet you'll send Baelen and Imlerith to do your dirty work," Dominik shouted over to the King while twirling his silver, "You'll send them to kill me, it's understandable, I guess you've gotten a little sloppy in your old age, can't move like you used to!"

And in that moment Ciri saw a small fire build up in the King's eyes as he turned back to Dominik again.

"You are aware boy… I not only killed your ancestor… but his son… his daughter…" Eredin slowly said, his dark voice piercing the air as he bore his eyes onto Dominik, "You are not worthy… for me to even lift my blade now that I see you…. Kill him, now."

Eredin's order came just as Ciri heard the ***ROOOAR* **from both dragons pierced the air again. The wind picked up and she, Eredin and the rest of the Hunt all shot their heads up. Both dragons slammed into each other and zipped through the air in the courtyard, they came dangerously close to landing on top of them all. Ciri saw the massive blurs of white and gold clawing and snapping at each other, furiously each beast fought tooth and nail before ascending back into the sky. The momentary distraction gave Dominik time to move, he seemed to be the only one who hadn't been distracted. She tried to scream for him but her voice failed her and she could only look on in pain from the ground.

The four riders that all surrounded Eredin turned at the same time the King did. Dominik waded and spun into them as Eredin simply stood and watched. Ciri's eyes widened as she watched Dominik almost effortlessly parry two strikes from one rider, he ducked and spun under the wraiths strike before coming up and stabbing it from behind. Another came stabbing from behind but his Aard blast shot the wraith back passed Eredin and slammed it into the wall. The final two both came charging at once. The magic around him whirled Dominik forward, and he parried one strike then another, he side-stepped and lopped off a rider's arm, before spinning and catching the last wraith's blade on his own. After being locked with the rider for a moment he sidestepped, he cut the riders legs out from under it, and as it fell to the ground he stabbed his blade downwards before ripping it out and pointing it towards Eredin. There were plenty more riders in the courtyard then, and they all began to gather around the King as Dominik took a few small steps back before he was in front of her again.

"Ciri…." He whispered fiercely before turning down to her, "You need to go… GO!"

"No…. no I won't. I won't leave you here…" She said as she wobbled up to her knees again while holding onto her torso.

He sighed and turned back to her, he locked eyes with her for a moment and shook his head, "I love you… and I know you don't want to but-."

"Well… it seems you have inherited some of his skills," Eredin's voice cut them off, and Dominik whirled back around and leveled his blade again as the King went on, "Even with all his skill… you are still too weak…"

Ciri took in the scene one last time. Eredin stood with his faceplate still in his hands, he was flanked by riders, the dragons roared and fired their breath in the sky. Behind the King Baelen watched on, Ciri could see the commander's hands curled into fists as Imlerith stood behind her. Her eyes widened when she saw that Caranthir had also stepped through the portal next to Baelen. Ciri felt her heart begin to stir, she looked over to Dominik, and he let out a shaky sigh. He gave her one last look, and Ciri found herself finally have the surge to stumble up to her feet. She watched as he gripped the swallow around his neck and gently nodded at her, Ciri stumbled forward and tried to shout for him, but her voice didn't leave her as pain shot through her body.

Dominik turned and leveled out his blade towards Eredin, "If I'm too weak… then you'll have no problem fighting me yourself!"

"NO, DOM YOU CAN'T," Ciri finally felt rake from the back of her throat. She stumbled forward and fell to her knees again.

Dominik again ignored her and tightened the grip on his blade as the magic around him lightly swirled. She felt heat and frost warm and chill her skin. Her ashen hair was marred with blood and dirt as it fell around her shoulders. The dragons roared above but she didn't dare take her eyes of Dominik, who's brown hair flew back in the chilly wind gusts, as the only light that illuminated the courtyard was the bright light of the portal and the moon. Bright orange flames would brighten the yard when the gold dragon flew by with its breath, but Ciri felt her limbs begin to shake as Eredin laughed and shook his head.

"Aha… you are nothing boy. You… are not even a witcher," The King said as he turned his back to Dominik and went on, "You are a weak… pathetic human, just like your ancestors were. Baelen, Imlerith, kill him and then-."

"You killed my ancestors! If you killed them then you'll have no problem with me… I am just a weak, pathetic human after all," Dominik shouted, and again Ciri felt her blood stiffen as Eredin stopped in his tracks. Dominik twirled his blade and shouted, "That is… unless you're afraid! Afraid to fight me yourself! Come on, stop hiding behind your soldiers! Again… unless you're afraid they'll see you get killed by a human!"

Ciri was about to shout again, despite the blood slowly dripping from her, she tried to get up again. She stumbled and fell back to her knees, looking up she saw Eredin slowly turn back to Dominik, just before Ciri could yell something however, another voice pierced the air, and when Ciri heard it she felt her body come to halt.

"Don't be foolish Dominik! Let us have Cirilla, and save your fucking life," The voice of Baelen screamed out from behind Eredin, Ciri's eyes widened as the commander went on, "Don't throw your life away for-."

"No Baelen…." Eredin said, holding his hand up to stop the commander the King slowly turned back to him, and Ciri saw his gaze stare deep into Dominik's soul, "He has made his choice…. You are just as arrogant as he was boy… and you shall die just like he did…"

Dominik scoffed and held out his arms, "And after I'm done with you… you'll regret the day you started chasing her…. I WON'T let you take her; you won't lay as much as a finger on her."

Ciri's heart fell to the pit of her stomach as she felt tears pool up in her eyes. She fought through the pain and took a few stumbling steps forward as she called out to him.

"Dom… Dom stop… please… please stop you can't… let me-," She started, but she was cut off again when he sharply turned his head to her.

For a moment while he looked at her, everything was tuned out. The chattering of riders, the roaring of the dragons above, the howling of the portal and the wind, none of it mattered in that moment he met her eyes. In them, despite everything that was happening around them… he still looked at her with those loving eyes. He still had no idea what she had done, he had no idea about Mistle, the horrible things she did with the rats, he didn't know about what happened to her in Tir'Nala. She still hadn't gotten to apologize for not coming back sooner, for laying with someone else, to truly tell him how much she loved and appreciated everything he had done for her. She couldn't think of any man, in that world or any that had his mental strength. For eight years he had looked for her, he had no idea she was even alive, no idea if she was even out there, yet still he looked, for eight years he looked and fought to get to her.

And still to that very moment he was. He was staring down the King of the Wild Hunt, the nightmare children heard about in legends, he had gone from one end of the continent to the other, all just for her, just to get to her and give her his love. Ciri didn't know if she even deserved it after everything she had done, but she wanted it more then anything, just like she wanted to give him absolutely everything she had. She couldn't let him go alone, but as he stood there looking at her he slowly shook his head, and when he spoke, all she heard was his voice, and for the first time in her entire life, his smile made her heart fall instead of rise.

"I love you…. And I'm sorry, but I wasn't there to protect you for all those years," He said slowly, before he twirled his blade in his hands and turned around to Eredin, "But I am now… and I WON'T let them take you from me…"

Eredin's laugh echoed in her ears, and Ciri could hear the amusement, "Aha… how touching…. First you die boy… and then you Cirilla… will come with us."

"You're gonna have to kill me first before you do that," Dominik said as Ciri saw him slowly step in front of her, both hands were on his sword as he pointed it towards Eredin.

Again the King laughed, and Ciri saw him rake his giant longsword from his belt. The cruel blade was jagged, and it looked to be nearly as tall as Dominik himself. Slowly Eredin hefted the blade onto his shoulder, Ciri heard the King's faceplate echo as he held it back up to his face.

"Come now… Dominik. Show me the power that he passed down to you, show me the spins, feints, and parries you've learned… let us see the extent you'll go for the one you love…" The King deeply said as the longsword slowly came down from his shoulder.

"You'll learn that I'd go pretty fucking far," Dominik said deeply as Ciri saw the magic start to violently churn around him again.

And when she saw them start to circle each other, she felt the shot of adrenaline run through her. She managed to get herself up to her feet, her hand fiddled on the ground for her sword and when she finally found it she looked up. Dominik hadn't taken his eyes off Eredin, and she saw the magic around his arms churn.

"NO, I won't let you do this alone, I REFUSE-. GAHHHH!" She yelled for as soon as she took one step she felt her legs lock. Her ankles froze in place, and she fell face first into the dirt. Her head shot up and Baelen had closed her hand in a fist, the commanders hand closed tightly and shook.

Slowly the commander looked at her and shook her head, "You can watch… watch as EVERYTHING is ripped from you… just like you caused it all to be ripped from me."

She tried to wriggle her foot out of the ice, but she was too weak to break free. The blood had stopped pooling from her torso, but the pain shot through her body again. She shot her head up and saw Dominik looking back at her, he looked like he was going to rush after her for a moment, but he was interrupted by the fire. Ciri almost felt her hair catch on fire, and from her position stuck on the ground her head shot up. Neither Dominik nor Eredin looked upwards, but Ciri could see the dragons above them.

The gold dragon furiously flapped its wings above Dominik facing across from the white dragon above Eredin. Ciri's loose hair flew behind her head, the wind began to churn up even more violently, and her eyes widened when she saw both beasts unleash a massive torrent of fire and ice towards one another. Ciri watched as both blasts slammed into each other, a massive ***BOOM* **erupted over the courtyard, and Ciri had to cover her eyes as dirt, ash and soot shot into her eyes, but when she finally felt it pass she looked forward again. Dominik and Eredin hadn't moved, as Dominik stood there with his sword leveled, magic swirled around him, as Eredin stood with his longsword out, and Ciri could only watched as they circled one another.

And just as the two dragons soared back up into the air, Dominik was the first to charge forward.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri could clearly see Dominik was laboring. For the last few hours they had done nothing but fight, and Ciri saw the toll that all the fighting had took on him. She tried to keep ripping herself free of the ice Baelen had shot around her ankles, but every time she did she felt the pain shoot through her, or she'd hear a loud clash behind her of Eredin and Dominik's steel. Above them it was almost as if the dragons battle mimicked the one on the ground. Ciri's eyes looked up for a moment and saw both dragons strafing along one another. Blasts of fire and fire would rip through the sky and clash just as Eredin and Dominik's blades would clash or lock. Ciri's blade was discarded only a few feet from her, she tried to wriggle out of the ice to reach for it. If she could get free then the two of them fighting Eredin together may have a chance, they could take him down together, all she had to do was reach her blade. However, whenever she felt herself about to break free she felt as if the ice tightened, and she'd look over to see Baelen had closed her fist.

The commander was the biggest mystery to Ciri in that moment, she couldn't see behind her faceplate, but she could remember the one green eye she saw. Ciri had known that eye from somewhere, but in that moment she didn't care, every time Ciri would move Baelen would close her fist, and more ice would form up around her legs. Cir would shoot her gaze over to Baelen, but after the commander formed more ice on her legs, she'd turn back to the battle. And just like was, Baelen's limbs were shaking.

"Dammit…." Ciri muttered to herself as pain flared up inside her again. She felt her anxiousness and urgency take over; the pain was only temporary because as soon as she saw her blade again it went away. She was going to reach for it but froze when she heard Eredin's laugh.

"Baha! Come now, surely he passed down more then this to you boy…" Eredin bellowed, and Ciri's vision tore right back to the fight.

Dominik stumbled back and steady himself before twirling his blade again and yelling, "There's a lot more where this came from…. I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER!"

"You'll have to do much better then this then boy…" Eredin said darkly just as the dragons roared and clashed with each other overhead.

None of the riders dared interfere and Ciri could only watch from meters away as Dominik rushed forward again. Near the portal she could see Baelen standing with Caranthir and Imlerith, the more that Dominik and Eredin clashed the more she saw Baelen hands slowly shake more and more. To her complete shock none of them seemed to want to take the advantage and grab her. She remembered earlier in the battle how they had been calling out to find 'his descendant', how they were targeting Dominik to kill him, and the more she saw, the more she realized that whoever his ancestor was, they must have done something absolutely horrible to the Hunt and the Aen Elle, because even though he denied the duel at first, Ciri saw Eredin seeming to be absolutely delighted to have the chance to kill Dominik himself. The King had apparently killed that ancestor, and now he was looking to wipe out that line for good. It had apparently been so important to them, or they were simply so sure of Eredin's victory that they simply left Ciri there to watch.

She tried to wriggle out once more to no avail, she grunted in agitation, but her head went right back to Dominik and Eredin when she heard the ***BOOOM***.

Dominik got sent tumbling backwards to the ground violently, and Ciri's skin felt like it was boiling when she saw him wincing on the ground.

"DOMINIK STOP WE CAN BOTH-. ARGHHHH!" Ciri yelled when she felt the ice tighten around her legs again.

She bit her lip and looked up as Dominik ignored her, he pushed himself up to his feet with his sword and ran towards Eredin again. Eredin cackled when he finally got there, and easily seemed to parry each strike Dominik threw. Ciri saw that the strikes he threw were quick and precise, the magic that shot from around him whirled his movements on, but the frost and magic that were around Eredin seemed to do the same thing. The King didn't even use two hands, only holding his massive longsword with his right hand as he easily parried Dominik's blows. Small eruptions of magic shot up every time their blades locked, but Ciri could see it getting weaker and weaker around Dominik, as she knew that his stores of energy had to be dangerously low for him to be fighting such and opponent.

"Please… please…." She whispered to herself, as she reached up and gripped the ring that was flapping in the wind against her chest.

Dominik leapt up and tried for a strike from the right, but Eredin raised up his blade and parried quickly, and with surprising speed for one so large the King spun and lashed out from the other side. Dominik barely had time to parry but got knocked off balance, Eredin smacked his hand forward and Ciri yelled out as Dominik was smacked down to the ground. Eredin went to swing his blade down to end the fight, but Dominik rolled out of the way and went to bring his blade up to strike at the King from behind. Ciri thought it would be a decisive blow, but Eredin spun back around and parried the blow with such force he sent Dominik stumbling again. The King laughed and went to strike his blade through him, but Dominik just in time shot his hand up and a Quen shield raised up around him, a loud ***BOOM*** erupted when Eredin's sword hit the shield, smoke went up and the King simply waved it away while Dominik got sent flying backwards. She saw his silver blade clatter out of his hands as he smacked into the ground and landed near Ciri.

"NO," She yelled, feeling her heartbeat at a dangerous rate, her skin prickled as she tried to break out of the ice again, but before she could Dominik groaned as he pushed himself up. Ciri's eyes widened and she yelled out again when she saw him look over at her, "Please… please stop, Dominik stop you can't!"

"I… I can't stop…" Was all Dominik said as he slowly reached over and grabbed his hand over the hilt of his sword again.

Ciri saw how breathless he was, she saw magic weakly still swirling around him as he pushed himself to his feet with his sleek silver blade. She could see both his cheeks covered in soot, dirt, and his hair was wild and sticking out in all directions. His armor was scuffed and chafed, his knees wobbled for a moment, but he pushed himself upwards and leveled his blade again. Ciri could only watch with her mouth agape, she felt herself begin to shiver as she saw him slowly walk towards Eredin again, and when the King of the Hunt laughed it ripped into the depths of Ciri's soul.

"Aha… at least he could walk straight when I killed him…" Eredin said before slowly looking over to Ciri, "And when I am finished with you… she will be dragged back to our world…back where she belongs…"

She felt the words pierce into her, her heart rattled inside her chest and she slowly turned her head over to Dominik, who hadn't even taken any heed of the King's words. He didn't look back at Ciri inquisitively, wondering what the King meant, he simply gripped tighter to his silver and leveled it towards Eredin again.

"She isn't going anywhere…. NEVER again," He yelled out, and just as he went to charge Ciri heard the dragons crash up ahead again.

The roars pierced her ears just as Dominik and Eredin fought in a whirlwind again. Quickly she gazed upwards as the roars got closer. Her eyes widened when both dragons landed with great booms on the battlements. They snapped their jaws at each other, the white dragon got up to its hind legs and brought both its front legs down on the golden one. The gold dragon leaped up to meet it and the two beasts slammed into one another. She watched as the gold beast snapped its jaws to the base of the white one's wing, but the white one was much larger and whirled its tail around to smack the gold one off. The white one then snapped its jaws towards the golds neck, but the gold quickly whipped its wings around before blowing them forward and sending the white off balance. After this the gold took off into the air just as a stream of frost was fired from the white. The white roared in agitation and took off, both beasts soared and blasted fire and ice at one another.

"Come now… even his children provided a worthy challenge," Eredin yelled from below as Ciri turned her attention back just before the King went on, "You are slow… weak… and your arrogance will be your downfall."

"You talk too much," Dominik yelled back as he leapt up with a strike from the left.

Ciri watched Eredin parried two of Dominik's strikes before lashing out with one of his own. Dominik leaned back and just barely avoided the King's blade, after this he spun around himself and leaped, as he came down a wall of fire erupted out of his hands and engulfed Eredin. For a moment Dominik seemed to think he had done good damage, but as soon as he landed Eredin with a wave of his hand extinguished the flames on his armor with the wisps of icy air around him, and as soon as he did the King lashed out with his blade again. Dominik wasn't ready and was put on the back foot. He parried two strikes before going for a thrust himself, and that was when Eredin punched his own hand forward, Ciri saw the magic build up inside it, and as soon as it made contact with Dom's chest he screamed and got sent flying back.

"GAHHHHHH FUCK," He screamed as he slammed against a pile of timber, and Ciri again saw his silver sword fall from his hand.

Her eyes widened and she felt the blood leave her body as she screamed, "NOOOO, DOMINIK STOP PLEASE!"

"He will not…" Eredin said, as she heard the clunking of the King's boots behind her, she whirled around from the ground and looked out over the massive elf as Eredin chuckled down at her, "He will continue to fight, and he will die… and you will not escape me again… you will-. ARGHHH"

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Dominik screamed from behind her, as Ciri saw his Aard blast slam into Eredin, it was so powerful that Ciri saw the King stumbled backwards.

Dominik had gotten up; he had gotten up quickly and rushed past her. In the years that she had known him, never had Ciri seen such a guttural rage coming from him. He screamed and leapt forward, Eredin raised his sword to block but a much larger ***BOOM*** ripped through the courtyard, as Ciri saw the magic exploding around him. Dominik's eyes were blue, the same color hers got when she teleported, and his limbs were completely incased in the magic, he whirled and spun with such ferocity it seemed to surprise even Eredin. The King however had magic of his own. The frost built up on Eredin's armor as magic swirled around the King as well, and he thrusted and threw out blows with new force. Dominik leapt and thrusted forward but Eredin smacked his blade down from his hands and for a moment he had Dominik weaponless at his mercy. Eredin went to swing his longsword down but Dominik rolled out of the way and shot both his hands up, his Aard blast hit Eredin with such force all the magic in his eyes and around his limbs passed into the sign. Eredin didn't get knocked off his feet but was stumbling backwards. The riders around the courtyard, Baelen, Imlerith, Caranthir all seemed to hold their breath, and Ciri's heart leapt up in her throat.

She watched as Dominik scooped up his silver and ran forward, he lunged out from the left, but Eredin had steadied himself. The Aen Elle threw a parry with such ferocity that Dominik was knocked off balance for a moment, but Ciri's eyes widened as Dominik quickly recovered, he continued spinning and leapt up when he came back around. It was a move she had only ever seen Geralt perform, but while in the air Dominik thrusted his silver forward towards Eredin's head while the King was still off guard. Eredin managed to tilt his head, but Dominik's blade pierced and thrusted through the side of the King's faceplate, a ***CLANG*** louder then any she had heard all day rang through the courtyard, and every sound was tuned out. The sounds of the dragons in the sky, the violently churning wind and the portal, it all got tuned out when Dominik's blade made contact with the side of Eredin's cheek.

He landed on his feet, and while Ciri saw the magic still whirling around him, Dominik stumbled as he landed. Wobbling he managed to steady himself and raise his blade again, but the magic had died down in his eyes, while it still lightly whirled, Ciri could tell that he used almost everything he had. He breathed so heavy that Ciri could hear it from her spot on the ground. The noises stayed tuned out, and Ciri's stomach fell, the loud ***CLANG* **of Eredin's faceplate hitting the ground seemed to echo more then any sound had throughout the entire battle.

For a single miraculous moment, she thought Dominik had gained the upper hand. All the riders, Baelen, Imlerith, Caranthir they all stared at Eredin, Ciri saw them all shift uncomfortably as Eredin's head stayed faced down to the dirt. Ciri looked and saw a singular drop of blood fall from the King's cheek, before laughter, laughter that almost made her bones shatter came from the Aen Elle King. She saw Dominik shift and grip tighter to his silver as Eredin slowly rose with his back turned to him.

"Ahaha…. All of that work…" Eredin said deeply, his voice pierced into the depths of her soul, and her bones all felt like they were about to shatter when Eredin turned, a wild smirk on his face, and nothing but a cut across his cheek. The King ran his finger across the bleeding cut and looked down at his own blood on his hands before showing it to Dominik, "All of that work… for one… tiny scratch."

Dominik let out a shaky breath and held out his sword, "Well… I gotta start somewhere don't I?"

Eredin was no longer wearing his faceplate, but his cackle still rang deeply through out the courtyard, "Yes… you do… but this is as far as you go boy…. Perhaps I shall spare you… capture you… let you watch as I drag Cirilla back to my world… and slowly… ever so slowly bleed her dry…. Bleed her dry of the one redeeming quality of her life… that… drop of elven blood."

Ciri felt her skin grow colder as for a moment she finally stopped struggling to get herself free. _"A pearl in pig shit…. A diamond on the finger of a rotting corpse…. As part of your language training you can create even more comparisons. I'll test you on them tomorrow, little d'hione…. O repulsive human creature in whom nothing, but nothing, remains of an elven woman."_ Auberon's words rung through her head, the words she heard over and over again for so many months. The words she begun to believe, that had pierced into the very depths of her soul, made her begin to feel like she was truly nothing but a pile of shit on the road. The pain she felt, the torment in her mind…. The ring around her neck, the man standing before her now defending her, her family, the memories of them all, it had been what got her through those days. And now… Dominik was defending her from them again.

The roar of the dragon's got closer, and Ciri could feel the heat from the blasts of fire, and the intense chill from the blasts of frost as she heard the roar get closer and closer. She couldn't tare her eyes from Dominik however, as she saw the fatigue, the wobbling legs as the magic swirled around him. She felt her breath quicken, as she tried with renewed ferocity to yank her legs from the ice. Baelen had stopped paying attention to her, so Ciri took advantage, she pulled and pulled, and felt her foot ever so lightly move. Her eyes widened as she looked back to her feet, her sword she knew was still only a few feet away, they could take him down together she knew it, she just needed to get out. She tried to focus her magic, but every time she did she winced and felt the pain that shot through her torso and chest flare. She looked down and bit her lip as she saw her corset and shirt pooled with blood from the wound Baelen gave her on her torso, she cursed herself for still not having gotten proper armor after so long.

"Come on… come on Ciri…" She said to herself over and over as she yanked her legs harder. She kept trying but was interrupted when she heard Eredin again.

"You have fought valiantly… I will give you credit where it is due…" The King said slowly, making Ciri turn over to look at the fight again. Eredin was only a few meters across from Dominik as he pointed out his blade, "But now… you die. And after… we will have her… and then after that… we will have your world as our own…. You cannot stop me, Avallach cannot stop me, Geralt of Rivia cannot stop me… and it all… starts… with you, and her."

At Eredin's words she saw the magic spike up around him again, Dominik twirled his blade into a reversed grip, and as his breathing quickened Ciri saw the magic quicken around him as well. It grew and grew, she saw his medallion and the swallow around him both almost fly off his neck, his steel sword on his back furiously shook, his armor, his hair, everything began to violently churn, and when she saw his eyes flash blue, even with the color overtaking it Ciri could see an unfathomable rage coursing through him, more then she'd ever seen in any man or woman.

"NOBODY IS TAKING HER ANYWHERE, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO LEAVE HER ALONE," He shouted, and just as he did Ciri heard the massive roar of both dragon's above, she didn't have time to look up to the sky before Dominik was screaming again, "AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE OF IT, I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HER!

"AND JUST LIKE YOUR ANCESTORS YOUR ARROGANCE WILL BE YOUR DOWNFALL BOY," Eredin yelled as magic began to swirl in the King's hand.

Before Ciri knew it Eredin fired his hand forward, and a blast of frost, of pure blizzard shot from the Aen Elle King's hands, and Dominik responded by dropping his sword, and in a flash Ciri saw him thrust both his hands forward. His eyes absolutely erupted as a blast of fire, an Igni sign like Ciri had never seen before shot from his hands and slammed into Eredin's blizzard. As soon as the two blasts hit each other, magic like Ciri had never seen began to pool up between the two of them and Ciri felt herself tumbling back with both her feet still in the ice.

"NOOOO, DOMINIK, DOMINIK," Ciri yelled at the top of her lungs, but before she could look at Dominik she heard the roars overhead again.

She tore her head up into the night sky, and both dragons soared down at great speed from the air. The giant flashes of gold and white came down, the gold soared in the sky flapping its massive wings above Dominik, while the white soared above Eredin and roared so loud Ciri felt blood trickle from her ear. She looked down and saw the magic slowly beginning to whirl out of Dominik's eyes as he kept his hands thrusted forward, the flames kept coming and coming, but Ciri could see him waning. Across from him Eredin kept his hand forward and the icy blizzard continued to surge forward, it smacked into Dominik's flames and clashed in the middle in a test of wills and strength.

The roar from the dragon's hit her ears again and she looked back up, both dragon's bore their teeth at one another, they roared at one another and Ciri felt more blood flow from her right ear. She watched as the white dragon roared once more before it shot forward a blast of icy and frost larger then Ciri had ever seen, and in response the gold dragon bellowed and from its mouth a new torrent of flames roared. The two blasts met right above Dominik and Eredin, and Ciri felt her hair completely blow back as she held her hands up. She tore her vision down to Dominik, who was still holding the Igni sign, but she could see Eredin's blizzard about to overtake him. His eyes began to blink back to normal, the magic in his arms started to slow, and Ciri knew that he was going to fall.

Frantically she looked over to her sword, she tried, she shot every last bit of energy from her powers to teleport, to even be able to simply break from the ice to reach her sword. She had to help him; she couldn't leave him to fight alone anymore. Looking back she channeled all the energy she could and kept on yanking her foot as the fire and ice continued to collide and explode above her.

"COME ON, COME ON!" She screamed as she turned back to see Dominik finally falling, and when she saw the blue fall out of his eyes, that's when Ciri finally felt the blue shoot through hers.

"NOOOO, NO, DOMINIK!" She yelled, and just as she felt her foot break from the ice, she saw Dominik's eyes suddenly erupt into a new surge of blue.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" He yelled, as he shoved his hands forward again, and above them both the dragon's breath erupted against one another.

And just as Ciri reached down to grab her sword, was when the ***BOOOOOOOOOOOM* **ripped through her ears, and she was sent flying back off her feet.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"D…Dominik…. Dom…. Dominik where are you," Ciri muttered as all she saw around her was ash and soot.

The explosion had knocked her back, but thankfully she hadn't landed on anything hard, and with all the adrenaline flowing through her, she was able to get up and find her sword. She heard both dragons distantly roaring and could hear the chatter of the riders around her. As she loosely held her blade in her hand, the silhouettes of riders getting back to their feet, and the light from the portal that was opened hit her eyes. She squinted and stood in place, she had seen Dominik go flying, but had lost him in the smoky haze, now she slowly waded through it. The wound on her torso from Baelen's sword had stopped bleeding, but every step she took she felt the pain in it still flare up. Between the ash, soot and sulfur she coughed as she stood right in the middle of where Eredin and Dominik had fought. She whirled, feeling her skin begin to tremble the only thing she focused on was finding him. It didn't matter if the teleport tore her to pieces; she was going to get him out of there. He had promised to protect her yes, but she had also sworn to protect him.

She wouldn't let that promise be one sided.

"D…DOMINIK," She found herself yelling as she whirled around, one had on her blade the other on her torso. The mist started to clear, and when she heard the clanking of boots behind her she whirled back around, "D…Dom? Dominik… is-."

"I told you, you will not escape me again girl," Eredin's deep voice cut her off as her eyes widened. She saw the mist slowly clear, near the portal Baelen, Caranthir and Imlerith still stood, but Eredin himself, his longsword sheathed slowly clunked towards her.

"NO!" Ciri yelled as she went to swing her sword up from the right. However, as soon as she did she felt her torso erupt into pain, and Eredin easily knocked her blade aside. It clunked to the ground and the King of the Hunt laughed.

"Baha… there are no unicorns to save you this time girl…. Avallach is not here to save you…. Geralt of Rivia isn't here to save you…." Eredin bellowed, as he smacked his gauntleted hand across Ciri's face and she found herself knocked down as he laughed and advanced again, "Aha… you are mine once again… and you will not escape this time…"

Ciri back up, she kept her eyes trained up on Eredin and tried to slide away, but every time she tried to crunch her abdomen she winced and felt the pain. She began to panic; she felt the panic continue and continue to well up inside of her. Her eye's widened and she gripped as tightly as she could onto the ring, looking around she tried to find any type of weapon to defend herself, she tried to teleport to a different spot, but every time she tried to focus Eredin's boots clunked. Her loose fallen ashen hair was covered in blood and dirt, and finally when she tried to get up she fell with one last groan as she heard Eredin's boot finally stop clunking. Her breath quickened to an alarming rate as she turned and saw the King slowly draw his longsword again, it dripped blood and his beady eyes looked down to Ciri, and his voice made her bones shatter.

"You will finally fulfill your purpose… we have anxiously awaited your return in Tir'Nala…" Eredin said deeply, and the smile she saw creep onto Eredin's face, the sick, demented smile would haunt Ciri's dreams for years to come as he slowly spoke, "And if you survive the endeavor… Auberon may have been… weak… and old… but I have no problems in… that area, you will-."

"GET AWAY FROM HER," Dominik's deep voice pierced the air, and before she knew Dominik rushed in from the left and leaped up.

Eredin barely had time to raise up his arms to block, but Dominik took full advantage and struck down with his silver dagger across the King's arms. He landed and looked down at Ciri for a split second, and just like Vesemir had done earlier, he blasted his hand down and Ciri felt an Aard sign send her rolling back. She came up just as she heard steel clang, she got up to her knees and looked up to see Dominik trying to strike out with his dagger. No magic swirled around him anymore, he moved with only the last bit of willpower he had. He twirled the dagger to a reversed grip and tried to strike out, but Eredin simply smacked his arm aside and backhanded him.

"DOMINIK NO STOP," She shouted as she saw him roll back up to his feet just as Eredin drew his longsword.

Dominik again didn't listen to her, he ran forward and slid under one of Eredin's strikes. She watched in amazement as he managed to cut his dagger across a slit in Eredin's legs. For a moment the King stumbled, but when Dominik went to jab the small blade into the kings back Eredin whirled around. The King of the Hunt dropped his long sword and caught the hand with Dominik's dagger.

"GAHHHHHHHH!" He yelled as Eredin squeezed his wrist. The King lifted him up from the ground as if he weighed nothing, and Ciri cried out again when Eredin slammed his fist across Dominik's face before turning and throwing him like a rag doll towards Ciri.

He landed with a thud and Ciri saw the dagger clatter from his hands as he hit the ground stomach first. Ciri tried to get up, but she felt her breathing get shallower as the loss of blood was finally catching up to her. It was all she could do to crawl. She looked at how close he was too her and getting up onto all fours she crawled as she watched him groan, he groaned and rolled onto his back. Ciri felt her heartbeat slow, she froze when she saw the state of him. His cheeks were completely blackened, his lips were cracked, blood trickled from his ears and nose. She watched as he took in and let out shallow shaky breaths, his chest slowly rose and fell. His armor was scorched, dents and cuts were implanted into the masterfully made armor.

"D…Dom…. Dominik… please… please…" She said as she crawled closer to him, but the pain finally got to her as well, as she fell to the ground near him, "Please… stay… stay down… don't… don't…please… please… stop…."

He groaned in pain one more time and she watched him turn to her. His eyes were green again. She was so glad in that moment he hadn't undergone mutations. The emerald eyes, the ones that matched her own, the eyes that she was able to stare into for hours, the eyes she thought were beautiful, the eyes she loved. For a second they both lay there in the dirt, both of them bruised and battered. It was just like it had been eleven years prior, the both of them beaten, bruised, on the run from the sack of Cintra. During that time she remembered how there would be days where he'd do nothing but tell her jokes, he'd spend the entire day looking for food for her, doing anything he could to lift her spirits. And anyone who even looked at her slightly wrong, it didn't matter that he was only eleven at the time, he had protected her.

And for so, so long, he had done the same. For eight years he didn't know if she was alive or dead, but still, still he had looked for her, never gave up on her. She heard that some people went their whole lives without finding love, finding someone who they would do absolutely anything for, that would make all of life's problems worth it. Dominik and she had been lucky enough to find that person at eleven years old.

But now, seeing him in so much pain, so much agony, she wanted it to stop. She didn't care if they got her anymore, she didn't care if they used her blood to conquer the entire fucking continent. In that moment all she wanted was for him to not be in pain anymore. And slowly her heart thumped, it thumped so loudly she heard it clean through her ears. She looked and met his eyes, and in them she could see the pain, the fatigue, he couldn't fight anymore, his body wouldn't possibly let him, if he got up, there was no chance that he would survive. The only way he would survive was if she gave herself up. Dominik had always told her that he'd do anything for her, anything at all just to see her happy, just to see her not in pain.

It was the same for Ciri, and all she wanted in that moment above all else, was to not see him in pain.

But before she could even attempt to get up herself he shifted. She watched in horror as he got up to all fours. He coughed so loudly she saw blood come up from him, and for a moment he fiddled his hand forward until it came around the hilt of his dagger. Her heartrate quickened and she tried to move herself, but the wound in her torso was so deep, every time she moved her legs everything erupted into pain. She managed to roll to her side, and she met his gaze with wide eyes. He let out one shaky sigh and shook his head at her.

"I… I can't stop… I… I'll never stop fighting for you princess…" He said, and with a large groan he wobbly got up to his knees. Taking one last look at her, he sighed and somehow a small smile came to his face as he got to his feet, "All…all I ever… ever wanted was you…. I… haven't stopped fighting this whole time…. Not about to start now…"

"NO… no… please… please.. Dominik…" She said weakly as she watched him slowly turned back around, twirling his dagger perfectly still he took a few shaky steps forward.

Ciri heard the distant roar of the dragons, but it was quickly overtaken by Eredin's voice.

"Aha… such… devotion… it's almost touching," Eredin said amusingly, and Ciri forced herself to get up to all fours, she looked as the King slowly lowered his longsword and spoke in an amusing tone, "I must admit… your devotion, your willingness to fight for Cirilla… and Avallach is… surprising."

At the mention of Avallach Ciri forced herself to look up. She felt her blood run to ice as she could see the bemused look on Eredin's face. Ciri winced as pain shot through her entire body, she forced herself to her feet and shakily balanced herself. Her eyes widened when she saw Dominik stiffen, before he furiously held out his dagger towards the King.

"I don't fight for Avallach," Dominik hissed in his breathless voice, as his knees bent he held out his dagger and Ciri could hear the edge to his voice, "I fight for Ciri because I love her! I fight for her and my family, nobody else…"

Ciri's already chilling blood ran cold as she tried to step forward, she stumbled however and had quickly lean her hand against a fallen pile of rock to steady herself. She slowly looked back up as Eredin cackled, he slowly shook his head as the portal behind him swirled. None of the riders or commanders dared move like trained dogs, Eredin looked down at Dominik with a bemused smile and shook his head again.

"Haha… oh my boy. Zireael has been at his beck and call for months, if you fight for her… you fight for him, although her devotion is surprising," Eredin said, the King slowly turned his vision to Ciri, and the smirk made her body shake as her skin crawled. Slowly Eredin shook his head, "It is even more surprising… considering what he did to her…. Cirilla my dear… you know he never had any intention on letting you leave… the same as I."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Dominik hissed as soon as Eredin had finished, and before Ciri could think she saw him move between Eredin and her as he hissed again, "I don't know what you're talking about, but it won't change anything! I'll never stop fighting for her, I don't care what you say!"

Eredin tilted his head, and again his gaze went over to Ciri, "Zireael… have you not… told the man you claim to love… of what Avallach made you do?"

And that was when Ciri's heart fell to the pit of her stomach. She slowly turned her head over to Dominik who had looked over at her. Ciri tore his gaze over to him, she tried to form words, but Dominik quickly bit his lip and fiercely shook his head. Ciri watched as he whirled back around to Eredin with his dagger in hand.

"No…no….." Ciri muttered as she tried to move closer to him, she had to get to him, she had to get to him and teleport but as soon as she took steps she fell, she fell to her knees and cried out in pain as her stomach felt as if it were on fire.

"DOMINIK!" She screamed as she came back up, but Dominik ignored her, and she watched him let out a shaky breath.

"You won't rattle me…. Not a fucking chance…." He said, as his head slowly turned up towards the King. He looked back at Ciri on her knees, and she saw him sigh once more and smiled at her, before he turned back to Eredin, "All you and Avallach see in her is her blood… her 'gift'…. I don't care what she's done… I love her… I love her because she's Ciri… and I WON'T let you… or anyone else use her again…."

And that was when he ran forward, and Ciri felt the adrenaline surge through her. She managed to shoot to her feet despite her body feeling in flames, she watched as Eredin didn't move but Dominik kept running towards him.

"NOOOO! DOMINIK STOP NO," Ciri yelled, but she was too late.

Eredin laughed as Dominik lunged out with his dagger. There was no magic enhancing his movements anymore. All he was in that moment was a man, a man who hadn't slept in two days, who had been fighting nonstop for hours, who had used every single last bit of his energy, every single bit of himself to protect her. He had given everything for her, just as he always had… and all she had done his whole fight with Eredin was sit to the side hurt. She moved her legs with everything she could, but every single step she felt herself stumble, and finally, when he got to Eredin she fell to her knees again, only meters from him.

"You're a brave man…. Foolish… arrogant… but brave," Eredin said condescendingly, as he simply moved his body out of the way of the weak strikes Dom threw with his dagger, finally, Ciri saw the King raise his longsword, "But this… ends now… and finally… I will end his line…."

Dominik went to strike from his right, he was so weak, laboring so much he lunged to try and stab his dagger into Eredin's chest. He yelled and stabbed, but Eredin side-stepped.

And with a loud squelch, Ciri's heart felt like it was ripped from her chest, as Eredin plunged his sword into the back of Dominik's leg, and the scream of the boy, the man she loved would truly haunt any nightmare she had for the rest of her days.

He was silent for a moment and froze, but as soon as Eredin pulled his blade from Dominik's leg, he scream, and it made Ciri's ears bleed, "AARRRGGGHHHHHH GAHHHH FUUCCKKKKKKKING GAHHHHHH!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOO, NO, NOOOOOOOO!" Ciri felt herself scream, as she watched Eredin spin.

For a moment Dominik stood there, his leg was unmoving but Ciri could see the blood completely gushing from it. Her blood turned to ice as she heard the roars of the dragons getting closer and closer again. She didn't look up into the air however, because all she could focus on was the shock, the pain that she saw on Dominik's face as he didn't dare move his leg. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, as she forced herself up to her feet. Anger, rage, shock, urgency, everything shot through her as despite the flaring pain and deep wound on her stomach she ran, but everything seemed to move slower. The dragon's roared in slow motion, her boots hit the ground in slow motion, she watched as Dominik tried to turn his head around to her, the swallow blew on his neck in the wind, she felt the ring bouncing against her chest, and she did everything she could to move her feet.

However, she also saw Eredin, who after pulling his blade out of Dominik's leg spun, and just as he turned away from Ciri, Eredin's blade cut deep across the right side of his face, and he flew back onto the ground.

"NOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOO, NO DOMINIK NOOOOOOO," She felt erupt out of her, and just as his body hit the ground Ciri's legs gave out.

She felt to her knees right near him, his eyes were closed, the cut from Eredin's sword was deep into his right cheek. Horribly she was flashed back to when she got her own scar, the pain, the blood, and every cell in her body felt like it was erupting all at once. Her hands shook as her ashen locks fell over his body, his eyes stayed closed and her hands hovered shaking above him. She looked down to his leg and the blood was slowly pooling underneath him. The blood from the cut across his face started flowing down his neck under his armor. It was still singed and burnt, his cheeks still completely blackened from the soot and ash, every single part of his body was covered in bruises and blood, and Ciri found her arms starting to uncontrollably shake as they finally came to rest down on his chest.

"No…no, no, no… no, NO," She yelled as she tried to shake his body, but still he was unresponsive.

He couldn't be gone, he promised her he wouldn't leave her side. No, he was alive, he had to be, he HAD to be alive, she wasn't going to lose him so soon after getting him back. She heard the clunking of boots and her eyes shot up. Her blood began to boil when she saw Eredin's beady, demonic eyes staring down at her. The King took a look over at Dominik before smirking and slowly shaking his head.

"Like I said… brave…. But as arrogant as his ancestors were…. Now that disgraceful line… is gone for good," The King said, before he turned away from Ciri, and she watched him slowly slide his longsword which was still dripping Dominik's blood back into his waist. He raised his hands and gestured towards her, "Take her… leave the bodies…"

Ciri felt herself freeze. The dragons continued to fiercely roar and fight overhead, but all she could do was look down at him. She looked at the cut that ran deep into his cheek, saw the blood pooling under his armor. His chest didn't rise and fall, his eyes… the beautiful eyes she loved were closed. They weren't opening, they didn't open no matter how much she moved his chest. Her skin felt like blisters ran along it, it felt like small wasps were continuously stinging along her arms. She heard the clunking of boots, the soldiers started to chatter around her, but for a moment they all seemed to stop as only one set of boots clunked in Ciri's ears. She ignored it however and felt her heartbeat slowly thump. The dragon's roar had become an echo, the chattering of the soldiers and the footsteps became an echo.

In the last eight years she had lost almost everything. She had lost her innocence, she had been raped, had her first time ripped away from her. There had been so many times where she felt herself losing her will to go on. She had been beaten, attacked, kidnapped, forced to do horrible things to survive. So many horrible, horrible things, so much pain, so much pain, agony, longing, and all of it, through it all she only had two things. Her memories of Dominik and her family… and the bronze ring from him. Around her neck she felt the ring hit just above her breasts, and every time it hit her, she felt it loudly echo in her brain. She looked down at the swallow around his neck, it had been the same for him, he had done everything to get back to her, fought through so much to get back to her.

The both of them had gone through more then anyone should go through in their entire life, let alone at only twenty-two years old. All she had wanted was to get back to him, to her family of course as well, but what she had dreamed about, yearned for, for so long she had just wanted to be with him. Mistle had raped her, Auberon had made her feel like she was less then a pile of shit on the side of the road, the Lodge of Sorceresses tried to send her to marry a fucking prince as soon as she got back. But through it all, all she had wanted was him. Just like he had said she was all he wanted… he was all she wanted.

And now they had taken him from her too. They had taken the one thing that she had wanted more then anything away from her. He was laying there unmoving, all because he knew her, because he loved her. It wasn't fair, none of it was fair. Neither of them could control their blood, who their ancestors had been. All she had wanted was that life with him, to become witchers, to save people, to be together with him, one of the few people who loved her because she was Ciri, not because she was Lara Dorren's descendant, not because she could travel between worlds.

He loved her because she was Ciri, and she had loved him just as fiercely. Her hands finally stopped shaking, they gripped tightly to the collar of his armor, as it all started to flood out of her. She had held it all in for so long, since she first had to run from Aretuza until now. All she had wanted was to be with Dominik, to be raised by Geralt and Yennefer, to set out with the man she loved to save the people of the continent. She didn't ask to be born with the powers of space and time in her blood, but all because she had been… all those plans had been impossible… and now they had taken him from her, taken everything from her.

If they wanted her powers, Ciri was going to give it to them.

Rage. The rage built up inside her. It pierced her, screamed inside of her, blinded her, and when she saw his face unmoving below her again, it shattered into the depths of her body, into her soul, and in that moment nothing mattered but her rage. Her teeth grinded, and all the pain from her wounds left her, all the sadness at seeing Dominik unmoving left her, and it all turned to rage, pure rage and anger. Slowly she let go of his armor, her hands still shook uncontrollably, as all the energy in her body turned to focus just on her rage. She felt the very depths of her soul open, the blood in her veins felt like it was going to burst from her skin. It all swirled and swirled inside her, building up in her gut like a bubbling explosion, and when she looked down and saw his bleeding face, and his unmoving eyes, that was when she felt the power churn, her loose ashen locks around her shoulder started to whirl around her, as her breathing started to get quicker and shallow as the rage built up and her entire body started to violently shake.

They had taken him from her… they had taken Dominik from her, and she was going to make them pay with every single ounce of herself.

"He finally died for you… just like he always wanted…. That whole family died for you now," The voice of Baelen hit her ears, but even as she heard the commander's boots crunch closer, Ciri's eyes stayed locked onto his face as her body began to shake. She felt Baelen in front of her, and the commanders voice pierced her ears again, "They all died for you… and what did you ever do for them Cirilla...?"

That was when her head snapped up to see Baelen and the riders around her. And as soon as she saw the eye sockets of Baelen's faceplate, that was when Ciri lost all control. The commander shifted, Baelen blasted her hand down and Dominik's body was sent rolling away from her, and it only enraged her more, as she screamed, she felt eight years of rage pouring out of her.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Her voice echoed into the courtyard, as the powers of the Elder Blood that she had been chased for, for so long, finally unleashed from her, and her vision went completely blue.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Pain, pain was all Dominik felt when he began to stir, pain, followed by the piercing into his ears. He coughed right away and after a moment he felt the dirt in his mouth. The blue light clouded his vision as rocks, dirt, debris everything shot past him on the ground. All he could remember was Eredin's sword swinging up on his face and hitting the ground, but after that nothing. Now he was awake again somehow, he felt no magic swirling from him, his bones all felt as if they were slowly turning to dust, he could practically feel the wind whooshing through the hole in the back of his leg, and blood started to slowly drip onto the dirt in front of him. He kept blinking as he tried to regain his vision, and after a few seconds he did, his senses slowly started to return to him.

And as soon as he tuned his ears he heard the screaming.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Ripped through his ears and right away he yelled himself as she felt a shot of adrenaline run through him.

"GAHHHHHHH FUCK, FUCK CIRIIIII, CIRIIIIII!?" He screamed out as he rolled onto his back. It felt as if he had been shocked with a bolt of lightning as he rolled over, slowly he got himself to all fours and while holding one hand to his already bleeding ears he looked up.

All around the courtyard magic was erupting, from his spot on the ground on his knees he clamped his hands over his ears as he watched. Ciri was in the middle of the courtyard, she screamed louder and louder by the second, she was on her knees, her arms were outstretched and her eyes, limbs her entire body was completely taken over by the magic. Her piercing screams were so loud that the magic churned above her like a massive, violently tornado and Dominik felt his ears continue to bleed as he didn't move his hands. His eyes darted around her as he sat there on his knees, riders of the Hunt had been knocked over, some were stumbling as they tried to block out the noise, but none of them could even move forward, they only stumbled back.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOOOO!" Ciri continued to scream, as her voice got louder and louder, soon he couldn't even hear words from her, only a loud screech as the sound unlocked and shattered into the very depths of his soul.

"CIRI STOP CIRIIIIIIII!" He tried to scream, as he could see how much agony she was going through, but as soon as he tried to step to his feet he felt his leg give out and he yelled as he fell.

Back on all fours he looked up and heard the distant roars. His eyes shot up to the sky, and the force of the magic Ciri was unleashing was so powerful, that both dragons roared in agony as they had trouble staying afloat. He watched as the white dragon roared and furiously flapped its wings before managing to shoot upwards into the sky. It soared into the portal that it had come from above the fortress, while Borch's loud roar came next. Dominik tore his vision to the gold dragon, Borch roared again before Dominik saw him take off towards the woods outside the castle, he stumbled in the air and started falling from the sky, and once he was out of view was when the screams came louder.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He heard screech from Ciri's body as he slammed both his hands onto his ears. His breath was so shallow, every breath felt like a sharp knife was stabbing into his chest, but he felt magic somehow beginning to whirl around his limbs. He looked and met Ciri's violent blue eyes, and as soon as he did he felt something open, something shoot open inside of him.

"CIRIIIIIIIIII! CIRI, CIRI IT'S ME!" He screamed out, the magic shot from his body, it was as if his own magic was reacting with Ciri's and both of their powers were making the other go erratic.

Around him rubble, dead bodies, swords, rock and everything began to swirl and get flown about the courtyard. He looked and saw the frozen bodies of Freya and George near them. Narrowing his eyes he saw blood slowly begin to pool out of their ears, the power Ciri unleashed was ripping through every single piece of the castle, he saw rubble fall from buildings. The cries she screamed were filled with so much pain, so much anguish and hurt that Dominik forced himself back up to his feet. As soon as he got up his leg wobbled, and he stumbled forward. He could practically feel the wind shooting through the new hole in his leg, but the magic that was starting to churn around him spurred him on. He didn't care about the pain, he didn't care about the enemy still around him, he didn't care about anything in that moment except making her pain end.

All he had ever wanted was her, was to make sure she was never in pain, and now she was in more pain then she'd ever been in, and he needed to keep his promise, his promise to protect her, to never let her go. As soon as he got to his legs however they wobbled, the magic only spurred him on so far, and he screamed when he felt his leg exploding in agony.

"GAHHHHH FUCK, CIRIIIIIIII CIRI!" He yelled as he fell down to one knee still meters away from her.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She continued to screech as the rocks, dirt and debris continued to swirl around her.

Dominik heard more ***POP* *POP *POP* **sounds as all around him he saw portals ripping to life. His eyes narrowed as he saw Baelen struggle to her feet a few meters away from where Ciri was, the commander's hands were gripped onto her ears, and she was about to enter a portal when she turned. She saw Dominik on his knees, and as he met the commanders eyes he felt the electricity and conflict spark between them. Baelen slowly shook her head at him, before she ducked into the portal soon followed by more riders. Dominik shook his head and kept his hands clamped onto his ears as he tore his vision around the courtyard, the Hunt had seemed to be in full retreat, Ciri's power was becoming overwhelming, and every second that passed, every second he heard her anguished cries he felt his soul ripping apart.

Near the main portal that they had opened Dominik saw Imlerith, the general stumbled behind Eredin and Caranthir into a portal. Every rider that hadn't been blasted away and killed by the magic leapt into one. Caranthir whirled his hands and magic erupted from him as he opened portals. The riders all seemed to be in full retreat, but Dominik saw Eredin, the King's massive hands were clamped over his ears, but his head shot over to Ciri. She was still unmoving, as all she did was scream, screech and hold her hands out as the blinding tornado of magic continued to swirl and erupt around her. Eredin hadn't looked injured at all by their duel, and other then the cut across the King's face, and the fact he now was missing a faceplate, you wouldn't have been able to tell he dueled Dominik at all. And upon seeing this, seeing the King as the way he looked over to Ciri with wide eyes, Dominik felt his own blood erupt again.

His body felt like every one of his bones had been smashed to dust. He was on one knee because there was quite literally a hole on his second one. The cut along his cheek stung and he could feel how deep it went, it pooled blood down his singed armor. Every single breath he took brought him nothing but more pain and agony, but the magic shot around his body, and he felt his cells erupt with new ferocity, it felt like they were being stretched out, like his body was draining every last drop of excess energy out of him. The magic whirled violently around him, and when he saw Eredin rip his hands down from his ears his eyes widened. The King took a struggling step forward, but not towards a portal, he walked directly towards Ciri, Ciri screamed, and screamed, the screeching cries of anger and pain bled Dominik's ears dry, and when he saw Eredin take more and more steps, he felt his own power continue to erupt.

Magic churned and churned, the power in him had churned out any excess energy from his cells, and from his position on his knee he reached down to the ground. His eyes fell on his dagger, the silver dagger he had received on the first true day of his quest. The present that Geralt had given him, the weapon he carried through the entirety this whole fucking journey. As soon as he removed his hands from his head the screamed pierced his ears and he stumbled forward. Ciri was only a meter or two away from him, all he had to do was take two steps. Two steps on one leg and he would reach her. The power that screamed into his ears was enough to make him stumble forward, but when he did his hand fell around the hilt of the silver knife.

He would have killed Eredin with a chicken bone if he had too, so in that moment a dagger would do more then enough.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She kept screaming, and upon hearing the pain Dominik managed to force himself up to his feet.

As soon as he got up he stumbled forward again, and he almost fell but managed to somehow steady himself. His own magic churned, and it was almost as if it was forming a type of protection around him. He saw his own magic that erupted from him clashing with the magic around Ciri, and it was the only way that he was standing on his feet. He took in a shaky breath and managed to blink his vision straight, he looked and saw deep into Ciri's eyes. Her normally beautiful green irises were completely taken over. She had lost all control; it wasn't too much unlike the times she had done while they were on the run from Cintra. He could remember when Cahir had been about to kill him, and he saw the light flash in her eyes, and her scream then had knocked him out. Again a few months later, when they were attacked in the swamp, her powers had activated, he had seen that same color appear in her eyes, and it had almost killed him then. Both times she had seen the immense power she wielded unknowingly.

Now however, she wasn't eleven, she was grown, and had unleashed every bit of pent up anger and rage that she had been holding in. He realized what had happened. She thought he had died; he remembered his vision going black after Eredin's sword hit him. Just like he had thought on the Isle of Mists, Ciri thought he was dead. He remembered the pain, how he had felt like everything he had done for the last eight years had been in vain, and there was no person in any world he would have wished that pain on, especially not Ciri. He could remember how his powers erupted from him, how he had lost all control when his powers had been unleashed, and he was ready for it all to end until he saw her. It had been pain like none he ever experienced, no amount of physical pain had ever compared to what he felt when he thought she was gone.

And now Ciri was experiencing the same thing.

"CIRI, CIRI IT'S ME, CIRI I'M-." He started to scream from his wobbling standing position, but once he saw Eredin come into his view his eyes darted to the King, and the magic erupted out of him.

Eredin had somehow gotten only a step away from her, and finally the King stood there writhing in agony as he held his ears. Ciri's screams somehow got louder, but Eredin forced his hands out towards her, and as soon as he saw her about to be touched, Dominik felt every cell in his body completely erupt.

"I SAID GET AWAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!" He screamed out, as he finally took the two steps.

Like he had guessed taking the steps had made his legs explode once again. Blood gushed along where he had moved, but he got to Eredin. The magic blew up around him, and he plunged the knife into the King's stomach as he fell forward, and as soon as his silver was lodged it got stuck and right next to Ciri, Dominik had his weapon lodged into the King's side. Her screaming shot through his ears, down his chest into his very soul but Dominik didn't dare take his eyes off Eredin.

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The King screamed, and Dominik saw the man's demonic eyes look down at him wide from shock, but they quickly turned to anger and rage.

Eredin stepped back and Dominik fell forward as his dagger fell to the ground. With his ears still bleeding he got up to all fours just in time to look up at the massive Aen Elle King. For a moment Eredin's furious eyes stayed on him as Ciri's screams roared through the castle. In the distance Dominik could see the morning sun beginning to rise, but soon his vision was overtaken by the blue light of Ciri's power. Eredin snarled down at him but as soon as he tried to move he stumbled and clamped his hands over his ears. Dominik thought the King was going to try and strike at him, but as Eredin stumbled he looked and saw Caranthir run forward. The navigator gripped onto Eredin's shoulders before thrusting out his hands. A portal ripped to life to their right, Eredin tried to reach out for him, but Caranthir drug him into the swirling vortex, and as quick as a flash the King of the Wild Hunt was gone.

Dominik almost let out a sigh of relief, but then the pain erupted back up inside him as he writhed on all fours. He labored up to his knees and turned around, and as soon as he saw Ciri her screams got even louder.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Her screeching yell rippled through the air.

"CIRIIIIIIIII! CIRI IT'S OKAY, CIRI IT'S OKAY I'M HERE," He screamed with his hands in front of his face as magic whirled around him.

He felt a large piece of rubble smack into his back, dead bodies of wraiths, rocks, lumber, everything was starting to swirl towards her. Her powers churned so violently Dominik felt himself pulled forward and had to hold his hands onto the ground to steady himself. His heartbeat so quickly it almost ripped right from his chest. He needed to make her pain go away, the power was ripping her apart, and if he didn't do something to stop it soon she'd be ripped apart. Finally he managed to look up, and he could see the anguish and agony even behind the bright blue of her eyes.

"IT'S OKAY, CIRI IT'S OKAY I'M HERE IT'S ME, CIRIIIIIII!" He yelled as he tried to inch himself closer to her, but with every inch closer he got the louder her voice got, and the more violently around him his own magic swirled.

Desperately he tried to reach out his arm, but his fingertips were only inches from her, and when he felt himself about to make contact with her he felt something erupt in his brain. The scream had finally become too much, and he fell to all fours again right in front of her and he writhed. The magic swirled and erupted around him and her both, they clashed in midair and he looked down to see his medallion and the swallow churning and clashing with one another. He tore his head up and saw the ring flown outwards around her neck. Her ashen hair was completely blown backwards in the gale as above her the tornado of magic picked up more debris.

He couldn't fail, he couldn't fail to keep her safe, if she kept it up then she would kill herself. After so long, so long of trying to get to her, he was finally here, finally here to do something and he just didn't know what to do. He tried to reach forward again, but his brain felt like it was about to erupt inside his head. Tears started welling up in his eyes as he looked up to see her face again. The Hunt was gone, they had held them off, they could go and have their date now, they could go and recuperate, finally spend time together but she kept screaming. Everything seemed to be lost, as Dominik felt the water slowly starting to fall from his face. He was going to fail her again, she was slowly dying in front of him and he couldn't do anything. An anger started to course through him as well, an anger at himself, an anger that he hadn't done more, he hadn't saved her, that he hadn't killed Eredin to make this whole situation moot. And when he felt the rage build up, so did the magic, again he felt an eruption inside his cells as his eyes flashed blue as well, the color welled up on the outside of his eyes and he felt himself almost bite his lip open, all couldn't be lost, he had to do something, anything to make her pain go away.

And just when he was about to feel himself fall, he heard the deep, wise, sage like voice ring in his head.

_"Dominik boy, the time of your destiny is near. You MUST protect the blood… if all seems lost remember…. Ae minne taedh essea heyu,"_ The voice rang in his head, and as soon as it did, Dominik's head snapped back up to Ciri.

His vision flashed blue again and all the magic around him whirled to his hand as he shot it forward, "AE MINNE TAEDH ESSEA HEYU. AE MINNE…. TAEDH… ESSEA… HEYUUUUUUU!"

He had never casted a spell before that wasn't a witcher sign, but as soon as the words left his lips the magic that had been swirling around his body erupted from his hands. It exploded from him, and all the magic began to spin even more violently, it churned and churned, whirled and whirled. Dominik's eyes became completely blue, the vision and magic all flooded into his hands. It felt like every bit of magic in the courtyard was being sucked into his hands, and with every bit that did he saw the magic around Ciri come towards him, but also with every bit of magic that sucked into his body, he felt like his arm was on fire, like it was on fire and burning like the pit of a dragon's stomach.

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed, as now instead of just Ciri's screams his and hers both filled the courtyard.

Slowly with every move paining him, he managed to lower his head down to see Ciri. His eyes widened when he saw whatever spell he casted was working, the magic started swirling and churning right into his hand, and as soon as it hit his hand it disappeared. It was as if the giant swirling tornado of magic was all being sucked down into his palm. The spell absorbed all the magic around him and Ciri both. It churned more and more violently, it whirled and whirled, it soared from all around the courtyard and all found its way into his hand. He didn't have the faintest idea of the spell he had used, or how he had seen it in the vision, but he kept his shaking hand up in the air and forced everything he had into holding it.

As soon as he felt himself shaking he looked down to Ciri, the magic was slowly and slowly removed from her, and when he thought he might falter he looked at her face, and the moment she saw those green eyes wide open for a moment he screamed as he shot every single fiber of his being into his hand.

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He bellowed, as all of the magic sucked down into his hand.

And after a loud, ***RIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPP* **shot through the courtyard, everything went silent.

He stumbled forward back onto all fours as he felt the morning sun hit the back of his neck. They had fought clear through the night, and they had done it. The magic from the courtyard was gone, so was any bit of magic in his hands or eyes. Everything came rushing back to him at once. He felt like his brain had exploded and slowly turned to mush in his head. As he looked down into the dirt on all fours, blood slowly dripped from the cut across his face and he felt the stinging pain come back. In his right leg the wind blew through the large gaping wound Eredin's sword had left. For a moment he felt the shock keeping him up, he could feel his heartrate begin to get dangerously low, everything was leaving him. He felt as if his soul was slowly being shed from his body like a snake's skin.

However, when he heard the shuffling in front of him, his head shot up.

"Ciri…." He said weakly, as he lunged forward just as she fell.

Quickly he got to her, but as soon as she fell into his arms the pain came back. He winced as he sat there on his knees, with her unconscious in his lap. Slowly he looked down at her, her eyes were closed, the wound on her torso had stopped bleeding. Her ashen hair fell in their long locks down past her shoulders, the ring around her neck was coaxed with blood, her cheeks like his were blackened with soot and dirt, he could also see the multiple new cuts and bruises along her arms. His heartrate was still dangerously low, but he felt the hair on his arms stand up, panic begun to well up in him as for a moment, one horrible moment he thought he really had failed.

But then he saw her chest slowly rise and fall. His eyes widened as he slowly put a finger to her neck, and all the panic subsided when he felt her pulse.

"It… it's okay… it… it's okay princess… I… I got you…." He said slowly, but as soon as the words left him he felt himself violently cough.

His hand went up to cover his mouth, and he felt his vision begin to get blurry, as even being able to hold his eyes open was becoming hard. While he blinked he saw the large coagulation of his blood on his gloves, as the lightheadedness finally got the best of him. His bleeding legs shook, his arms shook with Ciri's unconscious body in them. Everything still slowly came back, all of the pain, the blood loss, the wounds, the weariness it all came back to him.

He felt himself stumble to the side but managed to catch himself and slowly bring Ciri down to rest her back on the ground. Finally falling to one side he managed to catch himself with one hand. He couldn't stop blinking, and he could feel his heart let out slow, extremely slow thumps as he didn't take his eyes off her face. Slowly he reached his trembling hand over to her face, he carefully moved the strands of her loose hair from her eyes, and despite it all, despite the pain that coursed through him, he smiled as her chest started to rise and fall at a steadier pace.

She was alive, and she was still just as beautiful to him then as she had ever been.

"I… I got you…. This… this time I promise…" He said, as he finally felt his arm give out.

With a thud he felt his side hit the ground. He groaned in pain for a moment and slowly rolled onto his back, but the entire time he didn't let his gaze leave her face, the sight of her chest rising and falling. The slow ***THUMP, *THUMP*, *THUMP*, **of his heart rang in his ears, and he felt himself continuously blinking, trying to not let his gaze leave her. He would always be able to do that for hours, simply look at her, look at her and just admire how beautiful she was, and think about how much he loved her.

In that moment that was all he thought about. He thought about how much he loved her, how happy she made him in only the few hours that they had been back together. His limbs began to fiercely tingle, his heart thumped slower, and slower, and around him the light from the rising sun started to sting his eyes, and despite all the blinking, the struggle to keep his eyes open, he didn't stop thinking about how much he loved Cirilla Fiona Ellen Riannon. He thought back to their days in Cintra, the apple hitting his back, chasing her through the halls, finding her on that balcony. He saw them first getting to Kaer Morhen, sitting on the walls, running pendulums. He felt on his lips where she had kissed him for the first time, he heard her saying _"I love you too, you stupid boy" _in his head, they had been the greatest words he ever heard from her. As his breath got shallower, he thought to their days in Ellander, their family with Geralt and Yennefer, the days they'd go swim, sit and have picnics in the meadow of flowers. They'd run, jump, train, but his favorite thing to do, was simply sit and talk to her, he could have spent hours simply sitting and listening to her talk.

He loved every single thing about her, and even as he started to blink furiously, all he could do was smile, thinking about how much love he had for her, as the deep shallow breath finally left him.

"I… I got you…I finally got you…never…never apart again…Ciri… Ciri…." He felt himself whispering as he continued to blink, and the last thing he saw was her face, just before his eyes closed, and then all he saw was white.

**A/N: And 1,000,000 words and 61 chapters later ladies and gentlemen… the Battle of Kaer Morhen has finally come and gone. And after writing the longest chapter I've ever wrote in my entire history of writing period… I am emotionally drained. I have gotten so attached to this story, my characters, and how I've developed them, so after this chapter… wow I am drained lol. So… let's break down this massive chapter as best we can. **

**First we see Ciri and what happened down in the courtyard during Dominik and Baelen's duel. After that… the scene in which I'm sure everybody had been waiting for. Borch Three Jackdaws, Villentretenmerth comes in absolutely CLUTCH and gives Dominik and Ciri a chance. And most importantly for most people… it helped in the survival of a certain elderly wolf. **

**YES, Vesemir survived! Now, this wasn't always going to be the case, however I always had Dom's…. fate planned for this chapter from the beginning. In the end I decided to write Vesemir surviving for two reasons, 1.) I think he deserves to be the first witcher to 'die in his bed', and I feel I still gave him that badass saving Ciri moment he got in the games. 2.) Well I just thought if I had him AND Dominik go down… well I didn't want Ciri to be grieving over Dominik, and just well… ignore Vesemir if that makes sense. I would have tried to write it to where she acknowledges both equally, but I was just having such a hard time imagining how to do it. 3.) I have PLANS for Vesemir in the future that you will all see soon haha. **

**After this we get the scene on the battlements with Dominik. Kilgarrah the Great White Dragon spares him… 'blood of his blood'. Now this gives us some major hints for certain things, so I want to hear ALL the theories you guys have! After this Borch comes in and saves him before Dominik goes off for the final battle. **

**Now, I decided to write Dominik's battle with Eredin from Ciri's POV. I wanted to use Ciri's POV to really develop her rage through the fight, also to see the reactions of Baelen on the sides, and I just felt it was easier to write the fight itself from her eyes. **

**Dominik, despite all the fight holds his own, I had SO much fun writing this scene, like SO much fun. I blasted awesome music and went to town. In the end however… the King was too much for Dominik… this time, and he goes down. Also yes if anyone was wondering Dominik is now going to be a member of the 'badass face scar club' with Geralt and Ciri lol. **

**Then after Dominik goes down… is when all hell breaks loose. After Ciri unleashes eight years of pent up anger, we switch back to Dominik's POV. And thanks to incredible will power, and a spell he managed to calm Ciri's powers. For those of you who don't remember, he heard those words for the spell in chapter 52. How many of you remembered him getting the words and were wondering what they were for? Does it make you wonder about the journal he found in that chapter? And after so, so many hints from this chapter, who's your final guess for who Dominik's ancestor is? It WILL be revealed in the small arc where we stay at Kaer Morhen, along with much, much more…**

**Now, I'm not going to beat around the bush, I don't expect ANY of you to believe Dominik is actually dead lol No, he isn't dead, but well the characters in the story won't know that…. So next chapter will still be a long one. We're going to have multiple POVs all reacting to this massive event, and the 'death' of Dominik of Cintra…**

**After that we'll have five chapters in Kaer Morhen, the first one being the chapter with the funerals. The next four… well they won't have any action action, but there will be plenty of well… intense and intimate moments between characters before we get to the final stretch. **

**This is such a massive achievement for me, and I want to thank every. Single. One. Of. You. I especially want to thank the people who have been here since the start of this story, (Let me how many chapters were out when you started reading in a review). It has gotten to be such an amazing passion project of mine, and the support from you all whether you reviewed, followed the Instagram I made, or just read I appreciate you all so much, so THANK YOU, and well… stay tuned because there is still plenty more to come. **

**So as usual everyone, thank you so, so much, please review if you have time, and stay safe everyone, I'll see you all next time!**


	62. Specters of the Past

**A/N: Hey everybody, quick pre-chapter A/N! I just wanted to say thank you all again for being so patient with this chapters, i really hope that it was worth the wait. I wanna say that this chapter and the next few are all EXTREMELY long, all are 30,000 words plus with one capping out at over 45,000 and for that reason it took me a little bit long xD But with so much still left to go, and us approaching the end, the chapters are going to get more intense, and much longer! So updates will still come every 2-3 days, however i MAY need a 4th day now and then haha, but i really do appreciate all the support! Please leave a review of what you all think, i am really proud of the next few chapters, since chapter 1 my writing of this story had improved ten fold, and i hope you all think so! Please let me know what you all think, thank you all as usual, and i hope you enjoy!**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 62: Specters of The Past**

**Narrator: The Battle of Kaer Morhen has finally come to an end. The Wild Hunt has been beaten back, Ciri did not fall into their hands, the continent for now is safe. Our brave defenders beat the Hunt back… but at great cost. Declan Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, the cousin to Geralt and I's old ally Cahir, along with Arno Dorian, the personal protector of Queen Adda of Redania gave their lives to give the defenders crucial time to regroup and bottle the Hunt's forces. Vigi the Loon, and Folan of Kaer Trolde, two brave soldiers, personal friends of Queen Cerys, and Hjalmar An Craite both died to the great white dragon Kilgarrah. However, to Ciri, the greatest loss of them all came at the end of the battle. With all the defenders surrounded, Ciri reserved herself that she would die, she had planned to go down fighting, but just like he always had, Dominik came to her side to fight with her, to protect her. Seeing Ciri was bruised and beaten, Dominik of Cintra, the son of Gregory and Sofia of Cintra, the son of Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg, Ciri's best-friend, her destiny, her love, fought Eredin, the King of the Wild Hunt himself. Dominik fought valiantly, but the King of the Hunt proved too much, and Dominik was cut down. Ciri, after losing so much, unleashed eight years of pain and anger on the Wild Hunt, driving them back from the keep, and helping win the day for the defenders, but as with any victory… it came with a great cost…**

The sun that morning was brighter then Ciri could ever remember it being. She coughed as soon as her eyes fluttered open, she felt her hair strewn about on the ground around her, and slowly, ever so slowly she felt her senses return to her. First after blinking, she saw the sun slowly rising over the mountains, the beautiful orange rays were intense, but Ciri could remember all the times Dominik and she would sit above the walls, they'd huddle into one another, she'd put her head on his shoulder and they'd watch the sun over those mountains. Her ears started to buzz next, the headache she had pounded, and she could hear it thumping. The sound of the howling wind, the distant sound of buzzing insects and her own deep breathing all hit her ears, as soon she also started hearing small cracks. She blinked more rapidly and finally felt her body begin to move, her smell came back to her with a fierceness. Blood, the smell of blood, sulfur, ash, it all came flooding back to her. She could see the black ash and soot on her face and clothes, and it made a small part of her wonder where the dragons had gone.

And when her sense of touch came back to her, that was when her skin started to tingle.

"Uhhh…D…Dom…Dominik…." She muttered as she slowly managed to crane her head to the left, when she saw him she sighed out in relief and shouted out to him again, "D…Dom… Dom… what… what…."

Her voice drifted off as the pain flared up inside of her stomach and chest. She bit her lip so hard and felt Dom's hand loosely gripped onto hers. Looking down she saw his right hand gently touching her left one. A small smile came to her, the last thing she had remembered before she fell, after her powers had been absorbed, her eyes stayed open for a moment, and she saw him, saw him on his knees across from her. That had been the last thing she saw before she passed out. And for a few miraculous moments, Ciri scoffed and felt her heart leap up in her chest. The Hunt was gone, Eredin was gone, Baelen was gone, the dragon was gone, and they were both right there. They had actually done it, somehow managed to do it, they managed to beat them back. Eredin would come for her again, Ciri knew this, but in that moment, she almost felt herself scoff, they had somehow beat back the Wild Hunt with only a handful of friends in a crumbling castle.

The chirping of birds and continued cracking of ice rang in her ears, and a new surge of adrenaline ran through her. She looked over at his face, and she couldn't believe what he had done. He had fought Eredin, and somehow survived. That goofy, silly, fun-loving boy she met all the way back in Cintra, eleven years later had beaten back the King of the Wild Hunt. And in that moment all Ciri could think about was what Geralt would say, how proud their father would be, and how amazed she was at what he had somehow managed to do. His face was covered in ash and soot, and Ciri's vision was still slightly blurry, but the cut across his right cheek was visible to her. She knew they'd have to treat it, along with the wound in his leg, and they needed to do it quick, but for one glorious moment Ciri scoffed and almost laughed. His voice rang in her head, _'Kinda jealous I'm not a member of the, cool face scar club.' _She would have preferred for him not to be injured at all, but hearing it still made her laugh. Quickly however, her thoughts went to treating his wounds, and making sure everybody else could emerge from the ice.

"D…Dom… come… come on, wake up… we… we need to-," She was cut off when her sense of touch finally came back to her.

She had managed to sit up, and when she had, his hand fell limply away from hers. The morning air was crisp and warm, but the moment she saw his hand hit the ground, Ciri's blood turned back to ice. Slowly she craned her head over to him, his eyes still hadn't opened. Her own eyes widened and feeling as if a bolt of lightning had been shot through her she scrambled over to him.

"Dom…. Dominik… come… come on this…this isn't funny," She said as she got up to her knees, and her hands started to shake.

His armor was scuffed, dented, burnt, a few feet away Ciri could see his silver sword, and his right hand still looked as if it was reaching for her, Ciri saw his left one outstretched, and just out of his reach was the silver dagger he had tried to fight Eredin with. Ciri looked and saw the dagger was covered in blood, but quickly she turned her vision back to him. Pain flared up in her own torso, she winced for a moment and fell forward. One of her hands fell to his chest, and the minute Ciri's hand hit him she froze. The hand she had on his chest started to shake uncontrollably, and she leaned closer and placed her other on it as well.

She couldn't feel his chest moving, and that was when she felt herself slowly start to break.

"Dom… Dom come on… wake… wake up. It… it's me… it… it's me… it's Ciri… come on… come on… wake up… please…" She said as her gloved hands started to tremble over his chest.

Every bit of pain in her body was forgotten, the shaking went up her arms, down her body, to her legs, and she felt her own breathing start to get even more shallow. He had always gotten the cutest look on his face, the cutest look when she spoke to him. He would simply look at her and listen with bated breath, he would look at her like she was the most special person in the world, when she spoke, he would look at her like nothing else mattered in the world to him except her. She loved that look, she loved simply having him look at her, and all she wanted, above everything else in that moment was to have him do just that. He didn't even have to say anything, all she wanted was to see him open his eyes.

But his eyes stayed shut, and his head didn't move at the slightest at the sound of her voice, and she felt her heart begin to race out of her chest.

She let out a shaky breath and shook her head, "No…no, no, no, no…. Dominik, Dom, come on this isn't funny anymore wake up! It.. it's me, it's Ciri come on… come on please… please Dominik it's me…. It's me… your Ciri… please come on…"

Her heart continued to feel like it was going to race out of her chest. He wasn't dead, there was no possible way that he was dead. He had promised her he wouldn't die, he promised her that he'd come back, promised her that she was stuck with him. She was looking forward to being stuck with him, she wanted to be stuck with him, she never wanted to be stuck with anyone else. There was still so much that they had to do, she had to tell him everything that happened, apologize to him, love him with everything she had, he wasn't dead. She refused to believe it and with her trembling hands, she shook him. She got down closer to him and shook. Her hands stayed on his chest and she shook him as vigorously as she could, her hands continued to shake, as her eyes didn't leave his face, his still unmoving face.

"No….no, no, NO, you promised me, you promised me you wouldn't die! NO… come on, come on wake up… wake up you stupid boy," She said through trembling breath, as she finally felt the welling tears fall from her cheeks, and despite the fact he didn't move she shook him still, "You PROMISED…. Please… please Dominik… Dominik come on… don't… don't do this to me… please come on… it's Ciri… please wake up…"

And yet still he didn't respond. Nothing she did made him move, his hands didn't reach for her, his head didn't move, his eyes didn't flutter open and still Ciri couldn't feel his chest moving.

_"He finally died for you… just like he always wanted…. That whole family died for you now…. They're all dead now… and what did you ever do for them Cirilla?" _Baelen's voice hit her ears, and that was when Ciri felt her heart, her very soul shatter.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! YOU CAN'T DIE, DOMINIK YOU CAN'T," She felt herself screaming, tears flew down her cheek like a waterfall. Her trembling hands shot from his chest, and both of them went up to grip his face, she took his blackened cheeks in her hands, the tears fell from her face and hit his neck, she knelt down and couldn't take her eyes off him as she sobbed, "You told me I was stuck with you…. Please… please wake up… don't do this to me…. You promised! You… you promised we wouldn't be apart again, promised that I was stuck with you PLEASE… please wake up… don't… don't go… please… DOMINIK!"

His eyes would always go wide, he'd get that goofy, flustered smile she loved so much whenever she grabbed his face. But now, all that happened when she grabbed his face, was blood from the deep gash on his cheek pooled onto her gloves. She didn't let go, she ignored his blood pooling onto her hands, and slowly shook her head as the tears fell onto his face and neck. She slowly started feeling herself hyperventilate, she looked down around his neck, the medallion and the swallow were spread out to either side of him. She could feel his ring bouncing against her bare chest, and as soon as she felt it hit her skin she shook even more. Her whole body felt like it was going into a state of shock. Everything around her completely tuned out and her vision tunneled. She had let him down, he had gotten up to fight Eredin, and all she had done was sit there trapped unable to do anything. Her worse fear had been realized; he had died because she was there. The Hunt wouldn't have come to Kaer Morhen, they wouldn't have killed him if she weren't there.

Her hands traveled down his chest again and Ciri's fingers dug into the straps of his armor. She tried to shake him again, but still, still no matter what he didn't respond. It felt as if her chest was slowly, ever so slowly being ripped open and her heart was being bled dry. He had been so confident they'd make it, he promised to take her back to Skellige, take her anywhere she wanted to go. Ciri was going to take him to other worlds, finally stick by his side as it should have always been. All of her senses rushed back to her at once, she heard ice continuing to crack, in the distance she heard footsteps, everyone was finally getting free of the ice, but all Ciri could do was shake and look at his face. Geralt, Yennefer, all his friends, they were all going to come and find him dead, all because she hadn't been strong enough, because she had been stuck on the sidelines and couldn't find the strength to break free quicker.

For so long she had been trying to get back to him, but now they had taken him, and she still refused to believe it, she choked out a sob and reached for his face again.

"We… we have a date tomorrow… you… you swore to me you'd be there, you promised you wouldn't be late," She said desperately, wanting to say anything to make him open his eyes, see that loving gaze he always gave her. Breathing quickly she shook him, "Dominik… Dom… please come on… you swore… you swore you wouldn't die, you promised you'd come back…. Me… me and you versus everyone… you promised…. DOMINIK… don't… don't do this… don't do this to me… please… please… I love you…."

I love you; those were words that always turned his attention to her. She loved how happy he'd get, how no matter how many times she said it, his eyes would light up, he'd look at her lovingly and immediately say it back. But this time he didn't, his head still didn't move, his chest still didn't move, and Ciri felt herself fall forward, fall onto his body. Every time she had ever hugged him, got close to him he was warm, he had been the warmest person Ciri had ever known, and he never failed to warm her heart, warm her body, he had never failed her. And even now, after eight years of not seeing each other, he still hadn't. He kept her safe, fought the King of the Wild Hunt for her, fought and fought for eight years just to get to her. He had no idea to know if she was alive or dead, he had no reason to believe she was out there, but he never stopped.

And now he finally found her… and she got him killed by just being around him. The wind howled through her loose hair as it fell down over her shoulders onto him. She couldn't stop shaking, she was scared for a moment her powers would unleash from her again, but no magic whirled from her, she didn't feel power start to radiate, all she felt was the anguish, the pain, he was laying there in front of her, but he wasn't looking at her, he wasn't smiling at her like he always did, he was completely unmoving, he didn't make any attempts to hold her, look at her, all he did was lay there limp as she held her shaking hands over his chest.

Finally Ciri felt it all erupt again, this time however it wasn't rage, it was anguish, a pure, raw anguish, and despite everything that had happened to her, Ciri had never lost it like she had then.

"No, no, no, no, NO DOMINIK! DOMINIK WAKE UP! YOU WON'T DIE I WON'T LET YOU," She screamed, feeling the water flow down her face she reached up to cup his cheeks again, "DON'T DO THIS TO ME! DON'T DO THIS TO ME YOU STUPID BOY, YOU PROMISED ME, YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T DIE!"

Her breath continued to hitch; her breathing became even more frantic, tears flowed onto his neck and his chest, his chest that still didn't move. She removed her hands and he still didn't respond. His head slumped sideways, and seeing it so lifeless, seeing his eyes stay closed, it brought Ciri all crashing down again. Everything inside her felt like it was exploding, she felt as if a thousand violent eruptions were going off one by one in her chest. Her hands continued to tremble, the sun casted a glow over his face, he was still so handsome, she loved every single detail about his face, but the one thing she loved the most, his eyes, those gorgeous eyes she loved, they stayed closed, and Ciri felt herself begin to completely lose it.

"Wake up… Dominik you HAVE to wake up… please… please it's me Ciri, you found me, I'm here… I… I won't leave you again I swear…. I won't disappear again; I won't leave I promise just please… please… gods please wake up…." She said as she reached up to his face again with her trembling hands. Gently she grabbed his face, trying to transfer as much love to him as she could with simply her touch, "I… I love you…. I'm so… so sorry I was gone for so long… I swear… I swear it… it'll be the two of us… just please… please get up… it's me… your Ciri… Dominik…."

Her voice cracked on the last word, the sun had come up, it casted its orange rays over them both. She looked and saw their shadows, and still he was unmoving. His shadow didn't move, he didn't move, not a single inch of him moved. Ciri's skin continued to crawl, her hands ran down to his neck and gently she found herself grabbing the swallow. She could remember all the way back to that night they were in the cave, he stuttered out by accident that he loved her, and she could remember how elated she was. The boy she had a crush on for years was in love with her, and she was in love with him, it was all supposed to be so simple. They'd train, become witchers, set out together, and they'd help people, save them and in doing so they'd see every part of the continent and live the life they always wanted, and they'd do it together.

But for some reason the universe decided that they needed to be separated. None of it had been fair, absolutely none of it. He didn't deserve what happened, he didn't deserve any of it. She hadn't come back to him the first time, hadn't gone to him for the sole purpose of not bringing the Hunt down on him, to keep him safe. But the minute that she had come back, she had put him in danger again, put everyone in danger just from her being there. She knew that he would have fought anyone for her, done anything to keep her safe. She didn't want him too, she had never wanted him too, but she knew that he would have died for her if he needed, if it meant keeping her safe. Just like when they were younger, he would have done anything just to see her happy, just to see her smile.

Baelen was right however, Ciri had gotten him killed, she had gotten his whole family killed, and what had Ciri done for him? She had sat there and watched as he fought for her.

"I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY, DOMINIK, I'M SO SORRY," She screamed, feeling herself finally burst completely, as she leaned down and melted into his body, wrapping her arms around him, "It's my fault… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…. I love you… I'm so… so sorry… DOMINIK!"

She leaned over and buried her head into his neck, and she sobbed, she sobbed and sobbed, and that was all she focused on. The footsteps got closer and closer to her, she faintly heard muttering voices, however all she could do was sob, sob and squeeze him as tight as she could. After a moment she heard someone drop to their knees next to her, followed by an arm going around her shoulder.

"It isn't your fault child… you did… you did all you could…" The deep, calming voice of her Uncle Vesemir rang in her ears.

But even with the older witchers words hitting her ears, Ciri didn't take the time to feel the relief of him being alive. All she could do was sob and look at his face. The face of the boy she used to run through the castle halls of Cintra with, the boy she had a crush on… and now the man that she loved.

And all she could think was that he was gone, all because she was simply there.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Th…thank you Faram, I greatly appreciate it," Yen said to the Bear School witcher as he helped her along.

The much larger man let out a relaxed breath and nodded, "Aye, no problem milady. Gods that was some explosion… I can't believe we fuckin did it."

Quickly Yen shook her head, "We must make sure that Dominik and Ciri are alright… her powers unleashed, and that spell that calmed her… I've never heard it before."

"You're right, just around the bend, we're almost there," Faram said, as they both supported each other going forward.

In her over one hundred years of life, Yennefer had never felt fatigue like she did then. She had never gone up against such powerful magic as when the commander of the Hunt summoned the dragon. The spell the commander had launched into the air broke her shield in an instant. She liked to think if she were at full strength she would have been able to hold, however, with how she felt in that moment, she didn't care to think about the Hunt at all. Morning had come, the sun had risen, and the Hunt was gone, Eredin and his riders were gone. She had been unconscious for most of it, but she was able to wake up just in time to see Ciri's powers be tamed. She knew that Dominik had never used any spells other than witchers signs, so when she heard her sons booming voice scream out in Elder Speech, she had willed herself to stand, and thankfully Faram had been there to help her.

The Bear School witcher still had a wound in his torso, but Yennefer of all people knew how exceptionally fast witchers could heal. After some work she eventually found her footing, Faram had helped the both of them down the scaffolding, and the minute Yen felt her boots hit the courtyard her mind went to Geralt, Dominik and Ciri, her lover, and her two children, the things that she loved most in that world. They were all that mattered, none of her fatigue or questions mattered now, the only thing that did, was getting to them all. Her skin crawled, she had sent Dominik down to the courtyard, she had urged him to go and get to Ciri. A large part of her hoped that she wouldn't find them there at first, that Ciri had teleported the both of them away after she used her powers. But Yen knew her children better, she liked to think she knew them better then anyone outside of Geralt.

They hadn't left, they had to be there in the courtyard, and if either of them had been hurt, then she didn't know if she'd ever be able to forgive herself.

"For fuck's sake… that lass… I've never seen anything like this…" Faram muttered as they both passed by the pendulums.

Yen examined the sight and her eyes widened as well. She knew of how much power Ciri could wield, and while she hadn't seen much of Dominik's powers, she was smart enough to deduce whatever mage passed their power to him, they had been immensely powerful. The corpses of dead riders lay strewn about the yard out front of the pendulums. It was as if there was a trail of corpses leading around the small bend. The ground was almost completely blackened, Yen could feel the faint magical power still radiating from the site. Parts of the towers were crumbled, and her skin tingled thinking of Dominik and Ciri both in the middle of it. She watched her son engage in what was the most intense duel she had ever witnessed, his powers and the powers of the female commander had been so great, that Yen was amazed he had anything left to fight in that courtyard.

She looked and saw the rest of the defenders all breaking free of the ice in the distance. The gates to the middle courtyard were still barred shut, but her vision tunneled to try and find them both.

"We… we need to find them Faram… they both-," Yen had finally come off the Bear Witcher's arm, but as soon as she did was when she heard it, heard the sound that she knew would haunt her dreams.

Her daughter's anguished cries hit her ears, "DON'T DO THIS TO ME! DON'T DO THIS TO ME YOU STUPID BOY, YOU PROMISED ME, YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T DIE!"

"No…no, no… no…" Yen said gently, feeling her heart begin to race, as Faram's eyes narrowed forward.

She couldn't find it in her to move her legs. Never once in her life had Yennefer of Vengerberg lost her voice, been unable to move, but in that moment she couldn't bring herself to move at all. Faram from next to her however, found his feet much quicker then she did. She watched as the Bear Witcher groaned and moved forward, he went around the bend, and Yennefer watched with her violet eyes wide. In the short time she had known Faram she was able to deduce that not much could rattle the man. However, as soon as he saw whatever it was… Yennefer saw him fall to his knees.

"No…. fuck… no…no…no…" She heard him say, as Yen finally managed to move her legs.

Every single fiber of her being told her to not move. Only a few times in her life did her heart ever flip like it did then. She felt eruptions in the pit of her stomach, but she moved, all sounds were tuned out, all she heard was her daughter. Ciri was strong, her daughter was one of the strongest people she had ever met, to go through so much at such a young age, Yennefer knew that only a few things would ever be able to rattle her.

And one of those things Yen knew, would be the only thing ever able to make herself completely break as well.

"Yen…" A voice hit her ears, and as soon as she turned to the front of the courtyard was when Triss had come next to her, her read hair came into her peripheral vision, but for a moment Yen soaked in the scene in the courtyard.

In a corner near the wall, she finally saw her daughter. Vesemir was next to her, the elderly witcher looked back and met her eyes for a moment. Yen remembered how at each other's throats they had been just a few days prior… but now all Yen saw in the elderly witcher's eyes was pain, a pain she had never seen in a witcher before. The mutations were supposed to take away their ability to properly express emotion, however in Vesemir's yellow eyes Yen could see the pain, and plenty of emotion as he held his arm around the sobbing Ciri. While Vesemir seemed to be having a hard time holding back the emotion he clearly wanted to show, Yennefer saw that Faram was having no such trouble.

"No…no…no, FUCK, FUCKING FUCK," The Bear Witcher yelled as he got back up to his feet to pace, but as soon as he turned back and Ciri's sobs pierced the air again, the massive witcher fell to his knees and his back fell against the small wall leading to the steps to the keep, "I… I should've fucking gone with him… gods… gods I should have fucking went with him!"

A particularly cold breeze shot through the courtyard, Yen felt goosebumps run up her arm as her hair blew back. Faram's head fell into his hands, Yen had never seen a witcher cry, Geralt had always told her it was impossible, but the Bear Witcher currently seemed close to it.

"Faram, what… what happened," Another voice hit her ears. Yen looked and saw her son's other friends, the young blonde woman, Freya, the one who he said he almost fell for, along with the witcher from Toussaint, George she remembered his name being. Both of them stopped near Faram, who simply shook his head with his face still in his hands, and it was after this that Ciri's screams ripped through the courtyard again.

"I'M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY, DOMINIK, I'M SO SORRY," Ciri screamed, and Yen's blood ran to ice as he watched the reaction of her son's friends.

Freya she saw slowly turn, and when the young blonde's eyes fell on Vesemir and Ciri she stumbled.

"No…no, no, no no…." She said weakly, as she slowly lowered herself down to her knees, Yen could see a bloody cut across the girl's cheek, she dropped her sword and sobbed.

George stood still for a moment before shaking his head, "No… he can't… no… Faram…"

"I should have fucking went with him mate! I should have fucking gone with him, FUCK," The Bear School witcher yelled as he looked up to the sky.

Again George shook his head, and slowly got down to one knee. Yen watched as the Griffin Witcher took a place next to Freya, before reaching and raking out his silver sword. He placed it down in front of him, and Yen watched the golden-haired witcher slowly shake his head before laying the sword out in front of him and bowing his head. Freya continued to cry next to the man, and Yen could see just how devastated the young woman was. She could remember her son saying how he truly thought he loved the blonde for a while, but his feelings for Ciri were much too strong. However, in that moment, Yen had been alive long enough to hear the anguished cries of a woman still in love. George stayed on one knee next to her with his head down as she saw the Griffin Witcher slowly shake, all while Faram's hands rested on his knees, the Bear Witcher's eyes stayed locked on where Ciri was.

"Y…Yen…" Triss said next to her again, and Yennefer nearly jumped out of her skin.

She hadn't dared looked closer to where Ciri was, she refused to believe it, she refused to believe that it had happened. She did everything she could to try and tune out the wailing of her daughter, but when she looked and saw Triss, she felt herself let out a shaky breath. Yen had known Triss for a long time, she had seen how the red-headed sorceress had been almost killed at Sodden Hill, she remembered her friend's pained look, the look of complete agony from that battle. However, the look she had then, it made what happened at Sodden look like child's play. Yen shakily held out her arm, and Triss quickly hugged her, and Yen could hear her friend shaking, slowly sobbing into her.

Triss's makeup ran down her face, and when she hugged Yen, she started to sob. Yennefer continued to shake, slowly she managed to wrap her arms around the red head, but as soon as she heard the sobs in her ears, she let out a breath that she felt she had been holding for hours. She shook and felt her heart nearly burst out of her chest. Triss gently pulled back and met her eyes, Yen slowly managed to find her voice as she shook her head.

"Triss… what… what, happened…" She asked as all she could do was meet Triss's green eyes as she felt her violet one's sting.

Slowly Triss shook her head, "He… he… tried-."

"Yen! Merigold, what's going on," The voice of Lambert rang, and Yen's gaze along with Triss's both shot behind them.

Lambert and Eskel both came running up to them, and Yen saw Kiera following closely behind. The morning wind got colder as it blew, and all of them simply stood there. Triss turned to the witchers, but Yen slowly turned back when she heard Ciri yelling again.

"I'M SORRY…. I'M SO SORRY…. DOMINIK," Her daughter yelled, and from behind her Yen could almost hear the hearts of all the witchers drop.

"No…no… god dammit kid…" Lambert said, and when Yen saw the sarcastic witcher, a look of sadness and regret appeared on the man's face that she had never seen.

Eskel came back up next to his Wolf School brother, and Yen watched as the disfigured witchers face slowly fell and he shook his head.

"I never thought he'd… fuck… fucking fuck… dammit," Is all he managed to say, and that was when Yen finally felt her insides collapse.

Her son wasn't gone, he would never be gone, as long as she and Geralt were alive they would be okay, the both of them. More importantly as long as Dominik had Ciri, and Ciri had him, the two would be more then okay. She would never forget how elated he had looked the previous few hours, in only such a short time back together, she had seen her two children happier then she could ever remember them being, even with the threat of an impending battle. His voice rang in her head, _'You know me and Ciri have a date tomorrow!'. _He had been so excited, so sure that he would attend that date. But now she still hadn't seen him move. Behind her she could faintly hear Triss trying to shakily speak with Eskel, Lambert and Kiera, but Yen's vision turned back to Ciri, who was still hunched over, sobbing while Vesemir kept his arm around her. It seemed clear to the elderly witcher that nothing he said would console her, so he reserved to simply being there. Yen's skin continued to crawl as she slowly made her way down the first step, every step she went down felt like agony.

Around her the rest of the defenders all seemed to finally congregate, the ice that froze them all was finally able to be broken. She didn't know if they considered it a victory, but they had managed to hold the Hunt back, however, that had been the last thing on Yennefer's mind. She needed to see him, see her son, one of her children. She had only known the boy for a year when he was young, but she loved him as if she had known him for the entirety of his life. For so long, so painstakingly long she had wanted to have children, after the ability was taken from her, it was all that she had wanted, children to love and raise as her own. She would never forget how angry she was when she got the letter from Geralt at first, the witcher had signed it 'Dear Friend'. However, when she read what it asked, she wasted no time in going to Ellander.

During her few weeks with Ciri while they waited for Geralt and Dominik, Yennefer would never forget how much her daughter had talked about him. _"He's so sweet! No matter how he feels, no matter what's happen with him, even if I'm a little sad he'll do everything to make me feel better!" "He saved my life, I owe him everything, I don't just love him, he's my best-friend!" "He makes me feel special, he likes me for me, not my title or any powers." "We promised we'd always try and get to each other! We're going to be witchers together, we're going to save people!" "I love him… I really do, I can't wait for you to meet him!"_

The moment when he arrived with Geralt, and she watched Ciri eagerly jump into his arms was when she knew. It was when Yennefer knew that it wasn't just destiny that linked the two, it was not just love, but something more, something much, much deeper. She remembered how standoffish the boy was at first, and how eager she was to do anything to gain the boys favor, because she knew how much he meant to Ciri. And when the breakthrough finally came, when she took him to get the make-up for Ciri, to make the perfume, the smile on his face when he saw how much Ciri loved it, the smile he gave Yen as he hugged Ciri… it had been the first time Yennefer truly felt like she had a son.

And just like that, she had gone from wishing she could have children for over a hundred years, to having two that she loved more then anything. She loved them, would have done anything for either of them, anything at all.

But when she saw her son unmoving, for the first time in she couldn't remember how long, Yennefer shed tears.

"D…Dominik….no…no, no…" She whispered, as she felt both of her legs lock. Just as she got a few meters away, she could hear more of Ciri's sobs.

Her daughter was hunched over him, her head buried into his neck as Vesemir sat next to her, and like she had assumed earlier, no amount of consolation stopped her daughter from sobbing. Yen saw the pool of blood underneath his legs, his blackened cheeks, his messy head of brown hair caked with blood, dirt and sweat. Along his cheek as well she saw the massive gash, a wound that ran diagonally across the right side of his face, it was deep, and it bled profusely, but Ciri didn't care, she kept her face buried into him, as her daughters hand shook furiously, as if she was still trying to shake him awake.

However, Yennefer saw nothing working, her son was unmoving, and as she heard Ciri's sobbing begin to get louder, she stood there, her raven locks blew back in the wind, her legs locked and all she could do was stand there, looking at his unmoving face.

She had failed, she and Geralt had both failed to protect them both like they had promised.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I'm getting too old for this…." Geralt muttered through his chattering teeth as he burst himself from the ice.

His chilly bones quickly warmed when he ripped his legs out of the ice. The sun from the morning quickly washed over him, and he let out a long sigh as he moved his stiff arms back up to sheath his silver. He wiped the bits of frost off his armor and right away his mind began to race. He looked around him, he remembered Eskel and Lambert both being next to him, but now they weren't, he was still right in front of the door to the middle courtyard, and he could see nothing but the hazy, ashy grounds in front of him. He groaned as his senses slowly came back to him, the last thing he could remember was the dragon, the door blasting open and the blizzard. The last thing he heard was Ciri yelling for him, and as soon as he remembered that he turned around as his limbs finally started to have the feeling return to them.

But when he turned around, that was when Geralt's super-human enhanced hearing finally returned.

"DON'T DO THIS TO ME! DON'T DO THIS TO ME YOU STUPID BOY, YOU PROMISED ME, YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN'T DIE!" Ciri's voice, he recognized his daughter's voice as it pierced into his ears.

And as soon as he heard it, Geralt felt himself freeze again. He didn't know if being able to hear the emotion out of someone was a part of his witcher senses, or it was just something that he had picked up over the years. However, he could hear nothing but agony, pure agony out of his daughter, and he knew that there was only one thing that could have happened for Ciri to sound like that. In over a hundred and fifty years, Geralt had never felt his heart fall like it did then. He felt his skin begin to tingle, and every single fiber of his being was screaming at him to not turn around, telling him that if he did, he would never forgive himself.

However, the cries of everyone else hit his superhuman ears. He could hear crying from Freya, uncontrollable sobbing coming from his son's friend. Triss's sob he recognized as well, as well as the hushed, distraught voices of everyone else gathered. He cursed himself for seemingly being the last one out of the ice as the sounds kept coming. Faram, George, Lambert, Eskel, he could even hear Kiera Metz's voice shaking. All the horrible sounds of mourning hit his enhanced ears, and in that moment he never hated having his witcher sense more. He slowly looked down at his hands and found them shaking, he couldn't remember the last time they had shaken like that. Slowly he turned them to fist and let out a shaky sigh, but as soon as he heard Ciri's voice, not a sob, but a low whisper, he felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces in his stomach.

"I… I love you…. I'm so… so sorry I was gone for so long… I swear… I swear it… it'll be the two of us… please… please get up… it's me… your Ciri… Dominik…." Ciri said quietly, and Geralt once again cursed his witcher senses.

"No…. No…." He said as his hand curled even more fiercely.

He kept trying to tell himself not to turn around, not to face his failure. He had sworn to protect them both, he promised them both he'd make sure they were never split apart again. In his head he saw back to Novigrad, after Dominik had fought the commander of the Hunt in the cave outside Oxenfurt. Dominik had been delusional as Geralt carried him back into the then Rosemary and Thyme, he had begged Geralt not to send Ciri away, pleaded just to see her, just to see her face. Geralt found himself close to breaking in that moment, for so many years that had been his biggest regret, and he knew it was for Yen as well. Splitting the two of them apart had been the biggest mistake they had made, and despite the fact Dominik had told him he was forgiven, Geralt still was furious at himself for it to that day. He had sworn to himself that night, that once they had found Ciri, Geralt would never let the two of them be split up again.

And now, only a few weeks later, it was the other way around, Ciri sobbing, begging for Dominik.

Yennefer's sobs are what made Geralt finally turn. Yen never cried; he didn't think he could recall a time ever seeing the woman he loved cry. She had of course been angry, upset, and agitated plenty of times, but never, could Geralt ever remember her crying. So slowly, he turned around, and when he took in the scene it truly felt as if he was right back inside the ice.

Near the steps, just near the wall of the courtyard, everyone who was still alive had gathered. Geralt saw Zoltan, Hjalmar and Ermion gathered a distance away, his dwarf friend was sniffling with new ferocity as he slowly shook his head. On the top of the steps watching the scene from afar Geralt saw Kiera, and even the blonde sorceress seemed to be having a hard time keeping it together as she spoke with Lambert, who for what Geralt assumed was the first time in his life didn't have a sarcastic shit-eating smirk on his face. Eskel leaned against the wall near the steps, Geralt saw his oldest brother's head down in the garden, leaning on his elbows he shook furiously, and he could sense a mixture of anger and sadness radiating from him. Near him, Geralt's heart sunk further, as he saw Triss sitting on the top step, the red-headed sorceress's head was in her hands, and if Geralt listen closely enough he could hear her light sobs.

"No…no.. no…no… Dominik…" The voice of Freya rang in his head, and Geralt looked to the base of the steps to see Freya.

His son's only former lover had grown on Geralt a lot in the previous few weeks. The young blonde was confident, kind, and was eager to learn to protect people, and Geralt knowing how much a friend she was to his son, was more then willing to help her. However, despite Geralt not claiming to be an expert on love, he could tell the feelings the young woman still had for his son, and despite the fact that Dominik clearly didn't reciprocate her romantic feelings, she still came to help them, claiming she just wished to see him happy. And now, Freya was sobbing, and next to her Geralt saw George, his green and gold armor still cracked, he gently reached over and wrap an arm around the young woman.

"It is okay…. He would not want us to act like this… he would not want to see our tears," George told the young woman, but the words only made Freya sob more, and the young woman's cries pierced into the very depths of Geralt's soul.

Faram who sat leaned up against the steps furiously shook his head, "For fuck's sake… if I had just fucking come…. If I had just gone with him… fuck… fucking… fuck…"

Geralt couldn't cry, he quite literally didn't remember how, and he had thought it was impossible for any witcher, but when he narrowed his eyes he could see how hard Faram was trying to hold them back. The Bear School witcher was battered, his hair and beard out in shaggy shambles as he kept repeating himself over and over, the larger witchers head fell into his hands, and Ciri's voice hit his ears again, and it finally made Geralt move his feet.

"It's my fault… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…. I love you… I'm so… so sorry… DOMINIK!" Ciri yelled out again, and Geralt didn't dare move his eyes over yet.

As he walked, every step he felt tingles shoot up his legs. In the pocket of his trousers, he could feel the letter get heavy. He remembered when Dominik had started writing it on their way to get Ciri. After Geralt had caught him, he knew right away what his son was doing, so when Dominik lied and didn't tell him what the letter was really for, Geralt just went along. The idea of him dying never even crossed Geralt's mind, because he knew that he would die himself before he let either of his children go. But no, he hadn't been there, he had let himself be frozen, while his son had given himself up. He didn't dare look to the right, towards where he heard Ciri's whispering sobs, he narrowed his eyes on Yen when he found her.

His love stood there with her arms at her side. Yen, Geralt knew was very rarely speechless, and even more rarely in such a state as she was now. When his footsteps seemed to hit Yen's ear he watched as she sharply turned to him. Her eyes, Geralt always loved her eyes the most, the beautiful violet iris's, however, this time when he saw them, the violet was still there yes, but they were beat red as well, and the water was slowly falling from them.

"G…Geralt…" She choked out, and when he took another step closer she slammed into him, and Geralt right away wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… Dominik…. Please… please…." Ciri's voice hit his ears again, as Geralt still couldn't force himself to turn around.

Yen buried herself into him, and Geralt squeezed her. His swords clunked on his back, and he looked down into her head of raven locks, not wanting to turn around to face the reality. The sun casted its orange morning rays down over them, shadows littered the courtyard, along with bodies of riders, debris, and now all the defenders gathered in one place. Geralt however, didn't even take a moment to revel in the fact that they had beat them back, that they had seemed to have won the day, because when Yennefer pulled back from him, the agony in her eyes was something he would never want to see again.

"Yen… what… what happened," He asked her quietly, as his eyes never left her.

Yen let out a shaky breath and shook her head, "I… I don't know… Geralt… he… he's…."

"Shh…it's my fault…. I should have been there…" Geralt quickly cut off in a low tone as he pulled her closer to him again.

Another sob came from her as she wrapped her arms back around him once more. He should have been there, he swore that he would fight and protect them both, but he hadn't been. After everything that had happened, eight years, eight long years to finally get them both back together again… he had let it all fall apart after a few hours. Ciri was alive, the continent was safe for then, the Hunt had retreated from the fortress, they'd be back, but in that moment they had won. But no victory was worth hearing the anguished cries of his daughter then. Geralt knew few people stronger then his daughter, not many fully grown adults would have been able to go through what she did in their current state, let alone how young she had. Very rarely had Geralt saw her cry, even when he got her from Stygga Castle, through all of it, he had so rarely ever saw her cry. However, in that moment her sobs, her pleading tone was more mournful then any Geralt had ever heard.

"Please… please… I love you…. Dominik… I... I'm so sorry," Ciri said, before another one of her sobs pierced the air.

Upon hearing her words Yen pulled back from him again, and when Geralt met her eyes, they had a silent conversation. It wasn't like Dominik and Ciri, where they seemed to have their own made-up language that consisted of just head nods and eye movements, but Geralt over the years had become relatively good at realizing what Yen was trying to say. And as their daughter's sobs got louder near them, Geralt knew exactly what they had needed to do.

They had lost a child, and the one that was still there needed them now more then ever.

Slowly he nodded, and with Yen's help he finally turned around, and when he did, he finally saw the state of his son. Ciri was hunched over his body, Vesemir sat next to her, his mentor's arm was around her, but he as well as Geralt knew that nothing they said would console her in that moment. Geralt looked and saw the blood under Dominik's lower half first. From his right leg, Geralt saw the blood slowly pooling, the wound wasn't bleeding as profusely as he was sure it had been, but that amount of blood loss would kill even the strongest of men. His armor, the masterful wolven armor Geralt knew he had been so excited to get, it was dented, burnt, the chain and straps on his arms were ripped apart. A small ways away from his right hand Geralt saw the dagger, the dagger that he had gave to him what felt like ages ago. He would never forget the elated look his son got at getting his first silver weapon, and then the look he later got when Crach had gifted him the silver sword. When Geralt's gaze drifted to his son's face, he heard his voice echo in his head. _"Kinda jealous I'm not a member of the cool face scar club," _his son had said, followed by laughs from all of them, Geralt himself had found the joke hilarious.

However, in that moment, he would have given anything for his son's face to be clear. Deep on the right side of his face, a long gash ran from under his eye horizontally down his cheek. It was bleeding still, and the redness dominated the right side of his face. Geralt felt his own scar tingle and remembered how disfiguring Ciri's had been when he first saw it, and how his daughter had thought Dominik wouldn't think her as beautiful with it. That theory had been proven wrong right away to Geralt, not that he ever believed it, when he saw Dominik's face after seeing Dudu transform in Novigrad.

Yen slowly and regrettably left his side, and Geralt watched as she gingerly walked over towards Ciri. Geralt's legs felt like they had been caught in the ice again, but soon he managed to move his legs, feeling his heart continuously sting. Geralt remembered all the way back to the small, malnourished, bruised, eleven-year-old boy who had tried to smash his knees in with a rock as soon as he picked up Ciri in the woods. Never in his life had Geralt ever seen such a ferocious protectiveness from someone so young. Even after Geralt had managed to disarm him, and Ciri told Dominik who Geralt was, he still remembered how skeptically Dominik looked at him, almost daring him to make another move towards Ciri. Geralt liked that, that fire, that protective instinct was something born out of love, care, and a strong will.

In that moment Geralt found himself flashed back more then twenty-years-ago, to Ciri's mother's birthday. After Geralt figured out that Dominik was Sir Gregory's son, between that, and the connection he felt with Ciri, was when Geralt finally started believing in destiny.

He would never forget how Sir Gregory fought by his side to protect the Urcheon. Dominik's father had fought his own men, even dueled his own Queen for a few moments all to protect Pavetta's love. After the fighting had stopped, and he was asked why he did it. Gregory had simply stated it was because he loved Pavetta, not a romantic type of love, but love none the less. It turned out Ciri's mother had been worried the Urcheon would show up to her birthday that night and had begged Gregory to protect him. Gregory had kept his promise, and then after all the fighting had been done, Geralt would never forget the conversation that he had with Dominik's father.

Gregory had thanked him for fighting, calling Geralt one of the most honorable men he had ever met. And Geralt, who was still mortally curious, asked why he had gone against his Queen. Gregory after telling Geralt about how he loved Pavetta, his best-friend had also said how she wasn't only his friend, but his destiny. He explained to Geralt how it was his destiny to protect Pavetta, and when Pavetta's child was born, it would be his destiny to protect the child as well. Geralt remembered that Dominik's mother had been pregnant at that point with him as well, and Gregory had been insistent to Geralt that his child, would grow up to protect Pavetta's that they were destined and intertwined, just like their families had been for over a hundred years.

Geralt at the time still had been reluctant to trust destiny, not believing that it had any impact. However, in that moment as he saw Yen slowly kneel down next to Ciri, over Dominik's body, the last words Sir Gregory of Cintra had spoken to him rang in his head.

_"Whether we meet again or not… live well and a good life to you Geralt of Rivia. I hope that one day my son grows to be as honorable a man as you, and if destiny comes to pass as it should… I look forward to the day I introduce him to you."_

As Geralt left, he had almost laughed at the man that night. However, eleven years later, Geralt did meet Sir Gregory's son, and just like Gregory had predicted, Dominik was right by Ciri's side when Geralt found him.

After Yen knelt down next to Ciri, she shared a quick nod with Vesemir, and his old mentor slowly stood. When the elderly witcher turned he met Geralt's eyes for only a moment, and never in his entire life had he seen such pain in Vesemir's eyes. His mentor nodded to him, before taking a few slow steps away towards the keep, and soon Geralt heard him sit down on the cold steps, where he started slowly chatting with Triss. Geralt watched as Yen slowly wrapped her arms around their daughter, and Ciri wailed again before melting into her. As Yen held her head over Ciri's his love met his eyes again and gestured for him to come.

He took one step and heard a clang under his feet. His eyes shot down, and when he saw _Fate, _Dominik's silver sword on the ground he let out a shaky sigh. Ciri's sobbing hit his ears as she gently reached down to pick up the weapon. It was caked in blood, dirt, the edges were slightly chipped, and Geralt knew Dominik would be appalled to see it in such a state. AS gingerly as he could, Geralt wiped it down with his gloved hands as he managed to take steps forward, and as he did every cry he heard from Ciri sent another dagger into his heart.

"Yen.. he… he tried…he tried to fight Eredin…he…he…" Ciri sobbed, as Yennefer gently stroked their daughters loose ashen hair.

Yen let out a shaky breath, Ciri's head buried into her she slowly shook her head, "Shh… it's not your fault darling. He… he was keeping you safe…just like he always has…"

"I didn't do anything… I… I sat there… sat there and watched… I… I couldn't move they… they froze me. He… he told me to teleport but… but I couldn't leave him I-." Ciri started but was cut off by Yen pulling her tighter.

"It's alright darling… it'll all be alright…. He loved you… he loved you more then anything… he'd just wanted you to be safe," The sorceress said, and Ciri sobbed again and buried herself further into her.

Geralt was next to him now, loosely he held his son's sword in his hand. He looked over and saw Yen staring at him from her knees as she held onto their daughter. In her eyes, Geralt saw the pain she felt. She was trying to keep some semblance of strength together, for Ciri's sake, but Geralt could see that it was quickly fading. He let out a shaky breath and looked down to his son's sword, gently he ran his hand along the silver again, and when he saw that it was cleared of the dirt, the blood, he shakily sighed and got down to his knees. On the other side of Ciri opposite Yen, Geralt looked down at his body again. He could see all the cuts, the bruises, and the deep gash across his cheek again.

"I'm sorry…." Geralt said, as for the first time in over a hundred years he felt his eyes prick. Ciri slowly turned out of Yen and around to him. Geralt shakily let out a breath and met his daughter's eyes for a moment, before biting his lip and turning back to his body.

He reached up, and gently managed to lift his son up. The slow raking sound of the silver blade going back into the sheath pierced his ears like a knife. After he felt the blade hit into the bottom of the sheath he quickly pulled back, and that was when Geralt's entire body tingled, and he looked back over to Ciri. Next to her, Yen finally sobbed loudly, and Geralt watched as his love leaned down, gently she grabbed Dominik's face and brought her forehead down to him, Geralt heard her muttering words but he didn't focus on them as soon, Yen cried into his body, and Geralt heard Ciri's shaking voice ring in his ears.

"It… was my fault…. I… I never should have come back… I never should have come to Kaer Morhen…" She said, and right away Geralt turned to see her still looking down at him, at Yen who was hugging around their son's shoulders.

"Don't say that…." Geralt said, and when Ciri turned to him with water in her eyes, he felt his own eyes sting more as he went on, "He never would have wanted that… all he ever wanted was you… and you made him happier then he's ever been."

"And now he's gone…" Ciri snapped as Geralt could see the tears fall as she slowly shook her head, "He… he fought Eredin… to protect me… he… he kept getting knocked down but… but he didn't stop…. And I did nothing… nothing at all."

"This isn't your fault…" Geralt said, as Geralt looked down at his body again, feeling like knives were being stabbed into his eyes he shook his head, "It's my fault… I was supposed to protect you both…. It was my job… and… and I wasn't there…."

Ciri sobbed again and turned to him, and she shook her head, "And none of you would have been in any danger had I not been here…. I got him killed… he died… he died because of me…"

Geralt slowly shook his head and gently put his arm around her, "Ciri… you made him happier in the last day… then he had been in the last eight years combined…. He kept you safe… that was all he ever wanted."

"But I didn't want him to die! He died to protect me Geralt, and I couldn't do anything about it," Ciri snapped, but Geralt could hear the pain spewing from her.

Biting his lip Geralt looked down to him again. He tried to imagine his son fighting down the King of the Hunt, Geralt himself knew how powerful Eredin was. Dominik however, he knew would have died before he let anyone take Ciri away… and he apparently had. For the last month he saw the change in his son, he remembered how excited he'd get for any lead of her, how hard he'd get when the trail was going cold. And in the few hours they had between finding Ciri and the battle, Geralt hadn't seen him that happy since their time in Ellander. In that short time he spent with Ciri, Geralt saw the real Dominik, the fun-loving, the goofy, caring and loving side of his son that seemed to have been suppressed since they had been separated.

Geralt held her closer, but Ciri's eyes didn't leave his body, his soon to be scarred face.

"You saved us… we would all be dead if not for you," He said to her, even though he knew it wouldn't make her feel any better, when she slowly turned to him he shook his head, "You know that he wouldn't want you to blame yourself…. What do you think he'd say if he were here right now?"

Ciri looked into his yellow eyes for a moment, and Geralt had never seen such pain in a person's eyes in over one hundred years of life. She let out a shaky breath and shook her head, Geralt saw the redness in her eyes, as the tears slowly came down her face. He watched as she reached up and gripped the bronze ring with her eyes closed. She squeezed her eyes shut, and she started to sob again, she slammed her head into Geralt, and a new wave of tears started to flow from her.

"I… I don't want to think what he'd say… I… I want to hear him say it… Geralt…. Geralt he's gone… he… he's gone…I… I'll never get to hear him say my name again… call… call me princess…. Say he loves me… we… we had a date tomorrow… Geralt," She sobbed, as Geralt felt her tears slowly roll off her face onto his neck.

"D…Dominik… my boy… my son… I…I'm so… so sorry darling," He heard Yen sob, as he looked over Ciri's head to see his love had fallen over their son's body.

Geralt felt Ciri's sobs get louder, her arms wrapped tighter around him, and it was all he could do to hold her back. Yen didn't leave Dominik's body, and behind him, Geralt could hear Freya's sobs turn to wails, he heard Triss again, he heard everyone, everyone muttering, the lament, the anger, the sadness, the anguish, everything all hit his ears at once. He felt the noises and voices all pinging around his brain for a moment, and Geralt finally felt himself overwhelmed. For so, so long he had been holding it in, trying to be the strong one for their sake, but it all came crashing down inside of him in that moment, Ciri crying into him, Yen sobbing, the pained cries of all his friends gathered around him.

And above it all, worst of all, his son was dead.

As Ciri cried into him, as Yen cried into their son, and all their allies mourned, Geralt slowly craned his head and looked at the body of his son. He didn't have to take Dominik with him, all he had to do was take Ciri, she was his child of surprise, she was the one who had been linked to him the strongest. However, the words, _'The boy and the girl in the woods will be with you always', _had kept pounding into his mind. And after seeing that fiery protective spirit, that determination, that bond he clearly shared with Ciri, Geralt had taken him, and raised him to be his son by choice. He had watched him grow from a small, malnourished eleven-year-old boy, into a young man, into an adult, and into a witcher, an amazing, powerful, compassionate young man.

Taking him with him along with Ciri from the woods that day, was the greatest choice of Geralt's life.

When he saw his sons unmoving body, his eyes closed, and Geralt finally felt the piercing of his eyes get to be too much, he felt one small drop of water go down the right side of his face. It slowly dropped onto Ciri's loose ashen hair, and as soon as it did Geralt blinked fiercely, and didn't dare tare his eyes away from his son. Everything became tuned out, he didn't hear Ciri's, Yen's, or anyone's mournful cries anymore, all he did was focus on his son, his son by choice, who for so many weeks he had looked at and listened to his heartbeat. Geralt liked to think after so many weeks on the road, spending so much time with his son in the previous month, that he could tell what his son's heartbeat sounded like, and would recognize it at even it's faintest beat in a huge crowd.

So when he heard the small, familiar, ***THUMP* **hit his ears as he looked at his son, he felt his entire body freeze and his eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing.

The sound was so faint, so weak, that there was no possible way that anyone who hadn't been listening to Dom's heartbeat non-stop for the last month would have been able to even slightly recognize it. Even Vesemir who had been over Dominik's body wouldn't have been able to hear it the sound had been so faint. Geralt thought he heard things for a moment, so he narrowed his eyes again, narrowed them directly onto his son's chest, he saw Yen near his face as his love held her forehead down to their son's crying into him. However, Geralt didn't take his eyes off Dominik's chest, as he stretched and strained every last bit of his superhuman hearing and sight in concentration.

And that was when another distinct, ***THUMP* **rang in his ears, and that was followed by the movement of his medallion that was ever so slight, that not even the greatest witchers would have been able to see, but Geralt had somehow done it. His eye shot over to Yen, who was still sobbing, and Geralt's own heartbeat quickened, his son's breath must have been so shallow that Yen couldn't even feel it near his face. Ciri shifted in his arms and looked up at him, but Geralt's eyes narrowed. Carefully he detached Ciri from him, and his daughter's eyes darted over to him, and Geralt saw her shaking on her knees, but for the moment he focused only on his son.

Yen pulled up from Dominik's body when Geralt got next to her, Geralt saw tears welled up and falling from her violet eyes, but she still managed to look at him with curiosity at the sight of his determined look.

"Geralt…" His love started slowly, before reaching over and placing a hand on his shoulder, "We… we should make sure Ciri-."

"Shhhh, quiet," Geralt ordered in a fierce tone, and he only had time to see Yen taken aback before his head went down to Dominik again.

His eyes fell on Dominik's face, still unmoving as the gash in his cheek slowly bled. He tried to focus his hearing again, but all the cries and mournful chatters of the defenders started to ring in his head again. Geralt couldn't hear the heartbeat, but he was sure that he had before, his son had a distinct heartbeat to him, so Geralt after feeling his yellow eyes go dark whirled his head around to everyone gathered.

"EVERYBODY BE QUIET NOW, NOT A WORD," He screamed out, and the reaction from everyone gathered was instant.

Geralt had raised his voice before, whether it be with bandits on the road, or just from dealing with difficult people, but he had almost felt the blood vessels in his neck pop he had screamed so loud then. Everyone fell silent at once, even Ciri who stared wide eyed at him. All of their allies and friends quieted, and all of their eyes turned to him, but Geralt looked solely at Ciri. In those few seconds he met his daughter's eyes, she seemed to perfectly read what he was trying to say. He watched as she wiped her eyes with her gloved hands, her green eyes went wide and she scrambled to his side. The agony had been replaced, it was replaced by wide eyes and a hopeful look. Geralt not wanting to possibly lose track of the heartbeat turned his vision back down to Dominik's body. Yen apparently had deduced exactly what Ciri had, because his love got up behind their son's head and gently lifted his limp head into her lap.

A long, slow, shaky breath left Geralt as he looked down at his son's face once more. He tuned everything out again, he could feel his brain pulsing for a moment, but Geralt gently leaned his head down, he carefully placed the side of his head, his right ear down on his sons chest, while gingerly placing his two fingers on the pulse point of his neck. He heard some small chattering behind him, as well as the frantic rapid breathing of Ciri next to him, but he didn't dare tell his daughter to be quiet. He needed to focus, he needed to focus solely on his son, his son's heartbeat, the same heartbeat he had been listening to for weeks.

He thought about how happy both Dominik and Ciri were, watching them both reunite on the Isle of Mists, seeing them simply look and smile at one another. All Geralt had ever wanted since he met them was to give them an easy life. He knew what their dreams were. To become witchers and go travel the entire continent with one another, and he made it his personal duty to make sure they got that opportunity. He had lived for over a hundred years, but never had he met two people who seemed more made for one another, and he raised them both, loved them both, he thought he had failed just a few moments earlier, but now was his chance to see if he could possibly still give his children the life he knew they deserved after everything that they had gone through. He strained so hard that he felt a blood vessel pop in his brain, everything strained as he completely shut out everything from his mind, everything, except the sound of his son's heartbeat.

And when he heard the ever so faint, but familiar, ***THUMP*, *THUMP*, *THUMP*, **Geralt's eyes widened. The beats were extremely far apart, but they were there.

"He's alive…." Geralt said quickly as his head shot up.

"What!?" Ciri said quickly, as she pushed Geralt out of the way to lean her own head down.

Yen's head shot over to him and her violet eyes right away grew intense, "Geralt you're sure?"

Geralt's own eyes widened as he watched Ciri grab Dom's face and begin whispering to him. He nodded and quickly shot up to his feet, the heartbeat had been so faint that nobody else would be able to hear it. If they waited much longer there would be no chance. Feeling his body go into overdrive, his gaze darted over to Yen and he nodded.

"I am, I'd recognize his heartbeat anywhere, Yen you need to stabilize him, he won't last much longer," He said, before with his eyes wide and frantic he turned around to everyone else, "TRISS, FREYA, VESEMIR HE'S ALIVE!"

"Someone get my bag, fifth cot on the right near the kitchen," Freya shouted back to everyone, before Geralt saw her shoot up to her feet, with Triss and of course Vesemir following quickly behind.

Ciri behind him sobbed, "Dom… Dominik please, you're going to be alright, you're going to be alright, we'll make sure of it."

"_CELANE, FIENDAL, TU MAS,"_ Yennefer bellowed in low Elder Speech behind him, and Geralt whirled to see a blue light envelope his son's body.

"Triss, come with me inside to help prepare potions, I may need some magic in the remedies," Vesemir ordered behind him as Freya rushed past him and fell to her knees. Vesemir turned to everybody else, "Everybody else start clearing the courtyard! Head inside and get treatment if you need, someone see to Elise as well!"

Geralt barely had time to see everybody start to scramble before he heard the frantic voice of Freya behind him.

"Okay, Ciri…." The blonde said, and Geralt whirled around to see both Freya and Ciri kneeled down next to him, Freya's intense blue eyes turned to her, "I need you to tell me EXACTLY what happened, where'd he get hurt other than his cheek."

Ciri right away moved down his body and lifted Dominik's leg, "Eredin he… he stabbed him in the leg, it almost went clean through…. And… and he used his powers… a lot of it."

Freya quickly nodded but Geralt could see her hands shaking, "Alright… we need to get him inside, if that sword severed something in his leg we need to get it fixed NOW, or else he may not be able to walk. I… I need equipment, sutures, scalpels…"

"We got all that inside don't worry," Geralt said quickly as he knelt down next to Yen.

Yen's eyes quickly darted over to the blonde as well, "I can keep him stabilized, we can use magic, that should restore him."

Geralt saw Freya's hands completely tremble as she reached onto the shoulder strap of her bandolier. In the short time he had known her, Geralt had never seen such a frazzled look on the young woman's face. She reached over and handed the potion vial to Ciri with still shaking hands.

"Make him drink this," She said quickly, before Geralt saw her pull her knife from her belt, the blonde looked back up at Yennefer, "Magic will restore his energy yes, and… and it will help him heal quicker but… but if there's any structural damage to his leg, to his tendons or ligaments in his leg… I'll need to make sure they're connected still properly if we want him to be able to walk."

Ciri shakily nodded her head and shifted herself up to Dom's face. Yen carefully opened his mouth, and Ciri gently grabbed his face and poured the potion down his throat. Geralt watched as she grabbed his hand and didn't let go for dear life. She started muttering and whispering words to him, but Geralt got distracted when he heard a loud ripping sound. He looked back to Freya, who had used her knife to cut off a large piece of cloth from the white shirt under her armor. Her left forearm was now exposed, but she quickly took the cloth and went down to Dominik's leg. Yennefer's spell was still holding over him as the dark blue magic light was whirling around his son's body. Freya vigorously wrapped the cloth around his leg, and Geralt saw the blood right away begin to pool, despite her hands trembling Freya's eyes narrowed, and she managed to work them incredibly quick. Soon the cloth was wrapped around Dominik's right leg, and the blonde's gaze quickly shot up to all three of them.

"Okay, Geralt you carry him inside, Lady Yennefer, stay close and keep the stabilizing spell," The young blonde ordered before her gaze turned over to Ciri, "And Ciri, you stay right near him, if… if he wakes up you should be the first thing he sees."

Ciri quickly nodded, and in her eyes Geralt saw the anxiousness, but she quickly looked down and held onto Dom's right hand. She let out a shaky breath and right away Geralt moved and did as Freya instructed. Carefully he reached down, and with one hand under his head, the other under his legs, he hefted his son up into his arms. Yen stayed close to him and kept the spell active, while Freya took in a shaky breath and stood up, running towards the keep ahead of them. Next to him, he saw Ciri come up, she stood right near Dominik's head and as Geralt walked, he could hear her lightly whispering things to him.

Yennefer, Ciri, himself, and soon Dominik… Geralt had never thought he'd have a family, never thought he would want one. But when he got one, he couldn't have reimagined his life without them. When they had all been separated, he did everything he could to get them all back, to have them back together again. So now, as he walked with his son in his arms into the keep, he felt that same urgency come back to him.

Dominik would survive, he had too, he'd survive, and after that, Geralt was going to make very single member of the Wild Hunt pay.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_Dying didn't hurt nearly as much as Dominik had thought. During his years alone, it had been something he often thought about, what it would feel like. He naturally thought that it would have been painful, that he would feel the life slowly seep out of him until he was writhing in agony and it all went away. However, when he lay there on the ground, the site of Ciri's beautiful face, her ashen locks out over her shoulders, seeing her breathing, knowing that she was safe for that moment had made it easier. And when the white had enveloped his vision, it felt like he was falling asleep. He had thought he'd feel nothing, or he'd ascend to whatever heaven or hell that really existed. But as soon as he felt himself able to breathe again, and felt his thoughts return to him, his mind right away went into overdrive. _

"_GAHHHHHHH," He yelled as he felt his eyes shoot open, and he frantically looked around, trying to get his bearings, but all he could do was blink. Groaning he did the first thing that came to mind and yelled, "Ciri? Ciri…. Geralt? Yen? Anyone… fuck… fuck my head hurts…"_

_He brought both his hands up to rub his eyes and temples. If he was supposed to be dead, then he certainly didn't feel dead. He didn't feel any blood running down his cheek or feel any gash in it. His leg didn't feel like it was on fire with a hole in it, and his bones felt fine. He felt more alive than he had in some time, and as he did, his thoughts drifted right away to Ciri. All he could remember was her chest lightly rising and falling, what had happened? Had she woken up, had Geralt and the others emerged from the ice? What about the Hunt, did they come back after Ciri and he fell? All the questions came rushing back to him, and he was pretty sure if he had been dead, he wouldn't feel like he did now, and his new wounds would still be on his body. _

"_Fuck… fucking fuck…" He muttered as his sense of touch came back to him, he felt his ass cold on the ground, and looked down to see beautiful tiled floors below him. Narrowing his eyes he ran his fingers along the ceramic, "Where… where the hell am I? Didn't exactly think I'd go somewhere this nice when I died…."_

_His thinking was interrupted by a gust of wind. He felt his brown hair flew up, it whooshed in his ears as a cool breeze pleasantly chilled his bones. He sucked in and let out a cool, clean breath, and for a moment he felt his heartrate steady. Looking around he saw more then just the tiled floors, and his eyes narrowed when he saw the pillars. It looked as if he was in a long hallway, to his right and left he saw armor mannequins, on the wall's weapons and shields, pillars ran down the hall. The cool breeze hit him again, but he ignored it, because his gazing stopped, and his eyes widened when he saw the banners. _

_Three golden lions on a light blue field. _

"_The… the castle… C…Cintra…" He said lightly, feeling his skin begin to pleasantly crawl with goosebumps, he scoffed barely believing what he was seeing as his gaze didn't leave the banner, "I… I haven't been here since… how… wow…. It… it looks exactly like-."_

_He was cut off when the breeze hit him again, much more incessantly this time, as if the wind were trying to get his attention. His vision finally shifted to the left, and when he saw where the wind was coming from he scoffed. A large set of oaken doors led out to a balcony; however, Dominik knew it wasn't just any balcony however, he recognized it, it had been somewhere he visited in his dreams often. In the distance out it he could see the mountains, the beautiful sun slowly rising over them, the breeze was cool and light, it had been somewhere he loved going every single day he came to the palace when he was young. _

_It was the same balcony that he had first met Ciri, and their favorite spot in the entire castle._

_His heart began to race even faster, as a small scoff left him he managed to get up to his feet. Looking down he realized he was still in his armor, but he couldn't feel his swords on his back. However, despite it he felt the wind gently breeze through his hair again, and he couldn't help but smile. As his boots hit the ground a loud echo rang in his ears. He was back in his home, back in Cintra, back in the place he met the most important person in his life. Scoffing he didn't feel any pain in his legs as he walked. He got closer and closer to the balcony and the sun hit his eyes, he thought back to that first night he had been out in that very spot, he had just chased Ciri around the castle for a good amount of time through the halls, it felt like as soon as he got close she'd duck behind a pillar, or into a different hallway. _

_And the moment he finally caught up to her on the balcony was one he'd never forget whether he was alive or not. She wore a brown dress, and her ashen hair had been tied back down in one long braid, like normal she had a perfume of juniper and cedarwood, and eleven-year-old Dominik had never seen anyone so beautiful. _

_The wind howled in his ears, the sun made him squint, and the distant sound of the woods hit his ears, as all he could look at was the mountains in the distance. If he was really dead, then he couldn't think of a much better place to be then right there. It was beautiful, and most importantly it reminded him of the person he loved most. Slowly he reached up his hand, and thankfully he felt the swallow still there, and as he gripped it he closed his eyes and let out a slow shaky breath. _

"_Sorry princess… looks like I failed again…" He said as her face slowly came into his vision, as he could remember slowly lowering her to the ground. _

"_My oh my… look at you, the last time I saw you… you were just a babe…" A light voice rang behind him, and Dominik almost jumped. _

_His eyes whirled around and when he saw the woman, her words right away tuned out of his brain, because all he could do was look at her, and his eyes widened._

"_C…Ciri?" He said, feeling his skin begin to tremble, but the woman simply laughed lightly, her laugh echoed through the balcony as she got closer to him. _

_Only a few inches away from him now she smiled and shook her head at him, "No… although from what I've seen… she's grown to look quite similar to me…. As you've done with your father… you look so much like Gregory, except for your eyes… those are Sofia's."_

_ Dominik finally cleared his brain and managed to take his first good look at the woman. She truly looked exactly like Ciri, but now that he looked closer he could tell that she was perhaps a few years older. However, just like when he had met Ciri on that balcony all those years ago, she wore a long elegant brown dress. Her long ashen hair was down to her waist as it was tied back into one long, intricate braid. Around her head she wore a beautiful silver crown, similar to the one that he used to see Ciri wear back in Cintra. Dominik thought that perhaps death had been giving him hallucinations, and the woman was lying, because when he looked into the woman's eyes they were sparkling emeralds, just like Ciri's, and when she smiled up at him, he could see the same cute upturned lip smile that she always gave him. _

_ But the woman had claimed to see him when he was a babe, and even said the names of his mother and father. Slowly he raked his brain, but it became hazy and muddled as he couldn't think of anything. The woman in front of him slowly laughed at his flustered face as she shook her head, and Dominik couldn't help but think how eerily similar her laugh was to Ciri's._

_ "Who… who are you? I didn't think I'd have anyone else here when I died," Dominik said, as he looked up to meet the woman's eyes. _

_ "Oh you're not dead my dear, not yet, and hopefully not for a while," She said with an amused tone as she took a small step back and gave him a small bow, "As for who I am well… I was hoping to not meet you properly for some time yet, but I am excited to finally do it none the less, considering you're my godson, my best-friends son… the man my daughter loves."_

_ "You… you're-," He started, feeling his mouth go dry before she slowly nodded._

_ "Yes my dear, my name is Pavetta…. Ciri's mother," She said, before taking a step forward and without thinking hugging her arms around his neck, "It… is so nice to finally meet you properly."_

_ Feeling his skin begin to tremble he scoffed and gingerly wrapped his arms around the woman. All the stories he heard about Princess Pavetta, Ciri's mother who had died out at sea came back to him. She was his father's best-friend, apparently his godmother, the mother of the woman he loved, and someone who he rarely thought about, but was always upset he never got to meet. Now there she was in front of him, telling him that he wasn't dead, and hugging him. _

_ "I…It's… good to meet you too…" He said as the woman gently pulled back and smiled at him again, slowly he shook his head and went on, "But… you said that I'm not dead… if… if I'm not, how am I-."_

_ "I would love to take the time to explain it to you my dear… however, you may not have much time here, and I do wish to speak with you more," She said in a hopeful tone, but Dominik shook his head._

_ "Not much time? What… what are you talking about?" He asked her, and Pavetta gestured for him to follow. _

_ He followed Ciri's mother over to the balcony, where she looked and pointed downwards, "I've been watching you and Ciri's journeys for some time… I am so glad that you've found such dedicated friends."_

_ Slowly he looked over the railing, and instead of the sprawling city of Cintra that he knew was normally there, he saw nothing but a large puff of white smoke, and when he narrowed his eyes to look deeper he almost screamed. _

_ "I… I'm in pretty bad shape…" He said lowly, as he saw himself on one of the cots inside Kaer Morhen. _

_ "Yes… what you did was incredibly brave… always looking after Ciri, just like Gregory always looked after me," Pavetta said fondly from next to him. _

_ No sound came from the image, but what was happening was clear. All of his friends were gathered around him. The first person he naturally turned his eyes too was Ciri, who was on her knees near his head. One of his lifeless hands were gripped tightly in hers, and when Dominik saw how badly she was shaking, all he wanted to do was hold her, and assure her he was there, and that he was okay. While Ciri was next to him, Yennefer was at the head of the cot, his mother was holding a spell above him similar to what she did for Uma to lift his curse. The spell casted blue magic around him and seemed to be some sort of stabilizer to keep him alive. Geralt stood near his bedside as well, and Dominik could see the blood on his adopted father's gloves as he stood there with his hands trembling. However, after a moment his eyes tore to the base of the bed. _

_ First he saw Triss, who along with Yennefer was casting a second spell to stabilize him, but her spell also had his leg lifted up in the air. While he was standing there, he felt his right leg tingle, the feeling of Eredin's blade piercing through the back of his thigh was worse pain them he had ever experienced. It had been a miracle he had been able to get up and stop Eredin from taking Ciri after her powers activated, but he knew that there had to be severe damage. It would have taken an expert surgeon or doctor, and incredible magic to get his leg back together, let alone to make him walk again. _

_ However, thankfully, he had two extremely powerful sorceresses tending him, and a young prodigy as his surgeon. _

_ Freya's blonde hair had been tightly tied up above her head, and while Triss kept his leg steady, Dominik watched her hands work. She moved them with such precision, and with such speed he almost thought she'd accidentally cut something else. He could see how much her body was shaking, her legs, her head and her torso, but her hands were steady, they moved in perfect motion as she seemed to be trying to put the inside of his leg back together. Her bare hands were stained with his blood, and after a moment he saw her let out a shaky breath and pull back. She put the bloody surgical equipment on a small table on the side before she took a second to breathe. However, her break was short lived when he saw her jog behind her and pull a cold rag out of a bucket of water, she rung it out and went over to another table where he saw his Uncle Vesemir. The elderly witcher quickly turned around and he saw the healing paste, the solvent that his Uncle made. Quickly Freya and the elderly witcher spread it onto some bandages before Freya took both it and the wet rag over to his unmoving body again. _

_ Dominik watched as she handed the bandages to Geralt, before reaching over and handing the rags to Ciri. Again he didn't hear any sound, but he saw as she gestured up towards Dominik's face, and that was when Ciri quickly let go of his limp hand and took a place next to Yennefer. Freya sighed and went back to his leg, but he kept his eyes on Ciri. _

_ He watched and Ciri gently took the rag and ran it down the right side of his face. His eyes widened at the massive gash now on his cheek. Biting his lip he felt a tingling run onto his face then, but it was calmed when he saw Ciri's lips moving. He couldn't tell what she was saying, but he saw small tears start to roll down her cheek, a small laugh escaped her as she cried and gently wiped the blood from his face, and seeing it made Dominik's heart fall. _

_ "Ciri…" He said lightly, as soon the image below him disappeared and Pavetta's voice rang in his ears. _

_ "She really loves you… and I know how much you love her, I must thank you for that," The woman said, and Dominik turned back to her. _

_ Letting out a sigh he shook his head, "I do… more then anything but… there isn't much you have me to thank for. I… I wasn't there for her, for so long… after I promised."_

_ The woman sighed and gently smiled as she shook her head, "You really are just like Gregory…. He was the exact same way with me, after I died… I could barely stand to look and see him with how he was."_

_ "Is it true that the two of you… once…." Dominik said slowly, as he felt his curiosity get the better of him, but at his question Pavetta laughed and smiled at him. _

_ "Were together? Oh, I remember how the rumors use to run rampant, Captain Ryland's son, and the Princess in a secret love affair," She said with a laugh, before she let out a fond breath and turned to face out the balcony, "There was a time when we were… sixteen I believe? Where I had a massive crush on him… we may have kissed once or twice, but… in the end well, it wasn't a love connection. I loved your father, more then most, but in the end… he was simply my very best friend…. Quite the opposite of you and Ciri now…"_

_ She smirked at him, and Dominik laughed lightly as he shook his head, "Well she is my best-friend too… but yeah… I… I love her, a lot… and I failed her again. She… she went through all those horrible things… all because of me."_

_ Pavetta tilted her head, "Oh… were you the one who tried to kidnap her at Aretuza?"_

_ "What? No, of course I-," He started but Pavetta cut him off by taking another step closer. _

_ "Were you the one who tossed her into an arena," The woman asked as she kept her eyes locked with him, "Were you the one who trapped her in the Aen Elle world? Or were you the one who trapped her in Stygga Castle?"_

_ "NO," Dominik said, as he let out an agitated sigh and shook his head, "But… I could have prevented it all. I… I KNEW that something would go wrong if I let her go to Aretuza. I should have done something, I-."_

_ "Your father said the same thing to me before I left to go onto that ship…" Pavetta said to cut him off as she slowly turned back, "He told me he thought something would go wrong… didn't trust Duny, he begged me to go with me, begged me for days…"_

_ "And we were both right…" Dominik said as he slowly turned out to the mountains, "We both didn't listen to our gut… and well… you died… and Ciri…"_

_ He couldn't finish the sentence; he closed his eyes and felt his skin begin to tingle. The cool breeze shot through his hair as he thought about it all. They wouldn't have even had to fight Eredin, she wouldn't have had to be on the run if he had done something. And now, he had finally been there to save her, and he had failed, she was forced to save herself again. If not for her, then they all would have died._

_ "You know… I'm the one who told your father not to come," Pavetta said, coming up next to him, and Dominik turned to see her pretty face as she sighed and went on, "I knew it was a plot…. It was all I could do to arrange for Ciri to stay in Cintra… with your father. I made him swear, that if I left, he would protect her with everything he had like he did for me."_

_ "Plot…? What are you talking about, you knew it was a trap?" He asked her in an astonished tone. _

_ Sighing Pavetta nodded, "Yes… I knew. I assume you know who Vilgefortz is… he arranged with Duny to have Ciri and I brought to Nilfgaard… so that he could use our blood."_

_ His eyes widened and he turned to her, "W…why didn't you tell my father? Or Queen Calanthe?"_

_ "If I had, then Duny would have been tipped off, figured out I knew and acted…" She said with a small shake of her head and a sigh, "It… was all I could do to arrange for Ciri to stay in Cintra, with your father and my mother. It was either me and Ciri… or just myself…. So I went with him, I confronted him on the boat, we argued… I fell overboard, and well… I never was a good swimmer."_

_ Every bit of Dominik's skin boiled in that moment. He could picture Emhyr's beady, demonic eyes, and had no trouble believing that he had used his wife as a bargaining chip for a mad sorcerer, or that he had caused her to fall overboard, effectively killing her. He regretted not putting a knife in the man's throat or blasting him through the window in Vizima in that moment. He ripped his head over and saw Pavetta looking at him and scoffed. _

_ "That bastard… I should have fucking killed him," He said curling his fist and biting his lip, "After everything he did… he deserves to die. If I was just fucking-."_

_ "You must not live your life with regret and anger my dear," Pavetta said lightly to cut him off, and Dominik's head shot back down to her. _

_ "But… but I do regret everything…" He said, feeling his heartrate begin to spike as he shook his head, "I regret not being there for Ciri when she needed me most, regret letting her go, not getting to her sooner…"_

_ Pavetta's smile just like Ciri's somehow sent a calming warmth down him. The woman gently reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder, with her smile still ever present she shook her head. _

_ "I know you do child, but there's nothing you can do to change the past. Living a life of regret, of anger and bitterness will never lead you down a good path," She said as her eyes finally stopped and met his again, "I've been watching you and Ciri's journeys…. And I've seen the change that comes in both of you by simply being together. You must stop focusing on things that you didn't do, things you can't change… and begin focusing on what you do have."_

_ "We're both together now…" He said slowly, feeling the woman's touch warm him. _

_ She had that motherly warmth that Dominik appreciated. He slowly looked and met Ciri's mother's eyes and thought about what a brave thing she had done. She more then likely knew going on that ship would result in her death, yet to save her daughter she had. And she had died, and now she was standing there telling him to focus on what he did have, she hadn't even told him to go ahead and try to kill her murderous husband. All she was focused on was he and Ciri being happy, together and happy with one another. _

_ And that was all he ever wanted as well. He thought to all the lonely nights he had in the previous eight years. He thought about the pain, the loneliness, and about how unlike himself he had felt. However, after only a few hours together with Ciri again, like Pavetta had said, he felt like an entirely new person. It had been the first time since he saw her last that he truly felt like himself again. Even when they were wading through riders of the Wild Hunt on the battlements, he had felt absolutely elated. All he wanted to do was stay with her, be around her, hear her talk, laugh, see her smile, and even the smallest smile from her warmed him to the core. She truly had been all he ever wanted, and now he finally had her back, and now that he did, nothing else mattered. _

_ He had been saying nothing else mattered but hadn't followed his own advice. If he was truly going to go back to the land of the living, and with Freya, Triss and Yen all working, he knew he would, he didn't want to focus on anything other then Ciri, their family, and the life that they were going to have after they killed Eredin, and finally had the life they always wanted. It didn't matter what he did in the past anymore, he head done horrible things, wronged people, done plenty of things he wasn't proud of, but now that he had Ciri, and she loved him, that was the only important thing. The same would go for him with Ciri. It didn't matter what she had done, what she needed to do to survive, because she was back, and she loved him, and that was all he cared about. _

_ "Yes… you are both back together again…. And I can't think of anyone else I would want by her side other then you my dear," Pavetta said, gently reaching up to touch the side of his face. She pulled back and Dominik saw a wicked smile form on her face, and again, it made her look exactly like Ciri. She laughed, "And I also must admit, Gregory and I always did have silly conversations about the two of you falling for one another when you were both born…"_

_ "You.. you did?" Dominik choked out, feeling his face get red as his hair blew in the wind. _

_ Pavetta laughed and gently nodded her head, "Oh yes, we did. The moment you both were born I joked with him about it…. But now it seems that joke has become something beautiful… thank you for loving my daughter my dear… giving her that love she deserves."_

_ "I always will… I promise…" He said gently, feeling the swallow tremble around his neck as he gingerly grabbed it. _

_ She smiled up at him one more time, and smirked again, "And well… I don't exactly think you'll get permission from her birth father but… seeing as I hope to not see you again for a very long time, I figured I'd say this now, if it means anything to you…. I couldn't think of anyone else who I would want to marry my daughter. I hope that you two make one another happy for a VERY long time…"_

_ He laughed and felt his entire body tingle, right away he rubbed the back of his head and his thoughts raced. Ciri and he together, married, he didn't know how long he'd wait to actually do it, they had much more important things to worry about. The Hunt needed to be defeated, they needed to do something about the fact Emhyr was trying to assassinate him. He also didn't know if she would want to get married, he was confident Ciri loved him, was sure of it now, but settling down in one place and being married, he didn't know how soon Ciri would want that. _

_ However, one thing that he had been sure of for the last eight years, was that when he found her, Dominik wouldn't want to spend the rest of his life with anyone other then Ciri. _

_ "I… I promise that… I'm going to protect her, protect her and love her with everything I have, I swear it to you," Dominik said, as he saw Pavetta's smile grow before he went on, "When… when I get back I… don't know if she'll believe I saw you but… do… do you want me to tell her anything?"_

_ Pavetta looked out over the balcony and let out a shaky sigh with a wide smile on her face. She placed both her hands over the balcony, and slowly looked back to him as her ashen hair blew in the wind. _

_ "Tell her… that I love her… and that I… am so… so proud of the woman she's grown into," She said, before gently turning back to him again, "And that… I'll always be watching her… and loving her."_

_ Dominik sniffled and blinked to keep a tear from falling before he nodded, "I'll tell her… thank you…. You… you're a really brave woman, I.. I wish I could have gotten to know you."_

_ "And I you my dear," She said, gently reaching around his neck she hugged him tightly again before pulling back and smiling, "You remind me so much of Gregory… I know he's proud. You have to go now, but we will meet again… one day… just make sure it isn't too soon."_

_ Before Dominik could say anything again he saw Pavetta slowly back up from him. He tried to shout out and say something else, but before he could, the white started to take over his vision again. And when he felt it, he took one final look at Princess Pavetta, the mother of the woman he loved, and thought about what she said. _

_ Now that he had Ciri back, he wouldn't lead a life of regret and anger. He would focus on what he had, and what he had was Ciri back, and his family together again. And just like he promised Pavetta, he'd love Ciri, and protect her with everything he had, and finally give them both that life they deserved. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_A small part of him expected to wake up back in Kaer Morhen, writhing in pain from his leg wound, but alive and surrounded by his friends and Ciri. However, he assumed that either Freya wasn't finished her operation and he hadn't woken up yet, or there was still more that he had to see. He wasn't in the castle of Cintra that time, however, when he felt the cold breeze run through him, and the amazing smell of pine and dirt hit his nose. The sun beat down on the back of his neck, and he felt his boots shifting. He was still only wearing his armor when he looked down, and he could also see the mud. Finally his eyes widened when he heard the gentle lapping of water behind him, and when he turned he scoffed. _

_ "The lake… and… and there's the castle," He said, as he slowly looked up he could see Cintra's castle in the distance, and the smile on his face grew. _

_ It was the same place he had his first ever training lessons with his father, where his mother would come and show him how to climb and swim. Bella and he would always come to chase frogs, rabbits, pick flowers from a meadow he knew was nearby, or just simply explore the woods. And then in the winter that they knew each other in Cintra, Ciri had first tried to teach him to skate there. It was there spot, it was his families spot, and he never thought that he would return to it. He let out a breathless laugh and looked down at his reflection in the blue water, and for a moment he saw his face, his face was clean, still not looking as if he had just been in a major battle. _

_ However, as he was looking down the scene in the water quickly shifted. His eyes widened when just like before over the balcony, he saw inside of Kaer Morhen. _

_ "Ciri… I'm okay… it's not your fault," He said gently when he saw her eyes. _

_ He was still laying on a cot just inside the main hall, and it seemed that his surgery from Freya was over. Ciri was still by his side, on her knees next to him she held onto his hand and leaned over him, her eyes didn't come off his face, and Dominik could see she was crying. Her eyes were puffy, and he could see her lightly muttering more words to him. Ciri very rarely cried, even when they were younger it was an extremely rare occurrence. So many bad things had happened to Ciri and he both, that it took a lot for them to be brought to tears. Something like this happening to the other however, was certainly enough. She wasn't crying anymore, but her cheeks were puffy, and he could tell that she hadn't slept in quite some time. Thankfully she was alone however, because Yennefer was still by his side as well. His adopted mother was still holding her spell, but after a few moments he saw Triss. The red-headed sorceress came and exchanged a few words with Yen and Ciri both, he saw Ciri fiercely shake her head, but Yennefer reluctantly nodded, and after kissing Ciri's head and Dominik's, she left from view._

_ Dominik assumed she was going to get some much-needed sleep, so Triss quickly casted what seemed to be the same spell, while Ciri's head went to rest on his chest. All around him in the vision he could see a few people sleeping. Geralt was slumping up sleeping against a bookcase, and on a cot a few meters away from him Dominik saw Freya. His friend was curled up on the cot, and Dominik saw her chest slowly rising and falling as she slept. He felt his heart fall when he saw Freya's blood-stained hands and realized by the sun not shining through the windows, that she must have been operating on him for hours. That was six times now that Freya Kaminski of Ellander had saved his life, so he would have to make it a point to do something for her when he woke up. _

_ Quickly however his eyes turned back to Ciri. She yawned loudly and seemed to exchange a few words with Triss. He watched her nod, and gently Ciri reached up and got closer to his face. With her hands trembling she pulled back the bandage that had been placed on the right side of his cheek. Ciri coughed as she did, and Dominik winced himself when he saw the still raw, bloody gash in his cheek. The wound wasn't wide, but it was deep, and Dominik could see that whatever paste and healing solvent Vesemir had made, it was working, but now, just like Ciri and Geralt Dominik was going to be scarred, he knew a wound like that didn't go away. After the bandage was off his face, Ciri shakily got up to her knees and went over to the table he had seen Freya at earlier. With her hands trembling she unwrapped a new bandage and applied the medicine to it, and with her legs shaking as much as her hands she returned to his side. Gently she reapplied the bandage around across his cheek before he saw her gently reach up and peck his lips. She let out a shaky sigh and said a few words to him before grabbing his hand and resting her head on his chest again. _

_ "Well… looks like I really am a member of the face scar club now…" Dominik muttered as the wind from the lake whipped through his hair. _

_ A laugh came from behind him followed by a light voice, "Haha… I'm sure the princess will find it extremely handsome."_

_ Never in his life had his entire body started to tremble so quickly. Every single cell in his body ran cold, and then a bolt of adrenaline shot through him. The voice, he recognized it, he still recognized it after eleven years, after so long, it still sent warmth down his chest, still made him feel love wash over him even after so long. He never thought he'd hear it again, so when he did in that moment he felt his knees almost buckle as he turned around. No, there was no possible way, even in whatever sort of limbo he was in, it couldn't be her. He refused to have any sort of hope it was her, so he simply stood there, feeling his blood run faster then it had in years. _

_ "No…no…no I… I won't-," He started as he felt the tears well up quickly in his eyes. _

_ However, when her hand touched his shoulder, he felt the electricity run down his spine, and he had to turn around. _

_ "It's me…. It's me son…" She said gently, and when Dominik turned around it felt as if his body had completely fallen out from under him. _

_ He sobbed, and finally he looked and met her eyes, "M…mother…."_

_ "You've gotten so big… gods you're just as handsome as your father," Sofia of Cintra said, and when Dominik saw her smile he melted. _

_ "Mother…. Mother…." He cried, and he had never felt his limbs tingle so much as he slammed into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. _

_ "Oh… I missed you my boy… You and your sister both… I missed you so… so much," She said, as Dominik felt her arms go around his neck, and that was when he started to sob. _

_ He hadn't even felt tears like that fall when he found Ciri on the Isle of Mists. He pulled his mother as close to him as was humanly possible, and he cried when he felt her hold him close to her, her hand going through his hair. He was just as tall as her now, but he right away felt like he was a young child again as he cried. He cried and felt his knees almost give out, Sofia had to lift him back up, and when he heard his mother laugh he felt himself sob again. _

_ "I… missed you…. I miss you every day…. Mother…" He choked out, as all he could think about was how much he had missed her, how she died for him, and how all he had wanted was just one more word with her. _

_ She laughed and squeezed tighter as she pulled him closer to her, "I miss you every day too…. Dominik… gods you're huge…. I missed you so much… son…"_

_ When she pulled back Dominik right away sobbed again, he used his gloved hand to wipe his nose and eyes and pulled back to finally get a good look at his mother, and when he did he felt himself sob again as he didn't dare let go of her. _

_ Her long blonde hair fell down over her shoulders, and her eyes, her sparkling green eyes that he had inherited beamed up at him with pride. She was wearing black studded trousers, and a white cotton top, along with brown boots and hunting gloves like she normally had. The only time he had ever seen his mother in a dress was when his father and she went to one of the balls in the palace, it had been one of the few the Queen had let his father take the night off from. However, other then that she always was ready to travel, to climb a tree, to fight. However, despite all of this his mother was beautiful, her kind, loving, reassuring eyes couldn't stop looking at him. They were the same height now, and he could remember back when he was barely able to stand up to her waist. _

_ Letting out a shaky breath he slowly shook his head at her, "M…mother, I… I'm sorry that… that I didn't get Bella-."_

_ "Shh… it's not your fault, it's never been your fault," She said to him, gently she looked up and held a hand to his face, "I would give my life willingly for the two of you a hundred times over… and now that I see the man you've grown into… I'm glad that I did."_

_ "But… but you died… you… you, father, Bella all of you…. I… I lost you all. I miss you all, so… so much every day," He choked out, burying his head into his mother's shoulders again. _

_ Gently she squeezed him again before pulling back, she smiled up at her again and shook her head at him, "And we miss you everyday as well. We'll always love you… but you must forgive yourself Dominik… you must… for everything."_

_ He let out another shaky breath and finally, reluctantly let go of his mother. Quickly he sniffled and wiped his gloved hand under his eyes. He did blame himself; he didn't care if he was only eleven, he didn't care if there was absolutely nothing he could have done. Every single day he blamed himself, for Bella's death even more then his mother and father's. He should have gotten his sister out, he shouldn't have let her run, he should have done something, anything more, anything more to help them. _

_ And then of course there was Ciri, everything that happened to her. He had sworn to protect her, but for years she had to defend herself, and for so long he had known it was his fault. His fault for not stopping her from going to Aretuza, and then for not doing more when he searched. He had been angry at himself for not going with Geralt after the Bounty Hunter attacked him, for not going with Yennefer after they had cured the striga's curse. For so, so much more he had been so, so angry with himself. To that very day he had been so angry with himself, angry that he had let so much happen, let the one's he loved be hurt so much. _

_ Looking up he met his mother's eyes, "I… I should have done something mother. I… I should have gotten Bella out, I… I should have stopped Ciri from going to Aretuza, I should have went with Geralt and Yen I-."_

_ "Dominik my son… you MUST let go of this," His mother said to him, gently reaching to hold his face and look deep into his eyes, "If you carry on blaming yourself for everything, not being able to forgive yourself, forgive the mistakes you made whether they're your fault or not… there's no chance that you'll be able to finish this quest."_

_ "Wh…what do you mean?" He asked her, feeling his heart begin to drop. _

_ She smiled at him and shook her head, "You must realize, that there are some things that are out of your control. Dominik, darling… you couldn't control what happened at Cintra…. You couldn't control what happened to Ciri at Aretuza or afterwards. But do you know what you can control? You can control what you do now… what you do in the future."_

_ His heart began to race, he looked down and still could hardly believe that his mother was in front of him. She smiled at him, she wasn't angry, she wasn't bitter, just like she had been in life she was full of joy, life, and her words washed over him with warmth and reassurance. Biting his bottom lip he thought about what she was saying, forgive himself, forgive himself for what happened. There had been moments when he was alone, moments where he thought that he should end it, end it all because there was simply no way he could redeem himself for all he had done. He saw both his mother and Bella being shot, imagined Ciri on the run after Aretuza, and thought about all he had wanted to do. _

_ Slowly he shook his head, "Mother I… I can't fail again. If… if I fail, then Ciri she… she'll die. And Geralt, Yen, I… I can't lose them all. I… I can't let down another family."_

_ "Son, you didn't let any of us down," She said gently, and she kept her smile trained on him as she shook her head, "Your father and I… we are so proud, so proud of everything you've done. We miss you every day… but we are so happy you found another family. Geralt and Yennefer… they've taken good care of you, and we are beyond thankful… they've raised you into the brilliant young man you are."_

_ Scoffing he shook his head, "If not for them I'd be dead a hundred times over. If not for them Ciri would still be missing or dead, I… I've done nothing but be a bratty kid. Even just now… I didn't do anything except get my ass kicked by Eredin."_

_ His mother laughed and completely shifted the mood. Dominik narrowed his eyes at her, his mother laughed from her gut and shook her head. She smiled broadly up at him and met his eyes once again. _

_ "You don't seriously think that Dominik do you? You're the youngest witcher ever to travel the path," She started, smiling wider as she held another hand up to her face, "How many men do you know, who would search eight years for the woman they loved? Searched for them with no way at all of knowing if she was alive? I could go on for hours listing the people you've saved, the monsters and evil men you've slain. And yes, Eredin may have gotten the best of you this time… but you still have plenty of room to grow my boy, and now with Ciri by your side…. Well, what did I always tell you about the two of you?"_

_ Slowly he looked down at the swallow around his neck, "That… we all have a destiny. And… that Ciri's and I's are interlocked. That… we're going to do great things together."_

_ "Exactly," His mother said, and gently she reached a hand to hold his face again, "The two of you both… you've already accomplished so much. You may still have a ways to go… but this time, you'll have each other. And you know who else you have? Geralt, Yennefer, your friends. You don't have to do everything by yourself Dominik."_

_ A small smile managed to come to his face. Geralt and Yennefer, the two parents that had taken him in, cared and loved him like he was their own. His friends, George, who had been one of the first to leap to his side and join the defense. Faram, who had fought Baelen, and protected Yennefer, his best-friend. Freya, who was currently sleeping after performing hours' worth of surgery on him so that he could walk again after he woke up. Then of course all the defenders who had come to his aid, they hadn't given it a second thought before coming to fight with him. Something he knew from a young age, was that on the continent, a true, good friend was hard to come by, and Dominik now had a whole hansa, a group that he trusted with his life. _

_ 'You don't have to do everything by yourself'. For so long like his mother had said, he blamed himself for everything, tried to fix everything by himself, it had been so most of his friends wouldn't be hurt, but if they were really going to beat the Hunt, if he was really going to be able to give Ciri the life she deserved, then he was going to need to rely on them. He would have died for any of them, and knew they would for him, but like his mother said, it was time for him to realize that he didn't need to shoulder the entire workload. He and Ciri both, they needed to use what they had, and realize that their friends were their greatest weapons, the best chance they had to defeat the Hunt. _

_ "Geralt and Yennefer… your father and I are so thankful to the both of them," Sofia said lightly and Dominik turned his head back to her as she went on, "They've given you a new family… and helped raise you into the man you've become… I'm so, so proud of you…"_

_ When his mother's hand touched his cheek, her cold hands sent tingles down his chest. He looked up at her once more, and from the tone in her voice he could tell that his time there with her was coming to an end. Quickly, he reached out and hugged her again, feeling his eyes begin to well up he squeezed her with everything he could. He didn't want to leave, in that moment he wanted to stay there, stay there with is mother. Every single day he missed her, thought about her, thought about seeing her die for him in the bloody streets. He could remember the years of nightmares he had, seeing her take down soldier after soldier, all to make sure he and Bella got out. He would hear her calling for him to get Bella through the pipe, but Bella had raced from his arms, and in a blink he had lost both his mother and his sister. _

_ He remembered all the days they spent at that very lake they were at now. She would scale the trees in minutes, before sitting up on the branches, yelling instructions down at him as he climbed. At first he would struggle, but he would never forget how happy he felt when he finally reached her on the branch she had gotten up too. That look she gave him, that prideful look and smile she gave him as he sat next to her. After he had finally got there he would sit in the branches with her, and she'd sing to him, or they'd recite lines from the mummings they had recently seen as they looked out over the lake and at the castle. He could remember going to those mummings, Bella and his father would always roll their eyes and tease them, but his mother and he would always go and eagerly watch the plays. _

_ His mother had always told him that her own mother before she died, and her grandmother had come from mummers, so as a child Sofia had naturally loved the theater. Dominik could remember coming home late with his mother, when he was younger she'd carry him into bed, sometimes Bella would still be awake, and she'd sing for them until they fell asleep. And then after he had met Ciri, his mother would tease him relentlessly, giving him tips on how to impress the young princess, and telling him how their destinies were intertwined. Sofia of Cintra was a hero, his mother was a hero, not only his hero, but a hero to everyone around her. She had been possibly the most amazing woman Dominik had ever known, and in that moment he didn't want to leave her, the thought of leaving her in that moment terrified him. _

_ All he wanted was to have his mother hold him, and for as long as possible not feel like an adult anymore. He wanted to feel like a young child again, being held by his mother._

_ "I…. I… I don't want to leave…. I don't want to leave you… not again," He cried into her shoulder, and his mother gently squeezed him again as he cried on, "I… I just want you back… Bella… father… you… I… I miss you all so… so much… I… I don't want to lose you again…."_

_ He started sobbing yet again, he felt the tears begin to stream down his cheeks. He felt his heart ready to burst out of his chest, it was his mother, that was all he could think. For so long he had missed her, and he didn't care if she was real, or if it was just the fact he was in whatever limbo he was in, he didn't want to let go of her in that moment. All he kept seeing was her being slain, the arrow going through her eye as he and Bella watched. And then all the years where the nightmares came back to him, all the horrible nightmares, it all came flooding back. _

_ However, just like Yennefer's did now, and just like back when he was a child, when his mother smiled at him, all of his doubts started to fade away. She kept one of her arms wrapped around his neck, and the other gently touched his face, and her touched sent the warm, calming feeling slowly, pleasantly flowing down his chest. _

_ "Dominik… my son… you never lost us, never… me… your father… Bella… we'll always be here with you… always. We've been watching you this whole time… and we aren't going to stop," She said lightly as she shook her head, "Your father and I… you and Bella both… you are our pride and joy, no matter what happens… we will love you both."_

_ "But…. I… I don't want to leave now. Mother I… I miss you… I miss you so much… please… I need you… I need you and father…." He pleaded as he slowly pulled back from her. _

_ Sofia slowly shook her head, "You haven't needed us my son, for a very long time. Even with that being the case… remember… the one's we love never really leave us. Your father and I, we'll always be with you…. Besides… you know as well as I do… there's someone out there right now, who needs you, who needs you more than anything right now."_

_ Gently she reached out and touched the swallow around his neck and showed it to him, "Ciri… she needs you Dominik, just like you need her. Me, your father, Pavetta… we'll all always be there for you. And when the times comes… we will see each other again."_

_ Slowly he looked down at the swallow himself. The image of Ciri, her puffy, red, tired eyes as she sat next to him, reapplying his bandages, and dressing his wounds all flashed in his mind. She needed him, and despite how happy he was to see his mother, how much he loved her in that moment, his desire to wrap his arms around Ciri, to tell her he was okay, it outweighed everything for him. _

_ He looked up and met his mother's eyes again, he let out a shaky breath and hugged her, pulling her and squeezing her as tight as he could again, one last time, until one day when they met again. _

_ "I love you… I love you and… I… I'm going to miss you… so much…." He said as he squeezed, he felt the tears well down his cheek again, falling onto her shoulder. _

_ Her arms squeezed around him, and he did everything he could to cherish that feeling, the feeling of her arms around him. _

_ And regrettably, she pulled back from him, and when she smiled he took in every single detail of her face, her smile, his mother. _

_ "And I love you too… go now, and remember… I am prouder of you then you'll ever know…. Remember… I'll always be here…. I can't wait to hear about everything you've accomplished… when I see you again…" She said, and as she spoke he could see her take a step back, and soon the white vision came. _

_ For so long he had been dreaming of seeing his mother, hearing her speak to him, hear what she thought about what he had done. And finally he had that, but the tears still streamed down his face as he saw his mother's face fade away into white. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_When his vision returned to him, the first thing he saw was the great white door. He blinked and when he looked up, it was as if where a set of great oaken doors should be_ _there was nothing but the churning white portal. His eyes stayed glued on the portal after his vision slowly returned. A cold howling sound shot through his ears, and for a moment he turned around. After he saw what was behind him he felt himself freeze. It was indeed another place that he recognized, and another small scoff left him as he took a few echoing steps into the room. Looking up he saw the elegant pillars, the suits of armor, the weapons on the wall, the beautiful stain glass windows from which a beautiful orange glow casted through. The sun from the windows shine the orange light further into the room, and soon Dominik felt his heart rise again when he saw it. _

_ The throne, the throne of Cintra, along with a pedestal next to it, a silver crown, the crown of Cintra's king or queen next to it. And then hanging above was the banner again, the light blue field with the three golden lions. In his last dream of the throne room, it ended with the windows being broken, and the golden sun of Nilfgaard being put up in its place. However, in that moment he felt at peace. He could remember how on a few occasions after he had met Ciri, his father had taken him to the throne room, and he'd watch him perform knighting ceremonies with Queen Calanthe. Much to the Queen and his father's ire and amusement, he'd stand in the crowd and make faces at Ciri to make her laugh. They were some of the greatest moments of his life, it was all such a simpler time, when they thought that their futures were set. Ciri would become Queen, Dominik would be her guard captain, and together they would continue to make Cintra the envy of the Northern Kingdoms. _

_ However, as great as that would have been, Dominik knew that while he could look back on the time fondly, he had to accept it wouldn't happen, and make the best of what he had now. And now, Ciri was waiting for him, and when he turned back to the white portal, where the great doors to exit the throne room were supposed to be, he saw her. _

_ Just like in the previous two visions, he saw himself laying on the cot inside the keep. Ciri still didn't seem to have fallen asleep yet. She was looking down on him, gently stroking the back of his hands as she sat next to him. To his relief she seemed to have gotten herself a chair as opposed to sitting on her knees on the cold stone floor. She was still leaning over him however, she stroked his hand, she'd utter a few words to him on occasion, but not once did her eyes leave him. _

_ Over his right eye a new bandage was placed, but Dominik could see how red, purple and bruised his face was. His eyes trailed down to his leg, and another large wrap was around it. On a small table next to his cot he saw the bloody surgical equipment. For a moment his eyes drifted over and he saw Freya still completely passed out, and from the windows he could see it had to be the dead of night, almost a full day since the battle had finished. He aimlessly wondered if anyone had left yet, and if anyone else had fallen during the dragon's attack. He decided to worry when he woke up however, because his eyes went back to his unconscious body. Around him he saw the blue stabilizing spell still active, and he looked up to the head of his cot, expecting to see Yennefer or Triss, however he scoffed in surprise when he saw neither. _

_ He could see Yennefer passed out sleeping next to Geralt as they lay back against an old bookshelf, while Triss had taken a place on a cot nearby to rest. Kiera Metz was the one standing above his bed casting the spell, and Dominik laughed lightly, as he felt his appreciation for the blonde sorceress rise. Slowly his eyes fell back to Ciri, and he bit his lip when he saw the state of her again. Her eyes were droopy, she was clearly exhausted, he knew that she must not have slept since she woke up on the Isle of Mists. That was almost two whole days previous at that point, using her powers drained her, the fighting drained her, crying so much over him had drained her, yet still she was there, sitting over his bed side, she hadn't left, just like she promised. _

_ "And I thought it was hard to seperate you both as children… glad to see some things still haven't changed… gods the both of you are grown… I can hardly believe it," The voice rang in his ears, and Dominik scoffed a breath as he felt the smile coming to his face. _

_ The clunking of armor, the deep voice, when he saw his mother, a small part of him had hoped that he would see him. However, even though he had been hoping for it, every bit of his body tingled, and when he turned around, finally, one of his wishes had come true, and even though he had just spent so much time crying when he saw his mother, he couldn't stop the tears from falling again when he saw his father. _

_ "Father… I… I…." He said, as he heard the clunking get closer, and when he finally turned, he saw his father's smile. _

_ A deep laugh escaped Sir Gregory, and Dominik felt his father's massive hand clamp onto his shoulder, "Hello my boy…gods… you really do look just like I did at that age… less of a beard though."_

_ Dominik sobbed, and threw himself into his father, he didn't care that he was wearing armor, he wrapped his arms around the man, his hero, Cintra's hero, Ciri's hero, his father. Gregory laughed, and soon Dominik felt the strong arms wrap around him, and it only made him sob more. The whooshing of the portal, the cool breeze that flew through the throne room rippled through his hair, and he heard his father heartily laugh above it all. _

_ "Gods my boy… you're huge, you and Ciri both! And by the gods did the two of you kick arse in that battle, Wild Hunt didn't know what hit them, never been prouder in my fucking life!" The man said, and Dominik could only scoff out a laugh as he pulled back. _

_ Just like his mother, Dominik's father looked exactly as he remembered when he last saw him. Sir Gregory was tall and strong, his father just like him had a head of messy and unruly brown hair, his face was angular and chiseled with a strong jaw, and Dominik could see how so many people were saying that he was looking more and more like him by the day. The only real thing that distinguished his father from him, other then their height difference, and the face his father had a beard of brown hair, was their eyes. His fathers were a kind, welcoming brown color, while as he remembered Pavetta saying earlier, Dominik had inherited his mother's eyes. _

_ And just like Dominik also remembered, his father was dressed in his armor. The beautiful white armor, the three lions of Cintra implanted onto the metal, while at his hip was a steel longsword, and Dominik for a moment wished his own blades were on his back so that he could show his father. However, when he pulled back and wiped the tears, all he could do was sob out a laugh as he looked up at him. _

_ "You… you were watching?" He asked his father. _

_ Gregory scoffed, "HA, of course I was! Like a whirlwind you are my boy, Ciri as well, gods I've never seen two people fight more perfectly together. Seems like Geralt took your training up a few notches."_

_ Dominik sniffled and wiped his glove under his nose again and shook his head, "He did yeah… but if you were watching you also saw me get my ass kicked by Eredin…"_

_ His father reached out a hand and placed it on his shoulder again before looking into his eyes, "You didn't get your ass kicked…. You were protecting Ciri… just like you always have… just like you swore to me you would lad…and I couldn't be prouder of you for it."_

_ Biting his lip, Dominik felt his skin begin to crawl. He would never forget that moment, his father's last moments in the world. With his last breath, his father had made him swear to go and find Ciri, to find Ciri, and to protect her with everything he had. He protected Ciri because he loved her of course, but also because he always wished to keep that last promise to his father. But of course, he hadn't done that for long. _

_ Sighing he slowly shook his head, "I… I tried…. Father for… for so long I couldn't keep my promise. Ciri she… she had to protect herself I wasn't there I-."_

_ "Easy, easy lad," His father said, smiling and shaking his head before he could go on, "I know for a fact now that just like I did… you had that talk with Crach, and I know your mother and Pavetta must have told you something similar before this… but you must put the past behind you."_

_ "I've been told that a lot…." Dominik said, feeling himself sigh again he shook his head, "I… I've been trying. But… everything just keeps coming back, I.. I think about all she went through… how I could have prevented it all."_

_ "I know you do my boy… I've seen you struggling with it," His father said, and the man let out a sigh before meeting his eyes again, "But let me ask you this… do you love Ciri?"_

_ "Of course I do," He said right away, as his head shot back up to his father's eyes, "I love her more then anything, all I've done it… it's been to get back to her."_

_ His father smirked and nodded, "Yes… and I'd ask if Ciri loves you but… all I have to do is look at her in that image and I know the answer. Besides, I've known she has since she was a girl."_

_ He turned around slightly back to the swirling white portal after he saw his father looking at it. In the glowing white he saw Ciri again, and he saw himself still laying motionless on the cot. Kiera's spell was still working, and now Ciri had moved from his bed side. She didn't move far however, because now she was at his leg. As Kiera's spell kept his leg lifted, Ciri carefully unwrapped the bandage around his leg, before gently wrapping a new one around it. The whole time he saw her talking to him talking him despite the fact he was unresponsive. However, he could see his chest ever so slightly rising and falling, so whatever spell the sorceresses had been using, whatever potions Vesemir had prepared, and Freya's treatments must have kept him alive. _

_ It was clearly the middle of the night, everyone else around her was asleep except for Kiera, who looked almost ready to switch out with Triss or Yen again. Ciri however, didn't even seem to be blinking as she tied the bandages around his legs and returned to his side. She sat back down in her chair and grabbed his hand again, she brought his hand up and kissed it, before she leaned over and rested her head on his chest again. They had somehow gotten his armor off, so he wore the white top that he had on under, it was caked with sweat and dried blood but Ciri didn't care. She rested her head against him and looked up at his face. She had taken off her corset, her gloves, and she had let her hair down again to feel more comfortable. Her silk white top went down to her mid-drift, and Dominik saw the bandages on her as well. He remembered the wound Baelen had given her, and knew she had to be in pain, needed sleep and rest. _

_ But she was by his side still because she loved him, and every part of him just wanted her to rest. _

_ "I don't deserve her… not after not being there for so long," Dominik muttered, and right away his father laughed. _

_ Gregory stepped next to him, and shook his head, "My boy, I don't think she cares what you think you deserve. She loves you, and you love her. You're back with one another now… that is all that matters."_

_ Scoffing again he shook his own head, "I've had to do some pretty horrible things to get to this point…"_

_ "Yes… but it was all to get back to her, to protect her," His father said as he turned to face him again, "And she's had to do horrible things as well…. But now that you have each other… you love each other… that's all that matters."_

_ It was all that mattered. He thought back to the people he had threatened, killed, the things he had to do for even one lead. He remembered the Battle of Brenna, Rivia, everything that he had done. Ciri he knew as well had to do horrible things, things she wasn't proud of just like he had. He knew sometime soon, they'd need to sit down with one another, and talk about what they had both done, tell one another about their journeys. They swore they'd never hide or keep things from each other, and Dominik didn't plan on breaking that promise. He didn't know what she had to do specifically, and a part of him was afraid of what he would hear._

_ However, like his father said, through it all they had been trying to get back to one another, and they finally had. Now, it was time for them to start their true journey. _

_ "I'm so… so proud of you my boy," His father said making Dominik look back up at him. With a sigh his father laughed lightly and shook his head, "Ha… I've been watching since I died…. I… I'm so glad that you've found another family… found that happiness."_

_ "I… I still miss you… you… mother… Bella… every day I miss you…" He said as he felt the tears start to well again. _

_ His father slowly nodded and smiled down at him, "And I miss you everyday too my son… but your journey.. it is far, far from over. You still have great things to do, you and Ciri both."_

_ "I wish you could be there… she… she'd be so happy to see you," Dominik said slowly as he bit his lip. _

_ Gregory laughed lightly and nodded, he fondly looked back at the portal, and at Ciri by his bedside. _

_ "Aye, and I miss that girl too… she's been through much… the both of you have," His father said, before slowly turning back to him, "But through it all… you're at each other's sides, just like it was always meant to be…. Cherish her my boy… never let her go… she's not just the love of your life… she's your destiny."_

_ He felt the swallow tremble around his neck, and he let out a small laugh. In his cheeks he could feel the heat rising. For so long he had been told Ciri was his destiny, and every single time he had believed it. When he looked at her, had her near him, he felt complete, and it was what he missed the most in those eight years apart from her. That feeling of completeness she gave him, that sense of love, and security. Security in knowing that the one person in the world, the one person that made everything worth it was there, and she'd always be there. And now, after he woke up, after he had healed, with her by his side was the start of their great journey with one another. _

_ The smile stayed on his face for a moment, but he nervously bit his lip when he looked up at his father. _

_ "Father I… I don't know how we're going to beat Eredin," He said, looking up nervously at his father as he went on, "I know you won't agree but…he did beat me pretty bad. I… just don't know if I'm strong enough."_

_ Again his father looked down at him. Gregory sighed and kept a smile on his face, he put both hands on Dominik's shoulders. In his father's eyes Dominik saw the confidence, the pride welling up. When he was younger, when he did something impressive, or accomplished something, he would never forget the prideful look his father would get. He would ruffle Dominik's hair and smirk at him, and the look would make Dominik feel prouder then anything. It was something he always strove for, to get that look on his father's face. _

_ In that moment Gregory smirked and met his eyes, "You are strong enough my boy. I know for a fact, that after you wake up, you're going to train more and more. And most importantly, you aren't going to stop, not until you know Ciri is safe."_

_ "Of course I won't," Dominik said quickly as he shook his head, "Eredin's been chasing her for years. The Hunt's been chasing her for years. We're going to kill them, together, and then… and then we'll finally get to fucking be together…."_

_ And just like he was a young boy again his father smiled broadly down at him. He took on of his massive gauntleted hands and ruffled Dominik's brown hair, and Dominik scoffed, feeling his heart warm he looked up and met his father's eyes and Sir Gregory nodded. _

_ "You will… I know you will… and just like your mother I know told you… always remember my boy… we're with you," His father said, sliding his hand back to Dominik's shoulder he smirked again, "We've always been with you… through everything. And we love you with everything we have… we'll never leave you."_

_ His heartbeat started to get slower, but with every beat Dominik felt his eyes well again. He normally didn't like crying in front of his father when he was younger, but in that moment he didn't care. He reached out and wrapped his arms around his father, and for a few moments he really did feel like a boy again. In his life, Ciri and he both had to become adults well before they should have had too. For so long they lived like they were years older then they were, at sixteen Dominik had been on the road by himself, living a witchers life well before he should have had too. He went from village to village starving, he had to steal, threaten people, cheat people, all to survive. And then as the years went on it got slightly easier, but as he got stronger, so did some of the horrible things he had to do. _

_ And Ciri, while he didn't know exactly what she had to do, he knew what she went through had made his journey look like child's play. After so, so long of being forced to be an adult, to live well beyond his years, Dominik was content for a moment to feel like a child, a child hugging into his father's arms, overjoyed with how proud of him he was. _

_ "I… I love you… I… I'm going to miss you… you… mother… I'm going to miss you every day… and… and I know Ciri does too," He said, as he let out a shaky breath and stepped back, looking up at his father, he couldn't help but sob once more at the proud look he had. _

_ "No tears my boy… no tears… because this isn't goodbye for good," His father said, and as his hand gently left Dom's shoulder the smile on his face only grew, "We'll see each other again…. Just always remember how proud I am of you… really… really damn proud."_

_ Dominik sobbed again and slowly nodded as his father was a few meters away from him now, and he could feel his head starting to tingle. Slowly he looked up and met his father's eyes. For so long he had wondered what his father would have thought of his deeds, what he had managed to accomplish, what he hadn't done and hadn't done. Hearing his father's voice, seeing that smile he always used to give him, the proud look, feeling his hair ruffled, he had loved every single part of it. A small part of him wanted to find a way to stay there, stay with his mother and father. _

_ However, his desire to hold Ciri in that moment was even greater then anything. _

_ "I… I asked Pavetta too. She… she may not believe I saw you but, do… you want me to tell Ciri you said anything?" He asked his father, as Dominik felt the buzzing in his head get louder. _

_ His father again smiled broadly at him and slowly nodded, "Aye.. tell her Gregory's proud… damn proud… and I love her, I love her like my own daughter, always did… and I always will."_

_ Dominik nodded slowly, and he started to hear a whooshing in his ears. The buzzing in his head started to get incessant, and soon he realized what was happening. He whirled back around to the door, to the portal, and looked at the scene. Ciri looked like she was about to fall asleep on his chest, while Kiera had switched out with Yennefer again to keep the stabilizing spell active around him. Yen and Ciri spoke, and he saw Ciri again fervently shake her head, and quickly turned down to him. Ciri started speaking to him, but Dominik could see her fighting back the fatigue. And as he looked down at how she was, how tired, how drained she was, his desire to hold her, to make her feel better shot through the roof. _

_ "Go on my boy, she needs you now," His father's voice said, and Dominik turned around just as the man spoke again, "Remember, you'll always have one another… no matter what. And one day… we'll all be waiting for you… just don't make it too soon."_

_ When Dominik turned around he saw all three of them. His father stood in the middle, his arm around his mother's waist, while Pavetta stood with a large smile on her face on his opposite side. Ciri's mother smiled once more and waved to him, before nodding her head towards the portal. He watched his mother give him another loving smile, before mouthing the words 'I love you', to him, and then Dominik's eyes finally fell on his father. _

_ Sir Gregory smiled broadly and nodded once more at him, "We'll always be with you my boy… always… we love you…."_

_ "I love you all too… thank you…" He said lightly, as slowly he felt the buzzing become even more incessant and finally it was when he turned back around to the portal. _

_ His eyes slowly looked up and found Ciri, she was still by his side, her hand hadn't left his as she was fervently shaking her head at Yen. And all Dominik needed to do was see her eyes, the pain, tired look in her eyes, and it was motivation enough for him to move forward. _

_ So he walked into the white, back towards his destiny and little did he know waking up from being dead, hurt a hell of a lot more then dying. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ciri… Ciri darling you must get some sleep," Yen insisted to her as she held the spell, but Ciri quickly shook her head.

"Not a chance… not… not until he wakes up," Ciri said, as she could feel the battle to close her eyes raging.

Her mother sighed and shook her head, "Freya says the most dangerous part has passed, he'll be alright my dear. He just needs rest… and so do you, you've been through a lot, you need sleep."

"I slept for fucking days on that island Yen… I can stay up for a little longer. I have to be by his side when he wakes I… I need to see that he's okay," Ciri said as she felt her breath begin to shake.

Freya had told them that she managed to fix his leg. The blonde had told them after hours of operating, digging around with the equipment in his leg, that one of Dominik's tendons had been completely severed, but she was able to sew it back together. She had informed Ciri and everyone else, that if it weren't for the fact they had magic on hand to strengthen it back to how it had been before, that he would have had a limp for the rest of his life. Despite the fact it had turned out alright, Ciri couldn't get the thought out of her head. Dominik had almost lost his ability to walk, to be a witcher, to do all the things that he loved doing, and do all the things they wanted to do together.

All because he had fought to protect her, because she was there… because of Eredin.

They had almost taken him from her, and every time she looked up at his unconscious face, saw that red, festering wound on his cheek, it gave her the horrible visions. She saw Eredin's blade stabbing into his leg before it spun around and raked across his face. All while she hadn't done a thing to help him. She let the ice trap her, didn't get up once to help him during the whole fight, and then when she was finally free, she didn't have the strength to move. Geralt had told her that she saved them, but whether that was true or not, Dominik was now almost dead because she couldn't do anything. All because Eredin wanted her, because for so long she had been running, hiding, being chased instead of taking the fight to them. That was going to change, she wouldn't let them get away with what they had done to him, almost done to everyone at that fortress.

Yen sighed above her, and her mother lightly shook her head, but when she spoke, Ciri heard a much lighter tone to her voice.

"So… he told me before the battle started, that the two of you have a date planned for today…" She asked as the magic continued to churn and whirl in her hands, and then around his body.

She managed to pull her head up, and her heart started to lightly flutter. A small laugh left her, and she could hear his excited voice in her head. _"We have a date tomorrow; you know how long I've been waiting for one of those? I wouldn't miss it for the world." "I love you. Everything will be alright, I promise." "See you out there princess." _Just like he always had, he was worried about her above everything else. It was something she hated but loved immensely at the same time. She hated it because it would often lead him to not worrying as much about himself, but… she loved it because it showed the depths of how much he loved her, and she always did everything she could to show him how much she loved him back just as fiercely.

A small laugh left her as she looked up at Yen, moving her long locks of hair out of her face she slowly nodded, "Yeah… we… we were supposed to have dinner together, he… he was going to read me some of the lines from the play he put on in Novigrad…"

Yen smirked, "He was so excited for it, I could tell…. All he's wanted, all he's talked about this last month was getting to see you again. In the last few hours that he's had you back… I've never seen him happier."

Ciri sighed and bit her lip as her gaze returned to his face, "Yes… and now he's barely alive, and was almost killed… all because of me…"

"Ciri darling… it wasn't your fault," Yen pleaded to her with a shake of her head, "He was protecting you, just like he always has-."

"It's not a one sided promise Yen," Ciri snapped, feeling her eyes well up she leaned closer to his head, and took in the sight of his closed eyes before sighing, "We… we're supposed to protect each-other, not one way around and… and I let him almost die."

She saw it all flash in her eyes again. Herself just barely breaking out of the ice, the eruption of fire and ice, Eredin's blade cutting across his face. It all flashed in her vision, and Ciri felt herself shudder from it, and the cold draft that ran through the keep. Her ashen hair fell down around her shoulders, and the draft sent a chill through her mid-drift where she had removed her corset. She felt a soreness in her flat, toned, and scarred stomach, the wound where Baelen's blade had cut her ached. Freya, after she had finished fixing Dom's leg had made her a solvent as well, and it pleasantly cooled Ciri's stomach, but the soreness stayed ever present. Yen and Triss both had offered to take her to use magic to speed up the process, but Ciri refused to leave him for a moment.

All she wanted to see was his eyes, see his eyes open. Geralt had insisted that he was alive, his heart was beating, and if Ciri narrowed her eyes close enough, she could now see his chest ever so lightly rising and falling. However, when she placed her head on his chest, his heartbeat was so faint, it horrified Ciri that it would stop at any moment. The only thing that was going to calm her was his eyes, seeing those eyes open, seeing him react to her voice, seeing him look at her again with his loving gaze. She had taken off her corset, her gloves, and let her hair down to feel more comfortable, but that was the extent that she was willing to go at the moment, she didn't care how many people urged her to go to bed.

Everyone else after Dominik had been brought inside, had gone about sleeping and healing their own wounds. Dominik had been in worse shape than anyone, but there were still plenty of bruises and cuts on everyone else. Freya's own cheek had a bandage over it, she saw that when George had taken off his armor, there was a giant black and blue spot on his stomach, from where Geralt had told her he was smacked by Imlerith's hammer. Faram had been drained from his fight with Baelen, Dom's best-friend was still in a frantic state, but Triss had managed to calm him and heal the massive wound in his torso. Others like the woman Elise had woken up, but she hadn't uttered a single word since she did. She had let Vesemir treat some deep scratches on her face, and other wounds she had, but all she had done was go right back to bed. She may have said nothing, but Ciri could see the torment in the woman's eyes before she did.

Hjalmar, Roche, Ves, Zoltan, they all had smaller wounds, along with all the witchers, but nothing else had been as serious as Dominik's wounds. There had been no sign of either dragon again yet, but all the after-battle reports had gone in one ear out the other for her as she watched Freya perform the surgery on Dom's leg. The poor blonde had worked for hours, and Ciri knew if she looked back at her sleeping, that she'd still see Dom's blood stained on her hands.

And all of it, all of it because she had been there, because she couldn't control her powers properly. All because of Eredin.

"You know, you two are so alike…" Yen said with a yawn making Ciri turn her head back up, as she met her mother's eyes the sorceress continued, "He say's the same exact things. He blames himself for everything that happened to you… he blames himself for Aretuza, for not being there to protect you through everything. And Stygga Castle? He regrets everyday he wasn't there… he blames himself for it all, for not being there to protect you."

Ciri's eyes widened and she scoffed, "What? That's ridiculous, he couldn't control what happened! It wasn't his fault that Vilgefortz and Bonhart-."

"We tell him that every day," Yen said, as Ciri could see the fatigue on her mother's face. Again Yen sighed and shook her head, "Yet… just like you're doing now. He still blames himself for things that were out of his control. Ciri… it wasn't your fault, Eredin was the one who did this to him, not you. The both of you, you must forgive yourselves, and realize the things that happened were out of your control."

Eredin had done this to him. Ciri blinked and she shuddered when she saw it again. The cold, nippy air, the ash, the smoke, the soot, the thick air, Eredin's evil, demonic eyes. His laugh still rung in Ciri's ears, and over and over, she saw it. She saw his sword plunging into Dom's leg, the blade raking out and cutting up across his face. The boy she loved, the man she loved, Eredin had almost killed him, almost killed Vesemir, had been responsible for the deaths of those that they did lose. The King of the Hunt had been chasing her for so long, and Ciri knew he had done horrible things.

But now he had crossed the wrong line, and Ciri was going to make him pay for it, she was going to make them all pay.

She let out a shaky breath and stood up from her chair. With her legs lightly wobbling she moved up to the head of his cot, she looked down at his closed eyes, the bandage on his red cheek. She could remember how she childishly thought after she had gotten back, that because of the scar on her own face, that Dominik wouldn't have found her as beautiful as he once did. That thought had been dashed the moment she saw him look at her, still, even with her scar he had gotten that look on his face, that giddy, goofy, excited look that she always had loved. And he had kissed her without a second thought, held her without a second thought, and just like when they were younger, in even the short time they had been back, he made her feel like she was the most special person in the world. And just like he did for her, scar or no scar, she thought he was more handsome then he had ever been. His handsome angular face, his cheekbones were high, and she felt a small smile come to her face as she remembered his smile, the smile he got when she looked at him. She had used the rag to wipe his cheeks, so now his face was clean except for the bandage over his wound.

Gently, Ciri leaned one hand up, and gently ran it through his messy hair, while her other rested on his chest. Shakily she reached down, and carefully kissed his lips quickly. She felt her heart drop when he didn't react, but gently pulled back as she kept her eyes on him. Again she saw it happen, him falling to the ground, him hitting the ground after Eredin's sword hit him had been the loudest sound she ever heard. It was going to be something she had nightmares about for the rest of her life, no matter how their final battle turned out. She would never forget the previous day, never, not for as long as she lived. It was going to be something, that if they ever decided to have children, if they ever had grandchildren, it would be something that Ciri told them about always.

The day that Dominik fought the King of the Wild Hunt, all to keep her safe, and the day that their journey together began.

"I swear… when you wake up… I'm never… never going to leave your side again…Me.. me and you against everyone… I promise…" She said to him, as her eyes stayed glued to his face, to his closed eyes as she gripped around the swallow on his neck, "And I swear… I WILL make Eredin pay for this… him… the Hunt… I'm going to make them all pay…. I love you…"

She felt her arms trembling, but she leaned up and kissed him again. Her heart fell to her stomach again when he didn't react, but slowly she managed to pull herself back. After she was standing, she felt the cold draft run through her hair and her exposed mid-drift making her shudder. Biting her lip she slowly looked up to Yen, and her mother who was still fatigued met her eyes, when she did Ciri sighed again.

"Yen… if… if he…" She started, but her mother quickly nodded to cut her off.

"The moment he moves you'll be the first to know darling, I promise," Yen said, and Ciri reluctantly sighed and nodded shakily.

The snores of everyone else sleeping in the hall hit her ears. Nobody had left, they were staying for the funerals that they were having withing the next few days for the fallen. Biting her lip Ciri kept her eyes on his face, the dark blue magic around him continued to swirl and gently hum. Ciri felt her hands curl, and after biting her lip hard enough she finally managed to turn herself away from him. Geralt had repeated incessantly before he went to sleep for her to rest herself, stating that Dominik wouldn't want her to drain herself anymore just to stand over him.

The first step she took away echoed through the entire keep, but the moment she managed to get her legs to move forward is when she heard it, and she froze again.

"C…Ciri…Ciri…" His voice said weakly, and the moment it registered, Ciri shot herself back around and rushed to the cot.

She got down to her knees completely ignoring the chair she had. Her hair fell over her shoulders and onto his chest as she got up close to his face. In her heart, Ciri felt as if a thousand tiny eruptions had gone off, and her entire body tingled as she looked up at him. His eyes, his eyes fluttered, and for the first time she saw his head move, and while one hand was on his chest, she felt it rise, she felt his chest rise and fall and right away tears started welling up in her eyes.

"C…Ciri…Ciri…Ciri…" He said weakly, and Ciri finally sobbed.

"D…Dom…Dominik…" She sobbed, as his eyes started to flutter more and more, and as they did Ciri felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she moved closer to his face, speaking in a low tone she found herself pleading, "It… it's me… it's me…Ciri…your Ciri…"

"Ciri…" He muttered out breathlessly again, and when he finally blinked Ciri's heart erupted.

When she saw the green of his eyes, she didn't know how, but they seemed even brighter to her then they had ever been. Tears finally flowed down her cheeks, and she sobbed again as she looked, and for a moment all he did was blink. She stood up, and gently she took his face in her hands, as slowly as she could, she moved him to face her. He didn't protest, he didn't put up any resistance, and from below she could feel his hands start to curl as his fingers moved. Her hair fell down onto his chest, she felt giddy for a moment, she always knew how much he loved it when her hair was down.

"I'm here… I'm right here… Dominik…" She whispered to him, and after a moment of blinking, finally his eyes fell on her.

The breath that left him was shaky, and for a frightful moment Ciri saw his eyes closed again. Her hands kept trembling as she carefully held his face, above him she took a second to see the anxiousness on Yen's fatigued face, but right away she tore her vision back down. Her skin continued to tingle, and gently she moved one of her hands down to his, she took it in hers but kept her eyes trained on him, feeling her heart about to burst she sobbed again.

But when she felt his hand lightly grip onto hers, and when she saw his eyes flutter back open and fall on her she felt herself completely melt.

"C…Ciri, you…you okay?" He asked lightly, and Ciri couldn't do anything but sob.

"Dominik…." She said, as she couldn't control herself. She pulled her hand away from his, she took his head in both her hands, and she smashed her lips down onto his.

It may have been too hard for the state he was in, but she didn't care, she didn't care at all, all she cared about was how he kissed her back. He was weaker, but she actually felt his lips move against hers, and when she pulled back she sobbed again. Her tears fell down onto his face, and when she saw him actually go red, actually smile up at her weakly she laughed, she laughed and gripped his head in her hands not daring the let her gaze leave him. Her tears gently fell down onto his neck and she felt her lips tingle. He choked out a weak laugh and she felt his hand weakly touch her mid-drift, the feeling of his cold hands against her bare skin right away sent blasts of pleasurable tingles down her stomach, and she couldn't help but sob again.

"Are… are you…are you okay…" He said weakly, and Ciri sobbed again as she felt herself actually smile.

Meeting his gaze she shook her head, "You… you just nearly died… and… and you're worried about me?"

A small weak smile came to his face as he blinked at her, "You… you were hurt. I… I saw the… the blood on-."

"I'm okay… I'm okay now… I'm more… more then alright," She said as she sobbed, leaning down she kissed him again, and kept kissing him. He kissed her back as much as he could, but Ciri quickly realized it was taking a lot out of him and pulled back, she met his eyes and felt the tears continue to fall onto his neck, "I…I thought… I thought I lost you. You… you weren't moving… I… I thought… I thought that…."

"It… it's okay… it… it's okay princess…" He said weakly to cut her off, and she felt his hand gently come to rest on her waist before he slowly shook his head, "I…I'm…I'm not… I'm not going anywhere…"

She laughed and sobbed again, she got down and hugged him as best she could. When her head fell to his chest she heard his heartbeat, she could hear it clearly now. He was alive, he was really alive, they hadn't taken him from her. She remembered all the way back to the first night she had kissed him at Kaer Morhen. They had that stupid idea of running double pendulums blind folded at night, and she would never forget the moment that he had slipped off the pegs. He was hanging on for dear life, and with every bit of strength her smaller body could muster she had managed to pull him back up. She would never forget that fearful feeling, how the tears had started falling from her face, she would also never forget the completely flustered look he had after she kissed him. For so long she had known she liked him, but it wasn't until that night she knew she loved him.

The idea of waking up without him down the hall, training without him, not hearing his voice and seeing him every day, the thought had terrified her, and that was when she knew. She knew that night she was in love with him, and almost stuttered it out, but foolishly didn't think he felt the same.

And she would never forget that day in the snow, that day in the snow when she knew she would never want anyone else. _"I love you because you're Ciri", "I loved you then, I love you now, and I'm going to love you for a very, very long time"._

So when she looked at him then, finally having him back after such a scare, she couldn't help but continue to sob.

"You…you better not… you better not go anywhere," She said with a laugh and sniffle as she leaned her head closer to him, "We… we have a date soon… you… you swore you wouldn't be late and… and you better not be."

He started blinking rapidly but laughed and nodded, "I… I won't…. Hey… how… how many… how many does Eredin… how many does he count as?"

She burst out a laugh which only made her sob again as she grabbed his face, "He… he counts for a lot. You… you won… you won…. I… I love you… I love you so much you.. you stupid… stupid boy. I love you…"

His chest slowly rose and fell, but he managed a laugh and nod, "I… I love you… I love you too…. Hey… hey Ciri guess… guess what?"

"What… what is it?" She said lightly as the tears gently rolled down her cheek.

She had no idea how he did it, but his hand came up to her. Gently, ever so gently she felt his hand, his soft, gentle hand come to the left side of her face. A new spark shot down her chest, through her stomach and pleasurably went all the way down to her core as he slowly ran his thumb over her scar. She shuddered under his touch and lightly laughed as she smiled down at him. After a moment, his finger stopped, and he simply held her face as he looked up at her.

The smile came to his face as he let out a small laugh, "We…we… we got matching… matching scars now."

Ciri laughed all the way from her gut and held a hand to the side of his face, sobbing and laughing both at the same time she smiled and nodded, "We… we do don't we…. You… you're still just as handsome as ever…I… love you… th… thank you… thank you…"

"I… I love you to… princess," He said, as Ciri felt his hand slowly leave her and fall to his side, he looked at her and smiled still, but she could see him blinking more, "Ciri I… I'm… I'm really… really tired..."

Slowly she nodded and sucked in a shaky breath, "I know… I know. Rest now… rest… I'm okay… I won't let anything happen to you…And.. and once your better… I'm not going anywhere… never again… where you go… I go… rest now… I love you."

"St…stay…stay with me… please…please…Ciri…" He said lightly, before his eyes continued to blink and flutter, before with the blue magic still around him he closed his eyes.

She sobbed and smiled, gently she leaned up and kissed his good cheek again, "Always… I always will, I swear."

"Ciri darling…" Yennefer said, and Ciri nearly jumped as she forgot her mother was there. She looked up and her mother smiled down at her, "Go and get a pillow and blanket, and a bigger chair. I'll look after him… go on darling."

Feeling the shiver run through her exposed mid-drift again she nodded, "I will… thanks Yen… I... I-."

"I love you too my dear… go on, he'll be okay," Her mother said, gesturing her head.

Ciri let out a shaky sigh, and finally managed to turn herself away from him. Gently the ring bounced against her chest, and with trembling hands she managed to reach up and wrap her hands around it. His voice washed over her; the sight of his eyes finally open washed over her. He was alive, she hadn't lost him, and if she knew him as well as she knew she did, he was going to recover. He wouldn't stop until he was walking by her side again, fighting by her side again, protecting her just like he always had.

But when he did, Ciri would be by his side, she was never going to leave him to fight alone again. For so long while she had been fighting and clawing to get back, he was out there looking for her, by himself, alone. It would be different now, for too long Ciri knew that their promise had been far too one-sided. Dominik would always protect her, she knew this, but it was Ciri's turn to keep up her own side of the promise and protect him just like he protected her. If they were going to get that life that they wanted, the life she knew that they both deserved, they would only be able to do it together. And to do that they needed to protect each other, have one another's backs always.

And now Eredin had made the mistake of almost killing him, almost killing her family, and now Ciri was going to make him pay. She gripped tight up around the ring around her neck and quickly reached up to tie her hair back up in a bun again. After a moment her hair was back in its normal state, and as the cold draft of the keep sent goosebumps down her exposed mid-drift, she shuddered and quickly reached up to grab the ring, and just before she went to grab herself a pillow and blanket she looked back to him, Yennefer overtop of him casting the spell to keep him alive.

Eredin had been chasing her for so long, she had been running for so long. But now she'd run no longer. She would find him, the entire Hunt… and her and Dominik were going to make them all pay.

**A/N: Another chapter clocks in at 30,000 words as we have a bit of the aftermath of the Battle of Kaer Morhen. This chapter was so emotionally draining to write but I absolutely loved it. We get plenty of tears, promises, and emotional moments in this chapter, as after so much action during the Battle of Kaer Morhen, the next few chapters will be very character driven. First however, lets breakdown this chapter quickly. **

**As I said last chapter, I didn't expect anyone to actually believe Dominik was dead, but still we see just how close to that he was. I wanted to kind of mirror what happened in the opposite way of the Isle of Mists. So now, instead of Dom finding Ciri dead, Ciri finds him dead. And man, that Ciri scene at the start was hard to write but so much fun. **

**After that we get an interlude from Yennefer, I actually had POVs planned for a lot of different defenders, but to be honest I felt like they would have just dragged on, so I decided to keep it to Ciri, Yen and Geralt, the main members of their second family as they see Dominik in that state. **

**And then thankfully however, Geralt is able to hear Dominik's heartbeat, and they frantically start to heal him. Which one of these early POVs did you like best? Who's reaction had you in the feels? And how do you think the funerals will go now?**

**Then I got to write a scene that I literally dreamed of writing since the start. I originally had four specters planned for Dom to see, Pavetta, Queen Calanthe, and then his mother and father. However, I cut Queen Calanthe, because I just feel she would have said the same things his father said in the end. Despite having to cut it, I had so much fun writing these three scenes. **

**Pavetta, I knew I was going to have him meet from the start, and I am so happy with how it turned out. I just felt it would have been so sweet to have him interact and meet Ciri's mother, the one woman who he always wanted to meet but never did, and you can be sure that Dom will deliver Pavetta's message to Ciri. (Also I want to note, like most characters in this story I aged up Pavetta, she didn't marry Duny at fifteen like the books, in this she was 18)**

**After this of course, there's his mother and father. Finally we get to see a bit of Sofia and Sir Gregory, and it was so much fun to write. I really may sometime down the line write a short story about the two of them, because as we'll see they both have amazing backstories. Some of you may say 'why didn't he ask about his magic carrier powers' and to answer those questions now, 1.) Because well, the parent who had the trait didn't know, and 2.) I mean come on if my parents died and I was seeing them for the first time in 11 years I wouldn't care about magic powers then xD**

**However, I tried to have all three of the specters teach Dominik a lesson. Pavetta says to not live his life in anger or regret, his Mother says, he must learn to forgive himself for everything, and his Father says, that he has to focus now on what really matters. All of these basically boil down to the same thing, Dominik needs to focus on what his true goal is, and not let the past weigh on him, something he's been trying to do the whole book, but now… it may just work. **

**Then we get a final Ciri POV, and as we can see she is PISSED. Yen tells her something similar to what the specters told Dominik, but still.. she is PISSED and I am so, SO excited to get into this Kaer Morhen aftermath. Dominik and Ciri both aren't scared little kids anymore, they're both completely different from the start of the story, from when they were children. **

**And now after Dominik gets better, they are going to cause some havoc. **

**NOW, next chapter will be the funerals, and I get to write something I've been waiting a long time for, Dominik interacting with everyone's least favorite Elven Sage lol. After the funerals we are going to have four chapters in Kaer Morhen before we head to Bald Mountain to slay the Crones and Imlerith. **

**In the games we only stay at Kaer Morhen for a few days after the battle, but in this version of events Dominik needs to recover, and Geralt and Ciri will be damned if they leave him behind, despite a certain sages protests. The four chapters at Kaer Morhen, have actually been ones I've been looking forward to writing for so long so I hope you are all excited!**

**So again as usual, thank you ALL so much for the support, we are really almost there, almost at the end the finish line is in sight, we're almost three quarters of the way done, and the best is STILL yet to come…**

**Thank you all SO much again, review if you have time, and I will see you all next time!**


	63. Blood on the Battlefield

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds **

**Chapter 63: Blood on the Battlefield**

**Narrator: The Battle of Kaer Morhen has come to an end, it was victory for the brave defenders, but it came at great cost. During the fighting, Dominik of Cintra, the Young Wolf, fought Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt while Ciri was hurt and injured. Dominik fought the King as best he could, but ultimately was beaten. Upon seeing her love battered, bruised and seemingly dead, Ciri unleashed the full extent of the great powers inside her blood. Ciri saved the castle, her powers were so great, the Wild Hunt was forced to flee. However, the young woman quickly lost control of the power she was exhuming. Thankfully however, Dominik, with the last bit of strength he had, managed to use the great magic in himself to calm Ciri, and bring her powers under control. The toll of fighting Eredin, and using the spell to save Ciri however, was too much for our young hero. Dominik of Cintra fell, and for a few moments, the defenders thought him dead. Ciri was devastated, thinking that her love, the one she had spent so long trying to get back too was gone. However, Geralt, who using his enhanced witcher senses, and his familiarity with his son's heartbeat, was able to determine Dominik was alive. After this, Freya Kaminski of Ellander was able to save Dominik's life by performing emergency surgery on his leg. Dominik was alive; however, the battle still came at great cost to the defenders. Ciri and Dominik may have beat the Hunt back for now, but they new that the Battle of Kaer Morhen was only the first steps….**

_Dominik had hoped for a dreamless sleep after he passed out again, but like usual, the dreams had smashed into his head. He could hear the gale force cold howling wind, but he wasn't outside, he was back in a room, a room that somehow he was familiar with, a room he remembered from a previous dream. There was precious little in the room, just a four-poster bed, a mirror, and a dresser. The walls were barren, and outside the one window, Dominik saw nothing, but frost, frost and snow churned violently, and the wind was so loud that it seemed to be shaking the very ship itself. He knew where he was, the Nagalfar, the Hunt's command ship, he had dreams there before, and even one in that very room. _

_ And just like in that dream, he saw Baelen. He saw the commander's brown hair running down her back. She was in her armor, her skull helmet was still on, and all the thoughts about who she could possibly be came rushing back to his head. She kept talking about a broken promise, a promise that Ciri and him both made before they broke it to her. Whatever they had done, it had to have been horrible, but no matter how much Dominik racked his brain, he couldn't think of anyone. Not one person came to his mind as to who the commander could be, and how she possibly could know him. He and Ciri didn't have any friends in Cintra who would have the intimate knowledge Baelen seemed to have about them. And in addition to who she was, there were her powers, her powers were immense, and Dominik had finally experienced them fully for the first time in the battle. _

_ However, despite it all, there was just something in his gut, something telling him that she was being forced to do this. She wouldn't have spared him, asked to have him spared, or spoke to him like she did in the battle if she truly, truly wanted to kill him. Ciri on the other hand she didn't seem to have a problem killing, but even with that, Dominik could hear the conflict in the commanders voice when she spoke, saw her trembling hands, and it all led him to believe that Eredin truly was using her. That along with the fact she was human after all, and he knew that there was no way that Eredin would spare her. However, he could see why he was using her now, using her and manipulating her. Baelen had intimate knowledge of both Ciri and he, that combined with her powers made her a great asset to him. Baelen however, truly believed the King had her best interests at heart, and Dominik couldn't fathom how a human came to be with the Hunt in the first place. _

_ Baelen in that moment, however, didn't seem like the fearsome commander of the Hunt, the one who had commanded and flown a dragon, the one who almost defeated her and Ciri both. She sat on her knees, in front of her was a swirling ball of white magic, it churned and swirled in front of her, and Baelen loosely had a knife in one hand, while she held her other out in front and above the swirling magic. For a moment Dominik thought that again, she was going to use her ritual and track him, see what he was doing, however, the spell she uttered was different then the one he had heard before. _

_ "Rastieal, me, coeme… memunatas…bloed… DAS," __She bellowed loudly as her blood started to seep into the portal. _

_ As soon as her blood hit the portal, instead of a large flame shooting upwards, the blood swirled gently in the magic for a moment. Baelen sheathed her knife and intently looked down at the magic. It glowed bright, and for a moment Dominik thought that he could almost see Baelen's eyes behind her faceplate. However, the white color quickly turned dark blood red however, and it made Baelen lower her head even further. Dominik watched as she started chanting again, the words were in a dialect that he didn't recognize and he assumed it had to be the Aen Elle language. The chanting got louder and louder, and the blood in the magic kept whirling. _

_ His eyes widened when he saw the mist slowly get higher and higher. It started to envelope around the cabin, it filled every nook and cranny, and Baelen shot up to her feet. She spun in place, seeming to make sure that it had worked, and when the magic had surrounded her, it slowly went back to a white color. The mist swirled and churned around Baelen, and Dominik heard the commander sigh. _

_ "Finally… fucking finally…" She said, before holding up both her hands, and suddenly Dominik saw her eyes flash bright blue before she spoke in a deeper voice, "Show me… show me what happened…. Igthane.… Credmill…. TRUET!"_

_ Baelen had screamed her spell, but a slow jet of blue magic gently left her hands. It slithered through the cold air, and as soon as it hit the mist, the vision in the white magic changed. For a few moments it whirled violently, and Dominik narrowed his eyes as it seemed that an image was beginning to take form. Baelen began to shake, and when she spoke again he could hear an almost eagerness to her voice. _

_ "Yes… yes… come on," She urged as her faceplate didn't leave the smoke, quickly she shook her head and when she spoke Dominik heard the desperation, "I have to know… I have to know if what they showed me was true…"_

_ Dominik while he was watching felt his skin begin to crawl. The magic whirled and whirled before he finally saw something take shape in the mist. It was as if Baelen was having her memories playing in the mist, and when Dominik saw what popped up he felt his jaw nearly drop. Baelen's head slowly dipped, and he could see the commander's hand continue to shake. Her head gently came back up, and as she watched the memory, Dominik could see it as well. _

_ Fire, all he saw was flames in the vision, and the screams hit his ears. Blood curdling screams hit his ears, and he saw blood flash in the magic, and with every second that passed, he could see Baelen was beginning to shake more and more. He watched as the vision began to shift, people's figures were starting to take shape, but before anything could happen, he saw Baelen tare her eyes away, the sword raked from her hip, and she violently slashed the magic away with a scream. Dominik just saw figures, three people beginning to form in the mist, and nearly jumped when the magic disappeared after Baelen's sword cut through it. _

_ "ARGHHHH DAMMIT," She screamed as the mist in her room disappeared, she spun back around and slung her sword back into her waist as she leaned quickly against the dresser, "They didn't lie… it's true… they showed you the truth Baelen…"_

_ Dominik barely had time to register and think about what she was saying before Baelen's head shot around just as a loud knock came from the door. She quickly walked over to the door, but Dominik could see how furiously shaking she was. Angrily she threw the door open, and his blood fell when he saw Caranthir again. He obviously couldn't see Baelen's eyes, but he assumed they widened as she quickly stepped back and got down to one knee. The sound of Caranthir's staff pounding into the ground as he walked echoed in his ears, and Dominik felt his stomach shudder where the navigator had hit him. If not for Ciri, he would have more then likely been killed. _

_ He also remembered the navigator's words. About his ancestor, about how just like Baelen he lacked control, and all the questions rattling around made his skin crawl. The battle was supposed to answer questions for him, but it only had caused more. And if not for Ciri, they all would have been dead. They had beaten the Hunt back yes, but only because of her powers unleashing, and for them to unleash like they did, he had to almost die. And he didn't know how often he could almost die, without actually dying. So if figuring out more about this ancestor, being able to unlock his own powers could help them, then he figured it was time to start taking the matter seriously. If he could figure out who this ancestor was then he could learn if his powers were indeed fully unlocked, and then if he could better channel them, he wouldn't have to leave it to Ciri all alone. The two of them combined, they would be able to defeat the Hunt, and then finally get that life they deserved. _

_ They'd do it together, always together. So, when Caranthir began to speak, he made it a point to listen intently. _

_ "Rise… Baelen…" The navigator said, and as Baelen slowly rose to her feet, the high mage stood in front of her and shook her head, "The King is still recovering from his wound… Imlerith is preparing to travel to the Sabbath… what is… their status?"_

_ Baelen slowly nodded and shook as she spoke, "They… they're at the witcher keep still…Dominik of Cintra he… he survived…"_

_ Caranthir stopped and turned to face Baelen's back, "Yes… and… how does that… make you feel… Baelen?"_

_ "Next time he dies," Baelen said quickly, but Dominik could hear the unsure tone in her voice as she went on, "I… I would have killed him had I not heard the King's call."_

_ The staff of Caranthir pounded against the ground, the navigator came back to Baelen's front and met her eyes again. _

_ "Are you sure….? Would you… have… been able to complete the deed? Would you have… been able to strike him down?" Caranthir asked her, and for the first time Dominik saw Baelen falter, she slowly nodded after a moment, but her tone was low. _

_ "Yes…" She said carefully, not daring to move as she spoke, "He means nothing to me…. I'm loyal to the King… and the next time I cross blades with him… I will kill him."_

_ "Make sure… that it is so…" Caranthir said, as he took another stomping step closer to Baelen, only inches from her face the navigator's voice echoed, "I… would hate to think… that after all the time I spent… training you… that… your usefulness would be at an end."_

_ Baelen didn't respond, but Dominik watched as Caranthir took loud, echoing steps away from the commander. After the navigator was in the doorway he turned back and met Baelen's eyes again. _

_ "You will have one more chance Baelen… you'd best… make it count," The navigator said, and as soon as he walked a few more steps away, he watched Baelen slam the door shut again. _

_ For a few moments the commander simply stood there, and Dominik took in what Caranthir had said. Baelen's last chance, her last chance to kill him and Ciri both. She was also still telling them where they were, so the Hunt just like in the battle was going to know what their status was. A small smirk managed to come to his face, as he realized that he must have done some damage at least to Eredin in his final lunge. He felt the back of his leg tingle, and the inside of his head buzzed when he remembered Ciri's pained screams. He didn't know if Eredin would have been able to grab her, but all he saw was Ciri about to be taken and reacted, it seemed stupid at the time, and he knew Eredin would more then likely fully recover, but it brought him some type of pride knowing he inflicted at least some pain on the King. _

_ He hadn't thought twice about fighting him, he knew that he needed to give Ciri time to recover and teleport away, and the best way to do that was to keep Eredin himself distracted. In the moment he didn't know if he would survive, but all that mattered was Ciri making it, and in the end she had been the one to save him. However, the spell from his ancestor rippled in his mind, '__Ae minne taedh essea heyu'. He was convinced now that the man in his vision, the vision when he drank that salamandra potion had to be his ancestor, and somehow he had given Dominik the spell needed to calm Ciri. _

_ So now his list of things he needed to figure out was growing. Who his ancestor was, how they would find Eredin, how he would control his powers… and who Baelen was._

_ "Dammit… fucking dammit…" The commander said, as Dominik saw her slowly walk over towards her mirror, "Remember what they did Baelen… remember what they did… they're just dreams… just dreams…."_

_ Dominik's eyes widened when he saw the commander go and reach for the bottom of her faceplate. She slowly went to remove it from her helmet, but Dominik soon saw the white completely engulfing his vision. _

_ And just like how his dreams of the commander normally ended, all he saw was the back of Baelen's head of brown hair. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Gahhhhhh fuck… fucking… fuck," He felt himself moan as it felt like all of his senses returned to him at once.

Right away he felt the sweat dripping down his cold chest, and it felt as if someone had just finished draping a soaking wet blanket over him. He felt his hands and legs tingle, and he felt the right side of his face itch right away. However, when he reached his hand up to itch it, he found himself touching the large cloth bandage sticking to him, and right away he felt the soreness. After his face he felt it in his leg and groaning again he managed to crane his head down to look. He was wearing a long pair of black trousers instead of the ones from his armor he usually wore, but underneath the right pant leg, he could feel the bandage wrapped, and it was as if every second the blood flowed through it, it ached and it made him let out a shaky breath. He would never forget the agony, the complete agony that had shot through him when Eredin's blade pierced his leg, he didn't think he'd ever again feel pain quite like it. He could remember in his visions, watching Freya's hands work to put the inside of it back together, and when he looked around however, he couldn't see the blonde anywhere.

A cold draft ran through the halls of Kaer Morhen, and at first when he couldn't see anyone he began to panic. His breathing quickened, and he felt the sweat trickle faster down his chest. He wasn't wearing his armor, only a long-sleeved white shirt that seemed fresh, while he had no idea how they managed to change his clothes, he was grateful for it nonetheless. Weakly he moved his arms and managed to get his hands up to his head to run a hand through his hair, which was sticky with sweat, and as soon as his arms moved his entire body ached again. After blinking a few more times, he looked around, trying to find signs of anybody, one person in particular.

"C…Ciri? Geralt? Yen? Anyone… where… fuck… fuck me my head hurts," He said, as right away as he started speaking he felt his head begin to pound.

Slowly he brought his hands up to rub his temples, and it calmed his throbbing head slightly. The last thing he couldn't remember after the visions, the beautiful visions with Pavetta, his mother and father, was seeing Ciri. His vision had been hazy, but his lips tingled where she had kissed him, he could hear his voice ringing in his head, so he knew it had been real. He asked her to stay with him, and she promised she would, and he remembered faintly hearing her speak with Yen before he fell asleep, however now, he didn't see any of them.

"Dom! You're awake thank god, we were starting to worry," A voice rang behind him, and after it rattled in his head for a moment he recognized it.

Slowly he turned his head around, and the first pure breath of relief left him.

"Triss…" He said breathlessly as the sorceresses red hair came into his view. Right away he saw the look of pure elation and relief on her face, and when she smiled down at him, Dominik felt his blood warm.

"We thought we lost you for a while," She said, slowly reaching down and hugging around his shoulders, "Thank the gods for Freya, just our magic alone wouldn't have been able to heal your leg."

He weakly managed to wrap his arms around the sorceress. Taking in her warmth and pleasant scent, Dominik felt himself let out another shaky, relieved sigh. Triss always had a great way of calming him, and having her sitting by his bedside, taking care of him in Kaer Morhen, it made him feel like a child again for a few glorious moments. He felt his face slightly heat up when she kissed his cheek, she gently pulled back from him with a large smile on her face, and Dominik sighed out one more time.

"Yeah… gotta make sure I thank her…" He said with a yawn, as he yearned to sit up, "And don't worry, ain't getting rid of me that easy… Ciri where… where's…. gahhhhhh."

He groaned out when he tried to sit up, and Triss quickly reached over to help him. As he sat up, he didn't just feel the wounds on his face and leg ache, his entire body felt like it was stuck in quicksand. Every second he spent sitting up, it felt like he was trying to climb out of a deep bog. However, with help from Triss he was able to finally do it, both his medallion and the swallow pendant bounced against his chest, and the cold of the silver sent a small tingle down his body. Slowly Triss reached one hand behind his back to steady him, while she shifted herself on the bed to meet his eyes.

"She's okay don't worry," The sorceress told him with a smile and nod before she went on, "Geralt had to practically drag her away…. She didn't leave your side for a minute."

His face heated up, and he was able to let out a pleasant sigh. She had been there for him, stayed with him like he asked. He could see her, sitting by his bedside like he had witnessed in his visions while he was passed out. Still he couldn't tell what made him see Pavetta, his mother, and his father, however, he didn't care. He could still hear their words echoing in his ears, and the sounds of their voices brought a small smile to his face. _'There's someone out there right now, who needs you, who needs you more than anything right now,' _his mother's words rang in his head, and hearing them again forced a smile onto his face. Ciri needed him, he knew that no matter how he was feeling in that moment, Ciri had to be feeling just as horrible as he did on the inside.

He knew her too well, knew that she would be blaming herself for what happened to him, and all he wanted to do in that moment was get to her, and let her know it wasn't her fault. Besides wanting to do that, he missed her. It may have only been a short time, but he already missed her presence, after being away from her for so long, and after everything he had just gone through, all he wanted was to wrap his arms around her in that moment. He wanted to hold her, take in her scent of juniper and cedarwood, feel the warm tingle of having her arms around him, the warmth, the reassurance, the knowledge that she was still actually there.

Biting his lip he looked around the empty hall, before turning back to Triss. As he spoke he could feel his lips cracking, he felt his stomach furiously growl, his throat felt bone dry, his muscles still ached, but in that moment all he wanted was Ciri.

"Not… not that I'm not happy to see you Triss but… where… where is she," Dominik asked, feeling his face heat up as he met Triss's eyes again, "And… where's everyone else, how… how long was I out for?"

Triss sighed and bit her lip, "She and everyone else… they went down to the cliffs. You've been out two days, they… they're there for the funerals. I stayed back to keep an eye on you."

Right away any excitement, eagerness to go and see anyone fell out of him. The warmth he had gotten from Triss's hug, the thought of seeing Ciri again, it all was washed away. Again it felt like someone had tossed a cold, wet towel over his body. It all came flooding back, his battle with Eredin had dominated his mind, Baelen, questions about his ancestors, all those questions had made him momentarily forget what they had lost. The battle was over, they had somehow managed to win, but the war, the war against the Hunt was far from over. And in only the first battle, Dominik had gotten people killed.

"Triss… who… who…" He asked the sorceress in a shaky tone, looking down at both of his trembling hands, unable to finish the sentence.

Triss met his eyes and spoke softly, "Declan and Arno… we… found their bodies. After them, Hjalmar's two men from Skellige, Vigi and Folan. Vigi saved Hjalmar from the dragon, Folan he… he got knocked off the walls when the dragon landed."

All the hairs on his arms stood up, as his mouth felt dry once again. He remembered finding Folan in a troll's cauldron, and how Vigi had helped save his life from the Ice Giant with Hjalmar. They were good men; one's Dominik was looking forward to getting to know more. Hjalmar as well he knew considered them both great friends, and now not only were they dead, but because of his lack of planning, Hjalmar had lost two of his best-friends, his most loyal men. His shaking hands turned to fists, right away he should have remembered Baelen being able to track him, and he should have come up with a better plan for the dragon, other then 'we'll handle it.'. Borch had shown up yes, but he should have had another plan, he should have done more.

Arno had told him before the battle, that he wouldn't know if his choices were the right one, not until after the battle.

And now Arno was dead as well, Declan and he both were dead. _"We believe in you; we believe in your leadership." "Live well Dominik of Cintra! Don't let them have this world." _Their words both rang in his ears, and Dominik's skin began to somehow run colder. He thought about Elise, poor Elise who was supposed to be married to Arno soon, he could remember how excited she had sounded talking about the time off that Adda was getting them. Arno and she didn't even know him before Adda sent them, and now one of them were dead, and that dream they had was shattered. He shuddered when he remembered Elise on his shoulder, blood dripping from her face, her begging, pleading for Arno to stop, to come with them. And now he was gone, he wasn't coming back, and now Dominik had robbed Elise of her life of love. Dominik himself knew the sting of losing that person you loved, in the end he had been lucky however, he had Ciri back, he had Ciri back, but Elise… she had lost Arno forever, and all because of stupid choices he had made.

_"You will not die today Dominik…." "Thank you Dominik… thank you for my chance… and I'm sorry," "Live well Dominik of Cintra. Do not let them have this world."_

Declan. The man's wavy black hair, the twang of his bowstring, and his pleading blue eyes all smashed into his mind at once. The man had even changed his fucking armor because Dominik told him too, hadn't even looked at Ciri because he told him too, he had taken the beating Dominik gave him… and through it all he still came. Declan had wanted to do right by him, right by his cousin Cahir so badly, wanted to help so badly… that he had endured all of that, all of that verbal and physical abuse by him… all just to die. All of the horrible things he said to the man rushed back to him, the times Dominik had beaten him to a pulp, accused him of being a spy for the Emperor, telling him how his cousin was a murderer, and that he wasn't needed or wanted. Through it all, Declan had still wanted to help. He begged Dominik to come to Kaer Morhen, begged him to help protect this world, and he had. There were so many things that he wanted to say, to apologize for, he had so many regrets in his life, he could think all the way back to Cintra for things he regretted.

But one of the biggest things was forever going to be how he treated Declan. He blamed the man for the crimes of his cousin, instead of judging him on his own merit, and even if he had apologized before the battle… Dominik still couldn't get the young man out of his head. Declan had been just like him, a young man who wanted to do good, wanted to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. And Dominik had almost not given him that chance, he had treated him as if Declan himself were the one to do all the things Cahir had did. He felt his eyes begin to well up, as he remembered how he felt before the battle, standing up on the battlements with both Faram and the young man. They had laughed and joked about Declan's crush on Freya, Dominik had planned on properly introducing him to Ciri, and he truly thought that Declan would be fighting with him for months to come.

Dominik had lost a member of his hansa, Declan was going to be the sixth, but Dominik had lost him, let him die before he could even properly join. Geralt had told him, that all the members of his company that had gone to Stygga Castle perished… and in that moment Dominik wished he had mutations like his adopted father, so that he could suppress the anxiousness inside of him, the regret, the anger, all of the pain that he felt in that moment.

"It was my fault… all of it…." He said, not taking his eyes of his hands he shakily sighed and shook his head, "If… if I had remembered Baelen… if… if I had come up with a better plan for the dragon then… then maybe-."

"You can't blame yourself Dominik…" Triss said lightly next to him, the sorceress put her cold hand onto his shoulder and turned her too him, she met his eyes and shook her head, "None of this was your fault… none of it. It's nobody's fault except for the Hunt's."

"I could have done more Triss," He said, feeling his heart begin to race he let out another shaky breath and shook his head, "If… if I had done more…if… if I had remembered, maybe they'd all be here…"

Triss sighed again and wrapped her arms around him. For a few moments he truly did feel like a child back in Kaer Morhen. Small tears fell from his eyes as he hugged the sorceress. Not only did his body feel drained, but his mind did as well, everything smashed into his brain. Declan's face, Arno's last words, Baelen, his powers, Eredin, Ciri's powers unleashing. Everything had put such a mental strain on him, all he wanted to do was shut his eyes and think of something, anything pleasant, but no matter what he did he couldn't. There was still so much he needed to do, so much he needed to do to make sure that Ciri was safe, so that she got that life she deserved, to make sure nobody bothered her or chased her again.

But in that moment, he simply held Triss, and cried silently into her like he used to when he was a child.

"We all knew what was at stake Dom…." The sorceress said lightly as she pulled back. A small smile came to her face as she met his eyes again, "We knew what could happen… and we beat them back in the end. Ciri told us all what you did… that was incredibly brave of you."

Right away he felt himself scoff and shake his head, "I was just trying to protect Ciri… I… couldn't let him take her. But… in the end she saved me… I… I got beat pretty bad."

Triss shook her head at him, "If not for you the battle would have ended much sooner. If not for you, Ciri wouldn't have had the strength to do what she did."

"Yeah…" He said slowly, remembering Ciri's yells as she unleased her powers, and then the spell he too unleashed. Gently he looked back at Triss again, "Triss… when… when Ciri's powers unleashed I… I stopped them from going out of control. I… I don't know what it is but… but I casted this spell."

"A spell? I didn't know you knew any other then your witcher signs," The sorceress asked him as she eyed him curiously.

Quickly he shook his head, "I didn't. I… saw this one in a vision I had. It… was when Geralt and I were on our way to get Ciri. We saved a cart of what turned out to be salamandra survivors."

Triss's eyes widened and she nodded, "Yeah… Geralt was telling Yen and I about that yesterday. He said that you drank a potion, and you had a vision?"

He shuddered as he remembered the feeling of the potion entering his blood. For the next few days after, he wondered what the words he heard from the vision could possibly mean. He didn't even have any idea how he knew how to utter them, how he knew they would help Ciri, but in the end he had, and he was thankful he did. However, it opened up a new multitude of questions, and what the words meant, what the spell was had been one of them.

"Yeah…. In the vision I… I saw a man. He… he looked a lot like me. I… think he was my ancestor, I think it unlocked my carrier powers fully," He explained as he felt a cold sweat come over him, "He… he told me that I must protect the blood… and if all seemed lost… to remember the words."

"Okay… and what were the words of the spell?" Triss asked him, as she gently leaned forward and rubbed a hand on his back.

Dominik bit his lip and met her eyes, "Ae minne taedh essea heyu…. I… I have no idea what they mean or… or why I said them but… I just couldn't think of anything else. Have you heard those words before?"

Triss stopped rubbing his back, and for a moment he saw the sorceress think. Biting her lip, he could see that she was trying to rack her brain, but nothing seemed to be coming to her. He really had been regretting not taking lessons on Elder Speech when he was younger, but seeing Triss now unable to recognize the words, it sent a jolt up his chest.

Sighing Triss finally shook her head, "I… recognize the dialect but… I just can't tell what the words mean. Dominik… whatever that spell is.. it's old… very old."

"Triss… I… need to figure out who my ancestor was," Dominik said, feeling himself scoff as he shook his head, "If… if he pissed the Hunt off enough to where Eredin himself is willing to fight me…"

"I know… Yen and I have been talking about it," Triss said with a shake of her head. She smiled gently at him and stood back up, "We'll talk about it more later though. For now, you need your rest, it's probably best if you go back to sleep, do you want-."

"What? No way, not a chance, I need to go to the funerals," Dominik said, feeling his heart race right away, he tried to move his legs to the side of the cot.

As soon as he did he felt a shock jolt up his bottom half. It felt as if all his bones had been shocked with lighting at once. He winced and right away his leg heated up. Looking down he could see that it was still lightly throbbing, but he pushed through it. Despite Triss turning around to protest, he felt his boots hit the ground. His left boot hit the ground fine, but the moment his right one did, he collapsed forward.

"FUCKING FUCK," He yelled, as Triss quickly rushed over and caught him in her arms.

He had to let out a shaky breath, as he could feel his entire waist and leg throbbing in pain. His right eye twitched as well, he had a great urge to scratch his right cheek, and for a few moments every part of his body began to tremble. He had been cut, stabbed, clawed and bitten by every monster thinkable, he had broken his ankle, he had been completely drained of energy before, but nothing compared to the fatigue he felt then, to the complete and utter feeling of being drained. Triss held him steady, and despite her grip, he tried to move forward, but he stumbled and had to use his hands to catch himself on a table that was near the cot he had been sleeping on.

His vision began to blur, he saw his medallion and the swallow dangling from his neck, and all he had wanted in that moment was to be near Ciri again. He wanted to see Ciri, and he wanted to be at that funeral. He NEEDED to be at that funeral. It didn't matter to him what Triss or anyone else would say, he knew that he could have prevented all four of those men from dying, the least he could do was be there for their funeral. They were all there because he asked them all there, they had died to protect the continent, and the woman he loved, he wouldn't miss their funeral's… he would be there to say goodbye.

Triss helped turn him around and lean him up against the table before sighing and meeting his eyes, "Dominik… you need to rest. You really shouldn't be walking right now."

"I… I can't miss the funerals Triss…. I just can't," He said, feeling his heart race and his eyes begin to sting he slowly looked down to the swallow on his neck, "And… and I… I just really.. really want to see Ciri right now…"

He pulled his head up, and he could see the conflict in Triss's eyes. She knew that he shouldn't be walking, but she also knew how he was feeling in that moment. Dominik didn't care if he had to crawl, he needed to be down there. Not only did he want to see Ciri, and be there for the funerals, he knew that she had to be in just as much mental pain as he was. In his few moments of lucidness when he spoke to her, he could see the fatigue, the extreme mental fatigue in her eyes. All he ever had to do was look at her, meet her eyes and even after so many years he could still tell exactly what she was thinking.

There had been times when they would be training, sitting and listening to a lecture, or simply studying in the library, and all they had to do was look at one another. He could meet her eyes, and just by looking at each other, they could have a full conversation, and it was something that Dominik always loved. He would make silly faces at her, she'd do the same back to him, and before he knew it they were both laughing, or huddled up against each other again. He felt himself as mentally drained in that moment as he'd ever been, he had also never felt his bones in such a state, but through it all he knew that she was feeling the same way. And just like always he needed to be there for her.

"_Go on my boy, she needs you now. Remember… you'll always have one another, no matter what," _His father's voice echoed in his brain, and in that moment the words couldn't have been truer.

In that moment he needed Ciri, and Ciri needed him. For so many years, when they had felt like this, they didn't have one another to help themselves feel better, to help the mental fatigue and strain. But they did now however, and in that moment he wanted to see them all. Ciri, Geralt, Yen, his friends. He just wanted to be with them all.

Triss sighed and gently walked over to another table, and when she came back, Dominik saw two crutches in her hands. She met his eyes with a firm look, and she placed both of them next to him.

"Okay… I'll teleport us there, but on one condition," She said firmly, and Dominik felt himself smirk, truly feeling like he was a child again as she went on, "You use the crutches, you can't be putting too much pressure on your leg. And the bandage on your cheek stays on."

Dominik scoffed lightly and nodded, "Yes ma'am, I promise."

Triss tried to keep her firm look but sighed and nodded, she smirked again and gestured back up towards his face, "You know… Freya said that wound on your face is gonna leave a scar. Looks like you got one to match Ciri and Geralt now."

A small laugh managed to escape him, gently he reached up and ran his hand over the bandage. He could feel the wound throbbing underneath his eye, and for a moment he considered himself lucky he had pulled his head back, if he hadn't, Eredin may have taken out his eye. He had only been joking when he said he was upset he wasn't in the 'cool face scar club' with Ciri and Geralt. A small part of him was nervous, nervous what Ciri would think when the wound had healed, if she would find him as handsome still. However, he quickly pushed the childish thought from his head.

She loved him, and all his worries over the years that she may not were all gone.

"Yeah… I guess I do…what do you think," He asked the sorceress, feeling a small smile come to his face he met her eyes, "Think Ciri will find it handsome?"

Triss scoffed, "Eredin could have taken your eye out and Ciri would still find you handsome. Come on, she was a bit of a wreck the last few nights. I think seeing you up will make her feel better."

Around his neck he felt the swallow tremble. The small smile managed to stay on his face as he looked down at the silver bird. For so long, he had used it to remember her, to help bring back the memories of them both being together. It had done its job, there had been nights when he thought about wanting it all to end. However, the swallow had always been there, it had always been the thing to remind him that she was out there. Even now that he had found her, the sight of the silver still sent a calm reassurance down his chest.

However, now he could go and see the real thing. And in that moment they both needed each other, more then ever, and this time, they were finally together.

He let out another shaky breath and grabbed both crutches. Carefully he slipped them under his arms, and using his good leg pushed himself forward, next to Triss. He smiled up at her, and gently slipped his hand into hers.

"Okay… let's go. Seeing her… it… it'll really do wonders for me right now too…" He said, as Triss gently smiled down at him, and within another second Dominik felt his stomach begin to churn again as they teleported.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

As Triss and he landed, he really started to finally understand Geralt's distaste for portals. The loud ***POP* **of them landing, and feeling both his legs hit the ground, Dominik felt his insides right away erupt.

"GAHHHHH… FUCK," He yelled, as the breeze right away hit his hair and he almost fell forward. Thankfully Triss, who was still holding his hands was able to stand him upright.

He steadied himself with both the crutches and managed to quickly take the weight off his right leg. While it still throbbed the pain became manageable, and he let out a shaky breath with Triss's arms still around him holding him up. Right away he felt his bones freeze. The bright sky, the intense sunlight, and the chilly wind all hit him at once. He winced and squinted as the wind froze him to the core. His vision was blurry for a few seconds, but after blinking a few times, he looked around, and he could see all the eyes on him.

Triss hadn't lied when she said nobody had left. To his left he could see the likes of Letho, Gaeten, along with Hjalmar and Ermion. Out of one corner of his eyes he could see his friends, Faram, George and Freya, while Vesemir, Lambert, Eskel and Kiera all whirled back around to look at him. He felt his legs completely throb, as he could see the pyres as well, four of them arranged in a row just on the edge of the cliffs. The sun casted their shadows over all the defenders, and when he looked at the base of one pyre he saw Elise. Her red hair was frizzly cascading down her back, she didn't have a saber around her belt, but he narrowed his eyes and saw two crossbows now instead of one. She was the only one who hadn't turned back around at his appearance, as her eyes didn't leave the pyre in front of her, she stood with her arms crossed, completely unmoving.

On Arno's pyre he could see his body, but it was covered by a white sheet. He felt his skin begin to prick despite the cold, as in his ears he heard the explosions. Shuddering he let out a shaky sigh and almost fell again, thankfully Triss caught him, but in that moment all he heard in his ears were the explosions, saw the fires beginning to burn, seeing the sword protruding out of Arno's chest, and then all he thought about was Elise standing there. Arno's body had probably been burned to a crisp, unable to be recognized, and that was the last state she'd get to remember the man she loved in. He wouldn't wish anything like that upon even his worst enemy, he didn't even want to think about it himself, and he had to blink rapidly to stop seeing it.

But then that was when his eyes fell over to Declan's pyre. Just like Arno, it seemed that they had covered Declan's body in a sheet. The only reason that Dominik recognized it was Declan's, was when he looked at the base of his pyre and saw the sleek black bow that somehow survived the explosions. He shuddered again and nearly fell out of Triss's arms, again it came flooding back, it all smashed into his brain at once. _"Live well Dominik of Cintra. Do not let them have this world.". _He knew that he was going to die, he willingly gave his life, despite everything that Dominik had done to him, how he treated him, he still gave his life for the greater good, and let him escape. Dominik had offered to light the gas himself; Declan easily could have let him light it and still been alive, but no, Declan had sacrificed himself, and told Ciri to get him out. Declan had held nothing against him, not how he treated him when they first met, not what Dominik had said against Cahir, not trusting him at first. Declan had put it all aside and stopped him from having to sacrifice his own life.

And when he looked at the unmoving sheet, and saw Declan's bow laying against the pyre, Dominik almost lost it. _"Live well Dominik of Cintra. Do not let them have this world." _The words kept pounding in his head over, and over again, that was all he heard. He heard Declan's voice, and thought about their first encounter outside of Vizima, how he had beaten the poor man senselessly, all for simply being related to someone. And then, only a few weeks later… that same man he beat had died for him, died so that he could survive, and Dominik had let him.

All the rest of the defenders seemed to grow a relieved look on their face, and Dominik simply nodded before they all turned back to the pyres. He couldn't take his eyes off Declan's pyre, and he felt his skin continue to crawl, to burn, and he heard the words in his head, heard the explosions, and when he shuddered he almost fell forward again. However, he quickly perked up when he heard her, and like he was a child again he saw the flash of ashen hair dart towards him.

"You're awake," Ciri said quickly, and before he could even look back up, he felt his bones almost shatter when she slammed into him.

"Gahhhh…. Ci…Ciri…" He said, as right away her scent hit his nose and he felt her arms go around his neck.

"I… I was so worried… even when you woke up, I… I…" She muttered into him, and Dominik felt her wrap even tighter around him.

His bones almost shattered from the force of her hug, but after a moment, when he felt her hair and face bury into his neck, felt her warmth wash over him, he melted into her. Next to him, he saw Triss smile at him, and he nodded to the red-headed sorceress before she walked down towards the pyres. Juniper and cedarwood, Ciri's smell hit his nose, and for a moment he felt like everything was okay, his skin stopped burning, and for a few moments the sounds of the explosions fell out of his ears, and all he could hear was her. The wind gently blew through his hair, and the loose strands from Ciri's bun blew up into his face, but he didn't care, she was there, and just like when they were younger, simply having her their warmed his heart.

He kept his hand on one crutch, and gently reached to wrap his left arm around her. As soon as his arm went tightly around her waist, he felt her arms tighten around him. And that was when he let out a shaky sigh, melting into her even more.

"Don't… don't worry princess… I'm okay…I'm not going anywhere," He said lightly, as her hug and the sun warmed his skin, but despite his words, he still felt her shaking.

"Ciri, you're going to crush him, don't worry darling," Yen's voice rang in his ears, and he looked up from Ciri to see both of his adopted parents.

"_Geralt and Yennefer… they've taken good care of you, and we are beyond thankful… they've raised you into the brilliant young man you are." _His mother's voice rang in his head, and in that moment, when Geralt and Yen both walked over to him, he felt his fatigue slowly lift, and he felt that love wash over him.

He felt Ciri gently pull back from him, he looked down and wanted to meet her smiling face, see her excited green eyes. However, when he saw her, his heart nearly fell again. Her eyes were red, puffy, the makeup around her eyes was slowly dripping, and right away he held his hand up to her face, but even as it did, Ciri's face didn't change. She looked at him, looked down at the crutches, at the bandage across his cheek, and when he saw her eyes, he could see her slowly breaking. He gave her a small smile, and usually it had an instant effect on her, but all it did then, was make her bite her lip, and she took a few steps back from him. Slowly his stomach erupted, and he looked over at her, but he was interrupted.

"Dominik…" Yen said, her voice low and shaky, and soon his adopted mother's scent, lilac and gooseberries hit his nose, and he felt her arms gently wrap around him, "I… I was so worried about you… my son… I… I thought I lost you for a moment."

Slowly he turned from Ciri, and when he felt Yen's arms wrap around his neck, he melted into the sorceress as well. He wrapped his left arm around her, and felt her warmth, her reassurance and motherly love wash over him. For a moment he remembered why he was there, the funerals, and it all came rushing back to him as he squeezed her. She pulled back from him, and smiled down, her smile, her warm violet eyes calmed him like they always did. Gently she held a hand to his face, and the cold touch sent pleasant chills down his chest.

A small smile came to him as he met her gaze, "It… it's gonna take a lot more then the Wild Hunt to get rid of me, I'm not going anywhere."

"And it seems a lot more then Eredin himself too," Geralt said, coming up to him from behind Yen, his adopted father looked down at him with a smile and reached out to hug him as well, "Good job… good job… I'm proud of you…"

"Thanks Geralt…. how… how did you-," He started, but Geralt pulled back from him, his silver hair blowing in the wind and smirked at him.

"Been listening to your heartbeat non-stop for over a month now," His adopted father said, as he smiled down at him, the sun casting a shadow over him, "I knew you were still alive… knew you wouldn't get taken down that easily."

A small laugh left him as he looked in front of him. Ciri on his right, Geralt and Yen both in front of him. For a few seconds, he felt it again. That sense of family, that love as all three looked at him. Ellander had only felt like a few months ago to him then, only a few months ago that Ciri and he were fourteen, and they were spending that year in the small town together. That year, that year with them had been the greatest of his life, and for a few seconds he felt it all again.

But then he saw Ciri, and he felt his heart fall down to his boots again. She still hadn't stopped looking at him, and slowly Dominik saw the makeup and tears coming from her eyes. The sun was setting, and it seemed he had slept longer that day then he had thought. The orange rays casted a beautiful light over them all, Ciri's ashen hair seemed to sparkle, but instead of the excitable green he had loved always seeing in her eyes, he could see the anxiousness, the regret, and tucked behind it all was an anger he knew she was ready to unleash. She kept looking at his crutches, his leg, and the bandage on his face, and right away he could tell what she was thinking, what was bothering her, and in that moment he was going to reach over and try to talk to her, but Geralt spoke before he could.

"We… were going to light the pyres soon," His adopted father said, turning Dominik's attention back to him, and Geralt gestured his head near the wooden structures on the cliffs, "Hjalmar is lighting his men's, Elise is lighting Arno's. We… we were looking for someone to light Declan's. I was going to do it but-."

"I'll do it," Dominik said right away, and a gust of wind came through chilling his bones as Geralt nodded.

"Okay… take a minute, and then come and we'll light them," His adopted father said, as he looked between Ciri and he.

Geralt normally had a good sense of what he and Ciri were both thinking, and like usual his adopted father could tell in that moment, he wanted to talk to her. And Ciri, who still hadn't stopped looking at him slowly had small tears falling from her eyes. He couldn't stand seeing her like that, and Geralt knew as well. The older witcher turned over to Yen, and his mother seemed to sense the situation. He felt his chest warm up again when she smiled down at him one more time, she leaned down and quickly kissed his cheek, before she went and walked back towards the pyres with Geralt. After they had gotten a few steps away, he turned back to Ciri, and he could feel the cold breeze gently blowing through his hair still, and without a second thought he picked up his crutch and took the small step towards her again.

However, when he took that one step, he made the mistake of putting pressure on his right leg again.

"DAMMIT," He hissed as he felt the throbbing become uncontrollable and he fell forward.

Ciri's eyes widened and she lunged out, managing to catch him, she frantically helped get him back up to his feet. She kept one of her gloved hands on his chest, the other steadied his back. He let out a shaky breath and looked to see her face had fallen even more as she looked up at him. There had been very few times when he had ever seen her look like she did then. Small tears gently rolled down her cheek, and when she got him upright again, he saw her wipe her gloved hand over her eyes, smearing the small bit of makeup around them. She stood him up and held both her hands on his arms to keep him steady as she met his eyes, and the look in her emerald eyes in that moment, he never wanted to see again.

He remembered back to the barn incident in Ellander. About half a year into their stay, Yen had been showing Ciri how to use simple spells, trying to control her powers in some type of way. Geralt and he had been looking for them both, just after coming back from a hunting trip, and in that moment, Ciri had been using a spell against the side of the old barn they liked to practice at. Ciri's spell had blown the barn to bits, just as he had been running to join them, and knocked him back, nearly killing him. Her scream, seeing the tears cascading down her face when she came over to him, even with the pain he was feeling in that moment, seeing her in such a state had been burned into his brain forever, and he never wanted to see her that upset again.

There was also the final night before she had to leave for Aretuza. For the whole night they had managed to keep it together, they ate, drank and danced with one another the entire night at the inn. However, when they had finally gone to go to bed, is when they both had lost it. They started out in their own rooms; however, it took all of an hour for Ciri to come to his, and for the next few hours they laid in his bed and held one another. He cried, she had cried, and all they did was lay there and fall asleep in one another's arms. Her cries, her eyes that he could see the anxiousness in, the apprehension, it had been the absolute last thing either of them had wanted to do, they didn't want to leave one another again. However, they had, and for years that night had haunted him.

But like his father had told him, "_But now that you have each other… you love each other… that's all that matters." _It was all that mattered, it didn't matter what happened to him in the battle, he was alive, she was alive, they loved each other, and they were together there. So, he was going to do what he always did, and make sure that she was smiling again.

"So… what do you think," He said with a small smile and a breathless laugh as he pointed to the right side of his face, "Does it make me look even more dashingly handsome? I bet Eredin didn't know that in doing it he-."

"Dominik…" She said in a shaky voice cutting him off, she gripped on his arms and when she met his eyes she slowly shook her head, "You… you almost died. I… I really thought you were dead…. Thought… thought I'd lost you that… that they'd taken you from me so soon after i found you again…"

Sighing he realized that the humorous approach wasn't going to work. Still, he managed a gentle smile at her, and carefully he raised a hand up to her face. She shuddered lightly when his barehand touched her scar, and when she met his eyes he gently shook his head at her.

"But I didn't… I'm here now, I'm okay. You're stuck with me remember? I told you it'll take more then the Wild Hunt to tare me away from you," He said, as he gently stroked her cheek making her shudder again.

She reached up and placed her hands on the back of his, slowly she looked up again and shook her head, "But look at the state of you. You… you can barely walk, you're pale, your face is still bleeding… and.. and Declan, Arno, Hjalmar's men, they… they all died because I was here… you almost died because I was here."

"We knew what we were signing up for Ciri…" He said lightly, his eyes didn't leave hers and he gently shook his head, "And you know that I'd do anything to protect you…. And in the end you saved us all, we wouldn't be here if not for you."

And in a flash, he saw the sadness rip from her eyes. A new fire lit up in her green iris's, her hand left his, her grip on his arm tightened and she fiercely shook his head.

"And for what!? We didn't do anything except delay them, Geralt, Yen, Avallach, they'll all just have me run off in a corner to hide now!" She erupted at him, she fiercely shook her head and looked up to meet his gaze, "I won't do that! Not after what they did to you, they almost killed you, and I WON'T let them get away with it!"

"Ciri…" He said lightly, trying to reach his hand up to hold her face again, "I know you're angry, and I understand why. But for now, we just need to take a minute to reorganize and-."

"No, I won't! I won't hide anymore," Ciri said, and she ripped herself from his grasp, fiercely she shook her head and he watched her squeeze around the ring as she spoke, "I'm done hiding! I've run from them for years, and it's kept me from you and our family! Now the minute I'm back, they almost kill you! I won't them get away with that, I will run NO more!"

"Ciri, hold on wait, CIRI-," He said, as he saw her turn and speed walk away from him.

Her one fist was closed at her side, the other was clutched around his ring, as her sword clattered on her back and her bun bounced in the wind. He tried to reach out to follow her, but the minute he tried to move, again he made the mistake of letting his right leg hit the ground. He groaned as he had to hop on his good foot to regain himself, and by the time he had stood back up, she was already a way's away from him, turning back up towards the castle. Despite it however, he gritted his teeth and tried to move after her, but Geralt's voice behind him made him stop.

"Just let her go and cool off a bit, you know how she gets," His adopted father said, coming up behind him the older witcher helped him steady himself, before Dominik heard him sigh, "I tried to say basically the same thing to her… got the same reaction."

Wincing again, he let Geralt help him back upright. He hobbled on his left leg for a moment and sighed as he looked at the place where she had turned a corner. His heart started churning, he completely understood her anger, it was anger that he held himself. Despite what he had been told so far, he knew that Eredin for most of their fight had been merely toying with him, and Dominik more then anything wanted to fight the King again. He would fight Eredin again, what his father said in his dreams had been right. After he could walk again, after he was healed, he would train, he would train with Ciri to control his powers, train with Geralt, Faram, George, Letho and Gaeten, he would train until that day he met Eredin again.

And when Dominik faced the King of the Hunt again, he was going to make him pay, for Folan and Vigi, for Declan and Arno, and most importantly, for Ciri. When he did, he also knew that he would have Geralt, and Ciri by his side as well, and the Hunt wouldn't stand a chance. Just like Ciri had said, he was tired of the Hunt being this boogeyman, this force that they were running from. The time to hide her was over, the time to run was over, the only way that he could possibly get that life, the life that he and Ciri both deserved, was to find the Hunt, find Eredin… and face them, and then kill them.

A small sigh left him as he looked up at Geralt, "I know… it's one of the things I love about her…. I just hope she realizes she doesn't have to do it alone."

Geralt chuckled next to him and smiled, "And I hope you realize the same thing. Give her a few minutes, let's go light the pyres, then we'll find her."

Slowly he nodded and looked to meet his adopted father's eyes, "Alright… I know nobody else died but… is everyone else okay? No major injuries?"

"Nothing major no," Geralt said with a shake of his head, "George's fussing because his armor was cracked, Freya's got a scar on her cheek now… but we're okay now… thanks to you and Ciri both."

Scoffing Dominik shook his own head, "Thanks to Ciri you mean… I didn't do anything except get my ass kicked by Eredin."

"No… you didn't. If not for you fighting him, Ciri would've been too weak to activate her powers," Geralt said with a shake of his head, "Dom, before we go… what happened after the dragon attacked?"

Sighing Dominik shuddered, remembering the sequence of events in excruciating detail. His fight with Baelen, the dragon, the blizzard coming, him running to the courtyard, the two dragons, and then of course fighting Eredin. Slowly he looked up and met Geralt's eyes, his adopted father's silver hair blew in the wind, and the bright orange rays casted his shadow over the hill they were on. Biting his lip he let out another shaky sigh.

"I… I fought Baelen on the tower," He started, before slowly looking out over the mountains again, "She… she was the one to summon the dragon. After it froze the middle courtyard and the blizzard came, Faram and Yen they were both hurt, Yen told me to go find Ciri so… so I did."

Geralt quickly nodded, "Yeah… Vesemir said he and Ciri were the only one's not frozen on the ground. Said that he would be dead if not for Borch's great timing."

Dominik scoffed remembering the gold dragon and nodded, "We'd all be dead if not for him. The white dragon it… it trapped me on the battlements. Borch showed up, distracted the Hunt and the dragon, it gave me time to get into the courtyard. Ciri she… she was hurt pretty bad."

"Yeah, she told me you tried to get her to teleport while you fought Eredin," Geralt said, crossing his arms as his sword glinted in the wind.

Readjusting his crutches Dominik nodded, "Yeah… I thought that if she teleported and I was distracting Eredin it… it would've given her time to get away. So… I fought him, and well… as you can tell, it didn't go very well…"

His adopted father smirked down at him, "Ciri tells us you got a few good hits in, and all the meanwhile Borch and the Hunt's dragon fought above you."

Hearing the dragon's name made Dominik's head perk up. The sun pleasantly hit the side of his face, sweat trickled down his neck as he could practically feel the heat from the gold dragon's fire. While he was fighting with Eredin he had been a bit pre-occupied, however in a few moments he had seen the two dragon's battling overhead. In a different circumstance he would have been amazed, two dragons' fighting one another was something that he never expected himself to see in his life. It was an amazing sight, but if he closed his eyes, he could feel his fire and Eredin's ice colliding as he saw Ciri break free from the ice that had been restraining her. The large explosion rattled in his ears, and he shuddered as he looked up to meet Geralt's eyes.

"Yeah… Borch showed up and fought the other dragon," Dominik said, looking over to the group of defenders for a moment before going on, "Is he okay by the way? I saw him go down in the forest after Ciri…."

Geralt quickly nodded, "He's alright yeah. Talked to him a bit not too long ago, he's wondering around somewhere. Sure you'll have lots to talk about later… what happened with Eredin?"

Dominik heard Borch's words echo in his ears, _'Go now, Dominik of Cintra, your destiny awaits.' _He could also remember the gold dragon communicating with Kilgarrah, the white one before they fought. They had spoken about Kilgarrah being bound by oath, and not being able to break free and disobey the Wild Hunt. However, the white dragon's words then echoed in his ears, Dominik had been there at his mercy, no matter how tough he thought he was, the great white beast would have killed him in seconds. However, just before anything could happen, Kilgarrah had backed away from him.

_"You are… blood of his blood…" _Is what the dragon had said to him. Six words, six small words had been bouncing around in his head since he heard them. It sent a thousand new questions through his brain. What was the dragon referring too? Who's blood? Who was he bound by oath too? And if he had been bound to someone, was it Baelen? How did Baelen even learn to summon it? All of the questions about the dragon, along with the multitude of other ones made his brain hurt in that moment, so for the time being he let out a shaky sigh and bit his lip.

"After… after a while, Eredin he… he got the better of me," Dominik felt himself admit, the shame was over him, but he managed to look up and meet Geralt's eyes, "After… he cut my face I was knocked out. Ciri she… unleashed her powers, and her screaming woke me up. Geralt do… do you remember the spell I told you about? Ae minne taedh essea heyu? The one I had in the vision after I drank that potion?"

"Yeah, you said you thought it was your ancestor in the vision and he…" Geralt said slowly, finally putting the puzzle together as he met Dom's eyes intently, "So you're saying that spell was what calmed Ciri's powers?"

"Yeah…" He said slowly, feeling his hand start to tremble as he remembered the feeling that coursed through his hands, "I… I casted it, and it… absorbed Ciri's powers, before dispelling them… after that… well we both passed out, that was the last thing I remember."

Geralt slowly nodded and crossed his arms, "Well… that explains what Avallac'h was asking us about. None of us knew what he meant when he asked, 'what spell was it'."

Right away Dominik felt his heart leap, he narrowed his eyes and spoke carefully, "What the hell does he want to know for?"

Scoffing Geralt shrugged, "Don't know, said he was about to cast a spell to calm Ciri's powers… but you shouted one first, and he didn't get the chance."

"Probably just annoyed I stole his chance to show off," Dominik said dryly as he rolled his eyes.

His adopted father laughed and shrugged again, "Probably part of it, he's pretty prideful. He's waiting for us, told me after the pyres are lit, that we need to talk about what to do next."

"Do we really have to do that," He asked, feeling his heart start to pound louder in his chest as he narrowed his eyes, "I haven't talked to him much but… well I already don't think I like him very much. Geralt… has Ciri ever told you… about something… he did to her?"

It was Geralt's turn to narrow his eyes, "No… what do you mean?"

Dominik scoffed and bit his lip, "I… don't want to trust anything he said but… when I was fighting Eredin, he said that he was surprised that Ciri and I fought for Avallach. He said he was surprised because… of something Avallach did to her, he said something about, Avallac'h not ever having any intention on letting her leave. I was too busy fighting to think about it but…"

He trailed off as he was quickly flashed back to the moment. It was clear that Eredin had been trying to taunt and goad him, so he had ignored the King's words at the time. However, now that he thought of them again. He would never forget his first impression of Avallac'h. After they had lifted the elf's curse, and he asked where Ciri was, the elf had refused to initially tell him. It had taken every single bit of self-control he ever gained to not strangle the elven sage in that moment. And then there was what Ciri had told them, that Avallac'h only helped her because of her powers, that in of itself made him suspicious, because Dominik didn't fight for Ciri's powers. He fought to protect Ciri herself, and he didn't care what was best for the Elder Blood, he cared what was best for her.

And he had promised that anyone who treated her as nothing but a vessel, treated her as if she was nothing but her blood, would pay for it, from him.

All of this was combined with the fact Avallac'h was one of the Aen Elle, an elven sage. He had already heard enough about how sages don't trust humans. And he also knew that the Aen Elle had once held Ciri prisoner in their world, Eredin was the King of their people, and from what he heard of the Hunt they invaded worlds and took people as slaves while burning villages and killing humans. The entirety of Ciri's line all started with an Aen Elle, Lara Dorren, marrying a human, Cregan of Lod. So he knew that the race had a hatred for humans, and he heard the story, how Cregan and Lara were both hunted and killed for simply being together and having a child. Combining all of this, he didn't know why Avallac'h was with Ciri, and why he seemed to have such distaste for Dominik already.

He personally didn't care if the sage liked him or not however, because if he sensed for a moment the elf was doing something not in Ciri's best interest, then it wouldn't be pretty.

"She didn't tell me about anything he did… but I know what you mean, I don't exactly like him very much either," Geralt said with a shake of his head, "But in the end, he has been keeping Ciri safe. And he knows the Hunt better then anyone, so we should at least hear him out. So yes, we do have too… promise me you'll keep your cool."

"You know that I can't promise you that," Dominik said as he gripped a hand around his crutches and narrowed his eyes, "If I get even ONE indication that he's up to something, or not working in Ciri's best interests-."

"Then we'll both deal with him, I promise," Geralt said reassuringly, his adopted father sighed and gave him a small smile, placing a hand on his back he gestured for Dominik to follow him towards the pyres, "Let's not worry about that right now… come on… let's get the pyres lit."

Dominik's vision went back to the pyres, and when he saw Declan's bow sitting at the foot of the pyre, and saw torches being lit, he felt his skin go cold again. Geralt was right, they could worry about Avallach, about the dragon, about the Hunt, everything they could worry about later. In that moment, he saw it all again, the explosions, Arno, Declan, the sacrifice them, Vigi and Folan all made to help them keep the continent safe.

_"Live well Dominik of Cintra, don't let them have this world,"_ the words pounded into his brain again as he looked at that sheet. Underneath it, was his friend, a man of Vicovaro, a member of his hansa… someone who he had promised to do so much after the fighting had been done. And now, instead of introducing him to Ciri, putting in a good word for him with Freya, getting to know more about his life, fighting by his side again, he was burning his body. Declan was gone, and Dominik couldn't help but feel his heart churn, and his eyes begin to sting as he bit his lip. He had treated the young man horribly, treated him like a criminal, yet still he had come, still he had fought, and even made the ultimate sacrifice for them all.

No, he wouldn't worry about what came next for a few moments, it wasn't the time for that. Now, it was time for him to say goodbye, goodbye to one of his friends. But like his father had said to him in his dreams, it wasn't goodbye for good, one day he'd meet Declan again.

And when he did, Dominik would tell him in person how sorry he was.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The first thing he had done before even attempting to light the pyre was take Declan's bow. It was lightweight, it's sleek black coloring was beautiful, and it was clearly extremely well made. He had seen firsthand what a master of the weapon could do with it, as the image of Declan firing arrow after arrow, each one perfectly finding its mark flooded his brain. He had been a true master, Dominik had never seen anyone move with such grace, such fluidity and use the weapon so effectively. He wasn't going to let Declan's bow burn, he had taken it and given it to Geralt, who he saw give it to Vesemir, with the promise to keep the bow inside the keep.

One day he'd go to Vicovaro, and he'd give it back to Declan's family. He didn't know how or when, but he was going to, he'd honor his friend that way.

However, in that moment as he stood in front of the pyre, the torch crackling in his hand, he couldn't move. Geralt had nodded to him, and gone off to join Yen, Triss, and he assumed Ciri, to finally speak to Avallac'h. The sage was the last person Dominik wanted to think about in that moment, so he took in a shaky breath and tried to hobble himself forward. His right leg was already throbbing but hobbling on his left leg became harder and harder. He had to let out a shaky breath, as he glanced over to see Hjalmar lowering his head and dumping the flaming torch into Vigi and Folan's pyres. He could see the pain in the An Craite's eyes, however it was nothing compared to the look he saw Elise have to his right.

Her frizzy red hair was let down her back, over her black gambeson he could see blood stains, and there were multiple small bandages over the right side of her face. He could remember the hound of the Hunt cutting her across the eye, and watching her fight with everything she had, even from the ground. Bolt after bolt fired from her crossbow, and each one found a rider or hounds eye. He glanced down to her waist, and he could see two crossbows instead of one. One of the weapons was sleek black, it was a simple one, and he recognized it as the one Elise had used. The other one hanging near it however, he could see it was dark blue, with the coat of arms of Temaria implanted into the grip, and he shuddered when he realized it was Arno's. Slowly the image of him clipping it to Elise's belt, and pulling out her saber haunted him. He could see the woman's saber glinting against her hip, and she still didn't utter any words. While Hjalmar had looked despondent and he could see the looks of mourning on the others faces, Elise's face was still. Her eyes were sullen, her lips completely unmoving, he could finally see her slightly start to shake however when she gently dropped the torch onto Arno's pyre.

Right away the wood started to crackle, and the red head finally let out a shaky breath. The pained look in her eyes grew as Dominik saw her hands beginning to shake, and when she slowly turned her head to look at him he felt his own stomach drop. Her brown eyes were clearly holding back tears, in the short time he had known her, Dominik didn't think Elise was the type to cry often. In that moment however, he could see the pain, the cool, calm demeanor she was trying to keep had broken, and it made Dominik's eyes start to water as well. All he could see was the sword thrusting out of Arno's chest, see Declan shooting the arrow. For a moment he thought Elise was going to start screaming at him, yelling at him for letting Arno sacrifice himself, and Dominik would have felt he deserved it.

However, she did none of those things. She simply gave him a shaky nod of her head and gestured towards Declan's pyre.

So Dominik turned, and he gripped harder on the flaming, crackling torch. As the other three pyres burned, he could feel all the eyes on him, the cold wind sent goosebumps up his arms, and his hair whipped wildly in the air. He leaned heavily on his left side, the crutch under his right arm leaned against him, but still he felt his right leg tingle. His right cheek throbbed, and for a moment he felt as if Eredin's sword was raking against him again. He looked over and saw the white sheet, he didn't want too, but the image of Declan, burned by the explosions, then frozen by the white dragon's breath, the idea of his body in such a state, it made the first tear slowly fall down his face.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry for how I treated you…." He said slowly under his breath, as he gently threw the torch up onto the stack of wood.

Within seconds, the giant burning pile of wood went up in flames, and Dominik felt his entire body heat up as he stood only a few meters from it. He leaned all his weight on his left leg, but even more then just his injured one was throbbing then, he gripped tightly on the crutch, and he could feel his gloveless hands go white. With every crackle of the wood, he heard an explosion, and his eyes didn't leave the now burning sheet for a moment. It all kept coming to him, him beating Declan outside Vizima, almost killing him a second time in Novigrad, still doubting him even after he had saved him from assassins, blaming him, almost killing him for things that he didn't even do.

Everyone on the continent could have learned a thing or two from Declan, an important lesson on forgiveness, determination, and bravery. He had been so focused, so determined to complete his goal, to protect the world, and through all the shit that Dominik gave him, that the other defenders gave him, he didn't care at all, he fought, and fought, and gave everything for them to survive. If Declan doesn't light the courtyard, the fight would have been over, if Arno doesn't stay back to defend them, the fight would have been over. Geralt had told him that Cahir, Declan's cousin, had found his redemption in the end in his adopted father's eyes after he died to protect Ciri.

He would never forgive Cahir, but Dominik found himself crying at his cousin's pyre. At the pyre of Declan Mawr Drryfn aep Ceallach, he felt the tears start to come down, as he cried, and watched the body of his friend burn. Not a Nilfgaardean, a man from Vicovaro, one of the most stubborn, brave, and honorable people Dominik had ever met, a member of his hansa, a hero. And in that moment he knew that for as long as he lived, he would never forget what Declan did for him, Dominik was ready to sacrifice himself, and in doing so, it would have broken Ciri, broken his family, to keep them all safe he would have done it, but Declan in saving him, saved his family as well.

And Dominik would be forever in debt to those who saved his family.

"I… I'm going to live well… I swear… thank you… for everything you did for me… even when I was being an ass…" He said slowly, as he reached up and held his hand over his heart. His eyes didn't come off the pyre as he shakily sighed and felt heat rise up in his chest, slowly he narrowed his gaze and looked at his friends' body one last time, "And I PROMISE you Declan.… I won't let your sacrifice be in vein.… I WILL find Eredin again.… and when I do…. for you…. for Arno.… for this whole world.… I'm going to kill him. I WON'T let them have Ciri…. or this world…. I swear it…. I'll remember your sacrifice for the rest of my life…. and I swear, I will not waste the life you gave me…. you were a man of Vicovaro.… a hero…. my friend…."

"Aye… good speech kid…. It's good to see you still kickin… everyone was pretty worried when they saw the state of you," He heard Elise's low voice hit his ears from the right.

For the first time he managed to look away from Declan's burning pyre and got his first true good look at Elise. Her boots lightly crunched as she came to stand next to him. Dominik remembered when her arm was slung around his shoulder, she had coughed, and her blood had gotten splattered onto his face. On the right side of her face, from the top of her forehead, all the way down to her chin were two long claw marks, from where the hound had gotten her. However, she still maintained a rough, rugged beauty, her brown eyes were still sullen, sunken, and when they met his, he felt his chest shatter. She crossed her arms while still facing the pyres, with Declan and Arno's being right next to one another, but her head was turned to him.

Biting his lip he felt the guilt wash up inside of him. She was so calm, yet obviously distressed, he almost wished that she had been screaming at him, it would have made the conversation easier. However, he let out a shaky breath and gripping both crutches he managed to turn over to her.

"Thanks… it's good to see you okay too," He said slowly, feeling himself start to shake, biting his lip she met his eyes again and he sighed, "How… how are you feeling?"

Elise slowly shook her head, "Do you really want me to answer that kid?"

His skin went cold, slowly he shook his head, "No… I don't."

For a few moments he simply stood there next to the woman. He couldn't think of anything to say, all he did was watch the fire crackle on Declan's pyre in front of him. Using all the willpower he could, he didn't dare look back over at Arno's, or Elise next to him. The two of them both hadn't even known him before they came, they were there under Adda's orders, and now, Elise had lost the man she was supposed to marry, and it was because he had forgotten about Baelen. The Hunt knew where they would be, and that was why they swarmed the middle courtyard, he could have prevented it, could have prevented all the deaths.

His skin shuddered under the cool breeze, the sun and the crackling pyre in front of him shone in his eyes, and his throbbing leg made the shuddering worse. He thought for a moment about Ciri, how angry she was, angry she was about what happened to him and everyone else. She didn't want to run anymore, hide away anymore, she was ready to fight, find Eredin, kill him, stop the Hunt from taking her or the continent. And as Dominik stood there, the crackling of the wood hitting his ears, quickly it was replaced by the sounds of the explosions, the loud squelch of the blade piercing into Arno's chest, the sight of the fire engulfing the courtyard. He had been trying not to, but in that moment he imagined Declan and Arno's bodies under the sheets, their bodies burned and frozen, the riders walking over them and defiling them.

And letting out a shaky breath his hands curled violently around the crutches. Just like Ciri had said, he wasn't going to let the Hunt get away with it. They were going to pay, Eredin was going to pay, they would pay for chasing Ciri, they would pay for all the villages they burned, they'd pay for attacking Kaer Morhen, one of his homes. And they would pay for Declan, for Arno, and now that he had Ciri, the two of them would do it together. He was going to find Eredin again, and the next time he saw him, the King wouldn't stand a chance, Dominik would make sure of it.

Slowly he turned and looked at Elise again, and letting out a shaky sigh he met her eyes.

"Elise… I… I'm so… so sorry," He said slowly, and upon hearing his words, the red head turned her body around to face him, her arms still crossed.

Like Dominik, she shakily sighed and met his eyes, "You don't have nothing to be sorry for kid… we're soldiers… every soldier knows the risk."

"Yeah… but you didn't even know me before this," Dominik said, feeling his chest begin to thump faster as he shook his head, "You… you were ordered to come you, I… I let him die-."

"Were you the one who stabbed him and killed him?" Elise asked quickly, cutting him off before he could ramble more.

"No…" He said gently shaking his head.

Elise nodded and met his gaze with hard eyes, "Then you aren't the reason he's dead…. He really liked you; you know. On the way here, while we were waiting, heard about some of the things you did… the things you went through. Said, 'someone so young going through all that? That's worthy of our respect Elise'."

A small bit of amusement played on her face as she impersonated Arno, just like she had done when Dominik and she first had met. Dominik managed a small smile too as he remembered the man's words. _'We believe in you, believe in your abilities, your leadership.'_ The words floated around his brain as Elise and he both turned to Arno's pyre. He remembered the cold night in Novigrad, when he had met with Adda and Dijkstra, Elise's boisterous, witty personality, it clashed and molded perfectly with Arno, who tried to act all stoic and serious. In only the small time he saw them interact, he could see the love between them, and that only made Dominik feel even worse.

He was about to say something else, try to say something to help the woman feel better, it wouldn't have worked but he wanted to try. However, she cut him off, and when she spoke, Dominik could hear the slight tinge of bitterness in her voice.

"He knew…" She said tersely, her eyes not coming off Arno's pyre, "That stupid… stupid man knew, he knew that damn ballista wouldn't be able to fire…"

"What," Dominik said quickly, feeling his blood run cold, "How… how do you know?"

Elise sighed and turned back to him, "I just do…. Arno was an expert on siege weapons, he would've known, after the fuckers made it so cold, that it wouldn't fire anymore…. That stupid… stupid… brave man…"

"I'm sorry…" He said quickly, feeling his breath get short as he met her eyes again, "I… I'm so sorry this happened… I… wish there were something I could do…"

The red head shook her head, and when her head shot around to him, Dominik saw the fire light up in her brown eyes. It was the Elise he had come to know in the short time he had, her fiery red hair bounced down her shoulders, and he saw both her hands curl into fists at her side. She let out a shaky breath, and when he met her eyes, it felt like she was staring down into the depths of his soul.

"There is something you can do kid… there's something you can do…" She said darkly, and Dominik could hear the venom and anger dripping from her words.

Carefully he met her gaze, "What's that…."

She let out a long, shaky sigh and kept his gaze, "You can beat the fucking shite out of those phantom fuckers…. Find that Eredin prick, and fucking kill him. Send them right back to their fucking world…. Don't let his sacrifice be in vein kid… don't you fucking do it."

He could see her limbs shaking, the anger radiated off of her, and it washed over him. That same anger was exactly what he felt, felt under his skin, under his throbbing bones. It was the same thing Ciri felt, the boiling anger, the seething desire to make the Hunt and Eredin pay. Dominik hadn't needed anymore motivation, but Elise had just given it to him. He took one last look over at Arno's crackling pyre before he nodded sternly and looked to meet her eyes again.

"I won't… I promise," He said with a nod, "We'll beat them back… blow the cucks right back to their fucking world as you so elegantly put it."

Elise managed a scoffing laugh and smirked for a moment, before the woman slowly reached down to her belt. Dominik watched as she reached for one of the small repeater crossbows, the one that was dark blue, with the Temarian Lilly implanted into the handle. Dominik felt his heart drop, and then quickly rise up again when he saw Elise gaze at it with a sigh, before looking sharply up to meet his eyes again.

"Good… good… here, maybe this will help you in that fight some way," She said, and before Dominik could move, she took a step closer and reached the smaller weapon down to clip on his waist.

"Arno's crossbow? Elise, that's insane I can't take that," He said, as he heard the woman clip it to his belt. She lifted her head, and again he scoffed and looked at her incredulously, "You should be the one to keep it. I… I can't take this from you."

"You're not taking it from me, I'm giving it too you. I… think he'd be proud to have you carry it, like I said… he really liked you, believed in you," Elise said, before her eyes slightly fell and she sighed again, "Besides… I don't think I want to carry it… to… to much of a reminder."

He let his left crutch lean against his body, and gently picked up the weapon as it hung on his belt. Along his journey so far, he had thought about using one, however, the opportunity to get one had never come to him. He also had horror flashbacks to when he tried to learn how to use a bow when he was younger, so he didn't know how well a ranged weapon would have done him. However, he remembered the grace and fluidity that Arno and Elise had fought with using them and thought about the new possibilities with the weapon. He had promised that he'd kill Eredin, that he would beat them back, not let them have Ciri, to make sure Arno and Declan's sacrifice weren't in vein. He would continue to train in his witcher styles, he'd figure out how to control his powers, he'd have Ciri by his side, so now he wouldn't turn down another weapon for him to use, no matter how small.

He let it fall back to his waist and met Elise's eyes again, "Thank you… I won't let it go to waste… I swear. And… well… thank you… for coming, for being here. What… what will you do now?"

Elise managed a smile, but Dominik could still see the pain in her eyes. Sighing she crossed her arms and looked back once more to Arno's pyre.

"Well… Roche, Ves and I will stay for another day, Ves's ankle got pretty banged up," She said, before slowly turning back to him, "Then well… we'll report back to Adda, her cuck of a husband still needs killing. And… well.. I.. I need to tell her about Arno…"

"Were they close…" Dominik asked feeling his anxiousness rise.

She nodded and sighed, "Yeah… good friends they were. Arno protected her even longer than I did, he was with her from the time her curse was lifted the first time…"

He shook his head and bit his lip, "Tell her… I said I'm sorry. And… thank you again."

The red head nodded back to him, and held out her hand, "Aye I will…. It's been a pleasure fighting with you Dominik…. You're a brave man… I hope this isn't the last I'll see of you."

"It won't be… I promise," He said as he reached out and shook her hand, looking up he met her eyes and nodded again, "And… thank you again. I swear… I won't let it have been in vein."

To his surprise she managed a smile, her eyes were still sullen, but after she let go of his hand, she looked over towards the castle. Slowly she turned back to him and met his eyes, and Dominik could see the intent in them. It truly wouldn't be the last time he saw Elise De Le Serre, whether it was because he decided to go and see Adda, or just through sheer chance, he just couldn't shake the feeling from his gut. And when he did, he'd be happy to fight by her side again.

She managed to keep her smile as she met his eyes, "Aye I know you won't…. And make sure you keep an eye on your woman. That lass… she didn't leave your side for a minute when you were passed out. I've been around the block a few times… I know love when I see it. Keep an eye on her kid… don't let her go."

His face heated up, and he felt his body tingle as he looked over towards the cliffs where Ciri had gone. He remembered seeing her in the vision, her eyes puffy, her hair down around her shoulders as she sat next to him, not letting herself leave his side for a moment. It made his heart whirl, that after so long, she still had that fierce love for him. He let out a longing sigh however, as he remembered the anger that spiked in her only a few minutes prior. She was ready to stop hiding, to finally fight, and despite how much he agreed with her, he knew that she was extremely mentally and physically fatigued just like he was.

And now, he was finally there to help her again.

"I won't… you can count on that… thank you for everything Elise," He said to her, as the wind gently blew up his hair, and he felt his cheek throb.

The red head gave him a small smile and nodded, "Aye… you're welcome, and thank you... for saving me. Go on, your friends were waiting for you.. and I'm sure your woman is too."

He gave her one last nod and feeling Arno's crossbow bounce against his waist he took one last look at the pyres. His hands gripped around the crutches, and slowly let out a shaky breath as the bodies burned, the bodies of heroes, of his friends, of people that he was going to avenge. A small part of him wanted to stand out there and wait for them to burn completely. However, he knew that the dead didn't need him then, Declan, Arno, Vigi, Folan, they all were finally resting, resting as heroes of the entire continent. The common folk and people wouldn't know, but Dominik would, he would remember for the rest of his life, and never let what they did be in vein.

In that moment however, the living needed him, Ciri needed him. So he let out one last breath and bowed his head down to his fallen friends one more time, before with his leg still throbbing he turned from the pyres, and with the sunset beating down on his neck, he managed to move. His legs continued to throb with every step, but he trudged forward, knowing that he needed to go on.

Even if he didn't feel it, he needed to be strong, strong for Ciri, and for everyone else.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He had quickly spoke to Hjalmar and Ermion, and when he did, he could see the pain in the An Craite's eyes. He told Dominik that when he got back to Skellige, he'd be sure that the skalds sung of Vigi and Folan the brave, who both died to protect them from the Wild Hunt and fought down a dragon to do so. It turned out that despite Cerys's best efforts, war with the Black Ones was becoming inevitable on the Isles, and Hjalmar for that reason was returning right away with Ermion. Cerys was having some success with uniting the clans, but the Drummond folk were still being stubborn, and despite Crach still being there, Hjalmar didn't like leaving Cerys there without him for too long. He swore that should Dominik ever have need, he'd always find allies in Skellige, and it made him feel slightly better knowing that he hadn't been angry with him. It only served to make him smile as well, because he knew that soon, he'd take Ciri back to Skellige, and when they were there, he'd let her see Crach, Cerys, and together they could experience the Isles like they would have when they were younger.

The sun was still beautifully setting over the cliffs, Letho and Gaeten had also told him they were both going to be staying at Kaer Morhen, at least until they figured out what they were going to do next. It turns out that the two witchers had become fast friends, both seeming to have a shared outcast mentality, but Dominik of course had told them they'd always be more then welcome at Kaer Morhen. A gentle breeze ran through his hair again, and the more he walked with both crutches, the more he felt his leg throb, and with every second he felt his cheek trembling. He knew he was going to be confined to his bed for a few days, but if that was what he had to do to heal, to come back even stronger, then it was what he would do. Slowly but surely the green around the pyres was getting scarce, and with every step he hobbled, he felt himself drain, and the thought of a bed didn't sound too bad to him in that moment.

However, seeing Ciri and his friends sounded even better, so he started making his way towards the cliff where he saw the three of them still staring at the pyres.

"Well, well, well, already back up and at'em, shoulda known you'd be up by now," A voice said from behind him just after he saw Hjalmar and Ermion walk off.

He stopped, and turned, and when he saw his Uncle Vesemir with Eskel by his side he felt all of his breath leave him. His Uncle was slightly worse for ware, new scars and cuts across his face, but the elderly witcher still seemed to be in good spirits. Eskel was the one who had spoken, and his old mentor seemed to be fully recovered. Seeing them both up, it flashed him back to when he saw his Uncle Vesemir smacked against the walls by Baelen, so looking at the prideful look on the elderly witcher, as well as Eskel's face did wonders to lift his spirits.

He laughed as he stopped and turned back to them, "Yeah… you guys know me, inherited Geralt's stubbornness. Gonna take more then the Wild Hunt to get rid of me."

Vesemir scoffed and shook his head, "It'll take even more then the King of the Hunt himself to tare you away from Ciri it seems."

"You surprised," Eskel asked the elderly witcher with a smirk before turning back to him, "Ciri told us you held your own… good job kid."

A small smile came to his face, but he still sighed and shook his head, "Thanks but… if not for Ciri we'd all be dead…. Uncle Vesemir are.. you okay? You got hit pretty hard."

His Uncle laughed and shook his head, "Don't gotta worry about me lad. Believe me, I've taken a lot worse…. How about you? You were in pretty bad shape…"

"Yeah," Eskel said as his old mentor crossed his arms, "We're lucky Freya was here. Operated on you for hours while Yen and Triss casted spells, we got potions in you when we could that helped… but we thought you wouldn't make it for a while."

He felt his skin slightly tingle as he shuddered. The thought of being so close to death, before all the things that he wanted to do, before getting to give Ciri the life she deserved, before being able to even tell her all the things he wanted. His right leg continued to throb, his cheek twitched, and sweat gently trickled down his neck. Under the white top he wore, he could feel his heart thump, but as the cool air whipped through his hair, and the fresh smell of the forest hit his nose, a small pleasant chill ran up his chest.

He had survived, and he didn't plan on going anywhere for a long time, just like he had promised.

"I'm as okay as I can be…" He said, a small smile coming to his face as he looked up and met the eyes of both the witchers, "So… now that the battle's over, what will you two do? Gonna stay and try to repair the walls? And what about Lambert, don't see him around."

Vesemir scoffed and rolled his eyes, "He's in the keep with your blonde sorceress friend. She said she had some tasks that she needed a witchers help for, Lambert agreed to go with her."

"Ha looks like he's taking after Geralt after all," Eskel said with a smirk, and Dominik couldn't help but laugh himself.

He remembered seeing Kiera above him in his visions, keeping the magic stabilizing spell over him to help keep him alive. Smirking he thought about the idea of Lambert and Kiera going off together, two of the most sarcastic people that he'd ever met traveling with one another, it was a recipe for either a disaster or something spectacular. Quickly he made it a point to himself to see the sorceress before she left, he owed much to her. He would be dead on a cavern floor if not for her, and just like every one of the defenders, he was eternally thankful for her coming. A small laugh left him when he realized that now he had just cried at the pyre of a former Nilfgaardean soldiers, and now he considered a member of the lodge of sorceresses, outside of Triss and Yen, a friend, a good one at that.

Of course there was Lambert as well, who he'd always have to thank for his first ever training session, and his invaluable advice of, _'don't complain, get your ass up and fight.' _He would never forget those first few training sessions, he and Ciri relentlessly trying to land one hit on the sarcastic witcher. And despite it all, despite how sarcastic and tough he acted, he'd never forget that small hint of pride he saw come up in Lambert when Ciri and he finally hit him.

"Well, that's either a recipe for disaster or success one or the other," He said with a small laugh looking back up at them both again, "But again what about the two of you? Winters basically here, gonna shack up? Eskel, after I'm back on my feet, I want that sparring match you promised!"

Eskel smirked at him and laughed, "Ha… we will kid, I promise. Vesemir and I, we'll be coming back, but we're gonna head out for a few weeks first, gotta get some supplies."

"Ha, what for? I thought you'd have everything you need since you didn't really get started before the attack. Dragon do more damage I didn't see?" He asked the two of them.

Vesemir smiled at him and shook his head, "No lad, we… aren't just getting supplies to rebuild. Eskel and I are gonna gather as much coin as we can… and recruits, new students and apprentices."

His eyes widened and he suddenly felt his mouth go dry. He could freshly remember the argument he had with Vesemir only a few weeks earlier, after he learned the witchers were never going to let Ciri and he undergo mutations. All the names of the recruits, the ones who had died from the trial all began to list off in his mind. He could remember the causes of death, heart failure, spinal deformity, mental breakdown, multiple organ failures, from ages as young as eight, all the way up to how old Dominik himself was, they all had died. And his Uncle had seemed fervent about letting the secrets die.

So hearing him say they were going to be looking for apprentices then, it almost made him slip and fall from his throbbing legs.

"I… what!? I thought you didn't want to put anyone else through the trial," Dominik started, feeling his voice get frantic as he looked between Eskel and Vesemir both, "I… I thought that you said you didn't want to have to watch it all again, I thought-."

"Woah, woah easy there my boy," Vesemir said with a sigh, before he slowly shook his head and met his eyes, "You're right, I don't want to put anyone else through the trial…. That's why Eskel and I have come up with our new idea… we're going to open Kaer Morhen to training, training in the art of fighting monsters like a witcher."

"Yeah, a new academy of sorts," Eskel said from next to him as his old mentor smiled proudly down at him, "We know you and Ciri have powers to help you, but… we just feel that people deserve to know how to protect themselves from monsters."

"The world is evolving," Vesemir commented from next to him, "The people of the continent have changed… and if we want the witchers to survive, we must adapt."

Dominik blinked, feeling his heart race he scoffed, "But… but what about the mutations? I thought you wanted those secrets to die, like you said most people die during it, it's a death sentence."

Sagely his Uncle nodded, "Yes… that's why from now on, mutations will be… optional. If one of our students wants to undergo them… I won't stop them. However, it won't be forced upon them. You survived the Path for eight years on your own without even knowing about your powers… you showed that it's possible. Like I said… if we want our guild to survive, we have to change our ways. Kaer Morhen will open its gates to all who wish to learn the witchering trade, those who wish to learn to protect people from monsters."

"And not just young boys either. Men, women, elves, dwarves, doesn't matter, if you think you got what it takes you can learn," Eskel said with a smirk, before he met Dominik's eyes and gestured towards the cliffs, "We even got our first apprentice already."

"What?" Dominik asked with a scoff, shaking his head he laugh, "Who is it?"

"Freya," His Uncle Vesemir said with a hint of pride before crossing his arms, "Leaped at the idea as soon as we told her…. Gotta say, that lass is gonna be good, damn good. Eskel and I will gather what coin and supplies we can, see if we can find any recruits, and come back in a few weeks."

All of the information fell in his lap and all Dominik could do was scoff. It was something that now and then he did think about. For so long he had heard that witchers were a 'relic of a bygone age', and that they weren't needed. He knew that wasn't true completely, of course like his Uncle had said, the mutations were almost a death sentence, and the way they were given were horrifying to watch. However, the training, the sword work, potions, intimate knowledge of monster's strengths and weaknesses, bombs, oils, it was all still information that people could use to better protect themselves, to fight off monsters and keep villages, townsfolk, the continent itself safe. He was proud to be a witcher, and what he and Ciri always learned was that they were heroes, heroes of the continent. They protected people, they kept them safe from the horror stories you heard as children, the things you think weren't real, the ghouls, wraiths, giants and demons that were oh so real.

Witchers protected the continent from that, and the world would always have some type of need for them.

He tilted his head to see Freya, she was standing next to George and Faram, her eyes intently on the pyres. Dominik could see the fatigue in her face even from where he stood. The image of her frantically putting the inside of his leg back together came to him, he smiled and thought about her fighting with Ciri, fighting with him in Novigrad, there in the castle. He liked to think he knew Freya better then anyone who was at that castle, and so he knew, he knew that there was no better first student for a witcher academy. And just like everything his friend seemed to do, she'd do it with one hundred percent of herself, and wouldn't stop until she had a witcher medallion of her own.

And whether she was mutated or not, Freya would make a great witcher, just like he had told her back in Novigrad. A large smile crossed his face as he smiled and turned back to Eskel and Vesemir, remembering when he himself had first come to Kaer Morhen with Ciri and met the two of them. Eskel had scared him at first, but soon had become the big brother he never had. He would never forget the hours that he spent on the reversed grip, the reversed grip style he had used to fight the King of the Wild Hunt, along with so many other monsters and men over the years. He would never forget all the training sessions with him, Lambert was often with Ciri, and Dominik with Eskel for one on one training when they weren't with Geralt or Vesemir. The reverse grip, the footwork, the brotherhood he felt, in that moment then, he had never felt more like a true witcher of the School of the Wolf.

He looked and saw the prideful look on Vesemir's face. In Cintra, he didn't have an Uncle, and he didn't have any grandparents, with his father's father and mother dying before he was born, the same with his mother's parents. So when he had met Vesemir at Kaer Morhen, Dominik could remember how engrossed in the elderly witchers advice he had gotten. He had of course found them boring at times, but he could remember sitting through the lectures with Ciri, listening with bated breath at the stories, stories about the monsters that they would one day get to fight and protect people from. Despite the shaking in his bones, he felt himself smiling, the cool afternoon breeze whipped through his hair as he looked back up at the castle. He'd spend the next few weeks there recovering, but after that he would leave, leave with Ciri, and he didn't know how long before he'd ever come back.

However, he'd always be Dominik of Cintra, Witcher, School of the Wolf, of Kaer Morhen. And when he did return, he'd get to come back to see a whole new generation of witchers going through the same kind of journey he did. Hopefully however, not too similar.

"That… that sounds like a great idea," He said, feeling his heart warm up as he met the eyes of both witchers, "Thank you both… for everything… for everything you've done. I… I'll be sure to make sure it isn't eight years I'm gone for this next time."

"You're welcome kid…. And you never know," Eskel said with a smirk, looking over to Vesemir, "Maybe in a few years…. Dominik and Ciri will bring us the first ever third generation witcher, what do you think Vesemir?"

His Uncle scoffed and smiled down at him, "Wouldn't surprise me one bit… third generation witcher, damn I would feel even older…"

He felt his face get red, the idea of he and Ciri, coming back to Kaer Morhen with a child to be trained, just like Geralt did with them. It was an idea that at one point so many months ago was so ridiculous, that he would have laughed if anyone suggested it. Now however, he felt the swallow tremble around his neck, and gently he grabbed it, looking down and feeling the smile become plastered to his face. He felt a pleasant, warming sensation run up his back, and when he looked back up, his Uncle Vesemir and Eskel both were smiling at him. The pride washed over him, and gently he gripped up on the swallow, before he could say anything however, his Uncle stepped forward and gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Good job lad… I'm proud of you… damn proud," The older witcher said, before meeting his eyes and his elderly yellow eyes were full of wisdom, and when he spoke Dominik listened intently to every word. "Your journey is far from over, it won't be easy, but remember… you don't have to do it alone anymore. Ciri, Geralt, your friends… they're all by your side."

"You're gonna kick Eredin's ass the next time you see him kid," Eskel commented, coming up next to him as well, smirking as he looked down at him, "You and Ciri both… long as you stick together, you'll be alright… good luck Dom…"

His chest thumped loudly, as he could feel the swallow trembling still. For a moment all of his pain ceased, and all he could feel was the pride. Pride that he had made both of his old mentors proud, and most importantly besides that, hope, he felt the hope surge through him. Eskel and Vesemir were both right, as long as he had Ciri, nothing would stop the both of them.

And like Eskel said, the next time he met Eredin, he would be ready, and he would kick the King's ass.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ahhhhh! The man of the hour," Faram bellowed as he hobbled towards them, getting Freya and George to both turn over to him, "My friends, may I present our very own Dominik of Cintra, the man who faced down the King of the fucking Wild Hunt! Not even Eredin can kill this fucker!"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes right away, but he managed a small amused smile as he did, "You mean faced down and got nearly killed by the King of the Wild Hunt."

All three of his friends had been waiting a few meters away from the pyres, on the road back towards the castle where he had seen Ciri go earlier. Faram had his beard and hair tied back, his beard was in intricate knots, while his armor clunked. His best-friend's Bear School armor had been singed and blackened, but there didn't seem to be any damage that couldn't be buffed out. He could remember seeing the state of Faram after his fight with Baelen, how beaten his friend had looked, but he showed none of that then. In the sunset on the cliffs, the Bear School witcher smirked wildly, and walked over to clap him on the back. Dominik nearly fell over on his crutches, but he managed to smile and laugh, feeling his chest warm he looked over to see George and Freya both with similar looks on their faces.

George laughed and shook his head, "Oh come now my friend, we said that there would be no modesty from you after the battle! You fought down the King of the Hunt and lived to tell the tale."

He remembered Geralt telling him that George was fussing about his armor being cracked, and he saw now that it had to be true. The Griffin Witcher wore only the green trousers and boots of his armor, he had on a loose white top and had a dagger strapped on his waist on his back. His golden hair fell down his back, Dominik could see a few new bruises and wounds on his friend, but despite it all the southern Witcher still smiled. He could remember when he first met George, his friend had been quite serious and stoic, to Dominik at first he seemed like almost as much of a hardass as he himself was at the time.

However, it seemed that hanging out with the likes of Faram, Dandelion and Zoltan for so long had brought out the much more expressive side of his southern friend.

"Ha… and like I said I almost died," He said slowly, before looking over to Freya, who seemed to be in near tears as she looked at him, "And… it seems like I have you to thank for saving me again. That's what, six times now?"

Freya scoffed and he saw the shaky smile on her face, with her eyes quivering, she walked up and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him just hard enough without hurting him. He laughed lightly and wrapped one of his arms around her, and hugged her as tight as he could muster. The vision of her frantically operating on him, both the previous night on his leg, and remembering how she had done it all those years ago in Ellander flashed into his mind. In addition to the mental help she had given him, that was three times now that she had saved him from being killed. He had done something horrible to her when he left her, he used her, took advantage of her love when he was seventeen, lied to her about truly loving her, and crushed her as she right away reminded him when they first met.

However, just like Declan had, she had forgiven him, looked past it all. And now Freya Kaminski of Ellander was one of his best-friends, and he quite literally wouldn't have survived the other day without her. He could tell how she still felt for him, he wasn't so blind as to not see it, the way she looked at him, how he could feel her heartbeat race, her face get red when he hugged her in that very moment. It made his heart slightly sink and shot a pang of guilt through him. She was still there, she just wanted him to be happy, even if that meant not loving her back the way she still loved him. He didn't know many people who had that much strength, love and compassion inside of them.

"I… I'm so glad that you're okay… I… I really thought you died, that… that I wouldn't be able to save you," She said lightly pulling back from him, she let out a shaky sigh and wiped the small tears that had fallen from her eyes as she met his gaze, "I… I couldn't stop shaking. I… I was so scared that I was gonna hit an artery, bleed you dry, and your face, I thought-."

"Easy, easy don't worry about all that now," He said, a broad smile came to his face as he laughed and gently shook his head, "I wouldn't have wanted anyone else operating on me. I had complete confidence in you… thank you Freya, for saving my life again."

She laughed lightly and sniffled before quickly wiping her tears. Quickly she shook her head, and with the water still lightly pooling in her bright blue eyes she nodded at him.

"You… you're welcome. You… just gotta be more careful," She said with a small smirk coming to her face as she shook her head, "I'm not always gonna be there to stitch you back together now."

He felt himself laugh, and he nodded, "I'll keep that in mind…. I'm glad to see you're okay… I saw you and Ciri… made quite the pair out there."

Freya smiled lightly as her blonde hair blew back in the wind, "Ha… yeah we did. She… didn't leave your side for a minute, Geralt had to practically drag her here. She's… actually really wonderful, I spoke to her for a bit, I really like her."

A small breath of relief left him; it had been a small lingering fear of his. Freya was his friend, and Ciri was the woman he loved. However, Freya of course had been the one person that ever made him even slightly doubt his feelings for Ciri during his six month stay in Ellander with her. Freya he knew, that despite the fact she did have feelings for him still, would never attempt to drive a wedge between Ciri and he. She would never attempt to do anything to harm either of them, no matter what her feelings for Dominik were, Freya simply wasn't that person. However, a small part of him had been afraid the two wouldn't get along very well, and he would be forced to engage in more then a few awkward situations.

So, when he saw the smile come to Freya's face mentioning her, it wiped that fear away from him. He still dreaded having to tell Ciri about the relationship Freya and he had, but he had to believe Ciri and he's relationship was strong enough, and she'd understand.

Freya's seemed to understand what he was thinking and gave him a reassuring smile. He smiled back at her, and for a moment simply enjoyed being around his three friends. All of them smiled broadly at him, and he reveled in the fact they had survived. He was flashed back to Novigrad, when the four of them all spent the day in the bathhouse, it had been the first time Dominik truly ever felt he had a hansa, a group of close friends he could trust above all else. And now with Ciri back, their group of five was complete, and Dominik felt sorry for anyone who tried to get in their way.

Four witchers, and a young prodigal surgeon, who would soon be a witcher.

"I'm glad… really glad," He said, smirking and looking over to Faram and George both, "George, Faram you hear? Our dear Freya here is going to be the first ever student of the Kaer Morhen witcher academy."

Freya laughed again and Dominik saw her face get beat red. She sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, as Faram laughed and wrapped his massive arm around her shoulder.

"HAHA we did! Goldilocks is gonna be a witcher, I'm so god damn proud," The Bear Witcher said, and Dominik could hear the genuine pride in his best-friends voice.

George laughed from next to him as well, "Haha Faram is correct! The way she fought in that battle, it's like she already is one. Any man or monster needs to be careful before they cross her."

Freya again sheepishly laughed and looked at them all with a flustered face, "Ha it… it really isn't that big a deal. It'll probably take me years too-."

"Ha, you kidding? You guys thought I had trouble being modest," Dominik said with a roll of his eyes as he leaned on his crutches and looked at his friends, "Freya, my Uncle Vesemir said you literally taught him something new about potions, I never thought that would be possible. Hell, you already got the armor and the sword on your back."

"Think I got an old silver sword somewhere," Faram said with a laugh as he crossed his massive arms, "I'll try to find it in me saddle later, see if it fits ya!"

Freya's eyes widened as she shook her head, "What, no Faram, you don't have to do that, I can try and-."

"Oh come now Freya," George said from his left with a broad smile on his face, amusement dancing in his yellow eyes, "Between me, Faram, Geralt and Dominik here, you're like our protégé! Don't be modest, we'll find you some silver!"

She scoffed and smiled but Dominik saw her roll her eyes, "I heard that you have to earn your silver, it's a sort of rite of passage. I'll get one when I'm ready, I haven't even started training yet!"

Dominik himself laughed and shook his head, "She's got a point, I didn't get silver until a few weeks ago, you guys know that. As for training well… when you all come back to Kaer Morhen, like George said between me, him, Faram, Geralt, Vesemir we'll all-."

"Wait, what are you talking about, 'when we all come back'," Freya said, as she looked up and met his eyes intently.

Dominik looked around and saw all three of his friends staring at him, seeming to be asking the same question. He met Freya's eyes and for the first time noticed the new scar on her cheek. Horizontally across her left cheek was a red cut, that he was sure would scar over soon. He also looked and saw that all the potions on her bandolier were used. The armor looked like it was a type of witcher armor, with the tight black coat, and then the white long undershirt and bandolier across her chest. The white shirt on her forearm had been ripped off, and he saw the pommel of her sword glint in the orange sunbeams. His words had almost seemed to offend her, as an incredulous look appeared on her face.

He tilted his head, "Well… we beat back the Hunt. Ciri's back, we all survived. I… I just thought that well… you guys all had other things you'd need to go back to doing."

Faram scoffed loudly from his right, "BAH, you can't be serious mate? You really think we're leaving? Of course not, we're gonna stay here at Kaer Morhen with you, and then wherever you go after that!"

"Wh…what, really? But… Faram what about Undvik? I thought you needed to help the people there," He said, and after he did his gaze turned over to George and Freya, "George I thought you liked to go back towards Toussaint in the winter. And.. and Freya, I thought you wanted to go back home to Ellander, spend time with your parents, and Eustace?"

He knew that his friends would always be there for him, however, he truly thought that after the Battle at Kaer Morhen, they would all return to what they needed to do. George had spoke often to them in spare time about how he enjoyed being back in the south for the winter, near his old home in Toussaint. Freya was currently wanted for desertion from the Redanian army, with Radovid still in control, there weren't many places in the North she wouldn't be arrested. And then of course Faram had just been commissioned by Crach to help the refugees of Undvik, to help clear out monsters, help rebuild the villages after the giant had caused so much devastation. While he would have liked for his friends to be with him of course, he didn't have any intention on asking them to leave things he knew were important to them.

It would more then likely be time for them to go find the Hunt, willingly go to try and find them, to fight Eredin, and its entirety again. He would never ask them to come, they all had so much more that they wanted to do, wanted to accomplish, and they had just barely survived at Kaer Morhen, and he couldn't bring himself to ask them to risk their lives again. The thought of either Faram, George or Freya up on a pyre, having to light it, watching their body burn all because they had come to fight the Hunt for him like he had to do to Declan, it had absolutely horrified him.

However, George seemed to scoff at the idea.

"Bah, surely you jest my friend. The Hunt is still yet to be defeated," The Griffin Witcher said with a shake of his head, the sunset casted a glow off his gold hair as he shook his head, "We know that you intend on going to fight them, you and Cirilla both. We won't leave you to face them alone."

Biting his lip he looked over at all three of them, "Guys I… I can't ask you to do that. We just barely survived here, and… and now we're probably going to have to go looking for them. Everyone we knew came here to Kaer Morhen, and we just barely-."

"Oh come off it mate! You worry too much," Faram said with a wave of his hand, the Bear Witcher shook his head and met his eyes, "You're our mate, like George said, there's not a chance we let you do this alone. We'll fight for you, just like we know you would for us."

Again he felt his heart begin to race as he shook his head, "I appreciate that, but I can't ask you to risk your lives, if any of you were too-."

"You aren't asking us Dom," Freya said quickly, shaking her head as she met his eyes and her blue iris's sparkled with determination, "We're doing it willingly…. Besides, we're a hansa, you said so yourself. No matter what you say, we're in this with you… until the end."

"Aye, she's right mate," Faram said with a nod, clapping another large hand on his shoulder.

George quickly nodded from his left, "Yes… I agree as well. We will be with you for that final battle my friend. We will not let you face this alone, you and Ciri both."

He felt a fluttering in his stomach, as he scoffed with a smile. Growing up, for most of his life, Ciri had been his only real, true friend. Even then, she was his best-friend, the love of his life, the person he trusted most in the world. However, for so long he had thought he had only her, and then of course Geralt, Yen, the witchers of Kaer Morhen and all Geralt's friends he had met. When his time alone started however, despite occasionally seeing the likes of Dandelion and Zoltan for a drink, there had only been a few times he wasn't alone. For so, so long it had just been him, he'd lay awake at night, gripping the swallow, thinking about all the horrible things that had happened to him, lamenting to himself.

There had been a few moments however, where he wasn't alone, and those moments had been the few bright spots of the last eight years. Despite how it ended, he didn't regret meeting Freya, if he hadn't, if he hadn't had his relationship with her, he didn't know if he ever would have recovered from the horrible first few years alone he had. Freya had taught him that there were still good people in the world, had sat and listened to him, gave him someone he could trust with everything, and while he did regret being unfaithful to Ciri, meeting Freya Kaminski of Ellander had been one of the best things to happen to him in that time. And now, despite how they had ended, she was there, fighting with him, willing to go all the way to fight the Wild Hunt with him.

Another moment had been when he and Faram met George. The three had all only spent a week together as they hunted and readied the villagers to fight the Bruxa, but in that week, while he did think the Griffin Witcher was a bit of a hardass at times, having two friends to laugh and drink with, it had been something he never had. They swapped stories, told each other bits about their past, and of course swapped bomb, oil and potion recipes. And then the fight, the thralls, watching George slay that Bruxa, it had been one of the few times he had actually enjoyed being on a contract.

And then when he looked to his right there was Faram, and as always the Bear Witcher smiled broadly. His long black ponytail flapped in the wind, and he remembered the man fighting Baelen herself, one of the Hunt's top commanders to defend his adopted mother, holding out while he came. When he met Faram, it had been the darkest time of his time alone. After Rivia, after thinking he lost Geralt and Yennefer both, thinking Ciri was all but gone and out of his reach. He could remember how low his gold ran, how he was almost killed in even the simplest of contracts. A group of drowners would almost kill him, he would forget to add oils to his sword, forget to make the right bombs or traps he needed. Nothing had felt worth it anymore, he had finally felt like his years of searching were all going to be in vein, he'd die in some random cave, having taken on a contract on something he clearly wasn't ready for.

Faram of Undvik however, had changed that. Dominik had truly thought the leshen was going to kill him, until Faram had come bursting out of the woods. If not for all three of them standing in front of him then, Dominik didn't know if he'd be alive, and now, they were going to help him protect Ciri, and finally end the Hunt for good.

"I… I can't think of any way to thank you all…" He said, as he pushed himself up on the crutches, feeling a scoff leave him his eyes started to sting as he looked between them, "You… you guys are the best fucking hansa anyone could ask for…"

Faram laughed and clapped his shoulder again, "Haha anything for you mate! We know you'd do the same for us! Besides, looking forward to spending a little bit at Kaer Morhen, your woman, HA she fights like a demon, I can't wait to hear some of her stories… and tell her about more of our… glorious adventures."

Dominik had time to roll his eyes with a smile, but George quickly laughed from his left.

"Ha, he is right, I am looking forward to getting to know her as well," George said as he ran a hand through his golden hair, "Besides, once you are back on your feet, Faram and I wanted to continue to train with you."

Suddenly he felt the excitement rise up inside of him. In the short time he had been awake, he hadn't been able to think about it, what with his body aching, and so much else going on around him. However, he realized now, that he finally had all five. A witcher from all five schools was going to be at Kaer Morhen, Faram, George, Letho, Gaeten, and of course himself, Ciri and Geralt. Wolf, bear, griffin, viper, and cat, all five schools of the witchers would be there, and finally Dominik would be able to take the time to train. He could remember all the way back in Oxenfurt, when he had seen the cat running along the shelves of a house they were in, and he had first gotten the idea. He didn't know about his carrier abilities, the powerful magic he had then, but originally he had come up with the idea of giving himself an edge in the final fight.

And now that the final fight was coming, he was finally ready to gain that edge. For a second he shuddered, feeling the wound under the bandage on his right cheek begin to throb. In that moment, he felt the blade raking against his face, and he would never forget the last thing he saw after that. Before he fell and was knocked out, he saw Ciri's screaming, terrified face, her eyes had been wide, and her scream then was going to be lodged in his nightmares.

He would make sure she never had to scream like that again, and he'd train as much as he could to make it so.

"That sounds like a great idea," He said as a smile grew on his face. His hair blew lightly in the wind, and he looked over to a smiling Freya, "So doctor, how long do you think until I'm back up? I'm not really good with these."

Freya laughed as he waved up one of his crutches and shook her head, "Well, to be honest you shouldn't even be walking on them right now. But when I left I knew that if you woke up, you would want to come down, so I left those for you with Triss."

"Smart idea," He said with a smirk, and Freya laughed before rolling her eyes.

"Well it'll be at least a few days before you start walking again. I'm going to have to make sure I keep moving your leg, stretching it out and moving it while you lay down," She carefully explained as a cool breeze shot through her blond locks, "If not for the magic well… it'd be a lot longer. As long as you're not stubborn and listen to me, you should be fine in.. I want to say about a week and a half."

A week and a half, if that was how long he had to take it easy to get himself back to form, then he would. The closest thing he could remember to that current situation was when he had broken his ankle on the pendulums all those years ago. He could remember the pain, and how even the slightest movement of his ankle would feel like it was on fire. Thankfully between Vesemir and Triss, it was able to heal properly and set back. However, he could remember the weeks he spent in bed, and how Ciri after she was done training would constantly be at his bedside, talking his ear off, bringing him food, and being sure to keep him company.

And now he not only had her, but all of his friends as well, so he would be able to survive a few days in bed.

He nodded and mocked saluted to Freya, "Yes ma'am whatever you say doctor."

Freya rolled his eyes but smiled, "Okay hero, now, you should go and find Ciri, she… didn't seem to be in a very good mood last I saw her."

"Aye… lass was downright fuming," Faram said with a scoff as he turned to him, "Geralt, Yennefer and Triss went this way as well, they were talking to that stuffy elf."

The mention of Avallac'h made him roll his eyes, but the prospect of seeing Ciri made the annoyance quickly go away. He knew that when Ciri got like this, it was hard to talk her down, and he was one of the few people who was able to, and despite the fact that even he had a small success rate of calming her down, he knew that he needed to see her. It had only been about two days prior at that point, but that moment they had spent together in his room already felt like so long ago. He just wanted to sit with her, or he'd even stand with her despite the fact that both his legs were increasingly throbbing.

Freya had been right when she said he really even shouldn't be walking then. Even with him putting the weight on his left leg, hobbling with his crutches, every minute he spent standing he felt more and more blood violently rush to his right leg. And the more he felt the blood swirl, the more it throbbed, the more he could feel the painful tingle run up his body. Despite the fact he knew that his leg was the much more serious injury, what bothered him the most however was his cheek. With every gust of wind, he could feel just how deep the wound was, and he felt it continuously sting. He could practically feel it getting redder and redder around his face, with every little sting he bit his lip, and he felt himself squinting in his right eye from the vibrating pain. A small part of him was worried that it would spread, and that the scar would end up dominating his face if it healed wrong. There was only so much Freya's healing solvents and pastes could do, however he quickly pushed the thought from his mind, he trusted Freya's abilities, and a slightly disfiguring scar wouldn't kill him.

Despite all the pain, he simply wanted Ciri, he wanted to hold her, and just relax for a few moments after what still overall had been weeks of non-stop fighting.

"Okay… I should head over and see them," He said, as he looked up and smiled at all three of his friends again, "Thank you all again… for everything."

George smiled from his left and bowed his head, "It's our pleasure my friend. You will be up and at them again in no time."

"Aye! And the next time you see that cunt Eredin, you'll kick his fucking arse mate, I know you will," Faram said with a smirk as he lightly clapped his shoulder again.

Freya laughed from across him and nodded, "We're gonna head back up to the keep. When you're finished, you and Ciri meet up with me in your room, we need to make sure we change your bandages, and get the right potions in you."

"Aye mate, we'll see you up there, we'll all bring a few mugs up for ya later," Faram said clapping his shoulder one last time.

Dominik winced slightly at the contact but was able to smile and nod. And within a few more seconds, all three of his friends walked off back towards the keep. As they did, he felt himself suck in another sharp breath, feeling a new shooting pain run through his leg. However, a cool breeze soon washed over him, as he turned with his crutches to quickly look out over the cliffs. The cliffs just outside the castle was somewhere that Ciri and he, had only been allowed to go too after they had turned thirteen. It had become one of their favorite places, and when he looked out over them now, he felt a calming peace run through him. He looked and could see the sun gently setting over the distant mountain. The sight of the valley down below, the beautiful formations of the cliffs, the trees, the beautiful smell of cedarwood that he could smell hitting his nose, it all let him finally let out a breath that wasn't shaky, one that he felt like he was holding in since the moment he woke up.

The cedarwood made him think of Ciri, the forest had always been one of their favorite places to go together. He could remember all the way back in Cintra, when one day his father had taken Ciri and he out to the lake, with of course an entire escort of guardsman as well. It had been the spring, it was the most beautiful day that Dominik could still ever think of, when he thought of what a perfect day was like, he vividly remembered it. The sun had been high, the breeze was perfectly cool, he could even remember exactly what Ciri had been wearing.

She had worn an elegant silk, sky blue top, along with a pair of black trousers, boots and brown silk gloves. Her hair had been tied into one intricate braid down her right shoulder. And as he sucked in the fresh air, in that moment he could see it all unfold. The two of them were supposed to be going for a walk around the lake, his father had of course been their main escort. He had let all the guardsman take some time off and relax around the lake while he walked with Ciri and he. A laugh came to him as he remembered the exact moment they had run off.

His father had been talking, going on and on about Ciri's schedule for the rest of the day. He was walking in front of them, completely engrossed in what he was saying. Ciri had tugged on his arm, and he would never forget the completely mischievous smile she got on her face. Her emerald eyes had lit up, and she tugged on his arm and gestured towards the woods. After a moment of debate eleven-year-old Dominik was still unsure, but all Ciri had to do was bat those pretty green eyes at him, and he had agreed. Silently as could be, she pulled his arm and they had run into the woods. They laughed and ran, leaping over branches, logs, all while Ciri had held onto his hand and ran in front of him. Even in that moment, he could still remember the flustered, giddy look he had as he felt her hand wrapped around his, how red his face got when he saw her smiling face look back at him as they ran. She laughed, and her laugh even to that very moment was medicine that could heal any wound he had, that moment when she tugged him along had been the closest to perfect young Dominik ever felt.

They had come out to a meadow, and when they emerged, she was looking back at him to say something when she tripped over a rock and stumbled forward. Dominik had tried to catch her, but ended up tripping as well, they both tumbled forward and rolled down a hill, and landed right into a small meadow of flowers. He had been scared, thinking she was hurt, but he could remember her laying on her back laughing, laughing so much that she couldn't even speak. Frantically he had gone over to her, but she just pulled him down to the ground next to her, and for a few, amazing, precious moments they watched the clouds together and laughed. Finally after they had both stood up, young Dominik he remembered, had never found her so utterly beautiful. He picked one of the flowers, a white one and put it behind her ear, and that had been the very first time she kissed his cheek. His father had found them soon after, and despite the scolding they both got, young Dominik and Ciri were too engrossed with each other to listen as they walked back.

As he opened his eyes in the present, and saw the beautiful sight in front of him, the swallow around his neck trembled, and he felt himself reach up to grab it. He let out another clean, crisp, clear breath, and a small smile came to his face as he opened his eyes. The smile got wider when he realized, that for the first time, he had one of these vivid memories, and now he could actually go reminisce about them with Ciri herself.

And he was hoping it would be something that could make her feel better.

"Ahhh there you are lad," A deep amused voice said from behind him, and Dominik whirled around just as it continued, "I believe that NOW is the proper time for introductions."

Dominik's eyes widened, he always knew about the abilities of polymorphy, but he had never seen them to such a degree. Before him stood a man, who couldn't look like he was any older then perhaps thirty, however, when he gazed deep into the man's eyes as he came to stand next to him, Dominik scoffed when he recognized them, recognized the old wisdom, the intelligence. He had wavy dark brown hair, a wispy brown beard and eyes, he smirked wildly at him as he came and joined Dominik on the cliffs, and despite the fact he had indeed met the man already, he could still hardly believe that he was standing there.

He laughed sheepishly and let his crutch lean against his side to rub his head, "Ha yeah… you… you know growing up. Geralt always told me and Ciri stories about you, how him, you and Yen met."

The man laughed heartily and nodded, "Aye, a great tale I'm sure it is for young children to hear…. But you aren't so young anymore. It's a pleasure to finally properly meet you lad, Villentretenmerth at your service, however… as I'm sure you know, you may call me, Borch Three-Jackdaws. I must say it is a pleasure to finally meet the child of Geralt and Yennefer."

Borch held out his hand, and Dominik felt himself scoff a laugh as he reached out to shake it. He could see in his memory, Ciri and he sitting and eagerly lapping up the story of the gold dragon hunt from Geralt and Yennefer both. It had felt like so long ago, and the idea that he would meet any dragon, let alone that golden dragon had never crossed his mind. Now however, that same dragon was next to him, shaking his hand. The sun casted both their shadows over the hill as Borch smirked and crossed his arms, and Dominik couldn't help but keep the smile plastered on his face.

Even more importantly, Borch had saved them. There's no way that they would have survived the battle without his aid. He remembered his heart dropped after Ciri was ready to give herself up, his Uncle Vesemir had been gripped by the throat, and while he had barely survived Eredin, he didn't think his chances of surviving Eredin, Baelen, Imlerith, and the white dragon, all while saving Vesemir and Ciri would have been very high. He had been busy fighting of course, but in the few small parts he did see, the two dragon's fighting above the sky's had been one of the greatest sights he'd ever seen, and he didn't think he'd ever see anything like it.

He let go of Borch's hand and smiled broadly at the dragon, "The pleasure is all mine… thank you, thank you for coming, we… would never have survived if you hadn't shown up."

"Ha, no problem at all lad, it's like I told you and Geralt when I talked to him. He and Yennefer saved my child, it was only right I return the favor," The dragon said with a small head bow, before crossing his arms and looking out into the sky, "Besides… when I heard that a dragon was under the command of the Wild Hunt… I had to come and investigate, and… it seems to be much more complicated than I thought."

Dominik felt his stomach churn as he readjusted on his crutches. He could hear the conversation between the dragon's in his mind and shuddered as he remembered it. Kilgarrah had spoke of oaths, and not being able to disobey the Hunt's commands. There was also the fact the white dragon had spared him and looked genuinely distraught at the idea of having been ordered to attack him. _'You are… blood of his blood…". _The beast's words rang in his ears, and he bit his lip, trying not to let the relatively good mood he had somehow gotten himself into go away, but he met Borch's gaze anyway.

"Do you know anything about that dragon? I heard its name was Kilgarrah," Dominik asked, as Borch sighed and turned to meet his gaze.

"Aye… Kilgarrah, an ancient powerful beast, just as old as I am," The dragon said with a shake of his head, "I thought he had disappeared over a hundred years ago…. The fact that he's returned now… and under the command of the Wild Hunt, it's… confusing, extremely confusing."

"Why's that?" He asked the dragon quickly, feeling his curiosity rise.

Borch met his eyes, "Because, the rumors I heard said that Kilgarrah had died… fighting the Wild Hunt, along with his human partner."

Dominik scoffed, "Dragons have partners? I thought that they stayed out of human affairs, didn't go finding them unless they absolutely had too."

"Yes, normally this is true," Borch said with a shake of his head, "However, I don't know who… nobody does, but from what I know, Kilgarrah, similarly to what happened with me, my mate and our child, had a bounty put on him by a local ruler in Kovir. One of the men who joined the party to hunt him however… he protected Kilgarrah, killed the other members of the hunting party trying to kill him."

"So, almost exactly like you, Geralt and Yennefer? But… you said they were… partners?" He asked, feeling his skin begin to tingle.

Borch nodded again, "Aye, the rumor has it, Kilgarrah and this man entered into what's known as a blood oath. In doing this, Kilgarrah was bound to this man, and all his descendants to come."

_"You are… blood of his blood,"_ it clicked in his head, and Dominik felt his skin begin to crawl. His ancestor, could his ancestor have been the one who saved Kilgarrah? If that was the case, how did the Hunt come to bring the dragon under their control? The new multitude of questions only made his head pound even more, his cheek throbbed intensely, and he had to readjust his crutches before turning back to Borch, feeling his hair, medallion and swallow blow in the wind.

"Kilgarrah he… he didn't attack me, he said I was 'blood of his blood'," Dominik said, and gently shook his head as he kept eye contact with the dragon, "Does… that mean that… that my ancestor was the one who saved him?"

Borch sighed and looked conflicted, "I truly do not know. It is likely yes but… it is still a mystery how he came to be under the control of the Wild Hunt…. Do you have any relative's lad?"

Dominik shook his head right away, "None that are alive… no. Both my parents and sister are dead, and well… didn't have any cousins or anything. Could they have him under some kind of spell? That's how the one commander summoned him."

"It is possible… but I will have to make more inquiries," Borch said as he slowly uncrossed his arms, "If it is a spell that they've used, we must find a way to break it. The odds of us defeating Kilgarrah in combat are extremely slim, you saw that even I struggled in the fight."

The large eruption from his and Eredin's fire and ice rang in his head, the two dragons had unleashed their breath above them at the same time, and it had covered the battlefield in smoke. After this, he remembered that Ciri's powers had been so great that even the dragons had been knocked out of the sky. When he looked at the transformed dragon again, and he could see the deep faded cuts in his head, and along the man's forearms he could see what seemed to be more bite and claw marks.

"Have… two dragons ever had to fight like that before?" Dominik asked, and Borch laughed heartily and shook his head.

"Oh now and then yes.. but very rarely. It's been years since I had been in a good scrap," The dragon said as he met Dominik's eyes again, "And well, I must prepare myself, because I assume that I will have to face Kilgarrah soon again."

"Does that mean you're staying," Dominik asked, feeling a small pit of excitement boil up in his stomach, "You're going to help us fight the Hunt again?"

Borch slowly nodded, "Aye… I will. If they somehow truly do have Kilgarrah under their control I must find a way to break the spell. He may be a bit of a hardass… but he is a dragon nonetheless, and with so precious few of us left, I'm hoping to see him freed of their grasp."

Dominik slowly nodded, remembering the lessons he was taught about dragons. Witchers had a code against killing them unless they had become a direct threat to people. They were intelligent, sentient creatures, and most of the time were the ones being hunted themselves and didn't involve themselves in human affairs at all. He obviously had no clue about this Kilgarrah, but if he truly had been sworn to blood oath to his ancestor, then Dominik didn't want the creature to die either. If he was going to believe anyone about it, he would believe Borch when he said the beast had no choice in the matter.

And even during his years alone, he would always try to help a monster first, help a cursed man, help an intelligent creature escape. As long as the beast wasn't causing harm intentionally and knowingly, he would do everything he could too help. If a man had told him he was a werewolf, Dominik would always try to help cure him first, if a succubus had been acting in self-defense, or wasn't bothering humans, then he wouldn't kill the beast. He even knew that there were some vampires of high intelligence who lived completely normal lives, that he didn't dare try to fight, knowing they caused no harm. Geralt had even told him there had been a vampire in his company to go and save Ciri, the vampire Regis had been killed by Vilgefortz, but that only proved to Dominik, that sometimes the beings we thought as monsters, could be more human then some men.

So, if Kilgarrah was truly under a spell, or being forced with no choice to obey the Hunt's commands, then Dominik would help Borch lift the spell however he could, as long as it didn't put Ciri at risk.

"If he really won't kill me or attack me, I'll help in any way I can," Dominik promised the dragon as he winced from the pain in his leg, "Thank you… for helping. Will you stay at Kaer Morhen?"

Borch smiled and shook his head, "Thank you lad, it warms my heart to see you've inherited Geralt's traits. I won't be staying; however, I will be sure to stay ready for the final fight, fear not, I will be nearby should Kilgarrah show himself again."

Dominik breathed out a sigh of relief and nodded to the man, but a small thought trickled in the back of his mind, "Thank you, for everything again. I… was wondering, didn't you… always travel with two Zerrikanian warrior women? Geralt always told us that."

"Haha Tae and Vea! Of course, they're with me always. They're inside the keep, I flew ahead of them to get here faster, I also didn't wish to drop them right into the middle of a fight with the Wild Hunt by themselves when everyone was frozen," Borch said with a hearty laugh. The dragon smiled once more at him, before gesturing behind him further down the path, "It has been my pleasure to meet you lad, and we will speak more before I depart I am sure. However, you must go now, your destiny awaits you… and when I walked by she didn't seem to be in the best of moods."

He felt the swallow tremble around his neck, and he quickly reached up and grabbed it. The gentle breeze shot through his hair, as he could remember Borch's words to him on the battlements before he went to fight Eredin. _"Go now Dominik of Cintra, your destiny awaits."_ He knew that dragons were wise, and intelligent creatures, and had ways of knowing things that seemed impossible. For the longest time he had known Ciri was his destiny, knew that their two fates were intertwined. He didn't care too much for the logistics of it, whether it was his destiny or not, he loved Ciri, loved her more then anything or anyone in that world, and he would protect her for that reason. However, hearing the dragon call her that, it made his heart swell up, just having the reaffirmation that she was, that she was his destiny always had felt good. And now, he didn't have to longingly remember her, he could go and see her then and there.

His leg was still throbbing, his cheek stung so badly he felt himself nearly closing his right eye. However, the thought of Ciri upset was always something that had taken precedent. No matter what he felt like when he was younger, he would always make sure that she was okay, because seeing that smile she got, hearing her laugh, it always was what would make himself feel better. And now, he knew that she was hurting, angry, tired, and while he felt the same, all he wanted was to just be with her.

"You know… I don't really care if she's my destiny or not…" He found himself saying, and when Borch amusingly smiled at him, he found himself continuing, "I'm going to keep her safe, protect her… but because I love her. I… I love her more than anything, that's why I fight for her."  
Borch's brown eyes met his green ones, and the dragon smiled broadly, taking a few steps towards the cliff, before looking back to him with a smirk.

"My young friend… sometimes destiny and love, are one in the same. Good luck Dominik of Cintra. This is the start of a great journey for you, you and your love both. You both have great destinies ahead of you, and I look forward to seeing what you'll accomplish together," The dragon said, and quickly nodded to him again, before turning and leaping off the edge of the cliff.

Dominik's eyes widened, he knew the man was a dragon, but his instincts kicked in and he hobbled on his crutches to the end of the cliff. He looked wide eyed down and saw nothing but trees and fog. However, he felt the wind begin to pick up, the swallow and the wolf around his neck churned violently, his brown hair blew straight upwards, and with a loud ***WHOOSH* **the giant blur of gold rushed past him, almost knocking him back onto the ground. When Borch's roar hit the air, Dominik for the first time was able to stand there and take in the beautiful sight of the golden dragon flying near the clouds. Borch roared again, and Dominik saw him fly up towards Kaer Morhen.

After a moment, the wind died down and he, looking down and grabbing the swallow around his neck. In his bare hands the silver was cold, and it sent a pleasant tingle up his spine. _"Sometimes, destiny and love are one in the same." _It was something that he believed for so long but didn't seem to realize until just then.

He let out a small sigh and turned back down the path. A small smile came to his face, as the realization kept on hitting him. It had been something he wanted for so, so long, and now that he finally had it, it seemed almost to good to be true.

If he missed Ciri, wanted to see her… she was there, and all he had to do… was go see her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The relatively good mood he had been in as he finally found, Geralt, Yen, Triss and Ciri had been ruined by Avallac'h, it had taken the sage approximately ten seconds to already piss him off.

"Zireael can harness immense amounts of magical power," The sage said in a tart, condescending tone as he looked at Yennefer, Triss and Geralt with his arms crossed, "Why has nobody taught her to control this?"

"Actually, some DID teach her," Yennefer said, and Dominik could hear the anger and annoyance laced deep in his adopted mother's voice.

"Clearly to no effect," The sage said dryly, and never in Dominik's life had he wanted to already hurt someone so soon after hearing them speak.

All he had to do was listen to the elf's tone, and already Dominik had the urge to take the new crossbow he had and put a bolt between his eyes. One of the things Dominik hated most in that world, was people who flaunted their authority, and treated everyone below them as second-class citizens. That was why people like Radovid, Emhyr, Caleb Menge, had all pissed him off, or still pissed him off to such a degree. He had killed Menge, if he was lucky enough he'd kill Emhyr one day, and everyday that passed he thought more and more about helping Adda kill Radovid. However, at least those men actually had some semblance of authority due to their position.

Avallac'h however, had no command over any of them, and the elf had taken all of ten seconds to start acting like he was in charge. As Dominik hobbled closer on his crutches, he could see the group congregated, he felt a fire reach up his gut, and almost found himself hobbling next to Geralt, ready to either throw his crutch at the sage, or light him on fire. Dominik knew that one of the things that bothered his adopted mother to that day, that she was greatly disappointed in, was the fact she simply didn't know how to properly teach Ciri to control her powers, and for this reason she had to bring her to Aretuza. He knew that everyday his adopted mother regretted this, and hearing the elf speak to her like that sparked something in him. There was a list of people Dominik had in his head, a list of people who, he would get the angriest about other people insulting them like the sage just had.

Ciri was first on the list, but the person right below her was Yennefer. You didn't insult his mother, no matter how little it was. However, before Dominik could do anything, it seemed that Yennefer had been just as angry as he was.

"Watch your tone sage…. I will gladly argue with you about this, at a later date…" His adopted mother said darkly, and there had only been a few times Dominik ever heard her use that tone.

And none of those times ended well for the person she had spoken too.

He heard a jumble of voices, Geralt spoke up and didn't sound happy, Avallac'h was grumbling, Yennefer was speaking, however it all got tuned out for him when he saw Ciri. Her sword was across her back, the pommel glinted in the sunlight, and her bun of ashen hair gently blew in the wind. Around his neck the swallow trembled, and he could practically see the anger and annoyance radiating from her. He saw her one hand up around the ring, and the other was wrapped around her waist while her arms shook. Quickly he looked between the two scenes, one was his adopted parents arguing with a sage he didn't really like, and the other was Ciri, looking out over the mountains.

He was able to make the easiest choice he ever had to in that moment. Rolling his eyes at Avallac'h and his adopted parents, he hobbled on the crutches over towards Ciri, towards the cliff. The wooden crutches left indents in the ground as he walked with them, and with every step he still felt the pain shoot through his right leg despite it not touching the ground, and as the wind picked up every little gust made his cheek feel like pins and needles were being stuck into it. However, as he got up behind her, he could smell Ciri's juniper and cedarwood scent, the natural scent she had that he loved so much, It was mixed with the smell of blood and sweat then, but he didn't care. He looked down at himself and all he wore were black trousers and boots, Arno's crossbow dangling at his side, and of course the sweaty white top he had on over his upper half.

"You know… I missed this view… a lot," He said as he hobbled up next to her, and she nearly jumped when he got next to her.

Her head shot around to him, and when he saw her emerald iris's, despite the worried look in them, he immediately calmed. The pain was still present in his leg, and through his body, but in that moment as she looked at him, the smile didn't leave him once. Her eyes quickly bore deep into his, and she reached over to help him steady himself. As soon as her gloved hands hit his back and chest, he felt warmth run up his body, and despite the arguing of everyone in the background, all he focused on was her, and she helped him stand upright, she sighed and looked out over the mountains as well, down into the forest.

"I did too…" She said gently, before turning her body over to face him, and when she looked at him, his love for her swirled as he met her gaze. She gently held a hand on his arm, and shook her head, "I… I'm sorry I stormed off, that… I didn't help you burn Declan's pyre. And I'm sorry I snapped at you, I… I just-."

"Hey, hey, it's alright, don't worry. You've had a rough few days, believe me if anyone understands its me," He said, as he gently lifted up his left hand to cup her face for a moment, "I'm more worried about you… you okay?"

She scoffed right away and shook her head, turning back to look over the cliff's she gripped up on the ring again and pulled away from him.

"Let's see… I spend so long trying to come back, and the moment I finally reunite with you, Geralt, Yen, everyone… they fucking attack," She said, before sharply turning back to him and shaking her head, "Four people are killed trying to defend me, the man I love can barely fucking walk, and the Hunt is STILL out there. And now, they're over there planning what to do for me, without even taking anything I say into account!"

He heard the voices of Avallac'h, Geralt, Yen and Triss all arguing behind them, but he didn't dare take his eyes off Ciri. Sighing he hobbled up next to her again, gently he placed his hand at the base of her back, and looked at her, her gaze stayed out over the mountains, and Dominik could see the fire building up in them. Gently he shook his head, and tried to speak in a low steady tone, ignoring the wincing pain in his leg.

"Ciri I'm okay, I promise," He said, making her turn back around to him, and when she met his eyes he shook his head, again, "I got hurt protecting you, and even though you saved my ass… I'd do it over and over again, I'd die before I let them take you."

Her eyes erupted and she shook her head, her tone was hard and angry, "Dominik, as sweet as you know I think that is, I don't fucking want you to die protecting me! I don't want you, or anyone else to die, I won't let you! I'm SICK and tired of hiding and waiting, waiting for them to come find me!"

She took a step away from him again and looked out over the cliff again. Tightly she gripped her hand up around the ring, and her other firmly down at her side. Dominik had known that when Ciri got this angry, it was best to have her let it out. He could almost see the anger beginning to shoot out of her at all directions. Instead of saying anything, he simply moved behind her, and as he guessed she would, she whirled back around with her green eyes practically radiating that fire, that intense passion and burning desire he loved so much about her.

"I'm DONE hiding! I'm sick of being treated like a child, treated like I'm some fragile damsel in distress who had to be hidden away," She said as her gaze shot up to him, she took another step towards him, getting only a few inches from his face as she fervently shook her head again, "I won't let them get away with what they did here! I won't let the deaths be in vein, I WON'T let them get away with what they did to you. I'm going to find them, every single one of them, Imlerith, Caranthir, Baelen, Eredin, they'll ALL pay!"

He stood there as she shook in front of him. She had turned around from him as she spoke, but Dominik could see her slowly turn back around to him. In her eyes that fiery passion danced, that determination, it was a look that he often saw grow in her when they were younger, and every single time he had loved it. For a few seconds she breathed heavily and kept her eyes locked with his, as she awaited his response. His heart thumped, and he got goosebumps running up his arms, he loved this side of her. That fiery, intense, passionate side, the side that once she set her sights on something, she didn't stop until it was accomplished. And what she wanted; was the exact same thing he had wanted.

They both wanted to make Eredin pay, pay for everything that he did to them, for ruining their chances at being together earlier. To make him pay for attacking Kaer Morhen, for the deaths that they sustained, and for all the misery and death he had wrought just not in their world, but in every world. Ciri wanted revenge for him almost killing Dominik, and Dominik wanted to face the King again, and this time, he would kill him for everything he had done. Next time he would have Ciri, he will have trained more, and together with Ciri, Geralt, his friends and family, they would end the Wild Hunt.

"Okay," He said simply, as his eyes didn't leave her once.

Ciri looked taken aback for a moment, she took another step towards him and blinked, "Wh…what?"

He scoffed out a laugh and nodded, "I said okay, let's do it. Together, the both of us… we're going to Hunt them down and kill them. No more hiding, no more running."

She scoffed and smiled lightly at him with a shake of her head, "Ha I… I partly was expecting you to try and talk me down, tell me I was being crazy."

Laughing he shook his head and met her eyes, "You kidding? You're right. We're not going to let them get away with this. Eredin, those fuckers they've been chasing you for years. We would've been back together years ago if not for them. And like I said, I wasn't there to help you, to protect you for that whole time… but I am now. And I am NOT going to leave your side again, we're going to find them, and like you said… we're going to make them pay."

Ciri laughed again, and for the first time since he woke up, he saw that smile come back to her face. As soon as her lips curled upwards, he felt his heart pleasantly flutter, it felt as if a hundred butterflies had been unleashed in his stomach. The joy that came to her face, the smile that turned into a smirk, the excited look she got, it was the most amazing thing he could remember seeing in the past few weeks. He knew that Ciri and he could do it, with help from Geralt, his friends, and their family, they would defeat the Hunt. In the previous few weeks as he had been looking, he was perfectly okay with the prospect of dying as the Hunt attacked them, but as long as he got to see Ciri first. Now however, it had all changed.

He had Ciri back, he had his friends and his family by his side. And after seeing how they all fought together, he knew that they could make it, and he and Ciri both would finally get that fucking life they wanted. Nobody would bother them, it'd be them, horses, swords, and the Path, just like they had planned from the start.

She laughed a little and he felt her hands gently slip into his, "Alright… we're going to do this…. And we're going to do it together."

"Together," He said nodding with a smile, the smiled turned to a smirk as he looked down between her and his leg, "If we could just… you know, wait until I can actually walk again first though, that would be great."

Her laugh sent shockwaves, and flutters down his chest, and when her excited green eyes met his, she nodded, "Of course, we won't do anything until you're back on your feet. I'll be with you every single day to help I swear it we'll-."

"I made an agreement with the Emperor. In exchange for its help, the lodge will be granted amnesty and find asylum in Nilfgaard, that will be our bargaining chip," The voice of their adopted mother cut them off, making him and Ciri both turn.

And never in his life, had Dominik saw someone go from so overjoyed, to so furiously angry so fast, as he saw Ciri erupt in front of him.

"Ciri…" He said quickly, trying to hold her arm, but his love had other plans.

"Triss, I wish to leave today to find the sorceresses. Will you help me?" Yennefer said, as Dominik tried to quickly hobble and catch Ciri before she exploded.

Triss who was sitting on a rock nearby quickly nodded, "Of course, even got an idea where you could start."

"DAMMIT, FOR GODS SAKE," Ciri screamed, and Dominik winced as he almost fell forward on his crutches trying to keep up with her.

Geralt however thankfully caught him, and his adopted father stood him upright as Ciri furiously looked at all of them present.

"AGAIN, you plan without ever asking what I think! I've had enough of this," Ciri yelled, as she looked around to all of them, her eyes falling on Geralt and he in particular, "I won't be taken somewhere like a… bundle! I will not sit and twiddle my thumbs! I'm sick of waiting and I'm sick of hiding!"

Dominik didn't take the time to look around at everyone's reactions, he quickly hobbled forward in front of her and met Ciri's furious eyes, "Ciri-."

Geralt however stepped to both Ciri and he to cut them off, "You're right. Proved today you can take care of yourself, both of you did. You should both be part of these decisions."

For a moment he saw Ciri's eyes soften, and he thought Geralt had saved the day, however, a scoff came from his left, and when Avallac'h spoke, it was Dominik's turn to almost lose it.

"Easier to pat someone on the back and hope things will work out, than it is to face the truth," The sage said with a sneer, and when he looked over at Ciri and him, Dominik could see the utter look of contempt and loathing the elf shot him in particular as he spoke again, "I've no idea why this…fool of a boy even needs to be here. But Zireael possesses a great power that she cannot control. She is a danger- to herself, to others. Until she learns to control it, she should remain isolated!"

Never in his life, had Dominik ever felt himself grow so completely, and utterly enrage so quickly. His bare hands gripped so tightly onto the crutch handles, he thought that he might break them. And he was also fully convinced, if he had even his dagger on his hip, or crossbow bolts, that the sage would be bleeding out on the ground in that moment. He even tried to shoot chaos, magic to his hands, but the moment that he tried he winced in pain, and the only thing that happened was he felt a small puff of magic erupting inside his eyes. Either way he tried to step forward anyway, but Geralt quickly grabbed an iron grip to his shoulder, and Dominik was far to weak in the moment to break out.

For so long he had known people treated Ciri like nothing but a vessel for her blood, treated her as if her feelings didn't matter, and all that mattered was the power inside of her. And he had promised to kill anyone who treated her as such, and the moment he heard Avallach's words, he realized that there was not a single chance he'd like the elf even the slightest bit. He could tell that man was up to something, he looked into the elf's beady grey eyes, and something was screaming in the back of his brain. It was that same sense that he got all the way back before Ciri left for Aretuza, it had been the same feeling before he entered the house on the Isle of Mists and found Ciri in a death trance. And now it was screaming at him again.

It was screaming at him to blast the elf off the nearby cliff. However, the universe had picked the worst time to take all his strength from him. He was about to settle for screaming back at the elf, but Ciri beat him too it, and he could hear the venom spitting out of her words.

"First off, BOLLOCKS, second, WATCH how you speak about him," Ciri said, taking another angry step to get closer to the elf as her hands shook, "And third, if you're going to speak of courage, at LEAST address me directly, and NOT through Geralt!"

Every single part of him wanted Ciri to loose and sling out her sword. However, he remembered how she told him, that Avallac'h while he was a hardass, had helped her, and she trusted him. Why, Dominik would never know, as he looked at the elf's beady grey eyes, all he heard was Eredin's words ringing in his ears. _"Cirilla my dear, you know he never had any intention of letting you leave… the same as I." _He didn't want to believe a word that Eredin of all people had said. However, if the King had spoke true, if Avallac'h had done something to Ciri, that Eredin did as well… then he would kill the elf where he stood. Geralt's grip on his shoulder tightened when his adopted father clearly saw him getting angrier, but Dominik managed to get out of in that moment.

He had intended on grabbing Ciri's hand, trying to calm her, but quickly she took a step back and looked at them all. Shaking her head, Dominik could see the fire erupting from her green eyes.

"I'm gone!" She yelled one last time, before Dominik saw her going and stomping off into the woods.

Everyone turned and watched her go. Geralt from next to him looked like he was ready to go after her as well, however before either of them could take any steps, Avallach turned back and looked at them both.

"Leave her go," The elf said, turning his eyes between Dominik and Geralt both, "She must deal with her grief on her own, soon we will-."

"Excuse me, I don't fucking remember the meeting we had where we all decided you were in charge," Dominik cut the elf off, taking a step closer to the sage.

The elf's robes whipped behind him, and when he turned to meet Dominik's eyes, it only served to enrage them both further. He could feel Geralt, Yennefer and Triss' gaze bare into his back, as the sunset casted their shadows over the hill, and with one more glance he lost Ciri in the tree's as she walked further on. However, the breeze that shot over him did nothing to cool him, as he slowly turned back to the sage and felt his skin begin to boil. The elf's words sunk into him, the demand, the arrogant tone, the way he spoke of her, as if she was nothing but a dog to be trained to do special tricks. His hands gripped around both crutches, as all the pain he was feeling on invigorated him more.

Avallac'h sneered at him, "I know the power Zireael holds better then you could ever hope, you IGNORANT boy. You could never possibly hope too-."

"FIRST, her fucking name is CIRI you fuck. Don't you DARE go calling her the same thing that the one's who are hunting her are calling her," Dominik felt himself erupt as he hobbled another step closer to the sage, "And SECOND, who the FUCK do you think you are talking to her like that!? You're treating her like she's some fucking dog, you're training to do a new trick!"

A fire erupted in the elf's eyes, "You are an ignorant, foolish brat, you know nothing you insolent child. YOU are the reason we are stuck in this mess now because she insisted on coming back for you…. So you WILL listen to what I have to say, because if you do not, then you stand NO chance of defeating Eredin!"

Dominik scoffed and didn't let his gaze leave the sage, "Don't think for a MINUTE you can order me around! Last I checked, you'd still be the ugliest man alive if not for us!"

He looked and saw the sage's hands curl into fists. And in his eyes, Dominik could see the look of utter loathing and contempt, it had been on his eyes from the moment that he saw him, and it only intensified as the wind blew through them both. The elf took another step towards him, he was only about a half a head taller than Dominik, but still looked down at him. The sage had expected him to move, but Dominik stayed standing still on his crutches before the man. He could feel his right cheek pulsing, and the pins and needles shooting into his right leg.

"You… are every bit as insolent, disrespectful and arrogant as I expected boy," The sage said in a deep tone as he shook his head, "However, I expected nothing less from HIS descendent… you know NOTHING, you are nothing but a prideful brat who-."

"I THOUGHT I advised you to watch your tongue sage," Yennefer quickly snapped from behind him, and soon he saw his adopted mother flashed next to him, "Say ONE more word like that against my son… and I swear you will WISH that we had never taken you out of that cursed body…"

Avallac'h sneered and looked up at the sorceress, "Your ignorant son is going to get us all killed. He meddles in affairs he knows nothing about, wields a power he knows NOTHING about!"

"Man, you're really upset I used that spell to calm Ciri's powers aren't you," Dominik said, as he scoffed and shook his head, "Did I damage your little ego? I DON'T care. I'm not going to let you treat Ciri like some dog. Why she's put up with it for so long is beyond me, but I WON'T let it continue!"

For a few seconds, the silence over all of them was deafening. Geralt to his right crossed his arms and stood closer to him, while Triss came up next to Yen. In that moment, through the anger, he felt his love for them all rise, as Avallac'h looked incredulously between all of them. Seeing the annoyed and angered look on the elf's face sent a small bit of satisfaction through him, but the anger still persisted. He knew deep down that they did need the elf in a way, however, he wouldn't let the way he spoke about Ciri continue, and if he got any indication that the elf was doing anything not in Ciri's best interest, he didn't care how much they needed him.

The elf finally took a step back and stared down at him, and when he spoke he could hear the warning tone, "She wouldn't be alive now if not for me boy… Eredin and his riders would have killed her long ago, you should be thanking me…."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "Yeah, thanks, still doesn't give you the right to treat her like she's your property now."

"She will never learn to control her powers without me boy," The sage said with his arms crossed as a disgusted look grew on his face.

"Yeah… I know, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you treat her like you own her," Dominik said as he felt the pain begin to overtake his leg. He knew he needed to move to find Ciri, before the pain became too much, so he looked back to Yen, Geralt and Triss, "I'm going after Ciri. Yen, Triss, will you stop and see us before you leave?"

"Of course darling," Yen said right away as she nodded her head.

Triss nodded as well and Dominik sighed, before turning back towards the forest he saw Ciri go into. He hobbled a few steps as his crutches shook, but as soon as he was about to finally get to where her tracks started into the forest, Avallac'h stepped in front of him again.

"What did I just say boy!? We will leave her to deal with her grief on her own," The sage said with a shake of his head, "She will be fine, we must-."

"Didn't I JUST tell you, that I don't take orders from you," He said darkly looking up at the elf.

Avallac'h looked like he was about to say something else, but Dominik didn't give him the chance, he hobbled past him, as he could easily spot Ciri's tracks in the dirt and snow. He could feel the elf glaring at him as he hobbled, with Ciri's tracks so fresh it was easy for him to follow as he got deeper and deeper into the woods. He felt his anger slowly begin to subside as the smell of the cedarwood and pine began to hit his nose more rapidly. Avallach's words, the way he spoke to her, it all hit him again and to try and keep his anger under control he stopped, and quickly gripped the swallow around his neck. He had heard the bits and pieces from Geralt about what she had gone through, but he was sure that there was even more that Ciri had never gotten to tell their adopted father. He had heard so much about people trying to control her, treat her as if she was an object to be passed around instead of a person, and every time he thought about it, it enraged him, and the guilt for not being there welled up in his gut.

However, now he wouldn't let that happen. He let out a shaky breath as he kept his eyes on her footprints and managed to make his hands stop shaking. Unfortunately however, every hop on his crutches started to drain him. The pins and needles pierced more and more into his leg, and he felt as if his entire right cheek was falling off in that moment. However, he knew where he was going, to Ciri, and even just sitting with her he knew would dull the pain.

Sighing he realized that Ciri did trust the elf, and Avallac'h did save her like he said. The pain and fatigue had gotten to him, along with his anger it made him erupt. He hadn't regretted anything he said, and would say it all to the elf again, but he kept letting out shaky breaths to settle himself. He felt mentally and physically drained in that moment, but decided that if they really did need Avallac'h, he'd try to keep his tongue, but his promise stood.

If he saw the elf trying anything, that wasn't in Ciri's best interests, he would act, and make sure that it stopped.

However, in that moment, his body bruised and battered, his mind completely drained, all he wanted was Ciri. And the thought made him smile again as he kept looking at her footprints.

She was actually there, and he didn't need to use just his memories anymore to see her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri as it turned out had gotten a decent ways into the forest, and with every hobble he felt like his left leg was finally about to give out. The sun was just about set, with night soon coming, however the wind still coolly blew threw his white top and his hair. His cheek still felt like it was slowly falling off his face, it stung at even the slightest bit of wind, but it all had been worth it when he finally spotted her. She had walked up a small hill, and it was hell following her prints up it, but with every hobble he saw her back getting closer and closer, and it spurred him on. She sat with her legs hanging off the side of the small drop off, and as he looked up he could see the orange rays of sunset glinting through the trees, as all she did was simply look up at all the huge pines. One of her hands he saw was around the ring, while the other was around her lap, she sat up straight with perfect posture like always, one leg folded over the other.

Her sword was in the small mound of snow next to her, and her bun gently blew in the breeze. When Dominik finally hobbled only a few meters from her he sighed out in relief, and just like he had guessed, even just seeing the back of her calmed him. All the anger he was just feeling had melted away, and all he wanted to do, all he yearned to do in that moment, was sit with her, and have the two of them be alone.

"Mind if I join you," He said to her, and right away she whirled around and widened her eyes as he hobbled next to her, "You know, been walking a while with these things, really chafes at your armpits after a while."

Her green eyes widened, and Dominik couldn't help but smile at how cute the scar on the bottom of her lip flaring up was. He finally let out a shaky sigh and pulled the crutches out from under him, and gently he tried to lower himself and balance down to sit with his legs over the cliff like she was. He dropped both crutches next to her sword, but when he went to lower himself, right away he felt himself stumble, all of the weight he had been putting on his left leg, combined with the pain from his injured right one, it all collapsed on him at once.

Ciri however, quickly shot up and caught him. Upon feeling her hands grab again to his back and chest, right away he felt the pleasant tingle run down his body. He let out a clear, relaxing breath as the wind pleasantly hit him. She looked up concerned at him as she lowered him down next to her, and when he finally felt his ass hit the floor, he let out a huge breath of relief that he had felt like he was holding in for hours.

"Dom you shouldn't have walked all the way out here," Ciri said, her voice laced with concern as he sat next to her, she shook her head and met his eyes, "Freya said you really shouldn't even be walking at all."

He let out a small laugh and gently reached his hand overtop of hers, "Ha, you know me, I'm just as stubborn as you are."

She let out a small scoff, but Dominik could see the small smile on her face, and as usual it warmed him to the core. He readjusted himself to sit next to her, and for a few moments they were both silent. Gently after smiling at him she turned back out to the view of the sunset streaming through the pines. Slowly he reached his left arm to wrap around her, and the second it went around shoulder, he felt her head gently lean against him. As soon as her head hit his shoulder and he felt her scoot closer to him, he felt his heart erupt with warmth, feeling the fluttering completely envelop the inside of his body. They didn't need to say anything for those few minutes, all they needed was each other's presence, each other's warmth, their touch, and their love.

For those glorious few minutes, he felt like they were children again, back in Ellander, sitting out in the meadow, or in front of the fire, and he didn't want it to end, not for one second. He took in a long, relaxing deep breath, and all of the pain washed out of his body. He felt her gently wrap her arm around his back and waist as she leaned on him, both their feet dangled, and in that moment all that existed was the two of them, and when he looked down at her, she gently smiled back up at him.

"Do you remember that spring day back in Cintra when we were eleven," He said lightly, as she shifted to meet his eyes, when she did he smiled and laughed, "The one where… my father was our escort around the lake, and we snuck off? We rolled and tripped down to the hill into that flower patch?"

Her light laugh made his face get redder, and his heart almost burst from the cute smile she got as she slowly nodded up at him.

"I do yeah… you… put a white flower in my ear," She said as she fondly looked up at him, and she let out another small laugh, "It… was the first time I kissed your cheek. And you got the most adorable, flustered look on your face."

"Hey, the girl I had a crush on had just kissed me," He said as the smile grew on his face, "Most eleven-year-olds would be ecstatic."

She laughed again and lightly shook her head, "I remember being so worried that you didn't feel the same way. It might not have seemed like it, but i was dreadfully nervous."

He looked and smirked at her, "How about now? Dreadfully nervous to do it now?"

"Not one bit," She said slowly, as she gently leaned up and kissed him. The second her lips hit his, he put everything he could into the few seconds they stayed locked.

When she pulled back, he felt his face get completely red as he felt like a hundred tiny electric pulses were going through his body. It didn't matter how many times he kissed her, it always gave him that same feeling, and it was something he'd never get tired of. He felt himself laugh, scoff and the smile came to him.

"I missed that smile… that goofy look you get," She said fondly as it only made him laugh more, and when he met her eyes, he could see they were both red.

He slowly nodded to her, not taking his eyes off hers, "You make me like that… still… after so long…"

She smiled broadly, before she looked up and gently ran a hand over the bandage on his right cheek. He tried not too, but as soon as she made even the lightest contact with it he winced. As soon as she did she pulled back, and Dominik saw her face fall as she looked down to his leg as well. After looking for a second she look back up to him, and all the joy, the love, was replaced by regret, and he could see the anger building back up.

"I won't let them get away with this…" She said in a low tone as she gently shook her head, "I won't… and I won't let them treat me like a child anymore. I'm done hiding, they'll pay for what they did to you…"

He let out a shaky sigh but managed to smile and gently reach up to hold her face, "We will I promise... But Ciri don't feel bad about this. I was protecting you, I always will, I'll never stop…"

Gently she shook her head, "Dom… you know how sweet I think that is, it's a reason I love you but… that promise isn't one sided! I'm supposed to protect you too, and… and I let this happen."

"You didn't let anything happen Ciri…" He said gently as he kept their eyes locked, "It was Eredin… the Hunt. And like you said… no more hiding. We're going to do this… together."

She shakily sighed again and nodded, "Together… you're right. And… if I need to learn how to control my power to do it… I will. Avallac'h is right about that."

At the mention of the elf he felt his skin slightly crawl. However, he was determined not to let the mention of that elf ruin that moment with her. So he sighed and laughed lightly as he met her eyes again.

"You know… your sage friend really doesn't like me," He said with a small eye roll, "And well… the feelings kind of mutual. Don't exactly like the way he talks to you…."

Ciri sighed and met his eyes again, "I know… I.. don't know why. Like I said, he can be… grating I know. But he did save me, has kept me hidden. And well… if I gotta put up with him to learn to control my powers, so… so I can keep you safe, and beat Eredin… then I will."

_"Cirilla my dear, you know he never had any intention on letting you go, same as I," _Eredin's words crashed into his brain for a moment. He had to bite his tongue as he looked at her then. A small part of him was screaming to ask her what Avallac'h had done to her, and why the elf seemed to hate him without even speaking to him once. However, when he saw that fire appear in her eyes, that fiery determination he loved, and let her words wash over him, he pushed the thoughts away.

If she could put up with the elf, then he would do his best too as well.

He smiled down and kissed the top of her head, "And I'll be with you through it all. Where you go, I go… always."

And when her smile returned to her, everything had become worth it. He kept his arm around her, she turned her head around to face him, and gently cupped the left side of his face. Even with her gloves on, the flutter still got sent down his chest at her touch, and he nearly shuddered from the pleasant tingles. She smiled at him, and he saw her green eyes well up with love.

"And like I said before, we won't go anywhere until you're all better," She said, as she gently stroked his face and nodded, "I don't care how long it takes, and I'll be there to help you the entire time I swear it."

He slowly nodded as he felt his chest ready to burst, "Freya says as long as I'm not stubborn and listen, I should be up in a few days, training in about a week and a half."

Ciri smirked wildly and nodded, "Then you better not be stubborn you stupid boy! Listen to Freya, and I'll do everything I can to help you. And then in a week and a half, we'll make sure you're in top shape."

A smirk came to him as well and he met her excited gaze, "Don't worry I won't. You'll see, in a week and a half we'll have our first sparring session, and we'll run pendulums, and we'll see who can win now that we're all grown up."

She scoffed right away, "Oh come on, we both know I'll win. You didn't stand a chance when we were younger, you don't stand one now either!"

"We'll see about that princess," He said, feeling himself start to get giddy, before a sharp wincing pain shot through his leg. Ciri grabbed him as he nearly fell off the small cliff and gingerly pulled him back.

"Speaking of you listening to Freya… I'm sure she'd agree, we should get you back to the keep," Ciri said, as she turned her body around to face him, "I think it's best I teleport us there, I don't want you walking on those crutches anymore today."

A small laugh escaped him as he leaned back, wincing he still managed to meet her eyes with a smile, "Ha… risking bringing the entire Wild Hunt back down on our location, all to teleport me back to the keep so I don't have to walk? God I love you."

She rolled her eyes at him, but Dominik could see the smile. Slowly she turned her head back down to him leaning back on his elbows. For a moment she met his eyes, and Dominik could see nothing but love looking down at him, he laughed lightly and met her gaze with one of his own.

"Ha, what is it? I know the scar makes me look-," She cut him off by leaning down and kissing him.

She gently held onto both his shoulders and kissed him deeply. He felt a sensation he hadn't felt in years shoot all the way down his body. She laid down in the grass, laying her chest over his as she kissed him, not letting their lips leave each other's. He wrapped his arms around her slim waist, his hands explored up and down her back, and Ciri slid her arms around his neck. He felt his body completely melt as she kissed him, putting every amount of emotion she could into that one kiss. His one hand stayed around her waist, and the other went up to her hair, as he felt himself breathless as for a second she stopped kissing him.

"I love you…I love you…" She said breathlessly, before she went back and kissed him again, even more fiercely then she had the first time.

He felt her lips smash onto his again, and he felt as if his body went into overdrive. She slid over him, he felt her straddle his waist, and the moment she was on top of him he let out a shaky, breathless, light moan, one of her hands went to run through his hair, while the other gently held the left side of his face. He kept on kissing her back with everything he could muster in his fatigued state, he gently ran his hand through her hair, and her bun almost came undone, his other hand continued to go up and down her back, and when he heard a small moan leave her, he felt all of his breath leave him, and he kissed her even harder then he had been before. Her one hand went down to hold onto his chest, and when she moved her hips against him as she stayed straddled on his waist, he felt a small breathless moan leave him again, as he still didn't feel her lips stop moving on his.

His brain became frazzled, as all he smelled was her scent of juniper and cedarwood flooded into his head, and the only thing he could feel was her lips, and absolute sensation that ran down his body. He squeezed her with everything he had, but as he did he finally felt the stinging pain come back to his leg, his hug was weak, and with every bit of his body still exploding, he felt Ciri's kissed get slower. They became small pecks on his lips as he tried to meet them, but soon he just couldn't bring himself too, the fatigue got to be too much, and after one last small kiss he felt himself let out a breathless sigh as his eyes finally fluttered open.

She had a similar look on her face, she was breathing heavily, as her eyes didn't leave him, and the love, sensation, and pleasure that was built up in her eyes washed over him. He felt her hips still straddling his waist and his hands came to rest at the sides of her waist. That moment then, had been something he had been dreaming about for so long, as he felt himself stiffen when Ciri leaned down and place one more long, lingering kiss on his lips. She pulled back, and as she looked down at him, strands of her ashen hair had fallen loose from her bun, and for a few glorious seconds, they both simply smiled at one another. They both heavily breathed, and Dominik couldn't remember a single moment in the last eight years he had felt more complete, felt like everything, every single problem in the world he had was solved.

And in that moment as she looked down at him, he truly, truly knew, that every single thing he had done, everything he had gone through, had been worth it.

Soon their heavy breathing turned to laughs, their emerald eyes didn't leave one another as they both laid there and laughed. Ciri didn't take her eyes off him, but when she started laughing, laughing with the purest joy he had ever heard, he almost felt himself tear up as he did the same. A small hitched breath left him as he laughed, and gently her eyes fell on him again, still laughing he managed to stutter out words.

"What…ha…what… what was that for?" He asked her, feeling his body still completely erupting from head to toe.

She shook her head lightly, still laughing and breathing just as breathlessly as him, "I… I just… really… really missed you… so… so much. I… I love you… you stupid boy… I love you…"

He slid his hand up her back behind her neck and looked deeply into her green eyes, and with another breathless laugh he nodded, "I… I missed you too… more then anything…. I love you… I love you princess."

Another small laugh left her, and she reached down to quickly peck his lips again as she was still trying to catch her breath. Still straddling his waist she gently pulled back and met his eyes again.

"Come… come on… we… we need to get you back to the keep," She said as she gently reached down to stroke his face.

Biting his lip he still tried to catch his breath as he felt his face heat up. He slid his hand back down to her waist and met her eyes, and a small laugh left him.

"Can't… can't we just stay here and… keep on… well…" He said as he gently trailed off, still not wanting that magical moment, that time alone with her he had wanted for so long to end.

She smiled at him gently however and brought her hand up to cup the left side of his face, and she playfully winked at him, "Maybe we can later if you're lucky…. Let's get you back to the keep. I… think we could move our date to later tonight, if… you're still up for it?"

He felt his entire body melt under her gaze, and not letting his eyes leave hers he gently nodded, "That… sounds wonderful. Come on, it's a date princess."

**A/N: I swear as the story has gone on, average words per chapter have just gotten longer and longer, and I gotta say it's so much fun. This chapter clocks in at over 35,000 words and we have a MASSIVE amount to cover. We have four more chapters to go at Kaer Morhen before we get into the home stretch. There's going to be a ton of reveals, and deep, intimate conversations and moments, as before Dominik and Ciri officially get the second part of their journeys underway, they have a few things they need to discuss/reveal to one another first. Ciri needs to learnt to control her powers, while Dominik needs to recover and learn more about his. First however, let's break this chapter down.**

**First we have a dream of Baelen, where we see her using more mysterious spells. I want to say we are approximately 10-13 chapters away from the Baelen reveal, but we are learning more and more. Like I said please leave your theories, I won't be responding to any of them because I don't want to confirm or deny, but let me know!**

**After this Dominik wakes up with Triss, and we see just what kind of state he's in as we go to the funerals. And Ciri upon seeing the state of him, is furious and ready to fight, and we also see that Dominik is feeling the same way. As you all know the next fight with Dominik and Eredin will be that final battle, what do you think he'll have to do to be ready for the next fight? I wanted to make Eredin much more powerful and menacing then he was in the games, because to be honest, while the cut scenes before and after you fight and beat him are amazing , I thought the act of fighting him itself was… underwhelming lol, so we are going to have it slightly different. **

**And during the funerals we see Dominik burn Declan's pyre, and we see how it's affecting him. Just like Ciri it makes him angry, before we see him have a conversation with Elise De Le Serre. Elise has become one of my favorite characters to write, and why we'll only see her one or two times more in this story, she will be a BIG player in some future stories I have planned. However, he gives Dominik Arno's crossbow, and now his arsenal is completely xD**

**After this we speak with Vesemir and Eskel, and THIS is a part of the reason I had Vesemir survive. Him and Eskel are starting the Kaer Morhen witcher academy, to help better teach people to defend themselves from monsters and let the witchers guild survive. Now, obviously there's a prejudice for witchers out there, so it may take a bit to get off its feet. But we will see this affect future stories…**

**And finally, we have some friend bonding, I am SO excited to write more of Dominik's friends, him and Ciri together. I'm going to build a real comradery between them all, who of Dom's friends is your favorite and who are you looking forward to seeing most?**

**Then, we have an important conversation with Borch Three Jackdaws, as we learn more about Kilgarrah. I am really looking forward to writing more Borch, I love this dragon, and we are also going to learn more about Kilgarrah from him, and as he discovers more, I am SO excited to show it all. **

**Now, the climax of the chapter comes near the end. It seems like Dominik had calmed Ciri down, however Avallac'h seems to ruin it. As you guys have been able to tell so far, Dominik and Avallac'h are not going to get along. In my personal opinion in the games, he's horrible, I hate him, he treats Ciri like Dominik said, like a trained dog, and in this story, well, we're going to see that Dominik won't let that fly. **

**We also see that Avallac'h really, REALLY doesn't like Dominik already, and from what Ciri's said, he hated him before they even came back. Why is this, why does Avallach hate him? And WHAT is going to happen when Dominik figures out that the elf along with Eredin made Ciri stay in Tir'Nala…? What're you looking forward too between the two?**

**And finally, after so many intense arguments and being so mentally and physically fatigued the both of them, we end the chapter with a sweet moment between Dominik and Ciri. They talk, share memories, and even have a slightly more intimate moment together. What are you looking forward too most with the two? What conversations do you hope they have, what are your predictions for them both? **

**Now ladies and gentleman we have officially finished the Battle of Kaer Morhen arc. We're going to have some more calm before the storm as Dominik heals and Ciri trains. What are you looking forward too most during this time? And when we finally head off to face the crones, we begin the end game, what are you looking forward to most?**

**Thank you all so much, this had gotten to be so, so huge and I can't thank you all enough really. As you all see I have some OFFICIAL artwork for the cover on this site, and that is a surreal feeling. I can obviously only have one picture at a time on the site, so if you want to see more art of characters like Faram, Freya, George, young Dominik and Ciri, go follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram, because I will have them soon!**

**Thank you all, I truly, truly appreciate all of this support, and I hope that you all continue to enjoy as we get closer and closer to the end! Thank you all again, and see you next time!**


	64. Back Together Again

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 64: Back Together Again**

**Narrator: After the Battle of Kaer Morhen came to an end, the defenders, despite winning the day licked their wounds. During the battle, Dominik of Cintra, the Young Wolf fought Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt to give Ciri time to gather her strength. Eredin seemingly killed Dominik, and this drove Ciri into a rage so powerful, that she unleashed the powers of her blood, and her magic and power was so sudden, so powerful, that the Hunt was forced to withdraw from the keep, leaving the defenders winning the day. Thankfully, Dominik had survived, and with the magic of Yennefer and Triss Merigold, and the skill of Freya Kaminski of Ellander, they were able to save his life. Now with the battle complete, Yennefer and Triss set out to gather the remnants of the Lodge of Sorceresses, so that they may help them defeat the Hunt once and for all. While the sorceresses do this, back in Kaer Morhen, Dominik rests and nurses his wounds, while Ciri trains to control her powers with the elven sage Avallac'h. After so long apart, the two young lovers had hoped to be able to finally spend time with one another. With Dominik still incredibly injured and healing however, and Ciri working constantly to learn to control her powers, the young couple soon learn that time moves much slower in Kaer Morhen…. **

Ciri had always heard time move slower in Kaer Morhen, and the last three days had proved just that to her. She had planned on spending more time with him, having that date they had planned that same night after the funerals. When she had kissed him in the forest, she didn't know what had come over her, she just looked at him, his laughing, handsome face, his gorgeous, loving eyes, she thought about all that he'd done to get to her, and all she had done to get back to him, she thought about all the nights she spent laying awake missing him, thinking about him, and her body had just taken over. She had wanted to spend that time with him so badly that night, however, after they had gotten back, despite his best efforts, Ciri clearly could see how drained he was. The bandage on his face, his throbbing leg, the pale, exhausted look in his eyes. After Freya had given him a potion, and Ciri and her both helped re-wrap his leg, he had said that he wished to stay awake, but she saw just how dreadfully he needed sleep, so she had told him to go to bed.

She had wanted to curl up into bed with him, but with the way Freya had propped up his leg, she told Ciri that if she rolled on it in the night by accident, even accidentally bumped it then it could hurt him, so for the previous three nights Ciri had slept in her own old room. For the next two days up until that current morning, she had tried to find more time to spend with him, but it was as if every time she had even thought of it, she had been accosted by Avallac'h to train, or when she finally did he was sleeping. The few moment she did spend with him awake was normally when Freya, Geralt, George or Faram were helping lightly start moving his leg, and Ciri would be by his bedside to distract him from the pain. Freya had told them, that thanks to the magic treatment he had gotten, he was much further along then it would normally take, but despite it paining him, they needed to make sure to move his leg, to stop it from becoming too stiff. So, two or three times a day, Ciri would make her way to his room, and sit by his bed-side while Geralt, or one of his friends had moved his leg, Freya said that if he wanted to go back to walking and training, the physical therapy was necessary, so even though it did pain him, Dominik let them, and Ciri made sure to stay at his side. He'd wince and look at her, make stupid jokes while he squeezed her hand, and while she was laughing, she'd share smaller stories from her time alone, or remind him of old memories they had.

She loved that smile, his laugh during these sessions, but she still was craving that time alone. After he was better, and she had trained enough to control her power, they would go and find the Hunt, they would be back to fighting, the constant fighting. And all Ciri wanted was to simply spend as much time with him alone as possible… because she knew there was so much that she had to tell him, that she wanted to tell him, to apologize for. However, every time she thought that she would finally have that time, something had come up. She was used to Avallac'h being in a foul mood now and then, but in those few days in Kaer Morhen, Ciri noticed the sage growing increasingly impatient.

However, she needed the elf in that moment, so she made her way towards the room he'd taken over through the tower.

The morning had been crisp and cool, she sparred a bit with George and Faram out in the courtyard and discovered that Dominik's friends were every bit as skilled as they showed during the battle. They had both been more then happy to train with her, and after the long-winded training sessions with Avallac'h the previous few days, Ciri was glad to be swinging her sword again. She had also been incredibly entertained by some of the stories Dominik's friends told of him, she learned about the time that the three had first met. She had listened with bated breath at the story of them all teaming up, and training villagers to fight a bruxa, and an army of thralls it had managed to assemble. Every single story she heard made her yearn to make some of her own with him, for years he had been on the Path, like they had always dreamed of doing together. However, she knew that he had only been on it to look for her, and that thought only made her love for him swirl.

After all of that she had decided enough was enough, that she was going to spend even a few minutes alone with him that morning, and she would even do something special for him. In the previous two days, despite his leg being the far more serious injury, Ciri could see that the wound on his cheek was bothering him more. He had tried to brush it off, joking with her multiple times about how he thought it made him look even more dashingly handsome, however, Ciri knew him better then anyone, and could see how truly concerned he was. He was worried that it would become disfiguring, and in the few times Freya had changed the bandage, while the wound was healing, the scar was becoming more and more red, and started to dominate the right side of his face. Ciri saw how much it had been bothering him despite his insistence, so she decided to do something about it.

She had painful flashbacks to when she had gotten her own scar, and how insecure she had felt for the longest time about it disfiguring her face despite the fact it healed. Even as recently as a few months prior, the mark had dominated her face. Now however, despite the fact she still liked to try and hide it with strands of her hair, Ciri knew her scar had healed wonderfully, and she was hoping that it would lift his spirits if she could make it so for him. In the moments she did get to spend with him, she could see how between the injuries, the flashbacks to the battle, and being stuck in bed was starting to affect him, dampen his spirits.

So, she was hoping that healing his scar, and being able to spend a few moments with her would at least give him some comfort, but to do that she needed Avallac'h. The elf had made the magical ointment that helped her own scar heal so well, and even though she knew it was a longshot, she was hoping she could convince the elf to give her some, so she could use it for Dominik. It wouldn't be easy she knew, but she rarely asked the elf for anything, so when she got to his room, she was hoping she could convince him.

A cold draft blew through the keep and chilled her bones as she got to the room the elf had set up in. She had left her sword in her room on the way, and aimlessly moved her hair out of her face as she knocked on the door, biting her lip and trying to think how she'd word her request.

"Who is it," The elf's voice rang from inside, and Ciri sighed.

"It's me, I needed a favor," Ciri yelled from outside the door, crossing her arms she stood there as footsteps got closer and closer.

The lock to the door clicked open, and the sage opened the door. He wore his usual robes, and Ciri saw a book under his arm as he looked down at her.

"Yes? What is it Zireael, we were due to meet later," The sage asked in the dry, contempt tone she had gotten used to over the last few months.

Ciri sighed and met the elf's eyes, "It's like I said I… have a favor I need to ask."

"Yes, I heard you," He said with a roll of his eyes, "If you wish something from me, I recommend you show up to our training sessions on time finally… and with your mind focused."

She rolled her eyes. In the previous few days she had made little progress of being able to activate and control her powers at all. Ciri had been doing what she could to listen to the elf, truly she had, but whenever she started, she found her mind wondering to the battle, she would see Declan lighting the gas in the courtyard, see the sword come out of Arno's chest, or she'd see Eredin's sword raking against Dominik's cheek. She would find herself thinking of the wounds he sustained, and that drained, injured look on his face, and she would grow angrier and angrier. That combined with her being late for multiple of the training sessions, due to her being at Dominik's bedside to help with his physical therapy, had caused her to make very little progress.

And while the first few times Avallac'h had been patient, the more times she begun to show up late, telling him how she'd been at Dominik's side, the more agitated the elf seemed to grow. The sage's severe dislike for Dominik was still a mystery to her, and she had full intentions on asking him about it, however, whenever she decided she was going to try, she'd stop herself, thinking that it either wasn't the right time, or worrying if she did, the elf wouldn't help her. She knew that in the end, Avallac'h hated Eredin above all others, but she decided not to take any risks. Avallac'h didn't like Dominik, and Dominik had made it clear he didn't like the sage either, with him even jokingly referring to the elf as Ciri's 'nanny elf', which she would roll her eyes at.

The elf had saved her and become a mentor to her over the previous few months, she did trust him, if he had any ill intentions he would have surely tried something by now. She also knew that they did need him to defeat Eredin, so she would do what he said. She would simply have to hope that even if Dominik didn't like the elf, he trusted her judgement enough to put his suspicion aside. However, when she eventually told Dominik what the elf had done to her in Tir'Nala, she had to hope she could keep him from killing the sage.

In that moment then however, she had to hope that Avallac'h had at least some kind of care for her and would agree to give her the ointment to help him. It was something small she knew, but she only wanted to do something nice for Dominik, see that smile come back to his face.

So sighing she met the sage's eyes, "Look… I… need something. I was wondering, if you still had more of the magic ointment you made that helped heal my scar."

Avallac'h narrowed his gaze at her, "I do yes… what exactly do you need that for? Your scar is healed, it wouldn't do anything else."

"I… just want to use more and… um… see if it will go away completely," Ciri lied, trying to see if the sage would believe her.

Naturally however he didn't, the elf rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance, "Don't waste my time by lying to me Zireael. What do you want it for, tell me."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms she met the elf's gaze, "Fine… I want to use it to help Dominik's scar heal like mine did. It's getting worse and I know it's bothering him, despite what he'll tell me."

For a few seconds there was an intense silence. Ciri could hear the cold breeze rush through her hair as she stood on the steps of the tower. Avallac'h had been sure to pick a room in one of the towers nobody had a room in, Ciri guessed it was in an attempt to get away from the sounds of Faram, George, Letho and Gaeten's late night drinking. She watched as the elf's eyes narrowed, and in an instant Ciri could see the annoyance flash in them.

"No," The sage said without even moving his head, and Ciri could see the annoyance overtake his gaze.

"Oh come on," Ciri scoffed with a roll of her eyes, "I never ask you for much. I know you don't like him for some reason, but you know how much he means to me! I only want to help him."

The sage scoffed, "Bah, it's not my fault your foolish little boyfriend was arrogant enough to fight Eredin. I will not waste my resources on him, it was his mistake and he can live with the consequences, and the scar will be one of them."

Ciri felt a spike of anger run up her chest. She groaned and met the elf's eyes, "Really, 'waste your resources'? It took you all of an hour to make, and you said you STILL have some, you won't even have to take the time to make it again! When was the last time I ever asked you for anything!?"

"The answer is no Zireael," The sage said turning his back to her with a shake of his head.

Her fists curled, and she took in a shaky breath as she tried not to yell. Over the previous few months, she had gotten used to the elf's grating personality. She even found him to be pleasant company at times, however the moment it stopped being the two of them, when she started seeing Dominik in her dreams and asking the elf about him, Ciri saw the sudden shift in his mood. As the dreams she had got worse and worse, and she asked more and more about Dominik and her family, she noticed how he was more and more easily angered. _"They are just dreams Zireael, forget this ridiculous boy."_ She would never forget her anger when he had constantly told her that. And now that they were back, now that Dominik was actually there, it the anger in the sage had increased even more. Ciri couldn't wrap her head around how the elf could hate Dominik so much from only Ciri's mere mention of him, but whatever the reason was, Ciri saw she clearly wasn't going to change his mind.

Still however, she had listened to his lectures and lessons during the previous few months, and for periods at a time, the elf would go back to being the slightly aggravating and arrogant, yet still pleasant mentor to her, who she at times really thought meant her well. However, the moment she would have another dream about Dominik, or bring it up again for the next few weeks the elf's mood would shift. It aggravated her to no end, but now that she had Dominik and her family back she didn't care. After Eredin was defeated, Dominik and she would go off, and live that life they had always wanted with one another, and whether she saw or didn't see Avallac'h again it didn't matter.

However, that moment was still a way's off, and in that moment Ciri needed the elf, so before he could slam the door in her face Ciri sighed and shook her head.

"Alright fine, what will it take," Ciri said with a slight bit of aggravation in her tone.

Avallac'h stopped in his tracks and slowly turned back to her with narrowed eyes, "What do you mean…?"

She rolled her eyes, "What'll it take to get you to give it to me…"

For a moment, another tense silence passed between them. She could see the contemplating, thinking look that the elf gave her as their eyes stayed locked. Another cold draft sent goosebumps up her arms, as she kept her arms crossed with one leg out. She tapped her foot impatiently, and she felt the sun glaring in through the windows in the sage's room as she sighed. She had always heard that time moved slower in Kaer Morhen, and those previous three days had felt like weeks. That moment of silence that passed as she watched Avallach think, had felt like hours. She didn't think her request was ridiculous, all she wanted was a way to help Dominik, she knew that the next few days would be hard for them both.

She would have to train, while he would be forced to stay in bed and recover. Freya had told them all, that he was making great progress, and as long as he stayed in bed, it should only be a few more days until he could walk again, and then after a day or two of that he would be able to train. All the time however, she was going to have to train herself, all of their future plans relied on her mastering her powers, and just like always, Ciri felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. However, in the few minutes she had gotten to spend with him, seeing him smile and joke, just like when they were younger, he always found ways to calm her, and forget that responsibility for a few moments.

And she also knew that they had a lot of things they needed to talk about. He had told her that he wanted to hear everything, everything when she was ready. She hadn't even told Geralt everything, she would have, but the time between her coming back and Rivia had been too short. Now however, she wasn't going anywhere, and just like he wanted to know, he knew she needed to tell him, and she could only hope he still looked at her the same when she was done. In that particular moment however, she just wanted to help him, make him smile while he was hurting, just like he always did for her.

Avallac'h finally slowly nodded with a sigh, "Fine… I will give you the rest of the ointment. You know how it works, you must apply it to the wound itself. The effects will be almost instant…. However, in exchange for this, you will do something for me…."

Ciri's skin crawled but she sighed and nodded, "Alright…. what is it you want?"

The sage took another small step closer and narrowed his eyes at her, "For the rest of our time here at this castle…. You will show up for our training whenever I say, no more arguments, no more complaints. You will come when I summon you, or if we arrange to meet, you will arrive on time, and with a clear mind…"

She felt annoyance shoot out of her. Dominik's words shot through her head, _"Don't exactly like the way he talks to you…" _Ciri knew that the sage only helped her because of her powers, she knew that he was grating and demanding, but despite it all, she had learned much, and he had been the one to save her, keep her safe for the previous few months. A small part of her wanted to impress the elf, show him that she truly did have control. However, he had also treated her as a bundle, as a child most times. Not to mention the fact that he had this hatred for Dominik he wouldn't explain. But, through it all the elf had helped her, and been with her for the last six months to keep her safe.

So despite it all, despite what he had done to her before, and how grating he had been, she knew that the request was simple enough, and was even something she should have probably been doing already. She had said she was ready to do anything to make the Hunt pay, pay for what they did to Dominik, for killing the people they did at Kaer Morhen, for chasing her, and ripping away her chance at the life she always wanted for so long. And doing this, it would help her accomplish two goals now.

She would be able to help Dominik then, and she would be able to get closer to control, closer to finally getting the life she always wanted. For all of that, she would deal with the elf.

"Fine… it's a deal," Ciri said as she rolled her eyes.

Avallac'h nodded, "Okay… I will come and fetch you later for today's lesson. Wait here, I will retrieve the ointment for you."

He turned from her and walked back into his room, and Ciri let out a shaky sigh. She could feel the ring trembling around her neck, gently she reached up and grabbed it, gently twirling it in her gloved hand. A small smile managed to come to her face when she looked down at it. She was annoyed at Avallach's reluctance, but in the end she had gotten what she wanted. It would be worth it to see Dominik's smile after she had used the ointment to help him. He could hear his laugh; see that goofy smile and loving look he gave her whenever she walked into the room. She had been looking at him in a similar way the previous few days, they looked at one another as if they would disappear again the next day. After so long apart, a small part of her was afraid that if she blinked he'd be gone.

But that wasn't the case, she was there, he was there, and she wasn't going anywhere, not without him, and she knew it was the same for him. The morning sun streamed through Avallach's window, and as it hit the ring she smiled even more, for so long she had to look at the ring, think of old memories to see his face.

However, now all she had to do was simply walk to the other tower.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri managed to smirk down at the small pouch of the ointment, she felt the cat medallion down on her bag lightly buzzing, and her own scar slightly tingled. She could remember when Avallac'h had first given her the ointment to apply, and like he had said, the effect had been almost instant. She rolled her eyes remembering that she owed the elf now but was determined not to let the thoughts ruin the excitement she felt. As she climbed up the tower, she couldn't help but smirk as the memories all came flooding back to her. She would never forget going to bed, and then a few hours later sneaking off to grab Dominik from his room, so they could raid the kitchens, or sneak outside to go and look at the stars together. He'd always protest at first, but all she'd have to do was widen her eyes and give him that little pleading look she normally did. He then got the cutest, flustered look on his young face and he'd agree right away. After spending so much time running, fighting, facing all the life-threatening situations she had, it felt nice to her to simply feel like a little girl again for that one moment. Dominik and she both had been forced to grow up much quicker than almost anyone, so any chance she could get to feel like a child again she'd take it.

And as her boots clicked against the ground, she couldn't help but keep the giant smile on her face when she saw the door to his room. She smirked, and before she went inside, she quickly found herself pushing her hair out of her eyes. Subconsciously she looked down at the pouch on her waist and smiled once more before reaching out and turning the knob to his door. As soon as it opened she right away felt the warmth of the fire hit her face, and the morning sunlight streamed in making her squint for a moment. In the previous few days they had cleaned up both their rooms. Dominik's had been dusted, and Ciri saw his armor on a stand in one corner, along with both his swords leaned up against his dresser. On top of the dresser was the small repeater crossbow that he told her Elise had given to him, once belonging to Arno. Sitting next to the crossbow she saw his bag, along with the carved wolf she had given him so many years ago. The room was well lit, and she could remember all the moments they spent there, even seeing the small scratch marks on the walls from where their swords hit the walls, during the times that they had foolishly tried to spar indoors.

She also could remember his nightmares however, how horribly he screamed, yelling for his mother, father, Bella, and Ciri herself. She would have to run down the steps, come into his room and hold him, tell him how it was her, that she was alright, they had survived, and they were together. Ciri of course had nightmares herself, but Dominik's had been much more potent. She had lost everything in Cintra's sacking, and saw plenty of horrible things, but Dominik, however, saw his mother and sister murdered in front of him, had to run over the corpses in the street. The Knight in the winged helmet had cut him, almost killed him, and still he pushed through it all, pushed through it all and saved her. It was no wonder his nightmares were so potent, she could remember how he'd shudder, cry into her as she held him until he fell back to sleep.

Now however, he wasn't crying, sobbing or yelling.

"Ughh… Geralt I'm going to go crazy if I don't get out of this fucking bed," He complained, and Ciri looked to see Geralt above him as he winced and went on, "I feel like I've been here for weeks, if I don't move soon I'm gonna lose it."

"Dom… it's only been three days," Geralt said with a roll of his eyes.

Dominik scoffed, "Yeah, but it's felt like weeks! I swear, I'm going to-. FUCK, god dammit you did that on purpose!"

"Yeah, because you've been doing nothing but complaining the last half-hour," Her father said dryly, as he carefully moved Dominik's leg up, "Now be quiet and relax, you want to be up as soon as possible right?"

"Yes…" He said with a small eye roll, as Ciri saw him tossing and flipping his dagger in his hand.

Geralt nodded, "Exactly, so stop moaning and deal with it."

"Let me try that," Ciri said walking into the room with a smile as they both turned to her. She smirked wildly and looked between them, "He tries complaining like that with me and I'll set him straight right quick."

Geralt chuckled, but when she saw the elated look come to Dom's face as he laid in his bed she felt her heart flutter. He still fit in his bed, while his armor was in the corner, he only wore a loose white top that had sleeves going down to the middle of his biceps. She looked down and saw he still wore black trousers and socks, a white blanket was over him, and Geralt currently had his leg lifted up.

"HA, there you are princess," He said with an elated tone while she looked at her, "I was wondering where you were. I love Geralt and all, but I've been looking at his old face for a month now and-. OW!"

She couldn't help but let out a small laugh, she looked and saw Geralt had jerked his leg a little too violently, but not enough to seriously injure him. Geralt had been the one to give him his therapy that day. She remembered training with Faram and George, while she had passed Freya making more potions, as well as lunch in the kitchen. Despite the fact she knew that he was getting sick of being in bed, she couldn't help but marvel at how comfortable Dominik looked. He had three pillows stacked at the head of his bed, and Geralt gently leaned his injured leg back down onto a stack of blankets. On his nightstand she saw a pitcher of water with some cups, and a plate with fruit, apples, grapes and oranges. That all combined with a pleasant view from his window, and a warm roaring fire, they had made everything as comfortable for him as they could.

What Ciri really wanted to do in that moment, was kick off her boots, take off her corset, get into nothing but her knickers, her top, let her hair down, and cuddle up in bed with him while they talked, kissed, and laid next to each other. However, she settled then for seeing the elated look he had on his face, and simply sitting their next to him.

"Sorry I'm late, I was training a bit with George and Faram," Ciri said, as she walked over and sat on the side of his bed next to Geralt, "How are you feeling?"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "I was great until Geralt started manhandling me-. OW!"

She laughed again and turned as Geralt smirked at them both. Her father looked to meet her eyes and nodded, "You wanna take over? Maybe he'll cry and moan less if you do it."

"Yeah, I'll do it, no problem," She said with a small smirk as she looked to meet Dom's eyes, "And if he starts moaning, I'll be sure to set him straight."

He rolled his eyes, but Ciri still saw the broad smile on his face. For a few seconds, Ciri had another moment of feeling like a child again. Her, Dominik, and Geralt, just like it had been at the start. She loved Yennefer with all her heart, but she always had a fantasy about her, Dominik and Geralt all on the path together. She would never forget first finding Geralt, after so many months on the run. It had been one of the greatest moments of her life, and when her father lifted her up to hug her, she had felt it, felt that now with him and Dominik both, her destiny was in her hands. _"You're something more Ciri, something so much more," _her father had said to her.

That moment was quickly interrupted by eleven-year-old Dominik trying to smash Geralt's knee in with a rock. After Geralt had disarmed him, Dominik had firmly stated, where Ciri went, he went, and Ciri of course confirmed this. She wouldn't have gone anywhere without him coming as well, but Geralt thankfully had taken them both. And for so long, the three of them had been a family, and then after they had met Yennefer, for the first time in so long, Ciri felt like she had something permanent. It of course hadn't been for long, but now that she was back, that they were all back, she would make sure that was the case this time.

It all had started however, with her, Dominik and Geralt.

"Alright, I'm gonna go see what Freya's making for lunch, kinda hungry actually," Geralt said as he stood up, and before he walked out the door he grabbed both of Dom's swords, "Want me to sharpen them?"

"If you could yeah," Dom said with a nod from next to her, "Want them in top shape when I get out of here."

Geralt quickly nodded and hefted both the sheaths over his shoulder. Their father nodded to them both once more, and he shot Ciri a wink before he walked out. She laughed lightly and turned back to see Dom's excited face still looking up at her. She smirked down at him and for a moment simply took in the site of him. Her face heated up slightly when she looked past the wolf and swallow around his neck, his chest was broad, defined, and she could see the beginnings of the deep scar that ran diagonally across it. His arms while not extremely large were defined, she could see the muscle in his biceps, and the multiple smaller scars and wounds. Biting her lip slightly she looked back up to him, and a small laugh left her when she saw the goofy smile that he had.

"Ha… and what are you smiling at?" She said to him as she adjusted herself on his bed, and she felt a pleasant tingle run up her spine when gently she reached and grabbed his hand.

He laughed lightly, and his face got slightly red as he looked at her, "Well… we're alone… finally. I… I've seen you yeah but, ha… you've… just been really busy."

A small part of her heart dropped, but seeing him still smiling at her was an indication that he understood. She smiled back down at him and squeezed his hand, and the gesture only made him smile more.

"I know… and I'm sorry," She said as she gently leaned down and kissed his good cheek, "But we got some time now… how do you feel really?"

He groaned and managed to sit up, she helped him adjust himself as he leaned forward while keeping both his legs straight still. After a minute of wincing, he managed to look over at her with a slightly amused look.

"Ha… well despite Geralt's manhandling, I do feel a lot better then a few days ago. I can move my leg a little but, well…" He said with a sigh, before he looked away from her, gently grazing his hand across the bandage on his right cheek, "To be honest princess… my face is what's killing me most. Freya said it's healing okay but… well… it hurts to even talk right now."

She heard the slight tone shift in his voice, she knew that when he was upset, but pretending not to be he normally bit the right side of his lip, and his eyes would fall. He would try to play it off she knew, but she could tell just from how he spoke how much it was truly bothering him. Seeing him in that kind of state made her heart sink like it normally did. She was going to say something, but as usual he sighed and forced a smile back to his face as he turned her.

"Seeing you though? That always makes me feel better," He said with a small smile as an amused look came to his face, "I guess you could say your beauty magically heals my wounds."

Ciri scoffed and couldn't help but laugh. Like he always had, he didn't care how hurt he was, she was what mattered to him, he was doing everything he could to make her smile, and it had worked. She laughed at his obvious attempts to suck up, and soon he joined her to laugh as well. He did that sometimes, gave her silly outlandish compliments and it had always made her laugh, she had missed it, she had missed all of the little things he did to make her smile.

She looked at him and smiled while rolling her eyes, "Come on you suck up, let's get this leg moving."

"What no kiss?" He joked with her as she got up and walked to the edge of his bed.

She laughed lightly again and smirked meeting his eyes as she gently grabbed his leg, "Maybe if you're a good boy, and don't complain while I do this… you'll get lucky."

"Ha… yes ma'am," He said with a smile, scoff and a small eye roll.

Chuckling she nodded, "Okay… now let's get this started…. Why don't you tell me a story while I do it. Unless you'd prefer to simply be quiet and stare at me."

He laughed for a second and looked like he was about to say something else, but he winced when Ciri moved his leg. Freya had showed her that all they needed to do was make sure his leg moved, she showed them a few ways to do it, and Ciri had been sure to pay close attention. A light draft blew through his room as the fire crackled, and she heard him wince more as she pushed his leg up. Gingerly she ran her hand down the bottom of it, and when her hand passed over where the sword had entered his leg Ciri felt her heart start to stir. She let out a shaky breath as she gently pushed on him, and when she blinked she saw it all again. Eredin's sword plunging into his leg, his screams, the squelch as the blade came out, and how he desperately looked at her before Eredin cut across his face. Her hand started to tremble as she rubbed them gently down his leg, up near his waist and crotch, and she bit her lip, feeling even more guilty as he groaned out in pain.

"Sorry…" She said lightly, as she started gently moving his leg from left to right.

He groaned again, and she felt him grip the sheet, but somehow he managed a laugh, "Ha.. it… it's okay. You… you know, for weeks, I… I had this picture of you. I… I stared at it every night, every night that and the swallow…"

She felt the ring trembling around her neck, and a small smile came to her face as she saw him looking up and smiling at her through the pain. Around his neck, she felt her eyes gaze at the swallow. She could remember getting it for her eleventh birthday, it had been one of the best presents she had ever gotten from her grandmother. That night in the cave, the night he said he loved her for the first time, it had been for him to remember her. She wondered almost every night as she looked at the ring, if he did the same with the swallow. Hearing that he did made her heart well up, and she smiled over at him as she gently pulled his leg back to its normal position.

After she set it down he let out a relaxing breath. She got back up and moved over to where she had been, right next to him. Right away she reached down and slid her hand into his, upon feeling him squeeze it, she felt the pleasurable tingle run up her chest. He let out another clear breath, and as soon as he met her eyes, she could see the love building up in them. Quickly she reached down and kissed him, she locked her lips with his for at least a minute, and every time she felt his lips move, her entire body felt like it was erupting from her breast to her core, she had felt pleasure like that only ever when she kissed him. Even back with Mistle, she had never felt what she did then, even from just his kiss. With Mistle, all she had felt after spending a night with her, feeling her tongue or her fingers inside of her, all Ciri had ever felt was shame afterwards, despite what she had told herself. That had been a raw, forced pleasure that felt good to her for the few seconds it was happening, but quickly sent terrible chills and trembles down her body afterwards.

Kissing him however, it was sweet, passionate, loving, and even from just his kiss then, she felt her entire body pleasantly tremble. She had wanted that, wanted him for so, so long, and now that she finally had him, was kissing him, she felt herself nearly shudder. Unlike the raw, forced pleasure she felt with Mistle, she felt love, passion, intense, beautiful tingling pleasure, and complete fulfillment wash over her. She pushed Mistle from her mind, the thoughts of how she had been unfaithful to him, broke that trust from her mind, the very thoughts of it were almost enough to take away what she felt in that moment, and she was determined to focus on nothing but him.

There would be a time when she told him, and she only prayed that he would not only forgive her for being with another, but for all the horrible things she had done.

Gently and regrettably she felt the need to breathe overtake her, so while making sure it lingered as long as she could, she pulled back from him. Right away he breathlessly smiled, his face flustered up, he lightly laughed as he took in quick deep breaths, and Ciri felt herself chuckle. That smile, that loving, goofy, flustered smile, the fact he still got like that, after eight years, so, so long apart, it somehow made her love for him shoot up even more.

She gently held a hand up to his face, and stroked his cheek with her thumb, "So… how was that for your kiss?"

He scoffed out another laugh and gently nodded, "Ha… yeah…that… that was more than okay."

Another laugh left her as she pulled her hand back, she held onto his and smiled broadly down at him, "Good then…. So, how exactly did you get a picture of me?"

Still smiling broadly he chuckled, "Ha well, I got it in Vizima, after Geralt and I met with Emhyr for the first time. Yen said it was what the spies thought you looked like. I took it and well… I carried it with me for a while. You know… now that I see you, it really didn't-. Hey… you okay?"

She had frozen at the mention of Vizima, of Emhyr, her 'father'. In the previous two days Geralt had told her how Dominik and he got on her trail in the first place. Her real father explained to her, how after his encounter with Alayna in Claywitch, Yen had found Dominik, and they both gathered him from White Orchard. It turned out, that Emhyr had called the both of them to Vizima at Yennefer's behest after her mother had found leads on her whereabouts. Hearing that her mother suffered a year working for Nilfgaard, all to find her had made her love the sorceress even more, but hearing that Dominik had willingly gone before Emhyr, the man who she knew haunted his nightmares for months, years, all just to get a lead on her… she couldn't put into words how much it had meant, how horrible she had felt he had to do that.

Ever since she had figured out that truth, that horrible, horrible truth Emhyr was her birth father, one of the things Ciri had been dreading was having to tell Dominik. The disgusting wretch that somehow was her birth father, the same man who wanted to take her, impregnate her and force her to marry him, Dominik had willingly gone before. Geralt hadn't mentioned if he told Dominik about the disgusting, horrible things Emhyr wanted to do to her. However, no matter what, she had been terrified for years, years knowing that one day she'd have to tell Dominik, tell Dominik that she was the daughter of the man who had taken their home from them, sacked and killed all their friends, Dom's family. Ciri was his daughter, she had come from him, and now he wanted her again. She shuddered and was furious at even the prospect of Emhyr wanting her again, she had no interest in even going to figure out, she would never go before him again, never let him even look at her again.

Emhyr had wanted to do all those horrible things to her, wanted to rape her, his daughter, and force her to have a child with him. She didn't care if he didn't go through with it, she knew that he only didn't because of the speech Geralt gave in front of his men, and she would always hate the disgusting wretch of a man. Geralt had told her Emhyr, 'ordered' Dominik and he to bring Ciri to him, and they had to go before him not once, but twice, and each time Dominik had almost gotten himself executed. Of course Geralt told her they weren't going to bring her to the man, her father promised that unless for some miraculous reason she said she wanted too, they wouldn't let Emhyr anywhere near her.

She would never go near Emhyr again, the man who sacked and burned Cintra, sent the knight in the winged helmet after her, claimed that she belonged to him because he was her birth father, the man who wanted to rape her, force her to marry him, she never even wanted to look at him again. However, Dominik had been forced to go before him twice, before the man who was responsible for his home being burned, his entire family being killed, one of the men responsible for him having the horrible nightmares for years.

And he had done it all for her. For so, so long she had been dreading this conversation, having to tell him. She found her voice leave her as she bit her lip, felt her hands slightly shake in his, and she tried to stutter out words but couldn't form them properly. He looked up at her, his eyes laced with concern he quickly winced a little as he sat up. Gingerly he leaned closer to her, his one hand squeezed hers reassuringly, while the other rubbed her back.

"Hey… hey what's wrong you okay," He asked her, his voice low and Ciri could hear how worried he was, but he let out a small laugh as she looked to meet his eyes, "Was it something I ate? Or do I really smell that bad, I'm sorry about that, I haven't gotten to have a bath in-."

"You… you know don't you…." She said as she finally managed to find her words, and right away she met his eyes as she let out a shaky sigh, "You… you know that… that I'm his daughter."

He scoffed and nodded, "Who Emhyr? Yeah, Yen told me. Now, what's wrong?"

Her eyes widened and she looked at him incredulously, "Dom… I'm the daughter of the man who sacked and burned our home!"

"Ciri, listen-," He started, but Ciri felt herself scoff again and go on.

"He's responsible for Cintra burning, for us having to run, for… your parents, for Bella being dead, for my grandmother being dead, and all our friends," She went on, feeling her blood begin to race as he still simply looked at her.

Again he scoffed and shook his head, "Ciri, just lis-."

"And now he's invading the north again, and you had to go before him, you had to look him in the eye," Ciri said as she felt herself get slightly erratic, she met his eyes and shook her head, "You had to talk to him, look at him, and… and I'm his daughter, I thought you would-."

"CIRI, just relax and listen…. It's okay…" He said in a harder tone, but his eyes remained light and reassuring as he looked at her.

She stopped for a minute and felt her breath begin to settle, she felt his hand rubbing her back, and his other squeezing hers. He was only inches from her face now, and slowly she looked to meet his gaze again. When he smiled at her, she felt her heart melt, and gently he shook his head.

"You are Ciri of Kaer Morhen, a witcher," He said gently, the smile got wider as he didn't let his gaze leave her, "You're the daughter of Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg. My best-friend, the love of my life…. It isn't our birth that defines who we are… it's who we choose to be. Don't you even dare think for one second, that I think any different of you because of this… understand? I love you… because you're Ciri, not for any stupid powers or blood, because of who your parents are or aren't… but because you're Ciri."

Her mouth fell slightly agape as the proper words couldn't be found. His words washed over her, and she melted into him. She let out a shaky breath as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and quickly he felt his arms wrap around her waist as they sat there on his bed. The fire crackled, and every bit of her body tingled, and she squeezed him with everything she could. The thought he'd think any less of her was a ridiculous notion, but still hearing the words come from him made it feel like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. The love they shared was that strong, and with every day that passed she was reaffirmed of that.

She only hoped that it stayed that way, even after he figured out everything else.

"You… you still do it… even… even after all this time," She said lightly to him, as she gently pulled back.

He laughed lightly and kept his hands around her waist, "Ha… do what?"

A small shaky laugh left her, as she quickly blinked back a small tear. She gently looked up and met his gaze, carefully she reached up and held the left side of his face, "You… make me feel like the most special person in the world… even after all this time…. I love you… I love you, you stupid boy."

A breathless laugh escaped him as his face got red. He smiled broadly up at her and gently squeezed her waist, "That's because… even now… you are…. I love you too."

She laughed a little, even just hearing him say the words 'I love you' still made her feel slightly giddy. She could remember how big a crush she had on him in Cintra, how that crush grew into love, she remembered how nervous she was when she first kissed him, and the excitement that washed over her when he said he loved her for the first time. It was just the effect he had on her, even after all those years. She thought of all the nights she'd stay up, staring at the ring, wanting nothing more then to be next to him. It had seemed like such a pipe dream at times, and there were even moments, like the time she spent with Mistle, where she tried to forget, tried to forget because the pain, the yearning, to see him again had just hurt her too much.

But now he was there, and he was hers.

He goofily smiled up at her and smirked, "So… did I earn another kiss after that?"

She scoffed and laughed, before gently reaching up and holding his face, slowly she nodded as she kept their eyes locked, "You know… I think you did, that was incredibly sweet and-."

"Gahhhhhh," He winced, and Ciri despite gently touching the bottom of his right cheek, could feel it throbbing as he nearly fell back.

Her eyes widened, she reached around to catch him before his head fell and hit the wooden head of his bed. She saw him violently bite his lip as he let out a shaky sigh. The look on his face, the pain, the annoyance, he saw him struggle with it for a moment before he met her eyes, and just like always he tried to force a smile to his face.

"Ha… if… if this thing," He said as he gestured towards the bandage across much of his left cheek, "If this thing is gonna start impeding my ability to kiss you we're gonna have real problems."

Quickly she remembered why she had even gone to his room in the first place. She had almost forgotten she had been so engrossed in their conversation. She laughed lightly and helped him carefully lay his head back down on his pillow. He looked up at her with a smile still, his hand still held hers as she felt her excitement begin to boil up.

"I actually think I have a solution to that," She said as she gently reached down to her belt and pulled the pouch of magic ointment off it, she showed it too him and smirked, "This will fix it right up, it'll dull your pain, and even take away some of the redness."

He narrowed his eyes at the pouch and looked at her curiously, "Okay… and what is it? Where'd you get it?"

Biting her lip she laughed nervously, "Ha um… Freya gave it to me. Said it was something new she made up and-."

"Ciri," He said with an amused smile on his face to cut her off.

"Um… yeah?" She asked as she bit her lip harder.

He laughed lightly and reached around his neck. Gently he held up the wolf medallion, and Ciri's eyes widened when she saw the small red eyes glowing.

"Shit…" She said as she let out a shaky breath.

Laughing again he shook his head, "Medallion's been humming since you walked in. So… wanna tell me where you got magic medicine?"

She met his eyes and sighed. She didn't want to tell him it was from Avallac'h, but she could see now there was no way out of it.

"I… got it from Avallac'h," She said, and to her surprise he didn't look angry right away, she sighed and met his eyes, "I know you don't like him, but… this is the same ointment that helped heal my scar, and trust me… it was just as bad as yours at one point."

Scoffing Dominik shook his head, and Ciri could hear the sarcasm that he inherited from Geralt laced in his words, "Aw, does this mean our dear sage is starting to like me? I'm so glad, if I could, I'd do a little dance to celebrate."

She rolled her eyes at him and met his gaze, "No… I had to promise to be on time for our next training session for him to give it to me. I… I know you've been playing it off, but I can tell how much it's been bothering you. And I haven't been able to spend real time with you in days, and I… wanted to-."

"It's okay princess, I'm just joking around," He said as he cut her off with a smile, he gently leaned up again and reached out with both his hands to wrap around the one she had holding the pouch. He looked at her, and she felt her heart thump as he smiled at her lovingly, "I really appreciate it… thank you. So… how does this stuff work? You said it healed yours?"

Slowly she felt the smile come to her own face as she took in his loving gaze. As it normally did, it made her heart thump and flutter, and right away the heat rushed up to her cheeks as she met his eyes, those beautiful emerald eyes that she loved. She loved that man sitting in front of her, that goofy boy she met in Cintra, the flustered teenager she had been with in Kaer Morhen and Ellander… she loved him then, and she loved him now.

But the lingering questions in the back of her head slowly crept up, what would he think when he learned of all the horrible things she did.

She managed to keep her smile, and nodded at him, "It did yeah. And like I said, believe me, my scar was just as bad. Lay back, first we're going to get this bandage off."

"Yes ma'am," He said with a mock salute, and she laughed as he leaned back on his pillows.

Carefully she opened the pouch after his head hit the pillow. She carefully sighed and leaned over; her face got only inches from his as she gently brought her hand up to him. Biting her lips she grabbed the end of the bandage, the piece of white cloth that had blood soaking through, Freya had said the paste she made kept it stuck to his face but would be easy to peel off. She looked up to quickly meet his eyes, and when he nodded to her with the smile still on his face she took it as confirmation.

"Okay… nice and easy," Ciri said, as she heard him wince the minute she started pulling even slightly.

She tried to ignore his wincing, but as she started to see the state of his face it got tuned out, as all she could focus on was her stomach dropping. The long gash went from right under his right eye a mere inch or two away from his eyes and stretched at least a few inches deep diagonally all the way down to his jawline. She finally managed to pull the bandage completely off, and she smelled the paste Freya had made right away. It didn't smell particularly good, but like she had expected, it had been working like a charm. The wound was closing Ciri could see, the dark black and green paste was still lingering over it and the inside of the bandage. Ciri also however, saw the dried blood, and the fresh blood slowly dripping from the wound, and as she blinked in that moment she shuddered. The redness was wide, and while it had been healing yes, the scar would dominate his face just as badly as Ciri's did hers at one point if it kept progressing like that she knew. Her hand started to tremble as she saw his cheek throbbing, and she let out a shaky sigh as it all flashed back in her mind.

Eredin's sword cutting across his face, the cold wind howling in her ears, the uncontrollable shaking rage that she felt. All of this happened while she was too weak to help him, she had sat back while he fought the King himself. He kept promising her that it wasn't her fault, that her wound was just as serious, that she was trapped by the ice. However, Ciri knew she could have done more. She felt the new scar across her stomach tingle, right where Baelen had cut across her. Under her corset in that very moment it felt like she was cut again, and she started shuddering as she stared at his wounded, battered face, and all she could think about was how she could have prevented it.

"Ha… so what do you think princess," He said in an amused tone, and Ciri shot her gaze up to him, and somehow he was smiling at her breathlessly as he went on, "Do I officially get to join the 'cool face scar club' now?"

She felt herself scoff out a laugh, as seeing his smiling face spurred him on. She couldn't do anything in the moment, but she could now. Gently she slid off both of her gloves. The fire crackled and she felt the pores on her bare hands warm up. Carefully she untied the pouch, and as soon as it opened, she felt the cat medallion vibrate around her waist, and upon looking at the wolf one around Dom's neck near the swallow, she saw it do the same thing. Letting out a careful breath she felt the ring tremble, she felt nervous for a moment, but looking at his reassuring gaze spurred her on. Carefully she dipped two fingers into the pouch, the wet, sticky ointment stuck to her fingers right away, and she bit her lip as she met his eyes.

"Okay… this is gonna sting a little at first, but after a few seconds it should take effect," She said to him, and as she let out a shaky breath and got closer she bit her lip and met his gaze again, "Are… you ready? Are you sure you want me to-."

"It's okay Ciri… I trust you, go on," He said as she felt him gently squeeze her forearm reassuringly.

His smile washed over her, and as she felt her heart flutter she nodded at him. She turned back to his face and leaned down. As she felt him still reassuringly looking at her, she managed to calm her trembling fingers. With one last shaky breath she reached down, and right when her fingers made contact with his cheek, she felt the ointment lightly hiss.

"GAHHHH…." He cried out for a moment, and Ciri's head shot to him, she almost pulled her hand back, but he nodded quickly to her, "Go on, go on I'm fine I promise."

She shakily sighed and turned back to his face again. For the next few seconds, she spread the ointment out over his cheek. Just like she remembered it doing for her, after a few seconds, the hissing died down, and he let out a long shaky relieved breath. She looked over and saw a look of utter jubilation appear on his face, he looked relaxed, and a huge smile came to her face as she remembered she had the same feeling when she had spread the ointment over her own scar. She dipped her finger into the pouch again, she applied more and more until it was over the length of the scar itself, and despite the fact she had seen it before, she completely marveled at it.

The pleasant hissing sound hit her ears, and slowly she could see the redness around the wound fading. She leaned back and scoffed, the redness faded more and more, and soon she heard him scoff out a laugh as well, and for a few glorious moments they both laughed. She placed the pouch with the remaining ointment on his nightstand, the fire crackled and warmed her skin, and in those few seconds they both laugh she felt completely and utterly at peace, like nothing else was wrong. She readjusted herself on his mattress, and he gently sat up as she saw the ointment still resting inside the cut, but the redness from it had almost completely gone.

Light gently streamed in from the window, the sun glowed off his handsome face, and Ciri laughed as her heart grew at his smile.

"HA… that… that was awesome, I barely feel anything anymore," He said as he excitedly looked over at her, he met her eyes and scooted closer to her, "Thank you… thank you for this princess… god I love you."

He had told her plenty of times before, but in that moment it hit her particularly heavy, as he wrapped his arms around her waist she felt herself erupt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him with everything she had, she took in his scent, his presence, his warmth, everything. After so many years of fighting, of anger, pain, loss, running, she finally found somewhere that she didn't want to leave, his side. She melted into his hug, and found herself laughing as she squeezed, and after what felt like hours, she finally gently pulled back from him.

Just like she had assumed earlier when she went to get the ointment, his smile in that moment had been plenty worth promising to go to the elf's lessons when he needed. She had almost forgot what it was like, simply sitting there alone with her boyfriend, the man she loved, holding each other and just spending time with one another. And hearing him laugh, seeing him smile so broadly at her as he pulled back, just like when they had kissed in the forest a few days prior, it made absolutely everything she had gone through worth it. Being there at Kaer Morhen with him, his friends that were hers now, Geralt, it all had made it worth it.

"You're welcome… I love you too," She said as his face was only a few inches away from hers. His arms were wrapped around her waist, she had her arms around his neck, and seeing that handsome, goofy, loving smile on his face made her smirk.

She felt herself laugh, biting her lip she met his eyes, gently she slid one of her hands to rest on his chest. His chest was hard, broad, and her hands rested just below the wolf and the swallow dangling. She looked down his chest again, gently she ran his hand down his torso, before slowly bringing it back up to his chest, she could feel how defined and strong he was, and at the touch of her bare hands, he let out a breathless laugh and she felt him shudder. Feeling her own body begin to heat up, a new tingle running through her breast to her core, she looked up and met his eyes, when she did, she found herself biting her lip even more, her eyes not able to leave his gaze as she ran a hand down his torso again, feeling his toned stomach. He shuddered and she could feel the hairs on his neck stand up along with the goosebumps. His hands slid lower on her waist, and she felt him pull her closer to him, and both of his larger strong hands rested on the sides of her hips, she finally felt herself shudder breathlessly as she finally held her hand on his chest.

"You know…" She said lightly, as her eyes didn't leave him. Gently she slid her hand down his stomach again, and after she did, she saw his eyes widen, and look deeply, lovingly into hers, and his loving gaze only made her body begin to tingle. Breathlessly she let out a small laugh as she started to tremble, before she met his eyes still biting her lip, "Your scar… it does make you look extremely handsome…"

He laughed lightly, and this time when he met her gaze, Ciri felt herself shudder. She saw a desire in him, one she had never seen in him before, in his eyes she could see the mix of desire, love, awe, and it washed over her sending new tingles down her chest. Her heart began to race, and she felt his hand gently run down her leg, and with every bit his hand moved, she felt herself completely erupt, her leg trembled, and when he brought his hand back up to rest on her waist, her very core shook, and she felt herself biting her lip still, and when she looked back up into his eyes, just like him, she could feel the desire rising up in her, she hadn't felt that feeling in so long, and now it slammed back into her. Around her neck the ring trembled, and as her heartbeat quickened, she found herself yearning to have his hands exploring down her legs again.

However, he gently brought his hand up to rest on her waist again, and he met her eyes with a loving gaze.

"You… really think so…" He said, and his low voice made her chest erupt into flutters again, she heard the hint of amusement, and as she looked into his eyes she felt herself lightly laugh as well.

Slowly she nodded and leaned her head closer to his, looking down at him as he leaned against the head of his bed she leaned closer, smiling and gently nodding at him.

"I do… yeah…" She said lightly, and she could feel him shutter as she let her hand explore up and down his torso again, "Really… really handsome… downright sexy if you ask me."

He let out a scoffing laugh, and when his hand went down her leg again, and he rested it under her thigh to pull her closer she felt herself let out a breathless sigh. She was practically almost sitting in his lap, and as he ran his hand up and down the bottom of her leg again she shuddered, and when he spoke, his deep, amused voice washed over her.

"The same goes for you princess…. I mean when I said… I never thought you could get more beautiful then you were," He said, and as his hot breath hit her neck, she felt her skin tingle, and she smiled as she finally rested her hand on his torso, along his hard, defined stomach.

She managed to bite her lip and amusingly smirk at him, "You suck up…. So.. is this your attempt to get another kiss out of me?"

He chuckled, lightly, and rested his hand right under her thigh, gently squeezing, "Well… is it working?"

She let out a breathless moan and laughed as she met his intense gaze again, "You know… I think it is."

Gently he nodded and leaned a little closer to her, "I missed you… so much…. I.. I had so much I had too-."

"Dominik, please, please just shut up and kiss me," She said as she felt her breath leave her, she leaned her chest up against his and looked down at him while still keeping one hand around his neck, and the other resting on his chest.

Slowly he nodded, and gently squeezing below her thigh again he nodded, "Well… I never could deny my lady such a request…"

"Such a gentlemen," She said with a small laugh, as she gently leaned her lips down, "I love you.. I missed you-."

"Zireael," The voice of one of the last people in the world Ciri wanted to hear in the moment rippled through the air, and if it was possible for all the romantic and sexual tension to leave a person's body in mere seconds, it happened then and there to her and Dominik both.

"You have GOT to be fucking kidding me…" Dominik hissed sharply under her, and Ciri right away felt her heart erupt.

Both of them turned their heads around to the door at once, and sure enough Avallac'h was standing in the doorway. A look that was a combination of disgust, annoyance, and impatience as his grey eyes didn't leave Ciri once. Her skin crawled, and she felt the embarrassment rise up in her as his face went ride. She felt herself slightly shake, but it was nothing compared to Dominik below her, who was shaking with not only embarrassment in his eyes, but a seething anger.

"Haven't you learned in the literal hundreds of years you've been alive, how to, you know… fucking KNOCK!?" Dominik yelled over to the sage, as Ciri saw him lean up on his elbows.

Avallac'h sneered at him, "For your information, the door was opened…. Zireael, come, it is midday it's time for us to begin."

Ciri felt her skin crawl, she could see the look Avallac'h gave her, as he clearly expected her to honor the deal she made with him. However, before she could do anything Dominik nearly erupted next to her.

"Why don't you take your lesson, and shove it all the way up your-," He started yelling before Ciri quickly turned around and cut him off by looking at him.

When she met his eyes he sighed, but she could see the anger still building up inside him, he kept looking between Avallac'h and her, but Ciri gave him a pleading glance. All of the problems, the worries, the reality of their situation came back down to her, and she found herself sighing as her skin continued to crawl. After a minute, he finally sighed and leaned back against his pillow, gently he nodded to her, but she could see how his one hand violently gripped the sheet.

Slowly she turned and met the sage's eyes, "Fine, I'll be right there. Just wait outside the door for a minute will you?"

The elf sneered one last time as he looked over at Dominik, before nodding and walking away from the room. She felt a shaky breath leave her, and as she did normally when she was annoyed, nervous, or upset she reached up and gripped the trembling ring. She felt Dom's hand gently hold hers, and she turned back to see him looking up at her. The anger was gone, but it was replaced by something worse. The sadness, the completely forlorn look on his face in that moment, it nearly made her heart shatter. Just like she was, she knew he hadn't wanted that beautiful moment they were having to end. The both of them had wanted that moment, it had felt longer then the few minutes that it lasted in reality, but Ciri had wanted it to last even longer.

"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry," She said as she met his eyes, and she bit her lip when he sighed and met her eyes.

"It… it's okay…" He said lightly, as she could see him force a smile onto his face, "You… gotta learn, I understand. Can… can you see if Geralt, Faram, George or Freya are downstairs? I… don't really like being in here by myself for too long."

She could tell he was trying to not sounds so disappointed, and he did a horrible job at it, and Ciri felt her heart shatter. A shaky sigh left her, she reached down and grabbed his face with both her hands. She smashed her lips to his, trying to transfer as much love to him as she could. She felt his one hand come up to cup her cheek, and despite the situation she still felt his touch send tingles down her spine. His lips moved with her, and with everything she had she planted one last long, lingering one on him, trying to show him how sorry she was, how much she loved him in that moment.

When she pulled back he let out a breathless sigh, and when she saw the smile come to him, she felt all her worry melt away again. He looked up and met her eyes, and she could see the love again, and his flustered cheeks, that goofy smile he managed to get still, it made her heart flutter again.

"I'll send one of them up here, if I see Freya, I'll tell her about the ointment," She said as she gently cupped his face again, "And… I promise we'll have some time soon. More then just a few minutes I promise. Just you, me, food, gwent, wine, whatever we want, just us."

He chuckled and sighed, she felt him gently squeeze her hand and nod with an amused look, "Alright, I'll hold you too that princess. Maybe by then…I won't have to wear a bandage, and you can look at my scar all you want."

She laughed and smirked back down at him, "Yeah, I like the sound of that… and… maybe I can take a look at your other ones. I'm… curious to see what new scars you got on the Path."

He got red and laughed nervously, but Ciri could see his smile grow as he looked back up at her, "You can look at them all, I'll tell you any story…. Go on, you don't want to keep our dear sage waiting, get's cranky enough as it is."

She managed another laugh and nodded to him, "Alright… I'll see you soon, I love you."

"I love you too princess…. Good luck learn some cool new tricks," He said amusingly as he mock saluted too her.

As she stood up she found herself laughing, and after taking one more lingering look at him. He looked and smiled at her the entire time as she walked to the door. She sighed herself as she finally turned into the tower and saw Avallac'h waiting for her a few steps down. The sage impatiently had his arms crossed, and Ciri looked into Dom's room one last time. He had picked up his silver dagger from his nightstand and was aimlessly tossing it in his hand, he caught it and tossed it between his hands. Ciri felt her body tingle from where he had been holding her, and she yearned to be back in his bed with him again, the fire crackling, food and drinks next to them, just the two of them being with one another. In nothing but her knickers and top, with her hair down laying next to him, she wanted that.

However, she had work to do before she could have that. And as she finally sighed and started down the steps, she remembered what she promised Avallac'h, that she'd clear her mind, and do what she could to learn to control her powers, because if she did, then she could finally have that life she always wanted, that life Dominik wanted, the life they deserved.

But first she needed to learn, she had been training with Avallac'h for months, she could think of a lot worse things to do to learn.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"URGHHHHH GODS DAMMIT, PIECE OF SHIT," Ciri screamed as she waved the smoke out of her face, and scrambled back up to her feet, "IT'S NOT FUCKING WORKING!"

Avallac'h sighed and rolled his eyes with his arms crossed, "Discouraged after… fourteen attempts, come now Zireael, this is a simple spell to help you channel your power, you must clear your mind."

"IT IS FUCKING CLEAR!" She screamed again, feeling as if her hair was singed.

"No, it isn't," The sage said with a roll of his eyes, "You are too focused on the battle STILL. You promised you'd come with a clear mind. Come now, the men who died you had only met the day of the battle, and your little boyfriend is alive."

Ciri's fist curled as the orange sunset rays scored the back of her neck. Two more days had passed, almost a week and she still found herself incapable of making any progress. As much a she was annoyed at the elf's words she knew he was right. They had been out in the inner courtyard, in the exact spot where Dominik had fallen and that hadn't helped her concentrate. Everybody else was inside the keep, Freya had made dinner, and she knew that everyone, excluding Dominik who had to take dinner in his room still had been in the dining hall, chatting and eating. She would have been there herself, she would have taken her dinner and sat in Dom's room to eat dinner with him and his friends like she had been doing, but Avallac'h had kept her to train later after she had again made little to no progress.

She tore her eyes up from her smoking hands as the elf looked at her with his arms crossed. His words finally registered in her ears, and Ciri felt herself erupting again.

"They still died to protect me! If I weren't here all four of them would still be alive," She screamed at the elf as she stomped towards him. "And yes, Dominik's alive, but he was almost killed! You know how much he means to me, so you can understand why I'm pissed, especially when I'm standing in the exact spot he fell!"

The elf scoffed and rolled his eyes again, "What happened to that arrogant boy is his own fault. He was foolish enough to think he stood a chance against Eredin, it was foolish."

"He didn't fight him for his own pride! He fought him to protect me," Ciri yelled as she took another step closer to the elf, feeling her blood ready to burst from her body.

"He is a boastful, arrogant brat, who thinks far too highly of himself," The elf said with a roll of his eyes.

"If that's the case I'm surprised the two of you don't get along better then!" She screamed as she felt herself begin to shake.

Ever since Avallac'h had walked in on Dominik and her about to kiss, the elf had somehow been in an even fouler mood. Ciri was doing everything she could to try and control the power, and there were times when the sage was actually helpful, but whenever she mentioned Dominik herself, or one of his friends, or Geralt came by and mentioned him, the elf would right away scoff and his mood would worsen. It had been five days then since the battle, and every day he was improving, Freya had even told them that by the next day, he would be able to try walking again, and Ciri had never seen him so excited. She herself had become ecstatic at the news, however, she had received it from the blonde during one of her lessons with Avallac'h.

All it took was Dominik's name being said, and the sage erupted, screaming for Freya and the rest of them to leave Ciri be so she could concentrate. Faram, who was also there to deliver the good news, hadn't taken very kindly to the elf's tone when he screamed at Freya, and it took all Ciri and the blonde's strength to keep the Bear Witcher from trying to rip the sage's arms off. Geralt even had to come by and help them, and even her father was becoming aggravated by the sage's tone, and Ciri knew if Geralt was pissed off enough to try and punch Avallac'h as well, that all hell would break loose.

It was safe to say the sage wasn't enjoying his time in Kaer Morhen, and at Ciri's words the sage's eyes erupted.

"I am SICK and tired, of your ignorant, aggressive tone Zireael," The sage said with anger dripping from his voice, "YOU are the reason we are stuck in this situation. We were perfectly fine, hidden, you weren't in any danger, you would have learned to control eventually, but you INSISTED on coming back for HIM."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, not moving from her spot, "I'm sorry that dreams of one of the most important people to me DYING made me slightly worried!"

"You put us all at risk! You know what will happen if Eredin gets his hands on you Zireael," The elf nearly yelled as he shook his head at her, "You decided you wanted to risk it all for an arrogant, foolish, pompous, self-centered-."

"ENOUGH," She screamed as she felt her eyes erupt. She threw her arms out, and she felt her skin boil, the anger shooting out of her as she met the elf's eyes, "Why do you hate him so much!? And don't say because of how he's acting now! You hated him from the moment that I mentioned him! And also don't say it was because they were just dreams, they told me how after the curse was lifted, you didn't tell Dominik where I was!"

"That is none of your concern Zireael…" The sage said darkly, and Ciri could see that she had crossed some kind of line as the sage sneered at her, "We are DONE for today. I suggest that tomorrow you adjust your attitude… if you want my continued aid…"

Ciri felt herself shaking in the courtyard as Avallac'h without another word stormed past her, and back towards the keep. She whirled around as he passed, and with his robes flowing back in the wind the sage, who had more anger boiled inside him then Ciri had ever seen stomped up the steps and inside. For a moment she simply stood there, her hair still felt singed, and she could see smoke gently coming off her gloved hands. He had been showing her a spell to be able to better channel her energy, channel her powers into her hands so she could unleash it. However, when Ciri had tried, she saw the spot where Dominik had fell, she could practically hear his body hitting the ground, and she had grown so angry it exploded into her face. She rolled her eyes in annoyance once the sage was out of sight and dusted off her corset, shirt and trousers.

"Dammit Ciri…" She muttered to herself, as she slowly walked towards the keep, and gently set herself down on the steps.

The cool breeze blew through her hair, she reached up to readjust her bun as she looked up into the sky. She let out a shaky breath as she saw the moon coming out, it would only be a few minutes until the night, and she felt both her stomach rumble, and her bones aching from the fatigue. She let the sage's words wash over her. _"I suggest that tomorrow, you adjust your attitude… if you want my continued aid…." _Biting her lip she aggravatedly kicked a rock into a pile of snow beneath her. If it came down to choosing between Dominik and her family, or the sage, she already knew what she would pick, however, if she did lose the sages aid, he did have a point that she had heard him mention in the previous days. They stood no chance of defeating Eredin, even being able to find him and the Hunt without Avallac'h. And from how the sage and her friends had been interacting, Ciri was the only thing keeping him there.

It wasn't that the sage didn't deserve the treatment he'd been receiving, but Ciri knew that the elf was prideful, his pride came before anything else. That was why Eredin had cursed him instead of killing him, so if Avallac'h felt his pride continue to be hurt there, she was sure he'd leave. And if she truly wanted to get her revenge on Eredin, made it possible for her to stop running, she would need to listen to the elf. She also did owe the sage, she wouldn't admit it out loud, but she would have been finally caught by Eredin by then if not for him, he also hadn't steered her wrong during their time together so far, so if he said that his way was the way to defeat Eredin, then she needed to start putting her pride aside to listen to him.

It was for Dominik, for her family, and even though she knew Dominik would gladly throw the elf off the walls currently, Ciri knew she still needed the elf to help better keep him safe, and to make sure Eredin paid for what he did to him. She was going to make sure the King did pay for it, along with everything else the Hunt had done. However, that wouldn't happen unless she could learn control, and no matter what she would try, even in her moments of clarity while she trained, she still couldn't find herself making discernible progress. Sighing she leaned her elbows on her knees and picked up one of the rocks from the ground and tossed it across the courtyard.

Biting her lip she felt the anxiousness rise up in her. Dominik was getting better by the day, he had been following Freya's instructions to a tee like he promised, and every day she sat up and ate with him, helped him with the physical therapy he needed, just like always he did everything he could to keep her spirits up. In reality she was the one who should have been doing it for him, considering he was the one who could barely walk. However, whenever she went to ask him about how he felt, he'd insist that he was okay as long as she was. Ciri found it both extremely sweet and annoying at the same time as she did when she was younger, because she knew that despite his great progress, the mental toll the battle had taken on him was large.

Sometimes she'd show up to his room, and she'd see his eyes puffy, or find him staring aimlessly out the window with his hands trembling. Or she, Geralt, or one of his friends would be talking to him, and he would just seem like he was in another place. The other's shrugged it off, but Ciri and Geralt both they had noticed it. He and she both had been looking forward to those first few days back together for years, but they had been marred by a battle, both of them nearly dying, their friends actually dying, and now constant recovery and training.

"Missed you at dinner, Freya made dumplings, know you love those," A deep voice came from behind her, and Ciri whirled around to see Geralt, his silver hair blowing in the night breeze as he came to sit with her.

Ciri rolled her eyes as her father sat down, "Not in the mood for dumplings… not in the mood for anything at all really…"

Geralt scoffed and smirked at her, "You, not in the mood for dumplings? Now I know something's wrong…. You know, if I remember, it took you and Dom three days to get past lesson one with Lambert when you first got here."

She sighed and shook her head, "Dealing with Lambert is nothing compared to this, and at least with that, well.. I had Dom helping me."

"He could help you now you know," Geralt said with a knowing tone, as he looked at smirked at her.

Ciri let out a genuine laugh and shook her head incredulously, "The day Avallac'h lets Dominik in on one of our training sessions, is the day deserts appear in Kovir."

Her father rolled his eyes, and Ciri watched his silver hair blow through the wind. Despite the mood she was in, she felt his presence calm her, his relaxing, reassuring tone. Even with her sarcasm, he smirked at her, and his smile despite the fact she tried to remain sulking lifted her heart. She loved it when he smiled, no matter what was happening, her and Dominik both, Geralt always knew exactly what to say, or not to say to make the situation better.

"Yeah… we were all eating, saw our dear sage walking away towards his room in a huff," He said to her, as he met Ciri's eyes he gestured towards the door, "What'd you do to piss him off?"

She bit her lip as the night breeze whipped through her hair. The moon had risen, it was large, and casted a beautiful night glow over the courtyard. It was strange to her, during the battle, as she couldn't move and had to watch Dom fight Eredin, the courtyard had seemed so large, but in that moment, it seemed so small. However, she could still see the exact spot he had fallen, that Eredin had cut across his face, and she shuddered when the sound of him hitting the ground seemed to echo.

Sighing she shook her head, "I still haven't made much progress. He keeps telling me I must clear my mind of the battle. After that he… said some harsh things about Dom, and well, I was already angry enough. I asked him why he hated him so much, he got angry and stormed off."

Geralt right away narrowed his eyes and shook his head, "Gotta admit, I've been wondering that myself… Dom hasn't exactly been pleasant to him, but I can see it in his eyes, Avallac'h hates him, a lot."

"He has since I first mentioned him," Ciri said incredulously as she shook her head, "After I started having the dreams of Dom fighting Baelen, I wanted to come back, but he kept trying to tell me they were just dreams. It took me threatening to go without him to come back."

Her father's eyes narrowed again, and he shook his head, "You know… after you ran off during the funerals, Dom and him started arguing. Avallac'h said he expected nothing less from 'HIS' descendant… it seems Dominik's ancestor really did do something to piss off not just the Hunt, but Avallac'h too."

Ciri's skin begun to crawl. She could remember the riders calling to kill him for being, 'his' descendant. Even during his fight with Eredin, multiple times had they referenced Dominik's ancestor, and the more Ciri thought about it, the harder it was for her to wrap her head around it. She could feel and see the raw magical power he exhumed when his powers as a carrier, the power that was passed down to him from this mysterious ancestor that had managed to piss off the entire Wild Hunt, all the way to the point where Eredin wanted to kill him. It was another reason she needed to learn control, because now, the Hunt wasn't just targeting her, they were targeting him as well.

And she wouldn't sit by and let him fight them alone again. If she closed her eyes she could feel the ice around her ankles, feel herself desperately trying to escape, escape so she could help him, but she hadn't been strong enough. She had been trapped and was forced to watch as he fought Eredin himself, forced to watch him almost die. Men had died, Dominik had almost died, her family had almost died, all because she was there, because she had hidden there. That would change, the time for hiding was over, as Yennefer had said before she left, it was time to face them.

But to do that, she first needed to learn control, and to do that, she needed to learn how to focus.

"I have to make them pay Geralt… pay for what they did to him," Ciri said in a dark voice as she shook her head and met her father's eyes, "We promised to protect each other, but I was too weak, I was trapped there while he fought."

Sighing Geralt shook his head, "Ciri, you were trapped, Dom told us how you couldn't get out. You were already hurt. Besides, in the end you saved him, you saved all of us."

"Yes, and four people died, and Dominik would be dead if you hadn't sensed his heartbeat," She said back quickly, "We promised to protect each other… I won't let that promise be one sided."

"I know you won't," Her father said, and Ciri felt his hand rub her back, "Look, why don't you go see him for a little bit? That always put you both in a better mood. You haven't really gotten to spend much of it together since we've been back."

She felt her heart thump, and the ring around her neck tremble. Gently she reached up and grabbed it before she looked down at it. It lightly trembled in her hands, and her chest lightly began to flutter. Since two days prior when she had gave him the ointment for his scar, since those amazing few minutes they spent alone, she hadn't gotten to go back to him nearly as much as she would have wanted. It was the same as the first few days, she'd go and help him with his therapy, or sit with him while they ate. However, her training was taking up more and more time, and he was still seeming to be sleeping for hours on end. Never had Ciri ever seen somebody so drained, the color was starting to return to his face, and she would laugh at how he scarfed down every meal Geralt or she would bring him. She would eat her meals in his room, however, his friends, or Geralt would also come with her most of the time, and while she enjoyed the times immensely, hearing his friends stories, or simply being there with Geralt and he, they'd yet to have more then a few minutes alone still.

So the idea of seeing him then made her heart flutter. She felt Geralt's hand pleasantly rub against her back, and she let out a finally relaxed sigh. The moonlight gently hit Geralt's face, and Ciri felt reassurance run through her as he smiled at her. She gripped the ring for a moment before letting it bounce against her chest again. A small chill ran across her shoulders, and she pulled her top closer to her neck to stop the cold, abut she found herself smiling again still. Her mind was tired, her bones were slightly aching, and the idea of sitting on Dom's bedside, the fire crackling, finally getting even just a few minutes with one another made her excited for the first time that whole day.

She looked back to Geralt with a smile, "How has he felt today? I haven't had a chance to go and see him yet. He was asleep this morning, and I've been training since midday."

Geralt smirked back and nodded, "He's alright, excited that he can try and walk soon. Freya brought him food, she's with him now moving his leg and eating with him."

Ciri didn't know if it was the fatigue, or the annoyed mood she had just been in, but upon hearing Geralt's words, she felt her stomach begin to churn. She had grown to like Freya a lot the previous few days, she was kind, helpful, funny, and Ciri was beginning to really enjoy her company. However, the idea of her and Dominik alone, her grabbing his leg and eating with him alone in his room made her bite her lip. A tingle ran up her chest, Ciri herself had been the one to sit on his bed and eat dinner with him the last few days, she had been the one to move his leg. It was those few minutes with him, along with Geralt that had gotten her through the long grueling training sessions.

The idea now, of that person being Freya with him, despite the fact Ciri liked her, had made her heartrate go up. Freya was extremely beautiful, even with the fact she knew that Faram was his best-friend the previous few years, Ciri couldn't help but see how closer her and Dominik seemed. She had walked in and found them both easily laughing with one another as she applied more of his medicine, and Ciri wasn't afraid to admit she didn't really like walking in on the blonde holding his leg up and wrapping it. Without her, Ciri knew Dominik wouldn't be alive, and she was eternally thankful to Freya for not just helping save him, but being his friend over the years while Ciri herself couldn't be. However, while Ciri knew and heard how Dominik, George and Faram met, she still had no idea how Freya and he came to know each other.

She had asked George and Faram one morning, as well as Geralt even, and they all had said the same thing, that she should ask Dom or Freya themselves. In those moment she hadn't thought much of it, just thinking that it was probably a particularly good story only one of them could tell. However, something clicked in her then, her mind began to whirl from the fatigue she felt, and she remembered something Freya had said to her right in the heat of battle, right in that middle courtyard while Dominik was off fighting Baelen. _"Besides, he just got you back… he loves you too much he won't leave you… I would know better than most…."_

Ciri obviously hadn't thought much about Freya's words then, however, now they played over and over in her head, and nervously she turned and looked up at the keep.

"You alright," Geralt asked her, a small bit of amusement to her voice.

Ciri turned around and met her father's eyes, "Geralt… how did he meet Freya?"

The amusement right away left the witcher's eyes, he sighed and shook his head, "Ciri that… that's something you gotta ask them. Go on, go and see him, I know he wants to see you."

She could tell by her father's tone that she wouldn't want to ask any further questions. Quickly she turned back to the keep again, and apprehension suddenly started building up inside her. However, she quickly shook it from her mind, never in her life had she ever been anxious to go and see Dominik. He loved her, more then anything, and had done everything to find her, despite the fact she had spent more time running then everything. Despite the fact she hadn't been faithful to him, she had laid and been intimate with another, left him alone when she could have come back for him twice but didn't. She had done horrible, terrible things that she wasn't proud of, that she was horrified that if he figured out, would change how he felt. It was a conversation she was horrified to have, but she knew it had to be done, she would never lie to him, that was one of the things they always promised.

So, she had to believe when he asked her how he met Freya, he'd tell her the truth as well.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She had picked herself up an apple on the way through the hall, but quickly she had set out towards the tower, the same tower they had spent so much time trying to sneak out of when they were young. Quickly biting into the last bit of the apple, Ciri tossed it onto the table in the kitchen before she quickly started ascending the stairs. The ring bounced against her chest, and she let out a shaky sigh as she grabbed it and climbed. Most had retired to their beds or cots for the night. She had seen George and Faram playing gwent in the hall on their cots, while Letho and Gaeten seemed to turn in early. There was no sign of Avallac'h and Ciri was thankful for that in that particular moment, the last thing she wanted was the elf barging in on another moment Dominik and she were having. However, the only people she hadn't seen were Dominik obviously, and then Freya. She tried to stop it, push the thoughts from her head, but as her boots hit the steps walking up her skin tingled nervously.

A cool draft shot through the tower as she got further up, it only worsened the tingling, and did nothing to help her aching bones or tired mind. He had mentioned to her how he had been alone, and like her he had to do plenty of horrible things he wasn't proud of, but Ciri knew no matter what it was, it wouldn't compare to what she had done with the Rats, done to him with Mistle. It terrified her, because she didn't know if she was still that person he fell in love with all those years ago, and as she got closer to her room, all the things she herself had to do, along with thinking of what he had to do started creeping up on her.

"Come on Ciri… it's just Dom," She whispered to herself, as she climbed up the last few steps, she saw his door was open, and feeling the fire coming from his room brought a small smile to her face.

However, when she heard the laughing voices, she skidded to a halt as she felt the tingling on her skin get worse.

"Ha, oh come on, I wasn't that bad," His voice rang in her ears, a tone of absolute jubilation in his voice, "I really thought that I could have-. Gahhhh!"

She didn't want to stop and listen; however, she found her legs locked as she only stood a few inches from the door. Just before she could poke her head around, she heard Freya's amused tone echo through the tower as well.

"Stop squirming! You've been doing good so far," The blonde said, and Ciri could hear the amusement still evident, "And I thought you could win too, but I never guessed someone could be so awful at gwent. I wouldn't have cared but you bet ALL your coin."

"Hey, Belleteyn was coming up, wanted to make sure I had enough for us both," He said, and hearing the jubilation in his voice, the fondness, it made her skin slightly tingle.

Freya scoffed, "Well it was a nice gesture, you're lucky Eustace liked you. Easy, only a little bit more, I know it still hurts, but like I said you've been doing good. A day or two and you'll be back up on your feet."

"Thanks to my prodigal surgeon," Dominik said with the thankfulness dripping from him, "I trust you, wouldn't be here if not for you."

Ciri felt the ring trembling around her neck, she gingerly wrapped her gloved hand around it, and while she knew she should have just walked in, she still found her legs unable to move. Carefully she leaned her head around, and she managed to peer in, neither Dominik or Freya seemed to notice her, mainly because he was wincing, and Freya had her hands on his leg pushing it upwards.

"Don't thank me yet… still need to make sure your leg sets right so you can walk and fight," She said, and Ciri watched as she started rubbing gently underneath his thigh, "Does that hurt any? I can feel knots built up; those will make it hard for you to walk."

He winced and she saw him bite his lip, "Gahhh… yeah… a little further up on the inside, it all feels tight. Whenever I move it even a bit it hurts there the most."

"Okay… let's try this, tell me when the pain becomes too much," Freya said, and when she moved her hand again Ciri nearly stumbled forward into the room.

Freya wasn't wearing her armor, she only had on a loose long-sleeved white top. Ciri had to bite her lip as she felt her skin go cold, she had of coursed noticed before, but in that particular moment she realized how gorgeous Freya was. Her long blonde hair fell in curls down her shoulders and back, she was slim, toned in all areas, and Ciri saw her blue eyes narrowed in determination down at Dom's leg. Just like Ciri she had on leather trousers, except hers were black, and tight around her slim waist and bottom. She leaned up on Dom's bed with one knee, his leg was stretched up over her shoulder, the same stretch she had showed them all how to do, and while that didn't do anything for her, where her hand was, was what bothered Ciri in that moment.

She felt her eyes narrow, and the anxiousness rise up in her when Freya's hand went to the inside of his thigh. Dominik was still groaning and wincing, but all Ciri could focus on was Freya's palm rubbing and kneading on the inside of his thigh. She felt a shot of annoyance, jealousy, and anxiousness all shoot up her chest as Freya's hand started to rub dangerously close to around his crotch. Ciri liked Freya she did, but seeing a beautiful woman rub her hands near the crotch of the man she loved, she assumed would have bothered any woman. She craned her head more around the door and narrowed her eyes as Freya pushed hard into his thigh, and finally Dominik let out a relaxed sigh.

"Ahhh… that… that feels better, thanks Freya, you really are a lifesaver," He said as Ciri saw him smile up at her.

In his room the fire crackled, she felt the pleasant heat warm her face, as the orange flames illuminated the room, and casted a beautiful glow over his body. Ciri saw that his shirt wasn't on, which only made Freya being so close to him in that moment bother her more. He was as toned as she expected, and she realized that this had been the first time she saw him without one since they had been back together. His torso was extremely defined, and Ciri felt her body shake when she saw his broad chest and chiseled arms. The swallow and wolf medallion bounced off his chest, and Ciri aimlessly found herself playing with the ring around her neck.

She didn't get to see him without a shirt for long, because Freya smiled broadly down at him and nodded. Ciri quickly ducked her head back behind the door and after a few seconds peered back. She watched as Freya picked up a clean shirt and walked back over to him, he smiled at her and Freya unfolded the white top for him.

"I washed this for you," She said as she helped get it over his head, "I was getting tired of coming here and having to smell your shirt, so I washed one of your old ones."

He scoffed and smelled down at the newly washed cotton top, "You could say that again, who knew you could smell so much from sitting around and doing nothing."

Freya scoffed and collected her bag from his nightstand, "You'd be surprised. So, like I said another day or two we can try walking. I'm going to go clean up downstairs, and then turn in, you need anything else before I go?"

Ciri watched as Dom gingerly bit his lip, and seeing him do that while looking at another woman sent Ciri over the edge. She knew that it didn't mean anything, he did it when he was nervous, but she felt the anxiousness boil over. Finally she was able to move her legs, and she was about to take a step in the room, however, she stopped when she heard his tone shift. It was lighter, and he sounded almost desperate.

"Yeah actually. Can… can you see if Ciri's finished with her lesson? I… I've been trying not to bother her during them too much, but well… I haven't seen her all day," He said, and Ciri heard him almost pleading.

Her heart leapt up in her chest, as she couldn't help but let the smile come back to her face. Around her neck the ring trembled again, she reached up and grabbed it, smiling she heard Freya speak back up to him.

"Of course, I'll see if she's in the hall, sleep tight, I'll see you tomorrow," The blonde said, and Ciri could hear the sincerity in her voice.

"Thanks again Freya… for everything," Dominik said, and Ciri found herself sighing as she leaned against the wall right outside the room.

The smile stayed on her face, but she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. He had said he didn't want to bother her, and for the previous two days she hadn't gotten to see him much, only a small bit in the morning and at night when they ate dinner. He would never be bothering her, she also thought that like Geralt said, if he had been at the lessons she may have even been able to do better, perhaps make more progress, but of course she knew Avallac'h was secretive about his teachings, and the elf just plain didn't like him. However, Ciri already felt herself put in a better mood just by hearing his words, he wanted to see her, and she just wanted to see him.

After being apart from him for so long, she wanted to be around him as much as she could. She knew that there were things they both needed to do, and it may not let them spend as much time as they liked together, but the little moments they have had, were a large reason she was able to get through the tough training days, that along with being back with Geralt, getting to know the new friends she had.

She had gotten so caught up in her thinking, smiling that she didn't even noticed Freya coming out of the room until the blonde's footsteps were right next to her.

"Oh, hi Ciri, I was actually just about to come find you," Freya said, and Ciri nearly jumped out of her boots as she looked up.

Ciri's eyes widened, as Freya gently smiled at her. All of a sudden, all Ciri could see was her hands near Dominik's waist, near his crotch, running and rubbing up his leg. She knew of course Freya was only helping him, and she hadn't meant anything by it, but Ciri couldn't help but feel her heart begin to race again. She nervously laughed and nodded.

"Yeah I… I just finished up. I… wanted to come see him," She said, and Freya nodded with the smile still on her face.

The blonde laughed lightly, "Ha, good he was asking for you. Should be good to start walking in a day or two. Did you get some food? I made sure to put enough aside for you."

Ciri wanted to get agitated, angry, but she just couldn't bring herself too. Freya had done nothing but be extremely kind, helpful and courteous to her. She had been the one to perform surgery and save Dominik's leg so he could walk again. All week she had been making sure to keep checking on him, making potions, medicines, and all while cooking for everyone. So, despite how Ciri wanted to be angry, all she felt was a small bit of insecurity creep up, and her stomach began to churn. However, she managed to fake a smile and nod at her.

"I saw it, thank you, I… I just wanted to see him first," She said with a nod. Freya smiled and nodded back, before she went to walk down the steps, however, the words left her before she could stop herself, "Oh, um, I… wanted to ask you something… actually."

Freya stopped and turned, she smiled up at her from a few steps down, "Yeah, what is it?"

Ciri let out a shaky breath, she rubbed the back of her head and spoke carefully, "I was… wondering. How… exactly did you and Dominik meet each other? Geralt he.. told me I should ask the both of you."

And the reaction from her was all that Ciri needed for the bomb of anxiety to explode inside of her. Freya's smile faded, and it was replaced by a look that was a cross between nervousness, regret, and terror. The blonde managed to recover however, she nervously laughed and looked up to meet Ciri's eyes.

"Well um… we were seventeen. I was the doctor's apprentice in Ellander. Geralt he… he brought Dominik to me half dead after he had fought and killed a bounty hunter," Freya told her, and right away Ciri felt her eyes widen.

She would never forget how angry she had gotten when she heard that news. During the small time she got to travel with Geralt after Stygga Castle, she had asked mainly about where Dominik was, and what he had been doing. That was when she learned that he split off from Geralt and had been traveling on his own to search for her. Geralt had told her at that time, he hadn't seen Dominik since he was seventeen, when he had to bring him to the doctors after a bounty hunter nearly killed him. A bounty hunter that was looking for Ciri. Geralt had been looking for him to bring him back to Kaer Morhen, to finish his training before they set out to find her. Dominik, however, hadn't gone with him, Geralt told her he was still furious with Yennefer and he, and Ciri knew that was something else she had to speak with him about when she had the chance.

However, she had been furious to learn that someone had almost killed him to get to her. She was ready to hunt the bounty hunter down herself until Geralt said Dominik managed to kill him. So hearing now that was how he and Freya met, she felt her gut churn even more as she slowly nodded at the blonde.

"I remember Geralt telling me that happened to him…" She said slowly as she shook her head, "So… you saved him?"

Freya slowly nodded, "Yeah… Eustace the doctor was out in the market at the time. I sent Geralt to go and find him while I operated on Dom's shoulder. He… had to stay a while to recover after that."

Ciri felt her eyes blink as her heart raced even faster, she stuttered, "A…and… after that, you two were… friends?"

The blonde shakily sighed and met Ciri's eyes, "Ciri I… I'm sorry but… you need to ask him about that…."

Ciri saw the anxiousness in the blonde's eyes, and before she could even ask any further questions Freya quickly turned to walk down the stairs, her blonde hair bouncing behind her. After Ciri saw her go around a bend and out of sight, she felt goosebumps run up her arms. She could hear the tone in Freya's voice, and the idea kept creeping up into her mind. Of course over the years she had known it was possible, possible that Dominik had been with someone else over the course of eight years. Ciri had done it herself, and every day she lived with the regret of that. However, she had gone through with it in the end. She was with Mistle willingly, she had laid with her willingly after the first few weeks, and every day Ciri had thought about it. She had just been so lonely, so much had just happened to her, she had lost so much, so much was going on, she had no idea how to even begin getting back to Dominik, Geralt or anyone she knew.

So she had thought, that if she started sleeping with her willingly, being intimate with her, that Mistle would somehow be able to make the pain go away, that stinging loss go away. She thought if she went along and robbed people, killed people, threatened people with the Rats she'd find some kind of family, something to replace what she'd lost and the searing pain of her loss would leave her. Part of her had even thought if she was with Mistle, she'd forget about Dominik, and her heart, which had been shattered at being apart from him for so long, would finally heal. So, she was with Mistle, she even went through with getting the rose tattooed on her inner thigh. She thought that the tattoo would be what finally made her forget, would make her commit herself to being Falka, being a member of the Rats, being with Mistle, that by getting that tattoo, all of her pain would finally go away.

But Ciri had been wrong, because even after the tattoo, all she ever had to do was look at the ring around her neck. There had been times where she thought she'd never make it back to him, never find him, and with the memories, the memories of him, his smile, his touch being gone had pained her so, so much, that she even considered tossing the ring into a lake. Words would never have been able to describe the pain she felt at losing him, her family, everything. However, she could never bring herself too. Whenever she looked at the ring, she heard his laugh, heard his excited voice calling her 'princess', she could feel his arms around her, her lips would tingle, she'd see that goofy, excited look, see his wide excited eyes. She'd see it every time she was with Mistle, no matter how much she tried to forget, every time she looked at the ring she had seen it. And despite the pain it brought her, the pain of remembering all she lost, she loved the memories, and they were what pushed her to move forward.

She had often wondered and thought if he had gone through the same thing, found comfort in another's arms, or tried to for a while. And as Ciri gingerly walked into his room, she knew she'd finally have her answer.

"Hey princess," He said excitedly, as between his excited gaze and the fire, she felt her body begin to warm. The goofy smile came to his face and he laughed, "Ha, I haven't seen you all day, how are you feeling, how'd training go?"

Nervously she laughed, "Ha… more of the same…I missed you, I'm sorry I haven't been able to come see you until now. How are you feeling?"

She said down next to him, and he eagerly scooted closer to her and sat up. Despite what she knew was coming, she couldn't help but feel her heart leap at the ecstatic look he got on his face. That goofy, loving smile and look she had missed and loved so much was plastered on him, and Ciri couldn't help but gently smile. She scooted closer to him as well and reached over and grabbed her hand. As usual his touch sent tingles up her arm, despite the white top, she could still see his broad chest while the swallow and wolf dangled. She looked up just as he eagerly smirked at her.

"Feeling better and better every day. Freya says I should be able to try walking in a day or two," He said with a smile, and slowly he craned his head to show her his cheek, "So, what do you think princess? Is my scar worthy to join the club? I'll give Avallac'h credit that ointment works wonders."

A small laughed left her as she gently reached up and held the right side of his face. He had good reason to be excited because the wound was healing beautifully. For the previous few days until it ran out, they had applied his face bandage with the magic ointment she had convinced Avallac'h to give her for him. Now he didn't need to wear a bandage, and Ciri marveled at how the cut across his cheek looked now as opposed to only a few days ago. It was still red and deep; however, it wasn't nearly as swollen around his face, it had gone down, and now the red wound was sleek and slender up his cheek. They would need to be careful, and with the medicine Freya was making him still as well, Ciri smiled at him, and gingerly ran her thumb down his cheek.

"Ha… it looks fantastic, I… I'm glad to see you're so happy," She said, as she could see him tilt his head at her as soon as he heard her tone.

The fire crackled, and she couldn't help but admire the orange glow it casted over his handsome face. Her bones were warm, but as he gently brought his hand up to cup around her face, she could see the concern building up, and with every second that passed, Ciri felt her heart continue to stir, slowly and slowly it pumped and with every beat she thought about what she knew she had to ask him.

"You okay? And don't try to hide it from me," He said as he tried to perk her up, he laughed lightly as he stroked his thumb across her scarred cheek, "Avallac'h being extra grumpy today? Come on, tell me, what is it, you know you can tell me anything."

She let out a shaky breath and looked down for a moment. His hand stayed on her face, and it sent shocks down her chest. Slowly she brought her own hand up to her right cheek, gently she placed it over his and looked up to meet his eyes. When her own emerald eyes met his, she felt the spark pass between them, and she knew he could tell how nervous she was.

"Dominik…." She said slowly as the fire crackled in her ears, "I… I need to know… at any point were… were you and Freya…"

"Yeah…. we were…" He said before she could finish, but it was a tone she had never heard from him, in those three words, Ciri heard more regret, sadness, pure shame out of his voice then she ever had.

Ciri in her heart had known the answer as soon as she heard Freya's tone outside the door. She also knew that it would be hypocritical of her to be angry at him, after what she had done with Mistle. They hadn't seen each other in eight years, he was handsome, kind, sweet, and Ciri knew deep down there had to have been at least one woman who fell for him. Despite all of this however, the idea of him and Freya laying with one another, kissing each other, their hands exploring each other, even seeing her rub his leg to help it heal had made her stomach erupt, so thinking about it in that moment, Ciri felt her brain begin to explode.

His hand gently fell from her face, and when she looked at him, his ecstatic face had fallen in an instant. She saw that his eyes were welling up, and for what she really thought was the first time in their lives, he didn't meet her eyes, found himself unable too, and that made Ciri's heart fall more then anything. He looked tormented, like he was ready to throw himself from the window. She felt her own heart explode, it felt as if her soul was leaving her body, but she found herself squeezing his hand, and when she did he looked up at her, the tears starting to well in his eyes.

She shakily let out a breath and met his eyes, feeling herself tremble she managed to stutter out words, "She… she told me that… after the bounty hunter attacked and.. and she saved you that… you stayed for a while."

He shakily sighed before sucking in a breath. With a small tear falling down his face he slowly turned to her, "Yeah… I… I could see she liked me right away I… Ciri, I… I had been so… so alone… so… so alone for so long. I… was on my own, I… I was starving, exhausted I… I hadn't found any leads on you in almost three years it… it all hurt so bad."

"I… I know how you feel, I… I felt the same way," She said, and she found herself starting to tear as well, in that moment she almost told him everything, everything about Mistle, but before she could spill it all out, he did himself.

"I… I was bitter… angry, angry at everyone, Geralt, Yen, myself, the world, everyone. I… I thought everyone was against me, I had lost you… the most important person in the world to me, and with me being a brat I didn't talk to Geralt or Yen, I… didn't feel like I had anyone anymore but… but Freya she… she listened was… was sweet, kind, I… I was able to talk to her about everything," He said, as the tears slowly rolled down his cheeks, and he slowly turned to her and while trembling he shook his head, "I… I only wanted to stay for a few weeks. But… she… she kissed me the day I was supposed to leave, said… said if I ever needed her she would be there and well.. it… it turned into six months…"

His words washed over her, and instead of anger, jealousy, she started to feel a shame wash over her, a guilt. In the previous few days she had been speaking with Freya, Ciri truly had seen how great she was. And now, she learned that she had been there for him, when he felt he had nobody else. All she could think about however, was the six months they spent together. She felt her entire core tremble, their hands stayed locked, but both of them were shaking.

Ciri looked up and met his eyes, her iris's stung as she stuttered again, "So she… she was your… your first time… making love? The two of you-."

"No…." He said quickly as he shook his head, the shame still evident in his voice as he spoke, "We… kissed, and had… some romantic evenings. One time we… came close, she… she said she was ready but… but I just… I just couldn't do it."

Her eyes widened and her heart stopped, "Dom… you… you're still… still a virgin? That… that means that you've been… waiting for me? Why… why didn't you and Freya well… you know."

She saw his face get red, she looked and saw the goosebumps run up his arms. Ciri could barely believe what he was saying, however, she believed him when she saw his eyes. For a few seconds she was terrified he would ask her the same thing, if she was, but he simply sniffled and slowly nodded with a shaky sob.

"Yeah, I… I am. I… didn't want to do it with… with someone I didn't truly love. And Ciri you… you know that I'll never… ever truly love anyone else," He said as he sobbed and looked away from her, and Ciri could see the complete look of regret, the guilt he was feeling.

Right away she felt herself tremble and shook her head, "D…Dom, I-."

"It… it hurt so bad, so, so bad losing you. Every single day for years it hurt," He said quickly before she could finish as he shook his head. Desperately he met her eyes and she could see the guilt pouring out of him, "I… I just wanted it all to go away…. I thought that… that if I kept on spending time with her that… that I would be able to make it go away. Freya she… she was like medicine I was using to heal the wound, the giant hole I felt with you gone. But.. but it didn't work, nothing worked. No… no matter how long I spent with her I… I just could never forget about you, I… I would never love anyone like I loved you."

"Dom… Dom, I-," She started as a small tear came down her face, but he cut her off again by shakily sighing and meeting her gaze again.

"I… I used her, I knew she really loved me but… but I abused that, too.. to try and make myself feel better. I… kept trying to tell myself I could feel the same but… I couldn't, I… loved you… and I'll always love you," He said desperately, he shifted in his bed and met her gaze with pleading eyes, "I… left her, I went to leave without saying anything. I… I couldn't stop looking for you. I… I had to keep looking, the pain it… it wouldn't go away until I found you. Ciri I… I'm so… so sorry. I… I love you; I love you so… so much I… I'm sorry…"

Her entire body shook as she digested everything she just heard. She had thought that his situation would be similar to hers with Mistle, that he slept with someone to make the pain go away, that for months upon months he and Freya were together, but just like she had he realized it the love, the memories wouldn't go away. However, Dominik had known from the beginning. He hadn't slept with Freya, he had resisted it, she knew that more women then just Freya had to have offered to sleep with him, just like multiple men and women tried with her. However, he hadn't just resisted Freya, he resisted them all, while she hadn't. Mistle had forced herself on her at first yes, but after some time Ciri had gone willingly, she let Mistle enter her, be inside of her by her own free will, and while afterwards she had never felt love, never felt true, loving pleasure, she had still done it willingly. Dominik had kissed and laid in the same bed as Freya yes, but he just admitted to her how he used her, abused the poor girl's love to try and make the pain go away. Ciri had been right in assuming he felt the pain the same she did, and it tempted him.

However, he had resisted the temptation… but she hadn't. All of the times she spent laying with Mistle, having sex with her, being with her, climaxing and telling herself she was enjoying it, that it was helping her flashed into her mind. Her inner thigh, the rose trembled as she looked at his pleading, desperate face, desperate for her to say anything, but Ciri couldn't bring herself to speak. He hadn't been unfaithful, even though he clearly saw it as such, she could see the devastation, the guilt and regret filling his eyes, but it was nothing compared to the shame that started to fill hers. He had waited, he had waited all this time to give his full self to her, and she hadn't done the same. She had willingly went and been with another, in the moments she was performing the sexual acts and climaxed she had felt pleasure, but not the kind of pleasure she had wanted, the loving pleasure, feeling as if you were completely one with the other person. He had waited for her, so he could have that pleasure, and she wanted it with him, but the guilt, the utter guilt kept crawling up inside of her.

Along with realizing how much he had sacrificed. Freya was fantastic, she was gorgeous, kind, sweet, loving, she was a great warrior, a great friend, and despite the fact she knew Dominik clearly only loved Ciri, Freya was still there fighting the Wild Hunt to help him. It took a strong person to do something like that, all it seemed Freya wanted was for him to be happy. She slowly looked into his pleading eyes and realized what she had possibly taken away from him. He could be with Freya now, a beautiful, kind, loving woman who clearly cared deeply for him, he could have an amazing life with her in that very moment. However, he had chose to remain faithful to Ciri, now he had almost died, and was currently crying. And Ciri knew that he had almost died even more times then she already knew about and had to do things he wasn't proud of. He had gone through so, so much, and sacrificed even more just to be with her, to get back to her, keep his promise, keep his faithfulness.

But she hadn't been able to do the same for him, he had thrown away so many chances to be happy, all for her… and she hadn't been able to keep her own faithfulness. She looked up and met his pleading eyes, feeling her heart completely shatter at the broken look he had. Normally she would do what she could to think of something, anything to make him feel better, however, in that moment, she could only stutter still, and as the fire crackled, she slowly shook her head.

"It… it's okay…it's okay… I… I just…" She said shakily, as she struggled to find words, gently she reached and touched and held his face for a minute, before the look of utter shame on his face finally became too much for her, "I… I'm sorry I… I just need… I need to think."

If it was possible for a person's heart to quite literally break, it seemed as if Dominik's did in that moment. The guilt, the regret, the sadness and shame she saw in his eyes, the very fact he felt so horrible, was pleading and begging for her forgiveness so much… it only made her own heart break even further. He had nothing he needed to be sorry for… he had managed to keep that faith when she hadn't.

She stood up from his bed, and for the first time in her life she found herself unable to look at him, as she felt the guilt slowly, slowly eat up at her. The ring was shaking around her neck, she gripped it violently as he turned, and when she started walking he finally seemed to find his voice.

"Ciri! Ciri please, I… I'm sorry, don't go, Ciri please, Ciri…" He pleaded with her as she walked, and with every word he spoke she felt a dagger in her heart.

And for the first time in Ciri's life, she didn't turn back around, she didn't look at him as he spoke, feeling small tears begin to roll down her cheeks as the shame overtook her. As she walked out his door, she knew she was only hurting him more. But it was nothing compared to the pain she felt then, the pain that came when the regret completely washed over her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dammit… dammit Ciri…" She muttered to herself as the fire roared in front of her. Leaning forward on her knees she gently held the ring out and fiddled with it, remembering all the nights she used to gaze at it longingly, missing him more and more.

She had managed to stop herself from crying, but she still felt the makeup around her eyes smudged and running. However, her legs bounced, and her stomach churned violently as she leaned forward on the stool, the fire from the kitchen roared in front of her with the spit still up. Everyone else in the hall had seemed to go to bed, even Geralt it looked like had turned in early, as through the echoes she could hear light snoring from the witchers who were asleep. Despite the roaring flames only meters away from her, her skin felt cold, the guilt, the shame, the regret all washed over her. She knew she shouldn't have left his room; she couldn't even imagine how he was feeling then, but his broken, shattered, shame filled eyes had made it unable for her to go back. A part of her was screaming at her to go back to him, tell him how it was alright, how she still loved him, wanted him to know that she had gone through the same things.

However, the guilt didn't stop eating at her. She thought of what he could have then. He could be in a loving, safe, healthy relationship, possibly be married even with Freya, someone who Ciri despite the situation, only thought about all of her great qualities. The blonde was beautiful, kind, compassionate, and Ciri could see how deeply she still cared for him, wanted the best for him. Dominik however, had turned her down, resisted that temptation, and had waited for her, and what did he get for it? He was currently unable to walk, had been so close to death only a week ago, had spent so many years alone, and this was all before he even knew about her and Mistle. She had been raped at first, Ciri knew right away that he would use that as a way to say it wasn't her fault. Ciri knew that Mistle raping her had been a horrible thing, and if it had just been that she may not have been as worried… but it was what Ciri did after this that she felt so horrible about. Laying with her willingly, trying to make it all go away.

It terrified her, his reaction, what he would think, how it would hurt him. She couldn't help but think, that his life could truly have been much better had it not been for her.

"So… he told you then," A voice echoed behind her, and when Ciri turned and saw Freya, she quickly wiped the falling makeup from her cheeks.

The hall was dark except for the light of the fire in the kitchen, and the few torches lining the walls, however the blonde's face was clearly illuminated to her. She wore the same outfit, the long-sleeved top, the black trousers, but her eyes were still nervous as her boots hit against the stone and she walked over towards Ciri. Ciri shakily sighed and didn't say anything, she just nodded her head, and Freya nervously sighed. Despite the fire, a cool breeze shot through the hall and sent a chill down her spine. Freya gingerly grabbed another stool and pulled it next to her, as the blonde sat, Ciri could only stare into the fire as she slowly played with the ring around her neck still. Her skin began to tingle as she could feel Freya look at her for a moment before the blonde slowly turned to the fire as well.

Ciri bit down hard on her lip, she tried, tried with everything she had to feel angry, jealous, to hate the woman who had been with the man she loved. However, when she looked and saw the anxiety, the nervousness, the apologetic look in Freya's eyes, she just couldn't. She remembered back to the Battle, the blonde had saved her life multiple times, she had operated on Dom's leg for hours so that he could walk again, and Ciri just couldn't bring herself to be angry at her. Dominik had clearly thought he was unfaithful, that he had betrayed Ciri by being with Freya. However, what he didn't know, is that Ciri had done much worse, and as she looked at Freya in that moment, it only made her feel even more horrible.

He could have been so, so happy with the blonde, but no, he had waited for her, loved her enough. He had no idea if she was even alive, if he'd ever find her, but he had denied himself a loving relationship, denied himself companionship, all because he loved her too much. She could remember back in Ellander, they had brought up the topic of sex naturally, they were teenagers, their hormones were raging, and there were a few times Ciri thought they may have actually done something. She could even remember how adorable his flustered face got, how his skin tingled, and he had to adjust himself whenever they spoke about it. Ciri had joked with him about it, teasing him about the topic was always fun for her, not only because of his cute, flustering reactions, but because it had made her feel so loved. He would always say how they'd only do it if she was ready, if she wanted too, and he'd never do anything without her saying it was okay. It was the sweetest thing, and Ciri loved it about him, she had felt the same way with him, at that age she always had said it would be him. She promised him that it would be amazing, it'd happen at the perfect moment, the absolute perfect time, and if she closed her eyes she could see his excited, nervous, loving young eyes looking at her. Ciri herself had been looking forward to that first time when it came.

However, it hadn't come, and she had broken that promise to him as well. She shakily sighed and gripped tightly around the ring, she closed her eyes as her body trembled. It didn't matter to her if he had kissed Freya, she hadn't guessed he'd go eight years without kissing at least one person, but he had admitted to her how he used her, used Freya's love for him. On the surface it didn't seem too much different then her with Mistle. However, Ciri had gone all the way, fully committed herself by sleeping with her willingly, even getting a tattoo for her, and telling herself she enjoyed the sex and romantic evenings. That to her, was much, much worse then what he did. And there was also the fact, that Mistle had convinced her to rob people, kill them, threaten and steal with the Rats. Freya meanwhile, was sweet, kind, and from everything Ciri had seen of her so far, someone any man would have killed to be with.

The blonde sighed next to her, and Ciri turned to see her looking into the fire as well. Slowly, Freya shook her head and turned to meet her eyes.

"Ciri I… I swear, I swear to you, I… I would never do anything to get in the way of you both," Freya started, and Ciri could see the desperation start to grow in her eyes before she went on, "I… I know we just met but, I really like you, and Dominik means a lot to me, you both make each other so, so happy and I would never dream of-."

"It's okay… it… it's really okay," Ciri said with a shake of her head as she met the blonde's eyes, "I… I'm not mad, not mad at either of you… not at all, not in the slightest…"

Freya let out a breath of relief, and the sound echoed in the hall. They both tried to speak in lower voices as not to wake anyone, but the echo and the cold howling draft rang in her ears. Ciri knew parts of the castle were exposed to the outdoors, and from the breeze she could tell how particularly chilly it was outside that night. The fire crackled pleasantly in her ears, Ciri could see it gently reflecting the orange light off of Freya's face, and she couldn't help but think how beautiful the blonde was. The more she thought that, the more guilty she felt, she thought about how Freya had been cooking, cleaning, healing wounds, basically playing semi caretaker to six witchers, a grumpy elven sage, and had been a fulltime nurse all week.

Still however, Ciri always saw her smiling, helping whenever she could, and she was beginning to realize what Dominik had turned down. Turned down while she was sleeping with somebody else and turning to a life of crime. She shakily sighed and felt goosebumps run down her exposed neck. She looked and saw Freya slowly look back to her, and the blonde tilted her head curiously.

"If.. if you're not mad… why aren't you with Dom? He.. he really wanted to see you," She asked, and Ciri shakily sighed again, gripping the ring she looked and met the blonde's eyes.

She felt her skin tremble as she spoke, "I…I just… I can't look at him, not… not after… not after what I did."

Freya tilted her head, "What? What are you talking about, what did you do?"

Biting her lip Ciri looked deep into Freya's blue eyes, "Freya… you're amazing."

"Um… thank you, but what…what do you mean," The young woman asked, and Ciri found herself sighing deeply again and shaking her head.

Meeting Freya's eyes she felt it spill out, "I… I've done horrible… horrible things, and… and he waited all this time for me. You… you're amazing, he could have had such a great… great thing with you. But… he waited… denied himself.. all… all for me. And what did it get him? He was seconds away from dying only a week ago, he… he can barely walk, and… and all while I… I…"

Ciri saw Freya's eyes flash in understanding for a moment, and she could tell the blonde knew what she was trying to say. She didn't even have to spill it out, Freya knew exactly what she had meant, she knew, was smart enough to understand and infer what she meant. She waited for Freya to get angry, to yell at her, yell at her for being unfaithful, yell how she had lost her chance with the man she had fallen for because he loved Ciri, but Ciri couldn't even be faithful to him. Ciri had fully expected Freya to get angry, to hate her from that point on. She didn't tare her eyes from the fire as she could feel Freya looking at her, and Ciri felt another cold draft pass over her as the fire crackled loudly. The warmth hit her face, but it was quickly washed out as her skin crawled again.

Freya sighed, and Ciri looked up to see her shake her head, "Ciri… he loves you, more than anything… or anyone."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "That's what makes it all worse… I know how much he loves me… and I love him just as much but… but still…. He… he could have been so happy with you."

"No he wouldn't," Freya said quickly, and Ciri looked over to see the blonde looking down into the burning flames of the fire before she went on, "He wouldn't have been happy with me… no matter how much I want to think that… he never would have been."

She scoffed again, "You two get on really well, you… you're beautiful, kind, he speaks really highly of you. You have a career, and well… you were together for six months, he had to have liked you in that kind of way at least a little."

It was Freya's turned to scoff as she rolled her eyes, "He tells me he did and.. well… maybe for a bit in the beginning he did but… but I could always see it… I could always see it in his eyes."

Ciri felt her heart begin to flip, she sat up in her stool and turned herself towards Freya as the fire continued to burn higher. Dominik had told her that he knew from the beginning Freya had liked him, but he had been using that love to heal the pain of losing her, but she assumed Dominik truly must have had some romantic feelings and was happy with her. Ciri knew that Dominik had to love Freya now, just not in the romantic way like how they used to be. The cool breeze passed between Freya and her, and Ciri could see the slight look of sadness in her eyes, but behind that look, she saw the blonde clearly was trying to make her feel better.

"What… what do you mean? You two were together weren't you," Ciri asked her, and Freya again sighed before rolling her eyes and smirking.

She laughed lightly and met Ciri's eyes, "I… could tell he was trying, trying to love me… the same way I had fallen for him, but… I could see it; I could just see it in his eyes. I've never told him, but… but practically the whole time we were together I… I could see that he was trying to… well force himself to fall for me."

"I… I thought you two would have had a good time together…." Ciri said, remembering the two of them smiling and fondly laughing at an old memory, "He… he told me you had well… romantic nights together."

"We had a wonderful time, I won't lie. He was so sweet, kind, and… well I could tell he genuinely cared for me but… but just not in the romantic way I did for him, I could tell he was trying to force it," Freya said as Ciri looked and saw her face go slightly red, "We… did have some nights where we fell asleep together, kissed, but… but like I said I… I could always tell his mind was somewhere else… and well… I know now it was actually on someONE else."

Ciri felt her face get flustered, she felt both guilt, and embarrassment run up her spine. The cold breeze shot through the castle again, and she felt herself lightly tremble. Hearing all of this only shot the shame up her chest even further. Shakily she sighed and shook her head, meeting Freya's eyes.

"I… I don't understand," She said to the blonde as they locked eyes, "If… if you knew this, if… you could tell then why did you stay with him?"

Freya let out a scoffing laugh and sighed before smiling at her, "Well… because as you know… he's amazing himself. And well, he told me about you but… didn't exactly say that you two were… together. I… thought that after a while well… he truly would feel the same way."

Her eyes widened again and her skin crawled. She remembered after a few times with Mistle, how she had asked Ciri if she ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend… and Ciri had told her she hadn't. It was another example of him keeping her on his mind, and her being unfaithful. At least he had told Freya about her, even if he didn't explain the full extent of their relationship, at least he had mentioned Ciri to Freya, unlike herself with Mistle.

She felt her arms begin to prickle, as she remembered what else Dom had told her upstairs, and when she met Freya's eyes Ciri saw the mixture of disappointment and understanding to them.

Biting her lip she let out a shaky sigh, "He… he told me that… that you two.. almost had sex once. He.. said that you offered but… but he couldn't do it."

Freya's cheeks got slightly red as she sighed and nodded, "Yeah… I… I did. It.. was after a really good few weeks. I thought he was finally coming around, and well… I thought by offering it… would seal the deal and… well, I could get him to stay with me, or at least take me with him."

"But… he didn't go through with it," Ciri said slowly.

"No… he didn't, I… could see it in his eyes," Freya said as the redness fell from her cheeks, slowly she looked into the fire and leaned on her knees, she spoke slowly, and Ciri could hear just how hard it was for her to remember, "We… kissed for a while longer, cuddled and talked before falling asleep. He…. He thinks that I was asleep, that… that I didn't hear him but… but I did… I heard him say it, and… that was when I lost all my hope."

Ciri's mouth fell agape, her lip quivered, and she stuttered as Freya looked up to meet her eyes again and she shakily spoke, "Wh… what did he say?"

Freya sighed deeply and met her eyes, "He… said your name, a few times. I… knew there was no chance after that. For a few more weeks I tried but… but that was when I caught him trying to leave without telling me."

"He… also told me you were furious with him after that," Ciri said, as she had felt her skin go completely cold.

The blonde scoffed and Ciri saw a small smirk come to her face, "Ha that's an understatement. I… I had given him everything, and.. it wasn't enough. And well… I didn't believe him when he said it was because he loved you, he.. had only ever mentioned you as a friend I… I thought he was using it as an excuse to leave me, move onto the next girl on the Path."

Ciri's heart began to do flips. She felt both horrible, and relieved at the same time. Relieved because she knew now that he really never had stopped thinking about her, loving her, even when he was with another. However, she felt even more guilty, this time for Freya. She looked and could see the slightly forlorn look on the blonde's face, she was clearly trying to keep it together, trying to help Ciri feel better as best she could. For a few seconds all her worries were pushed aside, as one burning question came to her mind.

"If… if you were so upset with him," Ciri said, as Freya sat up and met her eyes, "Then… why are you here? Why did you come fight?"

Again Freya laughed and Ciri saw a genuine smile come to her face, "Well… because I learned the truth. I… saw how much he truly loved you, and well… he did save my life, and I swear he apologizes still about four times a day."

Freya laughed lightly at her own words, and her laugh became contagious. Ciri found herself chuckling, and for a few seconds they both laughed together before Freya sighed with a smile and looked up to meet her eyes.

"And well… even if he hadn't had the kind of feelings for me that I hoped… I can tell he does care about me," Freya said, as the smile continued to creep up onto her face, "Even if he didn't truly love me during that time, he was a great friend, he's funny, kind, compassionate. And well… I just want him to be happy, just like I know he does for me. And for him to be happy… he needs you, and… I've… never seen someone so in love with a person."

Ciri felt her face get hot, she gently gripped the ring around her neck, and as it trembled she thought about him. She smiled lightly at hearing the words, but quickly she bit her lip again, still seeing how she took the chance from him. Despite it all, she still hadn't been able to keep her faith to him, not like he had been able to do for her. And the one person Dominik was with, was now helping them fight back the Wild Hunt, was one of their friends, and Ciri was sure she'd be with them until the end. Mistle didn't deserve her fate, none of the Rats did, no matter what they had done, nobody deserved to be killed in the way that they were Ciri knew this, but while Dominik had been helping people with Freya at the doctor's office in Ellander, Ciri had been doing horrible things. For a few seconds, all the peoples she robbed, killed, threatened, stole from, it all came back to her.

She shuddered when she saw the little girl, the one she had threatened to rape herself, all for a fucking brooch. And all the while she was having sex with Mistle, doing what she could to try and make herself forget, to stop the pain of losing him.

"I… I know… I know how much he loves me, like I said I… I love him just as much," Ciri said with a shaky tone, as she slowly shook her head, "But… even if it wasn't with you he… he could have been so happy. He… he deserves so much… so… so much, and I… I…. I couldn't-."

"Ciri, I don't think he rightfully cares what you think he deserves," Freya right away cut her off, and her head shot up to meet the blonde's eyes before she went on, "He wants you, and nothing, or nobody but you."

"I know that, I've never doubted that" Ciri said quickly as she shook her head, "But… but after what I did I-."

"Did you hear about the play in Novigrad? How we used the play to lure Dudu out of hiding?" Freya quickly asked to cut her off.

Ciri scoffed as soon as she heard. A small smile came to her face, their date where he was supposed to read lines had been pushed back, they hadn't found the time for it yet, but the idea still made her chest flutter then, despite the situation.

"Yes… he… he actually promised to read some lines for me some night soon…" Ciri said slowly as she looked back up to Freya's eyes.

The blonde slowly nodded and smiled, "Well, after it was done, we were talking to Dudu. Zoltan he… asked Dudu to transform into you so they could all see you. And well… when he did… and.. and I saw Dom's reaction to seeing you, that was when I knew there was no chance."

"No chance for what…" Ciri asked her slowly, gripping the ring she felt her heart thump as she looked deep into Freya's blue eyes.

Freya again slowly sighed, a small smile came to her face, "That… well, me, and… any other woman who ever tries, would never have a chance, no matter how amazing. He… he nearly cried. Ciri… I have never… ever seen someone so in love with someone before."

She bit her tongue and tried to imagine Dudu transforming into her. Her heart fluttered, her chest stirred, but still she felt the guilt eating up at her.

"But… but Freya I… I…" She started, but Freya quickly shook her head to cut her off, she quickly slid her stool closer and looked deep into Ciri's eyes.

"I like to think I know him pretty well and… I have never seen him this happy. It doesn't matter to him if he almost died, if he can't walk right now, and I promise it won't matter what you've done. You are what makes him happy, never, have I seen him like this, even just being in the same room as you it… it's amazing how happy he gets, nobody will ever make him as complete as you make him," Freya started, and gently the blonde smiled and shook her head at her again, "And you may think I'm amazing but Ciri… you're beautiful. You've been the love of his life since you were both eleven. You're a witcher, you're funny, kind, determined, and for fuck's sake, you SAVED all of us, you have the power of space and time in your veins, you can literally jump between worlds!"

Ciri's face continued to get red at the praise. A small laughed left her, and Freya scooted her stool closer again. She met the blonde's eyes and once again Freya smiled broadly at her.

"And most importantly… he loves you. He wants to be with you, has for eleven years since you met from what Geralt's told me," She said with a scoff as she continued to smile at her, "You love him, he loves you… and I've never seen something more true, no matter what you've done… i know that won't change."

She blinked for a few seconds and let the words fall into her ears. A shaky sigh left her, and no matter that the thoughts kept coming into her head, she kept thinking the same thing. Dominik loved her, she loved him. If their relationship had been strong enough to last eight years apart… she had to believe that it would be strong enough to survive this. He had kept every promise to her so far, to get to her, to protect her.

And he had also said he'd love her through it all, and while she was horrified to tell him still, she had to believe he'd keep that promise. Slowly she turned and met Freya's eyes, the blonde's gaze was full of so much support, friendship and goodwill, Ciri found herself letting out a small laugh. The cool breeze that shot through the hall, and the fire that was still lit in front of them crackled, suddenly, she felt the warmth wash over her now. The flames warmed her skin, her bones, and around her neck, the ring pleasantly shook instead of trembling, and after looking down at it, she felt her heart flutter, she could hear his voice, his laugh, see his goofy smile… and she wanted to see the real thing, and finally, finally after so long she could do that.

Gently she smiled over at Freya who was still doing the same, "Thank you… thank you for being there for him…. Being there for him when I couldn't. And… for everything you've done so far, and for everything you're going to do."

Freya laughed lightly and nodded, standing up on her stool she offered Ciri a hand, "You're welcome…. You know… you should probably go and see him, before he does something stupid like try to walk down here."

Ciri laughed lightly and grabbed Freya's hand. The blonde pulled her up, and her heart lightly fluttered at the idea. For a second she saw his face, full of shame, regret, she heard his voice calling for her to not go, to stay, and she bit her lip feeling horrible she had left him like that. She knew she needed to go to him, needed to make him feel better, just like he always did for her, she'd be there for him.

She wasn't ready to talk about Mistle yet, she knew she would have to be soon, but that night she just couldn't bring herself too. It was something she needed to prepare herself for, figure out how she'd explain it to him, how she'd try and put it all into words. That night, she simply wanted to let him know that she loved him, that despite what he thought, she forgave him, and that combined with her bones aching, a headache at the base of her skull, it all made her simply want to sit with him.

"You're right, I… should go to him," She said quickly adjusting her bun, and as Freya smiled and nodded, the blonde went to walk away. However, a thought shot through Ciri's mind as her eyes went wide, "Freya wait… I… need to ask you something else."

Freya stopped and turned back to her, "Of course, what is it?"

Ciri bit her lip and let out a shaky sigh, "I… I know you wouldn't but… but can you… not tell him that well… I-."

"I won't I swear," She said right away, and a look of understanding passed between them as the blonde nodded again, "He'll understand Ciri… I know he will, that's… just the kind of person he is. Kind, forgiving, loving… and incredibly stubborn."

She laughed a little and nodded, "Ha, yeah… you can say that again. I'm actually a little surprised he hasn't-."

"CIRI, hey Ciri, please, I-. GAHHHH!" Dominik's voice echoed in the hall, and both Freya and she turned around in a flash.

Ciri's eyes widened, as Dominik had just like Freya predicted tried to come down the steps. He was only wearing socks, trousers and his white top, and Ciri rushed over as he stumbled through the door to the kitchen from the tower. Somehow he had miraculously gotten down the steps on his leg, but as he stumbled to his one knee she could see his right leg completely throbbing. She shared a quick look with Freya, and they looked at each other as if they were trying to confirm what they saw in front of them was really happening. She felt both an extreme love, and an extreme annoyance run through her as she turned back to him.

He slowly tried to get up, holding the door for support, and when she saw his eyes, his desperate, pleading eyes Ciri's heart melted.

"Ciri… Ciri I… I'm sorry I-. FUCK!" He yelled as soon as he put even the slightest bit of pressure on the ground with his right foot.

And when she heard his cries of pain, Ciri finally found herself rushing forward. Freya rushed with her, but Ciri got to him first, and right away leaned down, she draped his arm over her and gently wrapped one of her own around his waist, she used the other to push him up. He groaned and Ciri could almost feel her heart bursting through her chest as she finally met his eyes.

"What are you doing!? You stupid, stupid boy, you know you're not supposed to be walking right now," She said frantically as she tried to get him back up straight.

He met her eyes and stuttered, "I… I'm sorry I… I had… I had to-."

"Shhh, it's okay," She said quickly, feeling her eyes sting, as she reached up and placed a long lingering kiss on his left cheek, "It's all okay… it's all okay I promise."

The second her lips left his left cheek; she saw his entire face go red right away. She almost lightly laughed as he tried to stutter out words, that goofy, loving, flustered smile she loved so much was plastered on him. However, quickly she saw the pain come back, he winced and gritted his teeth, and Ciri had to hold his chest up again.

"She's right, why didn't you at least use the crutches you idiot," Freya lightly said as she got under his other arm.

Now held up by both of them, Ciri saw him look up between them both. She saw how utterly tired, completely drained of energy he was in the moment. After not walking for days, suddenly taking those steps down certainly took their toll and it was obvious. He seemed to be fighting against falling asleep in that very moment, because he blinked rapidly and shook his head.

"I… I couldn't find them, I.. I'm sorry I…. just needed…to get down here," He said breathlessly, before biting his lip and looking between them, "Wh…what were you two talking about...?"

Ciri felt her heart almost drop for a second before she looked over and saw Freya. The blonde seemed to think for a moment, before Ciri saw her snicker, and Ciri saw the mischievous look come to her blue eyes. Ciri couldn't help but smile and lightly laugh herself as Freya winked at her and gestured her eyes towards Dom, who's arms were around them both as they helped him walk. Ciri quickly nodded, feeling the smile grow on her face.

"Oh nothing much," Freya said as they both helped turn him around and walk back towards the tower steps, she took one more smirking look at Ciri and then turned her head back up to Dom, who was still half asleep, "Ciri and I were just planning our threesome, we were just about to come ask you if you were interested."

"Um… wha…wh…. what…" He said, and when Ciri saw the look in his eyes, how red his face was, it took everything she had to not burst out laughing as he turned to her.

Ciri quickly held back her laugh and nodded, "Yeah you heard her. The three of us, so… what's it going to be?"

He tried to stutter out words but seemed to choke on his tongue, because he coughed a few times, and his eyes darted between Freya and she both. His eyes were wide, his green iris's full of panic, his cheeks had gone completely red as he kept blinking and blinking, as if he were trying to figure out if it was all a dream he was having.

Stuttering he kept looking between them both, "I… I would… I would never ask… ask either of you…uh… to… I would never think-."

"HAHAHA, oh gods I love you," Ciri said as she couldn't stop herself from laughing along with Freya under his other arm.

She laughed with Freya, and he kept floundering with possibly the cutest look Ciri had ever seen on him. The mixture of embarrassment, astonishment and shock didn't leave him, and Ciri looked over to share a smirking look with Freya as they both started laughing again. Ciri felt her heart begin to do flips, as she saw his flustered face soon turn to a small amused smirk, and when he looked over at her, saw his eyes gaze lovingly at her, she felt like her heart was going to burst. That look, that loving gaze in that moment told her all she needed to know.

He'd love her through it all, just like Freya said. And anything that came her way, Ciri would have him by her side now, along with one of her new best-friends.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"There you go, all better now?" She asked him, as she gently adjusted his head under the pillow, making sure to keep his leg elevated properly.

He looked up with his tired eyes and gently nodded, "Yeah… I'm okay, thanks princess. Do… you think you can stay a little longer?"

"As long as you want… I promise, but you seem like you're ready to pass out," Ciri joked, as she gently pulled off her gloves, and slid off her boots.

She had already taken off her corset, she only wore her trousers, her top that went down to her mid-drift, and she had even let her hair down. Her room was only a short distance up the steps, so she knew she could get there easy enough, but for that moment she just wanted to be comfortable. Freya and she had gotten him back up to his room, and right away she seemed to realize that they needed a moment alone. She told them both goodnight and left, leaving it just her and Dominik together in the room. Despite his protest that he could help, she made sure to have him lay back completely and not move an inch. She adjusted his pillows, pulled the blanket over him, threw another log onto his fire, and in that moment after her boots had come off, she carefully poured him what she figured out was apple juice from a pitcher on his dresser.

"I'm pretty tired yeah, but with you here? I… think I can keep myself up a little longer," He said fondly, as she turned back with a cup of juice in her hand she smiled at him.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, "Alright tough guy, here drink some of this."

"My hands do work you know," He said with a small smirk as he sat himself up.

Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes, gently she held the cup up to his face, "Most men would love if their girlfriend helped him eat and drink in bed. Shut up and just let me take care of you okay?"

"Yes ma'am," He said with a smirk, and Ciri couldn't help but laugh and roll her eyes. Carefully she held the cup up to his lips and held her other hand on his back to steady him.

He eagerly gulped down the entire cup in seconds, and gently she pulled it back after he was done, smiling broadly she put it down on his nightstand as he sighed.

"Ahh, Yen's favorite," He said with a smirk as he looked back to her, "Thanks princess… thanks for taking care of me."

"You take care of me, I take care of you," Ciri said as she turned her body and got fully onto his bed with him, "So… mind if I lay with you for a little while? I'll try not to roll over on your leg."

His eyes bore into her lovingly and he nodded, "Ha, you never need to ask me permission for that, come on."

He winced for a minute as he moved closer to his wall, giving her enough space to lay down. The fire gently crackled, and it glowed handsomely off his face, the light from the moon outside shone through his window, as she laid down she felt her entire body get warm, and for a few moment she felt completely at peace. She decided to lay down on her stomach, she propped her head on one arm and stretched her other one over his chest. Carefully she laid her head down over his chest as well, and right away she felt one of his strong arms wrap around her. She stretched out her one arm over his chest as the other went up to his hair. Gingerly she ran her hand through his brown locks, his hair was soft, silky, and she found herself enjoying simply running her fingers through it as much as she had when she was younger.

She looked up at him, and when he looked down at her and smiled, she felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest as he squeezed tighter around her waist. His warmth washed over her, and he let out a breathless sigh as his other hand came around, gently running through her loose ashen locks that had fallen over his chest and her shoulders. A tingle went down her chest, into her stomach and through her core as she smiled lightly and felt her breath leave as he smiled lovingly at her.

"You know… I love it when your hair's down like this…" He said as he gingerly played with her loose locks.

Lightly she laughed and cuddled in closer to him, her hands staying on his chest, "I know you do… that's why I did it. If it weren't in my way when I'm fighting I'd wear it down more often."

He laughed and smiled broadly down at her, "Ha… down or up… either way it's beautiful to me."

Her heart did another flip, and playfully she smacked his chest, "You suck up…. Thank you… I… know I've been saying it a lot but… gods I missed you."

"I missed you too… but you don't gotta worry about that anymore… because I'm not going anywhere," He said, and in that moment his low, course voice slowly washed over her, and she felt her stomach flutter and heat up.

"Good… good…" She said, as she gently went to lean up and kiss him.

Before she got to his lips however, he let out a shaky breath, "Ciri…I… I know you said it's okay but… but about Freya… I… I'm so sorry."

She paused for a moment, her face mere inches from his and she couldn't find words to say. All she thought about, was that she loved him, and that she wanted to show him how much. She thought about it in that moment, giving it all to him, removing the rest of her clothes and finally giving him everything she could. At the prospect, she felt herself tingle, between her legs, her stomach, her heart it all fluttered and pleasurably shook, as in that moment as she looked at him, she wanted him, she wanted to show him that everything was okay, that she loved him.

But after a few seconds, she knew she couldn't. That moment wasn't the right time, no matter how comfortable they both were, no matter how much a part of her wanted to simply tare into him, kissing him and feeling every part of his body, no matter how perfect the moment may have seemed with them both laying in bed, a crackling fire, a beautiful full moon out the window, both of them loving in each other's arms. To some people, that moment may have been the perfect one, and if the night were different, she may have gone through with it. She knew that it would come soon, she was going to make sure of it, she wanted to finally have that time with him, give him everything she had and take everything he could give her. She didn't want to take the chance of one of them dying before they expressed how much they loved one another physically, like they had talked about, like she knew they both had been thinking about in the backs of their mind for years. It would happen, they'd make love for the first time, and Ciri would make sure that it was as magical as they both promised, even though in the back of her mind, they could go at it in some bushes, and it would still mean everything to her. However, she knew that after so long, after everything they've been through for one another, how much they both loved each other, after how long they've been waiting, it had to be more special then just a romp in the bushes.

Ciri also knew, that she needed to tell him about Mistle, about the Rats, about the time she broke that faith, had her first time forcibly taken by someone else, and gave her first willing time to that very same person. She wouldn't lie to him; he hadn't lied to her. He had told her the truth about Freya and him before she could even finish asking the question, he hadn't even thought twice about trying to lie to her, or make excuses, even though in the end Ciri wasn't mad in the slightest, he still had thought he did something horrible. She hadn't told him yet, but she still had no intentions on keeping it from him for longer, but she refused to go through with it, and make love to him before she had told him about it all.

All of this was also of course on top of the fact he was severely injured, and after seeing how much his leg hurt from even being moved, she didn't think he'd even be able to enter her without his leg flaring up in pain. Even though they could have probably made it work, Ciri wouldn't take the chance of him being in pain during their first time.

His eyes widened when she didn't respond and he shook his head, "I… I shouldn't have done it. I'm glad I met Freya I am, but… but I should have-."

"Dominik," She said, gently grabbing both sides of his face, and right away he stopped talking and met her emerald gaze with one of his own. Gently she smiled at him and went on, "I really like Freya…. And I love you… I love you, so much you, stupid, stupid boy."

She didn't even give him time to say anything before she leaned down and kissed him. She made it gentle that time, and with every second she moved her lips with his, every time his wet lips gently moved with hers, she felt a loving sensation run up her body. Her cells erupted, and when he leaned up to gently hold her face she deepened the kiss. His hand brushed over her scar, and gingerly as she could, she ran her thumb over his. He lightly shivered and trembled, and for a moment Ciri was worried she'd hurt him, but then she felt his hand slide down to her waist.

Carefully she wrapped one hand around his neck as he wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She breathlessly moaned into his kiss, and he did the same as she kept the one hand in his hair, the other cupped around his face. She felt her thighs and between her legs lightly begin to tremble when his hand slid down her leg, it gently touched over her ass and under her thigh which made her breathlessly moan, and tremble again as he pulled her leg over him. She did what he wanted and moved her leg over his waist and crotch, and she could feel him trembling from head to toe. She deepened the kiss with him one more time, and when the need to breathe finally became to strong, she planted one more lingering kiss on his lips, and they both gently pulled back from one another.

As he looked up at her she could see the love, the passion, the intense, burning desire he felt, and when his hand gently rested beneath her thigh, she felt herself shudder pleasantly. In his eyes she could see he knew, he knew like she did that then wasn't the right time, but just like her, she could tell he wanted her, loved her just the same as she did.

"I… I don't care if you roll over on my leg or anything like that," He said breathlessly as his hot breath hit her neck, only inches from her face he looked at her with pleading eyes, "Stay with me… please."

She felt her heart completely melt, holding both hands to his face, she brought him in and kissed him again before she gently pulled back and nodded.

"Always…" She lightly said, before they both smiled, and Ciri readjusted herself and laid her head on his chest. His one arm wrapped around her neck and held her close while he looked up at the ceiling, the fire warmly crackled, and gently he held onto her leg over him again.

She peaked up and saw that within a minute he had fallen asleep, his scarred, peaceful, handsome face was contorted into a smile as the swallow rose and fell with his chest. Ciri smiled herself and sighed before gently touching the ring around her neck as it trembled.

"Always…" She said again with a smile, before letting her eyes close and drifting to sleep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Geralt had been proud of his children plenty of times since he had found them both in the forest that faithful day eleven years ago. He had been proud watching them both finish the gauntlet the first time, when they had lasted long enough on the pendulums, plenty of times during their time at Kaer Morhen. He was proud of Dominik when he fought off the soldiers on that barge crossing the Pontar, his son had only been thirteen at the time. When Ciri had managed to cast her first spell with Yen, no matter how destructive it was had made him proud beyond belief. After he had found Dominik half dead in Ellander, he was proud to see he managed to kill such a heavily armed bounty hunter. Geralt had chopped the man's head off, but he was already dead, and he had done it out of pure rage. Fighting with Ciri at Stygga Castle, hearing she had managed to kill Leo Bonhart, and also hearing about some of the things she did to get back had made Geralt burst with pride. Seeing the young woman she had grown into, seeing that she had basically turned into a mixed version of himself and Yen, Geralt was beyond proud of his daughter, and she was one of the people he loved most in the world.

His son, he had watched grow before him more then he could ever possibly think in just the last month and a half. Geralt had already been proud enough hearing he had survived the Path for eight years, with no mutations, having to make oil and bombs for every monster. When he learned Dominik had killed Nithral in Velen, when he killed the Fiend in Crookback Bog to save the Baron's daughter, Geralt had been amazed and didn't think he could get any prouder. However, then in Novigrad his son had killed Menge, fought of Baelen in that cave, saved Priscilla and killed a Katakan with nothing but a knife. In Skellige, Geralt watched the turmoil he went through, but in the end, he had still killed an Ice Giant, helped Cerys solve the massacre at Kaer Trolde, and Geralt would have been lying if he said he didn't well up with pride yet again seeing his son in that masterful witcher armor.

Of course after that was the Battle, where the both of them had saved all the defenders. Dominik had been able to put his hatred aside, and Geralt saw just how much he had grown when he asked Declan to come fight and fought besides the man until his death. After that he fought Baelen again, while Geralt would also admit if not for Ciri, they would have been overrun far sooner in that inner courtyard. Yes, his children had saved the day during the battle, and Geralt would never forget the image of them fighting together on the battlements. Sometimes if he looked at them long enough, he could see them both at eleven-years-old, eagerly stepping along the pendulums, or sparring with each other. And now, they were both fully grown, adults, a man and a woman. Dominik and Ciri were his pride and joy, and every day Geralt marveled at how proud of him he was. However, he had never been prouder then he was in that moment, in the hall of Kaer Morhen as he smirked at them both, right next to all of Dominik's friends.

He'd never be prouder then the day he saw his son first walk again, with his daughter right by his side, only seven days after he had fought the King of the Wild Hunt.

"Good… good, now how's it feel in your thigh, feel any knots, pressure?" Freya asked Dominik, as she and Ciri both walked slowly next to him.

His son nodded slowly, "A little yeah… but not enough to where I can't move… fuck me it feels good to be out of that bed."

Ciri laughed from next to him and smiled, "I'm really proud of you… you're gonna be swinging a sword in no time."

"Ha, I hope… thanks princess," Dominik said, letting out a deep relaxed breath and standing up in front of Geralt, and he looked at him and his friends on his side, "So? What do you all think? Ready to hit the pendulums?"

Geralt smirked, it was a joke, but compared to how he had looked only a week prior, Dominik looked in good condition. His son wore the padded trousers from his armor, Ciri and he had tried to convince him to wear regular trousers, but Dominik had been insistent he wanted his armor back on, and finally Geralt had compromised and let him wear just his trousers and boots. Other then that he had on a fresh white shirt, and as usual Geralt saw his son's medallion bouncing on his chest along with the silver swallow. He felt a smile grow wider on his face when he saw Ciri looking at him, from the few talks he'd had with his daughter on the topic, Dominik and her had so far picked up right where things had left off all those years ago, however Geralt knew them both better then anyone, and he knew that Ciri hadn't told Dominik some things yet, and Dominik hadn't told her certain things as well yet.

He wasn't worried however, the two of them would be fine, Geralt had never seen such an inseparable pair. Dandelion had joked with him while they were in Novigrad, asking him if he felt weird with the fact the two young people Geralt considered his children, were dating and would more then likely be fucking soon. Geralt proceeded to slap the bard in the back of the head, that was something that Geralt learned he preferred not to think about. He didn't mind if the two kissed in front of him, he had been dealing with that since they were twelve, but the idea of the two fucking was where he crossed the line, so whenever someone joked with him about it, Geralt either hit them or plugged his ears. Despite this however, as long as they were happy, then Geralt would be.

Faram laughed and clapped from his right, "Haha looking great mate! Just wait till those icy fucks see us again, kick'em right back to their fucking world next time permanently we will."

"Haha, I must agree with Faram," George said from his left the sunlight that was streaming in glinting off his golden hair, "You show great strength and fortitude my friend. Ciri is correct you'll be fighting fit in no time."

Dominik smirked and nodded, but Geralt could see how embarrassed his son was as he turned over to him now, "So, what do you think Geralt? The scar worthy enough to join you and Ciri's club?"

Geralt smirked and took in the sight of the scar on his son's right cheek. It had healed incredibly well thanks to the ointment Ciri had gotten from Avallac'h. He had been agitated that elf had to extort promises out of Ciri before he gave it to her, but Geralt had managed to shrug it off after seeing the results. Dominik's scar was still red, and Geralt could see some dried blood as it still stretched from under his eye diagonally down his cheek to his chin. He could remember how deep the gash had been, and while it was still red then, Geralt knew it would form a scar for the remainder of his son's life, a reminder of the battle. Most people would have been disappointed to have such a mark, however, with Ciri next to him, his son as usual looked on the brighter side of things. Geralt knew how horrible Ciri felt, how horrible she felt that he had to be hurt like he was, nearly dead, and get the scar on his cheek.

Dominik like Geralt always saw when he was younger, played it off with a smile, and Ciri in that moment looked just as elated as he was.

"Ha, not too bad, not many people are gonna believe it came from the King of the Wild Hunt though," Geralt joked with him, and Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, I'll know, good enough for me," His son joked before he yawned and stretched out his arms, eagerly he looked at all of them, "So, what's the plan for today? Because I could honestly walk to Novigrad and back right now with how I feel."

He saw Ciri come up next to Dom with a smile and gently hold onto his arm, Dominik responded by eagerly laughing and wrapping his arm around her waist. Ciri laughed and Geralt felt his own heart rise at the scene. They had been back together technically for a week now, but all of that time, they had been fighting, Dominik had been recovering, or Ciri was training with the sage. So seeing them both up then, Geralt's smiled, and watched as Dom stood there, his arm around Ciri's waste as she smiled at him, and gently leaned against him.

Freya smiled at all of them together, "Well I should be able to get lunch done soon, Geralt, are Letho and Gaeten back yet?"

Geralt shook his head, "Not yet, but they're witchers, shouldn't take them long."

The cat and viper witchers had both gone out to hunt, Freya had wanted to make something with venison, and the two had agreed to go and find some game. Geralt had been surprised at first they had both agreed to stay, however, Letho and Gaeten both said they wanted to lay low, rest for a while before setting back out. Letho even begrudgingly admitted to Geralt he was getting kind of fond of the place, and also wanted to train Dominik more when he was back on his feet. Gaeten had said the same, stating how it was nice to be with people for a change as opposed to being alone.

Dominik nodded with his arm still around Ciri's waste, he eagerly looked over at Geralt, Faram and George, "Okay, and how about after that? You guys gonna go get some training in?"

Geralt nodded and smiled at his son, "Yeah, can't stay cooped up in here forever. I also think Freya here's ready for her first go at pendulums."

Faram laughed from next to him, "Haha I'm looking forward to that! What do you say George, ya ready for another go?"

"Ha, always my friend," The southern witcher said crossing his arms, he turned and looked at Dominik and Ciri, "You sure you want to come my friend? You know you can't train still."  
"He's right Dominik," Freya said crossing her arms with a firm nod, "If I see you so much as go for one combo, it's back into bed for you."

Dominik laughed and mock saluted, finally letting go of Ciri.

"Ha, yes doctor, I promise. I'll sit and watch for all I care, I just need to get out of here," His son said excitedly, before he turned over to Ciri with a smirk, "What do you say princess? Care to join us after lunch? Wanna see how good you've gotten in the training yard."

Ciri rolled her eyes, and Geralt couldn't stop smiling at the ecstatic looks on both his children's faces. His daughter scoffed with a smirk, and gently holding a hand on Dominik's arm she nodded.

"Ha, of course, gotta show you what you'll be up against when you start again," She said, before turning over to Geralt with a smile, "Geralt will you be my sparring partner? We can see how much life is left in those old bones."

Geralt laughed and smiled as he nodded at them both, "Easy on those old jokes, still could take you both down, but sure. Dom, you can twirl your swords in place, I'll let you do that."

Dominik's smile grew in an instant. Geralt knew just how hard being in bed had hit his son, not being able to get up and train, see Ciri and his friends, along with the physical pain was all taking its toll. Even in that moment, Geralt could see and detect his son's sudden sharp breaths of pain from his leg. However, he didn't dare ruin this moment for him. Freya had told Dominik that if he wasn't stubborn and listened, he'd be up in a week, training in a week and a half, and his son had done just that, and Geralt couldn't have been prouder.

The sun beat down through the stain glassed windows into the keep, and Geralt could tell it was going to be a beautiful day, the perfect day to train, the perfect day for Geralt to finally get to spend some time with both of his children together. He had missed Yen, he received a few messages from her and Triss, saying that they were in Novigrad at Dandelion's trying to find leads on the Lodge. Geralt missed her of course, and he himself was starting to get eager to move, finally move against the Hunt, get to Novigrad and begin the next stages of their plan. However, first he knew that Dominik had to recover, Ciri had refused to move until he was, the same with his friends. Geralt had said the same, and now it seemed that it was finally almost time.

"Alright, finally, I swear I have a window I know, but I need some fucking sun," He said excitedly as he smirked at Ciri and wrapped his arm around her, "So princess, how about before lunch, me, you, Faram, George and Geralt get a gwent tournament going?"

Ciri scoffed and sniffed for a minute before smirking up at him, "First things first, you are taking a bath because to be quite honest, you smell like shit."

Geralt burst out into a laugh as did the rest of them, even Dominik managed to roll his eyes. His son smirked right away and looked back down at Ciri.

"Okay, okay, I will I promise, but that'll have to wait, first some gwent, finally gonna get to show you how good I've gotten," Dominik said to her with a proud smile.

Geralt, Faram, Freya, and George all groaned at once, and Dom's glare shot towards them all.

"Hey, I am NOT that bad, you just all get extremely lucky first hands when you play me," He said indignantly, but Geralt and the rest of his friends only laughed more.

Ciri laughed lightly and held his arms while looking up at him with a smile, "Just like you used to 'let' me win when we were younger."

"I did!" Dominik swore, and Ciri laughed again as she shook her head.

"Okay, okay, I forgot, you were just being a gentlemen," She said with a smirk, before looking back at them all, "But he's right, a gwent tournament sounds fun, why don't we-."

"Zireael," The deep voice pierced the air, and never in his over a hundred years of life had Geralt seen the air drain out of a room so fast.

Faram groaned next to him, "Ugh… what's this stuffy fucker want."

"To ruin my day… as usual," Dominik grunted across from him, and before his son turned around, Geralt could see the flash of annoyance, and Ciri next to him nervously sighed turning with the rest of them all.

Geralt had seen how much the sage had been agitating everyone in the keep, even Ciri, despite the fact his daughter still claimed that they needed him. He of course knew this as well; they wouldn't be able to find Eredin let alone stop the Hunt without the elf. However, what surprised Geralt the most was Avallach's attitude so far. When Geralt had first met the elf, he thought he was arrogant, irritating, and Geralt wasn't afraid to admit that he was ready to beat the man senseless for how he talked about his daughter. The elf had been the last person that Geralt had expected to be the one helping Ciri, however he did know that one person Avallac'h hated more than anyone, even Dominik, was Eredin.

However, despite the fact Geralt knew the sage was like this, he also knew that Avallac'h normally was intelligent, composed and rarely seemed to get angry or lose his cool. In that one week however, he had seen the elf become slightly erratic, lashing out, and his arrogance, all the agitating qualities Geralt knew he had, had been multiplying, and he knew it had something to do with Dominik. Even before his son had argued with the elf at the funerals, Geralt saw the absolute detestable look Avallac'h had at the fact his son was even there. After the sage had come down from the tower, demanding to know how Dominik had calmed Ciri's powers, Geralt knew there would be a problem. Whenever Dominik was even mentioned around the elf, Geralt could see the rage that grew on the sage's face, the annoyance, the detest, the sage absolutely despised his son, and he wasn't afraid to let people know.

He remembered the previous day, Ciri had been out with himself and Faram in the training yard. Ciri, the Bear School witcher and Geralt himself had all been training, learning new combos from the School of the Bear thanks to Faram, Ciri was even trying out Dominik's new crossbow, the one that used to belong to Arno that Elise had given him. It was a nice time, and Geralt was enjoying himself, that was until Avallac'h came. The elf was gathering Ciri for a lesson, and everything went fine until Faram asked Ciri if she was joining them in Dom's room for dinner. The sage had responded before Ciri could talk saying that she wouldn't be, that she had far more important things to worry about then Dominik, all while calling him some choice names. Faram hadn't taken kindly to it, and after the sage called the Bear School witcher a 'witless, boorish lout', it took all of Geralt and Ciri's strength to stop Faram from as he said 'ripping the elf's fucking arms off and shoving them up his arse'.

Geralt had no idea what it was, but he knew the elf had this hidden hatred for his son, and while he had managed to keep his cool so far, he didn't know how many more insults he could listen to before he himself attacked the sage. However, each time Ciri would reassure him, saying that Avallac'h had been helping her the whole time, and despite how he acted, he wanted to help. Geralt also refocused on the fact Ciri needed the elf to learn control of her powers, and they all needed him to find Eredin. So, despite his anger and annoyance, he was keeping his cool with the elf.

However, as Avallac'h walked towards them all, not even looking at Dominik, Geralt or the rest of them, he saw his son's hand right away curl into a fist next to Ciri as he crossed his arms. Geralt carefully gazed at the silver dagger he had insisted on strapping to his hip, and made sure to warily keep his eyes on it as the sage came to them all. George and Faram stood next to him, while Freya and Dominik both stood with Ciri, but Avallac'h acted as if none of them existed and turned right to Ciri. Geralt felt the air in the hall turn tense, as the jovial, excited atmosphere that had just been there was now completely gone.

"Zireael, come, our session for the day begins now," The sage said to his daughter, acting as if the other's around her, Geralt and the rest of them staring at him weren't even worthy of his attention.

Ciri sighed and met the elf's eyes, "Can't we push it back an hour? I had some stuff that I had wanted to do."

Avallac'h sneered, "Last I recall you promised to be on time and come when I asked. We've no time for these little games, we've wasted enough time at this keep already."

"Dominik had to recover," Freya snapped from near her, and Geralt saw a fury grow up in the blonde's eyes, "There's no chance that he would have been able to even walk if we had left."

The sage rolled his eyes and didn't even look over at Freya as he spoke in an annoyed tone, "I wasn't speaking to you, you ignorant little girl. You're a fool like the rest of them we have-."

"I suggest you watch your fuckin tone when you're talking to her you skinny fuck," Faram said dangerously from his right cutting the sage off, and Geralt watched as the Bear Witcher took a step closer and stared at the elf, "Didn't mummy and daddy elf teach you to treat women with respect? Change your tone before I knock all your fucking teeth down your mouth."

"I will speak how I want you lumbering imbecile," The elf said with a roll of his eyes, "You all need me far more then I need you, don't deign to tell me how to speak."

Faram's eyes nearly went red as his nose flared, taking another step forward, "You won't be able to fucking speak after I'm finished with you, you skinny, arrogant little-."

"Faram! No my friend, come he is not worth your time," George quickly said with a much cooler head from Geralt's left, "Come, Faram and I will meet you all in the training yard."

"Don't try to fuckin stop me George! This fucker's been asking for it all week, and I'm gonna fuckin give it to him-," Faram started, but George was able to somehow get a handle on the massive witcher.

Geralt's heartrate returned to normal as he sighed in relief. George turn to him as he managed to finally turn Faram towards the exit, the Griffin witcher rolled his own eyes and shot Geralt a quick nod. Geralt nodded back thankfully, before he turned back to see an absolutely fuming Dominik. He watched as his son was doing his best to control the anger he was clearly feeling, but Geralt knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped again. He had spoken with Dominik about the elf, and Geralt knew that his trust for the sage was non-existent. Geralt didn't like the way the sage spoke to Ciri, how he ordered her around, but he also knew that his daughter could handle herself, and if she truly needed him he'd know, or she'd tell him. It was how he had raised them both, to fight their own battles, but if Geralt ever needed to step in he'd always be there, that was why he had let Dominik go on the Path by himself, because Geralt knew, truly knew that if his son ever needed him he'd come. He treated Ciri the same, so while it had agitated him, Geralt hadn't confronted the elf about his treatment of her yet.

Dominik however, Geralt knew it was a much different story. All week his son had been complaining about the sage to him, about how he spoke to Ciri, about how he pushed her, and treated her like she was his property. He tried to plug his ears when his son mentioned it, but Dominik was also insistent on telling Geralt about the romantic moment Ciri and he were having, until the sage barged in a took her to another lesson, he had been particularly angry about that time. However, despite it all, he knew Dominik knew how important it was Ciri learn to control her powers from the elf, so his son had been doing his best to keep calm. Geralt knew though, that despite how hard he was trying, Dominik would never stand by and let anyone try to control her again. That had been one of the main points his son had spoke to him about.

_"When we find her I swear everyone will leave her the hell alone. I won't let anyone control her anymore, she's going to do what SHE wants," _his son had said, so Geralt knew how hard he was trying to keep his temper, watching Avallac'h treat Ciri the way he was. However, in the end like Dominik had said, the elf was trying to control her. What Dominik didn't know however, was that Ciri was going along with it, because she knew how important it was. Dominik knew too of course, but Geralt knew his son too well, so he carefully took another step towards them, coming to stand next to him and Freya as Avallac'h sneered at George and Faram.

"Mutant imbeciles…" The sage said in a low disgusted tone, before he turned back to Ciri, "Now, come Zireael, you have no time for these frivolous pursuits."

Ciri scoffed and Geralt saw the anger flare up in her eyes as she spoke, "Don't speak about my friends that way! Come on, I was with you for hours last night, I'm going to spend some time with my friends, I'll come to you-."

"The answer is no Zireael," The sage said firmly with a fierce shake of his head, "You will come now, like I said we've already wasted enough time here. The least you can do is practice more and gain greater control. You know how imperative this is, now come."

Geralt felt his own anger spike, but it was nothing compared to the biting look he saw on Dominik's face. His son had nearly bit his lip in half, and Geralt saw his hands both behind his back, balled in fists and shaking. Geralt turned and shared a worried look with Freya before he and the blonde both turned back to the seen.

Ciri's green eyes flashed in annoyance, and Geralt knew she was about to snap. Sure enough his daughter did as she furiously stepped towards the sage, "Don't you DARE think that I don't, this is-."

Ciri was cut off again, but this time it wasn't by the sage, and Geralt watched as he saw something erupt in his son's eyes.

"I THOUGHT I made it perfectly clear to you, you don't control her, or tell her what to do," Dominik shouted, taking a limping step in front of a fuming Ciri and meeting the elf's eyes, "And I also thought I told you her name, is fucking, CIRI, quit calling her the same thing the one's hunting her are calling her!"

"Uh oh…." Geralt muttered under his breath, as he could see how explosive the situation was going to become, not between his son and the elf, however.

Behind Dominik, he saw Ciri's eyes practically turn red, as his daughter closed both her fists, and Geralt could see the anger radiating off of her. One thing Geralt knew that annoyed and made Ciri angrier then anything, was being treated like a child, treated like she was fragile, and couldn't fight her own battles. As Dominik stood in front of her, staring down the sage, Geralt saw how fast Ciri's mood had changed as she looked at both of them now with a murderous gaze. Dominik might not have meant it, but he had cut Ciri off when she was trying to argue for herself, and she clearly wasn't happy about it. The sun streamed in through the windows into the hall, and Geralt sighed as his gaze darted between Dominik and Ciri both.

He was busy trying to decide whether to stop his son from possibly stabbing the elf, or keeping Ciri from erupting at them both when Avallac'h seemed ready to lose his temper as well.

"I have had ENOUGH, of your disrespectful attitude you little brat," The sage spat as he stood in Dominik's face looking down at him, "Zireael wouldn't be alive without me today, and now you dare to sit here and insult me!? You should be on your knees thanking me BOY!"

"I would be perfectly fine if-," Ciri started yelling, and tried to step forward, but Dominik quickly yelled again before she could finish.

His son scoffed and shook his head, "I give respect to people who deserve it! It took us threatening to let you die for you to tell me where she was. Yeah, you may have saved her, but you treat her like a trained dog, you DON'T control her!"

"You don't control her either boy! You chastise me for what I do, yet you do the same things," The elf yelled looking down at Dominik's scarred face, "You attach yourself to her hip constantly, you do nothing but distract Zireael from her-."

"HER FUCKING NAME IS CIRI," Dominik finally screamed, as Geralt saw his son's hands uncontrollably shaking as he got inches from the elf's face, "Call her that one more time and I'm going to break your fucking-. GAHHH!"

Freya quickly rushed forward from Geralt's side, Ciri and the blonde both quickly grabbed Dominik's arms as he had almost fell. Geralt saw that his son had tried to take another step to move, but his injured leg had given out and he almost fell. He heard the pain dripping from Dominik's voice as he almost dropped to the ground, but thankfully Ciri and Freya got him back up to his feet. Avallac'h look down with a detestable look at Dominik on his knee, and as Ciri and Freya lifted him up, the elf scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"You are as arrogant as he was boy, I should have expected nothing less… you need to learn to respect your betters, or else you'll end up just like him," The sage said slowly with a shake of his head, before turning over to Ciri who was still fuming under Dominik's arm, "Zireael, you will be in the library in half an hour."

Ciri scoffed incredulously, and rolled her eyes, "Fine, but first I need to-."

"She'll show up when SHE is ready, not when you say so…" Dominik said, cutting Ciri off once again, and Geralt's eyes widened as he saw the angered look his daughter shot him.

Avallac'h scoffed and rolled his eyes, "I've had enough of this conversation, and your repugnant attitude boy, Zireael, you will show up on time as you promised."

Geralt saw Ciri narrow his eyes at the sage before Avallac'h walked off. He quickly came up and helped Ciri and Freya both pull Dominik back to his feet, and as the sage's footsteps receded, he looked down and saw his son's hands balled into fists as he shakily stood back up. After he was up, Geralt took a step back and looked to see that Ciri was staring daggers up at him, and he felt his eyes widen, as Dominik scoffed and shook his head.

"I've never met such an arrogant fucking prick," His son said with a sneer, he turned over and looked down to Ciri, "Can you believe him? Acting like he-."

"You know, I CAN speak for myself, I don't need you stepping in to talk for me," His daughter said crossing her arms, and Geralt could see her emerald eyes flaring.

A small part of Geralt hoped that Dominik would realize what Ciri was upset about and try to talk her down. It was clear to Geralt why his daughter was angry; Dominik had cut her off to scream at the elf each time she tried to speak for herself. On the other hand however, he understood why Dominik was so angry and had spoken like he did. Geralt hadn't like the elf's tone either but decided like he always did to let his children fight their own battles, so he hadn't said anything. Dominik on the other hand, had just started walking, was excited to see her again, spend time with her finally outside of his room, finally spend a proper few minutes with her without the threat of a battle looming over them, hearing the elf speak to her in the way he did had made him loose his temper. So Geralt hoped that the both of them, would be able to see the other's point of view, and it would all blow over.

However he knew better, they had both inherited a lot of things from him and Yen, and their stubbornness was one of the biggest one's.

Dominik narrowed his eyes at her, "Why are you cross? I wasn't just going to sit and let him tell you what to do!"

"I could have told him that myself! You cut me off before I could fucking say it," Ciri said taking a step closer to him, and it was at this point that Geralt saw Freya's eyes widen.

Dominik's friend took a nervous step back and stood next to Geralt, and as he watched the exchange he felt his heartbeat get faster. Ciri and Dominik very rarely had argued when they were younger, with them agreeing on most things, however, when they did it normally wasn't pretty, due to them both being mule-headed, prideful, and very opinionated. He remembered one time in Ellander when he had been training them both one day. Geralt had taken them both out towards the lakes edge during that summer afternoon and had them practicing new combos and strike patterns before sparring with one another. During that sparring session, Dominik had knocked Ciri over, and had tried to tell her she performed one combo wrong, she really had Geralt knew, but Ciri was insistent she hadn't. They went to spar again, and the next time Ciri knocked Dominik into the dirt, and mockingly said he had performed the combo wrong, and after this was when they had started sparring again, but this time they seemed to treat the sparring sessions like it was a fight. One thing led to another, and Ciri ended up tripping him into the lake, before Dominik splashed her and they started arguing.

The two had argued intensely, and Geralt was at a loss for words, he had so rarely ever seen them fight he didn't know what to do in that moment. Dominik had ended up storming back off to the inn, and Geralt dealt with Ciri complaining the entire walk back how Dominik thought he was better than her always and was always trying to tell her what to do. That particular fight went on for two days, with both of them refusing to even speak to one another. Thankfully, him and Yen had each sat one of them down, and helped them realize how pointless the argument was, and things turned out alright. They had a few smaller arguments, but they were so rare, so infrequent, and normally over the smallest things, Geralt never worried about them, because they always solved things on their own.

However, as they started screaming at each other then, Geralt's eyes widened as his gaze kept darting between them, and he knew that the fights they had back then were when they were just children. They were both adults now and had gotten even more stubborn as the years went on.

"I'm sorry, but you would've just gone along with whatever he wanted! You clearly didn't want to go, but just like you've been doing all week, you're just going to go along with whatever that fucker wanted because he said so!" Dominik yelled, and Geralt saw his son's emerald eyes flare up equally to Ciri's

His daughter scoffed, "Incase you forgot Dominik, the fucking WILD HUNT is chasing me! And I know you don't like him, but he's the only chance I have to learn to control my powers so we can actually fucking beat them!"

"That doesn't give him the right to fucking treat you like he has been," Dominik yelled back to her, taking another limping step towards her, "He's treating you like you're a hound he's trying to train, and you're just letting him!"

"I AM NOT! Don't you dare say that I've been going along with what he says, because I understand the fact I have no other choice! And despite what you think, he's helping us Dominik, he's helping me!" Ciri screamed matching his step closer to him and looking up at him with an intense glare.

Dominik scoffed and pointed towards where the elf was, "HA, are you kidding!? You're lying to yourself if you think that fuck is doing this for anyone other then himself! You don't seriously believe Ciri that he has your best interests at heart do you!? You said it yourself, all he cares about is your power, he doesn't do it for you!"

"He SAVED my life Dominik incase you forgot! It doesn't matter who or what he's doing it for, he may be an ass, he may be arrogant," Ciri said with a furious shake of her head before she pointed up at him, "But as much as I hate to admit it, I'd more then likely be dead if not for him!"

"He is UP TO SOMETHING! I don't know what it is, but I KNOW that he has ulterior motives. He's using you Ciri, and I won't let him keep taking you and controlling what you do!" Dominik yelled again, and right away Ciri scoffed and crossed her arms with a roll of her eyes.

"Bah, or maybe you're just upset that he takes me away for hours at a time! God forbid I'm not attached to your hip for a few hours so I can learn something to help SAVE YOU!" She shouted back at him, and that was when Geralt's eyes widened in disbelief.

Dominik let out a loud laugh, "HA you think I'm jealous of the fucking six-hundred-year-old elf!? I'd think he's more jealous of me, considering he seems to have hated me since before I even spoke to him once, and now gods forbid I'm angry he's treating you like a dog!"

"Again he's HELPING me Dominik! Just because you don't like him doesn't change the fact that we need him, I need him!" She screeched back at him, as their voices both echoed in the halls of Kaer Morhen.

"He's USING you Ciri! He's using you to get whatever it is he wants; he doesn't give a fuck about what you think or what you do, you're being too trusting!" Dominik reasoned, as Geralt saw his balled fists trembling.

Ciri furiously shook her head, "If he wants to kill Eredin, I don't care how we do it! He saved me, kept me hidden from the Hunt, I'm fully aware he's an arrogant ass, but he hasn't steered me wrong yet! If he wanted to do something to me, he would have tried, I TRUST HIM DOMINIK!"

"A LOT MORE THEN ME APPARENTLY!" Dominik erupted as he got inches from Ciri's face, and that was when Geralt saw both of his children lose it.

Ciri had an incredulous look on her face, as if she just like Geralt couldn't believe what she just heard, she scoffed and shook her head, "Don't you DARE say that to me Dominik! You know DAMN well that I trust you more then anyone, it's YOU who doesn't trust ME, MY judgement!"

Geralt couldn't believe what he was hearing, after Ciri had spoken as when he finally knew he had to intervene. He took a step away from a completely dumbfounded Freya and stepped up to them both. His swords clunked on his back as the sun from the windows shot into his eyes. He looked and saw Dominik about to scream something else when he stepped in front of them both and narrowed his eyes at them.

"Okay, both of you calm down NOW," He said as he darted his eyes between them both, "Both of you are on edge, neither of you-."

"STAY OUT OF THIS GERALT." "STAY OUT OF THIS GERALT," They both managed to yell at the exact same time at him, and that was when Geralt's head started spinning.

Never in his life had both his children seemed to completely ignore him, but they did in that moment. Dominik's scarred face was flaring, and Geralt couldn't remember the last time he saw such a look in his son's face. It was as if his eyes were balled up with fire, as his chest quickly rose and fell with the wolf and swallow pendant around his neck. On the other side, he could see that Ciri was fuming just as badly. Her gloved hands were curled into fists as well, as she furiously looked over at Dominik, and never had Geralt ever seen the two stare at each other so angrily.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "I DO trust you! It's HIM I don't trust! I'm sorry that I'm looking out for you, trying to make sure you don't get taken again!"

"I promised you I wouldn't be going anywhere, so do you not trust me when I say that either!? I know you don't like him, don't trust him, but I'm asking you to trust ME!" Ciri yelled at him, and right away Dominik shook his head.

"For the last time Ciri I DO trust you, but I don't care if he saved your life, he's treating you like he owns you! He thinks because he's been with you the last few months that-." Dominik started, before Ciri screamed again, and the words made Geralt's blood go cold.

"AT LEAST HE WAS THERE!" She shouted, and Geralt felt his jaw drop as he looked over at her.

He looked into Ciri's eyes, Dominik's jaw dropped, and it looked like the soul was being sucked from his body. Geralt looked back at Ciri and felt his own skin begin to boil, but it was nothing compared to the look on Ciri's face. He saw it in his daughter's eyes, she knew she had crossed a line, and that she shouldn't have used those words, but the anger still bubbled up inside of her. From the previous week, all the mental and physical strain finally seemed to be boiling over in both of them. Geralt saw Freya standing a few steps near them, her blue eyes wide as she also looked between them. A cool breeze shot through the hall, the afternoon sun the came through the windows made sweat trickle down Geralt's neck as for a moment all he could do was sit there dumbfounded.

Dominik was unmoving, but Geralt could see his fists shaking, the anger was boiling over as well. Quickly Geralt turned back to Ciri, and he met his daughter's eyes with a slow shake of his head.

Geralt carefully met her eyes, "Ciri… Ciri you don't-."

"Well I'm sorry that I can't leap through fucking space and dimensions like you can," Dominik yelled as he furiously shook his head, cutting Geralt off he met Ciri's eyes and erupted, "BUT I COULD HAVE WITH YOU, I COULD HAVE WITH YOU IF YOU HAD COME FOR ME LIKE YOU PROMISED WHEN YOU CAME BACK!"

"Dom! Stop, enough both of you-," Geralt tried to get a grapple on the situation as now he knew Dominik had stepped over the line as well, but before he could go on Ciri stepped forward into his face.

"Don't you DARE throw that in my face! Don't you FUCKING dare, I was TRYING to keep you safe you STUPID FUCKING BOY," She yelled as her face got inches from Dominik's, and before Geralt could say anything his son scoffed.

"But you PROMISED, I'M SORRY THAT I CAN'T TELEPORT BETWEEN WORLDS LIKE YOUR NANNY SAGE CAN! IF I COULD HAVE I WOULD HAVE," Dominik erupted, and Ciri seemed to have finally had enough, she furiously stepped back and looked up at him.

Ciri shook her head, and met Dominik's furious eyes with her own, "I've had enough of this! When you're ready to apologize, and start trusting me, you can come and find me!"

Dominik scoffed and nodded, "And when YOU are ready to apologize, and trust me over the elf that's using you for nothing but your blood and powers, you can come find me!"

"FINE!" Ciri shouted so loud it echoed through the halls.

"FINE!" Dominik shouted right back at her, and before Geralt knew it they both stormed off in opposite directions.

He quickly got over his shock and looked at them both walking away, "Dom, Ciri both of you stop-."

Geralt was cut off when the door to the courtyard slammed closed with a loud ***BANG*. **His gaze shot over, and he was just able to get a glimpse of Ciri slamming the door shut behind her. He whirled back around to see Dominik quickly walking, but clearly laboring before he finally got to the door to the tower where his room was, and with another loud ***BANG* **the door to the tower closed, and from both of them slamming shut, Geralt could feel an icy chill run through his armor. He tried to digest what they both had just said to each other, it may have seemed so sudden to some, but Geralt knew that both Dominik and Ciri had been holding in the anger, the annoyance, the desperation all week. Geralt knew better then anyone besides the two of them themselves, what the last eight years had done to them, the toll that it had taken. He knew that the connection, the bond and love they shared, had always been much, much more than just a childhood romance and infatuation, it had been something extremely deep, passionate, loving, they loved each other, were the other's best-friend, relied on one another. And despite the fact he knew they had both survived, were more than capable of taking care of themselves alone, the main thing they had yearned eight years for was to be back with one another, to be back with the person they knew made everything worth it. They had been forced apart for these last eight years, and while they both survived, Geralt knew that both his children were always their best, realest selves with each other.

After being apart for that long, finding each other, he knew that all they had wanted to do, was lock themselves in a room and be with one another. However, ever since they had found one another, they had so precious little time to talk, to be with the other and make up for all that lost time. He knew they would both always put the greater good over themselves, it was the kind of people his children were, and he was extremely proud of them for it. However, Geralt knew that sometimes they just wanted to be selfish, and focus on themselves, on each other. And all they had both wanted for this entire week, was that time. But the battle had come, then Avallac'h needed to train Ciri, and Dominik needed to recover. The threat of the final confrontation was looming over them, the fact they'd need to head right back into danger. So all week, he knew they were trying in vein to simply even have more then a half hour to talk. It had frustrated them, annoyed them, combined with the pain both mentally and physically Dominik had gone through, and the pressure that Ciri was feeling, Geralt knew they were both already nearly at a boiling point. That day, that morning was supposed to finally be the time they got to spend with one another, them and their friends, and then the two of them themselves, and they both had been ecstatic. However, the reality of their situation had come again, and taken that time from them.

And they both had finally snapped, but they had done it on each other. Both of them had screamed things at the other he never thought would leave their mouths. Ciri yelled at him for not being there for her, which Geralt knew was the biggest regret Dominik had in his life. Dominik had screamed at her for not coming to get him after Rivia, after saving Geralt from the Hunt, for going and leaping through worlds to lead the Hunt away instead of going to him. That was Ciri's biggest regret Geralt knew. And now they were both fuming at one another, he knew that they hadn't meant the insults, but both were stubborn, and would more then likely sulk and be angry unless he did something, he knew he had to do something, but in that moment he was still trying to digest what he had even heard.

"Fuck…" He said to himself as he sighed out and shook his head, "I wish Yen were here…"

"Geralt…." Freya said, and the blonde took a few shaky steps towards him, a look of shock and disbelief still plastered on her face as she looked up to him, "Have… have they ever argued like that before?"

Geralt sighed again and slowly shook his head, "They argued yeah but… never anything like that… never."

"I… I honestly never thought they would," Freya said in a slightly joking tone as she shook her head in disbelief.

A small laugh left him, "They never really argued over anything serious, but… that… that was eight years of emotion coming out of them both… just took it out on the wrong person."

Freya nervously bit her lip, the blonde had her armor back on and seemed to be ready for the training session Geralt was supposed to have with her. For the previous week, since Ciri was normally busy training and Dominik was bed-ridden, to keep himself busy and avoid the boredom, when he wasn't in his son's room or with Ciri, Geralt had been training with Dominik's friends. He was pleasantly surprised to learn a few new moves and tricks from Faram and George and saw why Dominik had loved the idea of mastering the witcher schools so much. Geralt also just like he had promised the blonde, had begun showing Freya the basics of witcher combat. She was already a natural warrior Geralt learned but fighting like a witcher was a whole different animal, and he had enjoyed having a new student. Freya had taken quickly to his lessons, and Geralt was looking forward to being out in the training yard with them all finally, showing the young blonde woman the pendulums for the first time, with Dominik and Ciri both their as well.

However, he knew he had something much, much more important to do now. With how stubborn he knew both his children were he knew he needed to talk to them both. He already knew they were both sorry, it was just a matter of getting them to admit it. Freya being there would help him, Geralt knew it needed to be done now, and he couldn't wait for them to cool off, they were too close to finally starting the next phase, and them being on the same page was imperative.

And Geralt also just hated seeing them fight with one another, he hated seeing it then especially, after seeing what they both had gone through not just the last week, but the last eight years.

"How… how did you usually handle it," Freya asked nervously as she looked up to meet his gaze.

Geralt sighed and looked towards the door to the courtyard, "Well, normally I'd go get one, Yen would go get the other… but Yen's obviously not here."

"Want me to go talk to Dom? I could but well… I don't really understand the situation as well as you do," Freya asked him, and Geralt quickly nodded his head.

"Yeah, just go listen to him rant for a little, I'll come talk to him in a bit. I'm gonna go talk to Ciri first," Geralt said turning back to the blonde, "I know they're both sorry already, didn't mean it, but as I'm sure you've seen they're both stubborn, gotta blame myself for that."

Freya scoffed and nodded, "Alright, I'll head up there now. Good luck… they… seemed really, really angry."

Geralt sighed deeply and looked towards the door, "They weren't angry… just upset. I'll be up in a bit."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Despite the sun being so high, Geralt felt the chilly breeze run up his spine. His swords clunked on his back as he entered the courtyard, and as he had guessed he found Ciri right near a training dummy. The sun told him it was just passed midday, and the shining rays brightly illuminated the keep, they shined off his swords, and as Ciri twirled and moved hers, Geralt could see the violent glare. Sunlight glinted off his daughters' blade, as like normal she struck the training dummy with expert precision and grace. She hadn't gone far only down into the lower part of the inner courtyard where some old dummies were set up. To his left he could also hear the clattering of steel, and the chatting voices of Faram and George near the pendulums. Ciri however hadn't joined them, like Geralt knew she normally did when she was angry, his daughter went off to hit something with her sword. He was sure Dominik would have stormed out there as well in his own anger if his argument hadn't been with Ciri. For a moment Geralt stood there with his arms crossed watching her, the sun baring down on his neck as his silver hair blew back in the wind.

Ciri's white top bounced on her shoulders as she swung so violently one of her sleeves fell down her arm. She stopped, and Geralt could hear her angry heavy breathing as she quickly adjusted it before lashing out again. She struck the dummy with perfect spins and parries, but Geralt could see the anger in her strikes, and he wouldn't be surprised if in a few moments the dummy snapped in half. The gentle daytime breeze whipped through the wind, and the bronze ring around her neck violently bounced against her chest. She grunted and spun, her sword came down hard across the sack on the dummy completely slicing it in half, it had been so hard her bun almost came undone. After this she spun around with a half-turn, but she mis-stepped and Geralt noticed her elbow loosen as she struck. Her sword hit the wooden post the sack had been on, and a loud ***CLANG* **rang through the courtyard as Ciri yelled and dropped her sword.

"URGHHH FUCK, DAMMIT," She screamed grabbing her wrist, as Geralt couldn't help but laugh as he finally walked down the step towards her.

He laughed and she finally looked up to see him as he smirked, "Got a stinger. Loosed your elbow and missed your step. Your footwork always did get sloppy when you were angry."

She narrowed her eyes at him and picked her sword up from a small pile of snow. Sighing in annoyance she slid her blade behind her back before sharply turning back to him.

"Geralt, I'm NOT in the mood right now," She said as she crossed her arms and turned her back to him.

Geralt sighed himself and took a few steps closer to her. He could hear her rapid heartbeat ringing in his ears, and just from the way she stood, her one foot propped out as she leaned on her back one, her arms crossed, looking down towards the dirt, it was a look he'd seen his daughter get many times. However, he knew she wasn't angry with Dominik at all, just frustrated, frustrated with everything that had happened not just the previous week, but all eight years. After she had come back the first time, and Geralt saved her from Stygga Castle, she had of course been overjoyed, happy, ready to forget everything, however even then Geralt knew that Dominik not being there, had been the only thing she could focus on. If Dominik had been there, they wouldn't have been apart the last two years this he knew, Dominik would have gone with Ciri to any world they pleased even if they had to run. However, that was another one of Geralt's failures, not being able to find Dominik before he left. He had found his son in Ellander when he was seventeen thanks to Yen using a locating spell. However, before Geralt went to save Ciri, his love of course had been trapped at Stygga Castle as well, so when Dandelion and he went to find Dominik, they hadn't been able to. A part of Geralt had wanted to keep looking, he knew he would have found him eventually, but Yennefer and Ciri's time had been running out, and he knew that Dominik would have rather he went to save them instead.

But despite how happy Ciri was to see him, Yennefer, and be back, Geralt had been able to tell how distraught she was at Dominik not being there. That had been the first thing they went to do however, before the Lodge summoned her. And then after Rivia, where she'd thought she'd see him, she had to run again, and Geralt knew that after so much time, to finally get back to him then, and now have the time constantly interrupted, it had taken the toll on her.

He knew she was angry, just not at Dominik, she was angry at the world, and her frustration had boiled over at the wrong person.

Sighing he looked at the back of her head, "Ciri… I know you're not angry with him. I know you didn't mean what you said."

Her head shot around and Geralt saw her eyes flare up. She scoffed, "He's not trusting me Geralt! I know he doesn't like Avallac'h, doesn't like how he talks to me, and I know he's an ass, but I trust him!"

"You know Dom trusts you Ciri, come on you can't sit here and really tell me you don't think that he does, you don't believe that," Geralt said keeping his arms crossed as Ciri angrily shook her head and started pacing.

She scoffed and sighed as the sunlight bounced off her face, "I know he does… but right now he's acting like I can't take care of myself, can't talk for myself. If Avallac'h intended to do something, he would have by now."

Geralt sighed deeply and met her eyes, "Ciri… you gotta understand, he knows. Dom knows about Vilgefortz, Bonhart, about everyone who's tried to take you."

For the first time she gave pause. Dominik didn't know the entire story of what had happened to Ciri, even Geralt didn't know every little detail, but only the important parts. His son had asked him multiple times about what happened to her, who tried to take her, what she had been through that Geralt did know about. He hadn't told his son a few things, like what Emhyr had tried to do to her, and a few more of the intimate details he knew Ciri wanted to tell him herself. However, he knew exactly where his son's hatred and suspicion of Avallac'h was coming from. Even despite the elf's attitude, Geralt knew what it was.

Ciri stumbled for a moment, "H... how… how does he-."

"That was one of the first things he asked Yen and me," Geralt explained quickly and he could see his daughter's eyes fall before he went on, "He already knew about Vilgefortz, but… we told him a few more things. He's been hearing about all these people who have tried to take you, use you, he knows about them all, he blames himself."

Her eyes darted up and she scoffed, "Yen told me that too. How could he blame himself!? He had no control over-."

"I know that, but you know how he thinks," Geralt said quickly as he saw Ciri sigh, he did the same and took another step towards her. Carefully he placed a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her, "For years he's known why people have taken you, all he's heard about is people trying to use you. For the last month he's heard all about the Hunt chasing you for your powers. So, when Avallac'h shows up and talks to you like he does, calls you Zireael, and from what you said, he only does it for your power… can you really blame him for being so worried?"

His words washed over his daughter and Ciri sighed looking down at her boots. She bit her lip nervously and kicked some snow, and Geralt could tell he had struck a cord with her. He knew from the beginning that the argument had been born of frustration, and that both of them were just lashing out, however, both of them did have a point. He knew Ciri was right, and that like himself, Dominik needed to trust in Ciri's judgement, even if Avallac'h was being an ass, being suspicious, no matter what if Ciri trusted him, then they had to believe in her judgement. Then Dominik on the other hand had a point as well. Even Geralt didn't fully trust the elf, and knew that he had to be hiding something, and he also believed that Ciri was being slightly too trusting, however he couldn't blame her, seeing as the elf did save her. Geralt remembered the horrible things Avallac'h had said about Ciri in their last encounter, how he thought she was a grotesque reminder of Lara Dorren's love affair, and a stain on their race. It had infuriated him, and still did to that day.

However, the elf had saved Ciri for some reason, and if his daughter thought they could trust him, Geralt was able to get over it for the moment. Just like he knew Dominik would, they'd keep their eye on the elf, and if they had any indication he wanted to use Ciri or act not in her best interests they'd act. But in that moment they both would put their suspicion aside.

Ciri sighed and met his eyes, "I know Geralt…I really do understand but… but I just want him to trust me. I know how suspicious it looks, and I'm not asking him to trust or even like Avallac'h I… I'm just asking him to trust me… my judgement."

"You're right he does, but I know he does already," Geralt said softly, his eyes didn't leave her as he lightly shook his head, "But you gotta realize too, after eight years? He's gonna be a little overprotective, but… he's doing it out of love. He trusts you Ciri, more then me, Yen, his friends, anyone…."

She sighed deeply and slowly nodded, she looked shamefully down at the ground and shook her head, "I… I know he does. I… I didn't mean what I said, I know I shouldn't have said it. I… feel horrible but… but after this week, everything that's happened, after eight fucking years I… I was just-."

"Frustrated, agitated, tired, and it all finally boiled over I know," He said with a small nod, but he managed a small smirk when he met Ciri's eyes, "I also know for a fact, that you're both annoyed you haven't gotten to spend more then about an hour together without one of you hurt, almost passed out, or having to leave am I right?"

His daughter laughed lightly and nodded as the afternoon sun sparkled off her ashen hair, "Ha… yeah… you can say that. We fell asleep in his bed the other night, but we were both exhausted, only got to talk for a few minutes I was pretty upset…"

His smirk grew and he scoffed, "Ha, yeah I bet that's the only thing you're upset you didn't get to do."

"Geralt!" Ciri said with a scoff as a red hue appeared across her cheeks and she smacked him.

He didn't want to make a joke about them both fucking, but after seeing Ciri's smile, the flustered, happy redness that came to her cheeks he was glad he did. The wind gently blew through both their hair, and for a moment like he normally did, Geralt marveled at how Ciri quite literally looked like she could be his birth daughter. If she had yellow cat eyes like him, then most probably would have assumed it even more then they already did. He laughed with her for a moment as she adjusted the sword on her back before she looked up and met his eyes.

"I… I should probably go apologize to him… shouldn't I?" She said looking down at the ground again.

Geralt nodded at her slowly and put a hand on her shoulder, "Yeah… probably should. But why don't you wait a few minutes, I wanna go talk to him myself too."

She sighed and looked up at him with a small smile on her face, "Okay… thanks Geralt."

He nodded and she leaned up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. Geralt felt a large smile come to his face as he hugged around her waist. He had been downplaying it, but every day he had been marveling at the fact he truly had them both back, both his children, not just one, one wasn't missing while the other was in danger. They were both there with him, and every day he loved it more and more. He knew that after the Hunt was defeated, they would both head off together, go from one end of the continent to the other, while Geralt himself had been contemplating more and more what he'd do. Perhaps Yen would finally convince him to move to some remote hut in the mountains, he'd take on a contract from time to time to keep his bones moving, but Geralt would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to rarely waking up past noon and taking frequent baths with Yen.

All the while their children would take up the mantle, and they'd become the greatest witchers to walk the continent, and they'd do it together. And if they ever needed him, Geralt would be there, no matter what.

A quick thought popped into Geralt's head as Ciri slowly let go of him. Quickly he reached down into the pocket of his trousers, and felt the folded piece of parchment still there, and when he produced it he smiled and saw Ciri narrow her eyes. He looked and met his daughter's eyes with a small smile.

"Here, while I'm talking to him…" Geralt said as Ciri gingerly took the letter from his hands, "I think you should read that."

Ciri gently ran her hands over the elegant handwriting and looked back up to him with a curious look, "That… that's Dom's handwriting, I was always kind of annoyed he had better handwriting then I did…. Geralt what is this?"

He smirked at her and gestured his head towards the parchment, "He wrote that for you, while we were on our way to get you from the Isle of Mists."

She scoffed and opened it, turning it around and looked at Geralt again, "It's front and back… why would he write me a letter if he was going to see me?"

Geralt sighed and met her gaze, speaking softly he answered, "He… was scared that he wouldn't have time to tell you everything he wanted too. Spent hours a night writing that… he gave it to me before the battle… said he wanted me to give it to you if he died."

Ciri's jaw fell and she floundered, gently she reached and gripped the ring around her neck before meeting Geralt's eyes again, "R…really? Do… did you read it?"

Scoffing out a laugh he shook his head with a smirk, "Of course not, he already drones on enough about how much he loves you. Why don't you read that… then come talk to him."

Slowly she nodded, as Geralt saw her gingerly look down at the first few lines, "O…okay… I'll… be up in a few minutes."

Geralt smirked and nodded, he was going to respond, but he already saw her walking away from him. He watched as she nearly walked towards the dummy she had been slashing before she carefully sat down in a patch of grass. The cold wind blew through her ashen hair, and Geralt saw her laugh, smile, frown, but the whole time, every second she read her hand was on the ring, and Geralt knew that it was okay. So, he smiled at the sight one last time, before he turned back towards the keep.

"One down, one to go…" He said to himself, as he walked back towards the keep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Geralt had hoped that Freya was able to somewhat calm Dominik down, but as soon as he got a few steps down from his son's room, his hopes were dashed.

"THAT SON OF A BITCH IS UP TO SOMETHING! I FUCKING KNOW IT FREYA!" His son's voice echoed through the tower, and Geralt found himself sighing.

"Fuck…" He said to himself as he heard Freya's voice come when he was close to the door.

The blonde tried to sound reassuring, "I know it looks like that Dom, and I'm not defending him, but if Ciri trusts him…"

"WHY WOULD SHE TRUST HIM!? HE'S ADMITTED HE'S ONLY PROTECTING HER FOR HER POWERS NOT HER! THAT'S ALL HE CARES ABOUT," Dominik screamed again, and Geralt could hear the fear, concern, and anger all laced from his voice.

It was then that Geralt confirmed what he already knew. Dominik wasn't angry at Ciri, not in the slightest. His son was worried, worried beyond belief, scared that someone else was trying to use her, and they were right under his nose. Geralt knew that he was angry at Avallac'h, not Ciri, not Geralt, only the elf, and Geralt couldn't blame him. After eight years of hearing how people used Ciri, all for her blood, all for the power in her veins, not giving a single damn what she thought herself, his son was scared it was happening again. That was one of his son's biggest regrets, that he wasn't there to help her, to protect her from those people. Geralt again couldn't blame him, so soon after getting Ciri back, it seemed like someone else was trying to take Ciri and use her, treat her as a vessel for her blood, as if she was nothing but her power. Dominik was worried, angry, and ready to cut the elf in half.

However, what his son didn't realize, was that all those people before, had taken Ciri against her will. Now, Ciri was going through with Avallach's lessons willingly, Geralt knew she hated them, could see it, but she was going through with them because she knew it was for the greater good. Dominik had told him multiple times, that when they found her, he wanted Ciri to pick what she wanted to do, whatever she wanted, not what people ordered her to do. And despite the fact Avallac'h had been a harsh instructor, and the way he spoke to Ciri sat wrong with Geralt as well, his daughter was doing it all willingly, to save them all, because it was just the kind of person she was. He knew that Dominik knew this all deep down, but he was still terrified of losing Ciri in the end.

He walked into the doorway and saw Dominik limping and pacing in his room. Freya had pulled a chair into his room and was sitting in the corner watching him as he paced. The blonde's hair was down around her shoulders, and Geralt could see she was clearly taken aback, never having seen Dominik in that state. A fire was roaring, despite the fact the sun was streaming in through his one window. Geralt looked and saw his sword, dagger, and crossbow sitting on the dresser next to the armor stand they'd set his armor up on. On the dresser he saw the carved wolf Ciri had given him for his birthday all those years ago, and Dominik furiously stopped in front of it, his scarred face was flared up in anger as he turned back to a sighing Freya.

"I don't know why she trusts him Dom, but he did save her life. And even if he just cares about her powers, she says he hasn't done anything to suggest that he-," Freya started, before his son groaned in annoyance and shot around.

"Why are you defending him!? Why is everyone defending him!? Why am I the only one that can see that fucker is up to something!?" His son shouted in annoyance as the firelight gently hit off his face.

Geralt sighed and leaned against his doorway with his arms crossed, knowing that this may be a bit harder then calming Ciri down. Freya bit her lip, but that was when she looked over and saw Geralt, and when she did he saw a look of relief grow on the blonde's face. Dominik seemed to see where her gaze was leading because his son whirled around, and as soon as he saw Geralt in the doorway he rolled his eyes.

"Oh great, you got that look on your face, serious talk time," His son said bitterly as he crossed his arms and looked at him.

Geralt sighed and looked over to Freya, "Thanks Freya, head down to the training yard, I'll head down there with you, George and Faram in a bit."

Freya quickly nodded and met Dominik's eyes for a moment giving him a small nod. His son sighed as the blonde quickly rushed past him, and as soon as Geralt saw her exit the tower below he took steps into his son's room. Dominik still stood there with his arms crossed, and Geralt quickly took in his scarred face, the large scar running down his right cheek was going to take some getting used to for Geralt after seeing it clear for so long. He knew his son had large scars across his chest, but now that he had one visible, it reminded him how scared Ciri had been for Dominik to see her with it. Dominik too had admitted to Geralt that first day he was recovering he was slightly worried about being disfigured. However, the scar had healed beautifully so far, and in that moment his son had plenty of energy running through him, despite the fact Geralt noticed him favoring his left leg instead of his injured right one as he stood.

"So, you done yet?" Geralt asked him, and Dominik scoffed and turned to face the fire with his arms crossed.

He didn't see it, but Geralt knew he rolled his eyes as he spoke, "Let me guess, you're about to tell me I have to trust Avallac'h, that he's our best chance to defeat Eredin, that I should just completely ignore how he's treating Ciri and let it happen, is that it?"

Geralt rolled his eyes and shook his head, "No, I'm not telling you that you have to trust him. I'm telling you that you have to trust Ciri, trust her judgement."

"You know I do Geralt! You of all people know I do," Dominik said sharply, as he whirled back around to face him, "But you also know just like I do, that son of a bitch has ulterior motives, he's UP TO SOMETHING!"

Slowly Geralt nodded, "Won't lie he's pretty sketchy, don't like him myself, and yeah he probably has some plan he's not telling us."

Dominik scoffed and his eyes widened, "HA, and so why are we fucking letting him stay here!? You've seen how he treats Ciri Geralt!"

"Yeah, I have, and I don't like it either," Geralt said with a shake of his head, "But he's here to teach Ciri control of her powers, which she needs to do Dom."

"That doesn't give him the right to treat her like that!" His son quickly fired back as his brown hair was marred against his forehead.

Sighing Geralt shook his head, "Dom… again we need to trust Ciri. She's tough she can handle it, and like she keeps saying, he may be sketchy, but he did save her. If she says that she's okay, and that she trusts him, then we have to trust her."

"And I told you I do Geralt, I really, really do you know that SHE knows that" Dominik said as he shook his head, his voice growing desperate, "I… I just can't sit back and watch him talk to her and order her around like a dog, treating her like she's only her blood!"

Geralt sighed and looked deeply into his son's eyes. He could see the worry building up, the fear, the worry, the anger and annoyance. Dominik's brown hair stuck to his forehead, the swallow bounced behind his medallion over his white shirt, and the afternoon light streaming in gave Geralt a perfect view of his worried emerald eyes. The fire crackled and Geralt felt it warming his bones. He didn't speak for a minute, just taking in the look behind his son's eyes. It was just as Geralt had guessed, he wasn't angry at Ciri, only worried, and he thought that he was the only one who was.

And it wasn't just Avallac'h who worried him, Dominik was thinking still about the eight years, about all the others who had taken her, tried to take her and use her. Geralt knew he was horrified of being separated from her again, that was his worst fear, and after the last week they had, barely getting to spend much significant time with one another, it hadn't helped that fear.

Sighing again he took a step forward and gently placed a hand on his son's shoulder, "Dom… I know what this is about. We won't let anyone take her… she's not going anywhere again."

His eyes widened, and Geralt could practically see his son's heart drop as he gently shook his head.

"G…Geralt I… I wasn't there to do anything those first few times," He said slowly as he gingerly met Geralt's eyes, "I… I can't let anyone use her again and… and that elf he.. he's using her for something, I know it. I just know it…:

Geralt slowly nodded, "Yeah… it seems like that, but like I said Dom… we need to trust Ciri. Yeah, Avallac'h may only be helping her for her power, and he may be an ass, but he wants Eredin dead just like us… and Ciri knows that. She's going through with the lessons, learning control, so that we can have a better chance. If she say's she can handle it… then we have to trust her."

Dominik shakily sighed, and the burning anger that was just in his son's eyes moments ago was gone. It was replaced by an anxiousness Geralt had only seen in him a few times. He watched as he reached up and started fiddling with the swallow. Just like Ciri had been doing with the ring in the courtyard, Dominik gripped it for dear life, before shakily sighing again and meeting Geralt's eyes.

"I… I do Geralt but… but what if he does try something? What… what if she get's hurt because… because I didn't do anything?" He asked slowly, and Geralt quickly shook his head.

"If he tries something we'll be there by her side to help her stop him," Geralt said reassuringly, meeting his son's emerald eyes he slowly smirked, "As for how he treats her now… well… you know if he says anything over the line, Ciri will kick his ass herself, and the son of a bitch will be bloody before we even get to him."

Dominik scoffed, and for the first time Geralt saw him lightly smile, "Ha… yeah… she would. I… I'm sorry Geralt I… I may be overreacting."

"I'm not telling you that you don't have to be angry about how he talks to her or orders her around," Geralt said quickly with a shake of his head, "But we just have to trust Ciri can take care of herself if he goes too far. Dom… I know you didn't mean those things you said to her… you weren't even mad at her."

A look of shame quickly appeared on his son's face as his eyes fell. One thing Geralt knew Dominik never wanted to do, had sworn never to do was hurt Ciri in any way. It seemed in that moment as if he were realizing again what he had said to her. Quickly his son ran a hand through his sweaty brown hair and let out a shaky sigh. The sun shot in through the window, and when his head came back up, Geralt could see the slightly panicked look on his face as he bit his lip and turned back to the fire.

"I… I didn't you're right! Geralt, I… I said some horrible things," He said before quickly turning back to him, his son's green eyes were wide as he fervently shook his head, "Gods, that was horrible of me, I… I need to get her something, do something!"

Geralt let out a small laugh and slowly shook his head, "I just talked to her too… she said some things she didn't mean too, I'm sure she'll understand if you just apologize."

Scoffing he shook his head, "No, not good enough. I don't care what she said, she had a right I was acting like an ass. I should go and-."

"D…Dom…" Her voice lightly rang in his room.

He and Dominik both shot around to the doorway, and Geralt smirked when sure enough he saw Ciri there. His daughter was standing with both hands dropped down to her side, he could see that the makeup around her eyes had been smudged, and that small tears had either fallen or pooled up in them recently. She must have put her sword in her room, or in the training yard because she didn't wear it, only her normal outfit, although one side of her shirt had fallen over her shoulder. She didn't care however, because in one hand, Geralt saw the letter he had given her from Dominik gingerly in her grasp. Her eyes met Geralt's for a moment, before her gaze went right back to Dominik again, and when she met his eyes, Geralt saw the love rise up in them, the regret, and he could see she was trying to form the words.

The sun casted through the window and it gleamed off her ashen hair, her emerald eyes glew, and gingerly she reached up to play with the ring around her neck, sure enough next to him, Dominik was doing the same when he met her gaze. Similarly to Ciri, Dominik's eyes fell, and he looked as if he had just committed the worst crime he could think of. Geralt smirked when his son gingerly took a step forward and stuttered.

"C…Ciri I… I was just about to come find you…" He said slowly, and Geralt looked over to Ciri, and he could hear her heartbeat increase.

Slowly she nodded, "I… I'm sorry it… it's just Geralt he… he gave me this…"

She held the letter up to him, and Dominik's eyes widened as he turned to Geralt, "G…Geralt you gave it to her?"

Geralt chuckled lightly and smirked as he looked between them, "I did yeah, a lot easier to do it since you're not dead…. I think I'll give you two the room, seems like you need to talk."

He looked and saw flustered looks come to both their faces and smirking wildly Geralt walked from the room. After he had exited, he felt himself let out a sigh of relief. A large part of him wanted to head back down the steps, he knew they would reconcile, they would both be alright, but something in him made him pause. He took a few steps to make sure he was out of their view, before smirking and leaning his back up against the wall just near the entrance, and within a few more seconds he heard their voice, and through the crack of the door hinges he craned his head to look inside.

"So… so you read it then?" Dominik said, as Ciri took a few small steps towards him.

Ciri was inches from his face, she looked up and slowly nodded, "Y…yeah… Geralt he… he said you wanted him to give it to me if… if you…"

She couldn't finish the sentence, and Geralt watched with a smile as they both sat down on Dom's bed, and their gaze didn't leave each other. Geralt had never seen two people look at each other the way they did, and he had seen them looking like that at one another since they were eleven years old. Dominik sat straight up like she did, he was only about a half a head taller then her, and gingerly he reached and grabbed her hand.

"If… I died yeah… turns out I was awfully close," He said as he gingerly ran his thumb across the back of her hand, "I… I was scared that… I wouldn't get to tell you everything I wanted…. So… what do you think?"

Gently Ciri placed the letter on his night stand, before scooting closer to him, and Geralt couldn't help but feel his heart get warm when she leaned up, gently grabbed his face and planted a long, lingering kiss on his left cheek before slowly coming back down and meeting his eyes. She let out a shaky sigh, and Geralt saw she was holding back tears.

"I… I love you… Dominik… none… none of it was your fault… none of it at all," She said softly as there eyes never left one another.

Dominik lightly scoffed and shook his head, "I… I could have done something… anything. None… none of it was fair… none of it."

"For either of us… no… I… I should be the one to apologize," She said gingerly as she slowly turned her gaze from him, "I… I should have come for you… I should've come to get you and-."

"No, don't say that," He said, as she looked back up to meet his gaze again. Fiercely he shook his head and wrapped an arm around her waist, "Ciri I… I am so… so sorry I said that stuff. I… didn't mean any of it, and… and I'm sorry for how I was acting I… I just can't… I can't-."

She cut him off by reaching up and kissing him, full on the lips this time Geralt saw her smash her lips onto his, and right away they both melted for a moment. Ciri lifted both her legs over his lap as she sat on the mattress, and Dominik wrapped both his arms around her waist as Ciri kept hold of his face. Small tears fell down both their eyes, before Ciri pulled back and leaned her forehead against his.

"It's okay and…you won't lose me… I promise… never again…" She said lightly before she looked up and met his eyes, "I… I'm sorry for what I said too…. I didn't mean it either, and… and I'm sorry for not realizing well… how you felt."

Slowly Dominik shook his head, "It's okay… I… I promise from now on, I trust you…. Don't think I'm ever gonna like your nanny sage but… but I trust if he does anything bad you'll kick his ass before I even have a chance to get there."

Ciri and he both laughed, and it made Geralt's heart warm even further. Ciri kept her arms wrapped around his neck and lightly laughed as she leaned her forehead against his still.

"Ha…I promise I'll leave some for you if he does," Ciri said lightly, before Geralt saw an even more amused smile come to her face as she chuckled, "Ha.. you… you know I… I think me and you… we're due for some alone time… just the two of us at least for a little bit."

Geralt while smiling rolled his eyes as Ciri gently climbed up into Dom's lap and his son lightly laughed, holding under Ciri's legs as he pulled her closer to him.

"Ha… but I thought your nanny elf was calling?" Dominik asked, as Geralt saw his face only inches from Ciri's with a wild smirk on it.

Ciri laughed lightly and gently wrapped one arm around his neck, while the other lightly cupped his face, "He can wait…. You started walking again today… ha I… I'm so proud of you, you stupid boy."

Dominik smirked again as his face was a mere inch or two from Ciri's, "Ha.. thanks princess… proud enough for a kiss then?"

She laughed lightly and bit her lip, lightly she pecked his lips before slowly pulling her head back and smirking up at him, "I think so… but not till after you take a bath, because like I said earlier… you smell like sweat and shit."

Geralt silently smiled and laughed as he watched them both laugh together. He let out a relieved sigh, and thought they were about to start kissing, so Geralt naturally went to leave, but he unfortunately stood long enough to catch the last bit of their conversation.

"You know… if you want me to take a bath so bad, you could always just come with me," Dominik teased, and Geralt rolled his eyes with a light groan.

Ciri laughed lightly, "Ha, we'll see… maybe if you get lucky."

Geralt hated his witcher senses sometimes, particularly the super sensitive hearing, because lips kissing and sucking against one another hit his ears next and he groaned.

"Urghh… that's my cue to leave," He said, as he nearly felt himself get sick before he walked down the steps, the sound coming from the room still hitting his ears.

However, when he got to the bottom of the steps, he couldn't help but smile lightly and look back up towards their room. They would both be okay, he knew, they always would, because they were something more, much more then just two young people in love. Geralt sighed with the smile growing, as he turned to head towards the door to the keep, towards the training yard, determined to forget the last part of their exchange.

But either way, no matter what the two did, Geralt took solace in knowing they would both be okay. His children, they would be okay as long as they had each other. And if they ever needed him for anything, he would always be there.

**A/N: Wow, wow, wow to be honest this whole chapter could have been three chapters itself as we get three short scenes of some goings on at Kaer Morhen. To clarify, the scene with Dominik, Ciri and his scar was three days after the battle, the one with them both and Freya was five days after, and the last one where they argued was one week after. Now, Dom's walking again, Ciri is still training, and soon we're going to finally be ready for the home stretch! First however, we have some pretty intense moments this chapters, let's go over them really quick. **

**In our first scene, I wanted to one, give us a sweet scene with Dominik and Ciri both, she gets some of the magical ointment for his scar, before they go and have a talk about one thing she had been dreading talking about, Emhyr. Now, Dominik will eventually learn what Emhyr tried to do, but for now I just wanted this to be a cute moment between lovers. Dom's scar is healing well, they talk about Emhyr, and cuddle together for what they think is going to be a romantic moment. **

**However, Avallac'h pulls probably the biggest c*ck block of all time xD **

**After that, we get a longer scene where it all finally comes out, we see Ciri finally learn about Dominik and Freya, and well this was very intense to write. In the books, I don't care what anyone says my opinion won't change, Mistle raped Ciri, and then Stockholm Syndrome kicked in for Ciri as she spent more time with the rats and that's why she kept sleeping with her, that's my interpretation of the book personally lol. However, in this version of events it was slightly different, we see that just like Dominik did with Freya, Ciri tried to use it to make the pain go away, the harmful memories, after such a traumatic experience she just wanted so badly to forget. **

**However, unlike Dominik she gave into the temptation as she said, and went all the way, sleeping with Mistle several times willingly. We see how guilty she feels for this, particularly when she learns about Dominik and Freya. We also get a conversation between Freya and her, where we learn a few more intimate details about the relationship Dom and Freya had, while they're great friends now, even Freya knew deep down back then it wasn't a love connection, Dominik's feelings for Ciri won out. I really loved writing this conversation with Freya and Ciri, because we learn just how strong they both are, and I am really looking forward to showing the friendship with them both. **

**And of course I couldn't help but end with a stupid joke xD (Note: NO, there will not actually be any threesomes lmao)**

**We get one more sweet moment in Dom's room, where we see the topic of sex bouncing around in Ciri's head. Now, I've had the M label on this story from the start, so yes, there will be intimate scene wrote for this story, and relatively soon as we can see that after eight years apart well, the sexual tension is there. However, as Ciri said, she had things she needs to tell him first, things they need to discuss. So yes, it's coming, there's going to be more than one as well. **

**Also another note, I have never written sex scenes before, so please don't expect any fifty shades of grey stuff when it does come lmao**

**And finally we get out last small part, where we see eight years of anger, annoyance, and worry all bubble over in Dominik and Ciri both, unfortunately however, it's directed towards each other. Thankfully however, Geralt is there to defuse the situation. I wanted to show that no, they don't agree all the time, but this conflict with Avallac'h while Dom's going to keep it to himself for now, we can see how he sees straight through the elf, and I can't wait to write more of it. **

**NOW, next chapter is a big one, after 64 chapters we are going to FINALLY learn the truth, the true secret behind Dominik's ancestors, and I have been so excited to write this for so long. I may have to break it up into two parts, however I have yet to determine that. It will explain a ton of things however, and I am beyond excited to finally bring it to you all! **

**So as usual, thank you all so, so much. This is the longest chapter of the story by far, I don't know if we'll have any longer ones, but this is easily a record for me xD We are almost there everyone, we're in the final third of the story, and we still have SO much to get through! I'll see you all next time, and again thank you all so much!**


	65. Protectors of the Blood

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 65: Protectors of the Blood**

**Narrator: The Battle of Kaer Morhen had come to an end, and it was victory for our defenders. However, it did not come without costs. Brave men died, and Dominik of Cintra, the Young Wolf was wounded and almost killed fighting Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt. However, after a week of careful treatment thanks to Freya Kaminski of Ellander, support and love from his friends, and most importantly having Ciri back by his side, Dominik is walking yet again. Meanwhile Ciri had been training to better control her powers with the elven sage Avallac'h. Soon they will all move out again, to take the fight to the Wild Hunt, to find Eredin, so that they may finally end him. However, while Ciri is training and Dominik is recovering, the young lovers take the few moments they have to finally spend quality time with one another after eight years apart. However, on a day where they plan to simply take a ride into the forest with one another, something goes astray, and Dominik will learn something pivotal to the destiny of Ciri and he both…**

"Hey buddy, good to see you again," Dominik said gently, as Ciri watched him lean forward and gently stroke the horse's mane.

She felt her heart grow warm, and she smiled broadly when she watched the white stallion eagerly bump his head against Dom's, before nuzzling his face into his shoulder. Her love's laugh filled her ears, and Ciri couldn't think of a single moment the last week that she had felt so elated, so much more pure joy then she did then, watching him laugh as his horse eagerly greeted him again. On the way he had told Ciri the story of how he met the animal, a few days after Rivia, he had been wondering alone through the forest, walking the whole time since the incident in the city. He had found the white stallion bone thin, fighting a pack of wolves, and his protective instinct kicked in. Dominik had saved the horse, which Ciri remembered that he did indeed name Clop again from the wolves, and nursed the animal back to health, before for the previous two years the stallion had practically been his best-friend, his only companion most times. He joked with Ciri that he felt the horse could practically read his mind, and initially she had laughed it off.

However, as she saw the horse eagerly nuzzling its head into his neck, and saw Dominik completely elated, Ciri was starting to believe it. The sun beat down on them, and the chilly breeze pleasantly blew through her hair, cooling her body as she lightly laughed. Looking at him laugh then, seeing him standing, walking, she didn't think anyone would believe that only eight days ago, Dominik had been minutes from dying. He was just like she always remembered now, full of life, energy, a huge smile on his face as he eagerly pet the horses head and mane, so warm, warm and alive, and his smile made her chest flutter. After so many days of her non-stop training, him recovering, seeing him so happy, it brought a broad smile to her face as well. And as the morning sun beat down on them both near the stables, she almost scoffed, still not believing Avallac'h had actually given her the morning off to go for a ride with him.

After yesterday, the argument they had, despite the fact he insisted she didn't have too, she wanted to do something special for him, even if it was small. She didn't tell him, but she saw the new unfinished crown of flowers he had been making her in his room, she had already been planning on doing something, but seeing he clearly had as well only spurred her on. She knew how much he wanted to ride, simply be out of the keep. So, she had went and begged the sage for just that morning lesson off, and she didn't know why but the sage had agreed rather easily, stating how maybe a small bit of time off would make her focus more, but he had been fervent she show up for their lesson in the afternoon. Ciri knew it was a small price to pay, so she had agreed, before eagerly collecting Dominik from his room and bringing him to the stables. She knew he was making her something, so she felt slightly bad that all she thought of was taking him for a ride through the forest, however, seeing his smile then, made her smirk grow even wider, and when he turned to her he gleefully laughed.

"Haha, Ciri this is Clop," He said gently guiding the stallion towards her and stroking the animal's neck again, "Basically been my best-friend the last two years. Clop this is Ciri."

The horse looked over and bopped Dom's head again, laughing he smiled and nodded, "Yes, THAT Ciri."

"You still talk to your horse," She asked with a smirk, and he laughed once more and rolled his eyes.

"Of course I do," He said with a smile, turning back he met the stallion's eyes, "Clop here can basically read my mind. Go on buddy say hi."

Ciri laughed lightly as the horse turned and cantered over to her. The animal truly was beautiful, with a sparkling white coat that the sun shone off of. She looked and met the animal's black eyes with a smile, and gently reached out to stroke its mane.

"Haha… hello there, it's so nice to meet you, he hasn't gotten on your nerves too much has he?" She asked the horse who responded by nickering, and Ciri swore she saw it roll its eyes.

Dominik playfully scoffed, "Traitor…"

Clop neighed and playfully batted his head against hers and nuzzled into her neck the same as he did Dominik's and Ciri laughed. She continued to laugh and pet the horse's neck, and behind the animal she saw Dominik leaning up against one of the posts of the stable, smiling at her, and Ciri took the minute to admire how well his face had healed.

He only wore a white top again, and Ciri found herself looking down at his chest as she normally did. She saw a piece of the long scar she knew ran diagonally down him, and felt her face get slightly red. He also had on the trousers to his armor, with his boots and of course the swallow and the wolf around his neck. She found herself smirking when she met his eyes, he smiled mischievously at her, his brown hair was soft and silky now as it blew in the wind, his gorgeous green eyes sparkled, and she couldn't find herself looking away from them. A cool breeze ran through her shoulders and they chilled above her top, it blew strands of her hair out of her face, and after gently patting Clop's neck once more she took a few small steps towards him when she noticed he hadn't stopped looking at her. Clop neighed and seemed to roll his eyes before he went to join with the other horses that were in the stables, Roach, along with a few other mares and horses were grazing, and Ciri quickly looked and saw the white stallion turn to join in.

She turned back around to see him sure enough still looking at her, and she couldn't help but laugh at the loving look he was giving her. The sun casted a beautiful glow over him as his shadow fell over her. Gently she walked up and met his eyes, and when he saw the look in them, she felt herself pleasantly tingle. His eyes, they bore into her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen as he leaned against the wooden support post, gently he stood off it and looked down at her. A small smile was on his face, and the gaze made her face heat up slightly as it normally did as well, and she soon found herself lightly laughing.

"Ha… and what are you smirking at," She said as she gently reached her hands up to wrap around his neck.

Smiling he laughed, and as her arms went around his neck, soon she felt herself gently pulled closer to him. Both his strong arms wrapped around her slim waist, around her corset to pull her closer until their chests were touching, she felt herself lean against his hard chest and it made her feel warm, he was still the warmest person she knew. He let out a breathless sigh and gently laughed as he shook his head again.

"What? Am I not allowed to just look and admire how beautiful you are from time to time?" He said with a slightly amused tone as he smirked at her.

She felt her face get hotter, but she chuckled and met his eyes, "No you are… but am I right in assuming you're trying to get another kiss like last night out of me?"

"Well… how close am I?" He said playfully as she felt his arm explore up her back before wrapping around her again.

Every bit of her back he touched she felt herself pleasantly shudder, she chuckled again, after biting her lip for a moment she playfully looked at him. She leaned up closer to his ear and lightly whispered, as she did she could feel him shudder, along with the hairs on his neck stand up.

"Pretty close… but you know, I've told you, you can just ask me to kiss you, you don't have to suck up for me to do it," She said before she pulled back and smirked at him.

She laughed more when she saw how red he got, how flustered he got before he slowly nodded and stuttered, "Ha.. can… can you-."

"Yes, yes I can," She said with a triumphant smile, before leaning up and kissing him.

The night before after they argued, after she went to his room to apologize, she found herself laying in his bed, cuddling into him and kissing him for almost an hour. It wasn't until she realized she'd be late for one of her lessons that she left, telling him that if he took a bath she'd come back later. He had, and she indeed had kept her promise. The previous night had felt like the first true night she spent with him. She fell asleep in his bed plenty of times when they were younger, but last night, falling asleep with his arms around her, leaning against his chest, it had felt absolutely perfect when she awoke. She managed to slip out of bed and go to meet with Avallac'h to ask him to skip the morning lesson. She could see how elated he had been that whole previous night, they had talked about smaller stories they both had, she listened with bated breath at some of the contracts he had completed. He had told her about the tribe of skin changers he had saved up in Kovir, and the time he fought what he thought would be a grave hag but turned out to be a necromancer gone crazy.

Of course there had been kissing in between, and a small part of her laughed realizing Geralt had been right. A large part of why they had both been so angry the day before, was the pure fact they hadn't been able to spend true, quality time with one another. So, after the previous night, she knew he felt just as refreshed as she did. He was finally able to walk, and the next day he would finally begin some basics of training again. After a day or two of that, Freya had said he should be ready for real training, and Geralt, Faram, George, Letho, Gaeten and of course Ciri herself had offered to help get him back into shape. It wouldn't take long for him too she knew, and before they knew it, it would finally be time.

Finally time for them to bring the fight to the Hunt, and after they had beat them, they both were planning on creating new stories, together, across every single part of the continent.

He squeezed tighter, and breathlessly laughed between each kiss she gave him, "Ha… I… I love you… god I… I missed you."

"I missed you too…glad… glad you didn't forget how to kiss me," She said jokingly, and as soon as she did he deepened the kiss.

He pulled back and leaned his forehead against her for a moment, he breathlessly laughed and Ciri held his face as he spoke, "Ha… I… I could never forget… I'll never get tired of it either."

"Good…" She said softly, leaning closer to his ear again with a small laugh, "Because… I missed you… a lot… and you've gotten even more handsome since I saw you last."

He laughed, and when she felt his hands go under her thighs she did as well. He lifted her up and quickly she wrapped her legs around his waist as she felt herself begin to laugh ever more at the sound of him doing the same. She felt like she was flying for a moment before she looked down at him while still holding his face in her hands. She felt his hands under her thighs and lightly shuddered with a breathless smile as she looked down to meet his loving gaze. He smiled back up at her, and the love in his eyes, it washed over her, he still looked at her like nothing else mattered, gently he leaned up and pecked her on the lips again.

"And… you're even more beautiful then I could have imagined," He said with a genuine look of amazement on his face, and the compliment made her face heat up even more.

She laughed lightly and gingerly ran her right thumb over his new scar. He shuddered lightly at her touch, and she was about to say something, but that was when she felt him kiss the side of her neck. She let out a breathless moan before she could even think, she felt that tingle run from the spot on her neck, all the way down her body, before she felt herself scoff and look down at him.

"Such a gentleman… you know… I say we make this ride a little interesting," She said playfully, as she smiled down at him.

He chuckled and let her legs slide back down to the ground, "Oh yeah? What do you got in mind princess?"

She smirked as regrettably she felt his hands leave her waist. He met her smirk with one of his own as he looked down at her. Biting her lip she held onto his arm as the afternoon breeze gently blew both their hair. It was truly a beautiful day, and Ciri hadn't experienced one like it in such a long time. A perfect day, her, Dominik, horses, she had a lesson later yes, but that night they'd get together with Geralt and all their friends, Freya said she'd make dumplings which were Ciri's favorite. And to finish it off, she'd cuddle up in bed with him, they'd talk for hours and fall asleep.

And she was even debating making that the night, the night she finally told him everything. She had thought about it the previous night, while they were both in bed, but something had stopped her, telling her the time wasn't right, so she held off. Like he was then as the breeze shot through them both, he had been so, so happy, and so was she, she didn't want to ruin the moment they were having. She had still been undecided on whether to tell him that night in the moment, but either way, after their fight the day before, and how hard they had both been working, she wanted something special that night.

So, she smiled and met his eyes as they were glistening in the sunlight, "We race a few miles out and back… if I win.. you have to cook the two of us dinner, and before you ask no, you can't have Freya help you."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, "You know that it may turn out horrible."

She chuckled and smirked at him, "I know, but I still want you to try. You'll cook us dinner, and we'll have dinner in your room, and you can recite your play for me, from beginning to end."

The smile that grew on his face made her heart flutter, and she again took a second to appreciate the glow the sun casted over him. He laughed and let his hands fall to his side, and she smirked when he wrapped them both around her waist again.

"Okay… and if I win?" He said playfully as he looked down to meet her eyes.

It was her turn to playfully laugh, she felt herself chuckling as she bit her lip again. Slowly she brought her lips up to his ear, and as she softly spoke into his ear and held his arm, she right away felt the goosebumps run up them.

"If you win well… I could use a bath," She said playfully and right away she noticed his eyes widen before she laughed and went on, "And Freya says it's good for your leg to soak in hot water, helps it loosen, so if you win… maybe you could join me?"

She pulled back and when she saw his widened, flustered look she felt herself laugh uncontrollably. He stuttered and Ciri couldn't help it, she gently wrapped her arms around his neck, and right away he did the same around her waist. She kept smirking up at him, she had really meant it, she still didn't want to go all the way until she told him everything, but that didn't mean she didn't find the prospect of a bath with him enticing herself. She felt herself lightly shake and smile as she imagined it, and it only increased when she brought one hand down to his chest.

His face was completely red, and Ciri smirking at him didn't help it go away any. He managed to breathlessly laugh as he slowly nodded at her.

"Ha…ye…yeah…that… that sounds like a deal," He stuttered, and Ciri found herself laughing again as she felt the warm sunlight hit her face.

Quickly she leaned up and kissed him quickly, before pulling back with a smirk, "Okay, good, now let's see which one of these mares I'll beat you and Clop with before we-."

She was cut off, and both their heads turned around when they heard Clop nickering behind them, followed by a ***THUD*** as she noticed something fall from the horse's saddle. It fell out of one of the stallion's saddlebags and landed in a pile of hay. She narrowed her eyes and all she saw was a bundle of brown leather, a book, and she scoffed turning back to Dominik, who's face was no longer red as he also looked curiously at the book.

"Ha, I didn't take you for that much a reader on the Path," She joked with him, as he looked back to her and gently laughed.

He smiled at her and gently shook his head, "I read yeah but… that's not a textbook or anything, I almost completely forgot about it."

Slowly he left her grasp, and for a moment Ciri heard the wind begin to howl in her ears. She felt her skin slightly begin to tingle as she watched Dominik slowly reach down and pick up the leather-bound book. Carefully, she took a few steps towards him, and with every steps she just felt something was off. Her eyes fell on the book, and when she stood next to him and saw the cover, her eyes narrowed for a moment and then widened.

"Dom… where did you get this?" She said as she gently ran her hand over the coat of arms on the leather cover.

The sun beat down her neck as her heart began to race. She recognized the coat of arms, she had only seen it once or twice, but it was distinct enough for her to remember. Two swords crossed, and below those blades was the intricately drawn head of a dragon. Her gaze shifted down and she noticed the words, _'Proktechers oe te bloed,', _was written under the coat of arms, along with the initials _A.L. _She looked around Dom's neck as he held the book and could see his medallion lightly humming, and around her waist she felt the cat one doing the same. It was clearly magic on the closed book, but it wasn't the magic, or the fact she recognized the symbol that made Ciri worry, it was the tingling at the base of her neck. She felt almost as if she should know, know who _A.L. _was, and why the journal was important.

Dominik looked down and met her eyes, "Got it when Geralt and I were on our way to get you. We saved a Salamandra convoy, in their cart, I found this journal, and a potion."

"Salamandra?" Ciri asked as she didn't recognize the name.

He shook his head, "Long story, Geralt will tell you later. But in the cart this… this book it… it called out to me. Remember how you told me Brokolon called to you? And then when you went it was when you met Geralt?"

Ciri scoffed and nodded, "Of course I do, I could never forget. You… you're saying this thing, and a potion called to you?"

Slowly he nodded as their eyes stayed locked, "Yeah it… it kept saying things about destiny, how my destiny was near. I.. was skeptical at first, but I'm glad I took them. If I hadn't drank that potion, well… I don't know if either of us would be here."

"What do you mean?" She asked as a hundred questions started to fill her mind.

Sighing he bit his lip, "When… when I drank the potion I.. unlocked my carrier powers. It.. it unlocked the strands of DNA that were closed like I told you about. But… but I also had a vision, a vision of a man."

"A man? Did you know who it was?" She asked him right away.

Shaking his head he sighed again, "No but… I think it was my ancestor, the one who gave me my powers. He.. he told me if all seemed lost to remember the words, 'ae minne taedh essea heyu' and-."

"That was the spell you used to calm my powers…" Ciri said slowly as she tore her head back down to the journal, "If.. if that potion showed you your ancestor, then… then maybe this book could have belonged to him. I… recognize the coat of arms."

"That's what I started thinking but… you do? Where have you seen it before?" He quickly asked her, his voice getting slightly frantic.

She bit her lip and looked back up to him, "I… saw it once or twice in Avallach's notes. I.. don't know what it means but…"

"If it's in your nanny elf's notes… it has to be old," Dominik said, and Ciri rolled her eyes at his words before he looked back at the book and sighed, "I just wish I could get the damn thing open, now that I found you… if I can learn who my ancestor is, then I can figure out more about my own powers."

Ciri felt her love for him spike in that moment. She remembered back after she had awoken, when they were talking in that hut on the Isle of Mists. He had told her he hadn't inquired more about his powers, because all he wanted to do was focus on her. She had known that if he figured out who his ancestor was, then he'd have a much easier time learning to master his powers and could learn just how far his magic could go. She had seen a great glimpse of it during the battle, the whirling magic around his limbs, the power that was put into his signs, he moved at speeds that Ciri didn't know possible, and in the end even after so much fighting, he had stood for a good amount of time against Eredin. She also could see the slightly enthused look he got, he wanted to know, he wanted to know who had given him the powers, especially if his ancestor had given him the spell to calm her in the vision. She knew '_Proktechers oe te bloed', _translated to 'protectors of the blood', and as soon as she read the words, and thought them over, the thought finally came to her.

They had always known, but it seemed that Dominik and she truly were linked by destiny, even more then just by the fact his parents had said so. She had always known and loved this fact, she loved him, and as she grew she began to realize, he truly was one of her destinies, him and Geralt. The man she loved also happened to be her destiny, that was a part of the reason they had found each other, and if Ciri ever had any luck or good fortune in her life, it was the fact that was true, the person she loved was her destiny, and he loved her back just as fiercely.

However, another reason that even Ciri herself was curious to figure out who his ancestor was, was because of the Hunt's reaction to him. Eredin himself had referred to him as 'his descendant', and Ciri knew Dominik even more so then her, wanted to know who 'he' was that the Hunt kept referring too. Whoever it was, they had to have pissed the Hunt off enough to make them willing to leave Ciri be, to leave her there while Eredin himself personally tried to kill their descendant. She could even remember Eredin commenting how he killed that ancestor's children, his son and daughter, and now he wanted to end the line by killing Dominik. She wouldn't let that happen, he wouldn't get Dominik, she would die before she did. However, she needed to learn control first, and she also knew that Dominik wanted to fight Eredin again, to make him pay for chasing her for all those years. They couldn't both kill the King in their current state she knew, but there was no way if she could help it that she'd make him fight alone again. They'd train together, they'd grow even stronger together.

And if figuring out who his ancestor was helped that, then Ciri was ready to help him.

She looked up and nodded at him, "You're right, I'm going to help you… we just need to figure out how to get it open. It looks like it's locked."

He breathlessly laughed and nodded at her, "Thanks princess…. And it is, no matter what Geralt and I tried it wouldn't open."

"Let me see," She said gingerly taking it from his hands.

He looked at her as she examined the journal, and it didn't seem like anything particularly special. It was like any normal leather-bound journal you could by in the market. She bit her lip in concentration as she turned it. The horses near them nickered, and the sun beat down on her neck, she could feel Dom looking at her waiting with bated breath. She wanted to help him, however she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. The wind shot through her bun and loose strands of hair, and she finally let out a sigh before she turned around to look at the latch.

And that was when she first noticed the seal.

"Did you see this here…" Ciri said, holding it up to him, and he leaned his head down next to her, "I… think I've seen something like this before too."

A sort of faded glyph was imprinted onto the metal latch. It was faded to the point where if you weren't looking for something then you wouldn't have noticed. She felt one of his arms wrap around her waist, and he leaned his head down over her shoulder to look. A small smile came to her face at his touch, but when she met his eyes he gently shook his head.

"No… I didn't, but to be fair I was kind of rushing, had something much, much more important to get too when I found it," He said with a slightly amused tone as he smirked at her.

She scoffed out a small laugh as she smiled back at him. Quickly she leaned to kiss his cheek and smiled at his flustering face before looking back to the journal. The glyph looked extremely familiar the longer she looked at it. Just like she had with the coat of arms, she had seen it multiple times on a few of the books Avallac'h had carried with him. She looked to see he had gently removed his arm from her waist and came in front of her. Around his neck she could see the eyes of his medallion slightly humming, it confirmed her theory and she looked up to meet his eyes as the sun casted their shadows over the ground.

She smirked and scoffed, "I'll remember that compliment later. But… like I said, I think I recognize what this glyph is now."

He chuckled and smiled once more before looking at the book in her hands, "You're full of surprises today princess. Where'd you see it? Did nanny elf have something like it again?"

Rolling her eyes she nodded, "Yes he did…. It's a blood seal, Avallac'h has a similar symbol around some of his books."

"A blood seal? Sounds painful," He joked with her, and Ciri managed to let out a small laugh.

She met his eyes with a smirk, handing him back the journal she shook her head, "Not hard at all actually. All it needs is a tiny drop of blood from either the one who casted the spell, or someone with their shared blood. So, if this journal is really your ancestors…"

"Then looks like I need to borrow your dagger," He said with a smirk as he gestured down to her waist, "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," She said as she eagerly slid the sleek knife out of her belt and twirled it before she held it out for him, "Did Yen or anyone have any guesses on who it might be?"

He reached out to take the knife from her and shook his head, "No, I did see she was reading a book in Skellige on old houses. She was trying to see if any had a powerful mage…. Whoever it is though, clearly they majorly pissed off Eredin, enough to where he was willing to fight me."

"And apparently he killed them too… and their children," Ciri said, as she felt her heartbeat begin to increase and her skin crawled.

Right away he saw the change in her mood and gently shook his head. He smiled broadly at her and took a step closer, he laughed lightly and met her eyes.

"Don't worry princess, if we can figure this out, maybe next time I'll last longer," He said in an obvious attempt to cheer her up.

She sighed in annoyance and rolled her eyes, "You know, I really wish you wouldn't joke about that…"

After she narrowed her eyes at him he lightly chuckled and shook his head, "Okay, okay I'm sorry. But seriously, don't worry… not going anywhere I promise. Now, you ready to figure out where I got my super magic blood powers from?"

She let out a shaky breath and met his eyes. In them, she could see the excited enthralled look, she knew that he had reason to be like that. For so long he must have been wondering who passed the powers down to him. She remembered he said for a carrier's powers to unlock, they needed to start using magic, unlock their DNA completely, and sometimes there was a third trigger, one set by the mage who passed down the power that completed the activation. However, they didn't know if he had a third trigger, from what she had seen, the power he showed, she had just assumed it was already unlocked, but the knowledge of who the ancestor was, was something that could help them greatly. She thought it was ridiculous herself, but she knew he thought he could have done more for her, beaten Eredin, done more damage so she could have escaped, somehow prevented everything that happened to her.

Ciri had assumed most woman's boyfriends wouldn't fight the King of the Wild Hunt for them, however, despite her and everyone's insistence, she knew he thought he could have done more. In reality, she knew it was herself who could have done more, in the previous week, she'd had plenty of nightmares, seeing Dominik get cut by Eredin's blade, his body lifeless underneath her, the explosions, Declan and Arno's sacrifice, and of course her powers unleashing. It all led to what they were doing now, preparing for that final push, so that she could finally, finally get that life she wanted, that life with herself, Dominik and her family. Their last journey in this chapter of their lives would begin soon, as soon as they left Kaer Morhen, and it would possibly be even more dangerous then the previous one.

However, Dominik and she would both have each other for this one, and she knew figuring out who his ancestor was would greatly help them. So even though she felt the anxiousness in her rise, from thinking about their entire situation, she was calmed by his enthused look, the smile he gave her in that moment. She managed to sigh as a small smile came to her face, she gently nodded and met his eyes as the wind whipped through his brown hair.

"Alright, let's do it, just hurry up," She said jokingly as she smirked up at him, "We have a race, and a wager to get underway but maybe… we can just race for fun, and can do both those things tonight, because I really do need a bath."

He got all red again and scoffed out a breathless laugh before nodding, "Ha… I like that idea…. Okay, let's see how this goes."

Ciri watched as he slid the book under his arm, before carefully bringing her knife up to his bare palm. With a quick flick of his wrist she felt her skin crawl as he winced, and she saw the light drops of crimson blood come from her knife in the sunlight. He blinked for a minute before smirking and handing her back her dagger. She took it gingerly and wiped the small bit of blood on it off on her corset, before sliding the knife back into the sheath she had for it. The wind howled in her ears yet again, as all the horses behind her nickered impatiently, and the sweat from the beating sun trickled down her neck.

"Alright… now lets see if this works," He said, before bringing his left hand up over the book.

Gently he placed his hand on the latch, and Ciri's eyes widened, because the moment Dominik's bloody hand touched the latch, sure enough the magic worked. Her heartbeat increased as a bright blue light encircled the journal, the same color that their powers exhumed when they unleashed. Dominik backed his head up, and Ciri saw the light bounce off his emerald eyes, and thought for a moment he was going to drop it, but then a loud ***POP* **ripped through the air, and she saw the latch to the book explode open. She had to take a step back as her heart nearly leapt from her chest. After looking back she saw the book looked as if it was barely touched, and as the sun beat down onto them both, she gently looked up to meet Dom's eyes.

"Ha… looks like you were right princess, gods… this things making my medallion go crazy," He commented, Ciri looked around his neck, and sure enough his wolf medallion was vibrating almost uncontrollably.

Slowly she nodded and took a step closer to him, "Yeah… I can practically feel the magic exhuming off of it. What's it say inside? Does it have a name or anything?"

Carefully Dominik flipped through the pages. Ciri walked up next to him as she felt the wind begin to howl even harder, and suddenly as if it only took a few seconds, the clouds came and covered the sun. Dominik kept his eyes down on the pages, but Ciri tore her gaze up to the sky. Clouds had indeed come rolling in, and behind her she looked and saw Clop, along with all the horses neighing and bucking nervously. A cold breeze shot through her body, and her bare shoulders quivered. Looking back up, she saw the clouds were getting dark as they slowly continued to roll in.

Dominik spoke up next to her and tore her gaze back to him, "It's… blank, all of it's blank, well that was… anticlimactic."

"Blank? That's impossible, why would your ancestor put a blood seal on his journal if he wasn't hiding anything?" Ciri asked, as she began to shiver from the now potent wind.

"Don't know… maybe this isn't… wait… wait here it is. Kinda weird how it's the same words on every page though…" He said slowly, and she quickly looked down at the old pages, just as the sunlight was replaced by cloud cover.

She shakily sighed from the cold, but her eyes widened again, and her blood started to race when she saw the pages. Dominik's eyes were intently flipping through pages, examining them all as if he was actually interested in what they said. However, no matter how hard Ciri tuned her vision, she couldn't see anything at all. The first drop of rain fell on the pages of the book, and that was when she looked up to Dominik.

"Dom… those pages are blank, what are you talking about?" She asked him, as the drops of rain started gently spitting at them.

He looked at her incredulously as his brown hair started to blow to the side in the wind. Rain slowly started to hit her head, and the fact he seemed so convinced, so sure that their were words on the page worried her, she thought for a moment that perhaps he had hit his head during the fight with Eredin harder then she had first assumed. Behind them the horses knickered, and as the wind howled she looked down at the pages again. She tried to narrow her eyes, blink, anything, but no matter what she did, all she saw was the wet spots the raindrops were leaving on the pages. She looked back and he laughed lightly and shook her head as he turned back to the pages.

"What do you mean, clear as day, huge letters… you recognize the words," He asked as he flipped a few pages and landed on one before he looked back to her, "_Rostiel te bloed aep bloed, _you know, I really should have taken those elder speech lessons with you and Triss when-."

He stopped talking, and Ciri saw his eyes go wide. His green irises stayed put in a look of shock, and his arm which Ciri had reached to grab had gone completely stiff. He was using both hands to hold the book open and he still did, it was propped open on one page, and Ciri still didn't see anything on it before she looked back up to him.

"Dom? What were you saying, what is it," She said as she grabbed onto his arm.

And when he didn't respond that was when she first knew something was wrong. She narrowed her eyes and felt her heart begin to race, a loud ***BOOM* **of distant thunder clapped ahead, and the horses behind her bucked and neighed, the rain started to come down harder, quickly drenching her ashen locks, but she didn't care about any of it in that moment, because as she shook him, gripped his arm harder… he still didn't move. He was a stiff as a piece of wood, and frantically she felt her heart race, the ring around her neck trembled as she quickly got back in front of him and grabbed his face.

"Dominik!? Dom, this isn't funny at all, what's wrong," She said as she felt her skin begin to crawl, her heart almost beat out of her chest, and as she tried to move his head nothing worked. She stood on her toes and looked directly into his eyes, her voice rising to a panic, "DOMINIK!? Dom!? Dom, do you hear me!? It's me, Ciri, come on what's wrong!?"

But he still didn't respond, and his body still hadn't moved. She slowly shook her head as her arms began to tremble, she gently slid her shaking hands to his chest. For a moment she was horrified, but then she felt his heartbeat still going. His eyes were unresponsive, but his chest lightly rose and fell, everything else however, it all stayed stiff, and the rain pounded down on his head, his shirt became drenched, the thunder boomed again overhead, and that was when Ciri began to panic.

"DOMINIK!? DOM COME ON, IT'S ME CIRI," She started begging as she shook his shoulders, she was beginning to have horrible flashbacks to him unresponsive after the battle, so she only shook even more fiercely as she looked deep into his eyes, "DOM!? DOM WHAT'S WRONG, SAY SOME-."

Ciri was cut off when his eyes flashed completely bright blue, and he completely crumpled to the ground, just as another massive boom of thunder ripped overhead.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Urgh… fuck my head… I need to stop passing out like this," Dominik said with a shake of his head, as all he could see as he blinked was fuzzy images.

He had no idea where he was, the last thing he remembered was seeing Ciri's face, talking to her, but then out of nowhere he felt the magic surge in him. It felt as if his bones all at once had been shocked with a bolt of lightning, and that was when he saw nothing but white. He didn't remember hitting the ground, other then the headache he didn't feel any pain other than the throbbing of his brain. Looking down as his vision began to clear, he saw he was wearing exactly what he had been wearing when he passed out. His medallion and the silver swallow bounced on his chest, he wore the same boots, trousers, shirt, and much to his regret he still felt the throbbing, tingling pain in his right leg. He hadn't admitted it to anyone, not even Ciri, but there were still moments when his wound would erupt and feel like it was on fire. However, he knew he had much more important things to worry about in that moment.

Like figuring out where the hell he had gone, as his senses retuned and his blurry vision finally cleared, he could see he clearly wasn't at Kaer Morhen anymore.

"Where the hell am I… medallion's going crazy," He groaned to himself as he shakily stood up and finally he managed to look around.

His leg trembled still, but after steadying himself he felt the warmth of the fire. Slowly he craned his head and he was in what looked to be a large bedroom, a master bedroom. He noticed a large four poster bed, along with two massive bookshelves. Multiple tables, chests, containers, it was as if someone was meant to be shacked up in that room for weeks. He noticed mortars and pestles, magic amulets, a few old swords, and even a megascope. Scoffing he heard the fire crackling in his ears and felt the flames warm him. His cheek lightly throbbed, and as he gently moved his leg trembled. Shakily he sighed as he walked over to the megascope, carefully he ran his hand over where he knew the crystal was supposed to go.

"Looks exactly like Yen's, where the hell did-. FUCK," He said as out of nowhere, he saw the megascope begin to slightly shift, as if his vision were moving in front of him, and as his medallion began humming more incessantly, he let out a relaxed breath and scoffed.

He looked closer at the table next to the megascope and saw the shimmering as well, and finally he sighed as his theory was confirmed.

"An illusion… pretty damn powerful one too… spell I saw must have been the trigger," He said as he scoffed and gently fiddled with the swallow around his neck, "Sucked me in… and Ciri didn't see the words… because only someone with my blood could see it."

A hearty laugh came from behind him, "Bahaha! Clever my boy! I would expect nothing less however, from what I've seen, those witchers have trained you well!"

"FUCK," He yelled as his heart nearly leaped out of his chest and he whirled around, he hadn't seen anyone in the room before, but he yelled, "What the hell, you scared the-… it's you. I… I saw you, saw you when I drank that potion!"

The old blonde man laughed again and smirked wildly at him, "Haha yes indeed my boy! Old spell my daughter came up with, utter genius that girl was. Simple really, it tames out of control magic, calms it, but only if you're strong enough yourself!"

Dominik scoffed, "It nearly fucking killed me too but… well I should be thanking you then, if… if I didn't have it, I… wouldn't have been able to save Ciri."

An even more wicked smirk came to the old man's face, "Ahhh young love! Nothing more heartwarming then that! You and that Cirilla HA, like a new Cregan and Lara, even though thankfully for you, you inherited my looks as opposed to his!"

He floundered for a moment as he looked at the eccentric looking old man. Dominik scoffed as he thought the man had appeared out of nowhere. He had thought that the man he saw in the vision when he drank the potion was his ancestor but seeing him now only made him flounder. In the vision, the man had been sage like, composed, and had deathly serious green eyes. Now however, the old man before him looked like a loon. He wore elegant black robes, with streaks of grey, but he also noticed the coat of arms sewed into the chest. Two swords crossed over a dragon's head, exactly like he had seen on the journal. His gaze went to the man's left hand, he held a large pure white staff, and at the top he saw a crystal ball that was held in place by the tight branches. The ball swirled with what seemed to be orange fire, however, the staff wasn't the man's only weapon, an elegant longsword was at his hip, the bright steel glinted, and it seemed like it could almost be a witchers blade. Dominik's skin was warmed by the crackling fire, but he felt all his breath leave him when he looked up to the man's face.

The first thing he noticed was how extremely long his hair was. His straight, silky looking blonde hair went all the way down to his waist, it was streaked with bits of grey, white, and his beard was even longer. The old man's beard was tied into intricate knots and fell down to above his stomach, but it was also frizzy, sticking out at all angles, and the man's pale, old, leathery hands were covered in old scars and burn marks. His gaze traveled up to the man's face, he had a crooked, tiny old nose, but a broad, eccentric smile was on his face, as if he was finally elated to see someone after being stuck in that illusion for so long. Around his face, Dominik saw more old cut and burn marks, his leathery, pale old skin slightly sagged, but he still maintained his smile. Dominik didn't believe for a few seconds that this was his ancestor, the old man, even if Dominik imagined him as younger, looked absolutely nothing like him.

However, when he looked up at the old man's eyes, all of his doubts were erased.

As he looked at them, he couldn't help but marvel at how exactly similar the man's eyes were to his. A shining, sparkling, dark emerald green. Ciri had told Dominik multiple times he had almond shaped eyes, and when he smiled, his irises would seem to grow three sizes. And as he looked at the man then, he saw the exact same thing. However, even with the man's eyes looking almost exactly identical to him, he gazed back down at the rest of him. The old man stood there smirking wildly with his staff against the ground, the fire crackled and glowed off his leathery skin, it was a stark contrast to the man he had seen during the vision.

Narrowing his eyes Dominik spoke carefully, "You… um… look… a… little different, then you did when I saw you in that vision."

The old man scoffed and laughed heartily again, "Haha that's because I planted that message just before I died! Told my children how to do it, GODS I was strong then!"

Again Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "Planted it? What are you talking about, how… how is that possible?"

Quickly the old man laughed yet again and shook his head, "Baha my boy, I would love to sit and talk about the ins and outs of magic with you, I'd even whip us up some tea if we had time, Lara always said I made the best earl grey! But we have little time! We must get moving!"

The old man went to turn around, but Dominik's head started to spin, and he quickly took a few limping steps to come up next to the old man's staff.

"Hold up, who are you!? Are you my ancestor, how the hell did you get stuck in an illusion? I've heard of whole worlds being stuck in books like this, but I.. I need to get out, Ciri's probably going crazy, last thing I remember is my powers flashing in my eyes!" He said to the old man, who quickly turned back to face him.

For the first time, Dominik saw the old man's face soften. He smiled softly down at him, even in such an old age the man was extremely tall, and he gently gazed into Dominik's emerald eyes with his own, the eyes he had passed all the way down to him apparently. For a moment, Dominik thought that the man looked like one of the stereotypical wizards you'd see in old fairytales. His staff's crystal ball of fire whirled as the fire in the hearth crackled, and soon the wild smirk appeared back in the old man's face as he lightly chuckled and bowed to him.

"Aha, you must forgive my manners my boy, in old age they're the first thing that starts to go! Alexander of Lod! It's a pleasure to finally meet you Dominik, I'm your great, great, great, great…." The old man started to trail off, as if he was trying to think of the exact number of great's that came between him and Dominik, but eventually gave up and scoffed, "Bah I don't know the exact number. Bottom line is, I'm you're great grandfather!"

Dominik felt his blood turn to ice as his jaw dropped, "L…Lod? Like… like… Cregan of Lod? Does… does that mean-."

"That you and Cirilla are distant cousins? Nay, nay don't worry lad," Alexander said with a small laugh and wave of his hand, "Cregan was my brother, will always be! However, in reality I was adopted, our parents saved me from the streets of Lan Exeter when I was a child, so… technically we don't share blood Cregan and I. You and your Cirilla can fuck till your heart's content, with the knowledge, you're NOT distantly related!"

"That…that isn't what I was going to ask…" Dominik said, feeling his face get completely red and his heart fall to the pit of his stomach.

Alexander tilted his head, "Huh… to be honest I thought that was gonna be the first thing you asked… forget I mentioned it. What is it lad? We must hurry! I don't know how much time we'll have!"

Dominik's heart nearly beat out of his chest. He scoffed in his head as he remembered the book, the book that Yennefer had been reading in Skellige. His adopted mother had turned the page of the notes concerning the House of Lod, it only had two members, Cregan and Alexander, both considered to be powerful sorcerers, it had said Alexander was a student of Cregan. And for the longest time he had heard the story of Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod, Cregan was said to be one of the most powerful sorcerers to ever walk the continent, so powerful that he was apparently able to meet and fall in love with Lara Dorren, and Aen Elle elf from a completely different world. He had memorized Lara and Cregan's story, what with them being Ciri's ancestors, the reason she had her gifts and powers that day. It all started with Lara Dorren, the power of the Elder Blood in her veins, and with Cregan of Lod, the most powerful sorcerer to ever have lived according to some.

And that man's brother had apparently learned everything from him, and that brother was Dominik's ancestor.

He felt himself stuttering as he met Alexander's eyes, "Does… does that mean… I… I've really been connected to Ciri this… this whole time?"

Alexander's eyes grew soft again, the man gave a genuine grandfatherly smile and nodded, "Yes my boy… I have only been able to observe you since you came into contact with the journal, but… I can see the connection you have with Cirilla… and to answer your question yes lad. The whole time when you were younger, and you were told, that your destinies were linked… it was the truth. Your parents didn't know the entire story behind it… but they were right."

Another horrifying thought came to his head, he suddenly felt the scar on his right cheek throb, and his right leg begin to tremble. _"I will finally end his line…." "I not only killed your ancestor… but his son… his daughter…"_ the words of Eredin echoed in his ears. He knew that after Cregan and Lara had their child Riannon, that the Aen Elle were furious, called it a disgrace to their race, and a combination of angry human's and elves were the ones to kill the two lovers. The Aen Elle hated Cregan for what he had done, considered it the ultimate dishonor to their race, having their prized daughter fall in love with a human. He remembered how the Hunt had been targeting himself specifically during the battle, he heard Caranthir, Baelen, even Avallac'h refer to him as 'his' descendant. The entire time, Dominik had been furious, just wishing someone would shout out a name, and why they hated him so much. However, it was all clear now.

Cregan of Lod had committed the ultimate crime in the eyes of the Hunt, the Aen Elle, so Dominik had to assume they had just as much hatred, and loathing for his brother Alexander… and Dominik was his descendant.

"And… and I'm guessing that's why the Hunt, REALLY wants to kill me," Dominik said slowly, as for a moment he looked at the swallow around his neck, before looking to meet Alexander's eyes, "Also why Avallac'h seems to have hated my guts since before he met me…that fucker knew…"

"BAH, of course he did, arrogant prick," Alexander said with an eye roll before looking back down at him, "I must apologize lad… as I'm sure you know, the Aen Elle they… weren't very fond of Cregan, and after what I did oho, they weren't happy with me either. And now you bear the consequences"

"Wh… what did you do? I wouldn't put it past them to hate you just because you're Cregan's brother but… it has to be something more for Eredin himself to want to fight me," Dominik asked as his skin began to tremble.

Quickly Alexander nodded, "Aye my boy… I did. That is what I am here to tell you about today. I left the journal, a part of my consciousness inside it to help any of my descendants, after their powers were fully activated, and they came into contact with the book, they would be able to finally open it, and I would be able to aid them."

Dominik's heart began to beat quicker, that had been something he had wondered since he drank the potion itself. Yennefer had explained that for a carrier's abilities to fully activate, they needed to begin using magic, and also fully unlocked all their strands of DNA. However, sometimes the mage who passed down the powers placed a third stipulation, or trigger that would finally give the wielder full control of their abilities, able to summon all the power they inherited. That was a reason his adopted mother, and himself after he had found Ciri, was so anxious to figure out who his ancestor was, because if there really was a third stipulation to unlock his powers fully, the only way they'd be able to figure out was to know who it was.

He had thought that he had full control, he was able to activate the magic at will with great difficulty, but he was able to do it nonetheless during the battle. However, it had been erratic, and hard for him to control. During his fight with Eredin he nearly felt himself lose it multiple times, becoming sloppy, reckless, and while he did get a few solid hits in, Eredin had taken full advantage of his recklessness and almost killed him, this had led Dominik to think that maybe he didn't have full control.

Now however, in that room as the fire crackled, Dominik had his ancestor in front of him. This crazy, eccentric looking old man was apparently the powerful sorcerer who had given him his powers, the magic whirling around his limbs, the light flashing in his eyes, his much more powerful signs. After worrying about it for so many weeks, hearing Alexander say he had full control made him both relieved and worried. If he had full control, then he didn't know why the power had been so erratic during the battle, he assumed it was because he hadn't trained enough with them. He could also ask however, if this was simply due to him not having the third trigger, which would contradict what Alexander had just said.

He scoffed and shook his head at the old man, "So… you're telling me my powers are fully unlocked? There's no third stipulation then, like a certain thing I have to do or touch?"

Alexander scoffed and shook his head, "Ha, my boy of course I put a third stipulation! But like I said, your powers are fully unlocked. You've had that special stipulation, that third trigger active since you were eleven years old, you simply didn't have control during the battle because-."

"Wait, wait hold on," Dominik said quickly cutting the old man off as he felt his heart begin to race even faster. He looked and met Alexander's amused eyes, "You… said that I've had part of my powers unlocked since I was eleven? How, I didn't start using magic until I started using witcher signs a month ago!"

Alexander tilted his head curiously at him, "You really never noticed my boy? While you were traveling, haven't you ever had a moment where you felt yourself, move faster unexpectantly, take a hit you didn't think you'd survive and then get a jolt of energy?"

Dominik scoffed at first, but as he thought more, he realized the old man was correct. As he stood there a small trickle of sweat went down his neck from the fire as he remembered. He had always used to call it his, 'second wind', during his years alone. There had been times where he had been extremely hurt, fighting a monster much faster then him, or simply feel drained. However, when he thought about why he had to get back up, why he had to continue fighting, he'd feel that jolt of energy, something pick him back up. He'd perform a combo or dodge he didn't think he could have; he'd feel as if a burst of energy had been shot through him.

Was that really his powers? Had his powers been helping keep him alive during the last eight years without him even knowing? He couldn't think of anything, anything at all that could have happened to activate his powers, but apparently they had indeed been keeping him safe. Yennefer had also said, that as the carrier's abilities activate, as each one of the three triggers activate, the carrier gains parts of their powers. That had been apparently what happened to him, and apparently it had been happening since he was eleven years old.

"Ye…yeah… actually I have," Dominik said as he scoffed down at the swallow and his medallion. Shaking his head he looked up and met Alexander's eyes, "You… you said I've had them active since I was eleven? What… what was it? What was the trigger?"

Alexander smirked wildly and nodded, "Why, it was your Cirilla of course! The first moment you ever came into contact with her lad, your powers began to activate."

His eyes widened again. All the people, his mother, father, Geralt and Yennefer, Ciri herself, everyone who had ever told him that Ciri was his destiny flashed into his mind. He had always believed them of course but hearing now that she was even the reason his powers activated, he felt the swallow tremble around his neck. Scoffing he looked down at the small silver bird, and gently took it in his fingers.

"Ha… so I guess she really has been saving me this whole time…" He said slowly, before looking back up again.

Alexander's eyes softened as they became less eccentric. In that moment, he went from a cooky old man, to a warm, wise looking sage. Gently he smiled down, before he reached over and placed one of his pale leathery hands on Dominik's shoulder. As the man's hand hit him, Dominik felt a jolt run down his spine, his touch was warm, and somehow, Dominik felt reassured, and as he looked up into his ancestor's emerald eyes, and saw the smile, for the first time he felt like this man could truly be his great grandfather. The emerald eyes in that moment, looked so much like his own, and as Alexander nodded, Dominik could see the wisdom behind his gaze as the fire lightly crackled.

"Yes my lad… she has been. For my descendant's carrier abilities to activate. They must of course begin using magic, they must fully unlock their strands of DNA…" The man said slowly as the smile became broader on his face, "And finally… they must come into contact with the Elder Blood… their destiny. That night you met Cirilla my boy… your great destiny began, and I've only been able to follow you for a short time… but it seems that your destiny has also led you to your love… so often are destiny and love one in the same…. I am happy for you lad, it warms my heart… you may be my grandchild… but my god, do you and Cirilla remind me so much of Cregan and Lara."

Dominik let out a breathless sigh, "We… we do? Really?"

"Haha… you do my boy, you really do. Only with Cregan and Lara… did I ever see two people so in love, so seemingly made for each other, history as it always tends to do it seems, is repeating itself," Alexander said fondly again, before he removed his hand from Dom's shoulder, "But we must get moving my boy, there is much I must show you, and we must move quickly."

A thousand questions ran through Dominik's mind as he scoffed, "But… but what about Ciri now? She's probably worried out of her mind, I have to-."

"Easy, easy lad, you need not worry," Alexander said as a small smirk came to the old man's face again, "You are in a magical trance in your world now. You are alive, Cirilla, and your friends can see that. The two of us must get moving, if you are to succeed in your journey, in your great destiny there are things I must show you."

Dominik slowly met his ancestor's eyes as his breath left him, "What are you talking about? What do you have to show me, and… and what's it have to do with my destiny?"

Alexander grew a hard look on his face and placed a hand on his shoulder again, "Dominik my boy, if you wish to save Cirilla, if the two of you wish to save the continent and this world from the Hunt… you must know my story lad."

"Your story? What… what did you do to piss of Eredin and the Hunt so bad? What about Avallac'h, why does HE hate you, you said it was more then just because you were related to Cregan," Dominik started ranting, all of the questions spilled out of him with no filter.

The hard look stayed on Alexander's face as he sighed, "Fear not lad, your questions will be answered. For you to be able to protect the Elder Blood, to protect your Cirilla and defeat the Hunt… you must know the story of me and my children… the story of how we died. _Crynvael… truet…_"

Alexander's spell hit his ears, and before Dominik could ask any more questions, a white fog enveloped his vision.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHHH! Some warning next time would be nice!" Dominik said looking over to Alexander, as the two of them seemed to be floating, "I hate portals… or portaling spells…"

Alexander chuckled next to him, "You do realize my boy, that Cirilla does indeed teleport often?"

Dominik groaned and rolled his eyes, "Ugh… don't remind me, I'm going to have to get used to-."

And that was when Dominik heard it and he was cut off, cut off by the most beautiful singing voice he had ever heard.

_Hush nin daerling nall sin draling grat ae tri _

_Naneth luve cin adar… Adar luve cin adar…_

_Rast nin daerling nall sin darl_

_Cin wale guin nin daerling… Naneth luve cin adar… luve cin adar…._

His head slowly craned downwards, it was as if him and Alexander were in a dream, gently floating above and watching the scene unfold. Before he took notice of who the voice belonged too, Dominik looked around the room. They were in a sort of throne room, stone floors and pillars, a few weapon racks lined the walls, and as Dominik looked to the right he did indeed see a large chair. It was a simple, well carved oaken chair which he assumed had to be the defacto throne of the castle, but when he looked above the chair is when he saw the banner again. On a black field, he saw two swords crossed in white, along with a dragon's head. Slowly he craned his head to the left as well, and he could almost feel the wind chill.

"Where… where are we…" He said wonderingly as he looked up to a smirking Alexander.

Sighing fondly the old man had his eyes trained down the small hall, "Castle Lod, in the beautiful mountains near Lan Exeter… a small keep… but home, nonetheless. This… was the day my boy."

"The day? The day for what," Dominik asked right away as he felt the swallow trembling around his neck.

Alexander pointed his old bony finger down the hall, "The day… my destiny, my children's destiny… and yours began my boy."

_Hush nin daerling nall sin draling grat ae tri _

_Naneth luve cin adar… Adar luve cin adar…_

_Rast nin daerling nall sin darl_

_Cin wale guin nin daerling… Naneth luve cin adar… luve cin adar…._

Dominik's head shot back down the hall as Alexander pointed and the singing hit his ears again. The voice was still beautiful, and as he looked down towards the entrance to the hall, he could see the large open windows looking out over the beautiful mountains. Kovir was known for snow, and beautiful mountains this he knew, but the view, combined with the angelic sounding singing voice was even more breathtaking then he would have ever thought. Small torches lined the walls, a fire burned and crackled in a brazier near the entrance, and Dominik was beginning to think Alexander was correct, it seemed to be a small castle… but a warm one, welcoming, somewhere you could call home. The sun outside the windows was gently setting, the beautiful orange rays of sunset were glowing over the mountains, Dominik couldn't help but sigh relaxed at the breathtaking sight, thinking that it could have possibly been the most beautiful sight he'd seen in sometime.

However, that was when the singing hit his ears again, and he finally looked over at the woman.

"_Cin wale guin nin daerling… Naneth luve cin adar… luve cin adar…."_ The woman's voice gently sang, and Dominik's eyes widened when his gaze finally fell on her, she gently smiled down into a bundle of blankets in her arms and smiled, "Sleep my darling… soon you will be safe… we will make sure of it."

The woman was dressed in an elegant white dress up to her neck, a small cut out was just above her chest, and from her elbows down were exposed. Around her neck was an intricate silver circlet, and all along her arms, and wrists were jeweled bracelets, she had white pearl earrings hanging from both her ears, and when she spoke her voice was soft, so incredibly soft and loving as she looked down at the bundle. Dominik knew it had to be a child, the bundle of white blankets moved, and when the woman lightly laughed and stood from the windowsill she was sitting on and turned, Dominik's heart nearly melted.

"C…Ci…Ciri!?" He said incredulously, and Alexander next to him heartily laughed before shaking his head.

His ancestor smiled and fondly sighed, "No… not quite lad, but I must admit, the resemblance is uncanny. Gods little sis… I miss you more then you know…."

"Little sis!? What does… does that mean that's," Dominik said slowly as his gaze turned back to the woman who was in his full view now, scoffing without looking away from her, "That… that's… Lara Dorren? Like THE Lara Dorren?"

Alexander laughed lightly again as they both looked down, "Yes my boy… that's Lara… your Cirilla's great, great, great, great… oh fuck it I don't know how many but yes… her ancestor."

Dominik slowly turned his head back as his gaze fell on Lara Dorren again, the elven princess. For so many years he had heard the story, Lara Dorren fell in love with Cregan of Lod, causing the Aen Elle elves to be furious, the humans of the continent to be furious, before they were both hunted down and killed, just because they had fallen in love with one another. The woman standing before him, it all began with her, the power of space and time, the immense magical power, the ability to leap between planes, all the power Ciri had now… began with her, came from her.

Other than Ciri, who would of course always hold the title for him, Lara Dorren was the most beautiful woman Dominik had ever seen, and that was due to how incredibly similar she looked to Ciri now. She was tall and slender, her white dress flowing behind her as she gently cradled the bundle in her arms. The wind howled through the hall, the torches and brazier flicked, between them and the sunset, it casted a beautiful illuminated light over her face, and Dominik couldn't tare his eyes away. Just like Ciri she had long ashen locks that fell down around her shoulders, and in every detail, from her higher cheekbones, sharper jaw and slightly longer neck, every single detail he could see Ciri, the woman he loved now. As Lara gently cradled and played with the child in her arms, she smiled broadly and lightly laughed, the laugh was even the same as Ciri's, and when Dominik saw the woman's eyes, shining, brilliant, large green emeralds, he felt the swallow violently tremble around his neck. Without taking his eyes off the woman, Ciri's ancestor he gingerly wrapped his fingers around the silver bird, and when Lara laughed again, for a moment he yearned to see Ciri.

A small laugh left him, one of Lara's ears poked through her ashen locks, and sure enough like all elves they were pointed. It was the only distinguishable difference between Ciri and her. Dominik truly believed, that if Ciri had pointed ears like that, and no scar on her cheek, then there would have been no way to tell any difference between them. Smiling gently his attention then turned to the child in Lara's arms, playfully the small arms of the child reached up and grabbed it's mother's hair, making Lara laughed more, and Dominik couldn't help but scoff a smile and look up to Alexander, remembering the history he memorized so well.

"That… that's Riannon isn't it? Cregan and Lara's child…" He asked his ancestor, and Alexander smirked wildly yet again.

"Oho yes it is lad… I loved that little girl," The old ancestor said with another fond smile before his face lightly fell and he sighed, "I… wish I could have known her more… and.. Cregan could have."

Dominik looked around the hall again, curiously he looked back up at his ancestor, "I… don't see anyone that could be Cregan… where is he?"

He saw Alexander's face fall for the first time, and Dominik could see the pain reverberating in his ancestor's eyes. His old eyes didn't come off Lara and the child in her arms, as he sighed and gently shook his head.

"This.. this is a few weeks after Cregan had died…. Lara she… she knew she'd be next," Alexander said with a small shake of his head as he looked to meet Dominik's eyes, "And.. she knew if she were next… Riannon would be after her… and like I said… this is when your destiny began."

Before Dominik could ask questions, he heard a latch open, he whirled around to see the great oaken doors open. A new voice pierced the air, and Dominik's eyes widened again when he saw Lara smirk and roll her eyes as the new person entered the room.

"Oho is that my little sister's beautiful singing voice I hear!? Go on, don't stop on my account, you know little sis, that put's me to sleep just like little Riannon here," Alexander said, however, it wasn't the old, withered Alexander that floated next to him.

Dominik scoffed and looked up to his ancestor, "That's you?"

Scoffing the old man's smirk quickly returned, "HA! You bet it is, like I said before, GODS I was strong then! Had a better handle on my hair as well…"

His vision turned back down to indeed see the young Alexander. The young version of his ancestor smirked wildly as he busted into the hall, and right away Lara rolled her eyes with an amused smile as Alexander eagerly joined her near the window. Dominik saw that indeed his ancestor had a much better handle on his hair at his younger age. Young Alexander's blonde hair was neatly combed and down to his shoulders, not a single hair was out of place, his blonde beard was precisely trimmed and wrapped around his chin, and while he was younger, Dominik still saw the sage like emerald green eyes that looked so much like his own.

However, just like old man Alexander, young Alexander wore the same elegant black robes. He had the swords and dragon coat of arms stitched to the front, along with a rose as well, and then on his waist Dominik saw the gleaming steel longsword. The mage robes, however, were much fresher, and unlike old man Alexander that floated next to him, it seemed like they had been freshly laundered. The sun shone in through the window and hit young Alexander's handsome face as he eagerly smirked over at Lara.

Lara lightly laughed and shook her head with an eye roll, "Aha…You know, I am about a hundred years older then you right?"

"Would you prefer I call you 'old lady'?" Young Alexander joked as he crossed his arms, his blonde hair blew in the breeze as he rested his hands on the windowsill.

Scoffing Lara shook her head as she rocked young Riannon in her arms, "You can yes… but you know I'll smack you upside the head if you do."

"Oho, I won't take that risk, that temper of yours? A scary sight," Alexander smirked at her, and after a small laugh from Lara a silence fell over them both.

For a few moments, the two looked out over the balcony, into the beautiful mountains and sunset. Young Riannon cooed in her mother's arms, and gently grabbed onto Lara's ashen locks. Dominik was speechless still from seeing both his ancestor and Ciri's in the same room, so close to one another, and joking with one another as if they truly did love one another. If he squinted and focused, he could almost see himself and Ciri standing in that hall, looking out the window, seeing that beautiful view with one another.

Unlike Alexander and Lara he'd prefer to have his arm around Ciri, perhaps kissing her a few times, but still, he watched with bated breath, wanting to take in every single detail.

Lara finally sighed and looked from Riannon to Alexander, "So… is everything prepared? Cerro is truly willing to take her?"

Young Alexander stood up straight and nodded, "She is yes…. Lara, I still wish you would simply leave her here with me, you know I would die before I let anything happen to her."

The young woman gently smiled gratefully at Alexander and nodded, "I know you would not, and I know that even when you bring her… you'll watch over her. But… you know Avallac'h is already working on ways to track you."

"Let that son of a bitch come and try to take her," Young Alexander said sharply as his green eyes hardened, "I'll shove my boot so far up his ass he'll taste it, then I'll blow him to tiny fucking pieces."

Lara sighed and gently shook her head at him again, "I don't doubt you would, but… he won't bring just himself. All the Red Riders will come with him… you know he won't let this insult to his pride go lightly."

Young Alexander scoffed, "Yes, because his 'prize', and his 'right' was stolen from him. Bastard's acting like a child who won a toy at a fair, who's had it taken away from him."

Again Lara sighed, gently she took a step closer, and keeping one hand on Riannon, held a hand up and smiled at Alexander, "As true as it may be… and as much as I know you'd keep her safe… you know why we must do this. You're the first one they'll go to when looking."

"So… it would be best if she weren't here… I know…." Young Alexander said with a sigh and shake of his head.

Dominik felt his brain erupt as a new wave of questions burned into his brain. He had known that Avallac'h was old and thinking more it made sense that he was alive at this point, but what he heard finally brought the realization to him. For the entire week, he had been wondering why the elf hated him so much, didn't even seem to give him the light of day. Dominik also had been furious by the elf's possessive nature over Ciri, it had led to the argument he had with her. He had reserved himself to the fact Ciri for some reason trusted him, so Dominik had promised her he would at the least let her fight her own battles if the elf went too far.

However, hearing what he just heard, it answered that one burning question.

He shot his gaze up to old man Alexander, "Avallac'h? You mean the same Avallac'h that is currently staying at Kaer Morhen, teaching Ciri to control her powers?"

Alexander's eyes hardened again as he nodded, seeming to spit his words out, "Yes… still as much of a prick now as he was back then I've seen. As I'm sure you're aware, Lara possesses extraordinary abilities, many Aen Elle vied for her hand, the fact she was King Auberon's daughter was simply a bonus, the 'honor' and 'privilege' of being selected to marry her was considered the ultimate badge of pride you could say."

Scoffing Dominik shook his head, "And you're telling me Avallac'h was supposed to be the one to marry her? Fuck, no wonder he hates me so much, he lost the woman he loved to-."

"He didn't love her, the son of a bitch was simply proud he was selected," Alexander spit out, and for the first time, Dominik saw fire build up in the old man's eyes as he went on, "He was picked for the 'privilege' of marrying her out of all the other suitors. It was his ultimate source of pride, so when she left him for Cregan…"

Dominik rolled his eyes, "His pride was hurt… and he hunted her. Why am I not surprised…. But… but why is he helping Ciri now then? She's Lara and Cregan's descendant, I'd think he'd hate her just as much."

Alexander scoffed again, "I know not… I am a believer in the fact people can change but… after you see what I have to show you later, you'll know why I am skeptical of that."

Dominik was about to ask what he meant, but before he could hear a loud howling gust of wind, followed by Lara's voice ringing through the hall again. He turned his vision back down, to see that Lara gently smiled up at young Alexander reassuringly.

"You may not be with her… but I know that you will always be watching her," The young woman said as she smiled down at baby Riannon, "She will always have you, Connor, and Lara protecting her. I trust you Alexander… more then anyone now with Cregan gone… I love you… big brother."

Young Alexander's blonde hair blew in the wind as he sighed and gently laughed, "Haha… and I love you too little sis… and you little one."

Alexander held a finger out, and sure enough young Riannon grabbed it for a moment and pulled. Lara and he both laughed, and Dominik could hear the genuine joy in their voices. For a few moments, his heart warmed, seeing the both of them so happy, however, he knew both their fates. Alexander in his old state was hovering next to him then, and everyone knew the fate of Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod, both dead, killed by their own people. Knowing that it would happen to the two laughing, smiling as the baby laughed and started to try and yank on Alexander's beard, he felt the cold breeze hit him particularly hard. The swallow around his neck trembled, and he shakily sighed.

Everything that was happening to him and Ciri now, it all started with Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod… and now Dominik knew, Alexander of Lod as well.

"I'll never let anything happen to you little one… I swear it," Alexander said down to the bundle, before slowly looking up and meeting Lara's eyes, "And I swear to you as well little sis… I won't let them have her… me.. my children.. and all of their children to come…. We'll always protect them… I swear it."

As the younger version of his ancestor finished speaking, he leaned down and wrapped the young woman in a hug. With being sure to keep baby Riannon from being crushed, Lara hugged him back, and Dominik could see as if a magic spark had gone off. His medallion trembled, and as he looked at Alexander and Lara hugging one another, he felt his own head begin to buzz. As they both stood there embracing one another, Dominik could almost see a small tendril of magic pass between them both. It was as if the universe had seen this promise and blessed it themselves. Alexander's words_, 'the day… my destiny, my children's destiny… and yours began my boy,'. _And as Dominik watched Alexander and Lara slowly separate and smile at one another, the words finally made sense.

This was the day that Alexander promised, promised that himself, and all of his descendants, Dominik included, would always protect Cregan and Lara's line, the Elder Blood. It was the day that Ciri and he became linked to one another, this faithful day, over a hundred years ago. Around his neck, the swallow lightly trembled, and gently he held it in his fingers, thinking about how much he loved her, loved Ciri, and now knowing that it was truly meant to be… it made his heart flutter, and somehow, he felt his love for her rise even more in him. He was about to look up and ask Alexander another question, but before he could another voice, much younger and higher pitched echoed into the hall.

"FATHER! CONNOR KEEPS PULLING MY HAIR," A young female's voice complained, as Dominik heard the doors shoot open again.

A loud scoff came quickly after, "THAT'S BECAUSE LARA KEEPS KICKING MY SHINS!"

Dominik's heart nearly leapt from his chest, as he looked down and saw two more children rushed into the room. However, these two were walking, rushing and stomping towards a smirking Alexander and Lara. The two children couldn't be any older then six or seven years old, and Dominik noticed how they looked extremely similar to one another. The boy wore a leather tunic with sleek black trousers, while the young girl's blonde hair bounced down her back in curls as she wore a similar outfit. Dominik scoffed as he looked back up to old man Alexander next to him.

"They… there you're children? So… one of them…" Dominik trailed off, as the old man couldn't stop smiling, Dominik looked and saw tears almost pooling up in his old weary eyes.

Fondly Alexander sighed and nodded, "My pride and joy… the both of them. Yes lad, that's Connor and Lara… my two children, twins they were, swear they could read each other's minds growing up. And yes… as you'll see soon, one of them is your great, great, great… fuck I'm not trying that again, great grandparent."

Before he could ask anything further, he heard a hearty laugh from below. He whirled his gaze back around, and young Alexander knelt down in front of the two currently fuming young children.

"Aha… and I thought you were supposed to be in the library? Am I right in assuming you snuck your practice swords in there, and that was what led to the hair pulling and shin kicking?" Young Alexander said with a smirk.

The fires crackled in the brazier and torches, a howling gust of wind shot through the hall, and Dominik couldn't help but laugh at a flustered young Connor and Lara. He assumed Alexander named his daughter after, his brother's lover, and as soon as Lara with baby Riannon in her arms saw this, she laughed gently as well, and walked over to both the twins. Connor and Lara from the ground both looked at each other agitatedly for a minute before they both pointed towards each other.

"It was Connor's idea!" Lara accused right away.

Connor scoffed, "No! It was Lara's idea! She told me we should-."

"Enough, enough oho you two are going to make me pull my hair out," Alexander said with a playful eye roll before he ruffled both his children's heads, "Tell you what, go back to the library and finish up the chapters, and later we'll show your aunt here some new moves we learned huh, what do you say little sis?"

Alexander looked up to Lara who laughed lightly with baby Riannon still in her arms. The elven princess smirked wildly down at the two children who excitedly looked at her and nodded.

"I quite like that idea yes," Lara said with a fond smile, before she gently knelt down with Riannon in her arms in front of both children, "Before you head back, Connor, Lara, could you be dears and take Riannon to her room and watch her for a quick moment? After that I promise I'll come watch you both."

He watched as both twins eagerly nodded, and little Lara stepped forward. Gingerly the young girl took baby Riannon in her arms, and as the baby cooed, Dominik felt his heart flutter at the scene. After so many weeks of violence, death, fighting and weariness, seeing something so pure, so wholesome as little Lara smiling as she held baby Riannon, it brought a broad smile to his face.

"Come on Connor! Let's get her to bed," Little Lara said enthusiastically as right away Connor narrowed his eyes and jealously looked over at his sister.

"What if I wanted to be the one to carry her!?" He argued as the two twins started walking from the room.

Little Lara scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Because you're too clumsy, you'll drop her!"

"I will not! You're the clumsy one you…." Young Connor started to complain but soon his voice trailed off as he and his sister left the room.

A set of hearty, pure, joyous laughs could be heard, as Dominik looked to the right and saw Lara and Alexander both nearly in tears from the laughs. He was ready to sit there and watch them talk for hours, seeing the ancestors of he and Ciri both together, standing, smiling, talking and laughing together, it made him forget for a few moments, forget all the horrible things that were happening in the outside world, forget what the two's fates really were. Lara finished laughing first and neatly folded her hands in front of her, fondly with a smile on her beautiful face she looked up at Alexander.

"You need not worry Alexander…. For I know that she'll not only have you… but Connor and Lara both always…." She said fondly, as she and Alexander turned back to look out the window.

Young Alexander smiled and nodded, before looking out the window as well, "Yes… you're right. They'll always look after her… we always will, I swear… you know, Redania is lovely, Cerro is a great woman… I believe she'll be happy there… and… perhaps after a few years I can visit."

Lara laughed lightly and fondly looked at him, "I'm sure she is… thank her for me again… and… Alexander?"

"Yes?" Young Alexander asked right away as they turned to face each other.

Gently Lara reached up and hugged young Alexander again, whispering into his shoulder, "Thank you… for everything you've done…"

Young Alexander's eyes almost seemed to water, as he wrapped his arms around her waist and shakily nodded, "Aye… aye little sis…. You're welcome. We'll keep her safe… I swear it."

Dominik just had time to smile at the heartwarming scene before a strong hand was placed on his shoulder.

"We… must be moving on lad, come now, _crynvael… truet," _Old Alexander said in a deep, forlorn tone.

And Dominik just had time to widen his eyes and take one last look at Lara Dorren before all he saw around him was white. For a moment he didn't teleport and looked next to him to see older Alexander still with the forlorn look on his face. As now all he could see was the white mist around him, and his ancestors old, saddened eyes, Dominik remembered again. The heartwarming scene was gone, and the cold grip of reality came back to him. Anyone who had watched a scene like that, would have clearly been able to see how much everyone cared for one another. Alexander had loved Lara like his sister, his children loved Riannon like she truly was their blood cousin, he saw the image of Lara's smiling face, her shining emerald eyes and long ashen locks that looked so much like Ciri's.

That was when Dominik remembered, their story did not have a happy ending.

He carefully met Alexander's eyes, "Lara… how… how soon after did…"

"A few weeks later…" The old man answered with a deep sigh before Dominik could finish, carefully Alexander looked and met his eyes, "The next day was when I brought Riannon to Redania… I'm sure you know the story lad. I brought her to newly minted Queen Cerro, an old friend of mine. Her and King Vridank both were kind enough to take her in."

Dominik knew the story, not just because it was the story of Ciri's ancestor, but because most children in their education growing up in the continent heard the story of Riannon and Queen Cerro. King Vridank of Redania had separated from his first wife, Beatrix of Kovir, and married Queen Cerro, after this, they both took in an orphaned Riannon. It may have seemed like a kind enough story at surface level, however each child who heard the tale, also learned the great consequences this had. Dominik's skin began to crawl as his stomach churned, the white mist around him started to whirl as he met Alexander's eyes.

"Yeah… and in doing so… King Vridank pissed of his first wife Beatrix," Dominik said slowly, as the story came back to his mind, "And… he also pissed off his first daughter, Falka."

Falka's rebellion, it all started when King Vridank of Redania put aside his first wife Beatrix, and his daughter Falka in favor of Queen Cerro, and Riannon. The rebellion was a story that all young children on the continent learned, the first trueborn daughter of King Vridank led a great rebellion to take the throne for herself, the throne that she thought was hers by right. A small part of him could understand why Falka was so angry, she and her mother had been put aside, casted off when Vridank met Cerro. However, after hearing all the atrocities, the devastation Falka wrought across the North, the death, the carnage, it quickly had made any sympathy for the woman leave him. It was also said that Falka was mad, an extremely talented warrior, and that when she was burned at the stake, she cursed all in attendance.

Alexander sighed with disappointment and nodded, "Yes… for twenty years everything went smoothly. I trained Connor and Lara, we watched over Riannon with a multitude of spells from Castle Lod but… that was when the rebellion broke out. It was fine for a few months but… that was when Riannon was taken."

"Falka and the rebels captured her," Dominik said quickly as the story continued to come back to him, he looked up and met Alexander's eyes, "Did… did you leave to go and save her? They say that after Riannon was rescued, was also when Falka was beaten and captured."

The white mist began to churn more and more as Alexander snapped his fingers loudly. Dominik heard wind howling in his ears as the mist churned. It was a story that again, most children on the continent knew. After months of war, Falka and her rebels were able to capture Riannon, who had been twenty at the time, and married to Goidemar King of Temaria. During her time in prison, the rumors said that Riannon went mad, and gave birth to three children. It isn't known who saved her, but Dominik now felt the realization starting to come to him.

"I couldn't… although I wish I could have," Alexander said with a sad shake of his head, he gripped tighter to his white staff and met Dominik's eyes, "The Hunt, the Red Riders were still looking for me. I was there only lead to find Riannon, so… when I couldn't go, my children did… Connor and Lara, they rescued Riannon from Falka's imprisonment."

Dominik felt a small scoff of amazement leave him, "So you're telling me… that MY ancestors were the ones to END Falka's rebellion!? I always heard it was a mystery."

Alexander's face softened and he lightly chuckled, "Ha… yes they were lad. As I'm sure you know, Riannon was married to King Goidemar of Temaria. He couldn't risk sending a whole army to the stronghold, he simply didn't have the men. However… that was when Connor and Lara met with him and offered to go sneak into the castle themselves."

"Did Connor and Lara have their carrier powers activated?" Dominik asked right away, forgetting to ask the question earlier.

"They did yes, I completed the process well before they were born," Alexander explained as he gently smirked with his eyes fondly glowing, "Between having my power in their veins thanks to that, and their own training, well… for lack of better words, my children kicked serious ass as you'll see…_ crynvael… truet."_

And again before he could ask any questions, the churning white mist around him shot up into his vision, and he felt his insides being turned upside down.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHH DAMMIT OLD MAN," Dominik screamed, he almost felt everything he'd eaten in the last week leave him as he looked up to Alexander, "I thought I told you to give me some warning next time!?"

Alexander scoffed again as he felt them floating, "Weren't you the one who was saying earlier you needed to get used to portals and portaling spells?"

Rolling his eyes Dominik groaned, "I didn't mean right-."

Dominik was cut off by a loud scream, a blood curdling scream that would certainly haunt his dreams. He whirled back around and found himself and Alexander in a tower, a large stone tower with circling steps that seemed to lead down to one singular room. He didn't see any windows, no windows could be seen, and the only thing Dominik saw was light from the torches and walls sconces. He could feel a cold, chilling draft run up his spine as he finally looked down. His eyes widened when he saw two people, a young man and a woman, both were wearing black leather tunics over black gambesons. It was clear that they were both on a stealth incursion because they were crouched and moving extremely carefully. The man had a gleaming steel longsword at his belt, while the woman who's bushy blonde hair was tightly tied in a ponytail had one as well. As he looked down at them, it was as if Alexander and he drifted closer, and when he saw them both finally turn around he saw their eyes, the shining emerald ones that looked so incredibly similar to his own. When he realized they both looked exactly like one another he turned up to Alexander.

"That's Connor and Lara? So… so this is when they…" Dominik started, but Alexander quickly nodded with a huge smirk on his face.

"Haha it is lad! The day my children ended Falka's bloody rebellion, I was watching them with a locating spell from Kovir, gods they were strong, and you got all their power as well my boy," Alexander said with the pride evident in his voice.

Dominik floundered for a second and completely forgot about the scene below him as his gaze didn't leave the old man, "What!? So… you mean to tell me I don't only have YOUR magical power but… but… theirs too!?"

Alexander scoffed and nodded, "Of course my boy, and if it weren't for the fact the powers after them didn't activate until you, you'd have even all your ancestor's powers."

"So… so that means that-," He started to ask, but Alexander quickly waved him off.

"Bah, I'll answer questions later lad… watch here, time for a show," The old man said with a smirk as he looked back down to his children.

Dominik was about to ask more questions anyway, but the cold draft shot through the stone tower again, and the screams echoed in his ears. He looked back down to Connor and Lara, just as they stopped in front of a locked oaken door with multiple locks. Both the twins took positions on each side of the door. Dominik had a hard time believing the man and woman before him were those little children he saw in the previous vision. Lara had her blonde hair tightly up in a ponytail, but she had grown extremely beautiful, her emerald eyes had a calculating determination to them, as if she were carefully examining each possible option. She had a pretty face with a light jawline and longer neck, she was tall and slim, looking as if she would give any man a run for his money, and Dominik could see the intelligence and careful planning in her eyes.

Connor across from her had grown as well, he was smaller yes, but had broad shoulders and wide emerald eyes. He had a strong angular face and high cheekbones, and unlike when they were younger, despite still looking similar, they both did have distinct features now. It was clear however that they were siblings, and as he saw them look at each other, he could see the determination and anger boiling in them both, as the woman's screams coming from behind the door they stood in front of were agonizing. While Lara looked like she was calculating a plan however, Dominik saw the anger spilling out of Connor in a similar way it did to him.

"I'm gonna fucking kill EVERY single one of them in there…" Connor said darkly, the screams echoed, and he groaned before furiously looking at his sister, "I wish you'd let us just blast our way in there. You know for a fact we can end this fight in seconds!"

The screams continued, and Lara sighed sharply before fiercely shaking her head at her brother.

"You know what father said Connor! Keep our magic to a minimum," She hissed back to her brother, and when Connor rolled his eyes she hissed again, "If the fucking Wild Hunt were to come down on us, we'd have a lot more fucking problems!"

Connor sighed in annoyance and reluctantly nodded, "Fine… so do you have a plan? I hope you'll at least let me knocked the door down, it's locked in case you didn't notice."

Lara rolled her eyes as the screams continued, and with every one that came, Dominik could see the two twins getting more and more anxious. While he was floating next to Alexander he slowly began to realize who the screams had to belong too. Riannon was being held prisoner behind that locked door, and the story went she was pregnant the entire time she was captured, even giving birth to three children while she was held prisoner. So behind that door, Ciri's ancestor was being held prisoner, and now he was watching his own ancestors go to save her. Something Alexander had said earlier poured into his mind, _'history as it so often does, seems to be repeating itself,'. _So many years ago, Lara and Connor went to save Riannon, and now over a hundred years later, Dominik was going to save Ciri.

A cold draft shot through the tower, as he saw Lara slowly pull her longsword from her belt and gesture towards the door. Connor's eyes widened and Lara sighed.

"You heard what they said upstairs, she's here… Falka, came to visit Riannon," Lara said spitting out each word before she took in a shaky sigh, "They have her trapped in one of the cells, I'll make a break for it, think you can stay alive without me for a few minutes?"

Connor scoffed, "Course I can, so you want me to blow the door down?"

Lara quickly nodded, "Yeah… I'll cast a muffling spell on the door, nobody should hear us. Just remember… Riannon is what matters, we need to get her, don't try to play hero."

"I know that," Connor said with a roll of his eyes as he narrowed his gaze at his sister, "When did we decide you were in charge anyway?"

It was Lara's turn to roll her eyes, "Because I'm the older one."

"By about forty seconds," Connor said annoyedly.

"Exactly," Lara said with a smirk, "Which means I've been alive forty seconds longer which means I'm in charge, now come on, knock the door down little brother."

Connor rolled his eyes again, but Dominik watched as he raked the longsword from his belt. The screams from inside were followed by muffled voices this time, Dominik could hear chattering, shouting and arguing, even some laughing, and even his own blood began to boil. He had heard about the cruelty Falka wrought in her rebellion, and from the short time he had spent in what was apparently the rebel's stronghold, he could see why people still spoke of it to the current day. The loud, agonizing screams of who he assumed now was Riannon pierced his ears again, and that was when he saw Connor grip tighter to his longsword and fiercely close his eyes.

_"HAIDIEM BLAT," _Connor bellowed in Elder Speech, and when the young man's eyes shot open, just like Dominik's did when he activated them now, Connor's eyes glew bright blue.

He shot his hands forward after magic began to whirl around his body, and Dominik only watched in amazement as the power was all channeled to Connor's palm. After a loud ***BOOM*** the once locked door was ripped to splinters, as in a mere second afterwards Connor's eyes returned to a normal green color. Dominik looked next to him to see Alexander smirking down with pride as he stroked his long frizzy beard. Dominik marveled at how easily Connor had activated his power, he assumed that the twin also had natural power of his own, but he had a level of control over the carrier magic, the added power from his father that Dominik could only ever hope to achieve.

More shouting and screaming came from inside the room, and Connor and Lara both rushed in, within a flash Alexander and he's vision went white, and soon Dominik found himself inside. Connor and Lara had rushed a few feet in, and Dominik watched Lara quickly turn back to the blasted open doorway.

_"Muflian DAS!" _The young woman shouted, and just like Connor, her eyes flashed bright blue, magic channeled to her palm, and Dominik saw something similar to a Quen shield erupt where the door had been.

Screams hit Dominik's ears again and he shot his gaze to the room. His heart sank when he realized he was in a dungeon, a bloody dungeon that was lit by nothing but the torches on the wall's. It was a long hallway with bloody cells, iron bars and Dominik could see skeletons, bodies, and some alive prisoners all shooting back towards the walls in their jails. Right near the entrance was a large guard area where he saw at least ten men scrambling. Tables with gwent cards were knocked over, he saw old swords, bloody knives, and even shackles on the wall and a torture rack stained with prisoners' blood. The screams got louder, a woman's agonizing screams, he found the source and realized they were coming from down the hall, down the long line of cells to one large wooden door. The door had only a slit in the middle of it large enough to he assume put food through, along with a small barred window.

"WHERE IS SHE!?" He heard the voice of Connor yell from his left, and his vision was quickly whirled back.

Dominik shot his gaze back to Connor in Lara just to hear a dark, cackling laugh.

"Baha… you mean my sister? I'm sorry but that's private information only available to the Queen of Redania," The voice said condescendingly, before Dominik heard it turn inquisitive, "Now you two… I don't recognize. I killed my bastard of a father, my half-brother's… I killed that traitorous bitch Cerro with my own hands… who are you both? Did Goidemar finally get off his ass and send someone to save his wife?"

Lara quickly leveled out her sword, her voice becoming dangerously low now, "Who we are doesn't matter! You're going to give her to us, and we won't kill you, we only want her, this is your only chance Falka!"

Bloody Falka, that was what she was called, but when Dominik looked at the woman standing before Connor and Lara, he was shocked. She was beautiful, long silky black hair, high cheekbones and a sharp jaw, she was tall, slender and gracefully composed. She wore light chainmail; it had the insignia of a black and red falcon implanted onto the metal. Her armor, gloves, trousers, boots, the longsword at her hip, it was all beautifully washed and well kept. Falka stood with perfect posture, her hand rested on the pommel of her blade, as for a few moments Dominik couldn't believe it was her, if Lara hadn't addressed her as so, he never would have believed the woman standing before him was the Falka of legend, the traitor who wrought destruction across the north, the one who while being burned at the stake, swore a descendant of her blood would cause the destruction of us all.

Dominik had heard the rumor, the rumor about the children of Falka and Riannon. It was well known that Falka also had a child during the rebellion, but she left it in the care of mad prisoners and nurses in the very castle they stood in. After Riannon was rescued, it was well known that she had succumbed to madness, and she wasn't able to tell which child was hers and which one was Falka's. So, there was a theory, that Fiona, the one thought to be Riannon's daughter, Ciri's ancestor, was actually the daughter of Falka, so theoretically, Ciri could be the descendant of Bloody Falka, and not Riannon. Looking at Falka then, she looked more elven then most human's, he knew that the woman had at least some elven blood, so for a horrible second, he thought that the theory could actually have merit.

However, when he saw Falka's eyes, any even slight belief she could be Ciri's ancestor was dashed. Her eyes, the cold, calculating, murderous grey eyes Falka had as she looked at Connor and Lara, they weren't Ciri's eyes. Her voice was dark, smooth and honeyed, her face was beautiful, her silky black hair, armor, everything about her made her seem like someone you would trust, but her eyes, Dominik had seen eyes like that in many a monster before. No, this wasn't Ciri's ancestor.

Alexander floating next to him apparently could read his mind because he looked at him, "The rumor isn't true you know."

Dominik shot his gaze to the old man, "What?"

Slowly Alexander shook his head again, "The rumor that Fiona was Falka's child, making her Cirilla's ancestor. Connor and Lara performed the proper tests to make sure after the children were saved. Recognized Fiona's blood right away as that of Riannon's."

Shakily Dominik sighed and nodded, "Good… I… was kinda worried about that. What… what happened to Riannon here, is she okay?"

"Watch now my boy, watch my children work," Alexander said with a hint of pride as he and Dominik both looked back to the scene.

Falka tilted her head at Lara and sneered, and the woman's honey smooth voice hit his ears again. The torches crackled, and the screams of who he assumed was Riannon and other prisoners hit her ears. Falka seemed unaffected at all by the noise, it only seemed to spur her on as a sick, twisted smile grew on her face.

"Oho… such a temper. You break into my home, wish to take my DEAR sister from me, and you don't even do me the courtesy of telling me your names?" Bloody Falka said condescendingly.

Connor took a step-in front of Lara and pointed his blade, "We don't have time for this, GIVE ME MY COUSIN BACK!"

"Connor!" Lara hissed quickly as she leveled her blade and came up next to her brother.

Falka tilted her head again and smirked at the two, "Cousins? Well… I've never heard of my dear sister having any cousins, are you related to that traitorous Queen? My, oh my, if that's the case, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you, just like I did her... Kill them both."

Falka gave the order to the ten or so men around her so easily to kill, that Dominik felt his gut swirl. All the men drew their blades as Connor and Lara shifted their stances. Falka didn't move as all the soldiers rushed forward, and that was when he saw the skill of Connor and Lara of Lod. It was ten against two, the guards were heavily armored, wearing plate with Falka's coat of arms implanted into the metal, and all of them carried heavy blades. Connor wasn't the tallest man despite how strong he looked, and Lara while tall for a woman, looked like a twig compared to the men charging.

The fight was over quickly, just not for the side you'd think would win. Connor knocked a man's blade into the air before coming around and cutting through his legs, and just before another could stab him in the back, Lara lunged forward and ended the attacker. Lara squelched out her blade, she spun with perfect grace and precision, reminding him of how Ciri fought as she spun pirouetted and side-stepped through the men. She jabbed with her blade, before ripping her dagger from her hip and fighting with two weapons. Quickly she caught one man's sword on both her blades, before stepping under the strike and spinning to cut the man's neck. Behind her, Connor parried one man's blow with such force he sent the man stumbling and cut him down, before Dominik saw the young man's eyes flash blue again and without even looking shot his blade up behind his back to block a blow that would have killed him. Connor smirked at the man mid-battle, before finally Dominik saw the blue overtake his eyes, magic began to swirl in his limbs, and he lashed out with renewed intensity, and the man attacking him stood no chance. Just like when Dominik's powers activated, the blue overtook Connor's eyes, and it spurred his limbs on moving them at great speeds. However, unlike when Dominik used his own powers, Connor was in complete control, the magic hummed around him, it didn't erratically fire from all sides, easily the young man controlled it and took down several men.

Lara next to him was starting to show the same, the young woman's eyes flashed blue, and she twirled and moved both her weapons with perfect grace. He ducked under one man's sword strike before jabbing her dagger into his underarm, before spinning around and pulling the blade to drag across his throat. After this man finally fell, all of the soldiers Falka had sent laid dead, before Connor and Lara quickly got next to one another again. The magic gently stopped swirling around them both, and Dominik saw their emerald eyes return as they pointed their blades towards Falka who stood unmoving.

Slowly, ever so slowly Bloody Falka clapped, "Well, well, well… it seems I underestimated how much Goidemar loves his wife… however, no matter what special magic you may have… this will not end. Even if you strike me down here today… it will not end. I will take what is mine by right, one way… or another."

A loud scream echoed through the hall, Dominik could hear the distinct shrill scream of a woman, and both Connor and Lara looked down the hall of cells. The torches casted an ominous light down the corridor to the one oaken cell door in the whole room. From the room the screams started getting worse and worse, desperate, pleading, and Dominik felt his heart sink to the bottom of his boots as the screams would surely haunt his nightmares. He shot his gaze back to Connor, Lara and Falka. Connor and Lara both shot their gaze down the hall, their faces falling at the desperate screams of who they knew had to be their cousin Riannon. The torchlight hit off their faces as they stood amongst the bodies of the men they had killed, Dominik saw their boots eagerly lapping up the blood that soaked the stone floors. It was a horrifying scene, the bloody torture rack was soaked with fresh crimson blood, the torches casted their orange glow, and the screams of Riannon and the other prisoners pierced the air.

Bloody Falka however, simply raked her longsword from her hip, her chainmail clanged on her as she twirled her blade and leveled it towards Connor and Lara.

"Come then, come face down the Queen," Falka said darkly as she leveled her dark steel blade towards Connor and Lara both, "But know, even if you strike me down… you will never see the last of me."

Connor was the one to quickly take a step forward, the young man's blonde hair was caked with sweat and blood as he twirled his own blade. He leveled it with two hands towards Falka, before turning to his sister.

"Lara go, go get her," He said quickly to his sister before turning his gaze over to Falka, "I'll take care of crazy over here…"

Lara looked worried for a moment but nodded, "Alright… just be careful little brother, and remember what Father said, we're already pushing it."

Connor nodded and Lara took off in a sprint down the corridor of cells. Falka didn't look or follow her, smart enough to know not to take her eyes off Connor. Slowly, as they both stepped over the bodies, Connor and Falka circled one another. Dominik couldn't help but scoff, even if Connor wasn't his direct great grandfather, he was still his ancestor, and if what Alexander said was true, his ancestor really was the one to end Falka's rebellion and defeat the mad rebel. Next to him as they floated, he looked at a smirking Alexander, and Dominik slowly scoffed before looking back down at Connor and Falka again, as he saw the bloody rebel smirk.

"So handsome, before we do this, will you at least do me the honor of telling me your name? Such a handsome, powerful man like yourself, I'd at least wish to know who you are," Falka said in her honey sweet voice as she aimlessly stepped over the corpses of her men.

Connor chuckled lightly with a smirk, "Aha… you can call me Connor, I understand. I'd want to know the name of the one who was going to kill me as well."

Falka chuckled and smirked at him, "Oh my, such anger. Tell me Connor… how well did you know that bitch Cerro? Are you really willing to die for her, I already killed her you know, strangled her until the life slowly bled from her with my bare hands."

Scoffing Connor stood his ground and leveled his blade, "Never met Cerro, but you took my cousin, trapped her, hurt her. Now I'm gonna either kill you or take you back to be burned at the stake, either way is fine with me."

Bloody Falka smirked and looked at him inquisitively, "So… you claim to be Riannon's cousin, but you didn't know Cerro? Hm… intriguing, could it be that… you're her cousin from… her other parents? Oh, what an interesting conversation we could have Connor, a handsome man like yourself, powerful, and dedicated. Such a shame you picked the wrong side."

"I'm on the side of my family, Riannon, I'll always protect her," Connor said as Dominik saw him twirl his blade again and level it, "It's my destiny…. Such a shame that such a pretty face ended up being so crazy."

Again Falka chuckled as she stopped as well, "Well, you know what they say… only weak men fear strong women or think them crazy. Come then Connor, let us see if you're one of these weak men."

"Ha… you'll see," Connor said, and that was when Dominik's eyes widened as the duel began, just as Riannon's screams pierced the dungeon with new ferocity.

The screams of his cousin distracted Connor for a moment, he turned around and Falka spared no time before lashing out. She leapt and spun down, Connor just barely turned around and side-stepped before going for a thrust himself. Falka's sword shot up and blocked the blow before she gracefully spun around, her black hair whipped past Connor's face and the two faced each other again. Dominik saw Connor bite his lip, he remembered what Lara had said, Alexander told his children to be careful using their powers, because using them too much, it could attract the Hunt. So Connor had to fight the duel with just his swordsmanship.

Thankfully however, Connor of Lod seemed to be just as much of a master as Falka.

Both of them lashed out in a steel whirlwind. The blades clashed with new ferocity, as the only light their was had been from the torches. The screams came from not just Riannon, but other prisoners as well, wailing and begging to be let out, blood from the dead men on the ground pooled, however, Connor and Falka both gracefully stepped over the bodies and continued to lash out. Falka thrusted out and caught a piece of Connor's shoulder, the young man cried out in pain but was able to sidestep and quickly slash as he dodged. He caught a piece of Falka's torso, and the bloody rebel yelled out as well.

"BAHA… you… you're not half bad handsome," The rebel yelled as she struck out from the right side.

Connor parried a series of blows before Falka tried for another thrust. He had to sidestep, but as he raised his sword he winced from the pain, and this gave Falka the chance to cut forward, Connor however, raised his blade and held the top end to block. Falka's sword clashed against his, and with her gloved hands the mad rebel pushed Connor up against the wall with their blades locked. The once beautiful, calm face had turned monstrous, demonic as Falka's erratic grey eyes bore into Connor as she pushed his own blade closer to his throat. Connor narrowed his emerald eyes at the bloody rebel, and actually managed a scoff.

"Ha… you… you to… but… but you made one… one fatal error," Connor said with a small smirk as he pushed back on his blade and met the rebels eyes with hard ones of his own, "You hurt my family… and for that you're going to pay… not because of what you've done.. but because you hurt them."

Falka had time to scoff, "HA, oh how very noble of you Connor, a shame you-. GAH!"

Connor bashed his head forward against Falka's and the rebel stumbled back. This gave Connor freedom to move again, and now he used this chance to lash out. Falka and he parried and spun around each other for a few moments, but it was clear that the Bloody Rebel was put on the back foot. Connor lashed out from the right, but with renewed ferocity parried a blow with great force. It sent Connor stumbling back, but Dominik's eyes widened when he saw the move the young man performed. It looked like Connor was sent stumbling, but he used his momentum to spin and when he came back around he leaped and thrusted his blade out. The move was so fast Falka had no time to react because she was still in the process of throwing her parry. Connor's blade hit and raked against her cheek, Falka just barely moved her head, but yelled out as soon as the steel hit her.

"GAHHHHHHHH!" The woman yelled as she stumbled forward, and Connor waisted no time.

He swung his blade down and swept Falka's legs out from under her. Connor winced from a bleeding shoulder, but as soon as the rebel hit the ground with her face bleeding, Connor held his blade to her throat. When the Falka finally opened her eyes again, she looked up to see Connor staring down at her with the tip of his blade under her chin. Her grey eyes went wide, and he saw a murderous look appear on her face as she met the emerald eyes of a smirking Connor.

Connor scoffed and smirked as he ignored the bleeding wound on his shoulder, "In the name of King Goidemar of Temaria, and an extremely pissed off Connor of Lod… I place you under arrest Falka, for the crimes of-."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," The screams that had been echoing the entire fight ripped through the air, the screams of Riannon, and right away Falka and Connor both shot their heads to the now opened cell door.

"CONNOR, CONNOR I NEED YOU," The voice of Lara screeched as a giant blue light, exactly the same as the one Ciri exhumed started exploding from the hall.

Connor's eyes widened, "LARA!"

The young man looked down at Falka, who was staring up at him as if she were daring him to move. Connor bit his lip as the scream got louder, he quickly punched the hilt of his sword down across the side of Falka's head, and the bloody rebel was quickly knocked unconscious. Dominik's eyes widened as he realized what had happened. He and old man Alexander floated down the hall as Connor sheathed his sword and sprinted down the hall of cells, as he got closer he got slower and slower, the noise, the magic, the light it all got louder and brighter. All the prisoners were screaming as well, screaming and curling up in their cells shaking uncontrollably with their hands over their ears.

"GAHHHH LARA!?" Connor yelled as he managed to stumble his way into the cell.

It was a large cell, with shackles on the walls, skeletons and a few dead bodies, but the first thing Dominik noticed gave him horrible flashbacks.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The voice of who he knew had to be Riannon echoed into the air, and Dominik finally looked down at the young woman.

Just like Ciri had done during the battle she was on her knees, she wore a tattered red dress, her long ashen hair was spewing out at all angles, and as she screamed she saw Connor fall to his knees as well, the young man looked frantically around the room, and finally Dominik saw him find Lara. Lara was on her knees a few feet away from Connor and with her hands over her ears, bones, dirt, rocks everything spinning around her from the violent storm she desperately looked over at her brother.

"CONNOR! CONNOR WE HAVE TO CALM HER!" Lara yelled over to him, as Riannon's screams got even louder, more debris of dirt, rocks and even the bodies of dead prisoners began to swirl around the screaming young woman who was Ciri's ancestor.

Connor violently shook his head with his hands up, "LARA YOUR SPELL, YOU NEED TO USE IT, IT'S THE ONLY WAY!"

"I TOLD YOU I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S READY!" Lara yelled back quickly as the blue light from Riannon made her hold her hands up to block it.

Doing the same Connor kept his eyes locked with his sister and shook his head. Stones, bones, and the bodies all violently circled in the miniature tornado gathering around Riannon as her screams continued to echo, the same exact way Ciri's had, and while he was unaffected due to him being a spectator, Dominik still found himself clamping his hands over his ears as well. Connor however shook his head and managed to meet his sister's eyes.

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME LARA IT'S THE ONLY WAY, THE HUNT WILL BE HERE IF WE DON'T CALM HER SOON," Connor yelled, as he could see him look deep into his sister's eyes and nod, "YOU CAN DO THIS, COME ON DO IT FOR UNCLE CREGAN AND AUNT LARA!"

Lara bit her lip, before quickly nodding and forcing herself up to her feet. She stumbled up and a bone almost hit her face. With her hands shaking, barely able to move her legs due to the wind, Lara held out her hand, and Dominik saw magic begin to swirl. Magic swirled around her limbs, and fiercely she shut her eyes, after a few seconds they shot open. When her eyes opened, magic shot from her limbs to her hand just like it did with Dominik himself, her eyes were bright blue the same color that shot from Riannon in that moment, and Lara bellowed out in Elder Speech.

"AE MINNE TAEDH ESSEA HEYU!" Her voice ripped out, and right away just as it did for him during the Battle of Kaer Morhen, a bright light ripped from out of Lara's hand.

All the magic that ripped from Lara, is raced out and clashed with the magic swirling around Riannon. Just like he had done a week prior, it smashed together, and all of the energy started shooting into Lara's palm. She kept her hand raised as it shook, she stumbled a few times while she was standing, but then Connor quickly managed to stumble up to his feet as well.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Riannon screamed again, but this time her screams weren't as deep, the magic slowly began to fade all going towards Lara's palm as the ball of magic bellowed in her hands.

Connor looked over to his sister as he stumbled forward, "YES, GO ON, GO ON LARA IT'S WORKING!"

"AE MINNE TAEDH ESSEA HEYUUUUUU!" Lara yelled again, she shot up her second hand and finally all the magic swirled to her, she shot both her hands down and with a loud ***RIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP* **the magic whirled violently one last time, before everything went silent.

Connor stood on his feet still with his bloody shoulder, but his eyes widened when he noticed Riannon finally with her eyes open. Dominik took in every detail of the ashen haired woman's vibrant emerald eyes. She looked exactly as Ciri had when he calmed her in the courtyard. Her ears were slightly pointed, the woman looked exactly like Ciri did, however, not to the extent that Lara Dorren had. Riannon's eyes didn't stay open for long however, because in her tattered, dirty red dressed she groaned loudly and her eyes closed before she slowly fell forward.

"Ria, I gotchu, don't worry," Connor quickly said as he darted forward. He caught Riannon in his arms, the young woman's ashen locks fell over Connor's lap as he gently sighed and smiled fondly down at her, "Gods… gods you got big… I… I remember putting you to bed… gods."

"Is… is she okay?" Lara said weakly as Dominik saw her fall to her knees next to Connor and Riannon.

Riannon's chest gently rose and fell, her breathing was steady, and Connor let out a shaky sigh as he held one arm to steady her in his lap while he ran the other through his blonde hair. Lara's ponytail had come undone across from him, and her bushy blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, she seemed exhausted, but she looked down at Riannon with a large smile. Connor scoffed and met his sister's eyes and slowly nodded.

"She… she seems okay. Good… good job sis," Connor said giving his sister an exhausted broad smile.

Lara scoffed and smiled back at him, "Ha… thanks… thanks little brother. She… she kept yelling about her child her… her mind is going. We… we need to get her out of here."

Connor quickly nodded as well and breathlessly sighed, "Yeah… you.. you're right. And… we need to use that spell father showed us, the one to mask her magic signature. She… she unleashed the powers, the Hunt will be able to find her soon. Where are the kids?"

Letting out a shaky breath and falling back on her ass Lara gestured towards the exit, "Upstairs… in a nursery. How… how'd it go with Falka?"

Scoffing Connor gently stood and held Riannon in his arms, "Unconscious out there. We… we'll throw her in a cell, and lock it, tell Goidemar she's here and captured."

Lara lightly laughed and got to her feet as well, "Good job little brother, you took down Falka. The rebellion it… it'll practically be over."

Connor smirked and winked at his sister with Riannon in his arms, "All in a day's work, what can I say, I was just born this great."

"Ass…" Lara muttered as she walked out of the cell.

Dominik looked at the scene completely dumbfounded. He had believed Alexander when he said it, but to see it unfold before him, he still couldn't practically believe it had happened. It had always been a mystery, a mystery for so long who the one's to capture Falka, and rescue Riannon were. Now, he learned that it had been his ancestors, Connor and Lara of Lod, one of them being his direct descendant. Above it all however, he felt the swallow tremble around his neck. Again, it made him think to Ciri, how just like with Lara, Connor and Riannon, their destinies were interlocked, and he was almost sure after this, Connor and Lara had to have stayed with her, protected her just like he was doing with Ciri. Ciri of course protected him as well, but to keep seeing it unfold, to know that it all wasn't a hoax, that the love, the connection he felt to Ciri truly was meant to be, it made his heart flutter. As he watched Lara and Connor joking with one another as they walked out, all while fondly looking at their cousin Riannon, he couldn't help but smile.

However, soon the vision began to fade to white, and Dominik jumped when he felt Alexander's bony hand on his shoulder.

"So… what do you think?" The old man's voice said in his ears, a bit of amusement to his tone.

"GAH," Dominik yelled, almost completely forgetting the old man was there. However, he turned and looked up at his ancestor with wide eyes, "HA that…that was amazing. They… they really saved her; Connor beat Falka and.. and they rescued Riannon and her children."

He expected Alexander to smile, to make a joke about how great his children were. However, the vibrant eccentric old man only smiled forlornly as he sighed.

"It was yes… they did a great thing this day my children," Alexander said as he looked down to meet Dominik's eyes, "I watched on with great pride and… every part of me wanted to go and see her, see Lara and Cregan's girl, my niece…"

Dominik felt his own heart slowly fall as he kept his ancestors gaze, "But… but you didn't…. I… heard Riannon was mad after this. What… what happened to her, and to Connor and Lara?"

Alexander sighed and lightly laughed, "In thanks for saving his wife, King Goidemar offered Connor and Lara anything they wished. The both of them, naturally, wished to stay close to Riannon, especially with her madness setting in. They didn't want her powers to unleash again. Connor… he became Riannon's personal protector, captain of the Temarian guard, while Lara she became Riannon's caretaker."

"Was… Lara able to help her?" Dominik asked the old man.

A small smile came to Alexander's face, "After a while… yes. They didn't tell the King, only Riannon of the relation they had. Riannon while… she was able to be healed after a few years thanks to Lara, she… still died young. It was eighteen years later when she did… and… that was when things started to go downhill… it all fell apart."

Dominik felt his skin turn to ice as the white mist enveloped them. After a few moments the dungeon was gone, and the white mist finally completely surrounded Alexander and he again. He felt the reality slowly coming back to him again. He had just seen Connor and Lara fighting together, bickering back and forth, smiling and supporting one another. He remembered Alexander from the previous vision, so happy, full of life, and proud of his children. However, the longer he stood there, looking at old man Alexander's forlorn eyes and letting his words wash over him, the colder he felt.

And that was when Eredin's words hit his ears again, _'You are aware boy…. I not only killed your ancestor… but his son… his daughter.' _The last two visions he saw had been happy ones, despite the blood and fighting in the second vision, his heart had warmed at watching both Connor and Lara fight, fulfilling their destiny, and being with one another. It reminded him of how Bella and he were when they were young. And then the previous vision, a young, happy, energetic Lara and Connor holding baby Riannon, a smiling Lara Dorren and young Alexander. It had all warmed his heart, made the swallow tremble and make him miss Ciri. However, after the words hit his ears, and he remembered back to the present, to what the cold reality was he felt himself shiver.

Alexander had died, Lara Dorren had died, Connor and Lara of Lod, they had both died. Eredin was responsible for killing all his ancestors, and when he looked up at Alexander's face, he could tell that's what the old man was thinking about.

"They… they said that they suppressed Riannon's magic, so the Hunt didn't find them," Dominik said slowly as Alexander grimly nodded. Shakily sighing he met the old man's eyes again, "And… still then, there only lead to find Riannon was to find you…and… and they did… didn't they?"

Shakily sighing the old man nodded and met Dominik's eyes, "They did…. They did. Shortly after Riannon died they found me at Castle Lod, they had finally tracked me down. I knew they would come, so… I sent a letter saying goodbye to Connor and Lara in Temaria, and…performed the spell to bind my consciousness to the journal when I died…. And then… that was when they came."

Shivering Dominik slowly shook his head, "Did… did you fight back?"

Alexander laughed right away as a light smile came to his face. His old, leathery face smirked at him again, and slowly he nodded. He gripped his hand tighter on his white staff and snapped his fingers before looking and meeting Dominik's eyes.

"Of course I did! I may have stood a chance if I didn't need to sacrifice some of my strength to complete the spell on the journal, and teleport that and the letter to Connor and Lara, gave them quite the fight I did," Alexander said, as Dominik saw his withered old face smirk again as the white mist churned around them.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head in disbelief, "You mean to tell me you tried to fight off the Wild Hunt, Eredin, all by yourself?"

Again Alexander laughed and smirked down at him, "Bahaha of course not! I had some help from… an old friend. Come now my boy… let us go see.. the day I died. _Crynvael… truet."_

Dominik's eyes widened and this time he was sure to ready himself, and quickly, the white mist shot around him, before he felt himself being pulled.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Well, well, successful teleport, and you aren't even complaining, you're getting better at this," Alexander said sarcastically as he smirked down at him.

Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes, "I see that my sarcasm runs a lot further back than just Geralt and Yen, where are we-."

His question was cut off by the horn, the loud bellowing of the horn that ripped throughout the entire valley. He shot his gaze down, and took in the scene before him, the first thing he noticed was the crumbling castle nestled perfectly into the mountains. Other then the walls around the keep itself, three great mountain ranges jutted upwards, giving any attackers only one direction to attack from. Dominik scoffed at first, realizing that the castle, if it didn't seem like such a complete crumbling ruin, would be the perfect stronghold to hold out in for an attack. The walls looked like they were once high and strong, and with the mountains jutting around them from three sides, with a row of decent archers, he assumed his father Sir Gregory or any experienced commander would have been able to hold out against an entire army with only a small force of their own.

However, when he looked at the flat ground of snow outside the castle walls, coming from the one attackable direction, and heard the horn again, Dominik's heart froze, and despite the fact Alexander and he were floating above the battlefield, he could see them all clearly. The riders, rows upon rows of riders of the Wild Hunt on skeletal horses, their hooves beat into the snow in the cold night, the only sounds that could currently be heard was the howling of the chilly wind and the nickering of the horses. Dominik felt himself barely able to breath as the air was incredibly thick, the smell of sulfur and ash hit his nose, and as the snow gently began to flurry down from the sky, he shuddered. The sun was set, but despite the castle being crumbled, he saw large braziers lit with roaring fires on the crumbling battlements, and the moon was full so the bright light casted down and illuminated the army of riders that had gathered outside the keep, ready to roll over it in one fell swoop.

Dominik's heart dropped as he looked up to Alexander, "They… they really wanted you dead didn't they?"

Alexander sighed and let out a small laugh, "Oho lad.. they did indeed… this is eighteen years after Connor and Lara saved Riannon… they had been searching for me almost forty years at this point…"

"Is… is that Castle Lod? What… what happened to it, it looks like a ruin, doesn't even look like you could live in there," Dominik said as his gaze fell on the crumbling castle again.

A hearty laugh escaped the old man as he smirked and pointed his bony finger down to the riders, "Aha… you'll see lad. Look down there, it's your best-friend."

Dominik's gaze shot downwards to the army, he still could hear nothing but the cold howling wind, but it was as if Alexander and he got closer to the action below. Slowly they had floated down, and he took another look over the perfectly lined up riders of the Hunt. Dominik counted at least a few dozen lines of riders on skeletal horses, all of them coming up to this one castle. The horses nickered as the snow gently fell through the thick night air. With the light coming from the moon, the braziers on the crumbling walls, and the torches some riders carried Dominik was able to see the two horses canter forward. The skeletal armor on the horses clunked, and as soon as Dominik saw him, he felt his deeply scarred right cheek begin to throb, and despite not having any pressure on it, he felt a stinging pain shoot up his right leg.

He could recognize Eredin's crowned helmet, his massive horse, and the crude jagged longsword that only a week prior had raked across his face, nearly killing him hung at his side, and when he and another rider got a good distance in front of the line of horses, only about a dozen feet from the crumbling walls, Dominik saw him slowly reach up and remove his face plate. He knew Eredin hadn't been crowned King of the Aen Elle yet, but he assumed the man still led the Red Riders, which was another name for the Wild Hunt. It was slightly odd when he saw Eredin's eyes, they were clearly the same demonic eyes that had faced him down a few days prior, however, he was clearly younger, but Dominik assumed he was still as deadly. Slowly Eredin craned his head to the rider next to him, and when he spoke, it cut through the thick air like a sword through clay.

"Avallac'h… are you sure this is the place? This… is a crumbling ruin," Eredin spoke slowly, and before Dominik even had time to be shocked, the rider next to him nodded, before reaching up to the base of his helmet.

Slowly, the elf removed his helmet, his eyes not leaving the keep, "It is… a powerful illusion, but a feeble attempt to hide. I will finally wipe him from this earth… he has eluded us, eluded me for too long."

Dominik floundered when he saw Avallac'h remove his helmet. Avallac'h just like back at Kaer Morhen now, was must smaller then Eredin, the size of a normal man, but he still wore the skeletal armor of a high-ranking commander of the Hunt, armor in a similar style to Eredin. A longsword was at the sages hip, and when Dominik saw his grey eyes, he marveled for a second, realizing how young the elf looked, his grey hair had been receding back in Kaer Morhen, but in that moment he saw, he had a full head of flowing white grey hair, it was combed back down his neck, and as Dominik looked at his face he couldn't help but scoff.

Just like in the present day, the sage had an arrogant prideful look on his face, like he couldn't believe that he was forced to come to the castle. However, Dominik could also see the anger, the seething rage that was building up in the sage's eyes. It was the same kind of look he gave Dominik back in Kaer Morhen then. He had assumed he was once a member of the Hunt, or at least in their ranks someway, but for a few seconds all Dominik thought about, was what the sage could possibly be doing helping Ciri now. Was the elf's hatred for Eredin truly that high, that he'd actively work with Lara and Cregan's descendant, and now, even though it was with much complaint, Alexander's as well? Why would he even bother helping Ciri, all the questions raced to his mind as his gaze shot to Alexander next to him.

"So… he really tried to kill you? What the fuck could he be doing now working with us? Why is he willing to help Ciri," He asked, feeling completely dumbfounded.

Alexander stroked his blonde and white frizzy beard before sighing, "It is as I said lad… I do not know. If I'm being optimistic, he's had a change of heart, seen the error of his ways, and believes that Eredin is a great threat to the world."

Dominik rolled his eyes, "And if you're being realistic?"

Scoffing Alexander shook his head, "Then he thinks Eredin is a threat to himself and his own power, and he has some plan that he hasn't been mentioning to you all yet… with your Cirilla at the center of them."

"I could've told you that…" Dominik said as he crossed his arms, feeling the wind whip through his brown hair.

Alexander let out a small laugh, "You're a sharp one lad… I know not what he plans. However, from what I have watched, he is right about one thing… you and your friends need him to defeat Eredin. So, let him stick around… but be wary my boy, you and Cirilla both, because well… you'll see in a moment that he… doesn't like me very much in particular."

Alexander's words washed over him, and he sighed, remembering Geralt saying a similar thing to him after his fight with Ciri. It was what he and Geralt both agreed, as long as Ciri said she trusted Avallac'h, they'd led the elf stay around, because they trusted her judgement. However, as Alexander said, Dominik was going to be sure to keep a close eye on the elf. As he looked down at the scene he wondered for a moment what Avallac'h had been doing there. He assumed of course the sage wished to hunt Alexander down to get the location of Lara's descendants, and Hunt down Cregan's brother of course, however, he knew that Eredin was the one to kill Alexander and not Avallac'h, so Dominik wondered what the elf was doing next to Eredin that night. He also wondered what Alexander was referring too when he said, 'you'll see in a moment why he doesn't like me in particular'.

However, as he watched the scene unfold, he slowly came to realize why the elf had such a massive disdain for him back in his world.

Eredin slowly shook his head, "Well… get on with it then. Unless… you plan to let another member of this family make a fool of you."

"Silence you disrespectful fool," Avallac'h snapped over at Eredin, who only rolled his eyes, before Avallac'h turned back to the castle atop his horse, "He will pay… pay for what he and his brother stole from me…. _RAVELIAN TOMAN CRUET NOED!"_

He knew the spell wouldn't affect him, but Dominik still leaped back when Avallach's hand shot into the air. The once silent valley of falling snow outside a crumbling castle erupted into a bright blue light, the spell that Avallac'h summoned shot upwards towards the castle, as Eredin waved his hand forward, and the thundering of hundreds of skeletal horses all moved forward, and within seconds, Avallac'h and Eredin were standing directly in front of their riders, in that snowing valley, but instead of standing in front of a crumbling ruin, they were standing in front of a large keep, a fully erected, not crumbling castle as opposed to the one that was in disarray that Dominik had seen. He looked and saw aw shit-eating smirk come to Avallach's younger face as he looked up towards the walls, and Dominik finally got his first good look at Castle Lod.

It wasn't a very large keep, however, with the naturally defensive position it didn't need to be. It only had one large front wall; it was at least a couple hundred feet high with one large iron gate with a winch that Dominik saw right above it. It had jutting battlement's, followed by a large wide keep inside just beyond the courtyard that shot up even higher than the outer walls. It seemed as if the castle had almost been built into the mountain, because after the outside wall, the keep itself was wedged far back against the sides of the mountain itself. Dominik could see a stable, a forge in the courtyard, and at the top of the tower in the inner keep which he assumed was where the inhabitants would live, he swore he could see the same exact window that in a previous vision he saw Alexander and Lara Dorren looking out of, and the sight made his stomach crawl, and his head begin to buzz as he realized just how much time had past between the visions he had seen. The castle was absolutely beautiful, and from the windows of that tower, one could sure enough see the beautiful forests and mountains. Now the snow gently fell, after the skeletal riders advanced everything went quiet again. Avallac'h lowered his hands and steadied his horse next to Eredin, the light from the moon and the fires hit their faces as the snow continued to fall. Dominik noticed that their gazes were shooting upwards towards the front wall, almost a hundred feet upwards, after a moment, Dominik saw Avallach's eyes narrow.

"Finally…." The elf said darkly, and Eredin scoffed next to him with a shake of his head.

"This… is the man who has eluded us… for so long?" Eredin said in a rather unimpressed tone before he turned back to Avallac'h, "The man who eluded YOU for so long?"

"Silence," Avallac'h hissed at Eredin, before he turned his head up towards the battlements again, "ALEXANDER!"

Dominik's eyes widened as his gaze went up the walls, and when they got up to the battlement's and he saw the man standing there, his gaze shot up to a smirking old Alexander next to him.

"That's you?" Dominik asked in complete disbelief as Alexander continued to smirk.

The old man laughed and nodded, "You bet it is yes! GODS look at me, I was strong!"

Dominik narrowed his eyes back to young Alexander on the battlements and scoffed, "But… it's been what, forty years? How the hell do you still look so young?"

"Being a sorcerer has it's perks," The old man said with a smirk.

"But… you're old now," Dominik said, looking at his ancestor's pale leathery old face.

Alexander rolled his eyes, "Because in case you didn't know, holding an illusion and keeping your consciousness in a journal for over a hundred years tends to take a lot out of you."

'Starting to think I got my sarcasm from you…." Dominik muttered to himself, before he tore his vision back down to the castle again.

Sure enough as he followed Avallac'h and Eredin's gaze up to the top of the walls, Dominik saw him. Castle Lod seemed like it could possibly repel an attack from the riders of the Hunt. If you placed enough archers on the walls, perhaps a ballista, a few crossbows, and then braced the gate down below, it would certainly be possible. Dominik knew there had to be at least over a hundred riders there, but it seemed like only about fifty men or so would have been able to hold the keep. The braziers along the battlements burned, the moonlight illuminated the walls, the night wind began to howl even louder as the snow fell, but instead of fifty or so men, a garrison of guards perhaps standing and guarding the castle, there was only one man, one singular man facing down the riders of the Wild Hunt, along with a powerful elven sage and Eredin himself.

And that man was Alexander of Lod, still standing in the same black robes he wore now, the coat of arms, two white swords crossed over a dragon head, however, he saw something new stitched just above the dragon and the swords. It was a swallow, a white stitched swallow was just above the sword and dragons, and Dominik felt his heart drop, Alexander had clearly done it for Lara, for his little sister as he called her. For so many years he hid himself, keeping the Hunt's attention away from Riannon, from his brother and his adopted little sister's children, protecting his line fulfilling his destiny, his goal. The same goal that Dominik would have to fulfill when he got back. The snow started to fall harder, the wind continued to howl and whip through young Alexander's robes as he stood next to a burning brazier just above the gate, looking directly down at Avallac'h.

Young Alexander looked barely any different then he had in the previous vision with Lara Dorren. He had a slicked, combed back head of blonde hair, with a neatly trimmed and cropped beard, both of which blew in the night breeze. His eyes went to stare down at the hundreds of riders gathered before him, along with Eredin and Avallac'h. Dominik expected Alexander's emerald eyes to be hard pressed, narrowed in concentration, facing down his foe and analyzing any possible way to defeat the vast amount of riders before him.

However, as he had come to expect from his ancestor, Alexander simply looked down with a wild smirk.

"AHH! Hello Avallac'h! Fancy seeing you here. Who's your tall, handsome friend, is he your new boyfriend!?" Alexander shouted down, and Dominik, despite knowing the situation and how it would turn out, couldn't help but laugh.

Alexander smirked wildly, and Dominik saw that he was holding a weapon in both hands. In his left hand, young Alexander held the same white staff that old Alexander held next to him, while in his right hand, Dominik could see he was casually leaning on the top of his broadsword. The snow gently fell onto his blonde hair, and as he leaned on the point of his blade, Dominik saw the crystal ball at the top of the white metal staff glowing fiercely with the same ball of fire that it was on old Alexander's staff next to him. The horses down below all nickered below the riders, and Dominik could see they were all eager to charge. Alexander however, remained calm, cool, collected, and couldn't stop smirking down at a completely enraged Avallac'h. Eredin seemed to simply annoyedly roll his eyes at Alexander's comment, while Avallac'h on the other hand screamed back up towards Dominik's young ancestor.

"You know why I am here Alexander! You will die this night, you arrogant fool," Avallac'h shouted up the battlements, Dominik could see the elf shaking as he shook his head, "Tell us where the child is! And your death shall be quick and painless!"

"MHMMM!? What!? What's that Avallac'h?" Young Alexander shouted down from the walls, holding a hand to his ear as he looked down, "I can't hear you! Hearing is the first thing to go in old age, you'll have to speak louder!"

Avallac'h growled from atop his horse and shouted up again, "I SAID SURRENDER TO US! Surrender the location of the child, and we will grant you a swift death!"

"WHAT!? I still can't hear you; I don't know what you're asking me!" Alexander shouted down again, and Dominik felt himself scoff and begin to laugh as again Avallac'h growled loudly from atop his horse down below.

"I AM TELLING YOU TO SURRENDER YOU ARROGANT FOOL," Avallac'h exploded from down below, as Dominik could see the sage's face contort while he screamed, "TELL US THE LOCATION OF THE CHILD AND SURRENDER! YOU WILL NOT LIVE THIS NIGHT!"

"I STILL CAN'T HERE YOU! WHAT ARE YOU ASKING ME AVALLAC'H!? YOU NEED TO SPEAK UP," Alexander said as he gripped his staff with one hand and hefted his sword to his shoulder with a wide smirk as he looked down at the elf.

Dominik felt himself laugh as Avallac'h lost it again, "LISTEN YOU IGNORANT FOOL! SURRENDER NOW AND-."

"He is toying with you Avallac'h…" Eredin said dryly from the massive horse next to Avallac'h and Dominik saw the future King look up towards the battlements, "Alexander! I am Eredin Breacc Glas, leader of the Red Riders. Surrender yourself and the location of the child, and you will be granted a swift death!"

Young Alexander made a joke and deeply nodded his head before he laughed, "Ohhhhh! You want me to surrender!? Avallac'h why didn't you just say so!?"

Down below, Dominik felt himself laughing again, as Avallac'h gripped tightly to the reins of his skeletal horse. In the elf's short time at Kaer Morhen, Dominik thought he was an ass of course, but he had always seen the elf composed, even when he was angry. However, in that moment as the sage sat on his horse next to Eredin, he seemed like he was ready to explode, his face got red from the anger, and he kept shooting a murderous gaze up at Alexander.

He scoffed and looked at a bemused Alexander floating next to him, "HA… so… this is another reason he really doesn't like me."

Old Alexander laughed heartily and nodded, "From what I've seen you're just as sarcastic as I am… so yes. And well… you'll also see why in a moment."

Dominik chuckled and turned his gaze back down to the scene. He watched down as Alexander stood up straight on the walls. His young ancestors' emerald eyes sparkled in the fire light, it casted an illuminating glow off his face as the wind howl and blew back his black robes. Dominik watched as he smirked wildly again and looked down to the snow-covered earth towards Avallac'h and the riders.

"SO, you want to surrender is that it? Oh very well," Alexander said as he brought both hands to his staff, holding his sword against the metal staff he smirked wildly, and Dominik could see his ancestors eyes flash bright blue for a moment, before he shouted down again, "Let me just write you my letter of surrender! _ANSAVAN, BREAS GRAN!"_

Sparks shot upwards from the tip of Alexander's staff. Dominik had expected a magic spell, a torrent of magic to wrought destruction in the Hunt's ranks, perhaps take down Avallac'h or Eredin. However, as was becoming the pattern with his ancestor, he was a jokester before anything. The sparks shot up into the night air just above the Hunt and their riders, Avallac'h and Eredin both shot their gazes upwards, and while Avallac'h looked finally ready to erupt out of his skin, Dominik saw Eredin laugh for what he assumed was the first time in his life.

"BAHA… I must say… at least he has a sense of humor…" Eredin said condescendingly as he looked over at Avallac'h.

Avallac'h shook with a new rage as he slipped back on his helmet, he shot his gaze up to Alexander, "THAT IS ENOUGH! YOU WILL DIE THIS DAY ALEXANDER, JUST LIKE YOUR RIDICULOUS BROTHER! HE TOOK WHAT WAS MINE, MINE BY RIGHT, AND YOU WILL PAY FOR IT! YOU ARE ONE MAN IN A CASTLE, YOU CANNOT HOPE TO SURVIVE!"

Dominik looked over to the letters that the sparks had formed in the sky, and he felt himself burst out laughing. In the night sky, the sparks from Alexander's staff had erupted and whirled in the sky to form letter's, a message, and for a few minutes Dominik couldn't stop laughing as he read the words they made.

The message, _"Avallac'h sucks flaccid cock', _was spelled out in the sky.

"HAHA… you.. you really did that?" Dominik said looking up to a still smirking old Alexander.

Alexander smiled but the old man quickly sighed and looked back down to him, "Yes… I figured if I was going to die… I would at least amuse myself before I did."

Dominik felt his heart sink as he slowly looked down to a wildly smirking young Alexander on the battlements. He scolded himself for forgetting, he had gotten so wrapped up in laughing, and marveling at the bravery of his ancestor, that he had forgotten the entire point of the journey the old man was taking him on, why he was showing him everything. '_For you to be able to protect the Elder Blood, to protect your Cirilla and defeat the Hunt… you must know the story of me and my children… the story of how we died.' _Hearing the words made his face fall, he looked down at a fuming Avallac'h and Eredin, and a smirking young Alexander, and he remembered the hard truth.

Despite all of Alexander's confidence, he would die in this battle.

The snow continued to gently fall over the castle, the fires in the brazier next to a young Alexander burned, and finally he sighed. For the first time, Dominik saw the young Alexander's eyes grow hard, he gripped tightly to both his staff and longsword, and Dominik saw the look of realization appear in his emerald eyes. The snow gently lapped over his head, and he walked towards the edge of the walls and looked down to a still fuming Avallac'h who's eyes didn't leave him.

Alexander let out a sigh and took a step back before yelling, and Dominik could see the fire in his emerald eyes erupt, "SHE WAS NEVER YOURS AVALLAC'H! SHE WAS A LIVING BREATHING PERSON, NOT YOUR PROPERTY! AND YOU ARE WRONG AGAIN! I AM ONE MAN YES! BUT I AM NOT ALONE!"

"IT WAS MY RIGHT, SHE WAS MY RIGHT," Avallac'h yelled before his gaze shot to Eredin, "Go now! Take down the gate, kill him, and tear the Castle down brick by brick!"

Eredin sneered at the sage before turning to his riders, gently the future King put his faceplate back on, "NOW! BREAK DOWN THE GATE!"

The future King racked his longsword out, and Dominik couldn't help but wonder if it was the same sword, that a hundred so years later would almost kill him. All of the riders seemed to stir, and Dominik heard the thundering of over a hundred horses all beginning to move at once. He looked and saw Avallac'h and Eredin both place their helmets and faceplates back on, Avallac'h raked out his longsword, and both he and Eredin continued to stand at the lead as finally the riders began to move forward. Magic energy and ice all churned around the horses, and they thundered their hooves through the snow, the once peaceful, silent valley was filled with the echoes of hoofbeats, the moonlight and the fires all illuminated the scene as the riders began to charge for the walls of Castle Lod. Dominik's eyes widened, he looked between old man Alexander and back down to young Alexander standing on the walls, waiting for either of them to do anything, or even look the slightest bit concerned.

However, young Alexander in the vision below, and old Alexander next to him simply smirked.

He watched down to the walls, and with a loud ***BOOOM* **all the riders stumbled as they charged. On the battlements he saw young Alexander, and when he did, Dominik's heart leapt up in his chest. Young Alexander's body was completely incased in swirling blue magic, the same exact way Dominik got when his own powers unleashed. For a few moments he saw Alexander's emerald eyes staring down at the advancing riders, but after a moment of magic whirling around his limbs, Dominik saw his young ancestor blink. When his eyes reopened the magic erupted around him again as it shot out at all angles. The fire in the ball at the top of his metal staff whirled, and he slammed both his sword and staff into one another, before the light took over his eyes and he shouted out into the valley in Elder Speech.

"YOU SHALL NOT HAVE HER BLOOD, AND YOU SHALL NOT PASS HERE," Alexander yelled, and the magic began to pour out of him as the riders continued to charge, and finally his eyes seemed to glow even more intensely before he raised his staff and sword, "_EGTHLANE CERAIN DEFRAIN, IGNATIUS BREACAN GLYNVAIL AENYE!"_

A loud ***BOOOOOOOM* **echoed throughout the entire valley and shook the very walls of Castle Lod, all of the riders who had charged past Avallac'h and Eredin stumbled, the riders horses bucked, the more then a hundred riders all came to a screeching halt as the magic ripped from Alexander on the walls. Dominik's ancestors slammed the but of his staff into the ground with his blade erupting magic, and soon the very ground beneath the riders, the snow covered earth begun to shake, and then out of nowhere another ***BOOOOOOOOM* **erupted from the very ground itself as torrents of fire erupted from under the ground and shot towards the riders, it enveloped and circled them all, effectively trapping them in the flat earth outside Castle Lod in an enormous, roaring arena of fire that's walls shot as high as Castle Lod itself. Never in Dominik's life had he seen such powerful fire erupt from a mage, not even Yennefer or Triss, he had never seen magic like this before. He watched onto the walls as Alexander's sword erupted into flames as the magic continued to whirl and whirl around him in the night.

The castle and the surrounding battlefield were illuminated by the light of magic and fire. Riders who couldn't stop themselves ran into the walls of flames and were set alight, some fell from their horses, the charge had been completely halted and the riders were in complete disarray. He turned his gaze over to Avallac'h and Eredin, neither of which seemed worried, only even more agitated in Avallach's case. Next to the sage, Eredin growled before raising his sword and twirling it.

"Regroup you fools! He has simply trapped us, he is still only one man," The future King of the Aen Elle screamed out before he turned over to Avallac'h with an eye roll, "You didn't describe the power this man had Avallac'h…"

The sage turned to Eredin and sneered, "It matters not, he is simply delaying the inevitable. I will cast a spell to-."

"EXCUSE ME AVALLAC'H." Young Alexander shouted from the balcony, as Eredin and Avallac'h both turned on their horses back to the walls. Up at the top, young Alexander who was still radiating magical power smirked down at them with his staff and sword still out, "I DO HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF I INVITE AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE TO OUR LITTLE PARTY! LARA WAS OH SO FOND OF HIM!"

Avallach's face grew enraged again as he screamed, "IT MATTERS NOT! It matter's not who you call you ignorant man, you will still die this night!"

"OHO! I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG! ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE," Alexander yelled from the battlements as the riders continued to scramble in the arena of flames beneath them. Dominik's ancestor smirked and raised his staff and sword up into the air yet again, his voice bellowed in Elder Speech, "_AE CALLAN AEN TEADH AEP FLUAE TE AVARE! CAEM AEP MAE A OBYE DEIN MAE!"_

Dominik's eyes widened, as young Alexander spoke the words he felt as if someone draped a wet towel over him. He shot his gaze up to Alexander as with every word he had the flashbacks to the battle he recognized the spell, he knew exactly what was happening, and he couldn't believe it. The snow still gently fell over Alexander and he as they floated above the scene, the fire illuminated over their faces, and Dominik felt his mind ready to explode.

"What!? I recognize that spell, you mean to tell me that you really-," Dominik started to ask as Alexander quickly cut him off by turning to him.

The old man while tightly gripping his staff slowly nodded, "Yes my boy… we will speak of it in a bit… say hello to my old friend."

Dominik scoffed with his eyes wide and shook his head, "I… I thought it was possible when he didn't kill me, but how did-."

He was cut off, when Young Alexander's voice rang through the air again, and when he heard it, Dominik almost felt as if his soul left his body.

"_CAEMM AEP MAE…. KILGARRAH!" _Young Alexander yelled as he slammed his staff down into the walls of the keep again, and a blast of magic shot through the air.

He looked over to see the riders all stumbled again, most had fallen from their skeletal horses, and they ran amok in the arena of fire that Alexander had erected. His gaze went over to Eredin and Avallac'h who tried to get a handle on their horses. As the skeletal beasts bucked under them both, Avallach's eyes widened as Eredin scoffed and shook his head.

"What is he doing Avallac'h? You once again… failed to mention this," Eredin said darkly as the wind began to howl, and the walls of fire continued to erupt around both of them.

Avallach's eyes darted to the sky, the fires burned the snow around them, the light illuminated their armor, and as the riders continued to run amok, the wind became even more violent. Under Avallach's helmet his hair whipped in the wind as he quickly looked to Eredin and shook his head.

"I thought it only a rumor… we must pull-," The sage began to say before he was cut off, cut off by the same earth-shattering roar that stopped the defenders of Kaer Morhen in their tracks.

Young Alexander laughed gleefully as the magic whirled and whirled around him, he smirked down as the roar got louder and louder. Quickly he extinguished the fire around his blade and slid it into his waist. His black robes, the dragon coat of arms and the swallow that he had stitched into the fabric whipped, and Dominik watched as for a few moments he simply stood there. The wind blew back his blonde hair, his emerald eyes had the bits of blue magic erupting in the sides of them, and he watched on as the riders finally looked as if they had begun to regroup back in their horses, Eredin and Avallac'h both got a handle on their horses, but the wind, the wind blew more violently then Dominik had ever seen, and just as another roar pierced the air, Alexander closed his eyes, magic began to swirl around him even more as he shot his gaze back open and leaped from the battlement's.

"What is that fool doing…." Eredin said darkly as he racked his blade from his waist and looked at Alexander who quickly fell from the battlement's.

Avallac'h scoffed from under his helmet and shot his gaze to Eredin, "I told you, we must-."

The sage was cut off yet again by a loud, earth shattering ***ROOOOOOOAR* **and then a gust if wind shot from behind Eredin and the sage, followed by a blur of white that almost completely blended in with the snow at first. However, when it zoomed past the walls, he saw Alexander who had been falling carried up into the air, as the great white dragon Kilgarrah appeared and caught Dominik's ancestor on his back before unleashing another castle rattling roar and ascending into the sky.

"You… you really were the one… the one he made an oath too… like Borch said…" Dominik said in amazement as he looked up to old Alexander, who fondly smiled at the sight of his younger self zooming upwards perched on the white dragon's neck.

The old man sighed and smirked, as the wind blew his scraggily hair and beard, "Oho yes my boy…. Kilgarrah… my old friend… gods I miss that dragon as well."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "Yeah, he must be really great, but there's the small fact that now he's working with the Wild Hunt, and almost killed me and all my friends a week ago."

"Kilgarrah will never harm you boy," Alexander said slowly as he looked down to meet Dominik's eyes, "His oath prevents him from it, that is why he spared you."

He felt his blood slightly begin to boil, he had of course remembered his conversation with Borch, when the gold dragon said Kilgarrah could be under some kind of spell by the Hunt. Eredin was at this battle when Alexander summoned him, perhaps the King was the one to teach it to Baelen, and once they summoned him, they were able to take control. However, he wouldn't forget that if not for that dragon, many of his friends wouldn't be injured, Vigi and Folan wouldn't have fallen, the courtyard where Arno and Declan had sacrificed themselves would have remained aflame, and the Hunt would've had a harder time getting through. However, as he looked at the vision then floating there, Dominik watched as Kilgarrah's massive form soared up into the sky above the battle, Alexander was on the dragon's neck, even seeming to talk to the beast as if they were old friends.

_"You are blood of his blood." _The words from the dragon rang in his ears. It was clear that he wouldn't attack Dominik, however, he still fought Borch, and still he worked with the Hunt and obeyed their orders. It was a staunch contrast to the beast he saw spin in the air before rapidly descending down with young Alexander on his back.

"He didn't attack me yeah… but he's still under the command of the Hunt, how the hell is that possible!?" He asked the old man, as the giant walls of fire illuminated them both.

Old Alexander sighed and gripped tighter on his staff, "My boy… there are some things that even I don't know. I only have the power to see what you see since you've touched the journal."

"Could he be trapped under a spell? Could he have just betrayed that oath he made to you, but felt bad when he saw me? If we can help him somehow, then the Hunt loses probably their biggest weapon," Dominik asked desperately as the cold wind blew through his cold hair.

Alexander slowly shook his head, "I wish I had the answer for you my boy…. It takes all my strength to hold the illusion and my consciousness in the journal. Other then perhaps him being trapped, the only other explanation is he is fulfilling his oath… but that's impossible, from what I've heard you say… all of your relatives are dead."

Dominik bit his lip and slowly felt his heart drop. He remembered back to Connor and Lara in the previous vision they had seen. Two siblings in perfect synch, their powers radiating, fighting to protect their destiny, how they spoke to each other, the banter, the complete trust and love they clearly had despite the teasing. It reminded him so much of himself and Bella when they were younger, and he found himself again wondering what could have been. Bella was the only sibling he had, their parents were both single children, so he grew up with no cousins to speak of. Bella would have been the only one who shared the powers with him, but she was gone. She had died in his arms, and thus, it made him the last member of the line of Alexander.

Shakily he sighed and nodded, "Yeah… they are. But… couldn't you tell if maybe I had a cousin or something my parents never told me about? Couldn't you sense your descendants?"

Old man Alexander scoffed and shook his head, "If I were alive it'd be no problem. However… as you can see, holding the illusion, keeping myself in the journal for one of my descendants to find… it… has taken its toll on me. As I said, I can only see through your eyes, so no… I cannot. I know not why Kilgarrah fights with the Hunt now my boy… but I can promise you this… he will never harm you."

"How do you know for certain? What happens to him if he does?" Dominik asked as the wind continued to howl in his ears.

Alexander looked deeply into his eyes and shook his head, "Nothing, he was released from his oath."

"WHAT!?" Dominik found himself yelling in complete disbelief as he shook his head, "Then… then why did he spare me!?"

A small smile came to the old man's face as he looked back down towards the battle. Dominik followed his gaze, and he saw Kilgarrah and young Alexander floating above the mass of riders who were all scrambling to get back into lines in the arena of fire, as Eredin and Avallac'h both shouted out orders, the wind and snow still whipped through the night, and when Dominik slowly looked up at old Alexander the man smiled fondly down at his younger self and the dragon.

His old ancestor met his eyes with a soft smile, "Because… I may have released him from his blood oath… but he made another one. An oath on his word… to help my descendant's when they have lost their way, when they need it most."

Dominik slowly shook his head as he looked back down towards the scene. It had to be a spell, Baelen, Caranthir, someone on the Hunt had to be the one to place a spell on Kilgarrah, from how passionately Alexander spoke of the dragon, how sure he sounded, Dominik refused to believe as Borch did, he was doing it willingly. He had to have broken the spell for a moment, and somehow recognized Dominik's blood that was why he didn't attack. A hundred new questions rang through his head again, it seemed whenever one was answered, a torrent of new one's took its place. However, he pushed the questions away from his mind as the smell of ash hit his nose, and the violent winds blew his hair upwards. He shot his gaze down just in time to see Alexander and Kilgarrah, both floating above the riders of the Hunt.

Young Alexander smirked from his perch atop the great white dragon's back. Kilgarrah flapped his wings as he flew in place meters above the riders, who had all reorganized into lines. Eredin and Avallac'h both stood in position behind the lines, and Dominik could see all the rider's horses nervously nickering. He couldn't see Eredin's face, or Avallach's but soon Eredin's booming voice rippled through the night.

"Dragon or no dragon! You die this night Alexander," Eredin bellowed, and Dominik looked over as young Alexander simply laughed loudly.

"BAHA! YOU HEAR THAT KILGARRAH!? WE'RE GOING TO DIE TONIGHT," Dominik's young ancestor yelled with his staff still firmly held in hand, he laughed again and shook his head looking down at the riders, "WELL, WE MAY AS WELL TAKE YOU ALL WITH US! KILGARRAH, _GYVNVAEL!"_

Just like he had done in the battle a week prior, Kilgarrah reared back his massive head, and a torrent of frost exploded down towards the riders. The stream of frost smashed into the lines, and it wreaked havoc. Riders were knocked from their horses, they were frozen in ice, but amazingly the fire that Alexander had erected stayed lit, and nothing could extinguish it. Kilgarrah flapped his wings and kept breathing the frost down on the Hunt's ranks, as with Alexander on his back he begun flying and strafing the Hunt's lines. The riders all scrambled and leapt from their horses, Dominik saw halberds, swords, spears, all of them flash. Weapons were thrown up to try and strike the great white dragon, but Kilgarrah's scales were impenetrable from that distance. The dragon continued to strafe, and the riders desperately tried to fight back, but Kilgarrah zoomed over the air, and passed over the heads of Eredin and Avallac'h, before flying back for another strafing run.

Eredin growled loudly and climbed down from his massive horse, his gaze shot over to Avallac'h, "Avallac'h… you never mentioned a dragon you arrogant fool!"

Avallac'h growled himself behind his skeletal helmet and climbed off his own horse, "I thought you said your riders were the best… or was that a lie? Are you afraid of a human? A meek, pathetic, arrogant-."

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" A loud voice boomed behind Avallac'h. and before Dominik knew it Eredin stepped forward and raised up his jagged longsword.

A loud ***BOOOOOOOOM* **erupted as just before Alexander could leap down to cut Avallac'h in half Eredin had intercepted. The magic that was whirling off both their blades collided, and smokey ash filled the battlefield. A distance away a loud ***THUD* **shook the earth, as Kilgarrah landed in the middle of the riders. The dragon roared and it seemed to shake the riders to their cores, some stumbled before they regained their footing and foolishly started towards the dragon again. Kilgarrah unleashed its torrent of frost, it swung its massive tail and claws, with every strike another rider was snatched up by either the dragon's jaws or squashed under its might. Dominik, however, knew dragons weren't invincible, the riders had no chance of defeating them from the sky, but Alexander had chosen to land.

Scoffing with his eyes wide he looked to the old man floating next to him, "Why did you land!? They had no chance of taking you out from the sky!"

Alexander sighed as he shook his head with a grim smile, "Avallac'h and Eredin are not stupid my boy. They would have known that too… and retreated, only to come back with an even larger force. No… I needed to face them… I thought if I could defeat them… the Hunt would cripple."

Dominik felt his heart break again, his skin grew cold, his blood began to race through him. Shakily sighing he gripped the swallow as he looked down to where Alexander had leapt for Avallac'h and Eredin. The smoke and snow that was whirling finally cleared, and that was when Dominik saw Alexander still standing. The blue magic whirled around his body, he gripped tightly to his staff in his left hand, while his blade was once again roaring with fire as he stood mere meters from Eredin and Avallac'h. His young ancestor's emerald eyes narrowed, and Dominik could see around Alexander's pupils started to glow blue as he pointed his sword with one hand and twirled his staff in the other. He looked powerful, confident, and from the power Dominik saw him exhume, he nearly didn't want to believe it, believe what he knew would happen. The snows started to violently fall as Kilgarrah roared and fought riders' meters away, the wind blew his robes back, but Alexander stood stalwart across from Avallac'h and Eredin. Dominik's eyes narrowed onto the scene, but his blood felt like ice, because he knew how the battle ended.

Slowly he turned to older Alexander with a shaky sigh, "But… but you didn't…"

"No my boy… I didn't," Old man Alexander said slowly, just as Dominik heard young Alexander yell from down below.

He tore his gaze down and again, his young ancestor twirled his staff and flaming sword, before he leveled his blade towards both Avallac'h and Eredin.

"So! Which one of you wishes to go first!? Or you could both come at once, it makes no difference to me!" Alexander said as his blonde hair and robes whipped in the wind.

Eredin scoffed and hefted his blade to his shoulder, "You are as arrogant as Avallac'h described… brave… but arrogant. Give us the location of the child… and I will kill you quickly… I will… deny myself the pleasure of killing you slowly."

"He is right Alexander…" Avallac'h said darkly as he racked his blade from his waist as well, from behind his skeletal helmet the sage spoke in a low drawl, "You will pay… for turning her against me…. You will pay for your brother taking what was mine…"

"She was never yours… she never was going to be, you turned her against you yourself," Alexander said, and Dominik finally heard the jovial tone leave his young ancestor, Alexander whirled his staff and blade again as Kilgarrah roared he met the elves eyes, "Even if you strike me down here tonight… my line will live on… they will live on, and they will forever be there to protect Cregan and Lara's line… protect them… from you. Strike me down yes… but one day.. my children will kill you, kill you both…"

Dominik felt his stomach churn as he floated above the scene. The words sank into his ears, and he realized that Alexander had indeed been right. Over a hundred years later after this battle took place, he was still alive, he was carrying on Alexander's line, protecting his destiny, the woman he loved, protecting Cregan and Lara's line. Alexander for Lara and his brother, for their children, for the fate of the world had faced down almost the entirety of the Wild Hunt with only himself and a dragon. Even with that dragon, the odds were still hopelessly out of his favor, however, Dominik's ancestor was standing firm still, not stopping the fight until the end. He looked to the old man floating next to him, and remembered how not long ago, he thought he was nothing but a crazy old man.

However, that crazy old man was possibly braver then anyone Dominik had ever seen. And just like Alexander, if it meant to keep the world, the continent, his family… and most importantly Ciri safe, he would face down the Hunt as well.

Eredin bellowed across from Alexander and dipped his longsword into the bloody snow as the small blizzard began to form around them, "Baha…you humans… so… predictable. Come then Alexander… let us see the extent of the power you wield."

"You will die this night… ignorant fool," Avallac'h said next to Eredin, as Dominik saw a ball of magic begin to whirl in his hands, "First you die… then your children…"

Alexander heartily laughed and smirked over at them, "Baha… you're having a hard time with me! If that's the case.. you stand no chance against my children together…. Come now! I think we've waited long enough!"

Just as Alexander finished speaking Kilgarrah let out another bone chilling roar, Dominik saw the white dragon whirl its tail around and knock out several riders at once. The dragon spit its breath forward and froze several more before snatching one up in its jaws and throwing it into the walls of fire around them. The fire and the moonlight lit the scene, and Dominik saw Eredin and Avallac'h both make the mistake of looking away from Alexander to the dragon. As soon as their heads turned, Alexander leaped into battle, with his staff and flaming sword in hand, Dominik's young ancestor waded into the two powerful elves, and as he watched the fight unfold he almost couldn't believe that it was a man fighting, because Alexander moved like a whirlwind.

With the blue magic spinning his limbs on, he spun parried and thrusted with his blade, all while smacking away spells with his staff. Avallac'h came charging in from the right, magic glew in the sage's hand as he fired a ball of lightning towards Alexander. Alexander spun around one of Eredin's strikes and quickly shouted words in Elder Speech, magic shot to the top of his staff and he caught the ball of lightning at the weapons tip. He spun and fired the ball back towards Avallac'h and the sage just barely had time to raise a magical shield before the blast hit him again. A loud ***BOOOOOM* **rang as Avallac'h was sent flying back. Kilgarrah's roars were ever present as the great dragon beat back riders, seeming to protect Alexander, he noticed whenever a rider snuck past the beast to aid Eredin and Avallac'h, Kilgarrah would whirl around and smack them away. However, Dominik's eyes didn't look at the dragon, they stayed locked on Alexander, just after he blasted Avallac'h back, Eredin came charging again. Frost and magic glew around the much larger elf as he swung down his blade. Alexander's eyes flashed blue and he whirled around just in time to parry. However, the blow was so powerful that he got sent stumbling. Eredin took the advantage and tried to swing his blade down, however Alexander spun on his back and thrusted up his staff.

_"SNUA FLENDEAL!" _Alexander screamed, and a torrent of the snow below them shot up and smacked Eredin back, the future King was trapped as his arms became incased in ice and snow. To Dominik's shock Eredin couldn't move, and Alexander went in for a decisive strike, his body still radiating the magic, his eyes glew and just before he could strike Eredin down, Avallach's voice rang in the night.

"ALEXANDER, FACE ME YOU THEIF!" The elf screamed, and Alexander whirled around with his blade and staff as Eredin went to rip himself from the ice.

Avallach's helmet had been blown off, his skeletal armor was singed and smoking, but the elf's grey hair flew in the wind, his blade was still clutched in his hand as he leveled it out with one hand towards Alexander. Alexander slowly turned from Eredin, and Dominik wanted to scream, scream at Alexander for being so foolish, for not taking the chance to cut Eredin down. All he needed to do was quickly slash his blade across Eredin's neck and the future King would have been no more. He felt his skin begin to crawl as he floated above and watched Alexander and Avallac'h slowly begin to circle one another, Kilgarrah roared loudly, and Eredin still tried to struggle out of the ice. Both Avallac'h and Alexander's boots crunched in the snow, Alexander's robes flapped back in the wind, the light from the roaring walls of fire illuminated them both, and Dominik could only shake his head.

"You're right, I was a fool… such a fool," Old Alexander said from his position floating next to him.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head with his eyes still on the scene, "All… all you had to do was kill Eredin, you still could have turned and faced Avallac'h, wh… why didn't you?"

Old Alexander sighed as he watched the scene as well, "I let my emotions get the best of me…. Avallac'h had treated Lara like she was an object, his property. I knew she could take care of herself, and she did… she left him for Cregan and came to Castle Lod. However… I let my anger get the best of me…. I was still furious… and it was the most foolish thing I could do."

He barely had time to realize how similar his situation back at Kaer Morhen was with Avallac'h and Ciri before he heard Avallac'h bellow below.

"YOU WILL PAY! SHE WAS MINE BY RIGHT, YOU AND YOURE BROTHER TURNED HER AGAINST ME," Avallac'h yelled with his blade leveled out again, his grey hair blew in the wind as magic began to build up in his palm, "You are first! And then we WILL find the child, and we will have what is rightfully ours again!"

In that moment something clicked in young Alexander. Dominik watched him grip tightly to his blade, the fire still roared around, at the top of his staff the crystal ball of fire glowed even fiercer, and all around Alexander's body the blue magic churned, it churned and churned, it shot into his eyes and when Alexander yelled, the wind blowing, the snow howling, his voice echoed even over the roars of Kilgarrah.

"SHE WAS NEVER YOURS! AND SHE NEVER WILL BE! YOU WILL NOT HAVE HER BLOOD; I SHALL MAKE SURE OF IT! ME AND MY CHILDREN, AND THEIR CHILDRENS CHILDREN!" Alexander's voice bellowed throughout the valley, the fire roared around him, and then again, Dominik's ancestor leveled his blade with one hand towards Avallac'h, "ONE DAY AVALLAC'H THEY WILL BE YOUR-. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"NO!" Dominik screamed at the top of his lungs as he saw the blade squelched out the front of Alexander's stomach.

Eredin had freed himself, and as Old Alexander had told him, his anger and emotion had gotten the best of him, and now he stood there with shaking legs, screaming as Eredin quickly ripped his blade from Alexander's stomach causing Dominik's ancestor to scream out again.

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHH! _GYNVALE ENASE CRYNVALE ANYE!" _Alexander yelled out through the pain as he dropped his blade and slammed the butt of his staff into the ground.

A blast of magic shot from the bottom of the staff, all of the magic that whirled around Alexander shot into the one blast as a loud ***BOOOOOOOOM* **ripped through the night sky again. Eredin and Avallac'h both got sent sprawling backwards, even Kilgarrah stumbled, along with all the riders, the blast of magic was so powerful when the dust cleared Dominik saw Alexander standing in a small crater of blackened earth. The snow churned around him, the wind blew through his now singed blonde hair, Dominik saw his robes whipping in the wind, as crimson blood spilled from his stomach onto the ground. It was all Alexander could do to hold both hands to his staff, but from the gushing wound in his stomach, Dominik saw his legs begin to tremble.

Slowly Alexander began to fall, but Dominik saw his eyes widen, as tendrils of magic began to churn from his body again. Alexander's eyes shot bright blue, and just as Avallac'h came leaping in with another sword strike, he somehow got his staff up to block. Eredin quickly came from the left as well, and somehow, someway for the moment Dominik watched his ancestor twirled and raised his staff to block strikes from both the elves. With every step he took, more blood gushed onto blacked earth as snow and wind continued to howl. Alexander ducked under one of Eredin's sword strikes and shouted out another spell before swiping the future King's legs out from under him, Eredin yelled as he fell and Alexander slammed his staff into the elves side, sending him sprawling back. Just as Eredin got sent stumbling back, Avallac'h went for another thrust, but Alexander was ready, he side-stepped and twirled his staff above his head before smacking it into Avallach's back. The sage got sent stumbling to the ground, and Alexander stood above him, his stomach continued to gush blood, magic still whirled around him, but Dominik could see in his eyes he was ready to fall.

Alexander went to swing his staff down, but Avallac'h thrusted out his hand and Alexander just had time to raise a shield. Alexander stumbled and had to lean on his staff again as he groaned, one hand went to his wound as Avallac'h laughed and walked towards him.

"BAHA! The mighty Alexander of Lod, reduced to nothing! You will DIE this night, you petulant, arrogant human, this shall teach you to meddle before the superior race, to steal our heritage, to help in creating that disgusting abomination that came from Lara's womb!" Avallac'h yelled as he rushed forward to bring his sword down on a hunched over Alexander.

Alexander's eyes flashed blue one more time and he shot up, "You talk too much, you arrogant bastard!"

As Avallac'h leaped to bring his sword down, Alexander somehow was able to parry with his staff and side-step, as Avallac'h came down Alexander shot the tip of his staff forward and shouted again in Elder Speech.

_"CRYNVAEL ANAY!" _Alexander yelled, and a blast of magic erupted from the ball of fire at the top of his staff.

Avallach's eyes widened as the magic smacked into him. The sage was thrown back with a loud, ***BOOOOOOOOOOM*. **Alexander just had time to smirk as the dust around him settled, however, Dominik saw how pale his face was, his ancestor coughed violently as the snow and wind churned around him, Kilgarrah roared in defiance, as Dominik looked he saw that the riders were jabbing halberds and spears up at the beast, finally seeming to put him on the defensive. Alexander saw this and his eyes widened, he went to step forward, but as soon as he did he coughed blood up onto the snow and stumbled.

"Impressive… but you'll fine ME, much harder to defeat then Avallac'h!" The bellowing voice of Eredin roared, and Alexander's eyes flashed again as he turned around.

Eredin had recovered once again and swung his blade down. Dominik's eyes widened and his scarred right cheek throbbed, as he watched Eredin smacked Alexander's staff aside before spinning and slicing his blade out, Alexander had time to back up, but the tip of Eredin's blade still racked diagonally across his ancestor's cheek, and finally, Alexander of Lod fell backwards off his feet.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Alexander screamed in pain as he fell onto the snow clutching his face with his staff no longer in hand.

A new loud ***ROOOOOOOAR* **ripped through the courtyard, and Dominik saw Kilgarrah's massive body turned towards Alexander just as he was knocked back. He saw as if the dragon's eyes widened, it whirled around and unleashed a massive torrent of frost that froze the rider's in place, before the dragon turned it's body back towards Alexander.

He saw as Eredin bellowed out a laugh, "Baha… brave… but like I said… as foolish… and arrogant as all humans…."

Alexander cough violently as he leaned up on his elbow, his face dripping blood, "Ha… I… I feel… honored that… that… Avallach's new lover… seems… seems to like me as much as his old one!"

The wind howled and Dominik finally saw Eredin's gaze narrow, "Tell us now! Tell me now where the child is, and I will consider sparing both your children."

Again Alexander coughed out a laugh, "BAH! Like… like I said… you… you could barely beat me… you… you stand no… no chance… against… against my children together…"

Eredin smirked down at Alexander and leveled his blade at the man's neck, "We shall see… but for now… I think I will enjoy-. GAHHHHHH!"

A loud ***ROOOOOOAR* **followed by a large ***WHOOSH* **and ***THUMP* **interrupted Eredin, as Kilgarrah roared and landed behind Alexander. The dragon roared and whipped its tail around, it smacked into Eredin and sent him flying backwards. The riders all began to finally converge, but with one final, mighty roar, Dominik saw the half-conscious Alexander gently picked up in Kilgarrah's massive front claws, and before the riders could charge another loud ***WHOOSH* **ripped through the air as Kilgarrah flapped his massive wings and took off into the sky with Alexander carefully in its claws. Dominik's eyes widened at the scene, he saw some riders try to throw spears and other weapons, but again nothing worked, Kilgarrah's roar echoed through the valley as the dragon ascended up into the clouds.

And just as he saw Eredin and Avallac'h both stumble to their feet, the first bit of light started to jut out over the mountains. Dominik saw the damage to both Eredin and Avallac'h, he understood perfectly now why Avallac'h hated him so much back at Kaer Morhen. Alexander had defeated him, and defeated him handily, but as he looked at Kilgarrah flying off with Alexander in his claws, Dominik saw a smirk appear to the elf's face, because he knew, just as well as Dominik did… Alexander wouldn't survive his wounds. The walls of fire finally slowly died down, and now, just like before the battle began, the valley outside Castle Lod was silent, and as Eredin and Avallac'h started barking out orders, orders to search and burn the castle, Dominik felt his insides grow hot as a rage started to boil.

Eredin had spoke as if he defeated Alexander in combat, went toe to toe with his ancestor and beat him. However, the King had simply stabbed him in the back, before slaying an already half-dead Alexander. Dominik was convinced after seeing the power his ancestor exhumed, that he could have killed both Avallac'h and Eredin. Alexander had done more damage to the King with a full stab wound in his gut then Dominik did at full health. He remembered the jolly man he had seen in the vision with Lara Dorren, how proudly he smiled at his children, how determined he was to protect them, how much confidence he exhumed. It was everything Dominik strived to be himself.

And he had died from being stabbed in the back, without a chance to defend himself.

Slowly he felt his mouth go dry as he looked up to a floating Old Alexander next him. If Dominik looked close enough, over his left cheek, in his old leathery folded skin, Dominik could see the faint scar from where Eredin's blade had cut his ancestor. He felt his own right cheek throb, and gingerly ran his hand over it, and his leg winced as they floated, the white light starting to whip around them. As he met Old Alexander's eyes, Dominik could see the grim look to them, a stark contrast to the eccentric, happy old man he had known earlier. Slowly he met Dominik's eyes, and Dominik could only scoff and shake his head.

"That… that was horrible," He said as he shakily sighed and met his ancestor's eyes again, "You… you got stabbed in the back! You didn't deserve to die like that!"

Alexander chuckled lightly and shook his head, "Aha… how do you think I feel lad? I wish I had gone in some other way yes… preferably of old age after a couple hundred years with my children at my side… but as you saw, I only have myself to blame."

"But that's still not fair! You face down Avallac'h because of how he treated Lara," Dominik said, feeling his annoyance boil, as he scoffed and shook his head again, "Even if you should've taken out Eredin first, it.. it still isn't fair! You should've gotten a chance to fight, you could've beaten them!"

The old man sighed again, and as he met Dominik's eyes he simply shrugged his shoulders, "Sometimes lad… life just isn't fair, and it's the innocent one's who suffer. What did Cregan and Lara do to deserve their fates? What did your Cirilla do to deserve hers? You must learn my boy, that in life, not all things will be fair, whether it's during a fight, or during life itself."

Life just wasn't fair sometimes; it was something that Dominik had known for a long time. It was the innocent who suffered, his father, mother, younger sister, Pavetta, they were all the ones who suffered, while the people like Eredin, Avallac'h, Emhyr, Radovid, they were the ones who seemed to thrive. Dominik's skin tingled as he saw the white mist begin to swirl around him, and slowly he looked up to meet Alexander's gaze.

"But… it's what I've been taught my whole life, I… I've had to do horrible things, things I wasn't proud of and… and each time I hated it," Dominik said as he looked down towards the swallow around his neck, remembering all those starving days alone.

Alexander slowly shook his head and placed his leathery hand on his shoulder, "I'm not saying that you must change your ways my boy. I've not watched you for long, but from what I've seen, you've been raised into a good, honorable young man. However, you must be prepared for whatever your enemy throws at you… you also must learn to control your emotions… you saw that was the reason I was slain.

The loud squelch of Eredin's blade rang in Dominik's ears, and he slowly shook his head at the old man, "I… really think you could have taken them both, killed them both."

Old Alexander chuckled and nodded, "Haha aye… I like to think I could have, but I didn't…. I let my anger get the best of me, and because of that… you must now deal with the consequences. If I had killed Eredin that day, controlled my emotions… you and your Cirilla would be safe now."

Quickly Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "You can't blame yourself for that! You were angry, Avallac'h deserved it!"

"Bah, and what did beating Avallac'h then get me? I died, and now Eredin hunts you over a hundred years later, all because I didn't see the bigger picture," Alexander scoffed, before looking his old withered eyes deeply into Dominik's, he squeezed his shoulder and shook his head, "You must learn from my mistakes my boy. You must see the bigger picture, look past your anger, and realize what is best."

Right away Dominik knew what the old man was referring too. Feeling his skin crawl he thought to Avallac'h in Kaer Morhen in that moment, and for a second he couldn't believe Alexander was telling him to put his anger for the elf aside. He could see how much detest Alexander had for the elf, and after seeing his ancestor completely demolish Avallac'h like he did, it only served to make Dominik even more suspicious as to why the sage was helping Ciri now. He felt the white mist around Alexander and he begin to churn again as he looked up and shook his head at the old man.

"Ha, you expect me to just go back to Kaer Morhen, and let Avallac'h stay around Ciri after this? After what I just saw happen, what I saw him do, you want me to trust him?" Dominik asked as he felt the wind begin to blow the swallow pendant around his neck.

Alexander slowly shook his head, "No… I want you to trust in your Cirilla. I watched the argument you had with her yesterday. Be wary of Avallac'h Dominik, but you must realize that no matter what his motives are, he is helping you now, and shares your common goal for the moment."

"But what if he tries to take Ciri away!? What if he's trying to use her for something," Dominik shot back quickly, just as he felt a new chilly breeze whip through his hair.

Scoffing Alexander smirked at him, "Then you kill him, you act, as simple as that! You and your Cirilla boy, you are each other's destinies, partners, together you will do great things… but for that to happen, you MUST trust her, trust her judgement, as long as you trust one another, I promise you my boy, you WILL get that life you both deserve… the life that Cregan and Lara were never given the chance to have."

Right away he felt the swallow tremble around his neck, the silver seemed to only shake even more after Dominik put his bare hands around it. Sighing he heard Ciri's voice in his head, saw her face, felt her arms around him and her lips on his. If these visions had taught him anything so far, was that he was right in his younger life, and now. Ciri was his destiny, he was meant to find her, to meet her and protect her, and he liked to think even to fall in love with her. And destiny or not, he couldn't have been happier with that fact. She was his destiny, he was hers, and just like people had been telling him his whole life, they'd do great things together. She was his partner, his best-friend, and Alexander's words rung true in his head, he had to trust her. He knew he wouldn't trust the sage, he still believed and knew deep down Avallac'h was up to something, but just like they had decided yesterday, as long as Ciri trusted him, then Dominik would trust her judgement.

Alexander had said not to learn from his mistake, not to let his anger get the best of him, to look at the bigger picture. The bottom line of it was, that as much as he hated to admit it, if Ciri didn't learn control, if they didn't have a way to find Eredin and kill him, they would never get that life they wanted, the life they both deserved. And the only one who could help them with that, was Avallac'h. So, like Alexander said, he'd trust Ciri as he always did, trust her when she said the sage was helping them.

And if it were discovered he tried to do something to hurt her, to try and take her, he would be right there to act.

He was about to respond to Alexander, but a roar pierced the air, and the wind gently breezed through his hair. Whirling down to the scene before him he squinted, as the sun gently began to rise over the snow covered peak. The mountain they were on had the most beautiful view Dominik had ever seen, looking out over almost the entirety of the mountains in Kovir. In the distance, he saw what he assumed was Lan Exeter, that was how high up they were. It was if they were in a small meadow, that while still having piles of snow, Dominik could see the dirt, and the small patches of beautiful flowers that were jutting up, yellow, purple orchids, even a few red roses, beautiful blooms all stuck out in the dirt around the small piles of snow. He had no idea how such a meadow got onto the mountainside, but Dominik had never seen such a beautiful landscape, and it being large enough even for a dragon as large as Kilgarrah to land on. A loud ***WHOOSH* **hit his ears, along with a giant gust of wind blowing back his hair, and the old man's robes next to him. With a light crash into he dirt, he saw Kilgarrah swoop down and land in the meadow, right near the edge of the cliff.

Despite the beautiful sight, Kilgarrah's low mournful growl made his heart shatter. He looked and in the dragon's front claws, was the bloody body of young Alexander. The elegant black robes, the dragon coat of arms, and the swallow itched into the fabric blew back in the wind, as it seemed to calm when the dragon landed. A large boulder was situated just as the edge of the meadow, and gently Kilgarrah leaned down and laid the groaning young Alexander down into the small pile of snow. Alexander's body was scarred, Dominik could see the blood still running down his face, welling up in his stomach from where he knew a massive wound was, his face was black with soot, and as his back leaned up against the boulder, Dominik's ancestor groaned loudly, but managed to look up and meet the dragon's eyes.

"GAHHHH…. Thank… thank you, old friend… quite… quite a way to go isn't it?" Young Alexander joked, as the rising sun gently hit his face, and the wind blew his bloody blonde hair.

Dominik watched Kilgarrah adjust his massive body, he turned and looked out over the cliffs just as Alexander did before sitting and laying on his stomach and curling his wings into his body. The dragon's eyes grew softer then Dominik had ever seen them, and just like he had done to Dominik on the battlement's of Kaer Morhen, he craned his neck down near Alexander, who was also looking out over the beautiful view.

"It is… yes old friend…. Did you send the letter… and the journal to Connor and Lara," The dragon asked, his deep voice echoed throughout the meadow on that mountain.

Alexander coughed, and Dominik saw blood come out the sides of his ancestors' mouth as he slowly nodded. A small smile appeared on the man's face as he looked out over the view. Down in the valley, Dominik marveled at the rows of great oaks, the snow-covered fields, the distant view of Lan Exeter, the gentle, streaming sunrise that hit Alexander's pale, bleeding face. The wind was gentle, the snow had stopped falling, and the day that was dawning seemed beautiful, as Alexander started to breathe heavier, and next to him, Dominik could see Kilgarrah looking down. Borch had told him, that Kilgarrah and Alexander had a blood oath, they were partners, bound after the oath was made. And the look in the white dragon's eyes, Dominik could never remember a beast having such a look on their face.

A look of pure anguish.

Young Alexander cough again against the boulder, and Dominik saw his injured face smirk, "I… I did.. yes…. I… also destroyed anything… anything that would be of use. They… they won't find anything they can use… and… and Connor… Connor and Lara as… as long as they stick together… the blood.. Cregan… Cregan and Lara's will be safe."

"Good…" Kilgarrah said slowly as his head turned out towards the valley again, and the dragon slowly shook his head, before looking back down at the dying man, "I am sorry my friend… I am sorry that I could not save you…"

Dominik watched as Alexander chuckled, coughing his ancestor shook his head. He saw Alexander's face growing paler, as the wind blew and the blood started to slowly pour out of his mouth more, both his hands were on the wound in his stomach, but Dominik could see the blood begin to pool even more rapidly. He was near death, anyone could have been able to tell, but Alexander laughed weakly again, before slowly looking up to meet the dragon's eyes.

"It… it is alright Kilgarrah… you… you have been a good friend… a very good friend… thank… thank you for everything… I… I would have died much longer ago if… if not for you," Alexander said with another bloody cough.

Kilgarrah slowly nodded, but Dominik saw the anguish building in the dragon's eyes. Gently the dragon leaned down and held his massive head near the dying man.

"And you… old friend… thank you… I would not be here if not for you either. I.. had always despised human's but.. you… your children… I will always be there for you all," The dragon said deeply, his voice ringing in Dominik's ears.

Young Alexander readjusted himself against the boulder, and he met the dragon's eyes. A small smirk came to the man's bloody face as he weakly raised up his hands. The sun was up now, casting a beautiful morning glow over Alexander and Kilgarrah both, the wind gently blew, and Dominik saw a small ball of magic appear in Alexander's eyes as he spoke, and with every word, he could see how much it pained the man.

_"Ig…igthlane… relan… defrain… aep… Kilgarrah…." _Alexander said weakly, and for a moment Dominik saw Kilgarrah's dark eyes widen as the magic shot towards him. The spell lasted for a moment, it enveloped the dragon, and reverberated around the great white beast, and after a minute, a small ***POP* **ripped through the air, and the dragon shot his gaze back to Alexander.

"Alexander… what did you do…" The dragon asked deeply again, his voice resonating around the meadow, as Dominik could hear a slightly worried tone.

Alexander smirked up from the boulder, "I… I released you Kilgarrah… you… you are no longer bound by blood to… to me… or… or my children."

"What!? I did not ask you to do that Alexander," The dragon bellowed as he lowered his head back to the dying man.

Chuckling his young ancestor shook his head, "Aha… my old friend… I… do not wish to force you through anything… I… I refuse to have that kind of power over you my friend… and I know my children think the same. You… you are your own being, Kilgarrah, a dear friend… and both my children and I… we refused to have you under our command against your will."

"It was not against my will you crazy human," Kilgarrah said as he shook his massive head, "I came to your aid willingly, and would do the same for your children, or any with your blood."

Slowly Alexander shook his head, "I know that… I know that old friend. But… we respect you too much… care for you too much… we refuse to hold that kind of power over you."

Dominik felt his heart swell as Kilgarrah lightly growled for a moment in agitation before the dragon seemed to sigh. The sun continued to shine, and Dominik saw the snow and flowers blow as Kilgarrah adjusted himself again, he wrapped his long neck around the boulder Alexander was leaning and bleeding against, and he saw the beasts head come to rest next to Alexander's as they looked out over the beautiful valleys, the view of the sprawling city in the distance. For a few moments there was silence, as Dominik didn't see a man and a dragon, he saw two friends, two beings who had great mutual respect, and care for one another sit and enjoy the view.

Kilgarrah lightly, and mournfully roared as he turned his gaze to meet Alexander's eyes, Dominik could still see the anguish, the mournful, distraught look in the dragon's large eyes. Very few times had he ever seen emotion in such a beast, and see the look they both gave each other, Dominik felt his heart nearly shatter, and as Kilgarrah spoke, he could almost hear the massive beast's voice completely break.

"I swear to you Alexander… oath or no oath… I will for as long as I shall live… protect your line, protect your blood," The dragon said slowly, a small smile formed on Alexander's face as Kilgarrah nodded once again, and continued, "And… if any of them should ever lose their way… lose track of who they are… of the great things they will be meant to do… I will be there for them… I swear it."

Young Alexander laughed lightly and nodded, gently he held a hand up to the side of the dragon's snout and nodded, "I thank you… for everything old friend…. And… and thank you, for choosing this location… this… this is where it all began, so I… I see not a more fitting place for it to end for me…"

"Meaning…" The dragon said deeply as Alexander and he both looked out over the meadow again.

Dominik's skin continued to tingle and grow cold, he could almost feel tears come to his eyes as he saw the fond smile come to young Alexander's face. The man's breathing got quicker and quicker, the blood began to pool more and more, the blood rushed down his cheek and from the sides of his mouth. He didn't have long, however, as Alexander looked out over the cliffs with Kilgarrah in his final moments, he laughed.

"Aha… this… this is where Lara she… she first stumbled out of a portal, half conscious," Alexander said with his breathing starting to grow quicker and quicker, but he smiled, "Ha, I… I was over taking a piss, but Cregan! He… he saw her stumble out, almost fell over the cliff she did but… but he caught her. I… I turned around and.. and my brother comes running towards me an… an unconscious elven woman in his arms! 'Alexander, Alexander we must help her!' Ha… he… he was smitten from the moment he saw her…. So… so was I, not.. not in that romantic way but… but gods I… I loved her as well… little… little sis… Cregan… gods I… I can't wait to see them again… what… what do dragons think happen when they die?"

"I do not know. Some believe we ascend and become stars; others believe we're reborn into new hatchlings," Kilgarrah said with a light shake of his head, and slowly, he turned down to look at Alexander one last time, "I… am going to miss you… my friend…. _Va fail, crendman, dov, ulma, ulsa… me fyandus… Alexander."_

Alexander weakly laughed one last time as his chest rapidly rose and fell, he looked over to Kilgarrah and slowly nodded, before turning to the valley again, _"Va fail, me fyandus… Kilgarrah. _C…Connor… L…Lara… I… I am sorry…. Cregan… Lara… I… I am sorry…"

And with those final words, Dominik saw the eyes of Alexander of Lod closed, he slumped against the boulder, his hands fell to the snowy ground besides him. Kilgarrah turned his head to the now dead body of his friend, and Dominik watched as the dragon gently touched its massive forehead to the body of Alexander, before quickly shooting its head up to the sky, and letting out a new bone chilling, earth rattling, ***ROOOOOOOOOAAARRR* **into the skies of Kovir, and the beast kept roaring, and roaring, and with each roar, Dominik heard the anguish. Soon, the white mist around him started to swirl again, and he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Come now my boy… I'm sure you can understand I… don't particularly like watching myself die again," The voice of Old Alexander said, and as the white mist finally enveloped him, Dominik turned to see the sad eyes of his ancestor.

Slowly he shook his head, feeling his heart crashing, "Kilgarrah he… he has to be under some spell now, after… after that I… I can't think of any other reason he's with the Hunt."

It had to be the only explanation, after watching the beasts mournful cries, Dominik had almost felt bad for threatening to kill the creature. He had never seen a connection between man, and a beast like he had between Kilgarrah and Alexander. Now after seeing it, it only made the anger inside him boil even higher, the innocent creature, one that had fought besides his ancestor, was his friend, was now being controlled by the Hunt, by Baelen, Eredin and being forced to do their dirty work. The white mist swirled around him completely again, as Alexander sighed and gripped tightly to his staff. Looking down, the old man slowly shook his head.

"Again my boy I… I am not sure," He said regrettably, before he gazed his soft emerald eyes down onto Dominik again, "But it is as I said… Kilgarrah will not harm you… my old friend will not do that."

"I swear, I'll do everything I can to free him," Dominik said quickly as he met Alexander's eyes with a hard look, "I'll find a way to lift the Hunt's spell off him, I promise, I'll do whatever I can."

Alexander smiled softly and nodded before reaching out a hand onto his shoulder, "Thank you my boy…. However, we must get moving. I don't know how much time we have left and… and there is more you must see… as I said, you must learn not only my story… but that of my children as well."

_'I killed not only your ancestor… but his son… his daughter,' _Eredin's words quickly rang in his ears. Dominik felt his heart begin to race, he could hear Alexander's words, speaking his children's names on the side of the mountain as he died. He remembered he said that after they had saved Riannon, Connor and Lara had worked in Temaria to protect her, Lara became her personal caretaker, while Connor became captain of the guards… and Alexander had apparently sent them a letter, along with the journal before the Hunt came, telling them more then likely that he would die… and with the words of Eredin ringing in his ears, Dominik shuddered as he met the old man's eyes. Just like he expected, Alexander's eyes had fallen, and as the white mist began to churn and churn around them, he knew that he wasn't looking forward to seeing the memories again. And Dominik wasn't looking forward to it either.

The smirking, bantering, powerful, laughing siblings, that were his ancestors, the ones he saw end Falka's rebellion and save Riannon, were going to die, and apparently he needed to know how.

He was afraid at first, but managed to slowly look up, "Is… is it true that.. that Eredin…"

Alexander nodded before he could finish, "Yes… it is. In my letter I told them goodbye, but instructed them to stay put, to keep guard over young Fiona, Riannon's daughter, to stick together, together my children… they would have been able to easily defeat Eredin. However… my children were as stubborn as I was… and made the same mistakes, come my boy…. _Crynvael… truet." _

**A/N: And after another massive chapter ladies and gentlemen, one of the biggest mysteries of the entire book so far has been answered! We know who Dominik's ancestor is, the great mage who passed down his power, and that man, was Alexander of Lod, the brother of the who some call the greatest sorcerer to ever live, Cregan of Lod, and of course, adopted sister to Lara Dorren. Now before anyone asks no, Alexander of Lod is not cannon, he is an OC I created, along with his children Connor and Lara who we will learn more about next chapter! I was SO excited to bring you this chapter, because it's the first real chapter where it's all my own lore that I created, and I hope that it was interesting and enjoyable! Let's quickly break down this HUGE chapter!**

**First we have a cute scene with Ciri and a now walking Dominik. I hope you guys enjoy these cute little scenes, because I am a sucker for writing them xD I just feel after both of them have gone through so much, that they deserve to have these cute fun scenes with one another, especially with so much going on. It ends with them finding the journal again in Clop's saddle, and Ciri recognizing the blood seal before Dominik's spirit is sucked into an illusion… I had this planned for a while, I considered having Alexander be one of the specters Dominik saw when he was in limbo, but after crafting more backstory, I knew it had to be its own chapter like this.**

**Then we finally meet Alexander of Lod! Again he is the adopted brother of Cregan of Lod as we learn, they're basically the same age as one another with Cregan being a bit older, and while Cregan I will confirm was more powerful, Alexander was a close second. A couple of you theorized that Dominik was a descendant of Cregan himself, and I'll be honest that's what I was going to do at first, but I changed it for two reasons, 1.) I honestly just wanted to create something new, and as we see more of Alexander and his children's stories, I hope you will all love what I came up with! And 2.) Because as Alexander said, if I had made him Cregan's descendant, he and Ciri would have been like very distant half-siblings xD And I don't care how distant it would've been that would have made it extremely uncomfortable to write their romantic scenes now and future love making scenes lol**

**After a quick introduction, Alexander takes us and Dominik to see visions of important events, and god I had so much fun writing them. **

**First, we get to see the beautiful Lara Dorren, Ciri's ancestor. I had so much fun with her, in cannon we don't know much about her other then she had the Elder Blood powers in her, she was Auberon's daughter, and she was supposed to marry Avallac'h, so I had a good amount of freedom to explore with. All we knew about her and Cregan is that they met and fell in love, that's it really, so I really had fun writing her, even for this little bit. We see a sweet, touching scene with her and Alexander, and a young Connor and Lara, along with baby Riannon. As Alexander said, this was the day his destiny began. In cannon it is true Riannon was taken in by Queen Cerro of Redania, but I didn't see a clear way how, so in this version, Alexander was the one to bring her there. **

**Now, we flash forward 20 years, and we get to see the end of Bloody Falka's rebellion. I am 99% I got all my lore right about Falka's rebellion, but please if I got a detail or two wrong feel free to tell me. While I was researching, it was also unclear who was the one to capture Falka or defeat her, so now, enter Connor and Lara of Lod, the children of Alexander. Connor duels and beats Falka, while we see Lara use the spell to calm Riannon's powers. I LOVED writing these two and had so much fun writing about Falka. Next chapter we'll learn more about Connor and Lara, and I am extremely excited for that. **

**The final flashback is the great last stand of Alexander. And we know now why Avallac'h hates Dominik so, so much. I wanted to write Alexander at first as a sort of Gandalf type of character, and I left a bit in there (YOU SHALL NOT PASS)! However, I decided to have him be a master troll instead xD We also see and confirm, that Alexander was the one bound to the great white dragon Kilgarrah! A bunch of you thought that he was based off Merlin/Emrys or Balinor, from the Merlin TV series, and it was loosely based off that yes (PS, go watch Merlin if you haven't 10/10 show). And also I want to say yes, Alexander on the back of Kilgarrah was basically the icy version of Dany from game of thrones, there's even a 'dracarys' moment lol. **

**And finally, we get the big showdown between Alexander, Avallac'h and Eredin. I originally had this big epic duel planned, where he takes them both down, but Eredin just barely gets the better of him. I will confirm that yes, Alexander would have been powerful enough. However, I thought it'd fit more with the theme of 'sometimes life is just unfair, and bad people win' that I sort of have going. Alexander wasn't this perfect mythical figure, he died because he couldn't control his emotions and anger, and it's a lesson to Dominik. However, he does still manage to defeat Avallac'h even when wounded, before Eredin takes him out. **

**We get the last touching scene on the mountaintop between Kilgarrah and Alexander, as next chapter we learn about the fate of Connor and Lara, Alexander said multiple times Eredin wouldn't stand a chance against them together… however… as Alexander says, his children were stubborn.**

**We have another LONG chapter, this one is gonna clock in at 40,000+ again! That's a reason updates may take an extra day or two, because longer chapters mean longer editing times xD However, I promise to keep a steady update rate still! If you haven't, and you really enjoy this story, go and follow the Instagram, dominik_of_cintra on there I post writing updates, cool excerpts from the chapters, and just cool witcher stuff in general!**

**Also, more fan art will be coming soon! So stay tuned! **

**As usual thank you all so much, I had SO much fun writing this chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter we'll get a small Ciri interlude, and learn the story of Connor and Lara of Lod, and after that, two more chapters at Kaer Morhen, before we're officially in the home stretch! Review if you have time, and follow to stay updated! See you all next time!**


	66. Protectors of the Blood II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 66: Protector's of the Blood II**

**Narrator: After the Battle of Kaer Morhen came to an end, the defenders, thanks to the bravery of all involved were able to fight back the Hunt. Dominik and Ciri, they both were able to push the Hunt to the brink, Dominik fought Eredin, King of the Hunt himself, which gave Ciri the time to gather her strength. However, after Dominik fell and seemingly was killed, Ciri unleashed her powers, and the Wild Hunt was forced to retreat. After this, a grueling week of training for Ciri, and recovering from his wounds for Dominik began. After Dominik was finally able to walk again, he and Ciri went for what they thought would be a day of riding, and spending time with one another. However, Dominik finally figured out how to open the mysterious journal he had found on the road with Geralt, that had called to him, telling him his destiny was near. After opening the book, Dominik's spirit was sucked into a powerful illusion, and there Dominik discovered the identity of his ancestor, the one who passed down their magical powers to him. That man was Alexander of Lod, the adopted brother of the famous Cregan of Lod, the man who fell in love with Lara Dorren, Ciri's ancestors. Dominik learned from Alexander, that his destiny truly was to protect Ciri, because over a hundred years ago, Alexander swore to Cregan and Lara both that he, his children, and their descendants would always protect their blood, their line. Alexander told Dominik, that if he truly wished to save Ciri, to keep her safe, that he must learn the story, the story of Alexander of Lod, and both his children, Connor and Lara, the story, of how they all perished….**

It had been hours, and his eyes were still the same. With every second that passed, Ciri felt her heart begin to sink more and more. When he had been recovering from his wounds he got during the battle, during his fight with Eredin, at least she was able to see what was wrong with him. Now however, as he laid in his bed, completely stiff, his chest slowly rising and falling, it looked as if he was simply taking a nap, but Ciri knew because she had tried, if she opened his eyes, they would be staring straight, unmoving, as if his body was there, but his spirit wasn't, and that was even scarier. She had no idea what was wrong, Freya had no idea what was wrong, even Geralt had no idea what was wrong after she had screamed for him to help her carry him. After he collapsed in the stable, she had dragged him as far as she could, screaming in the now torrential downpour. The rain had continued for the next few hours, it was afternoon now, and as she sat there at his bedside, hunched over on his bed with her eyes on his slowly rising and falling chest, she could hear the thunder, and the rain smashing against his window.

A fire crackled in his room, the light from it and the lightning casted an eerie glow over the room, the orange light illuminated his unmoving face, as Ciri shuddered as she remembered how he completely crumpled to the ground. The magic had shot to his eyes, and then he simply fell. Freya said he was fine, there were no injuries she could see, but Ciri knew that she could only see the external injuries. The magic that shot from the journal, combined with the fierceness of the magic that flashed in his eyes, it had terrified her that something horrible had happened to him internally, and now she was still unmoving. Freya had given her a potion to pour into his mouth an hour prior she instructed Ciri to use if he didn't wake, so shakily she got up from the chair she was sitting on. Her boots echoed against the ground, the ring bounced against her chest as despite the fire, she still felt her ashen hair drenched, her clothes drenched, and the water felt as if it was seeping into her skin as she carefully grabbed the potion vial in her hands that Freya had left for her.

"Zireael," A deep voice said, and Ciri, with her head still flustering turned and rolled her eyes.

"I'm not coming to any lesson, and you're not about to make me," She said sharply, before she whirled back around to Dom's bed, and right away took her place next to him.

Avallac'h sighed in annoyance, and she could practically hear him rolling his eyes before the sage's footsteps echoed into the room.

"I assumed as much… what happened," The sage asked a few steps behind her.

Ciri felt her skin crawl as she turned around to meet the elf's gaze, "What do you care? You hate him, you've fucking hated him since the first time I mentioned him."

Nodding his head Avallac'h shrugged, "It's true, I think he's an arrogant, ignorant and insufferable brat."

"You just proved my point, now what do you want? I'll fucking come to lessons once he's awake, don't try to convince me otherwise," Ciri said as she turned her head back to Dom's bed.

She felt her eyes slightly sting, Ciri knew that she very rarely cried, however, in the week and a half since she had been reunited with Dominik, she had done so more than she thought she had in most of her last few years combined. They were happy tears for the first day, reuniting with him, then spending those precious few minutes with him before the battle had begun. However, after he had almost been killed, and then seeing him so injured the last week, and now, seeing him completely unmoving, Ciri knew she might start to cry again. Both time she had been right there, and something still had happened. She knew she couldn't control the magic that was inside the journal, but seeing him crumble, and seeing him unmoving on the bed in front of her, it had given her the horrible flashbacks. Gently she leaned over, carefully she held the back of his head up, and gently she held the potion vial to his lips, and as she poured it down his mouth, she heard Avallac'h come next to her.

That night was supposed to be a great one, they would have gone for their ride together, come back, had lunch, Dominik would have gone for his first light training session, she would have gone to train with Avallac'h and with the good mood she had been in, she thought she would have made excellent progress. After that, they would've come back, and like they had planned in the stables, they would have had dinner together, just the two of them in his room. She really was going to take a bath with him, the both of them relaxingly soaking in the cool water, before going back to his room to fall asleep together, and the more Ciri thought about it, the more she wished she could have made that the night, the night where she told him everything, gave him everything. She let out a shaky breath, remembering what a great day that the two of them had planned together as she gently pulled back from him, it was supposed to have been their first real night with one another. However, as had been the case all week, something had come in the way of that, and now instead of them lovingly having dinner in his room, she was sitting next to his unmoving body, unmoving except for the light rise and fall of his chest. Nothing she said or did made him move, and she couldn't stop her heart from racing like it did, every second that past she worried more and more, as he truly seemed to just stop moving.

So, the last thing she wanted in that moment was a lecture from Avallac'h.

The elf scoffed and looked down at her, "If you would take a moment to relax your temper Zireael, you'd give me a minute to tell you, I am here to help."

Ciri's head never shot up so fast as she looked at the sage, "Help!? You want to help him, after you've done nothing but insult him and belittle him all week? You JUST said how you didn't like him."

"I don't, and to be frank with you, nothing will change that," The sage said with an annoyed eye roll.

Scoffing she shook her head, "Then why the hell do you want to help him now?"

Sighing the sage annoyedly rubbed his temples, "Because, you have made little to no progress all week, because your mind has been too muddled by this boy."

Ciri rolled her eyes as her hand stayed on Dom's chest, "You said you were here to help, not insult him and tell me how horrible I've been doing. What do you want?"

With another tired sigh the sage walked to the foot of Dom's bed, Ciri narrowed her eyes at the elf as he held his hand out over his body. Ciri knew for a fact, that Dominik would rather lay there injured then let Avallac'h try to heal him in any way, so a part of Ciri almost leaped up to stop the sage. However, the rational part of her brain knew that Avallac'h wouldn't dare hurt him, not while he still needed her. She also looked back at Dom's closed eyes, and bit her lip as her concerns came back. Both Freya and Geralt hadn't been able to sense or see any external injuries in him. Geralt said his heartbeat was regular, and no matter how hard they thought, they couldn't tell what had happened. She thought for a moment that his powers activating had drained him and he passed out. However, their was still color in his scarred face, and they had seen nothing to indicate it. It had to be something magical, or internal they couldn't sense. Magic would be there only way to detect it.

And no matter how much she knew he didn't like Avallac'h, Ciri knew the elf was the only one who could tell. So as the thunder boomed and the fire crackled, Ciri gripped tightly onto his unmoving hand as Avallac'h bellowed a spell.

_"Revelean… coem… dras…" _The elf bellowed with his eyes closed, magic shot from his hands violently at first, but once it hit Dominik's body it slowed.

Slowly it enveloped around him, and Ciri held her breath. She didn't believe the sage would hurt Dominik truly, but all she heard echo in her head then, was all the insults the elf had slung at him all week. However, her worries were quickly dashed, she squeezed Dominik's hand tighter, as after a few seconds the magic slowly shimmered, and it disappeared. Ciri's eyes widened as thunder and lightning erupted outside the window. She looked over his body again, it still looked exactly the same, his chest gently rose and fell, his eyes were peacefully closed, it still looked as if Dominik was doing nothing but simply taking a nap, however, it only made Ciri's chest race more as she leaned her head over his chest again. She had been paranoid something was wrong, but she heard the steady, settling sound of his heartbeat, and as the fire crackled, warming her, she heard Avallach's voice again.

"He is in a magical trance, nothing is wrong, he will be fine," The elf said dryly, and Ciri whirled her head back around.

She met the sage's eyes and scoffed, "Magical trance? Can you be a little more specific!? When we were at the stables he just stood there with his eyes open unmoving. And now, he… he's fine but nothing I do makes him move."

Avallac'h walked next to her and looked down at Dominik again, shaking his head the sage looked at her seated, "It's because his body is here, functioning, but his spirit is somewhere else. It is common when someone enters an illusion, what was he doing?"

Ciri slowly turned to his nightstand and wrapped her hands around the journal, "We.. found a blood seal on this journal. He… thinks it belonged to his ancestor, the one who passed down his powers to him."

And as before Ciri could even finish her sentence, she felt Avallach's head whirl around to her, and when the sage spoke, Ciri could hear the venom dripping from his voice.

"Let me see it," The elf hissed, and Ciri only had time to narrow her eyes before the elf snatched the journal out of her hands.

"Hey, that's his, you can't just-," Ciri started as she shot up from her chair, but she stopped herself when she saw the sage's face.

In all the time she had known him, Ciri had never seen Avallach's face grow as angry as it did then. All he did was take one look at the cover of the journal, and Ciri saw the sage's face contort into a snarl. She narrowed his eyes at him, and she felt something slowly begin to click in her head. Remembering back to the previous day, she had been seething and angry with Dominik and the elf both in the moment, but she could hear Avallac'h telling Dominik he was as arrogant as 'him'. She also mentally scoffed at herself for not realizing sooner, Avallac'h used to be a part of the Hunt this she knew, and if the riders, Caranthir who was his student, even Eredin himself had referred to Dominik as 'his' descendant, then there was no way Avallac'h hadn't known as well, and suddenly Ciri felt her annoyance begin to rise.

"Avallac'h… you know don't you," She said slowly, as the elf whirled back to her and tossed the journal on the bed she scoffed and shook her head in disbelief, "You know who his ancestor is! You've known the whole time, and… and you haven't told us!"

Avallach's eyes grew dark, darker then Ciri had ever seen them grow. The sage looked over at the book laying at the foot of Dominik's bed now, he sneered at it once more before turning back to Ciri with a shake of his head.

"I do, and it seems he is learning now as well…" The sage said, completely ignoring the second part of her accusation as he quickly walked to the door, "His spirit is trapped in an illusion, he will be fine, I'll expect you tomorrow morning Zireael."

Before Ciri could even shout anything, the sage slammed the door to the room shut making the dresser shake. Ciri could only look at where the sage had left with wide eyes. For months Avallac'h had been helping her, keeping her safe, training her, and Ciri was grateful, however, her anger grew in that moment. She remembered his comments, _'they are just dreams Zireael, forget this ridiculous boy.'_ Every time she would get angry, and lash back out at him, for most of the time she had spent with the sage, he had been an ass and slightly agitating yes, but he had also been pleasant company at times, the days she mentioned Dominik however, she knew now why he grew so angry, why he tried to make Ciri forget about the dreams. And it made sense to her now why all week, whenever the sage saw Dominik, he would grow angry and agitated. Ciri needed him still, they all needed him this she knew, and after everything he did, she didn't think he would do anything to harm her, despite the fact he was only interested in her power. He needed her to defeat Eredin, she needed him to defeat Eredin, learn to control her powers, and get that life she deserved. Dominik would be at her side, whether the sage liked it or not, however, she still had plenty of unanswered questions, but as she slowly turned back and looked at Dominik's rising and falling chest, the journal at his feet, she knew she had one of those questions answered now.

Avallac'h had known Dominik's ancestor, and he really hadn't liked him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So… were Connor and Lara still in Temaria at this point?" Dominik asked the old man carefully as for the first time the teleport didn't make him almost throw his guts up.

Alexander gripped his staff and slowly nodded down at him, "They were yes…. Lara, she was able to make Riannon's final years peaceful. Connor, he led Temaria's guards but soon he'd go to Cintra, because as you know I'm sure, Fiona was due to marry King Coram the second."

Dominik's eyes widened as he heard the name, it was obviously around Ciri's neck now but his mind right away went to the bronze ring, the one his father had given him all those years prior. He had the story of the ring memorized of course, he would never forget the day his father had given it to him and explained it. The legend went that one of his ancestor's saved King Coram the second of Cintra in battle, and as thanks, King Coram raised that man to captain of Cintra's royal guards, and all the way up until Dominik's father Sir Gregory, his family had taken that position as guard captain, tasked to protect Cintra's royal line, and the power they possessed. Dominik of course didn't know what that power was back then, but now he knew, knew why his father had said he must always protect Ciri, as his father had predicted, people tried to come take her, many of them. He hadn't been there to protect her at first, but now he was, and apparently, that destiny had been literal. His gaze shot up to Alexander as the white mist around them began to clear.

"They went to Cintra!? Does that mean Connor became captain of the guard, that he… he's my-," He started, but Alexander quickly cut him off with a shake of his head.

The old man shook his head and met Dominik's emerald eyes with his own, "Easy lad, we will get there… but… but first, you must see, see the ultimate mistake my children made."

Dominik narrowed his eyes as he heard a fire start to crackle, "Mistake? What are you talking about, didn't they-."

He was cut off by another voice, a voice he recognized, and Dominik's gaze shot down to the scene, just as he heard the clunking of armor.

"Is he fucking insane!? He can't fight off the entire Wild Hunt by himself, even with Kilgarrah's help!" An angry Connor shouted in the room as he paced, his armor and sword clunking.

Dominik's gaze shot over, and he could see Lara, her blonde hair tightly tied in a ponytail as she looked to be in traveling close. The female Lod twin sighed and slowly shook her head, looking up she met her brother's angry gaze.

"He is you're right, that's why I'm going to get him out. They've found our home, don't worry, I'll convince him to come with me, and we'll find somewhere else for him to hide," She said, as she stood up and slung the brown bag around her shoulder.

Connor and Lara both looked like they had hardly aged since the last vision Dominik saw them in. He knew that sorcerers and sorceresses used magic to make sure that they aged slower, however, as Dominik looked at Connor and Lara both, they looked almost exactly the same as they did when they saved Riannon and beat Falka, which he knew was eighteen years prior at this point. The two twins were both in what he assumed was Lara's quarters. He saw a large four poster bed, a megascope, alchemy equipment, along with a dresser, and open closet with a multitude of dresses and other clothes. Lara herself then however, as she stood in front of the crackling fire in her room, seemed as if she was ready for a long journey. Dominik watched her slowly turn away from Connor and pick up a sheathed sword that was leaning against the hearth, after strapping it to her hip, she walked over and yanked a dagger out of her nightstand, before twirling it and slipping it into her belt again. She wore tight leather trousers high-heeled brown boots, along with a tight corset over a black gambeson and leather armored tunic. She tightened her blonde ponytail again, and she turned as Connor angrily scoffed.

"And you're insane too! You can't go by yourself Lara, you have to let me come with you," Connor said angrily as he crossed his armored arms.

Connor just like his twin hadn't seemed to change much, the man who had ended Falka's rebellion still had a slicked back head of blonde hair, he was shorter yes, but still had broad shoulders and larger arms. Alexander had told him after saving Riannon, and defeating Falka, Connor had taken the position as captain of the Temarian guards, and his armor and sword now reflected that. He wore the armor of a knight, like Dominik remembered his father always wearing, the Temarian coat of arms was implanted onto the front, while he leaned on a longsword at his belt. The fire crackled between the two siblings as Lara met her brother's eyes, and he could see that behind the anger, Connor was worried, he wasn't angry his sister was leaving, he was terrified. He remembered Alexander's words, _'you must see, see the ultimate mistake my children made'_. After the words rang in his ears again, he looked down at the scene, and when he saw Lara sigh and gently come up to her brother, he nearly felt his heart shatter.

Lara sighed and gently smiled up at him, "I'll be alright Connor don't worry. I'll find father, bring him back, and after that we'll figure out another way to hide him."

Connor's angry look contorted, and Dominik saw him shakily sigh. He met his twin's emerald eyes with his own, and the young man slowly shook his head as the fire crackled loudly in the room.

"Lara I… I know we don't want to think about it but… but what if he's already…" He slowly started, and that was when Lara's face finally fell.

She quickly shook her head and locked eyes with her brother again, "Then we'll find the Hunt… and we'll make them pay. But we can't think about that now Connor. I'll go find him, trust me, I will."

Sighing again Connor slowly shook his head, "Lara… it's not that I don't think you'll find him, I… I just don't want you to have to do it alone, I need to be there to watch your back, like we always have."

Dominik could hear the concern lacing out of Connor's tone, he was still dreadfully scared for his twin, and slowly Dominik heard another of Alexander's words come into his head. _'I told them goodbye, but instructed them to stay put, to keep guard over young Fiona, Riannon's daughter, to stick together, together my children… they would have been able to easily defeat Eredin,' _and as the scene continued to unfold, he now knew what the old man had meant, why he grew such a forlorn look on his face, said how like him, his children were stubborn. He felt his hands begin to shakily tingle as he looked back down at the two siblings in the room.

Lara sighed but managed to smirk and smiled at her brother, "Thanks for the concern little brother, but I promise I can look after myself. Besides, you can't leave Fiona now, especially with her leaving for Cintra, you know how upset she is about it, she needs you."

Connor right away scoffed with an eye roll, "I'd be pretty upset too if I was being forced to go marry some prince I never met that's several years older than me."

Scoffing Lara nodded to him as she smirked again, "Exactly, which is why it'll be good for her to have you there. Besides, you know she has the most adorable little crush on you."

"What can I say, I'm just that breathtakingly handsome I guess," Connor joked, as right away Lara laughed, and soon he did as well. Both the siblings laughed with one another, and Dominik saw the looks they both gave each other, the look of trust, love, and complete faith in one another.

Lara managed to stop laughing, as she smiled beautifully up at her brother, slowly she reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. Connor shakily sighed again as Lara met her brother's gaze, her smile grew as the firelight illuminated both their faces, their faces that may have seemed young, but Dominik knew had over forty years of experience, of love for one another, experienced forty years of being by each other's side. Seeing the two siblings in such perfect synch, trusting, loving, being partners, best-friends, and having been with one another for so long, it made him horribly remember back to Bella again, and what could have been. He let out a shaky sigh as he floated next to Alexander, and Dominik could see the old man hadn't taken his eyes of either of his children. He had heard Alexander mention how he had been keeping the illusion with part of his consciousness in the journal for over a hundred years, since he died now, so Dominik had to think, that since he watched his children die the first time, now was the first time he was seeing them again in years… and he was watching what was apparently their biggest mistake.

He didn't dare ask the old man anything in that moment, slowly he turned back down to see Lara and Connor had both finished laughing. Lara sighed and smiled up at her brother again, holding a hand up on his shoulder.

"You can't leave Fiona Connor, it's our destiny, our duty to protect her… for Aunt Lara and Uncle Cregan, for the continent, the world," Lara said softly, as she gently sighed and walked over to her dresser. Dominik saw her pick up a leather book and slowly turn back to Connor, "But we can't leave father, we just can't… but we also can't abandon our destiny. So like I said, I'll go find him, you stay and make sure Fiona is okay. And you never know, in a few weeks… maybe father will finally get to meet her."

Connor grew another uneasy look and walked to his sister again, he met her eyes and slowly shook her head, "Lara… it's OUR destiny, I… I don't know if I can.. or even WANT to do it without you."

Lara laughed lightly and held the book out to her brother, "Aha… don't worry little brother, I'll be back before you know it. You keep an eye on Fiona… make sure that Coram fellow treats her right and… and make sure you hold onto this."

Dominik watched as Lara handed the book to Connor, and his eyes widened when he recognized the very journal that had sucked him into the vision. It wasn't as rough and faded as it was back in Kaer Morhen, it looked new, fresh, the dragon and sword coat of arms, the words, _'Proktechers oe te bloed,'_ were freshly sewn into the leather, and as he saw the latch, Dominik could see the blood seal that he had activated with Ciri in the stable. Connor gently took it from his sister's hands and sighed, Dominik barely had time to be completely baffled at how it ended up in a Salamandra convoy before Connor looked at his sister again.

"Lara… I… I still don't like this, what… what if this is a trap? What… what if father's already gone, and the Hunt is there. I really… really don't want you to go off alone," Connor said slowly as he tucked the book under his arms.

Lara sighed shakily and adjusted the sword on her belt as she met her brother's eyes, "If the Hunt is there or father is… gone. Don't worry Connor, I'll send word for you and… we'll make them pay, together."

Connor bit his lip and narrowed his eyes, "You swear?"

"I promise… don't worry little brother, we'll keep Fiona safe, and we'll make sure father is okay, I swear it," She said as the fire behind her casted its orange light over both the siblings.

It was clear that Connor was still unsure, Dominik could see the conflict in his emerald eyes, but after a moment he sighed. Slowly he looked and met his sister's eyes, after running a hand through his slicked back blonde hair he nodded, biting his lip he spoke in a low uncertain tone.

"Okay… just… just please, please be careful Lara," He said slowly, and as he looked down at his sister, Dominik saw a small smirk come to his face as he rolled his eyes, "I'd hate to have to rush all the way up to Kovir to save you."

Lara scoffed and laughed lightly, "Ahaha… like the time I had to save you from being eaten by a troll?"

"Hey! Listen, there was nothing in the reports about it being a troll cave, I thought it was a bandit hideout," Connor said as he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

Laughing Lara smirked at him, "Of course, of course, but I must admit your screams of 'Lara, Lara, get me the hell out of here before I'm troll soup,' will be something I remember for a long time."

Connor rolled his eyes again, and Lara started to laugh hysterically. Dominik felt his heart warm at the sight, because at first Connor seemed like he was angry, but as he looked down at his laughing sister, he saw the young man's eyes grow lighter, and soon he smiled at her. As Lara continued to laugh her blonde ponytail bounced against her back, she exhumed confidence, surety, and as she finally finished, she smiled back up at her brother and slowly nodded.

"Don't worry little brother… everything will be alright," She said, as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Connor shakily sighed and hugged his sister back, "You know… it's only forty seconds your older than me by."

Lara laughed and squeezed his neck tighter, "Aha… yes you like to remind me. Still makes you my little brother," She said, as she gently pulled back and let go of him, smiling still she looked up at him, but Dominik could see her face slowly fall, "I…I should get going now. Will… will you tell Fiona I said goodbye? Tell… tell her cousin Lara loves her, and… and that I'll be back soon, and… and I can start trying to teach her magic?"

Lightly Connor laughed, "And cousin Connor can't teach her magic?"

"Cousin Connor isn't nearly as good as Cousin Lara is," Lara said with a smirk as she gripped tightly on the bag around her shoulder as she desperately met Connor's eyes, "But… but Connor, really can… can you…."

"I will, don't worry," Connor said, as Dominik could see the tears starting to well up in the man's eyes as he shakily sighed and kept staring at his sister, "I… I'm gonna miss you sis…be careful and… and don't do anything stupid, alright?"

Lara smiled at her brother as she slowly nodded, "I won't I promise… I'll miss you too little brother… see you soon."

Connor nodded again, and Dominik saw Lara take one last longing look at him, before she turned to the hearth where the fire was crackling. The young woman bit her lip, before she stepped to the wall of her room, near her megascope and close her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath as the fire crackled, Connor didn't take his eyes off her, and when she opened her eyes back up, Dominik saw her eyes glow bright blue. Magic started to swirl around her limbs, and she shouted out a spell in Elder Speech, before a portal ripped to life in front of her, and quick as a flash, her eyes returned to the normal emerald color they usually were. The blue portal swirled in the wall, the books from on her bookshelves started to fly, the covers flew off her bed, and slowly Lara turned back to look at Connor, who was gripping so hard on the hilt of his sword Dominik thought he might snap it in half.

He felt his inside spin, and his stomach felt like it was erupting as she watched Lara smile and nod one more time at her brother, before Connor did the same, but Dominik could practically see the man's heart ripping into pieces. Slowly Connor nodded, before Lara let out a shaky breath and turned back to the portal. One more time the young woman adjusted the sword on her belt and the bag over her shoulder, before Lara of Lod walked into the portal. Within seconds after Lara had disappeared, the portal closed, and within another few seconds after that, was when Dominik heard the sob of Connor.

Turning back around Dominik saw the male Lod twin heavily choke out a sob and let out a breath that he seemed to have been holding for weeks. Tears started to stream from the man's emerald eyes, and he could see just how broken they were. Dominik felt his own eyes begin to sting, as he knew exactly what Connor was feeling. He had gotten that same feeling, the same sixth sense Dominik had gotten before Ciri went to Aretuza, the same feeling he had on the Isle of Mists, that same feeling his father had had before Princess Pavetta left to go on that ship with her husband. It was a feeling that Dominik knew well, the feeling of simply knowing, knowing something would go wrong. That was the look, the distraught look on Connor of Lod's face as he stood in his sister's room, the man's eyes hadn't left where the portal was, he kept his eyes glued there as he furiously clutched the journal in his hands.

And as the white mist slowly began to whirl around the scene, Dominik knew, that just like himself and his father… Connor's feeling that something would go wrong was correct. _'Your ancestor… his son… his daughter,' _Eredin's words rang throughout his head, and it made Dominik's skin crawl as the last image he saw was Connor slowly looking down and clutching the journal in his hands, as his tears slowly fell onto it.

"My little girl… brilliant, powerful, beautiful… but just as stubborn as I was…made the same mistakes that I did…" Alexander said next to him, as the white mist enveloped them all, and Dominik slowly looked up at the old man.

Alexander's eyes were almost watery, his old, pale, leathery face was clearly trying to keep his emotions in check as he gripped to the staff in his hands. Dominik didn't want to ask the question, but as they floated there, with the white mist swirling around them, he felt his stomach churn more and more… and he couldn't stop himself.

"Lara she… she didn't keep her promise… did she?" Dominik slowly asked, and right away the old man shook his head.

Shakily sighing Alexander met their matching emerald eyes again, "No… she did not. Like me she… she let her anger, her emotions get the best of her."

He felt his skin crawl as he bit his lip, "She… found you, didn't she? And when she did…."

"She went to find Eredin…without Connor," Alexander said with a shake of his head as Dominik saw the old man's eyes turn from him, "My only guess as to why she did not was… so Connor would stay and protect Fiona instead of coming to her. She… spent upwards of two years searching for ways to summon the Hunt… to exact her revenge for me…"

Dominik thought about the look he saw on Connor's face as his sister left, that knowing look, that look Dominik himself knew so well. It had been the same look he gave Ciri when she walked to the portal to Thanedd, to Aretuza, the worry, the knowing look, and then after they had gone, that regret, the regret for letting them go when you know for a fact that something would happen. He would never forget that he cried into Geralt for what he assumed had to quite literally be an hour after Ciri had gone, he kept crying into his adopted father that he knew, knew something would go wrong, and despite all of Geralt's assurances, Dominik wasn't calmed.

In the end Dominik had been right, just like Connor was when he saw his sister leave the room that day. He remembered to the previous vision, when Alexander had the chance to kill Eredin, but he let his anger, his anger at Avallac'h and his emotions get the better of him, and this led to his death. And apparently now, the same had happened to Lara. She hadn't kept her promise to her brother… just like Dominik didn't keep his promise to Bella, the promise to protect her. He didn't want to watch the next vision, he knew what it had to be, but as he looked up to meet Alexander's eyes, he saw the old man shakily sigh himself, before reaching out and holding a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't wish to see it either lad but… we must, so you do not repeat the same mistakes," The old man said slowly as the white mist around them continued to swirl, his sage like old eyes stared deeply down into Dominik's, "Together… my children could have defeated Eredin… I know they could have but… but like I said… Lara, and eventually Connor let their anger get the better of them… if only they had stayed together…"

Slowly Dominik shook his head, letting out a shaky breath he sighed, "Lara she… she found the Hunt… didn't she?"

Alexander nodded, and Dominik saw him twirl his fingers as he spoke, "She did...she spent two years attempting to summon them, and… and despite the fact she was alone… my girl gave them a fight. _Crynvael… truet."_

The white mist churned and swirled around him again, Dominik had gotten used to the spell the previous few times and was able to withstand it without almost throwing up anymore. However, as he felt himself ripped into the next vision with Alexander, he felt himself getting sick again, but not from the spell.

It was because he knew in the next vision, he knew he'd see the death of Lara of Lod, and the more he saw… the more Dominik began to think that if these powerful magic wielders, Alexander, Lara, and Connor could not defeat Eredin… what chance would he have himself?

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The air nipped at his ears and nose as soon as they landed, and all Dominik could see was the fog. After he managed to flicker his eyes open, he saw Alexander floating next to him like he had been, but they were somewhere they hadn't been yet. It could be best described as a winter beach, Dominik saw the giant jugged rocks sticking out from the water, he could see broken ships, busted hulls in the icy churning violent water. The shore was rocky, the fog was intense out over the water, but he could clearly see the large beach, dirt and sand, cold chilly air continued to howl in his ears, as all he could hear was it, and the water violently lapping over the shore. The beach was wide, long, and the wind violently picked up and threw around stones, old pieces of wood, and other debris from the multiple wreckage that washed ashore. The sun was low, but covered completely by the clouds so a grey, dim light casted out over the beach, it seemed as it would be somewhat pleasant, if the sun were out, warm and bright. However, the beach was deserted except for all the wreckage that littered it, in its current state, it looked like nobody would be going there for quite some time, especially with the dense fog over the other water, the thick, dense air, and violently churning wind.

However, there was someone on the beach, one singular woman, Lara of Lod.

Dominik felt his insides churn as he shakily sighed and smelled the air, it was something that he recognized, it was the same smell that lingered over Kaer Morhen the last week. Sulfur, ash, and with every second the fog rolled closer, he could feel the tips of his ears get colder, he could see in the distance the waves slowly chilling over. It was the Hunt, either Lara had found them, or they had found her, and as the woman, who still looked exactly the same as she did when she saved Riannon from Falka with her brother, as when she hugged her brother goodbye in the previous vision stood there, Dominik could see her emerald eyes narrowed, a dark, murderous look to them as her loose blonde hair blew straight back, and her sword clunked in its sheath on her waist. She let out a deep breath, and as the fog continued to roll, Dominik saw her fiercely close her eyes.

He felt the wind violently blow his medallion and the swallow as he looked up to Alexander, "Where… where did she go? Where are we now?"

Alexander shakily sighed and stroked his blonde and white beard, his eyes not leaving his daughter in the vision, "We're still in Kovir, Lara she… stayed to find ways to summon the Hunt after she found me. Spent two years doing it, even met a man… had a daughter…"

"What!?" Dominik said as his gaze shot back down to the woman, he felt his brain begin to buzz as his eyes widened and he heard the story in his head, "So… so does that mean…"

Slowly Alexander nodded next to him, as Dominik and he watched the wind whip back Lara's blonde hair violently in the wind, "Yes my boy… my daughter, Lara she's your great, great, great… fuck it, she's your great grandmother."

Dominik let the realization sink into as he looked down at Lara standing on the beach again. Unlike Alexander in the vision they saw of him, she had decided to wear armor, albeit lightweight armor. She wore tight hard leather black trousers, heeled boots like the ones Ciri wore, all while wearing leather armor. Under the armor he saw a tight black gambeson that went down to her waist. The leather covered over both of her shoulders, with tightening straps going across her chest, she also had dark boiled leather bracers on her arms with her finger sticking out, and as the fog got closer he saw her fingers curl. She let out a shaky breath and her shining emerald eyes stayed trained on the rolling fog, carefully she reached up and grabbed onto her flowing hair, slowly she tied it back together into a ponytail, after pulling it tight she let her curled hands fall to her side.

This was Dominik's great grandmother, and he knew now exactly what parent Alexander's line came from, because Lara of Lod reminded him in that moment of his mother, Sofia. He scolded himself for not realizing it earlier, he had inherited his fathers looks, all except for his eyes, the emerald eyes he had gotten from his mother, and Alexander, Connor, Lara, they all had those exact same eyes. He also felt his heart begin to race as the swallow around his neck churned, for the longest time since he learned about this powerful ancestor that passed powers down to him, he thought it would be from his father's side. His mother had always told him his destiny was to protect Ciri as well, but his father had been the main one to tell him, explaining how it dated back all the way to the ancestor who saved King Coram the second. He knew neither of his parents knew about the carrier powers he had, the magic he had, but he assumed that it was just fate and destiny itself that brought his fathers side of the family that job.

However, it was his mother's line, his mother that had passed down the power to him. He realized that his mother also had unknowingly unlocked a part of her abilities, when she had interacted with Pavetta and Ciri, and wondered if that had helped her fight without her knowing like it did for him. He felt his chest thump loudly as he floated above the scene, the wind howled and blew the swallow around his neck, feeling his heart begin to swell he grabbed the small silver bird. A small scoff escaped him, and despite the situation, he felt his heart slowly flutter as he looked at the small bird, thinking of Ciri he gently pulled his eyes back down to Lara standing on the beach.

Now he knew, not only was he destined to protect, to meet Ciri from one side of his family, but both, his mother, and his father. She truly was his destiny, and he knew now more then ever, he'd be with her for the rest of his life, and that was something he didn't mind at all, because not only was she his true, real destiny, but he somehow felt himself loving her even more.

However, as the wind began to howl even louder in his ears, and the smell of sulfur hit his nose, he remembered what was happening. He looked down, and his great grandmother was preparing herself to fight the Wild Hunt, his powerful great-grandmother, that had both her own, and her father's powers inside of her, one of the most powerful sorceresses, possibly the most powerful to ever live, was going to fight Eredin and his Hunt.

And Dominik knew that she would lose, just like Alexander had.

Lara's eyes shot open, and that's when Dominik saw the magic begin to swirl. The wind violently kept blowing back her ponytail, but as her eyes were opened, Dominik saw magic swirl the same bright blue rays that always swirled around him, however, Lara's was controlled, it churned and churned, it wrapped up and down her arms as her emerald eyes were completely taken over by the light. Her blonde ponytail blew up in the air, and the wind continued to violently howl as Dominik saw the fog from the ocean get closer and closer. It approached and nothing could be seen through it, but Dominik knew exactly what was waiting in the dense fog, it was the Hunt, their ships, and apparently Lara knew as well. He tore his gaze back to her, the magic still hadn't left her eyes, the magic whirled around her arms, her legs, and soon it shot and swirled around her palms.

Slowly his great grandmother rose her hands up, Dominik looked as she shifted her stance, and when her hands got to the air her voiced echoed over the wind in Elder Speech.

_"CALAIN CALAIN, DEFRAIN CALIAN REVELAN, TOMA, MUAN, DAS!" _She shouted out, before she slammed both her hands forward.

The magic erupted from her palms and shot forward into the mist. Lara's eyes stayed completely incased in the blue magic, her spell shot forward and erupted into the fog, it swirled and churned, and then a loud ***RIIIIIIIIPPPPPPP* **shot through the air so loud it completely overtook the wind and Dominik had to cover his ears. He watched as the spell erupted, and the fog burst outwards, and finally, Dominik saw what Lara had gone up against, what his great grandmother had stood against.

Just like how it descended on Alexander, it seemed the entirety of the Wild Hunt had come down on her. Dominik saw the ships, their had to be at least a dozen that came rolling in slowly in the water, the ships were covered in ice, frost, and as they came, he saw the very water below them beginning to freeze. The wind continued to howl, the dark grey light from the clouds continued to cover the beach as the first bits of the sand started to freeze over. Dominik wanted to scream, tell Lara to do something, but as soon as the first bit of ice came to the shore, as soon as the ice had fully parted, Dominik saw Lara raise her hands back up into the air, more magic began to swirl around her, more magic then Dominik could ever hope to produce, her hair continued to whip in the wind, and as she raised her hands she began to whirl them, they whirled and whirled, and with every movement more magic whipped from her body up into her hands, as the whole time the wind howled, it howled to violently, Dominik wondered how she could possibly still be standing, it was a wind strong enough to knock over the strongest of men, but Lara stood, she stood and whirled her hands as she screamed out in Elder Speech again.

_"CRIANE DEFRAINE, AENYE, CRYNVAIL, YOLA, TOR YOMA, AENYE!" _She bellowed, and as she finished she ripped her hands to both sides of her, and just as she did the magic shot upwards from her hands.

Dominik barely had time to even wonder what the magic was doing, before a loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOOOM* **shattered the sky, and he looked up to see the sky beginning to turn even darker before it completely erupted in a violent dark orange light. The ball of magic that Lara had conjured had violently blown up in the air, and Dominik's eyes grew wide as a torrential downpour of fire started to rain down on the ships. The first ball of fire zoomed right past Alexander and he's head, it soared down and struck right into the front ship that had been sailing in order, and with another loud, erupting ***BOOOOOOM* **it slammed into the boat, and a new multitude of fireballs tore down from the sky on the fleet. It melted the ice that had been gathering on the water, and Dominik saw steam start to rise from the boats and the ocean like a sauna as Lara rained down a torrential storm of flames towards the Wild Hunt, and when Dominik looked back to her on the shore, he saw the light slowly disappear from her eyes, she seemed slightly more pale then she had before, but her emerald eyes darted forward, watching the fire rain down on the ships.

She still looked exactly the same, and Dominik tried to imagine the young girl he saw carrying young baby Riannon with her brother in the first vision he had seen. Now that little girl was raining destruction on the Wild Hunt, raining fire down and seeming to completely decimate the ships. Dominik watched as the sky stayed lit with the fiery glow, the balls of flames continued to smash into the ships, and with each one that made contact, he heard a series of loud ***BOOOOOOOMS* **come, if Lara's goal had been to halt the Hunt's advance she had. He saw ships completely up in flames, the rocks, and wreckage were completely set alight, and it looked as if Lara had managed to set the ocean itself on fire as her storm of flames continued to fall down on the fleet.

However, Lara simply held both her hands to her side, her blonde ponytail still whipped violently back in the wind. The corners of her eyes around her emerald iris's still glew light blue, he saw bits of magic still swirling around her limbs, and as she looked out at the chaos she was causing to the Hunt, the fire falling over her head onto the ships, she didn't smile, or smirk, she simply let out a shaky sigh and pulled the longsword from her hip.

And just as she did, Dominik heard portals rip to life behind her.

"I knew you'd be here…" Lara said, her voice rising up over the wind as Dominik saw her grip on her sword tighten, before she slowly turned around, and when she did, his heart completely dropped.

"Yes… and you foolishly wasted time burning my ships… when you should have been running…" The deep, bone chilling voice of Eredin said as the wind continued to howl.

Lara sighed deeply and raised up her head, "I won't run from you… because you don't scare me…. You'll pay, pay for all you've done."

Eredin lightly chuckled, and the racking of his longsword hit Dominik's ears as the future King spoke, "You should be girl… tell me… where the child of her blood is… and your death… will be quick."

A small laugh left Lara's narrowed eyes, "Even if you kill me… you'll never get your hands on my aunt's line again…. My brother, our line… we'll always be there to protect it."

Another bone chilling laugh left Eredin as he hefted his blade to his shoulder, "Aha… you are as arrogant as your father was…. I killed him you know… now I will kill you… your brother… and then… we will reclaim what is rightfully ours… and fix the treacherous stain on our race that foolish woman inflicted."

The firestorm still raged behind her, but at Eredin's words Dominik saw Lara's eyes erupt with a rage that was even more violent. She had turned back around; three portals had ripped to life on the beach behind her. While the ships continued to burn in the water, Dominik saw Eredin himself, the massive future King emerge from the middle portal with several of his riders coming from the others. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see if he saw Avallac'h, but the sage was nowhere to be seen. Quickly he put it from his mind, as all he focused on was the fact Eredin stood meters away from Lara, the wind violently blowing his dark hair as all his riders stood back, not daring to get in their commanders' way. Lara stood across from Eredin, and Dominik still couldn't believe after unleashing such a massive storm of fire, that was still falling over head, she was ready to face down Eredin himself. A loud ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* **hit his ears as the fire continued to pound the ships. The sky was still erupting with flames, the beach itself, the debris, the wood, the sand was even starting to smoke as Lara and Eredin stood across from one another.

And that woman was his ancestor, his great grandmother, he had come from her line, and according to Alexander, not only was his power, but hers, Connor's as well, along with his own natural power was inside of him. He felt his skin begin to tingle as the flames falling from the sky heated his face, he shot his gaze to Alexander, intent on asking him how it could be possible he himself had this much power, but when Dominik saw the old man's face, right away he swallowed his question. Alexander's old eyes were watery, and Dominik could see him trying to hold back, his old leathery hand was gripped tightly to his staff, and the entire time he hadn't seen him look away from his daughter. Dominik didn't dare make the old man answer questions now, and his gaze was turned back to the fight anyhow by Lara's screams.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY," Lara screamed out, and it was the first time in any vision Dominik saw the woman lose her temper, she twirled her blade as Dominik saw her level it out with magic violently beginning to whirl around her again, "FOR MY FATHER, FOR UNCLE CREGAN, FOR AUNT LARA, FOR CHASING THEIR LINE IT ENDS NOW!"

Eredin simply laughed and dipped his sword into the sand, "Baha… you foolish girl. You are all alone, your father… he said I wouldn't stand a chance against you… and your brother together…. However… it seems I won't get to test my skill against you both…. You die here… then he dies… then one day… we will regain what is ours."

Lara's eyes flashed blue, and she ripped her dagger from her belt. She twirled both of the blades, leveling her sword over the daggers smaller blade. The magic churned violently around her limbs, and onto her weapons as she screamed, screamed with the fire still erupting and falling onto the Hunt's ships from the sky.

"I TOLD YOU! KILL ME, KILL MY BROTHER, IT WON'T MATTER EREDIN," Lara yelled as Dominik saw her ponytail come undone from the wind, her head of blonde hair blew violently back behind as she shook her head, "Kill me here… kill my brother… it doesn't matter, because no matter what Eredin, you, your people, you will NEVER get your hands on my Aunt and Uncle's line, on their blood again. Me and my brother's line will continue… and one day… you'll decide to try again… and they'll still be there… be there to kill you."

A demonic laugh came from behind Eredin's faceplate again, "Baha… you humans and your… ridiculous prophecies…. You will never be strong enough to stand against me girl… your line never will be…. Come now, show me… the strength your father passed down to you."

A particularly loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOM* **erupted as the fireballs continued to come down from the sky, and just as one of the Hunt's ships finally fell Lara rushed forward, the magic whirling around her limbs, Eredin stood there and Lara leaped to bring down both her blades. Eredin quickly raised his sword to block, and as their blades connected another loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOOM* **ripped and smoke began to cover the beach. Dominik only saw Eredin for a moment as the King whirled his head to try and locate Lara. He finally managed too, as the mist finally began to clear Lara came leaping from the left. A loud ***CLANG* **rang through the air as the riders Eredin brought with him backed up quickly. The fight between Eredin and Lara looked as if Dominik was watching a whirlwind of steel. He was flashed back to his own fight with Eredin, and his duel with Baelen, just like in those duels whenever he saw one of Lara's blades and Eredin's clash, small eruptions of magic shot from their blades.

However, unlike his duel with Eredin, Lara was actually putting the future King on the defensive. Dominik had to cross his arms to stop them from shaking as he watched, Lara struck out with such precision, such fluidity and grace, that Dominik didn't think he'd ever be able to reach such a level. He knew she had magic enhancing her movements, and spurring her limbs on faster, however it still amazed him how she moved. And also unlike Dominik's own magic, Lara's hummed around her, she had it under complete control. When he used his powers himself, the magic would erratically shoot from him, it would tire him, and sometimes like when he had fought Caranthir with Ciri it exploded in his face. Lara had complete control and looked like she was just as skilled if not more so then himself, or even the witchers at Kaer Morhen with her blades.

However, even with his arms crossed they still shook, because in the back of his head, Dominik knew that it still wasn't enough. Despite all of his ancestors' power, all of Lara's power, he knew the outcome of this fight.

The fire continued to rain down, but as Lara lashed out, he saw the magic begin to swirl around Eredin as well, ice shot out onto the future King's blade. Lara couldn't stop her strike, she came down and as soon as her blade hit Eredin's a loud hissing sound rang, and Lara yelled as she was knocked back, by a particularly powerful blast of magic that shot ice to her chest. She managed to land and slide back on her feet, but now she was weaponless. Eredin lashed out with a new vengeance, Lara with her bare hands kept moving to dodge, having to side-step and move her head. She ducked and rolled down to the right to try and grab for her sword, but Eredin spun and lashed out with his icy blade again, Lara saw this and leaned her head back, Eredin's sword just barely passed over her head, and with a shot of magic into her eyes she shot her hands forward again.

_"ANEYE CANI!" _She shouted, and the magic ripped from her hands and shot a wall of fire into Eredin's icy chest, the blast was so powerful that a loud ***BOOM* **ripped as Eredin screamed.

"GAHHHHHHHH!" The future King yelled as he got sent stumbling back with his armor smoking and a new mist forming around him.

Lara as Eredin stumbled rushed and scooped her sword from the ground, magic wrapped around her limbs and she leapt to strike again. She spun in the air and came down hard with her strike, Eredin just managed to get his blade up, but from how he was stumbling only barely managed to parry. Lara landed and Eredin tried to lash out again, but Lara ducked and rolled again before she came up behind Eredin again and jabbed her blade into the back of the future King's leg.

Dominik's eyes widened as Eredin yelled, "GAHHHH! You stupid girl!"

Eredin with great speed spun around and smacked his massive hand into the side of Lara's head, and she was sent stumbling to her back. She yelled out and Eredin reached to pull her blade from his leg. He managed too and tossed Lara's steel to the side, the force from Eredin's blow had been so powerful Lara bled down the side of her head, her blonde curls became marred with sweat and blood just as she managed to stand. However, just as she managed to get up, Eredin lashed out with his blade again. Dominik could see the trouble Lara had concentrating, seeing straight and it affected her dodges. She moved weaponless away from the first few strikes, but after she ducked down under one strike, Eredin spun around and thrusted his blade forward. Lara just managed to move out of the way, but the blade stabbed and cut across the side of her torso.

"ARGHHH FUCK!" She yelled, and as just as she reached both hands down to grab the wound, Dominik's heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach when he saw Eredin spin gracefully again and hit the pommel of his long blade into Lara's stomach.

With another loud ***BOOOM* **as magic exploded, Lara screamed and was sent firing backwards, she fell onto her stomach with her sword just out of her reach. The fire that was raining above finally seemed to die down, as now only small balls of heat were coming from the sky. Dominik felt the air become cold and thick again, the sky that was once lit with the beautiful flaming light, was now dark, the ships of the Hunt that remained, Dominik could see slowly starting to move once again, the flames that had started slowly being smothered by the wind. The ice, it started to creep slower and slower to the shore again, as the night was dark, ever so dark with only the light from the moon, and few crackling fire still left to show anything.

However, when Lara coughed, Dominik was able to see her. Her blonde hair was messy and falling over her face, it was caked in blood, dirt and ice, and Dominik could see the blood slowly begin to pool from the side of her head. Her arms shook as she tried to push herself to her feet, but she could only make it to all fours. She groaned, and he saw the blood started to quickly drip from her torso. She let out a shaky breath and Dominik could see her arms shaking, but despite it, despite the obvious immense pain, she managed to slide her hand over to her sword, gently she wrapped her hand tightly around its hilt, as the wind started to howl again, and the ice from the water, the ships all started to get closer and closer to her.

Eredin clunked closer to her, his longsword dripping her blood, his own leg bleeding as the future King slightly limped. Laughing the future King stood only a few meters from her and hefted his blade back onto his shoulder.

"Aha… just like your father… brave… I'll give you that… brave… but foolishly arrogant, but still… I will give you the same chance I gave him girl," Eredin said darkly as his riders started to gather behind him, he pointed the sword towards Lara and spoke again, "Tell us… the location of the one with the blood… and… I will grant you a swift, painless death… and I will even consider… sparing your brother…"

Lara let out a shaky breath, Dominik saw her fiercely close her eyes as her arms shook. She dug her left hand into the cold sand, her bloody blonde hair blew to one side, and despite the blood starting to pool more and more below her from her head, and from the now gaping wound on her torso, just like her father Alexander, Lara held tightly to her sword.

"T…Tomas… K…Korina…lit…little brother… I… I'm so… so sorry…." She whispered shakily as she finished speaking, Dominik saw her eyes shoot open, and now, instead of her pained emerald eyes, they were incased in the bright blue magic glow.

He watched as magic began to violently swirl around her limbs again, and slowly, slowly but surely she stood up to her feet. Some of the riders backed away, and just as the ships reached the shore, Lara of Lod whirled back around to Eredin with her sword leveled. Magic began to erupt from her, it shot from all angles, Lara's emerald eyes, the eyes she got from Alexander, the eyes she passed down all the way down to his mother, and then in turn to him were gone, overtaken by the magic, but the raw unfiltered power that swirled from her as she screamed.

"YOU WILL NOT HAVE THEIR LINE, YOU WILL NEVER HAVE THEIR LINE," Lara yelled as the magic began to violently churn, picking up debris and wreckage over the now ice covered beach, she shifted her stance and leveled her blade, "YOUR ARROGANCE WILL BE YOUR DOWNFALL! STRIKE ME DOWN NOW YES, BUT KNOW THAT MY LINE, MY BROTHER'S LINE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO PROTECT THEM! THEY WILL PROTECT MY AUNT AND UNCLE'S LINE, NOW AND ALWAYS!"

Eredin cackled behind his face plate as icy magic began to violently churn around him as well as he leveled his blade, "BAHA! You do not scare me girl! I killed your father, I will kill you now, and one day, we WILL have what is ours again, we will right the stain that ignorant woman brought. Come, and meet the same fate as your father!"

And with a loud ***BOOOM* **Lara erupted from her spot and charged towards Eredin again, but as soon as he saw her leap, saw her about to make contact with the future King's blade, Alexander's deep voice rang in his ears.

_"CRYNVAEL TRUET!" _The old man quickly yelled next to him, and right before Dominik could see Lara start the duel again, the white mist that he had been seeing the whole time whirled and shot over the scene, completely taking him from it.

He shot his head up to Alexander, and he could see the old man fiercely closing his eyes. His staff had swirled at the top, and Dominik saw him let out a shaky breath, one small tear running down his leathery old face. He felt his own heartbeat slowly, sweat trickled down the back of his neck as he finally felt his blood begin to thaw. Looking he could see how distraught Alexander was, he gripped tightly to his staff and seemed to be trying to control his breathing. He himself saw the fight playing over and over again in his head, first Alexander, then Lara bleeding out on the ground, Eredin over them, his sword bloody as he taunted them. He felt his arms begin to shake as he slowly sighed and looked to meet Alexander's eyes.

The old man finally let out a sigh and opened his emerald eyes to meet Dominik's, "Forgive me my boy… I… will watch my death over yes but… I'm sorry… I do not wish to see my daughter die again…"

Dominik felt himself continue to shake, he remembered what Alexander said about Lara and Connor being able to take Eredin together. However, the twins had separated, and even with how powerful Lara was, how powerful his great grandmother was, she was still not enough to defeat Eredin either. He could feel his scarred cheek begin to throb, both his legs ached in that moment as he remembered the pitiful amount of damage he had done to Eredin in the end. _'All of that work… for one tiny scratch,' _the King had mocked him, as Dominik saw the small bloody cut that he had caused. He stabbed him before he could take Ciri yes, but he had been unaware, and if not for Ciri's powers, Dominik would have surely been killed. In the end, he had only survived thanks to her, thanks to his friends and family. Lara's words started to echo in his ears now, and hearing them again made Dominik shake.

'_STRIKE ME DOWN NOW YES, BUT KNOW THAT MY LINE, MY BROTHER'S LINE WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO PROTECT THEM!' _He was all that was left of their line, of Lara's line, of Alexander's line, he was all that was left of Alexander, Connor, and Lara of Lod, and now that destiny to protect Ciri fell to him, to protect the blood fell to him. And while Alexander had been taken by surprise, both he and Lara had been defeated in the end. If even them, two of the most powerful wielders of magic couldn't defeat Eredin, how would he himself be able too, even with their power inside him? He shakily sighed and met Alexander's eyes.

"You… you said that… she and Connor would have been able to defeat him together?" Dominik asked the old man as the mist began to swirl around them again.

Alexander sighed and nodded, "Yes… I would have preferred they both simply stayed by Fiona's side but… they wished to avenge me. They are powerful by themselves yes… but together, both my children would have defeated him."

Dominik shakily sighed again and shook his head, "What… what chance do I have? What chance do I have if even they couldn't do it?"

Slowly the old man shook his head and met his gaze, "You will lad… you must. You have family by your side, your Cirilla by your side. As long as you keep control of your emotions, keep your eye on the main goal… and most importantly, never give up on your family, you will prevail."

Scoffing Dominik shook his head, "I would never give up on my family but… but I don't want them… them or Ciri to get hurt, to… to die. I… don't know if I can do it."

Scoffing now Alexander fiercely shook his head, "You don't have to do it alone lad. Only together, with your family, your friends will you prevail. You saw Lara… and soon Connor, they both made the mistake of going at it alone. You MUST believe in your family my boy, believe in your friends!"

That had been his biggest fear. He remembered having to toss a torch onto Declan's pyre after the battle. Declan had been his friend, despite how they first met, and losing him, even Arno who he had only recently met, but still had considered a friend had crushed him, he hadn't told anyone, but the nightmares, this time from the battle had been coming to him all week, seeing Declan light the gas, and Arno die defending them. The thought of Faram, Freya, George, or worst of all Ciri sharing a fate like that it had terrified him.

However, even his ancestors, some of the most powerful mages to ever walk the continent, had failed to defeat Eredin alone. Lara had died, Connor… he knew would die too. Alexander had said if they went together they would have defeated Eredin, but Lara had been too worried about her brother dying… and it had led to her own death, and apparently her brothers in the end as well. His first family was dead, his mother, father, and of course Bella had all been dead for a long time, but he knew he had a new one now. Geralt, Yennefer, and then of course Ciri, even Faram, Freya and George, one large family that he loved more then anything. He would never risk their lives, never risk them dying, if it were up to him before he saw the vision, then he would have even considered doing what Lara did, going to find Eredin himself.

But Lara died because she did that, so if it meant Eredin finally being wiped from this world and any world, he would do as Alexander said, he would believe in his family, never give up on them, and if they did get into danger during the fighting… he would do everything to save them. Feeling the swallow tremble around his neck, he slowly grabbed it with a sigh as the white mist continued to swirl around him and Alexander both. He could see the pain in the man's eyes, how tired he was, how completely, and utterly exhausted he was. Dominik could remember the old man saying how for over a hundred years he had been keeping that part of his consciousness in the journal. He wondered for a moment, if that meant after he died, he wasn't able to go to wherever it was we went after you died, to see his 'little sis Lara', Cregan, and his two children again. He knew sorcerers and sorceresses could keep themselves young, but the old man standing before him had been constantly keeping this illusion, stopping himself from going to be reunited with the ones he loved, all so he could help any of his descendants that needed it, so he could help them if they lost there way… so he could help Dominik now.

And he had done it all for his brother, and his 'little sis'. So, Dominik would make sure he listened to what the man said, and not let Alexander's sacrifice not just in life, but afterwards go to waste. As much as he didn't want to see it, he knew he had one more set of visions he needed to see.

Shakily sighing he met the old man's eyes, "What… what did Connor do? You… you said he was in Cintra?"

Alexander seemed to read his mind, because he nodded his tired head, "Yes… two years passed and… he had no word from Lara. He stayed with Fiona in Cintra, became captain of their guards but… soon he got a letter from Lara's lover, Tomas and… just as Lara did… my son… my brave boy… he wasn't going to take it sitting down."

Dominik heard 'captain of Cintra's guards', and for a moment he perked up, completely forgetting the situation as a terrifying thought came to him.

He looked at Alexander wide-eyed, "Captain of Cintra's guards!? Does… does that mean my… my mother and father were… well… distant cousins?"

Alexander's tired face turned into an amused smile at his face and laughed heartily as his pale wrinkly hand clapped onto Dominik's shoulder, "Hahaha… you'll see lad… come… let us go see the fate of my son…. _Crynvael… truet."_

With a slight wave of his staff the white mist churned, and yet again Dominik quickly readied himself. He had seen the fate of two of his ancestors, and while he already knew what would happen to them, seeing them die hadn't been easy. They were all his family in the end, Alexander, Connor and Lara, they all were blood of his blood, and all had died making that ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice to keep their destiny.

And now that destiny fell to him, to protect not just the blood, but the woman he loved, if he wanted to be able to… he needed to see how his last ancestor died.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

To his surprise when the mist cleared, Dominik recognized they were in a room similar to the one Connor had said goodbye to Lara in. With a wrenching inside his gut, he appeared floating next to Alexander, and as he looked at the old man, he could see him growing more and more weary. His already pale, old, leathery face was getting more and more wizened. He was much paler, and Dominik saw it was almost as if he was in pain, his face was narrowed, it was a look Dominik himself had tried to use when he was younger, and he was hurt but didn't want to tell Geralt so he could keep training. As the two of them floated, it was clear to Dominik the old man was waning, he didn't know how much longer he could hold the vision, he was about to ask how he felt, but that was when Dominik heard the voice in the vision.

"Connor this is insane! You can't leave now, Coram will hang you for desertion, you already know he's looking for a reason to get rid of you. Other than that, the Queen will be devastated," A man's voice said, and Dominik turned down to see Connor, who like he expected, still looked exactly the same.

Just like Lara had been doing in the vision, the male Lod twin was packing up a traveling bag on a large four poster bed. The room looked the same as Lara's back in what he assumed was Temaria. There was a large four poster bed, with a megascope, alchemy equipment, and in front of a roaring fire, Dominik's eyes widened when he saw guardsman armor of Cintra. The three golden lions across the blue field were on the front, the armor sat on a stand, and it looked to be the exact same kind of armor Dominik's father had worn. Connor however, had opted for a much lighter traveling look. Just like when he had snuck into Falka's stronghold, Connor wore a tight black gambeson with a boiled black leather tunic, at his waist the large gleaming longsword hung.

Sighing Connor slung a black cloak over his back, before doing the same with the bag, the same as Lara had done. When he turned around, the only difference Dominik saw, was that Connor's blonde hair was now shortly cropped, and his beard had gotten longer, but he still looked like the same young man that had ended Falka's rebellion to save Riannon which at that point was twenty years prior. His emerald eyes sparkled for a moment, before Dominik saw him roll them at the man standing across from him who had spoken.

"Bastard doesn't like me, because god forbid I say something when he treats his wife like shit," Connor said as he adjusted the sword on his belt, he sighed and met the man's eyes again, "And I won't be deserting, I got Mary to agree to tell him I died in the last skirmish, she's gonna pick a body we can't recognize, say it was mine. Fucker hates me enough he'll take it at face value."

The man sighed, and shook his head, "Connor… but what about the Queen? She'll be completely devastated if she thinks you died, I swear you're the only one she speaks too."

Connor narrowed his eyes and sighed, "And that's why Gregory… I'm hoping I can count on you to tell her what I'm doing. Tell her I'm going after Lara and… and if I don't come back…"

"Don't say that Connor. My friend I… I know your sister means much to you but… but surely if she fought the Wild Hunt by herself… she… she…" The man said slowly, and Connor quickly shook his head.

"I know Gregory, I fucking know…." Connor hissed, but Dominik saw him slowly sigh as he shook his head, "Even… even if she is gone I… I need to find her daughter, make sure she knows what her destiny is and then… I'm going to make the Wild Hunt pay as best I can… for everything."

Dominik's view slowly turned to the man standing across from Connor, and when he finally took in the sight of the guardsman, the young brown-haired man his mouth went dry and his eyes widened. His gaze shot right up to Alexander and he saw the old man looking amusingly down at him. He looked between the old man, Connor, and the man across from him. At first when he saw Alexander, Connor and Lara, he had a hard time believing that they were his ancestors. Other then their emerald eyes, Dominik didn't look much like Alexander or his children at all, until he saw their emerald eyes, he didn't think it was possible that he was related to them just because of how different everything else looked.

However, the man standing across from Connor in this vision, looked exactly like Dominik himself, and his father before him.

"My… my father he... he wasn't a secret mage right? Because that guy he… he looks…" He trailed off, knowing that the idea was ridiculous, but still not believing what he was seeing.

Alexander despite his wizened state laughed and smirked at him, "Haha no, no lad, your father was not a secret mage. That young man there… that's Sir Gregory, Connor's second in command when he was captain of the guard."

Dominik's head began to spin, the man across from Connor now had the same name as his father, and quite literally looked like he could be his clone. He was taller, even taller than Connor with broad shoulders, a head of messy brown hair, but a neatly trimmed and cropped brown beard. Sir Gregory wore the same guardsman armor that Dominik remembered his father's men wearing with a longsword at his hip and he looked over at Connor with a scoff and pleading tone. Dominik scoffed again, he remembered just seeing his father in the limbo he was in after the battle, and it was as if he was seeing him yet again in that vision. However, it wasn't his father, it was his ancestor, ancestors from both his parents were standing there right then talking with one another.

"Fuck he… he looks exactly like me except for the eyes…" Dominik said, slowly turning up to Alexander again, "And… he mentioned the Hunt, does… does that mean Connor-."

"Yes lad… he knows everything. You see, Gregory was Connor's most loyal friend. King Coram didn't treat Fiona very well, so Connor would often get into arguments with him, Gregory was always there by his side to keep it from going too far," Alexander explained as he slowly turned his gaze down to his son, "Connor trusted him, told him about his and Lara's destiny, the blood, the Hunt…. And when Connor left to go find Lara, it was right before a major battle where they were putting down a rebellion. In that battle…"

"Gregory saved King Coram…" Dominik said slowly, feeling the swallow around his neck tremble as the story came back to him, "And with Connor gone, he needed a new captain of the guard… so he named Gregory as his new guard captain, and all his children after him."

Alexander slowly nodded, and Dominik felt himself slowly reaching up and gripping the swallow. Ciri's face popped into his brain, her beautiful, beautiful face which he yearned to see in that moment. From both sides she was his destiny, from his mother's line… and his father's line, it was always going to be Ciri. _"Sometimes destiny and love, are one in the same.'. _Borch and Alexander had both said the same thing, and as he looked down at two of his ancestors, he almost wanted to yell out and thank them. Because his destiny, had also happened to lead him to the one woman who made everything worth it, everything he had gone through, and would go through worth it. With his hand gingerly holding the swallow, he looked down as his ancestors Sir Gregory sighed and met Connor's eyes.

"Connor… if.. what you told me about your destiny is true, then you must not throw your life away! Your sister would not want that," Gregory tried to plead, as he slowly shook his head, "If you go and fight the Hunt, if you die, who will be left to protect the Queen, protect the…. Elder Blood you were telling me about, who-."

"I have the perfect person in mind," Connor said with a shake of his head, and slowly he walked over to his dresser, and Dominik saw him pick up what he recognized as the same journal he had back in Kaer Morhen now before turning back to Gregory, "I'll go and find my sister's lover, her daughter, I'll give them my father's journal and enough coin to make it south, make it here. When the girl is old enough… she'll open it, and… if my father's spell worked, everything will be explained when she does."

Gregory scoffed and shook his head, "Connor she's a two-year-old girl! Even if she does make it here, it'll be years before she can open that book and learn about her powers. Who'll watch the queen and any children she has in the meantime!? From what you told me, it could be the end of all of us if the Hunt, or the wrong person gets their hands on the blood, who'll protect it? Who'll-."

"You will," Connor said quickly, cutting his friend off, and when Gregory's eyes widened and he started floundering, Connor sighed and walked over to his friend, "Gregory my friend… I… I know it is a lot to ask but… I have nobody else I trust more then you. I would not ask this of you if I did not have complete faith and trust in you…. You are the only one who knows about the powers of the blood, other then the Queen herself… Gregory… I need you to protect her, protect the blood."

The fire crackled in the room, and Dominik saw Gregory's face completely flounder. He scoffed after a moment and met Connor's eyes.

"Connor that… that is a huge task, I… I don't know if I'm strong enough, I don't have the magic, or the powers you do. I don't know if I'll be able to protect her like you can," Gregory said with a nervous shake of his head.

Connor smirked and smiled confidently, "You are my friend, I know you are. Besides, Fiona already trusts you. I understand it's a lot to ask but… you understand I must go; I must find my sister's daughter and.. and try to avenge her. I know it's a lot to ask of you… and I'm sorry that I have to but… please Gregory, do this for me, not just for me… but for the continent."

Dominik saw the fire begin to burn higher, as if it was growing with the tension. With bated breath Dominik watched, watched his two ancestors stand and look at one another. Connor, Lara, Alexander, his mother's ancestors, they had all given him his destiny, passed it down to him from one side, and that was already enough for him. However, when he looked and saw Sir Gregory, his father's ancestor slowly nod, and as he reached out to fiercely shake Connor's hand, just like when Alexander had promised Lara Dorren, he swore he saw a small tendril of magic mist pass between them, as if just like then, the universe had seen this promise, and made it so.

Gregory sighed and met Connor's eyes, slowly he nodded, "I will do this my friend… I swear it. I won't just protect the Queen… but her children's children, and it won't just be me, me and my children, my line… we will do this for you, we'll protect the blood. And… when your sister's daughter comes, I will find her, and together, we'll keep it safe… from all who try to come for it."

He mentally scoffed in amazement. Here were ancestors from his mother and father, two best-friends, and now both had the destiny to protect the blood. He knew both his parent's families had been in Cintra for generations, and slowly he remembered, that his mother said before Cintra, she always heard one of her ancestors traveled from Kovir… where Lara had died, where she apparently had her child. So for hundreds of years, two lines, with destinies to protect the Elder Blood, the line of Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod were both in Cintra. Destiny continued to amaze him, because eventually, Sir Gregory's descendant, Dominik's father also named Sir Gregory, married the descendant of his best-friend, Sofia. And when those two lines resulted in himself, that destiny now fell to him.

And seeing that promise then between Connor and Gregory, only was going to spur him on to protect Ciri even more, protect the woman he loved, and in doing so, he'd honor both of his ancestors, from both side.

Connor gently nodded and smiled at Gregory the fire casting a glowing light over his face, "Thank you my friend… for everything. When I send my sister's lover, Tomas is his name, and her daughter, Korina here, I'll tell them to find you."

Gregory quickly nodded, "And I'll take care of them both, find them a place to live…. So, when do you leave? Should I go gather the Queen like you asked?"

Sighing slowly Connor nodded and adjusted his sword, "Tonight… and yes, please… go get her. I… won't tell her where I'm going, what I plan on doing fully, she'd… try to stop me. I… only wish to see her one more time… tell her Cousin Connor wants to talk."

"Alright… what will you do in the meantime? Are you all packed, have all the supplies you need?" Gregory asked again as he walked towards the door.

Connor bit his lip, and Dominik was surprised to see his ancestor's face get slightly flustered. It was a look he had never seen on the man's face as he slowly nodded again, biting his lip nervously he sighed.

"Everything yeah, I'm going to teleport so, I don't need much," Connor said with a shaky sigh, before he turned, and Dominik saw his eyes fall on the megascope, "I… need to call someone first."

He saw Gregory quickly nod before leaving the room, and as the door closed, Dominik saw Connor let out a breath it looked like he had been holding for weeks. Dominik narrowed his eyes in confusion, when he saw Connor run a hand through his choppy blonde hair, and adjust his sword and armor, as if he were getting ready to head out to try and impress someone. Connor bit his lip and let out another shaky breath as he slowly walked over to the megascope, the room was completely silent, and in his ancestor's eyes, it looked as if a huge internal debate was raging. After a few moments, finally Connor shook his head incredulously.

"Come on Connor… she can't be THAT pissed at you still…" His ancestor said, before sighing deeply again and fiddling with the megascope crystal, "You had too… you had too leave… she has to understand by now… right?"

Dominik narrowed his eyes and his brain buzzed as he looked up to a smirking Alexander next to him. The old man looked down at his son amusingly, as Dominik saw the crystal in the megascope light up and begin to whirl. Connor stepped in front of it, and Dominik knew the next step was saying the proper incantation before the person you were trying to contact appeared. Connor however, looked like he was about to say the spell, but nervously sighed and started pacing, frantically fixing his hair and muttering to himself, as if he was practicing what he was going to say. The fire crackled and Connor bent over it like he was going to get sick, and finally feeling his curiosity get too high he looked to Alexander.

"Is… he okay? What's he doing," Dominik asked the old man.

Alexander chuckled and smirked down at his flustering son in the vision, "Baha my son… talks a very big game but… he always was hopeless at speaking to women."

A thought came to his head as he looked back down at Connor, "Is… that why he never had children?"

Smirking, Alexander shook his head, "No… he had… plenty of opportunities. However… he only ever fell in love with one woman, and well… she couldn't have them."

"What? Why?" Dominik asked, but before he could get an answer out of Alexander, he heard Connor finally loudly groan.

He shot his gaze back down to see that Connor had apparently finally gotten over his nervousness, because he stomped over to the swirling megascope. Standing in the proper spot, his blonde-haired ancestor deeply sighed and nervously bit his lip one last time, running a quick hand again through his blonde hair he shook his head fiercely and held out his hand towards the crystal, his eyes flashed blue for a moment, before Dominik heard the words from elder speech spill out of him so quick, Dominik thought that he had messed up the incantation.

_"Caed'mil bloede dh'oine shue crem ese…. Ida Emean!"_ Connor said quickly, and as soon as he finished the incantation Dominik's jaw dropped.

"Ida!?" Dominik said incredulously looking up at Alexander who was smirking down at him.

Dominik barely had time to be surprised, before he saw the megascope whirl to life, and one more time before the blue magic swirled between all the crystals Connor's eyes widened. In the megascope call, sure enough just like she had for him, Geralt and Yennefer weeks prior, Ida Emean, the female elven sage stepped into view, the image in the call shimmered, Ida looked exactly how she did when Dominik only saw her a few weeks prior, although she did look a tad bit younger. When Dominik and his adopted parents had called her, Ida had appeared to him calm, composed, and intelligent.

However, when she narrowed her eyes at Connor, Dominik could see a fire erupt in Ida's eyes.

Connor laughed nervously and bowed, "Ceadmil me minne, I… I-."

"Don't you DARE, call me that Connor," Ida snapped as she crossed her arms and stared at him, "You're lucky that I even decided to answer your call at all."

Sighing Connor looked up at the sage, "So… you are, still upset it seems…. Ida, you know that I couldn't stay, I couldn't leave Lara and Fiona, they needed me."

Ida scoffed and crossed her arms, "I'm aware, and I'm also aware that you failed to tell me that for… quite a long time during our… relationship."

Dominik watched the shift in Connor's eyes, still unable to believe that he was talking, and apparently had been Ida's lover. He was flashed back to the conversation he had with the sage, with Geralt and Yen, just before they had gone to lift Uma's curse. His adopted mother had called the sage for help, and while he didn't understand the words Ida had spoke to him at the time, it all started to make sense to him now. _'Young man, you have an extremely potent magical signature, one I can sense clean through this call… and not only is it potent, but I believe I recognize the signature as well…. If it is from who I believe it is… then your destiny is linked with that of the Elder Blood.' _

Ida had recognized his magical signature, sense Connor's, her lovers' magical signature from him. Later Ida had said she refused to tell him her theory, claiming that if she was wrong, it would have been breaking a promise she made long ago. However… as he watched Connor and Ida look at one another in that call then, Dominik was starting to wonder if Ida really had made a promise like that, or if the sage had just not wanted to think of her former lover, and for that reason had quickly ended their call after this. He remembered both Yen and Triss mention Ida when they were discussing sorceresses from the Lodge who could possibly come help them.

And when he saw the look that Ida gave Connor as her face fell, Dominik thought that maybe she would help them, for his sake.

Connor sighed deeply again, and took a step closer to the call, "Ida… I'm sorrier about that then you'll ever know… and… I think about it.. and you every day…"

He could see the look in Connor's eyes, the look he had as he gazed over at Ida through the call. The only thing of himself Dominik could see in Connor were his eyes, those emerald eyes that Alexander passed to his children, and then had passed down to him. And in that moment Dominik saw Connor looking at Ida, he saw himself, how he looked whenever he looked at Ciri. Connor's gaze didn't leave Ida in the call, who had momentarily turned away from him. Dominik saw the sage deeply sigh as she twisted her hair in her fingers, slowly she turned back to face Connor again, and in her eyes, Dominik saw the sadness, but behind them as well he saw love, the feelings she had still.

She gently shook her head, "And as much as that may be true for me as well… we are past it…. Now, what is it you've called me for? Can you at least let me say hello to Lara?"

Connor bit his lip, shakily he sighed and met Ida's gaze, "Ida… I… I haven't heard from Lara in two years, not… not since she went to find our father. I… got a letter, and one of her bracelets from someone who says he was her lover, Lara she… went to fight the Hunt."

Ida's eyes widened and she shook her head, "Without you!? Is she insane, I understand you both love your father, but going to fight the Hunt yourselves is suicide!"

"I know," Connor said slowly with a shake of his head, sighing he curled his hands into fists and looked up to meet Ida's gaze again, "She… was looking out for me… and Fiona. But… now she has a daughter up in Kovir, that has no idea of her destiny, of her powers. I need to go there; I need to go and find her."

Slowly Ida nodded and narrowed her eyes, "Connor I… I'm so sorry, I… know how much you love your sister. However… why did you call me? What is it you needed, teleporting to Kovir is no trouble for you."

"I know, that's not why," Connor said before deeply sighing and gazing deep into the call, into Ida's eyes before he spoke in a clear, low tone, "I need you to help me find the Hunt, summon them somehow, I need too-."

"No, absolutely not you ridiculous man," Ida said right away, and Dominik could hear the sage's voice growing frantic as she shook her head, "Connor you can't go and find them, they'll kill you as well. You and your sister together could have defeated them, you stand no chance on your own!"

Connor scoffed and smirked, "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence _me minne_."

Ida rolled her eyes and yelled again, "Now is not the time for jokes Connor! I'm simply being realistic; I refuse to help you foolishly throw your life away."

"I didn't know you cared so much," Connor said with another smirk as he continued to gaze longingly at Ida through the call, "I knew you still loved me, that's good because I still love you too."

"You're insufferable! You stupid man, of course I still love you," Ida said furiously as Dominik saw her on the verge of tears through the megascope call, "That's why I refuse to help you, I won't let you throw your life away like this, you can't-."

"Ida, I need to know what happened to my sister," Connor quickly cut her off, shakily he sighed again and shook his head, "I need to know if they killed her…. And find her daughter, so our line can continue with our destiny."

Again the sage scoffed and shook her head, "That doesn't mean you must fight them Connor! I can't just-."

"If you won't help me Ida, I'll find another way, you know it," Connor said sharply again, before his eyes grew soft and he slowly shook his head, "I called you... because I knew I'd get to see you, get to teleport and see you one last time to get your help before… before I did it. And… well I wanted to spend one last night with you… please _me minne."_

Dominik saw Ida crossed her arms and try to turn away from the call. However, he could see the conflict build in her eyes and she quickly turned back to Connor who's gaze hadn't left her. The fire in the room crackled, and Dominik saw the white mist begin to swirl around his vision. He looked and saw Ida in the vision of the megascope, a mix of emotions fell on her face, sadness, anger, regret, love, never when he first saw the sage weeks ago, did he ever expect to see her again, let alone facing his ancestor over a hundred years ago. Connor stood unmoving, his gaze not leaving the vision of Ida in the call.

Finally, Dominik saw the sage let out a deep sigh, before she turned to face Connor again. He was expecting her to agree, or yell at him again, but she did neither. Ida gently sighed and closed her eyes, before he saw her hands move, and after she held them up into the air, the sage disappeared. Connor didn't seem surprised, only smirking as the megascope call ended abruptly. The white mist around him began to swirl again, and soon it completely dominated the vision. He narrowed his eyes at Connor, and just before the vision went completely white, he heard a loud ***POP* **and saw Connor slowly turn.

And standing in the exact same room as he was Ida, her arms crossed and rolling her eyes, but as Connor saw her, he couldn't look happier.

Dominik sighed just as the white mist overtook his vision, "I… I can't believe Ida was in love with my ancestor… explains why she knew me…"

"Ha… yes… she would, my son was head over heels he was," Alexander said, and when Dominik turned to look at the old man, his breath nearly left him.

It seemed as if the longer that their journey through the visions went on, the more and more wrinkly he became, the older he looked, the more pain he seemed to be in. Tightly Alexander gripped his staff and when he looked down at Dominik however, just like they had for most of their journey through the past so far, his emerald eyes sparkled down at him. Dominik saw the mist continue to gather around them, and when he met the old man's eyes again he slowly shook his head.

"I… I should get a hold of Ida when I get back," Dominik said with a shake of his head, "If… if she really loved Connor, maybe she'll help us out against the Hunt. Did… did she give Connor a way to locate them or summon them?"

Alexander shakily sighed again and slowly nodded, "She did yes… after their… night together, Connor left for Kovir… where he found my granddaughter, and Lara's lover."

Dominik suddenly remembered the man Sir Gregory, his ancestor from his father's side, and his promise to Connor. He felt his eyes widen as the mist continued to churn around a floating Alexander and himself.

"He said he was sending them south to Cintra, where my father's ancestor would take care of them," Dominik said slowly, as he looked up to meet the old man's eyes, "You… said the girl's name was Korina? Did Connor get the journal to them?"

Gently Alexander's eyes fell, he slowly shook his head as his old wrinkly gaze stayed trained on him, "He got to them yes… told them to go south to Cintra but, Tomas… poor boy, Korina's father, died before they made it."

"What!? What happened, and what about Korina, she could only have been about two years old at this point. And then the journal, the journal with well… you inside it, what happened to that?" Dominik asked as he felt the questions explode out of him.

"Well… the two made a pit stop in Vizima. Poor Tomas, took the girl to a mumming… afterwards, he ran into some thugs and… was killed," Alexander said with his eyes still looking extremely tired as he shook his head, "Luckily, the mumming troupe found little Korina, took her in and looked after her."

Despite the grimness of the situation, Dominik felt himself scoff, "My… my mother said that she came from mummers."

"Aye, indeed… and… as destiny would have it," Alexander said lightly, his voice growing more and more raspy, but even as it seemed he was growing weaker before him, the old man still gently smiled, "The troupe… was just getting ready to travel to Cintra… to perform… for Queen Fiona's birthday. Gregory he… did not find her, but… but luckily, the mummers decided to stay for… quite a while. So… for… for hundreds of years… the blood resided in Cintra and… and my line… and Gregory's line who… kept their promise to Connor were there as well… until… again as… as fate would have it… they joined together… and now… here you are my boy."

Dominik saw the old man's chest quickly rising and falling, and he could see that the more he went on, the more he was having trouble keeping his grip to his staff. He felt his own heart begin to race, he couldn't lose Alexander now, there was still so much more he needed to see, so much more he wanted to learn, to talk about. So as the mist continued to swirl around them both, Dominik slowly shook his head.

"It… resulted in me… yeah…. Are… are you okay? No offense but… but it looks like you're aging more and more by the second," Dominik said slowly as he felt his arms begin to tingle as the mist blew past his head.

Alexander chuckled, but Dominik could hear that it was more a wheeze. The old man's beard was becoming more and more white, his skin was beginning to wrinkle more and more, but still, despite it all, he smiled. Through all of it, through having to watch himself, his children die again, having to see his 'little sis' in the weeks before she died, Alexander was still finding ways to smile. The old man before him, had quite literally, sacrificed his entire life, and afterlife now even to keep his promise, help his descendants, help Dominik then, and now seeing him smile, despite being in so much obvious pain and feeling so tired, Dominik felt his heart drop as the old man spoke.

"Ha… you're smart lad… you know what is happening to me," Alexander said with a light shake of his head, as his emerald eyes sparkled down at him, "Keeping half your consciousness alive in an illusion in a journal for over a hundred years… it… is tiring. My strength is waning… and soon well… I'll finally rest, but come, there is still one more thing I must show you."

Dominik bit his lip, and feeling his skin tingle he met the man's eyes, "Have… have you not been able to… to go see Cregan, Lara and… and your children?"

Alexander seemed to stiffen for a moment, but slowly sighed as he ran his hand through his now white beard, "I… have no… no. After I died my… my soul passed to the part of my consciousness I passed into the journal. I did it well… incase what actually happened… happened. So if any of my descendant's needed me… needed my guidance, my aid in realizing how to complete their destiny… I would be able to be there."

"I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry that-," Dominik started to quickly say, feeling the guilt continue to eat up at him, but Alexander laughed quickly and shook his head.

"No, no, don't apologize now lad," The old man said with a smile coming to his withered face, he reached out and placed his wrinkly hand on Dominik shoulder, "I'm glad that I did it… and meeting you now, having watched you… I am more confident I made the right choice. I am glad that I got the chance to meet you lad… see you and your Cirilla interact, like I said… gods… do you ever so remind me of Cregan and Lara… history always repeats itself lad, always remember that."

Slowly Dominik shook his head, "What… what do you mean?"

"History is a never-ending cycle my boy. Events repeat, over, and over, with different outcomes each time, but at its core, history repeats itself, "Alexander said with a smile still perched onto his old face, "This all began… when my brother Cregan fell in love with Lara. And well… you know how tragically their tale ended. Now however, history has repeated itself, a member of Lara's line, your Cirilla, and a member of the line of Lod, you my boy, have fallen in love…and it is up to you now that history has repeated itself, to make sure you and your Cirilla both turn out on the right side of it."

He felt the swallow around his neck tremble, and slowly he looked down at the small silver bird. He thought back to the vision he saw Lara Dorren in, how she looked exactly like Ciri had, and realized Alexander was correct. Not only did he fall in love with Ciri, like Cregan did with Lara, but all around him history had been repeating itself. Geralt had gathered a hansa, a group of friends to save and protect Ciri, and Dominik had done the same. Connor and Lara of Lod had fought Eredin, to protect the blood, just like he had… and would again. But now that the core events had repeated, it was up to him and Ciri, his friends, to make new history. There was no telling how long and how beautifully Cregan and Lara could have lived with one another, they could have had more children other then Riannon. And Alexander, Connor, Lara, they all could have lived, Connor could have been with Ida, Lara could have lived to train her daughter, and Alexander could have been there to watch it all unfold. However, from what he had seen, they all had made mistakes, mistakes Dominik was dangerously close to repeating, and they ended up on the wrong side of history.

But now, Dominik would make sure he ended up on the right side of it. A life, a long, long life, with Ciri, his friends, Geralt and Yennefer by his side. He'd do everything he could to beat Eredin and the Hunt… he just didn't know how he would. If Alexander couldn't, if Lara and Connor couldn't have… how would he do it? Slowly he gripped harder on the silver swallow and let out a shaky sigh just as Alexander held a hand on his shoulder again, and when Dominik met the old man's eyes, sure enough he was smiling again.

Slowly his ancestor shook his head, the smile staying as he lightly spoke, "Fear not lad… you will not repeat our mistakes… you and your Cirilla… together, you will prevail. Come now though, I… must show you one last vision."

Dominik's eyes widened and his heart pounded, "Connor he… he found the Hunt didn't he?"

Alexander sighed and slowly nodded, "He did yes…. And I'm sure you'll understand when I say we… must keep this vision short, my powers are waning still. Also, just like with my daughter… I am not eager to relive my son's death…. _Crynvael… truet!"_

And as his ancestor finished the spell again and the white mist started to swirl in his eyes, Dominik prepared himself, prepared himself to watch yet another of his ancestors failed to defeat the enemy, that he would somehow have to defeat himself.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"This… this is that same beach…" Dominik said slowly, as just like in the vision he saw Lara, his great grandmother, he now saw Connor, her brother, standing and looking out over the water.

Alexander slowly and shakily nodded as he floated, "Yes… it is…. He found where they had fought Lara… and my brave… brave son… he made the same mistake Lara had."

Dominik slowly shook his head as he kept his gaze on Connor, "If they had gone together… they really could have beat him."

"Yes… they would have," Alexander said in his wizened voice as he shakily sighed and looked down at his son on the beach, the ice already beginning to form, "He… should have stayed in Cintra… with Fiona, but… he loved his sister more then anything… the both of them…my Connor… my Lara… they loved each other always… just like siblings should…. Did you love your sister lad?"

Dominik crossed his arms, and felt his skin begin to tingle as his eyes stung, "Ye…yeah…. I… I miss her every day… every single day… Bella…"

Alexander slowly nodded and as they watched, he placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry lad…. Remember what I said, your friends… your family… you must never give up on them, keep them close… do not make the same mistake Connor and Lara did… together… you will prevail."

Shakily he sighed and feeling the cold breeze from the beach his hit eyes, he managed to keep the tears from falling. He was about to say something else when he the wind howled particularly loud, and he turned his gaze back down to Connor standing on the beach. Just like when Lara had been there, Connor was unmoving, facing out over the water, as the thick fog slowly began to roll in. Dominik could smell it, the sulfur, the ash, and with every breath his took, the thick air attacked his throat. Also just like when his sister had fought, the sun was covered by clouds, a dank grey light casted out over him, the beach was still filled with wreckage, debris, and cold sand. Connor's hair was longer now, but still neatly combed and slicked back, slowly he reached up and scratched his blonde beard as the wind howled. His ancestor rolled his shoulders and let out a steady breath, as Dominik knew he could see the ice forming on the water, getting closer and closer.

It was completely silent except for the wind, and then the crackling of the ice as it got closer. Unlike his sister however, Connor didn't have an angry look in his eyes, the man had a knowing one. It was if he knew exactly what his fate would be, what would happen if he came to fight the Hunt himself, to find Eredin and fight. He remembered what Ida had said, what Alexander had said, that Connor wouldn't be able to fight off Eredin and the Hunt himself, they were simply too powerful. A large part of him also thought the same, that Connor was crazy, that he should have just stayed in Cintra, stayed with Gregory, Ida and Fiona, and kept himself safe.

However, as he looked at Connor slowly rack out the longsword from his hip, Dominik shakily sighed as his skin crawled. Despite how he wanted to think that Connor of Lod was crazy, he couldn't bring himself too. Because Dominik knew that he would have done the exact same thing. Connor had lost his sister, lost her to the Hunt, and whether he lived or died, whether he beat Eredin or not in that moment, he couldn't let his sister have died, and not done anything. Dominik had gone through the same thing himself, for years during his training at Kaer Morhen, he and Ciri both, they had said that they would train, and one day hunt down the knight in the winged helmet for what he did. He knew himself, how horrible it was to lose your sibling, he regretted it, thought about it, and felt the pain of Bella dying in his arms every day, so he knew how Connor felt in that moment.

Again unlike Lara however, Connor didn't try to rain fire down on the Hunt's ships, and as soon as Dominik saw and heard the portals begin to rip to life on the beach, he saw Connor let out one last shaky breath as he twirled his sword.

"So… you… are the last one," The deep, rattling voice shot through the beach.

Connor tightened his grip on his blade, and managed to smirk before slowly turning, "I am. And you must be Eredin… you know I expected someone… taller."

Dominik managed to scoff out a laugh as he looked to Eredin, who had showed up on the beach again, with his riders pouring out of portals behind him. The riders emerged from the portals, but just like they had done with Lara, they all made way for Eredin, who clunked forward again with his jagged longsword. Despite the fact Dominik knew he was looking a hundred years into the past, he still couldn't believe that this was the same person he just fought himself a week prior and had been almost killed by. Now, he watched another of his ancestors face him down… and just like his other two, Eredin was going to kill him.

The wind picked up even louder, as Eredin, who was towering above Connor the same way he had towered above Dominik gently raised his sword to his shoulder. With every vision Dominik saw the blade, the more he was convinced, that it was indeed the same exact sword that scarred his own face, the same one that had killed Alexander, and Lara as well. Slowly the future King reached up, and when he removed his faceplate, Dominik could see the dark monstrous eyes and smile contorted with amusement.

"You jest… because you know, your end is near," Eredin said darkly, as Dominik saw magic and ice begin to whirl around his armor and sword, gesturing towards the sand the future King chuckled, "Aha… this… is the exact spot where your sister fell, and it will be the exact same spot you fall… and finally… your line will be wiped from this world."

Dominik expected Connor to get angry, to lash out, however, just like his father before him, he smirked and laughed.

"Ha… you really are an arrogant prick; do you talk like that to make yourself feel better? Did mommy and daddy elf never tell you that they love you?" Connor said in a condescending tone as he hefted his own blade up onto his shoulder.

He laughed to himself, but quickly it died when he saw the fire burn up in Eredin's eyes as the riders shifted behind him. The wind howled loudly again, the fog came rolling in front of the water, as the ice began to overtake the beach. Connor continued to smirk, and clearly his tactic of infuriating Eredin was working, at least for the moment. Gently Connor ran a hand through his hair again and sighed, as if Dominik looked closely he could see the magic lightly beginning to whirl around him, as Eredin growled.

"Your father was just as arrogant as you boy… your sister the same," Eredin said darkly as his blade slowly lowered off his shoulder and dipped into the icy sand, "But it is all for naught… as I said, you will die… just like they did. And the accursed line… which disgraced us will cease to exist… and then… one day we will reclaim the blood… the blood that is ours, and you won't be able to do anything about it…"

Connor scoffed a laugh again, and Dominik saw the smirk still wild on his face as he shook his head, "That's where you're wrong… you may kill me today yeah, but my line, me and my sister… we will always be there to stop you, to protect our Aunt and Uncle's blood."

Eredin said nothing, only gripping tighter to his longsword as Dominik saw the ice and magic begin to violently whirl around him. It was as if the more the King stood and stared at a smirking Connor across from him, the more violently the ice began to build up. Dominik felt himself begin to chill, he crossed his arms and goosebumps began to travel up him, as despite the situation, Eredin looking even more powerful then when he had fought Alexander or Lara, Connor still simply smirked. He closed his eyes as the wind violently whirled around him, and as he stood there across from Eredin, just like it had around Lara, the bright blue light, the magic, the powerful magic he had himself and inherited from his father churned. Connor's eyes shot open, and still with a smirk on his face, his emerald eyes had been taken over by the bright blue light. Eredin stepped forward, and slowly he began to circle Connor, and all while keeping the smirk on his face.

"I grow tired of your insolence… just like your father, and sister… you will learn the proper respect for your betters," Eredin said as his massive armored boots clunked on the icy beach across from Connor as he slowly put back on his faceplate, "Your line ends here… and when we reclaim what is ours… all your families work will have been for naught. Not your father, sister, or you could ever hope to defeat me boy, your family has failed!"

The icy wind blew through Connor's hair as he stopped, the magic still was completely overtaken in his eyes, the magic just like it had around Lara calmly hummed around his body. The blue magic, it swirled calmly around him, he looked down to his sword, and despite Eredin's words, despite being surrounded by Eredin himself, and dozens of riders, more then likely knowing his death was coming, he still smirked wildly and laughed as he leveled his sword and looked back up to Eredin.

"HA! That's where you're wrong again," Connor said with a shake of his head as his magic filled eyes looked over to the future King, "My father, my sister and I… we may have failed yes… but this isn't the end of us. You haven't seen the last of the line of Lod Eredin! History repeats itself, and one day, my sister and I will be back, our line will be back, and when they are…. Oho, they are going to KICK your ass! _GLAEDDYV, YOLA, TOR, AENYE!"_

Connor racked his hand along his longsword, and it completely erupted into burning flames that seemed to melt the very ice beneath their feet. A loud ***BOOOM* **erupted from beneath Connor's feet, as fire and magic whirled around him. All of the riders around him back up at the flames, but Eredin, who had ice and magic whirling around him even more violently stood in place, he snarled loudly and held out his blade with one hand. Connor had leveled his sword and shifted his stance to face the future King with both hands, and just like Lara in her last desperate push, Connor's magic erupted around him, fire and magic whirled around him and his blade as the smirk he once had finally contorted into a straight line, as he locked eyes with Eredin just as the wind began to violently shoot fog and ice around them.

Eredin cackled again and shot his hand forward, as he did the icy storm forming around him moved, "BAHA! You humans and your ridiculous belief in destiny, you will not defeat me here boy, your father did not, your sister did not. I will kill you here, and the same will happen to your line in the future, you are nothing, but weak, pathetic humans, I could CONTROL you if I wished… you stand no chance alone, no chance… come then boy! Let us see if you last longer then your father and sister did!"

Connor didn't wait as he rushed forward, and Dominik thought that he was going to watch another of his ancestors die at Eredin's hands, however just as they both ran forward at one another, with Connor exhuming more power then he had ever seen, Dominik saw the mist begin to swirl. Eredin's blade of ice and magic was about to swing forward, Connor's fiery sword was about to lash out, but that was when the white mist began to circle again, the mist that he was becoming accustom to seeing washed into his vision, and when he heard a loud cough coming from next to him, he looked up and saw Alexander nearly falling forward on his staff as he thrusted out his hand.

"_CRYN…. CRYNVAEL TRUET!" _The old man screamed, and just as Dominik looked and saw the two blades of Connor and Eredin crash, a loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOOOM* **rippled in his ears, just before the white mist began to overtake his vision.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHHHH FUCK," Dominik yelled as he almost stumbled forward into the fire place, before he let out a shaky breath and his eyes widened at the sight of Alexander, "You okay old man!?"

They were back in the very first illusion the journal had taken him into. The room with the roaring fire, the bed, the bookshelves and megascope. It was dark except for the fire casting a glow over the room, and when he saw Alexander's face, he felt his heart drop down into his stomach. He rushed over and despite his own right leg still throbbing, he took the weight of the stumbling old man onto his shoulder, and gently led him over to the bed. Alexander coughed, and gently fell onto his back, onto the soft mattress of the massive four poster bed, with a loudly shaky sigh, the old man leaned up against the headboard, while still holding his hand to his staff. Dominik felt the warmth from the fire hit his face as his medallion vibrated violently near the swallow around his neck. Dominik got down onto his knees on the floor next to the old man's bedside, and as Alexander coughed more and more, Dominik felt his stomach continue to churn. Around him he could see the illusion beginning to shimmer and knew that the old man's strength couldn't possibly last much longer.

Dominik remembered the eccentric crazy looking old man he saw when he entered the illusion. Alexander's hair was still long yes, but now his hair was white, and his frazzled, frizzy beard was white as well, and Dominik saw the old man's pale leathery skin even more wrinkled. Gently he continued to hold onto the staff as he coughed into his hand. Dominik looked down with his mouth feeling dry, his skin buzzing at the swords crossed over a dragon's head on his black robes, and also finally noticed the silver swallow that was sewn into it as well. A swallow, for his 'little sis', the 'little sis' that Alexander hadn't gotten to see after he died, he didn't get to see his brother, his children, all because he was so dedicated to his promise, to his oath to protect their line, to help his own descendants, to help Dominik then. The old man coughed violently again as the bed itself began to shimmer, but despite this, despite the obvious pain and fatigue, Alexander shakily sighed, and Dominik somehow saw a smile come to his face.

"Ha… I… I am okay my boy… I am… more then okay," The old man said, as he slowly turned and met Dominik's gaze, "I… I will finally… finally rest soon… and… and my… my brother and… and Lara's line is… is in good… good hands…. Yours my boy…"

He felt his eyes widen, and all the visions started flashing back into his head again. Alexander leaping and fighting the Hunt outside castle Lod, he had fought Eredin and Avallac'h both, with a dragon at his side, even that hadn't been enough. Alexander claimed he had made the mistake of letting his anger and emotions get the best of him, but that was a mistake Dominik had made plenty of times himself, and in the end, Eredin had killed him, killed his ancestor Alexander of Lod, one of the most powerful sorcerers and warriors to ever live… hadn't been able to defeat Eredin and stop the Hunt.

And then Connor and Lara, both of Alexander's children, his ancestors as well, both had not only their natural magical talent, but the power of their father in them as well from their status as a carrier, both of them had fought Eredin as well. Even with the fact Alexander had said they made the mistake of not fighting together, Dominik had watched them both stand up to Eredin with all of their power, and the both of them had been killed. Eredin hadn't been lying to him during the battle, he killed Alexander, Lara, and Connor, all three fell to him, all three of his powerful ancestors had tried, and all three had failed to kill him.

Of course Dominik himself as well had failed, only a week prior, Eredin had him on the brink of death, and if not for Ciri, Alexander's line would no longer exist. He was all that was left, and now, that duty, that destiny to protect Cregan and Lara's line, protect the Elder Blood, to protect Ciri fell to him… and as he saw Alexander's life slowly fading away in front of him, he felt himself begin to panic. He still didn't know how to produce anywhere near the power he saw Alexander and his children produce, his powers knocked him out after almost every use, they were erratic and while they had helped him at times, they almost got him killed plenty of times as well.

To top it all off as well, Eredin had been toying with him during the battle, with Alexander and his children, they had put up a fight, pushed the King to the edge, forced him to use the full totality of his strength. Dominik however, he had fought with practically one hand, and still barely had any issues. He leaned forward on the bed and met Alexander's eyes as the bed continued to shimmer, the illusion continued to shimmer, but he still saw the firelight glow off the old man's face. He looked deep into Alexander, the glowing emerald eyes that despite him seeming to age in front of his face, stayed exactly the same. Dominik saw himself in them, and could see that Alexander trusted him, trusted him to carry on his legacy, to complete his mission, to make his hundred years of keeping himself locked in this illusion worth it.

But Dominik could only shake his head and stutter.

"You… you can't go yet! I… I'm sorry but… but I still don't know what I'm doing! My.. my powers are nothing like yours, they nearly knock me out each time I use them," Dominik said frantically as the fire crackled, he shook his head and desperately met Alexander's eyes, "They don't activate like Lara's and Connor's did! The magic it… it shoots everywhere and I-."

"Easy… easy lad…." Alexander said calmly, reaching his old hand up to clap onto his shoulder again, slowly the old man shook his head and looked up at him, "Your powers… they take time to learn to control… it… it's a good thing that… that you're close to someone… who also, has great powers… that they are learning to control… isn't it?"

Dominik felt the swallow tremble around his neck, goosebumps went up his arms as he slowly reached up to gingerly hold the silver bird. Ciri popped into his mind, he remembered even all the way back in Ellander, how much her powers had terrified her, how every day she had no idea how much power she could wield. He remembered the incident near the barn, where she had almost blown him up, and how she cried into him, saying how she thought he'd be better off with her gone. That was when he had promised her again, that where she went, he went, and no matter what he'd always be there, be there to support her, to love her, no matter what powers she did or didn't have. She had promised the same, and even in their short time back, that promise had stayed true. He could tell how tired she was when she came to see him after her training sessions, how hard she was working, working to gain control. She had been doing it all to save them, to finally help them defeat Eredin, so that in the end, they could finally have that life.

All the while however, while he was recovering, she had still been there for him at every moment she could, just like she was for him. And now, just like her, he had a power in him that he needed to learn to control, needed to learn to control if he wanted to kill Eredin, kill him for chasing Ciri, for killing Alexander, Lara, Connor, and all the destruction he and his riders had caused. Connor and Lara both during their battles with him had said the same thing, _'Strike me down yes, but my line, my line will endure, and they'll always be there to stop you.' _Dominik was that line, he was all that was left, him, he knew that he had his friends to help… but now he knew that it had to be him, he had to kill Eredin, he had to put an end to him and the Hunt.

Slowly he sighed again and shook his head, "You… you couldn't beat Eredin…. Lara couldn't beat him… Connor couldn't beat him. He… he would have killed me if not for Ciri. What… what chance do I have if… even you all couldn't kill him."

Alexander scoffed lightly and continued to smile as he shook his head, "My boy… you saw what happened. I died… because I let my anger get the best of me…. Lara she… she and Connor made the same mistake. History… history repeats itself lad yes but… only certain parts. You… you will change the right parts lad… you WILL prevail… you… you are my great… great… great… ah… ah fuck I don't know, but… you are my grandchild after all."

Dominik could hear the amusement in the old man's voice. With a deep sigh, Alexander gently let go of his staff, and the white metal magical weapon leaned against the nightstand. Slowly his amused emerald eyes turned to Dominik again, he still couldn't speak himself, feeling himself flounder as all around him the illusion was beginning to shimmer. He still felt his own stomach churning, his heart and brain racing a mile a minute, as he felt his skin tingling, trembling as his hands stayed near Alexander's side on the bed. It still seemed as if the old man was slowly withering away, however, despite it all he still smiled. Dominik watched as he adjusted himself on the bed, straightened out his robes and beard, before neatly folding his hands in front of him. A small chuckle left the old man, and Dominik's eyes stung as he watched Alexander turn his emerald eyes over to look at him.

"I… I am.. so… so glad I got to meet you my boy… to… to watch you," The old man said, a small smile came to his withered face as he looked deep into Dominik's eyes, "And… like I said you… may be my descendant but… but gods… you and your Cirilla… you… you remind me so… so much of… of Cregan and Lara…. The love… the love you two share… my boy… promise…promise me that… that you'll cherish it always."

Shakily Dominik sighed at the old man's side, he felt a tear slowly fall down his cheek, "I… I will… I will I… I promise…. Thank you… thank you for what you did, you… you stopped yourself from seeing your family for… for over a hundred years… just to help me…"

Alexander laughed lightly and smiled at him, "Haha… my boy… it was worth it. You… you and… and your Cirilla… you're going… you're going to both do great things… I know it. And… and this will not be the last time we see each other my boy."

"Wh…what do you mean?" Dominik asked slowly, as the tears started slowly falling down his face now.

Alexander gently reached over his pale, bony finger and pointed towards his heart, "We… we are family my boy…and… family… always finds their way to one another… we… we never turn our backs on one another… remember that…"

He would never forget his first family, his mother and father, who he was lucky enough to see in the limbo he was in, and then of course Bella, who if she had lived, it would have been possible for the two of them to be the new Lara and Connor, he loved them, missed them every single day. However, he had also been blessed with a second, one he loved just as fiercely, Geralt and Yen, who had raised him into the man and witcher he was, his friends, George, Faram, and Freya without whom he quite literally wouldn't be alive. They would always be by his side, just like he would be for them.

And then of course Ciri, who he didn't think that he could possibly grow to love even more. She was his destiny, and now he knew it for a fact. Even if his family hadn't been who it was, even from the very first moment he met her, he knew he wanted it to be her, and just her. All he ever wanted, was to be with her, the first person to ever make him feel alive, feel special, the one woman who made everything worth it in the end. It was meant to be her, and now he knew that he was always meant to protect her, to cherish her, and he would. He wasn't going to let Alexander's sacrifice, Lara's sacrifice, Connor's sacrifice, Lara Dorren and Cregan's sacrifice be in vein, he would protect her, love her, and cherish her like Alexander said.

Destiny and love as he heard, were often one in the same, and that was certainly the case for him.

He looked and saw Alexander still smiling, his now white hair and beard gently cascading down his back and chest. Despite the fatigue and the strain keeping the illusion still was causing him, the old man looked at peace as he looked over at him. Dominik could feel and hear the fire in the illusion still crackling, but the bed, the megascope, the shelves, the fireplace itself all of it was beginning to shimmer. His medallion continued to hum, Alexander's staff rested with magic at the top next to the nightstand. And as he looked over at the old man again, saw the green eyes that had been passed all the way down to him, he felt his heart begin to flutter. He had died, watched his children die, and put off being with his family again all so that he could be there now. When Dominik looked into Alexander's eyes, he didn't see dread, fatigue, or anxiety at finally fading, he saw excitement, hope, and most of all pride.

Dominik would make sure he stayed that way, he wasn't going to let all Alexander had done be for nothing.

Slowly he nodded towards the old man, shakily sighing he wiped the tears that had stuck to his face as he felt himself stop crying, "I swear… I swear, I will NOT let you and your children's sacrifice be in vein…. I won't let Cregan and Lara's sacrifice be in vein. I… I'm going to love Ciri, cherish her just like Cregan did for Lara, just like you did for your family, even more so, I swear it! And… I will NOT let Eredin get his hands on her… I'll never give up on my family… I'll make sure that… that I honor your memory… I swear it… I'll beat him, and keep her safe… I will."

The white mist around the illusion finally begun to slowly break, it wouldn't last much longer Dominik knew. Alexander's breathing got lighter and lighter, he wouldn't last much longer, Dominik didn't know if Alexander would have to die again, to have that feeling, or if he would simply fade away… however, the old man still didn't frown. Smiling broadly, the old man let out a shaky sigh and nodded as he kept eye contact with Dominik from his bed.

"I… I know you will lad… I know you will…" Alexander said weakly, as his old emerald eyes continued to sparkle in the shimmering mist, "Cherish her… protect her… love her… and never… ever forget… what you are doing this for is… not… not just for destiny… but… but for love."

"Destiny… destiny and love, are sometimes one in the same," Dominik said shakily as he felt small tears start to stream down his face again.

"Yes my boy… they sometimes are… but… but in this case… I know they are," Alexander said weakly again with a small smile, "By… by the way… hang onto the journal…you… you may find something useful inside..."

Dominik shakily nodded again, as he felt his stomach continue to flutter, "I… I will…. Thank you… thank you again Alexander for… for everything…"

Alexander smiled lightly again and nodded. Dominik could see that the bookshelves were gone, the megascope was gently shimmering out of existence, his medallion continued to hum at a steady pace, and around him the white mist was beginning to swirl again, but he couldn't take his eyes off Alexander on the bed. The old man still seemed absolutely elated, like he couldn't wait for it all to finally fade, so he could finally get to see his children again, his children and his brother, his brother and his 'little sis', along with all the grandchildren, the nieces and nephews he never got to meet. Dominik didn't know what happened when you died, and didn't want to figure out for quite some time, but apparently whatever did happen, Alexander was ready for it… and even seemed excited for it. Despite the fact Dominik knew it was coming, and knew that it would happen from the beginning, he felt his heart drop again, but when he heard the old man lightly laugh, and heard the excited edge to it, Dominik couldn't help but smile.

"Ha… you… your welcome lad. See… seeing you and your Cirilla, ha it… it reminded me so… so much of… of Cregan and Lara… gods, I… I can't wait to see them again. And… and my twins… gods I… I miss them. I… I partly need to thank you too boy, be…because you found the journal and… and I helped you, I… I can finally rest now…" Alexander said lightly, before he looked over one last time and met Dominik's eyes, "Good… good luck Dominik… I… I can't wait to see… to see you… you are your Cirilla grow and… and love each other… we… we will all see each other again, but… but for now you… you should get back to her…. _Ros…rostiel te bloed… aep… bloed."_

And before Dominik knew it, the white mist circled around Alexander's hand and the old man's eyes flashed bright blue. He took in one final look, one final look at the eyes of Alexander of Lod, his ancestor… and one of the bravest men Dominik had ever known, before he felt his stomach begin to churn, and the last thing he saw, was Alexander's emerald eyes, and his smirking face.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri was losing the battle with her brain to close her eyes, but a particularly loud crackle of the fire made her head shoot back up. A loud ***BOOM* **of thunder hit her ears as well, and it nearly made her fall off the chair she had brought to use to sit by his bed. Her eyes felt heavy, she fluttered them and managed to look out the window. It was dark now, and still raining, the thunder and lightning were crackling, and between that, and the hours she had spent sitting there, watching Dominik's chest rise and fall she wasn't afraid to admit how exhausted she was. She yawned and let out a shaky breath as she continued to see his medallion and the swallow gently rise and fall with his breathing. He still hadn't moved, and despite what Avallac'h said, how he was alright, not injured, she still didn't want to move until she saw his eyes open, or at least got some indication he was okay. She didn't care if he was figuring out about his ancestor in that moment, she didn't care what was happening, she just wanted to see him open his eyes then.

Geralt and his friends had been by, and each time they had tried to talk to her, but Ciri was so completely and utterly exhausted then, that what they said had been in one ear out the other. She was starving as well and knew that Freya had to have had dinner made for everyone downstairs in that moment. She yawned again, leaning back in the chair she felt her heart fall, remembering what they had planned for that night. They were going to finally have dinner by themselves together in his room, mulled wine, food, gwent each other, and a warm fire, it was supposed to have been the first real night that they spent together, and thinking about it in that moment, Ciri knew she would have made it the night, the night she gave him everything, and hoped that he would still love her afterwards….

But as the hours passed, she realized that it would more then likely not happen again, and with him having to finally start training again within the next day or two, she didn't know how much more time they'd have. It wasn't the largest problem she knew, but as she got up to stretch her legs, she sighed disappointedly as she leaned down over his chest again. Like she had been doing a few times every hour, she leaned her head over his chest, and listened for his heartbeat, just to make sure that it was still there.

Sure enough it was, and she let out a shaky sigh of relief, before she pulled back and looked up at his face. It was dark outside, so his face was illuminated only by the light of the fire they had going, it crackled and warmed her bones, and she took a second to admire the glow it casted off his handsome face. Sighing again she leaned down, planted a kiss on his cheek before gently cupping it.

"I know you're okay but… please, please come back soon… I'm worried…" She said gently as she pulled back and got up to her feet.

Sighing and feeling the battle to close her eyes finally about to be lost, she walked over to his dresser. The previous two nights she had spent sleeping next to him, and Ciri wasn't afraid to admit, that she had slept better then she had in years in those two nights. Gently she reached up her hand and undid her hair, her ashen locks fell around her shoulders and she felt a rush of blood to her head. She took a minute to run her hands through it, and turned back to him again, feeling slightly upset he wasn't able to see it then, he always got the cutest look Ciri loved when her hair was down. As she was turning back around, her eyes fell on the journal for a moment, the journal that had turned their prospects of a great day, into a terrifying one. She looked at the coat of arms, the two swords crossed over a dragon's head, and remembered Avallach's reaction to it.

The sage knew, he knew who Dominik's ancestor was, and the fact he hadn't told her was already grating enough, but after seeing the sage's reaction, she knew that there would be no chance of any kind of cooperation between Dominik and him. Dominik would never do anything to jeopardize her learning control, the chance for them to finally have their free life by each other's side, no matter how much he hated the elf, but if the sage started to hold things back because he hated Dominik's ancestor so much, Ciri knew it would lead to even more conflict. She bit her lips and turned back to the dresser, sighing she decided to focus on Dominik instead of the elf as she removed her corset.

The warm air washed over her bare, scarred torso as she placed the corset on his dresser. She slid off her boots and gloves with a sigh and thought about what it could mean if Dominik did figure out who his ancestor was. She remembered Avallac'h saying that his spirit was gone, and it was common when someone entered an illusion. Ciri knew magic enough to put the pieces together, Dominik's ancestor had placed an illusion inside the journal, that was activated by the words he said. So now, he was more then likely in that illusion, figuring out who his ancestor was, and hopefully, why they pissed off the Hunt so much. She knew it was something that he wanted desperately to know, but the longer she sat there, seeing only his chest rise and fall, the more worried she got, she knew people could get stuck inside illusions never to return.

But he loved her, he would find his way back, she knew he would.

Her socks hit the floor, she yawned again and stretched out her arms, feeling the hunger and fatigue starting to overtake her. Geralt had brought her some food, but she could have easily done with more, and in that moment, it felt like all the fatigue from the previous week and a half was catching up with her. She had full intentions on curling up on his bed, and just laying there with him until he woke up, he had been too close to death recently for her to not be worried then, despite the assurances he was okay. Another ***BOOM* **of thunder hit her ears, and the rain started to patter even harder against the window, and slowly she felt the ring tremble around her neck as the heat from the fire warmed her exposed torso.

She shakily sighed as she looked down at the ring again, "Please… come on, just wake-."

A loud humming sound cut her off, her highly trained ears picked it up in a second, and when she whirled around, she noticed the journal right away. On the nightstand right near where his head was laying, she noticed the leather book humming. She had taken off her corset, but on the dresser, she saw the cat medallion humming, and when her eyes went to Dominik's chest, she noticed his medallion vibrating as well. Her eyes widened and as more thunder and lighting crackled outside his window, she quickly picked the journal up in her hands, and felt it vibrating.

"What… what is it-," She started muttering to herself, but she was cut off by the light. The front of the journal glew a bright blue, it got so bright that Ciri dropped the book to the ground.

She covered her eyes when the bright blue light got to be too much, she stumbled backwards, her top bounced on her shoulders, her hair started to blow, a loud howling sound hit her ears, and the fire seemed to grow even larger.

"DAMMIT!" She yelled, and she was about to run from the room to get help, when a loud ***RIIIIIIIPPPP* **shot through the room, and then suddenly silence.

Ciri kept her arms over her eyes, she fluttered them open, and felt her heart racing at a mile a minute. The ring shook around her chest as she heard nothing, nothing except the crackling fire, the rain hitting the window, but then when he yelled she felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest.

"GAHHHH GOD DAMMIT OLD MAN, NO!" Dominik's voice rang, and when Ciri looked up, all thoughts of anything that had happened, the journal, Avallac'h, the future, anything was dashed from her mind.

"DOM!" She yelled as she scrambled over to his bedside.

Dominik had shot up in the bed, sweat was dripping down his forehead and chest under his top, and Ciri could see him blinking furiously as he darted his eyes around the room. The thunder outside crackled, and he turned around to see her just as she got to his bed side.

"Ciri? Ciri what… what hap-," He started, but Ciri didn't give him anymore time to respond, she slammed into him and threw her arms around his neck.

He groaned for a minute, but Ciri didn't care, she squeezed him with everything she could, and after a moment she heard him let out a shaky breath, and she felt his strong arms wrap around her bare torso, and the moment she felt him touch her bare skin she shuddered and melted into him. She buried her head into the crook of his neck, and as the fire continued to warm her outside, her heart nearly burst from how much it fluttered, from how it trembled as she shakily pulled her head back. She met his eyes and felt herself sigh out in relief when they were moving. The last image she had of them, were his gorgeous emerald iris's stuck in place, completely unmoving before he crumpled to the ground. So seeing his eyes dart around the room for a moment, before they fell to her, bore into her with that loving gaze she always gave him, she felt her heart melt. She didn't know what it was, but she could see something more in his eyes as he looked at her, for years she yearned for that loving gaze he was giving her now, but in that moment, she never felt him look at her more lovingly.

He let out a shaky sigh, and gently held his hand up to her face, "C…Ciri…Ciri… I-."

"You… you were out for hours, you weren't moving at all, you just collapsed," She cut him off as the words spilled out of her.

Her eyes didn't leave him, but she felt him trying to move his legs, quickly she scrambled back, and let him move his legs off the side of the bed. The entire time as he gently stood he didn't stop looking at her, looking at her with that loving gaze, but for a few moments all Ciri could focus on was how elated she was he was finally up, how relieved she was that his eyes were moving, and he was looking at her again.

Shaking her head she kept his gaze as they moved and both stood at the side of his bed, "Geralt brought you here, Freya she… she said you were okay, but… but no matter what you wouldn't wake up!"

She saw his hands trembling, and she shuddered when he gently moved them down to her waist, his soft hands rested on her hips, and the feeling of him touching her bare skin again sent tingles down through her body, she let out a breathless sigh as she was only inches from his face, her hands rested on his chest. The fire casted its glow over him as it crackled, and in that moment Ciri thought he was absolutely gorgeous. His chiseled face, sharp, strong jaw, higher cheekbones, cute smaller nose, even the scar that ran down his right cheek, and then his eyes, his emerald eyes that matched her own, they were almond shaped, and as they looked down at her in that moment, Ciri had never felt herself heat up more, his gaze made her like this all the time yes, but in that moment, she didn't know what it was, she could see more passion, care, desire, pure, pure love then she had ever seen in his gaze, so as she spoke again she shuddered.

Carefully she held her hands on his chest, and looked at him before gently shaking her head, "I… I knew you were okay but… but I was worried about you. Did you find out about-."

He cut her off by kissing her then, both his hands came up to hold the side of her face, and Ciri felt his lips come to hers with more passion and love then she had ever felt. Her eyes widened for a moment, she was caught off guard by just how hard he kissed her, how much he was putting into it, and she felt her heart erupt and her brain buzz. Her lips tingled for a minute as he didn't stop kissing her, and after a few seconds she breathlessly moaned and melted into him. She gripped onto the collar of his shirt and started meeting the kiss he gave her with just as much intensity, he didn't move his hands from her face. He cupped both her cheeks and gently ran his right thumb across her scar and she shuddered again, moaning into his lips she put both her hands around his neck and pulled him even closer to her. She felt her breasts up against his strong chest and it only spurred her on more.

She had kissed him hundreds of times, and one of the things she loved about him most, was that every kiss he gave her he put everything he had into. Even when it was just a peck, or kiss on her cheek, every single time he kissed her, Ciri could feel his passion, feel his love and emotions. She always tingled, her lips or cheek, the tingles pleasurably shot down her when he kissed her, and she felt her inside stir and shake, it was one of the greatest feelings in the world to her. However, in that moment, he put more into that kiss he gave her, and Ciri felt her entire body erupt, from her lips, down her breasts, her stomach, her core, between her legs, all the way down to her feet everything trembled, as she never felt a kiss like that. His hands didn't leave her face still, and as he brought his lips to hers with one last long, lingering kiss she moaned lightly again and tried to catch her breath. Slowly he pulled back from her and kept his forehead against hers, and when he did, both of them heavily breathed, Ciri looked into his eyes, and still they had that loving gaze.

He kept both hands around her face, and Ciri gripped fiercely to his collar and didn't dare let him go as she let out a shuddering breath before blinking and meeting his eyes. She felt herself unable to even form words for a few seconds as he continued to breathe heavy, his breath hitting her neck only made her body tingle more, and when she did manage to find words, she felt her face get redder then it ever had, like she was a little girl again as the fire warmed them both, casting their shadows over the room with the rain gently patting against the window. Never in her life, had Ciri felt more loved then she did in that moment.

"Wha…what… what was… what was that for…" She said as she felt her breathing hitched, gently she kept their eyes locked, and when he gently shook his head, he moved his hands down to her waist and wrapped his arms around her.

He slowly looked up as their foreheads gently leaned against one another, shaking his head, he spoke in a low, coarse, breathless tone, "I love you…I love you…so… so much."

It had to have been over a couple hundred times that he'd said that to her over her life, and she had never gotten tired of it, not once. In that moment however, just like with his kiss before, she had never felt it wash over her before like it did in that moment. Ciri loved him of course, and she got flustered by him on the inside, however, it was normally Dominik who was the one to get all red, flustered and struggle to find words. Now however, Ciri found herself floundering, still feeling the effects of the kiss, her skin was still trembling, her stomach was in knots, her legs shook, and her chest wouldn't stop fluttering as she looked at him.

"I… I… lo…I love you too…" She said breathlessly, and when a small laugh left him, Ciri felt her heart completely erupt, and soon she was laughing as well.

She had thought that night was lost, but as they both stood there laughing, she felt her heart get warm, the fire roared louder and crackled while the rain patting against the window felt like music to her ears along with his laugh. She looked up and even saw him blink as he shakily sighed and pulled her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him, and being in his embrace, feeling his arms wrapped around her, she couldn't think of anything else she'd be wanting to do. She felt him kiss the side of her head, and his hand aimlessly played with her long strands of ashen locks as he pulled back and smiled at her.

The firelight glowed off his face and he sighed, a small smile coming to his face, "Let's… let's go get Geralt, and everyone else. There… there's a lot I have to tell you, tell all of you."

She didn't question him, and slowly nodded with a smile, "Okay… come on, they're all downstairs, Freya has dinner, I'm actually starving and -. Hey, what is it?"

While she was talking, she had turned and walked a few steps towards the door holding his hand, but when she didn't feel him move with her she turned back to see him staring at the ground. Gently and regrettably she let go of his hand and saw he hadn't taken his eyes off the one spot he had been looking at. Ciri walked back towards him, but as the fire crackled more and more, the thunder continued to boom, she watched as he leaned down, and when he came back up he was holding the leather journal in his hands. He gently wiped his hand over the cover, and after he seemed to read the front he scoffed out, but Ciri heard a sob laced in it as well. She felt her heart begin to drop as she saw tears welling up in his eyes, quickly she walked over to him, just as he turned the first page.

"Hey… what is it? I thought you said the pages were blank except-." Ciri's eyes widened when she got to his side and saw the pages of the journal as he started turning them.

She specifically remembered the pages being blank, she couldn't see anything on the pages of the book back at the stables before he passed out, However, now, the pages were filled, Ciri's eyes widened as she saw notes, diagrams, small pictures, paragraphs in common tongue, elder speech, spells, and stories, it looked like it was actually a mages journal. The handwriting was elegant, and with every page he turned, Ciri saw Dominik sob out laughs and tear up more and more. She gently wrapped her arm around him, and leaned her head up to kiss his cheek, before he looked and met her eyes with his now watery gaze.

"What… what is it? Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, but the worry was quickly dashed when she saw him shake his head, and smile at her with watery eyes.

"I… I'm okay… I'm more then okay…. Gods that… that crazy old man," He said before gently turning back to the pages again, she noticed he flipped to the final page as he scoffed and shook his head, "I… can't wait to tell you about-."

Ciri saw him stop when he looked at the last page, right away he sucked in a breath and a smile slowly formed as he laughed and tears fell down his cheek. She looked at him curiously and turned down to the book herself. In the same elegant handwriting she had seen in the entire journal, Ciri saw the only thing written on the last page was one neatly written paragraph, it looked like common place in a journal, however, when Ciri saw the first sentence her eyes widened.

It was addressed to Dominik, to Dominik and her.

_Dear Dominik and Cirilla_

_ If you are reading this, then it means I must thank you both. Dominik my boy, I know that you may feel guilty, but fear not my boy, I've died before, and I wasn't looking forward to it like most people, however, this time, I welcome it with open arms. You have given me what I've always craved my boy, I can finally rest, go to see my children, Cregan, and Lara, all with the knowledge, that their line, their descendant, their blood, is safe, safe with you my boy. Remember what I showed you, remember what I said, history, is a never-ending cycle, and it is up to us to break that cycle. I have full faith in you my boy, faith that you will make me, Connor and Lara, your parents, even prouder of you then we already are. You will succeed my boy, keep your Cirilla close, your family close, and remember, to never, ever forget, that this is your destiny, you and your Cirilla are meant for great things, and this is just one of them, you will have that life, and you will do even more great things. _

_ To Cirilla, I'm sure that Dominik will explain who I am, and first allow me to say, that your great, great, great, great… oh fuck it I don't have time to think, but know your great grandmother, your ancestors, are prouder then you'll ever know my girl. As I'm sure you know my dear, you have a great destiny ahead of you as well. You are hunted, sought after, and were forced to flee for something completely out of your control, and for that, I, as well as Cregan and Lara, are so, so terribly sorry, but, we all know as well, that if anyone is strong enough to push through and prevail, it is YOU my dear. Never stop, never stop fighting for that life you want, that freedom, because you deserve it, and if you're even half as stubborn, and determined as my little sis, then I know that you'll succeed. And also never forget, that you will NEVER have to go through it alone, you have your family, your mother, your father, and most of all, Dominik, they will be with you through it all. _

_ I want you both to live well, and not fear for me! For death, is only the next great adventure in the cycle of life, and I eagerly look forward to finally experiencing it with my family, Cregan, Lara, and both of my precious children. Know, that all of us are with you, we are watching, and we will always be with you. And I also eagerly await the day, when we all see each other again, but first, the two of you will live, will live that life, you both deserve. Until we meet again, live well Dominik, Cirilla, and remember, sometimes destiny and love, are one in the same. We are all eager to see you again, and one day, we will. _

_ Just be sure not to make it too soon._

_Love, Alexander, Lara, Cregan, Connor, and Lara. _

_P.S. If you're ever in need of a pick me up, I have plenty of hilarious stories from myself and Cregan, and Lara's time. The two of you… remind me so much of them. Go on and live the life they deserved to have… the life that you both deserve as well._

Ciri slowly lifted her head up from the book, feeling her brain absolutely exploding with a million questions. She shot her gaze to Dominik, who shakily sighed with a smile on his face as he wiped away his tears with his sleeve. Ciri felt herself floundering, all the questions beginning to burn holes in her brain, but Dominik smiled, and when his loving gaze fell down on her again, Ciri felt herself start rambling.

"C…Cregan and Lara? Alexander? Dominik… who… what… how-," She started, but he cut her off by leaning down and kissing her again. This one was quick, but Ciri still felt her lips erupt and her body pleasantly tingle.

He pulled back from her, and his smile warmed her. Gently he closed the book and tucked it under his arm, "Come on princess… I got a lot to explain to you all."

**A/N: And just like that ladies and two chapters, and almost 70,000 words later, the mystery is revealed, the small 'Protector's of the Blood arc' comes to an end! I had been so, so excited to write these two chapters for so long, it's my first bit of real extended lore that I created, and I was so happy I could. We know so little about Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod other then the basic stuff, so I had so much fun writing in these stories. Just like that we learn the secrets of Dominik's ancestors, the story of Alexander of Lod and his children, and the great destiny that Dominik truly has. Luckily as we hear, sometimes destiny and love are one in the same! Let's break this down quickly before we get to next chapters preview!**

**So after a small Ciri POV, we just right back into the story of Connor and Lara of Lod. After Alexander's death, we see the two make the biggest mistake they could, and separate. Lara of Lod heads up to Kovir, and after finding her father dead, falling in love and having a daughter of her own, she goes to fight the Wild Hunt. **

**We also learn Lara's daughter, would eventually result in Dominik's mother, Sofia. So yes, Dominik's mother, not his father was the one with the carrier magic inside of her, we learn more about his father's ancestor later, but Lara of Lod is officially Dominik's great grandmother, and we see her battle Eredin. **

**I really wanted to hammer home the theme of not fighting alone, the together we will prevail mentality, and show that the mistake of the line of Lod, was being too cautious, and trying to do it all by themselves. Alexander died because he let his emotions get the better of him, Lara died because she felt she had to do it on her own, not wanting her brother to be in danger, and also letting her thirst for revenge get the better of her. We see that Connor died, for the same reason, that thirst for revenge and his anger led him to go fight alone. **

**I wanted the Lod's to be badasses, but not perfect heroes, they made mistakes, and now as Alexander tells Dominik, history is repeating itself, and he needs to learn from his and his children's mistakes. **

**We see a few cool plot points, like the fact Dominik's father's ancestor was Connor's best-friend, and Dominik's ancestor Sir Gregory kept his promise, and so did his line after him. And as destiny would have it, Connor's line, and his best-friends line eventually joined with Dominik's mother and father. **

**Now, we know Dominik's heritage, and soon everyone else will as well. It obviously won't change how his friends and Ciri think of him too much… but how will this begin to effect his relationship with Avallac'h, which already was horrible to begin with? Will Ida Emean agree to help our heroes against the Hunt? What about Kilgarrah? How does all this knowledge we learned the last two chapters help you shape theories about the ending? One of the big mysteries of the book was revealed in these last two chapters, so let me know what your thoughts are after learning all of this HUGE information! **

**Also, I have SO much cool stuff I can think of for stories about Alexander of Lod, Connor, and Lara, Cregan, Alexander and Lara Dorren. If you'd be interested in possible stories about them sometime in the future be sure to let me know :D **

**SO, we have TWO more chapters left in Kaer Morhen, before we head to Bald Mountain to fight the Crones and begin the final act. Next chapter, we what is easily going to be the biggest so far for Dominik and Ciri…. Finally the two will get to spend some extended time alone together, and things will be discussed, very important things, and well, I am pretty excited for you all to see it…. Some major feels coming in the next chapter. **

**I want to THANK YOU ALL for the overwhelming support I've been getting lately, both on here, and on the Instagram page I created. I am going to have more fanart soon, and since I can only post one cover on here, make sure to go follow dominik_of_cintra if you want to see more art! I also post chapter sneak peaks and writing updates!**

**I can't believe still how far we've gotten, someone in a review mentioned recently that I've surpassed the number of words written in the Harry Potter series which just…. WOW, I can't believe it. Thanks to all your support is why I keep going, and I hope you all continued to enjoy and I can keep entertaining you!**

**So thank you all again, I hope you all have a wonderful day, and I will see you next time, when Dominik and Ciri, our young heroes, best-friends, lovers, finally lay it all out for one another! Review if you have time, stay safe and see you all next time!**


	67. All That Matters

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 67: All That Matters**

**Narrator: After more than a week at Kaer Morhen resting, recovering, and slowly learning to walk like his old self again, Dominik of Cintra, the Young Wolf, has finally recovered from his duel with Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt. During this time, he also learned the truth of his lineage. Dominik is a descendant of the great Alexander of Lod, the adopted brother of the legendary Cregan of Lod, the man who fell in love with Lara Dorren, Ciri's ancestor. Alexander and his children, Connor and Lara, all passed down their potent magical abilities to Dominik, along with his great destiny, the destiny Alexander swore himself and his descendants to abide by. Such destiny was to protect the Elder Blood, the line of Cregan and Lara Dorren, and after over a hundred years, as destiny would have it, Dominik the descendant of Alexander, now protects Cirilla. However, despite having to recover, to learn to walk again, and learning about the great destiny he has, all Dominik has desperately wanted this entire time, was to spend time with his love. One day, Dominik finally decided that nothing else mattered, nothing else mattered except Ciri, so with help from his friend Freya Kaminski of Ellander… Dominik has a surprise planned for his love…**

"Hey, stop! No eating them until later," Freya snapped as she smacked Dominik's hand away from the dumpling.

"Ow! What the hell, I'm gonna be one of the one's eating them anyway," He said sheepishly as he pulled his hand back while rubbing it.

Freya rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, but you specifically told me to NOT let you eat any beforehand, no matter what you ended up saying."

He rolled his own eyes as he watched Freya expertly roll the last of the dumplings, before packing everything he needed into the basket they had gotten. The sun was brightly shining off his friends cascading blonde hair, and as he watched her fit everything into the basket, he forgot his annoyance and managed to smile.

This was something Ciri deserved, he knew how hard she had been working, she had told him the night before as she crawled into bed exhausted, how she was making some semblance of progress, but the magic more often had been exploding in her face. Dominik knew just how aggravating that could be, he remembered how completely and utterly drained and near death, he was after his powers activated the first time. Ciri had more experience with hers he knew, but even with Avallac'h surprising himself, Ciri and everyone in the castle by being not COMPLETELY unbearable, she had told Dominik while making small bits of progress, it was starting to quickly stall.

So, seeing the toll even the previous two days had taken on her, he decided that enough was enough. He was going to do something for her, especially after how difficult the last two days had been. Ever since he returned from the illusion with Alexander two days prior, while they had woken up and gone to bed together, that had been the extent of their time with one another. The next morning he had started training again, and after a week straight of doing practically nothing but laying in bed, he could feel how sloppy he was right away, and it had taken him all of the last two days to get back to even a semblance of how he once was. He still didn't even feel a hundred percent then, his leg still throbbed, he would find himself limping from time to time still, and while his right cheek had healed, the scar was still red, and now and then he would feel it throb as well. He found himself subconsciously running his hand over it from time to time, still finding it hard to believe it was there now, however, it was still his leg that had been bothering him in training. With what he knew was coming, he had been spending practically the moment he woke up, to the moment he went to bed in the yard with Geralt, Faram, George, even Letho and Gaeten.

Ciri had been able to join them from time to time, but never for long. While Avallac'h had surprisingly been more bearable, he could see that the sage had apparently intensified Ciri's training sessions. She'd never admit it to any of them, but he saw how exhausted she was. When she showed up to watch them train, she'd twirl her sword, yes, but Dominik often saw her struggling to keep her eyes open during it. Even when they went to sleep, he'd lay there with her in his bed while the fire crackled, and despite the fact they both tried to stay up, talk to each other until the late hours of the night, one of them had ended up snoring into the other a few minutes after their heads hit the pillow. He noticed how she seemed to be working particularly hard after he told her and everyone about Alexander and his ancestors. It had spurred Dominik to do the same, he had pushed himself as hard as he could, remembering the old man's shimmering eyes during his last few minutes in the illusion.

However, he had a feeling Alexander would understand why he was doing what he had planned that day.

Freya neatly tied the dumplings, apples, grapes, bread, and even a few lemon pastries that he knew Ciri always used to crave when they were younger. He had offered to help the blonde make them, but she said that his cooking would have been more deadly to Ciri than the Wild Hunt itself, and he couldn't help but agree with her, because after he insisted that he tried, if not for Freya having a pitcher of water on hand, he more than likely would have burned down the keep. After that incident in the early hours of the morning just as the sun rose, he had resided to head out and get everything ready for Ciri, and he while Freya stayed back and cooked. And now hours later, everything was ready, he had his present for her. Freya neatly managed to fit everything into the basket, and Clop along with a mare for Ciri was saddled, now all he needed was her.

Dominik smiled as Freya walked over to another table where she had put the wine she brought up from the stores and watched as she held two bottles up to him.

"Okay… Cintra, or Temerian?" She asked him, holding up two bottles of mulled wine.

He scoffed and smirked, "Freya, what's my name?"

She rolled her eyes at him and tossed the bottle of Cintran red wine over to him, "Smartass… you're lucky I find this extremely sweet."

He laughed and caught the bottle before smiling at her, "Well… she deserves it, you've seen how she's been pushing herself. Besides, she deserves a medal for dealing with Avallac'h all week."

Freya scoffed as she joined him at the table where the basket was. Dominik carefully placed the bottle of wine in the basket with the rest of the food, and after closing it, turned to see Freya looking up towards the tower curiously. She turned her eyes to him and shook her head as the light shined in her bright blue eyes from the windows.

"You're right, I'm not normally one to hate people but… well I don't really like him," She said as she slowly shook her head, "It… is weird though, the last two days he's been well… tolerable, fuck, he actually even said thank you to me when he came to get his dinner last night."

Dominik laughed and shook his head, "Probably the first time he's ever said that in his life, but… you're right. He has been, and for the first few days he'd sneer at me every chance he got, now well… he just acts like I'm not here."

"Yeah, it's surprising, especially after what you told us about him and your ancestor," Freya said with a shake of her head as a gentle breeze blew through the hall, she laughed lightly and met his eyes again, "After hearing that well… I thought he'd be even worse, hate you even more."

"I thought the same thing… the fact he hasn't…. kinda worries me a little, he doesn't seem like the type to forgive and forget," He said slowly, sighing and shuddering for a moment before shaking his head, "Doesn't really matter right now, to be honest, the last thing I want to think about is Avallac'h right now…. Thanks Freya, thanks for helping me, I… hope she likes it."

After he had told Ciri, Geralt, and all of his friends about what happened with Alexander, his story, the story of his children, and their destiny that night, they had all reacted as he expected. Ciri had been as amazed as he was, marveling at the fact that they were linked, that it truly was destiny that brought them together, that they were meant to go on and truly do great things, all while also being amazed Dominik had actually seen Lara Dorren, her ancestor, before wishing she could have met Alexander as well. She also told him how Avallac'h had been the one to tell her he was in an illusion, but that once the sage saw the journal, she was able to figure out that he knew the whole time. Initially after hearing that the sage had tried to stop Ciri from coming back because she had dreams of him, Dominik had wanted to find him and strangle him, throw him from the walls, humiliate him like Alexander had.

However, he remembered Alexander's words, about putting his anger aside and looking at the bigger picture, and how that if it meant a better chance at keeping Ciri safe, defeating the Hunt and Eredin, even if it meant working with Avallac'h, he needed to do it, whatever it took to make sure she was safe. So, he had promised himself, that he would simply do exactly what the sage was doing to him now. He would ignore the sage's presence, unless of course, he learned the elf was doing something detrimental to Ciri. With Avallac'h for some reason he didn't know now deciding to be somewhat cordial, he found it easier, but the nagging feeling still trickled at the back of his head_. 'So, let him stick around… but be wary my boy, you and Cirilla both,' _Alexander's words rang in his ears during their conversation about Avallac'h. It played over and over in his head. He would let the elf help them, help Ciri yes, but Dominik knew the unease wouldn't leave him.

The elf was up to something, he had plans that he wasn't telling them about, after what he saw in the illusion, what Alexander showed him, he didn't believe for a moment he was doing this all for Ciri's own good, he was training her for a reason, a reason he wasn't telling them. And now that he knew Dominik knew about Alexander, and everything that happened, he was changing his tune, being more courteous so that they wouldn't toss him out. Dominik knew, that if they really needed Avallac'h more than the sage needed them like the elf had claimed, then he would have left as soon as Dominik learned about Alexander, or not even come at all, but he had stayed now, so that told Dominik one thing.

Avallac'h needed Ciri, for what Dominik didn't know, but between that, and the words he heard from Eredin in the battle, _'He never intended to let you go, the same as I,', _Dominik didn't think it was anything good. So while he was going to listen to Alexander, they needed Avallac'h and Avallac'h needed them, so to better be able to keep Ciri safe, he'd let the elf stick around yes, however, he would be sure to keep both eyes on the sage when he could.

In that particular moment however, with the beautiful day he saw outside, the sun gently beginning to set, he was going to push it all from his mind for as long as he could. Only one thing mattered then, and he'd make sure the entire night would just be the two of them, him and Ciri, for one night, the Hunt wouldn't matter, Avallac'h wouldn't matter, the future or pass wouldn't matter, all that would matter was him, and her, there then. And as Freya gently smiled at him while she closed the basket, he felt his heart begin to flutter, thinking about how long Ciri and he had both just wanted that moment alone, but something had always gotten in the way.

"You're welcome, I'm glad I could help…" Freya said with a broad smile before she smirked and rolled her eyes at him, "You know, I'm kinda jealous, you never took me on a romantic sunset picnic with wine and dumplings."

Dominik rolled his eyes knowing she was joking and smirked at her, "Well that's because I can't cook now, I certainly couldn't back then. Also, we couldn't drink yet."

She scoffed and laughed, "Haha… I'm kidding. This is really sweet though Dom, she's going to love it, I know it. Did you manage to get everything set up?"

Quickly he nodded and smirked, "You bet, after I saw you, I spent hours cleaning the place up."

"You? Cleaning?" She said with an eye roll as the sun continued to shimmer off her blonde hair.

"Yeah hi-fucking-larious," He responded with his own eye roll, making her laugh, and Dominik couldn't help but feel himself chuckle as well.

He felt the small gust of wind blow through the kitchen, and he knew that Avallac'h and Ciri both were training just beyond in the main hall. George and Faram were in the training yard with Letho and Gaeten, he had only seen Geralt once that day, and only had a few passing glances at Ciri when he was coming back. That morning, he had slipped out of bed before she awoke to meet with Freya, he had gone out, snuck blankets, flowers, along with plates and mugs for them both. After that, he had spent the next few hours cleaning up any old cobwebs, dust, and tidied up anything else needed, and he liked to think that it was all perfect now with sunset approaching, and now, he didn't care about her lessons with the sage, he didn't care about training himself, no, they were finally going to go back.

Their cave, he was going to take them back to the cave where all those years ago they had spent the night with one another, telling each other they loved one another for the first time. It was somewhere that he had dreamed of going back too, and somewhere he hoped that she would feel the same way about. He had told Freya his plan, but not the location of the cave, that would always be he and Ciri's secret, but still, Freya had eagerly agreed to help by making him the food he needed, while he had been meticulous in making everything as perfect as it could be at the cave itself, and when he had finally come back Freya didn't disappoint. She had cooked them both plenty, and after she finished laughing she picked up the basket and smiled broadly at him.

"Ha… either way, this is extremely sweet Dom, she'll love it I know," She said as she held the basket up to him, "So, do you want me to go get this onto Clop's saddle while you go find Ciri? I'll cover it with a blanket so she can't see until you get there."

He felt his heart flutter and felt a childlike giddiness build up in him. For so many years, the idea of a date with Ciri had been nothing but a pipe dream, something he fantasized about in his dreams, but there were times when he truly thought he'd never get to do it again. Other than Freya, he could have had the opportunity plenty of times to go out with other women, but every time, with Freya again being the only exception, he hadn't been able to go through with it, the memories the idea brought back being too painful, along with not wanting that date to be with anyone other than Ciri. She was everything, and even with all of the pain, loss, the regret and agony he had felt over the years, as he heard her voice distantly echoing in the hall, his thoughts were only reaffirmed.

Everything was worth it now with her back. He would have gone through it all again if he had too, as long as the path led to her, for Dominik, it would always be worth it.

His gaze drifted down for a moment to his forearm, he still wasn't fully wearing his armor yet, with Freya, Ciri and Geralt all telling him that despite it being lightweight, they didn't want to add the extra pressure to his leg. So then, he wore on the loose white top with his sleeves rolled up just above his elbows, along with the trousers from his armor and the boots. His swords, which he had been absolutely elated to finally have back, were strapped to Clop's saddle along with Arno's crossbow that he was slowly learning to use. Without his armor on, his right inner forearm was exposed, and he found himself smiling at the tattoo he had gotten back in Novigrad. The four names written in elegant black writing, Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer and Triss, and then the beautifully drawn swallow below. He had forgotten he had it at times, but before each fight, before the battle, before he went to the Isle of Mists, he always subconsciously looked at it, remembering, remembering what he was fighting for.

Remembering the love he had for that family. Ciri had only noticed it a few days after the battle when she was sitting at his bedside, and Dominik could see how red her face had got. She hadn't said anything about it, but he knew that she noticed it. He aimlessly wondered why at the moment, but the very fact she was there, and other matters had washed it away. To him, it was a reminder of what he fought for, and the love he had for each and every person who's name was there, and it hadn't been a coincidence Ciri's name was first, he loved the rest equally, but it had always been her. And now, he felt like he was fourteen again, back in Ellander eagerly waiting for her to get ready so they could head out together.

He would never forget that Belleteyn festival. Geralt and Yen had gone with them of course, but the two had let him and Ciri go off by themselves for most of it. They ate, drank, danced together, he dove into the water for her shoe. He had gotten sick from that, but it had been completely worth it to see how happy she was.

They had other dates as well, picnics, swimming trips, dancing and dinner at the inn, rides through the woods around the town. He had cherished every single moment, it truly had been the greatest year of his life, he had a family again, he had the girl he loved. It was all soon ripped from him however, Ciri was ripped from him, and they had both gone through hell, experienced, and went through more than anyone should have to go through in their lifetime. The two of them both also had great, unstable magical power inside them, were descended from great magic families and had great destinies awaiting them that could have an effect on not just the continent, but their entire world, and multiple other words as well. They had both just nearly died a week prior, now Ciri was constantly training, and he himself had just learned to walk properly again and he had been only minutes away from dying.

But that night, he was going to make special, for her, it would be the two of them, wine, food, and each other because Ciri deserved it. For once in their lives they'd simply be a young couple in love, spending time with one another, and nothing else would matter, they'd forget it all for one night.

"Um… hello? Earth to Dominik," Freya said with a smirk, as he nearly jumped and looked back up to her as he laughed. He felt his face get red as he met her eyes, and Freya gently laughed again as she met his gaze, "Alright lover boy, you go find Ciri, I'll go get this onto Clop's saddle."

He laughed nervously again feeling his face flustered, he smiled thankfully at her and nodded, "Thanks Freya… for everything. You're right, I should probably go and-."

A loud ***BOOM* **cut him off, causing Freya and he both to dart their head to the door leading out into the hall, before a shrill voice hit the air.

"URGHHHH PIECE OF SHIT! GODDAMMIT IT'S NOT WORKING!" Ciri's voice echoed into the kitchen through the closed door.

Right away he felt the swallow tremble around his neck, and his heart drop. He heard more yelling come next and let out a careful sigh as he bit his lip, feeling his stomach begin to churn up with worry. However, Freya quickly scoffed next to him and looked at her.

"Um… you better go get her, I haven't known her for very long, but I don't think many people can talk her down when she gets like that, I'll go get this in your saddle," She said, and Dominik right away felt himself scoff.

He gingerly gripped around the swallow, and nodded as he looked towards the hall, "You're right about this, the list is me, Geralt and Yen, that's about it…."

Freya nodded to him and went about double-checking the basket, while Dominik right away started towards the hall where he heard more yelling. The worry turned to determination as he felt the swallow trembling in his hands. All week he knew she had been doing everything she could, pushing herself to the absolute limit, and she deserved this day, she deserved the world, and Dominik couldn't give that to her yet, but that wouldn't stop him from giving her absolutely everything he could to make her happy, give her some relief.

Besides, it was her birthday a few weeks prior, he had given her the crown he drunkenly made yes, but he had eight years of birthdays to make up for. And eight years of love he needed to make up to her as well. So even if it were just for that night, he'd make sure she was nothing but happy.

They were back together, and for that night, nothing else would matter.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He heard the loud echo of boots leaving the hall just as he walked a few steps into it and narrowed his eyes just in time to see the back of Ciri as she stormed out the door, followed closely by Avallac'h. Narrowing his eyes he tried to pick up his pace but felt himself wincing as his leg started to drag. The orange rays of the sunset streamed into the hall as he walked, and he nearly tripped from the throbbing as he caught onto the wall just before the entry hall. He closed his eyes and tried to stop himself from wincing louder, he waited for the throbbing to stop, and after a few moments it did, and he felt himself shakily sigh as he could hear Ciri's distant yelling from outside. Gingerly he reached down and rubbed the side of his thigh, he felt the bandage that was around it, and even deeper he could still feel where Eredin's sword had pierced him. Thinking about it made his cheek flare up as well, the chilly breeze that whipped in through the open door seeped into his scar, and he felt a shooting pain run through his face, into his brain and he had to rub his temples.

In the previous two days, his training had gone well, Geralt had started him back on simple combos, he'd also been practicing his shooting with Arno's crossbow, and he hadn't admitted it, but even from that first day, he'd still felt the pain. Freya had assured him he was okay to begin training again, but she was incessant he take it easy. However, after a week of sitting in bed doing nothing but having his leg rubbed and moved by his friends, he hadn't exactly listened to that order from her. It was as if as soon as his sword was in his hand again, it all came rushing back, everything that had happened in the battle came rushing back.

He stood there holding the wall for a moment, waiting for his leg to stop throbbing, and just like it had been when he stood still and thought about fighting for too long, it all came rushing back again. If he blinked he saw Eredin, taunting him, goading him, telling him and a trapped Ciri what he was going to do after he killed him, told him how he killed Alexander, Lara, and Connor, and in killing Dominik he'd wipe that line from the world. He thought about how easily Eredin had parried his attacks and knocked him off balance. Dominik had given it everything, used every combo he knew, struck out in every style he had learned, but Eredin had only needed to use one hand to deflect everything he had thrown. Even when his powers activated, it wasn't like Alexander, Connor or Lara in his vision, where the magic had calmly hummed around them, only growing out when they willed it too, his power was erratic, shot around him at all angles, he could remember how angry he had to get for it to be effective, and it only seemed to tire him even more.

Ciri had insistently told him that he held his own, particularly when he managed to cut off Eredin's faceplate, but Dominik had chalked that up to complete luck, and after he had landed the blow, and Eredin actually began taking the fight seriously, was when he had no chance. The move had been one he practiced for weeks with Geralt, a spinning feint of sorts, that required you to spin after being parried and leap back while thrusting out your sword to catch your opponent off guard. He had been practicing it for weeks and surprised even himself when he was able to pull it off. If he had tried the move in his current state he would more than likely crumble, but that didn't stop him from training with everything he had. So, despite the fact he probably should have been taking it easier, he couldn't stop, he needed to train, and he needed to train as much as he could. Because the next time he fought Eredin, it would be a different outcome, just like he had promised Alexander, his parents, Geralt and Yennefer, and most importantly Ciri, he would be ready.

Just like Connor and Lara had told Eredin when they fought him, their line was still alive, and they'd be there to kill him.

However, when his leg finally stopped throbbing, and he felt able to put pressure on it again, he felt a breeze from the outside pleasantly hit his face. He managed to stand up straight and let out a relaxing breath, as he wrapped his gloved hands gently around the swallow and turned his gaze back towards the door. None of that would matter tonight, Ciri and he would forget about Eredin, about the Hunt, about destiny, and focus only on each other. There was also the fact, that with him finally able to walk and train, soon they would set out, they would go to Novigrad to meet up with Yen and Triss, and it would be time to finally find the Hunt. He had no idea to know how it would go, so for at least one night, they wouldn't be a child of the Elder Blood, Lara Dorren's hair, and the last descendant of Alexander of Lod, last of the protector's of the blood, they were going to be Dominik and Cirilla, two young people who were together: a normal young couple. The idea right away seemed to make the pain go away as he smiled, feeling the breeze hit his face again, he found himself able to move closer towards the exit, and for a few seconds his he felt completely elated.

That, however, was when he heard Avallach's boots coming back towards him, he looked and saw the sage walking back towards the hall. Right away he felt his skin begin to crawl, as the elf barely gave him a passing glance, only rolling his eyes, and seeming as if he had all intentions on walking right past him. Dominik tried to keep his cool, do the same and not even acknowledge the sage's presence, but he heard Ciri's angry yells from a few moments prior ring in his hears, followed by the echoing of the battle outside Castle Lod, Avallac'h and Alexander screaming at one another, his ancestor blowing the sage away. And then there was the sage's actions, how he had been the last two days worried Dominik far more than how obnoxious he was earlier in the week. So, when Avallac'h went to walk by him without even looking, he couldn't stop himself before the words came out of him.

"What did you say to her," He demanded as he stepped and crossed his arms in the elf's path, Avallac'h came to an abrupt stop and Dominik shook his head, "How come every time I see her training she's getting agitated like that?"

He stood there and for a few moments the sage was silent, only staring at him with narrowed eyes. The wind from outside gently blew through the open door, and the sun streamed in to hit his eyes, but he still was able to see the sage having an internal battle with himself. It was as if Avallac'h as well as him didn't want to have this conversation with one another, but Dominik just by looking at the elf's rolling grey eyes felt himself growing even more annoyed. The feeling kept trickling at the back of his head, that knowing feeling, the feeling he had before Ciri left for Aretuza, and before he entered the house on the Isle of Mists. Both times he had ignored the feeling, the first time Ciri had to flee Aretuza, the second time, he found her in a death trance. And now, it was telling him, screaming at him to blast the elf into a wall, he tried to ignore it, however, the elf rolling his eyes at him again made it no easier.

"It is none of your concern," Avallac'h said with narrowed eyes as he scoffed, "Don't you have other, more important things to be doing than bothering me with your presence boy?"

Curling his fists Dominik took another step forward, "When I hear Ciri screaming through the entire hall… then it becomes my concern. Trust me, I don't want to be talking to you either, but I warned you, it wouldn't end well if you kept treating her like that…"

Avallac'h scoffed, "Bold words, from a man who can barely walk straight."

"I don't need to walk straight," He said darkly, feeling his stomach begin to churn as he took another step closer to the elf, "You're what six hundred years old? Wouldn't need to walk very fast to catch up with you old man…"

For the first time, Dominik saw the elf's eyes narrow, "You tread on dangerous ground boy…. You are the reason Zireael has been unable to make progress. Her mind is muddled, she cannot clear her mind, all she can focus on is you and the battle."

Dominik scoffed and deigned shock, "Oh dear, god forbid she… she… you know… has fucking feelings. I know that's a hard concept for you to grasp, seeing as you don't seem to have any other than being annoyed because of the constant stick up your ass. Our friends died, how about showing some fucking sympathy!?"

"She knew none of the men who died before the battle even started," The sage said with a shake of his head and a scoff, gesturing at his leg, "And despite your foolishness, thinking you could possibly stand up to Eredin, you survived, she has nothing she should be worried about."

At that moment Dominik saw Declan and Arno's, Vigi and Folan's pyres all going up in smoke. He tried to keep himself under control, he let out a shaky annoyed breath as he managed to scoff and meet the sage's eyes.

"They STILL fought and died for us," Dominik said incredulously as he shook his head and glared over at the elf, "Never in my life have I met such an ignorant fucking prick."

"And never in my 'six hundred-year-old life' as you put it, have I met such an arrogant brat, who thinks so much better of themselves than they actually are," The sage snapped, and Dominik felt himself almost lose it, but when he felt a throbbing in his leg he stopped himself, not wanting to almost fall over in front of the elf.

The wind continued to lightly howl in his ears, as for a few minutes he simply stood there across from the sage. Wind lapped through the elf's robes, and Dominik took a second to realize just how much the sage had aged from the vision he saw with Alexander. It had only been a hundred years, but apparently, those hundred years had taken their toll on the sage. He could remember seeing him ride next to Eredin on their skeletal horses, seeing the sage cast the spell to break the illusion over Castle Lod, and fighting his ancestor at Eredin's side. He wondered where the elf had been when Eredin fought Alexander's children, but the fact he had been there at Castle Lod was enough. He also now had the knowledge, that Avallac'h was supposed to marry Lara Dorren before she left him for Cregan, dealing a massive blow to the sage's pride and ego. Avallac'h had made his hate for Alexander, and Cregan both obvious, and Dominik already knew the Aen Elle saw Lara Dorren as a traitor to their race. So all of this, and now seeing Avallac'h helping Ciri now, he wouldn't believe for a second he had her best interests at heart.

And then of course there was what Eredin had said, that all week had been pinging around his dreams, and in his head whenever he laid eyes on the sage. _"Cirilla my dear… you know he never had any intention of letting you leave… the same as I,' _he had tried with everything he could to push it from his mind, push the whole exchange from his mind, however, he couldn't. The thought of Avallac'h doing something to Ciri, something that even Eredin himself felt the need to mention it to him, it made his skin boil, and as he looked at the elf's grey eyes at that moment, seeing the contempt, the annoyance, and the smugness made him almost lose it. The sage had been acting completely different the previous two days, and with the knowledge Dominik had now, he was even more convinced that the elf was up to something: something with Ciri being forced into.

He wanted to blast his hand forward then, but the bottom line kept coming back. Avallac'h knew how to find Eredin, the keys to defeating him, and there was also the fact Ciri still trusted him. He knew why Ciri trusted him, the elf saved her life, and had been keeping her safe for the previous few months, even with this, between whatever it was Eredin claimed Avallac'h did, and the way he treated her, Dominik had no idea how she could. However, after their argument a few days prior, Dominik had been doing everything he could to not antagonize the elf, he trusted Ciri's judgment and if she said he could be trusted, then Dominik would trust her.

However, at that moment, he felt his brain erupt, as he narrowed his eyes towards the sage.

"I know why you don't like me…" Dominik said, and at his words he saw Avallac'h only narrow his eyes further.

Scoffing the sage locked eyes with him, "I know you do… and from what I've gathered the feelings mutual on your end."

"Yes, it is, I don't like you, I'd throw you off the wall if I could," Dominik said honestly as he didn't dare leave the elf's gaze, "But I don't hate you because you tried to kill Alexander, he kicked your fucking ass, Eredin had to save you."

"You know nothing you insolent child," The elf hissed at him right away, before furiously shaking his head as his calm and collected act broke, "You are every bit as arrogant and disrespectful as he was."

Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes, "He told me that… but I don't hate you because you tried to kill him. I don't like you, because you've been trotting Ciri around like you own her, like you control her."

"That is because only I can teach her to control her powers boy," Avallac'h sneered, as he shook his head and crossed his arms, "As I've said, she cannot control them, she's a danger to herself and everyone around her if she does not learn control. And only if she learns do we stand a chance of defeating Eredin, you need me-."

"And you need us too," Dominik snapped to cut him off as he uncrossed his arms and met the elf's gaze, "You need us… just as much as we need you, or else you would have left already. You didn't want me to learn about Alexander, you've dealt with me because you need Ciri. So don't act all high and mighty saying we NEED you when you need US because you know you won't get Ciri without our help."

The sage looked like he was about to say something else, but Dominik felt his stomach erupt, as if one of his bombs had gone off inside of him. He saw the look on the sage's face fall for the slightest bit of time, and he knew he had caught the elf off guard. The sage knew about Dominik's lineage, he knew Alexander was his ancestor, and that if Dominik found out about it, he'd see what he did in the past. Avallac'h had thought Dominik himself wouldn't be able to hold his temper, hold back from attacking him, from dragging Ciri away from him because of what he knew now, but Dominik had caught the sage by surprise. After hearing Alexander's words about keeping his emotions in check, and looking at the bigger picture, he had managed to keep himself calm and not go after the sage. And now, Avallac'h was acting bearable to them all, because he knew that it wouldn't take much for Dominik or Ciri to turn against him.

Dominik knew they needed the sage, he was able to put his anger aside because Ciri still apparently trusted him, and he was, in the end, their best chance, but that didn't mean he wouldn't let the elf know what the deal was.

"I KNOW you are up to something, I know there's things that you aren't telling us," Dominik said darkly, and taking another step towards the elf who was unmoving, Dominik was eye level with the sage as he spoke in a low tone, "I don't trust you, not in the fucking slightest. I know you don't care about Ciri; you want her powers, just like everyone always has."

Avallac'h slowly narrowed his eyes as Dominik was only a foot from his face and shook his head, "Tell me then boy… why have you not tried to kill me yet?"

Slowly Dominik shook his head, "Because… for some reason, Ciri trusts you… and I trust her judgment. I also can see the bigger picture, you need us, and we need you… so, I'm going to keep my head down, and let you stick around, train Ciri, help us defeat Eredin."

"How very generous of you…" The sage said dryly, and that was when Dominik felt his fist curl and his skin begin to boil, as he got a mere inches from the sage's face.

"I also know… you did something to her, something horrible enough… that Eredin found need to mention it," He hissed, not taking his eyes off the elf, he felt every word slowly drip with venom from his tongue, "When I learn what it is… I swear I'm going to break your fucking legs."

Avallac'h scoffed and shook his head, the sunlight streamed in from the open door as their voices both echoed in the hall. It had been beautiful all day, and Dominik couldn't think of any day that had been better for Ciri and he to have this date he had planned. Two days ago when he opened Alexander's journal, that was supposed to be it, but between the storm, and himself being swept into the illusion they had postponed. He felt his lips lightly tingle from where he kissed her when he came too, he hadn't known what came over him at that moment, after seeing Alexander wither away before him, hearing how he and Ciri truly were destined, it had just made his love for her sore, and he wanted to show her just how much. He had promised Alexander, that he wouldn't let his sacrifice be in vain, his hundred-year sacrifice, as well as the sacrifice of his children. He'd keep Ciri safe and do what was best for her.

Together they would get that life they wanted, the life they deserved, but first there was work to be done, one more leg of a great journey they had. And for that to be completed, they, unfortunately, needed Avallac'h for that life.

And for Ciri he'd do anything. However, that wouldn't stop him from killing the elf on the spot if he did anything that harmed her.

Sneering Avallac'h kept his gaze as their faces were only a foot apart, "You would be wise… to watch who you issue your threats to BOY. I assume you know the fate of Alexander…"

Dominik scoffed right away and shook his head, "Oh I'm not threatening you… I'm PROMISING you. As I said, I know you're up to something, you're planning something. And if I get ANY indication, you're not acting in Ciri's best interests, or doing anything that could hurt her… I WILL kill you. It doesn't matter how high and mighty you think you are, how powerful you think you are… I'll kill you before you can even fucking think, it doesn't matter how many legs I'm walking on…"

His threat hung in the air for a moment, he was inches from the elf's face now, and he felt both his medallion and the swallow tremble around his neck. He felt his fist curl at his side, as the fire in Avallach's eyes had turned cold and calculating like he was trying to think of the perfect response, but Dominik knew the truth was, the sage was more than likely trying to find a way to eliminate him. Dominik thought that he was going to snap back at him, lash out and try to get more verbal jabs.

However, when the sage spoke, it had been none of those things, he simply shook his head.

"I think it will be best, for the both of us… if we agree to avoid one another," The sage said slowly, as he took a small step back from him and shook his head, "I will continue to teach Zireael… and try to be more… empathetic…. In exchange, until Eredin is defeated and I can finally be rid of you all… we will avoid one another as much as possible…"

The words had been the last thing Dominik ever expected to come out of the sage's mouth, and while they may have sounded reasonable, they only made him even more suspicious. Alexander's warnings about keeping him around but being wary of the sage rang in his ears, and for a few seconds, Dominik could only flounder. He tried to form words, but he felt them unable to come out, as he wondered what the sage could possibly be trying to do. He would have liked nothing more than to completely avoid the elf for the rest of their time fighting the Hunt, but after everything he had heard and seen the previous week, he found the sage's suggestions even more worrying.

However, just like he had planned, he managed to steady himself and slowly nod. He had already planned on it before, but the arrangement there would make it even easier for him to simply observe the elf and make sure he didn't do anything detrimental to Ciri. After feeling the shock leave him, Dominik felt the breeze from outside whip through his hair, and suddenly the swallow around his neck tingled. Remembering again what he had planned, he decided to test the elf's words and narrowed his eyes.

"Fine…. But I'm asking Ciri to come with me now," Dominik said as he looked out the door where the sunset gently streamed in, "I got something planned for her, so if she says yes, you're going to have to end your lesson for the day."

For a split second, Dominik saw a look of agitation shoot to the elf's face again as he rolled his eyes. After another second, however, the sage sighed deeply and rolled his eyes.

"Fine…." Avallac'h said before he took a step past him further into the hall looking back at him, "Perhaps between you and Geralt, her mind will clear… you may finally be good for something."

Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Wow, I think that may be the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Don't get used to it…" The elf said dryly as he walked further into the keep, just as another gust of howling wind made him whirl back around to the door.

As the sage's footsteps echoed away, Dominik felt himself unable to move or think straight for a moment. The sun was bright, through the stain-glass windows of the hall and the door only a few meters away, he could see the beautiful orange sunset beams, and feel the cool wind. He partly expected the wind to pick up, and the rain to start pouring down to ruin his plans, just because of how his week had been so far. Every single opportunity he had to spend that extended time alone with Ciri had been interrupted by something, and he thought that Avallac'h would do just that again. However, he heard the echo of the door to the tower close, and scoffed realizing Avallac'h really had been retiring to his room for the night, once the sage entered the tower, he didn't come out until the next day unless it was to get food, so hearing him go now, made Dominik stunningly realize, the sage had actually done what he said. He was really going to let him and Ciri spend their time together, despite his words and how spiteful he seemed. What the elf agreed to was… he dare say _nice_.

And it only made Dominik even more suspicious. He knew that the elf wasn't doing it out of the kindness of his heart, he was doing it for a certain reason, something to advance his own agenda, just like he always did. However, as he heard the distant voice coming from the training yard, he felt his head perk up, feeling the wind blow through his hair he breathed out a sigh of relief, deciding that he wouldn't worry in that moment. One of the voices he recognized carried on the wind was Ciri's and right away as it always did, it made his anxiousness fade. He looked out again towards where the sage had gone, and slowly shook his head. His leg stopped throbbing, he felt the stinging in his cheek go away, and when he heard her laugh echoing into the keep, his heart right away melted, and with the swallow trembling he walked towards the exit.

Nothing else mattered again that night, it'd just be them. She deserved the world, and while he couldn't give her that, he would do the best he could.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik was happy to discover his reflexes hadn't been tampered by his weeklong stay in bed, because as soon as he stepped outside, he had about three seconds before he ducked a snowball and saw a flash of blue light shoot by him.

"Hey! That's not fair," Geralt yelled out from below the steps, and Dominik scoffed out a huge smile seeing his adopted father with a pile of snow in his hands.

And then Ciri's joyful laugh hit his ears, and everything that had just happened in the hall with Avallac'h had been forgotten for him, as the sun gently hit off her face next to him.

"HA! Just using what I got!" She yelled as she blinked to a pile of snow, picking up another ball of snow she chucked it over at Geralt before it smashed into his head.

Dominik scoffed as he watched her blink from piles of snow, a look of complete joy in her eyes as Geralt continued to pick up snowballs and throw them at her, while she dashed from pile to pile. It flashed him back to Ellander, that day that when she had snuck him out of their room after the snowstorm. The day their sled had flown off a mound of snow and for what felt like hours they hurled snow at each other, rolling around in the snowy meadow, laying and kissing one another. It was the day he told her she was the most special person in the world, he'd never forget that day, her hair loose and over her shoulders, as they laid in the mound of fluffy snow, completely at peace with one another. That was until Yennefer and Geralt found them, and Yen bombarded them with snowy spells, and for the next few hours they engaged in an intense snowball fight with their adopted parents.

He and Ciri won, although Yen and Geralt would never admit it.

"Ciri, look who decided to join us!" He heard Geralt shout, and Dominik just had the time to turn around and find a snowball hitting his face.

"GAH!" He yelled as his face got smashed with the white snow, feeling his body chill he stumbled back, and after feeling his leg throb he fell on his ass right into a pile of snow.

The wind was chilly, but the sunset quickly warmed him. His entire body went chilly as he felt the snow go under his shirt. For a few seconds he felt his leg throbbing immensely, but the snow actually pleasantly fell into the scar on his cheek. He was in pain for a few seconds, but it quickly went away when he heard Ciri yell out his name.

"DOM!" She yelled, and he could hear the worry laced in her tone as he saw the flash of light blink towards him, followed by the clunking of Geralt's armor.

Feeling the plan come to his head right away, he got around to all fours and groaned just as he heard Ciri rush up behind him. She got to her knees by his side, and when she spoke he heard her voice full of concern as she held a hand on his back.

"Dom, are you okay? I saw your leg buckling," She said quickly, and when Dominik looked and saw her for practically the first time all day, he felt his insides flutter and his heart completely melt.

The sunset cast the most beautiful glow over her ashen hair, and for a moment he felt his face get hot despite the chilly wind. Her emerald eyes were glowing, he saw the ring bouncing around her neck, and as she looked down at him, he could see as well just how worried she really was. He felt his heart soar and his skin warm up as he smiled. He hadn't seen her all day except when she was sleeping as he snuck out of bed, and when he had been coming back from setting things up. She had seemed tired then, and he knew she had just been screaming a few minutes prior. He met her shining green eyes as a broad smile came to his face.

He laughed lightly and nodded as he dug his hand into the snow, he looked up and met her eyes, and once their emerald eyes were locked he smirked, "GOTCHA!"

Throwing up his hand a wave of snow smacked into her face, and she yelped as she shot back up to her feet. He laughed hysterically and heard Geralt doing the same as he got up and saw his father laughing a few feet from him. Ciri stumbled and he heard her scoff, he looked back, and she wiped the snow off her top and corset, before laughing and looking up incredulously at both he and Geralt. The sun cast its beautiful glow over her again, and as she stood there smirking wildly and scoffing at them, it was as if she wiped the snow off her in slow motion, and Dominik couldn't stop simply staring at her. If he focused hard enough, he saw that girl, the fourteen-year-old girl he was in love with back in Ellander, that eleven-year-old princess he was in love within Cintra. For a second he saw her at that age, shorter, a rounder face, her freckles more dominate on her cheeks, her high pitched, excited voice, she had been the most beautiful person in the world to him then, and time changed a lot of things, but that hadn't been one of them.

It was as if she laughed in slow motion, and he took in every last beautiful detail of her. Her bun of ashen hair was loose, covered in bits of snow, her high cheekbones, sharper, slim jawline, her cute smaller nose, and ears, as she laughed and smiled broadly at them, he noticed again that cute scar on the bottom right side of her lip flare-up.

And her eyes, gods her eyes. It was as if at that moment, as she smiled and they sparkled with amusement and joy. They shone even brighter than the orange sunset rays he saw. He could have spent hours simply looking into them, and he used too. There were so many times when he'd simply sit with her in his lap, and look at her, look at her as she would eagerly talk about old stories, or told him about all the things they were going to do, and he would simply look at her eyes, and he would never get tired of it.

She was also tall, slim, her body curved perfectly, and Dominik could admit he didn't think he'd ever get tired of seeing her before bed as she took off her corset, laid next to him in only her top, her knickers with her hair down around her shoulders, how beautiful and perfectly sculpted her body was would always amaze him. Every single thing about her was beautiful, and every day since she had been back with him, he marveled at the simple fact she was there, there were times when he still thought he was in a dream. Because her being there, with him again, had been his dream since he was eleven years old, from the very moment he met her. From that first moment on the balcony, all the way up until that very second, all he had ever wanted was her, and after so, so long, of her only being a dream, she was finally real again.

He knew that because after she laughed, he could see that the snowball war was officially on. She scoffed out another laugh as Dominik was finally brought back to reality, and time started to move in regular motion again as she scooped up more snow from the ground.

"OHO! It is on now; I'm completely going to thrash the both of you!" She yelled as she chucked the snowball at his head.

Quickly he ducked and it soared passed him to smack Geralt in the chest catching him off guard. Geralt laughed and scoffed as he reached to the ground as well.

"Oh great, now I gotta beat the both of you!?" Their father yelled, as he looked like he was going to chuck the snow at Ciri but tossed it into Dom's face.

"Hey, no fair! You both have two completely working legs!" Dominik yelled as the snow hit him in the face and he saw Geralt laugh and jog back down the steps.

He scoffed to himself and heard Ciri laughing at his flustered face, so he turned to scoop up more snow and tried to toss it at her. She turned just in time however and her eyes widened, she blinked and teleported right next to him, and before he could do anything she reached down and smacked another pile of snow at him and he stumbled back spitting out bits of snow again. Narrowing his eyes in concentration he tried to scoop up more and toss it back at her, but she blinked behind him and laughed.

"Haha, it's kind of cute watching you struggle like that," She said with an amused tone, as he whirled back around to try and grab her, but before he could she teleported again, this time down the steps.

Scoffing incredulously he jogged to the edge of the steps and looked down at a smirking Ciri, "That's not fair either, my super magic blood powers aren't working right now!"

Ciri crossed her arms and smirked triumphantly, "Ha, it's not my fault that you-. HEY!"

She was cut off when Geralt nailed her in the back of the head with more snow, and Dominik doubled over laughing as Ciri whipped back around with narrowed eyes while Geralt laughed as well. While he was laughing, he barely had time to react before another ball came flying through the air and smacked him in the head while he was laughing, scoffing he spit snow onto the ground as he and Ciri whirled around to Geralt, who was picking up more snow and smirking at them both.

"Ha, if you two stop doing nothing but staring at each other for once, maybe you'll have a chance here," Their father joked as he tried to throw more snow at them both quickly.

Ciri quickly teleported back to another pile, while Dominik ducked down and felt the wolf and swallow bounced around his neck. He felt himself laughing as he poked his head up and saw that Ciri was eagerly scarfing up snow into her hands, and the smile didn't leave him as he saw the sunset bouncing and casting all three of their shadows into the courtyard. Ciri smirked again as she blinked forward and tossed more snow at Geralt and he both.

"HA! Neither of you stand a chance," She yelled out, followed by Dominik picking up more snow and nailing her in the shoulder, making her stumble and whirl around.

He scoffed and laughed, "Come on princess you can do better than that! I'm practically on one leg over here!"

She laughed and scooped up more, "HA, well I guess this means I won't go easy on you anymore!"

"Hey, I'm the one who goes easy on you and-, GAH!" He yelled out as Geralt's snow hit him in the face, and their father quickly tossed another over at Ciri who got smacked in the chest.

And after that was when all hell, or in that case snow, broke loose.

Snow started getting flown everywhere! Geralt picked up a huge clump and tried to run and toss it into Ciri's hair, but she teleported to another pile that just happened to be behind Dominik, he whirled around to try and throw some back, but already found a ball smacking him in the face. He felt the snow get into his mouth and he spit it out as he heard Ciri laughing hysterically at him, that was before Geralt however, snuck up on them both and blasted the both of them with large balls of snow. Dominik scoffed and managed to scoop more up and toss it up into both their faces, and then he jogged back down the steps, towards the largest pile that had been gathered in the old garden he remembered picking a bunch of the flowers from. He looked and heard both Ciri and Geralt laughing, as they ran from each other throwing snow into the other's hair, and as he dug more snow from the massive pile next to him, despite the chilly breeze his heart melted, and the smile wouldn't have left his face if he tried.

That moment then, the three of them, him, Ciri, Geralt, having a snowball fight outside Kaer Morhen, it had been something that happened before, and as he stood there he found it all moving in slow motion again. He felt his skin tingle as his heart continued to flutter.

If he narrowed his eyes he saw a young Ciri leaping over the walls avoiding snowballs, and Geralt, who still looked the same, just with a scarless face chasing her, all while Dominik would be hiding waiting to ambush him. And now, the three of them were there again, he took it in, watching both of them laugh, Geralt's silver hair blew back in the chilly wind, Ciri's bun almost came undone, they laughed and threw snowball after snowball, and Dominik almost dropped the one in his hand, as he simply still couldn't believe it.

It was amazing how fast one's life could change. Before he had taken the contract in Claywitch, and even during it, he had been near his lowest point. Rivia had been two years prior, he had split up with Faram a year prior and hadn't seen him since, he was forced to go even further north with the Nilfgaardeans invading. It had felt like he was just going through the motions, another village, another contract, day after day, him and Clop riding, camping, killing monsters, the same exact thing every single day. No small lead he followed on Ciri went anywhere, Dandelion didn't have anything, none of his other contacts had anything, and each day, it just got worse and worse. You could only talk to your horse so much before it all came crashing down, and Dominik had been before Claywitch, it was all so, so close to coming down. Geralt and Yennefer he thought were dead, and all he had of Ciri were his dreams and the swallow, for eight years, eight fucking years, the loneliness, that stabbing, stabbing pain of feeling like you have nobody, nobody to share it all with, nobody to share your hardships, and your happiness with. That loneliness, that yearning for anyone, it was a pain that he would never have wished upon anyone else, and he had experienced it almost every single day for eight years, it slowly ate at him whittled away at the very person he was, turning him into a shell of his former self, he could barely even recognize the person he grew up as during the years, and with every day that passed, simply waking up got harder and harder.

But hearing the two of them laughing in front of him, seeing Geralt in front of him, laughing and hurling snow, seeing the sun cast that beautiful orange glow off of Ciri, seeing her beautiful, beautiful eyes, hearing her laugh, that amazing laugh that had made him smile since he was a child, knowing that he had them, they were there, that he wasn't alone anymore, it had made every single minute of the last eight years' worth it. Nothing else that happened in the past mattered anymore.

All that mattered to him from then on, was that he was there, they were real, and he wasn't alone anymore.

"GOT YOU!" He heard Ciri yell and seeing the flash of blue in his eyes jerked him back to reality.

"GAHHH!" Dominik yelled as he saw nothing but white in his vision as the snow crept down his shirt and soaked him, he stumbled back, and spit snow out before hearing both Geralt and Ciri laugh hysterically.

He recovered after spitting the last of the snow out of his mouth, feeling his heart ready to burst he scoffed out a laugh as he looked up. Geralt was a few feet away laughing more than Dominik had seen his adopted father ever had, while Ciri was only a few steps in front of him, hunched she laughed and held her gut. The wind blew as Dominik found himself simply staring at her with his mouth agape in a smile, as she had to wipe a tear from her eyes as she leaned up and pointed at him, still laughing hysterically with that beautiful smile on her face, the cute scar on her lip upturned, and slowly as she talked, Dominik smirked and found himself moving towards her again.

"HAHA! Oh, I got you SO good, you should see the look on your-," She started laughing, but she got cut off when he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up onto his shoulder.

She scoffed and laughed, she was just as light as when she was younger to him, and he hefted her over his shoulder as she continued to laugh, their hair whipped in the wind, he saw Geralt smiling fondly over at the two of them, but Dominik focused solely on Ciri, who while over his shoulder continued to hysterically laugh.

Laughing she gently pounded her gloved hands on his back, "Haha put-. Haha Dom, Dominik put-HA, put me down!"

"Do you surrender? Do you admit defeat to me?" Dominik joked as he started to spin in place with her on his shoulder, the wind whipped through their hair, and he saw Ciri's bun almost come loose as she laughed still.

"HA! Admit defeat to you? Never! Not until you beat me at gwent, or a sparring match! Now put me down I-haha- I need to continue to demolish you!" She said between her laughs, and Dominik felt himself almost tear up, remembering the almost exact same scene from so long ago.

She readjusted herself on his back and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as she laughed. He continued spinning as he held his arms under her legs to keep her steady. That snowy day in Ellander had felt like so long ago, but just like back then, he smelled the juniper and cedarwood, that beautiful smell he always loved from her hair as she continued to laugh hysterically in his ear. She looked down at him, and he met her gaze with a smirk.

"Oh you want to get down? Well your wish is my command as always princess, if you insist," He said with a broad smile, as he started to spin her even faster.

She yelped in shock for a second, before her laugh echoed over the howling wind as she gripped tighter around his neck, "Dominik! Dom, not so fast haha, put me down, you stupid boy! Haha, not so fast AH-."

Both of their laughter and yelling were cut off when he dropped the both of them into the giant pile of snow in the garden. He laughed from his gut himself, but it was nothing compared to how it felt hearing Ciri's laugh from under the snow pile as he shot his head up. He couldn't stop laughing as the wolf and swallow coldly bounced on his neck. His shirt was drenched from the wet snow, but he didn't care, he felt it coolly sinking into his cheek, his leg didn't throb one bit as all he could do was laugh, and listen to Ciri laugh from under the snow as she shot her head back up, spitting out snow as he saw it covering her bun and stuck all in her hair. He felt his own laughing cut off after he met her eyes for a moment, she laughed with a huge smile on her face, and after meeting his eyes for a second, she bolted forward and tackled around his waist.

And just like when they were children again, they rolled in the pile of snow, he tried to throw a handful into her face, but she shrugged it off with a laugh and smacked more into his own. He was blinded for a moment, and he felt her whirl him around onto his back, she straddled onto his waist and pressed both hands down onto his shoulders with another laugh, and when he finally blinked the snow out of his eyes and opened them, he saw the most amazing sight in the world, a sight that he would never, for as long as he lived get tired of.

Ciri looked down at him as she pinned him to the ground in victory, and she laughed again with a huge smile on her face, she smirked as she laughed and met his eyes.

"Ahaha… well… looks like I win yet again," She teased as her laughing lightly died down and turned to a breathless smile, and Dominik knew she remembered that moment all those years ago then as well, as she leaned down closer to him with her hands still pressed onto his shoulders, she let out more breathless laughs, "Haha… I…I will now accept your gracious surrender."

He smiled breathlessly as he heavily breathed, small laughs left him as he met her eyes, and didn't dare take them off her for a moment. The joy, the pure joy and elation in her gaze, it was something he wanted to see every single day for the rest of his life. The orange sunset beams made her practically glow as she sat over him, and while he knew the moment would probably be overtaken sometime soon, in that moment then, she had never been more beautiful, as the angelic glow radiated over her. And despite everything, every single horrible thing he had been through while they were separated, in that moment he felt like the luckiest person in the entire world.

Slowly he felt the smile grow wider on his face as they both smile at one another, gently he moved his hands up and held them on her waist, when he didn't he saw her let out a breathless laugh again as she adjusted herself while still keeping his shoulders pinned back. After a moment he let out a long, relaxing sigh, and just like when he was younger, he goofily smiled and held his hands up in mock surrender.

"I humbly surrender to you, my lady…" He said slowly without the smile leaving, and right away he saw her face, again just like when they were young, get red as she gently leaned down closer to him.

She got inches from his lips, her emerald eyes not leaving his as she breathlessly laughed and slowly smiled, "Good…. Good…"

She leaned down, and gently kissed him, her lips touched his and right away he felt the electric spark run down his body as they melted into one another on that pile of snow. His hands right away slipped back down to her waist, and as she kissed him, he moved his lips with hers, he squeezed as tight as he could. She deepened the kiss with him, and he felt all the blood rush to his head, as the simple pleasure he felt from kissing her, having her there with him, even a second of that feeling was worth everything. He felt her one hand playing with his hair, as she continued to kiss him, and he let his hands explore up and down her back. The chilly wind blew, but with her on top of him, and feeling the warmth that her kiss sent through his body he barely felt it. Her one hand stayed in his hair while the other gently cupped his scarred cheek, he felt a wince come to him for only a split second before she deepened the kiss again, and all of the pain went away.

He breathlessly smiled, unable to contain himself, and soon he heard small laughs come from her as well between kisses, and slowly he moved his hands back down her body under her thighs. Gently he squeezed, and when the breathless moan escaped her lips, he felt all his breath leave him as she slowly moved her hips near his waist and crotch. He breathlessly moaned as well and she laughed, he did the same before wrapping his arms around her waist tighter and kissing her with new ferocity, she moaned gently as he did, before she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck while she slowly moved her hips. It felt as if his body was being pleasantly shocked by small bolts of lightning, and he loved every second of it. It hadn't been the first time this week she made him feel like that. Tingles ran through his body, down his stomach to his crotch all the way to his toes, and with every kiss, she planted on him, he could stop. She let out a breathless laugh as gently she moved her hips again and trailed her hand down his chest and holding onto both sides of her hips he pulled her closer.

If it was possible for him to be even more attracted to her, it happened when she breathlessly sighed and pulled back from him for a moment, meeting his eyes, and in them he could see how elated she was, he felt the goosebumps on her skin, and he breathed in for a second, before he saw the desire in her eyes, and felt it well up in him again, before she leaned in to kiss him again. Her lips met his, and he felt himself go into overdrive as he gently sat up. He held her close to him, and he felt the pleasurable tingles shoot all the way down his body, and when she kissed the side of his jaw, he felt his breath leave him again.

All week there had been moments like this, the moments where he wanted her, more than anything. He wanted to show her how much he loved her, give her everything, just like they had planned when they were younger, after waiting for so long, waiting for her, the one woman he ever loved, when they got into moments like this during the last week, he had wanted her, wanted to go all the way, finally show her how much she meant to him, expressed how much he loved her physically. However, he didn't dare ask her, he wanted her to be the one to decide when the moment was right when they wanted to share that first time like they always planned. He also knew, that there had been multitudes of people who had kidnapped her, that wanted to rape her, do horrible things to her, so he didn't want to bring up any painful memories by asking her if she wanted to have sex with him. No, he wouldn't do that to her, because even if she made him wait another eight years, it didn't matter to him, because in the end, all that mattered was her. The idea of making love with her, Ciri, the one person he ever loved, had always been something he wanted, to express his love for her physically, but simply having her there, being with her was all he needed.

However, when she gently pulled back from him, and she met his gaze while biting her lip, with that burning desire in her eyes, he felt his whole body tingle, and at no point in the entirety of the time they had been together did he want her more.

"I… I haven't seen you all day…" She said breathlessly, the smile not leaving her face as she kept her arms around his neck.

Laughing just as breathlessly he slowly nodded, "Sorry I… I was getting something ready."

"Ready for what?" She asked as her breath returned to her, but Dominik could still see her flustered red cheeks.

He laughed lightly with the smile growing on his face, "Ha… you… you'll see. I… um.. can I… um-."

"Yes, yes you can," She said with a small laugh as she gently held his face and leaned in again while she sat straddling his waist still.

Glad she caught to what he was trying to ask he felt his flustered cheeks get red again and went to lean in to kiss her again his hands not leaving her waist. However, as the wind howled between them, they both had seemed to forget where they were for a moment because Geralt's amused voice made both their heads stop in their tracks.

"Okay, okay let's calm down you two," He said, as both Dominik and Ciri turned their heads to see him walking towards them with a smirk before he rolled his eyes, "If you're gonna do that, at least get a room."

His eyes widened and he felt his face get warm again, he darted his head around to Ciri, and just like when they were younger, he saw the nervous and embarrassed red hue come to her face. He laughed nervously for a second before winking at her, and she scoffed out a small smile before slowly getting up. He regrettably felt her body leave his, as she stood up and held her hand down to him. Grabbing her hand she helped pull him to his feet, and he winced slightly as he felt his leg throb, as if all the pain he ignored the previous few minutes seemed to come at once. The pain quickly went away however, when he heard Ciri gently start to laugh again as Geralt came up to them both with his arms crossed and the smirk ever-present. The sun was still gently setting, their shadows loomed over the courtyard. He looked over towards the gates to the middle courtyard, where only a week and a half prior he had been almost dead. Taking a second he reveled in the fact he was actually alive, and when he slowly craned his head back to a laughing Ciri and smiling Geralt, despite the fact he had almost died, he felt like he was the luckiest man in the world.

Ciri laughed and smiled at him, before turning and smiling broadly at Geralt, "Haha you… you were right, I needed this… thank you."

Geralt smirked broadly, and as Ciri reached up and hugged him, he wrapped his arms and hugged her back, winking at Dominik as he did. After Ciri pulled back and came next to Dominik with a broad smile Geralt nodded and looked at them both.

"No problem, you know I'll always be here," Their adopted father said with a smile, before turning over and facing Dominik now, "Where were you all day? Freya told me you were alright, but I haven't seen you until now."

Ciri quickly turned to him as well, "Yeah, I saw you weren't in bed and I got worried for a bit. If not for Freya telling me you were okay I would've started a search party. What were you getting ready?"

Both of them looked at him, and right away he felt himself nervously laugh as his face got redder. He remembered everything he had planned and felt his entire body ready to simply lay down and enjoy it all. Everything was dusted, the blanket was out, he hoped that the few candles he brought hadn't burned the place down. It took him an hour to get all the dust from the bed, both their Gwent decks were there, and he had to assume that Freya got the basket onto Clop's saddle. He looked over to see Ciri's curious gaze, and felt his chest and stomach begin to flutter, and the childlike excitement continued to build up as he felt his face fluster. He rubbed the back of his head and nervously laughed.

"Ha I was… getting something ready for you, for the both of us," He said slowly as her eyes got wide, laughing lightly he smiled at her, "I'm sorry I snuck out of bed, but I've been busy getting everything ready, Freya was covering for me. I guess you can call it your birthday present."

Ciri's face blushed lightly, but she scoffed and shook her head, "Dom, you don't have to get me anything. You already gave me the crown before the battle, that's plenty."

He was going to respond, but Geralt scoffed out a laugh and looked at him.

"You mean to tell me you actually gave it to her," His adopted father said with an amused look, "The crown you made when me, you, Eskel, and Lambert were drunk off our asses?"

He heard Ciri scoff a laugh, but Dominik met Geralt's eyes and rolled his own, "Yes Geralt, I did. Why is that so surprising?"

Geralt shrugged, "Because I mean last I saw it, you were wearing one of Yennefer's dresses with it on your head, saying how you needed to dress like a woman to see if the crown would look good on Ciri or not."

"You're the one who suggested it!" Dominik quickly defended himself as Ciri was busy doubling over as she laughed.

Scoffing Geralt shook his head, "Your fault for listening to me."

"I was drunk off my ass!" He shouted back as he scoffed and shook his head, "If I remember correctly you were busy stretching out Yen's trousers!"

"AHAHA, you… you were in Yen's dress!?" Ciri asked as she continued to laugh while looking at him with her laughing watery eyes.

"Thanks a lot, Geralt…" Dominik groaned, as Geralt soon started laughing as well, and for a few more moments they both laughed at him.

Ciri was clutching her stomach, while Geralt laughed and smirked wildly at him. Dominik rolled his eyes but felt the fluttering in his stomach continue, as he couldn't help but smile at them both. He quickly looked towards the sun and realized that it would soon be down over the mountains. Smiling and knowing that they needed the light to get there, and hoping the food didn't start to go bad, he quickly scoffed and looked at them both as they managed to finally stop laughing.

Rolling his eyes he smiled back over at Ciri, "For your information my lady, I've missed eight of your birthdays, I don't think just a flower crown is enough. Come on, your nanny elf even said it was okay, I got you off for the night!"

She scoffed incredulously, "Avallac'h… told you it was okay? You, of all people? That's… a bit strange, why'd he agree to that?"

He felt that very question start pounding into his head again, hearing how the elf had even agreed to be more 'sympathetic' during his lessons training Ciri. However, he quickly pushed all thoughts of Avallac'h, of magic powers, of training and the Wild Hunt out of his mind. He was going to focus on Ciri and making sure she had an amazing time, making her smile as much as he possibly could, helping them both forget everything, just for one night.

"Don't know myself, but I didn't question it," He said with a shrug as he looked at her with a smirk, "But I guess if… you wanna skip a date with me for the six-hundred-year-old elf I understand… I'll just go by myself."

He put as much fake sadness into his tone as possible, but quickly Ciri saw right through it. She rolled her eyes with an amused smile before coming closer to him and reaching up to hug around his neck, she kissed his cheek as she pulled back and smiled at him.

"Okay, okay, no need to be so dramatic," She said with an amused eye roll, Dominik laughed and it made her do the same, she smirked over at him, "So… where exactly are you taking me?"

"Oho that's a surprise princess, but I already got Clop and a horse ready for you," He said, before he looked up at Geralt who was smirking wildly at them both, "Geralt do you mind if we go out now? I know it's near dark and-."

Geralt scoffed with the smirk ever present and shook his head, "Don't need my permission, you're both adults. Just be careful, woods are dangerous and… don't stay up too late."

"Geralt!" Ciri said with her face going red again, as their adopted father laughed and smiled at them both again.

"Haha, I'm just joking," Geralt said, as he gently smiled and looked between them both again, "All jokes aside though, go and enjoy yourselves… you both know that we're going to have to move out in a few days."

Biting his lip he looked over to Ciri, who similarly let out a deep sigh. He could see the worry quickly starting to build up inside her, he knew her lesson just before with Avallac'h couldn't have gone very well, and that she was thinking about how little progress she seemed to make in the previous few days. He slowly looked over to Geralt and nodded.

"We know… have… you heard from Yen or Triss?" He asked their adopted father, and Geralt quickly nodded.

"Yeah, they're at Dandelion's, still trying to track down Phillipa and the other members of the lodge," The older witcher said, before quickly shaking his head and smiling at them both, "But don't worry about that now, you two go have fun, I'll tell everyone where you went, and if our grumpy sage changes his mind I'll deal with him."

He looked over and saw a small smile come back to Ciri's face, the cute scar on her bottom lip upturned, and he felt better right away. Whirling back to Geralt he gave his adopted father a thankful smile before he sighed.

"Okay... thanks Geralt," He said, before turning back to Ciri who looked up at him with a small smile coming to her face. Walking over he gave her a mock bow, "Alright princess, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a date this evening?"

Ciri laughed lightly at his goofy tone and bow, while he heard Geralt groan.

"Ugh… you've been spending too much time around Dandelion," His adopted father said, only making Ciri laugh more and Dominik roll his eyes as the older witcher walked back to the keep.

"Ass…" Dominik said with an eye roll before he quickly felt his shoulders held and pulled back up.

He felt pleasant goosebumps run down his arms and he lightly laughed, turning he saw Ciri smiling wildly up at him. The sun still cast that beautiful glow over her face, and her emerald eyes sparkled with amusement as she gently leaned up and kissed his cheek. It was a small kiss, but he still felt his face get completely red as he laughed breathlessly feeling himself fluster as he always did. The wind gently howled as she laughed and met his eyes again.

"The honor would be all mine, my good man," She said mockingly before they both laughed, and with Ciri still gently holding onto his arm, the wind gently streamed through her ashen locks, she smiled broadly and met his gaze again, "Seriously though… Dominik, you didn't have to do anything else, we could've just ate dinner in your room and it would've been enough."

Scoffing he smirked at her and shook his head as he gently wrapped his hands around her waist, she looked up at him and rested her hands on his shoulders. He found himself unable to stop smiling, remembering how such a short time ago, the idea of holding Ciri like he was then, had only been something he could dream about. But she was real now, real and in his arms smiling up at him, and as long as he had that, there would never be another reason for him to feel like he had during those eight years alone.

He gently shook his head and smirked, "And risk Geralt, one of my friends or your nanny elf walking in? Not a chance, no, me and you are going to go have dinner, and for one night, just one night, it'll be you, and me, no training, no magic, nothing except us, how's that sound?"

She smiled at him, and gently nodded, "Ha… that… that sounds amazing, but seriously, Dominik where are we going?"

Carefully he cupped one of his bare hands around her face and smiled, "Where it all started, come on, you'll see."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri couldn't remember the last time she felt so at peace. She kicked her feet and snapped at the mare's reins as she laughed, feeling the wind blow into her face. The sun gently streamed its beautiful orange glow through the trees, they hit her face and warmed her. She smelled the pine, the same cedarwood as the perfume she wore, the pleasant sounds of woodland creatures rang in her ears, her hair was getting looser and looser, strands of it got into her eyes, and as she rode, all she could do was laugh and smile.

Especially as she heard Dominik yelling behind her.

"Clop! Come on buddy you're embarrassing me!" He yelled down at his horse, and Ciri laughed as she heard the stallion nickering beneath him all the way from where she was.

She laughed hysterically and turned to see him and his horse a good distance behind her and the grey mare she mounted. They had agreed to race out to wherever it was he was taking her, he gave her general directions, and with both of them having intimate knowledge still of the forest, the directions he gave her were easy to follow. He had told her they'd race to where the gauntlet ended, and that was an area they both knew all too well. She'd never forget that day, the day she fell and found Triss on the road, soon followed by twelve-year-old Dominik coming to try and stab the sorceress when he thought she was trying to take Ciri. She laughed at it now, but thinking about it at the moment, she realized it was when the whole journey truly began, and it felt like so long ago. They had both just been children, but still to Ciri, it felt like yesterday.

But as she looked back then, and saw his handsome face, his eyes narrowed in determination as he snapped at Clop's reins, she smirked, realizing that they really were grown now, and finally nearing the place where it all began.

"HA! Come on, I thought you told me you'd become a better rider," She yelled back with a smirk, "And don't you dare blame Clop! I could beat you on a lame sow you're that poor!"

Scoffing he yelled back as his brown hair blew back, "Oho, low blow princess! Come on Clop, I need you here buddy!"

He flicked the reins and Ciri saw the stallion run with renewed energy, he laughed and Ciri felt her chest fluttering as she urged the mare she was on forward. The trees whipped past her, and she probably should have focused on moving forward faster, but all she could do was smile as she looked back at him, he raised up on the saddle the same way she was, and before she knew it he was next to her, and through it all she found herself unable to stop laughing as he smirked over at her. It was as he told her before she left, in that moment there was nothing except the two of them, her, Dominik, their horses, and the rode in front of them, it had been exactly like they had planned for so, so long. Hearing him laugh, seeing his hair blow back, feeling that wind whip against her face, she took it as a preview of what would come if they succeeded, a preview of that life they could have, the life they already should have been living before it was unfairly ripped from them both. She had been through hell herself, while he didn't know every detail yet, Dominik had told her multiple times already, what she went through made his last eight years look like nothing at all.

However, she knew that this wasn't true. The multiple conversations she had with Geralt and his friends rang in her head, how they told her, it was as if he was a different person as opposed to how he had been. To Ciri, since she had been back with him, it was as if he was the same exact Dominik she had grown up with, Stubborn yes, but caring, loving, happy, witty, always trying to make her smile and laugh, it was one of the multiple things that had made her fall in love with him, how no matter what, he always pushed through things, pushed through it all to make himself and her smile. It was something she knew he inherited from Geralt, Dominik always did everything he could to stay strong, stay strong for her and the one's he loved. She knew he was still hurting, his leg was still bothering him, but he had been downplaying it as to not give her something else to worry about.

He was looking out for her, just like he always did, and always would. And it was the same for her, she knew however, that soon that conversation would come. She would have to tell him, tell him everything, that while he was out on the Path, saving people, helping them, making the continent safer, looking for her, that for a while, she had turned to a life of crime, robbing people, killing people, all while sleeping with someone else. For a moment as the thoughts crossed her mind, she felt her chest begin to drop as the mare below her slowed, the sun hit her face, and she bit her lip, thinking about it all. However, his laugh hit her ears, and when he yelled to her, her head shot back up and she scoffed when he was ahead of her.

"HA, you're falling behind princess! Not gonna let you win this time," He yelled, and seeing the smile on his scarred face as he looked back at her, it made her scoff, and she yelled back.

"Don't get too cocky now! Still a ways to go," She shouted to him, feeling the smile come back to her, as the wind nearly knocked her bun loose.

She pushed all the thoughts to the back of her mind, as she didn't dare take away from this moment they had. He had insisted that for the rest of the night, they don't think at all about their situation, no Hunt, no powers or magic, nothing except the two of them. She had no idea why he was bringing her into the forest; however, she didn't question it. For the almost week and a half they had been shacked up in Kaer Morhen, all of their attempts to be together for an extended period of time had been interrupted. They really had tried to take a bath together the previous night, the two of them had made plans for it, but her lesson had run late, and by the time he had finished in the training yard he was unable to walk straight let alone get into a tub, so they both had fallen quickly to sleep after talking for only a few minutes. Ciri also would admit, while she had grown to love all of his friends, they had interrupted the two of them on numerous occasions.

Geralt had done the same, although normally their father would plug his ears and eyes before quickly exiting with a groan after walking in on the two of them kissing one another. The hilarity of the situation and the embarrassment of their adopted father walking in on them, was enough to remove all romantic and sexual tension from the room the multiple times it had happened. So in total, the longest amount of time they had gotten to spend together not asleep hadn't been very long, which was why even if they only got to spend an hour together in the forest before the sun went down, she was eager for it. She had no idea how, or why Avallac'h had agreed to end their lesson for that day, however as Dominik had said, she didn't care either. She knew that they both needed this, one night where it was just the two of them.

The wind continued to howl as the sun still set, her mare trudged through small piles of snow as his laughs ahead of her rang, and she felt her own face heat up as she thought about the prospect of finally having a few hours alone with him, as a mental battle started to rage on in her head. Should she tell him? Should she explain everything that had happened with the Rats and Mistle, the other things she had done, and possibly put a damper on the night they had planned together? Or should she wait, and just enjoy it with him? She didn't know the answer, but one thing was still ringing true in her mind, and the thought sent tingles down her chest through her core.

She loved him and wanted to show him how much. Especially after how they had kissed back in the courtyard, after hearing him excitedly talk about what he had planned, seeing how his eyes lit up, feeling how passionately he kissed her, feeling his hands have explored down her back and her legs, after so long, she was ready, she was ready to finally express how much she loved him physically. She knew he was as well; she had seen the desire in his eyes, he wanted her just like she had wanted him, but she knew better. She knew he would never ask her, never bring it up to her, because he wanted her to be the one to choose when, where, and she also knew no matter how much he had wanted to do it, he would still never ask, he had that much respect for her, knew what she had been through.

It wasn't the idea of having sex with him that made her nervous, she knew she had wanted too, and eventually would since they were younger, it was still the fact she had broken a promise to him. A promise that their first times would be perfect, and they'd be with each other. She had broken that promise, and despite the fact she wanted to, she wanted to make love to him and express physically how she loved him, she knew that she couldn't, not until she told him the truth, the truth that it wouldn't be her first time, she would never be able to go through with it unless she told him, no matter what her body was telling her.

"CIRI PULL UP!" She heard him yell, and her head darted up just in time to see him stopped at the side of a cliff.

Her eyes widened and she yanked up on the reins of the mare, and the animal neighed as it pulled up to a stop. She let out a quick breath of relief as she felt the wind nip at her nose. Looking up she saw him smirking over at her, the scar and his cheeks were red from the nipping wind and he scoffed at her.

"Ha looks like I win princess, after all that talk," He smirked at her with a laugh, and as soon as she saw that smile, Ciri felt her heart melt again.

She laughed lightly and rolled her eyes, "Fine, you can have this one. I still have gwent and sparring to whoop you at anyway."

Scoffing he slowly climbed down off Clop's back and walked over to her own mare, "We'll see about both of those things later… looks like we've finally arrived."

He reached up and held a handout for her, she took it and he helped her down from her mare. She could have gotten down herself without any issue, but she found the gesture sweet, and gently took his hand as he lowered her to the ground. Her boots hit the small bits of snow beneath her, and as the wind chilled her exposed neck and shoulders she shivered for a moment before looking up at him with an amused smile.

"You know, as sweet as I think this is," She said as she gestured around her with the wind howling and blowing their hair, "I think we would've been a bit warmer with a fire in your room. Where are we? You said, 'where it all started', taking me to where we met Triss?"

The smile, the warm, loving smile that grew on his face made her heart thump, and when he gently laughed she found herself blushing. He laughed and met her eyes, his gorgeous emerald eyes met hers, and slowly he shook his head as the sunset casted a beautiful glow over him. He always told her how beautiful she was, and while she always thought he was handsome, from the moment she met him when they were young, in that particular moment as he gently smiled down at her, she couldn't take her eyes off him. After only having him in her dreams for so long, and that being his young, fourteen-year-old self, seeing the man he grew into now sent tingles down her stomach. His sharp, strong jaw and angular face, those almond shaped, beautiful green eyes, the smaller nose, higher cheekbones, even with the scar now jaggedly running down his right cheek, Ciri had never found someone so handsome. She internally laughed when she saw he was finally starting to grow the wisps of a beard again; however it was patchy as always, and she remembered how she always made fun of him for it.

It was the man who had fought Eredin to protect her, looked for her for eight years with no way of knowing if she was alive or dead, the first person to make her truly, truly feel like more than just a princess, or more than just her powers and blood. Her best friend, her first kiss, her first love, her partner, one of her destinies. He'd always be there, and she wouldn't want it any other way. They were going to finally take control of their lives and forge their own paths together. She took a second to admire it, and felt his passion, love, and touch wash over her as he gently wrapped an arm around her waist, and walked with her towards the small cliff, to where she saw a jumble of leaves and vines blocking the way. She didn't think anything of it, until he laughed again and gently smiled at her.

"No… not there. It's… a bit cheesy I know but, I figured, we're about to start a new journey soon," He said as Ciri saw his face get slightly red as that goofy smile she loved came to him, as he gently reached his hand forward, "So… I thought we'd spend some time where our first one started. You know, where I stumbled out that I loved you for the first time."

She felt her skin grow warm, and her heart fluttered as she mentally smacked herself for not realizing, but she breathlessly smiled and felt her face get red as he gently pushed the leaves out of the way to show her the entrance to a cave. The cave that Ciri herself had found so many years ago, and she remembered eagerly showing him, that night she first heard him say she loved her, and her young heart nearly burst.

It was their cave, the one they had spent so much time sneaking off too, where they had first told each other they loved the other, gave each other the swallow and the ring. And as he said, where Ciri knew their first journey began. She felt the smile already on her face grow as she scoffed, feeling her skin tingling she smiled and looked up at him as her heart fluttered, she saw him still nervously and goofily smiling at her. She felt her heart race even faster, as the same childlike excitement she had when she first ever found the cave came back to her, and she eagerly met his eyes.

"Dominik…this… this is so sweet," She said with another scoff and shake of her head, as the excitement continued to bubble inside her, as she suddenly shook her head, feeling slightly guilty, "You know if you had told me, I would've helped you! I would've got us food, blankets, wine, brought more, I… I would've gotten you something!"

He laughed lightly and smiled eagerly, before detaching himself from her waist and walking to Clop's saddle. She saw him flip over a blanket that had been draped over the horses back end, and soon he eagerly came back over to her with a basket in his hands. He came to stand in front of her, and she felt herself unable to do anything except smile and look at him as he smirked at her and held it up.

"And ruin the surprise? Not a chance haha," He laughed as he opened the top of the basket, and the smell of food and win quickly hit her nose. He went on with a smile as she looked down, "Dumplings, lemon cakes, apples, and Cintran red wine, I got us all covered princess, no need to worry."

She laughed and looked up at him, before smirking and gesturing towards the basket, "Thank you… this is so sweet, you made all this for us yourself?"

His eyes widened for a moment and he laughed nervously, "Aha… yeah of course, like I told you, I've gotten a bit better at cooking and stuff…"

"Mhm… and Freya didn't help you… at all? So, the lemon cakes I saw her making in the kitchen as I walked by her earlier, were for everyone else right?" She said innocently, and it took all her energy not to burst out laughing as he nervously and cutely bit his lip.

"Um… yeah, I… uh… guess somebody else wanted them too," He said nervously, as Ciri finally couldn't control herself and she laughed, which only made his face redder.

She had known, known he couldn't have made it all, but the gesture still was incredibly sweet. Quickly she reached up and pecked his cheek, which only served to make his face get redder, as he goofily smiled and laughed. The sun streamed through the pines, and Ciri felt the yearning to finally sit down by the fire without her corset across from him, relaxing, mulled wine and food, the two of them, it was something that had been nothing but a dream for her for so long, and she knew for him as well. And now, he was making that dream come true for her. After she finished laughing, he sighed and managed to chuckle and smile down at her as she looked up at him.

"Ha… fine, Freya made them, I tried to help but in her words she said 'if I cooked for you, it'd be more dangerous than the Wild Hunt'," He said, and Ciri felt herself burst out laughing again.

She couldn't remember the last day that she had laughed that much, it had to have been years, and as she looked up at him cutely rolling his eyes, her heart continued to erupt. With every second that passed, she wanted him more, wanted to lay with him, explain how much she loved him, and show him just how much. In the previous week with him, Geralt, his friends, even despite the situation they faced, she found herself laughing and smiling more than she ever had. Whether it was learning new combos and laughing with George or Faram, laughing and making sure the castle full of witchers didn't go hungry with Freya, or simply being back with her father and him again, it had been enough to make the week both one of the most challenging, yet one of the greatest in some time. And along with Geralt, Dominik had been at the center, the previous few nights when she finally decided to start sleeping in bed with him, she couldn't remember sleeping any better, waking up next to him, hearing him lightly snore and feeling his arm still wrapped around her, it was a feeling she couldn't describe, couldn't describe how amazing it made her feel.

So, even with her knowing she had to tell him things, had to explain everything, as she looked at him, heard his laugh and felt his loving gaze, she wanted to express how much she loved him, and with every second that passed, she felt her body continue to buzz, from her head all the way down to her boots, everything pleasurably tingled, so when he held out a hand and gave her a mock bow again, she wasn't afraid to admit how red she got, and how she felt her body erupt.

"So princess, shall we go? Spent the last few hours getting everything ready for us my lady," He said in a slightly joking tone, and she found herself breathlessly laughing again her heart constantly fluttering.

When they were younger, she remembered it had been a running joke, how he would always bow for her like he had been taught to do before royalty. It was a joke that she found annoying, yet incredibly endearing at the same time, the same way she felt about him calling her princess. If anyone else had done it, she would've rolled her eyes, or told them they didn't need to bow. However, when Dominik called her princess, called her 'my lady', and bowed at him like he did, she felt her face heating up, even more, knowing he meant it as a sweet gesture. So then, as she felt the wind blow her loose strands of hair she smiled, and gently nodded, mockingly bowing back.

"Of course, such a gentleman," She said as she reached out and grabbed his hand before he laughed, one hand gripped hers and the other held the basket as he smiled up at her.

"Good, come on like I said I… cleaned up a bit," He said as he gently moved the thicket of leaves covering the entrance, "Also… if you were looking for your Gwent deck, I may have taken it."

She scoffed out a laugh as she felt a cool breeze from inside the cave hit her shoulders, "You mean the monster deck I keep telling you to start using, but still refuse too?"

"Hey, I am great with the Northern Realms alright," He quickly defended as they continued to walk hand and hand down the slightly narrow corridor.

Rolling her eyes she looked up and could just barely see his illuminated face, "Dominik, I love you, but you need to face the reality that it doesn't matter what deck you use, you just suck at Gwent."

He rolled his eyes at her, and despite it getting darker Ciri felt herself laugh. She laughed and heard the water dripping from above them, as the corridor of the cave they walked through narrowed before it spilled out into what she knew was the large area they had spent so much time in. She would never have any idea how whatever witcher set the cave up, got everything there, including a bed and a training dummy, but Ciri wasn't complaining. She could remember the exact moment she first brought him there in vivid detail. He had told her they needed to go back to the keep before Geralt and Triss pitched a fit, but all she had to do was give her those pleading eyes she always did, and he agreed. She reassured him everything would be okay when they left for Ellander, for her to go stay at the temple, before they huddled together.

And when he blurted out that he loved her, she would never forget how her heart stopped, and she asked if he really meant it. He got that adorable flustered look on his younger face, and she couldn't help but kiss him, and finally, she had the courage to say it, say what she had known deep down she felt for so long. It had all started there, and when they finally got closer to the end, where she knew everything was set up, she looked up and saw his dimly illuminated face. She felt a light laugh leave her as she smiled, thinking that the man next to her, was really that goofy young boy she had loved all those years ago, and she was that nervous girl. Everything had started in that cave, the ring around her neck gently hummed, and she looked to see the swallow bounced behind his medallion.

She could remember in Lofeton, how worried she had been when she thought she lost it. That ring, and the swallow, they were symbols of the promise they made that night, the promise to always get back to one another, she had given it to help him remember her, remind him she loved him and was also trying to get back, while he gave her the ring for the same reason. It turns out, that they both had done their job, as she remembered all the night she had spent looking up at the small bronze ring in the moonlight, remembering that very night. And now they were back, finally, finally back, and Ciri felt herself let out a breathless sigh as she laughed, almost forgetting what it was like to be this happy.

When she saw Geralt and Yennefer again at Stygga Castle, when she saw Dominik looking back at her on the Isle of Mists, the moments they had all spent together laughing and joking with each other and their friends in the past week. They all had been great moments, and she would always remember that she had been happy. However, in that moment, as Dominik and her finally emerged to the end and she saw the candles casting the light glow over the cave, she felt herself scoff and smile more then she could ever remember, as she didn't think she'd feel as amazing as she did then for a long time.

"And… here we are," He said next to her as he took a few steps ahead of her, he placed the basket down on a blanket that was set out on the stone floor before turning back to her, "Dusted off the bed, and well… everything else, set this out for us here, brought some practice swords in case you wanna swing one for a while, so… what do you think?"

She took a few shaky, amazed steps and looked around. Above them the stalagmites were high, and she took a moment to realize how far down the cave must have gone. However, it didn't look like it as she looked at what was there. In the large circular room, the old bed was sure enough still there, it was even larger than their bed in Kaer Morhen, and indeed he had dusted the pillows, the blankets, they seemed as if they could have been freshly laundered. She laughed a little when she gingerly ran her hand over the old practice dummy with a bucket on its head, and sure enough on an old sword rack were two practice swords, along with a few old chipped ones. She heard small crackles and looked around again, seeing the multiple old shelves, tables, containers all had smaller candles on them that were lit and gently flickering, casting a beautiful light out over everything.

And finally in the center of the room, as she felt her whole-body tremble and tingle while she smiled, she saw Dominik smile broadly at her, before turning down at a large firepit built with stones that looked exactly as she remembered. He let out a slow breath and closed his eyes, and she saw the Igni sign flare to life in his hand, before the flames shot down, and within seconds a large fire roared. It crackled and Ciri laughed as the flames shot up high, they were so bright they illuminated the entire cavern, casting a handsome glow over his face as she continued smiling at her. She laughed lightly, feeling amazed as she slowly looked to him gesturing to the ground next to her.

On the ground near that fire, in the exact same place they sat so long ago when they first discovered the cave, a red blanket was set out. A large red blanket, where she saw two plates and mugs along with sure enough, both their Gwent decks as well. The small breeze that came from the entrance was quickly replaced, by the warmth that washed over her as she slowly walked towards him, unable to stop smiling down at the basket he placed on the blanket, the fire, and back up at him. Her entire body felt warm, her heart nearly thumped out of her chest, her stomach warmly fluttered, and through her core, through her legs all the way down to her boots she felt the warmth wash over her. The warmth mostly came from the broad smile he gave her. She got to him and looked around with another breathless laugh at everything he had set up, and when she slowly turned back to him, when she saw his handsome face smiling down at her, looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world as he always did, Ciri nearly lost it then and there. She felt a tingling run down her chest, through her stomach, down between her legs, through every single part of her body.

The fire crackled and she gently held her hands up on his shoulders and looked at him, "Dominik I…I don't know what to say…"

He laughed lightly and she felt her legs nearly buckle when his hands gently slid from her shoulders down to her hips and he gently pulled her to him. Feeling his soft, strong hands resting on her hips, she breathlessly sighed and laughed again, feeling from her waist down trembling as she wrapped her arms up around his neck. When he spoke, his low, deep, but amused voice washed over her and sent goosebumps up her arms as she looked at him.

"Ha… you don't have to say anything," He said as he slowly shook his head and smiled at her, he sighed lightly and his loving gaze bore into her, "You've been working your ass off, Ciri you deserve this. I… know it isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things but-."

She cut him off by quickly leaning up and kissing him. He kissed her back, and when she pulled back she saw the goofy smile come back to him as the fire illuminated his handsome face. Scoffing she gently shook his head, smiling up at him as she gently held his scarred right cheek.

"It… it's amazing, I love it, all of it," She said looking down at the fire, feeling her heart grow even warmer she looked back up at him and squeezed him in a hug again, "Thank you… thank you so much for this… I love you."

He nervously laughed again, and Ciri pulled back and smiled at his flustered face. She chuckled, before he gently smiled down at her and nodded.

"I love you too… you're welcome," He said lightly as his hands went to squeeze around her waist again and he laughed down at her, "So princess… how's about a mug of wine, and a few rounds of Gwent? I can finally show you how good I've gotten."

Ciri laughed and gently reached down to hold her hands over both of his, gently she pressed them harder against her hips and smirked up at him, feeling her insides heat up, she slowly nodded, before leaning up and kissing him. She smashed her lips to his, and tried in that moment to transfer every bit of passion and love she could to him. For a few seconds he melted into her, she deepened the kiss as much as she could, bringing her hands to hold his face, she moved her lips in perfect motion with his, and felt herself shudder as his hands gently ran up and down her waist and back, near her ass and finally under her thighs. She laughed and leapt up into his arms for a moment, which angled her above him as she tightly wrapped her arms around him to kiss him deeper. She could practically hear how fast his heart was beating, and she breathlessly moaned and laughed as she felt her thighs begin to quiver with his hands squeezing them.

Finally, after she felt herself needing to breathe and feeling her heart ready to burst, she gently pulled back from him. Her lips still tingled as she looked down at him, before he gently let her boots hit the ground. After she did, she felt as if her body was on fire, and she loved it. She looked up at him, still gazing down at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and Ciri scoffed, biting her lip and feeling her body tingle from her breasts to her core, she gently nodded at him.

"That sounds wonderful… let's get comfortable, like you said… tonight it's just me and you, finally…" She said, as seeing the smirk and redness come to his face only spurred her body on more, as she leaned up to peck his cheek.

And as he chuckled and nodded, it only confirmed what Ciri already knew. She loved him and wanted to find a way to show him just how much, like he did every day. Reaching down she unbuckled her corset, as she saw him smile at her, before leaning down to open the basket and bring out all of their food and wine. She couldn't stop looking at him, feeling her heart nearly burst, she chuckled lightly when he pulled the bottle of wine out with one hand, before grabbing both the mugs. She felt the warmth hit her bare torso, with her top only going a few inches down below her breasts, the fire crackled and set even more warmth through her. Gently she let out a relaxed sigh as she tossed her corset to the side, and pulled off both her gloves, before reaching up to her hair.

Just as he came back over to her with the mugs in her hands, she reached up and undid her bun. Her ashen locks fell over her shoulders and she felt a sense of freedom as she sighed in relief, running her hands through it to get the knots out, she finally managed to look up and see him staring at her still, his mouth was agape, and Ciri could feel the love coming from his eyes as he held the bottle of wine in one hand and mugs in the other. She couldn't help but laugh and take a step closer to him as she looked up at him with a smirk.

"Ha… like what you see?" She asked innocently as she didn't stop smirking at him.

He chuckled and slowly nodded, an amazed look still on his face, "Ha… yeah… yeah I do. Gods Ciri, you… you're so… so beautiful."

She felt herself blush at how genuine his amazement was but managed to chuckle at him as she gently took one of the mugs from him. He let out another breathless laugh and shook his head as she gently leaned her free hand on his hard chest.

"Ha… you suck up…. Thank you…" She said, before gently leaning up and kissing his cheek, before she pulled back and smirked, gesturing to the bottle in his hand, "So? Are you just going to stare at me… or are you going to pour us wine?"

Quickly he laughed again, and reached over to the bottle, after some initial difficulty, he pulled upwards on the stopper and after a loud ***POP***, Ciri felt the smell of fresh red wine hit her nose, and she pleasantly sighed as the large fire crackled to warm her bones. Dominik smirked at her with the fire illuminating them both, he smiled down at her and held the open bottle up.

"May I?" He asked her innocently, and Ciri couldn't help but scoff a laugh.

"Ha, you better, I haven't had Cintran in years," She said, as he laughed again and reached out, pouring the wine into her mug, as it finally filled she met his eyes and he scoffed a laugh.

"You know, I just realized something," He said with a smirk, as he poured wine into his own as well.

Ciri laughed lightly, and smirked back as the fire continued to crackle and warm her, "Ha… what's that?"

He bit his lip with another laugh as he gently placed the bottle back down on the blanket, before turning back to her, only a few inches from her as he held up his mug.

"Well princess, this is the first time we've ever drank together," He said, as she let out a laugh and banged her mug against his.

Remembering something Geralt had said earlier she scoffed as she watched him take a long drink.

"Ha, you're right it is…" She said as the smirk grew wider on her face, "It's a good thing we aren't at Kaer Morhen, can't go trying on any dresses now."

He nearly choked on the drink he had taken and Ciri doubled over laughing, as she saw him roll his eyes at her. He rolled his eyes at her yes, but as Ciri laughed she saw that smile turn into a smirk, and then back into that loving smile, as if her laugh was worth being teased about wearing their adopted mother's clothes. She finished laughing and met his eyes as she smiled broadly.

"Low blow princess… guess I'll just have to get you back at a game of gwent," He said as he smirked and gestured down towards the blanket, "Plus, it'd be a shame to let all this great food Freya made go to waste."

Ciri felt her heart grow warm again as she listened to the fire pleasantly crackle and warm her bones, the fire and his smile, both made her feel warmer, more at peace than she ever felt. Gently she removed loose strands of her hair from her face and smiled at him.

"Sounds like a plan, although are you sure you want me to completely embarrass you at gwent again like when we were younger?" She asked as they both gently sat down on the blanket. She took a sip of the wine as she saw Dominik scoff and place his down, before picking up his deck.

"Ha, I already won our race, I'm feeling lucky," He said as he stretched out his legs and smirked over at her, "Besides, it's like I said, I've gotten a lot better I swear."

Stretching out her legs like he did, she quickly admired his handsome face in the firelight again, before she gently placed her mug down on the stones, and picked up the deck of monster cards. As she looked over at him then, if she blinked she could see his younger self, that goofy flustered thirteen-year-old boy who stuttered out he loved her in that exact same spot, before promising to always come and find her, to always love and be there for her, while she promised to do the same.

Now, years later, he was still goofy and flustered as he stared over at her with a broad loving smile, but now he was a man, a handsome, strong, loving man. And she wasn't that same little girl anymore, but one thing hadn't changed, and that was they were still keeping that promise they made all those years ago, and they loved each other still. They both had great intertwined destinies, and within the next few weeks those destinies would come to pass.

But for that night, all Ciri cared about was him.

"Alright, I guess I should knock you off that pedestal you're on," She said with a smirk as she grabbed and started shuffling her deck of cards, before looking up and meeting his eyes, "Let's see how much better you've gotten handsome."

He laughed and started picking up the first few cards from his shuffled deck, "Oho, you're gonna see princess. I'm not gonna let you win anymore. Besides, compared to how I was back then, I've gotten a LOT better."

"Alright… whatever you say," She said with a playful smile as she drew her own cards.

And as the fire crackled next to them, and warmed them both, Ciri didn't want to be anywhere else in the world.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik in fact had lied to her for what Ciri assumed was the first time in his life, because he had indeed like she guessed, not gotten any better at gwent, and she realized that was true after the fifth match in a row she completely trumped him.

"You have GOT to be kidding…." He muttered as he tossed his hand of cards in front of him, and Ciri found herself bursting out laughing.

She laughed as the fire crackled, feeling the huge smile come to her face as she met his eyes, "Ahaha, Dominik like I said, I love you, I really do… but you need to stick to your other hobbies."

He scoffed and playfully rolled his eyes, "That's because the monster deck is overpowered, I would totally beat you on an even playing field."

"Mhmm… you keep telling yourself that," She said as she whirled the wine in her mug and smirked at him, "But for right now… I think I win again, that is… five times in a row now?"

He rolled his eyes again by smiling at her, "Yes, five times… fine, fine, you win this round princess, I'll get you next time though."

She laughed and leaned over the cards, her face inches from his as she smiled at him, "You keep telling yourself that… thank you, for all of this."

She leaned and quickly kissed him, and when she leaned back she took in his loving, goofy smile. He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, and Ciri lightly chuckled at his nervous flustered face, she drank the rest of her wine, and leaned back onto the blanket as he gently looked at her. He smiled broadly and laughed again, before nodding.

"You're welcome… it's like I said, you deserve it," He said lightly, before he smiled again, and reached down to grab the plates in front of them, he put them back into the basket and looked over to meet her eyes again, "You relax for a minute, I'm gonna clean all this up and move it out of our way."

Scoffing she smirked and playfully rolled her eyes, "You? Cleaning up after dinner? Gods, Yen would be ecstatic if she could see you now!"

"Very funny princess," He said with a small roll of his eyes himself, before he picked up everything except the bottle of wine and got up with the basket and plates in his hands.

She laughed lightly as the fire continued to roar and warm her bones. She let her eyes follow him to a table with multiple old chests and a mirror at one end of the cave and took in every inch of him that she could. She felt the warmth seep into her bones, after a minute she tore her eyes away from him, and poured herself half another cup of wine, it was only her third, and she was going to make it her last, she didn't want to be drunk and not thinking straight when she was talking to him. She gently stretched out on the blanket, running a hand over her scarred, flat toned stomach, before running it through her hair to try and get the knots out as she saw him turn back around to her. His gaze warmed her more than the fire. The candles and firelight only served to make his face even more handsome.

The games of Gwent and downing the dumplings and other food Freya made had taken them an hour or two, and Ciri had loved every single minute of it. She had listened with bated breath at more contract stories he had, everything from Zeugal's, to wyvern's, to fiends, higher and lesser vampires she soaked in every single detail of each contract. It made her slightly envy him, but she knew that he was only picking out parts to tell her. There were plenty of horrible things he'd seen, she could see it in his eyes, but he didn't dare bring any of it up then and there. She didn't want to put a damper on the moment they were having, and it worked, because she didn't think she'd seen him stop smiling once. He only had on the white top still, with his trousers loosely tied around his waist, as she watched him walk back towards her, her eyes gently trailed down, from his handsome scarred face, to his chest, his torso, all the way down his body as he let out a relaxed sigh and plop down onto the blanket next to her.

She felt her face get hot, her body start to tingle again as he turned and smiled at her.

"So princess, how was our first date back and dinner together? Everything satisfactory?" He said with a smirk, as right away Ciri laughed and scooted closer to him.

Slowly she cuddled up next to him, and felt his strong arm right away wrap around her shoulder, smiling she looked up and smirked, "The first date dinner that Freya made us? It was spectacular!"

He rolled his eyes and she laughed, before quickly reaching up and kissing his cheek with a smile. She chuckled again at how quickly he got flustered, smiling broadly she cuddled up into him and slowly nodded.

"I'm just kidding don't worry…" She said softly, looking up and gently meeting his eyes, "Everything has been perfect… thank you again for this… for everything you've done."

Lightly he scoffed and kissed the top of her head as she pulled her closer, "You kidding? You deserve even more then this, and after this is all over, I'll make sure you get it."

"Dominik… all I need is you, Geralt, and everyone else," She said with a small shake of her head as she slowly looked back down into the fire, "You… and our family… that's all I'll ever need."

She nearly jumped when she felt his hands go under her thighs, she breathlessly sighed and her legs quivered for a moment as he pulled her into his lap, but once her legs went across his and she felt herself sitting, she warmed up even more, and slowly looked up at him while making sure not to spill the mug of wine she held. His one arm wrapped around her waist, and she felt her chest begin to flutter and heat up even more as he smiled at her, and gently stroked the side of her face, at his touch, feeling his finger gently run over her cheek, the pleasurable tingle shot from her cheek all the way down her chest and stomach. Breathlessly she shuddered and met his gaze as he slowly nodded.

"And you will, you always will, where you go, I go, remember?" He said lightly, and at his words she laughed and nodded, before she held the wine in her lap and gently laid her head onto his shoulder, and they both looked out into the fire.

For a few minutes, neither of them said anything, and Ciri knew they didn't need too. She knew he was doing the exact same thing she was, trying to sit and soak in every bit of that night that they could. They didn't need to talk, they only needed to sit there, and watch the fire roar and crackle in front of them. Her eyes drifted up to see his lips contorted into a smile as he looked at the roaring flames. He looked so at peace, so perfectly content, and Ciri remembered how just a week or so prior, he was in bed, almost dead under her, but he had fought back, fought through it and recovered. She felt his hand gently rub the bottom of her exposed back before resting on her waist, she sighed relaxingly and shuddered again.

She had taken off her corset and let her hair down right away, but now she had kicked off her boots, her top dripped down over one of her shoulders so her bra strap was showing, and she felt the ring gently resting just above her breasts. Her bare hands both rested on the mug of wine in her lap, and she felt him gently start twirling strands of her loose ashen locks in his one hand as the other rested over her legs. She felt his hand gently run up and down them as he smiled and leaned his head down against hers. She felt her heart thump loudly, and near her waist, her legs, and between them start to gently quiver as she felt his hot breath on her neck as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head again.

Biting her lip she looked up at him, and saw how happy he was, seeing it only made her shakily sigh and smile even wider, before he finally looked down to meet her eyes, his one hand still playing with her hair as the other rested on her thigh. She met his smile as he breathlessly laughed, Ciri did the same as she looked at him inquisitively.

"Ha… and what are you laughing at?" She asked him, as the flames cast an orange glow over his face, but his emerald eyes still sparkled down at her.

Gently he shook his head, "I'm just taking it all in… you… you're here Ciri… you're actually here, here with me."

She felt herself blush again as she gently nodded and leaned to kiss the side of his jaw, "I am… and just like you said, I'm not going anywhere. It'll be me and you versus everyone… I… I'm sorry I was gone for so long again."

His hand trailed up her leg and she breathlessly shuddered again, before she felt his bare hand rest on hers. She blinked a few times to try and stop the redness from coming to her face, but when she looked up to meet his loving gaze, all of the redness came back, and when he spoke, his voice washed over her like a warm blanket, and she felt it all the way down to her core. He slowly shook his head as their eyes didn't leave each other, and gently he smiled.

"Don't you apologize… you have nothing to apologize for," He said, as he brought his hand up to gently hold her face again, as he shook his head, "Ciri, we're here together now, that's all that matters. All the stuff we had to do in the past, none of that matters anymore… all I care about, is that I have you now, and I'm sorry to tell you this again, but you're stuck with me."

She laughed lightly at first, and felt his arm slowly move back down to her legs, it had been a joke, and Ciri felt her heart flutter again. However, she made the mistake of looking at his forearm, and that was when she saw it yet again. The tattoo that he got in Novigrad. The moment she saw it, Ciri had felt both extremely loved and extremely ashamed. She felt herself staring at it in that moment, feeling her stomach begin to slowly churn, her own inner thigh trembled, right where the rose was it almost felt as if someone was slowly pricking it. She saw the swallow that was drawn, a symbol for her, and then above it, written in the elegant black were the names, the names of their family, Geralt, Yennefer and Triss, and her name of course was there as well.

Hers was first, her name had been the first thing he had got. Her, on the other hand, her tattoo was the matching one to the person who had taken her first time from her, had raped her, and convinced her to do all of the horrible things, to rob people, threaten, steal and kill them. She felt herself shudder again, but not with the pleasant tingling that it had been, now it was a cold sweat, she felt the warmth from the fire slowly leave her as she looked back up to him.

He was still smiling broadly at her, and she didn't dare take that moment away from him, so she forced a smile, and slowly nodded, her gaze then drifted to the scar on his right cheek, and then she heard the loud ***THUD* **echo in her ears, the loud ***THUD* **of his body hitting the ground as Eredin nearly killed him. She felt her socks get cold as she could practically feel the ice trapping her to the ground, making her unable to move, forcing her to sit there and do nothing while he fought for her.

He had done everything for her, he had proven his love for her, proven to her plenty of times the lengths he was willing to go. She thought about how he had denied himself a loving relationship with Freya, turned down, and kept his promise of never being with anyone else, never stopped looking for her, and even after he did get to her, just like when they were younger, he did everything he could to always make sure she was smiling, had taken care of her when she was tired, planned the date they were on for her. The very first thing he had asked when he woke up after fighting Eredin, was if she was okay from her own wounds or not. He had been out helping people on the Path, doing everything he could to get to her, despite not having any idea if she was alive or not.

And what had she done? She had broken that faith to him, laid with someone else, gave her first willing time to someone else, and turned to a life of robbing and killing people. Shuddering she remembered the little girl again, she couldn't have been anymore then eleven or twelve, but Ciri had threatened to rape her, robbed her of the broach she had, and didn't even blink an eye, before going and having sex with Mistle later that night. And then, when she finally had come back, gotten back after so many years, she let the Lodge summon her to Rivia, she had fled, when she could have gone and found him first. After that, she had come to save Geralt, save him from the Hunt, she had been right at Kaer Morhen, back on the continent, it would have been so easy for her to go find him, but she hadn't.

Finally, even after they had finally been reunited after so long, she broke another promise, a promise to protect him, and now he would have a scar the rest of his life because of it, and he was still recovering and learning to walk fully again. That promise they made, was to protect each other, not just for him to protect her, she was supposed to protect him, to go to him, to find him, to love him and be with him, that had been the promise they made in that very cave, in the exact same spot they sat in that fire in now.

_'A pearl in pig shit… a diamond on the finger of a rotting corpse…. O repulsive human creature, of which nothing remains of an elven woman.' _The words rang in her ears, the words that had been haunting her since she heard them, for months that was what she heard, all while she was forced to go try and sleep with the old decrepit King. She had felt loved, by Geralt, by Yennefer, by her friends, and by Dominik of course, the words couldn't be true, but in that moment as she shakily shook her head at him, it was exactly what she felt like. She sighed out and felt herself stutter, and right away he narrowed his eyes in concern. She brought her left hand up from the mug of wine and held it on his chest as she shook her head.

"I… I thought you were gone… I…. I really thought you were dead," She said shakily, as she looked up and managed to lock eyes with him, blink rapidly she stuttered again, "And… and I didn't do anything. I… I was trapped there. I… just let it happen."

"Ciri… you didn't let anything happen," He said softly, and she shuddered again as his hand trailed up her thigh, but she met his eyes as he gently shook his head, "There wasn't anything you could do… I was protecting you, just like I always will."

"Again, that promise isn't one sided Dominik! I'm supposed to protect you too," She said feeling her voice rise slightly as her heart raced, "I… I almost lost you, I was scared… really… really scared, even when Freya and Yen said you'd make it I… I thought you died when… when I could've saved you. I want to protect you… just like you protect me and… well I almost let you die."

He gently smiled at her, and when Ciri felt his bare hand continue to play with her hair, and his other gently trailing up and down her thigh more, she continued to feel her insides quiver, her thighs shook, and she felt sparks running up and down her body. However, with how she felt, everything coming back to her mind she tried to ignore it, but when he lovingly smile at her, it only served to make her almost break more.

Slowly his hand rested on her upper thigh and he shook his head, "Ciri, there is nobody else that I would EVER want protecting me other than you. I… I'm sorry I scared you, but… I couldn't let them take you. I won't let anyone else take you… ever again, and if they try? Well, together, we'll kick their ass that's what we'll do."

She still felt her stomach churning and her skin cold, but she managed to scoff out a laugh, the inside of her thigh, the tattoo still felt like it was being pricked, she saw Mistle, she saw Auberon, she saw him falling to the ground after Eredin's sword cut across him. However, seeing him smile at her, feeling his loving gaze bare into her, feeling his hands lovingly caress her thigh and play with her hair, she slowly shook her head and went to wrap her arms around him.

"I… I love you, I love you so-," She started, before a loud sloshing sound, hit her ears, followed by another laugh.

He laughed heartily and she felt his one hand regrettably leave her. She looked down and realized that she had spilled the mug of wine she had all over his shirt. For a minute she felt embarrassed, and looked up to meet his eyes, and her heart rose seeing how amused she was. He smirked over at her, and Ciri almost laughed again as he gently wiped a hand over the new red stain on his white top.

"Ha, Ciri you know, if you wanted me to take my shirt off, you could've just asked, didn't need to go spilling wine over me," He said playfully, and Ciri scoffed a laugh as she felt herself fluster.

She met his eyes and stuttered, "I… I'm really sorry, I just-."

"Haha, don't worry princess it's okay," He said sweetly, before leaning forward and kissing her cheek before she slowly slid out of his lap back onto the blanket. She watched as he slowly got up and shook his head, the smile not leaving him as he looked down at her, "I brought another shirt for us both, just in case we decided to sleep here tonight, I'll just change really quick."

She nodded slowly, and her skin started to tingle again as he winked down at her and laughed, before walking over towards the bed, where she knew he had packed a satchel of clothes for them both. After he left, she felt her whole body completely shiver, and she breathlessly sighed, as she could still feel the lingering sensation of his hands running down her legs, near her thighs and womanhood. She looked over at him as he got to the side of the bed, and gently lifted up his shirt, and Ciri felt her breath catch up in her throat when he finally did.

There had been plenty of times when they were younger when she saw him without a shirt on, but since she had gotten back to him, in the last week and a half she hadn't yet, hadn't seen the full man he had grown into, and when she did in that moment, she found herself tingling again. From her eyes, down her chest, stomach, between her legs all the way down to her feet she felt the tingling, the sensation, the desire, as she sat there still, taking in every inch of him.

His chest was hard and broad, this she already knew, but when she finally saw the two large scars as he turned around, she found herself biting her lip. One large diagonal one from near the top of his right shoulder, all the way down to his waist, and another large horizontal one across the bottom of his torso, that she knew he got from the axe of Nithral, the Wild Hunt general in Velen. The large diagonal one, she knew was from Rivia, when they should have been reunited, when she should have gone to him. She couldn't stop biting her lip as she felt her legs quivering, that burning desire that had been shooting through her all week was ready to burst from her like water through a dam.

She knew about his chest, and the scars, but she even found herself staring at his extremely defined torso, along with the lean, strong muscles down his biceps and back. She noticed every little nick and scar in the firelight, and suddenly, she found herself slowly and shakily getting up to her feet. As she stood there, it was as if everything started moving in slow motion. The fire crackled in her ears, and she felt herself starting to warm again, her skin continued to tremble, in her stomach and chest, she felt fluttering like she never had before, never had before looking at anyone else. Never in her life, had looking at anyone elicited such a response out of her body. Her legs continued to tremble slightly as she walked towards him. He was digging around the satchel for his shirt, and Ciri saw everything flash in her mind again.

Mistle, Auberon, Rivia, finally reuniting with him, the battle, his fight with Eredin, every single little romantic thing they had ever done, and every single thing he did to prove how much he loved her came to her mind, and she had never felt herself want him more then she did in that moment. She heard the voice of Auberon at the base of her skull, saw Mistle's face, and felt what she did ripped through her body for a horrible second, but as she finally got to him, saw him gently turn with a smile on his face, a new shirt in his hand, and saw his handsome face, his gorgeous eyes in that firelight, she managed to push everything to the back of her mind.

And all she could think then, was how much she loved him, and how much she wanted to show him how. She felt the tears that had been threatening to fall still stinging her eyes, and tried to push them back, but before she could, he looked down and saw her standing near him. He was only wearing his trousers and socks, his bare chest, torso and arms were only inches from her. She wanted him, she felt the desire burn up in her core, between her legs and in her chest, but as she looked up at him, all she saw was concern, as he tossed the shirt to the side and gently stepped towards her.

"Hey… hey what is it, what's wrong," He said gently, and his low, course, deep voice, only served to make her shudder breathlessly, her core trembled as his voice washed over her, his hot breath hit her neck, as she gently leaned forward, and held her bare hands on his chest.

Slowly she looked down, and trailed one hand down his chest, down his hard, defined torso over the scars, and as she did, she felt him shudder as well, but it didn't change the look of worry he had. She saw him bite his lip and tremble, as her hand rested just above the waistline of his trousers, the other on his chest, she managed to look up, and still see him looking at her, begging her to tell him what was wrong. Slowly she shook her head, feeling her body get warm from the fire again, and feeling the burning desire finally start to slip out of her, she leaned up and gently kissed him, one long, lingering kiss on his lips before she pulled back, and slowly took a small step back from him.

She met his eyes, and as the fire crackled to warm her, she slowly shook her head, "Dominik, I… I love you… I love you and… and I… I need to show you how much I do."

He laughed lightly, the look of concern still evident, the fire cast a handsome glow over him still as he shook his head, "Ciri… I know you do.. you don't need…."

As soon as her hands went to the string tying together her top, he trailed off and seemed like he couldn't find any words. He was still only a step away from her, but he didn't move, as with her fingers tingling like the rest of her body, Ciri untied the straps holding her top together. Slowly she pulled it apart, gently she pulled her arms out of it, and for only a split second she felt a cold draft run across her chest and blow the ring. It bounced coldly against her bare neck, as she slowly dropped her top to the ground. It hadn't been the first time she stood only in her bra and trousers in front of him, but she felt her body continue to spur on, and seeing his amazed, loving gaze, seeing the desire, the want in him rise, it only made her more sure that she wanted him, wanted this. He looked at her as she moved her hands down to her trousers like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. That was always how she knew, how she knew that it would only ever be him. Only his gaze ever made her like that, only he ever looked at her so lovingly, only at his gaze had she felt such a desire take over her.

And as she fiddled with the buttons on her trousers, she saw him let out a shaky breathless sigh as he adjusted his own, and Ciri even felt herself lightly and breathlessly laugh, as she slowly pulled the trousers around her ankles, before gently stepping out of them.

"Ci…Ciri…" He said breathlessly, and while she had seen him flustered plenty of times, never had she seen the look she saw on him then.

A look of pure, burning, raging desire, he was trying to hold it back, but Ciri felt it exhuming from her the same, as she felt the cold breeze wash over her bare thighs and legs before the fire and his gaze quickly warmed them. She felt her chest fluttering out of control, as she could practically hear her own heartbeat, that trembling, the quivering, it went down into her stomach, and she felt between her legs grow ever warmer, as he gently reached out, and she felt his hands hold onto her waist. He looked down at her in disbelief, and as she looked back up at him, she met his gaze with one just as loving, and as she felt the desire finally burst from her, she reached behind her back.

She managed to unclasp her bra without any trouble, and slowly she pulled it off of her. Her breasts finally fell free, and as she dropped her bra to the ground, she felt the heat between her legs grow even more intense as she saw him violently bite his lip and continue to gaze down at her with those gorgeous, loving eyes. A blush quickly came to her face as she slowly brought her hands to his torso, gently guiding them up his chest to rest on his shoulders, and she breathlessly trembled as his hands explored up the side of her waist and stomach. It had been the first time she was fully exposed, naked in front of someone since Mistle, and slowly all the horrible thoughts started to creep back up into her mind. She couldn't do this yet, she had to tell him, she had to tell him everything.

Those thoughts almost washed over her completely, but she felt herself breathlessly moan as his hands came up to the side of her breasts, and his low voice hit her ears again, and dripping from it, she could hear pure, utter amazement, as if he truly couldn't believe what he saw, and when she looked up into his eyes, the desire, the want spilled over in them as well, as he met her gaze.

He slowly shook his head and his hand continued to explore, "Ciri… you… you are the most beautiful person, I will ever see, in my entire life. I… I-."

"I love you…." She said breathlessly as she gently trailed her hand down his arm and placed it over his, before she guided it over her breasts while his other pulled her closer, "P…please, let… let me show you… show you how much."

She was breathless as he slowly nodded, and she felt him start to gently caress her breast with one hand, and the other stayed at her waist. For the first time in years, Ciri felt herself let out a genuine moan, which only urged him on more, his hands were soft and warm, he was still the warmest person she knew. All thoughts, except for how much she loved him, how much she wanted him, how much she wanted to show and express that love left her. She moaned as his fingers flicked over her nipple, and she melted into him, as she trailed both her hands from his shoulders, down his hard torso to the hem of his trousers.

He stopped caressing her breasts, and both his hands rested at her hips again, at the hem of her knickers as he looked down at her. He was heavily breathing, Ciri saw the wolf and the swallow bouncing from his chest as it rose and fell. She tugged him closer to her by the hem of his trousers, and she could feel the goosebumps on his arms, see the desire still spilling over in his gaze. She tugged again, and felt her hands started to move at the strings of them, but that was when one of his hands came up to cup her cheek, and her gaze went from looking down at his trousers, back up to him, and when their emerald eyes met, Ciri was just as breathless as he was, but behind the desire she saw the concern, the fire crackled and casted the handsome glow over him as he gently trailed his thumb over her scar.

"Ciri are… are you sure? Like… really… really sure?" He said lightly, and as she felt his hot breath hit her neck, she slowly leaned up and kissed the side of his jaw, making him shudder, before she pulled back and met his gaze again.

She didn't say anything in response right away, she trailed her hands back down his stomach, gently running her finger over every one of his abs, over both of the long scars, and he shuddered under her touch so much it made Ciri breathlessly smile, before she got to the hem of his trousers again. The desire, the want for him, to feel every part of him, to have him feel every part of her, it was all that was in her mind, the want to show him how much she loved him, how much everything he had done meant to her, that was all she thought about as she gently untied the strings of his trousers, before slowly pulling them down.

The breeze shot through their cave again, she felt her bare legs, her exposed breasts and shoulders all chill for a moment, but as his trousers hit the floor, it was as if the fire grew even larger, and when he pulled her closer, she looked up and their eyes met again. She gently, ever so gently as she felt his hands at the hem of her knickers, just above her ass, held one hand at the hem of his undergarments, and the other on his torso. She saw him shudder again, and as his eyes opened and looked at her, she saw that burning sensual desire, it burned of him, radiated from him, and his loving yet intent eyes warmed her from her chest to between her legs. Biting her lip she slowly nodded at him, and brought her face only inches from him, from the person she loved, the person she wanted.

"I'm sure…" She said breathlessly as her heartbeat quickened and she explored her hands up his torso.

And at those simple two words, the both of them seemed to finally lose control at the exact same time.

He brought his lips down and kissed her, harder and fiercer then he ever had before, he pulled her as close to him as he could, and Ciri felt her hands quickly run up and down his torso as she kissed him with equal ferocity, with every movement of her lips she felt the desire grow. She felt her breasts rub against his bare chest and felt herself moan, as his one hand held on her back, and she felt the other on her ass, she moaned and even felt herself laugh as she kissed him back, and tearing her lips away from his for a moment she kissed down his jaw, under his neck, she trailed the smaller kisses along the sides of his neck, and hearing him moan in her ears, Ciri only felt herself pull harder at the hem of his trousers, and felt his grip on her ass tighten as his hand explored up her back, she moaned as well at his fierce, yet loving touch and when she bit down gently on a part of his neck, he heard her name come from his lips.

"Ci…Ciri…' He said breathlessly, and Ciri found herself, laughing as his legs buckled. She kissed back up his neck to his lips, and raised both hands up to his chest.

She even heard a small breath of sadness leave him and he moaned again as she pulled back from him, she felt herself unable to breathe as her heart pounded. She met his eyes and he was just as breathless, his hands were still on her ass and waist, and at the same time they both laughed, before Ciri slammed her lips to his one more time, she planted one long, lingering kiss on his lips as she trailed her hand gently up his leg, he shuddered again as it moved past the hem of his undergarments, up his torso to his chest. She pulled back from him as her hand rested on his right pec, and she saw him try to lean in to kiss her again, but she breathlessly laughed and gently pulled her head back. For a second she laughed at his flustered face, but as soon as he met her eyes, pleading with her to let him kiss her again, she bit her lip and gently pushed him backwards.

He was caught off guard and tripped back, falling onto the large bed, and when he looked up at her, she saw him breathlessly smiling and laughing. She scoffed out a laugh herself and climbed onto the bed with him, and just like she had done hundreds of times, gently moved up his body, she even leaned down and kissed his thigh, which made a loud moan escape him, and she let out a genuine laugh as she climbed up and straddled onto his waist. He breathlessly smiled again, and Ciri saw his massive chest rise and fall with his medallion and the swallow. She aimlessly felt the ring bounce around her neck as she look down at him and bit her lip. Her eyes went up his torso, admiring the scars, before gently she rested her hands on his chest, and when she met his gaze, he was still smiling and breathing heavily, and his smile made her face get red as she blushed, and she felt one hand rest on her waist, as his other traveled up her torso, and gently he held onto her breasts again, and when she felt him gently caress it again, she moaned and laughed at the same time as she saw the look on his face.

"You… you are so… so beautiful-," He started saying, but she cut him off by leaning down and smashing her lips to him again.

She moved her hips against him, and she moaned into his mouth when she felt his hands gently reached and squeeze under her thighs again. Her hands trailed up and down his bare torso, as her other hands went to play with his hair as she violently kissed him, kissing him with every single bit of emotion and love she could muster, and he met every kiss with equal amounts of it. His one hand stayed squeezed under her thigh, but his other went up to her ass again, and she felt herself moan and laughed between kisses, as he smiled broadly and kissed her with renewed force. Gently she trailed her finger down his chest and stomach, while she moved to kiss his jawline again, down under his neck, when she gently kissed his neck, he moaned out her name and she laughed when she felt his legs twitch while she grinded her waist against him.

"G… gods… Ci…Ciri… Ciri…" He started saying, before she cut him off by planting a lingering kiss on his lips again before kissing along his cheek up to the bottom of his ear.

"I love you…. I love you… you stupid boy… just… just let me kiss you," She said, before she gently and playfully bit onto his ear lobe.

She laughed and felt him twitch again as he moaned at her action before she gently kissed down his neck again. His grip on her ass tightened, and she moaned herself as his hand trailed up her bare back to her hair, he gently held the back of her head, and she trailed the kisses down his shoulder, to his chest, all the while she gently ran her hand up his torso. She tugged at the hem of his undergarments again, and when she bit down on the side of his neck again before kissing him, he moaned and it reverberated in Ciri's ears, making between her legs grow even warmer as she slowly moved her hips against his waist. She felt her womanhood growing warmer and warmer, and every time he gripped harder on her thighs, with every second he touched her, she felt herself quiver more and more, she moaned loudly again when he leaned up and snuck a kiss at the base of her neck, and it made her legs melt.

"I… I love you too…" He said breathlessly, as Ciri turned her head back to him, and feeling between her legs quiver more then it had in years, she smashed her lips to his again, and went to move her hand down further near his crotch, but that was when she moaned again, feeling his hands gripped under her thighs.

He adjusted himself, and she breathed out and moaned louder then she had yet, feeling his cock rub against her womanhood, their undergarments keeping them from touching, and it made Ciri completely melt in his arms. Then, she heard what could only be described as half a moan, half a guttural growl come from him, and she had time to meet his gaze for a second before she saw him smirk, and quick as a flash, she felt her heart nearly burst as he turned her over.

"D…Dom…. Dominik…" She moaned out, as she felt him on top of her, his hard chest against her breasts, the feeling sent her to new heights she had never felt before, not with Mistle, not with any of the times they had almost become intimate when they were younger.

Her entire body felt like an active volcano with how it erupted, and how warm it felt. He adjusted himself, and one of her legs was between his, his one hand gently slid down the side of her torso, over her ass under her thigh, where he gently held her while his other was above her head, propping him up as he looked down at her. In his eye she saw the love, the pure love that radiated from them, her ashen locks fell around her shoulders, she felt his warmth and the warmth from the fire wash over her body as she felt the millions of sparks erupting just from his gaze and touch. His hand explored up and down her bare legs, feeling his soft, yet strong hand holding her thighs, it made her womanhood heat up even more, and in that moment she wanted him to touch her, touch her everywhere, she wanted to feel every part of him, so when he looked down at her, and gently spoke she felt herself ready to burst all over again.

"Ci…Ciri are… are you really-." He started asking her, but she quickly held both her bare hands to the side of his face and violently smashed her lips to his once, before pulling back and looking deep into his eyes.

Breathing heavy and feeling her entire body still quivering she shook her head, "D…Dominik I… I love you; I love you so… so fucking much but… please… PLEASE, just shut up and kiss me you stupid boy."

He quickly nodded and wasted no time, Ciri felt his hand slowly come up her leg, up her torso, and just as he smashed his lips to hers, his hand gently started to caress her breasts again. She moaned loudly just as his lips hit her, and she completely trembled under his touch.

Moaning out between his kisses she felt his hand run over her nipple again, and she found herself digging her nails into his back, gently raking them across it as he kissed her, kissed her with more love and passion then he ever had, his kiss had always made her fluster and tremble, but then, it made her moan between his kisses and as she felt his hand gently travel down her torso, her body completely erupted again.

She whimpered slightly when his lips left her, as he moved on the bed, he moved between her legs, his waist between hers, and gently wrapped her legs around him before coming down to kiss her again. She felt one of his hands run up and down her leg, behind her back as the other steadied himself above her head. Feeling her womanhood so close to him, so close to his cock she moaned lightly into his kiss again, but soon his lips left her.

"Dom… Dominik… I… Dominik… I… I love…" She started, but she was cut off by him kissing the side of her neck, before just like she did to him, she planted one lingering kiss on her lips.

She felt a flutter erupt in her stomach, as she looked up and saw a look in him that she had never seen before. There was love in his eyes yes, but there was also an almost animal-like desire, a burning, fiery desire to have her, to show her how much he loved her, and it only made between Ciri's legs tremble even more, as she lightly laughed as for a moment, she brought her hand to the side of his face.

"Ha.. I… I've never… never seen you like this before," She said breathlessly, before he laughed too, and gently leaned down to kiss the base of her neck, before trailing kisses up her neck to just below her ear.

He breathlessly scoffed, and spoke in an amused tone, "I… I can stop if you want…"

She laughed out herself, and shook her head, "You… you better not, I-, Dominik…"

Cutting her off he gently bit down on the bottom of her ear like she did to him, and just like he did, she moaned out his name, and he breathlessly laughed. His low, coarse voice hit her ear again, and his hot breath washed over her.

"I… I love you… I love you princess…" He said breathlessly, and Ciri laughed again before he started kissing down her shoulder, towards her chest.

A louder moan escaped her, and she felt her back slightly arc as he got down to just where the ring bounced on her chest. She brought both hands to hold behind his head, gripping his hair as he gently kissed near the bottom of her neck, and he started getting lower, she felt her legs tense and twitch as she moaned out his name.

"D…Dominik… Dominik, gods… Dominik…I-, Dominik…." She moaned, feeling herself get louder as he got to her chest between her breasts.

She moaned his name and felt her back arch, as she dug both her hands into his hair, and when he kissed one of her breasts, feeling his tongue gently run over her nipple, she felt her back buck up, as his one hand squeezed under her thigh, and never in her life, not once had Ciri felt that amount of pleasure run through her, every cell in her body felt like it erupted three times over. She gripped as fiercely onto his hair as she felt his tongue flick over her breasts again. Ciri almost could have climaxed then and there as she hadn't felt like that with another person once in her life. With every second that passed, she only wanted him more and more.

"Dom… Dominik… please… please keep-." She started, but was cut off when he breathlessly laughed.

She looked down and met his eyes as he laughed again and shook his head, "Ciri you… you're kinda of pulling my hair out."

Her eyes widened and right away she loosened her grip, "I… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I-. Dominik!"

She moaned again, feeling every bit of pleasure in her body double, as he leaned over and kissed her other breast in a similar way. Feeling his tongue flick over her nipple she gasped, and gripped his hair just as fiercely as she had before, and when he looked up at her, she felt herself breathlessly laugh as he slowly moved down further, and laughing still while meeting his gaze.

Her cheeks flustered even redder, and felt herself grow even warmed as she breathlessly laughed and shook her head, "Ha you… you… you ass…"

He laughed just as breathlessly as her, and kissed the center of her stomach just below her breasts, which made her let out a moan again, and as she did, she saw him bite his lip, and seeing it sent even more warmth down between her legs as he gently leaned up and placed a kiss on her lips, which she right away decided wasn't enough. She pulled and gripped both sides of his scarred face and made the kiss even deeper. Moaning into it, she felt herself go into overdrive, she let her tongue move and gently run over his lips, and he let out a moan, before he breathlessly pulled back, and Ciri saw that goofy smile come to his face, and feeling his hard chest lean down against her breasts again, he gently smiled up at her and looked deep into her eyes again, that burning sensual desire baring into her.

"Do… do you want me too-," He started, but she cut him off as she moaned, he moved up, he felt his hard cock again rub up against her entrance, and after she moaned and felt between her legs tremble, she grabbed his face and kissed him with everything she had before gently pulling back.

"I… I love you… I love you… and…and I want to show you how much," She said as she kissed him quickly again, and she saw that animalistic desire build up in him again as she gently trailed his hand down his chest.

When she lowered her hand down past his trousers, and felt him, felt her hand graze over his cock, he let out a shuddering moan, and Ciri right away kissed him again deeply. She gently pulled back from him, bringing her hand back up to his face, she met his eyes and gently nodded.

"Please… please…I… I want you…" She said breathlessly, and when he slowly nodded, Ciri actually felt herself scoff out a laugh before he did the same, remembering how she used to tease him about this very moment so many years ago.

After he breathlessly laughed, he quickly kissed her again, before trailing the kisses all the way down her body. Every time she felt his lips hit her skin, she felt her back arch more, felt the pleasure shoot right down between her legs, and she couldn't help but smile as she breathlessly moaned. She had always said she wanted it to be the perfect moment, and when he kissed down her toned stomach, slowly she reached up and held onto her breasts, while the other moved her loose strands of ashen locks from her shoulders.

There had been times when they were young when they had come close to going all the way, but even back then she had never felt more pleasure, more pure joy and ecstasy run through her body, as he kissed her stomach, she felt herself almost ready to climax then and there, it had been so long since she had, but she bit her lip and moaned with her hands staying on her breasts, determined to make this moment, the moment they had both been waiting for, for so long last.

She breathlessly laughed and moaned again when he kissed just above the hem of her knickers, the moan was louder than any she had let out yet, and her back arched up as she squeezed onto her breast, yearning to have him touch between her legs, she had wanted that, wanted him, quickly as he kissed again, this time right on an exposed part of her skin around her knickers, she moaned out his name and gently grabbed his hair.

"D…Dominik… Dominik, GODS," She moaned, nearly yelling out from the pleasure, as the first kiss he placed on her inner left thigh, mere inches from her womanhood, truly almost sent her over the edge. She laughed and moaned as he kissed around her inner thighs again, and a part of her was ready to take her knickers off herself, to stop him from teasing her, which she knew he was doing.

Feeling the moaning laugh leaving her again, she looked down, and the stupid boy actually smirked up at her amusingly, and if his kiss hadn't felt so amazing she may have smacked him for joking like he was, but she couldn't help but smile even more broadly, and she moaned out, her back bucking up into the air, as his next kiss felt centimeters from her entrance. Ciri felt the complete euphoria wash over her, she had never felt like this, and didn't think she ever would again, even when they made love more after this in the future, in that very moment, she had never felt more complete, more in love, and as she looked down at him, the ass was still smirking up at her, kissing her inner thigh.

"Ha stop… stop… stop teasing me you… you ass…pl…please just… just…." She said with a breathless laugh as she trailed off in a moan before she could finish.

He breathlessly laughed again and shook his head as he looked up at her, "Sorry princess… your wish is my command."

"Ha.. you… you better-. GODS!" She moaned loudly again, when he placed another kiss only centimeters from her entrance, from her now dripping warm womanhood.

All he had to do was move her knickers over, pull them down, then she knew she would tear into him in a similar way pulling his down, and they'd finally be able to give each other everything. After everything he had done for her, she'd finally show him how much she loved him, expressed it physically, and in doing so, she'd finally feel like they were one, that their love was even more solidified then it already was. She could remember how flustered he'd get, how red his face would get when she brought up the topic of sex and their first time to him when they were younger. He'd get so flustered and nervous and swear up and down it would be when she was ready. It had ended up being later then they thought, but now that flustered boy was kissing between her thighs, inches from her womanhood, and she yearned wanted nothing more in that moment, except for him to pull them aside, pull them down, tear them off her. Complete euphoria ran through her body, she gripped her breasts again and moaned at one last long, lingering kiss he placed right next to her entrance, and she thought after that he would finally do it, so her legs tingle, her womanhood tingled as she waited for him to tear her knickers off.

But he didn't.

He lightly laughed, and Ciri heard the amused tone in his voice, he breathlessly laughed and Ciri looked down to see him even biting his lip, "Ha… I… I had… I had heard you got a tattoo of a rose. I… I like it, it… it's really pretty… ha… sexy if you ask me."

_'Well… you do owe me,' 'Just let it happen, you'll like it eventually,' 'You ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend before?', 'What's with that ring? May as well sell it, someone will pay for it,', 'A tattoo, a rose,', 'it's an easy target,', 'I want that fucking brooch, I'll take you into an alley and rape you myself', 'Ha, knew you'd come around Falka.'_

As soon as he finished his sentence, it felt to Ciri as if someone splashed a cold bucket of ice on her, as she felt her body go limp for a second, before she yelled.

"NO, NO, NO! DOM, DOM STOP, STOP" She screamed, and she almost bucked her knee into his face as she shot up and scrambled back, leaning back against the headboard, her eyes widened and she leaned back curling her arms around her knees as she pulled them to her chest, she shook her head and felt the tears start to fall from them, "No…no no no…. no, how… how could I.. no… no… no…."

"CIRI!" Dominik yelled right away, and Ciri didn't dare look up and meet his eyes as he scrambled up the bed next to her, she felt his arm wrap around her as the tears continued to stream from her eyes, her wrapped his arm and spoke frantically again, "Hey, hey hey hey Ciri what… what's wrong!? Did… did I do something to-."

Her eyes widened and with tears streaming she frantically met his eyes, "No! No, no, no, no you didn't, you didn't do anything, you didn't do anything at all I… I… just… I just…. I-."

He cut her off by pulling her closer to him, she buried her head into his shoulder as they leaned against the headboard, and Ciri felt his other arm wrap around her, as her heart couldn't stop beating at a mile a minute, and she felt as if she was going to throw up everything she ate a she cried. She sobbed, sobbed as she buried her head into his shoulder and wrapped both arms around his bare waist, and for a few minutes she simply sat there, they sat there naked in each other's arms as she cried. The only source of comfort was his voice, soothingly and gently speaking in a low tone in her ear, but even it barely had any effect as she couldn't stop the tears.

"Shhh… it's okay… it's okay, you don't need to cry it's okay… shh… Ciri, it's okay," He said reassuringly, and after a few minutes his reassurances only made her sob more, as she knew there was need to cry, there was need for her to feel horrible, as she felt her skin completely crawl.

Feeling herself continued to sob, she heard the fire crackle loudly in the center of the cave, but it did nothing to warm her, as she squeezed tighter around his waist, and felt her skin continue to crawl horribly, and before she knew it, she looked back up at him with her tears streaming down her face, and as she took in his completely shocked and worried glance, it only made her sob again. She fiercely shook her head and threw herself into him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and burying her head into him. Right away, he hugged her again and Ciri felt the words spilling out of her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…. I… I love you, I love you so much," She cried as she sobbed once more and squeezed, burying her head as deep into his neck as she could before she felt herself crying on, "I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry Dominik, I… I love you; I love you, I'm sorry…"

He sounded as if he was on the verge of tears himself, he stroked her hair, and Ciri felt him kiss the top of her head before he pulled her head out from his shoulder. She looked and felt his hands cup the side of her face as the tears didn't stop. He met his emerald eyes with hers, and Ciri saw him trying to hold back tears of his own, as seeing her in such a state had to be horrible for him, but it was nothing compared to how Ciri felt then, she felt the complete euphoria she had just been in, the complete state of warmth and love completely melt away. She sat here in his eyes, her bare body cold, for the first time in her life as he gently held her face and looked down at her, his gaze didn't warm her, as all Ciri could think about, was what she had almost done, how she had almost gone through with it without telling him everything, lying to him like she swore never to do. However, despite it all, he still gently smiled at her, he wiped her tears with his thumb, and gently kissed her forehead, that one gentle kiss erupted through her body, it made her feel warm for a moment, but when he pulled back and smiled at her, the shame completely washed over her naked body.

Gently he laughed and shook his head, "Ciri… it's okay, it's okay I promise. I… I was a little nervous too. It's alright. We don't have to go through with anything until you're ready I swear. I love you, and even if we wait another eight years I don't care! It's our first time, I'm sure everyone is at least a little nervous for-."

"IT ISN'T MY FIRST TIME," She cried out, feeling the tears stream down her face again, as she sobbed and met his eyes, which had gone wide. Gently she reached up her trembling hands and held the sides of his face, she felt her skin trembling, crawling as she leaned her forehead against his and gently shook her head, "D…Dominik it… it isn't my first time… it… it isn't my first time…."

He kept his forehead leaned against hers, but as soon as she spoke, Ciri felt as if the cave had become a vacuum, depriving her of air. She had been holding onto his face, but gently let her hands wander down his arms, and she felt the goosebumps running up his arms. Sobbing she slowly shook her head, as she only heard his breathing for a moment, his low, shallow breathing. She tried not to focus on it, but she could feel him lightly shaking, as she fiercely closed her eyes, the tears slipped from them still, but at not hearing nothing, she felt the shame of everything wash over her, and she gently leaned away from him, and when he didn't reach for her again, she sobbed, curling her legs up to her bare chest and letting the tears fall.

She felt the ring slowly bouncing against her chest, and it felt as if her body was completely erupting. That moment, that amazing, magical, perfect night they were having was gone, she had ruined it, all because she couldn't have just been honest with him right up front like he had been. Sobbing again, with her skin still completely trembling, she managed to look up at him with the tears streaming down her eyes, and she let out another sob when she saw his eyes. The look in them, she saw a mixture of dozens of different things running through them. Shock, regret, confusion, and worst of all, the sadness, the betrayed look that flashed in him for a second.

She waited for him to start questioning her, shouting at her, screaming at her. He had kept his promise, he had turned down every woman who came his way, even one like Freya who would have been perfect for him, all for her, and what had she done for him? Betrayed him, turned to a criminal life and fucked the person who raped her willingly, all while he was out looking for her. She wanted him to scream at her, she deserved it, and as he locked eyes with hers, she could only sob further. Never in her life had she felt like that, felt so much regret, utter, and complete shame wash over her.

_'A pearl in pigshit…. A diamond on the finger of a rotting corpse… repulsive human creature,' _ever since she heard those words, Ciri had tried to push them away, tell herself they weren't true. However, as she sat there, her body completely exposed, as she looked at the man she felt she betrayed, that she loved with everything she had, they felt true. She waited for it to come, the fire crackled, and still even as she sobbed, despite his eyes she admired that beautiful, beautiful glow it casted over his handsome face as she waited, waited for him to start yelling.

But he didn't, of course he didn't.

"O…okay…okay," He said gently, and Ciri's mouth fell agape as she could hear his light voice full of concern, and soon he gently wrapped his arms back around her and pulled her close to him again, and she heard him whispering in her ear, "It… it was a long time we were apart… it's okay… it's okay…"

Her eyes widened, and while sobbing she incredulously scoffed and shook her head, she detached herself from him and turned to face him, "No! No Dominik, it isn't okay! It isn't fucking okay, I won't let you just shake this off, what I did…I… I betrayed you! I broke the promise I made, I-."

"Ciri! Ciri, we were apart for eight years," He reasoned with her, as he turned to face her again, meeting her eyes with a pleading gaze, "It… it's okay, I broke that promise too! I was with Freya; you know that I-."

"Yeah well you didn't fuck Freya Dominik," She said incredulously again, as she shook her head, still unbelieving that he was actually trying to defend her, she met his eyes and with tears still streaming she scoffed and shook her head, "I… I betrayed you… that… that trust… I… I just let it happen, I let it happen and… and then went on with it."

He scoffed and Ciri saw him gently shake his head, gingerly he reached out and held her face. She breathed out and melted into it, holding her hand over his on her face, as she sobbed again and met his eyes, but as she did she could only sob again, and when she did, she felt him try to reach over and hold her, but Ciri backed up, shaking her head at him. He looked at her with hurt eyes and spoke in a pleading tone.

"Ciri, what… what are you talking about, let what happen? Were… were you…" He started to trail off, and as he did, she could see his eyes starting to sting, and gently he shakily sobbed, "And… and I wasn't there… I wasn't there…"

She quickly reached over and grabbed his face again, she met his pleading eyes and shook her head, "You didn't do anything. It wasn't your fault, it… it was nobodies' fault but mine… I betrayed you Dominik, I… I... let it all happen."

"Ciri what… what happened…" He said, as this time she didn't stop him when he reached out around her.

She felt his strong arms wrap around her waist again as he pulled her into his lap, and right away one hand wrapped around her loose strands of hair, and the other around her waist. She wanted to push away, she didn't even feel like she deserved to be held like that, but as soon as she felt his warmth she melted into him again. She could still feel the goosebumps running down his chest and arms, he was still shaken she knew, she knew she had to tell him, wouldn't let it go without telling him again. She knew what he would do, he would sit there, tell her it was alright, tell her nothing mattered, but she knew it did, she knew it had to be said, that he needed to know, needed to know that promise she made to him all those years ago was broken, and there was no way for her to make up for it.

After a moment, her bones were still feeling frozen solid and she shuddered. Her breasts and shoulders, her bare legs, everything felt cold. As she shivered, she felt him pull back from her, he looked down at her, and regrettably she felt his arms leave from around her, she watched as he reached to the edge of the bed, he pulled another white blanket out of the satchel he had brought. She shuddered at his touch as he wrapped it up around her shoulders, before pulling her back into his lap again, and all she could do is look up at him, he didn't smile, simply looked at her with that concerned look, his emerald eyes bore into her, and it only served to make her lightly sob again, as finally it felt as if their wasn't anymore water in her eyes to form tears.

For a few minutes she simply sat there, unable to form any words, and like always, he never forced anything out of her. He simply sat and held her, he played with strands of her loose hair that fell over her shoulders, gently ran his hand up her leg, kissed the top of her head, and with every second that passed she felt warmer, but also even more guilty. She let out a shaky sigh, and when she opened her eyes to see the swallow behind his medallion, is when she finally looked up to meet his eyes. He looked down at her, and again slowly she managed to form words, remembering the events in detail, determined not to leave anything out, she was never going to try and lie to him again, she'd never do it, just like he never did.

"A… a little while after Aretuza… I was in Glyswen," She shakily started as the large fire still crackled, and as she kept her eyes locked with him, she saw him listen intently as she sighed again and shook her head, "I… I was alone, I had no idea how… how to even begin to get back to you, Geralt and Yen, and… and after everything that happened, I… I was terrified. So… so I joined up with a group of war orphans called… called the Rats."

He tilted his head at her and shakily nodded, "Yeah, I… I remember Geralt telling me about that. I… actually could have gotten to Glyswen if… if I hadn't been afraid to go so far south. He… said you were with them for a bit."

She slowly nodded and shook her head, "I… I was yeah…. I… I joined up with them after… after I was caught with one of their members, a boy named Kayleigh, I helped him escape and… and… he wanted to 'thank me' by… by having sex with me."

Her body shuddered again, and just as she had done that night, she reached up and grabbed the ring around her neck. She felt his arms wrap tighter around her as he looked down at her, she met his eyes and he slowly shook his head.

"Ciri I… I should have been there; I should have been there I'm sor-." He started, but she quickly cut him off by fiercely shaking her head.

"Don't you dare apologize; it wasn't your fault. It… it was me, I… I was nervous, scared, still alone, I… I told him I didn't want to, that… that I wouldn't, I… I was terrified," She said shakily as new tears stung her eyes, she slowly looked up and met his eyes again, "He… said that I wasn't scared… just nervous and… and he tried to grab for me…."

She kept her eyes locked with his, and with every word she spoke, she could see him holding back tears as well. It was one of his biggest regrets she knew, him not being able to be there to stop all the horrible things from happening to her. She knew that every word hurt him, but she didn't care at that point, she needed him to know everything, so she let out a shaky sigh and sobbed once again, before she looked down at her legs away from his eyes.

"He… he almost did but… but then someone else came to the tent we were in, a girl, my age, her… her name was Mistle," She said slowly, feeling her heart thump out of her chest as she slowly looked up into his eyes again, and while her body shook she went on, "She… she stopped him, kicked him out of the tent. I… I thought everything was fine but then… but then she… she told me that… that I owed her for saving me and.. and she… she… did the same thing as he did, only… nobody stopped her and… and that… that was my first time… Dominik I… I'm-."

"Stop, stop it right now, gods Ciri," He said quickly, as Ciri felt him pull her even closer to him again, she heard a small sob come from him, she felt tears hit the top of her head, before he gently pulled her back, and there in his lap he held both sides of her face and met her eyes, "Ciri she… she raped you… how… how could you possibly think you'd need to apologize for that? That I would be upset with you because of that…"

He had reacted just like she thought, and it only made her heart fall again to the pit of her stomach. Despite the blanket draped over her, the fire still roaring in the cave, and his arms wrapped around him, Ciri felt herself cold, cold as she slowly shook her head at him, holding both her hands on his arms, she felt the words slowly seep from her, and with every word she spoke, she felt like she was stabbing a dagger into him.

"She… she raped me first yes… but… but Dominik… Dominik I… I…" She started, feeling herself lightly sob again, before she shook her head and met his eyes, "I… I did it willingly after a few times…. I… I went along with it, I… I let her; I went and.. and had sex with her more. I… I was so alone… so… so alone, I… I hadn't seen you, Geralt, any…anyone, I… I thought… I thought that-."

"You thought that if you did it… if you were with her… then it would all go away," He said slowly, and as opposed to how she thought he'd get, he carefully shook his head, reaching his hand up to gently run over her scar, "If… if you kept doing it… you'd forget everything… and all the pain… the pain of losing it all would go away… Gods…. Gods Ciri I… I'm sorry."

She felt her heart drop even more, she even felt a shot of annoyance run up her, she tore herself away from him and scrambled off the bed, looking at him incredulously. Him, apologizing to her, for her being unfaithful, what was wrong with him, how could he possibly even think that? She wasn't going to sit and let him apologize to her for something she did, she was almost yearning for him to get angry with her, but as he looked at her, she only saw sympathetic, saddened eyes, and as her feet hit the stones and she stood, he gently slid over and sat on the side of the bed, his feet hit the ground and he looked up at her. She scoffed again and felt her makeup trickle down her cheeks, as she met his eyes, his desperate eyes, but all she could do was shake her head.

"Why are you apologizing!? I literally just told you I was fucking someone else after they raped me," She said, feeling herself get frantic, as tears started streaming down her face again, she scoffed and shook her head at him, "How can you not be furious with me!? How are you taking all this so calmly!?"

He slowly shook his head at her, his mouth agape and his eyes staring at her, "Ciri, I have no right to get angry at you. I did the same exact thing you did, I did it with Freya, I used her for months to try and make it go away, try to make that pain go away!"

"Yes, but like I said Dominik, you weren't fucking Freya the whole time after she raped you," She said, her voice getting louder as she stood there with the blanket over her shoulders, still completely shaking as the fire roared behind her, "And I didn't just do that! I did horrible, horrible things with her, Dominik we robbed and killed people, I changed my name to fucking Falka, and… and for months I helped them rape and kill for fun! It was horrible, I knew that, but I still fucking did it!"

"Ciri you were a kid, you had just lost everything, you were doing what you had to do to survive, we both did," He reasoned with her, still sitting on the bed, but she heard his voice raising as well, he met her eyes and shook his head, "I know what it's like! And yes, you… you had sex with her, but she took advantage of you, took advantage of the state you were in you-."

"Stop trying to fucking rationalize it! I got the fucking tattoo to match her Dominik," She said shakily as her legs almost gave out, she sobbed and scoffed at the same time, turning away from him and looking into the fire as the tears and makeup slid down her cheeks, "I went along… with everything she wanted to do, what they all wanted to do… they raped, robbed and killed people… and the whole time I helped them… all while I was fucking her, betraying you. Dominik I… I'm not that same person you fell in love with."

She heard him stand up, and when she whirled around she saw small tears coming down his cheeks. The firelight hit off his muscled body, his handsome face, but soon Ciri's teary eyes met his, as he shook his head.

"Ciri… neither of us are that same person we were when we were younger," He reasoned with her, taking a shaky step towards him as he scoffed with tears in his eyes and shook his head, "Nobody goes through their life without changing at least a bit. Ciri, it doesn't matter what happened… we've both changed yeah but… some things will always stay the same. Like the fact I love you, it… it doesn't matter what we did, we're here together now… it doesn't matter…"

He took another step forward, and this time she felt herself shudder as he gently reached and held the sides of her face. She let out a shaky breath and rested her hands up on his forearms as she leaned her forehead against his for a moment. He leaned forward and tried to kiss her, but Ciri felt her stomach drop again. It didn't matter what he said, because she couldn't change what she did, couldn't change that she had broken that faith to him. Slowly she took a step back, sobbing and shaking her head as she gently looked up to meet his eyes, the fire crackled near them, but neither it nor his smile warmed her.

"Dominik… I threatened to rape a little girl, rape her unless her father gave me the brooch she had on that I liked," Ciri said shakily, as she slowly shook her head and turned away from him, she took a few steps, and bit her lips as she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, and slowly she felt the cold blanket of regret wash over her as she spoke, "You were on the Path… saving people, helping them, even with Freya… you may have used her to get rid of the pain but… but you didn't give in… you.. you kept yourself for me… you never stopped looking, you had no idea I was alive… all while I was being a criminal… willingly fucking the person who raped me… all while you were-."

"For fuck's sake Ciri, STOP," He yelled to cut her off, and Ciri could only sob, as she felt him gently grab onto her arm, he whirled her around, and when she met his eyes, she could see him crying, incredulously he shook his head and met her eyes, "You have no idea what I had to do! The horrible things that I had to do! You're putting me up on this fucking perfect pedestal, acting like I was some pillar of moral integrity for the last eight years!"

"Compared to me you fucking were Dominik!" She yelled back at him, furiously she shook her head and scoffed, "I threatened to RAPE that little girl! She couldn't have been anymore then ten years old, I robbed and killed people, all while I was willingly fucking someone else, to the point where I got a fucking tattoo for them!"

He scoffed and shook his head again his face inches from hers, "Love is about more than just fucking sex Ciri! Besides, she raped you, took advantage of the state you were in, you said so yourself!"

"I PROMISED you! I promised you I would always love you, that I would protect you and always try to get to you," She screamed at him now, her voice raising to a pleading tone, "You were helping people on the Path, looking for me, all while I was busy being a fucking criminal, I'm not-."

"On my first contract, it was a noonwraith, the ealdorman told me his wife was killed by wolves outside their farmhouse a few weeks before their wedding," He cut her off, and when Ciri turned around again, he stood there, his eyes watering, as he crossed his arms and didn't take his eyes off her, and with every bit he spoke, Ciri heard the guilt racking from his voice.

He scoffed and sobbed as he met her eyes, "I killed it, took my gold and went to leave… but the next day more bodies showed up, killed by the wraith again…"

Slowly she shook her head and scoffed, "You need to destroy the object that binds it to the world, you know that."

"I did… at least I thought I did. Ealdorman had given me an old bracelet of hers to burn," He said, before shakily sighing again, "Turns out, the Ealdorman lied. He had been cheating on her, with a few women in the village. She found out, confronted him about it, he pushed her into the wall, and she passed out when she hit her head… he buried her in the fields… but she was alive, suffocated and died…"

Ciri felt her skin tingle as she shook her head again, "That… that's a recipe for a noonwraith yes…"

He scoffed out a laugh and wiped the tears falling from his face, "Yeah… so I burned the wedding band he kept, killed it again…. Bastard had no remorse, kept the wedding band to keep up appearances, made it easier for him to get women who felt bad to sleep with him, had been going around doing the same thing to dozens of them!"

"What… what did you do…" She asked slowly as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, she knew the answer, could see it in his eyes, but she knew he'd tell her anyway.

Shaking his head he sighed, "He gave me a good amount of extra gold to leave… and keep my mouth shut. That fucker he… he deserved to be punished, didn't have any remorse and… and kept doing the same things to the other women but... but I just took the gold and left… took it and let him go on doing what he was doing."

"Dominik, you were young, starving, and that's nothing compared too-," She started, knowing exactly what he was doing, but he quickly cut her off by stepping closer to her, his face only inches from hers now.

His watery eyes looked down at her and he shook his head, "At the Battle of Brenna… I slaughtered dozens of Nilfgaardeans. Even the ones who were on the ground, half dead, begging and pleading for their lives completely defenseless, one of them was even younger then I was, but I didn't care… I killed them, slaughtered them like animals."

"D…Dom…" She said slowly, as seeing his watery eyes made her heart drop, she felt his low voice breaking as the tears came down his eyes again, she didn't want him to feel that way. She forgot about everything she said for a moment, as she could never remember a time he was like this, she gently reached and held onto both his hands, as he shakily sighed again and met her eyes.

"In… In Lofeton when.. when Geralt, Yen and I went there…" He said slowly, and Ciri felt her heart jump at the mention of the village, as Dominik sobbed again and met her eyes, "There… there were only a dozen or so women who survived… when… when they didn't tell us where your friend Skjall went… I… I told them all, that if they didn't tell me, I was going to make what the Hunt did to their village look like nothing at all."

Her eyes lightly widened, as she thought about the village that had been ravaged by the Hunt all for simply nursing her back to health. She listened to him sob again, before he tore from her arms and turned away from her, his muscled back was to her, the fire seemed to get lower, but still casted the glowing light over him. She took a step forward, but then when he slowly turned back, she saw his face pale, tears streamed down his face, and she saw his arms violently trembling, he slowly looked up at her, and Ciri felt her makeup run down her cheeks at the pure devastation coming from him.

"Yen she… she had to… had to use necromancy on your friends body, it… it was the only way we could figure out about Uma, and… and where you went," He explained to her, and Ciri's body turned to ice again as he sobbed loudly again and met her eyes, "And… and when he was screaming, screaming from the pain I… I told him… told him that I would throw his body to the drowners if he didn't talk… gods…"

He sobbed and shakily sighed again, as he reached up and wiped the tears from his face. Ciri remembered Skjall's kind words, his crush on her, how he risked his life and that of his families all just to help her. She hadn't reciprocated feelings yes, but even though she knew deep down he couldn't have survived, she had felt the guilt for what happened eat at her every day, but now she saw Dominik in front of her, and listening to his fate, and seeing Dominik cry over it, it only made her sob again. She wasn't mad at him, only herself, mad that because she hadn't gone back to him, she had forced him to do such horrible things. He shakily sighed, but soon sobbed again and Ciri finally felt her legs able to move.

She got to him, and held her trembling hands on his arms, and thought about everything he said, and realized how correct he was. She had known there were things he did, horrible things that he hadn't told her about yet, but she really had in the end put him up on a pedestal, thinking that he had been perfect for eight years, but the truth was far from that. The truth was that neither of them were perfect, the both of them had done horrible things, terrible things to survive and make it to that point for the last eight years. He had done things he wished he could take back, the same as she did.

"D…Dominik…" She said slowly, as she moved her hands up to wrap around his neck. The blanket slid off her as she squeezed him, and soon she felt his strong, trembling arms wrap around her, she felt her breasts up against his hard chest again, as for a minute or so, he simply silently cried into her as she held him.

Shakily sighing she gently pulled back and lightly kissed his cheek, the tears had finally stopped, but now both their emerald eyes were red, puffy and swollen. She felt her heartbeat slowly return to normal, and for a few seconds she felt warm in his strong arms again as the fire seemed to start growing again. She still felt her skin trembling, she knew now, she knew now that they both had done horrible things. However, as she sniffled and met his eyes, she still had the one thought pounding into her head.

She lightly sobbed again and shook her head, gently leaning her forehead against his, "Dominik I… I still… I still slept with her, I… I still-."

"Ciri…" He said lightly to cut her off, and right away she stopped, and with their bodies pressed up against each other, his one hand stayed on her waist, the other gently went up to her cheek as he looked deep into her eyes, and slowly his voice washed over her, "Ciri… do you love me? Do… you love me, right now?"

She widened her eyes and scoffed incredulously, feeling her heart begin to race again, "Of course I do! I… I love you; I love you so… so much, Dominik why would you-."

He cut her off by kissing her, he smashed his lips onto hers and right away Ciri felt herself melt as a mixture of love, passion and salty tears were transferred to her lips. She melted even more when his arms went around her waist again, and she pressed her lips to his with everything she had as she squeezed his neck, feeling her heart almost burst out of her chest she lightly sobbed but kept kissing him, her breasts still pressed up against his chest, her hair fell all the way down her shoulders and got in her way, but she didn't care, as all she wanted to do was keep kissing him.

Because unlike with Mistle, his kiss, the feeling she had while kissing him, being locked in his embrace, actually did manage to make all her pain go away. She sobbed still and scoffed out breathlessly in surprise when he wrapped under her legs and picked her up. Holding her bridal style, he lifted her up, she kept her lips locked with his as he walked, not wanting to leave the embrace for a second, as he slowly lowered them both down onto the bed again. She kept her arms wrapped and kept pressing her lips, moving her lips with his as he sat, stretched out his legs and leaned against the headboard of the bed. The fire crackled behind her, she felt her bones begin to warm again, his kiss, the fire, his embrace, it all warmed her, and she felt that warmth go through her naked body again, she felt her brain erupt, and breathlessly she moaned out as he slowly parted his lips from hers.

They both breathed heavily and sighed, she kept her forehead leaned against his, one of his arms stayed around her waist, the other gently came up to hold her face again. She trembled when his gentle hand held her cheek again, and when she blinked her eyes open and met his gaze, she saw the love, the pure look of love returned to them, as he didn't even move his eyes from hers.

"I love you too…. Gods Ciri, I… I love you," She said, and she felt her face get red as he gently stroked her thumb against her cheek while he kept her gaze, his face inches from hers, "I love you… you love me…and… we're here, together now… that's all that matters."

She felt her heart begin to race again as she sobbed, "D…Dominik… Dominik but… but what… what about everything I did? I… I wasn't-."

"Shhh… Ciri… there's nothing we can do about the past," He said slowly, as he gingerly managed to smile at her through his tears and shake his head, "I forgive you… it's okay, my mother told me… if we don't forgive ourselves for the past, for our past mistakes… then we won't be able to move forward. You… you can't change what happened… you can't control it anymore, but… but we can control the future…"

Ciri couldn't remember him ever mentioning his mother saying this, but she pushed that thought from her mind and only focused on the words themselves. She looked down at his eyes, his loving, loving eyes that no matter what, even now still filled her with warmth. Around her neck the ring trembled, and while holding one arm around his neck still, she reached up and gingerly grabbed it. She remembered the night she almost threw it in a lake, threw it in a lake to help her forget, but that was when his smile, his loving eyes, his warmth came back to her, and she had been unable to do it. She looked at him now, and even with everything she did, even through it all he loved her, had forgiven her, forgiven her for everything she did.

If he could forgive her, then she had to forgive herself, she had to be able to forgive herself.

'_We can control the future.' _

His words resonated in her mind, and suddenly, she had a beautiful vision, a vision of herself, herself and Dominik, on the backs of horses, riding up a hill, and when they finally reached the top, they had dismounted. He looked a little bit older then he did now, and somehow even more handsome, while she looked older as well. Their swords were on their backs, the wind was shooting through their hair, and they simply looked out over the beautiful range of mountains the hill over saw, she eagerly walked to the edge, only to turn around to see Dominik smiling broadly at her, a small box in his hands. They were on the Path, they were together, they were helping people, saving them like they had always dreamed of.

It was what she wanted, it was the future, the freedom she had craved for so, so long. The freedom to pick her own path, not to have someone shoehorn her into one Path. No, nobody would do that again, it would be the two of them together, and they would get that life they wanted. All they had to do was push a little bit more, however, that night was supposed to be about the two of them, and in a way it was, it had been, as she slowly looked up to meet his gaze, the gaze that hadn't left her, she nodded, and gently pulled him into a hug, squeezing his neck with as much as she could.

That night would truly be the start of their future. It would be as he said, all that would matter was their future. The past was in the past, the future, was all that was worth worrying about anymore. And in that future, they would be together, where he went, Ciri would go, where she went, she knew Dominik would go as well.

The fire in the room seemed to grow even higher at their embrace, and as she gently pulled back from him she carefully nodded again, before pulling him into another kiss. That kiss was soft again, he trailed his hand down her thigh and she lightly moaned, holding the one arm around his neck, and the other in his hair, as she moved her lips with his in perfect motion. She felt the sparks from the kiss shoot all the way down her body, and she lightly felt herself shudder with the fire warming her bare body. Gently, she pulled back from him, and leaned her forehead against his again, feeling completely, truly, and utterly in love.

"I love you… gods I… I love you…. Thank you…" She said shakily, before pulling her head back from his again, and when she met his loving emerald eyes he slowly nodded.

A small smile came to his face as he kissed her cheek again, "You're welcome… Ciri… I love you… I love you now… I loved you before… and I'm going to love you for a long, long time."

She managed to laugh with him, as she remembered those exact words from when they were younger. Quickly she adjusted herself in his lap, and slowly looked up to meet his gaze, feeling her face red, her body got warmer as he slowly moved himself as well. The whole time they had been on top of the blanket the bed had, but carefully, he moved it out from under them, and Ciri realizing what he was doing, slid off his lap as he pulled the blanket over them. And when her head first hit the pillow, she felt the fatigue start to overwhelm her, and she heard him lightly groan as he finally laid his head down next to her. She was about to ask if he was okay, but she felt her head start to burst again when he slowly turned on his side to her. He smiled broadly at her, one of his hands rested and started playing with her loose strands of hair, while the other gently did the same. She wrapped her own arm around him, while the other rested on his torso.

His smile overwhelmed her, and hearing the fire crackle she nervously, laughed as her face got inches from his.

"I… I love you too… I… I'm sorry that I… well.., ruined our date…" She said, feeling a small bit of shame creep up in her again, but it quickly went away when he smirked at her.

He laughed lightly and gently ran his hand up and down her naked body, "Well… you yelling and scrambling away from me when I was kissing your thighs is one way to get rid of sexual tension I suppose."

She heard the joking tone he spoke with, and despite feeling herself lightly laugh she managed to scoff and smacked his shoulder, "Ass… but… but I am sorry… I… I really wanted tonight to be the night… the night we finally made love and… I could show you how much I love you."

His face turned from a smirk, into a gentle, loving smile as he brought his hand up to her face again, he kept smiling at her and gently shook his head.

"Ciri… you don't need to have sex with me to show me that, I know how much you do," He said with a small shake of his head as he caressed her cheek, "We don't have to do anything until you're ready."

"Dominik… I am ready, I really am," She said with a small shake of her head as she pulled herself closer to him, "I… just had to tell you all of that. And well… I… do… really… well…"

He laughed lightly at her flustered look and nodded, "I really want to have sex with you too Ciri… but I mean come on, I've waited my whole life, and… even without it, you're still worth it… you make everything worth it."

She almost felt tears fall again then and there, she leaned forward and quickly kissed him, before pulling back and smiling, but shaking her head.

"Gods you're sweet but… but Dominik, I still want to do it," She said, before she looked deep into his eyes again and gently nodded, "We… we could still do it now if-."

"Shh… Ciri it's okay. We can wait," He said gently, as he smiled at her and shook his head, "You're all frazzled right now… I want it to be perfect for you… I want you to be happy, smiling, and well… not having just cried into me for a half hour."

He smiled, amused at her, and she couldn't help but laugh. She looked up at him once more, and didn't think she'd ever feel more in love with him then she was then, more sure that she wanted to make love to him, go all the way with him, show him the extent she loved him physically, feel that special connection with him. However, she knew that he had a point. She still felt her body slightly shaking, her makeup was running down her cheeks, and both their eyes were red and puffy. The moment would come, it would, and she knew it would come soon… but then still wasn't the right time.

She also didn't need to have sex with him to know how much he loved her, and how much she loved him.

A small smile came to her face, and she nodded at him, "Okay… but when it comes, Dominik I… I swear it'll be perfect, just me and you."

"Ha, well I would hope it was just us," He said sarcastically, and Ciri felt herself scoff and roll her eyes as she smiled and smacked his chest again.

"You're such an ass…" She said jokingly, before readjusting herself, and laying her head down on his chest as he laughed and pulled the blanket over them.

She looked over one more time and felt the warmth from the crackling fire, she saw the gwent cards, the blanket, the basket of food, and between all of that, the blanket over her, and his arms wrapping around her, despite having on nothing but her knickers, Ciri felt completely warm. She was there with him, with Dominik, Geralt and their family were right back with them at Kaer Morhen. After so long, everything was back to how it should be, and after a little bit longer, a little bit more fighting, it would be time for that future she always wanted, that freedom with Dominik at her side.

"Ciri…" He said lightly, and Ciri turned her head back up to him, as he looked down to her smiling, his arms still around her, before he tilted his head wonderingly, "You okay? You drifted off for a minute."

Feeling her heart fuller than it had been in the longest of times she nodded. Gently she reached up and kissed him one more time. She kissed him gently, a long, lingering, loving kiss on his lips, before she gently pulled back and nodded.

"I'm okay… I'm more than okay," She said, before she kissed his scarred right cheek and cuddled back down into his chest, "Just… hold me… hold me you stupid boy…"

"Always…" He said right away, before Ciri felt his arm wrap tighter around her.

And as she leaned and started to gently drift her eyes closed, Ciri thought about the words he said again.

The past was the past, they couldn't control it, only their future. He loved her, she loved him…

and that was all that mattered now.

**A/N: Oh boy, this chapter took me a long time to write, not just because of its length, but because it really, really challenged my writing abilities for reasons we'll discuss below. However, first let me thank you all for being patient. As I've said before, I write chapters in advance, and always want to have three or four chapters to post in advance before an update. With the second half of this story getting much more intense, the chapters are longer, therefore naturally they're taking me longer to write. I swear however, there will never be more than 5 days without an update, that will be the limit. Now that that's over, let's discuss this massive, massive chapter for our two young heroes. **

**Before we get to obviously the main part of the chapter, we have that first intense conversation between Dominik and Avallac'h. What's the elf up too now? Why is he suddenly being cordial, even letting Dominik take Ciri from their lesson? How will the conflict between him and Dominik grow, and what will it mean for the end? **

**Also, we get which is my personal favorite quest of the whole game, the snowball fight with Ciri. Ciri, Dominik and Geralt all have some light hearted fun, and honestly I've been waiting to write this the entire time xD Dominik and Ciri have a moment like they were younger (Chapter 35 Cabaret had the young Dom and Ciri flashback if you want to read), before Dominik takes her off for the surprise he has planned, which as we see… turns out a little different then they both wanted. **

**After some couple banter, Dom and Ciri finally look like it's time, it's time for them to finally make love and solidify that relationship. Quick note, I've never written like sexual and sensual scenes like that in any writing I've ever done, and I do really apologize if it was cringy, I will gladly accept constructive criticism on that, because we will obviously have scenes like that again in the future. The real conflict, and main point of the chapter, however, comes just before it seems they're about to finally do it. **

**Dominik brings up Ciri's tattoo, and that is when everything finally spills out. Dominik learns about Mistle and the Rats, and Ciri learns that he truly wasn't this perfect, honorable witcher she seemed to think he was during the eight years. I wanted to get a raw scene of two lovers finally spilling out their past, and gods it was hard to write. I really hope I did well transferring how desperate they both were, and how terrified they both were to talk about this. The sexual and romantic tension had been building to something like this, and finally it's all out in the open. **

**And as Dominik remembers his mother saying, and his father saying in his visions, they're both there now, and they can't change the past. I wanted it to be Dominik who said this, because as we've seen the entire book he's struggled with his past, the mistakes he made and thinks he made, and not being able to forgive himself, so I thought it was fitting to show his growth when he spoke to Ciri about it here. Past events will obviously still come up, and we'll still see some struggle, but in terms of their relationship, this can be seen as the official start of the new Dominik and Ciri you could say. **

**As Ciri says, their new journey together is officially beginning, and I am so so excited. With all of this out of the way, I can finally start writing them well… as themselves. We'll see the headstrong sarcastic Ciri that we all love, and the real Dominik as well, we'll get to see them finally be a couple without all of this hanging over them, and I am so excited for it. **

**Also, I originally planned for Ciri also to reveal what happened with Auberon, and Avallac'h, however after actually writing that part in, I 1.) Feel it would just drag the chapter on too long 2.) It just felt out of place for the moment as I read it back, and 3.) I found somewhere else I want to put that reveal at which I think will have much more impact.**

**So NOW, next chapter is our last at Kaer Morhen. It will be relatively short, as we're going to get a simple chapter of Dominik finally getting back to full health, some banter and moments between friends, and a bit of a recap. And the chapter after that… we head to Bald Mountain to fight the Crones as the final act of the story officially begins. **

**I still can't believe the massive following this has gotten, and I want to thank you all so, so much for your continued support. I want to once again say, if you want to stay completely up to date on my writing status, see previews of chapters, and even see some official fan art, go and follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram, I have SO much fun stuff there!**

**So finally, thank you all again, I really love every single one of you who read, make sure to follow to keep up to date, review if you have time, and I will see you all next time!**


	68. One Last Night

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 68: One Last Night**

**Narrator: A week and a half ago, Dominik of Cintra, the Young Wolf, fought Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt himself, and was nearly slain. Our young hero was minutes from death, but thanks to the help of his friends, family, and most importantly having Ciri back by his side, Dominik was able to survive, not only survive, but recover and walk again within a single week. Ciri meanwhile, had been hard at work, training to finally learn to control the great powers inside her blood with the elven sage Avallac'h. Both the young heroes of course had the constant support of their adopted father Geralt, and the aid of their friends, Faram of Undvik, Freya Kaminski of Ellander, George of Toussaint, and even the witchers Letho of Gullet, and Gaeten of the School of the Cat. Despite all the training however, Dominik and Ciri both found time to spend with one another, with the young couple who had finally been reunited after eight years apart enjoying as much time with one another as they can, before the next phase of their war against the Wild Hunt begins. Now, after a week and a half, Ciri had made progress controlling her powers, while Dominik is finally training yet again, returning to his plan of mastering the fighting styles of all five witcher schools. Soon however, it will finally be time for Dominik, Ciri, Geralt, and all their friends to head out, head out to finally bring the fight to the Wild Hunt…**

"Come on kid faster! I know you got a bum leg, but I know you can still move faster than that," Gaeten yelled to him, as the cat witcher dodged and parried yet another one of his blows with perfect precision.

Dominik had always thought that he was quick, and he knew that he was faster then almost any man even without full witcher mutations. He was able to keep up with Geralt, Faram, and George, fully mutated exceptionally skilled witchers, he had even kept up with Letho during their training sessions so far the previous two days he had been back in full training, and this was all with his leg still throbbing and shooting up in pain from time to time. Gaeten however, Dominik had never seen an opponent move like he did, even for a witcher, the bald man moved with blistering speed, and he could barely keep track. The sun beat down on his neck, the sweat trickled down his chest, and even though he had been trying for hours, he had barely managed to even land a hit on the cat witcher.

"Dammit…" He muttered breathlessly to himself, as his white top was caked in sweat, and he tried to strike out again.

He was moving his feet with perfect precision, he felt as if he was picking up right where he had left off if he ignored the throbbing in his leg. The practice sword he was using was also heavier then his silver or his normal steel blade, both of which were still up in his room, along with the top of his armor, but Dominik didn't see it as an excuse. He lashed out from the right again with a quick spin, but Gaeten parried, and with more speed then the cat witcher showed all day, he spun back around, and Dominik felt the tip of the practice sword poking into his stomach. He groaned, as he heard the clanging of blades ringing out all around him, the sun was almost ready to set, and despite his failures to land many hits on the Cat witcher, he was happy to see he had gotten down the basics of the School of the Cat. A cool gust of wind blew through his brown hair, which was soaked with sweat, it chilled his body, but he still managed to roll his eyes as he looked down at a smirking Gaeten.

"Not bad kid, still not at full step I can see that" The cat witcher said with a smirk as he pulled the point of the practice sword away from his stomach, "But still, not bad for someone who nearly fucking died a week ago."

Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Thanks… only way I'm going to get back to full strength is by training… let's go again."

He twirled his sword and Gaeten laughed, "Ha… been a good two days for you kid, you got the basics down, think it's time for an advanced lesson."

"Advanced lesson?" Dominik asked as the clanging of everyone else's blade got louder in his ears.

Nodding Gaeten took a step closer to him, "Like I've been telling you, school of the cats about quick dodges and precise strikes. We go for the kill with each strike, one well aimed blow is all it takes to kill a man."

Dominik slowly nodded, upon learning all of this the day before, he had been shocked to learn that the school of the cat was both similar and extremely different from the school of the bear, which Faram had told him, Dominik had all the knowledge of he'd need. Just like the school of the bear, the school of the cat had a very defensive style. However, unlike the bear school, the cat school didn't ground themselves, they focused on wearing their opponent out by quick dodges, rolls and precise parries. The day before. Gaeten had told him to simply come at him during their spar, so Dominik had, and the cat witcher took full advantage of his weakened state, and managed to dodge and roll, until the perfect moment when his blade came up to Dom's chest. Like how Faram had told him, the bear school grounded themselves, throwing out dozens of precise parries, sidesteps and spins, waiting for the perfect moment. The cat school however, dodged, rolled, threw parries quickly, and moved to tire out their opponent till they made a mistake, before they would end the fight with a single blow. Dominik had learned of course the old saying from Geralt, 'you can be losing a fight the entire time, but all it ever takes is one well aimed blow', and it seemed the school of the cat took that lesson to heart.

"I know, been learning that since I was eleven," He told the cat school witcher who simply smirked and held out his hand.

Gently Gaeten pressed his finger to one point on Dominik's torso, it was just between two of his ribs, it didn't seem like one of the normal pressure points he learned about, however, when Gaeten sharply angled his finger and jabbed inward he nearly fell.

"GAHHHH! What the hell!?" Dominik yelled, his knees nearly buckling as a sharp stabbing pain shot through his chest.

Gaeten laughed and pointed to the same spot on his own torso, "That little spot right there, its where a big cluster of veins connects to the heart, one little stab right there, a man dies, no matter what, doesn't matter how big, how powerful, they'll be dead in minutes."

Dominik scoffed and felt the spot throbbing where Gaeten had poked, and met the cat witchers eyes, "Good trick and all… but armor will cover that spot most of the time, so unless I'm fighting unarmored villagers, don't know what good knowing that will do me."

"Ha, that's where you're wrong kid," The cat witcher said, crossing his arms as the sun reflected off his bald head while he bore his yellow eyes into him, "When we were fighting those wraiths, noticed that there's a slit in their armor that exposes it, angle your knife or sword the right way their dead. Even that Eredin prick would be on the ground bleeding in seconds."

He slowly nodded but mentally rolled his eyes, he knew that the spot would more than likely kill any normal man, or even any rider of the Hunt like Gaeten said. Eredin however, wasn't any ordinary man, and as Dominik looked around seeing his friends all training, George and Faram sparring with one another, Geralt grilling Freya as she blindly tried to run pendulums, he knew that if he wanted them all to make it, he would need to kill him one way or another, and if knowing that exposed spot of his armor helped, Dominik would listen. He couldn't fail, he wouldn't, Alexander, Connor, Lara, all of his ancestors had failed, but this time he quite literally couldn't. Back then, Eredin and his people wanted the blood back to simply become more powerful, erase the stain on their legacy, and help them better travel between planes. However now, the stakes were even higher, not only would he lose Ciri if he didn't beat Eredin, the entire continent would be covered in ice, and the Hunt would invade.

So he couldn't stop, even with the back of his right leg throbbing, his scarred cheek tingling, and the fatigue setting into his bones, he needed to keep going.

"Okay… got it, come on let's go another round," He said as he twirled the dull practice blade while Gaeten smirked, and it looked like the cat witcher was gonna get ready for another go, but a new voice rang through the air, one that had been watching.

"Why don't you take a break Gaeten, I wanna get my shots in," Letho said, and Dominik turned to see the Viper witcher sit up from the crumbled stone he'd been sitting and watching on, the large bald man pulled and twirled a dagger from the sheath on his chest, "What do you say kid? Let's see how much better you're getting with that little knife of yours."

"All you," Gaeten said turning back to Letho and stretching out his arms, "Gonna head back, pour myself a drink anyway. Long as you think you're ready kid."

Dominik let out a tired breath, and quickly wiped his forehead again, he quickly nodded to the two bald witchers, before walking over to the sword rack again. He placed the practice sword back in the rack, he had to wipe sweat out of his eyes again as the wind came in to chill his bones. It blew the wolf and the swallow against his chest as he took a second to see how his friends were doing while he caught his breath. It had officially been a week and a half now since the battle, and like Freya had promised him, he was finally walking again, and despite the occasional pain that flared up in his leg, he felt good everywhere else, and all of his friends certainly seemed to be in top shape as well.

He watched as Faram and George clashed their swords together, the griffin and bear witchers laughing and whooping the entire time. They had told Dominik that apparently their sparring sessions had been even in terms of who won, but George joked that if he could use his signs he'd be ahead. In the previous few days, even before he went back to full training like he had for the last two days, his two friends had continued to show him more from the bear and griffin schools. He could switch between the styles with ease now, and he assumed after a few more days of the exercises Gaeten and Letho had both shown him, the hybrid style he had developed would be ready. It had only felt like yesterday to him that he got the idea, while he was waiting in that house with Geralt. Now, it was actually a reality, and more importantly, it would help him when they soon moved out.

"Wrong, footwork, come on move," Geralt's voice rang, and Dominik shot his head over to the pendulums, and couldn't help but smirk as he watched his adopted father shake his head, "Come on, you're not in the circus, pirouette, don't be so stagnant, one foot after the other, you need to develop a flow!"

"Were you like this with Dom and Ciri!?" Freya's agitated voice rang out, as his friend stepped from peg to peg with her blindfold on.

Geralt scoffed with his arms crossed as he watched on, "I was worse with them, you're getting off easy, now half-turn!"

Freya executed the move perfectly, she struck at the giant pendulum as it swung, but Dominik could see that she loosed her elbow and misstepped. The wooden practice blade smacked against the moving piece of wood, and she yelped as the blade fell from her hand. It looked like it was going to fall off the side of the castle, but he scoffed out in amazement as Freya managed to catch the sword's handle on her foot, she kicked the blade back up to her hand and whirled it behind her back into her other hand, before she stepped past the pendulum, leaned down and sprung herself to the next peg in a one handed cartwheel, and when she finally landed both feet down Geralt smirked and clapped.

"Good! Keep moving, don't stop, use your momentum!" His adopted father yelled, as Freya let out a deep breath with her blonde ponytail blowing back in the wind.

Dominik scoffed, and he looked to see Faram and George finish their sparring match, before Faram laughed loudly and clapped as Freya started moving yet again.

"HAHA! You show'em goldilocks, she's a natural ain't she Geralt!?" The Bear witcher yelled out, crossing his massive arms as his swords clunked.

Geralt scoffed again, "Ha, she is yeah, took Dom weeks to even last more than a few minutes."

"I WAS ELEVEN!" Dominik shouted over right away as he felt his face get red, and it only got worse when Geralt and his friends laughed.

Despite the joke, he felt a small smile come to his face as he watched Freya move elegantly on the pendulums still. He could see that she was trying to hold back the broad smile she wanted to let loose to concentrate, and he mentally scoffed. If you had told him five years prior when he had first met Freya in Ellander, that sweet, kind, pretty doctors assistant in her dresses and neatly kept hair, told him that now, she would be at the witcher fortress, training and running along the pendulums, helping them fight the Wild Hunt all while she was slated to be the first student of the Kaer Morhen witcher academy, he would have thought you needed to go to the doctors yourself. However, she was there now, along with the rest of his friends, training, laughing, readying themselves for what was to come.

The only people not in the courtyard were Ciri and Avallac'h. He knew the sage had taken Ciri to the hall again, and was still trying to show her more about controlling her powers, which she insisted she was making some new progress on, ever since Avallac'h had eased up on her, and let her spend more time with him and their friends. If he narrowed his eyes, he could see her there, her, himself, and Geralt when they were both young. One of them would be up on the pendulum, while the other would be down below, shouting encouragement while Geralt yelled instructions and moves. The suns warm glow casted over him, and he found himself smiling, as she wished she had been there now as well. The previous day she had come after her lesson just as the sun was setting, she said she wanted to train with them, however, after a few minutes, Dominik could tell she was too exhausted. They had only stayed out for a few minutes, before they went to eat dinner, and when they got to his room that night, he was adamant that she get a good night's sleep, and despite her trying to argue at first, she quickly fell asleep in his arms.

Since that night in the cave two days prior, he couldn't describe things any other way then perfect, at least as perfect as they could be in the grand scheme of things. Had he been slightly upset learning that she had slept with someone else, willingly slept with someone else? Of course he had, after she mentioned it, he would admit he did feel slightly betrayed, however, he was quickly able to see the guilt in her eyes, the regret, and between that and her cries, her desperate pleas of saying she was sorry, along with hearing more about what happened, he wasn't able to stay upset for long. He had also remembered what his father said to him while he was almost dead, and what his mother had said.

Nothing else mattered, they were back together, and they loved each other, and if they didn't forgive themselves for the past, then they would never get that future they wanted.

The two of them wouldn't focus on either of the things they had done or hadn't done anymore, all they would focus on was the task ahead of them and getting to that future. So, it didn't matter what she had done, who she had or hadn't slept with, it didn't matter who he himself hadn't slept with, or what he hadn't done. He had her back now, she had him back, and they wouldn't let each other go again. After this, the next morning after what happened in the cave, along with the previous two days as he said had been as perfect as they could be. Just that morning he had woken up early and went down to the kitchen while she slept still. Geralt and Freya had been awake already making breakfast, eggs, bacon and bread, so he gathered up that and a pitcher of apple-juice. He brought it up to his room just as Ciri had woken up, before they sat on his bed by the fire and ate breakfast together, smiling, talking, joking with one another, and of course there had been kissing and holding each other in between before they both went about starting training for the day. It finally had felt to him, that they were truly together, truly dating one another again, now that everything had been brought out into the open, she knew what he had to do, and he did for her. While there were still small details they'd reveal to each other in time, everything they needed to know was known, and it had led to them both finally able to pick up where they had left off.

And finally to him, it felt like it had when they were younger, the two of them always there for each other, supporting one another, protecting and being there for the other. Also, with him finally fully on his feet, and her advancing in her training, it would soon finally be time, they'd set out soon, and they'd find Eredin and the Hunt.

After that, as Dominik and her both promised, the King and the Hunt would pay.

"You still here kid? Get distracted looking at the pretty butterflies?" Letho jokingly asked from behind him.

Dominik whirled around, removing his eyes away from his friends and Freya still running the pendulum. Turning back to Letho he scoffed at the viper witchers sarcasm and noticed Gaeten had indeed gone back inside the keep as the large bald man tossed his dagger in his hand. With a smirk he wiped his sweaty hair out of his eyes and slipped the silver dagger from his waist before twirling it and brandishing it out. The sun was starting to set, and he knew that they'd retire to the keep soon, and while he was still yearning to see Ciri, he found himself actually enjoying being out in the training yard again. It had only been a week, but he had never felt so good stretching out his legs, and he also knew that with every combo he practiced, every stroke of his sword readied him more for the next time he faced Eredin.

"Beautiful view can you blame me?" Dominik said sarcastically to the viper witcher, as he slowly started circling the mountain of a man.

Letho laughed as he tossed his dagger, "Gotta admit, getting kinda fond of the place myself."

"You and Gaeten decide what you're gonna do when we leave?" He asked curiously as he adjusted his top which had become sweaty enough to stick to his chest.

Smirking Letho shrugged his shoulders, "Been on the Path a long-time kid, the both of us. Figured after you leave we may stick around, wait for Eskel and the Old Man to get back."

He scoffed and twirled the sleek knife to a reversed grip, "Gonna stay and help out with the Witcher Academy?"

The mountain of a man stopped and smirked at him again, "Think we will, if there's gonna be new witchers, might as well make sure the School of the Viper lives on in some way."

"Pretty good school, I can vouch for it, and hell, I got it down after a few sessions, you must just be that good a teacher," Dominik said in a jokingly smug tone as he shifted his feet and readied for the match.

Again Letho scoffed, "Not a master yet kid… let's see what you've learned."

"Let's," Dominik said, and after another scoff Letho came at him.

In the previous days training, all his friends had told him they weren't going a hundred percent on him out of fear of hurting his leg again much to Dominik's dismay. However, just like with Gaeten, Letho didn't seem to care that he had a bum leg as the giant witcher lashed out with his knife. Feeling the wind begin to howl in his ear, he raised up the silver dagger to block, before spinning and trying to thrust himself. Letho saw this, and quickly knocked his strike away, the large man went to punch forward, but Dominik had learned to expect these tricks, so the was able to dodge. For a while longer, just like Letho had taught him, he didn't stop attacking, all-out attack, just like the school of the viper dictated. Letho seemed to be caught off guard by him moving so precisely, but soon the large man caught on, and the whirlwind of parries and strikes kept coming.

Like Dominik had come to expect, Letho wasn't going easy on him because of his leg. The viper witcher leapt with a spin to lash out from the right after a few more intense minutes of parries. Dominik managed to raise up his dagger to catch Letho's blade on the hilt of his, the viper witchers strength almost overwhelmed him, but as soon as Letho saw his legs buckle, the large man ducked down under the clinch and swung his massive arm towards Dominik's legs. He felt Letho's massive hand grab onto his right shin, before the viper witcher swept his leg out from under him.

"GAH!" Dominik yelled as he felt his face hit the dirt, and right away he rolled onto his back. He heard his friends yell and run over, but all he focused on was Letho above him, who laughed and towered over him, smirking as he twirled his dagger.

The viper witcher laughed as the sun casted his massive shadow down over him, "Ha, got some stuff to learn yet kid, remember that not all fights-. GAH!"

Dominik had learned his lesson, he spun around on his back, and using his own legs he clinched them around Letho's and swept the viper witchers massive legs out from under him when he was least expecting it. Right away Dominik rolled to his knees and scooped up his dagger, he raced to try and get the blade to Letho's neck, the viper witcher had been taken completely by surprise and for a moment he floundered on the ground. Dominik saw his friends and Geralt coming to watch from the corner of his eye, but quickly focused back on Letho. He went to bring his dagger to the viper witchers neck, but Letho finally recovered and rolled out of the way and back up to his feet quickly. As soon as he did, he came back from Dominik again, and he just barely had time to roll out of the mountain of a man's barreling charge. He whirled back up just as Letho went for another thrust, and soon he engaged with the man in another whirlwind of dagger strikes and parries.

Out of the corner of his eye as he focused, Dominik saw George and Faram watching, Faram leaned against a pile of rubble and smirked, while George did the same. Geralt had let Freya off the pendulums, and now they both had come over to watch as well. He saw Geralt smiling with a bit of pride, and he found himself staring too long, because Letho almost caught him in the stomach. However, he turned just in time and blocked the strike before spinning and trying to stab at the viper witchers back from above. He came down from above, but Letho quickly parried and spun to stab for his side. Dominik side-stepped and struck upwards on Letho's dagger, but the viper witcher used this to his advantage, spinning around and coming with a massive strike from above.

With just barely enough time he raised his dagger up and caught the strike on the blades hilt, and soon he had Letho in a clinch again, and this time, the viper witcher was using every bit of strength in his massive arms. Dominik gritted his teeth and almost bit through his tongue, he strained every bit of his arms, and tried to dig his feet into the ground as Geralt and his friends watched on with bated breath to see how the sparring duel turned out. He tried to adjust his feet and dig them into the ground as Letho pressed harder, but as soon as he did, he winced loudly as pain shot through his right leg from the strain. His arms began to buckle, and when he looked up to see Letho's eyes, he knew the viper witcher would soon take advantage and end the duel, winning this round. He knew he wouldn't beat Letho in a clinch, but an idea quickly came to his head just as the viper witcher pressed down to try and crush through their clinch with renewed force.

He felt himself smirk, as right when Letho pressed down again, Dominik dropped the dagger from his right hand. Letho stumbled forward, and Dominik's dagger fell right into his waiting left hand, he quickly caught it and angled it perfectly towards Letho's stomach, and the viper witcher soon came to an abrupt stop. Slowly Dominik felt a wild smirk come to his face, as he looked at all of his friends bewildered and scoffing faces. Below him he heard a small scoff come from Letho, as Dominik's dagger was at the exact same spot Gaeten had just told him about on the viper witchers stomach.

"Ha… not bad kid… not bad…" The mountain of a man slowly said, before Dominik saw him slowly pulled back clapping and smirking as he met his eyes, "You finally took my lesson to heart."

He scoffed himself and twirled his dagger before sliding it into the sheath on his belt, "Ha, it's like you said. If it's between letting them take Ciri… or using a trick like that, well, it's no contest really… good match."

Letho smirked and nodded, holding out his massive hand, "Yeah… good match kid."

The wind howled, and with all the sweat that dripped down his body he felt his bones shake, but Dominik smiled broadly and shook the viper witchers massive hand. A shot of pride ran through him, as for the first time since he had started walking again, he was feeling like his old self again. He tried to ignore the shot of pain running through his leg, as he turned and saw the sun gently still setting out over the pendulums, but soon his friends were all over him, and the first thing he heard as always was Faram's booming laugh.

"HAHA! That cunt Eredin's in for it next time he see's you mate!" His best-friend said clapping his massive hand down on Dom's shoulder with a large smirk, "Fucker won't stand a chance!"

George's Toussaint accent rang in his ears as well, "Ha, I must concur with Faram my friend! You are as sharp as ever; nobody would ever believe the state you were in only a few days ago!"

Scoffing Dominik shook his head, "Still got a ways to go before I'm back to where I was, but… it does feel good to be back on my feet. And I got our prodigal surgeon to thank for it! Well, not only prodigal surgeon, but witcher prodigy as well now."

He turned his gaze over to a sweating Freya, who went red next to Geralt as Faram and George both laughed next to him. The blonde scoffed and looked over at them all with a shake of her head.

"Guys come on… I still got a ways to go too… those pendulums are no joke," She said with another scoff and shake of her head, as she let the hair down from her blonde ponytail and looked over at Geralt, "Is there really a way to put two of them up there?"

His adopted father laughed and smirked, "Ha, you bet there is, took Dom here weeks to get it down. You're way ahead of where he was at this point.

"I was ELEVEN!" He quickly defended himself, only making Geralt roll his eyes.

"Oh please, it still took you months to last even more then a few minutes on the doubles," Geralt said as all of George, Faram, Freya and even Letho cracked a smile before again his adopted father smirked at him, "If not for Ciri dragging you to secret training sessions would've taken you even longer."

Dominik rolled his eyes but felt his heart slightly well up. He'd never forget that night after they first both tried the double pendulums, the night Ciri woke him up to try again in the middle of the night. In that very spot only a few meters away, he had almost fallen off the walls, and just in time Ciri caught him. His lips tingled still from that first night she kissed him, twelve-year-old Dominik had been completely elated, and almost blurted out that he loved her then and there, according to Ciri she had almost done the same, and thinking about it in that moment, he still couldn't believe how long ago it actually was in comparison to how short ago it felt.

He smirked and turned back to see his friends all laughing together, when even Letho was laughing, it was when you knew that you had a special group. Freya ran a hand through her sweaty blonde hair and laughed nervously before looking up at Geralt.

"It… it'll take me a long time before I'm anywhere near all of your levels… thank you all," She said genuinely looking between all of them, before her eyes rested back on Dominik, "If… if not for you… I'd more than likely be hanged or in a cell by now…"

Right away Dominik shook his head with a broad smile, "Don't sell yourself short Freya, you're going to be a great first student for the academy. And you're welcome… for everything, but to be honest we should all be thanking you. Think we all would've starved if not for you!"

Faram laughed heartily from his right, "BAHA you got that right mate! You're a godsend goldilocks!"

"He is right Freya, you are our friend, we are doing for you, what we know you would have done for us," The southern witcher said giving a small bow, his golden and green armor glinted in the sun before he lightly laughed, "Aha… as for the food situation well… again I must concur with Faram and Dominik."

"Got that right," Geralt said with a nod, before turning back to the blonde with a smile, "I just hope you're ready, you think I'm tough, wait till you've been in a few of Vesemir's lessons."

"HA, that's an understatement," Dominik said with an eye roll as they all managed a laugh.

Dominik looked and saw Freya nearly in tears as she laughed, never had he felt more at peace with his friends then. He had been hearing the advice, _'You don't have to do it all alone,' _all week, from his parents in his visions near death, from Alexander when he went into the illusion, from Geralt and his friends himself. And as he stood there, with all of them around him, he couldn't think of any other people he'd want by he and Ciri's side when the final fight came. The wind gently howled, and chilled his bones as the sweat finally started to dry on him, but even with his slightly fatigued bones, the bit of pain running through his leg, he felt like he could stay out there with them all for hours, train with them for even longer.

He could tell by the position of the sun that they had about an hour of daylight left, and while he was yearning to go and find Ciri, possible take a bath before drifting pleasantly to sleep with her in his arms, which would always be the best feeling in the world, he found himself not wanting to stop training yet, wanting to spend even just a few more minutes with his friends then. Thankfully, Geralt smirked and looked at them all before crossing his arms.

"Alright, before we get heading in, how's about one more live spar for everyone," His adopted father asked, turning over to face Letho, "How about it, you up for it?"

Letho scoffed and shook his head, "After the kid just whooped me? Think I'll turn in, grab an ale and kick my feet up."

Freya's eyes quickly widened, and a broad smile came to her face as she stepped between them all, "How about, since we're going to be leaving soon, I make us all something special for tonight? One last party, food, wine, ALL of us, so that includes you and Gaeten Letho."

She smirked over at the viper witcher, who scoffed out another laugh. Over the last week, while Gaeten and Letho had trained with them, both the viper and cat witcher had mostly kept to themselves, helping them when they could, but not interacting as much as everyone else had. Letho looked like he was about to turn the offer down, but Faram quickly laughed and clapped the massive witcher, who was the only one Dominik knew who could possibly match Faram's massive size in terms of his muscles, on the shoulder.

"HAHAAA I love it goldilocks," He said with a broad smile at Freya before turning to Letho, "Come on ya meaty bastard! Come have a drink with us, be social for once in your fuckin life!"

Dominik's eyes widened and he nearly laughed as Letho rolled his eyes. The viper witcher ended up shrugging his shoulders, he scoffed and looked between Dominik and Geralt.

"Eh… why the hell not. Promise I can hold my liquor better then these two pansies can," The mountain of a man said, and Dominik felt his eyes widen. He looked and saw Geralt tilting his head, and a slightly nervous look appear before the viper witcher went on, "Ha, last time I heard them up drinking with the other two, heard them trying on the sorceress's clothes."

"For fucks sake…" Geralt muttered under his breath, as Dominik nervously bit his lip, before the rest of their friends all started laughing.

He looked around and saw them all laughing, and soon found himself amusingly rolling his eyes. The wind howled, and the sunset casted its glow over them all, and for another few minutes he felt at peace, they laughed for a few more minutes before Freya finished and looked at them all again before slowly nodding.

"Alright, it's a plan, after we're done, I'll head inside and get everything ready, shouldn't take me that long," She said as she smiled and went to turn back around to Geralt, "So, can we still get that last spar in before we head back?"

Dominik looked to see Letho had silently walked back towards the keep and scoffed at how amazingly silent the large man could move again, before turning back to his friends. Geralt smirked and nodded at Freya's question before turning back to them all.

"Yeah, we can get one more in, should have a decent amount of daylight left," His adopted father said, as he turned and looked at them again, "Let's pair off, George you go with Faram, Dom, you can switch off with me and Freya, we'll-."

"Or maybe I can be his partner," The voice of the person he had wanted to see most in that world pleasantly hit his ears.

Faram laughed as he turned around first, "AHAH CIRI! Good to see ya lassie, how'd the fancy magic lessons go!?"

Dominik turned and sure enough Ciri had finally come out from the keep, and as always, he admired the beautiful glow the sun casted off her. She smiled wildly as she came over to them all, her boots crunched in the dirt and bits of snow, and as it always did, her just walking into the same area as him, brought a huge smile to his face as she continued to smile wildly. Her bun was loose, the sun almost made her glow, and Dominik as always found himself staring as she stopped in front of them all, she didn't have her sword, but still wore the same outfit she usually did, she walked over towards him, and smiled broadly at everyone else.

"As well as they have been, no complaints today, even got let off early," She said with a bit of smugness, before she stopped in front of him and looked over to him with a smirk, "And I hear you need a sparring partner? What do you say handsome, down to get knocked into the dirt just like when we were younger?"

He managed to stop staring at her and scoffed with the smile staying on his face, "You mean when I used to let you win?"

"Oh please, you NEVER let me win, right Geralt?" She said with a smirk, looking over to their father.

Geralt laughed and crossed his arms with a smile, "Ha, didn't look like that to me."

"Gee, thanks Geralt," He said with an eye roll, before turning back to a smirking Ciri and feeling his heart flutter at the gorgeous look on her face before he scoffed and nodded, "Alright princess, you're on. Just don't expect me to take it easy on you."

She smirked back at him again and walked over to the rack of practice swords. While looking back and smirking at him the entire time, she pulled out two of them, and tossed the one blade to him. Easily he caught it and twirled it, just as Ciri did the same with a smaller blade that she had found, and before he knew it, just like when they were younger, most of the time in that exact same spot they both faced each other down. Geralt laughed from next to them and looked to his three friends.

"Forget about our matches, you three won't wanna miss this," His adopted father said with a tad bit of smugness, the pride dripping out of his voice.

Dominik scoffed as did Ciri, before he found himself smiling wildly as he slowly circled the love of his life, as she looked over at him with a completely elated look on her face. He was still sweating profusely, it dripped down under his shirt, down the back of his neck, even going into his eye, but he didn't dare take his eyes off of Ciri. As he had been doing all week, when he was around her, he never stopped paying attention, there had been times when he still didn't believe that she was truly there, but now, the sunset casted a beautiful glow over her gorgeous face, and just like when they were younger her brilliant emerald eyes sparkled mischievously as she twirled her sword and circled him, as if they were the only two people in the world for that moment.

"So, how's your leg feeling?" She asked him, as they didn't stop circling, and Dominik could hear she was genuinely curious as well as trying to make a joke.

He laughed lightly and smiled over at her, "As good as ever, been going at this for a few hours, how sweet of you to ask princess."

She scoffed and playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh I'm just making sure because well, I love you, but also I want to make sure you won't be using that excuse when I beat you now."

He heard laughs from his friends around him, and Dominik himself even managed a laugh, before he rolled his eyes at her.

"Low blow princess, but don't worry, even with a bum leg I'm still more then a match for you," He said as he started twirling the blade again.

"Like you said you'd be a match for me at gwent?" She said back innocently with a smirk as she looked at him amusingly.

"I was a match for you! Like I said, I let you win, just like I always did when we sparred," He said with a smile as he finally stopped, shrugging his shoulders he met her smirking gaze.

She scoffed at him but smiled as she pointed out her sword, "Well Dominik of Cintra, I hereby give you permission to stop 'letting' me win."

"Your wish is my command, 'your highness'," He said with a mock bow, getting a loud scoff from Ciri across him, as he slowly picked his head up and met her eyes.

She bit her lip, and Dominik couldn't help but laugh at her slightly flustered look. Quickly however, she shook it off and smirked again before rolling her eyes and leveling her sword.

"I'll get you for that," She said jokingly as she rolled her eyes, "You're lucky I love you."

"You're right, I really am," He said right away with a smile as he twirled his sword and brought both hands to it.

She was taken aback for a few seconds by his compliment before she quickly leveled her sword with both hands as well and smirked wildly at him.

"Oho no, don't try to suck up now, it won't help you this time," She said smugly.

"Will it help me later?" He said with a smirk of his own, and felt triumphant when her face got red.

However, she quickly smirked at him and he felt his body tingle when she shot him a wink, "If you're lucky… maybe it will…. Now though… let's see how good you've gotten handsome."

He found himself floundering for a moment and heard a few laughs from his friends. However, he quickly managed to shake off the tingling and goosebumps that ran down his body at her slightly suggestive tone and level the practice sword. As had been the case so many times that week, if he focused for a moment he saw them both when they were younger, eleven, twelve, thirteen years old, standing apart from one another with swords leveled just like they did now. Now, however, she was a woman, the most beautiful he had ever seen, that however, wouldn't change the fact he wanted to show her just how good he had gotten in that moment. The sun casted both their shadows over the ground, and he thought about how soon, it'd be time for them to leave again, head out for the next phase of their journey. However, first they'd enjoy one more day together, where it was just the two of them, Geralt and all their friends.

And Dominik figured he'd give them a show.

Slowly he nodded and shifted his feet, smiling at her the whole time he laughed lightly, "Ha… been waiting to do that for a long time, let's go princess."

She smiled at him one more time, and he couldn't help but stop and admire how much he loved it when she smiled. Ever since they had been younger, it had been the one thing in the world, that no matter what was happening with him, would make everything better, all his pain would melt away, if his day was dark it'd be right away brightened, all by Ciri's smile. He found himself looking at her high cheekbones, sharper angular jawline, and that cute scar on her bottom lip. She was completely and utterly beautiful, the most beautiful person he would ever see in his life.

However, if that had been a real fight, he would have been cleaved in half, because despite the fact Ciri always told him how incredibly handsome she found him, she certainly didn't seem distracted by him, because she leapt and lashed out faster than Dominik had ever seen, and he just barely had time to raise up his sword and a loud ***CLANG* **shot through the courtyard, as she locked her blade with his in a clinch. Slowly he looked down to see her smirking at him, and as she tried to bring her sword down she even winked at him.

"Don't get too distracted now," She said playfully to him, before Dominik pushed her blade up and went to spin and strike at her side, but Ciri of course side-stepped and leapt back.

He scoffed and twirled his sword as he smirked at her, "Can you really blame me? You're just so damn gorgeous."

She laughed and rolled her eyes at him, "I thought I told you sucking up wouldn't help you right now?"

Shrugging his shoulders he smiled back at her, shouting playfully, "What can I say, I'm hopelessly in love."

"And hopelessly outmatched," She said smirking similarly before leveling her sword again.

"We'll see about that," He said twirling his sword, and this time going to lash out at her.

And as he did, that was when the real sparring match started, their first one since they were children. He remembered how intense their spars used to get when they were younger. They had trained together constantly, and as they both spun, parried and thrusted then, he found himself remembering all the little moves and combos she used to favor, and it seemed she was doing the same with him. If they had ever wanted, he really thought they could have gone on for hours with just how well they knew each other's moves. When he wasn't hopelessly falling for Ciri's tricks to make him let down his guard, when they had serious, intense sparring matches, they had usually ended in a draw, or one of them just barely winning. Most of the matches had been split right down the middle, he would never forget how completely exhausted they would both be afterwards, they'd eat dinner or climb the walls together afterwards and joke with one another about who would win the next match.

That had been when they were just children, now, they were both adults, faster, smarter, more precise, and while Dominik had been in plenty of sparring matches his entire life, nothing compared to that one then.

She tried to thrust forward, but he side-stepped and knocked the top of her blade into the dirt and spun. He thought he had an opening on her back, but as was becoming the case, she expected this and quickly whirled around to parry again, before lashing out with another flurry of strikes that put him on the backfoot. He blocked strikes from the left, the right, she spun and he saw that her flank was exposed, so he spun himself, but realized too later she was trying to lure him in, because she quickly whirled back around to smack his back with the flat of her sword, but thankfully he was able to see it coming and step out of the way, remembering it was a trick she like to use when they were younger. He caught a glimpse of her face, the sweat trickling down her forehead, the hair coming loose from her bun, but most importantly he saw the completely elated smile on her face as the wind howled and bounced the ring around her neck. He had time to smile and appreciate the look before she was out on him again.

He also noticed Geralt and his friends watching with great interest, George had taken a seat on some rubble, while Faram was smirking wildly on the tips of his toes. Freya seemed to wince at every blow he or Ciri took, all the while Geralt stood next to her, the pride dripping from his face as neither Dominik nor Ciri seemed to give an inch.

It seemed like they would be truly going for an hour, however, when Ciri leapt up to spin and strike from above is when he felt the pain shoot through his right leg. He tried to step back and shift his feet to better block, but as soon as his leg twisted the pain shot through him. Ciri came down and he just barely managed to get his blade up to block, and for a split second he saw her eyes widen as she looked down at his leg. However, he didn't let the momentum he had go, he pushed through the pain, determined not to let it hamper him. He couldn't let it bother him, he had to push through if he wanted to be ready, so he spun and smacked his blade forward, and Ciri just had enough time to block. Her eyes narrowed again, and she lashed out again, realizing he wasn't going to let up just because of the pain. She bit her lip and leapt to spin and strike again. This time he blocked, and came up to a clinch again.

He met her eyes, and saw her smirk mischievously for a moment, and that was when Dominik felt her push on the clinch loosen. He took the advantage and pushed her blade up, before smacking the flat of his sword onto her gloved hand, and she stumbled back limply holding her sword.

"GAH! Ow… shit… dammit that hurt…" She said with a slight wheeze, as Dominik saw her reached down and fiercely grip her hand, her face contorted in pain.

Right away his eyes widened, and all thoughts of a sparring match left him as he heard her wince. Keeping the sword in his hand, he felt his blood get cold and guilt wash over him as she seemed like she was barely able to move her hand.

"Are you okay!? Ciri," He said rushing over to her side as she gripped her hand, he came up next to her and looked down to meet her eyes speaking frantically, "Can you move it still!? Did I hit something-. GAHHH!"

Ciri had smirked at him, and as soon as she looked up and met his eyes, wasted no time in gracefully spinning around, and using the flat of her blade to take his legs out from under him. His eyes widened and for a moment he was in mid-air, before his back hit the ground with a loud ***THUD* **and before he knew it, Ciri's blade was down pointed inches from his throat.

"And… it looks like I win, again," She said smirking wildly down at him, as Dominik scoffed and realized what had happened.

He liked to think he knew all of her moves, combos, steps… but that trick had never failed to work on him.

"I can't believe I fell for that again…." He muttered to himself, as above him he saw nothing but Ciri's smiling face, before a chorus of laughs from his friends and Geralt began to ring around him.

Rolling his eyes he felt embarrassed for a moment as it sounded like Faram would pop a blood vessel from how much he laughed, but soon he saw Ciri's hand reach down. He looked up at her smiling broadly down at him, and from the beautiful orange rays of light casting over her, he couldn't help but feel his heart flutter. Seeing her smile like that, it was worth any amount of slight embarrassment. Sighing and feeling the smile come back to him as he looked at her, he let the practice sword fall from his hand as he grabbed hers, and she helped heft him back up to his feet, as his friends around him continued to laugh amusingly.

However, when he got up, he found his face only inches from Ciri's as she looked up at him with a look that was a cross between a smirk, and a loving smile.

"Been falling for it since you were eleven," She said with a smirk, but when he felt himself sigh, he looked back and saw the smirk replaced by a loving smile, as she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled his face closer to her, "But thank you for caring."

She quickly kissed him by yanking his lips to hers by the collar of his shirt. He felt her lips smack onto his, and like every time she did that, his chest absolutely exploded. It only lasted for a few seconds, but he had time to hold his one hand on her hip over her corset, and when she pulled back she shot him a wink and a smile.

"And I'll be sure to remember those compliments later," She said playfully, and he felt his face get hot as she laughed, before he found himself feeling at peace once again, listening to her laugh and seeing her smile.

She gently let go of his collar and he felt the tingling finally die down as their friends walked over to them both. Faram mockingly clapped and laughed heartily again as he crossed over his massive armored arms and looked at them both.

"BAHA! What a match," His friend said with a laugh before smirking over at him, "She got ya good didn't she mate haha!"

George laughed as well, "Aha, I agree, a fantastic match to watch indeed. It was as if you could read each other's minds!"

"Ha, been like that since they were eleven," Geralt scoffed from next to Freya as he smiled amusingly over at them both, "Been using that same trick since they were eleven too."

Ciri laughed and smiled over at Dominik before turning back to them, "Ha, well if it works it works. But… you have gotten a lot better, good job."

Dominik smiled and felt his face get red at her words. He had been saying he wanted to not only find Ciri, but make her proud of him, proud to call him her boyfriend, her best-friend. And even with all the horrible things he told her he had to do, just like he had done for her, she put it all behind them. He hadn't been excited to tell her those things, and all the other things he'd reveal to her as time went on, but hearing her even say good job then, he felt like he had partially accomplished that goal, and as she smiled at him, it was as it always was, her smile sent a wave of warmth washing over him. The cool breeze blew the swallow around his neck, his bones get chilly and his right leg throb, but seeing that smile then made everything go away from him.

"Thanks princess… not too shabby yourself, but next time will be different," He said crossing his arms with a smirk and right away Ciri scoffed.

"Ha, we'll see about that," She said smiling at him, before she turned back to Geralt and their friends again, "So, I hope I'm not too late to run some pendulums, or get a little bit more sparring in."

Geralt smiled down at them both and shook his head, "Not at all, long as you're feeling up to it."

Ciri scoffed and nodded, "Of course I'm up for it! What about the rest of you?"

Freya let out a breathless sigh and shook her head from next to Geralt with an amused smile, "Ha, as much as I love it, I think my bones could use some rest. Besides, I need to start getting things ready for dinner."

"Aye, I agree, I think I could use an ale," George said stepping up from next to Faram with his gilded armor sparkling, "I will help you Freya, well… as much as I can."

Faram laughed and clapped the griffin witchers shoulder, "Baha I agree with ya there mate! We'll all head in and get things all started! You don't mind do ya mates?"

The bear witchers question was directed at Ciri and he. Dominik looked over and saw Geralt still smiling at them, and as much as he loved his three friends, he saw a vision in his head, of a young Ciri and himself eagerly running pendulums with Geralt watching on. He slowly looked over at Ciri now and could see she was thinking the same thing.

He met his friend's eyes and shook his head with a smile, "No problem at all, we got a decent amount of light left. Geralt, Ciri and I will join you all later."

"Yeah, it's no problem, we'll see you all for dinner," Ciri said right away after he had finished, and he couldn't help but smile at the childlike eagerness that came from her.

Faram and George both nodded, before Freya sighed next to them and smiled at them both, "Alright, sounds like a plan. We'll see you all back in the keep soon."

He nodded along with Ciri, and watched as Geralt stood with his arms crossed, the broad smile, one that he very rarely saw on his adopted father stayed plastered. He of course loved Geralt, however, Dominik would be the first to admit, his adopted father was the most sarcastic person you'd ever meet, and while he claimed he had trouble showing emotion, in the past week with Ciri and he there, his adopted father had smiled more than Dominik ever saw. He knew Geralt had been holding it all in, holding in the worry, the anxiousness about the whole quest, the whole journey they were on, just so he didn't further his or Yen's worry while they looked for Ciri. He also knew, his adopted father was a master of moving forward, taking everything life threw at you, and moving on while keeping a level head no matter what, always looking towards the future.

And that was what Ciri and he had to do now, what they would do now. He watched as his friends all started chatting, laughing and walking back towards the keep, before he turned, smiled wildly at Ciri before they both turned back to Geralt. The sunset over the mountains, that view would never get old for him. The air was still chilly, and from all the sweat he felt his bones almost freeze, and when he looked at Ciri, her top was stuck to her body from how much sweat was coming off her. They were both exhausted, fatigued, ready to head inside, eat a large dinner, drink some wine and go to bed, before getting up and readying themselves to finally leave Kaer Morhen soon.

However, a training session with Geralt, the three of them, all out on the pendulums, it was something he knew they were both waiting eight years for, so while they were looking to the future, in that moment then, they both wanted to live like it was the past, and just feel like children again.

Geralt finally smirked down at them both, "So… been a while since I asked this. Who's up first for the pendulums?"

"I'll go!" "I'll go!" Ciri and he both managed to say at the exact same time, before they both stared at each other.

He narrowed his eyes at her and she did the same, before she held up one of her fists, and right away Dominik knew what she was doing.

Sighing he rolled his eyes, "Best two out of three…"

"Bah, it's always like that," Ciri said, before they both went to play rock, paper, scissors to decide who would go first, just like when they were kids.

And for the next hour or so, Dominik really felt like he was a child again, and he loved it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on! Footwork! Wrong, half-turn," Geralt shouted out to Dominik on the pegs, while Ciri looked on with a smirk on her face.

He had actually beaten her at rock, paper, scissors, however just like when they were younger all she did was bat her eyes at him and give him that pleading look and he had let her go first. Ciri didn't like doing it to him for most things, but every now and then she did for the simple fact she found it both amusing, and of course incredibly sweet of him. She had gone and found herself having not lost a single step on the pegs, and if not for the fact she was indeed starting to feel fatigued she would have easily been able to go for a while longer. So, she let Dominik have his turn, and now she was standing next to Geralt, watching him intently and expertly step from peg to peg as the pendulum swung.

However, Ciri could see something was wrong.

She knew Dominik better then anyone, even Geralt, and she could tell that his leg was bothering him, even then as he stepped between the pegs it was causing him discomfort. Geralt hadn't seemed to notice yet, and neither did any of his friends, and she assumed that it had to do with the fact he was expertly hiding it. However, all Ciri needed to do was see his eyes when she sparred with him, and she could tell that he was still in pain but fighting through it. She didn't dare say anything to them then in front of Geralt, she'd wait till they were alone because she knew he'd try to play it off. In the short amount of time she'd seen him train the previous two days she had noticed it as well, but after being in bed for so long, she knew there'd be no chance she convince him to stop. She had brought the matter up to Freya separately alone, and she said that as long as they kept rubbing the knots out and he rested when he wasn't fighting he'd be alright, but Ciri was still concerned.

Ever since the night in the cave two nights prior, he had been even more amazingly supportive of her, and perfect as perfect could be was the best way she could describe things. He had encouraged her before and after her lessons, he didn't argue anything about Avallac'h, he had taken care of her like she did for him, and finally Ciri felt like they were properly together again. But she also did know, that soon it would be time to move out, the next morning in their case, she knew he'd come with her and Geralt as well to Bald Mountain, and finally it was going to be time to bring the fight back to the Hunt. Imlerith would die, the Crones would die first, and then next would be Eredin. However, as she watched Dominik's leg slightly buckle as he stepped, she thought he may fall and she yelled.

"CAREFUL!" She yelled out to him, and just as she did was when he leaned down. He cartwheeled with one hand on a peg and pushed himself backwards with a flip off the side.

"GAHHH!" He yelled as he landed, and right away Ciri and Geralt's eyes both widened, and she rushed forward.

"DOM!" She yelled as she got next to him, just managing to catch him before he fell backwards.

He winced in pain just as Geralt got to his other side, and they managed to steady him, she looked up at him and saw his pained look, feeling her eyes widen she gently reached to take the blindfold off his eyes.

"Are you alright!? I saw your leg buckling," She asked him, just as he winced again and managed to get to both feet.

He groaned lightly and hit his lip as he met her eyes with a nod, "Yeah I… I'm good don't worry, just a stinger, let me get back up there."

She was about to protest, but thankfully Geralt beat her too it as the sun glinted off his silver hair.

"Ha, not a chance," Her father said, and when Dominik looked at him incredulously he shook his head again, "Shutting you down for the day, you gotta rest up your leg again."

"But Geralt I'm fine! I swear, I'm okay I can-," He started but Geralt quickly cut him off again.

"Not a chance, you gotta take it easy, at least for tonight," Their father said, and Ciri looked at Dom's face fall, and quickly came around to face him, holding one hand on his arm.

She met his eyes and tried for a reassuring smile, "He's right Dominik… it's alright, you're bodies still healing and getting used to it. Just relax for tonight and tomorrow maybe, please?"

She gave him her best pleading look, knowing that it was for his own good and that if she did he'd agree. And sure enough, just like Ciri had guessed would happen, he looked like he was about to protest, but then quickly floundered, before meeting her eyes and slowly nodding with a sigh and an eye roll.

"Fine… just for tonight though, I need to be back to how I was before we get going," He said desperately, and Ciri smiled up at him.

"Good boy," She said quickly kissing his cheek and turning to face a smirking Geralt and meeting her father's eyes she went on, "Have we heard anything from Yen and Triss in Novigrad?"

Shifting the conversation to their mother seemed to make Dominik forget about his leg for a moment. They would still have at least a half hour of sunset left, and a small part of her wanted to watch the sunset with them both, Dominik and Geralt and simply forget about what was going on. However, she knew that they needed an update on Yen, the idea of her mother out there by herself actively working against the Hunt simply worried her, and there was also the fact she missed her, and Ciri knew Dominik did as well. Especially after learning about his ancestor Alexander and his children, she knew he wanted to talk to their mother about it and try to figure out more about his powers.

She wasn't afraid to admit how much she blushed, how much her love for him shot through the roof when she had learned about his ancestors, what they had gone through, and what it meant for them both. She knew it was possible for people to have multiple destinies, and that was the case for her, and both of them stood next to her then. Geralt, and Dominik, the two of them, her father and the man she loved, she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather have destined to her. She had grown up thinking it was simply a stroke of luck that she had met Dominik when she was so young, found that one person who made it all worth it, however, learning that it was meant to be, that SHE had been the one to activate his powers all those years ago, it had made what they had feel even more incredibly special to her then it already did.

Geralt slowly nodded at them both, "Yeah, been trying to contact the other sorceresses still. Francesca said no, Kiera was still debating on it, they're looking to find Phillipa, Margarita and Sile."

Dominik looked up and met Geralt's eyes, "I'll call Kiera on Yen's megascope when we get there, she'll listen to me I know it. And… what about Ida?"

Geralt slowly shook his head, "She said no, didn't want to risk exposing herself… you wanna try to talk to her don't you? Still hard to believe she was with your ancestor."

Ciri slowly turned and saw Dominik nod. She had been amazed to hear that both his parents, Gregory and Sofia both, had connections to the Lod's from their ancestors. She didn't believe in divine coincidences, but this had to be one of them if their ever was one. The wind howled back her hair, and she felt the ring lightly bounce around her neck, feeling it lightly tremble as she looked over at Dominik's determined face, she took a moment to admire him as she often did. She wasn't afraid to admit how particularly handsome he looked then, with his sweaty brown hair even messier than usual, the sweat dripping down his chest to his soaked top, she felt a small laugh leave her before he spoke up and met Geralt's eyes.

"Yeah… I will, remember last time we did she thought that my magical signature was familiar to her," He said as he crossed his arms, "Turns out it was pretty familiar after all. I saw how much she loved Connor; I can convince her I know it."

She loved how determined he looked; it was something she always admired about him. With other people, he tried to act all stoic and serious, on the inside Ciri knew he was a big witty goof, a loving, caring, protective goof who she loved. However, one thing that always stood out was his determination, it was something he always said he got from being around her for so long. She could see how he was fighting through the pain, training with everything he had for her, for their future. She also knew how much he disliked the Lodge of Sorceresses for what they tried to do to her, but multiple times he had now been putting aside his feelings all for their greater good.

Geralt slowly nodded, "Alright, we'll let Yen know when we get there. Probably gonna head out within the next day or two… gonna feel pretty weird leaving this place."

Ciri slowly nodded, "Yeah… where it all started… gods Dominik, we were eleven, can you believe it? Eleven fucking years old…"

He laughed lightly and nodded, "I think about it every day…"

"We've all changed… all of us," She said with a scoff, but before she could say anything else, she felt a tingle go up her arms when he slowly grabbed her hand.

She whirled her head around and saw him smiling fondly at her.

"Things have yeah… but some things haven't," He said slowly, and at the sound of his low, loving voice, Ciri felt her face get hot as she squeezed his hands.

She knew exactly what he was referring too, they had changed yes, grown, gone through and both done horrible things. But how they felt about each other hadn't changed, not one bit. They were back in Kaer Morhen together, they'd leave soon, but together, they'd make sure that it would be a lot shorter then eight years before they returned again. Her face got red as she looked at him and was about to lean in to try and kiss him, before she heard Geralt chuckle, and they both turned to see their adopted father rolling his eyes with a smirk.

"Alright you two, easy with those eyes, save it for your room later," Geralt said, and right away Ciri felt her face get redder, but she laughed along with Dominik, before Geralt smiled at them both again, "So, getting kinda hungry myself, you ready to head back inside?"

Ciri was about to nod and say she was, but she felt Dom's hand grip around hers again, and she looked over as he smiled at her, and then back to Geralt.

"Actually… I kinda wanted to stay out here for a little longer," He said, before turning his gaze back down to her with a smile, "That is if you want too?"

She laughed a little and gently nodded, "Yeah… yeah sure."

Geralt scoffed and Ciri saw him playfully roll his eyes, "Alright, just try not to stay out here too late. I swear, when we get back on the road, we're gonna have to set some ground rules…"

Before either of them could even have time to look embarrassed, Geralt laughed and smiled at them both before he started walking off towards the keep. Ciri felt her stomach tingle, she knew it was a joke, but when she turned back to a flustered Dominik, she couldn't help but find herself thinking back to the cave two nights ago. She still had the shame in the back of her head for what she did, how she almost made love to him before telling him the full story about her first time, but since that night, Dominik had acted as if nothing was different. It was as if he truly didn't mind that what looked like it was going to be their first time together, she had practically ruined by yelling, and telling him she had slept with someone else before. She had debated over and over in her head on if she had just told him at the beginning of the night, if it still would have happened.

However, as he told her, there was no use in her thinking about it anymore, she couldn't change anything that happened. All she could do was make sure, that when that first time for them to be together came, she made it as amazing as she possibly could, as special as she could, befitting of what they both deserved after what they had gone through. Seeing him smile back down at her then however, with the sun gorgeously bouncing off his handsome, scarred face, they honestly could have done in then and there and she wouldn't have minded one bit. However, when he sweetly smiled at her and grabbed her hands, she felt her heart start to flutter, and she didn't say anything as he walked her up in front of the pendulums, before turning back to her. Gently again he grabbed her hands in his, and she felt the tingles run up her spine as he looked down at her with a smile.

She met his smile with one of her own and met his gaze as well, "So… how's your leg feel? And don't you dare try to lie to me."

He laughed lightly and gave her a grim smile, "Hurts like hell after a while, when I try to twist it a certain way it flares up. To be honest, it's throbbing like hell right now."

Biting her lip she sighed and shook her head, "Are you sure you don't want us to stay an extra few days? I'm sure it won't be a big deal; I don't want you to hurt yourself more."

His laugh washed over her again, and she felt her stomach nearly erupt when he wrapped his arms around her waist. Quickly she wrapped her arms around him as well, his emerald eyes sparkled as they met hers and she could see the amusement and reassurance in them.

"Don't you worry princess, I'm in top shape. I'll be alright," He said as he let out a slow relieved sigh and smiled broadly at her again a small smirk coming to his face, "You know… this is pretty much the exact same spot we first kissed, you remember?"

She felt her heart flutter as she laughed and rolled her eyes, "Of course I do, I'd never forget it. You fell just about… here."

She gently took his hand and led him what she remembered was the exact peg he had fallen off of, the one where she had reached over to grab him. Despite the fact she'd been doing a fair bit of it the previous week, Ciri hadn't cried often, but that night she would never forget how the tears fell. The idea of losing him, not waking up with him down the hall, not going through training with him, it had terrified her, and it had also been when she realized the love she had for him was real. The sun was just about set over the mountains, but the last bit of sunlight casted over them both again, and in his arms then she had felt at piece. After she had found the exact spot, he smirked back down at her.

"Yeah… this was it. I fell, you pulled me back up, and then little Ciri here," He said jokingly gesturing out towards the spot with one arm around her still, "Hugged me and said I was a 'stupid, idiot boy who can't die', before she-."

"Before she did this," She smirked and cut him off, before leaning up and kissing him again, this time with the full knowledge nobody was watching, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him with as much force as she could muster.

He was taken aback at first she could tell, but quickly as her arms went around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She felt the heat begin to overtake her body again, as she deepened the kiss right away, and simply moved her lips with his, and with every little kiss, every time their lips moved the electricity shot down her chest. She was determined to sit there and enjoy it, enjoy his company, enjoy the peaceful bliss they had for even just a few more hours. She didn't want to tell him about her plans for Bald Mountain then, she knew he'd be ecstatic at the idea, so she had already determined she'd surprise him with it the next morning. That would be there last night there, and as his hands explored up and down her back, and she breathlessly laughed into his kiss, she quickly reflected on the week she had.

She had cried, felt broken at a few moments, however, those moments were completely washed over with moments of love, of feeling finally complete, like she was finally back where she belonged. She had Geralt, Yen, her new friends, and Dominik all back with her now, and soon, she'd forge her own path, make her own choices, and through it all she knew Dominik would be with her, and it would be just like it was always meant to be. She was where she was meant to be, with them, with her family, and in his arms in that moment. He laughed into the kiss as well, and Ciri yelped when she felt herself lifted up, he placed his hands under her thighs and she shuddered for a moment, before she laughed as he looked down at her.

"Ha… I thought your leg was bothering you," She said playfully as she angled her face down and kept kissing him.

He laughed playfully into the kiss and shook her head, "It's like I said before, I guess your beauty magically heals my wounds."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes at him, gently leaning her forehead against his, "You're such a suck up… thank you… for everything."

"Always… always…" He said lightly with her forehead against his as he held her with her legs around his waist, she smiled and felt flustered, but he quickly smirked at her, "Literally always… you're my destiny, apparently you've quite literally been stuck with me since we were born."

She felt herself laugh and roll her eyes, "Well, I guess it's lucky for both of us then that I actually quite like you."

He bit his lip and smiled broadly at her, "Yeah… I am."

She smirked and quickly kissed him again, "So am I… now let me down, as much as I love this, I know you're exaggerating how much your leg hurts."

Laughing he gently nodded and let her legs slide back down to the ground. After she did, she smiled broadly up at him again, before gently grabbing his hand and leading him to the walls. The walls overlooking the valley below, the sunset just going down past the mountains, a cool breeze whipping through her hair, she took in a clean deep breath and got to the edge with him and turned around to smile at him again. He came up next to her, and she felt one of his arms wrap around her waist as they looked over at the sunset. Feeling herself grow warm, she turned and wrapped both her arms around his waist, and gently leaned her head against his shoulder as they both stood and looked out over the valley. The clouds were beautiful, the gentle breeze shook all the trees, and while she had seen it many times before, as she stood there cuddled into him, feeling his arm around her waist, feeling his lips gently kiss the top of her head as she looked, the view had never been more beautiful to her.

They'd leave the next day, Kaer Morhen, their home, where the journey had begun. Of course they had thought about what would come next in the last week, however, for a good amount of the time, Ciri felt as if they were living in blissful ignorance. When they were all eating together, laughing and joking, when they were all gathered in Dom's room, moving his leg to help him recover, training, or laying together in his bed and talking, it had felt to her in those moments, she forgot about everything else, everything else except for how amazing those moments were. After so long of hoping between worlds, constantly on the run, always watching her back, not staying in one world for too long, it still felt to her at times, that if she blinked, it all will have been a dream.

Only it wasn't a dream, it was real, they were all real, Geralt and Yen were real, Dominik was real. And tomorrow they'd leave the small bubble of Kaer Morhen they'd made, and the cold grip of reality would envelope them all again. She knew they'd be okay, they had to be, as long as they all stuck together, as long as she had them all she'd be alright, they'd be alright. However, she was going to enjoy that blissful ignorance for one more night, and when she looked up at Dominik smiling out over at the view, the sun glinting off his handsome face, off the healed scar running down his right cheek she knew that no matter where tomorrow led them, where the coming weeks led them, she'd have him, Geralt, Yen, her family with her, no matter if Dominik and she went off by themselves they'd always have Yen, Geralt and their friends whenever they needed them. She looked out over the beautiful trees, clouds and sunset, she sucked in a deep, clean breath as the wind blew their hair back and she felt the ring gently hum around her neck.

"So… where do you wanna go first?" He asked her out of nowhere, a slight bit of amusement in his voice.

Keeping her arms around his waist and his around her, she looked up at him, "What? What do you mean?"

He laughed lightly and smiled down at her, "I mean after this is all over. After we kick Eredin's ass and beat the Hunt. Where do you wanna go see first? That is… is if you still wanna go with me out on the Path."

She scoffed at the ridiculousness of his question but seeing his amused look she rolled her eyes. However, she still felt her heart ready to explode. It was obvious 'kicking Eredin's ass' would be nowhere near as easy as he made it out to be, there was the distinct possibility they could all die, and they both knew that. He was still smiling at her however, confident till the end and making those plans for the future. The two of them on the Path, saving and helping people, seeing every inch of the continent they could, it was always the dream, the dream that looked like a pipe dream to her for so long, was now just within her grasp. Gently she smiled up at him and shrugging her shoulders.

"Ha… I actually have no idea," She said, with a smile as she met his eyes, "What about you? Where do you want to go?"

He laughed lightly and turned his body to face her, wrapping his arms around her again before she gently shook his head, "Don't care, as long as it's with you…. We're going wherever YOU want to go princess, whatever you wanna do, we'll do."

She rolled her eyes and scoffed amusingly, "Ha… you can have some say you know, we're a team the two of us, so you get equal say."

Gently he shook his head, his hands on her hips, "Nope, we're doing whatever you want princess. For too long people have been trying to tell you what to do, trying to force you into doing things… after this is over… it's whatever you want princess."

She laughed lightly and felt her face get redder as she looked at him. It had been something she had been so excited for, that freedom, the freedom to choose what she wanted. From everything that happened on the run, to the emperor, to Tir'Nala, to even the Lodge of Sorceresses right when she got back to the continent, everyone had tried to shoehorn her into doing what they wanted, using her, her blood, her position for their own gain. That was the only even slightly good part about traveling between worlds, it made her feel like she was free for a short while, until Eredin began chasing her. She would never have thought he'd try to force her to do anything, she knew she'd have that freedom with him, but hearing him say it, it made her want to jump his bones then and there, she scoffed out and felt her heart rapidly race as she pulled him tighter to her, and soon she felt his strong arms wrap around her waist. A chilly breeze washed over them both, and she pulled back, feeling another small laugh come to her. The minute she met his eyes, she smacked her lips onto his, planting one long lingering kiss on him, before gently pulling back with her arms still around his neck.

"Thank you… thank you…" She said gently, as right away he slowly nodded.

"You're welcome…" He said slowly, kissing her cheek quickly before pulling back with another smirk on his face as they turned and leaned against the wall, "So… what's it gonna be? Where we heading when this is over?"

She felt herself laugh, before an idea popped into her head and she smirked at him, "You know… obviously we'll always come back here but… how's about a whole different world?"

He scoffed and kept his arm around her waist as they leaned against the wall and looked up at the keep, "Ha, you kidding? That sounds awesome, you got any in mind?"

She scooted closer to him and leaned her head against his shoulder as she smiled fondly at the memory, "Well… maybe we can go back to the first one I visited. It was this beautiful city, made completely out of stone it seemed, the castle was beautiful, it reminds me a tiny bit of Novigrad. I think the knights, the king and queen would still remember me."

"Sounds interesting, what was it called?" He asked as he smiled down at her.

Ciri smirked up at him, "It was called Camelot… one extremely handsome knight named Sir Galahad found me after I teleported and took me to the city."

"Oh did he now… how handsome we talking?" He said amusingly, as he smirked down at her.

She smirked and met his eyes, "Oh, extremely, extremely handsome let me tell you, quite tall too. He introduced me to the King and Queen, Arthur and Guinevere right away, insisted I have a room in the castle."

He scoffed with a smile as he amusingly rolled his eyes, "Well, well, looks like you had an admirer."

It was her turn to scoff and amusingly smile at him, "Oh, and you expect me to believe that Freya was the only 'admirer' you had in the last eight years?"

"She wasn't no… there were a few… grateful young ladies that's for sure," He said smugly, and Ciri rolled her eyes but kept her smile.

"Anyone else come close?" She said amusingly, already knowing the answer but decided to toy with him.

He met her eyes with a smirk and slowly shook his head, "No, there were a few who were nice, beautiful, and well, I got a few grateful pecks on the cheek, but well… they were all missing one very important quality."

"And what was that?" She said as her face got inches from his with the smirk still on her face.

He pulled her closer to him, and looked lovingly into her eyes, "Well… none of them were you, that's the most important quality for me in a woman… what about Sir Galahad, what was so wrong about him?"

She felt her face get red at his compliment, but managed to smirk up at him, "Well… he was a tad bit too old, and well… he wasn't you."

Right away he got red as well, and that goofy flustered smile finally came to his face making her laugh. She could see him drop the confident joking act right away, as her compliment washed over him, and she watched him fluster amusingly.

"Ha… thanks I… I… I um… I love-," He started, but Ciri quickly cut him off by standing up in front of him, and holding onto his face.

"Dominik…" She said gently as she met his eyes.

"Ye…yeah?" He asked, still flustered and red, which made her laugh even more.

She gently leaned her head closer to his, "I love you too but please… just shut up and kiss me."

He laughed nervously, before Ciri pulled her lips to his again. She only kissed him for a few moments then, but in that particular kiss she put everything she had into it. His loving eyes, that gorgeous glow the sunset casted over him, hearing him talk, letting his compliments and love wash over her… she felt it spark up in her again. That desire, that love, he already had expressed how much he loved her with his words and actions, there was only one way that he hadn't, and he wanted to desperately, but being the gentleman he was, he didn't dare ask. As she gently pulled away, she slowly ran her hand down his torso, and felt her own stomach and core heat up, slowly she looked up and met his eyes. Biting her lip she felt it come up inside her too, that was going to be there last night there in Kaer Morhen, before they went back out into the cold world of reality. And she wanted to make it as special as she could for both of them.

So, just like he had surprised her… if things went well, and they weren't completely drunk after dinner… she wanted that to be the night.

"So… do, you wanna head inside? I don't know what Freya's making but it's probably going to be great as usual," He said as he held onto her hips.

She bit her lip and slowly shook her head as she kept her eyes locked with his, "Can… we wait out here a little longer? Just… just hold me and let's look at the view, please?"

He laughed lightly and stood from the wall, wrapping his arm around her waist as she did the same to him before she cuddled into his shoulder again. She looked up and met his eyes as they looked out over the valley, and slowly he nodded as he kissed the top of her ashen locks.

"I could never deny my lady such a request as you know," He said playfully, as Ciri laughed, and slowly nodded at him.

"Good… good… we're heading out soon… let's just enjoy tonight," She said, as she let out a relaxed sigh while she leaned against him, and they looked out over the view from their home.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

As Ciri had guessed, Freya had made something spectacular, and as she and Dominik walked into the hall the smell hit her nose right away. It was a great smell that made her mouth almost water, and she scoffed when they both finally got to the dining table they all had been having dinner at, to see all of the food Freya had managed to make in only about two hours. At the table was everyone, it seemed that they were just about late, because everyone was already sat down and pouring down ale into mugs. Ciri scoffed in amazement as did Dominik next to her, she saw bread, dumplings, soup, apples, grapes, wine, ale and a multitude of other smaller foods that she was eager to dig her hands into. Everyone had been gathered save for Avallac'h which Ciri didn't find surprising, the sage had in his own words the previous few days, 'wanted to see as little of all of the loud, irritating humans'.

With everyday that passed she wasn't afraid to admit how much she felt the sage beginning to agitate her as well. Yes, he had been a lot more lenient in their lessons the previous two days ever since he let her go with Dominik to their cave for the night, and while he had also been as cordial as he could be, that only seemed to make Ciri more suspicious. She had never, and would never forgive the sage for what he did to her, for forcing her to stay in Tir'Nala to try and have a child with Auberon, however in the previous few months he hadn't tried anything else similar, but he had also not mentioned the incident at all, so while Ciri still held a fragile trust, she could feel it slowly slipping, with the only thing really holding it together was the fact in the end they truly would need the elf, without him they stood no chance of taking the Hunt down. Ever since she had learned about the elf's arranged marriage to her ancestor, and how he hunted down Dominik's ancestor in revenge, getting thoroughly humiliated by Alexander, it had made her slightly uncomfortable being around the sage, especially since he so suddenly went from hating the very sight of Dominik, being an irritating yet necessary annoyance, to cordial, and while she could still see his eyes flare when he was even mentioned, the elf hadn't even said anything about him.

Ciri could tell he was using her for something, but it balanced out, because she was using him as well. After she finally learned control, after the elf helped them find Eredin and the Hunt, after they were all dead, Ciri would be rid of him, rid of one of the men who forced her into so much pain. Avallac'h hadn't done anything to steer her wrong yet, so she just assumed he felt the same way about her, so yes, she still trusted he had the same goals as them, but as soon as those goals were completed, she'd get to live that life she deserved, the life her and Dominik both deserved.

"Hey, you okay?" She heard him say from next to her, and she turned to see the light from the roaring cooking spit illuminate with the torches and lanterns on his handsome scarred face.

She smiled and gently nodded, she wouldn't think about Avallac'h the Hunt, or anything else until the morning, that night she'd enjoy herself.

"AHA glad you lovebirds could join us," The booming voice of Faram rang in her ears, and Dominik laughed with her as they both turned and walked towards the table as the bear witcher smirked wildly, "Goldilocks here has cooked up a feast worthy of the halls of Kaer Trolde! And we're just getting started!"

She found herself laughing as she looked down to see a smirking Geralt looking at them both. Turning to face Dominik he gestured for her to sit, and she smiled broadly again as she took a seat next to Geralt.

"Sorry we're late, looks fantastic, and I'm sure it tastes the same," Dominik said as he took his place next to her, looking at Freya on his left, "Thanks again Freya, for not just tonight, but all week. Don't think we would've been eating this well all week without you."

Ciri laughed and nodded as she looked passed him to the blonde, "He's right… thank you Freya, it means a lot."

The fire continued to crackle, and now that the sun was down it and the torches casted firelight over everyone's faces, but Ciri was still able to see Freya blush sheepishly. It was her and Dominik sitting between Geralt and Freya, while across from them, the massive forms of Letho and Faram sat on the edges of the bench, while Gaeten and George were wedged in between, with the cat witcher already digging into a giant plate. The ale was flowing, and as Freya lightly laughed, Ciri noticed Dominik pouring some into mugs for both himself and her. She nodded and smiled at him as she took the mug, and down a good amount as she felt completely parched, before Freya looked at them all again.

"It… it's been no problem," The blonde said sheepishly, looking out at the food she had made for everyone, before turning back up to them all, "I'm just glad you all enjoy, and well… it's a way of saying thanks."

Everyone seemed to nod, and Ciri even saw Letho crack a smile, before she let out a relaxed sigh and started to stack her plate with dumplings and bread, she poured herself a bowl of the soup, and even managed a laugh as she saw Dominik was already inhaling food next to her. He was eating as if he hadn't in days, and for a second he met Ciri's eye and when she smirked at him she laughed as he seemed to slow down. She looked over to Geralt next to her, and after getting a smile from her father as he downed more of his own ale, she took in the pleasant smell of all the food in front of her, before digging in herself. For that time as she was there, she was sure to soak in every single detail of everyone, even Letho and Gaeten who she barely knew, Faram in his massive armor, George as he carefully and elegantly with perfect posture and manners shoveled food into his mouth, Freya who was eagerly chatting along with Dominik next to her. In the days since she found out about the two of them, Ciri had surprisingly found herself even more okay with them spending time together and talking like that. When you were the only two women in a castle full of nothing but witchers and a grumpy elven sage, it had a way of bringing two people together. They had talked about their life, what they hoped to do, and of course the annoying yet endearing qualities Dominik had, seeing as he had no other ex-lovers, Ciri had nobody else to discuss them with, and she found the conversations normally amusing.

Then she trailed over to Dominik's smiling and scarred face. She was slightly afraid of bringing him to fight Imlerith and the crones. It would take a few days for them to get to Bald Mountain, and she was hoping he'd heal more in that time. While she was slightly worried, she also felt a jolt of excitement, with Geralt by their side, the trip would be their first real contract together in a way. It was a bonus that it would take away one of Eredin's most important warriors and help them kickstart the rest of the war they'd started against the Hunt. She was also sure, that if she asked him, he'd tell her that he fought with much worse injuries before. It was one of the things she was most looking forward too, simply sitting and hearing about the contracts he'd gone on, and her getting to tell him about all the things she had done, escaping Thanedd, the desert, Skellen, Bonhart, Rience, how she made it through it all. It had been a small thought at the back of her head, because she knew that he already was, but she had wanted to not only get back to him, but make him proud of her, him and Geralt both.

She looked over and saw he had finished his conversation with Freya, before going to pour himself ale again, and her as well when her mug emptied. A small smirk came to her face as she listened to Faram eagerly telling a story, decided it would be fun to play with him, Ciri slipped her hand under the table and pinched his thigh, which almost caused him to drop the entire pitcher. She felt herself start to laugh as she saw him completely fluster and glare at her. The glare only caused her to laugh more before he playfully rolled his eyes and sat back down. She was sure to quickly peck his scarred cheek when he did, before she turned back to pop another dumpling in her mouth, before Faram's booming voice finally turned her attention to everyone else.

"Baha, so I know how everyone got here, even our cat friend," Faram said elbowing a very annoyed Gaeten, before the bear witcher looked to Letho down at the end of the table, "But what about you big fella? Heard you fought the Hunt with Geralt before all of this."

"She is right my friend! We hardly know anything about you," George said, and Ciri almost laughed when she noticed the griffin witchers normally calm, composed, graceful demeanor was getting sullied by the alcohol.

Ciri hadn't really spoken to Letho, only a few passing glances and words, and she had deduced as anyone could have, the viper witcher wasn't exactly one for small talk. She expected the much larger man to shrug off the question, or just not answer at all, but to her surprise and more then likely everyone at the tables, the viper witcher scoffed and shook his head.

"Ha, not one for small talk about my personal life, probably got the same sad story as the rest of you do," The large man said, before looking up with a smirk towards Geralt, "But yeah… we did, beat them back at the Hanged Man's Tree."

Geralt from next to her slowly nodded, "Yeah… it was when I traded myself for Yen, didn't meet up again for a few more years."

"Yeah…" The viper witcher said, before to her surprise the large man turned his gaze to her just as she placed her mug down, "When your pops hired me."

Ciri scoffed right away and looked at Geralt, "What did you possibly have to hire him for?"

Geralt slowly shook his head, but Letho quickly answered her question.

"Not him… your other pops, hired me to kill some of the Northern Kings, destabilize them before he could launch this invasion," The viper witcher said with a scoff and a shake of his head, "Promised to help restore the School of the Viper to its former glory… a damn lie that was, one I'd gladly take his head for."

"And you should, or I will, someone needs too," Dominik said quickly next to her, and Ciri could hear the disgust in his voice.

She felt her own skin crawl for a moment before she found herself scoffing in disgust as well. It wasn't as if she needed another reason to hate the emperor, other then the fact her 'father' had wanted to rape her, force her to have a child with him, after he captured her at Stygga Castle along with Geralt. She had heard from Geralt over the week what the man wanted with her. He wanted her to be empress of Nilfgaard, and the very idea made Ciri want to vomit. She didn't care how much good she could do for the continent; she didn't care if it were her 'birth right'. She wasn't going to go be cooped up, force to marry some random Nilfgaardean noble and be walked around like a trophy while being miserable her whole life. She would do good for the continent as a witcher, with Dominik, the man she loved, with her real father in Geralt, they'd go and save people, and that was how she'd make the continent safer. She wouldn't command the nation, the nobles that had sacked and burned her home, helped kill Dominik's family, have half the continent hate her, only for the nobles to plot behind her back. It was clear to her what her 'father', why Emhyr wanted her to become empress.

He didn't care about the good of the continent, about its people. Ciri knew that he was doing it to save his own skin, it had started all the way back with Stefan Skellen, the very man who gave her the scar on her cheek then. If it weren't for the fact he wanted to use her to overthrow Emhyr and tried to capture her, Ciri would have rooted for the man to take Emhyr down. Her 'father' had pissed off enough of the nobles, now they sought to depose him, possibly assassinate him, and he wanted Ciri to come in, clean up his mess, so he could save his skin.

No, she wouldn't do that. Emhyr had made his bed, and her 'father' could lay in it.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Don't you go calling him my 'pops', that bastard isn't my father and he never will be! Dom's right, the fucker deserves to die, and I hope it's slow and painful…"

For a few seconds it was silent, she looked over at Geralt and he was smiling, and it made Ciri's heart well. He was her father, as Dominik told her before earlier in the week, she was Ciri of Kaer Morhen. Cirilla of Kaer Morhen, the daughter of Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg, a witcher, and that was who she'd always be.

"Gods… Ciri I gotta be honest," Dominik said next to her, and when she slowly turned to face him, she saw him scoff and smirk at her before laughing, "Ha I… have NEVER been more attracted to you then I am right now."

She felt herself scoff out a laugh, as the table even busted out laughing as well. He smiled broadly at her, and Ciri couldn't help but laugh more as she gently grabbed his hand under the table, and felt the warmth wash over her from his touch. She knew he meant it as a joke, but hearing it still made her feel good, just like it did every time he complimented her. Nilfgaard, was one entity, that she and Dominik both would always have that burning hatred for. She had heard from him about Queen Adda, Radovid's husband and her plan to kill Radovid, end his oppressive policies, and liberate the North.

The queen had asked Dominik and Geralt for their help, Dominik had told Ciri that she asked him in particular to go see her after everything with the Hunt was over, but only would if she was okay with it. In that moment as they all sat there laughing, and Dominik's words rang in her head, she found herself smirking, and thinking that the idea of Queen Adda marching and destroying everything Emhyr had built was beginning to sound more and more appealing to Ciri in that moment. The fire from the spit crackled, and she laughed lightly again as she popped the last dumpling and bit of bread into her mouth, before downing and going to pour herself more ale.

"Ha, speaking of thrashing the Black Ones, let's not all forget we have a hero of the Battle of fucking Brenna in our midst!" The bear witcher said, his words slightly slurring as Ciri swore he had to have been on at least his twelfth mug.

Freya scoffed from the left of Dominik, "I heard stories about the Battle of Brenna in the army, it made any battle that's happened during this war look like nothing… I still can't believe you were there…"

She saw Dominik bite his lip, and while he rolled his eyes and scoffed, Ciri could see the horror behind his eyes. He had mentioned the Battle of Brenna to her during their argument back in the cave, she remembered how he said he slaughtered the Nilfgaardeans at the battle, and she could see how much it truly had affected him, despite what he may say. She had just assumed it was a battle in the war against Nilfgaard, but didn't want to ask further, for fear of making him have to remember in that raw moment they were having. In that moment then, he scoffed and shook his head, but Ciri could see him holding back his horror.

"I'm no hero, that's for sure… just did what I had to, didn't help me any in the end anyway, whole thing was pointless for me," He said with a shake of his head as he lifted the mug to his lips again.

Ciri wasn't going to inquire any further, thinking that if she truly did want to know, she'd ask them when they were alone. However, from next to her Geralt narrowed his eyes and locked eyes with him, scoffing her father shook his head.

"Hold on, you fought in the Battle of fucking Brenna and never told me," Geralt said to him, and Ciri sat between them both as Dominik simply shrugged and sighed.

"Never thought it was important… like I said, it didn't give me anything," He said, slowly turning and meeting her eyes now, and biting his lip he looked at her, "I… was following a lead on you."

Her eyes widened and she gently shook her head at him, feeling her heart race, "What? What could you have thought I was doing at some battle?"

She regretted asking right away, cause he bit his lip, he looked around the table, and saw everyone else looking at him, waiting for him to tell the story. She assumed that his friends knew, because Freya, Faram and George all looked at him sympathetically. Her heart began to race, thinking that he could have gone through such a horrible experience, all to find her, even just following a lead. Her eyes grew soft as she looked at him, and he sighed before looking around the table again, at his friends in particular before he came back to Geralt and she.

"Well… it was a little bit after I turned eighteen, after I left Ellander," He said, looking at Freya in particular, and Ciri saw the blonde blush before Dominik looked back to her, "I heard Nilfgaard was beating the North pretty bad… but they were amassing a force to try and push south to retake Cintra, I wasn't gonna bother but… I heard a rumor that you were being held there, in the city."

Ciri felt her blood run cold again, she was about to ask a multitude of questions, but from next to her, Geralt quickly shook his head.

"Zoltan told me about the battle before… how did you get in? Don't think it would be like you to sign up with the main army, would draw too much attention," Her father asked, and Ciri turned back to see Dominik scoff, his eyes down on the ale in his mug.

"Ha, you're right about that. I actually went to join up with Yarpen, I met up with him, and asked him to join with his force," He told them both, before smirkingly with an eye roll, "But he said, 'if anything happens to you, even if I survive I'm dead, cause Geralt will fuckin kill me', so he didn't let me fight with him. He did give me a recommendation though, a recommendation that let me join the Free Company, a group of mercenaries from Kovir."

She could remember how much Dominik and she had taken to Yarpen during their time on the road to Ellander when they were young. 'Geralt's little brats,' the dwarf had called them, which annoyed her at times, but in the end she did enjoy the dwarf's company and she knew Dominik had as well. The fire crackled, and everyone at the table listened with attentive ears, as Geralt slowly shook his head and met Dom's eyes again. Ciri could see that it was difficult for him recounting the battle, so she was sure to keep her hand over his under the table, the firelight bouncing off his face.

"What happened after that? You said it didn't help you any," Geralt asked, and she could hear the slight bit of guilt in their fathers voice.

Geralt had told her how he went to try and get Dominik in Ellander, to take him back to Kaer Morhen to finish training before they set out to find her again. However, at that point he had already been out on the Path by himself for almost three years and had just almost been killed by the bounty hunter outside Ellander. That bounty hunter killing him was something she still felt guilty about, but in the end Dominik hadn't gone with Geralt, and she knew her father had to be thinking, and feeling guilty about everything Dominik then had to go through because he couldn't convince him to come back. She also remembered Dominik telling her in the cave, how ashamed he was, how angry and upset he was with Geralt and Yen, and how everyday he regretted not going with one of them when they found him.

Normally she knew Geralt wouldn't be asking questions like this, but sometimes she knew her father's curiosity, or in this case guilt got the better of him. Sighing Dominik slowly shook his head, slowly looking up from the mug again at everyone gathered.

"Well, after we won the battle… for a few more weeks I pushed south with them, heading towards Cintra…" He said carefully, as he looked over to meet Ciri's eyes, "That was when I heard… Emhyr had married Princess Cirilla and solidified his hold on the Cintran throne."

"He did what!?" Ciri felt herself explode, nearly choking on the ale she was drinking.

She gave him an incredulous look, however deep down it was something that she would have expected. Just the very idea of even thinking about Emhyr had somehow disgusted her even more. He had to have used some poor girl who's only crime was looking like her, used her forced her to marry him, just like he had actually wanted to do to her. Her hands curled around the mug just as Dominik slowly shook his head.

"I was pretty pissed at first, almost broke my hand punching a tree," He said with a small laugh, before smiling down at her from his mug, "But after an hour or so I realized that it had to be a fake… I knew you would've sooner thrown yourself from the balcony before you did that."

"Your damn right I would have! I can't fucking believe it," She said angrily, downing the rest of the ale in her mug before slamming it to the table and shaking her head, "Degenerate bastard, fucking monster… that poor girl."

Dominik gently held his hand over hers under the table, and she felt her heartrate slow slightly, as the entire table had looked at her after her outburst. She bit her lip and sighed as she turned back to him, and Dominik went on with a shake of his head.

"After I figured that out, I saw no point in staying with the Free Company anymore," He said with a shrug of his shoulders and another drink, "I decided to head back north, I had my friend Shani tell them that I-."

"You know Shani?" Geralt asked quickly, and as soon as Ciri turned she saw her father's eyes go wide.

Dominik narrowed his eyes in confusion and nodded, "Yeah… I met her after I carried some men back to the medical tents. She even helped me after I got an arrow in my shoulder, was the only one I talked to really for that month or so I was there…. You know her?"

Geralt got that look on her face that Ciri realized when he was telling the truth, but not the full extent of the truth, and when Ciri saw the slightly flustered look he got, she felt herself scoffing and rolling her eyes. Either way, she looked over between them both before her eyes rested to Geralt.

"So, who is this Shani? Hell of a coincidence you both met her," She said with a small eye roll, as Geralt sighed again.

Her father looked up at everyone at the table. Before his eyes rested on Ciri herself, "Met her with Dandelion in Vizima when we were searching for you… she helped us in trying to track down Rience."

Hearing the name of the man she had killed on that icy lake made her shutter. She had absolutely no regret of what she did to the man, or any of the men who had been chasing her that day. Ciri would do it a hundred times over without a second thought, however, remembering the blood, the pure desperation, anger, and delight she felt at each victim she took down, it was something she would always remember. If she closed her eyes, she could see him dangling on the ice, desperately gripping for his life, squealing to her, begging her for mercy as he even offered up Yennefer's location in exchange for sparing his life. After everything the man had done, done to her, wanted to do to her, Ciri wasn't afraid to admit to the satisfaction she felt skating across his fingers. She found herself smirking, remembering it was another story she'd need to tell Dominik about, however, next to her, she saw his eyes narrow.

"Wait… track down who? What was that name again," He asked right away, before Geralt looked at him inquisitively.

"Rience…" Geralt said slowly, before Ciri herself turned over to him.

"He was a mage hired by Vilgefortz, he was trying to track me down, chased me for years," Ciri told him, until to her complete shock she looked and saw him turn to Freya of all people on his left, as Ciri could also see the blonde with a similar look to her face.

Dominik scoffed himself and turned back to them, "Tall, skinny, dark hair, burned face?"

Ciri and Geralt both slowly nodded, and Dominik turned back to Freya with a shake of his head, "Do… do you remember? That had to be him."

Freya slowly nodded and met his eyes, "That explained why he suddenly disappeared after Geralt showed up… and then reappeared for a few weeks."

"You met him?" Geralt asked incredulously next to her, and Dominik slowly nodded as the table all listened with bated breath.

Dominik shook his head in disbelief, "Yeah… he… he tried to talk to me for hours in Ellander… the same day the bounty hunter attacked me. He asked me about where I was from, if I had any friends or girlfriends, asked me where I trained at."

"Yeah… and then Geralt after you left, he stayed around for a few more weeks," Freya said in disbelief as she shook her head, "Followed Dom and me nearly everywhere. Dom had to threaten to kill him before he finally left us alone."

"For fuck's sake… and I should have killed him," He said with a disappointed scoff as he looked to meet Ciri's eyes, "I… I'm sorry Ciri, if I had known, if I had picked up on it-."

Right away she fervently shook her head, "Don't apologize, it wasn't your fault. No more wallowing in the past right? We're here now, that's what matters."

The smile came back to his face as he gently laughed with a smile at her, "Using my own words against me? Good one… you're right, I'm sure the fuckers dead anyway, I could've snapped him in half if I wanted too."

Geralt laughed smugly from her right and shook her head, "You're right, don't gotta worry about him anymore… and we got Ciri here to thank for that."

She felt her cheeks get hot and laugh lightly from the praise as all the smiling, inquisitive eyes turned to her.

Faram naturally laughed across from her, "Oho, finally a story from our young lass here? Come on Ciri! Tell us, how you got the fucker!"

"Ha, I agree! We've gotten to know you quite well the last week," George said from Faram's side with wine in his mug, "But you've yet to tell us any stories! Come now, tell us this one!"

She looked and saw even Letho and Gaeten, who had been going back to their quiet ways look inquisitively at her. Biting her lip she scoffed out, and she could almost feel the cold, icy breeze from that day, feeling the ice beneath her skates as she gracefully spun and went forward, backwards, sideways, all while making her sword slick with blood. Slowly she turned and saw Dominik smiling at her as well, the horror from remembering the battle was gone, and she couldn't remember the last time she saw him smile so, other then of course when he saw her in that cave, that look her gave he when she was finally undressed in front of him, nothing would ever top that for her.

The fire from the hearth crackled, and seeing all her friends look at her, all her allies, people she could trust, would have by her side, it made her heart flutter. Unlike that day on the icy lake against Rience, Skellen and his men, she wouldn't be alone anymore, she wouldn't have to fight alone. She felt Dom's hand squeeze her gloved one under the table, and she smirked up at his smiling face, the loving gaze he had in his emerald eyes, and every bit of her wanted to kiss him then, however, she knew she had a room with him later, and that she also wanted to spend more time in the little bubble of ignorance she had built so far. The ignorance that the next day would come, and their journey would come. She was anxious, but excited all at the same time. Anxious because it was another dangerous quest for them all, possibly more dangerous then even the ones they had already been on.

However, she was excited as well, because with every step they took, it was another step closer to that life they'd all have.

"They're right come on Ciri," Dominik said as he smirked at her, and Ciri scoffed at how dramatic he was at gesturing towards everyone, "Your admiring fans are eagerly awaiting your story-. GAH!"

"Ass…." She spit out but was sure to keep an amused smile as she punched hard onto his arm.

Everyone managed to laugh, and the sound echoed into Ciri's ears from every bit of that hall. The fire still kept her warm, she picked off a spare piece of bread and popped it into her mouth, as he smirked at her and rubbed on his now more then likely bruised shoulder. She gave him a smirk right back, before she turned to everyone who had finally stopped laughing. Sucking in a large breath, she felt a small chilling breeze run through the hall, it cooled her, and made her heart flutter even more as she looked at them all.

She'd enjoy that last night, in every way she could, and it was only fair she regale them how she could.

She smirked and popped another piece of bread into her mouth before smiling at them all, Dominik's hand still in hers under the table.

"Alright, well if you insist," She said as she felt a small smirk come to her face as she leaned her elbows forward the table, "It wasn't too long after i had finally got back and they found me. Rience and a few others were chasing me, we had to pass a lake that was frozen solid. I had skates and…decided to use the fog to my advantage."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"COME ON MATE! YOU GOT A FIFTY-YEAR AGE DIFFERENCE ON HIM!" A completely drunk Faram of Undvik yelled as he looked down at the table.

"COME ON DOM, HE'S FROM TOUSSAINT! THEY'RE ALL PERFUME AND PONYTAILS DOWN THERE! AND YOU… you… you… you big… big fuck you're next," An equally drunk Freya said from next to Faram, as Ciri scoffed as she realized she had never seen the blonde drunk before, and it was certainly a sight to behold.

Faram scoffed and dramatically sat down and held out his arm in an arm-wrestling position, only for Freya to laugh and sit down across from him.

"HA! In your dream's goldilocks! I'll… I'll even let you use two… TWO fuckin hands instead of one!" Faram said, as Freya made a project out of fumbling to pull her sleeves up.

Ciri felt herself laugh, as all four of them now fiercely gripped each other's hands, with George and Dominik locked in an intense clinch, and on the other side, while Freya certainly was trying, but Faram's hand didn't budge for anything, not for Freya's lack of spirit.

"Come onnnnnnn! GOD DAMMIT!" Freya yelled as she tried to yank down on Faram's hand with both of hers, making both Faram, herself and Geralt laugh hysterically.

Both Letho and Gaeten had turned in, with Letho stating he didn't wanna be around if anyone started trying on dresses. For another hour or so, she had told them about the frozen lake, and a few other fights she had been in, and with each one the drinks flowed more, before Geralt and she had gotten to gather everyone's plates and mugs. After they had done that, for the previous few minutes, Ciri was able to get her first look at how drunk Dominik and his friends could get, and the answer was quite a lot. She liked to say she had a high tolerance, she barely felt any kind of buzz at the moment, so with Geralt at her side, she laughed and watched as George and Dominik narrowed their eyes at each other, their hands locked in an intense match.

"I… I am going to GET YOU, you… you southern prick, even… even though I do love you man," Dominik said drunkenly to George as for a second he seemed to gain the advantage,

George however scoffed and shook his head, "Ha, and… and I you my.. my… my… friend! I.. will… I will show you how we do it in Toussaint ARGHHHHH!"

Ciri laughed again as her eyes widened, never having heard the griffin witcher speak in such a way. With that loud yell, George smashed Dominik's hand down onto the table, and stood triumphantly with a yell.

"BAHA I AM VICTORIOUS!" George yelled as he flexed his muscles above a now slurring Dominik, who shot back up to his feet and pointed accusingly.

"HEY! NOT FAIR, I… I'm uh… uh… I got a bum leg!" He yelled, and Ciri hadn't found herself laughing so much, until she looked past the two of them and saw Freya now trying to use both her hands to move Faram's arm.

"URGHHHHH COME ON! FUCK, COME ONNNNN!" Freya yelled determinedly as Ciri watched as Freya not even sitting on the table in an arm-wrestling position anymore, but standing on both her feet and trying to use both her hands to unsuccessfully move Faram's hand down, practically hanging off the bear witchers unmoving hand.

"YEAH GO ON FREYA! DO… do it for us NON-mutated witchers!" Dominik yelled sliding and watching intently as Freya continued to struggle.

George scoffed and came up next to Faram, "BAH! Come on Faram! Don't go easy on her now, she is a little girl!"

Faram laughed and started to push on his own hand to move both of Freya's down to the table. However, to Freya's credit she didn't give up, she lifted one of her feet up to the side of the table and to push and help herself move Faram's hand. It seemed like a second that they were both struggling, with Dominik and George yelling encouragement, and Ciri couldn't do anything but laugh and smile at them all, as she turned back to help Geralt open all the cabinets to put the plates away, before turning and seeing her father standing with his arms crossed, looking down deep into the fire. Ciri came up next to him, still finding herself chuckling from the loud raucous yells from behind her, as apparently Freya had miraculously managed to even move Faram's hand slightly, much to Dominik's enjoyment as Ciri heard him yelling and whooping.

She chuckled lightly and looked up at Geralt, "Ha… he has some great friends… I'm glad that he does."

Geralt to her surprise smiled grimly, and slowly nodded. Ciri looked at him curiously, wondering what could be wrong, as her father simply sighed and didn't meet her gaze as he spoke.

"Yeah… he's gotten lucky, they've taken good care of him," Geralt said, slowly shaking his head, still not meeting Ciri's eyes before he sighed again, "You know right here… in damn near this exact spot… is where Dom begged to go to Thanedd with me… to see you."

Ciri felt her blood go slightly cold, but it was quickly warmed by the crackling fire below her. That night on Thanedd, escaping, it was one of the multiple nights she'd never forget for as long as she lived. She could remember being upset that Geralt hadn't brought Dominik with her, with her father stating that the feast and meeting of the mages wasn't a good spot for him, and they would have had a hard time hiding him, and even getting him to see her. However, she did get the letter, the letter Dominik had written for her, and apparently gave to Geralt to give to her. She had been in the process of reading it, twiddling the ring that was always around her neck, and reading about how he completed his trial of the medallion, but how it didn't feel special to him because she wasn't there, he explained how much he missed her, and how scared he was for her, because the nagging feeling something would happen hadn't left him, he begged her to be careful, and that the next time if Geralt didn't agree to take him to see her, he'd sneak out of the castle and go himself.

She had thought the last part was a joke, that it was just his funny way of telling her again how much he missed her. Ciri had missed him dreadfully those few weeks as well, and the more time that passed, the more she had wanted to go back as well, however, she had always thought his worry something would go wrong, was simply him being protective like he always was, and that she'd be back to see him again in no time.

However, Dominik's fears were true. She distinctly remembered just finishing up reading his letter, before Yen had come for her, told her to flee, and her flight had begun. A small part of her wondered in that moment what would have happened if Dominik had been there with her. She believed that he wouldn't have left her side, leapt through the portal and ended up in the desert with her, and then, he would have been there with her through it all, she knew. However, the idea of him having to go through what she did by her side, she didn't know if it would have made the experience better or worse. Knowing what she did now about his ancestors, he more then likely would have been killed when they entered the Aen Elle world, or perhaps Bonhart would have killed him outright like he had always threatened to her. Ciri had always wondered how the madman knew about Dominik, now however, after hearing that Rience had followed him for a time it was clear to her.

_'You here first my dear, then perhaps I'll bring your head, or a lump of your hair and find your little boyfriend! What a surprise that will be to him, seeing you again for the first time in years!' _

Those had been the words that sent her over the edge at Stygga Castle, got her off her feet to kill the man. Dominik would have been at the castle, he would have skated on that frozen lake with her, fought in the arena, escaped Tir'Nala, she had to believe it all. And all of that would have happened if Geralt simply had taken him to Thanedd with him. However, Ciri knew that it was all useless to think about, so she laughed lightly and shook her head up at Geralt.

"Yeah… I remember getting his letter," Ciri said fondly, as she fiddled with the ring that was still around her neck, looking into the fire with Geralt, "I had just finished reading it… when Yen came to get me."

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Don't know if I regret not bringing him or not…. Because I didn't well… nothing happened to him that night, and he didn't have to escape. But.. if I had… you wouldn't have gone through it all alone."

Ciri quickly shook her head, "Geralt, we're here now, there's no point in thinking about it all."

"I know that," Her father said with a sigh and shake of his head, before turning to look at her, "But in the end… you both went through hell alone. Splitting you both up… worst mistake Yen and I ever made."

"You did what you thought was best," She quickly said reassuringly, as she shook her head, "Both of us know that. If he had been on Thanedd, who's to say he wouldn't have been killed."

Geralt scoffed and a small smirk came to him, "Please, are you kidding? He would've made it with you, I know it…. The both of you… gone through more then anyone should have too in a lifetime, let alone with how young you both are… I'm part of the reason you had to… but I want you to know, I'm proud of you both… prouder then I could describe."

Ciri felt her face get hot as her heart raced, she smiled broadly, and heard triumphant yells from Dominik and Freya behind her. She whirled around and saw the image of Freya standing triumphantly with her arms in the air screaming with Dominik, and also she saw the sight of an absolutely flabbergasted Faram and George.

"HAHAHA YES! TAKE THAT YOU BIG FUCK!" Freya slurred out mockingly with a loud whoop as she turned around giving Dominik a loud high-five, before Dominik yelled out and pointed both fingers at an equally flabbergasted George next to Faram.

"HAHA IN YOUR FACE YOU SOUTHERN PRICK! 100000 CROWNS HAHA FREYA WE'RE RICH!" He yelled, turning over to the blonde who whooped, and proceeded to jump on his back with a triumphant fist in the air.

"WOHOOO WERE RICH! IM GONNA BUY A SILVER SWORD WOHOOOOOOO!" Freya yelled whirling both her fists in the air as Dominik tried to run around the room with her on his back, but drunkenly stumbled and proceeded to drop Freya back to her stumbling feet before whooping even louder with his hands in the air, very sloppily dancing.

George finally seemed to realize what happened, and drunkenly punched Faram's armored shoulder, "WHAT THE HELL MAN!? HOW COULD YOU LOSE!?"

Faram who to Ciri's surprise was near tears, let his face fall into the table as he shook his head, "I… I don't know mate! I…. I just REALLY, REALLY, needed to take a shit, and I just lost it!"

"WOHOOOO WERE RICH IM RICH!" Freya yelled, as Dominik reached up and gave her a violent high five again.

He yelled out and laughed, before turning over to Ciri, "CIRI DID YOU HEAR WERE RICH!"

"I heard yes! Great job!" She yelled over playfully, as she had never felt herself laugh so much in nearly her entire life.

Geralt even managed to laugh next to her, as they watched Freya and Dom drunkenly, and mockingly dance in front of an angry George and almost in tears Faram. Ciri didn't think she'd ever see a sight like that again, between it, and hearing Geralt's praise ring in her head, she felt her stomach begin to lightly flutter as the warmth, and pure joy of the situation washed over her. Her stomach was full, her heart was full, and she knew, no matter what world she went too, no matter where she had tried to flee, she'd never feel more complete then she did there, on the continent with her family, her friends, and the man she loved, who was now currently drunkenly dancing with his three friends in front of her.

"So, this is the band of mighty warriors who're gonna take down the Wild Hunt, the continent is in good hands," Geralt said with amusement coming up next to her with his arms crossed.

Ciri scoffed with a smile and nodded, "It looks like it is! I feel safer already…"

"IM RICH! IM GONNA BUY CIRI A HAT! WERE GONNA- GAH!" Dominik yelled, before he proceeded to trip over his own feet and fall onto his back, which only served to make all his friends, and Ciri, laugh even more hysterically.

He blinked rapidly on the floor, and Ciri saw that even Faram and George who just seemed near tears were laughing, Freya who was just dancing with him doubled over holding her gut, as Dominik groaned drunkenly and held both his hands up again.

"IM OKAY BECAUSE IM RICH!" He yelled, and Ciri doubled over herself as the fire continued to crackle and warm her.

Geralt laughed as well next to her, but put a hand on her shoulder, "Last time he got this drunk he threw up, you should probably get him to his room. I'll take care of the other three."

Ciri smiled amusingly, before turning to her father and looking into his eyes, "Okay… thanks Geralt… for everything."

She reached up and hugged him before her father could say anything, before she quickly felt his strong arms wrap around her too. Slowly she pulled back, and saw the smile appear on her father's face that she loved. No matter what happened, what Dominik and she ever had to go through, he'd always be there, their father, their destiny. And even with the drunken band of misfits in front of them, in that moment as Geralt smiled and nodded at her, she felt everything would be alright.

"I'll always be there… always," Her father said, before smirking and turning over to where Dominik was still drunkenly trying to get up, "Come on, we got a big few days ahead of us."

She nodded and turned to see Dominik blinking rapidly as he sat up, his friends still laughing at him. No, not just his friends, her friends as well, her friends and her family, something she had missed for so, so long, and finally had back. It wouldn't be just her fighting anymore, only together with them, would she ever have that freedom.

No more fighting alone, from then on, Ciri knew she'd have them all, always, especially the drunken man down in front of her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri had thought perhaps that could be the night, the night that Dominik and she were supposed to have in the cave. She thought that perhaps they could make love for the first time, and lovingly fall asleep in each other's arms. However, while she had no doubt they'd still lovingly fall asleep in each other's arms, he was currently to drunk to even walk straight, so Ciri didn't know if sex was currently the best thing for him. She wanted him to actually be able to remember it the next morning, and in his current state, she didn't think he'd remember anything at all.

"Ci…Ciri… I… I love you, I… I LOVE you…Do… do I tell you that enough?" He slurred out from next to him, as Ciri laughed amusingly while she opened his door.

She turned the doorknob and lightly laughed, "Yes Dominik you do…. And I love you too."

Ciri couldn't stop her heart from fluttering, seeing that even in his drunken state he was still muttering on and trying to compliment her. Thankfully, a fire was still going in his room, and she was able to gently help him sit down on his bed. Despite his drunken state, she still smiled at the goofy look he had on his face as he smiled at her. The firelight hit off his handsome face, and he eagerly looked up at her.

"Did… did you hear I'm rich now! George he… he bet 100000 crowns that… that Freya wouldn't be able to beat Faram and… and she did!" He drunkenly said, and Ciri laughed as she reached down for the hem of his shirt, knowing he wouldn't be able to do it himself.

"I did hear about that, congratulations," She said playfully, as she pulled his shirt up over his head, smirking she looked back down at him as she laid him back, "So what are you going to buy me with all this coin you have now?"

"A new hat! And… and Dandelion… Dandelion says that… that women like uh… diamonds! Necklaces and… and stuff so.. so I'm gonna get you that!" He said as Ciri got his head to gently lay down on the pillow.

She lightly laughed again, feeling the fire warm her face. Carefully as he laid back down on the blankets, she moved down to his feet, and smiled up at him as she pulled his boots off.

"Aw, how sweet of you, thank you," She said with a smile up at him, as she placed his boots next to his armor stand, and gently sat on his bed next to him, "Such a gentleman, I can't wait to see it."

Knowing he liked to sleep in nothing but his undergarments she went and untied his trousers. She felt her face getting slightly red, as she couldn't resist gently running her hand down his torso. Her face got even redder when she looked up and saw him smiling up at the ceiling, holding onto the swallow around his neck. Despite how the night had ended, she remembered a few nights ago when he first saw her undressed, and the absolute bewildered and amazed look he had got, it had made her feel like the most special person in the world, as he always did for her. Gently she managed to untie the strings of his trousers, and carefully pull them down. Neatly she pulled them off his feet and folded them, before walking over to his dresser, where the carved wolf she had made him so long ago, and his new crossbow still sat. Just as she put the trousers near his armor as well she yawned, feeling the fatigue from the day start to overtake her as well.

She didn't want that day to end, she truly didn't. She knew exactly what they were going to do the next day, her, Dominik and Geralt. Despite his drunken state now, she was sure Dominik would be sober enough to get out on the road to Bald Mountain, and finally she wouldn't hide away, she'd strike out against the Hunt, with them both by her side as it always should have been. She could remember Eredin back in Tir'Nala, fighting him to escape, the King had underestimated her then, and it was the reason she had been able to escape. However, even though he had done that then, she knew he would make the same mistake again. He'd underestimate them all, and this time she wouldn't just injure him, she would kill him.

Dominik had told her about Connor and Lara of Lod, how their father Alexander said, if they had fought Eredin together, they would have been able to easily defeat the King and the Hunt as a whole. However, the siblings had both tried to do it alone, and that was the reason Eredin was able to kill them both. Her and Dominik wouldn't make the same mistake, between the both of them, Geralt, Yen, everyone else, they'd all face down Eredin, and the result would be much different then the Battle of Kaer Morhen. Much, much different.

And it all would start the next day. She let out a relaxed sigh and reached up for her hair. Gently she pulled it out of its bun, and her ashen locks fell down her back and shoulders, and Ciri felt a relaxing feeling wash over her. Doing the same with the rest of her outfit, she slipped off her boots and gloves, before unstrapping her corset, finally feeling the warmth wash over her torso. She ran her hand over the scars that marked her lower half and felt the scar from where Baelen had gotten her at the battle tingle. Being trapped by that ice, unable to get up and help him, it would haunt her for the rest of her life. If she had been able to break free, perhaps the fight could have been different, maybe her and Dominik both could have defeated Eredin then. However, she reserved herself to the fact she'd never have the answer.

But she would have the answer, to what would happen when they met him next. And that answer, was that Eredin would die.

She undid the buttons on her trousers, and gently pulled them down before stepping out of them, before pulling her top off as well. With just her bra and knickers on, she felt the warmth from the fire wash over her, she rubbed the chills out of her exposed legs, and turned just in time to see Dominik looking over at her, smiling drunkenly and goofily as he always did, however, Ciri couldn't help but laugh and smile over at him.

"Ha… and what are you staring at mister," She said jokingly as she walked over to the bed, and gently sat down, pulling up the blanket.

He kept staring at her, and Ciri laughed as she got under the blanket herself and gently pulled it over him, feeling the fatigue hit her more and more as she felt her body hit the mattress. Dominik right away held his hands out, and she didn't hesitate as she cuddled into him, holding a handout above him, and gently running her fingers through his hair, as he smiled completely flustered at her. The feeling of his soft hands holding onto her bare skin sent pleasurable tingles down her spine as it normally did, and she felt even more warmth wash over her, as despite his drunken state, she could still see the loving look in his eyes.

"Ci…Ciri you… you're so pretty…" He said to her, and Ciri lightly laughed as her face got redder.

She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, you're pretty handsome yourself."

Laughing nervously he shook his head, "No, you… you're like… like SOOOO pretty."

Rolling her eyes with the smile still on her face, she kissed his lips for a few seconds, and despite the smell of wine, ale and food she still felt the love and sparks rush through her lips. Gently she pulled back and smiled broadly at him, she saw him yawn and laugh, but quickly did the same as it seemed to be contagious. She felt the fatigue wash over her, and she gently nodded at him, before burying her head into his chest.

"You're so sweet you stupid boy… thank you, now, come on, let's get some sleep. We… got a big day ahead of us," She said, but before she could close her eyes, she felt him readjust and look down at her.

He met her eyes and laughed lightly, "Ciri I… I almost… almost forgot, guess… guess who I saw."

She scoffed amusingly and rolled her eyes, "Ha… okay, who did you see?"

"Your mother," He said right away, his eyes starting to fall.

"Dominik, Yen hasn't been here in over a week," She said with a joking tone, before she smiled at him and shook her head, "You're drunk… you're cute when you're drunk, but drunk nonetheless, now let's-."

"No, not… not Yen," He said tiredly, slowly he shook his head and met her eyes, "Pa…Pavetta… you… you know your… your mother."

Ciri felt her eyes widen slightly as she shook her head, "Dominik… she's been dead since I was a baby, what are you talking about?"

He yawned and blinked as he looked at her, "No, when… when I was… was almost dead I… I saw her. We… we talked… ap…apparently she's my godmother. She… she wanted me to tell you something."

She felt her heart about to burst. Growing up in Cintra, Gregory had always told her that her mother Pavetta loved her more than anything. Ciri herself had no memory of the woman, but Dominik's father had always told her Ciri looked just like her. He told her about how he and Pavetta, were a lot like Dominik and she back in Cintra, the best of friends. She knew that unlike her and Dominik however, her mother and Gregory never developed romantic feelings like they had, but still, he had been her best-friend. Despite this however, she had never really thought of her, she considered Yennefer her mother now, and the sorceress was and always would be. However, deep down, she had always wondered what it would have been like having her birth mother see her now, what she would think about what she had done.

Ciri had no idea if this was just his drunken ramblings, but she had to believe drunk or not, Dominik would never joke about something like this with her.

"Wh…what did she say?" Ciri asked him, her face inches from his as the warmth from his body washed over her.

He looked deep into her eyes, and as he played with strands of her long ashen hair, she felt the loving gaze wash over her. Even when drunk like he was, she still felt that intense, passionate love wash over her as he looked at her. She felt his large chest against hers, his one hand around her bare waist as he smiled at her.

"She… she said she loves you… that… that she's proud of the woman you've grown into and… and she's always watching you… loving you…" He said lightly, Ciri could see him drifting to sleep, but still he slowly smiled at her again, "My… my father said… said to tell you the same thing."

"What!?" She said quickly, feeling her voice break as water quickly started pooling in her eyes.

Slowly he nodded, "He… he said… tell her Gregory's proud, damn proud! And… and he loves you… like you were his own daughter, always had… always will."

She scoffed out a small laugh, as she still didn't know if these were just his drunken ramblings, if the wine and ale had been completely muddling his brain, but Ciri didn't care at the moment. The small tears that had been threatening gently fell, and she felt herself laughing again. Gregory had been the closest thing she had to a father in Cintra, she remembered how proud he'd get of her, how he'd smirk from behind her grandmother when she was getting scolded, or how he'd sneak her out of certain boring lessons early, help her get out of boring court procedures. He'd regale her with stories of battles, or the deeds he and her mother had gotten up too. And of course, there was the fact he was Dominik's father. Gregory would always go and get him right when she asked, he made sure Ciri and Dominik spent as much time together as they wanted, and he would always tell her the same thing. 'You two, are going to do great things, and you're going to do them together.'

And now, eleven years later, Gregory had been correct. She missed him, missed him, and even hearing the words from her birth mother, words she had always wanted to hear washed over her. She found herself laughing and crying, before she shakily sighed with a smile and wiped the tears that had fallen quickly from her eyes. She looked up, and Dominik was barely able to keep his eyes open, but she didn't care, she reached up and kissed him with everything she had in that moment.

As she did, as she moved her lips with his, she let all the love, warmth and reassurance wash over her. They would be okay, her and Dominik would be okay, their friends would be okay, they'd get that life they both deserved. They were together, they didn't have to do anything alone anymore like they had done for so long. He wasn't alone, she wasn't alone, just like Gregory had said to her all those years ago, Dominik was by her side, and he always would be.

And together, they'd do great things.

"Thank you… I love you…" She said lightly as she gently pulled back and met his eyes, before she slowly nodded at him with a smile, "Now… now get some sleep, I'll be right here."

He didn't say anything else, slowly he nodded, still smiling at her as she slowly leaned his head back to the pillow. Ciri shakily sighed with a smile, and readjusted herself as well. She cuddled up into him, and looked up at the ceiling, hearing the fire crackle, and seeing the now full moon outside her window, being there in his arms as they fell asleep, it was what she had always wanted. Everybody back, together, and soon, they would all truly be free.

"I'll keep making you all proud… I promise," She said lightly, holding the ring that was still around her neck, looking out into the sky through his window, before she smiled one more time, and drifted her eyes to sleep.

**A/N: And with the end of this chapter, we have officially begun the final stretch of the story. We are actually almost finished everybody, and you know what? We still have SO much to happen! With the end of this chapter, we are also officially finished the Kaer Morhen arc of this story, next chapter, Dominik, Ciri and Geralt all leave for Bald Mountain to battle Imlerith and the Crones, before we head to Novigrad for the Final Preparations…. However, we have a nice, calm, sort of filler chapter here, after so much emotional turmoil the last few chapters, I wanted to give a calm before the storm, before we head off to fight!**

**First we get a training session, and it had been so long since I wrote one of these I was excited! It is official everybody, even though he's far from a master at them all, the idea he had all the way back in chapter 16 had finally come to fruition for Dominik. He now has knowledge of ALL five schools of witcher combat, and you can without a doubt believe that this will come in handy and help him out extremely in the fights to come!**

**After that, we get a cute, funny scene where Ciri knocks Dominik down to the ground, before the two finally run pendulums again with Geralt. And after, Dominik and Ciri finally talk about the future, and what they'll plan on doing after its all over, and Dominik makes it clear, they'll do whatever Ciri wants, like she deserves. And then of course some banter xD**

**Another party begins in the halls of Kaer Morhen! And I wanted to use this opportunity to just get some more cool backstory in, we learn more about how Ciri truly feels about Avallac'h and her birth father Emhyr. One thing I always had a problem with after I read the witcher books is that, there is NO WAY IN HELL that book Ciri would ever trust Avallac'h again after what he did to her in Tir'Nala, and learning that he never intended to let her leave, theres absolutely no way she would trust him at all like she does in the games no matter what he does lmao. **

**And also with Emhyr, for gods sake lol there is no way that she OR Geralt would ever even THINK about taking Ciri to him after what he did. I mean come on Emhyr spent basically then entire series hunting her down, and then wanted to rape and impregnate her when he finally caught her, like come on, it don't matter if it would be good for the continent, Ciri and Geralt would never do it after everything he's done, and we see Ciri make that clear in her monologue lol**

**We also see Ciri learn about the battle of Brenna, and we get a new piece of backstory, it turns out that Dominik had seen Rience, and the man was trying to learn more about where Ciri could be from him. Now, I said this at the very start, if you haven't read the witcher books, this story will spoil it for you lol We are going to delve a little bit into more book stuff, just like we did in this chapter. **

**Also we learn more about the Thanedd coupe, where Ciri was forced to flee Aretuza, how Dominik had begged Geralt to go, knowing something would go wrong, and of course he was right…**

**The scene ends with Dominik and his friends piss drunk before Ciri takes him to their room. We get one final sweet scene between them, where Ciri learns what her mother and Gregory said in the visions, and with that… we are off to Bald Mountain next chapter!**

**Gods I cannot thank you all enough for this. We are approaching SEVENTY chapters, and were already over one million words. I honestly think we'll hit 1.5 million by the end, which is absolutely mind boggling, and I have you to thank for it all. Your constant support on here, on the Instagram, everywhere had been amazing and I can't thank you all enough. **

**I hope that you all have been entertained, and you love what I have to come next. I am SO excited to bring it to you! So like always please be sure to follow to keep up to date, review if you have time, and follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram for more official artwork for this story soon to come!**

**I'll see you all next time, when we head to Bald Mountain….**


	69. Bald Mountain

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 69: Bald Mountain**

**Narrator: After the Battle of Kaer Morhen, the defenders were able to fight back the Wild Hunt for now. Dominik of Cintra, fought Eredin, the King of the Wild Hunt, and was able to buy enough time for Ciri to gather the strength she needed. However, after Dominik was seemingly killed at the hands of Eredin, Ciri unleashed the great powers within her blood. The power was so strong, the Hunt was forced to flee, and the defenders had seemingly won the day. However, Dominik and Ciri knew that this was only the beginning, if they wanted Ciri to finally be free, to save the continent from invasion, they needed to find Eredin, and finally defeat him. So began a week and a half stay at Kaer Morhen. Dominik healed from the great wounds he sustained at Eredin's hands, while Ciri trained to learn control of her powers with the help of the elven sage Avallac'h. After Dominik was finally healed of his wounds, and Ciri began making progress, they knew it was finally time to head out to Novigrad, to meet up with Yennefer and Triss Merigold, who had been gathering allies in the form of the remnants of the Lodge of Sorceresses. However, before that, Ciri wakes Dominik and Geralt up in the early hours of the morning, and says that they first must head to Bald Mountain in Velen…**

_Dominik didn't think his dreams would have taken him to a vision of Kaer Morhen without Ciri in it, however, that night they did. He saw himself, chasing after Geralt in the very hall he was just having dinner in the night before. Scoffing he marveled at how young he was, he remembered the exact moment he saw, it was a day that was etched into his memory. He was fifteen, he wore the red armored coat with straps of leather over his shoulders, his sword, the same steel blade that he used to that day was slung over his back. His face was rounder, younger, but he could see his young emerald eyes chasing after Geralt full of concern, full of worry, while the new wolf medallion he remembered he had just finished forging bounced around his neck, along of course, with the silver swallow he always wore, Ciri's swallow. As Geralt and he got to the hall, just near the door to the exit of the keep, his young voice pleaded with Geralt again, and Dominik as he watched felt his blood run cold, as he could remember exactly what he was doing. _

_ It was the day Geralt told him he was leaving for Thanedd, for Aretuza, for the mages council and feast with Yen. Yen had gotten into contact with them both, she begged Geralt to come to Thanedd to attend the feast with her, she had said it was urgent, but they didn't understand why. Going there also meant that Geralt would get to see Ciri, which Dominik had been yearning to do in the previous few weeks they had been apart. It was because he missed her of course, wanted to see her, they hadn't been apart for that long since she went to the Temple of Melitele, but those few weeks she was at Aretuza were particularly hard. _

_ However, it wasn't only missing her that made him desperate to go with Geralt to Thanedd, no, it was the nightmares. In the weeks since Ciri left to go there, went through that portal with Yen, his nightmares had gotten worse then they had ever been. Night after night he woke up screaming, but they weren't his normal nightmares of Cintra. The nightmares were of Ciri, running from the knight in the winged helmet like when they were younger, of her running through a portal while being chased, her being manhandled and captured, and worst, was her being killed, he had seen her killed night after night, stabbed, or falling from a great height. Geralt and Yen tried to save her in the nightmares, but she had always died. And each night he woke up screaming, he didn't have Triss, Yen, or most importantly Ciri to help him back to sleep, so he'd lay awake, looking at his ceiling while the nightmares played over and over in his head. _

_ So when he and Geralt got Yen's message, and Dominik learned his adopted father was going to Thanedd, to the magic school, he had begged him to go. _

_ "Geralt you have to let me go with you, please!" Younger Dominik said desperately reaching out and grabbing Geralt's arm as his adopted father sighed and turned back to him. _

_ Geralt had a slightly pained look in his eyes as he shook his head, "Dom… we've been over this, it's dangerous. There's a lot of powerful people there, a lot of people who I don't trust."_

_ "Even more of a reason I should go! What if Ciri's in danger, the nightmares Geralt, they've been non-stop, something's going to happen I know it is!" His younger self said, his voice breaking as he pleaded. _

_ Sighing again, Dominik could see the distraught look in Geralt's eyes. He remembered how in the current day, Geralt had never told him the exact details of what happened at the coup on Thanedd, all Dominik knew was that Ciri ended up escaping through a portal. It was easy for him to see how distraught thinking about the night made his adopted father, so he had never asked for more details, and he also didn't dare ask Ciri about it. He knew she would more than likely tell him without issue, but he didn't want to make her have to relive that day. However, what he did know, was that his younger self's worries, the dreams that he had warning him of that night, had all been true. _

_ Geralt knelt down and put a hand on young Dominik's shoulder, "Dom… they're just dreams, they can mean anything. It's just a banquet, I'm only keeping you hear because like I said, don't trust a lot of the people there, bad enough that Ciri's there, not gonna risk you too."_

_ He scoffed and shook his head, "Geralt I don't care! She's in danger, I know she is, I… I need to be there to look after her!"_

_ "Yen and I will make sure she's safe I promise, we won't let anything happen to her," His adopted father reassured him, before looking deep into his eyes, "Dom… I know you miss her; I know you want to see her I-."_

_ "It's not just that Geralt! I… I just KNOW she's in danger, I know it," Young Dominik said, the tears starting to well up in his eyes as he shakily sighed and met Geralt's gaze, "The dreams they… they normally stop after a few nights, but they haven't… she's in danger, I know it. Please… please Geralt, don't leave me here, I need to be there, I need to be there for her."_

_ Geralt sighed again, and Dominik could see how hard it was for his adopted father to tell him no. However, again Geralt shook his head at him, meeting his eyes however he nodded. _

_ "Okay, listen, I'll make you a deal. You stay here, learn more about your medallion, finish up some of your training," Geralt said slowly, before looking down at the swallow around his neck, and then back up to his eyes, "You promise to do that, I'll bring Ciri after I come back from Thanedd."_

_ "What!? You're serious," Younger Dominik said slightly skeptically, meeting Geralt's eyes as he slowly shook his head, "You really mean that?"_

_ "Yeah, I promise," His adopted father said with a nod of his head, smiling down at him, "Just stay here, relax, train, and in a week or two, I'll be back, and I'll bring Ciri with me."_

_ "But I thought she needed to learn about her powers?" Dominik asked quickly with the letter in his hands trembling. _

_ Geralt nodded again, "She does yeah… but I think she has to have some better control by now. Besides… never should have split you up in the first place. So… we got a deal?"_

_ He looked down at his younger self, and he could see the conflict brewing in him. He could distinctly remember the anxiousness that ran through his brain at this moment. Every single bit of him wanted to force his way to Thanedd one way or another, the dreams had been too potent, he had seen too much in them to not go, to not believe that she was truly in danger. However, he had trusted Geralt's words, Yennefer's words in that moment, their promise to make sure she was safe, that nothing would happen to her. So he watched, and his younger self cautiously met Geralt's eyes. _

_ Young Dominik's eyes narrowed, "Swear… swear to me she'll be alright, that… that if I don't go… she… she'll be safe."_

_ "I swear…I promise Dominik, I won't let anything happen to her," Geralt promised him, not letting his yellow eyes leave his, he put a hand on young Dominik's shoulder and nodded, "Yen and I will make sure she's safe… I promise. And before you know it, you'll both be yapping my ear off here again in no time."_

_ His younger self scoffed a laugh, but still with trembling hands, and quivering eyes, he slowly looked up, and held the letter in his hands to Geralt. _

_ "Can… can you at least give her this? And… and tell her I miss her," Younger Dominik asked, as Geralt took the letter with a nod. Shaking his head, his younger self shakily sighed, "And… and tell her I love her… and… and I'm sorry I'm not there."_

_ "I will… don't worry Dom, everything will be alright, I promise," His adopted father said as he rose back up to his feet. _

_ Dominik watched the scene and almost felt himself tear up again. He had forgiven Geralt and Yen a long time ago, he was never really angry at them, because he knew what would end up happening was completely out of there control. However, when he was young, he had been so angry, so uncontrollably angry, that he needed someone to blame, someone to blame other then himself, or the ones who had really been responsible, because he couldn't get to them, so he lashed out at Geralt and Yen, blaming them, and it haunted him for years. It haunted him so much, that he refused to go with either of his adopted parents when they found him. It had started in that vision before him, and despite the fact he had her back now, seeing the scene again, knowing what would come next, he almost felt himself get sick. _

_ Younger Dominik slowly sigh, reaching up and wiping the small tear that had fallen with his gloved hand and slowly nodded. _

_ "Okay… thanks Geralt… for everything," He said, before throwing his arms around his adopted father's waist, and tightly hugging him, younger Dominik shakily sighed again. _

_ Quickly Geralt nodded, and hugged him back, before looking down deep in his eyes and nodding. _

_ "You're welcome… like I said, don't worry, I'll keep her safe I promise…. Everything is gonna be alright," Geralt said slowly, nodding to Dominik one more time, before the vision of his dream had begun to get blurry. _

_ Geralt had been wrong he knew, because everything hadn't been alright, none of it had turned out alright. _

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_ When the dream whirled again, Dominik looked down and saw something that made his heart drop. A cold wind shot through his hair, as he looked and saw Ciri, Ciri out near a stable, right near a bridge as he heard the rush of the ocean down below. Tall towers, a large elegant bridge, and a cold starry night. It would have been beautiful to look at had it not been for what he saw. _

_ "URGHHH LET ME GO!" Ciri screamed in the man's arms, and Dominik felt his heart drop as he saw her. _

_ She was beaten, a black and blue bruise on her cheek, a cut down her forehead. She was younger, only having to be fourteen or fifteen, and he almost screamed out himself when he saw the mage fiercely gripping her from behind, trying to bring her to the ground as she struggled. He looked and saw the ring violently bouncing around her neck, she wore only a black top, a leather tunic with her trousers and boots, she didn't have a sword on her back, and she could only wriggle and try to kick her legs as the man in mage robes behind her laughed. _

_ "Ha! My treasure, what if, not Vilgefortz, not Rience, not that gallant in the feathered helmet, but old Terranova gave you to Emhyr as a present!? Would Emhyr look kindly on old Terranova? What do you say to that little clairvoyant!? You can see the future after all!" The mage screeched behind her, and Dominik and as Ciri tried to elbow into the man's gut, but he moved and avoided it, only laughing more. _

_ He watched and felt his skin crawl as the ring he gave her bounced around her neck, she yelled violently again, an as he looked up at the huge towers again, the roaring waters around them, Dominik finally realized where he was. This was Thanedd, Aretuza, where Ciri had gone missing, he was watching that fateful night where she was taken. He tried to yell out as he did in all of his dreams, but his voice was silent, and he felt his eyes begin to sting as he saw Ciri continued to struggle, but the old mage wriggled her back under control before cackling once again. Dominik was about to try and wake himself up, but that was when he heard the screech of a bird, and he saw a grey owl darting down from a tower, he tried to focus on the animal, but the mages voice tore his vision back down. _

_ "Don't snap your beak at me, little bird! I'm not afraid of little birds. But should I be," The mage asked mockingly with his cackling voice, "Well false soothsayer? Bogus oracle? Should I be afraid of little birds!?"_

_ "You ought to be!" Ciri yelled, and Dominik saw that she noticed the owl soaring down. _

_ He watched and almost cheered out when the mage laughed and tossed his head back, but the laughs were quickly turned into violent pained screams. The grey owl sunk its talons into the man's eyes, and as he screamed he pushed Ciri aside as she fell onto the ground. As the man screamed Dominik turned his eyes to Ciri, she coughed and got to her feet, but he noticed as soon as she did the ring come loose from her neck and fall to the ground. As the owl ripped into the mage's eyes Ciri furiously looked around for the ring, where it could be, however she whirled back around when the mage tried to yell out a spell. _

_ Dominik turned his vision back around to the mage, who had stumbled to his knees, and saw magic starting to whirl in his palms. Ciri yelled and tried to step back, but just before the mage could shout out and unleash his spell, a witchers blade whipped through the air, and Dominik saw the mage's head quickly fell from his shoulders. He barely had time to look back to Ciri, before he saw Geralt step forward, his blade now dripping the mages blood. His adopted father's eyes were wide, and never in Dominik's life did he see such a look on his face. Geralt's eyes were on the mage's severed head, before they widened again and he reached to pick something off the ground, just as Ciri yelled. _

_ "GERALT!" She yelled, and Geralt turned around right away, sheathing his sword and rushing over to her. _

_ "CIRI," His adopted father yelled, as young Ciri slammed into his chest with a hug. _

_ Dominik watched them for only a moment, before he could hear and see more men in the distance running, trying to close in on them. Quickly he turned back to Geralt and Ciri, Geralt pulled back from her, before he held up something in his hands. Dominik felt a breath of relief leave him, as Ciri did the same in the vision, reaching and grabbing the bronze ring from Geralt's hands and clutching it to her chest for a moment, before tying the chain back around her neck as she frantically looked at Geralt with wide eyes. _

_ "Geralt! Geralt, Yen, she told me to run, I… I don't want to be alone," She said desperately, and Dominik saw her nearly now on the verge of tears. _

_ Geralt shook his head, "You won't be, Ciri you need to run, I'll be right behind you, run, but don't look back!"_

_ "Give me my sword Geralt, I need my sword," She said desperately as when she held out one hand her other stayed gripped around the ring. _

_ Geralt quickly reached behind his back and slung Ciri's sword from his shoulder, and handed the sheath to her, meeting her eyes he slowly shook his head. _

_ "If you have a sword… you may have to kill with it. Can you do it?" Geralt asked her, and right away he saw Ciri nod. _

_ "Dominik did it for me… I can do it now… I hope, Geralt what… what about him!? He needs-," Ciri started quickly, but Geralt quickly shook his head. _

_ "Ciri you need to run, run and don't look back," Geralt said quickly with another shake of his head as he looked deeply into Ciri's eyes, "If you get lost, I'll find you, Dominik and I will find you, I swear it, we will. NOW GO!"_

_ Ciri seemed to hesitate for a moment, but the sound of more men's boots clunking as they ran across the bridge seemed to spur her on. She shakily nodded to Geralt, before slinging the sword around her shoulder, and running towards the stable. The ring bounced against her chest and she gripped it tightly, just as she got to a saddled mare. However, instead of mounting it, she turned back around to Geralt, who was still looking at her, and Dominik could see the broken look that appeared in his adopted father's eyes as he narrowed them and yelled. _

_ "RUN, CIRI RUN! They're close, I'll stop them, RUN! Just like you and Dominik did on the assault course," Geralt screamed to her, before unslinging his steel blade again, he desperately looked and met Ciri's eyes, "GO! YEN, ME, DOMINIK WE'LL FIND YOU! WE WILL FIND YOU I PROMISE, NOW RUN!"_

_ Dominik truly had never heard such malice and anger in his adopted father's voice as the first of the men began charging at him. He had seen his adopted father kill men quickly before, however, the first man who came, he parried a blow and with a single stroke of his blade, decapitated him within seconds. Ciri's eyes widened as the men began to surround Geralt, but she only got up onto the mare when the beating of hooves started ringing. Dominik and she's vision seemed to turn at the same moment, as Ciri quickly climbed up onto the horses back and flicked its reins. Dominik watched as Ciri's mare took off down the road, towards a tower, the largest tower out of any that he saw on the island. _

_ However, she was being chased, just like back in Cintra she was being chased. Chased by the knight in the black winged helmet, and when she realized it, Dominik saw her hand come up to the ring around her neck. Just as it did however, he saw Cahir, saw the knight closing in, closer and closer he got, but Ciri's face was still contorted into shock and fear, she was unable to move, stopped kicking her feet to spur her horse on, he tried to scream, scream as loud as he could. _

_ But he couldn't, his voice was still gone, just as Cahir reached out to try and grab Ciri's hair to yank her from her mare. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dominik… psssst…. Dominik come on… come on wake up," The voice hit his ears, and right away his eyes widened, and he felt himself shoot up from the bed, his chest dripping sweat.

"CIRI!?" He yelled, frantically looking around, his heart raced at an alarming speed, and he felt it about to rip from his chest, but quickly when he heard the scoff and turned his head it slowed.

"Ha… well good morning to you too… are you okay?" She asked him lightly, as when Dominik's eyes finally fell on her, he let out a long, deep breath of relief.

She was sitting at his bedside, but to Dominik's surprise she wasn't in her knickers and top like what she normally slept in. It had seemed as if she had been up for hours, preparing and getting herself ready for travel. She smiled amusingly at him, and it washed over him, calming his racing heart more as he took in the sight of her. After seeing her younger self in his dream, seeing her being chased and almost taken, seeing her now was able to calm his mind. She had her hair tied up in a tight new bun, the ring bounced around her neck, and she had her corset tightly tied, with her top looking freshly laundered, the juniper and cedarwood scent also did wonders to calm him. Her gloves were on, as well as her boots and trousers, her bag with the cat medallion was filled, and her sword was already across her back. Her one hand rested in her lap, the other was overtop of his as he breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath from the dream he just saw.

He gingerly grabbed her hand as well and squeezed it, meeting her eyes and slowly nodding, "I… I'm okay… and… and you… you're okay? You're alright too?"

She laughed lightly and scooted closer to him, meeting his eyes she smiled, "I'm okay yes… Dominik what's wrong? You're pale, you're sweating… what is it?"

Letting out a long-relaxed breath he slowly nodded, before reaching and quickly wrapping his arms around her waist. He nearly made her jump when he pulled her closer to him and buried his head into her shoulder. As he took in the scent of juniper and cedarwood from her ashen hair, he squeezed her as tightly as she could, feeling his heart thump, over and over again for a few moments he saw the mage trying to restrain her, threatening to bring her to Emhyr, and then Cahir chasing her down, nearly getting to her, and all he could think about was how she was there now, he could hold her now. She wouldn't be in danger anymore, not for long, not with him there, not with the two of them being together.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed as well, before she pulled him back from her and looked down at him, her eyes laced with concern.

"Dominik… what is it? Did… you have a nightmare? I… did feel you thrashing around a bit, but, I didn't hear you say anything," She asked her, her voice laced with just as much concern as the look she gave him.

Letting out a shaky breath he slowly nodded to her. He squeezed her waist one more time, before pulling back and quickly kissing her and meeting her eyes again.

"Yeah… bad one… but… you're okay, that's what matters," He said slowly, before giving her a smile, but it didn't seem to detract her.

She gave him a small smile but shook her head, "What was it? What was your dream about, you can tell me, you know that."

He didn't want to bring up that day to her, not then, not when she had looked to be in such an excited eager mood just a minute prior. He also had no intention on opening up any horrible memories she had of that night. It didn't matter, that night on Thanedd didn't matter anymore, because she was back with him now, there was nothing he could do to go back and change what happened. One day he'd ask what happened, and he was sure she'd tell him, however, in that moment he didn't want to know, he only wanted her to smile again. A new smaller fire was roaring in his fireplace, and it warmed him as he slowly shook his head and let go of her waist.

"It's… not important now, I'll tell you later," He said, and quickly he yawned stretching out his arms above his head, when he saw she still looked concerned he smirked at her, "You know… I've had this dream a few times over the last eight years."

"What dream?" She asked him, her voice still laced with concern as she met his gaze.

He laughed lightly and smirked wildly, and cheekily spoke, "You know, waking up half naked with you next to me… although in that dream, you were half naked too."

She scoffed wildly and laughed, before rolling her eyes, "Ha… well maybe if you're lucky that dream will come true later. Now come on, get up perv, I already got Clop, Roche and a horse saddled for me."

He felt himself flounder for a second and his face get red at her suggestiveness, but soon managed to laugh. Dominik would really tell her about the dream, he'd just wait till another time, in that moment, he only wanted to see her smile. He smiled himself as well at her amused look, however, after all of the thoughts of his dream cleared, he felt the sun stream in from his window right into his eyes, and in a flash he felt his head completely flare up and he groaned.

"Ughh… fuck… fuck my head hurts," He said, looking up to see Ciri smiling at him even more amusingly as he shook his head, "I don't even remember getting into bed last night…"

Ciri scoffed again, and she met his eyes with an amused smirk, "That's because I had to drag you here. You said you were going to buy me a diamond necklace and a new hat, you know, because you're rich now."

"Rich?" He asked her, and Ciri laughed.

"You really don't remember? You bet George 100000 crowns that Freya would beat Faram at arm wrestling, and she did," She told him, seeming to be trying to hold back a fit of laughs.

Hearing that Freya had beaten Faram, a witcher from the school of the fucking bear, at arm wrestling and won him 100000 crowns was the last thing he expected to hear.

"She… she did? How?" He asked feeling completely bewildered.

Ciri laughed again with and eye roll before she smirked at him still, "Faram let her use two hands, and well, he said he… had to take a shit or something and lost focus? I don't really remember… but I AM curious as to when you're getting me that diamond necklace."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, before rubbing his eyes and smiling at her. He would need to ask her more about his drunken adventure with his friends later, because apparently Ciri was much better at holding her liquor then he was. Yawning again he looked outside, and realized that the sun had just risen, it was only the crack of dawn, earlier then he even got up normally with Geralt on the road the previous month. He took a quick look around his room, and saw his armor on the stand was still there, his trousers, socks, boots, gloves were all folded neatly, both his swords leaned against his dresser where he also saw Arno's crossbow resting as well. His bag was also on the dresser, along with his dagger, and it seemed as if Ciri had gotten everything prepared, slowly he turned his gaze back to her and smiled.

"Oh I'll get you one soon princess, don't you worry," He said amusingly, as she laughed and gently stood up from his bed adjusting her sword. Dominik laughed back at her, as he swung his legs around, letting his bare feet hit the ground as he met her eyes, "Jokes aside, Ciri what are we doing up so early? It's the crack of dawn, that's even earlier then Geralt's been making me get up the last month."

She smirked wildly at him, and it had been a long time since Dominik saw that look in her eyes, the look she got when she was ready to set out and do something, accomplish a certain goal. And he knew, when Ciri got that look in her eye, nothing would stop her, and it was one of the many things he loved about her.

"The sooner we leave, the sooner we get there," She said, sounding eager even as she met his eyes and smirked before crossing her arms, "Me, you, and Geralt, we're going to Velen, to Bald Mountain."

"Bald Mountain," Dominik asked confusingly, meeting her eyes with a small laugh, "Ha… and what do you want to go there for?"

Dominik smiled at her, seeing as she cutely seemed as if she was ready to bounce up and down on her toes. The sweat gently dripped down his chest, and he felt the small fire warm him, as it beautifully glowed over her face. Around her neck the ring bounced, the same ring that he had seen fallen from her neck at Thanedd in his dream. Now however, she wasn't a child anymore, and she wasn't alone, she seemed more eager than Dominik had seen her in some time, and seeing her like that, it only made the broad smile on his face grow.

She smirked and met his eyes, speaking with an almost giddy tone, "Because… if we leave now, we'll be just in time for the witches Sabbath when they come to commune with the people. And guess who's there guest of honor?"

"I don't know… did they hire clowns? Fire jugglers, mummers, mages who shoot fancy fireworks?" He asked her jokingly, only for her to roll her eyes amusingly.

"No you ass," She said jokingly, before she met his eyes and looked deeply into them, and still, he heard the eagerness dripping from her, "Imlerith…"

"Really!? You're sure!?" He said as he shot up from his bed, feeling his voice grow just as eager as hers was.

She laughed and nodded, "I am! He craves human pleasures, wine, sex, the attention the crones gift him. He'll be there drunk, not expecting an attack!"

"And I can finally keep my promise to the Crones…" He said feeling the smirk come to his face, as he scoffed and met Ciri's eyes, "Two birds with one stone, you're brilliant princess!"

Biting her lip Ciri lightly laughed, "What can I say? I was born this way, now come on, let's get your armor on and go get Geralt!"

He felt his heart rate begin to spike, as the same excitement and eagerness that looked like it was shooting through Ciri shot through him. For so long, the Crones had been in the back of his mind, he had other things to focus on of course, but he didn't think he'd ever forget his encounter with the grotesque beings, how angry he had gotten when he learned that they almost ate Ciri, or gave her to the Hunt. Then of course… there were the children, the children that they had taken for who knows what reason, the one's that he felt responsible for, given that he had killed the whispering hillock's spirit. He thought that if he killed the spirit, he could still somehow save the children, but he had been wrong… and now it was finally time for him to make the Crones pay. A small part of him also believed, that if he could kill the Crones, perhaps the Baron's wife Anna would have an easier time healing. The beastly sisters had told Geralt and he they would never find Ciri, that every time they saw her she'd be a mirage, that their search would be in vein.

However, they were wrong, they had found her, and now, just like Geralt and he promised, they were going to all go back together, and they'd kill them all.

Also there was Imlerith, who would be the main target of their journey. In the last week and a half, he had seen the giant bruise on George's torso slowly heal from his friend's duel with the Hunt general. The griffin witchers armor had been cracked, they had fixed that during the week also, but Dominik had heard how close to dying at the generals hands his friend had been. Imlerith would pay for it, he would pay for all the destruction he had helped the Hunt cause, for chasing Ciri through the bog, and in doing so, they'd deprive Eredin of one of his generals, and deal the Hunt a massive blow. A small part of him wondered if Baelen, or Kilgarrah would possibly be there, be at the Sabbath as well, however, he knew Imlerith was just as arrogant as Eredin, he wouldn't think to bring any backup. The trip would be the perfect opportunity to deal the first blow to Eredin and the Hunt.

Of all the things that made him giddy in that moment, however, was the prospect of doing it with Ciri and Geralt. It would be at least a five-day journey to Velen, and then another day or so to Novigrad after the deed was done. The three of them would be out on the road together, traveling, fighting together, it had been something he, and he knew Ciri as well had always dreamed about. And when they finally got to the Crones, they were monsters after all, so it would in a way be there first contract together all three of them. He had been cooped up for a week and a half, in bed for most of that time, now he was finally ready to get his life back to normal, the normal life he always wanted, the life with Geralt and Ciri with him. His leg was currently gently throbbing, and he could feel the scar on his cheek lightly stinging, but it was nothing that could deter him. He was as ready as he would ever be, he'd always be ready to fight with Ciri and Geralt, be by there side.

Smiling he stood up, inches from Ciri's face now as she looked up at him with that giddy look of excitement. He was only a half a head taller than her, and she had always teased him for it, but the teasing would always be followed by her kissing him, telling him that it was actually easier for her, because she didn't have to reach up as far. He smirked down at her and admired how beautiful she was as he always did. Her higher cheekbones, angular face, those gorgeous shimmering eyes. And that, combined with the sword on her back, her hair tied up in a bun, her boots and gloves on, ready to travel and fight at a moment's notice, he felt his entire body tingle as he smiled.

Very rarely would she ever be more attractive to him then she was then, and he smirked wildly as he nodded.

"Alright, you got it princess," He said with a massive smirk as he looked down at her, "Gotta admit though… kinda upset we didn't get to lay in bed for a bit."

She laughed lightly and leaned up, she ran her gloved hand up his bare torso and chest, before kissing him. It was only for a few seconds, but he gently held his hands on her waist as he moved his lips in motion with hers, and every time they met, he felt the tingling sensation run down his stomach. He didn't want to move at the moment, he was excited to head out with her yes, but as she kissed him, he wanted to lay down, have her huddle into him, but she pulled back and smirked.

"Is that enough convincing for you to leave?" She asked suggestively, and Dominik lightly laughed as he gently pulled her closer.

He smirked and bit his lip, "You know… I could use a little more maybe."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, gently smacking his chest before walking away from him towards his armor stand. Turning around she rolled her eyes at him.

"Maybe later, now come on, I'll help you get your armor on," She said as she picked up and unfolded his trousers for him.

He smirked amusingly as he walked over to her, "You know, I can get dressed by myself."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Oh yeah? How does your leg feel tough guy? And don't you dare lie to me."

"Fit as ever, tip top shape," He said with a roll of his eyes.

After he spoke, she proceeded to come over, and punch her gloved hand down on his right thigh, and as soon as she made contact with it, he nearly stumbled as his knee buckled. She hadn't punched him hard at all, but still his leg folded under the force, and after he managed to steady himself, he let out a slightly annoyed sigh as he looked down to see her looking at him with a triumphant and amused smile.

"So… wanna tell me again how your legs feeling?" She asked innocently from next to his armor stand.

He scoffed and couldn't help but lightly laugh as he met her eyes, "Fine… still hurts a little now and then, but I'll be alright I promise…. You know, you're more than welcome to lay me down and help rub the kinks out."

She rolled her eyes at him, before she smirked. Gently she came over and rested her hands on his chest again, before leaning her lips up close to his ears, and gently whispering.

"Maybe later I will… if you're lucky," She said, and Dominik felt his skin tingle, before she pulled back and smirked at him, "Now, stop being stubborn, and let me help you. We need to get moving, like I said, the sabbath is in five days, we'll get there if we leave today."

He felt goosebumps run up his entire body and had to readjust his undergarments as the feeling of her hot breath and words washed over him. Ever since that night in the cave, seeing her fully naked for the first time, being so close to finally making love with one another, he wasn't afraid to admit, that his urges had been spiking, and he only seemed to find her more and more gorgeous with everything she did. However, he shakily sighed and pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. They would do it when the moment was right, when they were both ready, and now they had much more important things to focus on. So, he let out a relaxing sigh and smiled down at her, before holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay princess whatever you say," He said amusingly, before she nodded at him with her smile still present and handed him his unfolded trousers, and then she went to gently lift his armor from it's stand. Dominik pulled the trousers up over him, before looking over at her again just as she turned around, "By the way, how'd you learn about all this? The Sabbath and Imlerith?"

She handed him the armor and went back to his dresser, "Avallac'h told me about it, said that the Crones have been listening for any signs of him or me through Velen for them, and Imlerith normally goes for the reports… and the revelries."

Upon hearing Avallach's name mentioned he rolled his eyes, feeling his annoyance spike. Like Alexander had told him, he had reserved himself to the fact he would have to deal with the elf and accept his help if it truly helped them defeat Eredin, as long as the sage didn't do anything to try and harm Ciri. He had to put past biases aside for the greater good, look at the bigger picture as his ancestor said. However, despite the elf no longer sneering at him and insulting him, deciding to simply ignore him and be short with him instead, his presence still sent shots of worry up his spine. The fact that Avallac'h still hadn't confronted him, brought up anything about Alexander other then what Dominik had said in their last confrontation, and was even beginning to act more civil towards them, it only served to worry him more. It would have been less nerve racking if the sage was still snarky, belittled him at every opportunity and confronted him about his ancestor.

However, in moments like that one now, he realized why they needed the elf. They never would have known about Imlerith, or the Sabbath the Crones were having if not for Avallac'h telling Ciri. So, he simply sighed and rolled his eyes as he pulled a fresh white top over his torso, before taking his armor from Ciri.

"They listen pretty well… judging from all the severed ears they use in the forest…" He said slowly as he pulled the armor over his shoulders, meeting Ciri's gaze he rolled his eyes, "By the way what does your nanny elf think about you going off alone? Did you have to get his permission?"

She rolled her eyes back at him, and spoke sharply, "No, I didn't. And I don't know, because I haven't told him, but even if he said no, I would still be going with you both, this is my idea not his."

He right away felt his mood lift, as he tied the straps of his armor, feeling the weight start to bare on his shoulders as he smiled amusingly at her.

"Have I told you how much I love it when you get like that?" He said amusingly, before she scoffed out a laugh, and gently reached down for both his swords.

Smirking up at him, she leaned up and kissed his cheek before holding out both his blades, "I'll keep that in mind. So, are you ready? You know… this will be our first time really out on the road together."

He gripped the sheaths of both his swords, and it felt as if he was finally feeling himself complete again. Scoffing he gently laughed and looked down at them both, _Fate, _the sword that he used to fight Eredin, and the faithful steel blade that he loved, the same one that had been on his back during his dream, all the way back when he was fifteen years old. As crazy as it sounded, he had missed both blades, the feeling of them both bouncing against his back, the feeling of having his armor on, his dagger at his side and now the crossbow from Arno and Elise as well. Finally again, he felt like he was Dominik of Cintra, witcher of Kaer Morhen, School of the Wolf. And while he technically had been like that with Ciri, his swords and armor on, at full strength, it had only been for a short while.

However, now as he slung both the sheaths onto his back, and looked across to Ciri, her own sword across her back, her corset, top, dagger, belt and bag all on and ready to travel, he finally felt as if this was the true start to their journey together. And of course, she had the ring bouncing around her neck, while the swallow bounced around his with his medallion. Finally, after everything he had gone through, the eight years of searching, the battle at Kaer Morhen and his recovery, he was there with Ciri, and they were going to head out together for the beginning of their journey. He smirked at her, reaching down he quickly slid his feet into his boots, before pulling his faithful silver dagger from the dresser, spinning it he slid it into his belt. Finally as well, he took the small crossbow that once belonged to his friend Arno Dorian, the friend who had given his life so that he and Ciri could be there now. In the bit of practice he had used it, he had gotten relatively good, and he smirked, remembering Elise making him swear to put it to good use, to _'kill that Eredin cunt,' _and _'send those cucks back to their fucking world'. _He would do just that, and after it was clipped to his belt, he went over and grabbed both his gloves.

With a deep breath, he looked up and smirked wildly at Ciri, before pulling them both over his hands tightly. He adjusted both his swords on his back, and finally, finally, he was back. He felt like himself again with his master wolven armor, his swords, his medallion and swallow.

And most importantly, now he had Ciri, who bit her lip and smirked wildly at him.

"Alright princess… let's get going," He said turning over to the door, and right away she walked up next to him. Pulling his gloves tighter he smiled down at her, "To Bald Mountain, we got a general, and some fucking Crones to kill."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Geralt…. Geraaaaalt…" Ciri whispered to their snoring adopted father, who still at her words didn't budge.

Dominik quickly stepped next to her, "Let me try, this happened a few times while we were on the road, I think I developed a method to wake him up."

"What's that?" Ciri asked him, as Geralt's snoring below them got louder.

"Like this," Dominik said, before looking down, cupping his hands around his mouth, and leaning down close to Geralt, "GERALT WAKE UP!"

"GAHHHHH FUCK," Their adopted father yelled, and Dominik smirked while Ciri laughed as Geralt's head shot up and he turned to him with murderous eyes, "What the hell was that for!?"

"You weren't waking up," Dominik said simply with a shrug of his shoulders, a smirk on his face while Ciri laughed next to him.

Geralt had been in the hall sleeping in nothing but his undergarments and didn't seem very keen on waking up, however, his adopted father pulled his legs around the side of the bed and groaned rubbing his eyes. A small part of him smirked along with Ciri who still smiled with amusement as Geralt blinked the sleep out of his eyes. Dominik tried to smile as well continuedly, however, for a horrible second the dream of Thanedd popped back into his head, he shuddered as he saw Geralt dislodging the mages head from his shoulders, screaming for Ciri to run, promising that he and Dominik would find her, before she was chased again by Cahir. Shuddering again he tried to shake the thoughts from his head, however he couldn't. He remembered Declan's words from before the battle, how he told Dominik Cahir was hunted by the Emperor for his failures after a few years. He didn't know when Thanedd was in comparison to the Emperor starting to hunt him, but either way, it seemed either Declan had lied to him, or Cahir had lied to Declan, because three years after Cintra, Cahir was still chasing Ciri.

And he would take Declan's word easily. Not wanting to get angry about something in the pass, something that he had already been angry about and thought on, he forced the thoughts from his mind, just as the morning light started to filter into the hall from the windows. He felt himself smirking when Geralt groaned again and rolled his eyes at them both.

"Well… I'm up now, what do you two want, why are you both dressed already," his adopted father asked them both, looking over at Dominik, "And I thought we agreed to get your armor on before we left."

He scoffed and smirked, "Well just so happens we are leaving, the three of us."

Geralt only had time to look at him wonderingly, before Ciri eagerly spoke up again.

"He's right, come on, I already got our horses ready, we must leave now come on," She said, as Geralt scoffed out a tired laugh and shook his head.

"Haven't been able to get Dom up this early without an hour of complaining all month," Geralt said, making Dominik roll his eyes and Ciri laugh before he shook his head, "It's the crack of dawn, where do you both wanna go?"

Dominik rolled his eyes again, "Well Geralt, Ciri's a bit more persuasive then you are. And we're going to Velen, Bald Mountain."

"A few days before the witches sabbath," Ciri said with a smirk, crossing her arms next to him and meeting Geralt's eyes, "And guess who's the guest of honor?"

"Don't know, enlighten me," Geralt asked them both, clearly still half asleep.

Ciri however, still smirked, "Imlerith!"

"Him and the Crones will be there," Dominik quickly said with the eagerness seeping back up into his voice as he met Geralt's sleepy eyes, "Two birds one stone, sabbath will be the perfect opportunity."

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Ciri, Dom, what's gotten into you both, this is kinda outta nowhere."

Before Dominik could answer Ciri scoffed. She shook her head and grew that fiercely determined look he loved on her face.

"This is our best chance to strike back at the Hunt, i won't let them get away with attacking, for almost killing Dominik," She said as she turned back to him, and then over to Geralt again, "The sabbath is the perfect opportunity. Imlerith will be drunk, caught up in the revelry, he'll not be expecting an attack!"

Geralt scoffed again and looked at her, "And where'd you both learn about all this, Imlerith, the sabbath?"

"Nanny elf told Ciri," Dominik answered, and he saw Ciri roll her eyes before he met Geralt's eyes and went on, "Turns out all those ears we saw in the forest, is for the Crones to listen for any signs of Ciri or Avallac'h in Velen for the Hunt. Ciri here, had the brilliant idea of heading there, it's the perfect opportunity to take out two of the Hunt's weapons."

He smiled over at her, and Ciri got slightly red at the praise, before smiling broadly back over at Geralt. If Ciri had told him that this was Avallach's plan, then he may have been hesitant, not wanting to do anything to help the elf, however, he knew that it was without a doubt something she would come up with. He smiled at her, before going and adjusting the straps for his swords and armor. His shoulders were slightly aching from the weight of the armor, but they were quickly getting used to it. A cool breeze shot through his hair within the hall, and he shuddered lightly, feeling his leg throbbing and the scar on his cheek tingle. Ciri next to him still seemed to be glowing with anticipation, the sun streaming in hit perfect off her angular face, her emerald eyes were particularly sparkling with that childlike excitement he hadn't seen on her in ages, but still made his heart flutter to that day. After seeing the dream and knowing that there had to be even more from that night he hadn't seen, his thoughts of her being the strongest person he had ever met in his life were only reaffirmed.

She smiled at Dominik quickly, before turning back to Geralt with an eager look to her eyes.

"He's right, now come on, get dressed and let's get moving, we need to leave soon if we want to make it in time," Ciri said, just as Geralt finally sighed and stood.

He felt himself smirking as well when Geralt looked down at them both, a look of pride beaming on his face. Dominik knew that he had to be thinking the same exact thing that Dominik, and no doubt Ciri had been thinking earlier. After so, so long, they were all finally going to get to properly travel together, spend time together, go Hunt dangerous monsters, make the world a safer place for themselves and others. The last time that it had been the three of them, just the three of them, had been the trip to Kaer Morhen after he found them both in the woods. In Ellander, along with Yennefer, they had all trained and spent time with one another yes, but now, they were grown, Ciri and he were grown, and Geralt was finally going to get to travel and fight with them both. The time between the Isle of Mists and the battle had been so short, neither Dominik or either of them had time to properly appreciate it all, appreciate how they were all together again.

No matter what happened on Thanedd, in his dream, Geralt had been right, right when he told Ciri, that Dominik and he would find her. So, Dominik was finally able to push the dream from his head, knowing confidently, that while he would one day want to hear the events of the night, in that moment, it didn't matter. It didn't matter, because Geralt had kept his word in the end, it was slightly late, a few years so yes, but in the end it had happened. And now, they were only a few more fights, a few more quests away, from having that true freedom they all deserved. And it would all start on Bald Mountain, the first quest in their last journey, their journey together.

"Alright, let's get going," Geralt said, as Dominik felt the smile come broadly to his face, as well as seeing Ciri practically bouncing on her toes before Geralt crossed his arms, "What about Freya, Faram and George? Don't think it'd be right to just leave without telling them."

Dominik scoffed and nodded, "Yeah, you're right. Maybe we can wake them up, let them come with us. I know George would kill for round 2 with Imlerith-."

"Actually…" Ciri said carefully, before Geralt and he's gaze both turned to her, she laughed slightly nervous as she rubbed the back of her head, "I… already left a note under Freya's door, told her what we were doing, and that the three of them should meet us in Novigrad…. I was… kind of hoping it could just be the three of us."

"Just the three of us? Why, be good to have some back up," Geralt asked amusingly, and Dominik laughed lightly, knowing exactly what Ciri meant.

He had felt the same way to a degree. The only reason he suggested bringing his friends along, was because he hadn't known Ciri already left a note and didn't want his friends to think that something had happened to the three of them. However, like Ciri, the idea of himself, her and Geralt all going and hunting together, like it should have been for years was something he had always wanted. For the past month of course he had been traveling and searching with Geralt, and despite what their task had been, he loved nearly every minute of it, being with his adopted father, on the Path with him. Dominik had even gotten to experience it when he was younger, when Ciri was at the temple in Ellander, and Geralt had taken him out on the Path with him. The time they were attacked on a barge crossing the Pontar by men looking for Ciri, had been the standout moment during those few months, before Geralt would eventually take him to Ellander to meet up with Ciri and Yen.

The plan after that, after Ciri got back from Aretuza, was always for the two of them to go on the Path together, as fully trained witchers, and Geralt would be by there side, at least for a little while. The idea of taking on contracts, fighting side by side with Geralt and Ciri, killing fiends, drowners, vampires, and in this case, Crones and the Wild Hunt, despite how crazy it would sound to some people, was something that Dominik himself, and he knew Ciri as well always wanted. Ciri had gotten to fight by Geralt's side at Stygga Castle, Dominik had gotten to fight by his side plenty of times over the last month, now however, the three of them would finally get to do it together.

Ciri's nervous look turned into a smile as she looked at them both, "Well… when you think about it, it's our first real contract together. I've always wanted it to be the three of us, besides, even with Dominik hobbled, none of them stand a chance against us all."

"Hey, I am not hobbled!" Dominik said incredulously, as Ciri narrowed her eyes and Geralt laughed.

Ciri scoffed at him, "I could knock you off your feet right now just like I almost did upstairs. But like I said, even with your leg like it is, we're more than a match for them. I already left Freya the note, horses are saddled, so, are we ready?"

Geralt finished laughing, before his smile turned serious, and he looked over at Dominik, "Jokes aside… are you sure you're okay? Sure you're up for it?"

"I am," Dominik said right away without thinking, before smiling at them both, feeling his heart warm up he slowly nodded, "Besides, I got the both of you watching my back, I'll be more then okay, I promise."

Slowly Geralt nodded, before smirking and looking between them both, "Alright then…time to go hunt some Crones."

As he looked to his left and saw Ciri practically bouncing off her eager toes, he felt his heart warm up even more, but as he looked out the window at the sun streaming in, he felt a small bit of sadness run through him. They were leaving Kaer Morhen, the place where the journey had all begun for them both. Ciri and he came here when they were eleven, and now, eleven years later, they were leaving, leaving after seemingly just arriving back, leaving to begin the next phase of their journey together, the final phase in this chapter of their lives before a new page was turned to begin a new one. He remembered it all in that moment, the first night they arrived, their first kiss near the pendulums, running the walls, sneaking out of lectures, or their rooms late at night to watch stars, laying in bed and relaxing with one another on days their bones ached after long training sessions. They were all moments there with Ciri, with Geralt, with the witchers, his new family, the ones he loved. A small part of him didn't want to leave, because he knew what would come if he did, they'd have to fight, fight and fight more, if they stayed, they could simply hide away and pretend none of it was real.

It was real however, and if they wanted that life they had craved since they were young, they had to leave Kaer Morhen then. However, the sadness, the slight anxiousness, was calmed when he looked and saw Ciri's eager face, her sparkling eyes, and Geralt's smirking withered smile. No, this wasn't going to be the last they saw of Kaer Morhen, he'd come back, Ciri and he would come back, and when they did, they'd see Eskel, their Uncle Vesemir, and a new generation of witchers all ready to go on the same journey they did at a young age… hopefully however, not too similar. It had been eight years between his visits to Kaer Morhen, and leaving there now, it almost felt like he was leaving home, leaving home to head out on his new great journey with Ciri by his side, something he always knew he'd do, however, still he was anxious to do. However, he looked deep into Ciri's excited eyes and she smirked at him, she adjusted her sword and nodded at them both, the smile growing on her face.

"Brilliant! Are you ready, ready to leave?" She asked him, and Dominik, upon hearing her almost giddy tone slowly nodded.

He smiled and looked between them both, "Yeah… come on, let's get going, this is the beginning."

He was leaving Kaer Morhen yes, but he wasn't leaving home. His home, his true home, was wherever Ciri was. And he was more confident then ever, that he would never be away from home again.

As for Kaer Morhen? He smiled as well, knowing that it would be a lot less than eight years before he and Ciri came back this time.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"It's beautiful…" Dominik said with a scoff and shake of his head, as the skiff gently hit the shore, he turned back to Geralt and Ciri both, "Great view… damn shame a bunch of evil witches live at the top."

Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes at him, "Be careful how you perceive things! The most beautiful sights, can hold the most dangerous monster, a beautiful woman for example-."

"Could be a deadly beast! The Bruxa! The Alp! Don't take your lessons from Lambert! A good witcher always thinks before slinging out his silver," He finished for her, doing his best Uncle Vesemir impression, making both himself and Ciri laugh, with even Geralt at the back of the boat cracking a smile.

The trip to Bald Mountain had been every bit as great as he thought it would have been. It had taken them five days, and they were arriving now just as the sun was setting, and a dark chilly breeze ran through his hair, and Dominik sucked in the fresh air as he stepped down and his boots splashed in the shallow water. Ciri finished laughing behind him, and he jokingly held out his hand.

"May I help you down from the boat milady," He said jokingly, and like he expected she scoffed a laugh at him before rolling her eyes and leaping down.

"As sweet as that is, this lady can walk by herself," She said to him with a smirk, she jokingly patted his shoulder and walked to the shore ahead of them.

He laughed lightly, and fondly watched her from behind as she walked onto the earthy shore. During the time it had taken them to get there from Kaer Morhen, traveling and being with Geralt and Ciri both had been every bit as amazing as he hoped. They would ride and travel during the day, then when sunset came, they'd make camp. They'd all hunt together, before Geralt sparred and trained with them both, and finally he was regaled with some of Ciri's stories around the fire, while he told her about more of his contracts. He listened eagerly as Ciri told him of different worlds, he enjoyed one story in particular, where she told him of a world that sounded similar to their own.

A giant continent with seven kingdoms, different kingdoms, and apparently she had arrived just as a massive war of succession was occurring. She said she couldn't stay long, but she actually saw one of the battles, and got to see two of the army's leaders fighting atop massive dragons in the sky. The idea sounded ridiculous to him at first, until he realized his own ancestor had indeed done the same thing. While the dragon rider idea was plausible, Geralt and he both scoffed when Ciri told them they were fighting over a throne made completely out of swords, the idea was ridiculous, who made their throne of nothing but swords? He enjoyed the story of the continent with the sword throne however, and every other one Ciri had told, his stories of fighting drowners and water hags sounded boring in comparison.

However, the best parts were the nights, the nights where Ciri and he got to climb together into one bed roll, simply laying and looking at the stars for hours before they had fallen asleep. He almost didn't want it to end, the three of them simply traveling from place to place, training and spending time with one another. Soon however, the fist of reality slammed into him, and they had arrived at Bald Mountain. He took a second to marvel at the fact, that Ciri had now been back with him for almost three weeks, almost a month, when only a month prior he had no hope, and thought that Geralt who came up behind him was dead, and Ciri in front of him was gone.

But there they were now, at Bald Mountain, going to finally strike a blow against the Wild Hunt, and he'd also make the Crones pay, pay for what they did to Ciri, just as he had promise. And the best part of it all, was that they would all do it together. The cool breeze continued to blow as Ciri ahead of him sloshed out of the water, towards the mountain trail that led up towards Bald Mountain, and he assumed the festival that took place near the base of the mountain. He hadn't taken his eyes off her, admiring her figure, and feeling his heart continue to flutter, before Geralt came up next to him, and looked down at him.

"Weren't you the one who told me and Yen to 'stop undressing each other with our eyes?" His adopted father joked, and right away Dominik felt his face get red as he shook his head.

"Fuck you…" He said under his breath, as Geralt laughed before the both of them walked to join Ciri on the shore.

Geralt had made them both get sufficiently flustered, when he stated loud and clear only a few steps outside Kaer Morhen, that the two of them could share a bedroll but the minute him and his super sensitive hearing heard kissing or anything else, he'd pour water over both their heads. Ciri and he both knew that their adopted father was being deathly serious, so they decided not to try anything. It didn't stop them from kissing however after Geralt had begun snoring, although they didn't dare try anything more, not just because they wanted their first time together to be somewhere else other then in some bushes on the road, but because they didn't dare test how sensitive Geralt's hearing was.

As upset as he was the trip was now over, he knew that it was time now for them to begin, officially begin their new quest together. The Crones and Imlerith were waiting at the top of the mountain, but they wouldn't live through the night, the three of them would make sure. His hands twitched as he adjusted his swords, and felt Arno's crossbow bouncing against his waist, he had finally gotten used to the feeling of his armor again, but he also had been feeling both his cheek sting and his leg still throb on occasion. He didn't bring this up to either Geralt or Ciri, he knew they both knew him well enough to probably be able to tell on their own, but he didn't want to sour the good mood they'd been in. He also wanted to fight, so many times during the last years he had said the opposite, that if he could afford it, he wanted to simply stay inside and relax, do nothing for a few weeks. However, after what he had just been through, he felt his entire body twitch with anticipation as Ciri nodded at them both with a smirk, before they all looked up at the mountain.

At the top, he saw what looked like the sacred oak he had remembered seeing in Skellige. However, it was deformed, broken, the leaves were all gone, it was blackened, nothing like the large, beautiful, healthy green tree he had seen on the isle. The cold breeze suddenly made him shudder, when the sun had been setting and they were moving the skiff across the lake, it had looked beautiful from the distance. Now however, it sent chills down his spine, but he quickly was able to shake it off, as he remembered why they were there. Imlerith wouldn't live through the night, and neither would any of the Crones.

Ciri looked at them both with a grim smile, "The men at Crow's Perch, they spoke of this place… Aard Cerbin. Home of the Ladies of the Wood."

Dominik scoffed and looked back up at the mountain, "This place practically screams 'a group of dangerous witches live here' doesn't look very welcoming…"

"You're right," Ciri said, looking back over to Geralt and he, "The peasants feared coming here. And the baron thought the Ladies of the Wood a terrifying tale for naughty children. Incidentally, I wonder how the baron is…"

Geralt and he shared a look, the Baron's quest to heal his wife had been something in the back of his head since the incident occurred. He remembered the Fiend at Crookback Bog, being flung up into the air before landing and killing it. The poor woman, Anna, her mind had been completely muddled, and he couldn't help but think it was somehow his fault, if he had killed the Crones then, maybe the woman would have been healed. Biting his lip, he sighed out as Geralt looked to meet Ciri's wondering gaze.

"He found his wife, took her away, somewhere far to look for a cure. Anna she… was unwell," Geralt explained, and Dominik quickly sighed and shook his head afterwards.

"The Crones took her mind, drove her mad," He said with disgust, as he narrowed his eyes at the tree at the top of the mountain, "I'm hoping if we kill them… maybe she'll be okay."

Ciri looked at him, and slowly nodded, "A true shame…. Don't worry, we'll take them out, won't stand a chance against the three of us."

He looked and met her gaze, her reassuring smile and sparkling eyes calmed him as they always did. Letting out another shaky sigh he slowly nodded in agreement, as he could see the full moon starting to rise. It was getting later and later in the night, and soon the buzzing of insects and the water gently lapping got louder, as he took in Ciri's words and felt his fingers anxiously switch again, the wind clattered both his swords. He felt nervous for a moment, with his leg the way it was, the fact he hadn't casted signs outside of Igni to light fires, gotten into a real fight in over two weeks now came back to him. He didn't know how well he would be able to move, but he knew he had no choice, if he was anything less then one hundred percent, there was the chance that Ciri and Geralt could get hurt, they needed him and he needed them, and he'd make sure he was there.

Then, there was also his powers. Naturally, they hadn't activated since the battle, despite the fact he had tried after meeting Alexander in the illusion. However, he just couldn't muster up the strength to do anything other then make his eyes blink for a moment, and almost blow himself up using Igni. In the days they had been traveling, he had spent time reading Alexander's journal, trying to see if it could give him any help. He read it alone, sometime with Ciri, as they both truly did laugh at some of the short stories Alexander had wrote down from his time in it. However, he had also wrote down new ways for Dominik to try and harness his magic, harness the powers he inherited not just from him, but Connor and Lara as well. He didn't know if using his powers in the fight then would do more harm then good, but one thing was for certain, that he'd do everything he could, powers or no powers, they'd all make it through the night, while the Crones and Imlerith died.

"You're actually familiar with this area?" Geralt asked Ciri, as Dominik's gaze went back down to her, and Ciri quickly nodded.

"Centuries ago it was a hallowed site for druids, but then the Crones came," Ciri explained quickly as she looked up at the mountain, "They destroyed the Velen circle and destroyed the sacred oak at the top of the mountain."

Dominik looked up and shuddered at the site of the deformed oak, before looking back down to Ciri, "And you said Eredin orders them to listen out for Avallac'h in Velen right?"

"That's right," She said quickly as the wind blew the strands of ashen hair loose from her bun, "And every year the people have a feast, the Sabbath they call it. And I suspect Imlerith attends too, as the Crones guest."

Geralt scoffed with a smirk, "You seem to know it well."

Ciri rolled her eyes, and scoffed as well, "He may be an ass, but Avallac'h is a good tutor."

"Okay, not that I don't trust your nanny elf's judgement," Dominik said sarcastically, making Ciri roll her eyes before he went on, "But we're definitely sure he's here?"

She nodded quickly again, "He craves pleasures of the flesh like I told you, wine, sex…. The Crones indulge him, flatter his ego. I'm certain he'd not let this opportunity pass, and he's waiting atop that mountain now…"

Dominik nodded, feeling his heart race before looking to the path, "Good… fucker will pay for almost killing George, and everything-. GAHH!"

He had gone to take steps forward towards the path up the mountain when his leg had flared up. It had felt like someone was injecting him with poison, as his inner thigh panged, before the pain shot down his leg and he fell. For a moment he thought he was going to smack into the ground, but thankfully Ciri and Geralt both had quick reflexes. Ciri reached him first and caught him before he winced as she and soon Geralt pulled him up. Over the previous few days traveling, he had felt sore in the leg yes, but nothing that had kept him from walking, and now it was choosing the worst time to start again. He bit his lip and groaned as the pain subsided before he heard Ciri frantic next.

"Dom, are you alright," She frantically asked him, before she and Geralt both let him stand, he met her eyes and she shook her head, "I should have known you weren't telling me… Dominik if your leg is hurting you need to tell me, it could get you killed."

"It won't, I promise," He defended himself right away shaking his head at them both staring at him, "It feels fine I swear, it's just every now and then, it's okay!"

Geralt slowly shook his head, "Doesn't look like it Dom… maybe you should sit this one out, Ciri and I can-."

"Not a chance! I'm fine Geralt, and there's no way that I'm letting you both go alone," He said in a hard tone, looking at them both again as he shook his head, "I know you can both handle yourself, but I still want to be there."

He couldn't stop now. He didn't want to feel like a liability to anyone, let alone Geralt and Ciri. This was the first hunt that they were all going on together, the first step in taking down the Hunt, and he wasn't going to miss it. He looked over and saw Ciri's worried eyes, her enthused look had turned worrisome in seconds, and it made him feel even worse, however, she quickly stepped next to him and held a hand on his arm. She met his eyes and slowly nodded before turning to Geralt.

"If he says he's okay… I believe him," She said confidently, before she looked back over and met Geralt's eyes, "Besides, we'll watch each other's backs, we'll be alright."

Geralt looked as if he were having an internal debate, he could tell that Dominik's leg wasn't a hundred percent, however he also more then likely knew that no matter what he said, Dominik would be going up that mountain anyway. Ciri gripped tighter to his arm, and he felt the warmth of her touch wash over him. The night breeze blew, it clunked all their swords in the sheaths, and finally Geralt sighed and nodded as the moonlight glinted off his armor and swords.

"Fine, just make sure you're being careful, let's get moving," Their adopted father said, before he turned and started up the mountain.

As Geralt walked towards the path, Dominik let out a breath of relief, feeling the breeze whip through his hair, he looked over to Ciri who was now glaring up at him. He smiled broadly and smirked down at her.

"Thanks princess, I really -. OW! What was that for!?" He asked incredulously, as he rubbed a spot on his arm where she had punched him.

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at him, "That's for not telling me your leg was still hurting you, you stupid fucking boy."

Seeing her annoyed face, it flashed him back to the moments like that when they were younger. He couldn't help but smile, because he knew that she wasn't really mad at him only worried. The moonlight reflected beautifully off her, and when she finally looked up at him again he smirked down at her again.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry," He said jokingly as he held up his hands in mock surrender, before meeting her eyes and smiling, "Thanks though princess… for real."

She sighed and rolled her eyes one more time, she grabbed his arm and planted a kiss on his scarred right cheek, before she pulled back and looked at him.

"You're welcome… I wouldn't want anyone else other then you two with me here…" She said in a softer tone, and Dominik smiled back at her.

"Right back at you princess… now come on let's-." He started, before Geralt's voice hit his ears.

"Will you two please stop staring at each other so we can get moving," He shouted over at them both, a mixture of amusement and annoyance to his tone.

Ciri and he both whirled their heads around, before looking at each other, and at the same time they both seemed to laugh. He remembered when they were younger, how it felt to him as if they could quite literally read each other's minds. Just by looking at one another, he could tell what she was thinking, or if she were trying to tell him something he could always have told what it was. That was one of the many little things he was afraid they would have lost after he found her; however, he had been overjoyed to see that it was still there, that bond, that unspoken connection that they had. All eight years he had only had the dreams, the dreams of her being in his arms, the dreams and flighting feelings of her warmth, of her embrace, of how warm simply her smile made him. Dominik wondered, if he hadn't had the swallow pendant enchanted to give him only good dreams, if he would have had dreams of her, where she was, when she was with the Rats or in the arena. Geralt had told him he often did, of what she was doing, small glimpses of where she was. She was his destiny, the woman he loved, he'd like to think he would have.

And perhaps if he had, then he would have been able to find her sooner. Perhaps if Geralt had taken him to Thanedd, he would have escaped with her, or perhaps he would have killed Cahir that night. It was amazing to him how many what if's life would throw at you, and how much he used to get hung up on them. All eight years he had been by himself, he had spent so much time thinking, what if. What if he had convinced Geralt and Yen not to bring Ciri to Aretuza, what if he had gone to Thanedd with Geralt, been with Ciri through all of her hardships, would he even be alive, the elves in the Aen Elle world he'd have to assume would have either killed him, or used him as leverage over her. What if he had gone with Yennefer when he was sixteen, or Geralt when he was seventeen, what if he had been able to join Geralt's company, his hansa, would he have died like the rest of them, or been reunited with Ciri? And then what if at Rivia, he had gotten there sooner? What if he had simply stayed in Novigrad with Dandelion, and he ran into her when she got there? He had lived his life wondering things like this every day, it ate at him, gnawed at him, whittled away at his psyche, all the way to a point where he had become practically a shell of his former self.

Even in the previous few weeks, with her back by his side, getting to wake up every day next to her in bed, see her eyes, hear her laugh, hold her, talk to her, be there with her, he still felt himself asking 'what if' an unhealthy amount of times. It had continued gnawing at him, when he would sit in his bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling his scar tingle and his leg throb, all the things he could have done different all of those 'what ifs' would pound into his head. However, as he stood on the shore, feeling the cool breeze shoot under his armor, he saw her smiling at him. Her eyes sparkled, that cute scar on her bottom lip was upturned, her sword clunked in the wind, and the ring around her neck gently blew. She gently was smiling at him, and with her there, between that and the previous few days, was when he told himself the what ifs didn't matter.

If his journey had taught him one thing, it was that one couldn't let themselves get caught up wondering 'what if', because as much as we wish we could, we could never change what happened. Dominik himself, had ended up letting Ciri go to Aretuza, he hadn't gone to Thanedd with Geralt or been with Ciri through all her hardships. He hadn't gone with Yennefer or Geralt, he hadn't been with Geralt and his hansa at Stygga Castle, and he hadn't stayed with Dandelion in Novigrad. If himself, or anyone got caught up thinking too hard about these 'what ifs', then you could miss the beauty, the amazing things that were happening in the present. We could learn from the past yes, remember it, but there was nothing we could do to change it. By focusing on the 'what ifs', focusing on the past, you would miss all the things happening in the present, which were things you could control, did have power over, not the 'what ifs'.

He had learned that the previous few weeks, seeing Ciri with him now, that his present and future had everything that he ever wanted. Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, his friends, everything he had wanted when he was younger for his future he now had. And now, he could control what he did, how his future turned out, and he wouldn't be able to do that if he continued to focus on 'what ifs'.

"You ready? Gonna be honest, been waiting a long time for this," Ciri asked him, sounding almost giddy.

Smiling he nodded, before turning back to Geralt, and looking up at the deformed oak, "Yeah… come on, let's go kill some fucking Crones."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri was disappointed in herself she hadn't noticed his leg acting up earlier in the week they had traveled. However, as she walked next to him, being sure to keep a close eye on his leg she noticed him in an even better mood then he'd been in the previous few days. She was elated to see him smiling of course, however, in the back of her head, she saw horrible scenes of him falling when they were fighting, and her being unable to reach him again. He seemed to notice her staring at him, because when he turned around he winked at her, and Ciri found it both cute and amusing. She laughed lightly as they all followed up the mountain path, but in the back of her head, she couldn't shake that worried feeling. The last time they had fought together, she had let him fall, let him fight by himself, however, this time she knew she wouldn't let him out of her sight. It was how it would be for the rest of their time together, the two of them. Now, they even had Geralt with them, Imlerith would pay, the Hunt would pay, they would pay for everything they've done to her.

The previous week had been even better then she could have hoped. Although she wished at one or two points, her and Dominik could have been together alone, Geralt being there, training with them both, hearing her father's dry sarcastic one liners, being with them both had been everything she could have hoped. At night Dominik and she'd sit and read some of the stories in Alexander's journal, and she found herself laughing, smiling at the stories of her ancestors, wondering how true it was when Alexander said that Dominik and she reminded him of a new Cregan and Lara. It had been true it seemed from what they read, she also remembered how Dominik said he even thought Lara Dorren was her in the vision he saw, calling them both the most beautiful women he had ever seen, which Ciri of course kissed him for. The trip had been fantastic, but now, as they got back up the mountain, closer to Imlerith, closer to the Crones, she felt her hands begin to twitch.

Like Dominik, she had been craving action, craving the ability to do something, something more than just train, more than just sit in the keep all day. It was time for them to finally fight, it was like she said after the battle, there wouldn't be anymore running. She wasn't going to have Avallac'h, Geralt, Yen, anyone else try to hide her anymore. She'd go out and face them, and Dominik had sworn he'd be with her the entire time, like he always was. She was hoping the extended time she had spent training with her powers would have paid off somehow, and this time, she would be able to make sure they both made it out injury free. They would, they had too, she wasn't going to be separated from them, not so soon after finally finding them all again. Her freedom was within her reach, and soon she'd take it.

"Hold up," Dominik said from her right, holding his hand out, Ciri nearly jumped when she ran into his arm, before looking up and seeing a crossbow pointed at them all a few meters away.

Geralt next to them held his hands up, "Easy, not here to do any harm."

"Should I shoot!?" The young man with the crossbow asked an older man standing next to him.

The old man shook his head, "Nay! The white one, and his lad here, they served the ladies once."

"Oh jeez…" Dominik muttered next to her with an eye roll, and Ciri took a closer look behind the two men.

The one holding the crossbow was younger, with a crown of flowers around his head. Nervously he lowered the larger crossbow before the old man next to him stepped forwards, he had a head of grey hair and a wispy beard, as Ciri heard light music and tons of chattering from the locals behind them. Multiple fires were lit she could see, and the smell of cooking meat and mulled wine hit her nose. If she didn't know what the celebration was for, she would have found the scene inviting. She looked over and could see how uncomfortable Dominik was as well as they followed Geralt closer. How Geralt and Dominik had to make a deal with the Crones was one of the stories they had both told her during their time on the road. Dominik had told her how they freed the spirit in the whispering hillock, and the Crones took a group of children to do gods know what with. It reminded Ciri of Gretka, whose parents were ready to leave her alone in the woods to either be eaten by wolves, or the Crones themselves, and it sent a shot of anger through her.

It was almost her that the Crones ate, if she hadn't escaped she would have been devoured and then her remains given to Imlerith. They would pay for that, for the children she knew Dominik felt guilty he couldn't save. The wind blew her loose strands of hair, and as she always did she subconsciously moved it to the left side of her face, trying to cover her scar, as Dominik looked down at her when they walked over to the old man. He gently nodded at her with calm eyes, and she could tell right away what he was trying to say, _'just relax'. _Ciri didn't want to be told to relax in that moment, because with every step she took, closer to the celebrating and chatting people, she could hear them worshiping the Crones, hoping that they would get the privilege to see them. Her fists curled, but she sighed and nodded back to him, just as they both walked up behind Geralt.

"Let them approach…." The old man said as the three of them came to a stop, before he turned his gaze back to them, "They've come for the feast. Wouldn't do to cast them out."

Geralt shook his head, "Didn't come to celebrate. The three of us need to get to the top of the mountain."

Ciri came to a stop next to Geralt, with Dominik on her left now, when she looked to the right, she saw the young man who had been holding the crossbow, the one with the crown of flowers on his head staring at her. The young man stared at her quite intently, and she was about to shout something at him, before Dominik stepped to her right and looked over at him. Between his scarred face, two swords, his own crossbow at his waist, she assumed Dominik looked downright horrifying to the young man, who smartly gulped and turned his gaze away from them. She felt herself smirking as Dominik turned back around and winked at her, before the old man spoke up again.

"The gate is shut, you'll not pass. But we've fires down thataway with food and drink a plenty," The old man told them, holding out his arm and gesturing further into the old village, "Sit down beside one, and perhaps this year, the Ladies will descend, give us the privilege of seein'em!"

"Seen them myself, a reaaaaal privilege let me tell you," Dominik said sarcastically next to her with a roll of his eyes, making Ciri scoff and nod in agreement.

Thankfully however, before the old man could catch onto their sarcasm, Geralt shot them both a calming look and nodded at the man.

"Sure, we'll go sit down by the fire with you," Geralt said before turning his gaze to them both.

"Speak for yourself," Ciri spat out with a scoff, not wanting to hear anything more, she had seen everything the Crones were about and had no intentions on doing anything other than making it to the summit, to Imlerith and the beasts. She shook her head and gestured towards the path, "Come on we can-."

"We'd love to come sit with you, like Geralt said," Dominik quickly said, in an awfully convincing tone, coming up behind Ciri he held his hand on her back, and she shot him an incredulous look as he went on, "We're new to this area, we'd love to sit and learn about some of the customs you all keep too."

"Dominik, what the hell are-," Ciri started, before he cut Ciri off with a look down at her.

She met his eyes, and clearly saw that they said, _'relax, and let me talk'. _Sighing in annoyance she realized what he was doing, just like Geralt was, he was trying to learn as much about the Crones as they could, possibly finding a way up the mountaintop. She rolled her eyes and nodded at him, before the old man nodded to them all and gestured for them to follow.

"Come then follow me," The greying man said, before the three of her, Geralt and Dominik all walked towards a firepit, a roaring blaze inside the coals.

While they walked the few meters, into the small run-down village she looked almost incredulously as Dominik walking next to Geralt with her. She knew he was angry, agitated, downright furious and wanted to murder the Crones just as much as she did. He just like her, thought this whole cult of people following them were being taken advantage of by the evil beings, being killed, forcing them to sacrifice children. She knew for a fact that it was infuriating him as well, however, he didn't appear that way. As he sat down, she saw the firelight hit off his face, the night air gently blew his brown hair to the side. He appeared calm, cool and collected, like nothing was bothering him at all, and Ciri eyed him and Geralt both as she gently sat between them. She watched as they both exchanged looks across from her and nodded. Ciri almost scoffed, it was as if over the previous month, Dominik and Geralt themselves had developed their own language consisting of head nods and glances.

Ciri had that herself with them both, a way of simply knowing what the other was trying to say, but she felt a small pang of jealousy shoot through her, she had missed all that time. Dominik had explained to her, how after Rivia he thought that Geralt and Yennefer both were dead, so being saved by Yennefer in Claywitch, meeting up with Geralt again, and of course going to save her, it was as if in a matter of days his entire family was back. However, she knew that for the previous month the two had been side by side, looking for her and tracking her down, so she had to assume then that they had developed good repertoire from that time. However, as she overheard more conversations about the Crones from other chattering villagers, hearing them speak about the trail of treats, the kindness and mercy of the Ladies, and how they wished they could see them, all of it combined with the fact she knew Imlerith was up there as well, it all almost boiled over as she crossed her legs and looked over at the man, before Geralt began the conversation.

"So… Ladies of the Wood visit you?" Geralt asked the man, as the wind blew her father's silver hair straight back in the moonlight.

The old man gingerly nodded, "Aye, if the favor us. My father told me they descended once, passed from fire to fire, listening to hopes and grievances. So each year we wait for them to walk amongst us once more."

Dominik shifted next to her, she looked at him as he slowly nodded. His scarred right cheek was to her left, and she met his eyes as he turned over to Geralt and he, his swords clunking on his back as he did, while the crossbow at his waist bounced against the log. He still appeared as if nothing was wrong, and Ciri was slightly amazed at how levelheaded he seemed as he met her and Geralt's gaze.

"So… haven't done it for some time then it sounds," He said slowly, and right away Ciri nodded in agreement.

"Yeah… no point in waiting to see if we get lucky," She said before she turned to Geralt, her father nodded as he leaned against his knee.

"You're right, both of you. Gonna have to find a way to reach the peak," Geralt said before he turned back to the old man again, "You mentioned a gate, said we wouldn't pass?"

"Only the Chosen visit the ladies," The old man explained, and Ciri could practically hear the excitement dripping from his tone as he went on, "Every year, young lads and lasses climb the mount, but never more than three…"

Ciri scoffed again and snapped before she could stop herself, "And let me guess… these lads and lasses, they don't return!?"

She saw Dominik shoot her a look from the left along with Geralt, but before they could say anything to her, the old man scoffed a laugh and shook his head, his stringy grey hair blowing in the cold night wind.

"No, no, they return! Happy and radiant, but rare is the one who stays in Velen," The old man said fondly with a shake of his head as he looked at them, "Off they go to seek fortune in the wider world!"

Ciri was ready to snap again, but she felt Dominik gently nudge her arm with his elbow. She met his gaze and looked at him incredulously, as he narrowed his eyes at her, before slowly shaking his head. Again she knew exactly what he was saying, and in that moment with the annoyance that was shooting through her, she rolled her eyes at him. It was clear he was telling her to stay calm, she looked over to Geralt for some kind of support, but her father was quickly onto the next question for the older man, so Ciri could only huff, and her annoyance only shot up more when Dominik smiled at her and seemed to internally laugh.

"So, this feast… what does it celebrate?" Geralt asked the old man, clearly trying to extract more information. Ciri knew that's what they both were trying to do, however, her hands still twitched with anticipation, ready to simply march to the mountaintop to get at Imlerith.

"Why do you need to know wonderer!?" The young man with the crossbow yelled from next to them, pointing the weapon up again, however when Dominik glared back over at him again, the man's eyes were quick to widen as he lowered it.

The old man slowly shook his head, "No need for anger, the White One, and his lad over here, served the Ladies, as we do now."

"Yeah… we served them before," Dominik said slowly from next to her, before he turned his head back to the old man, "So like Geralt was asking, what do you celebrate here?"

She turned her head back to the old man who slowly nodded. In the distance over the cliff, she saw the moon gently risen over the lake they had rode in on. The view slightly calmed her as she saw Dominik as well, she was becoming slightly amazed. He had always been the more reserved one of the two, however she knew better than most where his temper could lead him, how angry he would get. She would never forget the look on his face during the battle, after Declan and Arno had both sacrificed themselves, that, and the pure, pure rage that had appeared on his face when he fought Eredin. To most, he would appear calm, relaxed and composed, however Ciri knew in reality once you got to know him, he was a giant goof, a loving, caring, protective, giant goof and it was one of the multiple things she loved him for. However, she also knew that his temper was there, and he would be quick to snap under the right circumstances.

When he had told her about the Crones, how he had spoken about them just down on the shore, it had led Ciri to think that when they got there, he would snap, lash out just like she had been doing. However, that wasn't the case, he was keeping a level-head, smiling gently over at the old man as if he were genuinely curious about their customs and beliefs. She turned her head back to the old man as well as he smiled at them and nodded.

"We send'em gifts all year long, and on this night they repay us with their blessing," The old man said as if it were no big deal at all.

Ciri remembered finding Gretka in the woods, the story the girl had told her about her father and mother leading her into the woods, intent on leaving her for the elements and the Crones. The girl couldn't have been anymore than eight years old, and from what she had gathered, she hadn't been the only child sent. That was when Ciri felt herself snap, the idea of innocent children like Gretka being left to be eaten or killed at the Crones mercy.

"I met one of your 'gifts' to the Crones," She spat out, feeling her skin begin to boil, "Sniveling, scared to death, and about eight years old!"

"Stay calm…." Geralt quickly said from her left, and Ciri shot him a glare, before she felt Dominik's hand quickly rest at the base of her back.

"Yeah… just relax princess…" He whispered to her, and Ciri had enough time to shoot him a glare as well, before Dominik turned his gaze back over to the man as he leaned on his legs with his elbows like Geralt did, "Your children… what do the Ladies need them for?"

The old man grimly shook his head, "We know not, and we never ask."

"You don't know," Ciri snapped again, almost feeling herself fall forward as her heart continued to race and her skin boiled, "Well, let me tell you what they-."

"Ciri here… has had a long day," Dominik quickly said, scooting closer to her, cutting her off by putting an arm around her, she shot him a death glare, but Dominik still kept his eyes on the man and gently shook his head, "We aren't from here, we don't know your customs like you do. It's not in our right to judge you by other's laws, and we won't."

Ciri didn't know if she was amazed or angry with Dominik in that moment, it was a healthy mixture of both as he sharply looked back down to her, his gaze was soft and pleading. Just like she always had been, she was able to read what he was saying. She couldn't recall a time Dominik had ever told her to shut her mouth, but in that moment his eyes clearly said, _'please be quiet and let me talk.'. _She narrowed her eyes at him, before sighing with an annoyed tone and rolling her eyes as he smiled and nodded at her. He gently removed his arm, but as Ciri looked down, he could see both of his hands balled into fists along with his left foot tapping vigorously. He looked across to Geralt, and the both of them locked eyes again before Dominik gestured towards the old man, clearly telling their father to inquire on more. Ciri felt the amazement and disbelief begin to overtake the annoyance. She could see his fists balled and his leg shaking, he was just as angry as she was, but he was keeping his cool.

She turned around to see Geralt slowly nod at them both, before her father slowly pulled his head around to the old man again.

"So… you said the ladies bestow blessings on you?" Geralt asked, as Ciri finally managed to pulled her head away from Dominik over to the old man again.

Seeming to forget Ciri's outburst, the old man nodded to confirm what Geralt said, "Aye, for our lives turn thus- first a summer of laborin beneath the hot sun, then autumn rains, then a winter of death…. Then we await spring, when all that is dead is born anew. And from our blood and sweat the oak bears acorns- at times a few, at times a handful."

Ciri narrowed her eyes in disbelief and shared a look with Dominik, for a second his calm demeanor broke as Ciri saw him roll his eyes. Over the years, through that world and different ones, she had seen crazy beliefs, crazy religions, however, knowing what the Crones did to these people in Velen, knowing what they made them do, even if the acorns were enchanted, they were being taken advantage of. That combined with the knowledge Imlerith was on the peak, only made her legs and hands twitch more. Dominik rolled his eyes at her, and Ciri almost found herself laughing at him, before Geralt's voice brought her back to the conversation.

"And what do you do with these acorns?" Her father asked the man, and Ciri felt a chill run through her shoulders as the night breeze shot past her.

The greying man smiled grimly, "The Velen elders gather, hold council. Some favor grinding them and spreading them on the fields for a rich harvest. Others want to give'em to a cunning woman, who'd make medicine for consumption."

"A handful of enchanted acorns is enough for all of Velen?" Ciri scoffed, before looking to Dominik and Geralt both as they both had similar looks of disbelief.

The old man gravely shook his head one more time, "Tis never enough…"

Dominik just like her, had apparently finally heard enough. It was clear to all three of them, that they needed to get to the peak, there was no other way around it. Imlerith was there, the Crones were there, in the heart of the tree if Avallac'h had been correct. She took a quick look at the moon, and realized that they would need to move, if the Sabbath ended before they got to the summit, it would give Imlerith the chance to escape, and she wasn't going to let that happen. Her legs twitched and apparently Dominik's did too, because he shot to his feet at the same time as Geralt, as her father looked down to the old man.

"Thank you, we should be going now," Geralt said quickly just as Ciri got up next to Dominik as well.

The old man laughed lightly and shook his head, "Eager to see the Ladies… I share yer yearning…."

Ciri rolled her eyes, "Yes, we're a fire with yearning, aren't we Dominik?"

Next to her he scoffed and nodded, "Oh yeah, we're just craving to see the Ladies again, right Geralt?"

Her father rolled his own eyes at them both amusingly, before he turned to the old man and nodded, "Yeah they're right, just can't wait…"

"Go to the tent and stand before Thelca. She's the one who decides who's worthy to face the Ladies," The old man said to them, bowing his head and finally seeing her chance, Ciri walked away from the fire, towards the center of the rundown village.

She past more of the villagers and could hear Dominik and Geralt both on her heels. After stopping, she looked back up towards the oak on the mountain top again. It was almost hard to believe to her that Imlerith was there, actually there. She could remember how angry she was after the battle, having to watch the pyres of the men who died burn, men she hadn't known, but still had come to fight for her anyway. She knew their names yes, but she had regretted every day since that she didn't get to know them more. Dominik had known them all, been friends with them all, that was enough for her to want to avenge their deaths, and it would begin that night. Eredin had spent so many years chasing her, she wasn't going to be the hunted anymore, she was going to turn into the Hunter. For the men who died, for what he did to Dominik, who she turned and saw smiling broadly at her as he walked next to Geralt.

The moonlight hit handsomely off his face, his brown hair, which over the previous week had gotten even longer and more unruly blew in the wind. Geralt next to him came up next to her, he crossed his arms and looked up at the mountain as well, the moonlight reflected off his armor, and Ciri couldn't help but admire it as well. She loved the look of Dominik's armor yes, however, she could see how incredibly lightweight and flexible Geralt's was. Thinking about armor made her torso tingle, the scars she had received, particularly the one from Baelen during the battle, the one that kept her from getting up to fight Eredin with Dominik. If she had armor perhaps that wouldn't have happened, she had been telling herself for a while then that she should find proper armor, however, in the moment she didn't have time to think about it, let alone try to find a set. With her powers she was elusive enough, although the chilly breeze on her shoulders did get quite cold after some time. She gripped the ring around her neck for a moment, like she normally did before a fight she squeezed it, just as Dominik looked up at the tree as well.

"If Imlerith's really up there, we should get there before daybreak," He said, looking back down to her and Geralt, "Think he'd be gone by then, we should get moving."

"Yeah, good point," Geralt said quickly, before looking down towards Dominik's leg, "You're still sure you're okay on your leg right?"

Quickly Dominik nodded, "I am yeah, so, you two ready to head out?"

"Yes, I am," Ciri said, before she scoffed and smirked over towards Dominik, "When did you get to be so level-headed?"

He quickly scoffed incredulously and crossed his arms, "Eight years on the Path will do that to you. Remember how Uncle Vesemir used to say, 'sometimes on the Path, you'll meet and have to take jobs from people you don't like, you don't agree with?' Yeah, well that lesson was pretty true."

She narrowed his eyes at him curiously, "If you don't like them, why bother taking the contract for them?"

Dominik simply shrugged his shoulders, "Because, if people are at risk, then that's what matters. Sometimes to get things done, you're gonna have to work with people you don't like, why do you think I put up with your nanny elf?"

She scoffed out a laugh as he said the last part with a joking tone and smile, before she took a second to realize, that while he still was that goofy, impulsive boy she fell in love with all those years ago, Dominik truly had changed, matured, and despite how he acted at times, was extremely wise and intelligent. It not that he wasn't before, but she could see how it had grown in him since the last time she had seen him. She felt her pride well up, not only was she elated to be back with him, but she found herself being even more proud of the man he had ended up becoming. Even with the things he said he had to do, he still had, because Ciri knew, even the best of men had demons in their closet. She liked to think she was a good person, but she knew however, that the people she had robbed and killed with the rats, the people she had brutally killed, they certainly didn't think so. Nobody was perfect she learned, but what mattered, was that you always tried to be the best version of yourself you possibly could, and yes, sometimes you slipped up, but getting back and trying again was always the most important part.

That was what she and Dominik did, they'd done horrible things yes, and they both still regretted them, however, now, they were doing everything they could to make up for it. She gently smiled up at him, and seeing his smile, and the look of great pride that appeared on Geralt's withered face, it made her heart flutter, and she couldn't have possibly felt more confident that not only would they succeed versus the Crones and Imlerith, but they would versus Eredin, the Hunt, and everyone who came their way.

Geralt scoffed amusingly and looked at her, "Don't let him fool you too much, he's learned to keep it under control now, but the first week or so we were traveling, had to stop him from losing it a few times."

Ciri laughed but Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes, the smile still staying on his face.

"Won't deny it," Dominik said with a shrug, but still keeping his brilliant smile, "Geralt set me straight after a few weeks… a temper can be a good thing sometimes, but you just need to learn when to let it loose, and when to keep it in."

"Wow, incredibly wise of you," Geralt joked dryly with him, smirking he met his eyes, "Got any other advice oh wise and powerful witcher?"

She felt herself burst laughing, as Dominik got slightly flustered, but quickly laughed and smiled again.

"Yes, I advise we get moving," He said with a small eye roll, turning towards the road leading further up the mountain, before looking and smirking at them both, "Ready to get going?"

Ciri felt her heart continue to stir, as Geralt nodded next to her. She felt the smile come to her face before she smirked and came up next to him.

"Yes I am, I'm eager to absolutely lap up all your knowledge oh great and wise witcher," She said jokingly, as he quickly rolled his eyes at her.

They started walking towards the bridge with Geralt next to them, as he smiled back down at her.

"I'll teach you everything I know I swear." He said in an amused voice, before he smirked and rolled his eyes, "You know, it's extremely cute when you get all pouty and aggravated like you did there."

She scoffed and felt her face get hot, "I was NOT pouting!"

"Oh yes you were," He said with the smile staying ever present on his face as they walked, "You purse your lips and look at the ground while your hand starts shaking, you've been doing it since you were eleven, most adorable thing ever."

"Fuck you…" She said, feeling her face get red, as she tried to stop the small smile from coming to her face, but was unsuccessful.

Geralt groaned next to them, "Ugh, do you two ever stop?"

Ciri chuckled a scoff and looked at Dominik who simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled before looking down at her.

"Hey, I got eight years to make up for, gonna take a while to catch up," He said, and Ciri laughed again, feeling her face get hotter, just as the cold wind howled in the night.

She didn't know what to say, so simply grabbed his hand and squeezed for a moment before letting it return to his side. Geralt amusingly rolled his eyes next to him, and for a few moments again, Ciri felt that bubble return around them. Herself, Geralt, and Dominik, all out together, hunting beasts that were terrorizing people. It was the life she had always wanted before it was ripped away from her.

And that night, was the first step to making it permanent.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

They hadn't had to walk much further, across a small bridge with some supplies wedged into higher peaks on the mountain, however, was when Ciri first saw the small child. The moon to their left was huge and beautiful, and under different circumstances she may have been inclined to sit down on the cliffs, have Dominik wrap his arms around her with Geralt next to them, and peacefully watch the moon, before the sun finally came. However, as they got closer, she could see more people camped out near what was sure enough a large gate. It was easy for her to tell that the gate led deeper into the mountain, and in the distance she could even see people camped out by it, as if they were eagerly waiting to see the ones chosen to visit the crones. Along with this she saw more fires lit, and even more people then she had seen in the village below. People wore flower crowns and necklaces, much like the ones she remembered Dominik making her when they were younger. It seemed like a normal festival, and Ciri did indeed see multiple younger children, however when she saw the one sitting on the cliffs by itself, she felt herself slightly begin to panic.

She turned as the wind howled again, she grabbed Dominik's arm next to her and stop him along with Geralt.

"Dom, Geralt look, it's a child," She said, pointing up to what seemed to be a young boy sorting through old crates and barrels.

Dominik and Geralt both turned around, Ciri watched as the wind howled their hair, and a smile actually appeared on Dominik's face as he scoffed and shook his head as he looked to Geralt.

"Ha, Geralt can you believe it?" He asked, sounding incredulous.

Geralt scoffed and shook his head, "Yeah… didn't think the Crones liked him too much."

Ciri looked between them both, "You know him? How?"

"We do yeah, it's not a child, it's a godling, my buddy Johnny," Dominik said with a smile at her, seeming quite excited actually, before looking up and cupping his hands to his mouth, "JOHNNY!"

She let out a small laugh as the godling whirled around, and Ciri could practically see the young creatures' eyes get wide. Looking to her left, she remembered the story that they had told her now, how they had used the godlings help to eventually communicate with the Crones. However, they never mentioned the name, or the fact the godling looked to see them both. The cool wind sent goosebumps down her exposed neck, while the ring around her neck bounced. She readjusted her sword and watched as the godling eagerly climbed down the scaffolding, before jumping and landing on the bridge.

"Well I'll be your both back! You found her, you found your lass," The godling said eagerly, practically bouncing up and down on his toes as he latched onto Dominik's waist in a hug.

Ciri laughed lightly and Geralt smiled broadly, as Dominik smiled down and patted the godlings back. She looked at the elated look on Dominik's face as the godling pulled back. He hadn't stopped staring at her, him and Geralt both. She had time to feel her heart flutter, and a pleasant tingle run through her blood, before she felt the wind howl through her hair again as she turned to see the eager godling looking up at her with a smile.

"I'm Johnny! We've had the pleasure already, a bit one-sided though it was. See, I saw you running, your back was to me, and I was heh, having the pleasure of..." The godling started, before he scoffed and shook his head, the smile not leaving him, as he pointed to Dominik, "Eh, tis a long story! After I lost my voice, these two fellers helped me get it back, he told me your story, never in me life had I heard such a story of love and loss, I knew I had to help them!"

She felt herself fluster slightly but smiled widely as she looked over at Dominik nervously rubbing the back of his head with a laugh. Ciri did herself as well, feeling her face finally get red, realizing that Dominik quite literally had told their story to a random godling, and apparently spoke so passionately the creature still remembered. She smirked over at him, which only made him get even redder and more flustered, before she laughed and smiled back down at the godling.

"They call me Ciri. Nice to meet you," She said with an amused tone, before she looked and felt herself take a subconscious step closer to Dominik, who smiled at her, and she felt his hand at the base of her back, sending a small pleasant tingle up her spine. She smiled at him one more time, before Geralt's voice turned her back to the godling.

Geralt smiled down at the creature, "How are things Johnny, staying out of trouble?"

The godling laughed and shrugged with a smile, "Oh you know, same old really, what brings you here?"

Gearing the words brought her back to the mission at hand, she remembered how Dominik told her the godling helped them with the Crones before. She took a look ahead towards the village and could see the people all gathering in a long line, and soon the smell of cooking meat and wine hit her nose again. The moon was still high, and from its position she could see it was an hour or two past midnight, and they would need to find Imlerith soon before the general either sensed them or left. She knew the elf's biggest weakness was his vanity, so she'd like to think that if they were there, he'd face them, but she didn't wish to take the chance of him leaving. She looked next to her, and Dominik looked down to meet the godlings eyes.

"First off… Johnny, what're you doing here? I thought the Crones didn't exactly like you," Dominik asked, and Johnny quickly scoffed.

"I got an invitation I couldn't refuse-Same as every year," The smaller creature said as he looked between the three of them, "In their peculiar way, the Crones tolerate my presence and wish to see me at their Sabbath. So I come, wonder about, and go home with the rising sun, what about the three of you?"

Geralt stepped up and looked down, "We gotta climb the mountain. Can you help?"

Johnny scoffed and looked over to Ciri and Dominik now, "Ha, I'd rather try to dissuade you, but I'm certain that'd be in vein. The lass-is she as stubborn as the both of you?"

"Even more so," Ciri said amusingly, before Dominik smiled over at her.

"One of the things I love most," He said teasingly, and Ciri playfully shoved his arms before he laughed and looked back down to Johnny, "And you know how stubborn Geralt and I are."

She felt her heart get warm as she looked at him smiling, if they were alone she would have kissed him, but she held back, as they all looked down and the godling sighed with a shake of his head.

"Figured as much…" The godling said with another sigh, before he pointed forwards towards the people and the tent, "Path to the peak starts there, past the gate. But old Thelca's got the key, so since you shan't ever get it, you'd best turn back now…"

Ciri looked up and narrowed her eyes at the gate, she found it slightly hard to believe they were actually this close. It had only been around two weeks since the battle, but it had felt even longer since she was in an actual fight. She smiled lightly, remembering fighting alongside Dominik, and eventually Geralt on the walls. Obviously, she wished they hadn't had to be in a battle at all, but she'd be lying to herself if she didn't mention how elated it made her feel fighting alongside them both. Dominik in particular she hadn't fought with since they were young children, that was if you counted cowering near a cart during the Scoitael ambush fighting. That day, the day Dominik had to kill the elf that had an arrow pointed at her, it wasn't something she would ever forget. She distinctly remembered him throwing up afterwards, and having nightmares for the rest of their trip, and Geralt had told him, that when you first took a life, this happened, but despite the fact it sounded cruel, you got used to it.

She remembered the first time she had almost killed, on Thanedd, the knight in the winged helmet. When he had grabbed her, all she saw was the fires, him grabbing her, him almost killing Dominik in front of her, she remembered how he had killed Bella, Dominik's sister and his mother, it was the man who haunted her nightmares. Up until that point in her life, Ciri had never felt rage like that, after the man tried to grab her, she had launched at him, spinning and cutting across his hand with her sword, using every bit of the training she had at that point. She had beaten him with ease even as he was unprepared, even after his helmet had fallen off, and she had seen his face, Ciri was prepared to kill him, she didn't see the face of a man, she had seen the face of a monster. It didn't matter if he looked human, he was the monster who had kidnapped her from Cintra, had murdered Bella, one of her best-friends, Dominik's beloved little sister, and Sofia, Dominik's mother who Ciri had loved every single time she saw. And of course he had almost killed Dominik himself, if not for Dominik that night, the knight would have taken her to Emhyr, and her disgusting birth father would have gone through with his vile plan when she was eleven fucking years old. All of it had started with that knight, and Ciri had been ready to make her first kill that night.

However, she had decided to flee, she fled when she heard more men rushing towards her, the Scoitael commandos, if not for them arriving she would have done it, she had been prepared too. She didn't however, and she had escaped, and her first kill would come later. The moment played over in her head and she lightly shuddered, as now she could kill a man with ease. Geralt had been right, it had gotten easier, and she couldn't even begin to count the number she had to kill to get where she was now.

But it had been worth it, because now she was so close to that freedom she always craved, no more being used for political gain, no more being used for her powers, she'd have Dominik, and her family, it had been all she ever wanted or needed.

She was brought back to the conversation by Geralt's voice.

"The key, why don't you think we'll get it?" Her father asked the godling, as Ciri looked down with Dominik and saw the godling scoff.

"Good grief you're worse then children," The godling exclaimed, as Ciri managed a scoffing laugh as the creature sighed and looked at her and Dominik in particular, "Three souls are allowed atop the mountain- and only strapping lads or comely lasses among them. They get the key, open the gate, and meet the Ladies."

Ciri smiled playfully and looked over at Dominik next to her, "I believe I qualify; wouldn't you say?"

He laughed and smiled at her; he gave her that loving gaze she loved so much as he slowly nodded.

"I would think so, you're pretty comely if you ask me," He said affectionately, and Ciri had time to laugh, before he grew a small smirk and went on, "And I'd like to think that I'm a pretty strapping young lad."

"Ehh… a bit short, but strapping nonetheless," She teased playfully smirking at him, and she felt herself start to laugh, even seeing Geralt smirk when he rolled his eyes.

She felt herself laugh even more when a cute, annoyed look came to his face. Ciri had always teased him about being shorter, it was always affectionately of course, but he always got that cute annoyed look he had now when she did. She loved him all the same of course, but he was only a half a head taller than her, despite the fact Gregory his father had been a mountain of a man, he had inherited his mother's height, and she always found it slightly funny. Just like she did when she was younger, she laughed and winked at him, she would have kissed his cheek if they weren't in the middle of a conversation, but apparently the wink was enough, because as Ciri finished laughing, he playfully rolled his eyes.

"Hi-fucking-larious princess," He said dryly, but Ciri saw the amusement behind his gaze, before he turned back to Jonny, "Ciri and I should get in no problem."

Johnny scoffed and pointed to Geralt, "You should yeah, but he's old and ugly, what good is he!?"

Ciri didn't want to burst out a laugh, but as Dominik did next to her she couldn't contain it. They both turned and she saw a shot of annoyance run through Geralt's eyes as he narrowed them at Dominik and she both. It only served to make them both snicker more, before their father rolled his eyes and shot his gaze down to Johnny.

"I'm pretty damn good at finding lost voices," Geralt complained back to the godling as Dominik and her both finished laughing.

Johnny despite Geralt's tone still shook his head, "Then I suggest you find the voice of reason. It'll tell you to turn back. There's no foolin' with the Ladies."

Ciri found the godlings concern quite touching, but she knew the Crones weren't the biggest enemy they had on the mountain. The Crones themselves bowed before Imlerith, and Ciri knew he was the much more dangerous adversary. Losing him would be a huge blow for Eredin, other than Imlerith, he knew the King relied on only Caranthir more. However, there was also the wildcard of Baelen. Ciri had asked Avallac'h more about the female commander, the human female commander, and the sage insisted he knew nothing, which Ciri found odd, considering that the elf did know much about the rest of the Hunt. Such a powerful fighter in their ranks, wielding that much power, she assumed the sage would know more about Baelen then most, seeming as the commander was trained by Caranthir. Her powers were also much more immense then she even saw in Lofeton when she fought her. Ciri could remember the blows of magic that came from Dominik's fight with her, if she focused her ears, she could even still hear the explosions from the commander and Dominik on the tower.

Dominik had also explained his fight with Baelen to her in exact detail. He told her how Faram held her off until he arrived, and Baelen screamed how Ciri and he had broken a promise to her, how Dominik had always been more focused on Ciri then her. Ciri was absolutely baffled as to who it could be, the woman clearly knew who they were from even back in Cintra. Unless Dominik had an extremely powerful ex-girlfriend from before he was even eleven years old he wasn't telling her about, Ciri didn't know who she could be. She liked to think she hadn't broken any promise so big, that the person would turn to joining the Wild Hunt. Then of course there was the dragon, Kilgarrah, who had apparently been a great friend of Alexander Dominik's ancestor, and had spared Dominik at the battle. Killing Imlerith was just the start, but it was a start nonetheless, and it would still deal a massive blow to Eredin.

Geralt seemed to remember the general as well because he looked and met Johnny's eyes again.

"We're actually here looking for an elf named Imlerith," Geralt said slowly, looking up towards her and Dominik, "Ciri thinks he might be a guest of the Crones."

Ciri's eyes darted down to the godling with Dominik's as she heard the creature shiver. The small boy slowly shook, before looking up at them all again.

"Big bloke in full plate? Goin the right way- he's atop the mountain all right…" Johnny said slowly, and Ciri right away turned to Dominik and Geralt and met there eyes before shooting her gaze back down to the creature.

"You saw him, you're sure?" She asked quickly, and the godling nodded right away.

Seeming to shiver again, the creature nodded, "Saw him in the bog first. Water froze under his horse's hooves. Then I saw him again yesterday, heading up this path… why are you looking for him?"

She looked and shared a look with Dominik and Geralt. They both shot her reassuring gazes and nodded. Dominik's eyes grew slightly dark as he looked down to Johnny.

"He tried to kill some friends of ours…" He said slowly, before looking over at Ciri, "He's been chasing Ciri for years… not gonna let that happen anymore."

Johnny sighed below them, but when Ciri looked down, she saw the godling smiling between then two of them.

"It's just like you told me, a love story like in the tales," The godling said fondly, before he looked up into Ciri's eyes, "He told me all about your promise to protect and get to one another, and now you finally have! Downright glorious that tale is!"

Ciri felt her entire body flutter, as she looked and smiled broadly over at a nervously chuckling Dominik. She saw that cute goofy smile she had missed so much come back to his face, and slowly she smirked over at him.

"Talked about me a lot… didn't he?" She said amusingly, as Johnny eagerly nodded below them.

The godling looked to all three of them again, "He did yes, and I'd hate to see any of you die. You need to be careful with that one bloke… even the Ladies bow before him…"

She looked over at Dominik and Geralt again, Dominik's flustered look was replaced by those hard eyes again as he looked up towards the summit. Ciri knew exactly what he was thinking, he was thinking about their last encounter with the Hunt, the last fight he had been in when he was almost killed, the fight was playing over in his mind like it often had done for her the previous two weeks. He was thinking about that fight, and the deaths they sustained, Declan, Arno, Vigi and Folan, along with the countless other people they were both sure Imlerith was responsible for killing. And most importantly for him she knew, he wanted to make Imlerith, and the rest of the Hunt pay for chasing her. It was something that made her heart flutter, but also hardened her own gaze.

She wasn't going to let him do it alone this time, her and Geralt wouldn't. It was almost finally time to start fighting for that life they deserved.

Geralt nodded to them both, before looking down to Johnny, "We gotta get up there Johnny, we gotta try, simple as that."

"It's Thecla you'll need to convince. She's blind as your bum, but she won't be fooled," The godling said, his voice still laced with a dash of concern.

Ciri quickly shook her head, "We shan't try to trick her, no worries."

Nodding Johnny sighed again, "She sits in that tent over yonder. I wish you luck and do hope we meet again… someday."

Dominik quickly nodded and smiled down at the creature next to her, "Thanks for your help Johnny, make sure you be careful and stay out of trouble now."

Again Johnny nodded, before a small smile came to the godlings face as he looked between Dominik and Ciri both.

"And good luck to you as well, don't worry, you won't lose your lass again," He said reassuringly with a smile at Dominik, before looking over at Ciri, "You made your promise, and if you're both as stubborn as you say, it'll stay that way!"

Ciri laughed lightly as she felt her face get red and nodded, "Thanks Johnny, like he said, be sure to stay safe."

The godling eagerly nodded, before turning and scaling back up the cliffs. Ciri watched as the small creature climbed, and felt Dominik come up next to her, putting his arm around her waist, she found herself gently turning to him, seeing him smiling broadly up at the creature. It had been doing it every day she had been back, but she felt herself loving him more, somehow even more. She took in the feeling of his arm around her and felt the warmth of his embrace.

Over the years she had almost forgotten how warm a person could be. Mistle's touch was cold, draining, while Dominik's was warm, and invigorating. She found herself slowly looking up at him, his face, his smile, every single little detail. For so long she had felt deprived of love, deprived of that feeling of having someone who cares for you so much, that simply their gaze, their presence can fill you with warmth. There had been times over the years when Ciri felt cold, oh so terribly cold for days, like she was an empty walking husk. Day to day she lived with this emptiness, this cold feeling inside of her. And even when she found comfort in the arms of another, it didn't make her feel anymore complete, or any warmer. She was afraid, that she had forgotten how to love at times, forgotten how to feel warmth from an embrace, unable to have that feeling of love and warmth both at the same time. After so long of wondering, calling herself different names, feeling as if she was losing her very essence, her very soul, after so long of feeling that coldness, that emptiness, she was back in his embrace. Back in the embrace of her family, back in the embrace of people who loved her, truly, genuinely loved her, loved Ciri. Dominik didn't love the Lion Cub of Cintra, he didn't love the Lady of Worlds, the Lady of Space and Time, or the last child of Lara Dorren, the carrier of the Elder Blood. No, her family, Geralt, Yennefer, and most of all Dominik, they loved Ciri, loved her so much, that just by their gaze she felt warm.

She slowly reached up and kissed his cheek, turning her gaze to him as they stood there in the moonlight with one another. He smiled down at her, that goofy flustered smile she loved, that smile he gave her, that made her truly, truly feel like the most special person in the world. His arms slipped around her waist as she looked up at him, she had been scared when they first reunited, that she would forget how to properly embrace a person, embrace that person you love, give them that warmth, and get that warmth back. She was afraid, that she truly had forgotten how to receive, and give that love, to not just him, but anyone. It had been so long, so excruciatingly long, and the previous two weeks had still felt like a dream, and perhaps despite what she had thought, she still didn't know how to properly express how she felt, what being back with him truly meant to her. But as he looked down at her then, she knew it didn't matter, because even if it wasn't, they'd still keep trying, trying and trying with one another, keep trying until they were able to properly express it. It could take a while, but Ciri didn't care.

It wasn't about enduring the suffering. It was about how you endured it, how you fought through it, fought through it even when you were at your lowest point, because you know, that at the end of that suffering, was happiness, happiness and love.

And that's what it was for Ciri in his arms then, that moment was what all the suffering was for.

"Ha… what are you looking at me like that for?" He said, his breath hit her neck, and Ciri felt her body tingle, as she simply shook her head.

"I love you," She said slowly, before leaning up and kissing his lips, it was short, but still he put everything he could into it like he always did, while she did the same, gently she pulled back, and looked deep into his eyes gently shaking her head, "Thank you… for never giving up on me…"

Her words seemed to catch him off guard for a moment, as for a second he laughed with that goofy smile on his face. The moonlight glowed off his face, and she smiled even more when she saw his brown silky hair blow up. After a few seconds however, he smiled lightly at her, those emerald eyes bore into her, and gently he held his forehead against hers.

"Never…" He said gently, smiling over at her, and Ciri laughed lightly, before tightly pulling her arms around his neck.

And when he pulled her into that hug then, she had never felt warmer in her life.

"Alright you two… as touching as this is, we got some work to do," Geralt said and Ciri could hear the amusement, and the love coming from her father's tone, as Dominik and she both turned over to him. Her father came up next to them both, before gesturing towards the tent and the gate to the mountain, "Come on, you can look longingly into each other's eyes later…. Let's go kill this fucker."

Ciri smiled at her father, before turning that smile to Dominik one last time. She saw his goofy, loving smile turning into a wicked, almost eager one as he gently let go of her waist and turned to the summit. She still felt warm even after leaving his embrace, but soon when he turned and smirked back at them both, Ciri felt her heart nearly burst out of her chest as she smirked back at him.

"You're right, let's go give Imlerith and the Crones a little festival present," He said with a bit of smugness, turning to Ciri, "What do you say princess?"

She scoffed and joined him, smiling the entire time, "I think that's a wonderful idea, let's get moving."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Gods… she really is blind," Dominik said just before they entered the tent, looking over to Ciri and Geralt both, "And probably like a hundred years old…"

Geralt nodded in agreement next to him, "Yeah, your medallion humming too? Its small but… definitely some kind of magic at work."

Ciri looked at the old woman sitting in the corner of the tent as the three of them walked towards the entrance. Her eyes were completely white, her face filled with moles and warts, it was as if someone took the description of every old witch in every old fairytale and now that woman was sitting in front of them. The cool night air was still ever present, and she knew they'd only have a few more hours, so after they had passed through the precision of gathered peasants they wasted no time. The people were all gathered and collecting soup, meat, wine and other foods for the feast, while people danced, and light music played. It was as if it were a cruel version of the Belleteyn festival Dominik and she had both attended once when they were younger, the moment the silly boy had spent almost an hour in the water trying to find her missing shoe that she had thrown. She smirked as she looked over at him then, that same goofy boy who had swam for her shoe, was still by her side, even after all those years.

Dominik slowly nodded over at Geralt, "It is yeah, but if what Johnny says is true, then we can't trick her, come on let's-."

"EH!? Who is it," The blind woman said, making Ciri nearly leap out of her boots as they all turned and saw the woman looking at them. Dominik had stepped into the tents entrance with her and the woman shot her white eyes to them both, "Well!? C'mon! Come closer boy, you too girl!"

She almost leapt out of her boots again, she shared a quick look with Dominik before they both looked over to Geralt. Their father nodded to them both and walked to the other side of the tent. It was quite a large tent, a fire burned in the center brazier, and Ciri felt its warmth wash over her face for a moment, before Dominik shrugged his shoulders, and walked with her first towards the old woman sitting in the corner. Ciri felt her skin crawl, as she walked by Dominik's side, and narrowed her eyes when the woman seemed to take in a large smell of them both, before letting out a breath.

"Ahhh… interesting," The old woman said, before snapping her gaze past them, towards a young woman who had been sweeping dirt out of the tent, "Tell me what they look like, the boy first!"

Ciri barely had time to turn, before she heard the young woman's voice as she walked up next to Dominik, too particularly close for Ciri's liking as she looked up at him.

"Mhm… bit short, but large chest, strong arms, big eyes, handsome face," The young woman said with a slight smirk as she looked back down towards the blind woman, "All in all, a very striking young lad…"

The old woman scoffed, "Ever been with a woman?"

"No… but that may change," The young woman said with a smirk, and while Dominik's face went red, Ciri felt her fists curl and her eyes narrow, she was ready to currently cut the woman in half.

However, before she could grab the young woman and throw her off the cliff, the old woman scoffed and turned her white gaze to Dominik again.

"Aye, it'll have to wait. I choose you boy, this night, you shall see the ladies," She said, and Ciri saw Dominik let out a relieved breath, before the blind woman turned her gaze on her, "Aye, and what about the girl?"

Ciri looked at the young woman narrow her eyes over towards her. The young woman had long brown hair and big eyes, with a blue dress and crown of flowers around her head. Before she looked at Ciri, she noticed the woman had her eyes glued on Dominik, and a shot of annoyance ran through Ciri in that moment as it had before. Dominik himself shot her a glare, and she sighed with an eye roll before turning back down to the old woman.

"Narrow hips, sparkly eyes- a striking feisty lass," The young woman said crossing her arms, before she glared at Ciri again.

Ciri had enough of the woman's glare, between that and her staring too close to Dominik for her liking, Ciri was finally ready to step forward and strangle her, however the old woman shot her blind gaze up towards her.

"Never had a man…" The old woman asked, and Ciri felt her skin get cold as the blood drained from her, as she looked over to Dominik and Geralt before the old woman continued, "Mff…. Never mind, got me answer. I choose you as well girl, you and the boy shall see the Ladies this night."

She looked over at Dominik and was worried for a second he'd ask what the woman meant. Ciri had never been with a man before, only a woman when she was with Mistle, so she didn't know what the old woman was referring too. She remembered after the night Dominik and she spent in the cave, that she had been talking with Freya on the matter, her being the only other woman at Kaer Morhen, and the fact her friend had figured out the truth that night Ciri learned about Dominik and she made it easier for Ciri to talk to her about the whole thing. Freya herself had never been with a man or a woman, but she told Ciri, that during her time with the army, she had moved through Velen often, and encountered these people who worshipped the Ladies of the Wood. She also told Ciri, how while Freya herself didn't think that way, some people wouldn't even consider what she did losing her virginity, since she had been with a woman instead of a man. However, Ciri knew that in reality, that was complete horseshit. She had sex with someone else, it didn't matter if it was a man or a woman, all that mattered was that you loved the person and it was consenting.

It hadn't been consenting, or loving with Mistle for her, and that was why Ciri still felt so horrible about it to that day, despite all of Dominik's reassurances. So, when the old woman's words left her mouth, she shot Dominik a look, trying to reassure him that she hadn't lied, Mistle truly had been the only other person she had been with, she expected him to look at her questioningly, however, as she should have expected, he seemed to be completely unbothered by the question at all. Instead the big goof simply scoffed and rolled his eyes looking at her.

"Wow you hear that Ciri, how lucky are we? We get to see the Ladies," He said to her sarcastically as he crossed his arms.

She felt all the worry leave her at his tone, and she even began to feel stupid for even thinking he'd doubt her. He still, even after everything, still had one hundred percent, unequivocal trust in her. She smiled and scoffed, moving next to him and crossing her own arms, before looking over to Geralt who was standing in wait, watching the scene. Ciri nodded to her father and turned back to the old woman.

"Yes… extremely lucky the both of us, who wouldn't want to meet the Ladies," She said with as much bitterness as she could muster, before gesturing to Geralt, "Our companion comes with us."

"And it's not up for debate," Dominik said sharply again next to her as he crossed his arms.

The old woman scoffed as Geralt came up next to them both, "Mhmm…. What else has the cat dragged in?"

Next to her, the young woman who had been staring at Dominik scoffed, "It's gray and veiny. Got a scar. And eyes like a viper."

Dominik and she both looked concernedly over to Geralt, who shot them both a calming look. She was worried for a moment they'd need to force the key off the woman to get through the gate, however, she knew that if anyone could talk their way into something like this it was her father. Geralt claimed he was low on emotion, vocal expression and charisma, however Ciri, and she was sure Dominik as well, both knew that they were just words, and their father could inspire, persuade, and truly did have a way with words. He wasn't the tough, brooding witcher that he tried to appear as sometimes, he was eloquent, and a good speaker.

The old woman scoffed, "Aye, mff…. Stinks of clotted blood and corpses. Plus it's old and infertile…. I reject ye, freak- the boy and the girl will ascend alone."

She and Dominik both looked at Geralt again, but quickly he shook his head and turned his gaze back towards the woman.

"You misjudged me. I'm as worthy as anyone," Geralt said, his voice calm and reassuring, it seemed to work, because the old woman scoffed, turning over to Ciri and Dominik.

"Girl, boy, can you vouch?" She asked the both of them.

Ciri nodded right away, "He's spryer then any youth. Only smells like corpses because he kills monsters."

"And he'll kill anyone who stands in his way…" Dominik added after she was finished, as both of them looked at Geralt.

Again the old woman turned her gaze back to their father, "Mhm… perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps there's life in him yet. By ancient rite, you may appeal my choice. But to do so, you must best the challenge."

Geralt quickly nodded, "I accept your challenge, what is it then?"

The old woman let out a cackle, "Hehehehe… come then."

With more spryness then Ciri ever would have expected, the old blind woman sharply stood from her chair. With the young woman, who still much to Ciri's annoyance shot Dominik a sultry glance, the blind woman walked by them all out of the tent. She, Geralt and Dominik all shared a wondering look before they shrugged and walking next to them both she exited the tent with them as well. Looking up at the moon, she could tell now that there would only be another hour or two until the sunrise, so she knew they still had plenty of time. It wouldn't take them long to kill the Crones, and then Imlerith would be no problem as well. However, it was looking more and more like they'd have to split up to fight the two, both so they made sure they were all dead, and so one couldn't reinforce the other. She knew that Dominik and she could take down Imlerith, they would have killed Caranthir together if the navigator hadn't retreated, so she knew they'd handle Imlerith as well. And then Geralt would have no trouble either with the Crones, all of them would be dead by the morning, and the idea almost made her giddy.

The old woman walked them all towards a rickety old drawbridge, and when she saw the young woman once again staring back far too closely at Dominik for her liking, Ciri took a step closer to him, and shot her the deadliest glare that she could. Dominik, the big goof didn't even seem to notice, but Ciri did, and even with her staring the young woman simply rolled her eyes and turned back to face forward. Ciri's fists balled as she looked up at Dominik next to her again as she could see a look of anxiousness, his hands were twitching, and Ciri knew he was ready to get everything moving, get to the fight, his first since he got back on his feet. She looked down to his leg and noticed him slightly favoring his left one as they walked. Biting her lip she looked to his face again, and he finally seemed to notice her looking at him. He smiled down at her, it was reassuring and full of new warmth, and as it always did it warmed Ciri's bones.

What the old woman had said, how she 'had her answer', when asked if she had ever been with a man played in her head again. It had been something she had thought about over the years of course, just like she was sure the thought of what it would be like to be with her had passed through Dominik's mind over the last eight years. The idea of making love to him, the one person she had ever actually felt that type of deep, real, romantic love for, of course she had thought about it, and she also wasn't afraid to admit she had more than a few pleasant dreams about their more intimate moments when they were younger, and what it would possibly be like then. She remembered how she felt in the cave, having him kiss, and touch up and down her body, how it warmed her, shot the beautiful tingling, loving sensation into every part of her, it had been even more beautiful then she could have hoped for, it was everything she had dreamed.

Of course that moment had to be interrupted, the horrible flashbacks had come, and she couldn't go through with it. He had understood however, of course he had understood why she couldn't go through with it all that night. It was just the kind of person he was, he loved her that much. However, despite how sweet a gesture it was, and how determined she was to make that moment as special as it could be, Ciri wasn't afraid to admit to the urges she had been having for him since then. She was sure he had them as well, she saw that desired look in his eyes at times since that night, when she teased him, when she kissed him, she could see it. In that moment she aimlessly wondered what the differences would be like, other than the obvious ones, were going to be from having sex with a man as opposed to a woman. Of course Mistle had been the only one she was with, she had no experience being with a man, however, it made her slightly nervous for a few moments, before she remembered that Dominik as well had never been with a woman, so it balanced itself in a way. It didn't matter however, it was Dominik, everything had always come completely natural with him, nothing ever felt forced, or difficult, everything had always been easy, easy, loving, and beautiful. And she was sure making love the first time with him, would be the same.

She must have been staring at him quite intently, because he had to hold his hand out to stop her from running into Geralt and the two women in front of them. Ciri came to stop and looked to see they were at the end of a broken bridge. It led to a deep, deep drop, and as Ciri and he both took another step forward, she saw the drop led into a pond, that she couldn't tell how deep it was. She looked at the both of them, Geralt and Dominik both looked at the woman wonderingly as well, as she reached into her pocket to pull out a gold coin.

She cackled and held it out, "Look this over- a coin from days of yore. Falka burns on its reverse, so they call it the Defier's Oren."

At hearing the name Falka, Ciri shuddered, remembering her old name with the rats as Geralt turned and looked back at them both. Dominik however, seemed to perk up at hearing the name, and poked his head to see the reverse side of the coin.

He scoffed after he did, "That's supposed to be Falka? Doesn't look anything like her."

Every set of eyes turned to him, as Ciri's own widened and she quickly grabbed him and pulled him back. Dominik seemed to realize what he said, and quickly and embarrassingly bit his lip while he rubbed the back of his head. Ciri rolled her eyes at him playfully, as she saw the look of realization come to his face. He had told her how he saw Falka, the real Falka in his vision with Alexander, his ancestors had been the one's to end her rebellion, so it was natural he was interested in knowing more about the woman. Ciri smirked at the cute flustered look, but suddenly felt her anger spike, when she saw the younger woman walk past them back towards the tent, gently touching his shoulder as she did. Ciri was ready to grab the girl's hair and toss her over the side, but he quickly held out his arm and wrapped it around her waist, she turned around and found him smirking at her. It was a cute look, but Ciri rolled her eyes at him, which only made him laugh more.

The old woman scoffed, before Ciri watched her slowly tilt her hand, before the gold coin fell down into the water. She swore she could hear it hit the water below, before the woman slowly turned her gaze to Geralt.

"Bring me that coin… that is your challenge," The woman said slowly with a smirk, before she turned and as if she could see perfectly fine, walked right past Dominik and Ciri towards the tent.

Geralt sighed and turned back to them both, and behind him, Ciri could see the glow from the moon reflecting off his silver hair and swords. Rolling his eyes, his father unclipped both his swords, and Dominik and she both reached out to take them from him. Rolling his eyes Geralt looked at them.

"Sure you don't wanna join me?" He asked sarcastically, as Ciri scoffed and placed her father's swords on the railing next to the bridge.

She shook her head, "I think I'll pass."

"Same," Dominik said with a small smirk from next to him, "It is YOUR challenge after all."

"I swear, you both get more like me and Yen everyday…" Geralt muttered, before her father turned to the edge of the dock and dove off headfirst.

She and Dominik both naturally ran to the edge to make sure he was okay. When Ciri saw her father's head of silver hair pop above the water, before quickly diving back down she sighed out in relief and stepped back, turning to see Dominik already leaning against the railing, his swords clunked in the wind as he smiled over at her. She felt the smile wash over her as it always did, gently she walked over and leaned on the railing next to him. The moon was absolutely beautiful, it was started to descend, but Ciri knew that they would still have an hour or two left before sunrise as she predicted. The smell of the cooking meat, wine and the sound of gentle music and chatting brought her back to that Belleteyn festival, and apparently it did for Dominik as well, because he smirked at her as she leaned against the railing while he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Reminds me of Belleteyn… remember me going to get your shoe back?" He asked her, as if he was reading her mind a moment.

She laughed, and scooted closer, looking up and meeting his gaze, "I do yes, you were in the water for over an hour, and got extremely sick for a week afterwards because of it."

He scoffed, "Hey, I had to prove my love for you now didn't I!"

Her heart nearly burst at his smile, and she felt her face get hotter as she slowly nodded at him. She took in the feeling of his arm around her, that warmth she missed so much, his warmth.

"And you did… a hundred times over you did…" She said gently, and it looked like the big idiot was about to say something else.

She interrupted with a kiss however, a kiss while she gently held her hand up to his chest. It was gentle the kiss, caring, tender, and it amazed her how gentle and tender their kiss then could be, considering that for the previous eight years, she, and she was sure he as well, had almost forgotten what caring and tenderness were, but as they kissed in that moment, it all came flooding back to her, it would take them a while, despite how the previous two weeks had been, it would take them a while, because for so long, all they both knew was emptiness, loneliness, longing and coldness, so yes, to fully get that caring and tenderness back it may take them awhile. But they would succeed, because they loved each other, and they wanted each other more than anything. And Ciri also knew they would succeed, because they didn't have to rush, not at all. The two of them wouldn't be apart again, not like before, she wouldn't let anyone rip them apart, and she knew he wouldn't either, with this knowledge, they were in no hurry whatsoever.

It was if the whole world ceased to exist in that moment, and all the moment she kissed him, nothing existed except for them. It would only be a brief moment in real time, but to them, it was like a whole eternity. And when the world started to exist again, as her lips gently left his, it existed very differently, just like it had after every kiss, because with each time, she felt herself only loving him, his embrace, and wanting that life they'd have after this more and more.

He breathlessly sighed as he pulled her closer, "Wow that… wow…."

She laughed lightly, and gently shook her head, "Just hold me for a bit alright?"

He only nodded, he didn't have to respond, because she knew that he would, he always would. Gently she leaned her shoulder against him for a moment, and took in the beautiful sight of the moon as the wind gently blew her hair, washed over her skin, and despite its coldness, the warmth she felt then didn't cease, and it was the most amazing feeling in the world. She found her heart doing flips in those few minutes, before she felt his medallion and the swallow bounce against the top of her head, and she smiled as she looked back up at him. She took in the details of his face as she normally did, and her eyes fell to the jagged scar running down his right cheek, the scar he had received fighting for her, to keep her safe, just like he always would, and just like she'd always do for him.

She leaned up and gently kissed that side of his face, right on the scar, and when she did he laughed and smiled down at her.

"Ha… so what do you think? It's healed pretty well, does it make me look more dashing?" He asked jokingly, as she gently pulled her head off his shoulder with a smile.

Feeling his arm stay wrapped around her waist, she smirked as she crossed her arms and met his gaze.

"Aha, yes it does, very, very dashing," She said with a small roll of her eyes, before she felt her own cheek, where her scar tingled, a small laugh left her, as she remembered how worried she was when she got back the first time. Meeting his eyes she smiled amusingly, "Ha… you know, when I came back the first time, and I thought I'd see you in Rivia, I was dreadfully scared you'd think I wasn't as beautiful with mine."

"Ha, you kidding? You could have lost an eye, and I'd still love you all the same," He said, as if the very idea offended him, and it made Ciri blush more, before he met her eyes with a slightly more concerned look to them, "I… was actually wondering. How'd you get yours? Geralt never told me, and I remember you saying that it was just as bad as mine."

She scoffed, feeling the whole left side of her cheek sting as she could practically feel the orion ripping across her face. She could hear Bonhart yelling, Skellen yelling, and all she could remember was seeing the blood, feeling it drip down her cheek as she ran. Looking over and meeting Dominik's eyes, she knew that one day she'd have to finally sit down, and tell him from start to finish what happened, she had mentioned small pieces yes, but just like she knew he'd do for her, one day soon, she'd sit and tell him the whole story, the story of how she got back to them all. Slowly she shook her head and shivered, which caused him to pull her closer, as Ciri looked up at him. She knew that Dominik already knew about Bonhart and the arena, so she decided to leave out those parts.

"It… was a man named Stefan Skellen," She said with as much disgust as she could muster as she shook her head, "When I was escaping the arena, I was riding out and… he threw an Orion at me, sliced open damn near half my face, I'm lucky this is all I got now…"

The two of them had agreed to let the past stay in the past, to not let past events bother them, because now they were together, and that was all that mattered. However, upon hearing her words, she saw him shudder, and felt his arm wrap tighter around her, as he slowly shook his head and met her eyes.

"I would've loved you, no matter how big it is… I promise," He said shakily, and Ciri gave him a reassuring smile, and it seemed to work, because he smiled, before scoffing, "So Stefan Skellen? I heard about Vilgefortz, Bonhart, Rience, not him though. So, was he one of the hundreds of people who wanted to kidnap you?"

Ciri scoffed out a laugh at his joking tone and slowly nodded, "Yeah… he was. Chased me for a while, he was a Nilfgaardean Coroner, hunting me on Emhyr's orders."

"Should've fucking guessed…" He said right away, spitting out the words in disgust.

She nodded in agreement as she scoffed again, "Funnily enough, his plan was actually to overthrow Emhyr. Wanted to capture me, put me on the throne as a puppet, when Emhyr found out he had him killed, it's funny because-."

"Because now that's exactly what he wants…" Dominik said with a scoff of disbelief, he shook his head and looked to meet her eyes again, "I can't believe that delusional fuck actually thinks that we'd bring you to him, I thought he'd be smarter then that."

Ciri rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement, "You're right, its baffling how he thinks I'd even be in the same room as him, let alone Geralt would take me there, especially after what happened at Stygga and-."

"What happened at Stygga," Dominik asked right away, a hint of urgency in his voice, and Ciri looked to see his eyes widened in shock and fear as he looked down at her, "Geralt… he told me the fucker tried to do something… something bad… but he never told me what. Said if he did, I would've tried to kill Emhyr in Vizima both times I was there and gotten myself killed."

Ciri's eye's widened, and she cursed herself for letting her tongue slip. She was of course going to tell him about what Emhyr tried to do at Stygga Castle when she came back, however, she didn't plan on it being in that moment. She scoffed to herself, thanking Geralt for holding off telling him, because she knew her father was right, if Dominik had known the times they went to Vizima, he would have almost certainly killed Emhyr then and there, which Ciri wouldn't have minded, but that also would have led to him getting killed soon after. Shakily she sighed and met his eyes, she saw the intentness in them, and she knew she wouldn't get out of telling him. Ciri knew it wouldn't change anything, it would only make him hate the Emperor even more, which she knew he already did plenty enough. So, biting her lip she slowly nodded, before looking up and meeting his eyes.

"Well… after Geralt saved Yen and me, we went to leave and… well, Emhyr was there with his soldiers, he had found us," She said slowly, and Dominik's eyes widened, before she carefully met his gaze again and went on, "He… had Geralt and Yen arrested, and went to take me, he… he said his plan, was… to impregnate me, force me to marry him he-."

"HE WHAT!?" Dominik screamed right away, and it had been so loud, Ciri even saw a few of the people turn around from the festival. She could see his eyes turn to fire, see the anger seething inside of him, and even during his fight with Eredin, Ciri had never seen such a guttural rage pour out of him.

She quickly stepped to him, her touched calmed him slightly as she slowly nodded, "It… it's true he… he had heard a prophecy, that if he married me, that he and the child he had with me would rule the entire continent. And… and he almost did it, he… only stopped because Geralt he… he shouted at him, screamed about how horrible what he planned to do was in front of his men. The men they… they started to doubt him, so… he told me he was my father… and left me there with Geralt again."

As soon as she finished, the night wind howled violently, it blew through his brown hair as Dominik scoffed and started pacing, his fists shaking as he did.

"How could that fucking degenerate possibly think we would even THINK about bringing you to him!? How could he think YOU would ever want to do anything to help him!? He wants to fucking rape you, force you to marry him, and he has the fucking GAL to call MY father despicable!? I swear, if I ever fucking see him again, I don't give a fuck how many men are with him, I don't care where we are, I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL HIM, I-," He started, before Ciri quickly grabbed his arm, and pulled her to face him.

"Dom! Dominik, calm down it's over, it's over, I'm here now," She said to him, as she held her arms up on his shoulders, and she could feel him shaking as he looked at her.

He shook his head, "Ciri, I SWEAR I am never going to let him get his filthy hands on you, un… unless for some reason you told me you wanted to go I'd-."

"I don't… the bastard can go fuck himself, I'm not going to go fix the mistakes he made, he made his bed, the degenerate can fucking lay in it," She said, gently looking up into his eyes, and pleading with him to relax, and it seemed to work, because he let out a shaky sigh, gently she smiled at him and met his eyes as she felt his hands wrap around her waist, she smiled and went on, "He won't get his hands on me, I won't let him… after this… it'll be me, and you. We're going to control our own destiny, Geralt, Yen, our friends… but most importantly, me and you…"

It was what she had always wanted, and what she knew he always wanted as well. That freedom to control their own destiny. They were each other's destiny she knew, but since they were together, that one was fulfilled, and now, they were going to have that freedom. For years, she had one goal, to get back, and Dominik she knew had one goal, to find her. After everything they had gone through they deserved that rest, that freedom to go from one end of the continent to the other. And nobody would get in the way of that, not the Hunt, not Emhyr, nobody, and they'd make sure of it.

The moon beautifully shone behind them, the wind blew through both there hair, as he gently leaned his forehead against hers. She felt him pulled her closer, into one of the tightest hugs she had ever felt from him, and she squeezed around his neck with just as much ferocity. The wind was cold, but he was warm, he'd always be the warmest person she had ever known. She remembered back to that day at Stygga, after everything she had gone through, she had finally gotten back, only for Emhyr to do what he did, and then the Lodge to try and use her again after that, it had all been so much, and all she had wanted, was to be back with Dominik, Geralt and Yennefer, all together, and while it hadn't happened then, it happened now.

She wasn't going to be used anymore, be used by anyone, she would control what she wanted to do, and all she wanted, was that freedom, for her and Dominik to have that freedom together. He slowly pulled back from her, and she saw his emerald eyes return to that loving gaze that always washed over her, and made her heart flutter. It didn't so then, gently he held one of his gloved hands to her face, she met his gaze with a smile, their emerald eyes locked, and he slowly nodded.

"I swear Ciri, nobody is going to use you again," He said slowly, his low, coarse voice washed over her, and she lightly shuddered before smiling as he went on, "When this is over, we do, what YOU, want to do, nothing else."

She laughed lightly and shook her head, "You know, you CAN have some say in it. We're a team, the two of us versus everyone remember?"

"I do yeah… but I mean it, people have used you for too long, it'll be whatever you want to do," He said gently, and her heart fluttered up in her chest before he smirked and shrugged with both his hands returning to her waist, "If you for some reason, told me you wanted to be Empress of Nilfgaard… I'd shave my non-existent beard, buy a tacky outfit, and completely over the top armor."

She scoffed out a genuine laugh, one right from her gut, and before she knew it they were both laughing. Hearing his laugh, being there next to him, the world ceased to exist again. She laughed in amazement again, and looked over at him while he held her, still seeing him laugh hysterically at his own joke. Smirking she grabbed the collar of his armor and pulled him to kiss her. Right away he melted into her, and she laughed into his lips with him, as they kissed yes, but neither of them could stop uncontrollably laughing. She felt herself pulling him even closer, her arms wrapping completely around her neck, as he leaned forward and practically dipped her while kissing her, Ciri's leg kicked up into the air, and she laughed uncontrollably when he kissed the side of her face and pulled her back up. She laughed so much then, before realizing that she had laughed more in the previous few weeks, then all of the last eight years combined.

He pulled her back up to face her again, before smashing his lips to hers, and finally the laughing ceased, but she could feel the broad smile on his mouth as she kissed him back. Sparks ran down her entire body, and despite the fact in the back of her head, they were about to enter a dangerous battle, she didn't wish to be anywhere else in the world, the world still ceased to exist around her, and when he gently pulled back, the both of them heavily breathing, scoffing out breathless laughs as they looked at each other, the world had started to exist again yes, but it existed much differently, as Ciri reaffirmed what she already knew, all of that suffering had been worth it now.

She laughed gently and smiled broadly at him, "I love you, you stupid boy… where you go, I go, remember that."

Gently he nodded, the smile not leaving him, and when he spoke, Ciri felt almost every cell of her body erupt.

"I love you too princess," He said gently, before nodding affirmingly and not letting his gaze leave her, "Where you go I go. Through this world, or any world… always."

Ciri could almost feel her eyes beginning to sting, as she felt her heart nearly beat out of her chest. She'd always have him, from then on, just like always, she'd have him with her. Biting her lip, her skin gently tingled, she felt the night wind blow through his hair again, the ring gently bounced against her chest, and she realized that she actually had been wrong. She had never lost him, he had always been with her, and as she looked at the swallow around his neck, she realized that she had always been with him as well.

And that would never change. Biting her lips, she smiled at him, a small smirk coming to her face as she held her hands on his shoulder.

"Gods, that's so sweet, really… thank you," She said, before the smirk became wider, and she looked deep into her eyes, speaking in a low suggestive tone, "But… am I right in assuming you want another kiss like that out of me? Maybe something more?"

His face got beat red, but the big goof managed to smile and gently shrug.

"Well… depends on how close I am," He asked as he gently raised his eyebrows at her wonderingly.

She laughed lightly and leaned closer to him, one hand on his chest, "Oh you're closer trust me… very… very close, so close that maybe-."

"Well glad to see you two are having a good time," The voice of Geralt rang into both their ears, and when they both turned around, they saw their father, his arms crossed rolling his yellow eyes at them, his armor completely dripping wet.

She scoffed, and felt Dominik laugh next to her. She looked and smirked at him one more time, before turning and letting go of him, crossing her arms back over at her father.

"We're having a great time, aren't we Dominik?" She said as she looked up at him.

Dominik laughed as he adjusted his swords, "We are yeah… so how was your swim?"

"Refreshing," Geralt said sarcastically, but Ciri could see the amusement in his eyes, as he reached and grabbed both his swords leaning on the railing. Her father strapped them both to his back, before turning back to them and flashing the gold coin to them both, "So, if you two can managed to pry yourself off each other for a few hours… I think we got some business to take care of."

Ciri felt herself looking back up towards the top of the mountain. The reality of their situation was slowly setting back in. She looked over and saw Dominik giving the peak a similar look, he narrowed his eyes, before letting out a shaky breath and turning to meet her eyes, he slowly nodded and smiled to her, and between that, the small smirk on Geralt's face, it was all she needed. She knew what she wanted, what she wanted for her future, and the first step to making sure she got it, was up that mountain. She reached behind her back and adjusted her sword, before looking between Dominik and Geralt both with a smirk.

"Ready… let's go kill some monsters," She said with a dash of arrogance, before she saw them both smile, and follow her as she walked back towards the entrance to the mountain.

**A/N: And just like that ladies and gentlemen, we are off to fight the Crones and Imlerith! I remember when I first wrote the chapters where the Crones appeared, it was months ago in reality, but to me it feels like yesterday. I honestly never thought I'd actually make it back to the fight with them, I thought I'd get bogged down but here we are haha seventy chapters later we are here fighting the Crones, and now there's only about twenty or so chapters left, depending on if I'm going to need to split certain arcs up or not. It's mind boggling and I can't thank you all enough for the support you've all given. We are far from done however! Let's break down this chapter before we get down to chapter seventy!**

**First, we see Dominik had dreams of the events surrounding the Thanedd Coup. Now like I've stated before, in this stories version of events, everything that happened in the book happened, except for a few changes. Mainly that being everything just took longer, Ciri was with the rats, in the arena, in Tir'Nala longer, it took Geralt longer to form his company and find them. Ciri slept with just Mistle, and wasn't interested in anyone else, and as we'll see she still did most things she did however her mindset was just a bit different. **

**However, there are a few events that did change slightly, and I wanted to highlight them. Thanedd for example as we see, Dominik tried to go with Geralt, but Geralt ultimately decided not to let him. Ciri also was fully prepared to kill Cahir during it, because in this version of events, Cahir didn't 'save Ciri from Cintra', he only kidnapped her before Dominik came to save her, before Cahir almost killed him, so as she said in a passage, she was fully ready to kill Cahir before she was interrupted. And I will also confirm, if Dominik had been on Thanedd, there is a zero percent chance Cahir would have lived lol But now since Ciri's back, I'll be referencing a few more book events when I can.**

**I actually am debating on writing a story soon after this is done, based on the book events. It would be an alternate reality of sorts, where instead of not going, Geralt did bring Dominik to Thanedd with him, and Dominik escapes with Ciri into the desert, and goes through everything with her… let me know if you all would want to see that.**

**After waking up and going to get Geralt we head to Bald Mountain! I wanted to show the differences between Dominik and Ciri, while Ciri can take care of herself, and is more than capable, we see the changes in Dominik through her eyes, and how he's cooled out his temperament, with his eight years on the Path helping him.**

**After that it plays out like the games, we see Johnny, go to the blind woman as Geralt gets the coin from the lake, and we also see Dominik learn finally what Emhyr wanted to do to Ciri. He reacted how we all expected xD Expect the next time we see Emhyr to have some fireworks lol**

**We get some more relationship building, and romantic moments with Dominik and Ciri, before we're finally ready to go fight the Crones!**

**Now, next chapter, we're only going to see Dominik and Ciri fight the Crones, Geralt will kill Imlerith in an exciting action-packed chapter! I can't wait for you all to see it!**

**I again can't thank you all enough, next chapter is the 70****th**** and that's absolutely mind boggling again to me. I can't express how much this story has meant to me, and a how happy I am you've all enjoyed! Please leave a review if you have time, be sure to follow if you enjoyed, and as always I will see you all next time!**


	70. Bald Mountain II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 70: Bald Mountain II**

**Narrator: After finally recovering from the Battle of Kaer Morhen, Dominik, Ciri and Geralt, all finally set out from the witcher keep. It was finally time to bring the fight to the Wild Hunt, and Ciri, found them the perfect opportunity to strike a mighty blow to Eredin and his forces. Wanting to strike back after Eredin almost killed Dominik at the Battle, Ciri discovered that Imlerith, the King's most powerful general, was guest of the Ladies of the Wood, the Witches of Crookback Bog, whom herself, Dominik and Geralt had all encountered before. Seeing it as an opportunity to take out both Imlerith, and all three Crones, Ciri woke both Dominik and Geralt in the early hours of the morning, and they left Kaer Morhen for Velen, and Bald Mountain, where they'd face down Imlerith and the beastly sisters….**

"Touch him like that one more time and I'm going to break your fucking leg you dumb hag," Ciri screamed back at the young woman who had closed the door, and Dominik had to grab her shoulders and pull her back before she lunged.

He scoffed down at her as she whirled back around, "Thanks for defending my honor princess, really means a lot."

She rolled her eyes at him, "She started fucking looking at you like that the minute we walked into the tent, I swear if I see her so much as look at you again I'm going to-."

"Okay, okay calm down," Geralt said from in front of them as he heard the door lock behind them, their adopted father turned and looked at them both, "We gotta focus, count yourselves lucky you didn't have to dive into the cave for the coin, smelled worse than it does in here."

Ciri scoffed over at him as they all walked deeper into the cave, "Stop whining, you're a witcher, I'm sure you've dove into murkier waters."

Geralt laughed and shook his head, "Right about that, wait till I tell you about the time I hunted a Zeugl, Dom didn't you say you and Faram got one before too?"

He shuddered remembering the river of sewage, "Yeah… had to bathe three times a day for a week straight to get the smell out."

"Well aren't you two just full of stories," Ciri said, her tone still slightly agitated as she rolled her eyes, but Dominik found himself smiling at the cute, pouted look on her face.

After giving the coin back to the old blind woman, it was as if everyone at the festival had heard the three of them were going to 'see the Ladies', so when he, Geralt and Ciri had all exited the tent, they were all kneeling, as if they were worshipping the ground they walked on, which made his skin slightly crawl. The young woman who had been tending to the blind old one had escorted them to the gate to enter beneath the mountain, Dominik had noticed her looking at him from the moment they walked into the tent, but tried to ignore it, Ciri however, apparently couldn't. The young woman wished him luck and said that after his visit with the Ladies he should take her into the wider world with him. He was going to shake it off, and it looked for a second Ciri was as well, that was until the young woman had touched his arm, and Geralt had to grab Ciri before she could cut the woman in half. He quickly ushered his love into the dank cave they were in now, where she was currently still agitated, but Dominik felt his love for her rise despite the outburst anyway.

The three of them walked in silence for a bit next to one another, and with every step Dominik felt his fingers twitch, he didn't know if he was eager to pull out his sword, or if it was nervousness pooling up inside him. He wasn't nervous that they wouldn't succeed, whether he was able to fight effectively enough or not, between Geralt and Ciri, Imlerith and the Crones would all be dead by the morning this he knew. However, whether or not he was going to be a liability he still didn't know. He tried as he walked not to favor his left leg, but he still found himself subconsciously doing it. ON the outside he tried not to show, but his frustration was mounting, his right leg kept throbbing, and he could feel the scar, the place where Eredin's blade entered him tingling. He had trained so much, for hours on end every day in the last month, all so he could find Ciri, and then fight by her side afterwards, and be able to finally, properly keep her safe.

If the Dominik who first took the contract in Claywitch over a month ago, fought the Dominik he was now, the Dominik from Claywitch wouldn't stand a chance. And then, when the time finally came to keep Ciri safe, to fight Eredin, he had been beaten, and beaten horribly. Now, here he was, finally on a hunt with Geralt and Ciri, the very thing he had wanted for so, so long, he felt as if he was back to where he began. He felt himself wince as they walked through the cave, he lagged behind Ciri and Geralt both. Ciri shot her gaze back to him, he saw the concern build up in her eyes, but he quickly forced himself to pick up the pace. He came up next to her, and smiled down at her, but Ciri knew him too well, she narrowed her eyes at him, just before they came to a small drop off.

The smell of the cave got worse, as he felt himself begin to sweat. Heat was coming up from below, thick vines were along the earthen walls along with dozens of kinds of herbs and fungi. He dropped down behind Ciri and Geralt who was in front of him, and as soon as his boots hit the ground, he felt a shot of pain run up his leg, he sucked in another breath, and tried to stop himself from wincing, but it left his mouth, and that was when Ciri and Geralt both finally turned back to him.

"Dom… are you sure you're okay?" Geralt asked him, as Dominik looked up to see both his adopted father and Ciri looking at him.

He couldn't go down now, not while they were counting on him. If he slipped up, couldn't fight like he normally did, then it could mean one of them could get hurt, and he wouldn't let that happen. Shakily he stood, he caught his breath and waited for the pain in his leg to subside, closing his eyes he curled his hands into fists to stop the twitching before he opened his eyes again and smiled at them both.

"I'm alright, just a tingle," He lied, and right away he could see they didn't believe him, in front of him were the two people who knew him better than anyone, he scoffed and shook his head at them both, "It doesn't matter anyway, we can't turn back now and-."

"Mhm… three… three have been deemed worthy," A deep voice cut them all off, and instinctively all of their hands shot up to the hilts of their swords as they whirled around.

Dominik finally got a good look at the room they were in. A small shrine, similar to the ones he had seen around all of Velen stood at the base of the cave wall, dozens of small candles illuminated the room. To his left, he could see two paths, both had ledges leading up, but he could see that one led in a spiral downwards towards what he assumed was the heart of the tree, while the other went upwards, towards what he knew had to be the summit. They were close, right on the cusp of getting to both Imlerith and the Crones, however, the creature that had spoken, seemed to be some kind of demon, or sylvan. It was sitting perched in a small cutout above the statue, lazily leaning against the cave wall, eyeing the three of them. He shared a quick look with Geralt and Ciri both, and just like he, he was sure they remembered a gatekeeper being mentioned by the old woman, so carefully they all let their hands leave their blades, but Dominik's hand continued to twitch as they all walked towards the creature, Geralt, Ciri and he all in a line, ready to go fight a monster, it was something only a month ago he never would have dreamed could happen.

Carefully he looked up at the fat creature, its body was blood red, but it may have seemed fat and lazy, however, Dominik knew the massive creature was much more dangerous than it appeared. His medallion hummed steadily behind the swallow, and he knew the power that some sylvans and demons held, he had fought a few himself, they were intelligent, and packed an extremely dangerous punch, so as he stood next to Ciri, he kept his hand at the ready to reach up for _Fate _on his back. Having it, and his steel blade, that blade that had been with him through everything, every fight, every hardship, having the both of them on his back again, along with being in his full armor, even with the stinging in his cheek and throbbing in his leg, being dressed like that again made him feel like his old self. It was a bonus as well he had Ciri and Geralt both back by his side.

"Mhm… boy, what is your name," The fat creature said, turning his gaze to him.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "None of your business."

The demon seemed to roll his eyes and sigh lazily, before he looked over to Ciri, "Ugh… and you girl?"

Ciri narrowed her eyes, "Same as him, none of your business."

"Mhm… your names do not matter. Atop the peak you'll lose it and get another, you two may go…" The creature said, before its gaze turned over to Geralt standing next to them both, "And you… white one?"

Dominik felt his skin crawl, Ciri and he both turned their gazes over to Geralt, who slowly reached down into his pocket and produced the oren with Falka's visage on one side. The air in the cave was dank, he could hear the small drops of water from the stalagmites above, and as Geralt showed it out to the gatekeeper, Dominik found himself examining the possible battlefield more. The light from the moon streamed in one entrance that exposed the outside, but other then that the only light came from the candles below the shrine, and the glow from the demons red body. The air got thicker, and he felt his hands twitch more as Geralt held out the oren.

"I passed the trial. Here's proof," His adopted father said, and right away when Dominik saw the gatekeeper's eyes he felt his stomach drop as Geralt went on, "Recognize it?"

His hand slowly shot to the hilt of fate, and he saw Ciri doing the same as they all backed up, because as the gatekeeper saw the coin, he rumbled up to his feet.

"The defier's oren… a death sentence," The gatekeeper roared, getting up to his feet, and as he did, Dominik felt the cave itself tremble.

Ciri growled next to him as her sword slung from her back, "I'm going to kill that old woman…"

Dominik did the same, he slid _Fate _from his back so fast that he almost dropped the silver to the ground. He twirled it to a reversed grip and shifted his stance just as Ciri did next to him, but as soon as his right leg shifted he winced again, but this time Geralt and Ciri didn't have time to be worried, because the creature leapt high from his perch into the air, fire spewed from the spot he leapt from, and as soon as it was in the air Geralt yelled.

"OUTTA THE WAY!" Geralt yelled, and Dominik as well knew exactly what the creature was doing.

He saw a flash of blue light as Ciri teleported out of the way, and he quickly rolled away himself, just as the gatekeeper came back down with a roar, and a loud ***BOOM* **ripped as the ground shook. Fire shot from underneath the creature just as Dominik got back up to his feet. The first on the creature was Ciri, who teleported forward and cut her blade across the monsters stomach, it roared again and launched its fists towards her, but Ciri was too quick, she pirouetted around the strike and cut at the monsters hand, making it wail again, before it shot a blast of fire forward with its other hand. He saw her eyes widen as she teleported and stumbled away, and Dominik finally felt his legs move again. For a few seconds he felt no pain, as Geralt and he both lunged at the same time.

Geralt blasted his hand forward and an Aard sign blasted, knocking the monster off balance before his adopted father skillfully cut across its meaty stomach again, and just as he did, knowin that Dominik himself was coming, Geralt moved, and gave him the space to slide on his knees and slash his reversed grip sword across the beast leg. He whirled back up just as Ciri teleported forward and cut the beast again, and for a few moments the three of them all circled the gatekeeper. One of them would go in for a strike while the other defended, but soon the demon was smashing its giant fists into the ground, and fire erupted outwards. Geralt and Ciri both leaped back, but Dominik shot his hand into the ground, and a Quen shield shot around him. The fire exploded off his shield and it discharged with great power, it smashed into the gatekeeper, and Dominik saw an opportunity, and opportunity he had seen a hundred times before on the Path, a monster stumbling, and all he had to do was lunge forwards.

So he did, he ran and leapt, switching his silver to a forehanded grip he slashed down on the beast's arm. _Fate _cleaved clean through the demon's arm, and it roared. Dominik knew that creatures like this could take much more, so he didn't relent. He saw it swing its massive other arm forward, and Dominik went to do what he always did. It was supposed be a simple side-step into a pirouette. He was going to pirouette around, cut up just above the creature's elbow and cleave it clean off. It would have been good as dead, Geralt or Ciri would have come in for the kill seconds afterwards. His brain knew exactly what he wanted to do, but as soon as he went to perform the spin, his body had other plans.

"GAHHH!" He screamed out, when as soon as he spun on his right leg, it erupted like Eredin's sword was plunged into it again, he had time to look up and see the demons fist slam into his stomach as he felt all the wind knocked out of him, "OOOFFFFHHH FUCK!"

He slammed against the shrine to the Crones, he heard Geralt yell his name, but when he looked up he saw the gatekeeper charging forwards at him again. Dominik went to raise up his hands for a sign, blast the beast back with Aard or try to shoot up a Quen shield, but another sign hit the monster before he could. Geralt's Aard blast ripped into the creature as his father came through swiftly with a spin and cut open the monster's gut, it dripped blood and guts to the ground, but still roared and whirled around, looking like it was going to blast a ball of fire at him on the ground. He went to raise the Quen shield again, but before he could even get his hands up, and before the gatekeeper could move again, a shot off magic blurred past him, and Dominik saw the monster practically erupt in the spot as its guts spilled to the ground.

A long-relieved breath left him as his head fell against the cave wall, he looked up at Ciri with her sword leveled wide eyed, as his loves eyes finally returned back to their normal emerald color. After the gatekeeper fell dead she slung her sword back into its sheath, before she whirled back around to him, rushing to his side and leaning down.

"Are you alright!? He got you pretty good," She said, and he groaned as Geralt rushed over to his other side, and they both helped him back up to his feet.

After he got up, he felt himself wobble, his leg continued to throb in the moment but soon subsided, and he let out a shaky breath as he looked at them both.

"Yeah… yeah I'm alright, tough son of a bitch," He spat out as he looked at the monsters bleeding corpse before he turned and saw Geralt hand him back his sword.

Dominik gripped his hand around _Fate _and sighed as he slung it onto his back. Biting his lip he moved and bent his leg while he stood, trying to make the throbbing stay away. The pirouette he wanted to perform, he had done a hundred times, and it had just almost gotten him killed. The last time he hadn't been able to perform that move was when he was twelve years old, before he had even learned it. He gritted his teeth and brought his foot back to the ground, looking over to see Geralt and Ciri both looking at him with concern, but he quickly shook his head. He wasn't going to let them down, and he needed to focus or else he could get one of them seriously injured.

"Dom… maybe you really should sit this one out, wait here while Ciri and I-," Geralt started, but quickly Dominik cut him off with a shake of his head.

"Not happening, I'm alright Geralt I swear," He said as he looked to meet his father's eyes, fiercely he shook his head again, "Besides, the gate was closed behind us, no going back now."

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Stop being stubborn, Dom, you can pirouette in your sleep, and that almost got you killed just now."

"I slipped it happens to all of us!" He quickly lied, crossing his arms, and as he assumed Geralt didn't believe him.

"You didn't slip, your leg buckled," He said with another shake of his head, "Not about to let anything happen to you myself, and Yen will kill me if that happens."

Dominik rolled his eyes, "I'll tell Yen exactly what I'm telling you now, I'm fine, I swear, I'll be alright. If I keep moving it, it'll get better, I can do this Geralt please!"

He saw the pondering look come to Geralt's eyes, and Dominik didn't let his eyes leave his father as he stood there with his leg still throbbing. It had subsided, but he could still feel it faintly vibrating. Over and over for the previous two weeks since it happened, now and then he would feel the spot where Eredin's sword entered his leg throb violently. He didn't know if it was himself thinking back to the battle, and letting it affect him in real life, if there was something really wrong with his leg still, or if it was a combination of both. However, he knew one thing, and that was the last fight he was in, he had been beaten, beaten bad, and it almost resulted in not just his own, but Ciri's death as well. And he couldn't let that happen again, all of the training for the last month, all the training since he had been eleven years old, was all for this, all to help finish off the Hunt, give Ciri that freedom.

However, there he was hobbling through what should have been a simple fight. He bit down hard on his lip and shakily sighed as he stood up straight, fully on both legs, and for a moment he felt the pain shoot through him again, but quickly he used all of his willpower to force it away. The cave air was still thick, and he felt his breathing steady just as Geralt met his eyes again and sighed.

"Dom, I don't know if-," Geralt started, but he was cut off again, when Ciri stepped next to him, and shook her head.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't fall," She said, before turning and smiling reassuringly at him, "The two of us together will be alright, if he says he's okay, then I believe him."

Dominik laughed lightly and met her eyes, feeling his heart well up, "Thanks princess…"

She smiled and nodded at him, that cute scar on her bottom lip became up turned and Dominik felt his chest flutter again. Back out near the bridge where Geralt had jumped, on the mountain when she had kissed him, told him about what Emhyr wanted to do, despite how angry the revelation had made him, her words had calmed him as they always did. Geralt had been right, he had wondered what his father wasn't telling him about the emperor, Geralt had only told him it would make him want to kill the emperor then and there, more than likely getting himself killed in the process. Dominik knew Geralt was right, if he had learned that on his first visit to Vizima or the second one, Emperor Emhyr would have been killed, blasted out the window of his study, which Dominik of course wouldn't mind. However, it also more than likely would have resulted in him being captured and killed by the thousands of soldiers he had in the city and denied him the opportunity to get to Ciri. So, he was grateful Geralt didn't tell him, however, now that he knew, and he had Ciri back, if he ever saw the emperor again, Emhyr wouldn't survive the encounter.

However, he pushed all thoughts of Emhyr to the back of his head, he was there now to deal with the Hunt, and the Crones. He met Ciri's reassuring gaze, before they both turned back to Geralt. The dim firelight hit off their adopted father's withered face, before he crossed his arms and finally sighed.

"Fine… just make sure you watch each other's backs, and be careful," Geralt stressed, and Dominik let out a breath of relief as he nodded with a smile at Ciri one more time.

She smiled back at him, before turning to Geralt again, "Brilliant, now Dominik and I will tend to Imlerith, you take the Crones. Avallac'h said that they dwell below the oak, among its roots."

Geralt scoffed right away and narrowed his eyes, "No chance that's happening, especially with Dom's leg the way it is. I'm going after Imlerith."

Ciri scoffed in an extremely similar way to Geralt, "Oh come on, he's fine, we would have killed Caranthir if he hadn't retreated. Imlerith would be no problem, tell him Dom."

Dominik's eyes widened as they both stared at him. He quite frankly didn't care who he went to face, he'd go with Ciri to face either Imlerith or the Crones, wherever she went, he would go. He would admit he'd like the chance to kill Imlerith, he could remember how horrible of a shape George was in after his friend dueled the general, and if not for timely intervention from Borch, the general also would have killed his Uncle Vesemir. However, he had also promised the Crones that Ciri and he would be back to kill them, so a part of him wanted to keep that promise. No matter where he went, he knew they would succeed however, no matter who went where, the Crones and Imlerith would be dead within the next few hours. As long as he pushed through the pain, and fought like he could, everything would turn out alright, this he knew.

However, as Ciri and Geralt both stood there staring at him in that moment, he had absolutely no intention on choosing between them, he knew how bad that would turn out.

He scoffed and shook his head, with an amused smile, "No way I'm choosing, you can settle this yourselves."

Both of them rolled their eyes at him, and Dominik couldn't help but laugh, realizing that from the outside looking in, it wouldn't be impossible to believe Ciri and he were quite literally Geralt's children between their looks and mannerisms. He found himself smiling again as he readjusted his swords. Quickly, he looked down at the crossbow hanging from his waist, he also had a series of grapeshot and dancing star bombs, and of course the silver dagger he couldn't bring himself to part with. After a week of not having them or his armor, he had been sure to take perfect care of them on the road to Velen. His swords were sharpened, he had been sure to polish his armor, and now with the bombs at his belt, swords on his back, and now the crossbow even, he had his normal full arsenal.

As he heard Geralt and Ciri discuss the matter more, he found himself looking down at his gloved hands. Other then of course his leg, his powers, the magic he had passed down to him from Alexander, Connor and Lara, that potent energy, it hadn't activated since the battle. On the road, like Alexander had suggested, he had been working with Ciri to try and activate it. However, Ciri just like him, wasn't in complete control of her own powers yet, and together they had been trying as best they could. He only managed to get his eyes to slightly flash, and he had yet to see the magic begin to swirl around his limbs again, nothing like he had seen in the visions of Alexander, Lara or Connor, or like he had managed to do when they fought the Hunt at Kaer Morhen. Powers or no powers they would be able to defeat the Crones, this he knew, but it was beginning to worry him that they weren't coming out. He actually knew where they had come from now, he didn't know why he expected it to be easier to activate them, but whenever he had tried, he would drain quickly, much quicker then he had been.

He curled his hands into fists again and sighed, before checking the small bag of crossbow bolts Elise had gifted him before she left Kaer Morhen, along with making sure the bombs were ready as well. For the last two weeks he had been anticipating his first fight after the battle, and now that it was finally here, he found himself being even more meticulous then he had been before. The water continued to drip from the ceiling of the cave, and he readjusted both the blades on his back one last time, before he heard Ciri sigh loudly, which turned his vision back to Geralt and she both.

"Fine, let's play for it- rock, paper, scissors," Ciri compromised, holding out her hand, and Dominik chuckled with amusement as Geralt rolled his eyes before holding out his hands as well.

Rock paper scissors had been their family's way of decided just about everything during that year they spent in Ellander, so Dominik couldn't help but smile seeing that some things truly hadn't changed. In the first round Ciri threw out scissors while Geralt threw rock to beat her, and Dominik almost got a nosebleed as he watched the cute pouting look come back to her face at losing the round. She quickly narrowed her eyes at their father and won the second round by throwing rock while Geralt through scissor, before she smirked again. Dominik watched amusingly with his arms crossed, as in the third round Geralt won by throwing paper when Ciri through rock, and Dominik felt himself lightly laugh as she stomped her foot and got that same adorable face she always did when she lost.

"Haha, looks like fate has decided our path princess," He said to her, to which she proceeded to glare at him, before turning back to Geralt with nodded eyes.

She shook her head, "Best two rounds out of three, that's how it always goes!"

Geralt smirked for a moment, before he quickly shook his head as his yellow eyes narrowed.

"Not a chance, I'll climb the mountain, you two go face the Crones," Their adopted father said with certainty as he crossed his arms and looked between them both.

Ciri scoffed and crossed her arms, "Hardly a challenge for us…"

Dominik smiled and came up next to her, "Got that right, they don't stand a chance against us."

Geralt sighed and looked between them again, "They're still extremely dangerous, be careful the both of you. Don't get overconfident, and most of all… watch each other's backs, just like you always have."

Ciri sighed and lifted her head back up, she looked over at Dominik himself first, a small smile came to her face, before she turned her gaze over to Geralt again.

"We will… you be careful too," She said, and Dominik quickly nodded in agreement.

"Yeah she's right Geralt… be careful," He said to his adopted father, before the older witcher smiled down at them both.

Geralt slowly nodded, "I will no worries, meet back up at the peak once we're all finished."

Ciri and he nodded in understanding, before she turned over and Dominik saw the smile come to her face again. She smirked and gestured for him to follow.

"Alright, let's get moving," She said to him, and Dominik could actually detect the almost excited tone to her voice despite the situation.

Scoffing with a smile he nodded, "Let's…. We got some fucking Crones to finally kill."

He followed her and walked to the one entryway he had seen before. As the got to the small cliff, they both looked back at Geralt. Their adopted father slowly nodded at them both with a reassuring smile, gesturing for them to get going. He felt the pride well up in his chest, as he turned and saw Ciri still smirking up at him. He quickly nodded to her and gestured upwards, he cupped his hand and knelt, and Ciri right away knew what it meant. She stepped up with one boot in his cupped hands, and with all the strength he could muster, boosted her up the ledge. With grace and fluidity Ciri leapt, and hoisted herself upwards, before reaching down her own hand. Dominik sucked in a quick breath, before leaping up as high as he could. He winced from the pain in his leg, but Ciri caught his hand still, and with a bit of a strain she helped yank him upwards before he caught onto the ledge and hoisted himself up with her as well, and before he knew it, he was standing across from her, and she smirked up at him.

"Are you sure you're alright? And don't you dare try lying to me, you're a terrible liar," She said, as they both took one last look at Geralt, who had gone to climb another ledge upwards, before they turned and started down the cave.

Sighing he looked and saw her glaring at him with concern. He knew she was just looking after him, and he truly wouldn't be able to lie to her, but still as he shook his head, he felt the anxiousness eat up at him.

"Ciri it's crazy… it's still sore, at times it's fine, but it'll flare up at the worst times," He said with a shake of his head as they descended downwards in a spiral, "Not gonna lie… I'm a little worried, if I mess up, it could get you killed."

Ciri sighed lightly and looked at him, he met her and saw the fluorescent light glow off her face. The only thing lighting their way now was the illuminating glow that came from the fungi on the walls of the cave. They casted a green light over her, and it matched her eyes, the beautiful glow washed over her, and Dominik saw her look of concern, quickly turn to one of confidence as she gently shook her head.

"Don't worry, we'll be alright, Crones don't stand a chance," She said, with confidence oozing from her words as it normally did before she looked deeper into his eyes, "I wouldn't want anyone else by my side now Dominik, I promise."

He felt himself lightly laugh, as the sound of rushing water started to hit his ears. Like he had expected, after they had climbed up the small cliff, the cave had led in a spiral downwards, closer to what he assumed was the heart of the tree. Under different circumstances he would have found the cave beautiful, with its glowing fungi and dynamic rock patterns, and of course the best part was having Ciri by his side. Hearing her words, and seeing her smile confidently at her as they walked, made him think to all the places they would go after this was all over, all of the new places they'd explore, the beautiful places, the places they'd only heard of in stories. He didn't know if they'd grow much older, what with the magic, the power in both of them, perhaps they would end up like Alexander, Connor and Lara, living to an old age while not looking any different thanks to their magic. In the amount of time they had, they could see every single part of the continent they wished, save people, help them, make it a safer place for the common folk, the one the higher ups and rulers never seemed to have time for.

They would fight for the people who couldn't fight for themselves, for the people who didn't know how to half-turn or pirouette, for the people who hadn't learn the differences between a ghoul and an alghoul, and how to properly dispel a wraith or evil spirit, or the people who didn't know not to disturb a leshen's totem. Ciri and he would fight for the defenseless, for what was right, protect people from the monsters they only heard about when they were children, the ones that haunted their nightmares and didn't think where real. They'd do it because they were witchers, and that was what witchers did, and more importantly, they'd do it together, just like they had always planned. It was always going to be Ciri, from the very beginning, before he even knew she was his destiny, and his truest love. Ever since he saw her on that balcony all those years ago, just like Alexander told him it had been with Cregan of Lod and Lara Dorren, it was meant to be from the moment they had met.

And whether Ciri had really become Queen of Cintra, and he her guard captain or husband, or if it had been the path they were on now, the witchers path, it would always have been her. He would have preferred for them not to have spent the eight years apart, gone through everything they had gone through. However, it was a sign that destiny shone through because they had made it back to each other, were with each other then. And now, to get that freedom, to live that life they were destined to live, first they had to make it through one last great journey, and this time they'd do it together. The Hunt wouldn't have Ciri, they wouldn't let them, the Crones wouldn't kill her, they wouldn't let them. They were destined to do great things… and they were destined to do them together, and it all started that night, the Crones would be first.

The creatures would pay, pay for the children, the Baron's wife, for threatening to kill Ciri and give her to Imlerith… and they'd be the first monsters they took down together.

"Thanks princess…" He said as he smiled back at her, and as he did, the rushing of water got faster in his ears, smirking wildly he let out a small laugh as he kept her gaze, "You know… I just realized something."

"Ha, what's that," She said amusingly as they came to a large drop, near a roaring waterfall.

He turned and smirked at her, "This… is in a way, our first contract together, I think the Crones count as monsters, don't you?"

She laughed lightly with the illuminating green glow casting over her as she smirked back, "I think they do yes… so you're right it is…. The first of many."

"The first of many…" He said fondly, as they both lightly laughed, before turning to the large drop off.

The loud rushing of water they heard was from a giant waterfall that had been spewing out from another part of the cave. He had no idea how it ran through the mountain; however, he could see it lead to a huge drop, down into a pond of deep water down below. All around them he couldn't see any other path leading anywhere, so there was only one way they could go, and that was down.

"Oh hell…. Looks like we must jump," Ciri said as she knelt to look down at the drop, before coming back up and looking over to him with a smirk as she went on in an amused tone, "Water should be deep enough, so what do you say? Ready to complete our first contract?"

Scoffing he nodded at her, "You kidding? I've been ready for years. I'll be sure to show you the ropes, give you some pointers, I have been at this a while you know."

She playfully rolled her eyes as she scoffed, "And I'll be sure to lap up your knowledge with bated breath oh wise and powerful witcher…. Honestly, I still can't believe you did it at sixteen… that's amazing."

He felt his heart flutter, and his face get red at the praise, and all he could do was smile at her. People had told him that, all his friends, Geralt, Yen, Vesemir, all of them had said how amazing it was he went on the Path at sixteen, no mutations, his powers were miniscule. And Dominik wouldn't deny he had a small bit of pride that always ran through him when it was mentioned, however, what they didn't know was how grueling those early years were. He would ride from town to town, beg them for any kind of work, sometimes it was killing monsters, sometimes it was a few days of manual labor, anything to get enough coin to keep moving on. So many times he had thought about giving it all up, he thought about going to stay and travel with Dandelion, swallowing his pride and going back to Kaer Morhen, after spending time with Freya in Ellander, he had been closer than ever to staying there, giving up on the Path, and living that life with her. However, Ciri, she had been the one thing to keep him going.

That was why he went on the Path, not for the glory, not to set a record as the youngest witcher to walk the path, and while he did enjoy those moments, he hadn't even done it because he wanted to help people. It had all been for her, for Ciri, to find leads, trails, anything. He had learned, that if he perhaps had simply slept without the swallow keeping nightmares away, perhaps he would have seen a dream of her to help lead him to her. The moment the no nightmare enchantment wore off on the swallow, his dreams of her started coming back, dreams of her older, more mature, not just her younger self that he knew. Or he also knew for a fact, if he had swallowed his pride and anger and gone back to Kaer Morhen, he would have found her with Geralt. He hadn't however, but it didn't matter because he did find her in the end. However, those years, those years of panging, loneliness, regret, pure agony at times, had all been for her, for that moment then.

He smiled fondly at her, gently grabbing her gloved hand and meeting her eyes, "It was all to get to you… for this moment right here… all of it."

Despite only seeing her face from the illuminated fungi, he saw her get slightly red before she laughed and smirked at him.

"You know, you're being incredibly sweet today," She complimented him with a small hint of amusement.

He scoffed and deigned offense, "Hey, I am sweet to you every day!"

She laughed again and shook her head, smiling back at him, "I know… but today especially… you've been very sweet. Thank you… you giant suck up."

"Ha, what can I say, you make it so god damn easy to compliment you when you look like you do," He said with a small wink, and right away she scoffed incredulously.

She laughed and shook her head, "Now THAT one was horrible! Haha… lucky for you I still like those ones, I could kiss you for that."

"You're more than welcome too, you know that," He said with a shrug and smirk at her.

"Maybe later… we got some business to take care of first," She said, her smile growing into a wicked grin as she gripped his hand and looked down the hole, "You ready?"

Feeling his heart ready to burst from his chest, he met her eyes one more time, and seeing the wicked grin she had, it somehow made him excited for what was to come. He forgot about the pain in his leg, the stinging of his scarred cheek, and anything else to come afterwards… all that mattered was the two of them were there together, on a contract.

The first of many, just like Ciri said.

He quickly adjusted his swords and squeezed her hand, before slowly nodding.

"You bet I am, come on, let's go kill these fuckers," He said, before Ciri smile grew even more, and they both leapt down into the water.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ugh… I hate it when my armors soaked before a fight, and for fucks sake it smells horrible down here," He complained quietly, as he followed Ciri quietly as they moved around the giant roots.

She turned back and rolled her eyes at him, "Oh will you stop whining? And be quiet or we won't be able to get the drop on them! You're supposed to be the experienced one!"

He rolled his eyes right back at her, as the rumbling of the tree's got louder, "You don't even wear armor you don't know what it's like."

"You're such a baby…" She muttered to him, as he felt splashes under his boots, however, this time it wasn't water anymore.

It was blood, the stones below him were stained and soaked with fresh and dried blood, the sick, twisted roots of the trees curled in all directions. Dominik had been in some sickening places, seen horrible things, however, nothing ever chilled his bones like the heart of that mountain they were in then. After landing in the water, Ciri and he climbed out and continued spiraling down for a few more minutes, that was before they got to what he could only describe as the Crones home, where they took all the 'gifts' that the people sacrificed to them, judging by the small bones he saw littering the ground along with the blood. The roots and stones twisted into a much larger room, and Dominik had just gotten up next to Ciri who was leaning her hand up against one of the gnarled roots and met her eyes, when the voice hit their ears, and at the same time both their eyes widened and turned to the room ahead of them.

"Mhmm… how was he?" The deep voice asked, and Ciri and he both crouched next to one another and slowly peered their heads into the room.

Dominik quietly groaned in disgust, while Ciri's face contorted into anger next to him, just as the higher pitched voice answered.

"He lived a life of love! And knew no bitterness," The second crone said, and Dominik saw as the woman gently huddled and caressed a man's severed head in her arms.

He slowly shook his head in disgust next to Ciri, "Well… they certainly didn't look like that the last time I saw them…"

She lightly scoffed next to him, "You can say that again…"

The three Crones weren't the monstrous beasts that they had appeared as the last time Dominik saw them. They were three women, all naked, with blood smeared down there bodies, and the very sight almost made him gag. If all the blood was removed they would seem like normal women, the same ones he saw in the tapestry that spoke to him. It had felt like years ago that moment, however in reality it had only been about a month, and he realized this had to have been the form the Crones showed themselves to the people in when they did. As he did before every fight, he quickly surveyed what he knew would be the battleground for Ciri and he. The room was large, the ground soaked with blood, the gnarled roots, rocks, and other twisted structures jutted around, plenty of space for them both to move. The three Crones stood at a large cauldron, and Dominik felt his hands ball into fists when he noticed the bones, the feet, hands, arms legs, body parts from children, men, women, all were strewn about the base of the cauldron, and he knew they had to be bubbling inside it as well.

The Crone in the middle stirring the pot with a large spoon, gently pulled it from the blood mixture inside the cauldron, before holding it out over the gnarled roots. He felt his stomach begin to turn again and almost lost everything he ate, when the roots gently came up and seemed to caress the woman's naked body, as the other two Crones eagerly gathered around. He was kneeling on one knee next to Ciri, a short jump down and the three crones would surely hear them, so as she gripped onto one of the roots, it seemed like normal they could read each other's minds, because they both whirled their heads around to look at one another at the same time. Dominik let out a slow breath and gestured his head over towards the clearing of blood and roots.

"Big enough we'll have plenty of space," He whispered to her, before quickly gesturing his head down towards the ground, "I know you can teleport, but be careful you don't slip on the blood, believe it or not a slippery ground has almost gotten me killed a few times over the years."

She sharply nodded, as the firelight from the massive bubbling cauldron, and the light that was streaming in from above illuminated her face. Dominik could feel a small distant breeze coming in from above, and he looked up to see bits of light from the moon also coming down, so their battle would be properly lit. He saw the roots of the tree gently caressing the Crones bodies again, and he shuddered as he quickly looked back to Ciri who gestured down towards his leg.

"Got it, and jokes aside make sure you be careful. Don't try to act tough, if you're in trouble, call for me and I'll teleport to you, understand?" She whispered to him sharply, and Dominik could see the intensity in her eyes.

He managed a small smile as he nodded, giving her a mock salute, "Yes ma'am whatever you command."

She rolled her eyes at him again, "I'm being serious you ass, be careful, and call for me if you need me."

He could see the worry behind her confident eyes and deciding he didn't want to worry her even more he slowly nodded. In the back of his leg he could still feel the throbbing, but it had died down substantially from their fight with the gatekeeper, it was in the best position it would be for some time. He adjusted his swords as he crouched there and met her eyes reassuringly.

"I will I promise, don't worry," He said reassuringly, before looking back down at the scene where the Crones were standing around the cauldron, "After we jump down, they'll probably transform, I remember two smaller ones and a big one."

Her look of confidence quickly returned after she nodded. She looked out into the pool of blood again at the three beasts, who still hadn't noticed them yet. It was hot, muggy, the air was thick, and Dominik even had trouble breathing from how disgusting it smelled. All he smelled was blood, rotting flesh, and hear the bubbling and grumbling of the creatures. He looked down at his belt, dancing star bombs wouldn't be effective, the silver however from the grapeshot certainly would, and he knew that if it came to it, a crossbow bolt to the eye, no matter what the creature was would be effective. His blood continued to race, and he felt his skin crawl as the tree's roots caressed the naked bodies of the Crones, as Ciri slowly turned her head back to him.

"Alright, you keep the big one's attention as best you can, this way you don't have to move as much," She said quietly as she adjusted her sword as well, keeping his gaze, she slowly pointed to herself, "I'll try and draw the other two away from you, remember call for me if you need help…. Are you ready?"

Slowly he looked out towards the Crones again, the bubbling of their cauldron was so loud it hit his ears from their perch. He sucked in the thick air and let out as clear a breath as he could, he met Ciri's eyes and even managed to find himself smirking. For so long this had been the dream, the two of them hunting down dangerous creatures, making the continent safer, being witchers. If you had told him a month prior, that in the span of a few weeks, he'd not only have Geralt and Yennefer back, but Ciri as well, he wouldn't have believed you, thought it all wishful thinking. However, there he was now, ready to leap into what could be considered the first contract they were on together. He thought about the Baron's wife, the poor woman's muddled mind, the children that he had seen in the bog, and all he had to do was look down at all the corpses, the body parts, and see the Crones smug expression, and it was all he needed.

"Yeah… I'm ready," He said with a nod, before she smirked wildly back at him with a nod as well.

She sucked in a deep breath and leapt down, and as soon as she did Dominik followed suit. His boots hit the bloody ground right after Ciri's did, and the Crones had turned around almost instantly as they did. Dominik saw their bloody mouths and naked body as he cracked his knuckles and shrugged his shoulder, before Ciri looked at him with a quick nod, just as they both took a few more steps forwards. And as they did, Dominik saw all three of the Crones staring now, all of them had the same long flowing hair, curvy bodies smeared with blood as well as their mouths and teeth being stained. They looked exactly as they had in the tapestry that had spoken to Geralt and he in Velen, and as they looked at Ciri and he both, Dominik felt the anger surge back through him. His hands twitched with Ciri next to him as the air began to get thicker. He could see the bits of moonlight streaming in from above, and he felt it get even hotter, sweat trickled down his forehead, down the back of his neck, and the blood pool rippled under his feet, sinking his boots into the crimson liquid. Ciri next to him had a similarly furious look in her eyes, no doubt she had been remembering almost being killed, eaten and given to the Hunt.

And the Crones seemed to remember them as well. The smiles that came to their face as they looked between Ciri and he, it would be something in his nightmares for weeks, the sultry, hungry, murderous and monstrous look. After that, the mist came, as they all stepped next to one another, that same grey mist that had enveloped Crookback Bog when he and Geralt fought the Fiend with the Baron and his men came all around them, Ciri and he quickly took a step closer to one another as to not get lost. The smoke all congregated around the Crones, spiraling and encircling them. Dominik remembered back to the first time he saw the beasts, how disgusted he was, how angry he had gotten, and he felt that anger all begin to rise again. He and Ciri both, their gaze didn't leave the three beings in front of the cauldron, both their sets of emerald eyes sparkled in the light of that roaring fire, and the moonlight that streamed down from above. Through the cold, he felt a small chilly breeze run over his shoulders, just as the mist cleared and the Crones he knew appeared.

It was as he remembered, one with a large red hat, and eye patch and bugs running in and out of its wrinkly grey mouth, along with another that seemed to have a red cage on its head, a bag of severed limbs at her side, crows shot down from above to swirl around her, and then of course the largest one, with a basket where her eyes should be, folds of pink flesh oozing what he knew had to be acid or deadly poison held the spoon still. He felt his skin crawl for a moment, but all he had to do was pan his vision to his left, Ciri's murderous gaze grew harder, and he saw her shift her feet with her hands trembling still. Slowly he craned his head, and felt his eyes grow similar, the two of them together, the beasts didn't stand a chance.

"Ahhhh welcome! Child of the elder blood," The one on the left cackled in her high pitch tone.

The other on the right quickly laughed as well, "We knew you would return… the both of you."

"But your taste lingers on our tongue girl…" The fat one in the middle said, and that was when Dominik saw Ciri lose it.

She slung her sword off her back and angrily leveled it, spitting out every word with venom, "That's right, we're both here, and this is the end of the line for you!"

He felt his blood boil as well, and seeing Ciri do it, he quickly reached up to his back and gripped the handle of _Fate. _Slinging the silver out as well he twirled it before holding it out like Ciri was, as he could hear the words of the three beasts ringing in his ears. _'You'll return you shall, our fates are bound! One will die, but it shan't be one of us! Now you shall both chase shadows and wonder amidst fog. Each time you see her, she will be a mirage. And when you do find her… the girl shall die, hehehehe!' _He heard those words in his nightmares for days after his first trip to Crookback Bog, the prediction they made, it had been wrong. He did find her, she was alive, and now, they were back, and all three of them would die.

"You were all wrong," He yelled as well twirling his silver again, "Geralt and I found her, and now just like we promised, we're here to kill you all!"

"Ohoho, the child of the elder blood, and the protector," The one with the large red hat cackled, and Dominik felt his blood run cold.

The large one bellowed in the middle, "Aha, we have missed you so much as well handsome young man… even more powerful now, with one of your destinies realized!"

"One destiny yes, but another waits for you out there boy," The one from the left cackled again, "History repeats itself, a never ending and lasting cycle!"

He felt his eyes go wide for a moment, Ciri was his destiny, his only true destiny, he had no idea what the beasts were talking about, however, Ciri next to him quickly shot him a look. It clearly was urging him to focus, and he nodded at her, before turning to the beasts. Their forms sloshed through the blood below them. Dominik felt more sweat trickling down his neck as his grip on _Fate _tightened. The thick air was making it difficult for him to breathe, but he managed to suck in another breath, and he was about to shout something back to the Crones again, however the large one in the middle spoke up again, and when she did, he felt his skin crawl again.

"And we must not forget! One you once loved has returned," The large crone bellowed with amusement, and before Dominik could even react the other two spat out as well.

The one on the right cackled, "A single choice you make shall decide their fate!"

"The choice you make," The last one on the left happily bellowed, "The fate of your family, to preserve or raise!"

The prophecy, he almost felt his sword clatter to the ground, he had forgotten about it again. _'One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raise.'. _He had first heard the words all the way back in Crookback Bog before he slew the fiend with Geralt, and multiple times he had dreams of it, dreams of the Crones shouting the words into his mind, and he labored over them. It wasn't a confusing prophecy, the words were obvious, but the context of them, what they meant had been haunting him the entire time since he heard them, and he was furious with himself for forgetting them the previous few weeks, especially since he had Ciri back, with her by his side, is when he should have been thinking about the words even more, what choice it could possibly be.

Again the words were obvious to him, _'one you once loved has returned,', _it clearly meant Ciri, she was the only one it could apply too. She was the one he once loved, loved the entire time they were apart, and she had finally returned, it had been the second and third lines however, that had truly been haunting him. _'A single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family to preserve or raise.'. _It was clear what both lines meant, he was going to have to make a choice, a choice that would either mean Ciri died or lived, and that choice, it would either save or destroy the second family that he had worked so hard to reunite. He not only had the fate of Ciri, but apparently the fate of Geralt, Yennefer, all his friends in the palm of his hands, all from a choice he would make, and the very thought terrified him. Of course there was the possibility that the Crones were simply lying, messing with his head to try and make him lower his guard.

However, after the dreams had started coming, he knew it had to be true. The thought of losing Ciri was horrible enough, the idea it could be because of a choice he made, he didn't know if he would be able to live with himself if that was the case. Slowly he turned to look at her standing next to him, he could see the determined bits of sweat trickling down her neck, her eyeliner was smudged and running from the heat, but she still didn't look worried. She fiercely met his eyes and shook her head, before nodding quickly after, and just from that one simple motion, he felt the fire light up inside him again. The prophecy he would deal with later, in that moment they were together, and he couldn't let her down now, they had beasts to kill, monsters to kill, and they would do it together. He whirled his blade back around, and felt the blood inside him race at an alarming rate. Gritting his teeth he tried to focus, tried to bring out his powers, but they simply wouldn't come, he tried to make the magic shoot to his eyes, whirl around his limbs, but no matter what he did it wouldn't work.

Ciri next to him however, seemed to have no trouble at all, because he saw the light blue begin to swirl around her, the magic whirled around her limbs as both her hands went to leveling her sword.

"You've talked enough!" She yelled, and she looked like she was going to blink forward, but Dominik's eyes widened when he saw the Crones had been ready.

"CIRI BACK!" He yelled lunging over and tackling her to the ground into the puddle of blood.

The large crone in the middle had simply snapped her massive finger, and a giant pool of acid and fire ripped from the front of her. A loud ***BOOM* **ripped through the cavern as Ciri and he both whirled back up to their feet, just in time to turn and see the other two Crones disappear, one sunk down into the puddles of blood, while the other in the blink of an eye turned into a flock of crows. Ciri got back to back with him, and just as the largest one came towards him, spewing the acid from its stomach, he prayed that his blade would even survive coming into contact with it. A whoosh came from behind him, as the Crones that had disappeared beneath the blood shot up ready to cut him in half. However, just like Geralt had ordered, Ciri watched his back. She shoved him out of the way, and he hit the bloody ground before he turned and saw her teleport and blink forward while cutting her sword through the beast, and to his complete shock it only seemed to graze the Crone before it started lashing out with Ciri, as swarms of crows descended on her. He got back up to his knees and was about to rush forward to help her again when he heard the sloshing of blood behind him.

"Where do you think you're going handsome man!?" The deep voice of the largest crone bellowed behind him, and Dominik turned around just as its massive pink fist was coming down towards him.

His eyes widened and he rolled to the left, coming up and slicing his sword across its arm, more acid, poison, and flesh dripped from it, and the Crone seemed like it was hurt for a moment, but quickly shook it off.

"GAH! Get off," Ciri's yell rang in his ears.

He caught a glance of both of the smaller Crones on her, crows were coming in trying to stab at her, while she kept dodging the massive claws of the crone with the red cage on its head. Dominik almost completely forgot about the massive one in front of him and ran for her, but as normal, Ciri was able to take care of herself. She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, magic billowed around her and she teleported forward with her blade thrusting forward, a large hole appeared in the one crone that had been attacking and it wailed just as Ciri reappeared behind her. The Crone with the large hat that had turned into crows reappeared, and the two smaller Crones both quickly descended on her. Dominik was worried for a minute, and even saw one of them graze Ciri's shoulder, but Ciri was simply too fast. She spun around attacks, teleported from place to place, she raked her sword across them, slowly and slowly whittling them down.

However, he had been so caught up watching Ciri fight he forgot that he was in one himself. He felt the massive Crones arm slam into him, pain erupted in his back as he got sent tumbling forward face first onto the ground. It had caught him by surprise, he felt _Fate _clatter out of his hands and into the bloody mess, as he sloshed and whirled back around to see the Crone charging again.

"DOM!" Ciri yelled out as more screeches from the Crones rang in his ears.

His eyes widened, and he rolled out of the way just as the massive Crone leapt and smashed its fists into the blood. _Fate _was out of his reach, so seeing that Ciri's sword was effective on the other Crones, he whirled his faithful steel blade from its sheath, the same sword that had seen him through all the years to get to that point. He twirled it in his hands as he got up to his feet, cutting it across the back of the Crones legs as he got to his feet.

"I'M FINE!" He yelled back to Ciri, just as he reached down to his belt and found the grapeshot.

With a flick of his hand the fuse on the bomb was set alite. Just when the massive Crone turned around he chucked it forward, another loud ***BOOM* **hit his ears as the mass of silver erupted from the bomb. It blinded the Crone like he hoped, and he also saw its skin melting as the silver implanted itself into the flesh. With his boots sloshing in the blood he rushed forward, feeling his legs move with renewed force. He leapt and lashed out with his steel, and just as the Crone turned his sword raked across its stomach as it tried to strike. After the strike he spun and leapt, he shot his free hand forward and a shot of Igni erupted from his fingertips. It set fire to the Crone and it cried out, furiously trying to pat out the flames. Dominik's eyes widened as he saw the opportunity, he planned on delivering what he thought would be a decisive strike, but as soon as he landed from the spin, all the pressure went to his right leg and he felt it buckle.

"GAHHH SHIT!" He yelled, and just as he stumbled, the Crone whirled back around and slammed its fist into the ground, the massive hands hit into the ground and Dominik felt it rumble.

Fire and acid shot under the ground and zoomed towards him, his eyes widened as he couldn't see the attack and he only had time to throw up a Quen shield as it erupted at his feet. A loud ***BOOM* **smacked against his shield but feeling his leg buckle still he fell back, landing and feeling his sword fall just from his hand. Quickly he scooped it back into his hand and saw the massive Crone rush forward again, he was about to meet it head on, but then he heard Ciri yell out again.

"COME ON!" She screamed, and Dominik whirled just to see a burst of magic flash in front of him.

Ciri was teleporting at great speeds, one after another she dashed around the two Crones, cutting her sword through them. She wasn't unscathed, he saw small bleeding cuts from her shoulders, and a small one on her cheek, but soon her eyes went completely blue, the power radiated from her, and she whirled up to her feet, both hands leveled on her sword as she leveled it, and the magic shot off her at all angles. It whirled in wispy tangles around her limbs, and he saw her eyes widen, and she teleported forward with so much force, Dominik felt his sweaty, sticky hair blow back from it. She teleported forward in a flash and reappeared right behind the Crone with the red hat who had turned into birds. Dominik heard a bone rattling scream as the other one quickly ducked back down into the bloody depths below. The Crone Ciri teleported through fell to the ground unmoving with blood streaming from its stomach.

Ciri's eyes returned to normal and she looked over at him, he met her eyes for a second and managed to scoff in amazement. However, Ciri's eyes remained focused, but they soon widened, and she yelled for him.

"DOM BEHIND YOU-. GAH!" She yelled just as Dominik saw the Crone reappear from the blood and tackle her to the ground.

He whirled around himself and just barely had time to roll from the Crone's massive fists. As he came up he grabbed his sword from the ground and thrusted forward. It cut across the back of the Crone again, but just as he spun to get back around to the beast's front, again his leg shot up in pain. It erupted as if Eredin's sword plunged into it again, and he yelled out as his steel almost fell from his hand.

"ARGHH SON OF A BITCH-. GAHH!" He screamed, just as the massive Crone smashed its hand into his chest again and he got shot back.

"DOMINIK!" Ciri yelled, and Dominik heard her slosh in the blood for a second before the shriek of the Crone she had been fighting, and Ciri's yell herself hit his ears again as he knew she began fighting it again.

"You will try to outrun it, just like the white one did, but you will fail handsome one!" The Crone bellowed at him amusingly, as it sauntered towards him again, its massive legs sending up splashes of blood in its wake.

His eyes widened, the words registered in his head, but he pushed them away when he tried to rise. However, as soon as his leg moved it erupted and he winced out, and saw his sword only inches away from him, the Crone got closer, and behind her he saw Ciri teleporting behind the smaller one, and cutting through its back, before the Crone whirled around and struck for her shoulder. She got her sword up to block and spin, cutting across the Crone again but biting her lip at the no doubt tingling wound that was on her shoulder. His stomach flared up with pain, and just as the Crones voice hit his ears again.

"A shame, the girl will die now, because you will die here, and then she will be left all alone, never to truly realize her destiny, but you handsome man! Shall make for a lovely broth…" The massive beast bellowed in its deep voice.

Dominik felt the anger swell up in his gut, the Crone surely had to mean Ciri, but he looked over and saw Ciri just cutting through the last crone she was fighting. She ducked under a claw and jabbed her blade into its stomach. An ear-splitting screech pierced through the cave when as soon as her sword entered the Crones body, Ciri teleported forward, and blood erupted from the witch. It fell to the ground at Ciri's feet as she stumbled for a moment before looking over to Dominik, and that was when he heard the Crone charging again. He turned his head back around and blood splashed into his face. The massive witch's footsteps shook the ground below him, and just before it came to smash its hands down on him, with enough force to where it surely would have killed him, he felt the power surge up in him again.

He rolled to the right and picked up his sword, he came up on his knee and with both hands shoved his blade forward into the repugnant pink flesh.

"ARGHHH DAMMIT!" He yelled feeling his leg and body erupt again, before anger took over him, he felt his blood almost race from his body, he shoved his blade further into the Crone's flesh, until his steel blade was hilt deep into the massive Crone's stomach.

Ciri yelled his name from across the room, but Dominik for once ignored her, he pushed with everything he could, before his blade couldn't go any further and the Crone yelled. It wailed out in pain, and he twisted the sword in its giant folds of pink flesh. Sweat streamed down his neck like a waterfall, his breath quickened, and with as sickening squelch he tried to dislodge the blade from the Crones folds, however, no matter how hard he pulled his faithful blade was stuck. It was stuck in the flesh of the beast, and his eyes widened when he began to hear a hissing sound. The faint hiss hit his ears, and he looked down at his eyes widened even more in horror. The Crones blood, its blood, and acid seeped from the wound onto the steel, the steel he had carried for his entire journey, all the way back from when he received it after he got back to Kaer Morhen at fifteen.

Feeling panic begin to well up inside him he tried with everything he could to yank the blade from the creature's flesh. However, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he strained his muscles he was helpless as he watched the acid and blood seep into his blade, it hissed and hissed, Dominik saw the steel slowly becoming deformed, the blade that had fought Baelen, his first monster, been on his back ever since he first left to search for Ciri was slowly witling away.

"DOMINIK!" Ciri yelled behind him, but he didn't whirl around again only trying to yank his sword from the Crones flesh, before all he heard was a laugh, the deep condescending laugh.

"BAHA! Good try handsome man," The crone bellowed, before Dominik felt his throat constricted.

"GAHHH DAMMIT…. FUCK…" He yelled as he brought his hands to the Crone's massive hand around his throat, trying to wrestle out but to no avail as he was lifted up from the ground, the Crone's basket head turned down to the sword poking out of its flesh.

It's deep voice rang in his ears, "BAHA! A perfect little toothpick!"

Dominik's eyes widened as his throat started to close, as the Crone reached down and grabbed the hilt of his sword which truly did look like a toothpick in the witches' hands. Ciri yelled and Dominik could feel the magic as she was about to teleport towards him, however what happened next all felt like it all occurred in slow motion. He looked to the right as Ciri was readying to teleport over to him, the sun finally began to rise above the mountain and was beginning to glare down on them both, his throat continued to close as he found it harder and harder to breathe while his skin boiled and anger shot through him.

And then when the Crone yanked on the hilt of his sword, that steel blade which at times had been the only thing to keep him alive, that had been with him through every single step of his entire journey, from starving in the woods when he was sixteen, to the bounty hunter in Ellander, the Battle of Brenna, the race riots in Rivia, Alayna in Claywitch, finding Geralt and Yennefer, and of course all the way up to finding Ciri on the Isle of Mists, with a loud ***CLANG* **it completely snapped in half.

"DAMMIT," Dominik screamed, feeling the anger course through him, a giant flash of blue light shot to his eyes as he felt the magic erupt from his limbs.

His sword's hilt clunked to the ground, half broken and that combined with Ciri's worried screams made him snap. The magic erupted from his limbs and he shot his hand forward, he moved his finger in the right motion and a huge torrent of flames shot from his fingertips. The flames enveloped his hands and the blast got even larger as the magic took over his eyes. They flashed and stayed the same bright blue color, it didn't stop churning as his anger continued to spike, he looked and could see his sword in half on the ground, Ciri looking on with wide eyes and a bruised face and it only made the flames larger. The Crone screeched as the flames hit its basket head and mounds of pink flesh. It wailed and wailed, and right away it dropped Dominik to his feet, but even when it did, he didn't let up on the flames.

He shot his second hand forward and with his eyes still violently swirling magic he yelled, and the flames erupted into the Crone's flesh again. A white-hot anger continued to flow through him, he had no idea if this was control, but he could feel the magic erratically shooting out from all angles around him, radiating from him more violently then even the last time. He wondered for a moment as he watched the Crone burn, its pink flesh rot in front of him, if this was all pent-up energy coming out of him, pent up emotion and frustration. However, he pushed all the thoughts from his mind as he saw Ciri in the corner of his eyes put her hands up. Not focusing on the sign, on controlling the magic for a second was a mistake, because as soon as he let up for moment a large ***BOOM* **erupted from his hands and he got sent skidding back, just as the Crone wailed again.

"DOM!" Ciri yelled out again, but Dominik didn't fall to his feet, simply skidding back as he could his hands smoking, and when he looked up, he saw the damage he wrought to the Crone.

Its pink flesh was burnt, the witch weakly tried to pat out the flames on its body to very little effect. The basket on its head was burned, its clothes were singed off, and all Dominik could see now was a burning pink blob with arms and legs. However, it somehow managed to groan and wail out, before it came for one last desperate charge. That charge however, didn't last for long. A new flash of blue magic shot by his eyes as Ciri blinked forward. He stood there breathing heavily, watching with amazement as she teleported in flashes, her sword cut across the massive Crone, and finally she blinked behind the witch, and in a flash she teleported through the witch again and Dominik saw the magic filled in her eyes, before she whirled around, leapt and brought her sword down. Her sword cut across the witch and with a massive ***THUD* **it fell backwards splashing up blood as it did.

Ciri's magic slowly stopped swirling as Dominik felt his do the same. She turned around and met his gaze with wide eyes. The both of them were drenched in sweat, his armor was smeared with blood, while Ciri's top miraculously wasn't completely stained with blood, it was marred with sweat, while her corset was dripping the crimson liquid along with her sword. For a few seconds they both stood there, looking around at the three dead witches they had managed to kill. He could feel the heat from the still bubbling cauldron, the thick air, and now the morning sun that was filtering through only caused him to sweat more. Letting out a shaky breath he looked down at his trembling hands, seeing small wisps of smoke staring to come from his gloves. His powers had finally activated again, but again they had done so when he was angry, out of control, and it currently was making his legs buckle. Ciri let out a sigh as well, before Dominik saw her reach down, and with a clang she picked up his silver sword.

"You… you alright?" She asked as she tossed the sword back over to him.

A sigh left him as well as he caught the blade, quickly he slipped it back into the sheath on his back before he remembered what sent him into that rage. Slowly he looked down to his left, and a few steps away he saw the hilt of his sword, and what was left of the steel blade. He felt his pulsating heart sink to the bottom of his stomach as he looked back at Ciri.

"Ye… yeah… what about you?" He asked her, and he could tell right away she saw through him.

Ciri however simply nodded as well, speaking in a exhausted sounding tone, "I'm alright, double check let's… make sure their dead."

He nodded as she walked back to the bodies of the other two Crones she had taken out. Feeling his leg start to throb again, he practically limped over to the body of the massive Crone which was now more of a charred husk. Looking down he gently tapped the body with his foot, and the massive witches arm fell limp, and he let out a massive sigh of relief, knowing that they had taken it down. Well, Ciri had with a little help from him. He slowly shook his head as his feet sloshed through the blood, Ciri truly had saved him again. She had killed all three Crones in the end, while he was still limping, his reflexes were slow, his movements weren't as sharp, and he had almost gotten himself killed. A shaky sigh left him, as he realized the week and a half of not fighting, even despite all the training he had done, was affecting him. Not since he was a child had he remembered moving so slow, not being able to dodge with the perfect precision.

However, as he came to a stop, his head looking down at the hilt of his sword, he felt a whole new shame wash over him. _'A witcher can forget to eat, drink, even to bathe… but a witcher never, forgets to care for his blade._ He shakily sighed again as he bit his lip, he reached down and wrapped his hands around the leather-bound grip. The sword had been with him for so long, that like it normally did, when he wrapped his hand around the grip, he could almost feel the imprints from where it fit perfectly in his hand. He had gotten it when he was fifteen, he had just returned to Kaer Morhen with Geralt after Ciri left for Thanedd and Aretuza. Dominik had been distraught for weeks naturally, with his nightmares of Ciri, and being alone without her for the first time. Geralt had decided to make him feel better, he'd get him a new sword. Geralt, Eskel, and Vesemir had all helped forge it, along with upgrades to his armor. The sword however, had perfectly fit his hand, it wasn't too light, not too heavy, it was a simple design with a straight crossguard and circular pommel, however, no matter what kinds of swords he found on the Path, that steel blade had always been with him. Despite the fact he didn't want to go back to Kaer Morhen, he didn't want to see Geralt what with him still being furious with his adopted father, the sword had been a way of reminding him, reminding him of his training, of Kaer Morhen and Geralt. He had carried it in every contract, every fight, every lead he followed on Ciri, every single one.

It had stayed together, stayed strong no matter how many oils he applied, no matter what monster he fought with it, no matter what got over it, he always took perfect care of it, made sure it was in the best condition it could be in. Keeping the sword that way, it was his pride and joy of sorts, a thank you to the weapon for staying together over the years, getting him out of all the situations. Now however, it seemed that it had finally given out… just when they were about to reach the end, it had given out.

He let out a shaky breath, feeling as if a part of him had been destroyed. Gently he ran his fingers up what of the blade was left, it was corroded from the acid, the Crones blood. Carefully he ran his hand over where it had snapped, it had snapped at an angle, with a jutting point about a quarter of the way up how long the blade had really been. He could remember the feeling of first receiving it, after being so excruciatingly upset, devastated, getting that sword had made him smile for the first time in weeks. He had eagerly written to Ciri, and practiced for hours, hours upon hours with the blade the next few days, before spending his nights cleaning it, sharpening it just like his Uncle Vesemir had shown him. And all that care, that careful care had paid off, because it lasted him for the eight years, and never faltered once.

However, now it finally had, Geralt always told him even the best swords, unless magical, would all break one day, but Dominik had genuinely believed that his steel would have lasted him almost a lifetime. But now he was holding its remains, and with them, a small part of himself. That sword was truly the one thing, that had been through everything with him, every single, little part of his journey, the highs and the lows, that sword had been there.

"Dammit… fucking… fucking dammit…" He said despondently, running his hand along the steel of the blade again, before slowly shaking his head while the sweat dripped from his drenched hair, "Well… I guess it was gonna happen-."

"GAHHH DOMINIK!" Ciri's screams hit his ears cutting him off, and right away he whirled around.

"CIRI!" He yelled out, rushing forward as he saw the Crone's massive claw around her neck.

He was about to lunge forward, but Ciri yelled out again and pushed back. She stumbled to the ground and splashed into the blood just as Dominik got there. His eyes widened when he saw the Crone, the one that had turned into a swarm of crows, it was still alive, and more importantly Dominik saw what it had in its hands. He shot his gaze down to make sure, and Ciri sat up, her eyes widened as she looked down and felt around her chest, and the ring wasn't there. She yelled and Dominik whirled around, the Crone sure enough had the ring in its hands, inspecting it curiously for a moment, he saw Ciri shoot to her knees, but Dominik moved before she did. He knew how he would feel if he had lost the swallow around his neck, he knew how much it meant to Ciri, and for once in that day, he was going to do some good.

"LET GO!" He yelled, feeling his anger spike up again, his eyes flashed blue, magic whirled around his limbs as he reared back and threw the half of his steel blade with everything he had.

The magic like it always had made his movements faster, it shot through his hands and helped him launch the sword with great speed. It zipped through the air, and the Crone looked like it was going to flee, but just before it could with a loud ***SQUELCH* **it implanted itself into the witch's chest. His blade may have been broken, but the edge was still sharp enough to lodge hilt deep into the Crone, and with one final wail it fell onto its back, the bronze ring clung from its hand into the bloody mess below. For another moment he simply stood there, his crossbow bounced from his hip, a lite breeze shot in from above as the rising suns light shot down on them both. He breathed heavily, slowly standing up straight again, looking at the hilt of his faithful blade sticking out of the Crones body.

Feeling the swallow around his neck tremble, and hearing Ciri stir next to him turned him around. His eyes widened as Ciri looked up to meet his gaze from a kneeling position. After a few seconds to catch their breath, he quickly leaned down and grabbed her arm as she latched onto him. He gently pulled her up to her feet, reaching his gloved hand up to move a strand of her ashen hair out of her face.

"You okay?" He asked breathlessly, as she was similarly out of breath while she gently rubbed her neck.

"I… I'm alright yeah," She said with a bit of a strain, before she met his eyes and slowly nodded, "Thanks for the save."

He managed a scoff and small smile, "Makes up for you doing all the heavy lifting during this one."

She managed a small breathless laugh as well and looked like she was about to say something else, however, Dominik found himself walking towards the Crones body. Ciri quickly followed him, as the light from the giant fire and the sunlight streamed in off her face and illuminated the puddle of blood for him. He found the ring, still clutched into the Crones claw, and gently reached down to grab the chain. Bringing it up to his face, he looked and turned to see Ciri a relieved look growing on her face, as he let out a small scoff, making a big deal out of washing the now bloody ring on his bloody armor.

"I believe this belongs to you milady," He said jokingly as she laughed, and he gently placed the chain in her hands, before turning back to the Crones body, and feeling his smile leave him again.

"Thanks… Dominik… your sword," She said lightly, as she seemed to finally realize what had happened.

Dominik felt his skin go cold; his heart panged as he squelched out the half a sword from the Crones body. It still oozed blood, the quarter of a blade that was left, and he still felt the grip fitting perfectly in his hand. As he looked at it then, he had flashbacks, flashbacks to his early years, when people had tried to rob him for it, to when it squelching into the body of a deer or rabbit, anything he could eat to save him. And then of course, all the contracts, the first noonwraith, the mad mage outside Tretogor, the cyclopes in Aedirn, the bounty hunter in Ellander and the Battle of Brenna. And then of course everything since he found Geralt, through Velen, Novigrad, Skellige, the Isle of Mists, Kaer Morhen. He almost felt his eyes sting, most people just saw a sword, however, Dominik saw a small part of himself as he held the blade in his hands.

However, when he turned around and saw Ciri looking at him, her eyes full of concern, he shakily sighed, forcing a small smile on his face.

"Ha… yeah… looks… looks like it finally gave out," He said gently as he ran his hand along the now corroded steel, before gently looking up at her, "Nine years is a pretty good run I'd say…"

"Dominik… I'm so sorry, I know it had to mean a lot to you," She said gently, meeting his eyes with a look of understanding, "You… told me you've had it since you were fifteen right?"

"Yeah… got it a few weeks after you went to Aretuza. Geralt he… thought it would cheer me up a bit," He said slowly as he gently looked back down at the sword with a sigh, "I… I remember I wrote a letter to you about it right away."

"I remember getting that yeah… I was jealous, because Geralt and Yen hadn't let me bring my sword with me," She said with a small smile, and seeing it made him feel slightly better, as she came over and gently held a hand on his arm as she looked down at the sword as well, "You're right… nine years is a pretty good run I'd say… are you alright?"

He could hear the concern dripping from her voice, hear her pleading with him to talk to her. However, for the first time in a while, he couldn't turn his gaze to her, as all he could do was look at his faint reflection in what was left of his steel. There were much more important things to worry about this he knew, and not wanting to worry her more she slowly nodded.

"Yeah I… I'm alright," He said, before shakily sighing and running his hand up the broken blade one last time, "It's just it… it's been through it all with me… every single thing, good and bad… everything…."

Ciri gripped tighter on his arm reassuringly and looked up to him, "Well… maybe we can try to repair it? Needs a new blade obviously, but a talented smith could probably put a new blade on and keep the hilt."

He felt his heart lightly flutter as she again squeezed his arm reassuringly, and when he looked at her, he could see she was being genuine. A small smile managed to come to his face, through everything that was happening, everything that they were facing, she was really trying to make him feel better over a broken sword. It may have disappointed him yes, and he didn't think he'd be able to get rid of the remains of his weapon anytime soon, being unable to bring himself to do so. However, in the end, despite how he felt, there were much more important things then his broken steel sword. He was sure Geralt, Faram or any of his friends would have another one he could use, and it would have to suffice. His destiny was at hand, the prophecy from the Crones continued to play in his head, and the Crones words while he fought did as well. _'You will try to run from it, just like the white one did.'. _He knew the Crone had to have been referring to Geralt, but he didn't know currently or have the mental capacity to figure out what else the words meant in that moment.

Those words, along with the prophecy playing over again, he knew he had more to focus on then his broken sword. Soon, he'd have to make a choice, a choice that would either get Ciri killed or let her live, a choice that if he decided wrong, could destroy his family, the family he and Ciri had just fought so hard to reunite, that seemed like a much more pressing matter. They would have to find Eredin soon, find him and kill him, their father was up on the mountaintop, fighting one of the King's generals. He knew Geralt would kill Imlerith, there was no chance their father would lose, just like he knew deep down they wouldn't have been defeated by the Crones, however, with his leg still throbbing, his movements and strikes not up to par, his magic still erratic, he knew he had much longer to go before he was ready. Ready to face that destiny, and that choice.

But it looked like he was going to have to do it with a different steel sword. Sighing he managed a gentle smile over at Ciri, before sliding the remains of the blade into the sheath on his back. It felt odd to him, having only one blade on his back again. However, he readjusted himself and met Ciri's eyes with a slow nod of his head, as he tried for a reassuring smile.

"Thanks princess but… it's okay, we got more important things to worry about," He said gently, and as she reluctantly nodded, he forced a large smile on his face and turned, "We should go meet up with Geralt at the peak, he's bound to have finished Imlerith by now-."

"Hold on you," She said, and just as he went to take a step away, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

He felt himself whirled back around to face her. The look of concern had gone from her face, he saw her hair sticky with sweat, dirt and even bits of blood. Her makeup was smudged around her eyes, she sure enough smelled like sweat, like she had just fought three witches, but through it, Dominik could still smell the faint scent of juniper and cedarwood. Her top was married and stuck to her body, her corset was dripping with blood, and small cuts and bruises now lined her shoulders and neck, one was even on her cheek, however, despite it all she still smirked wildly up at him. He was sure he looked to be in a similar manner, however, the two of them surely looked like hell.

However, she looked as beautiful to him then as she ever did.

Ciri reached up and violently grabbed the hem of his collar with a smirk and yanked his face down to hers and kissed him. He laughed into the kiss at first as did she, it was quick, only a few seconds, and Dominik tasted sweat dripping onto his lips. He kissed her back with everything he could, putting one hand on her waist, and sparks shot through his lips down his body, as she gently pulled back from him, smirking wildly still as she gently let go of his collar. As always was the case when she kissed him unexpectedly like she did then, he felt himself fluster as his brain buzzed, he tried to form words as she looked up at him with her arms crossed, the smirk growing wider on her lips.

"Ha… I… um…" He started as she let out a genuine loud laugh and went to walk past him.

She stopped next to him and gently patted his cheek, "Good job… take that as a thank you, with more to come. Now come on, let's go meet up with Geralt."

He managed to blink and regain his composure as his heart still raced. If she had the ability to make him feel like that in the middle of a bloody cave, with the corpses of beastly witches strewn about, Dominik knew he truly would have no chance.

Gently he laughed and nodded, walking over to her side, "You're right, come on, he's sure to have killed Imlerith by now, let's go give him the good news."

And as he sloshed through the blood, following closely next to her, his lips still tingling, he found himself smiling. He may have lost his sword yes, but no matter what, he still had the most important thing he needed to defeat the Hunt.

Ciri, Geralt, and all of his friends. It didn't matter what sword he used, soon they would find Eredin, and they would kill him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Geralt knew he couldn't take the fight for granted, he couldn't underestimate Imlerith, so just like he always did, he took in all his surroundings before the fight was due to begin. It was something he taught Ciri and Dominik from the start, knowing your battlefield, knowing your surroundings was key, and he had been with them both enough to know they took that lesson to heart. The sun had started to rise, it was hot, with the occasional cool breeze that whipped his hair back. He was on downward slope, grass mainly, with the giant trunk of the tree and stone formations around the throne Imlerith sat on. The succubae stared at him as he walked, but all Geralt could focus on was the massive elf. He knew Ciri and Dominik would be fine beneath the tree, he finally had them both back now, and just like when they had been younger, as long as they had each other, they'd both be fine.

However, despite how strong they were, they wouldn't do it alone, he'd never make them do it alone. He never thought he'd know what it was like to be a father, there were people he'd do anything for yes, but the two of them, it didn't matter if it was a portal, or a general of the Wild Hunt, Geralt found himself ready to do anything, anything to give them the life they deserved. Himself included he had never met anyone that was as strong as his children both. Ciri had fought and clawed to make it back to them twice now, and Geralt still didn't know the full totality of what she'd done to stay alive, only seeing what was in his dreams. He had dreams about Dominik as well, seeing him on contracts, searching for leads on Ciri for eight years straight, all without having any proper knowledge if she could truly be alive. He had suffered through the eight years of loneliness, Geralt knew there was more than even the Battle of Brenna his son hadn't told him about, and he had done it all, all of it to make his way back to Ciri. They had gone through enough that would have broken almost any man, but both of them had come through it, so Geralt wasn't going to let their work go to waste.

And Imlerith was just the start, next would be Eredin. The elf simply stared at Geralt as he approached, even catching a leaf out of the air like nothing was wrong. The succubae all scrambled as he approached the throne the general was sitting on, and the entire time as Geralt walked forward, only a few meters away the elf didn't take his eyes off him. Geralt could see the massive shield and hammer leaning against the throne, and remembered it smacking into George's chest at the battle. He also knew Imlerith had power he didn't show, magic he could use as well, as Geralt's fingers curled as the general kicked a succubus off his leg, and looked over to meet his gaze. The morning sun reflected off Imlerith's bald head, and the general leaned back as if the fight would be an afterthought, and the conversation as what he was interested in.

That would be his mistake Geralt knew.

"The witches… they said you would come, saw you arriving on the water," Imlerith drawled on in broken common tongue, staring deep into Geralt's eyes he went on, "The girl and… his descendant, are they… both with you?"

He knew that they were, Geralt knew this. Geralt slowly nodded to confirm, it didn't matter if Imlerith knew they were there, because the elf wouldn't survive past the hour.

"Yeah… they're with me, both of them," Geralt said, his fingers itching to go to his silver, as Imlerith seemed to smirk.

The elf scoffed, "It seems… Baelen was correct. The boy… he survived, but it matters not, even with what she says Baelen will not turn him against the girl…. They will simply both die, we will kill him, and then… we will have her."

"Who is this Baelen," Geralt asked right away, wanting to see if he could drag any information out of the elf.

Geralt was sure even after the amnesia that he would have remembered if the Hunt had a powerful female commander. However, he knew that the woman who Dominik and Ciri both fought, and was apparently able to ride a dragon, hadn't been there while he and Yen were with the Hunt. No matter what he thought of, Geralt had no idea why Eredin would ever let a human into his ranks, let alone give one such a high position. From what Dominik and Ciri described to him, this Baelen held power equal to even there's, seeing as each time they all had fought, the fight had been even, with little to distinguish them. The dragon was apparently a friend of Alexander of Lod, Dominik's ancestor, and his son had been insistent the commander had to have placed some kind of spell on the beast, and this only made Dominik more insistent they try to save the beast, but to do so, he needed to take down the commander. There was also the bone chilling knowledge that Baelen knew them both somehow, knew Dominik and Ciri.

So if he could find out any information he could then he'd take the chance, and it had already worked. Apparently Baelen wanted to turn Dominik against Ciri, a gesture that no matter what the commander tried was useless Geralt knew, but the knowledge the commander was trying, it peaked his curiosity. Imlerith's biggest weakness he knew was vanity, wanting to impress any opponent he fought, so Geralt was hoping he'd start spilling out knowledge. The elf, however, must not have had very much like for Baelen, because at Geralt's question he scoffed.

"Bah… she is a foolish, insolent, meek little girl, who's usefulness… will soon be at an end," Imlerith spat out, before leaning forward on his massive armored arms and smirking, "Eredin shows his power, by controlling that line, like he said he would… she… is completely under his control."

"Controlling young women, making them do his dirty work, sounds about right," Geralt said sarcastically, as he curled his hands into fists, knowing this would send Imlerith over the edge.

His plan worked because the elf sneered, "It matters not, we will have them both. The boy will die, and then, we will have the girl…"

"Over my dead body…" Geralt growled, going to his back and twirling out his silver, which only seemed to make Imlerith smirk more.

"You fought till the end in that crumbling ruin of a castle…" The elf said darkly, rising and clunking in his massive plate as he grabbed his helmet while staring at Geralt again, "And you will now…. First you… then the boy… then her."

The general slid his helmet onto his head, before turning and grabbing his massive hammer and shield. Geralt let out a careful breath, as the elf swung and twirled his hammer effortlessly. Shifting his feet Geralt prepared himself, mentally and physically. His witcher eyes narrowed, the man had said he'd kill them both, his children, his and Yen's, and he wouldn't get away with it. The silver glinted from the morning light in his hands, just as Imlerith's massive form rushed towards him, and Geralt sprang into action.

The very ground below him shook as Imlerith charged with his shield out, Geralt quickly rolled to the left, and as soon as he saw the general stop he lashed out. He leapt up and struck downwards, but Imlerith was able to turn around. His sword hit the elf's shield before the general swung his hammer, but Geralt rolled out of the way and slashed his silver up on the elf's hand. Imlerith roared out for a moment before smashing his shield to the side. Geralt felt it hit his chest, it pained him for a moment, and he got sent stumbling back, but he was able to get his eyes up again as he saw the general about to charge. Remembering a tactic George had used against the massive elf at the battle, Geralt shot the energy into his palm, and just as Imlerith got near him he smashed the Yrden glyph into the ground and rolled. Imlerith yelled out as his legs locked inside the glyph, and Geralt came up to stab his silver into the general's side. He made contact, and his sword raked against the general's torso and he yelled out, just as he whirled around and smacked his hammer towards him. Geralt didn't have time to finish the stab, he leapt backwards and out of the way, but that was when the magic whirled around Imlerith, the snow and frost.

Geralt's eyes widened, knowing that he needed to land a decisive strike, he shot his hands forward and Igni erupted from his hands, but the flames were quickly snuffed by the snow. Imlerith turned just as Geralt leapt to strike his silver down again, but the general just as he expected, disappeared in a puff of frost. Geralt cursed, and like he expected heard the thundering of Imlerith behind him, he turned just in time for the general's shield to smash into him, with a massive ***THUD* **Geralt screamed out as he got sent flying back. He rolled for a moment but made sure to keep the grip on his silver, whirling back up to his knees, he saw the frost violently churning around the general again.

"Shit… gotta go for one blow," Geralt muttered to himself, knowing that even he wouldn't win a battle of brute force, just as Imlerith rushed forward again.

Just like the first time, Geralt rolled, and came up just as Imlerith passed him, raking his silver against the back of the general's legs and spinning to the front. The elf yelled and tried to smash his hammer down, Geralt couldn't see his eyes, but heard a guttural yell, as all Geralt did was keep dodging. He remembered watching Dominik train with Gaeten, and the School of the Cat, the quick dodges to wear out your opponent, that was the best strategy for Geralt then. With each swing of his shield or hammer, with each time Geralt dodged just out of the way and blasted Aard forward to knock the general off balance, or rake his silver against his legs, Imlerith only grew more enraged. Geralt had him on the ropes, but the elf did a good job of keeping his guard up, and the moment Geralt went for a stab, Imlerith disappeared in another puff of frost. This time however, the general appeared right behind him, and Geralt yelled out when he felt the hammer smacked against his back.

"GAH!" He yelled as he felt himself stumbling downwards, rolling faster as he had gone downhill.

After finally regaining his senses and whirling back up to his feet, Geralt saw Imlerith stomping down the hill, blood was dripping from the spots he had been stabbed and slashed. Frost and ice continued to form on the General's armor, and Geralt knew since they were going downhill now, and a massive cliff was near them the general was being more careful. Knowing now they were on even ground, Geralt leapt forward again. He blasted his hand forward, Aard ripped from his fingers and sent the elf stumbling just as Geralt brought his blade down. It cut down across Imlerith's shoulder, and the general yelled before slamming his shield forward again. Geralt felt his feet skid and rocks begin to stumble as he almost fell backwards, only a meter or so from the edge of the cliff.

"ENOUGH GAMES D'HOINE!" The general yelled, and Geralt's eyes widened when the magic around the general got even more violent as the frost and mist whirled. The elf tossed his shield to the ground and disappeared in another puff of ice.

Geralt whirled around, knowing he would be coming near him, and he had guessed correctly, precisely swinging the massive hammer towards him. For what felt like and hour, Geralt parried and dodged, his silver clanged loudly against Imlerith's hammer, and with each parry he threw, he felt himself even more invigorated. One strike came from above, and Geralt parried with a sidestep and spun, lashing out with as much quickness as he could he cut across the general's side, before he screamed and whirled back around. Geralt shot his hand up, Quen erupted around him and Imlerith's hammer which was humming with frost and a magic smashed into it. A loud ***BOOOM* **erupted and while it didn't hit him, the force still sent Geralt tumbling back up the hill.

After rolling back up to one knee with his silver still in hand, he looked and saw Imlerith trudging back up the hill towards him again and using the moment from running downhill he leapt to try and strike again. Imlerith raised his hammer, and Geralt's silver ***CLANGED* **against the weapon before he landed next to the general. With great speed for someone so large, Imlerith whirled around and brought the hammer down, but Geralt spun and finally saw his opening. He cut his blade deep across Imlerith's chest, the silver cut right across the chink in the general's armor, and blood quickly spewed just as Geralt landed.

"GAHHHH!" Imlerith yelled, as he whirled around and swung his hammer.

The weapon grazed Geralt's side but he managed to leap back and roll a few meters away down the hill. Imlerith yelled out again as blood slowly drained from his chest, the elf's blood dripped from Geralt's silver and he knew he was close, a few more decisive blows and the general would fall, however the fight he knew was far from over. After gripping up and twirling his hammer in his hand, Imlerith rushed down the hill. Deciding to use the same tactic he had before, Geralt slammed his hand down into the ground. A Yrden glyph appeared in front of him, but Imlerith didn't run into it this time. The general disappeared in a puff of frost again, and right away Geralt whirled around.

Imlerith swung his hammer down with new ferocity, Geralt parried, backed up, spun and dodged. Finally he side-stepped one strike, before spinning around another one, and that was when Imlerith brought both hands to the handle of his hammer and smashed it from above, and just before it could smash him to bits, Geralt raised his silver and caught the massive weapon. Feeling his arms begin to erupt like they had been set on fire, Geralt looked into the sockets of Imlerith's helmet as the general pushed harder. For a minute Geralt felt his knees buckle as his arms blasted again, his cells combusted as he felt himself beginning to slip.

He gritted his teeth, thought about his children both beneath the tree. He knew they were strong, but they still needed him, he needed to make sure they were safe, got the life they deserved, the life they had both earned. Geralt was going to make sure they got it, he wouldn't lose them, he wouldn't lose them both again. He would never forget Thanedd, Vilgefortz had almost killed him, Ciri had escaped through the portal, and he had to go back to deliver the news to Dominik she was gone. Then, he'd never forget the day Dominik left him, left him to go search on his own, and then for years, the pain, the heartache he had knowing that both of them were alone, Geralt would never go through that again. He'd never let anyone lay their hands on them again. They were his children, by choice, he had raised them, loved them, and was going to make sure they lived, up until his dying breath.

Geralt put everything into his arms as he pushed up, he pushed upwards in the clinch, and while Imlerith's chest dripped blood, Geralt finally turned the hammer around. As soon as he turned it around, Geralt fired his hand forward, Aard ripped from his fingers and knocked the general's hammer out of his hands and back. Quick as a flash Geralt spun and cut his blade across Imlerith's chest again before the general screamed out and smashed his hand into Geralt's chest. A loud ***BOOM* **erupted as Geralt felt the magic erupt in his chest, but just before he flew back he fired his hand out again Aard shot from his fingertips. It hit into Imlerith, and both he and the general got sent tumbling backwards. Geralt was uphill now as Imlerith was almost knocked to the ground. Quickly Geralt scooped the silver from the ground and looked down at the general who was still bleeding from his chest, but somehow stumbled down and picked his hammer from the blood grass.

"Tough bastard…" Geralt muttered to himself as he twirled his silver and held it forward again just as Imlerith hefted the hammer to his shoulder.

The general slowly shook his head, pointed the weapon out, "It matters not… what you do today d'hione. The boy… he will die, the girl… will be ours, Eredin will-. GAHHHHH!"

Geralt's eyes widened in shock, he narrowed his eyes and a crossbow bolt was protruding from Imlerith's chest, right in the spot where Geralt had cut across his chest. Imlerith whirled around just as another bolt found its home in the general's chest, and Geralt almost found himself laughing when he heard the voice hit the air.

"LOOKING FOR US!?" Dominik's voice rang, and feeling his medallion tremble violently, he saw a flash of Aard erupt from the left, from the Path he had come up.

The Aard blast ripped through the air with more force then Geralt had ever seen. The streaks of blue magic erupted into his vision and Geralt saw Dominik rushed from the path. Over the previous week, Geralt remembered his son lamenting the fact that his powers hadn't activated since the battle, and he was having trouble getting them to unleash again. No matter what he or Ciri had tried, Dominik's magic, the great powers Geralt now knew came all the way from Alexander of Lod weren't unleashing out of him.

Now however, they were radiating from him. Dominik's eyes were blue, and he leapt and spun down a strike on Imlerith who just managed to block with his hammer. Not wanting him to fight alone Geralt rushed down the hill and leapt to strike as well. And before he knew it, Dominik and he both struck out at Imlerith. Dominik went from the right, and Geralt struck down from the left to cut across the general's torso, over and over again, Imlerith swung his hammer in an arc to try and hit them, but Geralt saw the magic whirling on Dominik even faster, while he jumped backwards out of the way, Dominik ducked down and rolled to Imlerith's side, with his sword in a reversed grip he cut deep across the general's torso, before coming up and raking his silver across the general's back, which finally seemed to make Imlerith's knees buckle, and as soon as they did, the magic around Dominik's eyes flew to his hands and he shot them forward. Another Aard blast ripped from his son's palms, and smashed into Imlerith sending him flying, Geralt angled his blade and cut again across the general as he got sent flying, and blood splattered onto the grass as the morning sun finally rose fully.

Dominik rushed up next to him with his silver drawn, he twirled the blade as Geralt saw the magic leave his eyes, as the morning sun finally casted their shadows onto the bloody earth. Geralt looked next to him, seeing Dominik with his blade leveled a jolt of pride ran through him, but after a moment he wondered where Ciri was, he was about to ask before he heard Imlerith cough out blood again. Geralt whirled back around with his sword leveled, as the general coughed and ripped off his helmet with his hammer loosely in his hands. The elf coughed, and Geralt could see blood trickling from his mouth, as his bald head shone in the sun.

"You… boy… you… Baelen… the girl… all of you… nothing… nothing… but ignorant children," Imlerith wheezed as he somehow hefted up the hammer again and shook his head, "It… matters not what… what power you wield… Eredin… Eredin will-."

And just as a loud shrill whistle hit the air, Geralt's question as to where Ciri was had been answered.

Imlerith's eyes widened and he whirled around, just as in a flash of magic Ciri came striking down at his shoulder from behind. The general whirled to swing his hammer at her, but Ciri teleported behind him and leapt again to strike. Imlerith teleported himself and stumbled a distance away, but Ciri was on him again in a flash and cut her blade across his back, and when the general whirled to swing his hammer again, Ciri side stepped and leapt, cutting across Imlerith's side as it finally made the general fall to his knee. Ciri went for the killing strike, but Imlerith's eyes widened again and he disappeared in a puff of frost, however, he made the mistake of only coming a few meters from him and Dominik his hammer loosely in hand.

As soon as he did, Dominik leapt forward, and Ciri teleported down the hill, and Geralt found himself smirking, as the three of them surrounded the general, and fought.

Dominik would strike from one side and Imlerith would block, but then Ciri would teleport and cut her blade across the general, making him stumble before Geralt came in with another strike. To Imlerith's very little credit, he didn't stop fighting and for what felt like an hour took the punishment Geralt and his children inflicted. As he spun, dodged, and cut his blade across the general, as he watched Dominik parry and spin, launch blasts of Igni with the magic spewing from the corners of his eyes, and as Ciri skillfully control what parts of her powers she could, teleporting in and out while Geralt came in for precise strikes, he remembered those two eleven-year-olds he found in the woods those years ago.

Geralt would have like to think he knew they would end up like they had now, but he would be lying to himself. As he watched them fight, fought next to them, he felt his pride swell, as they executed every combo he ever taught them, moved their feet in perfect motion just like he taught them, and if he focused hard enough, he saw them both at Kaer Morhen, expertly smacking their swords at one another. When Ciri wasn't tricking Dominik by pretending to be hurt, they'd know each other's moves inside and out, and it seemed it rung true still, even adding in his own. Dominik would lunge, before Ciri came in and took the opening he created, they dodged perfectly off one another, seemed to know where the other was at all times, and even with Geralt lunging in as well, they still knew exactly where to move with each other.

Finally he saw Dominik side-step a desperate last swing downwards from Imlerith before his son blasted his hand forward and Aard knocked the weapon from the general's hand with such force it flew off the cliff. Imlerith yelled, but this created an opportunity for Ciri to teleport forward, with her eyes flashing bright blue still she ripped her blade across Imlerith's chest, and it made the elf scream as he stumbled weaponless in hand. Geralt's eyes widened and he saw the opportunity, he lunged forward and leapt up, swinging his blade down across Imlerith's shoulder with every bit of strength he could muster, before spinning and jabbing his blade forward, right into the general's chest, and the momentum carried him forward.

Falling forward Geralt found his blade sticking from the general's unmoving body. Blood trickled from Imlerith's wide, dead eyes only a few meters from the throne he had sat on, the throne where he threatened to kill both of them, and just like Geralt had promised, the general was dead now, and they were safe. And from what he saw, they'd stay safe for a long time with how skilled they were. Geralt gripped the hilt of the silver, and with a loud squelch ripped it from the dead general's chest, before letting out a tired breath and slinging it back into it's sheath on his back, before slowly turning, seeing both Dominik and Ciri come towards him.

"Ha, what was taking you so long?" Dominik joked with him, getting a small laugh from Ciri as well while they both looked up at him.

Geralt let out a shaky sigh and looked out over the cliffs again quickly, seeing the beautiful view of the sunrise coming over the mountains. He had been hesitant at first about the idea, knowing for a fact that Yen would more than likely be furious for bringing the both of them into danger, but being there with them now, being able to fight with them both, see them together, and see them both smiling now, it had been worth it. He still had no idea what he'd tell Yen when she asked what they had done, she fussed over the two of them like a good mother should, so Geralt knew he'd more than likely get a hiding for letting them come. However, he didn't think he'd mind because he could see how elated they both currently were.

He had gotten to see them like that, and in the process, denied Eredin of two more of his greatest assets, like Dominik had said, it really was two birds with one stone.

Geralt scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Well there's two of you one of me, besides, I'm old, things take longer as you get older."

They both laughed, before Ciri smiled over at him and nodded.

"Haha, either way we succeeded, I knew we would," She said, looking over at Dominik who nodded, before she turned to Geralt, "Come on then old man, let's go rest those old bones of yours."

Geralt felt the smile come to his face as he looked out to the cliff, slowly nodding as they both smiled up at him.

"Yeah… let's do that," He said with a smile, before the three of them all walked towards the cliff.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik had come to associate Velen with nothing but rain, bogs, marshes, and witches. However, as he sat with his legs dangling over the cliff then, looking out over at the view they saw, he'd have been hard pressed to find a better one. His bones ached, but it was a good ache, his leg still slightly throbbed, but it had felt much better during he, Ciri and Geralt's fight with Imlerith. It would take a few days still, but with Ciri and Geralt with him, he knew he'd get back to how he was before the Battle at Kaer Morhen soon. His powers had come out of him easier as well, and between him, Ciri and Geralt Imlerith barely stood a chance. It had made the pride and giddiness well up in him. Despite the situation, despite it being a general of the Hunt, he had enjoyed every minute of that fight, even though it had been a short one. Geralt, Ciri and himself, it was something that he had always wanted.

He sucked in a deep breath as he looked out at the view. Ciri and he were both on either side of Geralt as they gaze out over the mountain ranges, Dominik could see the swaths of forests, bogs and marshes, but all he could focus on was that rising sun, feeling its rays pierce his neck as the sweat slowly trickled down his neck. His hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat, so the gentle breeze felt marvelous. He looked over at his swords lying next to him and saw the hilt of his steel blade sticking out of one, somehow it hadn't gotten dislodged during the fight with Imlerith. He sighed, feeling his heart slightly ache again, but as he turned and saw a relaxed Ciri and Geralt next to him, he decided to push it from his mind, realizing that even if the sword was broken, he still had them both, that was what was important.

"So… how'd it go with the Crones," Geralt asked them both in a relaxed voice, as he leaned back and looked at them both.

Ciri quickly smiled next to him and nodded, "We managed to slay all three, they won't trouble anyone anymore… but… Dom's sword…"

Geralt nodded, before turning over to him, "What's she talking about?"

He sighed and Ciri shot him another concerned look as he turned to his sheaths. With regret, he pulled out the hilt of the steel blade, the blade that had been with him through everything, and he truly thought would finish the journey with him. The broken steel glinted in the sun, and he gently ran his gloved fingers over the carotid yet still sharp steel. He held it in his lap and turned to show it to Geralt. Ciri looked over at him with sorry eyes, as if she were trying to make him feel better with just a look. Normally it did, however then, Dominik felt a small bit of himself shatter again as he showed it to Geralt, who looked over at him with a shake of his head.

"Served you well over the years, didn't it," His adopted father said with a grim smile, as Dominik slowly nodded.

"It did yeah… I remember you giving it to me," He said slowly, feeling another small part of himself shatter as he let out a shaky sigh, "No matter how many oils I put on it, no matter what I fought it… it always lasted."

"I'm sorry, I know how you feel, got attached to a few swords myself over the years," Geralt said reassuringly, before holding a handout on his shoulder.

He shook his head with a sigh again, "It… it's just a sword… I'm probably being silly; we have a lot more important things to worry about."

"Dominik… it wasn't just a sword," Ciri said from next to Geralt, looking over and meeting his eyes with a shake of his head, "It's alright to be upset about it, I promise."

"She's right Dom," Geralt quickly agreed looking over at him again, "Like I said, I know how you feel. I was devastated when I lost aerondight."

Slowly he looked up and met Geralt's eyes, he remembered the story his adopted father told him on the road coming back to him. Aerondight, the mythical sword he had received from the Lady of the Lake, Geralt had described it as the best sword he ever had. It was a magical weapon, and the legends said it could only be bestowed by the Lady of the Lake to someone who had been shown to possess the five chivalric virtues. Geralt had joked with him that he had no idea how he was able to receive it, however, Dominik knew that if anyone possessed those five virtues, it was his adopted father.

"Aerondight?" Ciri asked from the other side of him, and Dominik quickly met her eyes with a nod.

"Yeah, it was a magical sword, he told me he received it from the Lady of the Lake," He explained to her, before looking back up at Geralt again, "You said it was the best sword you ever had… but you lost it fighting the dragon at La Valette Castle right?"

Ciri looked dreadfully confused, and Dominik remembered that Geralt had yet to tell her the story of what he had done the last six months since he had been recovering his memory. They had all been so busy training, planning and traveling they hadn't had time. Geralt slowly nodded, looking between them both.

"Damn right it was the best. It was silver, but sharp enough, could fight people with it too, didn't matter," His adopted father said fondly, before looking over at him again, "But I couldn't get it back now if I wanted too. You're right I stabbed the dragon with it, dragon fire could be the only thing to destroy a magic weapon like that…. It was more than just a sword Dom… like Ciri said, it's okay to be upset."

"And like I said, we can still take the time to repair it," Ciri quickly said after Geralt had finished, and Dominik felt his heart flip at the site of her eagerly smiling over at him, "Don't worry about wasting time, if you want to try and repair it, we'll make time."

His heart continued to flip violently, and he felt a warmth run through him as they both smiled over at him. Sighing he looked back down to the blade, and again remembered all the men and monsters he had fought with it. He didn't know if he'd receive a sword like Geralt's aerondight, but the sword that was broken in front him, Dominik had trusted just as much as a magic sword. The idea of slapping a new blade on it, using it again, he wouldn't lie that he enjoyed thinking about it, the grip even then as he held it, it fit absolutely perfectly. He remembered fighting Nithral, Baelen, the fiend in Crookback Bog, the Ice Giant, all of them came flashing back into his head, all of it had been with that blade. However, as he looked at Ciri and Geralt both then, he was reminded of what was more important.

_One you once loved has returned, a single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make, the fate of your family to preserve or raise. _As he met Ciri's sparkling eyes, saw the sun beautifully glow off her face, he felt his heart suddenly pang. He had just gotten her back, he couldn't fathom the idea of losing her again so soon, he quite literally didn't think he could live with it. Shuddering he remembered the Isle of Mists, finding her cold, lifeless corpse, rushing from the hut as his powers unleashed, killing that massive fiend… and then trying to walk from the edge. He had been fully prepared too, in that moment, it had seemed like eight years of searching, of looking for her had been for nothing. It truly was as he said that day, after so long of looking, missing her, regretting everything that happened, he couldn't do it alone anymore, there was no chance he'd be able too he knew. So the idea of having her fate in his hands, not just her fate, but the fate of that second family he had been blessed with, fought to get together again, he assumed it would be enough to unnerve anyone. And in that moment, he thought that was much more important than a sword.

He felt the cold breeze flow through his sweaty brown hair again, as he felt the sun get even higher, brighter, only making him sweat more. However, he managed a small smile over at them, he nodded at Ciri who was still looking at him reassuringly, which he appreciated.

"Thanks princess… I'll think about it, but it's like I said, we got more important things to worry about," He said as he slowly slid the half a sword into its sheath, before looking back and meeting Geralt's eyes again, "Geralt when… when we fought the Crones I… heard the prophecy again."

Geralt's eyes widened for a moment, and he saw a wondering look come to Ciri's face, and he scolded himself for never having told her again. The prophecy had been concerning him and her, she should have been the first person he told. The wind gently blew her strands of ashen locks, and she looked between them both. Geralt's slowly nodded, seeming as if he was trying to remember the words again, just as Ciri looked between them.

"I had meant to ask you about that," She said, looking over to him across from Geralt now, "Prophecies… are tricky business. And… those words they said, those were the lines for yours weren't they?"

Slowly he nodded, feeling his skin begin to crawl as she looked at him wonderingly. Even then she still was breathtakingly beautiful, and he marveled at the mere site of her as he always did. He knew how much was on her plate then, and he felt horrible having to add to it. Sighing he bit his bottom lip before he turned back to the view of the mountains.

"Yeah… I first heard them back in Crookback Bog, when Geralt and I fought the Fiend. "One you once loved has returned, that lines easy enough, it's you," He said slowly, as he let the wind chill his bones again, before remembering the lines in his head, "A single choice you make shall seal their fate, the choice you make… the fate of your family to preserve or raise."

He let the words hang in the air, he saw her tilt her head, as if she too was trying to determine the meaning of the words, which he knew wouldn't take long. Biting his lip he looked back out to the view of the mountains again, thinking about how far he had come. From a love-struck little boy in Cintra, in love with the princess, to an equally as love struck witcher, still in love, and with that same princess who also became a witcher. Life had strange ways of working out, and in this case Dominik didn't mind it one bit. It didn't matter if he really had become the guard captain of Cintra, and Ciri the cities queen. Or it wouldn't have mattered if the two of them reunited earlier and went to live in different worlds together to that point, none of it mattered, as long as Ciri was the one next to him. He couldn't and wouldn't go back to that life he had lived the last eight years, and whether or not he did, depended on a choice he would make.

The idea of holding the fate of the one's you loved, the one you loved in your hands, wasn't something he assumed was a good feeling for anyone. After everything Ciri had been through, it seemed cruel that the world was seeming to put her fate into his hands. He had sworn to her that she would make her own choices, that he'd give her that freedom, and when they were together, he'd give her the world, as much as she could because she deserved it. She deserved everything good in that world, and while he didn't know if he could give it to her, he was going to try, but first, it all started with a choice he would make. He had to make choices before, the choice on whether to travel with Yennefer and Geralt after they found him during his years alone, the choice on forcing his way to Thanedd or not, he had to make these choices for Ciri's sake before, and they all had been the wrong one. He couldn't be wrong again, choose wrong again, especially after everything that he had gone through, that she had gone through for them to get to that point.

Geralt seemed to look between them both, and Dominik managed to move his head over at meet her eyes again. He waited for her to ask more questions, to look anxious, worried, start grilling him more about what the lines could possibly mean. However, she did none of those things, instead, she somehow scoffed, and smiled at him, and Dominik could hardly believe it.

"Ha, well that's a relief, at least the lines are clear, nothing confusing really," She said, before she leaned back on her hands.

Dominik's mouth fell agape and he shook his head at her, "Ciri, you just learned that I'm going to be making a choice for the fate of you, and our family… how are you not worried."

"Because you're the one making it," She said simply as she leaned forward again and looked at him, a smile coming to her face, "Dominik, there's nobody else I'd trust making a decision for myself, or our family."

Geralt picked that moment to smile down at him as well, "She's right Dom. If there's anyone who can make the right choice, it's you."

Dominik shuddered and looked out over the cliff again, "I've made important decisions like this in the past before… I always seem to pick wrong."

Ciri leaned over Geralt's lap and grabbed his hand, squeezing it reassuringly, before Dominik turned to face her again.

"Dominik, that's in the past, those choices… you had no real control over them," She assured him, more then likely knowing exactly what she was referring too. Gently she let go of his hand and leaned back again smiling at him and Geralt both, "I trust you two more then I trust anyone else in the world, Yen of course as well, but still… Dominik I couldn't pick anyone else to make a better choice for me, if it does come to that."

Geralt smiled fondly at her, before doing the same to him, "Again, she's right Dom. We trust you; we all do, you'd never let anything happen to us, we know it."

Slowly he nodded, he turned back around to see them both looking at him, smiling reassuringly, Ciri and Geralt. He loved Yennefer with every bit of himself, but the start of his journey, it had been the two of them and him, him, Geralt and Ciri together. That day in the woods, when he almost smashed Geralt's knee in with a rock, he had told him, people linked by destiny would always find each other. However, at the time, Dominik wasn't Geralt's destiny, and for so long he thought the witcher just brought him around because Ciri was insistent. For so many years he had strived to make Geralt proud, because that notion, that idea was plastered in the back of his mind, that he was only there, because Ciri had insisted. However now he knew, Geralt was his destiny, Yennefer was his destiny, Ciri was his destiny. Dominik believed in destiny yes, after everything he learned from Alexander, seeing his family history from both his mother and father's side lead him to Ciri had proved that to him, we were all born with a destiny, we all had the capacity inside of us to do great things.

However, he also believed that people were capable of forging their own destinies. Ciri was his destiny yes, and apparently according to Pavetta from his dreams, and even Alexander, from the minute they were born Ciri and he were meant to meet. Pavetta had told him that she and his father even joked when Dominik and Ciri were babies about them falling in love, that joke had turned out to be true, and Dominik couldn't be more thankful. Ciri was his destiny, but he also forged his own, Geralt was his destiny, his adopted father, a man who he'd die for, and knew would die for him. Yennefer was his destiny, his second mother, who he also knew, if it had been him who was missing and in danger like Ciri was, would have gone to every single length they had for her. His friends were his destiny, traveling the continent, being a witcher with Ciri was his destiny, and they were all destinies he was forging himself.

Destiny linked people in many more ways then just the law of surprise like in Geralt and Ciri's case, and Dominik knew that it had happened with him, and the two sitting next to him then. So it didn't matter if his sword had broken, if he had made wrong choices in the past, or what would come next. Because people linked by destiny would always find each other, and Dominik would do anything for those people. Hearing Geralt and Ciri both speak with such confidence in him, such complete faith and trust, it made his heart race, and he smiled fondly over at them both and nodded before all of them looked out over the cliffs. The sun had risen fully, and all three of them sat there in silence for a few minutes in a row. The breeze shot through his hair, and he found himself smiling again not only at the view, but the two next to him. His destinies, the two people he was linked too, one destiny, in which it had been meant to be, and the other that he had forged himself.

And as he looked out over the cliff, he wondered what other destinies he would forge, or if there was any out there that were ordained, that he hadn't yet found.

"Coming here… it was a good idea," Geralt said, breaking the momentary silence as Ciri and Dominik both turned to him, as Geralt smiled between them, "I'm glad we did…"

"I knew we'd succeed, From the start I knew," Ciri said confidently from next to him, smiling over at Geralt and he both, before she looked out over the mountains again, "Now… to find Eredin… and kill him."

He nodded to her, feeling his feet dangle over the edge of the cliff his cheek tingled. Every time he heard the King of the Hunt's name mentioned his cheek had been throbbing like such, and the back of his leg would throb. He hadn't been ready the last time he faced Eredin, however, like Alexander had told him, the next time, he would be. For Declan, for Arno, for Alexander, Lara, Connor, and more importantly for Ciri, Dominik would be ready. His leg would heal, he'd figure out how to master his powers, master them as Connor and Lara of Lod had, and then he was going to rain more hell down upon the King of the Wild Hunt then he would ever imagine. And he wouldn't make the same mistake his ancestors did, he wouldn't fight alone, he'd trust in his family, never give up on them, and if they fought Eredin anything like they had just fought Imlerith, then the King truly wouldn't stand a chance.

Smiling he turned over to face them both again, meeting Ciri's eyes he nodded.

"We will… together, fucker won't stand a chance, just ask Imlerith," He said with a small smirk, and Ciri scoffed out a smile again, before she turned up to Geralt.

Dominik looked at his adopted father's face as well, he was looking out over the cliff's a wondering look on his face, and Dominik could see that he was trying desperately to think of something.

"An oren for your thoughts?" Ciri asked him, as Geralt sighed and leaned back.

He looked at them both and shook her head, "Just wondering what I'm gonna tell Yennefer when we get to Novigrad… you know how she gets."

Dominik scoffed a large smile coming to his face as he nodded.

"Ha, you got that right… I love her for it though," He said fondly, looking over at Ciri who was smiling in a similar way, "Remember the one night we came back to the inn a few hours late from going swimming and hunting?"

Ciri rolled laughed and nodded, "Ha, of course I do! She was furious… but she hugged us and didn't let go for at least an hour."

"I thought she was gonna cry," Dominik said with a small laugh, feeling his heart begin to flutter at how much he missed his mother, before looking up to Geralt, "She'd always do anything for us… just like you would. She'll be mad for a little yeah, but we're all okay, I'm sure she'll understand."

A smile grew on Geralt's face, but he scoffed and rolled his eyes before looking between them.

"Ha, I know she will… but you two won't be the ones to get a verbal lashing for it," Geralt said with an amused smile, before slowly shaking his head, "Just gonna have to figure out what to tell her."

"Tell her the truth," Ciri said gently from next to him as they both turned to her while she smiled, "Just like always…. I wonder if her and Triss have found the sorceresses of the Lodge."

Dominik quickly nodded, "I'm gonna see if I can help when we get there. I can convince Kiera I know and… well if Ida loved Connor like I think she did, I can do the same for her."

Ciri smirked and rolled her eyes at him, "Do I have to worry about you having a way with sorceresses like Geralt does?"

His face went red right away, and Geralt managed a laugh. Soon Ciri begun to laugh at her joke as well and Dominik's flustered look. He sat there and listened to them both laugh, and despite the redness, the flustered feeling in his brain he felt his heart rise again and sighed as he smiled over at them both and slowly shook his head.

"No… don't gotta worry about that, only got eyes for one," He said shooting Ciri a wink, which only made her playfully roll her eyes.

She laughed lightly again before nodded, "Well that's good to know…. But we're Novigrad bound next, Faram, George, Freya and Avallac'h are probably all there already as well, we ought to join them."

Dominik nodded and was about to get up just like Ciri was, before Geralt quickly scoffed and looked at them both.

"Gimme a minute. I'm old, need more rest," Their father said with a fond smile, before it turned into a smirk, "Can't keep up with you both like I used too."

He looked over and met Ciri's eyes, and they had a silent conversation together like they were normally able too. And they both came to the same conclusion.

Ciri looked over at Geralt from one side of him and nodded, "You are… and you do."

"Gotta let those old bones rest, besides… I… like it being the three of us," He said, sitting down and looking at them both again, before nodding, "Just like it was at the start… let's stay."

"Yeah… let's stay a while," Ciri said fondly, as she smiled at him, before leaning her head down on Geralt's shoulder as the wind gently blew.

Geralt looked down at him and nodded, before Dominik let out a relaxing sigh, smiling as he scooted closer to his father, and Geralt gently wrapped an arm around them both.

"Thanks…. I'm proud of you both… really damn proud," Geralt said lightly, as all three of them, the three of them who were all truly linked looked, a family, his second family.

It didn't matter if a hundred of his swords broke, or if he only had one choice to save them all… he would make sure they all got the life they deserved.

**A/N: And at chapter 70 everyone, the witches of Crookback Bog are dead, Imlerith is dead, and Dominik, Ciri and Geralt are all heading back to Novigrad for the final preparations. We are almost at the end everybody.. and I am both sad and super, super excited because the best is STILL yet to come. Within the next ten chapters, we're going to learn huge secrets, and have some huge moments to set up not only the end of this story, but events in future sequels. If I had to guess, we are about 20 chapters or so from the end, but that may end up being more if I decide to split chapters up! First however, let's break down this chapter!**

**First we get a small scene of Ciri, Dominik and Geralt before they all go fight, and I wanted to show how Dominik's feeling after his fight with Eredin, his first bit of action since the battle. His leg is bothering him still, but after some rock paper scissors, and then heartwarming moment with Ciri, we go to fight the Crones and Imlerith!**

**In the fight with the Crones, Dominik and Ciri are victorious yes, but Dominik's faithful steel blade breaks…. I wanted to show this being a big moment, because as Dom said, that sword was the one thing that had been with him through absolutely everything, from the moment Ciri went missing, all the way to that point. Of course he's going to get another steel sword temporarily, but I have plans for him getting a permanent one soon! After the fight is done, we head to the top of the peak, for Geralt's fight with Imlerith. **

**I originally wasn't going to include Geralt's fight with Imlerith, and Dominik and Ciri coming to help, however, I saw it as a perfect opportunity to add in some information about Baelen. Apparently accord to Imlerith, he and Eredin know Baelen truly wants to 'turn' Dominik against Ciri, and that they plan on killing her once they've got Ciri and Dominik's dead... Also, I wanted to have this be the first awesome fight with all three of Dominik, Ciri and Geralt. In this version of events, Imlerith is obviously a villain, but the reason his death had so much impact in the game was because he killed Vesemir, (Who is alive in this story), so I felt to give this fight extra meaning I had Dominik Geralt and Ciri take him down together. **

**After that, we have a small talk about destiny, and forging out own along with the ones were born with… before we finally get ready to head off to Novigrad.**

**SO, next chapter we'll arrive in Novigrad, and Dominik will attempt to contact Ida and Kiera to help, and then after that, Dominik and Ciri finally get to have themselves some more time together as they go on a small date through the city, a calming chapter before the insanity that's to come. The chapter after that, will be Dominik and Geralt helping Ciri handle her business in Novigrad, before possibly the biggest arc so far in the series… as Dominik gets a letter asking him to come back to Claywitch, and save the village again…**

**Chapter 71 is going to be a bit shorter and lighter then most haha, but I am still really excited to bring it to you all! I can't thank you all enough again for your support, I have SO much more to bring you all! **

**So, as always, review if you have time, make sure to follow for updates, stay safe and I will see all you wonderful people next time!**


	71. Novigrad Dating

**A/N: Hey everyone, quick pre-chapter AN! I wanted to apologize for a bit of a late update, i had a pretty free week this last week, but that means the next few, i have a bit of a busier work schedule, so i decided to complete a few chapters ahead, just so I have chapters to post for you guys if my writing stalls a bit! I work on this story every day haha, and with the end getting closer, chapters are getting longer! So the updates will be every few days, since i always finish one chapter before i release one haha I hope you all understand and still enjoy!**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 71: Novigrad Dating**

**Narrator: With Dominik finally recovered from his wounds sustained during the Battle of Kaer Morhen, and Ciri progressing in learning to control her powers, the two decided to wake up Geralt in the early hours of the morning, urging their adopted father to travel with them to Velen, to Bald Mountain. At Bald Mountain, Ciri had learned that Imlerith, the general of the Wild Hunt, would be attending the sabbath of the Witches of Crookback Bog. Seeing it as an opportunity to take out both Imlerith and the witches both, Dominik, Geralt and Ciri traveled to Bald Mountain together and split up to defeat their enemies. Ciri and Dominik descended deep into the heart of Bald Mountain, within the roots of the great oak, and battled the Crones, slaying all three of the beastly sisters and freeing Velen of their grasp. Geralt meanwhile battled Imlerith atop the summit, soon Dominik and Ciri arrived to help, and then the White Wolf, the Young Wolf, and the Swallow slew Imlerith, depriving Eredin of his top general. Now, the three head for Novigrad, where Yennefer and Triss Merigold, along with all their friends have gathered, ready to begin the final preparations of defeating the Wild Hunt…**

The smoke was the first thing Dominik saw when he took the steps across the bridge, and then, just like the first time he entered Novigrad, he saw the pyre burning. The sun beat down intensely on the back of his neck, but he felt his blood run cold as he subconsciously took a step closer to Ciri, who was walking with her hood up, looking on in horror at the sight of two pyres lined up outside of the gates. The people tied to them had already burned and died, so unlike when he first entered Hierarch Square what felt like months ago, he didn't have to hear the screams. However, when they finally got closer, he took a look to see who the unlucky victims were and felt his mouth get dry. Ciri, next to him, shuddered and slowly shook her head.

"They're… non-humans," She said in disbelief, turning over to Geralt and he returned her statement with a shake of his head, "I thought it was mages the Hunters and Temple Guard were after…"

"They were… but we helped them escape…" Dominik said quietly, suddenly feeling nauseous as he turned to look at Geralt, "But since we did…"

Geralt slowly nodded, "Since we did… the Hunters needed to find a new quarry."

Dominik slowly turned back to the two bodies, an elf on one pyre, a dwarf on another. He shuddered thinking how easily that could have been Zoltan or any of the other non-humans burning there. He looked back to Ciri and Geralt both as they neared the gate, and the three of them simply looked at one another with the same horrified look. They didn't need to say anything because Dominik knew they were all thinking the same thing. He himself shuddered again, thinking about another choice he had made that resulted in something horrible. Of course he didn't regret helping Triss and the mages, however, knowing that led to more non-humans being burned like this, hunted and persecuted all for the simple crime of being born. This was the northern realms he was living in, and it nearly made him sick as he made sure to stick close to Ciri as they passed under the archway, the guards eyeing the three of them as they passed. He had killed Menge, yes, but he knew that just like Dudu had said before, someone equally as horrible would more than likely take his place, so for that obvious reason they had made sure to have Ciri keep her hood up as they entered.

The smell of the burning flesh hit his nose and he nearly coughed as they entered the city. He remembered back those weeks ago, dragging a half-conscious and bleeding George through that same gate towards the then Rosemary and Thyme after his first fight with Baelen. Dominik himself had been half-conscious as well, with his powers activating exponentially for the first time, and draining him of nearly everything he had. In that moment, he could remember falling outside the inn, wanting, begging, pleading for Ciri, he was still a way's away from her at that time, but all he had wanted was her, to help make the pain go away, that was before Geralt had come out and carried his unconscious self-back to his room where Freya saved him. And now he was back again, approaching that same building, with Ciri by his side like he had dreamt of. He was elated for that of course, but he still felt his skin crawling as he looked around at the homeless non-humans, the Temple Guard walking while people backed away in fear, and still, he could smell the burning of the non-humans outside the city. While he knew Novigrad was a free city, an independent one, he knew exactly who had been stoking the fires of what was happening.

He found himself looking down the bridge, up towards Gildorf, where he knew Dijkstra's bathhouse was and wondered if he went there if he'd find Adda, Elise, and how far along in their plan they were. Adda had told him, that not everyone in Redania's court supported Radovid, Dominik hadn't enquired much about what else she planned, however all he knew, was that she planned on liberating the North, pushing Nilfgaard all the way back south of the Yaruga, to tear down everything that Emhyr had built. It was a goal Dominik could get behind; however, he still didn't know much overall about the Queen and her plans. However, if not for her, they'd all be dead, if not for her sending Arno and Elise to Kaer Morhen, they would have been overwhelmed. He felt Arno's crossbow at his waist heavily smack against his leg and bit his lip as he remembered Elise's words to him before she had left Kaer Morhen.

_'Don't you let his sacrifice be in vain kid… don't you fucking do it,' _the redhead had told him. After this, she had told Dominik she was heading back to Novigrad with Roche and Ves, to continue their plan with Adda of killing Radovid. A part of Dominik wanted to find Adda to thank her again, however, another part of him wanted to avoid her altogether. While the Queen had shown nothing but courtesy to him so far, he had seen too many rulers go mad, too many go power-hungry and go back on their promises. However, he had given Adda his word, his word he'd go and at least talk to her when everything was all over, he had no idea how her plan with killing her husband was proceeding, no idea if after she really did kill him if she'd be how she claimed.

But all he could think about as the cool afternoon breeze hit him then, was if Adda was telling the truth, how he could truly do something about what was happening around him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ciri's soft voice hit his ears, making Dominik nearly jump as they walked.

He looked down to see her looking up at him her hood covering her well, but he could still see her eyes sparkling up at him. Slowly he nodded, as he found himself looking towards Gildorf again as they had both fallen slightly behind Geralt.

"Yeah… I'm alright," He said with a sigh, before looking back down at her as they approached the Chameleon, he shook his head and met her eyes, "I'm… just thinking, I-."

"You're thinking about Adda aren't you, Elise… and whether you want to go help them or not," She guessed right away as she kept her eyes locked with his.

He scoffed lightly and slowly nodded with a small smile, "Yeah…. You learn how to read my mind like Yen does to Geralt?"

Ciri laughed lightly and shook her head, "No… I just know you well enough…. You know Dominik, if… if we survive all this, I really meant it when I said we decide together what we do. If you want to try and go help Adda we can."

Quickly he shook his head, the idea sounding incredulous to him then. He of course had told Ciri over the previous weeks about Adda, it had been when she asked him how he met Arno and Elise. The only person he hadn't explained how he met yet to her, was Declan. He hadn't yet, because Ciri hadn't asked him, and also because he didn't feel he was ready to discuss the man again yet. This was also along with the fact, that he didn't know how Ciri would react if he told her Declan had been the cousin of Cahir. Geralt had told Dominik, that Ciri never knew Cahir had been the knight in the winged helmet, they hadn't had time to discuss it between what happened at Stygga Castle and Rivia, and Dominik knew how hard it had been for him to come to terms with it, so he didn't want to push that on Ciri then with everything going on. Arno and Elise however, he had explained to her how Adda had sent them both, and how she had done it because Geralt saved her life, and to persuade Dominik to help her in the future with her plans of liberating the North.

Ciri had of course listened to him, but Dominik had made sure to tell her, that he wouldn't put her in danger by bringing her around Adda after it was over. He knew for a fact now, that Adda had to know about Ciri, Elise surely would have told her that the reason they were defending Kaer Morhen was to protect her. The Queen also wasn't stupid and would surely know that Ciri was Emhyr's daughter. Again, while Adda had been nothing but courteous to him, helpful and respectful, Dominik wasn't about to bring Ciri near her. He had no idea if she would attempt to use Ciri in some plot against Emhyr, force her to take the throne, or use her as bait to draw Emhyr in. So while Elise he did feel he could trust, fighting alongside someone against the Wild Hunt made you trust a person, he still wasn't sure about Adda. And while if it had just been him, he would have seriously considered going to help Adda and at least figuring out more, he wasn't, he would have Ciri with him, and he wouldn't have it any other way. And he also, wouldn't risk her safety for anything, not even the chance to knock the Black Ones back or help Adda fix all of the policies and persecution within the North. Nothing would ever be worth Ciri's safety to him.

The wind was howling, but the sun was still bright in the sky, so it was a good mix that day they finally arrived. From Bald Mountain to Novigrad, it had only taken them around a day, and now they were finally arriving what seemed to be an hour or two before sunset. After everything that had happened on Bald Mountain, and being on the road for a week, Dominik was ready for a comfy bed back in the Chameleon, remembering the week or so Geralt and he had spent there. It had felt like so long ago that he left his room, ripping up the picture of Ciri from Emhyr's spies, and promising that the next time he returned he'd have a guest. He tore his vision away from the bridge leading towards Gildorf and Hierarch Square and looked back to Ciri as they got closer to the doors of the Chameleon.

Everything else, other than her, keeping her safe and giving her that freedom was irrelevant. Adda would wait, everything would wait, she was all that mattered to him then.

"That's a ways off, don't worry princess," He said with a small smile, before gesturing his head towards the Chameleon, "Wait till you see how Dandelion fixed this place up, it's downright gorgeous, somewhere we'll always be able to go."

She accepted his answer because a small smile formed on her face as she nodded.

"That sounds wonderful," She said with a small smirk as she looked up at him, "It'll be nice to have a bed again, hope it's bigger than yours back at Kaer Morhen."

He felt his face get slightly red, but managed a laugh, "Ha, it is don't worry, the rooms actually-."

"You two coming?" Geralt asked sarcastically from in front of them, and he and Ciri both shot their heads up to see him waiting by the door.

He looked and met Ciri's gaze, and saw a playful smile dance across her face, that scar on her bottom lip upturned and he almost had a nosebleed from how cute it was. He winked at her and she scoffed out a laugh before they both turned over to Geralt and nodded. Their father smiled and nodded at them both before they turned and entered into the Chameleon. Dominik hadn't seen any patrons outside, however when he entered, right away he saw a few scattered people, the fire that was going near the bar warmed his skin pleasantly, and the smell of food and wine hit his nose. He looked around and smiled when he saw even more new decorations and paintings, servers were going around with trays to the few patrons, the dancers were waltzing on the stage, and gently music from a lute followed. A smile came to his face as he let out a relieved sigh, he looked down to Ciri who was smiling wildly as she finally pulled her hood down and adjusted her sword.

Dominik did the same, adjusting both blades that were now on his back. _Fate _of course was still there, and Geralt, as he had guessed, had an extra steel blade on Roach's saddle that he gave to him. The blade looked similar to his old one that had broken, but it was heavier, and simply didn't feel right in his hands, it was clearly meant for someone larger than him, however, he knew it would do for the time being until he could get another of his own made.

His bones were aching, and the warming of his bones from the fire, the smell of the food and wine, it only made him yearn to be in a bed even more after being on the road for so many days. He looked over at Ciri who yawned and smiled up at him before she shot him a wink. Dominik bit his lip and laughed lightly, feeling his heart flutter, the idea of a fluffy bed, nice pillows, and a bed that was actually big enough for them both to stretch in sounded delightful. Next to them Geralt smirked and nodded at them before the booming voice of Dominik's favorite dwarf hit his ears.

"Dandeeeeeelion! Fill up some tankards! We have guests," Zoltan's voice boomed, and all three of he Geralt and Ciri turned to see the dwarf come towards them.

"Geralt, Dominik, Ciri! You made it," The excited voice of Dandelion said, and Dominik laughed as he looked over and saw the bard's head pop up over the bar.

Dominik felt the smile come to his face, and saw Dandelion eagerly come up next to Zoltan, his eyes darted over to Ciri between Geralt and he before the bard sighed in relief.

The poet looked to Ciri and scoffed out a smile, "When, I learned that Dom and Geralt had found you-."

Ciri laughed and cut him off with a smile, "It's good to see you in one piece too Dandelion."

The bard's face flushed with relief before Dominik looked around the inn once again. He narrowed his eyes curiously and turned over to Dandelion realizing that there were people missing and that had been the reason that it had felt so empty.

"Dandelion, where's Priscilla," He asked, curious to where his trobairitz friend was, before he went on, "And what about Faram, George and Freya, did they make it okay?"

"Priscilla's out in the market picking up a few things," The bard explained with the smile still ever-present on his face, "And all three made it, yeah, Freya's running around upstairs somewhere, Faram and George went to the harbor, Faram's ship was coming in, they wanted to make sure it got there okay."

He quickly nodded and let out a relieved breath and saw both Ciri and Geralt do the same. The three of them making the trip to Velen together, just himself, Geralt and Ciri had been every bit as great as he had hoped, and they achieved what they had needed. However, he did feel slightly bad, and he knew Ciri did as well about leaving their friends at the castle with just Avallac'h. A small part of him was afraid what the sage would do, being there with just his friends now that Ciri wasn't at the castle, so hearing that they had all arrived okay had relieved him, and knowing he now had them all, his hansa, his company there, it only served to make him more confident. A cool breeze shot in through the open door and chilled his bones, as Zoltan looked up and smiled at them all.

"Haha, you three look like you've had an adventure, where have you been?" The dwarf asked them, and Dominik right away smirked over at Ciri, who did the same as they both looked to Geralt.

Geralt smirked right back at them, before looking down to Zoltan, "Just finished hunting down the Crones in Velen, and a general of the Wild Hunt."

"Three crones dead, thanks to Ciri over here," Dominik quickly said with a smirk as Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes before he looked back down to Zoltan and Dandelion, "And Imlerith's dead. A good trip all in all."

He looked between Ciri and Geralt with a broad smile and felt his own pride well up. Like Ciri and he had said before the fight, it had in a way been their first contract together, and it had been a successful one at that. Now with Imlerith dead, Eredin had only Baelen and Caranthir left as commanders, and if what Geralt told him Imlerith said about Baelen was true, then perhaps the King truly only did have Caranthir. Initially, when he had heard Baelen was trying to 'turn him' against Ciri he had been surprised, however, the more he thought about the words she had spoken to him during both their times fighting, and in all of his dreams, the more that it made sense. Each time she had claimed Ciri didn't do anything for him, claimed she would use him, abuse the love he had for her. It wasn't true, none of it was true of course, but Baelen apparently believed it, because each time she shouted the same thing, and each time she also offered him a chance to surrender. Even before his fight with Eredin, she urged him to not fight, to simply surrender Ciri and save his own life. He truly did believe what he told her in their encounter at the battle, he didn't think she wanted to kill, he thought she was being forced. He could remember the horrible dream he had, of Caranthir torturing her, nearly killing her because she had lied about where Geralt and Dominik were going, and at that moment, she had just been a young woman pleading for her life.

Faram had joked with him during one of the days he was recovering, that perhaps Baelen was one of Dominik's scorned ex-lovers. It was a joke of course because Faram knew that Dominik in fact had no ex-lovers other than Freya, and no lover he had would have been able to know everything Baelen did about Ciri and him. Dominik also liked to think that if he did have an ex-lover, that he wouldn't treat one so badly that they turned to the Wild Hunt to get revenge on him, then there was also the question of Baelen's powers. The magic she wielded, Dominik knew she had to be just scratching the surface, the magic around her was just as erratic as his was, and he also remembered when Ciri and he fought Caranthir, that the navigator said Baelen, 'lacked control'. He still had so many questions surrounding the commander, such as why he had dreams of her, and what was this 'promise' he and Ciri had apparently made to her and had broken.

However, as he felt the yawn come to him, and saw Ciri's tired yet smiling eyes next to him, he decided to push Baelen, and any thoughts of the Wild Hunt from his mind, at least for the rest of that night, as he could see the sun setting outside. He knew what arriving in Novigrad meant, Yennefer and Triss had to be around somewhere, and as much as he wished it weren't so, the same with Avallac'h. They had killed Imlerith, deprived Eredin of his general and struck a great blow, so now it was time to find the King himself, to finally kill him, finally free Ciri to do what she wanted, to give her that freedom she deserved, and so that they both could have that life that they always dreamed of. Whether that was settling in a small village like Claywitch or traveling the path for the rest of their lives, as long as they were together it'd be the life he always dreamed. He smiled at her, and she did the same to him before Zoltan nodded from the ground below them with a broad smile on his face as well.

"Well, well, you've had a busy few days then haven't you…" Zoltan said with a smirk before Dandelion scoffed next to him and agreed.

"He's right, ha, in fact, you all look terrible! Like you could really use some rest," The bard said with a smile, and Ciri next to him quickly nodded.

She smiled with a yawn as she stretched out her arms, "Ha, I'll gladly take some, what do you think?"

Dominik saw her turn her gaze to him, and her yawn was contagious as well as her smile because he did both. His bones continued to yearn for a bed and seeing Ciri's tired smile only spurred him on. He nodded and turned to Zoltan.

"Same here, Zoltan still got my old room?" He asked and the dwarf quickly laughed and nodded.

"Bah, got a new one, bigger all set up for you lad," The dwarf said, before sighing with a smile and looking at them both, "The two of you back together again, I remember when you were a wee lad and lass attached at each other's hips! Gods you've gotten huge."

"Yeah, but the attached at each other's hips part hasn't changed," Geralt joked from next to them, getting a laugh from Dandelion and Zoltan as Ciri and he both shot their father a glare.

Dominik smiled soon after however as he met Ciri's gaze, if there was one person who's hip he didn't mind being attached too, it was Ciri's. His face got slightly red, but Ciri simply smirked and winked at him again as everyone around them finished laughing. He felt a small flutter fill up in his stomach, as he found himself unable to stop smiling, still trying to come to grips with the fact that he was actually there. Despite the weeks of seeing her every day, he still found himself blinking rapidly, or pinching himself to wake up, praying that he wasn't in some long-extended dream. However, with each day that passed, he felt more and more at home again, home with her.

Zoltan finished chuckling and smiled at them both, "Haha aye, got rooms waiting for ya, come on little swallow, you too 'young wolf'."

"Oh jeez…" He muttered to himself, hearing the nickname that Dandelion had been trying to pawn off on him.

Ciri scoffed and looked over at him, she smirked and spoke in a joking tone, "Young wolf? Well, well, I didn't know you had your own ballad name, 'the ballad of the young wolf', I'm sure all the young ballad loving lasses will be throwing themselves at you!"

He rolled his eyes, "The 'ballad of the young wolf and the swallow' sounds better to me. That way all those 'young ballad loving lasses' know the truth."

She looked like she was about to fire back with a witty comeback, however, she floundered, and Dominik smirked when he saw her face get slightly red. He chuckled as Ciri rolled her eyes at him before she turned back over to Geralt who was smiling amusedly at them both.

"It's getting pretty late, we'll be sure to find you again before we head to bed," Ciri told their father, reaching over and giving him a quick hug around the shoulders.

Dominik smiled and quickly nodded to his adopted father as well, "Yeah, hopefully, Yen will be here, we can all have dinner."

"Sounds like a plan," Geralt said with a fond smile as he nodded.

Dominik felt his own heart do a dozen flips. He almost scoffed, the idea that he, Geralt and Ciri would be able to sit down and all have dinner together, like they had used to do back in Ellander together would have been a ridiculous idea to him a few months prior, something he only did in his dreams. However, he looked to his right and saw Ciri, and next to her was Geralt, and he knew Yennefer had to be around somewhere close by, and then of course, he was there, they were all there, his family, together. He had broken promises in his life, important ones to people who were important to him, and he had been devastated at each broken one. It had cost himself, and the ones he loved dearly, some of the promises he broke.

However, he realized in that moment, he had fulfilled quite possibly the most important one. The promise for them all to be reunited.

"What is it?" Ciri asked him as they both went to follow Zoltan towards the stairs.

He lightly laughed and looked down at her, gently shaking his head, "Nothing… just taking it all in… come on."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You both made it! Thank the gods, we were starting to worry," Freya's voice yelled right away when they had reached the top of the steps with Zoltan.

Dominik's eyes widened, and he felt the broad smile come to his face. He looked to see Ciri scoff as well, as Freya speed walked over towards them after emerging from her room. Zoltan from below them laugh and smiled up at her.

"Ahaha you bet they did lassie," the dwarf said excitedly as Freya excitedly came up to meet them. Zoltan grinned and gestured towards them both, "Fresh off a kill of the general of the Wild Hunt they are, been keeping busy!"

Freya's eyes widened and she scoffed in amazement, "So you did it then? Your trip to Bald Mountain was a success?"

He smiled back at her and nodded, "Yeah, it was, it's good to see you, I'm glad you made it here okay."

"So am I," Ciri said quickly with a smile next to him, before laughing sheepishly, "Sorry for leaving on such quick notice…"

Freya shook her head and quickly reached around to hug him. The blonde squeezed tightly, and Dominik did the same before she pulled back and hugged Ciri in a similar way. Dominik's smile grew seeing the two of them hug, he could see the genuine friendship that had formed, he assumed that being the only two women in a castle full of witchers had a way of bringing two women together regardless of backgrounds. Freya was dressed in her armor, the black boiled leather tunic and leather bandoliers with potion vials and pouches, the white shirt underneath with straps along her elbows. She of course had black gloves as well, with her brown trousers and boots, and like a true witcher still, her sword was slung across her back, with her dagger strapped to her hip. Her blonde hair cascaded in curls down her shoulders and back, as her bright blue eyes sparkled with the sunlight coming in through the window at the end of the hall.

Their friend quickly nodded, and Dominik couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm she exhumed.

"Ha, no problem we were getting ready to leave soon anyway," Freya said with a shake of her head as she looked between he and Ciri both, "Me, Faram and George got here a few days ago, took us about a week to get here, not long at all."

Dominik nodded, and Ciri next to him did the same, before she looked and met Freya's gaze.

"What about Avallac'h? Did he go with you?" She asked, and Dominik right away rolled his eyes.

He knew that the elf would have to be here, of course, however for the previous week or so he, Geralt, and Ciri had been on the road, he almost forgot about the sage, which he was thankful for. Ciri had reaffirmed to Geralt and him on the trip, that she did indeed trust Avallac'h still, with the sage truly not having done anything to indicate any foul intentions. Dominik knew even if he hadn't, the elf was up to something, he had never been surer of it. Ciri insisted, however, that she was aware the elf was using her, but she was using him to learn to control his powers as well, so it evened out, before telling them both that they'd be rid of each other after Eredin was finally dealt with, so that had brought Dominik some form of solace, knowing that Ciri was as done with the elf as he was.

Dominik hadn't however, gotten up the courage to ask Ciri about what it was Eredin mentioned, the thing that Avallac'h had done to her, that even the King of the Hunt saw fit to mention to them. However, like when he learned about what Emhyr had truly wanted from Ciri when he found her after Stygga Castle, Dominik assumed that whatever the elf did, it would make him want to murder the sage, and for that reason, he almost didn't want to figure out. In the end, they needed Avallac'h as much as he hated to admit it, and if learning whatever he did, made Dominik lose control and want to kill him, then it would jeopardize their chances at defeating Eredin, and that was the last thing Dominik wanted to do. So, if Ciri told him, he'd listen, and try to control his anger, but he had decided he didn't want to go asking until after everything was over.

The elf in the days since he figured out about Alexander, had kept his word from the day Dominik confronted him. The sage had eased up on Ciri in training, and done his best to avoid him, which he was thankful for. Because very time Dominik saw the elf he wanted to stab him just from the arrogant look he had on his face. It had only served to make Dominik more suspicious, because from what he saw of the elf in his vision with Alexander, and what he observed from being around him, Avallac'h wasn't the kind to simply change his ways so suddenly. However, just like with Baelen downstairs, Dominik was too tired to think about Avallac'h and whatever he was planning, and all he wanted to focus on then was Ciri, and seeing if Yennefer was nearby, so he could use his adopted mother's megascope to call Ida and Kiera.

Freya scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Read the note you left us, saw the location of the Chameleon, looked at us, sneered, and then proceeded to teleport away."

"Fucking prick…" Dominik muttered to himself, getting a nod in agreement from Freya, before he looked to meet the blonde's eyes again, "What about Letho and Gaeten, did they stay like they said they were?"

"They did yeah," Freya said nodding in confirmation, "Both told us to tell you good luck, and to put their training to good use. After all that, Faram, George, and I came here and waited for you."

He scoffed out a smile and met Ciri's eyes as she did the same. She smiled back up at him before she turned around to Freya with a nod.

"Dandelion said Faram and George were at his boat," Ciri said, turning and looking between Freya and he both, "I didn't know he had a ship."

"Ahhh the _Adrestia! _The beautiful vessel it is," Zoltan said with a smile down below them, before looking over at Freya, "Uh lassie you don't think you could um… whip up more of those dumplings you made the other night for dinner could ya?"

Freya laughed along with Dominik and Ciri before their friend nodded at Zoltan and turned to them both.

"Haha of course I can, it's no problem at all," She said happily, before reaching out and hugging both he and Ciri again, "It's good to see you both okay… I'll see you for dinner later?"

"You will yeah, just wanna rest up a bit first, I'm completely knackered," Ciri said with a small smile before Dominik scoffed in agreement.

"I know how you feel princess," He said to Ciri, before turning back over to Freya with a smile, "We'll catch up with you three later."

Freya nodded with a smile, before walking past the three of them back down the steps. Ciri and he turned back to Zoltan, and he could faintly hear Freya greeting Geralt and Dandelion. He remembered a few weeks prior, when in the then Rosemary and Thyme, he had finally gotten all his friends together. It had been him, Freya, Faram, George, Geralt, and Zoltan, and the only one missing had been Ciri. He smiled down at her, watching the loose strands of hair from her bun gently fall down her face. It was something he still found himself doing often after all these years, simply staring at her, admiring her, and it was something he assumed he'd do for the rest of his life. A small yawn left her, as Zoltan continued to walk down the hall of rooms.

His group of companions, of friends, his hansa was complete, and he couldn't have been happier with it. Geralt had regaled him with stories at times during the last month of his friends, Dominik had lapped them up, even when Geralt had mentioned Cahir. The company had been Cahir, Dandelion, a half dryad named Milva, a woman named Angouleme, whom Geralt told him he initially mistook for Ciri when he met her, and then there had been the vampire Regis, who Geralt told him had been melted by Vilgefortz. Geralt told him stories of his nights traveling with his hansa, the jokes, the laughs, the comradery. It made Dominik at times feel even worse that he hadn't been there, hadn't been able to join that company. However, he was also grateful he hadn't in the end, because he knew for a fact, that he more then likely would have killed Cahir the moment Geralt found him again, or if the Nilfgaardean really was on Thanedd, Dominik would have killed him then. Or who knows, perhaps what Declan had told him about Cahir being sorry for his actions, wanting to atone for them was correct, and Dominik would have been able to put his hatred aside. It was something he'd never be able to figure out, but something he'd always wonder.

However, one thing he did know that happened, that kept him up thinking at night, worrying, was that every member of Geralt's company outside of Dandelion had been killed. Cahir as he knew, was killed by Leo Bonhart. Milva, the half-dryad was killed by another master archer, while Angouleme was stabbed in the leg and killed. Regis as Geralt had horribly told him, was melted into a puddle by Vilgefortz, all of them, all the friends Gerald had gathered were killed. Dominik had been told history repeated itself, but he was going to do everything in his power to make sure this part didn't repeat itself. He had already lost one friend, one member of his company in Declan. Every single fiber of his being, wanted Declan to be at the chameleon then, wanted to be teasing him about his crush on Freya, or hearing the twang of his bowstring outside. But it couldn't be that way, Declan was gone, sacrificed himself so that Dominik could survive and live his life. He wasn't afraid to admit to the small nightmares he'd had of Declan firing that arrow, the gas exploding into flames as Ciri teleported him away. He never got to properly apologize for how he treated the young man, to get to truly know him, fight by his side more. Declan had died for him and Ciri, for the continent without a second thought, and Dominik had felt guilty for it every day since.

However, the only way he knew he could make Declan's sacrifice worth it, was to honor the man's last words. He had told Dominik to live well, and to not let the Wild Hunt have their world, so that was what he was going to do.

Ciri reached over and randomly grabbed his hand, squeezing and holding it as they walked, and Dominik felt his face heat up. He looked over and she wasn't even looking at him, just walking as Zoltan got to the last room on the right. It was a small gesture, but Dominik still felt his arm tingle, and smile broadly, as he realized both of Declan's final request went hand in hand.

By defeating the Hunt, he'd not let them have that world, and he would live well, even better then he was in that very moment.

"And here we are Dominik lad! A wee bit bigger than your other room, what do ya think?" Zoltan asked as Ciri and he both entered the room behind the dwarf.

Dominik scoffed right away and met Ciri's gaze with a smile, "Ha… this will do, this will do great."

His room the last time they had been in Novigrad, was small, with only a bed a tad bit larger than his one at Kaer Morhen. It had one small nightstand and a dresser, and was narrow, with only one window looking out over Novigrad. It would have been possible for Ciri and he to squeeze in yes, but it would have been tight. As Ciri walked with a smirk into the room however and gently ran her hand over the bed, Dominik found himself smiling even more, as the room was nearly three times as large as that one he had before. It had two windows with differing views of the city, along with a large bookshelf and dresser, it even had a large table that had lit candles, bowls of fruit with two chairs. Ciri scoffed and walked over to the table, grabbing a grape from one bowl and popping it into her mouth, before scoffing and smiling over at him.

Dominik took a step into the room and crossed his arms, finally noticing the size of the bed as well. He loved his old bed at Kaer Morhen, but with how much bigger he and Ciri had gotten, while he every second of laying in bed with her was great, they both had admitted it was far too small, and they certainly both felt the effects during training. However, with a lit candle on the nightstand, and the sunset gleaming in from the windows, Dominik saw a bed that was more than big enough for them both. It had a multitude of fluffy pillows, and a large red blanket over the large mattress, and Ciri wasted no time in letting out a relaxed sigh and falling onto it. She smiled up at him as she unstrapped the sword from her back and nodded to him with a smile.

"Ha, it most certainly will do," She said with a smile as she leaned her sword up against the dresser.

Zoltan next to him lightly laughed, and Dominik saw a massive smirk come to the face of the dwarf, as he scratched his beard while looking between the both of them.

"Aha… am I right in assuming the to of ye… don't mind sharin this one," The dwarf said, and while he had been sharing a room and bedroll with Ciri the previous few weeks, Dominik still found himself nervously laugh as his face got red.

The sun coming in through the windows more than likely only illuminated his flustered face more as he quickly looked over to Ciri sitting on the bed. Like usual she smiled mischievously at him, and leaned her hands back on the massive bed before winking at him.

"I don't mind sharing at all no… that is if you still don't mind Dominik," She said smugly to him, smirking at him as his face got even redder.

Dominik felt his body begin to tingle, not at her words but her suggestive tone, just like it had been since she got back, Ciri flustered him. He remembered before they had started talking in the cave, how close they had been. Dominik may not have shown it, but he was dreadfully nervous the entire time, despite the euphoria he had felt. He also wasn't afraid to admit, how a small part of him, very much wanted to be in that position again. However, the urges always got tuned out by the fact they did have much more important things to worry about, and when the time came for them to make love for the first time it would happen. Ciri knew this as well, however, it hadn't stopped her from relentlessly teasing him the previous week or so, and while it annoyed him yes, a small part of him loved it.

However, it always put him in a position like he was now, his cheeks flustered his stomach in knots, biting his lip and nervously rubbing the back of his head.

"Aha… uh… no… I… I don't mind at all," He said, and right away he could see Ciri trying to contain her laughter.

Zoltan chuckled next below him and nodded, "Ahaha… aye, alright then lad. You two take it easy, we'll be downstairs if you need anything."

He nodded to Zoltan, and the dwarf quickly walked from the room, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door clicked closed, he heard Ciri burst out laughing, as he turned and slowly rolled his eyes at her. She tossed her head back and fell backward onto the large mattress laughing, and as the sound hit her ears, he couldn't help but smile and chuckle a little himself. The sun streamed in through the windows, and while she laughed he didn't take his eyes off her, a smile broadly on his face as he unstrapped both his swords as well. He leaned them up against the large table, just as Ciri finished laughing and sat up to look at him. She smiled, and he saw the sunlight gently hit off her face as she continued to lightly chuckle. He rolled his eyes again but smiled as he went to undo the top of his armor. He unbuckled all the straps, and after a few moments he lifted it up off his shoulders and let out a breath of relief as he gently placed it on the table, before grabbing a grape and popping it into his mouth as well.

The white top that he wore was caked with sweat, so he pulled it over his head and off, before breathing out in relief again while running a hand through his messy brown hair. He felt his bones breathe as he rolled his shoulders, gently turning over to see Ciri had a similar idea. She unstrapped her corset and sat on the bed smiling at her with her boots off, only the white top that went down her arms and down just past both her breasts to her mid-drift. He smirked over at her and pulled off his own boots and gloves as well, before going over to join her. She bit her own lip before smirking at him, a small chuckle left her lips as well, before she fell onto her back, lightly sinking into the mattress.

"Aha… I love it when you get that look on your face it's hilarious…" She said amusingly as she looked up at him.

He smiled but rolled his eyes, "Well, I'm glad that I could provide you with some entertainment."

Gently he sat on the bed next to her. His socks hit the wooden floor and he groaned out, feeling his aching bones finally rested as he smiled, and leaned back as well next to her. Right away he felt himself lightly sink into the mattress as well, for a moment he closed his eyes and took in a relaxing breath before he felt the bed shift. He opened his eyes, and looked next to him, he saw Ciri turn her body, leaning on one arm she placed the other over his chest. The feeling of her bare hand, her warm hand over his chest made him breath out again as he felt the tingle run over his bare chest and through his entire body. He shuddered lightly again, and it got another chuckle out of her, as Dominik finally turned to meet her sparkling eyes. The sunlight from the window above them cast a beautiful glow over her as she smiled wildly at him.

"Ha… all jokes aside… I like this… this is really nice," She said with a sigh as she cuddled up into him and looked up to meet his eyes, "I think we deserve a bed like this after what we slept in at Kaer Morhen."

He laughed and wrapped his arm around her as they laid there, "Ha… come on that bed served me well for years."

She playfully rolled her eyes, "Yes, but it was also made for young eleven-year-olds, in case you haven't noticed, we've grown up a bit, we need a bigger bed."

"Oh yeah? We fit in that one at Kaer Morhen still, what could you possibly want a bigger bed for now?" He asked her, feeling the smirk grow on his own face, and right away she scoffed.

"Oh I don't know, a lot of things," She said suggestively with a smile, before she gently ran her hand up his chest to his face, before bringing her face up to his cheek, "After you buy me that diamond necklace you promised, maybe you can pick what it is."

He laughed out right away, and she did the same before planting a long kiss on his scarred right cheek. As she did they both found themselves laughing as Dominik remembered his drunken bet with George. The joke had been so out of nowhere he felt himself laughing from his guy as he wrapped his arm tighter around her. Ciri laughed just as hard, before looking up at him with a small smirk, before she swung her leg around and climbed on top of him. She straddled his waist and leaned down. Dominik laughed and felt his arms wrap around her waist, as she reached her arms around his neck and squeezed him with everything she had while she laid on top of him.

"Ha… the best diamond necklace there is, I promise princess," He said gently to her, as he kissed the side of her head.

"Good… good," She said muffled into his neck, and Dominik breathlessly moaned out with a laugh as she planted a long kiss on the side of his neck, before she laughed and pulled up.

He felt complete bliss overtake his body as she smiled down at him. She sat straddling his waist, both her bare hands on his chest, as he leaned upon his elbows simply looking up at her, feeling his heart nearly thump out of his chest. For a moment he felt like nothing else existed, it was the two of them, and time had stopped. It happened like that often when he was with her, time, space, everything seemed to stop just so the two of them could have that moment. His skin began to tingle, his heart nearly thumped out of his chest, he found himself at times barely able to string multiple thoughts together at once, all of this happened when he looked at her. Dominik didn't know if others felt like this when they were in love, or if it was a distinct feeling special to him. It felt like when he was with her, that anything could happen around them, almost anything could happen, but it would be okay because he had her.

Over the years, he could remember times where simple things like food had no taste, simply breathing would become hard, the will to get out of his bedroll or bed was simply gone. He had heard a saying when he was younger, that stated, 'it is better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all,' and Dominik had never heard such a ridiculous quote in all his life. That feeling, the feeling of having the one person, a whole other person make you feel complete, fill you up, give you that feeling of complete fulfillment and joy, it was something like a drug, the more you had it, the more you came to rely on it. That was what love was to him, a drug, but not a damaging drug-like fisstech, but a drug that helped you get through the dregs of life, through the hard times, through the times when you couldn't pull yourself out of a hole you were in, that was when you relied on love. It didn't have to be the love of a romantic lover, it could be from a parent, a sibling or a friend, but either way, that was what helped drag you out of your deepest and darkest times. Everyone had the capacity for it, no matter what you did, how you looked, how damaged you were, everyone had the capacity in them to love or to be loved.

So the idea of having that, and losing it, being better than never having it at all? The idea was completely ridiculous. He had experienced that pain, that pain of losing the ones who gave you that love.

He had seen his sister, mother, and father all die in the same night, within an hour of each other all, and the only thing that had pulled him out of that hole, that deep, dark abyss he had fallen into was Ciri, her love, her presence had been there for him when he needed it most. Geralt and Yennefer had come along after later, and he felt that same love from them, they had given it to him, yes, but nothing had ever compared to her, compared to Ciri. He remembered the first few days they had run from Cintra; they had only been eleven, he had sword wound across his gut, at night he nearly froze to death. However, ever single night, Ciri would wash the cloth they'd placed over his wound, she'd reapply it, huddle into him as both their teeth chattered to keep him warm, telling him how everything would be alright, they were together, as long as they were together anything would be alright. Every night he had nightmares, Bella being shot, his mother being shot, his father dying in his arms, he'd wake up screaming, but Ciri was there, she'd stay up with him while he cried, balled his eyes out into her screaming his family's names. Even as they got older and the nightmares still came, it didn't matter what hour of the night it was, how long she had to stay, she always did.

Destiny or no destiny, it would always be Ciri. Her beauty, not just her outer, but the inner beauty was what he had fallen in love with, and was the drug that had dragged him out of so many deep, dark places, even during the years they were apart, it had been that love he felt that kept him moving. Because that's what love did, that's what love was, a 'drug' may not have been the best word, it was more like medicine, medicine that could heal any wound. Love was when you could hear someone's voice and it made you feel better, when a person filled you with warmth just from their gaze, love was when you could look at a person, and feel all time stop around you. For that moment, that other person was all that mattered. Over the years, he had been to many dark places, but that was what always pulled him out, that love, that person.

Ciri was that person, and there was nothing that would ever compare to her love. Her beauty was boundless inside and out, her love was limitless, everything began and ended with her. She was it, his Ciri, his destiny, his love, his one and only.

"Ha… what are you staring at mister," She said playfully as she reached a hand up to his face.

He slowly shook his head, feeling his heart nearly explode, "Nothing… I just love you… a lot."

Gently he took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm. The gesture made her go redder then Dominik had ever seen her. She laughed lightly as she reached up to her hair, she untied her bun, and he watched her ashen locks falls down her shoulders. Right away he found one hand on her bare torso, while the other aimlessly curled her hair. He looked at her again, and she was speechless for a moment, simply looking down at him with a smile, before she gently nodded and leaned down closer to his face, her hair falling over the side of his head.

"I love you too…" She said gently, before leaning down and kissing him before they melted into each other.

She gingerly moved her lips with his, keeping one hand cupped over his face, while the other gently trailed up and down his torso. He met her kiss with everything he had, gently moving his as well, putting all he could into it, while he felt his body tingle from her bare hands running down his stomach. He gently held his hands on her waist, moving them beneath her thighs as she moved to lay completely overtop of him, as she deepened the kiss with him. He pulled her tighter and she breathlessly moaned into his lips as he moved his hands up and down her legs. Over the previous few weeks, they had kissed a lot obviously, they were two young adults who loved each other, and hadn't been with one another for nearly a decade. Some had been fierce, raw, passionate, deep, and while he loved those moments yes, the feeling he had kissing her then was something he loved even more.

It was gentle, her lips slowly moved in motion with his, and with every connection they made, he felt a hundred small electric pulses run over his body, as he felt his cells ready to erupt inside of him. It was loving, sweet, and he felt every single bit of love she could give by that kiss. She brought her lips to his one last time, one last soft, long, lingering one on his, her hand staying on his torso, as he felt her lips slowly leave his. When he finally opened his eyes again he was breathless, and when he looked up so was she above him. She gently stroked his cheek with her thumb, and he laughed lightly, as Dominik felt himself barely able to string words together.

"Wo…wow…. Ci…Ciri I… I… love… uh… I love you…" He said, feeling the cells in his brain still erupting inside him.

She breathlessly laughed again, and planted a kiss on his cheek, before pulling back and smiling broadly at him again.

"I love it when you get that look on your face…" She said lightly, as all they simply did was lay there and look at one another.

So many things had happened to him over the previous eight years, horrible, horrible things. That feeling of being alone, living with so much regret, loneliness and longing, he'd never wish that upon anyone, not even his worst enemy. Some of it was out of his control yes, but most of it had been. He had made the mistake of thinking he had nobody. If he had gone with Geralt he would have joined that company, and who's to say Dominik couldn't have saved some of them. He could have gone with Yennefer when he was sixteen, but who's to say he wouldn't have ended up trapped at Stygga Castle as a trap to lure Ciri there as well. He had decided to do neither of those things, instead because of he thought he had nobody, had ended up alone of his own accord, and it had led him to be miserable for nearly a decade.

Now, however, he had everything he needed to feel complete. At that moment as Ciri smiled at him, her face inches from his, her hair cascading around his head, he was complete, he would never feel more complete then when he was in her arms. And he would never leave them again, he'd never be lonely again because he knew that he had not only Ciri who loved him but multiple others that he loved as well.

Ciri however, would always be the arms he returned too, she was his destiny, his beginning, middle, and end.

"Well, well, well, I can't say this is the worst position I've ever caught the two of you in," A voice rang in their room, and right away Ciri and he's eyes both went wide.

She rolled off him, and they both shot to a sitting position on the bed. Neither of them had apparently heard the door unlock, but somehow Yennefer had gotten in without them hearing. Dominik felt himself scoff out a laugh as Ciri did the same, both of their faces went beat red, as their adopted mother smiled wildly at them both with her arms crossed. The sunlight streamed in through the window and casted a glow over her, as after a minute of Ciri and he in embarrassed silence, she finally laughed and walked towards them.

"Ahaha… sorry to interrupt, but you can kiss later," She said playfully, as she gestured for them to get up, "Come give me a hug, I've been worried sick about the both of you."

Ciri laughed first and got up, going over and wrapping her arms around the sorceress's waist. Dominik quickly followed, but first Yen tightly wrapped her arms around Ciri as well, before pulling back and gently holding her face, meeting her daughter's face with another broad.

"Ciri darling, how are you feeling? How did the lessons go," The sorceress asked, and Ciri quickly smiled breathlessly and nodded.

"They were as good as they can be, I'm alright yeah," Ciri responded as her full voice finally returned.

"Good, good, I've missed you both terribly," Yen said, before turning to him, and smirking, "And from what Geralt tells me, you're in top form once again."

He scoffed and smiled broadly, "Ha, I wouldn't call it top form, not yet…. Yen, I… I have so much-."

"Shh… it's alright darling, tell me in a moment," The sorceress said, before coming over and wrapping her arms around his neck, as Dominik melted into her. Yen sighed as she squeezed around his neck, before looking back down to him, "The last I saw of you, you couldn't walk… but gods look at you know, I'm so proud of you, the both of you."

He felt his heart well up, as Ciri came next to him. Yen held a hand on both of their shoulders and looked down at them both, still smiling wildly.

"So… I'm hoping I didn't interrupt anything…" His adopted mother said with a smirk, as Ciri laugh but Dominik felt his face get red as he bit his lip.

Ciri looked over and shot him a wink, which only made him go redder, which made Yennefer and Ciri both laugh hardily. He wanted to feel annoyed, however he couldn't bring himself too. Scoffing he rolled his eyes and quickly walked past them both to where he had taken off his bag. Yennefer and Ciri finally finished laughing after a few moments, and while he looked for another fresh shirt he heard Ciri's voice.

"So, have you and Triss managed to find any sorceresses of the Lodge?" Ciri asked just as Dominik found another of his shirts.

He pulled the top over his head and turned around just in time to see Yennefer nod, her violet eyes sparkling in the sunlight coming in from the window. Dominik came up next to Ciri, who was looking at their mother with curious eyes, and at that moment Dominik remembered what he had wanted to do. However, he let his adopted mother go on as she nodded her head.

"I believe I've managed to locate Margarita and Sile yes," Yen said with a nod of her head as she crossed her arms and looked between them both, "And Triss believes that she's possibly found the location of Phillipa, if all of them, plus Triss and I are together, that'd make five… it may be enough… but it'd be safer to have more."

Ciri quickly shook her head, "What about Francesca, or Fringilla?"

Yen sighed in disappointment, "Francesca said no, and as for Fringilla well… she's currently in Nilfgaardean custody, I'll work to see if I can negotiate her release later."

Dominik's head quickly snapped to her, "I don't like the idea of us negotiating anything with Emhyr."

Ciri scoffed right after he did and looked up as well, "I agree, don't want to be anywhere near that bastard."

He looked over and sheepishly felt his love for Ciri rise, but his attention was brought back to Yen when she lightly laughed.

"Aha… no worries, we won't him anywhere near you Ciri, but that doesn't mean we can't use him to our advantage," Their adopted mother said, before sighing again and shaking her head, "However, we can't be sure we'll have Fringilla, it'd be good to have one or two more."

Dominik remembered again what he had wanted to do from the moment he had his dream of Alexander. The vision popped into his head, Connor of Lod, his ancestor, calling his lover Ida Emean for help to find the Wild Hunt, and to spend one last night together. He could see the love in the sorceress's eyes for his ancestor that night, and he had to believe she would come to help him, for Connor's sake. Also, he wanted to ask the sage more about his ancestor, to see if she could possibly have any ideas on how to better control his powers, so it worked out well all around. And of course there was also Kiera, who he knew if he got ahold of he could convince to come aid them, which would also give them the added bonus of having Lambert come to join them as well which, depending on who you asked was a good or bad thing. He looked down and saw Ciri look up with him, as he could tell she remembered his plan as well.

He was also anxious finally to tell Yennefer and eventually Triss both about Alexander, about his ancestry and his destiny. He remembered back to when Ciri first discovered more about her powers. Dominik knew his own were nothing like Ciri's, hers were much greater than his, he could have gone his whole life possibly without even knowing of them. However, he also remembered how Yen and Triss had helped Ciri try to channel her powers, and it may have been wishful thinking, but he was hoping that perhaps they could do the same for him. The idea of practicing magic outside a giant barn with Yen like Ciri had done flashed into his mind, and it made him laugh lightly in his mind before he saw Ciri give him a reassuring smile next to him. Nodding he smiled back and turned to his adopted mother.

"Geralt told me you said you were having trouble convincing Kiera?" Dominik asked the sorceress.

Yen scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Yes, she insists she has other business she must attend to. I… also may have lost my temper with her a bit."

"What, why?" Ciri asked from next to him, and Dominik's eyes widened right away when he realized what Yen was referring too.

She rolled her eyes and met Ciri's eyes before he could stop her, "Because, she used Dominik for some scheme in Velen, and after she offered to sleep with him and he turned her down, she then proceeded to knock him out with a spell and leave him on a beach."

"WHAT!?" Ciri shouted, turning around to him as she narrowed her eyes at him.

He laughed sheepishly as both Yen and Ciri shot him glares, which he knew that most men, himself included would normally crumble under. He took a second to marvel, however, at how incredibly similar both Ciri and Yennefer looked when they got that angry glare in their eyes. However, he quickly shook his head.

"Ha… we put that little incident past us, still, Yen, let me use her your megascope, I'll call her, I know I can convince her," He said confidently, as the glares slowly receded from both their eyes, and Dominik let out a relieved breath as he met Yen's eyes again, "And… I also want to contact Ida, talk to her as well."

Yennefer looked at him curiously, "Ida? She already told us she didn't wish to expose herself further, what could you possibly want to talk to her for?"

Dominik let out a shaky breath and looked over to Ciri, whose glare had turned into another reassuring nod of her head. Feeling new confidence run through him at her gaze, and remembering the moment they had before, he felt his heart do flips and suddenly felt as if he could accomplish anything. Ida was the one person who was miraculously able to help tell him more about one of his ancestors, and that combined with her magic would be invaluable in defeating the Hunt like Yen had said. It would be invaluable in fulfilling Connor's destiny, so he had to believe that Ida would help them.

And all he had to do was look at Ciri, and he had enough reason to try.

He met Yen's eyes and sighed, "It's… complicated. Yen, I… I figured out who my ancestor is…"

His mother's violet eyes widened, "You did? How, when, who is it?"

He looked over to Ciri for a moment, and they both managed a small smile at one another before they both turned back to their mother again.

"It's a long story, come on, let's go get the megascope ready, I got so much to tell you," He said, as Yen nodded, and they all went to leave the room.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on Kiera please, we need your help," Dominik asked the sorceress, looking into the blue image with his arms crossed.

Kiera rolled her eyes and scoffed, "I've told you already Dominik, I'm in the process of creating a cure for a plague that's ravaged the continent for years…. Besides, Yen downright looked like she wanted to kill me last I talk to her."

"Dammit Yen…" He muttered to himself, before sighing and meeting Kiera's eyes again, "Yen won't do anything, I promise. But Kiera, there won't be a continent if we let the Hunt get Ciri you know that as well as I do."

The blonde sorceress huffed in the blue vision again and crossed her arms. She had told Dominik that her and Lambert had been traveling quickly, from inn to inn around northern Temaria looking for certain ingredients she felt she needed for her cure to the Catriona she was developing. After filling Yennefer in on everything that had happened at Kaer Morhen, learning about Alexander of Lod and his children, he thought for a moment his adopted mother would have a heart attack. However, after telling her about Ida and Connor, she right away agreed to let him use her megascope to contact the elven sage and Kiera as well. Kiera, it took her more convincing to let him get ahold of than Ida, with Ciri being just as against the idea. However, Dominik told her that if he can deal with Avallac'h, then she could deal with him asking Kiera to come help them, and Ciri had begrudgingly agreed before Yen took her downstairs to eat and talk more with Geralt while Dominik made the calls alone.

He was in Yennefer's room now, which was similar to he and Ciri's just slightly larger with enough room for the megascope that shimmered to life with Kiera's image in that moment. The sun from the windows streamed in, and Dominik knew that he only had an hour or two of daylight left, so he wanted to get the calls done before then. Kiera had answered right away, and Dominik had even said hello to Lambert before his old mentor went off and Dominik began going back and forth with his sorceress friend. He sighed again and ran a hand through his hair, as Kiera crossed her arms and met his gaze through the blue projection.

"And you're more than capable of handling this without me," She said with a roll of her eyes before she narrowed her gaze at him, "Besides, I don't trust any deal Nilfgaard throws on the table, and I'm surprised you believe it as well. The second I were to set foot in Imperial lands they'd toss a dimeritium collar around my neck."

Dominik quickly shook his head, "I'm not asking you to trust Nilfgaard, I don't either… I'm asking you to trust me. We're friends, I wouldn't put you in danger if I didn't know I could get you out… please Kiera."

He didn't think that the sorceress ever looked like she did in that moment before. Kiera Metz was the last person he had ever expected to get flustered, but the sorceress did. She moved her hands down to her hips and looked up at him, he truly did mean it when he said he thought Kiera was his true friend. He would be dead on the floor of Avallach's laboratory in Velen if not for the sorceress, she had come to Kaer Morhen and even helped keep him alive during his recovery the day after the battle. He trusted her, which was something he never thought he'd say about a member of the Lodge of Sorceresses outside of Yennefer and Triss, as he remembered the first time he stumbled upon Kiera Metz, and how she almost killed him. Thankfully, however, she hadn't, and they had saved each other in Avallach's lab. They were even after Kaer Morhen, but now, he hoped that the sorceress felt that friendship as well.

It seemed that she did, at least to some degree, because she crossed her eyes again and met his eyes.

"Dominik, I would if I could, truly. But even just being in Novigrad, anywhere near Radovid and the Witch Hunters would be a danger to me," She said with a shake of her head as she sighed and met his eyes through the call, "That's the reason you sent me to Kaer Morhen in the first place remember?"

"Yes, I do, but if you're here you'll have me, Lambert, Geralt, the other sorceresses, more people keeping you safe," He promised her, before sighing and meeting her eyes, knowing she'd bring up Radovid, and remembering a plan he came up with for when she did. "Also, you may not have to worry about Radovid for much longer… Do you remember Elise? The red-head who fought at Kaer Morhen?"

"I do yes… she and that one tall man with the crossbows, the one who died," Kiera said slowly, as Dominik's heart panged at the thought of Arno.

He let out a breath and met Kiera's gaze, "Well, she's the personal protector of Queen Adda Radovid's wife, Adda sent her to Kaer Morhen after I asked her for help. And according to Adda… Radovid won't exactly be in charge of Redania for much longer it seems."

"You jest, there's no possible way," Kiera said quickly, but Dominik right away shook his head again.

"I wouldn't lie about something like this, you know that," Dominik reassured her as the blue image shimmered in the sunlight, "Adda has… let's say different views then Radovid. Let's just say that well… the new Queen of Redania may have need of a court sorceress, and if one brings her the cure to the Catriona Plague she could use to make herself more popular with the people right away? Well, I dare say that would put said sorceress pretty high on her list of potential options, and if that sorceress also happens to be one who used to serve her father? Well, I think that sorceress practically has the job locked up."

Dominik had thought of the idea as the call had been contacting Kiera. He remembered how distraught Kiera had been about having to live in Velen, after being a court mage to Foltest for so long. She had been mad to try and go to Radovid, and Dominik effectively saved her life by not letting her go. One of Adda's main points to him, had been that she didn't share her husband's views on magic and that she planned on making many changes to the cruel things Radovid had been doing. So, he had hoped that could appeal to the sense of vanity he knew Kiera had. For a few moments Kiera pondered his words, they hung in the air, and slowly the sorceress turned her head to look up and meet his eyes.

"I… don't want you to think I'm doing this just for that chance. I truly do want to help you Dominik, but… this could change my life," The sorceress said slowly, and Dominik right away shook her head.

"I know you're not doing it just for that. Kiera… you're my friend, I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. And well, Adda seems responsible from when I've interacted with her," He assured the blonde sorceress again.

Kiera bit her lip before sighing out and turning her back to him quickly.

"Lambert! Pack the bags, we're going to be moving out," She shouted to the room behind her, and Dominik right away heard one shout back.

The annoyed voice of his old mentor shot back, "What the hell, we just got here! I literally just unpacked everything!"

"Stop whining and just do it," Kiera shouted back with an eye roll, and Dominik felt himself laugh as the blonde sorceress turned back to him. She met his eyes and sighed, "I'll be there within the next few days…. And… I'm sorry I haven't said it yet but… I'm glad to see you're up and walking alright."

Dominik smiled gratefully and nodded, "I heard I partially got you to thank for that… thank you, Kiera, it means a lot, I'll see you soon."

"You will. " The blonde sorceress said. She reached her hand out to the crystal of her own megascope, and quickly ended the call.

He smiled and let out a slow relaxing breath of relief as the image of Kiera faded away. His heart swelled up slightly, as he felt his excitement rise as well. He knew that it would be relatively easy to get Kiera to agree yes, but it was Ida that he was worried about now. Sighing he quickly ran a hand through his hair and looked out the window. The sun was setting out over the city, it casted a beautiful orange glow, and quickly he walked over to prop the window open.

"Okay one down… one to go…" He said quickly to himself, as he felt the wind hit his face along with the smell of salty sea air.

Quickly he turned back to the megascope, feeling the sun beat down on his neck. The hairs on his neck stood up, and he nervously bit his lip, suddenly feeling like Connor of Lod was the few moments before he called Ida as well. He knew that Ida loved Connor, loved his ancestor, but he also knew the sage had been furious with the man as well. There was also the fact, she had apparently already turned Yennefer down when his adopted mother called to ask her for aid. Elven sages were naturally reclusive, and didn't like humans much, he had already known that of course, but Avallac'h had confirmed it for him the previous few weeks. He knew Ida was a far cry from Avallac'h, but still, he had no idea if the sage would even believe him let alone trust him. She had said she recognized his magical signature, but after how Connor died, he didn't know if she would want to remember.

However, he needed to try, not just to give them more aid against the Hunt and to help Ciri, but to help himself as well. Ida had to know something more, something, anything that could help him better learn to control his powers or give him so edge to defeat Eredin. After going and watching his three ancestors, Alexander and his children all fail to kill the King, he knew even with his Ciri and his friends by his side, he'd need every advantage he could get. They were in Novigrad now, Yennefer had told him that within the next day or two, they'd finally finish everything they need, and after that, Avallac'h said they needed to go to Skellige, where he knew the best place to summon the Hunt. While he didn't want to trust anything the sage said, either way, he knew that it was finally approaching, that final fight that would decide their fates. For so long, for the last eight years of course, but the last month, in particular, it had felt like such a long ways off, like he still had plenty of time to train and ready himself.

That wasn't the case anymore however, as he made his way to the megascope crystal he realized that it truly would only be a few more weeks, a few more weeks until it all came to ahead. He would face down Eredin again, he knew Ciri, Geralt, his friends, they would all be with him, yes, but he just knew, knew that it would come down to if he could kill Eredin. Destiny had been unfolding like planned all the way back in the time of Alexander and his children. He remembered watching Lara, and Connor, Alexander's children fight Eredin, and they had both promised the King their line would continue, and one day it would result in his death, and that line had now led to him. It was just him now, he was the last of the Line of Lod, the line of Alexander, the protectors of the blood, he had his friends and family with him of course, but that destiny rested now on his shoulders. He still had no idea if he would even be able to scratch the surface of being able to beat Eredin, he remembered the King toying with him during their fight at Kaer Morhen. Even now, with five styles of witcher combat, his magic fully unlocked, and having his friends back, he didn't know if it was enough.

However, he was far from ready to give up, he never would, not just because it was his destiny, but because he had sworn to Ciri. He hadn't been there to protect her before, but he was now, and he was going to do it until the end. And contacting Ida, someone who knew his ancestors, it could prove invaluable.

He sucked in a deep breath and looked down at the crystal, "_Caed'mil bloede d'hione shue crème ese… Ida Emean!"_

Just like Connor of Lod had done that night so many years ago, Dominik said the correct incantation and right away let out a nervous breath. He had no idea how he'd even start the conversation, he assumed bringing up someone's dead lover was never a good conversation starter. He paced for a moment and looked out the window, seeing the beautiful sunset cast its rays out over the sea. The water gently lapped up over the docks, he could see it practically glistening as the wind gently blew. He had a massive urge to go simply take a walk along the docks, look out at the sunset with Ciri. Something so simple, would have made him happier than he almost anything. However, he knew at the moment, he had other things, more important things he needed to do if he wanted to have those simple pleasures in life with her.

And soon, he heard Ida's curious voice ring through the room.

"Caed'mil… Dominik aep Cintra… I must say, you were quite possibly the last person I had expected to be calling me," The sage said, as Dominik turned around to see her image shimmering in the blue projection.

Ida eyed him curiously, and Dominik respectfully bowed his head. She looked exactly as she had in the vision he saw of her and Connor, and as Ida looked up at him to meet her eyes, Dominik could tell she was trying to see his ancestor in him. Dominik knew he didn't look too much like Connor physically, but his eyes, the emerald green eyes he had gotten from Alexander's side of the family looked just like Ida's former lover, and he could tell the sage was thinking the same thing.

"Caed'mil, Aen Saevheme," He said quickly, gently bowing his head, as Ida slowly nodded back.

"You've learned Elder Speech then?" The sage asked him as she crossed her arms, the sun shining through the blue projection.

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "Not fully but I've… been doing some reading on it let's just say."

"Mhm…." Ida said again before narrowing her eyes at him and slowly shaking her head, "Why have you summoned me Dominik? I already told Yennefer I cannot risk exposing myself to help you, I am sorry, but I simply cannot."

He shakily sighed and shook his head, meeting the sage's eyes, "I'm hoping to change your mind yes but… that's not the main reason I called you…. I'm here to ask you about Connor of Lod."

The reaction on Ida's face was instant. She looked like she wanted to snap at him at first, before her face went through a multitude of emotions. Shock, grief, anger, regret, before she finally locked eyes with Dominik, and he could tell that she was trying to see if his eyes truly were Connor's, and after a moment the sage seemed to realize the truth. While Dominik didn't look like Connor, the man Ida once loved truly was in Dominik's eyes. She sighed and gently shook her head, before meeting his gaze again.

"So… it seems I was correct in my assumption then… part of me hoped I wasn't," She said with another shake of her head, "How did you figure it out?"

"Alexander's journal, I found it while I was traveling to get Ciri with Geralt," He explained honestly to the woman, "I opened it, and Alexander's spirit was inside, he explained everything… showed me everything with him and his children. The journal had been lost and I found it… if that's not destiny I don't know what is."

Ida nodded with a grim smile, "After I saw him last… Connor told me he was taking it to Kovir with him, to give to Lara's daughter…. Seeing as you saw Alexander when you opened it, it seems that the girl never did."

"No… Lara's lover died on the way to Cintra, her daughter got taken in by mummers, they brought her to Cintra, raised her there ironically enough," Dominik explained carefully, not wanting to prod the sage's old wounds.

She gently shook her head, before a small scoff left her, "You humans… you humans and your obsession with destiny, with prophecies… it's ridiculous."

Dominik narrowed his eyes, "Destiny led me to Ciri. My father was descended from Connor's best-friend Gregory, my mother was Lara's direct descendant, they got married, I met Ciri…. Your destiny can shape your life-."

"Yes, but it can also get you killed, just like it did to Connor," Ida snapped angrily at him as the blue projection shimmered, before she shook her head, "I might have talked some fucking sense into him… but no… he had heard that fucking prophecy in his dream…"

"What?" Dominik asked right away, feeling his heart race at the words. "He heard a prophecy?"

He could see Ida was struggling remembering such a troubling time for her. He hadn't wanted to press her for any information but hearing that Connor had heard a prophecy before his fight with Eredin, it had made his brain abuzz with new questions. The sunlight streamed in through the window as well as the wind, as Ida gently met his eyes, and Dominik almost saw the sage in tears.

"Yes… he did. He heard it in his dreams that last night we spent together," She said with a tinge of bitterness in her voice as she shook her head, "After hearing it… there was no way I was going to change his mind…. He was determined… that stupid, stupid insufferable man.."

Dominik felt the top of his tongue get dry as he heard the bitterness, the disappointment in her voice. He knew that Connor had gone to find the Hunt because of what they had done to his sister Lara, and father, Alexander, however, now he learned there was a prophecy at play, a prediction. Dominik was already dealing with one, so he wasn't anxious to hear another, although he knew that knowing what happened truly to Connor, why he went to fight could be invaluable as well.

"What… what was the prophecy, what did it say?" He asked the sage, as Ida ripped her head back up to him.

She sighed and shook her head, "He heard… that the only way Eredin could be truly defeated, that the only way for him to truly, truly fulfill his destiny, for the Elder Blood to be safe, for the continent to be safe from the Hunt… he'd have to die, at Eredin's hands."

"What!?" Dominik asked incredulously, feeling his blood race as he scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. "I thought he went to fight him because he killed Lara and Alexander!"

"He did, that was his main reason in the end as well. But I could have talked him out of that, convinced him to stay in Cintra," Ida said with a regretful shake of her head as she looked up and met Dominik's eyes, "But… his dream said, if he were to die at Eredin's hands, then one day, his sister and he would return, return in the form of their descendants… and they would be able to kill Eredin for good, defeat the Hunt and finally fulfill he and his families destiny."

He felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach, "And… that's me… I'm that descendant.."

"It seems you are young man… now you see why I was not eager to tell you my theory of who your ancestor was when we first met?" Ida said to him, before sighing and shaking her head again. "Connor… that stupid, insufferable… honorable… brave, brave man…. After that, there was no talking him out of it… he said, if he survived great, but… if he died… he could die knowing that his death made it possible for that prophecy to come to pass."

Dominik remembered how confident Connor had been in his fight with Eredin, during the small bit of the exchange he had seen, he remembered his ancestor saying, that even if Eredin killed him, his sister and he would return, and be Eredin's downfall. He had thought that it was just Connor trying to toy with the King to gain an edge, however, apparently, his words had been true, very true. Dominik believed in destiny, yes, and he knew prophecies always had a way of coming true. However, this one only said, that he would be 'able' to kill Eredin, not that he would. Wording on prophecies was precise and sometimes had double meanings. It also meant he could die, and his death would give someone else the ability to strike the blow. He could die, and that would perhaps send Geralt or Ciri into a rage that gave them the strength to kill Eredin. If it meant Eredin was killed, and Ciri was free, he'd give his life willingly, but it didn't mean he wanted too, because he knew how it would affect those left after him, Ciri, Geralt, Yen, his friends.

He felt the wind blow in through the window into his messy hair and his chest tingled, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He had already known that he would fight Eredin yes but hearing that one of his ancestors had given his life so that Dominik could have a better chance, it only raised the stakes higher. He always knew that there was a high chance he could die, that Ciri could die, but he had never thought for a moment however they would. The universe, the world had taken so much from them, they both had suffered and been through so much, that Dominik didn't believe that it would punish them again. He shakily sighed, knowing now that he and Eredin's fates were even intertwined, the next time he saw the King, he would either die or complete the great destiny that had started over a hundred years ago, when Alexander promised Lara Dorren his, 'little sis, he'd forever protect her and his brothers line.

And whether or not like in Connor's prophecy he was Connor of Lod reborn, he wasn't going to let his, Lara Dorren and Cregan's, Alexander's or Lara of Lod, his great grandmothers go to waste. He curled his hands into fists, and felt the wind again blowing his hair and the loose white top that hung off his shoulders, before looking and meeting Ida's eyes.

"I swear… I'm not going to let his sacrifice go to waste, I promise…." Dominik said slowly, giving the sage a small bow of his head, "I… saw how much you two seemed to love each other, you have my word, I'm going to make sure his death wasn't in vain."

Ida slowly nodded and met his eyes one more time, "You know… you may not look like him, but you do remind me of him…. Your magical signature is as strong as his, even more so. I know of the love you hold for your Cirilla; I saw it all the way back at that meeting of the Lodge in Vengerberg."

"Then you know I'll do anything for her, anything it takes to help keep her safe," He said slowly, before he sighed shakily looking into the eyes of the sage, "Which… is why I have to ask you again… please, come and help us. Help Connor's last wish come true, if you come, I swear I'll make sure nothing happens to you, I swear it on my parent's graves…"

He spoke with a desperate tone, it was like Yennefer had said, with more members of the Lodge, powerful wielders of magic, the better chance they would have. Dominik didn't know if he could trust some members of the Lodge, outside of Yen, Triss and Kiera, he didn't like any of the women very much. However, as he looked at Ida then, thought about her in the vision with his ancestor, he knew he could trust the sage as well, he reminded her too much of Connor, she wouldn't betray him. The Lodge had tried to force Ciri into a marriage the moment she reappeared on the continent, he didn't know how much Ida knew, or how much the other sorceresses they'd gather had been involved in this, however, as was becoming more and more clear to him. He'd have to work with people he otherwise wouldn't, had to put his hatred aside so that they had a better chance to defeat Eredin, for the continent's sake, and more importantly for Ciri's sake.

It all started and ended with her, with Ciri, she was what all of this was for. Ida bit her lip, her hands went to her hips, and she slowly looked up and met her eyes.

"I'll come yes… on the condition you answer one question for me, and you must answer me honestly, I'll be able to know if you lie," The sage said as she crossed her over arms.

Dominik narrowed his eyes wonderingly, "Okay… what is it?"

Ida met his eyes with an equally intense gaze, "If you had a way, to save not just the continent, but the world, this entire world, and all others from a certain doom… but to do so… you'd have to let your Cirilla face near-certain death… would you be able to do it? Would you be strong enough to let her?"

"No," He said right away, knowing the answer as soon as the sage finished her question. "Nothing… nothing will ever be worth losing her again…"

He had never felt his bones go so cold so quickly, felt all the warmth leave him body. It was selfish he knew, and he had no idea the conditions Ida was talking about, whether Ciri had even a sliver of hope to survive in this hypothetical question, but even if she did, he knew he wouldn't be able too. He would die himself; he would face that near certain death himself before he let Ciri do it. That pain, that pain of losing her, the pain of losing her and living with it for so many years, he never wanted to experience it again, it was a pain that would crumble anyone, even the strongest man or woman, it was a miracle that he had made it himself. And he knew for a fact, that he would never be able to go through it again.

Shakily he sighed as he kept Ida's gaze, despite the warm breeze his entire body was cold as Ida seemed to digest his answer. He had answered honestly, and he wasn't afraid to admit his answer sounded selfish yes, but the sage had said she'd only come if he gave her the truth. So, despite how cold he now felt, how his bones shook while the wind churned his brown hair, he had answered, and sure enough, the sage slowly nodded as she met his eyes again.

"Thank you for your honesty… you're a brave young man Dominik of Cintra, braver than most men…. Tell Yennefer to expect me within the next day or so," She said slowly, as she shakily sighed. "I will fight by your side against the Hunt… for Connor… for him, and for you as well…"

"Thank you… like I said, I swear, I won't let his sacrifice be in vain," He said honestly again, trying not to let his bones shake in the megascope call.

Ida nodded again, her eyes looking like they were going to water in the blue projection. She gave him a small bow and looked deep into his eyes again.

"I know you won't…. Va fail, Dominik of Cintra… I look forward to meeting you in person," Ida said slowly, before she leaned forward and touched the megascope crystal.

As the blue projection finally disappeared, Dominik let out a breath that he felt like he had been holding in for the past week. He let out this long sigh and felt his knees buckle, falling back and leaning against a dresser that was in Yen's room, running a hand through his hair and over his face. Despite the coldness he felt in his bones, he had sweat trickling down his forehead like a waterfall and had to wipe his sweaty hands on his shirt. He knew the conversation with Ida was going to be hard, but he didn't know that it would have drained him like it did. The journey from Kaer Morhen to Bald Mountain, then Bald Mountain to Novigrad, that trip had been great and productive, yes, but when he arrived he had felt so fatigued, that even just the intensity of the conversation he just had drained him further.

He turned and looked out the window, scoffing in amazement, realizing he had actually done it. If you had told him a few months prior, that then he would be negotiating help from the Lodge of Sorceresses to go and fight the Wild Hunt, he would have thought you crazy. Ida's words resonated within his head, her lament, her regret, the news that Connor had heard a prophecy before he went to fight Eredin. His ancestor knew he would die, and he wondered in his head, if Lara, his great grandmother had heard one similar. It said that they would be back, the children of Alexander of Lod would be back in the form of their descendants, and it again made his heart nearly shatter as he thought of Bella. His sister, he scoffed aimlessly at the idea of the two of them, using their powers, the powers of the Line of Lod, fighting and protecting Ciri. Ciri had always told him Bella was her best-friend other than him, and he fondly remembered all the times they'd both prank him, gang on him in a snowball fight, or tease him relentlessly. However, the universe had chosen to make him the last descendant of Alexander, the last of the Line of Lod, the one who'd protect Ciri, protect the blood.

It made him think of Ida's question, would he risk everything, the safety of everything and everyone for Ciri. How far would he go for her? The answer was obviously as far as he needed, as far as he could. He had already done things he never thought he would do, he went before Emhyr Var Emrys in a Nilfgaardean city, he had negotiated and agreed to let the Lodge of Sorceresses near Ciri again after learning what they wanted from her, and even after seeing what Avallac'h had done to his ancestors, what he helped Eredin do, he still let the sage stick around, because he knew that it was imperative to keeping Ciri safe. It had been hard for him to do those things of course, but in the end, they had all been worth it, so he knew that he'd be willing to do even more. The two of them deserved that life, that freedom, Ciri more than anyone, after everything she had gone through, he'd make sure she got that freedom, no matter the cost.

It would always be worth it, for Ciri, it would always be.

"Hey, are you all finished up? How'd it go?" Her light voice hit his ears, making him nearly jump, but when he turned and saw her walking into the room he felt his heart get warm.

She was wearing her sword on her back, with her hood still tied to her top. Eagerly she came over to the window next to him, but upon looking up, it was obvious she could see the contemplating, uncomfortable look on his face.

"Hey… is everything okay?" She asked, her voice full of concern as she grabbed his hand and looked up at him. "Did everything go alright on the call? What is it?"

He looked down and saw her face, her sparkling eyes in the sunset that shone through the window, the emeralds that matched his. The scar on her bottom lip cutely was upturned, and the very sight of her, hearing her voice warmed the bones that were chilling only a few moments prior. All the thoughts of his destiny, of Eredin, of Ida's hypothetical question left his brain, as he felt a small smile come to his face. As soon as he smiled she did, and it only reaffirmed the answer he gave the sage in the megascope call.

That smile would always be worth anything to him.

"I'm okay, it actually went really well, both calls," He said as the smile grew on his face, he squeezed her hand before smirking, "They'll both be here within the next few days."

She scoffed out a wide smile and met his gaze, "Ha, that's amazing, Eredin doesn't stand a chance now, great job, I didn't know you could be so persuasive!"

He laughed and smirked down at her, "Oh you know, I can be really persuasive when I want to…. Thanks princess."

Ciri responded by reaching up and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Right away he felt his entire body get even warmer as it went all the way down to his stomach. He squeezed around her waist with everything he could, her sword clunked, and he felt his chest flutter when she pulled back slightly and planted a massive kiss on his scarred right cheek. He felt a small spark run down him spine as he felt his face get red. She pulled back all the way and smirked up at him wildly, and it only served to make him get even redder. His heart had never felt more complete. He remembered during his years on his own, he felt like every single day, every day he looked at the swallow and remembered her, that someone was slowly chiseling away pieces of his heart, of his spirit, and in the previous few months before Claywitch, it had practically been a frame of where his full heart had once been.

It had changed when he found her, and that had been worth every bit of the pain.

She smirked up at him and laughed, leaning up and kissing his cheek again, only serving to make him redder, before she pulled back laughing even more.

"Ahaha… you still get the cutest look on your face," She said smugly as she crossed her arms and met his eyes with a wide smile.

He laughed lightly and bit his lip, feeling it difficult to even string together thoughts. He looked down and saw the strands of ashen hair from her bun blowing in the wind, as she stood leaning back on one foot, the mischievous smile she'd had since and he loved since she was eleven was prominent, and Dominik could only smile himself as he laughed.

"Ha… you're the one who makes me like that," He said gently as he leaned against the windowsill before she came to do the same. For a few moments they both looked out over the city, feeling that cool breeze run over his face, it cooled the sweat, and he let out a relaxing breath before turning over to her again.

He met her eyes and smiled, "So, how was your time with Yen? She tell you how they're finding the other sorceresses?"

"She did yeah, as she said, we should find them within the next few days. After that, we should be ready to head to Skellige, Faram and George actually came back, they're downstairs now, Freya's making dinner with Zoltan and Dandelion, Geralt and everyone else are all getting some rest while they can," She told him as she turned around to face him, and Dominik quickly nodded.

"Alright, sounds like a plan, we'll be Skellige bound soon, I can't wait to bring you to see Crach, Cerys and everyone again," He said, feeling his eagerness return to him.

She laughed lightly and nodded, "I can't wait to see them either, gods it's been years. Remember how Gregory said he would have brought you the next time I went?"

"I do yeah, Crach told me I would've been allowed to stay as long as I wanted," He told her as he smirked towards her back, "He gave me my silver, and speaking of swords, what do you have yours on for? Wanna go somewhere?"

"I actually do…" She said as the wild smirk came to her face and she took a step closer to him, looking up and meeting his eyes with her arms still crossed, "And I was hoping you would come with me."

He laughed and gently reached an arm out to hold around her waist while the other leaned against the windowsill. Seeing that amused, elated look on her face alone would have made his heart melt, but as she smirked, he felt it erupted then and there.

"Ha… okay, and where is it you wanna go?" He asked her playfully, as she leaned and held one hand on his arm, while the other went to his chest.

She smirked at him and gestured towards the window, "Well… we have some sunlight left, the water looks beautiful. I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna go for a walk with me? You know, browse the markets, see the town, just the two of us."

"Ciri…" He said dramatically with mock surprise as he scoffed and smirked at her, "Are you… asking me on a date?"

She proceeded to roll her eyes and take a step back from him, she crossed her arms and smirked over at him with a small laugh.

"Yes, I am, so… what do you say? Wanna go for a stroll with me?" She asked him, crossing her gloved hands over her chest.

He felt his heart erupt again, and he laughed as he walked over to her. Gently he grabbed the side of her face, and with her even moving her arms he leaned in and kissed her. He made it quick but put everything he had into it as she kissed him back, before he pulled back, smiling at her as she smirked up at him.

"Easiest decision I ever made in my life," He said, as she laughed and they both walked towards the door, he opened it for her and nodded, "Let's get going princess."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ahaha, you did not," Ciri said with a laugh and shake of her head as she looked over at him, "There is no way THAT, is how you lured the bruxa out!"

He rolled his eyes but smirked at her, "It's true, a few days earlier when she was in town she… had taken an interest in me. So when we needed to confirm it was true… Faram and George thought it best I try to well let her… 'collect' me."

"Collect you… now that sounds awfully interesting, how'd that go for you?" She asked amusedly as they walked through the stalls.

Scoffing he shook his head, "She used to lure men in at the inn, seduce them, and bring them back to wherever she had her lair. George, Faram, and I needed to find it, so I… went to the inn, chatted her up, turned on the charm and… why are you laughing?"

As soon as he started explaining she had almost doubled over laughing, holding her gut as she tried to make sure to keep her hood up. He rolled his eyes at her, as her laugh hit his ears and she finally looking back over at him.

"Ahahaha… I'm sorry it's just… you? 'Turning on the charm'?" She asked incredulously, and Dominik right away narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, worked pretty well on you didn't it?" He said, before right away she scoffed.

"I was eleven, besides, you could barely string sentences together around me then, still can't sometimes now," She said with a smile and an eye roll.

He scoffed, "Still worked, that's what counts."

"Yes, it did, now unfortunately for you, you're stuck with me," She said in a joke.

"A pretty good problem you have if you ask me," He winked at her, to which she responded by scoffing and shaking her head.

"You're such a suck-up…" She said with a small smile, before she met his gaze and grabbed his gloved hand with hers as they walked, "Now go on, finish the story, I want to hear what happened when you let her 'collect you'."

He smiled as he felt the wind blowing back past his hair, the swords on his back clunked as well as the crossbow at his waist. After his calls with the sorceresses, Ciri and he had headed out for the walk near the harbor like she had wanted, and despite his bones feeling fatigued, and being ready for a meal and bed, he couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed such a simple pleasure. The two of them hadn't even bought anything, simply walked through the market stalls at the harbor and Hierarch Square. Ciri had teased him multiple times about when he was getting her the diamond necklace he drunkenly promised her, and Dominik responded by saying as soon as George paid him, if the griffin witcher even remembered that drunken night. All Dominik could remember of it was Freya whooping after beating Faram somehow at arm wrestling before she jumped on his back and he proceeded to drop her, before Ciri practically drug him back to their room.

Despite not buying anything, he had seen multiple little trinkets, odds, and ends that had caught his eye that he could possibly get for her. He knew that once they left for Skellige, it would be hard for them to spend the kind of time together they had gotten too so far, what with the final fight with the Hunt being so close, so he was already thinking of ideas for what to get her before they left Novigrad, but was still drawing a blank. However, he decided to simply enjoy the moment then, as they came to a stop at one of the docks, looking out over the crystal water that sparkled in the sunlight. He smiled as he remembered the contract, his first one with George and Faram, the Bruxa in the village of eastern Aedirn. Looking down he saw her smiling up at him under her hood, eagerly waiting for him to finish.

He wasn't afraid to admit how giddy it made him, telling her about all of the contracts he'd been on, seeing her eyes get wide and listen with bated breath. She of course had her own set of stories she had been telling him, like stories from the kingdom with the throne made of swords, places where ships flew, or the one with the people who waged war from a distance. No matter how exciting these stories of different worlds were, however, she still always brought the stories back to that world, their world. As amazing as it was to get to see these other worlds according to Ciri, nothing would ever compare to being back in theirs, with him, their family and friends, and even though yes, they would go and see what other worlds had to offer, they'd always find their way back there.

And soon they'd have stories of their own, ones that they'd make together.

"Okay, okay, so I go to the inn with George and Faram watching on without being seen. I meet up with her and 'turn on the charm', that worked so well with you," He joked with her, causing her to scoff and roll her eyes as they looked out over the water, before he shuddered remembering the experience, "I let her take me back to where her lair was, and that was when she tried to enthrall me, thankfully Faram and George hadn't got me out. Tried to kill her then and there, but that was when she stuck the rest of the men she enthralled on us, and we had to run back to the village."

Ciri smirked wildly at him and nodded, "Sounds like quite the contract, was she beautiful in her human form?"

"Oh yeah, she was beautiful let me tell you," Dominik said with an eye roll as he looked down and met her eyes, "I got a real good view as she was trying to rip my throat out."

She laughed and soon he found himself doing the same, before as they were laughing, she grabbed his hand again and they started walking. Hearing her laugh, it was the sweetest thing, and all he did was simply look at her and smile as they walked along the harbor, and back towards the market. He watched as she moved the strands of her hair from her face and marveled at her presence there as he often did. She finished laughing and finally looked back up at him from under her hood with a smirk while she squeezed his hand and they walked.

"Ha… am I right in assuming you had that effect on most women you came across on the Path these past few years?" She asked him teasingly, and right away he rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, the bruxa, and succubae were all over me," He said as he got another laugh out of her, before they came to a stop just past the market stalls, "They were great, but, you know they didn't take the time to get to know me first, just went right to trying to kill me."

"Ha, well if I ever get to that point I'll be sure to give you fair warning," She said with a small laugh as she turned to face him, "Not that you'd stand much of a chance, seeing as I completely thrash you whenever we spar."

He rolled his eyes but smiled at her, "Okay, you do not 'thrash' me, I let you win because you know, it's the polite thing to do."

"Mhm, it is, you're such a gentleman, I've always loved that about you," She said jokingly, as she quickly looked around them.

The sun was setting still, and Dominik knew that their stroll would soon have to come to an end with the night coming. They stood only a block or so from the Chameleon again, near a small alley that branched off into a few more side alleys, and Dominik for a moment had no idea what she was looking for. Ciri darted her head around, as few people walked by them both, seeming to examine every person that came by to make sure they didn't linger around them. He saw her amusingly bite her lip and look back up at him, and Dominik couldn't help but laugh.

"Ha, what are you looking for, trying to see if-," She cut him off by grabbing his hand, and yanking him down the alley with her, he scoffed out a laugh as she jogged and dragged him along with her halfway down the alley away from prying eyes of anyone else.

He scoffed and looked at her curiously as she finally turned around. Her smile was wide, and she gently pulled down her hood, and Dominik could still see her green eyes sparkling as she smirked at him. Her strands of ashen hair coming loose from her bun blew in the wind, as Dominik felt his heart flutter and thump loudly in his chest, taking in and admiring the site of her as she did nothing but smirk wildly at him. It reminded him of the times back in Ellander, when they'd sneak off from Geralt and Yen in the market squares, or when they'd go out themselves, they'd find a spot, a view they enjoyed and would simply sit there with one another for hours. That was his favorite thing to do with her, simply sit, hold one another and talk about anything and everything. It had been one of the things he missed the most, that along with simply being near her, and now he had it all back, in reality it had taken him years, months, but in that moment, it felt like yesterday. If he focused hard enough they were fourteen, laughing wildly at one another as they laid in the grass, the meadows, kissed and held each other outside Ellander, before she had to leave, before it all had been ripped away.

In the years he didn't have her, he had always gone back to Ellander now and then naturally, and when he did, he'd find himself sitting in the exact spots, the exact spots they had been together. He'd simply sit there in silence for hours, looking up at the sky, down at the swallow pendant around his neck. Looking across at Ciri then, he saw the ring bouncing around her neck, she had told him that she did the same thing, sat up at night, simply looking at it, the only link to tell them those times were real, other than their dreams.

Like him, Ciri said she had dreams of them when they were younger, not having dreams of him as he was now until much later. Dominik had always wondered why he didn't have dreams of where Ciri had been, where she was. Geralt had dreams of Ciri, he had told Dominik it was part of the reason he was able to know she was alive, able to track her down. For some reason, even Cahir had claimed to have dreams of Ciri, telling Geralt it was the reason he had fallen in love with her and wanted to help him go and save her. The fact that the knight in the winged helmet, the man who haunted their nightmares for years had dreams of her and Dominik hadn't initially bothered him. Ciri was quite literally his destiny, he loved her, was her best friend, spent practically every day with her for three straight years, the reason he didn't have dreams of her was baffling.

It turned out however, that it was because of the nightmare charm that Yennefer had placed on the swallow pendant for him. His nightmares had been getting worse and worse after he separated from Geralt, he initially did have nightmares of Ciri, small ones of her dying in black mist, falling through a desert, amongst other things. However, after a few months on the road himself at sixteen, when he tried to help the young orphan girl cure her sister's striga curse, Yennefer had found him, his adopted mother enchanted the pendant to give him pleasant dreams. Right away the dreams had stopped, and for the next eight years, until the pendants effect wore off in Velen, he had pleasant dreams of himself and Ciri, the nightmares had stopped. A small part of him now wished that he never had the pendant enchanted, because he knew now those dreams were true, real things Ciri had gone through, and if he had them, he could have possibly gone to find her.

In the end however, she was smiling and smirking in front of him now, so the thoughts quickly left him, as he felt himself get slightly flustered at her look as she gently walked to him.

"Okay, what is it? Do I got something on my-," She cut him off by leaning and kissing him, kissing him deeply as one of her arms went around his neck, the other resting on his chest.

He right away felt himself melt into her, as she wrapped his arms around her slim waist and pulled her even closer to him, getting a small laugh from her as she continued kissing him. Laughing after a second into her lips he kissed her back, squeezing around her waist as tight as he could she laughed as well before both her arms went around his neck. It may have been in the middle of a dark, dank alley in Novigrad, but just like every time he kissed her, he felt his heart nearly explode, his body tingled from his head to his toes, and when she gently pulled back and smirked at him, he could barely string words together.

"Aha… I…um…gods what…what was that for-," He started, feeling his face heat up while she cut him off with a massive laugh.

Her head fell back as she laughed but kept her arms around his neck, she managed to stop herself from laughing as the sun sparkled off her face again while she looked back up at him.

"Ha, what? I can't drag you into an alley to spend some time alone with you and kiss you?" She asked innocently with a smirk.

He laughed lightly and shook his head with his hands still around her waist, "Ha no, not at all… but Ciri, you do know we have a room right?"

"Bah, and risk someone coming in or knocking? No… I like this, I really do," She said slowly, looking deep into his eyes, before lightly laughing and smiling broadly up at him, "Besides, I've been thinking about what you asked, and I think I have an answer."

"Okay… remind me what it is I asked again?" He asked, not knowing at all what she could be referring too.

She scoffed playfully and smirked at him, "You asked me back at Kaer Morhen… where I wanted to go first when this was all over, remember?"

His eyes widened and he laughed as his heart raced. "Ha… I do, so you have an answer? Where we heading after this is all over princess?"

She smiled gently and leaned her head a little closer to him, "I was thinking something simple… after everything we've both been through, something like this would be great."

"Okay, okay, go on, don't keep me in suspense," He said playfully as he pulled her as close to him as he could.

Ciri smiled gently and met his gaze again. Dominik's heart erupted all over again, seeing that look of love and trust, the look he'd been yearning to see for so many years again, it all washed over his body in a warm blanket. He of course had been thinking about life after they fought the Hunt. If they survived it would be as he said, freedom for them both, wherever Ciri wanted to go, they'd go and have that life that they had been supposed to be on now. He felt a cool breeze shoot through that alley, the sun was almost set, there would only be a few more minutes until sundown he knew, but it felt as if all time had stopped then. They'd make memories of their own, and after a few years, they'd reminisce about their own journeys together, as opposed to ones they had gone on alone.

They had both finished their journey's alone, and now it was time for another, but this time, no matter how hard it got, they'd at least have each other.

"We pick a direction, ride a few miles out, find the first roadside inn we come across. We rent their largest room…" She said slowly, a smirk coming to her face as she leaned her head up planted a lingering kiss on his scarred right cheek, before looking at him again, "After that, we carve a 'Do Not Disturb' sign and plant it on the door… and that's it."

"That's it?" He asked as he felt the smile grow even wider on his face, his heart-melting in his chest.

She laughed lightly and nodded, "For the first few weeks… yeah… that's it."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "That… sounds wonderful."

"Good… good…" She said gently, leaning up to bring her lips onto his again.

He had never really thought about what it would be like to rest. After this was all over they'd go back on the Path he knew, save people, make the continent safer as witchers. However, a few weeks at an inn, a room with just he and Ciri, the two of them, relaxing, it was something that he couldn't have ever fathomed mere months ago, but now, it was right within his grasp. After everything she had gone through, all the things she had told him and hadn't told him yet, all the people who chased her, tried to use her, all the fighting she had to do, Ciri deserved that, as he knew from the moment he met her, she deserved the world, everything good, and he would do everything he could to give it to her, just like always.

To get that, to be able to give her everything, there was still much they needed to do yes, however, he had a moment with her then, and he wasn't going to think about anything other than her. He leaned down to kiss her, meet her lips with his, however, just before they could something interrupted them.

"GAHH HELP, PLEASE I DID NOTHING WRONG," The man's voice yelled, and right away Ciri and he detached themselves from one another, their hands going to the swords on their backs.

"HELP, HELP ME, PLEASEEEE!" The voice yelled again, and Dominik could tell right away it was close, and he looked right over to Ciri, who he could tell heard it as well, and thought exactly what he was thinking.

They both took off further down the alley without a second thought, Ciri pulled her hood back up just as they rounded one corner, and it had been a good thing she did. Dominik's hand went to the new steel on his back, but it almost slipped from his hand as he slung it out, not used to the weight of it or the grip. Ciri did the same next to him, as the little man yelled beneath the Witch Hunter again, getting to his knees and pleading.

"Please… please, good sir, I've done nothing wrong…. I swear it!" The little man begged at the witch hunters' feet, and Dominik looked at the scene around him in the alley.

The alley was only a few steps away from the main road, which was becoming more and more barren of people with the time of day getting later. The smaller man had a head of brown hair and a brown tunic, with black trousers and an elegant green hat that had been knocked to the ground. Also on the ground, Dominik saw a large chair, an old crate, and chest. The chest had spilled multiple bottles of ink onto the ground with the soil eagerly lapping up the colors. He also saw a multitude of needles, rags, and a sack of coin that had been spilled out onto the dirt. The sun was just about to set, nobody saw what was happening, the man didn't look suspicious at all, but the Witch Hunter clearly didn't think so.

This one was massive, with a bald head and longsword at his belt as well as a crossbow. Next to him he saw Ciri gripping tightly onto her sword, ready to spring and cut the man in half at a moment's notice. However, remembering that before Ciri had been a wanted woman, and not wanting her to draw attention to herself, he quickly shot her a look and shook his head, slinging his own sword back into its sheath. She looked at him incredulously for a moment before she sighed and sheathed her blade as well, while Dominik quickly ran up to the massive man, who kicked the smaller one at his feet.

"Enough blabbering! We got reports of strange lights coming from wherever your stand is, a hot pair of pliers will be enough to get you to admit, you filthy mage," The man spit out, just as Dominik came up behind him.

"What are you doing? You can't arrest someone and torture them just because of something someone said," He said, just as the massive Witch Hunter turned back around to him.

The small man quickly whimpered and scampered on the ground back to where Ciri was still standing. Dominik faced down the massive witch hunter, holding a handout behind his back to Ciri to instruct her to stay put. He had killed Menge a while ago, but he had no idea if his order to look for an ashen haired woman with a sword on her back was still active, or if any of the hunters would recognize her from her flight on Temple Isle. So, he stood there in front of the massive hunter, as the balding man looked directly down at him, at least two heads taller than Dominik was.

"Mind your fucking business, bugger off before I lose my fucking patience, that mage is coming with me now," He said, pointing out his meaty finger to the man cowering against the alley wall now.

Dominik slowly shook his head, he shot the magic to his palm, quickly he made the appropriate signs with his hands, and took a step back before he waved it up in front of the massive man.

"This man did nothing wrong, you don't need to arrest him," Dominik said calmly, moving his hand across the man's eyes, as the sign for Axii appeared in his hands.

He hadn't used Axii often, normally leaving it to Geralt, however, in that particular moment he saw no other choice. Ciri would have sprung into action to help him if he fought, he also still didn't know how well the new steel blade he had gotten from Geralt would feel in a fight. There was also the fact that he indeed felt extremely fatigued, his bones ached, and despite the fact his walk with Ciri had been every bit as amazing as he expected, he was ready to go back to the Chameleon and rest.

"Uhh… this man did nothing wrong; I don't need to arrest him…" The witch hunter said drearily, and Dominik heard a small scoff from Ciri behind him, as he himself smirked up at the massive man.

He moved his hands in the appropriate motion again in front of the man's face. "You're going to apologize to him, and then you're going to tell the other hunters he's not a mage."

"I'm going to tell him I'm sorry…" The man said drearily again, before turning to the man who was still huddled against the wall, "I'm so dreadfully sorry… I'm going to tell the other hunters you're not a mage…."

"Good boy, now go," Dominik said as he gestured his head towards the street.

The witch hunter gave a quick series of nods, before sure enough he turned heel with his sword clunking and walked back out towards the street to get on with his day. Dominik let out a sigh of relief and quickly heard Ciri's voice ring out in his ears behind him.

"Ha, that was brilliant," She said with an amused tone as she came up next to him and met his eyes, "You know, I'm kind of jealous you got to learn your signs and I didn't."

He saw the look of pride beaming from below her hood before she pulled it down and saw the smirk on her face. Lightly he laughed, remembering how when they were younger at Kaer Morhen, the witchers did indeed try to show Ciri signs, and him as well but for some reason neither of them had been able to produce even the smallest form of them. It was mind-boggling to Triss when she discovered the power Ciri had and learned that she couldn't produce any of the signs since they were simple forms of magic. However, Dominik wondered why he hadn't been able to either, considering that according to Alexander, a small part of his own carrier powers had been active since he met Ciri in Cintra. Geralt and the witchers had also been feeding them both the 'salad' that they loved so much, which was really a special mixture of magical herbs that was getting their bodies ready for mutations if they decided to undergo them.

Now however, Ciri obviously had her powers yes, and even before he had fully unlocked all of his own, Dominik had been able to produce quite powerful signs. He could remember all the way back at the very beginning of his journey with Geralt, casting the Axii like he just had more than likely would have knocked him out after using it once. In the current day now he could cast any of his signs without feeling as much as a tingle. Seeing Ciri's prideful look made him smirk, lightly he laughed and nodded at her.

"You never know, maybe I'll teach you some later on," He said with a wink, as right away she scoffed and rolled her eyes before Dominik turned to the man who had been yelling for help, who was now scrambling to pick up his fallen inks and dyes. "Are you okay? He didn't do anything to you did he?"

Ciri came to his side, and Dominik got a look at the smaller man again. His brown hair whipped in the sunset breeze, as he quickly shook his head and piled up his dyes and ink, along with his needles onto the crate again before looking up at them both with a grateful smile.

"Aha no he did not thankfully, and I have you to thank for that my friends," The man said thankfully with a wide smile as he took a step closer to them, "If not for you I'd surely be a goner, if there's any way I can repay you, please…. Good heavens, it's you! Aha, it is so good to see you again young man!"

Dominik shared a quick look with Ciri, who was just as confused, before he turned back to the man who was smiling even wider now.

"You… know me? I'm sorry I… don't recall ever meeting you," Dominik said, and the man quickly scoffed and shook his head.

"Aha oh think nothing of it, my young friend! I actually don't recall giving you my name, Nigel Flick at your service," The smaller man said with a small bow as he reached over and eagerly shook Dominik's hand while meeting his eyes, "I was the one who gave you your tattoo in the Putrid Grove! Four names and a swallow! I remember every tattoo I've ever given!"

Dominik scoffed, and he looked at Ciri who laughed as well, while he pulled his right sleeve up. On his inner forearm sure enough the tattoo was still plenty visible. Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer and Triss, all written in elegant black ink going downwards, and an elegantly drawn white swallow just below them. He looked and saw Ciri staring between his tattoo and back to him, and Dominik could see the gears turning in her head as she bit her lip, a small smile coming to her face while the sunset sparkled off her.

He laughed at her look and shook Nigel's hand again, "Haha I remember now, I'm sorry I didn't before. You were right, it's lasted the whole time, thank you again."

"Ahaha! Not a problem at all young lad! And now, I must thank you again, that witch hunter surely would have dragged me to the gallows if not for you!" The man said thankfully, as Dominik scoffed and shook his head.

"It's no problem at all but… why are you still here?" He asked the man as Ciri shifted next to him, Dominik shook his head and met his gaze, "I helped get all the mages out of Novigrad to escape the hunters, why weren't you with them?"

Nigel sighed and shook his head, "I considered it yes, however… as I'm sure you know it's quite cold in Kovir, people wear lots of layers of clothing, very little need for tattoos there, so I decided to stay…. It seems however I was mistaken and must be moving on myself."

"I understand, it's a smart move," Dominik said honestly, before looking at Ciri next to him curiously eyeing the man's inks and dyes, before Dominik smiled and gestured towards her, "This is Ciri, Ciri well… this is Nigel, he made my tattoo for me the last time I was in Novigrad."

Nigel chuckled lightly and nodded, "It is good to meet you lass! Am… I right in assuming you're the 'Ciri' I inked onto your man's arm?"

Ciri looked to meet the man's eyes, shaking his hand with a laugh, "Haha I would hope so. It's nice to meet you, as he said well… I'm Ciri."

Quickly Nigel smiled and bowed to them both again before he turned around to look at his materials which weren't all strewn about anymore. The sun was just about set, and the wind whipped through his hair, chilling his skin and making the wolf and swallow bounce around his neck, while he saw the ring doing the same around Ciri's. Nigel sighed but still turned to them both with a small smile.

"It was an honor to meet you, and see you again my young friend, and I must thank you again for saving my life," The mage said with another small bow of his head, before he sighed and looked at all his inks, dyes and needles, "Sadly, however, I must bid you ado, as you saw, I may be compromised. But please, if there is anything I can do to repay you both before I leave, do not hesitate to ask."

Dominik quickly nodded with a smile, about to tell the mage the thanks wasn't necessary that he was just trying to do a good deed. Ciri however, stepped up from next to him and smirked as she met the man's eyes, the sunset rays sparkling in her emerald eyes.

"I did have something in mind actually," She said, before turning to Dominik with a large smile. Slowly she turned and met Nigel's eyes again, "I was hoping you could do some work on us, something matching on the both of us."

He scoffed quickly and felt his heart race again. Ciri smiled broadly at him, and Dominik in that moment had never felt more in love. He knew about the tattoo on her inner thigh obviously, the one she had gotten to match her ex-lover Mistle. Dominik didn't think he'd ever forget that night in the cave, hearing about it for the first time. Initially, he had felt slightly betrayed yes, knowing that when they did make love, it wouldn't be her first time. However, after seeing her pleading eyes, hearing her cry and explain everything, he could hear the regret, the sorrow, and the pure anguish in her words. He was never going to be able to stay mad at her for it, he knew that. However, he would admit, that whenever he saw the tattoo, he did feel a small pang of jealousy.

However, it seemed that would change now, because Nigel looked between them both, and when Dominik smiled broadly and gave him a small nod, the smaller man eagerly met both their eyes.

"Haha my young friends, it is the least I can do! Just give me a moment to prepare, and I shall do whatever you wish, no matter how big or small, free of charge of course," The man said as he practically bounced up and down on his toes, before he ran to his materials.

Dominik laughed as Ciri turned back to him, walking over and wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug. He turned around and found himself scoffing out more laughs while he hugged her. The two of them of course had the wolf and swallow pendants around their neck, however, the idea of a tattoo, one that matched hers, made him giddy with childlike excitement. The wind blew gently into the alley, and she pulled back while smiling broadly at him, while she moved strands of her ashen hair from her face. Her eyes shone up at him, as he couldn't help but scoff lightly and shake his head, finding it impossible however to stop smiling.

"Ciri… you know you don't need to get a tattoo with me… just because you got another one with her… I've forgiven you, it's okay I swear it," He said carefully, not wanting to open up any old wounds.

However, Ciri simply smiled broadly at him and shook her head as she detached herself from him.

"It's not because of that Dominik I swear," She said softly, as he saw her face get slightly red, she looked over to Nigel, before turning back to him with a smile, "I want to do it because I love you… and well… I thought it would be sweet, having something that matches you."

He scoffed and smiled, taking a step closer, and leaning in. He gently cupped the side of her cheek and kissed her. She laughed into the kiss for a moment, holding onto his arm and stomach, kissing him back with everything she had, before pulling back with a flustered red face. Dominik smirked himself and crossed his arms, meeting her gaze and slowly nodding.

"It is… I think this is a great idea," He said as he felt his heart begin to swell up even more, before he laughed lightly again, "Aha… did you have any ideas on what to get, and where?"

Ciri very rarely got so flustered he knew, but quickly she smirked, gently coming up to him. One of her hands went to rest on his chest, as to his surprise, and elation, her other went around his neck, where she gently fiddled with his medallion in her fingers.

She smirked and met his eyes, "I think I have the perfect idea…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Aha… wow… it's perfect, he's really got a knack for this," Ciri said in amazement at the perfectly drawn wolf's head, in the shape of Dominik's witcher medallion that had been tattooed onto her inner left wrist.

Dominik smirked and looked down at his own left wrist, and gingerly running his hand over the wolf's head, and marveled at how similar it looked to the one around his neck. Even without the sun, it was still visible in the torchlight outside the chameleon. The hour was late, Nigel said that he could have done the tattoos for Ciri and he with magic, but the poor man was so dreadfully afraid of drawing more witch hunters to his location, that he resided to do it the traditional way. The needles had pinched for a bit yes, and Ciri had a good laugh at his expense while he was wincing in the pain from the chair while Nigel worked, before she proceeded to have the process done without even flinching once. However, it did take another few hours, so they were arriving back at the Chameleon late at night, and while there were torches still lit, and Dominik could see light inside, he didn't see any patrons.

Gingerly he ran his hands over the ink, it had set in right away, and after that he looked over to see the same exact wolf's head on Ciri's inner forearm as well. It was something simple, yes, but it had meant more to him then she'd know. He opened the door to the inn, and let Ciri walk in ahead of him, and when they did get inside, she pulled her hood down and looked back to him with a broad smile, as Dominik closed the door behind him with a laugh.

"Ha… he really does," He said slowly looking and meeting her eyes as she smiled at him, feeling his chest get warm he laughed lightly and nodded, "Thanks princess… this… means a lot. Means that you really are stuck with me now, I hope you know that."

Ciri laughed and nodded, leaning forward and planting another kiss on his cheek, before she pulled back with the smile on her face as the firelight from the nearby hearth glew.

"Well if I'm stuck with you, it's a pretty good thing that I kind of like you," She said cheekily, before they both laughed, and she looked up to meet his gaze again, gently leaning forward and holding her hands on his chest, "You're welcome… it means a lot to me too. Me and you versus everyone."

"Me and you versus everyone…" He said, feeling his heart flutter again as she smiled up at him, before he nodded and gestured towards the stairs, "So, do you want to head to bed, or do you want to-."

"There you both are! We've been waiting for you, most of everyone else has gone to bed," The voice he recognized as Yennefer's hit his ears.

Ciri and he both whirled around, and sure enough, Yen and Geralt both were sitting at one of the tables a few steps away from them. He couldn't see anyone else down on the ground floor, all the dancers and servers had seemed to return home, and neither his friends, Dandelion, Zoltan, or anyone else were there. It was only him, Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer, and the sight of it alone was almost enough to make Dominik cry on the spot because if he narrowed his eyes, he saw them all at Ellander, himself and Ciri were young, Geralt and Yen were sitting across from the two of them. Ciri was eagerly explaining what she learned from Yen that day, Geralt was explaining the new moves and combos they'd learn in the morning, all while he and Ciri lapped up their dinner, starving from a long day.

And now they were there again, eight years later, they were all, finally in that same situation again.

"Sorry we're late, we went for a walk," Ciri said excitedly, walking over and going to sit down across from them both before Dominik quickly joined her. He sat down and looked across the table, still seeing pitchers of wine, plates with dumplings, bread, chicken, apples, and all sorts of food that made his stomach growl.

Ciri laughed as Dominik sat next to her and looked to their adopted parents again.

"We… got a little sidetracked," She said, looking over to Dominik with a broad smile, "It turns out Dominik here is a true defender of the downtrodden."

Geralt chuckled from next to Yen, "Ha, really is… so what'd you guys do, enjoy your walk?"

"We did yeah… we really did…" Dominik said slowly, as he looked around the table, still trying to take it all in as Ciri next to him nodded in agreement.

She laughed and met their parent's eyes, "He's right we did, check this out."

Ciri pulled up her sleeve, and seeing her do it, Dominik quickly did the same. The fire from the hearth crackled, a warm, calming heat washed over them all, as he truly couldn't form words. All of them, the four of them, his family, that second family that he had been blessed with, had ripped from him, yearned for again, now it was back. He was back, Ciri was back, Geralt and Yennefer were alive, when such a short time ago, he thought they were all gone, out of his reach, that he was alone in that world again, and forever would be.

Geralt scoffed a smile as he saw their arms, "I like it, you got the same ones to match, who's idea was it?"

"Ciri's," Dominik said right away, smiling broadly over at her, "It was the same guy who did my other one, saved him from a witch hunter."

"Awfully grateful he was," Ciri continued for him, smiling over at both of their adopted parents as she reached for the wine pitcher, "You… really waited up for us?"

Yennefer laughed and nodded, "Of course we did darling. The four of us… it's been dreadfully too long since we all sat and had dinner together wouldn't you say?"

He shared a look with Ciri as they both nodded eagerly. For the next hour or so, Dominik gorged himself on everything the table had to offer. He downed a cup of wine before switching to water, not wanting to get himself drunk and forget the moment that they were having together. Nobody interrupted them, and again it was as if the universe had decided to give them this moment, give the four of them that moment together, to simply sit and enjoy, relish being around once another again. They didn't talk about the Wild Hunt, they didn't talk about magic powers, they simply talked, joked, discussed old memories, and the prospect of making new ones. Never in Dominik's life had he thought he'd ever been speechless around the three of them, however, he was then. He simply sat there, listening to Ciri eagerly bring up old stories from their time in Ellander, and what she hoped they could do once it all was over. Yennefer, whom Dominik had never seen in such an elated mood, met Ciri's enthusiasm with just as much of her own. The sorceress went on with how proud she was of Ciri and Dominik both, bringing up the times they spent in Ellander, her lessons with Ciri, even making Dominik and her fiercely blush when she brought up the time that Geralt finally brought him to Ellander, and they had kissed in front of them both.

Geralt chimed in from time to time, but like Dominik he reserved himself more to simply listening to everyone else talk. From time to time his adopted would look at him, and the witcher would simply smile, making Dominik quickly do the same. He had loved the time he got to spend with Geralt on the road, being with his adopted father, the man who had saved him, him and Ciri both, his mentor, it had been something he always wanted to experience, and he had finally gotten too. However, now, having Yennefer and Ciri back with them, was something Dominik knew Geralt had been looking forward too just as much as him. The witcher tried to act all stoic and serious, but Dominik knew deep down this was the life his adopted father wanted as well, he cared for Ciri and he above all else, and loved Yennefer with all his heart.

Growing up, Bella had always loved the great fairy tale stories, a knight saving a princess from a dragon, stories that were full of action, romance, and tragedy, but no matter the tragedy in those stories, the hero would always get his happy ending. Dominik however, after having grown up, after Cintra, knew the true stories behind most of those tales he and his sister heard and loved so much as children. Almost all of them actually had ended in tragedy, but the authors of the fairy tales changed the endings, to give children a pleasant story to fall asleep too. Dominik knew why, it was because as children, you lived in the blissful ignorance of the devastating, cruel world that was out there, the world and life that would beat you down, strike you with blow after blow, keeping you there permanently if you let it. Life was grueling, unforgiving, and nobody, no matter how strong, would hit you as hard as life hit you. Things would seem unfair, and often times events completely out of your control would take place, like Ciri being hunted and separated from him. For years, Dominik had let life beat him senselessly, beat him down into the dirt until he was nothing but a walking husk, a shell of his former self simply going through the motions of life.

Life hit you hard yes, but it wasn't about how long you could endure the suffering no, it was about how you endured it, how you responded to it. And he had failed at that for years, reserving himself from walking to town to town, searching for Ciri yes, but refusing to take the steps that he knew would give him a better chance out of anger, lashing out at the wrong people, and as punishment, he was stuck alone. Life had scared him, the universe had scared him, being alone scared him, going back to Geralt and Yennefer during his years alone, facing his failures had terrified him. For years he carried on this way, yearning to have that life back, but refusing to do anything about it, out of the pure fear that he would fail again, fail to get back to Ciri, fail to pull her out of the danger he was in, fail to protect his second family like he had failed his first one. However, if being back with Geralt in the last month had taught him anything, was that you couldn't live your life in fear of failure, as Crach an Craite had told him as well, life wasn't about how little you failed, the true measure of a man was how many times he could fail, and then keep on moving forward after it.

Dominik had learned when life had beat you down like it had him, that the biggest regret one could. He had multiple regrets in his life yes, he regretted a great many things, things that still to that day would keep him up thinking at night. However, the biggest regret he ever had, wasn't that Ciri had been taken, wasn't the death of his first family, or not being there to help Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri no, they weren't his biggest regrets.

His inactivity, his indecisiveness, his hesitation, those were his biggest regrets. When life had beaten you down like it had him, you needed to act, be brave, seize life by the scruff of the neck. The only regrets you should ever have in life, should be inactivity, indecisiveness, and hesitation. You shouldn't regret actions or decisions, even if they occasionally end in sadness and regret. He had been so afraid to act during those eight years, so afraid of living through another failure, more pain, more loss, that he hadn't taken the actions that he should have. He wasn't brave, he was afraid, dreadfully afraid. He had been afraid if he had gone to find Geralt and Yennefer, that if he had gone back to Kaer Morhen during the years he spent alone, he would fail all over again, and that he would get even more of the ones he loved killed. However now, when he finally decided to take action, when fate had ripped him from his delusions, and brought Yennefer and Geralt back to him, was when Dominik learned the most important lesson.

That life was only ever going to be as good as we make it, it depended on how hard we worked, and the people around us. From King's to lowly peasants, anyone could make their life great, by surrounding themselves with the right people, support people, loving people, and taking their life and saying, 'I'm going to make this great', instead of living in fear of trying to improve your life. People, however, would always be the most important factor. He had learned the hard way, that the universe will very rarely do you favors, the world very rarely did you favor, so having the right people, ones who loved you, supported you, made this cruel world we lived in worth living for, were essential if you wanted to live and enjoy your life.

And he had that now, he had it back again in the form of the one's around him, Yennefer, Geralt, and of course most importantly Ciri. His beginning, middle and end, his best friend, and the unequivocal love of his life.

"Dominik darling, are you alright?" Yennefer's voice hit his ears, as Dominik was sure he had been simply staring with a smile like a goof at them all.

All of them turned to him, Geralt and Yennefer across from him, and then Ciri looked up and met his gaze next to him.

He laughed lightly, and gently shook his head, "Nothing's wrong, nothing at all…. I… just still can't believe we're here, all of us."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," Geralt said in agreement with a small smile, "Been too long… too damn long."

Dominik scoffed again, "If… if you had told me two months ago that this is where I'd be now… well, I would've called you crazy. Gods I… I was completely alone."

Ciri gripped his hand under the table, and Dominik looked down as she nodded at him, her broad smile coming back to her face.

"You don't ever have to worry about that again," She said reassuringly, before turning and looking at their parents across from them again, "I… can't even describe what it's like… being back here, all of you with me."

Yennefer smiled, the sorceress tossed her raven locks back behind her head, and she lovingly bore her violet eyes into them both. Dominik would never forget the day he first felt himself beginning to think of Yennefer as a mother. It had been a few weeks after they first arrived, and just like what happened with Triss at Kaer Morhen, Dominik had been cold the first few weeks towards the enchantress. Ciri had already seemed to think of Yennefer as a mother by the time he arrived, and she had been spending so much time with her, young Dominik began to get awfully jealous. Despite Yen's best attempts at conversation, trying to get to know him more and more, Dominik was steadfast in refusing to even try, that was, until near Ciri's birthday. He had wanted desperately to get something special, and feeling himself blanking on ideas, he had snuck Ciri's sword from her room, and was intent on going to get it sharpened and possible have it reshaped somehow.

However, when he was leaving, that was when Yennefer had found him, asking him what he was doing, and when Dominik told her, the sorceress had laughed. She told him that Ciri's sword was fine and that perhaps something different was instore. Dominik had initially told her he needed no help, but Yennefer had stubbornly followed him to the market without him knowing. Young Dominik had found a suitable arrangement of flowers that he liked for Ciri at the market, but sheepishly had soon realized he had no coin, and that was the point at which Yennefer, who finally revealed she had been following him, scaring young Dominik half to death, paid for the flowers and even more. After this, he had begrudgingly arranged the bouquet with Yennefer's help, before the sorceress said that she had an idea, before asking Dominik what Ciri's favorite scents were. Right away Dominik had responded with juniper and cedarwood, which he knew she had favored wearing back in Cintra when she was young.

And after Yennefer helped him make the perfume, after he gifted it and the flowers to Ciri which she had absolutely adored, it was the beginning of the long, loving relationship he now had with his adopted mother. He knew that them being apart had haunted her the most, tore her apart the most, a family had been all she had ever wanted, and just like she had taught him, she didn't stop until they were all back together like they were now. The fire from the hearth of the ground floor of the Chameleon crackled, it was now extremely late, the moon was out, the stars were beautiful, and Yennefer's violet eyes still somehow sparkled, as she smiled at them both.

"The two of you will never have to worry about that again, I swear it," She said, she nodded and turned over to Geralt, "Geralt and I, will always be here, whenever you both need it."

"She's right," Geralt quickly agreed, smiling at them both, "Been apart for too long, don't rightfully plan that changing anytime soon."

He laughed and shared a smile with Ciri next to him. She squeezed his hand below the table again, and the fire combined with the warmth it sent up his chest nearly made him burst. Ciri quickly nodded, smiling at the both of them, before she let out a drawn-out yawn, stretching her arms above her head and rising from her seat.

"This… has been everything I wanted," She said with a fond smile, before she yawned again, "But, I think I'm going to head off to bed, I'm completely knackered."

"I'll come up with you in another minute or two," He promised her, getting a broad smile down at him.

She leaned down and held her hands to his face, planting a kiss on his cheek that made him get beat red, before she lightly laughed, smiling once more at Geralt and Yennefer before she went for the stairs. Dominik turned and watched her brown heeled boots click up the steps, and all he could do was let out a breathless laugh, feeling his cheek where he kissed him heat up as it always did. Ciri's yawn however had been contagious, because quickly after she disappeared up the steps he yawned as well. The fatigue washed over his bones, and his sword and armor suddenly felt much heavier on his body. He knew he still had to tell Yennefer about Ida and Kiera, so that had been why he stayed, however, a laugh from his adopted mother behind him made him turn.

"Aha… you can go to bed as well darling," The sorceress said, as Dominik turned around to see her smiling broadly at him, she nodded and went on, "I got a message from both Kiera and Ida while you were gone… good job darling, I'm proud of you."

"Yeah, same here," Geralt said with a small nod, before he smirked, "It seems you are capable of talking to women after all."

He rolled his eyes but smiled, "Gee thanks…. So, before I go, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

Yennefer smiled and met his eyes, "I'm pretty sure I have a good lead on Margarita and Sile, Triss I know thinks she's close to locating Phillipa. We'll take tomorrow to finalize things before we go to get them, I also know that Avallac'h had something that he wished to ask of us."

An audible laugh left him, "Ha, Avallac'h? Asking US for help? Us meek, lowly peasants? He wants our help?"

Geralt chuckled, but Yennefer sighed and nodded.

"Yes he does, asked for Geralt's help specifically, said it was imperative to make sure we can defeat Eredin," The sorceress explained.

"Aw man, looks like I'm just not as popular as you are Geralt," He said with an eye roll before he looked at his adopted father.

Geralt chuckled, "Seems like it. Guess I'm just in that high a demand."

"Yes, by sages, and half the continents female population," Yen said dryly with an eye roll, "And I'm sure if you perished they'd all weep tears of sadness."

Dominik laughed heartily, while Geralt rolled his eyes. He felt the laugh quickly turn into a yawn, feeling his eyes ready to close, and the weight of his armor and swords getting unbearable, he smiled fondly at them both.

"Thank you both… for everything," He said lightly, feeling another yawn escape him, as Geralt quickly nodded first.

"You're welcome… rest up, got a big few days ahead," His adopted father said, before Yennefer quickly nodded and smiled as well, her violet gaze warming and reassuring him as it always did.

"Goodnight darling… good job today," The sorceress said, as Dominik felt his heart nearly melt again before he turned and walked towards the steps.

He found himself looking down at his inner left wrist again, at the black drawing of his medallion, with the eyes red like it was pulsating. A small laugh left him as he ascended the stairs, realizing that a few meters away, Ciri was there, with the same exact tattoo, in the exact spot. It may have seemed childish, yes, but even with such a small gesture, he finally began to fully believe it was real. So many times the previous few weeks, he had thought for small bits of time that perhaps it was a dream, another cruel dream to torture him. But no, Ciri was there, and as they had said, some things hadn't changed at all.

So, he got to the top of the steps with another yawn, before smiling, and heading to her, towards Ciri.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik very rarely was speechless in his life, but most of the times that he was, it involved Ciri, and when he entered their room that night, another one of those times came to pass.

"Yen and Geralt say we got a few-…. Gods… um… hey…" He said, feeling all of his breath leave him, while the hairs on his arms and back of his neck stood up.

Ciri laughed lightly, as Dominik saw she had just finished letting her hair down as he walked in. He quickly shut the door, making sure to lock it, as he watched her hair gently fall down her shoulders before she laughed again at his flustered face.

"Hey… you okay?" She said playfully, a teasing tone to her voice as she stood across from him.

He had seen her unclothed before, several times she had gone to bed in nothing but her knickers and top, and in the cave, he had finally seen her fully unclothed, but in that moment then, Dominik couldn't find himself able to string any words together. Ciri was clearly ready for bed, he saw her sword, her corset, along with her top and trousers neatly folded along with her boots and gloves near the dresser. She had nothing on but her knickers black bra, she saw the look on his face, the completely bewildered, amazed look he knew he had in his eyes. She was every bit as beautiful, breathtaking as she had been in the cave that night, as she had been his entire life, and just like every single time he marveled in it. He saw a long scar running down the back of her harm, along with another on the side of her torso, and near her hip, where Baelen had cut her during the battle at Kaer Morhen.

However, she was still the most beautiful person to him, her stomach was flat, tones and defined, her legs long and slender with her smaller waist. Her eyes sparkled amusedly at him, while she gently rubbed the knots out of her hair and let the ashen locks fall down her back. He had seen other women naked before, and thought them beautiful of course, however, nothing, nobody at all, would ever compare to her, to Ciri, it would only ever be her, and every single day he was reassured more and more of that. The only light that illuminated the playful look on her face was from the candlelight and the light from the full moon that streamed in front of the windows. It cast the perfect glow off her eyes, and when Dominik didn't couldn't respond, only able to look at her, she laughed again and came closer.

"Dominik… are you okay?" She asked with a small laugh, as her hands rested on his chest, "Drowner got your tongue?"

He laughed lightly and slowly shook his head, "No it… it's just… gods Ciri, you… you're-."

"Thank you…" She said, leaning up and kissing him quickly, before she pulled her head back and smiled broadly at him, "Come on tough guy, let's get your armor off, it's time for bed."

She reached up to untie the upper part of his armor, as Dominik finally found his voice with a laugh.

"Ha… you know I am capable of doing it myself." He joked, as she pulled the upper half of his armor off him and placed it down near the table they had.

She scoffed, and Dominik felt her gently leaned closer, trailing her hands down his chest and stomach, to the hem of the sweaty white top he had on under his armor.

"Are you really complaining?" She said slowly, her face only inches from his, as he shuddered out a laugh.

"Aha… uh.. no.. no, I'm not," He said, as he pulled both his gloves off while Ciri laughed hysterically at his expense.

She laughed as she pulled the shirt up over his head, and he felt the sweat trickling down his bare chest. Ciri tossed the shirt over to the side, and leaned up, gently kissing him again, before she smirked wildly at him.

"Good… good," She said, as her hands trailed down to his trousers again, and quickly she worked the knots that kept them up.

His skin continued to heat up, sending sparks down his chest, all the way down to his legs. He felt himself twitch, as Ciri didn't stop smiling at him. He tried to step out of his trousers so quick he almost tripped as forgot his boots were still on. As Ciri laughed, Dominik stumbled out of his trousers, and kicked the boots off his feet, while carefully placing both his swords up against the table. Finally, he had on nothing but his white undergarments, and shakily let out a breath, running a hand through his messy hair and feeling the sweat trickle down his bare chest. When he turned back around Ciri sure enough was still laughing at the side of their larger bed. He walked to her, laughing breathlessly as she came up to him with a smile.

"Haha… you can undress yourself can you now?" She asked him playfully.

"Ha… well… I uh… was kind of… distracted…" He said, feeling his face hot as she laughed again, before gently reaching her arms up around his neck.

He felt her bare hands on his neck, and right away the goosebumps ran down his spine. She pulled closer to him, her breasts up against himself, and Dominik felt nearly every part of his body erupt as he wrapped his arms around her. He squeezed her how he could, his hands explored up and down her exposed back, and she shuddered lightly with a laugh as he did. She bit her lip as she looked up at him, and when Dominik met her eyes, he could see that same look she had that night in the cave back in her eyes. He laughed lightly himself, as she leaned her face a few inches away from his.

"Distracted? Well… I hope you aren't now," She said lightly, and when Dominik nodded quickly, she laughed again and nodded, looking deep into his eyes, "Well then… are you just going to stare at me… or are you going to kiss me you, stupid boy?"

He laughed, and she quickly did the same, before he wasted no time in smashed his lips down to hers. She met his kiss with one equally as fierce as his own, deepening their embrace right away. They laughed into the kiss for a few seconds, before it got even deeper, the kisses got longer, and with every movement of her lips against his, he felt his body pleasantly shudder, yearning for more. She kissed him, and when he felt her hands gently running down his torso he lightly moaned into her lips getting another laugh from her, before he himself finally felt his body kick into overdrive, feeling her hand just above the hem of his trousers.

Slowly, he slid his hands down under her ass, beneath her thighs and he picked her up. Ciri yelped for a moment but laughed as she wrapped her bare legs around him. She leaned her head down and kissed him again, as he quickly took the small step towards the bed, and sat down himself, with her in his lap. For a few more minutes they sat there, she angled her head down, perfectly matching her lips onto his, and between the long, deep kisses she breathlessly laughed and moan, as he held his hands over her ass and thighs, gently squeezing when he could, only spurring her on, as he felt her gently grinding her waist near his crotch. He tried not too for as long as he could, but finally he couldn't help it, he moaned into her lips, when right near her entrance brushed over his cock, and Ciri finally laughed as he did, deepening the kiss again, and gently trailing her hands down his chest.

Her hand rested there as her other hands played with his hair. He took in the feeling of her wet lips kissing against his, but when she kissed to the side of his jawline, and down towards his neck, he breathlessly let out a louder moan then he had yet, and Ciri laughed into his neck.

"Ha… I love you…" She said happily, as she let out a breathless sigh and gently pulled back, looking at him for a moment, before she smirked.

"I… I love… I love you-," He got cut off when she shoved him back, his back hit the mattress and right away he felt his bones relaxed, as Ciri laughed again and looked down at him.

Seeing what she meant to do, he breathlessly laughed himself, crawling back up towards the top of their massive bed, and leaning up on his elbows, as for a moment Ciri stood smiling wildly at the end of the bed. She bit her lip and ran a hand through her loose ashen locks before Dominik nearly got a nosebleed from the look she gave him. She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes at him, as she climbed up onto the bed and slowly came back over to him, straddling his waist again. She sat there and looked down at him before she lightly laughed at his flustered look. Slowly she leaned down and gently kissed him again, before kissing around his jaw again. Dominik felt his body twitch, as his hands explored up and down her bare legs again. It was the exact same position they had been in a few weeks prior in the cave, remembering what they promised that night, despite the erupting pleasure that ran through him, the complete euphoria as she kissed along his neck again, he managed to get words.

"Ci…Ciri are… are you.. are you sure-," He was cut off by a kiss, her lips gently came onto his, and after a few seconds, he looked up at her, her face only a few inches from his.

Her ashen locks fell around his head, as she laid down over his body, both her hands above his head playing with his head. He looked deep into her emerald eyes, her beautiful, beautiful eyes and saw the love they were exhuming. He thought horribly for a moment he had said something wrong, brought up that night in the cave when he shouldn't have. However, she breathlessly sighed and shook her head.

"Gods you're sweet…. I… I don't know," She said gently running her hands through his hair, but slowly shaking her head, "But… lets… let's just see where this leads. Now… just shut up and kiss me."

They both laughed breathlessly again, and hearing that Dominik felt himself nearly lose control as it seemed Ciri did at the same time. Her lips smashed onto his again, and he gripped tighter around her ass and thighs, she moaned into his lips and kissed him harder, her hands running down his chest and torso again, before it rested at the hem of his undergarments. He felt his brain begin to erupt, and quickly moved his lips from hers, wanting to kiss along her neck. He did, and hearing her moan into his ears, he let his body continue to take over, he did what felt natural. And the whole situation just felt right, being there, feeling her skin against his, her lips against her, hearing her moan hit his ears. Nothing had ever felt more right, more natural than being there in that bed with her.

She yelped with a laugh, but he quickly squeezed around her waist, before flipping her over onto her back. As her head landed on the soft pillows, she giggled again, and he felt her hands go to the back of his head, gently running through his hair, before he kissed up her shoulder and neck, back towards her lips again, and she breathlessly laughed between moans as he planted longer kisses up her neck towards her ear.

"Ha… Dom… Dominik…. Ha… I… I think… I think I like it when you get like this," She breathlessly moaned into his ear, as he gently bit the bottom of hers, and moved back to her lips.

He got slightly flustered, as his one hand explored down her chest, "I… I'm glad. Gods Ciri I… I love you, I… I love you and-."

"Dominik," She said sharply, pulling his face back to hers, as she met his eyes with a scoff, she breathlessly laughed and shook her head, "You are so sweet… really but… but please… please shut the fuck up, and just kiss me."

She laughed at him, and he did the same as her hand explored her chest. He listened to what she said, and brought his lips back to hers, while he adjusted himself on the bed. His hand explored between her breasts, down her toned stomach, and soon he started kissing along the side of her jawline, when his hand finally went between her thighs. He felt his hand hit the outside of her knickers, just near her entrance, and right away he felt her shudder beneath him. Goosebumps started to run up and down her arms, and she let out a breathless moan so loud, she yelped for a moment as he gently ran his hand outside of her knickers, and hearing it, Dominik thought for a second that he had done something wrong. Not wanting to do anything she didn't want, he went to pull his hand away, trail it back up her chest, but he felt her one hand go back to his, and guide it back to where it was.

Ciri leaned up and brought her lips to his again from below him, bringing her lips to his ears.

"D…don't… don't stop. You… you can, I… I love you," She said breathlessly, as she gently brought both hands back up around his neck.

He met her eyes for a moment and slowly nodded, before he rubbed his hand outside her knickers again, over where her warm entrance was, and she continued to melt underneath him. She squeezed the back of his head, and as he kissed along her neck while still rubbing the outside of her entrance, she moaned louder and louder, while he slowly kissed up to her lips again. He kissed her as deeply as he could, and she moaned into his lips again, louder and louder she did, and Dominik almost felt his soul leave his body, when she leaned her mouth to his neck and bit down, kissing and biting one spot on his neck, while they both moaned he could feel her entrance getting warmer and warmer outside her knickers. He continued kissing down her neck, biting down gently only making her shudder even more. She shuddered and gripped onto the back of his head, one hand grabbed his hand, while with the other she gently raked her nails down across his back, only spurring him on more.

She moaned again and a small laugh left her, she looked over, her eyes bursting with pleasure and desire as she pulled her lips close to his again.

"D…Dominik… Dom… I… I want-," She started, but this time he cut her off with a kiss, as his hand traveled up slowly to the hem of her knickers now.

Ciri laughed and moaned, before she bit her lip and smirked at him, "Ha… not… not so fast mister, first I need to show you-."

"GAHHH!" He winced when she tried to whirl him back around to get on top of him.

She quickly slid off him and started down at him wide-eyed, "Dom!? Are you okay, did… did I do something!?"

"No, no you didn't … gah… it… it's just my leg, fuck… bad cramp, fuck… fuck me," He groaned, as he felt the back of his right leg completely in knots.

Ciri gently laughed from her knees on the bed next to him, "Aha… well I was trying too before you yelled."

"Ha… very funny princess," He said with a small roll of his eyes as he winced again.

He felt a small bit of annoyance run through him. It was obviously completely secondary to everything else they were currently facing, but he had wanted to make love with Ciri since he was fourteen years old, it was something he truly, truly didn't mind waiting longer for, however, it was something that now had two chances to happen but hadn't. The first time he completely understood, and wasn't mad about in the slightest, Ciri needed to tell him those things, and he needed to say them to her, so he understood the first time. Now, however, they were both laying there half-naked in an extremely large bed after one of the loveliest days they'd both had in a long time. It would have seemed like the perfect time to him; however, it seemed that his leg had different plans.

Ciri clearly, however, could see the distress on his face, because she gently smiled at him, the candlelight beautifully reflected off her eyes and face. Gently she leaned down, holding one hand on his best, bringing her lips down to meet his. She planted that last long, lingering kiss on his lips, before pulling back with a small laugh and smiled.

"Ha… I'm sorry, don't worry soon enough," She said with a small wink at him, which only served to make him sigh out in disappointment again, before she laughed and moved to his leg, "Come on, I'll rub the kinks out for you, tell me where it hurts."

He rolled his eyes, "Well how very kind of you-. GAH, yes right there, hurts right there."

"Oh stop being such a baby," She teased him, as she lifted his leg up over her shoulder, rubbing the palm of her hand over the back of his leg.

Wincing from the pain his head hit back to the pillows. Ciri's hand rubbing exceedingly close to his crotch didn't help his disappointment at that moment, but soon as her hand kneaded into his leg, he felt the pain slowly subsiding. The sweat slowly dripped down his bare chest as Ciri's sparkling eyes smiled lovingly down at him. He met her eyes, and the small bit of annoyance he had instantly faded away, as the image of her eyes, those loving green orbs looking down at him would always be able to calm him, no matter what the situation was. He let out a relieved breath, as he aimlessly looked out at the stary sky above Novigrad. Ciri finally sighed, and Dominik turned back to see a smile form on her face as she met his gaze.

"Better?" She asked him softly, gently letting his leg down from her neck.

He gingerly moved it, and smiled back at her, "Better… thanks princess."

"No problem at all," She said lightly, a small playful smile coming to her face, as she moved the blanket from under them, and came closer, "You were such a gentleman, after all, asking me permission for just about everything in bed, don't see that in many men these days."

Dominik's face got red again, "Oh well, I… just… don't want to do anything that… that you don't want me to do and well I-."

She cut him off with a laugh, as she leaned to kiss his scarred right cheek, "Aha stop, I'm not making fun of you for it… it's incredibly sweet… and it… means a lot, especially after… well…"

"Shh… you're welcome, it's okay," He said reassuringly, knowing right away what she was thinking about as he pulled her closer under the blankets with him, kissing the top of her head, "I'm here now… nothing like that will ever happen again, I swear it."

Ciri slowly nodded, and Dominik felt her slowly peck his cheek again as they settled under the blanket. He felt her long strands of hair along his arm, as she cuddled up into his chest, a yawn escaped her and soon one did for him as well. Dominik knew exactly what she had meant. One person had raped her, and so many other had tried or wanted too, including her birth father, the man who had her hunted for years. He obviously asked permission before doing anything, because that's what any man or woman should do, but knowing what she had gone through, it was Dominik's worst fear to give her flashbacks to those horrible moments. She smiled at him, and he felt a breath of relief leave him as she pulled the red blanket over them both, and Dominik finally felt his head hit the pillow while Ciri rested her head on his chest.

He felt warm as she wrapped her arm around his chest, and gently she looked up to him. She smiled, and Dominik leaned his head down, kissing her for a moment while they laid there, feeling his body erupt again as her hands trailed to his torso before she laughed lightly and bit her lip.

"So… I was wondering something if you don't mind telling me," She said lightly as she yawned again in his arms.

"What's that?" He asked her, as her yawn was quickly contagious, and he felt his heart thumping loudly in his chest.

She laughed lightly and met his eyes, she bit her lip and scoffed, "I was wondering more about these… admirers you've had. Any interesting ones?"

He laughed nervously for a moment, not particularly wanting to talk about the topic for fear she'd get upset. However, she looked into her eyes and saw genuine curiosity, along with a playful gleam to them. So, he sighed, remembering back to the list of women, and how dreadfully embarrassed he had gotten when he turned them down. Freya had been the only one to come close, the only one he had kissed willingly, he had a few pecks on the cheek and lips over the years, but nothing that he had initiated, or was anything more than a thank you from the women in question. Biting his lip he adjusted himself, holding his one arm around Ciri, while he met her eyes and played with her hair.

"Ha… why do you wanna know about that? I've told you other than Freya well, I haven't really-," He started nervously, but Ciri cut him off with a laugh.

"Aha,.. I'm just curious. Come on, with how handsome you are, surely there were a few grateful young ladies like you said," She told him playfully as she looked up from his chest.

He laughed a little and shrugged, "Well… there were you're right. Um… there was one girl, her name was Val. You remember that tribe of skin changers I told you I helped in Kovir?"

"I do yeah," She said wonderingly, as she gently trailed her fingers down his stomach.

"Yeah well, she was the chief's daughter, and she was well… pretty… straight forward you could say," He told her, remembering the say in vivid detail.

Ciri scoffed, "Meaning?"

He sighed and bit his lip, "Meaning she said, in these exact words, 'You're strong, you're brave, would you like to have sex with me'. And when I respectfully declined she shrugged and said, 'offer stands if we meet again'."

She laughed in his arms, "Ahaha oh gods, I can't imagine you in that kind of situation, it must have been hilarious… so, why'd you turn her down?"

He rolled his eyes and felt a smile come to his face as he looked at her, she was smirking wildly at him, because he knew that she already knew the answer to that question. He felt her hands gently trailed up and down his torso again, he took in the smell of her ashen locks while the sweat still slowly trickled down his chest. There was nowhere else in the world that he would have wanted to be then, in her arms had always been the one place that he felt at home, truly, truly at home. Kaer Morhen, Cintra, Ellander, all had been temporary homes, ones he loved yes, but with her, with Ciri would always be the true one for him.

And in that moment in bed, he was finally able to say confidently, that he was truly home.

"Well, she could turn into a wolf at will, so I didn't know how well that would work," He said jokingly, getting a laugh from her, before she met his eyes again and he sighed, "And well… as you know… she wasn't you."

Her face got a little red, as she turned her head down and kissed his chest, before slowly looking up and meeting his eyes again.

"Aha, interesting… anyone else?" She asked him mischievously.

Smirking still he nodded, "Well, Shani said she had a massive crush on me when we first met at the Battle of Brenna."

Ciri scoffed again, "Ha, well I guess sewing together bleeding out soldiers really brings people together… was she pretty?"

He shrugged, "She was yeah but well… it was only a few months after what happened with Freya, I was dead set on finding you. I turned her down, but well… she still became a good friend. I haven't seen her since, I do hope she's alright."

"You really didn't stop… you never stopped…" She said slowly, as she moved and crossed her leg over his under the blanket, she met his eyes and smiled, "Thank you… thank you for that, and… and I'm sorry that-."

"Shhh, we've been over this Ciri, it's okay, we're here now," He quickly cut her off, kissing the top of her head. She smiled back up at him, and feeling it warm his bones he smirked wildly down at her, remembering something else from that Battle of Brenna.

"Also, speaking of the Battle of Brenna, I met someone else pretty interesting there," He said, as she looked up at him inquisitively, he laughed and met her gaze, "Do you remember a boy named Jarre?"

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, and he could see the gears turning in her head before her emerald iris's widened and she scoffed.

"Jarre? Gods, I do remember him," She said with a disbelieving shake of her head, "For god's sake, it feels like so long ago, he-."

"Was a scribe at the Temple of Melitele when you were there." He finished with a smile, before smirking and lightly laughing, "He was hopelessly in love with you, and well… can't say I blame him."

"You met him!? At the Battle of Brenna, what the hell was Jarre possibly doing there," She asked him incredulously, seeming absolutely dumbfounded.

He laughed and met her eyes, "He joined the army, must have been trying to do some amazingly brave deeds to impress you! I'll never forget it; he was with the first wave of infantry the Nilfgaardeans smashed. After I came in with the Free Company, instead of charging, I stayed back to drag people to the medical tent, that's where I met Shani, helped her hold men down why she had to sew them back together."

"Dominik… that's incredibly brave, gods why don't you tell more people that," Ciri said in disbelief, and Dominik simply shook his head.

"I didn't think much of it, I just did what I thought was right," He said, feeling his hands slightly tremble, before they were calmed by her touch. He smiled and went on, "That's when I met him. Found him bleeding out, missing a hand."

"Gods was he alright? He was never very well… sturdy let's say." She asked him.

He laughed and nodded, "Yeah, he was alright. I got to him, saw the stump on his hand, and ripped off a part of my sleeve to stop the bleeding. Actually almost killed him, because when he was delirious he stuttered out your name. When he did, I grabbed him by the collar and shook him, demanded to know where he heard it."

"And he still had that crush on me? Gods, it's sweet in a way, but I thought I'd turned him down enough," She commented with a small shake of her head.

"Oh yeah he did, stuttered out how you were the love of his life," He said with a small laugh, as Ciri got slightly red with embarrassment before he went on. "Told me he was at the temple with you. Told him 'she's great can't blame you' before I drug him back to Shani's tent."

"Did he make it?" Ciri asked.

"He did yeah, missing a hand now, but Shani was able to save him. Found me after the battle and thanked me, said he was going back to Ellander," He told her, and smiled when he saw a relieved look come to her face.

She scoffed out and looked up to meet his eyes, slowly she shook her head.

"Fucking Jarre… gods it feels like so long ago," She said in disbelief, and Dominik laughed.

"So, he really was in love with you then?" He asked jokingly, and Ciri scoffed again as she nodded.

"Ha, oh yeah he was. Worked with all the maps, inks, notebooks, and such. I'd flirt with him whenever I needed something. When I heard the North was going to war with Nilfgaard, I made him show me a map, so I could tell where it was and tell you in my next letter," She told him, her eyes starting to flutter soon after, as he could tell she was growing even more tired.

He smiled gently at her, "Ciri, Ciri, I would not expect that from you!"

She rolled her eyes with a smile, "He was okay enough though, he was my friend. He… did do this weird thing where he used to sniff my hair though."

"Sniff your hair…?" He asked skeptically, and Ciri laughed one more time with a nod.

"Yeah… he did, even after I told him I had a boyfriend. Stopped doing it right quick though when I told him you were coming," She said with a small fond smile, "He was… a bit odd yes, but a good friend nonetheless, I'm glad you saved him."

"I'm glad I did too… gods Ellander, it feels like so long ago," He said slowly, as he turned and looked up at the ceiling, the light from the candle finally burning out.

Ciri nodded and moved her head up to his again. He slowly turned, and the two of them faced each other as they lay there now. Gently he reached across, and pulled her closer to him, as she buried her head into the pillow and his neck. He felt himself shudder breathlessly as she kissed the base of his neck, right above the swallow pendant and his medallion. He looked and when he saw the ring, still firmly tied around hers, he felt his heart flutter again, as he also looked and saw down to her left wrist, which rested around his neck. The wolf tattoo, the exact one he had, the tattoo, the ring, it all told her she was truly real, he really, really did have her back.

And he wouldn't let her go again.

She yawned and nodded in his neck, "Yeah… and… now we're all back, gods I'm knackered."

"Get some sleep, you earned it," He said, leaning down and kissing the side of her head, "Goodnight princess… see you in the morning."

She laughed lightly into his neck, and Dominik pulled his head back to look at her with a smile.

"What is it?" He asked lightly, as he felt his eyes drooping as well.

Ciri gently laughed again, and their eyes met. He could see how tired she was, her makeup was running, her eyes drooping. But still, however, she gently held his face in one of her hands as she smiled at him.

"It… it's just… I've been waiting for so long to hear you say that to me again," She said with a small shake of her head before she pulled him close and kissed him one more time. She kept the kiss for a few seconds, before carefully pulling back and smiling at him again, "Goodnight… I love you."

He felt a laugh leave him one more time as he gently nodded, "You too… goodnight princess, I love you…"

**A/N: And now ladies and gentlemen, we are officially in the 'Final Preparations Arc' of the Witcher 3! Good lord never in a hundred years did I ever think I would make it this far, never did I think I would make it this far into the game and get to actually put into play all of the ideas I have! This chapter lacked in action, but made up for it with a few emotional moments, a small relaxer before some pretty intense chapters coming up!**

**First, we have Geralt, Dominik, and Ciri all arriving in Novigrad to begin final preparations! Now, I want to say here, the only Final Preparations quest Dominik and Ciri will be going on, is obviously the quest where you complete Ciri's errands in Novigrad, that will be next chapter! The other quests, helping Triss find Phillipa, and Yennefer get Margarita and Sile, helping Avallac'h go to Tir'Nala (obviously not gonna have Dominik for that one lol) and finally, the assassination of Radovid, those will all turn out exactly the same as in the games, so those won't be chapters. Phillipa and Margarita will still try to recruit Ciri, yes, and we WILL be seeing Queen Adda take the throne, just after the small arc that Dominik and Ciri will be going to complete. **

**They won't be chapters, because Dominik and Ciri won't be there, after completing Ciri's errands in the next chapter, Dominik and Ciri are going on a very VERY important mission of their own, which will be revealed at the end of next chapter…**

**So, after some couple moments in their new room at the Chameleon, Dominik gets to work recruiting more sorceresses for their cause. What do we think about Dominik's words to Kiera, what would the possibility of Queen Adda having a court sorceress lead too? And then finally, we have a conversation with Ida. **

**Ida informs us, that Connor of Lod heard a prophecy that if he died, his descendants, him and his sister reborn would have the ability to defeat Eredin. After this, she asked Dominik that oh so important question, that Dominik knows the answer too right away, if the opportunity arose where he could save the continent and the world from certain destruction, but to do so, he had to put Ciri in mortal danger, would he be able to do it? And his answer is no, as we all expected. **

**So, I'm assuming most of you who have finished The Witcher 3 know what this is foreshadowing, how do you think the end will shape out with this information?**

**After that, we get to what the title of the chapter is, Dominik and Ciri go for a nice relaxing date in Novigrad, where they go and get matching tattoos together. I had these matching tattoos planned from the start haha, I think it's a good way to even more firmly plant their love for one another, while also providing us a sweet scene. **

**After that, we go back and our family finally had dinner together again, and we get a powerful message from Dominik about the struggles of life, and what he's gone through before we get one last scene with Dominik and Ciri in their room. **

**Once again they're interrupted, this time by Dominik's leg xD but after that, it's a sweet scene where they simply talk and be together. (I was just re-reading Blood of Elves and got to parts with my man Jarre before writing xD)**

**SO, next chapter as I said, we'll go see Geralt and Dominik help Ciri with their business in Novigrad with 'whoreson junior', her friend Bea and the acting troupe! And then after that chapter well… as I said we have a MASSIVE arc coming, the name of that arc? Return to Claywitch.**

**Yes, Dominik and Ciri will be returning to where this story all started! It'll be a two- or three-chapter arc, depending on how I want to split it up, and well, I know I say this about a lot of chapters, but this arc could be the most defining of the whole book! This starts in two chapters!**

**So, I want to thank you all so much again, support as always has been overwhelming on here and on the Instagram I created. Once again, if you want to see more content from this story, vote on polls about this and future stories, get updated faster about new chapters, see some awesome fanart I'm going to have made soon, go and follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram and be sure to let me know you came from here!**

**That'll do it for this AN guys and girls, once again I can't thank you all enough! Be sure to follow to keep up to date, please review if you have the time, and I will see you all next time!**


	72. The White Wolf, Young Wolf, the Swallow

**Trigger Warning: This chapter contains sexual moments/situations**

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 72: The White Wolf, the Young Wolf, the Swallow**

**Narrator: After their journey to Bald Mountain in Velen, in which Ciri, Dominik and Geralt all slew Imlerith, the general of the Wild Hunt, along with the evil Ladies of the Wood, the Crones of Crookback Bog, the three quickly made their way to Novigrad. Upon arriving at my humble establishment, the three were reunited with their friends with Yennefer, who along with Triss Merigold, had been attempting to contact and find allies for their fight against the Wild Hunt, in the form of the remnants of the Lodge of Sorceresses. Yennefer and Triss had leads on a few of the lodge members, however, Dominik set about enlisting the help of two more. He was able to convince Kiera Metz, and the elven sage Ida Emean, who was a former lover of his ancestor, the great Connor of Lod, to come and help them fight against the Hunt. After this, Dominik spent a night with his family, with Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer, something he'd yearned to do for eight long years. The next morning he awoke, surprised to find Ciri gone, but knowing she was close by set out with Geralt to find her, not knowing that later that night, his life would surely change….**

_ Dominik's dreams the previous few weeks had been mostly pleasant, and in each of them he saw a place that he recognized of course, but somewhere that was relevant to where he had been recently, or knew he was going to go. However, this one, took him all the way back, all the way back to the very beginning of the massive journey to find Ciri he had just completed. It was somewhere he had no idea when he would return but hadn't expected it to be anytime soon. He remembered the night vividly, the night he finally figured out Ciri was indeed alive, the night that he figured out Yennefer was alive. It was a cold starry night, the wind howled and his vision passed over the garden just outside the barn, slick with blood from the enthralled men he had been forced to kill to get to the vampire, and when he saw himself, looking so young despite the fact it was only about a month ago, that was when he knew. _

_ His dreams had brought him back to Claywitch, back to the fight that had begun it all. _

_ "I knew you would come witcher, and I am oh so glad you did," The sweet voice of Alayna the Alp pierced the air, as Dominik saw her emerge from behind the tree. _

_ "Enough talk, spare me the pleasantries," Himself from the dream yelled, leveling his blade, "You're going to die, you won't harm anymore people in this village!"_

_ Dominik watched himself, and nearly scoffed at how small he had looked. Of course the event had only taken place around a month and a half prior, but he marveled at how dreadfully small he looked compared to how he was now. Only one sheath on his back, his armor nothing but a red armored coat, the strips of leather over the top, and he found it hard to believe that his current armor was improved from it. He could remember the fight in vivid detail, himself and Alayna going back and forth, the Alp telling him how she used to be an Aen Elle before she was cursed to the continent as an Alp. She had told him she could open a portal to Ciri with the swallow around his neck, and that in exchange for letting her have the village, he would indeed open up that portal for him. Dominik would never forget the mental battle he had that night, and how ashamed he felt that he had actually considered the proposal for a few moments. _

_ In the end however he hadn't, and it seemed he was rewarded for it, because when he was almost killed by the vampire, is when Yennefer had finally found him. His adopted mother saved him from the Alp, before healing his wounds, and finally they went to find Geralt. It was a night he knew that he would never forget, and as he watched the dream on, listening to him and Alayna go back and forth, he continued to wonder what his dream was showing him this for. He hadn't thought about Claywitch and Alayna in weeks, when he had, it had only been to tell Ciri the story of how everything had started for him. She revealed to him, that Alayna indeed hadn't been lying about formerly being an Aen Elle, and it explained to him why she was even more powerful than a normal Alp. He aimlessly wondered, if his powers had activated that night, helping save him in any way, because he remembered that before going to fight Alayna, he had decided to go and find Triss again, to try and pick up Ciri's trail. _

_ He had ended up on her trail anyway, and while to that day he could still see the scars Alayna's fangs had left on him, he was glad that everything had happened the way it did. For a moment, he thought his dreams were just showing him one of his random memories, now that he was back with Ciri, it was showing him where it had all begun. However, as he watched Alayna and he go back and forth, with Alayna finally revealing that Ciri was indeed alive, and that Eredin was hunting her, the dream brought his vision elsewhere. He narrowed his eyes in confusion, wondering what was going on when he couldn't turn his vision back around. He heard Alayna and he's voices yes, but his vision trailed off, to the fence surrounding the graveyard on the hill. Suddenly, his voice and Alayna's became muffled, and the sound of their voices was replaced with a whimper, a groan of pain and a wince. _

_ "An... anyone… anyone… please… gods…" The young voice said, and finally his vision panned down, just outside of the woods that were around Claywitch, a young girl popped out of the brush, stumbling forward with her hands on her torso. _

_ Dominik's eyes widened, as it seemed the young girl was ready to pass out at any minute. The poor child couldn't have been any older then thirteen, she wore nothing but brown trousers, and a silk shirt over her body, her boots were sticky with mud and blood, she was bone thin, with blood and dirt marring her face and hair. Despite only having the dim light of torches from the graveyard and the light of the moon, Dominik could clearly see her face. It was rounder, but the girl still had higher cheekbones and a smaller nose, she had light brown hair, that was almost blonde, and her eyes, they were a shining green, just like he and Ciri's. She had longer legs, smaller ears, she bit her lip and winced more and more in pain as she climbed the hill towards the fence around the graveyard, Dominik went to scream, knowing if Alayna saw the girl the vampire would attack, and he thought of the girl getting in the way, getting hurt further terrified him. _

_ If he and Ciri were ever to have a child, Dominik assumed this young girl in front of him would be exactly what they looked like. And it seemed as well, she was just as determined as Ciri and he were, because despite the blood dripping from her torso she kept moving forward. Dominik felt his blood begin to race and wondered how he wasn't able to see the girl was there that night in Claywitch if the dream indeed was true. The young girl had a terrified look on her face as she fell onto the fence, as Dominik heard his own and Alayna's voice come back into his ears. Both he, and the vampire were naturally only focused on each other, as the girl struggled back to her feet, leaning onto the very tree Alayna had come out from behind, and when she saw Dominik and the vampire, her green eyes went wide. _

_ "And with one small, easy task… you can see her again," Alayna said to him in her honeyed voice, as the girl's eyes widened again as she looked over to Dominik, her eyes falling to the medallion around his neck. _

_ "A… a…witcher…" The girl said softly, as Dominik saw her move to take another step forward, but suddenly stopped when Dominik spoke again in the dream. _

_ "Aye I could, but… Ciri would never forgive me. Besides… I think I'll manage to find her on my own…" He said in the dream, before he finally lashed out at Alayna with his blade._

_ The girl behind the tree yelped and fell backwards onto the ground as Alayna dashed into the barn at rapid speed to avoid his strike. After falling, the girl groaned loudly as she slowly sat back up, and she reached out to try and pull herself to her feet, but as soon as she got to her knees she fell forward, and desperately looked up, just as Dominik in the dream looked down at the swallow pendant around his neck, before he ran into the barn after Alayna. _

_ "Please… please…" The girl cried desperately, as she fell back onto her stomach, and rolled onto her back, looking up desperately at the starry sky. _

_ Dominik felt himself begin to panic, wondering how he hadn't heard the girl with his trained ears, or how Yennefer hadn't seen her after coming to save him. The blood slowly dripped more and more from her torso, as her light brown hair fell out over her head on the ground, still marred with blood, dirt, twigs and leaves. Her face was pale, her green eyes blinked rapidly, her chest quickly rose and fell while Dominik could hear himself and Alayna struggling in the barn. The girl coughed and more blood started to drip from her mouth, she sobbed, finally sobbed into the night. _

_ "I… I don't want to be alone… not anymore… please… please…" She sobbed out again, her eyes quickly fluttering as her chest rose and fell. _

_ And just as the girl's eyes closed and she passed out, was when Dominik heard the booming voice of Yennefer in Elder Speech from the barn. _

_ "FIER'ENDEAL!" His adopted mother's voice echoed throughout the barn, just as Dominik got his last view of the young girl's chest rising and falling, and the dream went white._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

His head shot up from the bed, and he felt the cold sweat dripping down his bare chest as he groaned. The sun streamed in fiercely from his window as he felt his bones beginning to ache. Wincing again from the fatigue, his brain was completely muddled as he tried to remember the dream he just had. The young girl he saw, other than the fact she looked like what he imagined a child he and Ciri had would look like, he couldn't recognize her at all. He hadn't seen her anywhere he could remember, and he didn't remember seeing her anywhere in Claywitch, she had simply come from the woods already bleeding, and as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, all he could picture in his mind was the girls face, her desperate pleas for help, asking, begging to not be alone anymore.

"Gods… who the hell was that…" He muttered to himself as he yawned and stretched out both his arms.

When he finally blinked and his vision was clear, in the shining light from the window he noticed again the new tattoo on his wrist, the perfectly drawn wolf's head that he had gotten to match Ciri. A small smile came to his face before he yawned again, stretching out his legs on the massive bed they shared, but soon when he didn't feel her next to him, he felt his heart nearly leap from his chest.

"Ciri!?" He said, feeling his chest thump as he looked around to see her no longer in their room.

His eyes darted to the dresser, and he saw her clothes, her corset, boots, top, her sword, everything was already gone. For the moment, all thoughts of the young girl in his dreams were gone, as he tossed the blanket off himself and swung his legs around the side of the bed. His socks hit the wooden floor, and he saw that she was nowhere to be found in their room. It was probably overeating, his heart racing like it was, but if you had lost someone you loved, and been apart from them for almost a decade, them disappearing in any capacity would horrify you. Dominik knew deep down if he stopped and thought, she probably had gotten up before him, and was already downstairs with everyone else. However, it didn't stop him from panicking as he shot to his feet.

"Fuck, gotta find-." He started, but as soon as he stood up, he heard the crumpling of parchment hit the ground from underneath his pillow.

Whirling around back to his bed, Dominik saw the folded parchment on the ground, and quickly reached down for it. He saw his name written on the outside of it in elegant handwriting that he right away recognized as Ciri's, which made him breathe out in relief. Still in just his undergarments, he felt the warmth from the few candles she must have lit before she left. He looked around the room again and saw she had even taken the liberty of setting out his armor and sword for him. Smiling now and feeling his heartrate return to normal, he unfolded the letter she left for him and read it to himself.

_Dominik,_

_ I'm sorry if I gave you a scare by not being there when you woke up. Truth be told, I woke up before you, and you were sleeping so soundly I didn't have the heart to wake you. I got dressed and headed out into town, I have a few things that I wanted to do in Novigrad before we leave, some people I want to see and introduce you and Geralt too. Collect him for me and meet me in town. I'll wait for you both in the market square in Gildorf, see you there. _

_ Love, Ciri. _

_ P.S: I love you but, we're really going to need to do something about your snoring._

"I do not snore…" He said with a scoff, before a small smile folding the parchment again and putting it back onto the nightstand.

He sighed and walked over to his armor at the table, "Looks like we got some errands to run…"

He quickly smiled down at the swallow bouncing around his chest behind his medallion and scoffed out a large smile as the sunlight pleasantly hit his face from the window. Soon, he went about getting his armor on, pulling on his boots and trousers, as well as one of the tops he had. Over leaning against the table were both his swords, and sure enough when he pulled them slightly out of the sheath, he could see the shine on them both. He still had the old hilt and a half a blade from his old steel blade in his bag, and contemplated bringing it with him, to see if he could find a talented enough smith to put a new blade on it. The one that Geralt had given him was a normal witchers blade yes, but it simply didn't feel right in his hand. If they had time he'd ask around, but decided that they'd focus on Ciri that day, like he normally liked to do. Unless the smith was a master, he assumed it would take a few days to fix his old blade, and he knew they had precious little time, so he'd be able to live without it. Feeling his arms and bones refreshed, he pulled on the upper part of his armor, tying the straps as tightly as he could while the lightweight material hit onto his shoulders. Rolling them, he sighed finally feeling his head begin to clear.

The young girl's face ran through his mind again as he walked out the door of he and Ciri's room after he strapped Arno's crossbow to his waist. He adjusted the weapons on his back and waist, trying to keep the girls face in his mind, intent on asking Ciri if she had a similar dream. She had told him she dreamed of him in Claywitch, so he didn't know if perhaps she had the same one he just had, and the young girl looking so similar to them both meant Ciri had the dream as well. That was the fact he couldn't get over, the girl looked like exactly what you would get if you combined Ciri and he into one person. Similar to while he didn't, Ciri quite literally looked like she could be Geralt and Yennefer's child if someone didn't know the backstory behind everything. He briefly thought that perhaps it was some sort of premonition, that the girl wasn't real, and just what a child he and Ciri had would look like. However, he quickly realized the ridiculousness of the idea. The vision with he and Alayna in the dream was exactly what had happened, the girl really had to have been there.

Also, he and Ciri had yet to even discuss the idea of children, and he didn't think it was something that they'd discuss for a while. Mainly of course, because of the very real possibility that they could both die within the next few weeks, so while the two of them, and others had made jokes about the prospect, they had never had a serious discussion on it, because even if they did survive, it was a long ways off before they'd consider it. If they were to have a child, it would mean they'd have to settle down, find a place and stay there so that they could properly raise it, away from all the danger they face. Himself, and he knew Ciri's dream as well, was to travel the Path and help people for as long as they possibly could, so he knew neither of them would like the idea of settling down at such a young age. He didn't know if Ciri thought the same way as well, but to him, Dominik didn't know if he wanted to have children for the pure fact of who their ancestors were. Him being a descendant of Alexander, Ciri with her Elder Blood from Lara Dorren, any child they would have he had to assume, with all that magical power inside of them, would have more then just about any child ever born. And Ciri had been hunted for years, and still was being hunted all for that power in her veins, so a child of theirs? Dominik shuddered to think who would come after them, and he didn't know if he wanted to put a child through being hunted like that.

He also, knew that he was in no way ready for that kind of responsibility, and didn't know if he would ever be. If he were to have a child, it would be the most important thing in the world to him along with Ciri, and it would be his responsibility to keep them safe, protect them and make sure they got the life he'd want a child of his to have, that childhood that Ciri and he never got to experience. However, the first person, Ciri, and his family, who he had sworn to protect, he had failed spectacularly at, so the thought of having a child, one that he would have to do the same thing too, someone who would be even more important to him then anyone, it horrified him. He didn't know if he'd be able to protect them, especially with the life that he lived, and he knew and he and Ciri would live. With Ciri, he had gotten extremely lucky that Geralt saved her, and that he was there to help him find her the previous month, so he didn't want to take the chance of failing a child. He couldn't do what Geralt had done with Ciri and he, what his father and mother had done with him, even with the fact he'd had some of the best role models.

Quickly, he pushed the thoughts of children from his mind as he descended the steps down towards the bottom floor. It wasn't something they would be discussing anytime soon, and the young girl surely had to have been found by the people at Claywitch. Dominik had seen the look in the girl's green eyes, the look of a survivor, a fighter, no, she didn't die, so while he still wondered what the dream was about, he pushed it from his mind for the moment, because when he reached the ground floor, he heard his name called right away.

"AHAAA! There he is! How ya feelin mate, Goldilocks told us about your escapades in Velen, fuckers didn't stand a chance," The booming voice of Faram called out.

Dominik smiled as he looked and saw Faram, along with George and Geralt coming towards him on the ground floor. It wasn't very busy on the ground floor of the Chameleon. He saw Dandelion and Zoltan chatting with some of the workers, while Priscilla had finally come back and was with Freya behind the bar as they seemed to be attempting to make breakfast. Dominik made it a point in his head to say hello to the trobairitz later, but seeing only one of two patrons along with his friends, and no Ciri only confirmed to him that she had indeed already gone to the square in Gildorf. He looked over at his friends and Geralt before yawning and smiling broadly at them.

"Ha, you bet they didn't, Crones are good as gone," Dominik said confidently, before he looked over to George who's green and gold armor was sparkling, "We got Imlerith back for you too George, Geralt, Ciri and I took him down."

George laughed as the sun from outside shone off his golden hair. Dominik noticed his friend was wearing it different, up in a ponytail, but both the sides of his head were shaved, while he looked over at Faram, and saw his long brown hair in a ponytail as well, with his beard tied in intricate knots he had no doubt that Freya had showed him. Seeing all three of his friends there, and then of course Geralt with him, it made him feel more secure. He didn't know where Avallac'h was, he hadn't seen the elf since he arrived in Novigrad, which he didn't mind, but he also knew that he'd eventually have to swallow his pride and meet with the elf when it came time to move out. Dominik could feel the hot sun coming in through the windows and open door of the inn. He could see that it was almost midday, and while he knew Ciri could take care of herself, the idea of her by herself out in Novigrad where she was still wanted didn't sit well.

"Aha, I thank you for that my friend, you as well Geralt," George said with a small bow of his head to Geralt and he both, as his swords clunked on his back, before he came back up and met his gaze again, "Where is Ciri? I… mean no offense, but normally where one of you are, the other one is as well."

Geralt scoffed, "Ha, no need to apologize for that, it's the truth."

"Very funny Geralt…" He said with a roll of his eyes, making his friends and Geralt laugh before he went on, "She got out of bed earlier then me, she's at the marketplace in Gildorf, had some errands she needed to run, wanted me and you to go help Geralt."

To his right Geralt quickly nodded, the sun glinting off the pommels of his swords. "Alright, sounds like a plan, George, Faram, what about you? Still gonna go head out to work on the boat?"

Faram quickly nodded with a smirk, "Aye, Barnabas has been going mad with all the lads since I been gone! Gotta get supplies, make room for the extra passengers, our grumpy elf insists we need to leave within the next few days."

Dominik felt his eyes narrow at the three, "Yeah… I heard Avallac'h said we needed to go to Skellige… did he say why?"

"He would not tell us, simply said we must make it there, and it must be within the next few days." George told him, and right away Dominik scoffed and shook his head.

"He won't tell us?" He said, looking over at all three of them, Geralt in particular, "And you don't find that the least bit suspicious?"

Geralt slowly nodded, "I do, but we don't really have another choice. Can't fight them here, and at least in Skellige we can call on Crach and Cerys for help."

"Yeah but… why is he so insistent? Besides, I know Ciri trusts him, but…" Dominik said slowly, not particularly wanting to talk about the topic, but wanting to be careful.

Faram scoffed next to him and crossed his massive arms, "Bah, I know what you mean mate. Still think we should've thrown the fucker off the walls at Kaer Morhen, you've seen how he's been acting the last few days, it's like he's holding up a sign that says, 'I'm an untrustworthy cunt'."

"I… must agree with you my friend," George said with a shake of his head, "He spends all his time in his room, drinks only water, hasn't said much as much as a word to anyone except Yennefer…"

Dominik slowly shook his head and met Geralt's eyes, "You figure out what he wanted from you yet?"

"Not yet," Geralt said with a shake of his head and a sigh, "And I know he's suspicious, don't trust him myself either, but we gotta trust Ciri's judgement. Sooner we get this done, sooner we can get rid of him."

Slowly Dominik nodded, feeling his stomach curl up in knots. He knew that Ciri had the same problem as he had, sometimes he was too trusting of people he shouldn't be. Ciri had told him, that she knew Avallac'h was using her for something, but she was also using the sage as well, because she knew he was their best chance to defeat Eredin. Despite hearing this, Dominik still didn't like the sage being anywhere near her, especially after his visions with Alexander. A small part of him was worried Ciri looking so much like Lara Dorren, was a part of the reason Avallac'h was so obsessed with controlling her, it had kept him wondering many nights, but in those nights he had Ciri in his arms which made it slightly better. He didn't know still what the sage was planning, but Dominik knew that he would have to fight the sage one day, he just knew it. It wasn't witcher senses that told him, it was just his gut feeling, there was no way this whole journey ended without him crossing blades with the sage.

As Alexander told him, history repeated itself, and Alexander, his ancestor had fought Avallac'h, so now Dominik knew he would more then likely have to as well.

"Haven't known the lassie long, but she's smart, I trust she knows what she's doing," Faram said confidently, smirking and nodding at them before slapping George's shoulder, "Speaking of Ciri, you two should go meet up with her! George and I will see you both later!"

George nodded and bowed to them both, "Faram is right, we will see you later my friends, stay safe."

Geralt and he both nodded to the bear and griffin witchers as Faram burst out the door with enthusiasm, making George sigh with a head shake before they headed off towards the harbor. He laughed lightly, before he turned back to see Geralt smirking as well, his silver hair blowing back in the wind. After the two of them had both walked out of their view, Dominik sighed and met Geralt's eyes.

"Geralt… please tell me I'm not the only one who has the feeling we're going to have to deal with Avallac'h at some point?" He asked his adopted father, his voice almost pleading.

To his relief, Geralt sighed and slowly shook his head. His adopted father crossed his arms and looked deep into his eyes.

"No, you're not the only one. When Yen and I met him before he… didn't exactly have the nicest things to say about Ciri," Geralt said with a shake of his head, "Don't believe for a second that now all of a sudden he wants to, 'protect her powers so they don't fall into the wrong hands', especially after what you told us about Alexander."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head in disbelief, "Ciri tells me she's using him but… why does she still trust him Geralt? I just don't understand it…"

Geralt sighed and shook his head, placing a hand on his shoulder, "I don't think she 'trusts' him, more so is using him like you said. We just gotta believe her when she says she knows what she's doing."

He bit the inside of his lip, feeling his stomach continue to churn for a moment. The thought didn't leave his head, he'd have to fight the sage as Alexander did so many years ago, it would happen, he didn't know when, or how soon it would come, but he knew it would happen. He knew how people like Avallac'h thought, one day, he was going to ask Ciri to do something, and if she said no, he'd try to force her too, on the basis that he helped keep her alive and was helping her all this time. He shuddered to think what it would be, he already knew that the sage had done something to her, something horrible enough Eredin taunted him with it during their fight. Soon he felt a cool breeze shoot through the window, the swallow gently bounced around his neck, and slowly he sighed, feeling the silver hit his neck. He decided then, he still didn't want to think about it all, he was going to get to spend his second day in a row with Ciri in the largest city in the world, he never knew when he'd get that again.

"Alright… I guess we have no choice you're right," He said, before looking up and meeting Geralt's gaze again, "Where's Yen and Triss? I haven't seen Triss since I got here I'd kinda like too."

Geralt nodded, "They're both out following some leads, should be back later. But let's go meet up with Ciri now, you said she was at the marketplace in Gildorf?"

"Yeah, come on, let's go see her… I actually wanted to tell you about this dream I had last night…." Dominik said, as Geralt and he both went to walk from the inn.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"A girl at Claywitch? You definitely haven't seen her before?" Geralt asked him, as they dodged the herds of people.

Dominik quickly nodded, "Yeah, never before in my life. It… was weird though, I feel like I should. I know we joke about it Geralt, but she seriously looked exactly what I'd picture me and Ciri's kid would look like."

"Mhm… you know, it sounds like that one dream you had when we were here last," Geralt told him as he looked to meet Dominik's eyes, "The one of the girl on Skellige, said you thought you knew her too."

They had left the Chameleon right away, the day was hot, but a cool breeze blew in from the harbor. He looked around and could see it was a particularly busy day for the square in Gildorf, he chalked it up to the inevitable winter that he knew was soon approaching. It may have been hot and sunny that day, but he knew unless you lived in Kovir and Poviss, or Zerrikania that the weather could change in an instant. He was fully expecting snow, rain and cold weather when they got to Skellige, and a small part of him was excited for it, because he knew it meant that he would be able to hopefully take Ciri skating, which he knew was always one of her favorite things to do when she was younger. Before she had to leave for Thanedd and Aretuza, she was getting him quite good at it, although not nearly as swift as her, to the point where she could apparently fight armed men on skates.

He had also told Geralt about the dream with the young girl near Claywitch, and when his adopted father mentioned the other dream he had, the one of the young girl on Skellige, he gave pause. Dominik had foolishly not thought of that dream since he had it when they were last in Novigrad, he would never forget the girl unleashing so much power, that it had knocked down and burned an entire forest on Undvik. He was particularly upset, because he remembered being in that very village, that got destroyed by the Wild Hunt after the girl had unleashed those powers, when Faram and he were on Undvik. The village had been completely destroyed, and he assumed that the young girl had been as well after he found the remnants of the attack at the village. However, Geralt was correct about one thing.

Dominik knew that girl in his dream from Skellige, the one they had assumed was a source like Ciri, just not a child of the Elder Blood. He tried as hard as he could that day, and for weeks after to figure out how he knew her, her eyes, her face, she just seemed so familiar, he had felt drawn to her, drawn to her face, and figuring out who she was. Of course, he still didn't know, more important things had come to pass, and now he didn't think he'd ever figure out, at least not until it was all over, and he could properly look into it. However, now he had a dream of this young girl, and it was the exact same situation as the girl on Skellige. Dominik felt something, something when he looked at that young girl, her cries for help rang in his ears, and he wanted to go and find her, find this girl and figure out what the connection was. However, he quickly shook it off, feeling the sweat trickle down his forehead.

All of this could wait, he had to make sure that Eredin was dealt with, that Ciri had that freedom, and then hopefully after that, she would be willing to help him find these people. He knew that she would, but first they needed to make sure she was safe.

"I did yeah… I know for a fact I know them both somehow," He said with a shake of his head, as Geralt and he approached the market at Gildorf, "But, we can figure out about it all later. Right now we should find Ciri."

The people still started pouring around the both of them, the market truly was busy, and Dominik quickly went about trying to locate where Ciri was. He looked for her sword, and assumed that Geralt was doing the same, however, when he turned back around, his adopted father was following and staring at him, and Dominik had never seen such a nervous look on his face. It was the look he knew Geralt got when he wanted to talk to him about something but was trying to avoid the topic.

"What is it…" Dominik asked him slowly as they stopped in the middle of the square.

Geralt's eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

"You got that look on your face, like you wanna ask me something, what is it," Dominik said, and Geralt sighed as he crossed his arms, the sun shining through his silver hair.

His adopted father rubbed the back of his head, "Well… uh… Yen wanted me to ask you and Ciri something."

"Okay… and why didn't she just ask us last night?" He asked wonderingly.

Again Geralt sighed, "Well she wanted to know, not me, not at all, I didn't want to ask about it at all, but she told me that I should and-."

"Get to the point Geralt," Dominik said as for the first time in his life he found his adopted father at a loss for words.

"Yen wanted to know if well… you and Ciri have… well.. um… you know… did it yet," The older witcher said slowly, clearly not wanting to ask.

Dominik's eyes widened, and he felt his face get hot, "Are… you really asking me, if Ciri and I have had sex yet?"

Geralt quickly shook his head, "No, no, I'M not asking, Yen, she's the one who wanted to know!"

"Then why does Yen want to know…" He asked, feeling his skin begin to tingle in the heat.

"Well she said that if… the two of you do start you know… doing it," Geralt started again with much difficulty, as it seemed he'd rather be having any other conversation, "That well… she could teach one of you a spell to well… protect you… from… certain-."

"No Geralt we haven't done it yet, does that answer your question, can we end this conversation now please," Dominik quickly asked, not wanting that conversation to continue.

"I would like nothing more than that," Geralt said quickly as well, as Dominik sighed and turned around trying to fix his flustered face.

He nervously bit his lip and shook his head, "Okay good, let's…. look there she is, right there."

He pointed over to where sure enough he noticed Ciri's sword sticking out on her back, the red sheath was easy enough to notice in the crowd, and he recognized her hood. Turning around he saw Geralt breathe a sigh of relief before he nodded and they both made their way over to her as they dodged more of the bustling crowd. He felt his skin crawl slightly, he loved both of his adopted parents he truly did, and he was an adult yes, but he never understood how people simply talked about sex so openly. It might have just been the fact he himself was still a virgin, but it was the last thing he liked to talk about with anyone, other than Ciri, and even then he still got all flustered when they brought up the topic just like when they were younger, much to her amusement. When the time came, the time would come, and if they had decided they wanted to tell people they had sex they would, but to him it would all be up to her. He would be lying if he said he never thought about the prospect of making love with Ciri over the years, after all he did think for most of his developmental years that it would be her, but during the trip to find her it had been the last thing on his mind. And now, it was simply something that yes, he really wanted to do, but would sacrifice if he had too, if Ciri chose that she didn't want too.

The clouds were slowly starting to roll into the sky he could see, but that hadn't detracted from the people who were out in the market that day. However, he would have been able to spot Ciri out of a crowd of thousands if it came down to it, so he was able to recognize the back of her right away, and wanting to end that conversation he was having with Geralt as quick as his adopted father seemed to want too, he quickly walked over to the stall she was standing at with her hood up. He saw her sword clunk on her back as she finally seemed to find a necklace she liked, as he walked around another set of people as they bustled through the Gildorf square. Dominik narrowed his eyes at the stand she was standing at, wondering why she would be at a jewelry store.

However, his thinking was interrupted by the cold breeze, as in the distance, Dominik could see the clouds. A small smile came to his face however as he shivered. He had been wondering how long that the sun would last, but the winter that he knew they were in now finally seemed like it was going to be here. He remembered how horrible the winters had been while he was alone, multiple times he had almost starved, and he realized during those years why all his mentors had returned to Kaer Morhen for the winter months. Traveling was hard, the cold was harsh, and it seemed monsters as well as animals and people preferred to spent it inside, with the exception of a few there were very few contracts that he was able to accepts during the winter. It was the reason so many witchers found such lucrative business in Kovir, because monsters were so rare there, that when they did appear the people would normally pay a large price to have them removed. Yes, winters were harsh he knew, deadly to most.

But there was also beauty in it, the site of a gentle snowfall, beautiful snow-covered hills, ice skating, snowball fights. His mother had always told him when he was young back in Cintra, that beauty could be found in anything, anyone or any scenario, as long as one was willing to put in the effort to look for it. He could imagine himself now, him and Ciri as they skated across a frozen lake, snow gently falling from the sky before they fell into piles of it, letting the snowflakes hit their tongues, before they would both return to the warmth of their room at a roadside inn. Yes, winter could be beautiful as well as deadly, as could just about anything on the continent, but with Ciri being back, Dominik was ready to start looking for the beauty in things, as opposed to focusing on all the negative, and deadly things he had just assumed would happen the last few years.

And one of those beautiful yet deadly things, stood right in front of him.

He smirked as he reached to hold a hand on Ciri's waist, "Why hello there pretty- GAHHH CIRI IT'S ME IT'S ME!"

"GODS Dominik! You of all people should know not to sneak up on me like that!" She scolded him, as she let his arm out from around his back.

The minute he had touched her waist, Ciri proceeded to turn around, twist his arm and bend it at an awkward angle behind his back. Dominik knew the hold, if she had yanked his arm up even the slightest bit more it would have torn multiple ligaments in his arm that would have taken much longer to heal then he wanted. He painfully rubbed his bicep, as Ciri and he both had moved towards the fountain in the square, scoffing and feeling his arm pulsing in pain from where it had nearly torn.

"You almost broke my arm," He complained to her as she rolled her eyes at him, "I was trying to do something romantic!"

"And it would have been under different circumstances," She said, as her eyes narrowed at him from under her hood, "But in a city where I'm still a wanted woman? Not your brightest idea."

He sighed and rolled his arm to get the feeling back into it, before meeting her eyes, and after a moment of him rubbing his arm, he didn't know why, he didn't know how, neither of them said anything at all, but they both just began to laugh. It was the sweetest thing Dominik had heard in weeks, hearing her laugh then. She laughed, he laughed, Ciri doubled over as he did while they both laughed at the situation. A few people looked at them oddly, but they didn't care, for a few seconds they were both in a little bubble of laughter, with just each other at the center. The wind started to howl, and he felt the chills run down his armor, but he felt his chest get warm as she finished laughing and met his gaze.

"Aha… okay you're probably right, sorry princess," He told her with a smile on his face.

She scoffed and shook her head with a smile, "And I'm sorry I almost broke your arm. It's good to see you, sorry again for sneaking out of bed like that."

Quickly she leaned up and kissed him, it was only a peck on the lips, but as with every time she did, Dominik felt his face get red still. He smiled down at her as the sun began to get covered by the rolling clouds.

He met her eyes and smiled with his arms crossed, "It's okay, no worries, I got your note, first off I do not snore I-."

"Ohhhh yes you do," Geralt interrupted him as the older witcher came up behind them, crossing his arms and smirking at them both, "Been listening to it for a month now, it's horrible."

"Gods, you can say that again, it's weird though, some nights he's silent, others he snores like a dragon," Ciri agreed right away, to which Geralt scoffed and nodded.

"Yeah, it is pretty weird," Geralt started, shaking his head, "Maybe he just-."

"Okay, okay, that's enough about my snoring," Dominik cut the older witcher off, getting a laugh from Geralt and Ciri both, before he sighed and met Ciri's gaze, "You said you had some errands to run?"

"Yeah, were you looking for anything in particular." Geralt asked after he had finished, and Ciri smiled, pulling out the silver necklace with a topaz stone in the middle.

"Just a pretty little trinket," She said with a satisfied smile as she tucked the necklace back into the bag on her waist.

"Buying me a present?" Dominik asked in a joke.

Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I will, after you get me the diamond necklace you promised me."

"Soon as George gives me the crowns it's all yours princess," He said with a smirk, as she laughed and shook her head.

"But no, it's not for you," She said with another small sigh as she looked at them both, "When I was last in Novigrad I had my fair share of troubles…"

Geralt nodded next to him, "We heard yeah."

"Well a few people helped me then, others… not so much. Now I mean to repay them both," She said, a small smirk coming to her face as she looked between them, "So, the two of you coming with?"

Geralt met Dominik's eyes for a moment, and he knew what his adopted father was asking him. Not if they were going to go with Ciri or not, of course they were, but if he wanted to ask her about the dream. Dominik pictured the young girl's face again, and while she may have had brown hair, he remembered the lighter streaks in it, almost seeming as if it was blonde in some part, and her eyes were what he remembered the most. The girl's eyes were a mix of he and Ciri's those emerald green almond shaped eyes were him, but the way they were positioned, the details of her face, her nose, her ears, everything else had screamed Ciri.

He didn't know if Ciri had the same dream, but a small part of him thought that perhaps Ciri could know who she was. Or, if the girl was connected to the two of them somehow, he needed to let Ciri know.

Dominik nodded and met her eyes, "Don't have to ask us twice, I actually wanted to ask… did you… have a weird dream last night?"

Ciri's face suddenly got slightly red, "Um… weird dream? What do you mean?"

"It's kind of a long story… what did you dream about?" He asked her, seeing the flustered red hue appear on her face.

She bit her lip and looked between Geralt and he, "I'll um… tell you later, it was well… private."

"Yes, please, tell him later," Geralt said with a groan of annoyance, as he saw his adopted father sigh and rub his hands over his face and hair.

Dominik, between Ciri's flustered face and Geralt's look of embarrassment and annoyance, realized what she had been trying to say, and the realization made him go red as well, as he felt a tingle run down his chest. He felt his heart nearly burst from his chest as he met Ciri's eyes and the red hue across his face surely got redder. The night they had spent in his room the previous night, certainly did have the possibility to go further, and he'd be lying if he didn't say he was extremely annoyed his leg, which had felt fine all day, selected that very moment last night to flare up in pain. However, as he knew, the time would come soon. He himself, didn't want to go into a final battle with the Wild Hunt, without having shown Ciri how much he loved her in a physical manner as such, and he knew she felt the same.

However, when the right moment came, they'd know. In that moment in the square however, Geralt understandably wanted to move on.

"Okay, we'll tell you about Dom's dream on our way," Their adopted father said quickly with a shake of his head, "Where are we going?"

Dominik breathed a sigh of relief, and saw Ciri's face grow less red, as the look in her emerald eyes was replaced by a dark one.

"We need to go to Temple Isle." She said simply, her hands going to her hips.

He laughed lightly, "Decided to become a priestess of the eternal fire?"

Right away Ciri rolled her eyes and met his, "You know I'd have to go celibate for that right?"

Geralt laughed at his reaction right away as Dominik's eyes widened and his face got as red as a tomato right away. He bit his lip nervously, as he tried to laugh and rub the back of his head. He tried to formulate a response, but nothing that came out of his mouth could even resemble words as the darker look in Ciri's eyes finally lifted slightly as she chuckled. Dominik tried to continue to speak, however, Ciri thankfully spoke up again to let him recompose his thoughts. She looked and met both he and Geralt's eyes.

"Were we're going could be dangerous… we're going to see Whoreson Junior," She said with the dark tone returning to her voice.

The flustered mood he was in immediately went away as he looked to see Geralt looking at him curiously, as if his adopted father were trying to remember if Dominik did indeed kill them man. Dominik had, he would never forget he and Geralt's assault on the madman's manor in Oxenfurt, and Dominik would never forget his anger that night. Seeing the dismembered women, the way the man had cut them, strangled them killed them, the idea of him being in even the same room as Ciri was enough to send him over the edge. Dominik had beaten the man senseless, even after he had told them what happened with Ciri. And he also distinctly remembered his blade slicing across the man's neck.

"Ciri… he's dead, I killed him myself," He told her, and Ciri's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"What, really?" She asked, as Geralt quickly nodded next to him to confirm.

"Yeah, I saw it myself," Geralt said with a shake of his head, "Dom and I broke into a house he was at in Oxenfurt, after he told us where you were, Dom slit his throat."

"Don't regret it one bit either… fucking degenerate…. I really didn't tell you that?" Dominik asked, as he also horribly remembered the feet of the dangling women, and the one's with their throats slit in the bathtub.

Ciri slowly shook her head, seeming completely miffed, "No… you didn't. I asked Zoltan, and he said Whoreson's alive and well on Temple Isle."

"We can go… but I don't think he'll be very talkative after Dom cut his throat open,"  
Geralt said next to him with a small shake of his head.

She scoffed again and looked at them both, "Well according to Zoltan he's apparently recovered… either way we should go and investigate."

Dominik quickly nodded, shaking his head, "You're right about that. No way I'm letting that degenerate back around the streets, come on, let's get moving."

Ciri nodded in confirmation, as well as Geralt next to him. Just as he heard a small crackle of thunder in the distance and felt small droplets of rain fall to his head, Dominik looked to see Geralt and Ciri both jogging next to him. Despite the situation a small smile came to his face, even if it started storming then, or snowing even, it didn't matter, because Dominik was starting to look for the beauty, the good in every scenario from them on like he promised.

And no matter what the situation was, having Ciri and Geralt with him, would always be one of those beautiful things.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So she… looked like us?" Ciri asked, her face getting slightly flustered as they all approached Whoreson's house on Temple Isle.

Dominik chuckled nervously and nodded to her, "Yeah… like seriously Ciri, if we… we were ever to have a kid, and it was a girl, it would have looked just like her."

She quickly shook the redness that appeared on her face away and looked to Geralt, "Have you ever had a dream like that? You said you had dreams of us before."

Geralt slowly nodded and looked down at them, "Yeah, I have, most of the time when one of you were in danger or going through something. Don't think you should worry on it too much, if the girls really linked to you somehow, you'll find your way to her."

Dominik sighed and slowly nodded as the three of them came up towards Whoreson's house on Temple Isle. He and Geralt didn't go there, but Ciri had said it was where she and Dandelion had ended up running from the man. For a moment he thought of Geralt's words, if it were meant for him to find this girl he would, just like if someday he was meant to find the girl he had a dream about on Skellige, he'd find her. He knew they had much more important things to work on then however, so he pushed the thoughts of the dream quickly from his mind. However, when he saw the red hue still on Ciri's face as she looked at him, he felt his heart flutter as he smiled back at her. The wind howled in his ears, and despite it, he still felt warm from seeing her smile like she was, she was thinking about what he said, the fact the girl looked like what he thought a child of their own would look like. He got flustered himself seeing her as such, but quickly he saw that look on her face change as they got closer to the house.

Miraculously it seemed that Ciri had been correct, he saw multiple of the men with clown face paint, wearing light armor and carrying swords walking around the entrance to Whoreson's manor. Two men stood guard at the door, and next to him he saw Ciri begin to tense, her face contorting in anger, and Dominik's soon did as well. He remembered his blade cutting across the man's throat. He didn't like killing, only doing it when he felt necessary, or felt himself lose his temper, but most of the time he tried to keep his blade clean. However, he didn't regret killing Whoreson one bit, it was something he was even proud of, but unless there was serious magic at play, even then, it would have been damn near impossible for the man to live. Slowly he shook his head in disgust, before looking up at Geralt.

"She was right… how the hell could he be alive, his throat was split nearly in half after I was done with him," He asked his adopted father, and the witcher quickly shook his head.

"Don't know… Ciri did Zoltan say anything else?" He asked Ciri next to him.

She quickly looked at them both and shook her head, "No… just that he was alive and well on Temple Isle… come on, let's go pay him a visit."

"Agreed…" Dominik said slowly, before Geralt nodded in agreement, and the three went to approach the large manor.

Dominik had a hard time believing when he realized that he and Geralt's trip to find Whoreson, in reality had only been a few weeks prior. Ever since they had found Ciri, it felt like months had already passed, while in the end he of course remembered, he had no idea how he had done everything without her for so long. Geralt and he's journeys through Velen, Novigrad, and Skellige, had all felt like so long ago, and he talked about them as if they had been years prior. But now, repercussions of those quests Geralt and he went on were still being felt to that moment, and apparently one of them was the fact Whoreson was indeed not dead.

They all came stopping at the door to the manor, as the two large guards tried to stop them. The fact they hadn't tried to stop them as they approached was already worrying enough, and Dominik noticed how they all simply seemed much tamer then before. Both guards still wore little to no armor, with white and black clown face paint, which was even weirder to Dominik then, considering the cold chill that was running through the city, along with the rain clouds he knew were above. As Ciri and he came up behind Geralt however, the two guards finally stepped up.

"Oi, what do you want?" The one guard asked, as he crossed his arms and Ciri's hands went to her hips behind Geralt.

Geralt held his hand out to stop Ciri and he both from shoving their way inside, as the older witcher turned back to the guards and met their gaze.

"Here to see Mr. Wiley…" Geralt said carefully, as the one guard scoffed and shook his head.

"Mr. Wiley's expectin' important guests, so bugger off, you, you…" The man trailed off, as if trying to find the appropriate insult.

"Turds!" His friend finished for him, as he rolled his own eyes and heard Ciri groan next to him.

Geralt rolled his eyes as well, and moving his hands in the appropriate way, raised his hand and waved it in front of both guards. Axii sprung to life up around the guard's heads, and Dominik couldn't help but scoff a small laugh at the clueless look they both ended up with on their faces. He looked down at Ciri who was smirking as well and winked at her, which only made her chuckle more, before they both turned back to the guards as Geralt spoke.

"Make a deal maybe? You'll let us through," Geralt said as he crossed his arms with a small smirk on his face.

The small drops of rain started coming down from the cloudy sky, just as the one guard aimlessly looked around confused.

"Uhh… yeah… a deal, we'll let you through," The one said, before his friend quickly nodded.

"Yeah… go on in, the boss is waiting upstairs," His friend said dreamily.

"Gods I love that sign…" Dominik muttered, as he and Ciri walked into the house ahead of Geralt, just as the rain started to come down harder.

Ciri scoffed and nodded as Geralt followed them both inside, closing the door behind them. Dominik quickly ran a hand through his now damp and wet brown hair, feeling a cold chill run through his bones as he saw Ciri gently pulled her hood down, the ashen locks tied up in her bun soaking as well. He adjusted the swords on his back, starting to feel the weight of them both on his shoulders, making him realize that maybe the steel sword Geralt had given him truly was heavier than his old now broken one. His broken one had been given to him when he was fifteen, specially designed and made for someone his size, and he had gotten so used to it, that now feeling the heavier blade on his back was finally having an effect on him. He'd get used to it he was sure, but it only made him miss the old sword even more.

Ciri next to him adjusted her sword again and looked over to Geralt and he, while his adopted father whipped the water out of his silver hair.

"I got to learn it myself," Ciri muttered, before she looked to the both of them, her eyes growing darker again, "What could they possibly be up too here…"

"Well, we're about to find out, let's get up there," Geralt said, gesturing to the flights of stairs.

Ciri and he both quickly nodded and started up the steps, their now wet boots quickly moving just as they were trained. He felt the crossbow bounce against his waist and as he climbed next to Ciri he grabbed it, loading a bolt from his belt into it, deciding that if a sword to the throat didn't kill Whoreson, perhaps a crossbow bolt to the eye would. He had practiced with it when he could, and while he never thought he'd get to the level he had seen Elise and Arno fighting with it during the battle at Kaer Morhen, he believed he had become proficient enough to use it in combat like he had when they fought Imlerith. Also, while he knew that the steel blade on his back would work like any other, he still hadn't quite gotten used to the weight of it yet, and simply didn't feel comfortable using it yet. He looked down and examined the beautiful craftsmanship on the small crossbow, the Temarian coat of arms was stamped into the side, as he remembered Elise said she and Arno were originally from Temaria.

He sighed and slowly nodded, promising himself again he'd make Arno's sacrifice at the battle worth it. Following Ciri up the steps, he gripped tightly to it, remembering the sword that ended up protruding from the man's chest, and only spurring him on more to use that crossbow to help end what was coming. It also made him wonder how Elise was doing, not only coping with Arno's death, but with her plans of helping Adda. He silently promised the red-head again Arno's sacrifice wouldn't be in vein, before looking up to see that Ciri had gotten to the door and turned around to Geralt and he.

She met his eyes, and pointed at him, making a circular gesture with her fingers, before pointing at she and Geralt. He knew exactly what the gesture had meant, she wanted him to sneak around the back of the man, while her and Geralt went in from the front. Geralt quickly nodded behind him as well, before Ciri carefully opened the door, grabbing the bottom of her sword's sheath to stop it from clunking as they walked in. it was a long room with an office off to the left side, two entrances in, one that would get right behind Whoreson, who when Dominik saw, he almost blew their cover then and there.

Sure enough, the man was sitting at his desk, looking over papers, and other then a new scar across his eye, the man seemed to be in perfect health. He didn't even have a scar across his neck from where Dominik had been sure that his blade had cut him. It was as if he was risen from the dead, all of his injuries were healed, and nothing had happened to him at all in his previous life. Dominik right away felt his anger spike, he knew for a fact he had killed the man, killed him for all the horrible things he had done, including hurting Ciri and threatening her further, so when he saw the man, he gripped tighter to the crossbow in his hands and quickly nodded to Geralt and Ciri both. Both of them nodded back, and being as quiet as he could, snuck to the back of the room. Again, one of the things he was actually quite happy about being so short for, was that he moved just as silently as any witcher could. One of the main things he loved learning at Kaer Morhen was how to mask his footsteps, and it had saved his life multiple times.

It seemed to work then as well, because as Dominik ducked and walked, the crossbow out in his hands, Whoreson didn't see him, and as he finally got around the back way to enter the man's office, he poked his head around the wall and could see the back of the man's head, and knew without a doubt he could put a bolt into the back of the man's brain then and there, but he turned back to Ciri in the entryway and slowly nodded. In response, Ciri nodded back, before turning and gesturing for Geralt to follow. The two of them then quickly walked through the door, not bothering to mask their footsteps at all, and Dominik turned to see Whoreson's head turn, sure enough seeing them as soon as they walked in.

"Well, well, who do we have here!" The man shouted in his nasally voice, and Dominik saw Ciri sneer, as well as a murderous gaze appear on Geralt's face as they made their way into the man's office.

As they did, Ciri locked eyes with Dominik for a second and slowly nodded, before Whoreson ranted on.

"Finally found your little ward! Took your sweet fuckin time." The man laughed, leaning back on his chair with his longsword shifting on his belt.

"Seems in fine health to me…" Ciri said darkly, as she walked towards the man, causing Whoreson to laugh again.

"Ahhh, 'cause you thought you'd killed me that time? Surprise sur-fuckin-prise," Whoreson said, and Dominik was bewildered for a second, as he slowly snuck up behind the man with his crossbow gripped tightly in hand.

Whoreson scoffed as Ciri came up in front of him, "Shut your trap witch, afore somebody fills that hole for you! Where's that little boyfriend of yours, the one who thought that he'd-."

"Why don't you turn around and find out!" Ciri snapped, just as Dominik pointed the crossbow forward at the base of Whoreson's skull.

"What are you-." Whoreson started, before Dominik dug the point of the bolt into the base of the man's skull and he stiffened.

"Don't know how you're alive, but you move a single muscle, and you're going to get a crossbow bolt six inches into your fucking head, maybe that'll make sure you stay dead this time," He said, feeling the anger drip from his voice as he looked up and met Ciri's eyes and nodded.

She scoffed and reached for her sword, "And now I'll finish what you both started!"

"WAIT! Dom, Ciri don't, stop! It's me, Dudu! Dudu Bibervelt! You really didn't recognize me!?" Whoreson squealed, holding both hands up into the air as Dominik's eyes widened with the crossbow still dug into the base of his skull.

"Dudu!?" Ciri asked incredulously, meeting Dominik's eyes and turning to Geralt, as Dominik felt his own brain begin to buzz.

Keeping his crossbow aimed at the man's skull, he came around the front of him next to Ciri, who also still had her blade drawn. Sure enough as he looked into the man's eyes, he could see the scar now exactly matched their doppler friends. He cowered back in fear, even when Dominik's crossbow slightly dipped, Ciri and he both looked incredulously over to Geralt, who was now leaning forward on the man's desk, glaring over at the supposed doppler.

"Dom, Ciri wait…" Geralt said, as Dominik lowered the crossbow and Ciri her sword, while the older witcher looked over to the man cowered before them, "After the heist, after Dijkstra's vault was emptied, you vanished, how'd Dom and I find you? Quick!"

Dudu quickly nodded, looking at Dominik now, "Butcher's Yard- the mummers play, the one Dominik and Priscilla wrote, he dragged me on stage, put on quite the performance he did."

"It's him…" Dominik said slowly, feelin his face heat up as Ciri scoffed a laugh and smirked over at him, sheathing her sword again.

Ciri chuckled and shook her head, "Gods… I need to see this play and badly."

He rolled his eyes as he clipped the crossbow back to his waist, meeting Dudu's eyes and breathing a sigh of relief. Ciri's sword slung into its sheath, and Dominik scoffed shaking his head, realizing now that the entire situation finally made sense. The rain pattered onto the window in the office, as when the weapons were finally not aimed at him, Dudu breathed out in relief looking at the three of them.

"Gods! Gave me quite the scare you three did." The doppler said, shakily falling back into his seat.

Geralt scoffed as he sat in the chair across the doppler, "Wouldn't have had too if you hadn't impersonated Whoreson."

"What the blazes were you thinking!?" Ciri asked him incredulously, as Dominik quickly nodded in agreement.

"For fuck's sake Dudu I almost put a crossbow bolt in your head," He complained as the doppler breathed out in relief again.

Dudu looked at them all, as Ciri quickly leaned up back against one of the drawers in the office. Feeling his heartrate finally slow, he leaned back next to her with his arms crossed as Dudu breathed out in relief again before shaking his head.

"Once we'd fled, I had no idea what to do. I could only hide for so long, they'd find me sooner or later," The doppler explained as he looked between the three of them, "It wasn't a hard decision. We knew Whoreson was dead, but not so many had caught on. This was me chance."

Ciri scoffed from next to him and smiled, "That was courageous Dudu I'd never expect that from you."

"She's right Dudu," Dominik said, as Ciri and he both came up next to the man's desk, "Gotta admit, I'd never expect it out of you either."

Dudu scoffed, "Neither would I…. By the way, you've no idea the relief I feel you're alive and well, all three of you!"

"And I'm relieved I didn't slit your throat, or Dom didn't put a bolt in the back of your head," Ciri said jokingly, as Dominik laughed right away.

"You can say that again, we wouldn't be here now without you Dudu, we're glad you're safe," Dominik said to the doppler, as their old friend looked up at them both.

It was going to be weird for a while, seeing Dudu as a man like Whoreson, but Dominik knew he had to get used to it quick, not wanting to possibly hurt his friend. He remembered all the way back when Dudu first showed him Ciri, showed him what she looked like now in the present. It was a night he'd never forget, seeing her, seeing how beautiful she'd gotten, how much she'd changed and grown. Now, he slowly looked to his right as they stood above Dudu's desk, and saw the real her, other then one of her eyes not being completely scarred over like it had been when Dudu transformed into her, she looked exactly as he saw that night of the play.

He had her back, and she wasn't going anywhere again, he believed that promise she made. Slowly she looked over to see him smiling at her, and did the same, before they both looked back to Dudu who laughed and nodded.

"Ahaha, I'm glad I could help. Seeing the two of you together, gods last time I did, you were both children! Makes me feel awfully old it does," The doppler joked with a smile.

"Ha… Zoltan said the same thing," Dominik said with a fond smile over at Ciri who was doing the same to him, that scar on her bottom lip upturning.

Geralt saw the two of them and smiled as well, before finally all three of them turned back to Dudu, a small bit of sunshine floating in through the window from the previously rainy day outside. It was still drizzling he could see, and he assumed it was chilly as well, but it casted a beautiful glow out over the city, as Dominik could see sunset was approaching. He smiled fondly, before he looked down at Geralt upon hearing his adopted father's voice.

"Certainly chose an interesting line of business…" Geralt asked wonderingly.

Ciri scoffed next to him, "Dudu's always had a head for numbers. What's a few brothels and casinos? He'll manage."

Dudu laughed and smirked at them all, "That's the thing- I don't need too. Two weeks after Wiley died, I announced I'd seen the light of the Eternal Fire. Sold all the illegal enterprises. I'm a blue water trader now!"

"And Whoreson's men didn't protest?" Geralt asked right away.

"I've contacted the guilds, run a thriving trade, profits are twice what they were before," Dudu said confidently, "To Wily's men, a purse twice as heavy means as twice as much respect for the man handin' it to them."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, "That's good an all Dudu, but you still need to be careful, you could get found out."

"Dom's right, it's a dangerous game you're playing, you need to be careful," Geralt said quickly again after he was finished.

Dudu shook his head and smiled still, "Wily's men're too stupid to find out. His colleagues ain't much better, mind you even you were fooled."

"Yes, and that might've ended very badly for you," Ciri reminded him as she crossed her arms next to him.

Dominik nodded in agreement, "She's right, besides, most of his colleagues may be dumb, but people like Cleaver, Bedlam, and Dijkstra certainly aren't, just make sure you're careful."

Dominik didn't know what the deal now with Dijkstra was, with him working so closely with Adda to have Radovid assassinated for her to take over. He assumed the fat spy would simply work for the queen as he did Vizimir, Radovid's father. However, he also knew the man wouldn't simply throw away his criminal enterprise, probably using it to help further Adda's goal, and helping her eventually take some kind of control over Novigrad. The last thing he wanted was to return to the city and learn that his doppler friend had ended up with a knife between his ribs. However, he also couldn't help but be slightly happy for his friend, Dudu had worked hard for what he had, and had also been instrumental in them finding Ciri.

The doppler laughed and slowly nodded, "True, I… get carried away at times. But mostly I'm careful, I'll continue to be I swear!"

Geralt across from the doppler slowly nodded, "Good, seems like time's up though. Ciri, where we heading next?"

Ciri smiled next to him and nodded, "Right, we must still go by the Golden Sturgeon next."

"Sounds like a plan," Dominik said with a smile as he clapped Dudu on the shoulder while he and Ciri walked by him to Geralt's side, "It was good seeing you Dudu, make sure to stay safe."

The doppler nodded and looked at the three of them with a smile, "Aye, the same to you, it was good seeing all three of you. And make sure you take care of yourselves as well."

"You too, stay safe," Ciri said with a nod.

"Yeah, she's right. So long Dudu," Geralt said, before the three of them all went to turn from Dudu's office.

He walked side by side with Ciri back down the steps, and upon finally getting down them, he breathed out a sigh of relief, and laughed lightly. Ciri smiled as well as Geralt, before the three of them all finally were able to make their way back out onto the bustling streets again. The fact he didn't have to kill anyone on that day which he was trying to enjoy was a small pleasure. As they got outside, he saw Ciri pull her hood back up, but the breeze almost blew it back. It was certainly getting chillier, and it seemed that the heat was going to be gone for a while, and he made it a point to get some kind of scarf for his neck and armor when they got back to the Chameleon. His swords clunked as the guards who were posted outside Dudu's door didn't pay them any attention, still seeming as if they were affected by the Axii sign Geralt had used, which made Dominik and Ciri both smirk.

He looked up again and saw the sun slowly getting closer to setting, seeing the rain slowly drizzle out onto the stones below them, his boots sloshed into a puddle as he followed next to Ciri as she started leading them towards the Golden Sturgeon, remembering what she said, he looked over to meet her gaze.

"So, what's at the Golden Sturgeon?" He asked her, as Geralt came up to the other side of her, Ciri between the both of them.

"Yeah, was wondering the same thing, not exactly the best place," Geralt said as they continued down the stone road.

She smiled at them both as they walked, "To see a girl who helped me once, when I first arrived in Novigrad."

"And who might that be?" Geralt asked as the wind blew back his silver hair.

"A friend of Dandelion's. Her names Bea, she's a waitress at the Golden Sturgeon," Ciri said as the three of them weaved carefully through the crowds of people, "Helped me contact Dandelion, I wish to thank her…. She risked a lot."

"Risked a lot?" Geralt asked from her one side, "How's that?"

Ciri shivered slightly and shook her head, "The Temple Guard were breathing down my neck. If she'd been seen with me, she might've been flogged, or worse."

A small smile came to Geralt's face, "Always getting into trouble, the both of you."

She scoffed and smiled over at Dominik, "Well, we do take after you, don't we Dom?"

"That we do, that we do…" He said, before feeling his heart flutter as he smiled over at Ciri as they walked, "I'm glad I'm meeting one of your friends, you met all of mine."

She laughed again and met his gaze, "You're going to love her, I told her a decent amount about you, and Geralt I did."

"Oh… so you're talking about me to strangers are you now?" He said with a small smirk coming to his face as she quickly scoffed.

"Well, you talked about me to godlings, and apparently so much to your friends they seemed to know me before they met me," She said smugly, smirking over at him and shooting him a wink, "Am I not allowed to talk about you to my friends?"

"No, you're more than welcome. So what'd you tell her? How incredibly handsome I am? How tall and strong I am?" He asked jokingly.

"Don't flatter yourself too much mister," She said as the smirk on her face grew, "She was a good friend for a few days, I wish to thank her."

Geralt nodded with a smile next to them both, "Alright, let's get moving then."

Dominik nodded as well, and the three of them all took off in a job towards the harbor where he knew the Golden Sturgeon was. It was something that he had subconsciously wanted to do, despite what Ciri had gone through, there were plenty of people that helped her, fought for her, and Dominik wanted to thank every single one of them. He should have been there to be fighting for her, protecting her and keeping her safe, but he wasn't, she had to do it herself, and rely on others. It would be something he regretted always but knowing that there were good people in the world, like her friend at the Golden Sturgeon who was willing to help her, so he wished to thank them however he could as well. It also made his heart flutter, seeing that after everything she had been through, despite the ways she had changed, Ciri was still the same in so many ways. Thankful till the end, protective and kind to those who helped her.

He loved many things about her, but the kind heart she had deep down was one of the things he loved most. The clouds slightly parted, and the sun began to shine through them again, as if the weather were changing just so they could further enjoy their day without the rain. He looked and saw it make her eyes sparkle even more then they normally did, and it made his heart flutter even more. He knew that the next day, more then likely would be them getting back to work getting everything ready to go and face the Hunt finally, but he was amazed when he realized, he had barely thought about Eredin, thought about the Hunt at all during the previous two days. And coincidentally it had been two of the greatest days he'd had in years so far.

The previous two days, it had just been him, Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer and his friends. He had to make his calls to Ida and Keira of course, but after that, it had been a day where he and Ciri simply spent time together, he looked down at his left wrist, at the wolf tattoo, before looking over and seeing the same exact one on her wrist as they jogged, making him smile broadly like a goof. Just the two of them, spending time together and being as normal as they could be, before going and eating dinner with their family. And that day then, it was him, Geralt and Ciri running errands, he had almost forgotten how much he could enjoy such a simple day. It was just them, nothing else, and he took it as a preview of what could be after the Hunt was finally gone, when they were finally free.

He was going to do anything to make that happen, but first he'd continue to enjoy the day as he had been, thinking of just the two of them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The rain had stopped, but the cold wind chills stayed as they approached the Golden Sturgeon. He could see multiple drunk men stumbling around, begging for more crowns, and the smell of fish and alcohol hit his nose as soon as they approached. Ciri stood between Geralt and he as they approached, her hood still up but a smile growing on her face. The scar on her bottom lip curled up, and Dominik simply felt himself laugh from how cute it was, while Geralt smiled at them both. He was about to ask if they had any extra coin for a few drinks, because he was getting quite hungry, with him not having eaten breakfast, but before he could, he saw Ciri step right in through the doors, an eagerness to her step which only made him smile more, as he shared a fond look with Geralt and they followed her inside. The wind stopped chilling his neck, and the smell of cooking meat and ale hit his nose as he almost bumped into Ciri as they walked in. It seemed like it would be pleasant enough, until he heard the loud screaming voices.

"When I'm done with you, you'll squirt your kidneys!" A deep voice yelled, and right away Dominik felt his eyes narrow, as he saw Ciri quickly burst into the main bar of the inn.

Geralt followed in behind him, and when Dominik saw what was happening, he shared a quick look with Ciri and Geralt both before he they all nodded, and he went to rush forward. A young woman who he assumed was Ciri's friend from how she looked at her, was standing in the middle of four armed men, all had swords at their belts, and one even smartly had armor on, however, had foolishly worn no helmet. Ciri's friend Bea was a pretty young girl with choppy orange hair, reminding him slightly of Shani, and continued to do so even more, when she didn't back down from the armed men as the one continued to scream in her face. She stood there with her arms crossed, her eyes angrily narrowed at the man screaming at her, yelling right back in his face.

"I'll admit whoever I please! You don't scare me you lout," She spat out, as Dominik almost smirked with amusement from how the man's face got red.

"Gave you a chance! Should've taken it," The man said angrily, crossing his massive arms, as Dominik came up behind him with Geralt and Ciri at his side.

Bea scoffed again and spat in the man's direction, "I spit on anything you give me!"

"You'll regret that, you cow, I'll-." The man started to yell, before he was cut off, because Dominik had pulled the crossbow from his belt, and held it at the base of the man's skull.

As soon as the man felt the point of the bolt at the base of his skull he froze, Bea in front of him widened her eyes, seeming to finally recognize Ciri behind him. All three of the men around them drew their blades, but the man who had been threatening the woman became stiff, unmoving, and Dominik dug the bolt deeper into the man's head as he looked around, and saw all his friends not moving but still holding their blades out. He quickly looked behind him and saw Ciri and Geralt both at the ready, as they both nodded to him to continue, their hands near the hilts of their own weapons. Dominik had been having a very good day so far, and he wanted that to continue, so he decided to give the man a chance.

"So tough guy, here's what's going to happen," He said to the man in a darker voice, digging the bolt further into his skull, "You're going to sincerely apologize to my girlfriend's friend, you're going to leave her a generous tip. After that you and your buddies here, are going to leave, and never come back to this establishment again. If you don't, and the next words out of your mouth aren't an apology, this bolt is going six inches deep in your skull, now… is there anything you would like to say to this young woman?"

Dominik heard Ciri stifle a scoff behind him, as the man he had threatened seemed to nearly shit himself from the threat, and the feeling of a crossbow bolt in his head. He looked over at Bea in front of the man, who had an amazed look on her face, as the men around them with swords all looked to the man he had threatened with questioning looks. He heard steel rack out behind him and knew Geralt and Ciri had weapons at the ready now, and looked down at the man's hand, as it trembled at his side. He had to give the man credit, after his initial shock, he saw him slowly steel his courage, whatever he was yelling at Bea for, he had to feel very strongly about it, but all Dominik needed to hear was him threatening her, and he rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the man, as he saw him slowly reaching for the sword off his hip.

"Don't do it… if you draw that sword you and all your friends are dead," Dominik said, sticking the crossbow deeper into the man's head with an eye roll, "Ask yourself, 'is this really worth dying for?'"

Apparently it was, because the man in front of him, yanked his longsword from his belt, trying to whirl around and catch Dominik off guard. However, Dominik as soon as the man turned around, pulled the trigger on his crossbow, and the man fell at his feet dead within a second, a bolt sticking out of his neck. Dominik sighed in annoyance, and heard a blade squelching from flesh again, as Geralt to his left had quickly cut down one of the men that had tried to rush and kill him, while on his right, just before another one could lunge at him, Ciri intercepted the blow. Executing a perfect pirouette, Ciri whirled around the man and lopped his arm at the elbow, before squelching her blade into his back, and yanking her blade out. A few people in the tavern screamed, but apparently it had to be somewhat of a normal occurrence, because nobody intervened.

Dominik quickly loaded the crossbow again with a sigh, disappointed he had to kill anyone that day, but his ears picked up footsteps, and he heard a yelp. He whirled his head back up to see the last man had grabbed Ciri's friend Bea around the neck, holding her with a knife to her throat. The young woman barely had time to scream, he saw Ciri about to yell and lunge forward, but Dominik beat her to it, he raised the crossbow and without hesitation fired the bolt. Within another second the bolt was protruding from the thug's eyes, and Bea gave a yelp as she scampered out of the now dead man's grasp, before Dominik sighed again and met the now slightly shaken young woman's eyes.

"Sorry about that…." He said sincerely, hearing Geralt and Ciri's swords rake back into their sheaths next to him.

Geralt came up next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You handled that pretty well, a few weeks ago you just would've killed them."

Dominik shrugged with another sigh, "They never learn do they Geralt?"

"No, they never do, don't expect them too," Geralt said with a shake of his head, as Ciri came back to them both.

Dominik sighed again and met Bea's eyes who still seemed shaken, "Sorry to scare you like that… tried to make it not bloody."

Bea scoffed and shook her head, "You saved my life, you don't need to apologize. Thank you all. They seemed more determined this time."

Ciri next to him slowly let down her hood and walked up towards her friend, gently shaking her head.

"You shouldn't cross them. I told you," She said to the young woman, and Bea quickly scoffed again.

"I'm to bar non-humans from this establishment because some thugs threaten me? Not likely!" The young woman said with a fire in her voice.

Dominik felt a smile come to his face as he shared one with Geralt, as Ciri did the same. She laughed lightly and reached to hug her friend around the neck. Bea did the same with a broad smile on her face, and it was in that moment Dominik decided he liked Ciri's friend, quite a lot in fact. It warmed his heart seeing someone stand up to such an injustice, at such a risk to themselves, it wasn't something that normally occurred in that current day. Multiple times himself during his time alone, did he have to stop a mob of humans from attacking an unarmed group of elves, dwarves or halflings, he was doing what was right, however, it wasn't as dangerous for him because of the training he had. Bea didn't have training, she knew she would have stood no chance had those thugs attacked her, but she stood up for what she believed anyway, and Dominik had seen very few things braver in his life. Bravery could come from the most unexpected places, and seeing a young woman stand up to a group of men like that, especially in a city like Novigrad, it gave Dominik some small hope for the future.

Adda had seemed different from Radovid yes, but of course he knew that he didn't know the Queen fully yet. He initially thought her idea of trying to liberate the north, and revoke Radovid's policies, policies and prejudices from the realms was crazy, they were policies and beliefs that had been held in the North for decades he knew. However, seeing bravery, and people like Bea was reassuring to him, that perhaps Adda's plan wasn't as crazy as he initially thought. He had the sinking feeling he'd see the Queen, or at least Elise again before they left Novigrad, and that when they did, they'd have an interesting conversation to say the least. However, focusing back to that day, Dominik pushed all the thoughts of it out of her mind, as he enjoyed the absolutely elated look that Ciri had on her face as she pulled back from the hug with her friend.

"So good to see you again Bea," Ciri said with a broad smile, as she pulled back and stood in front of Dominik again.

Bea smiled back at her and gestured to Geralt and Dominik, "And you Ciri. Who're you're charming companions here?"

Geralt nodded a smile planted on his face, "Geralt of Rivia."

Ciri turned her gaze to them both, but as soon as Geralt introduced himself he saw a small flustered red look come to her face as she met his eyes. Dominik smiled, feeling his chest flutter as he looked and met the red-heads eyes. He bowed his head and smiled broadly at her.

"Dominik of Cintra, a pleasure," He said kindly, smiling and look deep into the woman's eyes again, "Thank you… for risking yourself to help Ciri, it means more then you know."

Upon hearing Geralt and he's names both, Bea's eyes seemed to widen with realization, as she turned to Ciri. Ciri laughed lightly, the red hue still in her cheeks as she smiled and seemed to nod in confirmation, before Bea laughed and turned back around to them both, looking to Geralt first.

"It's so good to meet you both, you… you're THAT Geralt," The young woman said excitedly, meeting his adopted father's eyes, "I've heard so much about you!"

"Really? What for example," Geralt said with a slightly smug tone, as Ciri bit her lip and laughed as she smiled at them both.

Bea laughed, as Dominik did the same, chuckling in amusement as he saw the flustered look on Ciri's face along with the broad smile. Seeing that smile, seeing her in such jubilation, knowing everything that happened, knowing how long it had been, no matter the situation, it would always be the thing that put him in a better mood.

"Well for example, how you've saved her from woe so many times she's lost count. And how you always know how to make her laugh…. How you saved both her and Dominik as children," The young woman said, before she smiled over at Dominik and lightly laughed, "And you're the Dominik who I heard just as much if not more about, oh the things she said about you… you're just as handsome as she described!"

"Bea…" Ciri said with a small, nervous laugh, her face getting even redder, and it only served to make Dominik laugh.

He looked over at Ciri, and she cutely bit her lip like she did when she was nervous. His heart nearly leapt from his chest, as he felt himself unable to stop smiling. Looking over he laughed lightly again and shook his head.

"So, you talked about me quite a bit didn't you princess?" He said with a small smirk, only making Ciri get redder as he laughed and turned to Bea, "Well since you told Geralt what she said, I think it's only fair I ask as well."

Bea laughed and nodded in agreement, "Aha it is! She said how you were her best-friend her entire life, from the time you were eleven, she had the biggest crush on you. Then about how you trained together, fell in love, she told me about all the romantic things you used to do for her when you were younger, it was so lovely to hear about."

"Ha… what can I say… she made it really easy." He said, looking fondly over at Ciri, whose face was still red, but she met his gaze with a loving one of her own.

Bea smiled broadly again, seeming to sense the look Ciri and he gave each other, and wanting to spur them on, "And she told me about how you were separated, but finally you were going to be back together, how excited she was to see you, how handsome you were… how you always were able to make her smile, no matter what the situation was when you were younger, how you made her feel loved for her, not her title."

He felt his heart almost beat from his chest, he of course knew Ciri felt this way, however, hearing that she had spoken so passionately about it, it only served to make his love for her grow somehow even more. One of the things he was slightly worried about when reuniting with Ciri again, was that it would take them a while to rekindle the spark that they had in their relationship, that fire that drove them on so passionately when they were younger. However, his worries were dashed as soon as they saw one another on the Isle of Mists. He had felt that spark, that flame rekindle within seconds. As soon as she had kissed him, and he felt the passion, the longing, saw the love in her eyes still matching his own, he knew that it was back, that spark was still there, and it wasn't going anywhere. And apparently, she had still felt it as he did before they even reunited, to the point where she had spoken about it like she did to her friend. Feeling his own face get red, he met Ciri's eyes again, crossing his arms and smiling.

"Ha… thanks princess," He said fondly, as Ciri gently nodded, while Bea laughed and nodded again.

"Oh, and she told me how much she loves it when you call her that!" The young woman said, before Dominik saw a small mischievous look come to her face, she looked between Ciri and he and smirked, "And… she also said how excited she was to see how you'd grown, and well… how she was ready too-."

"Okay! Thanks Bea," Ciri said quickly, nervously laughing and cutting her friend off, making Bea laugh hysterically, and realizing what she was going to say, Dominik felt his face get even hotter and his skin tingle.

Geralt groaned next to him, "Oh gods…"

Bea continued to laugh, as Ciri quickly met his eyes, biting her lip. He shot her a reassuring glare and nervously laughed. She laughed lightly herself, the red hue coming back to her face, as for a few seconds they locked eyes, and Dominik felt his body grow warm and his skin tingle again, shooting all the way down his stomach. He found himself looking at her much more intently then he had been, and Ciri seemed to do the same for a moment, until she scoffed and finally turned back to Bea who managed to stop herself from laughing. He finally managed to look away from a blushing Ciri, feeling goosebumps still going up his skin. To his left Geralt was rolling his eyes, seeming to finally be ready for hints about he and Ciri in bed to cease. He never asked Geralt how he felt about it, about the fact he considered both Dominik and Ciri his children and they both had been dating since they were twelve. He didn't know if it was because he was a virgin, or he was just a private person, but Dominik never really liked talking about the topic with anyone other than Ciri anyhow.

Hearing however, that Ciri had found a friend close enough to talk about the topic, both made Dominik excited and slightly nervous. Ciri was clearly ready, and he was as well, the right moment just hadn't come yet, but now that everything they needed to tell each other was out in the open, he knew it would come soon. It both excited him, and made him slightly nervous, because after all he had never been with a woman before, and while he knew she would always tell him she enjoyed the experience, he didn't want to make it something she didn't enjoy. However, sex to him, and he knew Ciri as well, was about more than just pleasure, it was about the two of them being able to express how much they truly loved each other physically. It had almost happened in the cave; he had simply let his instincts take over and knew the same would happen again when their time finally came.

It would be easy to know what to do, just as everything with Ciri always was, it would simply come naturally. He loved her, and she loved him, that was all that mattered, the pleasure, the sex, everything would simply come, because of that one simple fact.

Bea finished laughing and smiled at them all, "Ahaha… alright, alright I'll stop embarassin you. So, what brings you here darlings?"

Ciri stepped up from next to him with a smile, "Well, I wanted to thank you. For everything."

The young woman scoffed, "Oh stop! Anyone would've done the same in my shoes!"

"Not many would have done it with such courage. Thank you," Ciri said sincerely, and as soon as she finished Dominik stepped next to her and nodded.

"She's right, even now, standing up to those thugs, it was a brave thing to do. Thank you, so much for helping her… when I couldn't," Dominik stressed to the young woman, smiling broadly at her.

Ciri quickly reached into her bag and produced the necklace she had bought, gifting it into her friend's hands.

"This is for you. A trinket, to remember me by," Ciri said, the smile not leaving her face, as Bea chuckled and looked wide eyed at the necklace.

Dominik looked at Ciri who was still smiling broadly, she met his eyes, and could see the satisfied, elated look in her eyes. She scooted closer to her, and he instinctively wrapped his arm around her shoulders, as Geralt came up smiling next to them. He could see how elated Bea was at the present as well, and Dominik felt the warmth rise up in his stomach, he had far too few of these genuinely happy moments in the previous few years, but ever since Ciri had been back, he'd seen them almost every day. It was amazing how much one person could change you, change your attitude, your outlook on life. He guessed it was just a part of being in love with someone, that person being able to change everything in an instant, and Ciri did just that. He had laughed more, smiled more, felt warmer and finally found it easy for himself to wake up in the morning for the first time in eight years. As Bea examined the necklace, Ciri quickly turned and kissed his cheek, pulling away from him before he could react and smiling broadly up at him. He chuckled and looked down at her, and she hugged around his waist with her one arm, before detaching herself and looking to Bea again.

The young woman laughed and pulled the necklace around her neck right away, looking and hugging Ciri again, before looking at all three of them.

"Oh my, it's beautiful. Thank you!" She said eagerly, looking between them all with a smile, "So? Will you all stay for stew? Inkeep slaughtered a piglet this morning."

Ciri laughed and smiled but shook her head, "Thanks, but we must still visit Farcorners."

"Ahhh off to visit Valdo eh? Well I shan't stop you then. They'll feed you properly there no doubt," Bea said with another smile, as Ciri nodded with a smile, gently pulling her hood back up, as Bea looked at all three of them, "Farewell to all three of you. And… take care of her witcher, and you treat her right Dominik, she deserves it."

"I will, nice meeting you. So long," Geralt said with a smile and small nod.

Dominik met Ciri's eyes for a moment and smiled, before nodding and turning back to her friend.

"You're right she does… and I will, no need to worry, thank you again for everything you did," Dominik said, giving the young woman another small bow.

Bea nodded, and soon he followed Ciri outside the front of the tavern. When they emerged, Dominik felt the sun hit his face, but no heat came, the wind howled again as clouds continued to roll in. It seemed it would be a cool night, and he reminded himself again to try and find a type of scarf he could sew into the collar of his armor with the winter fast approaching. However, the cool breeze was a welcome change from the heat he had been experiencing the previous few weeks. Snow would come soon he knew, with it, ice, which would mean skating and more snowball fights, something he had been dreaming about the previous eight years, and now it was again a true reality. He followed behind Geralt with Ciri at his side as they all walked off the steps of the Golden Sturgeon, towards the bridge that would lead them closer to Farcorners, and he found himself looking over at Ciri again.

Like him, she was looking up at him with a broad smile from under his hood, a small red hue on his face as she did. Dominik remembered all the things Bea said she talked to her about, and while he wasn't surprised, still found himself marveling at the fact, that at that point, she hadn't seen him in eight years, and she still talked about him in such a way. He felt his heart flutter, as he gently laughed at her, Geralt turning around to them both.

"So… you really did talk about me a lot didn't you?" He said with a small smirk on his face, as Ciri scoffed with her hands on her hips.

"Looks like I did… thank you both, for coming to do all this with me, it means a lot," She said, looking over to Geralt and he both.

Geralt smiled and nodded, "No problem at all, so what's there to see in Farcorners?"

"The camp of some traveling circus performers. Nonhumans." Ciri explained as the wind continued to howl, almost knocking down her hood.

Dominik's eyes widened right away; a troupe of nonhuman performers weren't in a very good spot currently. However, he knew they had to have been here before the Temple Guard started persecuting non-humans. The idea of more people helping Ciri when he couldn't made him feel a small churning in his gut, but after seeing the look on her face he quickly felt it melt away. That smile she gave, it amazed him every day. That she could smile like she did, see the good, the positive in everything, despite all she'd been through was the reason that she was the strongest person Dominik knew. He had met some strong people in his day, physically and mentally, but nobody he'd ever meet would be stronger then Ciri was. All she had gone through, to still be able to have that smile on her face, to keep fighting to finally get to them, it took more strength and courage then he would ever be able to muster himself.

He truly had meant it when he told her, that what she went through made his last eight years look like absolutely nothing. There had been so many nights in the previous few weeks, that he wished he could have switched positions with her, been there to go through it all instead of her, but the truth of the matter was, he didn't know if he would have been able to handle it like she had. He didn't know if he could have handled all the horrible things she had to suffer, all the things she had to do, see and experience at such a young age. She assured him when he said this to her he could have, and that he was just as strong as she was for what he had gone through himself, but Dominik knew it wasn't true, she truly meant what she said, but the statement was simply not true.

Ciri was the strongest person he knew, and he didn't think anyone else in that world or any world would have been able to go through what she had. The sun that still shined despite the wind, still glinted in her emerald eyes under her hood. Dominik noticed the sun finally beginning to set, the golden orange rays of the sunset were beautifully starting to come through the clouds, as Dominik couldn't imagine a more beautiful end to such an amazing day. He had the dream the previous night yes, but since he had woken up, he had gotten to spend the entire day with Ciri and Geralt both, he had learned Dudu was thriving, and made a new friend in Bea that hopefully he and Ciri would be able to visit one day. There had been very few times over the years he had been able to look at a day and say for certain that it had been a good one. However, he had more of them in the previous few weeks then he had all eight years. It again felt like it was just them that day, nothing else was going on, no war with the Hunt, no nothing, just the three of them, enjoying their time together.

Geralt's voice brought him out of his thoughts, "How'd you end up with them?"

"When I came here before, I wanted to contract Triss. Life was hard, and I quickly spent everything the baron gave me," She started, as the three of them all started walking towards Farcorners, "Triss and I never met, because the Temple Guard showed up. I was a wanted woman afterwards…"

Dominik slowly nodded, "Yeah… when we went after Menge with Triss, he…mentioned you being wanted as well… kinda made me lose it."

"Yeah, took him down after that you did," Geralt said with a hint of pride in his voice.

He laughed nervously as he remembered dueling Menge in his office. If he looked back on it, he remembered a portion of his powers activating then, spurring on his signs and movements. _"There'll be a pyre waiting for her.". _He could hear Menge's words echo in his brain, before he dueled and eventually stuck his silver dagger into the man's neck, using ironically enough the same thing he used to kill so many innocent dopplers. Ciri looked at him as they walked and smiled broadly at him.

"Well… thank you then," Ciri said with a small smirk coming to her face, and they looked at each other before Geralt spoke up again.

"You two gotta stop doing that… gonna drive me nuts," He said with a slight groan as he and Ciri's face got red and they both laughed. Geralt looked back to Ciri, "Triss didn't try to contact you?"

Ciri shrugged as they got closer to the gate of the city, "How could she? She didn't know anything. In fact, she thought she was to meet another alchemist wanting to flee Novigrad. I preferred not to put her in danger. I was being hunted, had not a copper to my name, that's when I met Valdo. He and his troupe helped me, then introduced me to Bea, and through Bea I found Dandelion… and well, you two know the rest."

"That we do…" Dominik said slowly, as he met her eyes he could see a grim smile, but he felt the smile come to his own face, "Come on, let's go see your friends, Bea said they would feed us and well, gotta say I'm starving, how about you Geralt?"

Geralt smirked down at them both and nodded, "Yeah, could use something to drink myself, lead the way Ciri."

The smile quickly returned to her face, and that few second change of her smiling again was enough to warm his cold bones in the howling wind as the sun continued to set. It would always be the thing that warmed him the most, just like it always had been.

She eagerly nodded, as they got towards the city gate, "They'll feed us good they will, come on let's go!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

As they approached the camp, Dominik felt a small bit of excitement run through him. Just like with mummers, he had always loved jugglers, circus troupes and performers like such. It had been something he and Bella often enjoyed together in Cintra, and Ciri and he both watched eagerly at the royal feasts and balls they threw in the palace. The very first one they met; Dominik distinctly remembered a fire juggler that had wowed him only minutes before he met Ciri herself. Now, they approached a large camp, with Ciri eagerly walking ahead of Geralt and he, which Dominik found incredibly cute. The camp had multiple larger wagons, and Dominik saw elves and halflings walking around with drinks, juggling, some were singing or banging drums and playing lutes or flutes. It filled him with a childlike excitement that was a welcome change from how he had normally felt the previous few weeks, and as he saw the smile on Geralt's face, as long as the elation Ciri seemed to have when she pointed forward, it had only made the experience even better.

"Look there!" Ciri said eagerly, pointing towards two elves chatting just outside the camp, as she walked ahead of Geralt and he towards them, "Valdo!"

Dominik saw the two elves up close as he came with Geralt, one looked older, wearing a blue tunic and red hat, while the other had on black and white face paint with green robes. The sun was setting still, the last bit of sunlight lit their way, and Dominik still felt the cool breeze whipping through his brown hair. It was a cool night so far, with only the small passing rain shower, and it served to only make the day even better so far. He ran his gloved hand through his hair, smiling broadly as Ciri walked up towards the two elves. They both seemed to recognize her right away, because they both smiled, as the older one with the red hat laughed.

"Aha Ciri! You devil incarnate! Where've you been!" The old elf happily asked, as Ciri smiled broadly and came up in front of them with he and Geralt following behind.

The elf with the face paint laughed and smiled as well, "Come here darling! Hallo- what's this? Brought your grandad and your boyfriend?"

"Aegar you're incorrigible!" Ciri laughed, turning and gesturing towards Geralt and he both with a smile and small bow, "You're right on one account, however. Allow me to introduce, Geralt of Rivia, and Dominik of Cintra."

Valdo laughed and eagerly nodded to them both, "Ahhh greetings! We've heard heaps about you both!"

Dominik felt himself sheepishly smiling again, it was always a small bit of pride for him introduced as Ciri's boyfriend. It was a small thing yes, but something that always made him smile, so hearing that she still had referred to him as such was enough to make his face get slightly red again, making him swear he had blushed more that day then he ever had in his life. Geralt smiled and nodded as well, meeting both the elves eyes.

"Likewise. And thanks for helping Ciri," The older witcher said with a small head nod.

Dominik quickly did the same, "Yeah, really, thank you it means more then you'll know."

Valdo laughed and shook his head with a smile, "Oh, we had no choice! Hard to refuse a lass like her, I'm sure you know that lad!"

He laughed when he saw the elf smile broadly at him, he looked and met Ciri's eyes and she shot him a wink, only making the both of them laugh even more.

"Ha… that I do," Dominik said fondly looking over at her, as she met his smile with her own.

Valdo smiled and sighed fondly, "Ah young love, nothing quite like it! It's a good thing you're all here! Come in the nick of time! We'd have been gone this time tomorrow."

"You're leaving?" Ciri asked them, a hint of disappointment to her tone.

The elf in the face paint, Aegar nodded grimly, "They're to start resettling non-humans shortly. We'd rather stay ahead of events."

Ciri quickly nodded, "I understand…"

"Problem is, we've just lost two horses," Aegar said with a sigh gesturing towards their camp, "And another two are too weak to haul anything."

Valdo quickly scoffed, "We'll manage somehow! We don't leave till tomorrow, so naught to worry about today."

Aegar sighed again, "Yes… for some. I'm off to see a merchant. There's a chance I can trade our nags for a healthy horse. Wouldn't want Valdo to have anything to worry about tomorrow…."

The elf said the last part as he walked back towards the camp, and Dominik shared a knowing look with Ciri and Geralt. They all clearly understood the situation the elf was facing, and while Valdo's optimism was refreshing, Dominik knew that it wouldn't help them if they didn't have any horses, and after seeing the pyres outside Novigrad the day before, he knew that them getting out was imperative. Geralt next to him met the elf's eyes.

"Hm… any way we can help? Some coin or anything?" The older witcher asked, as Dominik nodded in agreement standing next to Ciri.

Valdo sighed and slowly shook his head, a smile still on his face, "Oh, don't you fret about us. We always get by somehow, right Ciri? So, what brings you here?"

Dominik looked to meet Ciri's eyes for a second, before she turned to the elf and nodded with a small smile on her face. She reached down to her belt, and he saw her pulled a pouch that clunked with coin in it, walking over and handing it to the older elf.

"I've come to apologize for disappearing so suddenly," Ciri said, as the elf looked down at the coin in amazement, before Ciri met the man's eyes and nodded, "This is for you. All that you loaned me, plus a small premium."

Valdo looked in amazement at the coin, and then back up to Ciri, "Oh Ciri, it doesn't matter, all that does matter is that you're back and well! But… you know I can't take this…"

Ciri smirked and stepped back next to Dominik with her hands on her hips, smirking over at the older elf with a knowing look.

"Ha, and you know I shan't let you refuse!" She said with a hint of amusement.

Valdo scoffed down at the coin with a smile, before turning back up to her, "Hmm… I know! We'll make it the pot for a wager! Do you still race?"

Ciri scoffed herself, "Of course!"

"Aha! Then I challenge you," The elf said enthusiastically, looking behind Ciri to he and Geralt both, "Geralt, Dominik, care to join us!?"

Geralt quickly nodded with a smirk, looking at Ciri and he both, "Gladly, been a while since I showed you two how it's done, can't let it go to your head now."

"Ha, you won't show me nothing! Dominik?" Ciri asked him, smirking wildly over at him.

Dominik scoffed right away, feeling his excitement rise. The sun was slowly setting, and the day was beautiful for a ride. He knew he'd have to ride another horse who wasn't Clop, and knowing his stallion the animal would be smart enough to sense he had, and probably bonk his head later, but there wasn't a chance he'd turn down a challenge like this. He looked over and saw Ciri smirking expectantly at him, and he rolled his eyes with a smile at Geralt.

"The truth of the matter is I could beat both of you," He said smugly, as Ciri laughed across from him.

"Ha, you don't have Clop to make up for your poor riding this time," She said just as smugly, before Dominik rolled his eyes again.

"We'll see what happens," He said, looking at the three of them all, "You can count me in for sure."

Valdo laughed and clapped his hands together, "Ahaha men after my own spirit! Come!"

The older elf walked off, and Geralt quickly followed, while Ciri lagged behind to stay next to him. She had taken down her hood, and the wind swept her loose ashen locks to the side as she smirked up at him.

"Just so you know, I won't get distracted this time," She said as she smiled up at him.

He scoffed, before smiling mischievously down at her, "Ohhh so you got distracted last time? And what did you get distracted by? My dashingly good looks?"

She rolled her eyes and gently pushed him, laughing as he did the same. He came back up next to her, and he felt her slip her hand into his as she looked up and smirked at him.

"Maybe I did… but that won't happen this time, I can promise you that," She said, gripping his hand as they followed behind Geralt and Valdo.

Dominik chuckled and met her eyes, "We'll see about that princess…"

And they followed towards the horses, the race they'd have, and Dominik for the first time in years, felt himself completely at peace.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Really, you? Two weeks without a bath, gods you must have smelled horrible!" Ciri joked next to him, as Dominik laughed and threw more wood to the fire.

He met her eyes and nodded with a smile, "Oh I did, believe me. But the Katakan only went after the homeless, had to wait for it, lure it out. Didn't want it to attack anyone else, so I had to blend in."

"How'd you get it in the end?" Ciri asked him curiously, the night wind blowing the strands of her hair.

"Got drunk off my ass, pure luck that I didn't get myself killed," He told her, chuckling lightly at her amazed look.

She scoffed, "You did not, how the hell did you fight it when you were drunk?"

"I did, was the only way I could make it target me," He said with a fond smile, remembering the friends he made those weeks, "Had a few of the other homeless who followed me after I got taken, they got to its lair, I got my sword oiled beforehand and gave it to them. After it took me to its lair, hung me up, was going to make me into a soup, but my friends broke in when it left. They cut me down, and when it came back, I managed to sneak up on it, nearly cut it in half."

Ciri chuckled again and shook her head, "That's amazing, and incredibly brave of them all. And… you really didn't take any coin for it?"

He shook his head, "Nah, they offered, but I couldn't take it. They needed it much more than I did, and well… they risked their lives to help me, made a couple good friends those few weeks… even though I did smell horrible."

"Ha… you smell horrible after one training session, I bet you did," She joked with him, and Dominik mocked being offended.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" He said, faking a dramatic tone, "I smell like nothing but daises and roses all the time."

"Ohhhhh Dominik, I love you I do but… you smell like nothing but sweat half the time," She said to him, making both of them laugh, as she gingerly laid her head on his shoulder.

He had won the race, beating all three of Valdo, Geralt and Ciri, much to Geralt and Ciri's annoyance. Dominik of course had turned down the coin, giving it back to Valdo after much insistence. In return, the elf had let the three of them stay at their camp for the night, for wine, food and of course performances, jugglers, bards, actors, Geralt watching on, and Ciri next to him, it was as perfect of a night as Dominik could dream up. The sun had gone down, and now a brilliant, bright full moon was in the sky. He wrapped his arm around Ciri's waist as they sat in front of the roaring fire, she sat with her legs crossed, and snuggled in closer to him as he did, her head resting down on his shoulder, and for a few moments he felt like they truly were children again. One of their favorite things to do had always simply been what they were doing then, sitting and feeling the warmth of a fire crackle in front of them. They had done it at Kaer Morhen, and on the road traveling to Novigrad, but something was different about that moment. He felt calmer, even more at peace then he did then. He squeezed tighter around Ciri's waist, and he felt her adjust her head.

She gingerly reached up, placing a kiss on the bottom of his chin, and he felt the wetness from her lips tingle down his body. His face got slightly red, and under his she laughed, before he reached down and kissed the top of her head back. The moonlight and the firelight, it casted a brilliant glow off her face. Her scar seemed to faintly glow, but it was outshone by her brilliant eyes. She had asked him to tell her a story, a story of one of the contracts he had been on. He decided to tell her about the time he spent weeks as a beggar in the streets of Ban Ard, to help track down a Katakan that had been murdering the local homeless. He hadn't even had anyone issue him the contract, he found the guards moving a murdered corpse, and had asked what happened, they told him it was just some local beggar, probably killed in a row. The dead man had a large gash in his neck, and was drained of blood, which right away sent red flags up in his mind. So Dominik had snuck into the morgue, and examined the body himself, quickly able to figure out it was a Katakan, due to him finding other corpses of homeless just like it.

So, he had went to where he knew a small community of homeless beggars had formed. He asked them about the murders, and stated from the beginning, that while they would be forever grateful if he could stop the attacks, they'd have nothing to pay him. Dominik had seen the women, and starving children, seen the state the people were living in, and decided that they had enough misfortune in their lives. The guards hadn't looked into any of the attacks, so he offered to do so himself, free of charge. And so for weeks, he blended in with the people, waiting for the beast to strike again. When it didn't, he thought that it perhaps had moved on, however just as he was about to leave, he'd never forget the child. The child that had been killed, drained of blood in the alleys near the small community, and that had made him more determined to track the beast down then ever.

As he told Ciri, he decided to lure it out by getting drunk, and some of the other beggars had been brave enough to follow him while the Katakan dragged him to its lair. After he killed the beast finally, true to his word he had taken no coin, simply being glad he was able to help. When the one man, the leader of sorts for the group of people asked why, why Dominik had done it, taken the time to help them, to save them from the monster that haunted them, Dominik had simply shrugged.

He had done it, because he simply knew that it was right, and if he had been in their position, he'd have hoped someone would have done the same. It all stemmed from his experience in Cintra when he was young, the night that would be burned into his memory for his entire life. He watched his family be killed in front of him, his neighbors, friends, people he knew his whole life, who called him, 'Gregory and Sofia's boy,'. He had been helpless then, unable to fight back, even if he always thought he could have done more, he swore that night after they left, he'd never be helpless, never be helpless to fight back against something like that again. He never wanted to be a victim, he and Ciri both, they had sworn, that they would never be indifferent, never let the helpless be helpless, they'd help the helpless, help the people who couldn't half-turn or pirouette, the ones who couldn't tell a ghoul from an alghoul. That was one of the reasons they trained, so they could help people who had been helpless like they were that night.

And by being witchers, they were able to do just that. So, during his eight years, he tried to do things he knew Ciri would as well, things that would make her proud. He had failed at times yes, failed more times at it then he could count, but with every contract, he worked and fought to make her proud, make her Geralt, Yennefer, Vesemir proud of him. And that contract in Ban Ard, it had paid him nothing in the end, but it had been one of his most rewarding, because he was able to help those who couldn't help themselves, exactly what he and Ciri had always wanted.

He felt her move her head again, he looked down, and saw her smiling up at him, the firelight hitting beautifully off her face. She didn't say anything, but she moved her head up to his, and she planted a kiss on him. Her lips met his, and for a few moments they stayed like that, she moved her lips with his, and every second that passed, Dominik felt the sparks run through his body, felt goosebumps go up and down his arms. He pulled her closer to him on the log they sat on, as the fire crackled and warmed them both. Her one hand rested on his chest, and for a few blissful minutes, that night only became better, which he didn't know was possible. Geralt had gone to take a piss, and given them those few minutes alone, and while he loved his adopted father, and enjoyed every minute they spent together, having just Ciri for that moment made it perfect. Finally she gently pulled back from him, her lips parted from his and he breathlessly laughed, feeling his eyes flutter open to see her smirking wildly up at him.

"Ha… what… what was… what was that for," He said, feeling his head grow light, finding it hard to even string words together.

She gently laughed and sat up. Quickly, she moved her leg around the log, and Dominik did the same, she looked deep into his eyes, gently holding one of his hands across from him.

"Ha… what? I can't just turn around and kiss you whenever I want?" She said jokingly, smirking at his flustered face.

He shook his head right away, "No, no you can whenever you want, I… I just-."

She laughed and quickly leaned over to kiss him again. It was a peck on the lips this time, but she pulled back with a smile still broadly on her face as she met his eyes. The fire continued to sparkle off her, that combined with the moonlight beaming off her ashen locks, making it seem as if they were glowing made her an even more beautiful sight then usual. He looked down to her inner left wrist, and saw the bottom half of the wolf tattoo, before looking over to his as well, and it made him lightly chuckle as his heart fluttered again, almost out of his chest as she smiled fondly at him.

There was nowhere in the world he'd rather be, then sitting on that log with her then, nowhere at all.

"Haha… I'm joking silly, don't worry," She said, reaching and grabbing his hand again, smiling still as she met his eyes, "It was just because well… I'm really proud of you."

"Wh…what?" He said, feeling his brain and heart nearly explode, as those five words made his heart race faster than anything else she had said.

She slowly nodded, "Mhm… all the contracts you've told me about, all the people you've helped, you've saved…. I know you'll say you've done bad things too but… so has everyone. But Dominik… I'm really… really proud of you, for everything you've done and-."

He cut her off by kissing her, he didn't know what came over him, but he simply leaned forward, gently grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her lips. She quickly returned it, resting her hands on his arms, and meeting the kiss with just as much intensity. He felt his heart erupting from his chest as it raced while he moved his lips with hers, feeling the tingling erupt down his body, and for another minute he didn't feel himself move, simply sitting there, kissing her, trying to show her how much it meant with just that kiss.

And when he did finally pull back, she breathlessly laughed as well, looking up and meeting his eyes.

"And… what was that for?" She said, holding her hands in his as he gently pulled back, breathlessly laughing and smiling.

He chuckled and felt his brain buzzing while he met her gaze, "Ciri you… you have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that…."

"What do you mean?" She asked him, meeting his eyes again and holding onto both his hands.

"It… it's just ever since you went missing… I've… been trying to live every day, trying to find you first off, and… and doing things to make you proud of me, proud to call me your boyfriend, your best-friend," He said with a scoff and small shake of his head, "I… I didn't do that always but… but I've been doing everything I can to do what I thought would make you proud. I… didn't just want to find you… I wanted to make you proud."

He could see her face get red in the firelight, as she gently leaned her hand up, running her thumb over his scar as she cupped his face for a moment. She looked deep into his eyes, and Dominik could see the love that was coming from them, it washed over him, and he grabbed her hand to hold as she gently removed it from his face.

"Ha… Dominik, I'm prouder of you then you'll ever understand… I love you," She said to him, and just like every time she said it, he felt his stomach feel like the butterflies had been released.

"I love you too princess…" He said gently, as he squeezed her hand and met her eyes, "And… I'm just as proud of you. You're the strongest person I've ever met."

She lightly laughed and scoffed, "Ha… stop, I'm sure there's more people that-."

"No, Ciri I'm being serious," He said, as they both whirled back around on the log, and she scooted closer to him again. He wrapped his arm around her waist as she looked up at him, "I've never met anyone stronger then you, you're the strongest, most beautiful, just… most amazing person I'll ever meet."

Right away she laughed as Dominik felt his face get red. Eleven years later, he was twenty-two, a full-grown adult and still, he found himself struggle to form coherent sentences around her at times. He did that often when he was younger, he'd go to compliment her, and just end up giving her a completely over the top compliment, that would make her laugh hysterically as she was now. The fire crackled as he watched her laugh, and he simply scoffed as he felt his own smile get wider. The cool night breeze washed over him, and it combined with the crackling of the fire, the music, the people laughing and juggling around them, with their mugs of wine on the ground below them, all of this, combined with her laugh, truly had made that night perfect.

She finished laughing, and pulled her head up, reaching up and planting a long kiss on his scarred right cheek.

"Aha… I missed those over the top compliments of yours… thank you," She said sincerely, as Dominik nodded, but after he did, he saw her bite her lip, as she seemed to be trying to formulate her next question. Seeing this he laughed lightly and met her eyes, which seemed slightly nervous.

"Ha… you're welcome… what is it?" He asked her, and in response she sighed, and lightly laughed meeting his eyes.

"Well… I actually wanted to ask you something," She said, as he could hear a hint of nervousness drip from the words.

"Of course, what is it?" He said right away, she would always be able to ask him anything.

She bit her lip, and looked deep into his eyes, "First I… wanted to thank you, you and Geralt when he gets back. Today it… it's been perfect really, everything I could have hoped for."

"Ha, I should be thanking you. You're right it's… been fantastic, what is it you wanted to ask?" He asked, reaching down and grabbing his mug, taking another drink before meeting her eyes again.

Ciri nodded again, biting down on her lip again as she met his gaze. He saw a small red hue coming to her cheeks, as she nodded, and Dominik could see a look in her eyes he had seen before. She laughed lightly and turned to him, holding her hand on his armored chest and meeting his gaze.

"Well… seeing as tonight will probably be the last night we don't have a bunch to do, and seeing how great it was…" She said slowly, biting her lip and meeting his eyes as her voice got slightly lower, "I wanted to know if you… wanted to make tonight the night?"

"The night for what?" He asked her, and right away she scoffed a laugh and rolled her eyes.

She met his gaze and smiled still, "The night we… we finally make love Dominik. I… don't think we'll get a much better opportunity… and well… I think we've waited long enough."

He felt his eyes widen quickly, as the goosebumps traveled up and down his arms. Ciri saw the flustered look that came to his face and lightly chuckled again, as Dominik felt himself breathlessly laughing as well. He had told her he'd let her choose the time and place of it finally happening, when she believed the moment was right. A part of him thought the previous night they would, but he subconsciously after she asked, found himself straightening out and stretching his right leg as they sat there. He looked around them for a moment, feeling himself lightly laugh as the jugglers and workers eagerly walked around him. Biting his own lip, he even felt a small bit of excitement run through him. He looked and met her eyes, pulling her closer to him as he breathlessly laughed. She met his gaze and soon did the same, and before he knew it, they were both laughing with one another.

They laughed, and while she was, he leaned down and planted a long kiss on her lips to stop her. She kissed him back for a moment, and feeling his heart grow three times larger, he pulled back, feeling a giddy smile come to his face as one appeared on her as well. He met her eyes, his face still only inches from hers as he slowly nodded.

"Yeah… yeah… that… sounds fantastic, Ciri gods, I… I love you," He said breathlessly, feeling himself laugh again.

She quickly laughed and did the same, cupping his face as their lips were inches apart, "Okay… it's a plan, I love you too, ha… you stupid boy…"

"God, I leave you alone for two minutes, and you're already all over each other, and I thought Yen and I used to be bad," An amused voice said, and Ciri and he both slowly looked away from each other to see a smirking Geralt.

They both managed a laugh, as Ciri winked at him, and it made Dominik bite his lip, as they both turned back around to Geralt again. Their adopted father had rolled his eyes, yes, but he could see the genuine joy in the witchers eyes. Geralt had teased them both relentlessly about being 'all over each other', but he knew deep down Geralt was happy for them. He felt another small laugh leave him, as he detached his arm from Ciri and picked up the mug of wine on the ground again while Ciri did the same. Geralt smiled at them both, his swords clunking as he reached out his hands over the fire, warming them as he aimlessly watched the jugglers in the background, seeing the laughing performers, listening to the pleasant sounds of the lutes and drums from around the camp. He looked and saw Ciri next to him down the rest of her mug of wine, before she shot him another wink, and Dominik felt himself get giddy again.

For years, he had said to himself, he would only ever be intimate with a woman if he truly, truly loved her, and that was always going to be Ciri. And that night, it would finally happen, and in the moment, he couldn't think of a more perfect night for it. She was right, they'd more than likely have business to begin tomorrow, finding the other sorceresses, he knew Yennefer and Triss had been looking on more leads today. He also knew that he wanted to go see if Adda and Elise were at Dijkstra's, all while training more with his friends, keeping himself sharp and ready for the final battle. Of course in between he wanted to spend more time with Ciri, making sure he spent every minute with her he could before that battle came. So, he saw no better night then that night, he was ready, she was ready, and he would finally be able to show her how much he loved her, truly loved her.

"You know Geralt… I've been meaning to say… I'm glad you and Yennefer have ended up together. I know Dom's been with you a bit longer but… I'm really, really glad to see it," Ciri said, as Dominik pulled his head up to see a smile come to Geralt's face.

He right away nodded as well, "Yeah… I am too. It… doesn't make either of us love Triss any less but… I'm really glad you did as well."

"He's right, it doesn't, but it… feels like it used too now, back in Ellander," Ciri quickly agreed with him, as Geralt smiled again, tossing another log on the fire and sitting next to them both.

Dominik remembered seeing his adopted father grapple with the problem when they got to Novigrad, seeing Triss again. Dominik loved Triss Merigold with all his heart, she was the reason that he was alive, she had taken care of him and Ciri both at the most important times of their lives. He'd never forget that day they first found her on the road to Kaer Morhen. However, as much as he loved Triss, Yennefer was always different. While Triss he saw as his older sibling, Yen had become that true mother he and Ciri both needed at such a crucial time. And he was proud to forever call himself a son of Geralt of Rivia, and Yennefer of Vengerberg. Not because they had famous ballads written about them, but because of the people he knew they were.

"Yeah… I am too," Geralt said, looking over at them both as the three of them all sat.

Ciri laughed lightly next to the older witcher, as Dominik wrapped his arm around her waist again. She scooted closer to him, as they both looked to meet Geralt's smiling face, a look of pure peace that he had never seen on his adopted father.

"Ha, well you certainly took your time," Ciri joked with him.

Geralt laughed and nodded, the fire hitting off his face, "Hm…. Guess we both needed a while to grapple with it… having the two of you back certainly helped."

Ciri and he looked at each other triumphantly. The year they spent in Ellander, it had been possibly the best of their lives, living there with Geralt and Yen. The two had taken care of them, but of course would fight from time to time, Ciri and he would always plan elaborate schemes to get them to talk out their problems. It worked a few times, and each time Ciri and he would smirk triumphantly, before having to put pillows over their heads that night to not hear anything coming from their adopted parents' room. Despite this however, they loved every day they spent there, with the second family they both had needed. Ciri smiled and met Geralt's yellow eyes with Dominik.

"So what was it like? You know when the wish lost its hold. What did you feel?" Ciri asked with Dominik's arms still around her, as he tried to avoid her sword hilt hitting his face.

Dominik scoffed as well, "Yeah, I never asked you about that. I remember Yen asked for it to be just the two of you, all I heard was that it went well."

Geralt smiled broadly at them and shrugged, "Hmm. Well, there we were, the two of us, on the mountain top. I looked at her and… I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. At long last… is that what it felt like for you two on the Isle of Mists?"

Dominik was taken aback by the question for a moment, and he slowly looked down to see Ciri smiling up at him. Exactly where he was supposed to be, ever since he was eleven years old, he had known where he was supposed to be, where he was destined to be, where his home would always be. And even though for years he hadn't been there, had lost that home, he was there now, next to Ciri, at her side.

Exactly where he was supposed to be, and before he could say anything, Ciri slowly nodded.

"Yeah… that's exactly how it felt," She said, turning from Geralt and looking up at Dominik fondly, "After so long…"

"We're finally both back where we're supposed to be… yeah," Dominik said, meeting her eyes, and he desperately wanted to kiss her in that moment, but it seems they both understood they knew that Geralt didn't particularly enjoy watching them kiss, so restrained themselves, but as soon as they turned back to him, Geralt chuckled and shook his head.

"Go on, kiss each other already," The older witcher said with a small smile, as he quickly and jokingly made a gesture of holding his hand in front of his face.

Ciri and he both laughed, before she slowly turned back to him, leaning up and kissing his lips again, a slowly but quick kiss, that didn't fail to send the sparks down his chest. The cool night breeze blew and whipped his brown hair in the wind, as he laughed into Ciri's lips. She did the same, before they both pulled back, she bit her lip and winked playfully at him, which made Dominik laugh, as they both finally turned to Geralt, who smiled and nodded at them.

"I'm glad we stayed…" The older witcher said fondly, as the three of them watched as a juggler came in front of them and began juggling four purple balls.

Ciri laughed with his arm around her, "Ha.. so am I… thank you both for doing this with me today."

"You're welcome princess, I'm glad we stayed too," He said from next to her, nodding along with Geralt.

"More wine?" A young woman's voice said, as she came in front of the three with a pitcher.

Geralt right away nodded, "Yeah, thanks."

The young elven woman poured wine into all of their mugs, and quickly scurried away to fetch more. One of the jugglers walked closer to them, tossing the balls higher in front of Ciri who laughed along with him and Geralt, before the elf caught all three of them and bowed, before walking away and juggling even more. Dominik saw the elated look on her face, seeing how much the people of the troupe loved her. He knew she only had to spend a short amount of time with them overall, but every single one of them loved her.

He learned from a young age, Ciri had that effect on people, she simply made all those around her love her in a short time.

"They like you here," Geralt said with a smile next to them.

Ciri sighed fondly and leaned back into Dominik's chest. He wrapped both arms around her as she laid back on him, and he saw her smile as the jugglers and dancers passed by.

"I like them too…" She said, turning up to meet Dominik's eyes before she smirked at him, "So what do you think? Wanna join after this is all over? Drink and race, travel from town to town. Not a worry about anything?"

He could hear the joking tone in her voice as she smirked at him, and he leaned down to kiss the top of her head before she sat back up on the log and he nodded at her.

"If that's what you wanna do, that's what we'll do," Dominik said firmly, smiling broadly at her.

She laughed, leaning over and grabbing his cheek to kiss, before Geralt laughed next to them.

"So, you two got your plans picked out for after this already?" He teased them both, a broad smile on his face.

Ciri laughed and nodded, "That we do, what about you and Yen?"

"Yeah, what are you two going to do? Obviously, we'll always be together in a way the four of us, always come back and see each other but… what're you two going to do first?" He asked as well, as Ciri and he both leaned and met their adopted father's eyes.

Geralt chuckled again and looked at them both, his silver hair blowing back in the night wind, "Well… I actually wanted to ask you two for your advice on that. Wanna do something nice for her when this is over, take her somewhere nice, you both know her pretty well."

"Ha, I'd say we do right Ciri?" Dominik jokingly asked her.

Ciri smirked and nodded, "That we do."

The older witcher nodded and met their eyes, with a wondering smile, "I wanted it to be somewhere nice, exotic maybe, maybe Zerrikania, or Spalla, maybe-."

"Or you can do what Dominik and I are doing," Ciri cut him off with a smirk, as Geralt laughed and met their eyes.

"And what's that?" Geralt asked amusingly, as Ciri smirked.

She laughed and met Dominik's eyes, "Well, you pick a direction, different then the two of us obviously."

Dominik scoffed, "Oh yeah without a doubt, wouldn't wanna end up at the same place."

Ciri laughed as they both turned to Geralt again, "You pick a direction, find the first roadside inn you come across, rent their largest room, carve a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door… and that's it."

Geralt laughed again, looking at them both, "And that's it? That's what the two of you will do?"

"That's it," Dominik said with a nod, smiling down at Ciri next to him "Unless she says something different… she's gonna choose, whatever SHE wants to do."

Upon hearing the words again, Ciri smiled broadly at him, before Geralt nodded, and for a few moments, they all enjoyed the peace by the fire that night. He heard it crackle and looked at its light reflecting off Ciri and Geralt, the glow casted over them, and he was sure it did the same with him as well. The idea of that roadside inn with Ciri, it was the most wonderful idea he ever heard in his entire life. It would be the two of them, huddling together, forgetting the troubles of the world, all while kissing, holding one another, and making love, before they set out, and made the continent a safe place like they had always wanted. He couldn't think of anything else he would want to spend the rest of his life doing. One of the jugglers continued to do his routine in front of them, as Dominik down more of the wine in his mug with Ciri next to him, as he saw her slowly look at him again, and a smile came to her face as she winked at him again.

He laughed lightly as Ciri turned to face the juggler again, she smiled fondly and smirked, looking at Geralt and he.

"That's Pablo… you know I'm going to learn to juggle one day," She said amusingly, as Geralt and he both laughed.

"Incredibly useful skill," Geralt said sarcastically, and Dominik laughed as Ciri rolled her eyes and smiled at them both.

"Yeah, that'd be nice to know on the Path," Dominik said, looking up and meeting her eyes, "Maybe you can juggle for the Katakan's while I sneak up and stab them from behind."

"Ass…" Ciri muttered, as she shoved his arm, making Geralt and he both laugh again.

They all ended up laughing, and Dominik down the rest of the wine in his mug, deciding to make that his last cup, not wanting to get tipsy at all. He and Ciri had plans for that night, and he wanted to make sure his brain was functioning completely, as Ciri seemed to think the same thing, laughing before placing her mug back on the ground.

Geralt looked at them both and scoffed, "Ha, done already? Dom I knew was a lightweight, but Ciri? I thought I taught you better."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, as Dominik felt his face get red. She shook her head and met Geralt's gaze, "No, for your information Geralt, we plan on-."

"Ahhh finally found you three! Enjoying yourselves?" The voice of the one elf, Aegar hit the air, cutting them all off

Dominik breathed out a sigh of relief, as he knew Ciri would have blurted out their plans for that night. While he knew, that Geralt and everyone else more than likely knew what Ciri and he would eventually do, he still didn't know if he wanted to go announcing it to their adopted father, making him feel even more uncomfortable at the prospect, remembering the awkward conversation he and Geralt had about it earlier, so he was thankful the elf had shown up. He met Ciri's eyes and she laughed at his flustered face, before the three of them all turned back to Aegar, who was smiling broadly at them all.

Geralt looked at them, before nodding up at the elf, "Bonfires, wine, jugglers…. What more could you ask for?"

"He's right, this had been great, thank you again," Dominik said with a nod, as Ciri got up next to him to stretch her legs.

Aegar sighed and nodded, "Aye, you're welcome. But truth be told, I can name a few things I'd trade it for, but it's a life…"

Ciri looked at the elf concernedly next to him, "You seem concerned. Things not go well with the merchant?"

Dominik got up to stretch his legs as well, coming next to Ciri and crossing his arms and meeting the elf's worried gaze. His hair and swords gently blew on his back in the night breeze, as he could see that things certainly hadn't gone well for the elf. If they weren't busy with other things, he would more then happily help the troupe pull the wagon himself, and he knew Ciri would as well, knowing Clop would be more then able to pull the carts. And he also could see how concerned Ciri looked about the troupe.

"Bah lost cause. The man refused to trade. I said I'd buy, he asked three arms and a host of legs for one healthy animal," Aegar said, sighing and shaking his head, looking and meeting their eyes with a grim look, "We need horses. But we'll have to find another way to get them…"

"Ho-ho, I sense trouble, what do you say Dom?" Ciri said, an eagerness coming to her voice as she elbowed and looked up at him smiling broadly.

Dominik scoffed and nodded as he smirked down at her, "I say what's your plan? How we getting this guy?"

Aegar nodded with a smile, "I knew you'd get the notion. We mean to sneak into the man's stable. With thirty head, a few more or less won't make a difference in his life…. Coming with?"

"Of course! You in Dom?" Ciri said eagerly, looking up and meeting his eyes.

Dominik didn't like to steal, he knew it was unethical, but sometimes in life he knew there were people who simply deserved to be knocked down a peg. He could tell from the disgust in Aegar's voice, it hadn't been his coin the merchant was refusing, it was doing business with a non-human. And the minute he saw someone act like such, that was when Dominik lost all sympathy. He also looked and saw Ciri practically bouncing on her toes, smirking excitedly next to him. All she ever had to do, was bat those pretty green eyes at him when they were younger, and now even, however, she didn't need to in that moment.

"Ha, you kidding? Let's go knock this guy down a peg," He said, as Ciri laughed and nodded.

Geralt from below them however, looked and met Aegar's gaze worriedly.

"Gotta be another way to solve this… just so happens I have some coin I could lend you," Geralt said, as he looked Aegar's way.

"We'd have no way to repay you…" Aegar said with a small shake of his head.

Geralt shook his own head, "Wouldn't have too, you helped Ciri, I'll help you."

Aegar sighed, "A generous offer, but not one to resolve this situation. The merchant didn't object to our coin, he objected to us. 'I'll not trade with such scum'- believe those were his words…. And if he'll not trade, we have no choice but to steal from him."

Dominik rolled his eyes, feeling his annoyance grow and now knowing he had made the right choice. One thing his father had always taught him, as far back as when he was a young boy in Cintra, was that the measure of a person, didn't come from their race, from their skin color, or gender, it came from the depth of their character, he told Dominik that it was their actions that defined who they were, not their birth. Even the highest King's, it was their actions that decided what kind of person they were, you weren't better, or superior to someone, simply because you were born a certain race or gender. He and Ciri both turned to Geralt, who quickly sighed, a small smirk coming to his face as he looked at them both.

"Ehh, what can I do? Gotta help those in need, just like I always taught the two of you now don't I?" He said with a smirk, as Ciri nearly burst from the excitement.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ciri said excitedly, and Dominik nearly felt his nosebleed from how cute it was, as she eagerly turned looking over at Aegar.

The elf nodded gratefully but laughed lightly, "Must say, you didn't seem the type to me…"  
"What type?" Geralt asked, as Aegar and him both rose with Ciri and he.

Aegar shook his head, "Steady. Time to go! We'll meet by the stables."

The two of them nodded, and Dominik looked to meet Ciri's eyes one more time, as Aegar and Geralt both walked past them. She bit her lip, and grabbed the collar of his armor, pulling his head down the short way, and planting a long lingering kiss on his cheek, before she pulled back, winked at him and quickly followed after Geralt and the elf. Dominik laughed and felt his body tingle for a moment, watching her walk away from behind, before she turned and winked at him again, which finally got Dominik to move.

He followed after them, catching up to Ciri, intent on not letting one of the greatest nights he'd had in a long-time end just yet.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Whooo-hooo! We did it!" Aegar whooped as they all jogged back into the entrance to the mummer's camp.

Ciri laughed in delight next to him, as he came up behind her with Geralt. The heist had gone off without a hitch, and Dominik felt his own heart racing as well, particularly from seeing how excited Ciri was, he even saw Geralt smiling the entire time as they rode away on the group of horses. Ciri, Geralt and he had climbed into the stables easily enough, one guard who was sleeping on the inside had woken up, but thinking on his feet, Dominik right away subdued him with an Axii sign to calm him, before Geralt found the key to the stable, and Ciri readied the horses. After that, they had let Aegar into the stable, and rode out without any trouble. It had been hilarious watching the two near sleeping guards try to chase them, but the four of them had been outside the city walls in an instant, and no alarm had been sounded, if it had been of any relevance, there would have been guards by now Dominik knew. So, the troupe now had four strong horses to pull wagons, and Dominik was left with both a good feeling in his stomach, and a smiling Ciri in front of him.

It was all he could ever hope for in a night, and he knew it still wasn't over. He followed up behind Ciri with Geralt as she laughed and nodded at the elf, still sounding absolutely delighted.

"Excellent work! Did you see the two fools who tried to chase us?" Ciri joked, the beautiful smile not leaving her face, while the torches and moonlight hit off it.

Aegar laughed again, "Almost tripped over their own boots!"

Ciri laughed again, turning to them both, wrapping her arms around Dominik's neck, "Thank you both so much, that was splendid!"

He squeezed her, and she pulled back still holding his hand. Dominik laughed himself, feeling it come straight from his gut. The chilly night breeze whipped through his hair, and he smiled as he squeezed Ciri's hand.

"Of course, good call coming here princess," He said with a nod, as Geralt laughed from behind them and they all turned to him.

The older witcher smirked with his arms crossed and nodded, "Yeah…. A nice change from killing monsters."

Aegar smiled fondly and nodded to all three of them, "Thanks for your help, all of you. And thanks for visiting."

Ciri turned and nodded, holding Dominik's hand still as she nodded to the elf, "It was so good to see you all again. Hang in there and take care of yourselves."

"Ha don't forget us! Good luck, all of you. So long," Aegar said with another grateful bow, before turning and walking back off into the camp.

The elf turned and left, and after he had walked a distance away into the camp, Ciri laughed loudly, he felt her turned to him and throw her arms around his neck. He laughed as well, wrapping his arms around her waist, she laughed and it was a laugh of such joy, Dominik spun her, her legs kicked in the air as he did and she kissed the side of his neck before he finally let her down. After she was down, she looked up at him, the smile still on her face, before she pulled his collar down and kissed him again, smashing her lips to his quickly, as she kept smiling and laughing. After pulling back she turned Geralt and threw her arms around their adopted father as well. Geralt was taken aback for a moment but smiled fondly and hugged her with everything he could. Seeing her like that, it had been the cherry on top of the day he had. Never had he described a night, a day as perfect in his life, but that day, as the night breeze chilled his bones, was as close as he'd ever come.

Ciri pulled back from Geralt, standing between them both, and smiling fondly at them, and seeing that cute scar flare up on her bottom lip, seeing the look of pure joy she had, he would have gone through his journey alone for another hundred years if it had led to that smile. He had done something good, helped good people that day, and most importantly, got to spend it with Geralt and Ciri, two of the people he loved most in that world. He thought nothing could have made it better, but then he remembered the night wasn't over yet, Ciri met his eyes and looked deeply into them, biting her lips and smirking at him, and Dominik felt his body tingle again, his heart fluttered as the goosebumps went up his arms under his armor. He felt the excitement, the love for that woman in front of him surge through him at a rate he never felt before, as Ciri turned back to Geralt, who was smiling at them both.

Their father's silver hair blew in the wind as he smiled, he could tell that Geralt hadn't experienced a day like that in a long time either. The fact Dominik was able to experience the day with them both, it made it all that much better. He remembered being a scared eleven-year-old, arriving on the back of Roach into Kaer Morhen with Geralt. He was scared, hungry, and wanted to take Ciri and run, not trusting the man with yellow eyes, or any of the witchers at the fortress. But now, eleven years later there he was, with Ciri sure enough by his side, and that yellow eyed man his father.

"Ha… glad you both seemed to have fun," Geralt said with a smirk, as Ciri came up next to Dominik again, Geralt smiled at them both, "So, as fun as today's been, you two ready to head back? We could all use a good nights sleep after today."

Dominik was about to say yes, but Ciri quickly stepped forward and shook her head, "Actually, I want to bid farewell to Valdo, Dom, you'll stay with me right?"

He scoffed and smirked at her, "Of course I will, I wouldn't dare let you walk home on your own, what kind of boyfriend would I be?"

She laughed and smirked at him, "Such a gentleman as always…. Geralt, we'll be back there soon, we promise."

Geralt rolled his eyes and scoffed, "You two are adults, don't have a curfew. Just be careful, I'll see you guys back there later."

Ciri and she both nodded to their adopted father, before Geralt smiled at them once more, chuckling to himself, before turning and walking back towards the city. As he did, he turned to Ciri again, who was already smiling broadly up at him. Dominik was going to say something, but she quickly clamped her hand over his mouth, the smile not leaving her face as she met his eyes.

"Shh… don't talk, just come with me," She said excitedly, a mischievous look in her eyes as she bit her lip at him.

He chuckled and nodded with her gloved hand over her mouth, and right away she laughed again, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along with her. She practically ran and he had to keep up, as she pulled him along behind her. He had no idea where they were going, it was only a small ways from the camp he noticed, towards a small lagoon, with the moon beautifully casted out over it, it's whole reflection casted over the dark water. She kept looking back at him and smiling, small laughs escaping her, as she pulled him closer to the riverbank. The wind howled, and he saw her face only in the bright moonlight that shone down. Again, her ashen locks sparkled as if they were glowing, and he had the urge to run his fingers through them. Her emerald eyes sparkled with mischief as they always did when she was younger, and in that moment, he was ironically enough flashed back to the first night they had met, when she dragged him through the castle halls of Cintra.

That night, Ciri had introduced herself as Fiona, not telling Dominik she was truly the princess until they went and hid together in the storage closet. She had told him, she was afraid Dominik would only have played with her because she was the princess, not because he actually liked her. Young Dominik had blurted out how he thought she was amazing, after watching her confidently laugh, move and joke, he never had met a girl like her, even at his young age, he knew she was special from that moment. He swore to her that night, he wanted to be around her, because of the person she was, not the title she had, and he didn't think he truly ever called her 'your highness' or 'princess' as anything other than a term of endearment or to playfully tease her. If you had told him that night, that they be in that position eleven years later, young Dominik would have burst with excitement like he was doing then.

She finally pulled him to a stop on the lagoons bed, the soft grass, squished beneath his boots, as he looked and saw the beautiful view of the stars, and the moon shining out over the decent sized lagoon. Nothing but the soft grass was around them, he distantly heard the instruments and chatting of the acting troupe, but in that moment, there was truly only he and Ciri again. She stopped moving him, still gripped onto his wrist, his left wrist in her left hand, the arms that had their matching tattoos, and when she finally turned back to him, he saw her look up at him with a broad smile on her face, breathlessly laughing, as the moon casted an angelic like glow over her ashen hair, and over her beautiful, beautiful face. And as she did, he finally found his voice.

"Ha… where are we-," She cut him off by kissing him, coming forward and smashing her lips to his, kissing him more fiercely then she had the entire time they'd been back together.

Dominik was taken aback at first, but quickly kissed her back, cupping her face, as he saw her unstrap her sword from her back, and toss it next to them. Seeing her do it, he instinctively did the same, while her lips were locked with his still, he unstrapped the swords from his back, and tossed both of them next to hers, and right away she got closer to him, she tightened her grip around his neck and deepened the kiss even more, as Dominik wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling his body kick into overdrive, from the raw passion and love he felt from her lips on his. His hands went down her back, over her ass, which made her yelped lightly and laugh into his mouth, as he got his hands under her thighs, he squeezed, and she knew exactly what it had meant.

She leapt up and wrapped her legs around his waist, and when he tried to step back, he found it hard to concentrate on moving and kissing her at the same time. He felt his boots sink into the grass, and he fell backwards. She quickly let her lips leave his and she squeezed him, as she yelped out while laughing at the same time. Dominik did the same, feeling himself fall down until his ass hit the grass, surprisingly the fall didn't hurt, but now he found Ciri move her legs to straddle his waist as he kept his hands around her waist, moving them down to rest on her ass, which she giggled at, smashing her lips to his again, and Dominik had never felt such a pleasurable tingle run erupt in his body, as she gently grinded her hips against his crotch. He slightly embarrassingly, heard himself moan into her kiss, feeling her entrance rub up against him, making her laugh, as she put her hands on his chest and pushed him back.

He fell backwards, now laying on the soft ground with her over top of him, the moonlight still casted that beautiful glow over her, as she leaned down and laid on top of him, gently bringing her lips inches from his, as she lightly laughed, stroking his face with her one hand, over his scarred cheek while the other played with his hair. He almost felt his soul leaving his body his brain buzzed so much, he couldn't stop breathlessly laughing, as she looked down at him with that same broad smile she had all day, gently stroking her hand through his hair, as her face was only inches from him. He had his armor on, but he still felt her breasts up against his chest, as her legs were straddled over his waist, his hands still resting on her ass, as it seemed for a moment, they simply couldn't do anything but smile and look at each other.

"Ha…. I love it when you get that look on your face… gods I missed it," She said lightly, leaning down and kissing the corner of his lips and pulling back, "Gonna be honest… I've wanted to do this all day…"

Feeling his body continue to erupt, the feeling of her thumb gently stroking his scar making him shudder, he met her gaze, their lips only inches apart.

"Ciri I… thought you wanted to say goodbye to Valdo, and well…" He said slowly, as she looked at him amusingly, her hand gently trailing down his chest now, "Well… I thought you'd want our first time to you know… be in a bed."

She laughed and slowly nodded, "I do, and well… yes I do. But… I just wanted to bring you here, I found this spot when I stayed with them, I thought it was beautiful."

"It is… yeah, but not as beautiful as you," He said cheekily, and it made her laugh again right away.

Ciri tossed her head back and laughed, before bringing it back down to kiss his cheek before she smiled at him again.

"Ahaha… gods you're such a suck up…" She said with a small shake of her head, as she sighed and met his eyes, "I wanted to bring you here… we'll head back yeah just… watch the stars with me for a little bit? I wanted to have you hold me while we watched them… you know, like we used to do."

They had done that often as well, they'd lay in the meadow outside Ellander, or up on the walls at Kaer Morhen for hours on end at night, simply watching the stars, telling the other what they saw in the constellations. He hadn't expected the day to possibly be able to get any better, he never turned it down then, so he didn't now. Meeting her loving emerald gaze with his own he slowly nodded.

"I love that idea…" He said slowly, as she leaned down and kissed him again, slowly.

"Good…" She said after she pulled back, before she bit her lip while she ran a thumb over his scar again, "You know… have I told you how handsome I find this scar on you?"

He felt his heart flutter as he scoffed and nodded, "You have… have I told you how beautiful I find you with yours?"

She rolled her eyes but smiled at him, "Gods, you wouldn't have been saying that a few years ago when I first got it."

"Oh I think I would," He said, leaning up and kissing her cheek, right over where her scar was, "You could be wearing an eye patch and I'd still find you gorgeous princess."

Biting her lip Ciri gently moved her lips closer to his, "Such a suck up, as always… thank you…. You know, I'm really looking forward to getting back to our room."

"Are you? Well… I guess I can't disappoint, hope I know what I'm doing," He said jokingly, as right away Ciri scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Dominik, we've almost done it a few times now… I've seen how you get," She said with a smirk, bringing her lips up to his ears and whispering, "I think you'll do just fine… better then fine, let's just hope nobody hears us."

His body completely stiffened as she bit his earlobe, and soon laughed hysterically, kissing his cheek while laughing with the wind howling again. Dominik laughed nervously, feeling his heart ready to explode again, but feeling his anticipation rise, before Ciri scoffed a final laugh, and rested her head on his chest, while he wrapped his arms around her.

"Aha… it's so adorable when you get like that, soon," She said, reassuringly, before she cuddled up into his again, "For now… just hold me for a bit alright?"

He let out a breathless sigh nodding, and meeting her eyes, "Always…"

She nodded at him, and they both turned, and for a few moments, it was just the two of them again. The two of them and the stars.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Gods it's late, I wonder who could still be up," Ciri said wonderingly, as they both approached the Chameleon.

Dominik shrugged as they did, adjusting his swords, "Don't know, maybe Geralt and Yen stayed up for us again, maybe they needed something."

Ciri shrugged as well as they both approached the inn. They had ended up indeed saying goodbye to Valdo and the rest of the troupe, before Ciri and he both walked hand in hand back towards the Chameleon. He knew the streets of Novigrad were dangerous at night, however, he had to believe no bandit would have been stupid enough to try and attack the both of them. He had also seen a side to Novigrad he hadn't seen before, seeing the moon cast its pretty glow out over the streets, the quiet peaceful night where all he could hear was the howling of the wind and Ciri's voice, it had truly been a great end to the perfect day he had so far. Of course the night still wasn't over, the two of them planned on taking more wine from behind Dandelion's counter, bringing it and a bowl of fruit up to their room and enjoying their night to even later hours of the morning, all while making love for the first time and enjoying each other's company.

However, they hadn't expected the torches inside the inn to still be lit. They thought Dominik would have to cast a fire with Igni so they could find the right wine, before finding their way to their room. It was extremely late, past midnight, and while he knew there had to be people up and about in the town somewhere, Dandelion had been making it a point to close the inn down when it got too late, only when they were there so it could act as their base of operations for the short time they were in Novigrad. So, when he gently let go of Ciri's hand, he slowly pushed the door to the inn open, partly expecting to find thieves trying to rob the place possible. With Ciri gingerly walking behind him, her hand subconsciously going to her sword they both entered, he looked back and met her eyes for a moment, footsteps hit his ear.

"Ah, there the two of you are, I do hope you don't plan on cutting us in half." Yennefer's amused voice hit his ears, and Dominik whirled around to see her and Geralt both smiling and coming towards them from the counter.

He breathed a sigh of relief, as did Ciri next to him. Her hand went away from her blade, and they both looked as the sorceress and Geralt both came up towards them. They both looked weary, and he could tell that Yennefer had indeed been hard at work. He wouldn't lie however, when saying seeing his mother only served to make the day even better, as despite the weariness in her eyes, Yen smiled at them both. Ciri came up next to him and scoffed.

"What are the two of you doing up? It's late, and I know we have a lot to do tomorrow," Ciri asked them both, looking over to Yen, "Yen, did you have any success finding the other sorceresses?"

Dominik listened with bated breath as well. He knew that Ida and Keira would be arriving soon but having more of the sorceresses naturally would benefit them greatly. Dealing with the Hunt alone would have been hard, but even with Imlerith gone, there was still the matter of Baelen and Kilgarrah. He had promised Alexander that he would help Kilgarrah if he could, and he knew that the dragon had to be under some kind of spell, with more sorceresses, perhaps that spell over the dragon could be broken. And if it could, perhaps the beast would listen to Dominik himself, and could even benefit them against the Hunt. After seeing the dragon and Alexander spoke to one another, the bond they shared, he had to believe the beast would at least not attack him, Ciri or his friends.

A small fire crackled in the hearth of the bottom floor of the inn, and Dominik felt its warmth wash over him, as the light gently danced in Yennefer's eyes as she nodded.

"We have yes, I know where Sile and Margarita are being held, and Triss believes she has a location on Phillipa," His adopted mother explained, as Dominik scoffed out a smile with Ciri.

"That's great," Dominik said right away, his smile growing with Ciri's, "But… that doesn't explain why you're both up still. As fun as dinner together was last night, I think it's a little late for that now."

Yennefer laughed lightly and looked to Geralt, who smiled at him, before he reached into his back pocket. Ciri and he both narrowed his eyes to Geralt's hands, as he pulled a piece of folded parchment from his pocket. He could see a slightly worried look appear on Geralt's face, and he wondered what it could be as his adopted father handed the letter out to him.

"We stayed up… because we wanted to give this to you. Dandelion got it while we were out running around, said the man who delivered it nearly rode his horse dead to get it here," Geralt explained, as Dominik scoffed, gingerly taking the letter.

He looked down at the parchment with his name scribbled on the front, "A letter for me? Gods, I haven't gotten one of these since the one you sent me to come to Rivia."

"Did the man say who he was? Or where it came from?" Ciri asked, as she came up closer to him to see the letter's contents itself.

Yennefer slowly nodded, "Yes, the man… said he came from Claywitch. The letter is from a man named Mikel, Dominik, I remembered you telling me he was the one who-."

"Gave me the Law of Surprise after I saved him from the Alp…" Dominik said slowly, feeling his heart heavily thump in his chest as he scoffed, "Ha… gods I didn't expect to hear from him this soon."

Ciri looked up at him with wide eyes, "You took the Law of Surprise as payment for a contract?"

Dominik scoffed again and nodded, "Yeah… I saved him and his wife from the Alp in Claywitch. I didn't want anything, I had found Yen, and leads on you, didn't need anything else. But well… he was insistent."

"Yeah… and from the letter, it seems he's ready to give it to you," Geralt said across from them with his arms crossed.

He rolled his eyes, "The two of you read my mail?"

"Sorry darling, we were dreadfully curious," Yennefer said slightly sheepishly as she met his eyes again, "He mentions the Law of Surprise in his letter yes, but there's also something else."

Dominik felt his skin lightly crawl, remembering the dream he had the previous night. He looked and met Geralt's eyes, as well as looking down at Ciri who was next to him, eyeing the letter as well. Could it have been a coincidence that he dreamed of Claywitch the night before? He had learned that in life, there were very few coincidences, and that you should never expect them. However, he had to believe this was one as he looked down and saw his name scribbled in slightly sloppy, but legible handwriting. He hadn't thought about Mikel, the foreman at the Claywitch mill and his wife Danara in ages. He could remember how kind the man was, how helpful he and his wife were, how when he was there, he felt he had truly found good people in the world. That day in Claywitch as well, old Hulda at the tavern had given him a free room, the elder Alesky and the rest of the villagers had helped Yennefer keep him alive after his fight with the Alp. They had showered him with flowers, coin, gifts of all kinds for saving the village from the beast.

He had turned them all down of course, returning the coin to Alesky, saying to distribute it amongst the less wealthy of the town, which only served to get him more handshakes and thank yous as he left the village with Yen that day. It had been a surprise to him then, seeing such a peaceful village, so untouched by the horrors the war had wrought. The village itself was so small and remote, that it didn't even appear on some Temarian maps, and Alesky had to travel all the way to Tretogor where Dominik was at the time for help. Everyone had been kind, helped him how they could in his investigation, and it had the kind of place he could see himself, and now Ciri retiring to one day, away from all the pressures and worries of the world. It was a place he was looking forward to going back too with her one day, promising Mikel, Danara and the villagers he'd come back, to get his Law of Surprise, which he was sure had to be an extra bumper crop, or perhaps an extra bag of coins Mikel had figured out he got for his promotion. And he swore he'd do it with Ciri, however, as he gently ran his hands over the parchment, he wondered what they could possibly be contacting him for.

Ciri next to him looked up with an amused smile, "Ha… well are you going to open it, or leave me in suspense?"

He laughed lightly and looked down again, unfolding the letter and finding a few paragraphs of the scribbled handwriting, sure enough with his name at the top. Looking up he saw Yennefer and Geralt as well as Ciri all looking at him expectantly, so he cleared his throat and read the letter aloud.

_To, Dominik of Cintra. _

_ Dominik, I hope that this letter has found its way into your hands. I do hope that you remember us here at Claywitch, for we are still eternally grateful for your aid, saving our village from the beast that haunted us. Again I hope this letter can find you in a timely manner, seeing as it we have no way of knowing exactly where you are. After seeing in your last visit, that your mother was indeed Yennefer of Vengerberg, the sorceress from the great ballads, we decided to attempt to get this letter into the hands of the poet Master Dandelion, in hopes that if he knew the sorceress, he would know you as well, and be able to get this letter to you. _

_ You have already done so much for us my friend, and as mentioned above we are still eternally grateful for saving us from the vampire that hunted us. And I also understand when last you departed, you said you were on a quest to find your lost love. I do hope your quest was a success, wanted to let you know my offer of gwent and wine with you and your love, from Danara and I still stands. However, I am sorry my friend, I write this letter with a heavy heart, as me, Danara, and the rest of Claywitch, must beg you for your aid once again. _

_ I understand you are a witcher, a monster hunter, but we have exhausted every option. No army will travel to aid us, we wish not to travel to Novigrad for aid, fearing for the safety of our non-human brothers and sisters living in the village. A group of thieves, bandits, have been raiding and raping our village since a few weeks after your departure. They come every other week, stealing more and more of the stores of grain and food we have, and worst of all, each time they kidnap one woman, they kill anyone who tries to resist, and have already burned multiple of our fields. With the winter fast approaching, we fear for how we will survive if the band and their leader continue to take from us, we will have nothing left if this continues. _

_ As I stated, we have exhausted every option, gone to everyone we could for aid because I knew I could see how important your quest was too you. I, and the rest of us didn't wish to tare you away from your journey, but now I fear my friend, I must beg for your aid. We know not where else to turn, so I am begging you now Dominik of Cintra, to please come to our aid once again, for you may be our only hope. I know you are one man, but never have I met a braver one. No matter what you decide my friend, a good life to you from all in Claywitch, and know that no matter what fate befits us, you will always have a home amongst this village. _

_ Good health to you as always my friend, Mikel. _

_P.S: If you do come, I once promised you the Law of Surprise, and now, it is finally ready for you to come and collect._

Dominik's eyes continued to widen as he slowly looked up to meet the eyes of his parents and Ciri. His heart nearly leaped out of his throat, as the words rang over and over in his head. The people of that village were good, honest folk, ones who had saved his life as well unknowingly. If not for him going to Claywitch, if not for that contract, he wouldn't be in the situation he was now. They were kind, peaceful, and the thought of a group of raiders coming and destroying that peaceful, loving place he had been twisted his gut and made his stomach churn. He breathlessly scoffed as he looked down at the letter and looked down to see Ciri just as surprised as him, but she quickly met his eyes and nodded. As she did, Dominik wanted desperately to kiss her on the spot, because he knew what that simple head nod meant, it was that unspoken language they had developed, that understanding of one another that made him know what she was trying to say.

She was telling him they could go. He knew that her, and everyone at the Chameleon was focused on their mission to go and defeat the Hunt. Claywitch was a day and a half, perhaps two days if they left early and rode at a decent pace. Going there and back, it would take about four- or five-days total, depending on what they did once they got there. However, Dominik locked eyes with Ciri again, and yet again she nodded reassuringly, reaching over and holding onto both his hands. She was thinking the same thing that he was he knew, and he loved her even more for it.

The people of Claywitch were helpless, they couldn't defend themselves like they needed to protect against a group of violent raiders. And this was exactly what Ciri and he had trained for, to be able to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Protect those who couldn't half-turn and pirouette, to be strong enough to stand up to the injustices that they saw, and not simply stand by. Geralt had always taught them the value of neutrality, and Dominik knew the theory had merit, however, Ciri and he were never able to abide by it. They had sworn to never be neutral, never be indifferent when they saw injustice like this. She smiled up at him, and Dominik felt his heart race out of his chest, she nodded quickly at him, and then turned back over to Geralt and Yennefer with the letter in his hands, the fire crackling in his ears.

"I… I need to go and help them, they saved my life, their good people I can't just leave them like this," He said firmly, as right away he saw the both of them smile.

Yen chuckled lightly, "Ha… I knew you'd say that."

"Yeah, so did I… proud of you," Geralt said with a fond smile, and Dominik right away felt his heart fill up again.

He slowly nodded and looked at them both, "I… I know we're in the middle of something but… will you come with me?"

Yen sighed and came up to him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. Dominik smelled the lilac and gooseberries as he hugged her back, before his adopted mother pulled back, a proud smile on her face she kissed his cheek and met his eyes.

"I'm sorry darling, but I can't… I need to make sure we gather the rest of the sorceresses, plus Ida and Keira will be arriving soon, I must be here to explain things to them," She said sadly, giving him a reassuring nod however, "But I know you'll be alright, like Geralt said… I'm so, so proud of you."

"Yeah, what she said," Geralt told him quickly, sighing and shaking his head, "I'm sorry Dom but… don't think I can go with you either. Avallac'h was already breathing down my neck soon as we got back, and somebody needs to stay and help Yen and Triss… but I don't exactly think you'll be alone."

Yennefer smiled broadly as well, and they both looked over to Ciri, as Dominik did as well. He was disappointed of course that neither of his adopted parents could come, but when he looked at Ciri smirking up at him, he found himself breathlessly laughing as he slowly shook his head. She had the most confident look in her eyes as the fire crackled and lit her already shining eyes. Dominik knew that all of this was for her, their plans to beat back the Hunt, yes the continent would be safe as well, but for him, and he knew Yennefer and Geralt as well, they were fighting to free her, make sure she can live her life the way she wanted. That was why they were fighting, and why defeating Eredin was so important, it was for Ciri.

And now, Dominik was asking them to take almost a week out of their plans, to travel out in the open, exposed to any attack, to go and protect a village from bandits. A large part of him felt extremely guilty for asking, feeling like it was selfish of him to pull her away from everything then, from the mission to keep her safe, to put her in more possible danger by bringing her with him. He would truly have gone by himself, gone to try and save the village himself if she had said she didn't want too, or felt like she couldn't. However, when he met her eyes, he could even see excitement building up inside of them. His ring gently bounced around her neck against her chest, and he felt the swallow around his, he could see the wolf tattoo on her wrist, each were promises, promises to always be there, and after so long apart, there was no chance he knew, that either of them would break that promise again.

"I… know that we're in the middle of something," He said to her, rubbing the back of his head, but smiling down and meeting her eyes, "But Ciri… will you-."

"Of course I will," She said with a small laugh, leaning up and kissing his cheek quickly, before pulling back looking at him with her hands on her hips, "Stupid question. Where you go I go, remember?"

He laughed lightly, and nodded feeling his face flustering, "Ha… yeah, but Ciri are you sure? It could be dangerous for you to be out in the open like this."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smile, "You kidding? There's no way I'm going to let you do this alone. You'd do the same for me, we promised to be there for each other…. Besides, who's gonna keep you from dying when all those bandits come?"

He felt himself breathlessly laugh, as he looked over to an absolutely elated Geralt and Yennefer, who smiled broadly at them both. Dominik felt his own excitement begin to rise, he adored some of the people he met in Claywitch, and the idea of returning there, to where it all started with Ciri, it brought an even larger smile to his face. It had felt like months prior that he was in Claywitch, thinking that Yen and Geralt were dead, Ciri all but out of his reach, and now, he was returning there with her at his side, it seemed poetic in a way. He also knew a group of bandits, no matter if they were larger or not, wouldn't stand a chance against Ciri and he. Between her own powers and his, the trust they had in each other, their knowledge and skill, it wouldn't be a problem, and they truly would be back.

It also was going to be the first time they traveled out on the road together alone, and Dominik took it as a preview of what was to come afterwards, after everything was over. She kept smiling up at him, the light from the fire reflecting off the ring on her neck, as her eyes beamed at him. He felt the gaze wash over him as she winked at him, and he breathlessly laughed again, turning back around to Geralt and Yen. Ciri came up next to him, and the four of them all stood together in front of the fire, as Dominik felt himself unable to stop smiling. Finally he laughed again and nodded at Ciri.

"Thanks princess…" He said fondly, as she nodded at him, before he turned and looked at Geralt and Yennefer both, "So Claywitch isn't too far, if we leave early tomorrow we should be back in a few-."

"Absolutely not!" An irritated voice rang, as Dominik heard footsteps creep up behind them both.

All four of them whirled around to see Avallac'h had finally decided to come down from his room. The sage wore his normal robes, his balding head of grey hair blew back in the small breeze that shot through bottom floor. Dominik felt his incredibly good mood, the absolute elation he felt all suck out of him, and it was replaced by a seething anger at the sage's tone, and the look he gave all four of them. He looked down to Ciri next to him, and usually when Avallac'h and the rest of them argued, she'd try to keep a neutral tone, a calm face. However, in that moment as the sage stomped towards them, he saw her face twist in anger.

Avallac'h crossed his arms and looked at them all, "There is no way that I am allowing you to go on some ridiculous quest! We have far more important things to worry about then a pathetic little village, Gwynbleidd, you and Zireael, have already ignored my summons!"

Geralt shrugged his shoulders, "Feel free to take offense, but after traveling and being on the road for a week, you were the last person I wanted to spend time with. Had more important things I needed to do."

"More important then helping assure Eredin's defeat!?" The elf snapped at the older witcher.

"If it meant spending an extended period of time with you… well yeah I think it could wait," Geralt said in a dry sarcastic tone, almost making Dominik laugh despite his anger.

Avallac'h scoffed and shook his head in disgust, "I grow tired of your childish insults. But my point stands! We have no time for this ridiculous little quest, I will not allow it!"

The elf turned his gaze to Dominik, getting a few inches away from him now. Dominik felt his brain erupt, for the previous few weeks he hadn't had to see the elf, with them agreeing mutually to ignore one another, he had had a great time. However, all the anger, the annoyance he had felt towards the sage seemed to come up in that minute.

"First off, I thought I made it perfectly clear when we met, you may think you're all high and mighty, ordering us all around," Dominik said darkly, taking another step towards the elf, "But don't you DARE think for a second I take orders from you!"

Avallac'h shook his head, "I've done my best to avoid you and your childish insolence boy, but now you threaten to throw away all our progress to play hero and save some repugnant little village!"

"Those people saved my fucking life! I know you don't have any, but try having some fucking sympathy," He erupted towards the sage, shaking his head and crossing his arms, "We're going, whether you like it or not, you can try to stop me, but it won't end well for you!"

The sage sneered and shook his head, "BAH, do whatever you wish boy! In fact I advise you to foolishly go and throw your life away, I care not what happens to you, but Zireael STAYS!"

"HER NAME IS FUCKING CIRI," He felt himself snap, feeling his fist ball next to him.

The sage met his gaze with equal fury, "I will call her whatever I wish boy! I am the reason she lives now; she is not going-."

"I am NOT your property," Ciri finally erupted from next to him, as she stomped in front of him, her gaze furiously on Avallac'h, "I'm not your page, or you dog so don't your DARE treat me as such! You don't order me around; you don't tell me what to do!?"

Avallac'h was taken aback for a moment, but soon shook his head with a scoff, "You should watch your tone Zireael! You owe your life to me, if not for me your powers would have killed you or led you to Eredin long ago, you should be on your knees thanking me!"

"THANKING YOU!?" Ciri screamed at the sage, stomping up and pointing furiously at the elf, "You should be thanking ME, that I even deign to be in the same room as you after what you did! The fact I trust you, traveled with you, let you anywhere near me, is a privilege you should be thanking ME for! So, I'm going to Claywitch with Dominik, like he said, you can try to stop us, but it won't end well for you!"

Dominik felt his eyes widen at hearing his words, he looked over at Geralt and Yennefer for an explanation, but they both seemed just as miffed as he was. He had very rarely ever seen Ciri speak with such a fury, and he couldn't figure out what she was referring too, but Avallac'h clearly knew, because the sage went silent as he stepped back from her. Dominik heard Eredin's voice echo in his ears. _"Cirilla my dear…you know he never had any intention on letting you leave… the same as I." "Zireael… have you not told the man you claim to love… what Avallac'h made you do?". _During the battle Dominik hadn't thought of the words of course, with him wanting to focus on his fight with Eredin, but in the past weeks he had certainly thought on them more. He knew that whatever it was Avallac'h had done to her, it wasn't good, and Dominik while not wanting to press her to tell him, thought it perhaps better that he didn't know.

Because he could see the wondering look on Geralt and Yennefer's face as well, and if the three of them found out, Dominik had no doubt, that the elf would be reduced to a pile of nothing but bloody rags. They needed his help now, it was crucial for their fight against the Hunt, and while Dominik knew he'd have to confront the sage eventually, for now, they needed him around, so he thought that maybe it was best he, Geralt and Yennefer didn't know. Avallac'h clearly saw what Ciri was saying, and was angered even more by it, because with a disgusted shake of his head, the sage turned with his flapping robes and went back up the steps. The elf's footsteps echoed, and Dominik saw Ciri in front of him, her fists shaking in anger as she turned back to the three of them, her eyes practically small balls of fire in her eye sockets.

She let out a shaky sigh, meeting his eyes, "How many days away is Claywitch?"

Dominik slowly nodded, "About two days, maybe a day and a half, if we leave early and ride at a decent pace. Ciri… are you alright?"

"I'm fine… I'm sorry I just.. can't believe the nerve of him! Fuck… I… I need to go get changed, I'll see you upstairs," She said quickly, leaning up and kissing his lips, before meeting Yen and Geralt's eyes for a moment before she stormed up the steps as well.

After her footsteps receded Dominik let out a long shaky breath, turning to see Geralt and Yennefer both looking at him. None of them knew what to say, but Dominik knew what they were all thinking. They all wanted to know what Avallac'h had done, but at the same time none of them did, because if they did, it could jeopardize the mission they were on. However, Dominik did his best to push the thoughts from his mind, he had another quest that he needed to go on now, one to save an entire village of innocents, people he knew and wanted to keep safe. Slowly he shook his head, sighing as he reached around to grab the swallow around his neck.

"Dominik darling… you should probably go and talk to her," Yen said quickly behind him.

Geralt nodded in agreement, "Yeah, don't think I've seen her that mad in a while. Go on, Yen and I will pack some stuff for you and meet up with you both before you leave."

"Are… you sure you'll be okay without us here?" Dominik asked them both, and Yennefer quickly came over and hugged him again.

She pulled back from him and met his gaze, her violet eyes reassuring as they always were.

"We will darling don't worry about us," She said with a confident nod, as she gestured towards the stairs, "Just make sure you two watch each other's backs like you always do. Help the villagers and come back to us understand?"

He nodded at them both, "Understood… I'll see you both in the morning."

Both of his adopted parents nodded, and Dominik quickly turned back to the steps. He stepped two at a time, wanting to rush to their room, hating the last distraught look he saw on Ciri's face. He didn't know if she would be particularly in the mood to make love anymore, but he didn't care at that point.

He wasn't going to let the perfect day they had together end like that.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"The nerve of that arrogant prick, can you fucking believe him!?" She spat out as she met his eyes a minute after he entered the room.

He scoffed lightly as he undid the straps of his swords, "Well… I can actually, perfectly on par with how he's been acting…. Been telling you this for weeks."

"If you say I told you so right now, I'm going to slap you I swear," She said angrily, as Dominik quickly widened his eyes as he saw the fire in her emerald eyes.

He was taken aback a moment by her anger, and right away shut his mouth. He had come up to find her furiously undressing herself, as the candles in their roomed burned lightly along with the light from the moon as well. She had taken off her sword, her corset, boots and gloved, and was in the process of stepping out of her trousers. He didn't take the moment to admire her legs and lower half, as all he was worried about was the anger that seethed in her eyes. He looked over at her as he started to undo the straps of his armor as well. All she had on now was her top that went down just past her breasts, above her toned stomach. As he finally managed to get the top of his armor off and set it down near their dresser, he pulled off his gloves, and stepped out of his boots, leaving on his trousers and white top. He didn't know what to say, as she whirled back around to him. It had been such a long time since he had seen her this angry, and it seemed if she had truly been trying to use the sage as well, her anger finally boiled over.

While he wasn't upset in the slightest that she finally saw Avallac'h was using her, he could see how unnerved it was making her. She was more then likely thinking about whatever it was that Avallac'h had made her do, the mystery that Dominik both wanted and didn't want to know at the same time. However, seeing how it clearly was affecting her, he was tempted to go kill the sage for it then and there, however nothing was more important to him then, then seeing that smile she had all day come back. He could see how anxious even thinking about it was making her, he could practically see her skin crawling, as she leaned forward on the dresser, gently pulling the hair from her bun, as she slipped off her top as well. She slowly shook her head and shakily sighed.

"The nerve of him… the fucking nerve…" She said slowly, as Dominik saw her fiercely close her eyes.

He didn't know what it was that had happened, but all he did know, was that she was hurting, and after seeing her so genuinely elated the entire day, he wanted to do all he ever wanted his whole life. Dominik wanted to make her smile, to make her happy, to have that smile come back to her. Normally he would try to talk to her, but for the first time, he genuinely didn't know what to say to her, he was afraid if he did, he'd come off as judging her, bragging that he was right about the sage and degrading her, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. Slowly he reached his hands up to his neck, and gripped around the swallow, as she stood in front of him, nothing but her knickers, and the black laced bra she wore, her ashen locks cascaded down her back.

So Dominik went over to her, and when his hand gently rested at the base of her back, she shuddered and slowly turned. He looked down and met her eyes, and in them, he saw the anxiousness, the horror, and the anger, all of them were welled up in her green iris's, and it was the worst thing Dominik had ever seen, after just seeing the mood she was in. The day they had, the closest thing to a perfect day they'd have in quite some time, it couldn't end like that, he needed to do something, and as he bit his lip, feeling goosebumps run up his skin as well, he knew what he could do.

She sighed shakily and shook her head, meeting his gaze she rested her hands on his chest, "I'm sorry I snapped at you… I didn't mean it. We… we just had such a great day, and… and we had plans and to have him come and-."

He cut her off by kissing her, putting every bit of raw emotion and passion into as he could. He kissed her fiercely, and right away reached his arms down, wrapping them under he thighs and picking her up. She moaned and melted into him right away, shuddering as he gripped on her ass as well, lifting her up and sitting her on the dresser, her back going up against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He felt his crotch rub up against her entrance under her knickers, her womanhood was warm, and when his cock rubbed up against it, they stayed locked in that deep kiss, her tongue even slowly went along his lips, and right away she shuddered, and moaned as he did feeling his cock against her entrance. She reached down to the hem of his shirt, moaning out as he kissed along the side of her jaw, to her neck as he pulled her closer to him while she sat up on the dresser, her legs staying wrapped around him.

She pulled his shirt up, and let his lips leave her neck for a second, she tossed his shirt to the side, and brought his head back to hers. Smashing her lips to his again he moaned, when he felt her kiss him with more then he had ever felt, her lips moved with his as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, before her hands trailed down his now bare chest, to the hem of his trousers, where as Dominik kissed down to her neck again, her long ashen locks coming into his face, she untied them, and he felt them fall to the floor. While not moving his lips from her neck, while listening to her moan his name he kicked his trousers to the other side of the room, feeling a gently breeze from the cracked window run over his now bare body, as all he wore were his white undergarments, and while one of her hands gently explored his chest and torso, the other went to grip the back of his head, she gingerly grabbed a handful of his brown hair, as he kissed up her neck again.

"Gods… gods.. Dom… Dominik I… I … gods…" She moaned out, as he gently bit down on her neck, before kissing up her jaw again, gently biting her earlobe.

Her grip on his hair tightened, as Dominik's grip around her waist tightened, pulling her as close to him as he could, feeling her womanhood rub against him still, making her moan louder, moan his name as she slowly kissed back to his lips, locking them again for a moment, before he kissed down the middle of her neck, towards her chest, and she shuddered loudly, when he kissed and sucked down to the bottom of her throat.

"Dominik… Dominik gods, I… I don't… I don't know what… what's gotten into you but… but I think I like it," She moaned out, as he slowly kissed up her neck again, moaning the entire time she gripped harder on his hair.

He felt his desire beginning to grow, for so long he had wanted her, from the very beginning it was always going to be her. It was him and Ciri against everyone, he loved her unequivocally, and all he wanted was for her to not feel that pain, that anxiousness she was feeling anymore, so he planted a long, lingering kiss, sucking and gently biting under her neck one more time, she moaned loudly again, before he silenced her with another kiss.

"I… I had to make you feel better…" He said, as he gently brought his forehead up to rest against hers, both of them bore their eyes into one another, breathing heavily, as Dominik could see the anxiousness gone, replaced with a mixture of fierce desire and love. Slowly he shook his head and gently kissed her lips again, "I… I love you… I… just wanted to make you feel better. Ciri I… I want you."

And upon hearing that, it was if she shuddered in his arms then. She gingerly looked up at him, and she fiercely bit her lip. Meeting his gaze, she leaned forward, kissing him again.

"Dominik I… I don't know if… if I want to do… to do all that tonight," She said breathlessly, with a small shake of her head, "I… I just can't stop thinking about-."

"Shh… it's okay, it's okay," He said quickly, cutting her off with a kiss again, feeling his body tingle again as he slowly shook his head, "We can just go to bed, we don't have too-."

It was her turn to cut him off with a kiss, she slammed her lips back onto his, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, nearly knocking him back. He kept his arms around her, and as he slammed their lips to one another, he picked her up off the dresser, and managed to turn them towards the bed. He moaned as she did into their kiss again, as he felt his body kick into overdrive. As gently as he could he laid her down, his lips left hers for a moment as her head leaned back onto their pillows, but quickly she reached her hands back around his neck and pulled his lips to hers again. He laid on top of her, gently running one hand down her torso, he gently ran it down her leg, squeezing her ass to make her moan, as he felt her move her womanhood against his crotch again. He moaned into her lips, as she planted one more long, lingering kiss on his lips, gently pulling back from him.

For a few moments they both breathlessly looked at one another, he could see the desire filling her eyes, and felt it boil up inside himself like a hot fire. The gaze was fierce, and he felt both her hands slowly come to hold on the sides of his face. He saw her gaze fill up with anxiousness again, a small bit of sadness and he almost felt himself cry, before she slowly shook her head, and a broad smile came to her face. She bit her lip, and he felt his cock twitch as it was up against her entrance, as she gently pulled her lips inches from his.

"But… but Dominik please… kiss me, kiss me like you never have," She said, looking and meeting his eyes again, "Make… make me feel good please… please make it go away…"

He didn't even ask what it was 'it' was because it didn't matter then. All that did, was that it was causing her to feel that way. So before she could even say anything else, he planted a long kiss on her lips, before kissing down her neck again. She moaned out loudly, holding both her hands on the back of his head, as if she never wanted his lips to leave her skin. One hand however, reached down, and pulled her bra down lower on her chest, as both of her breasts came free just as he got to the bottom of her throat. She moaned particularly loud when he did, as he got down closer to her chest, using one hand to steady himself, the other roaming up her leg.

Between her breasts he planted a longer kiss, letting his tongue flick over the sides of them, as he slowly went to kiss over to one of them, near her nipple, as she moaned louder, and he felt her grip on the back of his hair tighten.

"Dominik… please… please don't-. GODS… yes… gods Dominik," She moaned louder, as he kissed her nipple flicking his tongue over one, before doing the same to her other.

Her hands buried into the back of his head, as he continued to kiss them both, not daring to stop, not daring to stop until she wanted him too. He felt his own body erupt, feeling her nails slightly rake into his head, sending tingles down his body while she pulled on his hair. She held his head in place, between both of her breasts as he kissed her.

"I… I love you… gods… gods I love you…. Dominik… don't… don't stop gods," She moaned loudly again, as her grip finally loosened, and he kissed lower.

As his lips kissed down her torso, he could feel her back arching, arching as he got closer to her entrance, and with every kiss he planted, she moaned and bucked her waist forward slightly. He was almost tempted to laugh, as he felt himself completely turned on, ready to anything to pleasure her as much as he possibly could, wanting her to enjoy every last second like he was. He stopped at one of her scars, just above her waist, near the hem of her knickers, and planted a longer kiss on it, gently biting down, and she bucked her hips forward.

"GODS… Dominik stop… stop teasing me you ass, please… please don't stop," She moaned out, as he did breathlessly laugh, before kissing down her thigh again, gently moving his head between them both.

It was the exact same position they had been in at the cave, he noticed the rose tattoo on her thigh again, but didn't dare say anything, as he didn't pay it no mind. That tattoo meant nothing, as she gripped fiercely to his hair, he looked up as he kissed her inner left thigh, seeing the wolf tattooed on her inner wrist. She was his, and he was hers, that's what mattered, nothing else did anymore, and as he saw it, he found himself kissing her inner thighs with new force. He gently bit down, and she moaned out squeezing her thighs again as they shuddered. Almost laughing again, he felt her slender legs drape down over his shoulders as he kissed closer to her entrance, and she began to melt as he held onto both her legs.

"Ohhh… yes… yes gods…I love you… I love you so much… Dominik… Dominik please- GODS, YES… Dominik…" She yelped out, louder then she had before, as he kissed her a mere inch from her core, just near where the strap of her knickers covered her womanhood.

He could feel the heat from it, and he tried to look up at her for some reassurance, but he couldn't even get his head up she was gripping the back of his hair so hard. He did manage to see one of her hands on her breasts, as her back was slightly arc, awaiting the pleasure, and seeing it, hearing her lightly moan finally spurred him on. He took one of his hands, and moved her knickers out of the way, and when he first kissed at the top of the entrance, felt the wetness of her womanhood hit his lips, she melted.

"Ohhhhh…. Gods, gods, don't… don't stop, please ohhh, oh god… Dominik gods I… I love you, ohhh…." She shuddered, as Dominik felt her squeezing his hair with new fierceness.

Even with his hair being pulled, he felt himself unable to stop, hearing her moan only made him move his tongue, his lips over her womanhood even faster, while keeping it as gentle as he could. She was warm, wet, and Dominik nearly felt himself melt into her as well, as her moans filled his ears, louder then he had ever made her before. Her thighs squeezed harder against his head, her back arched as she moaned, and he felt her hands quivering as she yanked on his hair. He loved every single second, he loved making her feel that way, giving her such pleasure and euphoria. It led him even further, he got towards her entrance between her folds, and his tongue darted inside her for a moment, he felt her walls and Ciri almost yanked his hair out as she nearly yelled.

"GODS! GODS DOMINIK… GODS PLEASE… please don't stop, I love you… gods I love you so much, fuck… fucking fuck, GODS!" She yelled out again, as his tongue hit her walls, before he started kissing her folds again.

Both of her hands gripped yanked on his hair, not daring to let his mouth leave her entrance, and Dominik responded by kissing and gently moving his tongue over her, and never in his life had he felt such pleasure run through himself as well, every single second he heard her moan, every single second he was pleasuring her womanhood then, it only made him love and want her even more. He dug his lips deeper into her folds, gripping on her thighs that were around his head, while she moaned even louder, her hand caressing her own breast as he the other shuddered and yanked at his hair. Soon, he felt her very core trembling, her hips bucked up, and she pushed her entrance even deeper into his mouth as his tongue entered her again, and finally he felt her entire body shuddered and quiver beneath him.

"DOMINIK! Dom… Dom… fuck… fucking gods, gods that… that feels so fucking… GODS, Dominik I'm… I'm going to, FUCK, FUCKING GODS YES," She yelled out again, moaning even louder her felt her core quiver violently along with the hand holding the back of his hair as she climaxed.

He could feel it as he gently kissed her entrance again, and this time when she did, he felt goosebumps run up her leg, as he felt her hand get limp behind his head. Being able to move his head again, he looked up, and was breathlessly as he saw her looking down at him, her eyes quickly blinking as her body was caked in sweat, her legs still gently quivering over his shoulders, as he saw the ring rise and fall quickly with her chest. He breathlessly laughed at her, and finally, finally he saw that elated look come back to her face, that look of pure joy and euphoria. He had done it, he had brought that look back to her face, made her feel good, made her happy again, and in the process he felt even closer to her, more intimate as he saw her breathlessly laugh as well, shaking her head at him.

"Ha… gods… gods Dominik that… that… wow…" She said with a small shake of her head again, as she even giggled, "Come… come here and-. OHHH GODS, GODS!"

He had quickly leaned his head back down, kissing her dripping womanhood again, and she yelped, her hand shooting to her breasts, before she scoffed out, and looked down at him again, the firelight from their almost dead candle hitting her sweating face.

"Gods you… you ass… I… I love you…. Come… come kiss me you… you stupid boy," She said, stuttering as she did, the smile not leaving her face.

He laughed breathlessly as well, "Well.. technically… I… I just did."

"Ass… you… you're such an ass," She said with the smile not leaving her, as she bit her lip, and met his emerald gaze with her own, "Come… come kiss me, and… and hold me for a bit."

"Always…" He said, feeling his breathing finally return to him, as he slowly climbed back up the bed.

As he did, Ciri who's legs were still trembling, moved the blanket out from under them. He felt his own bare legs slightly shaking, feeling a small laugh come from him as well, his lips were still wet, he heard Ciri's moans echoing in his ears, and as he finally pulled up next to her, and she pulled the blanket over them, he saw the smile. That smile he loved more then anything in the world, the smile she had from the incredible day they experienced together. He had managed to save it, and in doing so, pleasured her, made her forget whatever painful memory it was she was remembering. And even if he didn't climax himself like she had, he didn't particularly care, he had waited twenty two years, he could wait longer, seeing the elated, breathlessly smile as she snuggled closer to him under the blanket, it was better than anything he could have asked.

He saw how exhausted she was, sweat trickled down her chest, her neck, her forehead. The ring around her neck quickly rose and fell with her chest, as she playfully giggled, reaching her arms around his neck and pulling him to her. They laid there facing one another, and Dominik had never felt his heart more at peace, he wrapped his arms around her waist under the warm blanket, seeing her emerald iris's shining with delight. She laughed breathlessly at him again, and quickly leaned her lips in, kissing him again with everything she had, but this time it was gentle and sweet. Dominik felt her breasts up against his chest, as he gently moved his lips with hers, feeling the small electric sparks still running down his body.

After a few moments, he felt her lips slowly leave his, as she looked smiling up at him, the candlelight, and moonlight from the window illuminating her loving eyes.

"Gods… Dominik that… that, was… that was wonderful… gods I… I love you," She said breathlessly, her eyes not leaving his.

He chuckled and slowly nodded, "Ha… I just needed to make you feel better. I've… never done that before, I hope that I well… was okay."

She scoffed and laughed, nodding almost eagerly, "Ha, Dominik, I promise… you… you were fantastic…. I'm… I'm sorry that well… I didn't make you-."

"Shh, it's okay… seeing you like this? Seeing you smile again… it's all I need," He said slowly, as her face got slightly red, and seeing the opportunity he smirked, gently moving strands of her loose ashen locks, "But… if you feel the need to jump my bones while we're on the road, feel free to do so at any time."

Ciri smirked and leaned up near his ear, planting a kiss on his earlobe, "Oh… you can be sure that I will."

He felt himself go stiff, and Ciri laughed hysterically right away. Soon as the sound of her beautiful laugh hit his ears, he found himself able to smile as she continued to laugh in his arms. As she did, she slowly looked back to his eyes, biting her lip before she leaned over and quickly kissed him, shaking her head with a small scoff.

"But… but gods you're sweet…. I love you… thank you… I… I haven't felt like that in well… well forever. No…nobody has ever made me feel like that," She said gently as she didn't leave his gaze, before she bit her lips and winked at him, "I… wouldn't object to you know… staying up a little late during our few days on the road, maybe a preview of what's to come?"

Dominik managed a laugh as he held her. Ciri aimlessly drifted her hand up and down his chest and torso, as he looked down to smile at her.

"Ha… it is… thank you… thank you again for coming with me. It… means more then you know," He said, leaning down and kissing her forehead, before looking back at her.

She nodded as she yawned, snuggling her head into his shoulder, "Of course… we're a team, the two of us. And besides, what kind of girlfriend let's their boyfriend run off and fight a group of bandits by themselves without offering to help themselves?"

"Ha… most girlfriend's I would assume," He said as he felt her lean and bury her head into his shoulder and yawn again.

She yawned and kissed the side of his neck, "Well… I guess I'm just not like other girls then."

"You aren't… it's one of the many things I love about you," He said to her, as she tiredly laughed, reaching and resting her hand on his chest.

"You suck up… I love you, a lot," She said in a sleepy voice, as she yawned again, "We should probably get some sleep, got a big day tomorrow we do."

He slowly nodded, leaning and kissing her head, "You're right we do. Goodnight princess, see you in the morning… I love you."

And when he saw that smile broadly appear on her face, as she snuggled into his shoulder and gently closed her eyes, Dominik knew, just as Geralt did on that mountaintop with Yennefer, that he was truly, truly, where he was meant to always be.

**A/N: And just as we get to Novigrad ladies and gentlemen, we have the beginning of a new and exciting arc next chapter! As I said in the last AN, the next two of three chapters, are all part of the arc, 'Return to Claywitch', where Dominik and Ciri both go and try to save Claywitch once again! I am SO excited for it, and I cannot wait for you all to see, I saw this about a lot of arcs, but this is going to be possibly the biggest of the book, so MAKE SURE you stay tuned haha. But first, let's talk about this chapter!**

**The main points come at the beginning and end of the chapter, as the middle if a giant calming chapters of some father/son/daughter bonding. I loved writing these parts, having Dominik, Geralt and Ciri all interact. We get some funny lines, a few moments of bonding, and I can't say enough how much I love writing these scenes. After so many grueling years apart, the three are back together, after so much running around and searching at the start of this book, they're finally together and I love it. **

**Now however, the main points come at the beginning and end of the chapter. The dream Dominik has at the beginning, is similar to the one he had of the girl in Skellige all the way back in chapter 28! Drop all your theories in a review to let me know who you think the girl in this dream is, and also we will FINALLY be figuring out who that girl from Skellige was soon! **

**And also at the end, Ciri finally looses it with Avallac'h. Now, I've said in previous AN's and anybody who's talked witcher with me, knows that to me the Witcher 3 is the greatest game ever made, but one problem I've always had with the game is Avallac'h. I can't stand how in the game, Ciri basically seems to worship the ground he walks on, and is so, so desperate to impress him. I've spoiled it in this story, but Avallac'h in the books along with Eredin literally forced Ciri to try and have a child with the Aen Elle King Auberon, and for months Ciri was forced to try and have sex with this old king, all while being verbally and emotionally abused, and she KNOWS it was Avallach and Eredin who made her. Avallac'h also lied to her when he told her in the books she could go back to her world if she did have a kid with Auberon, when he really had no intention on letting her leave. Ciri KNOWS this, when she was escaping in the books Eredin tells her Avallac'h and he were never going to let her go. **

**So, there is NO WAY IN HELL, that Ciri would ever trust Avallac'h like she does in the games, no matter what he did for her, and if she did even agree to travel with him, it would only be to survive, and she certainly wouldn't seem to worship and want to impress him like she does in the games! Especially at the end, when he basically opens the portal to the white frost, and gives her no choice in the matter of going to face it, basically giving her the option of doing it, or letting her world perish. **

**So, in my story, she's going to treat Avallac'h as I believe book Ciri would xD**

**We see her finally confront the elf for his obsessive behavior, and we get closer and closer to the truth of what Avallac'h did coming out…. And I can't wait to write more about all of this and show you what I have planned. **

**After that, the final scene is finally an intimate moment between Dominik and Ciri. Now, in this story, they're going to have sex as I'm sure most of you can tell, but it will only be a handful of times. In future stories they'll do it more, as obviously they've been together even longer. There'll be times when its more playful, and quick, and then there will be moments like this one, when it's slower, more romantic and meaningful. I don't want it to be sex just for sex's sake if that makes sense xD I want these scenes to mean something, like it did here, even though it wasn't full on sex, it still meant something and served a purpose. **

**SO, next chapter Dominik and Ciri will arrive in Claywitch! I want to explain here, the events that will happen in Novigrad while Dominik and Ciri are gone are such. Geralt will travel with Avallac'h to Tir'Nala to assure their neutrality. Geralt will also help Triss find Phillipa Eilhart, and Yen find Margarita. Also, Geralt will take part in Radovid's assassination, I know I have Adda in this story, but her and Elise obviously won't be directly involved in this. All these moments will happen the same as they do in the game, so I thought it'd be good to have them occur while Dominik and Ciri are gone.**

**However, this means when Dominik and Ciri get back, we'll finally get to see Dominik interact with the full Lodge of Sorceresses, and Ciri as well. Also, it means we'll have a new Queen of Redania, and I can say for sure, we'll be seeing the new Queen at least once more in this story. Queen Adda will play a huge role in "The Great Northern Gambit: The First Push" the short story I plan on writing after this, that is half sequel, half short-story xD**

**Now as usual, I want to thank you all so much again, we are over 200 followers and it's just absolutely baffling to me… the Instagram page I have for this story which is dominik_of_cintra is also getting more steam, and I can't thank you all enough, I hope I continue to be able to entertain you all!**

**Also, MORE fanart will soon be posted over on Instagram once again that is dominik_of_cintra go there to see the new fanart, I am super excited for it!**

**That's enough for this AN I've rambled enough haha! As always, thank you so much for reading, review if you have the time, follow so you don't miss an update, stay safe everyone, and I will see you all next time!**


	73. Return to Claywitch

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 73: Return to Claywitch**

**Narrator: After the Battle of Kaer Morhen and recovering at the witcher fortress, Dominik, Ciri, and Geralt along with their friends all finally set out to bring the fight back to the Wild Hunt, to save not only Ciri but the entire continent from invasion. Ciri, Dominik, and Geralt however, made a pit-stop in Velen, at Bald Mountain. The three fought and slew all three of the evil witches of Crookback Bog, bringing their bloody reign over Velen to an end. After this, Geralt dueled Imlerith, Eredin's top general. After Dominik and Ciri came to help, the three used their combined might to slay the general and make their trip to Velen a success. After this, they returned to Novigrad to be reunited with Yennefer and their friends. Before beginning more work to prepare for the final fight against the Hunt, Dominik, Geralt and Ciri all took some time to spend together, having one day before they knew the hard work would begin. That night after that glorious day however, Dominik received an ominous letter. It was from Mikel of Claywitch, the village where his journey to find Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri all began. Mikel begged Dominik to come save their village again, this time from a band of dangerous raiders. Still grateful to the people for their aid, and knowing it was simply the right thing to do, the next morning, Dominik set out for Claywitch with Ciri of course right by his side. Together, the two make their way to Claywitch, unaware that their lives were both about to change. Forever. **

_Ciri could practically feel the cold emanating from her dream. It was just a dream she knew, yes, but somehow she still felt her teeth chattering as the room she was in seemed to be as cold as the freezing blizzard outside the window. Goosebumps ran up and down her shoulders, as she tried to determine where the dream had taken her. However, it was quickly interrupted by the fire. She could see it spit up from the ground, and even with it burning however, the cold still seemed to seep through the windows. In the room, there was only a four-poster bed, a large mirror above a dresser, and then of course the window that she saw leading out to the snowy vortex. She thought she recognized the vortex for a moment, but she was cut off from her thinking again by the voice. _

_ "Suede e tras… raenn aep e aen bled," The voice said, followed by a blade raking against skin. _

_ Ciri's eyes widened when she saw her and recognized the voice. Dominik had told her Baelen was able to perform a ritual in fire, that was able to show her where he was and what they were doing. She assumed that's what she was seeing now, with a jagged knife in her right hand, Baelen sat on her knees in the cabin, a roaring orange fire in front of her, smoke emanating around the room around her. The fire roared, and Baelen looked deep into it, the sockets of her faceplate looking intensely into the flames. Ciri heard the tone of her voice, it wasn't the fierce, angry tone she was used to hearing the few times she encountered and dreamed about the commander of the Hunt. Now, Baelen sounded tired, ever so tired as she spoke, and continuously watched the vision in the flames. Her voice sounded almost desperate, and at that moment Ciri wished desperately to see her face, to see how she truly was feeling, and the fact she had wanted to know who Baelen was ever since that first dream she had of her. _

_ The dreams of Baelen killing Dominik, it had been one of the main reasons she urged Avallac'h to come back, having to threaten to go by herself to get the sage to agree. They played over in Ciri's head for a moment, as he saw Baelen over Dominik, her sword inches from his chest, and the dream would end just before she killed him. Now however, after having seen her in person, realizing she was a woman just like her, it made her wonder even more how she knew what she did. How she knew Dominik and her, what the connection was. Dominik told her in his first encounter with her, that Baelen had offered to spare him, that at her request, Eredin had offered to let him live in exchange for Dominik helping lure her out. Ciri knew it was a lie, Eredin would never agree to something like that, and just like Dominik had theorized, it seemed clear now that the Hunt was using her, using her and the knowledge she had of Ciri and Dominik to their advantage. In a small way, Ciri felt bad for the young woman. _

_ However, a much larger part of her knew a final fight with Baelen would come, and Ciri would kill her if she had too. Dominik was prepared too as well, if not for Baelen, they more than likely would have been able to make it through the battle at Kaer Morhen with no casualties. If not for her tracking Dominik, the plan they put in place at the battle could have worked. Not to mention that she had tried to kill them both. Ciri remembered back to Lofeton, the first fight she had with her. Never in her life had Ciri experienced fighting someone with so much raw magical power, Baelen was strong, and she was sure a crater of blackened earth from where they fought was still in the town square at Lofeton. Dominik had fought her twice, and she could remember the blasts of magic that came from the tower they fought on at Kaer Morhen, each blow erupting in the sky. _

_ She'd kill Baelen if she had too, but that still didn't stop her from wanting to know who she was, what the promise she kept yelling Dominik and she had broken was. There was also the fact, Imlerith had told Geralt Baelen was attempting to 'turn Dominik against her' on Bald Mountain, and Dominik told her each time they fought she urged him to surrender, and she'd make sure he lived. Even in the courtyard, when everyone else was frozen, Baelen had urged Dominik not to fight Eredin, telling him not to be foolish and throw his life away. Ciri found herself yearning to know, to know why she seemed to be okay with sparing Dominik but wanting to murder her when apparently they had both broken a promise to her. _

_ "Back in Novigrad…" Baelen said softly, and Ciri could hear how pained her voice was, almost as if the commander was going to cry, "A family dinner it seems…"_

_ Baelen's voice cracked under her faceplate, and when Ciri turned to see the flames, her eyes widened. She saw herself, Dominik, Geralt, and Yennefer all sitting around the table on the ground floor of the Chameleon, it was the exact same scene from a few days prior. She knew she saw herself and Dominik both show the wolf tattoo on their wrist to the delight of Geralt and Yennefer. After that, it was the exact memory, the exact dinner she had with them all that night. She expected Baelen to get up right away, run to tell Caranthir and Eredin where they were, what their location was, and for a moment Ciri panicked. However, Baelen did none of those things, she simply shakily sighed under her faceplate, as Ciri saw the eyes of it turn to watch Dominik intently. She watched Dominik herself as well, seeing her elated, smiling face as he didn't say anything, simply looking at the three around him, taking it all in and gazing at them lovingly. Ciri's own heart swelled slightly at seeing the sight again, and the longer she watched, she could almost hear Baelen's shaky breathing, as if she were holding back tears. _

_ In her right hand, the knife in her hands shook, and the shakily sighed and shook her head again. _

_ "Well… it… it seems he's happy with the choice he made… just like they told me," She said, her voice dripping with woe, as Ciri heard her shakily sigh again, as if she was crying under the faceplate she wore. Baelen raised her hand to dispel the image but stopped, "I need to stop… I… I need to stop; they wouldn't deceive me… they wouldn't… I'm one of them I- GAHHHH!"_

_ Ciri jumped when Baelen fell forward onto all fours. The image the commander had been watching dispelled as she stumbled up to her feet. Her plated armor clunked, and she gripped both hands to her head and fell over to the dresser. She screeched as she desperately gripped her head, and Ciri could hear just how anguished the young woman was, the cries of pain, they were so guttural and gut-wrenching, it seemed as if someone were slowly drilling a nail into her head. Ciri felt her heart drop for a moment as then, Baelen wasn't a commander of the Hunt anymore, she was a young woman in immense pain, screaming for help as she convulsed and yelled with her arms leaning down on the dresser. _

_ "GOOOOODDDD FUCK FUCKING FUCK!" The commander yelled, and Ciri didn't hear the anger in her voice, she could hear Baelen start to sob through her screams, "WHY WON'T IT STOP, GODS PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!"_

_ Ciri couldn't tear her eyes away, as Baelen screamed she saw small bits of magic whirling around her limbs, she saw the eye sockets of Baelen's faceplate glow blue for a moment before it quickly disappeared when she gripped her head with new ferocity, as her head went up to the mirror above her dresser. Ciri saw nothing but her faceplate and the long mane of bright brown hair that cascaded down Baelen's back. And Ciri could have sworn she was imagining it at first, but soon, she saw small tears drift down her neck, as the commander steadily breathed shaky breath after shaky breath. Ciri felt her heart being pulled, even with the helmet and faceplate, she could see the absolute pain and distress as Baelen gripped her fingers deep into the side of her helmet, looking at herself in the mirror before slowly shaking her head. _

_ "I… I can't keep going like this… I can't, FUCK," She said in a sob, as she pushed her hair from her shoulders, and slowly shook her head as she looked into the mirror, "I need to figure it out… gods I… I need to fucking know what happened…"_

_ She saw Baelen reach for her faceplate, but Ciri's eyes widened when she quickly removed it from her head. Baelen's eyes darted above her, and Ciri felt for a second as if Baelen was looking directly at her, before the mist slowly started to swirl, Baelen's eyes stayed locked on her, and Ciri wanted to scream, ask her who she was, tell her to rip off her faceplate. She also wanted to tell her how Eredin was using her, was going to kill her when it was all over, however, before she could yell anything, still seeing Baelen's eyes looking up at her, the mist whirled around Ciri's vision. She had never had a dream of Baelen before, but she knew that Dominik had, he had seen her being tortured by the Hunt for lying about his location, seen her arguing with Imlerith, and now, Ciri herself was seeing the commander as well. It confirmed it all for her, Dominik she knew had a connection to the young woman somehow, and Ciri did as well, Dominik and she did, in fact, know her from somewhere. _

_ And they were close, she had no idea how, but Baelen, Dominik and she had known one another quite well. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"And here we are! Claywitch, pretty as a painting," Dominik said next to her, pulling up on Clop's reins just as they got to the village outskirts, scoffing and looking over to her, "Well… it used to at least, the last time I was here… gods, are you seeing this?"

"Yeah…" Ciri said slowly shaking her head, her eyes not leaving the view of the village they had gotten, "It… it looks almost deserted, the fields, the roads it's all… almost seems dead."

He slowly nodded in agreement, the wind blowing his brown hair, "Last time I was here… everything was so… so alive. Fields were full, people were everywhere…"

Ciri looked and met his eyes, "Well, the letter did say the raiders have been coming since around the time you were last here… so about a month now. It… seems they've done some real damage."

"Yeah… and they'll pay for it," He said determinedly, before managing a smile again as he looked over at her, "It's also pretty early, but still we should head to the inn first before we go and find Mikel. Innkeep is an older woman, nearly fought Yen last time I was here."

She scoffed as she flicked the reins of her mare, "Brave woman then, why'd she do that?"

He smiled back at her, "After the Alp almost killed me, Yen and the villagers took care of me, and didn't really trust her. She… said I saved them, so they wouldn't let anything happen to me."

"Well that's awfully sweet," She said, smiling at his apparent enthusiasm, "Come on then, let's get moving then. As much as I've enjoyed our alone time we have work to do."

She saw his face get slightly red, and Ciri chuckled, flicking on her mare's reins and winking over at him. He laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, meeting her gaze and nodding.

"Aha… I did enjoy it yeah," He said sheepishly, cutely biting his lip and meeting her eyes, "So… more of the same on the way back?"

She scoffed out and laughed, smirking and winking at him, "Mhm… maybe if you're lucky. Come on you stupid boy, let's get moving."

"Ha… alright, you're right. Come on, can't wait for you to meet some of them," He said with an eager smile, kicking the side of Clop's reins as his stallion took off in a trot down the path, and Ciri soon did the same to her mare, following after him.

Seeing the elated look on his face, his giddy enthusiasm, was a part of the reason she hadn't told him about his dreams of Baelen. She hadn't wanted to damper his mood when they awoke, she'd tell him later, but the enthused look he had just brought her too much joy to risk putting a damper on it. The sun was high, a cool breeze shot through the farmed fields next to them, a few clouds were in the air, it was truly a beautiful day, which made it even more heartbreaking for Ciri as they saw the state of the village. They rode along one long wide path, with waves of old withered grain, that didn't goldenly shine, as it was wilted and brown. Up above them as she rode behind Dominik again, she could see the town center, very few if any walked about. She saw a few carts moving, but the animals were lame, having a hard time pulling even the lightest looking of wagons.

Dominik was right when he had said it was a small village, surrounded by woods, and it seems that the entire village was nestled at the foot of a small hill. At the top of that hill, she saw the barn, the barn she had seen in one of her dreams, the barn she knew Dominik had gone and killed Alayna in. It had been where his journey to find her started, and Ciri could see that despite the state the village was in, he was still elated to be back. She saw multiple smaller houses, and a few gardens in the town center. The very center of town had a wide-open market, with stalls all rung out around a water well, where Ciri saw a woman whirling up a bucket of freshwater, taking a sip of it as the sun beat down on their necks. The weather had been fluctuating, between sunny yet still windy, to cloudy and rainy. The previous night Ciri even swore as her and Dominik laid in their bedroll she felt snow. Winter was near, and in response, Yennefer had sewed together a large scarf of fabric around her top, it had kept her shoulders warm and still allowed her to wear the outfit she preferred, while Dominik hadn't changed his outfit with his armor covering up to his neck.

Despite the state of the village, the few people, the lame animals, and dreadful quiet, it didn't put a damper on his mood, and Ciri found herself smiling broadly as they came towards the village center. She watched both the swords on his back clunk, as he pulled Clop to a stop right near the well just as the woman left with her bucket of water. Ciri felt her own sword blow on her back, she quickly tied her bun tighter, before adjusting her own sword. The journey like Dominik said had only taken two days, but it had felt like so much longer, and Ciri hadn't minded one bit, at times it felt like they didn't even have an objective, and it truly was just the two of them, having that freedom to go where they wanted. She had told him the night before they left it was a preview of what was to come, and Ciri would proudly admit, the preview had been every bit as amazing as she expected.

Sometimes they would talk, laugh, joke, and tell stories, at other times they would simply smile, let the cool breeze hit their face while they rode. At night, they'd build up a large fire, eat what they could, and simply lay and watch the stars together, talking eagerly about things they had done and were going to do, just like they used to do when they were younger. However, unlike when they were younger before falling asleep, there was kissing yes, and while they hadn't gone all the way to have sex yet, with them both agreeing that they'd prefer for it not to be in the middle of the woods, it hadn't exactly stopped them from pleasuring each other in other ways, as he had done for her the night before they left Novigrad. She felt a sheepish smile coming to her face, as her stomach pleasantly tingled along with her thighs and her core. He turned around and smiled broadly at her as he slipped down off Clop, and Ciri gently laughed as he came over to offer her a hand. Rolling her eyes she smiled at him, gently biting her lip as she could still feel the pleasure and euphoria shooting through her from the previous night. She took his hand and slipped off the black mare she had used, that she had decided to once again name Kelpie after the old horse she had.

"It's so… quiet," He commented when she felt her heeled boots hit the ground, he held onto her hand and looked around, "Last time it was so… lively, people were everywhere."

She squeezed his hand and came up next to him, "Don't worry, we'll deal with whatever raiders are harming them, that has to be why nobody is out. They're all probably on edge."

He sighed and turned to meet her eyes, "You're right, come on, let me show you to the inn it isn't far. We should stock up for the trip back too."

Quickly she nodded, and he leaned down, kissing her cheek unexpectedly, which made Ciri scoff a laugh and gently push him. He smiled amusingly and winked at her before he laughed and grabbed Clop's reins. She smirked as he started leading the stallion towards what Ciri could only assume was the inn. It was two stories high with multiple windows, and Ciri distantly smelled cooking meat and wine. The morning that they had left, Yen and Geralt, along with the rest of their friends had packed enough supplies for them for the journey, however, her and Dominik had been up for hours the previous nights, so their supply of water and other provisions were indeed running low. The sun hit off the back of Dominik's swords as she pulled Kelpie along with her and got next to him. She felt almost giddy, seeing him smile, it truly did feel in a way still they had their freedom. There was no Wild Hunt, there was no impending battle, it was simply the two of them, traveling together, being witchers, and they were going to help that village then.

She looked and noticed a few of the villagers who were out and about, looking at them, pointing and whispering, a group of children ran across in front of them, and Ciri heard them whispering that the witcher had truly come back. She saw the small embarrassed look come to his face and laughed. Of course, she had seen him elated in the previous few weeks, whenever she walked into a room she always saw his face light up, and it was something she loved about him. However, since they had arrived, she could see how particularly happy he was. She knew he was thinking the same thing as her, this is what it would be like, what it would be like if they succeeded in their mission to kill Eredin, and just like her, he was enjoying every second. She had never fully known what real freedom was like, even when she was younger, only a few times in Ciri's life had she felt truly, and utterly free.

Even back in Cintra, while she loved her grandmother, she had gone through years of arranged marriages, forced to be the princess she had never wanted to be. After that for a while, she felt what she thought was freedom, when her and Dominik had found Geralt and they had gone to Kaer Morhen, however, before she could truly settle, was when her powers began to show. Then came the Temple, and while the year she, Dominik, Yen, and Geralt had all been in Ellander had been the best of her life, the threat of her powers was still looming over her. And of course, after that, had been Aretuza, the coupe on Thanedd, Mistle, and the Rats. She thought it was freedom at the time, that being with Mistle and going along with what they wanted, would make her forget, forget and heal everything that had happened, and maybe, she'd finally feel that freedom. She had to be with Mistle to survive, she had no idea if they would've killed her if she didn't, that along with wanting to make the pain go away, but of course, it hadn't, and for all that time she was trapped still. After that came the arena, Tir'Nala, Stygga Castle, being chased by Eredin, the entire time she was trapped, forced to listen and abide by what others had said.

However, those two days on the road with Dominik was the closest to true freedom Ciri had ever felt, and even just that small taste was enough for her to want more, want it for the rest of her life like she already knew she did. The cold wind blew, but Ciri had to squint when the sun shone particularly hard. A few bright clouds floated overhead, and Ciri felt the ring blow and bounce against her chest. She couldn't help but smile, taking in a relaxing breath, as Dominik and she finally got closer to the inn, and still, however, despite the beautiful day, Ciri felt a sense of unease around every villager they passed. They would jump, cover their faces and quickly walk as anyone looked at them. She didn't know what these bandits had been doing to them, but it clearly wasn't good judging by the reactions the people gave by simply being looked at.

They would help them, Dominik and she would, it may not have been a monster problem, but that was still what witchers did, they helped people, and it was what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. Bald Mountain had been their first contract with Geralt, but now, she was taking this as their first contract together, the next generation as Uncle Vesemir always called the both of them.

And Claywitch would be their first test. Ciri smiled as they got to a hitching post for their horses just outside the large inn. The wind whipped the loose strands of her ashen locks, she lightly shivered despite the scarf now around her neck. She patted her horses' neck, tying the reins to the post, before turning to see Dominik doing the same with Clop. He turned around to meet her eyes, and when he saw her shivering he lightly laughed at her.

"Ha… a little chilly are we?" He teased her, as they walked around towards the entrance.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "A little, but not a lot. Winter's coming, just need to get used to it."

"Yeah, winter, winter means snow, snow means ice, ice means skating," He teased her, and Ciri saw another excitable look come to him, "Maybe we'll get lucky, and in Skellige a lake will already be frozen over, what do you say princess, you still skate doing anything other than fighting and killing assassin?"

Another laugh escaped her. She had always loved skating with him. He was naturally clumsy, but she had started teaching him all the way back in Cintra when they were young. She could remember teasing him and skating circles around him at first, however, by the time they had gotten to Ellander, he had gotten quite good at it, and while still not nearly on her level she knew, he more than likely could have skated and fought as well. The idea of finding a lake, and actually getting to do something so simple, something she used to love doing so much made her giddy, she smirked and met his eyes.

"Of course I do, I'll still skate circles around you as well, don't forget who taught you now," She said as they got to the door of the inn.

"Ha.. I won't trust me. Gods, remember the time my father sent Anton with us to the lake in the winter? We tried to teach him how to skate, and he nearly fell and broke the ice," He asked her with a laugh.

Ciri scoffed, her eyes widening, "Gods of course I do! Anton… I miss him dreadfully."

"Yeah… so do I, don't think he made it out, only a few of the knights did," Dominik said slowly, shaking his head, "I remember at Brenna, one of the commanders on the Nilfgaardean side… was Visegard remember him?"

"Are you serious? He really went and joined the Nilfgaardeans?" Ciri asked incredulously, always knowing that Visegard was an ass, but never thinking he would do such a thing.

Dominik darkly nodded, "Yeah… a part of me wanted to look for him during the fight, but I decided to stay back, would've gladly killed him. Heard he still works for them to this day… I'll do it if I ever see him."

"And I'll be right there with you… gods I can't believe it," She said right away, as they finally both entered the inn, and the cold winds ceased, replaced by the warmth of a hearth.

Ciri hadn't thought of Sir Anton or Visegard in years, not since quite frankly when Dominik and she were first back in Kaer Morhen. Sir Anton she remembered fondly, he was an older knight, even distantly related to Ciri in a way. She didn't remember the exact relation, but he was her grandmother's second or third cousin, and served as a knight for practically his entire life under Calanthe's command, under Dominik's father and grandfather. The old knight was Sir Gregory's second in command, in charge of the armies and guards on days Gregory was off or indisposed, so naturally, Ciri and Dominik both had seen much of him. Ciri remembered the old knight's kind eyes, his balding head of grey hair, crooked nose, his face was rough, yes, but Sir Anton had been one of Dominik and she's best-friends in the end. Just like with everyone from Cintra, she had assumed he died, same with Visegard.

Visegard had been another knight in the Cintran guard, under Sir Gregory's command, however, he was the complete opposite of Sir Anton. The more Ciri thought about it, the more she didn't have trouble believing the man would turn sides to Nilfgaard. Visegard had been an older knight as well, even serving under Dominik's grandfather Sir Ryland. After Sir Ryland died, and Gregory took over at nineteen, nobody questioned it, Gregory had been knighted by Queen Calanthe at sixteen, and the tradition of Dominik's family taking over as captain of the guard, general of the armies was simply something that was widely accepted, and because his family had always done such an excellent job preparing the next in line for the role. Sir Ryland had done that with Dominik's father, so when he died, at nineteen, everyone was ready to follow Sir Gregory. Everyone except Visegard that was. She could remember Gregory distinctly telling her to be wary when Visegard was around, and he never scheduled the knight to be watching her, knowing that the man hated Gregory himself, and would take it out on her and Dominik. Visegard had wanted Gregory's title, even challenging him to a duel for it, a duel which Gregory had easily won.

Thinking back on Cintra, made Ciri wonder what would have happened, had the massacre not occurred. Would she be queen by now? Would her grandmother have married her off, or let her be with Dominik? It didn't really matter, because Ciri knew if she had become Queen, she would've said damn the consequences and been with him anyway. As she grew, learned more and more that he was one of her destinies, the more she realized however, that it didn't matter. Because, just as Gregory had promised her the last time she had spoken to him, Dominik was with her always, he'd always be there.

"Gods… it's practically empty," Dominik said next to her as they stepped into the inn, pulling Ciri from her thoughts as she looked around the establishment as well before he went on, "Whatever they're doing to them… it can't be good."

Ciri looked around the inn as well and felt an almost eerie silence. No bard played any music, she only counted a total of three people there, and with it being so early in the morning, she'd expect most taverns to be bustling for breakfast. She shivered again for a moment, adjusting her sword as she felt the sun streaming in through the windows. The bottom floor of the inn was quite large, on par with Dandelion's. To her left were multiple tables, with only the few scattered patrons, and in front of them was the large crackling fireplace, which she quickly warmed her hands in front of. To the right she saw steps, and a bar with an old woman cleaning a mug. She heard Dominik moving next to her, and she looked up to meet his eyes. He was right, whatever the bandits were doing, it must have been horrible enough to turn a once thriving village into the wasteland it was now.

She could see how important it all was to him, and between it, and wanting to help herself it only made her even more determined. For weeks, she had been Dominik's only and highest priority, for the last eight years he had tried to find her, protect her, be there for her, so when he needed her to be there for him, to help him in something so clearly important to him, she didn't hesitate for a moment. She didn't care if they were in the middle of something, they had the time, she certainly didn't care how angry it made Avallac'h. Dominik had been doing so much for her, and she wasn't going to let their relationship be one sided. They truly were a team, a duo, and if it was important to him, it was important to her. It was another reason she wouldn't object if he wanted to go find Queen Adda after the Hunt was defeated. Ciri knew that he wanted to at least go talk to the Queen, possibly help her beat back Nilfgaard and her 'father' if her plan of killing Radovid came to pass.

And Ciri would have no problem doing so, she didn't care if Emhyr ended up not going through with his plans for her at Stygga Castle, he was possibly the most despicable human being she had ever met. Emhyr had chased her for years, Dominik even learned Emhyr ordered him, Gregory, Sofia and Bella hunted down in Cintra, no, the Emperor had made their life hell, and if Ciri had a chance to ruin everything he had built, she would help Dominik if he decided to go to Adda.

"We'll do everything we can, I promise," She said, as she turned to him with a smile, and when he smiled back down at her she nodded, "We should find more information first, and this isn't too different from a monster, and what did Uncle Vesemir always say the most important part of fighting a monster is?"

"Wait for an opportunity," He said back to her, a small laugh escaping him as he nodded, "Thanks again princess. Come on, we should-."

"Good heavens! Good heavens, Dominik of Cintra, you actually came! You got our letter!" A voice from their right yelled out.

Dominik turned his head, and Ciri saw his eyes widen, "Hulda, yeah… I got it in Novigrad, I set out right away."

Ciri turned and saw a much older woman, greying hair tied tightly back up in a bun like her own was. She wore a long grey dress, and despite her shaking, wrinkly old hands, she looked absolutely delighted. Ciri saw the light beaming in off the woman's necklace, and she subconsciously remembered Dominik telling her this old woman had tried to initially protect him from Yennefer when their mother had come to find him. A small smile came to her face, any woman who had the bravery to stand up to Yennefer was one to be respected. Ciri watched as the woman, Hulda Dominik had called her, even reached and hugged him around the neck, making him fluster sheepishly to no end.

Hulda held her hands over her chest and looked at them both, "Thank the gods it did! We hate having to ask you to risk your life for us again, but we truly knew not where else we could turn!"

Dominik smiled and nodded at her, "It's no problem, we're here to help, and we'll do so however we can we promise."

The old woman nodded and looked over to Ciri, "Aye, we continue to be eternally grateful…. And who might this lovely young lass be?"

"They call me Ciri," Ciri said right away, smiling with a small bow, "He's right, we're here to help in any way we can… I hear I have you and the rest of the villagers to thank for helping save him."

Hulda's wrinkled old face smiled gleefully, "My word, Mikel told us that you had left on a quest to find your woman. Am I right to assume that's you lass?"

She laughed sheepishly and smiled up at him next to her, "Ha… I would certainly hope so."

Dominik quickly smiled back and nodded, "She is yeah, trained with me my whole life, we're both gonna help pull you out of this."

"Aye… eternally grateful we are as I said," Hulda said, bowing with both her hands looking to Ciri now, "Any woman of Dominik of Cintra's is welcome in Claywitch. It is my pleasure to meet you my dear."

Ciri felt herself laugh sheepishly, her face getting slightly hot as she looked up at Dominik as he was beaming at her again. Being introduced as 'his woman' was something that she had missed, and she was going to love getting used too again. However, what the best part was, was hearing how passionately he had spoken about her yet again. Feeling herself smirk at seeing him flustered as well, she turned back to Hulda and nodded.

"The pleasure is all mine, like he said, we're going to pull you out of this, now your letter said you were having a problem with raiders?" Ciri asked, as she bit her lip and looked out the window, "And… no offense but it didn't seem… very lively outside."

"Yeah, she's right," Dominik said to agree with her right away, he looked out the window for a moment, shook his head and looked back to Hulda, "Last time I was here everything was so… alive. People were everywhere, the fields were full and now…"

Hulda sighed deeply and shook her head, her hands going to her hips, "It's that bastard Drogar! The raids started only a few weeks after you left! Every other week he comes, razes a part of our fields, steals a part of our grain stores!"

Ciri felt her heart sink as he met the woman's eyes, "And the letter also said nobodies come to aid you? No armies or anything like that was willing?"

"Nay, none will give us the light of day. And with the war going, none could be spared anyhow," The old woman said with another shake of her head, "The only other method we tried, was that we heard a group of knights wandered the area."

"Knights? Redanian?" Dominik asked curiously, and Hulda quickly shook her head.

"No, not Redanian, and we've never met them, only heard tales in these parts. A few weeks back, this group of knights came to the area, bringing the fight to the Black Ones in the area, and even clashing with bands of Redanian men at times," The old woman quickly explained.

Ciri shook her head again feeling miffed, "But… Why did you think they'd help you? Did you try to contact them?"

"Because they not only bring the fight to the Black Ones and Redanians. We've heard stories of them saving peasants from bandits, non-humans from Redanian persecution," Hulda began to explain as the fire crackled next to them, "We've no way to contact them directly, but we sent men to nearby villages to spread word of what was happening, hoping that perhaps they'd catch word and come to our aid."

It was a longshot Ciri knew, but the idea of knights swarming in to aid Dominik and she sounded pleasant. However, they had to prepare for the worst, the fact they perhaps would have to fight by themselves. She already began trying to piece together information. As much as she hated having too, she remembered her time back with the Rats. One of the biggest things Giselher had always stressed was that a good criminal always picked targets that they knew they could defeat. This 'Drogar', as Hulda had said, clearly had to have a large group of raiders. If the man had been by himself, or even with a group of ten or fifteen, he wouldn't dare try to attack an entire village like Claywitch. Despite the fact the bandits were armed, and the villagers weren't, that could quickly be changed, and with that few men, the raiders could be overrun. No, her and Dominik were dealing with a much larger group, which still didn't scare Ciri in the slightest.

The Rats were a prime example, none of them were very competent fighters in the end, Bonhart had shown that in the end when he killed them all. Most bandits and raiders weren't trained, they were simply large and aggressive and enjoyed walking over those who didn't know how to defend themselves. Dominik and she would be more than a match for even a large group if they were careful, between their powers, and their skill it shouldn't have been much of a problem. However, as she looked at him, she saw the still wondering look in his eyes.

One of the first lessons Vesemir had taught them was that knowledge counted for as much as your silver swords, and that no fight, no matter how sure victory seemed, should be taken lightly.

"Alright… we're going to have to plan like they won't be here," He said looking at Ciri, and when she nodded in agreement he turned back to the older woman, "This 'Drogar', what's he like? Has he said what he wants, why he chose your village?"

She knew what Dominik was doing, he was trying to understand the motive. If the raiders were just raiding for the sake of raiding, then they knew it would more than likely be a straight up fight. However, if the bandits had a certain thing they were looking for, a certain goal they were hoping to accomplish, then perhaps they could use it to their advantage, lay a trap or lull them into a false sense of security. Hulda sneered at the name and shook her head.

"Tall bloke wears all black plate! Fancies calling himself 'the Dragon'." The old woman said in disgust, "Said he's taking it all as 'payment for protection'. It's not even the grain that's the worst part… every raid he steals a single woman! My tavern girl got taken a few weeks ago, poor lass…"

Ciri shook her head right away, "We'll do what we can to find her, and all others. This Drogar, did he mention why he wants your women?"

"Says the same thing every week… says he's looking for a 'special one'. I shudder to think what he means," Hulda said shakily, the wrinkles on her old face furrowed, "A few tried to fight back… poor Sebastian, they took his wife a few weeks prior, tried to stop them. Drogar he… stuck his head on a spike outside the village and burned his corpse in the town center, said if we tried again that we'd 'wake the dragon', burned one of our fields completely on the way out, took double in his next visit."

Ciri could hear the fright in the woman's voice, and right away felt her fists tighten. There wasn't only the fact these people had saved Dominik, but there was also the fact that she simply couldn't sit by and let it happen anymore. One of the promises Dominik and she had made to themselves, and to each other, that they would never stand by and let injustice happen before them. That was why they wanted to train to be witchers, because to them, witchers saved people, made the world a safer place. Geralt may have spoken about neutrality, but Ciri knew he contradicted that all the time. Her father was one of the bravest men she had ever met, he lived by a code, and despite trying to stay neutral as often as possible, many times he couldn't, and had fought against injustice when it reared its head. It had inspired Ciri and Dominik both, and was what they strived to be.

Geralt wouldn't let this village continue to be tormented. The people there were good, kind, simply wanted to go about living their lives in peace. Dominik and she wouldn't sit by, wouldn't be indifferent and neutral, the people there had saved his life, and Ciri was eternally thankful for that, she wouldn't leave them to be slaughtered like they were. She knew winter was coming, and as the man Mikel said in the letter he sent, if they didn't have enough food, it would mean death for a majority of them. No, Dominik and she wouldn't let the man 'Drogar' get away with what he had done, they were going to help them, and she was absolutely elated to get to do it by his side.

Dominik met her eyes for a moment, and they both nodded to each other. He turned back to Hulda with a reassuring glance.

"Sounds like a real bastard, don't worry, I promise we won't let it go on, right Ciri?" He asked, looking down and meeting her eyes.

Ciri smirked and nodded, looking back to Hulda, "That's right. We're going to help you in any way we can."

Hulda breathed out a sigh of relief and looked at them, the old woman's withered eyes seemed like they had tears welling up in them. She smiled exhaustedly at them, and gently nodded.

"It warms me heart to see such bravery, thank you both, truly the gods blessed us the day they sent you both to us," The old woman said, nodding and meeting their eyes, "And of course, should you be needing anything during your time here, food, drink, a bed, anything, on the house of course, please let me know."

Ciri felt her face get red at the praise and smiled, turning to Dominik and seeing him do the same thing. He met Hulda's eyes and gently bowed.

"We'll probably need a room later, but first, I need to find Mikel and Danara," Dominik said with a smile as he nodded again, "Thank you Hulda, we'll be sure to stop by later for dinner."

The old woman nodded, "Aye… you're welcome lad. Mikel and Danara both… you should see them; the Law of Surprise must be claimed."

Dominik chuckled, as Hulda nodded towards Ciri once more and walked back towards the bar. She and Dominik both still stood in front of the fire, and at the mention of the Law of Surprise, she saw an amused look come to his face. They had talked about the Law of Surprise he was collecting from Mikel on the way there, Dominik had played it off as a joke, saying he'd probably get an old shirt, or bushel of extra grain. Ciri knew it was more than likely this too, however, as she always did whenever the topic came up, she thought of herself. She was one of the rare cases in which the Law of Surprise became a child, it was how she became linked to Geralt after all. She would never forget her caretaker, her nurse, regaling her with stories growing up of how Geralt of Rivia would come for her, taking her to be the first ever female witcher, much to her grandmother's ire. She felt the ring tingle around her neck and she slowly grabbed it. Destiny linked people in many ways other than the Law of Surprise, like her and Dominik for example, or Dominik and Geralt. Geralt became Dominik's destiny, because she was his, and the three of them became bonded by those chains.

However, she knew that bad things came when people refused destiny. She loved Geralt with all her heart, and forever would, but for years her adopted father had thought that him not coming to collect her sooner, for refusing his destiny, was what led to Cintra being sacked, to her and Dominik's home being destroyed. And after seeing the powers of destiny unfold, experiencing the horrible things she had while separated from her destiny, she was inclined to believe the theory had been true. You couldn't outrun destiny; it would lead to nothing but ruin. She knew this better than anyone, she was a surprise child, she knew her destiny was out there, and knew about her, but still had to wait, and she knew what the consequences were.

So yes, Dominik may only be getting a bumper crop or an old shirt, but that bumper crop or old shirt was his destiny.

"Sounds like nothing but a common thug," He said, turning back to her after Hulda walked away, meeting her eyes as they both stood in front of the fire, "Wonder what he wants with all these women though…"

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "It can't be anything good… I hope they're alright, and we can save them."

"I think they're alive, wouldn't go through all the trouble of only getting one woman each time to kill them," He said sighing and shaking his head as he put his hands over the fire, warming his hands next to her, "But… you know as well as I do, being alive in a bandit camp could be just as bad…"

"You're right…. We should get to your friend Mikel's, get whatever your Law of Surprise is, then come back here and stock up, could due to take a whetstone to my sword," She said, thinking of everything she could do to prepare.

He nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and maybe I can make a few bombs, not gonna be fighting monsters, but they'll still do damage…. So what do you think it is?"

"What?" She asked, turning up to meet his gaze.

Dominik scoffed a laugh and met her eyes, "Law of Surprise. Maybe I'll finally get a different shirt I can wear under my armor."

She rolled her eyes and fake gagged, "Well… if it is that'd be nice. I swear that thing's going to start crawling, it smells horrible."

"Hey I wash it!" He said incredulously, and Ciri rolled her eyes.

"Yes, every week or so… when we start traveling, that's going to have to change mister," She said as she met his eyes and smirked at him.

He lightly laughed and put an arm around her waist, "Yes ma'am, whatever makes you happy. Maybe we'll get lucky, maybe he got a new house or something with his promotion."

She turned to face him and playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh stop, you're just hoping for an even bigger bed for us I bet."

"Is that such a bad thing?" He asked innocently, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

Ciri rolled her eyes and smirked up at him, "No, and wouldn't mind it myself either, more rooms always nice."

She winked at him, and he laughed, before she smiled. Quickly she reached up the small way and kissed him, locking their lips for a few seconds, before pulling back and smirking at the cute flustered smile he got.

"But we can talk about beds later, we have other things to worry about now," She told him, as she gently pulled back with her hands on her hips.

He seemed to accept her answer, and met her eyes with a nod, "You're right, we should-."

"You came! Thank the gods, you actually came! This is fantastic!" A voice said from their right, as Ciri heard the door to the inn open again.

Dominik again turned first, and Ciri saw him scoff a smile, "Danara, gods of course I did."

Ciri turned and almost jumped when she saw the woman from her dreams. When she was in Lofeton knocked out, and she had the dream of Dominik fighting Alayna, this woman had been in it. After Dominik had run to the barn, she started barking orders out to the other villagers. In the dream she had been very pregnant, but now slender, as tall as Dominik, and smiling broadly. She was beautiful, large brown eyes and silky brown hair cascading down her back. The sun beamed in front of the door as it closed, and Ciri felt the chill come through again, but seeing Dominik's broad smile warmed her. He seemed absolutely elated, she remembered how he told her on the way that the woman had almost been killed by the Alp before he saved her, and that she and Mikel had even decided to name their son after him. Dominik liked to try and act all brooding and serious, but she knew that wasn't who he really was, he was a big loving goof, and when he saw Danara again she smiled at seeing the excitement drip from him.

Danara was wearing a grey dress that went down to her shins, with boots and a bronze necklace. She beamed up and hugged him around the neck, and Ciri saw the excitement in the woman's eyes as well. However, something was hiding behind them. Over the years, Ciri had become very good at reading people, and while Danara was indeed excited to see Dominik again, there was something in her eyes, something that Ciri couldn't quite tell what it was yet, but the woman was clearly anxious as well. However, she didn't let that damper her mood that much it seemed, because she pulled back from Dominik with the broadest smile on her face, and between it and his smile himself, Ciri couldn't help but feel her heart flutter as she adjusted her sword.

"We owe you our lives again Dominik, it is so good to see you again," Danara said in a near pleading tone, she slowly shook her head, "Like Mikel said in his letter, we're sorry to have to ask you to risk your lives for us again… but didn't know where else to turn."

"Please, you all saved me last time. We're going to do what we can to make sure you're all safe," Dominik scoffed with a shake of his head, before he turned and smile at Ciri, "Danara, this is Ciri, I'm… sure Mikel told you she's the one I set out to find… and I finally did."

Ciri smiled sheepishly, feeling her heart flutter at the absolutely elated look Dominik had on his face, the loving, proud, proud to say she was his woman, proud to say he had found her. She wanted to reach up and kiss him then, but she decided she'd save it for later, before turning with a smile to see Danara to her complete surprise hug her as well. The woman threw her arms around Ciri and laughing sheepishly Ciri hugged her back. The woman pulled back and looked at her thankfully, she was as tall as Dominik, a little taller than Ciri herself, but she looked at Ciri like she was truly a savior, and the feeling made Ciri get slightly red.

Danara pulled back and met her eyes, smiling at her, "It's a pleasure, thank you so, so much for what you're doing. Dominik… myself, Mikel, my son, none of us would be here without him."

Dominik sheepishly laughed and rubbed his head, "Ha… I was just trying to help. I'm a witcher, it's my job."

Danara scoffed and shook her head, "Yes, but you could've turned the job down we had so little to pay you with…. It's a pleasure Ciri, any woman of Dominik's will always be welcome in my home."

Ciri laughed and looked over at a flustering Dominik and smirked, winking at him playfully before turning back to Danara with another bow.

"Ha, the pleasure is mine. I hear I have you to thank for taking care of him after that fight as well," Ciri said with a smile, looking over at Dominik, "I'm lucky… and proud."

He smiled and walked back over next to her, "Missed you too princess…"

Danara laughed gleefully looking up to Dominik now, "I must congratulate you Dominik, Mikel told me how you set out because your love was in danger… and while I enjoyed your company before…. I can see how much happier you are now."

"She makes it easy to be like that," Dominik said right away, his hand resting at the base of Ciri's back, before he smiled at her and turned to Danara again, "Speaking of, congratulations to you too. The last I saw Mikel, he said you were set to give birth. Did your son make it okay?"

"He did yes…. Dominik Symanski… named after the man who without, he wouldn't be here today," Danara said with a fond smile, and Ciri right away saw him go beat red.

Ciri knew how much it had meant to him, all Dominik ever truly wanted she also knew, was to be with her, and to help people. It was all Ciri had wanted as well, but seeing that he had saved a family, a caring, loving family with their whole lives ahead of them, it was a great source of pride for him. Dominik naturally wasn't very prideful, he was humble, kind and goofy, but Ciri could tell what the child being named after him meant to him. She saw an extremely cute flustered look come to his face, and all Ciri could do was smile pridefully up at him. The sun hit handsomely off his scarred face through the window, as Ciri laughed at how speechless he was. Finally however, he nodded, smiling over at Danara with a grateful bow.

"I… I'm honored, thank you, I'm glad I was able to help," He said sheepishly, before looking and gesturing out the window, "I'd love to meet him, and see Mikel too, where's he at?"

Danara seemed to stiffen for a moment, Dominik didn't notice the look deep in the woman's eyes, but Ciri did. That anxious look came back for a split second, but the woman was able to quickly cover it. Ciri didn't think she was hiding anything malicious, but the woman certainly had something to tell them that she just couldn't find the right way too yet, and Ciri decided not to push. She didn't want to go accusing the woman Dominik was clearly friends with of anything to dampen his mood, however, a small feeling started to form at the pit of her stomach. A feeling that there was much more in Claywitch then just bandits.

The woman smiled and gestured towards the door, "Mikel is out at the mill, he should be back soon actually… come I have some food and wine back at the house, you're both more then welcome."

"We'd love too," Dominik said right away, the excited smile still on his face, as he laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his head, "Did you um… get the window fixed?"

Danara scoffed, "Yes… yes we did. Better a window is broken then us all dead."

"What's this about a window?" Ciri asked out of curiosity.

Danara laughed again, "Aha… the night the vampire attacked Mikel and me, I thought we were both goners, she had placed a spell on our door to lock it. That… was when Dominik threw himself through our window to get inside, shattered the entire thing."

Ciri scoffed and laughed, turning up to him, "Ha… you know, jumping through windows isn't exactly how Uncle Vesemir said to deal with Alp's."

He rolled his eyes but smiled, "Uncle Vesemir also said you should have a silver sword on the Path, that didn't stop me. Come on, I'm kinda thirsty anyway, besides, Mikel said in his letter about the Law of Surprise, let's go see my destined bumper crop!"

He spoke in a dramatic tone, which normally would have made Ciri laugh. However, she focused more on Danara, who at the mention of this, almost seemed to fall over. Ciri tilted her head and met the young woman's eyes for a moment, and Ciri saw the anxiousness burning through them. The woman bit her lip, and sheepishly laughed as she looked up at Dominik, and Ciri knew that she was struggling to keep her composure.

"Ha… yes, the Law of Surprise, it's ready but it… will take some explaining. Come, it's near midday," Danara said, gesturing for them to follow out of the inn.

Ciri knew Dominik was very perceptive, very good at picking up on the clues people laid out for how they really felt, he was just as talented as her in that regard, and with his magic growing every day, she truly believed that the two of them could take down just about any foe. However, he seemed to excited in that moment as he looked at Ciri, gently grabbing her hand to walk out the door, that he didn't pick up on the anxiousness as Danara spoke, didn't pick up on the woman's shift in movement, how she bit the inside of her cheek as she spoke. Ciri however did, and giving him a reassuring smile, she quickly shot her gaze back at the woman as they exited the wind, and saw she was holding her hands in front of her.

And as they followed, Ciri wondered just what kind of explaining, the Law of Surprise would take.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri couldn't help but laugh at the prospect of Dominik trying to throw himself through the small window of Mikel and Danara's house. She wondered what kind of contracts they'd go on together in the future, that would require something similar, or require one of them to be put in an awkward situation like that, or perhaps fight in an unconventional way. Dominik and Geralt both had told her that they had to fight Zeugal's waist deep in sewage, and Ciri shuddered at the thought. It did appear to be a little passed midday when they got to the house, it wasn't that far from the inn, and in the distance, Ciri could see some clouds beginning to roll in. The wind only blew harder, and she was thankful for the scarf around her neck now, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't like the prospect of a warm bed at the inn with Dominik that night. Especially if it rained, they'd more then likely need to stay the night, before heading back to Novigrad.

"Ha, you could barely tell that only about a month ago I splintered it to pieces," Dominik joked as they walked into the house behind Danara, gesturing towards the window.

The young woman scoffed and laughed, "Aha… we had a good repairman, please, make yourselves at home, I believe that there's someone you should meet…"

As they walked into the first room of the house, Dominik and she quickly nodded, as Danara went over to the other room not far away. It wasn't a very large house overall, but for the village the size of Claywitch it was certainly bigger than most. In the living room they stood in, a large fire crackled on their right, with a large table with bowls of fruit, plates of bread, along with wine, water, juice and other foods were set out, making Ciri's stomach rumble. There was also a large bookshelf, along with multiple hammers, saws and other tools, then of course there were plenty of chests and dressers for storage. Dominik wandered aimlessly for a minute, a small laugh leaving him as he seemed to be reminiscing. Ciri knew another reason that this place had been so important to him, was because it was where it all began, where he learned Yennefer and Geralt were alive, and he was finally within his reach.

However, as Dominik wandered next to her with a broad smile on her face, Ciri's eyes narrowed to the room to the left. It was a larger room that was clearly the bedroom, and to her complete surprise she saw two beds. She could see the back of Danara, as she leaned over what Ciri assumed was a crib for her child, and next to her was a larger bed, clearly made for two fully grown adults. The child was a baby, and clearly needed to be in a crib, sleeping next to his parents.

So, when Ciri saw the smaller bed across from it, clearly meant for an older child her eyes widened, and she felt her heart nearly beat out of her chest. Her legs almost gave out and she had to hold onto the table for support, as a slow realization came to her mind, and she didn't know if it was an amazing one, or a horrible one. She felt her tongue get dry, her skin tingle, as she scoffed looking at the bed, her eyes unable to come off it. She saw boots at the bottom of it, it was messy as if it had been slept in, on the dresser next to it was a hairbrush, and what Ciri could only assume were very crudely made, small wooden practice swords. It almost reminded her of what her own room looked like back in Kaer Morhen, and as she looked and saw Dominik smiling broadly, running his hand along the repaired window, Ciri felt a small smile come to her face.

This was where Dominik told her, his life changed, and now it seemed, hers and his both were about to change as well if her theory was correct.

"Dominik… Dominik, I… I think-," She started, but he cut her off by scoffing in amazement, and loving looking over at her.

"Gods… I can't believe I'm actually here," He said, coming over to her, and as he met her eyes, he laughed, quickly wrapping his arms around her, "Last time I was here I… I almost thought I'd never see you again… that… that Geralt and Yen were dead!"

Ciri laughed lightly and smiled at his elated look but shook her head, "Dominik, I'm glad you're in such a good mood, but I think I know-."

"I thought I'd be alone, gods I… I thought I was going to die in some monster cave by myself," He said, looking deep into her eyes, and Ciri was sure she'd never seen such joy, as he scoffed and gently leaned his forehead against hers, "And… and now I'm not alone… gods…. gods Ciri, I… I love you, gods I love you."

She looked into his eyes and felt herself only able to scoff out a laugh and smiled broadly. For a moment, the realization left her mind, as she had heard him speak passionately about her before, but never in such a way as he just did. He had told her bits of his time alone, stories of contracts, people he met, but the times when he spoke about how alone he felt, how the loneliness and regret beat him over the head. She always knew how much she meant to him, but even to that day, the idea that she truly meant that much to someone, whether it was Dominik, Geralt or Yen, it never failed to make her feel like she was complete, because that was exactly how it felt for her with him.

"I love you too…" She said, leaning up and kissing him, only seeming to make him even more giddy, but as she pulled back she met his eyes and bit her lip. Looking up she met his eyes, the realization coming back to her, she looked deep into his gaze and lightly smiled, "Dominik… I… I think I know what your-."

"Here, the little bugger wouldn't wake up! I think it's only right you're introduced," Danara said, cutting her off, and for a second Ciri was annoyed, but then her and Dominik both turned.

Danara indeed had gotten her child, an absolutely adorable little boy that was wrapped up in a white blanket. Lightly the child cooed, holding onto Danara's hair, small tufts of black hair on his small head. Ciri scoffed lightly, as she looked up at Dominik, who was still attached at his hand around her waist. She saw him smile widely and laughed, gently detaching himself from her and walking over towards Danara with the child in her arms. Ciri couldn't help but feel her heart grow six sizes, as Dominik gently reached down, looking at the child and scoffing in amazement, the boy that was named after him, the boy that he was able to save. Never in her life had she seen him in such happiness, as he kept looking back over to her, almost as if he was asking her if what he saw was really true. For a few moments, she simply sat there, her mouth agape in a smile, as she watched him. She saw how naturally it was for him, as he asked Danara questions about what it was like, played with the little boy in her arms, and each time he did, Ciri's heart flipped.

The two of them hadn't talked about children, it was a topic she assumed that they both knew was extremely far off for them both. They wanted to travel, far and wide, help as many people as they could as witchers, and see every single place they read about when they were younger on the continent. Having a newborn child, they'd be forced to settle down, they couldn't bring a newborn into the life they wanted to have. Perhaps they would have children of their own one day, but it certainly wouldn't be for a few years.

And there was also the fact of their blood. With her blood, her powers, and now knowing of Dominik's as well, she shuddered to think how powerful a child born from them both could be. She was hunted her entire life for her powers, had people trying to control her from the very beginning, all because of her blood, her gift as some called it, but Ciri knew it was more akin to a curse. A child of hers and Dominik's with her blood, and his, she didn't even want to think who'd be after them. Dominik and her would protect them to their last breath of course, but half of her brain wanted herself to be the last, the last child of the Elder Blood, so that no child was born with that curse again, and if she told this to Dominik, she knew he loved her enough to respect that decision. On the other hand however, the idea of a child, one with their eyes, their hair, their blood, a symbol of their true love, it would make any woman fantasize, and Ciri was no different in the moment, especially as she saw Dominik tickling the young boys stomach in front of her.

He would make a perfect father she knew, he had two perfect role models, Gregory and Geralt. Both of them were more than Ciri and he could ever have hoped for, and with each day that past, Dominik reminded her more and more of them both. She smiled as she saw the sun glaring in through the window, off his silky, soft brown hair, the pommels of his swords, and as he laughed, Ciri subconsciously looked back over to the smaller bed she knew was in the other room. The bed again reminded her dreadfully of her own in Kaer Morhen, and again she found herself thinking of Geralt and Dominik. Ciri was Geralt's destiny, and he was hers, but Dominik was her destiny as well, making Geralt just as much Dominik's destiny as hers. It may have sounded complicated, but she knew that it boiled down to the fact people could have more than one destiny in their lifetime, and that was the case with them both.

And it seemed that Ciri was right, because as Dominik laughed again, finally pulling back from Danara and coming back to her side, she saw the look fall on Danara's face. The sun was still bright, Ciri felt the fire warming and crackling behind her. And as she met Danara's eyes, she could tell that the woman knew that Ciri knew, and slowly they both looked up to Dominik, the big goof still being oblivious. Ciri didn't know how to feel, she felt slightly excited, but also anxious, she truly didn't know how Dominik would react, and seeing the soaring look on his face then, she would be devastated if it left him. It was all he could do to take a step closer to him, reach and wrap her hand around his and squeeze it as he laughed.

"Aha… gods… I'm really glad I came here," He said, an open mouth style still present as he laughed again and looked at Ciri first, before going back to Danara, "So is Mikel on his way back? Wanna get this Law of Surprise out of the way, maybe some wine and gwent, and you can tell us more about these bandits."

Danara bit her lip, her son cooing in her arms as she nodded, "The Law of Surprise… yes, it… it's ready for you…"

The young woman met Ciri's eyes for some kind of support, and Ciri simply nodded at her, before looking back up at Dominik who scoffed another laugh, the sun hitting off his scarred face through the window.

"Ha, you know, I never thought I'd use it to be honest," He said, smiling amusingly down at Ciri, she nervously laughed and nodded, before Dominik turned back to Danara, "So, enough leaving me in the dark, what is it?"

Ciri felt her heart begin to stir, wondering what his reaction would possibly be. She knew that despite what he told her, he still always felt immensely guilty for what happened to his first family, and to Ciri, not being able to protect them. There was nothing he could have done, she knew this of course, but it never stopped him from still claiming it was partly his fault. On the other hand however, she knew there was nobody else she'd want by her side for a journey, a responsibility like this. Danara shakily sighed, rocking the baby Dominik in her arms, before looking between them both.

"Well… it's… complicated. You see, the day you left, I… was in the market, getting a few things while Mikel went to say goodbye to you," The young woman explained as the child cooed, looking up at Dominik in particular now, "I was shopping when… a little girl tried to rob me, grab some of the bread from my basket. Poor thing… only thirteen, rail thin, pale, blood on her tunic, wound in her stomach…."

And it was at that moment, that Ciri could almost physically see Dominik's heart drop to the pit of his stomach. When Ciri heard the description of the young girl, she was flashed back to a few days prior in Novigrad, when Dominik had told her about the dream he had of the young girl injured at Claywitch. She remembered how she blushed upon him telling her, the young girl had looked like the perfect mixture of herself and him, truly what a child of theirs would look like if it was a girl. He had wondered why he had a dream of her, but now as the realization dawned on Dominik's face, Ciri knew full well what happened now, why he had dreams of that girl.

It was exactly how Geralt had dreams of her when she was in danger.

"I caught her… I brought her here… fed her… healed her wounds," Danara said slowly, as Ciri saw Dominik's face still hadn't moved, his mouth slowly agape as the young woman went on, "And well… she told me she came from Novigrad, had… been by herself for a while, she… didn't have anyone else. So… I let her stay here, and a few minutes after that, Mikel came home from seeing you off…"

"Making that girl… something he had, but did not yet know…" Ciri said slowly, as she felt Dominik's hand shaking in hers, she looked up and quickly got in front of him, looking at him and quickly squeezing his trembling hands, "Dominik, listen to me, this is-."

She was cut off by the door opening, the wind howling in, and a man's voice hitting the air.

"Dominik… you came… gods… destiny… it truly seems real," The man, with a combed black beard and slicked back hair said, a pile of firewood in his arms.

Dominik slowly shook his head, floundering, "Mik… Mikel…"

Ciri turned to see the man, he was tall, his beard neatly combed, wearing a brown tunic and trousers, his hands rough with calluses. Danara walked over to him, and Ciri quickly looked back up at Dominik who's arm he was holding hadn't stopped trembling. His face had gone pale, and Ciri looked up at him again, seeing the elated look he had completely gone, as his face was completely still. After a moment he looked over, and seemed to realize the small bed, he let out a shaky breath, his arms starting to twitch more as he frantically looked back down at Ciri, a boiling pot of fear bubbling in his green eyes.

"Ciri… Ciri we… Ciri I.. I don't, I can't-," He started, but she quickly nodded and cut him.

"Shh… shh… it's okay, it's okay listen to me Dominik," She said quickly, holding her hands up to his chest and meeting his eyes intently, "I will not let you do this alone, I swear it, I won't-."

"You know, you could have given me more wood to carry, I'm much stronger than this," A higher pitched voice said, as Dominik and she both turned to see Mikel step aside from the door before it went on, "We could certainly use more and-…. What is it?"

The girl was probably only up to Ciri's stomach in terms of height, but Ciri herself, despite being slightly excited about the situation, couldn't help but be shocked to stunned silence when she saw her. She seemed to be about thirteen as Danara said, and just as Dominik had described in his dream, it was tied up in a ponytail then, but her hair was extremely light brown, with even some streaks of blonde and Ciri would dare say ashen mixed in. Her eyes, the girl's eyes were startlingly green, emerald green and almond shaped just like Dominik's were, she looked at them enough to know. Her skin was light, she wore a white silk tunic that went down to just below her waist, a brown snakeskin belt keeping it tied tightly. She had on black trousers, brown heeled boots up her calves' sort of like Ciri's.

Ciri had asked Geralt often what it was like, how he knew that destiny was real with her and Dominik both. He had always told them that it felt as if a small electric cord passed between him and them both, drawing him in, telling his body that they were important, that they meant something, that was how he knew. He had felt it with Ciri in Brokolon forest, and Ciri would never forget the feeling she had back. It was exactly how Geralt described, as if an electric charge passed between them, and she had known, known when she was that young Geralt was her destiny. It had been the same way when she first met Dominik, she felt the connection, the care, right away, she had known that first night meeting him on the balcony, that he was special, special to her, for more than just the fact he was Gregory's son. He was her destiny, and she had felt it right away.

So, when Mikel simply smiled down at her from next to Danara, gesturing his head towards Dominik and she, and the young girl turned, and Ciri saw her eyes, that was how she knew. This wasn't a fluke, this wasn't a mistake, that girl was Dominik's destiny, and in turn hers. The girl met Ciri's eyes for a moment, and Ciri gave her a small smile, before she saw her mouth fall agape, a disbelieving scoff coming from her, and as Ciri looked deep into that little girl's eyes, she felt herself even laugh a little, the smile coming to her face. She had felt it, that spark, that connection, the same one she had felt so long ago with Geralt first in the forest, the same look she had when she first met Dominik that night all those years ago. Ciri felt it looking at that adorable girl then, a connection, destiny, and just like it had with Dominik and Geralt, it filled her heart with warmth.

However, the excited look she gave Ciri, was nothing to the look she saw the girl give Dominik when she looked at him. Ciri turned to see he still hadn't moved, his eyes were narrowed, his brows furrowed as he stared at the girl in complete bewilderment. She remembered how Dominik had been saying often the previous few weeks, 'history repeats itself'. And Ciri couldn't help but be amazed at how true it was then. Just like Geralt, Dominik had a child surprise now, and just like Yennefer with Geralt, Ciri was going to be there for him, be there to help him make sure their destiny was realized. However, she still felt his arms tingling, could see the surprise, the shock, the awe all building up in his eyes, and Ciri bit her lip, looking back down at the girl, who scoffed a breathless laugh again.

"You're him… you're really, really him," She said slowly, her higher voice almost squealing with a laugh as her hands shook, and she couldn't stop smiling. The girl dropped the firewood onto the floor, and practically skipped over to them both, "YES! YES, yes, yes, YES! Dominik of Cintra, YES! You came, you really came, YES!"

And the girl, who was still bouncing and nearly jumping from the excitement running in her, reminded Ciri so much of herself, that childlike excitement. She threw herself into Dominik's waist, her head burying into his stomach as she squeezed around his waist. Ciri found the entire sequence as possibly the most adorable thing she had ever seen, as the girl squealed with delight, looking back up at Dominik, nearly in tears she seemed so happy.

"Mikel and said you'd come back! That I was your destiny, I want to be a witcher! I want to help people, save people like you do! And you can teach me! YES! I won't be alone anymore," She excitedly squealed again, slamming herself back into him, and Ciri found herself scoffing a laugh before she smiled and looked to meet Dominik's eyes.

But despite the excitement Ciri felt, she couldn't help but feel her smile slowly fade, as she saw the completely terrified look on Dominik's face.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"They told me that you killed a vampire and saved the entire village! I was actually there; I saw you about to fight it!" The girl said excitedly, bouncing up and down on her toes in front of Dominik, "I was… kinda hurt at the time or I would've tried to help I swear! I've read all about witchers, and monsters, as much as I could! I can even name all the witcher signs! Aard, Igni, Yrden, Quen, and Axel!"

"That's Axii, with two I's at the end, but that's still awfully impressive," Ciri said right away, still seeing that Dominik was shocked into silence. She met his eyes for a moment, before looking back down at the girl and kneeling down next to her with a smile, "And… what do they call you?"

The girl finally managed to turn away from Dominik, seeming to be so wrapped up in her excitement that she didn't notice the stunned, speechless look on his face. She whirled around to Ciri, beaming brightly at her, and she couldn't help but continue to see herself in those green eyes. She could still see that Dominik was trying to formulate some kind of response, anything at all, but she saw a good sign as his head was at least moving to follow the young girl's movements, as he looked down at Ciri and her both. Mikel and Danara stood by the door, it seemed that Danara had put baby Dominik back to the crib, and was standing with Mikel's arm around her, the sun streaming in through the door. It glittered off the girls bouncing ponytail, and Ciri smiled again at seeing the look of utter joy in her face.

She met Ciri's eyes with a smile and nodded, "My name's Fiona, what's your name?"

"They call me Ciri, it's very nice to meet you Fiona," Ciri said, feeling herself laugh again as she stayed kneeling to be eye level with her, "You know… I was a child surprise too, just like you are."

"You were!? That's amazing! You must be his lost love! Mikel and Danara said Dominik would come back, come back for me, but first, he needed to find and save his lost love," She said excitedly, before Ciri saw her eyes widened, stepping over in front of Ciri and gaping, "Hold on are… are you a witcher too!?"

Ciri laughed and nodded, pointing up at Dominik, "Ha… I am yes, I'm even better then him, he'll never admit it, but he knows it."

Fiona laughed right away, as Ciri continued smirking up at Dominik, who managed a dry scoffing laugh. She had been trying to urge him to talk, but even after the small laugh, Dominik did nothing but stare down at Fiona, blinking rapidly, seeming to think if he did it enough, she would disappear. Ciri knew exactly what his problem was, she could see it in his eyes, he was terrified, absolutely terrified, not of the responsibility that would come with this, but with the prospect of failing. Ciri bit the inside of her cheek as she saw his face, but Fiona's eager voice brought her attention back down.

"That is so amazing! You're a girl witcher! I read in the books that only boys were witchers, but I knew that was horseshit!" She cursed out, and Ciri scoffed at the curse word coming so naturally to her, before she eagerly jumped up on her toes, looking to them both, "Now I can be a girl witcher too! With the two of you training me, I can be amazing, I can help people! I SWEAR I'll be good, look, look, look I even started practicing already!"

Ciri didn't have time to respond as Fiona rushed to the other room where Ciri had seen which she now knew was her bed. After watching her run away, Ciri felt herself laugh again, standing back up and looking at Dominik, who shakily turned his head over to her. Ciri met his gaze, the sun reflecting off the pommels of both his swords and illuminating his shining eyes. She gave him a small smile and gestured her head towards the girl over near her bed.

"You know… you're going to need to say hello eventually," She said to him playfully with her hands on her hips, as she smirked, "You've faced down the King of the Wild Hunt, and a thirteen-year-old girl has you speechless?"

She had meant it as a joke, but it only seemed to frighten or anger him, as he narrowed at her, and Ciri sighed, seeing the look of horror still in his eyes. Ciri knew what it was like to be in that girls' shoes, to be a child of surprise, to know who your destiny was. She had no doubt that Mikel and Danara both had been singing Dominik's praises, telling the girl how he would come for her one day, and that he would train her to be a witcher. History did indeed seem to be repeating itself, because it was incredibly similar to Ciri herself growing up, hearing stories about Geralt, and how he'd come to take her to be a witcher. She loved Geralt with all her heart, however, her lovingly stubborn father hadn't come for her for years, not until after Cintra was burned, and Dominik and she found him.

Ciri knew what it was like, what it was like to be a surprise child, waiting, the waiting had been the worst part, especially after Geralt found her in Brokolon, and knew of her existence. While Fiona hadn't been waiting nearly as long as she had, Ciri still had no intention of putting the girl through what she went through. She watched her eagerly bounce on her toes near her dresser, stumbling to pick up the crude practice swords, and could see the squealing excitement, and even more so she was reminded of herself. Fiona clearly hadn't seen Dominik's reaction yet, with the girl's excitement brimming, but Ciri had never seen anything more adorable. She smiled broadly, already thinking about how elated Yen would be when they got back, trying to think about the reactions of her mother, Geralt and their friends. History was indeed repeating itself, and with every word the girl spoke, Ciri more and more felt that connection, that spark Geralt had mentioned. It was as she had said, people could have more than one destiny, this girl was Dominik's, and Dominik was hers, making the eager young girl just as much her responsibility as his.

And Ciri would never let a child experience what she had, that waiting for your destiny to come for you. She turned back and met Dominik's eyes, who finally managed to stutter, meeting Ciri's eyes and shaking his head.

"Ciri I… I can't do this, I can't, I… I'm nowhere near ready for-." He started, but before Ciri could cut him off, little Fiona did the honors.

"Look look! Mikel helped me make them, I challenge kids in the village all the time," The girl said excitedly, rushing over with the two crudely carved practice swords in her hands, she sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, "None of them really… know what they're doing haha, but practice is practice! I can even name all of the witcher schools! I read that they each fight a different way! There's griffin, bear, cat, viper, and… um… gods which one was it, um-."

"Wolf…" Dominik said shakily from next to him, seeming to finally find his voice, although it was shaky, when Fiona and she looked up at him, he nervously gestured towards his medallion, "That… that's me and Ciri's school, wolf…"

Fiona eagerly nodded, "This is so exciting! I can't wait to show you how good I am! I'll show I'm good enough, I practice every single day, ever since I heard you were coming I've been out there for hours; I even made my own training dummy, do you want to see!? I can show you!"

She reached out and thrust the practice sword into Dominik's hand, and he nearly tipped over from the shock. Ciri laughed however, seeing Fiona eagerly reach over and grab both her and Dominik's hands, looking up at them both with an amazed laugh, before going to lead them outside, and in that moment she thought Dominik may vomit from the worry that was built up in his eyes. Ciri sighed despite her excitement, meeting his gaze as Fiona pulled them both with her towards the door. She was about to say something to him when Mikel's voice again hit her ears.

"Aha… Fiona dear, why don't you go out and practice for a bit?" The man said, stepping in front of the young girl, causing her to let go of them both, Mikel met her and Dominik's eyes both, before he looked back down at Fiona, "Dominik and Cirilla here, need some time to well… process things, go outback and practice, I'm sure they'll come watch you in a bit."

Fiona's green eyes widened, and she whirled back around to them both, "Really!? You will, you'll come watch!?"

"Of course we will, right Dom?" Ciri said right away looking over to him, as Dominik's eyes widened as well, the wooden practice sword in his hand.

He bit his lip, looking down to the beaming young girl and shakily nodded, "Ye…yeah, we will… yeah…"

Fiona bounced on her toes again, taking the wooden sword back from Dominik and beaming up at them both, "Alright, I'll go start warming up… it's just behind the house! Yes… yes… finally…"

She didn't stop celebrating, as she bounded out the door past Mikel and Danara. Ciri felt herself laughing fondly, as she watched the girl from the window nearly trip as she ran around the house so fast. She felt her heart continue to well up, never in her life had she expected someone to look up to her like that, but seeing it, seeing the excited look in the young girl's eyes, the want, the desire to learn, the genuine elation, Ciri couldn't help but feel the excitement well up herself as well. The prospect of training someone was always something she loved, and the idea of getting to do it next to Dominik was even more exciting. She felt a smirk come to her face, the idea of Fiona, who already looked extremely similar to Dominik and her, traveling with them, lapping up all their knowledge, it was absolutely invigorating. The girl wasn't a newborn, she was thirteen, she could take care of herself, could sleep in her own bedroll or room at an inn, so Dominik and she would still get to spend sufficient time alone together, and Fiona was already older than the both of them when they began training.

However, despite the excitement Ciri felt, as soon as Fiona left the house, Dominik next to her nearly stumbled, letting out a breath it seemed like he had been holding for a month. He breathed heavily, as Ciri saw the color from his face still gone. She looked over at Mikel and Danara, who both seemed extremely guilty, before she made her way back over to him, just as he had to hold onto one of the bookshelves to stop himself from falling over. When he met her eyes, he could see a franticness to them, almost as if he was beginning to panic. Ciri quickly came up to him, smiling at him to try and reassure him, but the minute she held her gloved hands on his forearms, she saw his hands shaking furiously still.

"Ci…Ciri she.. she's the girl, the girl from my dream," He said breathlessly, the panic still evident on his face as he furiously shook his head and met her gaze, "She… she was there when I killed Alayna, I… I actually had a dream of her… fuck… gods…"

Ciri scoffed and lightly laughed, looking at him reassuringly, "Well, I guess that means it really is destiny then. Geralt used to have dreams of me remember? And you have dreams of me too…. I guess history really is repeating itself."

He shot his eyes up to meet hers again, "Ciri… I am in NO way ready for something like this! Not even close, and I don't know if I ever will be. For fuck's sake, I… I couldn't protect you! I couldn't protect Bella, I couldn't protect Declan, Arno, anyone, how the hell am I supposed to protect a kid!?"

She knew that was what had been bothering him. She noticed Mikel and Danara seeming to give them the time to talk, which she was grateful for, as she sighed and reassuringly gripped his arm again. Outside the door the wind howled in, Ciri felt her loose strands of hair gently blow in her bun. She could tell just by holding onto his hands just how nervous he was as they shook. Ciri was always used to him being confident, assured, but now she could see it all pouring out of him. The idea he wasn't able to protect her she knew was wrong, he couldn't have done anything to stop what happened to her, and he had only a few weeks ago fought the King of the Wild Hunt himself to keep her safe. Bella had been killed when he was a child, while Declan and Arno willingly gave their lives.

However, she knew each death had hit him hard, and he thought that he could have prevented them. It warmed her heart knowing that he wasn't afraid because he simply didn't want the responsibility, however she knew that he knew as well, they couldn't run from this, that girl was their destiny now, and she knew better than anyone what it was like to be in her shoes, what the consequences for not letting destiny come to pass where. Dominik just like always wanted to keep her safe, and he could tell right away he wanted Fiona to be safe as well, he fully understood that the girl was his destiny, just like Ciri was.

But Fiona was also her destiny now, so quickly she grabbed both his hands, squeezing them reassuringly as she looked up at him.

"Dominik… you did everything you could for all of them, none of those things were your fault…. And besides, you don't have to do this alone, I'm going to be with you for every single bit," She said reassuringly, leaning up and quickly kissing him, gently coming back down and smiling reassuringly at him, "This girl's your destiny, which makes her mine as well. And if anyone knows what it's like to be in her position it's me."

He nervously laughed and nodded with the tiniest of smiles, "Yeah… I guess you do. But… gods Ciri, what… what about well… us traveling?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, smirking at him, "She's thirteen Dominik, she's not a newborn, old enough to get her own room at an inn. Feisty little things too I can see, gods I can't wait to bring her back to meet Yen, she'll be ecstatic, and Geralt! Gods, he might have a heart attack, and-."

"What are you talking about?" He asked her incredulously, as Ciri looked up to meet his eyes, he scoffed right away and shook his head at her, "Ciri are you insane, we're not bringing her back with us!"

Ciri had never heard him use such a fierce tone with her before, however, she knew he was doing it out of worry. So, she didn't get angry at him, simply took a step back from him, her hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes at him and scoffed.

"Dominik… I know you're nervous about it, but you know as well as I do we can't just leave her," She said shaking her head, meeting his intense eyes with her own, "We both know what happens when you try to ignore and outrun destiny, and she isn't just yours, she's mine now too!"

"It's not about that Ciri! I'm not about to drag her back with us into the middle of a war with the fucking Wild Hunt! It's way too dangerous for her," He said with a shake of his head, crossing his arms and meeting her gaze, "We could die in a few weeks Ciri, as much as we don't want to admit it… we can't bring her into the middle of that… you know I'm right."

Ciri sighed and let his words wash over her for a moment. Biting her lip she met his gaze, realizing that he was indeed right. She had gotten so wrapped up in the excitement of the situation, she had truly forgotten what they were currently facing. It was something she was happy about, as for a few glorious minutes, it truly did feel like they really had their freedom, that they were simply out on the Path together, and this exciting event had happened. However, the cold fist of reality that she often hated came crashing back down on her. The Hunt was still out there, Eredin was still out there, and the last thing she needed was him somehow figuring out about Fiona and trying to exploit it. As much as she hated to admit it, she still didn't know what Avallac'h was planning for her as well, and while the fragile trust she held for the sage was still there, she knew Dominik would never agree to bring her anywhere near the elf, and Ciri couldn't blame him. And of course, Dominik was also right about another thing.

As much as they hated to admit it, as much confidence as they spouted about it, there was the real possibility they could die in the final fight. Eredin was powerful, and Ciri knew they hadn't seen the full extent of it yet. And the last thing she'd want to do, would be to take Fiona, spend the next few weeks with her, only for her and Dominik both to die. Biting her lip again she met his gaze and could see the worried panic building up in him. She knew he was right and knew that he was more than likely already working hard to keep it together, so slowly she met his eye and nodded.

She saw the sun streaming in through the window bounce of the swallow and his medallion around his neck. His silky brown hair gently shifted, and she watched as he ran a hand through it multiple times, as he often did when he was anxious. Ciri wanted to do anything to reassure him, because clearly he still didn't think they were ready, that he was ready. Dominik was the most protective person she knew, he had such a fierce protectiveness, Ciri had always felt safe while she was with him. He fiercely protected those he cared about and loved, and he didn't care how he protected them, as long as they were safe. It was one of the things she loved most about him. However, when he failed, when one of the ones he loved was hurt and he thought he could have done something, he took it harder than anything else, even blaming himself years later, in terms of her and his sister Bella.

So, Ciri sighed, and walked over to him again. She looked up and met his eyes, gingerly holding his hands. Smiling as reassuringly as she could, she reached up and kissed him with everything she had, doing everything she could to make that anxiousness go away in him. He melted into her for the minute or so they stayed locked, hugging her and squeezing her with everything he had. After she finally pulled back from him, right away she hugged around his neck, hugging him as fiercely as she could. She felt his arms squeeze tighter around her waist then they ever had, and for a minute she felt him shaking, shuddering in her arms, which only led her to holding him closer. She had never felt him so tense before, never in her life, gingerly she pulled back from him, meeting his eyes and kissing him quickly again.

"Dominik… I know you're scared, you're nervous, but I promise you, you aren't in this alone. This girl, she's OUR destiny, we're in this together, just like everything," She said reassuringly, nodding as she smiled broadly and met his eyes, "Besides… you can't tell me you didn't think the way she came in here wasn't absolutely adorable."

He scoffed out a laugh, and Ciri managed one as well. Slowly he looked and met her eyes, slowly shaking his head, "Ciri I… I have no idea if I'm ready for this…"

"Do you think Geralt was ready for not one, but two of us? And we were a lot to handle as you know. At least she didn't try to smash your knee in with a rock like you did to Geralt," She said with a small smile, seeing the color and smile come back to his.

And when he let out a small laugh, Ciri felt her mission complete. He had been supporting her in every possible way the previous few weeks, and her entire life really, so now, seeing how much he truly, genuinely needed her, Ciri was going to be there for him. She had an amazing vision then, a vision of herself, Dominik, arriving at Kaer Morhen with Fiona on one of their horses, bringing her to see Vesemir, listening to her complain about lectures, watching her run pendulums, it all came to her, and Ciri loved every second of it. She had just met the girl yes, but she was extremely good at reading people, even younger children from the offset. That girl reminded her too much of herself, and feeling that electric spark that passed between them, between the three of them, she knew they'd be perfect for her.

Dominik scoffed and sighed, "We are a lot to handle that's for sure…"

Ciri smirked and nodded, "Exactly, plus she's already-."

"My friend, I… I'm sorry to interrupt, and… and to be springing all of this on you now," The voice of Mikel behind them said, as he and Ciri both turned to see the man and Danara coming to them.

She got her first good look at Mikel, a taller handsome man with slicked back black hair. On his right wrist, Ciri saw a deep scar, which she recognized right away as fang marks, where Ciri assumed Alayna had tried to suck him dry. Danara was on his arms, looking apologetically at them both, the young woman sighed and met both their eyes.

"I'm sorry as well. I… didn't know how to tell you right away," She said with a small shake of her head, looking to Dominik now, "I had no idea how you'd react, and plus, everything that's going on with the raiders…."

"We're truly sorry to be throwing this all on you so suddenly, I understand it's big news," Mikel said with a small shake of his head, before turning to look at Ciri, "By the way, it's my pleasure to meet you Cirilla… Dominik, he spoke so passionately about you last I saw him, I was very much looking forward to meeting you."

Ciri quickly shook her head, "The pleasure is mine, it's nice to meet you as well…. And it's alright, we… know how a situation like this can affect a person."

Dominik scoffed and nodded, meeting Mikel's eyes, "She's right, we… have experience you could say. And don't apologize, we're still here to help but… well… it seems we have more to talk about."

"He's right," Ciri said right away, looking and meeting Mikel's eyes, "We… should probably sit and figure out what we can about her, and figure out some kind of plan, so after that we can focus on dealing with the raiders."

Mikel quickly nodded, gesturing towards their table, "Aye… we should. That poor girl… quite the story she has, a great lass, come, we'll tell you everything."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Danara had opened a window towards the back, and Ciri found herself smiling, because if she looked up enough and narrowed her eyes, she could see Fiona. The young girl was hacking away at a wooden post hammered into the ground, a potato sack on its body, pieces of wood nailed out to represent arms, and a bucket resting on its head. It was the crudest training dummy Ciri had ever seen, but she could see Fiona eagerly yelling, whooping and swinging the wooden sword at it, with her brown ponytail whipped behind her back. Her footwork was sloppy, her sword flailed, but she wasn't any worse than Dominik and she had been when they first arrived in Kaer Morhen, the 'arghs', the 'hiyas', and the rest of her battle cries hit Ciri's ears, and made her lightly laugh as she remembered herself when she had been that age and younger. Dominik would be right by her side, yelling out encouragement, as they would take turns hacking away at the dummy, and brought a fond nostalgic smile to Ciri's face.

But when she turned to Dominik, she could see him biting the inside of his cheek, as he tore his vision away from the window and Fiona. He anxiously tapped his foot next to her, and she watched as he grabbed the mug of ale Danara had poured for him, before downing it all in one go. Ciri quickly reached her hand down, and squeezed his thigh gently, trying to reassure him, and when she did, he let out a long shaky breath and met her eyes for a moment, the worry dripping from them. As soon as he downed the one mug, he quickly poured himself more, and started drinking again. She could still tell how nervous he was. He hadn't stopped biting the inside of his lip, even with her hand on his thigh it still shook. Seeing him down another mug, with Mikel nervously looking at them from across the table, she gently smiled at him, trying to perk up his mood.

"You know you're a lightweight, and we may have to fight soon, is that many cups of ale really the best idea?" She teased him, and right away she could see her attempts to cheer him up hadn't worked.

He shot his eyes up to her, "Ciri… I love you, more than anything, but please, I am NOT in the mood for jokes right now…"

She bit her lip as he completely downed the rest of his second mug. Ciri sighed, just as Danara came back, placing a fresh bread, with multiple different slices of cheese and more wine onto the table in front of them. Feeling her stomach rumbling, Ciri nodded thankfully and dug in, tearing off pieces of bread with her gloved hands, her sword clunking on her back as she did. It was a little past midday now, and she could see the sun was slowly beginning to be covered by more grey clouds, and she could tell that rain was coming, as through the slightly cracked window, she could hear Fiona yelling out as the young girl's practice swords hit the dummies, as well she could hear and feel the howling of the wind. Danara sat at the table with them, neatly folding her hands as Ciri chewed the bread, looking over to Dominik again, who's brown hair was tossing in the wind, as he seemed less interested in the food, and more so in the wine Danara had now opened.

Seeing that Dominik was seemingly trying to avoid asking questions, in hopes the whole situation would go away, Ciri sighed and looked to meet Danara and Mikel's gaze, downing some of the ale in her own mug before putting the bread down and nodding at them both.

"So… you told us she said she came from Novigrad?" She asked the both of them, remembering what Danara had said.

At her finally asking questions, she felt Dominik tense next to her again, and under the table she held onto his bouncing thigh to try and reassure him. However, as had been the case so far, it didn't work, his leg continued to shake as his boot tapped, but she felt a small bit of reassurance when he looked up and Mikel and Danara as well. She smiled gently at him, before turning back to the pair.

Mikel sighed and slowly nodded, smiling grimly, "Aye, that's what she tells us. Says that her mother died when she was born, her mother she… worked at the Passiflora, died when she was born, tells us Marquise Serenity took her and raised her, with the rest of the women there."

"Marquise Serenity?" Ciri said curiously, looking over to Dominik sitting next to her, "Aren't Geralt and Dandelion friends with her?"

"They are…" Dominik slowly said, looking up, and seeming to gulp as he met Mikel and Danara's eyes, "What… um… what about her father?"

Ciri could see the anxiousness still welled up in him, and Ciri's heart nearly broke seeing him in such a state. She gently frowned, squeezing his leg again under the table, with the pulled-up sleeves of his armor, she could see he had goosebumps running up and down his arms. He was terrified, not of the responsibility, but of possibly failing, and all Ciri wanted was to somehow make him feel better. She had an idea how, she had a feeling if he only spent a few minutes with the girl, actually speaking, it would be natural, like it was with her and Geralt. From the minute she had met her father, she could feel it, everything with Geralt simply came so naturally for her, speaking to him, joking with him, feeling that connection. She herself had already begun to feel that with Fiona, however, that could have simply been from the fact that the girl already reminded Ciri so much of herself.

However, she knew that even if they didn't bring Fiona back with them at that moment, Dominik needed to spend time with her, Ciri would make sure Fiona didn't go through what she did. She knew Dominik would never make her, but that didn't stop him from being as visibly anxious as he was then. Danara at Dominik's questions grimly shook her head, as Fiona's fighting cries filtered in through the window.

"Even she doesn't know… an orphan from the time she was born," The young woman said with a sigh and a grim smile as she looked at them both, "But she does speak fondly of her time growing up there. Says she worked serving drinks at the Passiflora, Marquise Serenity let no man near her…from how she speaks of it… she was happy there."

Ciri felt her heart slightly sink as she slowly shook her head, "If she was happy there… how… did she end up here?"

"And… and my dream, in it she… she was hurt bad," Dominik quickly said next to her, his voice piping up, and Ciri could hear the concern coming from it.

Mikel shook his head, stroking his black beard, "That's the thing… she still hasn't told us. Gets all upset when we ask… only says she got into some trouble and had to run."

"The poor thing, she wakes up screaming at times…" Danara said with a sad shake of her head, looking to meet their eyes, "She's so full of life, is amazing with little Dominik, always willing to help however she can, never complains, not once, she's been a wonderful girl."

"A feisty little number too haha," Mikel said fondly with a small laugh as Fiona's battle cries still rang in all their ears through the window. He smiled back at Ciri and Dominik both, "Can't tell how many times I've had to go get her from angry parents or other folk, whether it be her snapping back, cursing, just last week old Samuel's two older boys, were harassing some kids at the market, large as small mares they are, but Fiona? Kicked their arses right up and down the market, had to pay a pretty penny to Samuel to get outta that… but I didn't mind."

Ciri laughed lightly and found herself peeking her head up above the window again, she may have been imagining it, but she even swore she saw the sides of Dominik's lips curl up as well for a moment before they quickly went back down. Ciri felt her heart stir, wondering what could have possibly gotten the girl all the way to Claywitch from Novigrad, however, hearing the other stories made her smile, it reminded her again of when she was younger, obnoxious at the Temple of Melitele, or aggressive kids in Ellander picking on smaller ones, Dominik and she were always there to try and help. By the time she was only a few years older than Fiona, she had been a member of the Rats, been fighting in the bowels of an arena, knowing the girl had been through suffering already, it only made Ciri more determined to help her. Of course, she was a very rare case, nobody would ever had a journey like her, have to go through what she did, but if she could help this girl, who was so similar to her, her and Dominik both get a better life, the exciting life she clearly wanted, then she would be happy.

She watched for another minute as Fiona tried to leap and strike to the dummy outside, but her footwork was off, and she slipped, falling face first into the dirt. Most children, like her and Dominik both had, would have more than likely complained or winced in pain. Fiona, however, did neither. She leapt right back up to her feet, striking out at the dummy again with new vigor, spinning and trying to pirouette Ciri assumed, with sloppy form yes, but form that could certainly be worked on. She seemed to be far more ahead then either Dominik or she were when they first arrived at Kaer Morhen, and Ciri smiled even wider, when Fiona yelled out, both hands on the wooden sword, trying to strike down on the dummy, but the young girl had been far too dizzy from the spins and stumbled to the ground again. Ciri watched her roll her eyes and scoff, tossing her ponytail back behind her hair, and leaping to strike right away again, not stopping for a moment as the wind howled, and the clouds continued to roll in.

"Aha… she sounds like basically a mixture of the two of us," She said amusingly, looking over to Dominik, who she noticed was also watching Fiona with a worried expression out the window as she smiled at him, "Looks like us, acts like us, Geralt will be thrilled with another one of us running around."

He sighed and shook his head, "Don't know if her being like us is exactly a good thing…. Ciri, I… I'm nowhere near ready for something like this, nowhere at all, I don't know how to take care of a kid!"

She met his eyes as Danara and Mikel watched them both, they were both quiet, clearly seeing that Dominik and she were the ones who needed to talk the most. Ciri could see the panic still swelling in the back of his eyes. She squeezed on his leg again, still feeling it tapping incessantly as she slowly shook her head.

"She's not a child Dominik, she's thirteen," Ciri reasoned with him, slowly shaking her head a small scoff coming to her, "She's self-sufficient, it's not like she's a newborn. We both knew how to snap a drowners neck by the time we were her age."

For the first time, Ciri saw his eyes flare up as he shook his head, shooting up from the table and standing next to her, pacing for a minute, running his hand through his hair before meeting her eyes.

"How the hell are you being so calm about all of this!? Ciri, for fuck's sake you realize what this means right!? We have to raise a fucking kid, protect her!" He stated angrily, his voice rising as he scoffed and shook his head looking deeply into her eyes, nearly pleading with her, "I couldn't protect you when it mattered! I promised Bella I would protect her too, but she's dead, I promised Declan we would fight together more, I promised Arno I fucking knew what I was doing. I promised EVERYONE at Kaer Morhen I knew what I was doing, and we all almost fucking died!"

He looked as if he would rip out his hair, and Ciri right away got to her feet, meeting his eyes, and trying for a calming tone. She gently grabbed his hand to turn him back to her, and she couldn't recall a time in her life, she had seen such fear dripping out of him. As she grabbed his hand, she saw him stop pacing as he whirled around to her, the wind through the window howling his hair and clattering both his swords. She met his eyes and gently shook her head.

"Dominik… none of that was your fault. Sometimes things are out of your control, we're here now, that's all that matters, you told me that," She said slowly trying to reassure him, as she heard him sigh she lightly laughed and met his eyes again, "And… I'm so calm, because well… we're perfect for her! You had Gregory and Geralt, the two greatest fathers I've ever seen. Together the two of us, we're meant for this! And she clearly wants this, you saw how eager she was!"

Dominik shakily sighed again, and she saw him slowly turn his head towards the window. Ciri looked as well, and for a moment they both watched Fiona again. The young girl attempted a spin, however Ciri saw her feet moving far too slow, and instead of keeping her head up, they went down to her feet to make sure she didn't trip, and ending up completely missing her swing and knocking herself off balance again, making her fall into the dirt. Ciri scoffed an amused laugh, as Fiona got right up again letting out a deep breath, before striking out with the sword again. The clouds were rolling back in the wind was howling colder, and Ciri was even more glad she attached the scarf to her shirt, Fiona however, didn't seem affected, as she kept lashing out from the left and right, shouting 'hiya' and 'got you' as her wooden sword smacked off the sack the post was wearing, with her brown ponytail whipping in the wind.

Ciri laughed again, finding the whole scene adorable, it was clear the girl was eager to learn, and just like the both of them, she saw that fighting spirit, that will too not give up. She didn't think the girl had stopped for a minute since she had gone outside, and even with the obvious rain clouds coming in, Fiona showed no signs of wanting to stop yet. Ciri had known from a young age she wanted to be a witcher, as soon as she heard from her caretaker when she was young, she couldn't wait for Geralt to come for her, train her, give her the ability to save and help people. She remembered when she met Dominik, she had insisted that she wasn't going to be Queen of Cintra, she was going to be a witcher, and she wanted him to be one with her as well. He always thought she was joking she knew, but either way he always said, 'where you go, I go', and sure enough, there he was next to her now, looking out at Fiona, a witcher, at the girl they would train to go on the same path. The girl had excitedly talked about helping people, and what had caught Ciri the most, was Fiona had said how she wouldn't be alone anymore.

Of course, the girl had Mikel and Danara, who were both fondly looking out the window as well, but she knew what the girl meant. Whatever Fiona had gone through, it couldn't have been good, it had to have been harrowing. She remembered how Dominik woke up with nightmares how she would herself. The girl wasn't alone technically, but Ciri knew what she meant when she said it. She felt nobody had known what she went through, felt the same way. Dominik was that person for her, that she knew had experienced just as much pain as she had, and having him, not only for his love, but for that kind of support was a reason she always wanted him around, was sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Fiona needed that, and Dominik and she, for that reason, would be perfect for her Ciri knew.

However, Dominik shakily sighed again, turning back to her.

"She doesn't want our life… she doesn't, no matter what she thinks," Dominik said, slowly shaking his head, meeting Ciri's eyes, "Ciri, we never had the chance to be normal kids, even before Geralt found us. You were a princess, I was meant to take over your armies, and after what happened? We never had a choice… we never had a chance for a normal life, a safe one."

Ciri scoffed and met his eyes, "Dominik, I love our life. I don't care what happened to me, I love where I am, I love being a witcher, and so do you! I have you, Geralt, Yen everyone I'll ever need, sometimes people want more than just a provincial life, they want to be more, do more, and this girl wants that! It's her destiny, and it's OUR destiny to help her realize it."

"I love it yeah… but I never had a choice, you never had a choice," He rationalized, and Ciri could hear his voice shaking, "That girl, going through what we had to go through? No, I couldn't do that to her… she's better off here."

She shook her head again, "Dominik you know we can't do that, she won't have to go through what we went through, we'll be there for her every step of the way. I know that you're nervous but Dom… we can do this, if we do it together… we won't let nothing happen to her and-."

"I promised YOU that when we were younger Ciri, and you know how well that turned out!?" He snapped, but Ciri stood there, taking the anger in stride, as he scoffed and shook his head at her, "Here she'd be safe, has food, a family, and can be a normal kid, I am NOT ready for this Ciri!"

"Yes you are you stupid boy," She snapped back at him, her hands going to her hips as she met his eyes and scoffed, "And despite what you may think, you HAVE protected me! You just fucking fought Eredin, saved my life a few weeks ago and-."

"You mean I got my ass kicked by Eredin, my leg still fucking throbs!" He yelled at her again, his hands balling into fists as they shook and he turned away from her, "I got these fucking powers I still don't know how to use, that I'm supposed to protect you with… and I wasn't able too the first time, you saved me from Eredin, YOU saved me from the Crones, even when we were younger you always saved ME Ciri… and what have I ever done?"

Ciri felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Gently she walked back over to him, grabbing his hand, and softly, she turned him back around to look at him. She met his eyes, and she could almost see tears welling, she rested both her hands up on his chest, and slowly shook her head.

"You found me…" She said to him, looking deep into his eyes, shaking her head again, "You've done more for me… then you'll ever know Dominik... I need you, and now… Fiona needs us…"

He slowly shook his head again, and Ciri felt her heart nearly rip when he took a step back from her.

"Everyone who's ever needed me… is either dead, or nearly has been dead," Dominik said, biting his lip and shakily sighing as he turned away from her.

"Dominik stop please…" She said gently, following him as he walked towards the door.

Again he shook his head, not even looking back at her, as he turned the door handle.

"I'm sorry Ciri I… I just need some air," He said, and without even turning back to her, walked out the door, with it gently closing behind him.

Ciri stood there for a moment, feeling her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. Crossing her arms she sighed at where he was just standing, letting his words play over in her head. It was amazing how fast his mood had changed, how one thing seemed to crumble it all. She couldn't really blame him, learning that you had such a responsibility, having it thrusted at you so suddenly, when you were least expecting, combined with everything else she knew they had to deal with at the moment, it was a miracle to her that he hadn't reacted even worse. She looked out the window again, trying to see Fiona, but to her surprise the girl was gone, she couldn't see her near the training dummy, but her highly trained eyes quickly narrowed. At the base of the window, Ciri saw the top of the young girl's brown ponytail, and scoffed, realizing that the girl must have come to eavesdrop on them. As soon as it had been silent for a few moments, she saw her leave the wall, and for a slight second, the girl faltered with the practice sword in her hand again, looking back into the window, and for a second she met Ciri's gaze.

And after she did, Fiona bit her lip, turning back to the dummy and lashing out with even more vigor then Ciri had seen. A small smile came to her face, but her heart also stirred, realizing the girl had to have heard some of their conversation. Fiona wasn't the issue, Ciri knew this, she knew Dominik too well to know that was a fact. If circumstances had been different, she thought that he would have been just as excited as she was, however, with the Hunt, the battle being so recently, and learning more and more about what she had gone through, Ciri knew that despite what he said, deep down, he still felt guilty for it all. She knew they talked about it all already, and between herself, Geralt and his friends, had helped him clear his mind of it all, but with Fiona now being thrusted into the picture, Ciri could understand why he was acting the way he was. It was a huge responsibility, a huge step for not just himself, but her, and their relationship.

Geralt was her father, Emhyr could call himself her father, but the degenerate never would be, it would always be Geralt. And of course there was Yen as well, she wasn't technically her destiny, but the sorceress was the mother she never had, the one she always wanted, and with her and Geralt, her and Dominik both had that family dynamic they craved after Cintra. Could her and Dominik be that for Fiona? She certainly thought they could, they had the best two role models anyone could ask for, they loved each other unconditionally, and Fiona already did look like the two of them. Ciri saw the light strands of blonde ashen hair in Fiona's brown locks and could see her green eyes shining from where she stood. And in terms of training? Fiona wouldn't only have her and Dominik, but she was sure Geralt as well one day, she remembered Dominik telling her Vesemir and Eskel joked about them bringing the first ever, 'third generation witcher' to Kaer Morhen, and it seemed they would be doing that a bit earlier than their Uncle thought. Yes, in terms of training the girl would be fine, and Ciri scoffed, wondering how good training under them all would truly make the girl.

However, there were bigger questions, Dominik had a point, were they ready for the responsibility? At the current moment, she knew he was also right in saying they couldn't bring her with them right away. However, after that, Ciri liked to think that they were. The two of them were much more than your average twenty-two-year old's, they had seen and been through more than anyone should have too at their age. The relationship they had, their love, had lasted eight years apart, through all of the hardships they faced, so she had no doubt that it could survive raising that young girl. A small part of her was upset they wouldn't get to travel alone for as long as they wanted, and she was sure that in the end, they could take a few months after the Hunt was dealt with, and make it just the two of them before they came for her. Geralt hadn't come for her for eleven years, and for most of them she was fine, so she had to assume Fiona would be for a few months after the Hunt was gone. No, Ciri believed they were ready, she was ready, and deep down she knew Dominik was.

It was only a matter of getting him to realize that they were, and Ciri knew she would be the only one to be able to do that. She sighed and looked out to Fiona again, the sun was covered by the clouds now, and Ciri could hear the wind howling even fiercer, but the girl stayed focused. Slowly Ciri reached around the ring on her neck, she squeezed it, and remembered her at that age, it was when her and Dominik first admitted they loved each other, and finally began to date. They already had two years of training at Kaer Morhen under their belts and knew what they wanted to do. They wanted to help people, make the world safer.

And Fiona wanted to do just that as well, help people, reminding Ciri of the both of them more and more by the minute.

"Again… I must apologize for springing this on you both," Mikel said from behind her, making Ciri turn around to see him and Danara across from her. The man sighed and met her gaze, "Between this and… and asking you to help with Drogar, it… it's a lot I understand, I apologize."

Ciri mentally scolded herself, naturally with what happened, she had forgotten the bandits had been the main reason they came. However, she quickly shook her head, looking between Mikel and Danara both, adjusting the sword on her back.

"It's alright I promise. He… he isn't angry, just worried," She said, slowly shaking her head as she looked between them again, "Speaking of these bandits, do we know when they'll be back? Do they attack at certain times?"

Mikel with his arm around Danara grimly nodded, "Aye… should be later today even, or in the next day or two, it's why everyone's so afraid. Ha… Fiona even suggested we lay a trap! Put a bunch of sharp stakes in the ground, around the village to stop their horses!"

Ciri scoffed a small smile coming to her face as she looked out the window at the girl again, still practicing with vigor.

"Ha… not a bad idea actually, so they have horses? How many, and how many men?" She asked them both again, and this time Danara spoke.

"Only a handful of horses but… they do the most damage," The young woman said shakily, holding onto Mikel as she met Ciri's gaze, "As for men well… we don't really know. Sometimes he'll come with as much as thirty, others half that."

She quickly nodded and looked outside again, and took notice of the rain clouds coming in.

"Rains coming, horses won't be much good in the mud. If we play it smart, Dominik and I should be able to keep them back, maybe track down their base, find your women… that large a group is surely to have left signs," Ciri said, before turning back to them both.

Mikel eagerly nodded, "Aye, we know the area well, we'd be able to help. If you need anything, everyone in the village will be willing I know."

"Thank you… we may need it, but like we told you, we'll do all we can," She said reassuringly, before she bit her lip and sighed, "But I… will admit Dominik was right about one thing… we can't take Fiona with us when we leave, not now at least."

It was the truth, Dominik was being irrationally nervous she knew, but he was right about them not being able to take the girl with them now. As much as Ciri wanted to bring her back, see Yennefer and Geralt's reaction, and jump right into training the young girl, just like with her having that freedom she always wanted, that life she and Dominik craved, Eredin would first need to die. And now, Ciri wasn't only fighting for her own life, for Dominik and her family's life, but for Fiona's as well.

Danara shakily nodded, "She… she's welcome to stay as long as she needs. I… heard you and Dominik mentioned… the Wild Hunt?"

"Aye…" Mikel said slowly, seeming to shiver where he was standing as he met Ciri's eyes, "I… shudder to think what the two of you are mixed up with them for."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "The less you know, the safer you are believe me… but I think I should go and find him, let him know what you told me and… try to talk some sense into him."

"Will you be able to? He… seemed awfully upset," Danara asked hesitantly.

She gently laughed and smiled at the young woman, "I'm the only one who would be able to, it's like I said, he's not angry, or upset… just worried."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Destiny would continue to amaze Ciri until the day she died.

As she stepped outside, adjusting her sword as she did, the cold wind whipped through her bun. She adjusted that as well, looking up to see the clouds had completely overtaken the sun, casting a grey eerie light with the sun only shining through small cracks. A few more people were walking outside, as the center of the town, where the water well they came up to earlier wasn't very far away. Some of the people looked at her as she came outside, but Ciri was intent on finding Dominik. She had thought for a moment, perhaps he went back to the inn, or took Clop for a ride somewhere. However, the white stallion was still hitched next to Kelpie in front of Danara and Mikel's house, and when Ciri looked down, she saw his footprints in the dirt, leading around the side towards the back. Scoffing, she felt a sly smile coming to her face, following them and surely enough they made their way to the backyard. And when she got there, was when she felt she was discovering the power of destiny all over again.

Because Dominik was leaning against the side of the house, watching as Fiona was continuing to slash and hack away at her makeshift training dummy with her wooden practice sword.

Ciri was tempted to go up to him, put her hand on his back and urge him forward to talk to the young girl. However, she decided against it, he hadn't noticed her, she stayed a few meters behind him on the side of the house, the wind howling as she watched him and Fiona both. Dominik was unmoving, his eyes staying fixed on Fiona who hadn't seemed to notice him yet in the larger back yard. The girls training dummy was wedged between two larger boulders, and behind that Ciri saw what seemed to be endless fields of wheat, which of course seemed to have been torched by the bandits as well. A small fence lined the backyard, and she could see multiple what looked like failed attempts at making more wooden swords. The one Fiona had in her hand, was quite well made, as she tried to spin and hit the dummy again, however, just like the last time she was too dizzy and missed the strike, which made Ciri laugh.

And she could see Dominik crack a smile as well, so she leaned up against the house, simply standing there and watching the two of them. If they truly were both her destiny, Ciri knew there'd be plenty of time to talk later, but for now, just like she had hoped, destiny intervened, and her not going up to interrupt the moment was the right choice she knew. Because, when she watched Fiona leap to strike at the dummy again, she noticed the young girl had loosed her elbow, which she had been doing the entire time, and from experience herself, Ciri knew exactly what would happen next.

"GAHHH, dammit…" The young girl yelled over the wind, dropping her sword to the ground, and rubbing her elbow, the wind whipping her slightly larger white tunic, and her brown ponytail.

Ciri chuckled silently, remembering all the times Uncle Vesemir had shouted at her and Dominik both to make sure they kept their elbows locked while striking. It was one of the first lessons they learned, and if you didn't abide by it, you'd get stingers like Fiona just had, when the shock and force from the strike went up your arm. Fiona finally seemed to get agitated, rubbing her arm painfully, as she sighed, biting her lip and looking down at her elbow, which Ciri was sure had to be throbbing still. The wind whipped back her own hair, as she looked over to Dominik, the wind blew his hair as well, clunked his swords on his back, and Ciri waited, knowing exactly what he would do, and smiling broadly when he did it.

"Got a stinger," Dominik said carefully, as Fiona nearly jumped whirling around to him.

The girl's eyes went wide, and she looked at him, Ciri laughed when she saw a mixture of emotions shoot through her face. She smiled and looked up at him almost in awe as Dominik came up to her. She felt her heart flip, as Fiona was barely able to form words, as she scrambled to pick the sword up off the ground, quickly standing and looking up at him, her green eyes wide and attentive.

"A…a stinger?" She asked, and Dominik quickly nodded.

"A stinger yeah, still get them myself sometimes," He said a bit sheepishly, looking down and meeting Fiona's eyes, pointing to his own elbow, "When you're striking, you should always keep your elbow locked, gives you better control of your strikes, and it absorbs the force that comes back from your sword hitting something."

Fiona eagerly nodded the smile growing on her face, as Ciri saw her subconsciously tighter her elbow as she held the wooden sword at her side. She watched the girl bit her lip nervously, and for a moment, her and Dominik just simply stood looking at one another. The nervous look growing back to his face, as the wet cold air blew his hair back. She saw clouds starting to roll in more, and the breezing chill sent goosebumps down her arms. After a few moments of watching Fiona and Dominik simply look up at one another, Ciri was about to step in, trying to say something to get another conversation going.

But Fiona beat her to it, the young girl nervously bit her lip, rubbing her arm again as she spoke carefully.

"Was… was there… anything else you saw? That… that I was doing wrong?" She asked, and Ciri had never heard someone so eager to hear what they were doing wrong.

Dominik scoffed and Ciri saw a small smile come to his face.

"Ha well… you're certainly a lot better than I was when I first started, that's for sure," He said with a small bit of amusement, and right away Fiona's eyes widened again.

"Really!? You mean that you really do?" She asked quickly, all of her nerves seeming to be gone.

He laughed, and Ciri for the first time saw a true smile come to his face. She felt her heart flutter, and a broad smile come to her face, as she saw them both smile at one another for a moment. Dominik's nerves were still there, and Ciri could tell that he was trying to maintain a rough, tough appearance, but she knew him better than anyone, and knew his caring, goofier side was going to come out.

A small clap of thunder boomed in the distance, and the wind picked up, whipping Ciri's hair and chilling her bones, but watching as Dominik laughed, before he looked down and slowly nodded at the girl, it warmed her right back up.

"Oh yeah, I was bad, really bad, but well… I practiced at it every day, I had to protect Ciri, I had to learn," He said with a fond smile slowly forming, and Ciri felt herself lightly blush before she heard him go on as he looked down at the girl, "As for anything else I saw… well… your stance isn't narrow enough, you're too wide, making yourself a bigger target."

Fiona nodded so hard she seemed to almost fall, nearly bouncing on her toes she excitedly kept her green eyes locked with Dominik's.

"Alright! I… um… don't know what that means though…" She admitted a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head and tossing back her ponytail.

Dominik laughed a little himself, before Ciri saw him turn to the base of the training dummy. And never in her life had Ciri felt her heart flip like it did when Dominik slowly walked over to the second practice sword and picked it up. He tossed the much smaller, wooden sword between both of his hands, before Ciri watched him twirl it, whirl it behind his back, swing it skillfully in front of him, the whole time with Fiona's eyes getting even wider, her mouth falling agape in complete amazement.

"Show off…" Ciri muttered under her breath, with a smile still widely on her face while she leaned against the house and continued to watch, moving a little closer to the scene of them both.

Fiona looked astonished at how easily Dominik moved the smaller sword, and after a moment, he held it to his side, pointing it over at the young girl.

"Okay, go on, show me your stance again," He said, tapping the dirt with his sword, like she remembered Geralt always did to them when he wanted them to get ready.

Ciri watched as Fiona did just that, she got ready in her stance, and just like Dominik said, Ciri saw it was far too wide. Her legs were shifted out past her shoulders, and she was holding even the practice sword with two hands, and biting her lip in determination, as the wind blew back her hair.

Dominik slowly shook his head and walked over to her, lightly tapping the girl's legs with the wooden sword he had to get her to get her to adjust, "See what I mean you're too wide, you're making yourself a bigger target, one foot in front of the other… good, good, you're skinny, that's a good thing, makes you even less of a target."

Fiona rolled her eyes. "I've been small my whole life… kids always used to make fun of me for it…."

He laughed and rolled his eyes, tapping her legs to get her stance perfect, "I know how that feels trust me, but being smaller is good, makes you less of a target, harder to hit, and it all starts with the stance… good, now let's see the grip."

A small smile came to Fiona's face, and in her new much narrower stance, she held the blade up, gripping it tightly with both of her hands, on overlapping the other, and Dominik quickly shook his head.

"No… no that won't work, it isn't a greatsword that you need two hands for," He said, as Fiona looked up at him curiously, before Dominik showed her his own grip, "Even with a witchers blade, one hand is all you need."

"But I can't hold it with only one hand, it may be smaller but it's too heavy!" Fiona said, looking up at him as she tried to hold the wooden sword with one hand, but saw it dip into the dirt.

Dominik laughed again and met the girl's gaze, "My Uncle Vesemir used to tell me, the swords as heavy as it has to be to make you strong, one hand is all you need… now, back in the stance I showed you come on, hold it up, let me see the grip…"

With some difficulty, Fiona held the sword up with one hand, up to Dominik's watching eyes, and Ciri could tell the girl was having some difficulty. Dominik seemed to give pause for a moment, but walked over to her, and tucking the sword under his arm, he looked down at the girl's hand holding the sword. She watched, the smile growing on her face, as he gently reached out, moving the girl's fingers on the grip in the right position, before meeting her eyes with a nod.

"Good, good… nice and easy, the grip must be delicate, most important part," Dominik said, and Fiona's arm dropped right away.

She shook her head incredulously, "But what if I drop it!?"

"You won't drop it," Dominik said, whirling back around to the girl again, and Ciri even saw a smirk come to his face, as he held out the wooden sword he had as well, "Your steel or silver is part of your arm, the sword is part of your arm, can you drop part of your arm mhmm?"

"No…." Fiona said slowly, and Dominik laughed lightly again, twirling the wooden sword in his hands.

"Then you won't drop your sword," He said, the smile finally overtaking his face, as he gently swung his sword again, a smile coming to Fiona's face as well, "Remember, this isn't learning to fight like a knight, where you stand, hacking and slashing with brute force no, witchers, are fluid, free-flowing, swift… and subtle."

In a flash Ciri laughed as Dominik whirled back around, leveling the wooden sword and making poor Fiona yelp and jump back just as he leveled his sword at her neck. After a moment, the girl laughed, and Dominik smirked as he twirled the sword back to his hand, and after he did, Fiona's eager eyes looked up at him again.

"I read in a book that I stole…I mean borrowed, back in Novigrad, about HUGE witchers, from Skellige!" She said eagerly, catching herself which made Ciri laugh from her spot as Dominik did the same, turning back around to her.

"School of the Bear, got a friend back in Novigrad now that trained there," Dominik said fondly to the girl, smirking wildly at her, "So… Mikel says you got in trouble for beating some boys up last week…"

"They deserved it!" Fiona quickly defended, spitting out in disgust as she shook her head furiously, "Bastards were dunking Sammy's head in a tub of water, fuckers would've drowned him if I didn't do anything!"

Ciri scoffed at the girl's language, remembering the mouths Dominik and she had on themselves at that age. She also felt a small bit of pride well up inside her, and it seemed Dominik felt the same, because the smile grew on his face. Ciri looked at the girl, who seemed worried for a moment that Dominik would be upset, because she looked desperately at him, small bits of sunlight streaming through the stormy clouds. Ciri felt her bun almost come undone from a particularly cold piece of wind, however Dominik's laugh echoed over it.

"Aha… sounds like they did." He said, and Fiona right away nodded.

"That's what witchers do! They help people, they save people, that's what I want to do, really, it's really, really, what I want! Marquise Serenity used to take me to see all of Master Dandelion's shows," She said excitedly, nearly bouncing on her toes again as she met Dominik's eyes with an eager nod, "I've heard all about Geralt of Rivia, I know how he saved the Princess of Temaria, how he saved the town of Flotsam from the Kayren, saved a boy from the sack of Cintra, and trained him to be a witcher! Have… you ever met him?"

Ciri laughed aloud, but Dominik must not have heard her, because he laughed as well. She looked up to see Fiona still buzzing, while Dominik laughed and looked back over to her, the genuine smile back on his face as the wind blew his hair.

"Aha… I know him, pretty well actually, really good you could say," He said, another small laugh coming from him, as Fiona's eyes went wide before he went on, "Considering well… he's my adopted father, one of the ones who trained Ciri and me."

"You're that boy!? The one from the song, the one he saved from the sack of Cintra, really!?" Fiona squealed in excitement.

Dominik laughed and nodded, "My greatest accomplishment yes, he had some things to do in Novigrad, or else he would've come here with Ciri and me."

"This is amazing! I'm going to learn from Geralt of Rivia's son, I'm going to be a witcher, I can save people just like you, and just like him!" She squealed again, bouncing on her toes with her sword still in hand.

"Well you best get started then… come on," Dominik said, the amused smile still on his face as he tapped the ground.

Fiona's eyes widened again as she fumbled to grip the wooden sword, "You… you mean it?"

"Course I do, now come on, try to strike me," He said, a smirk coming to his face as he met her eyes, "But I have to warn you, if I do train with you, I'm gonna show you the same kind of mercy Geralt showed me… none."

"I'm ready! I'm ready, I'm ready I swear!" The girl said right away, looking down and angling herself as Dominik had shown her.

Dominik laughed, raising up the much smaller sword towards her, "That's what I said too and well… I wasn't. Come on then."

"HIYA!" Fiona screamed right away seeming to abandon everything Dominik had told her and lunging out to try and stab him.

However, Dominik simply stepped to the side, gently whacking the wooden sword into Fiona's back, making her yelp out and stumble forward, almost to the ground.

"Don't lunge with your sword so far away from your body, you expose yourself," Dominik said, slowly turning back around to her and tapping the dirt with his sword again, "Come on, again."

Fiona bit her lip in concentration, holding the sword with one hand this time, and lashing out from the right, "HIIYA!"

However, Dominik had been giving her that side to attack, so when she did, he parried and knocked her sword into the dirt, before spinning around and poking the tip of his wooden sword into Fiona's back.

"Don't go where your enemy leads you, if an opportunity looks too good to be true, it more than likely is and they're leading you into a trap," Dominik said, lowering his sword and stepping away from her, "You need to make sure you-. GAH!"

"GOT YOU!" Fiona yelled out, trying to whirl back around and lash out again.

Ciri laughed aloud again, when Fiona's wooden sword smacked into Dominik's hand and he dropped the practice one he had been holding. Fiona laughed and bounced on her toes back a few steps, looking up at an absolutely dumbfounded Dominik, who kept looking between his hand and Fiona. Ciri could see something unravel in his eyes, and it was then that she felt her own chest flutter incessantly, and her smile grow as Dominik scoffed a laugh, reaching down into the dirt, the wind howling his hair and swords, as he picked up the practice sword, and smiled over at a beaming Fiona.

"Alright then… keep it coming kiddo," He said, and Fiona laughed a smile, excitement brimming on the girl's face before she lashed out again.

And for the next few minutes Ciri could do nothing but watch, feeling her heart complete, as Fiona's loud battle cries hit her ears, she heard the sounds of the wooden swords clunking against one another. Dominik as he had said, truly didn't show her any mercy, time after time she came lunging at him, but with a small sidestep and tap on the side Fiona stumbled. However, the girl seemed to enjoy every second, and each time she hit the ground, she'd leap back up to her feet and charge again, yelling out and striking with new vigor each time. Ciri felt her heart stir, and her mouth fall agape in a smile as she watched in, and as she looked between each of them, she felt that spark, that connection.

She was looking at her future before her then if destiny were to come to pass. It all had so far, she found Geralt, Dominik was with her, and would be with her always, if anyone were to believe in the power of destiny it was her. And as she watched Dominik sidestep, grab Fiona's arm and hold the wooden sword to her, and see the both of them laugh, she knew that the future would be wonderful.

"Dead, dead, dead again, very dead," Dominik said time after time, each time with his blade pointing at Fiona after she left herself exposed.

"HIYA!" Fiona screamed again, running forward to try and stab him when he had his back turned, but Dominik simply side-stepped, smirking as he spun back around.

"We're all made out of water… did you know that?" He said amusingly, as Fiona seemed to ignore him, lashing out again, but Dominik just kept dodging, stepping back and avoiding her blows as he went on, "If you pierce one of us… the water leaks out, and we die. All it takes to win a fight… is one well aimed blow…"

Just as he said that Fiona lashed out again, and Dominik parried her strike into the ground, spinning to her back, and using the flat of his blade to swipe her feet out from under her.

"GAH!" Fiona yelped, her back hitting the ground, her brown ponytail with ashen streaks falling into the dirt, her white tunic staining right away, as she looked up, to see Dominik's wooden sword pointed in her belly.

Ciri thought for a second the girl would be furious she was knocked down. However, as had been the case, Fiona smiled, her green eyes filled to the brim with excitement, as she laughed, the young girl laughed and it was infectious, because Dominik finally scoffed out a laugh as well, smiling broadly as he pulled the sword away from Fiona's gut. Fiona continued to laugh, joy filled Ciri's ears, and as she looked over at Dominik, he finally seemed to look up and notice her standing there. Ciri locked eyes with him for a moment, he was breathing heavy, it seemed that the girl had really made him put in a workout, which made Ciri laugh and him do the same. She kept her arms crossed, simply smirking at him, raising her one eyebrow before giving him a knowing smile.

He scoffed lightly and bit his lip, but not nervously, the cute way he did when he was excited or embarrassed. She felt her face get slightly hot when he winked at her, and Ciri laughed again, finally coming off the side of the house as another clap of thunder boomed overhead. The wind howled and Ciri's sword furiously shook in its sheath for a moment, but she ignored it, only able to focus on Dominik smiling at her. She remembered how upset he had been in the house, how his mood had shifted from when they arrived. Ciri had been worried for a moment, worried that she wouldn't be able to help him, however, her deciding to stand there and let him have that moment with Fiona, it seemed that it had been the right call, because now he couldn't stop smiling at her, while she couldn't stop smiling at him. And somehow, she found herself loving him even more.

"Ha… Ciri check it-. GAH!" He started saying to her, before Ciri saw a sword hit into his armor.

"GOT YOU AGAIN!" Fiona yelled eagerly, jumping up to her feet to hit him.

Ciri cackled out a laugh as Dominik stumbled for a moment, he had been caught off guard, Fiona continued to hit him, laughing the whole time. She did the same, laughing from her gut as the wind howled, and Fiona kept stabbing him with the wooden sword as Dominik was on the ground, starting to laugh himself. Ciri slowly walked over towards them, watching Fiona triumphantly land hit after hit, while Dominik had dropped the wooden sword, and only used his hands to defend himself. His laughs hit her ears, and Fiona's did as well, before she watched Dominik grab the tip of her wooden sword and try to yank it from her hands. However, Fiona had taken Dominik's words, 'the sword is part of your arm' seriously, because she didn't let her sword leave her hands, and she stumbled forward, falling over Dominik's stomach on the ground, laughing hysterically the whole time.

She stood there watching them both laugh for a short while, Dominik's head fell back into the dirt, laughing as he looked down at Fiona who whirled around to her back and off him. Never in her life had Ciri thought she saw something that she found more adorable then that moment, as Dominik looked up to meet her eyes for a second, the smile on his face was broad and as Ciri looked at him, all he did was slowly nod. And when he did Ciri felt her heart nearly erupt, as she got slightly giddy herself, she even blushed, as she looked over and saw Fiona roll off him, her white tunic now smeared with dirt, along with her face and hair, but the girl seemed to laugh even more upon seeing it, fixing her ponytail, as Ciri met Dominik's eyes with a broad smirk.

"Well well well, it certainly seems like you two are having fun now," Ciri said in delight, reaching down to help Dominik from the ground, smiling at him, "Getting knocked down by little girls now? What will Geralt say when we get back?"

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, but with a smile, "Very funny princess…"

Ciri laughed, reaching up she grabbed his face and kissed his cheek, before bringing her lips up to his ear.

"I love you… remember this is OUR destiny," She whispered, leaning to kiss his cheek again, looking back to meet his eyes again and taking a step back from him.

He nodded at her, his face flustered red from where she kissed him, and she laughed, just as more thunder boomed in the distance. She felt the first small drop of rain hit the top of her head, but she didn't let that detract from the smile she had. Gently she squeezed his hand reassuringly again, adjusting her sword and doing the same for his crossbow at his waist, winking up at him to make him smile even more before Fiona finally seemed to have pulled herself off the ground.

"Ciri! Ciri did you see!? Did you see, I got him, I got him good!" The girl said eagerly, running up to both of them, her tunic smudge with dirt, her sword no longer in hand.

Ciri laughed and looked up smirking at Dominik again, he rolled his eyes amusingly at her, making her laugh before she smiled back down at the beaming young girl.

"I saw yes… training with him was your first mistake," She said jokingly, crossing her arms as Fiona laughed and Ciri looked up to Dominik again, "I'm better than him anyway, was when we were younger, I am now too."

"Okay princess let's not get ahead of ourselves," He said with an amused eye roll, before looking down fondly at Fiona and scoffing, "But I think we can both agree she's… a bit better than we both were when we first started."

She scoffed right away, "Gods you can say that again."

"You… both really mean that? You're being serious?" Fiona said lightly, looking up at them both on the tips of her toes again.

Ciri knelt down to her level again and nodded, meeting the girl's green eyes with her own, "We do. Everyone starts somewhere, Geralt had to grill for hours to even get one combo right."

The girl's eyes widened again, "So… it's true then? You… you were both trained by Geralt of Rivia himself!? The real one, the one with silver hair, that… that loves the sorceress of Vengerberg?"

Ciri looked up at Dominik for a moment and they both shared a laugh. Dominik often joked that being the son of Geralt and Yennefer was his 'greatest accomplishment'. Ciri knew it wasn't true, but the joke always got a laugh out of her. That had been another thing Dominik had done for her, when she was being searched for the first time around, he had taken all the attention. Dandelion's songs had changed from Geralt of Rivia saving two children from the fires of Cintra, to just one, a boy, the son of its greatest knight. She knew if they survived the war with Eredin, that when they traveled they'd need to be careful, and really lean into that story, she'd have to continue to let most people know she was dead. She assumed she'd even have to call herself something else when they were in public. Emhyr would surely still be looking for her, so it was just another way Dominik would protect her.

Seeing Fiona eagerly lapping up the stories, the stories of Geralt and Yennefer, Ciri was ecstatic to bring the young girl to meet them when it was over. The more she thought about it, thought about all of their friends, from Dandelion and Zoltan, to Faram, Freya and George, and even their Uncle Vesemir at Kaer Morhen, the more she felt her heart and stomach fluttering. And as she looked at the girl smiling eagerly, she still saw herself, herself at thirteen, so eager to get out and see the world, to help people as a witcher. And now, just like Geralt and Yen had done for her, for her and Dominik, she'd get the chance to do it for this young girl.

Slowly she turned back down to the girl, just as the rain started coming down slightly harder in a drizzle. The wind howled her hair as Ciri nodded, with Dominik getting down to a knee next to her.

"Yes, he trained us, him and… a few others. He saved us both, took us in," She explained, feeling her heart thump as Fiona excitedly kept her gaze, Ciri nodded, gesturing towards her and Dominik, "I'm actually Geralt's child of surprise, just like you're Dominik's…. People linked by destiny always find each other. Dominik's my destiny, you're his… that makes you mine as well. That's what led you here, led Dominik and I here… destiny."

Next to her, she saw Dominik gently look at her, and when Ciri met his eyes, she smiled at him fondly. She knew hearing that she was his destiny, to that day always made him giddy, flustered him, and she was glad to see it did then as well. He nodded at her, and as Ciri saw him smile back at Fiona, she knew that while more than likely still not fully convinced, he was certainly warmed to the idea. She knew he would have, by simply being around the girl. She remembered Geralt at first had been a bit grumpy, and standoffish as well, however all Ciri had to do was spend some time with him, after riding on his shoulders once, she knew he felt the connection as well. He had sent her back to her grandmother at first yes, but after finding her again, her and Dominik both, she had known she was where she was meant to be.

And now, history was repeating itself. She knew Dominik was ready, knew that he could be exactly what Geralt had been to her and even more, it was all a matter of him accepting it. It seemed he finally had, because just like she did, he smiled fondly back at Fiona across from them as they knelt, the thunder booming in the distance, the drizzle pouring down on their heads. Fiona smiled wide eyed at them, before the girl's face slightly fell, her emerald eyes looking deeply into both of theirs.

"Does… does this mean you will take me with you? That… that you do want me?" She asked lightly, looking over at Dominik in particular, "I… I swear, I DO want this, I do, I really, really do! I want to help people, I want to save them, I want to see everywhere on the continent! I swear, I swear I'm ready, I won't be a burden at all I-."

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" Dominik asked slowly, cutting the girl off, as Fiona's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head.

"No… I wasn't," She said quickly, her head slightly going down to the ground.

"Yes, you were," Dominik said knowingly, and Ciri saw an amused look on his face.

Fiona quickly shook her head, "No I wasn't I swear!"

Dominik laughed lightly and shook his head, "You are. You looked down, you bit the inside of your lip, and you put your hand behind your back. Ciri does the same thing when she lies."

"I do NOT, do that," Ciri quickly said incredulously.

"Oh yes you do, been doing it since you were eleven," Dominik said, rolling his eyes at her, and Ciri saw him smile fondly, before sighing and looking at Fiona, "So… how much did you hear?"

Fiona bit her lip, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly like she often saw Dominik do when he was nervous. The rain gently patted off the girl's dirty face, as her eyes seem to fall, as she slowly looked back up between them both.

"I… I heard you say you think it's too dangerous… that I don't want your life, no matter what I think. That… that you wanted me to stay here…" She said quietly, before her head snapped back up and she looked at them both, "But… but I swear I do! And I promise I'm ready, I can take care of myself, I'm strong, I'm quick, I'm ready I swear, I want to go with you! You're my destiny, I… I want to learn how to fight, how to save people, save them from monsters and make-."

"Easy… easy, it's alright. I… I'm sorry for what I said, it… never had anything to do with you," Dominik said slowly, as Ciri looked to him, and then back to Fiona before he went on, "I… I was just worried. Don't want anything to happen to you, thought you would be better off here but… well… I-."

"He's had a change of heart," Ciri finished for him, as Dominik scoffed and nodded, before Ciri turned back over to a baffled Fiona and went on, "We know better than anyone, that people linked by destiny always find each other, we were meant to find you here…. And you remind us way too much of ourselves to just leave you here."

She smiled as she spoke, and Dominik scoffed a laugh from next to her as well. It was the truth if Ciri had ever heard it. Fiona already looked like the both of them, with Ciri marveling at how pretty she found the girl's hair, even with it covered in dirt, now mud thanks to the drizzle that started to come down harder. Light brown with light strands that looked ashen like her own, those big green almond eyes that she swore were Dominik's. Even her mannerisms, how she acted and spoke, even as she eagerly bounced on her toes then, it all reminded Ciri of herself and Dominik.

It was as if she was their daughter already, just from the looks and how she acted alone.

Fiona's eyes widened and she looked between them, "Does… does this mean I really get to go with you!? I get to meet Geralt of Rivia, we can train and.. and I'll really be a witcher?"

Dominik next to her sighed, and they shared a knowing nod. That was one thing they had both agreed on. The last thing that she needed was the poor girl somehow falling into Eredin's hands, or being caught in the crossfire of one of the fights they were in. Ciri would never be able to forgive herself, and she knew that Dominik wouldn't be able to either. No, they'd have to leave her there for a little longer, however, Ciri subconsciously looked back into the window, to see Danara with little Dominik in her arms watching on, a smile coming to the young woman's face, before Ciri smiled, and met Dominik's gaze again, gesturing towards her.

He sighed, but smiled as he met Fiona's eyes, "I'm sorry but… you can't come with us just yet. Ciri and I we… we're in the middle of something really, really dangerous right now."

"I can help! I can help you I promise, I won't get in the way, and if you train me, I can help you fight!" Fiona said right away, making Dominik laugh, as he adjusted himself on his knee and looked over to Ciri.

Ciri did the same and nodded, as Fiona looked to her now.

"And between the two of you, Geralt of Rivia, I can help keep the both of you safe too, just like you'll do for me!" The young girl said eagerly, and Ciri felt another large smile come to her face.

"We appreciate that, we do… but Fiona, you must understand, this fight… it isn't a place for someone so young. We don't want you to get hurt, it's best if while we handle it, you stayed with Mikel and Danara," Ciri told the young girl, and right away Fiona shook her head again.

She shook her head, the rain dripping from her face, her tunic smeared with mud and dirt. Desperately she looked at them both, pleading with her eyes as best she could.

"I swear I can help, honest I can! I can fight, you saw I just hit Dominik! I'm ready, please," She said, looking between them, going and grabbing Dominik's arm that he had rested over his knee, "I can fight with you, I really can I swear, I don't want anything to happen to either of you…"

Dominik met Ciri's gaze, and Ciri smiled broadly at the flustered look he got. She felt her heart nearly melt, as Dominik sighed, and smiled gently at the girl standing up to his feet. The rain was starting to mar his brown hair to his forehead. She saw his medallion, and the swallow bounce around his neck, and never in his life had she seen him smile at someone, other then her of course, like he smiled at Fiona then, reaching down he ruffled through her brown hair, as the girl smiled, desperately looking up at him again. Ciri got up herself, going to stand next to him, smiling down at the girl she already felt that spark, that connection too, and again she saw herself.

He smiled down at her, but shook his head, "I have no doubt that you could. But… it's me and Ciri's job to keep you safe, do what's best for you. And we won't risk you getting hurt. Stay here for a little bit longer with Mikel and Danara, it isn't that bad right?"

Fiona's face fell, but she slowly nodded, "No… I love them both they… they saved me."

"Exactly, so stay here for a little bit longer, while Ciri and I are gone, they'll treat you well, I'll show you some ways to practice before I leave, and… then after everything's settled, we'll be back… we will," He promised the girl, but Fiona still didn't seem convinced.

She slowly looked up, between them both, "But… but who's going to look after the two of you? Make sure you're both safe?"

"Don't worry darling, we'll be alright, we have each other, Geralt, and a bunch of our friends fighting with us," Ciri said gently, feeling like Yennefer for a moment, as she smiled and gently reached down, holding her gloved hand on the girl's dirt filled face, "I promise, Dominik and I will always do what we think is best for you. We'll be back, don't have to worry, remember, people linked by destiny will always find their way to each other."

The saying she had been hearing since she was eleven, but one that still rang true to that day. The saying that had gotten her through so much, gotten through so many hard times. Because she knew that, because she knew people linked by destiny always found their way to each other, was how Ciri knew, how she knew she'd one day find Geralt again, find Dominik, her destiny again. The thunder clapped again, and rain started to fall harder, the dirt below them was slowly turning to mud, but Ciri knew that it was still nowhere near sunset. They still had plenty of day left, left to spend with Fiona before they had to deal with the bandits and leave.

And Ciri would make sure she knew, that just like with Geralt and Yennefer, she would make sure Fiona knew, Dominik and she would be there. Destiny worked in mysterious ways, and it brought them both to Claywitch, her and Dominik back there, and now, a whole new variable was thrown into the next phase of their journey together. And it was one that Ciri could get behind, not just because she found Fiona extremely adorable, and seeing Dominik train with her had melted her heart. But because she simply felt it, felt that same spark she had when she met Geralt and Dominik both.

That was a pretty good comparison, and Ciri could just feel how good this girl would be, for her and Dominik both.

Fiona took a step closer to both of them, her hands at her sides, wiping off the dirt on her tunic as she slowly looked at them both.

"You… you promise? The both of you will be alright?" She said slowly, and Ciri felt her heart melt again, as she nodded, and looked up to Dominik.

Dominik nodded, rubbing the girl's hair again, "We promise… we'll be alright, and after we come back for you… we'll turn you into the best witcher to ever live."

He smirked at the last bit, and Ciri felt herself laugh. She looked down at Fiona, and the girl seemed like she would even cry. Ciri was about to say something else, but before she could, Fiona flung herself at them both. The girl slammed into Dominik's waist, hugging him with everything she had, and soon her one arm went to Ciri as well, and Ciri laughed, looking to meet Dominik's eyes. As she reached around and wrapped her one arm around the girl as well, the other around Dominik, she found herself remembering that first day she found Geralt again in the forest, rushing to his arms. _'You're something more… so much more.'. _She would never forget those words, which were followed of course by the sound of young Dominik rushing to try and smash Geralt's knees with a rock. No such thing happened then, but as she hugged them both, saw Dominik's shocked eyes, before he lightly laughed, hugging the girl as well, Ciri felt like she was reliving that moment.

That girl was something more, she was going to be special, and her and Dominik would help her get there. And along the way, their own bond would strengthen, their love for one another would grow, and in that moment as she saw him hugging Fiona back, Ciri felt the urge to grab his face and kiss him, for conquering the fear he had.

Fiona gently let go of them both, rain dripping down her now clean face as all the dirt had run off. The young girl eagerly looked up at them both, seeming to be completely unbothered by the rain at all.

"Okay… but how… how long are you staying now? I want to show you both more, I want to learn more before you leave! I want to hear stories; I want to know about places you've seen!" She said eagerly again, nearly bouncing on her toes as she looked between them both.

Dominik scoffed and looked to Ciri, "You wanna hear about seeing cool places Ciri's your girl, she's… been around the block a few times."

"Ass…" She said, smiling with an eye roll, before she looked between him and Fiona, "To be honest, first we should worry about these bandits. Mikel and Danara told me more about them."

"Ugh, Drogar 'the dragon' he calls himself," Fiona said in disgust, crossing her arms, rolling her eyes and looking at them both, "What kind of stupid name is that? Must be compensating for something."

Ciri snorted out a laugh, and saw Dominik trying to hold it together as well. Soon Fiona laughed as well, before Dominik finally scoffed and rolled his eyes and looked at them both.

"You're right Ciri, we should figure out more about them first," Dominik said, and Ciri nodded in agreement, before he slowly turned with a smile to Fiona, "And well… we'll at least need to spend one night here… I think we can get a few more-."

A loud ***BOOOM* **cut him off, and instinctively Ciri's hand went to the hilt of her sword, and Dominik's did the same as multiple screams started to fill the air. A loud clap of thunder rang through the air, and Ciri realized that was what the boom had been, and now the terrified screams of people hit her ears. She looked down to Fiona with her hand on her blade still, and to her complete bafflement, the girl had actually picked up her wooden practice sword, standing between Dominik and she as if she was ready to charge off to fight as well. Ciri had time to scoff, before the rain started to come down in a downpour, the wind violently churned, and she felt the ring bouncing around her chest, she looked up at Dominik, and his face was narrowed as he ran out to the side of the house, Ciri quickly followed, and she heard Fiona's boots squish behind her.

Another ***BOOOOM* **of thunder hit her ears, and Ciri could soon hear it followed by hoofbeats, as she remembered Danara telling her about the bandits having horses. She looked around and saw multiple people running away from the town center, and she even saw one man on a horse chasing down a woman, before she disappeared into a house. The man was dressed in rough armor, an axe in his hands, he cackled before turning to them both, to Mikel and Danara's house. He spurred the horse on, and Ciri was about to teleport forward, but that was before she saw Dominik in a flash pull the crossbow from his belt, the one she remembered he had gotten from Elise De Le Serre. He loaded a bolt and even with the wind, he pointed and fired it straight towards the man on the horse. Dominik compensated for the wind perfectly, as the bolt found home in the bandit's eye, taking him down off the horse, and with a splash the man fell dead into a puddle of mud, before the horse ran off.

"Ciri, we need to go!" He yelled over the wind, clipping the crossbow back to his belt, and running back over to her, the screams and thunder piercing the air.

Ciri quickly nodded, feeling her hair marred to her forehead from the rain. She felt her top quickly soaked as well as her boots, but she had fought in much harder places before. Only a few weeks prior at Kaer Morhen, the cold and wind would have been far too much for most, but Dominik and she had been able to fight. She was also sure that he had been in much worse scenarios then this, he reached behind his back, and she watched as he pulled the steel sword he had gotten from Geralt from his back. She saw him almost bobble it for a moment, and she remembered how he told her the weight, the feeling of the new sword compared to his old one had been bothering him. However, he quickly got control, and met her eyes. Ciri quickly nodded, reaching and yanking her own sword out, just as another ***BOOOM* **of thunder crackled, the wind picked up, and Ciri's bun nearly came undone.

"It looks like they're in the town center, Danara said they come with as many as thirty," She said, running up next to him, both their blades out and ready, she pointed towards where she saw more people running, "It sounds like there may be a bit more this time…"

"Eh, we've had worse odds," He said with a shrug, and Ciri had time to scoff before he smirked at her, "Okay, let's get…. HOLD ON, and where exactly do you think you're going?"

Ciri looked to see Fiona had tried to sneak past them, seeming intent on running towards the center of town with nothing but her wooden practice sword. She scoffed, and Dominik caught her by the arm, and yanked her back towards them, as the thunder boomed, and the wind blew the young girl's ponytail.

"I want to go and help you! He's been harassing us for weeks, I can't just sit back and do nothing, I'm going with you!" She said firmly, as she looked up to meet Dominik's green eyes with her own.

Ciri scoffed again, by the time Dominik and she were thirteen, they knew how to kill a man, but it had been some time before either of them had too. Dominik, before she could say anything looked at her and shook his head.

"Absolutely not, you stay here, and do NOT, follow us," He said firmly, his sword at his side, dripping from the rain.

Fiona scoffed and shook her head, "I have to go with you! I need to help save everyone, that's what witchers do!"

Despite the situation, Ciri couldn't help but smile, but Dominik narrowed his eyes down at the girl.

"Out of the question, you're gonna stay right here, stay in the house, and stay out of sight," He said firmly, already sounding like Geralt when they were younger.

"You wouldn't just go and hide!" Fiona yelled over the wind, before she shook her head, stomping her foot and taking another step closer to him, "I can fight, I can come and help-."

Dominik just like Geralt however was firm, "NO, and that's final, not going to let you get hurt!"

Fiona shook her head again, "But-."

"No buts! You keep yourself out of harm's way," He shouted over the wind again, looking down at her and shaking his head firmly, "I understand you want to help but-."

"DOMINIK, CIRI!" The shrill voice of Danara yelled, as all three of their gazes shot up to see the young woman burst out of her house and come towards them.

She looked wildly between them, her long brown hair in wet clumps, stuck and streaking down her back. Her dress was soaked, but she came rushing right up to them, nearly in tears as she yelled in a panic, the screams of the townsfolk and her all ringing in Ciri's ears.

"MIKEL! IT'S MIKEL! He went to the center of town to help Alesky, he hasn't come back yet, I think he's still there, they're here!" The young woman yelled, nearly in tears, and right away another ***BOOOM* **rang overhead in a torrential downpour.

Fiona looked up at them both, her eyes wide again, "I have to go with you! Mikel saved me, they saved me, I have to help them!"

Ciri looked over to Dominik, waiting to see what he did. He let out a sigh, looking over to the town center, then back to them all, his grip tightened around the steel in his hand. Finally, she saw him reach to his belt, and with a twirl, he pulled out the silver dagger she knew he always kept with him. He nodded at Ciri for a moment, and her grip on her own sword tightened, as Dominik looked down at Fiona and Danara, grabbing Fiona's hand and putting the dagger in it.

"I need you to stay here and look after Danara, while Ciri and I go deal with them all, can you do that for me?" He asked her quickly, and when a completely astonished Fiona was finally able to stop gazing at the silver and look up to him, she slowly nodded.

Dominik smiled and nodded at her turning over to Ciri, "Okay, come on let's get moving. Are you ready?"

Ciri heard the screams of townsfolk, along with the whooping and yelling of bandits, even with the downpour, she saw smoke rising above the buildings. She could hear the panicked screams, and all she had to do was meet Dominik's determined eyes, and she knew she was ready. They were there to save people, that's what witchers did.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Come on," With a quick nod from him, they both rushed off towards the square.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I um… probably should have asked earlier but, Eredin won't be able to sense you if you use your powers for this fight right?" Dominik asked her, as their boots squished through the mud, the rain still intense.

She quickly shook her head, her grip on her blade tightening, "No, not when it's something short like this, only over a great distance. We'll be alright!"

"Good, now there's a lot of them, but just keep moving quick and we'll be…" He started as they ran, but as they finally came upon the square, his eyes widened, "MIKEL!"

The center of the town was absolute chaos. People were running rampant, Ciri could count at least thirty armed men, some wore leather tunics and armor, some wore plates, some wore no armor at all. It seemed like a stereotypical gang of thugs, they all carried axes, swords, maces and blackjacks, and it all seemed that they were congregating at the well, the center of town, near one large cart with two massive horses attached to the front. The cart was packed to the brim with sacks, boxes, and other random tools, weapons and goods they more than likely looted from the village. She saw out in the distance, large roaring fires, despite the downpour, the flames of the fields smokes up above, as Ciri saw men cackling and riding back towards the center, back to the well where all of their comrades had congregated. The rain continued to pour, and thunder boomed as the men beat villagers, drug them through the streets, all while Ciri finally saw Mikel.

Mikel was tied with his hands bound, on his knees next to an older man, with a bald head and long grey beard. The wrinkly old man was panicking, looking around at the men dragging more sacks of grain and any other gold, silver or bronze valuables. The wet ring bounced around Ciri's neck, while she sprinted next to Dominik next to her, and her eyes fell on Mikel, who unliked the panicking old man next to him, simply looked around at all the men with disgust, like he knew there was no point in begging for their lives, or begging the men to stop like the old man next to him was.

"We already gave everything we could! We have you everything you demanded already," The old man yelled incredulously from his knees, the rain quickly dripping from his bald head as he looked up, "If you take any more, then we'll barely have enough to make it a few weeks into the winter and-."

"Save your breath Alesky… there's no use in trying to speak of morality, or humanity to men like these…" Mikel interrupted, sneering up at the large man near them.

"Men like me? Now… what exactly do you mean by that," The massive man said condescendingly, the massive greatsword resting on his shoulder.

The man had to be the 'Drogar the Dragon', that she had heard from so many about. And while Fiona was right in saying the man's name was silly, but he certainly seemed to be as massive as Ciri heard old Hulda at the inn describe. As she said, the man wore massive black armored plate, the greatsword resting on his shoulder Ciri thought could be as tall as her. It's steel dripped the torrents of rain coming from the sky, as well as the man's completely bald head. The water made his head shine from the small bits of sunlight streaming through the rain clouds, but he sloshed around to look down at Mikel and Alesky, two lightly armored men at his side, as more and more brought valuables to the near full cart. The man had an air of confidence, and arrogance to him, Ciri had encountered men like this before, Drogar had the same crazy, wild brown eyes that Leo Bonhart had, Vilgefortz had, and so many others who she knew were mad men. He also seemed to be taller than even Faram, as he clunked in the mud over to the bound Alesky and Mikel.

"Well? You had oh so many words to say just now… what do you mean by 'men like me' little man?" Drogar said, looking down at Mikel, the greatsword glinting on his shoulder.

Mikel to his credit, wasn't deterred, sneering up at the massive man, "A man who is such a coward, has so little of a sense of honor, that he feels he needs to steal, loot and burn from the innocent to feel better about himself."

Drogar let out a scoffing laugh, "Ha, no honor? My oh my, my men and I defend your village, and all we ask for is a… modest fee for this. We provide a service, and you provide something back! It's simple commerce, what about that is dishonorable now?"

"Oh spare me your bullshit you bumbling oaf, you know exactly what you're doing, your name may not be very clever, but I know you're not stupid," Mikel spit back right away, the rain slicking back his black hair even more, "You're nothing but a common thug, who couldn't work an honest day in his life so you feel the need to take things from others."

"But you're wrong about that little man…" Drogar said darkly, the tip of his greatsword hitting the mud, making Alesky jump, while Mikel simply stared up, "I am not a common thug… I'm not even a man… I'm a dragon, and you're awfully close to waking the dragon."

Mikel rolled his eyes again, "Dragons are supposed to be wise and intelligent, can't say I see the comparison. It matters not, no matter what you are, you'll answer for your crimes, we all do the day we die and go to the gods. One day… it'll happen to you as well."

Ciri saw the raiders and even a few villagers had all gathered, seeming to be done with their looting as they all looked to Drogar, who's eyes narrowed down at Mikel. She heard the sloshing of mud puddles, as she felt the rain grow chilly and the wind howl, Dominik started sprinting faster next to her, and Ciri picked up the pace. From the quick count she had of thirty earlier, it seemed like the number rose closer to forty, only making their odds seemingly worse. They had both faced worse odds than that before Ciri knew, but she grew slightly more worried, as Mikel didn't seem to care he was antagonizing their leader, and seeing the man in danger, it only spurred Dominik on to run ahead of her.

She quickly took the time to survey the potential battlefield as she ran to catch up with him, her gloved hand gripped to her sword, as large claps of thunder echoed in her ears. The well was the exact center of town, and multiple stalls where she was sure vendors sold goods fanned out. The large cart with the massive bucking horses was right near the well, and she knew within seconds the giant animals could have the cart halfway into the woods. And fanned out around as well, were all the men laughing and watching in the circle as Drogar lightly laughed, hefting his giant greatsword to his shoulder again, his dark plate slick with rain. She had been so caught up watching, analyzing a plan and taking in her surroundings, that she didn't notice Dominik running further ahead of her, the sword from Geralt gripped in his hands, as he ripped the small crossbow from his waist again.

"DOMINIK WAIT!" She screamed, not wanting him to rush into the fray alone.

Her voice got lost in the wind however, and when she looked back to Drogar, she saw him smirking, pointing the greatsword towards Mikel.

"Aha… I'm here to inform you… that it does indeed 'matter now' little man… because I'm the one with the sword…" The massive man bellowed, a dark look growing on his face, turning the two men next to him, who both had their swords drawn, "Grab him… if he thinks he knows what happens when we die… he can go figure out if he's right."

Ciri heard a multitude of people screaming, and the raiders started to laugh back, beating and smacking more away, as the last few loaded valuables into the cart. The rain was incessant, not letting up a bit, as the two men next to Drogar rushed forward, each grabbing the bound Mikel's arms, dragging him away from a screaming Alesky, towards an open patch of mud. Mikel didn't scream, didn't beg for his life, simply looking stone faced, seeming to be determined not to let the men rattle him, which Ciri could appreciate, but she felt her boots slosh quicker through the mud, knowing the man had a child back home. She felt the magic whirl around her limbs, around her sword, the blue light began to swirl in her eyes. She had intentions on blinking forward as she saw the men bring Mikel to the ground, stretching out his neck, as Drogar smirked and clunked through the mud in his plate over towards the man.

Mikel still didn't struggle, Ciri saw him look up, and a small smirk even appeared on the man's face as Drogar held his sword right at Mikel's neck.

"Aha… smiling before death, a brave yet foolish man, I'll give you that," Drogar bellowed, his deep voice carrying over the rain and thunder, before he smirked and raised the sword above his head, "Any last words little man?"

"Yes actually…" Mikel said, craning his head up towards Drogar, the smirk ever present, "Ever fought a witcher before?"

Drogar scoffed, "A witcher? What are you going on about-. GAHHHH!"

A crossbow bolt zipped through the air, and with a loud ***CLANG* **rang out, as the bolt smacked into Drogar's armored hand, almost making the man drop his greatsword. Ciri kept running, smashing past two men who had gathered, as she saw Dominik right near the scene having gotten there before her. Her eyes widened when she saw the violent magic whirling in his eyes, the powers from Alexander, the raw powerful magic inside him, whirled around his limbs, around his sword as Ciri could almost see the seething anger coming from him. Another loud ***BOOOM* **of thunder ripped overhead, just as she watched Dominik's magic from his body form into his hand, and he shot it forward. With a loud ***BOOOM* **from the blast, it smacked into Drogar, and the man while massive yes, still got sent flying back furiously as Ciri could feel the pure magic radiating from such a powerful blast. Drogar was sent smashing into the cart full of food and valuables they looted, screaming in anger as the greatsword clunked from the ground.

After the blast she saw Dominik's eyes return to normal, but she also saw the two men that had been holding Mikel rushing towards him. Finally feeling the magic whirl up in her own limbs, she shot the magic to her eyes and teleported forward, towards the men just before they got to him. She swung her sword horizontally and cut down one of the men just before he could raise his sword to strike at Dominik's back. She landed and saw Dominik whirl around, before she did the same, hearing the one man's sword coming at her. She parried the strike upwards from the man, before spinning and cutting through his lightly armored torso, her sword cut through the armor and his flesh easily, with the magic spurring it on and making it more powerful. The man yelled as he died, and Ciri, with her hair soaking and almost falling from her bun, turned back around to Dominik, who nodded at her before reaching down, and using his sword to cut Mikel loose.

"Go home, get everybody out now," Dominik ordered the man, before turning to the few brave villagers who were there, "EVERYBODY GO NOW!"

"AYE YOU HEARD HIM!" Mikel screamed out, as Ciri felt the rain ever so slowly begin to let up, streaks of light came through the clouds, and the muggy, dank air hit Ciri's nose.

It seemed the raiders were still stunned into silence, but soon, they ignored the villagers, and seemed to close in more around Dominik and her, as Drogar began to stir in the cart of valuables. Ciri heard the raking of swords, the shouting of some of the raiders after a moment, as Mikel grabbed Alesky near the well, and they started leading the villagers away, all while Dominik and she stayed put, their swords out and leveled, as the men began to close more and more around them. Her count of about forty seemed about right then, a small part of her was concerned they were so outnumbered. However, she remembered only a few weeks prior at Kaer Morhen, riders of the Hunt were certainly tougher opponents then the lightly armored thugs around them. She willed the magic around her limbs, and she even saw a few of the men backing off at the sight, it whirled around her limbs and around her sword as she kept it leveled.

Next to her, she saw Dominik's eyes narrowed as well, over at Drogar, who furiously threw a sack of grain away from his face. She saw the grip on the steel Geralt gave him tighten, but she could tell he was slightly uncomfortable with the grip and weight of the weapon. However, he didn't let it detract him then, she felt his back up against hers, as the rain continued to slowly let up. She saw his scarred, handsome face slowly turn down to her, his emerald eyes intensely looking down to meet hers.

"We kill the big guy, the rest will scatter," He said to her, as they watched the men all seeming to wait for orders. Biting his lip he looked to her again, "Won't know what to do if he's not around."

"You're right," Ciri said quickly, feeling the sun gently begin to stream through the clouds as it still lightly rained, "Do you want to take him? Or do you want me to do it?"

He looked back over towards Drogar and nodded, "I'll deal with him, watch my back?"

"Always… but are you really going to leave me to fight forty other men by myself?" She joked to him; a small smirk managed to come to her face.

He scoffed a laugh and looked back to her, "I think we've both faced much worse odds then this before wouldn't you say?"

She laughed herself, her eyes smiling up at him, "You could say that again yeah… together?"

"Together…" He said, as they both turned back to the men, just as the rain came to a stop, with the clouds and thunder still present.

Over the howling wind, she heard the clunking of Drogar's plate. She saw multiple of the men scatter, as she looked and saw the massive man, greatsword in hand furiously stomp back towards them. Ciri saw a cut on the man's cheek, and even small singe marks on his armor, as he cackled a laugh, his men all seeming to make way for him, as he stood a few meters away from Dominik and her. She decided to let Dominik talk, knowing with her teleports she could get to any man who moved first.

"Aha… well, well, well… a witcher, a witcher and a little girl, I'm shaking in my boots…" The man said, wiping a bit of blood from his cheek, his greatsword on his shoulder.

Ciri rolled her eyes and met Dominik's who scoffed and smirked at her before looking back to Drogar, the sun starting to come back and warm her now.

Dominik laughed aloud, meeting the man's gaze, "Oh I'd be more scared of her then me if I were you that's for sure. Since we're both feeling generous, we're going to give you one chance to leave, and never come back here again, or else me and my lady here are going to kill every last one of you…"

A few laughs came from the men around them, and Ciri felt both hands gripping tighter to her sword, as she felt a surge of anger running through her. She would show them all something to laugh about, and as the magic slowly started to swirl around her again, and as the sun started to emerge, she slowly started trying to calculate where she would move, where she would attack first, and which of the men were the largest. While she did, Dominik kept his eyes on Drogar, who laughed again.

"Ahaha… two of you, against me and all of my men," The large men said with a small laugh, looking to meet Dominik's eyes, "What's your name, oh great defender of the downtrodden?"

"Dominik of Cintra," Dominik said quickly, as Ciri saw magic started to whirl from his limbs as well, "Witcher, school of the wolf, Kaer Morhen, the man who's going to kill you, if you don't leave this village and never come back within the next minute."

"Oooooh, another brave one. You see now, Dominik of Cintra, I will gladly leave this pathetic excuse of a village alone," Drogar said condescendingly, pacing in the muddy ground in front of Dominik, "And all they have to do… is give me what I seek!"

Dominik rolled his eyes, "Yes, a 'special woman', try a brothel, only place a fucking degenerate man like you would be able to get anything of the sort."

Drogar laughed and shook his head, "Oh no, Dominik of Cintra, I'm not looking for a woman to wet my whistle, got plenty of those! No, I'm looking for a very… incredibly SPECIAL young woman, one with extraordinary talents… one she may not be aware of no… but I'll help her. I know she's here… and the villagers refused my simple demand! I asked them to give me this woman, and in exchange I'd leave them be, but they didn't, can you believe how rude!? I decided to be generous however, and… offer them protection anyway, until I found her."

"And you've been taking one of them every single week… to see if she's it," Dominik said, leveling the steel with a shake of his head, "I could've guessed you were a degenerate, but even that's too kind… you're just a sick fuck, what kind of man, even a thug takes women like that?"

At being called a 'man' again, Ciri saw Drogar's eyes burn with a dripping anger. It was this, not the magic still whirling around her or Dominik, it was the anger their commander showed. Drogar pointed the tip of his greatsword out towards Dominik, and Ciri could hear the man's voice deepen, as he spoke with venom, each word slowly coming from his mouth.

"I am no man boy… I am a dragon, and you are dangerously close to waking the dragon!" The man hollered, as Ciri felt the wind grow silent, only the muggy smell and dank air remained, the humid air as sweat trickled down her neck, her makeup smearing down her face.

Dominik scoffed, "I got a friend who's a real dragon. He's smart, composed, wise… and has a full head of hair, don't think you qualify to call yourself one."

"I'LL SHOW YOU A DRAGON BOY!" Drogar bellowed, stomping his way to the cart, and pulling out a large black helmet, holding it with one hand and looking to his men, "Kill the girl! Leave the witcher to me! I want them-."

The sound of an echoing horn cut Drogar off, and stopped all of his men from charging. Ciri's head whirled around with Dominik's towards the forest, towards the route where they entered town. She scanned the treeline, looking up to Dominik, who seemed like he almost recognized the sound. She knew war horns when she heard one, but to her shock she could even slightly recognize this particular one. The sound was familiar to her, and to Dominik as well, when she met his eyes, she was about to say something else, but then that was when another blast of the horn came. The sound rippled through the air, and as soon as it hit his ears a second time, Dominik seemed to finally realize what it was.

"One blow for knock…" He said under his breath, before his eyes darted to the treeline of the forest, across the burning dead fields, "Two for draw…"

"Dominik what are you talking about? What-…." She started, but her voice caught up in her throat.

On the hill, up on the hill past the dead fields, were armored men, a line of armored men, Ciri quickly counted as many as thirty of them. For a minute, she thought Drogar had reinforcements coming, however these men, they weren't dressed like common thugs. She could see the now shining sun sparkling off their armor, the white plate armor they wore, and if she narrowed her eyes, she saw specks of light blue, as they were all in perfect formation lined up on the hill. Her mouth dropped, when she saw each of them were carrying a bow, and just like Dominik had said, all of those bows were drawn back, arrows ready to fire, and now that there was no rain or wind, just the damp air, they would fly perfectly.

"No… that's impossible…" Dominik said breathlessly next to her, as she saw his sword dip into the mud.

She scoffed and shook her head, "Dominik, what is it, who are-."

Ciri was cut off again, this time, but the sound of a third blow of the horn. She quickly turned, and saw one man, clearly the commander of them all, standing in front of the lines, a horn in his hands, after he blew it, he let it fall to his side, and drew a longsword, holding it up in the air, and quickly bringing it down. All of the bandits around them seemed to be shocked into silence, the sun that was now setting, it shone over the men on the hill, and even Drogar seemed to be questioning what was going on, turning and yelling at his men.

"What are you morons standing for!? Charge, get them you louts!" The massive man shouted, finally coming to his senses, before turning back to Dominik and her.

The men started to move, and Ciri was ready to charge herself, but that was before she heard a loud chorus of ***TWANG***, which she recognized as bows being let loose. She had time to turn around to see up in the sky, a rain of arrows came down towards them, all fired with perfect precision at the exact same time, she had time to be amazed for a moment before Dominik grabbed her arm.

"And three for loose…" He said, as Ciri turned her head up to him, and before he could do anything he yelled again, "CIRI DOWN!"

She didn't question his order, she let him pull her to the ground, and she saw him slam his hand into the ground. A Quen bubble shield appeared around them, and as Ciri looked up outside it, she saw a few of the arrows hit the shield and bounce off, while she heard a chorus of screams, and saw multiple arrows hitting and killing the men around her. A few even hit Drogar, but his armor was so heavy, it did virtually no damage, as the arrows bounced off his chest. A good amount of his men, however, weren't so lucky, as they screamed and bled out on the ground. After the volley of arrows had finished, Dominik let the shield up and they both quickly stood up. Ciri's eyes widened as he saw the man, the commander of the men a good few meters ahead of the line of what she realized had to be knights.

The man in front adjusted his helmet, turned to his men with his longsword raised. The wind started to pick up again, but most of the clouds were now gone, and Ciri felt her drenched clothes and hair sticking to her body. She shook off the discomfort as she gripped her sword, seeing Dominik do the same. They'd be moving quick enough to where they'd dry off soon enough. The men around them started to yell and reorganize, as Drogar began shouting out orders, seeming to forget about the two of them for the moment. Ciri watched as the commander in front of the men pointed his sword forward, it gleaming in the sunlight, and with the wind dying down, his voice was clearly heard.

"ON ME! FORWARD!" The man yelled, and Ciri saw him, and the men behind him all yell out, before rushing down the hill.

Ciri scoffed, not believing their luck. She looked up to Dominik, who was staring aghast at all the men, seeming as if he recognized them.

"That has to be the group of knights Hulda mentioned, the ones they tried to contract," Ciri said to him, scoffing again, a small smirk coming to her face.

Dominik slowly nodded, "Yeah… but why do they-. LOOK OUT!"

He shoved her to the side and heard a loud ***CLANG* **and looked up to see Dominik managed to parry the massive blow from Drogar, who had apparently noticed them again. The strike would have cleaved Ciri clean in half, but Dominik intercepted it, and spun, after his parry, and went to swing up at Drogar's helmet, but the massive man showed a lot of quickness for someone his size, whirling back around to parry again. Ciri saw magic begin to whirl up in Dominik's eyes as for a few moments he parried with Drogar, who with both hands on his massive greatsword, swung and hacked towards him. After a few moments, Dominik lashed out himself, his eyes grew blue with magic, whirling his legs, arms and his blade on faster, but she realized he didn't lash out. He kept dodging, dodging out of the way, and Ciri nearly scoffed right then and there, realizing what he was doing.

Dominik had switched combat styles, he was fighting like the School of the Cat, after realizing his normal style wasn't effective against his current opponent. It was something so simple, but Ciri found herself completely amazed. After her initial shock, she gripped her sword tighter, ready to teleport forward and help him, however she heard footsteps sloshing in the mud behind her. She whirled around and instinctively raised her sword, parrying one mans strike up, before spinning under and cutting across his stomach. Another with an axe came swinging it downwards, she raised her hand to the top of her blade, and blocked, pushing upwards and forwards, slicing the sword across his neck, before she saw herself near surrounded. She counted at least ten surrounding her, and they all closed in, as she heard Dominik clashing with Drogar next a distance away, and the rumbling of footsteps from the men charging down the hill.

"You're surrounded! KILL HER!" One man shouted, and Ciri scoffed, a smirk coming to her face as she felt magic begin swirling around her limbs.

She looked around, as the magic radiating from her seemed to make some men give pause. Ciri laughed lightly, the smirk growing wider as she shifted her feet, leveled her sword and looked around at all the men.

"Ten to one? I like these odds…" She said slowly, as the magic gleamed up in her eyes, "Another chance to win…"

And after that, it was a torrent of blood around her. She blinked forward across one man, and another came charging, she parried and teleported again, place to place she blinked, cutting her blade and parrying blows until the muddy grown below her was slick with blood. Some of the men screamed witchcraft, but they were quickly silenced when she blinked and stabbed them. She came to a stop, realizing she had been right, she moved so fast her hair was damp, the men fighting her hadn't stood a chance as she felt the magic still whirling around her, but it quickly left her eyes, as she heard another man charging towards her from behind. She whirled around and raised up to parry from the left, she spun and cut the man down, before she felt another coming from the left. She turned and would have had time to parry the man's blow, but before he could reach her, Ciri saw a flash of white.

The commander of the knights, the one with the helmet who had blown the horn came flying in. He parried the man's strike, and that was when she heard a loud chorus of screams, and the clanging of blades. She whirled around to see Drogar's men, while outnumbering the knights, were completely outmatched in terms of skill. All of the knights had the same white plate as their commander, and swung their swords with expert precision, while Ciri also noticed some of the knights in leather armor, tunics and greaves, wielding two weapons with bows on their backs. She noticed elves, humans, even two or three dwarves among the company, they were men and women, and they all completely wiped the floor with the thugs, some even starting to run for the hills. The horses on the massive cart of goods they had got bucked, scaring the men even more, and Ciri scoffed again at their luck, her sword dripping blood into the mud, as she heard a loud yell from behind her.

She whirled around to watch the commander skillfully move for someone larger. The man was easily taller than her and Dominik both, but was strong as he caught the attacker's blade on his own from below, pushing the attack up and away, before side-stepping, cleaving off his attackers' arm and spinning to cut across his throat and end it. Around them both, laid a pile of corpses, and while Ciri could still hear fighting around them, it was clear that Drogar and his men stood no chance. With the sweat now beating violently down her neck, Ciri finally sighed in relief, turning to meet the knight's eyes, who looked over to her.

"That was some show you put on milady," The knight said, and Ciri could see bright, amused grey eyes, by the tone she could also tell the man was quite older.

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "No need to call me milady, haven't been one of those in a long time. They call me Ciri, thanks for the help, don't know how well Dominik and I could've managed on our own."

Ciri could only see the knight's eyes, and part of his mouth through the slits of his helmet. However, upon hearing her and Dominik's names, she saw the old knights' eyes widen, as the sounds of battle still raged around them. The man slowly shook his head, his eyes boring into Ciri so intently, for a moment she felt slightly uncomfortable, as she narrowed her eyes. Under his helmet, the commander scoffed, shaking his head.

"Ciri… and… Dominik? No… no that's impossible, that-." The man started, before a loud ***CLANG* **cut him off, and both he and Ciri's heads whirled around after hearing Drogar yell.

"GAHHHH DIE BOY, FIGHT ME!" The massive man shouted, and Ciri saw him swing his greatsword in a wide arc.

Her eyes widened and she rushed up next to the knight, "DOMINIK!"

Dominik didn't hear her, because Ciri knew he was far too focused. His eyes were bright blue, his limbs were brimming with magic, and it seemed his School of the Cat fighting style was working, because Drogar's helmet had been knocked off, the veins in his bald head were pulsing, he breathed heavily as he wildly swung his greatsword. Dominik's limbs brimmed with magic, he dodged and rolled, she saw Drogar swing his sword horizontally, and Dominik leaned backwards, the greatsword passing just over his nose, magic whirled, and when Drogar tried to swing again right away towards his legs Dominik leaped. He leapt up and forward, landing on one leg, and spinning down towards the ground, he slashed his blade across the back of Drogar's legs.

"YOU BASTARD!" The massive man yelled, blood spilling from his leg, as he whirled back around, trying to bring his blade down to cut Dominik in half.

Ciri watched in amazement, scoffing and feeling the pride beaming from her, as Dominik rolled and dodged again. As Drogar's blade caught itself in the mud, Dominik came back up from his roll, cutting his blade up across the massive man's elbow, making him drop his greatsword into the mud. Drogar was bleeding profusely now from two places, but to the man's very little credit, he still fought. He whirled around, trying to smack across Dominik's face now, but Dominik ducked, and came back up, firing his hands forward, all of the magic that was whirling around him channeled into his palms as Ciri had seen before, and with a massive ***BOOM* **the Aard sign erupted from his palms, radiating more magic than Ciri had ever seen before, and it smacked into Drogar, sending him flying into a cluster of his men who were finally seemingly defeated by the knights, as they all gathered around their massive cart.

"Impossible…" The commander said next to her, as he looked over at Dominik, who twirled his blade, his eyes returning to their normal green color.

She was about to ask the old knight what he meant, but before she could, she saw one more man charging towards Dominik's back. He was unaware, as he had looked over to Ciri with his eyes narrowed and worried.

"DOMINIK BEHIND!" She screamed, teleporting forward to his side.

She reappeared right behind him and raised up her blade to block the man's blow, but it sent her stumbling off balance as she kept the clinch. Her blade locked with the man's and everything that happened next seemed to happen in slow motion. Dominik was right behind her, he reached down to his belt, looking for his dagger with the man being so close, but seemed to forget he gave it to Fiona. He then rushed forward to try and get the man off the clinch, but that was when Ciri heard the man yell out in front of him. He screamed out and grabbed his side, and Ciri took the opportunity to push the man's blade up and cut across his neck. After she did, she looked at the man's corpse, before turning to see Drogar slowly getting up with his bleeding wounds, the group of fifteen or so men he had gathered around him and the cart, fighting against the knights.

Ciri got so caught up in watching, feeling a smirk come to her face at their impending victory and success, she didn't even notice the furious look that grew on Dominik's face next to her. However, when he yelled she whirled back around, and found herself half furious, and half completely amused.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? I thought I told you to stay back!" Dominik screamed, and Ciri looked down to see Fiona, Dominik's bloody silver dagger in her hands.

Fiona had somehow snuck up on them all, and Ciri couldn't help but be amazed. The young girl still had mud and dirt all over her white tunic. Her boots and hands were caked with dirt, and now some blood as she fiercely gripped Dominik's dagger in her hands. Her light brown hair was tied tightly back in a new ponytail, her silky locks and emerald eyes sparkled in the now sunlight. Ciri half expected her to get upset, recoil at Dominik yelling at her, but again she defied Ciri's expectations. She narrowed her eyes firmly back up to Dominik, slipping his dagger back into her belt like a pro and rebelliously crossing her arms.

"I wanted to help! This has been my home, I won't let you fight to keep it safe alone, it's what witchers do!" Fiona yelled defiantly, as Ciri felt herself scoff in amusement.

Dominik glared at her for a moment before turning back to Fiona, "It's too dangerous for you, you need to go back NOW!"

"NO! I want to be here, I want to fight like you do, and you and Ciri wouldn't just sit back and hide!" The young girl shouted again, and Dominik groaned in frustration, the steel loosely in his hand.

He sighed and shook his head, "If this is what I put Geralt through for eleven years I really need to apologize…"

"Oh it definitely is, believe me, we did it to him a few weeks ago," Ciri said smugly, smiling down at Fiona, who got giddy at Ciri's smile, "Besides what's the harm, we've basically one, let her just-."

"Don't encourage her!" Dominik said incredulously, as Ciri and Fiona both smirked at each other, and then back to Dominik as he shook his head, "She needs to get-."

"FINALLY! OHO FINALLY!" The booming voice of Drogar screamed, and Ciri whirled around with Dominik and Fiona.

Instinctively, she saw Dominik push Fiona behind him, his one hand not leaving the girl, as Ciri got next to him, her blade leveled as well. She looked and saw the remains of Drogar's men fighting fiercely against the knights around their commander, as the commander of the knights tried to move in as well. Drogar was cut, bleeding, and looked like he should be moments from death, but he wasn't. He stood tall with a broad smile on his face, both his hands raised out, seeming to be absolutely delighted. Ciri followed the man's gaze, and when she looked next to her and saw Dominik, never in Ciri's life, even when he was protecting her, had she seen such a menacing look appear on his face.

Because Drogar was looking directly at Fiona, who's tough outer demeanor seemed to crack, as she gripped fiercely to Dominik's leg. Ciri felt her own anger begin to set in, as magic began swirling from her limbs, Dominik's as well, as she looked and saw the disgusted look on Drogar's face, as his men were pushed back towards the cart. The man ignored it all, scoffing and smiling happily over at them again.

"Fiona! My DEAR Fiona! Oh I missed you," The man bellowed, his voice even being heard over the sounds of the battle in front of him, "I've kept your cage nice and clean! The rest of the boys back at camp will be ecstatic when I bring you back!"

Ciri looked down and saw how pale Fiona got, it was a look that Ciri herself had gotten many times in her years alone. The fear, the trembling, horrible fear of remembering your trauma, the horrible things you'd gone through, feeling it, standing there. She didn't even have to ask the girl about what happened, it was clear how much it was traumatizing her. As Dominik stepped forward, Ciri quickly moved, and Fiona clung to her leg for dear life, closing her eyes and burying her face into Ciri's back, completely shaking. And upon seeing it, Ciri felt her eyes narrow, her heartbeat faster, the sweat trickle down her neck faster in the dank air. She whirled around, intent on blinking forward to cut Drogar in half, but seeing Dominik out in front of her stopped her, as she could see him nearly shaking, magic whirling violently around his limbs as he pointed his sword forward.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!" He shouted over the sounds of fighting, as Drogar right away laughed.

The massive man smiled demonically, "Oho that will be arranged witcher! You see… you have woken the dragon, and when the dragon wakes… blood is spilled!"

And what happened next, would haunt Ciri's nightmares. She saw Drogar's body contort, bend and snap at all angles. Ciri had seen polymorphy in action before, but never on this scale. She knew Borch Three-Jackdaws, who she met before he left Kaer Morhen had this ability, but seeing it in front of her, and happening so quickly, it made her stomach churn. As it happened, Drogar's men didn't seem to think it was anything out of the ordinary, but the knights around him did, and slowly back up as Drogar got larger, and larger. His skin turned black, his arms and legs elongated, the cart of goods they had pillaged was completely destroyed, the massive horses running off, as his men all kept surrounded around him.

Ciri looked next to her, and saw Fiona looking up in horror, her eyes welled up, and when the girl met Ciri's eyes, she only gripped to her shirt tighter.

"Ciri… Ciri I… I don't want to go back… not… not again, I-." The girl started crying to her, before Ciri quickly cut her off.

"Shh… it's okay… everything will be alright," Ciri said quietly, as Fiona closed her eyes and gripped harder around her leg, while Ciri looked up to Dominik.

His eyes had widened, Ciri heard the commander yelling at his men to get back. Slowly, Dominik backed up towards them, the steel sword loosely in his hands. He backed up to Fiona and her both, not taking his eyes off Drogar, as the transformation was almost complete. He let out a shaky sigh and held his free arm out over her and Fiona both, and Ciri felt her heart nearly melt as it beat up in her chest. He was protecting them, protecting them both.

"Ciri… when he said, 'wake the dragon'…" Dominik started, as Ciri felt Fiona grip harder to her leg.

Ciri felt her heart nearly beat out of her chest as she met his eyes, "He… quite literally meant dragon."

A loud earth shattering ***ROOOOAR* **hit their ears, as Drogar the Dragon, quite literally had been an alias for a black dragon. The roar ripped Ciri's eardrum, and while not nearly as large as Kilgarrah, or Borch from Kaer Morhen, Drogar was still massive, and dominated the town square of Claywitch, as she heard the screams of villagers from inside their homes, and the panicked yells of the knights that had come to help. Drogar's men seemed to have expected this and cackled evilly as the dragon roared over them all, spreading its massive wings, and bringing its legs down to shake the earth.

"BACK, EVERYBODY BACK!" The commander of the knights yelled, as Drogar reared his head back.

"DOWN NOW!" Dominik screamed, grabbing Ciri and Fiona both, shooting a Quen shield up around them.

Ciri dropped her sword and gripped both her arms around Fiona, as tears fell from the girl's eyes while she hugged into her. Dominik stayed above them, Ciri saw both his hands up, magic whirling in his eyes as a torrent of flames hit the Quen shield around them. She saw his neck straining in concentration, as the dragon's fire, the force of it nearly made Dominik's knees buckled, but soon the torrent of flames let down, and he pulled the shield down, rushing to pull up Ciri and Fiona both. Fiona pulled her head away from her, looking up at Ciri with frantic eyes, terrified eyes, eyes that reminded Ciri of herself after she had first landed in the desert, when Kyleigh and Mistle went to rape her, the trauma, the pure terror.

She was about to say something, but Dominik quickly put Ciri's sword back into her hands. Quickly she looked up to him, as he gripped tightly to the steel, taking a few steps back, pointing to Fiona.

"CIRI! Teleport her out of here NOW!" He screamed at her, and Ciri shot to her feet, Fiona still gripping to her legs.

"You're fucking insane I'm not leaving you here!" She yelled back to him, as the sound of Drogar's roars hit the air.

Dominik rolled his eyes and frantically met her eyes, "Will you please just listen to me! Teleport her and- GAHHHH!"

"DOMINIK!" Her and Fiona both yelled at the same time, as Drogar's massive wing sent him flying away.

Drogar roared again, and Ciri gripped one hand to her sword, and the other to Fiona behind her. She saw some of the men had started fighting with the knights again, while around five others came to circle her.

"Bring me the girl, NOW!" Drogar yelled to his men, before a massive roar left him.

Ciri felt her anger grow, as she held both hands to her sword, feeling Fiona finally let go of her, taking a few steps back. She let the magic whirl in her veins, it went to her eyes, and as she looked at the five men rushing her, she thought back to herself, all the times she had been helpless, all the times she had been hurt, all her trauma, how she wished someone had been there to stop it all from happening.

She wouldn't let Fiona experience the same thing.

"Over my dead body…" Ciri said darkly before it was another torrent of blood.

She teleported forward and one man yelled, his body split in half, and quickly the second charged. With the magic whirling her on, Ciri parried and spun with great speed to cut through the man's neck, before she shot her sword up behind her to block another blow, before teleporting again. She cut through one man after another, the blue magic from her powers whirling up in her eyes and staying there, it didn't leave her as she felt every single one of her teleports precise, each brought her exactly where she wanted to be. Her sword swung and parried with perfect precision, torrents of blood came from the screaming men, her sword was slick with it, and when the final man fell, her anger and magic still flared.

A loud roar hit her ears, and she looked up to see Drogar had moved. The massive dragon came towards her, it tried to snap her with its jaws, but Ciri teleported out of the way. She saw Drogar swing one of his massive wings at her, and she willed herself to teleport again, she dodged the attack and came back right on the back of the dragon's neck. With her eyes still bursting with magic, she thought about Fiona, about her own experiences, her own trauma, and how badly she wished someone, Geralt, Dominik, anyone would have come in, cut Bonhart's head off while she was in the Arena, would have come to slaughter all the elves, Auberon, Eredin, Avallach, all of the elves holding her in Tir'Nala, she thought about how badly she wanted someone to save her.

Nobody had come, she had to save herself, but she wouldn't let that be what Fiona had to do.

As soon as she was on Drogar's neck, she cut her sword down, and with the magic whirling in her limbs, her blade actually cut the back of the dragon's neck, drawing blood. However, as soon as she did Drogar roared again, it shattered her ears, and she stumbled on his neck, with him bucking it backwards. Ciri lost her balance and fell, but as she did she found herself near Drogar's eyes, she swung her blade down across the dragon's eye, and it reared back in pain, and just before it could snatch her with its jaw, she teleported back down to the ground, but as soon as her feet hit the ground, she felt herself slip in the mud. The sounds of swords clashing hit her ears. She looked up to see she had landed right in the middle of the scrap between Drogar's men and the knights.

Her thoughts went to Fiona right away, and she went to get up, but saw a man rushing towards her, axe in hand as soon as she did. Drogar's roars hit her ears, and she was ready to raise her sword and parry. But the commander rushed forward again, the commander of the knights stabbed his blade through the man charging, and quickly removed it, before reaching down and helping Ciri up from the ground. Her eyes frantically looked around, and she couldn't find Fiona, until the commander's finger pointed out.

"OVER THERE!" He shouted over the sounds of fighting, and when Ciri turned she screamed.

"FIONA!" She yelled, as her and the commander ran forward, her getting easily ahead of him.

Drogar laughed, "Oh my dear… all of your power… it will all be mine… you lovely girl."

Drogar had blood dripping from his eyes where Ciri had cut him, but he had found Fiona. She fell onto the ground, frantically backing up, tears in the poor girls' eyes. Drogar went to gather her in his massive claws, and Ciri almost teleported forwards, but that was when she saw Dominik rush in screaming. He slid down next to Fiona; magic erupted from his eyes as he shot up a Quen shield. Drogar's hand smashed into the shield, and it exploded. The dragon roared, rearing him back, and Ciri moved her boots as quickly as she could, seeing Dominik pick Fiona up from the ground.

He grabbed her hand and tried to run back with her, but Drogar recovered, his massive claws stopping them. The other came around, and the dragon laughed as it swept both of them off their feet. Fiona and Dominik both got sent to the ground, Dominik rolled away from her, his sword falling out of his hand, the magic gone, but when he saw Fiona from the ground he tried to scramble for her, and what happened next, Ciri really thought came in slow motion. She was about to finally teleport forward to them both, but that was when with a massive ***BOOM* **Drogar's claw went and smacked over Dominik.

"NO, DOMINIK!" She screeched, bringing herself to a halt a few meters away, as one of Drogar's massive claws stopped inches from impaling Dominik's neck.

The dragon growled as it slowly lowered its head towards him, Dominik tried to struggle out, but even with magic starting to whirl and build up in his eyes, he couldn't make the dragon budge. Drogar cackled, turning over to see Fiona had just gotten up, her eyes fell on Dominik and she screamed.

"NO STOP, PLEASE STOP!" The girl screamed, she looked like she was going to run over to the trapped Dominik, but she came to halt, as Drogar turned his head to her.

The dragon laughed again, "Aha… Fiona my dear… we can… avoid all of this. Simply… come with me, and I'll let the witcher live!"

"NO DON'T YOU DARE FIONA I-." Dominik yelled from under the claw, but was quieted, when the talon dug into his neck.

"FIONA!" Ciri screamed over to her, not daring to move for fear Drogar would kill Dominik if she did.

The young girl looked to Ciri, up to Drogar, over to Dominik who was under the pressure of a claw. She seemed terrified, Ciri could see the fear, see how her legs were shaking, her skin grew paler, and as she stood there, Drogar quickly roared again.

"Make a choice my dear! My claw might slip!" The dragon yelled, as his claw dipped into Dominik's neck, making Fiona and Ciri both yelled.

But Fiona's words hit Ciri's ears first.

"NO STOP I'LL GO, I'LL GO DON'T HURT HIM!" Fiona screamed, and the reaction from Drogar was instant.

The dragon let out an earth-shaking roar, turning to the few men he had left, with blood dripping still from his eyes.

"Retreat to the camp you imbeciles, NOW!" Drogar yelled, before turning back to Fiona and Dominik again, "And now my dear… you come with me."

As quick as a flash, Drogar slammed Dominik to the mud, sending him skidding right in front of Ciri. She ran to him, with the commander on her heels. She looked and saw Drogar's men right away following orders, running towards the hills as the knights gave chase. Drogar roared again, and that was when she heard Fiona's screams, screams that Ciri knew would haunt her dreams.

"NO, LET ME GO, STOP NO, DOMINIK, CIRI!" She screamed, tears falling down her eyes, as Ciri yanked Dominik up to his shaky feet.

Drogar snatched Fiona up in one of his massive claws, her arms tugged at her side, and took off into the air.

"PLEASE STOP NO, CIRI, DOMINIK!" She screamed again, as Drogar fired up like a crossbow bolt into the air, and Dominik shot up from his knees

"NO, FUCK, FUCKING FUCK, NO!" He yelled, running forward a few steps, before Ciri saw him stumble down into the mud, "NOO FUCK! FUCKING FUCK, FUCK!"

She saw him grab the back of his leg, and she rushed to his side, as she felt her own heart shatter into a hundred pieces, as Fiona screamed, and Drogar took off towards the forest, where the knights gave chase to him and his men over the hills. Ciri fell to her knees next to Dominik, who couldn't stop staring up towards where the dragon had flown, she saw anger, pure seething rage, and even saw his eyes start to tear up, as he shot his gaze over to her. Ciri felt her own heart shattering, as Fiona's desperate cries for them rang in her ears, and she could see Drogar distantly flying over the trees, out of their sight.

Ciri had failed the girl, failed to save her, and she felt her heart practically stop, but it was nothing compared to how utterly broken Dominik looked. She knew failing the girl, letting her get taken or hurt, was exactly what he had just been worried about. His eyes were utterly broken, his emerald eyes were tearing up, and while Ciri nearly felt it in her own eyes too, she knew she had to be there for him then, be there for him like he always was for her.

"We'll go after her, we'll go after her," She said frantically, her shaking while she was on her knees, the now beaming sunset light streaming down between them both, "We'll get her back, we'll get her back, Dominik I promise."

He must not have broken yet, because after finally managing to turn and meet her eyes, Dominik shakily nodded.

"We'll get her… we… we will," He said slowly, shakily sighing again, "Ciri… gods Ciri I can't… I can't-."

"Gods above… it… it really is the both of you," The voice of the old commander said behind them, as Dominik and she both shot to her feet, turning to the man as he went on, "Gods that… that's Gregory's ring, and… and that swallow… Cirilla you… you used to wear it everywhere!"

Ciri and he both met each other's eyes. Ciri remembered the man staring so intently at her, his astonished tone. She looked and saw his grey eyes wide under the slits of his helmet, his longsword dripping blood in his hands, as she heard the knights rushing around back towards them. Scoffing, Ciri shook her head, with what just happened, she didn't have time for more mysteries.

"Who… who are you!?" She demanded, with Dominik still seemingly unable to speak.

The man slowly removed his helmet, his receding head of long grey hair spilling out, his grey eyes still looking flabbergasted at them both. And when the man's face registered in her mind, Ciri's heart did flips, as she looked over to Dominik's who was shaking even more now.

"I… I thought I recognized the horn… I… recognized the sequences… one for-." Dominik started, but the old knight laughed and cut him off.

"One for knock, two for draw… three for loose… gods you look just like Gregory… except your eyes, they're Sofia's," The man said, seeming near tears himself, looking over to Ciri now, "And Cirilla my dear… gods you've grown beautiful… just… just like your mother. If… if Gregory could see you now… gods he'd be so proud…"

"An… Anton?" Ciri managed to squeak out, feeling a tear stream down her cheek.

Sir Anton scoffed in amazement, smiling widely and looking past them towards his men.

"FALL IN! EVERYBODY FALL IN NOW!" He shouted to the men and women following him, before looking back with a smile to them both, "Gregory's son! Gregory's son and the princess! We've found Dominik, and Princess Cirilla!"

**A/N: And with that climactic ending, we have debatably the biggest chapter of the entire story all finished. 40,000 words later, we're finished with Return to Claywitch part one. We have so, so many big things happening in this chapter, so many implications for future stories, and without a doubt, possibly the biggest chapter for Dominik and Ciri's relationship. I promise, we're going to get back to the game storyline after this, because as we see, Fiona won't be coming with them for that, but this arc will last two more chapters, and I cannot wait for those as well. Let's break down this one first!**

**The first scene is a Baelen dream, and I want to admit, with her going slightly off rails… the reveal of her identity is coming soon!**

**The more important parts, however, are after this. Dominik and Ciri return to Claywitch, meet up with Mikel and Danara and learn the biggest news of their lives quite possibly. Dominik's Law of Surprise, just like Geralt's all those years ago, was a young girl, Fiona, and by extension, this little girl is going to be both he AND Ciri's destiny. I have had this idea the whole story, and I have been so, so, SO excited to introduce you guys to Fiona, she has a heck of a backstory, and as you can probably tell, will be one of the most important characters in future stories. **

**So important in fact, that I will reveal now… Fiona is going to be our main POV character in the third DLC I have planned for this story, called Pain and Remembrance. I kept the description of that story vague on purpose on my profile, waiting for this chapter to get published. As Dominik and Ciri are kidnapped by old enemies and taken, it's up to Fiona, to use all the training she's received, all of her talents, to help gather up all the allies she can to go and save them. It's a long way off yes, but I am SO excited to bring it to you all! First however of course, we have to get through this story and arc!**

**So, after Fiona's revealed, Dominik is understandably quite shocked, with Ciri having to do the bulk of the talking. They talk about it for a while, until Dominik can't seem to handle it, until as destiny has it, he's drawn to Fiona in the yard, we get to see the first of many moments between the three, the first of many training sessions, and I hope you can see the bond forming already!**

**After that, is when the raiders attacked, led by 'Drogar the Dragon', who as it turns out, takes his nickname quite literally xD He was looking for Fiona, claims she has abilities, and apparently knows her, Dominik and Ciri fight in which will be one of my favorite fight scenes of the whole book, but Fiona, already showing her character, trades herself so Dominik can survive, and is taken. **

**In this battle we're helped by another future ally, Sir Robert Anton of Cintra! I am super excited to bring you more of him in the next episode as well. Sir Anton will play a large part in later stories as well, but he will also play a small part later in this story ; ) We'll learn more about him, how he survived Cintra, and what he's been doing in the next chapter! I have so much coming and I can't wait for you all to see it!**

**So, after that long A/N We're finally finished! I am SO excited for you all to see the rest of this arc, I will do my best to get it out as quick as I can! Also, I am going to have plenty of cool new fanart for this story soon on Instagram! The Instagram name is dominik_of_cinrta go follow it for writing updates, polls, and other cool witcher stuff, along with the fanart that should be up soon!**

**As usually everyone, thank you all so, so much for reading, I can't begin to thank you enough! We're approaching the end! After Return to Claywitch, we'll basically be in the home stretch haha, and I can't wait for you all to see the ending! So as usual everyone, please review if you have time, make sure to favorite and follow to keep up to date, I'll never go more than a week without updating! Thank you all so much, stay safe, stay healthy, and I'll see you all next time!**


	74. Return to Claywitch II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 74: Return to Claywitch II**

**Narrator: After arriving back in Novigrad, from their trip to Bald Mountain, after a day together, Dominik and Ciri received a letter from Mikel of Claywitch, the man who Dominik saved from a dangerous Alp, right before his journey to find Ciri began. With some time before they had to head to Skellige, to battle the Hunt and Eredin, Dominik and Ciri both headed to Claywitch at the man's request, which begged them to help him and the villagers rid their village of a group of dangerous raiders that had been plaguing them. However, this was not the only thing Mikel had told Dominik about in his letter. After Dominik saved his life, Mikel offered him the Law of Surprise, that which you have, but do not yet know. History repeated itself, as when Mikel returned home from offering Dominik this reward, his wife Danara, had taken in a sick orphaned child, a thirteen-year-old girl, named Fiona. Fiona now became Dominik, and in turn Ciri's child of surprise, their destiny. Not long after this shocking revelation however, the raiders attacked Claywitch, led by a man named Drogar the Dragon. It turns out, Drogar's name was quite literal, because the man soon transformed into a massive black dragon, taking Fiona and stealing her away. With help from an old friend, Sir Robert Anton of Cintra, a former knight under Dominik's father Sir Gregory, Dominik and Ciri now must head out, to find Fiona, and rescue their destiny.**

Under any other circumstances, Dominik would have been absolutely elated. The fact Anton was sitting across from him, it was miraculous, a miracle, the fact he was leading a group of knights, on each of which he saw the Cintran coat of arms, it was something he had dreamed about for years, running into more survivors from the massacre, men who knew his father, he and Ciri. At the Battle of Brenna, hearing Visegard had fought for the Nilfgaardeans, while he thought Visegard was an ass, it still devastated him. It had been a dream of Ciri and he's in their early years, before they realized what they truly wanted, was to simply travel and be together, it had been their dream to gather a force and save their home from the Black Ones. Yes, under different circumstances, that moment would have been a miracle, another one he was blessed with, along with finding Ciri again. He could remember all the times Anton had escorted him to the palace at his father's orders, the man had just like his father did, 'turned a blind eye', whenever he and Ciri wanted to sneak out. Anton had been the closest thing he had to an Uncle before Vesemir, and he knew Ciri felt the same, so seeing him again, alive and well, should have made him ecstatic, he should already be thinking of ways to have Anton help in their fight.

However, he simply couldn't, as all he could do was impatiently tap his foot, feeling his right leg throb and his throat tingle from where the dragon's claw had been. And even as Ciri next to him looked and smiled at Anton, like he should be doing, all he could hear was Fiona's voice. _'NO STOP I'll GO, I'll GO DON'T HURT HIM!'. _It had been clear she was traumatized, Drogar must have been looking for her, or did something to her, and it clearly terrified her, but she had given herself for him anyway, a thirteen-year-old girl, who he was supposed to protect. Already he was failing, already he had failed to make sure she was safe, and the girls face was all Dominik could focus on as he looked into the mug of ale, his free hand curling into a fist.

Often, he had asked Geralt what it felt like, to be linked to Ciri by the Law of Surprise, by destiny. Geralt always claimed it was hard to describe, but the best way he could, was that it was as spark, and that every time he looked at Ciri, he just felt good, felt the connection, it drew him to her, and that when they first reunited after Cintra, having her with him, had finally made Geralt feel complete, like something missing was finally back. Dominik knew the feeling, it was how he himself felt around Ciri, although in a much different way obviously. He loved her, and that spark Geralt mentioned, it was ever present from the moment he met her. Ciri was his destiny to protect, to be with, dating all the way back to Alexander of Lod. And despite failing at first, he had gotten her back, and Dominik would never let anything happen to her again, no, he wouldn't fail at protecting Ciri again.

Just like he wouldn't fail protecting Fiona now.

He had felt it as soon as the girl walked into the house, as soon as he saw her eyes, the emerald eyes she had that looked exactly like Ciri and he's. Initially, he had tried to push it away, not knowing if he'd truly be able to protect her, do what Geralt did for Ciri and he. No, he didn't want to drag her into the life of a witcher, not when he had failed protecting people so many times, she truly would have been safer in Claywitch, staying and getting to live that normal life he and Ciri never would have gotten the chance to live either way. Just like Geralt tried to initially do, he had wanted to keep her safe by keeping her away… however, also just like Geralt he realized it was futile. When he saw her out there, smacking that training dummy, the determination, the grit, the will, the way she moved, the way she excitedly bounced on her toes at the prospect of learning more, he had seen himself, seen Ciri, and he couldn't deny it. Between that, and the knowledge, that now with Ciri, he truly didn't have to do it all alone… he finally seemed to understand what Geralt felt when he was with Ciri and he.

The truth was he didn't know if he were ready, didn't know if he could protect her further, he still didn't know any of this. However, in that moment, none of that mattered, because she was in danger then, and Dominik wasn't going to leave her there. He wouldn't, he couldn't get to Ciri when she was in danger all those years, he couldn't burst into the arena she was trapped in, the Aen Elle world, anywhere and save her. But he could for Fiona then, and when he looked over and saw Ciri next to him, he knew he wouldn't have to do it alone anymore, never again would he have to do it alone.

She looked a bit worse for wear, but as she looked between him and Anton, he saw she was trying to keep her spirits high, for his sake, and he loved her for it. He could see blood and dirt over her soaked top, her face was smeared with dirt and mud, her sword was leaning against the table in Mikel's and he could see she was exhausted, but her eyes still sparkled, she smiled over at Anton, and Dominik reveled in the fact she was simply there as he normally did. He wouldn't lie how much he loved seeing her next to Fiona, the two had the same mannerisms, eye rolls, head nods, it had been absolutely adorable for him. And with the roller coaster of emotions he had experienced that day, the small memory of them together for that short time made him smile.

"Gods… witchers, the both of you," Anton said with a slight scoff, a broad smile coming to the old knights face as he looked between them, his eyes falling on Ciri, "Aha… it seems you were always right my dear. Gods, I looked for the two of you for years, lost all hope!"

Dominik felt himself smile, Anton was already old back at Cintra when they were younger, but despite being even older then, he still looked as strong as an ox. Broad shoulders, large arms, he had a head of balding grey hair, wrinkly cheeks and old, wise grey eyes that looked at them both fondly. He tried to will himself to be excited, but all he could see was Fiona in the dragon's claw, her screaming for him to help her, but him unable to do anything. They had gone back to Mikel and Danara's, Mikel, along with Anton's knights, had set about helping the villagers repair, giving and distributing food, while Dominik, Ciri and Anton had gone back with Danara to her home, to plan their course of action to get Fiona back. Danara laid out some food for them, but the poor woman now simply laid in her bed, little Dominik in her arms, as he could tell she was trying to keep herself together as well.

Ciri next to him reached her hand under the table, he felt it gently hold onto his bouncing thigh, and her reassuring squeeze sent some reassurance up his spine, making him shakily sigh, as Ciri nodded at him for a moment before turning back to Anton.

"Anton it… it's amazing to see you as well," She said with an amazed scoffed, gently shaking her head, "And we are… we are witchers. I… know you wouldn't, but well… nowadays I'm… not, me and Dominik aren't well-."

Anton laughed to cut her off, and smiled fondly at them again, "Nay, no need to explain my dear… that life… you were never meant for it, neither of you were. I… I'm just so glad to see the two of you together still… healthy, together and… and living the life you want."

Despite being extremely excited to see Anton again, that had been one of Dominik's first thoughts when he saw him. What if Anton tried to convince them both to come with him, convince Ciri to be a rallying cry to get back the Cintran crown? That part of their lives were over, Ciri wasn't the princess or Queen of Cintra anymore, he wasn't destined to be the guard captain, they were witchers, they'd always be witchers. While now and then he did think about what could have been, he knew Ciri and he were exactly in the best lives for them, the lives that they wanted. However, as he expected, Anton only wanted what was best for them, wanted to see them together and healthy. It was simply the kind of person the old knight was.

Dominik, however, wouldn't deny it when he said he was happy to see the Cintran colors again, seeing the Cintran lions on Anton's armor still. Slowly he met the knight's eyes, and he knew Anton could tell how distraught Dominik still was, and next to him, Ciri did as well, the both of them, they were trying to lift his spirits, and while Dominik wanted nothing more then to ask Anton about where he's been, how he and his men turned into a group of vigilante knights. But all he could hear was Fiona screaming, the dragon's maw right above him, ready to end him in a moments notice if not for what Fiona did.

Ciri however, thankfully asked the questions for him.

"Thank you Anton, really… we'll always be grateful for you," Ciri said, squeezing Dominik's thigh under the table again, keeping Anton's gaze, "But… what happened to you? The last I saw you… Gregory sent you and Danek ahead to clear the path for us to get out."

Ciri's escape from the castle at Cintra with his father, was something she used to tell him about frequently. After Queen Calanthe, who was already injured and dying, ordered Gregory to have Ciri moved, his father had sent Anton and other knights to clear the pathway they'd use out of the city, while his father took Ciri through the tunnels. However, the moment they went to escape, was when a Nilfgaardean spy, had apparently gotten word to Cahir, who was waiting in the city to not only kill Dominik and his family, but capture Ciri as well. He had no idea what had happened to Anton, but it was apparently a great shame to the old knight, because he sighed and shook his head.

He shook his head, meeting their eyes, "I failed Gregory… that's what happened. Danek and I made it to the street you were due to leave yes but… we were accosted. Danek was cut down, I got pushed to the streets, got cut down myself in an alley…. Didn't awake until the next morning, when I found a few others who had survived, we tried to establish a foothold but… the Black Ones were too many, we were forced to flee."

"Others survived with you?" Dominik asked lightly, finding his voice, as Anton turned and nodded.

Sighing the old knight looked at them gravely, "They did yes, a few are still with me to this day. Others, they grew weary of fighting, wanted to retire, I never held it against them, most of us… all our families were killed during the massacre. My band is around forty strong now, about half I'd say were either guardsman, or other knights… others we picked up along the way, men and women who wanted to fight the Black Ones."

"I saw a good mix of men and women, not just that, elves and even a few dwarves as well," Ciri said quickly, looking over to Dominik and then back to Anton, "You trained them all to be knights?"

"HA, of course I did!" Anton said with a scoff and a smile, looking over to Dominik now with a prideful smile, "You remember what your father said about being a knight right my boy?"

Dominik scoffed a laugh himself, the smallest smile tugging at his lips.

"You don't need a cock and balls to be a knight," He said, remembering the words his father had always repeated to him, "The measure of a true knight, isn't determined by birth, or how you look, it's the content of your character."

"Exactly! Gods, he'd be so happy to see the both of you together still…" Anton said fondly again, smiling at them both, "But the bottom line is, I do what I can to honor your father's memory. So yes, I let elves, dwarves, men, women into my company, it matters not! As long as you uphold the true virtues of a knight, you can come fight with me!"

"A healthy hatred for the Black Ones helps too I'm assuming," Ciri said with a small smirk, but Dominik could see she was trying to hold herself together.

Anton scoffed and nodded, "Aye… that as well. For the first few years even… we all tried to find you both. Hit the Black Ones when we could, all while trying to find any signs of yous… but it seems thankfully you were both alright."

"Why didn't you head north? Join with the rest of the Northern Kingdoms?" Ciri asked, as Dominik started to feel his hands trembling again.

The old knight shook his head, "And have them try to take and use you if we found you? Not a chance, no… we only wished to find you both, and keep you safe."

"I understand Ciri but… why me?" Dominik said, feeling his voice come back to him, looking and meeting the knight's eyes with a small shake of his head, "I… I wasn't anyone special, I was my father's son yes but-."

"Bah, you jest right my boy? You were our next leader, all of us would've given our lives for Gregory, and in turn you as well, you were young yes, but we knew you were destined to be just like your father," Anton said, a prideful smile coming to his face, "And it seems we were correct, you are, down to the way you look!"

Dominik felt his heart thump, as he knew while he looked like his father yes, he had a long way to go before he was anywhere near the level of man he had been, either of his fathers, Geralt or Gregory. Neither of them would have let Fiona get taken like he had, and now, just like he knew either of them would do, he was going to find a way to get her back. It was just about sunset now, they still had plenty of daylight to track down wherever it was Drogar had fled, he heard the dragon mention a camp, and from what he knew about dragons, was that the beast had to have a hoard somewhere. And not only did he have Fiona now, but a multitude of women from Claywitch, so more than just one live was at stake.

Outside he could see the gleaming armor of some of Anton's men. He saw a two of the dwarves from his company hammering out metal, fixing and mending armor and swords. Multiple horses, it seemed one for each member at the least were being brought in. Carts of foods, blankets and other essentials were being handed out, and in the distance he even saw a few of them patrolling around the fields, keeping an eye out for any counter attacks. Men, women, dwarves, elves, it was a beautiful sight, seeing the people being helped as such. Dominik saw a few of the men giving commands were indeed older, and he assumed they were the ones who had followed Anton all the way from Cintra, looking for Ciri and he. His father would have been proud he knew, seeing his men, Anton, and the knights of Cintra he spent so many years training helping people as such.

Ciri looked at him, giving him a small prideful, reassuring smile, and it warmed him, calming his nerves slightly, before she turned back to Anton.

"So… you really looked for us both, for years?" She asked, her voice light and wondering, the sun coming in brimming off her dirty face.

Anton nodded again, "Aye, we did… but after we heard of your 'marriage' to that degenerate Emperor, we started to lose hope. I knew it couldn't really be you, knew you'd never do it, even being forced, you would've died first. We thought that it was a fake and… that you'd been killed. After this… I gave them all the option to leave, a few did yes but… most stayed with me. I rose them all to the rank of knight, and even after the war ended… we set about fighting the tyrants, we hit the Black Ones where we can… keeping the fight going."

"We heard you even fought with some Redanian's…" Ciri said slowly, as Dominik as well remembered what Hulda said.

"Bah, of course we do! That cunt Radovid… a disgrace to the continent, a scourge he is, on par with that degenerate they call an Emperor in the south!" Anton said in complete disgust, shaking his head and looking at them both, "Gregory may have been younger than me yes, but him, and your grandfather both, instilled in me, that all men and women, regardless of their race are born with the capacity for greatness! It's our actions that define who were are, not our birth, so we uphold those words to this very day. We fight against any injustice we see, whether it be from the Black Ones, or Redanian's, help those who can't help themselves, like true knights, that's the reason we came here after hearing of what was happening."

Dominik shared a knowing look with Ciri. They had only told Anton that they were witchers now, that they had found Geralt, training and living with him at Kaer Morhen for a few years, only describing Ciri going missing as them being 'separated for a while before they found each other again. They hadn't mentioned anything about the Wild Hunt, or Emhyr truly being Ciri's father. It wouldn't change the man's opinion on them they knew, but they decided that they had little time, so they would tell him later, with the focus needing to be on Fiona. After Anton's words, Dominik sighed, finally feeling his heart ready to beat from his chest. He made the mistake of looking over and seeing Fiona's empty bed in Mikel's home, and felt his hands curl into fists, as he looked to meet Anton's eyes.

"Anton I… I'm glad to see you, more glad then you know but… we need to save the rest of our catching up for later," Dominik said, feeling his legs continued to shake under the table, meeting the old knights eyes, "We need to follow that dragon, and his men. He apparently had weeks' worth of the women of the village trapped, and… and that girl he took…"

He couldn't finish his sentence, feeling the anxiousness rise up in him. Under the table, he reached and grabbed Ciri's hand under his, trying to find some kind of reassurance. She offered it by squeezing and looking over at him reassuringly. Looking at her, seeing her gaze, her reassurance, the complete confidence, it managed to spur him on. He wasn't in it all alone, he'd never be again now, because they weren't leaving each other's side. Fiona wasn't just his destiny no, she was Ciri's by proxy, and just like Geralt and Yen had done for them both, they'd be there every step of the way for that girl.

He sighed, meeting Anton's eyes again, "She… she's my child surprise, and I can't let anything happen to her… I won't."

"He's right," Ciri said quickly next to him, her eyes narrowing in determination at Anton as well, "She's our responsibility, we have to go after her. We… we'd understand if you don't want to put your men in danger but-."

"Bah, you're kidding right my dear?" Anton said, standing up from the table, his longsword clunking at his hip as he picked up his helmet, the old knight smiled over at them both, "I'll go give everyone the order to mount up. We'll follow the two of you to the edges of the continent we will!"

Dominik looked at him incredulously, "Anton, this… this fight has nothing to do with you and your men are… are you certain?"

The old knight nodded, "Aye, of course we are lad. This dragon threatens the people of this area! Besides… Ciri, you may never formally take the title of Queen, but a good majority of these men will still fight for Calanthe's blood. And Dominik? It was never going to be a question if we would follow Gregory's son."

He felt his heart thump again, as he looked to meet Ciri's wonderous gaze again. She was smiling just as broadly at him, her confidence brimming to the roof. For a moment he felt like he was eleven years old again, he remembered how many times he had dreamed of having Cintran knights under his command, leading them into battle, protecting the city, the province, and most importantly Ciri. This was before everything changed of course, but he always had a dream of himself putting down a rebellion, fighting at the head of a group of knights, Ciri right as his side, fighting as the Queen of Cintra, just like Queen Calanthe had.

Of course nowadays, they were fighting a much more dangerous opponent then a rebellion, or bandit uprising. Now, Ciri and he fought the Wild Hunt itself, but to Dominik none of it mattered, because he was with her, and they were doing it together. And now, they fought not only for themselves, to keep the people of Claywitch safe, but for their future, for Fiona. They could give the girl the life that they had wanted, to be raised to be a witcher, but to have that family as well.

But first they needed to get her back, and while he still didn't know if he was ready then to take care of her, ready for that commitment and responsibility, he was going to try, and do everything he possibly could, to help that girl realize her destiny, because now, hers was interlocked with his as well.

He met Anton's eyes and shakily, "Thank you Anton… we'll head out soon."

"Yeah… and… thanks for looking for us," Ciri said thankfully next to him, as she smiled and they both stood up as well.

"Aye… you're welcome," The old knight said, slipping his helmet back on his head, and smirking over at them both, "Could never separate you both as children… warms my heart to see that's still true."

He got slightly flustered but smiled, and Ciri did as well as Anton left the house. As soon as the knight did, Dominik sighed, and felt his arms begin to shake again, feeling all the anxiousness coming back to him again. He had been determined not to appear as frazzled as he was in front of Anton, but soon it was all coming out again. He looked out the window and could hear Anton yelling in a muffled voice right away, and all the knights right away stood at attention, the sunset orange rays bouncing off all their white armor. In a flash, he saw all their faces again, remembering Cintra so much was never good for him, because even then, eleven years later, the memories, the horrible memories came back.

With his hands shaking, he looked down at them both. And for a split second he saw it all, the blood, blood covered his hands, his sisters blood, his mother's blood, all the corpses were around him, he could see the fires lit around him, felt the heat seething into his skin, heard the screams ringing in his ears, people being slaughtered, his friends, neighbors, everybody he ever knew was being slaughtered. His mother's last words had been to get his sister out, to keep her safe and he had failed, now she and Bella were both dead in front of him, their blood on his hands. It all came back, and soon he felt himself shaking even more, and it seemed with every time he blinked, he saw something else.

He saw his visions of Ciri in the bowels of the arena, running from Cahir on Thanedd, her being dead in his arms on the Isle of Mists. And then there was the explosion, the explosion that Declan had caused, that he and Arno gave their life for, gave their life for, only for him to forget about Baelen, and not do anything about the dragon. Two more lives that were taken because of him, people he cared about, had sworn to he knew what he was doing. Now there was another, someone else that was calling for his help, for him to protect them, and while he would do everything he could, he knew if he failed it would mean her death. Fiona's death, the girl who he already felt it too, felt that connection, wanted to protect, to keep safe, it would crush him. He couldn't let her suffer anymore, but the more he thought about it, about her and all the other people he swore to protect, the more he felt himself shake.

"Hey… it's alright, don't worry," Ciri said gently from next to him, grabbing both his hands, and when he looked down to meet her eyes she smiled and nodded, "We'll get her, I know we will. With Anton here, I've no doubt we'll succeed."

Dominik looked at her, taking it all in. Her brown heeled boots were caked with mud, the same with her trousers and corset. She had taken off her gloves, but knew they were drenched and covered in blood and dirt as well. Her top was marred with dirt and grime, her ashen locks were frazzled, her makeup was smudged and running around her eyes from the sweat. He could also see a small cut on her left cheek, a few bruises, including one on the corner of her lip, and one forming on her upper right cheek. She looked like a hot mess, and he knew for a fact he couldn't look much better, with him thinking he could even smell himself.

But gods, was she still the most beautiful person Dominik had ever seen in his life.

He smiled gently, wrapping his arms around her, and hugging his shaking arms around her waist. She wasted no time in wrapping hers around his neck, burying her head into his neck, squeezing him as hard as she could. He felt his arms continue to shake, as he shakily sighed, taking in the faint smell of her perfume, and for a moment trying to picture it as just the two of them. It worked to ease his nerves like it normally did, and when he pulled back, keeping his arms around her, he saw her eyes still brimming with confidence as she lightly smiled at him. Shakily he sighed again, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I… I still don't know if I'm ready Ciri, I… I really don't," He said shakily, but as he saw the brightness of her eyes, he gently shook his head, "But… I do know, I… I can't do it without you."

"And you won't have too. We're a team remember? You and me versus everyone," She said lightly, a smile coming to her face as she looked at him, "I know I was gone for a while but… that won't happen again. This is our destiny, yours, and mine, we do this together."

"Together," He said, a smile forming on his face as well.

She leaned up and kissed him, both their bruised, bloody faces meeting, their lips connecting, and like it did every time she did, when she kissed him his chest erupted. Every time her lips moved against his, that he felt spark fly down his body, and soon he found himself hugging her again. She laughed lightly into his lips, smiling broadly as she let her lips linger on his for a what felt like an entire minute, pressing them to his with everything she had, before slowly pulling back from him.

Ciri smiled, and laughed lightly, "You know… I know we aren't bringing her back with us right now but… gods can you imagine how Yen and Geralt will react when we tell them?"

He scoffed, "Gods, Yen will be ecstatic but Geralt? He might have a heart attack knowing there's basically another one of us running around."

They both laughed, and Ciri gently held one hand behind his neck, kissing him quickly once more, before smiling and meeting his eyes.

"We'll deal with Eredin… and how's three months sound?" She asked him, meeting his gaze and looking deep into his emerald eyes with her own, "Three months, it gives her time to enjoy the normal life for a bit longer, gives us time to recover and… spend some time traveling alone… and then we'll come get her. How's that sound?"

Dominik tried to imagine it, and he got giddy just thinking about it. Of course he looked forward to traveling alone with Ciri as they did the last two days to Claywitch, however, the idea of having Fiona, training her, raising her together, seeing her grow, become stronger and stronger, and being able to give her that life Ciri and he always wanted, nothing sounded better.

And it was like Ciri said, in the end she was thirteen, old enough for them to get her a room at the inn for herself. Ciri and he would still have plenty of time to themselves, even after they collected her. First of course, they would have to deal with Eredin, but if getting that life was a reward? Dominik knew that he and Ciri deserved it, so he would do whatever was possible to make sure they did get it.

"Three months, that's perfect," He said again, smiling at her as he gently let go of her, smirking and crossing his arms, "We can still spend those few weeks at that first roadside inn we find."

Ciri scoffed and laughed, smirking as she leaned forward and kissed his scarred right cheek. She smirked at him, picking up her sword and strapping it to her back, picking up both of his and holding them out to him.

"Oh, we'll spend plenty of time there believe me," She said with a wink, laughing lightly as Dominik took both the swords, before smirking at him again, "Come on though, first… let's go get our girl."

He never thought he could feel his love for Ciri rise even more, but it did then. Their girl, theirs, hers and his, it was something he never thought he'd hear her say, even after they were reunited, but hearing her say it, Dominik didn't think he had ever loved hearing anything more.

"Yeah… let's go get her," He said with a nod, as she smiled pridefully at him, and they both went to leave the house.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So… what brought the two of you out towards Claywitch in the first place?" Anton asked them from atop his horse, as they neared the beach.

Dominik bit his lip, looking over to Ciri, asking a silent question of whether they should really tell Anton what they were doing beforehand. After they had spoken, thanks to Mikel, and Ciri and he inheriting all of Geralt's skill for tracking, they were able to find tracks leading out of the village easily enough. And Mikel, along with the other villagers, had all given them the location of the nearest cave. They said it was near the large lake they used to go and fish in during the warmer months. With it getting colder and colder they stopped, but Dominik knew that it sounded like a perfect spot for a dragon to keep its lair, and the tracks had led them towards what he assumed would be it. He saw all the signs of a lake being nearby, darker soil, greener plants, and after Anton gathered his men in rows, they all started riding out to follow the tracks.

The sun was still up, they were weaving their horses through a thicket of forest, which Dominik could see ahead was leading towards a much more open area. Sunset was upon them, and Dominik knew they'd only have about another hour of sunlight, fighting in the dark against a black dragon wasn't ideal at all, so they would need to move quickly. He still had no fathomable idea how they'd manage to take a dragon down, but it didn't matter, they needed to go anyway, he needed to go, he needed to find Fiona, he wouldn't let her suffer like so many other people under his watch had. The orange beams shot through the trees, as he looked over at Ciri one more time. She had tried to clean herself off a bit, but her sword clunked on her back, and Dominik could still see the puffy bruises and small cuts across her face, she bit her lip and have him a gentle nod, as the two of them rode in front of all the men with Anton to their left.

Dominik sighed and met the old knights' eyes, "We… we were in Novigrad with Geralt. We're… getting ready to fight against the Wild Hunt, already fought them once at Kaer Morhen."

"The Wild Hunt!? Gods above," Anton said right away, his grey eyes turning to he and Ciri both, he shook his head, an aghast look on his face, "What in the gods name are you fighting with them for?"

"It's because of me…" Ciri said, a small bit of guilt laced in her voice, as she sighed and looked over at Anton from atop her mare, "They've been chasing me for years, it's… hard to explain, you see I have this… power in my blood and-."

Anton quickly shook his head to cut her off, "Nay… nay, no need to explain my dear…. The Queen was always worried that Pavetta's gift passed to you as well… it seems it did, Gregory was correct."

Dominik saw Ciri shoot Anton an incredulous look, the sun hitting shining off her eyes.

"You knew? You… you knew? I knew that Gregory did but… you did as well?" She asked the old knight, and right away Anton laughed.

"Aha, of course I did my dear, we are family after all, no matter how distant!" Anton said with a small smile as they rode, "Your grandmother and Gregory told me both, but… the Wild Hunt, what in the gods name could they want your power for?"

He slowly shook his head, meeting Anton's eyes as well, "Ciri can open portals between planes, different worlds. The Wild Hunt… they're a race of elves from another world, called the Aen Elle, and they want to use Ciri's power to launch a full-scale invasion."

The lingering threat had always been there, he selfishly thought to himself, he quite frankly didn't care what happened, as long as Ciri was safe a few times. However, he knew deep down this was bigger than himself, bigger then Ciri, she knew it as well. It wasn't just their life they were fighting for, that future Ciri and he always wanted, but the future of every person to walk the continent. The wind gently blew through his hair, as he adjusted himself on Clop's saddle, the wind chilled his bones, and he felt goosebumps run up his arms.

Anton shuddered next to them, but not from the cold. "Gods… and you're both right at the center."

"Dominik fought Eredin, King of the Hunt during the last battle we had with them," Ciri said.

Dominik scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You mean I got my ass kicked by Eredin… mark on my face is a reminder."

Anton again looked over, meeting Dominik's eyes. He examined the scar on his face, all while keeping his destrier at a steady trot, the sun glinting off the longsword at his hip.

"Ha… you're father used to tell me, you can tell a lot about a man by the scars he keeps," Anton said, before looking between he and Ciri both. "You'll have the blades of myself, and every single member of this company, you have my word."

Ciri's eyes widened as she met Dominik's, and right away his head shot back to Anton again. It had been a fantasy to him, leading men of Cintra into battle, having them help fight against the Hunt, it was completely different then fighting Black Ones, or groups of bandits.

"Anton… I can't ask you and your men to do that," Dominik said, shaking his head he kept Anton's gaze, "The Wild Hunt… it isn't the same as the Black Ones, and that final fight it… will probably be soon."

Anton smirked at him and Ciri both. "Well, then we best find your girl then. We'll need to head out to battle soon it seems! It's like I said lad, this company, men and women, all will fight for Gregory's son, and Calanthe's blood. We will be by your side, just like we were your fathers, and your grandmothers my dear."

Dominik looked to Ciri, who had just as much of an astonished look as he did. He knew that a position like that, it was the last thing that either of them had expected. Another cold chill ran through his body, as he remembered what happened the last time he had a leadership role, four of his friends died at Kaer Morhen, two of them sacrificing themselves for him and Ciri. He could tell she was thinking the same thing, that they didn't want anyone else to risk their lives for them.

However, they both also knew they wouldn't sway Anton from helping them. The old knight was just that type of person, and Dominik could also see in his eyes the regret, he had barely taken his eyes off Dominik or Ciri at all, looking at them both as if he thought, if he blinked, the both of them would disappear again. Anton had been his fathers' best man, and someone Ciri and he both had thought died years ago, and just like they thought him dead, Anton lived for years with the thought they were both dead as well. So he knew the man's pain, and Dominik couldn't deny him.

Ciri had a sheepish smile on her face, as she looked from Dominik to Anton. "Thank you Anton… we appreciate it more-."

"Commander! Commander we were correct!" A voice rang out ahead of them, causing Anton to hold his fist up.

A chorus of light whinnying from the company of horses behind him echoed through the woods. Dominik patted Clop's neck, looking to Ciri as he felt his arms begin to quiver again. Ciri quickly met his eyes, and nodded reassuringly. He looked out and could see a much more open breeze, a freer flowing one, and it indicated to him that the trees were coming to an end, and they were approaching the lake Mikel and the villagers had described. If he looked up past the trees, he could see smoke, the faint smell of cooking meat hit his nose, and if he focused his trained ears, he could hear distant echoes of men whooping and celebrating. His hand almost went up to the steel on his back, but he settled for gripping even tighter on Clop's reins, nodding to Ciri, who even managed to smirk at him, before he heard the scouts horse get closer.

As they assumed they got closer to the lake, Anton had sent one of his knights to scout. The one that he selected was a young elven woman, who wore strapped and studded leather armor, a sleek knife in her belt, along with a bow and quiver strung across her back.

"Report Valena, how many are there?" Anton said, as the young woman's brown hair whipped back behind her head while she pulled her mare up in front of them.

"As we thought sir, about fifty strong left at the camp, tents, fires, large cave with jagged spikes, outside the entrance!" The young scout said.

Anton nodded. "Any sign of the dragon?"

"No sir, no sign of the dragon, real or human form," Valena said quickly, gesturing towards the sky where the smoke, "Celebratin it seems, if I may be so bold sir, they don't seem to be expecting an attack right now, just a few guards posted on the outskirts, could overwhelm them easily."

Anton scoffed and shook his head. "Under normal circumstances yes, but they also know they have a dragon on their side. The lake itself?"

"Big, but the waters are calm, even saw a few swimming with what daylight's left. Beach itself ain't really even a beach, gravely, but enough open area to where the horses should be able to move fine, they got some of their own hitched," She finished, before giving Anton a quick bow.

Dominik gripped tightly onto Clop's reins, looking at the scout. "Any sign of the missing women from Claywitch?"

Valena quickly nodded. "Aye, got them all locked up in a big cage, except the one little lass that got carried away. She's in a cage near the entrance to the cave."

Dominik's blood went cold, he looked over at Ciri, and never had he seen such a fierce look contort to her face so quickly. He knew exactly what she was thinking about, she was thinking about her own time trapped, trapped in a cell, all the times she had been held captive. He hadn't been able to do anything about it for Ciri then, but he would for Fiona now.

"Aye, thank you Valena, good job girl. Head back and find Phineas, tell him to get everyone ready and set in formation," Anton ordered, and Valena quickly nodded.

The elf rode off, starting to bark out for the man Anton told her to find. As soon as she did, Anton turned to them both.

"Sounds rather straight forwards… the hostages are the problem, however. We could wait until nighttime perhaps?" Anton said.

"Not a chance, we go now!" Ciri said quickly, and Anton nodded without question. She turned to him, meeting his eyes, "I don't know about you. But I won't let her, or any of those other women rot in cages for a minute longer."

He quickly nodded. "Feel the same way. Don't worry. Anton, Ciri and I will go scout ahead as well, bring your men just to the treeline, stay out of sight. We're going to figure out a way get the hostages away. We don't have much daylight left. So we need to move quick, we won't be long."

The cold breeze sent goosebumps up his arm again, from the nerves, and the chill. Ciri gave him a quick nod, and a small prideful smile, her sword blowing behind her back in the wind. As long as he had her, he knew he'd succeed as he said. Together, as Geralt reminded them both multiple times, they were nearly unstoppable.

Anton however, looked at them both worriedly. "Both of you going alone that close to the enemy camp? Are… you both certain?"

Ciri scoffed a laugh, climbing down from her mare. "Don't worry Anton, we'll be alright. We're silent as can be right Dominik?"

"That's right," Dominik said, slipping off Clop's saddle as well and adjusting his swords, before looking back up at Anton, "Besides, if I can sneak through a sleeping Ice Giants cave, then scouting out an enemy camp will be no problem. Ciri and I will find a way to deal with the dragon as well… don't know how yet but… we'll think of something."

"We always do." Ciri said assuredly, coming up next to him as they both looked at Anton.

Anton sighed and looked between them both fondly. A smile formed on his face as he slowly nodded. "Aye… alright then. Be careful the both of you. Gods… never thought I'd see the day I sent Gregory's son and the princess on a scouting mission…"

Dominik shared a look with Ciri and they both managed a smile. He looked to Anton with a quick nod. "Never thought I'd be in this situation either believe me."

"Me even less so," Ciri said sarcastically, but keeping a smile on her face, before looking and meeting his eyes, "So, you ready to head out?"

Dominik shakily sighed, meeting her gaze with a nod. "Yeah… let's go get our girl."

His girl, it was something he only ever thought he'd use in reference to Ciri. However, Fiona was just that, something more just like Ciri was. He felt that same electricity, that tingle, that buzzing in his head as he was training her. For the first time in his life, he truly felt like he wasn't helpless, wasn't helpless to protect the ones that were important to him, not like back in Cintra, or when Ciri went missing. This was his chance. Quickly, he reached down at his belt, and loaded a bolt into his crossbow. He remembered the one thing Elise had told him about the weapon before she left Kaer Morhen was, _'Always make sure you got a bolt loaded at all times.'. _He let the weapon dangle at his waist, and went to instinctively check for his dagger, but felt his stomach churn when he didn't feel it there, remembering he had given it to Fiona, and the girl quite literally hadn't let go of it the weapon as she was taken.

He had told her, _'the sword is part of your arm, you can't drop part of your arm'. _And after he told her, she had seemed to take his lesson to heart. She lapped up every word he said, wanted to learn, wanted so badly to protect people, to not be alone, and now he and Ciri could give all of that to her.

But first they needed to help her, and unlike back in Cintra, the two of them weren't helpless anymore.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Fifty, Valena was right… odd choice of décor for the cave, might as well shout 'something evil lives here." Ciri said, as she knelt down next to him from the cliff.

Dominik nodded in agreement. "Something… or someone. But… what if we used his crappy décor to our advantage?"

"How do you mean?"

"See those spikes? Look like they carved giant logs into stakes, wanted them to protect his hoard most likely."

"And… you want to use them to try and kill him?" She asked slowly, piecing together what he meant.

He nodded again. "Yeah… unless we can kill him in human form quick enough."

"Yes… or maybe I could try teleporting through it?" She asked, and Dominik couldn't tell if she was joking or not.

Scoffing he looked over to her. "You can do that?"

She shrugged her shoulders, narrowing them closer to the cave. "Don't know… I was able to cut through his scales when I used my power."

It was bad enough for him Fiona was already in so much danger, he didn't want to add Ciri getting stuck while trying to teleport through a dragon to his list of worries.

"Let's… not try that. We'll try to kill him in human form. If we can't… we'll have to find a way to bring him down, preferably on the spikes." He told her, and right away she nodded, pushing more of the brush from their vision.

She nodded slowly, looking to meet his eyes. "Mhm… you're right, don't particularly feel like getting stuck in a dragon's stomach. He's only going to have one eye, that should give us some kind of advantage."

"Mhm… thanks to you princess. Kind of funny, aren't the stories normally about a prince saving the princess from the dragon?" He joked with her, smirking as she looked at him.

She scoffed and met his eyes. "You know what Geralt always said. The minute stories stop being stories, is the moment that someone begins to believe in them."

He managed a small laugh, as he looked back out over the camp again. It was as the scout Valena had described. Multiple tents laid out, fires lit, about fifty of the armed men all drinking and whooping, with only a few standing guard. The sun was finally setting, and casted an illuminated orange glow over the entire camp, and off the sparkling water of the giant lake. It was on a beach, a gravely and dank beach, even with the lights of the fires glowing over it. The voice of the men hit his ears, all of them clearly drunk, reveling in the multiple large sacks, barrels, and chests of what he knew had to be their spoils they got from Drogar. Only a few men walked along the beaches edge, and a few meters away was the outskirts of the forest. Anton hadn't been spotted, but Dominik knew he was there and at the ready with the rest of his knights.

The knights could easily overwhelm the drunken men with a direct charge, this he knew, they were far too skilled, and even with fewer numbers, they'd have little difficulty. It wasn't the men that worried him obviously, it was the face he knew Drogar was hiding in the cave with his spoils.

The cave was large, and open mouthed, Dominik could only see blackness as he looked into it, but knew it had to descend deeper into a vast hoard of treasure. The cave then jutted out to the surrounding cliffs, thick with forest foliage, which was where Ciri and he hid then. They had set up their camp with only one way to retreat, seeing as multiple large rocks jutted out from the lake to cover one end, and the other end, was where Anton and the knights would be charging. So no, the bandits would stand no chance, that was unless Drogar decided to emerge in his dragon form. As Ciri said, the cave screamed 'something evil lives here.'. Jutting out from the ground, were large stakes. The edges were sharpened enough to seem like they could pierce even a dragons hide, at least that's what he was hoping. It seemed as if the stakes were carved from large logs, as some kind of detraction from anyone who wished to enter.

Dominik felt the crossbow bounce against his waist, as he knelt there on one knee next to Ciri. The last bit of the sunset was getting fainter, and he aimlessly wondered if a well-placed bolt could help take the dragon down. He remembered Kilgarrah at Kaer Morhen, and how he truly had no idea how to take the beast down. Kilgarrah was so large he made Drogar look like a wyvern, but to Dominik it would still be the largest, most dangerous creature he ever hunted. Geralt told him he never knew what happened to the dragon that attacked him at La Valette castle, but he did tell Dominik, that while he lost aerondight in the end, stabbing the dragon's mouth, its throat had made it flee in pain. Dominik was seriously considering stabbing the steel blade he had through Drogar's neck, perhaps he would lose it instead. The blade simply didn't feel right, he was lucky to have been able to get any combos off with it, the weight, the grip, everything just felt off about him using it.

He didn't know if silver was effective against dragons, he had to assume it was however, because he needed _Fate _now more than ever. His best course of action could possibly have been using the same tactic he used on wyverns over the years. Aard, combined with his advanced Samum bombs normally brought the beast down to him, where he'd proceed to go after the wings. The problem, however, was wyverns, ever royal ones, we manageable on the ground, he could roll and dodge quick enough to deal with them. A dragon however, even grounded was possibly even more dangerous than one in the air. So, he knew the spikes were his best chance, he had Samum bombs on his belt, and his powers had activated in his last fight against the Crones, and he even managed to control them to a degree in the fight with Drogar earlier that day. If he could manage to unleash them, then perhaps he could bring it tumbling down into the spikes. They were towering out over the caves entrance, he had to believe that they could pierce the beasts hide.

Ciri interrupted his planning when she quickly gripped his elbow. "Dominik… look."

He looked to where she was pointing, and his hands balled into fists. "Fucking degenerate… he really put them in cages."

"And look… Fiona…. Gods… gods Dominik we need to get her out." She said, as her grip on his elbow tighten.

Her voice cracked, and Dominik saw her lip slightly quiver. He scooted closer to her, holding one hand at the base of her back as he looked and saw the cages. The first one was a few meters out from the entrance to the cave, over a large open tent. Dominik counted at least twenty women, torn dresses, all of them dirty, covered in grime, dirt, mud, blood, seeming pale and weak. He remembered Hulda telling them earlier that even her barmaid was taken, along with each time Drogar raiding him taking another one. His fist balled again, as he tried to reassuringly rub Ciri's back, watching as men tossed food at them, laughed and he knew that some of them must have had horrible plans running through their heads. He could only imagine horribly what they had all been through the previous few weeks, and it only served to make his handshake as it balled next to him.

However, what Ciri was looking at, what had her lip quivering, her arms shaking, her fists balled, was Fiona, in a smaller cage right near the entrance of the cave. He narrowed his eyes, seeing her standing up at the cage's wooden bars. It reminded him of the cave they found Vigi in back on Undvik in the giant's lair. Her hair was down around her shoulders, having fallen out of its ponytail, her light brown hair was caked with mud, along with her face and arms. He saw the look, that desperate, pleading look in her eyes. Dominik thought about how Ciri had been like that, trapped and alone, bars in front of her, and apparently she was thinking the same next to him then, because she gripped his arm even tighter, and for the first time all day he felt her as the one shaking.

He couldn't hear what was happening, but he watched as one drunk man walked past her cage, smacking the bars for her to get back. The man put his hand through the bars, and he watched Fiona violently grab it, falling back in her cage as she yanked the man forward, and he yelped out as his face smashed against the wooden bars. Dominik even felt himself scoff, despite the obvious fear she was in, she was still fighting. However, his own hand started to shake, his stomach nearly erupted, when he saw Fiona shoot to the bars, trying to grab the man again, before he reared back, punching her in the gut, and Dominik swore he could almost hear the wind knocked out of her, as she fell back in her cage.

Ciri slowly shook her head, her eyes quivering. "Dominik we… we have to help her. We… we have to I-."

"We will, don't worry, we're going to get her out I promise." He said, as she turned to meet his eyes.

He knew she was no doubt thinking about her own time trapped, and what it was like. However, her quivering eyes quickly turned dark, they narrowed towards Fiona's cage one last time, before she shot them back to meet his.

"You're right, we will. I won't let her go through what I did… I won't!" She said, fiercely shaking her head.

Dominik nodded, as he looked back over at her cage as well. Down there, was his destiny. He had believed since he found Geralt, that a person was plenty capable of having multiple destinies, and it was the case for he and Ciri both now. That girl down there, she was his responsibility, and he wouldn't fail her, he never would. He heard her laughing, laughing even as he knocked her off her feet in the short training session they had, no matter how many times he gently hit her with the practice sword, no matter how many times he knocked her down, she kept getting back up, kept coming at him. And as Ciri would put it, he was ready to admit how adorable it had been when she burst into he house, trying to name all the witcher signs.

He didn't know if he would ever be strong enough to do what Geralt had done for Ciri and he. Geralt had given everything for them, quite literally had died and come back to life. Ciri had been right when she told him he had great role models to take after, however he truly had no idea if he could be like Geralt and his father.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

He met Ciri's eyes and nodded. "She won't. We're going to get her, and every one of those women out…. Do you think you could protect the group of them?"

She quickly nodded. "I can yes… you have that look in your eyes."

"What look?"

"That cute look you get when you have an idea." She said, smiling as she met his gaze, "Go on, what's that handsome brain of yours got cooked up?"

He laughed sheepishly as his face flustered, nodding to her. "I'll go charge with Anton and the knights. You stay here, and when we charge, with the horses it'll be a big enough distraction. After a minute or two, you teleport down and get the women and Fiona out, get them to the treeline and then join us."

"What about Drogar?" She said, her voice careful.

Dominik looked back over to the cave. "He'll show himself… we'll try to handle it. But if it comes down to it, we break for the woods, we can lose him there. Without all his men guarding his hoard… maybe he'll stay back. And then we can deal with him later."

It wasn't the best plan, but he thought it was the best he could come up with, considering they were up against a dragon. He thought it was certainly better than his plan for the dragon at Kaer Morhen which was, 'they would handle it'. For a second his heart thumped a mile a minute, seeing Kilgarrah's icy breath decimating the walls of Kaer Morhen, how it had crippled them completely, and if not for Ciri after his fight with Eredin, and Borch showing up when he did, it would have been the death of them all.

All because of his plan. And now, he was asking men and women he didn't know again, someone he cared about in Anton and Ciri, to follow another one of his plans. Ciri however, didn't seem to share his nerves.

She looked at him, and sharply nodded. "Alright… just please be careful. Don't do anything heroically brave and stupid."

He laughed, feeling as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Smiling he looked and met her eyes, his chest warming up.

"I won't, I promise… thanks for coming with me princess," he said, meeting her gaze and shakily sighing, "I… I don't know what I would've done here if not for you."

She laughed lightly, holding one of her hands on his shoulder. "Are you kidding? I never thought for a second about not coming. You needed me, and I'll always be there, just like you are for me."

"Gods… have I told you how much I love you?" He said, his face getting red as she smirked at him, and they both laughed.

Laughing again she nodded, leaning her lips closer to him. "You have… and I love you too. Now, get going, and like I said, just be careful and come back to me alright?"

"You better do the same," He joked, smiling as her face was inches from him, "No stupidly heroic deeds from you now… be careful princess."

"I will… I love you." She said lightly, leaning her forehead against his for a moment.

He grinned and nodded at her, his forehead against hers. "I love you too… see you soon."

She nodded, before leaning forward and kissing him. He cupped her scared cheek for a moment, kissing her with as much force as he could muster before he pulled back and felt his face get all flustered. She didn't say anything, simply chuckling, and gently shoving him back. He laughed and stumbled for a moment, feeling himself get lightheaded, the tingle of her lips on his still present. After he gathered himself, he looked back out over the cliff, over the camp.

His eyes fell on Fiona's cage, and finally he saw she didn't rise. She curled up in the dirt, on a ratty old blanket at the base of the cage. He knew that she was a tough girl, already seen too much, just like he had at that age. And while she acted tough, and was, in the end, she was still just a child, a child who was his destiny.

His girl, he and Ciri's girl.

"Coming for you kiddo…" He said under his breath, before taking off back down the cliff.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You're back! Where's Ciri?" Anton said as soon as he got back to the group of knights.

Dominik pointed back up towards the cliffs, just as he found Clop tied to a tree nearby Anton. "She's waiting up on the cliffs. Their all drunk, Ciri and I have a plan for the dragon. We'll charge them here with the horses, Ciri's going to get the women out of the cages while we keep them occupied."

"But is she alright by herself? Should I send some-."

"Anton… she's okay, trust me on this one," Dominik cut him off, a small smirk coming to his face as he pulled himself back up on Clop, meeting Anton's eyes, "She's been through a lot worse trust me. After we take care of the bandits, we all need to get the women on horses and get to the woods, the dragon won't be able to follow us there."

Anton looked a bit troubled still atop his horse. Dominik turned around, to see the lines of knights, men, women, elves, dwarves, all of them were still mounted, looking to Anton for orders. Dominik's stomach churned, Anton bit his lip worriedly, but he Dominik could tell that he was more worried for the safety of Ciri by herself, as opposed to the plan. He had looked for the two of them for years, seeing them again finally, and having the both of them ready to leap headfirst into danger was surely worrying for him.

Dominik tried to keep his breath under control. He let out a shaky breath as he looked out and saw the lake, the sun was still setting, the beautiful orange rays casted over the water, slowly but surely going down. Under him Clop moved nervously, and he had to pat the horse's neck for him to calm down, shakily sighing he looked to meet Anton's eyes, and Dominik could tell the man saw how anxious he was, how already worried about the plan he was. So, to help him, the old knight nodded, pulling the reins on his massive destrier, and turning back to the group of knights. Some of which on the way, had said hello to him and Ciri, saying how they remembered the two of them from Cintra. He even could recognize a few of the older, grizzled knights if he thought hard enough.

And even the new ones, each and every one had been listening to he and Ciri without question. Dominik both found it endearing, welling him with pride, but also, slightly terrifying, knowing that he could have their life in his hands. Anton however, smirked and nodded at him.

Anton slung the longsword from his belt, holding it up behind him. "Fall in! Fall in and form ranks, ready to charge on my go. Clear out the camp! And get the hostages onto horses and help get them to the forest!"

A loud chorus of cheer and whoops came, as a sea of blades and bows were unsheathed behind him. The steel raking hit his ears, and he couldn't help but grin, as he shakily sighed and patted Clop's neck again. He reached up and drew the steel from his back, after thinking of using just his crossbow for a moment. No, steel was for humans, silver for monsters, it was what he always adhered too, and he could deal with a slightly uncomfortable sword. As the blades were unsheathed, Clop knickered and moved below him again, as the horses behind him all started doing the same.

He reached and patted the white stallion's neck. "Woah, woah… easy there buddy. I know we don't normally charge like this… but you got my back right?"

Clop knickered and neighed, seeming to nod back up at him. He grinned, reaching down and petting the horse's neck again. "Thanks buddy… knew I can always count on you."

"Are you ready my boy?" Anton asked. He rode his massive horse up next to Clop and him, his longsword across his lap as he gently pulled his helmet on.

Dominik scoffed, gripping tighter on Clop's reins with his one hand, while his grip on the steel in his other hand did the same. "I've fought the King of the Wild Hunt, leshens, fiends, bruxae, wyverns… but the fact my planning could get you all killed now? That's more horrifying then it all."

Anton sighed and looked over to him. "Your father was the same way his first few years in command…. Tell you the same thing I told him. Soldiers know what they're signing up for. We know that any battle we could die, even if the plan laid out is perfect. No matter what you order, you can never prevent deaths sometimes… but what you can do is give us hope in what could be our last bit of time on this world."

"But I don't want it to be your last bit of time in this world," Dominik said, shaking his head as he met Anton's eyes, "I could be ordering you and your men to their death now. And after this… I'm going to have to protect that girl… and I don't know if I can."

"You never know, you'll never know if you're ready," Anton said right away, shaking her head and pulling his longsword from his lap, "All we can do… if give everything we have, everything we have for the ones we love…. Gregory would be proud of you my boy… you and Ciri both."

"I hope he is…" Dominik said. He remembered his father saying that, saying that when he was unconscious, in limbo after his fight with Eredin, however, with every day that passed still, he tried to do what would make his birth father proud, make Geralt proud, everyone proud of him.

But it was as Anton said, what mattered was that we gave all that we had. And he was going to give everything he had for Fiona now, for he and Ciri's future.

A cold breeze sent more goosebumps up his arms, shakily he sighed, looking back to all the men and women following behind them. None of them knew Fiona, or he and Ciri really, but they were all still there, and he would do everything he could to make sure that they made it through, because all he truly could do, was give everything he had. He raised up his steel, like his father had taught him, he waved it up in a circle, the signal for falling into line, and just like they used to do for him, every knight moved, they sauntered their horses into lines of three wide, ready to charge forward towards the group of raiders.

"MAKE READY!" He said, pulling on Clop's reins and looking over to Anton.

Anton scoffed and smirked from under his helmet. "Riding into battle with Gregory's son… gods, I never thought I'd see the day…. SIRS! LADIES! FORWARD!"

And at Anton's words, Dominik snapped on Clop's reins, urging the stallion forward onto the beach and forward, at the head of the group, as a thundering of hooves rippled through the forest.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"COME ON! MOW THEM DOWN!" Anton yelled from atop his destrier, cutting down one man as they entered the main bulk of the camp.

The plan had somehow gone accordingly so far, though he hadn't seen any signs of Ciri yet. After he and Anton charged at the head of the group of knights, as he expected, the bandits scrambled, so caught up in their drunken revelry that a good amount of them were cut down in the initial charge. However, after what felt like an hour but was probably only a few moments, they seemed to regroup, though the numbers were now the same. He saw a few of them running with spears, and even some running from inside the cave. Dominik from atop Clop saw the cages of women, his stallion didn't falter, barreling through the men, screaming as they were trampled under his hooves.

At the cages, he saw all the women stand quickly, some yelling out in fear as the bandits were cut down, clashing with the knights. Dominik however, looked right for Fiona's cage, right at the entrance to the cave, right near a cluster of the large carved spikes. She scrambled to her feet, just as Dominik swung his steel down across the chest of a man who had come to try and drag him from his saddle. He looked back to the cage and saw that she had seen him.

"DOMINIK!" She called out from behind the bars, struggling and pulling at them with everything she had.

He looked and saw her, pulling Clop to a stop. "FIONA! FIONA MOVE-GAHH!"

Over the loud clanging and ringing of the battle around him, he had lost track of the enemies around him. An arrow had zipped through the air, hitting him in the shoulder. It thankfully didn't enter his body, getting stuck in the chinks of his armor, however, it did send him flying off Clop's back. He smacked against the ground, hearing a crunch beneath his armor, as he cursed and ripped the arrow from his shoulder. A shot of pain ran through his body, and for a minute, his vision as blurry. He didn't feel his sword in his hand when he went to grip it, and rolled with a groan in the gravely dirt, trying to find it. Around him steel on steel rang in his ears, as he realized a decent amount of Anton's knights either fell or got off their horses but were still mowing down the bandits. He spotted Anton in his blurry vision, still barreling through raiders on his massive destrier, and even spotted the scout, Valena, fighting with nothing but her bow, reminding him of Declan at Kaer Morhen, as she pulled arrows after arrows from her quiver.

Footsteps rang out behind him, boots crunching against the gravel. He whirled around to see one man charging towards him as he laid on the ground, the man looked like he was going to swing his axe down into Dominik's chest. Dominik readied himself to fire a sign, but before he could, a white flash burst forward. A loud neighing hit the air, and he watched in astonishment, as Clop barreled over the man. His faithful stallion neighed again, bringing up his front hooves and smacking them down onto the man's head, knocking him out in an instant.

"Clop?" He said. With wide eyes still, his stallion turned to him, gesturing his head towards the ground, following the horse's vision, Dominik saw his steel.

Scurrying on his hands and knees through the gravel, his head still dizzy from the fall, Dominik managed to wrap his hands around the grip. He stumbled up to his feet, Clop coming over to him and bopping his head against Dominik's arm, as if to get his attention. With the knights seeming to finally have the bandit's full attention, pushing them back and cutting them down, he followed the horse's vision again.

A flash of blue light shot by his vision, and he scoffed when he finally saw Ciri cut through one bandit who was at the cage locked with the women in it. Men screamed and died around him, as steel continued to clatter on steel, but he still managed to hear Ciri yell, as she looked at the door to the makeshift wooden cage the women had been placed it. She whirled around to parry one man's strike who had charged at her, she pirouetted around him and cut across his back, her powers whirling in her eyes. She went back to the cage, and he saw the magic whirl around her sword. Dashing forward she cut clean through the wooden bars, the women yelped and scrambled back, but soon Ciri's eyes returned to normal.

She gestured for them all to follow. "We're here to get you out, follow me!"

He watched a few of the knight's rush to help her, guarding and protecting the women as the filed out. After the knights had gotten control of the group and gathered around the group of women while they pushed the bandits to the brink, he saw Ciri whirl around, meeting his eyes from across the camp. She smirked and nodded at him, before dashing off, and that was when Dominik heard Clop urgently whirl him around. He did, and when he did, he heard and saw the man rushing at him.

The man with his sword raised and barely any armor swung wildly. Dominik side-stepped, cutting his blade up and lopping off the man's arm at the elbow before kicking him to the ground, looking over to Clop, as the horse met his gaze again.

"Go help them get the women out buddy, HIYA!" He ordered, smacking the horse's backside. Clop seemed like normal seemed to understand, neighing loudly before he barreled away towards the group of knights that had been leading the women away.

His hand tightened around his steel again as he watched Clop gallop off before the crunching of boots rushed behind him. He whirled around just in time to parry his blade upwards, before executing a perfect spin and cutting down across the man's back. The man screamed and fell to the ground in a pool of blood, as the wind rushed and howled in his ears. His lungs expanded and contracted as the cold air rushed through them, as soon as his blade was slick with the man's blood and he looked back up, he heard more rushing around him. Leveling his sword he looked to see he had been accosted, he took his attention away from trying to locate Ciri, to group of men that had accosted him.

"Surround him! We got him outnumbered!" One man shouted.

He kept whirling with his blade leveled, steeling his mind, focusing all his energy, letting the magic, the chaos and emotion he felt erupt through him. Carefully, he managed to tune out the rest of the sounds of battle around him. He counted, eight around him, most with swords, one or two with axes, the air expanded and contracted his lungs again, the cold nipped at his nose, as he saw them all circled around him. He could only distantly hear the clanging of steel from the knights and Anton now, because all he could hear was Fiona screaming for him, and Ciri's words of _'Don't do anything heroically grave of stupid.'. _They were his future now, those two, his girls, his destinies, and that meant he'd have to protect them both.

_"You and your Cirilla… you're both destined for great things." _Alexander of Lod's voice rang in his head.

They would do great things, and their greatest one could be as simple, as giving Fiona the life that they had both always wanted.

"Kill the witcher, Drogar ordered it!" A larger man yelled.

"As Ciri always says… another chance to win…" Dominik muttered under his breath.

He shot his eyes open, and his limbs erupted in a flash of magic, the bright blue light came into his eyes, as the power ripped from him. The magic whirled around his sword around his hands, just as one men charged at him from behind. He heard it, feeling his limbs shoot around, spurring on by the magic. He spun, and the loud ***CLANG* **of his parry seemed to ring through the entire camp. A blast of magic erupted as it had enveloped his sword, and moved his fingers in the right pattern, the way he'd been trained to do this entire journey and shot his hand forward. A loud ***BOOM* **erupted as Aard shot from his hands, his attacker was sent flying back, smacking against the walls of the cliffs, and the snap of his bones echoed through the battle.

And as soon as that happened the rest of the men around him charged, and it became a torrent of blood. One came from his left, and his blade shot up, parrying and spinning, cutting him down before another came for a stab. He spun and knocked the man sword into the dirt, before leaping and coming back down with a swipe of his hand. Igni shot from his palms, the fire roasted both of the men, as they screamed more came. He parried and spun, each move of his blade was perfect, quick, precise, as the magic didn't leave his eyes. For the first time, he didn't feel it violently churn and rush around him. It calmly hummed, like he saw Connor and Lara using it in the visions he saw. He felt in complete control of his powers for the very first time. Another came from behind him, he shot his hand up and a Quen shield erupted around him, it was so powerful that once the man's sword hit it, it sent him flying back, charring his entire arm before he screamed and died.

The ground became slick and sticky with blood, but it didn't affect his moves as his boots almost glided across the ground. Bandit after bandit, man after man, his limbs knew exactly how to move, exactly where to go, and with each parry a small ***BOOM* **would erupt, and men would get blasted by the magic erupting around him. He could see his opponents yes, but his eyes were completely overtaken by the blue magic, he saw everything in blue, but still he moved perfectly. He parried two of one man's strikes, before raising up to block another overhead one. After getting into a clinch he pushed the man's blade to the side, spinning and slicing clean through his neck. After the man fell to the ground dead, Dominik finally heard yelling in his ears again.

"WIPE THEM OUT! PROTECT THE HOSTAGES!" Anton's voice rang through his ears.

He looked up as the ground around him was stained with blood. A few meters away from him, Anton had his longsword waving in the air to rally the men and women around him. He saw one-man charge at Anton, and went to go intercede, but Anton saw him first. The old knight simply parried the blow with great strength, bringing his armored hand across the man's face, punching him to the ground, before his blade squelched into the attackers back. Dominik looked around and also saw the numbers of bandits dwindling, a few leapt into the water to swim away and escape, others tried to scale the cliffs. The knights had completely won the day, with only a few stragglers left running around and fighting.

However, there still was no sign of the dragon.

The magic slowly fell from his eyes, and to his surprise it was on command. It was controlled as it slowly disappeared from around his limbs, and while he was able to control it, and was happy about that, as soon as it went away from his limbs, his legs trembled, and he almost fell forward. Shakily he sighed and steadied himself, pushing himself back to his feet, surveying the battlefield and seeing the strewn about bodies, to his surprise and relief, it seemed Anton's knights were as well trained as he said, because none of them had fallen. A few even were still up on their horses, chasing down the stragglers, and Dominik scoffed.

"It seems like we won the day… but no sign of the dragon." Anton said, as the knight came up next to him, his longsword dripping blood.

Dominik whirled around to him and nodded. "Let's take advantage of that while we can, get your men to start leading to women towards the forest, I need to stay back for Ciri and Fiona! GO!"

Anton nodded, and turned to jog back towards the entrance to the camp. Dominik surveyed the field again, the tents were torn down, the fires had started to spread. He looked out over the lake, the last bit of the sunset streaming over it. Wind gushed through his dirty, messy hair and the cold breeze nipped his nose again. He saw a few bandits running around still, but his skin tingled as Drogar was still nowhere to be seen. As he told him, Anton had gathered a majority of his men towards the entrance to the camp, the women climbed up onto horses, and he even saw Clop carrying two women on his back as they started back towards the forest. Everything was going smoothly, far too smoothly for Dominik's liking then.

It proved true when the sound of boots sloshing through the ground of blood rang out behind him. He whirled around and tried to raise up his sword, as a massive man came desperately lunging at him with an axe. It would have been a simple parry, but his legs were still trembling from using hie power and he stumbled to get his sword up. However, just before the man could come and cleave him in half, a flash of blue light blinked in front of him, the man screamed as his chainmail was cut clean through, blood spilling from his stomach, before he fell to his knees, and Ciri materialized in front of him, her blade dripped blood, before she spun and cut across the man's neck ending his screaming, before she whirled around to meet his eyes, a smirk coming to her face as they both breathed heavily.

"Gods, I love it when you do that." He said amusingly, a grin coming to his face as well.

Ciri chuckled, sliding her sword behind her back and smiling at him. "I know you do… look who I found."

"DOMINIK!" Fiona's high pitched voiced yelled.

He felt the girl slam into his waist, wrapping his smaller arms around him, and right away his churning stomach was calmed. He let out a shaky breath, dropping his sword to the ground, relief washing over him as he looked down at her, getting to one knee and wrapping his own arms around her. Very few times had his heart ever raced like it did. He squeezed around her tiny waist, and her small arms reached up to wrap around his neck. She smelled like dirt and grime; her white tunic was covered in mud. He heard her lightly sob into his shoulder, which only made him squeeze more, as he looked up behind her and saw Ciri smiling at them both, her face awash with relief, before she came over as well. She got down on both knees, shakily sighed as well, as she got next to Dominik to wrap her arms around Fiona as well. The girl sobbed louder and buried herself into them both.

Dominik looked at them both, Ciri met his eyes and breathlessly laugh, smiling at him, before looking down at Fiona again. She stroke the young girl's messy hair, leaning down to kiss the top of her head, squeezing her one arm around her, while Fiona still hadn't detached herself from Dominik yet. Her anguished sobs hit his ears, and he shakily sighed again, looking down just as the girl looked up at him, and in her eyes he saw the horror, her eyes were watery and quivering.

"You… you came, you really… really both came for me…" She said in his arms, looking up between Ciri and he both.

He laughed, and gently held his hands up to the girl's face, feeling himself nearly cry as well. She was so relieved, her eyes still quivered, but she looked between Ciri and he like they were saviors, like she loved them both already. Dominik didn't know what kind of power destiny truly held, however, it was apparently stronger than almost anything, because he felt himself pulling the girl into his chest to hug her again, his heart thumping loudly, his arms trembling, as having her safe now was all he wanted.

"Of course we did," He said, as she gently pulled back from him. He ran a hand through her hair, brushing some of the girt off her face as he met her eyes.

Ciri next to him gently nodded as well. "We promised, we'll always do what's best for you. We'll always make sure you're safe, we promise, just like Geralt did for us."

Fiona sobbed again, as Dominik wiped more of the dirt from her face, his gloves being just as dirty weren't effective, but he didn't care. He gently moved strands of her frizzled hair from her shoulders, trying to calm her in any way that he could. It must have worked, because when she gently stepped back from them, she shakily sighed, holding Dominik's hand against her face for a moment, before looking up and meeting his eyes.

"I… I tried… I tried to be brave. I tried to be brave, tried to escape, do something to help but… but I was too afraid. D…dreadfully afraid, I… I wanted to help." She sobbed to them both.

"Shh… it's alright darling, you were incredibly brave. It's alright," Ciri said gently, pulling the girl to her chest again, reminding Dominik of what Yen did for them when they were younger.

Fiona dug herself into Ciri's waist, before sobbing and looking to them both. "But… but I wasn't brave, I wasn't brave like the two of you. Not like a real witcher… I was afraid… afraid of him and… and I couldn't-."

"My father always said that the only time we can be brave, is when we're afraid," Dominik cut the girl off, giving her a gentle smile and meeting her eyes. "You saved my life… gave yourself up for me. I think that's incredibly brave; wouldn't you say so Ciri?"

Ciri nodded, smiling down at Fiona. "I would say it is yes. Extremely brave it was."

The tears fell down Fiona's face again, as she buried herself into him again, a small sob coming from her, as he wrapped his arms back around her. Ciri scooted over on her knees, and her arms wrapped tightly around them both. She looked up and met his eyes, grinning and nodding at him, and upon seeing it his heart thumped again, his face got red as she winked at him. Keeping one arm around Fiona she used her other one to grab his cheek, leaning over and kissing it, before she pulled back, smiling at him again. A rush of relief left him, as the air left his lungs in a shaky sigh, before he found himself grinning as well, for what felt like the first time in a while.

The sun was almost set, and he gazed up while keeping Fiona in his arms, to see Anton and his men were leading the other trapped women towards the forest again, a good distance away from them now. He met Ciri's eyes as she gestured towards the group of knights, and they both had a silent conversation as they normally did together. He looked around, the blood was seeping into the stones, bodies were strewn about, and as Fiona shakily pulled from him, he wished to be back anywhere else. Back in Claywitch, where he wanted to spend a bit more time with the girl before Ciri and he had to go back.

"D…Dominik, Ciri can… can we leave now? I… I don't want to be here anymore, I… I want to go back home… back home with the two of you." Fiona said from below him, gently pulling back out of his arms with her own shivering from the cold.

He smiled gently at her, nodding and meeting Ciri's eyes. "Yeah, we can. We should get moving quick."

"You're right," Ciri said, turning back down to Fiona. "Did you want one of us to carry you? You've been through a lot."

Fiona shook her head. "No I… I can walk, or ride…. Wait! Dominik I, needed to give this back to you."

He looked at her curiously as she reached behind her back and under her tunic. In a flash, she produced his silver dagger, the one he had given to her. He thought that it was gone, that the men had looted it from her, but he scoffed in amazement as she gently handed it to him.

"Ha… you held onto it?" He asked in disbelief.

She quickly nodded at him. "I hid it when he landed with me… you said it had to be part of me, and that I couldn't drop it… so I didn't."

He laughed and looked at Ciri who had an amused prideful look on her face. Smiling, he looked and twirled the dagger in his hands. It gleamed in the last bit of sunlight, and he saw all the beasts he had killed with it flash in his mind. Werewolves, the Katakan in Novigrad, he had fought the Ice Giant with just it in his hands. It had even stabbed Eredin at Kaer Morhen. So many times it had brought him luck, when he thought he was in an impossible situation, the dagger always came in handy. He twirled it and tossed it between his hands again however, before smiling down, and handing it back to Fiona.

"Well… you shouldn't be giving it away now then." He said amusingly.

Her eyes widened, her mouth falling agape as Ciri laughed next to him. "You… you meant it? I… I can keep it?"

"Of course you can, a witchers only as good as their silver," Dominik said, smiling and ruffling her already messy hair, "Besides… it's lucky. Saved me a bunch of times when I thought I was dead; it'll be lucky for you too. I know it will."

Ciri smiled at him, as Fiona seemed to forget her fear for a second, a wide grin coming to her face, as just like when she first met them both, she practically bounced on her toes. She looked down at the dagger, trying to twirl it between her hands like Dominik did, but unfortunately dropped it, making Ciri and he laugh together. Fiona quickly scooped the silver up from the ground, carefully sliding it into the belt she was wearing nearly stumbling as she looked up at them both again. Her smile made his heart flip, his stomach warmed up, and he found himself smiling down at her, while reaching to hold a hand on Ciri's leg, to which she quickly held her own over his, smiling at them both as well.

Fiona, after securing the dagger in her belt looked up at them again. "I won't lose it I swear! And I'll practice with it, practice with it every day until you come back!"

Dominik laughed again, rising up to his feet. "That's good. Ciri and I will show you a few ways to practice yourself before we leave. But first we should get back, and we should hurry."

"You're right," Ciri said as she stood up as well, looking down smiled at Fiona and gestured for her to follow, "We'll head out now, just be sure to stay close and-."

"WELL, WELL, WELL," The booming voice said, and Dominik whirled around right away, ripping his steel from his back as Ciri did the same before the voice went on. "What a TOUCHING family moment!"

He leveled his sword with Ciri quickly getting next to him. Fiona he saw clutch onto the back of Ciri's leg as Dominik stepped forward. Drogar as he guessed, was still there, the man emerged from the cave in his human form. His armor, the black plate was removed, and all he had on were a tight pair of brown trousers. Just like Ciri had said, his eye was closed, a deep red, jagged scar running across it. However, that didn't detract him from grinning monstrously, as he walked over the corpses of his men, looking down at one of the corpses, gently kicking it with his foot an tsking. Dominik leveled his sword again, and a step behind him he saw Ciri, her one hand back on Fiona, who was shaking as she gripped Ciri's leg, while her other hand leveled her sword.

Quickly he checked back to see if he could find Anton. In the distance he saw a few horses, but it seemed they hadn't heard Drogar yelling. Dominik was about to yell out for them, but he stopped himself, realizing that it would leave the women vulnerable. He bit his lip, trying to figure out some kind of plan, but quickly had to turn back to Drogar, who after kicking the dead man's corpse, whirled his eyes, which Dominik could see the draconic glare of, back to him, and he was forced to focus as he leveled his blade.

Drogar laughed from his gut. "Aha… tell me witcher! Isn't there something in your witchers code about not killing dragons?"

A jolt shot through Dominik's chest, he felt his annoyance rise, looking and seeing the mans smirking face. The witchers code, he knew truly wasn't even a written code at all. It was simply the code that Geralt himself had come up with and instilled in himself and Ciri as they grew up. Geralt had always told them, that people looked more favorable upon men who had a code, lived by one, it made them seem more human.

One of those rules that Geralt followed, was indeed that he didn't kill any monsters with intelligence, that could think for themselves. Whether it was a succubus, a vampire who wasn't killing humans, a doppler, or even trolls. If they didn't pose a threat, then Geralt wouldn't kill them, and Dominik had held true to that rule as well. Dragons of course were a part of that rule, they very rarely attacked humans, and were superiorly intelligent, which was why Dominik was still baffled why Drogar was attacking villages and raiding them, and why he wanted Fiona so bad, why she was the 'special woman', he had been searching for.

It didn't matter however now, because Dominik was going to end him for what he did to her, as he could see her whimpering, cowering in terror behind Ciri, not letting go of her leg.

Dominik looked and narrowed his eyes at Drogar, who still smirked wildly. "There is yes…. But when dragon's start attacking humans, putting people at risk… that's when I step in!"

Drogar cackled, holding his massive gut as he did. "BAHAHA! You think I wanted to waste my time attacking some meek, pathetic humans? I simply wanted back what was mine! Fiona my dear… do you really wish to see the witchers die?"

"ENOUGH!" Dominik said, as he could see the reaction from Fiona behind him.

She looked up between Ciri and he. Ciri quickly stood in front of her, and when she spoke, never in Dominik's life had he heard such a hard tone, such anger lacing from Ciri's voice.

"She isn't your property, you fucking degenerate!" She said, bringing both hands to her sword, as he saw her powers starting to whirl around her as she screamed. "And we're going to kill you for what you did to her!"

Drogar laughed again, his eyes going wide as he looked to Ciri and Fiona. "AHAHAAA! That's where you're wrong witcheress! She IS my property! She IS MY DAUGHTER AFTER ALL!"

Dominik's eyes widened, air came quickly expanded and contracted his lungs, as he looked back to Fiona, and the look on her face was something that Dominik never wanted to see again. Her eyes quivered again, her arms trembled around Ciri's leg, as Ciri looked down at her, holding one hand on her reassuringly. He knew exactly what Ciri thought then, Ciri knew what it was like to have a monster for a father. Not in the literal sense like Fiona apparently did, but Emhyr Var Emrys was still a monster in human skin.

Fiona shakily shook her head, tears streaming down her dirty cheeks. "Wh…what? That… that's not possible no! No… no, no, no…"

"OHO but it is true daughter dearest!" Drogar said, holding out both arms, cackling as he took a few steps towards them all. "Your mother couldn't handle the dragon after i forced myself on her! It's possible for humans to bare my seed yes, but OHO! Is it dangerous! Why do you think you're so special my dear! Why your mother died giving birth to you! You were too powerful for her, and when I teach you to hone that power, ohhhhh the riches I will acquire when we-."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Dominik said, stepping in front of the man as he had gotten too close for his liking, leveling out his sword as it is glinted in the last bit of sunlight. "You're NOT getting your hands on her; we won't let it happen!"

"He's right!" Ciri said as well, her voice still dripping with the seething rage she exhumed earlier. "You die here today, you've talked enough!"

"OH come now witcher! You can't tell me you truly want her!" Drogar said, as the man cackled, the sun reflecting off his bald head. "You don't even know of the power she could wield! You're young, have a beautiful woman! Do you truly want to protect and raise a child, do you even know how! Let me take her of your hands, she is mine after all!"

Dominik looked over at Fiona, who's eyes were watering still as the tears streamed down her dirt filled cheeks. He remembered how he first reacted to seeing her, only a few hours prior at that moment. The shock, the anxiety, his skin had felt like it was boiling over, all he saw was Bella, Bella dead in his arms, an arrow sticking out of her shoulder. He thought about his dreams of Ciri deep in the bowels of the arena, forced to fight for Leo Bonhart, all the horrible things she was forced to endure. He had promised to protect them both, but still, one ended up dead, and it was only thanks to Geralt, and her own sheer will that Ciri didn't share that fate.

Fiona was innocent, he didn't know what Drogar meant by power she had, but all he saw, was a scared girl. One who was currently helpless, just as he and Ciri had been. She clutched behind Ciri's leg, her own legs shaking in her trousers, her eyes puffy and quivering, as she was nearly hyperventilating, the dagger he had just given her was still at her hip, but she ignored it, looking down and closing her eyes, unable to let go of Ciri, as if she was trying to will the situation to not be real. She didn't want to be like that, she didn't want to be helpless, but she was so young, there was nothing she could do, just like when Ciri and her were her age. The two of them had Geralt yes, but after they were both by themselves, being not much older then Fiona then, they had both wished for someone to come for them. Ciri he knew wished day and night for him or Geralt to come save her. And every day Dominik wished he could.

He wasn't helpless anymore, Ciri wasn't helpless anymore, and they could stop her from going through exactly what they went through.

She was their destiny after all.

Ciri looked and met his eyes, he saw the magic glowing in the corners of her eyes and around her limbs. She nodded to him, and in their unspoken language he knew what it meant. He looked down to his waist and thanked his intuition for picking Samum bombs that way. He also saw the crossbow with a bolt loaded. Tightly he gripped his hand to the steel and looked up towards the cave. The last bit of sun glinted over the blood, the bodies, and Dominik's eyes fell to the giant spikes outside the cave again, trying to piece together a plan. He sucked in a sharp breath his lungs expanding, as when he opened his eyes, he willed the chaos, the magic, the power inside his blood to unleash.

And when he opened his eyes, he saw the flashed of blue.

"She isn't yours; she never will be. She's ours now, and we won't let you get your hands on her!" He said, with the magic whirling violently in his eyes, his voice booming loudly. "Ciri's right, you've talked enough! This ends now!"

Drogar cackled loudly. "AHA! YOU CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD IN THE VILLAGE WITCHERS! BUT NOW YOU'VE TRULY AWOKE THE DRAGON!"

The man's skin began to crack, his limbs contorted, and turned black, as Dominik only felt the magic whirl even more violently in his eyes. It churned and churned like rapids in his gut, the frost nipped at him again as he turned to see the sun finally setting out over the lake, the darkness overtaking the camp. Anton must have heard them because the yelling of knights rang in his ears. Soon after however, he heard the ringing of steel, and silently cursed, realizing it must have been a retaliatory force from the bandits, perhaps more returning to camp.

Bones crunched, as he whirled back to see Drogar sprout his winds, the light from the fires that rippled through the camp the only thing left to illuminate his vision along with the magic that whirled from him and Ciri next to him. He looked to her, and the magic overtook her eyes, went up and down her limbs and sword, as Fiona sobbed again into her leg, the young girls' eyes closed and clutching. Dominik knew she was horrified, she'd just learned a horrible truth, had just been locked in a cage, and now she just wanted to leave. Ciri gripped tighter to her and met his eyes, the magic whirling in the eyes of them both.

He gestured with his head towards the forest. "Get her out of here! Go help Anton, GO!"

"You're insane! I'm not leaving you here by yourself to fight a fucking dragon!" She said, her grip on her sword tightening, the magic whirling even faster.

Dominik fiercely shook his head. "Ciri we don't have time to argue! GO! Get her out of here and-."

A ground rattling roar cut him off, before a large gust of wind chilled him to the core.

"BAHAHA! COME NOW WITCHERS! SHOW ME THIS POWER YOU WEILD!" Drogar's voice rang, as Dominik heard another roar shake the gravel beneath his feet.

When he saw the black dragon again, he could barely see the beast despite it being so giant. With the light of the fire, he and Ciri's magic, and finally, the bright golden eyes of Drogar. The dragon wasn't nearly as large as Borch or Kilgarrah, but it still dominated the camp, and Dominik nearly stumbled with the steel in his hands as the dragon roared again, he saw it turn its massive maw over towards Ciri, and finally again he felt his legs move. The magic shot around him, it hummed calmly as he willed it to move his legs faster, he ran back towards Fiona and Ciri both, and just as the giant torrent of fire left Drogar's mouth he got there.

He got there and shot the magic to his hands, as he moved his fingers in the correct motion. A Quen shield larger than any he had produced ripped from his hands and circled around himself, and Ciri and Fiona both. He looked and held the shield as Ciri put her head down and wrapped her arms around a sobbing Fiona, and when he saw the sight of her crying, seeing Ciri holding her, it erupted something inside of him, an instinct, a new level of chaos he had never felt before. He needed to protect them both, they both needed to get out, and that was what his powers were given to him for. That was why Alexander had passed his powers to his children, and those powers had passed all the way to him.

So that he could protect Ciri, the one he loved, along with all the others he did as well.

The fire blast came to an end, and Dominik shot the shield down from around them as Drogar roared again. His ears popped from the volume, as he quickly turned around and looked to Ciri and Fiona again, who both shot their gaze back up to him. He grabbed the Samum bomb from his belt, the magic humming around him again, a new vigor, a level of power he had never felt before surged through him, as he lit the bomb with Igni.

He looked to Ciri and shouted. "GET HER OUT, GO!"

And before Ciri had a chance to protest, he turned and threw the bomb with everything he had. As he had expected Drogar had gone to lunge his maw down to snap him off the ground. The Samum did its job, his advanced formulae had done its job, it erupted with a loud ***BOOOM* **right into Drogar's jaw. The dragon screeched and reared back, seeing his opportunity, spurring the magic, the pure, raw unfiltered magic to his limbs he sprinted forward. He reached to his back, and pulled _Fate _from his sheath, as he had a plan forming in his mind. Keeping both blades, steel and silver in his hands, he kept sprinted as Drogar recovered, and went to bring his head back down again, wanting to launch a new torrent of fire towards him.

However, just as Dominik saw the white-hot flames building deep in the dragon's mouth, illuminating the dark camp, he felt the magic shoot to his limbs, up his left arm to the steel that he carried. Drogar had made the mistake of bringing his mouth close enough to the ground, and as he reared back to launch the flames that would've burned Dominik to a pile of ash, he adjusted his grip on the sword, and with the magic shooting it out of his hand he stabbed upwards, letting the blade leave his hands. It shot like a crossbow bolt upwards, up into Drogar's maw, piercing the roof of the dragon's mouth.

Drogar roared so loudly he nearly stumbled, but with the magic still around his limbs, still in his eyes, he brought both hands to fate, and feeling the power whirl him on, he spun. He spun and with a yell cut _Fate _upwards, cutting through a chink of Drogar's throat, the magic helping him cut the dragon's flesh. It wasn't a killing blow, not nearly, but blood still spewed from the dragon's neck as it roared again. Drogar flung his neck back, and Dominik just managed to avoid it. He heard Ciri yell his name, but before he could turn to see her, a large whoosh chilled his bones.

Turning around he saw Drogar was bleeding from his neck and mouth, but as he reared back, he swung out one of his massive wings. Dominik saw this, and focusing the magic in his body, drawing on every bit of power he had gotten from Alexander, Connor and Lara all, for Ciri and Fiona, he willed it all out. It whirled up around him, spinning and whirling, but in a beautiful controlled light as opposed to a violent storm. All of it erupted like a volcano from his palm, as he shot his hand forward, and the Aard sign ripped from his hands with a loud ***BOOOOM* **smashing into Drogar's wing.

It sent the dragon nearly stumbling back, and not wanting to let the advantage slip, he gripped tight to _Fate _and sprinted forward.

He screamed out and leapt up towards Drogar's wing. "COME ONNNNNNN!"

With a loud ***BOOOM* **of magic erupting, his blade sunk deep into the thinner flesh of the dragon's wing.

Drogar roared, and Dominik gripped both hands to fate as he reared back. "GAHHHHHHHH! YOU ARE STARTING TO ANNOY ME WITCHER!"

"DOMINIK!" Ciri screeched from down below, as Dominik saw her rush forward, her sword in hand, but just before she got to the dragon, Drogar took off into the air.

While roaring and screeching, Drogar flapped his wing once, and Dominik felt himself jerked in every direction. The magic finally died down from his limbs as his concentration was broken, with him having to focus it all on keeping his grip on his silvers handle. Drogar's blood spewed from his wing, as he looked down and saw them soaring above the camp. Ciri and Fiona's screams echoed in his ears, and his stomach churned like wild rapids as every muscle in his arm erupted like it was on fire, as it was all he could do to hold onto the grip, not letting himself drop his blade, drop part of his arm.

He heard more screaming and looked down, he saw Anton and the knights finally notice him. Distantly Anton screamed along with Ciri, but the knights continued to clash with a force of bandits that had been returning to camp. Dominik was on his own in the air, he looked and saw Drogar continuing to roar, flapping his wing to get him off. He knew he couldn't stay up there, but he looked and saw the cave entrance, if he could force Drogar to crash land, land into the spikes, then he would be able to take him down. He looked out into the darkness again, and knew that falling from this height, his non-mutated body would shatter, even if he had Freya, Yen and Triss to heal him, it would be no use, but then, he saw the bright full moon sparkle off the rippling lake water and the idea came to him.

Looking back up at his hand on _Fate's _handle, he struggled, but reached up to grip his other hand on it as well. The air from being up so high got thinner, taking quicker breaths, with the last of the energy he felt in his limbs he focused the magic, focused the chaos, and just as Drogar flapped his wing and tried to fling him off again the magic finally came from him.

"GAHHHHHHHH!" He screamed, as he yanked downwards, and with the momentum of the wing flapping his plan worked.

Drogar roared out in pain, erupting the cells in his arms his magic flowed through them. His blade cut all the way down Drogar's wing with a loud ***RIIIIIIPPPPP* **he finally felt his blade dislodge. _Fate _flung through the air down towards the camp, and Drogar roared out again, his wing nearly split in half as he struggled to stay in the air, flapping both wings furiously, but Dominik saw him start to slowly spiral towards the ground.

However, he was spiraling down as well. The wind ripped in his ears, he heard a multitude of sounds, as his limbs felt like limp noodles, the magic draining him like a sponge.

Ciri screamed from the shore. "NO! NO DOMINIK!"

And her screams were the last thing he heard, before he felt like he hit a wet slab of rock, the water quickly entering his nose.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik always considered himself a great swimmer, he was better than even Ciri, who spent most of her childhood in Skellige. However, underwater then, he saw no light except the faint light of the moon as he sunk like a rock towards the bottom. His armor was soaked through, he was surprised a drowner hadn't come and cut his throat yet. His limbs still felt limp, using his power, the magic had drained him, now he truly was nothing but a large rock, sinking to his demise. He could hear nothing but bubbling water around him, he couldn't hear if Drogar had hit the spikes, or anything else to damage him as he fell. For all he knew he could have landed the dragon right on top of Fiona and Ciri. It was all numb, unmoving, he tried, did everything he could to thrash his arms, but nothing worked. The water was cold, thick, and unmoving as well, the light from the moon above the surface getting more and more distant.

He had given thought of course to himself dying over the past few months or so. He acted confident, and he was of course that they could defeat Eredin, but he always knew there was also a large possibility he could die. If he did, he liked to consider his life a success, he had found Ciri again, she knew how much he loved her. Fiona would have Ciri with her if he drowned there. Geralt would kill Eredin, he knew his adopted father could, and would. He thought about Fiona up on the shore with Ciri holding her. They'd be alright. Ciri wouldn't let anything happen to her, he had done all he could. He had done everything he could to keep them safe, given everything he had, used every bit of his strength.

And like Anton said, that was all you could do.

His throat was on fire, he couldn't hold his breath for much longer. He made one last desperate attempt to swim up, and managed to move his arms, but right when he did, his cells erupted. The entirety of his stomach combusted, every cell in his body caught aflame, as he finally felt himself begin to blink, the moon getting further and further away, his brain buzzing more and more.

However, when he blinked once more, he saw a flash of blue light, just before his eyes closed.

Ciri's voice, rang quickly in his ears the second he felt his body freeze. "GOTCHA!"

He coughed, the water spit up from his lungs, as it seeped deeper and deeper into his armor. His vison was blurry, as he felt arms around him, one wrapped tightly around his neck, the other his waist as he felt himself able to kick his legs just enough to stay above water. His sense slowly returned to him, he blinked rapidly. His heart nearly beat out of his chest, and soon he felt a salty taste on his lips. However, it wasn't from the water, he realized it was from Ciri, who had smashed her lips onto his, gripping his face for dear life with her one hand. After his vision finally cleared, he looked and saw her staring wide eyed at him, tear streaming from her eyes as she kissed him again, multiple times before she pulled back, breathlessly looking at him and not letting her grip slip as they floated in the water.

His brain still buzzed, but Dominik managed to form words. "Ci…Ciri?"

"It's me… it's me… gods Dominik you scared me," She said.

"Ciri I… I didn't… I didn't imagine this… this would be our first-time swimming…"

She scoffed a laugh and nodded quickly, sobbing as she spoke. "We'll go soon, for real we will. Maybe a sauna, or a hot bath when this is over how about that?"

He scoffed out a laugh, but quickly coughed out more water, his brain buzzing, but the beautiful sight of her eyes sparkling warmed his chilled bones as they floated. He slowly nodded, as the memory of what had happened came back to his chilled brain.

Quickly Dominik nodded, breathing heavily he met her eyes. "That… that sounds nice…. Ciri… Fiona where… where is she?"

"Drogar went down over the cliff. I didn't see him smash into anything, but he didn't pop back up," She said quickly, wiping her eyes and gripping tighter to him. "I… I knew you wouldn't be able to move after using your powers. I had to get you, I told Fiona to hide. I'm going to teleport us back, hold onto me and don't let go."

"Ha… don't… don't gotta worry about that…" He said, as he gripped tighter around the waist.

Ciri laughed quickly, and soon Dominik saw the magic swirling around them again. Yen had joked with him that Ciri teleported a lot, so he would have to get used to it, and not cry about it all the time like Geralt did. However, even Ciri had told him you never really got used to the churning in your gut when you did. He looked up and saw the bright moon, it illuminated and sparkled over the water beautifully, and under different circumstances, he would have loved to be there with Ciri. Perhaps a picnic on the beach? They could swim, build a fire and watch stars. However, his skin prickled in an icy frost, and a hot bath, perhaps a sauna, or hot spring together sounded much better for the two of them.

First, they needed to get their girl, however. He and Ciri's girl, something he never thought he would truly be able to say. In his chilly delirium as his brain defrosted, he thought the situation was actually perfect. Fiona was theirs, he and Ciri's now, it meant they didn't have to have an actual child, one that could be hunted for the blood that ran through their veins. Perhaps later in life if they ever decided to settle down they would consider it, but from what he saw of Fiona so far, he didn't think himself, nor Ciri would ever want for much else. Apparently however, she did have some sort of power, one that Drogar was intent on taking.

It was clear to him what the man had done now, he had raped Fiona's mother, and from whatever power Fiona inherited, it killed her mother in the process. After this, Drogar must have found her, and kept her in that cage, trying to make whatever power it was remerge from her. He didn't care for his daughter no, only what she could provide for him, just like the Emperor with Ciri.

Just like with Ciri, he wouldn't let Fiona be used. He and Ciri would give her everything that they had ripped from them growing up.

His gut twisted violently, and the light from Ciri's powers shot in his vision. The teleport only lasted a few seconds, but still it was as if he was thrown through a waterfall, and right when he landed, his legs crumpled under it. They were like two frozen blocks of ice, and as soon as both his boots hit the ground, he fell to all fours, coughing more water up onto the still blood-soaked gravel. In the distance he still heard steel clanging on steel and assumed Anton's force was having a harder time protecting the hostages and fighting back the force of bandits. Ciri quickly rushed to his side, as all he saw was the blood-soaked gravel beneath him, and a glint from the sun.

Ciri smacked his back, and the last of the water coughed up out of him, and finally the blocks of ice that seemed to replace his legs began to thaw. They were right on the lakes edge, and thankfully _Fate _had fallen on the ground and not the water. It was the last blade he had, with the steel he borrowed from Geralt surely gone now. He crawled ever so slowly over to the silver blade, and gripped his hand fiercely around the brown grip, Ciri coming down to her knees next to him.

"Are you alright, can you stand?" She said worriedly.

He cough once more, getting to his knees, and then using the tip of the silver to push himself up. It was as if a freezing blanket was wrapped all around his insides, slowly but surely however, his insides thawed, his brain finally stopped buzzing, and while his limbs all still felt the effects of the being submerged in the lake, he managed to stand. His armor was soaked through, his brown hair was marred to his forehead, and his legs still lightly trembled, but after blinking multiple times his vision cleared and he met Ciri's eyes.

He nodded and shakily sighed. "I can yeah… come on we-."

"NO, NO STAY AWAY!" Fiona's screaming voice cut him off.

Ciri and he both whirled, just as Drogar's deep voice, followed by the shaking of the ground beneath them hit their ears.

Drogar spoke in a dark demonic voice, his massive legs pounding the gravel as he stalked towards a scrambling Fiona. "My dear… you are MINE! No matter what happens here today… you will never be able to change that…. It would be best… if you accept that fact. Come now! Give your father a hug!"

Fiona had been discovered, apparently wherever Drogar had landed from, he had found the girl. His wing was bleeding, along with a large gash on his neck, and blood even still spewed from his mouth. However, he cackled deeply, slowly stalking towards Fiona, who stumbled back onto her backside, onto the blood-stained gravel, the young girl, slowly moved back, skidding against the ground. Tears streamed from her eyes, her sobbed with every move, and each time Drogar only seemed to laugh even more, until Fiona was out up against the bottom of the cliff.

He expected her to yell out for he and Ciri, who for a few seconds were too stunned to move, with Dominik still barely able to move his legs. He expected that, or for her to curl, and sob more. However, the girl continued to surprise him, make him prouder then he had ever felt before. With the tears still in her eyes, Fiona, her legs shaking like a leaf, stood up, and yanked his dagger from her hip, the silver gleaming in the moonlight as she held it out towards Drogar, her arms trembling so bad, that at first she had to hold it with two hands.

However, after a moment, still shakily sighing she narrowed her emerald eyes, holding the dagger out with one hand, her entire arm trembling. He watched as she shifted her stance, one foot in front of the other, the exact way he had showed her, her fingers on the hilt of the dagger adjusted, and after a few moments, she managed to keep her arm steady. She had done everything he showed her, and that was when Dominik finally felt his limbs move.

Drogar laughed just as he did, cackling at the sight of Fiona. "BAHA! What a CUTE little pose! Come now Fiona! You wouldn't attack your dear father now would-. WHAAAAT!?

Before Dominik could move, he saw Ciri rush in front of him. Magic whirled around her limbs again, and she blinked forward. In an instant Ciri was at Fiona's side, the girl looked stunned for a moment, before Ciri gripped onto her, and in the blink of an eye, they were both by his side again. He looked down at a stunned, slightly sick looking Fiona as she still was sobbing. She gripped onto Ciri for dear life for a moment, before she turned and saw him.

Her eyes widened and she threw herself at him. "You're okay! I… I thought that you…"

"Shh… it's alright," He told her, staying on his feet as he gently stroked the top of her hair.

She nodded up at him, his dagger still in her hand, as Ciri came and grabbed her arm, and Fiona quickly got behind the both of them. Dominik leveled _Fate _out towards Drogar, who roared out a blood curdling roar as he whirled his massive black body around to them both. His draconic golden eyes narrowed, and Dominik saw the blood still slowly seeping from his neck, and his mouth, but still the beast towered over Ciri and he both.

Drogar roared and screamed, as he shuffled his massive legs towards them. "YOU WILL GIVE ME WHAT IS MINE WITCHERS! SHE IS MY BLOOD, MY RIGHT, HER POWER IS MY RIGHT!"

Dominik gripped his sword, quickly stepping in front of Ciri and Fiona both. He turned and met Ciri's eyes in particular. "Will you listen to me now and get her out of here!"

"I won't leave you here by yourself!" She said, her eyes widening as Fiona quickly nodded next to her.

He groaned and rolled his eyes as Drogar roared. "Now's not the time to-. GAHHHH!"

"DOMINIK!" Ciri yelled, as he felt himself flung across the camp.

Drogar had come and smashed his wing into him, and if not for his armor Dominik surely would have been crushed as he smacked into the cliff. His back smashed against the base of the cliff, right near the entrance to the cave itself. If not for his soaking armor, his back would have shattered upon hitting the stone, but still his head buzzed again. He saw three of everything as he heard Ciri distantly yell his name, and another roar from Drogar.

He stumbled up to his feet, looking on the ground trying to find his sword, but that was when he heard another loud roar of pain from Drogar. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he looked over and saw flashes of magic. Ciri teleported in quick blinks, lashing out when she could, but she couldn't generate enough power to hurt Drogar in any significant way, because every time she left Fiona's side, the dragon would try and make a grab for her, so Ciri had to keep teleporting the poor girl from place to place. Drogar kept roaring out in annoyance, and after finally seeing one of everyone on the battlefield, he looked down to find his sword again.

Drogar roared, and shouted before he could, however. "GAHHH! The witcher was beginning to annoy me! And now you are as well witcheress!"

"CIRI!" He screamed out, as he watched Drogar smashed his front leg forward.

"GAHHHH!" Ciri yelled out in pain, as thankfully the claws of the beast didn't pierce her, as she only got caught on its palm and sent flying.

Dominik knew she wasn't wearing armor like he was, so if she hit the base of the cliff as he did it would cause massive damage. He saw where she got sent flying, and he lunged to get into the way. Ciri smacked into him, her sword flying out of her hands, and they both got sent stumbling back towards a fire pit. They fell and rolled, with Dominik wrapping his arms around her as they did. Finally they came to a stop, right in the middle of the camp, and when she opened his eyes, he could see the pained look. Her face was bruised, a cut on her cheek was bleeding, she breathed heavily and was completely and utterly drained. The moonlight reflected off her green eyes, and he managed to help her move up her knees while he did the same.

He shakily sighed, as she met his eyes a panicked look welling up in them. They had both been fighting something, a beast they should never have had to fight. However, it threatened their future, and he could see she desperately wanted to get up, but as soon as she tried, she winced and grabbed onto her gut. He saw the pain contort in her eyes, and knew she needed to rest, rest her wounds to heal properly. However, she wasn't going anywhere, he knew this.

Scoffing, Dominik met her eyes, just as breathless and exhausted as she was. "We… we need to get you some proper armor princess."

She shakily sighed, taking long deep breaths, rolling her eyes. "I… I've been saying that for a while now."

"You shouldn't have interfered witchers!" Drogar bellowed. They both whirled around, as the dragon had turned on them. It stomped towards them, rearing its head back.

Dominik saw its massive broken wing in the moonlight, saw the blood still dripping from where they had attacked, but nothing they did was affective. He had run out of ideas, and now Ciri and he stood before the beast weaponless, barely able to stand. Ciri was hurt, he could still barely move his limbs without feeling them erupt like dynamite.

But they couldn't stop. The night had completely overtaken the camp now. Bodies were still strewn, the cold air nipped his nose, fires were roaring on pulled down tents and wood, the lake water seemed to ripple even harder. The moon casted a glow over Drogar's draconic eyes. He looked down and met Ciri's eyes, and like they always did, they managed to communicate just by looking at one another. And with a simple nod, he got up to his feet first, going to yank her up to hers as well. She winced right away, and had to grab onto his shoulder for support, but was soon able to stand on her own.

He shakily sighed and turned to Drogar growling down at them. "Sorry… but we always got told we were stubborn…. As long as we're breathing… you won't touch her…"

Dominik made the sign with his hands, both hands now, and felt Igni roar to life, fire burned in each of his hands. Next to him, Ciri detached herself, and despite no sword, her powers whirled in her eyes, around her limbs. The cold night wind did nothing to put out his fire, as he held up both hands, trying to will his powers out as well.

Drogar cackled, rearing his massive black head back. "BAHAHA! BRAVE! VERY BRAVE! HOWEVER WITCHERS! THIS IS ONE CONTRACT YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN!"

The dragon lowered its head towards them, and Dominik could see the white-hot fire building up again. He switched up his sign, ready to cast a Quen shield around Ciri and he again as he did earlier. The flames in Drogar's mouth got larger, larger and larger, and finally he saw Ciri about to teleport, and he was about to throw up the shield around himself.

However, that was when he discovered, why Drogar wanted Fiona so bad.

Fiona sprinted out in front of them, screeching and holding both her arms up in front of Ciri and he both. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The magic burst was so powerful, Ciri and he both got blow back. After landing on the ground next to her, he heard the screeching echo in his ears. The bright blue magic illuminated the entire area, as his ears popped, and he had to clamp his wet gloves over them. The wind around them churned even more violently, as he tried to get to his feet, but quickly got knocked back down to one knee. Blood slowly trickled from his ear, his insides were erupting from the sound alone, he shot his gaze over to Ciri who was on her knees, both her gloved hands on her ears as well.

Fiona's screech hit his ears again. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ciri met his eyes, both hands still clamped over her ears and screamed. "DOMINIK! DOMINIK SHE'S A SOURCE, A SOURCE!"

Everything that Drogar had said made sense in his head now, as on his knees he looked over, and nearly screamed out himself when he saw her. Fiona was on her knees, her arms out white, bright blue magic bursting from her body, her eyes, her limbs, everything burned a bright blue, as the power radiated from her. His medallion around his neck was glowing and vibrating with a fierceness, as he felt his inside begin to boil still. He had flashbacks to Ciri at Kaer Morhen, the power from Fiona wasn't nearly as powerful, but it was still enough to knock him back down to his knees, and make Fiona scream again, as around her the magic began to churn even more violently.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The girl screamed, and Dominik's eyes widened when the blue magic turned orange.

The air got hot, and Dominik's skin felt like he had dipped it into a pot of boiling water. The air grew thick as well, more fires spread through the camp, and the more Fiona screamed, the worse it got. It had to be something to do with Drogar being her father, the power of a dragon's fire, however, none of it mattered, he could see the pain she was in, her voice screeched in his ears, and he saw her skin start to smoke as the girl sat there a few meters away screaming in pain.

He stumbled over to Ciri, and she caught onto him, but quickly had to clamp her ears again. The wind got so hot, that sweat fell down his forehead like a waterfall. Ciri's makeup ran down her face, and as they both tried to stumble up, that was when the dragon's roar finally hit his ears. He whirled around finally and saw Drogar had been blasted back by the blast as well.

The dragon stumbled up to its feet. He could remember how eager Drogar was to unleash Fiona's power. And Dominik finally realized what the mad dragon's plan was. He was trying to force Fiona to activate her powers, so he could try and harness them to control for himself. However, now, Drogar had gotten what he wanted, but the power Fiona exhumed, the pure, raw, unfiltered magic, it was too much for even the dragon to handle. The great black dragon tried to shoot up into the air. He knocked over tents and stacks of barrels as he flapped his wings trying to take off into the air.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Fiona screech again, just as Drogar had gotten into the air, and Dominik himself was knocked back next to Ciri.

He clamped his hands to his ears, as sweat furiously raced down his neck. Ciri had managed to get to her feet but was stumbling. She managed to help him up to his, and they both stood there, their hands clamped over their ears, as they looked up at Drogar in the sky. The dragon had managed to get a decent ways into the air, but Fiona's churning magic was too great. Just like had happened to Ciri at Kaer Morhen, debris started floating around the girl, a miniature magical hurricane forming around her, the bright orange light shooting from all angles.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And with that scream and new burst of magic erupting from her. Dominik grabbed onto Ciri and she to him, they managed to stay on their feet, but Drogar wasn't as lucky. Dominik remembered at Kaer Morhen, Ciri's powers had been enough to knock Borch from the sky, and nearly Kilgarrah as well. Drogar wasn't nearly as big as them, and the power Fiona exhumed wasn't as powerful as Ciri's, but it was still enough to make Drogar fumbled in the sky. His wings seemed to stop working, the magic, combined with one being broken, finally it became too much for the black dragon, as it came fumbling down from the night sky.

Drogar fell like a boulder falling from a cliff, and with a loud ***SQUELCH* **that hit his ears even over Fiona's screams, Drogar fell impaled over the stakes outside his lair.

Dominik scoffed and turned to Ciri, both their hands clamped over their ears. "HA, I TOLD YOU IT WOULD-."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Fiona's violent, pained scream cut him off, and he and Ciri both stumbled forward, their girl only a few meters away from her.

She was in pain, just as Ciri had been in pain at Kaer Morhen. Just like then as well, Dominik wanted to help, needed to help, needed to do something. Ciri was trained, older, she had been alright after using so much power, but he looked and saw Fiona's arms smoking, with each screech the smoke grew more intense, as the bright orange magic beams shot from her.

Ciri yelled next to him. "DOMINIK! DOMINIK SHE'S OUT OF CONTROL, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING!"

"I KNOW," He yelled back, his hands stayed clamped over his ears as he met Ciri's wide gaze, "IF SHE KEEPS THIS UP SHE'LL KILL HERSELF, IT'S LIKE KAER MORHEN ALL OVER AGAIN!"

Ciri's eyes widened in realization upon hearing his words, stumbling, she shouted over at him again. "DOMINIK THAT'S IT! THE SPELL, THE SPELL YOU USED TO CALM ME, USE IT!"

Dominik's eyes widened as well, and he cursed himself for being so stupid as to not remember. Alexander had first given him the spell in a vision when he unlocked his powers, and then after visiting his ancestor in the vision, he said it was a spell Lara of Lod, his great grandmother had created. It had worked to control Ciri's powers at Kaer Morhen, a spell to contain out of control magic. It was exactly what they needed then, and when Dominik turned, he saw Fiona beginning to smoke more as she yelled again.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He bit his lip clamped his hands over his ears, and with every step feeling as if he was walking up a violent stream he walked towards her. Towards his destiny, towards his child surprise, towards the girl he _would _protect with everything he had.

After getting close enough to her, he shot his hand forward, his ear bleeding right when he removed it from his head. He drew on every last bit of strength he had, the bright orange rays of hot magic whirling around him now. After a moment, feeling as if his limbs exploded all over again, he felt the magic come to him. It hummed around his body in complete control, and he blinked, opening his eyes and seeing the bright blue light take over it.

He thrusted his hand forward again and screamed in Elder Speech. "AE MINNE TAEDH ESSEA HEYU! AE MINNE… TEADH… ESSEA.. HEYUUUUU! GAHHHHHHHH!"

And just as happened at Kaer Morhen, the bright blue light took over his eyes. The magic shot straight from his palm, the raw, unfiltered power of the Line of Lod erupted out of him. It whirled and whirled, churned around him, however, unlike at Kaer Morhen, he felt himself able to direct it. He shot it forward, and it clashed with Fiona's magic.

He screamed, feeling the white-hot magic shoot from Fiona into him. "GAHHHHHHH FUCK!"

"DOMINIK! DOMINIK YOU'VE ALMOST DONE IT!" Ciri yelled, coming up and falling to her knees next to him, her hands clamped over her ears.

The magic clashed, the bright blue and bright orange beams of light smashed into each other one last time. After this a loud ***RIIIIIIIIPPPPPP* **shot through the night, and then silence, the purest silence Dominik had ever felt in his life.

His insides erupted, and he fell to all fours, his skin and cells boiling. Ciri rushed to him, holding onto his back, as he felt his arms trembling. The trembling horribly, but after a moment, he shakily sighed, looking up to see Ciri's frantic, wide green eyes. She was in pain he knew, but she was still on her knees next to him, she grabbed both hands on his face. He felt warmth wash over him, warming his cold insides as she bore her eyes into him.

She shakily sighed and nodded at him, a small smile coming to her face. "Good… good job. I… I'm really proud of you."

He nodded, and she leaned forward, kissing him quickly, but he savored those few seconds. His lips tingled for a moment, and he was about to comeback with some witty comment, however, he scolded himself as he heard a small groan from in front of him.

He shot his head up again, and his eyes widened. "Fiona!"

Ciri and he both scrambled over to the girl, their girl, just as she fell backwards. Dominik managed to get up to her, catch her and lay her down in his lap. Ciri rushed to the other side of her, right away fussing and moving the girl's hair out of her face, gently reaching down and grabbing her hand. Fiona groaned in his arms, her small body like he saw was slightly smoking. He saw red heat marks on her, even a few burns along her arms. He gently adjusted her head in his lap, carefully holding his hand behind her head, as Ciri and he both looked down at her.

Her eyes fluttered, they were puffy and around the edges from her sobbing. His dagger was still at her hip, and he almost laughed when he saw her reach down and feel for it. Ciri met his eyes across from him, and when he saw the smile come to her face, that loving smile as she looked at Fiona and he both, his heart melted in his chest. He heard her cough and looked down to see her eyes fluttered completely open. The green of her eyes sparkled particularly bright in the moonlight, and the burning of the tents around them.

She slowly turned her head, blinking rapidly she looked at them both. "D…Dominik… Ci…Ciri? What… what…happened."

"Shhh… it's alright, you're alright," He reassured her, meeting her eyes and gently smiling, looking pridefully at her, "You saved us again… that's what happened."

Fiona's eyes traveled past them. He looked with her as well, and he saw Drogar's body again impaled on the stakes outside his cave. Dominik could barely believe his plan in the end to use them had worked, but the dragon was unmoving, its massive black body impaled in multiple areas. The moonlight and fires gave them a clear view of the massive beast's body, and when Fiona saw it, Dominik felt her tremble in his arms as she sobbed again, slowly looking between Ciri and he, her eyes quivering.

She quickly started shakily sighing, her panic building, tears starting to come from her eyes. "He… he was… he was my… my…"

"Shhh… it's alright, it's alright darling, it's alright I promise," Ciri said quickly, reaching down and stroking the girl's cheek, as Fiona looked up and met her eyes. "Everything will be alright… everything will be alright I promise… he won't hurt you anymore."

Fiona's sobbed again, biting her lips, slowly looking between them. "D…Dominik… Ciri… ev…everything hurts… everything hurts… I… I want to go home."

"We'll get you home, don't worry… I promise," He told the girl, meeting her eyes and gently moving a strand of hair from her face. "We won't let anything else happen… I promise."

"St…stay… don't… don't let me go… please… please…." She sobbed in his arms again, as she started crying, her body completely trembling, as it was covered in dirt, bruises, burns and blood.

Dominik squeezed her, meeting Ciri's eyes, and seeing she was about to cry as well. He held her as she cried, and stroked her hair, before Ciri leaned her head down. She kissed the girl's forehead, just as Fiona's eyes started to flutter closed.

Ciri moved her lips back, smiling down at Fiona in his arms. "Just try to sleep darling. Dominik and I will be here when you wake up… we swear…. You know, Dominik's mother… she used to sing when he and his sister had trouble falling asleep… how's that sound?"

A small smile came to Fiona's face, as she nodded in his arms, her chest gently rising and falling. One came to Dominik's face as well, as he smirked and met Ciri's gaze.

He lightly laughed. "She did yeah… but I hope you don't expect me to sing. I sound like a wounded wyvern when I sing."

Ciri laughed, and Fiona smiled again below him, her eyes fluttered closed, as they both looked to Ciri.

She playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh I know that… I'll sing. You taught me one the other day that I think Fiona would like."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" He said.

Ciri cleared her throat, scooting closer to them, a hand gently running through Fiona's hair as she smiled down at her.

And when Ciri started singing, Dominik already knew it yes, but it felt as if he fell in love with her all over again then and there.

She gently started humming the tune, and Dominik felt his heart flip, as she stroked Fiona's hair, singing the words. _"These scars long have yearned for your tender caress… to bind our fortunes, damn what the stars own."_

Ciri stopped for a moment, looking deeply into his eyes, and singing again. _"Rend my heart open… then your love profess. A winding weaving fate… to which we both atone…"_

His heart nearly left his chest. The fires around them crackled, he held Fiona gently in his arms as Ciri beautifully sang, and Fiona gently started to flutter her eyes closed. He never knew Ciri would be such a beautiful singer, but after all, he knew she could be great at anything she set her mind too, and her voice then, calmed him as well, as they both kept each other's gaze. He felt his heart flip, looking at her, and then down at Fiona.

The two of them, there, that was the future. And to get that future… he just needed to push a little bit more when they got back.

**A.N: Part 2, the climax of the Return to Claywitch arc is complete, and it was much much shorter then chapter 1, but just as intense, and I had so much fun writing this particular one. We have one shorter chapter in Claywitch after this, but then after that we get back to the plot of the games, as we approach the end, with still so, so much to do. This chapter, however, has major implications for future stories, as does this whole arc, it's honestly been on of my favorite to write, and I really hope you are all enjoying! Let's break down this chapter first, before we get moving on!**

**So first obviously, we get more back story for Sir Robert Anton, and his band of knights that he leads, which I can guarantee will come into play more later on towards the end, and in future stories as well. He was Sir Gregory's right hand man, even distant cousin of Ciri and Queen Calanthe, he is going to be a major player going forward! We see that he and his knights are ready to still follow Gregory's son and Calanthe's blood, and I can't wait for you all to see more!**

**Obviously after this is the biggest part of the story, the attack on Drogar's camp, where knights along with Dominik and Ciri wipe the bandits out and are finally able to save Fiona from the man's clutches. But, we also learn the horrible truth, along with Fiona. Drogar was her father… and the young girl is also a magical source. **

**To state the obvious, no Fiona doesn't have Elder Blood, but it is possible for someone to be a source, without having the Elder Blood in their veins, Ciri just got a double whammy lol. This is going to be explored a bit more next chapter, but as I said in the last chapters A/N, Fiona won't be a major player in this story after this arc. She'll be mentioned obviously, but the focus is going to shift back to the main story after the arc, the main purpose of these three chapters is to introduce Fiona, and see Dominik and Ciri's relationship take another huge leap as they agree to take on this huge responsibility with one another. **

**After the fight with Drogar, the dragon is killed, and we get a tender moment between the three of Dominik, Ciri and Fiona, a trio that will be going through a lot together in future sequels. As I revealed last chapter, Fiona is going to be our main protagonist and POV character for the Pain and Remembrance DLC ; ) **

**SO, next chapter as I said is going to be pretty short. Dominik and Ciri will wait for Fiona to wake up, and explain everything that happened. After that they'll spend some time with her the next day, bonding with her a bit more, before we head back to Novigrad. **

**And when we get back to Novigrad, we'll learn what happened while they were gone, as we make our true final preparations before we head out for Skellige, and the final battle!**

**I can't get over how popular this is, I want to thank you all so so SO much again. I never in a hundred years though this story would become so popular, and I'm just ecstatic that I'm able to entertain you all and that you're enjoying what I'm putting out. I have so many great plans for this story, and I can't wait for you all to see them. **

**Once again, I'm going to have new fanart for this story over on my Instagram! Go check out dominik_of_cintra on Instagram to see fanart, see my writing updates, participate in polls, or if you want, we can just talk about the witcher xD Once again that's dominik_of_cintra **

**So as usual everyone, thank you all so SO much for your continued support, I cannot street enough how much it means to me, and how excited I am to bring you the home stretch of this story! As usual, please review if you have time, be sure to follow for updates, they're never more than a week apart! Thank you all so much for reading, stay safe in these troubling times, and I'll see you all next time!**


	75. Return to Claywitch III

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 75: Return to Claywitch III**

**Narrator: Upon arriving in the village of Claywitch at the summons of his friend Mikel, Dominik and Ciri both arrived to a shocking revelation. At the beginning of his journey, when Dominik saved Mikel and his family from a vampire attack, the man offered him the Law of Surprise as payment. Dominik accepted, and now, after they had finally arrived in Novigrad, while Geralt and the rest began final preparations for their final fight against the Hunt, Dominik and Ciri went to Claywitch, to answer the summons to aid the village, which was being raided by deadly bandits, but also, Mikel told Dominik his Law of Surprise was ready to be collected. That shocking revelation Dominik and Ciri both came to Claywitch and realized, was that Dominik's Law of Surprise ended up being a young, thirteen-year-old girl, Fiona, whom Mikel's wife had taken in off the streets. After the initial shock of the situation, Dominik and Ciri both bonded with this young girl as destiny would have, before she was horribly kidnapped by the bandits, led by a man named Drogar the Dragon, who turned out to be a dragon himself. Dominik and Ciri, with the help of their old friend Sir Robert Anton of Cintra, raced to defeat Drogar and his bandits, saving Fiona in the process. However, during the fighting, young Fiona revealed the power in her blood. The young girl, like Ciri, was a source, a conduit of powerful magic. Now, Dominik and Ciri return to Claywitch with Fiona, to spend more time with the young girl, their future, their destiny, before returning to the fight they know awaits them back in Novigrad. **

"Dominik, Ciri, it's kind yes, but I mean it, we can't accept this," Mikel said, looking at the pouch of gold in his hands.

Ciri shook her head next to him. "We insist, you have too. Three months, we'll come for her then, this should last a decent amount of time… she's our responsibility as well now."

Danara sighed, looking over to the girl lightly snoring in her bed. "The poor thing…to go through all of that at her age…"

"We know how it feels, believe me… thank you, for agreeing to look after her still." Dominik said, his bones still aching.

Mikel quickly nodded. "Aye of course. Been looking after her this whole time so far. We'll look after her until you both come back… just be sure to be careful."

"We will, we'll be alright. I know we will," Ciri said confidently, as she looked back up at him with a smile.

He gave her a tired smile, before looking and seeing Fiona in her bed as well. Ciri and Danara had managed to change her clothes, with her tunic being caked in dirt, mud and blood. They even managed to clean her off, but as soon as she was in the bed, Fiona had fallen asleep. He looked out the window, the moonlight streamed in with sparkling white light, it was nearly midnight he knew, and he himself was going to need to get into a bed soon. It was hard for him to believe that everything had happened in one day, but it had. They arrived in Claywitch in the morning, and in the past twelve hours or so, his life had been completely changed. He discovered Anton was alive, he had found them with his knights as soon as Fiona fell asleep in his arms and Ciri finished singing to her. The knights and Anton had cleared out the remaining raiders, they wouldn't trouble Claywitch, or anywhere else anymore. Clop had even come back with Anton, and seemed to take an incredible liking to Fiona, even liking the young girl's cheek as Dominik hefted her onto the stallions back.

And after that, Ciri climbed onto Kelpie, and just like Geralt had done for them, he had ridden with Fiona in front of him on the saddle all the way back to Claywitch. She had dozed in and out of sleep as they rode, she aimlessly asked him questions, seeming to be completely delirious, as Dominik saw the fatigue in her eyes. He answered her questions, stroked her hair and spoke softly, as Ciri watched them both trotting next to him. The ride back hadn't taken very long, and it had felt as if the entire world had gone silent, just so that Fiona could sleep.

He would never forget seeing the women they rescued from the camp come back to the village. The villagers had all waited up in the tow square for them all. He, Ciri and the knights were all greeted with yells and applause, thank yous, as he sat and watched all the women reunite with their loved ones, with villagers crying, hugging one another, celebrating the fact that they were safe. He would never forget the way it made him feel, in all his years as a witcher, few contracts ever made him feel that way. He, Ciri, Anton all the knights had saved those people, given them a new chance on life with their loved ones, they had done what witchers do, saved people from monsters, this time it was just the kind in human skin.

After making sure the villagers were back, Anton had told them to get Fiona home, while he and his knights helped the villagers get settled. So, he had taken Fiona off Clop's back, and with Ciri next to him the entire time, he carried her all the way back to Mikel and Danara's, the place where his journey had started, and now, took its next big leap.

As Ciri and he discussed beforehand, they asked Danara and Mikel if they were alright with keeping Fiona there for longer. As much as he found himself wanting to bring her back, to meet Geralt, Yennefer, and his friends, he knew that they couldn't. The war they were fighting was still too dangerous for her, and the last thing he needed was Eredin, Baelen, or even Avallac'h figuring out about her. Especially now that he knew she was a source; he didn't know what they would try to do to her. No, she needed to stay, at least for now, she would be safest there, and would get the chance to live as a normal child for longer, something Ciri and he never got the chance to do.

Three months, that was what they agreed on. It would give Ciri and he time to deal with Eredin, and then afterwards, travel themselves for a while, get themselves settled, and get ready for the responsibility of taking care of her and training her. After that they'd come back, and he knew that their love, their relationship was strong enough for the task, the task of taking care of that girl. They were already off to a good start, as he saw Ciri had barely taken her eyes off her when they were riding, and Dominik felt that spark Geralt had always described, just by looking at her.

His armor was still soaked through, his arms were shivering, _Fate _the last sword he had was drenched the same way. His hair was even more a mess then usual, he felt bruises on every part of his body, and his limbs all felt like limp noodles, completely drained and tingling, but he forced himself to keep his eyes open, smiling at Ciri again. She didn't seem to be in much better condition then he was. Her cheek was bruised, a small cut was on her chin, her face had patches of dirt and her top was smeared with mud and bits of blood. Her hair was loose in her bun, nearly falling out, both their boots were caked in mud, and for the first time Dominik smelled not juniper and cedarwood, but mud and grime as he looked at her.

But as always still, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, and despite all they went through that day, she still smiled at him, her emerald eyes glowing.

Mikel sighed and nodded. "Aye… thank you both, for everything you've done. You'll survive, the both of you, I know it…. I apologize, I'd offer you to stay here the night, but well, we don't have much room."

"I already went and spoke to Hulda. She has a room ready for you, a tub, hot water and all. All free of charge of course, it's the least we could do." Danara said, as she looked at them both, the four of them all standing near the dining table.

The idea of a hot bath with Ciri, before sleeping for about twelve hours was possibly the best idea he had all day. He looked and saw Ciri breathe a sigh of relief as well. She looked and winked at him, he scoffed a laugh as she turned to Mikel and Danara both, she bowed, but he saw her hold back a wince. He knew her torso, along with every other limb in her body had to be aching even more then his. She didn't have armor to cushion her blow when she got smacked by Drogar, he knew very little would make her wince like that, but her corset was smeared with blood, her top covered in dirt, he knew all she wanted was to get bed, recover.

Ciri however, still smiled as always, nodding at Mikel and Danara both. "It was really no problem at all. Thank you both, for agreeing to take care of her."

"She's right, we should be thanking you as much," Dominik said, looking over and meeting Ciri's gaze, a yawn coming to him. "Ready for bed princess? The rooms at the inn were pretty nice, and I could sleep for hours."

She scoffed and nodded. "The same goes for me. Gods, I feel like-."

"GAHHHH! NO! No, no, no, no, NO!" Fiona screamed, the four of them all turning right away.

The girl jolted up from her bed, her eyes wide and frantic, darting her eyes around the room, trying to find anything. She was pale, her arms were shaking, her legs pulled up to her chest, she yelled and hyperventilated, her chest rising and falling. Her hands gripped to the blankets, she was pale, a cut ran across her cheek, she was bruised her hair was frizzy out over shoulders, her lip quivered, and she lightly sobbed, seeming completely unable to grasp where she was.

Her cries hit his ears, and he went to move, but not nearly as quick as Ciri did. She darted from his side towards her bed, and Dominik watched quickly, before turning to Mikel and Danara. Mikel gestured for him to go, while a broad smile came to Danara's face, and Dominik knew they were telling him to go, that Ciri and he could handle it this time. He nodded to them both and whirled back around to see Ciri had sat herself at the head of Fiona's bed, the girl shot her eyes up to her, and sobbed again, as she buried her head into Ciri's shoulder. Ciri met his eyes as he hugged her, and it finally made him move.

His bones stiffly moved, but he made it to Fiona's bed, sitting on the middle of it, while Ciri sat near her head, still holding her arms around the girl while she desperately gripped around Ciri's waist.

"Shhh… it's alright… you're okay now, you're okay… we're both here, it's okay." Ciri said, gently stroking her hair, before Fiona shakily pulled back to look up at her. She shakily sighed, and Ciri grinned down at her, wiped her gloved fingers over her tears, as Fiona slowly turned and saw him.

He grinned at her, scooting over across from Ciri near her head. "Hey kiddo… how you feeling? You-."

She cut him off by slamming into his body now, the wind knocked out of him, and Ciri laughed across him. He looked down and saw her head of hair below him, her arms constricted around his waist, and he couldn't help but lightly laugh, wrapping his arms around her too. He hugged her, found himself squeezing her just as she did to him, and it felt right. Over across him, Ciri reached her arms around her as well, meeting his eyes and smiling at him, she scoffed a breathlessly laugh, and Dominik looked deep into her eyes, seeing the pure joy and relief she was exhuming then.

His future truly was right in front of him. As Ciri reached over and pecked his cheek, his cheek heated up and he sheepishly laughed as he always did. Looking down he felt Fiona still trembling in his arms, the candlelight illuminated her face, making her emerald eyes sparkle as she looked back up at them both. She didn't seem to know what to say for a moment, but Ciri quickly wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulder, gently stroking her hair, while Dominik smiled at her.

Fiona gently shook still, her legs up near her chest as she looked between them. "You… you… you're both still here…"

"Of course we are, we promised didn't we?" Dominik said, as Fiona slowly looked between them again, finally seeming to stop shaking.

The girl gently wrapped her arms around her legs, she looked down into her lap, with Ciri still stroking her hair. Dominik saw the pain, the bags under her eyes, the exhaustion. The light from the candle bounced off her dirty face, she shook again as she shakily sighed. Slowly she looked up again, the tears nearly coming from her eyes again, as she slowly shook her head.

"It… it happened again, the… the magic it… it almost killed you both," She said, her eyes started to well up again, as she looked between Ciri and her, her higher pitched rising to a panic. "If… if I had hurt you… I… I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself… I… I don't know what it is, but… but after it happens… everything… everything hurts. I… I can't even remember what happens, it… it's like my bodies taken over…"

"It's alright darling…. Dominik and I know how handle situations like this," Ciri said, gently stroking the girl's hair still, smiling down at her. "Fiona, you're a magical source."

Fiona's eyes widened, quivering as she looked at them. "A…. a source?"

"A source yeah…. Sources are people born with powerful, natural magical abilities. Dangerous and stressful situations bring the magic out sometimes," He said gently, smiling at her the entire time as she met his eyes, he grinned and gestured towards Ciri. "It's nothing to be afraid of, you don't have to be scared of it. Ciri's a source."

Her eye's widened, and Dominik saw her shakily look up at Ciri. "You… you are? Is… is that how you do that teleporting thing? And… and what about you, are you one too?"

Ciri quickly nodded reassuringly. "I am yeah, the teleporting is… something else, but I'm a source just like you."

"And as for me well…" Dominik started, as he realized her second question was directed towards him, "I'm… something else, something different, I'll explain it later. But… the point is, Fiona, you don't have to be scared. We can teach you to control it, Yennefer taught Ciri, Ciri taught me."

"Yen…Yennefer of Vengerberg?" Fiona said, a small bit of disbelief coming to her voice.

Ciri laughed lightly and looked down at her. "Yes, Yennefer of Vengerberg. She's our mother, her and Geralt raised us. Sources need to be trained, and we can help you we-."

"But… but I don't want to be a source!" Fiona said suddenly, her voice raising up to a panic again, her gaze darting between he and Ciri again. "It… it doesn't do anything but hurt me! It… it's the reason I had to leave Novigrad, I killed my friend, she was dead, burned to a crisp, all because I-."

"Hey, hey, hey… it's okay, just relax kiddo, it's alright," He said, as she started sobbing again, burying her head into Ciri, with Ciri quickly wrapping her arms around her.

Dominik had wondered why the girl would leave Novigrad. Mikel and Danara had said that she came from the Passiflora, was raised there by Marquise Serenity, whom he knew Geralt and Dandelion were both friends with. If she was a source however, it made sense why she had to flee. If her powers had unleashed, and the Witch Hunters and Temple Guard saw it, she without a doubt would have been captured and tortured, it didn't matter how old she was. He looked and saw Ciri holding her, the poor girl had clearly had more then her fair share of trauma, and upon hearing what she said, his heart panged again.

He looked behind him at her dresser and saw another unlit candle. Quickly he formed the correct sign, and flicked his hand, within a second the candle lit up again. He did the same with the other candles he saw on the opposite dresser near Ciri. The light was better now, and along with the moonlight, he could see her face was still covered in bits of dirt. He adjusted himself up near the head of her bed, leaning an arm over her like Ciri was. Ciri smiled at him, before they both gently looked down at the girl. Fiona shakily sighed, looking between them, before pulling her legs up to her chest again, looking down at her covers, small tears coming to her eyes.

"When… when I stayed with Marquise Serenity in Novigrad I… I had a group of friends," She started, sniffling and wiping her nose, slowly shaking her head as she went on. "We…took things from… people who seemed to have too much, to help people out, my… my best-friend her… her name Celina, she… she went with me everywhere. One day she… she tried… tried to rob someone but… but it turned out to be a Witch Hunter…."

He could feel her trembling under his arm. Ciri looked over and met his eyes, and right away they could both tell where the story was going. Every word Fiona spoke, he could see it was as if knives were being plunged into her. She gripped around her legs up to her chest, Ciri stroked her hair, meeting his eyes again, and he saw her eyes even quivering. Dominik looked back down to Fiona, wanting to tell her she didn't have to go on, but before he could, she shut her eyes again and shook her head, the tears coming down her dirty cheeks.

"I… was too late to stop her. He… he whirled around and beat her, went to arrest her, drug her through the alley like a sack!" She said, her high-pitched voice rising as she sobbed again, shaking her head, her hands balling into fists. "I followed them. I ran after her, I… I saw him… drag her to an abandon alley and he… he almost…."

"Shh… it's alright, Fiona it's okay, it's alright darling I promise." Ciri said quickly, pulling the girl into her arms again.

Fiona sobbed again in Ciri's arms as Dominik's blood ran cold. The hair on his arms stood up, as he could feel his anger rising, but when he saw Fiona sobbing now in Ciri's arms, his blood got warm. He remembered all the horrible things he saw, he had to do when he was on his own and had heard too much about what had happened to Ciri. He knew that they understood better then anybody, what it was like going through something like that, seeing such horrible things at such a young age. And being a source, having the powers in your veins you had no idea about, nobody would know what it was like better then Ciri and he, Ciri in particular, and hearing the girl's story was clearly effecting her as well.

Fiona sniffled as she pulled back from Ciri's chest, shaking her head. "I… I tried to help her, I… I couldn't just stand there, she… she was my best-friend I had to help her. When… when I did, the Witch Hunter he… he smacked me back, he… he tried to rip at her trousers, and when… she screamed so did I and… and that… that's when…."

Dominik reached out and grabbed the girl's hand, as she shook her head again, sobbing and closing her eyes.

"That was when the magic came out the first time… I… I can't even remember what happened until I woke up. When I did Celina she… she was… she was-." Fiona sobbed, before she couldn't talk anymore, and Ciri hugged her again.

"You don't have to go on… it's alright… it's alright," Ciri said gently, as Fiona looked up at her, and then over to Dominik.

She shook her head and sobbed again. "No… no it's not… Celina she… she's dead because of me. I… I'm a monster, and… and now… now I… I know that… that Drogar he… he's my father… I really am a monster."

"No, you're not. You're not a monster." Dominik said, reaching to hold both the girl's hands, as she turned and met his eyes he shook his head. "It's our actions that determine who we are, not the circumstances of our birth. I've known monsters who more human than most humans, and humans that are more monstrous then monsters. It's what we do with the life we're given, that determines who we are. Fiona… none of that was your fault, your magic, your life, what you do with it, that is going to be what determines who you are."

Fiona's head shot to him, sobbing again as she shook her head. "But… but I killed her! She… she was my best-friend, and she died… died because of me, I… I don't want magic; I don't want to hurt anyone else with it."

Dominik met her eyes reassuringly again, slowly shaking his own head. "Sometimes in life, there are things out of our control, things that happen no matter what we do. You didn't mean for it to happen Fiona, you were scared, worried, and the magic came out."

"Exactly! I can't control I…. I did something horrible because of it. I… I never asked for it, the magic it… it's terrifying, I… I don't want to be a source, I don't I-." Fiona started panicking, hyperventilating, before Ciri calmly stroked her hair.

Ciri looked down at her apologetically, shaking her head. "I'm afraid you don't have a choice darling; I said the same thing. I didn't want it either, I wanted it all to go away."

Fiona shakily looked up at her. "But… but it's the reason Celina died… I… I didn't mean too, but… but it's horrifying… I… I'm terrified Ciri… I don't know what to do."

"You don't have to be afraid of it darling I promise. Yennefer helped me realize that." Ciri said, gently smiling at the girl while stroking her hair, shaking her head she met her eyes. "Magic is chaos yes, but it's also art, beauty and science. It can be a curse, a blessing, and progress. It all depends how you use it, and to what purpose. And magic is everywhere. All around us. Easily accessible."

To help Ciri's point, Dominik brought his hand in front of the girl's face. He made the proper sign with his hands, and with a snap, a gentle warm flame appeared from his hands. Fiona jumped, before looking at the flame with wide eyes, her face getting inches from it, feeling its warmth. As she looked at it, gently swiping her hand over the top of it, Dominik nearly scoffed as he met Ciri's eyes. She smiled over at him appreciatively, as the fire in his hand gently glew. Fire was life, just like magic, it could be destructive, but also calm, and full of life.

He remembered a month prior when he first began using signs with Geralt. Something like he was doing now would have knocked him out within minutes, and now he could do it like it was nothing. Fiona lightly laughed as she waved her hand over the flame, looking up and meeting Dominik's eyes. He smirked at her, and started weaving the fire between his fingers, making her scoff a breathlessly laugh and jump again, as she watched him twirled the flame in his hands. He heard Ciri lightly laugh as well, before he snapped his finger and the flame disappeared.

Dominik smiled at her, as the girl looked up at him, a small smile on her pale face. "It's nothing to be afraid of. Ciri and I will be able to teach you to control it. What happened wasn't your fault. You're not a monster."

Fiona smiled for a moment, before Dominik saw it quickly fall. She looked down at her hands, they were trembling, and it was as if she was waiting to see if they grew scales. He looked up and met Ciri's eyes again, and they both quickly thought the same thing, they knew what she was thinking, and when Fiona looked back up at him, she sniffled, wiping her tears and shaking her head.

"I may not look like it but… but I am…" She said, shaking her head she sniffled again, looking between them. "My… my father he was one… I'm his blood… what does that make me?"

"Your own person," Dominik said shaking his head. "Who our parents are don't define who we are, or who we turn out to be."

"But… but he did horrible things… horrible things to me, to everybody. After… after I woke up, another… another Witch Hunter had found me." She said slowly, sniffled and shaking her head. "I thought I was done for but… but Drogar he… he had found me, killed the Witch Hunter. He told me… that I couldn't go back to the Passiflora, because the Witch Hunters would follow me, said I would only be safe if I came with him. So… so I went and… and when we got to the camp…"

"Shhh… you don't have to say anything else," Ciri said, she shook her head and met the girl's eyes. "He won't hurt you anymore. And it's like Dominik said…who our parents are don't truly define who we are. Our life is our own to make our own path… it doesn't always have to be the same as our parents. You don't judge a person, for the sins of their fathers."

Dominik knew exactly what she meant, and he was prouder of her then he could ever be for finally accepting and realizing that face. She met his eyes, and he smiled at her, winking at her, which made her laugh, before he looked back down to Fiona. Her quivering eyes met his, and he sighed, gently shaking his head.

"A couple of weeks ago… Ciri and I fought in a battle, with a friend of ours," Dominik started, shakily sighing as he could practically see the explosion in his vision. "He… he was the cousin, of… someone who did, really bad things to Ciri and me, but… but he was different. He was… one of the bravest men I'd ever met in my life… a good friend."

Ciri met his eyes wonderingly at his words, and Dominik met her gaze, gently shaking her head. Their unspoken language passed between them, as he realized that night he'd have to tell her about Declan and Cahir, however, she didn't press him more then, understanding why he brought up the matter.

Fiona shakily met his eyes. "What…what happened to him?"

Dominik shakily sighed himself, slowly shaking his head. "He… he died. He sacrificed himself so that Ciri and I could make it. The point is… he wasn't his cousin, he was his own man… and I realized that too late, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. But.. what he did, was he came to terms with what his cousin did, and he set out to forge his own path, not letting what his cousin did affect him."

"The sooner you come to terms with it… and realize that you define who you are, not your parents, the sooner you'll find peace," Ciri said, smiling over at Dominik, before looking down to meet Fiona's eyes. "Do… you want to know who my father is?"

Fiona titled her head. "I.. I thought Geralt was your father?"

"He is, he's my real father, always will be." Ciri said, before sighing and slowly shaking her head, meeting Fiona's eyes. "But… my birth father… is Emhyr Var Emrys, the emperor of Nilfgaard."

Dominik was taken aback, he knew that if Fiona was to travel with them, she'd figure out eventually, but never had he seen Ciri even think about willingly sharing that information. He breathlessly scoffed, shaking his head a smiling at her, the pride washing over him, and apparently Ciri could see it in his eyes, because she smiled slightly sheepishly. He knew that was something, as Fiona was doing now, that she struggled with for her entire life, but seeing her able to openly admit it, and simply dismiss it as if it was nothing, because in the end she was her own person, Dominik wanted to lean and kiss her there, proud beyond belief that she was finally able too.

Fiona's eyes widened and she shook her head. "The… the Emperor? Really? He… he's your father?"

"He is yes… I struggled with it for years. I woke up… disgusted with it. The fact a man so vile was my father… I lamented over it every day," Ciri said, shaking her head as she sighed and gently smiled down at the girl. "But… Dominik and Geralt helped me realize… that it doesn't matter. There's nothing I can do to change the fact he's my birth father but… the sooner I accepted it, the sooner I realized that my life is my own… the sooner I'd find peace with it, and that's what I did."

Dominik nodded quickly, leaning over and moving a strand of the girl's hair from her face. He smiled at her and nodded. "You are your own person Fiona. You forge your own path, and nobody can take that away from you…. And Ciri and I are going to be there for you."

Fiona looked between them both again, and after a moment, she leaned forward, hugging around his waist again. Dominik breathed a sigh of relief, and melted into the girl's hug, wrapping his arms around her as well, before Ciri came and did the same. He met Ciri's eyes over her head, and she grinned at him, and seeing her smile, her green eyes sparkled, his heart flipped again, as he felt Fiona squeeze tighter around him in her bed. He looked out the window, seeing the full moon rise higher, and the fatigue washed over him, his armor finally feeling like it was starting to weight him down.

He looked over at Ciri as well, she was just as fatigued, large bags under her eyes, the bruises on her cheek swelling, her bun practically fallen apart. However, she still leaned down and kissed the top of Fiona's head, before smiling back up at him. He stared at her with his arms around Fiona, and it was as if they had a whole conversation with just their eyes.

That conversation, was accepting the responsibility, accepting that this girl between them now was going to be their future. They first needed to get there, kill Eredin, finish their own story together, the phase of their journey that they were on now. Yes, they still had a lot to do, it could get them killed, it could change their lives even more then it had already been in the last day. So much could happen in the next few weeks against the Hunt, but as looked down, they both looked down, they knew that they had an even bigger reason to live now. Not just for their friends, for Geralt and Yen, for themselves, but for Fiona, who was counting on them now.

Fiona shifted back on her bed, sniffling and wiping her eyes. Dominik could see the girl was still pale. Along her arms, under her nightgown Ciri and Danara had put on her, he could still see the red marked, from where the orange, burning magic had erupted from her. The cut along her cheek was bruised over now, her hair wasn't washed still, and frazzled behind her back, but Ciri still gently stroked it anyway, smiling still down at her. Dominik saw she was exhausted, she went to speak, but yawned first.

She yawned, before looking desperately at them both. "Do… do you both really have to leave? I… I have Mikel and Danara I know but… but do you really have to go?"

Ciri answered, sighed and slowly nodded. "We do… I'm sorry darling, but we must get back. The longer we stay here now… the more danger you're in."

"But… but what about you both? I want to help, I… I don't want anything to happen to you both…" Fiona said, shakily sighing as she looked between them. "I… I can help, I swear…"

Dominik sighed and smiled down at her. "I've no doubt you could. But this is still too dangerous for you, and we don't want anything to happen to you…. Three months. That gives me and Ciri time to… defeat the people we're fighting and get everything ready for you to come with us."

Fiona's eyes widened, quivering, she looked between them. "But… but what… what if you forget about me?"

"We won't, we promise," Ciri said, cupping the girl's cheek and smiling at her. "We _will _come for you…. Three months, we swear it. Right Dominik?"

"She's right," He said confidently, meeting Fiona's eyes and grabbing her hand. "You… you're our destiny."

She slowly looked to them both. "You… you mean it? I'm your destiny? I really… really am?"

"You're something more.. so much more… I can already tell," Ciri said, as Dominik's heart burst at her words, while Ciri leaned down and kissed the girl's forehead. "Besides… I could use another girl along, Dominik smells something awful, and maybe with two of us, we can finally convince him to wash his socks more than once a week!"

"Hey, I wash them plenty!" Dominik said, as Fiona and Ciri both laughed, pure laughs of genuine joy.

He got slightly annoyed for a second, but hearing them both laugh, there was truly nothing that could have made him smile even faster. He looked and saw Fiona laughing as she leaned into Ciri's chest, the two of them looking so incredibly similar to one another, the eyes, the laugh, the mannerisms, it all mirror each other. It wasn't just that, but their stories that we close as well. Ciri obviously had much more power than the girl, and was being hunted for it, but still, the both of them, Dominik knew had so much in common already.

And he was going to love every single second of them together.

Fiona finished laughing, looking at them both again, a small smile on her tired face. "Okay… but… but could you… stay with me… just a little longer? And… and maybe tomorrow before you leave you… you can show me more moves? Did… did you see I tried to the stance you showed me! I tried it even… even though I didn't last very long…"

Dominik smiled, his heart warming as he grinned at her. "Well… I don't think that'll be a problem, but it's up to Ciri. She's in charge, I'm just her humble servant."

He smirked and spoke jokingly as he looked over to Ciri. Fiona laughed and Ciri rolled her eyes playfully at him.

"Ass…" She said, with a small smile on her face, before she looked down at Fiona again, smiling at her and nodding. "But yes… I don't think that'll be a problem. We'll stay and have lunch and leave a bit later in the day. We'll both show you some more training exercises. How's that sound?"

Fiona for the first time looked excited, but she quickly yawned and nodded. "Okay! I… I'll listen to every word I promise! I… I'm really… really tired."

Dominik nodded, pulling the blanket up over her as she laid back. "I know you will. Get some sleep… you got training in the morning, and believe me, you're gonna need some rest."

Fiona eagerly nodded again, losing the battle to close her eyes. He and Ciri both laid with her for a few more moments. Dominik laid next to her, holding her hand, while Ciri gently moved to lay down next to her, gently running her gloved hands through the girl's frizzy hair. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, lightly snoring below them.

After she was, Dominik gently sighed, slowly moving his hand out of the girls as it went limp with her falling asleep. He looked over and nodded at Ciri, she nodded and slowly climbed off the bed as to not wake her up. After she stood, Dominik leaned down, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders, and tucking it under her as he remembered Geralt doing for he and Ciri on the road to Kaer Morhen all those years ago. He watched her face as she slept for a moment, and finally, after seeing it frazzled, scared for so many hours, it finally looked peaceful, as she lightly snored with her chest rising and falling.

Ciri's whispering voice came from behind him. "You're going to be great with her you know… I always knew you would."

He quietly laughed and turned to her. "So you thought about us raising kids often then?"

She rolled her eyes, and stepped up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. He squeezed her back, before they both turned to look down at Fiona.

Ciri smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder. "A few times yeah. Didn't think it'd be for some time but… I always knew you'd be great."

"Not nearly as good as you," He said right away, smiling down at her, as he slid an arm around her waist. "You're a natural, she seems to love you already."

She grinned, shrugging her shoulders, not taking her eyes off the sleeping Fiona. "Well… it's because I look at her… and I see myself. Also well… as you know, Yen's a great role model… poor thing was exhausted."

As she said that Ciri yawned, and when she winced, grabbing onto her stomach and stretching her back, Dominik gently laughed.

"Aha… speaking of exhausted, I think we should be getting to bed too," He said, turning and smiling at her. "Look like you could use a bath, some food, and most importantly some sleep. You don't look too hot princess."

She scoffed a laughed and grinned at him. "You don't look so hot yourself either mister… but you're right about all those things. Come on, I know it's late, but I'm starving, we also both need that bath. And if you want to spoil me, you'll rub out these kinks out of my back."

He laughed quietly and reached to wrap an arm around her. "Always willing to spoil, you know me princess."

She quietly laughed as well, leaning forwards her lip's inches from him. "Aha, suck up… but thank you…. I love you."

She leaned forward and kissed him for a moment. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed back, and after a few seconds they broke apart. Looking deep in her eyes, his heart fluttered again, as he sighed and pulled back, holding onto her hand.

"I love you too… come on, let's go get some rest, I'd say we earned it." He said, before looking at Fiona one more time, and leading her towards the door.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The snow the next day, had been the surprise Dominik didn't know he wanted. Ciri and he had slept like rocks the night before after their baths, and he indeed did rub all the kinks out of her back. They gorged themselves for a very late dinner, before like they had promised, gotten up bright and early to head back to Fiona at Mikel and Danara's the next day. The two had of course let them come for lunch, and Fiona had seemed as good as new when they arrived. She eagerly had gone outside with Dominik, and just as they did was when the snow started falling. It was gentle, but still chilly, and large piles were slowly starting to form.

Fiona had asked if it meant they had to postpone their training session. Dominik however, had scoffed, saying that at Kaer Morhen, you trained every day, rain, snow or shine every day you would run the gauntlet and the pendulums, so they would be heading out anyway. Fiona had certainly been more enthusiastic then he was when he used to have to train in the snow, Dominik found it adorable at the moment, but knew in the back of his head, her love for it would more than likely end once his Uncle Vesemir got to training her, if they ever did take her to Kaer Morhen.

It was around midday, lunch time when Ciri, who had been helping Danara prepare for lunch, had come out, giving Dominik, who had been at it with the girl for hours a break. Dominik had never trained anyone himself before, so he didn't exactly know how. He decided on taking inspiration from all the trainers he had over the years. His father, Geralt, Vesemir, Eskel, Lambert, even Faram and George. Fiona had been adamant he show her tips on the reversed grip when she saw him holding his sword that way while parrying her strikes, but Dominik told her you needed to know how to fight forehanded before you learned a reverse grip, much to Fiona's dismay. He enjoyed the time, Fiona had lapped up everything he said, taking his advice and she had improved with each small spar they had. He even showed her proper exercises and patterns of footwork that she could use to practice by herself. Never in his life, had he remembered himself having so much energy during a training session, he knew it was more than likely just her excitement, but Dominik still loved every moment.

After Ciri had come to take over, saying that the two of them would have a 'girls only' training session, Fiona laughed, and they ushered Dominik back to the house.

The snow was still gently falling, and now Dominik stood over the counter in Mikel and Danara's. Danara was relaxing on their bed, little Dominik in her arms, while Mikel had been setting thing out for them all to have lunch. Roast chicken, vegetables, potatoes, wine, ale, apples, grapes, bread, Danara and Mikel had decided to do something special, for lunch as opposed to dinner with he and Ciri both knowing that they'd be leaving afterwards.

He hadn't wanted to leave, a part of him wanted to say even longer, train more with Fiona, stay in a room at the inn, catch up with Anton. The village that day was lively, more akin to how it was when Dominik first came, people out in the streets, smiling and working hard, as Anton's knights helped repair buildings, sew new fields, make new tools. With Ciri there, Fiona, Dominik felt he could have spent weeks there, not worrying about the troubles of the outside world.

However, he knew that he couldn't, Ciri had felt the same way as him, but she knew as well. If they didn't defeat Eredin, Ciri and he would never return, they'd both be dead, and then Eredin would destroy the village, and every other one like it on the continent. Three months, that was when they'd be back, but Dominik wanted to savor every moment there that he could.

"Good, make sure when you spin or pirouette, it's on the balls of your feet, not your heels," Ciri instructed, tapping the bottom on her heeled boot with the wooden practice sword. "Spins and pirouettes are crucial to any witchers combat style, remember what Dominik said about the way witchers fight?"

Fiona eagerly nodded. "They're free flowing, swift, and subtle!"

"Exactly," Ciri said, a smile coming to her face as she got into a stance and tapped the snowy ground in front of her. "Now, come at me again, remember the strike pattern. High right, low left, pirouette and strike at my back, ready?"

Fiona nodded again, eagerly bouncing as she adjusted her stance, and Dominik grinned when he saw perfectly get in the stance he had shown her the day before. He could still see she had red marks, and blisters on her arms from the day before, but other than that, she seemed like nothing wrong. She had the wooden practice sword in one hand, but Dominik could see the silver dagger he gave her slid into her leather belt. Ciri had even helped her tied her hair up behind her head in a bun, the same way she wore hers. Fiona's brown locks were dotted with snow, but it stayed in the tight bun, and now she looked even more similar to Ciri. The girl's green eyes sparkled with excitement, as slowly at first, struck high right like Ciri instructed. She wore a long-sleeved tunic now, with a thick black scarf, she bit her lip in determination as she pulled back to strike low left.

Ciri gently parried both blows, smiling the entire time as the snow gently fell around them. She wore the scarf around her top, it gently bounced on her shoulders, and see the smile on her face, Dominik's heart melted despite the cold. Ciri had told him the night before, the Fiona looked incredibly similar to him, down to their eyes, but Dominik truly thought she looked more like Ciri, everything except for the hair. Ciri blocked the low left strike, and Fiona went to try her pirouette again, but she tripped on the snow, and didn't spin on the ball of her foot, and quickly stumbled and fell into a pile of snow.

"GAH!" She said, as she quickly sat up, spitting snow out of her mouth, sighing she looked up at Ciri. "That's the fifth time I've gotten that wrong…"

Ciri smiled broadly down at her, reaching down to help her to her feet. "My Uncle Vesemir always said, that every fall, every hurt you receive is a lesson, something we can learn from…. What did you do wrong?"

Fiona sighed and looked down to her black boots. "I… spun on my heel, and I fell backwards, when… I should've spun on the ball of my foot like you said."

"Exactly," Ciri said, the smile still evident on her face, as she smirked at the girl. "See? You learned something from that failure, and you can learn something from every one that comes after it. So, do you want to try again?"

"Of course I do! I don't want to stop until I get it right," Fiona said, biting her lip for a moment as she met Ciri's smirking gaze. "Will… will I get to go Kaer Morhen like you and Dominik did?"

Ciri laughed and ran a hand over the top of her head, smiling down at her. "I don't see why not. You'll need to be ready though. Uncle Vesemir won't go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want him too! I want to be as good as you and Dominik are!" Fiona said, doing the adorable thing she did when she bounced on her toes.

"Well, that's possible yes," Ciri said, a smirk on her face as she moved a strand of her hair out of her face. "But you'll need to remember what I said. On the way, during your training, and during life, you're going to fail, fail a lot I promise. Dominik and I aren't perfect, nobody is, it's how we respond to our failures that define who we are. Always remember that."

Fiona slowly nodded, reaching and picking up her practice sword again. "I will, I promise! Can we try it again now?"

Ciri laughed again, nodding and taking a step back, holding out her own practice sword. "Of course. Now, let's try again. This time, high left, high right, low right, pirouette, remember your attack zones."

Fiona eagerly nodded and got back in her stance. Dominik had told Mikel he would help him set out everything for lunch, however, the moment he looked out the window, and saw them both, Ciri and Fiona, his girls, his future, he couldn't help but stop and watch. Ciri was so natural with her, like she was born for exactly what they were going to do. He watched as Fiona attacked all the zones correctly, before performing not a perfect, but still a particularly good pirouette for someone her age and struck at Ciri's back. Upon seeing she had done it correctly, she scoffed and whooped, tossing herself into Ciri's waist with a hug. Ciri had been laughing, and hadn't expected it, but when it happened she laughed harder, nearly falling into a pile of snow.

Their laughs hit his ears over the cold wind, and he watched as Ciri ruffled the top of her hair, smiling at her and telling her to get ready to strike the dummy next. Seeing the two of them together, nothing had felt more right to him than that. Fiona started smacking at the dummy again, keeping her elbow locked, using only one hand. Ciri stood behind her, her arms crossed, her own sword clunking on her back in the wind. Ciri would shout out attack zones, and Fiona leapt out at them, looking back to Ciri ever second it seemed to make sure she was watching. The snow lightly fell around them both, and Dominik could see larger piles forming.

"Aye… I remember what you told me about love," Mikel said behind him, and Dominik finally managed to look away as he heard the man go on. "You said, you know you love someone, when you care for their happiness more than your own…. Can tell that's true for your case…. You and Ciri… you'll be great for her."

Dominik whirled around, to see Mikel with two bottles of wine in his hands. He scoffed sheepishly, taking one more look outside at Ciri and Fiona training. Fiona went to spin again, but went far too fast, and spun out of control landing in a pile of snow. Ciri laughed, and jogged over to help her up, she pulled Fiona up out of the snow and the girl spit more out of her mouth, wiping it out of her light brown hair as they both laughed again.

He sighed fondly, scoffing and turning to Mikel with a smile. "You two are great with her too… can't thank you enough for that."

"Bah, it's been my pleasure, and will continue to be!" Mikel said, offering Dominik one of the bottles, as the two stood over the dinner table while the man went on. "We'll be happy to let her stay as long as you need."

"Thank you, truly." Dominik said, as he placed the wine bottle on the set dinner table, Mikel did the same and he met the man's eyes. "Three months we promise. We need time to deal with the Wild Hunt, and after that, to ready ourselves, also we… well…"

His face got slightly flustered as Mikel laughed heartily. The man nodded in understanding, placing his own bottle of wine on the table.

"Aha… you want to spend some time by yourselves traveling together as well. No shame in it, I assume you've been waiting to do that a long time." Mikel said. The man smiled and met Dominik's eyes again. "But you're coming back, that's all that matters. Take as long as you need my friend… because I can already see how much you care for her."

Dominik smiled and nodded, looking back out the window. "Yeah… I guess I do."

He watched as Fiona and Ciri had moved to sparring again. Fiona kept going at Ciri, time and time again, but just like Dominik, Ciri didn't show any mercy to the girl. Time after time Fiona was knocked into the snow, but each time she laughed, before lashing out again, even more determined. Ciri had said multiple times, she saw herself when she looked at the girl, saw herself and Dominik, and he couldn't have agreed more. That will and determination, the eagerness, the want to truly help people, all of that, along with the feisty side, the stubbornness he already saw. Combine it all with the fact that she quite literally did look like Ciri and he put together, he already found himself caring immensely for the girl. She clearly already had affection for Ciri and he, and Dominik found himself flustering with embarrassment at how the girl lapped up and eagerly praised him, asking him what she did wrong on every combo and spar.

It was true, that he and Ciri wanted to spend some time by themselves yes, but when they did come back for her, Dominik eagerly awaited all the adventures they would go on. Together, they'd see every part of the continent, just like they all had dreamed.

But first, Ciri and he had to refocus themselves on the matter at hand. He looked down at the dinner table and found himself wondering what could have happened in Novigrad as they'd been gone. It'd been three days since they were last there and would take them at least another day before they were back. Had Yennefer and Triss found any more sorceresses of the Lodge? Had Ida and Keira truly come? What had Avallac'h wanted Geralt so badly for? What about Adda? Had she gone through with her plan to kill Radovid yet? And what about his friends, what had they been doing? All of the questions came swarming back to him. That final fight, the final battle was coming soon, and in Novigrad, as soon as they got back, they'd need to finish preparing.

However, he heard Fiona whooping in celebration again, as he saw her successfully strike after a spin, which she transition into another, much slower spin, but still managed to connect with the dummy. Ciri laughed at her excitement and clapped for her, as Fiona eagerly looked back, asking if Ciri saw. Ciri confirmed that she did, before yelling out a new strike pattern, and Fiona quickly went back to work hacking away.

No, he wouldn't worry about what was to come, just for a little bit longer.

"Ah, Sir Anton! You're more than welcome to stay for lunch, we made plenty." Mikel said eagerly behind him, as Dominik heard the clunking of armor.

He whirled around, and grinned when he saw Anton had indeed come to the house. Mikel was right when he said there was plenty. The large plate of chicken, roasted vegetables and potatoes, along with plates, mugs and wine were all set out, and his stomach rumbled just as the smell. He looked up and saw Anton smiling, the old knight nodded, his helmet under his arms, as the light from the candles danced off his bright white armor, along with the light coming from outside. It was snowing yes, but it was still around midday, and the sun was shining brightly through the clouds.

Anton nodded to Mikel and smiled. "Aha, thank you for the offer, but I've eaten already. Just come by to see Dominik and Ciri before they both left."

Mikel grinned, looking over at Dominik before he nodded. "Aye no problem at all. I'll give you two the room."

Dominik nodded thankfully, as Mikel went over to join Danara near their bed. The bed where Dominik could hardly believe that only a month or so prior, he had saved the man from being eaten by a vampire. Mikel sat with Danara, as the two of them gushed over their son, and Dominik turned back to Anton.

He had been so caught up with Fiona, that he still hadn't had time to properly marvel at the fact Anton wasn't only alive but standing in front of him. The man still had the sparkling grey eyes, full of wisdom and experience, his balding grey hair was slicked back, and just like back in Cintra, despite his old age, he knew Sir Anton would give any man a hell of a fight. Anton had always been large as a bull, but was always gentle, kind, ready to help Ciri or he with anything at a moment's notice. The fact he was alive, and had been looking for them both, it had been something he could only have dreamed of.

Anton grinned at him, looking out the window where he saw Ciri and Fiona both sparring again. Dominik looked at well, as Ciri shouted out attack patterns for Fiona to follow, and Fiona did without question. The snow fell around them as Ciri danced around her, parrying and dodging with complete ease as Dominik did with the girl earlier. He laughed and so did Anton, when Fiona lunged wildly as she was completely out of breath. Ciri side-stepped, knocking her sword up out of her hands, and sweeping Fiona's legs from under her, as the girl stumbled into a pile of snow.

Fiona poked her head up, wiping snow from her face, as Ciri laughed, tapping the ground with her sword and saying to come again.

Anton grinned, coming up next to him and looking down at him. "How's the girl feeling?"

"She's okay… been through a lot, reminds Ciri of me of ourselves she does…" Dominik said, looking and meeting the man's gaze.

"Aye… don't even truly know, but I can tell you have…" Anton said, shaking his head and sighing. "I'm sorry I never found you both lad… truly I am."

Dominik shook his head right away. "It wasn't your fault Anton, not at all. Besides… we found our destiny, we found Geralt. Nothing we can do to change the past now, we're all okay, that's what matters now."

Anton smiled pridefully and sighed, keeping the grin as he nodded. "Aye… I suppose you're right…. Gods, the two of you… a child surprise. I can remember when you were both even younger then she is."

"Feels like forever ago…." Dominik said, smiling one last time at Ciri and Fiona, before he turned to face Anton. "Much has changed, some good things… some bad."

Anton lightly laughed. "Ha… some things haven't…. Like the fact you're both still sodded with each other beyond belief."

Dominik scoffed a laugh, slowly shaking his head. "Was it really that obvious? Even when we were eleven?"

"Oho it most certainly was my boy!" Anton said, laughing heartily from his gut, as he playfully met his eyes. "I watched you both from the time you were born! Watched you both grow up and… never had I seen two people who seemed made for one another."

"Destiny has weird ways of working…" Dominik said, a grin creeping onto his face as he looked out at Ciri again. "I don't just protect her… she protects me. We're a team…. I wouldn't want to spend eternity with anyone else…"

He didn't know what brought such passionate words on, but he looked and saw Ciri almost laugh in slow motion as she dodged a strike and poked Fiona's stomach. The girl laughed and went to strike again right away. He remembered when they were younger, how people would joke to Dominik and her when they were together, by asking Dominik, 'still keeping an eye on Ciri?'. Ciri would always get angry, insisted that they protected each other, not just one way around. Dominik knew this as well. They were truly a team, a duo, partners and lovers, and he wouldn't want it any other way, or with anyone else.

And it seemed that they would be taking on a new challenge together soon.

"Aye… young loves a beautiful thing to see… especially when it's between two that I care so much about…" Anton said, fondly he looked down and met Dominik's eyes with a grin. "So, what will you two do after you leave?"

Dominik sighed fondly out at Ciri and Fiona once more, before turning to Anton with a small smile. "We're heading back to Novigrad. Geralt, Yennefer, and the rest of our friends are there. Going to finish up some final preparations before we head out to face the Hunt again. What about you and your knights? What will you do?"

Anton smirked at him, gesturing out towards the front window. "Well, we're going to stay here for a few days. I already have some of the lads and lasses making trips from the dragon's cave, bringing back out the hoard for the villagers."

His eyes, widened, and he scoffed. "You… you're going to give them all of it?"

"We'll keep a bit to help repair our weapons, our armor, buy some food from them for our next few weeks, but yes, most of it is going to them," Anton said, slowly shaking his head and meeting Dominik's eyes. "They've suffered enough, and with winter coming, the gold they get for what was in the hoard could help them survive. We'll also stay to help them continue rebuilding, and sowing new fields, this snowstorm means winters upon us. Hulda at the inn has already let most of us stay in rooms."

A wide grin came to his face, if anyone deserved what was in the dragon's treasure hoard, it was the people of Claywitch. They had helped them find Drogar's hideout, had saved him before, and he had been to very few places, that seemed so lively, peaceful, untouched by the horrors of war around them.

He scoffed a smile and nodded. "That… sounds amazing. So what about after that? Going anywhere in particular?"

Anton laughed and shook his head, the smirk still on his face as he met Dominik's eyes. "You jest right my boy? Of course you know where we'll be going!"

"I… can't say I do," Dominik said.

Anton grinned and looked deep into his eyes. "I thought I told you… we're going to come and help you fight the Wild Hunt."

Dominik's eyes widened, as he truly did forget that they told Anton about the Hunt. While he loved the idea of fighting alongside Anton again, the other idea, the idea of he and his men dying fighting the Hunt was too much for him to bare.

He met the man's eyes and slowly shook his head. "Anton… I truly can't ask you and your knights to do that. The Hunt they… they're different then bandits, or the Black Ones. I've no doubt of your abilities, but… I can't ask you all to follow me into this fight."

Anton sighed, a light laugh leaving him as he looked at Dominik. "Aha… just like your father. Gods, Gregory was the same way when he first took command. It's as I said my boy… we're soldiers, we know the risks. Besides, after what you told me the Hunt wants to do? No, we can't sit by and be idle, she may not have the official title, but Ciri is still our princess, and you, our would-be leader, had things turned out differently. My knights and I… we'll follow you into battle my boy, just like most of us did for your father."

Dominik was taken aback, his stomach fluttered, his face sheepishly getting red. He would never be anything close to the man his father was, he knew that from the moment he was born. Sir Gregory had been a hero, and it wasn't just that, Dominik would never be the man he was, the man Sir Gregory, or Geralt were. It was a fact he was fine with, but hearing Anton speak, how he and the rest were ready to follow him, he couldn't help but feel, that perhaps he truly had inherited traits from Geralt and his father both.

And as he looked out the window, over at Ciri and Fiona again, he had even more to fight for now. The both of them, his girls, his future. If he could better keep Ciri safe in anyway, he always said that he would. And having Anton there… that would do just that.

He smiled when he saw Fiona go for another spin after a series of strikes. Ciri could have easily avoided the attack yes, but he saw Ciri purposely leave herself open, smirking the whole time. Fiona's wooden sword smacked into Ciri's corset, and when she realized she had landed a hit, the girl dropped her sword into the snow as she whooped and yelled in celebration, making Ciri laugh and smile fondly, as Fiona eagerly grabbed the sword from the snow, and asked to go again. Ciri looked back into the window, saw him staring and winked at him, and Dominik scoffed a laugh, thinking how beautiful she was with the snow drifting around her.

She wouldn't get taken from him, not again, but he knew, he'd need all the help he could get, especially if it was from someone he trusted with his life. He turned and met a smiling Anton's gaze.

"Thank you… I… really hope that I end up being worthy enough for you to follow." Dominik said.

"Aye my boy… you are. I know that you both have a new family, and I'm beyond happy for you both… but I love you both, I'll always be there from now on," Anton said, his eyes pridefully gazing down at him before he nodded. "So… commander, where should I tell the lads and lasses we're going? Should we meet up with you in Novigrad after we're finished here?"

Dominik was about to say yes, before he remembered who was in Novigrad. Every one of the people he was fighting with, he'd give his life for, and trusted them all with his.

All except for one, who he knew was hiding things from them… so he saw nothing wrong with hiding something from him as well.

"Actually… no, don't go there," Dominik said, shaking his eyes and meeting Anton's gaze. "I trust everyone I'm fighting with, well… except for one person, and I don't exactly want to show them my full hand."

Anton nodded skeptically, "Aye… so where is it we should head then?"

Dominik smirked lightly. "I know my father was friends with him… but did you know Crach an Craite?"

Anton scoffed. "Bah, of course I did! Known him basically his whole life, why do you ask?"

"Well, long story short, Geralt and I were looking for Ciri, and when we were in Skellige, Crach promised to help up fight the Hunt," Dominik said, the grin growing wider on his face, as he looked and met Anton's eyes. "His daughter Cerys, she's the new Queen of the Isles, if you tell them both I sent you, they'll let you and your knights stay there I'm sure…. You think you could make it to Skellige?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Come on girl, footwork! Remember the pattern…no! No, it's high right, low left, thrust, overhead, pirouette, again!" Ciri said, feeling like she was Lambert grilling her in one on one sessions back at Kaer Morhen.

Fiona struck out again with a lunge, her first few strikes were precise, Ciri had seen her slowly improving as the session went on. However, when she went out for her overhead strike, she lunged with her sword too far away from her body, and was off balance when she went to pirouette, between that, and slipping on the snow underneath her boots, she slipped, and Ciri swept her feet out from under her, knocking her onto her back into the pile of snow again.

Fiona groaned and sat up, spitting the snow out of her mouth. "Urgh, the snow's too slippery! How am I supposed to spin when I keep slipping like that!"

Ciri laughed, tapping the ground again with her sword. "Aha… just wait until you get to Kaer Morhen, and Vesemir makes you run pendulums in the rain. Pegs are small enough as is. Add them being wet from the rain, it's a recipe for disaster."

The girl sighed and got up to her feet again. The snow was just up past their feet now, and Ciri saw her bun starting to get loose. Dominik and she had gone back and forth about who Fiona looked more like the previous night, and looking at the girl now, Ciri's heart fluttered, realizing that Dominik was probably right. The way she sighed, rolled her eyes, groaned, looked annoyed with one hand on her hip as she leaned back, all it just screamed Ciri.

She could see how tired the girl was, snow was caked in her hair, and as it slowly fell from the sky, more piled up on her scarf. Ciri herself was getting fatigued as well, her stomach still ached from where she was hit the previous day, and despite Dominik rubbing the kinks out for her the previous night, her back still flared up. Fiona was relentless, not seeming to lose any energy at all even with the fact she had been training with Dominik before her as well. Ciri wondered how she had that much energy when she was younger.

"I'm ready! I'll get it right this time, watch!" Fiona said, breathing heavily, her breath visible as she did.

Ciri laughed. "Aha… why don't we take a break? You're exhausted, you've been at this for hours."

"I'm fine I swear!" Fiona said, adjusting her stance again, biting her lip in determination.

Ciri rolled her eyes, a small laugh coming to her as she nodded. "Alright… come on then. High right, low left, thrust, overhead, pirouette, go!"

As Ciri had expected, the girl was much more tired than she let on and lunged out wildly from the high right. Ciri side-stepped, and swung her legs out from under her again, as this time Fiona fell face first into the snow pile.

"Now do you want to take a break mhmm?" Ciri said, her hands going to her hips as she smirked.

Fiona struggled to turn around in the snow pile and sighed as she wiped snow off her long-sleeved tunic. She sighed and nodded. "Fine…"

"Good," Ciri said, smiling broadly. She went and plopped herself down into the pile of snow next to her, looking over at the girl. "You know, nobody becomes a master at the sword overnight, it takes years of discipline and practice. Dominik and I will both admit it, we're far from masters ourselves. Geralt will still put us both in the dirt in seconds."

Fiona sighed again, the snow gently falling around her as she looked up at Ciri. "I know… I just… want to show you both that… that I'm good enough… before you leave…"

Ciri scoffed, reached over she put her arm around the girl's shoulder, ruffling her hair. "You don't have to worry about that darling. Dominik and I, gods, we barely knew the pommel of a dagger from the pointy end when we first arrived at Kaer Morhen."

"Yes but… now you're really, really powerful, and… and I want to be like the two of you," Fiona said, her emerald eyes meeting Ciri's.

Ciri shook her head, smiling still. "And you can be, but you must realize, we didn't get to where we are overnight…. We both went through years of hardship, years upon years of it. We were both forced to learn much quicker than most."

Fiona bit her lip, just like she did herself when she was nervous. "Dominik… Dominik said yesterday… that he had to learn so he could protect you."

"Ha… he would say that," Ciri fondly said, a smile coming to her face as she met Fiona's eyes and slowly nodded. "He did, and the same went for me. We had to protect each other… we couldn't for a while. We… were separated for a long time, but… that time apart? It made us both stronger in many ways. And now that we're back together well… we're stronger than ever."

Ciri looked in the window of Mikel and Danara's house again, and saw Dominik talking to Anton inside. A smile came to her face, as she remembered the old knight saying they'd come help them fight the Hunt. He was probably trying to help Anton find a way to Skellige, Dominik wouldn't tell him to go to Novigrad, not wanting Avallac'h to see what he had to help. The previous night as well, he had told Ciri that they could tell their friends, Geralt and Yen of course, but he didn't want a single word about Fiona mentioned to Avallac'h. It had been another reason he mentioned to her he didn't want to bring her back to Novigrad with them, he stated very clearly he wanted Fiona nowhere near the sage.

She tried to reason with him, saying it wouldn't be a big deal if the sage found out, but she realized quickly she wouldn't convince him, so she agreed. Avallac'h was an ass yes, and grating to her nerves, but one thing the sage hadn't done is lie to her yet. He was being secretive she knew, but through the entire time she travelled with him, he had been honest, and worked in her favor. So as much as Ciri was still furious with him, and wished for the whole experience to be over, she trusted he wouldn't do them any harm. Dominik clearly thought otherwise, and she couldn't blame him, she also knew she wouldn't convince him otherwise, so she agreed they wouldn't tell the sage anything.

They'd defeat Eredin, they'd kill him for everything he'd done, and to do that they begrudgingly needed Avallac'h. But what she told Fiona had been correct. A small part of her, was thankful for what she had gone through, because of how strong it made her, and how much more it made her appreciate the people she had in her life, Dominik, Geralt, her friends. She had been terrified when she first found him again, that the time apart would have weakened the bond they shared, but that was the farthest thing from the truth.

The time apart had only made her and Dominik stronger, strengthened that bond they had.

"Ciri… can I ask you something?" Fiona said, and Ciri was taken out of her musings.

She looked down and saw Fiona's bright eyes looking up at her. "Of course, what is it?"

Fiona bit her lip again, the snow gently hitting her scarf. "How… how long have you and Dominik been together?"

Ciri scoffed a laugh, grinning down at her. "Aha… well, we've known each other since we were eleven. I had a massive crush on him when we were that age, and he had one on me too."

"So… that was when you began dating each other?" She said.

Ciri shook her head. "No, I thought he didn't like me that way, and he was too nervous to tell me how he felt. But… after we got to Kaer Morhen, when we were twelve, we… finally kissed, admitted how we felt, and when we were thirteen… that was when we finally admitted it."

"Admitted what?" Fiona asked again, turning her body around to face her.

Ciri laughed at her sudden eagerness, leaning back on her arms in the snow. "When we admitted we loved each other. We've… technically been together since then, despite the fact we were apart for a while."

Fiona shifted in the snow, seeming to grow nervous as she met Ciri's eyes. "How… how did you know? That… that you loved him, even when you were my age?"

Ciri tilted her head, before smiling and shrugging. "Well… long story short, we were training together one night, and Dominik he almost fell from the walls of the castle. Would've died if I hadn't grabbed him. I was horribly afraid, I thought I'd lost him, that I wouldn't see him every day anymore, wouldn't get to spend time with him… and well… that's when I knew. There's no singular way to know you're in love when you know you… just know. I knew that well… nobody ever made me feel the way he did, make me feel special like he did… why do you ask? Is there a boy in town that you like?"

To her surprise Fiona scoffed. "Oh, gods no! Most of them are even shorter than I am, and gods, they always try to help walk me home, carry my things from the market! I can do that myself, I appreciate the help, but they always treat me like I can't do it myself!"

Ciri laughed from her gut, looking at the incredulous look on Fiona's face. The wind howled, and goosebumps traveled up her skin, but her heart was quickly warmed seeing the broad smile on her face, and looking to see Dominik inside, just shaking hands with Anton, and turning to set more stuff out on the table for lunch. The sun was gently streaming through some of the clouds, giving them plenty of light despite the snow.

It was as if there were no problems in the outside world. There was no Hunt, no prophecies, or fights to come, and she and Dominik were simply a family waiting for lunch to be ready, a small fantasy she always had. She adjusted the sword on her back as she sat, turning and smiling down at Fiona.

"Aha… alright then… why do you ask?" She said, as the girl shifted nervously again.

Fiona sighed and met Ciri's eyes. "In Novigrad there were a… few boys I had a crush on but well… they never lasted long but… but Celina she well… I…"

"Yes…?" Ciri said, an amused smile coming to her face.

Fiona nervously bit her lip again, meeting Ciri's eyes. "The… the reason she was with my group of friends was, was because her father he… was a rich merchant, wanted to marry her off to solidify some new trade deal to another merchant's son! She… she didn't want too; she was already friends with me so… Marquise Serenity let her stay and work at the Passiflora with me! And well… I… well-."

"You had a crush on her," Ciri said, meeting the girl's eyes wonderingly. "So what was the problem, did she like you back?"

Fiona looked at her wonderingly. "She… she did but… but she was a girl!"

Ciri scoffed, rolling her eyes. "There's no problem with that, not at all."

"But… her father said-."

"Whatever her father said was wrong," Ciri cut her off, knowing exactly where the conversation was going, she looked deep into Fiona's eyes. "All that matters in love, is well, that you love each other. Doesn't matter who the other person is. I love Dominik with all my heart but… when we were separated, I… was with one other person for a short while."

Fiona's eyes widened. "You were?"

Ciri didn't like talking about her, but she had taken Dominik's words to heart. She was with him now, they were together now, and that was all that mattered. She'd never be able to change what happened, it was something else she'd have to accept if she wanted to move on, and now, it could even help Fiona.

The wind howled again, and Ciri saw the sun starting to shine through the clouds, but the snow still lightly fluttered. She met Fiona's eyes and slowly nodded.

"I was yes… and she was a girl," Ciri said, and tight away Fiona's eyes widened. She slowly shook her head, sighing and keeping the girl's gaze. "She… wasn't a very good person. She… did something horrible to me but… but I was so alone that well… I felt like maybe if I forced myself to feel in love, that all the pain of losing Dominik would go away."

"And… and it didn't?" Fiona asked, starting to aimlessly play with the snow in front of her while she kept Ciri's gaze.

Ciri scoffed and shook her head. "No… no it didn't. You see, with love. It's like I said. All that matters is that you love each other, respect each other, trust each other, it doesn't matter if that person is a man, woman, elf, dwarf, anything. I trust Dominik with my life, I respect him more than then anyone, and I know he feels the same way about me, that's all that matters."

Fiona smiled for a moment, before she sighed, slowly shaking her head. "I… I really did like her a lot… but…but it doesn't matter now. She… she's dead… because of me… my magic."

"I'm sorry," Ciri said gently, pulling the girl closer to her, looking down at her. "A few weeks ago… I thought Dominik had died, and… and I thought it was my fault as well…. Sometimes in life… things happen that you just can't control, good won't always defeat what's evil, sometimes what we think is good, ends up being evil."

Fiona scoffed again, meeting Ciri's eyes and shaking her head. "If… that's the case, what can we ever do about it?"

Ciri shrugged, a small smile coming to her. "All we can do is focus on what we can control. What happened to Celina… it wasn't your fault Fiona; you couldn't control what happened. And all you can do now, is focus on what you can control, what she would have wanted. We can't control what other's do, but we can control the type of person we choose to be. Forge our own paths."

"That… that all sounds scary…" Fiona said, and Ciri nodded in agreement.

"It is, I won't lie to you. Nothing ever hits you like life does," Ciri started, putting her arm around the girl again and smiling at her. "But surrounding yourself with people who care about you, love you, it helps… and Dominik and I are going to be there for you."

Fiona smiled, and Ciri couldn't help again but think how similar it looked to herself. She leaned over and hugged around her chest, Ciri's heart fluttered, and she smiled while wrapping her arms back around the girl as she felt her waist squeezed. Ciri laughed gently, wiping the snow from her face as she moved strands of her hair, truly not wanting that moment to end.

She was looking forward to the three months yes, her and Dominik alone on the road, something she had always dreamed of. However, the idea of bringing Fiona to Kaer Morhen, watching her go across pendulums, dragging her to one of Vesemir's lectures, seeing all of their friends interact with her and meet her. It all filled her with a childlike excitement herself. Dominik and she wouldn't let what happened to them happen to her. They'd be there for her like she said, and just like Geralt did for them, they'd change the young girl's life, and help her realize her destiny.

Fiona eagerly pulled back from her, looking up, that giddy smile returning to her face. "So, after you come back, what will we do first!? Where will we go!?"

Ciri laughed lightly, stroking the girl's hair. "Oh I don't know… perhaps we'll do what Geralt did for us, take you Kaer Morhen. Our Uncle Vesemir is opening up the gates to training again, men and women, maybe we'll find another girl witcher."

Fiona shot to her feet, smiling eagerly and picking up her practice sword again. "That's perfect! But if I'm going to Kaer Morhen, I need practice, can we go again!?"

Ciri smirked, rising up to her feet as well. She looked up at the sun and determined that it was past midday now. After lunch, her and Dominik knew they'd have to leave right away, as much as they both wished to stay longer, they both also knew that the longer they stayed, the bigger chance Eredin, Baelen, and the Hunt would be able to find them. The last thing they wanted to do was bring the Hunt down them then. No, the fight would be soon yes, but she and Dominik both wanted Fiona as far away from it as possible.

For a few more moments however, she decided she wanted to live in pure ignorance. She reached down and grabbed the other practice sword from the ground, the snow getting higher on the ground now. She adjusted her scarf, and smiled as she turned back around to Fiona, who was eagerly bouncing on her toes.

"I suppose we can," She said, a small smirk coming to her face again. "And you're right about that. Dominik's a big softy, he'll go easy on you, but Vesemir? Oh he won't show any-."

"Ciri! Fiona, come on lunch is ready I'm starving!" Dominik's voice rang in the yard, and Ciri turned to the house to see he had indeed left to come out and get them both.

Her highly trained ears could already hear the snow sloshing under his boots as he closed the door and started walking towards the backyard. Seeing a perfect opportunity in front of her, she grinned wildly and looked down to Fiona who was still looking up at her.

"Wanna get him?" She said, and right away Fiona laughed and eagerly nodded.

Ciri smirked again, gesturing behind the rock her training dummy was in front of. "Go hide, jump out when I saw now!"

Fiona laughed mischievously and ran behind the rock as instructed. Ciri dropped the practice sword, reaching down and picking up a pile of snow and molding it into a ball. She whirled around, keeping the snow behind her back, as she finally saw Dominik coming around the side of the house, his boots crunching in the snow.

He only had one sword along his back now, the sheath for his steel sword was empty, which he told her he didn't mind, not having liked the sword that much anyway. Ciri had already been trying to think of ways to repair his old one, wanting it to be a surprise for him. Despite the fight they were in yesterday, where she could still see faded cuts and bruises along his face and neck, he was still as handsome as he always was. His eyes sparkled, and just like he always did, he smiled at her like she was the most amazing sight he had ever seen, and she loved it just as she always did.

The previous night a large part of her wanted to have a more romantic, intimate evening, but the both of them had been so exhausted they nearly fell asleep in the bath they took. He had given her a massage yes, and they talked, ate, it was a lovely evening yes, but Ciri couldn't remember a time she had been more exhausted. However, she found herself wanting even more nights like that. The two of them exhausted after a day of hunting, fighting, to just lay with one another, talk, massage one another and take baths, it all sounded ever so lovely to her.

However, in that moment, she smirked wildly, and once he got close right away, while keeping her one hand behind her back, placed her other on his chest, smiling up at him.

"Hey handsome, lunch all ready?" She said, leaning up and quickly kissing him.

He scoffed a laugh, kissing her back and nodded. "All ready yeah. Also talked to Anton, he thinks he has a way to get to Skellige with the knights. Said he wanted to see you before we left."

Ciri right away nodded, the ball of snow behind him back as she smiled. "I'll make sure too yes…. Did I tell you that you look awfully handsome today?"

She must have been laying on her sweet tone too thickly, because right away, he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Thanks… where's Fiona?" He said, looking around the yard, and then back to her. "I just saw the both of you out-. GAHHH!"

"NOW!" Ciri laughed, as she had smacked the snowball into his face.

He yelled and stumbled for a moment, as Ciri laughed, he looked at her incredulously, scoffing and going to get snow himself, but that was when Fiona had leapt out from behind the boulder and started pelting him with snow.

"We got you!" Fiona said, laughing and picking up more snow to toss at him.

Dominik was put on the back foot, Ciri kept scooping up balls of snow and throwing hem at him, while Fiona simply seemed to be tossing whole piles on him. Ciri heard him start laughing, as he fell backwards into one of the piles, and Fiona took the opportunity to jump in the pile as well, pelting him and covering him with snow as the girl laughed. Ciri laughed from her gut, as Dominik tried to protect himself, but to no avail, and Fiona, the laughing, elated grin not leaving her kept covering him in snow.

"Oh no you don't!" Dominik said, finally moving his arms, picking the girl up over his shoulder like he used to do to Ciri herself.

Fiona laughed and pounded her tiny fists on his back, laughing as she did. "Haha-HEY! That's no-. Ahaha-. That's not fair!"

"Lesson number one of witchering," Dominik said, laughing as he spun the girl in place on his shoulder, Fiona laughing and gripping him as he went on. "Nobody ever fights fair!"

"Ahahaha, Ciri! Ciri get him!" Fiona yelled, laughing as Dominik reached down, and tossed a pile of snow in her face.

Fiona laughed again, spitting the snow out of his mouth and gripping onto Dominik's shoulders, trying to yank him to the ground, him laughing the whole time as well. Ciri wanted to pause that moment then, as it reminded her every second more and more of themselves and Geralt. Her heart despite the cold wind and snow, had never felt warmer. She always felt frustrated, how her life, her future never truly felt her own.

Her 'father', the Lodge of Sorceresses, Avallac'h, they all had plans for her, plans for her future that involved using her for their own selfish purpose whatever that may be. However, since she had come back, she learned that truly, truly her life was her own. Her future wouldn't be controlled by anyone else other than herself.

And her future was right in front of her then.

"Haha Ciri! Ciri look I got him!" Fiona said, laughing wildly as she tried to pull Dominik down into the pile of snow from his shoulders.

Dominik scoffed, grinning wider then Ciri had ever seen. "Ha, you don't got nothing kiddo, I don't lose snow fights, just ask Ciri!"

Ciri scoffed herself, picking up a pile of snow, and rushing over to him. "Oho, I don't think your memory is working quite right!"

"Oh yeah, check it out princess!" He said, and just as Ciri smashed the snow into his face, with Fiona still on his back, she reached down and picked Ciri up herself.

Ciri laughed, feeling his arm go under her legs, and she was lifted off the ground. Fiona laughed as well, but stumbled and fell off his shoulders, and just like they were kids, he spun her now. She felt the wind nip at her nose, and laughed the whole time, her hair nearly coming undone as she laughed up at him.

"Dominik! Dominik stop, haha, stop, stop too fast- AH!" Ciri said, and just as she said that he dumped them both into the snow.

She felt the snow seep into her top, but she didn't care, she popped her head up, laughing just as Dominik did as well. As soon as he looked at her she scoffed and laugh and tossed more snow into his face. She laughed at him as he rubbed the snow from his face and hair, before wrapped around her waist and took her back to the ground, the both of them laying and hitting the pile of snow. She laughed, laughed more than she remembered laughing in the last eight years combined.

After a moment she finally managed to stop, looking over to see him laughing as well before he met her eyes. He had bruises still on his cheeks, his fluffy brown hair was covered in snow, and he was still the most handsome person Ciri had ever seen, and she playfully wrapped her arms around his neck as they laid in the snow, meeting his eyes, as he looked at her, like she was the most special person in the world. She was going to say something to him, but to her surprise he did first, gently reaching up and moving the hair out of her face.

"You know… I could get used to this, long as you're the one with me," He said, the grin growing on his face, he scooted closer to her. "I…. I I'll never be Geralt but-."

She cut him off by leaning forward and kissing him, the snow falling into their lips as the cold wetness seeped into them, but Ciri didn't care. His kiss was warm, just like it always was, it warmed down her chest, to her core, and as the snowflakes fell between them landing on their cheeks and lips, Ciri knew that she could get used to this as well. She never knew she would ever be able to feel so at peace.

Ciri pulled back from him, gently nodding. "You're going to be amazing; I know you will… and I gotta admit I could-."

"LOOK OUT!" Fiona's voice rang, and Dominik and she both quickly split form each other, as Fiona leapt into the pile of snow.

She landed right between them, snow splashing out over them both, and Ciri started laughing, the three of them all in that snow pile. Fiona popped her head up as she and Dominik did the same, and for those few glorious minutes they all laughed. The snow fell around them, Dominik reached and splashed more snow in Fiona's face, and the girl laughed, lunging herself to hug around his waist, and seeing them both next to her, Ciri's already red cheeks got redder, as she grinned and watched as Fiona pulled back, breathlessly laughing and smiling.

However, after a few seconds, that smile slightly fell as she looked at them. "I… I'm going to miss the both of you… I'm going to miss you a lot."

Ciri looked over at him, and Dominik still hadn't stopped smiling, he gently nodded at her, and in their unspoken language, she knew what he was saying.

She smiled down, wrapping her arm around Fiona's shoulder. "We're going to miss you too darling."

"But don't worry… we'll be back before you know it." Dominik said, reaching and ruffling the girl's hair, making Fiona laugh as Dominik smiled at her. "You're our destiny."

"Not just that… something more." Ciri said, as Fiona gently smiled up at them both.

The girl nodded, and she watched as Dominik smiled at them both, climbing up to his feet as he wiped the snow from his trousers. He sighed, grinning wildly as he reached down hands for them both.

"Come on then, I don't know about you but I'm starving. Training is hard work, Ciri and I would know," He said, as Fiona and she both took his hands, coming up to their feet themselves.

Fiona laughed, holding her stomach. "Well… I am pretty hungry. So, do we cook while we travel? Or just buy pre-made food from inns?"

Ciri scoffed. "Oh you don't want Dominik cooking, trust me. Don't worry, I'll make sure we don't starve."

Dominik rolled his eyes playfully as Fiona laughed. "Oh haha, very funny princess… come on, let's go eat."

Fiona eagerly nodded, walking ahead of them. Dominik lingered back, grinning at her, and offering a hand. Ciri's heart melted even in the snow, as she smiled, grabbing his hand, the both of them watching Fiona walk on.

That was it, that was her future, and nobody would tell her otherwise.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"We can't begin to thank you enough, for everything," Danara said, pulling back from the hug she gave her. "If not for the two of you… I don't know what would have happened."

Ciri smiled and gently nodded, taking a step back from the woman. "It was our pleasure. It was fantastic to meet you… and we should be thanking you again, for looking after her."

Danara shook her head, the smile still on her face. "And it's our pleasure to look after her…. Please be safe, look after each other."

"We will, just like we always do," Ciri promised, looking over at Dominik shaking Mikel's hand, before she looked back to Danara. "Three months, we'll see you then."

"Three months," Danara said, a smile on her face as she nodded.

The snow was still gently falling, and the wind still sent goosebumps up her arms. Ciri turned and saw Fiona, looking despondently at the ground, standing between Mikel and Danara. She fiddled with Dominik's knife in her hands, the silver one he had said she could keep. Her hair had fallen out of the bun Ciri put it in for her, it cascaded down her back with flecks of snow pilling up in her brown locks and her scarf. She aimlessly kicked the snow with her boots, and Ciri smiled grimly, her own heart panging.

Lunch had been fantastic, they laughed, Dominik and Ciri had regaled Fiona, along with Mikel and Danara, with stories of contracts, and adventures from the previous few weeks. Fiona had lapped them up, but Ciri noticed, as the day got slightly later, closer to lunch ending, the girl had grown more and more quiet. Now, it was a few hours until sunset, if Dominik and she rode hard enough, which even in the snow, Clop and Kelpie would be able to do, they would be able to arrive back in Novigrad within the next day or two.

She had said her goodbyes to Anton as well, whom was with his knights around town, while they waited just near the road out. Ciri saw new fields being sowed despite the snow, along with new building projects already in the works. She felt some sense of security, knowing that for the next few days at least Anton would be there to watch after Fiona, and the rest of the village. She was also elated that the old knight would be heading to Skellige as well, to help them in their final fight.

After everything had been cleaned away for lunch, Dominik and Ciri both carefully went over some training techniques that Fiona could use by herself while they were gone. She had lapped them up, listening intently to every word, but Ciri noticed how she wasn't as energetic as she normally had shown. Ciri knew how upset she was and seeing her that way made her heart nearly shatter, as Ciri didn't want to leave herself. She wanted to send a message back to their friends, to Geralt, Yennefer, and tell them all to come there, and they would take an extended vacation. Yen she knew would be ecstatic to know she was technically a grandmother, as she knew the sorceress had always wanted to be a mother alone. Geralt would have a heart attack at first, before the soft heart she knew her father had would show.

However, the blanket of ignorance, Dominik and she had draped over themselves finally had to be pulled off them. It was time to return to reality, and the reality was that they still had much fighting left to do. The last few days were just a taste Ciri knew, a taste of what was to come when that fight was over. And if she wasn't already determined enough to kill Eredin, she was even more so now, because as Dominik said, this was a life she could get used too.

She smiled down at Fiona, who slowly looked up to meet her eyes, Dominik's dagger in both her hands. Snow gently fell between them, as Ciri kneeled down in front of her, reaching out and carefully holding on her arm, smiling the entire time. She knew why Fiona was like this, and despite the fact Ciri didn't particularly want to leave either, it had been a happy two days, so she was determined to only remember it as so.

"Now, make sure you remember the combos Dominik and I showed you," She said, keeping the smile on her face, as Fiona looked up at her. "It may be harder being just you, but they're invaluable to learn. We'll teach you more when we come back."

Fiona slowly nodded; her eyes quivering as she met Ciri's eyes. "I… I will I promise. I… I really wish I could go with you…"

Ciri sighed, feeling her heart flip, but kept smiling. "We wish you could too darling… but it's simply too dangerous. I swear, Dominik and I will always do what we think is best for you."

Fiona nodded again, sniffling, as she looked down at the dagger in her hands. "I… I'm going to miss you… Ciri, I am…"

"And I'm going to miss you dreadfully too darling," Ciri said, as Fiona flung her arms around her neck, and Ciri fiercely wrapped around her waist, kissing the top of her head. "Just make sure you keep kicking the boys' arses who deserve it alright? Keep making me proud."

Fiona scoffed a laugh, sniffling again and wiping her eyes with her sleeve. She met Ciri's eyes and slowly nodded. "I… I will, both of you, I promise. When… when you get back I'm going to be really, _really _good I swear!"

"I know you will," Ciri said, leaning and kissing the girl's cheek, smiling at her as she stood up, her boots crunching the snow. "But… also enjoy yourself alright? Have fun, and remember what I told you about failing?"

Fiona nodded, a small smile coming to her face. "Every fall, and every hurt is a lesson!"

"Ahhh, Uncle Vesemir's old adage," Dominik cut in, kneeling down to Fiona, as he laughed and looked up at Ciri. "Gods, I remember he told me that after my… seventy fifth time failing at the double pendulum?"

Ciri scoffed and smirked at him. "Try about a hundred."

He rolled his eyes playfully and turned back to Fiona. Ciri looked to see Mikel and Danara both watching them, Mikel's arm around his wife as they both smiled at the scene. Ciri checked behind them, as she saw Clop and Kelpie both, pacing around in the snow. She looked up and saw the position of the sun, telling her it was about three o'clock. It was amazing to her how her life had quite literally changed so much in only a day. She found herself eagerly wanting to get to Novigrad, to tell Geralt and Yen the news, but also, still truly not wanting to leave that village.

However, she had been fighting her entire life. And if she fought just a little bit more, it would finally be her own, her own to spend it with whoever she wanted, and those people were kneeling in front of her then.

She watched as Dominik knelt down to Fiona's height, smiling at her, as Fiona gently fiddle with the silver dagger in her hands again.

Dominik smiled at her, holding his hand out on her shoulder. "So, you and Ciri planning more snowball assaults already?"

She scoffed a laugh herself, and Fiona managed to laugh as well, looking up at him, tears gently welling in her eyes.

"Yeah… we're going to get you good we will," She said, sniffling and wiping her face with her gloved hands, meeting Dominik's gaze with the tears still welling up. "You… you really promise you'll come back? That… that you do want me?"

She felt her own heart nearly shatter, as she saw Dominik's face fall. She remembered how he reacted to first seeing the girl, the shock, the denial. Dominik however, sighed, looking deep into Fiona's eyes and slowly nodding.

"I will, we both will, I swear it. Fiona I… I'm sorry how I reacted at first. Truth is, it was because I didn't think I was ready, ready to take care of you and keep you safe…. I promise I'll never lie to you, so… I'll admit, I'm still not sure now," Dominik told her, gently moving a strand of her hair out of the girl's face.

Fiona met his eyes and shook his head. "You can! I know you can! You and Ciri together, you're strong! And… and I can be strong myself, I promise I'll be strong, I won't let you down, I promise I-."

"Shh… easy, easy kiddo," He said, gently smiling, holding out onto one of her hands. "You'll be strong, I know you will, you already are…. I don't know if I'm ready, but… you're my destiny, you're me and Ciri's, and we'll always find each other remember that. We _will _be back, I swear it."

Fiona sniffled again, wiping more of the snow from her face, before she slammed into her, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. Dominik was almost knocked over, and Ciri scoffed a laugh, sniffling herself, and having to wipe her eyes which were watering. She watched, as Dominik tightly hugged around the girl's waist, his one hand gently stroking her hair, while she sobbed lightly, but quickly wiped her eyes as she pulled back from him.

Ciri watched, as Fiona finished wiping her eyes, meeting Dominik's and nodded. "I… I'll be ready for when you come back I swear it! I… I'm going to practice, every day like you said, and… and when you do come back, I'll be ready for anything!"

Dominik laughed lightly, nodding at her. "I know you will…we… need to go now, but I promise we'll-."

"Wait!" Fiona said, quickly, as Dominik got up to his feet. She quickly went to her waist, pulling the silver dagger he gave her, and holding it up to him. "I… I wanted you to have this."

Ciri tilted her head in confusion, watching from behind them. Dominik did the same, gently laughing and taking the dagger from the girl, looking down at her, gently running his hands along the silver.

He shook his head, meeting Fiona's eyes. "Fiona, I said you could have it… it's okay I promise. I gave it to you; you can keep it."

Fiona gently shook her head, sniffling and looking up at him. "I… I know but…. but I… I think I'll be safe here. You… you're going to fight; you'll be in danger… and… you told me it was lucky. I… want you to have that luck…"

Ciri heart truly did beat from her chest, she grinned and lightly laughed, her eyes watering from the scene, as Dominik looked taken aback a minute. For a few seconds, the snow simply fell around them both. Dominik breathlessly laughed, and Ciri knew him for long enough to know, that he rarely cried, only in extreme situations, but then, she saw him blinking rapidly, as he continued to breathlessly laugh. He met Fiona's eyes and slowly nodded, sliding the dagger back into the sheath for it on his belt, right near his dangling crossbow.

He breathlessly scoffed one more laugh, rubbing his eyes, and kneeling down to Fiona again. "Alright… th…thanks kiddo…. I'm gonna miss you."

Fiona sniffled, and nodded quickly, tackling him in a hug again. Dominik hugged her back with new vigor. Ciri watched the scene, her heart melting, as behind her, she heard both their horses walk up behind her. Kelpie and Clop both poked their heads over their shoulder. And Ciri sniffled, laughing as she grabbed both of their reins. She pulled them both behind Dominik and Fiona, just as she saw Dominik pull his head back.

He reached down, kissing the top of her head, shaking as he did, before sniffling and pulling back. "While Ciri and I are gone… you… you should pick out your witcher name."

Fiona wiped her falling tears and looked at them both, smiling but shakily speaking. "My… my witcher name?"

Dominik half sobbed, half laughed, nodding as he grabbed Clop's reins from her. "Yeah… your witcher name. Something for people to know you by. Like Geralt of Rivia, or Dominik of Cintra for example, normally you pick where you're from, doesn't have to be though, got witcher friends, their names are Faram of Undvik, and George of Toussaint, from where they're from."

Fiona kept sniffling from the cold, but eagerly nodded, looking at Ciri. "Ciri what… what's your witcher name?"

Before she could answer, Dominik scoffed. "Ha… Ciri's got more titles and nicknames then she knows what to do with!"

Fiona laughed, and Ciri couldn't help but scoff one out as well. She looked and saw Dominik, climb up onto Clop's back, looking down at Fiona the entire time. Ciri met Fiona's wondering gaze, and breathlessly laughed herself.

"Ha… I'm Ciri of Kaer Morhen," Ciri said, climbing up to the back of Kelpie, as Fiona looked up at both of them, Ciri looked and met the girl's eyes one last time. "Keep it short and simple, easy for people to remember. Think you can have it ready by the time we get back?"

Fiona nodded, more tears coming down her face as looked at them on their horses. Ciri pulled on Kelpie's reins, while Dominik patted Clop's neck, smiling down, still unable to take his eyes off Fiona.

"I… I can, I will I promise! And I promise I'll practice every day, just like you showed me!" Fiona said, tears falling down her face, but her lips were a grin as she looked at them. "I… I'm going to miss you both… I'm going to miss you both dreadfully!"

"We'll miss you too kiddo…" Dominik said, sobbing out a laugh himself, as he looked and met her eyes. "Three months, we promise, we'll be back."

Ciri nodded, tears pricking her eyes as well, raising her voice from atop her mare. "We won't forget about you we promise! We'll be back before you know it!"

Fiona nodded, wiping the streaming tears from her face, and a mixture of her heart racing, love, compassion, and the urge to stay all shot through her. She looked up at Dominik, who was biting his lip, but when he met her eyes, they both nodded. Dominik moved first, looking back at Fiona one last time, as the girl sobbed out smiled, laughs, and waved at them both. Ciri waved first, and Domini did the same, as Ciri saw a single tear roll down his cheek before he snapped onto Clop's reins.

"Come on Clop, back to Novigrad!" He said to his horse, snapping the reins again, as Clop took off down the path out of Claywitch.

Ciri took one last look at Fiona again as well, the girl while crying, was smiling the entire time. The smile on her face, it made her feel like everything would be alright. The girl was Dominik's child of surprise yes, but that didn't make her feel like any less of Ciri's destiny. Just like it was she, Geralt and Dominik, the next generation, it would be her, Fiona and Dominik. She thought about all the things they'd get to take the girl to do, all the things that they could help her experience, and despite the fact she was leaving, Ciri smiled.

She winked at Fiona, before snapping Kelpies reins, and taking off after Dominik.

"I'll miss you! The both of you, I won't stop practicing, I… I'm going to miss you both so much!" Fiona said, running up the path, shooting her arm up and waving at them both. "I… I'll make you both proud! I promise, I promise!"

Dominik and Ciri both stopped at the treeline, looking back and seeing her still waving in the distance. Dominik scoffed a laugh, waving back, the grin not leaving him, as Ciri waved and did the same, her eyes still prickling, as the smile couldn't come off her face.

The wind howled, and the snow continued to beautifully fall. Dominik had always said how winter was beautiful and deadly, and in that moment, as they both looked back at Fiona, it was more beautiful than Ciri could ever remember. Her light brown hair blew behind her back, her too big tunic whipped in the wind, but she didn't stop looking at them both. Ciri shakily sighed, breathlessly laughing, as she looked over at Dominik again.

He met her eyes, and he scoffed a laugh. "So… you ready to do this with me? Like, really ready?"

Ciri nodded, grinning at his scarred face. "I am… more than ready…. I love you."

"I love you too… thank you, so much for coming with me princess," He said, scoffing a laugh as he shook his head, keeping her gaze. "I… I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else."

Ciri would've kissed him had they not been atop their horses. She looked back one more time, sure enough seeing Fiona still standing there, smiling and crying as she looked at them both. Her future, her future with Dominik had just gotten somehow even better, it was only another reason for her to fight now.

And she would, with everything she had, for her future, that would be her own.

"And I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else either," She said, meeting his eyes from atop their mounts. "But… we have business to take care of first."

He nodded, the smile not leaving him. "You're right… and we will. Come on… I'm actually pretty excited to tell Yen, Geralt and everyone else."

Ciri laughed and grinned at him. "So am I… come on, we need to find a cave, or somewhere covered to camp out for the night…. I think we both deserve a bit of a special night; we both did fight a fucking dragon after all."

She winked at him, and started laughing, as he scoffed and his face got beat red. Ciri took on more look back at Fiona, before sighing, smiling, and turning back to a flustered Dominik.

"Come on! I'll race you!" She said, snapping Kelpie's reins as the mare took off.

Dominik scoffed and laughed, snapping Clop's as well, "Ha, race me to where!?"

"Doesn't matter, long as it's towards Novigrad, come on!" She yelled, turning and racing out towards the forest, Dominik right behind her.

**A/N: And with that ladies and gentlemen, the Return to Claywitch arc is official over! I've had this arc planned since I wrote chapter TWO, and the fact I finally got to write it now, is just mind boggling to me, and I am so so thankful that you all have been so supportive enough, that I have wrote all the way to this point. I really hope you all enjoyed this little deviation from the main plot. Next chapter and beyond, we're back on the Witcher 3 main plot, and I still have so much to show you all, and I am so, so excited for it. First, let's break down this relatively short chapter! **

**First, we have Fiona waking up from the traumatic event that just happened to her, and Dominik and Ciri being right there to comfort her. I wanted this scene to not only be a bonding scene between the three of them, but also show how much Dominik and Ciri had grown, seeing Fiona go through things similar to what they both had to go through, Ciri in particular. It gives us more about Fiona's backstory as a source, and what she went through, and as I said, she's going to be our main POV character in DLC 3 Pain and Remembrance, along with being in multiple short stories. **

**We also learn that three months, that's how long Dominik and Ciri will travel together before going to get her. I'm going to be writing a series of short stories, the whole series titled 'The Young Wolf and the Swallow', which will be set between the end of the main story, and those three months. And DLC 1 Hearts of Stone, takes place right before they go and get her.**

**Also, winter is here! I can never write someone saying 'Winter if Coming' without saying it in my Ned Stark voice xD P.S, I am planning a MASSIVE GoT crossover for this story, including Dominik, Ciri and Fiona in the future **

**After this we have another conversation with Sir Robert Anton of Cintra! His introduction may be a bit overshadowed by Fiona's, but he is going to be a major play in future sequels, and even play a part at the end of this story as we see! Dominik, (While keeping it a secret from Avallach) is sending Anton and his knights to Skellige, where we'll see them help out in the final fight!**

**After that scene, we get some more bonding with Ciri and Fiona. I want them to have a very strong relationship, we see her teach the young girl some lessons, and it ends with of course a giant snow ball fight, before we have lunch and say goodbye. I know we only had three chapters, but I really hope I sold the connection already established. Some may think it came too fast, but personally I would expect it to happen like this. Fiona's been hearing about Dominik coming from Mikel and Danara, and Dominik and Ciri know better then anyone, that they can't avoid destiny, and the connection they know they'll eventually feel with the girl anyway, so it's natural they'd care for her quickly. **

**Also, did any of ya'll REALLY think I'd have Dominik lose the great silver butter knife xD It's too iconic, and as Fiona and Dominik both said, quite lucky. **

**SO, next chapter we're on our way back to Novigrad! As I said in the previous A/N's, all the other final preparations quests are completed by Geralt, and they all played out the same ways as in the game. Geralt helped Triss find Phillipa, and Yen free Margarita, also we can expect to see Keira and Ida as well! Geralt also went to Tir'Nala, to assure Aen Elle neutrality with Avallac'h, and helped in the assassination of Radovid, which played out the same as in the game, but we'll see what happens now when Dominik and Ciri get back!**

**I don't want to reveal too much about next chapter, but let's just say it will be… quite intense!**

**Anyway, I really hope you all enjoyed this arc, it has easily been my favorite to write outside of maybe the Battle of Kaer Morhen, and of course, the Isle of Mists. I can't wait for you all to see what I have planned for the rest of this story still, even with only about fifteen or so chapters to go!**

**So as usual everyone, if you want to see fanart , behind the scenes writing stuff, participate in polls, or just talk Witcher, please go follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram! Please review if you have time, make sure to follow for all updates, I'll never go more then a week without one, and make sure to stay safe! See you all next time!**


	76. Broken Promises

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 76: Broken Promises **

**Narrator: After finally arriving in the village of Claywitch, to answer a call for aid from Dominik's friend, Mikel, he and Ciri had a shocking revelation. When Mikel offered Dominik the Law of Surprise for saving the lives of himself and his family, history indeed had repeated itself. That Law of Surprise turned out to be a child, a thirteen-year-old girl named Fiona, linking her to Dominik, and in turn Ciri by the iron bonds of destiny. After rescuing Fiona from her horrid father, a man who called himself Drogar the Dragon, who ended up being a true great black dragon, they also discovered young Fiona was a source, a conduit for magical power, that combined with her dragon heritage made the young girl extremely powerful. Dominik and Ciri saved her, promising that after the Wild Hunt was defeated, the two of them would return for her, to take her on the Path that they went on as well. However, despite reveling and enjoying the time they spent with the girl, Dominik and Ciri both set back out for Novigrad, for the fight with the Wild Hunt was far from over. On the road to Novigrad however, they discover something else, something else that will change them both. **

_Ciri didn't know why she was back in the room, back on the Nagalfar. The ship of the Wild Hunt wasn't somewhere she had ever been in her dreams before her dreams of Baelen a few nights prior. Now however, she was back. She had no idea where the ship even was, if it was just in the middle of icy water, in the eye of a storm, or if they were quite literally between dimensions. Either way that wasn't what she focused on, all she could do was look at Baelen, and when she did, her breath caught up in her chest. _

_ Her helmet wasn't on, she stood in front of her mirror, and Ciri tried to crane her head to see the woman's face, but she was locked where she was standing. She was positioned so she only saw Baelen's back, her mane of brown hair flowing down behind her. Ciri saw the commander holding her helmet. She held it with both her hands, the both of them trembling as she did. Ciri's heart panged, as she heard the commander shakily sigh, sounding as if she was horrified of what was about to happen. Somehow, Ciri felt the cold chill that ran through the room, the frost nipping at the singular glass window, as the room was deathly quiet. _

_ "This… this is who you are now… who you'll always be," Baelen said, as her hands trembled around the helmet again. _

_ Baelen's voice, Ciri had known of course she was just a woman, a normal woman like her, but hearing her voice it stirred something inside of her. She and Dominik both knew her from somewhere, she had spared Dominik, and despite the fact she quite clearly wanted to kill Ciri herself, there was something about hearing her voice. It wasn't the scarping, dark voice that had cut through the air like a knife from behind her face plate. No. Baelen's voice was soft, worrying, truly like a normal woman. There was someone behind the helmet, behind the faceplate. She wasn't an Aen Elle, a true member of the Hunt despite what she said. She was from the continent; she was someone from her and Dominik's past. _

_ Someone they had broken a promise too. _

_ Baelen shakily sighed again, turning the helmet in her hands. "Let the past die… kill it… kill it if you have too, it's the only way… it has to be the only way."_

_ Ciri looked and saw water drip to the floor. Baelen was crying. If you had told her when the woman was trying to kill her in Lofeton, that she would be crying, Ciri wouldn't have believed you. If you had told her she'd actually feel sad for her, then she'd think you were crazy, but that was what happened then. _

_ Before her wasn't a commander of the Hunt, only a young woman, struggling to find herself. A young woman, Ciri apparently knew from somewhere. _

_ A few more tears fell to the ground below her, and Ciri's heart leapt up again, as she heard the sobs next. She looked to see Baelen had held the helmet against her head, crying, slowly shaking her head with the tears freer flowing now. _

_ "It's the only way… it has to be the only way to make them stop…" Baelen said, shaking her head, shakily sighing, and slowly placing the helmet over her head. _

_ The helmet slowly slid over Baelen's head, covering her hair, as Ciri finally saw her look up. When she looked into the mirror, Ciri finally saw her reflection, and it was the commander she had come to know. Baelen's helmet had been scarred and battered, blackened and singed from many battles this she knew. Across her right eye, her faceplate seemed to have been welded back together, and Ciri was flashed back to the fight she had with her in Lofeton, after they had clashed, after all of their power unleashed. _

_ She had seen a part of Baelen's face. One green eye. _

_ Her thoughts were interrupted when Baelen's boots clunked against the wooden, frosted floors. The sound sent a chilly echo through the room, as she watched Baelen walked towards her bed, the small four poster one, upon which laid her sword. The jagged longsword she saw members of the Hunt normally use, but she soon realized Baelen's was smaller, slimmer, more like Ciri's own sword. It was all black, with its blade slender, a jagged point with three small prongs, a simple crossguard and grip. _

_ Ciri could feel the sword cutting across her torso, knocking her out for Dominik's fight against Eredin. A fight which Baelen had tried to defuse, tried to stop Dominik from taking part in. She would also never forget the words, the words Baelen spat at her after freezing her to ground, dooming Ciri to watched the fight between Dominik and Eredin, unable to get up to help him herself. _

_ 'You can watch… you can watch as EVERYTHING is ripped from you… just like you cause everything to be ripped from me.'_

_ The words had haunted her. What could she had done, that was so horrible to a person, that they would be driven to fight for the Wild Hunt?_

_ "It's as Kilgarrah said… to know my true self… I must first confront the past," Baelen said, drawing Ciri's attention to the commander again as she stood and shakily sighed under her helmet again. "And confront it I will…. I know that you see me."_

_ Ciri looked around the room, trying to find who the commander was talking too. However, the rest of the room was silent, and unmoving except for the sound of the frosty wind nipping at the glass window. _

_ After a moment of wondering, and looking to the door of the room, Ciri turned back. And when she did, Baelen was looking right where she was standing. _

_ "I know you see me Cirilla," Baelen said, slowly shaking her head as Ciri's blood went cold and she continued. "I might have decided to get the jump on you… but as I said, we must confront the past to find our true selves. And in my case… so that's what I'll do… confront my past… and kill it if I have too."_

_ And Ciri barely had time to scream, as Baelen slashed her sword directly where she was standing. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHHH!" Ciri said, a pain shooting across her chest, as if Baelen's sword had actually cut her.

"Ciri! You okay?" Dominik said, as Ciri turned to see him still awake, leaning against the wall of the cave, his face full of concern, illuminate by the still crackling fire.

She shot her gaze around the cave, right away fumbling next to her where she knew her sword was. Her chest ached again, as if Baelen's blade was lingering in her skin. Her skin prickled from the heat of the fire, but also nipped from the cold winds outside. The snow was still gently falling outside the cave, and Ciri's vision darted right there, still feeling as if Baelen's presence was near. Her words rang in Ciri's ears.

_'So that's what I'll do… confront my past… and kill it if I have too.'_

And to Ciri, it was clear what past the commander had been referring too.

"Ciri, hey what's wrong, have a nightmare?" Dominik said, as Ciri whirled back around in their bedroll to see him looking at her worriedly.

Alexander's journal was tucked in his hands, he didn't wear the upper half of his armor, only a white top. Both his silver sword and armor were on the other side of the cave they found, near a nickering Kelpie and Clop. His big green eyes bore down on her. Ciri normally felt warmth at his gaze, but now all she could feel the was the rapid thumping of her heartbeat.

"Dominik put your armor on! Put it on she's coming!" Ciri said, scrambling up to her feet, finding her sword leaning up against the cave wall.

They were only a few hours from Novigrad now, the next morning after a few hours of riding they would be there. However, if they didn't prepare then, they wouldn't make it. She didn't care if it was the middle of the night, Baelen knew it as well.

Dominik scoffed, coming up next to her and smiling at her. "Ha, easy there princess. What's got you so-. Ciri wait!"

She didn't listen to what else he had to say, she sprinted out of the caver, her boots crunching the snow as she did. As she ran, she heard Dominik cursing behind her, fumbling towards his armor. Soon she was outside, the cold chill nipping her nose, her loose strands of hair whipping violently back in the wind.

Ciri wasted no time, pulling her sword from her back, practically spinning in circles as her heart raced, looking out at the trees, for any sign of movement. It was a stroke of luck they found the cave; it was big enough for them to bring Kelpie and Clop inside and build a fire with their bedroll set out. It was built into a cliff face in the middle of the woods however, and as Ciri whirled in place, every little rustle of leaves making her turn, she realized they could be ambushed from any direction.

It was late at night, nearly midnight she could tell by the moon, as it and the dim light form the fire in their cave was all that illuminated her view. The snow crunched under her boots, her gloved hands gripping tighter to the hilt of her sword as she kept her eyes on the treeline. There was a clearing in front of the cave which she stood in now, the ground covered in snow up to her ankles. Plenty of room for a battle ground, plenty of room for her to use her power.

But it would also leave Baelen plenty of room for hers. Ciri's bones chilled down to their very cells, her stomach tossed and turned, as she realized the dreams she had were always in a place like this. The dreams she had before her and Avallac'h had come back to the continent, the dreams she had of Baelen killing Dominik. All of them were always the same. The two of them fighting, clashing in a whirlwind of steel, not magic, simply a whirlwind of pure sword on sword combat. Dominik would fight tooth and nail, and he'd get the edge, but for some reason he always paused and Baelen would take the offensive. She'd knock him to the ground, and the dreams would always end just before her blade plunged into Dominik's chest.

And now her dreams were starting to become a reality. However, Ciri wouldn't let it. She knew Baelen would show, she knew the commander would be there. She somehow saw Ciri was watching her through her dream, and she also knew that Baelen could somehow track where Dominik was. So yes, she'd show, she'd show up in that clearing, and Ciri would face her.

She may have known Baelen from the past yes, but if she really coming to 'kill her past', which had to mean her and Dominik, then Ciri would kill her before she did.

The crunching of snow rang out behind her, as she heard the wind howl again in her ears, the snowflakes falling gently around her and Dominik now.

"Ciri, what the hell's gotten into you?" He said, coming up next to her, tightening the straps of his armor, his sword now on his back as he looked at her. "Who's coming, what's got you so-."

"Baelen! I saw her in my dream, she saw me she's coming!" Ciri said, desperately meeting his eyes.

Her words widened his eyes, and he quickly nodded, slinging his sword from his back. She got back to back with him, the moonlight glittering over the both of them as they scanned the treeline, watching for the slightest rustle of the bushes or trees. The air grew thicker as the snow started coming down faster, she kept moving her bones so that they grow still, ready to leap or teleport at a moment's notice. She felt Dominik's back against hers and could see him with _Fate _leveled as well. He told her he drew steel the last time he fought Baelen, knowing she was a human, not an Aen Elle. But he had no steel now, so his silver was leveled in his hands, his eyes narrowed out towards the treeline.

Ciri waited for the smell of sulfur to hit her nose. Dominik and she could handle Baelen by herself. She was powerful yes, but between Dominik and she both the commander wouldn't stand a chance alone. Baelen wouldn't be that foolish, she'd come with multiple soldiers, and if their luck had finally run out, Eredin himself. She contemplated teleporting the both of them then and there, but she knew if she did, then it'd only alert them right to their position in Novigrad again.

No, they'd fight them there, soldiers and Baelen they would handle. She wasn't going to run anymore, especially not after knowing what awaited her after the Hunt was dealt with. It was almost a cruel twist of fate, that so soon after meeting Fiona, a fight like this would come. One that could very easily kill the both of them if they were sloppy or weren't completely focused.

Behind her Dominik shifted, as his arms twitched. She knew he had some sort of connection to the commander, even more so then Ciri did. He had told her all about his meetings with her, his dreams, she had seen how she could use her blood to figure out where he was. The real mystery, that both of them wondered however, was why she didn't use it more often. If she could tell where Dominik was, and in turn she was at any time, there shouldn't have been anything stopping the commander from telling Eredin where they were, and them descending on them then and there.

But something was, and something had made Baelen offer to let him live. She had told him in their first meeting that they didn't have to fight. Dominik told her that she did the same at Kaer Morhen. Baelen had tried to kill him yes, but only after she had offered to let him avoid the fight. She had no idea why, Dominik had no idea why, considered Baelen would try particularly hard to kill him after that.

Dominik insisted he thought Baelen was being used, being forced when she didn't want to fight them both. Ciri knew she was being used yes but didn't know how much she believed Baelen didn't want to kill them. She had tried extremely hard on Lofeton, and her and Ciri destroyed half the village. If she truly was being used, then Ciri, like Dominik would try to figure out who she was.

But the moment she tried to kill Dominik again, was when Ciri would throw that out the window. And if her dream just then was anything to go off of, that moment was coming then.

"Ciri… what was this dream," He said from behind her, the wind howling as the moonlight glinted off the blade of his silver.

Ciri's boots crunched in the snow as she moved. "She… she was in her room. She said, to know her true self, she needed to confront her past… kill it if she had too."

"And I'm guessing she means us…" He said craning his head to look at her. "Ciri… I don't know who she could be. Who the hell could we have broken that big a promise too?"

"I don't know," Ciri said. "But Dominik… this is where my dreams always were."

He looked down at her. "What dreams?"

Ciri shivered from the cold, making sure to keep her eye on the trees as she spoke. "The ones… where I saw her kill you."

His sword slightly dipped. "Ciri, don't worry. We do this together, just like everything. And you never know, maybe it was just a dream you had."

"No… it wasn't," Ciri said, shaking her head but finally turning to look at him. "Dom she… saw me, she spoke to me, as if she knew I was there!"

He looked confused for a moment, but his hand curled tightly around his sword again. Gently he nodded at her, and Ciri was awash with relief. She whirled back around, leaning her back up against his again. Quietly the snow started falling faster still, minutes went by, but they felt like hours. Her boots were almost seethed through with the snow, as she could feel the wetness from it seeping into her socks. Wind blew through her loose strands of hair, and she wanted to reached up to tighten her bun, but she didn't dare take her eyes off the trees.

The wind howled again, Clop and Kelpie nickered loudly in the cave, the fire that still burned crackled loud enough she heard it outside in the snow. Her skin pricked from the icy gale but having Dominik so close to her made her awash with warmth again. He was there, as long as he was there, as long as they stuck together, it was as Geralt always told them. If they were together, they'd be alright, just like always. It had turned out that way in Claywitch, by themselves who knows how well they would've faired against a dragon and a group of raiders like that, but no, they had been together, and they survived.

They survived by themselves for so long, so they could be together then, so that they could survive together for the rest of their lives.

"She wouldn't come by herself… would she?" Dominik said breaking the silence. "She has to know she can't fight the both of us at once."

Ciri shook her head. "I don't know. I'd think she'd bring soldiers with her but… I don't smell any sulfur yet."

"Neither do I…" He said his sword slightly lowering as she turned to Ciri. "I'm guessing you can't just teleport us all back to Novigrad?"

"Still too far, if I do, then worse than just Baelen will find us," Ciri said, shaking her head, groaning in frustration. "I don't get it! Why wouldn't she tell Eredin? If she can track you this whole time, why aren't we dead yet?"

Dominik scoffed, the snow building up in his hair. "Been wondering that this whole time. Ciri, and she knows all about our past, knew my father's name… whatever we did to her… it wasn't good."

Ciri's skin prickled, but not from the cold. Her skin crawled, she liked to think she treated everyone she met with respect when she was younger. A small part of her thought for a second that perhaps Dominik did have a scorned ex-lover he hadn't told her about. However, she shoved the idea from her head, with it being ridiculous to even think about. No, this really was someone from their past, but not their witcher past. Somebody from Cintra, but she didn't know of anyone who could possibly be alive that would be there.

Dominik and she didn't really have any other friends. She didn't count the other noble children her grandmother insisted she meet, and she knew Dominik didn't have anyone else he spoke to particularly often amongst the streets that could be her. It tugged and pulled at the back of Ciri's brain. They were children then, who could they possibly have wronged so much, that they would end up as a member of the Wild Hunt?

She used her gloved hand to wipe snow from her brow. "You're right… Dominik, I know we want to figure out who she is but… but if she-."

"Don't worry, I know," He said, smiling gently down at her. "We won't let-."

The portal opening cut him off. Ciri whirled back around, her boots sloshing through the snow, with Dominik quickly doing the same. She came next to her, his sword flashing, the bright portal of blue swirling frost, the white frost ripped through the sky, over the sound of the wind, the fire in the cave, their voices, everything. It only intensified the cold, as Ciri could feel the tips of her ears starting to freeze over.

Dominik next to her thought the same as she did. He whirled around, looking around the treeline again, waiting for more portals to open. All she heard however, was the whirling of the already opened portal, and the crunching of their boots in the snow. No portals opened, the smell of sulfur didn't rip through the air, and it somehow only made the grip she had on her sword tighten. She frantically looked up to Dominik, who had a similarly mystified look.

She turned back around to the portal with him, adjusting her stance and leveling her blade, as for another moment, it simply shimmering in the night. The wind began to churn violently, Ciri's bones froze to the core, her skin was cold to the touch, and her legs almost started shaking. However, Dominik quickly joined her near the portal again, meters away, it shimmered, the torrential blizzard of the white frost slowly spewing from it like water slowly leaking through a crack in a dam. Both her and Dominik's sword leveled towards it, after it became clear it would be the only one.

And when Baelen came through, it truly was just her. Ciri expected a scream, or some snarky remark, an air of confidence like the commander normally exhumed. However, when she spoke, it was dry, cold, and Ciri could even sense the sadness laced into it.

"Well, well… attached at each other's hips, just like I expected…" Baelen said, the portal closing as soon as she stepped from it. "I'm just glad I didn't find the two of you fucking…"

Ciri wanted to snap back, her blood starting to boil in the cold night. However, before she could say anything, Dominik stepped head of her.

"You were stupid to come alone," He said, his sword pointed out towards the commander. "Why are you here? Why didn't you just bring Eredin with you!"

Ciri turned back to Baelen again. Her chest pained again, feeling the spot where the commander's sword cut her in the dream. She saw that same sword at her hip, her skeletal plated armor was on from head to toe, including the helmet Ciri had seen in her trembling hands. The snow started blowing to the side in the wind, her frizzled brown hair as well. She stood ankle deep in the snow now, her posture showing Ciri everything she needed to know about the commander then.

Her hands were at her sides, the plated gauntlets curled into fists. As Dominik spoke she looked down at the ground, the snow whipping past her. No, this Baelen before her and Dominik then, wasn't the same that they had encountered before. After Dominik spoke, she heard the commander shakily sigh, her head slowly coming back up to look at them both. Ciri again expected some type of biting comeback, a biting remark back. However, she was proved wrong again.

"You always did think you were the smart one…" Baelen said, her voice was slowly and shaky, a ping of sadness to it, as she looked at them both. "This doesn't concern Eredin at the moment… this is between the three of us… and tonight it ends."

"You can't possibly think you can take the both of us by yourself!" Ciri said over the wind, her sword leveling towards the commander.

Baelen slowly shook her head, her tone still shaky. "Maybe… maybe not. But… but the dreams… the headaches… I can't take it anymore… I need it to end, it HAS to end don't you understand!?"

She was crying behind the helmet. Ciri couldn't see her face, but from her tone she knew it to be true. Over the wind she could hear it, the desperation, pain coming from Baelen's voice. Her sword dipped ever so slightly, as she looked to Dominik and saw his do the same.

He had told her about his dream of Baelen being tortured. How Caranthir had nearly killed her, because she had lied to him and Eredin about where she saw Dominik and Geralt going from her visions. In that moment, the commander wasn't being tortured, but she was crying. Crying like a normal person did, not an intimidating commander of the Wild Hunt.

Baelen shook her head again, looking between them. "I _need _to confront my past… kill it if I have too. And if I die doing it, then fine! At least I'll escaped the fucking hell, that I've gone through… gone through because of the two of you…"

Ciri felt her gut erupt. Before Dominik could say anything she yelled again. "Who the hell are you!? We deserve to know that much at least!"

Dominik and she both leveled swords again, because as soon as the words left Ciri's mouth, they could see the fire build up in Baelen again. Baelen scoffed over the wind, shaking her head, her armor sloshing through the snow as the dark eyes of her faceplate met their gaze.

"It doesn't matter who I am Cirilla! It doesn't matter anymore…" She yelled, speaking slowly, as Ciri could hear her crying still. Baelen shook her head, her gaze not leaving Ciri. "Because in the end… it's all your fault… all of it… you brainwashed him… turned him against me…"

Turned him against her? Ciri looked over to Dominik, who now she was really beginning to think that Baelen was a powerful scorned ex-lover. She pushed the ridiculous notion from her mind again, because as soon as the words left Baelen's mouth, Dominik erupted in a similar manner, he stepped forward in the snow, his hand clenched around the hilt of his sliver.

"I'm not fucking brainwashed! I love her, she loves me, we support each other," He said, looking down at Ciri, before narrowing his eyes back at Baelen. "We protect each other. Because that's what you do for the people you love…"

Ciri could have kissed him then and there. She whirled back around to see Baelen had curled her hands into fists again. The snow seemed to fall even more violently as the commander grew angrier. Her head shot to Dominik as soon as he finished speaking, her head violently shaking.

"Everyone you've ever loved has died! Everyone you've ever tried to protect has died!" She said, her voice raising up over the howling wind. "Everyone you've promised to protect, to look after is DEAD! ALL BECAUSE YOU ONLY CARED ABOUT THE PRINCESS, NOBODY ELSE!"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Dominik said, stepping again in front of her, closer to Baelen now.

Ciri looked up at him, she saw magic faintly whirling from his limbs, from his legs, arms, traveling up his sword as his anger rose. Back in the cave their horses neighed loudly, the fire burned higher, and when Ciri turned back around, she saw the snow had truly began falling down even quicker, blowing to the side as Baelen laughed sarcastically. Magic was whirling from her as well, up her limbs, as Ciri could feel the raw magical energy starting to ripple from the both of them, however, she felt something strange in it.

Avallac'h had told her, that magic would almost reflect the emotion, the blood of the ones using it when it came to inherited powers. For example, if there were ever another child of the Elder Blood, with powers similar to hers, and they ever tried to fight, the magic would react violently, fighting against what it saw as itself. The magic would grow more powerful, more violent, and if it were ever to clash the result would normally be catastrophic.

And when she looked between Dominik and Baelen then, never had she seen Dominik's magic flare up as quickly as it was then. Baelen's moved in a similar manner, the bright blue light whirling around her limbs, down her sword as she stood across him. Ciri dug deep within herself as well, feeling her own blood, her own magic started to churn. She shot through the snow up next to Dominik as well, just as Baelen screamed again.

"BAH YOU'RE BOTHERED BECAUSE YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT! She does nothing but abuse the love you have for her; she throws you at every fight she's too afraid to fight herself!" Baelen said, pointing a trembling finger over at Ciri. "If she loved you so much, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE SPENT MONTHS TRYING TO FUCK KING AUBERON! Has she even told you about that!? For months, she went to the King's bed, but when he didn't her, she kept trying, and trying! If she loved you so much Dominik, then why would she-."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED!" Ciri said, her voice screeching from the back of her throat as her heart raced, coming next to Dominik now. "That's not what fucking happened and Eredin knows that!"

Ciri's head almost burst from the massive headache that came to her. She looked over to Dominik who was looking down at her now, with his sword still pointed at Baelen. Her heart turned to ice for a moment, she had of course planned on telling him about what happened, but not until later, knowing it was enrage him.

"Dominik, I swear, I swear to you that's not what happened," She found herself rambling. "I was trapped! They said it was the only way they'd send me home, but… but he wouldn't do it, he was repulsed by me, so I found a way to escape myself and-."

"Ciri relax, I believe you," He said quickly, giving her a reassuring nod, before turning back to a Baelen. "You're crazy if you think you can turn me against her! You were foolish to come here!"

Her heart nearly dropped to the put of her stomach as she sighed, whirling back around to Baelen as well. The commander had drawn her dark steel, as the magic continued to whirl around her. To her left, Dominik did the same, the snow continued to catch up in his fluffy hair, as magic began to come to his eyes, around his limbs, his sword. The swallow and his medallion violently shook in the wind and snow, while the snow beneath them seemed to melt from the swirling heat that emanated from the magic.

She gripped both hands around her own blade, turning and facing Baelen as well, feeling the power build up in her. Her slim, but razor-sharp blade pointed outwards. Dominik was right, Baelen had been a fool to come by herself. The magic that radiated from the two of them, while Baelen's herself was more powerful then Ciri had seen in any opponent she'd faced, would be far too much for her.

Her dreams wouldn't come true, If she wouldn't tell them who she was, and give them the chance to help her, if she was really bent on kill them both, then this would be it.

"Yes… I was foolish. A foolish… foolish little girl," Baelen said, as Ciri could hear her crying still. "Foolish to think… that I _ever _mattered to you Dominik… how could I? When all you ever cared about… was the princess…"

"ENOUGH!" Ciri said, taking a few steps ahead of Dominik, her blade leveled. "You talked enough; you've done enough! We gave you the chance, this ends here!"

Baelen slowly nodded, the humming magic shooting around her at all angles. When she spoke, Ciri heard she was crying still, her voice cracking, seeming to struggle to get out every word. "You're right… it ends here. And as much as I'd _love _to kill you now Cirilla… that will have to wait. _PELIO CANAYE!"_

"CIRI!" Dominik said, screaming as before she could react, Ciri felt the snow beneath her feet almost swallow her.

It covered her, and soon Ciri felt herself flying through the air as if she were thrown. She couldn't see anything but the white of the snow covering her eyes. Her back slammed onto the ground and she rolled even further away. She heard the loud neighing of their horses, as she used her adrenaline to shit back up right away. Scrambling she wiped the snow from her eyes and picked up her sword from the ground. She blinked the water from her eyes, in daze she managed to stumble up to her feet.

Dominik and Baelen's voices were muffled, as she felt snow built up in her ears. Groaning in frustration she shook her head violently, trying to get the water to fall out. She managed to look up, and saw Dominik looking back at her, his eyes wide and his sword still in hand.

If he wasn't angry before, then he certainly was now.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT," He said, screaming over the wind a deep, commanding voice, turning back to Baelen. "FOR THAT, AND ALL OF MY FRIENDS WHO ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!"

His magic was exploding around him. Dominik had explained to her, that when he controlled his magic, it shot around his body in a steady, quiet hum, that he could control. He was able to tell it where to go to move his limbs, advance his signs, and invigorate him when he was at his weakest. It was similar to Ciri's own power. Every day that two of them got closer and closer to being able to fully control the power they both had.

But what Dominik exhumed then wasn't control, it was far from it. And Baelen was in a similar manner.

"THEY DIDN'T DIE BECAUSE OF ME! THEY DIED BECAUSE OF HER!" Baelen said, the magic shooting from her as it was around Dominik, pointed out her sword. "THEY DIED, BECAUSE YOU CARE MORE ABOUT HER LIFE, THEN THE LIFE OF ANYONE ELSE! YOUR WHOLE FAMILY WAS KILLED BECAUSE OF HER!"

"SHE WAS ELEVEN, IT WASN'T HER FAULT!" Dominik yelled back, the magic melting the very snow beneath his boot, as the bright blue light illuminated the night. "SHE'S RIGHT, YOU'VE TALKED ENOUGH. WE GAVE YOU A CHANCE, THIS ENDS NOW!"

"You're right…" Baelen said, her sobbing, choking voice yelling out. "This ends tonight… I guess it was almost meant to be me and you…. Come then…and we can kill the past together…_CRYNVAEL ANAYE!"_

"DOMINIK!" Ciri said, screaming again from the back of her throat as she tried to rush forward.

However, just before she could get to him, the wall of flames shot up in front of her. She cursed and got sent stumbling back near the cave entrance again, only able to watch Dominik's magic shoot around his limbs and sword through the flames. The large, circular arena of fire sprang to life from Baelen's words, surrounding both her and Dominik, cutting Ciri off from getting to his side.

She had been cut off from him, just like she had during the battle at Kaer Morhen.

"It may not seem like it… but I really didn't want it to have to come to this…" Baelen said slowly, her sword dipping to her side, her faceplate and helmet meeting Dominik's eyes. "The dreams can't be real, I know it but… either way, I didn't want this."

Dominik, however, didn't show sympathy. The magic continued whirling around him, as he shifted his feet and leveled his sword.

"We gave you the chance to run! Eredin's using you…" Dominik said, twirling his blade, as she saw the Igni sign form in his hand. "I don't know who you are, what I did… but you want to kill Ciri, give her to Eredin… and I can't let you do that."

Baelen shook her head, the tears more evident behind her helmet. "I know… it's just like it's always been… you'll protect her, and she'll always be what's most important…. But you told other people they were important too didn't you? Your father, your mother… your sister. But no… they all paled in comparison to the importance of protecting your princess…."

Ciri's blood ran cold. She tried to mention Gregory, Sofia, and Bella as little as possible, knowing the wounds it opened in him, and in her own heart as well. What is Baelen was correct? Could she really be the reason they were all dead? If they hadn't been so set on saving her, would they all be alive? It was useless to think about now, there was nothing either of them could do. Ciri would live with the guilt either way until she died.

But Dominik she knew, let that guilt still eat at him to this day.

"I LOVED THEM WITH EVERYTHING I HAD!" He yelled, his voice rising above the wind again, pointing his sword at Baelen the magic overtook his eyes.

Baelen's eyes sockets glew blue, as her voice erupted as well. "NOT ENOUGH! NOT MORE THEN THE PRINCESS! COME THEN DOMINIK OF CINTRA, LETS KILL THE PAST, TOGETHER!"

And the ensuing explosion really did send Ciri flying back off her feet, just as they both lunged, and their swords connected.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri heard a chorus of, ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*, **as she groggily opened her eyes, feeling the pain from getting sent flying again. She saw in a haze for a moment, but the heat, the raw heat of the fire quickly cleared her vision again. Groaning she sat up, snow falling off her shoulders, as she looked and saw her sword lying next to her. She looked back and realized she had hit a tree. Her back erupted in pain, as she tried to rise to her feet. However she stumbled, managed to grab her sword from the snow and look up, her eyes widening.

"DOMINIK!" Ciri said, when the ring of fire finally came into her view.

It was massive, and flames shot up as high as the trees around them. She ran up and stopped just before she hit the walls of fire. She looked and could see the giant flare of magic, clashing and erupting. ***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* **again it erupted. Dominik and Baelen locked in a clinch, the snow around them melting only to be replaced by the falling gale that was still present that night. Ciri bit her lip, sweat rapidly trickling down her brow. She tried to focus her magic, teleport inside the small arena Baelen had erected, but every time she did, her back ached, and the magic wouldn't come out.

"DAMMIT!" She said, moving and trying to find any way for her to enter the fray, to help him, to not leave him alone to fight.

Because what was happening then, again was exactly like the dreams she had. Baelen and Dominik fighting in a ring of fire. And she knew how those dreams ended all too well.

"IT DIDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THIS!" Dominik said, his blade smoking with blue magic as he parried one of Baelen's strikes.

The commander struck again, a loud ***BOOM* **of magic and ***CLANG* **of steel rang out as Dominik parried again. The exchange was quick, but Ciri saw the flurry of strokes they both struck out with, which resulted in them both skidding backwards circling each other again. The eye sockets of Baelen's faceplate were bright blue, her sword radiated the same magic. Dominik's eyes were still the same, his hair blowing back in the wind as Baelen fiercely shook her head.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I HAVE TO DO THIS!" Baelen said, but Ciri could hear the anguish in her voice. "ALL MY LIFE, I'VE BEEN TOSSED ASIDE! YOU NEVER CARED, MY PARENTS NEVER CARED, ALL EXCEPT EREDIN! AND THE ONLY WAY I'LL TRULY BE ONE OF THEM, IS IF I KILL MY PAST! KILL THE BOTH OF YOU!"

Dominik shook his head, yelling back. "EREDIN IS USING YOU! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU ONCE YOU'VE DONE WHAT HE WANTS!"

"NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE! AS SOON AS I MAKE UP FOR HIS MISTAKES, AS SOON AS I KILL YOU BOTH I'LL FINALLY HAVE SOMEHWERE WHERE I BELONG!" Baelen screeched, her voice rippling over the wind and fire.

"YOU'RE A FOOL IF YOU BELIEVE THAT! IF YOU TOLD ME WHO YOU WERE WE COULD HELP YOU!"

"YOU PROMISED ME THAT ONCE, AND I WAS A FOOL TO BELIEVE IT! _CRYNVAEL ENEA!"_

"DOMINIK!" Ciri said, screaming as she saw a wall of ice blast towards him.

She knew he heard her, but she was glad he ignored her. Dominik shot his hand up, and a Quen shield ripped up around him. The ice smacked into it, and the parts that didn't hit the wall of flames. A loud hissing sound hit the air, and Ciri coughed as smoke entered her lungs. She coughed until she finally managed to look up again, and saw Dominik standing in the middle of the smoke, Baelen unable to be seen.

He whirled around, trying to locate the commander, and Ciri yelled when she saw the whirling magic as Baelen lunged from the mist. Dominik turned around to block, but as soon as he went to strike back, Baelen teleported, disappearing in a puff of frost. Dominik anticipated her coming behind him, because right away he whirled around throwing out his hands with a wall of flames erupting forward. It caught Baelen just as she was about to strike, and for a second her armor was alight. She yelled out, but not in pain, but in annoyance, before the wind and snow quickly snuffed out the flames.

Dominik took the advantage he created, lashing out, but Baelen disappeared in a puff of frost again. She lashed out, and Ciri screamed when she saw her reappear behind him, her blade already leveled. But then, something else happened that scared Ciri even more. Baelen could have easily nearly cleaved him in half, cut across the back of Dominik's neck, killing him instantly, he would have had barely any time to react.

But she didn't, it looked like she was about so strike, but pulled back.

Ciri's mind began to buzz. Dominik had told her that Baelen spared him, and could have killed him before, but for some reason hadn't. Ciri had thought that perhaps he was just seeing things, or he simply reacted quicker then he thought. However, it just happened right before her eyes. Baelen truly had spared him.

Dominik, however, didn't seem to notice because he whirled around. The magic shooting up in his eyes still, his Aard sign was powerful, and sent Baelen flying backwards. She almost flew back and hit the wall of flames but spun on the ground and shot back up to her feet, just as Dominik charged again. With the magic filling his eyes, erratically shooting from him, he leapt and came down from a spin. Baelen however, disappeared again, the puff of frost hit Dominik in the face, and he spun back around just in time for to block Baelen's blow from above as she screamed and cut down, this time not holding back at all.

The two held a clinch, and Baelen pushed him back towards the wall of fire. Both their eyes erupted with the bright blue light. Their arms, legs and swords all glew in the same manner, as she pushed him back towards the flames. Dominik's armor hit the wall, and sparks of flames flew, he yelled out before she saw his eyes flare up again. She sprinted around towards them both just outside the flames, every step making her chest and back ache, but soon she got there. She was going to say damn the consequences, and rush through the flames. However, just when she did, she saw something incredible.

Dominik had both hands on his sword to hold the clinch, but she saw his hands move, his hands managed to form the right motion for the Igni sign, and the magic in his eyes glew even brighter, and after his arm was almost in the flames, and she looked to saw her he screamed.

"GAHHHH!" He screamed, his hands erupting with his sign.

He shoved Baelen back, spun and cut across the back of her torso, just as Ciri saw his blade erupt into flames. She had seen tactic before, she watched George ignite his sword into flames at the battle at Kaer Morhen, but now Dominik was using it. The position his hands were in, making the sign should have been impossible, being able to focus enough then should have been impossible, but Dominik pulled it off. His sword cut across Baelen's armor, and for a few seconds the commander was set alight. However, the wind and snow quickly put it out, but Baelen still groaned in pain, whirling back around with her plate crunching under the melting snow.

"ARGHHH DAMMIT! _CRYNVAEL ES!" _Baelen yelled over the wind, dragging her hand across her sword as well.

Ciri's eyes widened when the commander's sword became incased in an icy glow. Magic and ice emanated from it, as the fire emanated from Dominik's and she wasted no time in charging. Dominik met the strike with his fiery silver, but the ice from Baelen's sword didn't melt. A loud ***BOOM* **shook the entirety of the forest again. Ciri stumbled back into the snow, cursing as her back erupted in pain again.

***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* **followed, and she shot up to her feet again. She felt the snow begin to churn even more violently around her, but in the ring of fire the snow was all but melted. Dominik kept meeting Baelen's strikes, and in a whirlwind of ice and fire, Ciri had never seen two people move so fast in a fight before.

Baelen kept disappearing and reappearing in puffs of frost. Dominik for a few moments got put on the back foot, his flaming sword moving in synch with where Baelen was reappearing still. She came from the left, the right, and soon it became too much for him. Ciri knew with her magic, and her ability to teleport like she was, Baelen would soon overwhelm him. He hadn't admitted it, but Ciri knew that he was still feeling the effect of using so much magic when the fought the dragon to save Fiona only two days prior.

She didn't know how he was doing it, but now he was unleashing even more power than that day. But even with it, she knew Baelen would be too quick, if she kept disappearing and reappearing like she did, then she'd eventually catch him off guard, and it didn't look like she was going to spare him a second time. Ciri knew she had to find it in herself, she had to push through the pain and make it to him then. She couldn't sit by and let him fight alone, she wouldn't, not again.

Her hand tightened around her sword. The echoes of Dominik and Baelen's swords clashing, the magical eruptions echoed through the forest like it were a canyon. The sweat trickled down her neck, as her horrible dreams played over in her head. She couldn't let them come true; she wouldn't have a repeat of the battle. She had let him fight by himself for her for too long, she would finally be there for him like he was for her. She looked down in her hands, her grip tightened even harder around the hilt of her blade, and she focused, focused and pulled all of the power out of her.

The power that was the reason she was hunted, the reason that Hunt was after them then. She'd give it to them. She felt it begin to whirl, but pain quickly shot through her spine from being thrown so many times. Her bones ached, but she pushed through it, calling on the magic begging it to come out after a few moment of agonizing concentrating, she finally felt it. It rippled through her body, rippled through her limbs, and when Ciri finally opened her eyes again, she saw the blue flash. New energy surged through her because she knew that she needed it now more than ever.

However, before she could do anything she heard another loud ***BOOOOOM* **rippled through the forest.

Her head shot up and her eyes widened. "DOMINIK!"

He had been hit, Baelen had knocked him down to his knees but he quickly stumbled back up. She reappeared next to him and went to strike again, and Ciri could see so much fury behind Baelen's strike, that she was sure it would have cleaved any man in half. Her power was radiating off her limbs like a tornado, completely out of control, just like Dominik. Blocking the strike should have been impossible, but Dominik just barely managed to catch his blade on hers. He parried, and as soon as it did he spun behind her. Ciri looked at Baelen turning around, and she knew the commander was getting ready to teleport, and Ciri finally got ready to do the same.

But her eyes widened when Baelen was unmoving.

Dominik came around her back, and she saw him slam his hand into the ground. A giant purple glyph of the Yrden sign appeared at Baelen's feet. She tried to wriggle her feet free, but she screamed when she couldn't. Ciri's eyes widened as she saw Dominik take the advantage again. Finally having her in one spot, he spun back around and leapt. All of the magic that had been furiously sparking around him gathered into his palm. Ciri didn't know if it was an Aard sign, but whatever it was, the magic gathered up in his hand and he brought it right down towards Baelen with his flaming sword in the other.

Baelen as well finally seemed to realize she wasn't going to be able to move. And never in her life had Ciri seen so much magic in one place. The magic from around Baelen, the bright blue light shot to her hand as well. Standing still, unable to move because of the Yrden, she shot her hand up just in time to meet Dominik's hand, and Ciri ran backwards, knowing the blast would be bigger than any she had seen, and she was proven right as soon as the blasts met.

***BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* **

It rang through the forest, shaking the trees around them, the wind gust putting out their fire in the cave. Ciri shot her hands up to cover her face from the snow, ash and soot that shot all from around them. Finally after what felt like hours, the blast seemed to stop, and still feeling the magic whirling in her veins now she looked around frantically for Dominik.

"DOM!? DOMINIK!?" She said, yelling as the silence soon began to overtake the clearing again.

The ring of fire was gone, but from where it was she could see the snow had melted, exposing the dead grass and dirt. However, despite the snowstorm slowing significantly, it was quickly filling again. Finally she saw Dominik stumble up to his feet near the front of the cave. A large breath of relief left her, but her keen ears soon picked up Baelen as well.

She whirled around near the trees, the light from the giant moon illuminating Baelen's silhouette as she stumbled up to her feet as well. The commander stumbled forward, fumbling in the snow for her sword, the magic gone from her eyes just as it was Dominik's. Finally Baelen found her sword, shivering from the cold, her armor singed, as she stumbled up to her feet, the moonlight shining off her armor as she stumbled forward again, clutching at her stomach, her blood dripping to the snow from where Dominik had wounded her.

"Damn… dammit… gods…" Baelen croaked, and Ciri could hear the pain in her voice.

However, she had seen too much to feel sympathy then.

She felt the magic surge in her and she teleported forward, going to bring her blade down right onto the commander back. Baelen however saw this and rolled to the side with her sword in hand. Ciri went to strike at her again, the commander still stumbling, but Baelen disappeared in a puff of frost, her eyes glowing blue as she did. She reappeared a few meters away, and feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins, Ciri teleported to her again, going for a stab, but Baelen saw this and again teleported.

For the next few minutes this went on. Feeling her own magic, her own power finally started to fully awake from her, Ciri kept chasing the commander, bring her sword down, parrying when she could, determined not to let her dream become a reality. She didn't know where Dominik was, but she didn't focus on him then. All she focused on was Baelen, finally landing a blow. She was there for him this time, not like at Kaer Morhen when she couldn't move. Now, Ciri wouldn't leave him to fight alone. Her eyes continued to glow, and she just barely missed Baelen again as she parried one of Ciri's blows, before disappearing again.

Ciri teleported herself just as Baelen came down to cut her in half. When she reappeared behind the commander she swung down and Baelen parried. The commander spun and leapt from the right. Ciri side-stepped and swung down, but despite being so hurt, Baelen was still quick. She raised her blade to blocked Ciri's blow, before pushing her blade up and spinning down under her. Baelen tried to cut across her torso, Ciri managed to evade, but Baelen came right back off a powerful spin from overhead. She bright her blade down and caught Ciri in a clinch. Ciri looked deep into the eye sockets of Baelen's faceplate, and while she couldn't see her face, Ciri knew that she was still crying, her arms shook, and she noticed small drops of water dripping from the bottom of her cheeks.

"I thought you were my friend…. I thought you cared about me too. But… BUT NO, NO YOU JUST WANTED TO USE HIM!" Baelen said, her voice cracking as she pushed down harder on her blade in their clinch.

"TELL US WHO YOU ARE!" Ciri yelled, feeling her own legs shake underneath her.

"IT'S TOO LATE! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND CIRI!? KILLING THE TWO OF YOU IS THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY WAY I'LL MATTER TO SOMEONE!" Baelen yelled again, and Ciri's eyes widened.

That had been the first time Baelen ever called her 'Ciri', and not 'Cirilla', or 'Her' in a distasteful way. However, that was quickly washed away, when she felt Baelen's blade nearly cut into her shoulder. She looked at the commander's eyes, she was crying yes, but she was also trying to kill her, she would kill her and then Dominik as well if she let her.

Ciri's eyes flashed blue again, and she used what strength she had left to push Baelen's blade up and teleport away. She teleported twice in quick succession, sliding forward on the snow earth for a stab. However, just before her blade could have pierced through Baelen's side, the commander teleported away again. Ciri whirled around, expecting an attack from her back, but it didn't come. The wind howled through her top and scarf, her eyes widened when she looked and saw Baelen stumble in the snow near the front of the cave. She was clearly laboring, Ciri saw her fall onto her ass in the snow, her blood dripping from her torso.

Baelen dropped her sword to the ground, and Ciri rushed forward she saw the commander summon magic to her hand, placing it over her torso and screaming from the seething pain. Ciri noticed smoke coming from it and realized what the commander was doing. Baelen was cauterizing the wound, something Ciri had learned about from Dominik, and Dominik had learned about from his mother. She willed her magic to her limbs again, and was about to teleport forward, not wanting to lose the progress she'd made in the fight.

But she stopped when she saw Dominik come leaping in.

There was no magic in his eyes. His armor was blackened and singed. His face was covered in soot, bruises along his neck and cheeks. However, he still lashed out, trying to come down with his silver sword to end the fight then and there. Baelen saw him first however and rolled out of the way just in time. She scooped up her sword from the snow and got up to her knees to meet his strike, but the strike was so strong, Dominik cut down and part of his blade caught her shoulder. Baelen screamed as Dominik's silver cut into the flesh of her shoulder, and Ciri saw Baelen look up at him. One more little push and Dominik she knew could have cleaved her arm near in half.

However, Ciri's eyes widened when he didn't. She wanted to scream at him, but for a second, she looked and saw Baelen and him simply stare at each other. It was as if Baelen was just as amazed he had pulled back. The peace only last about ten seconds however, because Baelen scooped her sword from the ground and went for a stab. Dominik side stepped and parried, and Baelen shot to her feet. With her blood dripping to the snow, she lashed out, and it was suddenly just like Ciri's dream.

Dominik and Baelen clashing, but in a steel and silver whirlwind, no magic from either of them, only steel and silver.

Baelen lashed wildly with a series of overhead strikes, which Dominik parried all off. Both of them were exhausted, all magic gone from them Ciri could tell. And she was about to teleport forward to help Dominik end it, however, the fight moved so quick she couldn't focus for long enough.

Dominik came back with a series of blow, finally taking the offensive, twirling his blade to a reversed grip, and trying to cut across Baelen's chest. The commander side stepped and jabbed her blade forward. Dominik yelled when it cut across his leg, before he spun and lashed out again. Just before his blade could catch Baelen's back, her sword shot up behind her back to block. With another quick spin, using the slippery ice and snow to help Baelen lashed from overhead. Dominik leapt back and that was when Baelen lunged.

She tried to come from the high right, but Dominik parried. Baelen used the momentum to spin, coming down and trying to cut across his torso, and for a horrible second Ciri thought she had gotten him.

However Dominik brought his blade down to block, and the minute Baelen's sword clinched with his he quickly shot his gloved hand down. He didn't fire a sign, but he grabbed Baelen's sword by the blade, ripping it from her hands and spinning with both swords in his hands. And when he finally came to a stop Ciri's eyes widened.

He had won.

His silver sword _Fate _was held in a reverse grip, just under the chin of Baelen's faceplate, the point dug into her throat. Baelen's own sword was in his other hand. Keeping his own sword leveled into her neck, he tossed hers to the side, slowly turning and adjusting the grip to a forehanded one, one which made it much easier for him to control his grip.

For a few seconds, the entire clearing was silent, as Baelen didn't move a muscle. The snow had come to a gently flutter. It was caught up in her hair, she looked at Dominik to see it was collecting on his shoulders, but he was as still as Baelen with his sword at her throat. The wind didn't howl, the horses in the cave didn't nicker, no animals made any sounds. The only think Ciri heard, was her own rapid heartbeat. The magic died down in her as well, but she kept hold of her sword, breathing heavily as the cold started nipping at her face again.

Dominik looked at her for a second and nodded. His scared, dirty, handsome face was covered in bruises and smaller cuts, but he gestured for her to join him. Her senses all seemed to return at this. Her bones ached, but she ran to his side anyway, her sword still in hand. Her stomach churned, as she saw Baelen still unmoving, the tip of Dominik's sword buried underneath her throat. She wondered why he hadn't finished her off, she knew it wasn't who he was to kill an unarmed opponent, but this was different. Baelen had been trying to kill them the entire time, so she didn't know what was keeping him.

But still, she joined him at his side. His large, wide green eyes met hers and he let out a long, relieved sigh. The snow gently fell over them both, as she slowly turned to Baelen now. Blood slowly sputtered onto the snow beneath her from her shoulder wound. Her faceplate and armor were smoke, and for the first time, Ciri realized how small it was compared to other members of the Hunt. It was slimmer, but still had the skeletal shape and design. Baelen herself, however, was as tall as she was. She truly wasn't an Aen Elle, or an elf at all. She was just a human, a human woman.

The commander's fists were curled at her side, and as Ciri and Dominik both looked at her, the sword digging into her neck, in the silence, Ciri heard her sob. Baelen sobbed, and Ciri saw tears fall from under her helmet into the snow along with the blood. Ciri's skin tingled, and her heart thumped loudly in her chest. She heard another sob from the commander, but Baelen still didn't take her eyes off them, her hands curling at her sides, her limbs all shaking now under the pressure of Dominik's blade at her neck.

She looked up at him, and then both met each other's eyes. In that moment, she knew he was thinking the same thing as she did. He as well felt the churning in his stomach, the thumping in his heart. However, before they could decide what to do, Baelen's voice rang out in her ears, as she shakily spoke through the sobs.

"Go on… go on then… Dominik… go on do it," She said, slowly shaking her head, shakily sighing, as Ciri saw the tears and blood mix in the snow. "End it… end it…. kill the past… do it… keep your precious princess safe…"

Ciri could hear the complete anguish in her. Never in her life, had she expected to feel anything but anger, hatred towards the Wild Hunt. However, there she was then, her heart thumping loudly, her stomach twisting into knots as she watched Baelen's tears fall to the snow. She wasn't sobbing anymore, but Ciri knew she was silently crying, her fists curled, awaiting her fate with Dominik's sword at her neck.

She looked up and met Dominik's eyes again. It was that unspoken language they had that passed between them again. It wasn't in either of them to kill an unarmed, crying, defenseless combatant, it wasn't who they were. She looked back to Baelen again, and saw her still silently crying, awaiting their choice. She was dressed in the skeletal armor; she wore the helmet of the Hunt.

But Baelen was just a woman, a woman that Dominik and her both knew. And they both needed to know how.

"Who are you…" Dominik said, the tip of his sword not leaving the woman's throat. "Tell us… no more of these games. Take off your helmet…"

Ciri's skin began to crawl, as she leveled her own sword as well. She watched for the commander to try and escape, to try and teleport, ready to spring into action herself. Baelen didn't, however. The commander took one small step back, her boots crunching the snow the only sound that could be heard. The snow drizzled onto all three of them, as Dominik made sure to keep his blade close enough to end her still if she made any sudden moves. Ciri's hands tightened around the hilt of her sword, as Baelen slowly reached up her hands to the bottom of her skeletal helmet, her hands trembling the entire time.

She had been wondering who Baelen was since the very first dream she had of her. The commander was the reason she so strongly wanted to come back, to protect Dominik from her, to stop her from killing him. And after hearing that she knew her, knew Dominik and her both, it had been eating away at her. Who could she have wronged so badly, that they felt they were forced to go join the forces of the Wild Hunt? How did she know so much? And most importantly, what was her connection to Dominik? How was she able to track him?

Next to her, Dominik's hand tightened around his sword, as she heard the clunking of Baelen's helmet as she grabbed it. She turned around once more, and still, the wind was gone, she heard no sounds except her own breathing, heartbeat, and the shaky sighed of Baelen. The commander turned from them both, Dominik's sword still poked into the back of her neck. Ciri watched, as Baelen slowly reached up, grabbing her faceplate, and when she shakily sighed again, it was the same normal voice Ciri heard from the dream, shaking, breathless.

Dominik and she didn't dare speak. She truly thought Baelen would run off, but her frizzy, sweaty brown hair fell down her back, before she gently removed the helmet as well. Ciri heard saw her whole-body shake, the helmet gripped in her hands, before her arm fell to her side, still clutching the helmet at her side.

And when the helmet hit the snow, it echoed like someone had shouted into a canyon.

"I've taken it off… so now go on… go on and end it, take my life from me… the one thing I have left in this world," Baelen said, her voice shaky and crying, but Ciri could hear the humanity in it. "I lost everything twice because of the both of you… so go on, take it all from me now."

Baelen turned around, and the moment Ciri saw her face, her legs almost gave out, as her breathing stopped, and she felt her entire body go numb.

But it was nothing compared to Dominik.

"No…no, no, no, no, no…no," He said, and unlike Ciri he really did fall to his knee, his sword falling from his hand as his eyes were glued to Baelen. "You… your dead… you were dead… it's not possible… not at all."

Ciri's body shot up in tingles, as she couldn't take her eyes off Baelen either, and as hard as she tried, she found herself unable to even breath. Not because Baelen was beautiful, extremely beautiful.

But because she looked exactly like Dominik. Bright, bright green eyes that were red and puffy from crying, emerald green eyes just like him and just like her. They were even almond shaped just like him. Her brown, frizzy, dirty, hair whipped in the wind, as she stood with her arms at her side, seemingly just as unable to speak as either of them were. Her face, her higher cheekbones, her sharper jawline, her lips, her nose, it was all just like Dominik, and she seemed to completely disregard Ciri as she looked to him.

Which Ciri didn't mind, because now, all of Baelen's words made sense, and Ciri still found herself unable to breath. Because all of Baelen's words were true. Ciri finally knew how the commander had known so much, knew so much about the both of them from Cintra.

It was because, she had been there with them both the entire time.

"Well… it seems like the impossible is possible then…" She said, her voice still cracking, as she looked at Ciri now. "Hello again… Ciri."

It was at that point Ciri stumbled, her knees shaking. But once again it was nothing compared to Dominik, who Ciri could see the tears welling up inside of his eyes, as he still hadn't taken his gaze away from her.

Baelen shakily sighed, smiling through the tears, meeting Dominik's gaze. "And hello again to you too… big brother."

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"B…Bella!? Bella you…you're alive," Ciri managed to stutter, shakily getting back to her feet, taking a step towards her old friend. "Gods I… I can't believe it how… how in the gods name are you… Bella I-."

_"Don't_… you _dare _call me that," Bella hissed at her, the tears still building up in her eyes as she fiercely shook her head while looking at Ciri. "_Bella_ is dead. She was a weak, _foolish _little girl, and she was born anew into something _better, _something stronger… thanks to Eredin…"

Ciri retracted her steps, her mouth still agape as for a moment she couldn't do anything except stare. Dominik's sister, she was dead, it wasn't possible at all, it was some sort of sick, sick trick by Eredin to rattle them both. She had died in Dominik's arms in the streets, Ciri remembered washing her blood of his hands after they had started running.

But when she saw Dominik next to her, she knew it was true. Because Dominik knew his sister better than anyone, and he still hadn't moved. The snow gathered up in his hair, as his sword completely fell out of his hand. He seemed unable to believe only a few moments ago, he was holding the tip of his sword to his sister's throat, ready to kill her in a moment's notice. Ciri thought the same thing, she thought about the fight they had in Lofeton, how many times Dominik had fought her. They had been ready to kill her. Kill Bella, and thinking about it, Ciri's arms trembled as she missed putting her sword away multiple times before she was successful.

The wind still didn't howl, as Ciri couldn't stop looking at her. It was Bella, her friend, her best-friend after Dominik. She remembered her at nine-years-old, running at Ciri's heels to look at dresses, see her assortments of jewelry and makeup, tend flowers in the royal gardens. And of course there was always their favorite past-time of playing tricks on Dominik as well. Ciri adored the girl, loved her as if it were her own sister, and still did as she looked at her then.

She had grown so beautiful, Ciri looked deep into her eyes, the same exact eyes that Dominik had. Ciri remembered how Bella had always been one of the brightest people she ever met. Laughing, joking, smiling, every day was an adventure for her, and Ciri loved every minute of it, and she knew that Dominik had missed her more than almost anyone, even his parents for the years since she died. He thought he failed her, and seeing him next to her then, she could see that he looked completely and utterly broken, his mouth quivering, his eyes watering as his sister stood across from him.

Ciri had no idea how Bella ended up with Eredin, but she knew what he had planned for her. And there was no way that she would let her down again. For years Ciri had felt blame, blamed herself. Sofia and Gregory had come up with a plan for the both of them, Dominik and Bella to escape with her, but the plan had gone astray, and all of them ended up dead except for her and Dominik. She had been broken herself when she learned Bella had died, and she quite frankly didn't care at the moment how she was there, only that she was, and she was real. She threw everything that she had done out the window, Eredin had tricked her, done something to her, and Ciri couldn't let it continue. Eredin wouldn't control and hurt someone else she had always loved.

And looking next to her, she had never seen Dominik in such a state, and knew that now he needed her more than he ever had.

She looked back at Bella, who's eyes were still watery, her green eyes puffy. The snow gathered up on the shoulders of her armor, her hands curled into fists at her side as she looked at only Dominik then. Everything finally made sense. Why she had spared Dominik, why she knew so much, why she could find him with her blood. Using your own blood to find your family she assumed was a simple enough spell if you had the talent. And the magic made sense now as well. Bella was like Dominik, a descendant of Alexander of Lod. It made sense now why Eredin let her join him, he was arrogant, prideful, but also smart. He knew that if he sued Bella, not only would he be proving he could control Alexander's line, but also he knew how much of a blow it would strike to Dominik and she if they figured out who she was, and it seemed the plan worked, because Ciri could barely form words at first.

However, she heard Dominik shakily breath next to her, small tears coming down his cheek, and she whirled herself back around to face Bella again, trying to take a step forward.

"Bella… Bella I… I'm… I'm sorrier for what happened then you'll ever understand," Ciri said, taking another step, and seeing Bella curl her fists again as she tried to form the right words. "But… but Bella Eredin, he's using you! He's going to kill you after he has what he wants, I… I don't know how you're alive but, but you have to understand he's using-."

She apparently had chosen her words wrong because Bella scoffed a laugh, tears still welled up in her eyes as she shook her head disbelievingly.

"Ha… using me!? He's using me, you have the audacity to say that, when all you've ever done is _use _my brother?" Bella said, shaking her head and meeting Ciri's eyes. "No… I'm not the one being used Cirilla… Dominik is, being used by you!"

Ciri's eyes narrowed, she could see how angry she was. She didn't know what Eredin had done, but she didn't care. This was Bella, not Baelen, not a member of the Wild Hunt, it was Bella, Dominik's sister, one of her best friends. She didn't want to believe; she wouldn't believe it. No, Bella didn't really want to kill them. She was being forced, manipulated, something that Eredin and the Hunt had done to her. Ciri didn't want to think about it, about what had happened to her, but in that moment as she looked deep into Bella's eyes, she could see the pure loathing and hatred.

Her boots crunched in the snow, as she looked agape at Bella again, throwing off her words and shaking her head.

"Bella I'm not using him! We love each other and… and we love you we always have, please, let us help you!" Ciri said, her voice pleading now as she kept her own eyes locked with Bella's.

Bella's eyes glew with a fiery anger, Ciri had chosen her words wrong again. She shook her head again, her eyes narrowing towards Ciri as she yelled.

"Love me!? The two of you!? YOU!?" Bella said, shaking her head and looking deep into Ciri's eyes, her legs shaking. "I don't need _your _help. I thought you were my friend Ciri, I thought you really cared about me, loved my brother, loved me and my family, BUT NO YOU ALL YOU CARED ABOUT WAS YOURSELF!"

"Bella that isn't true! I loved you all like you were my own," Ciri argued, feeling her own heart being ripped to shreds and the snow fell around them. "I loved Gregory like he was my own father, Sofia too! I loved you like you were really my sister, and I love Dominik-."

"AND THEY'RE ALL DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!" Bella yelled, her eyes shutting as tears streamed from her eyes, shaking her head and looking back up at her. "My _father _died protecting you because _YOU_ were apparently more important than his family! You have my idiot brother ready to die for you, like he already has once. And my _mother _abandoned me in the streets, and forgot about me, all because she and Dominik needed to _save the princess_-."

"Bella… Bella that isn't true!" Dominik finally said from next to her.

Both her and Bella whirled around to see he had finally managed to get to his feet. Dominik stepped in front of her, but Ciri could see how broken he was still, he was trying to keep it together by a thin piece of string. His eyes were still watering, he was pale, his legs and arms shook as he stood only a few meters away from his sister, the snow gently falling between them both. Ciri stayed at his side, looking up and seeing his eye still wavering. She wasn't to say something, do something to help him, but she knew nothing would work. Absolutely nothing was going to work, except talking to Bella then, so Ciri slowly looked back to her old friend.

Seeing her brother up now, Bella's fists curled, her matching eyes meeting his. Ciri felt her mind buzzing from the base of her skull. She knew the story of Dominik's escape, what Bella said really wasn't true like he had said. Sofia had protected them both, made sure they had a way out of the city, before holding off a squad of Nilfgaardeans troops to cover their escape, until she was shot down by the knight in the winged helmet. Slowly Ciri started to piece together a bit of what had happened. Somehow Bella had survived, she had survived and then Ciri assumed that somehow her powers had unleashed, and that led Eredin to her. And after Eredin saw her power, he brainwashed her. She knew it could be easy enough, especially with Aen Elle magic to plant fake memories into someone's mind, especially someone as young as Bella was.

But even with her potentially having fake memories, a stabbing pain ran through Ciri's chest. Bella, even if she was brainwashed, was correct. She had almost died, Sofia and Gregory had died, and Dominik had been minutes from death, all to protect her… and what had she truly done for them in return? She had run and become a criminal, slept with another person, and then when she finally had the chance to come back to Dominik the first time, she hadn't, running away instead. Her stomach churned, as a single gust of wind chilled her bones before the silence overtook the clearing again. She wanted to sit down, try to keep tears from falling, and think about what she had done, and how she had failed them all.

She couldn't however, because when she saw Dominik, she knew she had to keep a semblance of strength for him. He was naturally even more shaken then he was. He looked at Bella with pleading eyes, his hands shaking like a leaf in the violent wind.

"Bella… our mother gave her life to save both of us," He said, his voice still shaking as he met his sister's eyes. "She did everything she could… _I'm _the one who failed you… and I've lived every day for my entire life regretting that…"

Bella looked like she wanted to scream, but Ciri saw her hold back. Her eyes narrowed, but tears still slowly streamed from them, as she slowly shook her head.

"You're lying… I've _seen _what happened Eredin showed me. You both LEFT ME IN THE STREETS!" Bella yelled, her voice breaking as she shook her head. "But it doesn't seem to matter anymore… you've moved on, you have a new life… a new family."

"That's _not _what happened Bella, Eredin's brainwashed you!" He said, shaking his head and taking another step towards her through the snow. "And even if he has… you're still my sister… my little sister Bella gods… gods you've gotten huge."

"Stop pretending like you care!" Bella snapped, tears starting to fall from her eyes now, as she shook her head. "You _promised _me! You promised me you would protect me, that you could protect us both, do you remember!?"

Dominik bit his lip, slowly nodded, and Bella scoffed and shakily went on. "Yes… yes, I was scared, scared they'd come. I didn't think you'd be able to… but when my 'big brother', promised that he would protect me and the princess both… like a _stupid, stupid, foolish _little girl I believed you…"

"I failed you… I know that… and gods Bella I blame myself for it every day," He said, taking a few more steps through the snow. "But Bella… I _won't _fail you this time. I don't know how Eredin got his hands on you, but I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"He won't," Bella quickly said, tears coming from her eyes, shaking her head as Dominik got closer to her. "He saved me… showed me the truth. Made me stronger… he's going to give me a place, a people who actually care about me."

"Bella that's not true, he's using you, he just wants the power you have," Dominik said, walking towards her still, ever so slowly with his hands up. "I care… you're my little sister Bella, I love you, I still do, nothing's changed that. I _know _that this isn't you… you're my sister, you're Bella."

"_Stop, _calling me that," Bella said tersely, watching her brother get closer, tears still coming from her eyes.

"That's your name, not Baelen, or whatever Eredin calls you… you're Bella. I failed you once, and I don't know how you're here now, but I'm not letting you down this time…" Dominik said right back, getting closer and closer.

Ciri's eyes widened when she saw the crying Bella's fists curl harder. "Dominik…"

He shot his hand up behind him, telling her to be quiet, so Ciri did. Her legs shook as she watched him get only a few steps away from his sister now. The light of the moon shone between them, and Ciri took a moment to realize how similar they both really looked. Dominik's face was covered in soot, dirt and ash, but still she could see the similarities with perfect distinction. Bella she knew was unstable at the moment, she still had the notion that Dominik had left her to die, she was furious, but also anguished. She was hurt, hurt badly, not just on the outside as her shoulder still dripped blood, but on the inside as well.

Ciri had been to Tir'Nala, she had been a prisoner of Eredin. She knew how horrid it could be, and she was lucky that they needed her, or else it would have been worse. Shuddering from the cold wind nipping at her ears, Ciri didn't want to even try to imagine what Eredin and the Hunt had done to Bella to get her to be so loyal. Dominik and she had to change that, they had to do something, she wasn't going to just let his siter be a victim like she was. She knew that whatever Eredin had done, it could be erased, and they could get the real Bella back.

However, as Dominik finally got within an arm's reach of her, Ciri realized that in that moment however, she was still Baelen.

"Bella… gods I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry…" He said, slowly shaking his head, taking another slow step towards her through the snow. "I've missed you… every single day… and regretted that I couldn't save you every day… please, come with me now, we can fix whatever Eredin did to you, I know we can, I know-."

"YOU DIDN'T REGRET ANYTHING!" Bella finally cried, tears falling down her cheeks, as magic built up in her hand.

"DOM!" Ciri yelled, trying to run forward, but before she could, Bella slammed a ball of magic into Dominik's stomach.

A small ***BOOM* **erupted, and Dominik got sent flying back. He landed next to Ciri in the snow, she saw singe marks in his armor, smoking as he groaned on the ground. She whirled around and saw small wisps of magic floating around Bella's arms, the corners of her eyes glew bright blue, the exact same way Dominik's did, the magic starting to seep out of her. Her arms shook, a seething rage in her puffy eyes, but also tears still came down, as the magic continued to whirl.

Ciri instinctively reached for her sword, worried she'd attack, but the second her steel raked against the sheath, Dominik shouted out from the ground.

"CIRI STOP!" He said, groaning as he quickly scrambled up to her feet next to her.

She looked at him, and then back to Bella, who's magic was now simmering down, and bit her lip nervously, slowly letting her hand leave her sword. Silent tears still fell down Bella's cheeks, she breathed heavily, her arms shaking and eyes quivering as Dominik got up again, somehow shaking off the blast he just got.

Bella shook her head, her voice low now, cracking as she looked deep into Dominik's eyes. "You left me… even if what you say is true… you still ran, you left me there… you left me there to die…. I woke up covered in blood and corpses, no memory… but where was my big brother? Where was the big brother that promised to look after me…. He didn't even stay behind to try and bury me… he had to save the princess… you left me for her… just like you always would…. Eredin showed me the truth… he made me strong… not the same weak, foolish little girl I once was."

Ciri wanted to do something, but she couldn't think of what. She didn't want to attack Bella again, that would only make her think Eredin was right. But she also could see the magic radiating off her, as her arms shook, and silent tears fell from her puffy eyes. Bella's worlds however, pierced her like a hot knife in that cold air. Had Dominik really chosen her over his sister, had she forced him to choose?

_No, _she thought. _You can't think like this now, he needs you more than ever. _

Dominik needed her; she could see the desperation growing in his eyes. He hadn't even had time to properly digest the fact his sister was alive, but already he was begging her. Begging her to stop, and Ciri knew from what Bella had said, there was no way she herself was getting through to her. She kept silent, watching Dominik finally look away from her and back to Bella, biting his lip, fiercely shutting his eyes as tears fell from them. He was the only way; he was the only one that could get through to her.

Even with Bella's magic whirling, he still stepped in front of Ciri again, both his hands out as he met his sister's eyes.

"Bella… Eredin is using you! He's going to kill you as soon as he has what he wants from you, he wants to wipe out the line of Lod!" Dominik said, his voice growing firmer now, but the anguish was still there as he shook his head, keeping his eyes locked with his sister. "And after that, he's going to wipe out the continent, invade and kill thousands of innocent people! You don't want that, I _know _you don't want that, I know you Bella-."

"You have no idea who I am, not anymore!" Bella cut him off, her voice loud and angry, but shaking as she cried. "You and our parents both, you all gave up on me! Left me for dead in the streets, you forgot about me, left me alone, YOU AND MOTHER BOTH!"

Dominik yelled back, his voice growing to match his sister's, but the pain still shone through. "THAT'S NOT TRUE BELLA! Our mother died for us! She defended us until her final breath! I would have died for you too, but you were shot, you were dead, dead in my arms."

"STOP LYING!"

"IT'S THE TRUTH!" Dominik screamed, taking another step towards her. "EREDIN IS LYING TO YOU, HE'S MANIPULATED YOU!"

"NO, NO HE WOULDN'T DO THAT!" Bella yelled, her magic erratically starting to shoot from her, tears streaming from her face as she shook her head. "He showed me the truth, unlocked my memories and showed me what happened… you left me.. mother left me… you left me alone to die in the streets…. You failed me… you failed me big brother… you failed me, you promised, you swore you would protect me… BUT YOU FAILED ME, BECAUSE YOU CHOSE HER OVER ME, YOUR SISTER, FOR SOMEONE WHO ABUSES THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR HER, YOU CHOSE HER OVER ME!"

Bella's magic shot from her again in a blinding light. The bright blue magic stung her eyes, Ciri put one hand up and tried to move forward, towards Dominik's side as she saw him stumbling. The magic was bright, and shot from Bella as she screamed, half sobbing, half yelling. The girl was broken, devastated, and all the magic, all the chaos was starting to unleash from her. Ciri knew she had to make it to Dominik's side, but when she looked up he had stumbled back, still on his feet, but he looked at her.

"No! No Ciri stay back!" He yelled at her, turning back to Bella, his hands in front of his face to block the light.

Ciri's eyes widened as she met his eyes. "Dominik, you can't-."

"Trust me! Ciri just stay back!" He yelled at her again, pleading with his eyes before quickly turning back to Bella again.

Ciri's lip nearly bled from how she bit it. The wind started to howl, as when Dominik turned back to her, she heard a sob come from Bella, as her magic got less and less intense. She wanted to ignore what he said and get to Dominik's side, but she held herself back when she saw him move his hands and look at his sister. She cursed under her breath, realizing he was right, she had to trust him. He would be the only one to get through to her if it were even possible with whatever Eredin had done to her.

She looked at Bella now, her eyes still hard, staring at her brother as Dominik walked towards her again, but still, still Ciri could see that girl. That young girl, Dominik's little sister that ran at her heels when they were in the palace. Her heart began to churn again, her own eyes quivering. She would never forget that first day she met Bella. Dominik had brought her, and she happily said how it was no wonder why Dominik was in love with Ciri. Her eleven-year-old self-had gotten redder then a tomato at the idea but managed to actually compose herself. After that, she could remember Dominik being extremely bored, as Ciri and Bella both looked through their dresses, with Ciri even showing her basics she knew about makeup at the time.

And so many times after that, Dominik would come to see her, and Bella would be right at their heels, ready to play knucklebones, tell them all about every flower that bloomed in the garden, or tease them both relentlessly about the obvious crush they had on each other. The flowers Ciri remembered, were always Bella's favorites. She could see the eager look she'd get when Ciri told her new flowers had arrived, she was innocent, good, and Ciri had loved her like her own sister.

_But you did let her down, _she thought.

Ciri's skin continued to grow cold, she looked at Bella now, trying to compare her to that little girl at her heels. She was a fully grown woman, as beautiful as Dominik's mother Sofia had been, the high cheek bones and sharper jawline, and most importantly her eyes. Bella's eyes were the same emerald green, the same almond shape as Dominik's as Sofia's had been. However, seeing those eyes, Ciri could only feel her own quiver. Bella's eyes were tired, so, so tired, they were puffy and red, her face was pale, like every second she spent with the Hunt was slowly but surely draining her of her life force.

And still she had tried to kill her and Dominik both. Whatever Eredin had done to her, it was powerful. Creating whole memories would more than likely be simple enough for mages with power like Caranthir, or even Eredin himself. However, breaking that spell, breaking the created memories, or whatever it was had happened to her, Ciri had no idea how they would be able to accomplish such a thing. Bella had been determined to kill them both, had almost succeeded, she showed Ciri now mercy at all when they fought in Lofeton, and just now, she had no idea how Dominik planned on getting through to her.

However, he somehow managed to get closer to her, the snow gently floating around him as he got a few steps in front of his sister again. He held his hands up, his eyes gently looking across to her, while Ciri made sure to stay a few steps behind him. The snow started gathered up past her ankles. The ground was still scorched from their fight, but it quickly was being filled by new snow. In the cave, their horses knickered, and she could only see Bella and Dominik in front of her by the light of the moon. Bella's fists curled harder as Dominik finally stopped a few steps in front of her again, and Ciri's heart caught up in her chest as he slowly shook his head.

"I did fail you Bella, you're right… I failed you, and I've had to live every day of my life with that knowledge… regretting it," Dominik said, slowly shaking his head with his eyes water, his eyes not leaving Bella's. "But Bella… Eredin has brainwashed you, he's using you, using your power, he'll kill you as soon as this is over. He's turned you into something you're not!"

Bella was silently crying, but after Dominik spoke she shakily sighed. She shook her head, narrowing her eyes towards her brother. "You're lying… Eredin saved me, he saved me… and showed me the truth. And do you want to know what that truth is Dominik?"

Bella spoke, shakily sighing again as her eyes fell to the snow. "That truth… is that I am completely… and utterly alone in this world… and my only chance to belong somewhere… is by killing the both of you."

"You're not alone Bella, not anymore…" Dominik said slowly, getting somehow to within an arm's reach of her. "Because I _know _who you are, you're a girl who loves flowers and gardening, old fairy tales…. You want to visit exotic places like Toussaint, Zerrikania, or Spalla…. You're my sister… my family… and you never, _ever _give up on your family…"

He stood right in front of her then. Ciri took another step forward when she saw Bella's fists curl, her brown hair blowing back in the wind, but to her surprise, Bella didn't attack.

"You promised me… you promised me you could protect us both. But you chose her over me…I believed you… gods I believed you. I thought that my big brother would save me… but you didn't, you left me… left me for dead in the streets," Bella said, a dash of bitterness in her voice, but still silently crying, standing within arm's reach of her brother.

Dominik shook his head. "No, Bella that isn't true. Eredin's planted fake memories into your head…. I did everything I could to save you but… but you were dead in my arms. But… but you're right, I did fail you. I ran, like a coward… and I'm sorrier for that then you'll ever know."

He tried to reach out a hand for her, and Ciri saw Bella look at it for a moment. Tears slowly fell from Bella's eyes again, the snow catching up in her hair. Ciri wanted to say something as well, anything, tell Bella how sorry she was, how she believed in her too. However, she bit her tongue and didn't speak, knowing that if she said anything, it would more than likely only lead to Bella getting even more angry. Her sword wasn't in her hands, but Ciri could easily see the magic slight gently swirling around her.

Bella looked at Dominik's hand, and Ciri saw her twitch, like she was really going to reach out and take her brother's hand. However, at the last second, her hand curled again, she inhaled sharply and took a step back from him.

"It's too late for sorry," Bella said, sobbing and scoffing at the same time, as now she looked between Dominik and Ciri both. "Because of the two of you… this _is _what I am now. It's too late… the only way… that I can find my place in this world now… is if I kill you both."

"It's not too late Bella, not at all I swear," Dominik said, holding his hand up to Ciri again as Bella's magic began to whirl as she hyperventilated. He spoke as calmly as he could, stepping in front of his sister again and shaking his head. "You spared me, you could've killed me, but you didn't. You've offered to let me live; I _know _it isn't too late. You're still Bella, you aren't _Baelen _or whatever Eredin's called you… you're still my little sister Bella…"

For the first time she heard Dominik's voice crack. And upon hearing his words, Ciri saw Bella's eyes finally fall, as she shakily sobbed. Tears fell down her face again, and that was when Ciri finally felt them fall from her as well. Because she could see the well of pain in her eyes, the betrayal she felt. Ciri saw the scars along Bella's neck, the ash and soot that covered her cheeks, the tears slowly dripping to the snow below her with her blood.

Bella finally spoke again, and for the first time since her helmet had come off, Ciri heard her. Heard Bella, that same young girl that was on her heels back in Cintra, the young girl who she considered her own little sister… that she loved like a sister. Bella spoke, and her voice cracked, sobbing as she looked into her brother's eyes and shook her head.

"And how… would you know that?" She sobbed, shaking her head the tears coming down her cheeks as she sounded broken, betrayed. "You didn't even know it was me when you had that dream of the girl in Skellige…"

Dominik's eyes widened, his arms shaking as he shook his head. "That… that was you?"

Bella nodded, her lips pressed together, "It was… I started having dreams of you again… started to think… perhaps Eredin was wrong, and that maybe… just maybe you did still care. So… I sent you that dream… and I was a fool to doubt what Eredin told me… because you didn't even recognize me without the helmet."

"Bella please, I held you dead in my arms in the streets, I didn't think for a second you could be alive!" Dominik pleaded, tears streaming down his soot covered cheeks now. "But… but now that I know it's you, that you're here… I won't give up on you, never again I swear it."

"You can't swear anything, it's too late… I told you," Bella said quickly, her voice breaking again.

"It isn't too late Bella, it isn't. I broke my promise to you last time… but I won't again, I won't give up on you… you never give up on your family," Dominik said, crying still, but much more firmly.

"Dominik… be careful.." Ciri said quickly, and again he put a hand up to her, to stop her from moving to his side.

Dominik moved closer to Bella again, but Ciri saw her magic beginning to whirl even faster. She wanted to take another step forward, to get to his side again, but seeing his hand go up, she stopped in her tracks again. The tears had frozen to her cheeks, her breathing picked up as the cold got more and more intense as the wind finally picked up again. Her boots shifted in the snow, her hand trembled under her gloves, as he saw Dominik managed to finally get closer to his sister.

He stood only inches in front of her now, completely ignoring the swirling magic around her. He looked down into her eyes, Bella looked back up with the tears still streaming from her. Ciri's entire body tingled, as she watched the snow beneath them slowly melt from the ferocity of Bella's magic whirling around them both. The moon had gotten higher. It was well past midnight now, the moonlight glowed off the two of them. Ciri saw Bella's bright emerald eyes shining under the silver light the moon casted, as she looked up at Dominik with her lips pressed tightly together, the tears falling down her cheeks still.

Dominik, however, slowly shook his head, shakily speaking himself as he cried. "You are _not _Baelen. You are Bella, Bella of Cintra. The daughter of Gregory and Sofia, my little sister… and we're the last descendants of Alexander of Lod."

At the mention of Alexander, any goodwill Dominik had built up with his sister had gone. Ciri realized what he was saying, Dominik had told her about his conversation with Ida, and of course his visions with Alexander. It made sense to her now why it seemed like their magic was almost agitated, clashed so violently when they fought. Dominik and Bella both came from the same line, the line of Alexander, they shared blood, that was why the magic was so erratic when they fought. Dominik she knew had gained some semblance of control over his powers, but as soon as he clashed with Bella, it was out of control. That was because their magic was never meant to clash with one another.

It made sense now why Bella had been so powerful, and why the dragon Kilgarrah obeyed her when she summoned him. It would have been easy enough for Caranthir and Eredin to unlock her strands of DNA and teach her to control the magical energy inside of her. Ciri knew that being Alexander's descendant, being destined to protect her, was a great source of pride for Dominik ever since he had found out. It made Ciri love him even more, and it only reaffirmed what she already knew, that they were linked, and would be for their lives. However, as soon as the words left Dominik's mouth, Ciri knew that they had been the wrong ones.

Bella scoffed, her green eyes flaring with tear still falling from them. "_Alexander_… he's the reason they found me…. At first, they thought that I was _you _after I caused the explosion_."_

Her eyes turned to Ciri, and Ciri felt her heart nearly explode. She tried to stutter out words, but she only ended up floundering, which made Bella only scoff, pressing her lips together again as she shook her head.

"Kilgarrah tells me it's a _gift,_ and that if I saw you, I'd discovered my true self," She spit out, shaking her head, and looking back to Dominik again. "He tells me, what a _great _man Alexander was, but I know the truth…. Alexander left me with a _curse_. Because of him… I was doomed to this… but I'll make up for it…. I'll use the curse he gave me, to right his mistakes… and end the ones who put me here…_the two of you…"_

Ciri was going to say something, but Dominik rushed to get between Bella and her. He held his hands up to plead with his sister again. Ciri saw a realizing glow to his eyes, as he slowly stepped towards Bella again. As Bella's anger grew, she could see the magic, the blue beams around her getting brighter and brighter. Ciri's blood continued to run cold, she shakily sighed, having to hold both her hands over her arms. Bella's stare pierced into her, into the both of them, and Ciri felt it plunge into her heart like a knife. She could see the loathing, the pure, pure loathing in them. She wanted Ciri dead, she truly, truly did, and for the first time in her life, Ciri didn't want to kill the person who was looking at her as such.

No, she couldn't do it, it was Bella, Dominik's sister she knew. Dominik's sister, not some commander of the Hunt. She refused to believe it; she wasn't gone just as Dominik said. She wanted to help, wanted to do something, but she couldn't even find her words to speak. All she could do was look at Dominik standing in the snowy ground in front of her. The snow still slowly fell and drifted to the ground, her ears froze, her nose froze, her entire body froze as she watched Bella's magic whirl around her, as Dominik's eyes widened again at her words. That was another reason she couldn't fight, wouldn't fight Bella. No, she wouldn't put him through that. She wouldn't do that to him, she already knew how much losing Bella once hurt him. No, she'd do everything she could to save her, just like Dominik was then.

But she couldn't in that moment. All she could do was look at Bella's puffy, red, green eyes, and think on her words, on what she had yelled at her. She knew Eredin had planted fake memories into her mind, but what if her claims were true? If Gregory and Sofia really hadn't been so pre-occupied with saving her and Dominik and Bella, would Bella and Dominik had survived, would Gregory and Sofia still be there?

And most importantly, what about Dominik? Was she really simply throwing him at her problems, what had she truly, truly done for him? He had looked for her for years, never stopped, not once, and the time when Ciri should have finally gone back to him, she hadn't, she had fled instead. Even since she had been back, each time that he had needed her, what had she done? When he fought Eredin, she was helpless, couldn't do anything to help him. What had she done for him to make up for all those year she spent running, leaping between worlds while he was alone suffering? All of these things she thought that she had figured out, but hearing them all from Bella, someone who had been there their whole lives growing up, what if it all was true?

Tears slowly came down her cheeks again as her body shivered. _No, _she thought. _You can't worry about that now, he needs you, now more than ever. _

Dominik stood in front of Bella again, desperately meeting her eyes, tears streaming from him as well. "Bella… Kilgarrah's right! The magic from Alexander, it's a gift! It's your destiny, my destiny! Kilgarrah promised Alexander, that if any of his descendants lost their way, he'd be there for them, and that's why he sent you to me! Bella this is our destiny, and Kilgarrah knows it, together we can stop Eredin, he wants to invade the continent, kill everyone, I _know _that isn't what you want!"

"For the last time Dominik… you don't _know _me anymore," Bella said sharply, shaking her head as she scoffed a sob. "Alexander was a fool to defy Eredin… defy the Aen Elle. Eredin was right… the humans on this continent have-."

"Do you remember the time during the winter when you were nine, I was eleven? Ciri was out on some trip to Sodden, so we spent the whole week together," Dominik cut her off, making Bella's head shoot back over to him. He met her eyes, half crying still as he shook his head and even smiled meeting her eyes. "Mother was away in the market, and you wanted to sneak out and go to the lake to learn to skate. I took you; mother was furious when she found out!"

Ciri didn't know what he was doing, but she saw it must have been working because Bella gave pause. The snow fell around her in the night sky, as the toughness she had built up, the hard look in her eyes slightly fell, the magic around her dimming. Dominik looked back at Ciri for a second, seeming to urge her to watch his back, before he turned to Bella again.

"But… but before she did. I was teaching you to skate… you were pretty much better than me right away… gods I… I was proud," Dominik said, tears coming down his face still, before he shook his head and looked deep into Bella's eyes. "But do you remember what happened?"

Bella closed her eyes and shook her fiercely shook her head, "Stop… stop it right now Dominik don't-."

"The ice was too thin; it was my fault I should have known. It cracked, and you fell through… do you remember?"

"STOP, STOP IT, don't-."

"You yelled, you still didn't know how to swim that well yet," Dominik cut her off, shaking his head and meeting her eyes. "You went under… and… and I jumped in after you. I got you out, and I carried you back home. Mother was furious, grounded us for a week, but… but you were sick afterwards, really sick…"

"Dominik stop it… stop… stop…" Bella said, her voice cracking again as she closed her eyes and shook her head. "You left me… you left me…"

"For weeks you were sick, could barely get out of bed. And even when Ciri got back, I stayed with you. I made you tea, I read your stories, every single day until you were better…" Dominik said, sniffling and shakily sighing again. "And then once you were better, Ciri and I threw you a big lunch in her room. I didn't leave you alone then Bella… and I won't do it now."

Ciri was crying now too. She remembered the time in vivid detail as well. She had just gotten back from the trip to Sodden and didn't see Dominik waiting for her when she returned like she expected. And then another day passed, and another. Ciri had been horrified she did something that made him not want to see her anymore, but when she told Gregory of her fears, Gregory told her what happened to Bella at the lake. Ciri right away had wanted to go and see the girl herself, but Gregory had promised her she'd be alright, and her schedule had become particularly busy those few weeks, so she never got the chance.

And then once Bella had gotten better, and she saw Dominik again, after hugging him so hard he almost suffocated, she right away asked if she could do anything. That was when Dominik came up with the idea. Dominik brought Bella to the palace, and she had snuck as much food from the kitchens as she could carry, foods from different kingdoms, knowing Bella loved exotic things. She even got the girl flowers herself; she could remember how elated Bella had been upon seeing everything. She had even hugged Ciri, and it was the first time that Ciri had felt that perhaps, Bella could grow up to possibly be her little sister as well. Of course if she ever married Dominik like she hoped, that would make Bella her sister. However, young Ciri had been elated seeing her so happy.

But in that moment then, eleven years later, Bella wasn't smiling. She sobbed again, but kept her hard eyes trained on her brother. Shaking her head she closed her eyes again.

"You left me… you left me big brother…" She said, shaking her head, and looking back up at him, her eyes soft for the first time. "I trusted you… but still you let me die… you left me alone in the streets…"

"I let you down… I really… really did, but Bella… I didn't leave you in the streets, you died in my arms…" Dominik said, seeming to be reliving the horrible events in his head, as he cried again. "But I won't leave you again…. Bella, you don't want the continent invaded, you don't want to see the thousands die… that's not you. I know you Bella, I do…"

"Do you? Do you really Dominik?" Bella said, sniffled and shakily sighing again.

Ciri took another step forward when she saw he was right next to her now. He looked right down at his sister, his face right near hers. The magic around Bella to her shock had finally left her. No magic whirled, and Bella looked up at her brother, finally Ciri saw her fists uncurl. She was stunned, it seemed like for a moment, that Dominik may have actually gotten through to her, that Bella was listening. In her eyes then, Ciri saw the young girl she once knew, the one she considered her sister. Dominik was inches from her, his own arms shaking, he was crying still, but for the first time Ciri saw him scoff out a smile.

He held his hand up, and when he did she saw Bella tense. Ciri's body froze, but her eyes widened, and all her limbs seemed to move again when he saw him actually put his hand on Bella's shoulder. All of Ciri's breath left her and she rushed a step forward, but when she didn't see Bella move she froze again. Dominik was crying still, but she saw him smiling even as he didn't take his eyes off his sister. Her heart did a flip, as she looked and saw Bella close her eyes, shaking like a leaf in the snow as Dominik held onto her, sobbing at the same time as her brother did.

Dominik shakily sighed by smiled again, his hand shaking on Bella's shoulder as he shook his head. Ciri's own breathing stopped, waiting for what he would say, knowing that if he truly could get through to Bella, that not only would they get her back, it'd deal Eredin another crippling blow. The best person with words that Ciri knew was Geralt, he could talk down any man or monster when he wanted. He may have appeared stoic, and lacked expression, but her father was a better speaker then anyone she'd ever met. Second on that list was Dominik. He inherited Geralt's skill for words, always seeming to know what to say to make her feel better, or to calm just about anyone.

However, this was one of the few times, Dominik had chosen his words wrong.

He smiled while sobbing still, looking down at his sister, his hand up on her shoulder. He nodded to her, Bella's now soft eyes finally meeting his as he spoke.

"I do… I do…. Gods… Bella… Bella you… you're alive…" He said in disbelief, as Bella silently cried with his hand on her shoulder. "I thought I lost you… gods Bella… I won't abandon you again… I won't give up on you again. Together, the two of us we… we can stop Eredin from killing thousands, we can protect Ciri and-."

Bella sobbed out a loud scoff to cut him off, crunching her plated boots through the snow as she backed away from him. Ciri saw Bella's eyes as she looked at him now, the snow falling into her hair, in those eyes, a look of betrayal, even worse than the one she had at the beginning of the conversation was there. She laughed, half sobbing, half laughing as she shook her head, a tone of disbelief in her voice.

"Again… again… all you fucking care about… _all _you fucking care about is her!" Bella said, her voice rising again, and Ciri saw magic begin to violently churn around her arms.

Dominik eye's widened, he held his hands up and shook his head. "Bella no! That's not what I meant, Bella please I-."

"NO! Again! Fucking AGAIN ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS HER!" Bella cut him off, shaking her head as the magic got even bright around her, her eyes starting to glow. "You don't give a damn about me, what happens to me at all NO! EREDIN WAS RIGHT! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS HER AND ONLY HER! YOU SAY HE'S USING ME BUT THAT'S ALL YOU WANT TO DO!"

"BELLA STOP, THAT'S NOT TRUE I-."

"I MADE THE MISTAKE OF BELIEVING YOU BEFORE!" Bella screamed again, tears streaming from her eyes like a waterfall as she shook her head. "You don't give a DAMN about me… what happens to me, you only care ABOUT HOW I CAN HELP YOU PROTECT YOUR PRINCESS!"

"GAHHHH!" Dominik yelled, the light from Bella's magic growing so bright he stumbled back.

Ciri finally felt her limbs move, and she rushed forward through the snow, now up to her ankles. She managed to catch him just before he fell. She almost toppled herself from his weight after the light from Bella's magic hit her own eyes. They both made it to her feet, and he met her eyes for a moment, and Ciri almost collapsed right there. The look in his eyes, she had never seen anything like it before, never had she seen so much pain, so much pure pain in his eyes. Her stomach churned, and she whirled back around just as Bella's magic finally died down.

Dominik tore his eyes away from her and whirled back around to Bella. Ciri stayed right at his side, her heart racing as the snow began to pick up. The moon wasn't the only source of light now, as Bella's face had grown dark, crying still she retrieved her sword from the ground. Her blood still trickled from the wound in her shoulder, but her hands curled around the hilt of her black and grey jagged blade. She closed her eyes tight, with the magic still shooting up around her, as the hurt in her face rivaled even Dominik's. However, when she opened them, Ciri could see the pure rage that was building up.

Ciri reached her hand up to the hilt of her sword, sure that she would lunge, but Dominik grabbed her wrist and frantically met her eyes. Ciri wanted to argue with him, but she knew that there wasn't going to be any. She shakily sighed, her hands left her sword as she looked back over towards Bella, who still cried silent tears as she glared at them both.

"I was a foolish little girl then… and I let myself be that again now…" Bella said, her voice hard, but still shaky from the tears, as she looked at Dominik and shook her head. "You lied to me then… and you're lying to me now… you never cared… you never fucking cared 'big brother'."

Her words started off hard, but as she spoke Ciri heard her voice cracking again, as blue light shot around her, her sword gripped in her hand. She looked up at Dominik, and saw his heart break in front of her, his knees buckled as he stepped forward again, meeting Bella's eyes, crying himself now as he shook his.

"Bella… Bella please, it's me, Dominik, please I swear on our parents graves I'm telling the truth, gods Bella I love you!" He said, his voice cracked as he took another step towards her, the magic not bothering him as all he did was meet his sister eyes. "Please… please Bella this isn't you, I won't give up on you, I won't abandon you, never again… Bella I-."

"STOP! STOP CALLING ME THAT," Bella cut him off, shaking her head again. "My name is _Baelen, _commander of the Wild Hunt…. The next time I see you both… I will kill the past. I'll win victory for Eredin… and _finally _maybe I'll have somewhere where I belong…"

Dominik shook his head, and rushed another few steps, trying to reach her again. However, Bella held her sword out, the magic rushing off of it. Dominik pulled up, almost stumbling forward right onto the blade. Ciri reached for her sword again but stopped when she realized that Bella was unmoving. She could have plunged her blade right into Dominik's chest then, but she didn't. Her hand shook as she held out her sword, Dominik right on the end of it.

He shakily sighed, looking up and meeting his sister's eyes again. "Bella listen to me, Eredin is going to kill you after he's done with you. Imlerith told us that before we killed him! If you never forgive me fine, but I _won't _let him do that to you! I let you down once, I won't do it again, please… please Bella, it isn't too late to stop this!"

"But it IS too late Dominik… it's too fucking late…because of the two of you… this is who I am now… this is who I'll always be…" Bella said, her voice shaking as she turned around from them both.

Ciri's knees buckled not from the cold, but from Bella's words. Eredin had sunken his fingers into the girl, the girl Ciri considered her sister, that she loved. It was only another thing she added to the long growing list of things that she would kill Eredin for. The snow started to howl, Bella's magic dimmed but still faintly glew around her arms and legs. She slid her sword into her waist, her long mane of brown hair falling down her back.

Dominik looked to Ciri for a moment, before stepping forward to Bella again.

"This isn't who you are. I know you Bella, I know you better than anyone," He said, his voice breaking again, shaking his head as Bella slowly turned around. "Please… please Bella just come back with us. Come back with us and let's talk, Eredin's done something to your memories, we have mages, mages who could-."

"I SAID, it's too late Dominik… it's too fucking late… you had your chance, but you squandered it… when you left me to die in the streets…" She said, slowly shaking her head, shakily sighing as the tears finally stopped, but she still shakily sighed. "I'm going to right Alexander's mistake… I was a fool to doubt what Eredin showed me in the first place…"

"Bella _please_," Ciri said, finally managing to find her voice, shakily speaking as Bella darted her now fierce eyes over to her. "I've been a prisoner of Eredin before, he won't show you any mercy, he'll kill you when he has what he wants… please Bella… gods I'm… I'm sorrier then you'll ever know, I loved you, like you were my own sister and-."

"And I thought that was the truth Ciri! I thought you were my friend, that you really cared about me and my brother, and my parents but NO! All you've ever done is get people killed trying to protect you, and soon Dominik will be added to that list as well!" Bella snapped, her hard eyes turning towards Ciri again, her magic picking up.

Ciri stuttered and shook her head. "B…Bella I… I never meant for-."

"He'll die for you Ciri, they all will, none of them stand a chance at defeating Eredin, you know this…. You know it deep down…" Bella said to her, slowly shaking her head. "If you really cared for them all… you'd just surrender yourself now…"

"I… I… Bella… I-." Ciri started trying to say something, but she was cut off, by the loud sound of a portal ripping to life.

Bella had waved her hands behind her, and another massive swirling dark blue portal shot open. Ciri's heart kicked into overdrive, thumping so loud she heard it in her ears over the snow. The howling wind, the portal opened with the white frost, it sucked forward and Ciri almost fell. Dominik quickly caught her, and she looked up at him. His eyes widened at the sight of the portal, the snow gathering in the collars of his armor. Bella looked at them both one more time, she shakily sighed, the silent tears coming from her eyes again, and the second she went to turn around, Dominik rushed forward again.

"BELLA STOP!" He said, yelling and rushing forward through the snow again.

Bella to her surprise, stopped just before she entered the portal. The moon shined down between her and Dominik both. Ciri saw his knees buckling, tears hitting the snow below him as he sloshed his boots through the ankle-deep snow.

She watched him get a few steps from Bella, a few steps from the portal again, the two siblings both had tears in their eyes, and in that moment Ciri saw them both when they were younger, both coming to play with her eagerly at the palace. He saw Gregory and Sofia in them both, the eyes, the hair, their face construction, everything. And Ciri watched as Dominik shook his head, never had she seen such a pleading look come to his eyes when he looked at his sister then, looking deep into the green eyes they both shared. Both of them cried more, the tears coming down Dominik's cheeks as he shook his head.

"Bella… Bella please… I've lived every day, regretting what happened to you… I failed you… I did, and I have to live with that, every day…. But Eredin is _using _you, he's brainwashed you, and wants to kill you, I won't let him…" Dominik said, slowly shaking his head.

"It's too late… for fuck's sake Dominik it's too late…. You made your priorities extremely clear… and I was a fool to think any different…" Bella said, but Ciri could hear as if every word was a struggle for her to get out.

"Bella… I wasn't there for you, I failed you… but I won't let that happen again. I'm not going to give up on you… not ever. No matter what… you're my sister…" Dominik said, and Ciri saw him reach out his hand to Bella who was standing only a few steps from the portal. Bella looked at her brothers' hand, and then back to his eyes, and Dominik shook his head. "You never give up on your family… Alexander told me that… and I won't give up on you… please… gods please Bella… please come with me… it isn't too late."

Ciri took another few steps closer to him, seeing the magic around Bella still whirling. The wind, the howling of the portal, all noise seemed to stop there for a moment. She looked up at Bella, looking between her brother's eyes and his outstretched hand. For a few moments, she simply looked at him, as Ciri saw tears slowly streaming down the girl's face. She saw her confliction, her pain, her anger, her betrayal.

She wanted to believe Bella would take his hand, that they'd bring her back to Novigrad. Between all the powerful sorceresses they had, surely they would have been able to remove the fake memories that had been implanted in her. Surely they could have figured out how to wipe the Hunt's influence from her and bring her back to the person Ciri knew she was.

However, just like Dominik, Ciri's heart shattered, when she saw Bella look deep into her brother's eyes and shake her head.

"No… it _is _to late…" She said, slowly shaking her head as she saw Dominik's eyes widen before she went on. "Don't show up Dominik… don't show up to the final battle… there won't be any more mercy… each time I've done it, in the hopes that maybe… just maybe the dreams were true… but I was wrong. Don't show up… don't make me have to kill you."

"Bella no… Bella please don't-." Dominik started, tears streaming down his cheeks, but Bella cut him off, standing just in front of the portal, slowly turning her head back to him.

"Baelen… that's my name… Bella's dead… you killed her, so you could save your precious princess…" She said, taking one last look at Dominik and Ciri both.

And after that, she walked into the portal.

"NO BELLA STOP!"

"DOMINIK STOP!" Ciri yelled, as she saw him try to lunge forward into the portal after his sister.

Ciri caught him just in time and held him back for long enough, and after another few seconds, the portal disappeared, a loud ***RIIIIIIPPPP* **cutting through the air like a knife.

"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, BELLA!" Dominik screamed, rushing from her arms to where the portal had been open.

And Ciri could only watch, her heart thumping, her limbs shaking, as Dominik fell to his knees in the snow. He was silent, the snow falling around him, the wind starting to howl through his fluffy brown hair again. She tried to step forward for him, but then she stopped, feeling herself shakily sigh, fighting to keep her tears back when she heard him.

"Bella… gods… gods… Bella…" He said, looking down at his hands as they shook.

Never in Ciri's life had she heard him cry like he did then, and after a few seconds, she cried right along with him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

_He needs you, get up Ciri, get up now. _Her brain shouted at her, screamed at her, willing her not to cry herself. After feeling like a bomb had exploded in her stomach, and having tears finally fall down her cheeks and freeze to her face, Ciri finally felt her legs move. The wind howled, the snow falling faster and faster over then both. She sloshed her boots through the snow, over to where Dominik was still on his knees, looking at his trembling hands. He wasn't sobbing anymore, when Ciri fell to her knees in front of him she saw the tears slowly falling down his cheeks, his eyes pinned on the spot where Bella's portal had closed. Her own heart leapt up in her chest, she felt the stinging of the frozen tears on her cheeks but ignored it as she looked at him.

"Bella… Bella… Ciri, it… it was really her… gods Ciri…it… it was Bella…" He said, his voice cracking again as he looked up at her.

She saw his face was still covered in soot from their fight with Bella, but the soot was being washed away by his tears and the wet snow. Her own body was shaking, her arms trembled as she quickly reached out and grabbed his hands, making him jump, as he shakily sobbed, looking up and meeting her eyes. She wanted to sob herself, but now, she couldn't, there was no way she could break down now, not when he was like this. He would never not be there for her, so now she needed to be there for him. She had no idea how she would help him recover from this, but she had to do whatever she could.

Ciri reached up, holding his face, holding back her own tears she looked deep into his eyes, trying to calm him as best she could. However, she found it hard to calm someone else, when her own mind was so abuzz. She shivered from the cold, gently shaking her head at him.

"It's alright… it'll be alright I swear," She said, shakily speaking herself, as he sobbed again, she kept their eyes locked and nodded. "We'll get her back… Dominik I swear… I swear we'll get her back… I promise…"

"Ciri Eredin he… he didn't something to her…. And… and gods I… I didn't even recognize her… gods Ciri it… it's my fault I-."

"Shhh, it's not your fault… gods Dominik it's not your fault, I promise," She said, as he sobbed, and the next thing she knew she pulled his head into her shoulder, as he wrapped his trembling arms around her waist.

He didn't say anything back, only sobbing as Ciri finally lost it as well. Neither of them said anything. The moon was still risen, but Ciri could see it would only be another few hours until the morning. He squeezed around her waist, sobbing, crying into her shoulder, his tear running down her chest and into her scarf. With every sob, Ciri lost it herself, hugging around his neck even tighter, one of her hands digging into his hair. Bella's eyes, her eyes that looked so much like his, the eyes of the girl she once knew, the one she considered a sister, they had tried to murder them both. She had been brainwashed, tortured by the Hunt, just as she had almost been. Bella was living her worst nightmare; Dominik's little sister was living Ciri's own worst nightmare.

The worst part was what Bella said was true. Gregory, Sofia, Bella herself, and possibly even Dominik in the future. It wasn't just them either, Declan, Arno, Vigi and Folan at Kaer Morhen, even back when she was on her own, people died for her, people who became closely associated with her died. They weren't very good people, but the Rats had been killed, all of Geralt's friends, all of whom didn't know her, they had all died trying to rescue her from Stygga Castle. Death followed wherever she went, and now, she was bringing the man she loved, her parents, and all of their friends into a fight they truly didn't know if they would win. Bella had been brainwashed by Eredin yes, given fake memories, but in the end, what she said had been true.

"Gods… gods Dominik I'm sorry…. I'm so… so sorry…" She said, sobbing now as well, pulling him closer to her, as all she could hear was his crying into her.

_No, stop it Ciri, stop. This isn't about you right now, he needs you, be strong, for his sake. _She shakily sighed, she gently pulled back from him, her hands still around his face as he held onto her. Her forehead leaned against his, and she could barely believe just a few hours earlier, they were elated, ready to go back and tell all of their friends about Fiona, about the contract, the quest they went on. It was supposed to be another amazing ride back together, just the two of them, time alone, they planned on discussing where they should take Fiona first after the battle, whether they should go right to Kaer Morhen with her, or somewhere else.

But now, as much as Ciri missed the girl, what happened with Fiona paled in comparison to what just took place. Ciri still didn't want to believe it, that it had actually just been Bella in front of them. Every bit of her wanted to believe Eredin had pulled off some elaborate scheme, and this was just all a ploy for them to shake she and Dominik's confidence, try and shatter them before the final battle.

However, as she saw Dominik's eyes, she knew it wasn't. It really had been her, his little sister, a general of the Wild Hunt.

"Ciri… Ciri she… she isn't herself, they… they did something to her, to my little sister… fuck… fucking FUCK," He cried, shaking his head, as Ciri quickly shook hers.

"We'll get her back… we won't let them get away with this," She said, the tears slowly falling from both their eyes as she gripped onto his face. "I _won't _let you do it alone, we'll both get her back, Dominik I promise… and we'll make them pay… we'll make them pay for all of it."

And upon her words, he shakily inhaled, when he looked up at her, she couldn't remember a single moment he had looked like he did then. Regret, anguish, dread, and anger, they all boiled inside his green eyes, as they quivered with the tears still ready to fall from them. However, for the moment, he sniffled and wiped his gloved hand over his eyes. He gently held his head against her forehead again, before shakily sighing and meeting her eyes, a look of realization coming to him.

"Ciri…. Ciri, the prophecy… the prophecy, it wasn't you after all…" He said slowly, his eyes widening as he met Ciri's eyes.

"Wh…what?" Ciri said, confused as tears slowly fell from her cheeks again.

Despite everything that had just happened, despite them both crying, despite both their worlds feeling shattered in that moment, the minute he saw her crying he reached over to her. He didn't let his eyes leave hers, they grew concerned, as he gently wiped the tears from her eyes. To her surprise, he had stopped crying, but she could still see him holding the tears back. Slowly he shook his head, scoffing, as he leaned down and kissed her. The salty taste from their tears hit her lips as he held her face and she kissed him back.

Her brain went abuzz, her tears freezing to her face as the cold and snow hit her, but her chest filled up with warmth as he gently pulled back and met her eyes.

"Ciri, the prophecy, 'one you once loved has returned'. I… I thought it meant you, but… but now I realize it couldn't have," He said, his voice slow as she could see he clearly was still fighting tears as he looked at her. "I… I may have been away from you but.. but I never truly lost you. I always had the swallow, you in my heart and… and I knew you were out there, I never gave up."

"Dominik… gods I… I love you for that but… but what do you mean?" She asked.

"That it's Bella… the prophecy I got is about me and Bella…" He said, as Ciri's eyes widened in realization as well before he went on. "I thought she was really dead, that… that I had lost her. But… but now she's back… and… and I have to make a decision that will either kill her not…"

He shakily sighed again, the tears finally coming down his soot covered cheeks again, as Ciri quickly held onto him again. She had never had a sibling before, Bella truly had always been the closest thing, so she felt his pain, and seeing him in such a state, so distraught, nothing had ever hurt her more. Her skin crawled, her stomach a churning mess of knots, with bombs going off one by one.

"We can do this… Dominik we can I promise," She said, meeting his eyes again, both of them still crying now. He looked at her and Ciri slowly nodded. "I'll be there… I'll be there for you I swear… gods I… I almost killed her… I almost killed Bella I… I'm sorry Dominik I-."

"Shh it's okay," He said, sniffling and wiping his eyes again, gently holding onto her waist as he shook his head at her. "You had no way of knowing…."

For the first time, she saw him give pause. He had trailed off, and his hands went limped on Ciri's waist. Feeling his touch leave her, she watched as he got up to his feet. Suddenly feeling the cold wind wash over her again, she slowly arose as well. The snow picked up, and she brushed it off her scarf, and her heart stopped when she saw the look in Dominik's eyes then.

He wasn't in tears anymore, although his eyes were still puffy and red. His gaze was hard, piercing, and for a moment was even slightly afraid. Not even when he had stared down Eredin during the battle at Kaer Morhen had she seen that in his eyes. His arms shook still, the moonlight reflected off his scored armor. Dominik she knew, very rarely got angry, especially when she was around. The two of them both had that effect on each other. Whenever she herself was angry, fuming, ready to explode, Dominik would be there, he'd say something to her in a calm soothing voice, touch her arm, and while sometimes she was stubborn and it took some time for her to cool off, most times she was soothed. The same happened with him. Whenever she saw him upset, angry, she'd be able to give him a calming look, a reassuring smile, and right away he'd seem to feel better.

Geralt had told her multiple times Dominik's temper had flared during their journey to find her. However, from what Ciri had seen so far, since they had been back together, he was calmer, composed, matured, and Ciri had found that extremely appealing about him.

But then, as they stood in the snow, she could see the mixture of anger, and sadness boiling in his green eyes as he looked at her. She knew the anger wasn't directed at her, but when she saw it, she couldn't find any words, as she still felt tears slowly falling down her cheeks still, freezing as the wind blew.

"Ciri…" He said, his voice deep and dark, as he clearly was trying to hold back no tears anymore, but anger. "Did he know?"

Her body buzzed, shivering with goosebumps in the cold snow, as she looked up at him, completely miffed.

"Who…?" She said, taking a step closer to him, her eyes not leaving him.

"Avallac'h," He said, spitting out the sage's name, the anger finally spilling from him, as Ciri saw him tremble even more violently. "He knew I was Alexander's descendant… he more than likely would have known that Bella was alive too…. Did he know?"

Ciri's eyes widened, as his question sank into her like a rock to the bottom of a lake. Her heart nearly fell to her boots, for a moment she floundered. She remembered Lofeton, how she had thought Avallac'h perhaps knew Baelen and hadn't told her. However, she didn't know if it was just her looking at it too closely, but it seemed like he had.

But surely the sage would have told her if he did. Avallac'h was many things, he was an ass Ciri knew, prideful and arrogant. Ciri knew that he was secretive as well, had some plans that he hadn't told them off, had plans for her he hadn't told her about. One day the sage was going to try and ask her for a favor, after what he pulled on her when they had first met, him forcing her to sleep with Auberon, she knew what type of person he was. He was manipulative, and always looked to further his own agenda.

However, in the past few months, the sage had been one thing, that Ciri would begrudgingly admit. He had been honest. He hadn't misled her yet, and she knew that he wouldn't dare risk her leaving him by lying to her. He needed her too much for whatever plan he had cooked up, and Ciri needed him too much at the moment to help them defeat Eredin, one thing the elf also wasn't, was stupid. He knew that if he pushed Dominik too far, had pissed him off enough, that he would lose Ciri as well, that had been why he had purposely been avoiding him since Kaer Morhen. She had traveled with the sage long enough, despite what he had done to her, forced her to do, she did trust what he said, but the truth of the matter was, that she didn't know if he knew.

She met Dominik's eyes, and when she did, she didn't see the normal reassuring warmth that was there. She knew how much pain was currently built up inside him, how his emotions and mind in that moment must have been abuzz. Ciri didn't want to cause him anymore pain. She knew that if Avallac'h had indeed known, and the sage hadn't told them, nobody, not ever her, Geralt, Yen, nobody would be able to stop Dominik from spilling the sages blood, removing his head from his shoulders.

Ciri would have felt the same, but for the greater good they needed the sage, and with Dominik's mind racing how it was, and her truly not knowing if Avallac'h knew or not, she didn't know how to answer Dominik in that moment.

"Dominik I… I don't know," She said slowly, taking another step closer to him and shaking her head. "He… he never mentioned anything about-."

"Don't fucking defend him, not now Ciri, don't you fucking do it," He snapped, his eyes shooting down to her.

Panic built up inside her at his tone, she shook her head. "What? Dominik, I wouldn't do that, especially not now. I've never defended him before, I know he's an ass, I don't-."

"Yes you do Ciri, yes you fucking do, you've been defending him this whole time."

"Dominik what are you talking about!? I wouldn't-."

"He did something to you… something horrible, something he wasn't going to let you go from…" He said, his voice slow as he looked down at her, his eyes dark. "You won't tell me what it is, won't tell me or Geralt what it is, because you know it'll make us want to kill him… I've accepted that, I understand why you haven't, but now? I'm going to figure out if he knew, one way or another…"

"Dominik I… I really… really don't know if he knew or not… you believe me don't you?" Ciri said, her voice slightly cracking, but quickly he nodded to her.

He reached out, holding both hands around her face, shakily sighing and nodding. He leaned forward, and kissed her forehead, wrapping her in a hug, as Ciri did the same. She felt him shake, lightly sobbing into her shoulder, goosebumps running up his arms. After a moment, he pulled back from her, looking down and meeting her eyes. His eyes were still hard, but he slowly nodded at her, shakily sighing.

"I believe you, I do, I always will, never forget that…" He said, leaning forward, and kissing her cheek again.

Ciri felt the warmth from his kiss almost thaw her frozen cheeks. However, when she looked up at him, he slowly shook his head.

"But if he knew… if he knew, and didn't tell us… then I don't care what we need him for… I'll strangle him with my bare fucking hands until he isn't breathing anymore," He said, his tone low, and Ciri could tell he truly wasn't lying.

The way he spoke, it wasn't him. She could tell he wasn't in his right frame of mind. Dominik knew deep down that they needed Avallac'h, they needed him for any hope of defeating Eredin, even summoning him. Ciri wanted to be rid of the sage as well, and she would admit, if he knew about Bella and hadn't told them, she would more than likely need to be held back as well.

She knew he wasn't thinking straight then, and with the anger she saw in him, she didn't know what he would do if she couldn't calm him. He had a right to be angry of course, but she also knew that he would never forgive himself if in his anger, he did something that jeopardized the entire continent, their mission, their quest to get that life they both wanted afterwards. In the back of her mind the thoughts still lingered, what Bella had said still lingered, but she forced them away for now.

Ciri looked up at him, gently shaking her head, slowly reaching down to hold his trembling hands. They shook in hers still, the snow was starting to let up, it had gathered up to around their ankles. Her heart spun in her chest, as behind the anger, she could see the hurt, the hurt built up in his eyes, the eyes she loved. She leaned up and kissed his scarred right cheek, the tears that were stuck to her face stinging as she spoke as softly as she could.

"Dominik… please… that doesn't sound like you," She said, reaching up one hand to his cheek, stroking her thumb along his cheek. "If he knew… and didn't tell us he'll pay, but Dominik… we need to remember what the bigger picture is. Our future.. me… you… Fiona… that's what's going to matter. We'll save Bella, I swear to you… we won't give up on her."

After hearing her words he shakily sighed. Ciri felt him squeeze her hands, and for a moment, the look in his eyes softened. A smile didn't come to his face, but he leaned down, holding her face in his hands again and kissing her. She tried to put everything she had into that kiss, every bit of reassurance and love into it as she could. After pulling back she felt the base of her skull tingle, she thought she had gotten through to him for a moment, that she had somehow managed to calm him.

But all her hopes were dashed, when she saw his eyes, and heard him shakily sigh.

"Ciri… she's my sister, it's Bella…" He said, his voice lower, darker again as he met her eyes and slowly shook his head. "If I had known it was her earlier, I could have done something… If he knew… and didn't say anything… I _will _kill him without a second thought."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head, "Dominik-."

"We should get to bed," He said, cutting her off, and turning away from her, his fists curling again. "It'll be dawning soon, we should sleep while we can, I want to leave at first light… I'll start another fire."

He walked away, away from her for what she thought was the first time in their lives. She looked closer and could even see small wisps of magic appearing in his curled hands. Her heart sunk to her boots. She shakily sighed and shivered as she watched him walk towards the cave, trudging through the ankle-deep snow like it was nothing. Ciri shivered, looking up at the moon as it was slowly giving way to the sun. It would be dawning soon like Dominik had said, and when it did, she knew they were only a few hours hard ride from Novigrad.

And when they got there, she didn't know what would happen, she had no idea if she would be able to calm him, control his anger somehow. She had seen him angry before, during Kaer Morhen, when he fought the dragon only a few days ago, she had seen him absolutely furious.

She shivered, reaching down when she saw _Fate _his silver sword laying in the snow. Quickly she picked it up, wiping it of the snow as she watched him walk into the cave. She watched as his hand was set aflame after casting Igni. Even from just that simple sign, the fire roared with a blaze so large, Kelpie and Clop both bucked and knickered in the cave as well. The fire was warm and bright, but Ciri could only shiver.

She had seen Dominik furious before yes… but never to this degree.

**A/N: Ladies and gentleman just like that, one of the biggest mysteries of the entire book is finally revealed! Now, I had a multitude of theories, ranging from Baelen was Dominik's mother, a clone of some kind, a female elf who loved Alexander of Lod, Eredin's daughter, and even that she was Ciri from an alternate dimension where Dominik picked to be with Freya instead of her. However, the most popular theory, was always, that she was Bella Dominik's sister, and that theory turned out to be correct. Baelen, is actually Bella of Cintra, one of the last two descendants of Alexander of Lod, Dominik's little sister. After such an exciting few chapters for Dominik and Ciri, we have this dreadful news, and as you can all guess, this has major implications going forward…**

**There isn't much to break down, since the chapter wasn't that long, and was basically one long scene after Ciri's dream. But after an intense fight, we finally get the reveal, and see Dominik's little sister is grown now, and she was also the girl from the dream he had in chapter 28. **

**Bella as we see, was brainwashed by Eredin and the Hunt, and now, is out to kill Dominik and Ciri again. We see how she has known so much, why she has such resentment. I have been so, so excited to reveal Bella like this to you all, we learn she awoke with no memories in the streets, and that Eredin fulfilled his promise, when he claimed he could control Alexander's line. As for how Bella got to Skellige, and her time there, we're going to learn more through dreams, we have far from seen the last of her!**

**A few people may say Ciri's reaction wasn't as strong as Dominik's was, and to this I say, it's because as she said, she had to be strong for his sake, because as we see at the end of the chapter, Dominik isn't happy, he's angry, and next chapter back in Novigrad, tempers certainly are going to flare. I have been waiting for this moment in the story for so long, and I cannot wait to show you all what's still to come!**

**Next chapter, tempers are going to flare in Novigrad, and we're going to learn what happened when Dominik and Ciri were both gone! After that, we're going to have one final chapter in Novigrad for final preparations, before we head off to Skellige! And then just like that, after a few quests in Skellige, we head to Undvik for the climactic finale, and I just cannot wait to get to that. I never thought in hundred years I would actually get this far, and its thanks to you all that I have!**

**SO, once again as always, if you want to see more fanart for this story, and maybe behind the sense writing, go and follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram, I'm going to have some great artwork up soon, and I can't wait for you all to see it! And I also can't wait for you to get to through the rest of this story, because I have so many cool moments ahead still, and then the sequels we'll have even more!**

**Thank you all so much again as always, I am so happy that you all have seemed to enjoy this story! Make sure to please, leave a review if you have time, and be sure to follow if you want to keep up to date! Next time we'll be back in Novigrad… and tempers will flare…**


	77. A Question of Truth

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 77: A Question of Truth**

**Narrator: After their adventures in the village of Claywitch, Dominik and Ciri came to the shocking revelation, that Dominik, by the Law of Surprise, had been linked by destiny to a young thirteen-year-old girl, named Fiona. In turn, this linked Ciri to the young girl as well, and after rescuing her from peril, the two left Claywitch with the promise to return to bring her with them in three months' time. After this, the two set out to return to Novigrad. However, one night the two were ambushed, attacked by Baelen, the mysterious commander of the Wild Hunt with a connection to their past. An intense magical and physical duel ensued, and Dominik managed to defeat Baelen, having her at his mercy, he and Ciri demanded she remove her helmet and reveal her identity to them. It was the unthinkable, Dominik and Ciri's worlds were both shaken, when Baelen turned out to be none other, then Bella, Bella of Cintra, Dominik's younger sister who he long thought dead. Bella had been brainwashed by Eredin, manipulated and deceived, the young woman blamed Dominik and Ciri for her death, swearing to kill them both. After failing to convince his sister to return with him, Dominik, with his world now turned upside-down, shattered, returns to Novigrad with Ciri, to see if a certain elven sage had held this horrible truth from him. **

"Dom! Dominik stop, wait up, slow down!" Ciri yelled, dodging around the crowds of people in the streets after him.

She didn't know what was going on in Novigrad that early in the morning for the city streets to be so crowded. No smoke was coming from Hierarch Square, there was no holiday she knew of, but for some reason everyone had decided to be out that morning. She also knew Dandelion had been keeping the inn closed to everyone except close friends, so that none of their plans could somehow be compromised, so all the people weren't certainly going to the inn. No, they all just decided to pick that day of all days to crowd the streets that early morning.

Dominik had slid off Clop, without even hitching the stallion and had speed walked into the gates of the city. Ciri had to hitch both Clop and Kelpie before sprinting to catch up with him, since she had almost lost him in the crowd as they approached closer to the Chameleon. She could see his sword and second empty sheath on his back, reflecting light from the sun, and it was the only thing she saw of him that allowed her to see where he was. She could see him moving people aside, practically walking straight through them as they got closer and closer to the Chameleon. His fists were clenched at his side, and if Ciri looked close enough, she could see faint wisps of magic forming in them. Her eyes widened, and she picked up her pace, knowing that if magic unleashed, it would draw the Witch Hunter's. With her hood up, she barreled through people as well, finally getting to his side as they got to the yard of the Chameleon.

"Dominik! Listen to me, I know you're upset, but you're not thinking straight!" She said, looking up at him, and as soon as she finished his eyes darted down to her.

"I just almost killed my fucking sister because she was brainwashed into joining the Wild Hunt…. I'm going to see if your nanny elf fucking knew… I'm thinking straighter then I ever have…" He said, his drooping eyes staring darkly down at her.

She quickly shook her head. "Dominik, we'll figure out, but please, just stop and talk to me, please, please talk to me, don't hold it in, you'll do something you regret!"

"I won't regret anything," He said without a second thought, turning from her as he picked up his pace towards the door.

Ciri shakily sighed the image of his sullen eyes burning into her mind. That short conversation was the most she had gotten out of him since the night before. She had barely had time to process what happened with Bella herself, Bella's words still stirred in her mind, the fact she was alive and Ciri had almost killed her was at the forefront. However, as she saw him then. His eyes, black bags were under them, his face was still dirty with soot, small scabbed over cuts, his armor was singed still. She needed to be there for him, she couldn't process what she had learned, or worry about herself then.

The previous night she had only slept in small spurts, but she was almost sure that he hadn't slept at all. She laid in their bed roll, she had huddled up into him, but in the moments she had woken up, she could feel him simply looking up at the roof of the cave. He hadn't said anything either. After Bella had left, she tried to talk to him, get him to talk to her, because she knew what he was currently holding in, how much pain he was holding in. She saw it in his eyes, his dark, sunken eyes. By the time she awoke in the morning, the sun had quite literally just arisen, and he was already dressed in his armor, both horses saddled, all their supplies ready to leave. He had barely said a word as they mounted, Ciri had tried, tried to get him to talk to her, let it all out, let out all the pain she knew he was holding.

But he had said he was fine before they had set off. The sun had been out and bright yes, but between the cold wind that still blew, and seeing the anger boil in his eyes, goosebumps ran up her arms, slowly tingling her arms like pins and needles were being pressed into them.

_Move your ass Ciri, he needs you. _She shakily sighed, rushing to catch up with him, just as she saw him push the door to the Chameleon open.

Ciri rushed up behind him, not seeing anyone outside, and when her boots hit the wooden floors of the inn, she right away scanned the ground floor. She bit her lip, her eyes looking towards the steps, the tables, the bar, everywhere, in particular trying to find Avallac'h. She didn't know if the sage had known about Bella or not, but she knew that in his current state, even if the elf claimed he didn't know, Dominik wouldn't believe him. He was looking for someone to blame, take his anger, his frustration out on somebody. If Avallac'h truly did know about Bella being with the Hunt, Ciri knew the sage deserved whatever punishment Dominik would wrought on him, however, Dominik wasn't thinking straight, as much as Ciri would be furious at the elf as well, she knew they still needed him, despite it all.

She breathed heavily from running so fast to catch up with him, and when they finally got inside the inn she came next to him again. His arms were shaking, his fists still curled, his tired eyes wide open and darting to all corners of the ground floor of the inn. Ciri quickly grabbed his arm, whirling him around to her as he shook. She met his eyes and she could see his widened, with every second that passed his arms trembled more, and Ciri's blood pressure rose, as she kept her eyes locked with his and shook his head.

"Dominik… Dominik please, please just come with me, let's go to our room, just talk to me. Don't keep it in, I know how much you're hurting right now and-."

"I told you I was fine Ciri!" He snapped pulling his hands away from her, turning from her and looking up towards the steps. "Where the fuck is he, I swear I'm going to-."

"NO!" She said firmly, stepping in front of him again, not going to take no for an answer, she stood in front of him again. "Dominik I'm not letting you go anywhere, until you calm down and fucking talk to me-."

"Stop fucking defending him Ciri! I know for some stupid reason you trust him, but I don't care right now!"

"Don't use that tone with me you stupid fucking boy! You're not in the right frame of mind right now, you're not thinking clearly!"

"My sister is working with the Wild Hunt Ciri, I think I have a right to be a little fucking pissed off right now! Especially if your nanny elf knew! I thought you'd fucking care about Bella too!"

Ciri felt like a knife was plunged into her heart and stumbled over her words for a moment.

_He doesn't mean that he's not thinking straight, you know it, _she said to herself. She looked and could see him trembling, tears were starting to well in his eyes. However, he quickly blinked them away, trembling as he looked at her. Ciri knew she had to be firm, she never liked raising her voice at him, but she knew that now she needed to.

"Don't you fucking _dare _say that to me Dominik," She yelled back at him, her arms still crossed as she took another step closer to him, meeting his eyes and narrowing her own. "You know _damn _well I love Bella like she's my own! You have a right to be angry, to be upset, but you need to take a moment and think about the bigger picture!"

She saw his eyes grow angry again, but she quickly stepped forward to him. She held both her hands onto his arms, meeting his eyes, and his words caught up in her throat. Ciri looked deep into his tired eyes, and slowly shook her head.

"Please… please Dominik, I know you better than anyone," She said slowly, his arms trembling as she reached up and held a hand to his scarred right cheek. "Let's go somewhere, just me and you, I swear, talk to me… talk to me please… you know that I-."

"There the both of you are! Finally, we were all beginning to worry," A voice cut her off. Under normal circumstances, she would have been delighted to hear Yennefer's voice, but in that moment she cursed her mother's timing.

As soon as Yen's voice hit his ears, Dominik completely abandoned listening to what she was saying, the hard, angered looked turning towards the steps.

Ciri did as well, and sure enough, a smiling Yennefer and smirking Geralt both came down the steps. She wondered for a moment if they had heard her and Dominik arguing. It didn't seem like it, and they must not have taken notice of the look on their faces, because both smiled, even Geralt, who seemed absolutely elated to be able to tell whatever news he had to them. She remembered that he and Yen both had been gathering more allies and finished preparations while they went to Claywitch. Both were dressed in their normal outfits, Geralt's armor and swords were both polished, and Yen, quickly stepped out from behind him.

"Did the two of you enjoy your trip together? How did things go in Claywitch?" Yen said, hugging Ciri first, her mother's arms wrapping tightly around her neck.

She jumped, but hugged the sorceress back, pulling back and shakily nodding, as she went to hug Dominik as well.

Ciri looked over, and met Geralt's eyes, and when she met her father's eyes, she could tell he knew. Geralt narrowed his eyes and titled his head, she knew he could probably hear her rapid heartbeat, see the anxiety dripping from her face, as even with the fire in the hearth on the ground floor, her skin was still cold. Geralt looked like he was about to ask them what was wrong, but before he could Yennefer started fussing over Dominik next to her.

Yen pulled back from the hug, her hands on his shoulders, her mouth agape as she saw the state of Dominik's face and armor. "Gods above, Dominik what happened to you? You look horrible, like you just got done-."

"I'm fine, where's Avallac'h?" He said sharply, cutting their mother off, the dark look returning to his eyes.

Yen took a step back, looking right over to Ciri, as the room went completely silent. She had no idea where everyone else could be, but in that moment she was glad they were all gone. Frantically she looked back to Geralt, thankful that at least she had him and Yennefer for support now. She thought for a moment that maybe between the three of them they could calm him, but as she shakily looked back to see the look in his eyes, her hope was slowly falling.

To her surprise, even Yen took a step back, looking to Ciri and Geralt, completely miffed at Dominik's words. She knew that had to be the absolutely last thing Yen had expected to hear him ask. Ciri had been excited after Claywitch to finally get back to them both, tell them about Fiona and how they had even managed to fight a dragon together and survive. But now however, they were all silent, Yen looked taken aback still, meeting Ciri's eyes, trying to get some kind of explanation, and that was when Ciri felt the cat medallion around her belt tremble.

Her eyes darted to Dominik's fists, and she could see the small wisps of magic that had been growing in his hands in the street, were even larger now. She looked back up to Yen, who looked like she was about to say something, but Dominik sharply cut them all off seeing that they hadn't answered him yet.

"Well!? Where. Is. _He_!?" He said, his eyes moving between the three of them, magic slowly whooshing around his fists.

Ciri went to say something herself, knowing that if he got any angrier, the magic could grow out of control as it did the night before. She met Yen's eyes with a panicked look, and their mother looked like she was going to try and say something else as well, but Geralt put a hand on both their shoulders and stepped between them. Her father looked over and met Dominik's eyes, crossing his arms, a small smirk coming to his face as he looked to be trying to defuse the situation.

"Ha, he's the last person I thought you'd wanna see," Geralt said with a hint of amusement. Dominik looked like he was going to say something, but Geralt cut him off by speaking up first again. "Forget about him for a minute, got some good news for you…. Adda's plan worked, Radovid's dead. Phillipa took him out, met up with Dijkstra, Roche, Taler, Elise and Adda afterwards, she should be crowned in a few days. Elise was asking about you, asked how you were feeling and if she could see-."

"I don't _CARE, _about fucking Radovid right now," Dominik said, cutting Geralt off, magic starting to whirl around him faster, as he looked between the three of them again. "Now again, WHERE. IS. AVALLAC'H!?"

Ciri looked around the inn again, she knew the sage hadn't left the inn, not wanting to be around humans for that long. However, she prayed for the universe to do her just one favor, and for Avallac'h to not be there, for the sage to be meditating, or busy with anything else.

However, the universe very rarely did her favors, and then was no difference.

"I'm right here you blundering imbecile," The sage's dry voice rang through her ears, as she heard the steps creak behind her. "I hope your little journey was worth the wasted time and effort you put into it, we could be already-."

"_Be quiet!_"Dominik hissed, pushing through her Geralt and Yennefer all, towards the sage who had just come down the stairs.

Ciri locked eyes with Avallac'h for a moment and could see that the sage seemed to be in just as foul a mood. Her skin began to crawl, her heart racing out of her chest, as she looked between Geralt and Yen who were all giving her questioning looks before they all turned back to Dominik and the sage as they heard Avallach's irritated voice ring in the air again.

"Don't speak to me in such a manner you disrespectful little brat," The elf hissed, as Dominik got closer to him, shaking his head in disgust. "Because of you we have already wasted enough time. Lucky for all of us, we were able to complete our preparations anyway. Now we can finally continue with our plans, despite you insisting on your silly little escapades-."

"I _SAID _be quiet, shut your fucking mouth and just listen to me you arrogant prick." Dominik said, now only inches from the sage's face.

"Dominik darling, what's wrong, what-." Yennefer tried to say, only for Dominik to whirl around, glaring at all three of them, and if Ciri looked close enough, she could see him trying to hold back the magic from unleashing.

The previous night all played back in Ciri's mind as she looked to the sage behind Dominik, who casted her an annoyed questioning look. She had no idea if the elf would have known or not, but Dominik was right, it certainly made sense that he would. Avallac'h had known about Dominik being Alexander's descendant, surely he would have known about another walking the continent, especially if they had been working with Eredin. When Ciri had asked about Baelen, after seeing her in her dreams, Avallac'h had only told her she was an extremely powerful warrior Caranthir and Eredin had trained themselves. That had terrified Ciri in the moment, with her dreams of Bella killing Dominik coming most nights.

However, now she knew the truth. She could understand now why the sage would have wanted to keep Bella's identity as Baelen a secret from her. Avallac'h had hated Alexander, and it was bad enough for him already that she was in love with Dominik, one of Alexander's descendants. If he had told her about Bella, she right away would have made plans to rescue her, even if it had just been herself doing the rescuing. She knew the sage wouldn't have wanted another of Alexander's descendants to 'distract her' as he had told her Dominik did multiple times. Yes, it made perfect sense to Ciri, why Avallac'h _would _hide the truth about Bella being Baelen from her.

But, as she had said before, to Dominik and Geralt. Despite everything Avallac'h had done to her, tried to make her do, since the sage found her, he's done what he can for her. He was hiding something from her yes, his true plans for her. But Ciri was also using him to make sure Eredin was defeated as well, so that her, Dominik, and now Fiona could live their lives free of having to worry about that looming threat. She hadn't asked the sage what his plan was, because in the end, if she was using him, it wouldn't matter, to get that life she'd do anything, to get that life for her and Dominik she'd be willing to do anything. On all other matters, the sage had told her the truth, there had even been times Ciri believes he had her best interests at heart. It was a foolish thing to believe she knew, but no matter what, she always had been taught, no matter how much of an ass a person was, they always had a right to defend themselves.

Dominik knew this as well when he was thinking normally, rashly. He was one of the best at that Ciri knew, thinking about the bigger picture, thinking ahead. However, the few times she had seen him break, where when Avallac'h had been involved. She knew he had wanted to kill the sage ever since he figured out the elf had fought Alexander, and how he treated Lara Dorren and now Ciri. Ciri had managed to talk him down then, while agreeing with what Dominik said, she also knew they needed Avallac'h, at least for a little while longer, to help them find and kill Eredin in the end. Dominik knew this as well, but again, that was when he was thinking rationally, when his mind wasn't clouded, when it was calm.

But in that moment he was far from calm, and Avallac'h certainly did nothing to help the situation.

The sage scoffed, looking back at Dominik. "Bah, your words do not scare me boy. You've put our mission in jeopardy to appeal to your own sense of vanity-."

"Did you fucking know…" Dominik cut the sage off.

Upon hearing the words, she froze, unable to take her eyes off the two, as she looked down towards Dominik's curling fists. If he weren't wearing gloves she was sure that his nails would have dug deep into his palms drawing blood. Geralt and Yen stood next to her, she heard them both shift and look at her. Ciri looked to meet their eyes, to tell them everything that was happening, so that hopefully between the three of them they could stop what she knew was going to happen.

Ciri was too slow however, because Avallac'h quickly scoffed at Dominik's words.

The sage rolled his eyes, rubbing his temples. "You are starting to annoy me more than you normally do boy, did I know what?"

Dominik's hands curled further, the magic becoming visible now. "I think you know _exactly _what I mean…. I'll give you one chance to admit it…. Did. You. Fucking. Know!?"

"Dominik…" Ciri tried to say, going to take a step forward, but before she could get to Dominik's side, everything happened in a flash.

Avallac'h condescendingly scoffed and rolled his eyes again. "I am gifted at a great many things you repugnant child, but reading minds is not one of them. I have no idea what-."

A loud ***CRACK* **smashed into Ciri's ears before she could do anything. Dominik had thrown his fist out faster, more powerful than any man, or witcher could ever hope to muster. Ciri saw magic whirl around his hands, it finally shooting up to his eyes, as Dominik's fist connected with the side of Avallach's face before the sage had any time to react. Somehow the elf stayed conscious, but blood right away pooled from his nose, gushing and being lapped up by the wooden floors of the inn.

"DOMINIK STOP!" Ciri yelled, knowing full well he'd kill the sage.

"DOM, what the hell are you doing!?" Geralt yelled from next to her, running forward, to try and restrain Dominik again, but he moved too fast, the magic whirled around his limbs too fast.

"DID YOU FUCKING KNOW!? TELL ME!" Dominik yelled, reaching down for Avallac'h again.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND BOY!?" The sage yelled from the ground, his nose black, a torrent of blood falling from it.

"ANSWER ME!" Dominik screamed at the top of his lungs.

Ciri was just about to reach him, with Geralt next to her, and Yennefer yelling as well. She looked down and saw Avallac'h on the ground. She was going to try and hold Dominik back, knowing that if she grabbed him he'd stop, he always would, she knew he'd never harm her, no matter how angry he was. But she stopped in place, when she looked down and saw magic building up in Avallach's hand as Dominik rushed down towards him again.

"NO STOP, STOP BOTH OF YOU!" Ciri said, just as she was about to lung and grab Dominik's arm.

But for once in their life, she and Geralt were too slow, and so was Avallac'h.

Dominik reached down, lifting the sage up by the neck of his robes. Blood stains had traveled down them, and upon feeling Dominik's grip on his clothes, being jerked back up to his feet, Avallach's attempted spell disappeared from his hand. The sage's nose was black and blue, blood still fell from it, and with a ***BANG* **Dominik slammed the sage up against the wall, his forearm pinning over the elf's neck.

The elf struggled for a moment under Dominik's grip, looking and meeting his eyes, the sage's own contorting into anger.

"You will pay for this boy… mark my words YOU WILL-." Avallac'h had started, but quickly was cut off, when Ciri saw what Dominik had done.

He pulled his silver dagger from his belt, and it was pointed right into the sage's stomach. Ciri remembered where that particular spot was, it was where several major veins and arteries converged, Gaeten, the Cat School witcher had told Dominik, that any man, no matter who they were, would die within minutes after being stabbed there.

And as soon as his dagger was pointed just outside that spot on Avallach's stomach, the sage stopped moving. He glared at Dominik, as he still had the sage's throat pinned against the wall, not letting him move an inch. Avallac'h was completely at Dominik's mercy, and with how he was now, Ciri truly didn't know if there would be any. She stopped a step away from him, afraid to stretch out her arm, for fear he'd thrust his dagger forward into the sage's stomach, and all of their plans for dealing with Eredin would be gone. That was what she feared for, not the sage's life, but the position it would put them in.

Ciri also knew that Dominik would never forgive himself if he killed the sage then. As much as she knew he wanted too, he would regret it in the end if he killed the elf now.

"Dominik… Dominik darling, please… you need to calm down, think about what you're doing…" Yen said slowly, coming up next to her and Geralt.

Geralt nodded from next to her as well, while Dominik didn't take his eyes off the sage. "She's right Dom. Whatever you're doing this for, I'm sure he deserves it… but like she said, take a minute and think about what you're-."

"I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M FUCKING DOING!" Dominik said, his eyes not leaving the sage, as he pressed hard against his throat. "NOW FUCKING ANSWER ME! TELL ME, DID YOU FUCKING KNOW!?"

Ciri heard the tone shift in his voice, he was finally breaking down. Anger spilled from him yes, but she could hear his voice slightly crack. From the corners of his eyes, she could see the magic had gone, and his eyes quivered. Tears threatened to fall, his arms shook as he still held Avallac'h against the wall in a death grip. Ciri was afraid his dagger would slip into the sage's stomach, but she didn't dare move, knowing even the slightest slip forward, and Dominik would kill Avallac'h then and there.

She had never heard him speak in such a tone, a mixture of anger, sadness, pure fury. She looked over and saw Avallac'h reached his hands up to try and pry Dominik's hands off him, but from the blood still falling from his nose, the blood loss, the ringing headache she was sure she had, he failed, and Dominik pressed harder against his neck, his eyes still quivering as the sage met his eyes, a fury erupting from them as well that Ciri had never seen.

"ANSWER ME! FUCKING TELL ME NOW, DID YOU FUCKING KNOW!?" Dominik demanded, moving his dagger and punching into the sage's stomach, before pointing the dagger into the elf's torso again.

Avallac'h to his credit still fiercely met Dominik's eyes. "DID I KNOW WHAT YOU BLABBERING CHILD!?"

"DID YOU KNOW THAT MY FUCKING SISTER WAS A GENERAL OF THE WILD HUNT!?"

And upon hearing Dominik's words, Ciri shakily inhaled, shooting her gaze over to Geralt and Yen, who both stopped in their tracks as well, completely seeming to forget what was happening, digesting what they had just heard. Ciri still hadn't processed it fully herself, but hearing it said aloud again, it sent new shame washing down Ciri's throat. Bella, Bella who had been so innocent, full of life, joy, happiness. Bella had been alone, afraid, taken and manipulated, and neither her nor Dominik had been there for her, been able to do anything about it.

She looked and saw Yen take another shaky step towards her, as Geralt slowly turned and looked at Dominik. They both knew what Dominik and she both believed had happened to Bella, and while they had obviously never met her, it still seemed to affect them as well.

"Dom… I thought your sister was dead…" Geralt said slowly.

Dominik's hands continued to shake but held Avallac'h against the wall. "So did I… but she's alive… she's alive, and Eredin somehow got his hands on her… brainwashed her…. AND I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU FUCKING KNEW! TELL ME, TELL ME OR I SWEAR I'LL BLEED YOU FUCKING DRY RIGHT HERE!"

He had turned back to Avallac'h, who upon seeing his reaction, Ciri's stomach churned. It wasn't a telling look, for the elf had gone stone-faced, seeming to completely understand his life relied on how he answered the question. Ciri found herself staring at them both as well. She wanted to know, she needed to know the answer. She still held a fragile trust for the sage and needed to know how hard it would be for her to hold Dominik back. Next to her, Geralt and Yen both stood, seeming ready to leap into restrain Dominik if they had too, but the two of them as well, also seemed to want to know the answer.

Outside she had heard the bustling of people cease. The morning sun continued to rise, streaming in through the windows, it casted a glow over the crimson blood Avallac'h had spilled onto the floor. The entire bottom floor of the inn was silent, as all of them watched Dominik's trembling hands continued to press up against the sage's throat and torso with his dagger.

Ciri waited for the sage to respond. She also readied herself to lash out in a moment's notice, Geralt next to her waiting to do the same. Dominik wasn't going to like the sages answer, no matter what it was.

And she was proven right, as everything that happened next, happened again in a flash.

"No… I did not know…" Avallac'h said, Dominik's arms shaking more, as the sage slowly went on, not sounding sorry, but speaking calmly. "I am… sorry, it seems you've been put in a… unfortunate predicament and-."

Dominik's eyes flashed bright blue. "I DON'T FUCKING BELIEVE YOU!"

"DOM STOP!" Geralt said next to her, as Ciri had to leap back out of the way.

With another loud ***BANG* **Dominik slammed Avallac'h to his back, on the floor where the sage's blood had pooled. Ciri looked and saw Avallach's fist balled with magic again, ready to fire a spell towards Dominik, but before the sage could, or before Geralt could reach him, _Fate _slung from Dominik's back. The silver blade whipped with more speed then Ciri had ever seen, the tip dug right into Avallach's throat, and the spell the sage was about to cast again died in his hands.

"DOMINIK!" Ciri yelled, but he didn't hear her, as Ciri saw magic whirling around his limbs, in his eyes, as the tip of his silver dug deep into the elf's neck.

She was about to start pleading with him, she saw Yen next to Geralt, the both of them unmoving as they knew as well as Ciri, if they said the wrong thing the magic that was violently whirling around Dominik now would erupt. She had seen the difference in him now, the difference between him controlling, and not having control of the magic around him. In Claywitch, he had control, the magic was brighter, and gently hummed around his body. But the previous night when he fought Bella, and in that moment then, the magic shot around him, swirling and churning as his hand gripped tightly around the silver sword's hilt.

Ciri saw Geralt about to lunge and grab him, Yen about to try and talk to him as well, the three of them had to do something. None of them particularly liked Avallac'h, but they knew the sage couldn't die. She tried to think of what to say, but her mind was in shambles, visions of Bella, Fiona, Dominik the previous night it all smashed into her mind at once. Her own eyes started shaking again, stinging as she blinked rapidly to keep the tears from falling. She was going to say something, finally try and calm the situation, but to her shock Avallac'h was the one to speak out from below Dominik's blade, on his elbows looking up at him, his nose bleeding the sage shook his head.

"You cannot kill me you idiot child! If you do, then you stand no chance of summoning Eredin, or the Hunt," Avallac'h said, his voice bitter and strained as blood continued gushing from his nose, his eyes not leaving Dominik's murderous gaze. "You won't find them yourself, and if you want any chance of saving your sister, you need me!"

"WE'LL FUCKING FIND A WAY; DON'T YOU DARE EVEN MENTION MY FUCKING SISTER!" Dominik said, his eyes flashing bright blue again, _Fate _digging deeper into the elf's throat.

Avallach shook his head again. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU IDIOTIC CHILD! You don't know the proper spells, magic, you couldn't hope to summon them without me-."

"I SAID WE'LL FIND A FUCKING WAY!"

"YOU WON'T!" Avallac'h yelled, the blood coming from his black, now crooked nose spilling out onto his robes. "You don't understand the complexity of the magic! You'll also foolishly throw yourself into trying to save your sister, jeopardizing us all! She's GONE, Eredin stripped away the person she once was, Caranthir must have managed to create fake memories for her-."

"YOU TRAINED CARANTHIR! YOU WERE A MEMBER OF THE HUNT," Dominik cut the sage off, shaking his head. "YOU KNEW I WAS ALEXANDER'S DESCEDNANT, THERE'S NO WAY YOU DIDN'T KNOW BAELEN WAS HER!"

"I DID NOT!" Avallac'h snapped back, more assuredly this time. "And kill me if you must boy, but if you do, know that you can be expecting a visit from Eredin within minutes! Without me casting the spells to keep us hidden, keep Zireael hidden, they'd descend upon this city in minutes, slaughter you, your friends and everyone else in the city!"

Ciri's heart caught up in her chest. One thing she did have to be thankful to Avallac'h for, was the fact that he had hidden her away from Eredin's clutches. His spells, and protection she knew spent very little of his energy to cast, but it was the reason that they had been able to hide out in Novigrad and hadn't been tracked by the Hunt yet. She looked up to see Dominik's eyes lightened slightly, the magic died down, but his sword stayed at Avallach's throat. Ciri thought for a moment that what the sage said had actually gotten through to him.

He wasn't thinking straight, and for the first time in their lives, Dominik was shutting her out. He hadn't spoken to her, he hadn't slept, she could see his eyes shaking, stinging. She looked to Geralt and Yen as well, to see them both frozen in their spots, waiting to see what Dominik did. She couldn't find words herself, as her own heart thumped so loud she heard it in her ears, seeing him in so much pain, it was something she never wanted again. She wanted to grab him, hold him, tell him everything would be okay.

But Ciri didn't know if everything would be okay, and Dominik seemed to know it.

"You fucking knew… you knew you fucking FUCK!" He yelled, his arms shaking, the tip of his silver sword racking slowly against the sage's neck. "I know you don't like me… but I could have helped her… helped her at Kaer Morhen, found SOME WAY TO HELP HER! BUT NO, YOU DIDN'T TELL ME, AND I'M GOING TO KILL YOU LIKE I SHOULD HAVE WHEN WE FIRST MET!"

Ciri couldn't find her voice, but Geralt did from behind him. "DOM STOP! You're not thinking straight, leave him be for now and-."

"STAY OUT OF THIS GERALT, ALL OF YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Dominik said, turning and glaring at all three of them, Ciri included.

She saw it in his eyes, he was broken, his eyes were quivering now, tears slowly fell down his cheek. The magic had gone from him, but his arms still shook as his sword was at Avallach's throat. He met her eyes in particular and could see him ready to sob. Ciri was there herself, feeling her shatter at how he looked, how tired, how completely and utterly drained he was. That was what happened when you were in love she knew, seeing that person in pain would almost always make you feel that way yourself. Ciri certainly felt those effects then, her arms hung at her side, goosebumps trailed up her arms, as she couldn't take her eyes off him, off his tearing green eyes, the eyes that looked just like his sisters, just like hers.

Ciri went to try and take a step forward, but that was when he turned back down and face the bleeding sage again. She cursed under her breath, as she realized that Avallac'h wasn't going to make the situation any better.

Avallac'h scoffed and shook his head up at Dominik's murderous gaze. "I told you the truth boy…. I did not know… you don't frighten me you ignorant fool… you won't strike down an unarmed man, you've inherited a stubborn sense of honor."

And again, Dominik's eyes flashed blue, the anger returning to them, and that was when Ciri finally was able to move again.

Dominik screamed, raising up his sword with magic whirling in his eyes. "DO YOU WANT TO TEST THAT THEORY!?"

"DOMINIK STOP IT!" Ciri said, rushing next to him, and finally she was able to grip her hands around his sword arm, just before he could swing his sword down and let fly a killing stroke.

As soon as Ciri grabbed his arm, he stopped, she felt him tense, and quickly she stepped next to him into his view. Her own heart shattered when she saw the tears building up in the corners of his eyes. She moved herself in front of him, he took a small step back away from Avallac'h on the ground, who didn't dare to move then. Geralt and Yen came to stand next to them both, as Ciri kept her hand held up on his elbow, his sword still raised in the air like he was going for a strike.

She felt his arm shaking, and it took everything she had to not let tears fall from her own eyes when she met his. He looked hurt, broken beyond belief as he looked down at her. And when his arm finally fell to his side, the point of his sword hitting the blood-soaked wooden floors, Ciri's heart truly did shatter. The betrayal that came up in his eyes, as a small tear slowly came down his scar, it was something Ciri had never seen, and something she never wanted to see again.

He met her eyes, and finally scoffed, shakily sighing as more tears gently streamed down his face.

"You're doing it again… you're really… really defending him again," He said, meeting her eyes, the look of betrayal growing. "Ciri… he fucking knew… he fucking knew…"

She looked back to Avallac'h for a moment, as the sage had stood. Blood continued pouring from the sages now clearly broken nose, but Ciri didn't find any sympathy in her heart. He could heal himself easily enough with a spell, and after how he had acted for so many weeks, he more than likely had something like this coming.

Her heart thumped up in her chest, but she looked back to Dominik, and somehow managed to find her voice. Carefully she spoke, knowing that even with Geralt and Yen there behind him now, with what happened, she'd need to speak right from the heart.

"Dominik… Dominik please… you know you can't kill him…" She said, taking a step closer to him, gently holding her hands out on his arms. "I know you're angry, upset, and you have a right to be, I am too but… you're not thinking about the bigger picture."

He scoffed and sobbed, taking a step back from her, his sword dragging on the ground while it was in his hand. "Ciri… Bella…. Fucking BELLA IS WITH THE WILD HUNT! AND HE FUCKING KNEW! I KNOW HE DID!"

"And if he did he deserves everything that's coming to him," Ciri said, casting a dark look at a fuming Avallac'h behind her, before desperately turning back to Dominik again. "But Dominik… you need to think about-."

"I DON'T CARE CIRI, I DON'T FUCKING CARE!" He cut her off, pointing his sword up over his shoulder towards him. "Why you trust him… I'll never fucking understand… but he fucking knew… I _know _he fucking knew…"

Ciri shook her head slowly, getting closer to him. "Dominik… you're not in your right mind right now…. If you kill him, you'll regret it… we need him… he's an ass I know… but the only way to beat Eredin… to possibly save Bella… is with his help…. Dominik-."

"Look me in the fucking eyes right now," He cut her off again, snapping his gaze away from the sage and down to her. "Look me in the eyes right now… and tell me that you fucking believe him, go on Ciri… fucking do it…"

"Dominik… Dominik I-."

"Do it…" He said, looking and meeting her eyes.

Ciri's blood turned to ice. She couldn't meet his eyes; she darted her gaze between him and Avallac'h. She met the sage's eyes, trying to make him give her an answer, but the elf was more pre-occupied with glaring over at Dominik and holding his bloody nose. All the sage had said, was that he didn't know, and it hadn't been very convincing. However, Ciri thought about everything else she had been through with the elf the last few months. He had been honest with her most times yes, but there was also the fact he needed her, needed Ciri, so she didn't think he would dare lie, especially about something this important. He had almost just been killed, and surely he had to understand what Ciri felt for Bella as well. A part of her truly didn't think Avallac'h would dare lie to them in that situation.

But what if he was? What if just like when Ciri had first met him, Avallac'h was lying to her. The sage had told her, that if she had a child with Auberon, he would allow her to leave, go back to her world, but that had been a lie. She had been forced to sit through brutal months of visiting the old king, being degraded, forced to feel like she was less than trash on the side of the road. For months she was a prisoner, and it all had started with Avallach lying to her. What if he was doing the same thing now? Knowing that if he did tell the truth, even Ciri wouldn't be able to stop Dominik from killing him there. She felt herself pulled, not truly knowing one way or the other.

Avallac'h met her eyes, his black and blue, bleeding nose gushed, as he glared at her. She whirled back around to Dominik's who's eyes were watering, the tears only slowly falling now, but she could see more of them, combined with a seething anger ready to unleash. She wanted to help him, never had she heard him speak like that to her in her entire life. She knew that it wasn't him, he didn't mean it, he was experiencing more pain then either of them had felt in their entire life. Ciri saw him grip tighter on his sword, the point coming off the floor.

He saw her unable to answer, and finally broke.

"I… I really can't believe it… I can't believe you're defending him… after _this,_" He said, his voice breaking as tears fell, and he scoffed, shaking his head at her. "After everything he's done… you won't even tell us what it is he made you do before…. He's made our life hell Ciri… and… and for fuck's sake you're letting him fucking stick around!"

She felt a tear go down her own scarred cheek. Carefully she stepped forward, looking up and meeting his eyes as she gently held onto his trembling arms. Doing everything she could to keep herself together, she looked up and met his eyes, her own watering as well.

"Dominik… please… please, gods I… I know you're hurting; I am too… gods you know I loved Bella like she was my own… I'm angry too…" She said slowly, shaking her head Ciri shakily sighed, and gripped his arms. "We _will _save her; we will I promise but… but if we want any chance of that… any chance of beating Eredin… of getting our life, that life we want… we need him, and deep down… you know it too…"

The words stewed between them both. She saw his grip on his sword tighten and heard Avallac'h shift behind her. Her eyes darted up to see Geralt and Yen both watching on with bated breath. Geralt's hands twitching as he waited to see if he needed to intervene.

She looked up at him again and saw Dominik's eyes still quivering. He shut them tightly, forcing the tears to stay back. Ciri saw how much he was shaking and wrapped her arms up around him. She kissed his scarred right cheek, a long, lingering, fierce kiss, squeezing him as hard as she could. She didn't feel his arms around her, only the shaking of them, as she pressed her lips near his ear.

"I promise… I promise as soon as this is over, it'll just be us, I swear it…" She said, speaking softly as she felt her voice begin to crack. "Me… you… and Fiona…"

Upon hearing Fiona's name, she knew she had struck a chord. He sucked in a sharp breath and stepped back from her. His grip on his sword tightened, and Ciri saw him shut his eyes again, tears streaming down his cheeks even with his eyelids shut. He trembled in place, and Ciri stepped back when she saw his blade whirl.

Dominik slung the silver onto his back again, and when he opened his eyes, they were angry again, angry but broken. His gaze darted to Avallac'h who still stood behind Ciri, the bleeding from his nose finally stopping. And when Dominik spoke, Ciri's skin tingled, every word he spoke was laced with anger, venom, each word darker then the next.

"After this is over… you leave," He said, his shaking hand turning to a fist at his side, as he looked directly into the sage's eyes. "And if you _ever _show your face again after that… I _will _fucking kill you; do you understand?"

Avallac'h sneered, "I don't think I've agreed on something with you more…"

"You're lucky… because I fucking know that you're lying, lying about everything…" Dominik said, before he turned to Ciri, and his look fell, as he slowly shook his head. "And… and I thought you'd care about what happened to Bella… more than the life of someone who's been using you…"

"Dom, _stop_ now," Geralt said, speaking up again, stepping next to him. "You don't mean that don't-."

"I thought you _all _would have fucking cared… cared about that… more than fucking him…" He said again, his voice broken now, as tears fell from his eyes, but anger spewed from his lips.

Ciri felt like a knife had been plunged into her heart again.

_He doesn't mean that you know he doesn't, _she thought, blinking rapidly to stop the tears from falling again.

"D…Dominik… Dominik I-." She started, but he shook his head, cutting her off and turning away from them.

"I don't know when I'll be back, but I will be," He said, turning, and walking back towards the door of the inn.

Ciri wanted to go after him, but her knees buckled too fiercely. She stood, and watched him turn from her, shakily sighing to try and control her breathing, as a cold draft shot in through the door. Avallac'h behind her she heard stomping up the steps, but the sage was the last person Ciri wanted to focus on then. Dominik looked at her one more time, and Ciri found herself doing what she always did when she found herself nervous, she fiddled with the ring around her neck. He shakily sighed, shaking his head at her one more time, before going to leave the inn again.

Yennefer stepped in front of him, trying to hold her arm out for him. "Dominik… darling please, don't leave, sit and talk with us, tell us what-."

"I'm sorry Yen… not now," He said, shaking their mother's hand off his shoulder, before continuing out the door.

The ***BANG* **that followed by him closing the door made one of Dandelion's paintings fall off the wall. As a cold draft still somehow sent chills up Ciri's spine.

"Gods… gods…" She said under her breath, shakily sighing as her knees nearly clacked together.

She had known Dominik better than anyone, better than anyone easily, despite them having been apart for so long. Bella had been the one thing, that no matter how much reassurance, no matter how many years passed, he had never forgiven himself for. And now to figure out she wasn't only alive, but suffered even more at the hands of Eredin, she was finally feeling the effects as well. Bella had felt like Ciri's sister, just as much as she had been Dominik's. She heard Bella's laugh, full of joy, life, and whimsy as the two of them attempted and failed to put their own makeup on together or look through Ciri's dresses. She heard Bella eagerly telling her and Dominik all the names of the blooms in the royal garden before she would teasingly be making kissing noises at the two of them. Bella had seemed to want her and Dominik to be together even more then Dominik and Ciri wanted to be together themselves. Before the Nilfgaardeans came, Gregory had told her she was thinking of bringing Bella to royal feasts just like he did Dominik. The idea had elated all three of them, as Ciri remembered how much Bella wanted to learn how to dance. She remembered the tricks they used to play on Dominik, how during a time where she had so few people she considered friends, between Dominik and Bella she had finally seemed to find true happiness.

But now, Bella was trying to kill them both. She had been killed, somehow survived, and was a prisoner of Eredin for even longer then Ciri herself had been. Bella had been alone, just like she had, tortured, manipulated, turned into something that Ciri knew she wasn't. She had slaughtered people, burned villages, almost succeeded in killing Dominik and Ciri both. All of this because they hadn't found her. Bella's words rung in her head, how she had lost everything twice because of them, because of her. The Hunt had thought Bella had been Ciri initially with how much power she displayed, and Ciri horribly realized it was true.

Bella had lost everything in Cintra, because Emhyr had burned the city down to get her. And she had lost her new life in Skellige because the Hunt was trying to get her.

She shook in her boots, her hand gripping Dominik's ring around her neck. The ring that had belonged to him and Bella's father, Gregory, her hero, another person who had died for her. She missed him every day, had missed Bella every day, Sofia, Dominik and Bella's mother every day. And even if she hadn't mentioned them, not a day went by when Ciri didn't wish that they were there. Bella had told her that she was responsible for it, they had died for her. Dominik had always reassured her there was nothing she could have done, and they protected Ciri because they loved her, and that was what you did for the ones you loved.

And Ciri loved Bella, loved Dominik, and she wouldn't let them down again. Bella, or Baelen, as Ciri thought she was in the moment, had asked her, what she ever did for Dominik, for all he had sacrificed. It had always gotten inside Ciri's mind, tormented her, that singular question tormented her ever since she had heard it. What had she done for him? She could have argued more for him to somehow come to Thanedd with her, she could have gone to do something more to find him, Geralt and Yen instead of running with the Rats, sleeping with Mistle during the time. She could have gone to him after what happened in Rivia, or when she had come back to save Geralt from the Hunt's grasps. She loved him, with everything she had, but was it enough? Was it enough to be a justifiable answer to Bella's question?

Her hand tightened around the ring, and she shakily sighed, wiping away the tears, looking down at the wolf tattoo drawn on her inner wrists, her eyes narrowing.

_No matter if it is enough or not… I won't let them down… not again, _she said to herself. She would save them both, make sure that they both lived.

"Ciri… gods darling what… what happened?" Yen said, coming up behind her with Geralt, shaking her head when Ciri turned to her. "Even in Skellige when… we thought we'd lost the trail on you… I've never seen him that angry."

"She's right, as much as I wouldn't have minded him cutting Avallach's throat, he almost lost it," Geralt said, shaking his head, and meeting Ciri's eyes with an incredulous shake of the head. "Ciri… what the fuck happened at Claywitch?"

Ciri looked where Dominik had walked out, before slowly shaking her head. She shakily sighed, looking and meeting her parents' gaze.

"Well… there's good news, and there's bad news… which do you want to hear first?" Ciri asked, crossing her arms and sighing again.

Geralt shrugged, "Could use some good news after what I just saw."

"Yes… I have to agree with Geralt. What happened in Claywitch? I was sure bandits wouldn't give either of you much trouble," Yen said.

"Yeah, and what happened to his other sword? Only saw one of his back," Geralt asked quickly again.

"And what about the Law of Surprise? What did it end up being?" Yen asked again, seeming to grow more frantic. "And Ciri what about you? You barely seem like you've slept, and Dominik didn't looked-."

"We're fine, I promise we're alright… physically at least," Ciri cut them both off, sighing, and looking between them both. "The good news is… well… you're both grandparents."

The thought of Fiona gave her a small amount of solace. A small smile even came to her face, remembering the girls eager smile, bright eyes, bouncing on her toes, ready to learn. Ciri missed the girl dreadfully already, but after what happened the night before, and just then, she realized they had truly made the right decision in leaving her at Claywitch, at least for then. She wondered if Dominik would have reacted the same way if Fiona had been there. Her thoughts about Fiona were interrupted however, when she saw Geralt and Yen's both completely freeze on the spot.

She narrowed her eyes, and noticed that Geralt's yellow eyes were wide, his mouth fell agape as he looked over at Yen. Never in Ciri's life had she seen Yennefer react to anything in such a way. The sorceress stumbled, floundering as she seemed like she was trying to form words but simply couldn't. She wondered what could have been so surprising, the Law of Surprise being a child was how she came to be with Geralt, but the both of them stared at one another, complete disbelief amok in their eyes. Yen had a look crossed between excitement, dread, confusion, and after sharing a look with Geralt, Yen turned back to her.

"Gr…grandparents… me… me and Geralt?" The sorceress asked, and Ciri looked at her bewildered again.

"Yes…" Ciri said wonderingly, looking between them both, as Geralt's mouth still hadn't closed. "What is it? I mean, it'll be a few months before Dominik and I-."

"I _told _you! I fucking told you Yen, but no, no you didn't want to listen to me!" Geralt cut her off, turning to Yennefer, who sighed and rubbed her temples. "I told you! I've seen how they'd been looking at each other, I _knew it. _I told you, you should've taught them the spell!"

"Geralt please…" Yen said with an annoyed eye roll, but Geralt quickly shook his head.

"You just don't want to admit that I was right," Geralt said, crossing his arms and scoffing as he shook his head. "The two of them have been undressing each other with their eyes for weeks, I _knew _something like this was coming!"

Ciri scoffed, looking between them both. "What are you both talking about?"

Yennefer sighed, casting an annoyed look at Geralt, before she looked to Ciri. When she met Ciri's eyes, Yen's own violet one's lightened, as the sorceress nervously bit the inside of her cheek.

"Ciri my dear… I… I just wish you would have come and told Geralt or me, or Triss even, before well…" Yennefer said, trailing off as Ciri shook her head.

"Told you before… what?" Ciri said, still unbeknownst to what they were reacting this way for.

Yennefer sighed again, looking deep into Ciri's eyes. "Before you and Dominik were… intimate… for the first time."

"What? Yen what do you think-." She said, but the sorceress sighed shaking her head, and cutting her off.

"I could have taught you a spell to prevent…" The sorceress started, looking to Geralt and then back to Ciri again. "To prevent any… unplanned… circumstances, and-."

"What no! Yen, I'm not pregnant, gods we still haven't even done it yet for the first time if you're both really so keen on knowing!" Ciri said incredulously, her face getting beat red with her heart fluttering nearly out of her chest.

The both of them sight out in relief, Yennefer holding a hand over her heart. Ciri rolled her eyes, realizing that she probably could have been clearer from the beginning, and that she more than likely gave Yennefer and Geralt both a small heart attack.

Geralt shook out a sigh of relief as well, before his yellow eyes narrowed up towards her. "Wait if you're not and, we're grandparents as you say… that means…"

"The Law of Surprise…" Yennefer said, finally coming to the realization, turning back to Ciri, her violet eyes wide, a small bit of excitement growing in them. "Ciri… you mean to say that-."

"A girl," Ciri said, a small smile coming to her face as well, thinking about Fiona again, even laughing lightly and shaking her head. "Thirteen… gods she looks and acts just like the both of us… it was the girl he saw in his dreams."

Geralt scoffed, sharing a look with Yen and turning back to Ciri.

"It looks like I'm gonna have to deal with another one of you running around soon," He said, scoffing, a small smile coming to his face like Yennefer had, before it slowly curled back down, and he looked to meet Ciri's eyes. "As… exciting as that is… something else happened. Ciri… it was really his sister?"

"It was…" Ciri said, shakily sighing, shaking her head and looking at them both. "She's been Baelen this whole time… it explains everything…. They… they brainwashed her, put fake memories in her head… gods… gods poor Bella…"

Yennefer quickly came to her side, holding her hand on Ciri's shoulder. "Don't worry darling, we'll obviously do whatever we can to help her… come, tell us more about what happened, we have some time before everyone should be back from their business."

Ciri reached up around her neck, gripping tight to the ring again.

_The both of them… you'll save them both, _she thought.

She looked up and met both their eyes, nodding, her hands not leaving the ring. "Yeah… there's… a lot to tell, but… but what about Dom? Shouldn't one of us-."

"Give him some time to cool off," Geralt said reassuringly, shaking his head and meeting her eyes. "He can handle himself for a bit. And well… sometimes to process grief, you gotta be by yourself."

Ciri looked out the window of the inn again, seeing the people streaming by on the cold sunny day. She sighed, squeezing the ring once more. Geralt was right, he'd be alright, for now at least. She'd go and find him; she'd smack him upside the head until he talked to her if she had too. She'd be there for him, like he always was for her, because he truly did need her then more than he ever had.

But first, she needed to let out all of her own grief, along with eating and possibly drinking more than a few mugs of wine.

"Yeah… come on, a few really important things happened… one that will even help us soon," Ciri said, nodding to Geralt and Yen both.

And she swore as they all moved to sit, she swore she could feel the ring vibrate.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"A grandmother… gods… gods I remember when all I wanted was children," Yennefer said, her mother seeming near tears, as she lightly laughed and shook her head, looking and meeting Ciri's eyes again. "And… you said the girl is a source like you?"

"Well, not _just _like me thank the gods," Ciri said, the mug of wine gripped in her hands, as she looked across to Geralt and Yen both. "But she is a source yes… a powerful one at that too. Dominik had to use the spell he used on me at Kaer Morhen to calm her… I don't know how she's so powerful."

"It's that dragon blood you mentioned," Geralt said, looking over and meeting her eyes. "Dragons can have children with humans if they shapeshift yes… but dragons are extremely powerful magical creatures, their human offspring are normally powerful."

Ciri scoffed, downing more of the wine before she spoke. "She is that's for certain… she was so powerful she knocked the dragon out of the sky. Poor thing was terrified."

Yennefer nodded across the table from her, her own mug of wine between her hands. It had been about an hour since she gotten back. The wine slid down her throat, a pleasant burn hit her stomach, as she heard the soft sounds of a lute playing. Dandelion and Priscilla had gone out on some business in town, and were back now, Priscilla playing the lute while Dandelion chatted with the patrons that had entered near the bar. It wasn't overly crowded, but Ciri didn't care either way, all she could think about was Dominik.

She knew that Faram, Freya and George had all gone to the harbor, to spend some time on Faram's ship. The three of them according to Geralt and Yen had been waiting for the two of them, wanting to plan a night out for the five of them. She had no idea how much of a mood for it Dominik would be in when he got back, but as much as she loved all three, she herself wasn't particularly in the mood for anything besides food and sleep. However, she hoped that perhaps wherever Dominik was, if luck would have it he'd run into the three of them, and maybe they could have better luck talking to him then she did. Dominik wouldn't leave Novigrad, she liked to think that even in his anger, he would know to stay in the city.

Ciri had done that at times, when she was angry, simply going and walking, it was therapeutic for her. However, despite her fatigue, her mental strain, she still found her foot tapping, looking towards the door and back to her parents both as they sat across from her. She sighed and down the rest of the wine in her mug, her stomach still in knots.

She had gone and told them both everything that happened in Claywitch, with Drogar, Fiona and Anton. of course they had listened with anticipation, Yen growing particularly excitable as Ciri described Fiona as, 'looking and acting like a perfect mixture of Ciri and Dominik'. Geralt meanwhile had been amazed at the history repeating itself before his eyes. He mentioned right away how Vesemir was correct, how she and Dominik truly would bring the first ever third generation witcher to Kaer Morhen. She had blushed furiously at that, before she then had to tell them what happened after they left, everything with Bella.

They had both also told her everything that had happened while she and Dominik were gone. Geralt had helped Triss discover that Philippa was hiding in her owl form, and had been bought by the spy Dijkstra, and now the sorceress was going to help them against the Hunt. He and Yen had also broken into a jail, and rescue Margarita as well. Along with that, Keira and Lambert both had finally made it to the city, along with the sage Ida Emean, both of whom came at Dominik's request. On top of all of that, Geralt had given her more details of their assassination or Radovid. Queen Adda had apparently truly been behind the plot, with her and Elise De Le Serre asking after Dominik to make sure he was okay. Ciri wouldn't mourn Radovid's death, but she couldn't help wondering now, what she could possibly want help from Dominik for.

However, the thoughts quickly left her, as she knew she had more pressing matters.

Goosebumps traveled up her arms again, shivering as she could almost hear the echo of Bella's helmet hitting the snow again, and hearing her voice calling her name.

"Why didn't you bring her back with you both?" Yennefer asked. "With all the sorceresses here, surely we would have been able to help her."

"Yeah, besides… you both know you're gonna have to go back for her," Geralt said, looking deep into her eyes. "I made the mistake of trying to ignore it…"

Ciri quickly shook her head. "No, we're going back for her we just… need some time. Three months, that's what we said, that is if we survive of course…. Dominik and I decided to let her stay and be a normal girl for a bit longer. We didn't think bringing her into the middle of a war with the Hunt was a smart idea, and well… Dominik didn't want her anywhere near Avallac'h."

They both seemed to quickly understand, as Geralt nodded.

"Smart now that I think about it, she'll be safe there," He said, shaking his head and sighing. "Looks like it was a smart idea… considering what happened. You're right… his sister being with the Hunt… it explains a lot."

"It does," Yen said, finishing off her wine before she met Ciri's eyes. "Kindred blood will always find kindred blood. A spell to track Dominik using her blood would have been easy enough… and… you said she had, fake memories?"

Ciri shuddered, practically hearing Bella's anguished cries in her ears. Dominik wouldn't think it, but she and everyone else who heard the story would know, that there truly wasn't anything he could have done. She couldn't imagine a fate so cruel, being tricked into thinking that your family had left you for dead.

However, she could relate to the feeling of being so alone, just like Bella was for so long. And when she thought about it more, the more she wasn't that surprised, wasn't surprised that someone like Eredin would do that to someone so helpless. It was just the kind of cruelty she had come to expect.

"Yes… Eredin or Caranthir they… brainwashed her, gave her fake memories of what happened at Cintra the night of the massacre," Ciri explained, shakily sighed as she shook her head and met their eyes. "She… thinks that Dominik and their mother… left her in the streets so… so that they could come and save me."

"And that's far from what happened…" Yen said.

Ciri nodded, her skin tingling again as she shook her head. "It isn't… but… still, she's right in a way. If… if I hadn't been there…"

"Stop, you can't think like that, it'll drive you mad," Geralt cut her off, meeting her eyes and shaking his head. "You know he doesn't blame you; you couldn't have done anything."

"Whether that's true or not… gods we… we have to help her somehow," Ciri said, turning over to look at Yennefer now. "Yen… there has to be some way to get rid of those fake memories she has, to reverse what they did to her!"

She was going to help them. Whether or not Bella was right, whether it had been because of her, whether she truly had done enough to repay everything Dominik sacrificed, one thing was for certain, and that was she wouldn't give up on Bella, just like Dominik wouldn't. She'd put her grief aside for now, Dominik was even worse off than she was with the news, so for him, for his sake she had to find a way.

Yen sighed, her eyes looking at her apologetically and nodding. "There's nothing we can do unless we were to have her here. However, a fake memory spell, no matter how powerful will always wear off… for example, look at Geralt's amnesia."

"Thanks for reminding me…" Geralt said with an eye roll.

Yen rolled her eyes right back and shook her head. "No Geralt, I don't mean it as a jest. You see Ciri, just like Geralt slowly got his memory back over time, the same thing should happen with Bella. Geralt's memories were too strong to stay suppressed for so long. Real memories will come through eventually."

"But… but Bella's been with them for at least two years," Ciri said, shaking her head and meeting her mother's eyes. "How have they not worn off yet?"

"Well, it's more than likely Caranthir has been continuously suppressing them," The sorceress explained, her violet eyes looking deeply into Ciri's. "But… seeing Dominik again for the first time in that cave… it must have started to clear out the memories, you said she mentioned she was already having dreams?"

"She said she was yes. She told us that she sent Dominik a dream of her living in Skellige…. Dominik didn't think there was any way she could be alive, never thought it could be her." Ciri explained, and Geralt right away nodded.

"Yeah, I remember him telling me about that dream. Wanted to know for weeks who it was, he said he had the feeling he knew her," He explained, and Yennefer quickly nodded in agreement.

"Exactly, these dreams and seeing Dominik, they've more than likely finally started to break down those fake memories," Yen explained again. "Caranthir and Eredin are busy searching for us, or they simply believe their powers over her are too strong, that Bella isn't strong enough to break the spell."

Ciri's heart sunk to the bottom of her stomach as she met Yen's eyes. "So… so there's no way for us to help her… We just have to wait for the spell to wear off? We don't have time to wait!"

Yen slowly nodded, looking at her apologetically. "I'm sorry darling. The only thing we can do is… hope Bella's strong enough to fight off the influence. And unfortunately well… the spell with the fake memories isn't the only thing we need to hope she's strong enough to get over…. It isn't the spell that's affecting her… but the psychological toll that's gripped her as well."

She titled her head, looking at them both wonderingly. "I… understand how horrible it is to be Eredin's prisoner… but… what are you talking about? If the spell is gone, and her real memories come back, that would solve everything right?"

That was what she had thought would be the simple solution. If Bella really learned what happened back in Cintra, then she would realize that she was being used, was in danger, and would finally let Dominik and she help her.

However, Yen and Geralt both shared a knowing look. Yen sighed, looking and meeting Ciri's eyes again.

"I'm afraid the psychological turmoil Bella's been through is possibly even more dangerous than the fake memories," The sorceress said, taking a deep breath in between and shaking her head.

Yen sighed again, meeting Ciri's eyes before she went on. "You see, when people go through a traumatic experience and are left alone well… as you know darling, most of the time they search for something, anything to help them recover, and it doesn't matter what. For example, imagine a young man or woman is living in a peaceful village. And one day, that village is looted and raided by bandits. Their family is killed, their friends, neighbors, everything they know is destroyed and ripped from them but… somehow they survive, and they're kidnapped by the bandits themselves.

After this, the bandits at first keep them captive, or it doesn't even have to be bandits. Imagine a person comes and offers them a type of salvation. That person, or the bandits, they could take advantage of their victims weakened state, do horrible things to them, beat them, rape them… and in their state of mind… the victim accepts this. They'll see it as… what they deserve, that they need, they'll think they have no other way to survive, so… they accept being treated like this, and often will come to see their captors, or tormentors as well… their saviors. The surviving victim of that village massacre, could come to join the bandits that raided their village after a time, see them as their salvation. A victim could be raped, beaten, forced to do horrible things by a person… but with the trauma they've experienced, feeling there's no other way… they come to accept it as I said… some even form a relationship with their tormentor, thinking that it's their only way… what they deserve.

And… well… that kind of damage to someone's mind, to their subconscious, it can be harder to break then any spell. Bella more than likely… sees Eredin as her salvation. The only way that she can get back what she's lost, have a place in this world again. He more than likely is telling her how they only attacked her village in Skellige, because they thought it was you. From what Geralt tells me, you already know he's planning on killing her. He's trying to control her, like a captor or a victim does… damage like this I hard to fix… and it can't be done with magic. Bella sees Eredin as her only way out… the only way she can stay safe…."

Ciri's fingers trembled around her mug, slowly shaking her head. "Just like… me with Mistle…. Gods…. Gods Bella… Yen… Yen, Geralt, there has to be _something _we can do!"

"Mistle?" Geralt quickly asked, looking over at her.

"One of the Rats…" Ciri said, her skin beginning to tingle again, as she met both of their eyes, Geralt knew who the Rats were, but Yen didn't. Shakily Ciri sighed. "When… when I first joined with them, she… she saved me from… from being raped by another boy but… but then she…"

Yennefer's eyes widened. "Ciri… darling I… I had no idea… gods… all because I couldn't save you…"

"Have… you told Dom?" Geralt asked her slowly, the guilt in his voice evident.

Ciri quickly nodded. The thoughts of Mistle came flooding back to her for a moment. What Yennefer had described… it was exactly what she had felt with the Rats as a whole. Who she became, Falka, a member of the Rats, it wasn't the person she really was. After what Mistle had done to her, it was as Yennefer described, Ciri felt she had no way else. She had to enjoy what Mistle did, she had to say she loved her, had to sleep with her, it was the only way she could have survived. She had convinced herself that she enjoyed it, that it was the person who she was now, all to survive, to find something, anyone after what happened to her, losing everything on Thanedd. And just like Yennefer had also said, it took her a while afterwards to realize that what she had with Mistle wasn't love. It was built off rape, trauma, and Ciri feeling like she had nowhere else to turn.

And now that same thing was happening to Bella, and she would do what she could for her. She had made peace with what happened, accepted she couldn't change it, and now she had Dominik, the only one to ever truly love her like she had always wanted to be loved.

She wouldn't dwell on the past when she had so much to do in the future.

Ciri meet her parent's eyes and nodded. "I told him yes… we've talked about it and… he was more supportive then I ever could have asked for…. That's not what's important anymore… there has to be something we can do for Bella… anything at all."

A small beam of pride came to Geralt's face, before Yennefer smiled as well. The sorceress met her eyes and nodded.

"Well… it's actually quite similar to you darling," She said, shaking her head and meeting Ciri's eyes. "You were strong enough to pull through… seeing us again, Dominik, it certainly helped…. The only way we can help Bella… is being there for her how we can. And hoping she is strong enough to break through what they've done to her."

Ciri sighed and shook her head. "That may be hard… considering that she wants to kill _me _in particular very much. I don't know how I could get close enough to her…"

"Don't think you'll be able to either, especially since she's still with the Hunt now. We'll do what we can to help her Ciri, but you still need to remember, as of now, if she gets her hands on you, she'll kill you, and give you to Eredin, and if he gets you…" Geralt said carefully, shaking his head as he met her eyes.

Her heart thumped loudly as she nodded. "Then a lot more people will die… then what am I supposed to do!? I can't just sit here and do nothing while I know she's out there!"

"There is something you can do darling," Yen said quickly, shaking her head and meeting her eyes as well. "You can be there for Dominik…"

"Of course I will be, I always have, and I won't-." She started, but Geralt quickly shook his head.

"We know you are Ciri, not denying that," Her father said, sighing and carefully meeting her eyes. "You've always been there for him… but with this? Something like this is going to affect him deeper then you could imagine."

"I'm aware of that… it's his sister," Ciri said.

Yennefer nodded in agreement. "Yes… but like you did just now, stopping him from killing Avallac'h, it was a good start. He's my son, I'd die for him and you if I had too, and I know Geralt would too… but this is something even we won't be able to help him with… and he's the only way you'll have a chance of getting Bella back."

"She's right Ciri. Baelen or well… Bella, she spared him, multiple times," Geralt said, leaning on his elbow on the table. "It's clear if there's any chance of helping her… it's going to have to be from Dominik, she's his only real family left…"

Ciri bit her lip, slowly shaking her head. "I know that but… but Geralt Yen I… I'm afraid… afraid that well… he could get himself killed… If… If Bella were to attack him again… I don't know if he would be able to fight back."

"It takes a great deal of strength to stand up to your enemies… an even greater deal of strength, to stand up to your family and friends," Geralt said, shaking his head and meeting Ciri's eyes again. "We have to trust him; trust he'll be able too."

"He's right darling," Yen said, her violet eyes glowing in the sunlight that streamed into the inn. "That's the reason we have to be there for him now… you in particular. Ready him for that… he'll have to face his sister again… and we have to be there for him before it."

Ciri shuddered at the thought. She could see the guilt-ridden look that was on Dominik's face after he had realized he had fought his sister, had almost killed her. Ciri of course felt the same way, but she knew it had been even worse for him. She knew Yennefer was right. Dominik would have to fight Bella again, have to confront her and try to appeal to her. However, would he be able to do it without hurting her? What if Bella didn't listen, and she tried to kill him, but he didn't fight back? So many things ran through her head, and it almost exploded as she sighed, rubbing both her temples, hearing the lute music gently play through the ground floor of the inn.

She looked down at the empty mug in front of her. Her stomach growled, her eyes were droopy, the mental strain on her brain growing by the second. All she could see was Bella, Bella and Dominik fighting in her dreams, in the ring of fire the previous night. And all she could see when she blinked, was her killing him, Dominik pleading with her, trying to appeal to her, but Bella coming in and cutting him down anyway. Dominik had done everything he could the night before, spoken to her from his heart, never in Ciri's life had she seen or heard him so broken. Dominik was one of the strongest people he knew, but with what had happened, Ciri knew Yennefer was right.

Dominik was strong enough, Bella she knew was strong enough. But even the strongest of people needed the love and support of those around them to fight through some hardships. This was one now, if she wanted to help them both, for Gregory, for Sofia, for herself, and most important for Dominik and Bella both, she needed to be there. She needed to find Dominik, and she needed to be strong for his sake. She couldn't feel sorry for herself or feel sorry for herself. Her future, her life with him that she wanted, it all relied on whether or not she could truly be there for him. They couldn't defeat Eredin until they dealt with Bella, and she knew that Dominik would always look after her first, try to keep her safe above all else. But now with Bella, there was someone else that not just Dominik, but Ciri as well needed to protect.

Bella was her family, she was Dominik's sister, and Dominik from the minute he met her… was always her family, which made Bella her sister as well. It was only another reason that Eredin would die, whether it was her hand, Geralt's, Dominik's, all of them combined, he would die, for everything that he had done.

But first, Ciri knew she needed to find Dominik. He was out in Novigrad, and with the fatigue, the weariness that rushed through her, she simply wanted to see him. She couldn't remember a time she had felt as drained physically and mentally as well. Ciri could feel the bags under her eyes, a headache formed at the base of her skull, and pinged around her brain. If she closed her eyes she saw Bella, saw Dominik in tears, heard him screaming at Avallac'h. Her stomach still rumbled, but she couldn't even find the energy in herself to ask Dandelion for food.

All of it would be better, if she could simply find him, just like it always was when she had felt like that.

"I will be… I swear it… gods, I left him alone all these years… I'll never do that again," Ciri said, shaking her head.

Geralt quickly shook his head. "It wasn't your fault Ciri, and he knows that. His sister… I didn't even know about her until I just recently found him again…"

"He's right… and this was the first I heard about her," Yen said, looking over to Ciri and meeting her eyes. "Were they… close? Were the two of you close?"

"He never liked to talk about her… he thinks he failed her… we were all so close. Gods Bella she… she was like the little sister I always wanted…" Ciri said, shakily sighed and looking at them both again. "No matter what you all say… Bella's right. Gregory and Sofia… Dominik's parents they… they wanted to save all three of us, had plans for it… died for it…"

Geralt quickly shook his head, "Ciri, you can't blame-."

"Whether or not I could have done anything… they still gave their life for me, the both of them…" Ciri said, her tired eyes looking at them both. "I won't let that be in vein… Dominik I love more than anything, and Bella… I'm going to do what I can for her… I'll make sure they both make it… I need to… I need to go find Dominik and…"

Her words escaped her when she yawned, her eyes nearly rolling into the back of her head as she did. Her stomach audibly rumbled, as she shakily sighed, feeling the headache pound at the base of her skull. A tingling ran up her arms, as she went to speak, but yawned again, as Yennefer shook her head, gently reaching out and gripping her hand.

"Dominik will be alright for a bit longer darling, you need rest as well," The sorceress said, gently smiling at her and nodded. "You look like you barely slept a wink last night, go up to your room and take a nap for a bit, you've earned it."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, "But… but Yen, Geralt, Dominik what… what if he-."

"I'm sure he's cooled off a bit by now. Besides, Freya, Faram and George are all in the city. If he went anywhere, he probably went towards the harbor were they are, he'll be alright," Geralt assured her, nodding towards the steps. "Yen's right, go take a nap, relax for a bit, you look like you're about to pass out at any minute."

"But what if he-." She started, but Yen cut her off by sighing and smiling.

"Always looking out for one another… just like when you were children," The sorceress said, standing and coming around the table, wrapping her arm around Ciri's shoulder. "We promise we'll come wake you as soon as he gets here. We'll have someone bring some food up for you… you need rest Ciri. He'll be alright, trust us darling."

Geralt got up as well, smiling and nodding at her. As always, seeing the both of them smile it calmed her churning stomach and her thumping heart. She turned and looked out the window of the inn again, seeing the sun reflect in off the few patrons and workers who mulled around. It was almost midday at that point, and she knew the inn would be getting busier soon, which would make it almost impossible to sleep until later in the night.

The previous night she had tossed and turned, and she knew Dominik hadn't slept himself. She didn't like the idea of him walking out in the city alone, not with the state of mind he was in. However, she looked back to Yen and Geralt, their reassuring glances staying trained on her and she sighed. Shaking she slowly nodded at them both, another yawn coming to her as she looked at them.

"Alright… but promise if anything happens, or he comes back-." Ciri started, and Geralt cut her off.

"We will… don't worry, he'll be okay. Get some sleep, you need it," Geralt said, placing a relaxing hand on her shoulder.

Ciri felt her father's hand squeeze, and she yawned again, sighing and nodding.

"Alright… thank you both… I… I am pretty knackered," Ciri said.

Yen lightly laughed and nodded. "You're welcome darling, go, get some rest. Also… I believe it's probably wisest if you… speak to Avallac'h as well."

"Yeah… make sure he doesn't do anything well…." Geralt started, but Ciri cut him off by quickly nodding.

"You're right… I probably should," Ciri said, sighing and yawning again before turning back towards the steps.

She would need to make sure Avallac'h wasn't planning any retaliation. Even though she knew he more than likely would be, Ciri had to make sure the sage would still help them. She had to believe his hatred for Eredin was deep enough for him to at least overlook this for now, especially since they were so close. Ciri also knew that she needed to see if the elf truly hadn't known about Bella. She trusted she would tell her the truth on this at least, he had no reason to lie, but Ciri wanted to look him in the eye, and ask him herself.

But more importantly she needed to rest. Because soon, she would need a clear mind, and rested bones.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Sleep hadn't come nearly as easy as she expected. Dominik had told her that Yen had enchanted the swallow pendant around his neck to ward off bad dreams. He had told Ciri that he both loved and hated it. Loved it, because obviously it gave him pleasant dreams of her and him together back at a young age, those easier, quieter days in Ellander. However, he also hated it, because he knew that if he hadn't had the swallow enchanted, he would have had dreams of where she was, which would have given him the opportunity to find her sooner. She knew that the enchantment had worn off, and his nightmares returned some night, just like they did for Ciri.

However, she found herself wishing that the ring around her own neck had a similar enchantment then.

Ciri had barely slept a wink. She had taken off her corset, let her hair down and taken her sword and boots off as well. She lay in bed in only her trousers, socks and her top, looking aimlessly up at the ceiling, her eyes full of sleep. Shakily she sighed, feeling her skin begin to tremble again as she thought of Dominik out in Novigrad by himself. She knew that he could handle himself of course, but Ciri hated the idea of leaving him alone while he felt like this. She wanted to be there for him more than anything, but she knew that Geralt was right, sometimes people needed to be by themselves to process grief. Dominik would come back she knew, and then she'd be there for him.

She also knew she needed to speak to Avallac'h. The sage hadn't made any commotion, but Ciri knew he had to be fuming, possibly scheming something up in his room then. She knew, or at least believed that the sage was just as eager to be rid of all them, as everyone was of him. In her mind, the two of them were even. He had forced her to try and have a child with Auberon, he had made up for it by saving her and teaching her to control her powers. She hadn't owed him anything, but she knew that for her own greater good, and the greater good of everyone, she needed to cooperate with him, so making sure he would still stick around after Dominik almost beat him to death was something she needed to do. She wasn't worried about him too much, she knew a few simple spells and his wounds would be healed but being beaten by Dominik then surely put an even greater damper on his pride, so Ciri would need to make sure their agreement was still in place. If she had to stroke his ego temporarily then so be it, she could stomach it for the time being.

Her skin tingled again as she swung her legs to the side of the bed. Her socks hit the ground and she shakily sighed, her hair falling down around her shoulders. The ring dangled in front of her, and she grabbed it, looking at it as it trembled in her hands. She remembered when she was younger, seeing Gregory wear it around his neck practically every day, and then of course Dominik doing the same once he received it. Gregory had told her the story of it, as had Dominik, and Ciri could remember how she had to contain herself with how excited she got when Dominik had given it to her. Just like the swallow, it was a symbol of the promise they made to each other, the love they shared for one another. In Lofeton she remembered the panic that had set in when she thought she lost it, the one thing that had helped her get through all the years she spent alone.

"I'll help them both… I promise…" She said under her breath, her hand gripping around the bronze, leaning both her hands to her knees as she shakily sighed again.

She would never forget that last moment she had seen Gregory. The fires, the screaming, the blood. She had begged him to come with her, to not leave her, Gregory was always the closest thing to a father she had before Geralt. And just like one of his own children, he had defended her until his last breath.

Ciri hadn't seen Sofia as much as she would have liked but her grandmother and of course Gregory had spoken extremely highly of her. When Sofia came to balls with Gregory during her younger years, or when she and Dominik managed to sneak all the way to his house in town, every time she had seen Sofia, Ciri remembered being jealous of how beautiful she was. Sofia had told her that she was friends with Ciri's mother as well, with Sofia having saved Pavetta's life before, which resulted in her being promoted to the special forces division.

The story went that Ciri's mother, was travelling to a different kingdom on a royal visit. She had a detachment of guardsman with her, leading them had been Sir Ryland, Dominik's grandfather, and among the guards had been an at the time eighteen-year-old Sofia. Dominik's mother had been an orphan most of her life but worked her way to join the guards at eighteen. On this mission, the transport carrying Ciri's mother had been ambushed by forest bandits. The entire detachment had been killed, except for Sir Ryland, and Sofia, who had saved Pavetta from multiple bandits and gotten them to safety. The bandits continued looking for them, wanting Ciri's mother in particular.

However, through her cleverness, resourcefulness, and knowledge of the woodlands, Sofia was able to defeat the bandits with Sir Ryland, before the two safely got Pavetta back to Cintra. As a reward for this, Queen Calanthe gifted Sofia with anything she wanted, and that was when Sofia asked to be made a member of Cintra special forces, under the personal command of Sir Ryland and the Queen herself. And then for another three years, until she was twenty-one, Sofia became one of her grandmothers most trusted agents, along with being knighted by Sir Ryland himself, it was something that Gregory had always boasted to Ciri about, and it made Ciri see how much he truly loved Dominik's mother.

The two of them had been some of the greatest people Ciri had ever met, and always would be. The two actually rarely spoke during Sofia's time serving in special forces. Dominik knew the story by heart, and he and Gregory often told it to her.

Sofia and Gregory very rarely spoke, despite Gregory being Sir Ryland's son, and Sofia growing to see him as a father as well. It wasn't until Sir Ryland died, and Gregory took command of the armies, that they truly began to know one another. Gregory had always told her at first, the two couldn't stand each other. Sofia had grown to be in command of the Cintran special forces, but she still always had to report to Gregory. It was when one rebellious lord decided to begin raiding the countryside in rebellion, mobilizing his men, that Sofia and Gregory came together. Sofia and Gregory alone had gone on a special forces mission, to infiltrate the castle and village of this rebellious lord. The mission had eventually been successful, the two of them sharing and bonding together over their time with one another. After the mission had been successful, was when in Gregory's words he, 'fell head over heels like a sodded young boy'.

A year later, that was when Dominik was on the way. Ciri had always loved it when Gregory had told the story. Sofia every time she saw her, would always compliment Ciri, tell her how beautiful she was. However, what she had loved most about Sofia, was how every time she saw Ciri, she'd tell her that no matter what she'd forge her own path, compliment how strong her spirit was, and how no matter what, she, Gregory, and of course Dominik and Bella would always be there.

They truly had been two of the greatest people Ciri had ever known, and they both deserved to be alive that day.

However, Ciri couldn't bring them back from the dead, she could only make sure that their sacrifice wasn't in vein. They lived on, in Dominik and in Bella now, and Ciri would repay their sacrifice by making sure she saved them both.

She shook her head in frustration however, knowing that Yennefer was right. There truly wasn't much she could do herself. If she tried to speak to Bella, she was almost sure she would be killed. Bella had made it clear, she blamed Ciri and Dominik both, but mostly Ciri for what happened. Ciri would have died for either of them, but she knew how much it would devastate those around her, with the added fact Bella worked with the Hunt now and would give her to Eredin at the first opportunity now. When Ciri had tried to talk to her the night before, she hadn't listened, not even in the slightest.

Bella had listened to Dominik; however, she had seen it in her eyes. Bella wanted to take his hand, Ciri knew it, however, it was as Yennefer said as well. So much damage had been done, not just with magic, but psychologically as well. No, Ciri wouldn't be able to do anything for Bella directly, she'd have to do it through indirect means.

Dominik on the other hand, she could do more for. Just like he always did for her, she would be there. After Kaer Morhen, even with him being the one injured, he had been there to comfort her. She remembered the very first thing he had said when he woke up, with a hole in his leg and gash through his cheek, was asking If Ciri herself was okay. He had been more supportive and loving then she ever could have hoped after he told her about Mistle, what had happened with the Rats. And just like when they were younger, no matter what was happening with him, she was always his first priority. The previous night was the first time she had ever seen him to the point, where he wouldn't even speak to her about what was wrong. It had terrified her, terrified her because she had no idea how else to help him if he wouldn't talk to her.

She was also afraid, that even more so then Eredin and the Hunt, this could be Dominik's greatest danger. Ciri knew that he would have to fight Bella again. It was unavoidable, especially with how she had seen Bella looking at them in her anger. Ciri would never even suggest giving up on her, killing her, she would never want Dominik to do that. But that was one of her biggest fears, what if to keep her safe… Dominik had to kill his sister? Ciri wouldn't want to put him through that, she didn't even want him to have to fight Bella for her… but she knew that it was inevitable. Dominik would have to fight her, because it would be the only way he could get a chance to talk to his sister.

But even then… she was horrified, that he would be trying to talk to her, and he'd let his guard down because it was Bella, and he'd end up getting himself killed. Bella had spared him yes, but all it took is one surge of rage, and Dominik could be cut down. Would he have the strength to fight back? Fight back and possibly injure his own sister. It was as Geralt said, it already took a great deal of strength to stand up to your enemies, but even more strength to stand up to your family and friends. Dominik was the strongest person she knew, but having to fight his own sister? It was something he obviously never thought he'd have to do, and it was already effecting him to the point where he almost killed someone. Whether Avallac'h deserved it or not, Dominik knew deep down he couldn't do it, but still almost had.

It was as Yennefer said however, it was all they could do to be there for him. And that was what Ciri would do. She had to believe he'd come back to see her, even in his confrontation with the sage, she had seen him close to breaking down, letting it all out, and Ciri needed to be there for that. She would be there for that, just like she knew he would be for her.

"I'll make sure they both make it… I promise," She said once more to the ring, before her grumbling stomach interrupted her and she sighed. "But first, gods I need to eat something, maybe-."

A knock at the door cut her off, and Ciri shot her head up to the sound. "Who is it?"

"It's us," The voice of Freya said through the door, and Ciri's ears perked up as her friend went on. "We brought you food and… we heard from Geralt and Yen what happened…"

"Aye… tough bit of luck lassie… you decent?" The voice of Faram asked, and Ciri breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I am yeah… come in the doors unlocked," She said, breathing out as she heard the doorknob click.

Sure enough it was the three of them. Freya walked in first, the blonde wearing her armor, with her curly blonde hair cascading down her back with her sword. In her hands she carried a tray, with a pitcher of what Ciri hoped was wine, and upon smelling the dumpling she had as well Ciri's mouth salivated. Freya smiled at her as she walked in, followed quickly by both Faram and George. Faram ducked his head under the door, with George following behind. The two witchers seemed taller to her then as she sat on the bed, but the both of them as always smiled at her.

George met her eyes and nodded. "It's good to see you again Ciri, we were beginning to worry the previous night."

"Aye, it's true, was almost ready to send out a search party Yennefer was," Faram said with a smirk, leaning his massive frame back against the table in the room.

Ciri scoffed and shook her head. "It's good to see you all again… sorry that I didn't come find you when Dominik and I got back… you said Geralt and Yen told you what happened?"

George nodded and leaned on the dresser opposite Faram, as Freya came next to her on the bed. The blonde grimly nodded, trying for a reassuring smile. She say down next to Ciri, placing the platter between them. Freya picked up the pitcher of what was indeed wine and poured some into all four cups she had brought up. Ciri accepted it gratefully, also taking one of the steaming dumplings from the platter to pop into her mouth as Freya gave wine to everyone. The food hit her stomach, and right away Ciri felt the smallest bit better. She looked around and saw all three of them looking at her, trying for reassuring smiles.

As happy as Ciri was to see them all, her friends, true, real friends, she was also slightly upset, because it meant Dominik truly was alone out in the city now. She shuddered from the thought, dropping their gaze to pop another dumpling into her mouth, they were delicious as they always were when Freya made them, and it gave Ciri a little solace.

"Amazing as always, thank you…" She said, looking up at Freya, smiling lightly at the blonde, before looking at all three of them. "I… don't suppose you all saw Dominik while you were at the harbor, did you?"

George shook his head. "I'm afraid we did not my dear…. Is… what Geralt and Yennefer told us true? His sister…"

"It is…" Ciri said, her blood running cold as she shakily sighed and shook her head. "This whole time… gods… gods it was Bella the whole time."

Freya reached a reassuring hand over hers, and Ciri squeezed it, appreciating he gesture. Her stomach still rumbling, with her free hand Ciri grabbed another dumpling and sipped more of the wine. It fell to her gut, and calmed her churning stomach, before she looked up and saw Faram slowly shake his head.

The Bear School witcher sighed. "Gods and I fought her…. Dominik… poor guy… Geralt and Yennefer tell us he almost killed Mr. Happy Elf."

Ciri resisted the urge to laughed an nodded. "He did yes…. Dominik thinks that Avallac'h knew Bella was Baelen and didn't tell us."

"And… did he?" George asked.

"I don't know… he claims he didn't, but he also could have just been saying that because Dominik was choking him at the time," Ciri responded, her heart thumping loudly in her chest as she shook her head. "Dominik broke his nose, would have killed him if I hadn't intervened."

Faram snorted. "Bah, not gonna say I feel sorry for that cunt, he was do for a fucking beating but… it's a good thing you stopped him lassie."

"He's right," Freya said lightly from the bed next to her, her hand squeezing Ciri's again. "As irritating as he may be… we do need Avallac'h… have you spoken to him? Do you believe him?"

Ciri shook her head. "No… not yet, and as for if I believe him well… I don't know. Avallac'h is smart, he weighs risk versus reward in every decision he makes. And… I don't think he'd be stupid enough to hide something like this, if he did know, he would have known for certain we'd eventually find out and it would happen, on the other hand…"

"We know for a fact he still isn't telling us everything…" George said slowly, gently stroking his sharp jaw, his golden ponytail down to his shoulder as he shook his head. "I trust your judgement Ciri, I truly do but… if he truly did know and didn't tell us… I don't think I could blame Dominik if he killed him."

"Aye… neither could I," Faram said, scratching his long beard. "If the fucker hid something like that from me, I'd rip his fucking arms off."

"I know, and you're both right… but it's like we all said… we need him, at least for a little longer," Ciri said, feeling her heart spin as she sighed, running a hand through her loose curls of ashen hair that stretched down to her shoulders. "Don't want to worry about him right now to be honest… I'm more worried about Dominik… after I stopped him he… he wasn't very happy with me. He… he's never _not _talked to me, when things like this happened…"

Freya quickly adjusted herself and met Ciri's gaze. "You know he wasn't really angry at you Ciri. He could never be… and well… something like this… learning his sister alive itself would have been a bombshell… but learning she's working for the Hunt… it has to be worse than we could imagine."

"Freya is correct… a damn shame…" George said, his yellow witcher eyes meeting Ciri's. "Besides that… there's also the fact his sister… she's trying to kill you both, that has to weigh heavy on him."

Faram lightly scoffed, smiling gently as he met Ciri's eyes. "Goldilocks is right, don't gotta worry about him being mad at you lassie. Never met a man more sodded with their woman in me life, but… it must be horrible… poor bastard."

Ciri shivered, looking at all three of them and shaking her head. "I know he isn't really angry with me… I… just wish there were something more I could do, for them both. I… I'm scared that this could kill him… he's going to have to fight her again… and well…"

"You're scared that he won't be able to… and she'll kill him.." Freya finished.

"Yes… and I don't know what to do. I don't want to fight Bella myself either," Ciri said, the panic growing up inside her as she shook her head. "It would only make every lie the Hunt's told her seem real…"

George shook his head. "I've no doubt Dominik is strong enough to fight her. He's almost beaten her before, and perhaps his words can convince her otherwise."

Ciri scoffed. "He tried last night…. He tried everything and… and she almost took his hand but… but she didn't, and it crushed him. I just… feel so helpless! He's done so much for me, and now when he needs me most… there's nothing I can do."

"You can be there for him lassie," Faram said quickly, a rare softer tone in the massive witchers voice as he met her eyes. "It's frustrating I know, not being able to physically do somethin… but sometimes lass, all we can do, it simply be there."

Ciri digested the words, as George smirked and laughed from across the massive bear witcher.

"Aha… and when did you get so wise my friend?" George asked Faram.

Faram smirked and rolled his eyes. "I may not be as old as you mate, but I've been around the block a few times meself….. Dominik will be alright lassie; strongest fucker I've ever met in my life he is. And he's got you now, that makes him even stronger."

"He's right Ciri," Freya said on the bed next to her, squeezing Ciri's hand again, before reaching and pouring her more wine. "Sometimes, all we can do for someone, is be there for them."

Ciri picked up the new cup of wine from Freya thankfully, and downed half of it in one go. She shuddered and grabbed another dumpling as well, the last one on the plate, and Freya smile at her as Ciri popped it into her mouth. Her hunger was satisfied, but it didn't mean her nerves were. She sighed again, looking at the three of them, slowly she shook her head, gripping the sides of the bed.

"I'll always be there for him; I know I have to be but… I just don't know," She said, her voice shaking, as she gripped around the ring. "For fuck's sake… Bella's alive. He never even told Geralt and Yen about her, I was the only one to know! I want to be there for him, help him somehow, but… but I've never seen him like this, and I can't blame him… I don't know if I can do this myself and-."

"You don't have to do it yourself my dear," George cut her off, his charming, relaxing Toussaint accent calming Ciri's nerves as he spoke. "We would never dare let you two face this alone. That's why we are here, you're our friends, and that is what we do."

Faram quickly nodded. "Aye, he's right lass. Dom's one of the most stubborn fuckers I've ever met in my life, a bit of a hardass, but gods he's my best-friend. And you as well lass, felt like I knew ya, before I even knew ya! We're in this together."

"A hansa… that's what Dominik called us," Freya said next to her, looking and smiling at her as she scooted closer to Ciri on the bed. "The point is Ciri, you don't _have _to do it alone. You're the most important part yes but… we'll be there for him, and for you."

"Aen Hanse," George said with a smile, looking at all three of them. "I didn't recognize it at first when Dominik said it, it's Nilfgaardean in origin."

Faram smirked. "You speak bloody Nilfgaardean?"

"When you're as old as I am, you pick up a few different languages," George said with an amused smile, before looking at all of them. "In that tongue, it means an armed gang, but one linked by the bonds of friendship."

"A company…" Ciri said, a small smile coming to her face.

George nodded and met her eyes. "Precisely."

"Geralt had one of those… when he came to save me," Ciri said, looking between the three of them, the smile growing on her face. "Thank you all… for everything."

"We'll always be here, now, and whenever you need us in the future," Freya said, smiling, and Ciri laughed when the blonde hugged her.

Ciri wrapped her arms around Freya as well, and when she pulled back, her heart fluttered again, looking at the three of them. They had started out as Dominik's friends, and Ciri had been slightly concerned they only cared and spoke to her because of their relation to him at first.

However, that notion was quickly dashed. Ciri turned and looked into Freya's bright blue eyes. She never thought she'd consider the one other person who had been Dominik's lover one of her best friends, but there she was doing it then. Around her as well, she knew Faram was Dominik's best-friend, and George wasn't very far behind. There were night during the week and a half at Kaer Morhen her and Faram had gone cup for cup of ale together, along with George they had lapped up their stories, and treated her as their equal from the offset, like they had known her their whole lives, which she realized must have been true from how much Dominik spoke of her.

Geralt had told her about the company he brought to save her. Ciri remembered the deaths of most of them in excruciating detail. Dominik had told her the story of Cahir, the knight in the winged helmet who had apparently fallen in love with her and come to save her, Declan's cousin. Ciri would never forgive the man, he killed Sofia, and shot Bella down in the street, before tormenting and chasing the two of them for weeks, and then of course, tried to kidnap her on Thanedd. The man had been several years older than she was, which made her slightly uncomfortable thinking of the dreams he had. However, in the end, Ciri did owe him her life, and she owed his cousin Declan her life as well. She remembered the blonde woman, Angouleme, who had died in her arms, the vampire Regis, the dryad Milva. None of them had known her, but still they all came to save her, died to save her.

And Ciri would live every day thankful for that.

Now however, she had her own, was a part of her own company. History was repeating itself, just as Dominik told her Alexander said. History repeated itself yes, but not exactly. It was up to them to change what had happened the second time around. Geralt had gotten her as a child surprise, now Dominik had one as well. The two of them wouldn't let Fiona go through nearly any of the things that they had. It would be different.

Geralt had gathered a company to defeat Vilgefortz and save her. Now her and Dominik had one, to defeat Eredin, and save Bella now.

All the members of Geralt's company had died, but just like with Fiona, history wouldn't repeat itself.

The memory of Fiona brought a small smile to her face, as she looked up and met all three of her friend's eyes.

"Thank you…" She said, the smile coming back to her face as she looked between them, the smile contorting into a smirk. "So… did Geralt and Yen tell you what else happened when we were gone? Aunts and Uncles, all three of you."

They all smiled, but Faram of course was the first to laughed.

"Haha they did! A child surprise, gods how exciting," The Bear School witcher said, smirking as he met Ciri's eyes. "Couldn't think of two people better!"

Ciri scoffed but smiled. "We're barely adults ourselves! And most of our life was spent fighting, surviving…. But either way… she's absolutely adorable. I can't wait for you all to meet her."

"Aha it is an exciting prospect," George said in agreement, smiling and stepping off of the dresser. "What is she like? We didn't hear much."

Her heart started to flutter again, remembering training the girl for that small bit of time in the snow. She was so eager, lapping up everything Ciri had said. She also remembered right before the fight with the bandits, her stubbornly arguing with Dominik to come with them to fight. Not to mention how incredibly similar the girl looked. Ever since they had left Claywitch, while she relished the chance to travel with Dominik alone, the thought of when they'd finally go and get Fiona was more and more exciting by the minute.

And the girl wouldn't only have her and Dominik, but the people around them, everyone in the inn then.

Ciri laughed, the smile not leaving her. "Imagine if you took me, and Dominik, and smushed us together into one child… that's Fiona… down to the way she looks."

"You know… I always wanted to be an Aunt," Freya said, a sheepish smile coming to her face from next to her, Ciri met her eyes and the blonde laughed. "But I was always a single child…. Ciri, I'm so happy for the both of you! How'd Dominik take it?

"Aye… probably knocked him silly it did," Faram said with amusement.

"Oh at first it did! Couldn't even form words at first," Ciri said, as she could practically see Dominik training Fiona for those first few minutes. "But… he's a big softie, warmed up to her right away he did… he'll be great with her."

"You both will, mature beyond your years you both are my dear," George reassured her, smiling at her, the griffin witcher nodded again. "And I mean that. I have walked this earth many years, and never have I met two people like you both… made for each other."

Ciri sheepishly laughed. She heard a distant ***BOOM* **and all four of them looked out the window. She saw that the sun had retreated behind the clouds. The city didn't have a golden light anymore, it was dark, grey, and the rain soon started pouring down, hitting against her window as the thunder continued.

Seeing the rain start, it but a bit of a damper on the good mood she had just garnered. She hadn't heard anything downstairs, and she was sure if Dominik had come back, she would be the first person he came to see, and Geralt and Yen both promised to come get her as soon as he returned. He hadn't however, he was still out in the city, dealing with his grief alone, now getting rained on. She knew he hated how much it rained in the area, and it only made her stomach churn more, remembering how amazing it had felt when they left Claywitch. They had spent nights together, stayed up late to watch stars and drink wine with one another.

It had felt like for a few nights, that truly there was nothing wrong in the world, and it was just the two of them. For a few nights there had been no Wild Hunt, no prophecies or quests, just the two of them, eagerly talking about where they'd bring Fiona, where they'd go themselves, the places they'd see, the things they'd experience.

But then they had figured out the truth, the cold fist of reality slamming back into them.

She sighed and turned back to all of them. "Thank you George… it was fantastic, we were planning where we'd take her… for a while it felt like nothing was wrong, happier than I've been in a long time… but then we found out about Bella… I hope he's alright out there."

The thunder boomed again as soon as she finished, and she shuddered. Quickly she grabbed handfuls of her ashen locks and went about tying them back up in her bun. Her heart started racing again. She knew she couldn't go and look for him, if the rain didn't bring him back to the inn, then it would be a bit before he did.

He would come to her when he was ready, she knew it. And just like everyone had said, she would do what was best for him. She couldn't do anything physically to help Bella, or him then she knew, but she would be there for him. He was at a breaking point, even the strongest of men had to let it out, could be made to cry, feel broken. It was something Gregory had told her, and that was the case now with his son.

In the meantime however, she knew what she needed to do. The whole reason Dominik was so angry, had to do with Avallac'h. It was as she had told her friends; she truly didn't know if the sage was telling the truth or not. She wanted to believe he wouldn't be stupid enough to lie about something this serious, but Dominik did have him at his mercy, so she knew the sage could have lied to save himself. Either way Ciri needed to know.

Because if the sage had lied and did know about Bella… she didn't know if she would be able to hold herself back, let alone Dominik.

Freya smiled and nodded next to her on the bed. "I'm sure he'll be alright; he'll be back soon I'm sure."

"Aye, Goldilocks is right," Faram said, smirking as he stepped up off the table. "Besides, he's always bitching about how much he hates the rain, I'm sure he'll be back!"

"Can't say I blame him…" George muttered, rolling his eyes as he looked at the rain pattering against the window.

Faram scoffed. "We can't all grow up in a sunny paradise like you mate!"

Ciri and Freya both laughed as George rolled his eyes again. Ciri finished tying up her bun, just as Freya stood, and offered her a hand up off the bed.

"Either way I know he'll be alright," She said reassuringly, as Ciri grabbed her hand and stood as well. Freya smiled as she did and met her eyes. "Are you feeling any better? Do you want to come downstairs; we were going to drink and play some cards; I got more dumplings!"

Ciri met all of their eyes and shook her head. "Maybe in a bit… for now, I need to go speak with Avallac'h…"

Faram rolled his eyes and snorted. "Don't know why we bother with the stuffy fuck. You want one of us to go with ya lassie? Make sure fucker doesn't start anything?"

"He's right Ciri, he's already hostile enough," George said with a shake of his head. "I'd hate to see how he acts after Dominik had beat him."

Ciri shook her head and sighed. "That's alright, he'll only really talk to me anyway. If any of you come, I won't be able to get anything out of him… I'll see you all downstairs in a bit."

Freya nodded, grabbing and squeezing Ciri's hand again. "Just be careful Ciri. As much as he irritates us, we do need him, and well… everyone has a breaking point."

Ciri shuddered but nodded to the blonde. "I will be I promise… I'm worried about controlling myself. Don't know why I trust him… but if he lied about something like this… next time I may just let Dominik kill him."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The rain coming had been the perfect epitome of all of Dominik's misfortunes for that day. First, he learns that he almost killed his younger sister, that she had been brainwashed by the Wild Hunt, and was now actively working against and trying to kill both he and Ciri. Avallac'h knew. He had never been surer of anything in his entire life, the elf knew, and he had kept that information from him. And now, as soon as he went to try and kill the elf like he deserved, not just for keeping that secret, but for everything he had done, Ciri stopped him, reminding him that if he wanted any chance of finding the Hunt, finding Bella, saving the continent and more importantly Ciri, he needed to let the elf live.

Ciri had been right, and it frustrated him to no end. He wanted nothing more than to have plunged his sword into the sage's neck, and he would have if she hadn't been there. She had saved him from making a huge mistake, one that could have cost them all. And what had he done? He had accused her of not caring about Bella, screamed at her, Geralt and Yen, and then stormed off like a child.

And now, on top of it all, the fucking rain poured down on him, and he was sure that someone was following him.

Around him most people had begun retreating to their homes from the rain, which he didn't mind, less eyes on him would give him a better chance to take his follower on. The grey clouds had removed the sunshine that had been casted over the city that morning. His bones were chilled to the core, as his boots sloshed in puddles over the stone streets. He had just passed near Hierarch square, getting closer to Gildorf. Despite the people clamoring to get indoors, there were still many of them, and he could hear the person behind him picking up their pace. He had noticed them first after the went to the harbor, browsing the fish market before they started following him, wearing a black cloak, the outlines of two blades at their hip.

The harbor had been the first place he went, partly because he hoped the calming breeze of the ocean would help calm him, and partly because he knew if Faram, George and Freya weren't at the Chameleon, they'd more than likely be at the _Adrestia _Faram's ship. According to Barnabas, he had just missed all three of Faram, Freya and George, which only served as another thing to dampen his mood.

Although he didn't think even seeing them would have done anything for him then.

"Come on… come on fucker…" He muttered to himself, spotting a familiar alley up to his left.

It had been the same exact alley he and Declan had fought off Nilfgaardean assassins who had been contracted by Emhyr to kill Dominik himself. The place he told Declan he could go to Kaer Morhen after Declan had saved his life.

Declan, another person that he had let down, that list was extremely long.

A gust of wind howled loudly in his ears; the rain came down at a steady pace. His medallion and the swallow blew in the wind around his neck, his hair was drenched, the bags under his eyes grew heavy, his bones ached. Everything was screaming at him to stop, to head back to the Chameleon and sleep it off.

But he couldn't sleep this off, he simply wouldn't, even if the swallow had been enchanted still.

As he got closer to the alley, he looked down at his trembling hands. His black gloves shook, the rain soaking them through. He shakily sighed, closing his eyes and balling them into fists as he walked. All he could hear was Bella, her words echoed in his head, the image of her face, her grown face.

His little sister was grown, a woman now, a beautiful young woman, who looked so much like their mother that it made Dominik's eyes water then and there. If Bella's hair had been blonde, she would have been a carbon copy of their mother. He felt it, when their powers had clashed, he almost felt the magic in him…upset in a way, upset for some reason, and now he understood why. His power had reacted violently because it was up against itself in a fight. Blood against blood, brother against sister, that the thing he couldn't get over the most.

He had almost killed her, every time they fought, Dominik had almost killed his sister. But that wasn't even the worst of his thought. Bella was with Eredin, the Hunt, they had done something to her, something to make her believe Ciri was the true enemy, the enemy that had been the reason everything was ripped from her. Bella had spared him multiple times, but from what Ciri told him of the fight they had, and what Bella said herself. She wasn't going to show that type of mercy to Ciri, not in the slightest, and according to his sister as well, there wouldn't be any for him either.

What if he had to choose? What if because of him trying to get through to Bella, Ciri was killed? What if Bella killed Ciri herself, and Dominik could have prevented it, but didn't because he didn't want to fight his sister? It was the first time in his life, when a decision that involved Ciri wasn't certain for him, and the whole thing had his head ready to explode. Of course he would protect Ciri until his dying breath, he loved her more than anything, but what if to do that, he had to fight or even kill Bella now. He couldn't do that; he didn't know if he was strong enough to even fight his sister again let alone have to kill her.

And what if Bella had been right, what if his sister really was gone, erased by Eredin? What if Bella, his sister, really was Baelen now.

_No, that isn't true, and you know it… you saw it in her eyes. _No, his sister was still there, Bella was still there. When he had held his hand out to her, when his hand had touched her shoulder, when he told the story of her being sick when they were young, her eyes had changed. For a few moments, she was Bella again, his sister was there, and for a moment he had gotten through to her.

But then she had turned his hand away, he had failed her again. Bella had slaughtered Lofeton, and if she really had been with the Hunt he was sure she had taken part in more destruction. She had tried to murder Ciri, him, and had called Kilgarrah to Kaer Morhen, resulting in his friend's deaths. She had spoken so clearly, so surely of the fake memories she had, he didn't know if he would ever be able to get through to her again, and if he couldn't, what would he do then? Would he be strong enough to fight her, do what had to be done to protect Ciri and the continent, or would he somehow get through to her, and she'd listen to him? And even if she did listen to him, what would happen when he brought her around Ciri? Would she revert back to her old frame of mind and try to kill her?

A clap of thunder boomed, just as he pushed past a younger couple, and turned down into the alley, that same alley he had been attacked with Declan. His sword clunked, the rain pattering off _Fate's _pommel. He heard the very faint sloshing of boots behind him, whoever it was that was following him certainly knew how to keep quiet. However, they more than likely hadn't accounted for the fact his ears were so highly trained. The thunder boomed again, but he still heard his follower's footsteps in the mud behind him as he entered the alleyway.

It was exactly as he remembered it being when Declan had followed him there that night which felt so long ago. It was a large open space full of stacked barrels, timber and storage, a small garden dotting the center, with four alleyways leading back out to the streets. Right when he got to the center, still hearing the sloshing of his follower's boots, leaned back up against the ball wall of one of the buildings enclosing the garden, and reaching to his waist for Arno's crossbow. He didn't have any steel with him, but a crossbow bolt to the eye he learned was more effective than even a sword.

"Picked the wrong fucking day…" He said under his breath, loading a bolt into the small crossbow, the rain coming down and forming a puddle in front of him.

He lowered the weapon back to his side, and heard the boots get closer and closer. The thunder boomed, but his hands still shook as he gripped tighter around the crossbows handle. Everything kept slamming into his head, Fiona, Drogar, Bella, Avallac'h, it all jumbled around in his head and every single second he wanted to scream more and more. His eyes stung, his medallion and the swallow flew to the side of his neck, and all he wanted was another chance.

One more chance, one more singular chance to talk to his sister. But did he even truly know her like he thought he did? It was as she said… he couldn't even recognize her in the dream he had of her. Not only that, but he had let her die in Cintra, he should have held onto her, took the arrow for her. And the previous, night if he had just had a few more minutes he could have convinced her. He had no idea what he was going to do, where he'd even start, how he'd do it, what he'd say or do. He knew he would see her again, he'd see Bella again, because he wouldn't listen to her and not show up to the final battle. He'd be right in the thick of it, and he now realized what another one of his dreams meant.

He could remember all the way back in Novigrad their first time, the morning before they left to search for Ciri in Skellige, he had a dream. A dream of two wolves, one male, one female, fighting to the death in an arena of snow near a frozen ship. The male wolf hadn't wanted to fight, mournfully pleading the entire time as the female tore into it. Finally, the female had the male at his mercy, but after one thing was said… the male had snapped. It finally fought back, it had the female at its mercy, and for a minute looked like it was about to spare her. However, the dream had ended with the male wolf clamping its jaws through the female's throat, killing her in an instant.

And over the dream, he had heard the prophecy, and it was clear then. He and Bella were those two wolves. He'd fight her again, and it was then he'd have to make his choice.

It was a choice, where he knew what he would pick already… but hadn't wanted too to think about.

"DAMMIT!" He said, coming off the wall as thunder boomed, the frustration boiling over inside of him.

"Damn kid didn't think the witchers would teach you how to blow your cover like that when someone's been following you for almost the last hour," The voice said behind him.

Dominik whirled around, the crossbow tight in his hand, raising it and pointing the bolt at the hooded figure. Whoever it was, was only a bit shorter then him, wearing indeed a long black cloak, and Dominik saw two swords at their hips. The thunder boomed, Dominik's eyes pricked as he angrily gripped the crossbow, taking a step closer towards the person, the tip of the bolt getting dangerously closer to their head.

He was about to shout something, something to get his anger out, but the person quickly laughed holding their hands.

"Woah easy there kid… I gave you the damn thing, I'd hate to have it be the death of me," The familiar voice said, as they slowly pulled down their hood.

Dominik's eyes widened and he quickly lowered the crossbow. "Elise?"

"Aye, good to see you again kid," The redhead said, smirking as her face was fully visible now, she gave him a small smirk and pointed towards the crossbow in his hands. "Looks like it's been serving you well… gonna have to get you some more bolts before I leave."

Dominik let out a relieved breath, scoffing as he met her eyes and nodded. "It has yes… I'm… sorry I almost put one in your eye."

The personal guard for the now sole Queen of Redania shrugged, crossing her arms. "Aye, no big deal, did the same thing to you basically when we first met…. It's good to see you up on your feet. Last time I saw ya you could barely walk, got a wicked looking scar now you do."

"Yeah… it's good to see you too," Dominik said, genuinely happy to see the woman who had fought by his side at Kaer Morhen, he nodded and gestured up to her. "And seems like you got a decent one yourself."

Under Elise's right eye, the same cheek his was on, were three long scars running from the top of her forehead, down to her cheek. He remembered the exact moment a hound of the Wild Hunt had leapt and attacked her. Arno had saved her… before Dominik couldn't save Arno, and that was another person on the list. Elise had lost a fiancé because of him, the man she loved, all because of his planning.

The rain continued, lightening as Elise smirked back over at him, not seeming to be thinking of the battle of Kaer Morhen at the moment. Her long, puffy red hair was tied tightly up in a ponytail that went down past her shoulder, and she wore the same armor she had at Kaer Morhen. It was a black, boiled leather tunic and greaves, thick black boots and trousers, and black hunting gloves, which he knew was for her undercover missions when she was a part of Redanian special forces and the Temarian Blue Stripes. Her large brown eyes shone with amusement at him, as she gently ran her fingers down the scars, smirking wildly at him.

"Aye… healed pretty well they did, but mine came from a fucking hound," She said, resting her hand on one of the two sabers at her belt as she met his eyes. "Nothing compared to getting one from the King of the fucking Wild Hunt himself!"

Despite everything that happened, he couldn't help but laugh, making Elise do the same. He looked and noticed the two sabers at her belt now. One of them had a gold basket hilt, it looked lighter and easier to swing, while the other looked more like a traditional saber, heavier, longer than the other one. She remembered seeing her take Arno's saber from his pyre at Kaer Morhen, along with his crossbow that she had given to Dominik. Elise's own crossbow also was naturally at her belt. He also noticed now at her belt, was no longer wearing the gold badge on her belt with the Redanian coat of arms, now, it was imbedded with the Temarian Lillie's, her symbol as a member of a special forces unit, the same one his mother used to have with the golden lions of Cintra.

Seeing this made him remember what Geralt had told him earlier. Despite his anger, he could still recall his father mentioning it. He looked up and met Elise's brown eyes and nodded.

"I hear congratulations are in order," He said, a small smirk coming to his withered face. "I hear you're now protecting the new sole ruler of Redania… so it actually worked?"

Elise nodded, the smile staying on her face. "It did, the cuck died cowering like a child, deserved every last bit…. Geralt was the one to lead him into the trap, fought with us afterwards."

"You were there? Geralt said you weren't," Dominik asked, the rain finally coming to a stop, but the grey clouds still covering the sky.

She shook her head. "I wasn't… but Roche told me about it, every glorious little detail. Geralt led him into the trap, we cut him off from his men, Eilhart took him out, Roche's men did the rest… and now Adda's in charge."

"It seems she is… and let me guess, she sent you to find me," Dominik said, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. "How long were you following me for?"

Elise rolled her eyes back at him. "We both wanted to make sure you were well too you little fuck… but yes, Adda did want me to come find you. Geralt mentioned you were on your own mission, that's why you weren't with him during the assassination… is that the reason you look like you've barely fucking slept in a week?"

One of the things Dominik liked most about Elise was her honesty and candidness. She said what was on her mind, and got directly to the point, which was a welcome change from what he had been experiencing lately.

"Yeah you could say it is… so, how long were you following me?" He asked, the cold wind sending goosebumps up his soaked body.

Elise nodded and leaned on one of her sabers. "Went to the inn I know the bard owns earlier this morning. Got outside, heard some shouting, saw you walk out in a huff, decided to follow you."

"Why didn't you stop me earlier?"

"Looked downright murderous you did… didn't think you'd exactly be in the mood to talk about what Adda wanted me to ask you."

Dominik sighed and rubbed his temples. "Look, I'm as happy as anyone Radovid's dead, and maybe sometime in the future I'll come talk to her, but right now? I'm not in the fucking mood."

Elise scoffed and crossed her own arms. "I can tell, heard you screaming from half-way down the street. Couldn't make out what you were yelling about, but it didn't sound good… why aren't you with your woman?"

"Needed to be alone," Dominik sighed, wiping the water from his face as he crossed his arms again and met Elise's eyes. "And I'm guessing Adda knows everything about Ciri now… doesn't she?"

The redhead nodded, her arms crossing. "She does yeah… don't gotta worry about anything. Adda won't do nothing to her, won't tell anyone about her."

"Geralt told me she colluded with Salamandra to try and gain power in Vizima for herself when her father was still alive," Dominik said, narrowing his eyes. "Knowing Ciri's alive, the Emperor's daughter, rightful Queen of Cintra…someone like that I guess would be foaming at the mouth for information like that, easy way to gain more power."

"She isn't like that anymore!: Elise hissed, shaking her head and narrowing her eyes right back at him. "She wants a better continent, for everyone. Humans, non-humans, mages, everyone, she'll be better than the fucks we have now, _much _better!"

Dominik sighed and shook his head, biting the inside of his lip. He didn't want to argue with Elise, he owed the woman too much. And it was more than likely his annoyance and anger that had taken over. He simply didn't want to think about the politics of the continent at that moment, and far too many people had horrible intentions for Ciri in their own game for him not to be careful.

He met Elise's eyes and slowly shook his head. "Sorry… I'm just… not in the greatest of moods today, and too many people have tried to use Ciri for me not to be careful."

Elise sighed as well, her eyes lightening. "Aye… I understand. Adda's working hard to shirk that reputation…. I'm guessing my task of convincing you to come talk to her isn't going to be successful?"

"It isn't," Dominik said dryly, meeting the woman's eyes. "I'm sorry… but like I said, just not in the mood to think about politics right now…"

"I can tell… like I said, heard you clear down the street when I was getting near the inn," Elise said, her red hair drenched in her ponytail down her back. "What's going on? You and your girl have a row?"

Dominik shook his head, realizing that if there was anyone that could tell it to him straight, exactly what he should do with his sister, no bullshit, no sugar coating it, it was Elise.

He met her eyes and sighed. "No… I found out my sister who I thought's been dead for eleven years… is a general of the Wild Hunt."

Elise snorted a laugh. "Ha come on now kid, you can't be…. Aw shite… you're being serious aren't you? Fuck kid…"

Elise must have seen the deathly serious look on his face because the realization dawned on her. Dominik quickly nodded as the cold wind in the grey afternoon sent goosebumps up his arms again.

Dominik went on to tell Elise everything that had happened with Bella. He didn't know what it was that made him spill it all out, perhaps it could have just been his anger and annoyance, perhaps it was because he just felt he could trust Elise. However, it was for the same reason he stated earlier, her candidness, and ability to get straight to the point was refreshing.

He loved Yen, Geralt, and Ciri more than anything, but he knew that sometimes they sugarcoated things for him, just like he did for them in an attempt to not disappoint him.

Dominik didn't want that then, which is why he told Elise everything.

By the time he had finished Elise scoffed in disbelief and shook her head. "Fucking hell kid… I'm sorry, a pretty fucking shite situation you've got on your hands…"

"You can say that again…. I can't just leave my sister, I… I gotta get her back, somehow," Dominik said, feeling his head pound as he shook his head. "I don't want to fight her again… but if I don't then-."

"Then there's the possibility that if you can't get through to her, she won't only kill you, but Ciri as well," Elise finished for him, shaking her head and sighing. "If you're not careful… you'll both end up dead… like I said, I'm sorry kid…. You and Ciri can't seem to catch a fucking break at all can you?"

Dominik snorted a laugh, before he sighed and nodded. "You know, your candidness is one of the things I like most about you… but you're right. For the first time in my life… I don't know what to do to keep Ciri safe… if I try to get through to Bella again and… and I can't, then we both end up dead… but-."

"But if you go and kill her… you're killing your sister… and you already think you failed her once…" Elise cut him off again.

"I _did _fail her," Dominik hissed back right away.

Elise crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You were eleven."

"I still could have done something."

"The fuck would you have done? Rip the arrow out of her, watch her bleed to death? Fight the Nilfgaardeans that were coming with your bare hands?"

"Well… no but I could have-."

"No, no kid you couldn't have fucking done anything. The city was being sacked; you were a fucking child; you need to man the fuck up and accept that. You got survivors guilt."

"Survivors guilt?"

"Yeah, survivors' guilt, see it all the time when you're in the army," Elise said, taking another step closer to him and jabbing a finger out towards him. "You survived the massacre, your sister didn't, and you feel guilty about it."

"Of fucking course I feel guilty about it!" He said, feeling his annoyance spike, as Elise nodded, crossing her arms towards him.

"And nobody's saying you fucking shouldn't kid. But the reality of the situation, was no matter what you fuckin think, your scrawny eleven-year-old self wasn't going to do anything."

"That's not true! I could have-."

"_No, _you couldn't have, whatever you think you could have done, you couldn't have," Elise cut him off again, shaking her head. "I'll never sugarcoat things for you kid, but you know what you're biggest fucking problem is now? Is that you're so focused on what happened, you're not thinking about what's _going _to happen. You're going to have to fucking man up, and face down your sister."

"But what if I fucking kill her!? Or she doesn't listen to me, and she ends up killing me or Ciri? What if just like last night she doesn't listen to me?" Dominik said, getting closer to the woman, fiercely shaking his head as he met her eyes. "What if she's not strong enough to shake off the Hunt's grasp and I have to-."

"Do you know your sister kid?" Elise asked, sharply cutting him off as she met his intense glare with one of her own. "Do you know the person she is? The person who she _really, really _is?"

Dominik paused for a moment, and all the memories clashed into his brain. He saw his gentle, kind, loving, caring, full of life younger sister. The one who was always laughing, smiling, playing pranks, and gushing about different flowers from different regions, making him have fake tea parties with her while they pretended she was a princess. He could see her, himself and Ciri, running around the halls, being dragged into Ciri's room to watch the two of them try on dresses, and failed at their attempts to apply makeup themselves. He would always joke how he hated having to sit there and watch them, but in reality, it was one of his favorite things. His sister, and the girl that he loved, even back then, seeing them together had brought more joy to his heart then had ever been there.

However, he also thought about what had happened the last month. Fighting Bella in that cave outside Oxenfurt, at Kaer Morhen, all the dreams he had of her. He remembered watching Caranthir torture her, seeing her perform the ritual to track him. However, he also remembered Kaer Morhen, where their powers had almost killed each other, before she summing Kilgarrah had gotten them all killed, and had killed people he considered friends. Ciri had told him about Lofeton, how Bella had led the raid, slaughtering villagers from above Kilgarrah without a second thought.

Did he know who she was? He didn't know… and he hated himself for it no knowing.

He shuddered again as a cold breeze chilled his cold body. The clouds still casted the grey light over Elise as he both in that back-alley clearing.

"I thought I did… but… but after last night…" He said unsurely, meeting Elise's eyes he shook his head. "She's… killed a lot of people, tried to kill me… Ciri."

"Mhm… and do you think she would kill you? Do you really, in your heart think that she would kill you?" She asked him, her arms still crossed.

He shook his head again. "I… I don't know…"

"Yes you do kid… she's your sibling, siblings know siblings better than anyone most of the time…. Deep in your heart… you know if she would or not, if the real her would or not."

"Again, I'd like to think I do… but she's different now," Dominik said slowly, before sighing and shaking his head. "But… but she did spare me when we fought before… could have killed me but didn't," He told her, biting the inside of his lip as he ran a hand through his wet hair.

Elise met his eyes, and for the first time he saw them fall. She sighed, and shook her head, her hand curling around the hilt of Arno's old saber at her belt, before she looked up and met his eyes.

"Arno… he has an older brother, got lost with Natalis's army after Vizima," Elise said, shakily sighing before she looked and met his eyes again. "He was a blue stripe with the both of us sometime back… and we thought he was a traitor for a while."

Dominik bit his own lip, knowing that Elise wasn't easily rattled, but talking about Arno would be the one thing that would. He slowly nodded, remembering how she had told him, before they were both assigned as Adda's personal guards after she was married off to Radovid, they were both Temarian Blue Stripes under Vernon Roche's command.

"I didn't know… but I do know that Roche doesn't seem the type that would take kindly to traitors…" Dominik said, as Elise quickly nodded again.

"Aye he isn't. For a few weeks, he kept disappearing from camp, and a scout one day came back to us, saying he saw Corrin, Arno's brother, meeting with a band of Scoitael scouts," She said.

Dominik scoffed, remembering what Geralt had told him. "I'd think if there's two things Roche hates most in this world, it's traitors, and Scoitael."

"You're right about that again, Roche wanted to ride out, find him, and hang him then and there as soon as we got the report," Elise said.

"What stopped him?"

"Arno…" Elise said, shakily sighing again. "He didn't know what Corrin was doing… but swore up and down his brother wasn't a traitor, that he knew him, and he would never betray them."

"And Roche took his word for it?" Dominik said.

"He did yeah," Elise said, shaking her head again and scoffing. "Gonna admit, I didn't rightly believe him either, but Arno promised he knew his brother… and a couple hours later, Corrin showed up with the Scoitael commando we had been searching for tied up on his horse… Arno was right."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head. "Still can't believe that Roche didn't ride out to hang him."

Elise shrugged. "He wasn't happy he went off on the plan without telling him… but in the end, he was happy we caught the bastard…. Point is… Arno knew… he knew his sibling better than anyone, the real person. Now I know it's a bit higher stakes with your sister here… but tell me now kid, from your heart… would your sister kill you?"

Dominik took in the moral of the story. It served to only make him feel even guiltier at first that he hadn't gotten a chance to get to know Arno more before he died, but it seemed like just like the man did before the battle, his stories were helping calm him now.

He knew the real Bella; she was his sister. Bella was a young girl who loved exotic places, flowers, wanted to travel from one end of the continent to the other. Bella was full of life; she wanted the best for everyone she came across. She loved to laugh, play jokes, tease him about his crush on Ciri, try on new dresses, while also wanting to learn to use a sword like he, his mother and their father did. Bella wanted to live, and he began to realize, it was exactly as Elise had said, survivors' guilt.

Dominik loved his sister, she was the light of his life in his early years, and even when he met Ciri, who he loved more than anyone, and forever would, he still always made sure to find time for Bella. And Bella hadn't minded, she had always joked with him, that he needed to grow up and marry Ciri, which would make him King or prince consort, either way, it meant that Bella herself would get to be a princess, and she'd get a whole closet of pretty dresses like Ciri had. Bella had wanted to visit Toussaint, attend the tournament at Beauclair, see the royal palace. She loved stories about dragons, stars, omelets were her favorite food, purple was her favorite color, when she was angry she'd twist strands of her hair, and when she was happy just like Dominik did, she'd get a giddy, goofy smile and practically bounce off the top of her toes.

He would never forget the time Bella first ever called Ciri her, 'big sister', and how red and flustered Ciri had gotten. Bella loved Ciri, and he knew that Ciri loved her. It only made him feel even worse about what he had said to her before he left the Chameleon.

And above all, Bella loved him, and their family more than anything.

He knew who she was, and just like he had told her when he thought she was Baelen before they fought at Kaer Morhen, she wasn't a monster. And she wasn't a killer.

"No… no she wouldn't," Dominik said, slowly looking and meeting Elise's eyes. "And… she's strong, I know she is… if anyone can fight the Hunt's influence off… my sister can."

Elise smiled, but shrugged. "Then you got nothing to worry about kid, the solution is simple then. You talk to her… show her how much you still care."

"The simple solution is normally the best…" He said, still feeling his stomach turning, but managing a smile as he looked up at Elise. "Thanks Elise… for everything."

The red head smiled back at him and nodded. "Aye… of course kid. I think you should make your way back to your woman… talk to her… let it all out."

"You're right…" He said, a small laugh coming to him, but feeling his eyes sting as he shook his head and met her eyes. "I… I've been so… so angry that well… I've been a real ass."

Elise scoffed and nodded. "Ha, you probably have, but everyone gets like that now and then…. I'm guessing I'm not convincing you to come talk to Adda?"

Dominik shrugged. "I'll talk to her… but as I'm sure you know; we're still trying to fight the Hunt… still got work to do."

"That's all she asked, is just to talk again," Elise promised, shaking her head and sighing as she crossed her arms. "You know if she didn't need me now more than ever… I'd come fight those cucks with you, I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "No need to apologize, I know you would… I'm going to keep my promise to you… I swear it…. Gonna blow those cucks right back to their fucking world."

Elise snorted a laugh, and the two of them both laughed then in that alley. The rain had finally stopped, but the grey cloud cover still spouted out over the city. He felt his eyes droop even more as he suppressed a yawn. It felt like all at once, his body was finally beginning to feel the fatigue from the previous few days all coming to him at once. His limbs aches from the cold, from how long he had been awake. He hadn't been able to fall asleep the previous night. All he had done was lay awake and watch Ciri toss and turn in their bedroll.

His body ached, he was tired, hungry, thirsty, and even with the newfound confidence thanks to Elise… everything that had happened still weighed heavy on his mind. All he wanted was food, and to find Ciri to tell her how sorry he was for how he had spoken to her, and for not coming to talk to her about the whole situation.

A small bit of thunder boomed in the distance despite no rain, as he finished laughing and met Elise's eyes again with a small smile.

"We should be leaving to fight them in Skellige in a few days…" He said, crossing his arms as he nodded at her. "If Adda's going to be here for the next few days I'll talk to her."

Elise smiled and nodded. "Aye, she will be, going to be crowned in about a…. GET DOWN!"

Dominik's eyes widened and he didn't question the order. He ducked down to the ground and was amazed at the speed of Elise just like he had been at Kaer Morhen. Quick as a flash, she reached to her belt and ripped her crossbow from her waist. She aimed and within seconds the bolt loosed, and he heard a loud ***SQUELCH* **from behind him. He scrambled up to his feet, turning and seeing a man with a crossbow bolt sticking from his eye dead on the ground, a sword just out of his reach.

Dominik's heart raced as he looked up towards Elise as she loaded another bolt into her crossbow. She looked over and met his eyes, her brown iris's narrowed.

"Remember what I told you? Always keep a bolt loaded at the start of a fight," She said with a bit of a smirk, but gesturing down towards the body. "Fucker almost cut you in half."

Dominik scoffed himself and nodded. "I remember yeah… fucking hell, no shortage of people who want to kill me, let's see who this one is."

The two of them both walked to the body. Dominik knelt down into the mud, his knees splashing into a puddle, as he pulled the massive man over. And when he saw the golden sun of Nilfgaard, his eyes widened, and his heart started racing again, as he cured under his breath and looked up at Elise, who finished loading her crossbow and met his eyes.

"A Nilfgaardean? Looks like an assassin, see the vials on his belt, and take a look at his sword," She said, pointing the man's sword that had fallen from his hand.

The man was massive, wearing all black leather armor with a black cloak. A slim dagger hung from his waist, and sure enough small vials of poison were clipped to his belt. Dominik slowly moved in the mud, with Elise kneeling down next to him. He carefully picked up the man's sword, and saw it dripping an oozing green liquid.

"Aye… that's poison sure enough, seen enough of it," Elise said, looking over to him and sighing before she shook her head. "Must have been after me… maybe they figured out I'm Adda's guard and tried to-."

"No…" Dominik said slowly, sighing as he stood to his feet and met Elise's eyes. "He was after me… fucking hell, same thing happened in the same damn spot the night I met you."

Elise scoffed, moving strands of the drenched red hair from her brow. "Nilfgaardean assassins after you? Heard around the keep you hated the Black Ones, but I just assumed that was because of the massacre at Cintra. The fuck did you do to piss off the Emperor?"

"I'm dating his daughter…" Dominik said dryly, sighing and shaking his head, cursing as he realized he didn't have any steel. He looked and met Elise's eyes. "You see, Emhyr is the one who gave Geralt and me leads to find Ciri. Ciri hates the fucker, Geralt and I never were going to bring her to him, but we used his leads, nonetheless. Last time we were forced to report to him I… may have lost my temper with him a bit, got a bounty put on my head most likely."

"How bad?" Elise asked, and Dominik was just about to answer before he heard the footsteps.

Elise must have heard the sloshing of multiple boots through mud, but she perked up as well, getting back to back with him as they looked at the multiple alleys leading out to the main streets.

And sure enough, just like when he and Declan were in the exact same spot, Elise and he soon became surrounded by an assassin from each direction. Dominik heard the thunder boom in the distance, and the rain gently start to so spit again, as they all stalked towards Elise and him. They were all similar in build, taller than Elise and him both, but slim and quick looking. Two carried smaller crossbows and swords, one carried an axe, while one held two slim knives. Dominik could notice one thing similar about them all.

They all dripped poison.

He looked to Elise as they all closed in and sighed. "Pretty bad you could say…"

"I can see that…" Elise said, pulling her saber from her belt and twirling it before grabbing her crossbow, while looking at him from the corner of her eye. "I thought you were supposed to be a witcher, what happened to your steel sword?"

"A dragon ate it…" Dominik said with an annoyed sigh, as he pulled the crossbow from his belt as well.

Elise rolled her eyes. "I'm guessing there's a story behind that… here… keep close and watch their blades, they're poisoned as I'm sure you know."

He looked at Elise pulled Arno's saber from her belt, and quickly handed it over to him. Dominik had never used a saber before but was surprised to see how incredibly lightweight the weapon was despite it being the length of a normal sword. He twirled it like he used to do his old steel, easily a fluidly, and he scoffed, realizing it could be a perfect weapon for a witcher.

"I know… thanks…" He said, twirling the blade once more and holding up his crossbow.

Just as the assassins all gathered around, crossbows and weapons aimed at Elise and he both, he got back to back with the red head again. The assassins all closed on as he saw the poison of each blade slowly dripping and being lapped up by the mud. The rain had gently started drizzling again, and his annoyance reached an all new level when he saw one of them step over the man Elise had killed, he was the one carrying a massive axe, as he looked over to one of the assassins and shouted in Nilfgaardean.

The one he shouted too scoffed. "He was a fool to go off on his own! This is the one the emperor sent us after…. The Emperor is displeased with you boy."

Dominik scoffed, his back leaning up against Elise's. "I know he is…. Gonna give you all one chance to leave, got way more important things to worry about the Emhyr!"

"You will address the Emperor by his full title or not at all!" The man screeched, one of his two swords at them both.

It was Elise's turn to scoff from behind him. "Jeez kid, you must have really damaged his fragile ego."

"Just wait till I tell you about what he tried to do to Ciri…" Dominik said darkly, looking back all of the assassins surrounding him. "Now all you get out of here, I killed the first group he sent after me in this same spot, don't throw your lives away for that degenerate."

"ON YOUR LEFT!" Elise said, just as Dominik heard the clicking of a crossbows firing mechanism.

He whirled around to his left and the saber he carried flashed up. He was surprised to figure out it was a slight as his silver sword, and easily deflected the bolt into the air, before he heard rushing from his right. He whirled around to see the large man with the axe shouted out in Nilfgaardean, Dominik would have been cleaved in half if not for Elise, who stepped in front and caught the axe head on her saber. She pointed her crossbow into the man's stomach, loosing a bolt into the man's torso, as he screamed Elise spun around, cutting across the back of his legs to bring him yelling to the ground. However, the yelling was soon cut short when Elise twirled her saber and thrusted it through the man's throat.

Dominik had remembered how fluidly the red head fought at Kaer Morhen, easily moving between her crossbow and sword. She did the same then, but Dominik had been so caught up watching her, he almost didn't hear the two men charging behind him.

"GAHHH FUCK!" He yelled, as he felt the small crossbow bolt find a chink in his armor, right below his left shoulder he felt it pierce him.

"KID!" Elise yelled, firing her crossbow, and killing the one who shot him.

Dominik stumbled for a moment, he had so little sleep the previous few days, that he was sluggish, but he managed to aim his own crossbow as well. He fired and it found home in one of the attackers' shoulders as well. The one he hit stumbled, but the other came leaping at him with both the blades he carried.

His shoulder erupted as he side-stepped and cut down across the man's torso. He knew with the bolt imbedded in his arm, he wouldn't be able to swing his sword how he would like, so as soon as the man came back up to attack again, bleeding from his torso, he made the proper hand sign, and fire spewed from his fingertips. The Igni sign that he fired wasn't nearly as powerful as some he had produced, with little to no energy or chaos to call on, but still it set his attacked alight. Taking the advantage, Dominik knocked aside the man's blades and came back to cut deep across his chest.

Behind him he heard rushing footstep again, and went to spin around, but he felt his very blood begin to boil. The bolt moved in his shoulder, having found the chink between his armor to pierce his flesh. He went to spin around, but his head went faint as he did, and he stumbled back onto the ground, just as the man was about to attack him. Dominik looked up, laying in the mud, as the assassin went to bring his blade down on him.

Before he could however, a crossbow bolt found home in his eyes. Dominik gritted his teeth and whirled around to see Elise come rushing past him, aiming her crossbow at the now sure dead man. The rain continued coming down harder, just as the blood from the now four dead assassins all lapped up into the mud. Elise turned down to him, just as another shot of pain erupted in him, as his bones screeched in pain at the slightest move. Gritting his teeth he looked down at the bolt protruding from his shoulder and cursed, remembering that each of the weapons the men had carried were poison, and he was sure that their first bolts were as well. It wasn't the first time he had been poisoned, but this time he could feel it rapidly shooting through his bloodstream, yelling as he tried to move.

"GAHHHH FUCK, FUCKING FUCK!" He said, screaming as he fell backwards into the mud again when he tried to lean up against a crate.

Elise's eyes widened. "Easy kid! I gotcha!"

She slid her saber and crossbow back to her waist and fell to her knees next to him. The redhead wrapped his arm around her, and drug him through the mud, and leaned his back up against the crate. Every move made him want to scream, he could feel whatever poison it was slowly spreading, to his legs, arms, into his stomach. Despite the freezing cold and rain, his blood boiled, sweat as well as the rain started trickling from his forehead, and he screamed again when Elise adjusted him against the crate.

"GAHHHH FUCK," He said, trying to control his breathing, as the poison coursed through him at a slow steady rate. "Fuck what… what did… what did Uncle Vesemir say about poison… control… control your breathing and… and always carry an antidote… FUCK!"

"Easy kid, take it easy, I'm gonna pull the bolt out!" Elise said, her voice growing frantic as Dominik quickly shook his.

"NO! No you… you can't I… I'll bleed out and-."

"If we leave it in, that's more poison that's entering your blood stream! Hold still, I'm gonna go on three! One…."

"GAHHH FUCK! I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU'D GO ON THREE!?" He shouted, when Elise pulled the bolt out of his shoulder.

She looked at it for a moment then tossed it to the side. "Would've hurt more if I gave you time to wait! Hold on kid, gotta staunch the bleeding, then try and figure out what poison it is!"

"You… you know… you gotta calling me 'kid'," Dominik said, coughing as he felt his chest begin to explode, looking up at Elsie and shaking his head. "You… you're not _that _much older than I am!"

He coughed again as Elise ignored him. His head began to get dizzy, as he watched Elise pull his silver knife from his belt and cut off a large piece of her cloak. It drenched right away from the rain, and despite his screaming, she pulled his shoulder up, and wrapped the black material around it, before tying it tightly to stop the bleeding. He knew it would be long before it bled through. It was goof he had his armor on, if he hadn't, then that bolt surely would have killed him by then.

However, despite the bleeding being staunched, his insides kept erupting. He could feel the corruption spreading through his bones. More and more sweat dripped down his brow, each breath became harder and harder to take, and with each small movement of his arms or legs, his bones screamed at him to stop. He tried to think, but with each thought his head erupted, the headache at the bottom of his head stretching further and further and further through his skull, pinging around, preventing him from thinking.

Soon however, he felt his bones begin to ache more, like a hammer being pounded against them repeatedly, and it was the exact same effect that his Uncle Vesemir told him about, when he felt his heart begin to beat at a dangerously rapid pace.

"FUCK!" Elise cursed, shaking her head as she put both her fingers to his neck. She shook her head, her wide brown eyes frantic as she looked at him. "Gotta figure out what kind of poison it is! Your heart's beating too fast, I need to-."

"He…hemlock… it… it's hemlock, I recognize it," He struggled out, groaning loudly as he shook his head, his eyes shot to Elise's.

Elise frantically scoffed. "Hemlock!? Don't you witchers fucking drink it and use it in potions!?"

"If… if I was fucking… fucking mutated it wouldn't be a problem…" He struggled out, each breath struggling to leave him. "Harmless if… if you boil it but… but deadly if you don't."

"Then I need to find you some kind of antidote! Come on, you're a fucking witcher, you gotta know some kind of cure!" She said, pressing down on the makeshift bandage she made of her cloak.

Dominik shook his head, blinking rapidly and not daring to look away from Elise. He needed to focus his mind. The second he looked away from her, into the grey clouds and rain above, his dizziness would only get worse. He sat as still as he could, knowing moving would only make the poison spread faster, and he wasn't going to let this be the death of him. He had survived too much up to this point.

He wouldn't give Emhyr the satisfaction of being the one who ordered his death.

"There… there is no cure…" He said, speaking slowly as he met Elise's eyes, and looked deep into them. "Elise you… you're gonna have to move me. Magic it… it's the only thing, Yen… Yen will know what to do."

"Are you mad!? You can barely move yourself without screaming, and you want me to move you all the way to the fucking inn!?" Elise said, shaking her head incredulously.

It was true, but he had no other option. Hemlock had no cure, if he had been fully mutated, then it would have been no problem, but if he wanted to survive, he needed Yen, he needed magic. The only other way was with some spirit, or White Honey, a witchers potion that cleared toxicity. It was one of the few potions that he could drink and not have it kill him.

He met Elise's eyes and struggled as he shook his head.

"We… we don't have any other choice. I… I'll handle it," He said, trying to struggle up, but as soon as he did, his bones all erupted at once. "FUCK!"

"Well, well, well… it looks like you two are in quite the conundrum!" An unfamiliar voice said.

Dominik's head shot around to the source of the voice, and Elise quickly shot to her feet, her crossbow leaving her waist and aiming at a minute.

"Who the hell are you!? How long have you been there!?" Elise demanded of the bald man.

The man held his hands up and laughed, the rain pattering off his bald head. "Aha… simply a worried well-wisher, heard some commotion in the alley… decided to investigate… and it seems that I was correct. Poison hemlock… no cure for that, unless of course you have the White Honey potion!"

"How… how the hell do you know about that? Witcher potions are… are supposed to be a secret to regular people…" Dominik said, his breathing growing ragged, as Elise kept her crossbow trained on the man.

The bald man laughed again, reaching into his pocket and producing a small vial. Dominik kept his body laid up against the crate behind him, he worked to keep his body still again, but his eyes trained on the bald man as he held the vial out towards them, a smirk on his face as Elise slowly walked forward, her crossbow staying aimed as thunder boomed in the distance again, the rain starting to come down faster.

Smirking, the man handed Elise the vial without issue and looked back to Dominik. "Aha… you could say that I've been around, met a witcher or two, they were… loose lipped. When they told me about the potion itself, I decided to test a few myself."

"So just a curious alchemy student then…" Elise said suspiciously, slowly walking back towards Dominik on the ground, her crossbow still aimed.

"Not at all, I simply… value knowledge. And a potion that can cure poisons? Such a thing would be useful to a traveler like me, a man in my line of work," The man said, giving them a small bow, as the rain continued to drench his outfit.

Dominik eyed the man again; he wasn't wearing any weapons except got a slim dagger on his belt. He also didn't seem exceptionally large, only about as tall as Dominik himself was, and not muscular in the arms at all. He wore a simple silk yellow tunic, brown trousers and boots, and didn't seem to be concerned with the crossbow aimed at him at all. Dominik didn't believe for a second that a witcher would simply hand over the recipe for White Honey to a random stranger.

Right away he thought too magic, but with the little bit he was able to move his head then, he looked down to see his medallion was silent. It didn't hum, and the eyes didn't glow. Elise didn't seem to think the man was too much of a threat either, because for a moment she lowered his crossbow. The man didn't make any moves for hidden weapons when she did, simply standing and smirking at them both, his hands calmly folded in front of him. The rain fell around him, washing away the blood in the back alley, he seemed like a normal man, but there was something about the way the man smirked, that he appeared seemingly out of thin air that rubbed him the wrong way.

He and Elise both were highly trained, their senses tuned, he found it hard to believe that the man truly had managed to walk up near them without either of them hearing him. However, it also could have simply been the rain masking the sound, either way, it still made Dominik nervous, and with everything that was going on, with Bella, with poison running through his veins, he wasn't in the mood for any more questions or mysteries.

The man had also simply given the potion to Elise. If he had learned one thing during his years traveling the Path by himself, it was that people very rarely did things for free, out of the goodness of their heart.

"Can you tell if this is actually it?" Elise said, uncorking the vial, and holding it up to his nose, while she kept her eyes on the man standing a few meters from him.

Dominik did the same but nodded. The poison didn't take away his sense of smell, so when Elise held the vial up to his nose, despite the deteriorating feeling in his bones, he was able to identify the potion, and when he did, moving his head ever so slowly, he looked back to the man.

"That… that's the… the one…" He said, looking up and meeting the man's eyes. "Who… who the hell are you? Why… why are you doing this?"

The man smirked and scoffed, waving his hand. "Who me? A mangy vagrant nothing more believe me."

"Is mangy vagrant a profession now?" Dominik asked, feeling the strain on the back of his throat.

The stranger laughed again. "Aha… I suppose it isn't… Gaunter O'Dimm, a merchant of mirrors, been so long enough, the budding public dubbed me, 'Master Mirror', or 'The Man of Glass.'."

Dominik shook his head and groaned. "Didn't… didn't answer my other question… why… why are you doing this?"

And the look that came to the man's face then, would be burned inside Dominik's brain for the rest of his life. The smirk that came to Gaunt O'Dimm's face, even with his blurring vision, was twisted, knowing, plotting, and it sent a shiver down Dominik's spine that had nothing to do with the poison, his fatigue, or the cold wind and rain.

O'Dimm laughed again. "Aha… let's just say I… enjoy helping out the misfortunate. Who knows Dominik of Cintra! Perhaps one day… I'll be in need, and you'll be there to help me…. As for now, you'd best get that potion in you before the poison takes hold."

"How the fuck do you know his name!?" Elise said, shooting up to her feet again, careful to not spill the potion.

"Oh… well… it's not every day a man like me gets to rub up against greatness, the son of Geralt of Rivia… whom he saved from the sack of Cintra," O'Dimm said, smirking again as he turned from the both of them, towards the turn down one of the alley's, before he looked back to them both. "I do hope I could have been of some help… until we meet again…."

The bald man began to whistle, an eerie tune, that shot goosebumps up his trembling skin. O'Dimm somehow whistled clear over the sound of the rain, and the thunder booming overhead. He didn't look back at them once, turning down the alley, his whistling tune getting fainter and fainter. Elise from next to him narrowed her eyes towards where he had walked.

"Hey! Hey, wait, that's no explanation!" Elise yelled, turning and handing the potion to his weak hands before she ran with her crossbow towards the alley O'Dimm had turned down.

Elise got to the spot where O'Dimm had leisurely walked down. Her eyes widened, and she turned her head back to him leaning against the crates. "He… he's gone… it… it's like he just disappeared…"

Dominik's skin crawled as he heard the man's words echo in his ears. The potion was loosely gripped in his hands, and the poison continued coursing through him, but somehow the sound of the man's voice, and his echo still hit her ears. He had known Dominik's name, that he was the son of Geralt of Rivia. Of course he had met plenty of people who heard the story of Geralt saving him from the sack of Cintra, it was after all one of Dandelion's most famous ballads, and even though he had tired of hearing it, he had used it once or twice to help him get a discount at an inn or tavern. However, never once in the ballad was his name mentioned, and most people when he introduced himself, simply assumed his last name meant he was from Cintra, which he was, but never had anyone deduced he was the one Geralt saved from Cintra unless he outright told them.

The man had also apparently disappeared into thin air, could he have been a mage? If that had been the case, his medallion would have hummed if he truly teleported. Even if the man were some kind of djinn, his medallion would have still hummed at his sight.

However, who Gaunter O'Dimm was, was the least of his worries at the moment. His hands tried to grip around the potion vial again, but soon he cough violently, blinking furiously. It felt as if his heart had combusted at once, and all of his internal organs were being mushed together. His very limbs tingled and hummed, as if at any moment he was going to start bleeding. The very small amount of strength he had left was quickly drained, and he barely found himself able to lift the vial up to his lips.

"E…Elise… Elise…" He said, his voice growing more faint, as his eyes finally had started blinking furiously, his heart racing faster.

Elise slung her crossbow back onto her belt and whirled around, her eyes widened upon seeing the look in his eyes.

"Hold on kid! Don't pass out on me, come on!" She yelled, coming and sliding back down to his side in the mud.

"Ci…Ciri… Ciri… gotta… gotta… talk to…" He said, as his eyes continued to blink, and everything that had happened came rushing back to him.

All could think about now was Ciri. His vision was blurrier and blurrier, his eyes blinking faster. As he blinked, all he could see was Ciri. Ciri, himself, Bella, all of them. He wanted her, just to hold her. His sister, his little sister, Bella, she was with the Hunt. Eredin had taken her, he'd kidnapped her as well, brainwashed her, Caranthir had tortured her, they had also chased Ciri for years, tried to kill her. The Hunt had done that, they had tried to kill them both, and he was going to kill them for it. Eredin, Caranthir, every single one of them were going to die, and he was going to make sure it was slow and agonizing.

"Don't talk kid, hold on, hold on I gotchu," Elise promised, her red hair sticking to her forehead as she took the potion from him. "Don't know who that fucker is… but if you say this potion is it."

"Ciri… Bella… she.. she's… gods…" He said, remembering her anger from the previous night.

He could see himself screaming at Ciri earlier, accusing her of not caring, shutting her out when she had tried to talk to him. He saw her, himself, and Fiona, all standing together at Kaer Morhen, Fiona dipping and dodging the pendulum as Ciri and he both stood and told her what to do. He was the hard one, yelling at her to watch her footwork, while Ciri simply smirked at them both. He saw Ciri and he teleporting away, away to a different world, perhaps the world with the throne made out of swords, or Camelot, the world she had told him about first. He saw their future, Fiona, he and Ciri, introducing her to Geralt and Yen, Freya, Faram, George, Dandelion, Priscilla, all of them, all of his friends, his family, the people who made all the suffering worth it around them.

Uncle Vesemir had also told them, that Hemlock caused you to see visions when it was entering its most deadly stage.

"Ciri… Ciri… gods I… Ciri… I-." He was cut off when he felt the potion vial shove to his lips.

Elise held his nose back and forced his mouth open. The second he felt the first bit of the potion hit his lips, the inside of his body exploded, as if it were turning into a sauna and the White Honey was the water dousing the hot coals.

"GAHHHHHH FUCKING FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" He said, feeling his eyes blink again, every bit of his body erupting.

"Is it supposed to do that!?" Elise quickly asked, frantically holding his head straight.

After the moment of pain, he felt the effects of the potion slowly take effect. His stomach hummed, churned, but not in pain like it had been. It was like finally soaking your aching bones into a relaxing tub of hot water after a long day. His bubbling, mashed together insides slowly untwisted, untwisted and went back to normal.

But that didn't stop his eyes from watering.

"Yeah.… Yeah it… it is…" He said, tears starting to slowly stream down his cheeks, as all he wanted, all he needed was Ciri.

For so many years, that was all he wanted, just to have her arms around him again. He wanted to hold her, he had been a complete ass the previous night and that day so far. He probably didn't deserve it, but all he wanted was her.

"Alright kid… I'm gonna try to move ya… think you can stay awake long enough to help me move you to the inn? You're… a little heavy in your armor," Elise carefully asked him.

He nodded slowly, the tears coming down his eyes still. "Yeah… yeah come… come on… sorry… sorry I… almost got you killed."

Elise shook her head, and got low to the ground, putting Dominik's arm around her shoulder.

"No problem kid… you're a good one… you and your woman both… never really had many true friends myself growing up… I'll help the ones I have now," She said, as the redhead helped pull him up to his feet.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri knocked at the door, having mentally prepared herself for the conversation she was about to have. She knew Avallac'h would be annoyed, angry, and probably quick tempered. Ciri couldn't afford to piss him off further, but she also wouldn't let him walk all over her. She still hadn't heard anything from Dominik coming back downstairs, and as much as Ciri was yearning to hear he had come back, she knew him not being there would make the conversation easier. She needed to assure that Avallac'h wasn't up to anything that would put them in immediate peril. Geralt had told her when he was explaining what had happened while she and Dominik were in Claywitch, that Avallac'h had taken him to Tir'Nala, to assure that the Aen Elle wouldn't come to Eredin's aid. To do so, they had enlisted the help of a dreamer, the same one who had helped Dominik and he figure out she was in Novigrad, and showed Ge'els, the steward of the Aen Elle, the truth of the death of King Auberon.

Eredin had killed him, Ciri could have told anyone that. She wouldn't mourn for Auberon, not in the slightest. The man had been cruel, for months had made her feel like she was less than a pile of shit on the side of the road. He had hunted other races in other worlds, he was Lara Dorren's father, so he was technically one of his great-grandparents as much as she didn't like to think about it. That was why Avallac'h and Eredin had forced her to try and sleep with him, to bring about another heir so they could use the power of her blood. They had used it and wanted it so that they could keep their gate, their access to other worlds, other sources to find new slaves opened. It was part of the reason Lara Dorren had left, ran away, because she hadn't wanted to be used for such a purpose.

No, Ciri wouldn't mourn for Auberon, she was glad he was dead. However, of all the Aen Elle she had met, at least he was the most honest with her. Unlike Eredin… and unlike Avallac'h had initially been.

"What is it!?" Avallach's annoyed voice snapped from inside the room.

Ciri sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's me."

It was silent for a moment, but the sage's voice soon came again. "Come…"

She huffed and pushed the door open, walking inside what Dandelion had called the ruby suite, which Avallac'h had taken over without even saying a word. Inside, there wasn't anything special, the sage only had a few old books strewn about the large table on the inside, with a bowl of fruit and a few empty pitchers of water. She knew the sage had basically been a recluse, but she was shocked to see truly nothing else in the room. The large four poster bed was in one corner, a balcony with a brilliant view of Novigrad looped around the top floor of the inn. A brilliant fireplace crackled warmly, giving Ciri a bit of warmth to combat the chilly breeze that came from the balcony.

She closed the door after taking a few steps inn. Before she had left her room, she ate a bit more downstairs with Freya, Faram, George, Geralt and Yen, saying hello to Triss, and even Lambert who had come with the blonde sorceress Keira Metz. Ciri had even spotted Phillipa again, along with Margarita, and the sage Ida Emean. Phillipa had cornered her and 'politely' asked her to come and meet with her and the other sorceresses in the coming days before they all left for Skellige.

Ciri had known exactly what it would be about. Phillipa would ask her to join to the Lodge of Sorceresses, or 'suggest', she go off to marry some random king or prince like they had after she returned the first time. She assumed Phillipa was foaming at the mouth to try and have control over the 'future empress of Nilfgaard.'

She wasn't the 'future empress of Nilfgaard', she didn't consider herself a sorceress, and she wouldn't in any way let those women try to tell her what to do again. Ciri knew however, that they needed the sorceresses, and knew that the last thing they would want to hear was what she was really thinking, which was that she couldn't care less about their lodge or whatever they had to offer. So, Ciri had politely told Phillipa that she would meet with them at a later date. She figured she would go listen to them speak, and either politely decline or tell them she would 'think about it and get back to them', and then in fact never get back to them.

Sighing, goosebumps ran up her arms, and she shivered. She hadn't taken her sword with her, but she put her corset and gloves back on, and tied up her hair again. Footsteps hit her ears, and she turned to see Avallac'h annoyedly stomping towards her, out from the balcony.

It was as Ciri had expected, the sage's face was healed of blood and bruises, but if Ciri looked closely enough, he could still see it slightly crooked. Dominik had done a number on him; any normal man would have been near death at this point from the blow Dominik gave the sage. She remembered Dominik telling her how in the past, Alexander of Lod had defeated Avallac'h, and quite handily. If not for Eredin's interference, Avallac'h would be dead, and she knew that fact was part of the reason Avallac'h hated Dominik so.

Blaming people now, for the things that their ancestors had done, it was something Avallac'h and the Aen Elle had now done to Dominik and Ciri both.

"You should count yourself lucky I am even still here Zireael," The sage hissed, crossing his arms as he angrily met her eyes. "You need to learn to control your repugnant, animalistic little boyfriend!"

_He's started already… this is going to be a long conversation. _Ciri sighed, crossing her own arms and rolling her eyes. She didn't feel bad for Avallac'h, after what the sage did to her, and how he had been acting towards everyone, a small part of her was happy Dominik had tried to put him in his place. As Faram had said, the sage had it coming to him from how he had been acting. She hadn't forgotten how he tried to force her to stay instead of going to Claywitch with Dominik just a few nights earlier.

Ciri also was getting tired of the sage pretending like he was here for anything other than his own selfish reasons. She knew he was doing this all for a reason. Geralt and Dominik both told her, that one day Avallac'h would ask her for a 'favor', in return for saving her. Ciri knew it was true, she wasn't naive. She wouldn't fall for the sages honeyed words and promises of protection again.

The last time she had done that, he had then forced her into Auberon's bedchamber, in an effort to try and create genetic offspring from her. He had told her that if she did, she would have been allowed to leave… but she knew that was a lie, and he planned on keeping her trapped their forever.

She rolled her eyes at the sage, her hands on her hips. "Oh come off it, stop acting like we're the lucky ones you're still here. You don't give a damn about what happens to any of us, stop acting like you do, it's getting extremely irritating."

"You are aware Zireael, that if I were to leave, Eredin would find you within moments," The sage snapped back, his crooked nostrils flaring. "You and your power both would fall into his hands without me, so _yes _you should consider yourself lucky!"

Ciri scoffed as she crossed her arms. "I can take care of myself; I have plenty of people I trust to defend me. You should be the one considering _yourself _lucky!"

"Yes, multiple people defending you… how did that work at Kaer Morhen?" The sage said condescendingly. "I gave up everything to save your life, to make sure your power doesn't fall into the wrong hands, so that-."

"Oh again, would you fucking come off it," Ciri snapped, cutting the sage off and taking another angry step towards him. "You only came to help me to stick it to Eredin, you want to use me just like everyone else has, I'm not the same _foolish _little girl I was when we first met!"

Ciri's words made the sage pause, as she jabbed a finger towards him. "You tricked me the first time, fooled me with the same song and dance! You only helped me because you need to use me for something, you don't give a damn what happens to me or anyone else in this world! So do us both a fucking favor… and stop fucking pretending that you do…"

Her words had been boiling up inside her for days. Even when she traveled with Avallac'h, stayed in the world they had for so long, she hadn't forgotten what the sage had done to her the first time. Even during that time, he was controlling, brash. At times he had been pleasant company, but that would always be followed by Ciri remembering what he had done to her last time. He appeared calm, composed and welcoming the first time she had met him as well, and that had turned out to be a sham, just like she knew this was. She knew the type of person Avallac'h was, he never did anything not in his own best interests.

Now, he was using her again, and whatever it is he wanted from her, he wanted it badly, and it didn't seem like he wanted to give her much choice. He was maneuvering himself, to make it out like Ciri owed him, in a way of shoehorning her into doing whatever it was he wanted.

Avallac'h recoiled for a moment, before narrowing her eyes at her. "I still saved your life you ignorant girl… you would be dead by now if not for me! You owe me your-."

"I OWE YOU NOTHING!" Ciri finally snapped again, her green eyes flaring as she shook her head and darted her eyes at the sage. "You finding me and training me, if you paying _me _back for when you tricked me, and FORCED ME TO TRY AND FUCK YOUR KING!"

"IT WAS YOUR DUTY! YOUR DUTY TO RIGHT HER MISTAKE!"

"NO! IT WASN'T!" Ciri said, shaking her head and scoffing, looking pitifully at the sage. "What an ancestor who I never met did, is _not _my responsibility! That's what this is isn't it!? You believe you were robbed of Lara Dorren when she left you, and _now _you have her descendant in front of you, and you believe that I owe you, that for some reason Lara owes you, and you can get it back by controlling me!:

"You tread on dangerous ground Zireael!" Avallac'h snapped, his crooked nostrils flaring as he shook his head. "She was mine BY RIGHT! And now you-."

"NO, I OWE YOU NOTHING!" Ciri snapped, shaking her head furiously and glaring deep into the sage's eyes as she scoffed. "I have news for you Avallac'h… Lara Dorren didn't owe you a single thing… and neither do I."

For a few moments there was silence. Her gloved hands shook in fists at her side. How anyone, or the sage himself could possibly think, after everything he had done, she would owe him a thing she had no idea. She had the theory of Lara Dorren in her head, ever since Dominik told her about the vision he saw with Alexander, learning Avallac'h was supposed to be the one to marry her ancestor.

Her words had the intending effect. Because, for the first time since she had met the sage, he was at a loss for words for a moment. Outside thunder boomed. The rain had momentarily stopped, but now it had picked up again, blowing wind in through the balcony, and chilling her bones. After a moment, Avallac'h adjusted himself, and looked darkly into her eyes again.

"Tell me then Zireael…if you believe you do not owe me, and obviously still hold such a disdain for our past encounters…" The sage said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "Then how come… you didn't let your little boyfriend kill me?"

Ciri's stomach turned but she scoffed. "Because… even with everything you've done to me… I understand we still need you if we want to have any hope of defeating Eredin… I'd just prefer if you could cut the bullshit…"

Avallac'h sneered. "Exactly… you need me, but I must agree with one thing you said…. No more games. It is clear that we both wish to be rid of each other. You… are nothing but a grotesque reminder of what _should _have belonged to me. And I've wanted to be rid of you, I promise for just as long as you've wanted to be rid of me."

"Then I'm glad we're on the same page…" Ciri said, anger seething through her tone. "You should be lucky that I deign to be in the same room as you… after your sick twisted plans for me the first time."

The sage rolled his eyes. "I will not argue about that like a child with you Zireael… I will not apologize for it."

"I didn't expect you to, it's just the kind of person you are…" She said in disgust.

"Good then… but contrary to what you believe Zireael… you do still owe me," The sage said, rolling his eyes as he glared at her. "You owe me for deciding to stick around here after the display you animal of a boyfriend put on this morning."

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes. "You should be the one owing _me, _Dominik would have killed you if not for me."

Avallac'h continued glaring at her. "Believe you me Zireael… I could have handled your _pathetic _little boyfriend."

"Call him pathetic again… and see what happens…" Ciri said darkly, taking another step closer to the sage.

The elf scoffed and shook his head, and Ciri saw a darker look then she ever had appeared, as Avallac'h spoke in a deep, dark tone.

"I have more power than even you know Zireael… if I wished for you and all of your friends to be dead now… they would be…" The sage said, and Ciri kept a neutral face, but on the inside she trembled as the elf sighed. "Either way… no matter what has happened, one thing remains true, and that's that I have not lied to you since we've begun traveling."

Ciri shuddered from the cold draft of the open balcony, and begrudgingly nodded.

"You haven't… I know you have something planned for me yes… but, as I said before… I need you if I want to defeat Eredin… I'm going to have to trust you, it's my only way…" Ciri said, crossing her arms again.

She had made the mistake of trusting Avallac'h fully once. Ciri had only a select few people she trusted completely in that world, and the sage wasn't one of them. However, it was as she told him, she needed to trust him then, to stay on his good side. She knew no matter what happened, the one goal her and Avallac'h both shared, was that they both wanted Eredin dead. The sage had claimed he wanted the King dead so, 'her power didn't fall into the wrong hands'. However, Ciri knew it was for another reason, wanting to stick it to his rival was one reason, but from what she knew of the sage, it was more than likely to try and gain greater power for himself.

The sage nodded, crossing his robed arms again as the wind blew the loose strands of her ashen hair. The rain got worse, and she could hear more thunder booming, along with seeing bolts of lightning flashing in the distance. The lightning, the storm that was brewing, only made her wish to curl in front of a fire more with Dominik and their friends down below. However, she knew that she needed to make sure that Avallac'h was still going to stay, which she had confirmed, so now, she needed to know one more thing.

However, what the sage had said next, had been what she was least expecting.

"Yes… I also must… apologize…." The sage said, as if every word he said pained him to do so. He shook his head and sighed rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "I have been… brash with all of you. It is no secret I wish to be rid of you all, and you all of me. Let us both agree… to trust each other for now. I promise to be more… accommodating, you will not see me unless it is for training, or completely necessary, and after Eredin is dealt with… we will never see each other again… is that something you can agree to?"

_He's doing damage control… he knows I'm going to ask about Bella. _Ciri narrowed her eyes, knowing that if the sage did promise this, then she knew he would keep his word, and avoid them all at every available opportunity he could. However, would he really not lie to her? When he had said he hadn't lied to her since he found her again, Ciri knew this was true. He was plotting something yes, but everything that Ciri had asked him about, the sage had told her. He had helped her learn a semblance of control over her power and was still keeping them safe from Eredin.

Ciri needed to trust him, however, there was one thing she needed to know first.

She narrowed her gaze at the elf. "I'll agree… on one condition."

"Which is…?" He asked, the annoyance clear in his voice.

"Bella…" Ciri said, and she noticed the elf perk up, his beady eyes looking at her. She slowly shook her head and went on. "Look me in the eyes and tell me the truth… did you really not know that she was with Eredin?"

Her gloved hands curled into fists, as she looked for any sign of movement, of deceit in the elf's eyes.

Avallac'h showed none however, as he shook his head. "No… I did not know…. Your little brat of a boyfriend disgusts me… but even I can understand the difficulty of the situation-."

The sage was cut off by the door slamming open with a bang.

"CIRI!" The voice of Faram of Undviik bellowed into the room.

Ciri and Avallac'h both turned, and sure enough, Ciri saw the massive bear witcher had burst into the room, his yellow witcher eyes wide and frantic.

"You bumbling oaf!" Avallac'h sneered, shaking his head in disgust. "Can you not see we're in the middle of a-."

Faram however, ignored the sage as he cut him off, his eyes turning directly to Ciri.

"It's Dom! He's back," The bear witcher said, looking deep into her eyes as they widened, and he slowly shook his head. "He was hurt pretty bad; he was asking for you!"

And within seconds, all thoughts of Avallac'h, of Bella, of the Hunt were all gone.

"What!? What happened, is he alive!?" Ciri said, her voice breaking as she ran towards the massive witcher.

Faram quickly nodded as they both turned towards the door. "He's alright yeah, Elise found him in the streets, drug him back here, said something about assassins and being poisoned!"

"Poisoned!?" Ciri asked, her heart dropping to her boots.

Faram nodded, now out of breath. "No need to worry lassie, Yennefer and Triss are over him now, he'll be alright, he was a bit delirious, he kept asking for you…"

"Come on, come on let's go!" Ciri said, grabbing the door to the room as her eyes started to quiver.

Avallach's voice rang in her ears as she grabbed the handle. "Zireael! We have not finished-."

But Ciri cut the sage off by slamming the door to his room shut.

Nothing mattered then, nothing except being there for Dominik when he needed her most. Just like he would always be for her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"What the fucking hell happened!?" Ciri yelled, as she burst open the door to her and Dominik's room, Faram bursting in behind her.

Her and Dominik's room was full of people, and right away they all turned to her at once, except for Triss, who was still sitting next to Dominik on their bed, a spell casted over his shoulder. Her eyes widened as her heart beat out of her chest, she looked straight for him, and wasted no time in getting to their bedside, near Triss, who upon seeing her breathed a sigh of relief.

"D…Dominik…" Ciri said, sitting next to Triss, leaning over him as the sorceress finally stood.

She hadn't taken notice of where everyone was in the room yet, all she was concerned about then was him. They had taken off his shirt, he was pale, sweat dripped down his torso, and Ciri's breath caught up in her chest when she noticed the piercing wound in his shoulder, and the black and blue bruise around it. She shakily sighed, and ran her hand over it, and he winced, his eyes fluttered open as he finally looked over to her. Ciri met his eyes, and frantically ripped off her gloves, tossing them to the side she gently held one hand over his chest, the other gently going up to his face. As carefully as she could, her own eyes stinging she cupped his face, leaning down as she shakily sighed to meet his gaze.

"Ci…Ciri… Ciri… gods…" He said, his own eyes watering, as Ciri quickly shook her head.

"Shh… it's alright… it's alright, I'm right here… I'm here…" She said, her thumb stroking his scarred cheek.

He gingerly nodded to her, his eyes still quivering as he shakily sighed and his head fell back on the pillow, looking up towards the ceiling before closing his eyes. Seeing his pale face, the wound in his shoulder, her hands shook as they slid down towards his chest.

_I should have gone with him… I should have gone with him. _She shakily reached up and gripped the swallow that was around his neck, before doing the same with the ring around her neck. He had been in so much pain, she had known this, but still she hadn't gone after him. She wasn't there for him, she hadn't been there for him for eight years… but that would change now.

"Ciri… here…. Make sure to clean it for him…" A voice said behind her, and she whirled around to see Freya.

With her bare, trembling hands, Ciri grabbed what Freya was handing her. It was a fresh white, wet rag, and she looked behind the blonde to see a bucket with another blood rag in it, along with what looked like a ripped off piece of a black bloody cloak.

"Th…thanks…" She said, turning and finally seeing everyone in the room.

Triss and Yen both stood near her dresser, Yen's face paler then Ciri had ever seen it. Freya sat on the bed next to her, while near the door Faram stood with a grim look, his arms crossed as he gave Ciri a nod. Just like the bear witcher had said, when she looked to the table they had in their room, Geralt stood with Elise De Le Serre. Ciri noticed she had three long scars, claw marks from the battle of Kaer Morhen going down her right cheek. She had two saber at her belt, and Ciri noticed how she just finished putting Dominik's sword, dagger at crossbow onto their table, where they laid next to his blood armor.

Elise seemed to notice Ciri staring at her because the redhead nodded at her.

Ciri gingerly stood and shakily sighed. "Elise I… Faram said… said that you-."

"Aye… it was no problem dearie," The redhead said, a small smile coming to her face as she nodded towards Ciri. "It's good to see you again, see you all again really."

Geralt nodded, looking to meet the redhead's gaze. "Good to see you too but… what the hell happened?"

"He's right… _who _did this?" Yen hissed, her angry violet eyes shooting over to Elise. "You said something about assassins?"

"Aye… I had come looking for him, Adda wanted to talk to him again," Elise explained, looking back over to Ciri now. "He… told me about what was going on. Gave him some advice… that was when the assassins came… Nilfgaardean ones."

"What!? Emhyr has sent assassins after him!?" Yennefer demanded, her eyes flaming as she shot her eyes over to Geralt. "Did you know?"

"I did…" Geralt said slowly, a bit of shame to his voice, as he turned to look at Ciri. "Remember he told us… he fought them off with Declan."

Ciri's blood ran cold, but it quickly heated. She did remember, and she remembered how incredibly pissed off it had made her. Dominik told him how he got into a shouting match with her 'father', and he had sent assassins after him, trying to kill him. She had already hated Emhyr, and now it was only more fuel to be added to the fire.

"Yes… I do," She said, her head slowly turning to see Dominik breathing heavily, his breaths short and shaky, making her tremble more. "I swear… he'll pay for this…"

"If Emhyr's ordering Dominik killed, how are we supposed to trust any deal he offers us? That's the crux of our deal with the other sorceresses, what if he orders us to give him Dominik to keep that end of the deal?" Triss said from next to Yen, pulling Ciri's attention back to them.

Very few times in Ciri's life had she seen such a seething anger in her mother's eyes. The raven-haired sorceress crossed her arms, shakily sighing and shaking her head. She narrowed her murderous violet eyes around the room at them all.

"He won't… he needs Ciri too badly…" Her mother said, turning to look at Dominik laying on the bed, before shaking her head again. "But he also knows Dominik is an obstacle to her doing what he wants…"

Ciri scoffed, her anger boiling. "I hate to inform him… but even if Dominik wasn't involved, there's not a chance I would fucking do anything he asks of me."

Yen nodded in agreement. "I know darling, but he's arrogant, thinks he can coerce you, that he has some type of power over you. Dominik is in the way of that, he thinks if he removes him, then he'll be able to make you do what he wants."

"Just like he did with your mother… according to Dominik," Geralt said, anger dripping from his words.

Elise scoffed. "I always knew he was a cunt… Adda will take him down, I fucking know she will…. Thought I should let you all know; she's sworn to keep your secret."

Elise directed her view at Ciri, and Ciri nodded thankfully. It had been a lingering feeling in the back of her mind, that perhaps Adda would use her identity to her advantage. However, she trusted Elise, she was the reason Dominik was alive, and for that she was eternally thankful, so she trusted the redhead.

At hearing Geralt's words however, her fists curled. Dominik had told her what he learned, that Emhyr had been the one to order not just her capture, but for Cahir to kill Gregory, Dominik himself, and his family. During the time after Ciri's mother and Emhyr had married, while he was still using a fake name, Gregory hadn't trusted him, was always in the way. He resented Gregory for this, Gregory being there didn't allow him to fully control Ciri's mother, and now, the same thing was happening again apparently.

She wouldn't let it. Ciri wasn't about to let Emhyr control any facet of her life anymore. She wouldn't bail the man out of his problems, if she could avoid it, she'd never even come face to face with the man again. Her heart raced, and the anger that surged through her reached new heights now. _Still _he was trying to control her, the man who had chased her, wanted to rape her and impregnate her, marry her, his daughter, no she wouldn't let that man control her life anymore, not again.

And now he had tried to kill Dominik.

Ciri's eyes turned to Elise. "Tell Adda… that I said thank you… and that I hope she puts a fucking knife through Emhyr's neck next…"

Elise scoffed and nodded. "I'll relay your message… you can be sure."

Geralt nodded next to her, looking between them all. "This is good an all, but Elise, what else happened? How the hell did you get him here, you said he took a poison crossbow bolt to the shoulder."

Ciri's eyes widened as she looked over to Elise, but before she could say anything, Yennefer cut in again.

"Sending assassins with poison after my son… that man is lucky I need him…" The sorceress said darkly, before she looked over at Elise. "Tell Adda… that I will provide any and all-."

"STOP!" Dominik's voice croaked out, and at once, everyone in the room turned to him.

Ciri whirled around, her hands gripping tightly around the wet rag in her hands again. She looked and saw Dominik had opened his eyes again and looked over at them all. She could see his large chest rising and falling rapidly, his eyes quivering as he looked at them all. Ciri had never seen such a look in him, and she knew exactly what was wrong, what it was.

He was finally breaking down. He met her eyes, and Ciri's own quivering as she saw the pain built up in his emerald eyes.

"Dominik…" She said softly, sliding towards him on the bed.

He kept her gaze for a minute, before he turned over to everyone else. "I… I don't give a fuck about politics right now…. Everyone… everyone except Ciri… go… please…"

Ciri looked to everyone in the room as well, and all of them seemed to understand that they needed to be alone. Geralt slowly nodded at her, turning to Elise and gesturing towards the door.

"Come on… tell us more downstairs," Geralt said, as they all started shuffling towards the door.

Her hand was squeezed, and she looked up to see Freya nodding at her. "The water's over there if you need it…"

Ciri nodded to the blonde, before like the rest of them, left their room. Within seconds, the room was silent. She saw Yennefer look at them last, a forlorn look on the sorceress's face as she closed the door behind her. After hearing the door click, she turned and saw Dominik again, his head going back down onto the pillow. His eyes were tightly shut, quivering, and not opening as if he was trying to will the tears not to fall from them.

She right away looked down and noticed the rag in her hands had gone damp. Quickly she looked at him, his eyes still closed, the bruise and wound on his shoulder still blue and festering. Quickly Ciri kicked off her boots as well, getting up and walking to the bucket Freya had left. Her heart thumped out of her chest, as while she wetted it again, all she could look at was his pale face, his quivering, now open bright emerald eyes. The same eyes that Bella had the night before, the ones they had both looked into, the ones they had both been broken upon seeing.

Ciri wrung out the water in the bucket, before unbuckling her corset as well. She let it fall to the floor as she got to his bedside again. His eyes were open now, and he looked at her, silent, biting the inside of his lip as she gently went to dab the rag over his wound. Upon the contact he winced, and Ciri's heart broke, as she saw the tears finally fall down his cheek.

She had spent all day wondering what more she could do for him. Everyone had told her all she could do was simply be there, but Ciri had wanted to do more. She loved him too much, loved him and Bella both, but he was the love of her life, and seeing him like he was now, it made her hands tremble as she wiped over his wound. She wanted to bring Bella to the inn then, to erase the memory of last night from them both, something, anything just to make his pain go away.

But truly, all she could do was be there… and have him let it all out with her.

"Dominik…" She said slowly, gently moving the rag from his hard chest, and scooting closer, she reached down and gently cupped his face as he looked at her. "Dominik I… I-."

"Ciri…" He said shakily, his one hand reaching to grip onto hers.

"Yeah…" She said, the tears threatening to spill from her as well.

Finally, he sobbed, the tears coming from his eyes as he looked at her. "Please… please just… just lay with me… please…"

"Of course… always…" She said, finally feeling small tears come from her own eyes as well, the whole weight of the situation hitting her as well.

He didn't say anything, he didn't have too, Ciri could see what he was feeling. She pulled her hair out of its bun, laying down next to him on the bed. Right away, he shakily sighed, his arm going around her neck, as Ciri curled up into his chest. Her hair fell out over him, and she could feel his rapid heartbeat as her hand went over his chest. Goosebumps traveled up his arms, he shakily sighed, and Ciri saw the tears still coming down his cheeks.

For the first time that day, she finally had time to reflect, digest what had happened.

Bella was with the Wild Hunt, helping lead them. Eredin had brainwashed her, controlled her, tortured her, made her suffer for years, turned her into what she was now. And Ciri had almost killed her, she had almost killed them both. Bella, the girl she considered her sister. Ciri would never forget the first time Bella referred to her as her 'Big Sister' in Cintra. They had been in her room, and Ciri was trying to find one of the old dresses and cloaks she had that would fit her. Dominik had gone down to the kitchens to try and get them all food, leaving it just Bella and her. Ciri was helping her try one on over the clothes she had, and she would never forget the elated look Bella had gotten.

She had turned to Ciri and said how happy she was that Dominik had met her. Ciri had said that it was no big deal at all, that Dominik was her best-friend, and since Bella was his sister, that made Bella her best-friend too. And that was when Bella had told Ciri she loved her brother yes… but she had always wanted a big sister, saying how Ciri could be that in a way. Ciri had almost cried, having always secretly wished for a sibling herself.

Even back then, she had a massive crush on Dominik, so she didn't consider him her brother, only her best friend, who she hoped felt the same way about her. Bella however, had truly felt like that younger sister she had always wanted. Even though she hadn't spent as much time with Bella as she did Dominik, Ciri still loved her all the same. She couldn't imagine what Dominik was feeling, but she did know that it was even worse than what she felt then. He sobbed and shakily sighed, and Ciri's heart shattered, looking up and seeing the tears build up in his eyes. She reached her arm around himself, pulling closer to him on the bed then, just as a massive clap of thunder boomed from outside, the rain pattering violently against the window.

She looked up and met his eyes, tears slowly coming from. "D…Dom… Dom are… are you-."

"Ciri…" He said, sobbing as he did, looking down and meeting her eyes. "I… I'm sorry… I'm sorry for yelling… for yelling at you and… and saying that you didn't care and-."

"Shhh… it's alright, gods Dominik it's alright," She said, as he slowly sat up, groaning in pain as he pushed his chest up.

Ciri did the same, looking over at him as he shook his head. He shakily sobbed again, meeting her eyes and shaking his head.

"No… no it's not I… I said… I said that you didn't care about Bella…" He said, shaking his head as he sobbed and looked at her. "Ciri… Ciri gods Bella she… she's…."

"It's alright… it's going to be alright I swear…" She said, cutting him off and hugging around his neck, pulling his head towards her chest. "We… we'll get her back… we will… I promise…. Gods I promise…"

"I don't know if I can do it… I don't know if I can…" He said, melting into her as he cried, gripping around her waist, his head burying into her as she held him. "Bella… gods Ciri it… it's Bella…"

"I know… I know… you're strong enough… she's strong enough… we'll make sure she's alright… I swear it…" She said, silently crying herself, knowing she couldn't break down with him in her arms then.

He sobbed into her top again and shook his head. "Bella…. Bella gods…. My sister Ciri… it… it was really her… she… she's alive… gods Bella…"

"I know… I love her too…" Ciri said, finally shaking sobbing herself as she dug her fingers into his hair, squeezing her arms around him. "It's alright… we'll get her… I promise…. Let it out… I'm here… I'm here… and I'm never going anywhere again…"

"Gods Ciri… Ciri I… I almost killed her… killed Bella… fuck… fucking… fuck…" He said, shaking his head again as it stayed buried into her. "I… I'm sorry I… I just-."

"It's alright… gods Dominik it's alright… I'm here… I'm right here…let it out… go on…" She said, shakily sobbing as she hugged tighter around him again. "I promise… I promise… you can always break down in front of me… I'll always be here… from now on…"

And finally like she had been expecting all day, he broke down then in his arms. Loud booms of thunder roared from outside the window, lightning flashed casting an even darker light over the entire city outside. Ciri thought the weather was fitting. She knew the road to freedom, to their freedom, the lives her and Dominik had discussed since they were children would be long, perilous, full of hardships. They had both already finished the longest parts, the journeys alone they both took that brought them back to each other.

However, now their journey was truly reaching its apex. She didn't know what she would have done if she learned about Bella without Dominik, and she didn't know what he would have done if he learned about Bella with her. It was something they'd have to face together.

But Ciri wouldn't be able to fight Bella, talk to her, that would all fall on Dominik, and she would never be able to imagine the pain that caused him, and she wanted to help him somehow, do something, anything for him.

And for the first time in Ciri's life it seemed, her problems couldn't be solved with a sword.

**A/N: And now ladies and gentlemen we have the fallout from last chapters shocking revelation. This chapter took me a very long time to write xD It's about at the 40,000 word mark, which is massive so I'm going to assume that was why lol. To be quite honest, I could probably break up most of my chapters into smaller chapters, but if I did that this story would be over a hundred chapters long xD But either way, we're almost finished in Novigrad, one more chapter before we head to Skellige for the final battle! Let's break down this chapter first. **

**The first and longest scene, is something I've been waiting to write for the longest time. Dominik storms back with Ciri to the Chameleon, and we finally see him snap and lose his patience with Avallac'h. Avallac'h claims he didn't know about Bella being Baelen… what do you all believe? Is Dominik in the right? Should Ciri have just let him kill the sage? How will this all come up later?**

**After that, we finally see Dominik lose it with everyone, but can you blame him? He just learned his sister was alive, and working actively to kill him and Ciri both. All story we've seen him mature, able to keep his angry outbursts contained, and finally we see it all come out. He storms out of the inn, and after a funny scene where Geralt and Yen learned they're grandparents, we learn more about what it will take to get Bella back. **

**As I said before, everything that normally happens around this time in Novigrad happens, Geralt gets Margarita, Phillipa, and now in this version, Keira and Ida to the Chameleon, and goes to Tir'Nala with Avallac'h. But the main thing we have here, is Yen explaining the Stockholm Syndrome that's set in for Bella, and what it will take to break it. Ciri realizes it's what happened with her and the Rats.. before she gets some much deserved rest. **

**After a small scene with Ciri and their friends we cut to Dominik. **

**Dominik meets up with Elise De Le Serre, and I was sooo happy to bring her back. She's been one of my favorite OCs to write, and you see why in this scene. He gives Dominik the hard truth, which is something that he needed, before we get a bit of action as Nilfgaardean assassins are after Dominik again. **

**My favorite part of the chapter however, comes at the end of this scene, with an appearance from Master Mirror… and I'm sure you can all guess what his appearance means xD**

**After that, we get another scene I loved writing. The brutally honest scene with Avallac'h and Ciri, where Ciri finally calls him out on all his bullshit. As anyone who's read my previous AN's knows, one of the few things I am NOT a fan of in the witcher 3 is how Avallac'h is portrayed as a 'good guy' of sorts, and what he did to Ciri in the books just seems to be completely forgotten by her, him and Eredin in the games. I understand why it's not mentioned, it's so that the games can appeal to people who have not read the books, but I don't have that limitation in this story xD **

**Avallac'h in this story is going to be like book Avallac'h, a scheming, prideful bastard, who wants to use Ciri for his own gain. And YES, we are actually going to mention what he did to Ciri in the books, because that's realistic, Ciri doesn't seemingly just have amnesia of that situation like she does in the actual games lol xD**

**So we get Ciri calling him out for that and everything else, and the two eventually come to an agreement, and again, he claims to not know about Bella…**

**After that, Faram bursts in, and we get an emotional final scene with Ciri and Dominik, finally digesting the magnitude of what happened…. **

**SO, after all of that, we have finally reached the last chapter in Novigrad, before we head off to Skellige for the final battle. We of course are going to have a few chapters in Skellige itself before the final fight begins… we are approaching the end. **

**Next chapter, is going to be much lighter in tone as we have one last chapter in Novigrad before we're truly in the endgame. I won't reveal much, but as I said, it will be much lighter in tone compared to the last few chapters. **

**I also want to announce, that I am OFFICIALLY, in development of a new series that will release as a side project. This story and its sequels are obviously a priority, but this project will also be released as well. Soon I will be releasing the first chapter of 'The Witcher: Through the World, The Ends Beginning'. This story will follow season 1 of Netlfix's The Witcher, so it will be relatively short. However, after that, I will release 'The Witcher: Through the Worlds, Blood of Elves'! Yes! This will be a series following the books, where instead of Dominik going off to search for Ciri by himself, Geralt makes the decision to bring him to Thanedd with him, and after the Coup of sprung. Dominik and Ciri both escape together! SO tell me some of your theories on what will change for the books in that series!**

**I've rambled on long enough haha. I wanna quickly announce there is NEW fanart on my Instagram I've made for this story dominik_of_cintra we have even more coming soon and I'm so, SO excited for it! **

**Thank you all so much as usual, we are almost at the end! Be sure to follow, review if you have time and most importantly everyone stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!**


	78. The First Time on the Last Night

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 78: The First Time on the Last Night**

**Narrator: On their way back to Novigrad from their journey to save the village of Claywitch, Dominik and Ciri both learned a horrible truth. On their way back, they were attacked by Baelen, the mysterious commander of the Wild Hunt, whose identity was finally revealed to them both. Baelen, turned out to be Bella, Dominik's younger sister who he long has believed dead. Bella had been kidnapped by the Wild Hunt, after her powers as a carrier, a descendant of Alexander of Lod unleashed, she was kidnapped, brainwashed, tortured, and turned into the cold commander of the Hunt she was today. After failing to convince her to come back with them, Dominik and Ciri returned to Novigrad, where Dominik confronted the elven sage Avallac'h, whom he believed knew this information and did not tell them. However, thanks to Ciri's intervention, Dominik didn't kill the sage, with the knowledge that they needed the elf for their future fight against Eredin. Dominik was later almost killed by Nilfgaardean assassins, but thankfully was saved by his friend, protector of Queen Adda of Redania, Elise De Le Serre, and brought back to the Chameleon. Now, after two days of reflecting on what happened, and resting their wounds, mentally and physically, Dominik and Ciri both have one more day before they were due to leave for Skellige, where the final fight would take place. And to show the other their appreciation and love for each other, they both planned to do something special for that last night. **

_Dominik felt as if he were a child again, fearing to close his eyes, for fear it would take him back to the bloody streets of Cintra. However, after seeing Bella again, learning she was alive, that had been exactly what happened, as the corpses and blood streets all came into his view, just as the white mist parted. _

_After it parted he saw the streets. The bloody corpses lining all over the place that he once called him. Torn golden lion banners waved off houses, and the golden sun was being raised over the streets. No soldiers were visible to him, despite it being early in the morning, the sun shining bright, as the flies gathered around the corpses that piled around, and Dominik's heart caught up in his throat when he recognized where it was. _

_He saw the large drainage pipe, the same one his mother had yelled for him and Bella to get through… get to the lake and wait for her, their father and Ciri. _

_But that wasn't the only thing he realized, because after a few moments of loud silence, a silence that was so deafening, that even as he watched the dream unfold it pierced his ears, after moments of that… he saw a pile of corpses move, and that was when he saw his mother. _

_Dominik could remember exactly what his mother had been wearing he night she was killed. She had come and grabbed Bella and he from their rooms, her blonde hair had been tied up in a ponytail. She wore tight black trousers, hunting gloves and a hastily thrown on leather jerkin. Dominik had always seen the sword her mother had that night, it had always rested up above their hearth on a mantle, with his mother always telling him she had gotten it from Sir Ryland, his grandfather, and that his father hadn't used it, because he insisted it was given to his mother for a reason, so he'd honor his father's wish for her to wield it. His mother had always told Dominik himself she'd let him use it one day, give it to him like Sir Ryland have it to her. _

_However, now Dominik saw that sword laying in the blood ground, next to his mother's corpse, her corpse with an arrow sticking out of her eye. _

_Dominik didn't know if it was possible for him to throw up in a dream, but he almost did then, as flies buzzed around his mother's corpse, her sword from his grandfather just out of her reach, her blonde hair marred with blood and dirt. No wounds were in her body, she hadn't died fighting, Cahir had caught her by surprise, shot her down without a second thought. Dominik would always regret what he had done to Declan, but if he could have brought Cahir back to life to kill him, then he would have… no matter what the man did in the end. It wasn't just his mother with an arrow sticking out of her, but his sister as well. _

_And then was when he got his confirmation, that Bella, truly was alive, the person he had seen a two nights prior wasn't some clone, or horrible dream. It had really been Bella. _

_The arrow that Cahir shot at her, had only pierced her shoulder, and when her young body coughed and slowly moved, he saw the arrow slip out of her body as she moved. His eyes widened when he saw a pool of dried blood on the back of her head, just as she slowly sat up with difficulty. _

_The realization dawned on him… Bella truly hadn't died. The arrow had pierced her yes, but it was her falling back, her slamming her head on the stone ground that had knocked her unconscious. Dominik could feel the blood dripping from his hands then, her blood, Bella's blood coursing down his rough hands as she bled out in front of him. He looked down at her then, her young, rounder face, her eyes watering as she rubbed her head, seeming to not feel the blood oozing from her shoulder in that moment, the shock of what happened not having set in yet. _

_His stomach churned, his limbs shook as he watched Bella yell out in pain, her smaller hands covering over the hole on her shoulder that was slowly bleeding now. He remembered exactly what Bella had been wearing that night as well. A green top, with a black choker, along with brown trousers that were caked in blood and mud now. Her hair was still sticky with blood, her long brown locks sporadic around her head, sticking out from one end or the other. _

_Bella shakily moved her hand from her shoulder, sobbing and shaking as she looked around her. "Where… where am I… where… where…"_

_She looked around, towards their mother's corpse, and Dominik saw her eyes widen. Then, after he turned around to her, yelling as her legs moved, she looked down at their mother's corpse, the arrow sticking out of her eye, over at the sword just out of her reach. Bella gently held her trembling hand out over their mother's blood tunic. _

"_Who… who… where… gods… gods… my head…" Bella cried, as Dominik realized what she told him the previous night was true, and what he saw in the dream of her in Skellige was true. _

_Bella had lost her memory when she awoke. _

"_Any… anyone... gods is… is anyone there?" She said, trying to stand up to her feet, but the minute she did she tripped. _

_She tripped forward over their mother's corpse, falling forward, recoiling as her hand cut across the blade of their grandfathers sword that was on the ground. She moved her hand back, looking at her reflection in the bloody and dirty steel of the sword, as she stumbled onto all fours, her hand falling over the hilt of the sword, as she coughed blood up onto the dirt, her face pale, her green eyes looking back around the streets. _

"_Why… why can't I… why can't I remember… gods… gods I-." She started, but her head darted back around when in a nearby alley footfalls started. _

_He heard shouting in Nilfgaardean, and the crunching of boots, along with the clunking of armor told him all he needed to know. Soon the street had swarmed with a group of Black Ones, soldiers with pikes, halberds and swords led by a man in knights plate. _

_ "NO, GET AWAY!" Bella yelled, as one of the rushed towards her, gripping up her arm as he shouted in Nilfgaardean. _

_ Bella yanked her arm away, clamoring to the side, the sword from their grandfather still somehow gripped in her hand. The Black One shouted in Nilfgaardean again as he went to stab his sister with the point of a halberd, but one of his friends grabbed his arm, yanking him away. The man who pulled him away gestured towards Bella, shouting out in Nilfgaardean and pointing to her. The one with the halberd who wanted to skewer her shouted back, shaking his head and turning to stab her again, and Bella recoiled. _

_ "NOOO STAY AWAY NO!" She said, her voice screeching as tears fell from her pale face. _

_ Dominik looked and saw the magic, the small wisps of magic circulating around Bella's eyes, it was faint but he managed to see it. He realized that her magic, just like his at that point had to be activated in some capacity. Each carrier needed the three stipulations or triggers for their powers to activate, and as each one was unlocked, the power they could control got larger and larger. Alexander had told him that the special trigger for his descendants, meaning him and Bella, to activate their powers that he added, was coming into contact with their destiny, with someone who had Elder Blood, the blood of Lara Dorren. _

_ And just like Dominik had, Bella had unlocked her powers when she came into contact with Ciri in Cintra. _

_ After her yell, the soldiers recoiled, and the man in full plate's eyes widened as he stomped forward in front of the two men arguing. He looked wide eyes at Bella, who had scrambled up against the wall, the sword from their grandfather laid across her lap as she hyperventilated, blood still falling from her shoulder. _

_ The commander shouted in Nilfgaardean, pointing towards Bella and then to his men. The one who had advocated for not killing Bella shouted back, but the one with the halberd took his chance. He lunged forward and tried to grip up Bella's arm, but that was when Bella finally snapped, her eyes glowing blue as her breathing quickened. _

_ "NOOOOOOOOOOO, NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bella yelled, magic erupting from her as her pained screams hit Dominik's ears. _

_ All the Nilfgaardean soldiers clamped their ears and stumbled back, and then when they looked back, all of them, and even Dominik's eyes widened as Bella glowed. _

_ And somehow, without even knowing, his sister teleported away in a flash of blue light. _

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_ The white mist that normally occurred in his dreams had overtaken his vision, and when it finally parted, he had to hold his hands to protect his eyes from how bright the sun was. Despite the sun, he still felt a chilly breeze wash over him, and when he opened his eyes, he tried to shout, but being in the dream, his voice hadn't come out. _

_ It was Undvik, the spire from his dream of the wolf, swallow and black specter that had felt like so long ago, but still somehow was fresh in his mind. _

_ He looked below him and saw a beach. A beach with one singular man on it, tending to his fishing nets, cutting along it with a knife, stabbing it into crabs and depositing them into a bucket next to him. The man already had a head of greying hair, but still looked strong as an ox, wearing a blue tunic and black trousers. He had warm brown eyes as he plunged his knife into another crab, and smirked as he examined it. _

_ "Aye… good haul for the day," He muttered to himself with a smile, depositing the crab into the bucket. _

_ After he did, Dominik watched in confusion as all he saw was the man tending his nets. He watched as the man hooked more bait onto his traps and tossed his net back out into the water. Dominik saw the sun was bright, the day was beautiful, the road back to what he assumed was the man's village was nearby, and the sandy dunes still had nobody else, just that man. _

_ Just as he was about to try and wake himself, up, wondering what he could possibly be seeing this for, the man spoke again, smiling and standing up. For the first time he noticed a sword at the man's belt, just as he sighed and wiped his forehead. _

_ "A feast worthy of the halls of Kaer Trolde…" The man said with a smirk, picking up the bucket of crabs and going to turn around. "Anora is going to be-. GODS ABOVE!"_

_ The man yelled and stumbled backwards, just as a sword came dropping from the sky just as he looked upwards towards the clouds. The bucket of crabs fell backwards, and the creatures scurried out, as the man looked at the blade that had been implanted in the sand in front of him. _

_ And both his and the man's eyes widened at the same time. It was Dominik's grandfathers' blade; he would recognize it anywhere. It was as long as a witchers blade, a broadsword, with a tight black leather grip and a straight crossguard, it's blade despite still being covered in blood and dirt, sparkled as the sun reflected off the bright steel, and sticking out the top, was the pommel that had been carved in the shape of a lion's head. It was truly one of the most beautiful swords Dominik had ever seen, and he remembered being giddy at the prospect of using it when he was younger. _

_ However now, it was sticking out of the sand in Skellige. _

_ The man recovered from his mini heart attack and stood up, walking over and pulling the blade from the sand, examining it and scoffing. _

_ "Beautiful craftsmanship… continental for sure… but how'd it get here…" He said wonderingly, turning the blade in his hand and rubbing his finger along the bloody steel. "And who's blood is this… still pretty fresh… I wonder-."_

_ He was cut off by a loud __***WHOOSH* **__which Dominik recognized as the distinct sound of a portal opening. Again he and the man both shot their vision up to the source of the noise, and Dominik noticed that a swirling blue portal opened above the water where the man had just been fishing. _

_ "GODS ABOVE!" The man yelled, dropping the sword as pulling the one from his belt. _

_ The man discarded them both, and rushed towards the water, just as Dominik saw a limp body fall and splashed into the shallows of the crystal blue waters of the beautiful beach. His blood ran cold, as the saw the man leap and wade chest deep into the water, and his heartbeat quickened when he saw the man reach for something, a body. _

_ Bella's body, unconscious as the older man wrapped his arms around her, wading back towards the shore. _

_ She had landed on Undvik after she had teleported… and now he knew who the man was. He would never forget the dream he had, seeing the man die, the man who had saved Bella and taken her in killed, before Bella destroyed half the forest with her powers awakening. He finally understood what he was seeing, and wondered, if just like Bella claimed she sent him that dream, she was sending him this one as well. _

_ "Hey… hey you alright dearie!?" The man said, as he sloshed his wet boots onto the shore, coming up next to the two swords. _

_ Bella coughed, her eyes fluttering in the bright sun, as the man gently laid her down on the sand near their grandfather's sword. Bella coughed and her eyes continued to flutter, just as the man reached onto his belt, pulling off what he assumed to be a canteen of water, uncorking it and holding it up near Bella's lips. _

_ Bella's eyes widened finally as she looked at the man, gaping as she shook her head. "NO! NO, GET AWAY!"_

_ "Woah, woah easy there girl!" The man said, scooting back as Bella scrambled. _

_ She seemed to recognize the sword, because with difficulty she picked it up, gripping both her hands on the hilt like her life depending on it. Bella still had on everything he had seen her with when she teleported, the green top, the slowly bleeding wound in her shoulder, the bloodstained, frazzled hair as she skittered back in the sand, the sword laying across her lap, as her emerald eyes frantically widened as she looked at the man. _

_ "Get away! Get away, no more, don't hurt me!" Bella yelled, shaking her head, the sun glinting off her green eyes._

_ The man gently held out his hands, slowly scooting to face her on his knees. "Woah there dearie… not gonna hurt ya, no worries…. Is that sword yours?"_

_ Bella looked down at the blade on her lap, then back to the man, shaking her head. "I… I don't know… I… I found it near me when… when I... when I woke up."_

_ "Woke up from what? You don't look very good my dear…" The man said, gently moving closer, pointing his finger towards her shoulder. "How'd you get that… do you remember?"_

_ Bella fervently shook her head, her pale face panicking. "I… I don't know… I… I just woke up I… I don't know…"_

_ The man gave a sorrowful look. "Do you remember where you came from? Where… your parents are, any brothers… sisters?"_

_ Bella clutched the sides of her head, as if trying to remember hurt her before she shook her head, blinking rapidly before she looked at the man again, shakily sighed with dried tears covering her dirty face. _

_ "I… I don't remember… I… I woke up… around… around corpses… then… then men in armor they… they tried to take me… i… I was afraid… alone…I… I saw blue and…." Bella said, before she sobbed and shook her head, burying her face into her hands. _

_ The man gently reached for his canteen again and managed to come up next to a crying Bella. Gingerly, he moved the sword from her lap, as his sister had completely broken down, only a stranger to comfort her, a nine-year-old girl, who had just lost everything. _

_ His sister had lost everything… and he wasn't there for her. _

_ "I'm not gonna hurt you dearie I promise… you thirsty?" The man said, as Bella slowly looked up, gingerly taking the canteen from him as the man nodded, a small smile coming to his face as Bella gulped the water. _

_ It looked like she hadn't drunk anything in days, which she almost had. After downing the water, she shakily looked back to the man, her hand going frantically to the hilt of their grandfather's sword again. The man smiled at this, before gently taking the canteen back from Bella. _

_ "You know dearie… I served as a warrior for the Jarl of Ard Skellige…" The man said, smiling as he looked down at the sword. "Do… you remember if you ever used it?"_

_ Bella's eyes grew slightly calmer, as she looked at the sword and slowly shook her head. "I… I don't remember… someone… someone had it on them… they… they were next to me when I woke up… they… they were dead…"_

_ "Was anyone alive… other than the men in armor when you awoke?" The man asked, curling his legs up to sit in the same position as Bella was. _

_ Bella looked at him, tears forming in her eyes as she slowly shook her head. "No…no… everyone… everyone they… they were all dead…I… I don't remember where it was."_

_ "Mhm… you came through a portal it seems dearie, seen druids on Ard Skellige open them before…" He said, meeting Bella's frightened eyes as he gently smiled. "But we'll worry about that more later… are you hungry? You look like you haven't eaten in days girl."_

_ "I… I am…" Bella said carefully, her tears having dried to her dirty face again. _

_ The man smiled broadly and nodded. "Aye… my Anora makes great omelets, slaughtered a piglet before I left to check me traps… reckon she has some extra… you like omelets girl? Peppers, cheese, mushrooms, salt, pepper?"_

_ "I… I think so…" Bella said again, slowly nodding as the man laughed. _

_ "Aha! Ya think so!? After ya try some of Anora's, you'll know for sure!" The man said, smiling down at Bella, who eyes him with her watery green eyes. "And… you could do with getting cleaned up… have that wound looked at…do you… at least remember your name girl?"_

_ Bella looked at her reflection in the steel of their grandfather's sword sitting in the sand. She looked and saw her bright green eyes, before slowly looking back up at the man and nodding. _

_ "I… I'm…. I'm Bella… that… that's all I remember…" She said, as the man smiled and nodded back down at her. _

_ "It's very nice to meet you Bella," The man said, his smile not leaving as he nodded towards the sword. "My names Eivor, my village isn't far… I think I could carry you back, and when we get there I can-." _

_ "I can walk! I… I can…" Bella said, as she slowly moved to her feet, groaning in pain the entire time, and when she finally got to her feet she wobbled. _

_ After a moment, she stood still, and Eivor lightly laughed. _

_ "Aha… spirited one aren't you lassie? You'll fit right in here… come on, I'll carry your sword for you. Let's go see if you like omelets or not…" He said with a fondly smile, as he reached down and grabbed their grandfather's sword from the ground. _

_ Bella shakily nodded. "O… Okay…"_

_ Eivor smiled, his hand going to Bella's back as he held both swords and gestured towards the path. "Come on then dearie… let's go get you cleaned up."_

_ And just as Bella nodded, the mist started to whirl, and his vision went white again. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"BELLA!?" He said, his head shooting up from the bed, having to squint right away from the intense heat.

Sweat trickled down his bare chest, he looked down and felt the two long scars running across him, and saw the swallow bouncing with his medallion. All of his bones ached at once, making him groan, just as Ciri's voice hit his ears again.

"Dominik! Dom, are you alright!?" She said, and Dominik whirled his vision to the right, to see that Ciri was already dressed, dressed like she was ready to head out into town.

He groaned again, rubbing his eyes as she darted over to the bed, sitting at their bedside and grabbing his hand. Feeling her squeeze his hand and fluttering his eyes back open to see her looking at him with her beautiful emerald eyes, it almost made him forget about the dream he just had. For the moment however, it calmed him, and he was able to let out a long breath, the sun from the window outside sparkling off Ciri's eyes and the pommel of her sword as she looked at him.

Dominik nodded to her, deeply sighing again and shaking his head. "Yeah… yeah I'm fine it… it was just…"

"Another dream with Bella…" She said, giving him a reassuring smile. Ciri gently cupped his cheek with her gloved hand, before quickly kissing him. "What… what was it this time?"

She spoke softly, and her tone reassured him again. She had been even more supportive in the last two days since they had figured out the horrible truth then he ever could have hoped for. Trembling he squeezed her hand again, his other running through his soft hair, before he shakily sighed and met her eyes.

"Saw her in Cintra… she… she really did survive… woke up the next morning with no memory… gods Ciri she… she didn't even recognize our mother's corpse…" He said, as Ciri quickly scooted closer to him, squeezing his hand again.

"Dominik that… that's horrible I… I'm sorry you had to see that," She said, shaking her head as she met his eyes again. "What… what happened to her? How'd she get out?"

He shivered, sweat dripping down his bare chest as he met her eyes. "Some Nilfgaardeans found her, tried to take her…. She… she screamed and… and teleported somehow."

"She teleported?"

"She did yeah… remember what I learned from Alexander? About my powers activating, the special stipulation that unlocked them for me-."

"Was meeting me…" Ciri said slowly, sighing and shaking her head before she looked at him again. "So… when Bella met me the first time… her powers activated too."

Dominik nodded. "Seems like it did yeah…. Don't know how, but she was scared, she teleported… landed on Undvik, almost drowned but… but a man named Eivor found her, he… he became her father it seems… I remember him dying in my other dream of her… it… was what activated her powers again, before the Hunt found her…"

"Gods Bella…." Ciri said, shivering herself, and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed the side of his neck and pulled back, her gloved hands resting on his shoulders. "We'll get her… I know we will, you _and _she are strong enough for this. You'll be able to face her, and Bella… she'll overcome what they did to her, I know it…"

Despite what he saw in the dream, he couldn't help but smile. It was an effect Ciri had on him from the moment he met her, she had always known what to say to him. It was perfectly natural for her and him, it was as if they both knew exactly what the other was feeling, that they simply knew each other so well, that they always knew what was bothering each other, and what to do to fix it. It was something that he missed the last eight years, along with everything else about her, having someone that knew him better then he felt he even knew himself. He loved Geralt and Yen of course, they knew him well yes, but nobody other than Ciri would ever be able to connect with him on such an emotional, spiritual and physical level.

A smile came to his face as he gently held her cheek, making her smile as well which made him giddily smile as it always did. The cute was her lip upturned, how her eyes began to glow, her smaller nostrils twitching, it was the little things he noticed about her that he loved the most, had missed the most, and some day he still couldn't believe it, despite being back together for almost a month now.

She was his, he was hers, and they were there together.

If not for Ciri, he truly didn't think he would have been able to process the news about Bella, no matter who he had around him. His friends, Freya, Faram, George, everyone at the Chameleon, they had all been there for him yes, but it was always Ciri who calmed his churning nerves the previous two days.

After his altercation with Avallac'h, and almost being poisoned, the group of them all had stayed in Novigrad for another two days. During both night he had the horrible dreams, they had been of the massacre at Cintra again, seeing Bella shot, seeing her as Baelen, himself killing her, Bella killing Ciri, it had been horrible, he had woken up screaming like he used to when he was a child. However, unlike when he was a child, Ciri didn't have to sneak from her room at Kaer Morhen to get to him, she was right there next to him.

And also just like when they were children, she had been there, consoling him the entire time, holding him until they both fell back to sleep.

It had a hard two days, and a small part of him wanted to stay there, stay in Novigrad, spend the days as he had the previous two, drinking and spending time with his friends and Ciri. He had learned more about Radovid's assassination, learned that Avallac'h had actually taken Geralt to Tir'Nala, the Aen Elle's home world, and convinced Eredin's viceroy to not send to Eredin when the battle came. As much as he wished to cut the elf in half still, even Dominik would admit that it was an intelligent plan.

He also hadn't only learned but saw the amount of sorceresses that they had now. Keira, and Ida had been there, and he was sure along with Phillipa Eilhart and Margarita, were all up in the ruby suite, which Avallac'h had abandoned, scheming something. Ciri had told him how they wished to have a meeting with her, and initially it had scared him. However, with Ciri's assurance, he soon realized he had nothing to be afraid of.

Ciri wasn't a child anymore, if they tried to bite her, force her into something, she'd bite back. Nothing would stand in the way of their future.

With everything now ready, that day would be their last in Novigrad. Avallac'h had been grouchy about having to stay extra days, but to his surprise it was Ciri who shut him down, and the sage had begrudgingly agreed. He assumed the sage was at the harbor, waiting aboard Faram's ship for them all, seeming to have finally had enough of them, which Dominik didn't mind at all.

It gave him one last day with Ciri, Geralt, Yen, his friends, before they sailed for Skellige. For the final battle, the one Bella told him to avoid. He naturally wasn't going to listen, because now it wasn't only Ciri at stake, not just Ciri and the continent, but Bella as well, the last link to his first family.

However, as he looked and saw the sun sparkling off Ciri's eyes, she was all he wanted to focus on that day, their last day.

"Thanks princess…" He said, leaning forward, and kissing her, before pulling back, a small scoff leaving him as he shook his head. "You know… she actually had our grandfather's sword with her somehow… you remember? My mother used to have it now and then."

Ciri smiled and nodded at him, her eyes twinkling in the sun as she stepped off the bed, and Dominik whirled his legs around. He noticed again how she was completely dressed, like she was ready to head out into town, her sword strapped to her back, her bun of ashen hair tied back, the hood attached to her top.

She nodded, smiling still. "I do yeah… what was it called again? _Coram_ wasn't it?"

Dominik smiled as well, nodding as his socks hit the floor. "It was yeah, _Coram. _It means 'lion' in Elder Speech, also happens to be the name of one of Cintra's kings. It was sihil, wicked sharp, dwarven made, with runic magic."

"I remember now yes, Geralt told me he had one of them, got it from Zoltan," Ciri said, adjusting her sword, as she went and grabbed _Fate. _

Dominik watched as she leaned his blade against his dresser and nodded at her. "Yeah… beautiful sword… probably lost now, she didn't have it when we fought. Damn shame… if I saw it maybe well… I would have noticed."

Ciri turned back to him, grabbing his face in her hands again and kissing him. "No use thinking about all of that, alright? We got one more day together, let's not think about all of that."

He smiled again, feeling his heart flutter as he nodded at her, before rolling his eyes. "Yes, one day before we go and find a 'sunstone', which your nanny elf had deigned to inform us how it works."

She sighed and rolled her eyes back at him. "It'll summon Eredin and the Hunt, isn't that enough?"

"For me yes, for Avallac'h? No, I don't think so at all. You know as well as I do, there's something he's not telling us about the thing," Dominik said, as Ciri walked over towards the table in their room.

Geralt had told him how he and Avallac'h were told by Ge'els, the viceroy they convinced to turn against Eredin about the sunstone. He remembered Geralt telling him how Avallac'h basically salivated at the idea, and right away Dominik had been suspicious. However, nowadays, he decided that he would simply trust Ciri's intuition. And Ciri still swore that they had no choice but to trust Avallac'h if they wanted to defeat the Hunt.

He knew she was right deep down, but it didn't mean he was happy about it.

Ciri sighed as she slung a bag over her shoulder. Dominik narrowed his eyes at her, getting up and yawning as she turned back to him. He had never seen her wear a bag over her shoulder that size and had no idea what she could possibly need it for.

She met his eyes and sighed, coming inches from him and shaking her head. "Dominik we've been over this… I _know_… but we don't exactly have a choice, we have to trust him, just for now."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, but met he eyes and nodded. She smirked at him, reaching up a hand onto his bare chest, right below his medallion and the swallow.

"I know it's been hard for you… but I just wanted to say… thank you for trusting me," She said, leaning up and kissing him again, before taking a step back again. "But like I said, let's not worry about Avallac'h, the Hunt, anything, just us and our friends tonight alright?"

His lips tingled where she kissed him, and like always, he felt the pleasant tingling in his stomach. He was still only in his undergarments and socks, so he felt horrendously underdressed in that moment, but what Ciri said still hit home for him.

After everything that had happened in the weeks since they left Kaer Morhen, the Crones, Imlerith, Fiona, Drogar, Bella, Avallac'h, he wanted to focus on just her then. A night with Ciri, their friends, Geralt, Yennefer, before the final stretch of their journey sounded ideal.

However, it still hadn't answered his question as to why Ciri was already dressed, and had a larger bag slung over her shoulder. He smiled at her however, nodding before a small laugh came to him.

"I trust you more than anyone princess… always will," He said, before crossing his arms and looking down at the bag on her shoulder. "So… what do you got in there, a dead body? And… why are you dressed already; do you have more errands you need to run?"

Ciri stiffened for a moment, nervously laughing, nodding while she rubbed the back of her head, keeping his gaze. "Aha… errands… yes, yes I have errands I have to run in town."

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked, stretching out his shoulders, knowing he had nothing else to do. "I don't really have anything else to-."

"NO!" She said quickly, cutting him off, as Dominik's eyes widened.

He scoffed a small laughed and nervously nodded. "Um… okay… are… you sure? I really don't mind I-."

"No, no… no…" She said nervously again, laughing sheepishly and rubbing her head. "I… just… um… need to get some… feminine things, I… um… don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Dominik scoffed, crossing his arms as he looked at her. "Ha, Ciri I promise I won't be, you know I won't. Remember back at Kaer Morhen? You came to me screaming the first time that you had your-."

"No, no that's not what I mean you stupid boy!" She cut him off again, her face getting red, as her eyes quickly widened, and she shook her head again. "I… just need to get some stuff… alone."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her again. "Ciri I… understand you don't want to spend _every _second together, but I mean well… it's the last day before we leave and-."

"I won't be long, I promise! I'll be back in an hour or two, I promise, and then we'll spend all day together I swear, I'll thrash you at gwent as much as you want," She cut him off yet again, smiling this time, before quickly leaning up and kissing him. "I love you, I'll see you later, like I said I won't be long I swear!"

And before Dominik could ask any more questions, Ciri darted out of their room, the bag over her shoulder clunking on her way out. For a moment, he thought that she had taken his armor with her, and that was what he heard. However, he looked over to the table in their room, which they both had taken to throwing their swords and armor on, and sure enough, all the pieces of his armor were there, neatly folded, and ready for him to put on, just like she had done for him each of the days they had been there.

He scoffed in disbelief for a moment, not able to recall a time that she had acted like that in front of him. He was also surprised that he hadn't heard her getting out of bed or setting up his armor. Sometime when they were younger, the two of them would simply be 'off' one day, whether it be one of them simply not getting enough sleep, simply being in a foul mood, or being stressed. Ciri got like that often when they were younger, easily agitated, lashing out from the full weight that was on her shoulders. Dominik had always been there to comfort her, and this seemed similar to one of those times, however never had she denied him going somewhere with her.

Sighing, he looked over to the drawer, where Ciri had placed _Fate_ for him. He picked up the sword, and gently pulled it partly out of its sheath. Sure enough it sparkled from the sunlight, and he gently ran his finger along the edges, quickly pulling back when he felt the pricking pain. Scoffing he managed to laugh, a broad smile coming to his face as he sighed again and placed the sword back against the end table.

"Sharpened and polished… thanks princess…" He said fondly, smiling again as he walked over towards his armor set out on the table. "Wonder what's gotten into her… probably just the nerves."

He ran his hand over his armor, smiling as he went to grab his trousers, realizing that was more then likely it. Ciri had been so busy comforting him the previous few days, that she had barely any time to reflect on what happened herself. Dominik knew what happened with Bella hit her hard as well, combined with still not knowing how to fully control her powers, the final fight with the Hunt coming soon, it was all a lot to put on a person he knew.

But still, she had worried about him. He knew she was struggling with what Bella had said to her, when his sister asked Ciri 'what she ever did for him'. Dominik knew the question was easily answered, at least by him. Ciri had loved him, been there for him his entire life. Even when they were apart, the memories she made for him, the love he knew she still had for him out there, she had gotten him through the years alone. Even then, she was still doing everything for him, despite the weight of the world, the fate of the continent on her shoulders, she was still looking after him, comforting him, reassuring him, being there.

He loved her with everything he had. She was the most beautiful, determined, hardworking, compassionate, loving woman he ever knew, and from the moment he met her, it was never going to be anyone else other then Ciri. To that day he still didn't know what he did in that life or a previous one to deserve having such a woman, such a person period in his life, let alone that kind of person being in love with him.

And he decided then and there that she deserved something for it.

"In the words of the great Dandelion, love… it like a pear, can you describe the shape of a pear?" He said, laughing lightly, as he sighed and smiled, unfolding his trousers. "Speaking of my favorite bard… I wonder if he's home…. And I also need to stop talking to myself so much."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik rounded the steps to the ground floor, and to his surprise, it was empty except for a few people. He had been hoping to find Geralt there, so that he and his father could go and look for something for Ciri in the market, but he grew even more confused, when just as he rounded the steps, he saw Geralt quickly following Ciri out the door. He didn't even get a chance to yell his father's name before he saw Geralt's sword disappear out into the streets. A small part of him wanted to go and follow the two, but whatever it was Ciri was doing, she had made it clear that she didn't want him along. He knew it wasn't for any bad reasons, he hadn't done anything wrong, but it still made him wonder what she possibly could be doing with Geralt alone without him.

He adjusted his sword on his back, sighing as he got to the bottom floor finally. After only having his old steel blade for so long, he had finally gotten silver, but now he only had silver and no steel, which he found as a cruel ironic twist. He knew when they got to Skellige, he'd need to find himself new steel, he thought perhaps to ask one of his friends, knowing that Geralt more than likely didn't have anymore to lend him. He was sure that Faram or George had to carry at least one extra steel sword with them, however, he hoped that day in particular he wouldn't need to draw steel, or silver.

Dominik had one goal for that day now, and that was to find something for Ciri. No object or present, would ever be able to truly express how much she meant to him, but he would try his best.

"Dominik! Haha, barely had time to speak since you been back my young friend," The voice of surprisingly Dandelion, hit his ears.

Dominik whirled around, to see the bard sitting at one of his tables across from Priscilla. The inn hadn't been opened yet, with Dandelion still keeping it closed for them to use. Nobody else, not Zoltan, or any other sorceresses were there, only Priscilla and Dandelion. Freya, Faram and George he assumed were still sleeping off the previous night's drunken games, in which Dominik remembered Freya had somehow, someway defended her arm-wrestling title successfully against Faram, much to the bear witchers annoyance.

He smiled as he saw Priscilla and Dandelion both wave him over, and after seeing the platter of eggs, bacon, pitchers of juice, and bowls of fruit, Dominik was easily convinced.

"Ha… yeah… sorry about that," He said, walking over to the two of them, taking a seat next to Priscilla, looking between them both. "Been… a bit busy you could say."

Dandelion scoffed, a mug of wine in his hand, waving off his statement. "Bah, no need to apologize at all, you got important stuff going on, and having Ciri back? I know… about everything that happened, but that has to be a good thing at least."

Dominik laughed lightly, his face getting red as he nodded. "Yeah… yeah it is."

"I've spoken to her a few times myself," Priscilla said from next to him, her golden blonde curls cascading down her back as she smiled. "Lovely young woman… I can see now why you're so sodded."

"That I am… that's for sure," Dominik said, reaching around his neck and fiddling with the swallow.

He grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit, before pouring himself what he saw was apple-juice upon closer inspection. The bacon fell right into his stomach when he ate it, he savored the taste as Dandelion scoffed and smiled broadly at Priscilla's words.

"Ha are you kidding? You should have seen the two of them when they were younger. Barely left each other's side for a minute," The bard said, getting a laugh from Priscilla, as Dominik smiled and rolled his eyes.

"That we were… didn't mind one bit to be honest," Dominik said, taking a bit of the apple, and down some of the juice before he looked to them both again. "She was… acting a bit weird earlier though, practically ran out of our room."

"Well, she certainly did seem to be in a hurry down here as well," Priscilla confirmed from next to him, looking and meeting his eyes. "We were sitting and having breakfast with Geralt. Ciri came down and said she needed him, seemed urgent."

Dandelion nodded across him. "She's right, Geralt got up, they spoke for a bit and Ciri practically drug him out."

Dominik scoffed, shaking his head, wondering what she could possibly be up too. He looked outside where he saw Geralt leaving, now he knew, being tugged by Ciri. The sun was high, a nice cool breeze shot in through the open windows on the ground floor. He saw Ciri's wide eyes, her insisting that she was okay, and didn't need him to come. He wasn't scared, more so worried that she was stressed to the point she thought she couldn't talk to him.

However, just like she had been doing for him he'd do something for her. Dandelion when they were younger, had always told Ciri and he there's a silver lining in almost every situation, and Dominik found one in that morning then. With Ciri gone for an hour or two, perhaps longer now that she was with Geralt, it would give him plenty of time to find something for her, to figure out something he could do for her. He liked to consider himself a romantic boyfriend, he'd given Ciri surprise picnics, dances and gifts plenty of times before, but in that moment as he sat and thought, listening to Priscilla and Dandelion chat, he simply couldn't think of anything suitable enough.

Nothing that came to his mind then truly felt like it was good enough. Perhaps he could get her some armor? No, it more than likely wouldn't be done in time, he'd need her measurement, and he also knew he didn't have the coin for it. Flowers? No, that was too small, and he had gotten her flowers plenty of time in just the last few weeks alone. Maybe another picnic? No, that wouldn't work either, he didn't know of any real sufficient spot, plus he wouldn't have Freya to help him cook this time. His blonde friend had drunk so much the previous night that Dominik didn't think she'd be getting up before midday.

"Dom? You alright, what're you thinking about?" Dandelion asked, pulling his attention back to the table around him.

Priscilla spoke up from next to him. "Yeah, what is it? We asked you a question and you didn't answer."

"Oh… sorry, what was it?" He asked, looking between them both.

Dandelion nodded and smiled. "We were wondering if you think everyone would be up for one last bash before you leave for Skellige. I'll bring the band in, a few dancers, have them cook us up some good stuff."

"Yeah, just the people we trust, not many," Priscilla said, a smile coming to her face as well as she met his eyes. "We haven't had a live performance since you all got here! We thought we would treat you all before you head off."

And upon hearing them both suggest it, a small idea trickled at the back of Dominik's head, an idea for the last thing that Ciri would expect to receive from him as a gift. Something that could truly express how much she had meant to him, not just the previous few weeks, but ever since he had met her.

The only problem was that he had no idea how… but with some help he thought the idea would be brilliant.

"Yeah… that actually sounds like a fun idea," Dominik said genuinely, the smile forming on his face, as he reached and gingerly held the swallow, looking at Priscilla and Dandelion both. "As for what I was thinking about well…. I wanted to do something special for Ciri, get her something, do something to show her how much she means to me you know… before we leave."

Dandelion laughed heartily and smirked. "Aha it seems like you didn't take after Geralt when it comes to your romantic ways my young friend!"

Priscilla scoffed and rolled her eyes at Dandelion, before smiling back at him. "As overdramatic as Dandelion is… that is incredibly romantic Dom. Did you have any ideas?"

"Yeah, a necklace, flowers, chocolates, Ciri isn't the type to want for much, whatever it is it has to come from the heart!" Dandelion said dramatically, making Priscilla roll her eyes again.

Dominik sheepishly laughed, rubbing the back of his head as his heart thumped. His hand twirled around the silver swallow again, as he normally did when he thought about Ciri. Dandelion may have been joking, but Dominik knew he was right. Ciri wasn't much for material possessions, she enjoyed smaller things, like when he randomly picked her a flower, made her one of the crowns or bracelets he often had. One time in Ellander, he remembered he came back from the market with Geralt to the inn, with a box of chocolate for them both to share, and Ciri had been over the moon, kissing him for it before they proceeded to eat the whole thing in minutes, before getting sick that night from it.

Again it was the smaller things that made her happy, the picnics, the swimming trips, simply being together. He knew some women preferred grand gestures of love, intricate plans and dates, being serenaded, wooed and courted, getting fancy dresses and jewelry. Ciri however, was different, which was good, because he was a rubbish singer, and very rarely had the coin for such elaborate plans. She always told him how happy she was by the simple things, holding hands and going for walks along a moonlit path while they talked was a date for her, sitting by a fire and holding one another, even simply sitting in their room with one another. It was all Ciri ever needed, and if it was what she loved, Dominik would do it for her, because those moments were some of the best of his life.

In that moment however, he wanted to do something bigger, not too big or flashy, but bigger then what he normally did. A gesture that he would indeed need help with, and would take some time, but in the end, would be completely worth it.

He smiled sheepishly again and looked between Dandelion and Priscilla. "Aha… I had a few ideas, but all of them require coin and time, which I have very little of both."

"It doesn't have to be something expensive, Ciri doesn't seem like the type to care. You could knit her a sweater and she'd be ecstatic it seems," Priscilla said.

Dandelion laughed and nodded. "That is true… so, Dom, I know you probably got some idea cooked up, what is it?"

Dominik sighed, and bit his lip, looking at them both again. "I…. was thinking… maybe a song… about us. We can perform it tonight with everyone here! If it's only our friends coming, everybody more than likely knows about us anyway. Problem is… I sound like a wounded wyvern when I sing… and I can write plays but songs? Eh… not so much… I was… wondering if the two of you would help me."

Never in Dominik's life did he see Dandelion's eyes grow so wide so fast, as the bard seemed unable to contain his excitement. He shared a look with Priscilla, who seemed to be just as elated as he was, only serving to make Dominik blush even more.

Dandelion scoffed and smiled broadly as he turned to him. "Ha! You're kidding, I've been waiting years for you to ask me that! It'll be a ballad for the ages!"

"You know you can't perform it again after tonight right? At least not until the Hunt's dealt with," Dominik stressed, looking and meeting the bard's eyes.

Again Dandelion scoffed. "Oh come now, of course I know that! But true artists revel at the challenge, writing a song about you and Ciri… gods the endless possibilities!"

"A momentous task yes," Priscilla said, a small smirk coming to the trobairitz's face as she looked over and met Dominik's eyes with a smile. "If I recall correctly… you said you'd give the writing rights to you and Ciri to Dandelion and me _both_ correct?"

"That I did…" Dominik said with a smile, looking over to Dandelion. "I wouldn't want anyone else doing it…"

Dandelion smiled gently and nodded. "I promise Dom you won't be disappointed, between Priscilla and I, we'll craft a song that'll knock Ciri's, and your socks off!"

"That we will, gods this is exciting," Priscilla said, a bit of giddiness to her tone as she turned and met Dominik's eyes. "He's right, you won't be disappointed, by the song, or the performance, we'll sing it ourselves."

Dominik smiled, his chest fluttering as he scoffed a sheepish laugh as they both smiled at him. He regretted not being able to speak with either of them more than he had. He had said hello in passing, and explained bits about what was happening, but in reality, Dandelion and Priscilla were two of his best-friends, two people who he trusted more than most, and knew if they got the future they wanted, Ciri and he would be seeing much more of.

The Chameleon would always be a place for them to go and rest their heads, a place they could always call home.

"I know I won't be… thank you both, so much, for everything," Dominik said, nodding to them both, his hand still fiddling with the swallow around his neck.

Priscilla smiled sheepishly as well, before Dandelion nodded to him, pushing his wine to the side.

"Of course Dom… I've been waiting a long time for this, but it's finally time, after so many years to pen 'the ballad of the young wolf and the swallow!" The bard said excitedly, with Priscilla nodding in agreement.

Dominik smiled as well, getting giddy himself at the idea, as more of his plan started clicking in his head. The idea of a large party, a night with all of his friends, everyone who had gotten him to this point around them, him and Ciri dancing to their song, good food, wine, friends, it was something that they always dreamed off, and dreams as they often did, would become a reality.

He met Dandelion's eyes and nodded at him and Priscilla both. "Alright, I guess I'm gonna have to accept the nickname… do you two… need anything from me for it?"

Dandelion nodded eagerly. "Of course we will! I'll grab a parchment and a quill, what we need from you my friend… is the story, you and Ciri's story, all of it."

Dominik looked at the bard strangely. "Why? Dandelion you basically know all of it already."

Priscilla shook his head next to him, as Dandelion quickly rose from his seat. He noticed the bard heading over to find parchment and a quill.

"He may already know it all, but I don't," Priscilla said, smiling at him, her blue eyes shining with excitement. "Besides, we're obviously not going to be able to fit _every _small detail in, song would be hours long if that were the case."

"So… you need to know the important parts then?" Dominik asked, just as Dandelion came back down with a quill and fresh parchment.

The bard nodded to confirm, meeting his eyes again. "Basically yes. But it's important we know the whole story, _all _the details you can provide, and later on we'll decide what to keep and what to not add."

"You… want to hear about it from the beginning then? From Cintra?" He asked, his heart thumping a bit, as Dandelion nodded, and Priscilla did the same.

"From the beginning, yes…we need to know, and understand the story of you two inside and out if we want this to be a masterpiece like we plan!" Dandelion said excitedly, and Priscilla scoffed at him.

"Oh don't be so dramatic Dandelion, you're scaring him!" Priscilla said, turning to face Dominik again with a reassuring smile. "Tell us what you can, no pressure at all… I must admit, Dandelion has told me bits… but I'm curious to hear the whole story, what you'd like to share of course."

Dominik didn't mind telling his story, because he knew, that the trials and tribulations that Ciri and he had faced were horrible yes, but in the end it made both them, and the bond they shared stronger. It made the love they had for one another grow, despite being apart for so long, the love stayed, it took a special bond to last for so long apart, one that he was blessed every day to have.

He truly considered himself, despite everything that had happened to him, the luckiest man in the world, because all he ever truly needed was her by his side.

"I don't mind, if… you want me to start at the beginning I will… the very beginning," Dominik said, squeezing the swallow, a smile coming to his face as he looked between Dandelion and Priscilla both. "Well… it started in Cintra, eleven years ago… when Ciri was the cities princess, and I was the son of its guard captain…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ciri, you're thinking about this too much," Geralt said from behind her, as she looked carefully at the case of gwent cards in front of her.

She rolled her eyes and turned back to her father. "Are you suggesting that I think less?"

Geralt rolled his eyes back at her. "You know… I regret giving you my level of sarcasm… but frankly, yes. Come on, it's Dom, you know he doesn't really want for anything, well, except you that is, and he already has that."

"Which is exactly why this is so hard…" Ciri said, sighing in disappointment, as she looked at the case of gwent cards in the stand again. "Are you sure he wouldn't like new gwent cards? I know he's been saying how if he has a new leader card he would-."

"Do you really want to encourage him to play gwent _more_, by getting him new cards?" Geralt said dryly, his arms crossed as Ciri sighed again.

She bit her lip as she turned away from the case of cards, facing Geralt again. Ciri loved Dominik she did, but Geralt was right, the less he played gwent the better for him.

"You're right… come on Geralt, there has to be _something _I could get for him," She lamented, turning back to her father as they stood near the fountain. "I thought I knew him better than anyone, I never thought getting him something would be this hard…. Come on, what does he like!"

"You mean other then you?" Geralt said, smirking as Ciri rolled her eyes in slight annoyance.

"_Yes _I mean other than me," Ciri said with a shake of her head, as she turned and looked at the multiple market stalls again. "He doesn't wear jewelry… he doesn't need new clothes or armor… why is this so hard…"

Geralt scoffed, rolling his eyes and muttering under his breath. "Know exactly what you could get him… maybe he won't be such a hardass anymore…"

Ciri, knowing exactly what Geralt was implying turned and flared at him again, her face getting red as Geralt's eyes widened.

Her father, for what she assumed was the first time in his life stuttered over his words. "O…Oh…. So… you were… already… well… planning on-."

"Yes Geralt I was," Ciri said, crossing her arms as Geralt sighed.

He held his hands up scoffing and shaking his head. "Alright sorry for the jokes… but Ciri, you know you really don't need to get him anything right? You're all he needs; all he's really wanted for the last eight years…. As much as thought makes me wanna plug my ears… I think sex is more than enough."

Ciri sighed again, turning back to the market stands. "I can't _just _do that Geralt… it would be shallow of me. Besides… after everything we've been through, what he's done for me… I just need to get him _something _else…"

She perused through the stand with gwent cards again, gwent cards, other small baubles and trinkets, nothing caught her eye that sunny morning. The merchant at the stand started glaring at her, clearly telling Ciri to either buy something or leave, to which Ciri sighed and turned back to Geralt looking at her as he stood near the fountain in Gildorf. Every idea that she had so far hadn't seemed good enough, clothes, gwent cards, necklaces and trinkets, nothing would really be able to convey what she was trying to say to him. She had felt awful at how she shot him down earlier in the morning, but she had panicked, not wanting him to figure out what she was planning.

The sun was bright that day, a chill wind sent goosebumps up her arms as she bit her lip, for some reason looking at the multiple stands she had already seen and decided there wasn't anything she wanted. Gildorf was bustling that day, and it only made Ciri more anxious seeing all the people around. They were due to leave at dawn the next morning, so she didn't have any time left to put off getting him something.

She had already made up her mind that she would make that night their first time. Quite frankly Ciri was tired of waiting, she understood why they had waited, wanting the moment to be perfect, but Ciri didn't think they'd have another moment as perfect as the one they'd have that night. The last night before going off and leaving for the final stretch of their journey, for the final battle they'd need to win before they had their freedom. Yes, it was the perfect time in Ciri's opinion, and if for some reason it wasn't, then she would make it perfect somehow, perfect for him and for her. After everything she had been through, being raped, having men twice her age proclaim their love for her, attempt to take her to rape her and force her to marry then, she was finally ready to be with a person she truly felt genuine love for, someone who loved her for her and not her title or power, who she trusted with every fiber of her being. That was Dominik, and she wasn't afraid to admit how excited she was.

However, it was as she told Geralt, she wasn't going to just have sex with him, she wanted to do something special, get him something special. She knew what Geralt said was correct, Dominik truly didn't want for anything, he had told her multiple times she was all he ever wanted in his life, and while Ciri loved that about him, loved him for it, it didn't help her current situation. She had felt horrible when she saw the upset look on his face earlier when she left, so she wanted to make it worth it, by finding something, anything for him. She had insisted Geralt come with her, however, so far her father hadn't been much help, only telling her exactly what she already knew.

Her first idea had failed, so now she was desperate for something else. Dominik had given up so much, she knew he had a hard time still trusting Avallac'h, that, along with everything that was happening with Bella, what happened with Fiona, and then of course all he did over the last eight years to find her, she would never be able to truly express in words, or with a gift how much it all meant to her. However, she was going to try her best, one way or another. She wouldn't head back to the Chameleon, until she was sure she had something she knew he'd love, he had fought Eredin himself for her, quite literally was seconds from death, all to protect her. She'd do the same for him, but she still didn't believe she had properly thanked him for that, or for never giving up looking for her, despite him saying she didn't have to say thank you.

Sex was just one thing, she knew it meant a lot to him as well yes, and he would more then likely be excited for it as she was, but still, she needed something else.

Geralt came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Ciri, don't stress out about this too much. You do know him better then anyone, you could pick a flower off the side of the road and he'd be okay with that."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head. "Geralt after everything he's done… I just need to find something else. He used to do the most romantic little things back for me in Ellander remember?"

Her father laughed and playfully rolled his eyes. "I do yeah, remember all the times he snuck you two off, night and day, Yen and I always knew, followed to make sure you were okay."

Ciri's head snapped back up to him. "You did!?"

"Of course we did, you hadn't really mastered how to stay quiet yet," He said with a smirk, crossing his arms as he looked down at her. "We always left you alone after making sure you were okay. You guys barely ever did anything, most of the time just sat and talked."

"It was my favorite thing… still is…" Ciri said, a fond smile coming to her face as she twirled the ring around her neck. "Just sitting and talking… I could do it for hours."

"With plenty of other stuff in between."

"Geralt!" Ciri said, her face getting red again as Geralt laughed.

Her father finished laughing and smiled down at her. "My point is… you don't gotta think too hard about it, he already loves you, he knows you love him, it's the little things that he likes the most you know that."

Ciri was the same way herself. She had never been one for enormous gestures of love, she knew Dominik loved her, she didn't need him to get her a wagon full of roses and plan an elaborate hours long date for her to know that. The closest he had ever done to that, she would never forget, was about a week before she had left for Aretuza and Thanedd. He had woken her up, in the dead middle of the night, and Ciri, with her hair all ragged and frazzled, with a hastily thrown on outfit had followed him towards the forest, towards the lake that they normally had gone to swim at, that was right off of the meadow they loved.

She would never forget the astonishment, the wonder, the love she felt for him when she saw what he had done. Yen had obviously helped him, the spot where they usually had their picnics, was filled with dozens of small floating lights, floating balls of fire, and candles that somehow hadn't burned anything down. The lights had been beautiful, casting their glow over them both, as he laid out food for them both, an assortment of all of her favorites, dumplings, potatoes, a bowl of fruit and somehow he even convinced Geralt and Yen to let him bring a very small amount of wine for them both, along with apple juice, and of course a crown of white roses that he had made for her.

Despite the wonder and love she felt, Ciri remembered being extremely flustered, since she was in nothing but a night gown, a cloak, with her hair a complete bird's nest. Dominik had been dressed in a similar manner, but she particularly remembered him kissing her under those lights, telling her she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, which made Ciri nearly cry on the spot.

That night had been one of the best in that year, despite it being so close to her leaving for Aretuza. They hadn't talked about it, her powers, anything, they had simply talked about their memories, the new ones they'd make, before eating, and simply laying beneath those beautiful lights together.

Dominik had done multiple other things like that, she even remembered one day he surprised her, by bringing a box of exotic chocolates he found in the market back to their room, and the two got sick eating them so fast. That was a date for her, Ciri got excited even when he simply picked a flower he thought was pretty for her off the side of the road. And even in the last few weeks he had been doing it. Despite how the night ended, she had loved the night they spent in the cave with one another. He had picked her flowers from the side of the road, complimented her at every opportunity, and she had lost count of the magical nights they spent simply huddled in each other's arms, talking about where they'd go and what they'd do when it was all over. The night he had pleasured her with his mouth had also been very high on the list for her, and she was giddy at the prospect of spending another intimate night together, finally, after waiting for so long, for that right moment.

But the bottom line was, she knew he deserved something more, and she was going to find something for him if it killed her.

Ciri sighed and met Geralt's eyes. "I know… but I just need to find something a bit more for him. We're going off to battle soon and well… I want to get him something special."

Geralt finally nodded, meeting her eyes and looking wonderingly. "Alright, alright, if you insist, we'll find something…. You really didn't think of anything else?"

She bit the inside of her cheek and sighed, reaching to the bag slung around her shoulder again. Ciri had gotten it from Faram the night before, and luckily enough had hid what she needed inside of it before Dominik had woken up.

"Yeah… I went to every smith in the city the last two days, I brought it with me in case I found another but… they all said it was broken beyond repair," She told Geralt, pulling out the half a sword.

Geralt scoffed and shook his head. "His sword? He still has the broken half?"

Ciri nodded, running her gloved hand along the corroded steel. The edges were still sharp on the sword, and Ciri was surprised that after so many years the blade still held such a fine edge. Dominik had told her how he had meticulously cared for it from the time he was fifteen, and it certainly paid off then. She remembered how distraught he was seeing it snap in half in their fight against the Crones. Some nights she saw him looking at it before bed, she knew it was much more than a sword to him, so it had been her first idea, having it repaired despite him saying they didn't have time.

"Yeah… he's still pretty upset about it. He… didn't really like the sword you gave him, said it was too heavy, and the grip didn't feel right," She told Geralt, fitting her hand around the handle of the sword.

The brown leather grip on the old steel blade was worn, but fit snuggly in Ciri's hand, and she understood then why Dominik had loved it so much. Geralt looked wonderingly at the blade, gently taking it from her and examining it for a moment, before meeting her eyes.

"Yeah, the one I gave him was older… know what he means about the grip just feeling right in your hand, some swords are like that. Sure you feel that way about your sword," Geralt said, gesturing to _Zireael _on her back.

He was right, Ciri loved the sword she had. Despite the fact it had been given to her by a madman, it had saved her, and she assumed she'd act the same way Dominik had if she lost it.

She adjusted the swords strap and met Geralt's eyes. "I do yeah… I wanted to get it fixed for him, I thought maybe a talented enough smith could put a new blade on it, so he could keep the grip. Apparently however, none are skilled enough here…"

A smirk came to Geralt's face as he handed the broken sword back to her. "Actually… there is. Most talented weaponsmith I ever met, no doubt he could fix it, probably make it better than before even… and it just so happens he owes me."

Ciri scoffed, a smile coming to her face. "Do… I want to know how?"

Geralt laughed and gestured for her to follow. "Long story… come on, let's go see him, his shop isn't far from here."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So… you think you can fix it?" Geralt asked the elf.

The elf, Hattori Geralt told her his name was, examined the broken blade before looking back to them. "Well… the blade is obviously damaged beyond repair, I'll have to weld on a new one, luckily for you, I have one already made, was supposed to be for some rich Redanian aristocrat, but the bastard hasn't paid me yet, I think that blade will be put to better use here."

A smile came to the elf's face, and Ciri felt one soon come to her as well. The elf's shop was smaller, but she had already seen the quality of some of the blades and weapons he had out on display. One such blade had almost put a hole in her glove from the softest of touches. The elf's shop hadn't been far from the Gildorf square, and overall, she and Geralt hadn't been out long, just like she had promised Dominik before she left. And now, the idea of truly being able to get his sword fixed, which had been the first real material thing she knew he wanted in a long time, she was absolutely giddy.

The elf wasn't very tall, not exceptionally large, but Geralt had promised her he was the best and after almost putting a hole in her glove, she was ready to believe him finally. The forge was hot, and she held her hands out over it as the chilly wind blew on that sunny day. She looked and realized the Chameleon wasn't far off, she had already began thinking about the next part of her plan. She'd go to see Triss when she got back, and then would spend some time with Dominik before the night came. She looked over at Geralt who smiled and turned to back to Hattori.

"How long do you think it'll take?" He asked the elf.

Hattori nodded, still examining the blade, before smiling back at them both. "Not long at all, for you and your wards Geralt, I'll gladly make this my first priority!"

"Thank you, so much, it truly does mean a lot," Ciri said, thankfully, giving the elf a small bow as the excited smiled grew on her face. "The… the grip will still be the same right? That's what he misses most, how the grip fits in his hand."

Hattori laughed and nodded reassuringly. "No problem at all my dear! I'll simply weld a new blade onto the edge after getting this one off. Same grip and all."

Ciri smiled and looked at Geralt. She loved it when he smiled, and he did so often whenever her and Dominik were together, when they all were together. Her father looked over to Hattori, and to Ciri's surprise, reached into his back pocket, and pulled out an older looking piece of parchment, meeting Hattori's eyes and handing it over to him.

"Think you can make some improvements?" Geralt asked, a small smirk coming to his face as Ciri looked at him wonderingly.

Hattori examined the parchment and scoffed a smile. "Well well well… I certainly think I can. A blade worthy of a master witcher, I'll begin working right away!"

"How much will I owe you?" Geralt asked, smiling as he crossed his arms and Ciri right away scoffed and looked at him.

"What? Geralt, no, I'll pay for it!" Ciri said.

Geralt scoffed at her now. "Ha, you're telling me you've been saving up crowns in your trips between worlds?"

"No, but I can certainly trade something for-." Ciri started, but Hattori laughed and cut them both off.

"Oho none of that now! Geralt, if not for you I'd still be hidden away rolling dumplings. For you and your wards, free of charge my friend!" The elf said, folding the parchment, and holding his hand out for Geralt.

Ciri's mouth went agape, as she smiled, the corners of her lip upturning as Geralt nodded thankfully to the elf.

"Thanks Eibear," Geralt said, shaking the man's hand.

"Truly, thank you, it means a lot," Ciri said, reaching and shaking the man's hand as well, giddily smiling at him. "About how long do you believe until it's ready?"

Hattori nodded with a smile to them both, picking up the broken sword again. "Well, considering I already have a worthy enough blade, I simply need to weld it on, and make the improvements. After that, I need but polish and sharpen it, should only take a few hours or so, should be able to have it done by sunset."

Ciri nodded excitedly, it would be perfect timing, and again she thankfully bowed to the master swordsmith, with Geralt doing the same.

"Bring it by the Chameleon later tonight, Dandelion had the idea of having a big bash there, come by and get yourself a drink, I'll make sure it's on the house, thanks again Eibear," Geralt said thankfully again, before the elf gave them both a bow.

"I'll be sure to stop by once it's ready, see you both in a couple of hours," The elf said, before looking down at the sword one last time, and returning quickly into his home.

She and Geralt both took this as their cue to head back. Ciri looked up and smiled at him before they both turned to started walking back towards the Chameleon.

A chilly breeze shot through her, but Ciri felt so warm them, that it didn't bother her at all. She had loved these moments in the previous few weeks, where she had felt like a giddy little girl again. In those moments, the moments she spent with Dominik, Geralt, and all of their friends, she felt what it was like to be a normal young woman. She wasn't a child of the elder blood, didn't have some great destiny, she simply was living her life, the people around her making it the life she had always dreamed of.

Dominik of course was a large reason for that, he had been making her feel that way, feel that intense, passionate love, the love that made her feel like she was a normal person since they were children. Of course there had been some boys and men she had been infatuate with as a young girl, Hjalmar being the most notable among them, however, it all changed when she met Dominik. Over the years of course there had been Mistle, more men and women both that she had been infatuated with for a short while, just like other than just Freya, she knew there had to be at least a few that Dominik had been infatuated with as well.

She had always known deep down however, that it was always going to be him. Ever since she first met him, even at eleven-years-old, while even if it wasn't romantic, he had made her feel special. When Ciri was around him, she wasn't a princess, didn't have to act prim and proper, Dominik didn't like playing with her because she was a princess, but because she was who she was, her own person, not all what the title said she was. It had started out as simple infatuation, a childhood crush. Dominik looked like just like his father Gregory even then, both being extremely handsome, handsome yes, but also extremely kind and compassionate, and Ciri simply felt safe when she was around them both. Gregory had promised her, all the time growing up, that one day she would meet her son, when the time was right.

And after that night on the balcony at that ball, the first time she had met him, she knew that what Gregory had always told her was true. She would always have Dominik with her, he'd always be there for her. And he was, even during the years they spent apart, his memory, the thoughts of him, the way he made her feel, it had been one of the driving forces to get her through all those dangerous times. She had wanted that life, the life that they always planned together.

They didn't want power; they didn't want to go and rule lands or work to gain more power for themselves. All she wanted, and she knew all he wanted, was to have their freedom, together, with their friends and family there, and now there was also Fiona as well, Dominik's child surprise.

No… _their _child surprise. It was only another thing on the list of things they would finally get when they dealt with the hunt, when they finally got that life they wanted. They could give Fiona the exciting, loving life that Geralt and Yen had given them while she grew up, and just like Geralt and Yen as well, they would always be there for her. The sight of Dominik, Fiona over his shoulder, the two of them pelting snow at each other, their laughs, the smiles on their faces, it brought one to Ciri's face then as they walked, the ring trembled, and she twirled it in her hands, her cheeks getting red as the thought had her heart fluttering.

However, their journeys with Fiona and their friends were a ways off, for that night, she'd make it about the two of them. She'd never be able to show him the extent of how much she loved him, how much he meant to her, but she would do everything she could.

And she would d belying if she said that over the previous few weeks, and the previous few years, she didn't imagine and dream about their first time together when it finally came. She was going to make it perfect, just like she always had promised.

But first, she needed to talk to Triss, the first one she had ever admitted her feelings for Dominik too. Yennefer was her mother, she loved the sorceress with everything she had, but just like Geralt, she assumed the idea of her and Dominik having sex would make her slightly uncomfortable, and she'd start fussing over them both. With everything already on her plate, Ciri didn't want to add that to her mothers list of worries. However, what Yen had said two days prior when she thought Ciri was pregnant, when in reality Ciri had simply worded her the news about Fiona wrong, was something that she had planned for when she was planning out the night for Dominik and her. She knew there had to be some kind of spell that could stop her from getting pregnant, so that no accidents happened.

That was the last thing she wanted to add to her and Dominik's list of problems.

"So… been meaning to talk to you actually," Geralt said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She blinked a few times and looked back to her father, as they both were only a block or so away from the Chameleon now. The streets were slightly emptier, but Ciri made sure to keep her hood pulled up, as protection from guards and the cold wind. She met Geralt's eyes, and her stomach began to churn, she had seen the look in her father's eyes before, and it normally meant a serious talk.

Ciri sighed and bit the inside of her cheek. "And… why haven't you? You've seen me all day the last two days."

Geralt narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Needed to talk to you… alone, without Dom around."

Her eyes widened, her face getting redder as she sighed and quickly shook her head. "Geralt look, you've known that we were going to have sex eventually basically our whole lives, I understand the thought makes you uncomfortable, but-."

"No… it isn't that," Geralt said, his tone lowering, as Ciri looked up and met his eyes.

She could see the wondering look in her father's eyes. She recognized the look he got when he wanted to talk about a serious topic. Ciri quite frankly wasn't in the mood for a serious talk, wanting to focus simply on the last night they all had there. However, she knew that Geralt wouldn't have that look in his eyes, unless it truly was serious.

Ciri carefully nodded as they walked. "Okay… then what is it?"

Geralt sighed and looked deep into her eyes. "So… you know how Avallac'h and I went to Tir'Nala? Met with Ge'els, brought him here to see Eredin poison the old king?"

All the warmth built up in her body dripped out of her like a leaky pipe.

"Yes…" She said, goosebumps traveling up and down her arms.

Geralt narrowed his eyes at her again. "When we got back here, Ge'els asked me if I really trusted Avallac'h. I don't, but I know we need to trust him to beat Eredin."

Her hand went up to the ring, squeezing it as Geralt loudly sighed, putting a soft hand on her shoulder, and pulling her to the side of the street. The two of them stopped between two buildings, and when Geralt looked back at her, his eyes softened. Despite it however, when Ciri met his eyes, she had to cross her arms to stop them from trembling, her one hand still held around the ring.

"He asked me if I even knew what Avallac'h did to you…" He said, sighing and reaching a handout onto her shoulder and looking softly into her eyes. "Ciri… why didn't you tell me and Yen?"

"I thought you would try to kill Avallac'h… and as much of an ass as he is… we need him," Ciri said, the cold wind suddenly chilling her bones to the core.

Geralt scoffed, his eyes suddenly growing hard. "You're lucky I've mastered the art of self-control over the last hundred years… even then, I almost cut his fucking throat right there."

"Did you tell Yen…" Ciri said, her voice smaller and lower.

"No, you kidding? She'll _definitely _kill him for it, without a second thought, doesn't matter what we need him for," Geralt said, crossing his arms as he sighed and slowly shook his head. "Ciri… you know I trust your intuition better than anyone… but how the hell could you have trusted him after that? I know for a fact you're not that naïve."

Ciri had asked herself that question multiple times over the previous few months traveling with Avallac'h.

_'A pear in pig shit,', 'A diamond on the finger of a rotting corpse,', 'your repulsive human skin'. _

The words had often played in her mind. Months upon months she was forced to hear them, over and over again, being degraded, forced to feel like trash on the side of the road. All of this, while she was promised salvation, promised to be able to go back to her world. However, the entire time, Eredin, Ge'els, and of course Avallac'h were planning on keeping her trapped their forever. Geralt was right, trusting someone who had done that to her before seemed like a foolish thing, especially since Ciri knew for a fact that even to that day, Avallac'h was using her for something. The sage didn't care about her, only the power in her blood, and what she could do for him.

She bit down on her bottom lip, gripping the ring tighter around her neck. The ring, she remembered looking at it every night while she was trapped there. It not only reminded her of Dominik, but of Geralt, Yennefer, their life in Ellander, that brilliant life she had missed so much. She had yearned for it, craved it, wanted that love, that feeling of safety and family back.

However, Avallac'h, Eredin, they had taken it from her, all under the guise of protection, telling her it was her 'destiny' to bare Auberon's children, to right Lara Dorren's mistake. The truth of the matter, however, was Lara Dorren had done nothing wrong, there was no mistake she made for Ciri to correct, and her destiny wasn't in Tir'Nala, her destiny was next to her, Geralt, Dominik, her family.

She looked and met Geralt's eyes, sighing and shaking her head. "I had no choice Geralt. I didn't trust him either, I still don't, why would I? But… as much as I hate to admit it… Eredin was on my heels, Avallac'h was the only chance I had for some form of protection, so that maybe I could learn control of my powers and could head back off by myself… maybe come back. He told me that he could help me… that one day I could control my powers, and maybe go back home…"

"He told you basically that exact same thing the first time you met didn't he?" Geralt said, his arms crossed as he looked at her.

Ciri sighed again, nodding as she met his gaze. "He did yeah… and I was a foolish little girl then to believe him. But this time… I needed him as much as I hate to admit it."

"You know he's using you Ciri, he isn't teaching you control of your powers for your own benefit, he wants something out of it, you're not naïve enough to think otherwise."

"You're right, I'm not. I'm well aware he wants something from me… just like he did back then," Ciri said, shaking her head, as her annoyance started to grow. "Bastard hasn't even apologized for it, doesn't think he did anything wrong. I know he has some plan… I don't know what it is, could be bad… could be nothing but, well…"

"We need him, if we want to eliminate the bigger threat…" Geralt said with a sigh, shaking his head. "I know you can take care of yourself… but if I see him making one move to harm you I'll-."

"I know… and I'm thankful for it," Ciri said, shakily sighing as she composed herself and looked down at the ring. "I… I spent months there… every day I was forced to go to his bed chamber… made me feel like nothing… gods it was horrible, my mind was in shambles afterwards… all because Avallac'h and Eredin sent me there, and wanted to keep me trapped…"

Geralt reached out, and put another hand on her shoulder, before pulling her in for a hug. Ciri shakily sighed and wrapped her arms up around him. The warmth his hug sent through her was reassuring, comforting, and as she always did around Geralt she felt safe, like nothing would ever harm her.

Her destiny, one of her destinies.

Her father pulled back, holding a hand on her shoulder a smile coming to his face. "You know… always said, you and Dom, you're the two strongest people I know."

Upon hearing Dominik's name her eyes widened, and her gaze darted up to him. "Dom… he… does he-."

"No he doesn't," Geralt said, shaking his head, before scoffing and crossing his arms. "You saw what he did to him two days ago. If he figured out about this… don't even think you'd be able to stop him from killing Avallac'h."

Ciri bit the inside of her cheek, it had been a debate inside her mind for weeks. She knew that she'd have to tell Dominik about what happened. She wouldn't keep something so huge, so scarring, so horrible that happened to her from him. However, it was as Geralt said, Ciri had been lucky she was able to stop him from killing Avallac'h after the news about Bella.

If he learned that Avallac'h had been the one to force her to Auberon's bedchamber… then she knew nothing would stop him from killing the elf.

"I know he would… but Geralt I… I have to tell him, I can't keep something like this from him, I won't lie to him about it," Ciri said, looking and meeting her father's eyes.

Geralt sighed and shook his head, "Ciri… you know I'd never advocate for that unless it was serious… and this is one of those times. It's just like why I won't tell Yen… you know how they both get; how protective they are."

"I do… to be honest it's one of the things I love about them both," She said, looking down at the ring around her neck again.

"Same with me… and hell, Avallac'h deserves it," Geralt admitted, crossing his arms and looking down at her. "But like you said, we need him as annoying as that is… so let's hold off telling Dom and Yen about this, for as long as we can."

Ciri bit her lip, the very idea sent uncomfortable tingles down her spine. However, she did remember Dominik saying he understood why she hadn't told him. Eredin had talked about it at the battle of Kaer Morhen, so Dominik knew Avallac'h had done something to her, and he understood why Ciri hadn't told him about it.

However, Ciri also knew she shouldn't give him any other reason than he already had for wanting to kill the sage. One of the things she loved most about Dominik truly was his protectiveness, he inherited it from Yen, Geralt and his parents. She loved it because it was the perfect balance of him letting her fight her own battles and being there when he needed to be. She had always safe around him, he gave her that feeling of safety and assurance. She was the same for him, it was what she believed made them feel like a perfect team. They cared, loved, and trusted each other with every bit of themselves.

She also firmly believed, that over the years he had been alone, Dominik became one of the most levelheaded people she knew, besides of course Geralt and other witchers. It was a contrast to herself, where she would admit many times she'd let her anger or annoyance get the better of her. Normally it was Dominik holding her back, it was something that she also appreciated greatly, knowing he was always there for her int hat sense as well.

In the previous few days however, the rolls had bene reversed, it was part of the reason she was so stunned by his anger a few days prior. It wasn't because he didn't have good reason, or that she believed he was in the wrong, but simply because she had never seen him in such a state.

And if he learned the truth about what Avallac'h did, Ciri knew she'd see an even worse rage. He would never harm her she knew, but she assumed he'd have no problem shoving her hand of his shoulder and cutting Avallach's throat for what he had done.

She sighed and met Geralt's gaze. "You're right… I love them for it, but I know how what he'd do…. But as soon as this is all over-."

"As soon as this is all over, the three of us will all sit down… and tell each other everything," Geralt promised, the sun glinting off his silver hair as he smiled. "We never really had the proper time… so once this is over, it's what we'll do."

A small smile came back to her face. That was something she had been wanting to do for the longest time, even after she had come back. She wanted to sit down, all of them, her, Dominik, Geralt, cups of wine, a fire, and simply tell what had happened. Geralt had known small bits of what happened to her after Thanedd, and Dominik did as well, but neither of them knew the full extent. There was so much she'd need to tell them both, and while she had started explaining bits to them, the whole entire story would need much more time, and a decent amount of wine if she was being honest.

Geralt and Dominik both as well, she wanted to hear everything. Geralt she knew had gathered a group of his friends to save her, she had again only heard small bits, but she wanted to hear more, why each of them came, what they were like. And then of course there was Dominik, who spent eight years on the Path of a witcher, starting at sixteen, because he had refused to stop looking for her for a moment. She had heard about some contracts of course, some of the leads he had followed, but she knew there were still dark moments, dark times that she hadn't heard about.

And when she finally sat down and heard the stories from both of them, she knew it would only increase her love for them both more.

She nodded, smiling up at Geralt. "That… sounds amazing… as soon as it's all over…"

Geralt smiled back at her, a hand going to her back as he gestured for them to move again. "Yeah… but let's just focus on tonight. Dandelion's planning on having a few people by, good wine, food, music, dancing… perfect opportunity for… well…"

"Geralt!" Ciri said, scoffing a smile, her face getting red as Geralt laugh. She heard him laugh and did the same, reaching and hugging around his shoulders again. "Thanks for coming with me…. I'm… really excited for him to see it."

He hugged her back, smiling at her while he did. "So am I… the two of you happy, safe… all I ever wanted. So… got anything else you need to do?"

Ciri's heart felt warm, as she pulled back and nodded. "Yes, I wanted to talk to Triss when we got back. She should still be there right?"

Geralt slightly narrowed his eyes and nodded. "She is… why do you ask?"

Her face got red again as she quickly shook her head. "I just… needed to ask her something is all. Come on, let's get going, I'm actually really looking forward to tonight."

Again, Geralt seemed to understand what she meant and sighed, nodded to her. "Lead the way."

The two of them both set back out towards the Chameleon again, which wasn't far from where they had stopped. Ciri despite the serious nature of the conversation they just had, simply couldn't stop the giddy smile from coming to her face. From her heart, all the way through her body she felt the excited tingling, like she was really a normal woman, looking forward to a night of drinking with her friends, spending the night with the man she was in love with. She told herself then and there, that she wouldn't think about anything else, anything other then that night she wanted to spend with Dominik.

And if anyone tried to make her think about anything other than that, she'd show her claws.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Um… guys?" Dominik asked oddly, gently twirling the ring around his neck, as Priscilla scoffed and shook her head over towards Dandelion.

"No! We can't not include a bit about their time in Ellander, it's critical to the story of them both falling in love!" Priscilla argued, her hands on her hips as they both stood up now.

Dandelion scoffed and shook his head. "Oh come on this isn't a play we're writing! We establish early on that they loved each other! Their time alone needs to be emphasized, so that the reunion is more emotional!"

"Dandelion… Priscilla, I really don't think it-." He tried again, but Pricilla cut him off again by scoffing and shaking her head.

She met Dandelion's gaze with wide eyes. "The love story is the crux of the song! The time alone won't feel like anything if we don't emphasize the time they _spent _together!"

"You didn't know them when they were kids, anyone who looked at them could tell that they loved each other," Dandelion said with a disagreeing shake of the head. "We need to make sure it flows correctly and-."

"You always do this!" Priscilla said, crossing her arms.

Dandelion scoffed. "Do what!?"

"Patronize me! I know what I'm talking about, the love needs to be emphasized," Priscilla said with another scoff and shake of her head. "Adding in a bit about their time in Ellander will also contextualize who they are! They fell in love and trained with Geralt and Yennefer!"

"But we also need to save room for everything up till now!" Dandelion argued back, as Dominik's eyes kept darting between the two of them. "The Battle of Kaer Morhen will take up a decent chunk as well, in case you didn't realize, Dominik fighting Eredin to save Ciri was a big deal!"

"You mean got my ass kicked by Eredin…" Dominik mumbled from his spot on the table, the scar running down his right cheek suddenly trembling.

Dominik had indeed told Dandelion and Priscilla the entire story. He began all the way back in Cintra, meeting Ciri on that balcony of Cintra's castle, the year they spent together before escaping the cities sack. Dandelion had been aghast to learn Cahir had been the one who killed Dominik's mother, and supposedly Bella, and tried to argue the man's good nature to him. Dominik however ignored it, and went on, telling them about he and Ciri's time on the run, before they both eventually found Geralt. He even told them both about the multiple conversations he had with Geralt on the way to Kaer Morhen.

He leaned back on the table and sighed, darting his eyes back and forth between Priscilla and Dandelion again as they argued, decided it best not to intervene at the moment, as the memories all came flooding back to him, helping him realize just how far they had come.

As his father was dying, Dominik would never forget the words to find Geralt of Rivia, to find Ciri, and then find the witcher. However, even after finding Geralt, Dominik had been hesitant to trust him right away, even with Ciri's assurances. Too many people had tried to kidnap her, to take her away, and with nightmares getting worse and worse every night, he slept very little on their trip to the witcher keep. Multiple nights he'd stay up with Geralt, simply eying the witcher and the fire, keeping watch over Ciri as she slept. In his hysteria at that age, a small part of him thought that if he did fall asleep, Geralt would take Ciri, and leave him there, that he'd lose her, the last person he had left.

One night when Dominik was awake, after not having slept for a good two to three days straight, he remembered being up around the fire, next to Ciri lightly snoring next to him. Geralt had almost scared him out of his shoes when the witcher came back with a few pieces of firewood, and that had been the first time Dominik ever had a proper conversation with him. Geralt had told him he should sleep, that the journey to Kaer Morhen was still days away, but Dominik had quickly responded that he didn't need sleep, and that he was alright, that he needed to look after Ciri.

_"I'll make sure nothing, or nobody gets her," Geralt said. "And you as well, I'll look after you both."_

_ "We looked after ourselves fine," Young Dominik snapped back. "I'm not going to ever let her be taken again… by anyone."_

_ "You think I'm trying to take her?" Geralt said._

_ "I don't know, I just met you," Dominik said, his young eyes narrowing. "I could sleep, and then you'll take her away and leave me here… and I'll be alone again."_

_ Geralt shook his head. "I'm here for you both, not just her."_

_ "And you're saying you would have taken me, even if Ciri hadn't insisted I come?" Dominik said. _

_ "I would have," Geralt said, shaking his head and meeting his eyes. "Wouldn't have left you alone there, and I don't think you would have let me."_

_ "I wouldn't have! I would have chased you, caught you and got her back," Dominik quickly responded, looking over at a snoring Ciri next to him. "I… I'd do anything to keep her safe… she means more to me than anyone… especially now… now that everyone's dead…"_

_ "I'm sorry."_

_ "What are you sorry for?" Dominik said, his eyes tearing up, the thoughts of his father, mother and Bella all coming back to him. "I have Ciri still… I'll always have her, and she'll always have me."_

_ "Yes… but you still lost your family," Geralt responded. "That type of loss hangs with you, eats at you, you won't forget that night for a long time."_

_ "I don't want to forget!" Dominik snapped, his head shooting back to meet Geralt's eyes. "I'm going to make sure Ciri's safe, and then… and then I'm going to find that knight in the helmet… and I'm going to kill him for what he did to us both!"_

_ Geralt slowly shook his head at him. "That's just your anger talking, you won't want to do that."_

_ "And how would you know!? I don't know you, you don't know me, what I've been through, what me and Ciri have been through!" Young Dominik snapped again. _

_ Geralt's yellow eyes softened as he shook his head. "Maybe not exactly no… but I know what it's like to be consumed by revenge, a thirst for vengeance. I've been through it myself; I've seen it tare men apart at the seams. It's a never-ending cycle. Let's say you find this knight in the winged helmet, and you do kill him, what then? What if he had a brother, a cousin that now wants revenge on you, and you have to fight even more? Let's even say you kill that next person that comes to avenge the knight, what will you do then? Do you think you'll be able to live your life after that? You won't. Because then you'll have to live with the knowledge that you killed a man who wrong you in no way at all._

_No, no Dominik, you can't let yourself be consumed by anger and vengeance, no matter who it's directed at. You don't trust me? I can understand. You've been through much, you and Ciri both, lost much, and at every turn it seems that someone else is trying to capture or kill you both. You're young, and you're responding by lashing out, being mistrusting. This is a good thing later in life, it's smart to be careful who you trust. However, if as a person, you let hate, vengeance, anger and mistrust completely overtake you, then how will you ever move forward in life? You may not trust me… but do you have someone who you do trust?"_

_ Dominik looked aghast at the witcher, before looking down at a sleeping Ciri. "I trust Ciri… more than anyone."_

_ "That's good, you need that, you need that in life," Geralt said, looking deep into Dominik's young emerald eyes. "I understand, it may take a while, but I hope to not only gain your trust, but teach lessons that you'll remember a decade from now. And let this be one of them. Don't let yourself be overtaken by hatred, a thirst for revenge to the point where it stops you from being able to trust people. Because… if we lose our ability to trust and to believe in others, then we risk becoming less human then even the monster you'll learn about."_

_ "I… I think I understand… my… my father always said, the true measure of a person, is the choices they make…" Young Dominik said, as he tried to suppress a yawn. _

_ Geralt smiled at him and nodded. "Your father was a smart man…. A brave and honorable one as well."_

_ "You… you met him before?" Dominik asked. _

_ "I have yes…" Geralt said, slowly nodding and meeting Dominik's eyes. "And it may have been brief… but he taught me many things…. I think you'll grow to be just like him."_

_ Young Dominik yawned again, looking down at a snoring Ciri, before looking back to Geralt again. "I… I think I'll sleep but… but just for a bit, after that, I can keep watch!"_

_ Geralt laughed and smiled at him. "Alright… sound like a plan, rest now Dominik… I'll keep watch for now."_

Dominik would never forget that night, that first conversation with Geralt. He had been thinking about it a lot the previous two days. It helped him realize, that he was teetering closer to that edge Geralt had been speaking about with revenge and anger. Two days prior, while he still held the belief that Avallac'h did in fact know about Bella, he had almost finally let his anger get the better of him. If not for Ciri, all of their plans would have been ruined, all the hard work towards gaining their life together would have been gone. He had wanted with every fiber of his being to kill the sage in that moment, but Ciri had been right in the end.

Their life, their future, him, Ciri and Fiona, that was more important then his anger at the sage. Besides, it made little difference now if the sage knew or not, because he was going to get Bella back, he knew it.

"Dom, did you hear us!?" Dandelion said, making him jump in the seat he was in.

Dominik let go of the swallow and looked over at the bard. "Um… all I heard was you two arguing, what is it?"

Priscilla glared and rolled her eyes ta Dandelion before looking to him. "We wanted to know, if you wanted us to include a part about the child surprise you and Ciri found, what was her name again?"

"Fiona," He said, a smile coming to her face as he could see the girl's excited eyes. "And let's hold off on that for now."

Dandelion's eyes widened and he shook his head. "But it's so poetic! We sing earlier in the song about Geralt and Yennefer raising you and Ciri both, and then you two go off to raise a child surprise yourself!"

Dominik rolled his own eyes at the bard. "As poetic as it is, I don't want any unwanted attention brought on her. Hold off on singing about her… do you two need me still? I still want to go and see Triss."

"What do you need to see Triss for?" Priscilla said, as Dominik finally stood from the stool.

He felt himself get slightly red. "Well… I have the song yeah, but well… I wanna get her something else. Something special, and I know Yen's busy keeping the sorceresses from killing each other, my friends are all hung over, Geralt's out with Ciri, and well… Triss was the first one I ever told I loved Ciri, thought it would be poetic as you put it."

Dominik would never forget that night. Ciri had confided in him, that she as well had told Triss that she had feelings for him. The sorceress came at a critical time in their lives, and he truly didn't know if he every would have had the confidence to kiss Ciri for the first time if not for the sorceress.

The first time that Ciri kissed him, the first time they kissed overall had of course been when she saved him from falling off the pendulums. However, as elated as he was she had kissed him after that, in the few days following, the two of them both had both been incredibly awkward around each other. He knew what it was now, the two of them had both of course wanted to kiss each other again, but the both of them were too incredibly nervous to do so. It was after one awkward dinner, and awkward hug before bed, that Dominik had finally broken down and went to Triss.

He asked the sorceress what she thought he should do, and Triss had laughed at him, telling to simply 'do it'.

_"Just do it!? How in the world am I supposed to do that!?" Young Dominik said. _

_ Triss laughed and shook her head. "Well… you go see her, you put your lips on hers, move them, and that's what we call-."_

_ "Triss!" He cut her off. _

_ Triss only laughed more as she looked down at him with a smile. "Alright, alright I'm sorry for the jokes… but I'm serious Dominik… you both kissed already right?"_

_ "Yes…" Young Dominik said, fondly feeling his lips tingle. _

_ "Exactly," Triss said, smiling and putting a hand on his shoulder. "You go to her, compliment her, give her a hug, and then… you just kiss her."_

_ "But what if she doesn't kiss me back?" He asked nervously. _

_ Triss rolled her eyes playfully. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that Dominik."_

_ "And how do you know?" He asked her. _

_ "I'm a sorceress… but also a woman, with eyes, and have been watching you both for months," She said, holding a hand on his shoulder and smiling. "I don't think she'll mind if you kiss her at all… now go on."_

_ Young Dominik's eyes widened. "Now!?"_

_ "Yes now, go on! I'll make sure nobody knows your out of bed, head to her room before she goes to sleep, hurry now!" Triss said, urging him out of her room. _

Triss had indeed kept her word, and Dominik had done exactly what she said. He remembered his hands nervously shaking as he walked the few steps up towards Ciri's room that was above him. He had even stopped in front of her door, practicing what he was going to say, and finally worked up the courage to knock on Ciri's door, which was odd in its own right, because she had told him multiple times he didn't have to knock.

_"Who is it?" Young Ciri asked from behind the door. _

_ "Ciri it… it's me," Dominik said, followed by him hearing a scoff. _

_ Ciri came and opened the door for him. She poked her head out, looked both ways down the steps, before quickly pulling him in her room. Young Dominik had blushed, seeing she was in just her trousers, and night gown, as she looked at him and laughed. _

_ "Ha, I thought I told you that you didn't have to knock you stupid boy," She said, with a smile, before they both laughed. _

_ Young Dominik bit his lip, before looking deep into her eyes. "Ha, sorry I… I just… needed to.. um… tell you something."_

_ Ciri saw him looking at her like he always had, like she was the most beautiful person in the world. Her cheeks got slightly flustered, only inches from him already. _

_ "Okay… what is it?" She asked him, her eyes widening. _

_ Everything he had practiced before he knocked went completely out the door as he bit his bottom lip nervously. _

_ "I… um… wanted to say that… today at um… um training, you… you… um…" He said, rubbing the back of his head. _

_ "I… what?" Ciri said, her own face getting red as she looked at him. _

_ Young Dominik shakily sighed and nervously laughed. "Ha.. you… you were… really good at well… that four step- half-turn combo Geralt showed us!"_

_ He had rapidly spoke towards the end, his words jumbling. Upon hearing his words, he remembered looking at Ciri, and seeing her face slightly fall. _

_ And when the sad look appeared on her face, just like it always did, he wanted to do everything to make her feel better. So, he took Triss's advice to heart._

_ Ciri bit the inside of her cheek and nodded. "Oh… um… well… thank you. You were good too… tomorrow do you want to-."_

_ He kissed her yes, but it was the most awkward kiss certainly they ever shared. It lasted a second, and he almost missed her lips, kissing the corner of them. However, when Ciri felt it, she froze, her cheeks getting red, and Dominik right away felt his own face get red. He bit his lip and took a step back. _

_ "I um… I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry," He said, shaking his head as young Ciri still looked completely stunned. "I… I just thought… thought that well you would-."_

_ "Dominik… you… you can kiss me again…" She cut him off, looking deep into his eyes, the red hue stretching all the way across her cheeks. _

_ "I… I can?" He said, his own face hearing up. _

_ Ciri nodded, stepping closer to him, her hands slowly going to his shoulder. "Ye…yeah… yeah you can…"_

_ Dominik nodded as well, his small arms going around her waist, before leaning in and kissing her, properly that time. _

After that had happened, they kissed for another minute or two, before Triss knocked at Ciri's door. The sorceress had simply smirked at them both, before telling Dominik he should get to bed. Neither of them had wanted to kiss in front of Triss, so they resigned to hugging one another, before Dominik had gone back to his room. He remembered being so elated, so happy with what happened, he hugged Triss before he entered his room, thanking her a hundred times over.

And now, over ten years later, he thought that it was, as Dandelion liked to call it 'poetic', that Triss help him find a gift for her, on the eve of their final quest.

Dandelion looked and nodded in understanding. "No problem at all. Priscilla and I will have this done soon, and as soon as Freya gets up, we'll start on dinner."

Dominik scoffed. "With how much she drunk last night… you may wanna try to get her up now."

Priscilla's eyes widened and she nodded in agreement. "Yes… you do have a good point. I never thought she'd be able to put so much back…"

Dominik and Dandelion both grimly nodded, remembering that Freya had almost drank Faram and George under the table the previous night. George and Faram were from Toussaint and Skellige, two places where wine and ale were practically a religion.

Priscilla jogged up the steps towards the room, and Dominik looked at the light streaming in through the door and windows. It was a few hours from sunset, and he was sure that between Triss and himself, they could find something for Ciri in sufficient time. Finding something for Ciri wasn't the only thing he needed to talk to Triss about however, he simply hadn't spoken to the sorceress as much as he would have liked since they had been back. He was so pre-occupied with what happened at Claywitch, Fiona, Bella, his anger at Avallac'h, that he hadn't taken the time to talk to her, or even Ida and Keira, who came at his request for more than a few moments.

He wondered however where Ciri could be. He knew of course that she didn't wish to spent _every _second together, however, he couldn't help but feel slightly left out that she and Geralt had gone off without him. However, the idea of setting up the perfect night for her when she got back spurred him on, and a smile came to his face, turning back to Dandelion, the idea in his head starting to formulate more.

"Dandelion do you… have extra candles?" He asked the bard.

Dandelion nodded, eyeing him curiously. "Yes I'm sure I could find some… why do you ask?"

"No reason!" Dominik said quickly, shaking his head. "No reason at all, Ciri and I were just… cold last night… and do you maybe… know a good florist in town?"

"A few yes…." The bard said, crossing his arms with a small smirk coming to his face.

Dominik's own face got red, but he trudged on. "Good… and um… what about sweets, chocolate, candy… oh and um… wine?"

The bard tried to contain himself but couldn't. Dandelion laughed; the smirk ever present on his face as he looked at Dominik wonderingly.

"Well, well, well… a song, a gift, candles, flowers, chocolate, wine…" The bard said, the smirking ever present. "Could it be that… you're planning… a bit _more _than just an exchange of gifts with Ciri this evening my young friend?"

"Shut up!" Dominik hissed, his face getting red as he shook his head. "That's none of your-."

"Hey! Excuse me, sorry but the inn is closed, did the both of you read the sign?" Dandelion said, coming up next to him, a hard tone coming to his voice.

Dominik wondered what had the bard in such a changed mood, but the voice he heard mad Dominik whirl around himself quickly as well.

"Kid said I could come by for drink for you know… saving his life and all," The slightly smug, playful tone rang in his ears.

Dominik scoffed a smiled shook his head as he finally turned. "Ha, Elise! No need to worry Dandelion she's a friend but… who's that with-."

Elise had showed up in all her glory, both sabers at her belt along with her crossbow, dressed in her black combat armor. Her frizzy red hair was tied tightly back in a bushy ponytail, and at first he saw only her, but soon someone else stepped up from behind her, making Elise smirk wildly as she looked back to them. He expected Elise to say something, but the person, who turned out to be a person Dominik knew as well spoke up.

"I… do apologize for the intrusion on your fine establishment master Dandelion," The now sole ruler of Redania said, a smile coming to her face at the stunned looks on both Dominik and Dandelion's faces. "However, I did hear great things, and well… I'm quite thirsty, I'd love to have a cup of wine before the long treck back to Tretogor."

"Adda!? I mean… um… your majesty," Dominik said, hastily bowing, with a stunned Dandelion doing the same next to him.

The bard quickly shook his head, meeting Adda's eyes. "Your majesty, forgive my rudeness, if I knew it was you I would never have-."

Adda laughed, throwing her own red hair behind her head, waving the comment off.

"Oh it's no trouble at all, I should be the one apologizing. My father always told me I had a flare for the dramatic," The Queen said, smiling and turning to meet Dominik's eyes. "Dominik… it's good to see you again. I'm glad you seem to be recovered well, Elise told me quite the story of what happened at Kaer Morhen, and two days ago."

Dominik looked deep into Adda's brown eyes, and he saw the genuine nature of her comment. Seeing Adda with Elise dutifully behind her however, speaking of Kaer Morhen, it reminded him of Arno, and suddenly the crossbow at his waist felt heavy. He remembered that no matter if he believed he could truly trust the Queen yet; she was still a reason he and Ciri were both alive.

If Adda hadn't sent Arno, Arno never would have been able to make that sacrifice for him and Ciri. She also remembered what Elise had said, that Arno had been protecting Adda since the first time her curse was lifted, that they were good friends. So Dominik gave her a small bow.

Along with all of this, owing her in the end, Dominik knew that Adda still had wanted his aid. The woman in front of him now, was currently the second most powerful person politically on the continent, so he knew it wouldn't be smart to make an enemy of her. Despite what Elise had told him, about Adda being different, he had met too many rulers, seen too many let power and control get to their head, that he couldn't not keep his guard up. Her husband had just been assassinated, and she was the one who orchestrated it, her husband had been one of those crazed rulers, and while she seemed calm and composed now, she knew that was how most turned out.

Queen Calanthe would always be the greatest ruler he ever had known. It could be just because he knew her personally, but Dominik truly believed it. She was hard on her enemies, but kind and caring to the ones she cared about. She was a fair and just in her rule, and what Dominik thought every ruler should strive to be.

'_Still keeping an eye on Ciri for me?' _She would always ask him that question, before ruffling his hair, and smiling at him.

Ciri as well was something he needed to think about. While the idea of helping Adda tear down everything Emhyr had built was appealing, it would be up to Ciri what they did. Of course as well, he had to consider Fiona as well, he wouldn't go about bringing her into a war. To top it all off, the more he associated himself with Adda, the more likely Nilfgaard would figure out. After everything was over, Ciri, Geralt, Yen and he all planned on hiding her from the Emperor, which he knew would be easy enough with them traveling. However, that could be compromised if he wasn't careful what he agreed and didn't agree to help Adda with.

Because, whether the new Queen was genuinely worried about his wellbeing or not, he knew that was what she was there for.

He bowed to Adda and rose to meet her eyes. "It's good to see you as well your majesty… and well, I have to thank you. If not for Elise I'd have died and… if not for.. Arno, I'd be dead as well."

At the mention of Arno, Adda finally faltered, her gaze going to the floor for a moment, as behind her he heard Elise shakily inhale. The Queen recovered first, meeting his eyes and grimly nodded. She was wearing near the same thing she had worn when Dominik first met her. A long red dress, brown gloves and a black hood that she had pulled down around her shoulders. Her red hair shone in the sunlight streaming in as she sighed.

"Yes… I share in your sentiment, I'm glad I sent them as well," Adda said, composing herself and meeting his eyes again. "As I am sure you're aware… things are changing Dominik of Cintra. I must return to Tretogor, and well I was hoping that we could speak one last time privately, before we both leave on… much bigger journeys."

Dominik looked to Dandelion, who slowly nodded at him, before bowing to Adda and returning towards the bar. He turned back to Adda, seeing that Elise had come up next to her as well, and he slowly nodded with another bow.

"Of course," He said, looking and meeting her eyes. "I… assume Elise has told you what Geralt and I are doing next?"

Adda nodded. "She has yes…. And I promise I won't try to sway you from that goal… I simply wish for the same thing I asked when we first met. Simply a moment of your time. I won't be asking you to make any commitments… I simply ask you listen."

The Queen spoke with such composure and grace, he felt the need to bow again. However, he stood tall, knowing that he owed Adda that much, and wanted to do that much as well.

"I can do that yes…" He said with a nod, gesturing towards the stairs leading up. "I have a room upstairs."

Adda smiled and turned to Elise. "Elise, would you mind bringing some wine for the three of us?"

"Of course your majesty," Elise said dutifully bowing, before Adda scoffed.

"Elise, how many times do I need to tell you, that you don't have to call me that when others aren't around?" The Queen said, a genuine smile seeming to come to her face.

Elise laughed and smirked. "Force of habit, I'll meet you both up there."

Elise went off towards the bar, and Dominik turned to Adda, a small smile coming to his face.

"You let people call you by your name?" He said.

Adda scoffed a smile. "Well our names are given to us so we can be called them correct? You can call me Adda as well if you'd like, 'your majesty' gets grating to hear after a while."

He genuinely laughed and nodded. "Ha… Ciri was the same way back in Cintra… I want you to know before we start talking… that we're a package deal now. I don't only have myself, but her to think about as well."

And to his complete surprise, Adda didn't get angry, or raise her voice. She simply smiled and nodded to him.

"I understand, I give you my word to respect your decision," She said, before her smile grew wider. "I also must say, you and your Cirilla are quite adorable, nothing is more precious than two young people in love."

"You aren't that much older than us yourself are you?" Dominik said, a small smile coming to his face as well.

Adda scoffed a laugh. "Never ask a woman to mention her age Dominik of Cintra… come, I hope soon… that you'll see me for who I truly am."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So… I've been meaning to ask," Dominik said, holding the cup of wine in his hands as he met Adda's eyes. "How is it you've been in Novigrad so much? Shouldn't you be in Tretogor since Radovid was busy here?"

Adda smirked, sipping a bit of the wine she had before meeting his gaze again. "A simple enough process. The nobles back in Tretogor believe me to be in Kovir, trying to convince King Tankred to join in our struggle against Nilfgaard."

"Kovir and Poviss have been neutral this whole time," He said.

"Yes… and my husband wanted that to change," Adda informed him, sighing and shaking her head. "As much as I loathed him… and know it was for the best… a small part of me is upset it had to come to this."

Dominik scoffed, and heard Elise, who was sitting in one of Ciri and he's spare chairs near the door with a mug in her hands as well. After getting the wine form Dandelion, he, Adda and Elise all had retired up to he and Ciri's room. The rays of sun pierced in through their window, as Adda, who he expected to sit with proper posture, regally one of his chairs, or even remain standing the entire time, right away sat and leaned back on his bed, the woman sighing and yawning as if the situation were perfectly normal.

At first he had thought it odd, but after a moment found it refreshing, because he too wasn't one for all the royal formalities. It had felt to Dominik in that moment, that he, Adda and Elise were simply three people having a normal conversation, not one that could pertain to the future of the continent.

Seeing Adda had taken off her black cloak and knowing that he more than likely wouldn't have to fight the rest of the day, took his own armor off as well. He kept _Fate _in its sheath near him, just in case, but he decided that he was going to be comfortable for the rest of the day.

He met Adda's eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "Radovid was a madman, power hungry, ruined the few good things about the North… got what was coming to him."

"He did yes… he was base, cruel, vile, he spread nothing but prejudice and hate the continent is a safer place without him," Adda said, looking down into her mug of wine and sighing. "But… he was my husband whether I liked it or not… and I already have a… reputation I wish to be shirking… being involved in his assassination does nothing to change that like I want…"

Elise sighed and shook her head, scooting her chair closer to them. "Adda we've been over this, nobody suspects a thing, everyone thinks you've been in Kovir, everyone will think it's Eilhart extracting her revenge."

Adda's eyes fell as she looked at Elise and shook her head. "Yes, nobody suspects me… but I must live with the fact I'm a regicide for the rest of my life."

"But it was Eilhart who killed him," Elise assured her, shaking her head, reaching out and holding a hand on the Queen's arm. "And believe me, she didn't feel any sympathy, everyone will believe it's just her getting her-."

"Yes Elise, but that also doesn't help my goals at all," Adda snapped, sighing in frustration and standing up from the bed, pacing in the room. "Eilhart killing him, will only serve as a rallying cry for his staunchest supporters… they'll believe he truly was right.. that magic and mages are evil… the true enemy."

"The north has thought that for years…" Dominik said, his stomach churning as he looked up at Adda. "Elise told me you want a better continent for everyone… but I hate to tell you, it won't be easy trying to convince the North to simply change their prejudices after so many years of hatred. Been in the North for years, two things they hate that will never change, the Black Ones… and non-humans… seems like you can add mages to the list as well."

Adda fiercely shook her head and met his eyes. "Is that truly okay with you? With the both of you? Is that the Northern Realms you truly wish to live in? A place where people are judged off the color of their skin, circumstances of their birth, or whether they can use magic or not?"

"You know I'm with you Adda, but Dominik's got a point, I'll fight for you till my dying breath… but it won't be easy to change years of prejudice," Elise said, leaning back in her chair.

Dominik nodded in agreement, meeting the Queen's eyes. "She's right. People have tried… and it'll take more than just a few speeches to change people's minds."

"And you're exactly right about that Dominik," Adda said sharply, turning back to him, holding both her hands around the mug of wine as she met his eyes. "Actions speak louder than words, and nothing unites people like a common goal… you fought at the Battle of Brenna did you not?"

His eyes widened and he shook his head, standing up as well. "How the hell did you…. Fucking Dijkstra…"

Adda smirked and nodded. "Yes… some of his workers… overheard you mention you fought in the battle when you were there that day we first met."

"Should have fucking known…" He said, sighing and shaking his head as he met the Queen's eyes. "But yes, I fought in the Battle of Brenna, what's that have to do with your point?"

The Battle of Brenna was something Dominik had truly wanted to forget. However, for a moment he was more worried about what else Dijkstra's workers 'overhead' him and his friends talk about. In the end however, it didn't matter. Dijkstra more than likely already knew that Geralt and he were looking for Ciri, that the Emperor was looking for his daughter.

In the end it wouldn't matter, if he and Ciri wanted to disappear they would after it was all over.

Adda was continuing to surprise him. She spoke so passionately about what she wanted, that Dominik was almost inclined to believe her. However, when she spoke again, was when Dominik saw her claws come out, the fiery side of the queen, the determination that made him believe, that perhaps she would be able to stand toe to toe with the Emperor.

"At the Battle of Brenna, I'm sure you're aware, on the other side… fought bands of Scoitael. Elves who Emhyr had promised their own lands," Adda said slowly, sipping more of her wine again before she narrowed her eyes. "And like the degenerate he is… he went back on his word years later, the same thing happened recently with the band Geralt and Roche clashed with in Flotsam."

"Iorveth… one of the most infamous leaders they had," Dominik said, remembering the story that Geralt had explained to him. "They worked with the witcher who helped kill your father, but Emhyr turned on them, just like he did that witcher."

"Exactly," Adda hissed, shaking her head, placing the mug of wine down on the table in his room as she paced. "Emhyr, is the source of this conflict…. From what Elise tells me, and from grumblings I've heard, many of the nobles are seeking to depose him, they want an end to this war as well… but his vanity keeps pushing him forward… and to save himself, but also assure his blood still rules over the entire continent…."

"That's why he wants to abdicate to Ciri," Dominik finished, his eyes narrowing as he fiercely shook his head. "I'm sorry but that's not happening. Ciri's already told me she doesn't want anything to do with Emhyr or being Empress. After this is all over, the two of us are going off ourselves…"

Adda looked and met his eyes, gently shaking her head at his slightly aggressive tone. "And you have nothing to fear from me. I won't use this knowledge for any plots or schemes… Cirilla had been through much, you've been through much, I won't use people the way my husband did, the way Emhyr does… you know, I remember meeting her once when I was younger."

Dominik breathed out a sigh of relief, his beating heart finally calming as he met Adda's eyes. That had been one of his biggest fears, that Adda would use the knowledge of Ciri to try and lure Emhyr into a trap, or worse, try to take Ciri for herself, to have the heir to the imperial throne in her possession. However, even with Adda's assurance, he made sure to keep his guard up. Everything Adda had been saying so far, he truly believed as well. A continent where humans, non-humans, and mages could all live-in peace, where everything Emhyr had built was ripped to the ground, it sounded as if he and Adda should get along great.

However, too many times had he fell for the same song and dance over his years alone. He had heard about a lord rallying against the Black Ones, or that would swear to bring peace between humans and non-humans. And each time he had been fooled. He had seen too many rulers go mad, too many get his hopes up too high again. He didn't only have himself to think about, but Ciri as well, and now there was also Fiona to think of.

He met Adda's eyes and shook his head. "If you met her then… you probably met my father."

Adda smiled and nodded. "I did yes, the famous Sir Gregory, just as handsome as they said…. And of course there was Ciri, she was younger, but still… the thought of that poor girl, being tossed around like a piece of meat, pulled one way or another…. Elise mentioned how she was lost for a time… I shudder to think what happened to her… so no. I won't be like Emhyr, try to use her to save my own arse, I won't burn her at the stake for having magic that was completely out of her control like my husband would have…. I won't worsen her suffering; I _will _be different…"

Again, it was everything Dominik wanted to hear, so much so that he was taken aback. He looked over at Elise sitting down below him, and she smirked, as if the red head were saying '_See, I told you so.'_ He looked back to Adda, who's determined eyes were dripping the truth. While he didn't have the ability to hear heartbeats like Geralt did to tell if someone was lying, he had considered himself a great judge of character, it had taken him years, but in that moment he considered himself excellent at it.

And when he looked at Adda, he believed he was telling the truth, however, one question kept eating at him.

"I… thank you for that… you're right, too many people have used her, I won't let that be the case, never again," He said, shaking his head, before meeting her gaze. "But… I need to know… what is it you _want _from me, and well, from me and Ciri now?"

Adda straightened herself. "I need someone, who shares the same hatred for Emhyr as I do, who loathes him even more than I do. As I said, there is no better way to unite people, then through a common goal, and who would be one person that both humans, _and _non-humans hate? The Black Ones, Emhyr himself, the man who's brought about all this strife."

"I hate to tell you, but humans and non-humans have been at each other's throats since well before Emhyr's time.." Dominik said.

"Yes, I'm aware, but this current generation, is still feeling the effects of two wars that he started all for his own vanity and power," Adda snapped back at him. "He's wronged humans, non-humans, and even mages. Nilfgaard claims to give them 'freedom', but you know as well as I, freedom for mages in Nilfgaard include a dimeritium collar stuck around their neck."

"And you think their hatred for Emhyr is enough to erase years of prejudice and hatred? Before the Scoitael joined Emhyr, they had fought for years with the North," Dominik said, again remembering the stories Geralt told him. "You expect that to just be forgotten? You want to unite them against Emhyr?"

"I do yes… and that's why I'm asking for your help," Adda said, her voice growing softer as she shook her head. "I have my reasons to hate Emhyr yes, he ordered my father killed for his invasion. But you? You and Ciri… he took everything from you both. He burned Cintra to the ground… and from what I heard, he hunted Ciri for years afterwards."

Dominik felt his skin tingle, as the night came flashing into his mind. He heard the yelling, saw the blood, the arrow from Cahir hitting his mother, and then Bella. He saw his dream from earlier, his sister awaking, the Black Ones about to take her away. Yes, Emhyr had taken everything from Ciri and he, destroyed everything that they had known, and forced them onto the run, before Emhyr chased Ciri for years afterwards… all while he couldn't find her himself.

Adda knew exactly what to say to tug on his heartstrings, to get his emotions in a flux. He would have wanted nothing more then but his sword through Emhyr's throat. Adda was right, the man had started two wars, all for his own vanity and power. The one that was going on now, had been unprovoked, the North hadn't done anything, but Emhyr simply wanted more, so they had attacked, but made sure to destabilize the realms by ordering King's assassinated. Now, he was finally pissing off enough of the nobles back in his mainland, and they were seeking to depose him, to end the war. He felt the tiniest bit of sympathy for the ones in Nilfgaard who wanted the war to end, but Emhyr's vanity was keeping that from happening. Now, with Emhyr knowing the nobles were planning this, wanted to give the throne to Ciri, so she could come in and right all of his mistakes, so that he could save his own hide. He cared not for her, or for the good of the continent, only himself, and his own power.

And the first war he started, the one he started by sacking Cintra… was to get Ciri. It was to rape and impregnate his daughter, to force her to marry him. He stood by what he said, that if he was even in the same room as Emhyr Var Emrys again, Dominik was going to kill him. Whether it was a sword through the heart, casting Igni to set the man alight, or strangling him with his bare hands while the man was taking a shit. One day. Dominik was going to make sure he died, he didn't know how, but one day… he would. What Emhyr had done, would come back to haunt him.

Adda it seemed, wanted to make that a reality. Dominik did as well, more than anything he would have loved putting a dagger into Emhyr's neck. He even believed Ciri could get behind the idea if he told her about it, she had already told him that if he wanted to go and help Adda, then they would. However, he knew that if he brought Ciri too close to Nilfgaardean lands, then there was a bigger chance that she'd be noticed, and even the two of them weren't strong enough to fight off the entirety of the Empire. Ciri would be taken, he'd be killed.

And nothing, not even his want for revenge was enough for him to take that risk, unless they were absolutely sure that they would both be safe.

Dominik sighed and met Adda's eyes. "He did take everything from me… he even ordered me, my father, my mother and sister hunted down in Cintra. Only I escaped… me and Ciri, and for years… he did chase her… and probably will after we deal with the Hunt as well."

Adda nodded again, grimly smiling at him. "And you'll do everything to keep her safe, this I know…. I understand the personal risk it puts you both at, but I believe that you have the ability to inspire. Elise… told me about Kaer Morhen. As much as you may not believe it Dominik… you're a powerful speaker, you can inspire, lead like both Geralt and Sir Gregory could… you stopped Arno and Elise from murdering the man who killed my father."

His eyes widened and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but Letho was tricked just as much as we all were by Emhyr, and in the moment, we needed to band together and-."

"Just like we must band together now…" Adda said, cutting him off, and sighing as she met his eyes. "As much as I don't like to admit it…unless all of us, humans, non-humans, mages, Skelligers, northerners, unless we can all band together… we're all going to be crushed under Emhyr. Nilfgaard claims they let 'vassal states', keep their own government, their own customs… but when you were in Vizima… or even in Velen… how many white lilies did you see?"

A cold chill cooled his skin, as he sat back down next to Elise and shook his head. "None… and in Vizima, he was taking all the lilies down…"

"Exactly!" Adda snapped, her nostrils flaring. "And even in kingdoms that have been 'vassal states' for longer, Toussaint, Cintra, they govern themselves for the most part yes… but those decisions must be in favor of the empire, not their own people! They fly lion banners in Cintra yes, but do you what they're dwarfed by? That fucking golden sun. No, I will not allow the North to be put in indentured servitude. It's as I told you Dominik… I swear, I will not stop until either I'm killed, or until I pushed Emhyr back south of the Yaruga, Aedirn, Cintra, Lyria and Rivia… Temaria, will all be free once again!"

Elise smirked from next to him. "And we want your help for that kid. Come on, you can't tell me you don't want to stick it to that fucker!"

Dominik did 'want to stick it to that fucker'. The idea of a free Cintra, one that flew the golden lions again, that knew what it was truly like to be Cintran, it was something he had dreamed of from the minute that he and Ciri both set foot outside the city.

He looked and met Adda's eyes. "If you do… I hope you don't expect Ciri to become Empress of Nilfgaard, or Queen of Cintra… that ship's sailed…. And I hope you know… we're not soldiers, we're witchers."

Adda nodded in understanding, the sun gleaming over her brown eyes. "I understand this, and I understand that after so many years of fighting, that the two of you… may not be eager to get involved in something like this."

"You're right…. Besides, as much as I hate Emhyr, as much as I hope you're successful with saying what you want to do…" Dominik said, sighing as he fiddled with the swallow around his neck, closing his eyes for a moment before he met Adda's eyes. "It's going to be up to Ciri what we do. For too long, people have been chasing her, trying to take her, control her, tell her what she should be doing, trying to force her into things… not anymore. After this is done, she'll have control of her own life for once, and _she _will choose what she wants to do, and I'll be right by her side."

A silence passed between them for a moment. He expected Adda again to get angry, invoke Arno's name, tell her that he owed her for that, that he owed Arno that much. Or he expected her to possible try and hold the information about Ciri over his head. She was a Queen; she could order him to do whatever she liked. He wouldn't obey of course if she did, but it was what he had come to expect out of most rulers he met.

Outside the sun continued to get lower, his goal of focusing solely on he and Ciri's night together wasn't going well, but he knew the conversation with Adda was important. It concerned their future, his, Ciri's and even Fiona's now. And again, hearing Adda's words, finally hearing someone who had helped them so much already, say things he had wanted to hear from so many over the years, a part of him did truly want to help her. A much larger part of him however, wanted Ciri to have her choice, and for the two of them to simply go off and avoid everything and anyone, with Fiona by their side, training her, seeing every part of the continent like they had always wanted.

He looked over to Elise, who had stood up next to Adda across him, seeming to realize that the conversation was coming to a close. She and Adda both knew what Dominik would say, they had too, Elise in particular. Why she wasn't angry, demanding things of him, he just couldn't wrap his head around it. From what Geralt had said, Adda was out for power in Vizima when his father saw her last, before curing her curse a second time. However, in the span of the last month or two, Adda had been nothing but kind and courteous to him. Elsie and Arno, her friends had both saved his, he trusted them, and both had spoken her praises to him. Dominik knew that if he really asked Ciri, that she would more then likely say yes, that they could go and help Adda, however he had no desire to put her in any additional danger.

Dominik had always believed simply in the power of destiny, of chance. It was his destiny to meet Ciri, to be with her, to protect her. Fiona was his destiny, it had led him and Ciri both back to Claywitch, where he had felt the connection straight away, just like he had with Ciri. It wasn't just going to be him anymore, if it had been, he would've gone to help Adda damn the consequences. However, that wasn't what he wanted anymore. All he wanted was Ciri, her, Fiona, their family, their friends, and the life they had always dreamed.

He also scoffed at the idea of him being able to inspire. Convincing Elise, Roche and Arno not to kill Letho at Kaer Morhen hadn't been easy, but it was another thing to try and erase years of fierce prejudice. Cintra, thanks to Dominik's father influencing Queen Calanthe, had become one of the most progressive kingdoms on the continent. Men, women, all were allowed to serve under his command. His father had told him about fighting Scoitael before, how he offered mercy to all who surrendered, and always tried to end the conflicts without bloodshed. Dominik had always asked him why he did that, and his father had given a response, that he always carried with him.

_"Why should I hate them? This was there land first; us humans were the ones to come and take it from them. I believe they'd have a right to be angry, and if I were to execute them, kill them without a second thought, then I become exactly what they say that I am. And it's the same thing in reverse. Why should they be mad at me? I wasn't the one who took over their homeland centuries ago, why should they hate me, and try to kill me for it? _

_ It's because I'm human, my ears aren't pointed. But I believe, and your grandfather believed, that it's the content of one's character that determines who they are. It matters not if you're human or non-human, we're all on this continent now, it matters not how we got here, where we came from, all that matters is that we're here now. And if we keep perpetuating a cycle of violence like we have been, what will that achieve? Thousands upon thousands of humans and non-humans both dead, with the one remaining standing at the top of mountain of corpses, alone, wondering if it was all worth it. It may be small, but offering mercy, trying to avoid conflicts without bloodshed, is a step towards what is hopefully world where we judge off the content of one's character. Again, it may seem small, insignificant what I do… but it has to start somewhere, so why shouldn't it be me?"_

The more he thought about the things his father taught him, the more he wished that he had been alive to meet Geralt again. Dominik never thought he would ever be even half the man Geralt, and his father both were. He tried every day to do things that would make them both proud, and he hoped that he could carry their lessons with him, and pass them to not only Fiona, but everyone he met for a long time. However, the idea of himself, being able to end that cycle of perpetual violence, to achieve Adda's goal, the idea was ridiculous. Either way however, the Queen still smiled at him, despite his refusal at the moment.

She bowed to him and nodded. "I understand, and as I promised, I won't try to pressure you. You're looking out for the one you love. Doing what you believe is best for them, and I respect that…. I do hope however, again… that this isn't the last we see of each other."

Dominik didn't mean to, but a scoff escaped him, and he shook his head. "Thank you… please… don't take this the wrong way but how are you so… calm about this? You could order me to help you, tell me I owe you. I could have just thrown your plans into jeopardy but you just… don't seem to care."

Adda shared a smile with Elise, before turning to him and laughing. "Aha… I take it that's what you have come to expect from most rulers?"

"Most that I meet yes…" Dominik said.

She laughed again. "Answer me this Dominik… who is the best ruler that you've ever known?"

"Queen Calanthe," He said without a second thought. "She was hard on her enemies, but just, kind, and cared about every single one of the people she ruled… every ruler should strive to be like her."

Adda smiled and nodded. "Yes… she made Cintra the jewel of the North….. I mean no disrespect to her memory… but you do know what led to her downfall, correct?"

His skin crawled, and he sighed. The truth of the matter was that he did. Geralt had told him about what had happened, Queen Calanthe refused to let Geralt see Ciri. She refused the aid of any who offered help and didn't react to the Nilfgaardeans fast enough. A spy was in her court yes, Dominik had suspected for years it was Visegard, however, no matter who it was, he still wasn't blind to Calanthe's faults, no matter how much he had loved Ciri's grandmother.

He met Adda's eyes and sighed again. "Yes… she was stubborn, refused aid… I'm not blind to her faults."

Adda nodded grimly. "I have faults myself, that I've been trying to correct. Every ruler does, none is perfect, but I learn things from everyone I encountered. Learn things to do and not to do. I learn from Emhyr, I learned from my husband, my father, Calanthe, King Tankred, Queen Meve of Lyria and RIvia, King Henselt of Kaedwen… and I'm determined to be better than all of them."

"That's… a tall task," Dominik said. "Your father helped fight back the Black Ones, Radovid was an ass but Emhyr would have the continent by now if not for him. Queen Calanthe as you said made Cintra the envy of the North, Queen Meve took back her entire kingdom from the Black Ones…. Tough acts to follow."

"It is yes, I know…. I'm aware you know Dominik, I'm sure Geralt had told you, that… I used to be a much different person," Adda said, folding her hands in front of him.

He nodded and met her eyes. "Yes… he told me about what happened with the Salamandra…"

Adda shakily sighed, seeming to lose her composure shortly. "Yes, I am… not proud of this, of how I was, the way I acted…. And what did it get me? My worst nightmare… I was transformed again into a monster."

Elise put a hand on Adda's shoulder, and Dominik said the Queen get slightly flustered for a moment, before looking at her thankfully and smiling. The sun reflected off their red hair, as Adda slowly sighed and turned back to him.

"But… thanks to Geralt, I was given a second chance, a chance to do things differently," Adda said, sighing to compose herself again. "I was excited when I first married Radovid, I thought I could help him make a difference… but I was wrong. He did nothing but use to help rally Temaria to him after my father's death, before pushing me aside. All suggestions I made, plans I laid out… shoved to the side. I was forced to be the quiet dutiful wife, and for a while I was… I sat back, watching him turn the North into a haven of hatred and prejudice… all while he dreamed of a great northern empire, taking away the freedom that made the Northern realms what they were…."

"Yes…. He really was quite the fucking cunt wasn't he?" Elise said, making Adda and Dominik both snort a laugh.

Adda laughed joyfully, and again, Dominik for a moment saw not a ruler, but a normal woman, with real emotions and dreams.

She finished laughing and look at him again. "My point being Dominik… I want to be different then my husband. I won't fearmonger to get people to follow me, I'll treat them with respect, and kindness when I can. I could try and order you to help me… but what would that make you think of me? You'd get angry, more than likely not even listen, and then go about hating me for it."

"You wouldn't be wrong no…" Dominik said, crossing his arms as the sun from the window hit the back of his neck.

Adda nodded again. "Exactly… I was once as cutthroat as my husband… but I _will _be different. And I hope that my kindness, and respect one day pay off…. I wish to be remembered as a good ruler… but an even better person."

Dominik was taken aback; he shakily scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. It only made Adda and Elise both smile as well. Adda was right, her attitude wasn't one he had come to expect of rulers he met. For a moment he was worried people would simply walk over the Queen, however, he remembered the fierceness in which she had spoken about Emhyr, about her dreams of pushing the Black Ones back. No, Dominik had seen the Queen's claws, how she could fight back herself, nobody would be walking over Queen Adda of Redania.

And Dominik hoped she went and walked over Emhyr. However, all he was focused on then, was Ciri, and the fact the Queen understood that in itself, said much about her character. Remembering all the proper etiquette, he bowed to the Queen, and again like she had been doing, Adda bowed back to him, like he was her equal.

He came back up, and nodded, reaching out his hand. "Thank you… for your understanding…. I think your approach is one more rulers should consider… and I never said it but… congratulations."

Adda smiled broadly and Elise smirked at him. Adda reached and firmly shook his hand as well, looking deep into his eyes. "Thank you… but now is where the real work begins…. As it does for you. I have incredible respect for you Dominik of Cintra… I can't think of many men who would fight the King of the Wild Hunt for the woman they loved."

Dominik scoffed a smile and looked over to Elise. "I take it Elise told you then… it wasn't anything special, I was just protecting Ciri… like I always will."

Elise rolled her eyes, shaking Dominik's hand as well. "Oh come off it kid, it's a big fucking deal all right. Fought the King and lived to tell the tale…and next time I think you'll kill the fucker."

"I hope so… I need to thank you both for your help," He said, before his heart thumped loudly in his chest as he met Adda's gaze again. "And I… I'm sorry… about Arno."

To his right Elise stiffened slightly, shakily sighing and closing her eyes, her hand going to the hilt of the man's saber at her belt. He watched curiously again as Adda held a hand on Elise's shoulder, and a slightly flustered Elise quickly sighed and was calmed before she met Adda's eyes and nodded.

Adda smiled grimly and nodded, looking back to him. "Yes… Elise told me what happened. Arno he… he was a good soldier… and an even better friend, and I'll miss him dearly… but it does give me some solace knowing his sacrifice was for something greater… and I know now that the threat we face is true."

"It is…" Dominik said, looking between Adda and Elise both and shaking his head. "I won't let his sacrifice be in vein… I swear it… I owe you both my life and Ciri's."

Adda smiled lightly and shook her head. "You owe me nothing… I would have sent more help if I knew it was really true…. I would send you aid now were I in a position. I even asked Elise if she would go with you but… she's being her normal stubborn self."

"Oh you love it," Elise smirked at Adda, before turning to him. "I'm sorry kid, you know I'd love nothing more than to help you blow those icy fucks to hell but… I can't leave her now."

"I _can _take care of myself you know," Adda said with a hint of amusement, as she smiled up at Elise. "Your protectiveness is incredibly sweet, but I assured you I'd be fine."

Elise whirled back to her. "And I told you that I don't trust any of those cunts around you fully. Won't let you go back to Tretogor alone!"

Adda got flustered again, and Dominik saw her unable to form words for a moment before she sighed and turned back to him.

"Elise… has a point. I must apologize again, I would send help if I could," Adda told him, and Dominik quickly shook his head.

"You don't need to apologize, I understand," Dominik said, quickly shaking his head as well. "And I… wanted to say, that well, Ciri and I have talked a bit about it, but after everything is over… if we think we can help you without tipping off Emhyr… we will."

Adda smiled curtly at him and nodded again. "I appreciate that very much Dominik… good luck, I'll be wishing you the best."

"Aye, the same with me kid… be careful, and keep your woman close," Elise said, shaking his hand again, before she turned back to Adda. "Alright, you ready to head out? Sigi has an escort waiting for us, set to take us back."

Adda smirked, before turning back to Dominik. "Well… I was actually hoping we could spend the night, buy a few drinks. I saw kegs of Temarian rye being moved downstairs, I haven't had that in years, and I saw dancers, a band… planning a party are we Dominik?"

Dominik hadn't thought about the party that night, and his plans for he and Ciri since the conversation started. His eyes widened as he remembered all the things he still wanted to get, he looked out the window, and saw that the sun was setting. The markets would be closing soon, and he was sure Ciri would have to be back soon. He didn't want her to hear Dandelion or Priscilla planning the song or see her yet and possibly tell her about what he had planned. That had happened several times when they were younger, when he simply got so excited for something he did for her and blurted it out beforehand.

He looked to Adda and Elise and quickly nodded. "Yes, we're having a few friends and a bit of a party, we leave for Skellige tomorrow to fight the Hunt. You're both more than welcome to stay, but I need to get going, I meant to get something for Ciri and-."

Adda and Elise both cut him off by laughing. Elise laughed from her gut and met his gaze. "Ahaha, you best get going then kid!"

Adda laughed as well, looking and waving for him to leave. "Haha, yes, yes, what Elise said, get going! Forget about all of this for one night, go, get something for your woman, and enjoy yourselves, Elise and I will seek you out before we leave."

Dominik sighed in relief, his heart racing as he bowed to them both again. "Thank you! Thank you both, sorry to rush out but I… need to get moving!"

"Ahh it's as I said… young people in love, nothing is more precious," Adda said fondly as Dominik rushed to grab his sword leaning against the nightstand.

Elise scoffed as he did, smiling over at Adda. "Aha… he brought up a good point to me the other day… we aren't older than them are we?"

Adda smiled and looked at Elise, slowly nodded. "No… I suppose we aren't you know what they say though, ruling ages you twice as fast, I'll have grey hairs soon."

"You could pull of the grey hair look," Elise complimented, looking at Adda as Dominik struggled to find the head hole of his armor. "Me on the other hand, gods, this could use a comb."

The Queen quickly shook her head as she moved Elise's red curls. "I like it like this i must admit, it has a beautiful shine…"

Elise looked at Adda flustered for a moment, Dominik had time to catch her trying to stutter out a response, just as he pulled his head through his armor. After hearing the clunking of his sword strapping to his back, both Adda and Elise turned to him, and they both smirked. Adda laughed and waved him on.

"Are you still here? No worries we'll get out of your room and get ones of our own. Go on! Might I suggest a necklace? Something special, but simple," She said, as Elise scoffed and nodded next to her.

"Ha, first gift Arno ever got me was this crossbow," Elise said, patting the crossbow on her waist, before smirking over at him. "A necklace yeah, or maybe something she could use."

The thought of gifting whatever the present was to Ciri, already had his heart fluttering. And just like that again, all he was worried about was her, and enjoying that last night they were going to have together.

Dominik looked to Adda and Elise both and nodded. "Thank you… thank you both again, I'll see you both later, I need to get going!"

Elise and Adda nodded to him both one last time, before Dominik took off through the door, heading down the stairs towards Triss Merigold's room.

**A/N: Helloooo ladies and gentlemen, I'm gonna address an obvious fact right away, I 100% meant for this whole final day in Novigrad to be one single chapter. However, it got kind of long with Adda's part at the end, and I thought that after such a serious moment with a lot of future implications, it would be a bit of a weird tone shift to go back to what I have planned for the rest of the chapter. SO, I decided to split it up haha, next chapter will be the true final chapter in Novigrad, before we head to Skellige for the final stretch, where so many moments are going to finally pay off! Let's break down this chapter first however!**

**First, we have a dream of Bella, and how she survived the sack of Cintra. I felt we got a really good view of how powerful Bella is, even at such a young age. We haven't seen the full extent of Bella's power yet, not by a long shot. She's been so conflicted with everything that it's been hard for her to focus it all. Bella truly is going to end up being one of my favorite characters in this story, and I hope that you all enjoy what I have planned for her. We'll be seeing more of her soon through more dreams… then of course the final battle. **

**After that we get a cute, funny moment with Dominik and Ciri, where we get the premise of these two chapters! Dominik and Ciri are both going out to get something for the other, along with finally planning their first-time making love with one another. This has been a moment that I've had a couple people ask when this would happen, and as I've stated before, it's going to happen next chapter and one or two more times this story. I've never wrote sex scenes before, so I'm gonna try to make them as realistic and passionate as possible, a fitting first time for them both, after so many years in the making. I think I've built up enough romantic and sexual tensions for it to be a good pay off. **

**So, after that we get a bit of split POVs, first we go with Dominik heading to talk to Priscilla and Dandelion where we see Dominik come up with his first idea of what he's getting for Ciri. A song, the 'Ballad of the Young Wolf and the Swallow'. Now, I'm not good at writing songs at all xD I'm going to try and find a way to at least write a few verses I'll try my very best I promise xD **

**Switching over to Ciri, her and Geralt are out on the town! And after confirming that indeed Ciri is planning on making that night the first night they make love, and we also see her idea, which thanks to Geralt becomes a reality. Dominik's steel sword is going to be repaired by the master elven swordsmith Hattori, where she orders Dominik's faithful weapon repaired and improved!**

**After that… we have the first of a few serious conversations in this chapter. Geralt learned while with Avallach, the truth about what he made Ciri do. Now, I will die on this hill, I cannot STAND Avallach in the Witcher 3. His character is completely changed from the book, which I normally don't mind, but they made it out to where Ciri, who hated and didn't trust Avallach in the books suddenly trust him more then even Yennefer, seeming to worship the ground he walks on. She even KNOWS AND MENTIONS THIS IN THE GAME when you go and bring Ge'els back to Novigrad. I know a few years have passed, but I know for a fact Book Ciri would never trust him again, not like she does in the game. In the witcher 3 as a whole, while I love Ciri in it obviously I always believed she was a little bit more… naïve, then I believe book Ciri would be if that makes sense. So, in this story I have her acting as I believe book Ciri would act, where she only went with Avallach because it was her only choice, and certainly would know that he was up to something. **

**Either way, Geralt now knows, and brings up a good point, they love Dominik and Yen both, but they will kill Avallach without a second thought if they know. So yes, they both will find out before the story ends, and I can't wait to show the reactions. **

**With Geralt and Ciri on their way back, we cut back to Dominik. And in this first scene we have a few flashbacks with Dominik while Dandelion and Priscilla plan the song. I loved writing those flashbacks, the second time Dominik and Ciri kissed, the first conversation he had with Geralt, I hope they were fun to read, but after that the real big part of the chapter comes, as we meet again with Queen Adda of Redania. **

**Dominik meets with Adda and Elise, and we get a lot of implications about the future of the continent. Now of course, as we know this isn't one of the endings for the game, however, I wanted to make my story unique in a way, so enter Queen Adda, who after this story is over as we see… won't surrender easily to the Black Ones. As I've said before, the mini sequel after this story will be the 'The Great Northern Gambit: The First Steps', go to my profile to see the story description, it is a story I'm SO excited to bring to you all!**

**SO, next chapter we have a few more things, we'll have Dominik and Triss going off to find Ciri one last present, as well as everything else he needs for their last romantic night before they head for Skellige. Meanwhile Ciri comes back to the inn, and has a meeting with the Lodge of Sorceresses, where the swallow will bite back against the lodge, and we get one last moment of bliss before the final stretch of the story…**

**BIG NEWS, I have more fanart for this story, including Dominik Ciri and Fiona! Go on Instagram and follow dominik_of_cintra for more fanart and awesome behind the scenes writing! Also I post writing tips, have witcher discussions, and overall it's just a really great time if you love the witcher!**

**As usual everyone, please stay safe, please, please review if you have time! And as always, make sure to follow and favorite this story to stay updated! We're almost finished, and I am so, SO excited to show you guys the end, see you all next time!**


	79. The First Time on the Last Night II

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 79: The First Time on the Last Night II**

**Narrator: After returning from the village of Claywitch and discovering that Dominik had been gifted a child surprise, a young girl named Fiona, Dominik and Ciri both returned to Novigrad. On the way however, they discovered a horrible truth. Baelen, the mysterious female commander of the Wild Hunt, turned out to be Bella, Dominik's younger sister who he and Ciri long thought dead. This discovery shook Dominik to the core, bringing him to a point lower then he had ever been. However, with the help of Ciri, he was able to refocus on he and Ciri's goal. Which now, wasn't just to defeat Eredin and the Hunt so that Ciri could finally be free and they could live the lives that they always wanted, but also to save Bella from the brainwashing she went through while being trapped by Eredin. Now however, the day before they were all due to leave for Skellige, for the final battle against the Wild Hunt, Dominik and Ciri both plan one last night with one another, giving gifts, and for one night, simply being two young people in love. **

**Trigger Warning: This chapter contains intimate sexual acts/scenes**

The inn was much busier when she and Geralt got back, Ciri noticed Dandelion and Priscilla, and even Freya, who was currently holding her head at one of the tables, drinking a cup of coffee. Geralt came in behind her, and while Priscilla was with the band, and Dandelion ordering the workers, Ciri and he both looked down just as Freya who was rapidly blinking looked up at them both from the table.

"H…hey Ciri… Hey… Hey Geralt what… what's…" Freya started, before cutting herself off with a loud yawn before she looked at them both again. "What's… what's up with you two?"

Ciri shared a disbelieving look with Geralt before she looked back to Freya. "Freya are… you okay? I know you… drunk a lot last night but-."

"Let's just say… my parents they… they didn't let me drink often… what… what was it I said to Faram last night again?" She asked, taking another long sip of the coffee she had.

Geralt scoffed and crossed his arms. "You somehow beat him at arm wrestling before calling him as, 'weak as a drowner with no legs', and that he should 'undergo more mutations because your dead grandmother had more arm strength then him. Damn near made him cry."

Ciri laughed and looked with an amused smile down at Freya, who groaned and rubbed both her temples, before yawning again. It was well passed midday, and she was beginning to wonder what it was that gave her such a good tolerance to the alcohol she drank. Freya tried to tame her frizzy blonde hair, before sighing and looking up at them both again.

"Gods… I try not to get drunk often for that reason…" She said, shaking her head and taking another long sip of coffee. "But it's good to see you both, what did you need to do in town?"

Ciri giddily smiled and looked to Geralt, and then back to Freya. "I went and ordered Dominik's old sword repaired, I'm going to surprise him with it tonight."

Freya smiled and nodded. "Aw, well that's awfully sweet. He was downright wreck after losing that."

"Yeah, it was a good idea…" Geralt complimented her, smiling and looking at Freya as well. "So, you know where everyone is?"

The blonde nodded again. "Yeah, Faram and George are at the harbor, getting everything finalized for tomorrow. After I… sober up a bit I'm going to help Dandelion and Priscilla cook for later."

"What about Yen and the other sorceresses, and Dom?" Geralt said.

"Yen was upstairs in her room, as for the sorceresses, they were all up in the ruby sweet, I heard a bit of yelling, didn't help the headache," Freya said, shuttering and shakily sighing before she looked over at Ciri. "Dominik I actually saw going into your room when I woke up. I… think it was Elise, and another woman… I wasn't really seeing straight."

Ciri's eyes widened and she looked to Geralt. She knew that there was only one woman that Elise would be traveling with. Ciri had known that Dominik was anxious to hear more from Queen Adda, listen to what she had to offer. From what he had told her, she was interested in tearing down everything Emhyr had built, which was something Ciri would happily help her with if they could. However, it wasn't just her and Dominik anymore, the two of them had Fiona to consider as well. She also quite frankly didn't want to think too much about what was coming next, not before they had dealt with Eredin first, dealt with Eredin… and Bella as well.

She also didn't want to focus on anything except that night the both of them. Geralt shared a knowing look with her, and simply from the look she gave him, he seemed to understand. Dominik could talk with Adda and Elise, she didn't mind, she trusted that he would be careful with what he said, and perhaps he'd even come to trust the Queen. He had been doing that for her, trusting her judgment, so she would do the same for him.

Quickly she glanced outside again, realizing they only had about an hour until sunset, so she wanted to speak to Triss quickly, before going to their room and making it more romantic. She had spent the previous day getting flowers, more candles, and even had Dandelion and Zoltan sneak her Cintran ale, which she knew was Dominik's favorite. Geralt had also told her Dandelion was planning on a large party for them all before they headed off to Skellige, and after seeing everything laid out, seeing how busy Dandelion and Priscilla both were currently, she was excited for that as well. A night with all their friends before they headed out, followed by their first intimate romantic evening together, everything sounded near perfect.

And her life very rarely gave her moments like that, so she was going to make the most of it. She smiled down at Freya and nodded.

"Thanks Freya good luck with… your hangover," Ciri said, as Freya sighed rubbing her temples again.

"Thanks… gods I hope I can see straight enough to wrap dumplings at least," Freya said, getting up from her seat with her coffee in hand and gong to join Dandelion at the bar.

She smiled and looked over to Geralt, who was amusingly chuckling before meeting her gaze. He quickly nodded to her and gestured towards the steps.

"Still gonna go see Triss?" He asked her.

Ciri nodded, the smile staying on her face. "Yeah, and then I need to… get some things ready in my room. What will you do?"

Geralt smirked at her. "What kind of things are we talking?"

"That's none of your business," Ciri said, her face getting red as she shook her head, a small laugh leaving her as she shook her head. "Hard to believe, in the middle of all of this… a god damn party."

"You deserve it, we all deserve it," Geralt said reassuringly, putting a hand on her shoulder and meeting her gaze. "After this, we'll deal with Eredin but for now… just enjoy yourself tonight okay?"

Her heart fluttered, the smile not leaving her as she nodded. "I will… we both will…. So what will you do in the meantime until tonight?"

Geralt shrugged and gestured towards the bar. "Probably have a drink or two, go see Yen. If Adda's here I should probably talk to her as well. Don't worry about me, go see Triss."

"I will… thanks again Geralt," Ciri said, before her father nodded and she turned to job up the steps.

Her sword clunked on her back, and Ciri couldn't remember a time she felt such young girl like excitement. It was like that night that Dominik had taken them back to their cave. It had probably been the most romantic thing he had ever done for her, which had been a lot. She of course had to almost ruin it, but that night would be perfect, she would make sure. It had been her promise to him when they were younger, that the first time they eventually did make love, it would be at the perfect time. The two of them had certainly come close during those younger years, she knew that people did indeed have sex at that age, but the both of them agreed that they should more then likely wait at least another year or two, perhaps when they were fifteen or sixteen.

She certainly didn't imagine it wouldn't come for another eleven years, but it was happening none the less, that was all she cared about.

Even a few times the previous last few weeks she thought she would lose control, the both of them would, and she would finally be with him. However, they had either been on the road, exhausted from the day that they had. She bit her lip, the smile not leaving her as she remembered the night in Claywitch, she had wanted with everything to simply jump his bones and make love to him in that dank, small room at the inn, she would have even made love to him in the bath they had that night. However, they simply were both far too exhausted from the day's events, figuring out about Fiona, attacking Drogar's cave, that they had simply kissed, for a very long time, too tired to do anything else before they fell asleep. It hadn't become intimate, but the night had still been fantastic.

Her core trembled as well, thinking about the nights they spent on the road, the night before they left for Claywitch. He had pleasured her, made her climax, his mouth, his finger, yes they had been intimate in a way, but Ciri as much as she loved it, and it made her feel alive, better then she had ever felt in her entire life, she was ready to be done with it, and finally, fully give herself to him, to show him how much she truly, truly did love him. She hadn't even made him climax yet, not once, one night they had an incredibly awkward conversation where she asked if he even ever had. He hadn't, telling her that he truly, and utterly waited for her for his first time, wanting it to be nobody but her. It had made Ciri feel even more horrible about what happened with Mistle, but that had quickly gone away, when he kissed her, her neck, her breasts, and made her feel more euphoria then she had ever felt. Even the night she had spent with Mistle and climaxed; nothing had ever made her feel like he did those nights. For someone who had never been with a woman, he seemed to know exactly what to do to pleasure her as much as he could, he truly did know her better then anyone, physically and mentally.

So yes, she wanted to finally have sex with him, show her how much he meant to her, and how much she loved him. It had made her think all day, what it would be like finally being with him. She had only ever had sex with a woman, and nobody else after that, she hadn't even kissed anyone since she kissed him again on the Isle of Mists. A good few men and women both, she had a few pecks on her cheek, but hadn't truly kissed anyone, let alone been intimate with anyone. Sir Galahad had been clearly interested in her, trying to woo her for the few weeks she spent in Camelot, but the man was incredibly respectful when she informed him she was in love with another. Another knight had even taken an interest in her, Sir Gwaine was much more fun and boisterous then Sir Galahad, but still, had respected her words none the less. The person she found most interesting in that world, however, was the boy Merlin, a powerful wizard, masquerading as the King's servant to protect him, along with his mentor Gaius.

Yes, Camelot, along with many other worlds had brought her opportunities of she had wished… but none of them had ever made her feel even close to how Dominik made her feel. That along with her thoughts being mostly of him, knowing she had been so close to seeing him, but before she had decided to leave, to lure the Hunt away from him, Ciri had only the ring, her memories, and her dreams of him for years after. She knew multiple young ladies had taken in interest in him as well, even more then just the ones he had told her about… but he had truly waited for her, he wanted her emotionally, physically, with every fiber of his being, it was never going to be anyone other then Ciri for him, and it was one of the things Ciri had always wanted in life, for someone to show her that unconditional love.

And now, she was going to show him how much she loved him, because she did just as fiercely. She had thought about what it would be like, being with a man as opposed to a woman. Ciri could remember all the way back in Ellander, the minute Yennefer had informed her Geralt was coming back with Dominik, was when Ciri had asked the sorceress about when she knew she would be ready to be with him, be with him intimately after hearing so many girls at the temple mention it. She had never told Dominik, but she had told Yennefer every detail of their relationship, how they loved each other, first kissed, all their escapades at Kaer Morhen. She had wanted advice on how to be the best girlfriend that she could have been. For so long she had felt slightly guilty because Dominik had always been so natural at showing her affection.

Whether it was with his over the top compliments, the small romantic evenings or gifts he gave her. To simply the way he spoke to her, complimented her, and always made sure that she was alright, no matter what was happening with him. It had always all come so natural to him. At times she had feared he thought she didn't love him as much as he loved her, which was completely untrue. She loved him with the same fierceness as he loved her, it was simply that at times when they were younger, she had a harder time showing it. She had gotten him gifts and such of course, but there were times when she simply felt she didn't know how to show him as much as love as he showed her, despite her feeling it just as fiercely.

She had gotten better at it in the recent weeks since they reunited again. Ciri could remember one of the nights in the week before she was due to leave for Thanedd and Aretuza, it was a night where she had truly wanted to make love to him, anything to calm, and reassure herself and him of her leaving, thinking it would show him how much she loved him, how much he meant to her. However, after she did, he refused, saying that the first time they made love, he wanted them both to be smiling, elated, and not have the thoughts of what would happen on their mind. That night they laid together in her bed, and he simply held her, which had done wonders for both their nerves.

Now however, it would finally be that time. She smiled the entire time she walked up the steps of the inn, determined not to make the night as truly perfect as they had always dreamed of. She would have been lying if she said she never had dreams of it, imagined what it would be like even in the previous few weeks. She wouldn't deny her excitement for it, but first she knew she needed to see Triss, to take the necessary protective steps.

She had learned about a tea she could drink the morning after, or other steps she could take, but Ciri knew a spell of some kind could be the simplest way, and she knew she would be able to use a simple spell. It would make sure that neither of them had to worry about anything, and they could simply make love and enjoy themselves, Ciri could make it as amazing for them both as they always dreamed.

Her boots creaked the floorboards as she got closer to the floor with Triss's room. She knew the sorceress was the floor below her and Dominik's room, and that if she was quick, she would be able to set up their room before he noticed.

She smiled giddily, twirling and looking down at the ring around her neck, just as she was about to turn into the hallways with Triss's room, when she felt hands reach out and hold her.

"Ciri!" Dominik's nervous voice rang, and Ciri froze when she almost walked into him.

Her eyes widened as she looked up and saw him looking down at her, his strong hands holding onto her shoulders. She had been so wrapped up thinking about the coming night she hadn't even paid attention, and suddenly the panic started welling up in her. His green eyes stared down at her, for some reason seeming just as panicked as she was.

She met his gaze and nervously laughed. "Ha, Dominik! Um.. what… what are you still doing here? Freya told me you were still here, I thought you would've went out with Faram or… or George to the ship?"

He laughed as well, rubbing the back of his head, and cutely biting his lip like he did when he was nervous. Ciri took a moment, to simply appreciate how handsome he was. Even with the scar running down his right cheek, her heart started fluttering, seeing him nervous yes, but still looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had seen, just as he always did.

"Ha… we um… had visitors, It was Elise and-." He started, but Ciri quickly shook her head.

"Adda yes… Freya saw you, did… you hear Dandelion and Priscilla are throwing us a party for before we all leave, wine, food, music," She said, trying not to let her tongue slip and mention where she had been.

He quickly nodded, chuckling awkwardly. "Ha yeah… yeah I did! So how did your um… errands in the city go? And why um… why'd you need Geralt?"

She froze and laughed allowed again shaking her head. "Oh… oh nothing important! I'm… sorry I was short with you this morning… I didn't mean to be I was just um-."

"Nervous… about everything going on, I understand, don't worry princess," He said, his voice suddenly getting level again, as he reached her hips and hugged her. "Soon, everything really will be alright, we'll be alright I swear…"

He was doing it again. Whatever he had been nervous about was forgotten, and he was making sure that she was reassured. Ciri felt his arms wrap around her. He always claimed he was small, but his arms were strong, and they always gave her that feeling of safety that she yearned for, and it had been the place she always felt most at him. Her stomach tingled, and she even felt down through her core and womanhood tremble, her face got red as she felt like a little girl again, the boy she liked holding her, and she loved the feeling.

She reached around his neck again, squeezing him with everything she had, the tingles growing as he rubbed his hand up and down her back, only serving to made her tremble more. With everything she had been thinking about, and with it being so close, Ciri truly wanted him, then and there even, but as she pulled back, she controlled herself, biting her lip as he held her and looked down at her. She smiled widely up at him, taking in the features of his face. The high cheekbones, the strong jawline, his smaller nose and gorgeous, gorgeous eyes that she had always loved the most, the almond shaped pupils, and that cute, goofy upturned smile he got when she was in his arms.

Ciri kissed him, pressing her lips onto his for a few seconds before she pulled back in his arms still. Just like always, his face went beat red, and the happiest smile came to his face, she never got tired of looking at it. It was as if every time she kissed him, he got as excited as he did the first time they ever did, and she was sure making love would be no different.

She smiled, and held one of her gloved hands up to cup his scarred cheek.

"I love it when you get that smile on your face…" She said lightly, before they both laughed and Ciri shook her head, meeting his gaze again. "Let me make this morning up to you… how would you like to be my date to this little party tonight?"

He gently let go of her and laughed, dramatically bowing to her. "You don't have to make anything up at all, but still… it would be my honor my lady."

She scoffed a laughed and pulled him back up, leaning and pecking him on the cheek, before smirking at him with her hands on her hips.

"Good, I'll meet you downstairs at sunset, don't you dare be late," She teased, the both of them laughing, before she gestured towards the stairs. "Speaking of which, were you heading down there now? Did you find something to do while I was gone?"

His laughter stopped, and he nervously laughed again, gesturing towards the hall. "Oh haha no. I was um… actually going to… see Triss, I had um… something I needed help with. What about you, where were you off too?"

Ciri froze herself as well, biting the inside of her cheek. "Ha I… I was actually um… going to see Triss too."

"Oh," Dominik said, his eyes widening as he nervously laughed. "That… that's okay you can go see her I'll um… go ask someone else-."

"No! No, no that's perfectly fine, that's okay," She said quickly, laughing nervously as she leaned up and kissed him again. "Go see Triss that's fine, I can go ask Yen! Ha… I… I love you! I'll see you downstairs later!"

"O…kay," He said carefully, nervously laughing and meeting her eyes. "Ciri are… are you sure that you-."

"I'm sure! I'll see you later, I promise, I love you!" She said, giving him yet another kiss, before turning and jogging up the stairs, knowing Yennefer's room was on the same floor as them.

She left a completely dumbfounded Dominik standing there, but Ciri had to quickly move, because the excitable, wanting to hide the knowing, giddy, excited look on her face. She trudged up the steps quickly, laughing to herself, and grabbing the ring around her neck just as she got up to the floor with their and Yennefer's rooms.

Before she went down the hall, she took a second to shakily sigh, the open mouth smile not leaving her as she looked down at the ring. She knew Dominik could have been just going to see Triss to say hello, but he had said that he needed help with something, and from how excited and nervous he looked at the same time, she had found out exactly what was happening.

He was planning something for her, just like she was for him. Her heart soared, and she laughed again, her face getting beat red as now, she only wanted more to make that night, one of the most special of their lives.

Ciri was finally going to show him how much she absolutely loved him, just like she always would.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

She had gotten to Yen's room quickly enough, and before she knocked, Ciri felt like she was a little girl again. She would never forget that day in the temple, when she had gone to see Yen, and the sorceress had the largest smile on her face. Ciri had asked what it was, and that was when Yennefer had showed her the letter. It was a letter from Geralt, detailed how he and Dominik were both attacked by men looking for Ciri on a barge crossing the Pontar. This had led Geralt to conclude that him, and even more certainly Dominik, wanted to be closer to Ciri protect her while she learned, so he and Dominik were making their way to Ellander. Ciri had been so elated, she didn't even have a lesson with Yennefer that day. The sorceress of course had heard all about Dominik already, but Ciri had then spent the entire time which should have been their lesson telling her all about other things the two of them had done.

After that, in the few weeks that followed, was when Ciri almost got slightly nervous. She wanted to do something special for Dominik once he got there. Yen had ended up helping her plan a romantic picnic for the two of them, along with Ciri giving him a tour of the whole town and the temple. He hadn't seen it himself, but Ciri would never forget the looks some of the other girl at the temple, who had all been telling her the idea of her having a boyfriend like she described was ridiculous, once they all saw Dominik. Mother Neneneke had taken to him right away, along with a few girls even insisting Ciri introduce him to them. Ciri had only gone to a few lessons at the temple in the year following, spending most of her time with Dominik and of course Geralt and Yen.

She would never forget asking Yen the first time about sex, it was something she heard other girls mention, and she of course had thought about it herself. Even then she was sure she loved him, and wanted to be with him, have her first time be him. She asked Yen when she knew she'd be ready, and the sorceress had of course told her what should have been obvious to her even at the time. The two of them would know when they were ready, the important part was that they loved each other, trusted each other, and respected each other's boundaries. So, that was what they did for that year. A few times they had almost lost control and went at one another, however, the plan had been to wait until they were sixteen. Despite that, a few times she tried to urge him to go further, but each time he had gotten flustered, red, completely adorable, and Ciri decided to wait for another time.

They were adults now, and Ciri was readier then she ever was. She knew of course he would still get all flustered and red, probably asked her a hundred times if she was sure she wanted too, even when both their clothes eventually came off. However, she found it endearing, considerate, considering everything she had gone through, what happened with Mistle, all the people who wanted to rape her. Dominik she knew was terrified he'd give her horror flashbacks of what happened, and despite the fact it clearly wasn't true, the fact he was so considerate, only made Ciri love him more.

But that night she wanted him, she wanted him to enter her, make love to her, she wanted to make love to him, show him how much she loved him. She had also seen what happened when he finally let loose in their multiple romantic evenings. The way he kissed her neck, her thighs, her womanhood, held her, massaged her from her breasts, to her legs to her back, ass, shoulders, it made her shudder simply thinking about it, and the thought of a whole night like that made her face get red then and there in front of Yennefer's door. She wanted him to enjoy himself as much as she did, climax like she did, feel as much pleasure as he made her feel, make him feel as loved as he always made her feel.

First of course, she needed to speak with Yen again. Not only because she needed to learn some kind of spell, but also, simply to talk to her mother about what she was going to do. Ciri felt like she simply needed to tell her, ask her what she thought.

"Alright…" She said, sighing to herself as she knocked on her mothers door.

It only took a few seconds for the door knob to click, and the scent of the lilac the gooseberries hit her nose. Yen's eyes had always been reassuring, and they didn't fail her then either, as a large smile came to the sorceress's face when she saw her.

"Ciri! Good heavens darling you didn't need to knock," She said, reaching around and hugging her, before pulling back and smiling down at her. "How are you feeling? How was Dominik feeling this morning?"

Her hug warmed Ciri's bones. She looked and smiled, nodding as she met the sorceress's eyes. "He was alright and… so am I. I was out in the market with Geralt, did you hear Dandelion is going to have a small party for us all tonight."

"I did hear yes, Freya told me when I came down not long ago, poor girl, never seen such a hangover," Yen said, getting a laugh from Ciri before the sorceress smiled at her again. "What were you and Geralt doing in the market?"

Ciri finished laughing a sighed, a small smile on her face as she twirled the ring. "Well… seeing as we're leaving for Skellige tomorrow. I wanted to get Dom something, something special."

Yennefer laughed, it echoed through the hall and she beamed down at her. "Oh the two of you always did have the most romantic gestures. I'm guessing he's more than likely planning some elaborate surprise or gift for you as well."

Ciri scoffed and nodded with a smile. "Ha, I just caught him on my way up here. He was going to see Triss, stuttered near the whole time, it was adorable, I'm sure he's planning something…"

"And if I know Dominik, he's probably fussing over it to make sure it's perfect for you darling, that's why he went to Triss for help," The sorceress said, a proud smile on her face. "What about you? I know you probably have something cooked up as well."

She nodded eagerly, the smile growing. "I do yes. I had ordered his sword repaired! Geralt knows master swordsmith in town, said he could repair it and make it even better!"

Her eagerness made Yennefer smiled wider as she nodded. "That's a brilliant idea. He was very distraught over that sword. He only ever wants for a few things, other than you of course, I'm sure he'll love it darling."

She flushed red, her chest fluttering but quickly sighed. "I know he will and… and I'm excited to give it to him. But I… wanted to do something else for him tonight… something really, really special."

"And what was that?" Yen asked, crossing her arms while smiling still.

Ciri bit the inside of her cheek and embarrassingly met Yen's eyes. "You see, like I told you the two of us haven't well… done it yet. And well…seeing as we leave for Skellige tomorrow and won't have too much time I thought… that tonight we can… finally make love."

She spoke quickly but tried to gage the sorceress's reaction. A smile curled on her mother's face, and Ciri went on rambling again.

"And well I… remembered you saying you could teach me a spell to… protect me," She said, her face getting red as Yen continued to smile. "I… thought it would be simple! Simple just… have sex with him but… but I want it to be more, much more I want it to be special, I wanted it to be-."

"Ciri, Ciri easy darling, I know what you're talking about," The sorceress said, stopping her ranting with a hand on her shoulder, smiling reassuringly at her. "What's say we get some lunch mhmm? Just the two of us, we'll have it in my room, and we can talk about this all, how's that sound?"

Ciri let out a relieved breath, holding onto her chest as Yen got to her side, wrapping her arm fully around her. She looked up at her mother, and realized shockingly, that she truly hadn't spent much quality time with her. Of course the four of her Dominik, Geralt and Yen had dinner together the one night, and the previous two she had spoken with Yen much, but it was always with Dominik or someone else around. It had been not since Rivia, since the meeting with the lodge that she had spent true quality time with the sorceress that had become her mother.

And with the mixture of excitement and nerves buzzing in her chest, Ciri didn't think anything sounded better then.

She nodded, and Yen's smile on seemed to grow, as they both walked down towards the ground floor.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dom, you really are overthinking this," Triss said from behind him, a hint of amusement to her tone.

He sighed as he browed the row of necklace before shaking his head. "It has to be something special Triss! I think I'm past the days of flower crowns and necklaces…"

"Ciri adored those flower crowns and necklaces, I did too," The sorceress said, smirking as she came up next to him. "You made me one for my birthday when I was at Kaer Morhen, the most adorable thing I ever saw. And I know Ciri loved them as well."

"I know she does but… after everything? I just need… something more," He said, sighing as he pulled back from the stand and turned with a shake of his head. "She deserves so much after everything… I… I just want to show her how much I appreciate her."

"She already knows that," Triss said reassuringly, holding a hand out on his arm, smiling as she shook her head. "You don't need to get her something for her to know that. You could get her a dagger and she'd be ecstatic with it."

"So… do you… think I should get her a dagger?" He said, biting his bottom lip and rubbing the back of his head.

Triss sighed and rolled her eyes, but Dominik could see the amusement behind it. The sun was quickly going down, and some of the stalls had even closed around the Gildorf square. He knew he needed to hurt, not only because the party would be starting back at the Chameleon soon, but because he knew the longer Triss was out in the open it was dangerous. A few of the stands were still open, including one which sold precious stones, where a large, sparkling silver pendant caught his eye. It was a simple circular pendant, about as large as his medallion. It had a red ruby in the center and would more than likely cost all of his coin, but the most interesting thing was that he could feel his medallion light tugging at the chain as he looked at it. The shopkeeper was haggling with an older couple nearby, and Dominik sighed, realizing that no man would be caught selling magic items.

He turned back to Triss, who was smiling amusingly at him near the fountain. Nothing had felt right, nothing had felt like it was enough. Ciri knew he was getting her something now, she had to. He had done a horrible job of hiding it, and she was too smart not to have figured out. However, he also knew her as well as she knew him, which was quite well, so he knew she had done the same thing for him. She had gotten the most adorable red, flustered look on her face when she saw him, and was more than likely asking Yen about whatever it was she had gotten him now.

Growing up, Ciri always told him how sorry she was she was so bad at showing affection with gestures, unlike Dominik was. The whole thing hadn't been true, Ciri had been plenty affectionate for him. She claimed it was because she didn't make bigger gestures like he did, but he could remember plenty of times she had snuck him out to a picnic, to watch the stars, skate or swim. She had gotten him gifts plenty of times, and each time she made sure it was perfect, so he was almost giddy to see what he got her that night, even though it could have been a pretty looking stone and he still would carry that stone with him everywhere he went.

Either way he knew it would be special, something from her heart, and he wanted to make sure whatever he got her was just as lovely.

_'Might I suggest a necklace? Something special, but simple.' 'A necklace yeah, or maybe something she can use." _Adda and Elise's voice each rang in his head. He had even asked Freya for suggestions on his way out, but his poor friend was barely coherent.

"Again, Dom, you really don't need to think so hard about this," Triss said with a smile, as he came up to her near the fountain. "Something simple, although I think she's already going to adore the song you had Dandelion and Priscilla write."

He sighed, a small smile coming to his face, but he shook his head. "I know but… I just feel like I need something else. She's getting me something I know it, I'd look like an ass if I didn't do the same for her."

"She wouldn't care, and you know it," Triss said.

"I know, but I would," He said, shaking his head as he bit his lip and looked at the stall. "I need to figure this out, we still have other stops we need to make…."

Triss smirked wildly again as she met his eyes. "Yes… flowers, wine, chocolate, scented candles… I wonder now what you could be getting all those for."

His face got red, but he sighed and rolled his eyes, deciding to not beat around the bush.

"You know… I really wish people would stop being so interested in Ciri and I's sex life," He said, shaking his head as he embarrassingly bit his lip again. "Or well… lack thereof so far."

Triss scoffed. "You mean to tell me you two haven't done it yet?"

"No Triss we haven't, we've been a little busy fighting the Wild Hunt!" He said quickly, his face getting red, and it must have been amusing because Triss laughed.

"Ha, okay, okay I'm sorry," The sorceress said amusingly, meeting his eyes again. "Just saying after eight years, a bit surprised you haven't made time yet."

He bit his lip and crossed his arms. "Well I mean we have tried… but well… none of the moments felt right."

"Not even on your little road trip?" She said.

"We… had a few romantic evenings," He said slowly, his face getting beat red as he sighed and shook his head. "But well, we both agreed we wanted our first time to be in an actual bed, not on the ground in the middle of the woods."

"Fair enough," The sorceress said, smiling still as she seemed to find the whole situation either amusing or endearing. "Have you thought maybe… making tonight-."

"Yes, yes I have…" He said, his heart rate going through the roof as he looked nervously into Triss's eyes. "Romantic night, music, wine, dancing, last night before we leave for Skellige. I know she's probably thinking the same thing…"

Triss eyed him curiously now. "And… what's the problem them? I thought you'd be excited at the idea."

"I am!" He said quickly, quickly enough to make Triss chuckle, before he sighed and shook his head. "I mean… everyone for some reason keeps making jokes about it, asking us about it or fussing about it. Geralt, Dandelion, my friends, Yen…"

She rolled her eyes. "That's just because we all care about you both, we're happy for you. Me, Geralt, Yen, Dandelion, we all watched your relationship grow, from the time you were nothing, but love-struck kids."

"It really was that obvious wasn't it…" He said.

"Oh yes, I could tell from the first minute I met you that you loved Ciri with everything you had," She said fondly, smiling at him as the wind blew her fiery red hair.

"How were you able to tell?"

"You almost stabbed me the minute you saw me talking to her," She said, as Dominik scoffed a laugh.

"Yeah… sorry about that," He said, a cool breeze sending goosebumps up his skin.

Triss smiled broadly and quickly shook her head. "Don't apologize, it was adorable actually…. That's why we're all well… not interested, just happy for you both. Don't take it to heart, it's all good fun."

"I know, I know it is," Dominik said, shaking his head, his stomach and chest swirling violently as he sighed. "And well… I wanna have sex with Ciri, I do but… but it's just… I'm nervous."

It had been on his mind even since that first night in the cave. Every fiber of his being wanted to have sex with Ciri, finally make love, and take that next step, but each time they had been somewhat intimate, each time they had come close, and could have said fuck waiting and just did it, something had stopped him. It wasn't that he didn't want too, but each time they were both naked, in each other's arms and close to doing it, he had felt the nerves take over.

Even then, thinking about having sleeping with her, it made his chest flutter, goosebumps pleasantly trickled up his skin. During their trip to Claywitch, even the previous two nights, they had been intimate again, he had pleasured her with his mouth, his finger, and each time it had been amazing he loved every moment. Even the simplest things, like feeling her hand slowly trail down his chest, her kissing his neck, biting his ear, all of it drove him the good kind of crazy, and he wanted her, wanted her more than anything, at times the desire simply took over, but there had always been the nerves returning.

And each time he knew exactly why.

Triss slowly shook her head wonderingly. "Why would you be nervous? You can't really think that she doesn't want to sleep with you do you?"

He sighed again, the pleasant tingle now turning piercing as she shook his head and met Triss's eyes. He had told himself he would never tell anyone, it was Ciri's business not his to tell, but in that moment, he simply needed to get out the nerves somehow. Triss was someone they both trusted, and Dominik then simply needed to talk to someone.

"No, I… I know she does, it… it's just," He said slowly, taking a step closer to the sorceress, speaking lowly so the prying ears couldn't hear in the market. "Triss… Ciri she… she was raped, that… that was her first time."

Triss eyes widened and she shook her head, an aghast look on her face. "Really… gods that… that's horrible, Ciri…."

He nodded again. "Yeah…I… I thought we were going to one night at Kaer Morhen but… but when we did, she… she screamed, had flashbacks. She broke down and told me, said she couldn't have sex with me, without telling me. I… I'm not mad in the slightest, she was raped but… now I… I'm scared that-."

"That if you go to have sex again… you'll trigger a bad memory for her…" Triss finished, now nodding in understanding.

"Yeah… that… that's my worst fear, I don't want her to have to relive that," He said, shaking his head, his eyes widening as he met Triss's gaze again. "And… and more people have tried to rape her too, force her to go sleep with someone! The Lodge wanted to send her to Kovir to marry some random prince, have kids so she could be their puppet! When she was in the Aen Elle world, they made her try to sleep with their King, fucking… fucking Emhyr wanted to rape her and force her to marry him! Fucking Cahir wanted to save her because he was in love with her! So many people they… they all tried to force her into sex and… and I don't-."

"Dominik!" Triss said sharply, her forest green eyes reassuringly meeting his as she shook her head. "The fact you're so concerned with that all… it's incredible considerate and sweet… but do you want to know why none of that matters?"

He scoffed and incredulously shook his head. "How can none of it matter!? What is.. what if we go to have sex and she had a flashback, remembers something horrible, I don't want-.

"It doesn't matter, because the difference from all those situations you mentioned, is that she _wants _this! She _loves _you; she didn't want any of those other people, she wants this now with you," Triss reassured him, gently smiling and shaking her head again. "When it happens, think of just the two of you. No Geralt, Yen, me, no Wild Hunt, no past, nothing else…"

Dominik slowly met her eyes, his hands nervously shaking. "Just the two of us…"

"Exactly," Triss said, shaking her head, a small smile coming to his face. "Sex is supposed to enjoyed, yes some do it just for fun with anyone, and if that's what they want that's okay as long as everyone's safe and consenting. But well… most of the time, it's about making a deeper connection with the other person or cementing that connection…. You love Ciri Dominik, you have for practically your entire life, this night, it won't be about other people, nothing else… other than just the two of you."

"But… but what if she-," He started, but Triss quickly smirked and shook her head.

"I don't think she will. Especially if you make this just about the two of you," She said confidently, crossing her arms and smiling. "You take her to your room, give her your gift, kiss her like nothing else matters, and after that, you'll know exactly what to do, with love, sex, the most important thing is to just let it all come naturally, if you're truly in love with a person, it will come naturally. And after that well… you both take your clothes off and-."

"I know what to do after that!" He snapped quickly, his face hot and red as Triss hair, the sorceress laughed hysterically, and after a moment, he sighed, a small smile coming to his face, as he looked down at the swallow gleaming in the sunset.

Just the two of them, nobody else. It was such a simple concept that he couldn't believe he hadn't thought about. He didn't want to trigger any horrible memories, of the girl, Mistle, or Emhyr at Stygga, the King of the Aen Elle. He didn't want her to have to even think about all of that, let alone relive it. He understood completely why she had the flashbacks in the cave that night, but he also remembered how she cried, begging for him to forgive her, for something that wasn't her fault. Even if she had slept with the girl Mistle, he understood, and wasn't mad at her in the slightest still. And everything else that had happened, Emhyr, the Lodge trying to make her their puppet, none of it was her fault either.

Now, in that moment, on that day, she wanted him, he wanted her, they were there, and it would be about the both of them. Triss had said that it 'would come naturally', and this he also knew to be true, because everything with Ciri always came naturally. Holding her, kissing her, being around her, talking to her, laughing, smiling, the feeling of love, it all came when he was with her. None of those people who had tried to do the horrible things to her were there anymore, they were adults now, grown, mature, and so close to what they always had wanted.

However, Dominik had come to realize, no matter what happened with the Wild Hunt, he already had what he always wanted.

Ciri.

That night was going to be a night that they had both been waiting for. And it would be just like he told her back in that cave, nothing else mattered.

The breeze shot through his hair again, chilling his bones as he looked and saw the sun gently going down, the beautiful orange rays casting out over the city of Novigrad, and finally, he smiled. That night was the night he and Ciri would make love, would take that step in their relationship they had known they wanted to do ever since they were fourteen. It may have seemed a bit childish for them both to be so nervous, to be thinking so much about what could be seen to some as simply sex, something the two of them, two young people in love, would simply do. However, the idea had always meant more to him than simply sex.

It was as Triss said again, to him, it was a way to show Ciri the depth of how much he loved her, connecting with her on a physical level they never had. Also, simply about pleasuring her, and making her feel as amazing as he possibly could, because she simply deserved it. He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it the previous few weeks, or the previous few years. He was fully prepared to never have sex, to die a virgin if he hadn't found Ciri, it was always going to be her, from the moment he found her on the balcony.

"Let it come naturally…" He said slowly, taking a look closer down at the silver pendant that he had seen at the stall before, Triss coming up behind him.

His medallion tugged at his neck, and he saw the silver of the pendant gleaming in the sunset. The red eyes of the wolf lightly glew, and looking further down, he saw the inside of his left wrist. It was something he ended up doing often the previous few days since they had both gotten the wolf tattoo, simply staring at it, smiling when he thought about the fact Ciri had the exact same one.

A cool breeze came again, and that was when he smiled, turning back to Triss.

"Triss… can you… use a spell to forge metal?" He asked her, the excitement from the idea eating up at him as he grinned like a madman.

Triss smiled as well but eyed him curiously. "I can, an easy enough spell… why do you ask?"

He looked back down at the wolf on his wrist, before turning to the large pendant in the display case.

"I think I have an idea…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Now, repeat after me again, you must make sure the wording is exactly right," Yen said, eyeing her careful as she spoke clearly. "_Praesidio Subreptino. _Go on repeat it. I already casted it over you, so you'll be safe, but it's simple enough to remember."

Ciri swallow the dumpling she had been chewing and nodded. "_Praesidio Subreptino."_

Yen smiled and nodded. "Exactly, that will prevent any… unwanted circumstances."

"How long did you say it lasted?" Ciri said, drinking the last of the wine from her cup before she placed it on Yen's table.

"A full 24 hours," Her mother said, finishing the last of her wine as well. "You should get into a habit of casting it every morning, this way you don't have to worry… because as I'm sure you know, nights like this will more than likely become much more frequent soon."

Ciri's face got red as she nodded in understanding, popping the last dumpling on the plate between Yennefer and her into her mouth. She felt slightly bad eating the first batch Freya had made, but the blonde insisted she needed to make another batch anyway, insisting the one she made first was inferior to her standards. Ciri found the idea ridiculous as she swallowed the dumpling, with it being as delicious as they always were when Freya made them. Even Yen who hadn't eaten much as it was had downed quite a few as the two of them at the table in the sorceress's room with cups of wine.

The last of the sunlight was leaving, heading down over the city, and Ciri's smile didn't leave her, as she could hear the commotion downstairs, Freya yelling at other cooks to hurry, the band tuning instruments, even the loud booming laugh of Faram. She was looking forward to the night and wondered if Dominik was back yet with whatever it was he was trying to get her. She also wondered If Hatorri had been finished with the sword, she was already crunched for time, with her wanting to light a few extra candles and clean up their room before later, she didn't want to not have her one present for him.

Yen like she had said, casted the spell right away, and now according to her it had worked. The spell was simple enough and would protect her from getting pregnant for twenty-four hours, so now her and Dominik both make love without any lingering worries. And it was as Yennefer had said, Ciri was prepared for many more nights like this after. For so long she had been waiting, waiting to finally get to show him how much she loved him, for their relationship to finally reach this point. They had been ready for years of course, but circumstance, circumstance had kept them both from each other, but now that was all gone, it was all gone and finally it was the two of them.

Just like she had always wanted. Nothing else was going to stop them, when it came to making love, and when it came to their future. It was he told her in the cave, they were there, and nothing mattered. No Hunt, no Avallac'h, nothing else mattered to her that night anymore except him and her, the two of them having the greatest night that they possibly could. She would make sure of it. And it was as he told her, Geralt told her, what everyone told her, after the Hunt was dealt with it would be the life they always wanted.

Her, and Dominik, with Fiona now as well. Ciri missed the young girl dreadfully, and in the time since they'd be eating, Yen had been eagerly asking about the young girl who would soon become her new granddaughter, and Ciri was excited to answer. If she focused, she could see Dominik with Fiona on his shoulder, spinning her while Fiona tried to pull him into the snow. The girl had reminded Ciri so much of herself, and with Dominik by her side, she knew that they could both give Fiona the life they had, _and _the life they missed out on when they were separated.

"You know… I remember all the way back in Ellander, when you first asked me when you knew you'd be ready to first be with Dominik," Yen said fondly, ripping Ciri back from her thoughts. "And now well… you're both grown…"

Ciri met the sorceress eyes and smiled. "Yeah… I was thinking about that earlier. It feels like so long ago but… at the same time… not long at all."

"Yes I agree," Yen said, chuckling as she shook her head. "You two picked up right where you left off when you were separated, it's a beautiful thing."

"It was easy," Ciri said, her face getting red as she grinned. "He… he's always made it so easy. Nobody else… nobody's ever made me feel special like he does."

"You're incredibly special darling," The sorceress said. "For more than just your blood, so much more."

She could help but sheepishly look away, feeling like a child she grinned so much. For so long she had just been hunted for her blood, told she was special, treated differently for that. Dominik, Yennefer, Geralt, all had been the ones to love her for who she really was, with Dominik being the first. It had all started back in Cintra, when she faked her name when she first introduced herself, and he played with her all night, not because she was the princess, but because she was herself.

That had continued for her whole life. And even in different worlds, all the people she met who claimed to want the best for her, claimed she was special, claimed to love her, want what was 'best' for her, none had made her feel like he had.

Even with all she had done, all the horrible things she did, he still loved her, they still loved her. All the horrible things she did with the Rats, the people she'd killed, tortured, watch be raped, some nights it still haunted her. However, despite this, despite some nights in the previous weeks her waking up and having to tell Dominik what her nightmares were about, he always had held her till she was better, till she fell back asleep in his arms. She had been working every day to make up for those mistakes, she wasn't the same person that Dominik fell in love with, but he loved her still, nonetheless.

"I… I've done some horrible things," Ciri said, her stomach churning as she met Yen's eyes, slowly shaking her head. "The Rats I… I've told him what I did but-."

"But he still loves you, we still love you," Yen said reassuringly, smiling and reaching over to hold a hand on her arm. "You were a child, you regret what you did now, you've changed for the better… I'm prouder of you then you'll ever know darling… of the both of you… and I'm so… so happy for you."

Ciri launched her arms over off her chair and hugged the sorceress, like she had when she first saw her and Geralt again at Stygga. Her chest thumped and fluttered, as Yen laughed, quickly hugging her back as well. Ciri had wanted nothing more than to make them all proud, to be the person she was, the person she knew they all loved. And truly then, it felt like nothing was wrong.

She pulled back, smiling as she looked at her mother. "Thank you… for everything…. We wouldn't have made it without the two of you."

Yen gently reached a handout to her cheek and smiled. "You both would have darling you're both some of the strongest people I know… have fun tonight alright?"

Her mother winked, and Ciri got red, her body tingling as she nodded. "We… we will. I… I must admit I'm…."

"Excited? Anxious? Ready?" Yen said amusingly.

Ciri laughed and nodded. "All of them yes… you know Geralt gets all flustered and plugs his ears when we talk about this, why don't you?"

"Ha, because you're young adults, you love each other," The sorceress said, smirking as she crossed her arms in her seat. "As for your anxiousness… believe me darling, that'll go away quickly, the moment he kisses you I bet you it will."

Her arms tingled again, as she sheepishly laughed. "Ha… he… he knows what he's doing that's-."

"Alright, alright, I said I don't mind talking about it, but I… don't exactly need to know what my son is 'good' at," She cut her off, making Ciri laughed as Yen scoffed. "You know, what are the two of you going to do with Fiona? It may be… harder to have nights like this with a child."

Ciri bit her lip but managed a laugh. "Ha, she's thirteen, she can have her own room at an inn. Besides, we're going to wait a few-."

A knock on the door cut her off, as she and Yen both turned, the lock clicking before either of them had a chance to answer.

"Please, Yennefer, excuse the interruption," The voice of Phillipa Eilhart rang, as the sorceress strode into the room, looking between them both. "Cirilla."

Her eyes narrowed. "Phillipa…"

"Phil, what is this?" Yen said right away, as she and Ciri both stood. "Can't you see we're trying to spend some time-."

"Yes, yes I'm very well aware, and as I said, I'm sorry for the interruption," Eilhart said with a wave of the hand, not sounding particularly sorry. "It's just that after leaving tomorrow morning for Skellige, we may not have much time. Cirilla, as you know, I've requested a meeting with you, myself and the others several times the last few days."

Ciri crossed her eyes and shook her head. "Apologies, I've been a bit pre-occupied."

Philippa again waved it off. "With your little boyfriend yes you're both basically attached to the hip. Ida and Keira both have told me of him. I can see why you were so eager to see him all those years ago now."

Ciri got flustered for a moment as she remembered the meeting. She had quite literally just gotten back, and then a few days later, they had summoned her. Of course she didn't hate all the members of the lodge, she knew that some truly did care for her wellbeing. Yennefer and Triss she loved with her heart, Margarita only ever truly cared for her education, even Phillipa herself had saved her on Thanedd when she had been momentarily captured. However, if they all cared about her, they wouldn't have tried to use her like they did.

They had of course claimed that it was for her own good, going to Kovir and marrying the now King Tankred was all simply for her own good. And if Ciri honestly believed that, then she would have still of course refused, what with her due to meet Dominik and Geralt both in Rivia but been appreciative that they had been trying to help her. However, when they started demanding things of her, planning things for her, treating her like she was a piece of meat, a pawn on a chessboard, was when she realized, they truly only wanted her for her title, for her power.

The group had wanted her to marry Tankred and be their puppet. She remembered the time after Stygga vividly. After what happened with Emhyr, Yennefer had right away set about locating Dominik with a series of spells. She was quick to find him, learning he was in Vizima, and right away had sent a letter to him, telling him to meet them in Rivia. Geralt had taken her, and they traveled for a bit, heading towards the city, before Yen had taken her to the meeting, annoying her greatly, knowing that she was only a few days away from seeing Dominik again.

She had planned on taking him to visit worlds, him, Geralt, Yennefer, all of them. However, of course she had been most excited to see Dominik again, and finally start the life they wanted.

Ciri had that now, and after only a bit more pushing, it would begin. So, while she was thankful for Phillipa and the others agreeing to help, she wasn't going to be a pawn anymore.

"Yes, he's quite wonderful you should meet him some time," Ciri said dryly, crossing her arms.

"What is it you want Phil? Whatever it is you want I'm sure it can wait," Yennefer said sternly, crossing her arms as well, and Ciri realized how incredibly similar they both looked.

Phillipa had a band over her eyes, but Ciri was sure she'd be rolling them if she could, as the sun from the window finally set.

"I don't believe it can Yennefer, we've been requesting it for days," She said, turning to meet Ciri's eyes again. "Cirilla, I must insist you come speak with us now. Margarita, Keira, Ida and I are all up in the top room, it's been impossible to get you for a moment alone."

"God forbid I have a life outside of my magic," Ciri shot back, her annoyance rising as a small part of her wished her sword were on her back.

Phillipa scoffed. "Considering what we're about to face, I believe it should be your priority. It won't take long; I expect you'll want to listen to what we have to say."

She was doing it again, just like she and the others had at their meeting. Phillipa had spoken sternly, almost as if her request was a demand. She was trying to intimidate Ciri, shoehorn her into the meeting. Ciri quit frankly didn't care whatever their offer was, and she already believed she knew what it was.

And Ciri already knew her answer. She wasn't a child anymore, not like she was back then. She had bitten back then, but it hadn't been strong enough, but this time it would be.

Yen quickly shook her head, narrowing her eyes. "She doesn't have to go to any meetings Phil. Don't think for a minute that-."

"Fine, I'll be with you all in a moment," Ciri said sternly, her arms still crossed as her eyes stayed narrowed at Phillipa.

Yennefer looked at Ciri worriedly for a moment, but Phillipa seemed to smirk and nodded.

"Very good, as I said… I don't believe it will take long," The sorceress said.

"No… I don't think it will," Ciri said right back.

Phillipa again seemed like she was narrowing her eyes behind the headband she wore, before the sorceress went and left the room. After closing the door, Ciri let out an annoyed sighed, reaching up behind her head and tying up her loose bun again, her heart racing as her annoyance rose again.

No, she truly was going to make this meeting quick, she wasn't going to have her night bogged down by whatever it was they all wanted from her.

"Ciri… darling you truly don't have to do this if you don't want," Yennefer quickly said after Phillipa had left.

Ciri turned to her mother, pulling to tighten her bun. "I don't, but we need their help, so the least I can do is go and listen to what they have to say. It's probably best not to piss them off."

Yen shook her head again. "I don't care about that darling, the last thing I want to do is for them to try and take advantage of you, try to force you into something again!"

She knew what Yennefer had meant by 'again'. Her mother was still upset she couldn't have prevented her from going to the meeting with the Lodge, to try and get them to leave earlier. The idea was ridiculous, she had never loved Yennefer more than she did then.

Dominik and she both truly had thought about calling themselves Cirilla of Vengerberg and Dominik of Rivia for a reason.

"Don't worry Yen, I won't let them force me into anything I don't want," She assured her, meeting her mother's eyes with a determined gaze. "They won't force me into anything, they didn't last time… thanks to you, but now… I can bite back myself."

Yen was taken aback for a minute, going between a proud smile and worried frown. "Ciri I… I just don't want-."

"Was that Phillipa I saw leaving the room?" Geralt's voice hit her ears, making her and Yen both jump, as naturally her father had entered the room silently.

She whirled around and saw Geralt had come to their room, his armor and swords removed. He only wore a comfy looking white top, the knife strapped onto his back. Yen stepped up next to her, and Geralt looked at them both curiously as he crossed his arms and met both their eyes.

"She seems awfully pleased with herself…." Geralt said, as Ciri quickly nodded before Yennefer could say anything.

"She, Margarita, Ida and Keira all said they want to meet with me," Ciri informed him, her arms still crossed she looked between both of them.

Geralt scoffed and looked down at the worried Yennefer next to him, before looking back to Ciri. "Okay, and what's the big deal? It's not like they're out to bite you."

"And if they do I'll bit back!" Ciri said, her eyes narrowing as she shook her head incredulously. "They more than likely have some schemes cooked up for me… again."

Geralt tilted his head at her for a moment, before looking back down at Yen. Yennefer looked and met her father's eyes and shook her head.

"I don't like this Geralt, not one bit," Yen said, beginning to pace between the two of them, continuing to do so as she spoke again. "Rita I trust, even Ida to a degree… but Phillipa, she's ruthless, and fucking Keira! She already tried to fuck our son!"

"Did you really have to remind me…" Ciri said with a roll of her eyes, her anger for Keira Metz growing all over again.

Yennefer ignored her and went on pacing. "The last time I trusted them with her, they tried to keep us in Vengerberg! Ciri darling… if you, truly if you want, Geralt and I will go with-."

"No, we won't," Geralt said firmly, meeting Ciri's eyes with a prideful smile before he turned and looked at Yen. "If they're ever going to take her seriously she has to fight her own battles… besides, I think she can go toe for toe with them… they're in for a rude awakening."

Ciri genuinely smiled, the joy and pride flooding over her as Geralt smiled at her. He always had that ability, to perfectly understand what she was feeling, what she wanted, and while sometimes he'd offer her wisdom, and advise her against a course of action, he never forced her or Dominik to do anything.

She was lucky, Dominik and her were both lucky to have found him, and a large part of her was giddy at the idea of after this was all over, the three of them, Geralt her and Dominik, all going on the Path together, before Geralt went back to Yennefer of course.

Yen seemed nervous still, but sighed and nodded, turning back to Ciri. "Ciri… if you truly think you can, then I believe in you."

"We both do… so, you mind getting this done? We got a party to start," Geralt said, a smirk coming to his face. "Couple people are already downstairs… and saw Dom come back with Triss, saw him headed to your room."

Her face heated up, grinning she nodded. That was what the night would be about, her, Dominik, their friends, and the life they had now.

She wasn't a child anymore; her life was her own.

"I'm sure… don't worry, I don't think this will take long," Ciri said, smiling at both her parents, before she walked towards the door.

She turned back, and of course, as they always did, they smiled at her, reassuring her that they would always be there, no matter where she went.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ahh good, you've arrived," Keira Metz said to her as she entered, all the other sorceresses turning to her as well. "It's good to see you again Cirilla, I must ask where's Dominik? Is he well, I only saw him briefly when I arrived."

"Wouldn't you like to know…" Ciri said darkly, narrowing her eyes at the blonde sorceress, as she crossed her arms, standing near the base of the bed in the ruby suite.

The sorceress seemed to know the root of her anger and smartly decided not to speak again. Ciri gave her one last glare, before turning and looking once again at all the sorceresses gathered in the room. Outside the wind blew in from the balcony, the moon had risen, and Ciri felt her loose strands of hair whipping on her forehead. She crossed her arms under her chest as she eyed each of the four sorceresses. It flashed her back to the meeting all those years ago, she was in a similar situation then, but had been hiding behind Yennefer's cotails, only coming out from behind them towards the end.

Now however, she could fight her own battles, the entire time. Geralt and Yennefer weren't there with her, but they believed in her, despite the fact she knew that they were both more than likely eavesdropping at the door then and there.

Keira settled back in a chair near Margarita at the large desk, while she noticed that Ida Emean was standing, leaning against a bookshelf behind them, seeming completely uninterested in the meeting, like the entire meeting was pointless. Dominik had told her how his respect for the elven sage had grown. She was after all the lover of his ancestor Connor of Lod, she hadn't had to come, but she had for Connor, to protect his descendant, his line in Dominik and fulfill the one goal Connor had always wanted, that Alexander of Lod, and his descendants were all destined to do.

To protect her, protect the elder blood in her veins. Ciri knew they were all taking a great risk, so she wanted to be respectful to them all. However, as she saw the satisfied smile come to Phillipa's face, she knew it would be difficult. One thing however, something she had been learning from Dominik, was how to control her angrier outbursts, keep her temper under control.

However, she wouldn't let them walk on her, not again.

"All other things aside, we're all glad that we were able to finally have this meeting," Phillipa said, standing next to Margarita, as she stepped around the table and looked towards Ciri again. "It is tragic for us that our dear Sile won't be able to be with us, but nonetheless."

"It truly is good to see you again Ciri," Margarita said, and Ciri could hear it was genuine, as the blonde sorceress smiled gently at her. "You've grown much."

Ciri nodded, keeping her arms crossed. "I have, I'm older… wiser. So, what is it you all wanted of me? I had plans that I would like to get back too."

Her tone seemed to surprise them all, even Ida stepped off the bookshelf, a small smirking forming on her lips, before Margarita spoke below her, while Keira decided to stay silent.

"We promise it won't take long, what we have for you is an offer, Phil?" She said, looking up to Phillipa, who nodded and turned to Ciri again.

Phillipa looked at her and nodded with a small smile. "What we're here to offer is what should have been long ago. With so many of us now together again, and with Radovid gone, the Lodge has been reforming."

Ciri resisted the urge to sneer, as Phillipa strode closer to her.

"Had plans worked out before, you would have completed your training and joined us sooner," The sorceress said, seeming completely sure of herself. "We make you the same offer again, join us and-."

"No," Ciri cut her off, and in a moment's notice the entire room went silent.

She resisted the urge to smile satisfactorily, as Phillipa was taken aback to the point where she had to back up to the desk Margarite sat at. For the first time in her life, Ciri saw the sorceresses speechless for a time.

Keira Metz somehow spoke up first. "Cirilla please, at least listen to what we have to-."

"You tried to get my boyfriend to fuck you, and when he didn't you knocked him out and left him on a beach," Ciri snapped, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. "He vouches for you, it's the only reason that I haven't cut you in half."

Smartly Keira didn't speak again, but Margarita was the one who spoke before anyone else could. She met Ciri's eyes and quickly shook her head.

"Please Ciri, at least give us the chance to make our case," The blonde said softly, and remembering that Margarita had been kind to her Ciri let up on the scowl as she went on. "I understand that you could be skeptical, but we're only looking out for your best interests."

"She's right," Phillipa quickly said, regaining her words as she looked over to Ciri. "We can offer you training and protection, had it not been for the events that unfolded, we would have completed your training last time, now we can finish it-."

"And what if I do!?" Ciri snapped, remembering the words had been similar in the last meeting in Vengerberg. "What will happen if I join you? You force me to marry some princeling so I can be your puppet, just like you wanted to do last time, a fucking week or so after I just spent years on the run? Years trying to get back to my family?"

Keira Metz scoffed. "I don't believe anyone will be forcing you to do anything."

"First thing I've agreed with you on," Ciri said, her hands going to her hips as she looked up and across all of the sorceresses again. "And she's also right. I won't be forced into anything, I'm not a child you can command at your beck and call anymore."

"You were a child then!" Margarita rationalized, shaking her head as she met Ciri's eyes. "And when you said no, we didn't try and force you into anything."

"Yes, but you decided to not let me leave, you had to fucking vote if I could leave or not, to go and see Geralt, and my boyfriend I hadn't seen in six years," Ciri responded, trying not to let her anger get the best of her. "Someone is always in charge of someone in the Lodge, I won't join to be your puppet."

They all seemed taken aback again, except for Ida Emean, who reserved to leaning back against the bookshelf again. It had been the same thing in the previous meeting, them saying that her going to marry a prince was for her own protection. And for some that may have been true, but she knew the real goal behind it. Control, power, her blood, how it could benefit them, that was all they cared about.

It was the same thing now. Ciri looked outside, and could see the moon was shining bright, and she wanted nothing more than to leave, head downstairs. She'd see the no doubt giddy look Dominik had on his face. When they were younger, sometimes she'd be able to tell when he had done something for her. He'd get the most excited look and drag her along wherever the surprise he had planned for her was. She had been excited for that, because she knew that even if they were older now, he'd still get excited like that.

However, again, there were more people who were trying to shoehorn her into something. It didn't matter to her if their intentions were true this time, and they genuinely wanted to help her. She knew what she wanted in her future, and it didn't involve the lodge of sorceresses.

Phillipa straightened and shook her head. "You misunderstand what we're offering Cirilla. We're offering you not servitude, but a partnership. As I said, we're offering you protection, and training, training to control the powers you have."

"I don't need it," Ciri said straight away. "I have myself and Dominik protecting me. And as much of an ass as he is, Avallac'h has trained me to use my powers properly."

She hated having to bring up the sage's name, as much as she wanted to be rid of him, he had done what he said he would. He taught her control of her powers, and with each day that came, she felt herself getting closer and closer to complete control. And the thought that she needed anyone to protect her outside of what she had was ridiculous. Dominik would be there for her, always, Geralt would be, Yen would be, she felt safer than she ever had with them.

Ciri also wasn't going to be under anyone's command. A partnership sounded good on paper yes, but she knew that everyone answered to someone in the Lodge. Who was to stop them from trying to force her into a marriage as soon as she was a member, or perhaps they'd try to make her help them in some complicated political plot. Or they still though that she was going to be empress, and they wanted to try and sink their claws into her already.

It wouldn't work, she wasn't going to let it. It wasn't just her either that she had to consider for their future, Dominik, and soon Fiona as well she needed to think about as well.

"Elven sages are notorious for hidden agendas, you may not want to hear it, but we're sure that he has ulterior motives. We can train you properly, so that you can control your powers, without any conditions attached," Margarita tried to rationalize with her.

Phillipa scoffed as well. "Come now Cirilla, you're a smart young woman, surely you don't trust the sage."

Ciri shook her head. "You're right I don't, but at least after this is over I won't have to deal with him again. I won't answer to anyone, my life is going to be my own after this is over."

"And we'll make sure that it is," Keira Metz quickly said, shaking her head and meeting her eyes. "I've even convinced them that no marriages will be set up for you. We're even willing to help Dominik learn more about his magic as well."

Hearing Dominik's name made her narrow his eyes, especially hearing it come from Keira. She put aside her anger at the sorceress trying to seduce him for now, and remembered what Dominik had told her, when he said he genuinely trusted Keira Metz, despite their first encounter. Ciri also remembered that the sorceress had helped keep him alive at Kaer Morhen and saved his life in Velen.

Still, marriage or no marriage, she was suspicious. She turned and narrowed her eyes at Phillipa.

"And you truly agreed to that? When I mentioned Dominik at Vengerberg, you said that 'my little childhood crushes were irrelevant'," Ciri reminded the sorceress. "You know that we're a package deal. I'm thinking for both our futures, not just mine!"

If not for the blindfold around Phillipa's eyes, Ciri was sure she'd see the sorceress eyes rolling.

"Yes, I did, and it seems I was wrong, it was more than simply a childhood infatuation," She said, her head turning towards Ciri.

"It is… it's much, much more," Ciri said sharply, shaking her head. "He's part of my destiny, my future, where he goes, I go, and vice versa."

Phillipa scoffed. "I can respect that, a love like that isn't something you see often. Although I imagine the Emperor won't be incredibly happy when you bring him-."

"I'm going _nowhere _near that filthy degenerate, I hope he dies a slow painful death," She said, her nostrils flaring as she shook her head. "I hate to inform you, but I'm not the future empress. After this is done, Dominik and I are going off, you'll all be lucky if you ever see us again."

Ciri could tell her words then had shocked them all more than anything else she had said. It was clear now, that they all had expected her to go and be empress, that she would simply fall in line because Emhyr told her too.

She scoffed and looked between their stunned faces. "Do any of you… even know what Emhyr tried to do to me? The fucker wanted to kidnap me, rape me, and force me to marry and have a child with him, and you think that after that, I would even be in the same room as him? You think that just because he's my 'father', that I'm going to simply fall in line, you think because you all say so? No, I'm my own person, and I don't give a damn, what you all, what Emhyr, or anyone says I _should _do, I'm going to follow my heart and do what I want to do. I won't let anyone pick things for me anymore, pick what I'll do, where I go, who I fuck! I'm not a child anymore, and I'll decide who I am, and what I do. I'm Ciri of Kaer Morhen, witcher, school of the wolf, I'm in love with Dominik of Cintra, and together, the two of us are going to help people around the continent and live our lives like we always wanted!"

Her words seemed to echo in the silence of the ruby suite. She could see that Keira, Margarite and Phillipa all were clearly surprised. However, she noticed a smile come to the elven sage Ida's face, as she met Ciri's eyes, smiling almost as if her answered satisfied her. Ida looked over between her fellow sorceresses, and after a moment, Ciri saw them all finally stir. Margarita looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't find words. Keira Metz clearly wanted to say something as well, however, she more than likely understood anything she said would only make the situation worse.

Ciri resisted the urge to smile to herself. For a split second she looked over to the door, almost hoping that Yennefer or Geralt were looking through the hole. And she hoped that they were both proud of her.

She remembered how helpless she used to feel, how she felt her life was out of her control, like no matter what she did, someone would always be there to take control. First it was her grandmother, despite the fact she loved her. Then for a short while everything had been marvelous. Her and Dominik, Geralt and then eventually Yen, she had truly felt like her life was her own. However, then she had gone to Aretuza, to Thanedd. It was then she started hearing whispers of people having plans for her, to ship her off to marry random princes, to be moved from one school to the next, she heard she was being sent to so many different places it drove her insane.

After that she escaped during the coup, and then she was on her own, before the Rats, Bonhart, Vilgefortz, Avallach and the Aen Elle, all of them, they all wanted her to do what they wanted, wanted to use her. After so long she finally returned, only to be used again, to try and be used as a pawn for the lodge. It had gotten to the point, where when she realized Emhyr had bene looking for her, she was horrified, that somehow she'd be taken, or be forced off somewhere else.

However, Dominik, Geralt, Yennefer, all her friends, Faram, Freya, George, all had helped her to realize, that she was going to control her life. Dominik had told her, that after everything was over, she would decide where they went. He had dedicated himself to letting her live her own life, whatever she had wanted. She loved him for it, even more then she already had. He had helped her realize that she was her own, and that her destiny, while it would involve him, Geralt, and now Fiona, what she did with her life was her own choice.

And Ciri knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to grow old, be a witcher, be with Dominik, train Fiona and raise her to have the life she and Dominik always wanted. And after this was over, after Eredin was gone, that was what they would do.

Phillipa looked towards her again and slowly shook her head. "I understand, we understand that Cirilla we truly do. And that is what we offer, a chance for you to do great things. As I said before, you were meant for great things, great power. A child of the elder blood, blood from so many royal families, you're what prophecies have heralded Cirilla. This is what destiny demands, with help, training, from you could be born a Queen of this whole world with the power you hold, and we can help you attain that power."

Ciri looked towards the sorceress and genuinely laughed at them all.

"You don't understand, none of you understand. I don't _want _any more power. I don't want to be a queen, I don't want to rule, I don't give a damn what you _think _I should do with the power I've been given, I'd give it back if I could," Ciri said, the words slowly spilling out of her, as she reached and grabbed the ring around her neck.

She shook her head, holding the ring as she took another step towards them all.

"What I _want _is to be with the man I love, to see one end of the continent to the next and help as many people as I can. I don't want any more power. Dominik doesn't want any more power. I've never wanted to rule, I never wanted that life, and now, I finally have the chance for that life I _did _always. It would be a simple one… but it's all I want," She continued, slowly she shook her head and looked up to meet all the sorceress's eyes again.

"I am eternally thankful to you all for risking your lives to come here," Ciri said, shaking her head again and looking between them. "But my answer is still no, and I ask that you respect my decision."

From outside, the wind howled, as Ciri kept both her hands on her hips. Downstairs she could hear laughing, joking, and even the music beginning to flow through the inn. She wanted to be down there, she knew all her friends had to be, Dominik had to be. She had made her mind up, made her mind up years before on what she had wanted in life. Now it was going to be a reality, no matter who stood in her way.

Margarita looked up at Phillipa along with Keira seeming to be waiting for a response, while Ida behind them all stood and smirked at Ciri still.

Ciri wanted to get out of there, that night was for her and Dominik together, and she wanted to get back to it.

Phillipa sighed and looked at her again. "Again… I must admit I was wrong about you Cirilla. I respect your aptitude, your determination, how unwavering you are. Still however, I must assert that we aren't-."

"It isn't going to happen Phil, no matter what we say," Ida Emean finally spoke, cutting Phillipa off. All three other sorceresses looked to the sage wonderingly, but Ida's eyes stayed trained on Ciri herself. "She's a woman in love, she knows what she wants, and isn't going to change it…. Cirilla, I believe Dominik is more than likely waiting for you downstairs… you may go."

Ciri was taken aback herself for the first time in the meeting. Dominik had told her that the sage had come at his request, because he was Connor of Lod's descendant, but Ciri had no idea if she truly cared about what happened to her or not. The fact that they had so many sorceresses there, it boded well for their chances against Eredin, but Ciri also knew that having all of them together in the same place, could lead to arguments and scheming.

She didn't care about all of it however. All she wanted that night was her and Dominik to get their time together, to eat and drink with her friends, all before they headed out to what would be the fight for that life she wanted. After it all was over, unless circumstance brought them to the forefront, Ciri knew they would both only focus on each other, seeing every part of the continent they could, helping people, giving Fiona the life they had always wanted. She knew that he may want to go and help Adda, see what the Queen needed; however, she knew that after whatever it was, they would be off again, off living their life.

She wanted it all, she wanted to marry him, she wanted to live as long a life as she possibly could. They'd visit Yen and Geralt often, see and go on more journeys with their friends. They'd visit Kaer Morhen, the new generation of witchers, take Fiona there, it again may not have seemed like that exciting of a life compared to what she could have, but it was all that Ciri wanted. Ever since she was a girl, she hadn't wanted that royal life, because she knew that wasn't who she was, wants who she wanted to be.

After meeting Dominik she knew, knew what she wanted, and now, seeing the look on the faces of each sorceress, she knew her life was finally hers. She'd kill Eredin herself is she had too, or Dominik would, or Geralt would, it didn't matter. The Hunt would be gone, they'd save Bella, she knew this, because she knew both Dominik and her would do anything for that life they wanted.

Dominik she also knew was deep down, still having a hard time with the revelation of Bella being with the Hunt. However, she would be there, just like he always was for her, and together they'd get his sister back, make Eredin pay for what he did to not only Ciri, but Bella as well. He always made sure that she was confident, reassured, and smiling, so she would do the same for him, and that was how it would be for the rest of their lives.

But that night, was about much, much more, and the thought of getting back to it made Ciri smile as she looked at the group of sorceresses. She gave them a small bow, her heart racing as she smiled upon coming back up.

"Thank you again, very much for coming, I'm grateful," Ciri said, before nodding again, and walking towards the door, before looking back once more. "And… thank you for respecting my decision."

And the last thing she saw before turning back to the door, was the stunned look on the faces of all the sorceresses, save for Ida. She smiled once more and walked back out the door.

She took solace in the fact, that now she knew she could stand up for herself, that she could truly make her life completely her own.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Yennefer and Geralt both had been eavesdropping on her conversation as she expected. It was confirmed when she saw Yen leap back the minute she opened the door, her violet eyes widening as soon as Ciri looked at them. Geralt looked shocked for a moment, until he stepped up next to Yen and smirked down at her.

"So… how'd it go? What did they want?" Yen asked, the nervousness clear in her voice.

Ciri scoffed and narrowed her eyes at them both. "Were you both eavesdropping on me?"

"No!" Yen quickly said, following by Geralt rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Yes, we were," Her father said right after.

Under different circumstances she may have been slightly annoyed, but then, all Ciri could do was smile. The sounds of music and laughter from down below flew into her ears, she could hear Faram's booming voice already loud and eager. The smell of cooking meat, wine, the sound of music, it all came flowing up, and she wanted nothing more than to go down there now. That was all she wanted, just one night now, where she didn't have to worry about anything else except enjoying herself, something that she very rarely got to do.

So she smiled and met both their eyes. "Well, in case you didn't hear… they wanted me to join the Lodge… and I refused."

Never in her life had she seen such relieved look come to her mother's face so quick. Yennefer's hand went to her chest as she sighed, a small, relieved smile coming to her face as she looked down towards the ground. Next to her Geralt smirked wildly, crossing his arms and meeting her eyes.

"Well, well, seems like you bit back," He said proudly, shaking his head as a small laugh left him. "Yen says Phillipa looked downright angry when you were in there."

Ciri sheepishly laughed and nodded. "She was yeah… wasn't expecting it from me. Told them, that after this is over, Dominik and I are going off, and they probably won't even see me again."

"Just like you both always wanted…." Yen said, recovered from the relief, and sighing with a smile, before coming over and hugging her again. "I'm proud of you…. And well, I certainly hope that at least Geralt and I will get to see you both."

The three of them all laughed, because the idea was ridiculous. Of course they would go back to Geralt and Yen. Dominik and she both could go from one end of the continent to the other, but no matter how far they went, where they went, it would always lead them back to the two. If not for them, they wouldn't have the opportunity they did now. Neither of them would have survived the time they spent on their own if not for the two of them. Most importantly, they were family, blood or no blood, and that would never change.

She had only seen Dominik a few hours earlier, but she felt like it had been so much longer. It may have seemed a bit childish, but she missed him, dreadfully already, she had barely spoken to him that day, and after being apart from someone you cared about so much, for so long, you wanted to spend every minute you could with them. She thought the two of them both were good with giving the other the proper amount of alone time that they needed, it had been like that when they were younger as well. However, the truth was, that neither of them really ever wanted to spend time alone.

When she was with him she felt more alive than she ever did, like she was her own person, like she was special for more than just her powers and blood. It was how she had known, known that no matter how many beautiful men or women professed love for her, wanted her, none ever made her feel like he did. None got that same goofy, loving smile on their face, that smile she loved, the smile that made her feel like she was the most special person in the world. She could see how his face got red when she kissed him, looked at him, laughed herself, it was a look that helped her get up in the morning, the memory of it helping get her through the previous few years.

The most important part was that he loved her for who she was, the persons she was. Dominik loved her, loved Ciri, not the lion cub of Cintra, the lady of worlds, the lady of space and time, no, he loved her because she was Ciri. To him, she was the most special person in the world, and the feeling was mutual. They would always give each other the love the other deserved, and the ones who had helped them, saved them, let them develop that love they had, was Geralt and Yennefer, they owed everything to the two of them.

So yes, no matter what happened, no matter how old they got, they'd find their way back to them both. And Ciri quite frankly couldn't wait for Fiona to meet the two of them.

"Of course we will… always," She said, smiling at the two of them. "And well… I really can't wait for the two of you to meet Fiona. You know she's heard all of Dandelion's songs about the two of you. You should have seen how excited she got when we told her about you."

Geralt scoffed a laugh and shook his head. "And if she's as much like the two of you as you say she is, well… dare sat Vesemir and I are in for it again."

"It looks like you will be…" Yen said fondly, holding on Geralt's arm before looking back down at Ciri herself. "And I don't think there would be anyone better to look after her then you and Dominik both."

Ciri's face got red, but she smiled, the rapid spinning in her stomach picking up. A loud laugh from Faram down below stopped her from saying anything else. She heard the Bear witcher challenging Freya to an arm-wrestling rematch later in the night, and after hearing that, Ciri was more than ready to get down there, her stomach was rumbling, and it seemed that Geralt and Yen both felt the same. The atmosphere, the music, the smells, the laughter, it had been years since she had felt so at peace, and Ciri quite frankly didn't want the night to end.

Geralt smirked after Faram's laughs died down and looked at them both. "Well, what are we waiting for? Wine, food, and Dandelion singing when we actually want him too, what could be better?"

Ciri and Yen laughed again, and Ciri eagerly met Geralt's eyes. "Has Hattori come with the sword? And what about Dom, have you seen him? I wanted to head to our room as well and get some stuff set up."

Yen shook her head, a small smile coming to her face. "It was quite amusing actually. Geralt and I were… trying to wait downstairs for you. He came out of your room, came running downstairs, grabbed Priscilla, seemed to beg her for something, and the two ran back up to your room."

"Hasn't been out since," Geralt said amusingly, meeting her eyes with the smile still firmly planted on his lips. "As for the sword yeah, Hattori has it hidden downstairs, I'll sneak it up to your room when he comes out."

Ciri lightly laughed, her face getting redder as she looked towards the steps that led down towards their room again, wondering herself what he possibly could have needed Priscilla's help for. She had wanted to go to their room themselves, maybe light candles, make their bed, clean things up, just so it would be cleaner and hopefully more romantic for later when they both went back. However, that was what she was sure he was doing then, and she was again amazed at how similarly they thought, wanting to make it perfect for each other.

And this was confirmation to her as well, that he was thinking the same thing that she was for that night. It felt like one of the nights they had back in Ellander, when he'd wake her up and surprise her in the middle of the night, or when the two of them would be walking, and he'd stray from their path simply to pick a flower for her. There had been night where she came back to a crown of flowers resting on her bed, with sweets and a small note attached, simply saying 'I love you', or some other adorable, cute message.

Yes, Dominik had a laundry list of romantic gestures he'd always do for her that she had absolutely loved. She had done a few things like that for him herself, however, it had always been hard for her to come up with ones to match him. She learned being back with him now, she didn't have to match him, she simply had to love him back, and he'd be happy.

So that was what she did and was going to do.

"Alright, I'm actually starving. I've had enough of politics and magic," Ciri said, smiling as she went to walk past them both down the stairs. "Let's go and-."

"There you three are! I've been looking all over for you," Dominik's voice said, as she saw him walk up the steps, grinning at the three of them.

And when Ciri saw his hair, she scoffed, her jaw dropping as she put a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"D…Dominik did… did you… try and comb your hair?" She said, looking at the long brown locks that had stuck straight up on the back of his scalp, trying to contain her laughter.

Right away she saw his face get red, an adorable, flustered look came to his face, as he quickly tried to tame his hair again. Never in her life did she think she ever saw him try to comb his hair. He always simply ran his hand through it a few times after drying it, and the unruly, unkept style was one that Ciri loved. Now however, it was combed straight back, except for the bits on the back of his scalp that stuck straight up. Ciri didn't want too, but she couldn't control the laugh as he tried to straighten it back down.

He nervously laughed as he did. "Ha… um… yeah. I… I was just um…"

"Trying to look nice for Ciri? You did the same thing when you were young," Yen said, coming up next to them both, smiling with Geralt next to her. "Some people just have hair that can't be tamed darling."

"Yeah, and I don't think I've ever seen you try to brush it," Geralt said amusingly, smirking as Dominik sighed and looked over to Ciri.

He frowned and sighed. "Does… it really look that bad?"

Ciri's heart melted, and in a moment, seeing him look at her, she forgot about everything bad in the world. She smiled and leaned in closer to him, kissing him quickly, before pulling back and smirking at him. She reached up and he rolled his eyes and laughed while she rubbed her hand through his hair, getting it back to its normal messy stated. He wasn't wearing his armor, only his trousers, boots and the white top similar to Geralt's that he normally had on under his armor. His silky brown hair fell through her fingers, his sparkling emerald eyes shone fondly at her like they always did. She felt his stronger arms wrap around her waist making her grin even more.

Nothing mattered that night, except for the two of them. She cupped his glove cheek with his hand for a moment, moving it down towards the swallow and his medallion on his neck. She could remember the scrawny little boy she had a crush on when she was eleven, who had thrown himself at a fully plated, armed knight to save her. She wouldn't forget how he almost died, and even when he was bleeding on the run, injured, with Ciri having to reapply bandages every night, none of it mattered, he would always ask her is she was alright, how she was feeling, despite him being the one who had seen all of his family killed in front of him.

Now, he was a man, a fully grown, strong, gorgeous man, who she loved even more than she did during those days. It was always going to be him, and that night would solidify it.

"No of course it doesn't," She smiled at him, leaning up and kissing his cheek again before she smirked and took a step back. "And as sweet as it is you're trying to get all nice for me, I prefer your hair how you always have it handsome."

He smiled at her, and she saw his face get red from simply her kiss on his cheek. He always did that, from the time they were kids, to him, she truly was the most special person in the world. Ciri knew that was far from true, she didn't consider herself that special, but him making her feel like that was always something she loved. She believed every woman, no matter what they told you, sometimes simply loved to feel beautiful, whether that be from how they dressed, or from someone telling them.

Ciri never really put much thought into her appearance, she used makeup yes, but it was truly little, and she preferred to dress comfortably for the amount of fighting she did. However, she could have been wearing an old sack, but still Dominik would have blushed the way he did when he saw her.

He sighed but smiled, nodding at her. "Thanks princess…. So you all ready? Come on, we need to go, Dandelion and Priscilla have a new song for the occasion tonight!"

"We are, Geralt, Ciri?" Yen asked, smiling at them both.

Geralt smirked looking to Dominik and Ciri now. "Ready if you two are."

Ciri smiled as well, her heart full as she turned back to Dominik. "Alright come on. I'm curious as to what new song Dandelion and Priscilla could come up with in the middle of everything."

And never had she seen his eyes glow so excitedly. He grabbed her wrist and nearly laughed. "Oho you're gonna love it, I know it! Come on, he was just getting ready to start before I said I needed to find you three first let's go!"

"Alright, alright, but do you think I could go to our room first and-. Hey, slow down!" She laughed, as he pulled her along down the steps.

She was complete, she knew who she was, and what she would want for the rest of her life. And it was him, who even then in the middle of the biggest battle, quest of their life, could make her feel like she was a child again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ayeeee there they are!" The booming voice of Faram yelled as soon as Dominik pulled her along to the ground floor, the bear witcher holding up a mug. "Dandeeeeeelion let's get this show started!"

"Aye second on that!" Zoltan Chivay yelled from one table in the corner.

She noticed Lambert sitting next to the dwarf laugh and raise up his mug. "Ha, it's about damn time, I third that, let's get it going!"

Ciri scoffed in amazement, looking at the tables, lined with food, wine, candles, as all of their friends who were there who could be were all around them. She looked to Dominik for a moment, as she heard Geralt and Yen coming down the stairs behind them. The two of them both looked to their parents, and with a small nod, Geralt and Yen both gestured for them to go on, clearly telling them to go be with their friends. Ciri smiled, so many tables were lined with people at them, but she and Dominik both looked to the table with Faram, Freya and George right near where Dandelion and Priscilla were tuning instruments with the band.

Dominik turned down to her and held her hand the entire time. "Come on princess, you have _got _to hear this one."

Ciri scoffed in amusement and smirked at him. "And why are you so excited for a song? Did he sing it to you beforehand? Is that what Priscilla was doing with you in our room?"

His eyes widened and he shook his head. "What!? What no, of course not, she was just in there to help me… um… move stuff. And well… I may… have used her hairbrush."

Ciri burst out laughing and shook her head at him. "Ahaha I'm just joking with you handsome, come on I'm starving, aren't you?"

His gaze softened and he nodded. "You could say that again… come on."

He pulled her along with him, ad for a few moments, Ciri experienced total bliss. She looked at the people all gathered below, she even heard the footfalls from the steps, and looked to see all the sorceresses coming down the stairs as well. While she was scanning the ground floor, she noticed Hatorri, the swordsmith with sitting at a table alone with Zoltan and Lambert, and once he met Ciri's eyes, she saw him gesture towards what she knew had to be the sword leaning against the wall behind him. She could see the pommel from there. Dominik hadn't noticed her looking as he walked ahead of her still holding her hand, but Ciri marveled at the wolf carved onto the pommel. The elf met her eyes, and Ciri widened her own, quickly gesturing towards Geralt, and the swordsmith seemed to understand. Ciri watched him grab the sword and stand up, moving back towards where Geralt was, and she breathed out in relief as he did, knowing her present for Dominik would be in their room now.

She turned and smiled at Lambert and Zoltan as well, before looking back as Dominik stopped in front of her. At one table, she even noticed Vernon Roche, the Temarian blue stripe commander from Kaer Morhen, and his protégé, the girl Ves who had looked at Dominik far too closely for her liking, but now, she simply chatted with Roche, to the right of the band, who were seeming to be performing scales at Dandelion and Priscilla's command, it pleasantly filled the bottom floor, as she and Dominik both weaved through the tables towards Faram, Freya and George. While looking back she noticed Geralt and Yen both sitting on stools near the bar, cups of wine in their hands, chatting and looking over fondly at them both.

The music pleasantly hit Ciri's ears, she had always loved lute music the most, which was a reason she loved when Dandelion came around so much. She giddily smiled and felt herself squeezing Dominik's hand even harder, as she saw Hattori come over to Geralt with the sword in hand, before Geralt nodded to him, before getting up and showing him to the stairs.

She got so caught up watching however, that she walked into Dominik's back just as he spoke.

"Adda, Elise! You both really stayed," He said, and Ciri whirled back around, to see both of the redheaded women standing near her.

Her eyes widened as she saw Adda, Ciri looked up to Dominik, and then back to the monarch with Elise standing next to her. She had heard Dominik was talking to her earlier, but the last thing she expected was to see the new Queen of Redania at the part they were having that night. Adda wore a long dark red dress, to match her flaming hair, which cascaded perfectly straight down her back, past her black hood. The Queen smiled at them both, as they stood a few steps from their tables, the scaled from the band's instruments getting louder, filling Ciri with warmth and joy.

Elise stood next to Adda, not in her armor for a change, but in a white tunic with black sleeves, and to Ciri's surprise, she had her curly hair combed down her shoulders. It wasn't frizzy like it normally was, it was nearly curled and falling over the front of shoulders. However, she still had the mischievous, amused eyes she always had, her brown eyes shining with amusement as she looked at them both, the three scars down her right eye had faded but still there. Either way, Elise was still beautiful, and of course Ciri remembered how just two days ago she had saved Dominik's life, of course as well she had been at Kaer Morhen. The special forces agent Ciri knew, was now Adda's sole protector, with Dominik having told her soon Adda was due to be crown sole Queen of Redania.

It surprised Ciri they were still there, because she knew that the Black Ones were already on Velen's doorstep and could soon threaten Novigrad and Redania. She assumed that the Queen would want to quickly start mounting defenses. Adda however, seemed like a normal person then, not a queen, as she smiled at Elise and back at them both. Ciri realized it was the first time she properly was meeting the ruler and fought the urge to bow.

Elise smiled and crossed her arms; she was slightly taller than them both so looked down at her and Dominik.

"Aye we did, thought it best we leave but Adda was insistent," She said, turning and sighing, but playfully rolling her eyes at the queen. "Though I must admit, good wine, music, food, after everything I'd say I quite like this."

Adda chuckled and smiled. "Aha see? I told you you'd enjoy yourself. Dominik, it's good to see you again…. And Cirilla, let me say it's an honor to see you again as well, you've grown tremendously beautiful."

Ciri stood next to Dominik, looking puzzled towards the new ruler and shook her head. "Um… forgive me but… again? We've met before?"

Adda laughed and nodded. "We have yes my dear, you were very young, I doubt you'd remember. It was on one of my royal visits to Cintra… it warms my heart seeing you grown, and safe."

She was taken aback for a moment, looking up to Dominik who smiling at her, and Ciri chuckled, looking back to Adda again and bowing.

"You're right I… don't really remember, but… thank you," Ciri said, bowing and looking over to Elise now, smiling up at the redhead. "And Elise I… wanna thank you again, for you know… keeping him alive."

She reached and held onto Dominik's arm as he smiled at her, as Elsie did the same.

"Ha, no problem dearie, my pleasure," She said, sighing and messing with her hair and looking down at her clothes. "It feels nice to kick back for a night, even though I'm in… these."

Adda laughed and held her hand on Elise's arm. "Oh stop now, you look lovely. It's like you said, we're here to have fun after all before it's back to business tomorrow."

Elise Ciri saw, bit the inside of her cheek and cheekily laughed, flustering as Adda smiled and looked back to them. Dominik tilted his head and looked between them both.

"So you're both really going back to Tretogor? Surely you'll have to just come back to Novigrad with the Black Ones so close anyway," Dominik said.

Adda quickly nodded. "Yes you're right… but I have urgent business in the capital. Need to get all the formalities out of the way, pass a few new laws, Elise and I must begin the retraining of our armies right away, and begin moving them into the appropriate positions."

"Retraining the armies?" Ciri said.

"Yes, thanks to Elise, I have new ways of planning to position the armies, new tactics to employ, new war engines…. I dare say the Black Ones won't know what hit them," Adda said, a tone of smugness to her voice.

Ciri scoffed and look up at Dominik again, and when she saw his eyes full of curiosity, she knew he was thinking the same thing. Anything that gave Emhyr and the Black Ones a hard time was good on her part, but she quickly pushed the thoughts out of her head, hearing the music begin to finally die down, as she looked over and saw Freya, Faram and George laughing.

Dominik looked and smiled at Adda and Elise both. "New tactics, war engines? Well… I gotta say, I'd like to hear about them one day."

Elise scoffed and smirked at them both. "We'd love to sit and bore ya, but let's save it for another night."

Adda nodded in agreement. "Agreed, please, enjoy yourself for tonight. I… do hope that we will all be seeing more of each other in the future… good luck the both of you."

"Aye, good luck, send those cucks back from where they came from," Elise said, before both her and Adda bowed, and walked over towards the table she saw containing Roche and Ves.

Ciri watched the two walk away, still completely stunned. Adda was nothing like any ruler she'd ever met, she spoke with composure, confidence, like Ciri was her equal. It was a refreshing change of pace, and it brought a smile to her face seeing Dominik so happy in particular, as she looked up at him grinning like a mad man down at her.

She laughed and smiled at him. "She's… different than most rulers I've met."

Dominik scoffed and nodded towards her. "Yeah… she is. I think she's exactly what the North needs… but let's forget about that, me and you are-."

"Oi! You two lovebirds gonna join us or not!" The voice of Faram cut him off.

Dominik had been about to hold her hands, more than likely kiss her, but the laugh from all of their friends cut them off. They both whirled around, at the table Faram was standing, with George sitting and smirking next to him, while Freya sipped from a mug of wine, seeming to be careful not to overdo it that night.

She looked up at him, and in his eyes he saw that unequivocal love. The love that only he could give her, that he had only ever seen in his eyes. He laughed and smiled, his face getting red in the same adorable way it always had when they were younger. Just like then, she was his future, and he was hers. The next day they'd be leaving, for what could very well be the death of both of them. They joked and spoke confidently yes, but Ciri knew deep down that it could be their last few days. Eredin could very well kill them, defeat them as easily as he did at Kaer Morhen, Dominik had fought him by himself, she could remember it then, seeing him fight, be stabbed, near death, all while she couldn't do anything. That wouldn't happen again, she would fight with him if she could, one of them had to take the King out, but the reality of the situation was, they could very easily die.

So Ciri didn't want them to both go out, without him knowing what he truly meant to her. How did you properly thank someone, who had searched eight years for you, almost given his life for you multiple times, and gave you the unequivocal love that everyone desired in life? The only way Ciri knew of, was that she could love him back, just as fiercely, and that was what she was always going to do. And that night, she would make as special for the both of them as she could. If she focused hard enough, she truly could see the both of them as children, lovingly blushing and looking into each other's eyes as they at in front of the fire at the inn in Ellander. She had loved those moments, just like she loved every moment with him now.

Ciri had often wondered over the years, what would have happened if Dominik had been at Thanedd with her, escaped with her. Geralt had admitted to her, that Dominik begged him to go to the feast with him, so he could see her. Dominik had told her how for weeks before the coup, he had been having dreams, dreams of her being taken or killed at Aretuza, so he did everything he could to go with him. Geralt in the end of course hadn't taken Dominik with him, however, although she knew it didn't really matter, and she was happier now then she had been in a long time, she always wondered what it would have been like if he had come.

He more than likely would have come to visit her in her room, before Yennefer came to frantically tell them both to run. Scoitael commandos had chased her, along with Rience and of course the knight in the helmet Cahir. He would have followed her yes she was sure, leapt from the bridges and towers to follow her, when the mage grabbed her, Ciri wouldn't have had to wait for Geralt or Phillipa to save her, Dominik would have been there. After Geralt told them to run, Cahir would have begun chasing them. Ciri had wanted to kill the knight, knowing that he was the one who killed Dominik's mother, and Bella before chasing them both for weeks. She didn't get the chance after she had bested the knight, with the Scoitael closing in. However, she knew that Dominik would have killed him, no matter if they were overrun or not, Cahir would have died at his hands.

And after that, what would they have done in the desert? Would the unicorns have helped them both? What about the Rats? Dominik would have beaten both Kyleigh and Mistle both bloody before letting them touch her, would they both had been able to join the gang after that? Or what Bonhart, would the madman had even gone through the trouble of kidnapping Dominik like he did Ciri, or would he simply have killed him? And then of course there was the Aen Elle, with Dominik's ancestor being Alexander, she assumed Avallac'h and Eredin would have killed him outright, or perhaps even held him over her head to force her to cooperate.

The concept of one little choice affecting so many things had always interested her, with Geralt's choice to not take Dominik to Thanedd, they had both gone on journeys by themselves, ones that had shaped them into the people they were today. She had told Fiona, that a small part of her was glad that her and Dominik had both gone on the journeys they did. It was because of them, that their love, and appreciation for one another had grown so much. Some people may have wondered how they were able to pick up so quickly after reuniting. However, to Ciri it was simple.

They had never stopped loving each other, they were part of each other's strength. Every day Ciri thought about getting back to Dominik, to Geralt, Yennefer, to her family, her friends. The ring around her neck, it hadn't left her neck but on only a few occasions. Mistle urged her to sell it off a few times, Bonhart had tortured her by using it, Eredin and Avallac'h initially tried to take it, but she refused to part with it. Every time she saw it, she remembered his smile, his goofy loving smile, the one he had now as she looked at him, that loving gaze that couldn't be replicated by anyone who she came across.

And it was all she would need.

"Haha there you are my friends, it's about time eh Faram," George said, as the two of them both came to the table, taking seats in what would be the front row facing Dandelion, Priscilla and the band.

Faram finished down a mug of ale and smiled at them both. "Aha your damn right! Come on, were the two of you been all day! Felt like we haven't seen you in ages!"

Dominik and she both sat, sharing a smile with each other as they sat down next to Freya, who smirked at them both, knowing exactly what they were both doing. George and Faram both wore their armor, while Freya looked beautiful in a white top cotton top and black trousers, her blonde curls cascading down her shoulders.

She smiled at the friends gathered, it had been so long since she counted herself having any true ones, any real ones that she felt she could count on. Dominik's friends, no, her friends, had welcomed her with open arms, even Freya, who at first, she could tell still had feelings for Dominik. Those feelings seemed to be gone now, and the blonde was quickly becoming one of Ciri's closest confidants. She watched as Freya popped a dumpling into her mouth, as she moved mugs of wine in front of them both, and plates with bread, fruit, chicken, and of course the famous dumplings she made. Ciri was bit into a piece of bread, as the three of them all smiled at them, the sound of the music finally getting lower, the chatting of everyone in the tavern growing louder.

Dominik shot her a wink, before looking at their three friends. "Sorry about that, we… both got a little sidetracked. Also sorry I haven't been very… talkative the last few days. It's just with… everything-."

"You need not say anymore my friend, we all understand," George said, smiling and holding his mug up towards him. "You've been through much the previous few days, and we're all here for you, we swear."

"Aye… the both of you, we're here," Faram said, finally sitting down next to George and looking at the two of them. "Besides! You two haven't seen in each other in bloody ages, if you wanna spend time by yourselves we can't tell you no!"

Freya laughed from next to them and laughed. "Ha, he's right…. I'm really happy for the both of you that you're so happy… and I wanted to say thank you… to all four of you… I haven't felt like well… I truly belonged somewhere in a long time."

Ciri smiled and looked over at her before Dominik could say anything. "You're welcome… we should be the one's thanking the three of you."

"She's right," Dominik said, his arm slipping around her waist at the table as he looked over at all three of his friends. "You three didn't have to come, to put your lives on the line again to fight the Hunt… we're really grateful."

Ciri nodded in agreement, smiling at the three of them. It was good to her, having so many people she could rely on. A small part of her brain imagined Fiona meeting all three of them, George training her to better use witcher signs, Freya showing her remedies and potions, and if there was anyone who she thought would be a good Uncle to her, it was Faram. The Bear Witcher was large yes, but Ciri knew he was a big softie deep down and would probably love spending time with the young girl.

This was the life she wanted. It was the life that she picked, and the one that she would have. And if it all truly did end in a few days, there was nobody she'd rather had been with then the people around her then.

None of them said anything, only smiling at them both. Faram was the first one to move, smiling and holding his mug up to the middle of the table.

"Aen Hanse!" The Bear School witcher said happily, smirking as he eyed them all.

George scoffed a smile right away and held his mug up right away. "Haha… Aen Hanse!"

"Aen Hanse!" Freya said, holding up her mug to the center as well.

Dominik smiled, and squeezed her leg under the table, holding up his mug as well. "Aen Hanse…."

They all looked to Ciri, and for a moment she was afraid. The last hansa that came to save her, they had almost all ended up dead. However, this time, she wasn't getting rescued by a hansa, she was a part of one. The five of them, they didn't only fight for her freedom now. They all fought for much more, fought for the continent itself.

And Ciri felt the confidence surge through her at them all, especially feeling Dominik's hand squeeze her below the table. Yes, they would go, and they would give Eredin everything they had.

"Aen Hanse…" Ciri said, holding her mug up as well to the rest of them, smirking as she looked at them all. "Now… let's go kick Eredin's ass…and show them they picked the wrong world to invade."

All of their mugs hit together, and Ciri saw Dominik grinning like a madman at her before they all took a drink. Wine slid down Ciri's throat, and she nearly choked on it from laughter as Faram slammed his back to the table.

"AHA! You bet we will lassie! We're gonna kick that cunt right back to where he came from, fucker won't stand a chance!" Faram said, his mug now empty.

George smirked wildly, his golden ponytail falling down his shoulder. "Ha… I concur my friend. The heathens stand no chance against our combined might!"

"I may not be a witcher…" Freya said next to them, but smirked as they all turned to her, downing the rest of her wine and met their gaze. "But I have to agree as well… they stand no fucking chance!"

The five of them all laughed, and Ciri had to hold her gut. Faram, Freya and George all continued laughing, but Dominik was the first to stop, tugging on her arm. She smiled and met his gaze, as he gestured for them to turn in their seats, back towards Dandelion, Priscilla and the rest of the band who were lightly now tuning their instruments, as Dandelion seemed to be going over strict instructions with Priscilla, the two bickering smally.

After she did, she smiled at him, as his arm slipped around her waist, she scooted closer to him on the bench, leaning up and kissing his cheek as their friends chatted behind them. He blushed and she smiled, her heart fluttering at the sight as it normally did. She leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes for a moment, just to take it all in. Being surrounded by friends, family, the man she loved, good wine, music soon, it was one of the dreams she had always had, but always thought was out of her reach. At time she hadn't even known if Dominik were live, let alone if she would ever get back to him or Geralt.

Now, she was about to listen to a private show, ballads from Dandelion and Priscilla, she had good food, wine, and most importantly all the people she loved around her. It was amazing how much things could change in simply a few months. Dominik had told her many times how only two months or so prior, he had thought Geralt and Yen both dead, and her all but out of his reach. He hadn't even known she was in Rivia, had been so close to him until Yennefer told him. Now, they were all together, and it felt exactly as it had back when they were children again. Him and her, sitting in the inn, simply cuddling together and enjoying each other's warmth.

She could have stayed like that all day, a small part of her even wanted to say fuck the show, and take Dominik up to their room now, bring their own spread of food and wine, and simply lay with one another and talk for hours, until making love and falling asleep. However, she knew that for some reason he had been extremely insistent they listen to Dandelion's song, and she also wanted to spend some time with their friends as well. However, either way, she assumed that the two of them would be retiring to their room much earlier then the rest of the people in the inn.

"So… confession time," He said, making her look up as he grinned down at her with a giddy, goofy grin. "I… went out and got you something today…. A present… for everything."

Ciri grinned, she had known of course that he was getting something for her, just like she was sure he knew she had as well. The two of them both had been so flustered when they encountered each other earlier, it would have been impossible for either of them to not figure it out.

She laughed lightly and nodded at him. "Ha… I know you did. You were awfully adorable trying to hide it earlier."

He smiled and laughed as well, biting his lip in an extremely attractive way as he looked down at her. Her body tingled as he held onto her, sighing and nodding.

"Well, I always did get excited about these things…. And I'm guessing you got me something too, didn't you princess?" He said, his face a mere inches from his.

She bit her own lip, her chest thumping, goosebumps traveling down her chest through her legs. His lips were inches from hers and she couldn't resist. She laughed and kissed him, smirking and nodding at him.

"I did, and not to brag… but I think you'll like it quite a bit," She said slowly, smirking the entire time as he did the same at her.

He nodded and squeezed around her waist. "Well I think we can exchange presents in our room later, sound good?"

"Sounds wonderful," She said, putting out as much of a suggestive tone as she could. Ciri loved him, but to be frank, if she wanted to have sex with him, she'd basically have to spell it out.

However, to her surprise, he seemed to pick up on it. He pulled her closer, and he felt her kiss the side of her neck. A quick breath left her as her breathing slightly hitched, as the veins in her neck trembled, and she had to resist the urge to jump his bones then and there, as the tingling sensation traveled down her body. The absolutely gorgeous smile he gave her after he pulled back didn't help the situation.

She tried to say something, but for a moment she was out of breath, which he seemed to find extremely amusing because he laughed. He pulled her closer to him, kissing the top of her head, as he looked down and met her gaze.

"I… just hope you don't mind if I give you one of your presents now," He said, the smile not leaving him, as even for Dominik, she had never seen such a loving gaze.

Ciri managed to scoff a smile and find words. "Presents, as in more than one? What did you get-."

"Attention! Attention all, I would like to thank you all for your patience," The voice of Dandelion cut her off, as the entire inn went quiet.

Ciri still looked at Dominik in shock, suddenly feeling slightly bad, because if he had gotten her two presents she felt she needed to find something else. However, she couldn't move then, he was perfectly content smiling amusingly at her flustered face as he held her on that bench. Her body continued to tingle, still feeling the effects from the kiss he had placed on her neck.

She scoffed quietly and spoke in a low tone. "Dominik… what did you do?"

He grinned wider at her again and simply leaned to kiss her head again, gesturing towards Dandelion. "Just sit back and enjoy princess."

"What? Dominik did you-," She said, about to guess what it was, before Dandelion spoke again.

Behind the bard stood Priscilla perched on a stool, her lute at the ready, as she eagerly looked out over the people gathered in the inn. The band next to them was at the ready, another lute, a few drums, a flute, Ciri knew they were talented, however all she focused on then was Dandelion, looking between the bard only a few feet in front of her, and Dominik on her left, his hand tightly wrapped around her.

Dandelion cleared his throat and looked out at everyone again. "Firstly I would like to thank the lovely Freya Kaminski of Ellander, for taking charge of making the wonderful feast set out before you all!"

A few people clapped, including Dominik next to her and Ciri herself did as well. Freya sheepishly waved to everyone, and Ciri saw the blonde go beat red before turning her head back to her new mug of wine. Ciri loved seeing her get the recognized she deserved. She knew that Freya genuinely wanted simply to be a part of something, a larger group, to feel the love she deserves.

Ciri knew one day she'd find it, that romantic love she knew Freya was secretly looking for. However, even if she didn't, she'd always have them who loved her.

Dandelion clapped himself before smirking towards the crowd again. "Now, to begin our night, Priscilla and I are happy to debut a new original ballad from a request! We took the day to perfect, it and we're more than happy to bring it to you tonight!"

Ciri noticed the ever so slightly shift in Dandelion's vision down to her, and between that, and feeling Dominik's arm wrap tighter around her, her heart nearly exploded. She realized what was happening, she scoffed a laugh, her heart beating out of her chest, as she looked up and saw Dominik sure enough, unable to contain his excitement, as he smiled down at her.

She met his eyes, and giddily laugh. "Ha… Dominik… did… did you really-."

"And now my friends, Calonetta and I, are proud to present, a ballad, about the story of two of the bravest young people I know… The song of the Young Wolf and the Swallow," The bard said, followed by a louder round of applause. Ciri even felt Faram clap her shoulder and laugh from behind.

While everyone clapped, Dandelion went back to his spot next to Priscilla, picking up his own lute as he turned to the band. Ciri couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so much, as she heard Dominik sigh next to her.

"Can't believe I'm gonna have to let that name stick…" He said amusingly, as the clapping finally died down.

Ciri slowly turned up and looked at him, the smile not leaving her. "You know… I quite like it…. Thank you… I love you, a lot."

And apparently, seeing the smile on her face was enough for him to get over his new nickname. Ciri didn't know what else to say, or even to think, other then telling him she loved him. Because she did, she loved Dominik, and with each passing day she felt it grow.

He pulled her closer to him again, just as the first few notes came from Dandelion's lute. "And I love you too… I always have… always will."

A tear came from her eyes as she looked up at him. She normally didn't like to fully kiss him when they were in front of large groups of people. She'd give him pecks on the lips and cheek of course, but she tried to contain herself most of the time. In that moment however, she didn't care how many eyes were there, as the beautiful music came from the lutes, with the candles lit, the smell of the food, all of their friends there, the song about them, their song playing, she didn't care.

She held her gloved hand to one of his cheeks and kissed him. She leaned up and deepened it as much as she could then, with him holding her waist. After a moment, the music started getting louder as the distinct notes from Dandelion's lute flew through the inn. She gently pulled back, staying seating and cuddled into him on that seat, as she leaned her head against his shoulder, his head over hers, as the smiled and listened to the song, their song.

Dandelion and Priscilla it seemed had decided to start it out slow, every note of the lute able to be heard. She comfortably leaned her head against Dominik's shoulder, and smiled as he held her closer.

Ciri was exactly where she wanted to be, and she could live with the knowledge, that even if they were all defeated in the next week in Skellige, at least she would have had this moment then. She got comfortable, as finally Priscilla stepped up in front of Dandelion, smiling at the both of them, strumming the strings of her lute. And when she sang, just like Ciri had expected, it was absolutely beautiful.

_The young wolf, and the swallow were forged in war. _

_By each other's side, they live forever more. _

_The love they forged; the passion displaced. _

_Their hearts ever growing, still when ripped apart. _

_Eight years they fought, to be one again. _

_And now that they're here their hearts they still are bound_

Ciri listened to the first stanza, but soon the words became echoes in her ears. She could hear Priscilla singing about Dominik and her meeting in Cintra, how they escaped, saving one another, before being saved and taken in to be trained by the famous white wolf and his sorceress from Vengerberg. She listened to Dandelion take over, and sing about the time they spent in Ellander, where their love grew to new heights, also meeting the famous poet master Dandelion.

Finally they got to singing about the time they spent apart. She leaned closer to Dominik, hearing some of the things he had to go through in the song only made her squeezed him harder as she leaned. She heard a part about the Battle of Brenna, the pogrom at Rivia where he almost died, finally before the song got to more current events. Priscilla took over singing about how Dominik killed the tyrannical Caleb Menge, before saving her own life from a Katakan bent on killing her, before he sailed to Undvik, where along with the brave Faram of Undvik and Hjalmar an Craite, he killed the Ice Giant with nothing but quick wits and a dagger. After this he and Geralt solved the massacre of Kaer Trolde, and around the inn, Ciri could see not a person moved, all of them listening with bated breath.

She looked all the way back, and noticed Geralt sitting with Yen, her mother's head leaning on Geralt's like how hers was with Dominik. Behind them in more chairs and stools pulled out she saw the sorceresses, who all now seemed dreadfully interested in hearing her and Dominik's true story. Around them all as well, people sat and hummed along. Zoltan and even Lambert seemed to be enjoying themselves. Even in the table across from them, Adda and Elise were sitting across from Roche and Ves. Elise in a rare show of emotion, almost seemed moved to even tears as she looked between Dominik and she, and back to Dandelion. She watched even more curiously, as Adda seemed to be particularly close to the redhead, smiling at her as she listened on as well.

At their own table, Freya leaned back with her mug, sneaking grinning glances at them both. And while she was sure it had to be the amount of alcohol they had both been drinking, but behind them Faram and George almost were in tears, which she knew was rare for witchers. However, Faram sniffled and shook his head, his arm clunking around George's shoulder as he slurred.

"G…gods…. Gods it's beautiful!" The Bear witcher said, as Priscilla began to sing about her and Dominik's reunion on the Isle of Mists, where he thought she was dead.

George sniffled as well, shaking his head. "Gods my friend you are right! What a tale!"

Ciri scoffed a silent laugh, and saw Dominik do the same. She turned and looked at him, just as Priscilla gave way to Dandelion, who began to sing of the battle of Kaer Morhen, the valiant sacrifices made, including the names of Folan, Vigi, Arno, and Declan. She felt Dominik stiffen next to her for a moment, but he untense when she hugged his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder.

He squeezed harder to her, looking down and kissing the top of her head, just as she heard Dandelion sing of the 'young wolf's duel with the King of the Wild Hunt to save his swallow'. Ciri already knew the magnitude of how big it was, how much of a risk he was taking, but hearing it sung, it sunk in even further for Ciri then.

Dominik had fought Eredin, after he had been fighting for hours, nearly used up all of his powers fighting Baelen, had to escape a dragon, before fighting off all the Hunt soldiers around them. And he did it all to protect her. Because he knew what would happen if he didn't, and in that moment, he hadn't cared about his own life, only hers. Ciri truly never knew how she would repay him for something like that, but if the best she could do, was simply be there, love him like she already had, then she could do that.

The song continued, and she leaned up to him. She placed a kiss on the side of his neck, making a broad smile come to his face as he looked down at her. He kissed her twice quickly on the lips, and Ciri felt a giddy smile come to her face, as she laughed and kissed him again. She gently leaned her forehead against his, smiling as he looked down and met her eyes.

"So… you like your present?" He said quietly, as the music from the lute continued.

Her heart leapt from her chest, she held his hand over her thigh and smiled. "I did… so… the young wolf? Are you ready to have everyone we meet call you that?"

He laughed and playfully rolled his eyes. "I guess I am… but seeing the way you smiled? Completely worth it."

The two of them laughed together, just as Priscilla finished the song, and a round of applause came from every single person in the inn. They laughed together, and Ciri leaned up to kiss him one more time, before they both giddily smiled, turning around and clapping for their two bard friends for the performance they had put on. Dandelion and Priscilla both bowed, before Dandelion turned to the band and gave a sharp whistle.

And before she knew it, a jig played throughout the inn, with everyone laughing and chatting once again. Ciri went to turn and talk to all their friends again, but to her surprise Dominik got up, and she scoffed a laugh as he smiled at her, holding out his hand.

"Care to dance princess?" He said, smiling at her his face getting red.

Ciri laughed again and looked at his hand, smirking at it. "Oh I don't know… have you gotten any better?"

He shrugged and winked at her. "Don't know… guess you'll see."

"Mhm… it seems that I will," She said, her heart flipping in her chest.

And after that she took his hand, and just like when they were children, they danced like nobody was there except for the two of them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Haha come on! Dominik is this really necessary?" She laughed, as he walked her down the hall towards their room, his hands over her eyes as they both couldn't stop laughing. "You're going to walk me into a wall, stop, be careful!"

"Oh come on princess don't you trust me?" He said playfully, as they got closer to their room, the both of them stumbling.

Ciri laughed and scoffed, holding her hands over his on her eyes. "I do! But with how many cups of wine you have in you, I'm a little skeptical of your tracking abilities, even just getting back to our room!"

He kept leading her, laughing as she finally felt him come to a stop . "Hey, don't doubt my tracking skills. I found you didn't I? And you weren't exactly the easier to track down."

"Yes I know… but you found me anyway," She said fondly, still seeing nothing but the palms of his hands over her eyes. "And well… you won't lose me again… I promise."

His hands left her eyes, but like he asked he kept her eyes closed. She smiled, the smell of wine and meat, the sound of the band still playing all faintly hit her ears from downstairs, along with laughs and people shouting for more music. After a moment, she felt his stronger arms wrap around her waist, and instinctively, she relaxed her hands on his chest. His lips hit hers, they tasted like sweet wine and the apple he had just eaten before they snuck upstairs. She loved the taste, and found herself wanting more, wanting him more, and she frowned as he pulled back, but his hands stayed wrapped firmly around her waist.

"Never again… I hope you know you're stuck with me princess," He said amusingly, as she could feel his breath hitting her neck. She shuddered and smiled, breathless for a moment, she bit her lip and laughed.

She kept her eyes closed but leaned up towards where she knew his lips were. "Good… I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else… I love you."

"I love you too…" He said breathlessly, as she wanted to open her eyes and see him, see that handsome, beautiful face, and his loving gaze. However, she had promised him she would keep her eyes closed until he said to open them.

But she didn't have to wait long because his sweet tasting lips connected with her again.

"Alright princess, you ready for this?" He said giddily, his hand going onto her back.

His touch sent tingles down her spine, making her shudder and laugh as she kept her eyes closed and nodded.

"I am yeah… you know I was going to go set our room up if not for the sorceresses dragging me into a meeting," She said matter of factly, smirking as she heard Dominik laugh again, his soft but strong hand still on her back.

She couldn't see him, but she knew Dominik had to be rolling his eyes. A small laugh left him as she heard the door push open. "And you stood your ground, told them what was going to happen…. Okay, one minute, just wait here."

Ciri had told him about his meeting with the sorceresses, and she swore that he almost cried when she told him how it went. She had told them she would do what _she _wanted to do, and whatever it was, Dominik would be there with her. He had kissed her then on the dancefloor, the timing had been perfect because Dandelion had taken to singing his song 'Her sweet kiss.'. It had been a fun few hours yes, dancing, drinking, seeing all of their friends let loose, and they still were. She was sure that the rest of their friends, even including Geralt and Yen would end up staying up for hours more, so she had quickly grabbed Dominik and the two snuck upstairs.

And after climbing the first set of steps, he had asked her to close her eyes, before leading her up to their room now.

She stepped inside like he said, a cold draft running through their room, as the darkness behind her eyelids only seemed to get even more intense. Ciri of course couldn't see him, but she felt his hand leave her back, which disappointed her. However, she still giddily smiled and laughed, trying to locate where he was with her other sense.

"Alright, alright, enough with the suspense what is it!?" She said excitedly, as she heard him laugh, his hand going to the small of her back again, right above her ass, and the soft touch sent goosebumps up her spine again.

"One more second and…." He started slowly, before she heard a loud snap of his fingers, a gush of heat suddenly hitting her face. "Now you can open your eyes, happy well… anniversary? Late birthday? Whatever it is you wanna call it."

She scoffed and smiled, fluttering her eyes open. "Well how long has it been? About a month since you found me right? I guess you could call this a…. Gods Dominik… it's all beautiful."

Their room was alight with dozens of candles as the only natural light. She looked and saw that over their window, which usually gave them a view of Novigrad, had a sheet hanging over it, so if not for the now lit candles it would have been nearly pitch black. The pleasant smell of burning wax filled her nose, her body relaxed, as the beautiful light covered all corners of their room. While she was taking it in, she looked over towards their bed, and saw the sword leaned up against their nightstand. Dominik hadn't noticed it yet which she was thankful for, however her attention didn't stay on the sword for long. She breathlessly laughed, walking further into the room, her hands over her chest as she saw it wasn't only the candles he had gotten.

On the table where they had been keeping their armor and swords, was their own plate of cheese, crackers, bread, fruit, and even chocolates which Ciri couldn't remember the last time she had. A bottle of wine for the both of them sat near the plate of food, and Ciri scoffed a laugh, when she saw a crown of white flowers sitting near them as well, careful not to be too close to the lit candles. Candles lines the table, their nightstand, and each other them gently seemed to have a contained flame as they crackled and filled her nose with that beautiful smell she loved. She had no idea what to say, never in a hundred years would she think she had deserved something like this. Ciri knew that Dominik was great with big romantic gestures, the ones when they were younger had always made her happier then she could describe.

However, she couldn't even begin to describe how it made her feel that night. Gingerly she pulled her hands away from the ring around her neck, picking up the crown that he had made. It was as beautiful as the one he made her before the battle of Kaer Morhen, as beautiful as the ones he always used to make her back in Ellander. Her hands trembled around it, as she truly didn't know what to say, all she did was feel her arms tingle, her heart ready to beat out of her chest, as she couldn't have stopped smiling if she tried. She couldn't do anything but breathlessly laughed, looking at the crown, the food, the wine, everything he had set out for them.

"Ha… so… do you like it?" He asked, somehow sounding nervous as he came up behind her, his hand going to her back again as he continued rambling. "I… put it together really quick. Triss and I were running to get back, and gods my… my hands were shaking so bad putting everything out I had to have Priscilla help me and-."

"I love it… gods Dominik I… I love all of it," She said, scoffing a breathless laugh, as she was almost near tears as she turned and looked back at him. "You… you didn't have to do all of this for me…. Gods I… I love you for it but… but I only got you-."

He cut her off by shaking his head, his handsome smile not leaving her. "Ciri I _wanted _to do this because you deserve it. It's like I told you back in the cave remember? You deserve the world, everything good and well… I can't exactly give you everything but… but I'm gonna try my damndest because well… I love you and-."

She cut him off by kissing him, knowing that he was going to start nervously rambling, and Ciri didn't want him to feel nervous. She loved every single thing about him, about what he had done for her, how he loved her, how he protected her, how he wanted nobody else but her. Keeping one hand holding the crown, she even had a small tear run down her cheek, falling between their lips as she pressed hers against his as hard as she could. His arms wrapped around her, and before she knew it, he deepened the kiss and she let him. Her eyes closed as she melted into him, she reached back and carefully placed the crown on the table away from the lit candle, before falling into him, wrapping her arms up around his neck.

His hands went down her back, as she completely lost herself in him. Her hair was already falling loose out of its bun, so she decided to quicken the process. Still keeping her lips locked with him, she pulled her hair from its bun, her ashen locks fell down her shoulder, and she laughed hysterically when it fell into his face. He did as well, pulling his head back from her and laughing as he moved her hair. He looked at her, like he was about to say something again, but she wanted more, she kissed him again, angling her head up at him, deepening their kiss again right away as she kept one hand on his shoulder, the other trailed slowly down his chest at torso. He shuddered as her gloved hand went over his torso, over his hard stomach as finally he felt her hands trail over her ass to her thighs, and she giggled like a girl when he picked her up.

"Ha… ha… I… I love it," She said between the kissed she gave him, feeling like she was flying as he held her in the air. "And… and I love you…."

She was out of breath, and she could tell he was as well. He had no problem holding her up, and feeling his stronger hands under her thighs, right under her ass sent tingles down her legs, and up through her chest. She kept on kissing him with everything she had, wanting more with each time their lips met. However, the need to breath finally did catch up to them both. A part of her wanted him to lean her on the table, on the nightstand like he had the one night, lean her back against the wall and kiss her neck. However, she realized that candles were over them both.

So, after he pulled back, completely out of breath, panting heavily as she did the same, she gingerly leaned her head against his. She slowly brought her hands to his face, looking deep into the green emerald eyes she had wanted for so long to look back at her again. Ciri knew that she wanted him, she was ready, readier then she'd ever be. She bit her lip, and they both seemed to laugh as she wanted him yes, but she knew she wanted to do something else first.

"What's say we… get comfortable," She said, her hand slowly trailing down his chest, as she smiled at him. "And I can give you your present?"

He shuddered under her touch, which made Ciri slightly smirk, as he smiled at her and let her boots hit the ground again.

"Sounds great… I got something else for you too," He said sheepishly, just as Ciri went of both her boots.

Her heart thumped again, as she scoffed a laugh. "Dominik… you really didn't have to get me that much… gods the song itself was beautiful enough."

He shook his head right away, pulling of his own boots and socks. "You deserved more than that, you deserve even more then what I got but… I hope you like this none the less."

She blushed a deep crimson hue, as she kicked off both her boots, pulled off her socks and went to her corset. Ciri carefully took it off, feeling the heat hit her exposed midriff as a rush of relief ran through her. The leather corset was her only real 'armor' if you could even call it that, it looked more and more like she would need to get actual armor soon, especially if she planned on traveling the Path with Dominik after everything was done. After the corset was off, she gingerly ran her hand over the scar across her torso, from where Baelen, no, Bella had cut her during the battle of Kaer Morhen. For a moment it came flooding back, and she saw Bella's face in the clearing again, but she quickly squashed the thoughts.

That night would be about the both of them, nothing else.

Slipping off her trousers, she finally felt freer in just her knickers as she ran her hands through her long locks of loose ashen hair. The heat from the candles hit her bare legs, small bits of sweat accrued from the day slipped down body. She would have preferred to perhaps take a bath before sleeping with Dominik the first time, but she would be damned if she waited again. She tossed her hair back behind her, and sighed, the giddy smile still on her face, as she untied her top and pulled it off. Carefully she folded all her clothes, and placed them near the foot of their bed, looking and seeing the sword leaning against their nightstand still.

"Ha… wow…" She heard Dominik say behind her.

She chuckled and turned, ready to say something, but then she saw him. Ciri had seen him naked before, seen his cock, his abs, his shoulders, his biceps, everything. In the previous few nights as she said, they had both been completely naked in front of one another, but something had always stopped them. He only had on his undergarments then, it was nothing different then what he wore to bed on a nightly basis. But there was something about the candlelight reflecting off his skin, his scarred, gorgeous body, that drove her particularly crazy that night. Her face got red right away, her gaze traveling up his body, his defined torso, strong arms and shoulders. She lingered on the two long scars across him, the one diagonally across his chest from Rivia, and then the one horizontally across the bottom of his abs. Nithral, the Hunt general he killed when he was searching for her had given him that one.

His arms weren't overly large, but extremely defined, with multiple scars ranging from cuts, burns, stabs. If she looked down his right leg, she could even see the entry wound from where Eredin had stabbed him clean through at Kaer Morhen. His chest was large, his shoulders broad, and his face, gods his face was gorgeous. His cheekbones were high, his jawline was sharp, and Ciri marveled, appreciating for a moment how truly he had waited for her. He liked to downplay his looks, but Ciri knew just how gorgeous he was. Surely he had plenty of woman, much more beautiful than her fawning over him, Freya to that day insisted Ciri was prettier than her, Ciri didn't think it was true, however Dominik had always reassured her.

He had wanted nobody else, not in his entire life, except for her, and Ciri wanted him now, more than she ever had. It could have been from the beautiful song sung about them both downstairs, the candles and spread in their room now, or it could have been just how damned gorgeous she thought he was then, but Ciri wanted him more than anything then.

She scoffed a small laugh and blushed as she met his gaze. "Ha… wow what?"

He came over to her, wrapping his hands around her waist. She felt his strong hands on her bare skin, around her waist, near her knickers before they traveled up her back. Ciri shuddered and laughed breathlessly, looking up at him as she wrapped her arms around him.

A small laugh came from him as he looked at her. "It's just… gods Ciri you're beautiful."

"You know… you see me go to bed like this every night?" She said, trying to joke, but finding it hard as she couldn't stop looking at him.

He shook his head, pulling her closer to him, her breasts pressing up against his chest as he leaned his head down, kissing the side of her neck and hugging her.

"I know… and every single time I'm amazed," He said softly, his hand gently playing with her locks of ashen hair.

Feeling his lips connect with her neck again she shuddered, the tingle going right between her legs, and using every bit of self-control she had, she didn't jump his bones then and there. She shakily sighed and recovered from the tingling in her neck and smiled as she took a step back from him, feeling his arms regrettably leave her.

She bit her lip and met his eyes. "You… you're not looking too bad yourself handsome. You know… you still need to tell me the story of some of those scars."

He laughed as his face got red, holding out his arms. "Ha… pick one out and I'll tell you all about it princess."

"Maybe later… but for now, I… want to give you your present," She said, turning from him and walking to grab the sword near the nightstand, suddenly feeling nervous. "I… I would have got you more, but… but I was having a hard time thinking of something you'd like and that you could use so… so I hope you're happy with it."

The sword a bit heavier then she had thought, but she was used to using her much lighter one, so it made sense to her. She saw the sleek black sheath in the candlelight, and admired the hilt herself again, the perfectly carved wolf's head, before sighing and smiling. She looked up and held it out for him to take.

"I… hope you like it," She said nervously, as she shook her head. "Geralt brought it up here before the song started. I… was a bit worried that it wouldn't get here in time."

Dominik saw the sword and Ciri's heart grew as he smiled at it, scoffing a disbelieving laugh and meeting her eyes as he ran his hands along the sheath. He looked down at her, his eyes dripping with excitement.

"Gods Ciri you… you got me a new sword?" He said, his hand going towards the hilt, as he scoffed again in disbelief and looked at her. "The pommel and the hilt… they're gorgeous. Ciri this must have…. Wait a minute… it… this… this is…"

Ciri couldn't help but giddily laugh and smile, nodding fervently as he looked at her. "Yeah… it… it's your sword… I… I got it fixed."

She saw a tear build up in his eyes, as his hand wrapped around the hilt, and slowly he pulled it from the sheath. Ciri laughed as he looked at it dumbfounded, his hand fingers gripping the hilt, seeming to make sure it really was that blade, that blade he had carried since his journey to find her began all the way back when he was fifteen. Ciri had seen how clearly distraught he was at losing it, but he had been insistent that they had other things to worry about, and that he didn't mind losing it.

However, as she saw the smile that came to his then, as he held the brightly sharpened steel in front of his face, Ciri knew she had picked the right gift. Hattori had done a beautiful job, the steel was bright and polished, the grip was still the same leather one that had been on it before, the straight crossguard was also polished and refined, while the pommel of course had the heads of two wolves. She could see her reflection in the steel as Dominik held it in front of his face, laughing and gently swinging it around him. Ciri yelped a laugh and backed out of the way, laughing more as he scoffed in disbelief again, looking at her with tears building up in his eyes.

"It… it's really it.. gods Ciri you… you fixed it; you fixed my sword!" He said, shaking his head, gently holding the blade in both hands. "It… it's been there… been there-."

"Since the beginning… I know," She said, the smile not leaving her as she nervously laughed and rubbed the back of her head, looking at him again. "And well I… I didn't fix it. It was Geralt's friend Hattori. I… I just saw how upset you got when it broke and… and you said we wouldn't have time to fix it so… well… you know how stubborn I am. It… it's not much I know but-."

"Not much!?" He said incredulously, laughing as he slid the sword into the sheath, before quickly moving over and tackling her in a hug again. "Ciri I…I love it… gods… god I fucking love you."

She yelped and laughed as he slammed into her, and she squeezed around his neck. He melted into her; she heard the clunking of the sword as he placed it back against the candle laden nightstand. He tightened his hug around her waist, his hands wrapped completely around her now, as for a moment, Ciri couldn't do anything but smile and hold him. After a moment however, she squeezed even tighter. She knew he would be excited, but his reaction was even more then she could have hoped.

His head buried into her hair, Ciri shuddered and laughed as he kissed the side of her neck again, before coming up laughing, still holding her waist. He met her eyes and she was about to say something, but before she could he planted a kiss on her, one that was more intense than any he had all night. His lips still tasted like wine which she loved, and right away her hands trailed down his chest, the kiss ignited that fire inside her again, a fire of desire and want. She was going to pull him onto the bed right there, her hands gently trailed down his abs, getting closer to the hem of his undergarments. He kept his lips locked with hers, and Ciri deepened it, her tongue even gently gliding across his lips. She didn't relent, as he moaned into her lips, but just before she could do anything further, he smiled and pulled back from her.

Ciri almost whimpered, biting her lip as she felt between her legs heat up, the burning desire spilling over her. She looked up at him desperately, about to say something, tell him how much she wanted him, but he shook his head, the grin still on his face before she could.

"Okay… now I wanna give you your last present, one second," He said, his hands leaving her hips, as he walked to the other side of the room, towards where he had put his bag.

Ciri shuddered from the feeling of his lips still on hers. She tingled from head to toe, she had to cross her arms over her chest to keep the goosebumps out. She saw his back, the scars jutting down it as well, she heated up even more as she bit her lip and realized that truly the moment was then. She was going to make love to him, and suddenly in her mind, she thought about how frizzy her hair looked, how her breath smelled and even the color of the knickers and bra she wore.

Biting her lip she turned towards the bed, running her hands through her long ashen locks, trying her best to straighten them and get the knots out. She even found herself looking at her breasts, even deciding to pull it down slightly before she looked at the ring bouncing around her neck. She sighed and gripped it in her hand, a smile coming to her face, as she could remember the exact night she had gotten it.

So much had happened since then, so much to the both of them. She had been raped, forced to try and sleep with men, had men and women both lust and creep over her. However, none of that mattered anymore. She had the one person she wanted, that she had wanted since that first night on the balcony in Cintra. It had been a childhood crush then but developed into something so much more. She was ready to give it all to him, show him how much she really, genuinely loved him. A small part of her was nervous, wondering if she would even be able to perform well what with this being her first time with a man. However, it was Dominik, and everything came easy with him.

And she was sure sex wouldn't be any different. The smile turned to a cheeky grin, as she realized after their first time was done, there would be many more after that. And when it was with the man you loved, nothing much was better in that world, at least not for her.

She took one last breath, smiling at the ring before turning around. "Dominik… I… I want to-."

"Here it is… what do you think? It's… not enchanted yet obviously," He said, cutting her off, as Ciri froze seeing the silver chain when he got closer to her. "Triss could have done it to make it work but… I figured that after this is over… well… we could go to Kaer Morhen, you can go on your trial of the medallion after all."

He had gotten her a medallion. Her eyes traveled quickly to the wolf tattoo on her left wrist, the one that matched not only the tattoo on his own wrist, but the medallion around his neck behind the swallow. She didn't know what to say, for years she had wanted a wolf school medallion, one just like Dominik and Geralt had, one that she would have been able to forge herself had things gone according to plan. She had the cat medallion on her bag of course, but that was a medallion she had gotten from the corpse of a madman. This, the gift in front of her, looked exactly like the one Dominik had if only a little smaller.

"D…Dominik… I…." She trailed off, tears nearly coming from her eyes, as she gingerly took the wolf head from him.

He sheepishly smiled, flushing red as he nervously rubbed his head. "Ha… I… know how much you were looking forward to it before you left. I figured if you had it well… first off we'd be matching."

She scoffed a laugh, a small tear coming down her face as she met his eyes. "Yeah I… I guess we are…."

Biting his lip he chuckled and nodded. "Yeah and… and well… I thought it would be something you could use and… it was something you really wanted. I know you have your cat one but maybe… we can give that to Fiona, and then take this to Kaer Morhen and you can go on your trial… like we wanted to do together."

She smiled again, the tear falling off her cheek, as she looked at the silver wolf head in her hands. Over the years she had thought about it often, what it would have been like if Thanedd had just never happened. If she had learned to control her powers and then gone back to Kaer Morhen to forge her medallion. She could remember being in her room at Aretuza, reading the letter Dominik sent her, telling her about how he tricked the trolls on the mountain towards the circle of elements, and enchanted his medallion at the circle of elements. He described how while he was glad he did it, it still felt empty without her there, he talked about how much he missed her, how much he wanted her there with him, promising that he'd do the whole trial again if she came back.

And how Ciri had wanted too. She could remember sitting in the magic school yearning to be back, yearning to leave, go back to Kaer Morhen, to Dominik and Geralt. She had thought she nearly convinced Yen before the night of the coup before everything had changed. It had been something she hadn't thought about, forging her own wolf medallion, one to match Dominik's the sign of a true witcher. The cat one she had taken, not enchanted herself. Now, she was holding one, it had been something, a gift that only someone who truly knew her would have been able to give.

Slowly she looked up and met his eyes. Her heart was ready to burst, as her desire for him for a moment, was replaced with nothing but love. He looked absolutely gorgeous in that candlelight as he smiled sheepishly at her, his face red from embarrassment. For a moment she couldn't form words, so she simply gripped the medallion in her hands, smiling and reaching up to grab his face.

She gently kissed his lips, tears getting between them as she slowly nodded. "Thank you…."

"You're welcome princess…" He said slowly, his one hand wrapping around her. "So… me, you, Kaer Morhen? Think we can fit that in before we go for Fiona?"

She chuckled a laugh and nodded, her forehead against his. "I think we can yeah… and… and maybe we can head back to our cave… how's that?"

She felt him tense for a moment, and almost laughed as she saw his red face. However, he chuckled lightly and slowly nodded, gently pulling back and smiling at her.

"I like that idea…" He said, gently reaching out to hold her hand with the medallion and chain in it, meeting her eyes he smirked. "May I?"

Ciri slowly nodded, letting the medallion, her medallion slip into his hands, and turning around. The smell of the burning candles hit her nose, as she gently shuddered and breathlessly laughed feeling his hot breath on her neck. He unclasped the medallion and wrapped it around her neck. She felt the wolf hit the top of her chest, right next to the ring dangling there as well. A small snap hit her hears, followed by Dominik gently spinning her around. She faced him now, but all she could do was look down at the medallion.

She gingerly held it in her bare hands, a small disbelieving scoff leaving her. It was a real medallion, silver with dark red eyes, just like Dominik's across from her.

"It looks good on you princess," He said, as she slowly looked up at him, and he grinned widely at her, gently leaning over and wrapping his arms around her. "So… what do you think… witcher?"

Ciri looked up and met his eyes, and all this time they had been waiting for the perfect moment. It could have been any number of moments they had in the time since they'd been back. A very small part of her even wanted to jump his bones before the Battle of Kaer Morhen, but no, in that moment then, she was glad they waited, because in no other moment in her entire life, had she felt more in love with him, then in their room then.

She leaned up, wrapping both her arms around his neck, and she kissed him again. His arms went around her right away. That kiss then was gentle, sweet, passionate, and when her lips slowly left his, she leaned her forehead against his. For a moment, they both just stood there in the candlelight, their half naked bodies up against one another. Her breasts pressed up against his chest, she even felt her womanhood, her hips against his, his cock was hard under his garments, and she lightly moaned feeling it rub against her. She looked up and met his eyes, and she could see he was even slightly embarrassed for a moment.

He looked like he was about to say something, but she cut him off by gently kissing him again, finally meeting his eyes.

"I love it… and I love you…" She said gently, both of them breathing heavily, the sweat slowly dripping from them both as she looked deep into his eyes. "Dominik…"

"Yeah…" He said slowly, one of his hands on the top of her ass, the other rubbing along her back.

A small smile came to her as she nodded. "Dominik… make love to me… please…"

She waited for him to say something, she knew that he was nervous, not for the making love itself, but for what it would do to her. Ciri knew she had scared him deep down in the cave, having flashbacks to when she was raped, to the men who had tried. He had told her, how a part of him was afraid of causing those flashback again, and despite all of Ciri's assurances, the worry still weighed on his mind.

However, then he only nodded, and Ciri's face and womanhood heated, as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her neck, just below her ear.

"Ciri… are you sure? Like… really… really sure?" He said gently, pulling his head back from her, meeting her eyes. "What… what about well… protection for-."

"A spell, Yen taught it to me, and I trust her," She said quickly, one of her hands going to the back of his head, the other gently trailing down his chest. "Dominik I… I want this… I want you."

Her hand got to the hem his undergarments, she tugged at them for a moment, before gently taking a step back from him. And just like had happened at the cave, she reached behind her, and untied her bra, letting it fall to the floor, her breasts free. This time however, she pulled her knickers down as well, naked in front of him she gently took another step towards him, her hands gently trailing down his chest.

He grabbed around her waist, and shakily sighed, looking down at her and shaking his head. "Gods… gods you… you're beautiful… Ciri… Ciri I love you, as long as you're sure-."

She cut him off by kissing him again, she took his hand, and guided it up over her breast like she did that night in the cave. That night would be different, she would make sure of it. She shuddered, feeling his hand flick over her nipple, massaging her breast she even moaned. Quickly she met his eyes, he kept his hand over her, as she trailed her own down his torso again, she went past the hem of his undergarments, his cock was still hard, and when her hand fell over it he moaned, all his breath leaving him as he met her eyes, and in them, she finally saw that same fierce desire she had seen on him in other nights they spent together.

"I'm sure…." She said, her hand gently rubbing over his cock, before he nodded, and smashed his lips onto hers, his hands going down over her ass.

And just like in the cave that night, they both seemed to finally let loose all of the sexual tension they both had built up for so long.

He kissed her, his one hand squeezing her ass and making her moan, as his other gingerly trailed his fingers down her scar. Kissing him back with equal ferocity, she started running her hand along the outline of his cock again, and he was the first to moan, as she trailed kissing down the side of his jaw as she did it. She got his neck, and nibbled, biting just below his ear, as both his hands wrapped down below her ass again. She bit her lip and moaned lightly as the squeeze, biting and kissing along his neck as quick as she could, she stopped and sucked on one spot on the right side of him, and he moaned louder, pulling her closer to him, her breasts pushing up against his chest as she did.

"G…gods…. Ciri… Ciri I-,: He started, but she silenced him with a kiss, finally letting herself jump over him.

"Shhh… don't talk… just let me kiss you…" She said, and then she yelped and laughed as he reached under her thighs and picked her up.

She wrapped both her arms around his neck, as she kept attacking his neck with kissing along his jaw, down his shoulder, making him moan as he sat down on their bed, his newly fixed sword clunked as it fell off the nightstand. They both laughed into each other's lips, as now she straddled him on the bed, and she moaned loudly into his neck, as she felt his larger cock rub up against her entrance, only his undergarments keeping them apart.

"Gods Dominik… Dominik I…. gods I want you," She moaned loudly, grinding her entrance against him, as he moaned as well.

He pulled his lips away from her and breathlessly nodded. "Ciri… Ciri gods you.. you're so-."

She cut him off when she stepped off him, and gently pushed him back on the bed. He scoffed a breathless laugh and she did the same, gently crawling onto the bed, kissing up his body as she did. She even placed a kiss on his thigh, which made his knee buck. She laughed as he did, while she kissed up, even the outside of his undergarments right over his cock, as he moaned her name, reaching out to try and hold her. Ciri bit her lip, hearing his deep, sexy voice hit her ears, moaning her name only spurred her on more, the salty taste of the sweat trickling down his torso hitting her lips as she kissed up his stomach.

Her entrance rubbed against the outside of his undergarments, his hard cock again as she straddled him. He looked up at her, his hands reaching up, each one grabbing one of her breasts again as she moaned now, feeling his thumb flip over her hard nipple, before she finally couldn't take it, and leaned down to smash her lips to his again. A large part of her wanted his undergarments off now, wanted him inside of her now, but she was also determined to make it last, to get every bit of pleasure out of the both of them as she could. She kissed him with new ferocity, her hand rubbing down his torso, as both his hands went under her ass, squeezing her thighs, and having his fingers so close to her entrance, she moaned into her kiss and wanted even more to have him inside her.

However, she wanted him to have the same amount of pleasure he had given her the previous week. So she gently glided her tongue along his lips as she kissed him, before kissing along his jaw, down to his adams apple, kissing and sucking on that one spot, making him moan louder then he had, his knees tightening as he gripped her ass now.

"Ciri… Ciri I… I want… I want-." He started, but she cut him off by bringing her lips to him again, kissing him before gently trailing kisses to his ear.

"Shh… I love you… you stupid boy… just let me make you feel good… let me kiss you…" She said, before nibbling on his earlobe, making him moan again, before her hand trailed down his torso again, closer to his undergarments.

She bit her lips as her hand got to the hem, meeting his eyes, a small laugh escaping her. He met her eyes as well and nodded so quickly she thought he'd get headache. She laughed and blushed, seeing how much he wanted her in his eyes. She shuddered as he gripped harder under her thighs her womanhood quivering, craving him, his fingers, his cock, anything from him. However, she controlled herself, and gently tugged down the rest of his undergarments.

He shakily sighed as he kicked them off for her, and Ciri slowly brought her face back to his, gently leaning over and nibbling on his neck again, as she gently gripped his cock in her hands. He was large, hard, and moaned right into her ear when she stroked him.

"Ciri… Ciri gods… I… I've never… fuck… fucking… fuck," He moaned, his deep voice hitting her ears, making her own womanhood quiver, as she bit her lip and leaned her lips against his ear.

"I love you… gods… gods I love you…" She said, feeling her own desire heat up to a boiling point, as she quickened stroking his cock. "Dominik… Dominik I… I wanted you and-."

He cut her off by leaning his head over and smashing his lips to hers, gripping his hand to her ass as she kept stroking him. She didn't stop, she didn't want too, but she moaned loudly when he bit a spit on her neck, kissing and sucking that one spot, and the moment she stopped stroking him, he still moaned, before gently moving. He wrapped an arm around her waist as they laid next to each other in the bed, her hand gripped on his cock again, but Dominik brought both hands up to her face.

She breathed heavily as he kissed along her jaw, bringing his lips to hers before he met her eyes. "Ciri… I… are you really sure you-."

"Dominik, you are so, so sweet and I love that so much about you," She said quickly, bringing both her hands up to his face, and looking deep into his eyes. "But please… please make love to me you stupid boy, gods… gods I've wanted that for so long."

Upon hearing her words he quickly nodded, and flipped overtop of her. It was so quick that Ciri yelped, a giddy smile coming to her face as she looked up at him, and could feel her dripping warm womanhood inches from his cock. She waited for him to enter her, to feel his cock inside her, but he didn't, before he did anything he gently placed a kiss on her lips, as Ciri's hands dug into his back. She whimpered slightly, and to her complete shock she saw him even crack a smile.

"Dominik… Dom.. Dom for.. for fuck's sake please-. GODS!" She yelled out, feeling his lips connect with her neck, and one of his fingers rub along her entrance.

"Gods… gods Dominik I… I fucking… I fucking love it when you get like this…" She said, as his fingers quickly started rubbing against her womanhood, and he nibbled along her neck.

He kissed down her neck, and a small laughed escaped him. "Ha… i… I know you do… Ciri I… I love you…"

Ciri quickly nodded, moaning and tossing her head back as her nails dug into him. "I… I love you too, gods Dominik I.. I love-. FUCK, FUCKING… GODS!"

His finger slipped inside of her, quickly entering her and moving around her entrance, while he kissed just between her breasts. He had fingered her like that before, but then, Ciri had to stop herself from climaxing on the spot. Everything in her body buzzed, as she felt his finger moving against her walls her back arched, as she gripped both her hands onto the back of his head, nearly pulling out his hair, as she had the nerve to smiled when kissing near her breath. Never in her life had Ciri felt euphoria like that, as his finger's pace inside her quickened and with each stroke of it hitting her walls, her legs quivered, and her body only erupted more when he got to her breast.

"Gods… fucking… fuck.. FUCK!" She moaned, as his finger went deeper in her then it had before, just as he kissed one of her breasts, his tongue flicking up against her harder nipple.

"I love you… I love you princess…" He said breathlessly, sweat trickling down his forehead as he looked up at her, his eyes dripping and full of desire, lust, lust for her, and Ciri wanted him to take her, wanted his cock inside her more then she ever had.

"Dominik… Dominik gods… gods please I want you… make love to me, make love to me, fuck me, whatever you want to call it just-. AHHH GODS, AHH GODS YES!" She cut herself off, her back arching as he kissed down her torso, inches away from her entrance.

She loved it when he did that, kissed her womanhood, kissed between her thighs, and int hat moment, she felt herself so close to climaxing she squeezed her thighs around his head as he kissed right near her womanhood again. It was Dominik, her and Dominik that was all that night was about, she wanted him, wanted him more then she had ever wanted everything. Her core trembled, she felt her walls tremble, as finally, he kissed over womanhood again, over her folds, and her thighs closed around his head, as she gripped the back of his hair.

"YES… FUCK…. FUCKING GODS… GODS YES FUCK… Dominik…" She moaned, one hand staying gripped on his hair, as the other went to message her own breast.

No, she couldn't climax yet no matter how much she wanted too. Never, never in her entire life had anyone made her feel like that. She felt loved, complete, more euphoria then she had ever felt. Her womanhood trembled, and she moaned his name again as his tongue entered her, pressed against her inner walls, before finally, finally the stupid boy that she had loved from the moment she met him looked up at her.

She met his eyes, feeling her body decompress for a moment, and the both of them laughed. Breathlessly Ciri laughed, as he held both her bare legs over his shoulders, as he breathlessly did the same. The two of them both laughed, as Ciri felt her womanhood still warm and dripping, the sexy look on his face growing as he slowly made his way back up to her.

"Ha…. Ha… gods… gods come.. come here and kiss me…" She said breathessly, just as hie face got to hers and he smashed his lips to her.

She felt his cock ever so lightly rub against her entrance, and she moaned louder then she had in her entire life, finally feeling his large cock against her. She moaned into his lips, tightly wrapping her arms around him, as he gently pulled back.

"Ciri… Ciri if… if anything-." He started, but she cut him off by kissing him again.

"I will… I promise… now… now please…" She said, leaning up and kissing his neck just below his ear. "Make love to me… please… gods make love to me you stupid boy."

He breathlessly laughed with her again, and he nodded. "You… your wish is my command… Ciri… I love you…"

"Gods… gods I love you too…" She said, as he leaned down closer to her, moving his cock to line up with her womanhood, as Ciri gripped onto his neck. "I… I want you… gods Dominik I-. Ahhhh… fuck… fucking… FUCK!"

She had wondered what it was going to be like when he was finally inside her, and nothing could have prepared her for it. Hearing her loud fuck, Dominik looked down at her, his cock just inside her entrance.

"Ciri! Ciri are… are you-." He started, but she quickly shook her head, leaning up and pressing her lips to his with everything she had.

"No! Don't… don't stop… don't fucking stop… gods that… that feels… gods…" She moaned, as she felt him push his cock deeper inside her.

And after all of him was inside of her, she let out a loud, breathless moan as she melted into the bed, her eyes almost rolled into the back of her head, as her back arched, and a new wave of pleasure shot up her stomach and through her body as his cock hit her walls and deep inside her.

"Fuck… fuck… Ciri… Ciri I love you… gods I fucking love you," He moaned, as he started thrusting into her, and Ciri felt her legs tingle, her nails racking against his back.

She moaned out his name and nodded. "Dominik… gods… gods I love you too… don't stop.. don't stop fuck.. fucking gods yes…"

He picked up the pace, and his cock started thrusting into her at a steady pace, not to fast, but not to slow either, and with each thrust Ciri bit her lip, moaning as she pulled his body closer to her, feeling finally, finally like they weren't just a couple, feeling like in that moment they were one whole person. The absolutely euphoria, the pleasure that shot through her body, the wanted, the desire, the lust for more was just a bonus, an extremely amazing bonus to what she felt to him now, how connected she felt.

"I love you… fuck… fucking I fucking… I fucking love you GODS!" She moaned into his ears, wrapping both her arms around his neck as he thrusted into her harder, and she wanted more, she wanted so much more. "Faster… gods Dominik don't stop please…"

"Fuck… fucking… gods I love you…." He said, as she felt him pick up the pace, his legs thrusting his cock into her.

"FUCK… FUCK… FUCKING FUCK GODS YES…" She moaned, her legs quivering as she pulled him closer to her, and as she did he kissed along her neck.

She felt his lips kissing her neck as her arms traveled down his back, his pace quickening as he did. His cock buried deep inside her, as she clawed her nails along his back, moaning ever louder with each thrust, their bed began to squeak, her womanhood finally became used to the size of him, and when it did, the pleasure Ciri felt was immeasurable. She wanted to wrap her legs around him, but she couldn't move them they were quivering so much with each trust he gave her. She pressed her hands against his back, wanting him to go deeper inside of her, and when he kissed down her chest to her breasts, his head burying between them, Ciri yelped.

"GODS! FUCKING GODS DOMINIK… I… fucking love you, gods… fucking FUCKING FUCK!" She moaned out, not wanting that moment to end but feeling her climax coming.

His face stayed between her breasts, and she found herself gripping his hair, and pulling his face back to her. She pulled his lips to kiss her, while his cock kept thrusting inside her at a rapid pace, each thrust making her moan again as she kissed him.

"I love you… fuck…. Fucking gods Dominik I love you, I love you… FUCK!" She moaned into his lips, as he kissed her and kept thrusting, his hips bucking as she felt sweat slowly trickling down his hard stomach.

He didn't stop but met her eyes, kissing her as his cock buried inside her. "I love you… I love you princess, fuck… fucking.. fuck I.. I love hearing you moan like that."

"You make me like that you stupid, stupid, gorgeous boy… FUCK!" She yelped, as he thrusted hard into her, the tip of his cock buried deep inside her as she moaned. "I… I love… I love it when you get like this."

He breathlessly laughed the same as she did, as he continued thrusting into her, as he looked up and met her eyes. "Any… anything for you… gods… fucking… fuck Ciri I… I can.. I can get used to this.. FUCK!"

"FUCKING FUCK!" She moaned as he thrusted hard into her again, as she looked and saw the burning desire in his eyes. Breathlessly she laughed again as his pace slowed. "So… so can I… so… so how… how does… that does roadside inn sound now?"

He kept steadily thrusting his cock insider her as he nodded. "Sounds… sounds even better…."

"Good…" She said, whispering in his ear as she held his head near her lips. "Now… now don't fucking stop… gods… gods fuck me, make love to me Dominik-. GODS, FUCK!"

He listened to her, and an almost animalistic grow came from him, as his cock buried deep inside her again. He thrusted into her a quicker pace, and all she could do was let her legs quiver, as her back arched and her head got thrown back.

"Ahh… ah…. Fuck…. Fuck…fuck, fuck…. Ah… ah… GODS DOMINIK!" She moaned loudly, as she felt her climax coming, but it only seemed to spur him on further, quickening his pace.

His arms leaned over her, gripping the headboard to their bed as he thrusted into her even hard then he had been and Ciri couldn't stop moaning, feeling the climax about to come. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, seeing that lust, that pure lust and desire for her from the man she loved she felt something inside her turn on as well.

She didn't want that first time to end so soon.

"Ciri… Ciri I.. I think I- GODS!" He yelped, as out of nowhere she pulled her womanhood away from his cock. He slid out of her entrance and she had to resist the urge to moan, whimper as it exited her, because quickly she moved and turned him around.

His eyes widened as he looked up at her, her now straddling his waist. "Ciri!? Ciri what's wrong, did I-. FUCK!"

She didn't give him any time to say anything else. She positioned herself, and grabbed his cock with her hand, guiding it inside her, and she moaned as he tossed her head back, sitting straight up and straddling him.

"Fuck… gods… gods…. Ciri… Ciri you… you don't have to-." He started, but she cut him off by grinding and moving her entrance, bouncing up and down on him once, before leaning down and kissing him.

"Shhh… Dominik… I love you… but please… shut up and let me make love to you," She said softly to him, kissing his lips and leaning her hands against his hard chest, using her still quivering legs to bounce up on his cock.

She leaned her hands up against his chest, as she saw his eyes practically roll into the back of his head, as his hands rested on her ass while she did. She bounced and moved slowly at first, before quickening her pace, hearing him moaned her name, and with each time his cock thrusted inside her as she bounced on him, she moaned as well.

"Gods… gods…. Ciri… Ciri I… I fucking love you… don't… don't fucking FUCK!" He moaned, as she breathessly laughed and picked up the pace.

"Shhh… I love you too…" She said, leaning down and kissing him, before she felt him grab tighter to her ass, making her moan into her lips, as she bounced and grinding her womanhood to make his cock his her inside walls.

Soon his legs popped up, and she felt him slowly begin to move his cock to meet her bounces, and Ciri finally melted into him. She wanted to feel every bit of him, to have him fuck her, make love to her, as he said, she could get used to this every night, and in that moment she simply wanted more, wanted him more then anything. She moaned and leaned her head down into his neck as she quickened her pace, bouncing on his cock with everything she had, despite her legs quivering she still got quicker and quicker.

"Fucking… fuck Dominik… Dominik faster… faster gods… fucking… FUCK!" She moaned into him, as she felt his legs begin to buck up faster, his cock thrusting into her as she bounced and met every stroke that went inside her.

"GODS… Ciri… CIRI!" He moaned loudly, picking up his pace as she did the same.

She looked in eyes and kissed him as his cock buried inside her. She put every bit of raw passion and emotion into the kiss, all the sexual tension that she had built up for him came rushing out of her then, and she could see it doing the same for him. She had wanted him for weeks, wanted this for weeks, wanted him inside her for weeks, and now she was going to make it last.

"Fuck… fucking FUCK FUCK ME!" Ciri moaned, as every time she bounced on his cock he thrusted up inside of her, as she felt both his hands grip on her ass.

"Ciri… Ciri gods I want you… gods I… I fucking love you I want-." He started rambling but she cut him off by kissing him.

"Don't stop… don't' fucking stop GODS, GODS DOMINIK FUCK ME!" She moaned loudly, and at her words his hands gripped on her ass as he slammed his cock into her.

And for what felt like hours Ciri moaned, meeting each thrust of his cock with one of her own as she rode him. Every stroke, every time his cock hit inside of her, she felt her legs quiver, and she could feel every single bit of raw emotion, passion, love coming from him as he didn't relent and Ciri didn't want him too. It was eight years of love, longing and loss coming out of them both, as he didn't stop kissing him as he thrusted into her and she rode him.

"I missed you… fucking… fuck I… I missed you… so fucking much AH, GODS!" She moaned into his lips, as he thrusted hard inside of her, his hands gripped tightly to her ass.

"I missed you… gods I… I missed you too…" He moaned back to her, keeping his quick pace, but Ciri felt his thrusts getting shorter and hard. "Ciri… Ciri I…. I'm gonna-."

"I am too, but… but fucking GODS… Gods… don't… don't stop, don't fucking stop!" She moaned, she continued to ride him with every bit of herself.

He didn't relent, he thrusted into her, picking up his pace again, burying himself inside her womanhood. She moaned the entire time, as she felt her climax approaching, as much as she didn't want it to end, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself, so she did the same. She leaned up, leaning her hands up against his chest and moving her hips, bucking them and riding him with new ferocity, as she felt his cock still thrusting up into her, and soon, she felt her womanhood quiver around his cock. While she straddled him, she could feel his own legs quivering, and she knew he was close as well, so seeing this she looked down, and thrusted her lips back to his.

"I love you… Dominik I love you… I love you so much…fuck… fucking FUCK, FUCK!" She moaned as she kissed him, feeling herself climax over his cock, but still he didn't stop, only seeming to quicken as he heard her moans.

He looked up and met her eyes, his hands squeezing her ass as he nodded. "Ciri… Ciri I love you… I… I'm gonna-."

"Don't stop…don't stop… GODS, GODS I-." She moaned, feeling herself climax a second time, just as Dominik stop and moaned out her name

"CIRI! Gods… gods Ciri…" He moaned, as she felt the warmth of his lovemaking inside of her, his cock twitched inside of her as he came, and it even made Ciri's inside feel warmer.

With the knowledge the spell from Yen was still effective, Ciri enjoyed it, gently riding him for another few seconds before they both moaned and came to a stop. For a moment they both looked at each other, his cock was still hard, inside of her, but for a moment, all they could do was look at one another.

She saw that smile, that goofy, loving smile come to his face, his face was red, beat red as sweat trickled down his forehead, down his chest past his medallion and the swallow. She assumed it was doing the same down her chest, passed the ring, and her new medallion. He had been getting that face every time she walked into a room since they were eleven years old.

And to that very day, it still washed her with a feeling of love, acceptance, and she never got tired of it. She smiled at him, breathlessly she laughed, scoffing and laughing giddily as she couldn't stop looking at him, looking at the goofy smile he got. Soon he did the same, his hands traveling up and down the side of her slim torso, and for a few seconds they both laughed, as Ciri slid herself off his cock to his side on the bed. As she hit the pillows and the mattress between her legs aches and quaked, yearning for that same kind of pleasure again, as sure as she was he'd be more than willing to go another round later, right now all she did was laugh with him, crawling up next to him where he wrapped both his arms around her.

He leaned in and kissed her, and she kissed him back, the both of them laughing still, before they both pulled back. They slowly stopped laughing, and she leaned her forehead against his, feeling her womanhood quiver, her heart nearly thumping out of her chest, as all she could do was hold him, hold her hands over his face. Like he often did to her, for a moment, she trailed her finger along his scar, the scar he had gotten protecting her.

Protecting her, so that they could have moments together like they just had. Ciri had never felt more connected to him, not in her whole life, as finally, to her, they were one person, that love they had, was even more solidified then it already was.

"Ha… I… I love you… you stupid boy…" She said, gently trailed her finger down his jaw.

He giddily laughed, keeping that goofy smile as he nodded. "I… I love you too princess…. So… wine?"

She scoffed out a laugh and nodded. "Yes please… and some of those chocolates if you could."

"It would my honor my lady," He said, smirking at her, kissing her forehead, before rolling out of bed.

She laughed as he stumbled on his way to the table. The candles burning wax hit her nose again, as while he left, she smiled, pulling the blanket up over her, as she giddily looked up at the ceiling, gripping the ring.

Finally, after so many years… she was home, truly home.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Gods… I can't believe they're still going down there," Dominik said, his arm around her, as they both lay naked under the blanket, only a few of the candles still lit.

Ciri scoffed a laugh, looking up at him as she snuggled under his arm. "I can. Did you see the size of that barrel of ale Faram challenged Freya to drink with him?"

It was Dominik's turn to scoff. "Yeah I did… who would've guessed someone so small could drink so much?"

"So you're telling me the two of you never drank when you were together?" She asked him, fiddling with the ring and wolf medallion around her neck.

He laughed and shook her head, meeting her eyes. "We didn't know, we were only seventeen. I didn't even drink for the first-time till after the Battle of Brenna with the free company."

Ciri nodded in understanding, looking back up at him again, pulling the blanket further up over them both. "After something like that, I'd say you deserved one."

He laughed. "Ha… you bet your ass I did gods.. the thing I saw there…. If not for Shani I'd be dead, or probably had gone crazy."

"Mhm… and you also mentioned that she had a little crush on you," Ciri said playfully, smirking up at him as he rolled his eyes and pulled her closer.

"She did yeah… but I never felt it," He said slowly, looking deep into her eyes, and lovingly smiling at her. "Nobody will ever make me feel like you…"

She flushed a deep shade of red and leaned up to kiss him. The two of them had made quick work of the wine, chocolate, and now they were doing what they had loved best. Simply laying with one another and talking, talking about what they had done, what they'll do in the future. All the while it was well past midnight and the party downstairs was still going on, baffling Ciri because she knew that all those people needed to be up early in the morning.

However, with the few candles left that were lit on their nightstand, she looked at Dominik's handsome face next to him. The two of them were laying naked in bed, just having made love before drinking wine and having chocolate, it was something that quite literally would have just been a dream to her two months ago, so she was going to cherish it then. The feeling in her womanhood was still there, never in her life had Ciri felt anything like it. A tingling was pleasant in her stomach, a pleasant one, and her heart continued to flutter as she looked and smiled up at him.

During the times she had slept with Mistle, she hadn't felt anything close to what she felt now. She felt warm, safe, protected, loved, and most importantly, she felt like she was home.

"I… I've never felt like this before…." She said sheepishly, her eyes meeting his as she looked up at him with a smile.

"Gods… the same with me… you know the twenty-two years was definitely worth the wait," He said cheekily, making them both laugh, before he looked down at her, gently smiling and caressing her cheek. "You know… every day… I… _still _look at you, and have to do a double take… to believe you're actually here…. Sometimes I think I'm just in some messed up dream, and I'm going to wake up alone on the road again…"

She could feel his hands lightly trembling. Not wanting him to feel anything other than the elation she did, she smiled up at him and quickly kissed him.

"It's not a dream… I'm here… and I still love you," She said, slowly shaking her head. "You have me back… and you always will…. We're going to kill Eredin… we'll save Bella, and after that? It'll be just me… you… and Fiona."

Ciri thought she crossed a line bringing up Bella, but thankfully he just smiled, leaning over and kissing her again, pulling her closer to him for a moment. After she pulled back, smiling up at him, he nodded to her, gently stroking the scar on her cheek again.

"You're right… it will be," He said, smiling at her and shakily sighed. "You know… I couldn't have done this all without you… none of it."

She shook her head right away. "You could have… you're the strongest person I know."

"You're stronger than I am," He said cheekily, smirking down at her, as Ciri laughed.

After laughing she smiled, her heart thumping in her ears as she smiled at him. "Well it doesn't matter who's stronger now…. Because we face everything together, and we won't be apart, I'm with you… for everything."

"Good… because you're really all I need, where you go… I go," He said softly, before a small smirk came to his face. "You know, I was thinking, before we go get Fiona, you said you wanted go to another world yes… but what about before or after that? Anywhere you want to go?"

Ciri smiled, as she had thought about that question often in the previous few weeks. Of course eventually they both planned on going from one end of the continent to the other, however, they had to pick somewhere to go first. The roadside inn for a few weeks was of course their first destination, but after that she had thought for a while, and she was fairly sure she made up her mind.

In the end however, it didn't matter, as long as she was with him. Him, and eventually Fiona, that would be her home in the future. She snuggled into him, and met his gaze and was about to speak, but stopped. Below the blankets, she resisted the urge to smirk, feeling his cock was hard as her leg was pressed against it. Biting her lip she looked and met his eyes.

"Mhmm… you know I was thinking Kovir, I hear it's an… awfully romantic place, the beautiful snow, the mountains," She said slowly, her hand trailed down his chest. "A perfect place for a young couple with… lots of vitality. Did I tell you how handsome you look?"

He scoffed a laugh and slowly nodded. "Yes… what's that look on your face for."

She chuckled and slowly trailed her hand down her chest. "Mhm… it's just that… you know I… was hoping for another round, and well… it seems you're as ready as ever."

Her hand trailed over his cock as he shuddered, and Ciri laughed seeing his face get red as he looked down at her.

"I… I mean only… only if you want too of course," He said nervously, before cutely biting his lip and laughing nervously. "I hope I was um… well… good? You know I don't have well.. any experience, so I hope that I-."

She cut him off by laughing and kissing him on the lips. "Ahaha… gods… you were amazing handsome… really… really amazing, I love it when you get that sexy look in your eyes and you just let loose…. I was hoping to go again, but well if you don't want to I under-. AH!"

He cut her off now by rolling on top of her, and she laughed before he kissed her, and right away she wrapped her arms around his neck. She shuddered and moaned with a smile as she felt his cock up against her entrance again. Biting her lip she met her eyes and looked up to see her smirking at him.

"So… this _is _what you mean right?" He said slowly, kissing down the side of her neck, making Ciri both laugh and moan.

"Ha… gods… yes…. Yes this is what I mean…" She said slowly, as he gently pulled his head back and she smirked up at him. "And I could _really _get used to this night after night… wouldn't you say so?"

He chuckled and leaned down, kissing her lips softly again before nodding. "Ha… so could I princess, and you know me. Your wish is my command."

She laughed out loud again, before he leaned down and assaulted her neck with kisses.

And so began a long night of love making, one that Ciri knew would eventually end, but as long as they stuck together, it would be for the rest of their lives.

**A/N: And now ladies and gentlemen I am happy to announce, we are officially IN THE END GAME! Next chapter we head to Skellige where we only a few more quests before the long, EPIC final battle against the wild hunt! Next chapter is also chapter 80, which is a huge milestone for me, I have never written more for anything in my life xD I am so, so proud of how far I've gotten, I've challenged myself as a writer, I have some amazing fanart for my story, and each and every one of you guys and girls who read are absolutely amazing! Next chapter we start business in Skellige, but first let's break down the fun, loving, very steamy xD final chapter in Novigrad!**

**First we have a few mother/daughter bonding scenes with Ciri and Yennefer. I think it's criminal they didn't have more scenes together in the games after how close they were in the books, I mean come on, Ciri straight up calls herself Cirilla of Vengerberg daughter of Yennefer in the last book xD So, I really liked having these scenes here, we get a cute scene with her and Dominik, and then the one with Yen, where she helps protect Ciri from any unwanted pregnancy. Remember, Dominik and Ciri both aren't witchers/sorceresses, so they could easily get pregnant, so this spell will help them, it was the easiest way I could come up with xD**

**Also in these Yen/ Ciri scenes, we get Phillipa dragging Ciri off to the meeting. Now in my opinion, Ciri in the games is a lot more…. Tame then Ciri in the books lol. Book Ciri would have marched right into that meeting with the lodge and told them off xD Lol however, in the games she needed reassurance, and after getting that from Geralt and Yen she heads off to that meeting. **

**Meanwhile, Dominik finally with the help of Triss calms down about having sex xD It was as he said, he was scared to trigger memories of horrible past events for Ciri, and after some talking with Triss, he's able to get over it, and find the perfect present! I had the idea of Ciri getting a wolf medallion as a present for a while, and I will be writing a short story where her and Dominik go get it enchanted at Kaer Morhen.**

**The possibly biggest scene of this chapter however, was of course, Ciri going to her meeting with the lodge. Now as I said, I feel game Ciri is a lot more well naïve and tame compared to book Ciri. Book Ciri would never trust Avallach, would never go to Emhyr, and I always felt she would have no trouble telling off the Lodge, or other people trying to control her life. I know at the end of the game is where Ciri's arc of 'controlling her own destiny' comes full circle, however in this story, with Dominik, Fiona… it comes a little earlier. I have some other plans for the final scene, however we'll get there when we get to it!**

**Ciri tells the lodge the truth, as I said, I try to write Ciri in this story how I think book Ciri would have really reacted in most of these situations, and this is how I feel it would have went. She won't be controlled, she knows what she wants, and tell them exactly what it is. **

**No need to worry however, this is far from the last we'll see from the Lodge of Sorceresses, in this story or future ones!**

**Then after that, we have our beautiful date. Now, I can write an entire story like this, but ask me to write a ballad or a song? Yeah no I cant do that xD So we get a few lines of 'the ballad of the young wolf and the swallow' but after that it's just reactions xD Maybe in the future if I can come up with it I'll write it out fully xD**

**Now… finally we get to the scene where I'm sure some people have been waiting for and some others have been dreading lol. As I've said before, I've never wrote sex scenes before this story, so this is a complete first for me, I tried to make it not cringy, but sweet and passionate. Now we'll have more sex scenes in this story, and future ones. Those probably won't be as long and detailed, this one was only like that because it was their first time, so I always knew it was going to be special. However, in the end, I like how it turned out. Dominik and Ciri are two young adults in love, who hadn't seen each other for eight years, and finally they get to consummate that relationship fully. **

**SO, next chapter we head to Skellige! Geralt will head off to get the sunstone, and his old flame Fringilla Vigo, meanwhile Dominik and Ciri begin to lay plans of their own, as we only have a few chapters left until the end of the story… and I can promise, I believe the best is yet to come!**

**As usual everyone, I have TONS of new fanart now for this story over on my Instagram dominik_of_cintra I got new pictures of Dominik and Ciri, Dominik Ciri, Geralt and Yen, Dominik Ciri and Fiona, and soon, all of Dominik's friends with plenty more to come! If you want to see that, participate in polls, and just keep track of my writing progress, again go follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram**

**Now, I've rambled long enough! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did, and you're as excited as I am for the finale in Skellige! As usual, please make sure to follow if you enjoyed, I post at least once a week, review if you have time, and as always, stay safe in these dangerous times! I'll see you all next time!**


	80. An Icy Encounter

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 80: An Icy Encounter**

**Narrator: After long grueling years alone to find their way back to one another, back to their family, Dominik and Ciri both finally reunited together after 8 long years on the Isle of Mists. Dominik set out with Geralt to find Ciri after she returned to the continent, and finally, after eight years the young wolf was reunited with his swallow, the love of his life, and the both of them finally could possibly have that life they always wanted together. The two along with Geralt, Yennefer and their friends faced many trials, including when the Wild Hunt attacked Kaer Morhen. After Dominik was almost killed fighting Eredin, the King of the Hunt, Ciri and the rest finally decided that their time hiding away and running was over, they had to strike back against the Hunt. After grueling weeks of recovery, planning, and heart-breaking revelations, the plan was finally in place. Dominik, Ciri and Geralt, along with Yennefer and all their friends and allies sailed to the Skellige Isles, where soon, the final battle versus the Hunt, the battle for their futures would come. Avallac'h, the mysterious elven sage who had been advising them so far had plans in place, however, Dominik, wary of the elf's intentions, began laying plans of his own, for he knew that he would have to face the King of the Hunt, so he and Ciri both began to find more ways to prepare themselves for the final fight.**

**Trigger Warning: This chapter contains sexual scenes and situations**

_Dominik was beginning to hate his dreams. It had used to be a lovely escape over the years, a way for him to remember back to the better times, when he was with Ciri as a child, with Bella as a child. Nowadays however, they normally brought him noting but a headache in the morning, and multitude of new questions or emotions, and that night was no different. _

_ And if he could get sick in a dream he probably would have, because he saw Bella again. He remembered the night he fought her, that he had told her, the girl in the dream he had on Skellige was her, and that she had sent it to her to see if he would recognize her. He hadn't then, but he did now. _

_ His sister was only eighteen, she couldn't have been much older or younger. Two years, for two whole years his sister suffered with the Hunt, being tortured and turned into what she was now. But it couldn't be her, she couldn't be gone, his sister wasn't gone he knew she wasn't. He marveled seeing her then, seeing her in his dream. She was grown, a woman, his little sister was a woman now, and he hadn't been there for any of it. _

_ Bella was laying in her bed, and Dominik almost felt the need to close his eyes again, because she wore nothing but a bra, as she tossed and turned under the blankets. Her brown hair was spraying out around the bed, as she rolled it got tangled up in someone else's hair, blonde hair, but that person he couldn't see for their head was underneath the blanket, their bare back turned to him. He could tell she was having a nightmare, a dream of their past, of the fires in Cintra, just like he always used to have. _

_ "GAHHHHHHH NOOOO!" She screamed, her eyes finally shooting open as she shot up from her bed. _

_ Her emerald eyes, the eyes that were so much like his own, like their mothers shot wide open. She looked around for a moment, until Dominik saw the person who had been sleeping next to her shoot their heads up as well. It was another girl, who had to be the same age as she was. The girl had long curly blonde hair, large brown eyes, she was extremely pretty, and she looked over at Bella with wide eyes, reaching over and holding a hand onto her back. _

_ "Bella! What is it? Are you alright?" She said, her other hand gripping onto his sister's wrist. _

_ Bella shakily sighed a moment, her eyes red, tears building up as she looked over to the other girl, slowly nodding. _

_ "Y…Yeah…. Yeah it… it was just…" She trailed off, before the girl reached over holding a hand to her face, gently turning her head to meet her eyes. _

_ "Another nightmare? The same as the other nights?" She said. _

_ Bella slowly nodded, shakily sighing again. "Yeah… the same… corpses… fires… someone yelling my name then… then nothing."_

_ The girl in Bella's bed scooted closer, wrapping both arms around her neck. "It's alright… they're just dreams, whatever it was, whatever happened, it's in the past…"_

_ "Thanks Ken…" Bella said, shaking in her bed, as she held onto the girl's arms. _

_ The girl with his sister, Ken Bella had called her smiled, pulling her head back, and then she kissed her. Dominik's heart nearly dropped to his stomach. Not because of the revelation his sister had been attracted other women, not because she was having the same nightmares of Cintra that he had been having, but just not knowing who was there and what the circumstance was, no, none of that was what made his stomach drop then. _

_ It dropped because he realized that he had missed so much. His sister's first romance, her growing up into the woman she was. He had missed it all, all those moments that he had wanted to be there to experience of her growing up, he had missed. He missed his sister growing up, growing into a young woman, all because he hadn't gone back for her. So many people, Ciri, Geralt, Yen, all his friends, they had been telling him how he couldn't have done anything to help Bella in Cintra. Elise had called it 'survivors' guilt', and he thought the term was perfect. _

_ Because he did feel guilty, if he could have traded places with his sister, he would have. And he would have given anything to meet this Ken, to be there for all of the milestones his sister had achieved growing up. _

_ He looked around the smaller room that Bella had in the house she was in. It was about as big as the room he and Ciri had in the Chameleon. A small tables with stacks of old clothes, books, books which he recognized as old fairy tales and stories from the continent. He could tell by the girl Ken's accent she was Skelligan, so he was safe in assuming he was seeing Bella during her time growing up in Skellige, the man Eivor taking her in. He made a mental note to ask Crach about the man when he saw him. _

_ In the corner of the room, near a small bookshelf, he saw the sword. He and Bella's grandfather's sword, the lion on the pommel still sparkling to that day. The sword was a dwarven sahil, one of the most beautiful blades Dominik had ever seen. He always wondered why his father was okay with his grandfather passing it to his mother, but his father had always laughed it off, saying how their mother was just as talented and worthy a warrior as he was. _

_ And from what he had seen, and fought of Bella himself, his sister now was certainly more then worthy to have such a sword. The sword had been passed to through the ranks of guard captains for years, it was a heirloom for their family, one that Dominik always thought he would get to inherit when he was young. Now he had the sword Ciri had repaired for him, and of course Fate, but he assumed the sword had to be lost now, he hadn't seen Bella using in during the times he fought her. _

_ Ken finished kissing Bella, gently pulling back from her, and his heart flipped seeing the cheeky smile on his sister's face. He recognized the look she had, because it was the same goofy smile he got whenever he saw or kissed Ciri. _

_ "Have you still been trying to convince your father to take you to Kaer Trolde? To see the druids, to see if they can do anything?" Ken said, as her and Bella both went to get out of the bed. _

_ Bella sighed and nodded. "I have… unsuccessfully at that. He keeps saying I have to forget about the past, that the future is what's worth worrying about."_

_ "You know he's right in a way," Ken said, walking over to the dresser on one side of Bella's room, a long-sleeved dress neatly folded on it. _

_ Dominik shielded his eyes for a moment as Bella got out of the bed, seeing his sister in nothing but her bra and knickers wasn't something he particularly wanted during that dream; however he kept his eyes open to see how much Bella had truly grown. She was about as tall as Ciri was, slender and defined, and just like Ciri as well, Dominik saw multiple scars running along her body. The most prominent he saw was the arrow wound, a hole that was in her right shoulder. After that, he noticed a bald spot long red scar, running just as the base of her head, coming out under her hair as she moved it. _

_ He shuddered, remembering how she had slammed her head on the ground after Cahir shot her, which was what more than likely caused her memory loss. _

_ Bella walked over towards the table, where Dominik saw clothes folded. "I know… but wouldn't you want to know where you came from if you were in my situation?"_

_ "I would yes," Ken, who was also in nothing, but her bra and knickers said. "But you know it's just because he's worried if you get your memory back, you'll want to leave."_

_ He watched as Bella pulled a pair of tight black trousers with studs from her table. She finally pulled them over her legs, which made it easier for him to look at her. Bella turned back to Ken with a white long-sleeved tunic in her hands as the girl had pulled the brown long-sleeved dress over her head. _

_ "Well of course I'll want to leave, but not permanently," Bella said, pulling the tunic over her head, before tying her long brown hair into a ponytail. "I… need to know where I came from Ken, I need to know how I ended up here, how I teleported. I'd come back of course but… I want to know, to see where I used to be."_

_ Ken smiled, slowly walking over towards Bella as his sister finished tying up her hair. Before Bella could go and dress further, she smiled at Ken, as the blonde girl reached out to hold her hands. _

_ "I know you need too…" Ken said, meeting Bella's eyes and gently holding her hand to the side of her face, smiling as their eyes met. "You… will take me with you though right? If you were too leave I… don't know what I would do, you… you know that my father wants me to marry Aldo's son but… but I-."_

_ "Of course I'd take you with me," Bella said, cutting the girl off as Ken's smile had started to fade. "And well as for your father and Aldo's boy… I won't let Bjorn lay his hands on you."_

_ Ken scoffed a smile as she met Bella's eyes. "You… did give him quite the thrashing when he tried to get your sword the other week."_

_ Bella chuckled and nodded, looking deep into Ken's eyes. "I did… but you're more important than any sword. We'll figure something out… I promise."_

_ "I love you," Ken shoot out, her eyes widening as she didn't seem to realize what she had just said, before she shakily sighed and looked into his sister's eyes. "I… I'm sorry Bella I… I didn't mean-."_

_ Bella cut the girl off by kissing her again, and he saw that even down to the look Bella got, the red face, the goofy smile, that his sister truly had grown up to be like him. They were both hopeless romantics, it was something they had both gotten from watching their mother and father he was sure. _

_ Ken's eyes widened as Bella kissed her for a moment before she kissed back. After a moment of staying locked like that, Bella gently pulled her head back, a giddy smile on her face as she goofily laughed. _

_ "Ha… Ken I… I love you too," Bella said, taking a step back, and playing with her ponytail as she kept her eyes locked with the girl. "And… not matter what happens with my memories… where they take me… that won't change."_

_ Ken seemed like she could cry but tossed her arms around Bella's neck to hug her. Bella did the same, wrapping her arms around girl's waist a look of complete contempt as she hugged the girl back. He couldn't help but smile, seeing his sister in such happiness. However, the smile didn't last long, because he knew where his sister was now, and he knew the fate that befell the village she had found a home in. _

_ And now, when he remembered how she had screamed at Ciri and he, that she lost everything twice because of them, he knew what she meant. For Bella, first it was Cintra, and then, after that, it was her new home on Skellige. _

_ Bella and Ken pulled back from one another, and Ken planted a quick kiss on Bella's lips with a smile. Just like he did when Ciri kissed him unexpectantly like that, Bella goofily laughed as he face got beat red, making Ken giggle before she smiled. _

_ "I'm glad…" Ken said, holding Bella's cheek again for a moment, before she bit her lip and looked over at the corner of the room. "I… actually think I may have a way to help with your memories, well… not get them back, but maybe give us a clue where you came from! And well… I can't believe I haven't thought of it all these years."_

_ Bella's eyes widened as she watched Ken walk towards the corner of the room. "You do? What is it?"_

_ Ken to his surprise, picked up Coram, their grandfather's sword in its sheath from the corner of the room. The blonde picked up the skirt of her dress as she walked and handed it over to Bella. His sister looked at Ken curiously, taking the sword from her and strapping the belt with the sheath around her waist, just like she and him had watched their mother and father do hundreds of times when they were young. It was something simple, but Dominik couldn't help but well with pride as he saw it. _

_ "Your sword! You've told me before that it was the one thing your father found with you on the beach, that it fell from the sky with you," Ken said excitedly. _

_ Bella's hand went to the hilt of the blade, she gripped the black leather grip, and after Ken took a step back, Bella unslung it. Like she had been born to do it, she twirled the sword once before holding it in front of them both. _

_ "Yes…" Bella said slowly, looking down at the shining steel. "It… was the only thing that was with me. All I remember… is waking up around the corpses… a… a woman who had been next to me, it was next to her. It seemed she had been using it, when… when the men came for me I picked it up before-."_

_ "You don't have to finish… I know it's hard," Ken said, a sweet smile on her face as she put her hand over Bella's, before she looked up and met her sister's eyes. "It's from the continent, it's not a Skelligan sword, not the same style, the crossguard is straight, and you see the runes? No smith in Skellige makes swords like that."_

_ Dominik examined the faintly glowing blue runes in the shining steel, before he saw Bella nod and gently scoff. _

_ "Okay… I know you're father's a blacksmith Ken, but what does this have to do with my memories?" She said. _

_ Ken eagerly smiled and nodded. "It's the only thing from your past, if we can find out where the sword came from, we figure out where you came from!"_

_ "Ken we've tried that before," Bella said, gently running her hand along the flat of the blade. "The only thing we can see is the name… Coram, it's itched into the steel. And like you said, no Skellige blacksmith would make something like this."_

_ "Yes, but my father spent years traveling the continent! He's seen hundreds of different types of swords, if we show him it, maybe he can tell us where it originated!" _

_ Bella nervously bit her lip, sliding the sword back to the sheath. "Ken… are you sure that's a good idea? Your father… doesn't exactly like mine, or me for that matter, ever since I gave Bjorn that black eye…"_

_ Ken rolled her eyes. "He was just mad you beat up my 'potential husband'. And yes he… may not like you very much, but… but if I ask him, maybe if I agree to… well… meet Bjorn again at least, he can tell me where-."_

_ "No! I know you don't want to do that Ken; I won't let you!" Bella said firmly, her hands going to Ken's shoulders. _

_ The blonde bit her lip now and gently held Bella's face again. "Bella… you've wanted to figure out where you're from since we were kids…. I know how important it is for you, and well… if I have to put up with Bjorn a few times to do that for you… well I will."_

_ "You know what a 'few times' will turn into Ken," Bella said worriedly, her face getting increasingly closer to Ken's. "If you do it a few times, your father will think you're okay with marrying him, and… and if that happens-."_

_ "I won't let it Bella I swear!" Ken said, gripping tighter to Bella's shoulders, looking deep into his sister's emerald eyes with her brown ones. "And… and maybe if I were to tell him about… about us-."_

_ "You know what would happen…" Bella said slowly, looking back into Ken's eyes. "And… I don't care, getting my memory back wouldn't be worth losing you…"_

_ Ken shakily sighed, tears nearly welling up in her eyes. She leaned over and kissed Bella again, slowly, gently before pulling her head back. _

_ "If that happens well… maybe the two of could run off," Ken said, a small smile coming to her face as she managed a chuckled. "I'm… not a warrior like you, but well… I could mend your sword, help in other ways…. But Bella… please… let me help you."_

_ Dominik could see his sister's emotions then. Just like when she was young, when Bella was nervous, she'd begin spinning and tugging on her hair, she'd look at the ground, unable to meet anyone's eye. That was what she did then with Ken. Her brown ponytail spun in her hand, and she couldn't look up at Ken for a moment, before she finally sighed and looked up at the girl. She leaned forward and kissed her, before slowly shaking her head. _

_ "Alright… but Ken please… please at least let me try to convince my father to take me to Kaer Trolde and see the druids again first," Bella said with a shake of her head. "If he will, then they can hopefully unlock my memories… and… tell me more about the… incidents."_

_ At the mention of 'incidents', Bella's eyes fell, and so did Dominik's heart. He knew exactly what she was more than likely referring too. Her magic, her powers from Alexander, her carrier powers. In that current moment, just like Dominik's had been two years prior, a part of Bella's magic was unlocked. They both unlocked a small part of it when they met Ciri in Cintra. _

_ Again, Ken quickly shook her head, pulling Bella into a hug. _

_ "None of it has been your fault Bella… they've gotten few and far between as you've gotten older, don't worry," She said, shaking her head as she slowly let his sister go. _

_ Bella shakily sighed and shook her head. "But they still come… the last time I… I almost killed you, and everyone else in the village."_

_ "You were protecting me! Bjorn had no right to talk to me like that, you were right to get angry and step in, and I love you for it," Ken said, slowly shaking her head and meeting Bella's eyes. "Bella… I feel safe with you, I always will."_

_ "Whether it was right or not… I still almost killed everyone, people who were innocent," Bella said, tugging on her ponytail again. "And… and if I had hurt you-."_

_ "But you didn't," Ken cut her off, giving Bella a gentle smile as she shook her head. "Don't worry, either way we're going to figure out about your past, and we'll figure out what it is… together…"_

_ A small smile formed on Bella's lips as she nodded. "Together…."_

_ Ken smiled back, and Bella went to lean in to kiss her again, but that was when the door opened to Bella's room. _

_ "Bella! You need to get up darling and…. Kendra… Bella, how many times must I tell the two of you, you must tell me and Eivor before you do these things!" An older looking woman said with a sigh as she came into the room. _

_ Bella and Ken's eyes widened, as they both shot away from each other, turning and facing the woman. Just like she always did, Bella looked down at the ground at her socks. _

_ "Sorry mother…" She said, slowly looking back up at the older woman. _

_ Ken nodded quickly as well. "Yes… I'm sorry Mrs. Anora, I… I just didn't-."_

_ The older woman, Anora sighed and shook her head, looking and meeting Ken's eyes as her face grew softer. "It's alright dear… but you'd best head on home. Your father already came by looking for you. I didn't know you were here, but I still covered for you. Told him you went down to the river to check the traps."_

_ Ken sighed in relief after her face had grown worrisome and nodded at Anora. "Thank you so much Mrs. Anora, I… I swear next time I'll tell you when I'm here!"_

_ "Yeah, I'll be sure to tell you mother I promise!" Bella quickly said. _

_ Anora sighed and nodded at them both. "You two better! No, Kendra, head on home, Bella your father is waiting out near the path to the forest. You promised him you'd go check the snares with him."_

_ The woman Anora was clearly older. Her hair was grey but tied tightly back in a bun. She wore a long dark red dress, and Dominik thought the woman could look more like Bella's grandmother as opposed to her mother. However, he assumed that it was the man Eivor's wife that he heard the man mention in previous dreams. The older woman had a strong look yes, but as she looked at Ken turning and hugging Bella, they softened. _

_ Ken hugged Bella tightly around the neck again, and looked like she wanted to kiss her goodbye, but decided against it with Anora in the room. _

_ "I… I'll see you later Bell, come find me after you get with your father?" She said. _

_ Bella quickly nodded. "Of course."_

_ "Alright…" Ken said, before striding through the room and nodding towards Anora again. "Thank you again Mrs. Anora."_

_ Anora sighed and nodded reaching and squeezing the girl's shoulder. "Aye dear… you'll always be welcome in my home, remember that."_

_ Ken looked thankfully towards the older woman, before smiling back at Bella, giving a small wave before she left the room. After the door closed to Bella's room again, his sister nervously looked to the ground again, both hands playing with her ponytail. Anora after seeing that the door had closed and Kendra was gone, turned back to Bella with a shake of her head. _

_ "Bella darling… how many times must I tell you. You have to be more careful with when you see her…" She said. _

_ Bella's eyes widened and she shook her head. "We were careful! Nobody saw us coming back last night, and her father-."_

_ "Grow's more and more suspicious by the day," Anora said, slowly shaking her head as she walked closer to Bella. "You know her father hate's yours. He's looking for any reason to start a row, and if he finds out his daughter-." _

_ Bella scoffed and shook her head. "What!? Is fucking another woman, because she doesn't want to marry some slob of a boy she's barely had three conversations with he'll be pissed off!?"_

_ "Yes!" Anora said sternly. _

_ "It's not fair!"_

_ "I know it's not fair darling, but it's simply how things are!" Anora said, sighing and reaching a handout to hold on Bella's shoulder. "Bella darling… you know your father and I both don't give a damn if she's a woman, you can love whoever you want, and we'll still love you. However, as horrible as it is, some people simply aren't in the same mind, and it could get you in trouble."_

_ "I love her, I don't care what happens to me!" Bella said, stomping her foot just like she used to do when she was younger. _

_ Anora scoffed and shook her head. "I know you don't dearie, and your father and I would never let anything happen to you for it… but what of Kendra? If her father were to find out what do you think would happen to her?"_

_ "She could come live with us!" Bella said right away, shaking her head. "Her father's an ass, you know that and-."_

_ "I know he is… and she would always be allowed, but we're simply asking you to be more careful with when you see her, until something can be done…" Anora said, her voice more calm now, as she sighed and met Bella's eyes. "You know… you may not be ours by blood… but gods do you have my temper."_

_ Bella's anger slipped for a moment as she scoffed a laugh. "I… I'm sorry I got angry, it… it's just-."_

_ "I know, I know my dear, love drives us insane sometimes," Anora said a small smile coming to her face as she met Bella's eyes. "But in the end it's worth it…"_

_ "It is… she is…. Thanks mother… for being understanding," Bella said, a small smile coming as she slammed into the older woman. _

_ Anora scoffed and smiled, hugging her back. "Aye… always dear."_

_ Dominik had to get over the initial shock of hearing Bella call another woman 'mother' other than their own. As much as he wanted to be happy, smile at seeing his sister in such a clearly loving situation, he knew better. He thought harder, and remembered the dream he had in Novigrad, the first one he had of Bella in Skellige with her adopted father Eivor. The raiders, the raiders had attacked and killed the man, causing Bella to lose control, her powers unleashing. She watched as Bella pulled back from Anora, smiling at her before rushing to the corner of her room again. His sister grabbed an armored leather tunic. She slipped it over her tight fitting, long sleeved white top, it had one pauldron shoulder guard, and stretched down to her waist. She slipped on a pair of brown leather boots and smiled back at Anora after adjusting and tightening the strap of her sword to her belt. _

_ She was wearing the same outfit she had worn in that dream, the day Eivor had died, the day her powers unleashed. _

_ The day the Hunt had come for her. _

_ "Is father angry with me for sleeping in late?" She asked, adjusting the tunic as she walked up to Anora again. _

_ Anora scoffed and shook her head. "Nay, but you'd best not keep him waiting! That man adores you, could never get mad at you. He's waiting for you at the start of the path."_

_ Bella smiled and nodded. "Alright I'll head out now. Have… you spoken to him about taking me to Kaer Trolde more?"_

_ "Aye, I have. I think if you ask him once more he may finally give in," Anora said, before sighing and holding a hand on Bella's shoulder again. "Just… try to calm his nerves. You know what his worries are…. He's scared if you get your memories back you'll leave, never return and-." _

_ "I know, I know, you tried for years and… could never have children, not until you both found me," Bella said with a grin as she shook her head. "And I love you both, you're my parents. Even if my memory comes back, and I remember who my birth parents are, I'll still consider myself yours."_

_ "Aye… we know," Anora said, slowly shaking her head with a small smile. "Eivor knows that as well. But still, what if they're alive, your parents, or you have siblings you don't know about? He thinks you'd want to find them."_

_ "I would… I won't lie," Bella said shaking her head, but managing to keep the smile as she met the old woman's gaze. "I'd want to see them, figure out what happened, meet any siblings I'd have… but no matter what I'll always come back… you both saved me…no matter what I'll always be yours."_

_ Anora smiled gently, sighing and pulling Bella into a hug again. "Good… now go, make sure your father knows that as well. I'll have some omelets, your favorite cooked up before you get back."_

_ Bella eagerly smiled and nodded, before rushing out the door. Dominik watched Anora smile at her as she left. Even if he felt slightly odd hearing Bella call another man and woman father and mother, he was still forever grateful. The two of them, Eivor, Anora, and even Kendra, had found her, kept his sister happy for years when he couldn't. _

_ But he knew their fate, and he didn't want to see it. _

_XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX_

_ "MOTHER!? MOTHER, KEN!?" Bella screamed, the blood dripping from her cheeks as she rushed back towards the village outskirts, the flames clearly seen from above. _

_ Dominik tried with everything to wake himself up, pinching himself, he tried to blink himself awake, but all he could do was sit and watch in horror as Bella came screaming to a halt at the village outskirt. Buildings were burning, people writhed in pain on the ground, screamed as they ran, the language of the Hunt echoed in his ears, he could practically smell the sulfur through the dream as skeletal riders strode through the village atop their horses. He saw hounds of the Hunt tearing into the flesh of the villagers, riders stabbing and cutting down men, women, children as a small amount tried to fight back. _

_ And all Bella could do for that moment was watch in horror, Coram, their grandfather's sword loosely in her hands. He knew what she had just come back from. Her hair was a mess, she had a cut across her cheek, her leather tunic was stained with blood, and he could see the magic from her blood slowly begin to whirl chaotically around her, like it had in him when he first started using it unknowingly. _

_ She had just watched Eivor die, and now after she woke up, she came back to see her village being burned. He remembered in the night he talked to her, that Bella told them both, that Eredin and the Hunt thought the explosion she caused was Ciri, and that was why they attacked. _

_ And because of that, a village of innocent people, people who had saved and helped his sister were being slaughtered. _

_ "MOTHER!? KENDRA!? WHERE-," Bella finally started to scream, before she was cut off by a horse galloping towards her a skeletal rider atop. _

_ Bella ducked and rolled out of the way, swinging her sword down through the horse's legs. Dominik had heard a dwarven sahil could cut through anything, and it proved true as it cleaved through the horse's legs, bringing the rider down with it. _

_ The elf, clad in skeletal armor stumbled to his feet, yelling in the Hunt's language before brandishing his jagged blade. He seemed to laugh as Bella whirled back around to face him. _

_ It was the riders mistake, because just like what happened with him when he was in intense situations, Bella's eyes flashed bright blue. He saw anger, rage boiling up inside her, and when the rider charged and swung his blade, Bella parried and side stepped, a loud __***BOOM* **__of magic exploding as her sword cleaved off the rider's arm and the soldier fell to the ground dead._

_ "DAMMIT!" Bella screamed, pulling her blade from the rider's corpse, before turning and rushing towards the center of town, the magic still radiating from her. _

_ He recognized the village as he watched Bella run, it was indeed Brekka, the village that he, Faram and Folan had cut through to get to the mines on Undvik. It wasn't a large village, but multiple buildings surrounded multiple market stalls in the center of town, where Dominik saw a bulk of men and even women were trying to fight back against the riders. It was just like what Ciri had described happened in Lofeton, and like Lofeton, Brekka seemed to be about to suffer the same fate. _

_ Bella rushed towards the center, past a group of men fighting riders and hounds. One hound went to leap at her, it latched onto the armored shoulder of Bella's tunic. His sister shouted for a moment, before plunging her blade into the beast's body and shrugging it off, by grabbing onto her shoulder, almost dropping her sword in the process. _

_ The pain became unbearable, because Bella stumbled, but she managed to keep her hands on her sword. _

_ "The… the sword must be part of your arm… you can't drop part of your arm…" Bella muttered to herself over the screaming and sounds of death as she stumbled to her feet. "Come on… come on Bella FUCK!"_

_ She used the point of the sword to push herself to her feet. Dominik froze, remembering he quote he had learned from his father. When they were younger, Bella had insisted on coming to a few of the sword lessons his father gave him, or even having Dominik show her some of the things he had learned. He knew it could have been dangerous teaching her, but he could never deny his sister anything when she looked at him with those big eyes. _

_ That had been Bella's favorite quote, she repeated it to him insistently, even when she had been smacking at Dominik with nothing but a stick. It appeared his sister remembered some things, small bits, and it seemed she was taking their fathers lesson to heart then because as another rider of the Hunt charged at her in the center of the market, she gracefully parried a strike and cut the elf down. He watched as magic whirled around her arms erratically shooting out at all angles as she finally seemed to get her bearings, all around her was death, carnage, men from the village being stabbed, cut down, the laughter of the riders draped over the market, as the flames sent smoke that could have been seen from Kaer Trolde. _

_ She spun as another hound same running, her sword cut clean through the beast, as she had to duck out of the way of another man tumbling forward as a rider advance. Before the rider could skewer the man, Bella cut her blade through his back, before another came charging on a horse. Bella had to dive out of the way, she tried to pull the older man with her, but she was too slow, and the man was trampled by a horse. Bella screamed she fell back to the ground, rolling to avoid another charging skeletal horse, almost stumbling into a burning market stall. She shot up to her feet, breathing heavily as blood dripped from her cheek and for a moment with her sword loosely in hand as magic whirled around in her eyes. Just like when Dominik had first activated his powers, when he had first started using them, the blue light started to come to the corners of her eyes, as tears rolled down her cheeks as she desperately screamed. _

_ "MOTHER!? KENDRA!?" Bella screamed, her voice getting drowned out by the sounds of battle around her. _

_ "BELLA!" The voice of Kendra shot over the carnage, as Dominik saw the young blonde rush into view. _

_ She slammed into Bella and hugged her, smashing her lips to hers, tears streaming down the girls face as she pulled back from her. _

_ Kendra met Bella's eyes and with tears streaming she shook her head. "Bella… Bella, they… they just came out of nowhere! They killed my father and-."_

_ "LOOK OUT!" Bella yelled, pulling her behind her and raising up her sword just before a rider could skewer the girl she loved. _

_ She shot her blade up holding both ends and caught the rider in a clinch. Bella seemed to know she wouldn't win a battle of strength. Kendra screamed for her, but Bella pushed the riders blade down and spun out of the clinch, coming down and lopping off his arm before stabbing through his back. _

_ Kendra cried out again, rushing and grabbing onto Bella's arm. Bella's wide green eyes looked up and met Ken's as she steadied the girl. _

_ "Stay close! Stay close and don't let get of me, I won't let anything happen to you okay!?" His sister said, her free hand gripping on Kendra's arm. _

_ Kendra dried her tears fervently nodded. "You won't let anything happen… I'm safe with you I know I am…."_

_ "Good, now come on we need to find my mother and get out of here!" Bella said, dragging the girl along with her. _

_ He watched as Bella drug Kendra through the town, the town being destroyed. Dominik noticed the immense amount of riders, more then was normal for a raid. Men were killed, he saw women being drug away. They must have truly thought Bella was Ciri, because it seemed Eredin had spared no soldier. The villagers were completely overwhelmed, but Dominik watched as Bella fought, one hand on Kendra one on her sword as she desperately tried to get to one long house with the roof burning. _

_ "BELLA!" Kendra yelled, as she tripped over the bottom of her dress, letting go of Bella's hand as she rolled in the mud. _

_ Bella whirled around just as she looked and saw a rider charging for the girl. Kendra sprawled back in the mud, but the rider and another tried to advance. Bella's eyes widened, she looked to the burning house, where she saw riders breaking down the door. It had to be her house, the house where Anora was, the old woman had been fierce, but she stood no chance against the riders of the Hunt. _

_ "DAMMIT!" Bella yelled, turning away from the house and rushing back towards Kendra. _

_ Kendra tried to scurry away again but was couldn't go any further as she got pressed up against a broken fence. Bella rushed forward just before the riders could grab her, she lopped off one riders' arm, before spinning and cutting across the chest of another. Her eyes continued to glow, the magic whirled on her limbs, just like it had done for her when Dominik himself fought her. The one recovered from his chest being cut and tried to lash out with his jagged blade again from the right. Bella parried, but the strike had been too powerful, and she got sent stumbling backwards, and the rider pressed. He struck down and Bella just managed to get her blade up to block again, and before the rider could bring the jagged blade down to end her, a rock struck the back of his head. _

_ The rider and Bella both turned, as Kendra had gotten up and chucked the rock herself. The blonde's hair was marred with blood, her brown eyes terrified and full of tears as the rider went to advance on her. As soon as the rider took a step however, Bella lunged up from the ground, their grandfather's sword plunged into the riders back just before he could strike at Kendra. The blood from the rider sprayed onto the girls face as Bella rushed forward. _

_ "Bella… Bella we… we need to-." Kendra started, before Bella grabbed her hand again. _

_ Bella shook her head and cut the girl off. "NO! No, we… we have to go help my mother she-." _

_ "Bella! Bella I… I'm sorry but if we don't-," Kendra started, but Bella quickly cut her off by gripping up on her arm. _

_ "NO! NO, I already lost my father I won't-." Bella started, but she stopped when she turned. _

_ "LET GO OF ME YOU DEVILS, YOU WON'T… BELLA RUN! RUN NOW THAT'S AN ORDER!" The voice of Anora shouted, as Bella turned to see soldiers from the Hunt kicking Anora out of her home. _

_ The old woman's long grey hair was in tatters, her dress ripped as she bled from her head. Dominik's eyes widened when he saw three riders surrounding her, including one larger than the rest, clad in silver plate with a large hammer. It was Imlerith himself, and where Imlerith was, he knew that Eredin and Caranthir couldn't be far behind. _

_ "MOTHER!" Bella screamed, going to run forward as Imlerith and the group of riders crowded Anora towards them. _

_ However, before Bella could run Kendra grabbed her arm. "B…Bella…."_

_ Bella stopped and whirled around. The fires crackled, no more screaming was heard, the faint sounds of men bleeding and groaning in agony rang. He could see the village in flames, a preview to the burnt ruin he had seen on Undvik himself. However, he realized soon that he had been right. A cold foggy mist dropped over the town, as in the path that was fenced off, Dominik saw what Kendra had pointed too. _

_ The butt of Caranthir's staff hitting the ground echoed, as he strode towards Bella and Kendra both, dozens of soldiers flanked behind him. The snow came next, as well as the howling wind. Slowly, slowly but surely Bella and Kendra were both surrounded, Bella shoved the girl behind her, one hand staying on her as the other pointed out her sword. From one side Anora screamed, as he saw two riders dragging her next to Imlerith, who looked up to see Caranthir, as the navigator stopped only about ten meters away from his sister and Kendra. _

_ "Bella…." Kendra cried, gripping onto her back, the tears on her cheeks freezing to her as the wind continued to blow. _

_ Magic still whirled in Bella's eyes as she looked towards her mother but managed to reach and hold Kendra's arm as well. _

_ "It's alright… it's alright we… we'll get out of this…" Bella shakily said, the magic shooting out from around her. _

_ "BELLA! LEAVE! RUN!" Anora yelled, before Imlerith backhanded her to the ground, knocking the woman unconscious. _

_ "MOTHER!" Bella screeched, the magic shooting erratically from her. _

_ Bella went to run again, but Kendra stood rooted to the ground in fear, and when Imlerith spoke his sister froze. _

_ "She… is not… the one…" Imlerith said in his broken common tongue. _

_ Bella's eyes widened as her emerald eyes were almost overtaken with the blue magic, Kendra glued to her arm. _

_ Caranthir spoke next. "No… she is… something else…. Tridman cease!"_

_ Caranthir gestured for the soldiers all to move as he himself stepped forward. Bella's eyes widened and then narrowed. He had seen this kind of look before, heard of it, it was exactly how Ciri described himself looking at Kaer Morhen, facing down Eredin to protect her. Bella looked to Kendra, to the burning village, to Anora lying unconscious and bleeding on the ground, and his sister stepped away from the blonde as Caranthir approached them both. _

_ "Bella… Bella don't… don't please leave me here… Bella I-." Kendra said, but Bella shook her head meeting the girl's eyes. _

_ She slowly shook her head. "I won't let anything happen… I won't…"_

_ Kendra slowly nodded, and Bella turned back to Caranthir. The navigator slowly stopped in front of his sister as she stepped off Kendra, her sword leveled as Kendra behind her stood rooted again, shaking from the cold her eyes glued to Bella. _

_ Imlerith on the other side of her stood, his hammer pointed down towards a stirring Anora. Caranthir from behind his helmet looked at his sister, the mage's staff glowing with a blue light as Bella's arms shook with a fury, magic whirling down her blade. _

_ "You… have power girl…" Caranthir slowly said, his eyes unmoving. "Power… you do not understand… that you do not control…"_

_ "Come and take a closer look…" Bella said darkly, her arms shaking more furiously. _

_ Caranthir slowly nodded. "Yes…. Let us see… if your power is what I believe…"_

_ And the navigator quickly shot his staff forward, a jagged spike of sharp ice shooting from the top. However, the spike of ice didn't fire towards Bella. _

_ It zipped past Bella's head, his sister barely having time to react. However, Dominik knew if Caranthir had been aiming for Bella, he would have hit her. No, Caranthir had hit his mark. _

_ The spike of ice shot past Bella and impaled itself into Kendra's stomach. _

_ "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bella screeched, whirling around as Kendra didn't seem to realize what was happening for a few seconds as only her knees buckled. _

_ The blonde grabbed around where the icicle protruded from her torso, and looked over at Bella, who had tears cascading down her cheeks. _

_ Kendra croaked shaking as she met Bella's eyes. "B… Bella…you… you won't… you won't…let… let anything…"_

_ The girl his sister had fallen in love with fell to the ground, blood pooling in her stomach, slowly streaming out of the corners of her mouth. _

_ "NOOOOOOOO KENDRA!" Bella shouted, dropping her sword and falling to her knees just to catch Kendra as she fell, the girl's head falling into her lap. "It… it's going to be okay…. It's going to be okay… I… I won't let anything happen to you… I… I won't…"_

_ Blood still pooled from Kendra's mouth, as she tried to reach for Bella's hands. "B… Bella… Bella…. I… I'm… I'm scared… Bella… Bella don't… don't…."_

_ And Kendra didn't get to finish her sentence. After that, was when his sister lost it. _

_ "No! No, no, no, no, no…. NO, KENDRA NO!" She said, her voice carrying over the wind as her narrowed eyes shot up towards Caranthir, who was still standing and watching the scene. "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!"_

_ Bella went to stand up, but another voice stopped her. _

_ "B…Bella… Bella…dove…" Anora's shaky voice said, as Bella shot her gaze over to Anora, slowly getting up from under Imlerith's hammer. _

_ The magic whirled, but Bella's green eyes widened, and tears fell onto Kendra's body below her. "M…Mother…."_

_ Bella went to get up again, but that was also when Caranthir spoke. _

_ "Imlerith…" The navigator simply said. _

_ Anora shakily looked up as Bella held Kendra's head in her lap. Imlerith moved his hammer, allowing the woman to get to her knees. _

_ "Bella… Bella…" The woman said weakly, blood pooling from the side of her head. _

_ Bella shook her head, crying as she met Anora's eyes. "M…Mother… mother…"_

_ "Go… go…" Anora said weakly, slowly shaking her head. "You… your father… your father and… and I-."_

_ But the woman was cut off, when Imlerith slammed his hammer into the back of her head, sending her sprawling forward, dead, onto the freezing ground in front of Bella. _

_ "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bella said, her voice raking off the back of her throat as in her lap was Kendra's head, and to her left, Anora's corpse, the side of her skull caved in from Imlerith's hammer. _

_ Dominik thought back to Kaer Morhen, and it was exactly what happened in front of him then. He had obviously been unconscious for it, but Ciri had horribly described what had happened after she saw him fall in gruesome detail. _

_ Bella looked to her mother, and then back to Kendra, blood still falling from the poor girl's stomach. Bella's arms shook with the girl she loved in her arms, as she reached a handout, unable to touch her mother's caved in skull. The frosty fog had brought snow, as all the soldiers of the Hunt stood around her, Caranthir stood around her, Imlerith clunked his way next to the navigator as Bella's hands continued to shake. _

_ He had seen his own magic spiral out of control. It had happened when he fought Eredin, it had happened in all his fights with Bella. Each of those times he had almost killed himself, as the power had just become too much. It spiraled out around him, erratically spun and churned around his limbs and in his eyes. _

_ Never however, had his power ever unleashed like it did from Bella then. And he knew that Bella only had one of the triggers unlocked to fully activate her powers, so when he heard her scream, saw the magic take over her eyes, it told him how broken she had been. _

_ "A waste…" Imlerith said, his hammer going to his shoulder. _

_ Caranthir shook his head. "No… the King, he will want to see her."_

_ Imlerith seemed to scoff. "You jest… she… is just another human, a weak… little girl… and not the one we seek."_

_ Caranthir put his hand out to stop Imlerith as the general went to move forward. "No… wait… she will-."_

_ "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bella finally unleashed, her eyes glowing bright blue as a tornado of magic shot out from around her. _

_ Riders got sent flying back, and so did Imlerith who hadn't been prepared. Bella's arms had shaken, her hands had gone to her head, as her arms flew out to her side. The bodies of Kendra and Anora got sent flying, he saw their grandfather's sword go flying. The fires from the village were put out as the magic shot past the flames, the fence behind her got ripped up, and the only one who didn't seem to be fazed was Caranthir. _

_ Even though he didn't fall, Caranthir stumbled back, and Dominik saw his helmet fly off. His staff almost falling out of his hands, the elf stood back up. Dominik saw that Caranthir had light but beady eyes, as he looked toward Bella who continued to scream. The elf had a head of blonde hair that whipped back in the wind as he dug his staff into the ground to stop himself from falling. _

_ "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bella continued to screech, as all the riders and Imlerith stumbled back to their feet. _

_ After Imlerith had, was when Caranthir finally reached out his staff, the top crystal ball whirling as the navigator shouted. _

_ "IGTHLANE MENAU TAED CELAN!" The navigator yelled, as magic whirled from his staff. _

_ The magic from the staff clashed with the tornado of magic that Bella had created, and for a moment the two magics erupted and exploded in midair, before finally with a loud __***RIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP* **__just like the spell he used to calm Ciri the sky went silent, only the sound of the icy wind howling. _

_ After the magic had disappeared, Bella's eyes slowly returned to normal. He saw her weakly look around her, the soldiers of the Hunt, Caranthir and Imlerith around her. She went to try and stand, but the minute she did, she stumbled and fell onto the icy ground. Her eyes flickered defiantly a few more times, before they closed. _

_ Imlerith slowly looked over to the helmet-less Caranthir. "What… was that? What power was that… more… Elder Blood?"_

_ Caranthir walked over towards his sister. Dominik's skin crawled as the navigator reached down, gently moving her onto her back, magic still lightly whirling around her. The blonde elf smirked, and Dominik had never wanted to remove someone's head from their shoulders more then he did in that moment. _

_ Caranthir shook his head, looking back to Imlerith with a smirk. "No… The King… and Avallac'h, they both told me tales of this power… this blood line…. Take her… I believe that she could be… useful given… the right programming."_

_ Imlerith nodded, gesturing towards the soldiers to move forward. _

_ And before the riders grabbed his unconscious sister, Caranthir stroked her hair. "My dear… you will be my perfect little weapon…."_

_ Dominik had never thought he would want to kill someone as much as he wanted to kill Eredin, but as he had learned during his quest the previous month, was that anything was possible. _

_ He was going to remove Caranthir's head from his shoulders for laying hands on his sister and turning her into what she was. Dominik also knew that the navigator's work was all for naught, yet he was still going to kill him anyway. _

_ Caranthir's work Dominik knew was for naught because he knew the navigator had made a crucial mistake, as had Eredin. They had underestimated his sister's strength. _

_ Bella was still there, his sister was there, and he was going to bring her back. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dom! Dominik! Dominik wake up!" Ciri's voice hit his ears, as with a quick breath he shot his sweaty chest up from the bed.

He shot his head over and saw Ciri's bright eyes staring worriedly at him. For a few moments he had to catch his breath. The shimmering sunlight from the morning pierced through the small cabin window of their room aboard Faram's ship. The bed they had was smaller, but still large enough to contain both of them with Ciri cuddling up against him.

In that moment however, Ciri was still staring at him, her hand on his back the other on his thigh. She was naked from their previous night still, just like Dominik himself, their undergarments tossed onto the cabin floor, while their clothes and armor along with their swords leaned and laid on the small dresser that was in the room. Faram had very few cabins on the ship, but his friend had been sure to give the two of them one, along with the sorceresses, Geralt, George and Freya. Avallac'h had tried to claim one of the room, but Faram told the sage that they were sadly all taken, and when the sage tried to argue he needed a bed, Faram so graciously had told the elf he could sleep above deck or at the bottom of the sea.

It had only taken them a night to get to Kaer Trolde, where they were of course welcomed by sailors loyal to Crach and Cerys who let them dock in the harbor. The hour they pulled in had been so late, that they all simply retired to bed, and after a night of love-making multiple times because as Ciri put it they, 'needed to make up for lost time', it seemed the day for them to truly make their final preparations were upon them.

And still he was haunted by the dreams.

He shakily sighed and met Ciri's eyes, grabbing her hand as he slowly nodded. "I… I'm sorry, was I thrashing, did I wake you up?"

She looked at him empathetically and shook her head. "I was already awake; I was just laying down and relaxing."

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

"Because you're simply adorable when you sleep," She said cheekily, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. "Seriously though, I like just laying with you. But… you started thrashing, yelling for Bella… another nightmare?"

Slowly he nodded, seeing his sister, seeing Kendra the girl she loved, Anora the second mother she had, his sisters second chance at life being ripped away.

Shaking he looked and met Ciri's eyes. "Yeah… remember how I said she landed in Skellige, after she teleported from Cintra? And… how she said she sent me a dream of her there when she was eighteen?"

"Of course," Ciri said with a slow nod, scooting in front of him on the bed and reaching out to hold both of his hands. "Did you see more? What happened to her?"

Again he nodded and told Ciri about his dream. From Bella waking up with Kendra, up to when Caranthir and Imlerith killed the girl and Anora, forcing Bella's powers to unleash. He was even more glad that they had all killed Imlerith now, and if he could his hands on Caranthir he would. He would make them all pay, all of them, and he would get his sister back. She had remembered bits and pieces of her past Dominik saw, there was no way that Caranthir or any magic could have pushed all the memories they had together so far back they couldn't return. If not for his boneheaded choice of words when they spoke the first time, he would have convinced her then. He saw it, he had seen it in his sister's eyes that she was still there, there had been doubt, regret, she didn't want to kill him, and not Ciri either, she just wanted to belong somewhere else, finally have someone care for her again.

He and Ciri would do that, he wouldn't break another promise to her. Alexander had told him when he met his ancestor, that you never gave up on your family. He and Bella were all that was left of their parents, of the line of Alexander of Lod, it was their destiny to end the threat Eredin posed not only to Ciri, but to that world and every other world.

In the end however, no destiny mattered, because as Alexander said, he wouldn't give up on his family. Ciri, Bella, Geralt, Yen, his friends, none of them, and now Bella was the one that needed him along with Ciri, and he'd be there this time. He wasn't a helpless little boy anymore; he would get through to her one way or another.

That was what mattered now, killing Eredin to give he and Ciri the life they always wanted, and saving his sister, nothing else was important now.

"Gods… gods Bella…" Ciri said after he had finished telling her about the dream, shaking her head, as she fiddled with the ring behind her new wolf medallion. "Dominik… when she said that… that she lost everything twice because of me… what if-."

"No," He said firmly, reaching both hands up to hold around her face. Gently he trailed his thumb down her cheek, down her scar as he shook his head. "We couldn't control what happened Ciri, but what we can do… is control what happens now."

Ciri scoffed and shakily sighed. "But Dominik… they were looking for me, they were looking for me and-."

"And we're going to make them pay for it," He cut her off, leaning his head forward closer to her in front of him on the bed. "For what they did to you… and to Bella. All that matters is what we do now remember?"

She bit the side of her lip, the scar that was at the corner perking in a small smile as she nodded. Dominik did the same, leaning forward and kissing her, making her yelp as he pulled her into his lap. She laughed, and hearing that laugh as it always did erased all his doubts. Her breasts pressed up against his chest, as for a moment she smiled, leaning in and kissing him again her head angled just above him, her arm wrapped around his neck. He squeezed around her waist, smiling into her lips as the tingling feeling on his lips, and the rest of his body with his cock being so close to her entrance again made him forget for a few moments that they were in any danger at all. For those precious few seconds she kissed him, they were simply on a boat touring and seeing the sights of the Skellige Isles, something they planned on doing much more after everything was over.

He brought his lips up and planted one last long lingering kiss on her lips, feeling her thumb gently stroke across the scar on his cheek. Her breasts stayed pressed up against him, as she gently pulled back, still smiling, before kissing him a few more times quickly.

"Now is all that matters, you're right…" She said smiling at him, the cute scar on her lip going upwards as her smile turned to a smirk. "So… while we're in Skellige, you still plan on taking me to see Crach, Hjalmar and Cerys? You did promise after all."

A small scoffing laugh left him as he leaned up and quickly kissed her. He knew that Avallac'h still needed a 'sun stone' as the elf called it to summon the Hunt. Ever since he had nearly beaten the sage to death he had tried to avoid him, however it was going to be unavoidable that day. Depending on where this sunstone was, he assumed himself and Geralt would go and get it, with them not wanting Ciri to go off too far and risk exposing herself. Yennefer had also told them both the previous day that she heard Fringilla Vigo was in Emhyr's custody, and as they had sailed into the harbor the previous day, they had seen the Black One's navy.

Geralt, Ciri and he were all laughing and joking with their friends above deck when they saw them. Emhyr had brought an armada to conquer the Isles, and all of the ships were already near Undvik, to the point where Faram had to call Barnabas and his men back from the Island. A small part of Dominik hoped that if Borch had been following them and staying close like the dragon had promised, he wouldn't have any reservations about roasting the fleet to a pile of tinder, with no navy Emhyr would stand no chance at conquering the Isles, or even protecting the coast of his lands on the continent, potentially it could give Adda a massive advantage in her quest to push the Empire back.

However, he pushed all those thoughts from his head. None of that mattered, he knew he needed to put his hatred and everything else to the side. Nothing mattered except beating back the Hunt, Ciri and Bella, that was what mattered. So, if he had to be around Nilfgaardeans in that final battle like Yennefer had suggested Emhyr might fight them back he would. If he saw the man Dominik would still try to kill him, however, he would focus more on keeping Ciri away.

Just for a bit longer that was it. Just for a bit longer he would have to put up with Avallac'h, being so close to Emhyr. After it all, he and Ciri would get their life, and it would have all been worth it. Dominik had made it this far, for Ciri and his sister he would be able to finish it.

For now however, he simply enjoyed that moment.

"Of course I will," He said, as an excited look grew on Ciri's face. "I wanna see them myself as well. Today even, castle's only a little ways away."

Ciri smiled excitedly and nodded. "That sounds lovely! But… you don't want to go with Geralt and get the sunstone?"

Dominik scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Geralt can manage I'm sure, besides if I were to find it, I don't think I'd be able to give it to your nanny elf. Also don't wanna let you out of my sight, not when we're so close, he may try to pull something."

Ciri sighed now, and gently met his eyes. "I told you, after this is all over he's going to leave, he wants to be rid of us just as much as we want to be rid of him."

"Don't doubt that," Dominik said, readjusting her naked body on his lap. "But you know that he's gonna try something, want something. Don't feel comfortable leaving you alone with him…"

A smile managed to some to her face, she leaned forward and quickly kissed him. "As sweet as that is, I can take care of myself you know."

"Not doubting that either, you've kicked my ass enough," He joked, getting a small laugh from her, as he smiled and met her eyes gently shaking his head. "But you know I'm already not too excited to see that fucker again."

Ciri bit her lip and nodded. "I understand, but don't worry. He's ready to leave all of us too. Don't think he'll keep us above deck for that long."

"I hope not…" Dominik said dryly, as Ciri laughed and kissed his cheek.

"Come on, be a big boy," She teased him, before she slid off his lap, her feet hitting the floor of the cabin as the boat gently rocked. "They're probably waiting for us already."

He sighed and whirled his legs around the bed as well. Ciri stepped further towards the door to their room, going to the dresser and pulled a pair of her knickers back over her legs. Dominik watched and admired her slim figure, smiling as she tied the bra over her chest. She was more beautiful every time he saw her, and he found himself still to that day finding time to simply look at her.

Ciri finished tying her bra on, before turning and seeing him looking at her. Her face got red for a moment, before she laughed at turned to him.

"Come on mister," She said with a smile, tossing a pair of his undergarments at him and hitting him in the face. "You said we could go to the castle, and I quite like that idea."

His undergarments hit him in the face and he made a dramatic gesture of letting them hit him, and pretending he had been knocked back onto the bed. It was worth it because Ciri laughed, as he smiled and stood. Finally he pulled the undergarments over his own legs, before walking over towards her, just as she pulled her trousers up over her legs.

She turned just as he got to her, handing him his own trousers. "Here, I brought them to be washed last night before we came down."

"Thanks princess," He said with a smile, unfolding the trousers and going to pull them over his legs. "You know, maybe tonight if we're lucky Crach will let us stay in Kaer Trolde."

"Gods that would be lovely," Ciri said, pulled her top over her head, and tying the front that covered her breasts, adjusting the straps on her upper arms. "I remember the room I used to stay in was always lovely, sheets were made of silk, pillows nice and fluffy."

"That does sound great," He commented buttoning his trousers before reaching in front of Ciri and grabbing his white top from the table. "I love Faram but… he really does need to get new beds for these cabins."

Ciri turned to him, smirking as she finished buckling her corset. She reached onto the table and hefted his armor with no trouble into both her hands and handed the coat over to him.

"Oh I don't know… the bed served up perfectly fine last night I believe," She said suggestively, leaning forward and kissing his cheek as she handed him his armor. "Although, the bathes in Kaer Trolde were also always extremely large…"

His face got red, despite the fact they had sex multiple times in the previous two nights, he still found himself flustered by her when she spoke like that. She had teased him a lot when they were younger, and a ton since they had been reunited, and while he loved it most of the time, he hated it when she did it right after they had gotten dressed, and right before they were supposed to head above deck.

"I… um.. yeah… wow that… that sounds-," He started, before she laughed hysterically, leaning up and kissing him again.

"Gods it's adorable when you get like that," She teased, as Dominik rolled his eyes, but she still smiled at him, handing him his gloves from the table. "I am serious however, me, you, a warm bath in the castle? How's that sound?"

He saw the genuine want in her eyes, the sweetness in her tone and he couldn't stay annoyed. Smiling at her, he pulled on both his gloves, leaning forward and kissing her.

"That sounds wonderful," He said, smiling as he walked past her, grabbing both of their pairs of boots from in front of the door. "I also want to make sure Anton got here okay, see if he made it to Crach or not."

Ciri twirled her sheathed dagger into her belt and accepted her boots from him. "Gods I almost forgot. Him and his knights will be invaluable to have in the battle. I… assume you still don't want to tell Avallac'h."

"No, none of his business he doesn't need to know," Dominik said, also picking up her sword from the corner and handing it to her. "I already regret letting him know about Bella…"

He realized after his outburst, that telling Avallac'h about Baelen being Bella was a mistake. One thing he had learned over the years, was that it was always a mistake to let anyone, especially someone who you didn't trust, have an advantage over you. Avallac'h already started out with one over him, Ciri. Ciri didn't trust the sage either, but she had too because the sage was the only one who could teach her to control her powers. Now Avallac'h had two things over him, he also knew more about Bella then he was letting on, about his powers then he was letting on.

Dominik knew that the sage had known, there was no doubt in his mind. Ciri insisted that the sage had said he didn't, and that through the whole time they had traveled, while he was an ass, the sage hadn't lied. Dominik didn't want to argue with her about the topic, so he hadn't brought it up since then, but the sage had known, he was more than sure.

However, he had reached a point where truly, all that mattered was Ciri, Ciri and Bella.

"You know… speaking of Bella," Ciri said, strapping her sword to her back as she handed Dominik over _Fate_, and his faithful steel blade she had remade for him. "I… had an idea, and to be honest, I can't believe neither of us thought of it sooner."

He strapped both of the swords to his back and adjusted the swallow and his medallion over his chest. Ciri did the same with the ring, and the new medallion he had gotten her. He hadn't seen her take it off since he put it around her neck two days prior, and when he had seen her looking at it, smiling, he was thrilled he had found an appropriate gift.

After their swords had been strapped they were finally fully dressed. Ciri looked up from her medallion and the ring, biting her lip she met his eyes.

"I was thinking… you said Bella… uses a spell with her blood to see where you are right? And I remember she said she sent you the dream of her on Skellige," She said, twirling the ring in her hands.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Yeah she did. That's how she figured out what we were doing at Kaer Morhen… even though she didn't seem to tell them everything."

It was another moment to him that made him know his sister was in there, that she wasn't fully lost. She could have easily just told Eredin and the rest of the Hunt where he was, where Yennefer was in the battle and ended it in minutes. However, she hadn't.

He also would never forget the first time he saw her perform the ritual with her blood, had seen him and Geralt traveling to Skellige the first time.

Ciri nodded and met his eyes curiously. "If… she can do that…. Then maybe you can use the same ritual to see her. Or maybe you can send her a dream as well! You can-."

"Send her a dream of what really happened…" He said slowly, the realization dawning on him as his eyes widened, and he met Ciri's gaze. "But… she said she already has been having dreams of us, and she just thinks they aren't real! How… how are we-."

"Then we need to pick one that's strong enough that she can't deny," Ciri said, taking a step towards him and holding onto his now armored arms. "And… and she talked to me through the dream, saw me! Maybe… maybe there's a way we can-."

"Send her a message through her dreams…" He said, remembering his sister in the dreams with Kendra and Anora, an idea slowly forming as he looked back down at Ciri. "Ciri… you're a genius!"

She got a little red but scoffed. "Ha… it.. it's nothing. But I think it could work! Yen may know a way, or Triss or Ermion, or maybe there's something in Alexander's journal!"

Dominik's eyes widened and he felt one of the pockets on his belt. He had been reading Alexander's journal sparingly, mainly for the stories of himself, his children, Cregan and Lara that were there. However, he had noticed dozens of spells in the small book's pages. He knew something like Ciri was suggesting would take immense skill and a lot of magic. He assumed that Bella had plenty of that on the Nagalfar, she also had trained more with her powers then he did, had better control when her emotions were in check.

However, remembering his dream, the idea slowly started to form. He looked down and met Ciri's eyes, a smile tugging at his lips as they both met each other's eyes and laughed. Dominik watched and admired her beautiful eyes lighting up as she laughed, the scar on her lip perking up as he leaned forward and kissed her again.

"You're brilliant princess," He said, slowly shaking his head. "I… think I have an idea, but I need to figure a few things out first but… but I think we can, we can get some kind of message to her."

Ciri laughed and reached up around his neck to hug him. She squeezed around his neck as his arms wrapped around her waist. Slowly she pulled back, kissing his scarred right cheek before stepping back with her hands on her hips.

"Well I certainly do try my best," She said cheekily, smirking at him as she went to walk past him towards the door. "Come on, we'll talk with everyone above deck then-. Haha hey!"

She laughed he scooped her up bridal style, her sword clunking as she laughed in his arms.

"Ha, Dominik come on! We need to get going, we've already made them wait long enough," She said her arms wrapping around his shoulders as he held her.

"Oh come on… I think we can make them wait a little longer don't you think?" He said slowly, leaning in with his lips only an inch from her.

She rolled her eyes but smiled, leaning in and kissing him. For a few moments they stayed like that, him holding her in his arms as she cupped his face and kissed him with everything she had. Her tongue gently trailed along his lips again, before she pulled back and kissed his neck, laughing as he quickly moaned, before pulling her lips back to his.

Smirking, she kissed him deeply once more before wriggling out of his arms her heeled boots hitting the ground.

"Maybe if you're lucky… we can have that bath later before falling asleep on those silk sheets in the castle," She cheekily said, before grabbing his hand and pulling him along. "Come on, we'll have plenty of time later."

He sighed and bit his lip as she smirked at him. "Alright, alright let's get going."

"Good boy," She said, leaning and quickly kissing him again before she walked towards the door.

Like he always did, he admired her as she walked and opened the door. When she did, she looked back and laughed as she playfully rolled her eyes upon seeing him gawking at her.

"Come on!" She said, reaching and grabbing his hand and pulling him along, a smile on her face the entire time.

"Fine…" He said jokingly as he let himself be pulled out of the room.

Even in the midst of the fight of their lives, she still found ways to drive him crazy, the good kind of crazy. The kind of crazy the, kind of love that makes everything else worth it.

Because that's what love was about, finding that one person who made all the bad days' worth it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"There you two are!" Yennefer said, as the group leaned against the railing of the boat, Geralt smirking at Ciri and he both with Triss as Avallac'h had his signature look of wishing he were anywhere else except with them at that moment.

Geralt continued smirking at them as Ciri and he both got between them all. "So… sleep well?"

Ciri looked up at Dominik and contained a laugh as his face got red. She took a second to appreciate how handsome the sun made him look, as the cold wind gently blew through his hair. The light kissed off his skin, off his scar, it only made his eyes sparkle even more as his face was beat red biting his lip. It was still the most adorable thing Ciri had ever seen, and finally he crossed his armored arms and rolled his embarrassed eyes.

"Yes Geralt we slept fine, we slept perfectly fine," He said quickly, scoffing and rolling his eyes again as he looked down whispering towards Ciri. "You know, I wish people would stop being so interested in our sex life…"

"You mean the sex life the just started," She whispered back to him, and she smirked when she saw his face get red again.

She laughed to herself, taking in the feeling of the wind brushing against her face. A small shiver went down her spine as she adjusted the scarf around her neck. Dominik made her freeze simply looking at him, his neck was exposed but he insisted that his armor kept him warm. Looking up at the clouds she could see that snow was more than likely close by. It may have been sunny, but the wind was still intense, and she was sure that the mountains and areas around Kaer Trolde were covered in ice and snow.

A beautiful sunny winter evening in Skellige with Dominik next to her. It had been something she dreamed about when she was younger. Of course she was excited to see Crach, Hjalmar, even Cerys who was always much younger than her and Hjalmar. She wondered for a moment if Dominik had heard about her and Hjalmar's proposal plans that Crach had put out of both their minds when they were younger, she assumed he would have gotten a very good laugh out of it, before he grabbed her and kissed her.

Yes, it could have been such a wonderful few weeks, however they had to push just a little bit more before that could happen. Before weeks like that could happen.

Ciri wondered if Fiona had ever tried to skate, and how much better Dominik had gotten at it.

"You're both late… every second you both waste with your childish antics is another second that our enemies have ahead of us," Avallac'h snapped, completely removing Ciri from the relatively good mood she had been in.

Herself, Geralt, Yen and Triss all sneered at the sage, and although he promised her he'd try his best to ignore everything Avallac'h said, Dominik failed right away.

"Yes, our 'childish antics'," He snapped looking over to the sage and narrowing his eyes. "Do you ever fucking get tired of being such a fucking prick? Or does it give you some kind of sick thrill?"

Avallac'h rolled his eyes again, which Ciri knew Dominik hated. "No, but I would assume that you, just as much as I am, am eager to get this over with. I've grown tired of all of you, you in particular you arrogant brat."

"And this 'arrogant brat, is sick of you being here," Dominik snapped again, and he took a step away from Ciri to look at the sage again. "It must be hard living over six hundred fucking years with a stick up your ass."

"Your childish insults do not affect me boy," The sage said, although Ciri could clearly see Dominik's insults did in fact affect him. "I wish to be rid of you all, so if you could actually be on time and stop acting like a child, we can finish this and be rid of each other."

Ciri saw Dominik's eyes narrow as he stepped forward again. "And you better be sure that you stay the fuck away after this is over. Don't think I don't see the fucking ways you look at Ciri when you-."

"Dominik, darling please," Yen said, stepping up to cut him off, meeting his eyes and shaking her head. "You know I'd be the last to defend him, but he's right. We all wish to be rid of each other; we'd best get things moving then."

"She's right…" Ciri said, coming up behind him and grabbing his arm to pull him back.

He turned away from Avallac'h, who looked far too smug for Ciri's liking and look at her. She could see the conflict in his eyes. She knew what he was about to be referring too. Over the months traveling and even in the previous few weeks she had caught the sage simply staring at her. He would stare at her, as if he were trying to pierce into her very soul. Ciri had wondered why at first, but after Dominik's visions with Alexander of Lod she knew why.

It was because as Dominik said, Ciri looked almost exactly like Lara Dorren, the woman Avallac'h was supposed to marry, the one he thought he was owed. So she assumed he looked at Ciri like that because of her resemblance to her ancestor. Ciri had thought it was creepy, and it made her uncomfortable before, but it was even more so after she learned that information. It made her extremely uncomfortable when the sage did that and Dominik knew it and had been trying to keep it together for weeks.

Ciri knew as Dominik said Avallac'h was almost six hundred years old. Cahir had been almost ten years older than her and tried to kidnap and hunt her down. Emhyr was quite literally her father as well as being nearly thirty years older than her. Even Mistle was years older than her when she raped Ciri. Ciri had no idea why it was her fate to be creeped upon by older men, even if not for the fact she was in love with Dominik it had always been uncomfortable for her to think about, it made her skin crawl, her insides churn the thought of any of them getting their hands on her.

However, she had pushed it to the side. She had Dominik again, and now she wasn't a child, if any older man be it Emhyr, or even Avallac'h tried to do something to her, then she could cut them down herself, that would be if Dominik didn't get to them first.

She met Dominik's eyes and squeezed his hand reassuringly. He casted one more glare at the sage before crossing his arms, both his swords clunking as he stood back next to her. When Ciri met his gaze his eyes softened, and she smiled. She herself casted Avallac'h a glare as the sage again had narrowed his eyes at her annoyedly. Ciri also looked to see Geralt standing near the ramp to the docks of Kaer Trolde, carefully watching the situation unfold. Her father met her eyes and gave her an approving nod, and Ciri sighed, looking to see Yen and Triss standing next to one another along the railing.

Noticing the ship was awfully quiet she looked at them all. "Where are Faram, George and Freya? They should be here and be a part of this as well."

"What does it matter?" Avallac'h snapped, cutting off Yennefer who was about to answer, she whirled around to the sage who annoyedly crossed his arms. "They do not need to be present, nothing they do has any effect on our plans.

"They're our friends! I know 'friend' is probably a hard concept for you to grasp, because gods know you can't have any, don't know who could put up with you for long periods of time," Dominik snapped from next to her, looking at the sage. "Also in case you forgot, we're on Faram's fucking ship, so why don't you show him and the rest of my friends a little bit more respect? Before I knock your-."

"Faram, Freya and George all went into town," Yen cut him off, her raven locks blowing in the cool morning sea breeze. "Freya believes she had an idea, one that could turn the tide of battle for us, says she needed George and Faram's help."

"And they didn't ask Ciri and I to come?" Dominik asked, sounding slightly hurt.

Triss shook her head next to Yen. "They tried, but you and Ciri were both sleeping still. The three of them told us to tell you they'll meet up with you when they come back."

Ciri nodded and Dominik seemed to accept this answer as well. The cold breeze sent goosebumps up her arms, as she wondered for a moment what Freya could have thought of. Ciri knew she was a genius, so when the blonde said she had something she believed could turn the tide of battle with whatever it was she had come up with, Ciri believed her.

Just like Yen however, Ciri also knew that Avallac'h was right when he said they needed to move quickly. She had thought that all their work was done in Novigrad, and it would simply be a matter of summoning the Hunt and beating them back. However, it appeared now, with Dominik wanted to take her idea of trying to contact Bella to heart. She also had a few plans of her own she had brewing in her mind, however to do so, she needed first for Avallac'h to not be glaring at her whenever she wasn't in her room, and to do that, she knew they needed to find the sunstone. If the sage got it, she knew it would take up all his time.

"Well we must hurry and find the Sunstone as we said," She said, looking between them all as she readjusted her scarf, her eyes falling on Dominik. "It seems we have more to do in Skellige after all."

He nodded in agreement, looking over to Yen. "She's right, and Yen, you said we needed to find Fringilla Vigo as well?"

"We do yes, we need her here," The sorceress said, looking over to Geralt. "And we discussed before you arrived, we know she's a captive on Emhyr's flagship."

Ciri scoffed at the mention of Emhyr, Dominik rolling his eyes in a similar manner. The last thing she needed was the degenerate coming and messing up their plans. She was a bit nervous being so close to him, she knew he wasn't stupid enough to believe she was dead, however, she still wanted to avoid any contact with the man. It wasn't because she was scared, it was for the same reason she knew Dominik didn't want to see the man. She had become better at holding it, but she knew she would lose her temper and do or say something she regretted if she saw Emhyr.

The last time she had seen him, he had wanted to rape her, impregnate her and force her to marry him, and then the despicable, vile excuse for a man dared to hug her before he left. Even coming into contact with him during that hug had made her want to get sick over the walls of Stygga Castle. She knew that if she hadn't gone off, he would have tried to find her again, just like he was doing now. If not for Yennefer and Geralt's words in front of his men he would have gone right along with his plan.

Now, he deigned to think that Ciri would even be in the same room as him, let alone do him any favors. He would pass it off as him wanting to 'gift' her an empire, but Ciri knew what it was really about. The nobles wanted him dead, or to abdicate so that they could end the wars. However, her 'father' cared not for the people of the continent, he wanted more, so he wanted to save his own hide, but still be able to claim the land was his through his blood by Ciri being on the throne. And who was to stop him from trying to recreate his plan a few years down the line? If he really cared about her like he was pretending to do, he'd know that she wanted nothing to do with him, he hadn't been there her whole life, and the first time he did go to find her, he wanted to do those vile things to her, he had hunted her wanted to use her.

No, she wasn't going to do him any favors, and the idea of him even being so close made her sick. She knew it did for Dominik as well. He had mastered keeping his temper over his years as a witcher alone, however, the times he did lose it, she was always involved. She knew that in the previous few days he had calmed since learning the truth about Bella. It was as she told him in their room, all that mattered now was them.

However, she knew that he would kill Emhyr without a second thought.

"Do we really need her? We have six sorceresses already," Dominik said, shaking his head as he crossed over his arms again. "You know i don't like any deal that involves us going anywhere near Emhyr."

"I agree," Ciri said right away, her voice bitter as she looked and met Yen's eyes. "I hope he doesn't expect me to go to him in return."

Yen quickly shook her head. "He does expect it, but it's like I said before darling we won't take you anywhere near him."

"Good… but Dominik had a point," Ciri said, looking between Triss and Yen. "I know she's a colleague of yours, but do we really need her when we already have six other sorceresses?"

Avallac'h shook his head. "To properly use the Sunstone it will require a great deal of magic, the more sorceresses the easier it will be."

"Was anyone talking to you?" Dominik snapped, turning over to the sage his angry eyes narrowed. "Or is the need to butt into every conversation just another of your annoying traits?

Avallac'h seemed to choke on his words before he could answer, and Ciri while she tugged on Dominik's arm had to resist the urge to laugh.

Yen gave a satisfied smile and nodded. "As rude as that was of him, Avallac'h is right, better to be safe than sorry, so we do need her here."

Geralt finally nodded, stepping next to Dominik and her. "Alright, well there's no way I'm bringing either of you two onto Emhyr's flagship with me."

"Good idea, he did try to have me killed a few days ago after all," Dominik said sarcastically rolling his eyes.

Ciri bit her lip as she could feel the fire burning in her eyes and stomach. Dominik joked of course that Emhyr had 'shoddy assassins' so he could try to kill him as much as he wanted. However, Ciri had seen him near dead after a second attempt on his life. She didn't know how she would, but one day she'd get Emhyr back for trying to kill Dominik, for ordering him assassinated, for ordering Gregory, Sofia and Bella hunted down in Cintra.

She didn't know how, but one day she'd make Emhyr pay for it.

Geralt nodded and turned back to Yen. "Gonna try to not remember that when I'm in front of him. Yen, could you or Triss teleport me onto Emhyr's ship?"

"Not a chance, it's shielded better than the Emperor's alcove," Their mother said, her violet eyes growing dark as she crossed her arms. "The man is lucky we need him still… sending assassins after my son… he'll pay for it, somehow…"

Ciri saw Dominik crack a smile, and it made her feel slightly better. She squinted in the morning light as she looked and saw Triss shaking her head next to Yen.

"You could try to force our way on," Triss said, and right away Dominik scoffed.

"I like that idea, I can get behind that," He said, his hands curling as he crossed his arms. "Maybe I can pay Emhyr a little visit, a shot of Igni into the sails should cause mayhem."

Avallac'h scoffed across them. "Impossible you imbecile, we need Fringilla in one piece and-."

"Seriously _again _were _any _of us talking to you?" Dominik snapped, as Ciri saw his hands gripping onto the folds of his armor. "When we need to ask you something we will, we don't all have to listen and bow down to you, you arrogant fuck."

Before Avallac'h could fire anything back, Geralt stepped in the middle of the circle they had formed. Her father shot Dominik a glare that clearly said, 'keep yourself calm', before he looked over towards Yennefer and Triss again, the wind blowing back his silver hair.

"Alright no need for any assault, I'll find a way onto the flagship myself," Geralt said, crossing his armored arms and looking at Dominik at Ciri. "Like I said, not bringing the two of you anywhere near him."

Ciri smiled at the protectiveness in her real father's tone. Emhyr could say whatever he wanted. Geralt of Rivia was her father.

"Will you swim? Swords on your back? You'll get shot up like a sitting duck before you could say, 'the white flame dancing on the graves of his foes'," Triss said worriedly as she leaned along the side of the ship.

Yen quickly shook her head. "Don't panic, he'll manage, he always does."

Ciri didn't like the idea of Geralt going off himself towards Emhyr's ships. A small part of her did like Dominik's idea of setting his ships alight. Perhaps if Borch Three Jackdaws had followed them like he said he was, he could do the honors at the final battle. It was a selfish thought, but she also knew that Bella commanded the dragon Kilgarrah, and if there was one thing Bella in her current state of mind might hate more than Ciri herself, it was the Black Ones.

Perhaps Emhyr's Skellige campaign would end sooner than he thought.

Yennefer reached into her back pocket and pulled out a sealed note. Ciri saw a fire grow in her mother's eyes as she handed the note to Geralt.

"Make your approach by night, you'll stand a better chance than… show that degenerate this letter," Yennefer said, lashing out as she stepped back and shook her head. "It should remind him what he promised, and what he'll get in return."

"You mean, what he _thinks _he'll get in return," Ciri said quickly, already knowing what her mother meant, but feeling a wave of anxiousness overtake her.

Dominik gripped her hand again as Yennefer turned to them both.

Their mother nodded to them both. "Yes, what he _thinks _he's getting. One day… he'll pay for what he did to you… to the both of you."

Ciri nodded, knowing that it was true. One way or another, whether it be Adda, themselves, or the universe, Emhyr would pay for all the misfortune he caused them.

"This is all good," Geralt said, before surprisingly turning to Avallac'h. "But we also need to know what the Sunstone actually is."

"Yes…" Yennefer said, turning to the sage as well. "Because you still haven't deigned to share that information with us."

The sage sneered. "So, I am getting _permission _to speak now?"

"No, it's actually quite simple," Dominik said his arms still crossed as he looked over at the elf again. "Now we're actually talking to you, so you can talk, instead of butting in when the conversation doesn't involve you."

"Dom…" Geralt said, turning and staring at him again, as Dominik sighed and rolled his eyes.

Ciri scoffed a small laugh at Avallach's annoyed eyes, before the sage finally shook his head and spoke.

"Fine…. It was created so the Mountain Elves could summon the vessels of the Aen Elle. Now it merely serves as a lost opportunity to unite two tribes…." The elf said, looking at them all expectantly, as if they had any idea what he was talking about. "Truly? Can all of you be unfamiliar with the story of Gealbhan and Dillan of the White Fleet?"

Dominik groaned and looked down to meet her eyes, whispering. "How the hell did you put up with him for so many months?"

"I've been asking myself that the entire time…" Ciri said dryly, whispering up to him as well.

The wind howled in her ears, as Ciri truly was getting tired of the elf as well. It was another reason she had been thinking about his secret base in Skellige. If she could get there, convince Dominik, Geralt and possibly even Yen to come with her she could have so many questions answered. One of them could be what it was Avallac'h genuinely wanted from her. In the beginning when she first had come back, after Kaer Morhen, she had a small fracture of trust for the sage still there. However, with his actions, his words, how he had acted, not telling them about Dominik's ancestors, and of course what he had done to her when they first met, that trust was all but gone.

Ciri needed to know. He hadn't lied to her yes, but he simply deigned to inform her of certain things. The biggest one of course was what he wanted from her, what he was planning on asking of her, or forcing her to try and do. She wasn't fooled like she was last time. The first time Avallac'h had claimed to be 'helping' her, was when he forced her to stay for months in Tir'Nala, forced to sit through the weeks of psychological and verbal abuse from Auberon. And the whole time, Avallac'h had never planned on letting her leave.

He was planning something similar now, and Ciri wanted to know what it was. However, she also had to be careful, because she knew that if they went to the lab, they'd figure out if Avallac'h truly had known about Bella being Baelen or not. The sage had looked her in the eyes and told her he hadn't, and Ciri was going to figure out if it was the truth.

"Not interested in some legend," Geralt said, saying what they all had to be thinking. "What I'm more concerned with is how we can use it."

Avallac'h scoffed. "You? No, me? Naturally. With some help from the sorceresses."

Dominik's head perked up right away, as he seemed to come to a realization. She didn't know what came over him, as he slowly walked from her side, stomping towards the sage again. Ciri went to reach for him, but before he looked back at them all with hard eyes.

"So, a powerful magic elven artifact, that only you can control," He said slowly, as he crossed his arms and scoffed. "And nobody else finds this suspicious? It can't just be me!"

The group of them all went silent. Ciri whole-heartedly agreed with him, however she was worried when she saw the look in his eyes. Dominik was getting angrier, a mixture of worry as the realization that dawned on him seemed to continue.

Yen and Triss both nervously looked at him, both of them surely thinking the same thing as Ciri was. Ciri was going to step forward and grab him, but Geralt beat her too it.

"Dom's right…" Geralt slowly said, as Ciri's eyes widened, seeing the accusatory look come to her father's face as well as he met Avallach's eyes. "You're also pretty insistent we go and fight the Hunt on Undvik… said it couldn't be anywhere else. Why is that?"

Ciri had heard that Avallac'h wanted the fight to be on Undvik but hadn't thought anything much of it. However, Geralt and Dominik both seemed to know something she didn't, because they both glared at Avallac'h.

The sage looked at them both and scoffed. "Does it matter where we fight them? Undvik is the best strategical location with enough space and-."

"Don't bullshit me," Dominik said, taking another step towards the sage only inches from his face now. "You're not from this world, no way you could have known… why Undvik!?"

"Dominik… what are you so-," Yennefer started to say, before she seemed to have a realized look come to her face as well.

Triss and Ciri herself were the only ones left who didn't seem to know what was going on. She couldn't think of what would possibly be so bad about the suggestion. Yes, it was a bit strange that Avallac'h insisted so heavily on the spot, but the three in front of her seemed to have a reason to be suspicious. The cold breeze shot through them again, as Ciri took a step up next to Dominik and stood behind him, looking just as Avallac'h slowly shook his head, looking and meeting Dominik's eyes in particular.

"You have gone this whole-time boy managing to tolerate my presence, except for the… incident a few days ago," The sage said slowly, looking between them all now. "I wish to leave and never see any of you again… but to do that, Eredin must be dealt with. Do you think that I would jeopardize that?"

"I don't trust a single word out of your mouth," Dominik spit back, getting eye level with the sage again as he shook his head. "So now, tell me, _why _do we have to fight them on Undvik!?"

"Trust me or do not trust me," Avallac'h said shaking his head, crossing his arms as his robes blew in the morning wind. "Either way you need me, as idiotic as you are at times, you are smart enough to know that."

It had been the first time Ciri had ever seen Avallac'h give Dominik a compliment, even though it was a backhanded one. Dominik however, seemed to get even angrier at the compliment, his fists balling as he shook his head.

"Enough with your bullshit! TELL ME WHY-," Dominik started, before Geralt held a handout to stop him from moving forward again.

"Dom… no… not worth it," Geralt said slowly, his gaze going back to the sage.

Yennefer nodded as well, holding a hand on Dominik's shoulder as she pulled him back a few steps. "He's right darling… only a little bit more."

Dominik looked like he wanted to say something else, but shakily sighed, as Ciri quickly nodded to Yen and grabbed his arm. She pulled him away off the deck, as Triss moved towards Avallac'h with Geralt and Yen. Ciri looked up at him, and she knew him well enough to know the anxious look in his eyes. He bit his lip like he did when he was nervous, and she noticed his feet moving as he attempted to pace. She had known him long enough to know this was how he got when he got nervous, extremely nervous. Gently she held onto his hand, squinting from the light as she looked up at him.

"Dominik… what is it? What is it about Undvik?" She asked him, as she heard the others talking as well.

He shakily sighed and looked down to meet her eyes. "I'll tell you later…. I can't believe I fucking forgot…"

She was going to ask more, however, before she did Geralt came over to them both. They both looked up, and in the sun their father's silver hair shone even more as he crossed his armored arms and met their eyes.

"So, Avallac'h says Sunstone is on Skellige," Geralt said, the sun sparkling off the pommel of his swords.

Ciri scoffed as they both turned to him. "Well that certainly doesn't narrow it down."

Geralt shook his head. "You're right it doesn't. But I thought if anyone would know that it could be Ermion."

"Smart idea," Dominik said, seeming to shake of his anxiousness for the moment as he looked between Geralt and she. "Do you… want me to come with you to get it?"

"Don't gotta worry," Geralt said a small smirk coming to his face as he looked at them. "We may not have many more days till we have to fight, spend some time together. I'm going to head up to the castle, see if Ermion's there, if he isn't, Crach can probably tell us where he is."

Ciri perked up at the words, looking and smiling at Dominik to try and improve his mood. Hearing Geralt's words seemed to do the same, as that cute small smile he got when he was nervous. The idea of seeing Crach, Hjalmar and even Ermion if he was there had excited her. She remembered how much she had begged Gregory to let Dominik come to Skellige with her. It had been a dream of hers after knowing him for so long, developing the bond they had, to have her spend the months in Skellige with her. She had already begun planning how to introduce her Hjalmar, Crach, and she had even planning on telling him how she felt about him there.

Yes, it was all supposed to go swimmingly. They would come to Kaer Trolde together, she would show him the most beautiful spots she could, and she would admit her feelings for him. She had only been eleven so she would have been dreadfully nervous the entire time, as she still hadn't been sure if he felt the same for her. Looking back it had been obvious he was just as smitten with her as she was with him, but the past was there forever, the past.

Now, she was in Skellige again, finally with Dominik, and she knew that the next day she would need help going to Avallach's lab, and then while he told her he was still thinking of his plan, she knew Dominik would need her help contacting Bella as well.

So they would try and enjoy that night.

"Dominik and I wanted to head up to the castle anyway," Ciri said, smiling as she held onto Dominik's arm and smiled up at him. "That is… if you're not being too much a grump?"

Dominik managed a laugh, and she saw Geralt crack a smile. Dominik looked and met her eyes, and she saw that beautiful gleam in his emerald iris's. Her heart fluttered as he sighed and slowly reached to grab her hand.

"Of course I will, I'll stop being a grump I promise," He said, the smile growing as he squeezed her hand and looked up towards Geralt. "We'll head up to the Castle with you, might spend the night at Kaer Trolde if you and Yen don't mind."

Geralt scoffed and smirked at them. "Told you both before, you're adults. We aren't back in Ellander anymore, you're not kids. Long as you stay safe we don't mind. Come on, let's go."

Ciri looked up and smiled at Dominik as they both went and followed Geralt towards the ramp to the harbor. The anxious look slowly left him, as he held her hand the whole time as they walked, just like they had back in Ellander as well. She could remember walking through the markets, the meadow, simply having him walk and hold her hand was one of her favorite things to do. It made her feel like they were really a normal couple for a small bit, and it was those moments she loved most.

When the daily danger they both faced wasn't there, when they finally felt like the weight of the world was lifted off their shoulders, and they could simply be two young people in love.

She leaned up and quickly kissed his cheek as they walked down behind Geralt, the cold breeze shooting through the scarf around her neck. He got all red, again just like when they were young as she smirked at him.

"Race you," She said, letting go off his hand and jogging past Geralt.

She laughed she looked past seeing him flustered before he took off in a jog after her, yelling as he tried to catch up with her.

"Hey! No fair, you always do that!" He said, as she heard Geralt groan before his armor clunked.

"I'm getting too old for this…" Geralt said, as he jogged after them both of them laugh.

She looked back and saw him gaining on her as she couldn't stop laughing. The most important part, however, was that he was smiling, and she was.

After being forced to be mature, to be adults and go through more then anyone their age ever should have too, it felt nice to simply run, laugh, be with him and Geralt both.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Check it out, opening the gates for us personally," Geralt said with a smirk as they crossed the bridge.

Ciri scoffed. "Gods it hasn't changed a bit…. Feels like yesterday Gregory was bringing me here."

"Would've gotten to deal with me the next time," Dominik said cheekily, smiling as he looked down at her before they approached the gate.

She smirked up at him. "Well you're awfully lucky I happen to like you quite a bit then."

"I am aren't I," He said cheekily, smiling back down at her.

Her face got red as she smiled back up at him, the winches of the gates grinding in her ears. It was little comments like that she had missed most over the years. She could still hardly believe they were back there; it had been a big deal to her and him both when they were younger, the idea of Dominik going to Skellige with her. If not for the Black Ones being so close they would have, and she knew Crach would have welcomed Dominik just as much as he did her, what with him and Gregory being such great friends.

It had just about reached midday by the time they got to the castle. After racing towards the town center, her Dominik and Geralt had been lucky enough to run into Faram, Freya and George. Freya had been frantic, looking over diagrams she had apparently stayed up all night the previous two nights drawing, while Faram and George carried multiple sacks of ingredients. Kindling, arrows, rows of metal, different alchemical ingredients Ciri had recognized from her and Dominik's many lessons on making bombs. She couldn't think of what Freya's idea was, but the blonde had barely looked up from her diagrams before the three of them had said they'd see the two of them later and gone back to the ship.

Ciri felt slightly bad, ever since Kaer Morhen she and Dominik hadn't spent much time with their three friends. However, they all had insisted they understood. Dominik and she had been apart for an extremely long time, and some days they simply wanted to be with just one another. She appreciated this, and she knew Dominik did as well. She looked and saw the colors of Clan An Craite, and was flashed back to when she was a girl, Kaer Trolde had truly been her second home, and now while everything seemed slightly smaller, being there with Dominik and Geralt both was something she never would have thought possible only a few months prior.

The cold breeze blew, as the clouds continued to roll in, she had been in Skellige enough to recognize the snow clouds when they were coming. She remembered something Dominik had always said about winter being both beautiful and deadly, but he always thought it important to focus on the beautiful parts.

She couldn't have agreed more, and again she was having one of those few precious moments when she forgot about everything going on, and it was just the three of them there.

"Ahhhh wolf! It's good to see you in one piece," The booming voice of Crach rang through the air, as she excitedly looked up with Dominik. "And you little swallow… gods you got huge! Finally got you and Gregory's boy here together it seems!"

She laughed as she Dominik and Geralt all came to a stop in front of the doors to the castle. Crach had come himself, and Ciri could hardly believe how little the man had changed. He looked just like Hjalmar, and then next to him, she could hardly believe she was looking at Cerys, as all she remembered was the youngest An Craite being a little girl when she had been there. Always wanting to come and play with Hjalmar and her, but always being too small.

Now she was wearing a crown, grinning next to her father as they both came out to greet them at the gates.

Geralt smiled and spoke up first. "Open the gates specially for us?"

Crach scoffed and waved a hand, reaching and shaking Geralt's. "Bah of course! It's like I said, I see you as one of my own! And the same goes for the two of you… gods. The both of you here now… gods I feel old!"

"Crach…" Ciri said softly, the smile slowly curling on her lips as she hugged the man.

She could remember all the times she had come when she was young, the man was practically her uncle. The last time she had been in Kaer Trolde, she had been ten, she hadn't even met Dominik yet, but she could remember how excited she had been for Dominik to meet the man after that.

Crach smiled at her fondly, before looking over towards Dominik as well with a laugh. "Aha… and you lad! Looks like your quest was a success… hope the sword helped!"

Dominik next to her laughed and seeing him laugh and smile as opposed to how he had look on the ship, Ciri couldn't helped but smile herself. He hadn't told her what was wrong with Undvik yet, but she assumed he would later, she didn't want to ruin that moment for him then. She remembered him telling her Crach had given him the silver blade, Dominik smiled, tapping the pommel of _Fate _and reaching out to shake the man's man, smiling at him before he did the same down at Ciri next to him.

"It certainly did, saved my ass more then a few times… it helped me find her," He said, smiling at Ciri once, before he turned to Cerys who was standing next to Crach with a wicked grin on his face. "And it is an honor to see you again your royal majesty!"

Geralt laughed, and Ciri did as well, Crach even cracked a smile as Dominik mock bowed. Cerys scoffed, waving the gesture off, smiling at them both, walking over with her arms out for Dominik now.

"Oh come off it, none of that now! I'm still the same lass, come here!" The Queen of the Isles said, as Dominik laughed and hugged her, before Cerys smiled and met his eyes. "It's good to see you again, you as well Geralt, and Ciri… gods I can't remember the last time I saw you!"

Geralt nodded to her, and Dominik smiled as he stepped away gesturing towards Ciri with a huge smile still on his face.

"Ciri I believe I should do the honors or re-introducing you to the new Queen of Skellige! Our very own Cerys An Craite, first ever Queen of the Isles," Dominik said dramatically, as Cerys scoffed again, and they all laughed.

Cerys rolled her eyes and looked to Dominik first. "Oh I'll get you for that later! Ciri… it's good to see you."

"You too! Gods Cerys, you're huge!" Ciri said, the smile not leaving her face as she walked forward and hugged the youngest An Craite. "It's so good to see you, to see you both! I must ask… where's Hjalmar?"

"Yeah," Geralt said, cutting in and looking at the two An Craite's. "Thought he's be here with you both. Didn't see him anywhere in town either."

Cerys pulled back from Ciri before her and Crach looked at one another with grim looks. Crach sighed and crossed his arms, his head of ginger hair blowing back in the midday breeze.

"Aye he's not here. He's out sailing, gathering more men from the other Isles," Crach said, before casting a smile down at his daughter. "Cerys here has managed to convince most of the Clans to unite against the Black Ones, Hjalmar is gathering our force…"

"Our work isn't over yet unfortunately, Lugos and the Drummond folk are being as stubborn as ever," Cerys said annoyedly, crossing her arms as she looked at them. "As we see it, either way a fight is coming. Either the Black Ones… or the Wild Hunt from what your knights tell us."

Dominik's eyes widened next to her and Ciri's heart leapt as a smile came to her face. Geralt smiled down at him as well, as hearing he words 'your knights' had made him go all sheepish, laughing nervously as he smiled back at Crach.

"Ha… my knights?" He said, the cute, flustered look on his face. "You mean to say Anton made it? Him and his knights are here?"

Crach laughed and nodded. "Ha indeed he is! A right shock it was when I saw him, even more so when he said you sent him! Him and his men are in the castle, they told us about the fight with the Hunt…"

Geralt looked up and met Crach's eyes. "So that means… you're both going to help us?"

Cerys scoffed again. "Of course we are! We can put our mission against the Black Ones aside, that is… if the Hunt truly is attacking."

Ciri shakily sighed, thinking of the An Craite's, her friends, the people of Skellige fighting for her as well. Like Bella had said, so many people had fought for her, died for her, and now Crach, Cerys, Hjalmar, hundreds of Skelligers, they were all going to fight for her as well, possibly die for her.

She bit her bottom lip, but when Dominik smiled and nodded towards the two An Craite's, hearing his confident tone, it eased her slightly as she saw him nod at them.

"They are… but don't worry, we have a plan," Dominik said, turning and looking over at Geralt. "We appreciate the support… together we're going to blast back to their fucking world."

He looked over and smiled at her, winking and Ciri couldn't help but scoff a small laugh. She could see the confident look on his face as he smiled at her. It was hard to believe that only a few days prior, a few hours prior he had exploded at Avallac'h, Ciri had thought she would have to be the one to calm him down, now here he was doing it for her. Just like he always did, he was making sure that she was alright above all else. He was putting his own worry aside to reassure her.

And she loved him so much for it.

Crach laughed and nodded. "HA, I knew you and Geralt would lad! Gods… if Gregory could see the two of you now…. He'd be proud, damn proud."

Her face got hot as the corners of her lips curled, as she looked up and saw Dominik do the same. She hoped Gregory would be proud, and she had done good with the life she was living now thanks to him. At the mention of his father, she saw Dominik's face fall however, and she knew he was thinking about Bella.

So like he did for her, she reached over and squeezed his hand. The effect worked, as he smiled finally looking at her and then back to Crach.

"I hope he would be too…" Dominik said slowly, as Geralt smiled at them both.

"Oh I know he would lad, your mother as well!" Crach said, smiling as he looked between the three of them. "Now then! What brings the three of you to Kaer Trolde?"

Geralt nodded at them both and turned to Crach. "We actually needed your help. We got a plan in place to summon the Hunt, fight them on our own terms, but to do so we need to find something called the Sunstone, pretty sure Ermion would know where it is."

Ciri quickly nodded in agreement. "Yeah, where is he? I didn't talk to him nearly as much as I would have liked at Kaer Morhen."

Crach looked down to Cerys who quickly nodded to the three of them.

"He's actually out on a mission for me," Cerys said scoffing and crossing her arms much like she had always watched Crach do. "Like I said, Lugos and the Drummond folk are still being stubborn, refuse to join their forces with ours. I sent Ermion to try and negotiate."

She had learned from her time on the Isles, that the Drummond folk had always been at the throats of Crach and the An Craite's. So if Cerys's goal was to unite the Isle against Emhyr, part of her assumed that the Drummond's would even side with the Black Ones.

It gave her some hope however that Ermion was there, and that Cerys was still trying to unite as opposed to go to war. Dominik nodded and looked to Geralt. She did as well and quickly their father nodded.

"Alright, sounds like he could use some help any way," Geralt said, looking to Crach and Cerys. "If he can give us the location of the Sunstone, it won't be long before the fight comes with the Hunt."

Cerys quickly nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Hjalmar should be back by tonight, and with Sir Anton and his knights, we'll have a decent amount of fighters, we should be able to turn the tide of battle."

"Aye! Though we could use some more information," Crach said, crossing his massive arms as he looked at the three of them. "Hjalmar told us some, but we could use information on their numbers, armor, how they fight, more about the plan you all have."

Geralt gestured to Dominik and herself. "Dominik and Ciri can let you guys know more. I should get moving, a decent ride to the Drummond's. You two gonna be okay right?"

Ciri smiled as her father looked down at her, smiling up at Dominik who was doing the same. The idea of spending the day in Kaer Trolde with him was something she had been eager to experience since she was younger. She was also starving, ready for lunch and to see the halls of the castle again. She also wanted to catch up with Cerys, see Anton who was apparently there. She knew as Geralt said, after he retrieved the Sunstone, and Fringilla that night, the fight would be upon them, and it would either be the beginning or the end of a new great journey.

So, she was going to enjoy the little time they had left. She looked up and could see the clouds that she was sure contained snow slowly rolling in. Goosebumps went up her spine as the wind blew, and again she found herself admiring Dominik's handsome face as he nodded at her, and then looked back over to Geralt.

"We'll be alright," He said, before looking back over to Crach and Cerys. "Like he said, I'll explain everything and… I wanted to see Anton too, it was important."

Crach nodded with a smile. "Aye, good luck wolf! And Dominik lad I'll bring you right too him, some of his men are in town, but he should be in the training yard now."

Dominik smiled and looked down towards Ciri. "Wanna come with me? Or do you want to go get some food first."

Ciri's stomach rumbled and she rubbed it. "Could use some food, starving myself. I'll come join you after a bit."

Cerys eagerly smiled and came up next to her. "We just got served lunch before the guardsmen said you were approaching, come on the two of us can go eat. We can catch up too, gods I haven't seen you in ages!"

Ciri loved the idea from the offset. As much as she loved Dominik, Geralt, Faram, George, a part of her was really excited to talk to another friend who was a woman. She loved Freya and thought that it would have been delightful if herself, Cerys and Freya could have lunch. However, Freya was apparently working on her new invention of some kind. She would be sure to see Freya later, however in the moment she loved the idea of having lunch with Cerys.

It was only a few days until she and all the ones she loved would be in the fight of their lives, so she wanted to spend as much time with them as she can. Dominik smiled at the both of them, as she met his eyes and nodded. Geralt next to him nodded, and smiled at Dominik and she, before doing the same with Crach and Cerys.

"Alright, you guys just be careful, I'll see you all later," Her father said, nodding to them all the sun glinting off his swords.

"Be safe Geralt," Dominik said.

"Yeah, good luck," Ciri said as well, before Geralt smiled at them all, before turning and jogging down the path back towards the town.

After Geralt had jogged down the path, Dominik and she smiled at each other, before turning back to the two An Craite's.

Crach clapped his hands together, smiling at them both. "Alrighty then! Dominik lad, Anton should be in the training yard as I said,"

Dominik smiled and nodded. "Alright sounds like a plan. There's… also some stuff I wanted to talk to you about…. Ciri, I'll meet you back in the hall after I'm done?"

Ciri smiled seeing his enthused face. He had a look of genuine excitement on his face, she didn't know exactly what she needed to talk about with Anton. She assumed that he wanted to tell her about Bella, what with Anton having known her well in Cintra as well. Ciri had noticed the change in him, she knew what it was as well.

It was the idea he had been talking about earlier in their room. He had been incredibly sweet then, calming her nerves and after her idea about using their dreams to contact Bella, his mood had shifted. After talking with Avallac'h and the others on the deck, she thought she'd need to calm his nerves. However, whatever his plan was, he must have been either excited by it, or thought that it was an excellent one. She knew he had an idea and it was slowly forming, because of that cute inquisitive look he had. His eyebrows furrowed, he got a giddy smile, and he talked faster. It had been the same way since they were kids, and while he had grown and changed significantly since in some ways, in others he was still that same goofy boy.

She loved that, and whatever he thought he needed to do to help Bella, she would be there for him. It was nice to be able to put aside her thoughts for a while. She of course was still thinking about Avallach's laboratory on Skellige, and she knew it would take very little convincing to make Dominik go with her, however she decided that could wait.

Ciri was going to spend a nice day with her friends and her boyfriend. Everything else could wait for then, she was personally looking forward to the baths they had at Kaer Trolde, along with spending the night with Dominik on the beds with silk sheets. She had teased that their bed in the cabin was good, however her back did slightly ache from it the previous night.

The two of them were both lucky to have Geralt, because now they got one extra day for themselves, and after being apart for so long, even the one day was more than enough.

Ciri went to answer, but Cerys quickly scoffed and came over to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder with a smile.

"Go on, go on! She'll be fine, the two of us will have some time for us girls," Cerys said, smirking at Dominik and her father. "I'm surrounded by you boorish louts all day, and I'm sure Ciri is as well, we'll talk to you both in a bit right Ciri?"

Ciri laughed when she looked at saw the perplexed look on Dominik's smiling face while Crach smiled amusingly.

She walked up to him and leaned up to kiss Dominik's cheek. "She is right, tell Anton I'll come see him in a bit."

Dominik got all red like he normally did and laughed. "Ha… alright. You two enjoy yourself, Crach you said you needed more information?"

Crach laughed, wrapping an arm around Dominik's shoulder. "Aye lad, gods remind me of your father you do. Come on lad, tell me what the battle looks like."

The two walked off, and Ciri couldn't help but smirk and smile at the sight. She remembered how close Crach and Gregory had been whenever Gregory brought her to Skellige. Right away she heard Dominik begin going into details about the Hunt, their numbers, the battle at Kaer Morhen, with Crach eagerly lapping up every word, the sun reflecting off their armor as they walked. Ciri smiled at him fondly, remembering how much she had wished for this very day when she was younger.

"Ahh… I can you're as sodded as he is," Cerys laughed, smiling from next to her, the sun reflecting off her crown. "So you do wear a ring, he told me about the swallow he wears, how you gave them to each other."

Ciri blushed and smiled over at the An Craite, holding the ring around her neck behind her new wolf medallion.

"Yeah… I am," She said, just as she turned to Cerys when Dominik and Crach walked out of view. "He told you the story about it?"

Cerys nodded. "Of course, said it was the last thing he had of you. He's a wonderful friends, saved the clan he did… wouldn't be Queen if not for him and Geralt."

"He told me about that," Ciri said, meeting Cerys's eyes. "He said King Bran's wife tried to frame you all for murder."

"Aye, the bitch did," Cerys said, rolling her eyes before she smiled back at Ciri. "Dominik and Geralt helped us prove what really happened. But even Geralt will say… Dominik was the one who did most of it. He's a great friend but the last time I saw him he was… different."

The wind blew through the loose strands of Ciri's hair as she titled her head. "Different how?"

Cerys's smiled and met her eyes. "Well… he seems… happier now, much happier."

Ciri's heart fluttered in her chest, a crimson hue coming to her cheeks as her hand wrapped around the ring.

"Well I… I'm glad," She said, the smile unable to leave her face as she met Cerys's eyes. "Gods it… it feels like yesterday I was here; I hope it hasn't changed much."

Cerys laughed and smiled gesturing towards the castle gates. "Oh it hasn't much at all! Come on I'll show you, maybe you could tell me more about what's coming, or we can catch up, maybe you can tell me more embarrassing stories about Dominik."

Ciri genuinely laughed, the cool breeze shooting up her arms again. "Oh I have plenty of those! And I want to hear more about you too, like I said, you were so small last time I saw you!"

"Ha, and you were as well! Come on then, let's go get some food," Cerys said happily, leading her along into the castle she had been so eager to come back too.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ha! There's no way, he didn't even say a thing?" Cerys laughed, the mug of ale in her hands.

Ciri scoffed as she downed the rest of hers. "Not one word! He stood there shell shocked, girl had him speechless! She was so adorable though."

Cerys smiled and shook her head. "A child surprise, gods that sounds so exciting, aren't you a bit nervous? You're both so young yourselves?"

Ciri had thought about that very topic every day since her and Dominik had come back from Claywitch. She sipped the rest of the ale in her own mug, sighing as she met Cerys's gaze from next to her at the long table in the main hall.

"A little bit yes I'll admit," She said, placing the mug back to the table and taking another bit out of the apple she had gotten along with her lunch. "But she's older, thirteen, she can mostly fend for herself, it's not like she's a newborn."

Cerys smiled and nodded. "And Dominik's excited for it as well?"

She giddily smiled, scoffed a laugh and nodding. "I'd like to think so. He's dreadfully nervous I can tell but… he was great with her when we were there. Besides, I trust him, more than anyone."

"Aye… I can see the way he looked at you, and how he spoke," Cerys said, finished her own ale as she leaned back in her seat. "And the way you look at him as well, never seen two people smile at each other so much!"

Ciri got slight red as she poured herself more ale. The crackle of the fire in the hearth at the center of the feast hall was just as lovely as she remembered. It was a nice change from the chilly wind outside. Just before Cerys and she had come in, the clouds which Ciri knew had to have a light flurry of snow or rain had been getting closer. Cerys had been right when she said lunch was already being served, and Ciri gorged herself on lobster, crab, vegetables, all the delicacy's she had missed in the years since she had been to Skellige.

Cerys had been great company, and Ciri still couldn't believe how the girl had grown. She had told Ciri all about bringing the clans together to the fight the Black Ones, her quest to be a different type of ruler. It was surprising to Ciri that she was running into these kinds of rulers, first there was Adda and now Cerys. She wondered what could really happen if all the major powers of the continent had a similar way of thinking. Cerys wanted peace, prosperity, Adda wanted a better continent for humans, non-humans and mages all.

However, of course Emhyr stood in the way, wanting it all for himself. Ciri had found herself telling Cerys basically everything, parts of her time alone, what had happened since she reunited with Dominik on the Isle of Mists, even that Emhyr had wanted her, wanted her to abdicate the throne to her. Cerys had told her about how for weeks the ships had been sailing in, and Hjalmar was still mustering the forces, the first skirmish was going to be soon, Hjalmar and Crach were going to lead a raid on the Black Ones fleet, but they stopped when Anton had come and told them of the Wild Hunt.

Now she was sure Dominik, Crach and Anton were having a thrilling conversation about troop movements, numbers and formations. Dominik didn't speak of it often since he didn't need to use it much, but she knew he had a great knowledge of battle tactics, formations, weapons that would be effective. He had learned much from Gregory, who if not for she knew Cintra would have fallen even sooner to the Black Ones. She remembered she learned Gregory had managed to cut off the Black Ones advance towards the city by using a feigned retreat maneuver with a group of knights, delaying the Black Ones, and allowing more citizens to escape.

Ciri didn't exactly know what a feigned retreat was, but she knew that between Dominik, Anton, Crach, Geralt, all the others they had, the perfect plan would be put in place. She also knew that Dominik was still reeling inside from Kaer Morhen, his planning at the keep. He believed he still was responsible for the deaths of Arno, Declan, Folan and Vigi, and now he would more then likely see this as an even bigger task.

Which was why it amazed her even more that he had managed to smile still. Through it all, he was worried about her nerves, calming her. It had done wonders for her, it truly had. Every night she laid awake thinking about it, that everyone was there because of her, to try and save her along with the continent. Having him there, having everyone had been invaluable. The previous few nights, making love, laying together in bed with Dominik, it had been even more calming.

The sex the previous few nights had also been part of the reason, as Cerys had put it, they were smiling at each other so much.

"Ha… yeah, we're going to be great for her, I know we are," She said confidently, sighing as she shook her head and downed more ale. "But first… we must deal with the matter at hand."

Cerys smiled at her before grimly nodding. "Aye… thought the Black Ones were all we'd have to deal with at first."

"I'm sorry…" Ciri said, shaking her head and meeting the Queen's eyes. "If I weren't here, then they wouldn't be… they've been after me."

"Bah come off it!" Cerys said with a scoff, smirking at her. "You're family, me da's said so enough. We fight for our own, with everything we have. Besides, Hjalmar told us about Kaer Morhen, if we let the Hunt get you, we don't only lose you, but then they'll invade as well! I can put aside my petty war for the greater good."

Ciri smiled, nodding in appreciation. "That means more then you'll ever know…I just hope fighting the Hunt doesn't leave you exposed to Emhyr afterwards."

Cerys waved the concern off. "No need to worry about that. I know you've been avoiding telling me, but I'm aware. We're going to have to fight besides them, even if it's only for one battle. I'm more worried about that battle, but even so, afterwards us and Emhyr will be affected the same way."

A breath of relief shot from Ciri as she slumped back in the chair as well. That had been one of the things she had been thinking about since Yen had told them they'd unfortunately need to at least let Emhyr think he would get what he wants. She didn't like the idea of fighting with Nilfgaardeans, only for the fact that it did put her so close to Emhyr. Ciri still would never be able to believe how arrogant one man could be, how Emhyr could possibly think that she would be interested in even being in the same room as him after what he had done. First he had not been there her entire life, she also learned that he was the reason her mother Pavetta was dead. After that of course he had chased her, ordered her hunted down and kidnapped, all so he could rape her, force her to marry him and have a child with him.

She had no idea how anyone could possibly think she'd go to him after that, on top of it all he had ordered Dominik assassinated. Ciri would never go near him, and she hoped that Adda and then Cerys when things were over smashed everything he had built.

"Thank you again," Ciri said with a sigh, looking out through the stain glassed windows and smiling. "It should only be another day or two until that comes… we'll defeat them, I know we will. Eredin will figure out he picked the wrong world."

She smiled back to Cerys who's eyes widened as she eagerly nodded.

"I'm sure we will! Between all of us, they don't stand a chance," The Queen said, leaning forward and meeting Ciri's eyes. "Is what Hjalmar told me true? Did Dominik really get that scar on his face fighting the King of the Wild Hunt?"

A sheepish, embarrassed laugh left her. "Ha… he did. I… I was hurt, couldn't help him but… but he fought him. It was horrifying, he nearly died."

"But he didn't, he's alive, and so are you," Cerys assured her, smiling as she crossed her arms with a small smirk coming to her face. "He really loves you, a lot."

"He does, and I love him," She said with a smile, as she sighed and looked out the window again, towards what she hoped was the training yard. "I do hope seeing Anton will help him a bit, considering how he's been the previous few days."

"What do you mean?" Cerys said.

She bit her lip and met Cerys's eyes, knowing Dominik wouldn't mind her of all people knowing. "Well… we both figured out something horrible…"

Ciri went on to tell Cerys about Bella. Even telling the story still made her stomach turn, so she could imagine how Dominik was still feeling. Their last night in Novigrad, and the previous night she had seen him getting better and better. His mood had improved, but still at times she had seen him simply sitting and staring be it at the ceiling or wall. She knew he was thinking about her, what he could do to help her. Yen said they needed to help the fake memories Bella had fade away, they needed to somehow remind her of what was true.

But like Yen had also said, the psychological damage was what was worse in Dominik's sister. _No, she's your sister too, don't forget that _she thought to herself quickly. It was the truth, Bella was her sister back in Cintra, her sister by choice. And she also planned on spending the rest of her life with Dominik, so that made Bella her sister now at well. Ciri knew the best was she herself could help get her back, was to be there for Dominik. Bella wanted to kill her yes, but she still had a spot for her brother, Ciri had seen it. Bella had been so close to taking Dominik's hand, if not for his slip of the tongue she would have.

And when the next time came for Dominik to face Bella, which they both knew was coming, it would be when that prophecy Dominik received would come to pass. He would have to make a choice that would decide Bella's fate, decide their family's fate. She knew he was worrying about it, so as their friends, and Geralt and Yen both told her, the best thing she could do, was to just be there. He had always done whatever he could to make sure she was always smiling, at her best, so that was what she needed to do for him now, more then ever. She hadn't been able too for a long time, it was something she had felt horrible about. However, she was there now, and she'd make it up to him.

Cerys sighed and shook her head. "Gods above his sister…. Da told me that Gregory had a daughter as well… poor Dominik. I couldn't imagine something like that."

"It was horrible… he was a wreck for that day," Ciri said with a sigh. "I know it's still affecting him now. But… he's pushing through it for my sake, I know he is."

Cerys nodded to her. "Aye, it seems like the kind of person he is. Still… it's amazing how he can be smiling like I saw him; it says a lot about how much he cares for you."

"It is the type of person he is, and I love him for it," Ciri said, but sighing as she leaned back in the chair and shook her head. "But he's going to have to fight Bella again, and… now I need to be there for him."

"And you are!" Cerys assured her, reaching over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's like I told you outside, I can already see the difference in him with you just being here."

"I know it is, but… I just feel I need to do something more," Ciri said, biting her lip as she begun to think, sighing as she drank more ale. "I have some business I need to take care of before the fight starts, and I know he does as well. We came here to spend some time with each other, with you, Crach and Hjalmar before the battle."

Cerys eyes widened as she stood and smiled. "You picked the perfect night then! We're having a feast tonight! It's a Skellige tradition before a battle, I'll set a place at the head table for you both, get you a room set up! I assume you came on Witcher Faram's ship, it has to be better than the cabins there."

The idea again of a night with a feast, a Skelligan one at that with Dominik was something that certainly would be calming to them both. Being so close, so close to the fight that only a short while ago felt so far off was taxing on both of them she knew. It had felt like yesterday that they were all at Kaer Morhen, waiting for Dominik to recover, training and spending time with one another, the two of them, Geralt and all their friends. She could remember sitting with Geralt and watching a drunken Dominik, George, Faram and Freya all arm wrestling, stumbling over themselves.

She could remember seeing him for that first time on the Isle of Mists. Holding him, his first words to her, him checking if she was real. It had all felt like yesterday, but even in such a short time they had come so far. Now, they had everything they needed to fight the Hunt, Geralt would get the Sunstone and Fringilla, and then after that they would go to fight. She estimated two to three days, and finally, finally it would be there. They would succeed, they had too, and finally they would get there life.

The idea of all the places her and Dominik would go made her feel like a giddy little girl. Her and the man she loved, and soon they'd have Fiona as well. She had thoughts the previous days about what it would be like, bringing her to Kaer Morhen, bringing her to see all the places they had been too, they'd even bring her there to Kaer Trolde. No, Ciri wouldn't let Eredin chase her anymore, let the Hunt chase her anymore.

Her life was her own now, and she knew exactly how she wanted to spend it. That night at Kaer Trolde would be another preview of the life they would have. A feast, followed by a night in a cozy room, a large fire, more then likely a bath, making love and then her favorite thing, simply laying with one in each other's arms. The simple pleasures in life that they had missed so many year of since they had been apart.

Ciri got up from her spot as well, the smile coming back to her face. "That sounds wonderful, it's actually what we were hoping for. Will Hjalmar be back by then? Me, and I know Dominik would without a doubt want to see him."

"He should be yes. Sir Anton and all his knights as well," Cerys explained, the smile not leaving her face. "It's also lucky you showed up, we were going to need to explain our plan to everyone anyhow. With the two of you here that's easier."

"That's brilliant then," Ciri said excitedly, smiling as she adjusted the sword on her back.

She didn't like to consider herself a lucky person, what kind of person who had been through what she had would consider her as such? No, generally she wasn't lucky, however, now and then, like in moments like that she did consider herself so. After everything she and Dominik had been through, all the work they'd done, they deserved a night like that. Geralt and Yen had both said they don't mind if they were out later. Avallac'h perhaps would pitch a fit, but Ciri couldn't care less, the next day she wanted to head out to his lab anyhow.

No, it would be as she told Dominik earlier. They'd get to spend the night in a large bath and on silk sheets. It would be nice to have that one night, so yes she was lucky then. She thought that the night in Novigrad would be their last peaceful one, but perhaps the universe was doing her a favor again.

"Aye, it'll be wonderful, just like when we were kids again," Cerys said happily, gesturing out towards the doors towards the hall again. "Speaking of them all, I recon we should go and find them. I want to hear what you both have to say as well, but this was nice. You off all people will know how grating spending all your time with my da and brother can be!"

Ciri scoffed a laugh, unable to stop smiling. "Ha, that I do. I assume the feast isn't until later tonight?"

"It won't be no, why do you ask?" Cerys said.

Ciri looked outside again, seeing the sun gently begin to be covered by the clouds. She had been excitedly thinking about the possibility, and now seeing the snow coming, and having felt the cold outside, she knew that that same lake had to have been frozen over by now.

A wicked smirk came to her face, she had been looking for ways to help Dominik feel better, to calm his nerves. She had loved seeing the smile on his face earlier, and before he went off with Crach had been amazing, he had the most adorable smile when he got excited. And now with that final confrontation so close, she knew a day like this would be the perfect thing he needed before the fight came.

She had wondered as well how much better he had gotten.

"Well… I was hoping to do something with Dom before later tonight," She said, the smile growing as her hands went to her hips. "I remember Hjalmar and you always kept skates around, do you have any extra pairs?"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"HA! Ciri this is awesome, I can't believe our luck," He said next to her strapping he skate to his foot before he turned to smirk at her. "Never thought I'd be saying that!"

She scoffed a laughed and took a second to take in the sight of his handsome smiling face. The sun was covered by the clouds, but it casted enough light through them to cast a beautiful glow over his scared face. She also took a moment to laugh, realizing more and more by the day they truly did have matching scars, just on opposite cheeks. It was hard to believe just a few weeks prior that scar was killing him, the blood loss being too much, his cheek nearly in half. Now, it was still much darker then hers, but healed over now, it still however didn't detract at all from how handsome it was.

After saying hello to Anton herself, who was absolutely delighted to see her, she had drug Dominik to get skates, to his absolute delight. They had taken the time to explain more about the Hunt, their numbers, and the situation with Bella to Anton. Anton had been aghast learning Bella wasn't only alive, but that she had been alive in the city the morning he tried to find a foothold in the city, and he hadn't found her or Sofia's body. She still didn't know what Dominik had asked him about, but after seeing the excited look he had gotten when she told him they would go skate, she didn't want to bring any of it up. She'd ask him how he was feeling and try to calm his nerves once they began skating yes, but in that moment she couldn't.

The lake that her and Hjalmar had used to skate on, not more than two miles out from Kaer Trolde hadn't changed. The ice they check wasn't the thickest, but it was more then enough to hold the both of them. They both still wore their swords out of habit after their skates were strapped on as they sat on the bank just on the ice's edge. The clouds above kept rolling in, and she smiled as the gentle snow that fell got caught up in Dominik's hair, as he excitedly tied his second skate, that excited goofy look plastered to his face. The wind chopped through her loose strands of hair, as she finished tying her own skate and tightened her bun. Seeing him smile at a time like they were in, just like it always had melted her worries as well.

The two of them would have a few hours until the feast started at Kaer Trolde, and Ciri planned on making them count. After tying her last skate, she smiled as she looked over at him.

"Well I'm glad you're excited," She smirked, leaning over and kissing his cheek before getting up to her feet and balancing herself on the skates. "Come on handsome I'll get to showing you the ropes again,"

He scoffed and grabbed her hand as she helped him up. He stood up straight, he was still only half a head taller than her, but as he looked down at her she felt like he dwarfed her for a moment. Her face suddenly got hot as he smirked at her and laughed, gently grabbing her hand.

"Oh you don't need to show me the ropes, been practicing since our last time," He said, as they both balanced and got out onto the ice. "Hunted a barbegazi in Kovir one time, led it out onto the ice, bombs did the trick after that."

Ciri scoffed right away as he gently glided ahead of her. "A barbegazi? Not a chance, even Geralt and Vesemir said they have trouble with those!"

He turned back and very impressively back skated, which he always had trouble with when they were younger. She gently glided herself over the ice slowly after him. He crossed his arms and scoffed, smiling the entire time as he looked at her.

"I'm telling the truth! I was… 20, so only two years ago," He said, his messy brown hair blowing to the side, the snow getting caught up in it. "I was up in Kovir, some miners were having trouble with tunnels collapsing, said it was some giant worm, asked me to take care of it."

"Fighting one in a cave or mine is suicide, even for someone like Geralt," Ciri said, an impressed smile coming to her face as she followed him.

"Oh yeah I know, I learned that the hard way, thing nearly killed me the first time around. Had to figure out another way to deal with it, so I improvised," He said with a shrug as he came to a stop in the center of the lake.

Ciri gently skated up to him, the feeling of the ice zipping under her feet flashing her back to all the times that they had done it together. The wind brushed through the loose strands of her ashen hair, as she came up in front of him. It felt like they were children again for a moment, as she reached up and wrapped her arms around him, smiling as right away she felt his arms wrap around her waist, the small bit of sun coming through the clouds still casting that handsome glow over him.

She smirked and looked up at him. "So, I take it 'improvising' was something you had to do often on the Path?"

He scoffed and smiled. "Oh yeah, all the time. I don't have mutations, so the 'brute strength' option that Geralt and some others use normally didn't work for me. I had to find other ways to deal with monsters, bombs, oils, traps."

"So how'd you end up getting the barbegazi?" She asked curiously.

A smirk came to his face before he sighed, the smile staying there as he held her. "Covered myself in blood, guts, other things it likes. Tossed a few bombs in its hole and ran like hell."

"Mhm… and the impenetrable shell that no sword could pierce?" She said, holding him and being careful to keep her balance as they held each other.

"Knew I couldn't pierce it," He said, before smirking and looking down at their feet. "But… there was a frozen lake not far from the mine. Blew the bombs, ran like hell, got skates on, and well… let's just say the ice wasn't thick enough to support it."

Ciri scoffed, the smile staying plastered as she looked at him. "Dominik that's brilliant. The ice didn't collapse under you?"

"Oh it did, like right away," He said amusingly, before looking deep into her eyes and smiling fondly at her. "Crack came right between me and the bank, but… I remembered you teaching me how to distribute my weight, what foot to land on when I jump…. Managed to get over."

Her face got hot as his handsome gaze bore into her. That smile, it had been something she missed more than most things in the years she spent alone. The fact that even small things like skating she had taught him had helped keep him alive, just like things he taught her had kept her alive, it was a way of keeping him with her.

She smiled and laughed. "Ha… and how'd you get the trophy?"

He shrugged. "Some of the miners saw me, got paid a good amount for it. A lot of things you taught me saved me over the years."

"The same goes for you," She said quickly, not letting go of his neck. "Just a few weeks ago, when I got lost with Gretka in Crookback Bog, I remembered what you taught me about Polaris."

"The north star," He said fondly, smiling at her and nodded. "Mother used to say, if you find Polaris-."

"You can always find your way home," She said softly, running a hand through his hair after too much snow had caught up on it, not taking her smile away from him. "Looks like we've been saving each other for much longer than we thought."

"Basically since I met you…. Have… I told you how much I missed you yet?" He said innocently.

She laughed and nodded. "Ha… yes… yes you did… and I missed you too…. You know, I… told Fiona, that I think… the time alone made us stronger in a way."

"It did," He said, a shiver running down her spine as his thumb gently trailed over her scar, his handsome smile not leaving her. "Because I went through those eight years without you… well I know I can do just about anything now."

"You're sweet… I feel the same. I missed those compliments of yours…"

"Which ones?"

"All of them," She said cheekily, smirking at him. "Your eyes light up, you get this cute look on your face, you get all red… and you'll give me an over the top compliment."

He scoffed, his lips getting closer to hers. "Oh yeah? Like when I used to call you the most beautiful, amazing, bravest girl in the world?"

"Yes… just like that," She said, her eyes closing as she kissed him.

In the middle of the lake they stayed like that for a few moments. Her cold chapped lips got warmer as his gently moved over hers. It was the same thing that always happened when he kissed her. Pleasant tingles ran down her neck, through her stomach, her arms, her legs. It was slow, passionate, and like every time he kissed her, he put everything he could into it. She could feel how much that moment meant to him. He smiled into her lips and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms tight around her waist.

She scoffed a laugh into his lips and wrapped tighter around his neck as he attacked her lips again. For a moment they were both children out on the lake outside Kaer Morhen again. It had been one of their favorite places to sneak off in the winter on days they weren't training. She had originally taught him to skate in Cintra, but in Kaer Morhen they had gone out even more. It was just like the moment they were having then; she'd lead him on shaky legs out to the center, and they'd simply glide with one another, kissing and holding each other. She would never forget the second time they kissed, after she had the first time near the pendulums. That first kiss had been sloppy, he was nervous beyond belief like she had been, however those two minutes or so they kissed after that she would never forget.

After that was when they began 'dating', and the trips sneaking out of bed and out of the castle picked up. Some of her favorite times had been in the winter, out on that frozen lake, just like that moment then was high up on her list of moments she'd love since they had been back. She truly was beginning to believe she'd smiled more in the last month then she had in the last eight years combined. She didn't find herself wondering about the what if's as she kissed him then, only on the fact that she was in his arms, that she was there, and their life would soon begin, and the rest of their lives would be what they always dreamed.

However, first they needed to make it past the first two days. Buzzing like a young girl she gently pulled back from his lips her own tingling.

She scoffed a small laugh as she looked up at him, her arms still around his neck. "So… what was it you wanted to ask Anton about? Oh, and what about Crach, did you tell him-."

"Ciri," He said, cutting her off with a smile.

A small nervous laugh left her as she looked at him. "Yes…."

He leaned down and kissed her again, his one hand cupping her scared cheek. "I don't want to worry about any of that right now…. I just want to focus on you, on us."

Ciri melted into his arms as she not red and laughed.

"Ha… you suck up…" She said, leaning and kissing him this time, slowly pulling back and meeting his eyes. "That was really sweet… thank you…"

He smiled and got all flustered, his face getting beat red as he nervously chuckled. "Ha… thank… thank um… thanks for-."

"AHA, gods, I love it when you get like that," She said, leaning forward and pressing another kiss to his lips, before pushing away from him. "Come on handsome, show me some of those moves that have help you slay beasts most foul!"

She back skate away from him, gliding perfectly, as he laughed and did the same, getting a distance away from her. That look on his face, the enthusiastic smile, that loving gaze as he glided and looked at her, it was worth every single bad thing that had happened to her.

"Alright princess check this out! Picked this up a few years ago!" He said excitedly, skating towards her and speeding past.

She laughed as his blowing past her blew her strands of hair. With an impressed look, the snow still gently falling as he performed a series of very impressive moves. He spun and leapt, landing gracefully on his feet. She simply watched, knowing that even if he was surprisingly nimble she could still skate circles around him. However, she still impressed as he zipped past her again and spun before back skating past and winking at her.

Scoffing a laugh Ciri finally took off on her own skates. The lake was large, with a small range of hills jutting out over one side, but the banks all around the rest. The route they had come from Kaer Trolde led down on another path while forests surrounded the rest. Snow gathered up on the banks, catching up on her scarf, and in her hair as she zoomed past him, leaving him completely in the dust as she spun and skated backwards while looking at him.

"Well well well, all those years of practice and you still can't catch up with me!" She said, smirking and laugh after she saw him roll his eyes and speed up.

She slowed down and let him catch up, he tried to catch her, pick her up, but with a quick spin and leapt she got out of his way and laughed again.

"Haha, where did you even go to practice?" She said, looking at him as she skated backwards with him following her. "Find it hard to believe you had time just to practice skating."

He finally caught up to her and seemed slight annoyed she was just as fast skating backwards as he was skating forward as they both turned and glided back towards the center.

Dominik however, managed a smile as they approach the center of the lake again. "In Ellander. You see… every year after you went missing, around your birthday I'd go spend time there… you know… be in the last spot we were together. Skated out on the lake each time."

She broke with the heel of her skate, ice shooting up from her foot. Her stomach tingled, her skin grew warm, as a new crimson red color came to her cheeks. She hadn't done anything like that for him, she had been so busy running that all she could do was hold and look at the ring during the night. She had thought about him through it all, the Rats, the Arena, Tir'Nala, Stygga Castle. Each night she wondered what he was doing, a part of her thought that he was with Geralt looking for her, but at Stygga she had learned he had gone to look for her himself, not stopping for a single day. Dominik told her how much he regretted it, regretted leaving Geralt and not being at Stygga.

However, she had still found the fact he had gone by himself, walked the path of a witcher by himself for eight years alone, just to look for her. He had done all of that for her, gone through all that hell for her, and while he thought it was foolish, Ciri found it as another way he showed his love for her.

She stopped in the center of the lake again as he gliding towards her, he came a blistering pace, skating faster than she had seen him.

"Woah easy princess!" He yelled, as he broke with the heel of his skate as well, but he always did have trouble stopping when he was young.

"Easy!" Ciri laughed, grabbing him as he yelled and almost fell past her.

She grabbed onto his arm and whirled him back around, the ice from beneath their skates shooting up at them both.

"GAHH!" He yelled, as she yanked him back up just before he could hit the ground, she pulled on his arm and regain his balance.

He came up and breath a sigh of relief, looking at her and smiling, and Ciri laugh, seeing him out of breath, red and embarrassed. He had a handsome face, sharp jaw, high cheekbones, and of course those gorgeous eyes. However, in that moment she smiled, her heart thumping beneath her breasts as when she looked at him, she could practically see them both as kids.

She thought about him going to Ellander every year, skating on that beautiful frozen lake alone, like they used to do together. She could see him holding the swallow, looking at it as he glided along the ice, each year not seeing her, but still holding out that hope to find her, not giving up on her. Each year he grew, and each year he didn't see her again and again. Now, they were there together, there together on the ice, and Ciri could still see that goofy boy she had fallen in love with back then.

She bit her lip, nervously shaking her head at him, her lips inches from his again. "Dominik that… that's incredibly sweet I… I had no idea that-. Haha hey stop put me down!"

He reached under her legs and picked her up, smirking wildly at her the whole time.

"Ha, Dominik! Stop put me down, you can barely stop yourself let alone with- AHH!" She said, laughing, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck as he took off.

"Hold on princess! Better hang on tight, or I may drop you!" He said, skating and spinning with her in his arms.

She laughed, feeling the cold wind hit up against her face, banging on his back with her gloved fists her heart racing.

"Ha, but I thought you promised you'd never let me go!" She said, smirking at him as he went around with her in another large circle.

He came breaking to a stop, out of breath as he smirked at her in his arms. "And I won't… it's like I've told you before princess, you're stuck with me, hope don't mind."

Ciri bit her lip, her hand resting on his chest as he held her like a bride in his arms, the snow gently falling over them both. She leaned her lips and gently kissed his holding her one hand over his scarred cheek.

"Well… I think I can tolerate you for a bit longer," She said slowly, smirking as she met his eyes. "Under… one condition that is."

"Oh yeah?" He said cheekily his lips inches from hers as he smiled handsomely at her. "What would that be milady?"

Biting her lip again, she took in the handsome look on his face. She loved it when he had that look on his face. When she teased him, gently held her hands near his trousers or made jokes he'd always get that goofy look on his face, get all flustered, and she assumed that no matter how old they got he'd always do that.

However, when he got the smile he had no on his face she loved it as well. She gently leaned forward and pecked his lips again, holding her hands around his neck as she pulled her lips up to his ear.

"Only if… you be my date to the feast at Kaer Trolde later," She said, as right away he scoffed and nodded.

"Of course milady I'd be honored," He said softly, his lips coming up to kiss her, but Ciri pulled back, smirking as she looked into his eyes a suggestive look to her own.

"Oh no mister, that's not the only stipulation," She said softly again.

A small laughed left him. "Oh yeah… what else is there?"

She leaned in and kissed him deeply, pressing her lips onto his with as much force as she could muster. Gently she pulled her lips back from him letting them linger together for as long as they could. Every minute sent a tingle down her stomach, through her neck, chest, her core and legs as he gripped under her thighs while he held her.

Carefully she leaned and whispered in his ear. "Me and you take a bath, a long one, and I get to pick the wine this time."

A part of her expected him to get flustered, stutter over his words, it was adorable when that happened. However, she was shocked when a small moan left her after he gently kissed the side of her neck, before letting her gently down to her skates.

He kept a hold of her and kissed her again on the lips. "I think that can be arranged… can I get a preview of what you're picking?"

"Kaedweny? Like we tried to steal at Kaer Morhen, not very strong, so maybe you won't get drunk as fast," She said, her hands gently traveling down to rest on the chest of his armor.

A smirk came to him as he scoffed. "You kidding? I won't drink enough to get drunk… I wouldn't wanna forget tonight now would I?"

She lightly laughed, smiling as her stomach heated up, leaning her lips close to his again. "No… I don't think you will, we have a long few days ahead of us… we may as well make this night last right?"

"Ha, that we should princess," He said, leaning down and kissing her before he pulled back and smiled at her. "Let's make tonight last like you said. I… actually had something important I wanted to ask you."

She gently pulled his arm and they carefully glided across the ice together. Ciri looked up at him as he continued smiling at her and nodded.

"Of course, what is it?" She said, as they gently went around in a circle.

He sighed and looked down at her as they pulled to a stop. "Well… I _think _I have a full plan now… you know, from what you suggested about Bella."

Her eyes widened, a smile coming to her face. "Dom that's brilliant, what do you need from me, you know I'll always be there for you, and for Bella too."

He leaned down and pecked her lips with a smile. "Thanks princess…. I wanted to go back to the village on Undvik I saw. And with Anton's help… I know exactly what dream I want to try and send her now. I… I think I can find something in Alexander's journal to help. I… wanted to know if you, Geralt and Yen would go with me…"

Ciri smiled, eagerly nodding. "Of course i will, and I know they will too. Dominik this is perfect, it's going to work, I know it is."

Pulling her close he smiled. "Thanks princess, if… if I can just show her, get the dream to her then… then maybe it'll be different at the battle."

She knew that was what he wanted the most. He wanted to try and get through to Bella like he almost had in the forest. If she could talk to Bella herself, tell her how sorry she was, tell her how she'd do anything to make it right she would. However, she didn't think she would last more than a few minutes without Bella trying to kill her. Dominik had assured her, promised her Bella wouldn't, not matter how much she claimed she would.

However, as much as Ciri wanted to believe him, she had seen that Bella and Dominik were similar in many ways other than just their appearance.

Both of them had trouble controlling their powers, the powers they had gotten from Alexander. She had seen what Dominik could do, how much power he could unleash upon his enemies and upon himself if he didn't properly control his emotions when those powers unleashed. When he was angry, when his emotions were erratic and all over the place, so was his magic. His power had almost unleashed on Avallac'h a few days prior, and it would have caused damage to much more than just the sage if it had. Other times as well, during Kaer Morhen, in Claywitch, and she was sure that other times when she wasn't around, his powers had gone erratic and helped him fight yes, but also almost killed him.

Luckily for Dominik, Ciri had been there to calm him, help him gain control of his emotions before he could kill Avallac'h. Also at Claywitch, he had her and Fiona there, so he was able to calm himself with them both around him. Other times as well, he had the likes of her, Geralt, Yennefer, Triss, their friends all to help calm him, help him regain control of his emotions.

Bella also had trouble controlling her powers, she had powers just as great as Dominik did. At first Ciri had thought that Bella could possibly have more control, more power then him. However, she had concluded, that they both possessed the same amount of power. That night in the forest she had seen it erratically unleash from them both, almost killing them that night. However, Dominik had come out on top for one simple reason.

Because Ciri was there, and he gained control of his emotions as his power unleashed. Dominik had people around him to calm him, to help him gain control of his emotions, who cared about him and didn't wish to see his powers kill him. Herself, Geralt, Yen, his friends, they all worked to help him better control his power, his emotions, and as a result, Dominik was getting closer to having full, true control over the power from Alexander.

Bella however, had none of that. She was surrounded by ones who only wished to get the most power out of her. Eredin and the Hunt only cared about how much power Bella would unleash, and with Bella's anger, resentment, feelings of being alone and thirst for someone to blame for her misfortunes on it made her extremely powerful. However, that power that came from Bella when her emotions were that frantic, Ciri had seen what it did to Dominik. The power would eventually kill her, burn her out and leave her exposed and easily vulnerable.

Dominik had Ciri and their family, teaching him to control his powers, keep calm so that the powers didn't kill him. Bella, meanwhile, had people who only cared about how much power they could squeeze out of her, and eventually it would kill her.

But her and Dominik would never let that happen, they weren't.

She leaned up and smiled at him, wiping some of the snow from his hair. "It will… we're going to get her back. We won't let anything happen to her… and Eredin's going to pay for it."

He smiled and gently stroke his thumb along her scar. "We will… thanks princess…. So, was there anything else that you wanted to do? To prepare for the fight. Or do you want to just laze around, eat chocolate, drink wine and have sex for the next few days?"

Ciri scoffed a laughed leaning against his chest as they did together. She smiled and looked up at him again, her face slightly red as she slowly stopped. Quickly at his words she remembered Avallach's lab and nodded.

"As lovely as that sounds, I actually did have something I wanted to do," She told him, gently moving from him and holding her hands on her hips as she looked at him. "You may actually like it, I wanted to-."

She was cut off by a loud ***WHOOSH* **of wind blowing past her, knocking her off balance as Dominik quickly caught her. A particularly cold chill went up her spine as the wind howled, and they both looked around them, a thicker white fog had rolled in over the frozen lake, and after regaining her balance she surveyed around the lake, barely able to see a thing other then the faint outline of the bank.

"Woah… seems like a decent storms rolling in," Dominik said as he held onto her.

Ciri scoffed and nodded, looking up at him. "You're right, we should probably head back, besides, I think the feast should be starting soon anyway, and we have a date."

She smirked up at him and Dominik smiled at her. He laughed and nodded, leaning down and kissing her cheek, his skates raking against the ice as he backed up, the smile not leaving his face.

"Ha wouldn't miss it for the world," He said, back skating again as he laughed. "Ha, one more spin, check this out princess I finally got that pirouette on one foot you taught me down!"

She scoffed a laugh and rolled her eyes with a smile. "Dominik come on! Show me later, we need to-wait!"

He skated off and leapt before she could catch him, a smirk coming to her face as she listened to him laughed, his skates scraping against the ice. She knew that they needed to leave, however she was impressed with a double pirouette he did, before landing and gliding further off into he fog. Scoffing as she watched his outline skate in the fog she slowly clapped her hands.

"Ha, very nice indeed, a double pirouette? You've almost caught up to me," She said, as the sound of him laughing got more distance as she skated towards his silhouette. "You may need to drop a few pounds before you get a triple! Dominik! Dom, come on come back, we need to leave!"

She didn't hear him laughing anymore, and she pulled up on her skates, as another intense breeze hit her face. It almost knocked her off balance, a gust of snow blasting through her hair, even knocking her bun loose. Her ashen locks fell down her shoulders, and she shivered as she reached her gloved hands up to tie her hair back into its bun. Her eyes narrowed in the mist around her as the wind slowly came to a speed in which she could easily balance herself. Gently her skates glided beneath her as she narrowed her eyes into the fog around her. The silence was as dense as solid earth. Ciri couldn't see his silhouette, his outline, hear his voice, not even distantly as the fog began to get thicker and thick around her, to where she could almost hardly see her hands in front of her.

The ice built up around the tips of her ears, as she gently skated into the white fog, unable to even see where the banks of the frozen lake were. The snow started coming down quicker, the howling wind picked up and for a moment she skated and spun in place, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest she could hear it over the wind.

"Dom! Dominik! Dom, this isn't funny where's you go!" She yelled, as all she continued to be able to see was the fog around her. "Dominik! If you can hear me yell or follow my voice! If this is your stupid attempt at a joke I swear…"

Again nothing but wind. Ciri focused every bit of her hearing, the hearing she had spent to long training. The cold became more and more intense, as she felt her ears freezing up, going red, but she ignored it and kept herself balanced as she listened.

The fog, the ice, skates, the wind, momentarily by herself, it all flashed her back.

"You've been in this situation before…." She said slowly to herself, shaking her head as she closed her eyes and focused her hearing past the howling wind. "Come on… come Ciri…"

She could practically feel her ears unlocking as the wind gushed into them. She focused past the howling for any signs of any type of movement. Her skates stayed still; her balance impeccable as it always was. Her hair gently blew as the wind seemed to finally die down, but the fog kept up. She remembered all the lessons; she and Dominik had been in to fine tune their hearing. That lesson with Eskel had been one of the most bizarre she had ever been in, however, looking back on it now it was invaluable.

Eskel had taken her and Dominik both into the mountains, and simply had them meditate. She knew of course mutated witchers could mediate for hours at a time without needing to move, however a twelve-year-old Ciri and Dominik couldn't exactly do that very well, they had trouble even staying still for a few minutes. However, Eskel had drilled it into them, had them sit, mediate, focus on the sounds of the forest, the different animals, the birds, the wolves, foxes, and even the screeches of forktails. And then, after a few hours he'd quiz them on which sounds were which. That had been the easy part, after that was when he took blunt arrows, and instructed them to listen for the sound of the arrow whooshing past them and when they did, they'd have to dodge.

It may have seemed harsh, but Ciri had always loved that lesson, and it paid off in the end, in that moment in particular.

"Been through this before… gonna give you once chance to leave," Dominik's distant voice hit her ears. "Stay, and I'll kill you like I did the last two groups… got more important things to worry about then Emhyr…."

"You will address the Emperor-."

"By his full title or not at all, yes the last group said the same thing," Dominik's voice distantly rang again. "God he's like a child, now get out of here… aw shit…"

His voice was followed by the shaving off ice on the ground. She looked up into the fog, and saw a flash of fire, and she knew that no assassin could have launched flames, so she knew had to be Dominik casting Igni. Her mind raced, her skin growing hot as right away she kicked her skates, and nearly fell forward she tried to move so fast.

"DOMINIK!" She screamed out into the fog, trying to follow the blast of fire she saw.

A loud ***CLANG* **rang over the wind, the sounds of a fight, multiple blades ringing, steel on steel as she kicked her legs, reaching up to her own back. Her sword raked from its sheath, as she felt magic beginning to whirl in her, anger churned, her skin prickled as her eyes narrowed.

"CIRI!? CIRI WE GOT A PROBLEM-. FUCK!" Dominik's voice screamed again, before another large blast of fire ripping in the fog, and for a split second she saw clearly as she broke on her skate.

She counted four men, blades all in their hands-on skates of their own. Ciri had no idea how they had found the two of them, but Dominik was stumbling, having trouble catching his balance on the skates again as one glided towards him swinging his longsword horizontally. Dominik, with the steel sword that she had just reforged for him a few days prior, managed to block it but stumbled even more. He fell back down onto the ice, he may have been a good skater in his own right, but the four all started gliding around him, making passes and trying to cut through him.

One came zooming for him, but Dominik shot his hand up, with the proper hand sign a Quen shield popped up around him and the assassin bounced off it with a loud ***BOOM* **getting thrown to the ice and coming towards her, the fog slowly parting around them. The large man's black and yellow armor charred as he spasmed and glided on his back across the ice.

Ciri looked down and could see the insignia on the man's armor, a golden sun.

No, he wasn't going to take him from her, not like he had taken so much else.

She busted forward on her skates, raking her sword down across the ice, across the man's neck and he gurgled blood, the ice below eagerly seeping up the crimson liquid.

"CIRI!?" Dominik yelled, as she stumbled up to his knees, and he turned around just in time to see her skating towards him. A smile came to his face somehow as he scoffed. "HA, you're all in trouble now and-."

"DOWN!" She screamed cutting him off as she felt the magic erupt from her.

The magic spurred her on as she ripped the ice up below her. Dominik obeyed her command right away and fell to this stomach on the ice. She zipped by him just as one of the assassins went to cleave strike at him as he glided by. Ciri slung her blade up and parried and spinning on the toe of one of her skates she cut her blade across the chest of the assailant, right across the sun.

Right away the man's body went limp and fell like a sack to the ice, and Ciri could notice the smallest crack. She came back around, swinging her sword in an arc to push back the last two, as she skated back up to Dominik's side, magic still churning in her eyes and around her limbs as he came up and reached her hand down to him.

"Are you alright!?" She said, as he grabbed her hand before she yanked him to his feet.

She scoffed and shook the snow and ice from his hair, his hand gripping around his sword. "You kidding? That was fucking amazing, thanks for the save princess."

"You're welcome…" She said slowly, her voice dripping with a seething venom as she slowly turned on her skates back to the assassins, his sword pointed out. "And you two… have made a _very _big mistake…"

Dominik wobbly skated up next to her with his own sword leveled. She could tell that he was a bit shaken, he hadn't been expecting a fight, and while he could skate normally, fighting while you did was a whole different skill.

The two men remaining skated a few meters away from them both, swords out. One towered over the other, a black beard and slicked back hair as the fog finally seemed to be passing. She looked down to his armor and saw that golden sun, that fucking golden sun that chased both of them for weeks, that had taken everything from them. Now, even eleven year later, Emhyr wanted to use her as a pawn in his game, use her, take her, after everything he had done. That on in it's own would have driven her to a rage like she experienced now.

Now however, he had tried to kill Dominik, three times now. Emhyr saw Dominik as a blockage to control over her, just like he had Pavetta, and Gregory. However, Emhyr was making a brutal mistake, because no matter who was alive and who wasn't, Ciri would never feel anything but disgust for the degenerate. She had told Fiona in Claywitch, that she used to wake up every day, despised by the fact that man was her father.

And she had, but now she wasn't despised, she was angry.

"We'll have to kill you as well then little girl," The tall gruff one said in response to her threat, his massive broadsword slung out. "The Emperor was clear, any one present with him, is to be killed along-."

"Are you blind you fool!?" The shorter one said, his eyes widening as he leveled his blade and narrowed his eyes at Dominik and her. "This is no ordinary girl! It is the Emperor's daughter, the one he is looking for! We must take-."

"Don't you _dare _call me his daughter," Ciri hissed, her heart rapidly beating and thumping out over the wind as she felt the magic whirling. "That bastard is not my father and he never will be!"

Dominik skated up next to her. "You're gonna pay… Emhyr is going to pay."

The large assassin's eyes widened as he looked to the smaller one. "What do we do!?"

The smaller man looked to Dominik and her, shaking his head again. "Your highness, we will give you one chance to come with us, before we drag you back to his majesty, your father."

"She's not going anywhere," Dominik said coldly, the snow still falling gently and catching in his brown hair as he leveled his sword. "Give you one more chance-."

"No…." Ciri said darkly, cutting him off skating closer to the two men, her sword still dripping the blood of their two comrades as she pointed it at them. "Do… the two of you know… what Emhyr even tried to do to me?"

Ciri's blood ran cold, as she skated forward slowly. Emhyr wasn't going to take anything else from her, let alone Dominik. She had already known Emhyr was sending assassins after him, but to see it, to have been having such a perfect day together, only for it to ruined by the man, never had her blood boiled like it did then. It was another moment he had ruined, and _still _the man thought that she owed him anything, that she would go to him and be her little puppet, come and save him from all the mistakes he made. The thought that someone could be so arrogant, so clueless, it utterly amazed her. How could Emhyr think that after he tried to rape her, had hunted her for years, sent men to capture her all so he _could _rape her and force her to have a child with him.

How could anyone possibly think that after that, she would ever be willing to be in the same room as him again, let alone do something like become Empress for her. She knew that he would lie, give her the bullshit how she could 'help the continent', 'care for the people', it would be a 'gift to her'. If she were empress she'd do what she could to make the world a better place yes. However, she would be miserable the entire time.

Dominik wouldn't be allowed to come with her no matter what he said. There was also the fact that she knew that it was all bullshit. Emhyr didn't care for the continent, only for his own power. He had started two wars, completely unprovoked, only for his own power, because he believed that he was right, that he was entitled to everything. Entitled to her. Now, his deeds were finally catching up to him. Not only did the North hate him, but now even the nobles in Nilfgaard were seeking to depose him, to possibly even kill him. The only way he could survive, still claim that it was him who owned it all, was if he abdicated to Ciri.

So no, he wasn't doing it 'for her, or 'for the good of the continent', he was doing it to save his own arse. No, Ciri wouldn't do that for him. She wouldn't force herself into a life she knew would make her miserable, that she hadn't wanted, had never wanted even when she was young for him. She could do good for the continent as a witcher, right alongside the man she loved and _their _child surprise.

Ciri skated in a circle around the two men, her sword dragging across the ground. Both men seemed to freeze, clearly seeing that Ciri was quicker than her, and more than likely remembering how quickly she had killed their comrades. The sound of her swords tip raking against the ice filled the air, as she slowly skated back in front of them, between them and Dominik.

She looked up at their frightened expressions. "Well!? I asked you a fucking question. Do… you know what Emhyr tried to do to me, his 'daughter'?"

"Ciri…" Dominik said behind her, but she shot him a dark glare.

Dominik shut his mouth right away, staring at her, even managing to bring a small smile to his face as he nodded, just as Ciri turned back to the two assassins. The wind started to howl again, as she pointed her blade back out towards them both.

"Well!? Did he tell you? Did he tell anyone, do you all know?" Ciri said slowly, the words still dripping from her mouth with a venom, as the cold sun started to come out.

Dominik skated up next to her, as the smaller of the assassins, slowly shook his head, his hand wringing out around his blade.

"He did not, but you are his child!" The smaller man said shaking his head as he wobbly balanced on his skates. "It matters not what you want, or what he has done, he is your father our emperor and-."

"He wanted to rape me," Ciri said, her grip on her sword tightening as she narrowed her eyes and leveled the blade at them with magic whirling around her. "He was going to force me to marry him, have a child with him. He burned Cintra to the ground… for that, to do that to me, then chased me for years… did he mention any of that?"

Dominik next to her shifted, as Ciri felt her blood begin to boil. The men clearly had no idea, and the worst part of it all, the tall man didn't seem to be affected. The smaller one stumbled for a moment. Emhyr hadn't told anyone of course, the men there with him, they must have either been killed, shipped off or sworn to secrecy. But no, he still had no remorse for that he had done. Ciri genuinely believed that most people could be redeemed, most actions could be redeemed in due time, if the person felt sorry for it.

However, this was not one of those situations. Emhyr had no remorse, he never would, and what he had done, there would be no redemption, not for the years of horror he had put her and Dominik through.

"He… he did not," The smaller assassin said with a shake of the head, his sword dipping as he looked up to the tall man next to him. "It is best we retreat; we saw how they fight and-."

"I always knew you were a coward, and now you're a traitor as well…" The tall boorish man said, shaking his head as he pointed his sword towards her and Dominik both. "She is clearly lying, if we kill the man, and deliver the Emperor his daughter, the rewards will be immeasurable…"

"You are the fool! You see the power they possess, don't throw away your-." The small one started again, but the tall man snorted, hefting his longsword again.

"They are basically children… I will deal with them and-." The man was cut short by his blood spilling out onto the ice beneath them.

"CIRI!" Dominik yelled, skating to join her, but Ciri had already done the job.

Just as the fog began rolling in again Ciri's eyes slowly faded back to their normal color, the magic disappearing. The man wasn't going to be reasoned with, he had been too dedicated to Emhyr, but now he wouldn't be. He wouldn't be doing much of anything anymore, considering his massive top half had been cut clean in half, his intestines and blood spilling onto the ice, as Ciri's blade dripped more blood beneath them, small cracks starting form under them all.

Dominik came skating up to her side, going around the man's body. When he but a hand on her elbow, her boiling blood simmered like a stew over and open spit. She had been so angry she noticed under her skates there were skid marks from where she had teleported. She hadn't realized her body was shaking, that so much rage was building up in her that a dangerous amount of her powers had almost come out. She had been progressing well in the lessons she did have with Avallac'h, mainly because she knew that the sooner she got them done the sooner she could be rid of the elf, so she had that to thank the sage for at least.

She met Dominik's eyes, and for a moment again all the horrible things flashed in her eyes. Emhyr at Stygga, Skellen chasing her because Emhyr had sent him initially, the sack of Cintra, Cahir chasing after her on Thanedd. For another moment she internally boiled thinking about him even having the gal to think she'd go anywhere near him now. She was angry, angry that the man was so arrogant, so selfish, such a vile person, and it was her father. That despicable human was her father, and now he was going to keep hunting her, and keep trying to kill Dominik, and then eventually perhaps even Fiona.

"Ciri…" Dominik said softly, as she shook and slowly looked up at him. He gave her that small smile and slowly nodded. "Your life is your own… and always will be."

Shakily she sighed, hearing the words she had spoken to Fiona back in Claywitch. She looked up and almost smirked at him, touched that he remembered. Carefully she reached her sword behind her back, and with her hands shaking she had trouble finding the sheath. Dominik skated over to her, gently holding onto her arm and helping her guide the blood sword back into place.

His touched soothed her again, it warmed her, but not in the blood boiling way that it had when she was angry. When Dominik touched her, held onto her arm as it normally did, it sent a warm, calming tingle up her arm. She shakily sighed again, looking up and slowly nodded at him.

"Thank you…" She said, realizing that her anger was fruitless.

Her life was her own, Emhyr couldn't change that, nobody could. Her life was her own, and she already knew what she wanted to do with it. She had decided when she was eleven years old in Cintra.

"You're welcome…" He said gently removing his hand from her and smiling at her one more time before looking past her again, his eyes narrowing. "And you… well like Ciri said, you made a _very _bad mistake in coming here…."

"Please! Please I will leave, I will leave, and you will never see me again!" The scared final assassin wailed in her ears, as Ciri slowly turned on her skates.

The man seemed absolutely terrified as he had fallen onto his backside next to his former colleagues severed upper half. Seeing the golden sun on the cowering man's armor sent her into a state of rage again, as she followed Dominik, who still had his blade in hand skated towards him. As they did, the tried to back up, whimpering the whole time as with each little movement Ciri saw the ice beneath him crack.

Dominik scoffed as the man finally stopped. The tip of Dominik's steel glinted in the setting sun as the wind howled Ciri's scarf sending more shivers up her spine. It was yet another romantic, brilliant day that Dominik and she were having that had been ruined. So many times the previous few weeks they had tried, only to be accosted by their friends, Geralt or Yen. They loved them all of course, but after eight years of not seeing one another, they yearned for more time alone like they had been only a few minutes prior.

Now they were both covered in splatters of blood, and Ciri's blood boiled. She needed that bed, and the feast back at Kaer Trolde, but the man was in the way of that again.

Dominik narrowed his eyes at the man, his steel at the assassin's throat. "If we let you go you're going to run right to Emhyr like a good little dog, we aren't stupid. Even if he knows Ciri's in Skellige with us, not a chance I'm letting him know where she is."

The man's eyes widened as he shook his head again. "No! I will not report back, please, please I swear to you both, I will never say a word of what I've seen of you! I will run off, abandon the army, please! Please just don't kill me-."

"Easy!" Ciri snapped, as she saw the man about to crack the ice. "You snivel anymore, and you'll crack the ice beneath us….. Dominik's right, I'm not going to let that degenerate know where I am."

The assassin looked down, and carefully moved to all fours at a snail's pace. He slowly looked up at Dominik and she both, desperation in his eyes.

"Please… please spare me… I have a fiancée… a family," He said desperately shaking his head again, small tears coming from his eyes as he looked at them. "I… I'm not even from Nilfgaard! I'm from Vicovaro!"

Ciri's eyes widened at hearing the name, but it was nothing compared to Dominik who fumbled his blade. Vicovaro. That had been not only where Cahir was from, but their friend Declan, the one who had saved them both, the man who she knew Dominik still felt guilty about dying. Ciri looked and met his eyes, Dominik looked at her his breath shaky.

He turned his eyes back to the assassin. "Vicovaro? Still under the Empire's boot! You're still loyal to Emhyr, and I won't let that slide…"

"Please! I am loyal to my fiancée, my family, I joined the army for them," The man said, holding both hands together as he slowly looked to Ciri. "And… and if what you say is true… I will not serve a man who has committed such acts…. Please… spare my life, and I will leave, head straight for Vicovaro to find my fiancée and family… and we will leave Imperial lands for good."

Dominik's grip on his sword tightened as the tip got closer to the man's neck. Ciri could see the conflict in his eyes. She knew that he had been trying to control his emotions. She knew a large part of him wanted to kill the whimpering man then in front of him. The one thing that she knew Dominik hated above all else, even Avallac'h, was Nilfgaard. Ciri had lost everything to them at Cintra yes, and Dominik always argued with her about it when she said it, but she knew it was true. Dominik had experienced much worse in Cintra then she had.

Ciri had been locked in the castle and snuck through the secret exit into the streets. Dominik had been in the streets, had seen his mother, sister and father all killed in front of him. Later he learned that Emhyr had ordered his families deaths, Ciri knew his hatreds for the Black Ones would never go away, his hatred for Emhyr would never go away.

However, the man had thrown Dominik for a loop when he said he was from Vicovaro, making him think of Declan. She saw the conflict in him as he slowly looked up to her.

"It's your call princess…" He said slowly, making the man whimper even more.

Ciri slowly turned her eyes down towards the man. "What's your name…"

"Christopher…." The man said quickly, looking directly into Ciri's eyes now, his beady brown eye baring into her with desperation. "Please… please… I… I just wish to see my fiancée again, my parents again…"

The man couldn't have been that much older than her and Dominik, mid-twenties to perhaps thirty. She wanted to kill him; she saw the small man begging before her as Dominik's blade stayed near her throat. Her fists curled as she looked to Dominik, who gave her a reassuring nod. She knew he was deferring to her because he wanted to spare the man. Christopher below them was unarmed, terrified, and begging to go back to the ones he loved, get back to them, just like Dominik and she had done. Ciri didn't know if she'd ever see Dominik offering mercy to a Nilfgaardean again, however, she knew it had more to do with Declan then anything.

Every part of her was screaming to have Dominik do it, to have her end the man who had initially come to kill him and take her. The man had served Emhyr, wanted to deliver her to him so that Emhyr could control her and do who knows what else. She was surprised to see herself in a position like that again. In that moment, it had felt like yesterday she was by herself, on the ice, in the fog, Rience, Skellen and their band on her heels.

She had picked them off one by one, blood staining the ice as it did then. Ciri could see Rience, begging for mercy as he almost drowned under the water. He begged, pleaded for his life. However, Ciri had mocked him, and she could remember her skates turning red as she skated across his fingers to let him fall to his death into the icy murk. Christopher below her now hadn't done nearly the things Rience had done, and the man wasn't begging for his own life, only the chance to see his loved ones again.

Ciri could never regret what she did to Rience, the man deserved it and she was glad she could end him. However, what she did regret, was the coldness at which she had done it. She had done so many things she regretted, things that didn't reflect the person she truly wanted to be. The Rats, the men and women she'd robbed and killed, so many things ran through her mind in that moment she regretted. Her eyes slowly met Dominik's, and he slowly nodded at her, a small prideful smile coming to his face when just as always, he knew what she was thinking without her even saying anything.

However, she would make sure of one thing.

"You can go…" She said slowly, turning back down to face the man.

Right away, Christopher's eyes widened as he bowed on his knees. "Thank you! Gods bless the both of you, I swear you won't-."

"Under one condition," Ciri cut him off, her voice dangerously low again as she kneeled on her skates to meet the man's eyes.

"An…anything! Anything I swear!" He said, as Dominik's sword slowly left from near his neck.

Ciri narrowed her eyes, her hand slowly reached to the ring around her neck. She heard the screams for a moment, the screams from Cintra that night. Never in her life did she think she would ever think of it so much again, as her and Dominik both tried to forget as much as they could. She had tried to run from her past, wanting to forget the bad bits, and focus on the good bits.

However, the only way to be able to live with the bad bits, was to learn to accept them, that they happened, and face the consequences of them head on.

"On your way back to Vicovaro, I want you to tell everyone you come across," Ciri said, looking and meeting the man's eyes again as Dominik skated behind her. "Every guardsman, every passing traveler, your fiancée, your family. Tell them all… tell them all what their 'precious emperor' tried to do to his daughter… and why he's started two wars."

"Got it!?" Dominik said to reaffirm her point as he slid his steel onto his back.

Christopher slowly nodded, getting up to his skates. The sun was setting, and she knew it would be dark within the next few minutes. She was cold, agitated, hungry, angry, and looking at Dominik then, his handsome, scarred face, all she wanted was a night with him by a fire, just like they had promised. However, nothing could ever come easy for the two of them, with their attempts now repeatedly foiled. Soon it would be over, this journey would be over, and the new one would give them plenty opportunity to make up for lost time.

After navigating around the bloody corpse next to him, and balancing himself, Christopher looked to them both, and to Ciri's surprise bowed.

"I will do this… I swear it," The man said slowly, a grim smile coming to him as he nodded to Dominik and her both. "Thank you both… for my life."

Ciri shook her head. "Go now, get out before I change my mind."

Christopher didn't seem to mind her coldness. Dominik nodded in agreement with her, and within seconds, the assassin rode off. Dominik and she had really let a man who had come to kill him skate off.

She was truly beginning to think the entire quest was making them both insane.

The wind howled again, as the sun continued to descend beyond the mountains. One thing Ciri hadn't missed in Skellige was how truly freezing the nights got. It was normally offset by the warmness of the fires in Kaer Trolde. As the wind blew she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, one hand going around the ring, and it wasn't long before Dominik came up behind her.

His large, warm armored arms wrapped around her from behind, and Ciri shakily sighed as she melted into him. No matter what happened that day, the next few days, with the battle, with Emhyr, she had him there. He was normally the one to say it to her, but she thought it as well. After so long apart, missing him, yearning for the moment she was having then, his arms around her, she sometimes thought she was in a sick, twisted dream. She turned around and wrapped her arms around him, he quickly did the same, warming her to the bones as she shakily sighed and tried to keep back tears. All she had wanted for so long was to be back with them all, just like when they were in Ellander as kids.

Now she had that. It wasn't a dream, a cruel trick. She looked up into Dominik's eyes then, and he was real. His eyes were on thing that hadn't changed, they were still as handsome as ever, and they still lit up whenever he looked at her.

He looked at her like she was the most special person in the world.

"Thanks again for the save princess…" He said, slowly smiled as he pulled back from her, his hands staying wrapped around her waist as they balanced on the ice. "Skating is one thing, fighting and skating at the same time? Well that's different. Can't believe he-."

She cut him off by kissing him, a proper deep, passionate, loving kiss in which she pulled him closer to her. He was taken aback for a moment, but kissed her back with equal vigor, his hands pulling tightly on her waist, she even laughed into his lips when he grabbed her ass for a moment. It sent tingles up her core, her stomach, her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she finally pulled back, looking at him the entire time.

"Dominik… we're going to have a lot to do the next few days," She said slowly, the tingle from his lips still present on hers.

He scoffed lightly and nodded. "That's very true… what do you say we get back to our night huh? I love Cerys, Crach, Anton and Hjalmar of course but… what do you say we leave that feast a little early? Take a bottle of wine up earlier for that bath?"

Ciri had wanted that, and him for longer then she could possibly describe.

"That sounds lovely," She said softly, leaning up and quickly kissing him again, smiling as she pulled back. "Come on you stupid boy, tell me more about this barbegazi on the way back."

He scoffed and bit his lip with a nod. Ciri went to skate away but laughed when she felt him gently smack her ass and pulled her back into his arms. He spun her for a moment, and she laughed the entire time before he pulled her close again. Her eyes were dizzy for a moment, but Ciri soon saw his face clearly, laughing as he smiled before leaning in and kissing her again.

She cupped his face, kissing him again, before he gently pulled back and smiled at her.

"I love it when you laugh… makes everything worth it," He said, as he laughed at her blushing face. Quickly he leaned and kissed her scarred left cheek. "Come on princess, let's get going before the real cold hits."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The bathes had been just as big as Ciri remembered, as she gently, slowly rubbed the soap and water down her arms, her legs, over her bare breasts. It warmed her to the point where she sighed in relief and leaned her arms and head back in the tub itself. She had of course bathed the previous few weeks with Dominik, however as she currently sat in the large bath by herself she couldn't help but feel complete bliss. She wanted Dominik to finish up his talk with Anton and join her of course, but for the moment she enjoyed the heat, warmth and silence alone.

Just like they had agreed out on the lake, they had left the feast earlier then they had initially planned. Neither of them had drank much, or talked much for that matter, simply sitting, eating and enjoying the company of the friends that they had around them. Cerys had given a rousing speech to follow her father and Hjalmar about the coming battle while introducing Sir Anton their new ally to the men that had gathered. Cerys decreed that together they would beat back the Black Ones _and _the Wild Hunt. After this was when the true party began, Hjalmar and his men had seemed to get along splendidly with Anton's knights.

Dominik and she both had spent most of the time speaking with Anton, listening to the old stories the knight remembered from when they were both kids. It shell shocked her for a few moments remembering those old times. Dominik and she both, they had been so happy in Cintra. Ciri of course had spent most of her first ten years in the palace miserable. She loved coming to Skellige, when Gregory would help sneak her out, and she did love her grandmother with everything she had. However, being the princess, the royal duties, the people coming to her and treating her like she was nothing but that, a princess, no, it wasn't the life she wanted.

However, when she had met Dominik, that was when things changed. She finally had someone who loved her, and played with her, because she was herself, not just because she was the princess. They had spent a year together, almost every single day, and she had loved every single minute of it.

She moved in the water, taking in the beautiful smell of lavender that she had infused the water with. The crackling fire lit their room, a large one with a four-poster bed. Silk sheets and pillows, a large bath, plenty of sweet-smelling candles, combined with the bowl of bread, and other fruit she had brought up with her. Dominik had said he needed to speak with Anton more, and Ermion as well who had come back to Kaer Trolde during the feast. Ciri had been completely knackered, so she had gotten up to their room, stripped off her clothes and had gotten into the steaming bath that already had been prepared for them both. She was going to make it a point to thank Cerys when she could, she had truly done a lot for them, and the warm water seeping into her bare skin then was more relaxing then anything she had done in quite some time.

Her clothes and her sword were all tucked away, and she sighed as heard the door click.

"Well well, couldn't have waited?" Dominik said cheekily, as she turned around to see him smiling in the doorway. "You seem comfortable."

She scoffed as she turned to him. "Be more comfortable if you were in here, come on get your clothes off."

"Well as you know your wish is my command," He said, the smirk growing on his face as he pulled the bottle of wine out from behind his back. "Kaedweny?"

"Absolutely," She said fondly, sitting up above the water as she smiled back at him, seeing that he was staring at her. "And what exactly are you staring at mister?"

His face was red, and he had that loving smile she loved seeing. He looked up and down her naked body, and Ciri's own face got red as she saw the look of disbelief in his eyes. She noticed when she was naked in front of him he looked like that each time. The first night they had made love, the previous night, even the times before that he had seen her like that. Ciri had no idea how much emotion a person could omit, could make her feel simply by how they looked at her.

That was one of the things she missed most about him, she simply had missed how he looked at her.

"Gods… Ciri have… I told you how beautiful you are?" He said, a bit of cheekiness to him as he walked to the edge of the tub.

She was on her knees in the water, looking up at him as she blushed and smiled. He looked down at her, and with the water dripped from her body, she held onto his arm, leaning up and kissing him. The two of them both smiled and laughed as they kissed, her lower half still in the water as she felt his bare hand hold onto the small of her back. She shuddered for a moment, smiling into his lips as she pulled back from him.

"You have… a lot, thank you," She said softly, before smirking at him and slowly sinking back into the water and leaning against the wall of the tub. "Now come on! You're not seriously going to let me stay in this bath alone are you?"

After a moment of being flustered by the kiss she gave him, he scoffed and nodded. "Wouldn't dream of it, hope you don't mind, but I don't smell very pleasant right now."

"I've dealt with it for weeks," Ciri said with a roll of her eyes, playfully smirking at him. "Come on, I'll even clean you myself if I have to you stupid boy."

"Had a dream about that one time," He said cheekily, smirking at her as he walked over towards the large dresser where she had put her own clothes.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You did now? And when was this?"

"Can't remember exactly when," He said, pulling off the top of his armor, revealing the sweaty top beneath it as he looked back to her. "But it involved us, a bath, and wine, a lot like right now."

"You have those kinds of dreams often?" She asked, rubbing the soapy water across her breasts.

"Now and then yeah…" He said slowly, turning to smirk at her just as he pulled off his shirt. "You didn't?"

Just like he did with her, Ciri bit her lip, her face turning red as she saw his bare chest, his torso, his arms, the only things left covering him being his trousers. She looked at the two large scars on his chest, his defined, large, toned chest that Ciri was becoming fond of resting her head on while they slept. She also had found herself fond of simply running her hands along his stomach, arms, everywhere really. It was hard for her to believe at times the man before her was that goofy boy she had a crush on before falling in love with back at Cintra and Kaer Morhen.

He had been fit then too of course, but the man he had grown into, to Ciri she knew she wouldn't find anyone who she ever thought as gorgeous. She could remember first seeing him that night in Cintra, how handsome she thought she was then. Of course Ciri had known he was Gregory's son, and that Dominik looked like his father. However, she would never forget how flustered she had initially got when he came out onto the balcony. She would never admit it to him, but she had been shaking and nervous the entire time she talked to him, despite the confidence that she had appeared to have.

She remembered in Cintra, and even for their first bit of time at Kaer Morhen she wasn't sure if Dominik had felt the same for her as she did for him. She could remember long nights staying up and thinking about the matter, and if her grandmother would ever possibly let her be with him. Calanthe had adored Dominik of course, but marriage was an entirely different thing, Ciri had been betrothed to a few different young boys in her early years, however it was always strange to her that in the year she had known Dominik, the topic seemed to be dropped completely by her grandmother.

Either way, now she was as he ran a hand through his messy hair, smiling at her the entire time, waiting or the answer to his question, and the answer was obvious yet Ciri still blushed.

"I have yes, multiple times," She admitted, making him smirk even more before she rolled her eyes and looked at him. "Now, if you would please get in the bath so we can make those dreams a reality, I would be much appreciated."

"Impatient are we?" He said playfully, pulling his trousers off and walking towards the tub again.

"Very much so, it's been a long day," She said honestly, smirking as he pulled a table to the edge of the tub with two cups on it. Smiling Ciri met his eyes as he poured wine. "And we have a very long few days ahead of us, so a bath, wine, and sex with the man I love after a romantic evening seems a bit deserved."

He smiled at her and handed her the cup of wine in his hands. "It is deserved for you… but what about me?"

She bit her lips as she smirked at her, his face inches from hers as she took the wine from him. She could smell wine already on his breath, as she slowly leaned up and kissed him.

"You deserve it, and much more," She said softly, kissing him a second time before leaning back with the cup of wine in her hand and gesturing her towards his undergarments. "Well come on unless you plan on bathing with your knickers on. I'd be pretty disappointed, but if you really don't-."

"Very funny princess," He said with a roll of the eyes, smiling the entire time.

She laughed and gestured towards the tub again. "Well? Stop standing there and get in here you stupid boy, before the water gets cold!"

"Alright alright," He said with a small laugh, pouring himself wine as well, before finally taking off his knickers.

She smirked as he dipped his foot into the water, it churned as he let out a relaxed sigh. The light from the fire hit off his handsome face, and Ciri found herself biting her lip as she sipped from the cup of wine he had given her. She gazed up and down his body, and felt her chest flutter beneath her breasts, and her womanhood vibrate under the warm water. After a moment of him pouring the water over his chest, his arms, and rubbing some in his face, he relaxingly sighed as he drank the wine in his own cup, looking over at her after he finished.

"Lavender, some white petals, big fire," He said cheekily, leaning and placing the cup on the table right next to the tub. "And the company of course is what makes it so great."

Scoffing with a smile she moved through the water over to him. She placed her own cup of wine next to his, her desire and want for him heating up with every second. The fire crackled as it casted the beautiful orange light over his handsome face as she got to him. Her core heated up, and she lightly bit her lip as she finally got over to him, straddling over his waist and wrapping her wet arms around his neck.

"Yes… the company is very nice…. I love you," She said, her one hand gently trailing down his scarred cheek. "And I must admit, you look extremely handsome tonight."

He lightly laughed and shifted himself under the water, and Ciri yelped out a moan, her body shivering as his cock brushed up against her entrance under the water. A smile came to her face, the tingling sensation running up her stomach, before gently moaning again when she felt his hands hold onto her ass, one hand staying there while the other trailed up her back. Just as always his touch was warm and inviting, and it only made Ciri want him more in that moment.

The next few days would be long, hard, and culminate in what was sure to be a massive battle. She wanted him that night, because no matter how confident they were, she never knew if it could be their last chance for one like that.

His smiled washed over her as he held onto her ass under the water while she straddled him. Ciri bit her lip to suppress another moan as his cock rubbed against her entrance again, but when she looked at him he leaned up and kissed her, the playful smirk coming back to his face.

"I love you too, thanks princess…" He said gently, his one hand coming to stroke his thumb across her scar as he scoffed a laughed. "And not gonna lie, seeing you earlier nearly make the guy soil himself was priceless, looked downright sexy doing it too."

She scoffed a loud laugh as her hands fell around his neck again, and for a moment they both laughed. After a moment of laughing, staying in his lap, keeping her arms around him, she kept laughing, and smiling as she gently kissed him. A small moan escaped him as she moved and under water his cock continued to graze up against her. She smirked and bit her lip, her stomach tingling as well before she finally pulled back from him.

For so long she had wanted a moment like that. His arms around her, the both of them naked, soaking in the warm water, the fire crackling on a cold night. The two of them had managed to salvage the night with each other, Emhyr had been unsuccessful, he hadn't killed Dominik, hadn't gotten her, and hadn't ruined the night for her. However, she still realized, that Christopher had either gone straight back to Emhyr to report their position or had truly gotten on a ship back to Vicovaro.

She playfully bit his lip while she kissed him, making him scoff a laugh and shudder as he pulled back from her, his hands on her ass while he smiled and leaned against the tub.

Ciri sighed contentedly and leaned her head down into him. "Dom… did I make the right choice?"

It had been something she thought about since they left the lake. After the man who tried to kill them had run off, the two of them had skated to the banks. The walk back to Kaer Trolde had been only a mile or so, and the two of them even ran into Freya and Faram in the marketplace. Freya once again had only said hello to them, her head buried into some diagrams she had drawn up, when they asked her what she was working on, the blonde simply said 'something that will help', before walking away. Faram had sighed, laughing and telling them how the cart he was pulling, was full of albedo and other alchemic powders that could explode, and that she had requested part of his crew to help her constructed whatever it was she was building.

Dominik had been interested, and Ciri was as well, however, all she could think about was the fact she let a man who had come to kill them run free.

However, as usual, Dominik was there to assure her.

He smiled at her, his wet hand coming to stroke her cheek. "You did… try not to think about it too much…. Soon as he said he was from Vicovaro I-."

"Declan, I know," Ciri said right away, smiling at him reassuringly while she sat straddling him in the water. "Dominik… you know that there was nothing you could have done."

He sighed and nodded as he met her eyes. "So you, and everyone else has told me…. But after what I did to him… he didn't deserve to die. I wish he were here… that I had trusted him at first."

"You didn't have a reason to trust him," She said slowly shaking her head. "He worked for Emhyr; he was Cahir's cousin."

"Yeah, I know… but still if I had trusted him sooner, did things different… maybe he'd be here…" He said with a sigh, looking and meeting her gaze. "I miss him, as crazy as it is. You know he had a crush on Freya?"

Ciri scoffed a small laughed. "He did?"

"Yeah… he did," Dominik said with a fond smile, his hands trailing up and down her wet, naked body. "He said she was 'good company', and 'very polite'."

She laughed again seeing the fond smile on his face. Ciri remembered that night in Claywitch, when he had explained who Cahir was to her, who Declan really was. It made her skin crawl, thinking that the man who she saw killed by Bonhart had been doing it because he had somehow fallen in love with her, however, just like Dominik had said, they both had to be thankful. Dominik also told her about Declan, how he almost killed Cahir's cousin upon meeting him, and then again in Novigrad, before Declan had helped him fight off assassins.

Dominik wanted him there, wanted Declan to be alive, be apart of the hansa they had now. However, she didn't want him to think about that now. After the battle was done, after the Hunt was dealt with, they'd properly mourn, for now however, she wanted to focus on the living.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck again. "Well Freya is both of those things…. You know, you can still fulfill the last wish he had for you, you do remember it right?"

He let out a small laughed and nodded. "To live well… and not let them have this world."

"Exactly," She said, leaning down and kissing him deeply, before smiling as she pulled back and nodded towards him. "We'll 'live well' tonight, and after this is over… we have a busy few days ahead of us."

Her words had the intended effect, because he leaned forward and kissed her, gripping tighter on her ass to make her laugh out a moan, before he kissed on her neck. She laughed and moaned as she moved her lips to kiss him again. After a few moments he pulled back from her, his hands still holding her ass under the water as he smiled at her.

"Thanks princess… you did always know what to say," He said.

"That's because I know you so well," Ciri said smirking, as she trailed her hands down his chest, over the swallow and his medallion, admiring his body, the tattoo on his inner forearm, the swallow with her and their family's names. Of course as well the wolf tattoo on his inner wrist, the same one that matched hers. Between her legs she felt where the rose was tingle, but not because she was remembering getting it, but because his cock teased her entrance again.

Biting down on her lip, she wanted him, she wanted to move his cock have him inside of her, make love to him as she had the previous nights. It was becoming something of a habit, she wanted it more and more each night, the euphoria she felt with each time they made love more invigorating then anything she had ever experienced, and she wanted it that night, before their few days of challenges began.

"Yeah… you do don't you," He said softly, twirling the ring and medallion around her own neck, slowly looking up and smiling at her. "So princess, before we do anything else, what was it you wanted my help with?"

"You mean other than having sex with me right now?" She said with a smirk and small roll of her eyes.

He chuckled and she moaned as she grinded her entrance against his cock again. She bit her lip to suppress the moan as he gripped onto her ass, but gently leaned up to kiss her.

"Yes, I mean other than that, I'll help with that any time," He said, getting a small laugh from her as he smiled and went on. "Before everything happened out on the lake, you said you had some things you wanted to do before the battle, things to prepare."

Ciri had full intentions on letting him inside of her, fucking him then and there in the tub, but hearing him say that stopped her as she remembered her plans. She could remember Avallac'h making frequent trips to his hidden lab on Skellige, and she could remember the location as well. It was the perfect opportunity. Dominik had been urging her ever since they had been reunited that Avallac'h wasn't helping her for anything other than himself, for some scheme he had cooked up to help himself.

And the thing was, Ciri knew Dominik was correct. The only reason she had defended the sage even the few times she did, was because she knew they needed him. Dominik knew as well, but she understood that seeing someone like Avallac'h use her, and being so sure he was up to something, something that could harm her, made it hard for him to keep his cool. Dominik was the most protective person she had ever known, dating even back to the two of them in Cintra, and it was something she loved immensely about him. So, that was why she had been defending Avallac'h the previous few weeks, because in the end they did need him to summon the Hunt.

However, soon they wouldn't need him anymore, and while the sage claimed that he wanted to be rid of them, Ciri knew it wouldn't be that simple. Avallac'h was going to try and do something after the battle, would try and get something from her, and she needed to know what, and his base would have the answer.

She met Dominik's eyes and adjusted herself on his lap with a sigh. "Well… as we both know, Avallac'h is planning something, he has some plans for me after the battle, or during it, I'm not sure."

"I've been saying that since I first met the guy," He said with a scoff, his wet hands exploring up her bare boy in the water. "Knew I should've just chucked him off the walls of Kaer Morhen after he woke up and didn't tell me where you were."

"Yes, yes I'm aware you've been saying that you ass," She said with an eye roll. "And so have I, from the beginning, I'm not that naïve. I just stopped you from killing him or trying to all those times because I know we need him."

"I know that too… unfortunately."

"Exactly, and as sweet as your protective instinct is, we need him alive for a bit longer," She said, holding her wet hand up to cup his cheek. "But… I think I know how we can figure out what he's planning for me."

Like she expected his eyes widened with intrigued as he smiled. "Do you? Well, well, well let's hear it then princess."

She scoffed amusingly and met his eyes again. "I know he has a secret base on Skellige… and I know where it is. I was hoping that you, Geralt and maybe Yen would go with me, and we can check it out."

It was Dominik's turn to scoff. "So, you want me to go with you Avallach's secret base to find dirt on him, to prove I was right about him being a complete prick this entire time?"

"Yes you ass, that's exactly what I'm asking you," She said rolling her eyes.

He chucked and gripped her ass again with one hand, his other coming up to hold her cheek. She bit her lip, enjoying the feeling of his hands on her under the water, and shuddering for a moment under his touch as she slowly looked back down to him.

Smiling he nodded. "Of course I'll go with you princess. We'll head back to the ship tomorrow, Geralt should be back by then, we'll get him and Yen and head out."

She had known he would say yes, but still she smiled, leaning forward, their wet bodies rubbing against each other as she gently kissed him.

"Thank you… I knew you may like the idea," She said playfully, holding her head in the crook of his neck.

He laughed and nodded, his hands going to her ass again. "Always…. So, are we finished with everything that has to do with Avallac'h? I'm sorry, but before we're about to have sex he's the last person I-. Fuccck…."

She moaned herself as she grinded her entrance against his cock again, finally feeling it slip inside her easily in the water. Biting her lip hard she gently moved her hips, his cock slowly moving in and out of her under the water, as he moaned and gripped hard on her ass, moving his hips to thrust into her as she moved her own.

"Ciri… gods Ciri I…I-." She cut him off with a fierce kiss, her lips not leaving his as she kissed him and fucked him with everything she had.

He deserved it, she deserved it, they both deserved that moment then. Her hands went up to her hair as she moaned loudly into his lips, his cock thrusting deep into her core, her long locks of ashen hair falling down around her shoulders.

"Ciri I… I love you… I love you gods I-."

"Shhh…" She said, moaning loudly as her hips bucked and his cock thrusted in and out of her swiftly in the warm water. As they fucked, she moaned again and met his eyes, a smile coming to her face as she moved with him inside her. "I love you to… you… you stupid boy, just… just make love to me… gods… fuck… yes gods…"

He quickly nodded, the goofy smile she loved coming to his face. And before she knew it, they weren't just making love, they were fucking then and there. She leaned down and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, smashing her lips to his as she thrusted her hips forward with his cock still drilling inside her with new vigor. She could feel him smashing inside her womanhood, the water making it easy for him to thrust quicker and harder, and Ciri loved every minute of it as she kissed him.

"FUCK, FUCKING FUCK… gods… gods Dominik don't… don't-. FUCK!" She moaned, as she felt his hands grip tightly around her ass, his lips going to kiss her neck as he started thrusting with new vigor as well.

"You… you're so beautiful, fuck… fucking gods you're beautiful," He moaned in her ear, biting on her earlobe as she thrusted and fucked her.

"YES! GODS YES!" She moaned loudly, wrapping tighter around his neck, making him moan a laugh as he bucked his hips and cock into her faster, continued to bite and kiss her neck.

His cock kept thrusting into her, and she felt the electricity run through her body as he kissed and bit along her neck. His lips down her neck towards her chest, and Ciri felt herself nearly explode as he kissed around her breasts, near her nipple so suddenly she yelped out a moan, grabbing the back of his head and holding it between both her breast as his long, hard cock moved in and out of her with more pace as he gripped harder onto her ass, the strokes so long her ass almost came out of the water.

"Gods… fuck me I… I love it when you're like this…" She joked to him, moaning as he kissed between her breasts again, trailing kissing up her neck again to her lips.

"Ha… like what," He said, his cock slamming into her with new force that she had never felt from him before, as she moaned, her head going back as she yelled his name.

"GODS DOMINIK FUCK!" She moaned, shuddering from feeling his cock still drilling into her entrance, moving her hips so fast now, that the water around them both was almost sloshing out of the tub.

"Like… like this… gods fucking FUCK!" She moaned, shuddering as she grabbed his face and kissed him.

He kissed her back with just as much vigor, but keeping his hands on her ass still, squeezing it and making her moan more as she grinding her hips into his cock.

"Ciri… Ciri fuck… fuck I'm gonna…. Fuck-." He started, but Ciri cut him off with another kiss, feeling her climax coming as she met his eyes, a small smile coming to her face.

"I… I am to… don't… don't worry, go on, FUCK," She moaned as he thrusted harder into her then he had yet, before she bit her lip, her climax close as she looked back down at him. "We… we have all night… and silk sheets."

"We… we're gonna have to get dry first," He teased, as he picked up his pace again, moaning the entire time as slammed into her.

Ciri moaned and bit her lip. "Fuck… fuck… FUCK! We will! Just GODS GODS DON'T STOP DOMINIK!"

"I… I fucking love you… FUCK!" He said, his thrusts perfectly meeting the thrusting of her own hips under the water as it sloshed around them.

She grabbed onto his face and pressed her lips to his with new force, moaning into them as he continued to drill into her, and she could feel his cock twitching, his climax close. She had used the spell Yen taught her earlier, so she moaned louder, her voice cracking as she thrusted her hips into his cock and leaned her forehead against his as they fucked.

"I… I love you too… gods… gods Dominik I… I've wanted this for- FUCK!" She cut herself off with a voice cracking moan again as she kissed him again talking into his lips as he fucked her. "I… I'm gonna FUCK FUCK GODS DOMINIK!"

"FUCK, Ciri… Ciri… gods you… you're so fucking beautiful…" He said, as she felt her climax finally come at the same time as his.

Her entrance felt warm as he didn't exit her, he gripped onto her ass tighter as he came, her lips smashing onto his as he did. A long, shuddering moan left her, as she slowly felt his cock pull out of her, still rubbing against her entrance as she melted into him. The water slowly stopped churning, and Ciri felt herself craving more, but for the moment then she breathed heavy as she leaned onto his hard chest, her head burying into the crook of his neck again. She was already drenched from the bath, but now her hair was down around her shoulders, and sweat trickled down her forehead.

Leaning against his chest, she felt the rapid heartbeat beneath it. His hands left her as and wrapped around her slim, wet body, as he heavily breathed and looked down at her, that goofy, loving, adoring smile hadn't left him, and the stupid boy actually laughed. His laugh had never failed to put a smile on her face, and it didn't fail then either. She felt her womanhood tingling his cock tingling, and she knew they'd go again soon, but right then, all she could do was look at him and laugh, the both of them laughed and held each other. She laughed into his neck, as he squeezed her and laughed the same.

And just like that again, Ciri got a preview of what her life could be like after everything was over. It was something she was going to fight for with everything she had.

"Ha… ha… gods… Ciri… I… I love you," He said looking down at her, his handsome scarred face still contorted in a smile.

She laughed sheepishly and reached up to kiss him again. Her hands cupped his handsome face, her thumb gently trailed along his scar, as for a minute or two she simply moved her lips with his. That was what she fought for, this life was what she wanted, the life she had picked for herself.

No longer would anyone tell her what she would do with her life, because she decided, her life was her own, and she wanted then, what she had wanted since she was eleven years old.

Gently she pulled back from him with a smile, the warm fire crackling as the war around them calmed.

"I love you… a lot," She said cheekily, sighing and laying down to rest her head on his chest again, a content smile coming to her face. "You know… for someone who waited twenty-two years… you're awfully good at this."

She opened one eye to look up and see him get beat red, and she chuckled at his flustered expression.

"Ha.. um.. thanks princess you… you're just… just… wow and-," He started, but she cut him off with a laugh, gently placing a kiss on his neck.

"Aha… gods you're adorable… we'll go another round… or two… maybe three, we should take advantage of this room while we have it, don't you agree?"

"You… you mean like… right now?" He said, a small bit of excitement in his voice.

Ciri scoffed a laugh and shook her head, closing her eyes and contentedly leaning against his chest again.

"Not _right _now, but in a bit," She said, sighing as the smile didn't leave her, and she felt his strong arms wrapped around her. "For now… just hold me for a bit alright? I always loved it when you did that…"

**A/N: Chapter one in the return to Skellige is finished everyone! EIGHTY chapters have been finished, and we are FINALLY in the home stretch! I am both excited, and extremely upset that the story is ending, but fear not because once it does, we're going to jump right into the sequels! As I said before, the first sequel is going to be, 'The Great Northern Gambit: The First Push" which will be a mini sequel of sorts, perhaps around 12-15 chapters, before we move onto Hearts of Stone! And in between of course I'll be writing and publishing a few short stories haha, which will include Dominik and Ciri between DLCS, and I also have a Game of Thrones crossover planned!**

**However, first we have to get this story done, and we are so close, everything's coming together!**

**First, we get the tragic story of Bella in Skellige, and how the new life she seemingly had was ripped from her… we learn about her lover Kendra, her mother Anora, and of course, we see Caranthir and the Hunt raid the village, taking everything from her….**

**What do you think about the new details for Bella's backstory? What does it help you think may happen in future chapters…**

**After that, Dominik and Ciri wake up, and after strategizing head to Kaer Trolde! I loved writing for Ciri and Cerys together, I feel like they would be the best of friends if we saw them interact in the games, and here it's no different! After some political talk, Cerys gives Ciri the idea for a new date for her and Dominik!**

**However, Dominik and Ciri's romantic evening as often happens, is interrupted. Yes, this whole scene was a reference to the scene in Tower of Swallows, that had to be my all time favorite scene in the books, and I am so happy to have finally gotten to write it! I also can't wait to write this scene with the two when I eventually get there in my book/Netflix adaption xD**

**After that, we head back to Kaar Trolde for a romantic night, and set up the scene for the final few chapters in Skellige! Next chapter we head to Avallach's lab, a chapter I've been looking forward too since the very first chatper! After that, we'll head to Lofeton, to Skjall's grave, and finally lay the poor boy to rest! And after that Dominik's quest to contact Bella somehow will take him, Ciri, Geralt and Yen to the site of where her life was ripped from her a second time…. So in all I'm estimated about 10-11 chapters or so left depending on how many the final battle take! And I am sooooo excited!**

**As always if you like this story, and want to see more fanart then just what I have posted, be sure to head to the Instagram I created for this story, it's dominik_of_cintra on there I post cool witcher and writing stuff, as well as the awesome fanart I receive! **

**Now I've rambled enough, one chapter closer to the end as I hope you're as excited for it as I am! Be sure to follow and favorite to keep up with updates, and please, please, please review if you have time! Stay safe everyone and see you all next time!**


	81. A Child of the Elder Blood

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 81: A Child of the Elder Blood**

**Narrator: After a long journey, the time has finally come for Dominik, Ciri, Geralt and their friends to all finally face the Wild Hunt in battle. To do so, they had to make their way to the Skellige Isles, where Avallac'h informed them of his plan to summon the Hunt. Before they could, the sage needed an ancient elven artifact known as the Sunstone, they also would need to the help of the sorceress Fringilla Vigo. So, Geralt set out to find both the Sunstone and Fringilla, while Dominik and Ciri took the opportunity to spend time together which they had been getting so little off. After Nilfgaardean assassins came and interrupted a romantic evening of ice skating for the two, they returned to Kaer Trolde for the night, laying their own final plans to prepare for the final battle. Dominik made plans to try and contact his sister, Bella, who had been brain washed and pulled under the command of the Wild Hunt, by going to the last place he saw her in his dreams, the destroyed village of Brekka on Undvik. First however, he and Ciri would go through with her own plan. Knowing that Avallac'h was hiding secret plans from them, Ciri asked Dominik to come with her to the sage's secret base on Skellige, to finally find out what the sage had been planning from the moment he met Ciri…**

_The cold wind howled again in his dreams, but this time he saw the above deck of the Nagalfar again, it was unchanged from the rest of the dreams he had of it. However, he knew that this dream was in the past, because on the deck of the ship, he saw Eredin, Caranthir and Imlerith watching from the front of the deck. Ciri had told him that the Nagalfar could travel between worlds, and it was how Eredin was able to so easily track her, because it used the same type of magic that she had in her blood. Now however, the ship wasn't searching for Ciri, Eredin wasn't searching for Ciri. _

_ Because he was watching Dominik's sister. _

_ "Faster… let the emotion, let the hate, and anger flow through you," Caranthir briskly ordered as he stepped forward from next to Eredin. "Take your suffering, your anger, let it flow and spur the magic on! Come now! Show us what kind of power that repulsive human passed to you." _

_ "GAHHHHHH!" Bella screamed, as Dominik saw her spin and whirl. _

_ Dominik watched rider after rider throw themselves at his sister. She wasn't wearing a helmet yet, but her armor had looked like last time he saw her. The skeletal armor of the hunt, seemingly made special to fit her much smaller frame, slim and sleek shoulder armor stretching down her arms, the chest the same skeletal design, and on her legs she had tight dark purple trousers with straps of hard boiled purple leather, and straps of purple leather and a dark belt around her waist. He still had a hard time believing that Eredin would go through so much trouble to get Bella such armor, to have Caranthir train her like he was. _

_ However, he learned over the years that arrogance can drive someone to new heights. He would never forget watching Eredin kill all of his ancestors, telling all of Alexander, Lara and Connor, that if he wished he could control their line, and that was what he was doing now. _

_ "My King… we… waste our time with this… girl," Imlerith said from next to Eredin, as the watched Caranthir order Bella while she fought the approaching soldiers. "She is… just a human. Why waste our time on her?"_

_ Eredin didn't wear a helmet, and Dominik realized this was the first time he saw the King without one. None of Caranthir, Eredin or Imlerith wore one. Eredin had long slicked black hair down to his shoulders, his cheekbones were high, and he had a regal sense to him. Dominik if he saw him without context would probably bow upon seeing him. However, Dominik could see the look in the King's light grey eyes. The conniving, deceitful, lust for power that resided in them. He had seen the look in too many people before, and they were normally the most dangerous ones. _

_ Dominik was going to kill him; he would shut those eyes forever. _

_ Eredin watched Bella move and smirked as he shook his head. "No Imlerith… she is not a waste of our time… I fought and killed her ancestors. I saw firsthand the power they wielded…"_

_ "But you killed them all my king…" Imlerith said with his massive arms crossed. "What good will Caranthir's… experiment be?"_

_ "GAHHHHHH!" Bella screamed from the deck, as Dominik saw a flash of blue light. _

_ Bella held the jagged longsword loosely in her hands. In her emerald eyes, he saw the blue magic from her powers unleashing. Her hair shot back from the wind as the Nagalfar zoomed through time and space. Two of the armored elves came at once, Bella dropped to her back and spun, knocking one's legs out from under it, before coming back and firing a large blast of raw magic into the next one's chest. The elf screamed and got sent overboard, not even making Eredin or the others flinch an inch. Three more came, but the magic caused Bella's limbs, just like his did, an immense speeds that he only ever saw matched by the most talented swordsman or witchers. None of the riders of the Hunt stood a chance as she spun deflected and parried, until no more came. _

_ She breathed heavily, the magic still whirling around her limbs and in her eyes as she looked to Caranthir. _

_ The navigator, however, shook his head. "Still too slow… you're not using your anger, your emotion to channel your magic! CONTROL IT!"_

_ "I AM CONTROLLING IT!" Bella yelled back, as Caranthir slammed the butt of his staff into the ground. _

_ "AGAIN!" Caranthir yelled, his blonde hair whipping back from the wind. _

_ The soldiers all dutifully rushed back to their feet and came at Bella again. His sister screamed in anger as the magic erratically shot from her. She began to parry and spin around blows again, and Dominik realized this couldn't have been but a few months after she was taken from Skellige, after Caranthir had killed Kendra, the Hunt had burned her village to the ground. _

_ Eredin smirked at Bella's rage as he spoke to Imlerith. "It will do us much good Imlerith…. You saw her memories when Caranthir showed them to us. Baelen knew Zireael, her brother was Zireael's lover… she will help lead us to her."_

_ "And how… do you know the brother can lead us to her?" Imlerith said, the sounds of Bella's training continued to crash in the air. _

_ "Humans are… predictable as you know Imlerith," Eredin said with a smirk. "With every day, we are closer to finding her. After Baelen is trained… she can lead us to the boy, and just like with the Witcher… Zireael will come to save him."_

_ "And… what if Avallac'h finds Zireael, and finds the boy first?" Imlerith said, and Dominik laughed at the same time as Eredin had, which was something he safely thought would never happen. _

_ "HA, Avallac'h is too proud. Alexander humiliated him, he would sooner see the boy dead," Eredin said amusingly as he shook his head. "No… even if Avallac'h manages to find Zireael first, with Baelen… we have someone who knows her better than we could ever hope, then Avallac'h could ever hope. She will help us get back what is rightfully ours…"_

_ "CONTROL IT! FEEL THE MAGIC, USE YOUR ANGER!" Caranthir said, his staffs slamming into the ground again. _

_ "I AM!" Bella screeched, ducking an attacked and knocking the helmet off another rider. _

_ "REMEMBER WHAT THEY HAVE DONE! REMEMBER!" Caranthir ordered again, as the magic around Bella became more and more erratic, her eyes completely blue. _

_ Eredin smirked triumphantly as Bella slammed her fist into the ground and magic shot out around her. It knocked back one rider, and then a particularly large one came swinging from behind her. Without even moving her head Bella shot her blade up to block, before spinning and cutting across the back of the riders' legs, firing her hand forward and sending him screaming over the side. _

_ "And… what if Caranthir's memory alteration fails?" Imlerith said, narrowing his beady eyes at Bella knocking back riders. "What if… her real ones manage to leak through?"_

_ "Do you not have faith in Caranthir's abilities?" Eredin said. _

_ "No… I do, I simply do not think it is wise, to have her in our midst," Imlerith said with a shake of his head. "Her ancestors… her brother… Zireael, we could be gifting them an ally within our ranks. She could be the death of us all…"_

_ "YOU STILL LACK CONTROL!" Caranthir screamed at Bella just as she knocked back the last rider again. The navigator shook his head. "DO YOU NOT REMEMBER WHAT THEY DID TO YOU!?"_

_ "I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER EVERYHTING!" Bella yelled, her eyes closed, as the magic spiraling around her reached a boiling point. _

_ "USE THAT ANGER LET IT FLOW AND BRING YOU CONTROL! YOUR HATRED GIVES YOUR MAGIC STRENGTH!" Caranthir yelled, not flinching at the site of the erratic magic. _

_ "I AM STRONG, I WON'T LET THE GET AWAY WITH IT!" Bella screamed, stomping towards Caranthir again. _

_ The navigator scoffed. "YOU ARE WEAK GIRL! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GIRL YOUR SWORE TO DEFEND!?"_

_ "YOU, YOU KILLED HER!" Bella screeched, her blue eyes flashing as she breathed heavily, scars and bruises welling on her cheeks._

_ "NO, ZIREAEL LED US THERE, SHE DIED BECAUSE ZIREAEL RAN!" Caranthir yelled, still unmoving in the face of Bella's magic. _

_ "AND I'LL KILL HER TOO, I'LL KILL THEM ALL!" Bella said, her arms twitching as she gripped around her sword. _

_ Caranthir scoffed. "YOU WILL NOT! NOT UNLESS YOU LEARN CONTROL, NOW YOU ARE WEAK, THAT IS WHY THEY ABANDONED YOU FOR HER!"_

_ "I'M NOT WEAK, I'M WORTH AS MUCH AS HER!"_

_ "YOU ARE NOTHING! YOU WERE NOTHING TO YOUR FAMILY, NOTHING COMPARED TO ZIREAEL, NOTHING AT ALL! AND YOU ARE STILL NOTHING, NOTHING WITHOUT OUR KING!"_

_ "I'LL SHOW YOU NOTHING!" Bella finally screeched, lunging forward with incredible speed to strike at Caranthir. _

_ Caranthir however expected this and teleported before her sword made contact. He teleported behind her. _

_ "AHHHHHHHHH!" Bella yelled, as Caranthir's staff smacked into her side, sending her sprawling to the ground. _

_ "YOU ARE WEAK GIRL; IT IS NO WONDER YOUR FAMILY ABANDONED YOU FOR ZIREAEL!" Caranthir said, spinning his staff in his hands. _

_ "SHUT UP!" Bella screeched, lunging forward again, but again Caranthir teleported behind her, and she screamed in pain as the staff slammed into her. _

_ "IT IS NO WONDER YOUR BROTHER ABANDONED YOU," Caranthir yelled, just as Bella struggled up to her feet, the magic still exploding around her. "WHAT ARE YOU COMPARED TO HER!? COMPARED TO A CHILD OF THE ELDER BLOOD!?"_

_ "I'LL KILL HER, I'll SHOW HOW MUCH I MATTER!" Bella yelled, lunging forward again, this time making contact with Caranthir staff. _

_ "YOU MATTER NOT TO ANYONE GIRL! THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE, YOU BELONG NOWHERE, NOBODY WANTED YOU, NOBODY WANTED YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK! EVEN WE ONLY CAME BECAUSE WE THOUGHT YOU WERE ZIREAEL! YOU COULD IMAGINE OUR DISSAPOINTMENT!" Caranthir said, parrying Bella's blow and spinning his staff to strike. _

_ "I'M BETTER THEN HER, I'LL KILL HER, I WILL!" Bella yelled again, but Dominik could hear the desperation, the pleading tone, the tears slowly starting to fall from her cheeks. _

_ Dominik never even saw his own power radiate like it did from Bella then as she struck at Caranthir. Caranthir's blonde hair blew back, as finally he stumbled under Bella's onslaught. The power was immense, but Dominik could see Bella wasn't truly in control. Her movements were simply quick and angry, not precise and accurate. Dominik had only managed to obtain it for a short while, but when in control, he knew the magic around them both would glow bright and gently hum around their limbs. That was what happened in his dreams of Alexander, Connor and Lara of Lod. They all had perfect complete control, the magic hummed and whirled gently around them, and it gave them complete and perfect control. _

_ He hadn't achieved that yet, and Bella was far from it now, despite the power she immitted, and it caught up to her. _

_ Bella struck upwards towards Imlerith, and the navigator knocked her strike away, before turning and smacking his staff towards Bella's back, Bella however, moved out of the way, and with her immense speed struck down and a small __***BOOM* **__erupted as she struck down across Caranthir's leg. The navigator yelled and stumbled back, and Bella tried to press her advantage, however she simply tried to use the raw force and power from her strike as she lunged. Caranthir saw this and side-stepped, smacking his staff onto Bella's hands with another __***BOOM* **__erupted as Bella's sword fell from her hands, and Caranthir spun and smashed his weapon into her stomach. _

_ "GAHHHHHHHH!" Bella yelled, flying backwards onto her back on the deck. _

_ Caranthir winced, limping as Dominik saw blood drip from his leg. However, as Caranthir winced, Eredin smirked as he watched his navigator slowly walk towards Bella. _

_ The King smirked and looked towards Imlerith. "You need not worry Imlerith… with more training… she will be plenty strong to help us achieve our goal. But… we are still superior; she is not strong enough to break the hold we have on her."_

_ Imlerith scoffed and shook his head. "And what of when our mission is complete….? Surely you won't let this… human… a descendant of one of the one's who shamed us… live in our world."_

_ Eredin smirked and narrowed his eyes as Caranthir screaming at Bella who was on the deck of the ship. The King of the Hunt shook his head, looking down in both his hands as the smirk didn't leave him. Dominik saw Bella's helmet, the one she would come to wear. _

_ "Of course not…. I am simply doing what I said I would… controlling his line," Eredin said, smiling coyly over at Bella slowly crawling up to her feet. "First I will control his line…. And then when our mission is complete… I will finally do what I promised… and wipe it out."_

_ "Mhm… and what of…the brother?" Imlerith asked as he looked over towards Bella as well, shaking his head in disgust. "You say he is Zireael's… lover? What will we do if… he learns of her identity?"_

_ "Even if he does, it will matter not," Eredin said with a shake of his head. "Our hold over her is too strong… besides if he figures out… Zireael figures out… and they will try and come for her. So… either way… it is to our advantage."_

_ "And… what of… the prophecy," Imlerith asked, narrowing his beady eyes at Eredin. "You said… Alexander's son told you of it in his final moments… of them both being reborn."_

_ Eredin scoffed and walked to the side of the Nagalfar. His black hair blew behind him as Imlerith joined him. The King still looked assured, as he looked out at the frosty mist that shot past the command ship. Looking upwards, as if at Dominik himself._

_ "It again… matters not. If the boy is foolish enough to face me… he will meet the same fate as befell all of his ancestors," Eredin said, turning to look at Bella again, who was kneeling before Caranthir, blood trickling from the side of her head. "It is as I said…. I will end the one's responsible for wronging us, I will be end keep the promise I made to them… I will be the one to end… the line of Lod."_

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Bella!" He said quickly, sweat trickling down his naked body, a cool breeze from an open window chilling his bones.

He looked down at his chest, but it was his bare outer thigh that tingled with new ferocity. Moving it he saw the jagged scar that ran at least six inches across. He shuddered violently as a stabbing pain ran through it, as if Eredin was stabbing him through the leg again. His right cheek tingled as well, and slowly he reached up his hand to trailed his fingers along the rough skin.

Shaking he felt the cold breeze from the open window in he and Ciri's room chill him again. He looked and saw it had been partially opened, and after a second realized, that the warmth he had come to expect when he woke up in the morning wasn't there. Forgetting the tingling in his cheek and leg as he looked around the room.

"Ciri? Ciri you there?" He said, shakily breathing as he yawned.

He got no response, so went to pull his legs around the large bed. A huge part of him didn't want to leave that bed, what with it being so comfortable, and with him having slept better than he had in weeks in it last night. It of course had a lot to do with Ciri, and the romantic night of love making they had. It had felt like for the second time in the week he had the perfect night, and he didn't know what he had done to get so lucky.

Everything about his being with Ciri was lucky to him, he truly did think of himself as the luckiest man in the world.

Yawning again he looked and saw that new candles had been lit, so it let him know Ciri had to have gotten up before him like she usually did. Dominik considered himself a light sleeper, on the Path, sleeping in the woods he had to be. However, Ciri had a remarkable ability to be completely silent when she woke up, and always seemed to be able to before him. The pleasant smell of candle wax hit his nose, as he realized the bath the bath from the night before had been emptied as well, and Ciri's clothes had been taken from the dresser.

"Well, looks like someone's been busy," He said, shuddering a sigh again as his dream started hitting him again, making him look down at the swallow and medallion around his neck, biting his lip he shook his head. "I'm coming for you Bell… and I'm gonna kill them for what they did to you."

"Well well well, look who's finally awake!" Ciri's voice, which sounded heavenly to him at that moment, hit his ears.

He whirled his head around and saw her. Seeing Ciri smiling at him every morning had quickly become his new favorite thing in life. She was dressed again, her hair tied tightly up in a new bun, her top revealing her midriff as she hadn't put her corset on yet. She did have on her boots and trousers however, and the smell of her perfume attacked his nose, as he saw her also carrying a tray in front of her.

"Serving me breakfast in bed now?" He joked with her.

She rolled her eyes at him with a smile. "I'm serving the _both _of us breakfast in bed. And you'll get yours as soon as you get some pants on mister."

Ciri placed the tray with mugs of juice, pancakes, hot bacon, and apples on their nightstand, before picking up a pair of his undergarments and throwing them at him with a smirk. He scoffed a laugh as they hit his face, he went to grab them, and as soon as he removed them off his head, he felt Ciri's lips connect with his. He scoffed and kissed her back, and when she pulled back he took a moment to admire the glow the shone off her skin.

The sun outside was beautiful despite the cold wind, and between that and what Dandelion had always told him was the 'post sex glow' that skin apparently had, she was glowing as she smiled at him then.

She playfully smacked his shoulder and pecked his lips again. "Come on, I know you're starving, and we got a lot of work to do today."

"Yes, breaking into secret labs is going to be much easier on a full stomach," He said with a smirk, as Ciri scoffed and reached over to the tray of food.

"Go on, put your pants on you ass," She said, picking up an apple and taking a bite out of it.

"That's not what you were saying last night…." He said teasingly, standing up and pulling on his undergarments.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, I said the opposite, and I'll probably say it again later tonight, but for now, put your pants on we have work to do you stupid boy."

He rolled his eyes back at her, but smiled the entire time, walking over to the drawer they had their clothes and pulling his trousers back over his legs. He saw Ciri sitting cross legged on their bed, sipping on a mug of whatever juice she had brought, eating the apple she had along with strips of bacon. She was completely engrossed in her meal, and Dominik swore he could feel the glow of his own skin then as well. For a moment it was a simple morning.

One he would want more for the rest of his life.

Ciri looked up at him and smiled. "Ha… what are you staring at? You know I don't like it when you stare at me while I eat."

He smiled and joined her on the bed, sitting cross legged across from her. Quickly he picked up the mug of what ended up being apple juice, along with a few strips of bacon.

"What? Am I not allowed to just stand and admire your beauty from time to time?" He asked, biting into the apple as she smiled at him.

Her face got a little red as she laughed. "Ha… you can yes, but you know I don't like it when people watch me eat."

"Because you seem to have forgotten all the manners Queen Calanthe had you learn completely over the years?" He teased.

"Yes…" Ciri said with a small eye roll. "Besides, we need to eat this quick. If Geralt found the sunstone, then that should keep Avallac'h busy for a few hours, but if he hasn't yet, then we'll need to move quick."

"You seem really intent on this…" He said, as he could see the tense look in her eyes as he looked up and met her gaze. "Ciri… what are you hoping to find? We already know he's up to something."

She sighed and shook her head. "Yes, but I want to know exactly what!"

"No matter what it is, we won't let it happen," He assured her, reaching over the tray and holding his bare hand over hers. "I won't let it…. I promise."

She got the cute look on her eyes and bit her bottom lip. The scar on the corner of it flared up, as she sighed again and met his eyes. He had felt and could almost feel her getting more and more anxious as the days had gone on. It had been since their last night in Novigrad, even at points the previous day despite it being a great one for them. The closer they got to that final battle, the more tense she had been, and even as he held her hand then he could feel her skin tingling, feel the goosebumps.

Shaking her head she looked back up at him. "I know you won't Dominik but… but I just need to know what he's wanted me for… both times… I need to know how much danger I've put you all in by having him around."

"We haven't been in danger princess," He assured her, a small smile coming to his face. "Geralt, me, Yen, our friends, none were going to let anything happen, only thing you did was really give us a pain in the ass to deal with the last few weeks."

Ciri managed a small laugh, so Dominik thought his job a success. However, he could see her mood quickly shift back. A smile was still on her face, but he had learned over the years people can easily hide their true feelings behind a smile, he had done it for practically eight years.

"Yes… and I'm sorry for that, but I just have to know," She said, biting her lip as she looked deep into his eyes. "And… I want to figure out if he really knew about Bella or not."

"He did, I know he did and I'm willing to bet just about anything on it," Dominik said dryly.

Avallac'h had known, Dominik was more confident in that then almost anything in his life. The sage had known about him being Alexander's descendant, he had recognized Dominik's magical signature, was able to tell right away and had kept it from them. Dominik also had his sword at the elf's neck when he accused him, so it would have been easy to simply deny it. He wasn't happy that he lost his temper with the sage, because now the elf had leverage over him, knowing about Bella and how it made him act. He also would have put all of their plans in jeopardy if not for Ciri. The whole last week or so Ciri had been doing everything she could for him, to reassure him, to keep him calm.

However, now he realized a part of him was being selfish. Ciri was the one who was in the most danger now. He knew it wasn't true, but she still blamed herself for the deaths of everyone the Hunt had killed in pursuit of her. Her friend Skjall, and the village of Lofeton, Folan, Vigi, Arno and Declan at Kaer Morhen, his parents, Bella, he himself almost dying. She thought that if she simply hadn't been there they'd all be alive, and Dominik's face would be scarless. And now, with the battle coming soon, a host of men and women, not just their friends, but in the armies they would have fighting, he could see and sense the anxiousness building up in her.

So now, just like he always would, he needed to be there for her. He of course was worried, about Bella, about them dying in the battle coming up, but despite his nerves, he knew he needed to stay calm now for Ciri's sake.

Across the bed she sighed again, downing the rest of her apple juice and looking at him again. He could see it in her eyes, just like their entire lives, he was able to tell what she was feeling just by the look on her face.

"He swore to me he didn't," Ciri said with another sigh, looking at him and shaking her head. "I was probably a fool to believe him, but he hasn't lied to me since we started traveling."

"Yes, he just decided not to tell you certain things," He said, not able to resist the dig at the elf as he rolled his eyes. "That's completely different."

"Dominik, not now please," She snapped, before she cut some of the pancakes in half and meet his eyes, when she did they softened, and she sighed. "I'm sorry… I… I just-."

"You're anxious princess, I know you are," He said, reaching over and picking up a piece of the pancake she cut with his hand. "It's okay… we're going to be okay. We'll go see what your nanny elf's hiding if it's that important to you."

"Thanks… I love you," She said, leaning over the bed and pecking him on the lips again before she pulled back and scoffed at the pancakes in his hands. "Will you stop eating with your hands that's disgusting!"

He laughed at her aghast face. "Ha, yes I'm sure my mother is rolling in her grave right now."

"I bet she is! Use a damn fork!" She said, picking up and tossing one that was on the tray of breakfast at him.

The fork hit him in the chest as he laughed, and despite the situation Ciri laughed as well. It was the little moments like that one then he was going to be looking forward to the most. Goosebumps ran up his arms from the cold chill coming in through the windows, as he picked up the fork and started eating with her. They both laughed, Ciri smacked his fork away when he tried to steal some of hers, and for the next few minutes he couldn't remember being so at peace.

Ciri however, he could still see the anxiousness behind the laughs.

Her smile slowly faded as she looked up from the plate. "I… heard you thrashing a bit last night. Did… you have any more dreams… about Bella?"

_'I will end… the line of Lod'. _Eredin's deep voice hit his ears, and Dominik shook again as he whirled his legs around the side of the bed. He would get Bella back, Eredin was wrong, just like he thought Avallac'h was, the King was too arrogant for his own good. He thought he completely controlled Bella, but he was wrong. Bella was strong, strong enough to fight off Eredin's influence, fight off the spell Caranthir had used on her.

She was, she would be, all he needed to was get his message to her. He had been stupid, failed her again the last time he saw her, but he wouldn't this time. To that day still he kicked himself for choosing his words so poorly, but after seeing her training, seeing what Eredin had planned for her, Dominik knew what he needed to do, he needed to show her he cared. And with the help of Ciri, Alexander's journal, and of course Geralt and Yen, he would get through to her this time.

He met Ciri's eyes and for a moment considered not telling her about the dream, however he knew he could lie to her. He went on and explained how he saw Bella training with Caranthir, being taught to use her hate, her anger to make her magic stronger. That seemed to be the difference in using their powers from Alexander. Dominik still was far from complete control, he had a feeling he knew how to obtain that control, but still wasn't sure. All he knew was when his powers activated out of anger, fear or hate, that it drained him completely, nearly to the point of death, and despite the power he exhumed in this state, it wasn't complete control. That was what the Hunt had been teaching Bella, how to use her anger to bring out her powers, and soon it could kill her.

True control of his powers was what he saw from Alexander, Connor and Lara of Lod. Despite being faced with Eredin, and even more powerful enemies, they remained calmed, the magic was calm around them, and it responded to them at will. That was the kind of control Dominik was trying to obtain, but still somehow hadn't been able too.

However, he had people helping him to that goal, Bella didn't.

"Gods… gods Bella…" Ciri said, moving to the side of the bed with him, her eyes gazing out the window, out over the crystal blue skelligan waters. "Dominik… did… did I do this? Is it really my fault…"

"No, Ciri it isn't, you couldn't have done anything," He said wrapping his arm around her waist, as he could feel her shaking. "This is not your fault, the only ones who fault it is, is Eredin's."

"Yes… but I could have stayed away, and you'd still all be safe…"

"Stop it, don't you dare say that" He said, cupping her face and turning her gaze to him, looking deep into her eyes and shaking his head. "I've told you before… I couldn't have done it without you anymore."

She reached to his hand around her waist and squeezed it, her smaller hand wrapping tightly around his. He would never forget the Isle of Mists; he'd see it every day and every night in his dreams until the day he died. Holding Ciri's lifeless body then, he hadn't felt any reason to continue on. In that moment, it had felt like eight years of his life, eight years of searching, looking, fighting had been for nothing. He finally had gotten her back, and he truly hadn't wanted to go on without her, that was how he knew she'd make it, how she'd make it.

Because, if she didn't make it, that meant Dominik himself had been killed.

Ciri looked and met his gaze with a shaky sigh. "Yes… I know… but Dominik gods… Bella she… she hates me… and with good reason."

"Bella doesn't hate you, Baelen hates you," He said to her pulling her closer into his lap as he kept his gaze with her. "They're two different people trapped in one body…. And Bella's going to win that battle."

"Yes… but she wouldn't even have to fight it, if not for me…" She said.

"Ciri you need to stop this, it'll drive you crazy," He said, gently trailing his thumb along her scar like he knew she enjoyed. "You couldn't have done anything to control the blood you were born with… and deep-down Bella knows that. Remember the first time she called you her big sister? I'll never forget how excited you got."

She scoffed a small laugh, but her lip quivered. "Yes.. but… but then your parents, Sofia… Gregory they-."

"They both loved you like their own, like you're a part of our family," He said, gently leaning in and kissing her scarred cheek. "It's because you are and always will be… and Bella knows that too, and she'll realize that when she comes through."

Ciri slowly shook her head, standing up and getting in front of him. He could see her biting the inside of her cheek like she always did when she was nervous. Her nails dug into her palms, as she sighed and stepped in front of him, meeting his gaze with a nervous shake of her head.

"How the hell are you being so calm about all of this?" She asked him, her voice breaking as she looked deep into his eyes. "Dominik… Bella's with the Wild Hunt…it's my fault, and… and you're so calm!"

He was being calm for her, clearly seeing now how worried and anxious she was, with quite literally the weight of the world on her shoulders. On the inside, he was more than likely panicking as much as she was, however, he stayed composed for her sake. He also knew that one thing was whole heartedly true, he had seen it when he saw Bella in the clearing, he could see It in her eyes.

There were two different people inside his sister's body now, and Bella was strong enough to emerge.

He shrugged and met her gaze with a reassuring smile. "Well… it's because I know we're going to get her back. And it's like I said Ciri, Baelen, is the one who hates you, not Bella, Bella's going to fight back, and she _will _win."

"Dominik…she tried to kill us both, multiple times," She said softly, her eyes nearly watering as she grabbed his hands, both of hers shaking. "What… what if we have to fight her again… what if… what if you let your guard down because it's Bella and… and she kills you… I couldn't live with myself if that happened."

He shook his head and smiled at her. "She won't do that… Bella won't kill me. She's in there like I said… and she will win. If I have to fight her for it to come out… I will, but I know my sister is in there."

"And… how can you be sure?" She said, squeezing his hands as she looked at him.

"Because I know her better than anyone," He said, gently rubbing her palms. "It may have been a while, but I still do. We're going to get Bella back, we'll kill Eredin, and then it'll be just me, you… and Fiona, she'll also have another Aunt besides just Freya."

A small scoff left her, that had been his ace in the hole ever since they got back from Claywitch, and it had been for her too. Whenever either of them were feeling nervous, anxious, the other would mention Fiona. Dominik had missed her every day since they had left the village, and a small part of him wished they had taken her with them, to see how she'd be reacting to everything now.

However, in the end he knew they made the right choice. It didn't detract still from the excitement they both received thinking about what they'd do together. He already was dreadfully excited bring the girl to meet Geralt, Yen, Triss, their friends, even to Skellige where they were now. And now as he said, Fiona would have another aunt.

Yes, he was going to be ecstatic the day Bella finally met Fiona.

First however, he needed to get his sister back, his plan would work, he knew it would, it had too. But he decided to focus on Ciri then, knowing how important the task was too her. They'd make their trip to Brekka in Undvik the next day, but first he'd help Ciri. It would always be that way, they were a team, partners, lovers, and this was how it'd be for the rest of their life.

Ciri gave him a small smile, his mention of Fiona having the desired effect. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and climbed onto his lap, straddling his lap. He moved his hands around her waist and smiled as she did the same down at him.

She gently stroked his scar with her thumb. "I know what you're doing… thank you for it… it means everything to me…"

He smiled back at her, squeezing around her waist as he nodded. "You're welcome princess, that's what I'm here for."

A small laugh left her, and she leaned down and kissed him. He kissed her back, and after a moment she deepened it, her arms getting tighter around his neck as he pulled her closer as well. His cock and legs trembled, both from that moment having her straddle him, and from remembering the long previous night. He smiled into her lips as she did the same, slowly pulling back and smiling at him, but staying put in his lap, the sun casting a golden glow over her beautiful, beautiful face, her emerald eyes glimmering as she smiled at him.

"Come on then, we should get moving," She said leaning back. "We have a long day ahead of us, and you know if we don't get to Geralt first someone else will drag him off to do gods only know what."

He smirked and pulled her closer, his head burying into her neck.

"Do we have to just now? I was thinking we could stay here a bit longer," He joked, mumbling into her neck as he did. "The bed is far too comfy, and I'm not anxious to leave at all."

Ciri scoffed a small laugh. "Ha… come on! As much as I would love too, we have to leave.. we… we need to… Dominik!"

"Come onnnn," He said, kissing the side of her neck, laughing as he did. "Let's stay a bit longer, you know you want too."

"No… we… we.. need…" She started, before a small moan left her as he kissed the side of her neck again, and her arms wrapped around his neck again. "Gods… may… maybe you're right… maybe we can stay a bit longer."

"You sure? We… are late after all," He said teasingly as he kissed along her shoulder.

Ciri scoffed and moaned again, reaching to the tie of her top between her breasts, undoing it, slowly pulling it over her head, now only sitting in his lap in her trousers and bra, her breasts pressed up against his chest, as he himself moaned lightly when she grinding against him, before scoffing a laugh as she pushed him back onto the bed.

She crawled up over to him, her hand trailing up his chest. "Yes… I'm sure, I think we have a little bit more time."

"We got all the time in the world princess," He said gently, holding the side of her face, cupping it as she smiled at him. "I think everyone can wait a bit longer."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Dominik! Ciri! Gods where have you both been!" Yen said frantically, as he and Ciri both came towards the ship. The sorceress sighed and looked at them both. "Geralt told me you'd be staying in the castle, but it's nearly passed midday already!"

"I told you we went a bit too late…" Ciri mumbled to him as they approached the ship.

He scoffed and looked down at her with a smirk. "You complaining?"

"Not one bit…" She said, winking at him as Geralt and Yen both came back up to the two of them.

The sun had still been shining, it was well past midday. 'A bit longer', had turned into several more hours for them, neither Ciri nor he eager to leave the castle, to return to what was the cold reality of their situation. However, Ciri had become increasingly anxious, ready to move out. Dominik had simply wanted to stay in the castle, talk more with Anton, plan out what they were going to do on Undvik with Crach and Hjalmar. However, between remembering his dream, and seeing Avallac'h pacing on the deck of the ship as the four of he, Ciri, Geralt and Yen stood down below reminded him why they were there.

"Well… you two certainly seem like you had a good night," Geralt said, smirking at them both as Yen came up next to him. "Must have been great compared to the night I had."

Dominik's face got red and his legs tingled, the wild smirk unable to leave his face. He looked over to Ciri and expected her to get just as flustered, however she had the look in her eyes again, the anxious, impatient worried look, and Dominik's heart fell.

"We had a nice night yes," She said, casting him a small smile before turning back to their parents and meeting their eyes. "If you don't count the fucking assassins Emhyr sent after Dominik while we were out skating."

"Again!?" Yen said indignantly her violet eyes fuming. "I swear when this is over… that man will pay for this."

Geralt nodded in agreement, looking at them again. "She's right… and I already knew about that."

"What, how?" Dominik asked, crossing his arms next to Ciri.

"Last night I went and got Fringilla from Emhyr's ship after i got the sunstone," Geralt explained, his hands curling around his arms as he folded them. "Was leaving through a portal with her… when his men brought an assassin before him, heard the assassin say how he failed, and how 'his majesty's daughter was in the Isles'."

"DAMMIT!" Ciri yelled right away, turning and kicking her boot through an empty crate that was sitting behind them, turning back to Dominik. "You were right, we should have fucking killed him."

Dominik could see how angry she was. Ciri was the strongest person he knew, he found it amazing how she could go through so many horrible things, but still help save a young girl from wolves, still laugh, smile, joke and be the amazing person he knew she still was.

However, she, just like him, was also prone to bouts of anger like now, and with everything that was happening and happening soon, he knew he needed to calm her.

He met her eyes and shook his head. "It's not your fault Ciri, you showed mercy, it was a good thing."

"No! No Dominik it wasn't," She snapped at him, turning her back to them and crossing her arms. "Now that bastard knows I'm here…"

Yennefer shook her head next to him. "Ciri darling he already knew, he isn't stupid."

"Yes, but now he's going to expect me to come to him when this is over," She spat, turning back to them, violently biting the inside of her cheek. "How the hell can he expect me to come to him!? How can one man be so arrogant!?"

Dominik looked between Yen and Geralt, biting his lip, he was looking to them for answers, but they were doing the same to him. He sighed and looked deep into Ciri's eyes; the sun gleamed off the emeralds. She had been holding it all in this entire time for him, ever since he had learned about Bella he needed her, but now with everything finally so close she was beginning to slip herself. He couldn't blame her. On one side she had Avallac'h scheming for her without her knowledge, on another side she of course had Eredin, and the Hunt after her, wanting to kill her to launch an invasion of her world, and then on another, there was Emhyr, who wanted to use her again.

He couldn't blame her for losing it now, but now more than ever was when she needed him. He met her eyes and slowly shook his head, walking towards her and smiling while he held both his hands on her shoulders.

"He's a bastard, we know that. Some people just think like that," He said to her, smiling still as he slowly shook his head. "But we won't let him get his hands on you… never again."

She shook under him, but gently reached her gloved hand up over his. He knew exactly what she was thinking about, she was thinking about what happened at Stygga Castle, the last time that Emhyr got his hands on her. He was furious about it, and he held to the notion that if he ever were in the same room as the Emperor again, whether it was a sign or his blade, he would kill the degenerate.

However then, he needed to put aside everything, his anger and hatred for Avallac'h. Emhyr, it was all inferior to the need to keep her safe. Nothing else mattered, she was his beginning, middle and end, she was everything, Ciri, and just Ciri like it always had been. He wasn't going to let Avallac'h, Emhyr, Eredin, anyone take her again, no, their life was finally going to truly be their own. Nothing over the years had felt worth it without her, and now that he had her, he would do what you always did with the ones you loved.

You cherished them and did everything you could to protect them. Just like he would with Ciri then, even then having his hands on her shoulders, seeing her look at him, looking deep into her eyes, a small part of him wasn't even sure it was real. For eight years, eight years all he had was the dreams, the swallow, so many times he had wanted to give up, end it all, but those dreams, the memories and the swallow had made him keep going. He kept going and going, despite months at a time without a lead on her, it was torture, every day he struggled to move, get out of bed, to do anything.

But all of that pain and suffering was to get to her then, and even since he had gotten her back, he still had nights like that. He would lay awake at night, Ciri right next to him, still thinking about all of the horrible things she had gone through, from Thanedd, to the Rats, the Arena, Leo Bonhart, Tir'Nala and Stygga Castle, running from Eredin between worlds for years. All of that had happened to her when he should have been protecting her.

It was for that reason that now, he'd do everything he could to give her everything, give her all the amazing things she deserved. And thankfully, he wasn't alone to do so for now.

"He's right Ciri," Geralt said, coming up next to the two of the again with Yen by his side. "He won't get his hands on you… nobody will, not again."

"We won't let that happen darling, we promise," Yen said again reassuringly, her eyes calmed as he pulled back from Ciri and she looked at them.

The look didn't leave her as the wind gently blew her loose strands of ashen locks spilling out over her ears. However, she sighed and nodded back up at them all, a small smile coming to her face. She leaned up and kissed his cheek, and his face going red made her laugh, even getting a smile from Geralt and Yen as they looked on.

No matter how old he got, that simple kiss on the cheek from her would do that to him.

She smiled and looked to the three of them. "Thank you… all of you…. Geralt, Yen… where is everyone, and Geralt, you found Fringilla, did you manage to recover the sunstone?"

"Yeah," Dominik said, turning to face their parents a small laugh leaving him as he met Geralt's eyes. "Ermion told me last night you had quite the time at the Drummond's place."

Geralt scoffed. "You can say that again, Lugos attacked us, Ermion and I had to kill him. But he did help me figured out who knew where the sunstone was."

"So we have it then?" Ciri said.

"We do," Geralt responded, casting a suspicious glare over towards Avallac'h at the helm of the ship, pacing as he looked out over the water. "Yen and Triss were busy, so I had to bring Phillipa with me, she dispelled the magic protecting it, got it back safe and sound."

Dominik shifted worriedly as he looked up at the sage as well. "And let me guess… Avallac'h was thrilled to be able to get his hands on it…"

Ciri crossed her arms, her fist leaning up against her chin like she did when she got that cute intuitive look on her face. Geralt looked at the three of them and nodded.

"Yeah… was practically salivating to get his hands on it, said he needed a day or two or two to study it, figure out the right spells," Geralt said with a concerned look as he looked towards Yen. "Any idea what he could possibly be doing with it?"

Yen sighed and disappointedly shook her head. "You mean other then what he said? I'm afraid not. I could sense the magical energy emanating from it, it's old, very old. Other than being able to use it open a portal between worlds and summon Eredin, I've no clue what else it could be used for."

"If we just needed to open a portal to summon Eredin, couldn't we just have Ciri do it," He said, looking over at Ciri next to him as she met his gaze. "You say he can track you when you use your power, couldn't we just have you open one for him and invite him through?"

"Don't see why not, it'd be much simpler," She said, sighing as she looked and met Yen's eyes and shook her head. "But… I assume it's much more complicated than that, and Avallac'h wants to use it for something else as well."

Yennefer nodded at all three of them. "Yes, it is… and we can't know for certain as frustrating as it is."

Dominik bit his lip and nodded, looking back to Ciri. "Looks like this little trip you have planned is a good idea after all princess, maybe we can figure something else out."

"Trip?" Geralt said once he finished.

Ciri nodded to him and turned to Yen and Geralt. "We'll tell you in a moment, what about Faram, Freya and George, where are they?"

Yen laughed amusingly, her hands on her hips. "Freya had George and Faram working from the moment they awoke, had them get more things in town. Faram came back with a cart full of arrows, and George had sacks full of ingredients for more explosive powder."

Dominik shared a look with Ciri, remembering seeing their three friends briefly in town the previous day. He liked to think he knew Freya well, he knew she was a genius in every sense, but couldn't think for the life of him what she possibly could be building. All she had said was that it 'was something that could help them'. He trusted anything Freya put forward, and he knew Ciri was thinking the same thing as he, that when they had time they needed to go and catch up with their friends. Ever since they had gotten to Novigrad after leaving Kaer Morhen, he Ciri and he both felt as if they were slightly ignoring their friends with everything that had been going on.

The three of them of course didn't blame them, knowing that Ciri and he hadn't seen each other in years, so they spent whatever time together they could. However, he and Ciri both wanted to make it a point to see them all before the battle, and Dominik especially would now knowing that Freya had something planned.

Ciri looked from him back to Geralt and Yen. "Arrows, explosives… did she mention why yet?"

Geralt shook his head and shrugged. "Haven't gotten a chance to ask, her heads been buried in the diagrams she drew. Poor girl doesn't look like she's slept in days."

Dominik scoffed. "That's Freya for you, when she sets her mind to something she does it… what about Faram and George, where are they now?"

"Freya had them mixing ingredients, making albedo and other substances," Yennefer explained, her arms crossing as she looked between Ciri and he. "But… I'm much more interested in what 'trip' the two of you were referring too."

"Yeah, same with me, what have you two got cooked up?" Geralt said after, crossing his arms, the sun glinting off the pommels of his swords.

A small smile came to Dominik's face, despite the seriousness of the situation, there was something that made him feel slightly vindicated about going to Avallach's lab. For weeks he had his suspicions of the elf, since even before he had seen the sage in his visions fighting his ancestors. He knew that Eredin was their true enemy, he had been worried about one being right at their side in Avallac'h. Alexander had told him in their journey through memories, that he needed to trust in Ciri, and to not let his anger get the best of him, so he had been trying to do that.

He had almost lost it a few days prior in Novigrad, but Ciri had been there. He had almost done it, he had almost dealt with Avallac'h for the entire time he needed to, keeping an eye on him the entire time to watch for anything he would try, in only a few days Ciri and he should realistically be rid of him for good, unless the elf decided to try something after Eredin's defeat. However, now that Ciri was finally starting to question the elf more, he would do exactly what Alexander had said, wait to act until the right moment, which was now. They would head to this lab Avallac'h had and see if they could figure anything out.

A small part of him also wanted to simply ruin everything in the elf's lab out of spite, however, he'd control himself for Ciri's sake.

Ciri looked up to the sage on the ship, before the two of them took steps closer to Geralt and Yen. A cold breeze zipped through his wind as he squinted his emerald eyes from the sun, if they moved quickly they could be back by the end of the night, and then the next day they could go to Undvik, to Brekka Bella's old village for his plan. He knew of course it wouldn't be as simple as he made it out to be, but he knew if he could get some kind of message to Bella it would work.

However, he knew Ciri's business would have to come first, he could still see the anxiousness in her eyes as she spoke, so he kept close to her, trying to be reassuring.

She looked between Geralt and Yen both with narrowed eyes. "Well… as I'm sure all four of us are aware… Avallac'h isn't exactly telling us everything, not about the sunstone, about Eredin… about his plans for me."

Geralt and Yen looked at each other right away. Dominik noticed Geralt in particular, his father of course had spent over a hundred years learning to mask his emotions, however the slight eye widening he saw on his father peeked his curiosity, even more so when he narrowed his eyes at Ciri, and the two of them seemed to share a knowing look. Yennefer however, scoffed and met their gaze.

"Of course, we've all thought that from the beginning," The sorceress said, her raven locks almost shining in the bright midday sun. "But what is it you want to do Ciri?"

Ciri crossed her arms and met their parent's eyes. "Well, I'd like to figure out what exactly his plans for me are, and I want to know if he really knew about Bella…."

Dominik hadn't heard Ciri speak in such a dark tone in a long time, and it chilled his bones as he saw the look in her eyes. He sighed and shook it off, looking to Geralt and Yen himself.

"Ciri here says Avallac'h has a secret hidden lab somewhere in Skellige," Dominik explained, readjusting the straps for his swords. "She knows where it is, said he's been there a few times while they've been traveling."

"Exactly, he always went alone, never brought me along. He's hiding something there, something that could tell us what he's planning…. Dominik and I were hoping you two would come with us," Ciri said, looking to him and then to their parents.

Geralt scoffed and looked to him. "Guessing it didn't take much to convince you to go on this little trip?"

"No, not a lot at all," He said dryly, rolling his eyes as he looked at them both. "I already know he's lying about Bella, but Ciri's got a point, I want to know what he has planned."

"So… coming with?" Ciri said, tightening her bun as the cold midday wind whipped through her scar around her neck.

Dominik took another second to admire her as he normally did. The scarf around her neck was draped with small bits of snow, her loose strands of hair fell over her ears, and he noticed her doing the cute thing she normally did where she tried to cover her scar with it. He adored the outfit she had put together, the corset, the tied white top, he had been teasing her that she needed armor, which Ciri knew she desperately needed as well. However, the tight trousers, the boots, and of course her sword on her back, it completed her look, and he still thought her more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen.

He loved her for much more than that of course, which was why he was so worried seeing her then. Her eyes were narrowed, and she was close to exploding, just like he had been a few days prior. Beautiful, kind, caring, brave, compassionate, but also deadly and protective, that was his Ciri, and they were all things he loved about her. However, another of the reasons they had fallen in love, were able to connect so well, was because they were similar.

And Dominik knew exactly how he'd react if he were in her position, the literally weight of their world on his shoulders. She'd been dealing with that since they were children, her power, her blood had been haunting her since they were twelve years old, it was the reason they were separated, the reasons she had been chased, but now was finally his chance to save he from that life, save he from the consequences of her blood, which had never even been in her control. And after it all, finally they'd just be able to be two young people in love, living a normal life, as normal as life could get for two witchers.

Yennefer scoffed as if Ciri's question was ridiculous. "Of course we'll come dears, right Geralt?"

Geralt crossed his arms and sighed, looking at them both. "I don't know… we're so close to finally being able to get rid of him. We know he's got a plan we'll be looking for it… do we really want another reason to be angry at him…."

Geralt was looking at Dominik in particular, and Yennefer seemed to find some sense in his words because she did as well, quickly followed by Ciri looking up at him. He sighed, biting his bottom lip and looking at the three of them.

For Ciri's sake he would put everything aside. He knew if he got angry, lost his temper, then Ciri would lose it as well.

No matter what he discovered in Avallach's lab, he would keep his temper.

He looked at the three of them and shook his head. "Don't need to worry about me… I'll keep my cool, I swear it. This is important, I won't let myself get angry…"

Ciri managed a smile at him, leaning up and kissing his cheek again. "Thank you… I know I can always count on you…. So, are we ready to head out?"

His cheek tingled and his chest fluttered as a smile came to his face. He looked over to Geralt and reassuringly nodded, before his father and Yennefer both nodded. Yen smiled and looked over to Ciri.

"Alright, you said you know the location?" Yen said.

Ciri nodded. "I do, a small island near Undvik I can open us a portal."

Geralt rolled his eyes. "Great… another portal, had my fill of those the last few days."

"Oh stop whining," Yen said rolling her eyes equally as annoyed before she looked back to Ciri. "Go ahead whenever you're ready darling."

Ciri nodded and sighed, turning to face Dominik now. "What about you? Are you ready?"

He looked deep into her eyes and did his best for a reassuring smile. Her watched as the wolf medallion he got her bounced and blew alongside the ring around her neck. Every time he saw them both he couldn't help but smile, knowing that now they almost matched. His goofy smile made her do the same as she scoffed a small laugh, and hearing that laugh was all he needed.

"Yeah I'm ready, go on princess, open us up a portal," He said, casting one more glare up at Avallac'h, who was standing and looking out over the sea, towards Undvik.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Looks just like his lab in Velen…. Keira had to open that one with magic," He said, as the four of them all approached the old ruin.

Dominik was flashed back to when he first trudged through Avallach's lab in Velen after Eredin and Caranthir with Kiera. It had felt like such a long time ago, he remembered his old armor before it had been enhanced. His old sword was still just that, he had nothing but bombs and oils, and thinking of that journey made his stomach tingle, the scar that still dominated his lower chest, Nithral's axe still left a mark on him to that day. He remembered how his signs had quite literally made him almost pass out with each use, Keira had saved him despite him being the one of kill Nithral in the end.

While the journey had felt like months ago, in the grand scheme of things it hadn't been long at all. It had been about a month only if his memory served him correctly, and in that month since, he had grown more than he had in the last eight years combined. Signs now were no problem for him, he knew it had to do with the power in his blood from Alexander, but still he had mastered his witcher signs, something he had dreamed about when he was training in Kaer Morhen. He had fought the Wild Hunt, found out Geralt and Yennefer were both alive, gotten armor better than he ever thought he would get in his life.

And most importantly, Ciri was by his side now as the four of them, his family delved into the ruin. Ciri, who a month prior, a small part of him thought he'd never see again, that he'd be doomed to die alone fighting monsters in some random cave. Now with that all back, he didn't intend for it to ever lose it again.

"Mhm…you're right, it's very well protected," Yennefer said, as the four of them approached the stone part of the wall. His mother turned to him. "Do you by any chance remember the spell Kiera used?"

Dominik scoffed. "Can't say I do; I knew I should have taken those elder speech lessons with you and Triss…"

"You should have, it would have proven useful," His mother said, smirking at him as she turned back to the barrier. "With how well it's protected, I think our dear sage has a few interesting things inside."

Ciri came up from next to him joining Yen at the wall while Dominik stayed back with Geralt. The entrance to the ruin was lit with two braziers of blue fire, as two sentry golems lined each side. Geralt shared a nod with him, and Dominik could tell what it meant. Geralt was pointing out the golems, and it was easy enough for Dominik to surmise that one of them would more than likely awaken after the barrier on the door was lifted.

It had only taken them minutes to get to the small island, so it was still only a few hours past midday. He guessed by the time they finished it would be around sunset, another day gone by another day closer to the battle. He looked over to Ciri, who came up next to Yennefer with her arms crossed, looking at the shimmering barrier in the doorway.

"How will you lift it? Do you have a way," Ciri said, the cold breeze shooting in from outside.

Yen smiled back at her. "Atlan Kerk's inclusion should do the trick, do you remember the spell?"

A small smile came to Ciri's face. "I remember you teaching me. And to think I thought an overbearing, cold shrew at the time."

Dominik scoffed from behind them. "I thought a little worse than that at first."

His mother smiled and turned back to him. "And all because I was taking up all of Ciri's time, right darling?"

He rolled his eyes but smiled. "That's exactly it."

"Did the same thing with Triss at Kaer Morhen," Geralt said amusingly from next to him.

His face got red as Ciri smiled over at him shooting him a wink as she turned back to the barrier. He smiled as well, remembering the times fondly, and finding it hard to believe he ever had anything other than love for Yennefer and Triss both.

Yennefer smiled at him and winked as well, before turning back to the barrier.

"Now… a highly complex magical barrier," The sorceress said slowly, holding up both her hands as magic started to whirl in them. "Let's try…. _Gaeta'ar lingen!"_

He jumped as a bolt of blue magic shot from Yennefer's hands, smacking into the door, and a purple mist began to swirl. Magic reacted to magic, small little eruptions blew in the mist, and within a few seconds, Dominik heard the inevitable.

"Dom, Geralt the sentry!" Ciri screamed, as Dominik saw her swore rack from her back.

Dominik heard the grinding of rocks, and whipped _Fate _from his back, and as soon as he turned around him and Geralt both had to dive out of the way. He saw a flash of blue as Ciri teleported, the ground shaking beneath them, she cut her blade through the glowing part of the golem's stomach, but as soon as it roared it reared around and smacked Ciri into the wall. It wasn't enough to seriously damage her, but Dominik heard her sword clunk to the ground and gripped tighter to _Fate's _handle.

"DOM AARD!" Geralt said, screaming from the other side of the chamber, as Yennefer rushed over to Ciri.

His eyes flashed, he didn't know how he did it, but he felt magic rush to his fingertips. He saw Ciri on the ground, groaning as she shakily got to her feet. His heart pounded as the blue mists of magic whirled around his arms, and just as the golem turned on him, he saw magic flash in his eyes again, everything changing to a blue tint as he formed the hand sign for Aard and thrusted his hand forward, blue telekinetic energy erupted from his hands with a loud ***RIIIIIIP* **before a loud ***BOOOM* **shook the chamber as the blast smacked into the massive golem, and the blast was so powerful it sent the golem spiraling back towards the wall.

It crashed into the wall of the chamber, where it slumped to the ground with a growl. Dominik almost rushed forward himself, but before he could with great speed Geralt leapt up onto the beast's body and stabbed his silver into its glowing stomach, and with one last roar the sentry died, crumbling to a pile of rocks. Dominik breath heavily, as Geralt leapt off the beast's body, slinging his sword back into its sheath. On his right near the door, he heard Ciri's do the same, frantically he looked over to her and saw she was alright.

After he did he let out the breath he had been holding and tried to slid _Fate_ back into its sheath. He struggled for a moment, missing the first few times as his arms tingled. Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt all rushed to him, and Dominik waited for his stomach to drop, for his skin to crawl and the wind to get knocked out of him. That was what normally happened when he used his powers to such a degree. It had happened in Claywitch, Kaer Morhen, when he fought Bella. Each time they had unleashed, the magic had shot from him erratically like a whirlwind. However, when he launched his sign just then, it had been a clam, silent hum, and the magic had listened to him.

He had been in complete control.

"Dom, are you alright!?" Ciri said, rushing up next to him with Geralt and Yennefer behind her.

Dominik looked down at his gloved hands, remembering all the times his powers had unleashed, the only times a sign that powerful had come, his hands had been smoking afterwards. Not this time however, and as for his heartbeat, his skin, his body, everything felt completely normal.

It was new revelation to him, all he had thought about was protecting Ciri after seeing her get knocked down, he knew he had to do something, he knew he had to be in control. He had remained calm, he knew he had Geralt with him, Ciri and Yen. He shakily sighed and looked to meet Ciri's eyes, the emerald iris's full of concern.

He slowly nodded, a small smile coming to his face. "I'm alright, more concerned about you. We really need to get you some armor princess."

Geralt scoffed from behind her with Yen. "Been saying the same thing for weeks!"

Ciri rolled her eyes, but a small smile came to her face as she looked at him. "I'm well aware of that, I'm alright but… Dominik are you sure are?"

"She's right darling, whenever your powers have unleashed it's drained you," Yennefer said, meeting his eyes.

Dominik looked at the three of them, a small smile came to his face, his heart fluttered seeing the concern from them. He knew that they loved him, but still, after being alone for so long, every bit of time they spent together he was cherishing. He didn't want to make that moment they were spending together about him.

"I'm… alright," He said, a small smile coming to his face, as he gestured his head towards the door towards the lab which was now swung open. "So, what do you think we'll find? Skeletons in the closets, incriminating letters?"

A smile came to Ciri's face as she reached over and squeezed his hand, as if she knew exactly what he was doing. She nodded and turned back towards the door, walking ahead of them.

"Wouldn't be surprised… come on, let's go see what we have…" Ciri said, jogging forward into the lab, before he quickly followed with Yennefer and Geralt.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Well… certainly doesn't seem much like a lab," Geralt said as they entered the first room. "Looks more like a vacation home."

"Avallac'h on a vacation? Never think I even saw the fucker smile," Dominik muttered as he followed closely behind Ciri.

The lab was like Geralt said, it looked more like someone's private getaway. Bookshelves lined the walls, multiple smaller tables with candles, bowls of fruit, alchemical apparatuses, storage and other random things were aplenty. It would seem cozy enough to him, if he didn't know Avallac'h spent time there, more than likely planning out all of the schemes he had been trying to conduct for years. Dominik knew he more than likely was planning whatever it was he had in store for Ciri since he met her years before.

To their right was a larger bookshelf along with multiple other tables with document and other papers. Ciri who had been walking in front of all three of them turned to them.

"Let's look around, see if we can find anything," She said, uncrossing her arms as Geralt chuckled next to him.

"You don't feel a bit guilty, rummaging through his papers?" He asked in a joke.

"No, not one bit, now come on," Ciri said without a second thought, moving to the left of the room, where Dominik saw another path leading further into the hideout.

He could hear the tone to her voice, and apparently Geralt and Yennefer could as well, because Yen held his shoulder and turned him to face them.

"Dominik… make sure you stay with her," Yen said, looking and meeting his eyes.

"Yeah, don't let her loose her cool and do something she regrets," Geralt said, as Dominik quickly nodded.

"No worries, I will, you guys check over that way, call if you find anything," He said, getting a nod from them both, before they walked off to the right side of the room.

Dominik watched them go and start rummaging through tables and notes and turned to his left to find Ciri doing something similar near the hallway leading to the next room. She was ducked down over a table, moving around papers and reading passages. He walked up behind her and he could simply feel how tense she was as he came up next to her.

"Anything interesting?" He asked, leaning over the table with her.

She sighed and shook her head, her eyes not leaving the papers. "No… unfortunately not. Just notes on him trying to locate me after our first encounter in Tir'Nala…"

"You never told me about that… how you ended up there," He said slowly, as Ciri stood up from the table and nervously looked at him.

"I know… and… and I'm sorry it… it's just-."

"You don't have to say anything until you're ready," He said, carefully stepping forward and holding his hands on her hips pulling her closer to him. "It was probably horrible… I couldn't imagine it… they probably would have killed me on site if they knew I was Alexander's."

Ciri melted into him for a moment, shakily sighing and hugging around his neck. She pulled back and looked deep into his eyes as she shook his head.

"You know… I wondered a lot over the years what… what would have happened if… if you had been there with me, if Geralt had taken you to Thanedd," She said, letting go of him and looking down at the papers again.

He nodded and came next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I've done the same… after you escaped Thanedd, you landed in the desert you told me right?"

"Yeah… then with some help from unicorns I got out," She said, leaning her hands forward over the desk, her arms shaking. "I got picked up by a group of slavers… helped Kayleigh, the members of the Rats escape and… you know after that."

"I wouldn't have let them touch you," He said, turning and leaning his ass against the table next to her, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "That boy Kayleigh would've been killed before he laid a hand on you, and that cunt Mistle? If I had been there…"

It had been something he thought about often, Ciri's past, what she had gone through. She had been through hell while he had promised to be there, to protect her. He could have convinced Geralt to let him go to Thanedd, and if he had been at Thanedd he would have escaped with her he knew.

Ciri however, stepped in front of him, and met his eyes, reaching out to hold both of his hands as she shook her head.

"There's no use thinking about that remember?" She said softly, a small smile coming to her face as she kept his gaze. "You would have kept me safe I know… but you also would have suffered like me…and I never would have wanted that."

"But I wouldn't have cared Ciri," He said, stepping off the table to hold her again. "No matter what would have happened to me, if it meant keeping you safe-."

"But I would have cared Dom…" She said, leaning up and quickly kissing him. "It's like you always say, we're here now, that's all that matters."

"All that matters… you're right," He said, his lips tingling as he smiled at her.

Ciri smiled back up at him. "Exactly, besides, I think you're right. They would have killed you in Tir'Nala, especially since Avallac'h knew about you being Alexander's. The things they said about Cregan… the line of Lod… I thought they would kill me after a while."

His heart thumped loudly as he slowly looked at her. "But… they didn't. They… they kept you there and… and forced you to try and sleep with the King."

"They did… said it was my duty to right Lara's mistake," She said, shivering as if bugs were crawling on her, as she turned and wrapped her arms around herself. "For a year… a god damn year… I… I-."

"It's alright, hey… it's alright," He said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her. "It's over… nobody's going to take you prisoner again… me, you… and Fiona, that's it."

Ciri gripped onto his arms and turned to him, hugging him fiercely as she looked up at him. Slowly she pulled back from him, and he reached out his gloved hand to move the strands of ashen hair from her forehead. He looked deep into her eyes, her beautiful eyes that matched his own, he loved that they matched his own. Her smile slowly faded, making his own do the same as he titled his head.

"Ciri… what is it?" He asked her, wanting with everything for that smile to return.

She shakily sighed and looked back at him. "D…Dominik I… I need to tell you something. It… it was-."

"Dom, Ciri, over here!" The voice of Geralt cut her off, making Dominik and she both look over to the other side of the room.

Geralt and Yen both waved for them to come over to another desk, and Ciri quickly let go of him. She looked up at him, that nervous look still in her eyes.

"We… should go and see what that is."

"But Ciri what was it you-." He started, but she leaned up and kissing him quickly to cut him off.

"I'll tell you later… come on," She said, turning and walking off towards Yen and Geralt.

He sighed and followed after her, the light from the multiple candles the only thing that illuminated the dank lab. The tense tone in which she spoke with, he knew whatever it was Ciri was going to tell him had been important, something she had more than likely been holding in. However, he pushed it aside for the moment, he had promised always that he would never press her to speak about things that she didn't want too.

There would be a time when they finally all sat down, and told each other what happened, start to finish from start to finish. He wanted to hear it all, from the desert, to the Rats, to Stygga Castle, everything. She would tell him when she was ready, he had only heard bits and pieces, and all of it had been horrible, but he knew it was something he needed to listen too. And he also had plenty of things left to tell her.

"Check it out… portraits of Ciri I think," Geralt said, as he came up behind the three of them, standing next to Ciri near the table.

Dominik looked closely and saw Ciri's horrified face first. He looked down at the pictures, and like Geralt said, from a first glance, they certainly seemed like portraits of Ciri, the woman in them looked exactly like her, almost like the drawing he had originally brought from Emhyr's court when Geralt and he had first left.

A small part of him then wanted to scream, get angry, he knew that Avallac'h was obsessed with Ciri, and he knew exactly why. It was because of Ciri's striking likeness to Lara Dorren. Dominik had seen Lara Dorren in his dreams with Alexander and learned that Avallac'h was indeed the elf that 'won the right' to marry her amongst the Aen Elle. Alexander had explained how after Lara fell in love with Cregan, was when Avallac'h had gotten with Eredin to try and find her, to win her back because according to Avallac'h, Lara Dorren had been his 'by right'. Years later the sage had helped Eredin attacked Castle Lod, wishing to find Riannon, Lara's child, and now almost a hundred years later, he was obsessed with Ciri.

Dominik didn't know if it was just because of the power in Ciri's blood, and Avallac'h wanting to control it, or because of some sick, twisted attraction to Lara's descendants. Ciri clearly thought the same thing then, a disgusted look crossing her face as she stood up from the table of portraits while Dominik kept his eyes down on it.

"That can't be me… there's no scar!" Ciri said, clearly trying to convince herself as well as Geralt.

Geralt scoffed and smirked. "Mhm no… it's gotta be, he really captured you. Sure Avallac'h is only interested in you for your magical abilities?"

Ciri's eyes darted towards their father. "Very funny…"

"Ciri's right… this isn't her," Dominik said, slowly picking up the picture, examining every little detail.

All three of them looked at him, and Ciri even seemed shocked. It was more than likely obvious to them all it was Ciri the portrait was of, and more than likely anyone else too who would look at the two.

However, Dominik happened to be the one person who looked at Ciri more than anyone else in that world or any world, which was how he could tell it wasn't her.

"Dominik what are you talking about darling?" Yennefer asked, as he turned to them both as the sorceress shook her head. "It's looks just like her."

"She's right, besides who else could it be?" Geralt said, with Ciri looking at him anxiously.

Dominik slowly shook his head again, finally looking up from the picture and meeting all of their eyes.

"It's not Ciri… but it's obvious why Avallach's so obsessed with her," He said, gently putting the picture down, remembering the woman's face vividly. "These pictures are of Lara Dorren."

The words hung over the three of them, as Ciri tensed, while Geralt slowly nodded.

"That's right… you said you saw her when you opened the journal and met Alexander didn't you?" He said.

"Yes… I remember you told me as well," Yen said as well, looking at the pictures on the table, before turning back to face Ciri and him. "The resemblance Ciri bears to her is striking."

"It is," Dominik said, an amused smile coming to his face as he looked towards Ciri herself. "She was the second most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life."

A smile came to Geralt and Yen's face at the compliment, and he expected one to come to Ciri's as well. However, she only clenched her fists, her hands shaking as she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"You… you told me that Avallac'h and Eredin tried to track her down hunted her," Ciri said slowly, the words dripping carefully from her lips. "Avallac'h was supposed to marry her… so when she left him for Cregan… he and Eredin attacked Alexander to find her child's location… my ancestors' location."

Dominik met her eyes and could see the worry pooling from them. She had said to him how worried she was about leading Avallac'h to them, possibly putting them in danger because she was foolish. He understood why she had to travel with the sage in the first place, it was one of the only ways she could have survived.

However, now he could see the regret on her face. The sage's obsession with her, his need to control her, they all knew what it came from now.

"Yeah… that's what happened," Dominik said slowly, looking down at the picture again. "Poor woman… just wanted to live."

It was silent again for a moment as he slowly looked back down at the portraits. He remembered visiting the flashback, the memory with Alexander. He could hear Lara Dorren's beautiful singing voice as she sang to her daughter Riannon before having to give her up, for her own safety. Lara Dorren had one of the most beautiful singing voices he ever heard. He could see the vision again as he looked at the drawing, Alexander, Lara, his children Connor and Lara who had been named after Alexander's 'little sis', who was actually hundreds of years older than he was. It had been a peaceful family, with a woman who simply wanted to live the life she wanted, with the people she loved.

But because of the jealously, of the anger of one person she had that ripped away from her. Ciri looked down at the pictures of Lara Dorren again, and Dominik could see her arms shaking. He could tell what she was thinking about, she was thinking how similar she and Lara Dorren were, not just in terms of how they looked.

"I wish they had left her alone… what did she do to deserve what happened to her!?" Ciri said, snapping as her fists curled. "And now… and now for the same fucking reason, they're chasing me… what the hell did I ever do to deserve it!?"

"Ciri… none of it's your fault you're right," Dominik said right away, Geralt and Yen nodding as he tried to put a hand on her back. "But we're going to keep you safe, nobody will get their hands on you, and-."

"Yes… and just like Lara, they're going to try to kill the ones I love to get to me," She snapped, cutting him off as she turned her head back to him, shaking her head. "All because I'm fucking around, because I led them to you!"

"Ciri, you can't-." Geralt started, but before he could finish Ciri trudged off towards the other room further into the lab.

Dominik watched her trudge off and it was as if a brick had fallen and sunk into his stomach. Sighing he looked back down at the pictures of Lara Dorren.

Ciri was correct about one thing, it hadn't been fair that Lara's life was taken from her, and it also wasn't fair that Ciri was being chased now.

"Dom, you go after her, Geralt and I will continue to look around here," Yen said, coming up and placing a hand on his shoulder. "She needs you now."

"She's right, should be a few more things to find, just be careful what you touch," Geralt said nodding in agreement with Yen.

Dominik sighed again, looking and meeting both their eyes. "She's right you know… none of this has ever been fair…"

"It isn't, but there's nothing we can change about it," Geralt said. "But there is something we can do about it… go check on her."

"We'll be right behind you in a moment," Yen said, before she turned back to the other bookshelves lining the walls.

Geralt gave him a nod and joined Yen, walking towards the bookshelves, but stopping at a portrait of Avallac'h on the walls. Dominik managed to get a small laugh when his father simply reached and knocked the frame to the ground. It shattered as the glass and Dominik laughed as Geralt smirked, only for Yen to look at him and roll her eyes, trying to look annoyed, but he could see the amusement in his mother's eyes.

He smiled and turned to follow where Ciri had went further down the hall. He knew of course the situation was a bit dire, but he couldn't help but smile being with them all again. Before they entered he had promised to not lose his temper, and having seen how Ciri was acting, he knew that was even more important now.

The rest of the lab further down, began to actually look like a lab. He passed multiple tables with alchemical apparatuses and other lab equipment that made his skin crawl just looking at it. He saw far too may portraits of Avallac'h and others of Lara Dorren for his liking. With each one he saw; he was more and more anxious about leaving Ciri anywhere near Avallac'h again. She could take care of herself, she always could he knew, but it didn't stop him from feeling that way.

However, he had already not trusted Avallac'h before he knew anything about Lara Dorren, so the feeling wasn't anything new. All he could focus on now, was killing Eredin, Caranthir, and then making sure the sage stayed away, it was the best way to keep her safe, and he knew if he lost it, then Ciri would as well. A cool breeze hit his neck as he finally came out to a large part of the lab. He couldn't see any more hallways further in, so he assumed that it had to be the final chamber. To the left he saw a large door and he finally saw Ciri, she was leaning and fiddling with something on a desk, her sword clunking on her back.

He sighed, remembering how angry she was, so decided to be gentle as he always was. She had been fantastic at consoling him the previous few days after what happened with Bella, and he was aware that when they went off by themselves, even before they got Fiona, that not every day would be a good one. Some days they'd be angry, upset, tired, hurt, no person was happy every day, tough days happened, but it was reassuring knowing he would have Ciri for them. It had been another promise they made, to be there for one another, on the good days, and on the bad days.

"Hey princess, you alright," He said, coming up behind her, gently holding his hand on her back as she didn't look up at him. "Ciri, you can't blame yourself for… what is that?"

"That _bastard! _He told me that it was destroyed," She snapped, holding a small silver and black box up in her hands.

Dominik had never seen something like whatever Ciri was holding in his life. It was small, sleek, silver and black, with a smaller tube jutting out of it, a piece of glass attached to the end, with a slit on the bottom which he had no idea what could possibly come out of. The device was too small it seemed to fit much of anything inside of it.

"Ciri… what is that thing," He asked her, as a small scoff left her, and she turned to him.

She turned to him, and while he was happy to see a small smile come back to her face, he was still baffled by whatever was in her hand. She looked down at it, and Dominik realized there was a button on top, she scoffed and looked back to him.

"Remember when I told you about the world I visited?" She said, a small bit of excitement to her voice as she smiled at him. "Remember I told you about the small picture boxes, the ones that small little paintings come out of?"

He managed a laugh as he looked down at the small decide. "Ha… and you're telling me this tiny thing does all that?"

"It does!" Ciri said, the smile on her face growing as she stood next to him. "Avallac'h… bastard told me it was destroyed after i lost it!"

"How's it work?" He said, running his hand along the small box, and surprising himself when he realized it was made of some kind of metal, and other material he had never felt.

Ciri laughed at his bewildered look, as she got next to him and wrapped her arm up around his neck. She moved the box around in her other hand, and Dominik nearly jumped seeing his reflection in the glass that was looking at him now as Ciri's hand flashed near the button.

"Okay, just looked right here and smile, don't move," She said, smiling up at him with that cute enthusiastic smile she got.

Dominik loved seeing the smile of course but was more concerned with the strange whirring sound he heard coming from the box as it sounded like the thing was about to explode.

He looked down at Ciri. "Um… Ciri are you that things safe?"

"Of course it's safe you stupid boy! Just look!" She said, gently using her other hand to move his head back towards the glass.

Dominik scoffed and cautiously looked at the glass. "Um… okay, but Ciri how does this thing work-. GAH WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?"

He stumbled backwards, nearly falling and having to grab onto a shelf to steady himself as Ciri laughed hysterically. She laughed as he struggled to regain his foot, after Ciri had pressed the button a giant white flashing light had shot from it, burning his eyes and making him stumble! He knocked a few papers to the ground as he used the table to stumble back to his feet, much to Ciri's amusement still.

"AHAHAHA! Gods… gods it's the flash!" She explained, as she walked over to him with the small device in her hands. "It's what makes it appear… and here it is, look."

He recovered from the small heart attack he had and stepped towards Ciri again. The lab itself was dimly lit, it only had a few candles to illuminate his vision, but still he was able to see what Ciri was holding. He jumped back again, making Ciri laugh even more as a small piece of what seemed to be parchment slowly ejected from the bottom of the device. In complete bewilderment of what was going on, Ciri gently pulled it from the bottom, placing whatever it was called back on the table and holding up the parchment for him.

"It's like a small painting like I told you, look how clear that is!" She said excitedly, holding it up for him, as Dominik scoffed in amazement.

It really was like a small, realistic painting of the two of them. They were both in the exact position they were in before the flash had given him a heart attack. Ciri was smiling wildly, seeming completely at peace in the frozen image, while in it Dominik looked extremely confused. It was exactly them as well, looking at himself he scoffed, seeing the scar on his face, both his swords, his armor everything exactly the same. The same went for Ciri, her emerald eyes in the image sparkled the same as his did. She looked as beautiful in the image as she did next to him.

"Gods… that's amazing, what the hell is in that thing?" He said, looking over at the small box on the table again, before looking back to the image in Ciri's hands. "It's… literally us! What kind of magic is it."

Ciri laughed again, looking down at the image in her hands. Dominik had just gotten done seeing her angry, anxious, but seeing her smile then as she gazed down at the image was worth the whole trip itself. She sighed, the smile on her face small but still adorable as she looked up at him.

"I've not idea to be honest, some sort of future technology… You look awfully cute in this you know," She said with a smirk as she met his eyes.

"I do don't I," He said, wrapping an arm around her waist as he pulled her closer to him, the both of them looking down at the image. "And you look radiant as ever."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smile, sighing as she slowly slipped the image into the pocket of her trousers. When she turned back to him, he saw the smile slowly fade from her face.

"Avallac'h told me it was broken beyond repair when I couldn't find it," She said, shakily sighing as she crossed her arms. "Don't know what the hell he has it here for… ass…"

Dominik scoffed, trying for a smile. "Yes… he really is a fucking cunt isn't he?"

He expected her to laugh but she didn't. She shakily sighed and shook her head, her arms staying crossed as she turned from him, facing the other side of the room.

"Yes he is… and I knew that from the last time I encountered him years ago…" She said slowly, her hands balling into fists. "And now… I _know _he has a scheme up his sleeve, something that could possibly hurt me, or us… and I could have led him right to you all…"

Dominik knew all the things she said about Avallac'h having schemes he hadn't told them about was true. He would never defend the sage, and quite frankly would be over the moon if during the fight with Eredin he 'accidentally' fell into the ocean and drowned. However, he could see the torment in Ciri's eyes as she quickly looked at him.

"I'm a fool… the same foolish little girl I was last time…" She said, before turning back to the other side of the lab.

He stepped up behind her again, gently placing his hand on her back. The smell of burning candle wax hit his nose, and he could distantly hear Geralt and Yen's footsteps echoing as their parents came from the front rooms. He felt Ciri stiffen upwards, as he turned to look at her and shook his head, her gaze fixed to the wall of the lab.

"Ciri, you can't think like that, you're not a fool," He said, trying to sound reassuring as he rubbed her upper back. "You know I'll be the last one to defend Avallac'h, but Eredin was on your heels you had no choice but to…. Ciri what are you-."

"Dominik… look…" She said slowly, pointing her finger up between the back center and left walls of the lab.

"What are you… fuck… fuck me…" He said slowly, when he looked up and saw exactly what Ciri had been so fixated on.

On the wall in the center of the back of the room, was one large tapestry, and on the left wall was a second large tapestry. He ignored the second one for a moment, focusing his attention on the one that Ciri had slowly walked up to first, looking up at the names, the dozens upon dozens of names that were scrawled in one long interweaving web branching out like a tree. Upon closer inspection, he recognized many of the coats of arms. He saw Redania, Temaria, Cintra, Skellige, Nilfgaard, all the coats of arms were present. Soon, he looked closer as he came up next to Ciri and even recognized some of the names.

Riannon, Queen of Temaria, Fiona, Queen of Cintra and Princess of Temaria, Coram the second King of Cintra, King Dagorad of Cintra, King Roganar of Cintra, Queen Calanthe, Princess Pavetta, King Eist Tuirseach of Skellige and Cintra.

And the final name at the bottom, under the names of Emhyr Var Emhyr and Pavetta Fiona Elen, was Ciri. Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, Ciri, her name was circled on the tapestry at the very bottom, and then, all the way at the top, across from the name Cregan of Lod, was Lara Dorren.

Dominik's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Ciri was speechless, looking at her name, up the family tree, that spanned out over each and every single one of her possible family members and ancestors. Dominik even spotted a marker with the name Robert Anton, and it made sense considering Anton was a distant cousin of Queen Calanthe, that was how far Avallac'h had gone. Ciri shuffled next to him, bewildered into silence, as she tried to croak out words, but before she could shakily sighed, her eyes trailing to the left wall, to the second tapestry, her boots hitting the ground as she walked over to it.

He however, had to stay rooted to the spot, his hands curling into tight fists as his arms shook. Avallac'h was not only obsessed with Ciri, it went deeper than that, the sage felt like exactly the same way about Ciri as he did with Lara Dorren, that she was hit right, her power was his right. He had made fun of the elf for being so old, and apparently his last hundred years or so had been spent tracking down Ciri and her ancestors.

"Ciri… he… he's been tracking Lara's line for over a hundred years," He said slowly, reaching our and running his hand over Ciri's spot on the tapestry. "Every single line… fuck I even see Anton on here…."

"Dom, Ciri!" The voice of Geralt said behind him, as Dominik turned and saw both him and Yennefer jogging towards them.

Seeing Ciri was still stunned into silence he turned and met Geralt and Yen, who stopped as they saw the giant tapestry.

Yennefer looked up in bewilderment, walking past him towards the banner full of Ciri's ancestors.

The sorceress slowly shook her head. "Gods above… a genealogical chart of the Aen Hen Ichear, the Elder Blood… all the way from Lara Dorren."

"Yeah… looks like Dom was right… he's obsessed," Geralt said, as Dominik walked up his father.

Ciri still hadn't moved as she looked up at the second tapestry, while Yen examined the one of the Elder Blood closer. Dominik came up next to Geralt, as his father looked over and Ciri and then back to him.

"How is she?" He said, crossing his armored arms.

Dominik sighed and shook his head. "I don't know… you and Yen find anything else?"

Geralt nodded. "Yeah… signs that someone's been here, and really recently."

"Avallac'h is on the ship."

"Thought maybe he had an assistant maybe," Geralt said, shrugging as he sighed and ran hand over his white silver beard. "Or maybe he overheard us."

He scoffed. "Avallac'h wouldn't use an assistant doesn't seem like him. And if he had heard us, I'm guessing he would've headed us off before we came in."

"You're probably right," Geralt said with another shrug as he looked up at the tapestry with a disbelieving shake of the head. "You know… I may have believed he was just trying to keep Lara's blood safe, if not for what you told me you saw, him fighting Alexander."

"Yeah… he doesn't want to keep it safe… he wants to control it, use it for something," Dominik said, looking and meeting Geralt's yellow eyes. "Geralt… I don't exactly feel comfortable leaving her alone near him now."

Geralt nodded in agreement. "Neither do I… after this is over, we're going to have to do something about him…"

He was about to respond when Yennefer scoffed.

"Gods, he's tracked every line possible…" The sorceress said, turning her head over to Ciri, who was still motionless. "Ciri, do you remember when I showed you the shortened version…. Ciri? Ciri what is it?"

Ciri for the first time spoke, her voice cracking against her throat. "He… he knew…he really did know…"

Dominik turned to her with Geralt and Yennefer both. She was looking up at the tapestry, and Dominik slowly walked over to her.

"Knew what? Ciri what is it?" He said, coming up next to her.

She craned her head over to him and pointed up, her emerald eyes full of fear, pain, and behind it all a burning anger.

"Dom… it… it wasn't just me that he tracked," She said, as Dominik slowly looked up at the tapestry, and when he saw it, he froze himself, as Ciri shakily went on. "He… he tracked you… all of Alexander's line… all of you…"

Dominik knew that Avallac'h knew the truth about Bella and wasn't telling him. However, when he looked up and saw the family tree on the tapestry that Ciri was looking at, he wished with every fiber of his being that he had killed the elf, had his blood stain the blade of his sword right there in Novigrad.

"He… he wasn't just tracking me… he was tracking the both of us," Ciri said, her voice rising as well as her anger as she looked down his family tree. "He… he knew the whole time, the whole fucking time, even before about Bella!"

Dominik scoffed a laugh. "I knew the fucker was lying… I fucking told all of you."

He looked at the top of the family tree, and looked incredulously at the name, 'Alexander of Lod'. In shield with Alexander's name, he saw the black background with a white dragon's head, and two crossed sword, the coat of arms of the House of Lod, and across from Alexander another name was scrawled. It read 'Leila of Tir'Nala', and Dominik scoffed.

"Look at that… Alexander married an elf…" He said, slowly shaking his head and looking over at Ciri next to him. "Looks like I'm part elf too… maybe his journal says something about her… and below them… Connor…. Lara…. Korina… all the way down to my mother…"

The fact he was part elf, but not only simply elf, but an Aen Elle elf it seemed was something he needed to look into, read more about in Alexander's journal. He didn't recall seeing any mother for Connor and Lara of Lod in his visions with the old man, and from what he had read of Alexander's journal so far, there had been no mentions of anyone named Leila. However, he pushed the thoughts from his mind, and looked down the tree, all the way down to his mother. Her spot read 'Sofia of Cintra', and sure enough across from her, was stitched his father's name, both his parents with the bright blue banner with golden lions behind their names.

And then right below the two of them, were of course him and his sister. 'Dominik of Cintra' and 'Bella of Cintra', both with the golden lion banners of Cintra just like their parents.

He truly had known, just like Dominik suspected.

"Gods… yours is a bit smaller than Ciri's darling," Yen said, coming up next to him and Ciri both.

Geralt came up to their other side. "Yeah… and you being part elf… part Aen Elle, it could explain your powers even more."

Dominik slowly nodded, and turned to Ciri, who was still staring speechless up at the tapestry with his family. He shared a look with Geralt, as Yennefer walked over towards another of Avallach's desks filled to the brim with papers. Geralt and he shared a look as she stood there, her arms shaking, her eyes fixed not on Dominik's spot on the tapestry, but on Bella's.

He came up next to her and reached around her shoulders. "Ciri…."

"He knew… he fucking knew and… and I was_ foolish _enough to believe him," She said, snapping around to look up at him, she grabbed onto his arm with an iron grip. "D…. Dominik I… I'm so… so sorry, I… I'm sorry I should have-."

"Hey, hey, hey it's alright," He said, pulling her into him, as he felt her shake in his arms, tears nearly welling in her eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed as tight as he could as she did the same to him. Dominik looked up and met Geralt's gaze down at him, and he could see their father was trying to hold back just as much anger as he was. However, they both gave each other an understanding nod, as Dominik knew what he was reminding him.

The two of them had to remain calm, for Ciri's sake, because she was currently violently shaking in his arms. She pulled back from him, looking and meeting his gaze with now hard narrowed eyes as she shakily sighed and shook her head.

"You… you were right, he… he's a bastard. I was wrong…I should have let you fucking kill him…. Fuck I should have killed him the minute he showed his face to me again!" Ciri said furiously.

Dominik as much as he wanted to say yes, he should have killed the sage, shook his head. He couldn't let his impulses get the best of him anymore, especially not now. He also knew that in fact, he was wrong, and that they really couldn't kill Avallac'h, despite the fact deep down he truly wanted too, and looking in Ciri's eyes then, he knew she did as well.

He met her eyes and gently held onto her waist. "Ciri, you weren't wrong. You stopped me from putting all our plans in jeopardy. We can't kill him… we need him. We'll use him for what we need, and then after we'll be rid of him."

Ciri scoffed and shook her head. "You're joking right!? You see how long he's been tracking me!? Tracking the both of us!? You think he's truly going to leave us alone after this is all over?"

"We'll make him, don't worry," Geralt said, coming up and looking at them both. "He won't bother any of us when this is over, and we'll make sure of it… what I wanna know is why he's been tracking you for so long. From what I've seen of him now, and from when I met him before, I don't believe for a minute it's 'to protect Lara's blood'."

Ciri narrowed her eyes. "You're right, what the hell does he want me for!? And why has he been tracking Dominik's line as well, he hated Alexander."

"I think I have an answer…" Yennefer said from behind them. "Come here, I found the answers we need in some of his notes."

Ciri darted past Geralt and he towards Yen, and Dominik quickly followed with their father. Yen had spread the papers out, and when the three of them gathered, for the first time in he didn't know how long, his mother looked pale, disgusted as she looked down at the papers again, shaking her head with a twisted look in her eyes.

"He's spent over two centuries on this. He was the first to study Lara's gene, after she died…entries about Falka… even some about Ciri," Yen said, flipping through the pages as Dominik looked over to see Ciri's reaction.

Ciri crossed her arms, looking down at the papers with Yen, as Dominik could see her furiously biting the inside of her cheek. His skin crawled, as his theory was true.

"Even after she died… he was trying to control her…" He said in disgust.

"Yen, what else does it say?" Geralt said with his arms crossed next to him.

Ciri stiffened again, as Dominik looked to their mother, who looked down at another set of notes, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Here's where it gets interesting…. He tried to cultivate a genetic mix like Ciri's…" She said slowly, looking up all three of them as she spoke slowly. "But… excluding the human line."

Dominik's eyes widened as he looked incredulously at his mother. "So… he wanted to use Ciri, her ancestors, to try and produce another genetic mix, another child with Elder Blood… but without Cregan of Lod's DNA?"

"Yes… that's exactly what it was…" Yen said slowly placing the notes back to the table.

He scoffed in disbelief, his anger rising. "He wanted to make another Lara! She never wanted to marry him, left him for Cregan, and then when Cregan died she stayed with Alexander! He's been trying to make another one of her… get back what's rightfully his."

"Well… that's one way to handle rejection… what a sick fuck," Geralt said next to him, the bitterness in his voice taking place of the anger.

Dominik nodded in agreement, crossing his arms as well as he looked over at Ciri. As angry and disgusted as he was, her face was twisted, her arms shaking seeming as if she felt violated on the spot. The idea in his head of Avallac'h spending so much time with her now, obsessing over her, treating her like a dog he was trying to train, not caring what really happened to her, because in the end, he would simply use her blood whether she died or lived.

Ciri finally looked over at Yen, shaking her head in disgust. "What's all that supposed to mean!? That I should be looking out for tubes full of my siblings!?"

She stomped past them all, her back turned as Yennefer stood from the chair she had sat in, standing between Dominik and Geralt.

"Don't be foolish darling! Avallac'h never got that far," Yen said, as Ciri turned back around to all three of them. The sorceress looked at Ciri and shook her head. "Apparently all of his experiments ended in failure… you are unique."

"Yes, and that's why we have the Wild Hunt to contend with!" Ciri snapped, crossing her arms as she turned around to the tapestry with his family on it. "And why the hell does he have Dominik's line tracked!?"

He turned around to the tapestry of his ancestors as well and scoffed. "Yeah… never knew he cared so much."

"Will you _PLEASE _take this seriously!?" Ciri snapped at him.

He narrowed his eyes back at her. "I _am _taking this seriously."

"You have a funny way of showing it!" She snapped again, scoffing and shaking her head at him. "You just fucking figured out he knew about Bella this whole time, and you barely reacted!"

"That's because I already knew that he knew!" Dominik shot back, feeling his skin begin to crawl as he narrowed his eyes at her. "It was _you _who stopped me, who said that 'he hasn't steered you wrong yet', when Geralt and I first found you, you said that, after he had already steered you wrong once before when you met the first time, or did you forget about that!?"

Ciri erupted. "Well I didn't exactly fucking know he had been conducting experiments to try and fucking CLONE ME to make up for my ancestor rejecting him!"

He shook his head and took a step towards her. "I'm staying calm for _you _Ciri, so don't start getting angry at me because-."

"ENOUGH, both of you!" Geralt snapped, stepping between the two of them and glaring between them both. "You're both on edge, you're both angry, stop arguing over something so stupid!"

He crossed his arms as he felt his heart rate slow and his skin crawl. He hated arguing with Ciri, in the very few times that they did. Meeting her eyes he saw them soften, she sighed and gently nodded to him, a sorrowful smile on her lips. He nodded at her, and like normal, they both understood what the other was saying. They didn't need some big elaborate apology; they were both stubborn and they knew it.

After a moment Geralt nodded, and Yennefer came up between them with a few more papers in her hands.

"Well… now that you two are done your little argument," The sorceress said slowly, tossing her raven locks behind her back and looking at Dominik. "There's a few notes and entries… it explains why he's been trying to track your line as well darling."

He scoffed and turned around to look at the tapestry again, everyone turning with him. He looked up in particular at Alexander's name, across from the woman he had apparently either married or had children with Leila of Tir'Nala.

"I would guess it's mainly because he wanted to get back at Alexander and Cregan," He said, his eyes not leaving Alexander's name. "The fact my destiny is to protect Ciri… and… and maybe something to do with my supposed elven ancestor… Alexander's…"

"Wife… and you're correct on all instances darling," Yen said, walking in front of him, Cir and Geralt with the papers in her hands. "Avallac'h, Eredin and the rest of the Aen Elle knew that Alexander was their best chance at finding the child born from Lara and Cregan, so they set about tracking him down."

"Dom told us all of that," Geralt said, looking down to him. "You said that they tracked him for about forty years until they found him Kovir."

"That's right, him and Kilgarrah almost beat them back, he would have killed Avallac'h had Eredin not stabbed him in the back," Dominik said, remembering the vision fondly.

Yennefer nodded in agreement. "Yes… but you see they started tracking him, Lara and Cregan from the moment Lara Dorren appeared to them."

"Alright, and how did they not manage to find them all? Cregan wasn't even killed by elves, but by an angry mob of humans," Dominik said.

"It was Leila of Tir'Nala… Alexander's wife," Yennefer said, looking over to Ciri. "Did Avallac'h mention her name at all?"

"No… who was she?" Ciri said.

Yen looked back down at the notes. "Leila of Tir'Nala was another Aen Elle, apparently Lara Dorren's best-friend, who managed to find her first after Lara stayed on the continent with Cregan and Alexander."

Dominik slowly nodded. "You said she was Alexander's wife? So… she was Connor and Lara of Lod's mother, making her my great grandmother."

"Exactly. She fell in love with Alexander. She didn't have Elder Blood, that was just Lara, but apparently she was an extremely talented navigator," Yennefer explained, looking back up and meeting Dominik's eyes. "It explains why your magic is the same color as Ciri's, you have elven blood darling, elven magic inside of you."

"That means Bella does too…" He said, looking quickly to his sister's name on the tapestry, before looking back to Yen. "What happened to her? Alexander didn't mention her when I saw him in the vision, but to be fair he probably had more important things to show me."

His mother nodded; her violet eyes illuminated by the candle's. "You're more than likely right darling, but Leila played a huge role in making sure Lara was able to stay on the continent with Cregan. You see, after Connor and Lara of Lod were born, Lara Dorren and Leila worried the Aen Elle, Avallac'h and Eredin would be able to track them. So… Leila went back to Tir'Nala, Avallac'h says in his notes, Leila lied to them for a while, told them Lara was dead, killed by humans so that they would stop chasing her."

Dominik's eyes widened as he looked at the name Leila of Tir'Nala on the tapestry again. His heart fluttered as he thought of another person sacrificing for him and Ciri to survive. Alexander had stayed trapped in a journal for centuries just to help him, Connor and Lara of Lod had tried to kill Eredin to fulfill their destiny of protecting the Elder Blood.

He was at a loss for words, and next to him Ciri stepped forward, her voice shaky as she met Yen's eyes.

"What… what happened to her?" Ciri said, her eye meeting Yen's.

Yen sighed and looked at the three of them. "It says in the notes… that Avallac'h figured out she was lying. He and Eredin they… they tortured her, for months upon months to try and discover Alexander's location. Avallac'h he… goes into detail of what they did, Leila didn't break, and in the end, they drew blood from her, used an experimental spell, nearly killed her to see her memories, and found castle Lod."

"They… they killed her?" Dominik said slowly.

"No… it says in the notes King Auberon sentenced her to life in prison, not death, due to the love Lara had for her," Yen said carefully, shaking her head. "But according to Avallach's notes… she escaped."

"What!? So that means she could be alive?" He said, feeling his heart thump loudly in his chest.

Yennefer shrugged. "Possibly… but the notes go on. It says, that after Alexander's death, Avallac'h searched for his children at first, he and Eredin wanted to kill them, and end the line of Lod, knowing that Alexander's and Leila's line, and that of Lara and Cregan's were connected, that Alexander and Leila's line would be their biggest obstacle in getting back the elder blood."

Geralt stepped up and looked at Dominik. "But… Dom told us that Eredin killed Connor and Lara of Lod."

Yen nodded again. "He did yes… but as Dominik also told us, Lara of Lod had a daughter with a man, he tried to get them to Cintra… and that was when the elves sent assassins after him and the child. They killed the father… but never found the girl."

"And that girl got taken in by mummers heading to Cintra…" Dominik said, remembering the story. "And that girl got married, and so on… up until my mother, and then me and Bella."

"Exactly, it says in Avallach's notes, that many times he tried to locate both Alexander's line, and Lara Dorren's, but after Riannon, Connor and Lara, neither line's powers ever manifested nor were active…. Until the two of you, and Bella," Yen continued on explaining.

And that was when Ciri snapped.

"You mean to fucking tell me even the first time we met; he knew about Dominik!?" She said from next to him.

Yen slowly nodded. "Well… it seems according to him after your first encounter, hearing you talk about him was what led him to investigate. That was how he learned what happened to Lara of Lod's child, and when he added the names down Dominik's tree. At the time of your first meeting, Dominik's powers hadn't activated however, so Avallac'h didn't see him as a threat."

"But he does now… and that's why…. That's why he tried so hard to stop me from coming back! From coming back and seeing you again!" Ciri said, turning towards him and shaking her head. "I had nightmares of you dying for weeks and he told me to ignore them!"

"Ciri… calm down," Geralt said from next to him, but Ciri wasn't having any of it.

She shook her head and turned back to Yen. "And what about Bella!? Does it say anything about Bella!?"

Yen bit her lip, clearly seeing the anger exhuming from her but nodded anyway.

"Caranthir found Bella two years ago, after her powers unleashed and they initially thought that they had found a sign of you," Yen explained carefully. "After seeing her powers and learning her identity… Eredin and Caranthir brainwashed her. Avallac'h learned of this, that was when he came back to add her name, he says in his notes, that he was trying to find a way to eliminate her… so that Alexander's line couldn't reach Ciri… and to end the Line of Lod."

Dominik was about to erupt himself, saying damn keeping his emotions in check. It was hard enough hearing of everything that happened to Leila of Tir'Nala, what Avallac'h had wanted to do to Ciri, but hearing that he was going to try and kill Bella sent him over the edge.

However, Ciri was the one to erupt before him again.

"DAMMIT, THAT LYING, SACK OF SHIT!" She screamed from next to him, pushing past him and Geralt as she whirled back around and yelled. "FIRST, he stalks me and my ancestors for centuries, THEN HE TRIED TO KILL DOMINIK AND BELLA!"

"Ciri! Ciri relax, hey it's alright we know-." He tried to reason, but when she turned back to him, her eyes were practically aflame a look of realization coming to them.

"That… what's why he tried to make me do it… that… that's fucking why!" She said, her voice raising as she turned to face Geralt not, her hands nearly ripping out her hair as she screamed. "THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY HE MADE ME TRY TO FUCK AUBERON! HE WANTED TO USE IT FOR HIS SICK EXPERIMENTS! WHAT FOOLISH LITTLE GIRL I WAS, AND STILL AM!"

Ciri stormed from the room, back down the hall, her boots hitting the ground and echoing throughout the chamber. Dominik's limbs all froze, his mind buzzing as he heard Yennefer crumple the papers in her hands and come up next to him. He didn't care about anything else he learned, not that one of his ancestors could possibly be alive, not that Avallac'h was trying to kill him and Bella, all he focused on was the words Ciri had just said.

It had been Avallac'h, he had been the one to force her to spend almost a year in Tir'Nala, telling her that she had to fuck the King of the Aen Elle to survive, all while lying, and never having any intention of letting her leave. Eredin's words from the battle of Kaer Morhen rang in his head. _"Cirilla my dear… you know he never had any intention of letting you leave… the same as I". _

For weeks he had wondered what Eredin possibly could have meant. But now he knew, knew it had been Avallac'h that forced her to go through that hell, the months of verbal and psychological abuse. It had all been Avallac'h, and now so many more things about what the elf had planned made sense.

In Geralt's words, the sage truly was a sick fuck.

"Geralt… you knew… did you fucking know!?" Yennefer said angrily from next to him.

Geralt looked absolutely flabbergasted, but one look at his father and Dominik knew that Geralt had knew. Ciri had looked right at him when she said it, and Dominik felt his blood boil as well as she stepped next to Yen.

"Of course he did… when the hell did you figure this out!?" Dominik demanded.

Geralt sighed and turned towards them. "About a week ago, when I went to Tir'Nala with Avallac'h, Ge'els told me… took all my control not to kill the fucker then and there."

"Geralt how could you keep something like from us!?" Yen said, clearly trying to control her own anger from next to him. "When I get my hands on that fucking elf, I swear I'm going to fucking dismember him with my bare hands! I'll-."

"That, that's why I didn't tell you, why Ciri and I didn't," Geralt said with a roll of his eyes.

Dominik scoffed. "And what the hell does that mean!? I swear I'll rip his fucking throat out myself!"

"I must concur with Dominik…" His mother said, her arms crossing and a dark look coming to her violet eyes. "The bastard deserves to die… for everything he's done to her, and I'm sure Dominik and even Ciri will be happy to-."

"Again THIS, is why we didn't tell you," Geralt finally snapped, crossing his arms as he looked at the two of them. "You both wanna go off and slaughter him as soon as we get back to the ship!"

"And you're against the idea!?" Yennefer said incredulously.

Geralt scoffed. "Of course not! But for now we fucking need him."

"I'm SICK of hearing that fucking excuse! He deserves to DIE, for what he did to Ciri!" Dominik argued finally feeling his anger boil over.

His father quickly shook his head. "He does, you're both right. But for _now _we need him. Eredin is the bigger threat, and to take him down we need to use Avallac'h! To give her, to give Ciri that life she deserves, for now we need to put our anger aside and do what we have too!"

"But what if he tries something before or after the battle Geralt! We just practically handed him a powerful magical weapon!" Dominik said, scoffing as he crossed his arms.

Geralt narrowed his eyes and looked deep into Dominik's eyes. "She can take care of herself, and we'll all be there…. Dom… she's not in a good frame of mind right now, the closer we get to the battle, the more anxious she's going to get. You need to be there for her now… more than ever, and you know that. That means, for a few more days… putting up with him. You've done a lot harder things for her before…"

Dominik's fists clenched. He had known for weeks when he figured out the truth about what Avallac'h had done to Ciri, that he would more than likely be sent into an instant rage, wanting to let loose his sword and kill the sage then and there. He thought it would finally be the time he got to kill him for all he had done, treating Ciri so poorly, hiding his identity and his sisters from him. What he had done to Ciri the first time was worse than all of that, and he could imagine his sword plunging into the sage's neck in that very moment.

However, he remembered what the true goal was, and that was for Ciri to get the life she deserved. He also remembered what he promised himself before coming, that no matter what he discovered, he would remain calm, for Ciri's sake.

"I wish you had come and told me…" Yennefer said agitatedly from next to him, sighing as she looked between them both. "But… I must admit you're right."

"You? Admitting that I'm right? I'm gonna savor this moment," Geralt said sarcastically.

Yennefer rolled her eyes. "Don't push your luck…. Dominik darling, are you alright?"

Both of his parents looked to him. Dominik sighed and took one last look at his family tapestry, his name, Bella's, his parents, Connor and Lara of Lod, Alexander, Leila of Tir'Nala. All of them had one common goal, one common destiny, and to that day it was his destiny as well.

To protect Ciri, protect the line of Cregan of Lod and Lara Dorren, the Elder Blood. However, his entire family all the way back up to Alexander, had done it not just because destiny said so… but because of the love they all felt for one another. He looked and met Geralt's eyes, sighing and slowly nodded, getting a smile from both he and Yennefer.

"You're right… I can do this, it's all for her," He said, a small smile coming to his face, remembering how Ciri was smiling only a few minutes earlier, before looking down the hall where she had gone. "I should probably go find her, I think we got what we-."

"Shhhh…. You hear that?" Geralt said, holding an arm out to cut him off.

Yen rolled her eyes. "No, again, I may be unnaturally beautiful, but I don't have highly trained ears."

"I hear it too…" Dominik said slowly, as he looked towards the door on the left, the same place Geralt had been looking. "Someone's here… I heard the rustling, the water."

Geralt turned back to them both. "Quiet, let's go see who it is."

"What about Ciri?" He asked, as the three of them got closer to the door.

Geralt shook his head again. "She'll be alright… come on."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

He followed closely behind Geralt, as a pleasant smell of incense and flowers hit his nose. Yen followed behind him, as the bright light of more candles came into view. For a moment he wondered where Ciri was, however, when he almost ran into Geralt and heard his father speak he was brought back to the room they had entered.

"Well, well… never thought Avallac'h had it in him," Geralt said with a slightly amused tone as Dominik and Yen came around his side.

Dominik saw the elven woman sitting there just as her head shot up to them and he scoffed.

"Got that right," He said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "I guess fucking doesn't always make everyone less uptight…"

"Dominik language!" Yen scolded him.

He looked at his mother and rolled his eyes. "I'm 22 Yen."

"Yes, but still watch your mouth!" She scolded him again.

"Who are you all!? How did you get here!" The female elf demanded, standing up from her vanity as she stared at the three of them.

Dominik scoffed right away as he looked at the woman. She had long auburn her pointed ears sticking out as she wore an outfit clearly meant to be slept in that revealed her midriff, and she had the same pretentious look on her face he had seen too many times in Avallac'h.

"Well… I can already see why you and Avallac'h must get along so well," Dominik said sarcastically.

"Who are you?" Geralt asked, crossing his arms between him and Yen.

The elf scoffed. "It doesn't matter, leave, get out of here now."

"Ha, or else what? You think Avallach's going to do something about it?" Dominik said right away, his annoyance growing as the woman turned her eyes to him.

She scoffed again, an annoyed glare growing to her face. "Yes he will…. I recognize you, Avallac'h spoke of you. You're their descendant, Leila and that disgusting human, you're the product of the abomination they created."

"Abomination? Well that hurts my feelings," Dominik said, feigning offense, before he scoffed and rolled his eyes at the woman. "If you think you can get under my skin you're wrong, call your little master Avallac'h, I would _love _to have a little chat with him, I'll kill him like I already almost did."

"Dominik…" Geralt said slowly from behind him.

A small part of himself expected the woman to get rattled, but she didn't, only chuckling putting her hands on her hips and looking at him.

"Oh you poor fool, he is more powerful then you know, he could destroy you if he wished," The woman said, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes annoyedly. "After he's finished with that little wretch of an abomination, perhaps he'll finally find Leila again, kill the bitch for what she did."

"What!? So she is alive, Leila of Tir'Nala?" Dominik said, suddenly interested in what the woman had to say, before quickly shaking his head. "She didn't do anything except protect her friend, from Avallac'h and your sick race."

"Sick race is it? Don't you humans persecute elves and burn mages?" The woman said, the smug look still on her face as she rolled her eyes. "Don't try to moralize with me you pathetic little boy, no _leave _before I-."

"You… I remember you, from Tir'Nala," The voice of Ciri said behind him, Yennefer and Geralt.

He whirled around to see her; her eyes narrowed at the woman. "Ciri what-."

Ciri ignored him however, pushing past the three of them. The woman tossed her hair back behind her shoulder, as Dominik saw Ciri's hands still balled into fists shaking, ready to finally explode.

"Remarkable. I thought all elves looked alike to those of your race," The elf said, crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes at Ciri. "So, you came and brought your little family, to what, spy on him? He does his damndest to save you every time you do something stupid, is that not enough?"

Dominik was ready to lose it, he saw the smugness in the woman's eyes, the way in which she spoke, and it was everything he despised in a person. He stepped forward to shout, defend Ciri from being spoke about in such a manner.

However, while he would always be there to defend Ciri, this was the time she spoke for herself.

"Him save me!? You're fucking joking, he doesn't give a damn about me," She snapped, taking the woman aback a moment before Ciri stepped forward towards her. "The fucker is lucky I even decided to be in the same room as him after what he did, I've seen the notes from his sick little experiments, he'll be lucky if I decide not cut his throat after this is over!"

Dominik's pride for her welled up, he remembered for weeks she had defended the sage no matter how much she claimed not too. It had gone back and forth for her for weeks he knew on whether trusting the sage was a good idea. He knew that she never trusted him fully, but at least had a small fragment there, hope that perhaps he truly did mean her at least some good. She knew now that none of it was true, and Avallac'h had only helped her for his own sick, twisted reasons.

And now Ciri was angry, speaking up for herself, and taking charge of her life. He could see a small smile come to Geralt and Yennefer's face as well.

The woman however composed herself, narrowing her eyes back at Ciri. "You have the gall to say all of that after everything he risked for you?"

"Oh quit with your bullshit, I told him the same thing!" Ciri yelled again, cutting the woman off as she shook her head. "He's not risking anything for me, he's risking it for his own fucking purposes. That's why he tried to get me to fuck Auberon in Tir'Nala, that's why he's helping me now! He wants something from me, and he's not going to fucking get it!"

"Ha… you're every bit as bratty as he described…" The woman said, casting her glare back over towards Dominik. "He said as soon as you spoke more about Alexander's brat that you were a lost cause… he's told me quite a bit about the both of you."

Geralt clunked forward in his armor, his yellow eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"

The woman kept her eyes on Dominik. "She said you were every bit as irritating and disrespectful as Alexander, an arrogant brat who doesn't know how to respect his betters."

"Ha… aw, well I never knew he cared so much," Dominik said sarcastically, feeling satisfied when he saw the angered look on the woman's face.

She quickly turned to Ciri, who was still shaking, her gloved hands in fists at her side.

"And he said you share Lara's features, all though I don't see whatever it is he sees," The woman said condescendingly taking another step towards Ciri as she shook her head. "It seems like trying to drink water from a mud puddle."

"Shut your fucking mouth," Dominik said, stepping next to Ciri and narrowing his eyes at the woman. "Say one more word and I'll-."

"And I truly don't know what it is you see in her, or Avallac'h, I believe the resemblance to Lara' helps him with his task…" The woman said, turning back to Ciri with a disgusted look. "Do you think he trails you everywhere for pleasure? Even I grow ill at the sight of you."

"One more word and you'll be a lot fucking worse than ill, I'll cut off your fucking-." He said, his hand reaching to his belt for his dagger, before Ciri cut him off by putting a handout in front of him.

He looked down at her and saw her eyes seething with anger, but her arm shook as she held it in front of him. She met his eyes for a minute as she fiercely bit her lip to hold her tongue, walking to the other side of the room as Dominik saw Geralt quickly follow with her. He looked to her, about to follow when Yennefer stepped up behind him.

"It's amazing how those like you still believe yourself superior to humans… in any way," His mother said, her voice dripping with a bubbling rage.

The woman rolled her eyes and looked over at Ciri who turned back to them. "She's no human. She's a degenerate half-breed. For Avallac'h to have no choice but to use something like that…. it's humiliating!"

"Avallac'h should be the one who's humiliated," Dominik spat out, his eyes growing dark, his skin tingling as he looked at the woman. "He couldn't handle the fact Lara left him hundreds of years ago, so to make up for his damaged ego, he's obsessed with her descendants, trying to fucking clone a new one so he could have that one! I don't know what you consider that in your world, but here, we consider that sad, and pathetic."

"Don't you _dare_ speak as if you know things boy!" The woman snapped at him. "Lara _did _belong to Avallac'h by right! And if not for that traitorous bitch Leila, and those disgusting human's, Alexander and Cregan he would have had her. And now that line led to you, nothing but another disgusting, degenerate half-breed, who has to be taught to respect his betters, the both of you do! She owes Avallac'h-."

"ENOUGH!" Ciri erupted, rushing forward from next to him.

"Ciri!" Geralt shouted from behind him.

Dominik didn't have time to react, Ciri reached forward and grabbed the woman by the throat. He didn't know what to do for a moment as he could see magic and anger radiating from Ciri as she pushed the woman back to the desk holding her mirror, and after realizing what was happening, she gasped for air, grasping at Ciri's hand around her neck.

Ciri's grip however was like iron as she glared into the woman's gasping eyes. "I OWE HIM NOTHING, IT'S HIM WHO OWES ME FOR WHAY HE'S DONE TO ME! ONE MORE WORD ABOUT DOMINIK, MYSELF OR OUR ANCESTORS AND I'LL KILL YOU WHERE YOU STAND!"

"Ciri! Ciri let her go!" Yennefer tried to say behind him, but Dominik only saw the woman thrash in Ciri's grip as the hand tightened around her neck.

"I AM CIRILLA OF CINTRA, OF KAER MORHEN, A WITCHER! DO YOU KNOW WHAT I COULD BE IF I SIMPLY SAID THE WORD!? HOW MUCH POWER I COULD COMMAND, I'M THE RIGHTFUL QUEEN OF CINTRA AND EMPRESS OF NILFGAARD, BUT I DON'T NEED THOSE TITLES, I DON'T NEED THEM TO BE MORE THEN YOU," Ciri shouted, tears welling in her eyes as they started to fall just as she tossed gripped the elf by the other hand and tossed her to the side of the wall.

The woman slammed through a chair and slumped against the wall, gasping for air and frantically coughing as she grabbed her neck. Dominik was about to grab for Ciri, to calm her, but Dominik watched as she stomped towards the woman again.

"I'M A CHILD OF THE ELDER BLOOD, I DON'T ANSWER TO AVALLAC'H," Ciri shouted again, turning away from the woman with her fists clenched. "I answer only to myself… I owe nobody anything, least of all Avallac'h."

Dominik's heart twisted and rung out in his chest as he saw Ciri look up at him. Never in his life had he seen such anger in her, radiate from her and when she met his eyes, she must have realized it as well. As much as he wished they had killed the woman, Ciri wasn't a cold-blooded killer, she knew it, and so did he. She managed to stop herself, and when Dominik met her eyes, he could see she realized what she almost did. He went to go and speak to her, say something reassuring to try and calm her, but before he could she stormed passed him, back out into the room with the tapestries.

"Ciri!" Yennefer said, following her out of the room.

He shared a look with Geralt as they both watched them leave the room. Geralt slowly sighed and gestured for him to follow before he jogged after Yen and Ciri. Dominik almost did the same, before he heard the coughing of the elven woman behind him.

"You… you damn _brats,_" She said, stumbling up to her chair and glaring at him as Dominik could see the marks around her neck from Ciri's hand. "Av… Avallac'h will make you pay one day for this! He will! He'll-."

"Look lady… I suggest you leave this hideout, and you do it quick," Dominik said, his skin crawling as he crossed his arms.

He had done what he promised, kept his cool, his composure and temper. However, it didn't mean on the inside he wasn't furious in that moment, and after seeing everything, seeing the tapestry's, the notes, how he had taken the small metal device from Ciri seemingly out of pure spite, he was ready to finally let it out.

A lesson he had learned himself over the years, was that sometimes the best way to get over your anger, was to vent it out.

"Bah! Your threats don't scare me you ridiculous boy! Avallac'h will see you pay for this, make my words!" She said, rubbing her neck and Dominik genuinely laughed.

"Avallac'h doesn't scare me, and I can promise he doesn't care about you, he only cares about himself, which is why I'm telling you this, you should leave now," He said, beginning to walk away.

The woman scoffed again as she coughed. "HA, and why is that you filthy half-breed?"

Dominik stopped near the door and turned back to her, his eyes narrowing as his fingertips tingled.

"Because, before I leave, I'm going to burn this place, and everything in it to bits," He said, seeing the woman's eyes widen before he jogged back out the door after Ciri.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik could hear Yennefer as he exited the room, his own skin crawling as he looked up and saw the tapestries on both side of the walls again. He walked towards where he saw Geralt and Yen look after Ciri, who furiously was looking up at her large family tapestry, examining all the lines of her ancestors. Dominik took a second to glance up at his own, it wasn't as vast as Ciri's, but he still looked down between every single name, most of which had the lion banner of Cintra stitched behind them. He saw his line break off above his father's all the heads of Cintra's royal guards, who had protected the royal line and the Elder Blood, without knowledge that the original member of their family to make the promise, the original Sir Gregory had promised Connor of Lod he'd do so.

As destiny would have it, that line married Alexander's line. His mother and father had brought together the destiny, the duty to protect the Elder Blood, just like Alexander had done centuries ago. Dominik had learned much today, he learned that the Aen Elle had tried to have his line ended centuries ago, trying to assassinate them, all so they could eradicate his line, get back at Alexander and Cregan of Lod.

He also learned now he was part elf, at least a small portion, just like Ciri. That normally would have been a huge revelation to him. He looked up at the name 'Leila of Tir'Nala' and wished more than ever he could ask Alexander about her. It explained now why he and Bella were so powerful, Alexander had told him, that as carrier's, they not only had his power, but the power of every member of their family that had come before. That now was Alexander, Connor and Lara of Lod, and now Leila of Tir'Nala, who apparently had been a powerful navigator and mage. And on top of all of that, he had heard Leila of Tir'Nala could still be alive, his ancestor, one who had been the mother of Connor and Lara of Lod, Alexander's wife, someone who could truly teach him complete control of his powers, not to mention it simply being another family member.

Then of course there was Bella herself, who Avallac'h had planned on killing, that he knew Eredin was brainwashing. She was still out there, and now he only had even more reason to try and get her back. Together, the two of them, combined with Ciri's abilities, could possibly find Leila of Tir'Nala, of course the first priority, however, was defeating Eredin.

He had learned so much, he was angry, intrigued, tired, but all of that was thrown out the door when he saw Ciri turn, and he saw the angry, anxious, disheartened look in her eyes.

"If they despite me so, then why the hell can't they leave me alone!?" She said, her voice breaking as her fists shook, as she looked over at him in particular. "Dominik you were right this whole time! This whole time, but I let Avallac'h fool me again, like a stupid, _stupid _little girl I let him fool me again, DAMMIT!"

"Ciri! It's not your fault you had no other choice," He said, quickly stepping forward and meeting her eyes with a pleading gaze. "You did what you had to survive, it's okay!"

"NO! No it's not bloody okay Dominik," She said, shaking her head and looking at them all again. "It's bad enough I led the Hunt to you all, but now who knows what Avallac'h has planned, and how much more danger I've put you in, FUCK!"

She stepped away from him, and Dominik saw small wisps of magic shoot from her eyes as she crossed her arms and turned back to the tapestry. The candlelight illuminated her face, and Dominik saw her brow furrowed, her eyes dark as she couldn't look at him. His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach, seeing her tensed shoulders and shaking fists, as he truly didn't know what to say.

Yen walked up next to him with Geralt. "Ciri… darling please you need to calm down-."

"What!? Are you afraid I'll level this place like I did Kaer Morhen!?" Ciri said incredulously, turning around as the tears nearly started falling from her eyes again, scoffing as she shook her head. "It's a shame I can't do that at will, because I'd really like to now!"

Dominik went to step forward, pull her into a hug, try to say something, anything to calm her. However, he saw the horrified, angry look in her eyes, and could tell, that this moment wasn't one that could be resolved by affection like that. For a moment he was dumbstruck, sharing a look with Yen, and for those few moments, neither of them could tell what to say.

He opened his mouth to try and say something, however, Geralt put a handout and stepped in front of him, stopping him.

And Geralt seemed to already have learned the lesson he learned himself on the road.

Ciri scoffed in annoyance, leaning down on the table where multiple stacks of notes, glass wine bottles, a plate of food, a silver goblet were all sitting. Dominik went and joined her, as Geralt locked eyes with him the entire time nodding as he got to the other side of the table, Ciri lifting her head to look at him as he did. Dominik watched with curiosity at first, as Geralt looked down and clearly pretended to study papers, leaning down on the desk with his armored arms, slowly looking up and meeting both he and Ciri's eyes.

Ciri looked dreadfully confused for a moment, but Dominik saw the smirk come to their father's face, as he slowly moved his hand and tipped the wine bottle off the edge of the desk.

With a loud ***CRASH* **it shattered on the ground, before Geralt stood up and smirked at them.

Dominik scoffed a laugh and looked over at Ciri, who's lips quivered upwards in a smile as she looked at Geralt incredulously, and then to Dominik, as if she were trying to ask him if what she just saw really happened. Dominik couldn't stop smiling, hearing the glass from the bottle crunch under his boot as he smirked at Ciri then looked at Geralt. Geralt nodded as he crossed his arms, a smirk still on his face.

Dominik took this as a greenlight, and he took full advantage of it.

He smirked and looked down at plate of grapes and bread. The smile unable to leave him, he picked up the plate and popped a grape off into his mouth, smirking as he turned to meet Ciri's eyes.

"Grape?" He offered.

Ciri scoffed and shook her head, the smile growing. "No thank you…"

"Eh, you're right… they're quite shit anyway," Dominik shrugged, smirking at Ciri before turning around and chucking the plate at the wall, making a smirking and smiling Yennefer jump as she crossed her arms and watched them, trying not to look amused.

A loud ***CRASH* **rang again as the plate hit the wall, and when he looked back to Ciri, he heard that laugh he loved so much again.

He and Geralt both look at her as she laughed, Yen stood a bit away, trying not to laugh and looked like she condoned such a childish action but was doing a horrible job doing so. Ciri looked at the broken bottle, the plate that smashed against the wall, and she did the most adorable thing Dominik had ever seen, as she eagerly bounced up on her toes, biting her bottom lip, trying to contain her laughed.

And finally, she picked swiped her hand across the table, sending a silver goblet and another bottle of wine crashing to the ground, shattering all over the place.

After that, all hell broke loose.

Geralt swept his hand over the table, laughing as he did, sending piles of books, papers, and other bottles to the ground with a loud crash. Ciri whirled around smirked as she kicked side one of the iron candlestands, sending it clanging to the ground! Dominik looked and saw stacks off books sitting in a corner and jogged over before driving his leg through the pile and sending all the books flying, before he heard a loud ***BANG* **as Geralt flipped the table on its side.

Dominik and Cir laughed, and Dominik saw Ciri run towards a bookshelf, before he ran to join her, and together they both pulled on one end, with another ***CRASH* **the shelf came stumbling down. Just as he looked at her and saw her laughing hysterically, smiling the whole time, a chair flew across the room and smacked into the wall as Geralt threw it. It smacked into a portrait of Avallac'h, and with a rip it fell to the top of another small table, before Ciri ran over and swiped her arms, knocking over silver and bronze bowls of fruit. She picked up a large books and smacked it across a bookcase, all of the papers and books falling before she grabbed the shelf itself and toppled it, laughing the entire time as she did.

Behind him he heard another bang as he smiled. Geralt kicked another large shelf to the ground, as Dominik approached a long table that stood in front of both tapestries. He saw multiple alchemical ingredients and tools but feel all of his pent-up anger that had been building, he smirked as his formed the proper sign with his hand and thrusted it forward. A blast of Aard knocked the table in front of his family's tapestry to the ground, sending flying multiple, bowls bottles and other devices flew off the table, scattering all over the room, as he turned when he heard Ciri yell.

"ARGHHH!" She said, as Dominik saw she had picked up one of the racked swords on the wall, and drug it along the table in front of the tapestry with her own family.

The same thing happened and all of Avallach's belongings flew across the room, as Ciri finished only inches from him, laughing, laughing with pure joy as she looked up at him, before they heard a large grunt, and saw another chair fly across the room. He barely had time to smile at her before she laughed and rushed over to join Geralt. Dominik scoffed a laugh and followed, as Geralt came to one final bookshelf, taller than the rest, filled to the brim with tomes, before he nodded with a smile at Dominik and she both.

And all as one, after a huge ***CRASH* **the shelf fell to the ground, books falling everywhere, as the lab was completely wrecked, books, papers, bottles, food, bowls, other containers, tables, everything was strewn about.

Ciri laughed and Dominik finally managed to steady his excited breathing as he looked up and saw her gripping the sword on her hands. Geralt smiled at him, and then smirkingly crossed his arms, looking over to Ciri with him. He saw Yennefer out of the corner of his eyes smiling finally, as she stood with her arms crossed and beamed at them.

He turned back in time to hear Ciri scoff and smile up at them. It turned out that the lesson he learned on the Path was correct. Sometimes, the best way to deal with anger, was to let yourself vent it all out.

Now, he saw that smile, lit by the candlelight it beautifully danced off her high cheekbones, as she tossed the sword to the side into their destruction, before laughing again and looked at them. Her eyes turned to him, and when he saw them finally sparkling again, finally bright, lively, calmed, and happy, he did what he always did when she looked at him like she was now, he got all flustered and blushed like he was a young boy again.

"Ha…ha… thanks.." She said, walking up to him.

Ciri grabbed him by the straps of his armor and pulled his face down to kiss her. She smashed her lips onto his, and Dominik melted into her for a moment, he quite frankly didn't care where they were, when his arms went around her, he wanted to stay there and kiss her for hours, not leave that exact spot and moment with her.

However, Ciri pulled back from him, smiling wildly as she gently stroked his face, laughing at the flustered look he got.

"I.. I… um… ha… I… love you," He said, unable to form words as his lips tingled too much for him to even form words.

She scoffed a laugh again and saw Geralt smiling at them both.

Ciri looked and smiled at their father, leaning into his arms as Geralt hugged her. As he did, Geralt met his eyes and nodded, and Dominik knew that he was saying 'good job', and it filled him to the brim with pride, as Ciri finally pulled back from him, looking up at Geralt, over at Dominik, and over at Yennefer who came over to them smiling.

"There… that's better," She said, the broad smile still on her face as she looked at the three of them and gestured towards the exit. "Now… let's get out of here. I'd say we-."

"Wait! One more thing," Dominik said, making Ciri, Geralt and Yen all look at him.

They didn't say anything, clearly waiting for him to say what it was. However, Dominik simply smirked at them, stepping over tossed over shelves and tables, his black boots crunching on broken glass as he finally came before both tapestry's again. Both of them, their entire families, tracked for over two centuries, all the way down to Ciri and he. He looked on Ciri's side, saw the names of Lara Dorren, Cregan of Lod, Riannon, Fiona, Queen Calanthe, Princes Pavetta.

On the left, he looked at his own tree. He looked at the top and saw the names again, Alexander of Lod, and Leila of Tir'Nala, the parents of Connor and Lara of Lod, all of them his ancestors. The line went down, and down, through his mother, all the way to him and Bella. He'd save her, he knew he would, he had too. One of the last things Alexander had made him promise, was to never give up on his family. At the time it had only been Ciri, Geralt, Yen and his friends that were his family, but now, he knew two members were alive, that were bound to him by blood.

Bella he would save, and then, he didn't know when, but sometime in the future, he'd go to try and find Leila of Tir'Nala, and thank her for the sacrifice she made. For that moment however, for that beautiful moment he spent with the ones he loved, he was focused on one thing, that that was getting the life he always wanted, for him and the woman he loved.

He'd remember the names, there was no need for tapestry's anymore.

He closed his eyes and formed the appropriate hand sign with both of his hands, and his eyes flashed bright blue as he opened his eyes. His hands shot forward, and flames erupted from them, and right away both tapestry's caught fire, going up completely in smoke. The fire would spread, he could already see it catching to some of the notes and books near the bottom of the wall.

A loud laugh came from behind him, and he turned to see Ciri looking up at the blaze with a huge smile, before she looked over at him, and Dominik smirked at her.

"So… now I think we can leave, and probably fast," He said, as the three of them all nodded, turning and jogging towards the exit.

Dominik took one last look at the burning tapestry's, seeing the name 'Alexander of Lod', go up in flames, before saying a silent thank you to the crazy old man who's journal trembled in his pocket. Sweat started to trickle down his neck, as he smiled one last time.

"Thanks again old man…" He said, squeezing the swallow around his neck as well. "I'll keep her safe… won't let what you all did be in vein."

And Dominik turned, jogging towards the exit.

But first, he was sure to grab the small black device from the table on the way out, as the perfect surprise for Ciri later, despite the fact it almost gave him a heart attack.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Whew, I made it a bit toasty in there didn't I!" He joked, as he emerged out into the fresh Skellige air after having caught up to Ciri, Geralt and Yen.

Geralt scoffed as the four of them turned. "Ha… certainly looks like you did."

"Although it was… a big childish, I must admit… that was incredibly satisfying," Yen said, smiling as Geralt wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Ciri came up next to him smiling as she grabbed onto his arm, before the both of them looked at the smoke coming from the entrance to the base.

"And the best part… now all of his disgusting plans are gone," Ciri said, breathing out a sigh of relief and looking back up at him with a smile. "It was quick thinking on your part."

He scoffed a laugh and wrapped an arm around her waist. "To be honest… I mainly just wanted to destroy everything."

The three of them all laughed at him, as Geralt and Yen watched Ciri reached up and kiss his cheek again, before she walked and looked out over the ocean again. The sun was setting out over the crystal blue water, the absolutely beautiful glow casted Ciri shadow over him, as he walked up to her, smiling as he got there. She looked up at him, and simply smiled, he knew he didn't have to say anything then, he wrapped an arm around her waist, as she gently leaned her head up against his shoulder, the two of them looking out over the water, boats in the distance rolling over the waves as the wind gently hit their faces. It was a cool, cold breeze, and when she finally turned to him he smiled down at her.

"So… feeling better?" He asked, reaching and moving the loose strands of hair that covered her face, getting a huge smile out of her as he looked into her eyes. "We've had a long day; I say out cabin is calling for us."

She laughed and hit her lip, smirking at him as she winked. "Oh don't worry, we'll have plenty of time…. I… wanted to know if you we could do one more thing first."

"Of course, what is it?" He said.

"Are you sure? I… know that you have something you need to do as well, on Undvik, with Bella," She said, quickly shaking her head. "My thing can wait if-."

He cut her off by kissing her, pulling back and smiling at her flustered gaze. "What is it you wanna do princess?"

Ciri recovered from the shock, and Dominik smiled at the fact he was the one who got her all flustered that time. Geralt and Yen finally came up next to them, and he was thankful that they had given the two of them those few seconds alone.

"So, now that we're all done, who's ready to head back?" Yen said, smiling at the two of them with Geralt next to her.

Dominik gave Ciri a reassuring nod. He knew that his business, his plans for Undvik, for Brekka could wait until the next day. From the time since they had woken up, Dominik was able to see the anxiousness in her, and through the day he watched it build up to a boiling point, and now seeing her smile again was worth it. He also knew she wouldn't have asked then if it was something that required a full day.

"Must we really return to the boat now?" Ciri said, as they both turned and faced their parents.

Geralt tilted his head. "Why? Somewhere else you wanna go?"

Ciri shakily sighed and nodded, her face slightly falling as she looked at all three of them. "Yes… but… not here, I wanted to back to Hindersfjall… Lofeton, you guys know… I met a young man there, his name was Sjkall."

Dominik's blood ran cold. The last time he had been to Lofeton, he had barely recognized the person that he was. He could hear it, over and over again repeating in his head. Threatening the villagers, treating Sjkall's body as if it was nothing but a hunk of meet. Right away he looked at Yennefer, who's face fell, as Dominik knew she had already regretted she had to resort to necromancy. It was the only way they could have found Ciri he knew, but Dominik regretted every day having to torture the poor young man's body, threatening to throw him to the drowners, before the spell had drained the garden of Freya, destroying the villagers, who had already lost everything, their sacred garden.

Knowing all of that in itself was horrible enough for him. However now, he knew that it was his sister who had led the attack, commanded Kilgarrah to freeze the village and destroy it. Nobody had survived except a handful of women, all of whom he had threatened to kill. He had told Ciri all of this, what happened in Lofeton, Sjkall, him threatening the villagers. It was one of the most horrible things he had done, and the thought of going back there made his skin crawl, and Ciri must have understood his anxiousness, because she looked at him and tried for a reassuring glance.

Yen stepped forward slowly shaking her head. "C…Ciri… Sjkall… he… he-."

"I know… Dominik told me everything," She said slowly, her voice cracking as she turned back and looked at Geralt and Yennefer both. "I… I understand… you did for me… to find me."

Yen went pale, and then was one of the very few times that he had seen his mother speechless, as she simply nodded, crossing her arms and shakily sighing.

Geralt nodded and looked over to Dominik. "I'll go with you… Dom… you sure you'll be okay?"

Ciri looked up at him as well. "If… if you don't want to go I understand. I… just want to go say goodbye…"

Dominik could see the desperate look in her eyes. He knew her far too well to not know exactly what she was thinking. It was what she had been thinking about even since Kaer Morhen. It was more innocent people that the Hunt had killed, and Lofeton was also where she and Bella had almost killed each other. She regretted what happened in Lofeton, almost as much if not more than he did.

He wouldn't let her do it alone, he had to face his past, his mistakes, learn from them, so he could live with them.

"I'll come with you… no worries," He said, nodding as he reached out to hold one of her hands.

Ciri smiled at him and nodded, squeezing the hand he took. "Thank you…"

"I'm not the most popular person in Lofeton… I can open the three of you a portal, I'll head back to the ship, get some dinner for us all," Yen said to them, looking over at Ciri in particular.

"Ciri are you ready to go now?" The sorceress asked, her hands going to her hips.

Ciri nodded and looked to him and Geralt. "It won't take long, we should be back just as the moon rises… thank you both again."

Geralt nodded with a small smile, as Dominik grabbed her hand again. Ciri looked at him and squeezed his hand again, as Geralt came up to them both.

"Alright, let's get going," He said, looking between them and then back to Yen. "It should be another day or two before we summon Eredin, so it would be smart to-."

"YOU! YOU… DEGENERATE, HALF-BREED, MUTANT, HUMAN PARASITES," An angry voice shouted from behind them, followed by a fit of coughs.

The four of them all whirled around and saw the amount of smoke coming from the entrance to the lab was coming in large plumes. It filled the air, and Dominik scoffed a laugh with Ciri, seeing Geralt and even Yen smile with amusement, as the female elf stumbled from the smoke out onto the beach. Her hair was burned, she coughed and dripped in sweat as she stumbled up to her feet, her eyes burning with a fury.

"YOU… YOU FILTHY HALF-BREEDS! HOW DARE YOU!? HOW DARE YOU DESTROY CENTURIES OF AGONIZING RESEARCH!?" She shouted, coughing a fit again as she manage to stand in front of them.

All of them rolled their eyes, but Dominik was the first to scoff, meeting the woman's eyes.

"Not my fault, I told you I was setting fire to the place and to get out," He said, shrugging as he looked at the gusts of smoke coming from the lab. "And it wasn't, centuries of agonizing research, it was the sick experiments of a man, who has an obsession, and who really isn't very good at handling rejection."

Ciri burst out laughing next to him, holding her gut as she leaned on him for support. Geralt chuckled himself, as Yennefer turned to the woman herself, who looked at them with a fury, pointing her finger at Dominik and Ciri in particular.

"ENOUGH! THE BOTH OF YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" The woman scolded, taking steps closer to them, her finger shaking as her charred hair blew in the wind. "WHEN AVALLAC'H DISCOVERS WHAT YOU DID HERE, WHAT YOU DID TO ME HE'LL MAKE YOU BOTH PAY! YOU'LL BE KILLED AND-."

"ENOUGH!" The voice, of his mother, the woman who had protected them both, love them both, had become that mother they needed erupted, stepping in front of the woman.

"Threaten them again you, pompous, arrogant, self-centered-bitch, and I SWEAR, I will make you regret the day you came into this fucking world! You and Avallac'h both!" The sorceress screamed, and Dominik scoffed with a smile as Yen shoved the elf back.

The woman scoffed, getting in Yennefer's face. "Don't you DARE speak to me in such a way you pathetic witch! Avallac'h will make you pay! He'll make you all pay for this, and then he'll take those two abominations and do exactly-."

"If EITHER you or Avallac'h lay a single FINGER, on either one of MY children, I'll REDUCE YOU BOTH TO A PILE OF ASH!" Yen screamed, her violet eyes erupting with new fire.

"You don't scare me, or Avallac'h!" The elf woman said, shaking her head and stomping towards Yen again. "You WITCH, are nothing but a second-rate sorceress, nothing compared to the power Avallac'h- GAHH!"

"Kick her ass Yen," Geralt said amusingly from next to him, as Dominik and Ciri both scoffed out in amazement, as for the first time in their life, they watched their mother throw her fist out and punch the woman across the face.

Cutting her off from her ranting, Yen punched the elf, and shoved her back towards the entrance of the lab. Just before she hit the ground Yen shot her hands forward, and a swirling black and white portal opened beneath the woman just as she looked up. She yelled as she fell through the churning portal, and while Dominik and Ciri laughed with a loud ***RIIIIPPP* **the portal closed, and the beach was silent except for Dominik and Ciri's laughed.

Geralt chuckled from next to them. "Damn Yen not gonna lie, there haven't been many times I found you more attractive than I do right now."

"HA, that was amazing!" Ciri said from next to him, using his shoulder to push herself up.

Dominik helped Ciri settled himself as the laughs didn't stop, looking up at his mother who huffed and turned back to them. He shook his head and laughed. "Ha… I don't think I've ever seen you punch someone like that!"

Yen scoffed, and straightened out her outfit, a small smirk coming to her face as she looked at them.

"Well, I don't normally like reverting to such… uncivilized violence," She said, with the smirk still growing on her face, as she looked at Dominik and Ciri both. "But… when someone threatens the ones I love most…that's a different story…. Are you all ready to head to Lofeton?"

Dominik's love for his mother had reached new heights then. He couldn't stop himself from smiling as he looked down at Ciri, who nodded at him, still giggling before she turned back to Yen, who Geralt still hadn't stopped staring at with admiration and love.

"Yeah… we're ready," Ciri said with a nod. "We'll be back before it gets too late."

**A/N: And now ladies and gentlemen, one of my favorite quests in the entire game is complete! Gods I have been waiting for the chance to write this chapter with this quest for so long and finally getting to it made me so so giddy and I really hope that I nailed it for you all! I really really am excited as well to finally be getting so close. Next chapter we'll be heading o Lofeton, to visit Sjkall's grave. After that, we'll have a chapter where we head to the destroyed village of Brekka, where Bella was raised on Undvik. Dominik, Ciri, Geralt and Yen are going to go, and Dominik is going to try and get a message somehow to his sister, that chapter is going to be a great one… Then we'll have a small calm before the storm chapter, where we recap and catch up with friends, and after that, the final battle. So THREE chapters are left before the final battle arc!**

**First in this chapter however, we first get a small glimpse of Bella training under Eredin and see just what the King of the Hunt had planned for her. I've said this before, Bella is going to be one of my favorite characters in this entire story and beyond, she's so complex and deep and I can't wait to explore her more. **

**After that, we have a little romantic breakfast between Dominik and Ciri, before they gather Geralt and Yen and head off for Avallach's lab. **

**Now, anyone who had read my ANs before, know that I am not a fan at all of Avallac'h. I believe that the Witcher 3 games turned him into a somewhat "Good guy", completely different from how he is in the books. In the books his manipulative, scheming, and always looking out for his own agenda, and that is how I decided to portray him in my story. If you're one of those people who can separate book and game Avallac'h I applaud you, however I simply can't xD And I have made it my mission with this story to keep characters as loyal to their book counterparts as possible, which while I LOVE the witcher games, I will say, that CDPR did change up the personalities of a few, Avallac'h being the main example for me. I understand why they had too, since they need to appeal to everyone not just book readers, however, as someone who loves the book and the movies, I decided to keep the characters in my story loyal to their book counterparts as often as possible. **

**Ciri is another example of this, while I adore her in the Witcher 3, after reading the books, I always thought that in those games she was… a bit different then I would have expected an adult version of her to be. For example, I always thought she wouldn't be as… well naïve, and nervous as she is in the game. I don't think there's ANY chance at all book Ciri would EVER trust Avallac'h enough to travel with him after what he did to her in the books, I think she would act a bit more like she does in my story, where she's only with him to use him to help her as well, not trusting him completely. I don't think book Ciri would have been afraid to talk to the Lodge of Sorceresses, or be upset like she was learning the truth that Avallac'h doesn't care about what happens to her. While most of the times in the game is exactly how I'd imagine Ciri, someone who would help save a little girl in the woods, defend a village from the Hunt, be kind, caring, a bit silly, social and smiling, I always thought that she would have been different in the instances mentioned above. So, as you all have seen I tried to make her more like I believe book Ciri would have been. **

**Which is why the scene in the lab is change immensely! We finally see the pressure of Ciri's situation snap as she almost kills Avallach's concubine, but thankfully she's able to control her temper, and with help from Dominik Geralt and Yen she is able to control herself. **

**However, one of the major things we learn in Avallach's lab, is the identity of another of Dominik's ancestors. Leila of Tir'Nala, the wife of Alexander of Lod, who after her children Connor and Lara of Lod were born, willingly returned to Tir'Nala, to hide the location of her best friend Lara Dorren her love Alexander of Lod and their family. **

**As I stated during the 'Protectors of the Blood' arc, where we learned about Alexander, we know virtually nothing about Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod's relationship and what happened between them before their death. So, it gave me a lot of creative freedom to work with when I decided to write this fic, and I am really excited with what I came up with. First we had Alexander, Connor and Lara of Lod, and now… Leila of Tir'Nala, Lara Dorren's best-friend, a powerful navigator, who never broke after months of torture at the hands of her own people. And in the end she stood her ground, and they had to result to an experimental spell to discover Alexander's location, but thankfully she held out long enough. **

**And we learn… that Leila of Tir'Nala could possibly be alive… is she? Well, you can be sure that will certainly be a quest in a later sequel or short story…**

**After the events in the lab, we see Yennefer show her claws, before Geralt, Ciri and Dominik teleport to Lofeton, where next chapter will take place….**

**I want to remind everybody that if you like this story, I have tons more fanart on my Instagram page that I made for this story! Go and follow dominik_of_cintra if you wanna see more fanart then just the photos on this story and my profile! I have tons of amazing quality art, and tons more to come and I can't wait for you all to see it!**

**So! As usual, thank you all for reading, we've passed almost 250 followers and 200 reviews, which is completely mind boggling! I am so glad you're all enjoying, thank you for going on this incredible journey with me! As always again, make sure to favorite and follow if you enjoyed, review if you have time and of course stay safe!**


	82. Return to Lofeton

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 82: Return to Lofeton**

**Narrator: After arriving in Skellige for their final battle against the Wild Hunt, Dominik and Ciri first took the day to recuperate from their many battles. The two spent the night together, before waking up the next morning, both with final plans and preparations that they needed to complete before the final battle commenced. Dominik had plans to try and make contact with his younger sister Bella, who had been brainwashed by Eredin and the Wild Hunt, turning the young woman into Baelen, their most deadly commander. Ciri, first wanted to go to the elven sage Avallach's secret base on Skellige. Ciri knew from the beginning of her travels with the sage, that he was hiding secrets from her, plans that involved her, so she and Dominik set out with Geralt and Yennefer to figure out what they were. Upon arriving at the lab, they discovered Avallac'h, had tracked both Dominik and Ciri's genetic line for centuries, with plans to use Ciri's blood to create a purely elven genetic mix with Ciri's blood and powers… to recreate Lara Dorren. After her anger got the best of her, Ciri nearly killed a concubine of the sage, but with some help from Geralt and Dominik she was able to control her anger, and after venting their rage, the four all left the elf's base. Ciri had one more request, to head back to the village of Lofeton on Hindersfjall, to visit the grave of the man Sjkall, and the rest of the villagers who helped her to health…**

Lofeton still hadn't recovered, and it only made Dominik feel even worse about being back. He tried to hide his face as he followed between Geralt and Ciri deeper into the village, still seeing the great oak ripped up off the ground, incased in ice that still hadn't defrosted. The destruction Kilgarrah and Bella had brought with the Hunt would take months to recover from. He saw some promising signs with more people than the previous time he was there, and nobody seemed to notice or recognize him which he was thankful for. However, he also could still see the giant black scorch mark near in the middle of town, covering a large spot of land.

Ciri and Bella had fought there, Bella had almost killed her, Ciri had almost killed Bella.

"Bella… I had never seen anything like her… nobody as powerful," Ciri said with a shudder, as the sun casted orange rays of light over the scored earth.

Geralt nodded in agreement, looking at the scorch mark. "Takes some serious magic to do that…. How the hell does Eredin and Caranthir know how to teach her."

Dominik sighed and looked at them both. "Well it's magic… and we know now that Bella and I are apparently part elf, Aen Elle at that… our magic probably isn't that different."

"You may be right… it explains why I've been able to help you," Ciri said, looking up at him with a grim look on her face.

"Kind of the same yes… you know, I just don't get the teleporting at will, and being able to travel between dimensions part, that would be pretty useful," He said, a small smile coming to her face.

She scoffed a laugh, and seeing her smile made him feel better about being there. He was there with her now; he had gotten what he had been looking for the last time he was there. He forced himself to look away from the black scorched earth, as he saw Geralt gesture for them to follow, as they made their way towards the west of the village, where they had seen the graveyard the last time. With every step, every bit of ice he saw covering the buildings, Dominik shook, thinking of Bella, commanding riders, fighting Ciri, riding on Kilgarrah's back.

His sister had caused all of this destruction and devastation. He thought about her when she was younger, how happy, smiling, unwilling to let even a rabbit they found injured in the woods suffer. One time the two of them had been in the woods when they were younger, they found a rabbit caught in a snare. Dominik despite only being eleven, knew the creature was gone for, however, Bella insisted that they free it, and nurse it back to health. He had tried to talk her out of it, but Bella had freed it from the trap, and it was safe to say their mother wasn't too happy about the new pet rabbit they had for a few days.

However, Bella cared for the animal for a whole week, nursing it back to health before she drug Dominik along to release it back into the wild. Bella didn't give up on people, she didn't destroy people, bring them down, she helped people, she wanted the best for everyone she came across. She had truly been one of the lights of his life, his little sister.

And now she was a woman, a grown woman who had a lover at one point, long flowing brown hair, bright green eyes like their mother. That girl who was insistent Dominik help her nurse the rabbit back to health wasn't gone. The girl who teased him by singing, 'Dominik's in love with the princess', every night before they went to bed wasn't gone. His little sister wasn't gone, the young girl who had called Ciri 'big sister', wasn't gone, and he knew it for a fact. He didn't know still if he could face her, draw his blade and swing it towards her, knowing that it would be Bella on the receiving end of the stroke, but one way or another, he was going to make sure she survived.

You never gave up on your family, that was what Alexander had told him. Dominik didn't care if Bella helped him fight afterwards, he didn't care if she wanted nothing to do with him afterwards. All he knew, was that Eredin planned on killing her, someone was going to try and hurt his little sister, and it so happens that same person was also trying to kill the woman he loved.

It wouldn't be like Cintra again, never again. He wouldn't leave her like he did then. If he remembered the night of Cintra now, remembered the exact details, he could see it. Cahir's arrow had hit Bella in the shoulder, and knocked her head back, smashing the back of it against the stone ground, knocking her out cold. She had been alive, alive there next to their mother's corpse, and Dominik hadn't even checked on her body, he ran, ran away as Cahir chased him through the streets, All the meanwhile, Bella laid festering, alive amidst the corpses of their friends and neighbors, who had called her 'Gregory and Sofia's little girl', the ones who sold her flowers, let her help tend their gardens and watch after their pets or young children.

Yes, everyone that knew Bella had loved her, and Dominik left her there. He wouldn't do it again; he wasn't going to make that same mistake. Baelen, had been the one to destroy Lofeton, almost kill Ciri and help attack Kaer Morhen. That wasn't Bella, Baelen had taken over his sister's body, and he was going to get his real sister back. If his plan worked, then he would have a better chance of that, however, first he needed to make sure everything was alright for Ciri.

Seeing all the fresh mounds of dirt, the new gravestones hadn't helped his mood any, because he knew if he had figured out about Bella earlier, then they wouldn't be there.

He stiffened as the three of them stopped in front of the graveyard, and apparently his worry must have shown in his face, because he felt Ciri's gloved hand slip into his. He jumped at first but looked down at her, she looked up, and seeing the reassuring smile, her beautiful eyes looking back up at him, it did wonders to calm him, at least a bit.

The three of them strode threw the village quickly, not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves. He was sure the villagers had recognized him, and perhaps some recognized Ciri as well, however, he wished to be away more from the prying eyes as he sauntered on next to Ciri heading towards the graveyard.

The graveyard now with dozens upon dozens of new fresh new mounds of earthy soil. He never thought he would, but Dominik wished with everything he had that he had been there on a contract, perhaps hunting a grave hag, ghoul or rotfiend.

"It shouldn't take long… it will be a relatively fresh mound," Ciri said, taking a slight step ahead of Geralt and he. "I do hope we find it fast… I detest graveyards."

Geralt, who never failed to put a smile on their face when Ciri and he both were upset chuckled.

"Ha… you know you may have to get used to it, witchers work brings you to graveyards a lot," He said, looking over to Dominik. "Bet Dom can vouch for that too."

He scoffed. "Ha… you can say that again, never a shortage of work in graveyards."

"I'd give anything to be here for that… to be doing some witchers work," Ciri said, looking over and meeting Dominik's eyes, her lips pressed together.

A small smile crossed Dominik's face. "Don't _too _eager princess, graveyards have some of the worst contracts. Ghouls, rotfiends, crazy necromancers in some cases, makes you smell the worst too."

"You smell horrible most the time," She said, the slightest form of a smile tugging at her lips.

He rolled his eyes and looked to Geralt. "Geralt please tell Ciri that on the Path, the smell if something you'll have to learn to live with."

"I would if it was true, you just don't like to bathe," Geralt said, crossing his arms with a similar smirk to Ciri's.

Ciri laughed, and hearing it helped him easily shake of the insult. Smiling he met her eyes and scoffed.

"You think I smell bad now, you should have seen the time I was covered in selkimore guts about three years ago," He said, shuddering at the memory. "Had to bathe three times a day for a week."

Geralt scoffed and looked down at him, a prideful look on his face. "You killed a selkimore?"

He nodded. "Yeah, got paid enough I didn't need another contract for a month after that."

"A selkimore? Gods Dominik those things are huge," Ciri said.

Dominik shrugged. "Couple bombs down the throat did the trick. Should've seen, had to head out onto the lake in a dank skiff, certainly didn't make it easy for me."

"Was it terrorizing people? Selkimore normally only eat plankton," Geralt said.

"I don't think it was intentional, but it had knocked over and destroyed a few boats, killed a few villagers in the process," He explained, looking over at the graveyard and shuddering. "Morale of the story… there's a lot worse smelling things then a graveyard."

The smile finally curled at the corner of Ciri's lips. "I hope you don't expect me to bathe you when we're on the road."

"Not unless you want too, we can bathe each other you know," He said, winking at her, making Geralt groan and Ciri roll her eyes.

"You're incorrigible you stupid boy," She said, but Dominik saw her smile again, her cheeks turning pink.

Geralt groaned again next to him. "Do you two really have to talk about all of that?"

Dominik rolled his eyes. "We're 22 Geralt."

"To be quite honest, you've known we were gonna be fucking one day since you met us, so I don't understand why it bothers you so much hearing about it. Dominik and I have sex now Geralt, just in case you weren't aware" Ciri started, making Dominik scoff a laugh before Geralt quite literally plugged his ears with his fingers.

"Okay, okay enough, let's look for the grave," He grumbled, walking past them towards the new mounds of fresh soil.

Ciri and he watched him pass them, and when she looked up at him he winked at her. A small scoffing laugh escaped her, she reached out and trailed her hand down his arm, the smile staying on her face as she looked at him.

"Thank you for this… I know it can't be easy being back here…" She said.

He placed his hand over hers, interlacing their fingers. "Gonna have to face what I did… make up for it. I'm a lot different of a person then I was a few weeks ago."

"No you're not," She said, reaching up to hug him, nuzzling her cheek against his and burying her face into the crook of his neck. "You're good now, and you were good then… it's just who you are."

"Ciri…" He said, his heart churning as she pulled back from him. "I threatened to make what the Hunt did look like nothing at all…told your friend, while he was writhing in pain, brought back to life… that I'd throw him to the drowners if he didn't say where you went…that doesn't seem very good to me."

She shook her head. "And the fact that you know you were wrong, that what you did wasn't right, is exactly the reason why you're good. Dominik… you're the greatest man I know, you _are _good, and I'm proud to be with you every single day."

Her words started stirring him, that warm, beautiful feeling that normally washed over him when she spoke. Ciri thought he was good, Ciri loved him, Ciri was proud to be with him, that was all that he needed. He met her gaze, her eyes shining as he pulled her into hug again, his arms wrapping around her slim waist, his face buried into her neck.

"I love you…" He said, his voice muffled into her neck.

She pulled his head off her shoulder, and pulled him into a long, deep kiss, the tingling washing over him. He trailed his hands down her arms as she kissed him there, exploring every nape of her back, trying to grip her with everything he had. Despite the cold chill from the wind blowing by at the current sunset, he was warm in her embrace then. She pulled her lips from his, smiling as she squeezed him one last time, meeting his eyes as she stepped back from him.

"I love you too… and I simply can't wait to get covered in selkimore guts with you," She said cheekily.

He scoffed and nodded, the smile curling at the corner of his lips. "Think you could pull the look off. Now come on, let's-."

"Dom, Ciri, over here," Geralt called to them, cutting him off as he and Ciri turned.

Ciri and he both looked over to their adopted father, standing in the center of the graveyard beckoning for them to join him. They both quickly made their way across the graveyard, stepping over and around the mounds of dirt and gravestones. Ciri jogged up ahead of him, getting to Geralt's side ahead of him.

"What is it!?" She asked, her voice almost growing frantic.

Geralt's lips pursed. "Ciri… I can't find any grave for Sjkall…"

"What!? What do you mean, how could there be no grave?" She said, turning and examining each of the gravestones.

As she did, he met Geralt's eyes and saw a knowing look in his father's eyes. Dominik mentally slapped himself, his stomach churning as he remembered the young man's fate. He hadn't even learned Sjkall's name from the villagers, he had learned it from the young mans reanimated corpse.

Dominik had only known him as Craven.

"DAMMIT!" Ciri cursed, turning and rushing back to them. "You're right, I can't find one. He has no grave! I shan't leave until we bury him, what did they do with his body after the garden!?"

He bit the inside of his cheek and shared a look with Geralt. Geralt nodded to him, and Dominik sighed, knowing that he would be better off giving the news to her instead of him in that moment, because Dominik himself was shaking at well, his tongue stuck between his teeth as his arms shook.

Geralt met Ciri's eyes and shook his head. "They didn't burn it… they only save that honor for kings and heroes, ones who died in battle."

"They… think he ran from the Hunt when they came," Dominik said slowly, as Ciri's outers hell slowly began to break.

She fiercely shook her head. "What!? That's not what happened at all, he led them away, _we _led them away when they were chasing me!"

"We know that… but the villagers don't," Geralt said, sighing as he shook his head. "They didn't burn his body… and I doubt they left him in the garden."

A flash of realization came to Ciri's eyes. "Those bastards!"

"What is it?" Dominik said right away.

She shakily sighed and looked at them. "Beyond the village- there's a pit. They fill it with sheep taken by blackleg. Crabs and drowners pick at their bones at night…"

Dominik and Geralt both barely had time to say anything before Ciri rushed passed them, bursting out into a jog with her back to them. Geralt looked at him and slowly nodded. Dominik's gut turned; his heart racing as tears nearly stung his eyes. He turned back and darted off after Ciri.

He wouldn't let the man be thrown and picked apart by drowners.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri he knew had spent time on Hindersfjall, and in the village in particular when she was younger, telling him Hjalmar and she used to frequent the spot to go swimming, so he trusted following her. They had to loop back around the village, more of the villagers seeming to notice them, with all three of them moving at such a brisk pace. However, just like Ciri he ignored them all, following her until she came to a stop at the pit, just a ways down from a beautiful cliff, a single tree overlooking the ocean. Under different circumstances, he would have been thrilled to be in that spot with Ciri, a romantic view on a beautiful now moonlit night, her in his arms, the two of them resting on the cliff and enjoying the Skellige air, the fresh smell of the ocean.

The only smell that hit him then, however, was one he had become accustom too over the years. Decomposing corpses, the stench of death, rot and decay.

"Gods…" Ciri croaked, looking down into the pit with Geralt and he.

Dominik had become accustom to the smell through the years, but Ciri clearly wasn't. She gagged as they all looked down into the pit. Sure enough Sjkall's body was there, the man's bright yellow and blue trousers still recognizable, the marks on his throat from where Yennefer had seemingly choked him with her spell was there, along with multiple claw and teeth marks from drowners and crabs. Flies buzzed around the corpse, the very sight making his stomach turn even more, as he remembered his threat to the young man when he was wreathing in agony.

Ciri finally turned to them. "Dom, Geralt, we need to-."

But Dominik didn't wait for her to finish, sucking in a breath, he trudged down the slope his boots were already so caked with mud that he almost slipped, however he kept his course. Behind him he heard what he assumed were Ciri and Geralt's boots sloshing along behind him. Dominik however, reached the body first, his eyes stinging as he right away reached down for the corpse, gripping up under Sjkall's large limp shoulders.

"I got you.. I got you…" He said, muttering to himself quietly, willing himself not to cry.

"Dom, here let me get-." Geralt started, but Dominik cut him off with a glare.

"I got it Geralt!" He hissed, yanking on the young man's shoulders.

He looked and saw Ciri staring wide eyed at him for a moment, as the corpses of sheep and a dead drowner collapsed as he managed to pull the body off them. Mud sprayed onto his face, the smell of decay and rot that was setting in assaulting his nose with new fury. He had been so focused making sure to pull Skjall up, that he forgot to hold his breath. And while he was accustomed to the stench of death, knowing what he had done to the man below him weakened his nerves, and he gagged, dropping the body into the mud as he coughed.

Ciri came up next to him. "Dom… please let us-."

"NO!" He yelled out, breathing heavily between coughs, as he readjusted himself behind Skjall's shoulders. "I said, I got it!"

"Dominik, stop right now!" Ciri said, her voice harder than normal as she tried to grab his arm.

For what he believed could be the first time in his life, he didn't invite her touch. He slithered out of her grasp and shook his head.

"I _have _to do this," He said, feeling his voice crack, as the young man's pained cries rang through his head. "I have to do this…"

"He was my friend, he saved me… Dominik…" Ciri said softly, but he ignored her again, reaching under Sjkall's shoulders and pulling again.

What had happened in Lofeton was going to haunt him for the rest of his days. The man below him saved Ciri's life, was a friend even if for a short time. He had said before that he would be eternally grateful to anyone who helped Ciri, but he hadn't kept true to those words. His own violent screams, his threats, the anger that had pulsed through him the last time he saw the young man below him had all come smashing into his head. Goosebumps trailed up his arms from the cold wind, as his boots finally slipped and he lost his foot, falling on his ass into the mud behind him.

"FUCK!" He said, trying to get back to his feet to drag the body back up the slope.

His head was so focused on his task, he didn't see Geralt come up next to him. He felt a firm hand grip his shoulder, and Geralt's rough voice hit his ears, speaking softly and reassuringly.

"Dom… it's okay, let us help," He said, half asking, half telling.

Dominik knew it would be useless fighting in Geralt's iron grip, so he shakily sighed and nodded. Ciri gave him a gentle smile, rushing to Skjall's feet and lifting them off the ground. Geralt moved from Dominik's side and got to one of the young man's shoulders, Dominik going to the other. Together, the three of them hoisted the body into the air and digging his feet into the muddy slope of the pit, he shuffled backwards with Geralt next to him, flies buzzing near their noses even after they finally got to the ground above, onto flat ground.

As soon as they did, they carefully laid Skjall out under the light of the moon.

Cold air filled his lungs as Dominik fell to his knees near the man's shoulders, Ciri quickly coming to his side. Geralt took a step back, seeming to be examining sites for a grave. He saw his gaze dart towards the top of the hill overlooking the sea, but quickly again his own gaze went down the body below him. His fists balled, his eyes stinging, he had seen corpses before, corpses of people he loved, people he cared about. He had seen them mauled, ripped to shreds, limbs dangling, faces unrecognizable, sometimes all he could find a person he was looking for, their family members, their lovers, was single severed limb, or no corpse at all.

Those contracts were always the worst. He had seen death, plenty of it, more in his twenty-two years, then most men saw in a lifetime.

But never had he disrespected the dead, especially ones who had been kind and good. He didn't wish to become like the truly monstrous men he had encountered, but in that moment his skin prickled, a well of anxiety and guilt spilled over in his gut, and he shed tears, his eyes unable to leave the young man's body before him. The young man, who had helped the woman he loved, who she wouldn't be alive without, the one who he had treated as expendable.

"I'm sorry… gods… gods I'm so… so sorry," He said, Geralt slowly turning to face him, feeling Ciri's arm wrap around his waist, and she melted into him.

"You did what you had too… you're good… Dominik you're good…" She said, a sob escaping her as she buried her head into him. "This… this is my fault… if he hadn't met me… if all those people hadn't been around me… if I hadn't been here…"

He pulled her close, the scent of her hair replacing the smell of rot in his nose. It had been years since they were like they were then, both sitting there, crying into each other's arms. Neither of them knew what to say to make the other feel better, so he simply relished having her there with him, wrapping his arms around her, one of his hands twirling through her ashen locks as she sobbed, and he sobbed into her.

Everything, everything since the moment they had gone on the run had been hard, dangerous, for not just them but others. He knew how she felt, she had been feeling the same way for years. It started with Geralt's friends at Stygga Castle and continued up until that very moment. People dying because others wanted her, wanted to use her, were willing to kill to get their hands on her. And in an effort to protect her, he had slowly almost lost himself, and it was still happening now, lingering thoughts in his mind, betraying the person who he truly was. A small place in the back of his head had been occupied with one thought for days, days upon days, eating at him, gnawing at him.,

He would have to fight his sister again, fight Bella again, his little sister. And that part of his brain, that gnawing part of his brain kept flooding with one thought, washing over him like a cold, wet sheet.

He would have to kill his sister to keep Ciri safe if he failed, if he failed to convince her, to make her see reason, remember the person that she truly was… he'd have to kill her, kill her to not only protect Ciri, but the entire continent, that entire world. He would have to do it, do it if he failed again. The both of them in that moment, seemed to cry tears that had been years in the making. Skjall was the tipping point, sending them over the edge, finally after so many years, all of their troubles were finally spilling over.

Gripping his one hand around her waist, his other held onto the back of her hair, his head burying into her head of ashen locks, as they sat on their knees crying then in front of that body. And he could tell, that the tears weren't only for Skjall, but for everyone that they had lost along the way for them to get to that point, from the time they were eleven-years-old, and all the way up until that very second, every face flashed in his mind. His father, his mother, Queen Calanthe, Bella, Geralt's friends from Stygga Castle, Declan, Arno, every single person who had died to get them to that point, that was what they were crying for then.

"It's all right… it's all gonna be alright," Geralt said softly, his armor clunking, as he fell to his knees behind them, wrapping his larger arms around them both like they were children again.

Ciri sobbed, burying herself deeper into the crook of his neck, her salty tears falling down his neck. Dominik shakily sighed, holding onto Ciri and leaning his head into Geralt as well. He knew their adopted father was trying to reassure them, but Dominik truly didn't know if what he said was true. He didn't know if everything would be alright, if what happened was even truly he and Ciri's fault.

But he did know one thing, that even if he and Ciri were at fault, there was one who was the cause of all this misery, the strife, the pain in their lives the last few years.

And that one, had been the one to put a scar on his face, and have him seconds away from death.

"I can't do it Geralt… I can't… gods I can't…. I can't beat him… I can't… I could never save anyone, how… how am I supposed to beat him… save Bella… gods…" He sobbed, Ciri cries growing louder in his chest.

Geralt's hand ran through Dominik's brown curls, looking down at him, intently meeting his emerald eyes, with his yellow cat ones.

"You don't have to do it alone… you are strong enough… you are… you both are…" He said, squeezing onto he and Ciri both.

Dominik shook his head, his face wet with the tears that had been years in the making.

"He almost killed me… gods I… I was dead," Dominik said, looking and meeting Geralt's eyes intently again. "And… and Bella if… if I don't… if I don't…."

"You will… I know you will," Geralt said with a quick nod. "Like I always said… you're the two strongest people I know. I swear to you… this is going to be alright… all of it."

"I'm not a hero… I'm not even a real witcher… I couldn't save anyone; I've done horrible things…" He said, his head burying into the chest straps of Geralt's armor. "I'm scared… gods… gods Geralt I… I'm fucking scared… fucking horrified…"

"That's a good thing," Geralt said right away.

"How the bloody fuck is that a good thing!?" Dominik demanded.

Geralt looked down at him, just as Ciri slowly detached herself from him, wiping her tears with her gloved hands as Geralt looked down at them both. As they both sat there on their knees, their faces wet, their breathing shallow, Ciri interlaced her fingers with his, squeezing as Geralt reached out, placing a hand on both their outside shoulders, looking intently at them, over at Dominik first.

"It's a good thing because it means you're smart. Only a real fool wouldn't be scared at the situation you're in. You speak of not being a hero, not being a witcher, but do you want to know what the true definition of being a hero is? It's being someone, who puts the wellbeing of others, ahead of their own, that is what a hero is. You speak of not being a real witcher? Why? Because you don't have yellow eyes, because you stand get stabbed by a monster's claw and not be poisoned? No, you're a witcher, you're both witchers, and do you want to know why? Do you want to know why you're both witchers, and I'm prouder of you both, more confident in you both them you could ever imagine?

It's because you save people, you both save people. That's what witchers do, and you both know that. We protect people from monsters, both the ones who are ghoulish, and the ones that men create. The two of you, are good, you're witchers, you deserve the life you're going to get, but if you keep carrying around this anger, this sadness and regret, then you won't be able to get that. We are going to make, the one's responsible for this pay, and we're going to do it, because it's what's right, and what's good. I've walked this earth for over a hundred years, and never, have I seen two people who deserve life more then you both do… and neither of you have to do it alone. What have I told you both since the very moment I met you?"

The answer was on Dominik's tongue, he was about to say it, but Ciri took the words from his mouth, squeezing his hand and looking at him.

"That… if we stick together… we'll always be alright," She said slowly, the words sinking into him like quicksand.

He nodded himself, his gaze not leaving hers, as Geralt firmly nodded.

"Exactly… you both don't have to do this alone. Even if we're separated for a moment, we're always with each other… and we _will _finally get the rest that we deserve. Only when we reach our lowest point… are we able to access our greatest strength, do you understand? The two of you, have each other, through it all, you found each other… and now, you may think you're at your lowest point… but now… is when you'll be strongest. Fight for each other…and all will be alright… I promise," Geralt finished, his hands squeezing onto their shoulders.

Dominik's eyes shifted again from Geralt to Ciri, the one person who had made everything worth it. _Only when we reach our lowest point… are we able to access our greatest strength. _

So many times he had felt like he did then, ready to finally break, like it would all be not enough in the end. But each other those times, Ciri had been what made him realize, that the end wasn't in sight, that there was still hope. The previous few days he had been trying to stay strong, strong, confident and optimistic for her sake, when truly on the inside his emotions had been stirring and churning like volcano. Thoughts of Bella, facing Eredin again, Caranthir, Kilgarrah, the Hunt, everything had haunted him. There had been times when he would be standing awake, he'd blink, and suddenly he'd be on the ground, bleeding at Kaer Morhen again.

Eredin had haunted his dreams, and thoughts much more than he had admitted allowed. Sometimes he'd be walking, look down at his thigh, and suddenly it would erupt all over again, like the King of the Hunt's blade was plunging into his flesh. He had been dominated in their last fight, Eredin had been toying with him. Sometimes in his dreams he'd see Eredin killing Alexander, killing Connor and Lara of Lod, his ancestors, the ones who had given him the power that he possessed. He would hear Ciri's wailing cries at his body, Yennefer crying, the agonized voices of his friends.

_All of that work… for one… tiny scratch. _

Despite everything, that one tiny scratch on Eredin's cheek was all he had managed. His leg ached in that moment, the fear, the thoughts all clouded his mind.

But when he felt Ciri's hand squeeze his again, squeezing it, and then seeing her gaze meet his, all of his worried for the moment melted.

As they long as they stuck together, they'd be alright, and they'd always be together, whether they were next to one another in the final fight or not, they were always together.

The ring and swallow, their medallions, the tattoos on their inner wrists, they were together, always.

"We will… we will…" She said, slowly nodding at him.

Dominik's lip tugged slightly upwards, his eyes stinging, but still keeping his gaze fixed on her. "Yeah… always."

Geralt squeezed them both again, a smile coming to his withered face, as he gestured his head down towards the ground, towards Sjkall's body.

"Now… what do you say we bury a hero?" He said, getting up from the ground.

Dominik and Ciri followed suit. It was as Geralt said, being a true hero, was about putting the wellbeing of others ahead of your own.

And now he, Ciri and Geralt truly were burying a hero.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Geralt stood quietly at the head of the grave, while Dominik knelt next to Ciri, who was doing the same, his arm around her. The two of them sat, Ciri shakily let go of the flowers at the top of the fresh mound of soil surrounded by the intricate rock formation. Digging hadn't taken long, but with each full shovel, Dominik's heart sank a little more. Ciri remembered how the graves of heroes were decorated in Skellige. The candles, the flowers, the formation of the rocks. Ciri had said her piece, laying the flowers at the head of the grave while Geralt stood overhead.

Dominik felt her head bury into the crook of his shoulder again, silent tears coming from her eyes. Looking down at the grave, his hands trembled as he reached out, touching his hand to the top of the stones, closing his eyes and trying not to imagine the young man's pained wails as he was reanimated.

"I'm so… so sorry for how I treated you…" He said, shakily sighed as he looked right down at the grave, his eyes unmoving. "You're a hero… and whatever gods you kept too… they'll know that as well…. You sacrificed and risked your own life to protect people… you're the farthest thing from a craven… and again… I'm so… so sorry…"

He felt Ciri's lips peck the side of his neck, the buzzing running down his throat, making his mind a blur. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at her. Despite her eyes still red and puffy from the crying, she managed a small smile as she cuddled closer to him.

"Thank you for that… for doing this…. I know it wasn't easy for you," She said softly, her eyes not leaving him.

He shakily sighed again and reached his hand out to help her feet. They both stood next to Geralt, who seemed to have his head bowed in a silent prayer of thanks. Dominik managed a crisp clean breath, the smell of Ciri's cedarwood and juniper perfume hitting his nose as he pulled her close for a hug. He looked down, gently holding her face, giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I'm glad I came… I'm glad we came…" He said, the smile tugging at his lips as well, his gaze not leaving her or her smile. "It's like I said, we're partners, always…."

"Me and you versus everyone…" She said slowly, leaning and kissing him again.

He finally managed a goofy smile as he kissed her and took in the scent of her perfume again when she hugged him. She was his, and he was hers, it was just like it was always supposed to be. Standing with her there, under the full moon now, it was the rightest thing he had ever felt up to that point.

He was home, after so many years, he was finally home, home with her.

"So… you two ready to head back?" Geralt said, coming up next to them, a small smile plastered on his lips. "Yen will probably have some dinner for us, and if we're lucky, our darling sage will be cooped up in his room, so we don't have to deal with him."

The mention of Avallac'h made he and Ciri both roll their eyes. However, the prospect of he and Ciri's cabin, hot food after the emotional roller coaster of a day they had, sounded fantastic. The thought of sleep however, also made him think of what he planned on doing the next day. It sounded simple on paper.

Go to Brekka, find his grandfather's sword, find the right spell to get the memory to Bella, get the sword to Bella. However, as was always the case with his plans, Dominik knew it would be much more complicated than that. And then of course, after his plan the next day, the battle would soon follow, and if everything went right the next day, it could swing that battle in their favor.

Ciri must have recognized the look on his face because she gestured up towards him to Geralt and met his gaze.

"What is it?" She said, as both she and Geralt looked at him.

Dominik bit the inside of his lip, looking between the both of them. It almost felt cruel of him, asking Ciri, Geralt and then Yen to go out on another dangerous quest for him, the day after everything that they discovered.

"Well… you remember what I was telling you about? The plan… with Bella," He said, looking up to Geralt. "Ciri here came up with a way that… I can possibly get a message to my sister before the final battle. And… and I think I have a plan."

Ciri quickly nodded, her hand on his armored chest. "Of course I remember, and before you ask, yes, of course I'll still go with you, Geralt?"

Geralt scoffed with a smirk as Ciri and he looked at him, as if the question were ridiculous.

"You know I won't let you both do it alone," He said, looking over to Dominik now, the wind blowing his silver hair. "What's this plan of yours?"

His heart fluttered, seeing the looks they both gave him. Trusting, complete trust, and the want to help him. It was his family, the second family he had been blessed with, and now they were going to help him save what remained of his first.

He smiled with a nod. "Well… you remember how she said she sent me the dream of her in Skellige? Well… I was hoping maybe I can find a way to send her a dream, a memory that…that can help her remember who she really is."

"You know a spell that can do that? Yen, Triss or Ermion might," Geralt said.

Dominik quickly nodded. "I think I can find something in Alexander's journal. I want to send the dream and… and I want to go back to Undvik, to her old village… and find my grandfather's old sword."

"Old sword?" Geralt said wonderingly.

Ciri and he shared a look and nodded. Dominik went on and told Geralt about his dreams of Bella the previous few nights, everything that had happened to her. How Caranthir, and Imlerith had killed Bella's adopted mother, and her lover Kendra. How Bella had teleported to Skellige, taking their grandfather's sword, a dwarven sihil with her, and that after Bella was taken, the sword was still left on Undvik.

"That sword's a symbol of our family," Dominik explained, looking between Geralt and Ciri both. "And she knew it, even when she lost her memories before she was taken by the Hunt! If I can find it, and get to her, along with the dream I'll send her… I know I can get through to her."

Geralt narrowed his eyes questioningly. "That sounds like a good plan in theory… but how do you plan on getting her the blade? Do you even know if it's in her village still? A sword like that, it was probably taken by some scavengers long ago."

Dominik shook his head. "I gotta try if it's not there, a continental made, magic dwarven sihil? Someone had to know about it, I may even ask Faram when we get back."

Ciri slowly nodded, a new questioning look on her face as well. "Alright… but like Geralt said, how do you plan on getting Bella the sword if we find it? You plan on just walking up to the Nagalfar, knocking on the cabin door and saying you have a package to deliver?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "No, of course not. I can't get to her… but I think I know someone who can. We should get back and-."

"What are you three doing!?" An angry voice cut him off from behind.

He whirled on his heel with Ciri and Geralt and cursed. "Fuck…"

Ciri's nostrils flared at the three villagers first, before he could even say anything, she stepped forward, her scarf and strands of ashen hair blowing in the wind.

"What you should have done long ago! We're burying Skjall!" She spat, crossing her arms, and leaning back on one foot, what he knew she normally did when she was angry.

Dominik and Geralt stood next to her, and it seemed to deter the three villagers for a moment, the one man in the middle between two women, being brave enough to speak first.

"Burying Craven!? You defy the writ of the elders!?" The man shouted.

It was Dominik's turn for his nostrils to flare as he glared at the man.

"Call him Craven one more time… and you'll be the one in a ditch…" He said darkly, and for a second the man faltered, the two women at his side recoiling.

After another moment, the man mustered his courage, stepping forward again and looking at all three of them.

"Your threats mean nothing! Begone, the three of ye! You defy our laws!" He said, his nostrils upturned as Geralt stepped forward.

"We're not bound by your laws… don't gotta follow them," Geralt said, his swords clunking as he crossed his arms.

Dominik nodded. "We buried a hero, now you leave."

"Aye, clearly you have no respect for our laws either!" One of the two women piped up.

The man scoffed and nodded, looking to them again. "Craven's place is in a ditch! Now get-."

Ciri cut the man off, her gloved fist smashing into the man's jaw, her hands trembling, as Dominik couldn't help but smile as she looked over the man.

"Sjkall saved your blood lives you fools!" She spat, crossing her arms her green eyes aflame as the two women helped the man up and Ciri went on. "The Wild Hunt was after me! Had Sjkall not led me away… then Lofeton would be incased completely in ice!"

"He saved your lives…. And you repaid him by throwing him in a ditch," Dominik said, crossing his arms as he took his place next to Ciri.

The woman on the right scoffed as they helped the man back to standing. "What would the specters be wanting with some lass who-."

"I am NOT some lass!" Ciri erupted, her hands going to her hips as she pointed to the grave. "And anyone who so much as touches this grave will learn that the hard way!"

"Believe me… of the three of us, she's the one you want angry the least," Dominik said, a small smirk on his face, as the man clearly had not much courage left.

"Aye… none will touch it…" The man said, his tone lighter now. "Desecrating graves… the one thing the elders spit on more than fleeing the battlefield…. And what you said… can't know the truth of it… seems only the gods will judge Skjall now…"

A small smile came to Dominik's face, as he looked over to see a smirk come to Ciri's face. She looked at Geralt and he, gesturing for them to follow, as she bumped into the man's shoulder with force as the three of them walked back down the hill. Dominik shared a smile with Geralt, before they both went on following her. They got further down the hill, and with his curiosity peaked, he looked back up, and saw the two women and the man standing and watching the grave, their heads silently bowed.

He reached up to Ciri's side, seeing the smirk had grown to a true smile. It filled him with warmth, the one medicine that always cured him of any mood he was in. She waited up for them both and reached out her hand for Dominik to intertwine his fingers with her as they walked. The satisfied smile on her face made him chuckle, and she looked at him.

"What is it?" She said, eyeing him curiously, the smile not leaving her.

He chuckled again. "Ha… it's just… I don't think you've ever been more attractive to me then you are now."

She rolled her eyes but still smiled. "Stealing Geralt's lines now are we?"

"You kidding? Geralt's a bleedin romantic deep down, aren't you Geralt?" He said, turning to their adopted father, who walked along the other side of them.

Geralt scoffed. "Yup… that's me. So… you guys ready to head back? Ciri?"

Ciri nodded, looking over to meet Dominik's eyes, leaning and planting a kiss on his cheek with a giddy smile.

"Ha… what was that for?" Dominik said, the smile not leaving him.

Ciri shrugged. "Nothing… just for being you… now come on, let's all three of us get back, you ready to teleport?"

"Ugh…. I guess," Geralt complained.

"You know, Yen's been telling me I'll need to get used to portals since I'm with you again," Dominik said, as Ciri smirked.

"Yes, yes you will. Now no complaining, either of you, hold on tight," She said, reaching and grabbing onto both of their hands.

And the smile on her face… it was how he knew for that moment; everything was right in his world.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"So… you're heading back to Brekka tomorrow, to find some sword? A sihil, last seen on Undvik? What was the name again?" Faram asked, the gentle night wind blowing through his long black back and beard.

Dominik sighed, nodding as he drank more ale from the mug, looking out over the ocean. If he squinted, he could see the tower on Undvik from the place their ship was moored at Kaer Trolde then. However, surrounded around the tower now, was fog, dense fog out on the open ocean. The gentle sea breeze was chilly but relaxing, as Faram leaned his back against the railing, downing his own drink.

"It was called Coram, lion pommel, blue runes, and yeah… turns out that's where Bella lived, you've been to Undvik a few times the last few years right? Before the giant showed up?" He asked the Bear Witcher.

His best friend smirked and nodded. "Aye… to see my parents before they went. Brekka was a mining village, remember we entered the mines through there?"

"I'd like to forget sometimes," He said, shuddering as he remembered the treck to the giant's lair on Undvik.

Faram scoffed a laughed, "Ha, aye… same here sometimes. But anyway, after Brekka was destroyed, scavengers picked it clean. Despite the Jarl ordering it of limits."

He turned from the water, finishing his ale as he narrowed his eyes at Faram.

"He ordered it off limits? Why was that? If it were a mining town, I'd imagine he'd want to try and rebuild it," He said, as Faram quickly nodded.

"Aye he did try… but they came up with the notion the place was haunted. All the workers, soldiers they sent, all either ended up dead, missing or went mad."

"Sounds like a job for a witcher," Dominik said sarcastically.

Faram scoffed again. "Aye, he did call me. That was how I knew to go that way when we were trekking through Undvik."

"And… what happened? Wraith, vengeful spirit?"

"Neither" Faram said, stroking his black beard as he met Dominik's eyes. "All the destruction from the Hunt's attack, it caused a side of a mountain in nearby woods to cave down, Jarl thought he struck gold, thought he had a new mine. Ordered men to start excavating right away."

"Barbegazi? Nekker lair?" Dominik said again, and yet again Faram shook his head.

"Again neither… it wasn't even a mine, it was a cave, a magic cave," His best-friend said, and Dominik scoffed.

"Magic cave? How do you mean?"

"Magic cave as in, when I walked in, my medallion nearly shook off my neck," Faram said, poking at the bear witcher medallion around his neck. "Made it a couple yards in, and I saw two branching paths, one had footprints, so I followed."

"Okay… and what was there, what was so magic about it?" Dominik said, crossing his arms as Faram slowly shuddered, a look of dread appearing on his face.

Dominik almost shuddered himself, knowing that not much shook Faram. However, the look that came to his friend's eyes in the moonlight then, he had never seen before. Faram was rattled even thinking about the cave.

The bear witcher shuddered again as he spoke. "Whole time I walked, I heard voices… whispering in my ears, random lights sparked in the cave walls."

"Voices? Geralt always told me hearing voices on a contract is never a good sign…"

"Aye he's right… these ones… sounded like my parents, grandparents, friends who had died, it was horrid…" Faram said, shaking his head again. "Then I came to the first clearing… and saw the bodies, dozens of workers and guards, dead, petrified."

Dominik shook his head. "Sounds like all the makings of some vengeful spirit."

"That's what I thought," Faram said, sighing and meeting his eyes. "But… that was when I saw the visions, it was horrible, it was giant fuckin swarm of crows! Came at me, darted for me, tried to peck out my eyes, bite into my fuckin skin!"

"Were they real? Or just apparitions?" Dominik said, goosebumps traveling up his skin from the cold, and the fright in Faram's tone.

Faram shook his head. "They were apparitions, I killed one of two, but they just turned to dust…. But for fucks sake the scars I had when I escaped were real."

"No offense but… you couldn't kill a bunch of crows?" Dominik said, leaning against the railing of the ship again.

"Bah, none taken, but for your information I did for the most part. But with each one I killed, two more took their place, they just kept coming and coming, till there were so many, I could hardly fucking see, it was a miracle I made it back out…" Faram finished, and Dominik's skin tingled.

He shook and looked back towards the door down to the cabins. After arriving back, Ciri had been exhausted, and he couldn't blame her. She said she'd wait up for him with food, they could eat, make love, fall asleep together. Dominik however, assumed that he would arrive at their room to find her fast asleep. He had come to talk to Faram and had until late hours of the night.

Dominik took the time to tell him about his dreams of Bella, and his plan for communicating with her. Faram like he guessed, knew exactly what he was talking about, when he asked about a dwarven sihil on Undvik. It turned out, that the Jarl of Undvik had taken up the sword, but it had been stolen from his longhouse one night.

He looked and met Faram's eyes. "So you managed to escape… did you figure anything else about the cave? You said it wasn't some spirit?"

Faram shook his head again, crossing his massive arms. "Aye it wasn't. So, I went to find druids, and it turns out like I said, the caves magical, old… and very, very powerful. They call it the Cave of Life, it was sealed away by the druids hundreds of years ago."

Dominik scoffed. "Cave of Life? Original as names go. So I'm guessing you figured out what you could?"

"I did aye, explained perfectly why so many were dead, and went missing in it," Faram explained, meeting Dominik's eyes. "The cave… it was sealed… because it gives you a way to communicate with the dead."

"There are plenty of ways to commune with spirits, they're often cryptic, but it's simple as having an augury done," Dominik said, remembering the Peller in Velen.

Faram quickly shook his head. "Nay, nay mate! In the Cave of Life, it lets you fully commune with the dead. The legends say they appear to you, as you knew them, and they speak to you as if they were alive for a small period of time!"

"Impossible, how the hell do we know it's true."

"We don't," Faram said with a shrug. "But… that didn't stop people from trying to get to the main chamber of the cave to commune with dead friends and loved ones. So many died, that eventually the old druids sealed it off, but seems like it's open again now…"

Dominik shook his head. "Then why haven't the druids sealed it off again?"

"Bah, they got their heads so far up their ass they think it's a myth," Faram said with a hand wave, shuddering as he spoke. "But… it's real… very real mate."

"And the crows? Were they what killed all those men?" Dominik asked, not knowing how it related to their topic, but with his curiosity peaked.

Faram shook his head. "No… you see, so many people die trying to reach the main chamber to speak with your loved ones, because before you do, you have to complete three challenges. The say, the cave, it digs deep into your mind… and forces you to confront your worst fears, and you have to face it."

"So… your worst fear is crows?" Dominik asked confused.

Faram laughed heartily and shook his head. "Not anymore they're not! But when I was a boy… I had an older brother, two of us were walking along some hills one day exploring, when a pack of the fuckers swarmed over us. My brother… got so caught off guard, he tripped and fell down the hill… smashed his into some rocks…"

His eyes softened. "Faram I… I'm so sorry."

"Nay mate got nothing to be sorry for, it was long ago," The Bear witcher said, shaking his head and going on. "But for years after that, crows terrified me. The cave… it forces you to confront your worst fears, past and present, three of them…. And if you succeed, they say you can get to the main chamber… and it's said, your dead loved one or friend… the one who could help you most with your current life, if who appears to you, and you can speak to them for a time."

Dominik racked his brain, remembering a story that Hjalmar had told him at Kaer Trolde the night before. He met Faram's eyes, the moonlight illuminating his yellow eyes even brighter.

"Hjalmar told me about a cave on Ard Skellig… Cave of Dreams it was called, did the same thing essentially," He said, and Faram quickly waved it off.

"Probably similar magic, but not the same trials," The Bear witcher said. "Besides, that task is for nothing but glory and adventure, all you have to do to get passed those trials, is defeat your fear."

"Isn't that what you just said the Cave of Life makes you do?"

"It's similar yes, but the Cave of Life is different. In the Cave of Life, you can't just brute force and knock your fear away with your blade," Faram said, leaning against the railing with him again. "In the Cave of Life… you have to truly conquer your fear, mentally, and physically, you have to face the true meaning of the fear. It's why so many died trying, I'm guessing men around Undvik heard legends, that's why so many of the Jarls men died trying to enter, thinking they could simply swing their sword at the apparitions and kill them… but that won't work."

Dominik gut churned. "So… you with the crows? Is that why they kept multiplying? You said you weren't scared of them anymore."

Faram gave him a knowing smile. "Aye, I'm not scared of crows anymore… but you know what I am scared of? Losing another brother… to be honest mate… still carry that guilt with me, it's why I fight so hard for you, George, Ciri and goldilocks… love you all like family, the only I got left."

"Faram of Undvik, when did you get so sentimental?" He joked, the smirk coming to his face, as Faram heartily laughed, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Aye fuck you! I am serious however…" Faram said, looking out over the ocean. "That was my worst fear… and it manifested in the crows. I'm guessing, if I had simply told them to fuck off… if I had forgiven myself for my brother's death… they would have gone."

"You're saying you didn't go back? What about the Jarl, your contract?" Dominik said.

Faram smirked at him. "Told him it was haunted, unable to break the curse, and that nobody else should go. I'd have covered it up but had no idea how. Figured if the Jarl banned people from going, nobody else would risk their lives."

Dominik had found the entire story intriguing, and a small part of him wondered who would appear to him if he reached the end of the cave. His father? Mother? Alexander? Connor or Lara of Lod? Declan? However, he pushed the story from his mind, and met Faram's eyes.

"That's a great story and all mate but… what does it have to do with my grandfather's sword? You said it was stolen from the Jarl," He said, crossing his now unarmored arms.

Faram sighed and looked deep into his eyes. "Because mate… after the man stole from the Jarl's longhouse, the fucker he ran, and the Jarl followed…. Followed him right up till the Cave of Life, and the bastard headed in."

Dominik's limbs went stiff. "And you're saying the Jarl didn't follow?"

"No… he didn't," Faram said, looking back over the water. "Jarl didn't think it was worth it. The robber more than likely died inside; he never came out. So… your grandfathers' sword…"

"Is somewhere in the cave… fuck me," Dominik said, running a hand through his messy brown hair, looking out over the water with Faram. "Well… I guess I need to go then."

Faram sighed next to him. "Is it really worth it mate? That cave could kill you… and Ciri, is she coming with you?"

"She said she would yeah… and it is worth it," Dominik said, looking up at the full moon, and wondering if his sister was looking at the same one. "That sword… it's the key to bringing Bella back… you never give up on your family."

That was one of the last promises Dominik had made to Alexander. That he would never give up on his family, and he would cherish them, cherish Ciri, and make sure his sacrifice was not in vein. Dominik hadn't known about Bella at the time of course, but she being alive now made that promise all the more important to him. He knew the alternative if he failed, and it wasn't an option.

So, he would conquer whatever fear that this, 'Cave of Life', seemed to think lived deepest in his heart.

Faram clapped his shoulder, a smile coming to his face. "Said this since the moment I met you mate… you're the toughest fucker that I've ever met, you and Ciri both. Want me, George and goldilocks to come with you?"

Dominik met his best-friends' eyes and slowly shook his head. "Thanks… but we'll be alright, Geralt and Yen are going with us. Besides… I want you guys to stay here, keep an eye on Avallac'h, make sure the fucker doesn't do anything shady."

Faram nodded in understand, a scoff escaping him. "Aye no problem mate… hope the cunt does something, he's due a beating. It's also good, goldilocks says she almost ready to start testing her prototype for her… arrow cannon? Don't think she has a name yet, but the fucking thing is brilliant let me tell you."

He scoffed and shook his head. "An entire volley of fifty arrows, all with explosives tied to the end of each? How the hell did she come up with something like that?"

Faram smiled proudly. "A genius she is mate! Said she saw our bombs exploded and thought she could use the powder in other ways. Like I said mate… you sure know how to pick'em."

"Ha… I guess I do," Dominik said, a small embarrassed red hue coming to his face as he met Faram's eyes. "And…. And I wanted to say again, Ciri and I we… we both really are sorry we haven't gotten a chance to speak much the last few days it… it's just-."

"Mate, mate relax! Told you this before, the three of us understand," Faram said with a shake of his and a reassuring smile. "The two of you… you got a big few days ahead, you haven't seen each other in eight years! Spend the time together you need, we're always here for you mate… Aen Hanse remember eh?"

Dominik managed a laugh and nodded. "Aen Hanse…. So… looks like tomorrow I'm heading to the Cave of Life."

"Aye, good luck mate. Whatever it is it shows you… kick its ass," Faram said, before laughing and smirking at him. "Aye who I am I kidding! Long you and Ciri are together, nothing's gonna stop ya, you'll kick the caves ass, then we'll kick Eredin's ass, and every year we'll get piss drunk at Dandelion's to celebrate! You can bring along my niece!"

The thought of Fiona was easily enough to make him smile. Not a day passed he didn't currently miss the young girl. He knew it had been the right decision, leaving her in Claywitch, letting her live her normal life for a little longer, and keeping her from the danger there. However, he could practically hear her laughing, up on his shoulders, while the two of her and Ciri pelted snow at him, laughing, the both of them laughing.

The idea of bringing her to Dandelion's, to meet Faram, Freya, George, everyone, it was what spurred him on, the idea of doing that all with Ciri by his side pushed him even further.

But before he could do that, it seemed he first needed to face down his greatest fears. Perhaps it was a good thing in the end, because if he could conquer the darkness, the fear that he knew was deep down in his heart, then he felt he could do anything.

And it would be the same the next day as it always would be. He looked out over the water once more, the fog in the distance, the spire of Undvik, the full moon reflecting off the dark waves. He sucked in the fresh, salty air, gripping the swallow around his neck.

As long as he had Ciri by his side, then he could do anything.

**A/N: And now ladies and gentlemen, we have what is quite literally the shortest chapter since chapter 29 xD I considered tacking this onto the end of the last chapter, but it would have sent the last chapter to over 45,000 words, which would have been way way too long lol. However, despite it being shorter, we have no shortage of emotion in this chapter!**

**The main draw of course, is Dominik returning with Ciri to the place, where he finally hit his breaking point in his search for her. The last time Dominik was in Lofeton, he was a different man, and did things he regrets, and we see him finally grapple with that reality, and then of course, Ciri and he both, finally after years and years of torment, hit their breaking point together. Thankfully however, Geralt is there, and as always our witcher has a way with words. These chapters before the final battle, are truly about Dominik and Ciri battling with their past failures, and finally getting their minds as well as bodies prepared for the final fight. **

**Now, I might have to split the journey to the Cave of Life into two parts. The Cave of Life, is of course of my own design, and as you heard Faram explain, in the next two chapters, we'll see Dominik and Ciri both face down their greatest fears, and again as Faram explained, they not only must physically, but mentally conquer them as well. What fears will be awaiting them both? And what of Dominik's plan to contact Bella, and retrieve his grandfather's sword? The next chapter or two are going to be action packed, and I am SO excited to bring them to you soon!**

**As always, if you guys like this story, and want to see some AMAZING fanart of Dominik and Ciri, Fiona, young Dominik and Ciri, and soon to be Bella, Faram, Freya and George, along with Adda, and everyone, go and visit the Instagram I made for this story! Go follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram and enjoy!**

**Again as always, thank you all so so much for reading, I am so so appreciative of it. The support for what is basically my first book has been so so amazing, and it truly means the world to me. So make sure to follow and favorite if you enjoy, and please please review if you have time! Stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!**


	83. The Cave of Life

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 83: The Cave of Life**

**Narrator: After discovering the horrid secret that Avallac'h had been hiding from them, Dominik, Ciri and Geralt and Yennefer turned their attention to a new task. After learning that his younger sister Bella, had been kidnapped, brain-washed and turned into a new weapon of mass destruction by Eredin, Caranthir and the Wild Hunt, Dominik right away began laying plans to save his sister. He knew that he could appeal to the young girl she once was, and defeat the evil that had alter ego of Baelen, that had festered and taken root in his sister's body. To do so, Dominik set about to send her a dream, a dream with a powerful memory from their past, showing Bella the person she once was. And also, he had one more plan to help get his sister back. With the help of Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer, the four of them all headed to the Isle of Undvik, the destroyed village of Brekka that was Bella's home after she had lost her memory during the massacre at Cintra, and after teleporting with the help of the magical powers in her blood. In Brekka, Dominik wished to find he and Bella's grandfather's sword, Coram, the dwarven sihil, in an attempt to save Bella. However, the sword had been lost near Brekka, in what is known as the Cave of Life, and to retrieve the sword from within, Dominik and Ciri both must face the ghosts of their past, their greatest fears…**

**Trigger Warning: This chapter contains scenes/discussions of rape/sexual assault, and mentions of mental abuse**

"Scavengers have picked this place clean…" Geralt mentioned from behind him, the older witcher leaning down and trailing his finger along an old Wild Hunt helmet.

Ciri quickly nodded as well. "He's right…. And we've torn through nearly every part… the sword isn't here."

"I know…" Dominik said, sighing as he turned back to his family. "I was just hoping maybe Faram was wrong."

Yen to his right walked back down the porch of an old burned cottage. Her violet eyes met his as the three of them all came to join him.

"What did Faram say the claim of this cave was? Other then it could let you speak with the dead?" The sorceress said, as they all gathered around the center of the destroyed town.

The day had been freezing, to the point where even Yennefer was wearing a raven black scarf around her neck. Ciri came up next to him, grabbing his arm as Dominik took one last look around the destroyed village. The cabins and cottages were blackened, singed, burned to the ground, snow gently fell from the sky, covering what was left again. It had been as Faram said, the village truly didn't look like it had been touched in almost two years. The snow stuck to the black and scorched earth. He lost track of the amount of skeletons he trampled over, the old swords, armor. Each crunch sounded as if an avalanche was falling down the mountain ahead of him.

He couldn't get the thought out of his head. Bella had been here, walked across the ground he walked on then, been living there, had a lover there, was alive there. His sister was alive, it was still something that he had a hard time believing.

But she needed him now, and he wouldn't leave her behind, not again, not like in Cintra.

"He said when you go in, you face three challenges, face your greatest fears," Dominik explained, looking between Geralt, Yen and Ciri on his arm. "And if you survive and get to the final main chamber, apparently you get to speak to one of your dead loved ones, the one who you truly need the most in that moment."

"Don't think I've ever heard of anything like that," Geralt said with a skeptical shake of his head, turning to Yen. "What about you?"

Yen sighed. "Well I still don't like the idea of any of us going in that cave. How spirits of the dead could come back to speak is a mystery, but the veil is thin here, I can feel it."

"The veil?" Ciri said from next to him.

"The veil yes, some people call it other things, but it's essentially what keeps us separated from dead spirits. Sometimes, spirits slip through, that's how you get wraiths and other angry spirits," She said, her raven locks becoming flecked with dots of snow.

Ciri sighed and looked at him. "Faram said the sword should be in there?"

Dominik nodded. "Yeah… don't really care too much about whatever reward it is, hell if we find the sword halfway through, I'll turn back around."

"And…. You're sure you wanna risk it?" Geralt said, crossing his armored arms. "We could try something else, get a message to her another way."

Dominik had thought about that. After hearing Faram's description of the horrors inside the cave, your worst fears coming back to haunt you, to try and kill you, all for the chance to talk with someone from the past. If not for the sword within the cave, Dominik wouldn't dare attempt to head inside. He had heard of caves like this, claims of magic that brought the dead to life, it could drive any normal man mad. He however, knew better, the sword, _Coram, _the sword that used to sit above his mantle in his home back in Cintra. That night, that his mother ripped the sword from the wall, grabbed him and Bella before they ran through the flaming streets of Cintra.

They said a dwarven sihil could cut through almost anything, and his mother had proved that, as the sword cut through soldier, after soldier, no Black One stood a chance. Her last stand at the sewer grate, she had taken down every soldier that came her way before Cahir had shot her, it truly had been the only way to take her down. The sword was originally supposed to go to him; however he could always remember Bella admiring it. His sister had always loved the pretty dark blue magic runes etched into the steel, and to him it only felt right it had gotten teleported to Skellige with her. And then from his dreams he saw of her, it seemed his sister had inherited some of their mother's skills with the blade.

In the dream he had of her, the sword had been the one thing Bella had linking her to her past in Cintra, and now he would use it that way again.

He nodded at Geralt. "I'm sure, the sword will help her remember. I… I know she's in there, she just needs to remember!"

Geralt and Yen shared a look with one another. He had woken them all up at the crack of dawn that morning. The previous night he had been right, Ciri had been fast asleep in their bed when he arrived back at their room. He cuddled up into her and let her sleep, but at the crack of dawn, not wanting Avallac'h to see where they were going and try to intervene, the two of them had woke, with Ciri buzzing just as he was to get to Brekka. For a small moment they considered letting Geralt and Yen sleep in, what with them having helped them so much the previous day, but that idea was dashed when the two of them were waiting above deck for them both.

Now, on that snowy day, they had teleported to Brekka, to Undvik, and he stood exactly where his sister had been. Two years prior when Bella had been taken from Brekka, had been not long after Ciri disappeared after Rivia, after she had come back, and he had almost gotten to see her again. Both of their lives, he and his sisters, had been ripped to shreds two years ago now.

He would put them back together.

"Darling… I understand she's your sister, but we still must be careful," Yen said slowly, meeting his eyes and slowly shaking her head. "You'll do her no good if you die facing some challenge. And we don't know if it'll work, she's in the Hunt's ranks."

"It _will _work Yen, my sister is there, she's still my sister!" He said defensively.

"We understand that Dom… but we're just trying to prepare you for if it doesn't work," Geralt said, slowly shaking his head as well. "If you're not careful, you could get yourself killed."

"Bella won't kill me! I know she won't!" He said, his skin beginning to tingle.

Yen bit her lip, and Dominik could tell she was trying to be careful with how she worded her next response, as the sun beat down on her raven locks.

"Darling… she's tried to kill you before," She started. "We trust your judgement we do; we just don't want to see you getting hurt, or worse killed. We just want you to be careful and… not get your hopes up too high."

His heart felt like it was being constricted, while his brain was oozing like a sponge. His brain told him there was certainly truth to their words. It had been something he thought about in the back of his mind, the prospect of failing, failing to show Bella who she truly was again. The cold nipped at his nose then, the snow gently piling under his boots, as a surge of annoyance, and anxiety washed over him. He wasn't angry at Yen or Geralt for bringing it up again, but it didn't mean he wanted to hear it then.

"I don't care what's in that cave, if the sword is there I'm going," Dominik said, dusting the snow out of his hair. "I saw it in my dream, when Bella was growing up here, that sword was the only thing linking her to her past. We used to sit and look at it all the time, she loved the runes, it'll help her remember where we came from!"

"And what about this cave? What if you get killed for a sword, Dom…" Geralt said with a shake of his head. "You know better than anyone how to weigh risk versus reward. We have no idea what's waiting in there."

"I _said," _Dominik hissed, his heart thumping. "That I don't care. I can't not try, I'm going in there, I'm going to find the sword, and then I'm going to get it to Bella. She'll see who she really is… remember who she really is."

Yennefer sighed. "Again darling we're not doubting that it could work, we simply don't want you to get hurt, perhaps we should-."

"I believe him," Ciri said from next to him, all heads turning to her. "If he thinks that this can bring Bella back, if he thinks we can make it through the cave, then we will, and it will."

Her smile was contagious, her look of confidence washing over him. She always did have that power when they were younger, and it was no different on him now. The snow gently pooled in her ashen locks, the wind almost knocking her bun loose. Her eyes lit up, the emerald iris's, brimming with confidence, and reassurance.

She looked back at Geralt and Yen. "I remember the sword to; Bella was enamored with it when she was younger. This _will _work, we should split up and try to find the cave. You two go and search the east side of the mountain around the village, Dominik and I will go west."

_Gods, I love her, _he thought to himself, smiling like a giddy child, as Geralt and Yen both sighed and Ciri smiled triumphantly. The entrance to the mines that Faram and he had used to get to the giant's lair what seemed like ages ago was at the edge of the village. However, the tall mountain it was dug into wrapped around left and right, east and west. Faram had told them that the entrance was well concealed and had a steep incline as soon as you entered. At first they had scanned through the village, to make sure that the sword wasn't somewhere amidst the destruction. When it hadn't been, what Faram said was confirmed, the sword had been lost somewhere inside the Cave of Life.

Dominik didn't care much about the Cave itself, just the sword that laid within, the key to getting back his sister.

Geralt reluctantly sighed. "Alright… just be careful, we don't know what's around here. Emhyr's ships aren't far, so be careful."

"He's right… and don't cause any trouble, either of you," Yen said, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

Ciri did smile, smirking at them both. "When have the two of us every caused any trouble at all?"

"Don't make me list the times…" Geralt said with an eye roll, smiling at them both. "Be careful, we'll meet back here in a few hours."

Dominik nodded along with Ciri, before Geralt and Yen both went off, their boots crunching through the snow. They got a distance away, the both of them arguing about something, but after they were out of ear shot, he turned back to a smirking Ciri.

"Thanks princess…" He said, a cheeky smile coming to his face. "What would I do without you?"

"You wouldn't even be able to get your boots on in the morning without me," She said just as cheekily, reaching and up and kissing his cheek. "Come on, let's go find your cave of life, and that sword."

He laughed at her joke, his cheeks getting pink from the feeling of her lips. She winked at him and walked past, grabbing his wrist and dragging him along. A laugh managed to escaped him, as he stumbled after her in the snow. The cold wind howled in his ears, and his laughter raised up over it as he got to her side. She slipped her hand into his, lacing their fingers as she smiled, the two of them getting closer to the mountain, going west into the woods.

The sword was a means to an end. In the end, it was all to save her, to save her, to save Bella, to finally be able to save someone for once in his life. Of course he had saved people before, plenty of people whether it be by contracts, or by other means. However, the important ones, Ciri, Bella, his parents, everyone that died at Kaer Morhen, they were different.

_I won't fail again, this… this is for you, for us, _he thought, looking down at a smiling Ciri.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You know that they're only looking out for you right?" Ciri said, trudging through the piles of snow.

Dominik sighed, picking up a large rock and tossing it into a pile of snow against the mountain. It burst the hill of snow and collapsed down to their boots. It was truly a beautiful sight, and as was becoming the case since he had reunited with Ciri, he would have loved to be there under different circumstances. No Hunt, no quests, just him and Ciri walking through that beautiful snowy forest.

He met her eyes and sighed again. "I know… but they're wrong. This _will _work Ciri I know it."

"I know it will, like I said, I trust you," She said, readjusting the sword on her back and grabbing his hand.

For a few moments they walked, and he simply basked in the glory of just being there with her. That was something he didn't take for granted those days, simply being there with her, having her back near him again. She was a vision, even simply walking next to him then, so much so he barely even so much as glanced at the mountain to his right. The snow hadn't stopped, and she seemed to him then like an icy queen, her sparkling emerald eyes gawking at the beautiful ice and snow caught on the array of tree branches above them.

Her corset was tightly fastened, her trouser and top freshly cleaned and scrubbed. Her hand stayed locked with him, and even her simple touch sent shockwaves up his arm. The most stunning person, that he would ever see in his life, and like it always did, looking at her made him momentarily forget the overall peril that they were in.

"So, what do you make of these 'challenges' in the cave?" She said, turning back to him with those eyes, those beautiful eyes as she looked at him. "You said Faram fought crows?"

Her words jarred him back to reality, and she laughed when he blinked to regain his sense she laughed.

"Ha… and what had you so distracted mister?" She said teasingly.

He scoffed a laugh and met her eyes as they walked. "Ha… you of course."

"Oh, me?"

"Yes you, I guess you could say that you're just so damn beautiful, you make me speechless," He told her, smirking the entire time.

She snorted a laugh. "HA, now _that _one was bad!"

"Hey, you told me you always loved my cheeky compliments?" He asked, feigning offense.

"Yes, but I would hope after so many years you come up with ones a bit cleverer," She said, looking at him mischievously.

It was his turn to laugh. "Would you prefer I insult you and act miserable the whole time?"

"Ass…" She said with an eye roll.

He looked at her and pretended to scoff like he was offended. "Gosh Ciri! Would you please wash yourself once!? I'm absolutely loathing this time with you, gods I wish it would end!"

"Ass!" She said with a scoffing laugh, shoving his shoulder only making him laugh more.

She laughed as well, catching his arm to keep him from stumbling and pulling him back to her. His body got closer to hers, feeling her warmth wash over him as her chest pushed up against his, her arms wrapping around his neck, as his slid around her waist.

Gently she leaned up and kissed him once, sweetly before pulling back and smirking at him.

"You can stick to your cheeky compliments," She said, her eyes baring into him as she smiled. "I love them."

"Ha, I knew you always did," He said, smiling as his hand slid up her back to her neck. "You always got the cutest blush on your face when you were young, and I gave them to you."

A similar blush appeared on her face then, her tongue wedged between her teeth as she smiled, the pink coming up in her cheeks. She leaned up and quickly kissed him again.

"I did… and I do now," She said, her hands trailing down to his armor chest, before she smirked back up at him again. "That's nothing compared to you. You could barely string sentences together around me at times."

"I still got that problem now."

"You do yes, but I must admit, it's quite adorable, one of my favorite things you do," She said, the wind howling in their ears. "Nobody… nobody ever got that look on their face… never, and… nobody's ever made me feel like you do… even just from looking at me."

"You're flattering me," He said cheekily, not letting go of her waist as he playfully rolled his eyes at her. "You can't tell me that you didn't blush when tall, handsome Sir Galahad was showing his affection!"

She rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder. "Shut up you ass, you can't tell me that you didn't blush at least once when Freya kissed you, or when Shani wanted to sleep with you, or when that one wolf girl asked, 'would you like to have sex with me'?"

He rolled his eyes back at her, but eventually smiled, meeting her beautiful, mischievous gaze.

"Alright fine, you caught me, I may have blushed at least once," He said.

"I knew it!" She said triumphantly.

"Yes, yes you win, but seriously, _nobody _at all made you blush, not even once?" He said cheekily, his head leaning to the crook of her neck.

She quickly exhaled when he planted a kiss on her neck, before he laughed and pulled back. Biting her lip she met his eyes and scoffed, rolling her eyes at him again.

"Fine, yes, I may have blushed once or twice," She said, leaning up closer, her lips almost brushing against his. "But it was always you… always would be."

"And I might have blushed… but you know how it goes," He said softly, sweetly kissing her lips once more before going on. "Only ever had eyes for you… since we were kids."

She laughed and kissed him, gently biting his bottom lip, taking his breath away, as one kissed turned into two, and then three, before their lips stayed locked under that beautiful, gently snow fall. She kissed and bit his bottom lip, as he explored ever curve and nave of her back, pulling her as close to him as humanely possible, and yet it somehow still wasn't close enough.

Eventually, the both of them needing air pulled back from one another, but that didn't mean Ciri let him go. She kissed along the side of his jaw, and on the side of his neck, making him sharply let out a breath, which made her laugh.

"Ha… turn your knees to pudding did I?" She joked.

He scoffed a laugh, kissing the side of her neck, gently biting. She let out a quick moan and her knees buckled, making Dominik laugh as he pulled back.

"Same could be said for you," He said back cheekily.

Ciri recovered from her buckling legs with a laugh, her one hand trailed down her chest as she took control of her breathing again. Her tongue bit between her teeth, she looked up at him and scoffed.

"Oh no, you do _not _want to play this game with me mister," She said, quickly shaking her head as she kept her mischievous grin. "Because we both know you'll lose?"

"Will I now?" He said.

"Oh yes you will," She said back, leaning her lips up to his ear softly speaking. "I've proven night after night I win this little game, and now would be no different."

He shivered, but not from the cold. He shivered from her suggestive tone, her hot breath hitting his neck and ear, sending tingles down his spine. He faltered for a moment, making her laugh, but Dominik smirked at her.

"Well I'd like to think my self-control had grown a bit," He said looking and meeting her eyes again. "But can you blame me? You're just so beautiful, that even now, you could quite nearly melt the snow beneath us."

She snorted a laugh. "HA! Who talks like that? Gods that one was bad… but sweet in a way."

"Or maybe, I could start reciting some of Dandelion's old poems," He said, taking a step away from her, cheekily smiling as he backed up. "Remember the ones from he and Geralt's old friend Little Eye? Those ones used to make you cry!"

"I do remember yes, made you cry even more than I did you big softie," She said, following him, as Dominik walked backwards.

He scoffed a laugh. "Ha, or maybe you'd like me to sing 'the ballad of the young wolf and the swallow'? Would that win our little contest?"

"Maybe, but as you've said many times, you sound like a wounded wyvern when you sing, you'd scare of any monster with that voice!" She teased.

Dominik continued to walk backwards and feigned offense. "How dare you! I sing beautifully!"

She laughed for a minute, but quickly narrowed her eyes. "Dominik… be careful-."

"I'll have you know; singing is one of the many skills I've improved that you've yet to see," He said, continued to walk backwards with a smirk. "You know, I can't wait to show you some ins and outs of what I've learned over the years I really-."

"DOM STOP!" She yelled, but it was too late.

His foot didn't find anything to land on, and tumbling backwards through a pile of snow, he yelled as he felt his back slam onto a muddy slope.

"DOMINIK!" Ciri yelled, as all he saw before he sped downwards on his back was her rushing towards him.

"CIRI!" He yelled, trying to sit and gain his footing, but stumbling and falling in the mud again, rolling like a log down a steep slope.

It seemed they had found the cave entrance, concealed by snow.

He rolled down the slope, a combination of mud and snow piling into his mouth. His sword clunked and poked into his body, as he yelled for what seemed like ages. After finally landing with a loud thud, he groaned and rolled onto his back, blinking as he looked up at the rocky ceiling.

"Fuck me…" He muttered, before he managed to sit himself up.

"Dom!" Ciri's voice hit his ears.

He turned around to see her making a much more controlled decent down the slope to the cave. From above, he could see the cold afternoon beaming in through the entrance, the piled of snow seemed to stop at the front, making way for the slick slide of mud that Ciri glided down in her boots. Blinking all he watched as she gracefully leapt as she got closer to the bottom of the slope, landing perfectly on her feet next to him, finally on flat ground.

She knelt down at his side right away. "Are you alright?"

He scoffed and groaned from the aching. "Well… I'm sure I've certainly smelt better, that's for sure. What about you?"

A small smile crossed her lips as she placed a hand on his back, helping lift him up to his feet. She reached down his body, wiping off the mud from his roll down the slope.

"Well, it can't get much worse than how you normally do after you've come back from a fight," She said with another cheeky grin.

He rolled his eyes at her, wiping the dirt from his cheeks, as he looked down and met her eyes, the green still visible despite being in the cave. Even then she looked beautiful, he didn't know how it was possible for a person to look so beautiful in such a place, in such a moment.

"I'll remember that later," He said, pretending to be threatening, before scoffing and looking at her, her hand drifting up to his chest. "We should probably climb back up, find Geralt and Yen, I think-."

"Hush… listen, do you hear that... look," She said, her hand gently trailing up his chest, her fingers slowly turning his medallion.

The wolf's head around his neck, near the swallow was vibrating with new vigor, its eyes bright red. His eyes right away drifted to Ciri's neck, before he remembered that the wolf medallion he got her still hadn't been enchanted yet, so it couldn't detect magic. However, he looked down near her waist, the silver cat medallion she always carried that was indeed enchanted.

Sure enough, the cat's eyes were glowing red as well.

"Must be magic nearby…" He said, looking up at her. "What do you think-."

"Dominik… I think we're in the right place," She said, as her gaze looked past him, and Dominik followed where her eyes led him.

He sucked in a breath when he saw the small monument. The two of them could see light pouring in from the above entrance, but deeper down into the cave was pitch black, except for sporadic torches burning a blue magical fire. However, right before the long narrow corridor leading further down, was what seemed to be a monument, a brazier of blue fire atop it, with a smooth stone surface on the front. The torches illuminated the space, casting a blue glow over Ciri's eyes as he looked at her.

She nodded and they both walked towards the monument, a marker it seemed to be of sorts. Dominik knelt, wiping his gloved hands along the smooth surface, months, or years even of dust and dirt came slowly falling off, revealing carved words in elder speech. The fire above in the brazier was cold, but still burned brightly enough for him to see the letters.

He turned to Ciri who knelt next to him. "Can't read Elder Speech, any idea what it says?"

She shifted next to him, narrowing her eyes and wiping the stone.

Clearing her throat she carefully read. "Breka taedh stuan, cove y laina, te ess en illesion, te aep Caemm mein chalem, an mire en taedh elgean meast…"

Just like he had expected she spoke the words like they were a second language, which he had been assuming came normally with her elven blood. However, that theory was now dashed, because apparently he had elven blood as well, and still couldn't make out the words.

He looked at her as she paled. "Okay… that was impressive and all but… can you translate it for me."

She faltered for a moment, looking and meeting his eyes, biting her bottom lip. "Before you stands the cave of life… fear is an illusion, face your fear, to reach the main chamber, and see the one you need most…. It's a marker to mark the beginning of the cave's challenge."

Dominik looked down the narrow dark corridor, the light from the cave above the slope barely reaching more than a few feet ahead. If he narrowed his eyes he could see more blue torches, but they were truly scant. He wrinkled his nose, feeling his chest tremble. Ever since he had become more attuned to magic, his powers unlocking, he had been able to feel the presence of powerful magic much more potently then he used to.

The cave around them, it was filled to the brim with magic, magic he had never felt before. It was powerful, potent, to the point where his head began convulsing, a massive headache surging through him. He shook it off however, until he looked at Ciri and could see the pained look in her eyes as well, as she looked down the corridor like he did, before rubbing her temples.

"You feel it too…" He said, coming up next to her, the both of them looking down the narrow tunnel.

She shakily sighed and nodded. "I can… Dominik… this place is powerful… the magic here, I've never felt anything like it."

"Neither have I… but the sword is somewhere in there, and I'm not leaving until I find it," He said slowly, his eyes not leaving the tunnel, as it grew deathly quiet.

The silence penetrated his chest, his head, somehow making his headache worse. He could almost hear his brain convulsing, as the only thing he could hear, was the now distant sound of the wind from the above entrance. His skin tingled, as he remembered Faram's words about what awaited deeper in the cave.

_Your worst fears, do you even know what your worst fears are? _

Looking down next to him, he could see Ciri seemed to be even worse off then he was. She groaned and rubbed her temples harder, as Dominik gently put his hand on her back.

"Do you wanna go back and find Geralt and Yen? I'll head in, and you guys can follow me," He said, as she looked back at him.

"Are you mad? There's no way I'm leaving you here by yourself… this place, this magic, it's like you said, it's powerful, dangerous," She said, meeting his eyes, her cheeks illuminated by the blue fire.

Dominik cupped her face with his hands and shook his head. "Ciri, you're not doing well here, I can see the magic is making your head spin."

"It's doing it to you too."

"Yes, but you have more magic then I do. Go find Geralt and Yen and meet me back here."

She furrowed her brow at him and shook her head. "Again, not a chance. Either we both go find them, or we both head into the cave now."

He sighed. "You know, I love your stubbornness, when it's not directed at me that is."

"Get used to it, because it isn't going anywhere," She said, shaking her head again as she looked up towards the cave entrance. "Besides… see that? Don't think we'll be finding anyone in that."

She pointed towards the entrance and he followed her gaze.

"Shit…" He muttered, seeing the snowstorm that was now violently churning outside the cave.

Ciri looked back up at him. "Geralt and Yen will have taken shelter. And we can either sit here and wait, or head deeper inside."

Dominik looked at her and sighed again. He could see the fatigue the magic was causing her. His own head hadn't stopped pounding since he slipped in, and with Ciri's powers being even greater than his, he could see the effect it was taking on her. The silence around them, was deafening, the thick, dense air didn't do anything to help them either.

But the sword was down there, his family's sword was down there, the key to getting his sister back was down that cave, so he couldn't turn back. However, he also didn't want to risk Ciri again. Biting his lip he looked and met his beautiful, brave, stubborn girlfriend's eyes.

"Ciri, I'm not even going all the way in. I just want to find the sword," He said, shrugging as he looked down the corridor again. "Who knows, maybe it's down in this corridor somewhere, and we won't even have to face any challenges."

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Or, it was dropped deeper in the cave, and monsters have messed with it, and it's stuck in the main chamber."

"Ciri…"

"I'm going with you Dominik, I won't let you do this alone," She said, her eyes hard. "Who knows, maybe we'll go to the end, and see one of our dead loved ones."

"I don't care about that. All I want is the sword, this is for Bella."

"I know you don't, but think, it has to be a bonus," She said, a small smile as she tried to reassure him. "Come on, as long as we stick together we'll be alright."

"You remember the part about facing our worst fears right?" He said, as he met her stubborn eyes.

She nodded, seeming to be forcing herself to forget her headache as she looked at him. "Yes, and together, we can deal with them, and reach the main chamber. Now come on, the sooner we do this, the sooner we can leave."

"Ciri wait! Gods… I hate it when you do that," He said, darting after her as she started walking down the corridor, into the blackness.

He darted after her into the corridor and managed to grab her hand before she disappeared into the darkness. She turned and smirked at him as she did, her face illuminated faintly by the glow of the distant blue torches. Dominik was about to say something, perhaps chastise her, tell her how she was annoying at times, but he loved her anyway. However, she clearly already knew as her smirked grew, she grabbed the front straps of his armor, leaning up and kissing him, before smirking and turning back towards the corridor.

She wouldn't have been able to see it in the dark, but his cheeks went pink as they walked. He made sure to keep his hand firmly laced into hers, not daring to let her go with the torches being so sparce. Her head of ashen hair bobbed in and out of sight, as she seemed to have much more confidence then he did. After the previous day, and what they discovered, it continued to amaze him how calm she could be after everything that had happened. It was a talent he envied and loved about her all the same.

No matter what happened to her, Ciri always found a way to smile.

The words from the entrance teased the back of his mind. His worst fears, and apparently if they made it to the end, it would mean getting to speak to who they needed to most.

_Who do I need to speak to most? And do I even know what my worst fears would be?_

He couldn't shake the thought from his mind. The idea of getting to talk to someone that he apparently needed most was of course appealing, but it was far from what his main goal. As they walked, he was sure to one, hold onto Ciri's hand, and two, to scan the floor, the narrow pathway and small alcoves the torches hung in for any sign of the sword. He could vividly remember it hanging on his mantle all throughout his childhood, the faint glowing blue runes.

His parents had told him, that he himself would inherit the sword one day, but now, it belonged to Bella, and he was going to get it back to her, it didn't matter what specters showed up, what fears he had to face.

"Look up ahead, another monument," Ciri said, squeezing his hand tighter as they walked.

Dominik's head shot back up, and sure enough Ciri had been correct. Just like the smooth stone surface that had been chiseled into the marker at the beginning, another one stood in front of them. And just as Faram had described to him, they came to a fork in the cave, two paths, one leading right and one leading left, even narrower than the one that they had come down.

"What's the writing say, oh beautiful speaker of elder speech," Dominik said teasingly, pointing down to the words carved on the surface.

Ciri smirked at him, her face again illuminated by the blue light. She smacked his arm, the smile staying on her face as she knelt down, carefully reading the words.

"Yn per straede, nene mua, te chelenge breate, a'taeghane, neen, turnae, bruke," She said. "One per path, no more, your challenge begins now… no turning back."

Ciri paled as she stood back up to look at him. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, as he looked down both dark pathways. Distant torches lit the way, the dense magical energy that swirled in his brain nearly made him sick. He looked and met Ciri's eyes, and his heart sank.

This was the end, his whole plan had been ruined.

"Well… looks like we're turning back," He said slowly, sighing as he shook his head. "Fuck…"

Ciri looked at him incredulously. "What!? We can't stop now, Dominik this is your plan, we can't just abandon it!"

"You read the sign Ciri, it says we have to separate, you'd have to go down one, I'd have to go down the other, no way I'm letting you go off alone."

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You know I find your protective instinct sweet, but I can take care of myself you know."

Dominik sighed. "I know, but the magic here is messing with us both. Even Faram had to retreat, have no idea how he did, but he had too."

"Faram didn't know what to expect, but we do," She rationalized, taking both his hands in hers, the blue flame the only thing lighting their view. "Remember, this is for Bella, we can't stop now."

He shook his head again, looking into her eyes. "I know it is… but do you really know what to expect? Do you know what your deepest fears are that it'll make you face?"

"But what about the sword! We can't just leave it here, when we can use it to find Bella," She said again, looking down the two corridors. "You go down one, I'll go down the other, they both have to convene at the main chamber, we can meet back up there, the sword has to be in one of these corridors."

Dominik bit his lip, there had been plenty if times of course that he and Ciri had split up. However, with everything so close he wasn't going to take any chances. He would find another way to show Bella the truth, perhaps he could find a way to send her the same dream he had, of Eredin plotting her death after she had completed their purpose to them. He didn't have time to think, all he knew for sure, was that he didn't want to leave Ciri's side, especially after hearing how dangerous the cave was.

"Ciri, it's too dangerous. We can find another way, we'll think of something," He said as he let go of her hands. "We can find-."

"_No, _we're so close! This is my only chance to do something for Bella Dominik!" She cut him off, her eyes seeming to be stinging as she looked at him. "She… she hates me, it's my fault what happened to her, I can't talk to her, she won't listen to me… but at least I can do this!"

A cold chill ran through him. He knew that it had been keeping her up since they learned about Bella period, but the day before, after learning the Hunt had thought Bella's unleashing power was Ciri, Dominik knew it did little to help Ciri cope with what happened to her.

He met her eyes and cupped her face. "Ciri… it wasn't your fault, you know that, and deep-down Bella does too. We can find another way Ciri, I promise it-."

"We'll have no better opportunity then this!" She said, removing her hands from his as he turned her back to him, her fists clenched at her side as she looked down the corridor. "Your entire family… they all suffered, died, including you, just because they knew me… because you all cared for me… and what have I ever done?"

"Ciri that's a ridiculous question," He said, coming up behind her. "I love you more than anything you know this, my parents, they loved you like you were their own, and Bella… she's your little sister."

"Yes… and I let my little sister die… and then she got kidnapped by the Wild Hunt… all because of me," She said, turning to him and allowing him to see a tear slow down her cheek as she quickly shook her head. "And now… and now I'm going to do something about it."

His eyes widened when she took her steps down the corridor. "Ciri wait!"

He tried to chase after her, but as soon as Ciri crossed the threshold down one of the corridors, a barrier of magic shot up in front of him. Slamming into it, he yelled as he got sent sprawling back onto the rocky ground, his swords clunking as he groaned and got up to his knees.

"Dominik! Are you alright!" Ciri said from the other side of the barrier.

His chest erupted as he scrambled to his feet, rushing up to the barrier, he gently put his hand on it, and saw the blue magic ripple under his touch, but if he tried to push forward he felt it burn. He winced and pulled his hand back, looking at Ciri who's eyes were trained on him from behind the barrier.

"Are you insane!? Ciri. I'm not going to let you do this alone! _Dammit!_" He cursed, his chest exploding again, as Ciri's worried look slowly fell into one of determination as she met his eyes.

"I'll meet you in the main chamber… I can do this… _we _can do this," She said reassuringly, her eyes not leaving his. "I love you…"

He bit back a slew of curses directed at her. One of the things he always did say he loved was her boldness, her determination and her stubbornness. His gaze went to the opposite corridor, to the torches deep down the way, and his skin tingles. Turning back to her, he looked deep into her emerald iris's, his chest refusing to settle, as he shakily sighed.

He was separated from her again, which was what he assumed one of his greatest fears would be. It seemed he'd have to face four challenges instead of three now.

"Promise… promise me I'll see you in the main chamber…" He said sternly, his hand gently held up against the barrier.

Ciri met his eyes, slowly nodded as she put her hand up against his on the opposite side.

"I promise…" She said, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'll keep an eye out for the sword, there has to be a way out through the main chamber."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're lucky I love you…"

"I am… really lucky," She said, pulling her hand back and smiling at him. "I'll see you soon alright?"

Again he shakily sighed, his bones chilling down to their very cells as he turned to the corridor opposite Ciri's again, the bright blue fire from the torches, illuminated the dank, murky cavern, the magic signature sending waves of thumps through his brain.

_For Bella_.

He turned and nodded at Ciri. "Alright… be careful, I'll see you soon princess."

She smiled and nodded at him, gripping the ring around her neck, before slowly turning and making her way down her corridor.

Dominik watched her walk until he couldn't see her anymore, the darkness overtaking her, her leaving his vision, leaving him alone.

Being alone again, another one of his worst fears.

Sighing himself he turned back to the corridor, gripping the swallow around his neck and narrowing his eyes.

"You won't beat me… I won't let you…" He said, looking down at the swallow. "And just like always… you're still with me…. For Bella."

Squeezing the swallow one more time, he trudged down through the corridor opposite Ciri's. He heard the wall of magic shoot up behind him, but he didn't look back, he looked forward.

_For Bella… all of this is for Bella. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

A cold draft, and the sound of dripping water, was the first thing Dominik heard when he came into what he assumed had to be the first chamber. It was nothing out of the ordinary from caves that he normally delved into to hunt a monster. Large, circular, jagged stalagmites shooting down from the ceiling, small specks of light from the outside word leering through, with torches lining around the rocky walls. His gloved fingers dug into his palms, and as he had to grab his temples. The room was well illuminated, he could finally see more then a few feet in front of him, and he couldn't make out anything distinct about the room, other then the still strong potent magical energy that had already been present making his medallion vibrate around his neck.

The small rays of light let him know that outside, it was still the day time, the sun hadn't set yet, it gave him hope that perhaps he could get back out with Ciri before Geralt and Yen worried too much. From how Faram had described, it seemed like the cave was truly horrifying, but no specters or fears had come to attack him yet, and Dominik truly couldn't see anything.

And that included an exit to a new corridor.

"Shit…" He said under his breath, looking around the room once more, spinning in the center as his arms fell to his side. "Well… might as well look for the sword."

He didn't know how he would advance further, and he knew that he couldn't already be at the main chamber, he hadn't faced any fears or tasks yet. He still also didn't have any clue what could be waiting for him, what deep dark fear the caves magic would show him, so he set about seeing if he could find the sword.

With a sigh he walked along the outer walls, completely perplexed by the flat surface below him. He walked on stone yes, cobblestone, when he could have sworn it was gravel and dirt the moment he walked in. He got to the edge of the room, running his hand along smooth stone, the only jutting out rocks in the ceiling above as the small beams of light all shot down on him. He looked and circled his vision around the room, still unable to see an exit, or anything else besides the flat cobblestone beneath his feet.

As if he were walking in the streets of a city.

"What the fuck…" He muttered to himself, his skin prickling under his armor as he gently removed his hand from the wall.

He had to assume this was the caves magic. In his treck to the room he was in now, he had thought non-stop about not only finding the sword, but what was truly his deepest fears. The one that obviously came to his mind, was losing Ciri, losing her again and being alone, however, from how Faram had made the cave sound, it sounded as if the fears ran deeper than that, perhaps something you already had thought you conquered, the cave would bring it back. Nothing from his past stuck out at him, as being something that truly terrified him other than losing Ciri, then her dying because he wasn't there to save her.

Slowly he began to trail his hand around the circular room, the wall of smooth stone almost becoming hot to the touch.

No sword, nothing on the ground, and still no exit, only the wobbling of his medallion and his shallow breathing able to be heard, along with the steady thumping of his heart in his chest.

He scoffed when he realized he had gone in a circle, arriving back at, where he though the corridor he had come from was.

Only the door wasn't there.

"Shit…" He said slowly, backing up from the wall, the hair on the back of his neck standing up, as he could feel the magic whirling around him. Shakily sighing, the hair on his arms and neck stood up, as he looked at the base of the wall, seeing black smoke begin to slowly seep through the cracks like water through the cracks of a poorly built dam.

A part of him said he wanted to head back, before he remembered that the way back was no longer there, and right away his thoughts went to Ciri. Had she encountered something similar? Was she trapped in a room now as well, had she already faced one of her fears, what even were they? Or was she still wondering around the tunnels trying to make her way to the first chamber? Or could it be worse, could the path she had taken not even led her to a room like he was in now?

His thoughts were interrupted when the black smoke started seep out at a quicker rate. It was as if the dam keeping the smoke back had broken, and now the black dust ushered into the room like a waterfall. His medallion continued to wobble, as panic built up in his chest, his shoulders tensed, as he cursed again, backing up towards the middle of the room, his heartbeat getting louder and louder in his ears with each step.

"Dammit… gotta find a way- SHIT!" He said, a jolt of pain shooting through his head like a crossbow bolt.

He clamped his hands on the side of his head, the sharp stabbing pain ever present as he fell to his knees. The magic, he always knew that potent magical places could affect other users of magic as such, but this was the first time he had been somewhere where this was the case. It was as if the magic was snaking its way into his mind, slowly withering away his brain bit by bit, as if it was trying to make it explode. Writhing on his knees, he kneading his temples, unable to hear anything around him.

But soon, he could feel sweat beginning to trickle down his forehead, heat beginning to billow around him, and with the pain still present, he shot his head up.

Fire, everywhere he looked, there was fire. Flames erupted around him, but that wasn't the only thing that had changed, he saw buildings, stone ones, wooden ones, to his left, and along his right a large stone wall, a wall that was covered and marred in blood. Bodies lined the cobblestone in front of him, strewn about as the clattering and clanging of steel against steel could be heard in the distance. The stench of death and decay hit his nose, the familiar smell, of burning flesh, the familiar screams of people dying, they all hit his sense like a battering ram, as he blinked to try and figure out what happened, see the cave walls, but nothing. A large moon that almost seemed to glow blood red was above him, as a dark orange muggy haze, filled with clouds of ash and smoke filled his visage.

And when he looked closer to his right, he saw a large pipe with a sewer grate ripped off that surely led outside the burning city.

_Cintra. _He knew exactly where he was.

"What… how… shit…" He muttered to himself, staggering up to his feet, trying to control the pulsing of his head as the stench and sounds hit all his sense again. Shaking it off he gazed around him, he saw no people, but surely hear them screaming. His breathing became heavy, as he slowly shook his head, wincing from the pain.

"How… how the hell is…." He started, but froze when he finally heard something, other than screaming.

Thundering hoofbeats hit his ears, as he shot up straight.

He stiffened, miffed as the hoofbeats got closer, closer. "What the hell… how did is all so-. SHIT!"

He whirled around just in time as a massive black stallion bolted past him. A broadsword swung downward, and Dominik would have been decapitated if not for a last second dodge. The pulsing hoofbeats shot past him and came back from for another pass. Dominik could hear the whoosh of the sword trying to cut him down again, as he finally managed to whirl up to his feet, reaching his hand to his back, and loosing his steel blade.

The fire that danced around the burning city around him, reflected off his steel, as he shot to his feet. He gripped his free hand around his trembling medallion, and the swallow around his neck, as the agonizing screams of dying men and women, pierced the very depths of his soul.

_It's not real, none of it's real, it's just here to test you, remember why you're here. _He repeated the words to himself over and over, gripping around the hilt of the blade Ciri had reforged for him, readying and steadying himself, ready to fight, whatever the cave had deemed was one of his deepest fears. He managed to tune out the fire, the screaming, the death around him, and slowly opened his eyes, shifting his feet, ready for a fight.

However, when the stallion came back around for another pass, his heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach, before shooting back up, and igniting, with a feral, guttural, unquenchable rage.

The knight slowly came down from the horse, his armor clunking as he gripped firmly to his longsword, smeared with blood. He situated a bow, and a quiver of arrows on his horse, the black armor illuminated by the burning fire around them.

A yellow sun was painted on the chest, and atop his head, a black, winged helmet.

Cahir.

A scream left him before he could even think. "YOU! YOU… YOU SICK BASTARD!"

Cahir didn't say a word. He drew his longsword again, dripping crimson, his pale eyes glaring into him.

Dominik went to lunge but stopped himself. _This is an illusion, he isn't real, none of this is real._

"Where is the girl? Where is she?" Cahir's rough voice hit his ears.

His head shot up to the knight, a man, who had apparently become Geralt's friend, who had traveled with him to save Ciri, who had apparently, died at the hands of Leo Bonhart, giving Ciri the chance she needed to escape, before she killed the man herself, who according to Geralt, had found his redemption in the end. However, he was also the man, who had murdered Dominik's mother, shot Bella near dead in the street, before chasing and almost killing him, who had then, chased Ciri and he for a month through the woods, haunting their nightmares for years, who had also, tried to kidnap Ciri on Thanedd.

Who had decided to help Geralt save Ciri, because apparently, he had fallen with her, had dreams of her inner thighs, of her making love to and kissing him.

A man, who Dominik would always hate.

"You're not real! You can't fucking fool me," Dominik shouted, rebuilding his resolve, but wrapping his hand tighter around his blade.

Cahir shook his head, his tone shifting, as he looked deep into Dominik's eyes.

"You don't understand, I _must _find her," The knight said, shaking his head again, taking another step towards him. "She is the love of my life! I _need _to find her!"

"She was ELEVEN when you first saw her you sick fuck!" Dominik yelled, swinging his sword a wide arc as Cahir approached. "Get the fuck back!"

"But do you not understand! I _must _see her, I need to see the woman I love!" The knight said, sounding desperate, longing.

Dominik's arm shook. "She was A FUCKING CHILD WHEN YOU SAW HER YOU FUCKING DEGENERATE!"

Cahir desperately shook his head again. "But I love her! The dreams, yes, they showed me the beautiful woman she grows into! I must see her, hold her and-."

"I SAID GET AWAY!" Dominik screamed, thrusting his hand forward, as violent wisps of magic erupted from his palm into his Aard sign.

The blue blast of energy, shot Cahir back, sending the knight stumbling to the ground. Just before his back could slam into the ground however, a burst of black erupted from Cahir, as his voice hit Dominik's ears again.

"Do you not understand boy? I saved her life, she would not be here without me today," The knight said, his voice coming out sharper than before.

Dominik whirled around, his blade swinging, and just before it could make contact with Cahir's neck, the knight's blade shot into the air. A loud clang of steel rang, as Dominik gritted his teeth, all the pent-up anger directed towards the man in front of him that had been boiling since he was eleven, seemed to be slowly spilling out of him.

"You didn't do anything! You're a fucking degenerate," Dominik screamed, spinning around and going for another strike which Cahir parried. "YOU KILLED MY MOTHER, SHOT MY SISTER! WANTED TO FUCK THE GIRL I LOVED, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A FUCKING CHILD!"

Cahir calmly blocked another strike. "Can a man not find redemption in your eyes? Can he not atone for his mistakes, and turn over a new life?"

"NOT YOU!" Dominik said, screaming as he struck out with a quick series of blows, moving his feet with more swiftness then he could ever remember. For his entire life he had wished that he could have killed the knight in the helmet, after learning of what Cahir had done, it only strengthened that want.

Dominik knew that in truth, when the real Cahir was alive, he wouldn't have been able to hold candle to his own skill. However, the Cahir that was in front of him, Dominik could see wisps of black magic shooting from his pale eyes, his sword moved effortlessly and blocked every strike he threw.

The two fought and fought as the flames and Cintra around them slowly faded. He was so focused on getting his blade to cut into Cahir's flesh, he didn't notice the change around him. Twirling his blade to a reverse grip Dominik lashed out again, a series of strikes and spins that finally seemed to put Cahir on the defensive. He struck upwards, twirling his blade back to a normal grip, but Cahir parried with such force it sent him stumbling to the right. Seeing his opportunity, Dominik dug his heel into the ground. He spun, using the momentum from being parried to leap and spin, thrusting his blade forward towards Cahir eye, towards the clits of his helmet.

A loud ***CLANG* **rang as Cahir's helmet was knocked off his head, blood pooling and trickling down his eyes. Dominik landed on his feet, trying to force his powers to activate, his magic to burst through, but no matter how hard he focused, he felt like his insides were combusting from so much strain.

Cahir didn't even flinch to his eye now being cut shut. Blood slowly spilled from his eyes, trickling down his cheek, as a cold, snowy draft shot past Dominik's eyes and finally he took in his surroundings.

An old, run down castle, a snow courtyard, and when he looked down, he saw snow beneath his boots, blood staining the white with crimson red.

"Geralt has told you, what I did yes?" Cahir said, as Dominik's gaze shot back up to him, looking at the knight as the blood still gashed from his eye. "I distracted the maniac, distracted him, so Cirilla could live, I gave my life for hers."

"BECAUSE YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH A CHILD YOU SICK FUCK," Dominik said, lunging forward with a powerful overhead strike.

To his surprise Cahir didn't move, and Dominik's blade plunged deep into the knight's shoulder, finding the gap between his plated armor and his shoulder. Blood gushed from the wound, and Dominik's breathing didn't cease, as he looked up at Cahir who was still unflinching.

The man looked far too much like Declan, and it made Dominik's stomach churn, remembering his dead friend.

Cahir, grabbed the blade in his armored hand, looking through Dominik's eyes.

"You carry so much hatred in you young man," Cahir said slowly, each syllable drawn out, as the wind picked up around them. "Deep, visceral hatred for the ones who've wronged you… and that is what you fear, that you will never be able to let go of this hatred. That you will never, ever be able to truly be at peace, not with all that you and the ones you love have experienced."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Dominik yelled, his eyes stinging as he yanked his sword from Cahir's shoulder, spinning and cutting it deep across his neck.

Cahir's head, fell backward, only a thin layer of bone holding his head on his shoulders. Blood sprayed into Dominik's face, the metallic tasted stained his tongue, as Cahir still didn't react, didn't scream like he had hoped.

The voice that came from the knight still remained calm, knowing.

"It will eat at you, tear you apart, the hatred you hold, the regret, it is one of your fears for a reason," The head slowly spoke, before his armored finger pointed behind him. "You fear you'll turn into a monster, that if you can't let go of your hatred, you will never find peace. You need not forgive, but to simply let go of past hatred, that means nothing anymore… because… as you can see, sometimes even the ones you think evil… can show goodness."

Dominik's gut wrenched, turning around to follow the man's finger. A puff of black smoke filled his vision, as the Cahir he had nearly decapitated disappeared.

His heart wouldn't stop beating, as the words that had been spoken sunk into him, gnawing at his heart, his brain, but he was distracted by the sound of steel on steel.

He whirled back around to the courtyard, and his eyes widened, a familiar head of ashen hair, darted into his view, panting, blood on her cheeks, her sword clenched in her hands.

"Ciri…" He said, nearly rushing to her, but he was glued to the spot.

He heard shouting, but it came into his ears a garbled mess. A group of men burst into the courtyard, and Ciri whirled back around to face them, holding out her sword as they approached.

A realization dawned on him, as he looked at the crumbling castle around him, just as Ciri began to fight, cutting down men, and parrying blows, her ashen hair marred with blood and sweat, her moves as effortless as they were now. She didn't use her powers, because she hadn't learned how to use them in combat yet.

Because this was years prior, Stygga castle.

Ciri was pushed to the brink, before a man sauntered into the courtyard, laughing and at the sight of him, Ciri faltered and trembled. She had described Leo Bonhart to him in excruciating detail, but even those descriptions didn't do the man justice of how terrifying he was.

He wasn't very physically imposing, with his old, wrinkled face, stringy grey beard and bald head. However, the witcher medallions dangling from his belt, his pale eyes, his glower, was sickening, he looked at the situation before him, Ciri bleeding, near death, as if it brought him the greatest satisfaction in the world.

Dominik couldn't hear what he said, but Ciri raised her sword, facing down Bonhart and the group of men. He thought she was a goner, and he nearly charged forward, but that was when two more people came rushing into the courtyard. One younger woman, had choppy blonde hair, stabbing her blade into an unexpecting man, before the fighting quickly resumed. The man with her, was unmistakable, it was Cahir, his armor glinting in the distant sun.

Ciri had been distracted by Cahir, and the woman, who he recognized by Geralt's descriptions, Angouleme. Ciri had been distracted by them, and that was when Bonhart took his chance, he went to lunge for her, to bring his blade down and finish her, but Cahir stepped in front of her, intercepting the blow and fighting, furiously with Bonhart, until he was able to push the bounty hunter back.

For a fleeting few seconds, the fight stopped, Ciri helped Angouleme, the woman's arm around her shoulder, as the number of men had dwindled. Cahir faced down Bonhart, shouting something to Angouleme and Ciri, before Bonhart laughed. Ciri looked like she was going to try and protest, along with Angouleme, but Cahir held firm, and soon, the two women fled, with the remaining men chasing after her, while Cahir faced down Bonhart, his face twisted in determination, his blade held outwards.

Dominik recognized the look on Cahir's face, it looked so much like Declan's, the look of a man, who knew what he was doing was right.

Before he could see the battle commence, the black puffs of smoke filled his vision again, and he felt like he was falling, as he stumbled to his knees after finally being able to move his feet again. His sword clattered from his hand, but not onto cobblestone or snow, but onto gravely dirt. The beams of sunlight shot down into his vision, as he could see blue flames dancing in his peripheral. Furiously he blinked, trying to clear his vision, as he realized he was back in the cave of life. For a moment, he thought his challenge was over, he heard what his deepest fear was, knew it was correct, and he had killed the Cahir that faced him. He thought he'd look up to find a door, an exit to the current chamber.

But then he heard armored plate rustling behind him, and he whirled around just in time to see a sword coming down to cleave him in half.

"SHIT!" He said, his blood surging through his body, as the sword that almost killed him hit the ground beneath him with a loud ***CLANG***

He scooped up his sword and went to get to his feet, but while he was on his knees, the sword came for his neck. Falling to the ground again, he whirled back around to his attacker and shot his forward, he felt magic swirl in him, his powers, as erratic, blue wisps of light danced in his eyes before the blast of Aard sent his attacker stumbling.

Finally he was able to get to his feet, and that was when he saw Cahir again. Except this Cahir, had black smoke coming from red eyes, his blade was metal, and smoke at the same time.

And unlike the last one he saw, this one seemed bent on killing him.

Dominik flashed back to all the times he said he would kill the knight in the helmet, how his seething hatred for the man had risen with every mention of his name. He was the one who murdered his mother, almost murdered Bella and himself, the demon that had haunted his nightmares for years, and fell in love with the woman he loved.

A man he would never cease to hate.

Cahir rushed him again, and now, Dominik finally felt his magic spring to life. His eyes tinted shades of blue, but he felt the beams of magic shoot from all angles as he parried one blow and spun to strike at the knights back. However, Cahir was quick, moving his blade back to block his blow, but Dominik spun back around to his front. He tried to stab him through the side, but Cahir leapt backwards, leveling his smoking black blade towards him.

For a moment he didn't know what was happening, if this was his true challenge, what had been the purpose of his visions before if he was to fight Cahir's ghost again?

_Don't think about it, this is your chance, finally your chance to kill him! But he's already dead, this is just an illusion, why carrying on hating a man who's already dead?_

Both thoughts raced through his mind, it distracted him as Cahir lunged forward at him. He fought like a knight; a type of opponent Dominik had fought plenty of times. After his first lunge, Cahir held his ground, with perfect footwork and sword angles, he lashed out, and Dominik went on the defensive. He parried a blow from the right, the left, he dodged a stab, all while looking for an opening, and finally he found one.

His eyes flashed blue, as magic erratically shot from him. He moved his blade to parry one of Cahir's strike, performing a perfect riposte, pushing his blade up, spinning under his arm, and cutting his sword across the unarmored part under the knights' arms. Blood spilled, but before he could do anything, with supernatural speed himself, no doubt fueled by the magic, Cahir smacked his aside, jabbing his blade forward, and catching a part of Dominik's shoulder.

He winched, knocking Cahir's blade away, and spinning back to the front, his anger surging to new heights, as he lunged forward, leaping with a quick spin, that assisted by his magic, broke right through Cahir's attempted block. He felt the energy quickly leave his body, but he stayed the course, as his sword cut down into Cahir's shoulder, bringing the knight to his knees, and taking his advantage again, Dominik spun and precisely cut up across the knight's elbow, another unarmored part of a knight's armor he knew of.

Blood spilled onto the ground below, and from his knees, Cahir tried to swing his blade again, but Dominik was too swift, spinning around and thrusting his hand forward. Aard shot from his palm, and knocked Cahir's black smoking sword from his hand, and sending he knight tumbling to the ground.

He rushed to the knight's body, and before he could even get to his knees, Dominik's blade was at his throat. Looking down, the red and black smoky eyes went away, and now, they were replaced by the eyes of a normal man, the man he had seen in the vision, the one who fought off Leo Bonhart to save Ciri, sacrificing himself in the process.

But also, the eyes of the man who had haunted his nightmares, who he saw shoot down and killed his mother and sister.

_Kill him, he deserves to die, you've wanted to do this your entire life! He killed Bella, he killed mother, he chased you and Ciri!_

The thought beat down into his head, pounding him over and over. Every single nightmare he ever had about the knight in the winged helmet came crashing back into his brain like a meteor. This man had perversive dreams about Ciri, fell in love with her, when she was a child, killed members of his family, chased him for a month, nearly killing him plenty of times.

He raised his blade, ready to deliver a killing stroke, to finally, _finally _do what he promised he'd do, the first night he got to Kaer Morhen. Kill the knight in the winged helmet for what he had done to him, had done to him and Ciri, he'd kill him for it, get his revenged for his mother and Bella, and all of the nightmares.

_But he's already dead, Cahir is already dead, the man before you… is apparition. _

Freezing mid-strike, Dominik's blade stopped inches from Cahir's neck, as a breath he had been holding the entire fight left him.

Faram's voice echoed in his mind_. In the Cave of Life… you have to truly conquer your fear, mentally, and physically, you have to face the true meaning of the fear._

Dominik looked down at the man before him, and his arms began to shake.

_No, this isn't a man, this isn't Cahir… Cahir is dead, this is your challenge._

_ You need not forgive, but to let go of past hatred, that means nothing anymore. _The words the specter spoke before his vision of Stygga Castle came back to him.

_Hatred that means nothing anymore…. _

He met Cahir's pale eyes, and the bleeding man said nothing, his eyes simply staring into Dominik's waiting for his decision. Dominik winced, as he could clearly see Declan in the man. Hatred that meant nothing anymore. His hatred had consumed him then, he would have been lying if he didn't say that some nights, he wished he had gotten to kill Cahir, no matter what the man had done in the end.

Cahir would always be a monster to him, the first monster he had ever faced.

_But that means nothing anymore… because he's dead, and you have Ciri back. _

With trembling hands, Dominik slowly moved his blade from the man's neck. With quick precision, he slid the sword back into its sheath, his eyes narrowing down at the bleeding knight below him.

"I'm never going to forgive you… I don't care what you did… to me… you'll always be a monster…" He said slowly, his eyes not leaving the knight as they shrunk into slits. "But that doesn't matter anymore… because you're dead… and how much I hate you… means nothing anymore."

For a moment, Dominik thought he Cahir would try to strangle him again, as the silence was thick enough to put cut with a knife. He crossed his arms, trying to keep them from trembling, as he met Cahir's pale eyes. The eyes, of a man who he hated, who haunted every facet of his nightmares as a child, the one responsible for his mother being dead, who had hunted he and Ciri.

And for the first time while thinking about him, Dominik felt nothing. Not hatred, or anger, only indifference.

Because Cahir was dead, his hatred didn't matter anymore.

A small smile tugged on the corner of Cahir's lips as he stayed silent. Dominik nearly jumped when the knight nodded, turning his back to him, walking two steps, and disappearing in a puff of black smoke.

"Fucking hell…" He muttered to himself, the blue fire, warming his bones as streams of light from above pierced into his eyes.

Shuddering, he heard the loud rumbling of stone, and turned around, to see a part of the wall shifting.

"Well… looks like I passed… two more to go," He said, as a small passageway, leading to another narrow corridor opened in the wall. "If that was only the first… fucking hell…"

He muttered more obscenities under his breath, as he trudged through the passage, scanning the ground for any signs of a sword. Gripping the swallow around his neck he shakily sighed, as darkness enveloped around the path again.

_For Bella… this, is all for Bella. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The cold draft hit Ciri like a brick, as she finally trudged her way into a much larger chamber, with her narrow corridor coming to an end. Right away, she wondered if Dominik had found something similar, if he had already faced any challenges yet, or if he was possibly already in the main chamber, talking to one of his ancestors, if he had found the sword. She had scanned every bit she could see for it and found nothing yet.

And as she waded into the room then, she cursed, when around her she couldn't see anything, let alone a sword, as the smooth ground below her was nothing but barren gravel, with light beaming in from above. The room couldn't be that large, and Ciri was perplexed by that fact, from the breeze she felt, it seemed like it should have been much larger. The only sound that she could hear was the thumping of her own heartbeat, as she slowly trudged her way to the center of the chamber, an eerie tingling running down her spine, as a pounding shot through the base of her skull.

The magic, the potent magic in the cave was still every present, and it made her stumble as she got to the middle of the room.

_Focus Ciri, this is for Bella. _It was for Dominik's sister, _her _little sister. Bella would cut her down the minute she saw Ciri in her current state, this she knew. Ciri had tried to reason with her when they saw her in the forest, but the only one that had been able to get her to even lower her guard had been Dominik.

So if she couldn't speak to her to help her, then Ciri would do the next best thing, follow Dominik's plan, and get he sword.

The only problem was that she couldn't see anything in that chamber, nothing except the gravely earth beneath her. She couldn't even see an exit to the next corridor, it was as if she was trapped.

"Dammit… maybe I should have thought this through more…" She muttered to herself, remembering the annoyed look Dominik had given her when she walked down the corridor.

Ciri sighed and reached around her neck, gripping the ring there and the new medallion he had gotten her. She knew they were doing the right thing, and deep down he did as well. Like always she appreciated and loved his protective instinct. When she was with him, she always felt safe, secure, as if nothing could hurt her. However, she knew that they couldn't let this opportunity pass them by. If that sword could help save Bella, then they would find it.

However, there was no sword in that room she was in, and no exit.

"Shit…" She muttered to herself, before she saw streaks of black shoot up from the cracks in the ground.

_Do you even know what your worst fears are? _Dominik had made a great point, she had rushed off, ready to face whatever was to come, but she hadn't given much thought to what she would be facing in the three challenges. Her worst fears, she had things she was afraid of naturally, but she couldn't tell anyone what he true, deepest, darkest fears were. They were all a jumbled mess in her mind, and when she felt a surge of magic rush through her mind, as the black mist around her swirled around the chamber. It consumed the walls, the rocks, the beams of light shining from above was replaced by noting but the blue flames of the torches around her.

And when she fell to her knees, clutching at her temples, the mist continued to invade her vision. Around her waist, the cat medallion's eyes glew bright red, and with each pulse of the medallion, her brain felt like it was about to explode. Panic welled up in her chest, as when she rose her head up finally able to open her eyes again, she saw nothing but black smoke the only illumination brought to her by a large glowing brazier of blue fire in the center of the room. She couldn't see more than a few feet ahead of the flames as she slowly staggered to her feet.

As soon as she rose, the medallion around her waist furiously shook, as if it was trying to leap off her waist.

She looked down and gripped the medallion in her hands. "What the-."

"Cirilllllllaaaaaaaaaaa! It's time your next bout my dear!" A voice, cut through the air, smashing into Ciri's eardrums like a battering ram.

Blood drained from her face, unable to move any other part of her body, she slowly let go of the cat medallion. It fell to her side, and Ciri could hear the echo of it hitting her waist, it was as if she had been transported to a canyon as the voice yelled out again.

"Ah! My medallion! How nice of you to keep it safe for me all these years!" The voice said again, getting closer, closer, until it Ciri could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "My oh my… you've grown beautiful, your little boyfriend must be all over you! Tell me… did he ever figure out about that one Rat that you were fucking behind his back?"

All her limbs seemed to combust at once, she reached up behind her back and her sword was out in a flash. With a scream, she whirled and swung her blade where the voice had come from, only to be met by another puff of black smoke, before a tsking hit her ears.

"My oh my still so much anger! You've not changed a bit my darling," He said, as Ciri whirled back around with her blade leveled, only making him smile more. "I always loved that feisty side of you, always fighting no matter how many times I beat you down, you kept moving forward, I must say I had a dash of respect for you by the end of our time together!"

"_Fuck _your respect, and fuck you," Ciri spat, her eye narrowing, her skin trembling as her limbs continued to explode, as she shook her head in disbelief. "You're not real, you're dead, I killed you, I _fucking _killed you!"

He was just as Ciri had remembered before her sword plunged into his neck. A balding head of stringy grey, almost white hair, a handlebar mustache leading to a long white beard. He wore a long brown coat over chainmail, a slim broadsword at his waist, he may not have looked physically imposing, or frightening to a normal person on the street, but Ciri knew the monster that lurked beneath the skin. Around his waist she spotted two dangling witcher medallions, a wolf, a griffin.

There had been a third the last time she saw him, a cat.

And now it dangled around her own waist.

"Oh, you didn't kill me my dear," Leo Bonhart said, his pale eyes, digging into her like claws. "Yes, you may have physically killed me, but I am _very _much alive darling… I live on _every, single, day. _In your nightmares, in your dreams. I am… a part of who you are."

"THE FUCK YOU ARE!" Ciri said, her chest, erupting with a new boiling rage. She tried to use her power, to teleport, to blink forward and cleave her blade, clean through Bonhart's stomach, separated his top and bottom halves.

But she didn't move, she couldn't, she blinked, and suddenly, the black mist around her churned. Bonhart disappeared in puff of smoke, before suddenly snow shot past her eyes, chilling her to the bone as she whirled back around as she heard the bounty hunters' voice.

"Of course I am! How much time did we spend together? Well, I dare say I rubbed off on you a bit!" The man laughed, as Ciri whirled around to see his smug, maniacal grin. "So, you never answered my question! Did you ever tell your little boyfriend about the Rat you were fucking? Oh, I remember her, her head flew from her shoulders! I imagine your boyfriend would thank me for that, I do so wish I had gotten to meet him!"

Ciri whirled in place, her sword loosely in hand as with each passing second her blood pressure continued to drop. It felt as if liquid mercury was coursing through her veins, pure ice as around her the chamber she was in, had shifted into an old crumbling castle.

One she remembered, one that she saw in nightmares, night after night.

"Ahhhh this is where our relationship reached its apex my dear!" Bonhart cooed, a sword materializing in his hand as he laughed at her. "Ahaha, that one little fool, that gallant knight in the helmet, he fought tough for you he did! Did you ever learn that _he _was in love with you as well! Quite foul don't you think? He was what, 10 years older than you? What did your boyfriend think about that? What did he think about me? Or how my influence has rubbed off on you?"

"I'm _nothing _like you!" Ciri spat again, her legs trembling, as she closed her eyes, her gloved hand gripping tighter around the sword. "You aren't even real, you're dead, I ended you, I killed you!"

"Yes, yes you did, quite viciously as well, I was almost proud!" Bonhart said again, as Ciri could hear his boots crunching in the snow as he paced around her. "Oh, and did I ever tell you, that display on the lake! Gods, it ruined our plans, but the way you killed Rience, mercilessly, no thoughts of mercy for a second! You were a brilliant little fighter, still are! And _so _much like me!"

_It's not real, he's not real, you killed him, this is a challenge. For Dominik, for Bella. _

All the nightmares, all the fights in the arena, the fisstech forced into her gums, the men, women, all the people she killed for the man, it all came to her at once. And then after that, all the things she had done, all the people she had killed, her anger, her rage, all the times it had almost gotten her killed.

_You are not like him, you're not. Then why am I shaking? What if he's right,, what if I'm slowly turning into him. _

"Oh? The silent treatment? You know that never worked on me my dear!" Bonhart said, his lips right near her ear, his hot breath trickling down her neck like molten lava. "I saw that you found your little boyfriend… what does he think of all the things you've done? All the people you've killed, the Rat you were fucking… do you really think, someone like you… everything you've done… could ever, truly, truly be loved?"

"FUCK YOU!" Ciri's arms shot from her side, reaching to her waist and spinning around,

A loud gurgle of blood sounded, as her dagger was plunged into the side of Bonhart's neck. Blood spouted from the bounty hunters' neck, not unlike what happened when Ciri killed him the last time. It sprayed onto her face, and her legs shook with a new fury as she stumbled back, falling on her ass into the snow, but when she blinked, the black mist came into her vision again. They weren't in Stygga Castle anymore, they were back in the cavern, back where she had started, the black mist surrounding the burning blue brazier.

Bonhart stood unmoving, his dagger, jutting out from the side of his neck.

And when the man smiled, Ciri's heart caught up in her throat.

He plucked the dagger from his neck, a loud squelch as blood covered the blade before he tossed it to the side.

"Well… it seems that rage is still there," Bonhart said slowly, the black smoking steel blade appearing in his hand, as he slowly approached her. "You have so much rage inside you… dear Cirilla. Rage, hatred, anger, and you're afraid… afraid it will turn you into me... that when the ones you love, when your little boyfriend discovers its truth depths, he'll be unable to love you!"

Ciri scrambled backwards, getting up to her feet, her heart still up in her throat as she slung her sword off her back, pointing it at the man as he laughed, swinging his blade towards her.

"You've faced many hardships, and you're _still _afraid of what happened, of me, of Vilgefortz, that they'll turn you into what I am, a monster," He said calmly, swinging his blade again after Ciri blocked his first strike. "Do you think Dominik will be able to love you, when he learns more about all you did? How much have you told him of your time with the Rats? Not only were you fucking another person, you were robbing, killing…. You're afraid of it, afraid that your past, what you did, will haunt you… and make it unable for you to be truly loved."

Ciri blocked the incoming blows, but still felt as if she was punched in the gut, all the wind and air leaving her body as she stumbled back.

She had told Dominik bits and pieces, about the things she had done, the things that had happened to her. She had told him about Mistle, about the Rats, but not the specifics, of all the horrible, horrible things she had done. The people she robbed, killed, all while fucking someone else. He had told her it didn't matter, but what would happen when he heard more.

_He loves you, more then anything, stop it. _She blocked strikes that Bonhart threw her way, his eyes had changed from the pale color, to pure black with a single dot of red in the middle. He lashed out with new vigor, from above, from the left, right, fluid, swift, just as he had been in real life. Ciri tried to used her powers again, but it was all she could do to raise and parry, she blocked and overhead strike, and spun under the bounty hunters guard, cutting across his torso. Blood gushed again over Ciri's gloves, but she felt a hand punch into the side of her gut, and she stumbled, before she just barely was able to avoid a strike aimed for her neck.

Whirling back around Bonhart was bleeding, but still unfazed, as black mist whirled around his finger as he pointed at her.

"I will always… and forever be a part of you… my dear," The apparition spoke, a haunting, ghostly voice as blood continued to spew from the wounds she had inflicted. "You cannot escape it… escaped me… how will it be possible for Dominik to truly love you… after everything that you have done?"

Ciri's fingers trembled around the hilt of her steel, as Dominik's face popped into her mind. His sharp, angular face, warm, kind eyes, full, soft pillowy lips, that goofy smile he got whenever she walked into a room, and for a second she stumbled, looking down at the ring dangling from her neck, and the new medallion he had gifted her. Her shoulders stiffened, as she looked up at the apparition of the man who had tortured her, haunted her nightmares to this day.

_We're here, together now, and that's all that matters. _Dominik's words, the words, from that first nigh they had spent back together in their cave, the night Ciri thought for a minute they'd make love for the first time but was marred when she had to tell him about Mistle. She remembered that night, she was a crying mess, but he had been there, held her, kissed her, made her forget about the pain, about the horrible memories.

She thought about all their nights since then, making love, holding each other as the sun rose, the adorable thing he did when he kissed her the back of her neck in the morning to wake her up. He was there, he was hers, and she was his.

_And that's all that matters, the past doesn't matter._

It didn't matter, and now, she needed to help him, she had promised him they'd meet up in the main chamber. And finally this was a promise she was going to keep.

Her eyes shot open, and finally, she felt eh flashes of blue magic violently shoot through her limbs. Bonhart came in for another strike, but with the magic, her powers now surging through her again, she ducked under a strike, and lashed out for the mans sword hand. She raised her blade to block a strike, and slid her blade down his, spinning her hands and with a quick flick of the wrist blood erupted from Bonhart's palms, and she finished off by flicking her wrist upwards. Steel clanged on steel, as Bonhart's sword fell from his grasp, blood continued to spill, as Ciri reached down and caught the falling sword in her hand.

To her surprise is didn't disappear into vapor, but taking the advantage she rolled with being so close to the ground, she easily was able to roll behind him. She cut both her own sword and his across the back of his knees, before spinning back up to her feet and leveled both swords in an X across Bonhart's neck as he fell to his knees.

Ciri's breathing hitched, as the room around her, slowly morphed again. The black smoke disappeared, the brazier in the center of the room disappeared, and sunlight, small rays streamed down from above again as she looked right down into Bonhart's pale eyes, blood spilling from all the wounds she had inflicted.

"Well… here we are again my dear…" The bounty hunter said slowly, the voice, the same as the man she had once killed.

Ciri looked deep into his eyes and shook her head. "No… we aren't, because you aren't real… I killed you, you're in the past… and that's where you'll stay."

"You know our time together… will always be on your mind," Bonhart shot back, a small smirk coming to his lips. "You will never… ever forget about me."

"I won't… you're right, I'll never forget about you and all the things you did to me," Ciri said, a sharpness to her voice. "But all of that… doesn't matter…_you _don't matter anymore, because I have Dominik back, my family back, and they love me, love me more than anything,"

Bonhart chuckled. "Aha… that is all well and good my dear… now, if you will allow me this time around, to say a few parting words-."

He was cut off, when Ciri growled and slit both swords across his neck. The mess of stringy grey hair fell to the ground and rolled at her feet, Bonhart's eyes open, and unmoving.

"_Fuck _your parting words…" Ciri said, as the sword she had gotten from the man slowly disappeared in black smoke.

In her trembling other hand, she looked down at her own sword, the sword that had twice now helped her kill the man who haunted her nightmares for years.

It was clear of blood, just like her mind was clear of him.

None of it mattered, her past, it didn't matter, because now, she had the ones she loved back, she had Dominik back. She would never see Leo Bonhart again, Vilgefortz again, the Rats, none of them mattered, all that mattered, was what she was doing now, and how close she was to the life she had always wanted.

That life with Dominik, and now Fiona as well.

"The swords going to be in the main chamber…" She sighed, letting out a breath she had held the entire fight. "It's just how our luck goes…. I hope he's alright-."

She was cut off by the loud rumbling of stone, as she whirled around to see it's source. A narrow chunk of stone had opened in the far side of the room, and she could see distant blue torches, much like the previous path she had taken.

Quickly, Ciri rushed towards it, afraid it would close if she wasn't quick enough, gripping around the ring the whole time, remembering why they were there.

_For Bella… this is for Bella…. And for Dominik. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"It's going to be all the way in the main chamber…." Dominik muttered to himself, as a familiar cold draft washed over him. "It's just our fucking luck…"

The treck to the second chamber through the corridors, had taken much less time than the first. The whole time however, he didn't think of his previous visions of Cahir, all he thought about was Ciri, more than likely on another side of the cave, trudging through and trying to find the sword the same way that he was. A small part of him hoped that she found it already, and that she was on her way back to the entrance. It would have been good, except he hadn't told her, or Geralt and Yen what he planned on doing with the sword once they retrieved it.

If he had, they would have all called him crazy, even Ciri.

However, he needed to focus on finding the sword first before anything else. He had no idea how any thief had managed to find his way all the way to the main chamber, past all the obstacles and challenges, perhaps the thief simply feared nothing. Or perhaps he was killed, and the blade somehow got carried to the main chamber by monsters.

Either way, he wasn't finding the sword in the chamber he came into, which looked eerily similar to the first. Smooth with no exit, and after blinking once, the corridor behind him disappeared, as the magic beat into his brain. The rays of sunlight became harsher from above, and he even got a glimpse of the blue sky above, the sun beginning to set. Geralt and Yen both were surely ripping their hair out trying to find them already, but it was too late for him to turn back. He had promised Ciri he'd see her at the main chamber. He had no idea if the cave would even truly let him speak to a dead loved one, but he didn't care. All he cared about was the sword, so he could help Bella, and making sure he and Ciri got out of there alright. Perhaps the whole cave itself was a sham, and at the main entrance he'd encounter some sick mage, who enjoyed playing with people's minds.

No matter what the case was, the sword wasn't in that room, and that only meant one thing, as he balled his clammy gloved hands into fists, letting out a shaky breath as he got to the center of the chamber.

"Just once… just once can something be easy…" He complained, sighing and looking around the room, the small tendrils of black smoke billowing around him. "What could it be… fuck, what am I scared of? Ghosts, spiders… Eredin… fuck me why can't the damn thing just be here-."

"Dominik…" A familiar voice said behind him, and his heart leapt from his chest as he whirled around, breathing out a deep sigh of relief.

"Ciri! For fuck's sake you scared me, how the hell did you get here." He said, seeing her standing right in front of him.

She was dressed exactly how she had been when he last saw her, before they separated to follow the caves diverging paths. Her hair was tied up in its bun, her eyes bore into him, he rushed over to her, finally relieved that she had somehow gotten to him.

"I still haven't found the sword," He said, coming up and wrapping his arms around her and squeezing. "Knowing our luck, it's probably in the main chamber, did you have…. Ciri?"

He looked down at her, her body was rigid, unmoving, unresponsive to his touch.

And when she looked up at him, she was crying, tears streaming down her eyes, her makeup falling in streaks down her cheeks. Dominik's heart leapt up into his throat as he grabbed onto her shoulders, meeting her eyes.

"Ciri? What is it, are you okay did you-."

"Why didn't you go to Thanedd with Geralt Dominik? You had dreams… you _knew _something was going to happen," She said, cutting him off.

His inside's turned to mush, his throat, which his heart still felt like it leapt into closed and constricted. Soon he found it hard to breath, as the tears fell and fell from Ciri's eyes, her palpable gaze not leaving him, piercing into him like a hot knife that was slowly melting away the inside of him.

"Ciri… Geralt refused to take me, I tried, I begged him, you know that," He said, his voice nearly shaking, as around him, the black smoke began to dominate the room.

Ciri however, tore his attention back to her with a sob. "But you _knew _something would happen. Geralt didn't believe you, but you _knew _you _knew _what would happen, and you just let it. You could've gone yourself, forced your way out with him… but no. You promised, you promised me that you would protect me… but when you _knew _I was in danger, that I could die… you didn't do anything."

"I tried! I did everything I could to go, I regret it every single day, Ciri you know that!"

"And you also _knew_ that if I went to Aretuza… if you didn't go to Thanedd… that I could have been killed," She said through tears, her eyes not leaving him. "Do you know… what I had to do? What happened to me… what I had to become…. All because you didn't come for me."

She had told him before, but never a full story, only smaller bits and pieces. Of course there was the Rats, what she had done to the men who chased her, how she killed them, how merciless she was. Now he also knew why she had been forced to spend so long in Tir'Nala. All of it, however, didn't matter, she was there now, he had her back.

But he would be lying if he said that he didn't think about all she had gone through because he hadn't gone to her, gone to Thanedd, when he knew something would be wrong.

"Ciri…" He said, meeting her eyes and slowly moving towards her. "I regret not going to Thanedd every day… not going to you every day… we've talked about this. Ciri what… what's brining this on I-. SHIT!"

A puff of black magic shot from Ciri's hand. It smacked into him and he groaned as he hit the ground. His head throbbing he shot to his knees again, the black magic finally overtaken the entire cave, ensnaring his vision, as all he could see was Ciri now, illuminated by a brazier of blue fire in the center of the room.

Dominik's chest erupted when he saw her. Ciri's eyes, swirled with black mist, her green, emerald pupils turning bright red.

"Fuck…" He said, rubbing he smoke from his eyes.

It wasn't Ciri, and he scolded himself for not knowing.

_Another challenge, what is it now? I'm not afraid of what happened to Ciri, I regret it. _His mind swirled, as the magic billowed up around the apparition of Ciri, her form flickering in and out of his vision. The red eyes bore into him, the mist consuming her body, as his heart, thumped in his chest and the magic, the magic signature made it feel as if his brain was about to burst from his skull.

_Not Ciri, I'll fight anything else, anything else… just not her, not even an apparition of her. _The last chamber had made him fight, fight both physically and mentally, but he wouldn't fight now. He didn't care if it wasn't the real Ciri, the idea of swinging his sword in her direction made him nearly sick on the cavern floor there. He needed to figure out what was happening, what the fear he was facing was. He knew about what had happened to her, how she had escaped from Aretuza, she had told him about that night on Thanedd, and each night he regretted it, he didn't fear it, it would forever live as his greatest regret.

_But fear and regret… are often one in the same, you fear what you regret will happen again, and that again, you won't be able to do anything. _

"You knew, you knew what would happen, but you let it happen anyway!" The apparition said, its voice still perfectly mimicking Ciri as the black smoke swirled around it, churning violently like a tornado around the room. "And I believed you! I believed you loved me, wouldn't let anything happen to me, what a STUPID little girl I was!"

"You're not real, this isn't real, FUCK," He said, falling to his knees as the violently black smoke knocked him over in a gust.

Pain shot through his head, as it smacked onto the gravel below. He only had time to curse again, grabbing his temples and slowly shuffling up to his knees, when the last thing he expected hit his closed eyelids.

Sunlight.

Groggily he groaned, as he could hear distant voices. The first thing he managed to see was brown canvas, the walls of a tent, as he shakily rose to his feet. Around him, he saw a few old barrels, a table, and a bed. It couldn't be that much larger than a room he would rent at an inn, the room he and Ciri shared at Dandelion's inn back in Novigrad.

"Where… the fuck…." He muttered, trying to finally blink his vision clear.

It went clear, and his muscles stiffened when he heard the voices, one in particular.

"I… thank you… I don't know what would have happened."

"Ciri!" He said, recognized the voice, and after blinking again, sure enough she was there, Ciri was standing right in front of him, only a few paces away near the front of the bed.

But it wasn't Ciri now, it wasn't the one that had arrived in the cave with him. She was younger, she was fourteen, he would recognize her anywhere. She wore a loose leather tunic wrapped around her arms, brown trousers and boots, her tattered and marred ashen hair was covered in grime, bruises and cuts along her face, her sword was laying in the corner, and around her neck he spotted his ring. The bronze dangled down to her chest, as she still looked to be absolutely terrified, clutching at it as she spoke to the girl in front of her.

Older, short choppy blonde hair, a smug look of superiority as she lingered over Ciri. Ciri had told him about her, it was someone else who Dominik wished he could have killed, another one of the people who used and took advantage of the woman he loved.

Mistle.

"Oh it's no problem… what's your name?" Mistle said, her arm, holding onto Ciri's shoulder, gently trailing her finger down her wrist.

"No… no no no please…." He said to himself, neither apparition able to hear him, as his throat closed, his ability to breath all but gone.

Ciri trembled under the girl's touch, the terrified look yet to leave her. She met Mistle's eyes and looked like she was about to say something but rethought her words.

"Falka…" Ciri said, meeting Mistle's eyes with a nod. "My names Falka."

"A pleasure it is Falka… go on, get some rest," Mistle said, gesturing towards the bed next to her.

Dominik went to rip his eyes away, but nothing he did was able to make his body move. However, just like the previous chamber, he couldn't tare his eyes away. His head was focused on the two, on Mistle, and Ciri, he couldn't close his eyes. It was as if the magic, the mist was physically prying his eye-lids open, making it impossible for him to not watch the scene unfolding before him.

He knew exactly what happened, Ciri had told him while she was in tears, half-naked in his arms the first night they had tried to make love.

Ciri slowly nodded, shakily sighing, climbing up onto the bed sighing again as he head hit the pillow. Dominik's throat fully closed however, when Mistle climbed in after her, laying down right next her, propped up on one elbow, eyeing Ciri up and down, eyeing up her body as if she was bruxa ready to devour her unsuspecting victim. Dominik got the same feeling he did whenever he saw a Bruxa, when he saw Mistle's hand then.

She trailed it down Ciri's chest, making Ciri almost leap from the bed, but Mistle grabbed onto her arm, yanking her back down.

"What… what is it?" Ciri said.

"Go on then… if you're going to relax you out to get comfortable, take that leather off." She said, fiddling with the straps of Ciri's leather.

Ciri's eyes widened and she shook as she shooed the girls' hand away. "I'm fine, I'm comfortable as is."

"Are you? So tough to sleep like that, you'll be better off, here… let me help."

"I don't need help."

"You certainly needed it a few moment ago…. Didn't you?" Mistle said, as she moved her way down Ciri's body, taking off her boots, her hand traveling up Ciri's leg as Ciri jumped at the woman's touch, her skin crawling.

And her hand, stayed grasped firmly on the ring.

"There… much more comfortable now, wouldn't you say? What's with your hand? What's that ring?" Mistle asked, her hand, exploring up Ciri's arm again.

Ciri shook, Mistle had undid the leather vest covering her. Now Ciri only lay there, her trousers, a white linen tunic down her body, her hand unwilling to move from around the ring.

"Someone… important to me… gave it to me," Ciri said wearily.

"Boyfriend?"

Ciri hesitated. "No…"

Mistle smirked. "Girlfriend?"

"No…. just… someone important," Ciri said again, flinching under the girls touch.

Mistle's hand, slowly stopped in the middle of Ciri's chest, just above both her breasts, a sick, twisted smile on her face.

"Well… if this 'important' person, didn't see how beautiful you are… Falka, then well… I dare say that's their loss… and my gain," The girl said, her hand traveling lower, and lower on Ciri's body.

Ciri's eyes widened, and she shook, grabbing Mistle's wrist as her finger got to the hem of Ciri's trousers.

"What… what are you doing?" Ciri asked shakily. "I… I don't-."

Mistle cut her off, spinning her hand and grabbing Ciri's wrist, forcing it up above her head, and when Ciri tried to bring her other hand down to stop her, the older girl overpowered her, holding both of Ciri's wrists forcefully above her head, while her other hand, trailed down Ciri's body again.

"I would've fucking killed you…. _Fuck _I would have killed you…" Dominik said, feeling his chest heavily rise and fall, as he blinked away tears that were stinging his eyes.

"What are you doing!? I don't… I don't want-," Ciri started, but Mistle quickly shook her head.

"You don't know what you want…. I just saved you… I dare say that you owe me something after that," Mistle said, her mouth coming right up next to Ciri's ear. "You're going to enjoy it… I know you will…. This… is how you pay me back… Falka."

Ciri tore her neck away from the girl. "No, no you don't understand I… I've never-."

"Never? Someone as beautiful as you? Gods… that makes it even better," Mistle said, her lips going to Ciri's ear again, as she clamped down harder on Ciri's wrists. "Just let yourself enjoy it… and I promise this could be one of the best nights of your life."

"No… no, please, I don't… no…." Ciri said, blinked her eye rapidly to fight back tears, as Mistle's hand, slipped under her trousers.

"STOP, FUCKING STOP!" Dominik said, his eyes stinging, as tears cascaded down his own cheeks, he used every bit of muscle in his body to close his eyes, to look away from what was happening.

But still he couldn't. He felt like they would finally close, but tendrils of black magic swirled around his eyes, and no matter how hard he tried, he looked. It propped his head up, and even when he finally fell to his knees, his head was still shot up to look at it.

To watch the woman that he loved, raped in front of him. When he could have been there, been there to prevent it.

He listened, had to listen to Ciri's sobs, her shaky breaths, her reluctant moans as Mistle was relentless. _I could have stopped this… if you were there. _

"Gods… gods Ciri… Ciri…" He sobbed, finally feeling the magic release him, as he fell to the ground, crumpling like a deflated, emptied sack.

He clamped his eyes shut, but Ciri's voice, her struggling breaths, all it still hit his ears. He heard her forcing out reluctant moans between her sobs, as Mistle didn't let go of her arms, raping her, without thought or conscious, only interested in her own pleasure.

The tears didn't stop, from him, or from Ciri. And when he looked up, it was as if Ciri was looking directly at him, as Mistle dug her fingers deeper inside her, and Ciri yelled, tears, streaming down her cheeks.

The whole time, her eyes stayed on the ring bouncing around her chest, and between her sobs and forced moans, she heard one single word.

"Dominik…. Dominik…." She said, not loud enough for Mistle to hear, but she said it nonetheless, tears in her eyes as she sobbed.

"Where were you!? You could have prevented this," A sharp voice said behind him.

He turned around, as the sounds of Ciri's cries drowned out in his ears, and the black smoke circled around him again. Tears didn't stop as he turned and found the apparition of the Ciri he knew now staring at him, her eyes still swirling with black smoke and a red center.

Dominik wiped the tears from his eyes, still shaking. "I… I did everything I could… everything I could I… I never stopped looking."

"Did you? So, all those years you spend meandering around by yourself, pouting like a petulant child how the world was unfair, not going to Geralt and Yennefer, when you knew that they were your best chance…. Did you do everything you could then?" The vision asked him, the blood red, smoky eyes in Ciri's head baring into him.

His heart, dropped. "It was a mistake… I should have gone to them sooner… I know… You… you went through hell… I know that and I-."

"Do you really know? Do you really know the depths of what I went through?" The Ciri asked, before waving her hand, black smoke filling up his lungs again.

"DAMMIT!" He said, shouting as he yet again was knocked back.

He wanted to get angry, shout at the vision, the cave for making him see such things. However, all he could see was Ciri's crying eyes, Mistle forcing herself inside her. He could still hear Ciri's yells, her forced moans and trembling arms. Slowly he stumbled himself up to his feet, just as the black mist disappeared around him again, and a cold chill ran through his bones.

His head shot up, and he found himself looking out a window. Out it, he saw a full moon on a cold night, outstretched before him, a city, like he had never seen before. White marble buildings, intricately carved, like the elven ruins he so frequently visited for contracts. It took a moment to register the lavish room he was in. A large four poster bed, red silk sheets and piles of throw pillows. Carved vanities and dressers, pictures on the wall of men… no elves, in battle atop horses, skeletal horses, with one large portrait, dominated the left side of the room.

And it was one he recognized, painted onto the canvas in the frame, was Lara Dorren. Lara was seated on a chair, with a tall, strong looking elf dressed in regal attire standing beside the chair, long flowing blonde hair, and sharp pale eyes.

However, the one his eyes fell too, was the woman standing on Lara's right. The painting captured all the people perfectly, but the woman, Dominik almost felt he could recognize. The woman wore a long, dark, purple dress, slits going down both sides of her legs, her arms adorned with bracelets and armlets, a gold, intricate necklace coming down between her breasts, as she smiled next to Lara Dorren. Long, dark chocolate locks went down her shoulders, and her eyes, even in the painting seemed to glow amber gold. She was certainly incredibly beautiful, and Dominik even had a guess as to who it was.

Leila of Tir'Nala, Lara Dorren's old best-friend. Alexander's soon to be wife. His ancestor. And upon that assumption, looking out over the city again, he had guessed where he was.

Tir'Nala itself, the world of the Aen Elle.

"I know what you think of me," A voice made him turn around.

Ciri.

Dominik's breathing hitched. Ciri saw uncomfortable, in a large chair on the opposite side of the room, staring at the back of a massive, seven-foot elf. She wore old elven robes, her hair tied back in a bun, and Dominik saw the red, jagged scar that ran down her cheek. Ciri had always told him her scar was much worse than it looked in the present, and he was seeing that truth now. The mark dominated her cheek, deeper, redder, wider. She was older than in the last vision he saw, seventeen, eighteen, he didn't want to think about it.

But even with the scar, she was still the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

Now however, she was just as rigid as she was with Mistle. Her fingers dug into the hand rests of the chair she glared at the elf. The massive, seven-foot elf turned, and Dominik recognized the now streaky blonde hair from the painting behind him. The pale eyes, the sickly face, that still managed to wear a scowl. It was clear that he was old, decrepit, and he looked at Ciri as if she was a piece of shit he had accidently stepped in.

Ciri had told him recently about the man.

"Do you? Please, enlighten me little d'hione," He spoke, his tone uninterested, disgusted as Ciri looked and met his eyes.

She shook her head. "I disgust you… I know I do. I carry her blood, but also that of a humans, and that disgusts you, I have that drop of elven in me. Like a gold nugget in a pile of compost."

King Auberon turned away from her. "You give yourself to much credit…. That blood… her blood… A pear in pig shit. A diamond, on the finger of a rotting corpse."

The words cut through him like a hot blade.

_A year… almost a whole damn year, I had to go to him… try to…_

This was what Avallac'h forced her through, days upon days of this. She was supposed to be trying to get Auberon to put a child in her, all so that she thought she could leave.

But Avallac'h had no intention of letting her leave, he never had.

_It doesn't matter… you could have stopped this._

Ciri sat in uncomfortable silence, as Auberon sighed annoyedly and turned back to her, sneering his nose down at her.

"You will return to me, and learn more comparisons as part of your lessons…" He said, shaking his head. "Go now… little d'hione… repulsive human creature… of which nothing remains of a elven woman."

The King turned back to the window, and Ciri took her leave. Tears welling in her eyes, when she slammed shut the door to Auberon's chamber, where she slowly fell down the door the ground, silent sobs coming from her.

And the whole time, she looked down at the ring around her neck.

"You _knew _the whole time… you knew what would happen… and you could have prevented it," The voice said behind him again.

Dominik's fists balled, as he turned around again, the tears still stinging his eyes. Black mists churned around him yet again, and soon, he was looking into the eyes of the apparition of Ciri yet again.

Both scenes, played in his mind. Things, that could have been prevented, he could have stopped. He could remember to that day, the horrible dreams he had of Ciri on Thanedd. He remembered begging Geralt to let him go with her. All of what happened to her, all the horrible things he heard she went through, that he just saw her go through, all of them could have been prevented had he somehow gotten to the island with Geralt.

But he hadn't, he had failed her, and it was something he thought about every day.

"I regret it… every day…" Dominik said, his eyes burning as tears slowly trickled down his cheeks, his eyes locking with Ciri's. "And… I won't let any of it happen again."

Around them, the mist continued whirling, until it finally settled, and he found himself back in the cavern, face to face with 'Ciri' again. The blue flames, and rays of sunlight streaming in from above came back into view, as a tingling chill ran down Dominik's spine.

"You promised me that once… how I can trust you again?" The Ciri said, her eyes, slowly turning from the swirling mist of black and red, back to bright, shining emerald.

His body slowly unfroze as he looked at her now. He knew it wasn't really her, but the cave, the magic had produced such a perfect copy of her, all the words came spilling out of him. All of it. Everything he had pent up, that he wanted to tell her.

"Because… I love you, more than anything. For the last eight years, since I got separated from you, I was nothing but cold, cynical, and despondent. There was a time, when I felt like, nothing would end up being worth it. That no matter how much I looked, where I looked, what I did, who I talked to… I wouldn't find you. And _you _Ciri, are what makes this life precious to me, the reason that I was able to keep going…." He slowly said, walking towards her, his eyes not leaving hers.

He looked down and shook his head. "I did everything I could to try and make it to you… but when I look back on it, there's so much more I could have done… and I'll regret that until the day I die. But now… I have you back, and that's all that matter. I fight every day… for _us _there is no, just me, or just you anymore… it's both of us."

Hesitantly, he reached his hands out, taking her face in his hands. He knew it wasn't really her, but even when his hands touched her, he still felt that familiar warmth.

"You're everything….and I'm never going to leave your side again," He said, a slow, explosive tingle running up his arms. "You were my beginning, you're my middle… and my end. And I wasn't there to defend you all those years, but I am now…. And no matter what comes our way Ciri… I'll be there, no…. _We _will be there to face it together… because I don't just protect you… you protect me, and even though I'll regret not being there for you, failing you for the rest of my life… I won't let that stop me from doing everything to protect you now, because _you _are the greatest gift that I've ever been given in my entire life…."

The words had come right from his heart, despite the fact that he had stumbled over them. He looked down into her eyes, and just like every time he did, he felt his heart finally begin to beat again. Her gaze slowly turned warmed, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, that cute scar on her bottom one upturning. His eyes didn't move from hers, from her full pillowy lips, and adorable cheekbones, which shot upwards as she smiled and leaned up towards him.

She kissed him, one long, single, delicate kiss.

For a second he almost melted, before remembering that it was in fact not Ciri that he was kissing. Whatever apparition it was apparently saw his discomfort, because 'Ciri' pulled away from him, giggling the same adorable laugh that Ciri had, as she kept her hand on his face, smiling at him, and slowly nodding.

"Almost there," She said, the smile not leaving, before a black puff of smoke took her place.

Dominik yelped at the sudden change, and fell backwards again, landing with a groan on his back, his swords clunked in their sheaths, his crossbow almost fell from his hip, as he heard another loud grinding news.

"Almost there…." He repeated, dusting off his trousers as he got to his feet.

The message was clear. That was the second chamber, the second fear he had faced, and now, only one remained until the main chamber. He shakily sighed, and looked up to see the new passageway that had opened on the opposite side of the caver, and quickly, with what strength he had left jogged his way towards it.

One more cavern, one more fear to face. He ran through his plan once more as he entered the narrow corridor. Find the sword, get it to Bella, complete the spell from the journal. A small part of him regretted that they had entered that cave, the scenes, the image of what happened to Ciri, played over and over again in his mind, Mistle's hands over her, the degrading words of King Auberon.

But another part of him, was glad that he saw. Because now, he had an even greater understanding, a greater love, and appreciation for just how strong the woman he loved was.

And now that treck wasn't only for Bella. It was to make it back to Ciri in the main chamber, just like he had promised.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri stomach still twisted from the sickening visage of Bonhart's head rolling from his shoulders. She knew that it was an apparition, a trick of the cave, but even so, the loud squelch played over again and again in her ears, and she couldn't get it to stop. However, she also wouldn't deny the pleasure she had at seeing the maniac's head roll again.

She'd never have to deal with him again, and now, she could fully focus on her task at hand.

"Would you look at that, another empty room… no sword," She said, cursing under her breath. "For fuck's sake… just once couldn't it be easy…"

She stood in the middle of the cavern, looking up the beams of sun that were coming leaking through the ceiling. The sun was setting, and her gut wrenched, thinking of Geralt and Yennefer more than likely madly searching for Dominik and her. It also told her that she had been in the tunnels, in the cave for hours, what with it being midday when they arrived. Around her there was still nothing but gravely dirt, nothing at all except the beams of sunlight and blue fire.

Sighing she stood standing in the middle of the chamber, her hands on her hips, waiting for the familiar looking black smoke. It didn't come, and she cursed under her breath.

_What could possibly be worse than Bonhart? What else am I afraid of?_

Nothing came still, and she almost began to think that something had gone wrong, perhaps killing Bonhart in the last chamber wasn't the right thing to do. Sighing again, she picked up a rock from below her, and turned to throw it at the space where she knew an exit into a further corridor had to be.

The rock smacked against it, doing absolutely nothing,

"Shit…" She mumbled to herself, sighing as she looked up through the cracks in the ceiling, up at the slits in the cavern ceiling. "Yen and Geralt are probably going made… great, now I'm talking to myself…. I hope Dom-."

She got cut off, by the sound of boots crunching through the gravel. A quick surge of panic ran through her, she knew the exit behind her had sealed. Her hand went to her sword, and she whirled around, leveling it right towards the source of the noise, directly at someone's neck.

Someone who she never thought she'd see again, someone, who she didn't want to see again.

"Well, well… all grown up aren't we Falka? Damn… I thought you were a looker years ago, look at you now," She cooed, her honey sweet voice, just as smooth as Ciri remembered. Just like she had that first day, she looked Ciri up and down like a piece of meat. "Tits are a little small, but you got quite the ass on you… and your body, look at those curves…"

"Don't you fucking touch me!" Ciri hissed, swinging her sword in an arc, but right before it could cut through her, she disappeared into a puff of smoke.

And the honey sweet voice cooed behind her again. "Oh! Feisty as ever! Don't touch you? My oh my Falka… that certainly wasn't what you said most nights we spent together!"

"That was a mistake! You're nothing but a thief, a rapist, I regret letting you touch me every single fucking day!"

"And why's that? Is it that handsome new boyfriend you have? Falka I'm hurt, I never knew you'd leave my cunt for a cock! Tell me… does he fuck you as well as I do?"

"You didn't fuck me, you raped me, took advantage of me!"

She laughed. "Aha… oh we remember it very differently Falka. I remember, a feisty young girl, who I drove crazy each time my tongue-."

"_Fuck _you," Ciri said, lashing out, but her blade again simply passed through her, as she evaporated into mist.

The laughed hit her ears again. "Oh Falka… I'm so hurt! What happened to my eager little Falka? Oh! I know… do you still have this?"

Ciri had been avoiding looking at her too long, not wanting to see her face again. Ciri knew she wasn't real, she was dead, her head had been cut off. But still, she hadn't wanted to see her. The inside of Ciri's thigh trembled, but not in a pleasant way. It flashed back to her, the robbing, the killing, the fucking, and everything she had worked to suppress all came rushing back to her.

"What is it? Don't wanna look at my cunt? Oh but you were so eager all those other times!" She said, a jovial tone to her words as if the whole situation was amusing.

Ciri finally pulled her head up to see her. She looked just as Ciri remembered, the choppy blonde hair, the thing figure and curves, she wore a leather tunic, brown trousers, and wore the same coy, pretty grin. Sure enough she had pulled her trousers down, her womanhood, out and about, but Ciri's eyes fell right down to her inner thigh.

A rose, one that matched hers.

Mistle.

She laughed, as Ciri gripped tighter on her sword, taring her eyes away from her. Black mist started filling her vision, filling the chamber around her, as Mistle laughed again.

"Aha, come on now Falka, don't you like looking at my cunt anymore?"

"Stop fucking calling me that!" Ciri snapped, shaking her head she turned back around. "My name, is Ciri… not Falka, Ciri!"

Another laugh. "Is that what you tell yourself? That may have been the name you were born with, what you call yourself now. But _I _saw the real you, the real person you are… you were never more authentic, then you were in the time we spent together. Come now Falka, don't you remember how happy we were?"

"We weren't happy! I was a child, I was traumatized, you took advantage of me, raped me, I did what I _had _to do to survive, and that included fucking you, it was nothing, a mistake!"

Mistle scoffed, rolling her eyes. "And getting a matching tattoo right near your cunt to match mine? Did you 'have to do that to survive'? Tell me, how does it make you feel, that whenever your little boyfriend looks between your legs, right before he slips himself in, he sees a reminder of me…. The one who _fucked _you first?"

"YOU BITCH!" Ciri erupted and lunged forward and tried for a third time to cut through her.

Ciri hadn't cared, she knew it was all fake, but for so many years after she realized what had happened, what her relationship with Mistle really was, she had been holding this in. She remembered the night she spent with Dominik in their cave, the beautiful, beautiful night, right before that fucking tattoo on her though had to ruin it. It had been what she said. A mistake.

She would never forget that day, the day Mistle forced herself on her. Even in that moment it made her skin crawl, thinking about her fingers trailing down her legs, entering her, raping her all while Ciri could do nothing about it. She had to go along with it, it was the only way for her to survive, she wanted anything to make the pain from what happened go away.

_You had too, Dominik understands, you had too._

Mistle had burst into a puff of smoke again, as tears pricked at her eyes.

"My oh my! As feisty as ever Falka!" It was a new voice that hit her ears.

Ciri whirled around, her eyes widening. "Iskra?"

Iskra stood next to Mistle, the same shit eating smirk that she always had plastered on her face. The elf scoffed and laughed, looking to Mistle.

"You're right, she's become quite the looker," Iskra said, looking at her with that smirk that Ciri always hated. "Still a feisty little thing too, took you a while to come around last time, doubt it will be that long this time."

Ciri's skin crawled. It had taken her a long time. She remembered how hesitant she was to kill, to rob at first, but with coaxing, both from Mistle and Iskra, she had come around. All it flashed in her eyes, the people she killed, the people she robbed, the people she threatened.

"I'm not that person, I never was," Ciri hissed, her sword leveling at the two women. "I did what I have to do to survive… nothing more."

Mistle laughed. "HA, you did a _lot _more than that Falka!"

"Stop fucking calling me that!" Ciri said, her eyes closing again, gripping the ring around her neck.

Iskra scoffed. "Oh come on of it Falka… you were never more alive than you were in your time with us."

"No…. no I wasn't," Ciri said, closing her eyes to try and block everything out. "I… I did what I had too."

"And what does your little boyfriend think about what you did?" Mistle cooed, her boots crunching under the gravel. "Did you even tell him….? Do you think… he'll love you like he claims, when he learns more about what you did?"

"I already passed this test," Ciri quickly hissed, swinging her sword and making Mistle disappear in a puff of smoke. "The past doesn't matter, Dominik loves me, he always will!"

"Oh he might…. But do you?" Iskra said light, as Ciri felt the elf's breath on her neck. "You know it… deep down… you'll always be Falka…"

"One of the Rats," Mistle said quickly. "And my… excitable little lady."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Ciri said, erupting as she felt her eyes flash bright blue.

A ring of magic erupted out from around her. It shot around her and both Iskra and Mistle disappeared, puffing away in smoke. Breathing heavily Ciri felt her eyes relax, but still felt the magic simmering around her. Wisps of blue energy radiated from her flesh, her anger, reaching new peaks as she whirled around and looked to see nothing but black mist and blue fire.

_You'll always be Falka. _

Her inner thigh trembled. The rose. A symbol of the 'relationship' she and Mistle had shared. It had been eating at her, gnawing at her ever since Bonhart had cut off their heads. They hadn't deserved their fate. None of them did. Nobody deserved a fate that cruel. However, Ciri hadn't thought about their deaths, cared about them since it happened. They turned her into something she wasn't. Her view, on the world, on what she wanted to do was shattered by them. She had done things, that to that day haunted her nightmares, that made her think, that truly deep down she was Falka, that she was the person she was.

The rose on her inner thigh would suggest that was true. Why would she have gotten it, if she didn't truly, feel like she had belonged? Dominik had said the cave showed you, your deepest fears, and that you have to conquer them.

_How do you conquer a fear… if you can't change what happened?_

"You will _always _be one of us Falka," Mistle's voice hit her ears again.

"_Always, _come now… why not embrace it? It's who you are. Deep down," Iskra's voice said, as Ciri's head shot up to looked around her while it cooed on. "You are… will… and always, will be Falka."

"No… no, no I won't," Ciri said, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. "I'm Ciri… Cirilla of Kaer Morhen… a witcher… I help people…"

"Yes you help people… us," Mistle said, as Ciri saw a blade materialized in her hand.

Ciri throat closed up, as with another puff of smoke, one appeared in Iskra's grip as well. And then around her, more people stepped from the mist, three men, one by one, and Ciri recognized them all.

Giselher, Kayleigh, Reef, right alongside Iskra and Mistle.

"You're one of us Falka," Giselher said. "You cannot escape it."

"We're a part of you, you'll never be rid of us," Kayleigh said.

"Forever, you are Falka," Reef said.

Mistle smiled her honeyed grin, stepping forward with her blade. "You made it so. You will _never _be rid of us… rid of me. You'll forever, be one of us… and the reminder is right between your legs."

Her grip around her sword tightened, they got closer and closer, each and every one of them. Ciri wanted to lash out, to fight, to kill them, kill her past and the ones who had made her do the things she had done.

_Only they didn't make you do anything… you did all those things…. You were the one who became Falka, who called yourself that. _She had become Falka, it ensnared her, took over her, took over who she was, how she acted. Ciri was pushed aside, and there was nothing but Falka for those months that she was with them, the months she fucked Mistle, killed and robbed. And Mistle had been right, a permanent reminder was stuck between her legs.

_Dominik see's that every night…. _He had told her he simply ignores it, too enraptured by the moments of pleasure they had, the love making. But Ciri couldn't at times, and the feeling was only washed away by the love he gave her.

But no matter what happened, it was still there, a constant reminder of what she had become, the horrible things she had to do.

"Get away… I said get away!" She hissed, as they all closed in on her, closer, closer, until their sword were almost poking into her.

"Now… why don't we go find a bed Falka?" Mistle said.

"Or a big target, nothing better than a fat purse to wash away your woes." Iskra said.

"Forever… one of us, Falka."

"You _are _Falka."

"You forever will be a Rat."

"It's _who _you are, and you know it."

"Come now Falka."

"Falka."

"_Falka!" _

"_Falka!"_

"You _ARE _Falka"

"It's in your blood, in your soul, who you are!"

"FALKA, FALKA, FALKA!"

"Falka!"

"Who you are."

"Falka…"

Falka, Falka, Falka, Falka.

Over, and over again, that's all she heard. Ciri clamped her hands over her ears, her sword almost falling from her hand, as all the Rat's voices smashed into her brain. All the things, all the kills, all the robbing, it all came back.

The little girl.

_I want the fucking brooch. You're lucky me or my friends, don't take you into the alley, and rape your ourselves. _That girl's face. Ciri would never forget it, the tears, the fear. She couldn't have been any older than ten.

But Ciri had threatened to rape her anyway.

She fell to her knees, her hands still clamped to her temples.

"My tongue back between your legs, the only thing that belongs there." Mistle said.

"You were a natural when you came out of your shell, I'm sure you still got it." Iskra said.

"It's _who you are_. Embrace it… Falka."

"Falka."

"Falka."

"Falka."

"SHUT UP, FOR FUCKS SAKE SHUT UP!" Ciri fell to the ground, to her knees, her sword cluttering to the ground.

Black mist, and the Rats got closer, closer, closer, and all Ciri could do was scream. Her hands clamped over her ears, trying anything to keep the noise out, but she kept hearing it over and over again.

"It's who you are."

"Embrace it."

"You _are _Falka."

Tears slowly came down her cheeks. For so long she had fought to keep it suppressed, keep these memories suppressed. What if really was who she was? What if when she was Falka, it had really been the truest form of herself.

She wiped her face with her left hand and froze when she saw her gloved pulled up. Her bare skin was exposed, and her breathing hitched when she saw it.

A new tattoo, a black wolf head, in the shape of a witcher medallion.

One that matched exactly what Dominik had on his inner wrist now.

_You're Ciri, of Kaer Morhen. The daughter of Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg. My best-friend… the love of my life. I love you… because you're Ciri, not because of any special blood or powers… but because you're Ciri. _

Cirilla of Kaer Morhen, witcher, school of the wolf, that was who she was.

"Falka… that's who you are." Mistle said, her hand reaching down to grab Ciri's shoulder. "Embrace it, be who you really-."

"ENOUGH!"

A burst of magic shot from her, blue rays of light erupted in Ciri's eyes. Blue magic washed away the black smoke, as Mistle, the rest of the Rats, were all blown back. Ciri's heart nearly erupted out of her chest. She scooped up her sword, just as the ghostly apparitions of the Rats, all rose, their eyes black with smoke, with blood red irises.

Kayleigh was the first to charge her from the left. Ciri's powers kicked into action, she easily parried a blow, cutting across the boy's chest, before teleporting forward. Kayleigh's body slid in half, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Magic still burning in her eyes, Ciri turned back around to the remaining four Rats, her eyes bursting as she leveled her sword.

"I'M CIRILLA OF KAER MORHEN, WITCHER, SCHOOL OF THE WOLF," She said, the magic shooting to her limbs, coursing through her veins. "YOU'RE NOT REAL, FALKA ISN'T REAL. WHAT WE HAD WASN'T REAL!"

Her gaze went pointedly to Mistle, who had stolen her first time away from her. Who had manipulated her, pressured her, and turned her into something that she wasn't. Giselher and Reef, made the mistake of charging at her next, but the anger that course in her then, it spurred on the magic on inside her further.

Blinking forward in a flash, she had knocked Reef's sword aside. He vanished into smoke after Ciri's blade cut through his throat, before Giselher came in for an overhead strike. With as much grace and speed as she could muster, the magic making her movements even quicker. The much larger man stood no chance. Ciri parried quickly, dragging her blade along his to his hand, before flicking her wrist and making him drop his blade. With a swift stroke, she cut across his throat. Just like the last two, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Ciri leveled her blade, as Iskra came leaping with surprising swiftness for her next. Parrying, Ciri teleported behind her, but the black magic seemed to be spurring the elf on as well. Ciri went to go strike but heard the whistle of steel behind her. Teleporting away, she just barely dodged the sword from Mistle, leveling her own at them both, magic still in her eyes.

"You won't kill me Falka…. You don't got the tits for it," Iskra said, scoffing as she looked over at Mistle. "See? I told you that she wouldn't-."

She was cut off, but her upper half, separating from her lower half. In a flash of blue light, Ciri teleported, slicing her blade clear through Iskra's stomach. Iskra disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only Ciri and Mistle. Facing her down, Ciri's magic dimmed, color returned to her eyes, as Mistle smirked at her, raising up a sword that honey sweet, coy smile not leaving her.

"Well… here we are my dear…" Mistle said, circling around Ciri with her blade pointed out, gesturing it towards her legs. "You never did tell me, what's your little boyfriend think about having a tattoo for another woman near your cunt?"

Ciri's hands gripped tighter to her sword. "He loves it, and me… more than anything."

Mistle chuckled. "Aha… little Falka, a cock gobbler, never thought I'd see the day. Have you told him? That I was the one to fuck you first."

"I have."

"And how did he take it mhmm? How did _you _take it? How did it feel fucking the 'love of your life', knowing your first time was when we fucked first?"

"Love is about much more than just sex…. Dominik told me that," Ciri said, switching her stance and holding out her sword. "You were nothing but a _mistake. _I was a hurt, broken little girl when you first met me. I let you take advantage of me… but not any longer."

The black swirling mist in her eyes glew fiercely, as she lashed out from above. Ciri raised her blade and blocked, pushing Mistle's sword above her head. With a swift spin, a loud squelch hit her ears, as Ciri's sword plunged hilt deep into Mistle's stomach, the Rat, trembling as Ciri's lips ended up right near her ear.

"You're dead…. Gone… I've moved on… for good." Ciri shoved the Rat off her sword.

Ciri expected to find blood on her blade, but it was clean as Mistle gasped for air, stumbling to her knees. The Rat grabbed onto her stomach, the hole bleeding over her tunic, as the black mist around her disappeared, showing her the familiar cavern where it all had started.

Mistle looked up at her, a small smirk crossing her lips. "Almost there…."

Ciri had time to narrow her eyes in confusion, before Mistle disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

Gone from her view and gone from her thoughts. Forever.

"Almost there…" Ciri repeated, as the familiar grinding of stone hit her ears. "Only one more to go… I hope Dominik's alright."

Gently, she looked down, and move the sleeve of her glove up, revealing the black wolf tattoo again.

A smile creeped onto her lips, as she looked at it, and gripped the ring around her neck.

"Always there for me… one way or another," She said, before looking up, and dashing towards the corridor that had opened.

One more, one more fear, and if it was anything like the first two, she needed to prepare herself.

Only she had no idea, what else there was left for her to fear.

**A/N: And just like that ladies and gentlemen, we have finished the first half of the Cave of Life! I really did want to keep this all one chapter, but that would have required me to shorten the first two challenges for Dominik and Ciri each, so I decided to split it up into two chapters. **

**We only have 7, possibly 8 or 9 chapters left to go period! I never imagined getting to the Isle of Mists let alone the final battle, so I am so so excited! Next chapter we finish the cave of life, we'll see Dominik and Ciri both face their third fear, find the sword, and both get to speak to one person they both really need to talk to who isn't here anymore. Also, we'll finally figure out how Dominik plans on getting Bella the sword!**

**After that, we'll have a smaller, calm before the storm chapter, with some bonding and sweet moments, before the final battel arrives, and we see the culmination of the entire books efforts so far, as Dominik and Ciri fight for the life they always wanted!**

**This chapter however was very eventful itself!**

**First we have Dominik, Ciri, Geralt and Yen all arriving, and I love writing these four together, the cutest little family xD After that they split up to find the cave, and after some Dominik and Ciri cuteness, we quite literally stumble upon the entrance. **

**After splitting up, Dominik and Ciri are both presented with facing two of their deepest fears. **

**Now Dominik facing down Cahir, and while not forgiving him, but putting his hatred to rest, was a scene I always wanted to write, however, obviously Cahir is dead xD So, that was actually what gave me the idea for this concept. Dominik's first fear, is that he'll let his hatred consume him, and that his anger at the past will corrupt who he is. So after a fight, Dominik doesn't forgive Cahir, but he puts his hatred to rest. **

**Anyone who follows the Instagram or has read these ANs knows I do not like Cahir at all in the books lol It quite literally all stems from the fact I think he is a massive creep, who fell in love and had pervy dreams about a literal child in Ciri lol. If you just remove that part Cahir is probably my favorite character, and as we see Dominik shares this sentiment xD However, Dominik and I both can't deny that he did do good before he died, (Even if it was because he did it because he loved a literal child). **

**His second challenge, was facing the fear that Ciri would be separated from him again, and that facing the guilt of not going to Thanedd with her. He sees two of the more traumatic experiences of Ciri's journey. And Dominik reacts in this chapter, and will next chapter when he sees Ciri again well… how you would expect someone to react after seeing the one they love go through something like that.**

**Now yes, yes I'm aware both scenes with Auberon and Mistle aren't exactly what happened in the books, but a few things 1.) I didn't feel like going and finding the chapters where these things happened lol they are quite disturbing for me to read. 2.) Both scenes played out differently in this story, because of the inclusion of Ciri thinking about Dominik. 3.) They're close enough to what happened I believe xD**

**So those were Dominik's fears, now onto Ciri…**

**Her first one, is facing down the man responsible for bringing her so much pain, for torturing and chasing her, Leo Bonhart. Similar to Dominik, Ciri is afraid of her traumatic past, turning her into the very people she fought so hard against, that all her trauma and the things she did to survive will come back to haunt her. **

**Just like in the books however, Ciri is able to kill Bonhart, and remembering Dominik's words of, 'nothing else matters' is able to move on. **

**Then after that… the scene with the Rats. Now, I hated the Rats with a burning passion, Mistle is an f-ing r**ist, and they're all just pieces of garbage in my mind. They took advantage of the state Ciri was in. She was quite literally what 13 years old then? Mistle raped her, took advantage of her, and then Stockholm Syndrome kicked in, and Ciri began to think that they were truly her only escape. I don't believe any of the bs that says Ciri really loved Mistle, it was disgusting and built of rape, Ciri was taken advantage of. **

**In the books she never comes to realize this for obvious reasons, she had a lot more to worry about like the multitude of people trying to kill her. And even when she reunites with Geralt, they don't get into specifics of what happened so Ciri can learn she was taken advantage of. **

**However, obviously in this story it's different with Dominik in the picture, and him being there helps Ciri realize this point. She fears becoming the person she was, becoming Falka again, and with reminders of what really matters, and who she is she's able to defeat her fear!**

**SO, what are Dominik and Ciri's last challenges going to be? Who or what will they face? And who will they both get to speak too who is currently dead and how will they help them? And how does Dominik plan on getting the sword to Bella?**

**Anyway, as always everyone if you like this story and you want to see even more awesome FanArt besides just what I have as the profile pictures here, go and follow the Instagram I made for this story! Go and follow dominik_of_cintra if you want to see awesome fanart of this story!**

**As usual everyone thank you so much for reading, please be sure to follow if you enjoyed, favorite and leave a review if you have time! Stay safe everyone and I will see you all next time!**


	84. The Cave of Life II

**A/N: Hello everybody and thank you all for bearing with me the last week or two! I know this is later then i normally update, but i had a bit of a setback these last two weeks. University finals and essays are plentiful for me with the semester coming to an end, and also i had a problem with my computer. My laptop, quite literally a few hours after posting the last chapter somehow someway broke on me. It was a hardware issue, my keyboard quite literally stopped working, if not for it being a touch screen i wouldnt have even been able to get into it. So unfortunately i had to send it for repairs. It was the laptop i used for school and for writing so it was a bit neccessary xD I had to switch over to my old laptop which runs extremeley slow. Not to mention i had to rewrite all i had wrote xD**

**But i have this chapter done now, the next one is as well. I'm about to start writing the final battle. I don't know if i'm going to do what i did with the Battle of Kaer Morhen and just wait until i'm done all the parts to post them quicker. This would mean about two three weeks of a wait, but when i do finish they will come quick and fast. I'm not sure however, but for now i want to ask you all bare with me while i have this old laptop for the next few weeks haha as i also still have school to finish for the semseter. As usual thank you all so much, i LOVED writing this chapter, and i can't wait for you all to read it! **

**The Witcher: T****hrough the Worlds**

**Chapter 84: The Cave of Life II**

**Narrator: In their mission to save Dominik's younger sister Bella from the clutches of the Wild Hunt, Dominik, Ciri, Geralt and Yennefer all traveled to the island of Undvik in Skellige. They made their way to the village of Brekka, the village that Bella once lived in, after losing her memory at the sack of Cintra. Dominik's plan was to find the sword that once belonged to he and Bella's grandfather Sir Ryland, which one day would have been passed down to Bella and he. This was the one object from their past Bella had with her after the sack of Cintra, so Dominik hoped the sword could help jar her true memories, after she was brainwashed by the Wild Hunt. However, to find the cave, Dominik and Ciri must navigate the treacherous Cave of Life, a magical cave in Skellige, where within, you must face and conquer the three greatest fears of your life. The reward for survival, the chance to speak with a loved on whom has passed, one who you need to speak too most. The sword is buried deep within the cave, in its main chamber. So in order to help save Bella, Dominik and Ciri both venture into he cave, where they must conquer their truest, deepest fears…**

"One more… just one more…" Ciri muttered to herself as she saw the exit to the corridor she had gone down.

This was the last chamber, the last fear she had to face. Compared to the previous two, the corridor she had walked down then was much shorter. She assumed this was to make it even more difficult when you went and faced your last challenge. Leo Bonhart, and the Rats. She had no idea what else could be waiting for her, and automatically her thoughts went to Dominik as she got closer to the next cavern. She wondered what he could possibly be facing. She liked to think she knew what his worst fears were, they were similar to fears she had.

Being alone, losing each other again. She hadn't had to face down any challenges like that so far, but she wondered if he had faced anything like that. He would make it through she knew he would. Dominik surviving wasn't her concern.

It was the black smoke that was already billowing when she entered the chamber.

"Well that certainly was fast…" She said, as the only light she could see in the room, was the bright blue brazier of fire.

As soon as she set foot past the exit, she heard a light rumbling of rock. Sure enough as she looked back, the tunnel she came through closed, sealing her inside. The tips of Ciri's fingers twitched, as she readied her hand to reach for her sword. In both of the previous chambers, it had taken a while for the smoke to appear, for her visions, her fear to appear.

But now, she walked up to the fire, it sounded as if it was a bright blue heartbeat. It danced in Ciri's eyes as she looked into the coals. A cold chill ran down her spine, as the black mist churned, and churned, but she kept her eyes trained on the fire. For a moment, she almost thought she could see her own reflection in the flames. Closing her eyes, an uneasy tingle ran down her back, weaving its way around into her stomach. Her gut wrenched, as she balled her gloved hands into fists and shakily sighed.

"Anything that comes… you're ready… you're ready," She said. Her voice was low, and with each passing second, she shook more.

What was it that she had to face? Why was whatever it was taking so long? The more she thought, the more monsters, the more fears came to her mind. With all she had seen, all she had experienced, there was any number of horrors that could be coming out of the mist.

_Vilgefortz? No, Bonhart mentioned him in the first challenge. Auberon? No, I didn't fear him, I simply hated him. Dominik's death? It's a fear yes, but one that already haunted her dreams, I doubt the cave will pick something so… simple._

Both of her previous challenges had deeper meanings behind who she fought. She wasn't afraid of Bonhart, she had killed him once, and she simply hated the man. She was afraid of her past traumas, coming back to haunt her, and ruin her attempt at a new life now. She also wasn't afraid of the Rats. Even when she was with them before, she could have killed them if she wanted, but she hadn't, because she was a foolish girl, and the need for companionship and safety had taken hold. She did fear however, that deep down perhaps she still was Falka, that person she had become.

_What could it be now…. Eredin?_

Yes, she did fear Eredin. Feared the King of the Hunt getting his hands on her, feared he'd use the blood in her veins to destroy her world, her friends, Geralt, Yen, Dominik. It was almost every night that she saw Dominik getting stabbed in the leg, Eredin's blade cutting across his cheek. His scar had healed well. Ciri still found him as handsome as ever. But whenever she saw it, she was reminded of that battle. Him fighting Eredin. For her. All while she was unable to do anything to help him.

She had almost lost him then, and it was because of Eredin. He had almost died, been seconds from death in her arms. It was a nightmare she saw almost every night.

Armored boots clunked behind her, echoing off the walls in the mist, and her shoulders tightened. Taking in a deep breath, she gripped her hand around the hilt of her sword.

_He's just an illusion… you can do this. _Certainly, the apparition wouldn't have Eredin's skill or powers. It had happened in the previous chambers. The Bonhart she fought, wasn't nearly as skilled as the real thing. The Rats, while having her powers made the fight almost effortless, would have put up at least a bit more a fight in real life. The challenges, they were meant to shake you, and Ciri wouldn't be.

"Cirilla. Your time is now." The deep voice said.

Ciri's heart dropped. It wasn't Eredin.

"Do you hear me girl? It is time. This is what you were born for, _this _is your purpose. You will be Queen of this land, that is your purpose."

_He isn't real, he isn't real. _Ciri slowly slid her sword off her back, turning around, her teeth grinding. Chills ran down her chest, that day at Stygga Castle, that traumatic day, it all came back to her. She didn't want too, but she soon looked up into the dark, cold, foreboding eyes. The eyes of her father.

Emhyr.

"You don't scare me," She said, her breathing quickening. "You never have, you never will. Now fuck off, this caves tricks can't scare me."

The emperor shook his head, a bone chilling smile. "I would not be here… if you didn't fear me, my daughter."

"_Don't _fucking call me that, you fucking degenerate," She snapped again, her arms shaking as she pointed her sword at the man. "I'm _no _daughter of yours!"

He wore the same thing he had that day at Stygga Castle. The day, he wanted to take her, to rape her, to force her to bear a child from him. Royal, regal black armor, that golden fucking sun Ciri was sick of seeing plastered on his chest. A broadsword hung from his belt. He wore that same mask of arrogance, and superiority that he always did.

_No, I'm not afraid of him! The cave got it wrong, he doesn't scare. _The thought repeated over and over in her mind. However, he arm still shook as she held her blade. The idea of being the room as this man, of being in his line of sight, of his hands being on her, it made her fumble for her sword.

Above it all, however, was the thought of him taking away her freedom. Of taking her and using her for his own selfish purposes.

No, there was no deeper meaning, no hidden message in this final challenge.

She simply faced down, the man that she feared the most.

Emhyr scoffed. "But you are, my daughter. Look me in the eyes, you know it's true, you know it is no lie."

Ciri knew it wasn't, but it was simply something she didn't want to believe.

"You'd be surprised at the lengths people go to, to deny something that's true, when they don't wish it to be… I'm no different. I'm no daughter of yours." Ciri said, trying to keep a steady tone.

The Emperor scoffed again. "And who is your father then? The witcher? _Gregory_? Both lesser men. Neither hold the kind of powers I-."

"Gregory and Geralt are twice the men you'll ever be in your sad pathetic life! Don't you _dare _say a word against either of them, they've done more for me then you've ever done, or will ever do!" She said, her heart, lurching up into her throat.

"And yet, Gregory is dead, his wife is dead. He discovered exactly the type of power I wield," Emhyr said, his voice calm, confident and composed. "And soon, the witcher will die as well. After that, Gregory's little brat, and with them gone you will-."

"I'LL KILL YOU! THAT'S WHAT I'LL FUCKING DO, IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON EITHER OF THEM!" She erupted, her sword leveling towards the man's throat. "You won't have them, and you won't have me!"

Emhyr reached out, casually moving away the point of her blade. "Oh, but I will. You are my daughter; thus I get to decide what is best for you. You _will _become Empress, whether you like it or not, that is your fate, it was already decided when you were born."

"My fate is my own! I make my own path!"

"Do you truly believe that?" Emhyr said, pacing around her with a dry laugh. "Even now, you let others decide your fate. You let the sage manipulate you twice, you are nothing but a child, who knows nothing of the way of the world. And most importantly, you are _my _daughter, so I will be the one to decide what is best for you."

"You'll decide fuck all that's what you'll decide!" She said, her skin, prickling as she closed her eyes and shook her head. "You won't force me to do anything, you want nothing but what's best for yourself!"

A small chuckle left the man. "Aha… oh Ciri. I didn't expect you to be so selfish. I offer you, the largest empire the world has ever seen… and you still refuse? I wish to gift it to you."

"You don't want to 'gift' it to me! You want me to inherit the mess you've made!" She spat, her face getting hot as her sword pointed again. "The nobles seek to depose you, they plot your assassination, and the only way to save yourself, is to abdicate to me! After that, you'll marry me off to one of them, to squelch their anger, why you get off scot free!"

Another laugh from him. "Aha… and you do not see all the good you'd be able to do for the people of the continent as Empress? How much of a difference you can make?"

"You've tainted the name of Nilfgaard for years to come with your fucking wars!" She said, anger spilling from her like a fountain. "I refuse to take control of an empire that sacked and burned my home. I can make a difference plenty, as a witcher! We save people, save people from monsters… monsters like you!"

"You're as utterly selfish and deluded as your mother," Emhyr said with scorn, narrowing his eyes down at Ciri. "You refuse… even though you call me a monster, you have a chance to depose this monster and take over yourself. Again it matters not, you _will _do as you're told, you will come with me…."

A cold chill erupted up her body. Shaking, she remembered him trying to drag her away, drag her away at Stygga Castle in tears, to take her and go through with his sick, twisted plan.

"I'm going nowhere with you…" Ciri said, shaking her head, her eyes narrowing. "After what you tried to do to me… you don't even deserve to be in the same room as me."

"This nonsense again?" Emhyr said, rolling his eyes as if the entire situation annoyed him, as if it wasn't a big deal. "What I tried to do; I did for the good of the realm."

"YOU WANTED TO FUCKING RAPE ME, TO MARRY ME, YOUR OWN DAUGTER YOU SICK FUCK!"

"But I thought you weren't my daughter?"

"You're a bastard, a sick, twisted bastard," She sneered, shaking her head. "You're the most delusional, arrogant man in this world. You wanted to rape me, to force me to marry you, for me to have your fucking child, while I was a child myself, and your fucking daughter!"

"But I did not, in the end, I decided to let you go, did I not?"

"Oh, how fucking kind of you!" Ciri said sarcastically, in a mocking tone as the black mist continued spinning around them. "You only almost dragged me from the fucking castle, with me in tears, intent on fucking raping me. You only fucking stopped because of what Yennefer said, because you got called out for your sick, twisted plans. You are nothing but a degenerate, a bastard, what fucking man decides he wants to rape his own daughter!? What man even _thinks _of doing something like that!"

"It was for the good of the realm," Emhyr said with a wave of his hand. "The prophecy stated that a child of mine and yours would rule over the entire continent,"

Ciri's inside twisted again. "You'd rape your fucking daughter… all so you could rule over all?"

"So our child would."

"A CHILD YOU HAD WITH YOUR FUCKING DAUGHTER!"

"I've not time for your incessant prattle," Emhyr said with a wave of his hand again, his voice getting darker, and darker as he looked at her. "I will rule over the continent anyhow, after my conquest is finished."

"You won't…. Adda is going to kick your fucking ass. I don't even know why I'm arguing with you. You aren't real, you're so illusion this cave has cooked up for me." Ciri said, her teeth grinding.

Emhyr laughed. "HA, I fear no widow. But… you are right, daughter. I may not be real; I may be an illusion from this cave… but you know what? When you walk out of here… I'll be out there…. And I will still get my hands on you."

The words made Ciri's back shoot straight up, all color draining from her face.

He was right.

The previous two challenges, Bonhart, the Rats. She was able to get through those challenges easily enough, partly because in the back of her mind, she knew they were gone. If she escaped the cave, she'd never see Bonhart or the Rats again.

However, this case was different. Emhyr wasn't just in that cave across from her then. He would out there, expecting to get his hands on her after this was all over.

"You won't…. I won't let you, Geralt won't let you, Dominik won't let you," She said, her voice getting lower, her eyes looking down at her sword hanging from her hand.

Dominik had sworn, Geralt had sworn. Emhyr wasn't going to get his hands on her again. She was silent, her hands, trembling around her blade. Was she truly afraid? He had terrified her enough the first time she saw him.

_No, you're not afraid, you're not afraid. _

But when his armor clunked, and Ciri could feel his presence walking around her. Each step like an echo in a canyon, a bell ringing right next to her ear.

"The Witcher, is disposable enough," Emhyr said with a wave of his hand. "And as for Gregory's brat… he will be dealt with, just as Gregory was. Do you not understand, daughter?"

He got close, his lips, only inches from Ciri's ear as he lumbered over her. "You belong to _me. _Your life is _mine _to do with as I see fit. If I tell you that you will be empress… you _will _be empress. You're lucky I don't resort to my old plans… now, when will you finally accept this?"

Her spine trembled. The very cells in Ciri's body caught on fire. She gripped around her sword, her eyes closed, trying to ignore the words, but they cut through her, pierced her like an arrow.

_This is a challenge, there's a deeper meaning. You just need to figure out how to conquer it, conquer him._

She kept her eyes closed, probing her mind, for any possible solution. In the first chamber, to advance, she had to come to realize, that her past didn't matter. That Dominik, Geralt, everyone was there with her now, that she couldn't let what happened frighten her. In the second challenge, she had to come to grips with what she had done. She had to kill Falka, convince, and finally help herself realize, she wasn't that person. The both of them had been harrowing, seeing Bonhart, Mistle, the Rats, all had opened up old wounds that she long thought dead. Both had required her to think, the fear had layers to it.

It wasn't complicated now. There was no deeper meaning.

She was simply afraid.

"You've seen what happens to those who defy me," Emhyr said, standing right behind her, her voice raking against her ears. "Gregory died… his little brat will die…. You want to kill me, don't you?"

Ciri said nothing, a long, deep breath leaving her as she worked to control her anger. Because if she didn't, she was afraid she would end up bringing the cavern down around her.

Emhyr laughed. "Ha… of course you do. But you will not. You are many things dear daughter. But in the end… you're still just a little girl. Now, here is what will happen… I will finish my conquest of the continent, then you will become empress. You will come to Vizima with me, learn from me…. Gregory's brat will be killed, he is a complication. A husband will be found for you, someone more… suitable-."

_No. _

"NO!"

Magic erupted from her limbs, as Ciri's hand shot to her waist. With the magic spurring on her arm, she unsheathed her dagger, turning around, aiming right for Emhyr's eye socket. The blade moved with more speed then Ciri had ever mustered, and a loud squelch hit her ears.

But her blade had missed its mark.

Emhyr had raised up a hand. Ciri's blade sank deep into his palm. Blood, and black smoke oozed from it, as Ciri tried to yank it free, but with a close of his fist, Emhyr yanked the weapon out of her hand. The emperor looked at the weapon, scoffing as he looked down at her disapprovingly. The smoke around him billowed, as all Ciri had to illuminate her vision was large brazier of blue fire. It crawled and snaked up his body, as he scoffed again, tossing her dagger to the side, drawing his longsword from his hip. The steel was awash with black smoke, as he shook his head down at her.

"You surprise me, I thought you have been more efficient," He said, his sword dipping towards the floor. "Why bother with this daughter? You will not kill me. You are many things… but you are not a patricide."

The man before her had been responsible for her misfortunes. If he had never used her mother, burned Cintra, she could be living there now. She could be Queen, reluctantly, but Ciri always assumed she would have grown into it, so long as she was allowed to be with Dominik. Bella would still be with them, alive, herself. Gregory perhaps would be her guard captain, and if she were lucky, Dominik her betrothed, all though the odds of that were slim. Either way she would have been with him. They would have been happy. Geralt would have come eventually, destiny leading him to her. Everything would have been alright, better.

But no, her life had been ripped from her, all for Emhyr's arrogance. And then even afterwards, he had helped with the coup of Thanedd, with the evidence being Cahir had come for her there. And then for years, he continued to chase and chase her.

Finally he had found her, and she would have preferred being dead to the fate Emhyr had in store for her at Stygga Castle. He wanted to control her then, just like he did now, and it terrified her in that cave, as it did that day in Stygga Castle.

He had been responsible for Gregory dying, for all of Cintra being burned. He had haunted her dreams, terrified her all her life.

_The only time we can be brave… is when we're afraid. _It was her grandmother's favorite saying.

Ciri grabbed up to the hilt of her sword again, seeing through the black mist, with the light of the magic that emanated from her limbs.

"Well… it's lucky you're no father of mine then," She said, looking up at Emhyr, her sword leveling, the magic spurring through her body. "My life is nobody's except my own… you won't have me."

"Oh… but I will," Emhyr said, pointing his sword out to her. "Either you die here, or you escape… and I have you out there."

"We'll see about that…." Ciri said, gritting her teeth, and lunging forward, the magic igniting her limbs.

She lashed out, her magic pushing her forward in a teleport. Ciri expected her blade to easily cut through him like butter, like it had in the previous chambers. However, it seemed that the last chamber was the most difficult for a reason. A puff of black smoke appeared, and Emhyr disappeared just before she could cut him down. A blade whizzed behind her. Ciri ducked forward, just narrowly avoiding the steel, before spinning back around in time to parry a strike from the left.

"You will never be free of me girl; you will _never _be free." Emhyr hissed, his blade locked over Ciri's.

Her teeth grinded, and when her arms started to buckle she teleported, reappearing behind him, going for a thrust. Another puff of smoke, and for what felt like hours, they almost played tag. Ciri teleported forward, but smoke would meet her vision, and she'd have to teleport away again. Her sword clanged against his, as they darted towards each other in puffs of black and blue magic, and Ciri finally came out to a stop, heavily breathing as sweat dripped down her forehead.

"Dammit…" She cursed, before turning around just as she heard armor clunking again.

"When will you realize daughter," Emhyr said, skulking towards her, black swirls of magic radiating around his arms. "That all your efforts are pointless. You are mine; your future is what I decided to make it."

His eyes were similar to Bonhart's, to those of the Rats now. Black smoke, with two blood red iris's, as his sword flashed.

"My future is my own!" Ciri said, parrying, spinning to go for a strike at the back.

A teleport, and then a thrust came near her back. She dodged at the last second, and it saved her life. Ciri hadn't taken any hits from the previous two fights, but it turns out the damage was indeed real. Steel cut across her corset, through it and into the side of her torso. She yelled out, nearly dropping her sword, as she clutched at her torso.

Blood. She pulled her hand back, and it was coaxed in crimson. Barely having time to react, she slashed her sword forward and parried another strike, spinning to safety and leveling her sword with one hand, as her other stayed on her waist.

Emhyr scoffed a laugh, looking at his sword. His sword, that was dripping her blood.

"Bah, is this really it?" He said with disinterest. "I thought that the witchers would have taught you better. It matters not, when you are empress, when you rule the realm, you'll have no need for any of this. I'll leave it to your husbands' discretion."

Ciri looked down at her bleeding torso, her bloody hand.

Her blood. The course of every problem she had ever had in her life.

Along with the man standing across from her.

She looked up, into Emhyr's beady eyes, his cruel, cold eyes. Ciri never like to admit it, but she could always see herself in the man, in his eyes, in the symmetries of his face. It had terrified her at first, looking even somewhat like him, being born from him, him being attached to her in any way.

_But you're your own person now. He doesn't define who you are… you define who you are. _They were words she remembered speaking to Fiona, back in Claywitch, words Dominik had repeated to her, multiple times. That was what would happen. She had decided on the life she wanted to live long ago, and it had been reaffirmed after her and Dominik's trip to Claywitch.

He was waiting for her; Dominik was waiting for her in the main chamber. Fiona was waiting for them in Claywitch.

She looked up, into the eyes of the creature that was her father. The blood, crimson red eyes, in the sockets of black smoke. His sword dipped at his side, and Ciri saw the arrogant, cold, chilling look in his gaze. The one before her, had magic in his eyes yes, it was an illusion created to scare her.

But it didn't scare her any longer.

A deep pot of rage stewed in her stomach. She removed her hand from her torso, bringing both up to her blade. Blue shot into her eyes, around her arms, around her sword, as she ignored the flaring pain in her torso. Shifting her feet, she leveled the blade, the rage spilling over.

"I'll leave it up to my own discretion thanks…" She said, magic brimming in her eyes. "You'll have no say in the matter… you won't have much say in anything for much longer."

A laugh came from him. "Aha… and why do you say that dear daughter?"

A small smile tugged at Ciri's lips. "Because I'm not your daughter. And no matter what, no matter how much land you conquer, how many people you control… the one thing you'll never control is me…"

"Your mother said the same," Emhyr said. "And despite Gregory's best efforts, she died, and so did he. Soon, his son will die, the witcher will die. And you'll be left with just me…"

"Gregory, Geralt… Dominik. All of them, are twice the man you'll ever be, in your sad, miserable, pathetic life." Ciri said, the smirk fully forming now. "Besides, even if I did somehow lose them both. You'd never get control of me, I'm too much for you to handle."

"You will be handled; we'll do something about this rebellious side of you."

"Like you tried to do with my mother?" Ciri said, almost cheekily. "You failed with her… so that was why you got her killed. You'll pay for her death, for Gregory's, for all the homes you've raised. Adda, is going to kick your ass, and one day, all of your sins will come back to haunt you. It'll be slow, painful, and I only hope that I'm there to see it."

Emhyr scoffed again. "I tire of your prattle, you're as much of a brat as your mother was."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It wasn't," Emhyr sneered. "It's as I said, you either die here… or I get you out there."

Ciri's eyes flashed blue again. "Come on then and try 'Duny'. I've never fought a hedgehog before, I normally find them quite cute."

"SILENCE GIRL! I AM YOUR FATHER AND YOU WILL SPEAK TO ME AS SUCH!" The apparition flared, black smoke shooting erratically.

Ciri managed a scoff, twirling her sword in hand. "Struck a nerve? I think, you're the pathetic one, the sad one. Because you know deep down, that's all you will ever be… a cursed hedgehog!"

Emhyr screamed, as the magic shot around him. He lashed out with a powerful strike from the right. Ciri's eyes flashed, as she saw the opening perfectly. She raised up and quickly parried, spinning to the Emperor's side, and cutting her blade across his torso. Another scream, as he tried to whirl back around and cut across her back. Ciri ducked and rolled forward, scooping up the dagger Emhyr had tossed aside.

"YOU IMPUDENT CHILD! I AM THE EMPEROR!" He screamed, raising his blade to bring it down onto her. "I AM YOUR FATHER; YOU WILL DO AS I-."

A loud squelch cut him off, as Ciri's dagger jutted out from his ribs, right between the slits of his armor. The dagger jutted out of Emhyr, blood cascaded slowly down his armor, bleeding the stones beneath them. Ciri half expected him to puff into black smoke, but to her surprise, and slight satisfaction he stayed there. His blade dropped from his hand, and both of them went to the dagger jutting out of his ribcage. Blood, more of it continued to pour from him like fountain, and Ciri slowly rose to her feet. Emhyr had hunched over to hold his hands against his torso.

Now Ciri stood over him as he was speechless, pained, just like he had done to her only minutes prior.

"Dominik taught me about that spot," Ciri said slowly. She walked over, grabbing the hilt of her dagger.

When she did, Emhyr tried to pushed forward, to grab her, but he stiffened, unable to move. Slowly, he fell to his knees, as Ciri kept her hand on the daggers hilt. Blood slowly started to spew from the corners of Emhyr's mouth as he looked up at her. The pain, the pale face, the eyes, the eyes, that were now filled with fear, she saw it all in him then.

It was a look she had many times over the years, all while he had hunted her.

"A witcher from the School of the Cat showed it to him," Ciri said, pushing on the dagger, further up into Emhyr's ribs. He croaked out again, blood spewing from his mouth as Ciri looked him in the eyes. "A large cluster of veins gather there. If you hit it just right… a man bleeds dry in minutes. It doesn't matter who he is… see that? You're just a man…"

"I… am… the Emperor child…." Emhyr croaked, his breathing labored, as his eyes didn't leave Ciri, the life slowly draining from them. "Even…. When you… leave… you… will still… have to… contend with me."

"You're right," Ciri said, pushing the blade further up into his ribs, and leaning her head closer to his ear, as his pained groans filled her mind. "But you see… you don't scare me anymore… so Dominik and I will deal with you, just like we'll deal with Eredin, and all the others who have chased me…"

Emhyr looked like he was about to saw something else, but with her magic still moving her faster, Ciri pulled the dagger from the man's stomach and cutting it across his neck.

There was a gurgle of blood, before Emhyr dropped to the floor like a sack of flower. As the black mist of the cave slowly parted, revealing the cavern floor she had been familiar with, the ground lapped up his blood. The Emperor of Nilfgaard's blood watered the stones below her, the blood of the man who made her life hell, the blood of her father.

_No… not my father. _He never was, and never would be.

As the mist finally cleared, Ciri waited for the body to disappear. Her legs finally started shaking when she didn't. Looking down at her dagger, it had been cleared of blood. Shakily sighing, she slid the dagger into her belt, reaching a small distance away to retrieve her sword, and sliding it onto her back. She looked down at her hands, and her glove was still bloody. She winced from the pain that flared in her torso, cursing that the blood from Emhyr hadn't been real, but hers had.

"Dammit… I'll need to have Freya patch me up…" She muttered to herself, looking down at her blood corset, a hole now in the side of it and rolled her eyes. "And I _really _need to get myself some proper armor-."

She was cut off by the sound of clunking armor. Instinctively she reached to her blade. Her hand went to the grip of her sword, and she turned, her stomach dropping.

"Congratulations…" Emhyr's body said, blood still seeping from his throat and ribcage. "You've passed… let the person, who can help you most come to you… and may you take the lessons you learned today… and carry them with you."

Her eyes widened, as her arms shook. She almost thought it was another trick, but soon she heard the familiar rumble of stone. Turning around, she saw a final corridor open. She just had time to be amazed, and when she turned back around, Emhyr had disappeared, leaving a puff of black smoke in his wake.

_He's still out there… looking for you, he still is trying to control you. _The thought raced through her mind, but quickly she shook it away. It was replaced by one singular thought.

"Dominik…" She said, eyeing the final corridor, and sprinting for it.

Dominik had promised to meet her in the main chamber. It was where the sword to help Bella had to be.

And apparently, would let her speak with the person who was gone, that could help her the most.

She didn't care. She just wanted to see Dominik again, the memories of the challenges, all looping into her mind. Bonhart, Mistle, Emhyr, all of them. She prided herself on being strong, but if being with Dominik, and having him back since they reunited had taught her one thing. Was that you didn't need to shoulder fear alone.

He would be there, waiting for her, just like he always would be.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Nothing was happening.

"Shit… this can't be good," Dominik muttered, standing aimlessly in the middle of the third chamber he had come too. "And… again no sword, can't believe my fucking luck…"

The chamber was empty again, nothing but smooth gravely stone that he had become accustom too in the last two chambers. No stones jutting up, no alcoves in the walls. Just a smooth, circular room of stone, with small slits letting sunlight beat down onto his back as he stood. It was almost sunset. Geralt and Yen would surely be ripping their hair out searching for them, and he wasn't particularly excited for the hiding he and Ciri would get when they saw them again.

However, Ciri was all he was currently worried about.

Standing there, nothing happening around him, all he could see was the visions from the previous challenge. Her being raped, her being degraded. All because he wasn't there.

It was something that would be etched into his mind for the rest of his life. In that moment, all he wanted to do was hold her. Hold her, and not let her go. Tell her how much he loved her, how sorry he was. But Ciri wouldn't want pity, this he knew.

She was the strongest person he knew, and they were together now. That was what mattered.

After what felt like an hour, nothing still happened, and he sighed. "Fuck… well guess I could try meditating."

Meditating for him didn't work like a mutated witcher. Geralt he knew could sit for hours in the same spot. The day could go by around him, and he could stand hours later with it only having felt like a few minutes. Dominik couldn't do that. However, it didn't stop him and Ciri both from learning the techniques at Kaer Morhen. He got down to his knees, adjusting his swords, and placing his hands in front of him. In the ideal situation, he would have lit a fire, but he had nothing to burn then. So he sat there on his knees, the cold air of the cave darting up his spine.

_Align yourself, clear your mind, be at peace. _With the day he had, he certainly could have used some peace. He didn't know how long until the final battle, it could be another few days. He needed to find the sword, send the dream to Bella, and finally prepare himself. He didn't know how he would, but he needed to do something. With all that in mind, a few minutes of meditating he knew could do wonders for him.

He remembered when Geralt gave him his first mediation lesson. They hadn't even gotten to Kaer Morhen yet. It was during their days traveling. Dominik himself hadn't slept much, still not fully trusting the witcher, and wanting to make sure Ciri slept on the road. Geralt saw this and saw the anxiousness in him. So to help, he showed Dominik how to align himself, how to clear his mind, to meditate, and try to find peace, if not for a moment.

It had worked then and worked many times for him on the road over the previous years.

But it didn't nothing then.

All he saw, was Ciri. Mistle's hands invading her body, hearing her sobs while it happened. He heard Auberon, degrading her, calling her repulsive, before she cried, holding the ring around her neck the entire time, begging, pleading for him.

He passed the last challenge, he would protect her, he'd never leave her side again. He knew this, yet still, no matter how hard he focused, he couldn't find the normal inner peace that came when he mediated.

And a jolt of pain, piercing into his inner thigh interrupted him.

"GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH FUCK!" He fell on his back, rolling in as his leg writhed as if a sword had been plunged into his thigh.

Guttural screams left him. The pain shot up his body, his chest, into his throat. Only once in his life had he felt pain of such magnitude. Rolling, writhing on the ground he couldn't think. Pain. That was the only thing that raced through his mind, how much pain he was in. He grabbed on his inner thigh, where the pain was at its epicenter, screaming the entire time, his voice echoing off the enclosed walls of the cave.

When he managed to blink, he finally saw the black smoke begin to churn in his vision.

"AHHHHH FUCK! FUCKING FUCK!" He said, screaming again, as new pain course through his veins.

He squeezed at his leg, trying anything to make the pain go away. It was in vein, because the fire that sparked in his inner thigh traveled up his body again. His vision went blurry, the cave and smoke around him began to all become invisible to him. All he could focus on was the throbbing of his inner thigh. His mind muddled, as he tried to figure out, what possibly could have happened.

His question was answered when he pulled his hand off his thigh.

Blood coaxed his glove.

He managed to widen his eyes, and then suddenly, the pain stopped. His heart fell to his boots, his blood, turning to rivers of ice in his veins. Still feeling throbbing in his leg, he looked down at his inner thigh. Shakily breathing, he reached and pressed his hand to it again.

"Wh… what… how?" He said, completely befuddled, as he pulled his glove back to see covered in his own blood again. "No… no, no, no, no…."

Looking at his throbbing inner right leg, he saw blood, pooling out and seeping through the leg of his trousers. Panic welled up inside him, the river of ice that was flowing in his veins coming to a stand-still. With trembling hands, he furiously clamped his hands over the wound.

The wound that Eredin had inflicted upon him.

And he knew what his final challenge was.

"Shit… no, no I'm not ready, fuck…" He said, his heartbeat rapidly increasing as he scrambled to clamp both hands down on his inner thigh.

_No… no I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid. _

Only he was.

After minutes, of furiously trying to press down on his leg, quick, panicked breaths leaving him. No, it couldn't happen, he wasn't ready to face him again yet. The last time Ciri had almost died, he had been on the brink of death after their fight. He had known of course he would have to face him again. The prophecy, the prophecy that Connor of Lod had heard, the reason that he went and faced Eredin. It was his family lines destiny to protect the Elder Blood, it was his destiny to protect Ciri, to keep them safe. It fell to him to do what his ancestors couldn't. To do what Alexander, Connor and Lara of Lod couldn't. It was his destiny to defeat him, Dominik's destiny to finally put an end to the Hunt chasing after Lara Dorren's line, to finally give Ciri that life she deserved.

But in that moment his arms couldn't stop shaking. He grabbed onto his inner thigh to stop the blood, his mind, thinking about nothing, but the blade entering his fleshed, piercing deeply into his leg almost completely clean through to the other side. He had been beaten. Beaten badly. If not for Ciri, he would have died that day at Kaer Morhen. If he couldn't defeat him then, what chance did he have now? What chance did he have in a few days' time when the real final battle came? He had never told Ciri, but each night he felt his inner thigh throb, the scar on his cheek tremble. They weren't in pain, but for a moment it felt as if someone were dragging a cold blade across them.

"Shit, shit, shit…" He said, his throat closing up, as he finally pulled his hands back, the blood that had congealed on his gloves dominating it.

His eyes widened when he saw the blood keep spilling from him. It poured from his thigh like a keg, not stopping, only throbbing and sending horrid trembles up his body. Blood was everywhere, pooling beneath him, as all he could see around him was black mist and blue flames. The blue flames contrasted the crimson piling beneath his body. He looked down at his hands, blood slowly spilling down his wrists, seeping onto his skin, flowing under his armor and up his arms.

He couldn't end up like he did last time. Ciri would never make it if he did, but he couldn't face him, he simply wasn't ready. He couldn't even control his powers properly, still had plenty left to learn in terms of witcher combat and most importantly hadn't gotten out of the cave. He had promised Ciri to meet her in the main chamber, now he would have to beat him there as well as in a few days on the outside.

And all the confidence he had tried to build up over the previous few weeks was gone.

All he could remember, was his cold, near dead body hitting the sands of Kaer Morhen.

"No… shit… fucking…. SHIT," He said, his breathing quickened even more, as he shakily clamped his hands over his thigh again. "I gotta… shit I gotta-."

He was cut off by a sharp pang across his cheek. With trembling hands, he shakily pulled off his blood-soaked gloves. He reached up, slowly dragging his hand across his face. The stinging got worse, and he sharply winced as he pulled his fingers back in front of him.

More blood. Below him, blood dropped in small droplets.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound of his own blood hitting the cavern floor echoed. Scrambling, Dominik pulled his glove back on, getting to his knees as his blood continued to spill, slowly dripping from his cheek to the floor below.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It didn't stop, and all he could do was shakily try to control his breathing.

_You need to do this. You have to. _

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

_This isn't real. It's all an illusion, none of it's real, it's supposed to test you, it isn't real. _

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

_But it is…. Even if you escape here… he's still out there, and you'll have to face him soon. _

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

_You almost died last time, if not for Ciri you'd be dead, and if not for you almost dying, she would have as well. _

Drip. Drip. Drip.

_It doesn't matter… this is for her. This is for Bella. You need to get up._

Drip. Drip.

_If I get up… if I face him again… I could die, and if I die Ciri could die. Geralt, Yen, Triss, Faram, Freya, George, they could die. Bella… Fiona… they could die. If I get up and face him… he'll kill me, and all of them could die. _

Drip.

"But if I don't… then they'll all die for sure…"

That one, singular truth, outweighed all of his fear.

The cave apparently could get things wrong. Eredin himself wasn't his truest, deepest fear.

It was losing to him.

"Come… come on get your ass up… Fucking come on Dominik get your ass up…" He said, reaching behind his back, and slowly drawing _Fate. _

The silver raked out of its sheath. Digging the point into the ground below him, the black mist slowly starting to clear around him.

Drip.

Looking at the pool of blood that had dripped from his cheek, he sucked in a deep, slow, controlled breath. He wiped his cheek with his sleeve, ignoring the sting he wiped the falling blood from his scar. In front of him, a large brazier of blue fire crackled loudly, shooting up to the top of the cave, and he almost fell backwards. The roaring of the flames hit his ears, as he steadied himself on one knee. Using the tip of his silver dug into the ground he knelt up straight on his knee that had just been bleeding, where his wound was. It still stung, but he ignored the pain, as the flames shot up.

His eyes widened when for a moment, he saw himself in the flames. In that moment, he gazed at his reflection in the flames. Blood smeared his right cheek, soot and ash covered everywhere on his face. His eyes were sunken, sullen, tired, but narrowed and determined.

"You… can't scare me…" He said, grunting as he used the tip of his sword to push himself to his feet.

He didn't tear his eyes from the blue flames, because now he saw something else.

A snowy courtyard, soldiers of the Wild Hunt. Imlerith, Caranthir, Bella or 'Baelen' as he knew her as then. Ciri was knelt clutching at a wound on her stomach, crying out, her sword out of reach. Her ashen hair fell in twisted locks down her shoulders, as she cried, and watched as Dominik lunged forward with a silver dagger in his hands.

His leg stung again, his cheek. He watched, as for a few moments he lunged at Eredin, all the fatigue he felt at that moment coming back to him then. No magic whirled from him, he had used everything he could, and Eredin made him pay for it. He watched in the flames, as Eredin knocked his dagger from his hand, spun, and plunged his blade deep into Dominik's leg.

A sharp pain, rushed through his thigh, but he dug his silver's tip deeper into the ground to steady himself. Gritting his teeth, he watched as Eredin removed his blade from Dominik's blade with a loud squelch, before spinning and cutting it deep across his cheek.

It felt like a hammer had been smacked into the right side of his face them as the flames shot back into the brazier. Grunting he stumbled for a minute, closing his eyes and absorbing the pain.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

His eyes shot open, and he rubbed his armored sleeve across his cheek again, taking he pain as it came.

_No… not again. _

When his eyes opened, the brazier, the fire, was all gone. All he saw, was small tendrils of black smoke seeping up through the base of the cavern walls. The torches of small blue fire were still there, but it was the rays of the sunset coming through the ceiling that gave him the most light. He relished the feeling of the sun on his back before more mist began to seep into the cavern.

He let out a steady breath, moving his legs into the right position, and placing his sword out in front of him. Placing both his hands on his knees, he took in the first calming breath he had for hours, sucking in the musty, dank air deep into his nostrils.

"Align yourself… calm your mind…" He said. All his thoughts went to Ciri. To the life they were going to have. A small smile came to his face. "Be at peace…. You can do this…. For all of them… you have to try…"

A cold chill shot through his spine. Cold wind shot through the cave, but he kept his eyes closed, focusing solely on readying his mind.

Another breath, this one the steadiest yet. "Align yourself… calm your mind…. Remember why you're here…"

His breathing steadied, long, deep, in through his nose, out through his mouth. The icy air nipped at his nose, his ears, yet still he kept his focus.

Another breath. "Ciri… Bella… Geralt…Yen…. Fiona… you can do this…"

It was his destiny. He didn't know if he could kill Eredin. He still didn't know how to fully keep control of his powers. He didn't know if he could match the King's swordsmanship, his magic, his stamina, his strength.

But it didn't matter, because he simply had to try.

A final breath, this one cleansing, cleaning his mind. "It's your destiny… you promised. Remember why you're here…."

He sucked in one last calming breath, and when he did a new scent attacked his nose.

_Sulfur. _

"Remember why you're here…" He said quickly, keeping his eyes closed, staying seated in the meditative position, his silver sword laying in front of him.

The wind started howling. It was as if he were in wind tunnel, as the noise of the howling gale circled in the cavern.

"Breathe… calm yourself…calm your mind," He said, his eyes still clamped shut.

The clunking of plate came next. Footsteps.

The breath he sucked in was quick. "Easy… just breathe…"

Footsteps again, the sound of clunking armor. Of plate.

Skeletal plate.

"For Ciri…. For Bella…For everyone…" He said tightening his hands into fists.

This wasn't the final battle. He wasn't facing the real thing. But if he couldn't do it now, then he stood no chance when the real fight came.

His inner thigh twitched, then his cheek, then his hands started to shake again.

A loud thud could be heard over the galling wind around him. The cold seeped into his bones, deep into his cells, the prickliest cold he had ever experienced. A second thud came, the clunk of the armor still coming out over the wind.

Along with the raking of a blade. A blade, who's touch he was familiar with.

One last breath, deep, steadying, the last true one he'd take for the next several minutes at the least. He had no idea if the illusion would be able to match the skill of the real thing. In his first challenge, he was almost sure Cahir was more skilled a warrior then what he faced, but he couldn't take any chances.

The wind howling reached its apex. The smell of sulfur was overwhelming in his nose, as well as his medallion vibrating rapidly around his neck right next to the blowing swallow.

"The only time we can be brave… is when we're afraid," He whispered under his breath. His father's favorite quote, one he learned from Queen Calanthe.

The wind's howling was finally overtaken, by a deep raking, piercing voice speaking over it.

"You are doomed boy… she will be ours."

He shot his eyes open, specks of blue magic dancing in his peripheral vision. Reaching down, he clutched one hand around the hilt of _Fate _and ignoring the tingling in his thigh, pushed himself to his feet.

Turning around, he was met with his worse fear.

"Over my dead body…" He said, his eyes locking with the slits of Eredin's faceplate.

Black smoke, and red eyes filled the slits of the King of the Wild Hunt's helmets. He lumbered over Dominik still, his massive blade rested on his shoulder. Despite the cold wind blowing around them, in the torches on the wall, he casted a shadow that overtook Dominik by several inches. Under the sleeves of his armor, Dominik's hairs stood up, a sick, icy, painful chill ran up his limbs as he curled his fist tighter around the hilt of his silver.

For a minute his knees buckled, as the light from the blue flames danced and reflected off Eredin's armor. Frost built up on it, small wisps of ice spewing like miniature clouds.

_And I have to kill him… twice. _

Eredin kept his blade on his shoulder and pointed his armored hand to him. "Do you truly believe… that you can defeat me boy?"

"No… I don't know," Dominik answered honestly. "But I do know… that I have to try."

A bone chilling chuckled, came from behind the faceplate. Dominik shifted his trembling legs, bringing both hands to the hilt of his silver as he leveled it.

Eredin's gaze turned back to him. "Your ancestors… tried boy. All three of them _tried, _and all three of them died…"

"Alexander would have killed you, had you not stabbed him in the back like a coward."

"Alexander was a fool. Leila was a fool. Lara was a fool," The King said, his voice still carrying over the wind around them. "All of them fools… to try and oppose my power. You are a fool as well. And you will die a fool."

"Rather die a fool then live as a coward," Dominik shrugged, his eyes narrowing up to the red glowing eyes of his faceplate. "I won't run from you…. I'm going to make you pay for everything you've done. To this world, to all the worlds. For all the villages you've burned. For Folan, for Vigi, for Declan, for Arno, I _will _make you pay…. For what you did to Ciri… and to my sister, I _will _make you pay."

Eredin laughed again. "I know not the names you speak. But your sister… she is weak, nothing but a pawn under my control… and when she has served her purpose-."

"I _won't _let that happen!" Dominik hissed, the blue magic in his peripheral growing wider and wider. "She's stronger then you think! I _will _get her back, help her realize who she is…. And when she does, the two of us, Ciri… we're going to kill you together."

"Your sister already knows who she is. She has a new purpose, the only purpose that a filthy half-breed like her is good for," Eredin said, his blade lifting from his shoulder. "Serving her superiors… serving us. She will do just that… or she will die."

A flash of bright blue appeared in Dominik's vision, the fear that he felt, slowly melting away in the gale he stood in. That fear began to melt, slowly molding, melting, transforming.

Transforming into rage. A rage that pierced him, screamed inside of him, blinding him.

"We'll see about that…" Dominik said, the words laced with venom. "You'll have to kill me first…."

"That can be arranged… I would have already. Had it not been for Zireael."

"Yes… if not for her I'd be dead," He said, glancing quickly down at the swallow dangling from his neck. "If not for her… I'd have died years ago. I _won't _let you take her… and I'll kill you for what you've done to her."

"Oh, will you now?" Eredin said, the flames and ice dancing still on his skeletal armor. "And how do you plan to do that? How do you plan on succeeding where your ancestors failed?"

Dominik shrugged again, both hands staying on his sword. "I'm not sure… but I'll find a way."

"A bold plan… a stupid one… but bold," The King said. "You are just as arrogant as your ancestors were… and you shall die just as they did… I will finally fulfill my promise… take vengeance on your filthy ancestors. Vengeance, for the theft they committed."

Dominik scoffed. "You know… I didn't think you liked Avallac'h that much. But you're helping him get revenge on Cregan and Alexander, all because he got rejected."

"You know nothing boy," Eredin said, his voice growing darker as the blade, that had once almost killed him, pointed out towards him. "Your despicable ancestors… they dared take what wasn't there's, a theft… that you will pay for."

"Lara Dorren was a person, with her own mind, and wants. She didn't belong to anyone."

Eredin laughed. "Aha… her blood, her power rightfully belonged to us. Besides… that was not the only thing… that Alexander stole from me."

Dominik faltered, for just a moment. "What?"

The King shook his head, smoke billowing around his feet. The cold wind picked up again, the frost and blue flames, started rising on Eredin's skeletal armor, and Dominik leveled his blade again. Slowly raising his blade, Eredin looked over at him.

"You will die here… and even if you do not, you will when you face me out there," The King said, his head sharply turning to him. "Either way you failed boy… who knows, perhaps you've already failed… in protecting Zireael in this cave."

_Ciri…_

Dominik's eyes widened, and the rage that had been bubbling, a biproduct of his fear melting away finally spilled over.

"WHERE IS SHE? WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Another demonic laugh rose over the wind. "Aha… what does it matter? Either you both die here in this cave… or you both die out there. The only question… which one of you will I kill first? Or… perhaps both at the same time. You can sit and watch… while I bleed her dry."

A flash of bright blue magic erupted in Dominik's eyes. "NO!"

The first lunge he made, was fueled on by the swirling magic that incased his limbs. Seeing his arms move at speeds he didn't know possible for himself, he lashed out, and the loud clash of blade rang out over the wind in the cave.

He parried from the left and right, Eredin moving at speed incredible for someone his size. Dominik threw a quick flurry of strikes, spinning off one attack and leaping from the side. Eredin whirled and parried his blow, and a loud ***BOOM* **erupted, as he got sent stumbling backwards. The rapid clunking of armored boots whirled him back up, as he got up just in time to get up to his knees to bring his sword up to block Eredin's blow.

The massive overhead strike caught on the hilt of his sword, and he took the advantage he saw. Thrusting his hand forward, he channeled the chaos from his magic, all into one sign. An Aard blast ripped from his hands and smacked into Eredin's sword hand. The King's blade didn't leave his hand, only sending him stumbling back, but that was all Dominik needed.

Shooting up from his knees, magic spurring him on he leapt and thrusted. Eredin saw him in time and backed up, but Dominik pressed his assault.

The rage boiled on inside of him. Around him, his magic shot at erratic angles, as all he could think about, was how much he wanted to plunge a blade into Eredin's neck, how much he wanted to kill him, kill him, have his blood splattered onto the stones for what he had done to Ciri, what he had done to Bella, everyone, every village he raided, every person he enslaved. It all brimmed up inside of him, and the magic responded by pushing him and pushing him.

He threw out a series of strikes, but Eredin parried them all effortlessly, the black smoke that billowed around him seeming to do the same.

_I need to do something. _

Eredin was tall, lumbering over him. He lashed out with a massive strike from the right, and Dominik just had time to raise a blade to parry. The strike hit his blade and a loud ***BOOM* **erupted, sending up a large pillow of smoke and sending Dominik stumbling backwards to his knees near the wall.

He coughed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Gotta get outta here… gotta get to Ciri."

It was almost surely the cave messing with him, trying to rattle him, but it didn't change his urgency. He wasn't making any progress, and he could already tell that whatever the apparition was, it didn't have Eredin's true skill. It wasn't nearly as skilled and quick as when he fought the King of the Hunt at Kaer Morhen. Dominik could remember the magic, the icy magic that spurred on Eredin's movements, that bone chilling feeling that went up his arms during that fight whenever their blades met. No, the apparition he faced now, wasn't nearly as skilled as the real thing.

_And yet I'm still having a hard time… I'm still losing. _

He needed to do something, even with his magic, his powers surging through him, he needed to find a way. The blue light erratically shot from him, as his anger continued to spike, his anxiousness, eagerness to leave urging him to move. His mind had one goal, and that was to get out of that room, and to the main chamber to get to Ciri.

His thoughts were cut off, by a burst of black smoke from his right. He heard the whoosh of Eredin's blade and ducked quickly making it smack into the wall. The strike Eredin threw had been so powerful, spurred on by the black smoke that it cracked the very wall. Dominik tried to scrambled, but a massive, armored hand punched across his face.

Blood spurting from his nose he stumbled to the ground, his sword clattering to the ground. He cursed as he felt his nose twisted, blood spewing and dripping onto the stones. With hardly enough time to regain his vision, he heard another loud whoosh and his head shot up. Eredin's blade came down for him. Dominik barely rolled out of the way, scooping up his sword, and finding himself trapped against the wall.

A cackling laugh came from Eredin. "Aha… come now boy… what chance do you possibly have?"

_Do something for fuck's sake. _He looked around the room, nothing was going to be able to help him, all he was his blades, and his back against the wall.

_My back against the wall… tight, enclosed space for now…_

Dominik's head perked up as he adjusted his stance, bringing both hands to his blade, and holding his blade diagonally across him, ready for the next set of blows.

_If you want to master the School of the Bear, you need to ground yourself! _Faram's booming voice overtook all in his head, just as Eredin lashed back up out at him again.

Digging his feet into the ground, and raising his blade, Dominik put everything he could into the parry he threw. He felt his magic around him ease, starting to hum more around him, as opposed to erratically shoot. A loud ***BOOM* **erupted as Eredin got sent stumbling. Normally he would have lashed out, but he noticed that Eredin didn't get sent back far.

_Ground yourself. _He dug his feet deeper into the ground, and waited for the next onslaught of attacked, which Eredin quickly came with. After regaining his footing Eredin lashed out with a flurry, now with both hands on his blade. Dominik, weathered the storm, rooting himself to the spot, only moving in a small area, with each move of his feet, each parry he threw precise and right on target. He moved his feet in precise side-steps and spins, but waited, and waited, and waited.

Eredin lashed out from his right, and Dominik parried, sending Eredin into a spin. Dominik knew the strike was coming for his back, and guessed correctly, tossing his sword up and blocking the strike Eredin threw. As soon as the sword made contact his, Dominik spun, getting around to Eredin's back and seeing the golden opportunity Bear School tactics always present, and lashed out at Eredin's unguarded back. The King turned just in time and managed to get his sword up to block. Eredin managed to get the block, but it was too late, and with a ***BOOM* **Dominik's sword ricocheted up, and smacked into Eredin's faceplate, bringing it to the ground with a loud ***CLANG***.

Dominik brought his guard back up, quickly glancing at Eredin's face. The same long flowing black hair came from the apparition, but just like the previous visions, this one had black smoke where his eyes should be, along with smoke blood red iris's. Blood pooled from Eredin's cheek, as the King snarled, now more apparition then what Dominik knew in real life.

It lunged out again with more quickness then Dominik had seen all fight, and grounding himself again, Dominik took the flurry of attacks. Now however, they came quick, and with each strike a small ***BOOM* **sounded as the magic around him had calmed to a steady hum. However, he could feel his bones draining. A pang shot through his crooked nose, blood spilled from it, as his cheeks were sticky and hot with blood and soot. He needed to end it, and he only could move for so much longer, all of his magic had taken everything he had out of him.

Eredin came again, and Dominik's eyes widened as he ducked, and rolled down out of the way, wincing at the pain shooting through his bones as he saw the wisps of magic coming from his limbs, and brewing still in the corners of his eyes.

_Channel your chaos, your feelings and emotions. Focus them all into your cast, feel the chaos swirling in you… and fire. _George of Toussaint's words. The School of the Griffin's tactics for channeling more power into signs.

Eredin came lunging with another massive assault. With speed at first, he lashed out with a quick series of attacks, parrying them all, Dominik waited, and waited, the icy gale around them, the wind howling, chilling his bones, but they were quickly thawed by how quick he moved. One strike came from the right, Dominik raised and parried, spinning and getting to the King's side, and channeling everything he had into his hands, he had one more large burst of blue light flash in his vision.

_Channel your feelings, your emotions, channel your chaos. _Everything he had seen, fought since he entered that fucking cave came into his mind. He was driven by one solitary thought at that moment. It wasn't to see a dead loved one, it wasn't even to find the sword in that very moment.

He needed to get to Ciri, he needed to hold her, and simply have her in his arms.

"ARGHHHHHHH!"

Thrusting his hands forward and forming the proper sign with his fingers a large blast of Aard erupted into Eredin with a loud ***BOOOOOOM* **and _finally _Eredin was knocked off his feet. Dominik felt as if his skin was ripping off his palm, as the magic erupted with a violence, sending a large wave of energy smashing into the King and sending his large body skidding to the middle of the cavern.

After the sign left his hand, Dominik stumbled forward, his knees buckling and his face erupting as his broken nose ached. For a moment he thought he may have won, but then he saw Eredin stir, his massive skeletal armor singed, but he was still moving.

His eyes flashing blue again, Dominik formed the proper hand sign, and an eruption of flames shot up his silver sword. He would never forget the first time he saw George use the tactic in the cave outside Oxenfurt, the first time that he had fought Bella. With the flames, erupting around his sword, he rushed forward again, just as Eredin got to his knees. He noticed around him the wind had died down, the smoke had disappeared, but he refocused on Eredin who had just gotten to his knees, and with the flames erupting with the magic in his eyes Dominik leapt and spun to bring the blade down.

Eredin looked up with his smoky black eyes, and he just barely blocked the strike in time. With renewed speed Dominik lashed out, Eredin finally going on the defensive. With each fiery strike that landed Eredin yelled out in anger, the flames catching onto his armor as Dominik threw strikes upwards towards the King's chest. Eredin may have lumbered over him, but Dominik used the height to his advantage. He struck up towards his shoulder, but Eredin blocked and Dominik duck, spinning and cutting the flaming blade across the King's torso. A loud demonic scream, more apparition then Eredin hit his ears, as the King turned with a massive strike to his right.

His eyes widened; Dominik managed to parry but the strike was so powerful it sent him stumbling to the left. Seeing the perfect opportunity again, he used the momentum he had stumbling, and dug his foot into the ground. Remembering the one move that had worked at Kaer Morhen against the real Eredin, he fainted, spinning and thrusting his blade forward towards Eredin's neck as he leapt up.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Eredin's screams were demonic, and quickly changed to a gargle of blood. _Fate _stabbed into Eredin's neck. Dominik quickly removed the sword as he landed, the flames that had been burning on his sword, singing and setting Eredin's skin alight. First his hair, then the wound that was pouring blood from his neck, then his skin, before it traveled to his smokey eyes. The flames died from Dominik's sword, but not wanting to take any chance, he lashed out, cutting across the King's chest, bringing him to his knees.

"ARGHHHHHHHH YOU WILL DIE BOY!" The King screamed, fire burning his throat, blood gushing from the wound his sword had caused.

"WHERE'S CIRI!" Dominik said, remembering Eredin's words.

A loud gurgle came from Eredin's throat, his head slumping backwards, the large stab wound in his neck opening. Dominik leapt back, as black smoke erupted from the apparition's neck. He fell backwards onto his stomach, covering his head as his sword clunked to the ground. Black smoke erupted in the cavern around him. Dominik clamped his hands over his head, the smoke whizzing past him like wind. His nose ached, and when he finally heard the smoke stop swirling he opened his eye and shot to his knees.

A loud ***CLUNK* **hit his ears, and he watched as the fake Eredin's body slumped to the ground. Breathing heavily, he reached and retrieved _Fate. _Trembling he slid the silver back into place, slowly getting up to his feet.

As soon as he got to his feet, his knees buckled, and he stumbled forward onto his knees.

He coughed up blood, from his mouth, from his nose, from his cheeks, it all dripped onto the stones of the silent cavern.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"GAHHHH SHIT!" He said, feeling his nose erupted into pain again.

Gingerly he ran his finger down his now crooked nose and winced. He had a broken nose plenty of times, but that one felt particularly painful. Normally he'd find a mirror, and crack it back into place, but then he didn't have a mirror or any time. Shaking the entire time, his bones completely drained, white spots dancing in his vision, Dominik got to his feet.

One thought on his mind.

"Ciri…." He said, wincing through the pain, as he slammed into the far wall. Pounding the wall with his fist he cursed. "FUCK! Where's the door! It's supposed to open now, CIRI!"

"Congratulations."

Dominik whirled around, his hand going to his sword again. His eyes widened, as the apparition of Eredin, black smoking eyes and all stood before him, no injuries at all.

He went to pull _Fate _from his back. "WHERE IS SHE!? WHY ISNT THE-."

"You've passed… let the person, who can help you most come to you… and may you take the lessons you learned today… and carry them with you," Eredin said in a deep, calming voice that certainly wasn't the one Dominik heard at Kaer Morhen and in his dreams.

His eyes widened before Eredin disappeared in a puff of black smoke. A loud rumbling sound came from behind him and Dominik stumbled again. Turning, he saw the corridor open, and his eyes widened, but the first step he took his fell forward, onto his stomach again. Blood slowly trickled from his nose. His gloves, were marred, covered in crimson while ash and dried blood stained his cheeks. His nose ached more with every passing second, and his legs felt like they were made out of jelly.

But as soon as he hit the ground, he pushed himself to his knees. The swallow dangled around his neck in his vision, and Dominik grabbed it, pushing himself to his feet.

And he stumbled forward, holding onto the walls of the corridor. All of the visions, all of the challenges, it all smashed into him.

"Ciri… gods Ciri…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri ran, she didn't stop running, her path illuminated by the sporadic blue torches on the wall. It was just her luck that day that the longest tunnel was going to be the last one. Blood trickled from the hole in her corset, she winced, but the wound was nothing compared to getting to the main chamber. Dominik was there, he'd be there, he promised her he'd meet her there, and that was all she cared about now.

"Dammit, where's the fucking exit," She muttered to herself, her legs moving in large strides, as she pulled up to catch her breath at a small alcove with a burning torch.

Leaning her hand against the wall, she looked down at her gloved hand.

Blood. Her blood stained her glove, as she steadied her shallow breathing. She looked down the corridor, grabbing the ring with her other hand, as she narrowed her eyes.

No torches.

"Wh… what…. No… no torches, what? How…" She started, wincing as she gripped tightly onto her torso again. "Come on… come on Ciri, you need to move."

Pushing her feet forward again, she started running. She moved, and moved, and plunged into the darkness. She cursed herself for not having Dominik teach her Igni yet, she would have given anything to be able to produce flames from her hands then.

Blackness circled her vision. She looked in front of her face and couldn't even see her hands. Black, nothing but black and a small part of her thought she was going to fall into an abyss. This was supposed to be a reward, but certainly nothing about the experience had been rewarding so far.

And she would have tossed away the chance to talk to any of her dead loved ones, if it just meant that she could see Dominik then. All she could see, were the challenges. Bonhart, Mistle, Emhyr. Her skin crawled, as if Mistle's fingers were dragging along her skin, she felt the sting of her gums from fisstech stuffed up her mouth. And worst of all, she could still feel Emhyr's cold stare.

She ran for what felt like an hour. Her legs almost gave out, her feet hurt, her bones aches, her torso flared, shooting pain up into her chest with every single step she took. A pounding headache flared at the base of her skull, pounding like a mace into her brain.

One step, boom. Another step, boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

Stumbling she couldn't see anything as she regain her footing.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

"Gods… gods… Dominik… anyone… gods…"

Tears pricked at her eyes. All the memories she had worked to suppress, all the pain from seeing the apparitions, from fighting, from everything she had endured in that cave, all of it kept pounding rapidly into her brain.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.

She just wanted to see light. All around her, the darkness penetrated her, she couldn't see her feet, her arms, anything in front of her at all. All she could hear was her boots hitting the stone beneath her, and the pounding of her rapidly beating heart, and her brain feeling as if it would burst from her head. The pain from her torso got to her chest, a stabbing pain shot through her sternum, shooting up into her throat, distributing through her body, and a tear finally fell, the feeling of the droplet trickling down her cheek intensified with not being able to see anything in front of her.

"Please… when does it end," She said, finally feeling her feet slow, before shaking her head, a shaky sob leaving her. "I promised… come on. Come on Ciri…."

One last push, she pushed her legs forward again, fighting through the pain and fatigue. But as soon as she did, she finally stumbled forward, unable to steady herself.

"Gods, fucking FUCK," She cursed, as she surprisingly hit the ground, quickly pushing herself up to her feet again and still running. "When does it end!? Isn't this supposed to be a fucking- SHIT!"

She fell, and with a loud smack, she felt her face hit the ground. Luckily, she was able to avoid a broken nose by using her hands to break her fall, but the pain shot through her wrists, her arms. Cursing she winced again, pushing herself up to her feet. She had been running for what felt like an hour, so her eyes had been so adjusted to the darkness she closed them when she fell.

But that was when light pierced her eyelids.

"What… what the…" She said. Ciri's eyes fluttered open, the tears still welling in her eye sockets and coming down her cheeks. "Where… where am I?"

Ciri could have sworn she hadn't seen sunlight in days. But it pierced in through two sets of giant glass windowpanes. Intricate designs circled the windows, as she looked down at the stone floor she had landed on. Groaning she pushed herself up to her feet, still adjusting to her the sight of the sun again. Squinting, white spots danced in her vision as she blinked it clear, relishing the feeling of sunlight beating down on her neck again. She looked down at her outfit first, seeing how completely filthy she was. Her top was covered in ash, soot, dirt and blood along with her trousers. She could taste blood on her lips, more than likely from biting down too hard as she fell. Her knees still shook, as she winced and looked down at her hand. Blood still covered her glove, but she could see the bleeding was slowing.

"Dammit… I'll need to stitch it," She said, groaning again and wiping her eyes, finally taking a look at her surroundings. "Now.. where am I? Fuck I… I certainly aren't in the cave anymore…"

A set of large wooden doors stood as entrance. Ciri sighed and groaned again, moving her arms and turning, as she became familiar with all the surroundings.

It was easy, because slowly she realized, she was indeed familiar with them. Remarkably familiar.

Particularly the banners. Three golden lions, on a blue field.

"Cintra… what… what…" She said, rubbing her eyes again, sure that she was dreaming, that she had passed out on the cave floor.

But it was all coming back to her. She hadn't been there in eleven years, but as she stood, moving in circles, it all came back. The banners, the weapons lining the walls, the pillars, the architecture, the windows. Still in disbelief, she walked to one of the windows, and her heart lurched up to her throat.

"It… it's all there…" She said, her voice low, barely a whisper.

The city was intact, just as she remembered it. It sprawled out below her, just like it was.

Somehow, a small smile creeped onto her lips.

"Ha… I… I think… I think I can see Dom's house…" She said, narrowing her eyes, and a small laugh, which turned into a cough left her. "I… I wonder if…"

She turned and saw it. Sitting under a large banner, the largest in the room, was the throne. Made of wood, carved to perfection, she could remember all the times she stood at the foot of it. Her grandmother would sit, Gregory would stand on one side, Eist on the other, and herself next to him. Her grandmother would render judgements, knight men, and every day she would remind Ciri to keep her eyes on what was happening, and pay attention, for one day it would be her job.

But Ciri most of the time was distracted. Distracted by Dominik making faces at her in the crowds of people gathered. Sometimes she knew her grandmother caught her. However, each time she did, she would look angry for a moment, before a smirk would come to her face, one to Gregory's as well. She had remembered in the ball room not far from there, on a balcony not far from there, had been the first place she met him.

And now she was back, somehow she was back, and despite it all, a small smile came to her. She turned back to the throne, and slowly, her boots thumping against the stone she approached it, the throne she was supposed to sit in one day.

Would her grandmother have let her be with Dominik? Ciri had many marriage proposals set up for her in her younger years, much to her ire, but for some reason her grandmother had pulled her out of them all. Ciri didn't know if it was because Calanthe saw Ciri's reaction, or for other reasons, but either way a part of her was thankful. In the almost year she had spent with Dominik in Cintra after meeting him, her grandmother hadn't talked to her of marriage once.

Gregory would joke that maybe Calanthe would let Dominik and Ciri get married, making the two of them King and Queen. Ciri would blush, but always deny she had feelings for Gregory's son, insisting that Dominik was simply her best-friend.

That was still true to that day, and it turns out all the times Gregory had teased her about being in love with his son, the man had a point.

Gingerly she ran her hand along the arm of the throne. Seeing it, feeling it, it made the tears Ciri had been welling up in Ciri's eyes slowly fall.

She had no idea how she was there, but she still had no idea where Dominik was. Her bones still ached, her stomach still bled, her mind was still awash with all of the horrid things that had been brought back to her.

"Gods… I… I wish you could see this," She said, a small sob leaving her. Wiping a hand across her cheek, she shook her head, a small smile coming to her face. "You… you always joked that I looked good sitting in the throne…. Gods Dominik I… I need to-."

She was cut off by the great oaken doors plowing open with authority. What followed made Ciri freeze, her hand on the arm of the throne.

Footsteps, and a voice. A voice she hadn't heard in over a decade.

"Well, well, well. Dirt, grime and blood all over your clothes. Holes in your corset and trousers, hair a frizzy mess. All of those I'll admit a part of me expected to see," The voice said, an amused tone to their voice, before Ciri heard a scoff. "But tears? Now _that _is something I did not expect."

Ciri never turned around faster in her life, as the footsteps came closer. And when Ciri finally found who the voice belonged too, her own caught came out in a sob.

_You've passed… let the person, who can help you most come to you. _

She never would have guessed it would be her, but Ciri sobbed still, unable to move from where she stood in front of the throne as she approached.

A laugh left her, just as Ciri remembered it sounding like. "Ha… I remember when you were younger, you used to hate standing here… change of heart?"

"Gr…grandmother?" Ciri's voice broke, the tears falling down her cheeks in waves,

Calanthe smiled, her warm wrinkled eyes meeting Ciri's. "Gods you look like your mother… If Eist could see you now…"

Ciri shook her head. She was dressed not too dissimilar to how Ciri was. The former Queen of Cintra's long ashen grey hair fell down her back in straightened waves. She wore brown trousers, and hunting boots, a white linen tunic with a tightened corset around her waist.

Ciri always remembered her complaining about stuffing herself intro a dress when she didn't have too.

"You… but… but grandmother you…" Ciri's words caught, looking down at her grandmother before her, only a step down from where she stood. "You… you're real…"

Her grandmother's warm smile washed over her. "Of course I'm real girl! Gods… look at the woman you've grown into… your mothers doppler…. Well! Don't just stand there!"

She opened her arms, and Ciri felt herself melt like a little girl again. Skipping the step, she slammed into the woman. Ciri was still shorter than her, so she wrapped both her arms around her grandmother's waist. Arms wrapped around her neck, a hand holding onto the back of her head, a gentle hand running through her hair.

Calanthe was warm. She was warm. She was real, and Ciri sobbed.

"You… but… but you-." Ciri started, tears waving down her cheeks as her head buried into her grandmother's chest, all the pain she felt temporarily gone.

"Shhh… give me a minute girl," Her grandmother said. She planted a kiss on the top of Ciri's head, before a small scoff left her. "Gods look at you… you're huge."

Another sob left Ciri, her tears dripping onto her grandmother's tunic. She had been hurting, hurting and aching. Her body still did, her legs wobbled, buckled, but for that moment she didn't care. For years, she had wondered what her grandmother would think. What she would think of the things she had done, the woman she turned out to be. She wasn't sure how the cave believed her grandmother was the person she needed most.

However, Ciri didn't care. She melted into her grandmother's embrace. Sobbing, breaking down, her mind a blur, as all she could focus on was holding onto her.

After a few precious moments however, she remembered the one thing she had wanted to say to her grandmother from the moment she learned what really happened in Cintra.

"I… I missed you…. I've missed you… I… I'm sorry," She said, sobbing loudly, her wet eyes slowly blinking up at her grandmother.

Calanthe light laughed, holding onto her, gently wiping her thumb across her cheek to wipe the tears away.

"Oh sweet girl… what do you possibly have to be sorry for?" She said, her voice soft.

Ciri sniffled and shook her head. "They… they came for me. In Cintra… Emhyr he… he sacked the city… burned it, killed everyone. Gregory, Sofia, Eist… all… all to get me…. It's always because of me… everyone's always after me."

"Oh my dear… you're not at fault, not at all," Calanthe said, pulling Ciri's head into her shoulder again and shaking her own. "You cannot control the circumstances of your birth. You cannot blame yourself for being born… you must learn this Ciri. Now come, wipe those tears. You're the lion cub of Cintra, don't let that bastard have your tears."

Sniffling again, Ciri reluctantly let go of her, wiping her tears with her sleeve. "I don't deserve to be called that…I was never going to live up to you… I haven't, and I never will."

A laugh left her grandmother, as she reached out and cupped Ciri's cheek.

"You shouldn't live your life, trying to compare yourself to me," Calanthe said, smiling her infectious smile as she shook her head. "Your story is your own Cirilla, and only _you _will be able to decide if you're satisfied with how that story goes. Don't live your life, trying to live up to standards you feel are set by others."

"It's hard… when so many around me, so many I know have done so many great things," Ciri said, sniffling and wiping away the tears. Looking down at her boots she shook her head. "It's also hard… when everyone seems to have plans for me… no matter what I think."

A smile crossed Calanthe's lips. "Well… not everyone as you said. So, how is Dominik? Gods, I miss that boy. Made me want to pull my hair out on multiple occasions the both of you… but from what I saw, and what I have seen, he's grown to be just as great a man as Gregory."

The thought of Dominik, jarred Ciri's memories. The cave, the challenges.

Her eyes widened. "Dominik! Gods I… I need to find him, in… in the cave he could still be-."

"Easy, easy child," Her grandmother said, the smile still on her face as she held Ciri's shoulder. "He's alive, a bit banged up, but alive and on his way to the main chamber as we speak."

"What? How do you know?" Ciri said, her voice breaking again.

Calanthe chuckled. "Aha… well it's been because I've been watching the both of you of course, have since Cintra. The one's we love, never really leave us my dear."

Ciri tilted her head. "You… you really have? Me and Dominik both?"

"Of course I have! Me, Gregory, Sofia, your mother, all of us have," Her grandmother said, chuckling again as she crossed her arms. "Aha… looks like Gregory was correct. Could never separate the two of you as children, that remained true."

A cold chill ran down her spine. "Then you… you saw everything… everything I-."

"You did what you had to do to survive my dear," Her grandmother said softly, her hand resting again on the crook of Ciri's neck. "You and Dominik both…. And I couldn't be prouder, of the woman you've grown to be, and the man he ended up becoming. Do tell him that for me when you see him yes? Aha… as I said, I do miss that boy."

Ciri's face heated up, as he rapid heartbeat slowed. She looked at her grandmother's wrinkled face, but could still see the spark, the fire that gave her the nickname 'the lioness.'. It had been something she yearned for all these years, the one chance to know what her grandmother thought. Calanthe was hard on her yes, but Ciri loved her, nonetheless.

She was proud of Ciri, and Dominik was safe. Finally, Ciri was able to breath normally, as a small smile tugged at her lips as she looked at her grandmother.

"He… he really is as great as Gregory was," Ciri said, the smile growing. "I'll tell him. I know he misses you as well."

"He was always such a sweet boy. Sweet, but protective. Cunning as well, inherited the best from Gregory and Sofia both he did," Calanthe said, her lips turning into a smirk. "And he would have made a fantastic King."

Ciri's eyes widened. "What? King? King of what?"

"Of Cintra of course!" He grandmother said, seemingly trying to stop herself from chuckling at Ciri's bewildered face. "Yes… I do believe the two of you… you would have ushered in a new age, not just for Cintra, but for the continent."

Ciri could do nothing but gape. The revelation meant nothing now of course, but hearing it, it turned her mind to mush.

"You… you mean to say that…" She managed, shaking her head in disbelief. "That… that you would have let us-."

"Gregory and I had both agreed to it. You two tried to hide it, but it was obvious to just about anyone in the palace how enraptured with each other you were," Calanthe said, sighing as her smile slightly dipped. "It was going to be a surprise for your 12th birthdays. Dominik was going to begin coming to the castle every day."

"He… already came to the castle every day," Ciri said.

Her grandmother chuckled. "Aha… well yes, but he would have come for more than just spending time with you causing mischief….. No Gregory was going to move himself, Sofia, Bella and Dominik all to the castle. And every day… Dominik would have started joining you for your lessons. The two of you both would have learned the ins and outs of governing, economics, trade. And then like I said, it was to be a surprise on your twelfth birthday's… or when one of us inevitable found you both exploring each other's mouths."

Ciri went red, getting another laugh from her grandmother.

"And well… after that, we would announce to Cintra, and to the rest of the Kingdom's… the betrothal between you two," Calanthe said, smiling at Ciri's bewildered look.

Dominik and she, King and Queen of Cintra. It was something that she had cooked up in her wildest fantasies when she was eleven, back when she and Dominik first met, and she had the largest crush on him. The crush eventually resulted in the love they had now, but when she was eleven, Ciri had been afraid nothing would ever be able to become of it, despite how she felt.

And apparently her worries had been for nothing.

"You… you really would have let us be together?" Ciri said. "You… would have let him be King, what would the rest of the North had thought? Is that why you didn't come to me with any marriages after I met him?"

A scoff left her grandmother. "Yes, yes, the rest of the North would have pouted. But it would have put someone I trust completely on the throne next to you. Someone, who I knew would treat like you deserved to be treated. Someone, who loved you unequivocally for who _you_ were and not what your title was. And most importantly… someone who you loved just as fiercely."

"Well… Dominik certainly fits all those categories," Ciri said, her face getting red as she looked down at the ring around her neck.

Calanthe smiled, reaching out and gently holding the ring in her hand. "Yes… he does. And besides, after seeing your reactions to the other marriages I set up well…. I decided that I wasn't going to make the same mistake with you and Dominik… that Ryland and I made with Pavetta and Gregory."

Ciri looked up at her curiously, remembering something Dominik had told her. "Mistake? What mistake? Is… is it true that Gregory and my mother they… they were once-."

"Together? Well, I wouldn't call it 'together' necessarily," Calanthe said, a sign leaving her as she met Ciri's eyes. "Like you and Dominik, they were close from a young age. It was clear they both had feelings for one another… they were just much better at hiding their affections then you and Dominik were."

"So… they were together?"

"Well… to be honest I believe they may have just not acted on any of those feelings for many years. You see, Ryland and I made it clear from a young age they couldn't be together. I was a fool then…" Calanthe said, sighing again as she shook her head. "But… once when they were sixteen, Ryland and I caught them together, kissing in the garden. Ryland and I… didn't react how we should have. We put an end to it right there… a mistake it was."

A multitude of thoughts ran through Ciri's mind, and one came to the forefront.

"That… that means that Gregory could have been my father?" She said, knowing that Gregory had been the closest she had in her early years anyhow.

Calanthe chuckled. "Ha… I guess he could have been yes…. But that also would have meant Dominik would have been your brother."

Ciri almost gagged and quickly shook her head. "Yes… good point, now I need to get that thought out of my head."

Her grandmother laughed, the infectious smile reappearing on her face. "Aha… yes, I regret a great many things my dear… but the fact you two have each other… that you're happy with each other… I'm happy about that. An in-love Queen makes for a better Queen, I learned this while I was with Eist…. And I'm glad I didn't make the mistake with you… like I did with your mother."

Ciri shook her head. "What… what happened? After you told them they couldn't be together?"

Calanthe sighed. "Well, they obeyed out wishes. They loved each other still… but they were simply the best of friends after that. A few years later, Gregory met Sofia… and your mother met 'Duny.'."

Ciri winced at the mention of Emhyr, the wound in her torso stinging.

"You should have killed him that night he came…" Ciri said, crossing her arms.

"I think about what would have happened if I had every single night," Calanthe said, looking and meeting Ciri's eyes. "But if I had… I would have had to have Gregory… and Geralt killed as well, and I don't think that would have been something you wanted."

Biting her lip Ciri nodded, remembering the words of the apparition in the last challenge she faced.

_Either you die here…. Or I get you out there._

Her grandmother must have seen the nervous look in her eyes because she raised an eyebrow at her.

"You're nervous." She said.

"How can you tell?" Ciri said back.

A smile crossed her grandmother's lips. "Because you always bit the inside of your lip when you're nervous, have since you were little… you're worried, aren't you?"

"An understatement."

"What are you worried about?"

A cold chill ran through her again. Everything flashed in her mind. Emhyr, Eredin, the Hunt, Bella. Dominik almost dying at Kaer Morhen. The thought of all the people who were going to be fighting, possibly going to their death in the next few days all because she was leading the Hunt there.

And above it all, the fact there was the possibility, that after the battle she still wouldn't be free, despite her and Dominik's best efforts.

"I… don't want to lose anyone else," Ciri said, shaking her head and looking up at one of the people she lost. "So many people I love… they've died because of me. You, Gregory, Sofia, Bella… Dominik almost died at Kaer Morhen and-."

"Yes… he was keeping his promise to me," Her grandmother said, a small smile coming across her lips. "Protecting you with everything he has. And you my dear, gods the warrior you've become. I must apologize for not letting you learn all those years; I could only imagine how good you'd be had I let you!"

Ciri sighed and shook her head. "I didn't do anything! He almost died, and all I could do, was sit there and watch. For so long, I've had this power in me, a power that's been destroying my life and yet I _still _can't control it!"

"You've shown pretty good control if I do say so myself," Her grandmother smirked. "I'm not an expert on magic by any stretch, but you seem to know what you're doing."

"And still so many have died for me! Died because, I was simply around them!"

"You must let go of this my dear," Calanthe said, reaching out and holding a hand onto Ciri's shoulder. "All of those who died for you… they made their own choice. You can't wear them as your own. You know what I, Gregory, Sofia and I'm sure everyone else you can think of that had perished would want most? It would be for you, to live the life you deserve. That's why we made the choices we did child, because we cared for you, deeply, and wanted you to be happy. And I can speak for Gregory, Sofia, and your mother as well, when I say, we would give our lives a hundred times over after seeing how happy you are now."

Tears stung at Ciri's eyes. She thought of Gregory's kind eyes, his smile, how he told her before on multiple occasions, he saw her as one of his own. She could see Sofia's beautiful smile, her long blonde hair, and the loving green eyes that Dominik had inherited.

She thought of her mother who she never knew but had given everything for her.

She looked at her grandmother and slowly shook her head. "But… I didn't want any of them to die… to die for me."

Calanthe sighed, pulling her close. "I know my dear… and we didn't particularly want to die either. But as you know… for the one's we love we would do anything… and I'm so proud of what you've made of the sacrifice we made."

Ciri hugged her and felt the warmth of her touch wash over her. Her skin tingled under her sleeves, as she thought about everyone else who could die now, who could die in a few days. All of them, fought for her, fought for the continent. And they had to do it because of her. It was all so she could get that life she always wanted. It was a was a life, she knew she deserved, but of course there was still complications. There always was.

Her grandmother must have felt her tense because she looked down at her. "You're still worried?"

Ciri slowly nodded, not daring to let go of her. "I have so many people… pulling me in one direction or another. So many have plans for me… Avallac'h, Emhyr, the Lodge of Sorceresses… I can shoot them down as much as I want but… but I fear that they'll try and drag me away anyhow…"

Calanthe tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "And answer me this my dear… what is it that _you _want to do?"

"To be with Dominik," She said without thinking, her arms tensing again. "And do what we were meant to do… to save people, but it seems that other people will still want control of me… want to be a part of it."

"None of that matters my dear," Calanthe said, looking at her, and pointing her finger sternly, like she always had when she was younger. "_You_ are the only one who can write the story of your life. You Ciri, and you alone determine how it progresses, how it ends. You talked about this many times, I've seen it."

Biting her lip she remembered the times her grandmother spoke of. The previous few weeks she had grown proud of herself in a way. She had been standing up for herself, showing, that she had agency in her own life.

However, with each passing day, each day the battle drew closer, the aftermath of the battle if there was to be one creeped closer into her mind. What would Avallac'h want from her when the battle was over, what was he planning? What if Emhyr, decided to chase her and Dominik both after the battle was over, not stopping until he got what he wanted. Or what if the Lodge, decided that they were going to have her join one way or another? Several powerful sorceresses certainly had the power for something like that. How could she subject Dominik to that? What kind of life would that be?

This of course, was all contingent on them actually surviving the battle with the Hunt in the first place.

"I don't know… each day that it gets closer… all I can think about," Ciri said with a shudder, looking and meeting her grandmother's eyes. "All I can think… is how even if I survive this fight… more will come… that my fate will be controlled by someone else."

A moment of silence passed, as her grandmother examined her face. Calanthe looked down at her. The wise eyes Ciri had missed, the one's she hadn't seen in years looked exactly the same as she remembered. Her grandmother smiled, reaching out a hand on her shoulder, that warmed Ciri to the bones.

"You learn a great many things when you die my dear. I for one… learned in the power of destiny," She said, the smile not leaving her. "Destiny is a fickle thing. Sometimes, it's pre-ordained, like you meeting Geralt, or Dominik being there to protect you…. But destiny my dear, can also be whatever we decide we want it to be."

"And what if my destiny… is to be controlled for a power I never wanted?"

"Is that what you want?"

"No."

Calanthe smirked. "Then it won't be! As simple as that! As I said, sometimes destiny leads you to the most important people in your life, puts you in positions that you're meant to be in, like you being with Dominik, like Geralt finding you and raising you. However… those instances of destiny, lead you to the part in your life, where you can make your own."

"But what if-."

"There are no buts my dear! Destiny will only take its course and control your life when something is truly meant to happen, like you meeting Dominik and Geralt. However now, in this moment, your destiny, your life, your story… is going to be whatever you decide it is," Her grandmother said. Calanthe smiled, pointing her finger to Ciri's heart.

"The life you live, the choices you make, are all apart of _your _story," She said, smiling as she met Ciri's eyes again. "Nobody in your life, can tell you how to write your story. Not even Dominik or Geralt, although I imagine they'd support whatever you decide to make of it. This is _your _story Ciri. We all have a many chapters in this great story of life. Some parts we can't control, but most of them we can… particularly the ending. It is up to _you _my dear, to write how your story will end."

Ciri faltered, stumbling over her words. "But… but what if I make the wrong choice?"

Calanthe shook her head. "Ciri my dear… there is _no _wrong choice because the only people you need to satisfy with the ending of your story, are the ones who love you…. And if they truly love you, they won't try to make you write it a certain way."

_Write your own story. _

It was a phrase in a way she had been saying to herself for weeks. It had been what Dominik was telling her for weeks.

_When this is over, we do what you want to do. Nobody is going to control what you do again. _

She believed him, and she believed her grandmother.

Ciri buried her head into her grandmother's shoulder again, as the tears slowly started falling from her eyes again. She knew what the cave had meant now. _See the one who you need the most. _All her life, her grandmother had always been the one to give her the kick she needed when she was younger. She had been the first role model Ciri aspired to be. Ciri wanted to be stern and strong, but also kind, compassionate when she needed to be, and above all she wanted to have as much agency as she always saw her grandmother have, surety in the decisions she made.

And this decision, the decision on how her story was going to end was one she had been sure in since she was eleven years old. A few things had changed, some people had been added to it, but overall it was the same.

She would live it.

"Thank you…" Ciri said through the tears, her face still buried into her grandmother's shoulder, as she felt herself melting like a young girl again. "I miss you… you… Gregory, Sofia… I miss you all… every day."

Calanthe ran her hand through Ciri's hair, squeezing her as tight as she could. "And we all miss you my dear… but gods are we proud of you. You're resilient, you're tough as nails… but you're also kind, caring, loving… and you're still going to do great things, just like we all expected."

"I'll keep making you proud… all of you, I promise," She said, sniffling as she looked up to meet her grandmother's eyes. "Dominik and I… we both will. We… we'll stop them, we will."

"I know you will dear… want to know how I know how?" Her grandmother said, the infectious smile coming back as she looked at Ciri. "Because we could never pry you two away from each other when you were younger! And well… that seems to be the case still. I must admit, the two of you are just as adorable as when you were younger."

Ciri's face got red, as she could remember in that moment every little escapade her and Dominik went on in Cintra. Each time they snuck out into the town late, that he stayed in the palace till late hours of the night, them raiding the kitchen, playing knucklebones on the balcony. Yes, she had been smitten from the minute she met him. The first boy she met, that treated her as if she was a real person, not just some princess.

And now he was waiting for her in the cave, as she remembered what really was happening.

She stiffened in her grandmother's arms, and Calanthe chuckled.

"Aha… yes, speaking of him, you'd best be getting back to him," She said, smiling down at her as she stepped back, her hand staying on Ciri's shoulder. "He'll start to worry soon… and besides, you two have some more business to take care of."

The reality of what was happening jolted back into Ciri's body. The cave, the challenges, Dominik, finding the sword to help Bella.

But she looked up at her grandmother. Her grandmother standing right in front of her.

A shaky sob left Ciri, as she dug herself into her shoulder again. "I… I don't want you to leave…I miss you… I miss you every day. I… I don't want you to go yet."

Calanthe laughed again, gently caressing her cheek, down her scar. "My sweet girl… you've been managing without us brilliantly for eleven years…. Besides, the one's we love never truly leave us. Me, Gregory, Sofia… we're always watching over you, remember that."

Reluctantly, Ciri let her arms slide from her grandmother's side. Calanthe smiled at her once more, slowly shaking her head.

"Besides… you have other people who are taking care of you now, one's who I, Gregory, your mother… am eternally thankful for," Calanthe said, smirking as she crossed her arms. "Do me favor yes my dear, and tell the witcher, that I do apologize for being for lack of better words, such a rude bitch."

Ciri chuckled, the tears falling from her eyes and nodded. "I… I will. I… I'll tell him."

Her grandmother nodded again, the smile not leaving her. "And as I said, do tell Dominik I said hello, that I miss him as well… and thank him for me… for keeping the promise he made me."

Ciri slowly nodded again, the tears not stopping. Never had she felt so conflicted. She didn't want to leave, didn't want to leave that room with her grandmother. Because there, she had someone she loved, cared about, felt safe with, and currently, there was no battle. All her loved ones were safe, and perhaps if she had stayed there, they would stay that way.

On the other hand however, the persons he'd come to love more than anything was waiting for her. She had promised him she'd meet him in the main chamber.

And no matter how they both felt, what condition either of them were in, Ciri would always feel safe with Dominik. It was because wherever he was, that was home.

Calanthe smiled at her, leaning down and planting a kiss on Ciri's head. "Never forget… how proud I am of you Ciri."

Ciri hugged her once more, squeezing around her waist, as her grandmother did the same around her neck. The warmth of the embrace, and of the sun streaming in through the windows seeped into Ciri's skin. Slowly, her grandmother pecked the top of her head again, lingering her hand on Ciri's cheek, before she sighed and took a step back.

A small bit of panic arose in Ciri, as she stepped forward. "I… I don't know if I can beat them… grandmother I… I don't know if I can win…."

Calanthe stopped in the middle of the throne room and smirked at her. "Why do you say 'I'?"

Ciri narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What?"

Her grandmother laughed. "Aha… you keep saying that 'I don't know if I can beat them'…. Are you going to face the entirety of the Wild Hunt by yourself?"

"No…"

Another laugh left her. "Aha! Then it means you know you're going to have allies by your side. Dominik, Geralt, your friends… together, you can, and you _will _beat them back. Would you like to know why?"

Ciri nodded and Calanthe laughed. "Ha… because they underestimate you. They underestimate you, because you're human, and a woman to boot! But… I think you'll show them what you can do."

It was said when she was growing up, that her grandmother was partly such an effective leader because of the confidence she exhumed. Ciri learned that Queen Calanthe's confidence, her personality was infectious. She had also taught Ciri, that the ability to inspire came from your confidence, and it was something Ciri always tried to emulate.

Ciri got a taste of that confidence then, as her grandmother smiled at her, speaking as if the outcome was a forgone conclusion.

Slowly Ciri nodded, and Calanthe's smile didn't waver. The former Queen of Cintra, her grandmother, the lioness, one of her heroes, continued to walk towards the exit of the throne room. With each step she took, the aching in Ciri's bones returned, her torso started to sting, and her headache returned. She saw black smoke begin to billow from the walls around her.

She ignored it however and focused solely on her grandmother walking away.

Calanthe's footsteps echoed in the hall, as the smoke started to cloud Ciri's vision more and more. However, her grandmother stopped at the door, and turned back to her.

The infectious smile didn't leave the Queen as she nodded at Ciri again. "Remember Ciri, this is _your _story. Write your own ending my dear…"

And Ciri saw her grandmother turn to leave, before the black smoke overtook her vision.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Pain. That was all Dominik could feel, as the darkness had gone on for what felt like hours. He moved at a snail's pace, which didn't help him any. He didn't even have the energy to produce flames from his hands to illuminate his way, so he walked through the endless darkness.

Alone.

He found it slight ironic. Being alone again, he always thought that was his worse fear. He assumed the cave couldn't find a way to manifest that fear, but he faced it now. A fourth challenge.

But he didn't care. All he cared about was getting to Ciri.

"Come on… come on… move your ass…" He said, his legs still buckling with every step he took.

All he could hear was the rapid thumping of his own heartbeat, and the pounding of his heavy footsteps. Pain coursed through his nose, as he was sure that he looked worse then he had in some time then.

But it didn't matter. He didn't care about anything, except getting to the end of that cave.

So when he tripped forward, his legs finally giving out from under him he cursed louder then he had in months.

"GODS FUCKING DAMMIT! FUCKING FUCK!"

All he wanted was to get to Ciri, to find the sword, and then get out of that fucking cave. He still saw the horrible visions from the challenges, everything Ciri had gone through because of him. He just wanted to hold her, feel her arms around him, tell her again how sorry he was. It had to have been hours since he saw her, since they split at the beginning of the challenge.

And after being gone from her for all those years, those few hours simply felt like too long.

"Fuck… fucking… fuck," He said, groaning as he tried to push himself up from the ground. Rapidly blinking his eyes he had been walking for so long, he felt like the bottoms of his boots had to have been scuffed off by then. "Some fucking prize… I thought this was-."

He was cut off by a bone chilling gust of wind. Shaking right away, he was afraid for a moment he'd have to deal with Eredin again, that perhaps he had really failed his challenge. However, after the chill, he could feel sunlight trying to pierce his eyelids. He sucked in a breath of clean air, which was a welcome change from the dank must he had been breathing in the cave for the previous few hours.

"What… fuck…" He cursed again, blinking his eyes open, to see he was on all fours on a wooden floor.

After a moment, the white spots stopped dancing in his vision, and he was able to lift his head.

He noticed the throne, the banner, and his heart leapt in his stomach. With a jolt of energy, he shot to his feet stumbling as he did before grab a windowsill to steady himself. The cold breeze hit his face, and his nose stung from the cold, but it was surprisingly pleasant to him. He sucked in another clean breath and managed to gaze out the window.

Beautiful sprawling forests, mountains with snow covered peaks. A gorgeous orange sunset was gently peering in the distance, the great oaks that seemed to go on for hours were caked in snow. He could hear the distant howl of a wolf along with the sounds of the forest, which he didn't know he missed so much during the previous few weeks. One thing he had enjoyed about the Path, was the serenity he could bring himself to feel. Sometimes he'd find himself simply laying in the soft grass on a cliffside, in the forest, simply looking and admiring the scenery around him, listening to the pleasant sounds of birds, insects, wolves, it all managed to bring him small moments of peace. He sometimes went out of his way to climb high up cliffs or mountains, he even often climbed trees, all in search of a good view.

The view he saw then as he gazed outside that window was easily the most beautiful he had ever seen.

And Dominik had seen it before.

A small scoff left him, as he mimicked the old man's voice. "Castle Lod, in the beautiful mountains near Lan Exeter, a small keep… but home nonetheless."

He managed to let a smile tug at his lips as he drug his hand across the windowsill. He remembered seeing the castle in his vision with Alexander, and he remembered that window in particular.

It was at that window, Alexander and Lara Dorren had held Lara and Cregan's child Riannon, a short while after Cregan had been killed. Before Riannon would be taken to Redania.

Where Alexander promised Lara his line would always protect hers. Where his destiny began.

Scoffing, his pain momentarily forgotten Dominik looked at the banner hanging behind the small throne. The throne room was nothing like the one back in Cintra. It was smaller, wooden floors and pillars, a smaller but elegantly carved throne. Behind it was the banner, a black field with a dragon's head, and two crossed swords. Dominik always assumed Alexander and Cregan chose the lion as a sigil because of their connection to Kilgarrah. Kilgarrah, who Bella was currently controlling.

And remembering that, and what had happened in the cave all came back to him. He remembered what he had doing, and he was sure that he had to be dreaming.

"Shit… I need to find Ciri," Dominik said, biting his lip as he took one last look outside at the gorgeous view before turning and shaking his head. "I'm passed out, I have to be… come on, I need to wake up-."

The doors opening cut him off.

"Aha you look like hell my boy! Couldn't you have at least popped your nose back into place before you came?" A teasing voice said.

Dominik whirled around to the front of the room, and his mouth dropped.

"A…Alexander!? How… how are… what," He said shaking his head as he basked in his ancestor's presence, unable to form words.

Alexander scoffed, an absolutely delighted smile on his face before he teasingly rolled his eyes. "Baha well it's good to see you again as well lad! Seems we both look a little different then the last time we spoke."

"You… you're not old!"

His ancestor laughed again, holding out his arms and looking down at himself. "Haha you saw me in the visions lad! GODS did I ever miss being this fit. No more back pain, dry mouth, losing my eyesight, spending hundreds of years in a journal really does a number on you… and I was finally able to rest thanks to you my boy."

Alexander like he had said, was young again. Dominik remembered the old man's streaky grey hair and long beard from when Dominik saw him last. His trip into the journal, speaking with Alexander for the first time had felt like months prior, but in reality was only a few weeks.

And he had missed the old man since then.

_Let the person who can help you most come to you. _Dominik almost scoffed, and for a short moment, couldn't believe the cave's power.

For weeks, he had wished he could have just one more conversation with his ancestor. Alexander had sacrificed everything for his family. After making the pledge that he and his line would protect his brother and Lara's, he was the one to keep the Wild Hunt and the Aen Elle, Avallac'h and Eredin distracted so they wouldn't go after Riannon, Lara's child. He had died, Eredin had stabbed him in the back, while he and Kilgarrah defended Castle Lod from the entirety of the Red Riders by themselves. And as if dying wasn't enough, Alexander had concealed a part of his consciousness in his journal, so that in the future, should any of his descendants need guidance, which Dominik had desperately needed and still did, he could be there.

For centuries, he hadn't been able to see his family. He hadn't been able to see Cregan, Lara, his child Connor and Lara, all so he could help Dominik then, help him keep Ciri safe.

And now Dominik needed him even more. So much had happened since he last saw his ancestor in that vision. His powers, the magic that he had inherited from Alexander and his children had grown, they were so close to finally confronting Eredin.

Most importantly of all, another one of Alexander's descendants was alive. Bella and Dominik, they were the last members of the Line of Lod, the one's Eredin was planning on killing, before he took Ciri for himself.

And Dominik still didn't know if he could beat him.

Dominik felt tears prick at his eyes. Alexander looked young again. He wore a long black doublet and brown trousers. His boots and gloves were finely made, with gold stitching. Gold stitching adorned his robe as well, where Dominik saw a swallow, a swallow for his 'little sis' Lara Dorren, and the coat of arms of his family, the dragon head. His hair was no longer grey and balding. Alexander had neatly combed blonde hair, a perfectly trimmed beard, both of which gently blew from the breeze coming in through the window.

And his eyes. Dominik didn't know if he would have recognized Alexander if not for his eyes. A warm, bright emerald green. The same eyes his children Lara and Connor of Lod had, the same eyes Dominik's mother Sofia had. And the same eyes Dominik himself had.

Alexander must have seen him gaping because he laughed. "Aha… it's good to see you again lad. A lot has happened since we last spoke mhmm?"

The first few tears fell down Dominik's cheeks. "Yeah… yeah a… a lot has. I… I'm so sorry…"

Alexander scoffed with a smile again. "My boy, what could you possibly be apologizing to me for?"

Dominik shakily sighed, tears falling as he met his ancestor's eyes. "B…Bella… my… my sister I… I let them… I let them-."

"You didn't let them do anything my boy," He said, his tone wise and knowing, shaking his head as he reached a handout on his shoulder. "You're not at fault… you're doing what I told you mhmm? Remember what I said about family?"

"You never give up on your family… no matter how lost they seem," Dominik said, his voice breaking.

Alexander smiled softly. Dominik looked into his eyes, felt the man's strong hand on his shoulder. The way he spoke, the wisdom he exhumed from his words, from his eyes, his calming tone, his warm presence and reassurance.

Avallac'h may have called himself a sage, however Alexander was the first man he ever met, who he genuinely believed fit what he always thought a sage should be.

"Aye lad… we never give up on them, just like you won't give up on your sister," Alexander said, his warm smile not leaving him. "That is why you entered the Cave of Life after all mhmm? I must say, I am utterly touched that you consider me the one you need most my boy! I guess my dashing good looks and charm really-."

He was cut off when Dominik hugged him. He had been trying to hold back the tears, not wanting to cry and appear weak in front of Alexander. But after everything he had seen in the cave, everything he knew was coming, he had just needed to hug someone. Dominik's tears fell onto Alexander's robe, and the old man laughed.

"Aha… it truly brings me great joy to see you again my boy…" He said, hugging him back, patting his back and running a hand through Dominik's dirty hair. "Ha… you and your Cirilla both have gotten into quite a few adventures already… a child surprise eh?"

Dominik sniffled, scoffing a sob and wiping the tears from his cheek. The smile came back to him, as he stepped back and met Alexander's eyes.

"Yeah… yeah Fiona she… gods she… she's the perfect mix of me and Ciri…" He said, before shaking his head the smile growing. "You… you saw that?"

"Saw you and Cirilla almost kill a fucking dragon? Of course I did!" Alexander said, laughed as he crossed his arms and scoffed again. "And when you trounced Avallach's lab, and the sorceress, that Yennefer drew a mustache on his portrait! When you all smashed everything to bits, HA, I nearly pissed myself laughing!"

Dominik chuckled, wiping the last of the tears from his cheeks. Hearing Alexander bring up Avallach's lab however, reminded him of one of the hundreds of question he wanted to ask his ancestor.

"Ha… that was gratifying I won't lie," He said, looking and meeting Alexander's eyes with a curious smile. "And… when I was there… I figured out about Leila, what… what she did for you, Lara and Cregan… and what they did to her because of it. How come you didn't tell me you had a wife? I mean I assumed you did since you had children, but you never mentioned her when I saw you the last time."

For a moment, Dominik was worried that he would upset Alexander. However, that thought was dashed from his mind when he saw the fond smile that grew on his ancestor's face, and the tone of longing he spoke with.

"Ha, I would have liked to, but we had much more important topic at hand then. But gods… my Leila. The most amazing woman I've ever met in my life. We couldn't stand each other at first! HA, we almost killed each other, quite literally!" He said, laughing as the fond smile grew on his face.

Dominik looked at him confused. "You… almost killed each other?"

"Oho that we did. Made me even more attracted to her in the end to be honest. Bloody woman went toe to toe with me!" Alexander said, laughing as he looked fondly out the window. "As I'm sure you read, all the Aen Elle, Avallac'h, Eredin, Auberon, were looking for Lara after Cregan and I took her back here. Leila however, found her first. She snuck into the castle, found Lara in her chambers. Leila tried to get her to come back, I was up in the middle of the night going for a piss, and I found Lara's chamber door open."

"You met your future wife while you were going to take a piss?"

Alexander scoffed with a laugh. "Aha, it appears I did. At first, I just thought Cregan was sneaking into Lara's chambers, he did that often, surprised her with flowers and the like in the mornings. I found Leila there, and before Lara could say anything well… Leila started blasting and so did I!"

"And you said she almost beat you?"

"Oh she did, got the best of me, I got the best of her, a draw I'd say," Alexander said amusingly. "We fought and nearly brought the castle down we did. Lara and Cregan managed to stop us before we killed each other. After that, Lara told Cregan and I who she was, explained to Leila what she was doing with us."

Dominik scoffed a smile seeing the fond smile on his ancestor's face. It was the same look he got whenever he saw Ciri, the look of a man in love, however a small look of sadness was locked behind his eyes.

"So… what happened after that?" Dominik asked. "In the vision I saw, when Lara had Riannon, Connor and Lara were already a few years old."

The bright smile on Alexander's face slightly fell.

"Well after that, Leila and I we… butted heads for a bit. She was worried Lara's life was in danger there, that the wrath of the Aen Elle would follow her, and endanger not just her, but the entire continent," Alexander explained, a small smirk coming to him. "She was right in a way but… she saw the love Cregan and Lara had, and eventually well… I wore down her stubbornness."

"And… Connor and Lara came soon after?"

"Well, took about a year or so, a lot of arguments, both of us being too proud for our own good but… eventually yes," His ancestor said, scoffing a smile. "Most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life… and gods did she love Connor and Lara. Cregan and Lara were in love long before then yes but, they were a bit more hesitant to have children, for obvious reasons."

Dominik nodded in understanding. "Yeah... she was Lara's best-friend wasn't she? She understood Lara's choice to stay with Cregan, to live at Castle Lod?"

"Of course she did! Leila loved Lara for _Lara, _not because of her powers. Leila saw how happy Lara and Cregan were, decided to stay a good stroke of luck for me!" Alexander said, the smile slowly fading as he sighed. "I wish she would have stayed, but she was too damn noble for her own good my Leila was… we could've raised the twins together… could barely move for weeks after she left."

Dominik's gut stirred, as he remembered combing through Avallach's notes about what happened to Leila back in Tir'Nala.

"Like I said… I read about what she did when she went back to Tir'Nala," He said. "She was brave… and I'm guessing if not for her I wouldn't even be here."

"Aye… none of us would," Alexander said, sighing as a flicker of sadness appeared in his eyes. Quickly however, his ancestor smiled back down at him. "I see her in you lad."

"You mean because of the colorful magic?" Dominik said.

Alexander laughed. "That's a part of it yes, taught me a great many things my Leila did… but not just the magic. You have her tenacity, her dedication, her protectiveness and loving spirit… her courage, and most importantly you have her sense of family…"

The word _family _slammed into Dominik like a brick. He saw the look on Alexander's face as he looked at him. Dominik could almost swear that in the few times he'd seen his ancestor he'd never seen him not smiling, not confident. It was a trait that he wished he could have right then. He wanted to bask in the praise, enjoy it, but hearing that word, _family_, he was reminded of what he had come to the cave in the first place for.

He shakily sighed as he looked out the window over the beautiful snowy landscape. Alexander came and joined him; his ancestor sighed as he laid his hands out of the windowsill.

Alexander looked down at him. "You're worried."

"What gave it away?" Dominik said.

His ancestor laughed. "Ha… well you're even more brooding then you usually are."

"I am _not _usually brooding!"

"Oh but you are lad," Alexander said with another laugh. "The minute you take your Cirilla away and you're brooding all over the place!"

"Yes well… if I can't convince Bella… break the spell Eredin has over her I'll die… and then Ciri won't kill her… so she'll die," Dominik said, goosebumps traveling up his arms. "I… I don't know if I'll be able to fight her when the time comes."

"You've said before that you'd do it if you had too."

"Yeah… and I will but… but I don't know if I _can,_" He stressed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I won't kill her… I won't be able to do it. Fuck I… I don't even know if I can swing my sword at her now, knowing it's her…. And… and what if… what if everything I try fails and I.. and I have too-."

"Easy, easy lad," Alexander said, turning to him from the window. "You're not going to be saving anyone with your nerves shot like they are now."

Dominik shook his head, his hands trembling. "I can't calm down…. I need to not only get through to Bella, save her, but I also need to fucking fight Eredin again, and I don't know if I can fucking win! I don't know if I can beat him, he nearly killed me at Kaer Morhen."

"You just killed him in the cave."

He met Alexander's eyes and rolled his own. "That cave version of him was nothing compared to the real thing, and I almost died…. My powers _still _nearly knock me out after each use. There's only so much Ciri can show me."

Alexander scoffed. "You've improved much since I last saw you lad. You're almost there, there have been times where I've seen you achieve control."

"Yes, well _almost _control, isn't control," Dominik said, sighing as he looked at his shaking hands. "I know I have to try… I can't just sit back but… but I have no idea what how I'm going to do it… if I even can do it. You couldn't beat him; Connor and Lara couldn't beat him… what chance do I have?"

A long silence passed. Dominik didn't look up at Alexander, reserving himself to looking out over the countryside again. He told himself that if he ever got the chance, he'd take Ciri to see the view he stood in now. Castle Lod had to still be at least standing up in Kovir, perhaps he could take Ciri there after everything was over, maybe even Fiona or Bella.

But the lingering issue, was that they had to survive first, he had to save Bella, he had to kill Eredin, and most importantly he had to make sure Ciri survived.

His nose ached from the awkward angel it sat at, and he just finally begun to have feeling in his legs again. Although if he started walking he assumed that he would fall flat on his face. He was barely in a state to be standing let alone fighting. He tried to calm his shaking hands, but nothing worked. He would leave that vision with Alexander, he'd go back to Ciri, he'd find the sword and get his message to Bella like he planned. In a day or two, they'd lay out a plan, just like Kaer Morhen he'd assign his friends where to go, where they'd fight, assign them tasks.

Also just like at Kaer Morhen however, he didn't know if it would be enough, if he would be strong enough.

Alexander sighed and broke the silence. "Aye… it's quite a shit situation you're in isn't it lad?"

Dominik felt himself snap. "Of course it is! What the hell did I ever do to deserve this!? More importantly, what did _Ciri _or my _sister _do to deserve any of this!? Ciri couldn't control the blood she was born with, how the hell is it fair, that she had to run her entire life because of it!?"

"It isn't fair you're right," Alexander said calmly sighing and shaking his head. "And believe me when I say, Lara and Cregan… they're beyond sorry for the life she's had to live, they never intended to have a child."

"AND THAT ISN'T FAIR EITHER!" Dominik said, pacing as he felt his anger melting into the pit of his stomach. "If they wanted to be together, then they should have had that right! If they wanted to have a child, they should have had that right! And why couldn't they be!? Because Avallac'h couldn't handle rejection!? Because the elves _decided _what Lara's life would be!? Why the fuck couldn't she have had a say in it!?"

"Again, you're right lad," Alexander said with a shrug. "You're not telling me anything that I don't already believe."

Dominik ignored him however, continued his pacing.

"And… and my sister! Fucking Bella was the sweetest person you would ever meet," He said, feeling the tears threatening to loose from his eyes again. "She was the light of _everyone's _life that she met! She was, sweet, caring, kind, loving AND SHE WAS GOOD, BUT THEY TURNED HER INTO SOMETHING THAT SHE ISNT! SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"She didn't… you're right," Alexander said softly, reaching a handout on his shoulder. "Cirilla doesn't deserve this, your sister doesn't deserve this… and you don't deserve this my boy."

Shakily Dominik sighed, meeting his ancestor's intense eyes. "All… all I ever wanted, was to be with Ciri…. Protect her, be with her, have my sister, my parents, Geralt, Yen, all of them…. And now… I could lose all of them… all because I wasn't strong enough."

The tears came, and Dominik was ashamed crying so much in front of Alexander. He didn't want to appear weak, but the challenges in the cave, the previous few days, all of them had broken him down, down to the point where her quite simply couldn't hold anything in anymore.

It was all unfair, none of it was fair.

A cold chill from the window swept through his messy hair, making his nose sting again. He winced as he tried to frantically wipe the tears from his eyes. A part of him was expecting the vision to end soon, the visit with Alexander to end soon, and he would be kicking himself for doing nothing but complaining the whole time as opposed to actually asking questions that could help him.

However, Alexander was still there. His green eyes looked so much like his own, so much like his mother's that his insides stirred. Still, his ancestor didn't lose his smile.

"Life sometimes as you know lad… simply isn't fair," Alexander said, sighing as he shook his head but smiled still. "And a lot of the time, we simply can't do anything to control the circumstances, you can't change what happened, and what's happening."

Dominik wiped tears from his cheeks and scoffed. "Gee… real uplifting message old man."

Alexander laughed and smirked at him. "We can't control the circumstance and change what happened, but you know what we _can _control… is how we react to it. Tell me lad, what're you going to do when you face your sister?"

"I don't know!" Dominik said, sniffling as he wiped more tears. "If I have to fight her I will but-."

"Then that's what you do! Who said you ever have to kill anyone in a fight?" Alexander said, his gaze not leaving Dominik's. "But you know as well as I do boy, you can't simply sit around and complain about it being unfair. You need to take action and be decisive."

"And what if I can't convince her? Like I couldn't convince her the first time I saw her!?"

"You never know what will happen. There's a chance of failure, in everything we do in life my boy. You could fail at cleaning your sword properly and cut yourself. You could fail at putting your pants on in the morning, and next thing you know, you're wearing your pants backwards!"

"A lot more is at stake than me just wearing my pants backwards," Dominik grumbled. "If I fail here… then I lose everything."

Alexander simply shrugged. "You can't live your life with a fear of failure, even in extreme cases such as this my boy. If you can't be confident for yourself, at least do it for those around you. Your Cirilla was just as distraught as you were about your sister… be confident for her. You _will _be able to overcome this, and you quite literally can't stop… do you know why?"

Dominik's stomach dropped as he slowly nodded. "Because… you never give up on your family… no matter what."

"Exactly," Alexander said softly again. "And you won't give up on your sister… I know you won't, you're too much like me, too much like Connor and Lara, too much like Leila…. You will face your sister… and it's like I've heard you say… she's not gone, you know her, know that better than anyone."

_Be confident for Ciri's sake. _It was something that he had been trying to do, but as the battle got closer and closer it had been slipping. Biting his lip he could taste the metallic flavor of his blood. Hearing Ciri's name reminded him how she was in the cave, waiting for him now. And Bella was also out there, waiting for him, waiting to face him again just like he was for her.

He'd get her back. He would never give up on her, never abandon her, not again.

Shakily sighing he nodded. "I… I do. She's still that person… I know she is. But… but I don't know if I can fight her. And what about Kilgarrah? It makes sense now why he's with the Hunt, but even with Bella being there… how come he's been listening to her?"

Alexander scratched his blonde beard and sighed. "It is as I said boy, Kilgarrah will never harm you. As for why he's following your sister's orders well… one thing we both always said, was that we believed, the biggest way a person learns, is from their mistakes. It's more than likely… he's going along with what Bella orders even if it's for the Hunt… because he knows deep down how she feels about what she's doing."

Dominik's blood thinned, remembering the destruction of Lofeton.

"It's true… she has done things, horrible things," He said shakily. "Things that I know she doesn't want to do. Things I know that aren't her… it has to be tearing her to pieces inside…."

"Yes… and my guess is Kilgarrah is going through with these deeds… to show her the error of her ways," Alexander said, his face faltering for a moment. "That poor girl… there's no telling the horrors that Eredin has subjected her too. Kilgarrah I assume has been trying his best… but she needs you my boy… now more than ever."

His spine tingled again. Dominik shakily sighed and nodded. He had seen dreams of Bella's 'training' and knew exactly what Eredin planned to do with her. He was going to kill her, Eredin wanted to not only kill Ciri now, but his sister as well.

It was Eredin, it was always Eredin. His fingers curled, as he remembered the last challenge in his cave. His nose tingled; he could feel the blood seeping into his skin under his armor. He had nearly died simply fighting the King's apparition, it had nearly killed him, and Dominik had to push himself to limits. He could still feel the fatigue, his legs ached as he stood across from Alexander then.

But it was as his ancestor said, and as he said to himself in the cave. He couldn't simply sit there and complain. For everyone's sake he needed to figure out a way to defeat Eredin, some way to stand up to him. He remembered all the times he had used his powers, in his first fight with Eredin was the time when he felt them come out at full force for the first time. He had no idea to that day how they activated like they did, but all he could remember was that even more so then his face and leg, the pure amount of strength he exhumed had been what hurt the most.

However, there had also been times like at Claywitch when he fought Drogar to save Fiona. His powers had come out then yes, and in an extraordinarily strong way. However, unlike Kaer Morhen, after that he had been able to move, he was fine. Of course there had been smaller times, like in Avallach's lab, when his magic would hum around him, and he felt as if he was in control. Bella had seemed to be in control of her powers, at least to a degree, and that was what scared him, how she could possibly be so in control.

He met Alexander's eyes and slowly nodded. "I'll get her back… but… how the hell does Bella know how to control her powers so well? I assumed it had something to do with us being part elf, and Eredin and Caranthir knowing it."

Alexander scoffed. "Bah, Eredin knows your magic more then he even showed the girl… extremely well in fact."

Dominik tilted his head at his ancestors' sharp tone. "What… what do you mean?"

Alexander rolled his eyes. "Well you see, just as Avallac'h was supposed to marry Lara… Leila was supposed to be married as well. I never met Eredin obviously until my death but… he was supposed to be the one to marry Leila."

He felt as if a brick had been thrown at his face. _Besides… that was not the only thing Alexander stole from me. _The words that the apparition spoke pierced into his ears. Suddenly he felt his skin crawl, as he scoffed and looked at Alexander.

"You're telling me _Eredin _was in love with my ancestor!? That he was supposed to marry her… and that's a reason why he hated you so much?"

Alexander laughed. "Bah, love? Oh no, absolutely not. Leila couldn't stand him, and Eredin quite frankly couldn't stand her either, but they were supposed to be married yes. Eredin however, only did it to get himself closer to Lara, closer to Auberon since Leila was a member of Lara's personal court. He maneuvered his way into marrying her, in hopes of getting his hands-on Lara, or killing Auberon so he himself could become King. It's a part of the reason Leila stayed here with us."

Dominik scoffed. "Well… looks like he got what he wanted in the end."

"Aye… he did," Alexander said with a quick shake of his head. "When Leila stayed, he lost his connection to getting to Lara, and possibly the throne, that is why he'd been hunting us. That, and well, partly for his own vanity and pride."

Biting his lip, Dominik shook his head. "And now… he has a chance to wipe us all out…. He wants to use Bella to kill Ciri, kill me as the perfect insult to our line… and then invade. It's why he spent so long training Bella."

"And his arrogance will be his downfall," Alexander said quickly, as if Dominik was onto something. A smirk appeared on his face. "He taught your sister how to use her powers, Caranthir trained her yes but… not the proper way. He's taught her to use her anger, her hatred, her bitterness and resentment as fuel to spur on her magic and powers."

"But I thought you said Eredin knows how our powers work?" Dominik said.

Alexander nodded and looked deep into his eyes. "Aye, he does, and I assume he taught your sister the wrong ways on purpose. You see… your powers my boy, to achieve complete control, you must be in control of your emotions. True control, comes from controlling your mind, from memories of love, happiness, goodness, it lets you see clearer, let's you achieve that control!"

The answer had been so obvious, that Dominik mentally slapped himself for not realizing sooner. He remembered back to the fight with Drogar in Claywitch, when his powers gave off a steady hum. He and Ciri had just saved Fiona, he had been thinking of all the things they'd do, where they'd go, training her, it had been a long time since he felt excitement like that. So when Drogar came, he was calm, able to think about nothing except beating him so that they could go and do all the things Ciri and he had planned for Fiona.

And in that moment he had achieved control if just for a minute. Looking and meeting Alexander's eyes, he slowly shook his head.

"So… all the times that it shot around me, that… that it drained me," Dominik said, the realization coming to him. "I was always angry… scared… and that made it harder to control."

"Yes my boy… that's exactly how it works," Alexander said, the smile slight fading from his face. "Eredin… he's filled your sister with nothing but hatred, resentment and anger. This… will make your magic powerful, it gives it more raw power then even when you're filled with the opposite… but you can't control it… and-."

"And it could kill her… so he doesn't care, he just wants her to be as powerful as possible…" Dominik said, his hands curling into fists. "I'm going to kill him… I don't know how… but even if I die doing it… I'm going to fucking kill him."

Alexander squeezed a hand on his shoulder. "Fight him yes my boy… but don't do it with anger in your heart."

"You expect me not to be angry, fighting the one who's chased Ciri and brainwashed my sister?" Dominik said, shaking his head. "The one who's responsible for my friends being dead? How can you expect me, not to be angry while I fight!? To do it for revenge and-."

"Do it… to protect the ones you love, and in the memory of the ones you've lost," Alexander said softly, his piercing gaze looking down at him.

Dominik faltered, and melted. Shakily he sighed, looking down at his gloved hands. He could remember all the way back to Novigrad, seeing his hand actually smoking after a fraction of his power unleashed. And then, by the time he got to Kaer Morhen, his entire body went white after he nearly died. Freya had told him multiple times; his body had been as white as a ghost while she operated on him. Dominik's cheek tingled, and gently he ran his hand along the scar, looking out over the beautiful view. The snow-covered peaks, the miles upon miles of great oaks, the distant views of Lan Exeter. He shivered from the cold, sucking in a clean breath as he curled his fists.

Around his neck, he could feel the swallow, his medallion both bouncing off his large chest. His armor was scorched, dented, caked in sweat and blood. His nose ached from still being crooked, and his legs trembled.

But the view he saw still took his breath away, and for a minute he felt at peace.

"Beautiful… isn't it?" Alexander said, turning to look out the window with him. "Perhaps you can take Cirilla here one day mhmm? Castle's still standing."

Dominik scoffed, but smiled. "Yeah… I've been thinking about that. Maybe I can bring Bella too… this is really where it all started, where we all became connected."

"Aye lad… it is. And it's as I said, I can rest in good conscious," Alexander said, his signature smile note leaving. "Because I know our destiny is in good hands… Cregan and Lara believe it as well."

"They do?"

"Of course they do," Alexander said, smirking as he turned to Dominik. "You and Cirilla, remind them of themselves…. And the same goes for me. Brings me, Connor, Lara, Cregan and Lara both… more joy they I could describe, seeing you together."

His words made Dominik's head shoot up, as he didn't hear one certain name. Remembering what he had heard in Avallach's lab, he met Alexander's eyes.

"And… not Leila?" Dominik said, amazed at the possibility. "Does… does that means he's really still alive? That… that I could find her?"

Alexander's smile fell as he sighed. "Yes my boy… my Leila… gods, had no idea she was alive until I died. I wish I had gotten to see her… but if she's alive then well… she's alive for a purpose."

"A purpose?"

"I know not what it could be lad, but knowing my Leila, it's a good one," His ancestor said, shrugging as the smile returned to his face. "She was a big believer in destiny, in prophecies, claimed she could predict bits of the future. Who knows? Perhaps she's still alive, so that you can go and find her my boy."

The idea of one of his ancestors being alive, it baffled his mind. Dominik knew that Eredin and Avallac'h were both hundreds of years old yet looked extremely young. Leila could be the same, or perhaps like Alexander she had trapped her consciousness in a journal somewhere.

Or maybe she was truly in hiding in another world, and he and Ciri could find her.

Dominik met Alexander's eyes and nodded. "I'll find her. Ciri and I, and Bella we… we'll find her, I promise. I'll tell her you're waiting for her, and… and well… I don't know what I'll do, but I'll find her I swear."

Alexander laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder again. "Aye.. thank you lad. Gods do I miss that woman…"

"Do you have any idea where she is? Couldn't you see her once you died?"

"I thought I could… but since I can't it can only mean one thing," Alexander explained. "She could just be concealing herself with magic or… she could be in another world. More than likely Tir'Nala. 'The best place to hide from your enemy is sometimes right under their nose'. She used to say that often."

"I'll find her! Ciri's been to Tir'Nala, maybe we could-." He started, his excitement getting the best of him, but Alexander however cut him off.

"Ahaha easy lad easy… you have a much more important quests first," He said, squeezing Dominik's shoulder with a small smirk forming. "Besides… you should be going to find someone else first… I'm sure Cirilla could do with seeing you right now."

The smile Dominik had faded. He looked first at the smile Alexander still had, before behind him, Dominik saw black clouds of smoke slowly coming upwards from cracks in the walls. Panic built up in him, and he turned to see the smoke slowly seeping through all the walls. Flashbacks to the challenges, the cave hit his mind, his nose started to ache, and his legs shook more. He took a longing look outside the window, the same window at which his destiny began hundreds of years ago.

The view was slowly being overtaken by black smoke.

Dominik shot back around to Alexander. "No! You can't leave yet; I still have so much that I need to ask! So… so much I wanna talk about, I'm not ready, I'm not ready for this fight yet!"

Alexander laughed. "Ahaha well the fight is soon my boy you better get ready! Do some push-ups! Sharpen your swords and maybe-."

"Now's not the time for jokes old man!" Dominik stressed, his eyes widening, and he desperately looked up at his ancestor. "I… I'm still scared, I don't know how to make it go away."

"Good, that's good, any sane man would be afraid," Alexander said, smiling still as he reached out to hold Dominik's shoulder again, squeezing it. "But you, will conquer that fear my boy… you _are _ready."

Dominik scoffed and shook his head, latching onto Alexander's arm. "The fuck I am! Eredin nearly killed me at Kaer Morhen, and the projection in the cave-."

"You killed it, end of story," Alexander said, smiling as he looked down at him. "Remember my boy, you don't just do this for yourself. Hell, you're not even doing this because it's your destiny. In the end, you don't give a damn about my promise to Lara, about the fact this is your legacy, and I know you really don't."

"What!? How could you say that? You stayed alive to help me, Lara and Cregan they died so their line could survive," Dominik said, tears coming down his cheeks as he shook his head. "This is my destiny, it's what I was meant to do, of course I care-."

"I'm not saying you don't care a bit lad," Alexander said. "I'm saying… that in the end, none of that matters…. You're doing this… for love. The woman, that you love is in danger. The sister, that you love, is in danger. Your family new and old, they are in danger… and that's why you're doing this… for love. And if you inherited anything from me, from Leila, from your mother and father, from Geralt and Yennefer, from your Cirilla even… is your capacity to love, for family. So _that, _my boy, is why you are ready… and you will succeed."

Dominik's mouth went dry as he gaped at his ancestor. The words penetrated him, fell into the depths of his very soul. Black mist continued to swirl around them, as they played back in his mind.

_You're doing this… for love._

_ For Ciri. That's all it's ever been for, for the life we deserve. _

Tears fell, crawling down his cheek and down his neck. Dominik looked up at Alexander, who hadn't stopped smiling. Crying, and without thinking, he hugged the sage again, tightly wrapping his arms around the man again. For a moment he squeezed, not wanting to let his ancestor go, to go back to the cave, and face the reality of what was coming.

But Ciri was there, and he wanted more than anything to hold her again.

"I… I'm gonna miss you old man…" Dominik said, sobbing as he squeezed tighter. "Thank you… thank you for… for everything. I… I don't know where I'd be without you."

Alexander laughed, pulling away and smiling at him. "Aha… you'd be alright lad. You're tough, brave, and every single bit as stubborn as I was."

The two of them both laughed, as Dominik reluctantly felt Alexander's hand leave his shoulder. Smoke started coming up quicker, as Dominik saw it slowly envelope the window he was looking out of. Alexander smiled, walking over to the door of the throne room, and Dominik followed, standing a few meters away from his ancestor.

The person he had needed most in that world in the moment. The cave had been right.

Alexander smirked and looked back at him. "Good luck Dominik. Remember, you're not alone in this fight, you not only have Cirilla at your side and your friends… but someone else now."

Dominik's eyes widened. "You… you mean Bella?"

"Of course I do!" Alexander smirked one last time, narrowing and meeting Dominik's eyes. "Do not make the same mistake that Connor and Lara made my boy. And remember… to trust in the ones you love, trust their instincts and judgement. A time soon will come when you're face with two choices."

"Choices!?" He said, shouting as the mist became thicker.

Alexander nodded. "When they come, remember… trust in the ones you love, trust their judgement and support them…. You will get that life you deserve my boy. You only must push a little bit more."

That life he deserved. That life with Ciri, all he ever wanted.

He quickly nodded. "Thank you again… I… I'm going to miss you…"

A laugh left his ancestor. "Oho don't worry my boy! We'll see each other again one day. And I look forward to that day… we are family after all!"

Dominik just had time to smile before Alexander pushed open the door, and when he did the black smoke took over his vision.

But he didn't care because he was going to see Ciri again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"GAHHH SHIT!" Ciri said, screaming as for a few moment she felt like she was falling. As soon as she hit the ground, pain coursed through her, but she ignored it and shot up, rapidly trying to take in her surroundings. "Grandmother!? Grandmother, where-."

A loud gush wave of running water hit her ears, cutting her off before her nose was attacked by the scent of fresh air. Initially she coughed, seeing the black smoke dissipate around her. After coughing and smacking it away, she looked, and her eyes widened when she saw the source of the noise.

"A… A waterfall? How… what," She said, trailing off as she looked at the top of the cave.

The light from the sunset pierced through the top of the cave. A large, wide-open ceiling, where water came crashing down into an abyss. Ciri groaned as she got up to her feet feeling the pain flare up in her torso. She grabbed the hole in her corset, and slowly walked towards an edge she saw.

"Good god…" She said, looking down into the abyss.

A small bridge of land stretched out with the waterfall crashing onto it. The center was drenched with water, as the column spirted the liquid out onto the other sides into the blackness below. Ciri could hear the rushing of a river below where the water fell, but she was too busy to search further, as she basked in the glow of the sunlight peering in from above, all while her grandmother's words rang in her head.

_Write your own story. _

She would, for her, for her mother, for Gregory, for all the ones who had sacrificed themselves so that she could be there now.

The first thing she needed to do however was find Dominik and find the sword. Ciri was elated to be able to see her grandmother, but she would have been pissed if she survived the three challenges, experienced all those horrible things over again just to not find what they had actually come for.

"Okay.., find Dominik, find the sword," She said to herself, looking out beyond the waterfall and smiling when she saw the light. "Well, at least we have an exit residue trail leads there."

Beyond the crashing waves of the waterfall over the bridge, was a portal. It was swirling white, and by focusing she was able to tell where it led. They had their way out, now she just needed to find what she had been looking for.

"I hope he's alright," She said, biting her lip, and wincing from the fatigue again. The sunlight hit her face from above, and she shakily sighed. "Well… at least I can see the fucking-."

"CIRI! CIRI!?"

She whirled around, her heart beating out of her chest. All thoughts of the sword, of the sunlight, of everything that had happened left her. Rushing away from the waterfall, she saw that the room really did have no other exits outside of the portal, but it was extremely beautiful. Some lush green grew along the walls, flowers even jutted out. Down near the base of the bridge, she looked desperately trying to find where his voice had come from.

After everything she saw, Bonhart, Mistle, Emhyr, having to relive everything that had happened, she needed him, she wanted him, she just wanted him to hold her. She had so much pain coursing through body, so much fatigue, both physically and mentally. Her brain was still aching from the constant headache, and her clothes were still marred with blood, her hair surely looked a mess. A small part of her wanted to try and fix her appearance.

But how bad she looked was nothing compared to how bad Dominik looked, as he stumbled to his knees, scrambling to get up once he saw her.

"Dominik!" She said, rushing down the bridge, right up to him as he fell again. Ciri caught him, and he felt like a sack of flour as they both fell to their knees. "Gods… gods Dominik what happened to you!?"

"Ciri… Ciri… gods… gods you're alright," He said, his voice coarse and rough, as he coughed and Ciri saw the blood.

Blood was everywhere. Like they were back on the Isle of Mists they had both fallen to their knees. Dominik's breathing quickened as he looked at her. Ciri grabbed his hands, blood covered them both, it covered his cheeks, his armor. His face, his scar was covered by soot and ash, his shoulder was bleeding along with his nose being clearly broken. It stuck to the right at an odd angle, and Ciri looked aghast at how pale he was. Shakily she sighed, and pulled his head into her shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing with as much as she could muster in her own weakened state.

"Gods of course I'm alright. Dominik…" She said, sobbing as she felt him weak in her arms, she pulled back and cupped his face. "You're bleeding and… and gods your pale."

Despite her frantic worries, despite her tears, he could only look at her. He pulled back, and simply looked at her with his mouth agape. Tears welled up in his eyes as well, Ciri could hardly remember a time when she had ever seen him look so distraught. He didn't answer her question, which only made her worry more. She could see the look plastered on his face, a look of regret, dread, like he was remembering something horrific.

She was about to say something when he finally moved. His hands gently trailed up her waist, and like they normally did they sent tingles into her stomach. She wanted his hands on her, wanted him to hold her, for them both to leave that cave. However, he stopped when he reached her corset, and finally his eyes left hers and looked down at the blood coming from her wound.

"You… you're bleeding," He said shakily, his one hand clamping over her wound. His other trailed up behind her neck as he looked at her. "Ciri…."

"I'm bleeding yes but I'm fine, gods Dominik you're bleeding too," She said frantically again, cupping his face as she looked at him. "You… you're pale, and… and gods look at your nose, it's broken. What… what did you see what did this?"

He didn't say anything again. At the mention of whatever challenge it was he had to face, he sobbed. Never in her life, for as long as she'd known him saw him start to cry so suddenly, and so fiercely. Tears welled up and fell in streams down his dirty cheeks. She nearly jumped from him suddenly pulling her as close as he could to him. His one arm wrapped completely around her waist, while the other went up into her hair, running his fingers through her dirty ashen locks as he pulled her too him.

"D…Dominik what… what's wrong gods," She said, as right away she wrapped her arms back around his neck.

He completely sobbed into her neck. Ciri felt his tears rushing down her shoulder as with each sob he squeezed her again. She had never seen him in such a state, not even after they had discovered about Bella, not the day after he was almost killed in Novigrad. Never in Ciri's life had she seen him cry like this, and with every sob she felt her own heart fracturing more and more. There was so much pain, so much regret and sorrow in his sobs, tears started coming down Ciri's face herself.

She knew that the challenges had to be horrible for him as they were for her, but never did she imagine they'd make him like this. He was the strongest person she knew, one who she often looked too for strength herself.

But then, as he sobbed in her arms he was more vulnerable then she had ever seen him. And Ciri didn't know what to do other than to hold him. He sobbed, sobbed and sobbed into her neck. He was breaking in front of her, and all she could do was hold him back, hold her one arm around his neck while her other gently combed her fingers through his brown locks.

"I'm sorry…. I'm sorry Ciri gods… gods I'm sorry…" He said between his sobs, each word making him cry more and squeeze harder.

She brought her lips near his ear, planting a firm kiss on the side of his head as he didn't remove his sobbing face from her neck. She leaned her lips to his ears and gently spoke.

"It's alright, gods Dominik whatever it is it's alright," She said quickly, trying to be as gentle as possible. Ciri kissed his wet cheek as firmly as she could. "What is it? Dominik what is it, I can't help you unless you tell me."

"I saw you… I saw you gods I saw you," He sobbed. "I wasn't there, gods I… I wasn't there and for that Ciri I'm so sorry… I love you… I love you so much and I wasn't there."

"Wasn't there for what, Dominik please, please stop crying," She said desperately, pulling his head from hers and gripping his face gently in her hands as she met his eyes. "Please… please relax. I'm here… I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. Tell me… tell me what happened."

He shook his head, tears still falling down his cheeks. "I… I saw you… gods Ciri I… I saw you. It… It showed me what happened in Tir'Nala, and… and with… with _her. _Gods I… I couldn't close my eyes, it… it made me watch, watch while… while you…"

He couldn't finish, and Ciri's blood momentarily ran cold.

She knew what had him so rattled now. He had to watch her be raped, watch her with Auberon. Remembering the events herself shook her for a moment, but they were chased from her mind when he hugged her tight again.

"I wasn't there… I knew… I knew something bad would happen if you went to Aretuza. I had dreams, I _knew, _and I didn't do anything. I… I should have done something," He said, sobbing with each word. "I should have convinced Geralt to let me go… I should have been there for you… for you like I promised. I promised I'd protect you, so many people I'd protect you and… and I just let-."

She cut him off by kissing him. She pulled his head away from her shoulder, and pressed her lips onto his, with more passion then she had ever mustered. He shut up right away and melted into her. Ciri kept her hands cupped to the side of his face, not even thinking once about coming up for breath. All she knew was that he was hurting, that she didn't want him to feel any more pain from this. What happened to her in the visions he saw, would live with her for the rest of her life.

But she had conquered it, and she was going to make sure he could as well.

She moved her lips with him, and his hands explored every little nape of her back. Sharp, pleasurable tingles ran up her spine, as he used one hand to pull her as humanely close as possible to him. His other hand traveled up her back to her hair, as he grabbed gently held the back of her head and pressed her lips harder to him. Ciri didn't stop until she quite literally couldn't breathe. With her heart, racing out of her chest, breathing heavily she gently pulled away from him.

After she did, he kissed her again, and she kissed him back. One more kissed turned to two, to three, four and five. This carried on between sobs for several minutes. His lips tasted like a mix of blood and dirt, but Ciri could still taste the sweetness to them, and she couldn't get enough. Finally they both needed to breath, their rapid heartbeats and breathing needed to be settled. She gave him one last long, lingering kiss, before slowly pulling back and leaning her forehead against his, tears still falling from both their faces.

She wanted to make him smile, to see that smile on his face again, the smile she loved. A small one tugged at the corners of her own lips, as she looked into his wet emerald eyes with hers.

"I… I saw… I saw my grandmother," She said, sobbing herself, as Calanthe's face vividly appeared in her mind while she held onto his neck. "After the challenges…. We… we were in the throne room. I… I saw Cintra… and… and then I saw her she… she was real."

His watery eyes looked deep into hers. "And… and you're alright? She… she helped you?"

Ciri nodded, tears streaming down her cheek as she remembered her grandmother's words. She looked deep into Dominik's eyes, and could still see that goofy boy she met in those halls, that her grandmother had adored. The one who would make silly faces at her during ceremonies to get them both in trouble.

The boy she had fallen in love with.

The boy that apparently, would have been the King of Cintra alongside her.

She gently stroked her thumb across his cheek and nodded. "She… she did, gave me some advice and… and she wanted me to tell you… tell you that… that she's so, so proud of the man that you've grown up to be…. And she said… said thank you… thank you for keeping your promise to her… to protect me… protect me with everything you had."

She saw his lips turn up, and that single motion of seeing his lips curl up in the slightest was enough to make her heart flutter. He sobbed again, but scoffed a laugh at the same time, gripping onto her and quickly nodding, as he was losing the battle to fight back his smile.

He leaned and kissed her again. "I won't let them have you… I won't let them…. I promise, I promise. I… I am going to give you that life you deserve…"

"And I'm not going anywhere, I swear it," She sobbed. A smile came to her face as well as she wrapped her hands on the back of his neck. "I won't leave you… not again, I won't leave you I swear it."

The next kiss was sweeter, more delicate, and it sent the most amazing tingles down Ciri's stomach. The sounds of the waterfall gushing over the bridge behind them hit her ears, the sun beat down on them both, and even with his currently crooked nose Ciri had never found someone more beautiful.

"You're so beautiful," He said suddenly, smiling as she looked back at him.

She scoffed a sobbing laugh. "And so are you… who… who did you see?"

Gently Ciri wiped the tears from his cheeks as he smiled again, that beautiful smile she loved was finally back.

He met her eyes and she melted. "Alexander says hello… it… it was hilarious he… he didn't look like an old man like the last time I saw him."

Ciri's eyes widened at the revelation as she played with his brown locks. She knew that Dominik had been desperate for any guidance regarding his powers.

"And what did he say? And… and what about the other challenges-," She started, but he cut her off by shaking his head.

"Ciri I… I don't wanna talk about them now," He said as she could hear the ache in his voice. He kept that smile and held her as he spoke. "He… he told me a few things, helped me better understand my powers. I… I think I'm ready now… we're going to get Bella back… and I won't let them get their hands on you."

He spoke with such certainty and assurance that Ciri couldn't help but smile. The two of them could discuss the challenges later. For now, she just wanted to be there with him, to revel in the fact they had both survived, and they were both going to be living into the night.

And most importantly, what she had been relishing ever since it happened, most importantly they were together.

She saw him about to say something else but cut him off with a quick kiss. Her lips hit his, and when she pulled back, she saw the all too familiar sight of his red cheeks. That goofy smile she loved was plastered to him, and Ciri couldn't resist the giggle that came to her.

"Has the storm passed?" She said, her hand gently caressing the right side of his face.

He let out one last shaky sigh but smiled as he nodded. "Yeah… you always did know how to calm me down didn't you?"

"It's just one of my many natural talents," She said, gently wiping the last of his tears from his cheeks.

"And there are a lot of them," He said with a small, cheeky smile. "Think one of them will be getting us out of the verbal lashing Yen's going to give us when we get out?"

Ciri scoffed, her hand right near his cheek, determined to do one last thing before she left.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to talk out way out of it," She said. Ciri quickly shot her head to the other side of the cave, her eyes widened. "Did you hear that!?"

He looked at her confused for a second, before turning to where she looked. "Umm no, I didn't hear anything, what are you-."

_CRACK._

"FUCK!" He said, falling onto his back grabbing his now completely straight nose.

Ciri smiled triumphantly as she got to her feet, walking over to Dominik who was writhing as he held his now not broken nose.

He met her eyes and scoffed. "What the hell!?"

"You're welcome," She said, crossing her arms as she was barely able to control her laughter.

"For fuck's sake you could have counted to three or something," He moaned, as he sat up.

Ciri rolled her eyes. "If I had counted down you would have been a baby and whined about it."

"I'm whining about it now!"

"Yes, just considerably less than you would have," She said, reaching down her hand. "Now come on, we need to-. Dominik… what is it?"

"Ciri… look," He said, his eyes fixated on a large boulder on the edge of the abyss.

"Dominik what-." She started, but she didn't have a chance to finish.

Dominik shot up on his own, new energy seeming to flow through him. With the light that was coming down from the ceiling into that cave, Ciri was surprised she hadn't seen anything. Quickly she followed him over to the massive boulder resting on the edge of the abyss that fell into the river below. Dominik slid to his knees, digging his hands through the dirt, as he tossed aside what Ciri saw ended up being an old leg bone. She was about to ask him what in the world he was doing, but her breath caught in her throat when she finally saw what he had seen.

A shimmer of light in the sun. The shimmer of steel. Her cat medallion lightly hummed at her waist, and Ciri darted onto the ground next to him.

He huffed and puffed as he finally dragged the bones of what was almost a whole skeleton and tossed them aside. Once what they were looking for was finally clear, he looked at her, and on both their faces a large smile formed.

"Is… is that-." She started, but barely able to contain his excitement he nodded.

"It is… I'd recognize the pommel anywhere," He said, reaching forward with a scoff. "No idea how the guy made it down here… but this is it."

A skeleton was laid out against the boulder, and Ciri saw what it was clutching. Her smile couldn't be contained, as she recognized the blue magical runes, the steel that still shimmered, and most of all, the lion's head carved into the white pommel.

_Coram. _The sword. Dominik's family's sword. The whole reason they had come, their key to saving Bella.

Ciri scoffed as Dominik yanked the blade from the skeleton's dead hands.

"Gods you're right. How the hell did he get here," Ciri said, as they both got to their feet. She watched Dominik and shook her head. "He got passed the challenges and somehow got into this part of the cave."

Dominik examined the blade like it was a holy object. She didn't press him, seeing how big a moment it was for him. She knew the sword had meant a lot to him for more reasons than just because it would help them get Bella back. She could remember going to Dominik's house, sneaking there and seeing the sword on the mantle. Dominik's grandfather Sir Ryland had carried it, and every household guard before him. It was traditionally passed to the next guard captain, which was always their son or daughter in the case of Dominik's family. The tradition went on for hundreds of years, however Sir Ryland broke that tradition.

Gregory Dominik's father still became guard captain, general of the armies and the Queen's right-hand man yes… but Sir Rylan had left the sword to his protégé, Dominik's mother Sofia. Gregory she remembered, told her he was angry initially at first, however he eventually fell in love with Sofia, and respected his father's wishes.

Dominik had been set to inherit it before the sacking of Cintra, and now Ciri watched as he gently ran his hands along the runes.

The sword was truly one of the most beautiful Ciri had ever seen. It was a bit shorter than their witchers blades. The crossguard went straight out and curved up at a ninety-degree angle while it was painted black. The hilt was wrapped in tight brown leather, while the lion pommel was white. The true majesty lay in the blade, however.

_Coram _was a dwarven sihil. They were forged in Mahakam by dwarves and imbued with magic runes to enchant it. The runes kept the blade razor sharp, and Ciri saw that it was no lie. Dominik even ran his hand along the steel and yanked it back when he cut himself on the edge. Even two years in a dank cave couldn't dull the edge. The most beautiful part for Ciri always, was the dark blue magic runes that lit up now and then along the wide steel.

The rumors were that a sihil could cut through almost anything. Seeing the blade then, Ciri was inclined to believe it was true. Any knight, any warrior would have been lucky to carry such a weapon.

And it was their key to Bella.

Dominik scoffed as he looked back at her with a smile, "Don't know how he got here… but I'm not gonna complain. We got it… Ciri we actually did it!"

She chuckled at his enthusiasm. She watched as he took a step back and gripped the blade in his right hand. He took a few effortless swings, the blade whizzed through the wind, and Ciri couldn't stop smiling at the elated look on his face.

Smiling still, she came up next to him after he had finished. He held the blade out in both his hands again, smiling and shaking his head in disbelief.

"I'll get her back… I promise," He said, smiling as he didn't take his eyes off the blade. "I'll give this back to her… it'll be where it belongs… and she'll remember."

Ciri looked at him curiously. "Yes… you told me you wanted to get it to her. What do you plan to do? Are you going to keep it until we see her again?"

He shook his head and looked at her. "No… that'll be too late, we probably won't see her again until the battle… I need her to see it before then."

She remembered him mentioning this before, but simply ignored him because she saw no way it was possible. Now, she saw the look of confidence he had, and her curiosity peaked.

"Okay… but how do you plan on getting it to her?" She asked, as the sun sparkled off the sword's silver. "Are you going to walk up to Eredin's ship and drop it off? Going to send it in a package?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "No, I'm not."

She scoffed. "Well Dominik you can't simply give it to her before the battle, what do you plan on doing with it?"

Sighing he met her eyes. "You're going to think I'm crazy."

"I won't I swear, try me. What's your plan?"

He bit his lip again and looked up into the sky through the ceiling. "Well… I can't get it to her myself… but I think I knew someone who can."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri had lied to him, she had thought he was crazy, and she didn't hesitate to tell Geralt and Yen after the verbal lashing they both had given the two of them.

"Dominik, darling you know I'd never insult your intelligence," Yennefer said as they all walked behind him. "But this plan is quite frankly, ridiculous, idiotic."

"She's right Dom," Geralt pipped up next. "I always try to support your decisions, but like Yen said… this is fucking ridiculous."

"He's right," Ciri said worriedly, rushing up next to him. "Dominik you know I love you, and I've even supported your plans in the past when I've known they were stupid-."

"What!? Like when!?" He said incredulously as they all came to a stop on the beach.

Ciri rolled her eyes. "A lot more than you'd think, but my point being, this is stupid and reckless."

His annoyance rose for a minute, but when he looked down at the sword in his hand he saw Bella. He saw Bella admiring it with him in their living room. She'd cuddle up into him when they were younger, he'd cuddle up into their mother and for hours she'd regale them with stories of the sword. It was a symbol of their family.

A symbol of who they were, where they came from, and Bella knew it. Even when she had lost her memory and lived in Skellige, she knew the sword was connected to her past, and couldn't let it go.

His plan as his family so lovingly put it, was extremely stupid, and could very well get them killed.

However, he couldn't not go through with it.

The sun had gone down, and after the portal in the cave's final chamber transported them back to the entrance to the cave they were lucky enough to still have some light out. Geralt and Yen like they assumed had been frantically looking for them back at the village. Yen had plenty of stern words for them, but after some coaxing, and a huge that felt like it almost popped Dominik's bones apart she had calmed down. They had both told small bits about what they had faced in the cave to them both, but Dominik still wasn't ready to talk about it all.

If he blinked, he swore he could still see Ciri with Mistle, stuck in Tir'Nala, or hear Eredin's demonic cackle from his last challenge. All Ciri had said was that her final challenge was Emhyr, and it only reinforced how much Dominik wanted to kill him. However, he decided to focus on the good that came out of their journey to the Cave of Life. Mainly him getting to speak to Alexander. Leila of Tir'Nala was alive, and one day he'd go to find her.

But more importantly, he knew how he could control his powers now. He didn't know if he would be able to do it right away, but he knew. And even more importantly, he knew exactly what Eredin had done to Bella. He trained her to use her powers the wrong way. Him and Caranthir had manipulated her, brainwashed her, showed her the wrong ways to effectively use her powers to where it would eventually kill her.

Thanks to Alexander, he now knew how to match her, and if his plan worked then he would be one step closer to getting her back.

He turned back to Geralt, Yen and Ciri. "Well, do you three geniuses have any better ideas!?"  
"YES!" All three of them said at once.

He faltered for a second at how they somehow managed to speak all at once, but quickly shook his head in response.

"But I bet none of them would be as quick as this one," He said, the cold air sweeping across his hair as he looked at them. "Look… I know this may seem crazy, but please… the three of you _have _to trust me. This _will _work, I know it will… please."

He had picked a beach as the spot, it was plenty large enough and there wasn't another person for miles. His hand gripped around the hilt of _Coram, _his family's sword which he wouldn't have for much longer. It belonged to Bella; he knew that deep in his heart. The sword was her birthright as much as it was his, and destiny had chosen to have it end up with her in Skellige.

The sword had chosen her in a way, and now he was going to get it back to her.

All three of them seemed to falter. Geralt and Yen looked nervous still, but just as always Ciri was the first to have his back. She sighed with a roll of her eyes but looked at him and her smile quickly returned.

"Alright… I trust you," She said, coming up next to him and gently holding onto his arm. Ciri smiled up at him, meeting his eyes and nodded. "Sorry I jumped all over you it's just…."

"Yes, yes I know," He said with a sigh. "This is probably really stupid…"

"Stupid yes… but over the last few weeks I've learned that you've grown pretty intuitive," Geralt said, a smile forming on his withered face. "If you think you can pull this off, then I won't stop you."

Yennefer looked at them all like they were crazy. His mother however saw the look in his eyes. Her violet gaze shifted up to the sword in his hand, and eventually she sighed coming up next to him as well.

"I'll be on standby to open a portal," She said, looking at all three of them. "If this goes south and we have to leave, be ready alright?"

"Thanks Yen…" He said, the smile creeping back to his lips.

The sorceress sighed and held a hand to his face. "This is a great thing you're doing… now go on."

He nodded, and felt lips hit his cheek. Smiling, he turned at Ciri who winked at him as she pulled away from his cheek. Geralt smiled at him, and with the three of them around him, Dominik felt at that moment he could do anything. Sighing he nodded back at them, gently handing Ciri the sword. She gently took it from him, and Dominik turned around, walking towards the edge of the water. The sea lapped up over the rocky shore, as he quickly scanned the large stretch of beach that he had led them too.

After a moment he did a double take, realizing he recognized it.

It was the exact beach that Bella had teleported too after Cintra. She had been here; his sister had been there. The whole idea of her being alive, was still something that he couldn't wrap his head around. His little sister, Bella, she was alive.

And now she was in danger. He wouldn't let her down again, not like he did back in Cintra.

He had the spell from Alexander's journal ready, he had been studying it for days. He also knew exactly which memory he was going to choose to send to her. It wasn't going to be the memory of what really happened that night at Cintra. If she saw that, she would simply say that it was fake, that it couldn't be true. Besides, he remembered her saying that her dreams had been conflicting with what Eredin and Caranthir had showed her. So, he assumed that she had seen glimpses of what happened in Cintra, what really happened that night.

No, he had picked that day that Bella finally called Ciri 'Big Sister'. He would never forget it, the memory lived vividly on in his mind to that day. His father had been stuck in meetings with Queen Calanthe that day, leaving he and Ciri with Anton for the day. That had been the reason he needed to speak to Anton at Kaer Trolde.

It was the first few days of spring, and Anton had taken the three of them, himself, Ciri and Bella out to the lake. Snow still covered the ground in small piles, and the three of them had all bombarded Anton and the other guards that had come with a snowball barrage. It was truly one of the best days he could remember. Anton and the guards followed them through the woods, while Dominik, Ciri and Bella hid to ambush them when they could. He would never forget them all hiding behind a small cliff in a pile of snow. Bella had laughed more that day then he ever saw. That adorable smile his sister got was something he'd never forget. She hugged them both, and that was when apparently she and Ciri sprung the secret plan of ambushing him two against one.

After getting thoroughly trounced and covered in snow, Dominik had scoffed pretending to be angry at the betrayal. Ciri laughed while Bella had smirked.

_"Ha! Well Ciri's my big sister, and she's better with snowballs, so I joined her side." Bella said, a winning smirk on her face. _

_ Ciri froze, dropping the snowball, unable to keep the smile off her face. "B… Bella you… you really mean that?"_

_ Bella laughed. "Ha of course I do! Like Dominik's my big brother, you're basically my big sister. And when the two of you eventually get married, you'll be my big sister for real!"_

Ciri and he had both blushed beat red at the comment, only making Bella laugh more. Bella had run off to throw snow at the guards and Anton who had finally found them. Meanwhile, Ciri had hugged him as tightly as her young arms could muster. Dominik could see how much it meant to her, having Bella call her that. It had been one of the best days of her young life, and one of his.

Because it meant that they were all a family. And now, they were going to get her back. The memory was ready, the spell was ready, and now all he needed was to get her the sword.

Dominik himself couldn't walk onto the Nagalfar, however there was someone who can. Someone who was Bella's only other link to her past.

Shakily sighing he could practically hear Ciri, Geralt and Yens shift behind him. He waded to about ankle deep into the water, unsure why but decided to use the spell as far away from everyone as possible. He wasn't sure how he would do it, how to make the magic activate, but he knew the words to the spell, they had been burned into his brain since the Battle of Kaer Morhen, and since his first visit with Alexander.

Now it was just a matter of activating his powers and achieving control.

_True control comes from controlling your mind, from memories of love, happiness, goodness, it lets you see clearer, let's you achieve that control._

Memories of love, happiness, and goodness. Alexander's words echoed through his mind. The answer that had been so simple, yet he still hadn't figured it out. He still felt his knees wobbling from the cave, but he ignored it, only looking back to the three standing behind them.

Ciri was a vision in the sunset light, even in her beaten state her eyes sparkled, her smile ever present. Yen and Geralt both looked at him with confident smiles, even if within Yen's eyes he could see them shifting anxiously. A smile crossed Dominik's face.

They were all he needed for memories like that.

They had been his second family. He would never forget the days they spent in Ellander. Every morning he'd wake up to Ciri, eagerly bursting into his room, before they went to train with Geralt, hunt, fish, swim, spend time together. Even with Ciri training to try and control her powers with Yen, it felt as if they were a real, normal family for that year. It had been some of the happiest moments of his life.

And then came the darker years, his years alone. At times, he thought that he would never see any of them again. There had been so many points he wanted to give up, wander into a monster den unprepared, join the army and fight Nilfgaard, throwing himself into the battle until he died. So many times he considered ending it himself. He had nobody anymore, not until that day at Claywitch.

Now they were back. Ciri was back, he could hold her, kiss her, actually have that life he wanted with her. They even had Fiona waiting for them now, a child surprise, the idea of he and Ciri raising and training her still made him giddy to that moment. Geralt and Yen, a set of parents that he had been lucky enough to find after his were killed. Not many people were so lucky to get another chance like that.

He smiled, as he turned back towards the churning Skellige waters out in front of him.

"Okay… please don't eat me, please don't eat me, please don't eat me," He said, slowly raising his hands, just like he had seen Bella do at Kaer Morhen, just like he had seen Alexander do at Castle Lod while fighting against the Hunt… with only one ally.

He kept his hands in the air and thought about all the times that he would get to spend in the future with his family. With Geralt, with Yennefer, his friends, with Ciri and Fiona.

And soon, with Bella as well.

His eyes shot open, and they were incased in a bright blue light. Magic shot to his palms, as all he thought about was getting the sword to Bella, to getting Bella back.

"_AE CALLAN AEN TAEDH FLUAE TE ZVAERE! CAEMM AEP MAE A OBYE DEIN MAE,"_ He shouted. Magic whirled around him for a moment, shooting from his palms towards the sky as he went on with the incantation. "_CAEMM AEP MAE…. KILGARRAH!"_

A loud ***RIIIIIIIIP* **shot through the air, as right away after the spell finished he stumbled backwards onto the sand. His legs finally gave out from under him, but thankfully Geralt was able to run up behind him and catch him. He felt his head go faint, groaning he gripped his head and blinked trying to clear his vision. All that he could see was specks of blue light fluttering around him.

"Dominik! Dom are you alright," Ciri said frantically. When Dominik didn't answer, she slapped him across the face.

He recoiled, but finally saw straight. "OW! What the hell was that for?"

She breathed a sigh of relief in front of him and shook her head. "You weren't responding, it looked like you were going to pass out."

Yen came up next to him as well, fussing over him. His mother took over for Ciri in front of him, grabbing his face and looking deep into his eyes. She examined him and sighed.

"Between your trip to the cave and the spell now, you're drained darling," She said worriedly, steadying him as she looked into his eyes. "You must rest, no more magic or fighting for the rest of the day."

Dominik scoffed. "Yes mother…. Did… did the spell at least work?"

Ciri looked up in the sky, _Coram _still in her hands. "At Kaer Morhen a portal opened right away…"

"Yes… and I can feel a great deal of magical energy, but there's no portal in the air," Yen said, turning back to face him. "Are you certain you said the correct words?"

Dominik nodded, his head still buzzing. The last thing he needed, was for the plan not to work because he had forgotten the words to summon Kilgarrah.

Bella had mentioned how she spoke to Kilgarrah often. And if he couldn't get onto the ship himself, then it was his hope that the dragon could.

If Alexander was correct, then Kilgarrah wouldn't harm him or anyone with him. He could only hope the old man didn't go senile in the journal.

He nodded again and sighed, looking at Yen and Ciri both. "I'm pretty sure yeah, been having nightmares about it for weeks… if we did all this to-."

"Heads up…" Geralt's gruff voice said, as the older witcher slid steel from his back. "Looks like we got company…"

Dominik whirled around, his hand instinctively going to his blade as well. Next to him, Yen and Ciri did the same, the three of them all rushing up next to Geralt. The sun was finally going down, the last bit of sunset was casting its rays out over the beach they were on. He quickly saw what Geralt was talking about. From the brush, above the dunes of the beach, Dominik didn't see a massive white dragon.

Only one man.

And when he locked eyes with Dominik, he stepped in front of his family.

"No… put your weapons away…" He said slowly, sliding his silver back onto his back.

Geralt looked down at him. "You mean to say…."

"Kilgarrah…" Dominik said slowly, as the dragon in human forms gaze followed him as he approached through the dunes.

Ciri took an anxious step next to him. "I didn't know he could appear as human."

"Most dragons have the ability of polymorphy," Yen said from next to Geralt. "And it seems… Kilgarrah takes his appearance to heart."

Kilgarrah's hair, was snow white. It fell in long curls down his shoulders, over a roughly stitched together padded white gambeson. A scarf was strapped around the gambeson's neck, while he wore tight trousers, with brown hunting boots and gloves. He appeared to be no older then forty he was rough and worn, three long marks cut down across his face. His nose was crooked, but somehow with a neatly trimmed white beard, Kilgarrah maintained a rugged handsomeness. At his waist was nothing but a sheathed dagger, but the air of power around the man as he stopped in front of them pierced into Dominik's very soul.

He stood only meters away from a dragon, the same one that had fought the Wild Hunt with Alexander so many years ago. As Kilgarrah came to a stop, Dominik could practically feel ice radiating from him. A cold chill ran through him as he stood in front of his family. Ciri quickly came to his side with the sword in her hands, gripping onto his arm and nodding up at him. He looked back across and finally gaze right into Kilgarrah's eyes, only a meter away from him.

Amber gold iris's, that held centuries of strength and wisdom inside of them.

For a moment, all he could do was stare at the dragon, but a squeeze from Ciri made him find his voice.

He let out a long breath and nodded. "Ceadmil… Kilgarrah. My name is-."

"I know your name boy…" Kilgarrah said, his voice deep and rough, like a true dragon. He nodded at Dominik and looked between not just he and Ciri but Geralt and Yen as well, before turning his gaze back to him. "Ceadmil… Dominik of Cintra."

The dragon looked over to Yennefer and Geralt next. "Daerienn…. Gwynbleidd."

Next he turned and looked down at Ciri. "And you… luned y Lara… daughter of gull…. You look just like her you know… and you boy."

Kilgarrah turned his piercing gaze to Dominik. "You don't look like Alexander…"

"So I've heard…. My sister doesn't look much like him either," Dominik said carefully.

Kilgarrah nodded. "Aye… neither of you do… except for the eyes. I see him in them… I see him in you both."

Ciri looked up at him, tensing as she grabbed his arm. Behind him, he could see Geralt shifting anxiously as well next to Yen, who hadn't let go of him.

Dominik bit his lip, turning back to the dragon. "You aren't bound by oath anymore…. Alexander, he showed me your fight against Eredin… his death… he released you."

A tense silence passed before Kilgarrah nodded. "This is true…. Alexander was the greatest man I've ever known. Myself, and my child survived because of him. He was noble, good… and I owed him my life."

"But you choose to follow his descendant's commands," Dominik said. "You came when I summoned you, you've listened to Bella's commands…"

At the mention of Bella Kilgarrah's head sharply turned to him. "I followed her orders… to save her boy."

"But to do so, you had to destroy a village of innocent people," Ciri snapped from next to him, looking fiercely up at the dragon. "And you attacked Kaer Morhen, helped killed friends of mine, nearly killed more! You're not under a spell, you're acting of your own free will."

Dominik looked down at her wide eyed. "Ciri-."

"It is alright… her anger is understandable," Kilgarrah said, his deep voice calm and assured as he looked at Ciri, pointing to the scars on his face. "I regret what I did girl… and I paid the price. I knew not you were summoning Villentretenmerth."

"But you knew what she was doing was wrong," Ciri said again, shaking her head. "You know what will happen if the Hunt gets my blood, yet you still help them and-."

"I help Alexander's descendants' girl. I swore, that should any of them ever lose their way… that I would be there to remind them of the person they are," Kilgarrah said, his nostrils flaring as he looked at them both. "I may not be fond of humans… but I am no monster, I do not slaughter innocents."

"The graves at Lofeton would beg to differ…" Ciri said, and Dominik looked down at her again.

"Ciri now's not-," He started, but he was cut off by Kilgarrah holding out his hand.

The dragon looked back down at Ciri. "You may not believe me girl… but I regret every day what I have had to do… but my oath, my word is my bond. I swore to Alexander, that I would help his descendants… no matter what it did to my own conscious."

Ciri scoffed. "And how is slaughtering innocents helping Bella!?"

"Because… it helps her see what she has become," Kilgarrah said, and Ciri shrunk, looking at the dragon curiously.

Kilgarrah sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before shaking his head. "She speaks to me almost every day, summons me almost every day now. She used to see me as naught but a weapon, but now… now since the massacre, I have seen the change in her. It weighs on her mind; it fights at her conscious…. And I know that she regrets it."

Ciri floundered as she bit her lip and looked at Dominik. Dominik let out a shaky breath, hearing that his sister had regrets, that she was fighting, he had to be careful to contain himself. Alexander had been right. Kilgarrah did this, did what Bella said in order to help her see what she was doing was wrong.

Dominik looked and met the dragon's eyes. "How… how long have the fake memories been breaking? How long have her real ones been leaking through?"

"For a few months," The dragon responded, shaking his head. "She had dreams… of you, and you girl, but mostly… of her brother. She began to have them night after night… and began to question what Eredin showed her."

His eyes widened. "Then they must be wearing off… she's fighting off the influence."

"And she will lose… she has been fighting it for months and will lose if you do not do something boy," Kilgarrah said, for the first time his voice was anxious as he peered into Dominik's eyes. "I have tried every day to remind her who she is… but she is wrought with despair. She feels nothing but pain, rejection, bitterness and anger… a thirst for vengeance."

The small bit of excitement drained from him. "I… I tried once…. I picked the wrong words."

"You did yes…" Kilgarrah said, shaking his head. "I remember the night she returned… in tears, it only reaffirmed what she thought."

"Then… then there isn't any chance?" Ciri said shakily from next to him.

Kilgarrah looked directly down at him, shaking his head. "There is a chance… every day she fights off their influence. She has dreamed every night, dreams of the truth. I do what I can for her… but each day it is as if she fights a battle within herself."

Dominik heard the care and sincerity in the dragon's words. He slowly nodded, understanding the severity of the situation.

"Thank you… for doing what you can for her. You seem to care about her a great deal," He said, meeting the dragon's gaze.

Kilgarrah shook his head. "Do not thank me boy… the things I've had to do weigh heavy on me, and after this is over… I must and will repent. My first act of repentance however… will be seeing the two of you survive this fight… that I keep my oath. You are correct…I care about her a great deal. For months, I've watched the battle she's waged within herself, seen the torture and misery that she feels in the Hunt's ranks."

Ciri shakily sighed from next to him. "I… I don't understand. If the Hunt treats her so poorly… why does Bella stay?"

Kilgarrah met her eyes. "It is because she-."

"She believes it's what she deserves… where she belongs," Dominik said, his heart shattering into pieces as he met Kilgarrah's eyes. "I… I abandoned her, and… and she thinks that I'll do it again…"

His heart splintered further, as he saw his dream from the previous days. Bella waking up amongst the corpses at Cintra, no memory, scared, alone. He could hear her screaming at him, shouting how he had abandoned her, abandoned her for Ciri.

Ciri stilled his beating her by gripping onto his arm. "Dominik… we will do this, I promise."

"She is right boy," Kilgarrah said, turning his golden gaze to Dominik again. "Only you will be able to help the true person she is, win the battle that's raging within her. It is as I said… two people fight within your sisters' body now… and one will prevail. You boy… you will face her again… it is unavoidable."

Dominik bit his lip. "I know it isn't… I… I have to fight her… I have to make her remember. I won't give up on her… I won't."

"And I won't either," Ciri said, just as determined as him, holding the sword up to him. "I don't care what she tries to do to me… we'll do this. We'll help _Bella _win the battle… not Baelen."

Baelen. Dominik could remember when he first fought her in the woods outside Oxenfurt. Never in his life had he fought an opponent with so much power. It was as Kilgarrah described, and as Ciri said. Baelen was the one who hated them, the one who had almost killed him, fought him, summoned Kilgarrah to do all the horrible things she had done. Bella was a completely different person.

And now, his sister was fighting to regain control. Her and Baelen wrestled for control in one body. Just like Ciri, just like him, Bella had never stopped fighting. Bella was there, his sister was alive, she wasn't gone, he knew it.

"She slips through from time to time…" Kilgarrah said, bringing his attention back to the dragon, his white hair blowing in the wind. "Sometimes I'll see her… and she's crying, speaks of wishing she could spare the people she's killed, shows regret, longs for what she had. Her memories… her true memories are fighting the ones Caranthir and Eredin placed… but she can only fight them on her own for so much longer. I cannot help her how she needs to be helped… but you can boy."

Dominik gently took _Coram _from Ciri's hands. "I know you've had to do things you didn't want… things that… aren't who you are. And… and you did it all to try and help Bella… thank you for that."

"Do not thank me again boy…. I do not deserve it for what I have done," Kilgarrah said, sighing as he looked at the sword. "But… I will always do what I can… I owe Alexander that much…. You both remind me of him, in many more ways than just his eyes."

Dominik took one last longing look at the sword, before turning back to Kilgarrah. "I… know that you've done so much for me already, for Bella already… but I need you to do one more thing for me."

Kilgarrah eyed the sword. "Aye… I am bound by my oath boy… what is it you would have me do."

He sucked in a breath, looking at the runes, and running his hand along the lion pommel of the sword. Ciri gripped his arm, meeting his gaze with a smile, and he almost scoffed. He looked back at Geralt and Yen, smiling encouragingly at him.

They had all actually done it. At one point through the cave, he had wondered if it would be worth it.

But it was… because he was one step closer to getting his sister back.

He met Kilgarrah's eyes and held out the sword. "I want you… to give this sword back to my sister… where it belongs. Tell her… tell her I said… I said that I love her… and that I won't give up on her… no matter what."

**A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, we have officially one last chapter before the final battle begins. From chapter 1 of this story I have been planning, writing, doing everything I can to bring you all an amazing witcher story. I wanted to bring you all the story of Dominik of Cintra and make it believable that in a different universe this actually could have happened. I wanted to give Ciri the true love that she deserves. And most importantly, I wanted to give us all more witcher content. **

**And now we're only 1 chapter away from the final battle, from the climactic conclusion to The Witcher: Through the Worlds. The story of the young wolf and the swallow, at least the main story is almost complete. They fought tooth and nail to reunite, and now they fight to live the life that they always wanted. The ending is going to be extremely dramatic, action packed, and we'll finally see the destinies of Dominik and Ciri both come full circle. **

**Next chapter will be a calming chapter, with plenty of romance and friendship, a final calm before the storm. Dominik and Ciri will spend some time with their friends, and we'll see the final, FINAL preparations for the final fight on Undvik. **

**Now THIS chapter however, brings us the end of the Cave of Life arc. Dominik and Ciri face their final challenges, their greatest fears. Ciri, being controlled and taken by her father, and Dominik… the fear of facing Eredin again after what happened at Kaer Morhen. **

**After that, we have some sweet reunions. Writing Ciri seeing her grandmother again was something that I've wanted to do from the very beginning. Queen Calanthe was originally going to appear to Dominik in his dreams after Kaer Morhen, but I deiced to switch it to her coming to Ciri now. She gives Ciri the kick in the ass she needs, along with reminded her to write her own story. **

**Dominik on the other hands, sees someone who he's needed since he saw him last. Alexander appears to him, and gives Dominik some interesting information. Eredin and Leila of Tir'Nala were supposed to be married, and now Eredin and Caranthir also have been grooming Bella to die after she's completed her purpose. Dominik's powers activate and are controlled by good, loving happy memories, to be in control of his powers he must learn to be in control of his mind… **

**And he does just that later, when he summons the dragon Kilgarrah. We learn more about Kilgarrah, and why he's done what he has… all to help Bella, to keep his oath to Alexander. Now, he'll be giving Bella back the sword, in hopes that it'll help her remember the person she truly is. **

**As usual everyone if you really like this story, and you want to see fanart for everyone in this story go and follow my Instagram! dominik_of_cintra is the Instagram, go and follow that for fanart, and writing updates! I get new fanart often so be sure to go follow for some amazing picture of Dominik Ciri and everyone between!**

**So now again as usual everyone thank you so so much for reading. We are almost finished and I cannot wait for you all to see what I have planned for the final battle! So please favorite and follow if you want to stay up to date, and please review if you have time! Thank you all again stay safe and I'll see you all next time!**


	85. Aen Hanse

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 85: Aen Hanse**

**Narrator: After their long journeys, Dominik, Ciri and Geralt were finally prepared. The time was nigh to face the Wild Hunt in battle. They would face the wraiths on the Isle of Undvik, first however, Dominik attempted to not only deny the Hunt one of their most powerful weapons but save his younger sister Bella from the clutches of Eredin and the Hunt. Dominik's younger sister had been kidnapped and brainwashed by the Wild Hunt, turned into Baelen, a fierce, ruthless commander, with a thirst for revenge against Dominik and Ciri both. However, inside Baelen and Bella have both been fighting a constant battle with one another, and Dominik had plans to help his sister win. After perilous trecks through the Cave of Life, Dominik and Ciri retrieved the sword **_**Coram **_**the ancestral sword of Dominik's family, in the hopes it would help Bella remember who she really was. He gave the sword to the dragon, Kilgarrah to give to his sister. However, now there was nothing left to do except wait. The final battle was near, but Dominik and Ciri both realized they still had a little time left for themselves, and their friends…**

**Trigger warning: This scene contains sexual situations and scenes. **

_For the first time Dominik was eager to see Bella's room on the Nagalfar. It was still amazing to him to that day that Eredin gave her such freedom. He assumed it was because the King of the Hunt was simply so confident in his abilities, in his control over her that he didn't think it was a problem. _

_ Bella would prove him wrong. _

_ He watched as she thrashed in wildly in her sleep, her brown hair cascaded around her head, as she moved. She was wearing an outfit of dark maroon robes and black trousers, with a green cloth sash tied tightly around her waist. She moved, tossed, and turned in bed, and Dominik's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. _

_ The spell he sent had worked. It took him a few attempts, but with Yennefer's help he was able to perform he spell he found in Alexander's journal. All he had to do, was close his eyes, use his magic and remember what had happened clearly and precisely. That day he, Ciri and Bella spent out in the woods throwing snow was one he remembered since it happened, something he would never forget. Hearing Bella call Ciri her 'Big Sister' had made him almost as excited as Ciri. _

_ People could be family despite not sharing blood, it was something that he had learned since Cintra was sacked. He loved Ciri, and so did Bella he knew. _

_ But when Bella's head shot up, Baelen came out. _

_ "DAMMIT!" She said, throwing the blanket off herself. _

_ Bella's hair was in tatters, her feet hit the ground and she gripped her head in pain as she leaned against the wall. She held onto her temples and yelled again, stumbling her way over to her dresser, right next to the large full body mirror she had. _

_ Her nails dug into the top of the dresser, as Dominik quickly realized she was crying, and his heart dropped. _

_ "Why… gods why… why won't it stop," Bella said. Tears fell down her face slowly onto the dresser as she shook her head. "I thought they loved me… I though they cared… gods why did they pick her over me…"_

_ His heart fractured. That night played over and over in his mind. His mother, Sofia, saying how she was going back to the castle to make sure their father and Ciri made it before the arrow hit her. It wasn't true, but Dominik could understand why Bella thought what she did. Eredin's memory alteration had made it seem much worse than it was. However, he understood why she felt so much pain, so much bitterness. _

_ Bella truly thought they abandoned her, and while their parents didn't, Dominik did. He left her there, alive, bleeding, and unconscious. It had been something he'd been thinking about all day. _

_ "I thought they cared… Dominik… Ciri…mother… father," Bella cried again. Her tears started to come faster now, before she tightly gripped the dresser. She shot her head up, and Dominik saw her emerald eyes grow dark. "But apparently… I wasn't good enough… I'll show them… they regretted picking her over me…"_

_ "Bella… my sweet girl, we didn't choose anyone over anyone," A light voice said. _

_ Dominik's head and Bella's both turned at once to the source. The mirror. Dominik looked and his eyes widened at the same time as Bella's. He had no idea if he or Bella were losing their minds, but Dominik didn't care. However, he and Bella both had completely different reactions. _

_ His breath caught up in his throat, while Bella's eyes grew dark as they looked at their parents standing in the mirror. _

_ "YOU DID, YOU LEFT ME IN THE STREETS," Bella said, shouting as she stomped to the mirror. "I GOT LEFT TO THE MERCY OF THE BLACK ONES, ALL BECAUSE YOU TWO AND DOMINIK NEEDED TO SAVE THE PRINCESS!"_

_ Dominik watched in astonishment, as his mother and father both looked at each other. His mother was looked as she did the day she died. A tight leather tunic and trousers, her blonde hair tied up. Sofia looked at Gregory, who wore the white armor of Cintra that was his staple. _

_ His father's sad eyes looked at Bella. "My darling girl… we live every day in this next life regretting we weren't able to save you… save all of you."_

_ Bella's eyes flashed a shade of blue. "ALL OF US!? HA, not just your actual children no! You didn't give a damn about me, you didn't love me, you ONLY LOVED CIRI, YOU ONLY LOVED THE PRINCESS!"_

_ "My sweet girl… you loved Ciri as well," Sofia said. "She was your big sister… family is about more than just blood ties… you loved her."_

_ "I did… until you both decided you wanted to protect her," Bella said, her eyes darting back to their father. "And you decided you'd rather die protecting her… then your family."_

_ Dominik saw the look his parents both shared with one another. He as well as the two of them seemed to realize arguing that point with Bella was useless. It wasn't true, they had done absolutely everything for all three of them, and Bella knew how much Ciri meant to them all. However, Eredin and Caranthir's planted memories were too strong still, although he could see the slightest flicker of doubt in Bella's eyes. She wasn't screaming anymore. Her voice had broken, and the tears slowly started falling from her eyes again. _

_ His plan was working. He had no idea how his parents were there, but if they were just projections of the state Bella's mind was… then he didn't know whether to be excited, or terrified. _

_ Their father looked at Bella, his big brown eyes full of regret. He met Bella's eyes and shook his head. "I am so… so sorry darling. No matter the circumstances… I failed you, and I'm going to regret that for the rest of time…"_

_ "We both failed you my sweet girl," Sofia said, tears welling up in his mother's eyes as well. She shook her head and met her daughter's eyes. "We both failed you.. and would do anything to be able to be there for you now…"_

_ Bella furiously wiped tears from her eyes. "It doesn't matter… even if you were… I've found a new home… a new identity… and it's too late for me to turn back, I must commit to it… I am Baelen… a commander of the Wild Hunt…. It's who I am… and I can't change it… no matter what I feel anymore."_

_ Dominik's heart flipped again. Kilgarrah had been correct as he himself had been. He knew that deep down it wasn't who Bella was. The true person she was had been slowly coming back, a battle that was raging inside herself. _

_ Their mother desperately met Bella's eyes. "It isn't too later darling! There is good in you I know it, your father knows it, your brother knows it, everybody who knows you, the real you knows it. It's not too late!"_

_ Bella bit her lip and closed her eyes, tears coming down her cheeks. "I ordered the slaughter… of an entire village…. Not just the fighting men… but women… children…. All of them… and I didn't even blink at the time…. Who could love me, who could accept me after something like that? My brother? Ciri? No… nobody can.. nobody will… nobody ever has. Don't you see!? This is why I can't stop… the only way… the only way I belong somewhere… is if I commit to who I am now… to being Baelen… that's why it's too late…"_

_ The scene's from Lofeton came to his brain. Ciri had told him about the attack, how ruthless it was, how unrelenting. Bella had almost killed her that day, and apparently something inside Bella had died as well. _

_ Gregory shook his head. "We still love you darling girl. Nothing has changed that… nothing ever will."_

_ Bella's gaze shot to their father. "Ironic from you… weren't you the one to tell us growing up 'one good act no matter how good, doesn't make up for multiple acts of bad'?"_

_ Their father's gaze narrowed at her. "Yes I believe that… but not when it comes to my family. Because… you never give up on your family, just like we haven't given up on you Bella."_

_ Bella scowled, trying to still furiously wipe tears from her eyes. "I told you both… none of that matters… this is who I am… it's the only way… I can't change it, not anymore… it's too late."_

_ Bella turned away from the mirror, but Sofia shook her head. _

_ "Bella it isn't!" Their mother stressed. "This isn't who you are. You were our darling girl, and you still are. You're still Bella our little girl… Eivor and Anora's little girl."_

_ Dominik watched as Bella's eyes flashed blue again as she whirled back around to the mirror. _

_ "Don't you DARE say their names," She hissed, crying even more now. "They died for me… while the two of you decided Ciri was more important… and now it's too late for me…"_

_ "It isn't too late Bella," Gregory said. "Your mother and I aren't there for you now… but there's someone who is…."_

_ "Your brother loves you darling," Sofia added, looking softly at her daughter. "He hasn't given up on you, and he never will."_

_ Bella scoffed, her cheeks wet. "HE DOESN'T CARE! All he cares about is the princess just like he always had! I made the mistake of trusting him once before, never again…"_

_ "You can trust your brother over everyone Bella. He still loves you… just like we do," Gregory said softly. _

_ Dominik's heart lurched up into his throat. It was true. He loved his sister, loved her with everything he had. He'd have done anything to get her out of that room right now, to hold her, and promise her that he truly wouldn't abandon her. _

_ However Bella's fists balled as she closed her crying eyes and shook her head. _

_ "If it came down to it… he would kill me," Bella said, her voice cracking again as she hid a sob behind a scoff. "He'd pick her over me… again. If it meant saving her… he would kill me without a second thought…"_

_ "He wouldn't do that Bella," their father said meeting Bella's watery gaze. "He promised he'd look after the both of you… and that's what he's trying to do."_

_ "Well he's failed," Bella snapped her eyes shooting open._

_ "Everyone fails Bella, everyone in life fails and has regrets… and just like us, your brother regrets every day that he couldn't save you," Sofia said, reaching out as if she was trying to touch Bella. Slowly she shook her head. "It isn't too late my sweet girl… there is good in you still. The person you truly are is still inside of you, you're conflicted and you're hurting… and we may not be able to be there for you now… but your brother is my dear."_

_ Bella turned away from the mirror once more, her fists balled as she rapidly wiped tears from her eyes. _

_ "How could you both possibly know who I am?" Bella said, her eyes closed as she bit her lip to stop from sobbing. "You abandoned me… and even now you're not real, you're both dead… dead… you've left me… left me for good."_

_ "We'll never leave you darling, we've been here… watching you the entire time," Gregory said, standing tall as he firmly shook his head. "And just like your brother… we know that it isn't too late… and we will never give up on you, no matter how far gone you think you are."_

_ "We know who you are… you are our sweet girl, our darling little girl,," Sofia stressed, looking at the back of Bella's head. "And you always will be… no matter how you dress, what you call yourself… you're our Bella… and we love you with everything we have… just like your brother does. We will never abandon you… the ones we love never leave us."_

_ "And we will never leave you… your mother and I both… we love you," Gregory said again, shaking his head. "You know who you are darling… you're strong, you're resilient, you can fight what they've done to you. If anyone my dear you can, you can fight back Bella! Fight back darling!_

_ "Fight back sweet girl, you are so much stronger then you know," Sofia said quickly again, her emerald eyes shining with desperation. "You are so much stronger then they think you are! Fight back my dear, fight back!"_

_ "Fight back Bella! They don't control who you are!"_

_ "Fight back!"_

_ "Fight back!"_

_ "Fight back!"_

_ "Show them who you really are!"_

_ "Be who you really are!"_

_ "You can do this darling!"_

_ "We love you, your brother loves you!"_

_ "We won't give up on you!"_

_ Dominik watched as more tears slowly streamed down Bella's cheeks. Her fists curled and shook. He could see how much she desperately wanted to turn around. Over and over he heard the same thing. His parents, urging Bella to fight back, to fight off the Hunt's influence, to remember who she is, to not give up, and he found himself wanting to scream as well, but he held his tongue, knowing she couldn't hear him through a dream. Over and over, the voices hit his ears, as more tears streamed down his sister's cheeks before she started sobbing. _

_Suddenly she called out in pain, grabbing the sides of her head and falling to her knees. She screamed and pulled at her hair, yelling and shooting back to her feet. He knew what was happening, she was doing it, she was fighting back. The memories, the real memories were clashing with the fake ones. She yelled out again, stumbling onto her dresser as the voices kept pounding over and over echoing off the walls of her chamber. _

_Bella kept yelling, begging for it to stop, and finally she stumbled in front of the mirror screaming again. _

"_GAHHHHH BE QUIET SHUT UP!" _

_She slammed her fist forward, blue wisps of magic balling in her fists. With a loud crash she smashed her fists into the mirror shattering it in an instant. Shards of glass crumbled to the ground, and right away Bella screamed again. She fell to her knees, gripping her right hand and watching her blood slowly spew from her knuckled down her right hand. _

"_Gods… gods why… why won't it stop," She cried, tears falling down her cheek faster then her blood spewed. Sobbing she winced as she held her left hand over her right. "G…gynvael… doma… nas!"_

_A light burst of blue magic appeared in her hand. She held her left hand of magic over her bleeding right hand, wincing as she picked out a shard of glass from her knuckles. Dominik watched with his heart stopped, as she cried, slowly shaking her head as she healed her wound. _

"_It… it can't be fake… what he showed you… it can't be fake," She said with a sob, yelping at a searing smoke coming from her hand. She bit her lip, continuing with the magic as she sobbed and shook her head again. "It can't be fake… no… it can't be… gods… gods Dominik… it hurts… gods it hurts…"_

"_Bella…" Dominik said lightly, unable to hold back his own tears that had been welling in his eyes. _

_Bella cried and shook her head again. "Dominik… big… big brother… why… gods… gods why… why did you leave… why did you leave me there…"_

"_I regret it every day…" He sobbed, sucking as he frantically wiped his cheeks. "Gods Bella…. Bella I'm sorry…"_

_Blood continued spilling from her wounded hand. The spell seared it closed, as Bella cried out in pain, sobbing, and shaking her head. _

"_You promised… you… you promised me… Dominik…" She sobbed again, shaking her head vigorously, crying out as she sobbed. "I thought you loved me… that you and Ciri both did… gods… gods why… the… the things I've done… nobody wants me… not anymore…"_

"_BELLA I DO LOVE YOU, ME AND CIRI BOTH DO!" He yelled, tears coming down his cheeks as his chest was ready to explode. "WE WON'T GIVE UP ON YOU, WE WON'T!"_

_The magic stopped in Bella's hands. Her hands curling into fists as she shook her head. "No… no no not another voice… gods no…"_

_Dominik's eyes widened, the words leaving him before he could think. "We're going to get you back Bell! We won't let them have you, I won't abandon you again!"_

"_NO! NO, NO!" She screamed, shooting her to her feet and gripping her wounded hand. "You and Ciri both… you didn't want me; our parents didn't want me! What am I!? What am I compared to a child of the elder blood!? Eredin made me who I am, he'll give me a place! It's the only way, it's the only FUCKING WAY!"_

"_NO! NO BELLA IT ISN'T! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU AND I WON'T LET HIM," Dominik screamed, his anger suddenly surging as he looked at Bella frantically looking around the room. He wiped his face again and looked down at her. "I won't give up on you! I won't abandon you again, I WILL get you out of this I swear it!"_

_Bella finally looked up, where the ceiling of her room would be. Her green, puffy eyes seemed to lock with his, directly where he was standing, on his own eyes that matched hers to a tee. Her mouth fell agape as she met Dominik's crying eyes with her own. _

_She shook her head. "No… no how… you… you learned how… you were-."_

_Bella was cut off by the door of her cabin slamming open with a crash. _

"_PELIO CRYNVAEL ANEYE!" A booming voice shouted. _

"_GAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" _

_Bella writhed and let loose a guttural scream. Dominik almost yelled himself but could only stand in horror as with her arms and body twisting at awkward angles, Bella was dragged to her knees. She tried to yell out a spell of her own, but she could only scream as dark black and blue magic encircled her, keeping her on her knees as it bent and twisted her body. Dominik heard the cracks of her bones, as she writhed. The magic circled around her head and yanked it forward towards the door._

_Right where Caranthir stood in full armor, his staff pointed towards Bella while it violently shook with magic. _

_Bella saw him and croaked. "My… my what… what is-. GAHHHHHHH!"_

"_Silence…" Caranthir snarled, the magic at the tip of his staff whirling._

_Dominik's fist balled as he watched. He was going to kill the navigator before this was over, and he was going to do it slowly, painfully. _

_All of the worry, all of the anxiety, it all turned to a burning pot of anger, and more importantly desire. _

_Desire to kill the ones who had not only hunted Ciri… but hurt his sister._

_Caranthir turned his head to the door, his staff still spewing magic around Bella. "My King…"_

_Loud armored boots hit the ground as Eredin strode into Bella's chamber. He ducked under the door, and Dominik saw him in his armor, but no helmet. His black hair shone as he looked down at Bella writhing in pain before him. With a sneering look on his face he scoffed before meeting Bella's eyes. Bella's eyes pleaded, it looked like she was going to say something, but Eredin held his hand up for silence. Bella quickly obeyed, and Eredin narrowed his eyes. _

_And after that, he nodded at Caranthir, who dispelled the magic. _

_Bella fell to the ground, crying in pain and breathing heavily. Right away she looked up, meeting Eredin's steely gaze with pleading eyes. _

_ She quickly shook her head. "My… my King I… I don't-."_

_ A loud smacked rang through the room, and Dominik tried to rush forward as he watched Eredin's armored hand smack hard across Bella's cheek. The force was so powerful, she got sent tumbling into the shards of broken glass from her mirror. Dominik's stomach boiled, as he watched Bella frantically get to her knees, bowing still. _

_ A part of him expected her to fire back with anything, however she didn't. _

_ His sister groveled low, a look of pure and utter terror in her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks as every single one of her limbs shook. Blood slowly spewed from bits of glass stuck in her skin, and every move brought her pain. She bit her tongue to stop from wincing, as she shakily looked up at Eredin who towered over her. _

_ The King of the Hunt slowly shook his head. "Baelen… why do you put me in positions such as this?"_

_ Bella's eyes widened as she shook her head. "I… I know not what… what you speak of my… my King if… if I-."_

_ Another loud smack, as Eredin slapped her to the ground again. Bella yelled as she slammed against the side of her bed from the force, blood falling from her wounds. _

_ Eredin shook his head again, glaring at her. "Do not play innocent with me Baelen… do you take me for a fool?"_

_ Bella quickly shook her head, bowing on all fours. "N…no… no my King."_

_ "Caranthir and I… we know of your little… trip this previous week," Eredin said, turning and holding his hands behind his back, before sharply turning his head towards Bella. "When you went and saw your brother… and Zireael."_

_ Dominik's heart dropped. He remembered the night of course and remembered what Bella had said before she revealed herself to Ciri and he. She had told them, that their business didn't involve Eredin, and that was why she went herself. _

_ Bella's eyes shot up to Eredin, frightened tears welling them. "My… my King I… I'm sorry, I… I was trying-."_

_ Another loud smack of Eredin's armored hand sent Bella slamming against the wall. She cried out in pain, crumbling to the ground with blood staining her black and blue cheek. Dominik screamed out again, but his voice came out silent. He cursed, wanting more than anything to be in that room then. He didn't care how powerful Eredin thought himself, he would have killed him, then and there. He watched as his little sister cried, beaten against the wall, terrified of the King of the Hunt before her. _

_ Eredin knelt down, and Dominik saw Bella flinch, trembling with fear as Eredin gently stroked her hair. _

_ "You know… what I have given up to train you… Baelen?" The King asked, his voice low and demonic as he faked a disappointed sigh. "And yet you take my… gracious decision, and you repay me… with deceit."_

_ "My King, I… I am only where I am, thanks to your mercy," Bella said, on all fours as she shook. "I… It was a lapse in my judgement, I wished to try and give us an advantage, it won't happen again!"_

_ "Your right… it won't," Eredin said, standing to his feet, and feigning disappointment with a sigh. "I am hurt Baelen… I had extremely high hopes for you… why… with Imlerith gone, I need someone knew to stand at my right side next to Caranthir…. But after this… deceit… why, I am beginning to think your… usefulness is at its end."_

_ Bella's eyes widened as she scrambled to her feet. "NO! No, no my King I swear, I'm loyal to you, and only to you, I will show you that I belong, show that I can have a place in your new world, that I-."_

_ Eredin whirled around and the next blow struck Bella in the stomach before he backhanded her to the ground again. _

_ "Did I say you could stand!?" The King hissed as Bella writhed on the ground in pain again. _

_ Dominik tried to scream a curse, yell for Bella to fight back, teleport himself. However, even if he could have, it seemed to be lost. _

_ Because Bella was still terrified. A sob escaped her, as she struggled to regain her breathing. Stuck on all fours, she held one hand to her stomach, as she looked teary eyed up towards Eredin who glared down at her. _

_ "Pl… please… please…. I can't be alone… not again," Bella cried, shaking her head as her wet gaze didn't leave Eredin. "I… I can prove… prove my loyalty I… I swear. Please… please my King…. I… I won't fail you… not again… not like everyone else…"_

_ Dominik's heart that had been filled with anger, shattered upon hearing her words. She thought she had failed, and the idea of that thought in her head nearly broke him. _

_ Eredin smiled manically, the look making Dominik's stomach turn. However, the smug look that appeared next, only stirred the anger inside of him. _

_ He was going to make Eredin pay, even if he had to die to do it. For the one's he loved like Alexander had told him too, but also to avenge all of this. _

_ For what he had done to Ciri, what he had done to Bella, and to all the other innocents that now had gravestones because of him. _

_ The King shared a quick look with Caranthir, and the navigator nodded. After getting this nod, Eredin turned his maniacal look down to Bella. He leaned down, gently stroking her hair again. _

_ "You know Baelen… I pride myself on being a merciful ruler," Eredin said slowly, smirking as Bella quickly nodded, still wincing in pain and tears. _

_ "Yes! I… I know you are… you're very merciful," Bella said quickly, biting her lip as she met Eredin's eyes. _

_ As she did, Eredin smirked triumphantly, gently stroking an armored finger down Bella's cheek. _

_ "And because I am… I'm prepared to offer you one more chance… Baelen," He said, an almost giddy look growing in his cold eyes. "And it is quite simple… if you perform this one act for me… for the good of our cause I will… forget this deceit."_

_ And Dominik had time to see Bella quickly shake her head, and Eredin smile again before white took over his vision. _

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You said… he wanted her to do something?" Ciri asked as they both walked onto the deck.

Dominik shuddered from the wind and nodded. "Yeah… he… he said he'd forgive her if she did. Ciri you… you don't think that he… he-."

"No… don't worry, that won't happen," Ciri said quickly, pulling him to a stop on the deck of the ship. She held both his arms and met his eyes. "Eredin's proud he… he wouldn't do _that _to a human."

He paled and met her eyes with a worried gaze. "He threatened to do it to you at Kaer Morhen…"

"Yes but well… as you know I'm a different case," She said, seeming to shudder as well. Ciri pulled him into a hug as she squeezed around his shoulders. "It's alright, she'll be alright… we're going to do this…. Tomorrow we _will _do this. The day after that? Well… it'll be time for us to start our lives together."

Her words managed to bring him some type of solace. Their lives together, his life with Ciri. Such a short time ago, he only had flighting dreams of it. Now, she was there in front of him, holding him. A cold morning wind gust blew small strands of her ashen hair from her eyes. Her beautiful, beautiful eyes smiled up at him. He could always calm himself down by simply looking into her eyes. They had a calming effect, they were bright, reassuring, and that combined with her smile eventually managed to turn one onto his lips.

After his dream, he hadn't been able to fall back to sleep. Ciri being as amazing as she was, stayed up with him, despite the hell they had both gone through the day before. He had given Kilgarrah the sword to give to Bella and could only hope now that Alexander's words about the dragon obeying him was correct, and that he could trust Kilgarrah himself. Bella had already gotten the dream, and now it was simply a matter of waiting, waiting for the battle to come.

He, Ciri, Geralt and Yen had all gotten back late that night to the ship. Everyone had been asleep, save for Triss, who informed them that apparently Avallac'h was ready. Despite still not trusting the man, a message had come from Emhyr, that his forces were ready near Undvik as well. That had come, along with a message from Cerys, and one addressed to Dominik from Anton. The both of them were ready as well, Cerys, Crach, Hjalmar and all the Skelligan forces, along with Anton and his knights, whom Dominik still hadn't informed many people of. The next day they would head out for Undvik, and finally, the journey that had begun for him all the way back in Claywitch was nearing its end.

But first there was one more day of accursed waiting. However, it gave him solace knowing at least he has Ciri there with him. He had been sure that most of the day all he would think about was Bella, what Eredin had been forcing her to do.

Ciri's smile in front of him however would was all that held his attention, as well as the idea of their life together. And now, he might even get to have his sister there as well.

Smiling at her, he leaned down and gently cupped her face. He sweetly kissed her, savoring the taste of her lips. She gripped onto his armor and kissed him back with vigor, sending tingles up his spine before she pulled back with a wicked smile.

He laughed and pecked her lips again. "Yeah… our life can you believe it?"

She scoffed. "Hardly, quite frankly for all of our talk, I'm quite surprised we're alive still."

"You could say that again, I thought I'd be dead in a monster cave somewhere by now to be honest," He said with an eye roll. "Did I ever tell you about the time I had to fight a Kikimore Queen? I was down near Vizima, never in my life have I pissed myself like I did that day."

A cold gust of morning wind nearly blew Ciri's bun loose, her head whipped back to him so fast he thought her neck would snap.

"A Kikimore Queen? For fuck's sake Dominik," She scoffed. "Geralt and Uncle Vesemir said they can kill even witchers in one strike! Why the fuck would you take a contract on one?"

He laughed at her reaction but shuddered at the memory of that particular contract.

"Ha… I thought it sounded like a nekker lair, thought it would be easy crowns," He defended himself, smiling as Ciri's gaze lightened. "But I'm walking through the cave, and next thing I know it starts shaking. Damn thing burst into a cave with dozens of Kikimore's with it."

"And how did you manage to escape?" She said, as they both leaned against the side of the ship.

Shuddering he scoffed again. "Wasn't easy. I moved my ass back the way I came. I never wished I could use signs more than I did that night. I had no idea what to do at first, but then well… I saw some loose stone in the cave around me and well… I-."

"You improvised like you normally did," She said cheekily, smirking as she leaned back against the rail.

He laughed and nodded. "I did yeah. I had some bombs luckily enough, Dragon's Dream. I planted some in the cracks of the tunnel as I ran. After they blew they were all crushed. Went back later, harvested some ingredients. Sold enough to the alchemists in Vizima that I didn't have to work for almost a month."

Ciri smirked as she crossed her arms. "Well, well, well another brave tale of heroism from Dominik of Cintra!"

He rolled his eyes but smiled at her. "What can I say? I guess I was just born this great."

"Oh that you were brave witcher," Ciri cooed sarcastically, dramatically falling over into his arms. "You have me swooning."

"I make you swoon plenty without stories of such bravery," He said ironically, as she laughed and kissed his cheek.

"I'm as honored as any simple lass can be, to be with a brave witcher such as yourself!" She said dramatically. "The youngest witcher to ever travel the path! The son of the famous white wolf! I am once again, as honored as any simple lass can be!"

"You're far from a simple lass that's for certain."

"But to be so lucky, to be the woman to such a witcher! Slayer of beasts most foul," She said, pretending to swoon. When Dominik finally rolled his eyes to her, Ciri laughed as met his eyes with a smirk. "How was that compared to the other grateful young ladies you met on the Path? Did I truly capture what it was like?"

He rolled his eyes again which only served to make her laugh more. Her laugh was like pure gold, and despite having to hear that joke for the last few weeks he didn't mind if it got that laugh from her.

Smiling he shrugged at her. "Pretty close I'd say. I got varying reactions. Some like that, some still tried to cheat me for coin, some showed me their tits."

"Oh how silly of me," Ciri mocked, smirked as she crossed her arms. "Was I supposed to show you my tits as well?"

"You can if you want, you know I'd never say no," He said honestly.

She scoffed but smiled at him. Gently she leaned against his chest and kissed him again.

"So tell me, how do mine compare to others you've seen?" She said, the amusement evident in her voice.

She knew what his answer was, she wanted to hear him say it.

He managed a laugh and nodded at her. "Well, considering they're the only ones I've wanted to see my entire life, better than all the rest I'd say. And subjectively speaking, yes… better then all of them."

"I always thought they were quite small to be honest," Ciri said, curiously looking down at her chest for a moment.

Dominik scoffed. "Ciri, I don't care what your tits are like to be honest. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life, thought that since I was eleven."

"Gods I was chubby when I was eleven."

"So was I, but even then, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen." He said, reaching forward and pulling her to him, smiling gently down at her. "And I still think that now…. I won't lie though, your tits are a great bonus, I do like them quite a bit."

She melted into his arms but smirked at him. "Your favorite feature of mine would you say?"

"Ciri I-."

"Mhm… no, no actually I don't think they are," She said in his arms. Ciri looked down and tsked at her chest again before looking back up at him with a smirk. "No, they definitely aren't, you do like to grab my ass quite a bit I think you-."

"Ciri! I'm trying to be romantic here," He said, the light hitting perfectly off her face as she looked up at him.

Ciri finally smiled sweetly at him as she rested in his arms. "I know, it was incredibly sweet thank you…. I love you."

His heart melted with her in his arms. I love you. Hearing her say those words had made him weak at the knees the first time he heard it when he was twelve, and it made him weak ten years later as well.

"I love you too princess," He said, as she leaned up and kissed him again.

Ciri deepened the kiss for a moment, cupping his cheeks before pulling back and smiling up at him.

_Her smile is everything… she's everything. _

"So, we should have the rest of the day to ourselves," She said, crossing her arms and smiling up at him. "Any ideas on what we could do?"

Dominik almost laughed. After the previous few days they had, the previous few weeks they had, the idea of having free time had almost become a foreign concept.

He shrugged. "Don't know… you sure you don't think Geralt and Yen are getting up anytime soon?"

Ciri scoffed. "You heard them last night, not a chance their getting up any time before noon."

"Yeah got a point… Faram needs to really invest in thicker walls," He said, shuddering as the wind chilled him and he tried to shake the thoughts from his head.

Ciri nodded in agreement but smirked. "You're right… but they'd have the same complaint about us wouldn't you-."

"Okay, okay I see your point," Dominik said quickly, making Ciri laugh.

She laughed at him yes, but like always it made him smile anyhow. He looked out over the crystal water, as members of Faram's crew mulled about the deck of the ship. Kaer Trolde was bustling he could see. Multiple ships had appeared in the harbor, and he guessed it had to do with all of the soldiers mobilizing to prepare a treck to Undvik.

The Skelliger and the Nilfgaardeans would camp at different spots for obvious reasons. Dominik had discussed with Anton and Crach, how Anton and his knights would stay with the Skelligers. Although he had been angry about initially the night before when Yen suggested it, himself, Ciri, Geralt, Yen, Avallac'h, and the rest of their allies on this ship would head for the Nilfgaardean camp. The reason being, was that they trusted the Skelligers, Crach and Cerys completely to keep their words. Yen, Geralt, and even Dominik had agreed, they didn't trust Emhyr and the Nilfgaardeans not to turn on the Skelligers before the battle started, or after once their guard was down.

Ciri had paled at the idea, and it was what made Dominik initially strongly disagree with the plan. However, Ciri was the one who calmed him. She had steeled her courage, stating how no matter what Emhyr wouldn't have her anyhow, and she would simply avoid him at the camp. So, the next day Faram would sail them to the coast of Undvik, to the Nilfgaardean camp, and then they battle would begin.

Dominik had other plans, but he decided to try and not think about them for the rest of that day. He was going to enjoy it how he could.

Ciri finished laughing and smiled at him. "Ahaha…. So, really nothing you want to do? How about we head to the castle? See Anton, Crach and Cerys."

As much as Dominik wanted too he sighed and shook his head. "Don't think they'll have much time. Crach and Hjalmar will be moving troops, Cerys will probably be trying to calm squabbling Jarls. As for Anton well… to be honest, I'm trying to avoid seeing him before the battle."

Ciri's eyes widened. "What? Dominik why?"

Shakily he sighed and looked up at the castle. "I… I still never told him you know… about Bella…. He'd be devastated, he was in Cintra the day after… he'd blame himself."

Ciri bit her lip but nodded in understanding. "You're right… it's best we tell him later. Maybe we could see if the lake is still frozen? Or maybe a spar, we could-."

"AHHHH lookie here George! Our lovebirds are finally awake!" The booming voice of Faram of Undvik hit his ears.

Ciri and he both turned and smiled when they saw both Faram and George coming back onto the ship. The both of them both seemed eager, Faram's brown ponytail blew back in the wind, his beard tied in the intricate knots he knew Freya had been doing for him. George's golden griffin armor sparkled along with the pommels of his swords. The southern Griffin Witcher smiled at them both, laughing as Faram did and holding out his arms as they approached the two.

"Aha… it is good to see the both of you my friends!" George said, crossing his armored arms as Faram and he joined the two near the edge of the ship. "We haven't seen much of you the previous few days; you're sights for sore eyes!"

Faram boomed another laugh. "He's right! Heard we're heading out tomorrow, going to finally knock those phantom fucks back to their world!"

Dominik right away felt guilty. Ciri and he both realized the previous few weeks since they had left Kaer Morhen, they hadn't gotten to spend nearly as much time with their friends, with Faram, George and Freya as they would have liked. They both knew their friends were preparing as best they could for the fight to come, and the fact they couldn't spend so much time with them, to thank them properly for coming had weighed on them both.

Ciri stepped up next to him. "Faram, George we're so sorry that we-."

George lightly laughed and shook his head. "We jest my friends. We all understand. The two of you… you a lot on your plates. You haven't seen one another in a long time."

"Aye, no worries mates," Faram said reassuringly. He slapped Dominik so hard on the back he almost fell and laughed. "Baha, besides this is all almost over anyway! Soon we'll be drinking and laughing about how easy the whole thing ended up being. So, how'd it go at the cave yesterday?"

"Yes tell us," George said. "The two of you, Geralt and Lady Yennefer all did not look very well coming back."

Dominik and Ciri both shared a relieved look. He sighed and turned back to his friends, before Ciri and he went about telling them both what happened at the cave the previous day. Ciri and he hadn't discussed the specifics of the challenges with even each other yet, he was saving that for the night when they were alone. Skipping over their challenges, they went on to explain getting the sword and giving it to Kilgarrah to give to Bella.

George stroked his clean-shaven chin. "Ahh… you place much faith in this dragon. However, if what he says is true it seems you may have a chance at getting your sister back my friend."

"Aye, a tough go at it mate, truly is. If anyone can get through this though, it's you, the most stubborn fucker I ever met," Faram said with a small laugh, before his face narrowed. "So… tomorrow is finally the day eh? How the two of you feeling?"

"Nauseated if I'm being honest," Ciri said next to him, her arms still crossed as she shook her head. "But we'll succeed… I know we will."

She smiled at the three of them, and Dominik's heart spun seeing it. George sagely nodded his head. He was the oldest of them, in his seventies, which wasn't old for witchers standards, but Dominik had come to cherish his friend's advice.

"As long as well all fight as one, stick together as one, we will be victorious indeed my young friends," George said, crossing his arms and smiling. "We have prepared, trained, and most importantly, our cause is just. We will not let the heathens take our world, and the both of you can count on Faram and I to be there at your side."

Faram smirked and nodded. "Haha aye! And if this new weapon goldilocks has cooked up works gods I'll almost feel sorry for the icy fucks!"

Dominik smiled when he quickly met Ciri's eyes. Faram had a personality that was infectious, his confidence was infectious. He was convinced if Faram told him he could push a boulder, with enough encouragement from the Bear Witcher he'd be able too. George was much quieter, stoic and serious at times, but in moments like that were when Dominik loved his friend the most. His words in his comforting, charming Toussaint accent never failed to calm him, and it seemed to do the same for Ciri then.

One member of their group was missing however, and Dominik looked up at them both, his curiosity peaked.

"Yeah… where is Freya actually? Gods, I feel I haven't talked to her in weeks," Dominik said.

Ciri nodded in agreement. "The same goes for me. Did she tell you what she's calling this… arrow device yet?"

He and Ciri had both heard from Faram and George what kind of weapon Freya had been designing. A cart, that could launch a flaming volley of over fifty arrows at once. According to what Faram had told him, then he had told Ciri, Freya had gotten the idea from studying the bombs that witchers used. The explosives inside of the bombs had given her the idea, to build a weapon that could fire that many arrows at once, using those explosives in a way.

Dominik would never think something like that was possible, however if anyone could create something like that it was Freya. She wasn't just a surgeon, Dominik also knew she was incredibly smart, a genius really. He also wouldn't say no to having such a weapon at their disposal against the Hunt.

Faram crossed his massive arms and shook his head. "Not yet she hasn't. Lass said she wants to make sure it works first before she names it."

"And where is she now?" Dominik said.

George gestured towards the cliffs to the east. "Her prototype she says is complete, she's out testing it now over near the cliffs."

"Poor lass has barely slept a few hours the last few nights," Faram said. He shook his head disappointedly. "Woman's told me she's got it in her head she needs to 'prove her worth' to the rest of us. Took some of my boys and has been at it for hours."

Ciri scoffed in disbelief before he could. "Prove her worth? Freya doesn't need to prove anything, that whole notion is ridiculous!"

Dominik quickly nodded in agreement, feeling his inner thigh pang, and the scar on his cheek tingle. If not for Freya he wouldn't be alive, multiple times over. She was one of the people he respected and cared for most in that world, the idea she needed to prove anything was ridiculous.

"She's right," He said, looking back at his friends. "I wouldn't be alive if not for Freya a couple times over."

Faram nodded eagerly. "No need to convince me mate, our little company wouldn't be the same without Goldilocks."

"I agree," George said, a smile growing on his face as he looked at Dominik and Ciri both. "That is why Faram and I are heading into town. We had a new sword forged for her, a present of sorts before the battle."

"Aye should be finished soon!" Faram said eagerly. "We actually came back to find the two of you. Wanted to give it to her tonight, then we figured the five of us, could get piss drunk at the inn before we head off tomorrow."

A smile grew quickly on Dominik's face. He looked at Ciri and saw a similar wicked smirk grow on hers. After his treck through the cave the previous night, he knew he needed more than just a few drinks, and he could see Ciri was thinking he same exact thing.

And perhaps for a few hours, they could simply pretend everything was normal, that there was no looming threat. Perhaps it could even be a preview of what could come.

Ciri eagerly nodded at him. "I'd say I like the sound of that, what do you say?"

"Don't gotta ask me twice," He said, smiling over at Faram and George. "Did you get her a silver sword?"

Faram scoffed. "Ha, we were going to! But then we heard her go on a rant about how she needed to _earn _her silver after her training at Kaer Morhen."

"But we still ordered her a blade, worthy of any witcher," George said, a smirk growing on his clean-shaven face. "We want it to be a surprise. One of us should head and keep her busy for the next few hours."

"And actually convince her to fucking sit and relax for a few hours. We do fight in a battle tomorrow after all," Faram added.

Dominik was about to volunteer himself, but before he could Ciri eagerly nodded and stepped in front of him.

"I'll go and find her, I'm actually quite curious to see what she's built," Ciri said, looking and smiling at Faram and George. "You said she's out near the shores to the east?"

George nodded. "Yes, she's with her weapon on a cliff overlooking a beach. Only about a mile or two out, you can't miss it."

"Or you can just follow the yelling," Faram said amusingly. "Been giving my boys a lashing she has!"

"Alright, I'll head out now," Ciri said confidently, turning back to him and smiling. "Sure you can manage for a few hours without me?"

He never liked separating from her. He knew of course that he would never get to spend every single moment with her, that there would indeed be times that she wasn't next to him, but it still panged him every time that he saw her have to leave.

If you had been separated from the person you loved for eight years, not knowing if they were alive or dead, having no idea where to go to find them, it was only natural that after you found them you'd be worried seeing them leave again.

"Are you sure you wanna go alone?" He said, biting the inside of his cheek. "You never know if more of Emhyr's assassins could be nearby, or what if they sense-."

She laughed, which was a sound as sweet as honey to his ears.

"Oh don't worry so much. I'm a big girl I'll be alright," Ciri said, smiling at him and their friends. "I'll head and find Freya, keep her busy for a few hours, we'll meet you all back at the inn in town."

Ciri turned and smiled at him. She held onto his arms and leaned up to kiss him. It lasted for a minute, but it still sent him crazy.

"I'll be alright I promise," She said reassuringly. "Head to town and get Freya's sword with Faram and George, and I'll meet up with you later. You'll survive without me."

She said the last part teasingly, and his eye roll made her laugh.

He sighed and smiled back at her. "Okay, okay, I'll see you later, be careful."

"I always am!" She said with pep in her voice. Ciri strode across the deck, smiling at Faram and George as she passed them. "Keep an eye on him for me boys."

"Oh you know we will!" Faram said with a laugh.

George smirked, and Dominik rolled his eyes before joining his two friends against the railing of the ship. He watched as Ciri quickly walked down the plank onto solid ground. She pulled up her hood, and Dominik watched her fondly as she got further away. He kept his eye on her, her hips and sword bouncing on her back, and found himself fawning again.

A large hand clamped over his shoulder. "Aye mate quit staring at her ass and let's get moving!"

Dominik's face went red, as Faram's massive hand almost knocked him off balance. "I-. what, no I… I wasn't-."

Faram rolled his eyes and groaned. "Oh for fuck's sake she's _your _woman mate, you can stare at her ass all you want! Come on! Let's get moving! The two of you have been spoiled by that piss water they pass for ale on the continent. I always get piss drunk the night before a fight!"

George chuckled at Faram's words, and Dominik managed to crack a smile. He quickly looked back to the direction Ciri had run off and couldn't find her anymore. Sighing, he couldn't help but smile.

She was _his _woman. After eight years he could finally say it again.

And the next day, he would fight to make sure she got everything she deserved.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri could remember exploring the same cliffs and beaches around Ard Skellige she did then when she was younger. They were beautiful even in the cold winter they were in now. She passed through a small gully leading towards a beautiful beach, and like Faram had said, she began to see a few of the crew members she knew Faram kept aboard his ship. It was cold, and she saw that despite the cold winds, small fires were managing to burn on the beach, most of them were from the tips of arrows that were dug into the sand. She carefully walked into the sand, watching with curiosity as the crew members scrambled.

"What is she doing…" Ciri said, muttering as she turned to one of the bulky crew members. "You there, where's Freya?"

The younger man seemed to flinch as he turned to her, his arms full of arrows. "Up top of the cliff milady."

Ciri followed the man's point and sure enough saw a few more crew members up on the top of a nearby cliff. Smoke billowed in the air above the cliff, and sure enough she could see Freya pacing about, frantically fiddling with something on the hill.

She turned back to the man. "What's she been having you do? Just testing this weapon of hers?"

"Aye milady," The man said, pointing towards the beach. "Been littering the beach with arrows for hours, trying to break some of the dummies."

Ciri looked and realized, that Freya had at least a few dozen wooden stakes buried into the sand. Faram had been telling the truth when he told her that Freya had been working his crew members all night. She watched as more of them frantically moved to readjust the sandbags to the dummies and collect all the arrows that had been lodge into the sand.

She noticed as well that none of the arrows seemed to hit any of the army of dummies, all of them being wedged into the sand of course, multiple yards in front of the 'army'.

And after that it was as Faram said as she heard the yelling echoing down from the cliff.

"UGH GOD DAMMIT! YOU STUPID PIECE OF SHIT WHY WON'T YOU WORK!"

Freya's voice seemed to make all the crew members below flinch, including the man that Ciri had been talking too. The man flinched and almost dropped the arrows. He was clearly a younger member of the crew, bulky and strong looking yes, but by his face Ciri guessed he couldn't be much older than they were.

"Been working you hard all day has she?" She said to him.

He flinched again but quickly shook his head. "She has yes, but I don't mind. That weapon she designed, absolutely ingenious."

Ciri nodded in agreement. "Yes, Freya is quite brilliant."

"She is…" He said, his tone peaking Ciri's curiosity. He looked up at the cliff again. "Brilliant and beautiful, most impressive woman I've ever met."

Ciri couldn't help but smile. She knew of course as well as everyone who looked at Freya, that she as incredibly beautiful. Freya had been the only one she knew of course that Dominik had ever had any feelings for in his life other than her. It had bothered Ciri a bit at first, she was even perfectly aware, that Freya had at least some lingering feelings for him. However, the more she got to know Freya, the more Ciri realize it was impossible to hate her. Freya reminded her so much of herself in ways, and from the moment she met her, Ciri knew they would be great friends.

It had turned out to be true, she could remember the night she first figured out that Freya and Dominik both had been together at one point. Freya had sworn she would never get between the two of them, caring for them both more than she did for her own feelings. In her woe that night, Freya had been the first person Ciri admitted too that she slept with someone before him, and if not for her Ciri didn't know how she would've gotten out of her stupor.

She truly was amazing, and it seemed she had an admirer.

Ciri smiled and nodded at the man. "She is quite impressive isn't she? Well don't let me keep you from work, I'll head up and see her now."

The man nodded, and Ciri turned to trudge up the cliff as they resumed their work. She kept looking back and saw them all loading he arrows into a cart. As she walked, one man dated up past her with the arrows in cart, while another carried a sack, and from the smell Ciri could tell it was some form of explosive powder. Saltpeter or albedo, and other alchemical substances were essential for witchers bombs to work, and she knew Freya was a whiz when it came to such ingredients.

She took some time to admire the greenery in the cold afternoon air, knowing that the next day would be filled with nothing but blood and steel. The fact that it was finally so close, after so much preparation, after so much fighting, it was almost enough to rattle her. She had been having nightmares herself the previous nights, particularly the night before after what had happened the previous day in the Cave of Life. All of her running, all of her fighting, from the minute she had been separated from Dominik and Geralt the first time, it was all cultivating in that battle tomorrow.

And there was still so much she was worried about.

What would happen with Bella? She believed Dominik when he said she was still there, that she was still Bella she truly did believe it. However, what would Eredin do, or Caranthir if they saw Bella was about to slip? What if Dominik was fighting her, and he hesitated because it was her? Bella wasn't the only issue, there was still the problem of Avallac'h. She knew that the sage was planning something. She wasn't foolish enough to think that he wasn't going to try something either during or after the battle was over. The evidence they had found in his lab, the words of the female elf they found, all of it was overwhelming and pointed to it, she and all of their friends knew something was coming and he wanted her for something.

But they simply didn't know what. The trip to the lab gave her some therapeutic refuge for a few moments as she, Geralt and Dominik smashed everything to bits, but it didn't accomplish what she truly wanted. Yes, she learned about his sick experiments and the true reason he wanted her to fuck Auberon before, but she still didn't know exactly what it was that he was going to do, what he wanted from her that time. He couldn't make her fuck Auberon anymore, the old King was dead, and Dominik almost certainly would have killed him no matter what they needed the sage for. He couldn't make Ciri fuck him, she'd have cut his bits of herself, he couldn't kill her, because he needed her alive. She hadn't even seen the sage since before they left to go to his lab.

In the end, it was wildcard, one of the many things about the next day that was unclear.

However, the idea of drinks with her friends, and a romantic evening with Dominik that night pushed all thoughts of Avallac'h and the battle tomorrow from her mind. She wanted to do something nice for him that night, she had no ideas as to what yet, but she assumed it would come to her eventually.

A small part of her hoped to ask Freya, however as she reached the top of the hill it was clear Freya wasn't in a particularly chatty mood.

"UGHHH YOU STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!" Freya said, screaming in frustration as she kicked the weapon she had made. "WHY WON'T YOU FIRE STRAIGHT!"

Freya winced as she picked up her foot, grabbing her toe. Her blonde hair was tightly tied back, as Ciri could practically see the beads of sweat dripping down her neck under her armor, along with the black bags under her eyes. Ciri was still impressed with the armor Freya had managed to get herself, the hard-boiled black tunic and trousers, the armored coat underneath, the small potion vials attached to her bandolier. Dominik told Ciri that Freya had begun wearing her sword on her back in Novigrad, when the blonde decided she wanted to head to Kaer Morhen to train. Ciri saw it now, it's simple pommel glinting in the sun along with Freya's bright blue eyes that were lit with annoyance.

Freya sighed agitatedly and turned to the group of men standing off to the side. Ciri noticed a cart full of arrows between then. She noticed however, that just below the arrowheads, on each of the arrows, had a wrapping around them, with a small fuse leading off of them. One sniff of the air and Ciri could tell what the wrappings under the arrow contained.

Explosive powder. Freya had made explosive arrows.

"Load it again!" Freya snapped at the men, kneeling towards the weapon.

The man on the left of the cart of arrows looked at Freya nervously. "My… my lady we only have enough for two more volleys…"

Freya shot to her feet. "Your point being!?"

The man fumbled over his words. "It… it's just if we… if we need to use some for the battle tomorrow then we-."

"We won't be _able _to use it in the battle tomorrow if we don't know it works," Freya said, turning and gesturing towards the weapon again. "We'll make more if we need, now load it again!"

At Freya's tone the men didn't even think to argue. One man wheeled the cart of arrows towards the weapon and both of them quickly dropped to their knees and began loading them into the weapon itself. Ciri scoffed in amazement, the weapon seemed to be a sort of cart, that laid down and point at an angle upwards. However, simple physics could tell Ciri that if the arrows would land perfectly onto the army of sandbag dummies on the beach below. Ciri watched as the two men quickly started stuffing the arrows into the front of the weapon, dozens upon dozens of small wooden tubes, that led the arrows to sticking out the back were carved into the front. One by one all the tubes were filled with the long dangerous arrows, one man loaded the arrows, while the other started tying together all of the fuses on the tips of the arrows that snaked into the back. The backs of all the arrows stuck out the back of the weapon, and one by one the man tied the fuses into one, and with a simply flame Ciri could easily see what would happen.

A massive volley of flaming explosive arrows raining down on an enemy army and would be on the Wild Hunt tomorrow. Freya stood nervously watching the two men, her arms crossed as she anxiously tapped her foot. She may have been nervous, but Ciri was amazed.

"Gods Freya…you're brilliant," Ciri said. Freya jumped in alarm, nearly falling over as she whirled around to see Ciri.

Her tired blue eyes widened as she sighed. "Ciri! Gods I… I didn't see you, I… I'm so sorry that… that I haven't spoken to-."

"No, no, Freya I understand," Ciri said, scoffing in amazement as she walked up towards the blonde meeting her blue eyes. "This… whatever you're calling it, it's brilliant. But you on the other hand…"

"Look like shit," Freya said, a small smile coming to her eyes as she looked at Ciri. "I've been told, I… I'm completely exhausted if I'm being honest."

Ciri shook her head, leaning forward as she wrapped Freya in a hug. Freya shakily sighed and melted into the hug, squeezing around Ciri's neck a sigh of relief leaving her. Ciri pulled back and smiled, taking her first good look at the weariness in Freya's eyes. The bags under her eyes, her paler skin, her slumping posture. She looked as if she hadn't slept in days.

Ciri furrowed her brow. "You need to rest Freya; we are going into a battle tomorrow after all. You need some sleep."

At the mention of the battle Freya seemed to pale even more. "I can't, not until I get this right! This can help us, I swear look!"

Before Ciri could protest, Freya grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to the weapon. The men continued loading it, but Freya quickly grabbed one of the arrows and pulled it out for Ciri to have a closer look.

"A normal tip, but the wrapping here is packed with powder I made," Freya said, almost frantic as if she was trying to convince Ciri how amazing it was. "Faram and George helped me make it, it sparks easily, all you do is load arrows, tie all the fuses together, and after they explode, they're propelled out!"

Ciri scoffed and nodded. "Freya it's brilliant I told you, I've never seen anything like it, but I'm more concerned with-."

"The one I have here is smaller, fifty at once I think it was, but with more time and resources I can probably make it even bigger, fire even bigger volleys!" Freya said, cutting her off as she placed the arrow back into place. She turned back to Ciri with an almost desperate look. "It may not seem like it could do much damage to the Hunt's riders, but after launching they'll explode on impact! And from the height we shoot it from, a volley could devastate a whole ship!"

"Freya, I told you it's brilliant, but I really think you should-."

"I _just _need to figure out how to get it to fire straight…" She said desperately. Freya turned back, sighing and fiddling with some of the fuses. "I know it won't be exactly straight, it's meant to hit a group, but I need to make sure it stops-."

"_Freya,_" Ciri said, grabbing the blonde's shoulder and turning her back to him. Freya's eyes were desperate again, and Ciri could almost even see tears in them. Scoffing Ciri shook her head. "You need to relax Freya, to get some sleep. You're burning yourself out. We're all a bit worried about you, gods Dominik and I haven't talked to you in days. And with the battle tomorrow… we need you at your best."

The tears that almost seemed to be building up in Freya's eyes swirled. She let out a shaky breath, slowly meeting Ciri's eyes and shaking her head.

"It wouldn't make much of a difference if I wasn't there…" She said, looking down at her feet. "I don't have special magic… I'm not a witcher… I need to be useful in other ways…"

Ciri scoffed and met her eyes. "Freya please, we'd all be lost without you! You're invaluable to us and you know it. Dominik would be dead if not for you. We're just worried about you now, how much sleep have you gotten the last few days?"

"Maybe a few hours at most."

"Exactly, that isn't healthy in any scenario," Ciri said, holding a handout on her shoulder, giving the blonde a reassuring smile. "We need you fighting fit, we couldn't do it without you. Why don't we just sit for a bit? It seems it may take a few minutes for them to get this loaded."

"That's something else I need to work on… a way to load it faster," Freya said with a sigh as she looked at her weapon. "If it were to be used on a battlefield… I'd assume an army would need multiple of them, so they can consecutively fire…. Maybe if I played with the-."

"Freya…" Ciri said slowly, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.

Freya sighed in defeat and nodded. "Fine… come on. In the few times I have sat… I do like looking out over at the water."

Ciri nodded, as Freya yawned and led her over towards the cliff. One thing she had missed and would never get tired of was the views off the Skelligan cliffs. In the soft grass, Freya plopped herself down her legs swinging out over the cliffs edge. Ciri quickly followed, sucking in a clean breath and admiring the view out in front of her.

Crystal blue water, as the bay they overlooked gently lapped up over the beach. Ciri looked and saw the men she saw below frantically scramble to collect the arrows that had landed in the sand. She smiled as when she narrowed her eyes, she could see the man she had been talking too occasionally gazing up towards the cliffs where she and Freya sat.

Freya sighed next to her, followed by another yawn. Ciri smiled and reached to her belt, pulling out a skin and offering it to her with a smile.

"Water?" Freya said, taking the skin from her.

Ciri scoffed. "Wine. Picked some up on my way here, Faram and George… they told me what you were doing, figured you could use some."

"That's an understatement…" She said. Quickly she downed a large gulp, before handing it back to Ciri who did the same.

For a few moments they passed it back and forth, simply admiring the view, before Freya sighed again.

"Faram and George… they're sweet, been helping me with everything I asked the last few days," Freya said, handing the skin back to Ciri. "After I had this idea… they didn't blink twice before helping me."

"Dominik and I would have too," Ciri quickly said. "All three of you… we feel awful about not having spent much time with you."

Freya chuckled ironically. "Ha… the way I've been treating Faram and George, you're lucky you weren't around… I hope they can forgive me."

"They already have that's the reason they sent me here," Ciri explained, smiling as she met Freya's eyes. "Dominik and I… after what happened at the Cave yesterday, we finally have some free time."

"Where are they anyhow?" She said.

"Around and about in town," Ciri said quickly, not wanting to spoil Freya's surprise. "Stocking up before tomorrow. They told me to come find you and make sure you weren't working too hard. Later tonight we're all going to the inn."

Freya's head quickly spun to her and she shook her head. "I can't! Not until I make sure that this works! It needs to be ready for tomorrow!"

Ciri hesitated, seeing the worry in Freya's eyes. She looked back to the weapon where the men were almost finished loading it, only trying to figure out how to tie together all of the fuses.

She looked back to Freya. "Freya… it's brilliant, it can seriously help any army but… it's okay if it doesn't work by tomorrow. You've only taken three days to build it, you've barely slept, anyone, any kind of weapons smith would be baffled by what you made and how fast. It's alright if it-."

"No… no Ciri you don't understand…" Freya said, her voice nearly breaking. Ciri could see days of pent up anxiety spilling from her. "I… I _need _this to work. I… I need to contribute _something."_

Ciri didn't want to scoff but she could have. The idea of Freya contributing nothing to their group? It was baffling.

Carefully she shook her head. "Freya… you contribute so much more than you think."

"Yes… I cook, and I put band-aids on wounds…"

"That's a pretty important thing to have!" Ciri stressed, scooting closer to her as she looked at the side of her head. "You also sew people who are bleeding and dying back together. Freya… Dominik would be _dead _if you hadn't done that surgery on him a Kaer Morhen."

"He would have lived… he's strong enough and had the sorceresses over him."

"Yes, but he wouldn't have been able to walk had you not sewn the inside of his leg back together!" Ciri said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Freya what's bringing this on? You know how important you are to all of us, how important you are to this."

Freya finally turned her icy blue eyes to her. Ciri saw tears gently welling in her eyes. She shakily sighed and shook her head.

"I… I just feel so… so _useless _in this fight Ciri…" She said, shaking her head as she looked back out over the water. "Like I said… I'm not a witcher like Geralt, Faram or George. I don't have special magic in my blood like you or Dominik… and gods, compared to the rest of you? I looked like a child with my sword."

Ciri genuinely scoffed. "Freya are you kidding? At Kaer Morhen you saved my life remember? We fought together, you held your own, you were more than a match for the riders. You took down dozens!"

"Yes, because I had you, and I had George, and I had Faram… Declan," Freya said, a single tear starting to fall down her cheek as she shook her head. "You were all with me, but tomorrow, we either win, or we die… and I can't be carried through it. I _need _to contribute something… and… and if my sword can't be it… maybe it can be my mind."

Ciri looked at Freya astounded. The idea that anything she was saying was what they thought was completely ridiculous. However, Ciri knew better. It wasn't that Freya thought Ciri herself, Dominik or any of their friends thought these things.

Freya simply needed to prove it to herself.

She placed her hand on Freya's as she had it next to her and squeezed it reassuringly. Ciri could remember that nigh at Kaer Morhen, after she had figured out Freya and Dominik had been together for a time. Ciri had been distraught, not because Dominik had been with someone else, but because he had ended his relationship with Freya, because of his love for her, denying himself such a loving relationship, to wait for her in pain for years. All of this had been while Ciri betrayed him and slept with someone else while he was waiting for her.

At that moment, what Ciri needed was someone to reassure her, to simply be there for her, to be sweet, caring and understanding. Freya had also been the first to know about Mistle, even if Ciri hadn't said it out loud, she had trusted Freya to keep her secret, and Freya had done so without a second thought.

And now Ciri needed to be there for her. She also knew exactly how to help. Ciri knew Freya was stubborn and wouldn't simply be talked out of what she believed.

So there was one other way she could help her.

"Alright then," Ciri said, a small smile forming on her face. Freya looked over to her, as Ciri took on last swig from the wine and stood to her feet, offering Freya her hand. "Come on, let's figure this thing out."

Freya looked at her incredulously. "What?"

Ciri smiled as she pulled her to her feet. "Let's go see if we can make this thing work."

Freya floundered. "But… but I only have enough for one more volley after this and… and if I need it for tomorrow-."

"Didn't you just tell the men here that if it doesn't work it won't matter?" Ciri said cheekily, smiling at her as she pulled Freya to the weapon by the wrist. "I guess we'd better get it right then. We're both pretty smart, I assume if we put our heads together we can get it working. Now… what did you say was wrong with it?"

The two men had finished loading the arrows. They both had gone to Ciri assumed either make or collect more off to the side. Freya looked at Ciri confused for a second, before sighing and pulling one of the arrows out of the dozens of tubes.

She showed it to Ciri and twirled it in her hands. "They're not launching straight in the same direction… some aren't even reaching the five hundred yards I calculated it could."

"Yes… they were scattered about the beach I saw," Ciri said, running her hand along the small wrapping of powder near the middle of the arrow. "What do you call this now?"

"I've just been calling it blackpowder," Freya said, biting her lip as she gently ran her hand along the wrapping as well. "It's a combination of albedo, saltpeter, and some other powders I saw used in the bombs I've seen witchers use."

Ciri knew of course how to make most of the powders that helped the bombs explode, never in her life however would she think have thought of something like Freya did. Freya handed Ciri the arrow and she felt it nearly weigh her hand down.

"It's a bit heavy," Ciri said, flicking the iron arrowhead. "Broadhead?"

Freya nodded. "The extra weight from the powder and the broadhead help it pierce and find the gaps in plate. I thought it would be useful, given what I saw of the Hunt at Kaer Morhen."

"And they explode on impact, that certainly helps."

Freya chuckled. "Yes, yes it certainly does… it's no supposed to be accurate, but with so many arrows firing at once, I thought it would be good for taking out large groups, cavalry, especially since the powder propels it so fast."

"Could they be getting bogged down by the wind?" Ciri inquired.

"No…" Freya sighed. "They fire far too fast, and with the angle, we set it up so that it goes with the wind. It launches at a fifty-degree angle, and with the cart and how light it is, it only needs one or two people to work it."

"Freya, has anyone ever told you, that you're absolutely brilliant? This is possibly the most genius thing I've ever seen someone design and you did it in about four fucking days."

Freya's cheeks got slightly pink at the praise, and she nervously shook her head. "Not often… but it really isn't much. I've actually never done something like this before."

Ciri scoffed as she handed the arrow back to her. "Oh come on now don't be modest."

"I'm serious!" Freya said, a small, amused smile on her lips as she played with the arrow in her hands. Just as quickly as her smile came, it slowly fell again as she looked back at Ciri. "Most people… they don't really take the time to get to know this side of me…"

Ciri could hear the tone shift in her voice and looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Freya sighed and slid the arrow back into the tube, gently grazing her fingers over the weapon as a hole, the tubes of arrows.

"My entire life… all people have ever seen when they see me… is my looks," She said, her voice almost shaking as she pulled out another arrow. "They see me… and they think I'm nothing more than a pretty face."

Ciri snorted. "I know how you feel…. For so long, so many people have just wanted me, chased me, all because they either wanted to force me to marry them, or fuck them to squirt out a child."

Freya managed a chuckle at her bluntness. "Then you know how it feels… to be looked at for nothing but your looks, your body…. That's all I was treated as… for so long, by all the boys who fancied me growing up, by the men I've met in recent years… nothing but a pretty face…"

"You are beautiful, you know that" Ciri said, trying to be upbeat, a small laugh leaving her as Freya looked to her. "Not going to lie, when I first saw you at the council at Kaer Morhen I got pretty jealous."

Freya blushed again but smiled at Ciri. "You're just as beautiful as I am… but as I'm sure you know it's quite frustrating when all people see you as is that… at least you _are_ more than that. Not that I envy you… but you truly are."

Ciri frowned. "Freya… you _are _so much more than that. I know it, Dominik does, Faram, George, Geralt, we all do!"

Freya scoffed lightly looking over the arrow. "I… I'm sorry to bring it up but… but you know… that's part of the reason that… that I fell for Dominik so hard when I first met him…"

Ciri spent no time in shaking her head. She had come to accept the fact the two of them had been together, she had even known Freya still had lingering feelings after meeting up with Dominik again the first time. However, Freya had proven, that those romantic feelings were gone, that she was simply not only one of Dominik's but her own very best-friends.

She smiled reassuringly at her. "He saw you for more than just a pretty face? Ha… that's a reason I liked him so much when we were younger. He liked me, played with me not because I was a princess… but because I was me."

A smile came tugged at Freya's lips. "It was the same when I met him… gods he didn't even tell me I was beautiful until a week after we started seeing each other."

"He really didn't?"

"No, I actually got nervous at the time and asked him if he thought I was pretty," Freya said, a small laugh leaving her as she met Ciri's eyes. "He told me… 'well I thought it was obvious I did, and well… it was obvious to you how beautiful you are'. I… I actually loved that."

"He does have a way with words doesn't he?" Ciri said cheekily, making Freya laugh again.

"Ha, that he does… but it was the first time someone saw me for more than just how I looked…. After that well… it was more of the same… all people thought when they looked at me, was that I was just another dumb blonde woman," Freya said, slowly shaking her head. Her fists curled around the arrow, her eyes narrowing up at Ciri.

Freya shook her head as her blue eyes lit with a new fire. "I'm _much _more than just a pretty face… and I'm going to prove it."

She was so much more, this Ciri knew. Smiling Ciri walked over and hugged her. It took Freya off guard, but the blonde hugged her back.

"You _are _so much more, to all of us," Ciri said, pulling back and smiling at her again. "You're brilliant Freya. We just need to teach you to balance being brilliant and-."

"Wait… balance…" Freya said, quickly turning to the arrows in the tubs. She pulled one from the weapon, and her eyes widened as she ran her hand along the wrapping of blackpowder Scoffing Freya turned back to her. "Balance! Gods it's so simple, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner! Ciri you're brilliant!"

Ciri looked at her confused. "I… I am?"

Freya eagerly nodded; all negative thoughts seemingly gone from her mind. She hugged Ciri around the neck again, squeezing her so hard Ciri almost couldn't breathe. Pulling back from her, she showed Ciri the arrow, the tight wrapping of black powder in the center of the arrows shaft. Her eyes lit up as she scoffed.

"I thought the arrow would be perfectly balanced if I put the wrapping in the center to balance it that way, but I was wrong!" She said, unwrapping the small tubing of black powder around the arrow and gently sliding the blackpowder towards the arrows tip. "But if it's in the middle, the weight can carry it off course and not project it as far as I want. If I put it here under the arrowhead-."

"Then it'll help the arrows fly even further with the extra weight pushing it that way and maybe it'll help all the arrows end up near each other, making it more accurate… Freya I know I've said this a few times… but you're fucking brilliant!" Ciri said, as Freya couldn't stop smiling wrapping up the blackpowder near the arrows head.

She finished and looked up at Ciri with her infectious smile. "Come on! Help me adjust these, and we'll see if it works! Bjorn! Dalinor, come help us adjust these!"

The two men who had been up there with them both rushed over, and for the next several minutes, her, Freya and the two men all adjusted the arrows. She pulled the wrapping off at least a dozen arrows, but it was nothing compared to Freya. She worked like a magician her hands not stopping for a moment. As she tried to count, Ciri thought it had to be much more than just the fifty arrows, and it seemed like it would be perfectly easy to add even more. Still however, the weapon seemed like it would certainly be a deadly force on a battlefield.

After adjusting all the arrows, Freya gestured for her to follow. Behind the cart, Ciri finally saw the weapon fully loaded. Dozens of arrow shafts poked out the back, all with fuses that seemed to Ciri to be a tangled mess.

They clearly weren't to Freya however, who quickly went to work. She knelt and rapidly started untangling fuses and retying them together. Ciri could remember back at Kaer Morhen, Dominik on the brink of death next to her while Freya operated on him. Her bloodstained hands at the time had moved so fast that Ciri could barely see them at the time. In the moment then as she tied together the fuses, Freya's hands moved faster and even more precisely then when she had performed that surgery.

Within minutes the fuses were all tied together, and Freya turned to Ciri, her hands now shaking as she pulled a piece of flint and steel from her pocket.

"Okay…" She said, her hands beginning to tremble as she looked at Ciri. "Let… let's see if this works."

Ciri smiled, quickly reaching over and grabbing Freya's trembling hands. "Freya… this _will _work. Go on, you'll see."

Freya nodded briskly, letting out a deep breath and kneeling next to the fuses. Bjorn and Dalinor quickly backed up near another cart of arrows, and Ciri held her breath. The weapon seemed deadly enough, and now she was eager to see it in action.

And it certainly didn't disappoint.

Freya struck the flint and steel and a flame quickly erupted onto the fuses. Ciri took a step back and Freya rushed next to her, just as the spark up to the backs of the arrows, and the loudest ***BOOOM* **Ciri had heard in a while erupted on the hillside.

Ciri clamped her hands over her ears but scoffed in complete bewilderment as arrow after arrow shot upwards over the cliff, racing out of the weapon one after another. The enormous volley kept firing and firing explosion after explosion hit her ears, and Ciri watched as one after one all the blackpowder wrappings exploded. They sent the arrows zipping through the air, and the lingering burning smell of the powder attacked her nose.

Freya had clamped one of her hands onto Ciri's forearm as she watched the display wide-eyed until every single arrow was gone. After the last one fired out, Ciri slowly removed her hands from her ears, smiling in amazement at the display she had just witnessed while blowing away the lingering smoke with her hand.

After it was clear, Ciri saw no more arrows remained, and Freya dashed from her side to look over the cliff. After a moment, she turned and looked at Ciri with wide eyes, a mixture of excitement and nerves.

"Come on let's go see the targets!" She said, darting down the cliff from the way Ciri had come from.

Ciri smiled at her enthusiasm, it was a stark contrast to the mood she had been in just moments ago. Geralt had taught Ciri, that sometimes when people were upset, that the best way to help them, was to simply give them what they want. Freya had wanted her weapon to work. She eagerly ran after her, following her bouncing blonde ponytail down the cliff.

She also couldn't help but think of the possibilities the weapon could bring in the battle tomorrow if it truly did work. The idea of a volley of exploding arrows raining down upon the Hunt's ships was becoming increasingly attractive to Ciri as the smell of crackling fires hit her nose when the approached the beach.

Catching up to Freya and almost bumping into her, Ciri finally got a good look of the beach.

It was absolute destruction; exactly what Freya had wanted.

Laughing with a smile on her face, Ciri looked at her. "Freya… it worked!"

Freya scoffed, tears nearly welling up in her amazed eyes again as she looked out over the scene. The army of sandbag dummies they had set up on the beach was in flames. Multiple dummies had flaming arrows half deep inside them, all over the sand around the dummy's arrows were still on fire, as men scrambled to pick them up and extinguish them. Exploded blackpowder was scattered about, the smell lingered in the air, and Ciri couldn't help but laugh as Freya's completely dumfounded expression. It was as if she had expected her weapon to fail, but from the destruction, and the scrambling of Faram's men to put fires out and collect arrows, it was clear that it had done exactly what it was intended.

"It… it worked…" Freya said from next to her. "The… the arrows they… they flew straight, they… they hit the targets."

Ciri laughed and nodded. She jogged up and having to use all her strength, yanked out an arrow that had been buried half deep in a sandbag dummy.

"It certainly looks like it did! Safe to say, this rider is dead," Ciri said, smirking at her as she tossed the arrow to one of the men. She smirked and walked back over to Freya, placing both hands on her shoulders and shaking them. "Freya! It _worked _you did it!"

"I did it…" Freya said slowly, looking out over the destruction her weapon had caused the army of sand dummies.

The bewilderment turned to excitement. Ciri laughed as Freya's smile grew, she looked wide eyed over at Ciri. Her blue eyes grew, as she finally scoffed, laughing as she grabbed Ciri's shoulders as well, her smile infectious.

"I DID IT!" She said, unable to contain her excitement.

"You did it!" Ciri said, laughing as Freya excited threw her arms around her.

Freya laughed and Ciri hugged her, before Freya pulled back, looking at the destruction her blackpowder caused on of the sandbags. She laughed again as she ran her hands along the soot and looked at Ciri.

"Did you see that!? It burned perfectly, exploded perfectly," She said, rushing back over to Ciri still laughing. "Can you imagine what this will do to the Hunt!? HA! The fuckers won't stand a chance! Gods… gods Ciri it _worked_!"

"I told you it would!" Ciri said excitedly, smiling and looking at her. "Freya this is amazing, you did this in _four _days! Do you know how few people could do that!?"

Freya's laugh turned to a sobbing one, as she met Ciri's eyes. "I couldn't have done it without the men here, and Faram, George, you and Dominik… I've probably been completely unbearable the previous few days!"

Ciri took a step closer and shook her head. "You haven't been. You were doing something you thought would help us, we all understand. Freya… what you did was amazing, and after this is all over, gods, I can't wait to see what you come up with next…"

Freya's tear finally fell, as she wrapped Ciri in a hug again. "Thank you Ciri… I couldn't have done this today without you."

Ciri scoffed as she hugged her back. "Gods come on; I didn't do anything!"

Freya wiped a tear from her eyes as she looked at her. "You did… you listened to me bitch… gave me the kick in the ass I needed. To be honest if you hadn't come by… I probably would have just complained and wasted the day away… thank you for being here for me."

Ciri's face got red, as she hugged Freya again. "You were there for me when I needed it… there's no way I wasn't going to be there for you. You're my friend, other than Dominik, probably my best one to be honest."

Freya's eyes whipped up to her. "You… you mean that?"

Ciri smirked and nodded, crossing her arms. "Of course! Hanging around with nothing but smelling men all day does get awfully dull, I've been doing it since I was young! It's nice to have another woman my age around!"

The two of them both laughed, the cool afternoon air, whipping their hair back. The gust was cool, refreshing, and Ciri took a moment to revel in the normality, which was something she so rarely got to do.

"Um… my… milady," A timid voice interrupted their laughter.

Ciri and Freya both turned, and Ciri smiled, seeing the young man she had spoken to earlier anxiously looking at Freya with an armful of arrows.

"Yes Jorgen, what is it?" Freya said, smiling as he turned around to him.

His face completely red, Jorgen stumbled over his words. "Um… I… I just wanted to inform you we collected all the arrows for another volley. Should… should I bring them up the cliff?"

Ciri continued smirking, as Freya shook her head.

"No need for that. We know it works, and I know what it is to make sure it stays that way. If you can, head up the hill, tell Dalinor, Bjorn, and everyone else down here to gather up all the arrows and started heading back to the ship with the weapon," She said. Smiling, Freya nodded at the young man appreciatively. "Thank you, and everyone for all your help today, we'll make more blackpowder tonight before the battle tomorrow."

Jorgen nodded eagerly. "Of course! Of course milady, it's been my-, _our _pleasure. All of us!"

Freya smiled sweetly and nodded, before Jorgen, no doubt not wanting to stumble over his words again took off towards the beach again to the other men. As soon as he was out of earshot, Freya sighed and Ciri couldn't help but laugh.

"Would you look at that," Ciri said, coming up next to her and meeting her gaze. "It looks like you have an admirer!"

Freya sighed with a roll of her eyes. "That was nothing, for some of them, I'm the first woman they've seen in months that's not a sorceress. Gods, one of them even proposed to me, about an hour after meeting me, can you believe it?"

Ciri laughed heartily and nodded. "Well can you blame them? You're exceptionally beautiful! Weird though, not that I'm complaining, but I'm not a sorceress, I wonder why none have tried anything with me."

Freya rolled her eyes but smiled. "That's because you and Dominik are normally attached at the hip, and they know better than to step to his woman I'm sure."

Ciri couldn't help but blush, being referred to as Dominik's 'woman' was something she had loved when she was younger, and it hadn't changed.

"That makes sense," She said, smiling as Freya laughed. She took a look out over the men gathering arrows into a cart as she stood next to her Freya. "Any of them strike your fancy?"

Freya rolled her eyes again. "Well, most of them aren't bad looking, most of them are sweet, respectful but well… some of them aren't very bright. And well… a good amount of them it's like I said… they just see some woman, something for them to conquer, to take care of and protect. Don't get me wrong, I would like someone who's protective… someone who'll care deeply for me but well… I want someone who'll treat me as an equal, respect the fact that I'm my own person, who'll support my ambitions and goals, and not try to make me something I'm not…"

A small part of Ciri's heart panged as she looked at Freya. "Someone like Dominik…"

Ciri had known how Freya felt, and that was how she knew, Dominik ticked all of the boxes she was speaking of. It had clearly been a part of the reason she fell for him like she did, Ciri knew this.

Freya's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "No! I mean… well yes, he does mark all those points, it's why I fell for him, but Ciri, nowadays those feelings they're gone! I love him yes, but not in a romantic sense, he… he's like my-."

"Freya, Freya calm down I know, I believe you," Ciri said, a small laugh leaving her as she put a hand on Freya's shoulder to calm her.

She sighed in relief and met Ciri's eyes again. "Good… to… to be honest, I've been a bit scared you may resent me for that. I've been waiting for you to bring it up…"

Ciri laughed and smiled. "Ha… what's there to bring up? You two were together, I was with someone as well… it's all over now. I'm with Dominik and Freya… when you do find someone, someone who check's all those boxes well, he's going to be extremely lucky."

"Or she…" Freya said with a sigh.

Ciri's eyes shot up to her. "What?"

Freya seemed to realize what she said, her eyes widened. Never in Ciri's life had she seen someone's face get so red so quick, as Freya nervously laughed.

"Ha… well… you see Ciri I… I um…" She stammered, before sighing and biting her lip nervously. "Gods I… I'm realizing I've never actually told anyone this, not Dominik, not even my parents or Eustace…. You see… I… I… well…"

"You… prefer women?" Ciri asked, baffled for a moment, before her eyes widened. "There's nothing wrong with that at all Freya, not a single bit. I… I'm just a bit surprised. You were with Dominik, and… he told me that Declan was sweet on you as well before the battle. I've… never seen you take an interest-."

Freya cut her off with a nervous laughed. "Ha well… the only women I've really been around since I left the army are you, and the sorceresses."

A small smile came to Ciri's face. "And I love you Freya I do, hell I'd give it a shot if I were available! But I don't know how Dominik would feel about that."

Ciri laughed, and Freya looked at her, just as baffled.

"Wait Ciri you… you mean to say that you… you…" She started, and Ciri smiled at her as she nodded.

The thoughts of Mistle crossed her mind for a moment. She pushed away the negative images and smiled as she met Freya's eyes.

"The… other person, the other person I was with," Ciri explained. "They… were horrible, they did horrible things to me but… it was a girl. Dominik's the only one for me, to be honest I've known that since we were young but… the only other person I've been with was a girl yes. Do you…?"

Freya slowly nodded, a nervous laugh leaving her. "Swing both ways… well… yes. Ha… gods I… I never thought I'd be telling anybody. I… was always afraid."

"What? Why?"

She bit her lip nervously. "My father he… he's adoring of me yes but… he's a bit of a traditionalist. I was always afraid how he would react."

Ciri tilted her head. "How long have you known?"

"It… was a few months after Dominik left," Freya said, looking out with a sigh over the smoking beach. "I… was desperate to forget him. And well a mumming troupe came to Ellander, one of them had a daughter around my age… took quite a liking to me. And for a bit we… were together? Well, to be honest, I don't really count it since it was only for a few weeks. I didn't love her or anything really but well… nothing felt wrong about being with her."

"And there isn't," Ciri said reassuringly, her smile growing. "You love who you love, it doesn't matter well… as long as you love each other…. So is it true when Dominik tells me Declan was sweet on you at Kaer Morhen?"

A small laugh left her, as she smiled. "Gods it was. He saved me from wolves on my way there, I was lost. He was following Dominik and Geralt after they had left Vizima to travel to Kaer Morhen, to lift Avallach's curse."

"What? Why was he following them?" Ciri asked, not remembering Dominik mention this story.

Freya met her eyes. "Because well, he originally wanted to pledge his sword to them, to atone for his cousin's mistakes. He tried to talk to them outside Vizima but well… Dominik didn't exactly take kindly to him a first."

Ciri bit her lip. "Yes… that part he did tell me about."

"Yes… well Dominik told him to stay away, to go back to Vizima," Freya explained further. "But when he got back, he overheard Emhyr ordering Dominik's assassination, so he followed them both, making sure the assassins didn't get them. He found me as he was staying outside Kaer Morhen, showed me how to get there."

Ciri could tell now why Dominik was so heartbroken over Declan's death. He of course had told her why but hearing Freya's explanation now it was even clearer. A small part of her heart shattered, remembering the poor young man's determined eyes. Determined to do good.

"And… what about you? Did you like him as well?" Ciri said, and right away Freya sighed.

She met Ciri's gaze and shrugged. "He was handsome, sweet, I enjoyed his company, but well… I only knew him for a few days, you can't develop true feelings or love for someone in so little time, despite what some say. But who knows… maybe if he had survived something could have happened, but we'll never know…"

Ciri saw her eyes fall, and right away felt horrible for bringing the subject up. However, remembering the original reason she had been there, she smiled and put her hands-on Freya's shoulders.

"Well my previous point still stands," She said, smiling as Freya looked up at her. "Freya, you're beautiful, your kind and caring, and you're absolutely brilliant. You'll find someone, and he _or she _is going to be extremely lucky."

Freya's blonde ponytail whipped as she smiled and hugged Ciri around the waist. "Thank you Ciri… for everything."

"You're welcome," Ciri said, pulling back and crossing her arms as her smirk grew. "Well, we've had our heart to heart, your weapon sufficiently destroyed this 'army'. What say me and you go and spend some time together?"

Freya tilted her head inquisitively. "But… I thought you said that Faram, George and Dominik were getting supplies in town, and we were all getting drinks?"

Remembering how George asked for her to 'keep her busy for a few hours', Ciri smirked and nodded. "They are, and we are. But I thought just he two of us could go out and about!"

A small laugh left Freya as she smiled. "Ha…. Alright that sounds like fun. I could use a few things in town, my armor could do for a stitching, and a few of my tunics as well."

Ciri eagerly nodded. "The same for me, and I actually wanted to find something nice for Dominik. Believe me, after what happened at the cave yesterday he deserves it, and well… it is the last night before the battle."

Freya's eyes seemed to light up. "I think I have an idea you may like then, come on, let's get moving!"

Ciri smiled, and with a quick step, the both of them bounded off towards town.

_A day about the town with your friend, _she thought, a smile coming to her face.

_I have no idea when this could happen again… best take advantage of it._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Aye how will I owe ya?" Faram asked the burly man.

"A hundred," The smith said, pulling the new sparkling sword from a rack behind him and showing it to the three of them. "Noticed this was a witchers blade, for an extra thirty, I got a silver dagger back here as well. It'd take me an hour or so to get it up to snuff, I got other orders ahead, but I'll toss it in for an extra thirty."

Dominik watched as Faram looked over at George. "Got enough for it?"

"We do yes," George said with a smile, fishing a handful of coins from the pouch on his belt and handing them to Faram.

Dominik looked at them both. "I thought Freya had a silver dagger, she had it at Kaer Morhen."

"Lost it in the battle. She was busy taking care of ya, didn't have time to look, and gods none of us could find it, she was pretty beat up over it," Faram said, turning and nodding at the smith, handing him the pouch. "We'll take it, keep the sword here while you do, we'll come pick it up all at once."

The smith nodded and headed right away back towards his forge with his coin. Dominik assumed that the orders the smith had were piling up, with the army moving soon. Kaer Trolde was bustling with people, as boat builders, soldiers, and craftsman were pumping out goods, and vendors of vegetables, fruits, meats, sweets, were all having a booming day of sales. It was no doubt that people were stocking themselves up, preparing for the day indoors they'd have to have the next day with the battle so close.

And thinking of it all made Dominik's stomach turn.

"Are you aright my friend?" George said, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Dominik's head shot to them both. "What?"

"You spaced out a for a moment there mate," Faram said, as they all turned away from the forge. "You look even more sour then you normally do."

"I normally look sour?"

Faram scoffed. "Gods yes, you always look like the end of the world is right around the corner."

Dominik rolled his eyes. "You know, the end of the world technically is right around the corner, it could literally be tomorrow."

"No reason to act like it" Faram said, slapping him on the back. Dominik nearly tumbled forward from the force and Faram laughed. "Baha, oh lighten up mate! Come on, let's the three of us go swing our sword at each other for a bit while we wait for the sword!"

Faram's poor choice of words had a few passing villagers staring at them in confusion, but the Bear Witcher certainly didn't seem to care. Dominik rolled his eyes, a sudden tingling feeling going down his neck, while George laughed.

"Aha… I do like the idea of a little spar before tomorrow," The Griffin Witcher said. "Come now, we can head back onto the ship for it. Dominik?"

Dominik was about to answer with a resounding yes. However, the tingling feeling that was going down his spine buzzed and hummed down his back. Over the years his senses had become acutely attuned from both his witcher training, and from being by himself for so long. Being by yourself in the woods for long was an easy way for you to be able to attune yourself, to know when someone was watching you.

"Haha I'm glad you agree mate!" Faram said excitedly, smirking wildly as he looked over at Dominik now. "So what do you say mate? You've gotten pretty good, but I still got a few Bear moves I can teach you!"

Again Dominik ignored them, beginning to scan the crowds of people. He could feel eyes watching him, several pairs. For a moment he was worried Emhyr had sent even more assassins after him. However, after finally maneuvering his vision through the crowd of people, he found the eyes that had been watching him.

Three sets of eyes, and Dominik's own widened when he saw who they belonged too. His heart leapt to this throat, a man was watching him, no older than thirty, a wispy brown beard, and old, wise, amused eyes.

And besides him as always, were two beautiful Zerrikanian warrior women carrying swords on their backs.

_He did say he would be following us, _Dominik thought, a small smile coming to his face. He had didn't realize until that moment all the things he needed to tell and ask the man.

"MATE!"

"GAH WHAT!?" Dominik said, jumping as he turned and saw Faram and George laughing at him.

George finished chuckling. "Aha… you spaced out again my friend. We're heading back to the ship, we plan on sparring and training a bit while we wait for the sword."

"Gonna join us mate?" Faram said, crossing his massive arms and smirking.

Dominik looked back over, across the square. Borch was standing in the brush near a longhouse, near the side of the inn, right near the tailor's shop. The dragon had an amused look on his face and nodded in Dominik's direction. Dominik nodded, back and turned to Faram and George who hadn't seemed to notice Borch's presence.

"'l… need to tend to something, I'll meet you both back there," He said, nodding at them both.

Faram clapped his shoulder again and nodded. "Aye just don't be long mate! Got a few tricks I wanna show you before tomorrow!"

"Me as well my friend," George said, nodding and adjusting his ponytail. "We will see you back on the ship."

The two of them walked off, and Dominik's eyes darted back to Borch, who was speaking casually with Tea and Vea. Careful not to knock over any of the townsfolk, and with extra energy in his step, Dominik worked his way through the crowd. He passed by the tailor's shop, where the outside was lined with exquisite furs, tunics, leathers, and beautiful dresses. The dresses reminded him of the ones that Ciri had used to wear back in Cintra, he hadn't seen many dress shops in Skellige, but the one in town there was clearly talented.

However, he paid much less attention to the dresses when he saw Borch finally turn and smiled at him.

"Ahhh my young friend! I must say, it is good to see you still in the land of the living," The dragon said, reaching out his hand. "The last I saw you; you could barely walk!"

Dominik scoffed and shook the dragon's hand. Borch's eyes were soft, wise, and they calmed his nerves. He didn't know what Kilgarrah would do in the battle the next day, but now that Dominik knew the white dragon would obey him, he had to assume he wouldn't be a factor. However, he didn't know how Bella would react the next day, if he needed to find her, fight her and speak to her, it was very possible Kilgarrah could appear in the battle, making having Borch there a necessity, just like at Kaer Morhen.

He had promised Borch back at Kaer Morhen, he would do everything he could to help Kilgarrah, so that they didn't have to fight again. Dominik truthfully didn't have an answer now, what felt like so many months later, but what in reality was only a few weeks. However, he still needed to let Borch know what happened.

And of course there was also Fiona, Dominik wanted to know, what it would be like for her, with her being the daughter of a dragon.

"Ha wouldn't be walking if not for you. It's good to see you too," Dominik said, smiling as he looked up to the two women behind Borch. "Tea, Vea, good to see you both as well."

"And you as well, young Witcher," Tea said, smiling as she bowed to him.

_Or is that Vea? Gods, I can't tell the difference, _he thought. Geralt had told him there was a very discernible difference between the two of them, he just couldn't see it. Shuddering he pushed that thought, and how Geralt knew it to the back of his mind as Borch smiled.

"So my young friend, I just spoke with Geralt and Yennefer on your ship not long ago," Borch said, smiling as he crossed his arms. "Is it true we face the wraiths in battle tomorrow?"

"It is yes," Dominik said quickly, his eyes widening. "You say _we _does that mean the three of you are going to fight with us?"

Tea or Vea smiled from Borch's right. "It is, it was good to see Geralt and Yennefer both again. We will be honored to fight by your side in this battle."

From the left, Tea or Vea smirked. "We will defeat the wraiths, just as you did at Kaer Morhen."

Dominik couldn't help but smile, and it felt like his first real one without Ciri around in ages.

Borch must have seen his smile because the dragon laughed. "Ahaha… it is true young man, the three of us will fight with you in battle tomorrow. Now… Geralt told me a bit, but I'd like to hear it from you lad, what happened with Kilgarrah, what did you discover?"

At the mention of the dragon, his mind right away went to Bella, and his smile fell. His skin shuddering he sighed and met the dragon's eyes.

"Well… it's a bit more complicated then we first thought," He said, biting the inside of his cheek.

Dominik then had to go on and explain in detail what had happened. He knew he could trust Borch, he didn't know how he knew, but he simply did. He told the dragon about Bella, about Alexander, Kilgarrah's oath, and his most recent conversation with the dragon. Borch was a good listener, as were Tea and Vea both. They let him speak, even at the points where he grew angry, they simply listened and let him vent his anger.

Finally, he told them all what had happened the previous day at the Cave of Life, shuddering as his cheek and leg burned at the thought of Eredin.

"I defeated him in my third challenge," He said, sighing in frustration as he shook his head, not realizing he was pacing. "I know I have to face him, I'm not afraid anymore of it. But I _am _completely clueless on how I'm going to manage to kill him!"

Borch finally nodded, calmly meeting Dominik's eyes. "Well, I must say lad, I lack the candidness of humans, but I believe that most would say, you are in a completely fucked situation."

"Yeah… that's what most have said," He complained, before sighing and leaning his back against the tailor shop they stood next to, his shoulders slumping. "I had _no _chance at Kaer Morhen, he was toying with me the entire time. Even with some idea of how to control my powers now, I still don't know if it's enough! For fuck's sake, I still need to soak my leg twice as long to make sure it doesn't ache!"

"Your powers are great lad. Alexander of Lod… there was no finer mage on the continent in his time, except perhaps for his brother Cregan," Borch said, crossing his arms and smiling at Dominik again. "It is as you said lad, you may not know _how _you will defeat Eredin, the important part, is that you do everything you can too defeat him."

"And what if it's not enough?" Dominik said, sighing as he slumped against the wall more, biting his lip as he looked at the snowy ground. "What if, just like at Kaer Morhen, I give absolutely everything I have, use every bit of my strength… and it still isn't enough?"

The dragon reached out, placing a hand on Dominik's shoulders. In Borch's eyes, Dominik could see decades of wisdom buried within, and it again somehow calmed Dominik's nerves.

"_True s_trength lad, does not come from the magic we have within us, or from how well we swing our swords no. That all contributes yes, it helps," The dragon said, smiling as his wavy brown hair blew back in the wind. "However, the _true _measure of our strength, comes from our convictions, what we fight for, who we fight for. We don't give ourselves strength to fight on, our causes give us strength to fight on, the ones we love give us the strength to fight on. Tell me lad, I believe I already know the answer but if you'd indulge me… why are you fighting tomorrow? What's the true reason."

"To protect Ciri," Dominik said without a second thought, shaking his head. "To protect Ciri… to get my sister back, to make sure the Hunt doesn't kill Geralt, Yen, my friends… so they don't run over the entire continent, burning everything to the ground to make it there's…"

The smile stayed plastered to the dragon's face. "And _that _is why I believe lad… that Eredin will die by your hand, we will be victorious in this battle tomorrow."

A small scoff left him. "What, because I _believe _in myself?"

"No… because you know what will happen if we aren't victorious," Borch said, smiling wildly as he nodded at Dominik again. "You fight for something much greater then Eredin does, you fight for love, for your destiny, and do you remember what I said?"

The last words the dragon spoke to him came back to Dominik's brain.

"Destiny and love… are sometimes one in the same," He said slowly, the swallow around his neck trembling as he grabbed it.

Ciri was his destiny and his love, it was what he had been fighting for, since he escaped the flames of Cintra when he was eleven years old. Now however, he had another destiny.

His sister, their fates were intertwined, the prophecy playing in his mind.

_One you once loved has returned, _Bella. _A single choice you make shall decide their fate, _it still wasn't clear what the choice was, but Dominik knew he'd have to decide something pertaining to Bella… a choice that could kill her. _The choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raise. _That line was the most daunting to him.

He could get his old family back, and his new one, save them all… or he could destroy one or more of them.

Either way, all of them were walking out, what was what he was going to make sure of.

Destiny had led him to this point, led him to Ciri, to the love of his life. It had led him to Geralt and Yennefer, two people who he loved more than anything. To his friends whom he also loved, Freya, Faram and George, who he'd die for in an instant. And back to his sister, the chance to redeem one of his greatest failures.

That was what he fought for, for all of them, because they deserved to live.

And letting them live, was all the motivation he'd need.

He'd figure out how to kill Eredin. He had no ideas at the moment, but he assumed that in the moment, when the fight began, he'd come up with plenty of ideas.

"Thank you… for everything, all three of you," Dominik said, shaking Borch's hand again, and smiling at him, Tea and Vea. "I'm more thankful then I'll ever be able to describe."

Borch laughed and shook his head. "It is no problem my young friend. We fight because you are just that! Our friends, and it's as you said, much more is at stake. I could not simply sit by while the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Now, Tea, Vea and I must be going, believe it or not, we have much to prepare before-.

"Wait!" Dominik said quickly, remembering what else he needed. "There's actually… one more thing I wanted to ask you about."

Borch smiled and tilted his head. "Aye.. what is it lad?"

Dominik sighed, a small smile coming to his face. Fiona's excited green eyes, the eyes that looked so much like he and Ciri's that he had to do a double take. He had given thought to having children of course, he loved Ciri more than anything, and the idea of marrying her, having children with her, living hundreds of years thanks to their magic, it was always a dream of his. However, with the complications of their blood, it had made him, and he was sure her as well rethink having children.

However, Fiona changed all of that. Every single day he missed the girl more. He knew they made the right choice, and he was still dreadfully nervous about the idea of raising her, wondering if he would be good enough to protect her and Ciri both. Despite it all, he found himself wishing to see her childlike excitement at swinging a practice sword, always looking back to make sure he or Ciri was watching.

He had only spent a small amount of time with her, but he had felt that spark, that connection Geralt talked about feeling to Ciri.

His child surprise, Dominik's child surprise, his destiny, he and Ciri's destiny, those were just a few things Fiona was.

And it was another reason that he was going to survive tomorrow, the reason he and Ciri would survive. Fiona was waiting for them to come back for her, they had promised they'd be back, that they'd train her, take her to Kaer Morhen.

They wouldn't break that promise.

Dominik went on to tell Borch everything about Fiona, from the first contract in Claywitch, all the way to he and Ciri's fight with Drogar and his men. He made sure to go into exact detail about what happened with Fiona afterwards. Dominik could vividly remember the girl's powers as a source unleashing, the magic, the heat she radiated.

"I was able to calm her powers with a spell I learned to calm Ciri's from Alexander," He said, looking at Borch who seemed deep in thought. "Geralt told me dragons can have children with humans, they're normally very powerful."

"A young dragonling," Tea or Vea said from Borch's right, looking to the dragon. "It has been some time since we heard of one."

Dominik eye's widened. "A dragonling!? Does… that mean she could turn-."

Borch let out a laugh and shook his head. "Aha… no lad, she can't turn into a dragon, only two dragons can make another pure dragon. However, it's as Geralt said, your girl, she has the potential to be powerful. Dragons are magical creatures, you obviously see the powers we hold even now, considering I'm talking to you in human form."

It was something that Dominik already knew, but it only worried him even further.

"Yes… but she's also a source," He said, meeting Borch's eyes. "I… was wondering if you had any well… advice, on how to raise her, and make sure her powers don't harm her. She told us, that it's unleashed before, the fire coming from her when she was scared or angry."

Borch sagely nodded. "Aye… it's her inner fire lad. Every young dragonling has it, a powerful reservoir of magic, that burns brightly within them."

"Sounds no different than being a source," Dominik said. "Sounds like Ciri, or well me being a carrier."

"It isn't that much different no," Borch said with a shake of his head. "However, with her a source as well, it's more than likely what's caused her inner fire to come out with such intensity."

The words 'inner fire' didn't sound very promising to Dominik. "Is… there anything I can do? Anything specific I can do so it won't hurt her?"

A small laugh left the dragon. "Aha… well I assume you and Cirilla both have very personal experience training and seeing how to raise a child with powerful magic."

"Yes… but not dragon magic," Dominik said worriedly. "I don't know if we can teach her to control her 'inner fire' as you call it."

Borch finally smirked and clapped his shoulder. "I believe I can help you with that lad… after this is all over, once you and Cirilla go and get your young one… I would very much like to meet her. It's been ages since I've met a dragonling."

Dominik's eyes widened. "You would do that? How… how will I find you?"

"Aha… don't worry lad, I will find you," The dragon said, taking a step back with Tea and Vea, smiling at him the entire time. "For now however, we have a battle to prepare for yes? I believe you'd rather be spending it with Cirilla and your friends then an old man like me. Oh, would you look at that, perfect timing!"

Dominik looked at him in confusion. "Um… what are you-."

"Gods, I haven't even thought about dresses since Cintra."

"You were a princess; I can only imagine how beautiful they were."

Dominik whirled around, and his eyes widened, when he saw Ciri and Freya both walking through the groups of people, right near the tailor's shop. Remembering what George said, how Ciri was supposed to be distracting Freya while they got her sword, he right away threw himself against the wall out of sight of the two of them.

Looking back, he saw Borch, Tea and Vea all somehow miraculously disappeared without him hearing. Shaking off his astonishment, he leaned up further against the wall as he heard Freya and Ciri again right in front of the tailors' shop.

He knew if Freya saw him and asked what they had been doing in town, he'd crack and tell her, so he did his best to stay out of sight.

Freya ran her hand along a beautiful looking green dress on display outside of the shop. It had to be the most expensive dress in the shop, it was tied up cross hatched along the sides, with silver embroideries along the top, and in intricate designs down the fabric. It was clearly low cut, whoever wore it would have their neck exposed, it really was a beautiful piece. Dominik could remember seeing ones just like it in Ciri's closet in Cintra, and he could also recall Adda wearing a red dress similar to it.

"You know, you'd look absolutely beautiful in this," Freya said, looking to Ciri who came up to the dress next to her, smiling wide at her. "It matches perfectly with your eyes."

Ciri smiled, and Dominik's heart melted. She would never tell anyone else other than him, but he knew she secretly did find some enjoyment out of her dresses when she was younger. She much preferred the look she had now, with her top, corset, a sword on her back, but contrary to what she would say, he knew she did enjoy the dresses she had somewhat.

She couldn't stop smiling as she ran her fingers along the fabric. Dominik would never forget how beautiful she always was wearing those dresses at balls. He hadn't seen her wear one since the morning she was 'indisposed' at Kaer Morhen, and the night she first tried makeup with Triss.

"You really think so? Green has always been my favorite color…" She said, smiling back at Freya.

Freya eagerly nodded. "Because it's the color of your eyes yeah?"

"No… because it's the color of Dominik's, they just happen to be mine as well," Ciri said, the smile growing on her face, her loose strands of hair blowing in the cool wind.

Dominik's heart melted in that moment. He said it a lot, but in that moment he was sure he meant it truly.

He had never felt more in love with that woman.

Freya smiled sweetly at her. "You two are adorable, seeing you two happy… well it makes me happy."

Dominik's smile grew, and no matter what he knew it wouldn't be leaving him any time soon. He gently took a step off the building and heard a small ***snap* **and looked under him to see he had accidentally stepped on a branch in the snow. His eyes widened as he turned back to the two girl's in front of the tailor shop.

Freya was busy examining a studded doublet, however, even if she hadn't been, her ears weren't trained to detect the smallest bits of sound in a crowd.

Ciri's ear however were, and the moment the branch snapped her head turned over to see him and their eyes locked.

Dominik's face got red, while Ciri's eyes widened.

_What are you still doing here! _Ciri mouthed the words to him, gesturing towards Freya.

He shook his head and shrugged, making Ciri slap her forehead in annoyance.

It was easily one of the cutest things Dominik had ever seen. He found himself staring at her like he normally did, taking in just how beautiful she was. His heart was absolutely buzzing, and even when she waved for him to leave, he couldn't move.

"GO!" She finally said, and Freya right away spun around.

But just before Freya could see where he was, Dominik ducked down behind the tailor shop.

"What? What is it?" He heard Freya ask.

Ciri's laugh had become so familiar to him, that he was able to hear it out of the crowd.

"Ha… nothing, a… deer was near the building I shooed it away." Ciri said.

"There's… deer, this deep into town?" Freya said skeptically.

Ciri laughed again. "Aha, yes there was, come on now let's get everything patched up."

He assumed Ciri ushered Freya into the shop, and he let out a breath of relief.

His hand slipped up to the swallow, as the smile still didn't leave him.

He loved that woman, more than anything.

And he was going to give her what she deserved, which was everything. Ciri deserved everything, and he would give it to her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Thank you, very much, it's good as new," Freya told the shopkeeper, smiling the whole time as she took back Ciri's corset, and her black leather tunic.

Ciri stood on the porch of the tailor shop, as she made sure Dominik did indeed leave. She sighed; a smile unable to not come to her face. A cold breeze blew past her mid-drift as she looked to Freya who handed her back her corset. With a nod, Ciri thanked her, and strapped the corset back around her waist, as she kept looking where she had seen Dominik at. She could have sworn she saw him talking to someone but had no time to make out their faces before they disappeared, and he was distracted. However, she did remember his goofy smile, only he had the ability to get her flustered like that just from a smile.

"Are you alright?" Freya said, getting Ciri's attention as she pulled her tunic back over her body.

Ciri nearly leapt but turned around. "What? Oh, yeah of course I'm okay!"

Freya chuckled, but nodded. "Alright then, so I… actually never asked, what's our plan for tomorrow? I heard bits and pieces of Geralt and the others planning, but never got the full lay out."

Remembering that there was indeed a battle tomorrow did little for Ciri's nerves that day. Shuddering from the wind, she met Freya's eyes, and could see she genuinely wanted to know. Ciri knew little herself about the specifics, she knew Avallac'h was somehow going to use the sunstone, along with help from the sorceresses to summon Eredin. She knew nothing other than that, seeing as she hadn't spoken to the sage since before they went to his lab. It didn't seem to bother Avallac'h either, who had done a spectacular job of ignoring everyone unless absolutely necessary.

However, she did know what Dominik had told her, Geralt and everyone not named Avallac'h what he was going to do.

Feeling her feet slightly aching from all the walking, Ciri gestured for Freya to follow, and the two of them both plopped themselves down in the light pile of snow next to the tailor's shop.

Biting her lip, she met Freya's eyes. "Well… I'm guessing you heard that Emhyr and the Black One's are going to be fighting with us."

Freya snorted. "I did, never thought I'd find myself fighting with them… are we sure that's wise? The Emperor is after you, he's a bastard, what's stopping him from attacking the Skelligers right after the fight, or even before?"

"The fact he's after me… that's what'll stop him," Ciri told her, her skin crawling. "He thinks if he cooperates, that in the end, Geralt will hand me over to him."

"Does he really need you that badly?"

"He does… the nobles are seeking to depose him, assassinate him," Ciri explained, shaking her head and biting her lip again. "The only way he can pacify them, while keeping his conquest and dreams alive, is if he puts me on the throne… his 'daughter'."

Freya to her surprise laughed. "Ha… I thought he was supposed to be smart. What makes him think that even if you _did t_ake the throne, you wouldn't just end the war right away, and give the northern realms back the land he stole from them."

"That's exactly what I'd do," Ciri said sharply, her anger spiking as she sighed. "But he's arrogant, he sees me as nothing except a tool that he can use, a way to save his own ass… no, I won't be that. Besides, I never wanted to rule, even in Cintra I couldn't stand the boring court stuff, I always knew I'd be a witcher, from the moment I met Geralt."

She would never forget that day in Brokolon, the day she knew what her destiny would be, and it wouldn't be as Queen of Cintra.

Freya nervously met her eyes. "I'm not trying to say you've made the wrong choice Ciri but… did you ever give it any thought? That perhaps if you controlled the empire, you could do some true good."

Ciri's bones stiffened, she wanted to lash out, but Freya didn't know the true reason why she wanted nothing to do with Emhyr, to be anywhere near him. If she were being honest with herself, she had thought about what good she could do with the resources of the Empire. However, all of those thoughts quickly went away, when she realized what she would be doing if she did take over. She'd be bailing out Emhyr for all of his tyranny, all of his horrific deeds. The man never cared about the continent, only his own lust for land and power, and Ciri couldn't think of anyone in that moment she hated more than him, other than perhaps Eredin.

And even that was a stretch.

Shaking her head, she met Freya's eyes. "I've thought about it… but then I quickly realize what I'd actually be doing. I'd be bailing out Emhyr from all he's done, all the terrible things he's done. And besides… I'd be thrown into a nest of vipers that is the Nilfgaardean court, they'd see me as nothing but a dumb woman they'd be able to manipulate, I'd be force to marry some old stuffy noble, I'd be able to do nothing I truly wanted without them soon planning my own assassination. No… I won't bail Emhyr out of it all, I can do plenty good saving people as a witcher, and besides… I've given enough for other people, I've been tossed and pulled around enough, I'm going to do what I want to do for myself… not what other people say I should do."

Ciri's hand shook as she gripped it around the ring, and she looked into the snow. "My life… if my own story, and I'll decide how I'm going to write and end it. And after what he did to me… I hope Adda gives him a slow, painful death, it's even more then he deserves."

Freya tilted her head. "What he did?"

Ciri's fist curled as she looked at Freya again. "Dominik's told you about Stygga Castle yes? When I came back the first time, when Geralt and all his friends saved me and Yen?"

"He did yes… said he still beats himself up for not being there."

A small smile managed to come across her lips. "Ha… of course he would be. Well… after the battle, Emhyr and his soldiers showed up… he arrested Geralt and Yen, tried to take me, this was when I first learned he was my father…. He wanted to take me, and force me to marry him, to rape me and bear his children… he had me… and almost did it."

Freya went stiff next to her, her eyes widening right away. "Gods Ciri that's awful. I… I'm sorry, so sorry that I even suggested-."

"It's okay, you didn't know," Ciri said, giving the blonde a reassuring smile. "He didn't in the end. I… I cried, and well, Yen and Geralt both convinced him of what he was doing was wrong. I don't think he cared at all, but he got called out in front of all his men and officers. Now… he wants me again-."

"But we won't let him get his hands on you," Freya said, looking at her again with a smile. "All of us are here for you Ciri. First we beat the Hunt, and then after that well, hopefully Adda will be able to kick Emhyr's ass like we all hope."

Ciri couldn't help but smile, remembering her short interaction with the now sole ruler of Redania. Dominik had told her more about what Adda wanted from them, help to rally people against Emhyr. She could see how passionate Dominik was about it, how much he really did want to help. Ciri herself, was of course hesitant to put herself, or Dominik who was the subject of an assassination attempt in harm's way, however she could see how much it meant to him. He wanted to help Adda, but just like always, Dominik was looking out for her first.

She knew that she would have to repay him for it somehow, and each day she was so close to Emhyr's forces, it only drove her own desire to help Adda as well.

"I hope she does… and who knows, maybe we'll go and help her," Ciri said, fiddling with the ring in her fingers above her wolf medallion as Freya eagerly nodded.

"I've already thought about it! If all goes well with the weapon against the Hunt tomorrow… I was thinking of maybe bringing the designs to Adda," She said, smiling as she looked out over the town square. "With her resources, I can make it even better… I just hope that it can work tomorrow as well…"

Ciri right away nodded, squeezing Freya's wrist reassuringly. "It worked just now, it will work Freya, I know it will."

Freya let out a relieved sigh and smiled over at her. "Thank you Ciri… for all you've done."

"Oh come now, I haven't done much."

"You have," Freya said, the smile not leaving her. "You and Dominik both, Faram, George… I would be dead or in a cell if not for you all. And well… forgive me if I sound like a child but well… I really think you've become my best-friend."

Ciri's face got red, as she couldn't stop smiling. She remembered when she was younger, even in Cintra, she never really had any true friends other than Dominik. After it was sacked, growing up, she had felt herself come more and more out of her shell. She had friends all over the continent now, even in different worlds.

But most importantly, she had them there now, and Ciri quit frankly couldn't imagine what it would be like without Freya there now.

"It's not childish at all, I feel the same," She said, smiling as she met Freya's eyes again. "I should be the one thanking you… you're all risking your lives for me tomorrow."

"Not just for you, although yes, you're one of the main reasons," Freya said reassuringly, smiling as she shook her head. "We're doing this because our world, and any world they choose to invade after this are at stake… and I can't sit by and just let it happen."

The sentiment actually calmed her. She knew that Freya, as well as everyone else were going to fight to protect her, but simply hearing they knew about the larger threat to their world helped sooth her nerves.

"You're all brave…" Ciri said, as Freya nervously chuckled.

"Ha… again it's nothing. So, again what's the plan for tomorrow?" She said, smiling as she twirled her blonde curls.

Ciri quickly nodded, remembering what she had been told. "Alright, so I don't know many specifics, but I know the Black Ones will be in the first wave, since there's the most of them, after that Hjalmar, Crach and the Skelligers will be the second wave."

"And what about Dominik, Geralt and the rest of us? What about you?"

A smirk came to Ciri's lips. "That's the fun part! Our old friend Anton is here, with a group of about fifty trained knights. Dominik hasn't told Avallac'h about them. He's going to charge with them, I'll be with him, and I assume he'll want to add you, George, Faram and his crew to the mix as well. We'll charge from a hidden spot, a slope above a hill where we're going to summon them. It'll be the perfect spot for you to use your weapon!"

Freya's eager smile made Ciri laughed. "Perfect! After we get back, I'll work through the night to make more-."

"Oh no, you're going to _sleep _for a full night," Ciri said with a laugh, standing from the snow, and helping Freya to her feet as well. "Come on, let's go get some food ourselves, maybe we can spar a bit, I have a few things I could teach you."

Freya quickly shook her head. "One more moment, you said you wanted to do something for Dominik right?"

"Yes…" Ciri said confused.

Freya smirked at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and walking Ciri back to the front of the tailor shop.

"Well, I told you I had an idea," She said eagerly, pulling her to a stop in front of the standout front, where that beautiful green dress she saw earlier was. "I'd like to say I know him well enough, to know he doesn't really want for many material possessions."

Ciri scoffed, "That's right, gods know I had a hard time finding out what to do for him before we left Novigrad."

Freya rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he was _perfectly s_atisfied with what he got that night."

Ciri's eyes widened as his cheeks went red. "What how… did you-."

"The two of you leave the party early, before anyone else to head up to your room together, where we all knew Dominik was putting candles in?" Freya said with another eye roll. "You may as well have just put a sign on the door that said, 'we're fucking please come back later'."

"Okay! Yes, I get your point," Ciri said quickly, making Freya laugh as she rolled her eyes. "So, what's this idea you said you have?"

Freya smiled broadly, ushering Ciri closer to the dress on the stand. "Well we know he doesn't want for many material possessions… but what's one thing he loves?"

"Gwent even though he sucks? His sword," Ciri said, still confused.

"No! He loves _you _more than anything," She said, reaching out and running her hand along the emerald colored fabric, before looking and smiling at her. "Well… let's show him something that'll make his jaw drop."

Ciri blushed, knowing that it already did, but as she finally realized what Freya was suggesting she couldn't help but feel a small bit of giddy excitement.

She met Freya's eyes and smiled. "Alright… let's do it!"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Where the hell did I put it, god dammit how did it get so messy in here, we've only been here for a few days," Dominik grumbled, moving the blankets from he and Ciri's mattress.

Faram, George and he had spent a good amount of time training. Dominik had even discovered a few new moves, from both the School of the Bear and Griffin. He was far from a master, and it would obviously be a few years before he was. The same went for the other schools, Viper and Cat, he was sure he'd be back at Kaer Morhen with Ciri soon, either before they got Fiona or after. When he was there, he would hope that Letho and Gaeten were still there and could finally help him become a master. The idea, of being able to master all five schools' styles of combat was the dreams scenario.

However, he had the basics, and found himself proficiently able to switch between all five. It would help him the next day, he knew it would. He could remember all the way back in Velen when he had come up with the idea, and now it was a reality.

And just like he had known, it was going to help him save Ciri. He had no idea what else he could do, to possible prepare himself physically, more than he already was for what was coming the next day.

His mind, however, was still a jumble, every single good and bad thing that could happen had been playing out in his head all day. With each second that passed, each time he looked at the sun and saw it setting further and further, the more the reality set in, that tomorrow was actually happening.

Everything that had begun, ever that had happened since he fought Alayna the Alp in Claywitch, it all led up to what was happening tomorrow.

He had found Ciri, discovered powers within himself, reunited with his family, his friends, discovered his sister was alive. It had only been around two months since Claywitch, since he thought that he would be forced to spend the rest of his days alone, searching for Ciri in vein, living with the regret of what had happened.

That Dominik that had taken the contract in Claywitch, had no idea what was awaiting him, and how much himself, and everything would change in only two months.

He wasn't alone anymore, and no matter how fractured his thoughts were, one remained true, came through, and had been calming him all day.

He had Ciri back, she still loved him, and he truly had a chance for a life with her. So that was what he decided to focus on in that moment as he dug under their mattress again.

"Come on, I know I put it here," He muttered to himself, biting his lip in determination as he searched. Finally he smiled when he felt his hands wrap around what he had been searching for. "There were go… wow, these things are durable, would love to know what it's made of…"

His hand emerged with the small black picture device he had swiped from Avallach's lab. Ciri had called it a 'camera' when he asked her more about it. Dominik didn't understand the name, but he remembered how excited Ciri was about it, and how upset she was when she realized one night after their trip to the lab she had forgot it. Dominik of course had kept the fact he took it a secret, wanting to give it to her that night as a present, because for some reason, Avallac'h had taken it from her.

Avallac'h was the last person he wanted to think about. All he wanted to focus on then, was that night with her and his friends. So, using all his mental strength, he pushed the next day from his mind, only wanting to worry about Ciri, and his friends.

He smiled, as he slipped the camera into a pouch on his waist, and quickly strode out from their room. He thought momentarily about going to find Geralt and Yen, knocking on their door, but ultimately decided against it. Above deck while he was training, he had seen the two momentarily, there'd be time to speak with them before the battle. Dominik also knew that if anyone needed a break and deserved to have a day of rest spending time together it was the two of them.

Coming up above deck, he noticed the sun was just about set. The smell of salty sea air, fish, crab and sweat hit his nose, and it did little to stop his stomach from churning. The deck was mostly empty, he could see Barnabas, Faram's captain, along with Kiera Metz and Lambert, all moseying about the railings, simply waiting, waiting for tomorrow to come.

Faram and George had gone to get Freya's sword and dagger from the blacksmith, telling Dominik to meet them at the inn after he found the camera for Ciri. By then, he was sure that Ciri and Freya both had to be on their way as well, and anxious to join them, to try and forget about what was happening the next day, Dominik made for the plank out to town.

However, nothing ever came easy for him.

"You there, Dominik of Cintra. I believe that it was high time I finally met you," A voice said, cutting him off just before he could step onto the plank.

Dominik rolled his eyes murmuring over his breath. "For fuck's sake…"

Turning around, he saw who was calling him, and he felt his annoyance spike.

"Phillipa…" He said, as the sorceress made her way towards him. His sour expression lightened however, when he saw the woman next to her. "Ida… what are you doing here?"

He hadn't spoken to Ida, except when she had first arrived, much to his disappointment. She had been Connor of Lod, his ancestor's lover, and according to what he had seen in his visions with Alexander and heard from Ida herself it was quite the serious relationship.

She had also been the one to tell him about the prophecy Connor of Lod had heard, why he had gone to fight Eredin, knowing fully well he would more than likely die.

Connor had a dream, a vision, telling him that if he died at Eredin's hand, one day he and his sister, his line would be able to defeat him. Dominik had no idea how the prophecy would come true, how Connor dying had made a difference. He had no special advantage against Eredin because of it, none that he could discern now that was.

Ida smiled at him and nodded. "Ceadmil Dominik of Cintra, it's good to see you well. As for what we're doing here… well you did ask for our help did you not?"

Dominik laughed. "We did yes but I thought you'd both be off doing whatever it is sorceresses do in their spare time, you know, setting things on fire, plotting to take over governments, fiddling with your megascopes."

Phillipa scoffed, and while Dominik couldn't see her eyes, he assumed she rolled them.

"Your snark and temperament are as short as Yennefer's," The sorceress said. "And I can see you also inherited Geralt's annoying sarcasm."

"Inherited some of my best traits from the two of them," Dominik said, eyeing Phillipa before he shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "Ida I actually meant to speak too before the fighting started… but like you said, we've never met, I never thought we'd had reason to converse, and to be honest with you, I was glad of it."

"And why is that young witcher?" Phillipa said dryly.

Dominik's annoyance spiked. "Because to be quite honest, I don't like you very much. I don't trust you either."

Dominik didn't trust Phillipa Eilhart as far as he could throw her. Ciri had told him one night before they had fallen asleep how the sorceress had cornered her with the rest of the Lodge before they left Novigrad, trying to convince her to join the Lodge herself.

And he couldn't have been prouder when Ciri told him that she declined, stating she would no longer let them control her, like they had tried to do in the past.

Phillip laughed condescendingly. "Ha, and if you do not trust me, then why am I here? Why did you let Yennefer and Triss convince you to let me be here?"

"Because I trust _their _judgement," Dominik said, eyeing the sorceress. "And besides, you need us just as much as we need you. If not for us you'd have to continue hiding out."

Another scoff left the sorceress. "And why is it that you already seem to have such a disdain for me? I can't recall anything I've done to you."

Ida crossed her arms next to Phillipa, seeming to be content to watch the exchange unfold. The last thing Dominik wanted to be doing then was speaking to Phillipa, while all his friends were waiting for him. However, hearing the sorceress's tone, he couldn't help but snap.

"I'm not going to waste my time explaining it to you, when you know perfectly well why," Dominik said, crossing his arms and digging his fingers into the straps of his armor.

Phillip laughed amusingly. "Oh for god's sake, is it because of that business with the Lodge meeting at Vengerberg? I told Cirilla the same thing, I don't understand what your issues are, after she refused our offer, we didn't force her to do anything."

"Oh but you did," He snapped, his hands balling to fist. Determined not to let his anger get the best of him, he bit his tongue. "After that, you decided to keep her there, having to fucking vote on whether or not she was allowed to leave to see me and Geralt in Rivia! And you even demanded she return after that. Just like everyone else, all you ever wanted to do was control her!"

"For her own good and protection," Phillipa said with a wave of her hand.

"You mean for _your _own good, you wanted her to marry Tankred so you could have someone you can control in Kovir and Poviss," He snapped again. "Ciri and I are much smarter then you give us both credit for. We're not children you can control anymore."

"Yes, Cirilla proved that very well in our meeting in Novigrad," Phillipa said, her annoyance clear as she shook her head. "It all matters not what happened in the past, we're all here now."

Dominik nodded, annoyed himself as well. "That we can agree on… now what is it you wanted from me? I have plans before tomorrow I'd like to get back too."

Phillipa nodded and straightened. "You know, most people I would incinerate on the spot for speaking in such a way to me, however I must admit… I can respect your determination, your intelligence, your fire."

"I'm flattered," Dominik said dryly.

Phillipa shook her head. "I would like to get straight to the point since you seem to be the type of person who prefers it that way."

"I am, so please, no beating around the bush."

"Right,.. now I won't waste time asking, I already know Cirilla's told you about the offer we made her back in Novigrad."

"She has, you wanted her to join the Lodge, and she said no. What did you ask? If she would go off and marry some princeling and report back to you weekly with the kingdoms happenings?"

"Quite the opposite in fact," Phillipa said, not deterred. "We offered her a partnership. We offered her protection and training to control her powers, and with Kiera's convincing, we even decided to extend that offer to you as well, not something we normally would ever consider."

Dominik rolled his eyes. "Again, how flattering. So how would it go? You show Ciri and I how to use our powers, and then we go along with whatever you all say right?"

Phillipa scowled. "No… you would be a part of those decisions. I don't think you quite understand the amount of power and influence you and Cirilla could wield. She need but say the word, and she could control the largest empire the-."

His eyes erupting, Dominik took a large step towards the sorceress. "I swear to every god you can think of… if you try and force her to go a_nywhere _near Emhyr, there is _no _place on the continent you will be able to fucking hide from me. Do you all know what that fucking degenerate tried to do to her!?"

In a moment, his lungs felt like they were about to erupt. It was bad enough that the next day he had to bring Ciri within the same vicinity as the monster, but he'd be damned if he let anyone force Ciri to go to the degenerate.

Phillip shook her head and scowled again. "She informed us yes…. We have no intentions on doing such a thing, so there's no need for your attitude or anger. What I'm trying to convince you of, is the good the Lodge can do for you and Cirilla both. Cirilla is a princess, a rightful Queen, and you yourself, are the son of one of the most legendary knights on the continent."

"I prefer to make a name for myself, as opposed to riding my father's cotails," Dominik said quickly, his anger still spiked. "The same goes for Geralt. If I become well known, it'll be for my own deeds."

"And that is an admirable goal. Cirilla told me of the life you want, to be able to help those in need," Phillipa said, meeting his eyes with the band around her own. "But my question to you is, do you not realize how we can help you accomplish that goal? My hope is that you will see the wisdom in the both of you joining us, and then-."

"_Stop _right there, let me save us both some time, because I know exactly what it is you want from me now…" Dominik growled, putting he pieces together.

His anger spiked as he scoffed and shook his head, eyeing Phillipa, as he swore he could see Ida crack a smile next to the sorceress.

He shook his head at Phillipa. "You couldn't convince Ciri to join the Lodge, because she knows as well as I do, there's no reason for us too. We have our own ways we can learn to control our powers, and have power as well over our own lives, where we won't have to answer to you, or the rest of the lodge."

Phillip scoffed, and looked over to Ida with a begrudging look of defeat. "It seems you were correct Ida, it's useless for the both of them."

Ida amusingly smiled. "It was a valiant effort Phil."

Dominik looked between them both, his anger simmering in his gut. He met Phillipa's eyes that were stuck behind the headband.

"I want to stress that I'm forever grateful for you coming, even if I know it's your only option. Tomorrow could be the end of us all, and it takes courage one way or another to fight no matter the reason," Dominik said, slowly shaking his head, letting out a sigh. "But like Ida probably told you, I won't try to change Ciri's mind if what she's decided is what she truly wants."

"I expected as much, but I couldn't not try," Phillipa said begrudgingly as she crossed his arms. "I was wrong in Vengerberg, I thought the connection Cirilla spoke about with you was nothing more than childhood infatuation… but again I will admit I was wrong."

"You were, it's more than that. I love her, she's my best-friend… my destiny," Dominik said, reaching up to the swallow around his neck. "And I know that her entire life, people have done nothing but try to use her, take advantage of her, tell her what she should be doing with _her _life. That's not going to be the case anymore. _She _is going to decide what she wants to do, and I'll be right there to support her. If she says in a few weeks she changes her mind and wants to join your Lodge? Then I'll be right behind her. If she had a change of heart, and wanted to rule Nilfgaard, I'd shave my non-existent beard, and invest in a tacky outfit. If she said, she wanted to go live and be a goatherder the rest of our lives, I'd sell my swords for goats. The bottom line is, I won't ever try to convince her to do something she doesn't want to do, something that makes her feel uncomfortable. I love her too much, respect her, trust her more than anyone, and I know she feels the same about me."

His hand tightened around the swallow as he looked at Phillipa again. "You speak of how much power we could wield, is it so hard for you to imagine that some people, simply don't want power? I don't want power, Ciri doesn't want power, we never did. We don't want to rule over people, we don't want any more power than we already have. We don't, because we know the effects that too much power can have on people, we've seen it, from Emhyr, to Radovid, to even Eredin now. You and others may scoff at us wanting a simple life… but the bottom line is, we want that simple life, because we simply don't want for much, for anything really, except to be with one another… and we don't care whether that's as a King or Queen, as witchers, or as peasants… all we desire is each other, and to hopefully leave the world a better place once we leave it…"

Dominik didn't know where all the words had come from, he assumed they had been pent up for weeks. For weeks Ciri and he had to both listen to schemes, hear about how people wanted to control her, wanted her to do this or that, from the Lodge, to Avallac'h, to Emhyr.

But the bottom line was what he said, they knew what they wanted, and all they had to do, was survive one more day, and they'd have it.

Dominik saw the breeze, whip through Phillipa's black hair, and the sunset, casted a glow of Ida's cinnamon curls as the elven sorceress smiled. After he felt the words finish leaving him, his heart began to pang.

He wanted to see Ciri then, the sun was nearly set, and he wanted to spend between then, and when the battle began with her.

Phillipa looked up at him and nodded, a small smirk coming to her lips. "You know… despite your attitude and snark… I must say I respect you, Dominik of Cintra. The same way I respect your adopted mother. You have Yennefer's tenacity and conviction, you stay true to what you believe it, and fight with everything for the ones you love."

Dominik could tell she meant it sincerely this time and hearing the comparisons to Yen couldn't help but make him smile.

"Yen… I wouldn't be here without her, quite literally," He said, remembering his mother being the one to save him in Claywitch. "Her and Geralt both… I've wanted to make them proud for years… I love them both."

"And they are, Yennefer speaks at lengths about you and Cirilla both," The sorceress said, bowing her head, and holding her smaller hand out to him. "Very well, I will respect both you and Cirilla's decision. If as you said… you ever change your mind, feel free to come and find us. As for now, tomorrow we will defeat the Wild Hunt."

Dominik was floored for a moment, seeing the sorceress give up so easily. A small part of him wanted to investigate further, it screamed at him that she was giving up far _too _easily, that she was going to cook up another scheme.

However, he decided he didn't have the energy to worry, and didn't particularly want to investigate further. He was going to find Ciri and his friends and try to have one last night of peace.

He shook Phillipa's hand, nodding at the sorceress. "Thank you… thank you again for your help in this and thank you for respecting our decision."

"It's nothing, as I said… I have great respect for the way you hold true to what you want," Phillipa said, turning from him but continuing to speak. "Cirilla says we may not see either of you again… I hope that isn't the case."

She walked away, towards the door to the ship's cabins, leaving only Dominik and Ida Emean. A long sigh left him, he ran a gloved hand through his hair and looked to see Ida smiling at him, her arms crossed as she strode next to him. He leaned over the railing of the ship for a moment, watching the swallow dangle from his neck. He held it still with his hands, for a moment, finding it hard to believe that it truly had stayed with him for going on ten years then. It had always been there, as a reminder, as a promise.

A promise that he and Ciri would always try to get to each other, that they'd always be there. The eight years apart he thought would be the biggest test for them both, for their relationship, for the strength of the bond they shared.

However, he learned that yes, that was a large test… but the biggest one would come the next day.

"So… I also hope she's wrong, that this won't be the last I see of you both," Ida said from next to him, her hands resting on the rail.

Dominik chuckled looking at her. "Well, for you, Triss, Yen… maybe Kiera we'll see you again I'm sure. But to be honest, a small part of me wants us to just go off an live in a secluded hut for the rest of our lives… just the two of us."

"And why don't you?" Ida inquired, an amused smile on her face.

"Because we'd both get dreadfully bored. Also well…" Dominik said, a smile coming to his face as he thought of Fiona. "we have other things we need to do as well."

Ida nodded, the smile not leaving her. "Young love… it's a beautiful thing. Will you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Cherish her… always," Ida said, her face falling a bit as she looked out over the water. "Love should be cherished… because you never know when it can be taken away from you…"

Dominik could hear the hurt in her tone. He met her eyes when she turned around. "You… really loved Connor didn't you?"

"I did yes," Ida nodded. "But… he was too damn noble for his own good as you know…"

"I won't let his sacrifice be in vein…" Dominik said quickly. "I promised I wouldn't, and I won't."

"I know you will do everything in your power…" Ida said slowly, looking and meeting his eyes. "Is it true… what I've overheard… your sister?"

Dominik didn't know how she knew, and he didn't feel like trying to figure out, and he knew there was no point in lying. The truth would be revealed tomorrow for everyone anyhow.

Slowly he nodded. "It is… I'm going to get her back."

Ida sighed and shook her head. "Dominik… do you remember the question I asked you? When you called me, and I said you had to answer truthfully?"

He paled, remembering the question in vivid detail. The answer hadn't changed.

Nothing would be worth potentially losing Ciri for him, not even if it meant almost certain doom for everywhere else.

"I do…" He said slowly, crossing his arms.

Ida nodded again. "I ask you the same thing again… but different this time. If you had a way, to save not just the continent, but this world, and all others from certain doom… but it meant that Cirilla… and your sister, had to face near certain death… would you be strong enough to let them do it?"

"No… my answer hasn't changed Ida," He said right away, shaking his head. "They're _both _going to survive. I don't know how I'm going to do it… but they will."

The sage looked deep into his eyes and narrowed hers. "You understand the totality of what I ask Dominik? What if… the only one who could save us all from certain death, was your Cirilla, but she had to face near certain death herself-."

"The answer is still no Ida," He said, trying to keep herself from snapping as he gripped tighter to the wood of the railing.

Ida sighed and shook her head. "I mean not to upset you… it was just my way of confirming."

Dominik turned his head to her. "Confirming what?"

She stiffened as she looked at him. "That… you truly are just like Connor."

He tilted his head. "In what way?"

"Connor just like you… would sacrifice the world, himself if it meant he could save a friend, especially one he loved," Ida said, shaking her head. "It's the reason he died… because he knew that he would either kill Eredin, and avenge his sister… or die, thus according to him, letting the prophecy come to pass."

Dominik paled again. "The prophecy that he and his sister would be reborn in the form of his descendants… you really think it's me…and… and Bella?"

Ida shrugged. "It could be yes… or perhaps not. All I know… is that tomorrow, hundreds of years of conflict, hundreds of years of destiny is going to come to a head. It all started with Cregan and Lara, Alexander, and Leila of Tir'Nala… and now, it will end with you, your Cirilla… and your sister…. Are you ready for that?"

"Do you want me to answer honestly?" Dominik said, his hand fidgeting around the swallow again.

"I'd prefer if you did yes," Ida told him as she crossed her arms.

Dominik sighed again and met her eyes. "No… I'm not ready. How could anyone ever be ready for something like this? It's impossible."

"A fair point," Ida said, a small amused smiled passing her lips. "You're wise beyond your years Dominik."

"Eight years on the Path alone with just your thoughts does that to you," He said.

Ida chuckled lightly and met his eyes again, sighing. "You know… in your eyes I see Connor…. Not just in your eyes, I can sense his magical signature in you. You have so much more power then you know Dominik… good luck tomorrow, I believe that you and Cirilla may just save us all yet."

Dominik couldn't help but feel his face heat up. He of course had people tell him for days that he would be able to actually accomplish what he needed to do the next day. However, hearing it from Ida then, it felt different. She had known Connor, Lara, Alexander, knew how powerful they were… and now she thought he could do what they couldn't.

He bowed his head to her. "Thank you… for all your help Ida. I won't forget it."

"And I won't forget about you any time soon Dominik of Cintra," She said smiling, before waving her hands towards the town. "Now go on, I'm sure Phillipa and I have kept you from Cirilla and your friends for long enough!"

Dominik chuckled, and nodded. "Thank you… I'll see you tomorrow before-."

"Actually… I'm terribly sorry Dominik, but there is one more thing," Ida said, her eyes widening as she seemed to remember something quickly.

He stopped a foot from the plank and turned back to her. "What is it?"

She crossed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously. "In the short time I've known you, I've been able to clearly deduce, you are _not a_n idiot."

"Um… thank you?" He said with confusion.

"Yes… and I've known Yen for years, as well as Geralt, neither of them are idiots either," Ida said, slowly shaking her head with a small scoff. "So I must ask… _why _in the _gods _name is the sage here?"

The mention of Avallac'h dropped his stomach again as he sighed. He truly had no idea either, for the last two days, and quite frankly since he had met the elf, it had taken all his self-control to not cut the elf's throat.

However, despite his hatred for the sage, he saw the small bit of logic in having him there.

He met Ida's eyes and sighed. "Because… he's the only one who knows the magic that can summon Eredin and the Hunt."

Ida scoffed. "You don't trust him?"

"I wish I could have killed him every day since I met him," Dominik said honestly, crossing his arms. "Ciri has had to stop me from doing it a few times."

"And you're telling me there is _no _other way to summon the Hunt? Can't Cirilla just use her powers to have them sense her? That's what happened at Kaer Morhen is it not?"

"Eredin won't be fool enough to fall for that again unfortunately," Dominik said. "Avallac'h has the only way we can _force _them to appear. We don't have the time to find another way…"

Ida narrowed her eyes. "I don't have to be a fellow elven sage to know he's up to something. I've observed him, and the sunstone for the past few days, He salivates over it like a dog to a bone, surely you must know he has other plans, not just for the stone, but for Cirilla as well."

"He says that he wants to get rid of us, just as much as we want to get rid of him," Dominik said, not believing the words as he spoke them.

Ida picked up on this and shook her head. "You don't believe that… what do you plan on doing about him?"

Dominik had thought about it for days. As long as he kept Ciri close during the battle, she'd be safe, from Emhyr, and from Avallac'h, between himself, Geralt, and the rest of his friends, they wouldn't let anyone take her.

"We'll let him summon them," Dominik said, biting his lip and holding the swallow around his neck. "After that… well Geralt and I will keep Ciri close. If he really does leave after it's over good, if not… we'll deal with him."

"A risky plan, killing him now, cutting his throat while he sleeps would be much simpler," Ida said with a dismissive hand wave.

Dominik laughed heartily at her bluntness. "HA, gods if only, I'd do it right now… but no, I trust Ciri when she says we can handle it. So, we'll see how it goes… but he _won't _get his hands on her… I won't let him."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I believe you will, however, I must urge you to be careful. He may not appear as much, but Avallac'h is one of the Aen Elle. He has much more power then you and Cirilla know. He won't be an easy adversary to face if it comes to it. His magic is powerful, please, keep your wits, and be careful."

He paled for a moment, but in the end it wouldn't matter.

It didn't matter how strong Avallac'h was, how strong Eredin was, none of them would get her.

And now he wanted to go and see her, he wanted all the thoughts to abandon his mind. He met Ida's eyes and bowed respectfully. "I will be, I promise. I won't let any of them touch her."

Ida smiled again at him and nodded. "I believe you when you say that… go on now, I've kept you long enough! Go enjoy this last night."

She bowed her head in respect, and Dominik did the same.

He looked out over the town again, over towards the largest building in the cluster, the inn. Ciri was there, his friends were there.

But most importantly, a peaceful night was there, one he sorely needed.

Meeting Ida's eyes he smiled and lifted his head back up. "Thank you again… I hope that I'm worthy of your trust, and well… everyone else's."

"You are child," Ida said, a small smirk coming to her face. "I've heard much about your travels from Yen… you've grown much since Cintra, since Kaer Morhen, since the start of this journey itself."

He couldn't stop the smile that came to his face. "Yeah… I have haven't I? But to be honest… it's always been for the same thing."

He had grown. If he saw himself from even two months prior in Claywitch, compared to how he was now, he'd laugh.

From Alayna in Claywitch, to Eredin tomorrow… it was all for the same thing, one singular goal.

That life with Ciri he always wanted.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The warm fire of the inn was a welcome change from the howling night winds outside. Dominik shivered still however when he entered, the roaring laughter and singing of rowdy Skelligers hitting his ears right away. The inn had multiple fireplaces, the one long table in the middle was packed to the brim with men, women, even a few children, all eating, drinking, and singing as attendants all carried more food and drink to them all. He couldn't help but smile, they all merrily sang, like nothing was wrong in the world.

And right away, Dominik left his troubles at the door, as his skin tingled with heat, and a familiar loud voice hit his ears.

"AYEEEEEE there he is! Dominik! Over here mate!" Faram's booming voice carried over the crowd, not even distracting them a bit.

The noise from the rest of the patrons still was plentiful, and a few drunken men walked past him, but thankfully had massive arms. He spotted the Bear witchers arm waving him over, he was in the corner of the inn, right near one of the roaring smaller fire pits.

And around him was everyone else, George, Freya, and then of course Ciri.

She was dressed like she always was, but still, to Dominik she was a vision, absolutely stunning as she turned from next to Freya and smiled over at him from across the room. His heart melted at the sight, as he was careful not to knock anyone over as he strode over to the group.

Before he left the ship, he had left his swords, and taken off the top of his armor, leaving it in he and Ciri's cabin. He noticed she didn't wear her sword either in that moment, but all Dominik decided to focus on, was the way her eyes lit up when he came over to the bench she saw on.

"There you are," She said playfully, kissing his cheek as he sat down next to her. "What took you so long? The boys said you stayed back at the ship for something."

His face heat up where she kissed him. He looked and saw that his friends were all waiting for his answer as well. He took notice of a sword leaning behind the bench that Faram and George sat on, and then looking over to Freya he couldn't help but smile.

He didn't want to worry about anything except for them and making sure the last night they had together there was a happy one. Looking back at Ciri, he snaked his arm around her waist, and gently kissed her, earning a smile from her and smirk from everyone else.

"Long story, not important now, I'll tell you later," He said, squeezing around her waist. She nodded, and leaned into him, leaning her head back against his chest. Dominik smiled at her, looking over at Freya now, being careful to speak over the rest of the people in the inn.

"So Freya, according to Faram and George, I've confirmed what I already knew." He said, smirking as he met the blonde's eyes. "You're an absolute fucking genius!"

A laugh came from Faram, George, and Ciri beneath him as Freya blushed. She looked down and swirled the mug of ale she had in her hand, nervously laughing, her face red as she looked at him.

"Well, thanks to Ciri's help… I managed to finally get it to work!" She said, eagerly looking at them all, but to Faram and George in particular. "I f_inally _got it to work! Can you believe it!?"

Ciri reached down, picking up an empty mug from the floor, filling it with ale and handing it to him. He smiled at her, and clanked the mug to hers, as he gulped down as much as he could, while Faram laughed heartily.

"Haha we never doubted you for a minute goldilocks!" He said, downing almost his entire mug of ale as George laughed next to him.

"Aha… he is right Freya, we had the utmost confidence in you," The griffin witcher said, looking over to Ciri who was still leaning against Dominik. "So Ciri, you've seen it in action! The design was absolutely ingenious. How is it in action?"

Ciri smiled from against his chest. "Well I can indeed confirm, Freya is absolutely brilliant. With that weapon, the Hunt won't know what hit them, it could take out quite a large group," She said, looking up and smiling at Dominik. "I think we should take it with us when we go with Anton, from the spot on the hill we're planning, we can use it to maximum effect."

Freya quickly looked at him and nodded. "If you want Dominik we can go and get it again! That way you can see it, make sure it works for yourself and-."

"No need," He said, smiling at her as he shook his head. "Even if Ciri didn't just tell me it works, I trust you Freya. I've known you longer than anyone here, I already knew how brilliant you were, and I've no doubt that this weapon of yours, is going to blow them to tiny pieces."

Freya's cheeks got pink again. Dominik could tell, from both her words, and how she acted, that Freya did still have feelings for him after they first met. He did love her, she had become one of the most important people to him, and it seemed to him then that she had finally felt that way as well.

Ciri cuddle up closer to his chest, sipping some of the ale in her mug, smiling up at him wildly. He kissed the top of her head, and they all turned back to Freya who nodded, both her hands wrapping around her mug.

She nodded at Dominik and looked at them all. "Thank you… I… I know that well… I'm not a real witcher, I… don't have special magic in my blood. But still… I want you all to know, I'm going to do everything I can, to make sure we all make it through tomorrow. And well… I can show you all what I'm capable of."

Faram genuinely laughed. "Bah, you're kidding right lass? We _all _know what you're capable of!"

"He is right Freya," George said reassuringly, drinking wine instead of ale as he smiled over at her. "You are as tenacious a warrior as I have ever met. We wouldn't want anyone else by our sides tomorrow!"

Freya went to protest, but Ciri sat up from his chest shaking her head. "Freya, do you realize what you've accomplished? It would have taken the most brilliant of scientist, of weapon smiths, weeks, months even to make you what you have _four days_! Tell her Dominik."

He scoffed himself, looking at Freya and shaking his head. "I'll just echo what they said. Freya, I wouldn't be sitting here today if not for you. You've been working yourself to the bone to help us all, not even just with building this weapon. We all see it, you're brilliant, and well… we wanted to thank you, for everything."

Freya nearly choked on the ale she was drinking. Coughing, she looked between them all, as they all couldn't stop smiling. The music from the bard in the inn, beautiful lute music, drums, a beautiful voice singing songs of Skellige, it all invigorated him, and seemed to do the same for his friends. Ciri's warmth leaned up against him, as she could barely contain herself, and seeing that excitable look on her face, Dominik was still amazed at how beautiful a person could be to him.

"Oh come on," Freya said, blushing again as she looked between them all. "I didn't do anything that deserves thanks."

Dominik scoffed. "Operating on my leg and making sure I was able to walk again is something I think deserves some thanks."

"He's right," Ciri piped up, a laugh leaving her. "You saved me at Kaer Morhen, not to mention… talking to me when I needed it most."

"Aye they're both right," Faram said, a soft smile coming to the massive witcher. "The food and wrapping up our wounds are just a bonus!"

"Good bonuses at that!" George said with a laugh. "Not to mention, we simply enjoy you company. Our Hanse wouldn't be the same without you. So… we decided, with the battle tomorrow, we'd get you a little something, Faram?"

Ciri shifted excitable in his arms, as Dominik watched Faram pulled the sword out from behind him. He noticed, how it had been shortened, perhaps a few inches shorter than his swords. It was sort of like Ciri's slimmer, more fit to Freya who was smaller herself. Still however, he recognized a witchers blade when he saw one. The symbol of the school of the wolf, an imprint in the shape of he and Ciri's medallion was stamped into the pommel. It's sheathed, was decorative brown leather, and Faram quickly pulled a smaller sheath out from under his seat again.

Freya's eyes widened, and Dominik couldn't help but laugh with Ciri at the flounder expression on her face. The roaring laughter of the patrons behind them continue to echo through the hall, as their fire crackled, and Freya looked at them in disbelief.

"A… a sword?" Freya said, as if she hadn't seen one before. Gingerly she took it in her hands as Faram handed it to her, and when her eyes fell on the pommel she floundered again. "You… you guys this… this is a witchers sword! You… you got me a witcher sword!"

Ciri looked up at Dominik smiling like a madwoman before she looked back over at Freya with a smile. "Well… you are one of us after all. We thought it'd be nice for you to have tomorrow, and well… when you get to Kaer Morhen to train, you'll need a proper blade!"

Freya already had the right armor. Dominik still had no idea where she had gotten it, but even Geralt had said he had a set of armor just like the one Freya wore, so it clearly was going to be effective. However, more importantly, Dominik saw Freya's eyes well up, her icy blue irises almost had tears spilling over. Also however, he could see just how excited she looked.

She took the sword in her hands, standing up off the stool in front of them all. With a racking sound hitting his ears, Freya unleashed the steel, and even Dominik had to whistle in appreciation. It had that smell of a freshly washed and oiled blade, it even sparkled in the firelight, as the steel was immaculate, without a single nick. Ciri sat up from off his chest, standing to join Freya, and Dominik quickly followed with Faram and George. All of them stood around her, as small tears fell from Freya's eyes.

"Well… don't just stand there with it!" Faram said, crossing his massive arms and smirking. "What do you think, try it!"

Freya floundered again, looking at them all. "But… but we're indoors!"

George scoffed. "We'll give you some space, go on!"

They all took a few steps back. All the other patrons were far too preoccupied with the new jig the bards were playing, and one rowdy man dancing on the table to worry about them in their small alcove and fire pit. Freya looked at them all, and her hands shaking, the smile unable to leave her, she took a stance he recognized as an old training stance Geralt had showed him and Ciri when they were younger.

Freya twirled the blade around her, with precision and skill, moving to a reversed grip, a forehanded one, twirling it around her back, lightly striking out at the air, and tossing the blade between her hands. It reminded Dominik of himself and Ciri twirling their wooden swords on the pendulums when they were young, and apparently Ciri felt that same nostalgia. His arm was still wrapped around her as they both watch Freya twirl her sword. She looked up at him, leaning up she planted a soft kiss on his chin before leaning up against him as they stood.

Dominik held onto her, held onto her with everything he had. He still had the days where he thought it was all some crazy, sick dream. Ciri couldn't really be back could she? Or eight years, over a thousand straight days, he hadn't seen her, she was gone, out of his reach. Day after day, night after night, he was alone, completely alone with nothing to do, except think about how he had failed, how he had failed Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer, and how he was then paying the price for it.

And now here he was, Ciri in his arms, friends around him. Something Ida said to him, had kept bobbing around in his head, and no matter how much he tried to shake it, it was all he had thought about.

'_All I know… is that tomorrow, hundreds of years of conflict, hundreds of years of destiny is going to come to a head. It all started with Cregan and Lara, Alexander, and Leila of Tir'Nala… and now, it will end with you, your Cirilla… and your sister…. Are you ready for that?'_

Hundreds of years of events unfolding, over and over again, history repeating itself as it often did, all of it had led to that moment. To him there, Ciri in his arms, his friends around him, his sister out there waiting for him to be there for her, to save her. All of it had begun, with Lara Dorren and Cregan of Lod, with Alexander and Leila of Tir'Nala. The moment of his destiny, the moment that all of it was adding up too, amounting too, it all happened tomorrow.

Him meeting Ciri in Cintra, the city being sacked, Geralt finding them, training them, Ciri disappearing, Stygga Caste, Rivia, Claywitch, Geralt and Yennefer finding him, the search for Ciri, the Isle of Mists, the Battle of Kaer Morhen, the Cave of Life.

All of it finally led to tomorrow, where he would have to succeed where his ancestors failed.

However, as he looked at all of his friends then, George and Faram laughing, Freya finally starting to stumble from dizziness as she laughed, and most importantly Ciri smiling in his arms, he was more confident than he had ever been.

And finally, after years upon years of it being the opposite, of every day being harder and harder to wake up too, Dominik wasn't alone anymore.

He wasn't alone, and he was going to make sure it stayed that way.

"Woah, woah! Easy there goldilocks! Save some for the Wild Hunt!" Faram laughed, ale spilling from his mug as he back away from Freya's new sword.

Freya laughed, as she came to a stop, her sword pointed out towards the fire. Dominik finally laughed with Ciri, as Freya slid the sword, carefully back into its sheath, unable to contain her laughter, and her tears as she looked at them all.

"You guys I… I don't… I don't know what to say," She said, almost unable to form words, as she smiled, shaking her head in disbelief. "This… this is more then I deserve."

George laughed, his gilded green and hold armor reflecting the firelight. "Oh please, stop with the modesty! There's actually more, I believe you lost one of these at Kaer Morhen yes?"

George took the smaller sheath from Faram and twirled it in his hands. It wasn't that different from the silver dagger Dominik had kept strapped to his hip then. The pommel was polished to perfection as well, and Freya carefully took it. She unsheathed it and looked at them all dumbfounded again.

"I… I did, I lost the last one I had at Kaer Morhen," She said, scoffing as the gentle tears still came down her cheeks. She looked at them all and laughed. "Ha… I paid out the ass for that last one… George, Faram, Ciri, Dominik I… again I… I can't describe how much this means… I… I love all four of you, I really… really do."

"And we all feel the same," Ciri said, stepping away from Dominik and pulling Freya into another hug. "Don't ever think, that you have to prove anything to us…. We all think you are _much _more, then just a pretty face."

Freya finally laughed out and sobbed at the same time. She gripped tightly to the sword, and the dagger, looking around at them all with the tears coming down her cheeks. Dominik noticed the scar horizontally across her, and he could remember her telling him she had gotten it at Kaer Morhen. He could remember first finding Freya again in Novigrad, he had absolutely no idea what to say to her, the one woman who he was ever with other then Ciri.

However, despite the cold reunion, it was one of the luckiest days of Dominik's life. He quite literally could not be walking in that moment if he hadn't found her.

He wouldn't be alive without all of the people around him now, especially the woman wrapped in his arms again then.

Freya laughed out a sob again, wiping her cheek. "I… thank you… all of you. I have no idea where I'd be without you all. And… and to think Dominik I… I was so cruel to you when I first saw you again."

All their eyes looked to him, and Dominik couldn't help but smile. Words couldn't describe what they all meant to him, and what it meant to have them by his side tomorrow.

He let go of Ciri, smiling at Freya. "You had a right to be that way. But now… you're here, you're all here and… and I really can't begin to thank you all enough."

"He's right," Ciri said, coming up next to him, a mug still in her hand. "You all could have returned to your lives, stayed out of this… but you all came to fight."

"The thought to leave, never even crossed my mind," Freya said, smiling as she placed her new sword and dagger against the bench and joined their little circle again. "You're both my friends, some of my best, I wouldn't be here without you. Besides, I'm not about to let the Wild Hunt invade _my _world, without giving them a fight."

George nodded from next to Freya. "She is right. You are our friends, Geralt, Yennefer, everyone at Kaer Morhen. We don't just fight for each other however, I refuse to sit back and let the phantoms have this world. Tomorrow, we go and face them… _together _and as long as we hold true to that, fight as one, I know we will be victorious. They will not have our world, or any after this!"

Dominik smirked, knowing the wine was finally getting to his southern friend. However, it was nothing compared to Faram, who downed the rest of his wine. Ale dripped down his knotted beard, and the bear witcher laughed, pouring himself more as he threw his arm around George and held his mug up.

"AEN HANSE as Dominik likes to say!" He said, getting a laugh from everyone as he down more. Wiping his beard, he laughed again. "Aha, and what fucking company we have! A tremendously handsome mountain of a witcher from Skellige, a bleeding poet of a witcher from Toussaint!"

"A poet worthy of the halls of the duchess herself!" George said, getting a laugh from everyone again as Faram went on, moving and placing his massive arms around Freya, himself and Ciri.

He nudged Freya. "We got a fucking prodigal surgeon, who's more wind then woman with a blade!"

Freya laughed and Faram eyed Dominik and Ciri with a smirk. "We got the children of the famous White Wolf! A lass with the power of fucking space and time themselves flowing through her veins! And last but not least, the youngest witcher, to _ever _travel the path, a descendant of one of the most powerful mages in history! This Eredin cunt stands no fuckin chance!"

Everyone laughed, even Dominik himself, he noticed Ciri tense slightly beneath him however, but before he could ask her what was wrong, George stepped in the middle of their circle. The Griffin Witcher smiled and held up his mug.

"A hanza we are! And tomorrow, we face the wraiths, and we beat them back!" George said louder, even a few of the patrons behind them cheering as he went on, looking at the rest of them. "I spent years on the Path, telling myself I would rather travel alone… but now, I don't see myself able to ever return to that! Tomorrow, we will win a great victory and then-."

"And then we get piss drunk again like wild badgers!" Freya said, getting a laugh from everyone in the circle, however Dominik was focused on Ciri, who was smiling, but he could still feel her tensing.

Faram laughed heartily, looking over at he and Ciri now. "Aha goldilocks is right! Tomorrow, Dominik and Ciri are going to kick Eredin's ass! We're going to kick those icy fucks right back to whatever world they came from! And it'll show the fuckers, that they picked the _WRONG _world to invade!"

A loud cheer came up from behind them, as apparently Faram's voice had carried. Quickly the other patrons returned to their revelry, as Dominik couldn't help but smile himself. However, when he felt Ciri's hand clamp over his, squeezing it as she tensed, he looked down at her, seeing her smile was clearly forced.

_No… I won't let her worry, not tonight, _he thought.

He smiled down at her, and she must have felt him looking at her because she glanced up at him with her forced smile. Dominik leaned down, holding her face and kissing her gently, getting a true, real smile from her. She squeezed onto his hands tighter, but Dominik smiled gently letting go of her and picking up his mug.

"You mean _WE _are going to kick Eredin's ass!" Dominik said, stepping in the middle of all his friends, looking at them all while he smiled and held up his mug. "For so, so long I was alone, I had nobody, nobody except my fucking horse! It's to the point now where Clop can practically read my mind!"

Laughs came from his friends. His eyes drifted to Ciri, who chuckled, smiling at him, leaning back on one leg, her fist under her chin, that cute, amused look on her face.

_That look… it's worth everything, it is everything, _he thought, the smile not leaving him.

"As little as two months ago, I thought that I was destined to die in some monster's cave, my body rotting away there, because who would have looked for me!?" He said again, looking to his friends again. "But now… I have you lot. My friends-, no… my _family. _George! You southern prick, I'd be splattered all over a cavern floor if not for you! I'd still be some Bruxa's thrall if not for you!"

"HA! She wanted you as a bit more than just a thrall my friend!" George laughed, raising up his mug of wine.

Another laugh, and Dominik did himself, shuddering dramatically as he remembered the Bruxa he had hunted with George and Faram when he first met the griffin witcher.

"You're damn right about that!" Dominik said loudly, as the laughs hit his ears. Making sure to see Ciri was indeed still smiling, he looked over to Faram. "And you! You tall bastard, did you tell them all about the time you arm wrestled a fucking GIANT and WON!? Saving my ass in the process!?"

Faram boomed a laugh, raising his mug so fast, Freya laughed as ale spilled into her hair.

"BAHA I wouldn't have been there without you mate!" The Bear Witcher said, stepping up to him and wrapping his massive arm around Dominik's shoulder. "This man! This fucker right here, let me tell you, fighting down that SAME giant with nothing but a little fucking knife! What kind of crazy fucker does that!? THIS crazy fucker does that! And tomorrow, he's going to fight and _KILL _the King of the fucking Wild Hunt!"

A loud cheer rang up from a few of the patrons who had taken interest in them again. Dominik couldn't stop laughing himself, however, he looked over again, to see Ciri's face had finally fallen again. Shaking off the small crack that formed in his heart, he kept his smile, and looked over to Freya, waving her over.

"No way I can forget about you!" Dominik said, laughing as he swung his arm around Freya's shoulder, with their friends and more people starting to watch. He smiled and held out his arm to everyone else. "Freya, now please, let everyone know, how many fucking times have you saved my life?"

Freya laughed, her arm around him as well, her mug of ale dripping to the floor as they swayed. Dominik didn't feel any drunker then usual yet, however Freya next to him clearly had been a few mugs in from before he arrived. He laughed and smiled at Freya but kept his eye on Ciri as the smile slowly returned to her face. He noticed as well, multiple men and women had gathered to watch his little speech.

It was clear that all the people there, were fighters in some way combined with the townsfolk. Some of them he even recognized as part of Faram's crew, and men wearing Clan An Craite colors. Most of them would be fighting tomorrow, and it was clear Ciri was thinking of that. She looked back and met his eyes and he smiled, winking at her, which made her crack a small smile as Freya stumbled net to him and laughed again.

"HA, five? Six? Seven? I dare say I've lost fucking count!" She said, downing the rest of the ale in her mug.

Dominik scoffed loudly. "At least that much! Did you all see what she fucking did!? How much of a fuckin genius she is! She made a brand-new weapon, the likes of which we've never seen in FOUR fucking days! And tomorrow it's going to blow the Wild Hunt away!"

"YEAHHHH!" A loud cheer went up, mugs raised into the air, ale spilled to the floor as laughter echoed.

Freya left from his arm, and Dominik looked to see the small smile on Ciri's face was still there. He met her eyes, and smiled, biting his lip he admired how absolutely beautiful she was. From head to toe, she was absolutely stunning, and he must have been staring for too long, because her face got red as she blushed.

He didn't know if it was the ale finally starting to get to his head, or just from how god damn much they went through the day before, but Dominik couldn't recall a time he wanted her more. The two of them in a room alone, just each other, making love, falling asleep in each other's arms.

He loved that woman, and he would for the rest of his life. He chuckled, and Ciri did the same as more people chanted, and Dominik dramatically rubbed his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.

"And who else is there huh? Mhm… who else could I possibly be forgetting?" He said playfully, laughs coming from Faram, Freya and George.

Ciri started chuckling more, as Freya gently pushed her forward towards him. Dominik laughed, scooping her up with one of his arms. He twirled her and she laughed, the rest of everyone who was watching doing the same. Their drinks spilled, but Dominik finally brought her to a stop, kissing her with as much as he could muster in front of everyone.

A loud chorus of cheers erupted again, as he gently pulled his lips back, winking at her. She rolled her eyes and laughed, smacking his chest as he brought her up to a standing position, as he looked out at his friends again, holding Ciri in his arms.

"And after all that time… I finally found this beauty," He said, smiling over at Ciri, as the patrons seemed to return to their own revelry. Faram, Freya and George around them all smiled, and Dominik slowly looked at Ciri again. "I don't only have my friends now… but the woman I love, the most beautiful fucking woman in the god damn world!"

"You suck up," Ciri scoffed, the red not leaving her cheeks, as she kissed his scarred right side, and Dominik turned back to his friends.

He looked at Ciri, the smile finally back on her face.

_There it is, that smile, that beautiful, beautiful smile. _

Tightening his grip around her he looked at her. "I wouldn't be here without you… if not for you, I wouldn't have had the strength to go on. Without you well…"

"He'd be even more fucking sour then he already always is!" Faram boomed, getting a laugh from everyone.

Freya and George both burst out laughing, and Dominik rolled his eyes, the smile still unable to leave him. He looked back at Ciri who sputtered out a laugh, which made the joke completely worth it.

She finished laughing and smiled at him, gently holding her hand up to his face. "I love you… so much… you stupid boy."

"I love you too princess…." He said, before turning to the rest of his friends, his mug raised up again with Ciri on his arm. "And I love you three too… I wouldn't be here without you all. I wouldn't be here… I wouldn't be the person I am today without you four… I can't put into words how much it all means to me that you're all here so well… I'll only say one thing."

He looked them all in the eye, his friends, his best-friends.

_No… my family. _

He raised his mug to the center of the group. "Aen Hanse!"

"Aen Hanse!" Ciri said quickly next to him, raising her mug up as well.

"Aen Hanse!" George declared loud and proud next, stumbling as he raised his mug as well.

Freya scoffed out a laugh, and almost slurring she raised hers as well. "Aen Hanse!"

"AEN HANSE! HAHA! WE'RE GONNA KICK THE FUCK OUT OF THOSE ICY CUNTS!" Faram bellowed, as all of their mugs clanked together, ale and wine spilling from them.

Dominik pulled his mug back; all his friends laughing around him and drank. He downed almost the entire mug as the music from the bard in the inn, along with all of the patrons got even louder. Next to him, as Faram, George and Freya all drank, he felt Ciri place a kiss on the side of his neck.

It was so sudden he almost moaned then and there. His reaction made her laugh, and he looked down at her smiling.

"Ha… and what are you laughing at prince-," She cut him off by kissing him again.

She smiled and leaned her lips to his ear. "I rented the room here tonight, I… got you something, I'll head there and get it ready in a bit, join me after a few moments?"

He smirked as he held her. "You want me to join you alone in our private room, in this very romantic last night before the fight of our lives? Gods, such a tough choice, I'll have to think about it a bit."

She rolled her eyes but smiled and he laughed. Playfully smacking him Ciri nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking… for now, let's hope your dance moves have improved, and let's get some food!"

Dominik laughed and nodded, before Ciri smirked, and pulled him along towards the dance floor, ushering their friends along as well.

He let himself be pulled, as he couldn't stop looking at her, looking at her and smiling.

_No matter what happens… I have you, and that makes it all worth it._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri straightened the dress in the mirror, scoffing as she still couldn't believe Freya had talked her into buying it. A beautiful emerald green cut off dress, the same color as her and Dominik's eyes. She hadn't had anything like this Cintra, and while she very rarely compliment her own looks, she couldn't help but feel satisfied looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair spilled in brushed ashen locks down both her shoulders, the dress was pulled tight from both sides. It was tied in crisscrossing patterns down her sides, which showed her skin. She hadn't bothered putting on her corset, or anything underneath it, because she knew that it wouldn't be on her for exceptionally long. Despite not having had to put one on in years, she had managed to get the dress on easily enough. It cut off just above her breasts, no straps or anything over her shoulders. Her neckline was exposed, and she bit her lip, as a cold chill ran through her.

She looked and made sure her makeup was perfect, and as usual it was. She had done it hastily in the time she had, worried Dominik would walk through the door at any second. However, it seemed Freya had been serious when she said she would 'do everything in her power, even dragging him away', to keep Dominik from coming to their room too soon.

Ciri still marveled how someone smaller like Freya could put back so much ale.

Finally she sighed, looking at herself in the mirror. The dress was incredibly beautiful, and while she knew Dominik would find her that way even if she were wearing an old sack, she had a feeling he would like it just as much as she did then. She placed the brush she had been using back down on the vanity and took in her appearance once more. Shakily sighing, she tried for a smile, and she knew that it would come to her once Dominik finally came into the room.

But as she sat down on the stool then, she had to cover her hands over her stomach. Ever since hearing the speeches and seeing all the men, women, the soldiers in the hall it hadn't stopped churning.

_And tomorrow, he's going to fight and KILL the King of the fucking Wild Hunt! _Faram's voice continuously echoed in her brain.

Dominik was going to fight Eredin again tomorrow, just like he had done at Kaer Morhen.

Ciri had no doubt about Dominik's abilities of course, and she would also be there with him. Ciri herself had gotten the best of Eredin in her flight from the world of the Aen Elle. However then, Eredin had massively underestimated her, she was just a child then, she knew he wasn't going to make the same mistake again. Eredin was arrogant, but he knew when to apply that arrogance and when not too. He wouldn't underestimate Ciri and Dominik this time, he would come at them with the full totality of his strength.

Eredin would come, along with Caranthir… Bella, and the Hunt in its entirety.

All the people next door in the inn, along with hundreds more could die tomorrow.

She looked in the mirror, twirling the bronze ring around her neck as she tried to steady her breathing and relax her queasy stomach. It didn't help, and she could do nothing but sit there, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

So much was happening tomorrow, and there were still so many uncertainties. She remembered back at Kaer Morhen, how they had just barely beaten the Hunt back with a skeleton crew of fighters. They'd have much more soldiers themselves, however, the Hunt would retaliate with just as many, they hadn't faced the full force at Kaer Morhen.

They had been lucky to survive then, Dominik had been lucky to survive. If not for Yen, Triss, and Freya's quick hands, he would be dead. And now, again they faced them the next day. For the previous few days, she had almost been excited, because after the Hunt was dealt with, they could finally start their life, travel the Path together, finally go and get Fiona, and properly be together.

However, the slow seeds of what else could happen tomorrow were sprouting in her mind. At Kaer Morhen, Dominik had fought Eredin himself, she had been helpless, injured, unable to fight by his side to keep him from dying.

But she wouldn't be tomorrow. She had promised him, that she'd never leave his side again, and she would keep her promise.

Sighing she met her own gaze in the mirror, and adjusted the ashen locks over her shoulders, forcing a small smile to her face.

"Write your own story…." She said, repeating her grandmother's words to herself, as she shook her head. "Only you can control how it ends…"

The lock to the door turning made her jolt up off the stool. A smile, quickly formed on her lips, as she could hear Dominik laughing behind it. Hastily, she straightened the green dress again, smiling as the door creaked.

"Haha! Ciri! Freya told me what she was talking to you about earlier," He said, his voice sounding absolutely delighted.

Ciri's breath caught up in her throat as she smiled, blushing red like she was a little girl again. When she was younger, she could remember how she quickly would always try to hide her blushing cheeks when he smiled like he was now, when he looked as handsome as he did now. He wasn't wearing anything special, just the loose white top he normally had on at night, his trousers and boots, and of course, the swallow and his medallion around his neck.

She teased him now, and when she was younger that he was only a bit taller than her, but he made up for it plenty by being strong. Broad shouldered, defined arms, with plenty of scars Ciri had yet to hear the story of, and she of course knew as well that his chest was large, his torso bulging with muscle. Despite how hard his stomach and chest were to the touch, Ciri found them extremely comfortable when she laid with him, her head laying on that chest.

And seeing him then, knowing what was happening the next day, it made her face get beat red, as she appreciated just how truly amazing it was, that he was hers, that he had waited for her.

_I love him, there was never a doubt…._

His smile was infectious on her as he scoffed. "That's so amazing for her, I'm glad she was able to tell me. She's going to make one man or woman _very _lucky-. Wait… she was pretty drunk, damn, I really hope she actually wanted to tell me, and it wasn't just the-."

He froze when he saw her, and it only made Ciri's cheeks redder, as she laugh her hands on her hips as she looked at him. His jaw went slack, as it quite literally fell open, as he floundered for words, his eyes not leaving her, her body, her figure. She had never had anyone look at her the way he looked at her. He didn't look at her like she was some piece of meat, like she was just someone that he found attractive.

No, he looked at her with pure, unfiltered love. He loved her, and he loved her more than anything, and she could feel it all through how he looked at her then. So many people had claimed to love her, claimed to have feelings for her, that they wanted her to be theirs. Mistle, Galahad, Cahir, multiple men and women in different worlds. However, none of them seemed to take the time to look past the surface level of her, to her true, real self.

In that moment, Dominik's jaw didn't drop because he saw a beautiful woman in a dress. His jaw dropped, because he saw _her _the _real _Ciri, her true self.

And he was the only one to ever love her for that, love her because she was Ciri.

"Ha… well hello handsome," She said, striding over to him, smiling up at him. She got up in front of him, and his hands gingerly wrapped around her. A shooting pleasurable tingle raced up her spine at his touch, as she placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him. "Did you have fun?"

_That smile… that damn smile, _she thought, smiling broadly as he couldn't stop, his cheeks seeming to be in a permanent upwards position.

"Ciri… gods… gods Ciri," He said, his voice low, course, sexy. His hands traveled up the sides of her body, her fingers touching her bare skin through the crosses in the dress. She shuddered, as he looked at her, still completely enamored by her. "You… you're beautiful… gods I… I never thought you could get _more _beautiful…"

"You like it?" She said, trying to keep herself from blushing too hard at his praise. She smirked, lightly laughing as she looked down at the dress. "Freya suggested it. It's… your present, well… _I'm _your present you could say. I… know that it isn't something really special, but well I… thought that maybe-."

He cut her off with a kiss, his lips fitting perfectly with her as his soft, full, wet lips softly kissed her. Ciri melted, her mind, completely muddled as all she could think about was the euphoria she felt with his lips against hers, and how she wanted that feeling everywhere, and next wanted to stop feeling it.

"Ha… I love it. Gods, I don't think I've seen you in a dress since Cintra," He said amusingly, as she pulled back from him with a smile, pulling her close to him. "Well, unless you count that one time with Triss when you were 'indisposed'."

They both laughed, and Ciri's heart flipped in her chest. She looked at his face, his scarred, handsome face as he laughed and smiled again.

"I think you may be right, it actually feels quite nice," She said with a small smirk as she looked up at winked at him. "I can pack it and bring it with us as we travel if you'd like. Wear it on formal occasions, or just when I feel like looking beautiful."

"You look beautiful in anything, I'd find you beautiful if you wore nothing but a sack," He said, leaning forward as he held her in his arms and kissed her, before smirking. "But… yes, I will admit I wouldn't be opposed to you bringing it with us."

She scoffed out a laugh and nodded. "Alright, alright, whatever you say handsome…. you know, that was quite the speech you gave out there."

He smiled at her, pulling her into a tight hug, his head burying into the crook of her neck. A small laugh left her, as he planted a small kiss on the side of her neck, squeezing her tight, making her feel safe, relaxed, and most importantly loved.

"Just trying to give everyone a little inspiration before tomorrow," He said, pulling back with that gorgeous smile he had. "And well… I wanted to say how thankful I was to everyone. I wouldn't want anyone else by my side. Especially you princess…"

She went to smile but faltered. It started creeping back again, the uneasy feeling in her stomach. She paused, her hands resting on his shoulders, as suddenly, Ciri found it hard to meet his gaze.

If she looked at his face, she'd see the scar running down it, the scar he'd gotten the last time they fought the Hunt.

Tomorrow he could get much worse than that, so could everyone she had just celebrated with.

Dominik apparently sensed her discomfort in his arms. She felt his fingers gently move to her chin. Gingerly, he moved his face back to look up at him, as he looked at her with soft eyes. She loved his eyes, eyes that matched hers, ones, she could always count on for reassurance.

"Hey…" He said, his voice soft and light. "What is it?"

She finally looked up at him, gripping tighter on his shoulders. Biting her lip, the uneasy feeling in her stomach continued, and for a minute a flash appeared in her eyes.

She saw Dominik, could hear the loud thud of his body hitting the ground, the sound of Eredin's sword, ripping into his flesh at Kaer Morhen. Suddenly she shuddered, her knees feelings weak, and Dominik had to catch her.

"Woah, woah easy there princess," He said, steadying her in his arms. He smiled at her, meeting her eyes, and shaking his head. "I get it, being that beautiful all the time, must be extremely exhausting! Well no worries princess, I'm naught but a simple lad at your beck at call!"

Ciri met his eyes and slowly shook her head. "No… Dominik it… it's just-. Hey! Haha, stop put me down!"

He hefted her up off her feet, one of his arms holding up under her legs, as he carried her like a bride, as if they had just been married and were heading off into the sunset. It was a dream for a moment for Ciri, as she felt like she was flying. Quickly she grabbed onto his neck, pulling herself closer to him as he looked and smirked down at her.

"I can't! It is my duty, as your boyfriend, as your lover and hopefully future husband, to make sure that you are always happy, healthy, and safe," He said, making Ciri's cheeks redder then they had been all knight as he gently looked down at her. "And to be there for you… always, so now, I'll humbly offer my services, to carry you to bed!"

Before she could protest, she broke out in a fit of laughs as she gripped on tight while he carried her to the other side of the room.

The bed was large, fluffy, and would provide the both of them the comfort they were looking for this last night. It was a welcome change from the bed in their cabin back on the ship. Dominik sat down on it, and Ciri fell right into his lap, her legs laying across his lap, his arms still wrapped around her. She melted into him, her head resting into the crook of his neck.

He didn't pry at her, didn't ask her any questions. He was good at that, to Ciri it was a symbol, of just how well they knew each other. Dominik knew she didn't want to speak of it in that moment, what was wrong, the thoughts that kept gnawing at her. He always knew when to pry her to talk, and when to simply let her be. She loved him for that, it was the same way in reverse. Ciri could always tell when he needed to talk about something, and when he needed to be left with his thoughts.

But they were always there for each other to hold, because holding the person you loved, as Ciri had learned, sometimes was all you needed, words weren't always necessary.

And for those few moments, they weren't, as Ciri leaned into him, her hands shaking in her lap. Quickly however, Dominik's hand gently went over hers, and Ciri gripped onto his fingers with her trembling ones squeezing them as if her life depended on it. She didn't want to leave that room, didn't want to go fight the next day, do anything except sit there with him.

He gripped back on her fingers, his other hand gently weaving its way through her hair.

She shakily sighed, realizing she had been right.

The unease in her stomach slowly melted away, replaced by warmth, love. She shakily sighed, looking up at him as she sat on his lap.

"I don't want to leave…" She said, sighing as her head fell back to his shoulder. "I don't want to leave this room… can we just stay here?"

She felt him kiss the top of her head. "We can stay as long as you want princess…"

"But we can't…" She said, her skin trembling as she looked back up at him again. "You're going to have to fight Eredin again tomorrow…"

He had already known what was on her mind, this she knew for a fact. He knew her too well, she could tell that he knew exactly what she had been thinking, as was so often the case. The two of them were so similar, yet different enough to where they were unique. She couldn't describe the feeling of having someone, that you trusted, loved so much, that you felt you knew them almost more then you knew yourself.

However, that was the case with her and Dominik. It had been a bond strong enough to still be like it was then, despite being apart for eight years.

And it was only going to continue to grow because she wasn't leaving again.

"You mean _we _are going to fight Eredin," He said, his hand still holding onto hers, while the other continued to comb through her hair. "Me, you, Geralt, Faram, Freya, George, and we're going to kill him."

She knew he was trying to be reassuring, but his words on made her shudder again. Carefully she leaned her forehead against his, shakily sighing as she looked at him.

"Dom… the last time you fought…" She said, shaking her head as her eyes begun to sting. "I couldn't do anything… you almost died… I can't let that happen again… Dominik I can't."

"And it won't, I never want to see you like that again," He said, his hand moving from her hair to rub her back. "The last time wasn't your fault Ciri. You know, one thing Alexander told me when I saw him in the cave, was reminding me that I wasn't alone. We're going to do this Ciri, we are. Besides, I'd like to think I know at least a _bit _of what I'm in for now."

Ciri found herself scoffing as she shook her head. "I know what you're doing… gods Dominik I know you're being confident for my sake. How could you be so calm about this?"

He managed a laugh, which made Ciri roll her eyes. "Because what would you do be doing if I were freaking out? You'd be shaking even more then you are now."

"So you are scared to fight them then?"

"Terrified, who wouldn't be?" He said, playing with the long locks of hair going down her shoulders, speaking softly as he met her eyes again. "But well, I know we're strong enough to win."

"We said that at Kaer Morhen…" She said, unable to look at his scarred face again.

She felt his hand cup her cheek, pulling it to meet his eyes. "And in the end do you know what happened at Kaer Morhen? We beat them back… thanks to you. We _are s_trong enough, and do you want to know why? It isn't just because of the powers in our blood, not because we'll have hundreds of soldiers, it's because of the _reasons _we're fighting. Eredin and the Hunt, they're fighting so they can invade our world, set up shop, before they start going and doing the same things to other worlds, taking slaves, and killing thousands in other worlds, just like they've done for hundreds of years. But _us, me_? I'm fighting tomorrow for _you_, to keep you safe, and give you the life you deserve. I'm fighting for Bella, to save her and not let her down like I have before. For Geralt and Yen, so they can finally stop fighting and have some fucking peace. For Faram, George and Freya. For Fiona, so that she'll have us to teach her to control her powers, to have us to train her and give her the life we always wanted!

"_That _is what gives us strength Ciri, that is what's going to give me, and the rest of us the strength to win tomorrow, because we don't fight for power, for our own personal gain, we fight for love…. _I'm _fighting for love. Deep down, I don't give a damn about prophecies, destinies… I'm doing this because I love you, more than fucking anything. My blood isn't going to give me the strength I need to fight tomorrow, my training isn't, not my signs, bombs, anything… it's you Ciri, _you _are what's giving me the strength to do this tomorrow… that's why we're going to win tomorrow… and then the day after? Me and you, we start our lives together."

Tears had started falling, but with the tears, came her smile. Ciri didn't know how he did it, how his words had such an effect on her, but they did then as the always did. He didn't stop looking at her the whole time, his thumb gently ran over her hands which had stopped shaking, and every moment his hand ran up her back, she felt the tingles, the butterflies well up in her stomach.

She met his eyes, and when he saw she was crying his eyes widened.

"Ciri? Ciri hey, stop you don't have too-."

This time, she cut him off by kissing him. Her hands cupped onto his handsome face, smashing her lips onto his with a mixture of salty tears. His lips were still sweet, and she wanted more of them, more of him. She wanted him to make the uneasiness go away, make all her worries go away, which he always did. Her lips, moved with his, a sweet kiss at first, before it become deeper, more passionate, intense, raw. She moved her dress up, managing to sit and straddle his waist, wrapping her arms around his neck, as he did the same around her waist.

She didn't stop, moving and griding her hips against him, as she keep deepening the kiss, not wanting to move from that position. Her hand trailed down his stomach, across his torso as his hands explored every nape of her back. A tingle of sensation ran up her stomach again, as it did every night they got into a position like that.

However, that night it was even more intense, the passion, the raw desire, the want for him to know how much she loved him. She could feel between her legs heating up, as with each move of her lips, each grind of her hips, she wanted him more.

A need to breath finally brought her lips off of his, as they sat there, leaning their foreheads against one another's.

"Ha… so? We okay now?" He said softly, stroking his thumb across her cheek, wiping the tears that remained.

A small laugh left her, as she met his eyes and nodded. "Yeah… I… I'm just wondering, when did you become so fuckin wise?"

He laughed, and it was the sweetest thing Ciri had heard in days. She did the same, before he shrugged, his hands staying on her hips.

"Hey, I've always been this wise, you all just never believed me," He said, smirking as he cutely bit his lip.

Ciri rolled her eyes playfully. "Well I'm sorry but you could barely string sentences together around me the first few times we saw each other, that first impression is hard to shake."

"Even after ten years?"

"Yes, even after that," She said playfully, leaning down and kissing him again. "Although I will admit… you're so much smarter than even you know… so much stronger."

A soft smile came to his face. "I'm strong thanks to you, and everyone else princess…. I was alone for so, so long… I won't be alone again, I just found you… I won't let you go."

"And I won't go anywhere," She said, her eyes narrowing as she firmly shook her head. "Nothing is going to take me away again. Where you go… I go, that's how it's going to be. I love you… so much, you stupid boy."

The smile again, that brilliant smile as he softly kissed her again. "Where you go… I go, I love you too princess."

That one kiss sent her mind into overdrive. Suddenly, while she loved the dress, thought it extremely beautiful on her, and despite even how much she clearly saw Dominik loved it, it in that moment felt restraining. She wanted it off, his shirt off, nothing but the two of them.

She went to kiss him again, intent on pulling his shirt off, his trousers, everything until there was nothing between them both. However, she saw his head go down to the pocket of his trousers, a massive smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah, before I forget, I got something for you too," He said, reaching his hand to his pocket.

Ciri stopped, tilting her head, her heart racing, excitement building up. "You did? What is it?"

He looked at her again, smirking still. "Well, technically, you were the one to find it, I just saved it for you. I saw how much you liked it and well…"

Her eyes widened, and her heart nearly exploded. "Dominik… you didn't."

"Oh but I did," He said playfully, handing the camera to her. "I snagged it before we left the lab, figured I'd make it a little present for before the battle. So… happy?"

Ciri ran her hands over the small device in her hands, still marveled to that day how it worked. She still had the picture of the two of them in the lab in the pocket of her trousers.

However, she marveled even more at the man holding her, wondering how she could possibly be so in love with one person.

She didn't answer him, simply grabbing hold of his face again, and kissing him with everything she had. She could taste the ale the ale he was drinking, taking in every bit of his sweet lips in that one kiss, she pressed herself against him, trying to transfer all she was feeling into that one kiss.

And when she felt one of his hands hold onto her ass, she lost it.

She pressed her lips hard to his, grinding her waist against his crotch, his cock pressing against her. She smiled when she heard a struggled breath leave him, as she gently pulled her lips from him. She kept smiling at him, gingerly placing the camera on the nightstand. Ever since they had started having sex the week prior, she liked to think she had been able to pick up on some his smaller signals. His hands grabbed onto her ass while she was in his lap, and when she looked at his eyes, she could see the want in them, the look of pure desire, lust, it was the look he often got before they made love.

He was still slightly nervous Ciri could tell, not about actually having sex, but starting it. There hadn't been a time yet when he asked _her _to have sex, there hadn't been a time when he simply kissed her suddenly, then down her neck, before fucking her. A small part of her wished he would take the initiative now and then, but she understood why he didn't. He knew what she had been through, what happened with Mistle, and in the Cave of Life the day before, he apparently had seen it. He knew that Emhyr wanted to rape her, was going too, that she had been forced to try and fuck Auberon to get out of Tir'Nala, he knew all the details of those times, so it made him hesitant to do anything without him asking her first, without asking her at least six times if she was sure.

Ciri knew it was something that would go away eventually. A part of her did want him to at times, lean her against a wall, kiss her neck which would eventually lead to them fucking. He would take the initiative like that in time, but Ciri could see that in the moment, he still always made sure he heard her say, yes, she couldn't even nod, he had to hear her say yes.

In the end, Ciri found it incredibly sweet, considerate, and a lesson most people should take after.

But in that moment she wanted him more than she ever had, she wanted to make love to him, and forget about everything that was happening. She wanted them both to be ignorant for one last night.

"You know… I actually think this dress present was a bad idea…" She said breathlessly, her lips inches from his as he pulled her up against him.

His hot breath hit her neck as he was centimeters from her lips. "Why do you say that? You're beautiful… so… so beautiful."

She blushed, her lips grazing his. "I may be yes… but well… I don't think I should have bothered with it."

"Why?" He said softly.

"Because" She said, gently kissing him. "Well… I already want you to take it off me."

It took a second for the words to register in his head it seemed, which almost made Ciri laugh. He started floundered for words, his cheeks beat red, but Ciri silenced any words with a deep kiss, her hands trailing down his stomach. Before he could say anything else, she gently lifted his shirt up over his head, revealing his bare body, hard, sculpted, scars littering it, dominated by two larger ones. One diagonally from right to left, and another on his bottom ab, much fresher than the other. Gently her hands trailed down his torso, he shuddered under her touch, making her smile more.

He adjusted himself under her, and she could feel his hard member against her still. It sent shockwaves up her stomach, between her legs as she felt his hands travel up her back. She leaned in, gently kissing him again, but before she could push him back to the bed, he looked up at her.

"Ciri I-." He started, but she cut him off with another kiss.

"Dominik… it's okay," She said, knowing exactly why he was going to say and ask. Her hand traveled down to the hem of his trousers as she looked at him. "I love you… I love how sweet you are, but please, please shut up and-."

"Shut up and kiss you, yup got it," He said, an embarrassed red hue in his cheeks, before he smiled and nodded. "You'll never have to ask me twice."

Ciri smiled, feeling the desire take over her. She grabbed his one hand that was already on her ass, and gently guided it up the side of her body. She stopped it, at the top of the dress, right where the not keeping it up was, she moved her other hand to the other one. He must have understood what she was implying because his fingers worked and untied the knot. She did the same on the other side, and gently she stepped off him, her feet hitting the cold stone. The fire in the rom crackled, warming her as the dress gently fell to her feet.

Dominik's jaw loosened again, as he looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He looked down her body, at her breasts, her torso, her legs, completely bare. Finally he managed to find words, a small smirk coming to his face.

"Prepared were we?" He said, admiring her figure.

Ciri blushed, she had washed quickly when she first came to the room, leaving Freya to distract Dominik in the dining room. She hadn't bothered wearing any small clothes, she had known they would come off eventually, so decided to save the time.

Dominik got up, his strong, callused hands wrapping around her waist. The feeling of his strong hands on her bare skin, so close to her womanhood, it finally sent Ciri over the edge. Her hands went to the waistband of his trousers, as he smiled and looked at her.

"I love you… do I say that enough?" He said, his tone light and joking. "Most people say I do, but you know, I don't think you understand just how much-."

She put her finger over his lips again, looking deep into his eyes. "Dominik… shut up and make love to me you stupid boy."

And that was all she needed to say.

She untied his trousers, and they fell to the ground, only his undergarments keeping his cock away from her womanhood. His lips smashed onto hers, and Ciri could feel him finally unleashing the inner desire she had seen building up in his eyes all night. She climbed him like a cliff, he helped her, as her legs wrapped around his waist, he hoisted her into the air, his lips not leaving hers, their tongues meeting in his mouth fighting for dominance.

Between her legs got hotter and hotter, and when he kissed down her neck she wasn't afraid to admit how loud she moaned. His name left her lips, and she felt the assault of his lips down her neck continue. He turned her around, and she yelped when she felt herself being lowered, but her excitement rose, as he was finally on top of her. He got between her legs, and right away she wrapped her arms around his neck, as he continued kissing her, lower, lower on her neck until he was just above her breasts.

"Dominik… gods…" She moaned again, his name leaving her lips again, as his one hand steadying himself above her head, his other traveling up her bare leg. She felt her womanhood quiver anxiously, excitably, as his hand moved between her legs, his finger gently moving over her entrance, just as he kissed between her breasts.

Another loud moan left her, her legs quivered as she gripped one hand onto the back of his head, her hand fisting through his hair, while the other, slowly trailed her nails down his back.

She could feel his tongue flicking over her right breast, his wet lips kissing her, as he finally entered her with one of her fingers, gently moving deeper inside her, and Ciri melted, yanking on his hair as she moaned, her voice echoing in the room.

"Fuck… fucking _fuck,_" She moaned, her one leg, quivering finally wrapped around his waist, as he kissed back up her neck, sweet, delicate little kisses that sent Ciri absolutely mad, making her want more and more.

Breathing heavily, his hot breath his her neck again, as he gently nipped at a weak spot on her neck a few inches below her earlobe, and it sent the heaviest shock down her chest yet. It felt as if a jolt of lightning had been injected into her heart.

"FUCK!" She said, moaning loudly as she pulled harder on his hand, her nails digging in his back.

Breathless, Dominik laughed. "Ha… found a spot on you didn't I?"

"Fucking hell… fucking hell Dominik don't stop," She moaned, leaning forward, and smashing her lips onto his again. His finger inside of her, picked up speed and Ciri moaned into his lips, feeling his tongue run along her lips, only furthering her desire for him. Her one hand stayed in his hair, pulling, and yanking with each moan, while her other quickly went down towards his waist. His finger pulled out of her, and she whimpered, but quickly kissing him with a new fierceness, as he helped her pull down his undergarments, finally making him as naked as she was.

Tomorrow could very well be there last day in that world, their last day alive, so that night she wanted to feel every inch of him, touch every single inch of his body. And she wanted him to kiss every single spot his lips could reach, she wanted to hear him moan her name, she wanted to moan his name, she just wanted him.

"Ciri… Ciri are you-." He started, but Ciri cut him off, by burying his head between her breasts again, and it seemed to sufficiently answer his question.

He kissed and dragged his tongue along both her breasts again. Ciri's head finally rolled back, but while keeping one hand in his hair, her other reached down to his crotch. Her hand wrapped around his hard cock, and right away his legs buckled, as he melted on top of her.

"Ciri… fuck… Ciri gods." Finally he moaned, and it only made Ciri wetter, as she pulled him closer to her, bringing his lips to hers as she stroked his hard member, wanting more then anything to finally have it inside her.

"I love you… I fucking love you," She moaned between the long, rough, passionate kisses they shared. He grunted out another moan, his cock bulging in her hand as he kissed along her neck again, focusing on the spot just below her ear, the one that had made her jolt.

He planted a long kiss on that one spot again, before gently biting his teeth down on it, and Ciri's legs bucked up.

"FUCK, FUCKING FUCK," She moaned, her voice echoing off the walls of the room. She pulled him back to her, her one hand staying on his cock, stroking it with renewed force as she met his eyes, the both of them full of one thing.

Lust, lust for her, pure desire. He wanted her, and she wanted him.

"Make love to me, gods Dominik make love to me please," She said, leaning and kissing him again. "Please, gods I want you, Dominik I-."

This time he finally cut her off with a kiss. A guttural moan left him, as he reached down, and moved her hand off his cock. Ciri looked at him confused for a moment, before he attacked her neck with a new barrage of small kisses and love bites. She moaned, as he moved her hand above his head. She wondered what he was doing for a moment, and even got excited, thinking perhaps he was going to hold hand there and finally let loose, fucking her then and there.

But now, it was better then that. He held her hand above his head, locking his fingers with hers, and just as he gently bit down on his new favorite spot in his neck, Ciri felt the tip of his cock, tease her wet entrance.

"Dominik…." She moaned loudly again, as he kissed up to her lips.

"I love you… I fucking love you," He moaned, and Ciri almost yelped again, but it came out as a long, loud moan as he finally entered her, and she could feel his hard cock finally inside her.

They had sex, every night since that first time in Novigrad, but in that short sample size, Ciri never felt such euphoria, such an explosion of pleasure inside her gut from feeling him inside her.

She yanked on his hair with her one hand, gripping tightly to his other, as he kept her hand above her head.

"Gods… fucking gods yes… Dominik I love you," She moaned, as he thrusted inside her, his other hand trailing up her leg, gripping hard on her ass as he angled himself to go deeper.

He moaned her name, loudly into her ear, and Ciri nearly felt herself climax then and there hearing it. But after that was when he finally started thrusting, his cock hitting deep inside her, filling her to the brim with small explosions of euphoria, pleasure like she had never felt before. Her hand gripped his above her head, and she wanted with everything to keep it there, but as he picked up speed with his thrusts, she felt herself loose all semblance of control, as she simply wanted him to keep fucking her, making love to her, harder, faster.

And it seemed he felt the same, as loud growling moan left him, which made Ciri loose control.

"FUCK!" She moaned, feeling a particular thrust hit deep inside her, as she wrapped both her arms tightly around her neck.

"Ciri, fucknig FUCK!" He said, moaning as loud as she did, his one hand gripping her ass as his other wrapped around the back of her neck.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he fucked her, pulling him as humanly close, feeling his cock deeper, and deeper inside her. He picked up the pace more, and Ciri's moans reached new levels, as she could feel a climax coming.

"Dominik… fuck… fucking fuck I'm going to-. GODS!" She moaned, cutting herself off, as she finally felt herself finish, far quicker then she ever had in the other times they'd made love.

His eyes widened, and for a moment his pace slowed as he looked at her. "Ciri… Ciri are you-."

"Don't you dare fucking stop," She moaned, kissing him hard, and quickly he hastened his pace again.

Ciri didn't want it to end, she didn't want that night to end because she knew what awaited them tomorrow, and she wasn't finished being ignorant yet.

Not to mention the completely dominating euphoria that had overtaken her body, the sheer pleasure, and lust for more that had overtaken her. She wasn't finished with him yet, and she moaned loudly as he plunged deeper into her then he had the whole night.

"DOMINIK!" She said, yanking on his hair again, as she smashed her lips onto his.

He tried to say something through the kiss, but Ciri didn't listen, all she cared about was that he didn't stop, and he seemed more than happy to oblige. She had already came once, and could feel a second time quickly on its way, so she smashed a kiss to his lips, before she pulled her womanhood away from his cock.

His eyes widened as he looked at her. "Ciri? What are you-. Gods!"

She flipped him on his back, catching him by surprise, making Ciri giggle at the red look on his face. Finally, she was on top of him, straddling his waist, his still hard cock onto inches from her womanhood again. She bit her lip, the lust for him again coming back in full force. He looked up from below her, his hands gently trailing up her flat stomach to gently massage her breasts.

Ciri moaned as she could feel a slow burn of pleasure building up inside her. She grabbed both his hands, holding them over her breasts, not particularly wanting them to leave.

"Gods you're beautiful," He said below her, making Ciri blush as she looked down at him. He had that embarrassed goofy smile on his face as he breathlessly shook his head. "I… I'm the luckiest man in the world, I really am I-."

Like she had before that night, she cut him off by softly kissing him. This time, she trailed kisses down his neck. She had remembered from the previous nights all of the spots on his neck that made him the weakest. She listened to the honey sweet sound of him moaning her name, as she trailed her lips to the side of his neck, gently nibbling as she placed small kisses on one particular spot.

"Ciri! Fucking fuck you… you know that-."

"Why do you think I'm doing it?" She said softly, kissing to his lips again, as she gently ran her tongue along his lips, deepening the kiss as she brought her lips to his ears. "Just let me kiss you… be quiet and let me kiss you."

A moan made her realize he indeed got the message. His hands trailed down her back, gripping onto her ass hard as she assaulted his lip with small kisses. A small part of her thought about trailing them down his chest, perhaps even all the way to his cock, but Ciri wanted him now, wanted him then. Perhaps she'd do that another night, but in that moment, she wanted to make love to him.

"I love you… you stupid boy," She whispered in his ear, gently moving her womanhood over his cock.

She sank down, and a long, soft moan left her, as she felt every inch of his hard member bury inside her. He was large, but Ciri didn't mind, she loved every inch of him, from his eyes to his cock, everything about him was exactly what she wanted.

"Fuuuck… fucking… fuck I love you," He moaned, her name leaving his lips multiple times as she rode him.

She noticed how much he loved it when she rode him like she did then. She moved her hips, moaning herself as she felt his cock bury and move deep inside her. Another guttural growl left him, as he gripped hard on her ass, and Ciri felt herself moaning louder as well. She placed her hands down on his hard chest, leaning down to gently kiss him as she moved her hips faster, started to bounce as opposed to ride, feeling him enter deeper, and deeper inside her.

"Ciri… Ciri gods don't fucking-." She cut him off by kissing him hard again, he thrusted up with his hips, and she moaned out loudly.

The lust, the desire, it al came to her mind, how much she loved him came to his mind as she started moving even faster, kissing him hard as she did. She didn't want to make love anymore, she wanted to fuck, she wanted him more than then she had ever wanted anything.

"Dominik fuck me, gods please, please fuck-. "

This time she was cut off, by him flipping her onto her back again. She had time to meet his eyes, and see an almost animalistic look in them, and before she could comment to him how utterly sexy she found it, she yelped out a moan as he thrusted into her.

"DOMINIK!" She said, as all she could think about was how perfect it felt having him inside her.

"I love you… I fucking love you Ciri gods I'm never going to stop," He said, his voice deep, course and raw as he plowed into her, and Ciri gripped onto his head in response, burying his head between her breasts.

"Don't stop, don't you fucking stop!" She said, feeling her climax coming as he plowed into her.

She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, sweat dripping from every pour of her body, as she pulled him in for a deep, wet kiss. She felt him quicken even more, her legs buckled, feeling as if they had been turned to pudding, and finally a loud moan left him.

"Ciri… Ciri I'm gonna-."

"You're fine don't stop, don't you dare fucking stop," She said loudly, her entire body shuddering as his cock went deeper and deeper, faster and hard.

She felt her second climax coming, as she moaned louder and louder in his ear, not wanting him to stop even after he had finished, wanting to stay in that bed making love to him for the rest of their lives.

"Fuck, fuck, fucking _FUCK, _gods Dominik, I love you, don't-. _GODS!" _

He moaned out loudly at the same time as she did, as a climax, larger then she had ever felt before dripped from her. She didn't dare let him leave her arms, as he finally fell limp over her body. She had used the spell Yen taught her that morning, so she simply laid and enjoyed the feeling of him still inside her for a few moments. His body was sweating from every pore, just like hers was.

Both of them breathed heavy, as their wolf medallions, the swallow and the ring all were tangled around their necks. Still unable to catch his breath, he looked down to see the swallow around his neck, caught tied up in the chain of the ring around hers. They looked at each other and laughed. Carefully, he reached and untangled the two chains. After they were undone, Ciri looked up at him, unable to stop smiling as she gently trailed her thumb along his cheek.

"I… I love you… gods I love you," She said, shaking her head, a breathless laugh leaving her. "That… that was… gods that was amazing."

"It was…" He said breathlessly, a small smile coming to him as stroked her cheek, gingerly along her scar like he knew she liked. "But I do think we may need to check the bed, you know, for clumps of my hair you may have pulled out."

Ciri burst out laughing. "AHA… yeah… sorry about that."

"Don't apologize, it's sexy, I like it," He said, laughing with her as he leaned down for another kiss.

She obliged, kissing him deeply, and for a few minutes they stayed like that, deeply, passionately kissing as each movement of his lips sent new shocks down Ciri's spine.

But like always, they both eventually needed to breath.

He smiled down at her, gently rolling to the side of the bed. They both moved the blanket out from under them, and Dominik pulled it over them both. Warmth, both from the blanket, and from his arm wrapping around her rushed over her body. The fire she started was crackling, and the fatigue from the long day finally began to set in, as her body buzzed with pleasurable tingles, more then she had ever felt in her life.

Right away, she snuggled up into his chest. Like she had noted before, his chest was hard when she had touched it, but when her head lay there, it was better than even the fluffiest of pillows she had slept on. His one large arm snaked around her neck, wrapping around her as Ciri laid her cheek on his chest. She resting one of her hands under her body, the other relaxing on his chest as well. His other hand gently held onto hers, before she felt him kiss the top of her head.

And in that moment, he was all that mattered, all she could think about, and as long as she had him, she knew she'd be okay.

It was as Geralt always told them, as long as they stuck together, they'd both be alright.

"We're going to be okay… won't we?" She said, her eyes fluttering.

She was too tired to look up at him, but she assumed he had that goofy smile on his face. She knew him too well, she didn't need to look at him to know. She'd look at him tomorrow, and the next day, and every day for the rest of her life.

"We will be… get some rest princess," He said softly, as Ciri felt him kiss the top of her head.

Rest. It was something she knew she deserved, that she needed, but felt so, so far away for so much of her life.

She'd get it now, and after tomorrow she'd have it for the rest of her life.

One more fight, one more day.

She'd been fighting since she was eleven years old, what was one more day?

"Hundreds of years… hundreds of years, of destiny, of history repeating itself," Dominik said quietly, clearly thinking she was asleep.

He sighed and Ciri could tell he looked down at her. "It all comes down to this…. I won't let them take you… I won't let any of them take you from me again…"

And Ciri believed him.

**A/N: And just like that ladies and gentlemen, after 85 chapters, we've finally reached the final battle of The Witcher: Through the Worlds. I never once thought that I would make it this far, I thought I would get bogged down before the Isle of Mists, and never be able to finish. However, with constant support from you all, and my absolute love for the witcher, and the characters I've created, I was able to get here, and I am so, SO excited to bring you the epic conclusion to the story of Dominik and Ciri. These two have meant so much to me, they inspired me to write and come up with an idea for my own original story, I have fanart of the two, an Instagram page where I've met so many amazing people, and I can't describe how amazing it's been! We're the THIRD most popular story on this website for the Witcher based on favorites and follows, and we STILL have so much left!**

**First however, let's review this chapter!**

**First we get what is without a doubt our most important dream of Bella yet. We see her conflicted, the battle within herself that's raging. The battle between Baelen and Bella. Bella is honestly one of my favorite characters, there is so SO much about Bella I can't wait to explore, but for now we begin to see just how deep she goes. WE see a vision she has of her parents, and then Eredin and Caranthir make a request of her to prove her loyalty… **

**After that, we have some more hansa bonding. As you've all seen, for the last few chapters Faram, Freya and George have been a bit in the background. Its been because we've have important events like Bella being revealed, Fiona, and of course the cave of life. However, this chapter we finally get some more bonding of the hanza. We see that Freya had been working on a new weapon, and the guys and Ciri have a present for her!**

**Ciri goes, and we learn a bit more about Freya. Of all Dominik's friends, she's without a doubt going to be the most complex. Faram and George are amazing yes, but they're older, they're witchers, they know what they're going to do, while Freya is still young and anxious to make her mark. **

**The weapon she made is based off the ancient Korean weapon the Hwacha if you all want to go and check it out! We also learn what Freya's mindset is, and something very important for later down the line ; ) **

**After getting her new sword, Dominik meets up with Borch Three Jack Daws again, and the dragon gives him some advice for the coming battle, along with some for how to take care of Fiona. And before anyone asks, YES, we are going to get a short story where Dominik and Ciri take Fiona to meet Borch. **

**After that, we get a rousing speech from Dominik, a moment of bonding from our new Hansa, before Dominik and Ciri spend their last night together. I hoped this sex scene is better then the last few, because I've been trying to make them better xD However, I tried to make this as sweet as possible, a nice, touching moment before we finally begin the climax of the story. **

**I've been waiting so long to get to it, and I can't wait for you all to see. Stay tuned! **

**As usual, if you like this story, be sure to follow and favorite this story, also favorite and follow my profile itself so you can keep up with when I post sequels and spinoff! **

**If you want to see fanart for this story, and my original stories pictures of Dominik and Ciri, of Fiona, of the hansa, and covers for new stories, go and follow dominik_of_cintra on Instagram to see more! Thank you all so much, and as usual stay safe in these trying times and I'll see you all next time!**


	86. The End I (Family)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 86: The End I (Family)**

**Narrator: After their long arduous journey to find once another again, Dominik, Ciri, Geralt and the rest of their allies have all final come together, for one final battle against the Wild Hunt. After eight years apart, Dominik and Ciri are reunited once again, but before they can truly revel in that joy, the moment of their destinies is near. Dominik, the descendant of Alexander of Lod, the protector of the elder blood, and Ciri, the last daughter of Lara Dorren, the child of the elder blood. Hundreds of years of history and conflict have led to this moment, the moment where together, they face the Wild Hunt and their King Eredin. However, on the other side as well, is Bella, Dominik's younger sister, brainwashed and turned into a weapon of the Hunt. It's Dominik's hope to turn his sister back to the person she once was. However, as the battle begins, he and Ciri will soon come to realize, much more is at stake than they once thought…**

_The dream came so quickly, that Dominik wasn't ready for it. It finally wasn't in Bella's room on the Nagalfar. It was a high peak, overlooking what he knew had to be the Skelligan ocean. A part of him was screaming to wake up then, to go and gather the forces they had to find the peak. However, he had no idea any way to identify where Bella was, or what she was even doing there. _

_ But he could see her bright green eyes, the bright green eyes of his little sister that he had missed so much for years. The wind blew through her long locks of brown hair, and Dominik watched as she looked down in her hands at the helmet. The helmet Dominik had seen her wear each time he fought her. Baelen's helmet, lined with dark purple leather around the neck, but still holding the skeletal look of the other commanders' helms. _

_ Her eyes were puffy, her cheeks and the tips of her ears red from the cold, as her eyes went from the helmet, out to the water below the massive peak she stood on. It was a couple hundred feet of a drop, and for a horrible second, as she cried, Dominik thought she may throw herself from the edge. He almost yelled out, before finally, Bella shakily sighed, a small sob leaving her as she squeezed the helmet in her hands. _

_ "You summoned me child," A deep voice caught her attention. _

_ Bella's eyes shut tightly, more tears coming from her eyes. Squeezing even tighter to the helmet, she didn't turn around as she silently cried. "I know you went and saw my brother… talked to him."_

_ "I did," The voice of Kilgarrah said, as Dominik saw the dragon a few steps behind Bella. "I am bound to him, as I am bound to you. I wish only to see the best… for the both of you, I will aid him when he needs, just as I aid you."_

_ "You didn't have a problem fighting against him at Kaer Morhen," Bella said, still not having turned to look at the dragon. _

_ Kilgarrah's white hair matched the snow that sat in piles on the ground around them. He looked the same as Dominik had seen him, ruggedly handsome, claw marks across his face, long hair and beard, eyes of gold that held hundreds of years of wisdom. _

_ However now, instead of just a dagger, Dominik saw a sheathed sword on his belt, with a familiar lion pommel. Bella hadn't noticed yet, but Dominik's breath caught up in his chest when he saw her finally turn to face the dragon. _

_ Kilgarrah shook his head, eyes locking with Bella's. "I knew not he was on the other side; you did not inform me of this. Had I known I would not have fought."_

_ "And gotten me killed," Bella said, arms crossing. Her legs shook, either from the cold or her nerves, as tears fell from her eyes still. "Because I promised a dragon to help fight."_

_ "I would have protected you," Kilgarrah said, taking a step closer and looking sympathetically into Bella's eyes. "You are good my child, you have a warm heart a large one. Eredin does cannot control you… you are so much stronger than you know."_

_ Bella only shook more, unable to look Kilgarrah in the eyes. Dominik could see the concern, the meaning in the dragon's golden irises. _

_ Kilgarrah truly was trying to keep his oath, no matter what it cost him. _

_ "I'm only as strong as I am thanks to the mercy, and training of my King," Bella said, her voice shaking. It sounded as if she was trying to convince herself as much as Kilgarrah. The wind continued to howl, as Bella walked back to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the helmet again. "With…without him… I would be nothing."_

_ Dominik's heart panged. She was breaking, bit by bit his sister was breaking before his eyes. Her hands shook, even when she tried to rest one on the pommel of her jagged black sword. The tears had stopped, but he could still see the pain in her eyes, however they quickly started falling again when Kilgarrah came to the cliff next to her. _

_ "My child… do you remember when you first summoned me?" The dragon said. _

_ Bella shakily nodded. "It was in Na Shadare, that one primitive world. Eredin wanted to test and see if I could summon you like Alexander could… if you'd listen to me like you did Alexander."_

_ Kilgarrah nodded sternly, a look of despair coming to his eyes. "We committed horrible acts that day… and many more since."_

_ "What the King doesn't know… is that you aren't under blood oath anymore," Bella said, her voice terse. "You came to me on your own free will… why must you remind me of what I've done? I'm more then aware of them, I see them every night, hear the screams. They torment me every night…"_

_ Nightmares tormenting her every night. It was something that Dominik had experienced, something he had lived through for years. _

_ The only difference was Bella hadn't had Triss, or Yennefer to help her get rid of the dreams. She didn't have Geralt, to help teach her to calm her mind. She did have someone she loved the girl Kendra he had seen in previous visions, but she had been killed, the two people Eivor and Anora, two who had become parents to her, they had been killed. _

_ She had been left with nobody, nobody except Eredin, who had used that wonderfully to his advantage to further his own goals. _

_ They had used her, tormented her, her mind, her body._

_ But Kilgarrah was correct. His sister was much stronger than they thought. _

_ "I came to help you my child… I traveled through time and space to do so that first time," Kilgarrah said, turning and crossing his arms as he met Bella's eyes. "And… do you remember what I swore to you that day?"_

_ Bella swallowed, the tears streaming. "You said… that no matter what… you would be there for me. That you would help me realize who I am… no matter the cost."_

_ "And it has cost me much… after this is over… I must and will repent," Kilgarrah said, stroking his snowy white beard._

_ Bella finally turned and met the dragon's eyes, an edge to them. "If you're so bothered by what I summon you for, if it hurts your 'honor' then why the hell do you come when I summon you!? If you don't like it, you can leave then! Leave me for my brother, for my brother and Ciri, just like they all did!"_

_ A tense silence hung over the cold air. Bella's anger quickly turned to a sob. Her gaze turned away from Kilgarrah, back out over the cliff, her hands balled into fists. Dominik didn't know if it was from the wind of the dream, or from his own blood thinning in his veins, but he suddenly felt cold. _

_ Even with Eredin and Caranthir conjuring her fake memories, Dominik had always known the truth. He had failed his sister in Cintra, it was something that he lived with every day since that fateful night. _

_ But he wouldn't fail her this time, he couldn't. _

_ Kilgarrah seemed hurt by the words. For the first time, Dominik could see the dragons hard exterior look crack. His gold eyes fell, as Bella turned back to him, her cheeks wet, red, her hair caked with flakes of white snow. _

_ "I am here… because I care deeply for you my dear, you know this," The dragon said, his voice low and gruff. "I only wish to see you safe… see you be the person I know you are. I see much of him in you… much of Alexander. It is why I'm still here; I care for you as much as I cared for him… and I will not fail you as I failed him, you or your brother."_

_ Bella scoffed as she wiped her cheeks. "You speak of Alexander again… I'll never understand it. Understand why after so many years you still fight for him."_

_ "It is because I saw him as my brother, my dearest friend. We may not have been of the same species, the same blood… but he was still the best man I've ever met. And you and your brother both… you can be even greater than he was."_

_ Bella looked worried; Dominik had seen it since the start. There was something else in her eyes, other than just her anger and sadness. He tried to read his sisters gaze, but she quickly shut her eyes again. _

_ "How can you say that… he wasn't your family," Bella said, her arms shaking, again speaking as if she was trying to convince herself of the words as well. "And he died… because he and his brother stole what wasn't his… died for a woman who they had hardly knew."_

_ "Love my dear… they did it for love. Sometimes destiny and love are one in the same," Kilgarrah said, seeming to carefully calculate his next words. "Just look at your brother… and Cirilla. It was destiny that they met… that you met her as well my dear."_

_ Upon hearing he and Ciri's names, Bella's eyes shot open. "Yes, he loves her, he's blinded by it. He's blinded by it, my mother was blinded by it, my father was, they all were! Blinded by her, because of her, they all choose her over me over their daughter HIS SISTER!"_

_ "You thought of Cirilla as a sister as well… family my dear… comes from so much more than just blood ties," Kilgarrah said softly. Bella froze at the words, more than likely remembering the vision of their mother saying the same thing. The dragon looked softly into her eyes. "What was your dream last night?"_

_ Bella's eyes widened, shooting over to Kilgarrah. "You told him to send me those dreams, didn't you? You showed him the spell?"_

_ "I did not… it was all his idea… to show the truth, show you who you were… who you still are," The dragon said, his eyes not leaving Bella's. "And I believe he is correct… the person you truly are is not dead… it's not who you've been acting as."_

_ Bella's anger cracked. Dominik suddenly remembered the dream he saw the day before, Bella awaking after she saw the dream, seeing their parents. Dominik had wondered if it truly did work and judging by the reaction of Bella to Kilgarrah's words, it had. Bella had seen the dream. She shook, biting down hard on her bottom lip, she looked up at Kilgarrah. He took a minute to realize how beautiful his sister had grown. She had faded bruises, and small scars adorned her face and neck, but Dominik could see that she was just as beautiful as their mother was. Bella had Sofia's features, a delicate chin, high cheek bones, smaller nose. Her hair blew back in the wind, frazzled and unkept like when she was younger. _

_ His sister was all grown up, she had grown up not remembering him, and it had been his fault. _

_ Crying again now, she shook her head, meeting Kilgarrah's eyes. "I… I saw my brother, myself… Ciri. We… we were with guardsman, throwing snowballs, laughing, playing… I was… happy… so… so happy with them both. I… I called Ciri my sister."_

_ "It is as I said my child…" Kilgarrah said softly, his hand finally reaching out to Bella's shoulder. "Family… can be so much more than just blood ties."_

_ "It can't be real!" Bella snapped quickly, tears falling from her eyes as she desperately shook her head, her eyes pleading. "Caranthir he unlocked my memories, my true memories of home… they detested me… my brother… he left me in the street to go save his princess."_

_ Kilgarrah's eyes hardened again. "I've told you from the beginning my child… the dreams, the headaches… you've been seeing them for a reason. The truth… it will always leak through."_

_ "What they showed me is the truth! It has to be, they wouldn't lie to me!" _

_ "Only you can yourself will be able to tell what is true, and what is not, you will feel it… feel it in your heart, your mind when you know what is real," Kilgarrah said, tilting his head and meeting Bella's pleading gaze. "You have a good heart my dear…a pure heart. You are strong enough to uncover the truth for yourself, search your feelings, your heart… what feels right?"_

_ Bella sobbed finally, breaking down again. Kilgarrah looked like he was going to pull her into a hug, but Bella shook her head, looking at the dragon with tear-soaked eyes. Sobbing, Bella's arms shook, her helmet under her arm trembling. _

_ "I can't… even if it is true… they'll never accept me… not after what I've done," She cried, holding both hands to her helmet as she gaze down at it, tears falling onto it. "My brother… he would kill me… he would kill me if it meant keeping Ciri safe…. And even if what they showed me isn't true… it's too late… nobody else can love me, can care for me after what I've done. Don't you see Kilgarrah? This is the only way I can find somewhere I belong… with people who care… even with all I've done."_

_ She broke again, sobbing, as finally Kilgarrah hugged her. It was just like when they were younger, and she scrapped her knee, saw an animal hurt or had a bad dream. His sister was there, she cried like she always used to, spoke like she always used to. She was the same person that Dominik knew. _

_ Bella was alive, she wasn't Baelen, not fully, and wouldn't be, he would make sure. _

_ "I care my child… I always have, and always will," Kilgarrah said, as Bella wiped her cheeks, gently pulling back from him. The dragon looked down at her. "And so, does your brother… no matter the circumstances."_

_ Bella seemed to reluctantly leave the dragon's embrace. She continued to wipe her cheeks, her nose, gripping tighter to her helmet. She looked long at Kilgarrah again, her emerald eyes full of pain, of regret. She sobbed again, biting her lip, and turning her back to the dragon again. Kilgarrah looked at her wonderingly like he was going to ask a question, but Bella spoke in a broken voice. _

_ "Did… did he tell you anything else," She said, turning to the dragon with tears still in her eyes. "My brother… did he… he tell you anything else?"_

_ Kilgarrah slowly nodded, and Dominik's heart leapt when the dragon reached for the sword on his belt, unclipping the sheath and holding it out in both his hands to Bella. _

_ "He told me to tell you… that he loves you… and no matter what, he will not give up on you," The dragon said, looking at the sword as Bella jaw fell open. "And he said… to bring this back to you…"_

_ "This is our grandfathers' sword, our mothers," Bella said quickly, her eyes not leaving the lion pommel of Coram, her voice quick but shaking. "He… he was supposed to inherit it. It's better than any sword he'd have, he needs it to protect his princess."_

_ Dominik's heart sank, but he watched Kilgarrah shake his head. _

_ "No… he said it belonged with you, you were its rightful carrier," The dragon said, a small smile coming to his scarred face. He reached out, gingerly taking Bella's hand and placing it over the blade. "He and Cirilla both went through much to retrieve it for you… they braved the Cave of Life, almost perished."_

_ "Why… why would they do that… why would he do that?" Bella said, her voice cracking again as she cried again. "He's giving me a weapon… that could help me kill Ciri… why would he do that?"_

_ Kilgarrah looked deep into her eyes, his rough larger hand over Bella's as she finally took the sword from him. The dragon slowly shook his head. _

_ "I believe it is obvious my dear," He said softly, removing his hands and letting Bella hold the sword for herself. "It is because he knows, as I do, as Cirilla knows… as everyone who knows the true you knows… that you are not Baelen… you are Bella of Cintra… one of the last descendants of Alexander of Lod… and he will not give up on you."_

_ Dominik could help but smile at the scene. Bella's eyes hadn't left the sword. She was slack-jawed, tears slowly falling onto the brown sheath in her hands. Carefully, she ran her hands over the lion pommel again, and then ever so gently pulled a part of the blade out. It was as if she was checking if the sword truly was Coram, the one she had teleported away with from Cintra the night of the massacre. _

_ She looked and saw the blue runes, and tears fell onto the steel as they still glowed. Dominik was flashed back to the times he and Bella would sit and look at the runes, trying to determine what they meant. Of course, they couldn't, but as Bella looked at the sword she sobbed. Sobbed hard, closing her eyes as if looking at the sword and Kilgarrah brought her pain. Dominik's heart raced, as her arms shook, the helmet had fallen to the snow, and Bella glanced down at it, before going back to the sword. _

_ The cold wind howled, the snow beginning to fall faster, harder, as Bella sobbed, clutching the blade to her chest as she re-sheathed it. It looked as if the weight of a thousand boulders resided on his sisters back, as she looked at the lion pommel. Kilgarrah stood there, almost seeming to cry himself. He didn't know if dragons could cry, but Kilgarrah seemed close to it. He reached out a hand for Bella's shoulder again, but Bella quickly looked up at him, meeting his golden eyes as she shakily shook her head. _

_ "No one act of good… no matter how good it is…" Bella started, sobbing as she shook her head, her hand clutched around the sword. "Can wipe out so many acts of bad… it's too late Kilgarrah… I can't… I only have one way I can belonged."_

_ "That is not true my child… it simply is not true," Kilgarrah said softly, holding out both hands on Bella's shoulders, smiling at her, his eyes warm. "It is not too late my dear… it is never too late for one to come back to the light… you are good Bella... you always have been."_

_ Bella sobbed again, one hand holding the sword, the other gripping tightly onto Kilgarrah's hand on her shoulder. She looked down at the sword, and the helmet again, before slowly looking and meeting the dragon's eyes. _

_ "I… I know what I have to do…." She sobbed, blood trickling from her lip from biting too hard, her armor clattering as she shook. The wind howled, the trees around the cliff shook, Bella's lip twitched as she looked up into the dragon's eyes. "I… I know what I must do Kilgarrah but… but I'm afraid… I… I don't know if I'm strong enough…"_

_ Kilgarrah lightly smiled, his larger tough hand holding up to Bella's cheek. The dragon slowly nodded, as Bella's tear-filled eyes looked up to meet his again. _

_ "I will always be there to aid you my dear," The dragon said, nodded as his scarred face twisted into another smile. "You are precious to me child… I will always be there when you call."_

_ The words were supposed to be uplifting, Dominik saw how much the dragon genuinely cared for her. _

_ Bella, however, didn't smile back. _

_ She gripped tightened on Kilgarrah's arms, sobbing again as she looked up at him. "I… I'm sorry… I'm so… so sorry."_

_ Kilgarrah tilted his head. "What do you think you have to be sorry for child?"_

_ Bella's hands shook, as she sobbed and shook her head. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"_

_ She took a step back, down the cliff, next to where her helmet had rolled. Her one hand stayed clutched around Coram, now seemingly unable to look at it. She did, however, look at Kilgarrah, sobbing again. _

_ Kilgarrah shook his head, speaking softly. "Bella… what are you-."_

_ But Bella cut him off, as she raised her hand, speaking in Elder speech, her eyes glowing bright blue, with tears still falling down her cheeks. _

_ "Anja, crynvael… PELIO ANAYE!" _

_ "GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" _

_ "NO BELLA DON'T, STOP!" _

_ His screams fell on deaf ears, and even if Bella could hear him through the dream, his voice would have been cut out Kilgarrah's screams. The dragon's screams were more like a roar, causing snow to shake and fall of trees around them. Dark black tendrils of magic, shot from Bella's hands, circling around the dragon, yanking his arms to the ground. Dominik watched in horror, as Kilgarrah tried to transform back into a dragon, his skin bulged, his tunic ripped, but each attempt was met by Bella closing her hand tighter, and tighter. _

_ Dominik looked and saw Bella crying, sobbing hysterically at Kilgarrah's pained cries. She shook, Coram still in her other hand as the one stayed lit with magic. She shook her head, muttering the entire time as she cried, applying more and more pressure to the hold. _

_ "I'm sorry… gods I'm sorry… Kilgarrah…" Bella said, her voice coming out in sobs, as Kilgarrah's screams finally died. _

_ Dominik looked at the great dragon on his knees, tendrils of mist pulling his arms to the side. Heavy, heaving breaths came from him, as he labored against his bons. He looked up, and for the first time he saw the dragon in complete shock. His eyes were wide, and Dominik could even finally see a tear fall from his eyes, as his arm muscles bulged as he struggled against the magic. _

_ He desperately looked up, the cold wind blowing back his snowy white hair. His scarred face was twisted with fear, just as Dominik's was. _

_ Because Kilgarrah knew what was happening, just as Dominik did. _

_ "My child… Bella…" He said through strained, gritted teeth, the hurt in his voice evident. "This is not the answer… it isn't too late… Bella-." _

_ "It is," Bella cut him off, sobbing as she held the magic in her hand and looked with tears down at Kilgarrah, shaking her head. "This… this is the only way… nobody… nobody else will love what I've become… only them… I'm sorry… I'm so… so sorry Kilgarrah… but I have to do this."_

_ "You do not!" Kilgarrah stressed, straining as he pulled against the magic. "You do not have to do this Bella, there are other ways, you brother loves you, I love you… please… my dear, do not do this… not for my sake… but for your own… there is another way."_

_ Bella's hand loosened ever so slightly, and a small slimmer of hope shot up from Dominik's chest. _

_ However, Bella sobbed again, closing her hand tighter, Kilgarrah's pained cries ringing out again, and it was gone. _

_ "My brother… he'll kill me tomorrow… he will," Bella cried, the tears covering her red cheeks as she sobbed and met Kilgarrah's strained eyes. "If he sees this plan has failed… when he thinks about all I have done… when he realizes that I can kill Ciri… he'll kill me… it's too late… and the only way…" She sobbed again, "The only way I can truly… truly belong somewhere… is by doing this… I'm so… so sorry Kilgarrah… I am…"_

_ Kilgarrah shook his head again, grunting as he struggled against his bonds. "Bella… my child please… please listen to me. Release me and I'll take you from here… we'll find your brother, you'll see that-."_

_ "It's too late... it's too late…" Bella said, broken as she cried. "I am who I am… my name is Baelen… a commander of the Wild Hunt, servant to my King Eredin… it's how it has to be… and now I have to do one more thing tomorrow… it's the only way I'll belong."_

_ "That's not your name!" Kilgarrah said sharply. "You are Bella of Cintra, child of Sofia, of Gregory, descendant of Alexander! You are good Bella; you have been good since-."_

_ Portals opened around them, and a new racking voice pierced over the snow._

_ "CRYNVEL PENALE CANAYE!" _

_ "GAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

_ "NO! NO KILGARRAH!" Dominik tried to scream out, but again his voice was muffled by the wind, and the dozens of portals that opened on the cliff. _

_ Dozens of swirling blue portals, and riders of the Hunt poured out of them. Bella stood as Kilgarrah screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She still had Coram tucked under her arm, and Dominik yelled out again, when he saw her look down into the snow. _

_ Her tears falling, Bella reached and picked the helmet from the ground. Kilgarrah's pained screams rang out, as she cried onto the metal. Her hands shook, as the magic stopped forming in her hands. However, Kilgarrah still wreathed and yelled, struggling against magic bonds as riders from the Hunt gathered, yanking, and making sure the dragon didn't escape. _

_ "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Bella cried again, not speaking loud enough for any of the riders to hear. _

_ "Well done… Baelen." Bella jumped, upon hearing Eredin's dark, cold voice. _

_ Dominik watched, as Caranthir trudged through the snow past Bella, his staff raised, swirling with magic at the top. _

_ Eredin followed closely behind, his massive form coming behind his sister. Bella jumped again when the King's massive, armored hand on her shoulder. It almost knocked Bella to the ground, but quickly she composed herself, looking and meeting Eredin's eyes. He didn't wear his helmet, so his pale, monstrous eyes looked back at his sister. _

_ "He won't be hurt right? You promised me he wouldn't be hurt," She said quickly, her hair whipping behind her. "You promised after the battle he'd be released!"_

_ Eredin laughed, his voice echoing over the howling wind. Dominik saw into the King's eyes. He had seen men like this, it didn't matter if Eredin was an elf, he knew what that look in men's eyes meant, what type of men then always belonged too. _

_ Ones who cared nothing for others' lives, none but their own. _

_ "Of course, Baelen," Eredin said slowly, a twisted smile coming to his face as he looked down into Bella's tear-filled eyes. "You did well… now… only one more thing for you to do... and you'll finally have your new family… tomorrow is the day."_

_ "And… and we're sure it's tomorrow?" Bella said, terror rising in her voice. _

_ Eredin's curled smile looked over to Caranthir, who stood over a thrashing, screaming Kilgarrah, his hand over the dragon's head, muttering a spell. _

_ "Yes… it will be tomorrow, Avallac'h will not wait any longer," Eredin said, his koi smile looking back down to Bella, gripping her shoulder. "It will be tomorrow… tomorrow, you will finally have your vengeance Baelen… you will finally fulfill your purpose,"_

_ "My King…" Caranthir interrupted before Bella could answer, making Eredin turn to the navigator, as his helmet met Eredin's eyes. "It is ready for you…"_

_ Eredin smirked, stroking the back of Bella's hair, making his sister shake. "You did well Baelen… never forget who gave you that name… who is responsible… for your power, yes?"_

_ Before Bella could say anything, Eredin walked away. After he did, Dominik saw tears start to gently fall from her eyes again, as she watched Eredin walked towards Kilgarrah on his knees. Black tendrils of magic swirled to keep the dragon restrained, along with dozens of riders as Caranthir stepped aside for Eredin. _

_ Dominik looked and saw a glyph of blue magic simmering above Kilgarrah's head. The dragon's skin had stretched and strained, clearly trying to turn back into his true form, but the magic either stopped him, or caused him too much pain. _

_ "Why… hello again Kilgarrah… do you remember me?" Eredin said cockily, his cold eyes moving in front of Kilgarrah's. _

_ Kilgarrah spat, a blob of saliva smacking into Eredin's face. "Your plan… it… it will not succeed your deplorable cur… she is so much stronger than you know… your arrogance… it will be your downfall. The day you fear has arrived… Alexander has returned… his children have returned… and they will be your downfall."_

_ Eredin wiped the spit from his face, reaching to his belt and pulling out a knife. "I thought dragons were supposed to be wise beings… not followers of ridiculous superstitions. No… I will control all, just like Alexander and his brats… all will bow before me, the superior being… the superior race… and I will start first… with you."_

_ Eredin slit the dagger across his palm, crimson blood seeping into the snow below. _

_ And Kilgarrah screamed, as magic yanked his arms, and Eredin clamped his massive bloody hand over the glyph of magic Caranthir had placed. _

_ "GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"_

_ Kilgarrah's screamed turned to a roar, a pain roar, a guttural roar as his mind was muddled and covered by Eredin's massive hand. _

_ His view turned to Bella, who stood watching, her eyes full of tears, as she slowly shook her head, biting her lip and clutching at the helmet and sword in her hand. She shook, trembling as she looked down at the sword and helmet both in her hands. Her eyes turned to the sword, and for a moment, Dominik thought she may unsheathe it. _

_ However, she didn't. She muttered words in Elder Speech, and in a slow flash of bright blue light Coram disappeared from her hands. _

_ 'NO! BELLA STOP DON'T!" Again, his screams fell on deaf ears, as Bella's shaky hands held the helmet. _

_ "The only way… this is the only way… it's too late," She said, looking over at a screaming Kilgarrah, and sobbing again. "I'm sorry…"_

_ And then, she took the helmet, and slid it over the top of her head, her emerald eyes covered and replaced by the black eye slits of the helm's faceplate. _

_ The ones that had been there when he fought Baelen._

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"NOOOOOO! NO BELLA, BELLA STOP!"

He shot up from he and Ciri's bed, sweat cascading down his bare chest. He thrashed so wildly, that he heard a loud bang, and turned to see a frantic Ciri looking over at him from the floor.

"Dom! Dominik what is it, what's wrong!?" She said, scattering back up onto the bed.

Dominik felt bad for a moment knocking her off the bed. He looked at her wide eyed, she was completely naked as he was, normally in the mornings he would take the time to admire this fact. But now, all he could see was Bella, Kilgarrah.

His plan hadn't worked.

"C…Ciri it… it didn't… it didn't-," He stuttered, shaking from a cold draft, unable to fully form words.

She crawled over to him, her frazzled ashen hair in streaks down her shoulders. He knew seeing him like this was worrying her, he could see the panic beginning to build up in her eyes as well. Ciri had fallen asleep early, but Dominik couldn't, he spent hours awake, looking at her asleep in his arms, thinking about all the things he had to do that day. He was certain, he finally formed a plan of action, he knew what he'd do. He was finally starting to think for certain they would win.

But all of it was undone with what he saw. His plan to bring Bella back had failed, and now he needed a new one.

"Dominik… Dom what is it," She said softly, looking into his eyes. Gently she cupped her hands over his cheeks, her thumb running down his scar. "You… you said Bella's name… Dominik what happened?"

He felt the tears welling up in his eyes. The damage to Bella was even worse than he had thought. What Eredin and Caranthir had done to her, was much worse than he thought.

_No, man up, you can't cry, not now. If you cry, then Ciri will worry more, and Bella's already lost, _he thought quickly.

"Ciri my… my plan… it didn't work," He said softly, blinking rapidly as he shook his head.

Ciri's hands shook as she sat back, her eyes going wide. "What? What do you mean? Does… does that mean that… that Bella-."

"We can still save her, I know we can don't worry," He said, seeing her face fall, reaching out he gently cupped hers, kissing her. "We _will _do this."

A part of Dominik expected her to argue with him, expected her face to fall more, for her to panic.

But she didn't.

Her eyes narrowed, she leaned forward and kissed him hard on the lips. Over the previous few days, few weeks even he had been able to see her nerves, the weight of the destiny she had slowly breaking her. He knew Ciri was strong, she was the strongest person he knew. However, even the strongest among us needed help to stay strong now and then, and the previous few weeks, they had done that for each other.

Now however, it seemed she was as ready as he was. Ready to make them all pay.

"We will…" She said, as she pulled back from him, meeting his eyes and nodded. "They're all going to pay… every one of them. If they want me so bad… they can have me… I'll be sure to give them everything."

Dominik quickly nodded, unable to stop a smile from forming on his face.

It left even quicker however, when he remembered what else had happened in his dreams.

He looked and met Ciri's eyes, nodding but biting his lip. "We'll get her back… I'll find a way… but Ciri we… have an even bigger problem now."

She darted her eyes back up to him. "You saw something else? What was-."

She was cut off by the door to their room slamming open, quickly Ciri rushed to pull blankets over her chest, and Dominik instinctively yanked them over his waist.

"Dominik! Ciri!" The worried voice of Yennefer said, as Dominik saw her mother rush into the room. "We've been looking all over for… oh gods… um… sorry, are we interrupting?" Their mother said, her eyes nervously widening as she turned her back to them.

"For fuck's sake… didn't I tell you this is where we'd find them?" Geralt complained behind her, putting his hand over his eyes. "I told you, 'they're probably naked fucking in the room', but no, you said 'we need to find them we're going to be late!'."

"That's because we are Geralt!" Yen snapped at him. "We need to move quickly before the armies get too far ahead of us!"

Dominik looked at Ciri, all thoughts of his dream forgotten for a moment as their faces were both beat red.

"Well? Get some clothes on!" Geralt said, his hand still over his eyes.

That sprung them both out of bed. Dominik quickly reached for his knickers, pulling them quickly over his waist before doing the same with his discarded trousers. He looked over at Ciri, who's naked body was quickly covered with her small clothes. Apparently, he had been staring too long because she noticed him looking at her chest and winked at him. She laughed when his eyes widened, before pulling up her own trousers as well as her shirt. Within another few moments, Dominik was dressed, minus his armor which had been taken off back on the ship. Ciri looked the same, in her normal outfit she reached up, tying her hair into a tight bun, the ring and her new wolf medallion he had gotten her dangling around her neck.

He looked down and noticed the green dress she had been dressed in the night before neatly folded next to her sword. Ciri saw him looking at it, and striding over to him, he quickly kissed his cheek and winked, walking past him towards where Geralt and were one was covering his eyes, while the other looked at the wall.

"You can turn around now," Ciri said, as Dominik came up next to her. She rolled her eyes as Geralt and Yen both turned around. "You know, you really should knock on the door of a closed room of an inn."

"Yeah, especially when you more than likely know exactly what's going on," Dominik said dryly, fiddling with his medallion and the swallow around his neck.

They both turned around, Yen dressed in her normal black and white, Geralt in his armor, swords freshly polished.

Yen sighed and looked at them. "Sorry darlings, but it's as I said, we must get moving. Faram, George and Freya told us where you were, but it's already nearly midday. We need to set sail soon."

Dominik's skin crawled, but after meeting Ciri's eyes and seeing her nod, he looked back to them both.

"You said the armies are moving? Crach and his men have moved out… and the Black Ones?" He said, still disgusted at the idea of being so close to Emhyr.

Geralt quickly nodded from next to Yen. "Yeah, and one his messengers stopped by the ship. Made sure Avallac'h didn't overhear, but it said that Anton and his men are moving out with Crach, and they'll meet you at the spot you all discussed a few days ago, the hill overlooking where we plan to summon them."

He nodded again. Everything was in place. Despite how much he hated them, they had an armada of ships and at least a hundred troops from Emhyr and the Black Ones. All Skellige was at their side, as Cerys had promised him back when he first met her. And of course, there was Anton, and the remaining men loyal to Cintra, his elite knights, a group the old knight had no problem letting Dominik lead.

However, they had been prepared at Kaer Morhen as well. They had gotten lucky that Kilgarrah had noticed him at the fortress. Looking back on the battle now, after the white dragon had noticed him, he didn't attack the keep itself, only fighting with Borch. He had still failed that day, not remembering Bella could track him, and not having a better plan to deal with Kilgarrah.

The dragon's screams echoed in his ears, all the eyes on him now. He saw Bella, pulling her helmet over her head, _Coram _shimmering away. His first plan to get her back had failed, so now he only had one option left.

He had to fight her, had to fight her, and get through to her.

Dominik would, he wasn't going to let her down, give up on her, leave her, no matter what Bella thought.

But they had a much bigger problem now, then just Bella.

He slowly nodded, biting his lip he met Geralt's eyes. "Alright… but Geralt… have you seen Borch at all today? I saw him yesterday, he told me he spoke to you."

"Yeah, Yen and I got to talk to him," Geralt nodded. "He's back on the ship now, why do you ask?"

"Yes, and you said we had a problem when you woke up, Dominik what is it?" Ciri said, looking to him as well.

All three of them turned to him, and Dominik shivered.

He nodded to Geralt. "Good… because we're going to need him. Kilgarrah… he… he doesn't control his actions anymore… neither does Bella. Eredin used a spell and took control of him… we won't get any mercy from him…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik remembered back at Kaer Morhen, when he was shaking before the battle, unable to move or stop his hands from shuddering. Arno had told him they were simply pre-battle jitters, and they went away after a while. It helped to meditate, sit in a quiet room and calm your mind. In Arno's case, he told Dominik he always spoke to Elise, the woman he loved and at Kaer Morhen, recommended he do the same with Ciri. It had worked tremendously, and he wanted to do the same then.

However, Ciri was just as anxious, angry, and furious as he was as she stood next to him at that war table, in that Nilfgaardean tent, listening to Avallac'h drone on.

"Four of you can be positioned here, on this cliff face," The sage said, his voice more urgent then Dominik had ever heard it. "And you three shall stand on this opposite cliff and-."

"Honestly, we're all perfectly capable of doing math as well as magic. I'm sure we're all able to understand where to stand," Kiera Metz said with an eye roll, meeting the sage's glare. "Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?"

"No, he doesn't," Dominik piped up from his spot next to Ciri in the corner of the tent.

His comment got him a glare from the sage, but he had gotten so used to those it didn't affect him. It got a scoffing laugh out of Ciri, and he saw a few small smiles appear on the sorceress's faces, mainly Yen and Triss, so in the end the comment was worth it.

The sail to Undvik had been mostly silent. Unlike at Kaer Morhen where he had to plan, scramble to make sure everything was perfect. Now practically everything was already in place, and the few things that weren't didn't require Dominik's attention yet.

So, he simply had leaned against the railing on the front of the ship, Ciri at his side, along with Geralt and Yen. Faram had been meditating near the captain's wheel while Barnabas steered. George had spent the drive sharpening his blades, while Freya urgently helped the men make more arrows for her weapon, which the men had started calling 'the Kaminski' in honor of her. They had plenty of arrows for a few dozen volleys now, and Dominik was eager to see it in action after Ciri had described it. After they had landed, the sorceresses, Geralt, himself and Ciri had made their way into the Black One's camp they were in now, the tent around a war table with a map of the bay of Undvik they positioned in.

Like he expected, Avallac'h didn't take any notice to Faram, George and Freya all heading the opposite direction they did after they landed. The _Adrestia w_as a safe distance away. The 'Kaminski' had been wheeled to the hill they planned, a perfect slope for them all to charge down when the battle started, and if the message Geralt received earlier in the day was correct, Anton and his knights would be waiting for them.

They had seen Skelligan forces all around the Island, not getting to close to the Black Ones, who's armada was in the bay then. Dominik would see all the ships in splinters; however, he wouldn't deny how impressed he was by the fleet of at least a hundred ships surrounding the island. The bay, despite it being picked by Avallac'h was indeed the most strategic spot he could see to summon the Hunt, they would be bottled into that one area, right into the path of all their forces. And with 'the Kaminski' raining arrows upon them, it would be a rude awakening for the wraiths.

A few things of course worried him. His dream still lingered in his head. Kilgarrah would come through the portal, he knew, probably when they were tired from fighting like at Kaer Morhen. Would Bella still be riding him? He tried to voice his concerns to some of the officers in the Black One's army when he arrived, stating they should spread out their ships instead of making them an easy target for the dragon.

He had been laughed off, much to his annoyance. Despite his hatred for the Black Ones, he didn't want innocent soldiers to die. Borch also had disappeared into the woods with Tea and Vea after the ride on the ship, claiming not to worry, that he would arrive when needed.

However, the closer they got to the battle, and the longer he didn't see _their _dragon, the more worried he was.

And finally, of course, there was the other part of his dream as well. Bella.

She would be here soon, and he'd need to do what he was trying to avoid.

"Hey, you alright?" Ciri whispered to him, her arm wrapped in his. They both sat on two large crates in the tent, while the sorceress and Avallac'h bickered.

Dominik's skin crawled, he sighed deeply and looked at her. "Well… we're in a camp surrounded by Nilfgaardeans, Emhyr is probably only a few miles away, Avallac'h won't shut up… and we're about to fight the Wild Hunt."

A small smirk crossed her face. "So… basically everything we've been doing the last few months?"

"Basically," He said, unable to keep the smile from coming to his face. However, he bit his lip, the dream returning to him. "Just trying to think about what I'll say with Bella…"

Ciri squeezed his hand, and despite how anxious they both felt she smiled at him. He of course hadn't liked being in the middle of a Nilfgaardean war camp, it reminded him far too much of Cintra. He had seen that black banner with the golden sun marching through his home, its soldiers killing everyone in sight. He had plenty of reasons to be nervous there, Emhyr had also sent assassins after him three times now, so it probably wasn't the safest place for him.

However, Ciri had even more of a right to be nervous then him, to be afraid. He didn't know if Emhyr would be stupid enough to be this close to the battle, but that possibility was of course there. She was worried he knew, worried he'd try to grab her after the battle was done. It had been in part why he instructed Faram to park his ship in a spot where it was hidden, so that they could make their quick getaway after it was over.

Still, she was being strong then, for both their sakes, so he would as well.

She gave him a small smile as she squeezed his hand. "Don't think about it too much, just talk from your heart."

"I'm going to have to fight her…" He said slowly. "I was hoping that well… the sword, the dream… and Kilgarrah would be enough so I didn't have to but…"

"You can do this, _we _can do this," She said, as she stood up from the crate. "We've done everything we could to prepare. Our friends will be with us, Anton, Geralt. Our life starts tomorrow right? That is, if you still think you can deal with me for the rest of your life."

He couldn't help but smile again, for a moment all the negative thoughts were banished from his mind.

He held one hand onto her waist, leaning forward and kissing her cheek suddenly, like he knew she found cute. She smiled back at him, that smile that instantly lit any room for him, the one he had missed for years.

The one he fought for that day.

"Dealing with you for the rest of my life?" He said softly, smiling the entire time at her. "That's all I've ever wanted."

She got completely flustered, Dominik had told her before, but on the eve of a battle for their lives it seemed to hold more weight.

"I'd kiss you for that if we weren't surrounded by people you know," She said, crossing her arms and smirking at him.

He chuckled. "You're more than welcome to later. Even more then that if you'd like."

She winked at him, and before Dominik could say anything, he heard the clunking of armor.

"Ah, Geralt finally, we were waiting for you," Avallac'h said, finally stopping his bickering with the sorceresses.

Upon hearing that, Ciri and he both shot their heads towards the tents entrance. Sure, enough Geralt was there, his armor freshly polished and repaired, the sun gleaming off his two swords. Right away Ciri and he shot to the side of the table, meeting his eyes. Before Geralt answered the sage, he met their eyes, and winked subtly. It was quick enough to where it could have been mistaken for him blinking, but he and Ciri both let out an anxious breath.

Everyone except himself, Ciri, Yen and Triss thought Geralt was simply out polishing his armor and swords. However, in reality, he and Ciri's adopted father was out with Faram, George and Freya, making sure they were able to get 'the Kaminski' into position with Anton and his men, without the Nilfgaardeans prying eyes catching them and reporting to the commanders.

His being back, and that wink meant everything was in position, Anton and his men were prepared, and George, Freya and Faram were with them. Soon, Ciri and he would join them, with Geralt as well.

After winking to them, Geralt turned and rolled his eyes at the sage. "Really now, looks to me like you started already."

Avallac'h shook his head. "We were discussing questions of a magical nature. Nothing of great interest to you."

"Right…" Geralt said, rolling his eyes again. "Because I'm just a simple witcher."

"Simplicity has its charms," Yen pipped up, smirking from next to the sage.

Geralt rolled his eyes again. It was easily him that he and Ciri had gotten that from. He walked up next to the two of them, nodding measuredly to he and Ciri both, before turning back to the table and the sage.

"So… you were explaining your plan?" Geralt said.

"Yes, every little excruciating detail," Kiera said again with an eye roll. "It's as Dominik said, he simply likes hearing himself talk I believe."

"I promise it isn't just a sage thing," Ida Emean said from Ciri's left, making Dominik scoff a laugh.

Everyone around the table smirked or laughed again, as Avallac'h sighed in annoyance rubbing both his temples.

"The sooner we finish, the sooner we can all be rid of one another. A moment I have long awaited and I'm sure you are as well," The sage said in annoyance, and Dominik didn't think he had ever agreed with the sage more. Avallac'h sighed, looking at the map again. "The plan is simple… which does not mean it will be easy to execute."

"Never would have guessed…" Dominik said, unable to keep the sarcasm from spilling from his mouth.

Avallach's nostrils flared, but he kept his composure. The chuckle from Ciri next to him, and the smirk from the sorceresses near him again made the comment worth it.

"I shall answer activate the sunstone. If Caranthir answers the call, a few of the Hunts ships will first enter the bay," Avallac'h said, cutting the laughter off sharply.

Dominik's head shot up, and Geralt asked the question before he could.

"A few ships? You mean Eredin won't appear on the Nagalfar right away?" He said suspiciously.

Avallac'h shook his head. "No… Eredin is arrogant, but he isn't stupid. He knows the power we hold with… _both _of you two," He looked pointedly at Dominik and Ciri, "he knows of the power you both possess, he will send more riders then normal. He wishes to try and draw you both out, before arriving himself."

Dominik rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"It wasn't a compliment," The sage said darkly, leaning on the map again and looking to all the sorceresses. "After the first ships show up, the Nagalfar will appear shortly after. When that happens, the Lodge must prevent it from returning to the world of the Aen Elle, while the imperial fleet will block its escape by sea."

Dominik couldn't stop himself again. "Kilgarrah will blow the imperial fleet to fucking splinters if we leave them there bunched up like that! You know it as well as I do!"

Avallac'h scoffed as all the eyes fell on him. "And since when do you care about the lives of Nilfgaardeans?"

His blood boiled. "I care about hundreds of men dying, because you can't put your fucking pride aside and listen to me!"

"He's right," Geralt quickly said, before the sage could say anything. Geralt stepped in front of Dominik before he could lose his temper. "We need to be prepared for the dragon this time."

"Isn't that what Borch came for?" Triss said from the opposite side of the table.

Geralt nodded but crossed his arms. "Yes, but two dragons fighting is destructive as it is. We need to find a way to help defend the troops or do something about Kilgarrah."

"Well, it's a good thing the 7th Ymalts Infantry Regiment under Duke var Attre will have you with them as they board the ships and charge," Avallac'h said with a wave of his hand.

Dominik's eyes widened, he looked and saw Ciri's fist curled in anger next to him. He looked up at Geralt, who kept a stern expression. Geralt couldn't separate from them. He and Ciri needed him, wanted him by their side, that had been the plan.

"No way! Geralt you can't seriously-." Dominik started, but Geralt silenced him with a look.

All the eyes fell on Dominik again, he could see the sorceresses, Phillipa in particular waiting to see what he did next. Avallac'h had a smug look of satisfaction in his eyes, and Dominik wanted nothing more to remove his head from his shoulders. Outside soldiers clattered about, the sun starting to slowly set. There wasn't much time to argue, and Dominik didn't want his plans to fall apart then.

Geralt nodded at him and looked to Avallac'h. "Fine... I'll go."

Dominik looked at him incredulously. "Geralt you can't be serious! What about me and-."

"It's okay Dom," He said quickly, cutting Dominik off from rambling off his plans. "It's like you said, won't leave those soldiers to face that threat alone."

"But what about Kilgarrah!?"

"Dealt with dragons before as most of you know," Geralt said, a small smirk coming to him, before his mouth flattened while looking at Dominik and Ciri. "I'll find you both when the fighting starts."

Silence fell over the tent for a moment. Dominik looked to Geralt, biting his tongue he slowly nodded. Geralt was right, the soldiers there had done nothing to them, and were putting their lives on the line. They had a right to have some form of protection even if it was small. Geralt would be able to lead them. Dominik also knew he wouldn't talk his adopted father out of it, so he bit his lip falling back closer to Ciri again. She grabbed and squeezed his armored arm, giving him a stern nod to reassure him.

It worked, as he sighed. "Fine…"

Geralt nodded at him and turned back to the table. "I'll go with them, help them try and survive Kilgarrah's first assault. But Dom is right, all the ships being there, they're like sitting ducks. Kilgarrah will tear them to pieces… Emhyr is being awfully kind with his resources."

"He's put his entire Skellige campaign on hold to help us," Fringilla Vigo said from across the table.

Dominik rolled his eyes, his temper flaring. "You mean he put aside his conquest of the continent, burning hundreds of villages, bringing slavery and his complete rule to people who don't want it. After he started two wars _completely _unprovoked, and without _ANY _just cause, he has found it in his heart to help us!? Wow! I should go find him and thank him! Remind to do that after the battle won't you Ciri?"

Ciri scoffed a laugh next to him, but Dominik's temper still flared. Fringilla across scoffed and looked to Geralt.

"I see your boy inherited your sharp tongue Geralt," The sorceress said, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at Dominik now. "You must learn to respect your better's boy. The Emperor is the most powerful man on the continent, he will one day rule all-."

"Including you? I recall us having to save you from his dungeon, he had you chained in dimeritium. Really has brainwashed you, hasn't he?" Dominik said, the sorceresses face fuming. He shrugged and let his arms fall to his side. "Unless you're into that sort of thing, not my place to judge-."

"You indignant little _brat_ I will-." Fringilla hissed, before Phillipa pulled her back.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, please, we've talked enough," The sorceress said, a small begrudging look of regret shooting Dominik's way. "Come sisters, we must scale the cliffs."

Dominik could see the murderous glare Fringilla shot him, but with everything going on he didn't have the time to worry. Ciri nudged him.

"You always did have a great way of making friends," She whispered to him, a smirk on her lips.

Dominik shrugged. "Was anything I said not the truth?"

"No, all true. Some people just don't like it when they hear it," Ciri said, as Dominik sighed, rubbing the sides of his temples.

The sorceresses filed out, and Dominik kept close to Ciri with Geralt. He didn't know why he was so worried one of them would snatch her, but the feeling wouldn't go away. Ida nodded to him on the way out, he got a smile from Kiera, and Yen quickly nodded to them both. She would be back, as soon as Avallac'h left, Dominik knew, he wanted her to be as well. He wanted one final moment with them, all of them to simply be there.

His hands twitched, with each second the sun went down, the more his anxiousness rose. He couldn't do anymore; they couldn't do anymore than they already had. Eredin, Caranthir, Bella, they were all waiting for him one way or another. The wind howled, and from its trajectory and speed, Dominik had been caught in them enough to be able to tell a storm was coming, a cold one. He knew Freya had to be fussing to get the show underway, to use her weapon before the storm came. And he yearned to be with them as well. He wanted to grab Ciri and leave that tent then to join all their friends.

He also never wanted to see Avallach's smug face again.

A warm hand touched on his shoulder, followed by lips on his cheek, to pull him out of his thoughts.

"Good luck, the both of you," Triss said, and Dominik turned with Ciri, smiling at the sorceress.

She kissed Ciri's cheek as well, and Ciri hugged her. "Thank you… for everything."

"Yeah…" Dominik said, hugging her as well. Smiling as he pulled back. "If not for you, I never would have found her. And well… thanks for taking care of us when we needed it."

Triss almost seemed like she was going to cry. However, she smiled, whisps of her red hair floating in the wind. She held a hand on both their shoulders and nodded.

"I've made plenty of mistakes in my life…" She said, "but making sure you two were reunited? Taking care of you for the time I did… seeing the man and woman you've grown up to be? That's something I'll always be proud of."

"We're going to come visit you in Kovir," Ciri said suddenly, smiling at her and Dominik both. "I've always wanted to see the snows there, and I hear Lan Exeter is beautiful."

"Yeah," Dominik said as well, his excitement growing as he smiled. "Alexander was also from there… his old castle is there. We're going to make a trip up to see you, we promise."

Triss did have a small tear coming down her cheek as she pulled them both into a hug.

"And when you do, I'll make sure you have a place to stay," Triss said, pulling back from them and wiping her face. She smiled however, nodding at them both. "Be sure to keep each other close… the both of you were always so much stronger together. Keep it that way alright?"

"We promise," Ciri said softly, looking back up at Dominik.

Triss nodded, squeezing their arms once more, before doing the same to Geralt on her way out of the tent. Dominik let out a breath and met Ciri's eyes. They sparkled with a newfound fire. He had seen it since she awoke. She was ready for this fight, and he knew in return he had to be as well.

_Am I ready? _He had fought Eredin in the Cave of Life, defeated him. That specter had nowhere near the real Eredin's skill, but now, Dominik also knew how to control his power. If he focused, he swore he could hear his blood racing in his veins, feel it against his skin. Power was in that blood, power he had been calling on to fight, but had been controlling wrong.

It was as Alexander said, anger, hatred, it wasn't the way to use his powers.

Now Dominik knew, knew in his heart he was using them for love, and only love. To protect the woman in front of him, the woman he loved, and had been trying to protect his whole life.

She would make any wound he sustained that day worth it.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention one thing," Avallac'h droned, forcing Dominik to remove his eyes from Ciri.

Only he, Ciri, Geralt and the sage remained in the tent. Dominik rolled his eyes at Ciri, getting a small smile from her as they both turned. Dominik saw Geralt look over at them both.

"What's that?" He said, crossing his arms and looking at Dominik and Ciri again. "Your plan's missing two important elements, what do you expect Dominik and Ciri to do?"

Dominik's blood froze. This was part of a plan they discussed with Geralt. They under no circumstances, wanted Avallac'h to know about Anton's knights or Dominik charging from the hills with his friends. They also knew Avallac'h would more than likely want position Dominik and Ciri somewhere, they would hear him out, pretend to listen before Dominik informed him that wouldn't be the case.

Ciri next to him tensed, while Dominik sucked in a deep breath, preparing himself to try and hold his temper.

Avallac'h sneered in his direction. "First, your little brat will go with you and the Infantry Division. With any luck, Kilgarrah will swallow him whole."

"Not happening," Dominik said right away, working to keep his words calm. He spoke in a deep voice, narrowing his eyes at the sage. "Remember what I told you in the first conversation we had? You may think you're all high and mighty, that you can order everyone else around. But don't for one-minute think you can order me…"

"This is the best course of action you repugnant child," The sage said, his voice hard as it seemed he was reaching a breaking point. "Will you not put your arrogance aside just this once? You _will _march with Geralt and the-."

"You just want me with them because you're hoping maybe I'll get taken out early. Besides… I'll be damned before I march with a Nilfgaardean regiment into battle."

The sage scoffed. "You'd put our mission in jeopardy all for your prejudices? Weren't you the one who just wished to protect them from Kilgarrah?"

Dominik sneered, as Ciri gripped tight to a spot on his back before he could erupt. Her touched calmed him. _This may be the last conversation you have to have with him… keep your wits about you, _he thought to himself.

Letting out an annoyed sigh he met the sage's eyes. "Just because I wanted them protected, doesn't mean I'm willing to march with them… besides, I got my own plans."

Avallac'h sneered again. "Plans? And what would they be? You really think yourself so powerful, that you deigned to tell us about them?"

Dominik's skin crawled, he wanted with everything to sling his sword out across the sage's throat then. He had wanted to do that from the minute the elf woke up. He had sworn he'd never murder in cold blood, but after everything Avallac'h had done, the sage deserved it. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized it wasn't worth it. This would quite possibly be the last time he ever spoke to Avallac'h. After the battle, the sage would either leave, or attempt whatever plan he had hidden up his sleeve. So, either Dominik would never see him again after this conversation, or the next time he did, he'd be killing the elf.

Either one sounded great to him, so he bit his tongue, determined not to lose his temper. He had put up with the sage for weeks, he could stomach a few more minutes.

He narrowed his eyes at the elf. "I didn't inform _you _about them, because as I've made abundantly clear, I don't trust you, I don't like you, and I would have killed you when you first woke up at Kaer Morhen if I could have."

Ciri and Geralt shifted next to him, seemingly ready to stop Dominik should he lose it. However, he sucked in a breath, getting inches from the sage's face. Dominik was as tall as him. His hands curled to fists at his side, remembering the satisfying feeling of his fist slamming into the sages' nose. In that moment that he looked into the sage's pale eyes, he thought about what he discovered in his laboratory a few days prior.

For hundreds of years, the elf in front of him had stalked and tracked Ciri's line. From Lara Dorren, all the way down to Ciri now, he stalked and kept tabs on them. All in hopes of one day getting his hand on them, experimenting with them to create a genetic mix of their blood without the human DNA. To get back Lara Dorren, to create a new one to do gods know what with. It was obvious he was obsessed with her, either from some sick feeling of love, or just from how his pride was wounded when Lara left him for Cregan. Either way it was sickening, hundreds of years to track her line, obsessing over it to try and get back what he thought was his.

It made Dominik sick just looking at him.

And that was without even mentioning what he had done to Ciri.

The sage lied to her, deceived her, making her think she would be released, let back to her world, back to him, Geralt and Yen if she fucked the decerped old King Auberon.

When, just like Eredin, Avallac'h had planned on keeping Ciri in Tir'Nala forever to experiment on her and her blood. To use the child, she would have had with Auberon to control their gates to other worlds, to enslave more people, destroy more worlds.

To Dominik, all of that paled in comparison to what he put Ciri through. The months upon months of mental and verbal abuse she had to suffer, all because Avallac'h had lied, telling her it was the only way.

And the fool had the audacity to say destiny led Ciri to him. It hadn't. The proof in his lab told him that. He had tracked her for years, her ancestors for generations, and that was how he found her. Ciri was _his _and Geralt's destiny, not the sick elf in front of him.

Dominik finally had someone he hated more then Emhyr, more than even Eredin. At least Eredin was honest about his intentions and didn't hide them behind a guise of being 'helpful'.

They both would die. Nothing would have brought him more pleasure then, than his blade piercing the sage's neck, before going to do the same to Eredin.

But a part of Dominik didn't want to sully his blade with the blood of the degenerate in front of him.

He crossed his arms as he looked into the sage's pale eyes. "This is more than likely the last time that I'm going to be seeing you."

Avallac'h didn't flinch at his gaze, simply scoffing. "I would assume you are just as thrilled about that as I am."

"You don't seem thrilled. Have I grown on you?"

"No, with any luck Kilgarrah will swallow you whole," The elf said without blinking. "That, or Eredin will finally bring an end to you before another kills him. And I can leave with at least the satisfaction you died like your deplorable ancestor."

Dominik rolled his eyes. "Still upset that he embarrassed you I see. Kicked your ass before Eredin had to save you didn't he?"

"Your petty insults do not affect me boy as you know," The sage said, although Dominik could clearly see his eyes starting to flare. "You are nothing, but an insufferable know it all, just like Alexander was… you and Zireael are perfect for one another."

The insult to Ciri almost made him swing his fist. He kept his composure however but noticed Geralt holding out his arm to stop Ciri who's eyes burned with a hatred he hadn't seen in her in a long time. Dominik bit his tongue, looking darkly into the elf's eye again.

"Remember what I said that day in Novigrad… and don't forget it," Dominik said slowly, his hand twitching at his side. "After this is over… after the Hunt's gone… you leave. And if I _ever _see you again… I _will _kill you."

The words hung on the air, a cold breeze sweeping through the tent. Dominik noticed the small shift in the sage's eyes. He wasn't afraid. Dominik wasn't trying to intimidate him, he knew Avallac'h thought himself far too superior to be afraid.

He simply was being honest with him.

"You will try…" The sage said darkly, not looking away from him.

Dominik knew he'd get nothing else from the exchange. The moment he had been waiting weeks for was finally upon him. He was finally able to be rid of Avallac'h. He took a step back from the sage back next to Ciri. Looking down at her next to him, Dominik could see a fury building in her as well. She looked at the sage with narrowed eyes, her hands curled in fists as well. She turned her eyes on Dominik and quickly nodded. She wanted to be out of there, out of that Nilfgaardean camp quickly as well. Next to him, Geralt nodded likewise.

"Well, I won't lie and say it's been a pleasure," Dominik said to the sage, crossing his arms again.

"Good, because it wasn't," Avallac'h said dryly.

Dominik chuckled. "Well, I guess this is it then." He looked over to Ciri and gestured his head towards the tent flaps. "Come on Ciri, let's get moving, we should-."

"_That,_" Avallac'h said, cutting him off and snapping all of him, Geralt and Ciri's head to him, "Will not be happening… Zireael will remain on the shore, where it is safest."

Dominik's mind erupted, he stepped forward to finally say damn it all and cut the sage in half. His anger, his burning hatred towards the elf finally spilled over, but it was nothing compared to Ciri next to him.

She marched from his side to face the sage, fuming. "Don't you _dare _deign to think you have any right to order me around! I'm going where I please, I don't give two fucks what you say I should be doing."

Dominik felt proud for a moment, seeing her stand up for herself like she was. However, Avallac'h quickly turned it back to anger as he sneered.

"I would have informed you all of this decision earlier," The sage said, his tone condescending. "However, you have all avoided me. It's been a pleasant few days, I will admit, but if you hadn't, I could have told you this earlier, but as I said… you've all avoided me."

"That's because we've been to your lab," Geralt said from next to them, stepping next to Ciri, his voice more dangerous then Dominik had ever heard it. "We know about your sick little experiments. Know about what you did to her… you're lucky I haven't decided to remove your head from your shoulders."

That seemed to finally give Avallac'h pause. Dominik looked to Geralt as well, losing the inner battle with himself to hold his temper. Avallac'h seemed to realize that if Geralt lost his temper, he truly would be in danger, with the witcher no longer holding Dominik and Ciri back.

The sage composed himself and shook his head. "It matters not. Zireael will stay a safe distance away from the Nagalfar, with me on-."

And Dominik finally lost it.

"NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT!" He said, getting inches from the sages face again next to Ciri. "I will be DAMNED before I let you anywhere near her alone. After what you did to her!? I'll sooner kill you now before I let that happen."

"He's right!" Ciri said, looking at Avallac'h and scoffing. "You have absolutely no right to order me around, to make this choice for me, I'm going to go with Dominik. And with any luck I'll never see your fucking face again."

Dominik wanted to kiss her then. For days, the plan had been simple. Ciri and he would lead Anton and his men from Cintra. They'd charge with their friends, and together with Geralt they'd find and kill Caranthir, Eredin, they'd save Bella, and this time they wouldn't be apart.

He'd be damned if he let Avallac'h ruin that. He wasn't going to let her anywhere near him, and it seemed Ciri shared his sentiment.

Avallac'h scoffed. "If that's the case, I leave now… you see Zireael, you have no choice-."

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT CHOICES I HAVE AND DON'T HAVE," Ciri erupted, and Dominik had to pull her back as she yelled. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU! ALL OF YOU FUCKING AEN ELLE! YOU WON'T CONTROL ME ANYMORE, YOU NEVER WILL!"

Dominik pulled her back, because as much as he wanted to stab the sage as well, he thought for a moment Ciri might do it. Her hand had gotten dangerous close to the dagger on her hip. He yanked her back, feeling her rapid heartbeat. She wriggled in his arms for a moment, and when she looked up at him, he could see the anger had nearly driven her to tears.

It was something that he had seen her do before. She simply got so angry, so enraged tears came to her eyes. He wanted to do something for her, but so close to the battle, he had no idea what he could do. He was supposed to be focusing on the fights that were coming, on Eredin, and Bella. However, seeing Ciri like that, it took precedence over it all in that all.

He met her eyes and squeezed her arms reassuringly. She relaxed for a moment, but he saw her emerald eyes flare again when she looked over and saw Avallac'h. The sage Dominik saw still had a smug look of distaste on his face. It only seemed to anger Ciri further, as she crossed her arms and dug her fingers into them. Her bun whipped in a breeze that came through the tent, and Dominik knew that if they did have any chance, he needed to remain calm.

Geralt looked at them both, his yellow eyes narrowed with anger as he turned back towards Avallac'h.

"She's right… you have no right to order her around," He said, crossing his armored arms. "And I also agree with Ciri… had just about enough of your smug superiority complex myself."

A small part of Dominik wanted to laugh. For weeks, Geralt and Ciri both had been telling him to keep his cool with the sage, that they needed him. It had amazed Dominik how they both had managed to keep their tempers with the elf, but now it finally seemed they were losing their patience as well.

He could feel the blood rushing through his veins at an alarming rate. His hands twitched as he held onto Ciri. The sun outside was getting lower, and with each second that passed, the more his anxiousness grew. It had been like the waiting at Kaer Morhen, the waiting for the Hunt to arrive. He could see the cliffs to the east in the distance, ever the hill, the large slope that he saw in the map of Skellige, back when he planned with Anton and Crach.

Their friends were there now, waiting for him and Ciri. The idea of separating from her then, right when the final fight started, it drove him mad. The idea of leaving her with Avallac'h, alone, with nobody else but Nilfgaardean officers around made him even more mad. He could see it did the same to Ciri, as she shook with either rage or nerves next to him.

Avallac'h shook his head, turning his back to them. "Contrary to what you believe… I do have this right. For only I know how to activate the sunstone, which I will do on my terms of not at all."

"You gonna make love to the fucking thing too?" Dominik snapped. "The way you've been looking at it one would think you want too."

Avallach's head snapped to him. "_Quiet _you insolent brat! It is as I said. The only way we can summon the Hunt is with the Sunstone. Only I know how to activate it, and I will only do so if Zireael stays away from the battle where it is safest."

"You think she's safer with _you _as opposed to fighting the Hunt!?" Dominik said, as Ciri stewed in her anger next to him. "She isn't safe with you; do you think we're stupid!? I won't leave her alone with you!"

"It is your only choice," Avallac'h said with a wave of his hand, looking pointedly at Ciri. "So Zireael… do you swear to stay here on the shore?"

Dominik looked to Geralt, trying to find support from him. He met Dominik's eyes, and he could see the conflict in them. Geralt wanted to argue as well, but deep down he knew that Avallac'h was correct. The realization creeped to Dominik as well. But he didn't care. He would rather them go and run from the Hunt and fight them another time before he left Ciri with Avallac'h.

He looked at her next to him, and saw her deep in thought, however he could still see the rampant anger in her. He looked between her and Geralt, trying to find words, but with every moment of silence Dominik only twitched more.

Finally, Ciri looked up towards the sage. "Fine… I agree."

"What!?" Dominik said, getting in front of Ciri and looking down into her eyes. "Ciri are you insane!? What about the rest of-."

"Dominik…" She said, leaning towards him, low enough to where only he could hear her. "Nod yes or no… do you trust me?"

Dominik's eyes widened, but he looked at her and nodded. Of course, he did.

She nodded the same. "Then trust me here… don't worry I _will _be out there with you."

"And if he tries something…" Dominik said, looking back at Avallac'h, all attempts at being quiet gone.

Ciri narrowed her eyes past him towards the sage. "Don't worry… if he does, I'll kill him myself."

Dominik looked into her eyes. For so long, that was all he wanted. To simply be able to look into those eyes that he loved. When they were younger, they used to joke that they could practically read each other's minds.

It wasn't mind reading, but he could always tell what she was thinking, or what she was trying to say by simply looking into her eyes. By how fast she moved them, how wide they went, the crease of her brow, the way her cheeks relaxed or tense. He had picked up on all the little quirks of her face when they were younger, what with him looking at her so much. They were all the same now, it was as if the eight years they spent apart hadn't happened, and truly were able to pick up where they left off.

And he could see in her eyes now, she was begging him to trust her.

_You'll see her out there… she can take care of herself, trust her. _He knew he could, it was Avallac'h he couldn't trust, that he wanted to kill then and there.

But if Ciri told him she'd see him out there… then he would.

"So… you see the wisdom in my argument Zireael?" The sage said, interrupting the moment they were having.

Ciri's eyes flared again, the anger returning as she looked at the sage. "Do I have a choice!?"

She tore away from him, and Dominik tried to race after her. "Ciri where are you-."

"Meet me on the hills to the east… you know where," She said looking back at him. He could practically see the steam coming from her ears. Her face was red, both from the cold and from her anger. He knew exactly where she was talking about, the hill that lead up to the spot Anton, Freya, Faram and George were all at.

He quickly nodded to her, before Avallac'h scoffed next to him. "And where are you going?"

"For a walk!" Ciri snapped. "Or is that not allowed? Because you know, I could break my leg."

She gave Dominik and Geralt one last look, before turning and walking away, her sword clunking on her back. He watched her shove aside a Nilfgaardean who had gotten in her way, heading off towards the easy cliffs.

Dominik went to chase after her, but Geralt held his hand out to stop him. "Give her some time to cool off… you'll see her before it all starts."

He bit his lip, watching her walk through the camp, fists clenched as soldiers moved out of her way. Dominik sighed, knowing Geralt was right. Ciri, as well as everyone simply needed to be alone at times when they were angry. Her fire, that she used in everything she did was on of the many reasons he loved her.

"Geralt," Avallac'h said, getting both their attention, "meet me on the docks when you are prepared. Brew your substances and what-not, we begin when you come and find me."

The sage left the tent, giving Dominik on last distasteful look. Dominik watched him leave for a moment, almost amazed that it truly would be the last time he hopefully saw the sage. He wouldn't miss him of course, but it finally helped it all set in for him.

_It's time… it's finally time,_ he thought to himself, sucking in a deep breath and turning to lean against the table. He leaned forward, looking at the swallow and his medallion falling around his neck. He had scarcely ever taken off his medallion since he forged it, and it was the same with the swallow. For years, it was his sole memento of the past, that Ciri was real, out there waiting to be found. The memory of receiving both were vivid in his mind. Climbing to the Circle of Elements, tricking the trolls before infusing his medallion with magic. That night in the cave, when he blurted out to Ciri that he loved her by accident, terrified she didn't feel the same.

She had however, and that had been one of the major steps in their journey.

And what a journey it had been for him to that point.

From leaving Geralt when he was sixteen, his first contract, the years on his own. Ellander with Freya, going from one end of the Northern Realms to the other, all the while trying to find Ciri. In that moment, he found himself remembering every little detail, every contract, every monster, every man he had to kill. The good and the bad, he remembered it all.

He could feel the farmers sword cutting across his chest at Rivia, seeing Geralt and Yennefer dying, learning from Triss she didn't know if they had survived.

The years after that had been the worst. The regret, the thought Geralt and Yen had both died thinking he was still furious with them, that he still hated them. Never had he felt more alone then he did in those months, those years. His hands dug into the table, as a shaky sigh into him. All the scars on his body seemed to flare up then, a throbbing ran down his cheek, stinging all over his body. The worst part of those years hadn't even been the scars, it was the feeling, the thought that it all would be for nothing in the end, that he would die alone.

However, it hadn't all been gloom during the journey. He distinctly remembered the bright spots. He cherished the time he spent with Freya when he first met her in Ellander. A smile came to his face, as he remembered their youthful excitement, how he could remember how infatuated they both were, and how many laughing nights they had. He could remember Shani's kind eyes and witty jokes as she stitched his arm back together, the first night he had met her. He always wondered what she had gotten up too after the Battle of Brenna, Freya said she knew her, and perhaps one day Dominik would run into her again.

He remembered the smiling faces, the tears of joy when he would find a missing family's child, husband or wife. The gratitude some people showed, after he rid their village of a monster. Of course, some had tried to cheat him, murder him after they discovered he didn't die, such was the life of a witcher.

But he had made many friends. The beggars of Ban Ard, who helped him killed the Ekimara that plagued them. Val, and her tribe of skin changers up in Kovir, after the Baron of the region had been trying to kill them. The princess in Aedirn, the family and village he'd saved from the mad Necromancer. The village, he, George and Faram had saved from the Bruxa and its thralls.

And of course, there was George and Faram as well, two friends, who had saved him when he needed it most.

He was going to let that Leshen finish him off that day, it would have happened had Faram not been there.

All those events had led him to Claywitch, and in the blink of an eye everything had changed. After years of believing they were dead, believing he was alone, and Ciri was out of his reach, he had them all back. Yennefer had saved him, brought him to Geralt, his Uncle Vesemir, he learned Ciri was alive and on the continent. The journey had put all his skills to the test.

The first visit to Vizima flashed in his mind, he remembered how brash, how over-confident, how stupid he truly was. His armor was nothing but a red leather coat, his sword the same he used when he was fifteen. Now, he had armor fit for a master witcher of the School of the Wolf, something he could only have dreamed off when he was training at Kaer Morhen.

He remembered his first fight with Nithral in Velen, when he realized, that if he truly wanted to save Ciri, he needed to be better, to train not just physically, but mentally as well after being almost killed by Nithral.

The Baron, the Fiend in Crookback Bog, Novigrad, fighting Menge, helping Triss get the mages out of Novigrad, it all had been more tests, tests to see if he was ready for the moment he found Ciri, and the true fight began.

He could also remember that cave near Oxenfurt with George, his first fight with Bella. He could remember how confused he was that she knew so much, and how terrified he was by the power that was unleashing inside of him as they freed Dandelion, as he saved Priscilla and they set sail for Skellige.

Gripping harder to the table, he controlled his breathing, as he remembered the anger, the regret, the pure feeling of failure when they didn't find Ciri in Lofeton.

But then, every single bit of pain, every day he spent alone, every wound, it all had been worth it on the Isle of Mists, when he got to hold her again.

He was surprised at how long ago the Isle of Mists actually was. It had been almost a month; he had her back for almost a month now.

He thought about every kiss, every hug, every moment he made her laugh, every time they had made love, held one another in bed. He remembered the cave, learning she had been with someone else, hearing about all she had gone through, telling her about all he had done.

But none of that mattered, because all that mattered was the here and now.

His leg tingled, the wound on his thigh aching. Geralt had told him he suffered a similar wound years ago, on Thanedd when he first fought Vilgefortz. Geralt's injuries had been just as substantial, as the mage shattered his tight bone and elbow, but thankfully with Triss there, other mages, and with the help of dryads he was able to heal.

He told Dominik that the throbbing would never go away, as it hadn't for him either and that he would simply have to learn to live with it, to adjust to it. Dominik had done just that, his powers growing each day.

_You must be in complete control of your emotions. True control of your powers my boy, comes from controlling your mind, from thoughts of love, happiness, goodness, it lets you see clearer and achieve that control! _Alexander's words echoed in his mind.

_Ciri, Bella… my family… that's all I need, _he thought to himself, as he sucked in a breath.

Bella.

She would be here, and he couldn't run from her, he wouldn't. He remembered when he met Elise again in Novigrad, and she asked him a simple question.

_I know my sister… and she's in there, _he thought again.

He would get Bella back, he would kill Eredin, and he, Ciri, Geralt, all of them would walk out of that battle alive and well.

All the contracts, all the training, the pirouettes, goes on the pendulums, all the heartbreak, all the love, every single moment of his journey, had led him to that very moment.

And if he weren't ready after everything he had done, he would never be.

"So, got everything you need?" Geralt said, making Dominik nearly jump. His father smirked, coming up next to him and smiling at him. "Swords sharpened; dagger sharpened? Got bombs, crossbow loaded?"

Dominik found himself frantically checking his belt. He tightened the strap of his crossbow; he had been sure to give it a fresh coat of paint in the small bit of free time he did have. When he heard he was going to be closer to the Black Ones, he made sure to make the Temarian coat of arms more visible.

He had promised Elise he would take care of Arno's weapon, and use it to beat back the Hunt, so that was what he'd do.

Geralt smiled amusingly as Dominik fiddled to strap his armor tighter and adjust the swords on his back. He had them sharpened the previous day, and his armor polished. The Wolf Armor had seemed to be morphed perfectly to his body shape after wearing it for so long. He was still amazed at how lightweight it was. That combined with the new wolf emblem carved into his steel Ciri had done for him, he looked like a true witcher of Kaer Morhen.

It had been one of his dreams, other than being with Ciri. He wanted to be a witcher, save people like Geralt did. Leave the world a better place than when he came into it.

Sighing he met Geralt's eyes. "Actually, forgot about bombs… haven't made an oil in weeks. Strange… I relied on them for every contract the last eight years."

"Getting silver has its advantages," Geralt said amused, his smile not leaving him.

A silence passed for a moment. Dominik could remember first seeing him again, seeing his adopted father, the man who had saved him. He would never forgive himself for not going with him, after Geralt searched months for him. He accused Geralt of not caring enough about getting Ciri back, after he suggested they head back to Kaer Morhen to regroup in the winter.

He had only been sixteen, but it still wasn't an excuse.

And despite it, Geralt still came to find him in Ellander, and when he was a brat and refused to go with him, he still never pushed him. If Dominik had gone with Geralt, who's to say he wouldn't have died at Stygga Castle, or who's to say he wouldn't have survived, and been able to join Ciri in her world hoping adventures.

None of those what ifs mattered now, they were all there now, and that's all Dominik cared about. They were going to survive that day; he knew they were strong enough.

_So then why are my damn arms still shaking?_

"Geralt…" He said softly, turning to meet his father's eyes. "Am… am I ready for this? Have… have I trained enough, prepared enough? Do… do you think I'm ready?"

Geralt gave him a small, bemused smile. "No," He said, quickly shaking his head when he saw Dominik's eyes widen. "Nobody could ever be, not me, Vesemir, not even the strongest men could ever be fully prepared for something like this."

Dominik's skin crawled as the wind nipped at his nose. He shook his head, desperately meeting Geralt's eyes. "Then… then what do I do?"

Geralt shrugged. "We don't know what's going to happen when the Hunt arrives… all we can do, is trust in ourselves, the people around us…. And we're going to be just fine. You and Ciri… you're going to be just fine."

"How can you be certain? You just said there was no way to be fully prepared."

"Because… if you two stick together, you'll be fine. And I'm going to be there for you every second I can," Geralt said. He smiled, and it sent warmth through Dominik's bones. Geralt stepped forward, meeting his eyes and gripping his shoulder. "Besides… this is all right up our alley, our bread and butter."

Dominik scoffed, crossing his arms. "Fighting the Wild Hunt? Super powerful elves that are somehow eight feet tall?"

"No…" Geralt said. "Killing monsters, saving people. We're witchers, that's what we do… that what you do, that's what you are. At the end of the day Dom… you're a witcher, and a _damn _good one at that."

A smile came to his face. "I had good training."

"A teacher is certainly made to look better when he has good students you're right," Geralt said, a small laugh coming from them both. He smiled at Dominik softly again. "I'm proud of you… really damn proud."

He didn't need to say anymore. Dominik knew Geralt wasn't exactly one for long speeches unless he had to, and Dominik didn't need to hear anymore than that. He of course had heard Geralt say it before and loved it each time. When he was younger, he always had a lingering suspicion, that Geralt had only taken him when he found Ciri and he because of Ciri's insistence. He thought at times Geralt may have thought him a burden, one that he was forced to take on.

Ciri was his child of destiny, she was the one who became linked to him by the Law of Surprise. Dominik was just a normal child, nothing to him at first. It had led Dominik to running himself ragged in training, yearning to hear Geralt's approval, to prove that he belonged at Kaer Morhen, deserved to be taught by him.

The whole idea was ridiculous, and he learned that in his later years, but he always found himself looking back on that time and comparing it to now.

He felt his eyes sting for a moment. "Thank you… for taking me with you that day."

"One of my greatest accomplishments…" Geralt said slowly, and Dominik laughed, knowing he was mocking how Dominik always said that when people called him 'Geralt of Rivia's son'.

Geralt looked like he was going to say something else, but Dominik cut him off by hugging him. For a moment Geralt got caught off guard, but soon hugged him back, squeezing his shoulders.

"We're going to be alright… all of us," He said, squeezing him tighter.

"Yeah…" Dominik said, pulling back from his shoulder. "We will be."

He truly hadn't spent that much time with Geralt since they found Ciri. Dominik hadn't spent too much time with anyone outside of her since they reunited. Everyone understood, especially Geralt and Yen why it was like that. It had been eight years… eight years apart from one another, so both them and their friends understood that for now, especially with the threat still looming they wished to spend as much time together as they could.

However, just like always, Geralt would always be there.

"Ahh how touching, look at my two men," A light voice said.

Dominik let go of Geralt, and they both turned to see him smiling, beautiful, adopted mother. Yen grinned at them both, hugging and kissing Geralt first, before she turned to him, sighing, as she reached around his neck and hugged him.

"Look how much you've grown…" She said, her voice soft, the smell of her perfume hitting his nose.

Dominik blushed, he remembered how much of a shrew he thought Yen was at first when they met. Even with Ciri's insistence he hadn't budged at first at his distaste for her. It was partly because she took up so much of Ciri's time to teach her magic, it was also how intense she was, how pushy and stubborn she was.

However, Yen had been determined to connect with him, stubborn to the point where she followed him into the market that day when he was trying to find something for Ciri's birthday. Yes, his adopted mother was one of the most stubborn people he had ever met.

And he had come to love her for it, love her like she was truly his second mother.

He also happened to inherit that stubbornness, which he always thought was one of his most endearing qualities.

"You know… you said that too me when you saved me," He said, pulling back and smiling at her.

Yen smiled at him, frantically adjusting the straps of his armor, fiddling with the collar of the tunic under his armor. She readjusted the swallow and his medallion around his neck, and Dominik felt like he was young again, his mother prepping him for one of the royal balls at the palace.

He found it endearing, because he could see the small bit of worry laced in Yen's eyes behind her normal confident stare.

"I remember… you couldn't stand me when we first met," She said softly, smiling at him, finally seeming to be happy with the position of his collar and armor.

Dominik chuckled. "I couldn't you're right… but now I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her smile grew as she sighed. "So, everything prepared? Swords sharpened, no holes in the armor? Crossbow loaded? Oh, and what about-."

"Yen," He said softly, cutting her off with a smile. "I'm alright. Geralt already went through it with me… I'm as ready as anyone can be."

"Good…" She said softly. She leaned and kissed his cheek, pulling back from him. He could see what all the things she wanted to say in her eyes, she didn't even need to utter the words. She nodded at him and seemed to be fighting back either an avalanche of words, or tears. He gave her a smile in return, they didn't need to speak.

There was nothing either of them could say now about how they felt that Dominik didn't know.

He had made them both proud, that's one of the few things he had ever wanted for.

"So," Yen said, falling back next to Geralt, a sour look coming to her face. "I ran into Ciri on my way here… she told me what happened. That arrogant ass… I don't like the idea of him being alone with her, not after what we found in his lab."

"I said the same thing…" Dominik said, his anxiety rising again.

Geralt looked at them both and slowly shook his head. "I don't either… but this is the only way right now. She's smart, she'll look after herself. All we can do is follow the plan, finish this, and then we can finally get out of here."

He sighed, knowing Geralt was correct. Looking out he could see the sun was setting, a beautiful orange sunset was cast out over the water. The water that would soon be covered in ice, fire and riders of the Wild Hunt. With each second that passed, he found himself itching for the battle to simply begin more and more.

The sooner it started, the sooner it was over, one way or another.

"So, Dominik, have you and Ciri decided what you'll do first?" Yen said, pulling him out of his thoughts again.

He looked up and saw both she and Geralt looking at him.

She smiled and chuckled at his surprised look. "Ciri said that you're waiting a bit before returning to Claywitch for Fiona. Any plans for beforehand?"

He managed a chuckle as well. The thoughts of afterwards, what he and Ciri would do when it was finally all over had been what drove him. For so long he had been fighting, working towards one goal or another. First, after Cintra, it had been to train, train to be a witcher so one day he could hunt down the knight in the winged helmet who killed him parents and tried to kidnap Ciri. After Ciri had escaped, for eight years his goal had been to find her. Now he did find her, and ever since, it had been killing Eredin, defeating the Hunt so they could get that life.

Dominik had no idea what a life without a goal like that would be like, but all he knew was that he was looking forward to it with Ciri next to him.

He smiled and met their eyes. "Well it's like you said, three months, that's how long before we go and get Fiona…. Before that well… I'm not sure. Ciri mentioned she may want to go to Kovir, visit Triss, see the snow. Or who knows, maybe we'll just wonder around killing monsters for three months."

Any of those options sounded amazing. It was what was always meant to be, what they had always wanted. It was what they deserved after everything they had been through. After all they had suffered, all they had fought, all that had happened, they were going to get the peace that they deserved.

And Dominik frankly didn't care then who stood in their way.

"That sounds intriguing… hope you got room for one more for a few weeks," Geralt said, a smirk on his face, sharing a knowing look with Yen.

If Dominik had been eating anything, he would have spit it out.

"One more? What are you talking about?" He said, his voice sounding like a child who was getting a new toy, as he knew full well what Geralt meant.

Yen smiled at him. "Well, Geralt and I… we decided that after this we're going to go away. Don't worry, not away as in you won't see us… simply away from all the fighting, court politics and scheming."

"Yeah, maybe Kovir, Spalla, Zerrikania," Geralt said, a genuine smile on his face. He looked down at Dominik first however and smirked. "I know you spent eight years on it, probably got a good handle on things, but well… I thought maybe I could join you both for a few weeks. Show you a few things you may not have known, help you build up some coin… what do you say?"

"What do I say?" Dom asked incredulously. "I say of course! Ciri and I have always wanted that, ha… Yen what about you?"

The sorceress laughed but smiled at him. "Oh, I don't think the Path quite suits me. I will go and find somewhere suitable for Geralt and I. After that I'll come find you all. I don't know if I like the idea of us all separating but well-."

"We'll always find our way back to each other," Dominik said slowly, his heart beating a mile a minute, the smile unable to leave his face.

Ciri and he had always dreamed of hunting with Geralt. From the moments they begun training, heard the stories, they had one day wanted to join him, fight monsters, sleep at inns, laugh and drink by a fire. Warm boots by a fire, good wine, Geralt, Ciri, the Path, Fiona down the line, it all sounded too good to be true. It was one of those things that may sound crazy to others if he told them it was his dream.

However, it was within his grasp.

One more fight, one more push.

He had been fighting since he was eleven years old, fighting monsters, men. What was one more fight?

What was one more monster to kill?

"Speaking of finding your way back to one another," Yen said, getting his attention. She smiled at him, sighing as she pointed towards the camp. "You should go find Ciri before you meet up with Anton. She was quite agitated when I saw her, you always knew how to calm her better than we could."

Dominik's brain thumped inside his skull. It was as if someone had smacked him upside the head with a hammer. He looked out at the camp, and saw men still scrambling, and eyed the cliff where he knew Anton and his friends were. Ciri had told him to meet her on the hills that would lead up there, his skin tingled, he could feel his chest pounding, urging his legs to move.

_You're as ready as anyone can be… there's nothing else you can do, _he told himself. Biting his lip, he looked at Geralt and Yen, both of whom smiled and nodded at him. Dominik walked over, hugging them both again.

"Thank you both… for everything," He said, pulling back from them, his heat continuing to race.

Yen reached out and cupped his cheek. "Of course, darling… we love you, remember that."

"Yeah… I'll see you out there," Geralt said, nodding at him, a reassuring smile on his withered face.

Dominik nodded, letting out a breath he had been holding. He sucked in another as he stood in the entrance to the tent, looking out over the camp, out over the bay.

His cheek tingled; the jagged, still red scar caught his vision. If the sun hit the red mark at the right angle, Dominik could see it, feeling it when he moved his cheeks. The cream that Ciri convinced Avallac'h to let her use had worked wonders, but it would be a few weeks, perhaps a month or two before the scar ended up looking less jagged, and more like Ciri's. It seemed to shudder at that moment, along with his inner thigh, the wound throbbing at the worst time.

He ignored it however, because the one who gave those scars to him was coming. The one who had been responsible for Ciri having to flee, who had tormented her. It wasn't just Avallac'h who forced Ciri to stay in Tir'Nala, it had been Eredin as well.

The King didn't just want to use and kill Ciri, he wanted to then invade his world, his home, kill or enslave all its people, before going and continuing to do it to other worlds.

And to top it all off, he had turned his sister into what she was. The image of Eredin striking Bella across the room, forcing her to betray Kilgarrah, planting fake memories into her head, it all came to him. He thought about it, about all he had done, and his anxious nerves, his pent-up worry, it all turned to one thing.

To rage, to determination, he channeled it throughout his body, throughout his soul. He thought about every person in that world he considered a friends, he thought about _their _friends, their loved ones, he thought about his own, and about all the millions who Eredin wanted to enslave, and all the people he had already been responsible for killing.

Folan.

Vigi.

Arno.

Declan.

Thousands more he didn't know the name of.

And of course, worst of all, what for Dominik, took precedent over all the things Eredin had done, one thing stayed at the forefront of his mind.

He wanted to take Ciri away from him, to hurt her. Dozens of peoples, Vilgefortz, Leo Bonhart, Emhyr, Mistle, Avallac'h, and he was sure even more he didn't know about, had tried to hurt her, to use her, manipulate her, take advantage of her.

Dominik hadn't been there to help her, to protect her against any of them. The Cave of Life showed him that vision of Ciri in Tir'Nala, her and Mistle for a reason. It was one of Dominik's greatest fears, facing what happen to her, the fact he hadn't been there.

However, he had conquered that challenge in the Cave of Life. He would never forgive himself for not being there for her.

But he was there for her now.

He let out a slow, steady, relaxing breath.

A surge of magic shot through his body. Small tendrils of magic exhumed from the corners of his eyes. They looked like small blades of bright blue grass releasing from his eyes, he felt power surging inside him, his limbs thumping, ready for action, ready to fight.

He had done what Alexander said, memories and thoughts of happiness, of love, goodness.

Memories of Ciri, of what their life would be like afterwards.

With another blink, he felt the magic will to his command and it disappeared from his eyes.

Complete control of his mind, of the power in his blood, and Ciri had been the key.

Of course, she had always been the key to most things for him.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri hated every single one of them. Every single one of the fuckers she walked past with that fucking golden sun painted on their armor. She knew deep down some of the men there were probably good people, they hadn't done anything to her.

However, it didn't stop her in that moment from hating all of them that she passed.

Most of their eyes went wide. They pointed at her and whispered.

_The Emperor. His daughter. Our future Empress. _

She shot cold glares at any man who spoke. The last thing she wanted right now, what with her rage boiling was to have to deal with Emhyr and what he wanted from her.

Eredin was going to die that day, the Hunt was going to be destroyed, and she was going to take Dominik, her friends, her family, and she was going to fucking leave. Her and Dominik were going to travel the Path. In the first week, she had full intentions on spending it in a comfy roadside inn, spending all day either making love, eating or taking a bath. That, perhaps a contract or two to get some initial money, that was what she wanted in her first week, she already had it planned.

And she would not be told otherwise, not anymore. She was finished listening to other people choosing her path, what she would do.

Avallac'h had finally made her snap. She wanted to finally be rid of the sage, rid of Emhyr, rid of the Lodge of Sorceresses, rid of everyone who wanted to try and control what she did. It had been the same way for her whole life, everyone always had plans for her, what _they _wanted her to do.

Well now, she had plans of her own, and she had full intentions on seeing them through. After this battle was over, she would finally have that freedom, her life with Dominik, the life they always wanted. Geralt, Yen, their friends would all be there, they'd go and get Fiona, train her, raise her to be a witcher, give her the life they had always wanted. They'd go from one end of the continent to the other, seeing all the exotic places, hunting all kinds of monsters.

And most importantly helping people in need, truly in need, and they'd have the freedom to do it however they wanted.

All she had to do, was stomach one more order, one more thing she didn't want to do, but had too for the sake of everyone else.

If Avallac'h got too close, she'd kill him, it was a simple as that. She was finished holding herself back.

The Hunt wanted her powers, and she was going to give it to them.

She found a suitable spot at the base of the hill. It was a good distance away from the main camp. A small dock led out on the cold water. The breeze was refreshing, she always did prefer the cooler weather, fall was her favorite season. Summer was too hot, winter too cold, spring brought out too many monsters, fall was perfect. George had told her, that Toussaint was the perfect climate, a perfect mixture of cool and hot days.

Perhaps her and Dominik's adventures would take them there. She didn't really care in the end, if those adventures were with him, and it was truly what they wanted.

She couldn't stop looking out over the bay. In a short amount of time, she'd return to Avallac'h, help him summon the Hunt. After that, she wasn't sure what she'd do. Somehow, she would end up on that battlefield. Dominik, Geralt, all their friends, they would all be out there, and Ciri wouldn't leave them alone.

Dominik would fight Bella, possibly Eredin again. She didn't know if she could bring herself to raise a blade to Bella again, but she would have no problem doing to so to Eredin or Caranthir. She wasn't stupid, she knew Avallac'h was keeping her close, trying to keep her alive for whatever it was he wanted her for. Ciri didn't know if it was to sacrifice her, force her to fuck him or someone else, but no matter what it was she didn't trust it.

There was nothing the sage could show her, that would make her trust his intentions. She wouldn't be fooled again by him.

She sighed, picking up a stone from the ground. With a flick of her wrists, the stone skittered across the surface, sending satisfying ripples across the water with each skip.

A smile managed to cross her lips. Dominik had shown her how to do that, and she could remember the memory vividly in her mind.

They had been in Ellander, a few months before she left for Thanedd. It had been a beautiful fall afternoon, they were at the lake, Dominik had surprised her with a picnic as he often liked to do. They fished, swam, picked flowers and ingredients for potions. Dominik had skipped a small stone across the water and Ciri was utterly fascinated how he managed to it.

So, for the next few minutes, young Dominik and Ciri skipped rocks across the lake. Well, Dominik skipped rocks, Ciri's had more often than not sunk to the bottom, causing large splashed and no doubt traumatizing several families of fish. It may not have sounded fun to other people, but to Ciri it had been a day out with the boy she loved.

The best part had come however, when after almost half an hour of failure, Dominik tried to explain to Ciri what she was doing wrong. Ciri in her frustration tossed and rock against the wall, agitated. Dominik had smirked at her, before failing on purpose, and splashing her with water from his mis-thrown stone. The water splashed her, getting her attention again, before Dominik had yanked picked her up and tossed her into the water himself. That had begun a several minute-long wrestling match in the shallows of the lake, both laughing, trying to pin the other.

It ended with several moments of kissing, and simply floating in the water together, Ciri with a feeling of utter bliss.

_We'll have plenty more like that… I promise, s_he thought. The smile stayed on her face as she looked down at stone she gently twirled in her gloves.

Not sure why she did it, she bit down on her lip concentrating on the stone. She summoned her chaos, she let the magic flow through her veins, all of it directing to her palm. Small streaks of blue light appeared in her eyes, she focused on the stone in her hands. It lifted off her palm, magic enveloping it, hovering in the air.

This had usually been the part of her training, where she'd fail. When she had been training with Avallac'h or by herself, by now the stone or whatever she was trying to carry or control normally fell, and she'd be left wondering how in the world she'd ever achieve control.

But she titled her head, the blue magic swirling more in her eyes when the stone didn't fall.

She turned her hand over, before holding out her palm, and to her complete shock, the stone stayed afloat. Magic continued to encase it, and before her luck could run out, she shot her hand forward, flicking her wrist.

_How… how did I, _her thoughts wondered off, as the stone shot forward. It skipped along the water, sending the satisfying ripples across the water before it disappeared out of view.

Her eyes widened, and the shock of what she just did finally set it. The magic disappeared from her, and she stumbled backwards, her mouth agape as she looked down at her palms, small wisps of her magic still whirling from it.

She had just used her powers, and she had felt in complete control.

"I… what… how did I…." Her words trailed off. The reality of what she had just did sunk into her, it raced through her mind, along with a hundred other thoughts.

This was something she had been trying to do since she was 14, when she first met Yennefer in Ellander. Control of her powers, so that she could effectively use them to protect herself, to hide them, and to make sure she didn't hurt anyone else with them. It had been a dream of hers, a want, a need. For the previous weeks she had slaved through Avallach's teachings for this very moment, she had thought the sage was actually helping her make some semblance of progress.

But she had been by herself, thinking of her and Dominik as children, smiling when she finally was able to achieve control.

Her eyes widened at the realization, something Dominik told her the night after the trip to the Cave of Life rang through her mind.

_Alexander told me control of my mind, my emotions is the only way I can achieve complete control of my powers. Memories of love, happiness, goodness, they're what helps the magic flow, lets me calm it and tame it. So, it looks like you _again _are gonna be saving me all the time!_

Ciri had found it incredibly sweet, she kissed him for it, and it had led to a very pleasant night in bed for them both. She hadn't thought much else on it, other than how sweet it was of him to say that, but the more she thought of it now, the more the idea came to her head.

_If there's one correct thing Avallac'h taught me… it's that the Elder Blood is fiery. But if I can tame it… control it…_

She stood up straight, looking around her and frantically reaching to the ground, picking up several decent size stones. It was far away enough from the camp that she knew no soldiers would see her, even if they did, she quite frankly didn't care. Ciri moved the rocks in a large circle around her, before rushing to stand in the middle of them. She felt the cool salty sea breeze hit her face and sucked in a quick breath.

_Am I really trying this? _She thought. _Minutes before the battle… and I really attempting this?_

She had promised that if Eredin wanted her powers, she was going to give them to him in full force, and if this worked perhaps, she truly could.

Standing in the middle of the circle, Ciri raised her arms, breathing out through her nose. Gently controlling her breathing, she did the same thing she had done with the rock. She focused her chaos, focused on the magic, the power in the blood rushing through her veins. Soon, just like before, small wisps of blue magic started to appear in her eyes, traveling up her arms and down her legs. Her hands started to shake, her vision becoming that bright blue color, before she closed her eyes and focused.

_Memories of happiness, of goodness, think Ciri, s_he said to herself.

The memory was burned into her mind. She saw herself, standing a few feet away from Dominik, who was laughing as the snow fell around them. Recognizing Claywitch, Mikel and Danara's laugh, she smiled when Fiona's excitable laugh hit her ears. She watched the memory unfold with a smile, as Dominik hefted Fiona onto her shoulder, laughing and spinning her, as the young girl did the same, trying to yank him back down into a pile of snow.

Her future, the two of them.

She watched as Dominik spun Fiona, before scooping Ciri up into her arms and tossing them all into the snow pile. She saw the Isle of Mists, Dominik crying in front of her, holding her and squeezing her, before Geralt came and joined their embrace. Kaer Morhen, before the battle, seeing Yennefer, Triss, all their friends for the first time in years.

She saw the family dinner the first night in Novigrad, learning the news Dominik and she had a child surprise, she saw their first-time making love, the day before with Freya on the hill. She could hear all their friends shouting 'Aen Hanse', and even times simply laying in bed with Dominik, or talking to Geralt, Yen, simply being with the people she loved.

And finally, her eyes opened in a shot of blue, streams of magic poured from her and she raised up her hands, squeezing them into fists. The rocks around her obeyed, lifting into the air and staying put as she opened her fists. Feeling a surge of energy shoot through every limb in her body, she spun in place, firing her hands at the cliff behind her. With a loud ***BOOM* **the rocks slammed into the side of the cliff, sending up a giant puff of smoke, as Ciri felt the magic slowly leave her limbs, but still churning in her veins.

The smoke cleared, to reveal a hold in the cliffside, with a rock wedged into it, the others she had tossed sprawled and charred on the ground below it.

"It worked…" She said, breathing heavily not from fatigue, but from disbelief. Ciri scoffed in amazement, running a hand through her ashen locks. "I did it! I… I fucking did it!"

She felt her mind completely abuzz. She had to go back to the camp, she had to find Dominik, Geralt, or Yennefer, yes, Yen was the one she wanted to see the most in that moment. For years she tried to teach Ciri to use her magic, but she had never been able to learn, and now, she had finally done it. Yen would be proud, Geralt would be proud, and gods Dominik!

He would do that thing he always did when she accomplished something. He'd say her name excitably, get a big goofy smile on his face and hug her. She had loved that more than almost everything he did.

Not only would that happen, but if he truly had been able to control his powers as well, with the battle about to begin, Eredin didn't stand a chance. If the two of them fought together like she planned, and both had complete control of their powers, they could have-.

"Uh…. Mi… Milady a… a moment if you please!" A voice cut her thoughts off.

She whirled around, and all semblance of joy she had been feeling at that moment turned to anger, and annoyance. Three Nilfgaardean soldiers stood before her, one wearing the cape of a scribe and a simple cloth tunic, a small sword at his belt. The other two flanking him wore full plate, halberds in their hands, and swords at their sides.

_No… not now, I won't let it happen, _she thought angrily. She wasn't going to let him ruin things, not now.

"What do you want!?" Ciri said accusingly, her voice sharp as she narrowed her eyes at the man.

The man was scrawny, clearly a scribe and not a soldier. He had a clean-shaven face that was drooping, with multiple age lines and wrinkles, it was clear he was near retirement age. She could also see a mane of long grey hair slicked back behind his pointed hat. His knees hobbled, and he seemed to even have trouble standing upright. _Bringing a man like this to a battlefield… you fucking bastard, _Ciri thought. He cleared his throat, cautiously eyeing the sword on Ciri's eyes. Clearly, he was frightened by the task.

Despite his freight, the man cleared his throat again. "I… I am an envoy of… of his Imperial Majesty. The Emperor of Nilfgaard, lord of Metinna, Ebbing and Gemmera, sovereign of Nazair and-."

"Let me save you a _lot _of trouble friend," Ciri hissed, trying to control her temper at the obviously afraid old man. She knew how terrifying Emhyr's gaze could be. "You and your two friends can go back to Emhyr and tell him that I said he can fuck off. Tell him that he'll never be seeing me again. Tell him, he is no father of mine, that I think he's nothing but a degenerate bastard. Tell him, that if he ever sends assassins after Dominik again, I _will _find a way to kill him myself," Ciri said, her voice dripping every word as she turned around from the group. "And also tell him… I said good luck against Adda… because he's going to need it against her."

Ciri didn't care what she said to Emhyr anymore. The battle was so close, so near, that he would never have time to pull his forces out before they summoned the Hunt, and if they tried, they would be ridden down and killed by the riders, or by Kilgarrah. No, she could say whatever she pleased about Emhyr now, and she had no problem letting him know he'd never see her again.

She turned, to see the men shocked into silence. The two soldiers behind the scribe, shifted uncomfortably in their plate, the eyes he could see widened in disbelief. Clearly, they had never heard anyone speak of their 'precious emperor' that way.

_I wonder if they know what he tried to do to me… if any of them know, s_he thought.

The soldiers, however, were nothing compared to the old scribe. The poor old man nearly fell from freight, his knees practically clacking together. His skin went pale, nearly white now as he looked at Ciri with wide eyes. Pleading eyes. The wrinkle lines in his face were scrunching together, as his mouth was agape, as if he were looking for words. The man clearly didn't belong.

He managed to sputter out words. "M…Milady pl…please… please… the… the Emp-. I… I mean his Imperial Majesty… he… requests your presence on the eve of the battle… to speak. Pl… please _we… we… _can't keep him waiting… please."

Ciri's tough outer exterior started to crack as she saw the state of the old man. She bit her lip, anger and annoyance still bubbling in her head and chest. She took in the old man's wrinkles, his wobbling knees, his pleading eyes. Tears nearly streamed from his eyes. Never in her life had she seen a man that age cry, and she determined she didn't wish to see it. She could easily hear the meaning behind his words.

_Would Emhyr really punish this man for failing to bring me to him? _She thought on it for a second, before scoffing mentally. _Who are you kidding yourself Ciri… he'll probably have this man tossed in a dungeon for that. _

She wanted to help the old man, she could see he was clearly distressed, while the soldiers behind him looked angrier then shocked by Ciri's words now. Her skin crawled, like a thousand small insects were crawling up her skin. She thought back to Stygga Castle, when she had first met Emhyr, and heard his intentions for her, the disgust and revolt, the fear she felt. It still haunted her dreams some nights, him trying to drag her from there to rape her, force her to marry him and have his child. It made her hate Nilfgaard even more, what people could follow a man who tried something like that?

_But they probably don't even know… this man in front of me doesn't know._

_Either you die here, or you escape… and I have you out there, _it had been what the third specter she faced in the Cave of Life told her, the final of her three greatest fears she had to face.

_I killed him there… defeated that fear, s_he said in her head.

She looked back out over the bay, the bay in which only moments, the Wild Hunt would appear. She'd face down monsters who had been trying to kill her, chased her for years intent on using her for their own gain.

It seemed that day, that Ciri could take down two people who tried to do just that instead of one.

Turning her head back to the scribe, Ciri slowly nodded. "You know… I think you've convinced me… come, let's go see _his Imperial Majesty._"

She spit out the words with as much disgust as she could muster, but it didn't matter to the scribe. He let out a breath of release, and gestured for Ciri to follow, the soldiers glancing at her with malice as she followed.

The battle would begin soon, but Ciri would make sure this didn't take long.

She had face him in the Cave of Life. She had to do the same now. It was another monster she needed to face.

First, she would face down Emhyr, then the Hunt. Her skin crawled at the thought of being in the same room as him.

But she found solace, knowing this was the last time she'd ever see him, she'd make sure of it.

She was a witcher, facing down monsters was what she did.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The tent was more lavish then the rest, a large red flap in the middle, held up by multiple wooden support beams. They hadn't traveled far, apparently Ciri had passed the command tent without even knowing. She cursed her luck. It had probably been one of the muttering soldiers who ran scurrying to Emhyr to tell him she was passing through camp.

And they more than likely knew it was her because she made the mistake of not killing the one assassin that had attacked Dominik and she on the frozen lake. She had decided to try and do something good by letting the man go, hearing his humble pleas for mercy, swearing he'd never return to Emhyr.

But Ciri learned then, that some people were simply fantastic liars.

A small part of Ciri wanted to use her newfound control of her powers, to teleport through the tent, cutting it and Emhyr down. She'd use her magic to flip his table, his chairs, his desks, all of them smashing into him, killing him. The closer she got to the tents entrance the more and more she considered it, the more she wanted to do it, yearned to do it. The man deserved to die a thousand deaths for what she had done to Cintra, burning the city to the ground, ordering the deaths of Dominik and his entire family, because of a petty annoyance that Pavetta had always trusted Gregory more than him.

_I hope Dominik doesn't learn he's here…. _If Dominik figured out Emhyr was right under his nose, and lightly guarded for his standards, not even the impending fight with the Hunt would have stopped him from killing Emhyr then.

As much as Ciri would love to let him, or do it herself, they couldn't afford it now. If they did, the whole camp would turn against them, the whole fleet, ruining all their plans. No, she had to think of the bigger picture.

Emhyr would get what was coming to him, whether it was from her or Dominik down the line, from Adda, from his own nobles, he would pay for all the atrocities he was responsible for. It was simply how the world worked, or at least she hoped.

"Pl… please remember to… to bow before his Imperial Majesty," The old scribe said in front of her, the two guards left outside the tent.

"Don't push your luck," Ciri hissed at him, feeling bad right away when the man recoiled.

The man gulped and quickly nodded. Ciri wouldn't bow, she learned from her grandmother, that bowing was a form of respect. The men in Cintra had bowed to her because they respected her.

Emhyr was the last person that would earn her respect.

The old scribe entered the tent, leaving Ciri outside it for a moment. Her skin continued to crawl, her gut wrenching. She didn't want to enter. Every cell in her body, told her to turn and run. She wondered if Dominik had reached the spot where she had been on the hill. If she weren't there when he got there, she assumed he would have torn the entire camp apart until he found her.

_Make this quick then… come on Ciri. _

If she was strong enough to face him in the cave, then she could do it now. If she was strong enough to tame and control the powers inside her blood, then facing Emhyr wouldn't be anything. She had fought through more than the man could ever dream of. She was strong, stronger than he would ever be able to hope.

He wouldn't control her.

She took the steps forward, pushing aside the flap to the tent, and right away Ciri almost regurgitated everything she ate the previous few days.

The tent was lavish, a large desk with a battle map, a small desk that the old scribe stood next too. She spotted a large comfortable looking bed, multiple shelves with armor, swords, books, a couch was in one corner, along with a suit of fine Imperial armor. It was clearly the best tent in the camp, but Ciri still felt like getting sick.

Particularly when Emhyr, who sat in a large, lavish chair in the center looked up at her.

His eyes met hers, as the old scribe started speaking in Nilfgaardean, clearly reading off the monster's titles. As he spoke, Emhyr didn't stop looking at her, and Ciri's brow twisted into a scowl. She suddenly yearned to have Geralt next to her, or Dominik.

_No… you can do this yourself… you can do this, _she thought to herself quickly, strengthening her nerve.

She could do this, she had to. That day she would defeat two enemies who sought to use her, had chased her for her entire life.

But Emhyr's dark eyes were unnerving, his lips stayed in a straight line, but Ciri could see the smallest semblance of a smirk, a disgusting smirk that made her want to smash the desk he sat at into him. She wanted to call on her new powers, blast the footstool near the bed and implant it into his skull.

How could the man in front of her be her father? The fact she came from someone so cruel, so despicable, it almost made Ciri recoil.

"And… and as you asked your Imperial Majesty," The scribe said, back in a language she could understand as he looked at Ciri. "Your daughter miss-."

"I'm not his daughter," Ciri snapped at the man, turning her narrowed gaze to Emhyr, who had raised an eyebrow. "Don't fucking call me that."

The scribe paused, quickly sitting down in the desk, dipping the quill in ink. Ciri wondered for a moment, before realizing he was more than likely scribing the conversation at Emhyr's orders, thinking it was the current Emperor and future Empress.

Emhyr finally scoffed at her. "I see you still have that same temper… it reminds me of your mother."

Ciri bit down on her tongue. She remembered what Dominik had learned, that Emhyr was the reason her mother was dead. Her father was the reason she grew up without a mother.

She met his eyes, her gaze still hard. "You'll find I have a lot more qualities you dislike."

"I'm sure," Emhyr said, leaning on his hand in his chair. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You killed my men, slaughtered three of them-."

"And I should have killed the fourth," Ciri said sharply, "and I'll kill any other man you send after Dominik and me. And I'll kill _you _if you continue to try and send assassins after him."

A silence hung over the air, save for the scribe, slowly scribbling the notes of the conversation down on his paper. Ciri could see the quill shaking rapidly, the man was still horrified.

Emhyr stood from his chair, the mention of Dominik seeming to stir something in him. For the first time she saw a flicker of annoyance in his eyes.

"Gregory's little brat has poisoned your mind," He said, but waved his hand dismissively. "But he will be dealt with in due time… we must now discuss the reason I called you here."

Ciri's fists curled into her arms. "I know why you called me here… and I only came, so I can look you in the eyes, and tell you, with all sincerity, that you can go fuck yourself. You'll never see me again after this is over."

Emhyr snarled, and Ciri regrettably saw it looked just like her when she did. "I am your _father _as well as your Emperor girl. You will show me the proper respect that entails!"

Ciri snarled right back at him. "You're no _father _of mine, I thought I made that clear. And as for you being my Emperor? Well you're not mine, my Queen is Adda of Redania, the one who's going to kick your ass, that is if your own nobles don't kill you first."

"That will not happen, I am their lord…" Emhyr said, his voice growing dark. He walked around the desk, eye to eye with Ciri. "As for _you _I'm surprised at your selfishness. Here I am offering to make you Empress of this land, all of it…. And you spit in my face. You can do good for this land… as I have."

She felt her mind finally erupt. Everything played in her mind again, Stygga Castle, the sack of Cintra, Thanedd where he had helped Vilgefortz pull his coup. All the years of him chasing her, what he wanted to do to her, him trying to drag her from the castle.

Her eyes shot open, and the anger swelled inside her. She could see magic whirl up in the corner of her eyes, the power flowing freely through her veins. It felt more like it normally did then, all the times she failed to control it. Ciri guess it had to do with her anger.

But she didn't care now.

"Cut your bullshit, you fucking degenerate!" Ciri spat, looking up at her father, as his eyes widened at her tone. "You don't want to _gift _the me the continent! You don't give a damn about the people, what happens to them. You've started two fucking wars completely unprovoked, put them through years of war and torment! You only care about yourself, and now, your sins are finally catching up to you! The nobles are seeking to depose you, they're trying to overthrow and assassinate you even.

"I'm not some stupid little girl you can control and manipulate anymore! You don't care about _gifting _me anything. You just want me so you can use me to save your own ass!"

"You don't know what you're talking about you ignorant child," Emhyr spat, his hands behind his back as he looked down at her, his eyes fuming. From his steely, angry gaze, Ciri could tell she had been correct in everything she said. "You _will _become Empress because that is what I your _father _will! The witcher, and Gregory's little brat have poisoned your mind. You _will _obey, and we _will _do something about that disrespectful little tongue, this is no way to speak to your father and-."

"YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER YOU BASTARD!" Ciri erupted, the magic swirling more in her eyes as she smacked aside a goblet of wine that had been on Emhyr's desk. "Gregory, Geralt, Dominik, they're three times the men you'll be in your miserable life! WHAT KIND OF FATHER TRIES TO RAPE AND MARRY HIS OWN DAUGHTER!?"

The words made the tent silent again, she heard the clunking of armor outside the tent. Clearly her scream had echoed throughout at least a bit of the tent. The quill of the old scribe stopped writing, as he looked up at Emyr and she, a look of horror in his eyes. Ciri almost chuckled out loud.

_Of course, none of them know… why would he tell them. _

A new look of rage appeared in the Emperor's eyes. He sucked in a breath, his nostrils flaring as he glared down at her, clearly trying to intimidate her.

"You will _never _speak of that again girl," He hissed.

Ciri scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, so you haven't told many people have you? You haven't told them, that you sacked Cintra those years ago to get me? That you wanted to get me, in order to rape and marry me, your own daughter, and that you chased me again for years to do exactly that? That once you did find me, you tried to drag me form Stygga Castle screaming and crying?"

"I left you be, you ungrateful child…" He said, his voice dark.

"Oh, how _fucking _kind of you," Ciri said darkly. "If not for Yennefer, and for Geralt calling you out in front of all your men, you would have drug me along for your sick plans…. I wonder how many of your men now, would want to follow their _glorious _Emperor, if they learned what he tried…. Or better yet, I wonder if me and Dominik's personal friend Queen Adda would like to know this information, I wonder what she could do with it…"

Ciri didn't know where her confidence came from. She assumed it was from the years of pent up frustration and rage. A normal person more than likely would have been executed by now.

_No, he needs me… he needs me too bad, _she thought, a smirk coming to her face.

Emhyr's eyes were even darker than normal as he hissed every word. "You are an ungrateful little brat. You obviously have such disdain for me, but you would turn down the opportunity to help the people of this land?"

"I'll be able to help them just fine… as a witcher," Ciri said, narrowing her eyes one last time at the man. She had already spent more than enough time there. Shaking her head, she sneered in disgust. "All your life, you've tried to control more and more and more. I've seen what power does to people, they turn them into monsters like you. But let tell you this _father _no matter how much land you conquer, no matter how many men you control… one thing you'll never control is me. All you'll ever be… is 'Duny' a cursed hedgehog."

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Emhyr screamed, raising his hand from the right.

Ciri was much quicker, magic flashing in her eyes, she saw Emhyr come with an open-handed slap. She raised up her own hand, magic enhancing her movements she gripped tight to his wrist, spinning and twisting it around his back. Emhyr grunted in pain, and Ciri heard a crack, as she yanked up on the wrist. She heard another satisfying crack, and shoved Emhyr forward until he went tumbling to the table

With a crash, the table and map fell, the old scribe in the room yelped as Emhyr tumbled into a shelf behind the table, his elbow broken, a large bruise forming on his forehead.

_He really tried to hit me… pathetic man. _Sweat beat down Ciri's forehead, as she watched Emhyr scramble, grunting in pain as he clutched at his wrist. She looked out over the camp. She could see the sun setting and the wind stirring.

_It's time… he doesn't matter anymore, _she thought, looking back to Emhyr wincing in pain.

She could hardly believe she saw such a truly pathetic man as a threat. She decided then and there that she would help Adda, her and Dominik would go to the Queen.

And they would help her end the man before her.

An idea popped into her head; she didn't know if it would make any difference, but she shot her gaze over to the scribe anyway.

"You there!" Ciri said, making the man flinch. "You're a royal scribe are you not?"

The man crumpled under her gaze but quickly nodded. "I… I am milady yes."

"Responsible for writing down and keeping records for the crown yes? Taking down royal orders?"

"Those… those are some of my duties yes milady," He said, his quill shaking.

"Cirilla!" Emhyr bellowed, managing to get to his feet. "What are you doing girl!?"

Ciri glared at him, before going back to the scribe. "Good, then you should follow my orders yes, write down what I say," Ciri said, turning back to Emhyr, "because after all apparently I _am _your new empress."

Emhyr looked confused for a moment. "Cirilla what are you-."

"_Is _that correct?" Ciri said, cutting him off and looking at the scribe.

The old man quickly nodded and Ciri smirked, turning back to Emhyr. "Good, now listen to what I say and write down every word. As your new Empress, I am ready to give out my first royal decree."

Emhyr hastily stood again. "What are you doing girl!? You have no-."

"Write down, that I, Empress Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, herby accept the title of Empress of Nilfgaard." Ciri said, looking at the old man quickly scribble with his quill. She then turned to narrow her eyes at Emhyr again, meeting his hard, challenging eyes. "My first royal decree… is to _immediately _abdicate the title of Empress, back to my _loving _father, Emhyr Var Emreis."

Emhyr's eyes widened, as she realized what she was doing. "Cirilla! As your father I forbid you from-."

But Ciri felt the words pour out of her, as she looked Emhyr dead in the eyes. "Furthermore, let it be known, that again I, once again being Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, of sound body and mind, herby relinquish any and all claim to the throne of Nilfgaard. I shall hold now lands, nor titles in the Empire, from this day… until my last day."

The scribe looked hastily up to Ciri, and to Emhyr, seemingly terrified of them both. However, he slowly scribbled the words. Before Emhyr could do anything, Ciri snatched the quill from the man, and came around his desk. She signed her name at the bottom of the page as hastily as she could, and stood up, Emhyr's eyes wide and furious.

"You have no idea what you're doing girl! I am your FATHER!" He yelled, as Ciri walked past him, to the exit of the tent. "YOU WILL DO AS I COMMAND! I AM THE EMPEROR YOUR-."

"You're nothing… you'll always be nothing…" Ciri said darkly, the rage simmering to a soft boil. She stood in the tent's entrance and turned to face her father one last time. "This is going to be last time you see me…. You dug your own grave _father _now you can lay in it. I won't be the one to bail you out…"

And with that she walked out of the tent, leaving Emhyr, and the terrified old scribe.

She sucked in a breath, finally feeling a sense of calm overtake her. It was a she said, it was too late, the battle was due to start in minutes, Emhyr would have no way to move all of his troops out before the Hunt arrived, and even if he tried, he'd be surrounded by both the Hunt and all of Skellige's forces.

And he also wouldn't want word of how Ciri embarrassed him to get out. He was going to try and cover it up, his pride wouldn't allow it to get out.

She didn't focus on him; however, she was finished with him. She looked up on the cliff she knew Anton and all her friends were on, where Dominik would be. Thinking of him, of them, of what they'd finally be able to do spurred her forward.

_First Emhyr… now time for Eredin, _she thought, walking at a brisk pace, heading towards where she told Dominik to meet her. Her stomach churned, the realization of what she did setting in, but she pushed it aside. She wouldn't give Emhyr that satisfaction.

She had control now, control of the thing that plagued her for her entire life, and she was going to use it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik's anger boiled as he walked through the camp towards the hills. He tried to move fast, knowing looking too much would do exactly what it was going now. He couldn't focus on Nilfgaard now, not with the battle beginning soon.

However, when he saw the slaves, the servants, his fists curled. Nilfgaard was known for slavery, the Northern Realms had many faults at their peak, but that wasn't one of them.

The Hunt also kept slaves.

_First the Hunt… first save Ciri, save Bella… Emhyr will get what's coming to him. _

He tried to push all thoughts of Nilfgaard out of his mind, no matter what most of these men had done nothing wrong to him. So, despite the fact he hated seeing that golden sun, he focused on what mattered then. He took in long deep breaths, trying to keep the fragment of control he felt. He could feel his powers, feel his blood whirling and churning within him. His limbs were itching, ready for the fight to finally begin. He didn't know if it were because of his anxiousness, or if it could possibly be from the fact, he knew he'd have to fight Bella soon. Both their powers clashing against each other could kill them both.

But it wouldn't come to that, he'd get through to her, he had to.

"And I'm going to make them all pay…" He said slowly, letting out the breath he had been holding.

He looked out over the bay again, he scowled as he spotted Avallac'h watching out over the docks. He was sure Geralt was still spending some time with Yen, so he probably had a few more minutes at most. Under his breath he cursed, picking up his pace. Anton would be waiting, and he needed to see Ciri before-.

"NO! NO, NO PLEASE! PLEASE I DID NOTHING WRONG I SWEAR!" A loud scream cut him off, and Dominik saw a whole of five soldiers carrying a screaming man.

He pulled to a stop, as they passed him, having been so wrapped up in his thoughts he almost didn't notice. The soldiers seemed to be in a particularly foul mood, as they drug the thrashing man. Dominik caught sight of the man's face. He was balding, grey stringy hair, wrinkly eyes and face. It was clear the man was well past the age he should be near a battlefield, and it was also clear he wasn't a soldier. He had on simple clothes, the type he'd seen on scribes running about the camp, and when he was in Vizima. Three more guards walked in front of the others dragging the poor old man, one with a large axe, one with a wooden block, the other with rope.

The old man continued to scream as he was dragged, he looked and saw Dominik, his eyes widening.

"HELP! HELP ME PLEASE! I DID NOTHING WRONG I ONLY WAS DOING MY DUTY!" The man yelled, trying to run towards him before he was yanked back. He yelled out in pain and shook his head. "PLEASE! PLEASE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DONE! IF WHAT I HEARD WAS-."

One of the soldiers in front of him shouted back in Nilfgaardean, turning back and punching the old man's face. Blood sprayed to the ground, and Dominik's stomach twisted when the man's body went limp and unconscious, blood trickling from his mouth. His fists curled, as the one guard dragging the now unconscious old man scowled at him before they continued dragging the body towards the lake.

Dominik's fists shook, shaking his head in disgust. _Poor bastard… what kind of man goes through with something like that? _He pushed the thoughts from his mind, he needed to focus. The Hunt would be there soon, he needed to find Ciri and-.

"You! You there, Dominik of Cintra!" A voice shouted behind him. "Hold a moment, if you'd please!"

"You've gotta be fucking kidding what now," He said under his breath, turning to the source of the voice.

He turned around, just before he could see the guards toss the old man's unconscious body to the ground, setting him up on the wooden block. Dominik swore that he saw the one with the axe practically licking his lips. However, he pushed it to the side, he had no idea what the old man had done or not done, but he couldn't worry about that right now.

"Ah, I appreciate you stopping," The voice said again, and Dominik's eyes narrowed when he saw the man. "You can be a very hard man to track down Dominik of Cintra."

Dominik remembered the man, a rat like face with slicked back brown hair, a hairline way too far back for someone the man's age. He had been the one to ask Dominik questions in Vizima while his beard was being shaved. Right away, alarm bells started ringing in Dominik's head. Was the man going to ask about Ciri? It was a given that Emhyr and the rest of the camp knew she was there, that Geralt and he had found her. The assassin they let go had gone and blabbed right back to them. It was hard enough for him to focus on Eredin and Bella, he didn't need to be worrying about Nilfgaard then, he couldn't afford to have his focus shifted.

However, a small nagging feeling in the back of his head was insistent. How would they get Ciri out after the battle? They were surrounded by hundreds of troops, would Emhyr try to take her as soon as the fighting was done?

Dominik narrowed his eyes at the man, he was smiling way too wide for his liking. He couldn't remember the man's name, but he stood a few steps away from Dominik clearly expecting him to say something, to remember his name and engage in the conversation.

But Dominik didn't.

The man laughed nervously and held out his hand. "Ah how terribly presumptuous of me. It has been quite a while since we saw one another. Morvran Voorhis, commander of the Alba division."

He didn't say anything again. Crossing his arms, he looked at the man's hand out in front of him, before narrowing his gaze back up at the man's face. A part of him expected Morvran to get angry, to sneer at him, give him that condescending look of superiority that most Nilfgaardeans he met did. However, Voorhis seemed to understand, pulling his hand back and looking at Dominik again.

"Don't really care who you are to be honest," Dominik said, a bit of his anger leaking out. "What do you want from me?"

Voorhis nodded, a small smile on his face. "You have disdain for the Empire, I can see that. And I can even understand why. You know, however, not all of us are as vile as you think."

"Yes, but the ones at the top making the decisions are," Dominik snapped, shaking his head. "I don't have time for chit chat, what do you want from me?"

His mind was quickly abuzz. He was sure that the man was going to go on some long-winded explanation of what would happen after the battle. He'd explain to Dominik where the Emperor wanted him to take Ciri after the battle, what would be done to him after that happened. Dominik was sure if the man said that, he'd finally lose his temper, and possibly not have only the Hunt but all the Black Ones descending on him as well.

"Aha… you are a busy man, especially now I understand. I will be brief," Voorhis said, a smirk on his face as he held both hands behind his back. Dominik thought for a moment he was reaching for a weapon, but the man simply kept smiling. "I simply wished to offer you my congratulations."

"Oh?" Dominik asked right away.

Voorhis looked around them. Dominik heard a loud squelch, it made him, and it seemed Voorhis as well both flinch. He knew the sound; it was one he had heard far too often.

He didn't need to look, to know the soldiers had taken the old man's head from his shoulders.

"A damn shame… barbaric if you ask me," Voorhis said, as Dominik turned back to him.

A scoff left him. Did he really just hear a Nilfgaardean general call what was no doubt a punishment from Emhyr barbaric? No, he had to have heard wrong. There was no way one would disobey Emhyr so blatantly. He pushed the thoughts from his head as quickly as they came.

_The Hunt is coming… you need to get to Ciri. _

But he looked at Voorhis and couldn't hold his tongue. "Of all the things Nilfgaard has done, that's barbaric to you? I've seen near whole villages burned, looted, hung and quartered. I've seen your men take slaves, butcher villagers… that's all barbaric if you ask me."

"And I'd tend to agree with you. Unfortunately for my conscious, and yours, orders like that are out of my control," Voorhis said, waving his hand. "But we can speak of that later. You ask me why I congratulate you… why I congratulate you on succeeding in the mission you set out from Vizima on."

The words hit Dominik like a brick. Right away his muscles tensed, and he could feel magic zipping through his veins like rapids. He met the general's eyes, and he could see the man was being serious, he could see it. How could a man so clearly be talking about a sensitive topic, but sound so genuine?

Again, he couldn't worry about it.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Dominik said, his voice low and steady. He didn't remove his eyes from the generals as he shook his head. "I'm here to fight the Hunt… don't got no idea where Ciri is."

He could tell, that Voorhis knew he was lying. Dominik also knew that Voorhis as well as Emhyr knew Ciri was in that very camp. A cold chill washed over his spine, but the chill was overtaken by his bubbling anger. Here they were on the verge of a great battle with the Hunt, and they were worrying about Nilfgaard?

Biting his lip, he adjusted the straps for his swords, his hand close to the crossbow on his hip. His silver dagger was sheathed across his lower back, two weapons he could reach quickly. There was no telling what Voorhis would try, and he was preparing himself for anything.

However, he wasn't ready for what the general did.

Voorhis met his intense gaze, taking a step closer, and speaking lowly so only Dominik could hear.

"Ah… well that is most… unfortunate," He said, his eyes not leaving Dominik's. The general shrugged. "Hypothetically speaking of course… Cirilla being here, being brought to his majesty… truly might have been the only way to appease the nobles… put a stop to their plans to try and depose him."

Dominik looked at the man cautiously and spoke low as well. "Yes… my heart bleeds for the poor, poor Emperor. Now what is it you want?"

"It is as I said!" Voorhis said, sighing a bit too dramatically to be real and shaking his head. "I meant to congratulate you on completing your mission but… if you haven't succeeded. If… Cirilla truly isn't here, truly hasn't been found well… I dare say that is trouble for our Emperor! Not only now, will he have to work to pacify my father and other nobles… but there is a new ruler in Redania we must contend with. Yes… Cirilla not returning… it seems her… 'missing', will how you say… throw a wrench in his plans."

He said the word 'missing', clearly with more meaning behind it. _What is he playing at? _

Voorhis knew as well as Dominik did that Ciri wasn't really missing. He knew that she was in that camp where they stood, more than likely not far from them at all. Too much was happening too fast, and Dominik quite frankly didn't have time to try and discern what the man was trying to say.

Meeting the general's eyes, he got closer to the man. He was just as tall as Dominik was. They were eye level, but Dominik was far more armored then the man, who wore a long-armored tunic over mail, a broadsword at his hip. Dominik's two swords must have looked at least somewhat imposing.

It didn't matter if he looked imposing however, because he wasn't going to deal with Emhyr or the Empire then. He quickly glanced towards the hill, Anton would begin to worry soon, and he still needed to see Ciri.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to get at," Dominik said darkly, "but I'd prefer if you spoke normally, and told me what it is you stopped me for."

Voorhis held his hands up in surrender and jokingly laughed again, infuriating Dominik further. The general however, suddenly stopped, and took a step closer to him again.

"Aha… why, I am simply trying to console you! Surely you must be distraught, that Cirilla is still… missing."

"I cry myself to sleep every night," Dominik said, scoffing as he shook his head. "I've had enough of this, if you don't have anything to say I'm leaving, I-."

"And not only is it bad for you… but it is very bad for his majesty as well that Cirilla is… 'missing'," Voorhis said, stopping Dominik from walking away. Dominik paused, and turned back to the general who smiled. He took a step closer to Dominik again and smirked at him. "Why… hypothetically, if Cirilla stayed… 'missing', why, it would cause the Emperor much strain. He'd have to deal with the disgruntled nobles back home, and an enemy he greatly underestimates in the North."

"Adda's going to kick his ass, make him look like a fool," Dominik said sharply, his eyes questioning. "Emhyr's biggest mistake would be underestimating her."

"Aha… our Emperor is great… but he is blinded by arrogance," The general said, his voice sharper now as he narrowed his eyes at Dominik. "There are… more than a few in the Nilfgaardean court who have come to… disagree, with how he had handled his reign some… wish it to come to an end. And well… again… it is quite unfortunate for him Cirilla is still… 'missing'."

"Yes… again my heart bleeds for him," He said back, shaking his head. "She _won't_ be there for him to abdicate too… she can't bail him out of his mistakes."

Dominik made sure to give his words extra meaning, as the general had been doing to him. It was obvious to him what the general was trying to say, he was trying to insinuate that he didn't mind that Ciri didn't come to Emhyr, that he would actually benefit from the Emperor being unable to abdicate.

_But why… what are you up too? _No! Dammit, he needed to get to Ciri, he'd be damned if he didn't see her before it started. She was going to be there fighting with him eventually, he knew that. But all he wanted to do was hold for a bit longer, perhaps pretend that they were simply exploring the cliffs, a romantic getaway. He couldn't do any of that however, with a scheming Nilfgaardean in front of him.

Voorhis eyes him again, the general's eyes narrowing.

"Yes… it would be a particular shame if… hypothetically someone _did _find Cirilla, found her and… took her away, far from the Empire, which I am sure she wouldn't mind… and _kept _her missing."

His eyes slowly widened, as he finally could unravel what the general was really trying to say. _He's telling me to take Ciri… to keep her far away from Nilfgaard… why in the world would he be doing that? He was Emhyr's top general in Vizima. _

Dominik slowly shook his head. "What are you trying to-."

"Hypothetically… if this person and Cirilla stayed… 'missing," The general cut him off, "it would cause the Emperor to not be able to abdicate as you say. And well… the discourse amongst us nobles would continue, and perhaps well… a new Emperor will be chosen… the _right_ choice."

_You mean you… clever man, _Dominik thought. He didn't care a single bit what happened to Nilfgaard, or Voorhis. However, he did swear one day he'd live to see Emhyr dead.

Seeing him deposed, his throne taken from him, however, would give Dominik just as much satisfaction. But what would happen if Emhyr was deposed? He didn't know anything about the man in front of him.

"That all sounds so tragic," Dominik said dryly, shaking his head at the man. "Well… I don't know where Ciri is but… I do know she's good at staying 'missing' when she wants to be."

"A woman of many talents I'm very sure," Voorhis said, the smirk growing on his face. He let out a fake laugh. "Aha… again so tragic she is still 'missing'… you know her well as you say… do you think she will ever be found?"

Dominik scoffed. He still didn't trust the man, not a single bit, however he saw the perfect way to end the conversation. Not only did it finally let him go and see Ciri then… but it planted a small seed in the back of his mind. Here was a high ranking Nilfgaardean noble and general, all but telling him to keep Ciri away from Nilfgaard, and that it could lead to Emhyr's downfall.

Perhaps that day, he could kill Eredin, and finally deal with Emhyr as well.

Dominik cleared his throat, still staring pointedly at the man. "I obviously hope she's… found yes. But I must admit… I don't think so. Ciri's the type of woman, who's going to forge her own path… if she wants to stay 'missing'… then that's how she'll stay."

"And you believe that's what she wants to do? Stay… 'missing'?" Voorhis asked again, more pressingly this time.

A scoff left Dominik and he nodded. "Yeah… I think that's what she wants… I don't think you… or Emhyr will be seeing her again."

"A shame then…" Voorhis said slowly, the smile staying on his face as he waved his hand. "Well… I believe I have taken up enough of your time. My condolences on your… failure in your quest Dominik of Cintra… I do hope the upcoming battle fares better for you… good luck."

And with those words the general turned and left. After Dominik finally digested what happened, he turned, just in time to see the old man's headless body being tossed into the sea. Even Voorhis had called it 'barbaric'. Was the man being genuine? Did he genuinely think that, or would he just be another Emperor in the same mold as Emhyr if he ever came to rule?

Dominik didn't know enough and didn't care to find out. He could spot Avallac'h on the docks, his hands twitching around his staff, clearly eager to get going. His thoughts shifted back to the elf, and he found himself grunting in annoyance.

_Surrounded by enemies on three sides…._

Avallac'h, the Hunt, the Black Ones, all enemies of his. All people who wanted Ciri for something. So many people, for so, so long had wanted her to be safe. She was the only one, the only one who could ever understand him, truly, utterly understand his pain, his suffering, his trauma.

He was a changed man, thanks to her. Even since he found her, everything had been different. The feeling of having one person who understands you completely, truly, truly understands, was one of the greatest feelings in the world. That person being the love of your life as well? Well, that was simply a bonus.

It didn't matter how many enemies surrounded them, as long as they stood together, as long as he stood, they'd be together.

And perhaps one day, they could finally heal from everything that had happened. Physically, and emotionally.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Ciri's blood still raced from the events in the tent, Emhyr's dangling, broken wrist was burnt into her mind. Would that piece of paper she signed even matter? Did she condemn that poor scribe to death for simply being a witness? She tried to push all the thoughts from her mind as she came to the dock again, right near the slop of the east hill. In her palms swirled magic. Her eyes were closed, she thought of that first night back in Novigrad, her and Dominik settling into their room in the Chameleon, kissing and holding one another for warmth as they drank and fell asleep. She knew the tattoo, the wolf head on her inner wrist would be there when she opened her eyes. The memory was real.

That made the stone hover calmly in her hand, and when she opened her eyes, she shoved her hand forward. She smiled, as just as before, the stone skipped across the water.

Complete control.

"I did it… I really did it," She said to herself, a smile forming on her lips, which turned into a smirk.

She had finally gained control of her powers. She had taken care of Emhyr, even if her signing that paper did nothing, she would never see the man again. One monster had finally been slain.

And soon Eredin would be dead… one way or another.

She'd be happy, Dominik would be happy, Geralt, Yen, all their friends.

Ciri and Dominik, they'd get the happy ending Ciri knew they both deserved.

The wind was calm, too calm for Ciri's liking. Soon it would be a hailing gale. As annoying as she found the sage, Avallac'h had been right. Eredin wouldn't be stupid enough to come with just the Nagalfar. More ships would appear, and then of course there was Kilgarrah.

And Bella.

Bella. Ciri could hear her, see her smiling, everything they had done when they were younger. It was another person, who by association with her, was condemned to a fate which some may have found worse than death.

All the more reason Ciri would avenge her today.

"There you are, sorry I'm late," Dominik's soft voice said behind her.

She shot to her feet, dropping the next stone she had picked up. He walked up the dock next to her, and just like always Ciri found herself smiling when he was around. His soft hair blew back in the wind. It had gotten longer in the last few weeks, it was a mess as per usual, but somehow the look was handsome on him. It fell perfectly around his head, a little longer now. She'd have to give him a haircut soon, she used to do that for him when they were younger.

But still he was beautiful. Ciri still couldn't find any other way to describe him as the orange rays of sunset glew off his handsome face.

His eyes glew, and if she narrowed her eyes, she could see small wisps of blue magic in the corners of them. Was he controlling his powers then as well? Ciri had trouble focusing on that because she was too focused his chiseled face. Strong jaw, high cheekbones, the only blemishes being the long scar on his right cheek, and a few smaller faded ones. Some women may have found the scar off-putting, but Ciri found it handsome, especially since she knew where he got it from. He had always told her, that one of his favorite features of her, was the scar on her upper lip. He said it was cute and flared up whenever she was angry, happy, when she smiled or frowned, he teased her about it, which annoyed her, but she also found it endearing.

She would never forget what he said to her when he first woke up at Kaer Morhen, after Freya had saved his leg, after he fought Eredin to keep her safe.

He had smiled through his pain, and at the fact they had matching scars now. Remembering it still made Ciri smile then. They both had scars marring their faces. Both had gotten them in a fight for their life. Both had gone through hell. Both had done horrible things in order to survive and get back to where they were. Both were ashamed, still haunted by all the things that happened, that they had to do.

They were far from perfect, but they were perfect for each other.

That was all that mattered to Ciri.

She didn't even say anything, her entire body shook as she met him in a hug in the center of that small dock. His armor clunked, but she didn't mind. It was still amazing for her to how much of a man he looked like then. Eight years prior, the last time she saw him before the Isle of Mists, he had been a young boy. A boy who had seen more than most yes, but still a boy. A boy she had been madly in love with, enamored with from the time they first met.

And now he was a man, in full Mastercrafted witchers armor, two swords, a medallion. He was a man now, she was a woman, it still baffled her, because it felt like yesterday to her they were children in Ellander with Geralt and Yen. She felt the coldness from the wind, and from the chains around her neck, holding the witcher medallion he had gotten her, and the ring.

They may have changed, but the ring and the swallow stayed, the love they had for each other stayed, through all eight years apart, it had stayed.

She pulled back, looking at that goofy smile he had one his face. He looked like he was about to say something, but she kissed him to stop him. Ciri didn't want mindless words to bog down that moment. All she wanted to focus on was him, so she forced down the anxiousness billowing in her gut from what she had done a few minutes prior.

Like always his kiss was sweet, a drug that Ciri was addicted to and wasn't afraid to indulge in whenever she saw fit. She pressed her lips against his with everything she could muster. There was so much she wanted to say, and barely enough time to even scratch the surface. How did you explain to the person you loved that how much they meant to you? It was probably easy for most people, and Ciri probably could have figured it out if given more time.

However, they didn't have time then, so Ciri settled for trying to put it all into that kiss then. Dominik never had trouble telling her how much she meant to him, each time it made her blush and fluster like a young girl. She always had trouble stringing the words together however, it annoyed her because she loved him equally as fiercely as he did her, possibly more she dared say.

But she'd figure it out later, perhaps Dandelion could help her learn to turn her feelings into words. For now, however, she knew she didn't need to say much.

She reluctantly removed her lips from his, and smiled up at him, ignoring the bubbling pit of anxiety in her stomach.

He got that goody smile for a moment, but soon tilted his head. "What is it? You got that look on your face."

"What look?" She said quickly, not removing her arms from his neck.

He sighed but smiled, his hands exploring up and down her back soothingly. "That look you get when you want to tell me something, but you think you're bothering me. What is it?"

She bit her lip, he really did know her better than anyone, possibly even herself. She relished and soaked up the feeling of his hands on her back. He explored every little nape, and Ciri wanted more than anything to be back in their room at the inn, back in Chameleon in Novigrad. Anywhere would have done, as long as it was with him.

There was so much that was itching at her. What would Emhyr do after her display in the tent, had she doomed them to fighting off assassins for the rest of their lives? What would he do when Bella showed herself? And what about Eredin? How would she get by his side again?

The entire moment was far too much like what happened before the Battle at Kaer Morhen for her liking.

But she didn't want to worry about any of it. She met his eyes and shook her head, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck.

She looked deep into his eyes, the eyes Ciri always loved because they so perfectly matched hers. Ever since they were young, she'd be able to tell what he was thinking, what his emotions were just by his eyes. He could do the same for her, it was simply a testament to their bond, it was a way Ciri knew it was real.

Now she could see the worry in his eyes. It was a cute thing he did. Whenever he thought she was even mildly inconvenienced, upset, or anything of the like he'd right away drop everything to make her feel better. No matter how he was feeling at the moment, he always did everything he could for her.

Ciri had promised she'd repay him somehow, for everything, and she knew exactly how she'd do it. She'd do it by giving him the life they both deserved.

A happy ending.

She looked at him, a smile slowly forming as she saw the look, he gave her. "I don't want to talk about it right now… I just want to be here with you okay? Were Geralt and Yen alright?"

Just like always, he knew he'd respect what she said. He would ask her more later, and she'd tell him more later. She'd let him know what happened with Emhyr later, let him know about all the things she'd been thought up for them to do later. She'd get to show him how she could control her powers now later, perhaps within the hour. She wouldn't be tethered to the shore; she was going to be sure of that. He'd see it, there was no need for her to explain it to him then.

No extra words were needed then. She just wanted to be there with him.

He met her eyes with a smile. "They were alright. Geralt's going to speak to Avallac'h when we're ready, probably going to be starting soon."

"Then you'd better kiss me now," Ciri said, her voice soft. She smiled at him, reaching one of her hands around to hold his cheek. "You'll need to be getting up to our friends. And if Avallac'h needs me to help activate the stone I should head there…. The sooner we get started, the sooner we're finished."

Dominik didn't lean in and kiss her, but she didn't expect him too. He narrowed his eyes, squeezing her tighter. Ciri could practically sense his anxiety, his nerves. She knew leaving her there, was the hardest thing he'd have to do. However, she needed to make sure that he was focused on the battle, on surviving.

She meant it when she said she'd deal with the sage when he made his move, kill him if she had too.

"Still don't like leaving you here with him… at all," He said slowly, sighing. "He's going to try something Ciri, you know, I know it, everyone does."

"And it's like I told you, I'm a big girl, I can handle him," She said, trying to sound reassuring. Ciri smiled and gently stroked her thumb along his scar, meeting his worried eyes. "I'll be alright, I promise."

"And when he does try something? Tries to take you when we're all distracted," He said, his voice sounding worried.

Ciri narrowed her eyes. "Then I'll kill him, simple as that. Besides… nothing is going to take me from you all again, nothing and nobody. I promised, didn't I?"

"You did yeah…"

"And you trust me, right?" She said, the smile not leaving her.

Dominik sighed, leaning down and kissing her. It only lasted a moment before he pulled back, a smile forming on his face. "I do… more than anyone. I… I just don't want to leave you here… I want you out there with me. As weird as it sounds, I'd feel safer with you in the middle of the fight with me as opposed to being on the shore."

Ciri scoffed a laugh. "Ha, and I'd rather be out there with you then on the shore you know that. But listen to me… I will _not _let anyone take me; I won't leave… not for anything."

"And even if you did… where you go… I go," He said, his fingers idly playing with a loose strand of her hair.

Ciri smiled and nodded, leaning up and kissing him again. "Always…. It's like I said before. After this… we start our life together, just like we always wanted."

"A life if fighting deadly monsters, traveling from musty inn to musty inn," He said, a smile coming to his face now as he held her. "You know, the Path isn't as glamorous as you think."

"As long as I'm with you, it'll be everything I ever wanted," She said, the words spilling from her, as her spine tingled. Meeting his eyes again she shakily laughed. "I… I know that well... I'm not particularly good with words, I… I want you to know well... obviously, I love you, I… I love you so much. So… so much to… to the point where I… dammit I don't know how to explain like you do, what I mean to say is that-."

"Ciri… it's okay. I know," He said, smartly cutting her off before she could ramble again.

She finally sighed with a laugh, looking down as her boot. She could feel her forehead leaning against his. Biting her lip, she thought about what to say. Here was the man she loved, going into battle against the Wild Hunt for the second time, again without her. When she spoke, she tried to reassure him but if she blinked, she could see Kaer Morhen, the sword entering his leg, cutting across his cheek.

He squeezed her holding her tight in an embrace that Ciri didn't want to leave. All she did was listen to the sound of his steady breathing, the wind howling, the waves rushing under the dock below them. She didn't have the energy then to try and form words, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed with everything she had. She placed a kiss on the side of his neck, getting a small laugh out of him, she knew that always did.

Pulling back, she saw his smile, the smile that had saved her some nights she was on her own. The thought of him, Geralt, everyone, it had gotten her through the hard days.

Getting back to that moment then, there with them all, but particularly with Dominik, it was what she had fought so long for.

And she was going to be damned if she let anyone, whether it be Emhyr, the Hunt, or Avallac'h take it from her again.

She slid her hands down his chest, grabbing onto both his hands. He smiled at her. Had she always found that smile so entrancing? She could remember when he was younger, he had a rounder, chubbier face much like she did. From the moment Ciri had seen him she was enamored, particularly when the first thing he did when he saw her, was worry about her falling from the balcony. She made him chase her through the halls of the castle for several minutes, and the first thing he did wasn't asking her what her name was, why she had thrown an apple at him.

No, the first thing he did was make sure she was okay. She loved the boy he had been and loved the man in front of her.

"I… I love you…" She said, her face inches from his. A small smile creeped to her lips as she met his gaze. "Be careful… and don't you _dare _die on me again, do you understand?"

Her heart raced, but it calmed when she saw him smile and laugh.

"Ha… yeah I guess I did practically go and die last time, didn't I?" He said, his hands still around her waist like Ciri preferred.

"Yes, you did, doing something heroically brave, and stupid," She scolded, as she narrowed her eyes, finding that tears were staring to well in them. "Don't do anything stupid this time… go, fight… and just come back to me alright?"

Something had changed in him within the last few moments. It was as if this one simple conversation with her had sparked him. One of his hands stayed on her waist, the other started playing with loose strands of her hair again. He did that often. Sometimes Ciri would wake up in the morning, just to find Dominik awake, holding her still and playing with her hair. It always had a way of soothing her, and it did just that then.

He smiled at her, his warm bright eyes baring into her. "I will… I promise. I love you Ciri… more than anything."

Ciri believed him, on both points.

It was easy to think you weren't in control of your life. It was because you weren't, Ciri had learned that the hard way. You couldn't stop certain things from happening. The only thing that you _could _do was make the best of what you did have.

And that's what Ciri did. She had him, through all the pain, she had him and he had her. She was his, and he was hers.

And that wouldn't change.

"I love you too… you stupid boy," She said, the tears finally trickling from her eyes, smudging her makeup.

Dominik looked like he was going to wipe them for her, but Ciri kissed him before he could. She kissed him like she never had before, putting every word she wanted to say, every bit of love she had for him into that one kiss. It worked because he melted into her. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, and Ciri did the same around his neck. She angled her lips to meet perfectly with his, her hands slipping to cup his cheeks. One long kissed turned into more, as all she could think about was him, his lips, his touch, just him.

She didn't want to leave that embrace; she never did when they held each other like that. Ever since she was a girl, since she met him Ciri had wanted two things. To be a witcher, and to be with him.

And finally, she had those. After that day, she'd be free they'd be free. They would finally be able to properly heal from what had happened and make up for all that lost time.

But first one more fight, she had to get them all through one more fight.

She savored the sweet feeling of his lips against hers. It was something she was ready to have much more of going forward. Yes, they'd lost enough time with one another, and soon they'd get it all back.

Eventually she needed to breath, and she could feel it for him too. Her lips slowly parted from his, and Ciri's mind was abuzz. A small laugh left him, and Ciri soon followed, seeing how red his face was.

"Af…after that?" He said softly, scoffing and smiling at her. "You can be _damn _sure I'll be back, and real soon."

She let out a laugh, her cheeks getting pink themselves. She met his gaze again and was about to say something else when the crunching of boots made her and Dominik both turn their heads, not leaving each other's embrace.

"Aha see! I told you both we shouldn't worry," Faram's deep voice said, followed by his signature smirk as he looked at them both. "Attached at the hip till the very end!"

"Oh, stop teasing the both of them!" Freya said, shoving the Bear Witchers massive shoulder, smiling and jogging over to them both.

Dominik met her eyes, and Ciri quickly nodded. He knew what she was trying to say without words like always. They pulled apart, as Freya came up and hugged Ciri around the neck, squeezing her.

"Are you well? I didn't get a chance to talk to you today," Freya said, smiling at her as Faram and George both came up behind her.

Ciri nodded, looking to all of them. "I am… thank you all for this."

George had been silent most of the day. Dominik told her the Griffin Witcher was quite serious when it came to preparing for his fights. The gold and green griffin armor gleamed in the orange sunlight.

He nodded with a smile to Ciri. "It is as we've said multiple times my friends, we would not have it any other way. Now, we must hasten to the cliffs!"

"Aye! Anton sent us down to see where you both were, got right worried he did," Faram said, crossing his massive arms.

Ciri's face fell, she looked to Dominik who Freya had hugged as well. He bit his lip nervously and sighed. She did the same, looking to their friends.

"I… actually won't be joining you from the beginning," She said, and the reaction was instant.

Freya looked back around to her. She looked like a natural, her brand-new sword in its sheath on her back was gleaming. It was a bit smaller and lighter like Ciri's blade, but the sword was still the one a witcher would use. She noticed Freya also had her knew silver dagger attached to her hip, along with to Ciri's surprise, a selection of witcher bombs.

"What do you mean? Is something wrong?" She said, falling back next to Faram and George.

Dominik scoffed before she could answer. "It's Avallac'h, he says he won't summon the Hunt unless Ciri stays on the shore."

"Don't like that lass, don't like that one bit," Faram said right away, the reaction instant again. Ciri didn't see the Bear witcher angry… well ever, however he narrowed his eyes towards the docks then. "Let me go have a chat with our little elf. By the end of it his head will be where his arse should be, and his arse were his head should be."

The sight of the almost seven-foot-tall Bear witcher, in his bulky protective armor would be an imposing sight. Ciri had learned from Dominik that Faram very rarely got truly angry, but when he did it was a scary sight.

The last time Faram had gotten like that, Dominik told her was when the Bear Witcher arm-wrestled a giant and won.

"I must concur with Faram," George said, his tone seething. "Even if you must stay on the shore, why not come with us? You can help the men fire Freya's new weapon."

"He's right!" Freya said right away, worriedly looking at her. "You saw how it worked; you can fire it!"

Ciri sighed and shook her head. She again met Dominik's eyes, as he stood next to her, seemingly angry about the situation again.

"As promising as that sounds… we can't. He'll only summon the Hunt with me there," She said, looking at the three of them again. "I'll stay with him for a bit… but remember how that worked at Kaer Morhen?"

That got a chuckle out of them, and next to her she even saw Dominik crack a smile. He looked at her, and then to his friends and sighed. She noticed his hands fiddling with the swallow around his neck as he looked at them.

"Well… I guess it's about that time isn't it?" He said slowly.

Faram slowly nodded. "Aye mate… it's time. Anton and everyone above are ready, just waiting on you."

"Guess I shouldn't keep them waiting any longer then," He said again, sighing as he turned to her. "So… think you can survive without me for a few hours?"

"That's my joke, you're not allowed to steal it," Ciri said through the feeling of her knees locking.

He smiled at her, and hugged her again, taking her in his arms and squeezing. She felt her eyes sting again. No… it was far too much like Kaer Morhen all over again. A panic built up in her for a moment as she held him, she didn't dare let him go, how could she really let him go by himself?

But then she looked at her friends, the three of them all silently waiting, smiling while they had their moment.

No, he wouldn't be alone. He'd be in good hands.

He pulled back, and quickly kissed her. She savored the few seconds, making it last as long as she could. After his lips left hers, she met his eyes, and looking down at their hands she watched as slowly they fell from each other's grasps.

She felt the tears start to slowly come from her eyes again. He looked deep into her crying eyes and smiled. Smiling? In the middle of this when he was about to go fight again? She had no idea how he was doing it, but he knew why.

He was smiling to make her feel better, just like he always did. To reassure her, to invigorate her, to give her strength.

And it worked.

She watched as he walked over towards Faram, George and Freya, looking back at her one more time.

"We'll see you out their princess. We'll be sure to save some for you," He said, in between Faram and George.

Faram laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Ahah he's right! We'll save a few for you and those magic blinking powers you got. Gods I love it when she does that!"

Ciri laughed and saw George smirked with his arms crossed. "An extremely useful ability indeed. We will be seeing you out there Ciri! The five of us, an unstoppable force we could be."

She managed a laugh again, shakily sighing and wiping the tears and smudged makeup from her eyes. Dominik didn't stop smiling at her.

Nodding she looked to them, forcing one to her lips. "You three… watch out for him. Take care of him until I get there alright?"

"We will, you don't have to worry," Freya said, her reassuring smile and bright blue eyes directed towards Ciri. "Won't be a scratch on him!"

Dominik rolled his eyes. "I'm not a kid you know."

"If Ciri says it we'll do it!" Faram said, again clapping him on the back so hard he stumbled.

Ciri laughed, as did George and Freya. Dominik looked completely embarrassed at first, however when he looked and saw Ciri smiling one of his own came. He always did that, one of the many things Ciri loved about him. All she ever had to do was smile at him, and no matter his mood he always seemed to simply feel better afterwards.

She was lucky she knew, to have someone who loved her so much. She wouldn't have traded it for the world.

Biting the inside of her cheek she stood there and watched as the man she loved looked back at her. She was waiting for him to say something. He was talented at that, always being able to find the perfect words to calm her anxious nerves.

But this time he didn't say anything. Ciri's heart leapt to her throat when he reached down around his neck. He held the swallow up to show her, smiling the whole time and she knew what he was saying.

She reached down and did the same, grabbing the ring and holding it back up to him, a smile coming to her own face.

They weren't apart, they never had been.

"See you in a bit princess…" He said, "I love you…"

"I love you… be careful," She said, letting the ring fall around her neck again.

He nodded to her, turning to Faram, George and Freya. "Come on, we should hurry. Gods know Avallac'h won't wait for us."

The three nodded in agreement, and just like that they took off.

She watched as armor and swords clunking, they all jogged off up the hill.

Ciri's heart rose in her chest. She looked down at the ring again, gripping it in her hand as she had done so many times over the years.

She looked at his figured getting smaller as he ran, and finally Ciri let out a shaky breath. Magic swirled in her body, and she sighed again, finally willing herself to turn away, back towards the camps.

"Okay… time to end this," She said, looking down at the ring. "No more running…"

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Freya everything primed and ready?" He asked, as the wind beat against his face.

From his left Freya nodded, keeping pace with him as they ran. "It is, calibrated the launch angle it'll be a direct hit. Everything's in place!"

She had to yell over the cold wind, but Dominik heard her and nodded. "Good, and how many arrows do we have for it?"

Freya pushed a strand of hair from her eyes as they approached the top of the hill. "About a dozen, but I doubt we'll need that many, after we charge, I don't think you'd want it firing down on us."

"Very true," He said matter-of-factly, turning to the two witchers on his right. "Faram, what's the number we sit at?"

"Seventy-five, not many but some of the toughest fuckers I met are here," The Bear Witcher said as they came to a stop.

It wasn't enough on its own, but it would have to do. He had to trust that the soldiers below- The Black Ones- would keep their word.

"Alright, it'll have to do. Avallac'h seems to think more will come then even at Kaer Morhen," He said to the three of them.

"Did we not expect this?" George said, his golden hair whipping back in the cold wind.

Dominik shook his head. "No, we were, but before Eredin shows himself he's going to more than likely going to throw a few ships of soldiers at us. Don't know how many it will be, but we should have enough to deal with them."

"That is if the Black Ones keep their word," Freya muttered next to him.

He sighed. Something had happened with Ciri before he arrived to see her, and it had to do with the Black Ones. It was more than likely she had heard soldiers muttering about her, calling her the 'New Empress'. It more than likely shook her, and with his conversation with Voorhis stirring in his mind, he didn't know if it was a good thing or bad thing the man clearly had been planning to not have Ciri returned to Emhyr.

Either way none of it mattered. He didn't trust the Black Ones; he knew that most of them didn't believe a word they had told them about the Hunt. However, he had to believe once the Hunt showed, they saw the threat to not just their continent, but the world was real they'd fight.

And even if he didn't trust them, Geralt was with them, he'd make sure it went smoothly.

"We have to believe they will," Dominik said, as they finally approached the small camp Anton had set up. He turned to his friends again. "Remember… this is bigger than Nilfgaard, Skellige or the North, this is about the entire world."

Each of them nodded, but George looked out curiously, nervously over the cliffs. George never got nervous, but he seemed to swallow it and look back to Dominik again.

"And… what about the dragon? I'd prefer not to have a repeat of Kaer Morhen," He said, as they stood at the camps edges.

The pounding of hammers, and the sharpening of blades hit his ears. Dominik looked out to see a mix of knights and sailors strapping on armor, polishing swords, smacking old dummies. Had they really set this all up within a few hours?

They all seemed ready, that was good, they would need to be. He wouldn't have a repeat of Kaer Morhen as George said, he couldn't.

He met their eyes again, they stood in a row, Faram, George and Freya. Every bit of him was screaming about letting his friends go into a fight like this. He didn't doubt their skills of course, even Freya who claimed she was the worst swordsman out of them all was still much more skilled than any non-witcher Dominik had met. A smile came to his face when he noticed the bombs on her belt, the sparkling new sword on her back. She reminded him of himself in his years alone on the Path, except for the fact she had a silver dagger sheathed on her lower back.

On his own back, his own dagger seemed to tingle. Geralt had given it to him, all the way back when they first got to Velen, the inn at the crossroads.

An eternity ago, during that time the dagger had saved his life more times than he could count. He remembered trying to give it to Fiona, but the girl had given it back to him before he and Ciri left her in Claywitch.

_'You're going to fight; you'll be in danger. You… told me it was lucky, and I... want you to have that luck.'_

The dagger certainly was lucky, and Dominik would need all the luck he could get.

Because he had a promise to keep to Fiona, to Ciri, to Queen Calanthe from all those years ago, to his father, to Geralt, Yen… to Bella. And most importantly in his opinion, to Eredin.

He had sworn he'd kill him, for everything that he had done.

Magic swirled in his eyes; he could feel the power churning through his veins. However, it wasn't like the previous times his magic had been used. Now he was in control. A key difference between then, and at Kaer Morhen.

His cheek tingled, as did his thigh. He wasn't the same man he was even those few weeks ago. He could still taste the feeling of Ciri's lips on his.

This time it would be different.

"Kilgarrah isn't in control of himself anymore, when he shows no heroics understand?" He said to the three of them, his eyes narrowed. "Borch is here to help us. I don't know where he is, but I trust he'll show up when Kilgarrah does. We stay back until then. Understand?"

The three of them nodded and Dominik shakily sighed. He turned and realized a few of the knights were already looking at him. The camp was simple enough, two long rows of white linen tents set up in perfect formation along the top of the hill. Horses were hitched nearby in some trees, as the flat surface above the hill seemed to be a perfect place for a camp.

He knew that the slope on the hill was steep, it wasn't straight down like a cliff, but it would be good enough for them to charge from. It led straight to the bay, which he knew would be filled with ice by the time Kilgarrah was finished, or Caranthir had casted a spell. His hands sweat under his gloves as he steadied his breathing, looking at the faces of the knights and men he'd be asking to charge.

Some were as young as 18, younger even then Dominik himself, others could have easily been sixty like Anton. He spotted a few that wore the white armor of Cintra, with the three golden lions on blue on the breastplate. Of course, as well, there were men, women, elves, even a few dwarves. One was hammering out dents in plate and armor, while another sharpened a line of swords. The last dwarf he saw carried two hand axes, while another large one was strapped to his back.

Zoltan told him some dwarves believed the answer to all of lives problem were simply to carry more axes, Dominik wouldn't complain about it.

Bows, swords, axes, spears, halberds, dozens of men and women. A few were of Faram's crew. He spotted old Barnabas, and a few others all laughing and drinking. He assumed it had to be a skelligan thing, he couldn't imagine drinking before a fight like this.

Either way, as strong as they were, they had been fighting nothing but the Black Ones, and bandits for years. Now they had to fight the Wild Hunt. Dominik didn't doubt their abilities. He simply didn't want them to underestimate their opponent.

The camp led out to the top of the hill, where Dominik spotted Anton. The old knight- his father's former- second in command, was looking with a spyglass out over the bay. Dominik bit his lip. He needed to speak to him, he had been avoiding the topic for the previous few days, but he couldn't put it off any longer.

He turned back to Faram and George, who seemed to have been waiting for him. "You all got command of a group like I asked? Anton put men under each of you?"

It was part of the plan, each of Faram, Freya and George would initially be responsible for leading a group during the charge. The purpose was to make sure the soldiers were ready for what they'd face in the Wild Hunt, learning from people who had faced them before.

Faram crossed his massive arms and smirked. "Aye mate, all set and ready to go. So… I assume we should get moving?"

Dominik shakily sighed, looking out over the bay. The sunset was beautiful, and he wished that he could simply sit and enjoy that sunset for once with Ciri.

But now still wasn't the time. He couldn't delay any longer. Ignoring the sudden throbbing of his cheek and his leg he nodded.

"We should. I need to talk to Anton. Tell your squads exactly what I told you about Kilgarrah and get them all in formation near the hill… ready to charge." He said, letting out a shaky sigh as he met their eyes. "Remember what I said, Avallac'h won't wait for us, I assume he'll summon them any second now."

"No worries my friend, we will move right away!" George said, his confidence returning.

They all went to go, but the words spilled out. "Faram, George, Freya…"

All of them stopped in their tracks, turning to him, and Dominik felt his face get hot. "Thank you… all three of you… for everything."

None of them said anything, but they didn't need to. They all went and walked past him. Freya leaned and kissed his cheek, smiling at him as she passed before running to gather her squad. George came up in front of him, he held out his hand which Dominik grasped firmly, shaking it as the Griffin Witcher held it and nodded at him, a smile on his clean-shaven face before he passed him as well.

Faram was last, the Bear Witcher lingered, crossing his massive arms. "We're going to be alright mate."

"How can you be so sure?" He said quickly.

The Bear Witcher smirked, grasping a hand on Dominik's shoulder as he passed. "Because… we're fighting for what's right. We won't let them take her. And I wouldn't want anyone else leading us."

"People said that at Kaer Morhen…"

"Aye… but that's in the past," Faram smirked, "and we can either run from the past…"

"Or we can learn from it." The first thing Faram had told him, all the way when he first found him back in Velen. He met the Bear Witchers eyes and firmly nodded. "Thanks for saving me from that Leshen."

Faram laughed. "Aha! Best choice I ever made mate. Now come on! Let's go get these icy fucks!"

Dominik scoffed, as Faram trotted off towards his sailors and other knights. Sucking in a breath, he found himself inspecting his own armor, his weapons as he made his way towards Anton on the cliff.

The collar of his armor, which Yen had so meticulously positioned properly was still as such. He tightened the straps for a third time, the masterful witcher armor for the first time felt heavy on him, but Dominik chalked it up to it being the weight of what he had to do as opposed to the armor. He reached to his back, pulling out _Fate _and examining the as usual perfect sharpening job Geralt had given it.

He took in the fight of his reflection off the silver. It gleamed like a sparkling diamond in the sunlight and his view of himself was clear. His hair was getting too long on the sides and on the back, he'd have to have Ciri shave it for him soon, she always enjoyed doing it when they were younger. The stubble around his chin was coming in, but still not nearly enough to be called a beard. His father had a full beard, had the beard gene in his family skipped him? His scar was still a deep red, the cream that Ciri got from Avallac'h, the one that healed her own scar was working wonders. It would be a few weeks before it became more like Ciri's, but it was progress none-the-less. More faded scars littered his face and neck, from fights he couldn't even remember.

It was under his eyes that amazed him so much. As usual, his eyes were still sparkling green, bright, emerald colored, like Ciri… and like Bella. But he could see the tiredness in them, small wrinkles and black bags were under them both. He guessed he was handsome, he never particularly thought he was, despite what Ciri said. However, so long as she thought he was, Dominik didn't care about any other opinions.

_I'm the same damn age, but I look like I've aged half a decade. Is this what father always meant when he said being a soldier ages you twice as fast?_

Only he wasn't a soldier. He was a witcher, and today he'd kill monsters as Geralt said.

He gently ran his hand over the smooth silver. It still amazed him how light it was. The day he received it, when Crach gave it to him played back in his mind. In his years alone, bombs and oils had been everything for him. They had kept him alive, having a silver sword now was still bizarre to him after so many years of not having one. The blade's beauty still amazed him, the gleaming circular pommel, the polished red-leather bound hilt, the semi-circle that formed the crossguard.

_Take that blade lad! And may it finally help you find her, _Crach had told him the day he gave Dominik the sword.

It had certainly helped it, he found her. Now the blade would help him protect her.

_Fate. _Most people probably would have renamed the sword after getting it. Some people simply didn't name their swords, Dominik had never named his steel one. However, the name of the blade was too perfect for him to change.

"Thanks…" He said, looking at himself in the swords blade. "For all your help."

Feeling foolish for talking to his sword, Dominik sighed and slid it back onto his back. He reached the end of the cliff, and spotted Anton still looking out over the hill with a spyglass. Like Dominik and the old knight planned with Crach, he could see the hill was perfect for a charge.

A few meters to his right, he finally got another glimpse of Freya's weapon fully loaded. It still baffled him how she managed to build it and get all the arrow fuses together in the back. Two men from Faram's crew hastily checked over it, a cart full of more arrows not far from it.

"Absolutely ingenious that thing," Anton said, making Dominik jumped as he looked over at the old knight. Anton smiled and gestured towards the weapon. "The Battle of Hodgepass would have been very different if we had one of those."

"The Battle of Hodgepass?" Dominik said, taking the spyglass from Anton. "My father told me about that, he learned the story from my grandfather. It was Queen Calanthe's first victory wasn't it?"

"It was! The day she became the lioness, a horrible one that was…" Anton said, his voice falling as Dominik looked out with the spyglass.

He looked out over the bay, the waters were churning, the winds continuing to howl. His inner thought trembled. A storm was coming, and a big one at that. Geralt had told him he'd become good at predicting when storms would come. His adopted father had told him his elbow and thigh, the two bones that Vilgefortz had shattered on Thanedd always ached when a large storm was coming.

Dominik's thigh trembled. He never thought he'd be praying for rain after spending so much time in Velen the previous few weeks, but a snowstorm would only give the Hunt more of an advantage.

His gaze through the glass traveled down towards the Nilfgaardean camp again. He spotted Ciri, she was standing out on the docks in the harbor. She had a tense exchange with Avallac'h, who seemed to not mind at all she didn't speak to him much. However, he did see Geralt finally leaving the tent they had been planning in, Yennefer leaving with him.

It would finally be starting soon. He shakily sighed, closing the spyglass and looking back to Anton.

"I remember hearing songs about that battle in taverns when I was younger," Dominik said, meeting the old knight's pale eyes. "My grandfather, he served King Dagorad before Queen Calanthe didn't he?"

"He did yes," Anton said, a small laugh leaving him. "Ha, I was only a few years Cali's senior that day… your grandfather gods, one of the best men I've ever met, second only to your father."

He smiled hearing Anton call Queen Calanthe, 'Cali'. It was standard for Anton even when they were growing up, given the fact he was one of Queen Calanthe's distant cousins. However, Dominik still shook.

Dominik thought of his grandfather's sword, sending a chill down his spine. Did Bella still have C_oram? _Would she use it against him in the battle, had he given his sister a sword to kill him with?

He sighed again, looking to Anton. "I take it the battle wasn't as glorious as the songs make it out to be?"

Anton's eyes fell. "No war is glorious lad… none, no matter how just the cause."

"But wars still need to be fought."

"Aye… that they do," Anton said solemnly, meeting his eyes. "Leaders, true leaders, like Cali, your grandfather, your father, even you lad know the truth. War breeds no true victors."

"So, if we somehow don't die today… what will I feel afterwards? If there's no true victors in war?"

Anton lightly laughed, holding a hand on Dominik's shoulder. "This isn't a war lad… this is a fight."

"There's a difference?"

"Of course, there is," Anton said, "men make war to get attention. Just look at the sniveling coward who commands that army down there. What reason did he have to declare war both times he did? None, it simply him wanting to prove he could take what wasn't his."

"It's the reason he hunted my father down in Cintra…" Dominik said, remembering when he learned of that truth.

"Aye… it was, because he simply wanted to prove to himself, he could," Anton explained, "all the killing he's done, it's simply an expression of self-hate. That is why men _make _war lad."

"Then what about Adda? She's fighting in a war now," Dominik asked, wanting to let his mind wonder. "And what about Queen Calanthe and my father, they fought in wars as well."

Anton nodded again. "They did aye… but the difference is, they don't treat the war as a call for attention. They treat it as a fight, a fight for their lives, for the ones they love."

"And you said there was a difference between a fight and a war? What makes this and when I fought at Kaer Morhen fights and not a part of a war?"

"Because lad, true soldiers, leaders, they fight not because they hate what's in front of them," Anton explained, "but because they love what is behind them. That's the difference lads. Wars are waged for the vanity of men, fights… they're fought for a real reason… true reasons that men believe."

Dominik slowly shook his head, his mind abuzz. "That… makes absolutely no sense."

Anton laughed smiling down at him again. He was still tall, and strong as an ox despite his age, well into his sixties. The longsword gleamed at his hip, and Dominik knew he still swung it as well as any man.

"Aha… don't mind my ramblings my boy. Perhaps one day, though I hope it never comes to it, you'll have fought in enough battles to know," He said amusingly, meeting Dominik's eyes with a gleam in the bright blue. "I see them in you lad… all of them. Cali, Ryland, your father, and not just from the looks… you're a natural born leader lad."

"I'll never live up to them," Dominik said right away, "I'll never accomplish the things they were able to accomplish."

"HA! And pray to the gods you never have to lad," He laughed, squeezing tight to Dominik's shoulder again before pulling back with a smile. "I do mean it though. Gregory, Sofia, Cali… they'd all be proud of you right now lad, I know they would."

The smile on the old man's face would have been infectious any other moment, but Dominik's heart stirred. _He believes in me… how am I supposed to tell him the truth?_

Just rip it off like a poultice, that was what Uncle Vesemir always said.

"Anton… I… I need to tell you something," Dominik said, "something… bad… something important."

The old knight looked at him confused. "Of course, lad, what troubles you? Pre-battle jitters?"

"Well that yes and… and…" Dominik trailed off, sighing as he looked out over the bay, "you… you remember my sister I guess right… Bella?"

Anton scoffed. "Of course, I do! The light of everyone's life that girl was. A ray of sunshine to whoever she met… a damn shame… she didn't-."

"She's alive… dammit, Anton she's alive."

The shift in the knight's mood was instant. He narrowed his eyes at him, "You're certain? How… gods how… how did she-."

"Her powers… the same ones you saw me use in Claywitch," Dominik explained, ripping the poultice off. "Long story short… we got them from a powerful magic ancestor of ours. She… she was scared… she woke up the next morning in Cintra and teleported. She had no memories."

"She was alive!? That… that's impossible," Anton his knees now shaking. "Some… some of the lads and I we… we found Sofia but... but got pushed back before-."

"It's true I saw her… I… I talked to her," Dominik said, the hairs on his arms sticking up. "She teleported and landed in Skellige… lived a whole life there. Not remembering."

Dammit! He just had to get it over with, he was dodging around the topic.

Anton shook his head a shaky sigh leaving him. "You... you said you saw her? Gods boy if that's the case why isn't she here? With us?"

"It's because she's on the other side." The words spilled from him, ripping into his chest as he did.

Anton was silent. He met Dominik's eyes. The old knight believed him, despite the hurt in his eyes, the want for it no to be true, he knew Dominik would never lie about something like this. He waited for Anton to get angry, to scream at him, to get angry at himself or Dominik.

However, he saw an intense glare come to the old knights' eyes. His pale eyes grew dark, as he met Dominik's eyes.

"You... you mean to say…" He trailed off, unable to finish.

Dominik nodded quickly. "The Wild Hunt… Bella's powers unleashed, and they found her. The bastards they… they turned her into a weapon, brainwashed her. Fought her three times before I figured out it was her… she's breaking through Anton she's there I know she is."

"You two always did seem to be one in the same," The knight said, "as I said… that girl was the light of everyone's life."

"She was… and I'm going to get her back," Dominik said, feeling the need for his feet. He walked over the bay, sucking in a crisp breath of air again. "Anton… she's going to be in this battle… I know she is."

"I'll be by your side," Anton said, a few steps behind him. "I failed her once… if I had been quicker in Cintra I could have found her… but I didn't, I'll make up for-."

"No, absolutely not," Dominik said quickly, his eyes not leaving the horizon. His fists curled at his side. "It's too dangerous."

"Damn the danger boy! I won't leave you alone again to fight, I won't fail Gregory and Cali again. I may be old but-."

"It has nothing to do with that Anton," Dominik cut him off, shakily sighing again, imagining his sister's face. "This… this is just something I have to do on my own. When we're out there, and she show's herself… I don't want you or _any _of your men engaging her. Only me."

"Lad, I don't think it-."

"That's an order!" Dominik snapped, turning to see the old man had stood next to him. Right away he felt bad, as he saw the look of surprise on Anton's face. "I… I'm sorry, I just-."

Anton laughed, a small smile coming to his face. "Ha… gods you looked like Gregory just then. Downright scary how similar."

Dominik blushed and shook his head. "These are your men; I didn't mean to-."

"They're _your _men as well lad," Anton said, "as I told you before, a good quarter of these men were old members of the guard. The new ones, they've heard stories of Gregory. We've taught his teachings, his views of knighthood to all of them… they'll follow his son."

"But I barely have any idea what I'm doing."

"Ha, you really believe, that don't you? You picked up more then you know lad," Anton said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder again. "I also learned to trust your father's instincts from when he was young. I'll do the same with you so… your orders will be followed… captain."

Captain. It would have been his title for his entire life had things gone differently. Hearing himself called it now, it stirred his gut. He wasn't a soldier, he was a witcher. What did he know about leading men into battle? He had failed spectacularly at Kaer Morhen, what would make that battle any different?

Biting his lip, he looked down at the camp again, he could make out the faint silhouettes of Geralt and Ciri on the docks. Geralt was boarding a ship, Ciri stood next to Avallac'h. It was easy to make them out by their hair. It was still amazing to him that Geralt happened to become linked by destiny to a child who quite literally looked like she could be his real child. If he had black hair, he assumed he and Ciri could quite literally look like Geralt and Yennefer's children.

Not too much was different, he was just being given a second chance.

He sucked in a breath, the wind around him starting to gently glow with wisps of bright blue magic. He willed it around him, and he could see it building up in his eyes, it moved at his command, flowed through him at his command.

That was one of the differences. He was in control now.

"Lieutenant," Dominik said, repeating the title he often heard his father refer to Anton as back in Cintra, "get the troops ready and waiting. How many carry shields out of the seventy-five do you have an estimate?"

"About thirty give or take a few captains," Anton said, the pride evident in his voice. "All of them carry spears, wear plate as well. About the same number of archers, the rest are a mix of skirmishers with blades, axes, maces among other weapons they wear light chain or leather."

"Wedge formation of everyone with plate and shields, two rows deep," He rattled off, remembering the formations he had read with his father. "Archers I want two lines at the back, they'll volley fire with Freya's weapon to begin. After the initial charge I want them on the hill I want them firing at will. With the Black Ones and Skellige, we may not need them to, but have them prepared to charge. All the other skirmishers charge behind the spears. When we get into the thick of things, stick together, no wondering off."

Anton quickly nodded again, and Dominik met the old knight's eyes.

"The Hunt's riders are tall and strong, about seven feet, wear skeletal plate. The elbows, knees, horizontal slits in the chest, they're the most effective spots to hit," He continued to explain, sighing as he shook his head. "And they won't retreat no matter what, unless we cut off the heads of the snake. They got Bella, and another mage Caranthir, wields a magic staff. You'll be able to tell who they are trust me.

"Tell them, under _no _circumstance are they to be engaged. If you see either of them, you call for me, George, Faram, Freya, Geralt or Ciri. We'll deal with them, and if we take them out… they may start to crumble, but not before."

Anton titled his head. "I never asked, where is Ciri? You two are normally attached at the hip."

Dominik rolled his eyes. "I've been told that… don't worry about her. She _will _be there; I know she will."

Dutifully the old knight nodded, but Dominik could still see the worry.

Ciri would be there, she promised him. That day it was ending.

"Understood captain," Anton said, shifting a bit next to him as he met Dominik's eyes again. "You mentioned… Bella, and this Caranthir… what about their king? Eredin I heard his name was."

Dominik quickly sucked in a breath again, the magic churning quicker, but still responding to his commands. It was starting to look like a fine mist around him, and it must have been visible, because Anton backed up a step, gawking at him with wide eyes.

This was the feeling, this was control, full control of the power inside him.

He reached up, trailing his finger along the scar on his cheek.

"Don't worry about him," Dominik said his voice growing dark. "He's mine."

Anton seemed to pale a bit but nodded. "Alright lad… but where will you be?"

His eyes didn't leave the bay. "Me? I'll be in the front… no more running… no more hiding. Today this ends."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Looks like our bitchy little elf is doing his fancy magic thing," Faram said from next to him, as Dominik watched the glowing light appear in the bay.

"As irritable as the elf is, George added, "the magic truly is beautiful."

Dominik shook his head. "After this is done, we find Ciri, and we get out. If Avallac'h is still around…."

Faram had a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "Can I finally rip his fucking guts out and strangle the arrogant fuck with them?"

"Yes," Dominik said, happy to finally be able to say the words. "If we see him at all after this fight is over… we kill him."

It was something Dominik had wanted to do for weeks, but it wasn't what he had to focus on now.

The speed at which a trained group of soldiers could assemble in formation and break down a camp amazed him. To his right, Freya was making last second adjustments to 'the Kaminski', while Dominik took the spyglass and looked over the Nilfgaardean camp again. He gazed down to where Ciri stood with Avallac'h on the docks, and saw the bright white light coming from the sunstone. Ciri leaned in-he guessed to mutter a spell- and the light grew brighter.

He slammed the spyglass shut, looking at Faram and George on his sides. "It's time. Freya! We all set!? Our guests will be arriving at any minute now."

Freya jogged over, smiling like a madwoman when she got to him. "All set and ready to fire 'captain'."

He rolled his eyes. "Please, not from you three."

They all laughed, and Dominik managed to smile. The air had gotten stale, and his assumption about the storm had been right. Wind began to blow violently, and the light snowfall that had been coming started to pick up.

_Great, it can never be easy. _He sighed, and heard boots crunching behind him. Wind continued to howl, so loud he almost didn't hear Anton behind him.

"Formations ready captain! We're to charge at your command," The old knight said, coming up with he and his friends. "The elf has activated the spell then?"

Dominik nodded, looking up at a higher adjacent cliff. If he narrowed his eyes, he could see a cluster of sorceresses at the ready, and if he looked to the other across the way he was sure he'd find another group. He spotted a familiar head of red hair and smiled.

He nodded to Anton. "He did… we only have a few moments."

"Aye… the men are ready for you captain," Anton said, his tone telling.

Dominik bit his lip as the wind chilled his bones. The snow was getting harder, it was still visible, but combined with the wind it would be a deadly combination. He had purposely avoided turning around, seeing all the soldiers lined up. He couldn't speak like his father did.

"Do I have to?" Dominik said, wisps of magic leaking from his hands.

Anton scoffed. "You'll be a natural."

"But I have no idea what to say."

"Oh, stop lying, you gave quite the speech at Kaer Morhen," Freya rolled her eyes at him.

"That was completely different!" Dominik said, his hands twitching. He looked up to Anton. "What should I say?"

The old knight shrugged, but smiled gesturing behind them. "Exactly what's on your mind, because I'm sure it's on there's as well."

Dominik finally sighed, looking to his friends once more. Faram who's hair ponytail and beard blew wildly in the wind winked and smirked at him. George nodded, his usual confidence back. Freya simply smiled at him; he always enjoyed the simple calming presence she had.

They believed in him, Anton believed in him, Geralt, Yen, Triss… Ciri.

He looked out over the bay, as Avallach's magic ball of white light floated, swirling in the air. Cursing, realizing he didn't have much time he swallowed his fears and turned.

Wind coursed through his messy brown hair; it was so long now he could see it in front of him. He really needed a haircut. Realizing the wind wasn't going to stop howling any time soon, he cleared his throat and looked over the troops gathered before him again.

At Kaer Morhen, he had perhaps a few more than a dozen men and women at his command, all friends who he knew personally.

He didn't know the seventy-five men and women before him then, but he knew what would happen if he didn't lead them.

All of them, their friends, families, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, all of them would end up dead, or as slaves. Hundreds, thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands more, not just in their world, but in other worlds would be subjected to that fate if they didn't win that day.

_Exactly what's on your mind, _Anton had said to tell them. He scanned some faces. Sure, enough he saw men, women, elves, dwarves, knights, sailors. Some wore plate, some even had the golden lions of Cintra implanted on their chests. Those men looked at him with particular awe, but Dominik didn't know if it was from their old commanders' son being alive, or if it was from the magic mist that formed around him.

All of them however, had one thing in common. They all fidgeted, nervous looks in the eyes. At Kaer Morhen, everyone knew what they were fighting, what was coming.

These soldiers didn't have a clue, didn't know the enemy that awaited them. They didn't know what the Hunt had done, what they wanted to do. To them, they were fighting unknown phantom riders that they were told about as children to frighten them. He remembered being told those stories, it made the Wild Hunt out to be like gods, evil gods come to kill them all.

It was pretty much what they were yes, and Eredin, Avallac'h, were all evidence the Hunt, the Aen Elle certainly saw themselves as such. Gods, above them all, the superior race, untouchable by lowly humans.

But Dominik knew the truth. They bled just like everyone else. And after all they had done, Dominik knew how he felt.

He was angry, and he was going to make the men and women before him angry as well.

Taking in one shaky breath, he looked behind him to see Avallach's sunstone glowing with more white light. Some of the soldiers looked on terrified, but Dominik quickly stepped to them, only a few meters from the front line. He didn't have much time, so he stopped wasting it.

"Knights! Soldiers! Sailors!" Dominik shouted, getting a particularly large cheer from the cluster of Faram's shipmates, led of course by old Barnabas who grinned like a madman.

He cleared his throat again, raising his voice higher over the churning winds.

"My name is Dominik of Cintra! My father was Sir Gregory of Cintra, the Great White Knight of Cintra, whom Sir Anton, has no doubt told you about! His teachings are what you've learned, what you've trained by!"

A couple men and women nodded, whispering under the wind. A few more looked at Dominik with awe. Had Anton really told that many stories of his father, of what he had done? He shook his head, ignoring the whispers and carrying on.

"My father taught me, that the true measure of being a knight is not determined by the circumstances of your birth, but by the content of your character! 'You don't need a cock and balls to be a knight Dominik!' he would always tell me!" He yelled out, a smile forming on his face. A few men chuckled, a few women shouting out. "I know most sons say this of their fathers, but he was the greatest man I've ever known! I'm sure you've heard the stories from Anton, if Sir Gregory were here, he'd strangle the King of the Wild Hunt with one hand, while taking a piss with the other!"

More laughs, and a chuckle from Anton spurred him on, the sound of Avallach's spell churning with the wind. Between the spell and the wind, he had to yell louder, as he stopped his pacing, trying to look at all the soldiers before him at once.

"I would love to be able to do that! But I will stand here before you today, and say, I'm not my Father! And I never will be!" He shouted. More murmuring, but Dominik pushed on. "I'm not nearly as tall! I can't grow a beard to save my life! I'm no solider, I'm a fucking witcher! What does a silly witcher like me know about fighting battles, or winning wars!? I know more than your average witcher, but still not nearly what's needed!"

He saw his friends giving him odd looks, but Dominik pressed on. Snow built up in his vision, and he wiped it away, shaking it out of his hair as the wind violently nipped at his ears. The troops in front of him seemed confused, but none said anything.

"But _one _thing I know plenty about as a witcher, is MONSTERS AND THAT'S WHAT WE FIGHT TODAY!" He yelled, needing to raise his voice up over the wind. A few more shuffling boots as they were reminded of their foe. "Today we destroy the Wild Hunt! We face them in battle, and as a good friend of mine says, we'll 'Blow those icy cucks right back to their fucking world! I will not lie to you, as your squad leaders have said. The riders of the Hunt, they are massive, strong, tall, they command beasts more ferocious then any wolf that would come steal your chickens back on your farm.

"You've probably all heard the stories. I heard them myself as a child when I refused to go to bed! My mother would tell me tales of the Wild Hunt, riding their icy, skeletal mounts across the sky, stealing naughty children from their beds! You probably heard how their horse's hooves; freeze the very ground they walk on. You probably heard that their King is nine feet tall and can shoot icy spear from his eyes an arse! Dark gods of terror that haunt the sky, one day destined to cover our continent in ice! And again, I won't lie… some of those tales are true!"

"If they're gods, how can we kill them?" One nervous, young looking knight shouted from the center of the group. "What chance to we have!? Even with the Black Ones, and the Skelligers, what chance to we have against gods!?"

A loud chorus of murmurs came up from the men and women before him. Panic started to rise in him, but he quickly squashed it. _If you show weakness, then they will think all hope is lost. How to inspire them?_

He grinned, as the idea came to him. _I will inspire them, the same way I got inspired. _

Raising his hands up, he quieted the murmurs and all the soldiers stood at attention as well.

"Let me tell you all a quick story! Let me all tell you the story, about the greatest god damn woman I've ever met in my life," Dominik shouted over the wind, beginning to pace again, coming to a stop in front of them all again. "Let me tell you all a story, about Cirilla of Cintra!"

The whispers started again, the men who wore the Cintran plate stood at attention. He had their interests peaked, and he smiled remembering Ciri's account of her time with the Aen Elle. Obviously, he wouldn't share all the details, only a few to inspire.

"When Cirilla was a child, running for her life, she found herself at a portal. Fleeing for her life, she entered this portal, and was teleported to a different world," He explained, beginning to pace again less his legs shake too much. "She found herself in the world of the Wild Hunt, the world of the Aen Elle! The Aen Elle, is a race of powerful elves from which the Wild Hunt hails. The princess, she was trapped in this world! They held her captive for almost a year, a child she was, day in and day out she was their prisoner, tortured and trapped!

"The Aen Elle think themselves gods! She learned what they did to other worlds. They used their abilities, to invade worlds, take them over, reduce them to ash, and take slaves of all the people who survive! Cirilla was trapped in their world, a world full of these supposed gods, and they never had intention of letting her leave! But do you know what she did!? She FOUGHT, SHE FOUGHT AND SHE FOUGHT! One day she escaped the world of the Aen Elle, fighting and wounded the now King of the Wild Hunt to do so! A CHILD SHE WAS!

"She showed that day she's braver than I will ever be! Braver than each and every one of us standing here! She'd got more balls then any man I've ever met!"

A few laughed and more questions shot from the crowd, but Dominik did not stop.

"Cirilla never gave up, even as a child she fought, she showed them that they are NO GODS! And do you want to know where Cirilla is now!? SHE'S HERE FIGHTING THEM STILL!" He yelled out, his voice raking against his throat over the wind. A few cheers went up from the crowd, as Dominik's fists curled. "Now, years later, the Wild Hunt pursues her! Not only do they pursue her, but now they wish to do our world what they've done to so many other! They wish to invade, they wish, to cover the Continent in ice, North, South, Nilfgaard, Skellige, Cintra, Redania, they wish to take it all! If we do not stop them here today, they'll invade this world, and all the kings and queens of the continent combined won't be able to stop them!

"Then what kind of hope do we have to stop them!? What if they kill us all here," Another man yelled from the crowd.

A few began to nod their heads, fear coming back to their faces. Dominik stopped in front of them all, meeting their eyes again.

He simply shrugged.

"Aye, aye you're all right! Fight them today, and we could die. I could die, you could all die. They're powerful, they tower over us! Yes, there a good chance today could be the last day we all walk this world!" Dominik yelled, but stepped forward and shook his head, weeks of anger finally spilling from him. "But do you know what will happen if we don't hold them back!? Do you know what will happen if we don't fight them here? They'll wipe out the continent! Nilfgaardean's, northerners, Skelligers, men, women, elves, dwarves, it doesn't matter who you are, they'll all be killed! And those whose aren't, taken as slaves, they want to make OUR HOME THERE'S! And I don't know about you all, but I HAVE NO INTENTION OF LETTING THESE FUCKERS TAKE MY HOME FROM ME, MAKE MY LOVED ONES SLAVES! WILL YOU LET THEM MAKE YOUR WIVES, YOUR HUSBANDS, CHILDREN AND LOVED ONES SLAVES!?"

A loud "NO!" went up from most of the gathered soldiers, and Dominik could feel the magic around him growing. The glowing mist got brighter, to the point where he noticed his friends to his left and Anton to his right step back. Behind him, Avallach's spell whirled and gushed, a dreaded ***RIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPP* **staring to pierce the air.

He saw a few of the soldiers faulter, so he pressed on.

"WILL YOU LET THEM SLAUGHTER YOUR NEIGHBORS!? TROT THE SURVIVORS OUT AS SLAVES!?" Finally, they all ignored the spell, looking to Dominik and shouting out their protest again. They were getting angry, and Dominik smiled. "IT MATTERS NOT KNOW WHERE YOU COME FROM TODAY! Whether you're from the North, the South, the Isles, none of that matters now! TODAY WE FIGHT AS ONE! WE FIGHT AS ONE PEOPLE! Today, you're not elves, you're not humans or dwarves, you're not even men or women! TODAY YOU'RE ALL CITIZENS OF THE CONTINENT OF THIS WORLD AND YOU FIGHT FOR IT! WILL YOU ALL JOIN ME TODAY!? JOIN ME IN FIGHTING FOR NOT JUST YOUR WORLD, BUT FOR EVERY WORLD THESE PHANTOMS WOULD INVADE!?"

Another loud ***RIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPP* **pierced the air behind him. He expected some of the men to falter, to crumble under the wind and the sound of the spell ripping open the sky. However, they ignored both. Dominik heard the thundering of weapons against shields, boots against the ground. The lines of spears in the front all raised up their spears, swords, axes, maces all got thrusted into the air as they cheered. Next to him, he even heard Anton whoop a yell as his blade was unslung from his hip.

To his right, Faram lead a loud cheer, pulling his silver sword from his back. George, followed, then Freya, and before he knew it, Dominik looked out to a sea of weapons in front of him. The wind didn't faze them, the magic ripping open the sly didn't faze them.

The enemy no longer fazed them because they knew they fought for something more.

Dominik found himself smirking. The wind and snow blew past him, he gripped the swallow around his neck. _See? You inspire everyone princess, not just me._

He raised the swallow to his lips, steadily sighing. Power coursed through his veins. He thought of Ciri, of himself, of Geralt, Yennefer, his father, his mother, Bella, Fiona, and the life that was waiting for him after this fight was over.

And magic swirled around him. He glew, the magic mist around him brightening, and it only seemed to make the troops around him cheer louder. Dominik didn't cheer, he looked at the magic around him. It was exactly how Alexander had controlled it, how Lara and Connor of Lod had controlled it.

Alexander had told him, that a carrier inherited the potential to have as much power as all the previous members of his line combined. He thought it insane at first. Connor and Lara of Lod, _and _Alexander? All their power in his veins? He thought it couldn't be possible.

But as he felt the magic coming through his veins then, whirling around his arms, his legs, appearing in the corner of his eyes like wisps of light, he knew it was.

He reached behind his back, sliding _Fate _from its sheath, holding it high in the air, getting another loud cheer from the men. His magic whirled upwards, up his arm and around the silver blade.

Dominik exhaled, magic exhuming from him, and his emerald eyes, now mixed with bright blue magic looked to all the men and women before him.

The words exploded from him.

"WILL YOU ALL JOIN ME TODAY," He shouted, a small smirk coming to his lips as he looked at all of them, "IN PROVING TO THESE SELF-PROCLAIMED GODS. THIS SELF PROCLAIMED 'SUPERIOR RACE'…. THAT THEY BLEED JUST LIKE THE REST OF US!?"

"YEAHHHHHH!"

Dominik smirked again, pointing his sword towards the bay. "THEN FIGHT WITH ME, FIGHT WITH ME TODAY FOR YOUR WORLD! AND LET US STAIN THE ICE WITH THE BLOOD OF THESE ONES WHO WOULD SEE US IN CHAINS! FOR CINTRA, FOR NILFGAARD, FOR SKELLIGE, FOR OUR SONS AND DAUGHGTERS, FOR THE WORLD!"

"FOR THE WORLD!" Freya shouted out louder next to him, her new witchers blade raised up in the air.

"FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD!" The chant didn't stop, as Dominik smirked at his friends who had all joined.

However, when Dominik turned all the noise stopped. He could hear them over the wind shuffling, anxious, ready for battle. That was good, it was the best he would be able to do for them.

Next to him, Anton nodded at him, smiling as he picked his white helmet from the ground, sliding it over his head. Dominik kept the magic glowing around him, his sword raised, as he looked at the spell Avallac'h had produced.

It was finally finished.

He turned back to the men. "HOLD EVERYBODY HOLD YOUR GROUND! THEY COME! THE ONES WHO'D SEE YOUR LOVED ONES IN CHAINS! THEY COME! HOLD, HOLD AND BE READY TO MOVE ON ME!"

"FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD!" The chant continued again, as Dominik turned to see the magic ball again.

A loud ***RIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPP* **came through the sky, and Dominik saw the swirling black portal open. It was more massive then any portal Dominik had ever seen, and it was like vacuum of icy wind, adding to the already violent gale from the storm outside.

He turned back once more. "DIG IN! DIG IN AND HOLD! HOLD FIRM! THEY WON'T BREAK US! FARAM, GEORGE, QUEN!"

The two witchers nodded, as a violent storm of ice shot from the portal. Dominik looked behind him, most of the soldiers had dug in, getting to their knees. It was the most violent wind Dominik had ever felt, he remembered it from Kaer Morhen, and suddenly had flashbacks.

His leg tingled, his cheek did as well.

_NO! Not this time! This WILL BE DIFFERENT! _

He willed the swirling magic around him to his palm, all of it forming in his hand, responding to his will. He had never seen such a large cluster of pure magic.

And he still felt plenty more in his body.

_I'm a witcher… I protect people, protect those who cannot protect themselves. _He looked back to the men behind him, some stumbled, one man fell, and Dominik's eyes widened as he slipped in the snow himself.

He turned back towards the violent gale he knew Caranthir had to be summoning. _No, I won't let him take anyone else… not again!_

Forming the proper sign with his fingers, he slammed his hand into the ground, and could almost feel it crack beneath him. A loud ***BOOOOOOOOM* **ripped over the sound of the wind, over the force of the ice as his Quen shield erupted. It expanded a good twenty meters out to his left and right, easily covering the line of troops. Faram had grabbed Freya and slammed his own bubble shield down, covering them both, while George had scrambled next to Anton to do the same.

Dominik covered his troops.

Bright blue magic shot through his eyes, but he kept the shield active. Behind him men cheered, he heard boots clunking and more weapons banging against shields. Dominik wanted to smile, but he kept his focus on the gale coming from Avallach's portal. Another large wave of magic clashed with the ice, and finally he allowed himself to smile, letting the shield down as he looked up to the sorceresses on the nearby ridge.

He gripped tight to _Fate _and raised it up to join the cheer with everyone else. The magic shield the sorceresses had erected was so powerful it pushed the wave of icy wind back towards the portal, where it finally sealed, forming a dome.

Scoffing Dominik found himself smirked. _Looks like that many sorceresses did make a difference after all. _

While the troops cheered, Dominik eyed the black portal still open. He felt only the wind of the snowstorm on Undvik now. Even with his men cheering, an eerie feeling ran up his spine.

It was still too quiet.

He jobbed up towards the hill, which was now covered in snow and ice. Faram, Freya and George joined him with Anton. Over at the bay, Dominik spotted a familiar sight, ashen hair on the dock. He let out a relieved sigh, part of him thought Avallac'h would disappear right away, dragging Ciri with him. Ciri leaned back on one leg, her one arm crossed, the other under her chin. She did that when she was annoyed.

Better annoyed and alive then missing again.

He looked out over the bay; it was now like he expected it to look like. Sheets of ice and snow, which he knew would have to be thick enough to walk on. A few of the Black Ones ships were already frozen, but it still wasn't like the storm that had enveloped Kaer Morhen and froze everyone.

No ships showed up in the bay either.

"Why aren't their ships here?" Freya asked next to him. "Did Avallac'h lie?"

"Wouldn't be surprised," Faram muttered.

They all chatted idly, but Dominik watched as ships launched from the docks near the camp. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Geralt was on that lead ship.

Minutes passed, and the Nilfgaardean ships continued to sail towards the ice.

Directly towards the black portal that still rippled in the air, dominating the airspace.

He kept an eye on the ship with Geralt, sailing forward. Forward, forward, forward. Still, no ships from the Hunt.

A cold sweat trickled down his neck. "Something's wrong…."

"Why don't we move in now?" Anton suggested, his spy glass out and looking towards the conjunction of ice. "They probably sent a small party ahead to scout, test our defenses."

"A plausible idea yes," George said, turning to Dominik. "At Kaer Morhen, they sent smaller parties ahead to test our defenses, before trying to overwhelm us after we had fought for hours. They could be trying the same plan."

"No… no Eredin wouldn't try the same plan twice," Dominik said, his eyes widening as the day's events all came back to him. "No… no, no, no! EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW!"

_GERALT!_

The men behind scrambled, confused. Dominik ignored it, rushing forward, intent on running down the hill towards the water, towards Geralt's ship.

Faram's massive hand stopped him and grabbed his arm. "Mate! What is it, are you insane!"

Dominik turned his eyes on him and everyone else. "EVERYBODY GET DOWN, DIG IN! GET DOWN NOW WE-."

He was cut off, by an earth-shattering roar.

The roar of a dragon, as a blast of ice shot down from the black portal.

**A/N: And now ladies and gentlemen, we are finally underway with the final battle on Undvik. This was a very long chapter, that I thought about breaking up into two parts, but in the end, I decided to give you all this long one, since I didn't want to interrupt the pacing of it. I won't say much in this A/N, because I don't want to risk giving anything away for the rest of the battle, but I can say, that I think it will be some of my best work yet! **

**First in this chapter, we finally see Bella's descent in Dominik's dream…. What do you think will happen in the next chapter with Bella and Kilgarrah? What about the final fight with Bella and Dominik?**

**After that, we get some tearful goodbyes before the battle. I worked so hard to establish this relationship of a family, and make Dominik truly feel like he belonged. Most who I talk to say I did a good job and I hope that's the case. I always felt that in stories like these, moments like this are important to have. It's important to show your characters actually able to be happy and loving so they have something to fight for. **

**Before we get to the final parts, we get a long awaited meeting between Ciri and Emhyr. I debated having Dominik in that meeting, but as Ciri said, there's zero chance Dominik doesn't kill him if he's there lol Remember, Dominik hasn't seen Emhyr since learning what he tried to do to Ciri. **

**Ciri absolutely whoops the dude. I've said this multiple times, one of my least favorite things about witcher 3 was the empress ending being a thing. Also how Ciri doesn't seem to have any real hate towards the emperor after what happened at the end of the books. I just think that was a huge oversight by CDPR. I mean there is NO WAY Ciri would go to Emhyr, or Geralt would bring her to him, like no way at all lol So, Ciri makes her declaration to her father, this is fuel for the sequels and I can't wait for you all to see where this goes!**

**More fuel for the sequels is Dominik's conversation with Voorhis… how do you think this will come into play in the future?**

**The most important parts however of this chapter is the revelation, that Dominik and Ciri both are now in complete control of their powers. We see a bit of Dominik's leadership, and his power as he puts up a shield to protect his men. With them both in complete control… what will happen now?**

**Next chapter, the battle officially begins. We'll see Freya's weapon unleashed on the Wild Hunt, as well as what Kilgarrah will do… stay tuned! **

**Remember to please, please review if you have time, follow and favorite so you know when I update, and as always, stay safe everyone!**


	87. The End II (Heirs of Magic)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 87: The End II (Heirs of Magic)**

**Narrator: The end has finally come. After weeks and weeks of fighting, Dominik, Ciri and Geralt all finally came to the final battle against the Wild Hunt. On the Isle of Undvik, with all their gathered friends and allies. Black Ones, Northerners, Skelligers, Witchers, Sorceresses, all have come together to fight, to prevent the Wild Hunt from invading their world. For Dominik and Geralt however, it was about much more. Dominik, along with his friends the powerful witchers, George of Toussaint and Faram of Undvik, along with the beautiful yet deadly Freya Kaminski of Ellander, all laid in wait to ambush the Hunt when they arrived, with the help of Sir Robert Anton, one of the last few remaining knights of Cintra from before the city was sacked. Ciri meanwhile anxiously awaits on the shore, watching as Geralt and Dominik lead their friends into battle. After the spell from Avallac'h was successful, the great icy wave of the Wild Hunt came… however, the ships were not the first thing to appear. **

"EVERYBODY ON THE GROUND NOW!"

Everyone obeyed Dominik's orders right away, as Kilgarrah's roar and the blast of ice shot over their heads. A cold, icy gale more powerful than Dominik had ever seen soared overhead. He could hear screamed from the Nilfgaardeans down below. They shouted orders to load crossbows, aim arrows, amongst other orders.

A small part of Dominik wanted to scream 'I told you so' down towards the camp, but he decided to ignore that small part of him.

Another roar cut him off, and Dominik could hear the difference between Kilgarrah now and at Kaer Morhen. He scrambled up to his feet after the blast had gone, turning to see some of the troops had done the same, along with his friends and Anton.

"NO! NO STAY DOWN! STAY DOWN!" He said, screaming over the gale of icy wind.

"WHAT ABOUT YOU MATE!?" Faram yelled down in the snow in front of Freya.

Dominik shook his head, he reached his hand out to Anton, and against the gale of wind, the old knight tossed Dominik the spyglass. The icy finally stopped, but nobody disobeyed his orders to stay down. His knees clacked together as he stumbled forward towards the crest of the hill, Kilgarrah's echoing roar still in his mind.

The roars were deeper, louder, more feral. It sounded as if the dragon was in pain, and Dominik almost stumbled as he could feel the wind blow past him from the dragon soaring over his head. He looked up, pressing his eye to the spyglass, watching Kilgarrah's massive form shoot by.

He nearly bit his tongue in half when he saw his back.

Bella was there, she road on Kilgarrah's neck, directing his icy breath down towards the camp of Nilfgaardeans.

_CIRI!_

He moved his gaze down to the camp and saw Ciri and Avallac'h both leap to cover at the dragon's breath. Bella must not have been interested, because Dominik saw a massive fiery stone launch and nearly smack Kilgarrah from the air. The dragon lurched, spinning around to see clearly that the Imperial Fleet had was closing in. Pressing the glass against his eye again, Dominik frantically looked for the main ship, the one Geralt had been riding. After seeing screaming, trembling men onboard the vessels, he finally spotted the front on Geralt had been on.

The ship had become stuck in ice, its golden sun banner violently flapping in the wind. He could see Geralt scrambling if he focused though his shape was blurry. He bit through his lip, closing he spyglass and looking back toward Anton who had come up next to his side.

"What do we do Captain! Orders?" He asked, his hand gripped to the hilt of his broadsword.

Dominik looked to his right, where Freya and his friends had rose. "Freya, I don't suppose your weapon can hit him?"

She looked to the weapon to the right. Moving her blonde ponytail out of her eyes she shook her head. "I don't think so, it fires too slow! Besides, it's meant to take out armies, not one dragon. It would only draw him to us!"

Dominik cursed under his breath. "Okay… then our best bet is to-."

A loud crash cut him off, the sound of splintering wood, and every one of the soldiers shot to their feet to look what had happened. Dominik turned as well, and right away put the glass to his eye again, and what he saw made his stomach drop.

He watched Bella on the back of Kilgarrah point down towards the armada of a hundred Nilfgaardean ships that had been amassed. Dominik heard in the camp; it was almost all of the ships that Emhyr had in his entire navy combined. He had brought all his ships to Skellige, minus the few he guessed the Emperor needed to protect the mainland.

And if there was one group that Bella could possibly still hate more then Dominik and Ciri at the moment, it was the Black Ones.

"GET BACK DOWN NOW!" He grabbed Anton by the arm and yanked the old knight to the ground with him.

A loud crash pierced out over the wind. The shattering of wood, splintering of ships, the screams of men dying, drowning, it carried over the wind slamming into Dominik's ears with the force of an explosion. Anguished cries, men screaming, he heard gestured for everyone else to stay down, and sucked in some of the magic around him that he had been controlling. His eyes alight he shot to his feet, rushing to the crux of the hill again, just at the top of the slope.

He looked out in horror, as Kilgarrah strafed over the Imperial Fleet. One by one, ships tried to use their trebuchets to fire flaming boulders towards the dragon but Kilgarrah even for his massive size was much too quick. Bella gripped him neck atop his back, directing and shouting for him to take aim at the ships that fired. He could hear her screaming voice carrying on the wind, and if he focused on her, he could see the magic exhuming from her just like it was from him. Alexander had said she could control her powers with anger and hate, and it would be even more powerful, but erratic, dangerous to her and everyone else around him.

_I need to get to her… and I need to do it fast, _he thought. If he could get to Bella and get through to her quick, perhaps together they could get through and break any hold Eredin had on Kilgarrah.

"Dominik! We need to do something mate!" Faram shouted, rushing up behind him as everyone else stayed low.

Dominik nodded, unable to take his eyes off Kilgarrah. He knew they needed to act, but his mind was racing with too many ideas-most of them horrible- to act. Kilgarrah dive-bombed downwards towards one particularly large ship that fired two large flaming stones at once. Kilgarrah fired a powerful stream of ice towards both of the boulders, and with a loud hiss the fire on them turned to steam. Steam rose from them, sending up a large cloud after which Kilgarrah rose high back into the air. He watched the soldiers helpless scramble, looking like ants from his position on the deck. For a moment he thought Bella retreated with the dragon.

He was wrong, as he watched Kilgarrah come through for another pass. A stream of ice burst from the white dragon's mouth again- it was going to be hard to see the beast if the snow continued like it was- and the breath, splintered the ships hull with little effort, meeting the same fate as most of the other ships in the bay.

Within less than half an hour, almost the entire Imperial Fleet lay in splinters in the bay of ice.

"Geralt…" He said, ripping the spyglass from his belt again.

He scanned where a large coalition ice had gathered. All along the bay, there were large, shattered plains of ice, the remains of the Imperial Fleet all seemed to connect them, floating bits of wood and ice scattered about. A few meters out of the center from where the portal had opened, it was amazing, it was still sunset, as if outside that one spot in the bay nothing had changed. However, the night was approaching, the snow beginning to come down harder. If that came, and they didn't get Kilgarrah under control, they'd be in even more trouble.

_Where the hell is Borch? _He shook his head, he couldn't stand by and wait for the dragon, not with Geralt in the middle of the danger. With the spyglass in hand he found the original lead ship. It miraculously hadn't been hit by Kilgarrah yet, Bella had led the dragon to hunt down smaller ships in the fleet that had tried to flee. It had been wedged in an ice burg, towards the center of the planes of ice, and like the other ships, the soldiers were like ant scrambling around the deck.

However, with more focus he was able to spot a head of silvery white hair. Geralt he managed to see clearer, he stumbled to his feet, just as Kilgarrah's roar pierced the air again. A large blur of white shot past him, and he saw the stream of ice aimed toward the ship.

Dominik almost screamed, but he watched as Geralt grabbed another soldier by the collar of his armor and took the both of them overboard just as the ship erupted into splinters.

He drew out a sigh of relief, Geralt would survive that, he had survived far worse. But Kilgarrah still roared, strafing streams of ice, his focus-and Bella's- not leaving the Black Ones ships.

_I need to draw his attention away from them… but how? _He bit his lip, until Borch arrived from wherever he went, they had no way to handle Kilgarrah and get his attention away from the ships. As much as he hated the Black Ones, the soldiers below on the ships had done nothing to him, and he wouldn't see them needlessly slaughtered because their leaders refused to listen. There was also the fact, that once the Nagalfar appeared, they'd need the fleet to stop them from fleeing right away. Despite the fact there couldn't be more then 15 ships left in the fleet, he needed to do what he could to save it.

"Dominik!" Freya's voice shouted behind him, both he and Faram turned. The blonde came running up, grunting as he bushy ponytail hit her face. "Their getting antsy! I had an idea!"

Dominik listened to Kilgarrah's roar one last time, closing the spyglass, as he saw Bella's glowing form on his neck. Cursing he turned back to Freya.

"I could use a good idea right now," He said, his voice on edge.

Freya looked back at her weapon. "If we fire it up, we can draw his attention, get it off the fleet! After we have it, we can scatter, get down towards the bay, or into the woods, we can lose him!"

"That's a risky plan goldilocks," Faram said, looking out at the dragon again, his beard flecked with white snow. "Are we even fast enough? And what's to say he couldn't just blow the forest down?"

Dominik listened to the two begin to discuss the plan in detail, but soon the wind and his thoughts tuned them out. He pulled the spyglass out again, looking back up at Kilgarrah, Bella on his neck as they hunted down the last of the fleet. Only a few ships remained, but Dominik could still hear the screams. The screams of dying men. He could hear them, and the screams from the Battle of Brenna. The Battle of Brenna had been the one major victory the North had won against the Empire in the second war, and even then it had been a slaughter for both sides.

The screams were more distant now, but they all rang in Dominik's head like a chorus of bells.

His hands curled around the spyglass as he looked at Bella again. Glowing with a blue magic light similar to how he was. His sister. He knew he had to get to her, to stop the slaughter that was happening now. It wasn't just men she was killing below, but he knew that behind that helm she had to be slowly ripping apart piece by piece.

Behind him, he saw the soldiers he was leading, still in formation. Anton and George worked to keep them calm. The longer they waited, the more anxious they became

And he had to be there for her this time, he wouldn't give up on her. He had left her to the mercy of the Nilfgaardean invasion in Cintra, hadn't gone back for her. Like him, that massacre of their home, more then likely gave Bella the hatred for the Black Ones she was showing now, as she led Kilgarrah to shatter ships.

Dominik shakily sighed, taking one last look at Bella with the spyglass, before slamming it closed. _She hates them, just like I do… but there's one other thing she hates more…_

He turned back to Faram and Freya still bickering, _if I get myself killed, Ciri may bring me back as a ghost just to kill me again… but this is the only way. _

"We can't risk the men!" Faram shouted over the wind, looking down at Freya, who despite her smaller stature didn't waver.

The blonde shook her head, her hand gripped tightly to her sword. "It's the only way! If we hide in the trees and find cover we can make-."

"I'm going!" Dominik said, rushing back to them, and tossing the spyglass to Anton who had turned around.

He turned back towards the carnage, pulling _Fate _from his back again. Looking down he adjusted the straps of his armor and looked at the magical mist forming around him. He didn't know exactly how it worked yet, but he had been learning quickly. Before, he had only been able to use so much before it became unbearable for his limbs, they started smoking and he'd nearly pass out. He'd seen the mist and magic glow around him before but had been unable to control it.

_This is it, after this, you, Ciri, Fiona. Your life begins. _He shot open his eyes and magic exhumed from him like a blue cloud, his body brimmed with energy and spilled over like a leaking damn, as he turned and saw Faram and Freya's shocked expressions.

"What do you mean 'you're going!?" Freya yelled, "you're not going out there alone you're insane!"

"She's right mate, can't let you do that it's suicide!" Faram said, his massive arms falling to his side.

Dominik looked back, he stood only a few meters from the line of men. They had clearly heard him, and were all staring at him with adoration, from his plan, or from the glowing light he didn't know.

But Kilgarrah's roar reminded him he had no time to deduce what it was. He turned to Faram and Freya. "It's the only way, Freya you're right, we have to take his eyes off the ships! It's only a matter of time before he turns on the camp, Skellige's fleet, and then us."

"But what about our dragon! Where is the fucker, let him handle it!" Faram argued with him.

"No time, I need to do this now," He said, looking up at Faram, and then down at Freya, who was on the verge of frantic tears. Dominik sighed, his hand tightening around _Fate's _handle. "I won't let everyone else act as bait. I'll run down there and scream for Bella… Ciri and I are the only ones who she may hate more then the Black Ones now… and not risking Ciri."

Wind howled as more snow began to fall. Kilgarrah roared, another strangled one that sounded like the beast was in pain. He didn't want to harm the dragon, but from his short interactions with the beast, he wouldn't mind if Dominik did to save more. The snow was going to be a problem soon, as well as the night that was rapidly coming, they needed to start now.

George ran along the lines of men, shouting out what he guessed were stories from old battles back in Toussaint. The stories of brave knights fighting impossible odds. It gave the soldiers before him some leverage, but he knew soon their palms would be too sweat to even hold their spears.

"Won't let you do that mate!" Faram said, grabbing his massive hand to Dominik's shoulder.

Dominik shook him off. "You will and you _won't _follow! Not either of you or anyone! As soon as I have his attention then you charge, Anton's in command!"

"Stop being fucking stubborn for once in your life!" Freya said getting closer to him. "Ciri asked us to look after you and we will! We won't let you risk your life like this alone."

"You don't have a choice!" He snapped at them, the icy wind violently biting at the tip of his nose as he looked between them. "I'll go now don't follow. I guess it's time to see what this magic can do. I'll-."

"DOMINIK! INCOMING!" Anton's deep, commanding voice carried over the wind, and Dominik spun on his heel.

A loud, bone-crushing roar came next.

His eyes widened, as he looked and could count on one hand the number of ships left from the Imperial Fleet. However, he didn't look at that, as he saw a giant white blur zooming towards them.

_No…. _Sucking in the magic around him he turned to the group of soldiers behind him, who had all been shattered by the roar. Kilgarrah came towards them, flying at speed, Dominik would never have guessed possible for a creature so large. He needed to do something, he turned to Freya, magic leaking from his lips and eyes in small wisps.

"FREYA ON THE WEAPON NOW!" He shouted over the roar, and the wind as he turned back to the men. Freya darted off, and Dominik looked to the men who were shaking at the sight of the great white dragon barreling towards them. "HOLD! STAND YOUR GROUND!"

They all did as they were told. Dominik looked and saw Freya striking flint and steel near the back of her weapon. Another roar came through the air, and he turned back to the top of the hill, he was a few meters away, hidden within a thicket of trees, one wide opening for them to charge down, and for Freya's weapon to fire. However, he knew Kilgarrah could still see them, that Bella could still see them.

"Dominik! We need to take cover!" Anton yelled from his left. Dominik looked and the old knight grabbed onto his arm, pale eyes frantic as he called over the wind. "We should retreat further back, let the weapon do its work!"

Dominik turned again, Kilgarrah got closer, closer, closer, until he could make out Bella on the dragon's neck. He had no idea how he was riding her when he was now under the control of Eredin, but he assumed she would be in danger too if Kilgarrah went rouge. Closer, closer, the roars, the pained, struggled roars got louder and louder. His ears almost bled, as the sound jumbled around in his mind.

He looked to Freya, who was having a hard time striking the flint to make fire in the gale. He looked to the men and women who were shaking more and more behind him as the dragon got closer.

_It's not gonna fire in time…. _He watched Freya struggle, then looked out to the hill. Closer, closer, the white blurb was even more visible in the snow now. _I need to do something. _

He turned to Anton, his heart thumping over wind. "I need to go!"

"Dominik wait no-." Anton tried to argue, but Dominik darted from him.

He felt the magic releasing from his limbs like steam floating out of a hot bath. It flowed through him invigorating him. He willed more of the magic out of him, his mind remembering times spent back with his sister in Cintra, times growing up with Ciri at Kaer Morhen, running pendulums and first attempting witcher signs.

More magic came around him, the mist and glow brighter. He ran, faster then his legs had ever taken him, and he skidding to a halt next to Freya. She looked up at him and seemed to yell something, but it was lost to him in the galling wind. He yanked the fuse from her hand, and forming the right-hand movement, the Igni sigh flared to life in his palm, lighting the fuse in seconds. Freya nodded to him grateful, then shot to her feet to yell orders to the men surrounding the weapon.

Dominik stood, when he heard Anton scream.

"HOLD BOYS! HOLD AND DON'T LET HIM RATTLE YOU! STAND STRONG!" The old knight waved his broadsword, trying to calm the stirring soldiers.

The wind seemed to pick up speed, but Dominik still heard Kilgarrah's pained roar over it. Ice started to form on the trees around him and bursting past Faram who had retreated to the lines, he ran and got to the top of the hill, just as he looked up and saw Kilgarrah open his massive jaws. He saw collating mist, ice forming between his rows of dagger like teeth, and he broke out into a run.

The magic around him sucked into his body, he forced it, right into his legs, and it moved him at speeds he didn't know possible. He could see Bella on the dragon's back, the black slits of her faceplate narrowed down towards the hill, he assumed that she was able to sense his magic, and any hope int hat moment of getting through to her was lost. He heard her scream over the wind and just as he reached the top of the hill he sucked in the rest of the magic mist around him, pulling and forcing it all to his palms.

Men behind him screamed, one shouted that they were going to die. He thought of all the ships splintered in the bay, while he wouldn't cry for Emhyr's lost resources, he thought of all the men who had died in those ships. He thought of Ciri down in the camps, why couldn't they have just been left alone? Left alone by Emhyr, Avallac'h, the Aen Elle, everyone, why could they have just left them alone and let them live their lives?

If they survived this they could. He could save his sister, the woman he loved, finally let all his friends live in peace. He'd be free to spend his life what he had always dreamed of doing in his youth. Protecting people, helping them. Protecting those who cannot protect themselves.

_I'm a witcher… that's what I do… I hunt monsters!_

He let out a scream, just as Kilgarrah was about to unleash his gale of ice on his troops, Dominik let out a gut-wrenching scream. Leaping and firing his hand forward he formed the proper hand signs for Aard.

Aard had been the first sign Geralt had taught him, and it unleashed from his hands then. In a giant burst of blue magic light, the sign shot from his hands and smacked into Kilgarrah just before his breath could unleash. Dominik landed, his legs feeling like pudding for a moment before he sucked in more of the magic around him and energy shot back to them. He stood up and watched the sign smacked into Kilgarrah and cause the dragon to let out another bone chilling roar.

Kilgarrah was the most massive beast Dominik had ever seen but as his Aard blast hit the dragon, Kilgarrah crumble. A loud pain roar made Dominik go deaf for a moment. He stumbled back in the snow, the wind churning through his ears like a canyon.

The dragon lurched downwards, he heard a loud cheer go up from his soldiers behind him, but Dominik kept his eyes on Kilgarrah. The beasts flapped his wings furiously, and now Dominik could clearly see Bella sitting on his neck. She was shaken by the spell as well, she was hanging onto the dragon's horn, and Dominik felt a stir of panic. Against all reason he almost ran towards where he thought Bella was going to fall, but quickly she was able to get herself upright.

He could hear a distant scream over the winds, it sounded far off, but he knew it was Bella. Up on Kilgarrah's back, as the dragon tried to shake off the effects of the sign, he watched his sister climb back up onto his neck.

And she looked down at him.

The magic around him churned when Bella met his eyes. It swirled around him, and seemed to be surging forward, wanting to meet the same kind of mist that was forming around Bella as well. However, he could see the difference between his magic and Bella's. Bella's shot around her, a darker shade of blue then his. It was sporadic, cackling around her light out of control lightning, unlike a fine mist like his was. Her armor was already scored, and he didn't see _Coram _on her belt. Instead, it was the same jagged black blade she had used the last three times they fought.

Dominik could move. For a moment, all time seemed to freeze around him. His bones turned to ice under the weight of his sister's cold stare under her helm. Kilgarrah's wings seemed to beat in slow motion, as all he could focus on was the cold stare from Bella's black eye slits.

He saw the moment when she first removed her helm, when he saw her up close, heard her voice, saw the woman she had grown into. His little sister was fully grown, a woman, a warrior, and he had missed it all.

Not anymore.

"BELLA!" He screamed, seeming to break the slow rolling battle around him. "BELLA LISTEN TO ME! BELLA!"

Kilgarrah roared before Bella could answer. He couldn't see any indication of what she was feeling under her helm, but without any movement from her, Kilgarrah turned back on him. Instead of gold eyes that contained years of wisdom the dragon's eyes were blood red, as his scales were so white they almost made him seem lost in the snow and dim light.

Panic welled up in him, again Bella didn't move, seemingly unable to give any commands to the beast, but Kilgarrah's mouth opened wide anyway. He prepared to raise a shield, but that was when he heard Freya's voice yell out from behind him.

"FIRE!" She shouted, so loud it carried over the storm.

"DOMINIK MATE MOVE!" He felt massive hands grab him by the should and yank him backwards.

Faram managed to pull him back, as a loud _BOOM _rang overhead. The Bear Witcher finally stopped pulling as Dominik got back to the main line of men, and that was when he saw the destruction 'the Kaminski' unleash.

Along with arrows fired from their archers, a volley of flaming arrows all soared towards Kilgarrah. A beautiful flaming volley soared towards Kilgarrah, and it seemed to take him by surprise, because Bella seemed to scream, yanking on the dragon's horns.

***BOOM*, *BOOM*, *BOOM*. **Kilgarrah waved his wings, knocking away some of the volley, but some of them found home in the dragon's chest. A loud cheer went up behind him, but Dominik knew better, Kilgarrah was distracted but far from defeated.

He sucked in a shaky breath, as Anton came running up next to him. "Are you alright!?"

"I'm fine," He muttered, picking up _Fate _which he had dropped to the ground. "What's the status of the Skelligers!? Do we see-."

"HE'S COMING AGAIN!" A man shouted, and all heads snapped back as Kilgarrah roared.

Dominik turned, and sure enough despite the flaming burnt scales on his chest, Kilgarrah dove again. He scrambled, trying to suck in magic again to go meet him but he was stopped in his tracks.

Another roar pierced the air, and this one wasn't Kilgarrah.

The air around him grew hot, the trees blew forward with a _whoosh _and Dominik almost stumbled forward. Him and all the men and women following looked up as a gold streak of light zoomed through the air, followed by a torrent of fire.

_He's got the gift of great timing he does, that's twice now, _Dominik thought, as he could help but smile.

Borch Three-Jackdaws wasn't as large as Kilgarrah, but the gold dragon didn't let it stop him. He zipped through the air, illuminating the air around them, melting the snow. His blast of fire met Kilgarrah's icy one, and a hiss of steam came from it. Borch slammed forward into Kilgarrah, his mass jaws going for the white dragon's neck, as his claws dug into his chest.

"BELLA!" Dominik yelled, trying to run forward, but Anton grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

Dominik saw as Borch attacked, Bella stumbled and was thrown from the dragon's neck. He wanted to rush to try and help her, but he watched as Bella shot her hand forward. Magic erupted from it, and soon, she disappeared in a puff of frost just before she could hit the ground. He let out a sigh of relief, but then his heart sank, as he looked back out towards the icy plains.

_She probably teleported back there, _he thought. He let out a puff of bright magic, _I can't avoid it any longer… I need to go; we need to go. Not to mention Geralt's still down there. _

Around the icy planes, which was now a graveyard of the entire Imperial Fleet, Dominik could see the swirling ball of icy mist. He knew that if they entered it now, they'd be alright, but any soldier lucky enough to survive Kilgarrah's initial assault, were more then likely frozen like they had been at Kaer Morhen. It was the same spell Caranthir had used at Kaer Morhen.

"Sorry we are late!" A voice said, a thick accent, which Dominik recognized as Zerrikanian.

Soldiers cheered as they watched Kilgarrah and Borch fight in the skies, teeth and claws snapping at one another. The battle took them to the east, further away from the icy planes, but Dominik knew better then to assume the threat of Kilgarrah was gone. However, he turned and focused on the crowd of soldiers all raising their weapons and cheering.

Dominik watched as some of them parted, making room for Tea an Vea. The two Zerrikanian's made Dominik cold just looking at them. How did they still show that much skin when in a climate like this? It didn't matter, as long as they could still fight as well as he knew they could.

"We hope, we are not too late to join the fight," Tea or Vea said, he still couldn't tell the difference between them.

Dominik however still smirked, shaking his head. "Not too late at all, welcome to the party. Fall in with the rest of the skirmishers, we're charging soon and-."

"Dominik…" Faram said, and for the first time all day, Dominik heard the tone shift in Faram's voice.

He turned, his three friends on his right. Tea and Vea listened without question, running to join the line of fighters. To his right, George had joined Faram and Freya, while Anton stood to his left. He looked and saw the looks on their faces. Freya's weapon to the right was being loaded again, it was so effective against Kilgarrah, Freya obviously must have ordered a second volley. To his left, Anton held out the spyglass, and Dominik could see why as he looked out over the planes, down the hill.

His bones grew cold, the roar of both dragon's pierced his ears, but Dominik could only look out over the swirling black portal. Out of it, sailed the Nagalfar, the ship made from the bones of dead men. The stories had been true, it was massive, stretching out over the bay, splintering through any ships that held any semblance of shape. Two more ships appeared next to it, but they were much smaller in comparison.

The Nagalfar was bone white, jagged pieces of bones sticking out at all angles. The sail was massive, and it crushed through anything in its path before coming to rest finally, lurching. Net to it, the two more Hunt ships both came to a stop as well, the intense winds, icy and snow unaffecting them all. The cold barrier of ice around the planes got thicker, as the sunset outside slowly turned to knight, and Dominik could already see riders tossing torches over the side, settling the remains of ships alight.

Fire, ice, snow, and undoubtedly rain soon as well. The perfect storm.

_This is it… no more running, no more hiding. _All the ships had one thing in common however, Dominik could see dozens upon dozens of riders, and beasts of the Hunt on each ship. They had to easily outnumber them, over a hundred, perhaps two hundred. He didn't know how many men were frozen stiff below from the Black Ones, but even with them unfrozen, it would still only just break even.

"Dominik… your orders lad," Anton said next to him, looking down and closing his spyglass. "Do we charge?"

They had too. Without the Black Ones there to stop the initial wave, the Hunt could easily overwhelm the camp below.

_They could get to Ciri… can't let that happen. _He turned to Anton, to his friends, his bones went stiff, the magic gently whirling around him in a puff. Could he really do it? Lead the men and women around him, into a battle where they were clearly outnumbered? Sucking in a slow breath, he exhaled, looking down at the swallow around his neck. Gently he also pulled back his glove, revealing the underside of his wrist. Black ink, a wolf, just like Ciri's.

He turned to the men and women, all were still antsy, and Dominik almost felt guilty making them wait so long. The anticipation was the worst part his father always told him.

He looked down at _Fate _which he almost forgot he was holding and exhaled. _Finally time… today, you make them pay, all of them. _

For Ciri, for his sister, and for his world.

"SOLDIERS! KNIGHTS! SAILORS!" Dominik said, yelling over the wind and the dragon's roar. Raising his sword into the air he exhumed more magic mist looking across them. "WE CHARGE! LET'S-."

"DOMINIK! THE SKELLIGERS! HJALMAR AND CRACH!" Anton shouted behind him, and right away Dominik turned.

A loud _***BOOM* **_erupted in his ears, and he looked. His jaw dropped, as he saw an army of longships zooming directly towards the Nagalfar. It was led by one at the front, flying the banner of Clan An Craite and all Skellige's clans. It slammed into the ship to the right of the Nagalfar, it splinted the Hunt ship in half before more smaller longships all zoomed towards the icy plans. Dominik saw flaming axes and arrows and could hear the distant battle cries and cheers from the Skelligan men.

He knew Cerys wouldn't be on the ships charging. His friend wouldn't be stupid enough to send all her ships at once, and Hjalmar and Crach more then likely convinced her to stay back and command from the back, protecting the new Queen. However, if he knew Hjalmar and Crach like he had though he did, he knew they'd be at the front, on that flagship.

For a moment he was stunned by the boldness of the Skelligers. The ships rammed around the Nagalfar into the shattered icy planes. The Hunt seemed to be taken by surprise at first, the Riders who had left the ship clashed with the Skelligers, and the sounds of battle soon followed.

"HA! THE BALLS OF AN OX ALL OF THEM!" Faram whooped next to him, his silver raised.

Dominik shook his head, "Brave yeah… but they won't have enough, we need to charge, we need to help them! Freya! Order your weapon crew to focus all fire on the Nagalfar! Tell them to keep an eye on the camp below, if they see them approaching start focusing fire there!"

"You heard him boys! Calibrate the launch angle!" Freya yelled, rushing over to help the men calculate.

They needed to move quick he knew, the Skelligers wouldn't hold out long, and if they didn't somehow get the remaining Black Ones free, the battle would be over quick.

C_aranthir was more then likely the one to cast the spell… take him out and the spell should vanish. _

He looked to Anton. "Anton, Faram, George, Freya and I have a mission, a specific one. After the initial charge you're in command! Assist the Skelligers, keep clear of the dragons, and move slowly towards the Nagalfar, after we're finished we'll meet up with you there, go ready the lines!"

"Yes captain!" Anton yelled, a gleam in his eyes before dashing back to the lines, screaming out the orders to tighten ranks.

Dominik looked down at the fighting one last time, checking to make sure he had sucked in as much of the magic around him as he could. He was amazed to feel himself able to pull on magic from all the sources around him. The trees, the grass, if he focused, focused on what he was fighting for, what he would get if the battle went well, he was able to summon and fill his body with magic, the mist around him starting to trickle from his mouth and eyes like steam in a beautiful bright blue color.

He gripped tighter on his sword, gripping the swallow once more around his neck. _For Ciri, for Bella, for Arno, Declan, Folan, Vigi… and all the worlds you've taken. _

"You mention a mission mate! What're we doing," Faram said, coming up next to him, "I'd say I'm done waiting, ready to crack some skulls I am!"

"I concur with Faram," George said, sharply coming up next to him as well. His silver sword was already a wash with flames, his golden hair blew back in the wind. "We will send the wraiths back from whence they came! They shall regret attacking our world, attacking the ones we love!"

Never in his life had he heard George speak with such intensity. Dominik looked and could see the flames burning brighter down his sword, his yellow witcher eyes narrowed on the riders below.

Freya ran up with him as well, done helping calibrate the weapons launch angle. She twirled her new sword a few times, before resting it on her shoulder and standing to his left.

"Angled and ready Dom," She said darkly, looking down at the battle below. "So… what's the plan?"

All three of his friends, his hansa looked to him. Dominik eyes the Nagalfar. _Eredin is there… and today he dies, no more fear… no more games._

"We charge with everyone else, but after that we break off," He explained slowly, his voice low but carrying over the wind. "Four people can move where an army can't. While Anton and the Skelligers distract the main force, we slip near the Nagalfar and find Caranthir. He cast the spell, if we find and kill him, the ice lifts, and the frozen Black Ones join the battle. It's the only way we stand a chance."

"And what about Eredin?" George asked, his Toussaint accent carrying on the wind.

Dominik squeezed his blade again. "After that… I'm going to find him… and this time I'll kill him."

He expected them to protest, to insist they come with him for that fight. Dominik wouldn't let them, that fight was he and Ciri's. He didn't know what it was that made him feel that way, but he knew it would come down to just them. If the prophecy from Connor of Lod was correct, Dominik could kill him, he would.

It didn't matter who, but that day the King would die.

He looked at them all, and they all nodded, weapons at the ready. The wind howled deeply again. The night was now only lit by the light of the torches and fires set in the planes; snow continued to fall. Dominik heard the roaring from Kilgarrah and Borch but couldn't locate them, the white dragon would be hard to locate then, but he assumed if he could kill Eredin then the spell he had over Kilgarrah would break.

_Nothing is going to happen until we charge… it's finally time. _

"Captain, we're ready at your word!" Anton said from behind him.

Dominik turned and the old knight nodded to him through the slits of his helmet. He let out a sigh and looked to his friends. They all nodded in confirmation that they were prepared, and Dominik then looked to the men and women in lines. He saw the first few men in the front rows, spears and shields ready, swords at their hips incase the fighting got too close. He saw the golden lions of Cintra across their breastplates. _Would this have been what it was like to lead Cintra's armies? Hopefully, it's as close as I'll get. _

But he fought for much more then Cintra now, he fought for Ciri, and for the world.

He looked out at the men and women and raised _Fate _into the air. "WHAT DO YOU ALL SAY? WILL YOU JOIN ME IN DEFEATING THESE SELF-PROCLAIMED GODS!?"

A loud cheer went up, as weapons bashed shields and the ground. Next to him his friends led a cheer of their own, weapons raised as Dominik found himself somehow smiling.

"WITH ME THEN! LET'S SHOW THEM HOW WE FIGHT ON THE CONTINENT!" He yelled, turning towards the battle himself, weapon still raised. "LETS SHOW THEM, THAT THEY WONT MAKE SLAVES OF US! LETS MAKE THEM BLEED! FOR THE WORLD!"

"FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD!"

The cheer went up, and next to him Freya stepped up and smirked. "See? Told you you'd come up with a good speech. Ready?"

_No, but how could I be? _Geralt's reminder rang through his mind. Nobody could possibly be ready for what he had to do, but he would do it anyway.

Because he was a witcher, and it was his job to protect people from monsters. Ciri he knew could protect herself, but that wouldn't stop him from helping her, because you protected the ones you loved with everything you had, no matter the foe. She also was his destiny, his destiny that he protect her.

_Sometimes destiny and love, are one in the same. _

Turning to Freya and his friends he nodded. "Follow me…"

"FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD!" The cheer kept up behind him, not letting up over the roar of the wind.

And he charged towards the battle, towards his destiny.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"DOWN AGAIN, EVERYONE!" A voice from the camp yelled, and Ciri didn't hesitate to follow instructions then.

_Damn, that dragon has the gift of good timing. _Her vision blurry, she shook her head to try and see clearly again. She had fallen down onto the dock, and the first thing she heard was the massive roars form Kilgarrah and Borch. Finally managing to look up, she saw flashes of gold and white in her blurry vision. Night had come, and if not for Borch's fire, she would have had a hard time seeing Kilgarrah. Just above the camp they clashed in a loud bang. The two beasts slammed into each other, Borch's jaw snapped onto Kilgarrah's thick longer neck. Kilgarrah smacked him back aside with a wing, dragging his claw down across Borch's chest, and the two dragons went slamming into the mountains and forests behind them.

_Well it won't be for long, but at least Borch got him away… but the fleet, _she thought, struggling to her feet as she looked out at the now graveyard.

She could only see one or two ships remaining, though they were soon quickly frozen by the icy spell that had once engulfed Kaer Morhen as well. Shards and splinters floated in the now icy bay, forming a battlefield of broken ships and planes of ice. The wind continued to howl with the snow blistering past, but it wasn't that which made Ciri's spine tingle.

"Geralt…" She said, grunting from some pain in her back as she stood.

Behind her, she heard shouts from soldiers to get the Emperor and escort him to safety. She heard them scrambling to try and find some way to flee. She was sure Emhyr's flagship had to be amongst the graveyard in the bay, so surely now they had no way of escape, all of the Nilfgaardean forces were trapped. She heard on man mention emergency ships were coming from the mainland, and they would retreat as soon as they got there, orders from Emhyr.

_He's leaving his men that are alive, frozen or dying in the bay, _she thought, a disgusting taste filling her mouth, _and Geralt is amongst them. _

Magic swirled in her eyes, she needed to do something she knew. Scrambling to her feet, Ciri looked up towards the cliffs. Why hadn't Dominik charged yet? That was her plan, as soon as he charged to teleport and join him, but he still hadn't gone. Her heart had stopped when she saw Kilgarrah, Bella riding on his neck charging towards the position, thankfully saved by Freya's weapon and Borch.

And she remembered Bella falling from Kilgarrah, before teleporting away. Her vision turned towards the new arrivals in the battlefield. They had finally arrived just before Kilgarrah and Borch nearly killed her again. _The Nagalfar… Bella teleported there, Eredin will be there… time to end this. _

Geralt was trapped, frozen somewhere in the ice, and Dominik would undoubtedly charge to try and find him soon. She wouldn't let them fight alone. It wouldn't be like Kaer Morhen again. She reached up to her hair, tightening the bun of her ashen hair, she checked around her neck, the bronze ring, and her wolf medallion were there. Quickly she squeezed the ring, as she did every single lonely night she had in the previous eight years, every bit of pain, suffering, torment, all of it had led to this moment.

_No more running. _

She tightened her corset again, ignoring the nipping wind and distant roar of dragons. Her gaze traveled up to the sphere of icy mist around the bay, the trap. Outside of the sound of soldiers behind her, the roar of the dragons, Ciri could hear nothing. It was night, the sun had finally gone down. She could see small bits of fire flickering around the Nagalfar and two ships. It was like the distant light at the end of the Cave of Life, the torches that led her to the chambers.

A torch drawing her into a fight for her life, possibly death.

"It's completely silent…" She muttered to herself, stepping forward on the dock. "Not a single word…. Dominik what are you doing?"

"It is a trap," A hissing voice came from behind her. Ciri looked and saw Avallac'h had climbed to his feet, the tip of his staff glowing. The sage pulled his hood back up, his face twisted in a snarl and looked at her. "It is too dangerous, we must flee. _NOW."_

"Not this time… no more running," Ciri said, her eyes darting back towards the sage. She could see the loathing in his eyes, the annoyance. She didn't care anymore. "You don't order me around, I'm going I-."

A ***BOOOOM* **followed by the distant whooping of men and women shot Ciri back around. The hair on her arms stood up, her heart leapt to her throat as fire erupted inside the sphere of ice. Arrows of fire, flaming stones and weapons were launched towards the Nagalfar, as Ciri watched ships from Skellige, flying the banner of Clan An Craite and the rest of Skellige's clans. Hjalmar and Crach had begun their assault with the rest of Skellige, as Ciri watched a longship plow into the side of the Nagalfar. It was bigger than the rest and sent the riders she saw in the distance scrambling as more longships zoomed forward, Skelligers pouring from the ship and smashing into the riders to begin the bloody fight.

"The fools…" Avallac'h said, coming up next to her, shaking his head. "They're outnumbered, there are even more than I expected…. Zireael we must flee and-."

"I _said _not this time!" Ciri snapped, grabbing the ring around her neck, watching her friends, Skelligers, Hjalmar and Crach charge the Wild Hunt. She turned to the sage, her skin suddenly hot, her limbs twitching, ready to move. "I won't leave them! I won't run anymore, and you can't tell me otherwise!"

"You idiot girl!" The sage said, grip tightening on his staff. "Do you realize what will happen!? They are outnumbered, you do not control your powers, it is too dangerous. We are fighting a losing fight, we must flee!"

"FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE WORLD!" The loud cheer carried on the howling winds. Both Ciri and Avallac'h snapped their heads towards the east, as Ciri could hear a practical avalanche. Her eyes narrowed to the hill, the slope that she was _supposed _to be charging down.

And now Dominik led Anton's men without her, no doubt with their friends right next to him. She looked up into the night sky and saw the most beautiful sight of the night. A massive volley of flaming, crackling and exploding arrows set the night sky alight. Freya's weapon fired and the target was the Nagalfar. Ciri watched as the arrows found their mark, just as she could spot black specks moving and streaming from the Hunt's command ship. From the distance she was at, they sounded like small little pops, but Ciri knew they were explosions from the arrows, hopefully finding slits in the rider's skeletal plate.

She turned her attention back to the small charging army. Dominik had told her he didn't expect anymore then a hundred men, and it didn't seem to be anymore then that much as she watched them charge. However, what they lacked in number, they made up for in vigor, in determination. The cries of 'for the world', carried on the wind, and Ciri could spot a glowing white-blue figure streaming forward past the entire group.

With a loud ***BOOM* **she watched as Dominik clashed with a group of riders, that was going to take the Skelligan forces by surprise. She couldn't see how he fought, because all she could see was a bright white-blue whirlwind, spinning, parrying, blasts of fire and Aard shooting from all directions.

_Is that really his full control? He told me he would have the power of his ancestors but… this is something else, _Ciri scoffed. _He's amazing… but I can't let him do it alone, not again!_

The rest of the army slammed into the Hunt's lines. Together, Anton's men along with the Skelligers had to equal at least a hundred and seventy-five troops. Eredin had undoubtedly brought more. At Kaer Morhen, the King had underestimated them, with only a dozen or so friends they had killed at least over a hundred riders- Ciri's final total for the battle had been twenty-seven she and Dominik did the math later on- so that meant she knew there had to be at least double that now. The King was arrogant, but he wasn't stupid.

Even with all their vigor, their determination, the Skelligers and Dominik's force wasn't enough. The only hope was freeing the frozen Black Ones amongst the ships remains, finding Geralt, and cutting the head off the snake.

She watched the white-blue blur spin, moving quickly from rider to rider. Soon she found herself gawking, but quickly shook it off. _Can't let him get a big head now… time to move!_

"Idiot boy… keeping this from me…" Avallac'h hissed next to her.

Ciri ignored him, her hand shooting up to the ring. "I'm going! The time for running is over, this ends tonight!"

"Zireael no! You do not yet control your power, we must flee!" The sage snapped at her again, his pale eyes fuming.

She almost smirked, _he has no idea…_

"It doesn't matter, get out of my way!" She said, her shoulder hitting the elf as she passed him, walking towards the edge of the dock. "I'll manage, I won't let him-."

"CIRI!"

_This is it; he's making his move for me now! _Ciri's hand shot right up to the hilt of her sword, turning back towards Avallac'h. She expected to find the sage's staff pointed at her, a spell ready to knock her out. The whole time she had been waiting on the dock, she had eyed the elf, waiting for him to hatch whatever plan he had. She knew he had one, everyone knew, and she was almost glad to finally have him try to spring it.

Only when she turned, Avallac'h didn't have his staff raised. He looked at her annoyedly yes, like she was an annoying cat that had been caught knocking over a flowerpot. Ciri's hand slowly left the hilt of her sword, but she stayed on her toes, the magic whirling around her, ready to teleport at a minute's notice.

The sage's eyes flared, but he didn't make no move towards her, instead turning his gaze out to the Nagalfar.

"Caranthir is undoubtedly the one who cast the spell," He said in a dark tone, turning and sharply meeting her eyes. He sighed annoyedly, as if the next words hurt him to say. "Find Dominik… you stand a better chance that way…. You must find Caranthir and destroy his staff… it is the only way."

Ciri would have had an easier time believing Eredin surrendered, coming over and licking her boots before she believed what she just heard the elf say. She swore it was the first time she ever even heard Avallac'h call Dominik by his name, as opposed to 'your idiot boyfriend', or 'that arrogant brat'. He had spent a better part of half a year, trying his best to make Ciri forget about Dominik, to avoid him when they were reunited. It had failed of course, but the elf had been fervent.

_And now he's telling me to go find him? I know he wants Eredin dead… but what is he playing at? Is he trying to gain my trust back again, he didn't seem to care earlier… what is it he wants from me? _If that were indeed what he was trying, it wouldn't work. Ciri would never make the mistake of trusting the elf again.

However she heard the sounds of battle, a loud explosion turned her eyes back to the fight. She watched as Dominik, still a white-green blur dashed between riders, slowly separating from the main bulk of the army. Panic welled up inside her, as she realized what he was doing.

_He realizes it's Caranthir too… that and… and he's looking for Bella. _She looked back to Avallac'h, who still was staring at her, eyes fuming, urging her to go.

_I don't have time to wonder… this needs to end, and now. _

She nodded in the elf's direction, hands tightening to fists. A small smirk came to her face. "I won't stop at just his staff…"

And with that, before the sage could change his mind she turned sprinting towards the end of the dock. With a leap, she let the magic envelope her, focusing on the brilliant white-blue light she saw fighting.

With a blink she teleported.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

The initial clash into the small wave of riders had been a blur to Dominik. That may have been due to the fact he quite literally moved in a blur. Rider to rider, enemy to enemy he moved, effortlessly, his legs knowing where to move and to spin before his mind. The battle raged around him, he heard the screaming, the death, the initial charge from him and Anton's men seemed to take the Hunt by surprise, and for a few moments they pressed them back towards their ships. A loud cheer went up from the Skelligers at their charge. Dominik heard 'FOR THE WORLD', ringing behind him as they clashed.

He realized how long it had been since he was in a proper battle like the one he was in then. The Battle at Kaer Morhen hadn't been like this battle now, that had been more tactical and quicker. No, the battle then reminded him of the Battle of Brenna, with the screams and the clash of swords behind him. He didn't realize how far ahead of the rest of his forces he head ran, the blue misty magic swirling around him.

As he got to the bottom of the hill he leapt up, the magic around his legs spurring him upwards higher then any jump he'd ever been able to make. The Riders all yelled in their language and he heard men shouting at him. However, he ignored it, focusing all his energy onto the one spot on the ground.

He landed, forming his hands in the proper way and slammed his fist into the ice below. With a crack, a loud ***BOOM* **exploded under his gloved hand. Blue telekinetic energy shot around him in an all-encompassing circle. The ice below him cracked, and riders were thrown back. Another loud bang rang out behind him, and he turned to see the rest of the men and women he led had finally caught up. He saw Anton smack a hound of the Wild Hunt to the ground with his armored fist before stabbing his longsword through it. The line of spears and heavily armored men from the front line crashed into the bulk of the Hunt's forces with him.

Blood watered the ice below them, turning it red as Dominik stood back up, magic still whirling around him. He examined the battlefield, his Aard blast giving him a moment too. The two ships that had come with the Nagalfar stood in the way of the command vessel itself, the graveyard of the Imperial Fleet formed a sort of maze of discarded wood and debris, along with the planes of ice. Further along he could see crater like plateaus of ice and snow, being held together by the ruined ships wedged into them.

_This is going well… too good, _he thought, looking up to the Nagalfar. He cursed at the sight, _shit… called it. _

Eredin had been testing them, the waved they had crashed into then had to only be an advanced force to test defenses. As he looked, he saw more and more of the riders all pouring from the massive ship. They filed out on all sides, and he could see they were going for their flank with the main bulk of their forces engaged near him then.

However, before he could even begin to worry, it seemed Crach or Cerys, whoever was in command of the longships had it covered. On the other side of the giant sphere of ice, more Skelligan ships, this time of other clans not just An Craite were making land in the ice, attacking the Nagalfar from both side. He smirked as he felt the magic continued swirling in him, and around him. The forced Eredin had undoubtedly been sending to reinforce the front where they were now were redirected.

_Okay, phase one is finished, _he thought, his eyes going to the clashing of soldiers, Anton at their head leading with the Skelligers. _Front force is distracted, but this won't last long… need to get the Black Ones unfrozen, and to do that-._

The crunch of snow behind him took him out of his thoughts. He spun on instinct, ducking under a strike that would have cleaved his head. Striking his sword upwards, a magic enhanced strike cleaved through the rider's arm. It went flying, and Dominik ended him with a cut across the riders back, ending him.

He looked up and saw the riders had finally seemed to take notice. Quickly, he sucked in some of the magic mist around him. It whirled up his arms, down his legs, invigorating them, and as the large group around him came, he moved like a blur. They came from all angles, and feeling one behind him getting close, he spun and fired an Aard blast into the rider's stomach after deflecting his sword. Feeling in complete control finally, he spun back, parrying a blow from two more riders who came for him. He stepped between them both, cutting the legs of one and side-stepping te next one's stab, grabbing his arm and stabbing his sword into his side.

The speed at which he moved marveled even himself. He spun and saw a beast of the Hunt leap, he ducked and cut it out of the air, coming back to center and seeing three more of the riders coming his way. He knew more were behind him and knowing that even despite how fast he was moving he needed to go faster, there was no more time to move.

One in the lead jabbed at him with a halberd, grabbing the shaft of the weapon _Fate _cleaved through the wood. Still holding the head of the halberd, he spun, leaping and jabbing it into the slit of the rider's neck. Blood splattered onto his face, but he spun still and parried another incoming blow, and came back with two quick strikes across the massive rider's chest. Before blasting him back into the final one with Aard. He heard the crunching of plate as the one ride died, and with speed quicker then any witcher he had ever watched spun back around and forming his hands in the right way fire erupted from his fingertips.

The wall of flames sparked forward, catching all four of the riders that were coming from over the icy hills were set alight. They screamed and he went to dash and cut them down, but he heard steps behind him. The last rider he hadn't killed came back for him, a massive axe over his head. He went to reach to his waist, for his crossbow, but before he could blood splattered from the rider's side onto the snow below.

A silver dagger protruding from the slits in his armor, a perfect throw.

"GAHHHHH!" Freya screamed as she came sliding in. On her knees she cut across the bottom half of the rider's torso, making him yell and stumble. Still standing somehow, he wildly swung his axe down towards Freya again. Dominik went to leap to up and help, but Freya was quick, and didn't seem to need any.

She rolled out of the way and the riders axe became stuck in the sand. Freya cut upwards, her polished new sword reflecting the flames dancing around them it found its mark. She cut up through the rider's elbow. She wasn't strong enough to sever a limb, but Freya knew every ligament, ever tendon that made our bodies move correctly. The rider went to try and pull his axe from te snow, but the torn ligaments in his now cut elbow made him yell out in pain from behind his helmet as Freya moved quickly again to find her mark.

Before the rider could do anything she was behind him. She cut across his legs, sweeping them from under him and he fell to his back with the clank of skeletal plate.

Dominik scoffed over the wind as she stabbed her blade to the rider's chest. He reached and yanked her dagger from the rider's side, tossing it to her as she pulled her blade from the corpse with a squelch.

She smirked at him as she twirled the dagger to a reserved grip, her sword in a forehand one.

He got back-to-back with her so neither could be attacked from behind. He saw more stragglers coming over the hills from the Nagalfar, along with more coming their way from the main bulk of the fight. The sound of battle clashed into his ears again, as the next group charged for them both.

"You have the gift of good timing as always!" He yelled to her as he parried and spun to cut the torso of one, before pulling out his crossbow. A bolt found the chest of a rider that would have gotten Freya's flank just before he struck. "Did I ever tell you you're a fucking genius! 'The Kaminski' is working wonders!"

Freya spun around his back, stepping with perfect precision, seemingly remembering her times on the pendulums for the short time she was at Kaer Morhen. A loud clang of steel hit his ears, as Freya parried and cut across a rider's chest with her knife, ducking under an attack and stabbing her blade deep into its chest.

She moved and spun back around to his back blood splattered across her cheeks. "I guess I am pretty smart aren't I? It'll keep the camp covered, but we won't last long unless we can get this storm down!"

"Where are Faram and George!?" He yelled, twisting around a strike and blasting a rider away with Aard. A strike came from his left, but Freya was there she parried a strike that would've cleaved his neck. He spun around her again, shoving his hand and blasting the rider far back smacking into one of their ships.

"They both joined to help push back the first wave they'll be here soon!" She shouted, staying at his back.

"Why didn't you all tell me!?"

"You and your magic legs were too far ahead!" She said, grabbing a bomb from her belt. Dominik shot his hand forward and Igni ignited a beast of the Hunt tat had leaped.

The blow also ignited Freya's bomb, she spun and threw it towards the main wave of forces, and a loud ***BOOM* **erupted and sent the riders into a frenzy. It helped, he saw more Skelligers pouring in, but he knew it still wasn't enough.

_We need to find Caranthir… and we need to do it now! _He hesitated for a moment, realizing what would happen when they did. _I'll find Bella too…_

He hesitated a moment too long, he knew Faram and George were coming, but every single bone in his body wanted to move then. If he could get to Bella, he knew he could virtually end the battle then. If the Hunt lost Bella, they lost one of their commanders, and if he could convince her to join him…

_No, don't think about that… all that matters is getting her back, making her realize. _It was what failed him te last time he spoke to her, he had told her how they could protect Ciri together, defeat the Hunt, and those had been the wrong words. No, he would focus only on making her see the truth. He couldn't run from what happened anymore, he couldn't put it off.

_I'll have to fight… I knew it would come to this. _But could he swing his sword at Bella?

_You have too… for her sake, and for Ciri's…. You have to protect them both. _

"DOMINIK!"

Freya's voice rocked him out of his thoughts as a flash of light appeared in his eyes. Sucking in some of the magic mist around him, he ducked under a strike and lopped the arm off one rider who had attacked him.

_Protect them both…. _He had failed the last time he promised that.

But he had been helpless then, and he was far from helpless now.

He lunged into the group of riders and hounds that had come for him. Swinging his blade with precision, magic enhancing his movements and senses he was a whirlwind, he was untouchable. The magic helped him hear, even the wisping sound of a blade cutting across the air, and he was able to stop it. He spun and parried one blow, dancing in between two riders who jabbed at him. Grabbing the arm of one, he jabbed his blade up into the unarmored part of the rider's arm, before spinning the corpse around to block another stab that came from a rider with a halberd. Spinning around and letting the corpse drop he cut up through the shaft of the halberd and sucking in more of the magic around him blasted his hand forward.

Aard rippled from his hands and set the rider flying back into another. The magic let him move at speed which shouldn't have been possible, one by one each of the riders that came towards him fell to his silver. He thought about Ciri, about Bella, Geralt, his friends besides him and all the men and woman who had charged with him, charged into a battle they weren't expected to win.

_I WILL protect them, I'm not helpless anymore! Not again, never again!_

In Cintra he had been helpless, forced to watch his home burned before his eyes. He had never truly gotten over it. Survivors guilt Elise had called it, feeling guilty that he had survived, while so many others hadn't.

He'd never get rid of it, but he could avenge them all. He and Ciri swore the day they started training at Kaer Morhen, they would never be helpless again.

It had taken years. Years of training, of sweat, blood, heartache. He had done horrible things and had horrible things happen to him and the ones he loved most.

But finally he wasn't helpless anymore.

He lunged with new vigor, and no rider that stepped his way stood a chance. He was amazed at how trivial he found defeating them, one by one they attacked. A side-step, one parry and a quick spin, he saw new openings in their attacks, his arm and legs knew what to do before his mind even questioned it. There had a been a time when he was nearly killed by a general of the Wild Hunt, he still bore the scar across his stomach from Nithral's axe in Velen, he bore scars from Eredin at Kaer Morhen, and dozens more. But that was before.

"DOM!" Freya's voice carried over the wind, and Dominik's head shot up after taking the head of another rider.

His legs started out into a run. Freya had gotten separated from him; he hadn't been paying attention to how far away he had gotten from her. Cursing his foolishness he charged at her.

She had gotten backed up against the side of busted off hull of a ship. Six of the riders surrounded her, but Freya was far from as finished as she looked. She was smacked across the cheek, as one rider came up next to her laughing as he raised up his jagged blade. Freya was unmoving on the ground, and Dominik yelled sucking in more magic at first, moving into an all-out sprint. He just got near her when Freya leapt.

Just as the rider raised the blade, Freya yelled, grabbing her silver knife from just out of her reach. With another yell she stabbed it into the side of the rider's leg from the ground. The rider cried out, and the other five went to move towards her, but Freya again was too quick. She yanked her dagger out, sweeping the rider to the ground while she did. She rolled up to her knee, yanking a bomb from her belt. Sticking the fuse towards a nearby piece of flaming wood, she pulled it back and dug it into the snow near the writhing rider.

"FREYA!" He yelled, just about to get to her, but the bomb exploded before he could.

Freya rolled out of the way, and the explosion sent the rider shooting into the sky. The other riders finally charged her. Dominik went to fire his hand forward but heard rushing behind him. He spun and cut down a beast of the Hunt before turning back to Freya who got to her feet.

She thrusted her own hand forward, her knife zooming through cold windy air, and finding its way into a rider's neck, before twisting to parry another who came. Only now the remaining four charged her at once. She stepped between them, rolling down to cut across one's torso, but another stabbed her in the side with its blade, and Freya yelped, grabbing her side before rolling back to her feet, sword out.

"COME ON! IS THIS THE BEST HE HAS!?" She screamed defiantly her sword waving in front of her.

"FREYA I'M-." He went to rush again but heard new footfalls behind him.

He spun and saw another squad rushing him. Cursing he sucked in more of the magic and blasted both momentarily dropped his sword. He thrusted both his hands forward, Aard forming in them both sending the entire squad flying backwards. Rearing back around he spotted Freya again, grunting and holding her side as she stood and waved her sword.

One rider lunged with blade, but Freya parried it downwards. The blade got sent into the snow, and Freya stepped forward onto the blade. Trapped with his blade under the weight of Freya's body, the rider couldn't move it. She yelled a battle cry, spinning with great speed and cutting across the rider's chest. Dominik yanked out his crossbow, firing a bolt that found the riders eye, but his eye's widened when he saw more approaching them both.

From all angles Freya and he were still surrounded, he cursed, at not having them leave earlier. It was clear to the riders now that he and Freya were going off on a different mission. And he knew that Eredin had to have ordered them to watch for him.

He the group he blasted stir, along with more approaching him, but he cursed and turned, going to run back and help Freya, but someone else had already leapt into to her side no the icy plains.

Freya parried and stepped between them, she cut one, but another jabbed at her. She side-stepped, but it did cut across an armored part of her arm. She went to strike again, but a knife flew through the and impaled into the rider's chest. Dominik's eyes widened as Freya's did, that was her knife.

"NOT TODAY HEATHENS!" A flash of gold and green whirled in front of Freya.

George slid forward on his knees on the ice, cutting his flaming silver blade across a riders back. Never in Dominik's life had he seen magic like he did then from a witcher. George wrapped his arm around Freya's waist and pulled her away, slamming his and into the ground as the Yrden glyph appeared on the ice. Freya nodded to him, and they both pulled up, as sparks flew from the glyph, completely immobilizing the last three riders that had initially surrounded her. Quickly the Griffin Witcher leaped forward, his golden hair blowing behind him as he stepped between the riders stuck in the glyph. George's sword moved with precision, each cut going across a rider's chest, before he removed the head of the last one, finishing his dance through enemy.

Freya didn't stay still to play damsel in distress. After the riders fell she rushed and pulled her dagger from a rider's corpse. George had come to stop, and Dominik yelled as he saw a rider approaching him from behind. Freya, however, saw it first and threw her weapon into the chest of the rider before George spun and ended him. Sprinting her feet, Freya got back-to-back with the Griffin Witcher as more riders broke off from the main wave and came sprinting for them.

Despite her wound, Freya moved perfectly with George, the both of them spinning around one another. Their skill was immaculate, even Freya who had just began training with them all and had spent the previous few days with her face buried in plans for her weapon didn't seem to lose an inch. Dominik scoffed, _just wait until she spends a few months at Kaer Morhen. _

George parried and blasted a beast back with Aard, a rider approaching quickly from his right. Freya vaulted over George's back which had been down to strike another hound, and parried the blow, before quickly stabbing through the rider's gut. It was a marvel watching them fight, perfect motion and harmony.

He scoffed again, smiling, _that's a hansa for you… but still, we need to-. _

Dominik felt something slam against his back. He yelled out and was sent flying forward. He landed on his stomach, _Fate _clattering to the ground as his back erupted in pain. Groaning he spun around, and his eyes widened. He rolled, just managing to avoid another strike from a captain's hammer. It slammed into the ice and Dominik could hear cracks. At first he tried to rise, but pain shot through his spine like lightning.

Looking up and seeing the riders black eye slits, he sucked in more of the magic around him, and amazingly, he felt the pain in his back slowly sooth. He felt invigorated, energy shot through his legs, and he rolled to avoid another strike. Grabbing _Fate _from beneath him, he got to his feet and went to parry a blow as he saw the rider rear his hammer back.

Just before he could swing however, a massive formed rushed at Dominik from the left.

"GAHHHH COME HERE!" A deep, booming, almost excited voice rang over the night winds.

Dominik turned and smartly got out of the way as Faram barreled forward. The Bear Witcher rammed his massive, armored shoulder into the rider, his silver sword already dripping plenty of blood. A wicked grin on his face, Faram stabbed his silver down into the rider's chest. Behind him a hound of the Hunt leaped, but again Faram saw it. He spun and soon the hound stuck from his silver like it was a skewer.

"FARAM!" He yelled, seeing another rushing from behind his friend.

Faram-somehow still smirking- turned and dropped his sword. With just his bare hands, Faram stepped a thrust from the rider. The rider looked stunned, whether it was from a man so massive as Faram dodging so quickly, or from actually fighting someone nearly as tall as him Dominik didn't know.

The moments hesitation proved fatal as Faram seized the rider's arm. He spun, and Dominik heard a loud crack. Faram dropped to his knee, and slammed the riders twisted and already broken arm down onto his massive shoulder. Dominik had never seen anything like it, through armor and all, he saw a white bone protruding up from the rider's arm. A loud shrill scream came from behind his faceplate, and Faram got to his feet. He twisted the rider's arm again behind his back, before reaching up and wrapping his massive, armored arms around the rider's head.

With a loud snap the rider fell limp before Faram.

Faram yelled out with a large smile, smashing the underside of his boot into the rider's head. "AHAHAHA! TAKE THAT YOU ICY CUNT! INVADE MY WORLD ARE YA!? HAHA NOT TODAY!"

"Faram!" Dominik yelled, rushing up next to the Bear Witcher, who smirked at him. Faram reached down and yanked his sword from the hound he had skewered.

"Haha there ya are mister magic feet!" Faram said, slapping his shoulder, almost making Dominik stumble. "Now THIS is a battle! Haha, we're going to kill every one of these fucks!"

"A suggestion I would see come to fruition!" George's voice came from his left.

He looked and breathed a sigh of relief seeing a very alive Freya and George come up to Faram and he, their blades dripping blood, a row of corpses where they had been fighting. Behind them, a distance off, Dominik took a glance, and saw the main forces clashing again.

His heart fell down to his boots, when he saw the body of a knight, the golden lions of Cintra adorned on his breast plate, along with multiple others.

_No! Mourn later, fight now! _

He turned back to his friends, and his eyes fell upon Freya, who was dripping blood from a gash in her side.

Pointing his sword at it he met her eyes. "You gonna be okay?"

"Just a flesh wound, I checked already," She said, her eyes not even glancing down at the wound. "I'll stitch it up later, for now we need to move!"

He nodded, if Freya said she was okay, then he believed her. Spinning his head back around he met Faram's gaze. "Anton and the rest? How do they fare?"

Faram quickly nodded, his smirk still not gone. "Hit the cunts hard we did! George and I cut a good amount of them down before coming to you both. They were making headway when we left!"

"And Anton?"

"He commands from the front, we met up with Hjalmar," George said over the gusting wind, he pointed his silver towards the Nagalfar. "They were slowly pulling back, I know not if it was because of our charge, or if it's planned."

"It's planned, of that I have no doubt," He said, walking over and looking towards the Nagalfar again. "Cerys sent ships to attack from all sides, Eredin's sending out more and more riders. He knows he outnumbers us. He won't fool around again like he did at Kaer Morhen. I bet he's waiting to see if Kilgarrah can come back. We have to hope Borch can keep him busy… but even if he does, we're still outnumbered."

"Then we need to find Caranthir like you said!" Freya shouted, her and the other two coming up next to him. "If we can kill him and break the spell, the remaining Black Ones can join the fight!"

"Even that won't be enough…" Dominik said slowly, his eyes not leaving the Nagalfar, separated from him by what seemed to be at least a mile. A mile of uneven icy planes connected by unsteady planks in a graveyard of ships.

Faram hefted his silver to his shoulder and looked down at him. "Aye… you're right. What do we do then mate?"

Dominik slowly sucked in more of the magic mist around him. He felt himself finally getting the hang of summoning it on demand. Feeling the energy swirling around in his veins, throughout his body, slowly healing his wounds, he opened his eyes again.

_It's time… now it ends. _

He pointed his sword towards the Nagalfar. "We cut the heads of the snake. First we find Caranthir, kill him and free the Black Ones… then… then I find my sister, and show her the person she is again…. And after that I find Eredin… and I'm going to kill him. We have to move quick… but all three of them, Eredin, Caranthir… and Bella they'll all be able to sense where I am. We may get surrounded and quick… you three with me?"

"Stupid question," Freya said from his right, her hand gripping tighter to her sword, her eyes not leaving the plains of ice before them. "I already see a path, one that could get us there quickest."

"Till all breath leaves me my friend," George said next to Freya, igniting his sword in flames again, pointing it towards the Nagalfar. "Today, we make sure Eredin's evil terrorizes our world, and all others no more!"

Faram laughed from his left looking at the three of them. "Well! What are we waiting for! LET'S GO KILL MORE OF THE FUCKERS!"

A loud yell went up from soldiers behind him, but Dominik focused on the three next to him. He smirked and nodded at Faram's words.

"Yeah… let's do just that," He said magic beginning to overflow his eyes. He turned over to Freya. "Lead on Freya!"

She nodded and darted out in front of them. Faram laughed and followed, George going after him as well.

Dominik sighed and let the magic wash over him. He looked down quickly at the swallow bouncing around his neck. Gripping it he leaped from the icy mound he had been standing on to follow his friends.

_Wonder how much longer she's gonna wait… won't be long I'm guessing, _he thought. A smile came to his face, and he raced forward to catch up with Faram, Freya and George.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"BAHAHAHA! AGAIN IS THIS ALL YOUR CUNT OF A KING HAS!?" Faram laughed, throwing a rider off his silver. He pulled the sword back, dripping with blood as he closed ranks with the three of them. "COME ON! BRING HIM OUT!"

Dominik couldn't help but roll his eyes. A small part of him wanted to remind Faram that they were in the middle of a battle, but he'd known his friend long enough to realize he fought better like this.

They had been set upon in the middle of a large crater of ice, large broken planks of a ship leading to the next plain. The only problem they had were the dozens of riders that had set upon them. Outside the bubble of ice around the icy plains, thunder boomed as the snow began to turn to rain, the weather in shambles as the battle raged. If he looked up he could see one of the Hunt's ships had been set aflame, with the distinct figure of soldiers fighting on the decks.

Any form of battle tactics seemed to have been thrown out the door. It perplexing, because he could see soldiers, Skelligers, knights from Anton on both sides of the Nagalfar pushing the riders back, however more and more kept taking their place. They should be winning, but they simply weren't. Any general would be thrilled with what they saw. It was as if the Hunt simply kept pulling more riders out of thin air.

_That's because they are… no doubt Caranthir is opening portals for fresh troops, _he thought, parrying a blow, and blasting a rider back with Aard. _We need to move, and fast. _

The only problem was it seemed those portals were opening around them. It was as he guessed; he was sure Caranthir had his magical signature locked on and was directing soldiers their way. Riders and hounds poured over te icy cliffs, and the weather inside was only making it worse.

Rain, why was it always rain?

He slid down under a strike, cutting through a rider's thigh with a magically enhanced strike. Around him the mist of magic was still there, obeying his commands, sucking into him on command, powering his strikes and letting him move swiftly through the tempest around him. Quickly he stepped between two more riders, sliding low on his knees, his sword in reversed grip. He cut the stomach of one, blood splattering to the wet ground below, before he came up to parry the blow from another. Spinning back around and under a second strike he cut across the rider's stomach to end him.

He came up to a stand and scanned the crater around them again. They had gotten separated, and too far spread out. Quickly he reached to his crossbow, as he noticed three of them advancing on George.

_Always keep one in the chamber at the start of a fight. _He had made sure to load before they began their treck along the ice. On the side of the crossbow he looked at the Temarian lilies. Arno. This was Arno's weapon, a friend that the Hunt had taken too soon.

He promised Elise he'd avenge him, kill Eredin, to make him pay.

The King had much to pay for, and he'd be next.

He loosed the bolt and it found home in a eye of a rider's faceplate. When and how did he get so good with a crossbow? It was insanity to him how quickly he had picked it up, considering how horrid with a bow he was. He tried not to think about it then, as he loaded another bolt just as George turned around with a smirk.

Smirking and nodding his thanks, the Griffin Witcher turned back to the remaining two riders with his flaming silver sword. George didn't fight like Faram, or him, he didn't know if it was his training from the School of the Griffin, or from when he was younger learning in Toussaint from knights before he became a witcher. George danced through his enemies, quickly movements and cuts followed by devastating signs that left enemies to a crisp. Even with his magic spurring on, George had some of the most precise parries he'd ever seen.

Even up against three riders, coming at him with a flurry of strikes he blocked them all. After deflecting the flurry of strikes, George stepped through the riders with perfect movement, stabbing one through the back, before turning and unleashing a devastating wall of flames that set the riders alight despite the rain that had started. He quickly moved and ended the two riders before him as well, before coming out with a smirk.

_Damn, they're good, but it's no use if we can't-. _

He spun at just the perfect moment, the magic and his enhanced hearing from years of training coming to his aid. Parrying the blow that came, he deflected a flurry of blows as the rider spun and lashed out with precision. Dominik sucked in more of the magic around him, the small streams of white, blue light came from his eyes, as he spun low and cut across the rider's torso. His jagged black blade fell from his hands. Dominik snatched it from the air and jabbed it into the rider's gut.

More footsteps came behind him, and when he turned around again he saw a second rider had gotten mere inches from him. He ducked down quickly and rolled to avoid the first strike and was about to lop of the rider's arm, when a flash of blonde hair leapt from his right.

Freya yelled and landed on the riders back. The rider went to grab her, but before he could do anything, Freya slammed her dagger into the side of his neck. Yelling again she stabbed until the rider crumpled to the ground. Her wide icy blue eyes looked up for him, and she yanked her knife from the rider's corpse.

"DOWN!" She yelled, and Dominik quickly obeyed. He fell to the ice, and Freya loosed her dagger with perfect precision. It found the chest of a rider that was coming for him. Quickly the rider crumpled to the ground and Dominik retrieved Freya's knife.

She rushed up next to him and he tossed it to her. Her wide eyes met his and she shook her head. "We need to break through there's too many!"

"AYE I AGREE WITH THAT!" Faram yelled, closing ranks around them. He watched as the Bear Witcher parried a blow and slammed his fist into a rider's gut, making him reel forward. Faram snatched him by the arm and spun him around just as another rider's sword came. The one rider stabbed his friend, and in the panic, Faram spun and decapitated the second. Faram didn't use many signs in battle, but that seemed to be no big deal when you could punch a fully armored rider of the Wild Hunt and not flinch.

George on the other hand, took signs to an even greater height.

"TASTE MY FIRE YOU PHANTOM CURS!" He yelled, spinning and cutting down one rider, before blasting his hands forward.

His friend from Toussaint was fond of shouting flowery words in battle, but god dammit was he effective. A wall of flames, larger then even the crater walls they stood in sprouted from his hands and set a squad of riders alight. Dominik heard screams beneath their faceplates as George rushed to the three of them.

"They keep coming, we must find a way to advance!" He said over the howling winds, his back to them.

Dominik cursed as the four of them all fell to formation, their backs to one another forming a square, as around them, they saw more and more portals open. It was like back at Kaer Morhen, more riders poured from each portal. As soon as they cut down one, another would open, and that rider would be replaced. Caranthir really must have had their location, and as at least a dozen or more riders closed in on them, he racked his brain for options.

"Freya any dimeritium bombs?" He asked the blonde who stood on his right.

Freya, leveling her blade towards the advancing riders shook her head. "No, I didn't learn that one yet, we need to get those portals under control!"

"I know," He cursed, thinking back to Kaer Morhen again. "Dammit… I'm going to need to make a run for the portals, close them with Yrden!"

"I will go with you!" George yelled, just as the new group of riders slammed into the four of them.

A flurry of steel and silver erupted around them. First a hound leapt at Dominik, he sucked in some magic and shot his hand forward, Aard erupted and sent the hound flying, just as Dominik ducked forward and struck through a rider. More came as he saw portals continuing to open, one by one he cut riders down his friends at his side. Each one that came before them fell, it was for a moment as if no rider could break through, no matter the skill.

_But there's still too many, I need to lead them away. _He cut the arm off a rider and turned to his friends. His eyes widened when he saw Freya's dodge pull her away from the group. He lunged forward and slid on his knees, cutting down one rider who was advancing on her. That left him vulnerable to another, but Freya parried the blow to save him, rolling across his back and stabbing her blade into the rider's stomach.

She helped him to his feet, and Dominik looked over to George, who was closer now to Faram. At least twice their number advance, and Dominik pulled out his crossbow. A bolt loosed and took down one as Freya and he rushed for them.

"BEHIND!" He yelled, as George and Faram both moved.

Faram turned to him his yellow eyes wide. "MATE!"

He knelt down and pointed to his back. Dominik looked up and saw what Faram meant. A swath of portals were opening, riders and hounds pouring from them.

"STICK WITH THEM!" He yelled to Freya, turning and running forward and upon hearing his voice Faram lower to his knees, giving Dominik a perfect steppingstone for a leap.

With a loud battle-cry, magic swirling from his legs, Dominik stepped up onto Faram's back and leapt into the air. He yelled as magic formed around him, all going into his palm. He felt invigorated and saw a sea of at least a dozen riders still advancing on them. He and his friends were strong, but they stood no chance against this many for much longer.

Slamming into the ground he dug his fist into the ice. It cracked beneath is fingers, as purple glyphs appeared around him, shooting small bits of lightning from the lines as the Yrden glyph exploded onto the ice. All of the riders and hounds were completely immobilized, and all the portals around them shimmered to mist.

"AHA YES GET'EM!" Faram yelled, rushing forward from the spot they were holding.

Faram, George and Freya waded into the immobilized riders with their blades and cut them all down. Dominik rose from his spot on the ground and cut the head off one immobile rider and felt his satisfaction grow as one by one all the riders and portal around them fell and were closed. A few minutes later they all stood in a sea of corpses, blood and ice.

Thunder boomed as the rain began to pick up, and Dominik looked over towards the Nagalfar. Still no soldiers had gotten to it, and all progress had seemed to stall. In the icy plains and graveyard of ships men and women fought and died, all while the Hunt's riders kept coming from the Nagalfar.

He turned back to see his friends smiling and laughing, Faram wiping his blade clean of blood as George checked to make sure all the riders were dead. Sucking in a deep breath he decided to let them rest for a moment as he saw Freya pull a potion vial from her bandolier.

Around him, the magic mist had started to die out. Gently letting his breath go, he thought again of what would happen after this battle if they survived. He imagined he and Ciri on their way to Kovir, together in the beautiful mountains as it snowed, meeting up with Triss, long romantic nights.

Within minutes, the magic started churning from him again. He opened his eyes and could see the mist gently falling in streams them. Smirking he turned and jogged back to his friends, who all smiled as he approached.

"Aha you showed them mate!" Faram said, sword on his shoulder as he clapped him on the back.

Dominik shook his head looking out over the battle. "No time to celebrate, we're moving too slow we need to get to the Nagalfar. Freya, got another of those?"

"Right here," She said, pulling a vial off her bandolier and tossing it to him.

He pulled the stopper out and drank it, a fresh taste of strawberry hit his lips and along with the magic helping, he felt the aching in his bones slowly fade. Tossing the bottle aside he helped Freya from the ground and turned back to the Nagalfar.

"Alright, let's get moving and-."

"Wait!" George said, his sword still out and flaming, he said turning to Dominik. "Dominik… you said Caranthir could track you… why has be not opened anymore portals?"

Faram scoffed. "Well I don't wanna stay and find out, we should move, we don't know how much longer the main force can hold."

Dominik saw George still worried but nodded to Faram. "Faram's right, we need to get-."

"CRYNVAEL PALEO ANYE!" A deep voice shouted, almost echoing on the wind.

"GAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Dominik screamed, as he felt himself almost being squished like a bug beneath his boot. Squeezing enveloped his spine, and he had just enough time to hear his friends yell and reach for him, before he was flown backwards, zooming through the air, until he felt a large burst of magic slam into his back.

"GAHHHH FUCK!" Pain erupted in his back, he tried to suck in magic, but before he could he heard the crunching of boots. He turned around just in time to see a ball of swirling white blur light come swinging for him. Quickly he rolled out of the way, coming up to his knees and grabbing the dagger from his back as he dropped his sword.

"I… am… growing tired of you… _boy." _

His vision finally cleared as he sucked in more of the magic around him. Slowly the pain in his back, that was once flaring as if stabbed, went down to a small prick. He went to draw on more of the magic around him, however, when his vision was finally clear, he couldn't think of any happy memories of love, goodness, or anything of the like.

Because nothing but rage overtook him. The man attacking Bella's village, killing her adopted mother, the girl Kendra who Bella had loved, his finger slowly trailing across his sister's unconscious cheek. He was the one who put the memories into her head, tortured her to train her, responsible as much as Eredin for turning her into what she was now.

"YOU!" He twirled his knife to a forehanded grip.

"You… have caused enough problems boy," Caranthir said slowly, his broken common tongue scraping from behind his stomach. The navigator slammed his staff into the ground, and around him, around te entire icy crater, portals opened.

Rider after rider stepped out with hounds at their sides. In the middle, he saw Faram, Freya and George all get their backs to one another, swords drawn. He looked and saw _Fate _laying on the ice a distance away. He looked down at his knife and cursed, sheathing it again and reaching to his back to pull out his steel. The freshly repaired steel glinted off the fires that burned around them, as Dominik leveled it towards the navigator.

Rage built up inside him. All he could see was Caranthir's finger trailing across Bella's unconscious face, him torturing her as they trained, berating her, beating her, turning her into a mindless weapon. The rage was unquenchable in him, it burned into the very depths of his soul, he felt it in his bones. It reverberated in every cell that made up his body. While he could see Caranthir's eyes, he knew that behind the mask the Navigator had to be smirking, and it only enraged him further.

Magic spurted from him, erupting like lightning. "I'm going to kill you…. YOU HEAR ME! I'LL KILL YOU FOR LAYING YOUR FILTHY HANDS ON MY SISTER!"

"Your sister… is nothing… nothing but a weapon," Caranthir said, his staff swirling violently with magic as Dominik's body did.

_His staff! Break it now, and we get reinforcements, _he thought for a moment. However, right afterwards, the image of Caranthir's twisted smile looking down at Bella, his hand gently stroking her cheek all came to his mind.

_No… I kill him, I can break his staff afterwards. _

He growled and pointed his steel forward. "I'll show you a weapon! I'LL KILL YOU, THEN I'LL KILL EREDIN, I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"

"Aha… you may… but at what cost?" Caranthir laughed, only enraging Dominik forward.

Dominik made to charge, but Caranthir shouted out in elder speech before he could. "TEK NAH!"

All around them in the crater, two dozen perhaps more of the riders and hounds all charged. The ones near him came running, and Dominik had been so focused on Caranthir he stumbled as he went to strike.

However, none of them rushed him.

"DOMINIK!" Freya shouted from where she stood with Faram and George, as all the riders advanced on his three friends. They were skilled yes, but sheer numbers, riders and hounds would quickly overwhelm them. One reached Faram first, the Bear Witcher parried a blow, picking the rider up by the neck with ease and tossing him aside into others. George began his dance into he enemy, firing signs and swinging his blade, but he was caught with a strike on the shoulder as he tried to get back towards Freya.

Freya was strong, but she didn't have enhance speed or movements like George Faram and he had.

She didn't back down however, parrying and ducking under one riders strike, ending him with a stab through his groin of all places. Another came and kicked her to the ground, but Freya quickly rolled to her knees, bringing her blade up and locking her weapon with the rider. Quickly she realized she wouldn't win a battle of strength and rolled. The rider's momentum made him stumble, and Freya stabbed him from behind.

He couldn't remove his eyes as she got up, another rider coming for her. She just barely raised her blade to parry and the force sent her stumbling, but amazingly she dug her foot into the ground. Using her momentum to spin, she leapt up and leaned backwards, stabbing her blade forward it found home and stabbed the eye of the rider's faceplate. It was a move he used against Eredin at Kaer Morhen, one only himself, perhaps Ciri, Geralt and a few others could perform. Dominik never saw her practice it, but she pulled it off as the rider crumbled to the ground.

However, her success was short lived, because a hound leapt up and onto her back. She screamed and tried to grab for it, but its claws dug into her back. Dominik went to move, but George was there in a flash. He cut across the hound, and Freya fell with a yell. She stumbled and George went to help her, but a rider came leaping and cut him across the back.

"GAHHH NOT THIS DAY!" George yelled, spinning back and cutting across the rider's throat.

"GEORGE!" Freya yelled from the ground, pointing to one who came from George left.

But this time it was Faram who came to the rescue. He barreled forward and punched the rider across the helm. Faram's armored fist seemed to rattle him, and the time was enough for Faram to lop off his head. Freya reached and chucked her knife, it slammed into the chest of a rider that had almost skewered Faram with a halberd.

George helped Freya from the ground, she moved but blood trickled down her neck. George also spilled blood as the three got back-to-back again, still almost a half dozen riders rushing them.

_Dammit, I need to get to them, I need to-. _"GAAAHHHHHHH!"

He screamed out in pain again. Just as he tried to run to his friends, Caranthir had slammed his staff into Dominik's stomach. It sent him skidding across the ice, pain erupted in is gut, as he cough and got to all fours. He tried to call on the magic to heal him again, but realized it was sporadic and churning again.

_I need to calm down, _he thought looking up to see Caranthir again. Seeing the Navigator's face quickly dashed all ideas.

The anger returned, and he looked to realized _Fate _was within reach. Scooping it up he got to his feet, both his silver and steel outstretched.

_At the School of the Viper we believed the gods gave you two hands, for two weapons. _

They were both longer swords, and would normally get in his way but feeling how the magic had invigorated him, he decided to try and pull it off.

_Two swords… two to stab this-. NO! Stop it… relax… you need to relax! _

"This… is your end boy," Caranthir said, striding closer, his staff held out before him, the magic swirling at the end. Dominik had seen and felt the damage it could do. "Eredin… your… half-breed blood would stain his blade… so I will save him the trouble."

"Doesn't matter to me…" Dominik said, his voice low over the wind, the corner of his eyes staying on his friends. "After I kill you, I'll go kill him too."

"You… will try," He said in his broken tongue. "And you will fail. I will end your line… both of you… and then I will be the one to deliver… Zireael to the King."

_Ciri… really could use you right now, _he thought, as he sucked in a careful breath.

Ciri, her and him, their life, witchers together.

He had come too far not to get that life.

The mist slowly returned to him, the magic flowing through his body. It came out in small tendrils in his eyes, and soon he narrowed his gaze at Caranthir, hands gripped to both blades.

"Over my dead body…"

And he charged.

A loud ***BOOOM* **erupted as they clashed. Distantly he heard his friends yell for him, but Caranthir was too aggressive for him to focus on anything but him. _Never focus on anything but your opponent, one momentarily lapse, and you could be dead, _Uncle Vesemir's words.

Caranthir struck out with both sides of his staff, swinging at him from both ends. It was much more aggressive then Dominik had thought he would be. He remembered fighting the navigator at Kaer Morhen, how easily he had been dispatched. It was more then likely Caranthir thought to end the duel quickly to return to Eredin's side, he thought Dominik still the same man he was weeks ago at that battle.

The navigator was dreadfully wrong.

Sucking in the magical white, blue mist from around him, Dominik moved both of his blades to block each both. Caranthir leapt and struck with one side, and Dominik raised to blocked. Quickly the navigator went to strike with the other end, but Dominik raised his second blade in time to blocked as well. The navigator spun and went to strike at his back, but Dominik shot his blade up and blocked, bringing his other sword around for a thrust that caught Caranthir's arm, and soon the Navigator's blood trickled to the ice below.

Dominik made the mistake of marveling at his strike, because Caranthir leapt and spun his staff again, swinging it downwards. Dominik ducked and rolled backward, coming up with both his swords raised again. He spun his silver in his left hand to a reversed grip, while keep his steel in a forehanded one on his right. Sweat trickled down his forehead, he spared a glance for his friends, who desperately fought off riders.

Freya rolled over Faram's back and cut down one rider, before pulling a bomb from her belt. With help from Faram lighting it she tossed it. It turned out to be Samum, and it knocked aside a group that would have overwhelmed George. His friends fought like caged beasts, like cornered animals, on their last legs ready to do anything to survive.

As they should have been.

"It seems… that like your sister…" Caranthir said, drawing Dominik's attention back to him, "you need… one final lesson!"

The navigator leapt out again, pressing down with both sides of his staff. Dominik parried with one sword and went to strike with the other. Caranthir knocked the strike aside, and Dominik just had time to lean back and under another strike of the top of the navigator's staff. Seeing an opening Dominik leapt and spun, bringing both blades down on Caranthir's staff, pushing the Navigator back for a moment before he regained his footing.

Caranthir pressed forward, knocking Dominik's blades away and jabbing his armored elbow forward. Dominik felt it connect and he stumbled back, feeling blood trickle down his now broken nose. He sucked in magic and slowly felt it mend, pulsing the magic quicker through his body. Soon it enveloped his limbs and he lashed out with both his blades again, one with the left, one with the right, slithering between attacks like he remembered Letho teaching him at Kaer Morhen.

_I need to end this! I need to get to the three of them, _he thought looking back to his friends who were loosing ground again.

The lapse again gave Caranthir time, as the navigator had magic of his own circling through his limbs. He still bled from the spot where Dominik had caught part of his arm, and the bleeding seemed to anger the navigator more. Striking out with new vigor, Caranthir locked weapons with him again. Dominik tried to press down, but Caranthir disappeared in a puff of frost, Dominik spun, knowing the navigator would appear behind him. However, he was too slow.

He managed to get his silver blade up in time to block, but the parry was flimsy, and Caranthir knocked the sword away into the ice. _Dammit! He knows I had the advantage, now he's going to teleport… Ciri… if ever there was a time for you to show up…_

He had fought Bella who could teleport as well, but she wasn't nearly as skilled with it as Caranthir was.

The navigator pressed the advantage again as he put Dominik on the back foot. Dancing along the icy plains below, he moved his steel in motion, deflecting both sides of Caranthir's staff as he aggressively lashed out. His sword moved with speed equal to Caranthir's, but soon he found it hard to keep up, so he sucked in more of the magic mist around him.

Caranthir pushed him up to the corner of the crater of ice, and swung his staff for what would have smashed Dominik's head in. Dominik ducked under the strike, bringing his blade up to cut across the Navigator's back, but Caranthir disappeared in another puff of frost. Dominik spun and blocked the blow that came from behind, but as soon as he did, Caranthir started teleporting again.

Again and again he teleported, and it was all Dominik could do to keep himself balanced.

He looked to the center, and watched as George, now bleeding from a cut on his face, and multiple on his arms, blasted a wall of flames to give them time to regroup. Freya was breathing heavy, he sword arm droopy, and even Faram had been bleeding from a wound on his side.

_They're losing ground, I need to find a way past his teleporting. _

Growling he spun as Caranthir reappeared and struck his staff down. An idea came to Dominik's head, he spotted _Fate _laying in the ice near him and after he parried he rolled and fell towards it.

Like he expected Caranthir teleported again, however this time when Dominik heard the puff of frost behind him he didn't turn around. He heard the staff coming towards his head over the air, and just before it could smash into him, he ducked and grabbed his silver from the ground.

Feeling the magic fire through his veins, he turned and was able to cut his silver across Caranthir's back, and blood sprayed to the ground.

"GAAHHHHHHHHH!" The navigator growled, as Dominik pulled up with both swords in his hands again.

Blood dripped from him, as Caranthir held his back. His swirling staff was pointed at him, but with one hand now. Dominik's breath left him in quick heaves, he held both swords out leveled, as Caranthir hobbled and circled him.

"You're lucky you ran into me, and not Geralt or Ciri," Dominik shouted, twirling the two swords in his hands meeting the navigator's eyes. "The way you're fighting, you wouldn't have lasted very long."

Caranthir slammed his staff to the ground. "You… INSOLENT BRAT! It… is TOO LATE!"

"GAHHHHH!" He heard Faram yell behind him.

The yell was one of pain, and he turned to see Faram with a halberd being pulled out of him. Dominik's throat closed, as he watched the hole in Faram's arm drip blood. It wouldn't be a fatal wound for a witcher, but one still worth tending. Faram grabbed the halberd and yanked it from the rider. He snapped it over his leg before jabbing one end into the rider's neck, the other into the rider's stomach.

"BAHAHA! IS THAT ALL YOU CUCKS CAN DO!?" Faram yelled, as a hound leapt for him.

The Bear School Witcher caught the hound in both his hands, squeezing around its neck and snapping it in seconds. However, this gave time for another rider to come from his right, but again, Freya, more battered and tired then the rest rolled in. She parried a blow, and cut across a riders leg. However, she wasn't quick enough coming up. The rider would have killed her, had Faram not gotten his sword up to block. Faram fired an Aard sign and knocked the rider back, as George screamed from his left.

"I HAVED FACE WORSE IN TRAINING!" The Griffin Witcher yelled, doing his dance through a group of four riders.

He spun, parried, and cut through riders' limbs, but one was swift enough. It cut across George's arm, and another knocked him back. George rolled to his feet, bleeding from multiple spots on his body, while he got close to a beleaguered Faram and Freya again.

And still more riders came, a dozen remained, and more came from portals with each smack of Caranthir's staff against the ground.

_They won't last much longer…_ he thought, seeing all three of them huddled back-to-back, swords raised, blood dripping from their blades and their bodies.

"Yes… they will die… you will die…" Caranthir said, turning Dominik's attention back to him. The navigator held one hand to his back where Dominik had cut, the other holding his staff outwards. "Even if you slay me… your friends… will not survive. Give us… Zireael… and… we will grant you… a swift death."

Dominik's heart sank, in the distance he heard the shouts of battle. The army wouldn't be able to hold much longer, his friends wouldn't be able to hold much longer.

And he had led them to this, again they had led them to their deaths.

He shakily let out a breath, wincing at the sudden ache in his bones. _Ciri… gods Ciri, I… I don't know if-._

He stopped mid-thought. Caranthir stared at him, obviously awaiting an answer, probably smirking behind his helmet. However, Dominik didn't focus on the navigator for the first time in the entire fight.

Instead, he focused on the ride of the icy crater, and the shimmering light of white, blue magic in the night, that eventually took form. _You beautiful, beautiful fucking woman… right on time as always. _

Ciri met his eyes and nodded, and in their unspoken language, he knew exactly what she was trying to say.

"Okay! Alright, fine!" He yelled, dropping both his swords to the ground. Caranthir raised his staff higher, as if he were surprised, but Dominik shook his. "If you call off the riders, I'll leave and get Ciri for you!"

"MEMETAS!" Caranthir hollered, slamming the butt of his staff into the ground. Around them, every rider stopped in place. He looked back and saw Freya stumble, Faram and George both catching her arm before she steadied herself again. All three of his friends looked at him, and Dominik winked.

"You… lie boy…" Caranthir hissed, as Dominik turned back to him. "You… would not.. give Zireael to us."

Dominik looked up and saw the flash of green light. He met Caranthir's eyes and smirked at the navigator. "No, I'm being quite serious. You want Ciri so badly? Well… then you can have her!"

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ciri materialized from above Caranthir, and navigator yelled out, spinning around and raising his staff. A loud ***BOOOOM* **rippled through the crater, making Dominik stumble back. He looked up and saw Ciri had split the center of Caranthir's staff, now the navigator held two separate pieces. He cursed when he saw the magic ball at one end still was swirling, but Ciri quickly looked to rectify it.

She spun with more grace then any witcher or fighter he had ever seen. She leapt up and struck down, Caranthir just barely had time to teleport out of the way. He teleported a distance away, but Ciri teleported right with him, clashing her blade with one of the two ends of his staff Caranthir still wielded.

"HAHAHAHA! I LOVE IT WHEN SHE DOES THAT!" Faram yelled from the center of the crater, looking to Freya and George. "COME ON! LET'S KILL THE BASTARDS!"

With a loud yell, Faram, George and Freya all waded into the still stunned riders, taking them all by surprise multiple of them falling before they could raise their weapons. Dominik saw them reinvigorated so rushed to where he saw Ciri. Full of hope, seeing her, her ashen bun of hair blowing in the rainy wind, her blade moving as if it was part of her arm, he felt the magic surge up within his body again. He could see them both arriving at Kaer Morhen, trying to attack Lambert together, sneaking out to spar more, how she'd always pretend to be hurt to make him lower his guard, all of the times they spent training. Every fall, every pirouette, every sparring session, it all lead to that moment.

Everyone always told them they were strongest together, and it proved true when he got to her.

He slid in on his knees, deflecting a blow Caranthir had aimed for her back. The navigator had summoned a silver slightly curved blade from thin air and wielded it with the top half of his staff. Ciri seeing him knelt in front of her, stepped onto his back and leapt down, trying to stab her blade down on the navigator. Like they expected Caranthir teleported. Dominik knew exactly where he was going and came up with his blade deflecting another blow meant for Ciri's back.

She lashed out after she saw this, and the both of them, magic whirling around their arms, around their bodies it moved their weapons to met every strike Caranthir threw. He was able to cover Ciri's flank as she attacked, she moved off of him, one of them always attacking the other defending, it was perfect, it was _right _being their fighting with her, it was all he ever wanted to do. _This _was what he wanted, _this _was the man he wanted to be, to fight besides the woman he loved, and to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

To rid the world of monsters.

They continued the fight, and Dominik soon realized Caranthir must have inherited some of Eredin's arrogance. The Navigator was ill prepared to fight him, let alone him and Ciri, he hadn't been ready in the slightest. Dominik could see him trying to concentrate his power, to summon more of it, but Dominik and Ciri were simply too good, too quick, and had too much power oozing from them at that moment.

"THE STAFF!" Ciri yelled next to him, ducking under a blow and spinning behind him to defend his flank.

"ON IT!" He leapt, going for the side Caranthir had holding his staff.

The navigator roared, holding up his blade to blow Dominik's strike, but didn't count on Ciri cutting her blade across his stomach. Caranthir yelled in pain, dropping to his knees, and as Dominik came down, feeling his frustration reach an apex, focused all his magic to his fist. As Caranthir fell to his knees, Dominik brought it up in an uppercut. It connected with the bottom of Caranthir's helmet, and with the magic Dominik didn't feel a thing as Caranthir got sent flying back with his staff still in hand. His helmet flew from his head, and Dominik saw the same long blonde hair and pale green eyes he saw when the navigator was unmasked in his dream, when Caranthir had taken Bella from her village.

Only now, instead of a cocky, confident grin, Dominik saw a blood cut across Caranthir's cheek.

And his eyes were full of astonishment, of worry.

"COME HERE!" Ciri screamed, teleporting forward with a stab of her blade through Caranthir's chest. However, just before she could the navigator-still holding his staff- disappeared in a puff of frost.

Dominik spun, expecting him to show up behind him again. However, he heard only wind, rain and the sound of distant battle.

The navigator had retreated.

"Dammit!" Ciri cursed, rushing up next to him. "We need to destroy his staff to lift the spell, and he'll surely be able to heal himself."

Dominik nodded, but turned, his eyes widening. "CIRI!"

He pointed towards Faram, Freya and George. The last few of the riders were advancing, and they seemed to be on their last leg. Freya looked worst off, she was on one knee as Faram and George stood next to her. Groaning in pain, she pulled off another of her potions from her bandolier and downed it, before gripping her sword from the ice and standing again, pulling out her knife to duel wield the weapons. One hound leapt from her side, she stabbed her blade through it, bringing it to the ground, before a rider came rushing in to skewer her. She rolled out of the way, coming up with a leap onto the riders back. She sank her sword into the riders shoulder, stabbing her dagger into it's neck before she stumbled to the ground with the body.

"I got ya goldilocks!" Faram yelled, coming to cover, as he threw a parry and blocked a strike intended for her.

"Keep her covered!" George yelled, blasting a wall of flames in their direction.

"NO!" Freya screamed, ripping herself from Faram's grip, stepping in front of them with her sword leveled again, her breathing heavy. "I _won't _back down from this! I _will _fight just like the rest of you!"

But not Freya, or Faram and George had too.

Only a handful of riders remained, but when Ciri teleported forward, blinking and cutting her blade clean through a rider's torso, the rest were quick to fall. Ciri's eyes like his were completely engulfed with a white-blue light. He watched her parry a rider's blow, side-step, then teleport, her blade cutting through one rider's chest completely. Her blade seemed to have a mind of its own, as she spun, a perfect pirouette which started as a parry, but ended with Ciri behind the rider's back, and soon the rider was cleaved in half.

Dominik pulled out his crossbow, killing one that had almost attacked his friends while they watched Ciri's display. It was a group of three that remained, but still feeling plenty of magic in his veins he leapt and cut down through one rider's block. It cut into his shoulder, and Dominik spun, cutting across his legs and bringing him to the ground before the rider's head left his shoulders.

Feeling the second behind him, he three his blade up behind his back, parrying a blow before spinning and ending the second rider. He heard footsteps rushing behind him and spun to face his last opponent.

But Ciri had it covered for him. She came teleporting in, her blade getting two quick cuts across the rider's chest. Those two cuts had the rider in three pieces.

After the slipped onto the ground, Dominik let out a breath. Ciri slid her sword onto her back and turned to him.

And of course she smiled. "Miss me?"

_Gods, how can someone be this beautiful covered in blood? It's really not fair. _

Her top and scarf were stained with blood, it married bits of her loose strands of hair. Her boots were covered in slush and blood, her trousers with small holes, her corset had rips. A small cut was across her non-scarred cheek. But the ring, and her wolf medallion still bounced around her neck, and her eyes were still bright, and warm despite the tempest around them.

_Admire later, you're in the middle of a battle, _he thought, but was unable to keep his smile away.

"More then you know," He said, letting out a shaky breath, "you really saved us there. Did you see the look on Caranthir's face?"

She scoffed, leaning forward she quickly kissed him. And somehow, even in the middle of a battle, his lips tingled as she kissed him.

"I would have like it a lot better if his head was removed from his shoulders," She said, sighing as she turned towards the Nagalfar. "Avallac'h says we must destroy Caranthir's staff to lift the spell, but I'm sure you already knew that."

He shook his head, not even wanting to attempt to ask what it meant that Avallac'h seemingly let her go to him.

"I did," He said, stepping up besides her. "That's where we were heading, but Caranthir detected my magic, sent riders after us."

"Then we'll have to move, before he does so again," Ciri said, looking up at him, a smile coming to her face.

"What, what is it?" He said, reaching to his face. "Is there something on my face?"

"No… it's just, your eyes, they're quite handsome when they have that white-blue color mixed in with the green."

"Ciri we're in the middle of a battle for our world and your life."

She shrugged and smirked. "Doesn't mean I can't admire your face now can I? You finally have it then… complete control?"

"I do," He said, sucking in some of the magic mist around him, letting it heal his aches. "I'll show you all the cool tricks later."

She smiled, but then her eyes fell. She looked like she was going to tell him something, but Freya's voice quickly caught on the air.

"Ciri, gods, have I ever told you how much I love you?" She said, coming up with a slight limp in-between Faram and George.

Ciri quickly rushed to her, hugging her and holding her upright. She smiled at the blonde and nodded. "I couldn't just leave you all out here. It's time for this to end."

George coughed but smirked, wiping some blood from his armor. "Aha, you arrived in the nick of time Ciri. Did you happen to see the army when you attempted to find us?"

Ciri let go of Freya and nodded. "I did, the forward force you charged with is making some headway, they're pushing closer to the Nagalfar but will surely be stalled soon."

"And the other side did you see it?" Dominik asked, hearing the distant sounds of fighting.

She bit her lip; she only did that when she was nervous. "The other side _is _stalled, Cerys is trying to reinforce, but something is keeping them from advancing. I don't know how; the Hunt has more men on the side you charged with."

Dominik's heart fell to his stomach as he shakily sighed. "It probably… means Eredin or… or Bella are there, ordinary soldiers wouldn't be able to scratch her."

A silence fell around the group. Ciri gripped his forearm, squeezing it, she met his eyes and nodded reassuringly. Gods, it felt better to have her with him. Her very presence invigorated him, the reason he was fighting was behind him now.

Freya broke the silence and nodded. "Alright then, let's get moving, we need to find your sister and chase Caranthir!"

"No," Dominik said right away, turning to them. "First you Freya wrap that leg and those wounds. After that, the three of you go and join up with Anton at the front, and make your way towards the Nagalfar," He said, looking towards Ciri and nodding, "Ciri and I will chase Caranthir… and deal with Bella."

Ciri as always knew exactly where he was going, as if she could really read his mind. He looked back at his friends. He didn't want to separate from them, but that fight had battered them, and the last thing he wanted to do was bring them to fight the enemies most dangerous warriors in their state.

Faram was of course the first to object. "Not happening mate! We won't leave you two to do this alone!"

"He is right, the enemy is powerful," George said, sliding his silver onto his back. "I would be there to when you face them, I would see this to the end."

"Yeah, and I'm fine I swear," Freya said through gritted teeth, "it's just a few scratches, the potions already kicking in. I'll be able to walk, I can fight still!"

"We don't doubt that, and you all will be there at the end. We'll meet up with you at the Nagalfar, I swear," Ciri cut in for him, "the troops could use the moral boost. Besides, it'll be faster if I teleport with Dominik. Myself is easy, another person no problem, two is hard… five of us? I don't think I can."

Her words had the intended effect, and Dominik could have kissed her again on the spot. However, he restrained himself, and looked to his friends again.

He of course loved all three of them, however, something in his gut was simply telling him as well, that this was simply something he and Ciri had to do themselves.

He couldn't explain why it felt that way, it simply did. They needed to end this.

Dominik in particular knew as well, that _he _needed to be the one to face Bella.

Faram sighed and nodded, looking down to Freya. "Aye, come on goldilocks, George and I will keep you covered while we dress that wound real fast."

"What!? No, I'm fine really," Freya said, trying to take a step, but wincing and grabbing her thigh.

George laughed. "Ha you are supposed to be the healer my dear, you should know we need to get that cleaned and quickly," He looked over to Dominik and Ciri both, before bowing and smiling at them. "Good luck my friends. Fight well, we will see each other again this day!"

"Aye, go kick some fucking ass for us mates," Faram said, leaning down at Freya's side.

Freya sighed annoyedly but smiled at them. "We _will _get the army to the Nagalfar, we promise."

Dominik smiled, looking at Ciri who had smirked again. _Why the hell does she had to be so goddamn gorgeous when she does that?_

"You're right, you will we know it," She said, smiling at them and then looking to Dominik. "Come on, we should get moving and quick!"

"Yeah, let's go," He said, looking to his friends, his chest getting warm again. "Thank you… all of you."

"Aye it's no problem mate, but you've wasted enough time, go now!" Faram said waving them off. "Those fuckers won't kill themselves!"

He smirked and took off with Ciri. The sounds of battle got louder, and as he climbed to the top of the crater wall with Ciri he could finally see the whole battle. It was as Ciri said, with Anton and the force he charged with gaining ground very slow about a half-mile behind them.

On the other side however, he could see small bursts of magic, as the smaller amount of Skelligan troops who landed were fighting. If he looked closely he could see small icy forms all over the graveyard of ships. Geralt was among them, and then needed to free him and the Black Ones from the ice.

"We need to hurry, we don't know how much longer till Borch and Kilgarrah come back," Ciri said from next to him, tightening her bun as she looked to him. "They went down over the other side of the island."

"They'll be back," Dominik said, gripping the swallow around his neck as his eyes didn't leave the opposite side of the Nagalfar. "Ciri… Bella's over there."

"You can sense her magic?" She asked.

He shook his head and sighed, looking down at her. "No… but I just know she is. Ciri…I… I-."

"You can do this," She said, leaning a hand on his arm, her eyes not leaving him. "You're strong enough… I promise. We leave today, with all our friends _and _Bella. Our lives start tomorrow, remember?"

"I could never forget," He said, looking down at her, the small smile that formed on her lips making his heart melt in that cold tempest. "I love you…"

"I love you too," She said, looking back out over the icy plains and graveyard of ships. She reached and laced her hands with his. "Now let's go… time to end this. You ready?"

"You gonna stay to make sure I don't do something stupid?" He said cheekily.

She looked up at him and nodded. "I am _never _leaving you again…. I promise. Now come on… let's end this."

He sighed softly, sucking in the magic around him. Around Ciri, he saw magic whirling, her powers readying to unleash.

He opened his eyes, and the magic slowly pooled out, mixing with Ciri's next to him.

"Yeah… let's end it," He said, looking down at her. "On your go princess."

She nodded at him and looked back out towards the opposite side and the Nagalfar.

And then, she teleported them.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Ughhh… fuck me, do you ever get used to that?" Dominik complained, as the two of them both landed on the snow.

Ciri let out a breath she'd been holding and rolled her eyes at him. "You're starting to sound like Geralt, now come on, it doesn't look like we've teleported to the battle, we have to find Caranthir."

Her limbs felt like they were about to explode with energy. Ciri never guessed complete control of her powers would feel _this _invigorating. For years the power had brought her nothing but problems, nothing but pain, worry and torment. She could remember blowing up the barn in Ellander, almost killing Dominik in the process, all the times magic had exploded in her face. They had come for her on Thanedd for her powers, Emhyr had come for her because of her powers, Avallac'h and Eredin held her in Tir'Nala because of her powers.

For her entire life she had hated them, hating having this power she never wanted in her veins. It had been the cause for all of her misery.

But now, _she _controlled _it. _

She looked up at the Nagalfar, they had landed right near the front of the ship, in a wide pathway of ice and ship wreckage, that led either to the right or left sides of the main vessel. The right side had been where they had come from, and Ciri rushed to make sure the army Dominik charged with was making headway, while she saw him go of to scout the left.

Both ships the Hunt had summoned fanned out on the sides of the Nagalfar, the ship of bone nearly close enough for Ciri to touch. She looked up onto the deck, and every bone in her body urged her to teleport onto it. Eredin would more then likely be there. Could she end this whole conflict so soon? No, Eredin would have been expecting something like this, and was probably surrounded by dozens of soldiers.

Outside the magic field of ice around the fleet, the windy rainstorm raged, thunder boomed, as the small bits of water that were able to get through did nothing to extinguish the flames that burned throughout the graveyard.

She could hear the sounds of fighting, on the right side, she saw that it could have possibly been the arrival of Freya, Faram and George that helped the army push forward. Already they had reached the side-ship that had come with the Nagalfar, soldiers were shouting out and scaling onto the ship, she saw fires beginning to burn, riders being thrown, but still more came. She had no idea how Eredin was getting to many riders, but she didn't have time to worry.

"Ciri!" Dominik yelled from behind her. She turned and saw him looking at her. "We got company!"

She rushed over to him, hopping up onto a small wall of ice that dropped down to an icy ravine. That stretched on for at least half a mile, pieces of broken ships and fires burned along its path as the battle continued smashing into Ciri's ears.

Coming up next to him, she marveled again at how he looked. She hadn't had the time to tell him yet that she finally found complete control of her powers, but seeing him then, it was _she _who was amazed again.

Streams of beautiful white-blue light gently streamed from his emerald eyes. The magic radiated a mist around him, it spiraled up his arms, down his legs. His armor was adorned with scorch marks and the small rips but was still in perfect condition. The light around him she knew would empower his signs, heal minor injuries, and make him move just as fast as she could.

And they'd both need their powers, when she looked down and saw the at least dozen or so riders and hounds that stood in their path. They hadn't noticed them yet, as they'd need to slide down the icy hill, or she'd need to teleport them into the ravine before they engaged.

He looked down at her, his eyes narrowed. "We need to move, the army on this side won't last much longer."

"You're right look over there," She said, pointing towards where flashes of light could be seen. The lights of magic blasts shot upwards from a large icy crater, followed by distant cries of death and pain. "That has to be Caranthir… or-."

"Or Bella…" He said, his voice low, barely a whisper over the wind.

She could see his shoulders tensed. She had tried to not speak about Bella as much as she could the previous few weeks since they discovered the truth, but now the truth was smacking them right in the face, killing dozens as a result.

Ciri knew Dominik would have to fight her, but in the back of her mind she wanted to take his place. What if he really froze, and couldn't swing his sword? Or what if in his attempts to try and speak to her, Bella took advantage and killed him? She didn't want Bella harmed either, but if it came down to losing Dominik, or saving her… what would Ciri do?

She knew then that they couldn't wait a minute longer. Reaching over, she squeezed his arm again.

"We'll do this… come on, you ready?" She asked him, trying to give him a reassuring smile as she laced her hand with his. "I'll teleport us down there, then we make for that crater, how long would you guess the distance is? I'd say a mile and a half."

He nodded in agreement. "Seems about right. Remember how annoying we found those types of lessons with Eskel outside?"

She scoffed. "You're right, all we ever wanted to do was swing swords at each other."

That got a smile out of him. Back at Kaer Morhen, Eskel had trained them on being able to track distance between objects as best they could out in the woods. From him was where they'd both learned many of their outdoor skills, with Dominik learning even more from her mother before she died at Cintra.

From the bottom of the hill they stood atop, to the walls of the icy crater, Ciri could calculate at least a half mile.

"I also count about a dozen or so riders, half a dozen hounds, should be no issue," He said, his voice terse as he turned down to her again. "Stay close, and we can carve through them like it's nothing."

"Care for another game?" She said, cracking her knuckles and rolling her shoulders.

"Sure," Dominik said, "what're the terms this time princess?"

She looked up at him and smirked. "If I win you finally read all the lines from that play you put on in Novigrad, a private showing just for me."

"And if I win?"

"I'll wear that dress again tomorrow," She said with a wink, "because I think after tonight, we'll have cause to celebrate then."

That got a laugh out of him. "Ha, what good is the dress if we're just going to both end up naked anyway?"

"So you'd prefer I come to dinner naked?"

"I'd prefer you naked all the time if I'm being honest."

"Dominik!" She said, scoffing and laughing as she met his gaze. "I've never heard such salacious words coming from you!"

He shrugged, and Ciri finally saw his smile return. "Just being honest, I could stop if you like."

"Oh no, I'm not complaining, I actually quite like it," She said to him, brushing loose strands of her hair away. "I'd actually prefer it if every now and then, you'd simply tell me how much you wanted to fuck me."

He laughed, looking back out over the icy ravine. "Well if we survive I'll be sure to tell you every day how much I want to have sex with you."

"To fuck me," She said, laughing when she saw his face get all flustered red.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Alright, alright enough of that. Come on, let's get moving. Won't be fucking anytime soon if we don't."

Ciri stopped laughing, the smirk returning to her face. She shook her head in disbelief, _did we really just have a conversation about our sex life in the middle of a battle? Only us. _

But Ciri looked back down to the ravine, the party between them and the wall was clearly a scouting party of some sorts, or troops being sent to reinforce the other side of the ship. She nodded, gripping Dominik's hand tighter, and focused her magic.

It bent to her will quicker then it ever had, and within second she felt the familiar churning in her stomach. With a loud ***POP* **she felt herself falling a small distance and landing on the ground, right away she let go of Dominik's hand and looked out ahead of her.

Sure enough, she saw the contingent of riders all turn back to her. She heard the raking of a sword next to her, and with magic whirling around his limbs, the blue color completely taking over his eyes, Dominik's silver blade was out. He twirled it to a reversed grip, the magic oozing from him like steam from a bathhouse. It radiated from him like a star, reaching out and humming softly. It traveled up his arms as he shifted his legs, one foot in front of the other, shoulder width apart, blade pointed out in the reversed grip. Ciri had never had interest in learning it but could recall vividly Dominik having Eskel drill it into his head for hours a day at Kaer Morhen.

"Look alive princess!" He yelled over the wind to her, his now magic filled eyes gazing into her.

Ciri turned and saw the riders had finally gotten over their shock. Them and their hounds all slowly approached, and feeling a surge of energy through her body, she did exactly what Dominik did.

She reached and pulled out her blade, leveling it towards their enemy. Magic shot from her eyes, up her arms down her legs and up her sword. The riders gave pause for a moment, and she couldn't blame them.

Next to her, she could see the mist around Dominik clash with her magic. It only invigorated him more, the two magics seemed to know about the connection they shared. It seemed to know, that in that moment, two powerful lines of magic, both connected through destiny stood as one fighting against the enemy both sides had for hundreds of years. Ciri had fought with Dominik plenty of times in the last few weeks, trained with him, grew up with him, loved him more then anything. Only a few weeks prior, they had stood and fought off dozens of riders together at Kaer Morhen.

They fought like well-oiled machine, and their eight limbs were the gears that made it move. Each gear served a purpose, knowing exactly where to move, when to move, and how to be there. Ciri had no idea how, but she just _knew _exactly where to move, where to be when she fought with him.

It was the greatest feeling in the world. It simply felt _right. _For the first time in her life, Ciri felt she knew exactly where she was always meant to be. These were all things she knew, Dominik and she could practically read each other's mind, they knew each other's quirks, styles and tendencies better then they even knew their own.

But in that moment, for the first time, Ciri felt like they were both _finally _the people they were meant to be. Everything was unlocked, and every fall off the pendulums, every sparring match, lesson with magic had led them to that moment.

In that moment next to him, Ciri felt unstoppable.

If only her grandmother and Gregory could see them now.

_They do… they're watching now, they're always watching. _It was what her grandmother had told her when she saw her in the Cave of Life.

_Well… let's give them a show then. _

"The magic's getting more out of control," Dominik said, pointing towards the crater a half mile away as the riders closed in front of them. "Let's show them what we're made of princess…"

She looked at him, smirked and nodded. "Yes… let's."

And finally, they both turned and charged.

Ciri got out in front with a teleport, cutting through the first hound that had leapt. She parried and cut down one stunned rider, before she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around she saw another rider with sword raised, but Dominik got there first. She came leaping in, lopping off the rider's arm, before blasting him back with Aard. The sign sent the rider shooting into another, crashing them both against an old wooden plank. It was sharp enough to where the one was stabbed, and the other crumpled to the ground from the impact.

Back-to-back now, she could have sworn he smirked at her before they both leapt into the fight in earnest. One by one riders charged, but Ciri knew exactly where to move, when to teleport. When she saw one approaching Dominik's flank, she'd teleport and cut them down, while Dominik covered her flank after the teleport was finished. She would roll over is back, she ducked when she saw him pull out his crossbow, knowing exactly every time where he intended to go with it.

The magic around them both erupted, it combined, smashing into one another making them both move like a blur. Ever sign that Dominik launched was more powerful then almost any spell Ciri had ever seen. Witcher signs were supposed to be simple, smaller forms of magic, but when Dominik launched them they fired as if they were full on spells casted from the most skilled sorceresses of Aretuza, and he wielded them with expert precision.

At one point they stood back-to-back, Ciri with a magically enhance parry, knocked a rider off balance. However, she didn't see one rider coming from the left, and Dominik tapped her left side with his elbow, before he grabbed Ciri's arm and spun her to the right. That gave her momentum to cut through the first rider, and left Dominik in perfect position to parry and cut down the one that would have skewered her.

She saw it leave him open for an attack, and quickly teleported behind him. The rider that would have cut him down fell in two, and after that she saw Dominik quickly turn back to her.

"GO!" He yelled, pointing down the road towards the crater walls they had broke for.

She didn't question him; he ducked and gave her space. She rolled over his back, cutting down one rider as he charged. Just as Ciri got to her feet and dashed, she saw the purple glyphs of the Yrden sign erupted under her. Dominik quickly followed, coming up next to her, and they looked back to see the remaining handful of riders completely immobilized.

"Gods I need you to teach me to do that," Ciri said, as he grabbed her arm and urged her forward.

"I will I promise," He shouted over the wind, as they darted off towards the crater. "For now we need to move!"

She didn't argue, but they were stopped in their tracks, when a loud ***BOOOM* **shook the ice below them. Dominik caught her before she could stumble, pulling her back to her feet just in time for her to see the light. From the crater up ahead, a large spiral of white-blue magic shot from the crater. Screams of dying, burning men hit her ears, and Ciri's heart sank to her stomach as she watched a man thrown over the walls of the crater.

It landed in front of them, and Dominik quickly knelt down next to the body. She turned and raised her blade, seeing that the Yrden glyph Dominik casted was staring to wear off, as the riders rushed towards them again.

"Dom! Your glyph broke, they're-."

"Ciri… these are Clan An Craite colors…" He said, cutting her off as she quickly looked back at him.

She scoffed and shook her head, her heart racing. "But that's impossible, all the other clans attacked this side, Crach and Hjalmar took the An Craite men to attack the other! The only one who could command other An Craite men would be…"

The realization hit Ciri like a brick, and apparently it hit Dominik as well.

"We need to move! Bella will tear them to pieces," He said shooting to his feet, but when he met her eyes he surged forward. "MOVE!"

She did as he asked, diving to the side as he ran and shot his hands forward.

All the mist around him formed into his palms, and an Aard blasted erupted through the icy ravine, shaking the ice beneath them, cracking it in some places. The blast slammed into the remaining riders who all went flying into the air over the walls of the ravine. One slammed with so much force into the broken hull of a ship that blood pooled beneath his armor. Ciri watched the powerful spell fade, and quickly Dominik grabbed her up by the arm.

"COME ON!" He shouted, darting out ahead of her heading towards the crater.

Ciri caught up to him, her power willing her legs to move faster trying to reach for his hand to teleport them. She almost grabbed it, when over the hill of the crater half a dozen riders vaulted down. They rushed at them both, but Dominik quickly slid into his knees, cutting the torso of one and stepping between two more.

They came at Ciri as well, but she quickly parried one strike and blinked between them, cleaving them in half. Another tried to strike, but she blinked to the side, cutting off the rider's arm, before Dominik ran in and cut him down.

It was like an instinct they both had, always able to sense when the other was in peril.

He met her eyes, just as they heard the explosion of another blast of magic erupt from behind the crater wall. She ran past him, leaping up and gripping into an outcropping in the ice and Dominik quick followed. They scaled the icy wall, which was only about twice the height of Dominik, not nearly the highest they've had to climb in tougher conditions.

She pulled up and stood at the top of the wall, reaching down and yanking Dominik up after her, his sword having been sheathed. Her legs shook from the cold, and from how much running she had done, but she steadied them only for them to be shook again by another explosion of magic.

Pain shot through Ciri's head, but she looked down into the crater and for a moment she couldn't breathe.

A small path led to where most of the ships the Skelligers had landed were plowed into small ice banks. The ship that had landed on the Nagalfar's opposite side was closer than the other one that the main bulk of the army was fighting towards now. About five ships had landed, and they watched as Skelligers, a few sure enough wearing the colors of Clan An Craite, mixed with multiple other clans fought to make their way towards the ship, and then the Nagalfar as a result.

And at their lead was their Queen. Cerys was at the middle of the battle, there only had to be about thirty or so Skelligers, with only a few more riders then that. Cerys was wearing armor like Ciri had never seen her wear. A shield in one hand, a sword in the other, she carved down a rider, in the direct center of the crater. About even numbers, their Queen leading them, it should have been relatively easy for the Skelligers to push the Hunt back.

Only despite having more numbers on the other side, this side of the Hunt's ship was even more guarded.

"BELLA!" Dominik tired to scream over the wind, but his voice surely got lost.

Bella as they had guessed, fought in the center of the crater. It seemed that after falling off Kilgarrah earlier she had teleported back like Dominik and she both assumed. She was wearing her black skeletal armor, the armor that commanders of the Hunt wore. Her plate was smaller, made to fit her slimmer, sorter body as opposed to the lumbering figures of the Hunt. Her trousers were of dark purple leather, leading up to an dark padded purple gambeson beneath the skeletal breastplate. Down her arms, the pauldrons were smaller, the vambraces fit perfect to her forearms. Her helmet was dome like, with the skeletal faceplate covering her bright green eyes, the same eyes as Dominik, but now instead of black slits, they were filled with white, blue light.

In her hands, she didn't have _Coram _the sword Dominik and Ciri had retrieved for her form the Cave of Life. No, she wielded a jagged black longsword, three prongs at the top, the same length as their swords, only with the crude design of the Hunt.

Around her the magic didn't hum in a calm mist like it did around Dominik then. It shot from her light small bolts of static electricity coming from the sky during a lightning storm. It swirled around her, churning, violent, like a tornado of magic with Bella at its epicenter.

And while her magic didn't look like Dominik's, she wielded it with just as much efficiency.

She stood in the center of the crater, mowing any man who dared come to her. One larger man rushed in from the right at her with an axe, Bella caught the head on her blade. Effortlessly she spun, stabbing into the man's stomach, her sword stabbing clear through his back. Bella slammed her hand into the man's chest, and with a blast of magic, the dead man erupted backwards, shooting up into the sky and splashing dead into the distant icy water.

Another group came, this time three men tried for an all-out rush at her. One cut down a rider as he did and came at Bella with momentum. Parrying and spinning like she had been trained by the finest swordsmen-which she had been, by the finest warriors of the Hunt- she cut down the first man in three strikes. She ducked between the two, yelling as she parried and cut her blade across the back of one's neck. Blood splattered into the ice below, as the last man saw what happened to his comrade and tried to retreat to his lines.

Bella saw this, teleporting in a puff of frost. She landed in front of the man, easily deflecting a parry and with her magically enhance strength cut through the man's gut, his blood and insides falling to the ice. He fell to his knees, already dead, but Bella, radiating with pure anger as he magic spiraled out of control, yelled-her pained scream reaching Ciri's ears- spun and cleaved the man's head from his shoulders.

Ciri's breath fell short, as she winced at the sight. It was as if that sword had been plunged deep into her chest.

That was Bella. That was the excited little girl from back in Cintra, that had been so, so excited to see Ciri's closet of dresses. The girl, who used to tease her, tease Ciri about having a crush on her big brother, that encouraged her to be with him. Who encouraged Ciri to be with him, so that she could be Ciri's little sister for real. She could remember her smile when they walked through the gardens, her laugh as they played a prank on Dominik or had a race through the castle halls.

The girl that Ciri had taken as her little sister. A little girl, that made Ciri blush madly when she first said Ciri was her 'big sister'.

And now, that little girl was grown, and she murdered men in front of her. She wanted to do the same to Ciri. Blamed her for 'corrupting' her brother, for turning her family against her. Who felt like she had been overlooked and cast aside by the ones she loved most for Ciri.

The scariest part was Ciri still wondered if it all was true. Bella was there now, because Emhyr had sacked Cintra for Ciri. Gregory and Sofia had died, because they had been determined to save all of Ciri, Dominik and Bella from Cintra.

Even after Bella lost her memories after the battle and managed to find herself a new life on Skelliger, the Hunt had sacked that village, because when Bella's powers unleashed, Eredin thought Bella was her. Was she really responsible for all that had happened? Dominik always told her none of it was true, and that Bella had just been brainwashed, programed into something she wasn't.

Bella did have fake memories yes, and had her mind skewed by the Hunt.

But that still didn't mean her words couldn't be true in a way.

_NO! Stop it, you can't worry about that now, you need to-. _

"CERYS!" Ciri's voice screeched from her throat, as she watched the Queen of the Isles move towards Bella.

"GO GET HER!" Dominik yelled next to him. He had been silent the whole time, his eyes unable to leave his sister, but within seconds he sprung into action again. He leapt down from the icy wall into the mess of riders, slamming his fist into the ground as Aard shot up around him. Ciri did the same, teleporting down to the ground just as the riders were blasted back and Dominik took off running again.

He cut down riders and spun under attacks as they came, saving several of the Skelligan men, as Ciri made a break for where she saw Cerys.

Cerys had seen Bella cutting down her men and rushed for her. Bella had finished decapitating the man as Cerys rushed into her with her shield. Bella was actually taken off guard, the red shield slamming into her and sending her stumbling.

Ciri picked up her pace as she watched Cerys press her advantage. She was skilled Ciri knew but would be no match for what Bella could do and that proved true. Cerys swung down from the right, keeping her shield up for defense. Bella screamed, the magic shooting from her, blinding Cerys and making it easy for her to parry. The force of the parry was so enhance, so powerful Cerys stumbled, and Bella spun back, coming down for a blow that would have cut any man or woman in half.

Cerys raised her shield in time, going to her knees, but as soon as Bella's blade hit the shield it erupted into splinters, and Bella kicked the Queen in the stomach. Ciri cursed and went to teleport but was accosted from the right by a rider. She quickly performed a perfect pirouette, cutting his down from behind, just as Bella leapt and swung down towards Cerys again.

The Queen thankfully got her blade up to block in time. She managed to parry a few blows, but it was obvious Bella was toying. Cerys went to strike herself, but Bella parried, twisting her blade to the hilt of Cerys's and sent the Queen's blade flying into the ice. Ciri watched as Bella yelled, about to bring her blade down as Cerys stumbled back dazed.

But she stopped before she delivered the killing strike. Instead, she kicked her foot forward, knocking Cerys onto her back.

"UGH DAMMIT! GOD DAMMIT!" Bella screamed, both hands to her head, almost trying to rip her hair out in frustration. Magic shot from her more, as she turned her eyes to Cerys again, and went to leap and strike, which would have finally killed her.

Ciri finally focused enough to teleport, but before she could, she watched as Dominik finally reached the seen.

A loud ***BOOOM* **erupted as Dominik got his blade up to block Bella's strike. A ring of magic shot out from around them both, knocking Ciri, and every rider and Skelliger to their feet.

Dazed, Ciri rose with the rest and she saw what had happened.

Bella had her blade locked with Dominik's, the magic swirling around them both erupting in tiny sparks around them. Bella pushed down, she was just a bit smaller then Dominik but still held the overhead position in the clinch.

Dominik's knees buckled under the strength of Bella's magically enhanced strike, despite his own magic helping him. Ciri saw their eyes lock, Dominik's eyes slowly glowing back to their bright green color, while Bella's went back to the black slits of her face plate.

"I TOLD YOU," Bella screamed, her voice scrapping against the wind. Bella's voice made Ciri's heart fall to her chest, it sounded as if she was crying under her helmet, her pleas desperate. "I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY! I TOLD YOU NOT TO COME!"

"AND YOU KNEW I WOULDN'T LISTEN!" Dominik yelled back, thrusting his hand forward.

Bella saw this and shot hers forwards as well. With the battle around them still raging, both blasts of magic slammed into each other, sending both Dominik and Bella flying backwards. Bella slammed into the wall of the crater, Dominik doing the same, and Ciri took the opportunity.

She teleported forward to Cerys, grabbing the dazed Queen by the arms and yanking her to her feet.

Blinking rapidly, her head probably pounding Cerys looked at up at her. "Ci… Ciri? What… what happened, when did-."

"There's no time," Ciri said, rushing her back towards the section of the crater with now wall, towards her ships. "Take your men and go! Go reinforce the other side!"

"What!?" Cerys said, having shaken off the dizziness. "We can't just leave you here! What will you and Dominik do!?"

Ciri shook her head fervently. "No time to explain, just go and-."

"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ciri had time to turn just as Bella fell down on her through a portal. If there was even a chance she felt any confliction fighting Dominik or the other men, it was gone as she lashed out at Ciri.

It took every bit of concentration Ciri had to get her blade up for the first strike. She pushed Cerys out of the way and managed to deflect the first few blows. However, Bella was relentless, Ciri tried to teleport, but she couldn't get her footing, or concentrate for the right amount of time.

Bella lashed out from the left, and Ciri parried, but Bella's other fist slammed into her stomach. Pain shot through her gut as she stumbled back towards the center of the crater.

"EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING WAS BECAUSE OF YOU!" Bella yelled, her voice pained and angry as she lashed out. "I MATTER! I MATTERED JUST AS MUCH AS YOU DID!"

"YOU DID BELLA YOU DID!" Ciri yelled back, desperately now fending off her attacks, memories of Bella flooding her mind. She thought of Dominik breaking down in her arms in the forest after running from Cintra, how she broke down as well upon hearing what happened to her. Now, Bella had suffered even worse. She had lost her memories, had her second family killed in front of her as well, and now she had gone through years of torment at the hands of the Hunt. They had turned her into something she wasn't, a monster, a machine, a tool.

And Ciri found tears falling from her eyes as she fell onto her back foot. Bella pressed harder, and Ciri just barely raised her blade, and avoiding a strike at her torso, before Bella shot her hand forward. A ball of magic hit Ciri's gut and sent her skidding backwards, falling onto her back.

She blinked away the fog and looked up, Bella walking towards her with her blade out.

And still, Ciri could only cry and shake her head. "I'm sorry…gods… gods Bella I'm so sorry… I'm sorry…"

It was all she could say. Bella slowly shook her head getting over her, her sword leveled out towards her.

"It's too late… it's too late for that Ciri…" She said, her voice surprisingly low, near a whisper, which made it a miracle Ciri heard it. Again Bella shook her head. "It was always you… they always wanted to protect you… fuck Bella, the princess is what matters…. Well now, Bella's dead… and now you will be too!"

"GET AWAY!" Dominik screams echoed over from the left, leaping and striking down at Bella from her flank.

Another loud puff of magic erupted as swords clashed. Dominik shot out his hand, Aard shot from his fingers and knocked Bella back before a furious battle began.

"IT WAS ALWAYS HER, EVEN NOW SHE IS ALL YOU CARE ABOUT!" Bella's voice was loud, hurt, and drew the attention of all the riders that were around them.

Dominik lased out, magic enhanced arms spinning and moving his blade quicker then Ciri had seen all battle. Bella spun and attacked; her head of brown hair blasted back behind her in the wind. She recklessly smacked aside Dominik's parry and went for a stab, which he side-stepped, spinning to Bella's back. It was a clear opportunity, a clear attack that could have cut deep into her back.

But he didn't swing. Instead, he shot his hand out and Aard sent Bella flying back, tumbling into her riders.

Ciri's heart thumped in her chest, loud enough to hear over the wind. It was exactly what she had been afraid of. He could have easily attacked her, but he pulled back. After Bella scrambled to her feet, pushing her soldiers out of the way she dashed forward again, and another whirlwind of blades ensued. The two of them, Dominik and Bella, brother and sister, they both moved and attacked with more vigor, more ferocity, more precision then Ciri ever thought possible.

Finally shaking off her dizziness, Ciri shot to her feet, and looked over towards Cerys, who was busy helping one of her men cut down a rider. The Skelligers were only a dozen or so strong now, with at least twice as many riders. She met Cerys's eyes and shouted over the wind.

"GO! GET TO THE OTHER SIDE!" She could see that Cerys finally understood Ciri wasn't to be argued with then.

"COME ON! BACK TO THE SHIPS!" Cerys shouted and threw one of her men back towards the wall of the crater. The others quickly followed, disengaging with the riders and breaking towards their ships.

The riders quickly went to follow, when Bella screamed. "NO, MEME TA CRE MAS!"

Whatever Bella had ordered it had an instant effect. All the riders stopped, filing out in a circle around the crater. Ciri still counted at least two dozen, and quickly she raised her blade, ready for them all to charge.

Only they didn't, they all stood, swords out at the ready, as they watched Bella clash with Dominik again in the center of the crater. Ciri turned as well, to see the whirlwind of magic erupting around them both. Dominik's calm mist, and Bella's tornado of magic. Both of them rammed into each other as the two clashed, seeming to grow more violent with each blow. It was as if the magic knew that two people of the same blood were fighting, and rejecting it.

Ciri wasted no time, she teleported forward just as Bella was about to strike out from the left. She landed behind her and went to strike downwards towards her legs. Bella however saw, thrusting her hand out and knocking Dominik's back, before disappearing in a puff of frost. Ciri's attack missed, and she spun just as Bella leapt down at her.

Another blast of magic erupted as their weapons clashed. Bella lashed out at her, striking from left and right, trying to put her on the back foot again. Ciri raised and blocked each blow, wanting to lash out herself, but soon understood Dominik's struggle.

This was Bella, she didn't want to attack Bella. It wasn't her fault she was like the way she was, she was manipulated, tortured.

"Bella it isn't too late! I swear it isn't!" She cried out, parrying another blow and stepping under the one that came after.

Bella spun and screamed, striking downwards. "IT IS! THIS IS THE ONLY WAY! IT'S THE ONLY FUCKING WAY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!?"

"IT ISN'T," Ciri said, her powers moving her faster then she ever felt. "DOMINIK AND I CAN HELP YOU! WE CAN HELP YOU WE KNOW YOU'RE CONFLICTED!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Bella yelled again, her voice pained and weak. She lashed out at Ciri again, lunging recklessly. "YOU WOULD SEE ME DEAD LIKE MY PARENTS! DOMINIK WILL KILL ME IF IT MEANS PROTECTING YOU!"

"I LOVE YOU BELLA I ALWAYS HAVE!" She cried, her heart palpitating. She blocked one of Bella's blows and teleported away.

Bella yelled as she turned seeing Ciri now a few meters away. "I THOUGHT THAT WAS TRUE! BUT YOU LIED, YOU ALL LIED I'VE SEEN THE TRUTH!"

"EREDIN'S LYING TO YOU! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN THIS IS OVER!" Ciri yelled desperately her hand gripping around her bloody sword.

"NO, NO HE WOULDN'T! HE'S GIVING ME A PLACE WHERE I BELONG!" She yelled, a ball of magic forming in her hands.

Ciri went to go teleport again, when she saw Dominik leap forward again. He went for a strike at Bella's arm, but Bella spun and parried. They exchanged blows for a moment, all of them perfectly thrown and perfectly parried. Ciri noticed Dominik had switched to steel instead of silver.

Because no matter what, Bella wasn't a monster.

The exchange was brief. Dominik struck from above and Bella blocked, spinning and attacking again, but Dominik parried, and at the same time they both went and thrusted their hands forward. A blast of magic, and the Aard sign erupted from them both. The both of them got sent flying back, Dominik landed next to her as Bella was shot back towards the center of the crater. No rider made a move on them, they all simply watched with twitching hands on their weapons, ready to pounce at Bella's orders.

Ciri helped Dominik to his feet, just as Bella shot to hers, scrambling to pick up her sword. Dominik was shaken, but Ciri could still see the magic mist swirling around him. He nodded to her and took steps forward, desperately looking out at Bella, who's faceplate had cracked down the middle.

"HE MADE YOU INTO THIS BELLA! HE'S LIED!" He yelled, his eyes rapidly streaming light. Holding his hands out he shook his head. "It doesn't matter what you've done! It doesn't have to be this way! Come with us now, and we can make everything right!"

Bella's legs shook, she looked like she wanted to lung forward and attack again. Only she didn't, with a trembling arm she gripped onto her sword and met Dominik's eyes with the lighted ones of her faceplate.

"It was yours who hurt most of all… big brother," Bella said, her voice loud enough to carry over the wind. She shook her, magic radiating from her like a storm. "You _left _me! Even if what Eredin showed me isn't true, you still LEFT ME IN THE STREETS! YOU HAD TO GO AND SAVE YOUR PRINCESS! YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED ME YOU'D PROTECT US BOTH YOU PROMISED YOU COULD!"

"I didn't everything I could!" Dominik screamed, as Ciri saw tears falling from his cheeks. "I regret it every single day! There's nothing I can do about that, I can't bring our parents back, but I can save you now! I won't let Eredin kill you, I know you're still you, I've seen it!"

"I was a foolish little girl when I trusted you the first time, I won't make that mistake again," Bella said, clearly crying beneath her helmet as well, the magic growing ever more unstable as she adjusted her stand, sword out. "It's too late… big brother. You're too late! This ends today, either I kill you, and finally belong somewhere. Or you kill me… and you will… because if you don't I'm going to do everything I can to make sure your princess is next!"

She wasn't going to back down, Ciri could see it. The words tore her heart apart, tore it to pieces, blowing it away like the wind. She couldn't gage what Dominik was thinking for what seemed like the first time in her life. He stood there, magic around him, his hair blowing in the wind, his grip on his steel tightening.

Despretely Ciri looked up at Bella in her stance, ready to fight. She stepped forward, trying to reach her. "Bella please… I'm so sorry, don't do-."

Dominik stopped her. He held his out in front of her, stopping her from advancing. Ciri looked up at him, his eyes hadn't left Bella. She stopped moving, looking up desperate to hear him say anything.

"Dominik," She said, her eyes darting between Bella and him, "what are we-."

"Ciri," He said, cutting her off, his eyes slowly moving down towards her. "Go. Teleport and go find Caranthir, kill him and break his staff."

"WHAT!?" She yelled; sure she didn't hear him right. She looked over at Bella, who seemed to simply be letting the situation unfold, her eyes on Dominik. "Dominik, I can't let you do this alone, I won't leave you and-."

"That's too bad…," He said, looking back at Bella, "because this is just something I need to do on my own…"

A thousand alarm bells went off in Ciri's mind. He was insane, she couldn't leave him, she wouldn't. They were stronger together, they proved that, and she had seen how he hesitated fighting Bella. If he hesitated for too long and Bella finally decided to attack she'd lose him, and Ciri would then have to fight and kill Bella.

None of those were things she wanted to do. She looked around at all the riders watching them, swords at the ready. Not only was she leaving him to fight Bella, but all the riders around them.

"Dominik I can't let you do this," She said, her eye darting to all the riders around him, and over at Bella before they went back to him. "What if something happens and I'm not here? If you were too-."

"Ciri," He said, silencing her, "do you trust me?"

She paused, remembering herself asking him the same question on the beach.

And she gave the same answer he did. "With everything I have…"

He nodded, his eyes going back towards Bella. "Then go… find Caranthir and kill him. Destroy his staff, find Geralt and the others, then go towards the Nagalfar. I'll meet you there."

"But-."

"Ciri… go." He said, his eyes falling down to her.

Ciri saw the look in them. It was something she very rarely saw in them. They always made decisions together, weighed what was best for them both. What he wanted to do then was crazy and could get him killed.

But it was as Ciri said, she trusted him more then anyone. If he said he'd meet her at the Nagalfar, that's what he'd do.

"Be careful… please," She said, gripping onto his arm as he nodded.

Ciri took one last look at Bella, who hadn't paid her any mind. Her eyes, the magic swirling lighted slits of her faceplate were rigidly fixed on her brother, her sword pointed towards him.

_I'm sorry… I'm so… so sorry Bella…. _She looked up at Dominik, who nodded to her once more, leveling out his sword.

Believing his words, trusting them, Ciri stepped away from him. Her last vision of the crater was of Bella shifting and moving towards him.

And then she teleported, she had another mission now.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You're a fool to send her against Caranthir alone!" Bella yelled across the crater, slowly moving in a circle around him. "He'll kill her, she stands no chance against him!"

He let out a breath as Ciri disappeared. It managed to slightly calm his racing heartbeat, but when he turned back to Bella it started up again.

Around him he made sure none of the riders moved. Sure enough they followed Bella's orders, not moving until she were to order it again. The rain started seeping through the cracks in the icy dome around them. The streamed onto his head, as the icy crater below him was slick with blood. Half of a destroyed ship was smashed into the wall of the crater, as he slowly circled with Bella, not wanting her to get behind him. With Ciri gone, now all her anger was directed at him. He had a better chance this way.

In that moment he remembered a dream he had what felt like ages ago. Before he left for Novigrad, to go to Skellige with Geralt to reunite with Yen and search for Ciri there. It had been two wolves, one female, one male, on an icy battlefield, attacking each other with their limbs and blasts of magic.

That dream made sense now as he looked over at his sister.

All thoughts of what he was going to say were tossed from his mind, as all he could see was Bella decapitating the man, and having her sword inches from Ciri's heart. All he could think of is what they did to her.

Simply pleading and reminding her of what they had wasn't going to work. Words weren't going to work anymore. He had to show her, had to do something, anything else.

He let out a shaky breath, his eyes not leaving Bella as he gripped tighter to his steel. The sword Ciri had fixed for him a few days earlier. The one he had fought Bella with each time they had clashed. All three of those times, Bella could have killed him, and he could have killed her.

And that was how it would be now, they would both walk away from this.

He stopped as she did and met her gaze, her magic illuminating the eyes of her faceplate. "You underestimate her, you all do. You, Eredin, Caranthir. You arrogance blinds all of you, and it's going to be the reason you all fail."

Bella laughed, but it sounded forced. "You're a fool to try and stand up to them! Neither of you have any idea what they're truly capable of, what I'M CAPABLE OF! AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHY I MATTER!"

"You always mattered Bella…" He said, keeping his voice calm, fighting off the sting of tears threatening his eyes. "You always did… and you still do. Please… don't make me do this. We don't have to fight here."

Bella was silent for a long while. He simply looked over at her, watching her brown hair blow back behind her. Magic churned from her like a small hurricane. He remembered what Alexander said Eredin did. He showed Bella how to control her powers yes, but the way Bella did, in anger, regret, in pain, it gave Bella even more power then he had, but it would also kill her if it continued to unleash like that.

The air around them tasted stale. He was cold, wet, and so, so tired. Despite the magic keeping him invigorated, he could feel the fatigue underlying in his bones. The sounds of the battle growing more and more closer, a small part of his brain said he should turn and check on his friends.

But he didn't dare look away from Bella. He looked at her, and all he could see was her when they were young. Ciri became his best-friend, and was his best-friend now. However, that was different, that was love. The person you love was in a different category then other friends, they were in a spot all their own.

Bella had been his first best-friend, from the moment she had been born. She wasn't gone, that girl, his sister, the light of his and everyone's lives couldn't be dead. His sister was strong, just like how Eredin and everyone else underestimate him and Ciri, they were underestimating Bella.

However, when she finally spoke, Bella simply shook her head. "You're right… we don't have to fight here. All you would need to do, would be let Eredin have Ciri. I can get you amnesty, I _can _convince him to spare you… and maybe we could even be a family again…"

"But you know I won't do that," Dominik said, his heart falling to his stomach.

Bella nodded, and when she spoke, Dominik could hear the pain. "I knew you wouldn't…. It was always her. Eredin's shown me the way… the way for me to finally belong somewhere. And after I kill you… he'll reward me… with a true family."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself!?" Dominik snapped, feeling a surge of anger boil up from his heart as he desperately yelled. "He's using you Bella! After this he'll kill you and destroy everything on the continent. Every man, woman and child will be killed, enslaved if they survive. I know you don't want that! I _know _you; this isn't who you are!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW ME! NOT ANYMORE! YOUR SISTER DIED IN CINTRA WHEN YOU LEFT HER IN THE STREETS TO DIE!" Bella screamed, the magic erupting from her like an active volcano. She let out a shaky sigh, looking to meet Dominik's eyes. "We both knew it would come down to this… me against you. We've both come a long way since that cave…"

Dominik sucked in a shaky breath. When he first fought Bella, he almost died. She could have killed him multiple times, but she didn't. That night in the cave outside Oxenfurt felt like years before. He had no idea it was even Bella then… but now he did, and he had tried everything he could, spoken every word he could.

He couldn't talk anymore; it wasn't going to work. _I need to run… I can't do this… it's Bella, fucking Bella… can I even swing my sword at her?_

If it meant saving her, Dominik would do anything. He could leave, simply avoid the fight. If he found Eredin and he and Ciri could kill him, perhaps his hold on Bella would break. Or perhaps she would finally see sense if she saw Eredin was gone.

_No… I left you once Bell… I won't do it again. _

"We have…." Dominik yelled across to her, the magic traveling up his sword and arms. "I'm glad I could give you something to look forward too."

"I wasn't looking forward to it… no matter what you may think…" Bella said, her jagged black blade dripping blood.

He had no idea where she had put _Coram. _She could have thrown it over a cliff for all he knew.

Dominik shook his head, his eyes not leaving her. "I know you weren't… and neither was I. I've seen you Bella, Eredin, Caranthir… they've forced you to do these things. They've turned you into something you're not…. You're my little sister, you always will be, I don't care what you've done! You're Bella, you were before, you are now.

"You're the daughter of Gregory and Sofia! One of the last descendants of Alexander of Lod. You love exotic places, flowers, spicy foods. You used to keep dolls to have fake tea parties, blue is your favorite color because of the runes on granddads sword. You got upset even when we saw an animal in a trap, you're a great swimmer, you prefer winter to summer! You're my little sister, they didn't kill her, you're stronger then that! I know who you are Bella-."

"BELLA OF CINTRA WAS WEAK!" Bella yelled, cutting him off as she stepped forward, making the two dozen riders around them flinch. The eyes of her faceplate look at him, erupting with magic from the slits. "SHE WAS A WEAK FOOLISH LITTLE GIRL! SHE'S GONE! I DESTROYED HER!"

The words sank into him like a hot knife into his chest. He looked at Bella as she breathed, her chest heaving as she exploded with white-blue light.

No… this wasn't Bella. This was Baelen, the one who had killed his sister.

Bella he couldn't fight, but Baelen he could.

He opened his eyes, the streams of blue-white light shooting from them. Looking over at Bella he slowly shook his head. He shifted his feet, magic swirling around him, he sucked in the mist and leveled his blade out towards her.

"Then I… will avenge her death," He said, speaking softly as he let the magic invigorate him.

Bella scoffed, leveling her blade at him as well. "You always did have a flare for the dramatic…. A part of me expected you to run… avoid this… leave me be like you did before."

"I won't leave you!" He shouted more forcefully, shaking his head. "Not this time… never again."

She slowly shook her head, her voice low and quick. "I believed you the last time you promised me that… and here I am…. Come then… big brother… let's end this."

Dominik almost went to lung forward, but something stopped him. He dug his feet into the ice, standing and pointing his sword out towards Bella again.

"If you're going to make me do this…" He said, his voice low and dangerous, "at least take off that ridiculous helmet."

If he was going to do this, if he was going to fight her, he was going to remind himself what he was doing it for.

Bella hesitated for a moment, a moment that Dominik could have taken advantage of. But he remained still, his eyes fixated on Bella's hand, as she slowly reached up to the bottom of her helmet. If he was going to die, he wanted to see her face one last time.

She ripped the helmet up off her neck. Bella's brown hair fell around her shoulders as for a moment the wind died down. Her eyes were closed at first, just as the wind began to pick up again. Her helmet fell to the ground, sticking into the ice, as more and more of her magic began swirling like a tornado around her.

Her eyes opened, and just like him, streams of white-blue light came from them. Behind it however, he saw her bright emerald eyes, the same ones as him. His sister.

Beneath her eyes, he saw black bags. She hadn't slept in weeks. Her hair was in a tangled mess, small scars on her head and shoulders.

And she had been crying, just like he expected.

She held her hands out, her eyes not leaving her. "Here it is… now you can look at me and think about how you left me in the streets to die…. How your princess meant more than your little sister."

"You thought of her as a sister too," Dominik yelled back as the riders twitched for action watching the exchange. He sighed and shook his head. "Family… can be much more then blood ties."

Bella scoffed, and he realized how amazing it was for him to still hear her voice. _Her _voice, not the raking sound that came from behind her helmet.

"You tell me that… Kilgarrah told me that, everyone tells me that," She said, shakily sighing, and leveling her sword again. "Even if it is true… it's too late, I _have _to do this…."

Dominik went to say something else, but his voice died when he realized it would be useless. Nothing he said was going to change her mind anymore, they couldn't bring her back.

The only way he could, was with his sword. So, he leveled his blade as well, the magic moving at his command.

He met her eyes and ran forward at his sister.

**A/N: And with that cliffhanger, part two of the final battle has finally come to an end! I had a lot more fun writing this chapter then I thought I would! I knew we'd leave it off just before the fight with Bella and Ciri's fight with Caranthir, but I had a lot of fun coming up with some stuff to put in between! Now, we're just about half-way done with the battle, the actual battle parts. The parts with the actual fights will be either five or six parts, and after that I'll probably include the last confrontation on Undvik at the spire as part of the battle, so either way we're approaching the end!**

**In this chapter however, we had a ton of action as expected! We begin with Dominik and his troops. Now I may have dragged the charge out a bit longer then I wanted, but I wanted to show the use of Freya's weapon, and a first blow with Kilgarrah! He and Borch will be back soon, as will Geralt! However, next chapter is one that I have been waiting to write since I penned chapter one of this story… and I am so so excited for it!**

**We get some fighting with the hansa, and a tiny taste of what the fights with Caranthir and Bella will be like. Dominik truly has come a long way since the beginning of this story and I am very proud of it. I had many people complaining and messaging me in the early chapters of this story, complaining how Dominik was too weak, that he got beat too often, and that he was far too underpowered to be a witcher. **

**And I gave them all the same response, 'just wait and see' xD Now, Dominik is a seasoned warriors, and we still have the rest of this story, and the sequels to see the true extent of what a force he and Ciri can make!**

**I won't spend long on this A/N since not much outside of the fights happened! I will say again as always, if you enjoy this story, and want to see original fanart for it and other projects I have upcoming, please go and follow my Instagram for this story!**

**dominik_of_cintra is the username! Go follow it to chat with me, see cool fanart, and know when updates are even quicker!**

**That's all for this A/N, I am so excited to bring you guys and girls the next chapter. Dominik and Bella have fought four times in this series. Bella won the first, the second was a draw, Dominik won the third, and now, they will fight for a fourth and final time. The Line of Lod clashes in the epic middle of the final battle! Meanwhile Ciri faces her own test, as she attempts to turn the tide of the battle faces off against Caranthir!**

**So as usual, please if you all enjoy and want to see more be sure to favorite and follow this story, and favorite and follow my profile, so that when the sequels come you can be alerted for them! As usual, everyone please stay safe and thank you again!**


	88. The End III (The Line of Lod)

**The Witcher: Through the Worlds**

**Chapter 88: The End III (The Line of Lod)**

**Narrator: The battle for the world rages. On the Isle of Undvik, Dominik, Geralt and Ciri set out for one final confrontation against the Wild Hunt. After successfully summoning Eredin and his forces to the Isle, Dominik led his friends and remnants of the knights of Cintra into the fray, clashing with the Hunt in the icy planes, a graveyard of ships that was once the great Imperial Fleet. Soon however, he and his friends were overwhelmed, leading Ciri to finally enter the battle. Needing to find and kill the mage Caranthir for any hope of victory, she united with Dominik and the two set out to kill the Navigator. However, before they could find him, they encountered Baelen, the commander of the Wild Hunt… who is Dominik's younger sister Bella. Kidnapped, tortured and mind-washed, Bella fought with her emotions, eventually becoming a weapon of the Hunt. Dominik, knowing that he would never leave his sister alone again, sent Ciri off to find and kill Caranthir, while the fight with his sister begins...**

Ciri landed with a thud, closer to Nagalfar than she had planned. However, she used what power she had to try and sense the largest pocket of magical energy in the area, and it had worked. Caranthir had to be coordinating magical defenses, summoning more riders and licking his wounded pride after Dominik and she had almost killed him. He would be there, and Ciri would kill him.

Sneaking along a small gulley of ice; she had been expecting riders this close to the ship. Looking up, she wondered where Eredin could be, was he on the deck of the ship? Or staying far away from the battle like the coward he was? Hoping he didn't go to where Dominik was, she hadn't heard any loud clash yet. Dominik was making one last attempt to reason with his sister. She trembled at the thought, the image of Bella's blade coming at her, decapitating a man flashing in her brain.

_No… no, don't worry about him. He promised he'd meet up with you and he will, _she told herself.

With magic exhuming from her limbs, she took off in a run, feeling a large pull of magic out near the back of the ship. Her legs moved faster than they had ever carried her. The weather was becoming more and more violent. Winds churned inside the icy sphere they fought in, and the rain continued to pour down even harder as the minutes rolled on. She got near the back of the ship and was almost knocked back by a large gust of ice, the magic inside the gust washed over her, chilling her bones and limbs down to their cores.

That was when the sound of battle got closer. She turned wildly, scrambling to her feet and looking back. Towards the shore where the assault had begun, the army, led by Anton and Hjalmar had finally broken through, capturing the first of the Hunt's three ships. Skelligers and knights- she prayed in her mind Faram, Freya and George were with them- poured over a gangplank and other bits of debris and the ships. With a crash, the army collided with new riders who were still coming from portals and the Nagalfar. That was another reason she needed to find Caranthir, if she could kill him, then new riders would stop appearing out of portals.

Distracted by watching the army behind her, she almost stumbled when she came to the edge of a small ledge. Her eyes wide, she looked out and saw she had come to another crater of ice. Ships were trapped in ice, the large masts once holding the golden sun of Nilfgaard were gone, but the hulls and bits of the ship made up the entire arena like a crater. Walls of ice, from Kilgarrah's breath or Caranthir's spells circled out, plenty of room to teleport and fight.

Plenty for her to kill Caranthir.

The Navigator stood in the center of the crater, his helmet still missing. He held his staff high, the magic crystal at the top still swirling with light. Ciri had never seen him without a helmet until that day. Dominik had in one of his dreams, the one where he saw Caranthir kill Bella's adopted mother, her girlfriend, and take her back to Eredin.

He had the normal Aen Elle height, however he was not nearly as tall as Eredin or Imlerith. Behind him, bright blonde hair streaked down to his shoulders. His eyes swirled with dark blue magic, juxtaposed to her magic's white-bluish color. Like she had guessed, she couldn't see any cuts or bleeding wounds in his arms or back. Dominik and she had injured him yes, but just like they could do, he had used his magic to heal himself.

Ciri's jaw clenched as she pulled her sword from her back, _this time I'll make sure he can't heal… ever again. _

She had wanted this, she craved this. The chance to finally make them all pay. Too many times has Aen Elle ruined her life. Now, Ciri would finally strike back. They had always underestimated her, told her she wasn't worthy of the power she held, and she had thought at times they were right.

However, now, she controlled those powers, and if they wanted them back so bad, Ciri was going to give them to them.

Focusing on Caranthir again, she noticed he had repaired his staff. Remembering Kaer Morhen, and even their battle just moments ago she went through her options in her head. Caranthir had defeated Eskel with relative ease at Kaer Morhen, however, it had only been after he began teleporting, using magic. Before arriving to save Dominik, she saw Dominik had gotten the better of Caranthir at first. Again, Caranthir had used his powers, began teleporting to get the upper hand.

Eskel and Dominik- she would never admit it to him, but she knew it to be true- were both better pure swordsmen then she was. So just like Caranthir did she would have to use her powers.

_It'll come down to who can control them better… who has more power, _she thought as her eyes narrowed toward the Navigator. A smirk came to her face, _time to show them what I'm made of… it's been a long time since I was your prisoner. _

She would show them, all of them, how far she'd come. Gripping tighter on her sword, she focused on the spot just behind Caranthir, as the battle drew closer. Her magic- still to her amazement- bent to her will. After so many years of fearing it, being controlled, restrained by it, having control over it still felt a bit off. It had at one point controlled her life, dominated it, was responsible for all the horrible things that had happened to her.

But now, the Aen Hen Ichaer, the Elder Blood, was under _her _control.

"Time to give them what they want…" She said, focusing again on the spot right behind Caranthir.

But just before she could teleport, the Navigator turned sharply, his eyes narrowing at her.

Ciri cursed and went to finally teleport but heard a portal ripple open behind her. Spinning around her sword flashed in front of her. She deflected a blow from a rider's sword, but before she could do anything a hound leapt from the rider's feet. She cut it out of the air but found herself falling. With a slam she landed in the icy crater below, but again saw the riders leaping down to run her through.

She cursed again, teleporting away and stumbling to her feet. Shaking her vision clear she saw Caranthir looking over at her, smirking.

_That _fucking _smirk. All of them have it, him, Avallac'h, Eredin… I'll remove it permanently. _

Closing her eyes and letting the magic flow through her, she shot open her eyes to see the riders that had attacked her rushing forward. Four came in total, so Ciri teleported forward. She cut through one, spinning and parrying another. After locking blades with one, another tried to stab at her side. Teleporting away again at will, she reappeared behind them. Spinning through them with precision, her magically enhanced strikes knocked aside their blades and Ciri was able to cut two more down before she came to a stop.

She spun back around towards Caranthir, as the last rider charged. He lashed out wildly, and Ciri was able to side-step and attack from the right. However, the rider blocked more furiously than she anticipated. Stumbling back, Ciri remembered her and Dominik watching Geralt perform the move a hundred times. She leapt up as she spun stabbing her blade forward. She stabbed the eye of the rider's faceplate and he stumbled back. Blood dripped to the ice, and Ciri could see Caranthir still with that smirk on her face.

Anger boiled in her gut, and she teleported forward. She cut through the rider who was still reeling going straight for Caranthir's through. However, just before she could cut her blade through him, he teleported away in another puff of frost.

"You… are… too late, Zireael," The voice came from behind her.

Ciri almost didn't recognize Caranthir's voice not coming from behind his faceplate. She spun back around, sword leveled and magic swirling from her limbs. The Navigator stood across from her, his staff held in one hand as he still looked as if he was in complete control of the situation.

She shook her head. "It's not! I won't let you, or any of your comrade torture any more worlds! You'll pay for all you've done, all the people you killed!"

"It was all because… you have what rightfully belongs to us," He said, his tone growing angrier. "You… will finally serve your purpose."

"I have my own purpose," Ciri said, "that's to save people from monsters! Monsters like you, and Eredin, your entire race! The Aen Hen Ichaer… the Elder Blood belongs to me! I claim it, and now, I claim all your lives! For all my friends you've killed, for all the hell you put my ancestors through! For Lara Dorren, Cregan of Lod and Alexander, I'm going to end this!"

For Dominik, for Geralt, for Yennefer, for all her friends, for Fiona, and most importantly for herself. Today, would finally be the day she killed that part of her past.

Caranthir smirked still, twirling his staff to a fighting stance. "You… are arrogant girl, just as they were. Even if you… manage to defeat me here… it is too late for you… and for _his _descendants…"

Her eyes widened, panic setting in. "What are you talking about!? What did you-."

A loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOM* **erupted, shaking the icy ground they fought on. Ciri stumbled, her eyes shooting over to a large tornado of bright magic. It was high enough that it dwarfed the Nagalfar. A spinning hurricane of violently churning white-blue magic. The rays of light battled each other in the air, lashing out and casting a shadow over the entire battlefield.

"Dominik…" She said under her breath, looking towards Caranthir. "What's happening!? What did you do!?"

The Navigator, in the shadow of the tornado, turned and laughed. "Aha… I did nothing. Baelen… will end _his _descendant… and even if he survives…. Today our King… ends… the line that disgraced us… today… he ends the Line of Lod."

She knew where Eredin was. He was going to let Dominik and Bella kill each other, and then whichever one was left alive he was going to kill.

"NO!" Ciri yelled, the magic shooting around her as she remembered the last place she had seen Dominik at in her mind. However, as soon as her eyes turned from Caranthir, she heard a portal open behind her.

She spun and raised her blade in time to parry. Caranthir spun, catching her off guard and slamming his staff into her stomach. Ciri flew back, pain erupting in her stomach and chest. She yelled as she landed on her back, her sword falling just out of her grasp.

"No matter… what you say girl…" Caranthir drawled out, stomping towards her. "You… will always be… that scared… scared little girl in our King's bedchamber… you… will never fully understand… or control… the power you wield."

Ciri groaned as she looked ahead of her, rolling onto her stomach. She looked over at her sword laying in the ice.

Crawling she got to it, grabbing it by the hilt, wrapping her hand tight around the brown leather. Every lesson, every lecture, every minute of training she had ever received, from Geralt, Vesemir, the witcher, Yennefer, Dominik, they all came back to her. As well as their faces.

_A sword must be part of your arm, can you drop part of your arm? _Dominik's favorite quote.

_A witcher can forget to eat, drink, even to bathe, but a witcher _never _forgets to care for their blades, _Uncle Vesemir.

Slowly, pain flaring in her gut she pushed herself to her knees. Her gaze traveled to the looming tornado of magic, the distant explosions and sounds of battle.

_No, _she said to herself. _Yes… I am that same girl… but even back then, she was strong… and she's strong now. Dominik's not done fighting… and neither am I… not until we're all safe. _

She took in a steadying breath, magic sucking into her body. She felt the aches of her stomach go away, the pain in her chest disappear. She grabbed the ring around her neck, behind the witcher medallion and stood to her feet.

_Not until we're both safe… we always fight to get to each other, to keep each other safe, _that was the ring's promise.

Magic erupted from her limbs and she spun, power invigorating her, surging through her as she leveled her blade at Caranthir who had begun to snarl.

Ciri locked eyes with him. "We'll see about that."

"So… we shall…" Caranthir said, spinning his staff again.

And with a flash of magic, Ciri's eyes turned white-blue, and she dashed forward.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Dominik had fought Bella three times before this, but that time was the first he saw just how fast she was, even without magic aiding her. He considered himself quick, but Bella moved and slid along the ice with more grace and poise than he had seen from any opponent he'd faced. Each step was perfect, seamlessly moving her between attacks. The alignment of her sword was precise, and the magic enhancing her limbs only made her move quicker.

She pushed him back, lashing out from the left, from the right, each strike coming right after the other. He had seen plenty of smaller opportunities to lash back out, but he kept falling back, only lashing out when he had too. Around him in his peripheral, he could see the riders all surrounding them. Two dozen at least, hounds as well. If they decided to attack he'd be done for, he couldn't fight Bella and worry about them as well.

However, Bella didn't seem focused on anything except cleaving him in half.

Magic still churned above her, forming a small storm of violent churning light. He blocked a strike from the right, spinning after the parry and going to jab his elbow into her back. She was too fast. She continued her movement forward spinning and striking out at his back. He shot his sword up behind him, catching the blade on his, a small eruption of magic shooting from all angles.

"Bella it isn't too late, you can stop this!" He yelled, pushing back on her blade and lashing out at her side. She blocked and he spun off it, striking down towards her legs making her jump back. He looked at her, her emerald eyes radiating, churning streams of magic. "If we keep fighting like this-."

"Then I won't be able to stop!" She shouted, rushing and leaping at him again.

He cursed under his breath, the blast of him parrying her blow erupting in an explosion of magic. Sucking in more of the mist around his body, he finally lashed out himself, although they were far from the most convincing strikes he had ever thrown. He did it mainly to get her blade away from him, when he struck he went for her legs. Each time he tried to go higher, he'd have to look at her eyes, her face, her nose, her ears. He'd look and see his sister's face.

_Gods, I never should have made her take her helmet off, _he thought. Finally she seemed to see him hesitate, because she spun around him after parrying one of his blows and cut at his side. The blade ripped against his armor; the wound would have been worse had he been wearing anything less than the armor he had.

He winced and grabbed his side and tried to knock away Bella's sword that came again, but she was simply too quick. She rolled out of the way and Dominik cursed under his breath, looking down at his hand and seeing the blood pooling. He sucked in more of the magic, shooting it through his body to heal the wound. The process was slow, and Bella must have known that because she took full advantage.

She lashed out with a new flurry of strikes that he barely managed to stop. He shot his hand forward, and Aard unleashed from his fingertips. She disappeared in a puff of frost and Dominik instinctively spun, raising his blade just barely in time to stop her blow from above. He felt down to one knee under the pressure and he saw her eyes looking at him. Black bags were under them, magic spat from them like a churning tempest, but behind them he still saw her. Her eyes always matched his so, so perfectly, and for a moment he saw her younger face, that infectious smile that enthralled anyone who saw it.

"Alexander doomed you to this fate, just like he doomed me!" Bella yelled, her sword pressing down on him nearing his shoulder. Her eyes were wild, but behind them, he could see the torment, he could see how broken she felt. "Don't die for his mistakes, don't die for someone who's the reason your family is dead!"

His muscles began to convulse. He felt something snap in his mind, he sucked in some of the magic mist around him and pushed.

_She's just as good as me with the sword… I'm going to need to try something else. _

"I don't give a damn about Alexander! I don't give a damn about his mistakes!" Dominik yelled, pushing upwards back to his feet, Bella's sword bearing down on him. The words his ancestor spoke to him rang in his ears as he shook his head, meeting Bella's eyes.

"I'm doing this to save the woman I love; save all the people I love! And that includes you!"

He willed the magic to his palm and shot it outwards. It rippled the air around them, and Aard slammed into Bella's stomach sending her flying backwards. She landed with a thud, and Dominik rushed forward, coming to a stop just a few meters away from her. Her armor was singed and he stumbled, throwing her locks of brown hair out of her face. The wind took it and blew it back. A bruise formed on her cheek as she finally shook her head and growled at him.

"YOU DON'T LOVE ME!" She screamed, but it came out almost as a sob. "YOU STOPPED THE DAY YOU MET CIRI! SHE WAS ALL YOU EVER CARED ABOUT!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE AND YOU KNOW IT ISN'T!" He screamed, his anger beginning to bubble up into his chest. He met her gaze and shook his head. "I LOVE YOU BOTH! YOU LOVED HER TOO! SHE WAS A CHILD SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"SHE TURNED YOU AGAINST ME! YOU AND OUR PARENTS!" She yelled again, as Dominik saw tears start streaming down her face which was full of soot. "BECAUSE OF HER YOU ALL LEFT ME TO DIE!"

"AND THAT'S NOT TRUE EITHER! YOU KNOW IT ISN'T I WON'T CODDLE YOU ANYMORE!" He finally felt the anger leak into his magic. His own started churning violently like Bella's. Simply telling Bella how much he still loved her, how Eredin's visions were lies hadn't worked, and it wasn't going to work. Despite what he told himself before the battle he had tried to talk her back again.

He knew she didn't believe what Eredin said. She had seen the truth when he sent her the dream of them and Ciri. She wasn't stupid, she was scared, he could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I SHOWED YOU WAS REAL!" He shouted at her the magic started to hurricane around him like it was her. She hadn't stopped looking at him, but she hadn't lowered her sword either. "YOU'RE JUST SCARED! SCARED OF WHAT EREDIN WILL DO, THAT YOU CAN'T TRUST ME AGAIN!"

She faltered for just a moment, and Dominik saw it.

"I FAILED YOU THE LAST TIME BELLA!" He said, his heart falling to his stomach as he shook his head at her. "But I was a child then… I was helpless. But I'm not anymore! I won't let Eredin use you, I won't let him kill you!"

For a moment Bella was silent. Dominik's heart raced at an alarming rate, which would have worried him had the magic not been around him. He sucked in a shaky breath to calm himself, as the magic around him slowly turned back into the calming mist.

_No more words… they won't work, she's just as stubborn as I am…_

Bella growled and gripped her head with her non-sword hand. It seemed as if she was going to pull her hair out as she shook her head and looked at him.

"You expect me to believe that!? You expect me to believe that even after all I've done," Bella said, "after trying to kill you, Ciri, thousands of innocent people, that you'd just forget about it all!? You _know _that if you don't kill me, I _will _kill your princess. You'd kill me if it meant keeping her safe… we both know it."

"That's not true!" Dominik said, stepping forward again, "I know it isn't true, because I know you _won't _kill her, won't kill me! I know you don't want what Eredin will do to happen to all these people! I _know _who you are, you're my sister, my family… and you never give up on family, no matter how far gone they seem!"

"Well, I'm too far gone now…. I trusted you once… big brother," Bella said, tears streaming from her cheeks. "It's too late…." She said, shakily sighing as the magic still whirled form her. She wiped her face and growled, looking over at him, rushing towards him again. "YOU WERE TOO FUCKING LATE!"

He didn't have time to respond. He knew what he had to do now. He couldn't use words anymore, there was only once option left to him.

Bella leapt, her magic swirling around her she came down with her sword. Her eyes had gone completely white-blue as she slammed her blade towards his head. Dominik formed the proper hand-sign and smacked his hand into the ground. The purple glyph of Yrden appeared, and he rolled out of the way. She landed in the glyph and was stuck in place, he had her back to him, unable to move her feet and he finally lashed out.

He leapt and swung at her back, but she saw it coming. In a puff of frost she teleported, and Dominik heard it re-open behind him. There wasn't time to turn and parry, he shot his hand up, and a yellow bubble shield from the Quen sign shot open around him. Bella slammed into it, and with a loud ***BOOM* **Dominik heard her cry out as she was sent back.

She tumbled and rolled, and he rushed towards her. He saw her get to her knees and spin towards him. Her hand fired forward and a spear of ice shot from her hands. It zoomed towards him, but Dominik felt a new surge of energy. He knew now this was the only way to get through to her. He had to win, he had to win this duel, no matter what. If he didn't, not only would Eredin then kill Bella, but he'd be leaving Ciri alone.

Sucking in magic he leapt, he spun and struck down with his blade. The magic encasing, he sword helped it cut clean through the icy spear, finally he reached Bella. He lashed out from the right, she parried, surprised by his ferocity. Seeing his advantage, he kept pressing on. Soon he backed her up against the edge of the icy caver, riders leapt out of the way, as he shot his hand forward and Aard shot Bella back. While she was dazed, he reached out and grabbed her sword hand, pushing his blade up against hers, pressing her back against the icy wall.

"Stop this now…." He hissed, meeting her eyes, burning with rage. "I won't let Eredin lay his hands on you! Together, me, you and Ciri can kill him, and stop what's coming!"

"You have no idea what's coming!" She hissed back, her hands both holding up her sword, protecting her throat from it as she pushed. "They hold more power than you understand! And they'll give me a place where I belong!"

He cursed, not wanting to argue with her now. He saw too late she was willing her magic to her hand. She shot it forward, slamming it into his stomach. He only had enough time to bring his hand back down from the sword and shoot it forward. A weaker Aard sign erupted, and it was what saved him from having his insides turned to mush. The blow shot him back, but he quickly scrambled to his feet, retrieving his dropped steel.

"YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF!" Bella's screams hit his ears, and he just barely raised his sword up to block.

She lashed out with a flurry of strikes from his right, but he saw her overextending. Her strikes were erratic, and the magic only made her move faster, not more precise. Yelling again she struck out high from the right. He parried the strike, a loud ***BOOOM* **erupted and magic smoke shot up around him, but he saw the glowing of Bella's eyes and spun.

He realized he didn't see her, and as she spun to her back, he brought his blade down. She spun too late, and dropped to one knee to block, but the power behind his strike was too great. It smacked into her sword, but the weight of his strike pushed past it, and his sword dug into the flesh of her shoulder, right in the unarmored part of her neck.

"GAHHHH FUCK!" She screamed, but her magic helped her keep his blade from digging any deeper into her shoulder.

Her blood sprayed from her shoulder onto the ice below them. He watched, as it slowly trickled under his boot. He looked at his blade, dug into her shoulder, her blood dripping and sucking onto the steel.

His sister's blood.

And then he made the mistake of looking into her eyes. Bella looked up at him, partly in shock, but what he saw twisted his insides, it almost made him sick then and there on the ice.

She hated him; he could see it in her eyes. She looked hurt, angry… betrayed.

His eyes returned to normal, all sense of anger leaving him.

_I… really just cut my sister… my… my sister…._

"B…Bella," He said, his hands shaking as neither of them moved. He looked down directly into her eyes, her shocked, twisted emerald eyes. "I… I'm-."

He stopped when he saw her eyes shoot to the side of the crater. Everything seemed to completely stop around them all. All the riders around them stood at attention, swords of halberds going to their shoulder. Bella's eyes changed, from a look of anger, of betrayal, to one of fear… of terror which made his heart twist even more.

It was like a magnetic pull had drug all their gazes towards one spot near the side of the crater, where a massive portal had rippled to life. The smell of sulfur attacked his nose. The riders stirred, and he swore he almost heard a whimper out of Bella.

And all at once, the scars on his cheek, and his thigh started to tremble.

"No…" He said, looking down towards Bella. "Bella! We can stop this now if we both-."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed, shooting her hands up and knocking his sword away. Magic churned in her hands, all the magic in the violent storm formed into her hands, and she slammed into his chest and he flew backwards like he was fired from a ballista. It was all he could do to will the magic to try and soften his blow, to brace him for the impact.

With a loud ***BOOOOOOOM* **he slammed against the icy crater. Pain was all he felt. Even with the magic quickly working to slowly heal him, he could feel his legs, he couldn't feel his heart moving, the blood running through his veins. The riders had all backed away from him as if he had some kind of infectious disease. Coughing he saw blood spit from his mouth, and while the magic slowly worked to heal him, it didn't go nearly quick enough.

It did enough to return feeling to his legs and let him crawl to his sword which had fallen not far from him. His vision was so blurry it took him a few tries to properly grip the hilt, in that time he could hear muffled voices.

"Good… Baelen… good…." The demonic voice crawled up his skin, and snaked into his ears, piercing his head like a sharp knife.

His vision cleared as he pushed him to his feet, stumbling forward with his blade loosely in hand.

"Ah… our… hero arises…" Eredin's voice came again, an amused tone to it. "So brave… yet… so foolish, just like your ancestors."

He finally looked up. Bella hadn't moved. Her sword was gripped for dear life in her hand, her eyes fixed down on the ice. Her blood slowly trickled from the wound on her shoulder, but he could see her magic going to work fixing it like it was trying to do for him. He had to blink a few more times, but he could still see Eredin's towering form besides her. He had taken off his faceplate and looked over at him with those demonic pale eyes, a smirk on his face.

_That… that fucking… smirk. _He coughed, blood coming out on his glove. _They all have it… I'm going to wipe it away permanently. _

His scars burned, as images of the King's blade stabbing into his leg, the feeling of it raking against his face all came back to him at once, hitting him like a too strong drink. A part of him wanted to flee, to find Ciri, to find his friends. He looked around and saw all the riders begin to stand at the ready, he wouldn't stand a chance against Eredin, Bella and all of them, no matter how much magic he had.

He sucked in a shaky breath, leveling his sword and letting the magic whirl around him. He looked at Bella, who refused to look up at him, not moving a muscle as Eredin was inches away from her, standing next to her while he stared at Dominik.

He focused his magic and looked over at Eredin. Coughing again he shook his head. "You… you're going to realize soon that… that we're _all _that way!"

His words were directed at Eredin, but he looked towards Bella, who stiffened. Eredin looked at him, with that smirk Dominik wanted to remove from his head. His magic was steadying, working through his bruised bones, and his injuries. He had it under control, it slipped up his arms, up his sword, down his legs.

No, he wouldn't run, he wasn't going to give Eredin the satisfaction. He stood, ready for what was to come.

But then Eredin smirked and looked towards Bella. "Baelen is not… she is… loyal, my… personal weapon. She…." He said, gently drawing his armored fingers across Bella's cheek, "is my… perfect little weapon."

The magic erupted out of him. "FUCKING TOUCH HER AGAIN AND I SWEAR-."

"You swear what? Are… you going to try and kill me again?" Eredin said slowly, his hand cupping Bella's face, jerking it up towards him. Bella jumped, but let him, trembling as she still didn't move. Eredin turned back to him, his eyes boring into him. "After this day… both Baelen… _and _Cirilla will be… where they truly belong… at my side. Well… one will be a corpse…"

All semblance of thought was gone from Dominik then. He didn't think about anything, anything except seeing Eredin's head roll from his shoulders. Those armored fingers trailed along Bella's cheek, and held around her neck. Bella trembled, her back straightening as she knew as well as Dominik did, all Eredin had to do was apply a small amount of pressure her neck would snap.

"Baelen…" Eredin said, speaking slowly as his hand rested around Bella's neck, "must complete… one last mission." He smirked at Dominik again, before looking down at Bella. "Baelen… it will not be a problem… correct?"

He squeezed ever so slightly around Bella's neck, making her gently whimper again, quickly nodding. She looked up at Eredin and shook her head. "I… I will not fail… not again."

"Bella!" Dominik yelled, making them both snap their heads to her. "You can't seriously believe this! Don't let him force you into this, you're stronger than him, he'd stand no chance against us together, he knows it and that's the only reason he's keeping you alive now!"

"Aha… your… feeble attempts fall on deaf ears, Baelen," Eredin said, squeezing Bella's neck tighter again, looking down at her, "is loyal…to me. I... control her… because she knows that without me… she is nothing." He looked at Dominik again, shaking his head, "She will serve… many purposes after the deaths of you and Zireael… a great many."

And that was when he felt himself erupt.

No longer was there a calm churning mist around him. He rushed forward, his legs moving of their own accord, faster than they had ever moved as he lunged and went to cut his sword down through Eredin's neck.

But before he could end the king's life, another blade flashed up to block, and a loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOM* **shook the icy plains as his sword clashed into Bella's.

A portal reopened, and Eredin stepped out again a few meters away, as Dominik wiped away the cloud of smoke from his vision. He had gotten sent stumbling back but not far. Once the smoke cleared, he saw Bella in front of him, her eyes flashing white, blue around her emerald eyes, as she looked at him, holding her sword leveled with trembling hands.

Rage, that was all he felt. A deep, visceral rage that carried into the very depths of his soul. He looked at Eredin behind Bella, who smiled coyly before turning and looking at Bella.

"Now Baelen… kill him, complete your final test," He said slowly, before turning and looking at Dominik again. "Today… the despicable line that embarrassed our superior race… comes to an end."

Bella turned to him; he could see her eyes quivering as she looked to Dominik again. He didn't see the same angry look, the same look of hatred and betrayal. No, she was just afraid, and Dominik took another slow step forward.

"Bella… please…" He said slowly, the magic building up above him. He looked at Bella, similar to him, the magic was turning into a large tornado above. He slowly glanced over at Eredin. "Together… we can kill him."

"Baelen!" Eredin yelled after he spoke, turning Bella's attention towards him. Eredin slowly smiled and gestured towards Dominik again. "Remember… the price of failure."

The dream he had a few days prior flashed into his mind again. Bella, writhing on the floor in pain, Eredin and Caranthir standing above her. He remembered all the other dreams he saw, of them beating her, harassing her, telling her what would happen if he failed.

He turned back towards Bella again, who slowly looked back to him.

And with a scream, she rushed at him again.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"You… are WEAK ZIREAEL!" Caranthir screamed, lashing out from the right with his staff.

Ciri ducked back, the ball of light passing over her head, before teleporting forward and trying to cut across the Navigator's stomach. However, Caranthir again was ready, and teleported out of the way in a puff of frost. Ciri whirled, trying to locate him, but again was too distracted looking at the tornados of magic from just a short distance away. The crater where Dominik was couldn't have been more than a few meters, she could remember exactly where it was, could teleport there.

But each time that she tried, Caranthir was on her.

_This was their plan all along, separate us, _Ciri realized as she parried the staff and leapt to avoid another strike. _Even Avallac'h said it, they realize how much stronger we are together, they separated us to make it easier. _

Caranthir growled and leapt towards her again. He swung out with one end of his staff and then the other. His eyes were what unnerved her the most. They were a pale green, the same demonic look all the Aen Elle had as he tried to smash her head in. She parried quickly to one side, and then the other, trying to avoid both sides was hard, it was like facing two weapons at once. She cursed and said a silent apology to Dominik. He had offered to teach her more advanced ways of fighting with two weapons the previous few weeks, and each time she rejected, saying she didn't feel she needed it. It would have come in handy at that moment.

But it wasn't that, or Caranthir's eyes which distracted Ciri the most. It was the battle in the other crater. Two massive tornadoes of magic, which looked like two large whips slamming against one another. She could feel the access of magic, it would have given her a headache had her own powers not countered it. She had never seen magic like it. What she was seeing then, looked similar to how Dominik described her own powers unleashing at Kaer Morhen.

_He's over there… and so is Eredin. I need to get there; I need to get-._

"You have no hope Zireael!" Caranthir's staff passed inches from her face. She ducked back, avoiding the top of the staff again before the Navigator spun, slamming the staff against her stomach.

She yelled, teleporting away and falling backwards after reappearing a distance away. Her gut felt like it was imploding in on itself. Coughing, Ciri managed to stumble back to her feet, grabbing the hilt of her sword from the ice below and looking up at Caranthir again.

"Soon… Baelen will… fulfill her purpose," He said, spinning his staff under his arm again, that fucking smirk still present. "And… your allies will fall."

The sounds of the main battle were in the distance, but she had gotten enough of a look to see more and more riders, an endless stream heading towards the main site of the battle. More and more portals opened and would continue to open so long as Caranthir lived, so long as his staff stayed in tack. She had passed frozen Nilfgaardeans, all unmoving. It wasn't too many, but it should be enough to turn the tide of battle. More importantly it would mean the end of one of the Hunt's commanders, one of the heads of the snake cut off.

The only problem was there were three heads, and Dominik faced two of them alone.

Ciri gritted her teeth, looking down at the ring dangling from her neck. She couldn't teleport to him now, Caranthir would simply follow. No, the only way she was getting back to him was by killing the Navigator there.

But all she could see was, the image of Dominik standing before Eredin and Bella both, both bent on killing him.

She had run away after Rivia, after leaving Geralt and Yen on Avalon, specifically to make sure the Hunt didn't get to them, or to Dominik. She had separated from him again, denied herself that love for years, all so that what was happening now wouldn't happen, and he'd be safe.

She had brought the Hunt there. No matter how many times she was told it wasn't her fault, she knew that was false. The Hunt was there for her and had come because she decided to come back.

_No more… no more are going to die for this… least of all Dominik. _Caranthir stood across from her, why he hadn't advanced and finished her off was a mystery, but the more Ciri looked at him the more she felt that smirk stirring the boiling pot of rage deep in her stomach.

_I'll wipe that fucking smirk out forever, _she thought before looking up at his staff, _but first thing is first… the staff. _

Ciri didn't give him time to say anything else. Feeling her own magic erupting from her limbs, shooting from her eyes she ran and leapt. Caranthir looked up, raising his staff to defend, Ciri couldn't remember a time she had ever gotten so high. In the air she blinked forward swinging her blade down towards Caranthir. Like she expected he teleported away, but Ciri smashed into the ground, cracking and shaking the ice beneath her. Right away she turned and teleported again, again and again, each time Caranthir teleported away from her.

_Never stop when you have the advantage, press your attack! _Vesemir's words played over and over in her mind as it was almost as if she and Caranthir were playing a game of tag to the death.

Finally, she caught up with him, he stumbled out of a teleport and Ciri finally got to him. She landed near his side, and using her continued moment cut her sword across his side. The Navigator's blood spilled to the ice and he yelled out. Ciri came back around to his front and struck upwards. Her magic spurred on her arm, and Caranthir just managed to get his staff up to block. She heard a satisfying clang as her sword cut clean through the bottom of his staff. The bit of metal fell to the ground, but Ciri had no time to celebrate.

Growling Caranthir struck again, his staff clanged against Ciri's sword and he spun. He came down from above, but she got her sword up to block it. For a moment he towered over her, his staff pressed down against her sword. Ciri saw the opening, she ducked and rolled letting his momentum bring him to the ground. She spun and came up behind going for another strike to his already bleeding torso, but this time the Navigator was ready.

He disappeared in a puff of frost, and Ciri spun around just in time to find the staff smashing against her side again. She cried out and fell backwards, her sword almost slipping from her hand. She grabbed it, and just as Caranthir came to swing his staff down on her she teleported scrambling up from the ground to level her blade at Caranthir again, who stepped up in front of her. She saw his blood slowly leaking from his side like a leaky pipe. He grabbed his side, keeping one hand on his staff, but Ciri couldn't take joy in seeing him like that.

She felt a pain shoot through her head. It was as if every fall from the gauntlet was coming back to her in that moment. Her bones ached. She willed the magic to invigorate her, to mend her aches, but it was hard to do that and fight at the same time.

And she also still looked at the tornados of magic, which now seemed to combine into one massive hurricane over the crater just miles away.

Caranthir must have seen her looking because he chuckled. "Ha… he stands no chance…. Either… Baelen kills him, or our King... finally wipes out that line. Today… the line… of Lod… finally comes to an end… one way or another."

Ciri couldn't take her eyes off the hurricane. Rain continued pounding down on her, but it was as if Bella and Dominik fought in an electric cage of magic. She had never seen something churn so violently.

_And he's not just fighting Bella… Eredin is there. _She cursed and turned back to Caranthir. "You're wrong! You all underestimate us, and that's going to be why you lose here today! Together we're going too-."

A loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* **cut her off, a giant blast of magic erupting from the crater where Dominik was fighting. The hurricane imploded on itself and shot outwards. Even Caranthir was taken and flung aside by the power of the burst. Ciri tried to stay standing but soon felt like a rag doll in the wind. She slammed against a wall of ice and the broken hull of a ship. She landed with new pain coursing through her body, her head exploding from the inside as the amount of magic that went through her mind rang like a bell. She knew Caranthir was getting up as well, with the ringing still in her head, her vision still blurry; she found her sword and grabbed it.

She crawled up to her knees, leaning on her sword as she blinked to try and clear her vision.

And when she finally did, it was completely silent.

The hurricane of magic was gone, she couldn't even hear the sounds of battle in the distance. She had to assume they were all knocked back as well, but all she could think about, was the deafening quiet. All she could hear was the ringing in her head and nothing else.

Her eyes stayed fixed on where she had seen the magic, waiting, praying for the tornados to come back, to hear anything.

"Dominik…." She said, her voice in a whisper but rising to a panic. Groaning she pushed herself to her feet again. Her heart raced, and she took a wobbling step towards the center of the crater. Still no magic, still no noise. "DOMINIK!"

"Ah… aha… it… it is done," Caranthir said, coughing as he stumbled away from the wall he had been thrown against. He bled and was still holding his bleeding side. His face had been bruised and scraped; it was probably once, but now it was mangled. He spun, leering towards Ciri with his demonic eyes and spoke in his raspy voice. "He… he is… dead. Baelen… dead….and… after you die… Zireael… the line of Lod… will… be no more… you will fulfill your purpose."

"No… no, no, no, no, no not again," She said, rushing forward, stumbling to her knees as she got to the center of the crater. She looked up; a huge plume of smoke was over the crater. Still no noise, no magic. "NO, NO, NO DOMINIK!"

Her voice raked against the back of her throat. Tears came down her face before she could even think about holding them back. All she could see was him dead. He _had _been dead; he'd been killed at Kaer Morhen and she had been unable to do anything. No, he _couldn't _be dead again, she wasn't going to let him, she was going to be there for him this time.

But the longer she stared, the longer she saw no smoke come, and she felt herself break.

"Dominik… no… no you promised no… no…" She cried. She couldn't stop herself, standing there, in the middle of the battle Ciri cried.

_NO, stop it. He isn't dead, he ISN'T!_

She could feel the ring bounce against her chest. No, he wasn't dead, he couldn't be. And even if he had been knocked out, he was still alive. The sounds of the battle resumed, steel clashing against steel as thunder started to boom in the icy sphere, they all fought in. Sounds started hitting her ears again, but all Ciri could focus on was the plume of smoke above the crater so far away.

She needed to go. She needed to get to him, she wasn't going to leave him to fight alone again she-.

"IT IS OVER!" Caranthir yelled, and Ciri's highly trained ears heard the whooshing of the wind coming from behind her.

She spun, raising her sword to barely block Caranthir's staff. Before she could do anything else the Navigator thrusted his hand forward and a blast of magic slammed into her and Ciri got sent skidding back. She landed on stomach, her sword just falling out of her hands.

"You… can spare all… these other deaths…" Caranthir yelled over the wind in his broken tongue. Ciri groaned and crawled to her sword grabbing it and pushing herself to her feet. She spun just as Caranthir got to her, his pale green eyes baring into her. "Or… you can end up like… your little lover."

No. He wasn't dead, she refused to believe it, it wasn't going to happen, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. They had been through too much, they deserved to both make it out of this. They had suffered, they had fought, all the bad things in the world seemed to happen to them. At the end of it all was supposed to be a life, their life and nobody else was supposed to try and take that from them.

"And nobody will…." She gritted through her teeth. Her hand gripped tighter to her sword, feeling the magic around her begin to churn, to swirl, it came out of her eyes, out of her arms. No, nobody else was going to torture them. She had wanted that life for too long, she _deserved _that life, Dominik _deserved _that better life.

"And we're going to fucking have it." She turned, the magic completely overtaking her eyes, as she saw it shoot up in a spiraling vortex around her. She willed it, forced it to go further, to push more out of her, and when she screamed it erupted from her like a bomb. Her fuses had finally been burnt out, and now it all unleashed out of her. It picked up old pieces of wood, it knocked Caranthir off balance, it was like what happened at Kaer Morhen all over again.

Only this time, _she _controlled it. And when Caranthir looked back at her, he wasn't smirking anymore.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed and leapt, charging down towards the Navigator.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"He put lies in your head!" Dominik shouted, blocking Bella's blows and stepping under one of her strikes. "Our mother died protecting us both in the streets! Nilfgaard came for Ciri when she didn't even know about her powers!"

"THEY STILL CAME FOR HER, THEY PROTECTED HER INSTEAD!" Bella screamed, spinning and slashing her blade back down over her head.

He blocked it, thrusting his hand forward. Aard blasted Bella back but she quickly recovered. "They protected _ALL _of us the best they could because we were a _FAMILY _me, you and Ciri, they loved all three of us. YOU loved her like that! She didn't come up with some elaborate scheme she was a fucking child Bella!"

"YOU'RE WRONG! I'VE SEEN IT!"

"YOU'VE SEEN WHAT _HE _SHOWED YOU!" Dominik shouted, pointing his sword over towards Eredin, who stood with his hands behind his back. "I KNOW YOU DOUBT IT, I'VE SEEN IT IN YOU BELLA! What Ciri is supposed to do!? Stop the Black Ones? Stop mother and father from protecting her!? She was a child, we all were! None of us were to blame for what happened, only the Black Ones!"

"THE SAME PEOPLE YOU CAME AND FOUGHT WITH HERE TODAY!" Bella rushed at him again. He looked above her head and the churning tornado of magic had grown, it slammed and slapped into his as she leapt and brought her sword down.

A large burst of magic erupted from both blades. Bella pressed, but Dominik managed to parry it to the side. Bella's sword dug into the ice, and Dominik thrusted out his elbow, hitting her in the cheek before blasting her back with Aard again. She cursed as she stumbled back to her feet, one hand clawing at her hair again. She looked over at Eredin who didn't say a word, simply standing there with no helmet, watching the fight unfold.

_I can make it to him… I can fucking end this now, I can-. _Bella shouted again as she rushed towards him, this time however she was much more precise. He cursed as he fended off her blows. The speed at which she changed her guard position, at which she struck out was quicker than Dominik had ever seen. The magic while erratic helped her move, but with each missed strike, with each strike he parried, she grew more frustrated. Each time she'd scream, and lunge again. There were plenty of times he could've lunged and cut her good across the stomach.

But he stopped himself. If she wouldn't respond to his pleas, if he couldn't harm her, the best thing he could do was simply state the truth. Eredin being there however was an issue. The King simply stood with his riders, watching them, a dissatisfied look on his face. Each time Bella stopped she glanced there, she'd stiffen, and within a second turn back to attack him again. Why wasn't he attacking? Was he so confident that he controlled Bella that he was really going to stand there?

"YOU FOUGHT WITH THEM, YOU ALLIED YOURSELF WITH THEM!" Bella lashed out again, bringing his mind back to the fight. She lashed at him, stabbed forward, a blow which he barely had time to dodge. He side-stepped, but the momentary lapse gave Bella time to spin back and cut across his torso. If not for his armor he'd have bled out.

A hit pain shot up his lungs, he sucked in magic to help heal him, but Bella was still on him. She struck from the right and pushing the magic to his legs he rolled to the right and came back up, shooting his hand forward as Aard blasted her sword from her hand. Bella yelled out, stumbling back and Dominik lunged, tackling her back just before she could reach and grab her sword.

She tried to say something but yelled out when he slammed his knee over her wrist. He held her other arm down while holding onto his sword as well. He grimaced and winced, feeling his own blood drip onto the ice. The two massive tornadoes of magic around them had clashed, forming one massive hurricane above them. It churned, shot bits of debris and ice all over them. The howling drowned out the sounds of battle in the distance as Dominik looked down at Bella. A giant bruise was forming on her cheek, she was bleeding from her shoulder still and for a moment it was just the two of them.

Around them riders all grew antsy, while Eredin simply watched, his gaze unchanging. Around them both the maelstrom continued to churn, Bella's hair sprawled out behind her as she tried to rip free from his hold, but Dominik's grip was like iron.

He looked down and saw her eyes welling with panic. Soon, they fell on him, and for a moment, he was looking at his sister again, which made him shake his head.

"I allied with them, because sometimes the greater good outweighs the need for petty grudges and revenge! I _hate _the Black Ones, I always will! But I know that the best chance to save not just the lives of the people I love, but thousands of others would come if I fought besides them!" He pressed down again on Bella's wrist with his knee, keeping hold on her wrist. She squirmed but her eyes didn't leave him as he shouted over the winds. "And I _know _you think the same way! Even if for some reason you _do _really hate Ciri and me, blame us for what happened, you don't want thousands to die!"

"I've… I've killed thousands before! Entire villages!" She said through gritted teeth. He saw tears fall down the sides of her face to the ice, but it only made her kick to be free of his grip even harder. "I didn't feel any sympathy then… I am what I am… I'm a monster Dominik don't you fucking understand!? _THIS _is where I belong, I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!"

"YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE! OUR FATHER TAUGHT US THAT!" He screamed at her, his anger, his annoyance, his shame all boiling over into his words. Bella went silent, still crying and struggling under his grip as he looked at her. He slowly shook his head, tears beginning to form in his own eyes as well, as he struggled to form the words. "It… it is our choices that show what we truly are… far more than our abilities."

A favorite quote of their fathers, he was rather fond of that one, and it seemed Bella remembered it as well as he did.

Underneath his grips, she finally stopped struggling. Around them wind continued to swirl, the magic almost sounding like a hundred birds chirping at once in his ear. He spared a glance at the riders around them, and at Eredin as well.

Still no change, but he was done worrying about the King now. All he did was look down at Bella, who had closed her eyes, tears not stopping. His heart sank again. He hated seeing her like this, at any time. His life had been hard since Cintra yes, but Bella's had been just as tumultuous.

She shakily sighed and looked deep into his eyes from beneath him. "And… and my choices so far? What I've done?"

"Those were choices you made before; you can't change them. You can't change the past Bella no matter how hard you try," He said, his grip on her wrist and the force of his knee on her other hand softening. He didn't look away from her. "All we can do… is learn from it. I haven't done all good in my life either… but I'm choosing to fight for the ones I love here… it isn't too late."

"That's _all _you're here for!" She hissed as he put more pressure to hold her down again. She shakily sobbed out a small scoff, shaking her head, her eyes not leaving him. "For _her, _she's all you ever cared about, and all you care about now. Me, mother, father… no… _I _never really mattered to you… you were my best-friend… I _trusted _you!"

"I know…" He said his voice finally cracked. He made sure not to let up on his grip, but he could feel his heart shattering. She was broken under him, but the chirping of the magic, the howling of winds, and the cold glares from the riders and Eredin around them made him keep his focus. He sucked in a sharp breath and looked at his crying little sister again. "I let you down… and Bella I'm so… so sorry for that. But you're wrong. I'm not _just _here for Ciri… I'm here for everyone I love… and that includes you. I won't leave you again…"

"I told you it's too late…." She cried, tears coming faster now as she shook her head furiously beneath him. "You still don't understand! I don't want it to be, but it is, it's too late! _THIS _is who I am! And no matter what I do… I'm not strong enough to change it… I'm not."

He shook his head, and his mouth tasted like lead. She was still in tears below him, and around them he could see the riders getting antsy. Even Eredin's scowl started to deepen.

His gaze shot back down to Bella. "Bell… we don't have much time. _Please… _don't make me keep doing this! You're stronger than you know, _you _are the reason you're strong not him…. It isn't too late to make a different choice."

Slowly, he moved his knee off of her hand and wrist. He didn't break eye contact, not once. His sister was crying. He hated it when Bella cried when they were kids. He and Ciri would always do whatever they could to make her feel better, to make her smile again. Because that was just how infectious Bella's smile was, how infectious her personality was. She made so many others happy simply by being in the room. He hadn't seen it in eleven years, and now he figured out he had almost killed her three times.

He didn't know if he ever would forgive himself for that. Even as she lay below him, she was dripping blood from her shoulder and neck still. A giant bruise had formed on her right cheek where he'd elbowed her. The magic had been healing them both, but he still winced at pain in his right side where she had cut him. It seemed the magic was capable of sealing wounds on the outside, but not of taking the pain away in his bones.

Bella finally stirred, moving her arm and forming a fist. He thought she was going to attack for a moment, but finally he heard her sob. He had no idea what else he could do. He thought about the rest of the army, of his friends, and most importantly of Ciri. Had she found Caranthir? Was she fighting him as he looked at Bella then? How fast could he find her? He hadn't tried using his own magic to detect other magic, but he was sure he could.

For that one fleeting moment however, he pushed all those thoughts from his mind. He looked only at Bella. A part of him still wondered if it was some sick joke, some cruel illusion that Eredin had somehow managed to pull. Could they even do something like that?

But the more he looked at her, the more he knew that wasn't the case. His sister was below him; Bella was truly alive. One of his biggest failures.

She finally let out a shaky breath, meeting his eyes and shaking her head. "I wish that was true…."

His eyes widened and his heart palpitated. "Bella! Bella please you can't-. GAH!"

She threw her foot upwards, magic enhancing the speed of it. Her armored foot smacked into the back of his head, and right away Dominik's vision went blurry, black spots dancing in his eyes. He rolled off her, grabbing the back of his head and feeling the blood right away begin to pool. His sword fell just out of reach as a clap of thunder rang in his head like a bell. Above them as his vision cleared, he saw the magic above them both churning into one massive hurricane.

He looked to the side of his head as he rolled, seeing blood pooling from the back of his skull. He was having trouble bleeding let alone thinking of happy memories then to help control the mist. But he gritted his teeth and sucked in what magic wasn't churning around him. Slowly he could feel the pain leaving him, the wound on the back of his head was closing, blood was stopping, but that didn't stop his head from pounding and him from seeing black spots in his vision.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!"

Bella's scream sounded more like a shriek in his ears. He looked up as she bared down on him. Magic swirled around her entire body like a coat. It had turned from white-blue to dark blue, almost black as it shot around like static. He rolled just as her sword hit the ground where he had been, it would have easily been enough to cut him in half, but instead it cut into the ice where he had been laying in pain. Rock and ice exploded up into her face, and she turned just as he finally found his sword again.

And then she screamed again, coming for him in a blur. He barely got his sword up to block her first strike. Strength from the magic finally started returning to him, but after every attack, every clang of steel on steel his head would ring. The black spots would return to his vision. With each connection of their swords, more magic would shoot up from them blinding him even more. If Bella had been holding anything back on him before, she had stopped.

More thunder rattled overhead, as the rain became a downpour, but it was dwarfed by the storm of magic that swirled above their heads. It was pure, raw, unfiltered magic and with each attack his armor was singed, he could feel bits of his hair setting alight, quickly smothered by the wind and rain.

Bella leapt and stabbed at him, he side-stepped, knocking her sword into the ground. It cracked the ice below them, and he spun his sword ready to cut across her back.

But he stopped, his stomach erupting, his heart falling into it as he instead shot out his hands with Aard. The moment of hesitation bought Bella the time she needed, she rolled out of the way, cutting her sword back across his leg. He yelled and fell to his knee, spinning just as Bella came down with her sword over his head. He pulled his sword up, and Bella's slammed into it sending out a ring of magic shooting out around them. It smashed into some of the riders watching, sending them off balance, and Dominik almost dropped his blade from the shock that got sent up his arms.

"BELLA STOP!" He yelled, rolling and getting out of the clinch. He shot back up to his feet, leveling his sword as she whirled back around to him. "This is exactly what he wants! He wants one of us to kill each other, so he can pick off the other one!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" She came at him again, lunging from the right, attacking and then rolling to her left. She moved quickly, striking out and putting him on his back foot. Her eyes were awash with magical light, that same twisted dark blue light their magic had turned into. Her cheeks were red and bruised, but she lunged out at him.

The pain in his head was finally going away, but he knew he'd have to check for more damage later. Now however, Bella didn't seem to be thinking about her injuries either. She bled from spots all over her body, her armor was singed like his, but she didn't relent. She lashed out with a new flurry, the right, the left, she stabbed, not even taking a second to breath.

She shot her hand out, and a spear of ice shot from it. He rolled and got out of the way, the spear shot past him, impaling a rider in the neck before he had time to move. He watched the rider crumple to the ground, but even as he looked away for a second Bella took advantage. She lashed out towards him again, cutting from the right, but with his heightened reflexes from the magic he shot his sword up and blocked it. He shot his hands forward to knock her off balance with Aard, but she saw it coming. Her own hand went up, and a magic shield appeared around her. Aard bounced off it, before she lowered it and lunged. He barely got Quen up in time to block it. Bella's sword smacked into his shield, it erupted magic back to her, and she screamed she stumbled back, a massive surge sent through her body.

_Go! Fucking attack, you idiot, _he screamed at himself. But he was rooted to his spot. Bella stumbled, laboring as she grabbed her sword wrist in pain. She was exhausted. He could see it. She was bent over, still bleeding. Her skin was almost white as snow, her breathing was shaky as she slowly straightened herself back out. His Uncle Vesemir, Geralt, any of his mentors would have been screaming at him to attack, it was an opportunity that only came for a few precious moments in a fight like this. He tried to force his limbs to move, to fire Igni, to pull his crossbow out and shoot, anything.

He still didn't move. It was as if his limbs wanted to move, but the receptors in his brain weren't letting them.

_Gods I… I really can't do this. Ciri… Ciri was right, I never should have done this alone, _he thought, his cold hand slowly tightening around his sword. _I've already hurt her… how the hell did I expect to swing a sword at my sister? I couldn't even-._

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bella had seen him not moving. She rushed and leapt at him, magic building up in her hands coming directly from the hurricane of it above. It formed into a blast in her hand and she shot it forward at him. It came so quick, that Dominik only had time to form the sign for Quen.

The shield had just barely raised when the magic slammed into him. It felt like his insides were being ripped apart as he flew back. He shot back as if he was fired from a ballista, he shot his hands up again, magic from the storm above formed around him but it wasn't quick enough to cover him fully as he slammed against the side of the crater. His head smacked against the ice as a cloud of smoke went up from around them. The magic was still in the air, but all he could see were small bits of what was in front of him. His sword fell limply from his hand as the riders scattered and he slumped to the ground. His ass hit the ice, and every rider around him seemed to multiply.

He groaned and tried to use the magic to heal him again, but he couldn't see let alone focus. He sat, limp and aching as he fumbled for his sword. Blood trickled from cuts all over his body. Under his armor he could feel his shirt sticking to his chest soaking up the blood. He fell to his side, the pain in his head was unbearable. He felt as if someone was sticking needles into his brain. Still all he could see were specks of black, which he assumed were the riders, Bella and Eredin. He thought he could hear muffled voices, but all he could focus on was trying to move his limbs.

Slowly he felt himself able to think. _Ciri… Ciri for… for fuck's sake you… you were right. God… I'm dead… I'm fucking dead aren't I._

Eredin was there, and he wasn't going to let him live. No matter what his only hope for getting out of that situation lay with Bella, and she had almost just did him in then. He would be dead if not for the magic. It slowly helped his vision clear, as he thought about Ciri. Groaning he moved and crawled, hearing the steel of his sword rattle. His hand found it, and soon he was looking at the pommel, his hand wrapping around the hilt.

_No… fucking… no. I… I promised her…. _All he could think about then was her. If he died, Ciri would die just so she could smack him in the afterlife. He kept blinking, he thought he could hear voices, arguing, Bella and Eredin? He shook it out of his head, trying to blink away the blurry black dots that danced in his eyes.

Ciri didn't deserve this. He had promised, promised he'd be okay, and that their life would start tomorrow. They had both been through enough, this was supposed to be it, this was supposed to be the last fight for their lives. He still hadn't heard her entire story, the entire story of what happened after they were separated. It was one of the first things they planned on doing. A hot bath, food, a warm bed at a roadside inn, and just the two of them, telling each other every single little detail, no matter how agonizing it was.

It was their life, and they'd do whatever they wanted with it. Finally.

"Ciri…" It hurt even to speak as he pushed the tip of his sword into the ice. Around him riders stirred, as if itching to run him through, but they dutifully stayed put.

He kept blinking, wincing and groaning as he willed the magic to try and heal him, meanwhile he looked up out in the distance near the Nagalfar. The sounds of the battle were getting closer, but it didn't matter. If Ciri didn't kill Caranthir, and they couldn't kill Eredin, nothing would matter.

"You promised you'd consider sparing him!" Bella said, but her voice to him was distant, muffled.

He ignored it, all he did was look, he needed to know she was alive, that Ciri was alright, that he hadn't sent her to her death. He knew she could survive, but what if just like this had been a trap for him, they had set one for her?

With a coughing laugh, Dominik realized what they had done. _They… they split us up… they wanted this from the start. He… he knew that… that together we… we would've been too much._

_And I gave them exactly what they wanted. _He pushed himself to his knees, having to hold onto his sword as he looked out towards the Nagalfar again. "Ciri…"

"I said… I would _consider _sparing him…. Once Zireael was dead," Eredin's deep voice said, the voices becoming clearer now.

Bella spoke again. "And she has to be! She stands no chance against Caranthir, we know this! He stands no threat anymore. Once she's dead, I'm sure I can convince him to stand down!"

As soon as he heard the words, Dominik turned to the sound. His vision was slowly clearing, and he could make out Bella, standing in front of Eredin her sword dripping blood at her side. The wind, rain and churning of the magic sent her hair flying up in all directions. Eredin looked down at her, and for the first time, his steely gaze didn't seem to intimidate her. The King glared down at her, his pale demonic eyes didn't leave her, but Bella didn't waver. For the first time she showed strength. She didn't back down, even when Eredin got inches from her, staring down at her, towering over her by feet, his sister didn't move.

But Dominik ignored all of that, all he heard, was Ciri being mentioned in the same sentence as being dead.

"No… no, _no!" _He hissed, trying to step to his feet, but slipping back to the ground after new pain shot through his head. The magic around him became like static as his panic rose.

Eredin's voice cut over the wind again. "_Again _Baelen… I said I would _consider _your request. And being as generous as I am… I _have _and I've chosen to decline."

"But you said-."

"_NO _Baelen," Eredin hissed, "you have seen as I have… he will not back down. Besides… don't think I haven't seen your weakness."

Dominik looked up, still on his knees he couldn't even find the strength to get up. He tried, but the magic was too slow. Each time he tried to relax his mind the pain would erupt, as if his brain were slowly being ripped off in chunks. His bones, the aching it hadn't stopped, and the magic could only do so much. He couldn't think straight, he couldn't think of happy memories, of what was coming after, all he could think about was Ciri, where she was, if she really had a trap sprung on her like he had.

"I did what you asked! I fought him, I beat him, he can barely stand!" Bella's shouting drew his attention. He looked over and she still looked up at Eredin, the magic gone from her eyes. In the center of the crater.

She shook her head. "I did what I had to do, and I fulfilled _MY _orders! You told me that it was all I had to do! To get him away from Zireael and beat him, and _THAT _is what I did-."

A loud ***BOOOOOOOM* **shook the icy plains below them, cutting Bella off and turning the attention of every rider over towards the Nagalfar.

Dominik tried again to get to his feet, but only managed a few steps before falling, his head still spinning. He looked up and saw a large blast of magic spiral up from one of the craters a distance away. It heightened his senses, his eyes widened and pushing through the pain in his head, he reached out with the magic that was left around him. He had never tried it before, he hadn't tried almost anything with the magic before, but he could remember Yennefer, Triss, Ida, everyone saying that each mage had a distinct magical signature, one that defined them. It was how Ida was able to tell he was related to Connor of Lod, because Dominik's signature was so similar to his.

Each minute he pushed, his head pounded but after a few seconds he latched onto something, a feeling, a familiar feeling. It was as if she were standing right next him. He realized he had felt it, the feeling of her magic. It had been next to him, it bounced off his so naturally, that he knew right away it was her.

That blast had come from Ciri. He looked and saw a large cloud of smoke, of magic wisps coming from the crater she had been fighting in.

She was in trouble, she was alone. _I promised not to leave her alone again… come on, get the _fuck _up you useless fucking man. GET UP!_

He tried, but he slipped again, falling back onto his stomach on the ice now stained with his blood. His fingers dug into the ice as his steel just fell from his hand, outstretched in front of him was the swallow around his neck, it had somehow fallen from his neck. A surge shot through him as he snatched it, curling it in his fingers, which only made him think about Ciri alone again.

His breathing came in quick rapid breaths as he got to his knees again. Looking down his gloves, and now the swallow was covered in his own blood. The wounds had sealed thanks to the magic, but the blood all over his body was still there, and now it stained his one reminder of her.

That small piece of silver had gotten him through the last eight years. There had been nights where he didn't feel anything. He had weeks at a time where all he felt was pain, inside and out, it was if someone was repeatedly beating him down over the head with a shovel. All he was able to think about was her, how he failed her, how she was suffering, and how he had _known _something would happen, yet he did nothing.

For days at a time he couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep. Why would he? Because each time he did, each time he would try to close his eyes for the night he'd see her, he'd see Cintra, his home in flames, Bella and his mother shot down in the streets, he'd see Cahir chasing Ciri and he, he'd see Ciri walking through the portal with Yen. Her last smile, her last words, the dreams of her being kidnapped, of her being killed. How could you close your eyes to sleep, to try and escape the pain of being awake, when you experienced that same pain only worse when you did close your eyes? He had days where he couldn't move, he'd lay awake in a bed roll, unable to eat or get up and do anything. What was the point? What was the point of getting up and doing anything, when everything you tried only brought more of the same pain?

Every. Single. Day. For weeks at a time this was his life, waking up after an hour of sleep with an empty stomach drenching in his own sweat. Combine that with sleeping in the woods, having to fight every day to survive, to make money to live, having to risk his life to kill monsters he never should have been able to, or had to fight. He could either fight a pack of drowners and risk pain that way, or sleep and feel the pain that way.

At points the only good thing, was the prospect that maybe the monster he fought that day would finally kill him and take it all away. If he were dead, he wouldn't feel anything anymore. Anyone would think that better, then nothing but a repeating cycle of the same pain each day, wouldn't they?

He had looked over so many cliffs. People would always claim they knew what it was like, to be at the edge, to experience what he had. But until you looked over that ledge, an actual ledge and saw the abyss, the blackness below, you didn't know how it felt. You didn't know what it was like to be ready to end it all, until you had one foot over the ledge.

But he always pulled back, and that small piece of silver in his hand had been the reason why. That swallow always reminded him of the promise he made. If they were ever separated, he would do _everything _he could to find her. It reminded him that the happiness he had, the few moments of it had been real, that _Ciri _had been real. The swallow wasn't just some piece of silver, it was _her. _It helped remind him of the times his life hadn't been so full of pain.

And all those moments had Ciri in them. The _one _person who understood him, who made him feel like he wasn't alone in the pain he experienced. A light in his life which had been nothing but darkness since his home was burned to the ground and his family murdered. She had shown him that good things still existed in the world, and that swallow always reminded him that she was real. She had gotten him off that ledge.

It was small, but sometimes, something small was all you needed.

On paper sometimes your life looked bleak, but in the end, there was always some good. And to get through, all you needed to do was focus on that good.

_Ciri. _

The smoke had cleared from where the explosion had erupted. Magic around him was beginning to quicken with his heartbeat. He sucked in a shaky breath, focusing on that good. The mist came back, and he sucked in the magic through his nose. It calmed his trembling hands. Small wisps of it came out of his eyes as he opened them and squeezed his hand around the swallow.

_If they somehow did kill her… there's going to be hell to pay… for everyone. _His eyes grew more filled with magic, as he slowly tied the chain for the swallow back around his neck.

That one bit of good.

"Ah… it seems Caranthir has done his job," Eredin's voice broke over the wind again. Dominik turned slowly, his head down, but he peaked to see the King turn towards Bella.

Bella hadn't moved, still staring out over where the explosion had happened, her knees locked. However, when Eredin grabbed and violently squeezed her shoulder Bella jumped and turned back to him.

Eredin's face contorted into a snarl, his voice hissing. "You have grown… _weak _again Baelen. You are… lucky Caranthir succeeded in his task."

Bella looked at him, and then over to Dominik again. He coughed, falling to all fours again. He continued his fit, blood spewing up from his mouth before he heard Bella's voice again.

"But… but I _completed _my task as well! We've won the day, and you told me, you _swore _to me on your honor as King," Bella said, her voice growing angrier as she looked up at the King. Her armored boots dug into the snow as she shook her head. "You said I'd get the chance to let him join with us once I proved I could defeat him, and Zireael was dead, you said that you-."

_"_ENOUGH!" Eredin's armored hand swung smacking into Bella's right cheek. Not ready, not ready for the strike, Bella cried out and fell to the ground blood spilling from her cheek. Her confidence drained as did the color from her face as she looked back up at Eredin.

The King reached down, grabbing the base of Bella's hair and yanking her back up to meet his eyes. Bella yelled and struggled, grabbing at Eredin's massive hand as he knelt on one knee next to her, yanking.

"I have _new _orders for you Baelen," He growled in her ear, tossing her back to the ground next to her sword. He turned and looked over at Dominik, his lips curling. "_Kill _him. Right your ancestors mistake Baelen… one final test…"

"You… you told me," Bella coughed from the ground, her hand curling around her sword as she looked back at Eredin, pushing herself to her feet, "that… _this _was my final test! You lied!"

Eredin stalked to her, his hand raised, and Bella stumbled back. A smirk came to Eredin's face, his black hair blew behind him as the magic around Bella and Dominik continued to swirl above them. The King scoffed, looking down at Bella again, she scrambled back as he stood over her.

"_I _decide when your final test is you _filthy _half-breed," He said, "now… you will do as I command. _Kill _him… and remember what the price of failure is…"

Eredin strode back to a wall of the crater below them. Dominik stumbled and fell to his stomach again, the magic still slowly working at his wounds. He saw Bella looking between him and Eredin, her hand finally curling around her blade. She shakily stood, and Dominik snuck a glance at her face. Eredin had struck the cheek Dominik already hit earlier. The entire left side of Bella's face was dark black and blue, blood trickling down in small streams. She still bled from her shoulder, from her back.

_Come on Bella… come on…._

She turned back over to him, and Dominik saw magic stream from the churning storm above her head. It shot into her eyes, the dark blue overtaking her eyes. He cursed and looked down again, sucking in the last of the mist surrounding him, not wanting Bella or any of the riders to see it.

He couldn't do this anymore. He needed to get to Ciri. He refused to believe she was dead, he'd come back for Bella but now, he needed to reach Ciri.

Bella's boots crunched against the snow, and Dominik looked back down. He coughed, spitting more blood onto the ice, watching his medallion and the swallow dangle in his vision before the only bits of light from the torches around them were blocked out.

Replaced by Bella's shadow.

"I… I warned you…. I did," She said. She was crying again. "It's over…. After I do this… I'll finally have my place…. Eredin he… he will make sure of it.

"You… you're a lot of things Bella," He said, coughing again as he dispersed the rest of the magic throughout his bones. He dug his finger into the ice, not looking up. "But… but an idiot isn't one of them…. You… you're nothing but a pawn to him, he doesn't care."

"And you do!?" She spat.

"Yes," He said, a breath leaving him, magic wisps coming from his lips.

Bella's shadow shook its head. "It doesn't matter anymore…. If I kill you… maybe the pain will go away… it has to go away somehow!"

"It won't… believe me, I know," He said, his eyes drifting to his sword a few feet away. Shaking his head, he kept his eyes on the ground. An idea formed in his head. "The pain… it won't go away with one death…"

The tip of Bella's sword touched his neck. "And how would you know?"

"Because I've tried that," He said, trying to remember anything he had ever heard Yennefer say about the abilities of magic. Bella's cold sword tip tingled against his neck. "You think that if other people hurt as much as you do… then maybe it'll make you feel better… but it doesn't, it never will."

"And you're going to tell me you know how I feel!? That you've _felt _how I feel!? That you can somehow make it better!?"

"I'm your brother… I may be the only one who does know. Well… me and one other person," He said softly, feeling the connection with the sword made, it was just behind Bella's back.

Bella's sword trembled on the back of his neck. He heard her shakily sighed. "It doesn't matter anymore Dominik... I'll kill you here… and if Ciri isn't dead… I'll kill her next. Don't you understand? You're going to die, and then Ciri is going to if she isn't already! It's _over_!"

_I'm sorry…._ He slowly let out the breath he had been holding. He felt Bella's sword leave his neck, and saw her shadow raise it. Dominik almost scrambled, but it stopped, unmoving as he had been when he could have killed her.

He couldn't freeze this time.

The magic loosed from his lips in a puff, and the color filled his eyes. He looked up at his sister, and when Bella saw the magic in her eyes she stumbled back from the bright light, her storm of magic spitting around her as she almost fell.

"Like hell it is…" He shot his hand forward as he leapt to his feet, magic flowing around his limbs invigorating him with new energy.

Around him the riders all fell backwards, he even saw Eredin stumble from just how bright the blue light around him blaze. He stood in the center of the crater as if he were a beacon of burning light for the ships in the bay. Bella stood up straight, and Dominik focused the magic around him, to the connection he had made around the sword.

From behind Bella tendrils of his bright magic wrapped around the sword, and it flew in the air spinning as it did directly towards Dominik's hand.

It spun and the tip cut across Bella's arm. She yelled, grabbing her now bleeding left arm just as the sword's hilt slammed into Dominik's hand.

Bella cried out in pain, looking over at him with widened eyes as the magic around him blazed like a roaring fire. But before she could do anything he looked to the edge of the crater and reached out with his magic again. He had only heard small bits about telekinesis from Yennefer and mages he met over the years, but they had always described it as a difficult practice, requiring immense amounts of chaos, of magical energy.

And luckily Dominik was saturated with it.

He saw a fallen sword and reached out with his magic as he charged. He flung his hand towards Bella, and that sword zipped towards her. She knocked it out of the air and turned around just as Dominik was on her.

Leaping he came down, focusing the magic into his palm. He channeled his chaos and blasted Aard down towards her. She got her sword up to block the blow but was sent flying back after the sign hit her.

Feeling as if he was the wind itself, he didn't stop, dashing forward again, this time latching his magic to a nearby helmet from a fallen An Craite soldier. Bella scrambled up to her feet just as the helmet slammed into her back. This made her turn and Dominik leapt again. He came down and clashed swords with her as she spun back around. The two hurricanes of magic that was clouding them both slammed into each other as a whirlwind of steel ensued.

Dominik fought and parried, but Bella had finally regained her footing, regained her focus and lashed back at him with just as much ferocity. He ducked and rolled under one of her blows getting low to the ground. He looked over and saw an old plank large wood and latched his magic to it. It zipped towards Bella and she had to turn and cut it out of the air, giving him the perfect opportunity to pounce again. He swung the flat of his blade at her feet, knocking them out and bringing her to the ground on her back.

He came back around above her, but Bella recovered quicker than he expected. She fired her hands forward and magic shot from it. It smashed into his chest. His own magic deflected it, but he still got sent stumbling back. Growling in frustration he latched onto a large shield of a fallen soldier and sent it flying towards her. She spun and with her magic enhancing her limbs she cut it in half and Dominik cursed.

_Gods for fucks sake she's as good as I am… I need to do something different. _Another idea formed in his head just as Bella charged again.

He rolled out of the way, turning his sword to a reversed grip and came up to one knee. Bella spun, but Dominik thrusted out both his hands, magic exploded from his eyes, he latched it onto as many bits of debris as he could. He swung and crossed his hands, sending all of them spiraling towards Bella. Riders ducked out of the way less they got hit. Some of their own weapons, shields, aces, halberds, bits of old wood and helmets all shot towards Bella, which gave him time to recuperate.

His time was short lived. Bella yelled and shot both her hands out, a shield popped up around her and all the weapons and pieces of debris smashed into it. He took the time to survey his surroundings. Still about two dozen riders were circling the crater, Eredin watched from between two of them, hulking over and keeping his beady demonic eyes trained on Bella.

And for the first time, Dominik saw the slightest bit of doubt in them.

_I need to move, gotta get to Ciri, _he thought. He looked and saw Bella shaking off the eruption from the magic. She rushed at him again, and kept his sword in a reversed grip, dodging and rolling the attacks Bella threw. He switched to Cat School techniques, dodging and keeping out of the way of Bella's attacks. Now and then he'd latch his magic to an old weapon and throw it at her, but her vision was tunneled.

She swung wildly from the right; the speed of her weapon was almost impossible to see. He ducked down and rolled to the side, but she expected that, smacking the butt of her sword into his cheek. On his back she lunged to cut him in half again, but he latched his magic to a nearby helmet and shot it towards her. It smashed into her bleeding arm, and Dominik rolled again coming back up to his feet and thrusting his hands forward with Aard. The blast was so powerful it sent her shooting backwards away from him.

She skidded to a halt and dashed towards him again. Dominik could see her the slightest bit slower, and he took full advantage. His sword still in reverse grip he blocked and turned for a perfect pirouette, and he saw it her back fully exposed, a quick stab and it would be over. He reared back his sword, the magic exploding from his eyes like it had been.

But he stopped again.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bella spun back around, cutting her sword up across his armor, blood flew from it. The cut was deep he could tell and just under his shoulder erupted like it was on fire.

He yelled out himself, firing Aard to blast her back. Setting the magic back to healing it Bella lunged again.

"I TOLD YOU, I'LL KILL YOU I PROMISE!" She leapt and came down, getting into a clinch of blades. Her face, her once emerald eyes were awash with magic as they were inches from him. "AND THEN I'LL MAKE SURE YOUR PRINCESS IS DEAD!"

And something in him finally erupted as the pain in his chest became almost unbearable.

Nobody was taking her again.

He looked behind her and saw one last red Clan An Craite shield. Pushing off the clinch he ducked. He knew it would come right after him again and he was right as she went to swing down on him after he came up to his knee. His magic shot from around him, latching itself to the shield and it shot towards Bella. It slammed into her chest, sending her stumbling back, and Dominik shot up from the ground, leaping higher than he had, coming down right for Bella as she turned back to him.

Her eyes widened as she summoned magic to her palm. She raised up her sword and bright it to meet his as they slammed the balls of magic into one another.

A loud ***BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* **shook the entirety of the icy plains.

Magic swirled in his vision as Dominik finally opened his eyes. His entire body ached, but the fine magic mist stayed around him. Smoke covered the crater he had been in. Frantically he shot the magic through his body, and it helped him get up with a groan.

It was completely silent. The hurricanes of magic that had been around Bella and he had disappeared. Only the mist around him remained, and it slowly moved to heal the injuries he had accumulated.

The first few steps through the mist he staggered. Around the walls of the crater, he saw the riders all slowly climbing back to their feet. Frantically he looked for Eredin, and found the King hadn't fallen, but still stumbled back. He was regaining his footing, and when he saw Dominik again, a smirk returned to his face. What is he smirking about?

"ARGHHHHHHH!" He spun just as Bella yelled and leapt.

Her armor was blackened, but her eyes still glowed with a fury. A small bit of magic was left around her and slammed her sword down on him. Dominik raised him to block. Her moves weren't as enhanced as they were. She was as exhausted as he was.

The only difference was exactly what Alexander had described to him. Bella's magic may have been possibly even more powerful than his during the fight, but she had used it with feelings of anger and hate.

And the magic took much more out of her then it did Dominik, slowly crumbling her. Which was why Dominik now had more power, and more speed.

He blocked and side-stepped, spinning and swiping his sword under Bella's feet. The flat of his blade took her feet from under her and she fell to the ground. Dominik came back around her side, his sword pointed down and the tip of his steel was inches from his throat.

And like that he had won.

He groaned loudly as pain shot through his chest. His own blood dripped to the ice. Slowly he sucked in some of the magic around him, shooting it through his chest. It would be able to heal the wound outside, but he would still feel the pain inside. The rest of his body wasn't in much better shape. It would take a bit for the magic to get him back to full strength.

However, he looked much better then Bella did.

Her right cheek was completely black and blue, blood trickling from it. Her shoulder, her torso, her arm, all of them bled. The magic around her was slowly trying to heal her but seemed to be doing more damage than good. She breathed slowly, shakily, tears running down her cheeks with the blood. Her skeletal armor was blackened from the multiple explosions of magic, and he didn't know how much more damage it could take. Her eyes weren't full of magic anymore. They were the same emerald green colored as his, almond shaped, just like his.

And even with her eyes like that she had tried to kill him.

He saw her try to reach for her sword, but he kicked it out of the way, his sword touching her throat.

"_Do it,_" She hissed up at him. Her tears fell quicker, her chest rising and falling at a dangerous rate. She started to hyperventilate, her eyes not leaving him. "Make it go away… Dominik… _do it. _Fucking… do _something _for me."

Dominik's throat closed. The front of his brain screamed at him to stop to pull his sword away and help her to her feet, to use his magic to treat her wounds.

_But the last time you did that… she tried to kill you. She said she was going to kill Ciri…._ That was from the back of his brain.

His hands started to tremble, but his steel stayed tipped at her throat.

_NO! Fucking stop it, this is fucking Bella what are you thinking! _His hands shook more, as he kept looking down at her. The drip of his blood onto the ice echoed. _But she's the reason you're bleeding… Folan, Vigi, Arno, they'd all died because she helped attack Kaer Morhen. One good act doesn't outweigh a lifetime of bad, that's what father said._

"_Please,_" She said from under his sword. Her eyes looked up at him, she started sobbing, she shook her head pleading. "Make it go away… please… please Dominik… make the pain… make it _fucking _go away. _Please… _do it!"

His mouth tasted like iron. It was blood, he knew the taste of it. His hand started shaking uncontrollably. He brought both hands to hold his sword, keeping the point at her neck. His heart began to beat an alarming rate. Was his sister really asking him to kill her?

"Yes… do it, kill her," A voice came from the left, cutting across the rain and thunder. The sounds of battle in the distance resumed, as Eredin slowly clunked towards them from the crater wall.

Dominik turned, and Bella did as well. Her eyes looked up to Eredin, almost desperate, pleading again for him to do something. He dug the tip of his point into her neck but realized a moment later how foolish it was. Eredin didn't care about Bella, he wanted them both dead, to him, it was only a matter of which one he'd have to deal with himself.

Bella from below him croaked, her eyes still over at Eredin from the ice. "My… my king I… but… I-."

"Baelen… _knew _the price of failure," Eredin said, his pale eyes turning dark as they looked over at Bella who shriveled back to the ground. The King turned to him. "Do it… kill her. Because if you don't… then she won't stop. She's a threat to Zireael if she still lives… Baelen will kill her… kill you. Why not eliminate another threat now?"

Dominik looked back to Bella. He could feel the eyes of all the riders around him directed towards them. Some reached for weapons, hounds of the Hunt snarled as Eredin stood only meters away. A part of him wanted to lunge, attack, but who's to say Bella wouldn't get up and try to attack him again if he did?

He looked back to Bella, who still sobbed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her gaze darted back to Dominik and Eredin, mostly now at Eredin still pleading. Eredin however, simply smirked over towards Dominik, his hands behind his back looking as if he had complete control of the situation.

Bella's eyes slowly fell back over to him, and he could see something new in them.

_"Please…_please Dominik…" She whispered, slowly shaking her head. "I want it to end… please… please… make the pain end."

She had one foot over the chasm. Bella was looking down into the abyss, as he once did.

The only difference, Bella hadn't found any good to focus on.

"No…." He said, looking down at his sword, and then back to Bella. "I told you… I'm not going to leave you, never again… and I won't give up on you either."

And he tossed his sword to the side.

_You're such a fucking idiot._

All the riders around him stirred, he heard one hound snarl from near his right. He looked over to Eredin, who's calm, confident smirk was gone, replaced by an annoyed glare. He waited for the King to lung at him, to summon his sword and cut him in half, but for the moment, Dominik turned back to Bella, who hadn't stopped looking at him. Her eyes were wide, small wisps of magic were in them. She seemed panicked but didn't take her gaze away from him.

Shaking his head and ignoring the hundreds of alarm bells going off in his mind he reached his hand down, holding it out to her.

He managed to see her face in closer detail then. For a moment everything seemed to freeze. Her bruise was somehow starting to shrink. The magic around her was getting quicker and quicker, was she gaining her strength back? The blood around her slowed its drip, as his eyes traveled from his hand to his eyes.

_No, she won't… she's your sister you _know _her. _She trembled for a moment, her arms slowly pushing her to sit, her armored hands digging into the ice. Dominik looked as deep into her eyes as he could. On the Path you learned to read people. It had been something Dominik learned how to do exceptionally well over the years.

But he couldn't read Bella's face then. He only watched it, as he saw the magic slowly starting to whirl again.

Seeing the riders around them begin to stir more he bit his lip, looking between Bella's eyes and his hand.

He held it closer to her. "Bella… please, let me help-."

She lashed out quicker then Dominik had seen through their entire fight.

Bella spun on her back, wrapping both her legs around his and tripping him to the ground. His head hit the ice, blurring his vision making him unable to focus his magic. He felt a fist slam into his gut. He wheezed and groaned as soon, he felt steel at his throat, a knee on one of his arms, a foot on the other.

And when his vision finally cleared, he saw Bella over top of him. Her cheek bruise was still there, but almost completely gone. Her eyes were wide, staring directly down at him, not leaving his own for a single moment as the tip of her jagged black sword digging into his neck.

"Bella," He tried to yell out, but he was silenced by the prongs of the sword digging into his throat. Bella's eyes remained unblinking, staring down at him.

He knew now what she had been thinking.

_Uncle Vesemir never said, 'don't willingly disarm yourself when in battle', _he thought, _because well… it's kind of fucking obvious. _

His heart had shattered. He looked at Bella who seemed to be doing everything she could not to show any emotion. Her eyes stayed trained on him, and it seemed as if time froze again before he saw something that was different from before.

The magic that slowly was swirling in her eyes. It was white-blue again.

His eyes widened as he shook his head. "Bella… what are you-."

She silenced him with a smack across the face, and her sword digging deeper into his neck. He cursed her under his breath, but then fought to keep back a smile.

Bella hadn't put any magic behind the smack, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. _I'm probably the first man to be smacked like that by his sister and smile about it. _

Boots crunched in the snow, and Dominik looked to the right of the crater. A few meters over, Eredin stood, a smile back on his face. Bella hadn't looked over at the King, instead her eyes staying glued to Dominik below her, her sword still dug into his neck. Thunder boomed, and the wind seemed to pick up again. Bella's hair blew behind her back, her brown locks were mattered with dirt, ice, snow, blood. It stuck together, and he could remember how uptight Bella was about it when they were younger.

"Well done Baelen…" Eredin said, his tone smug, satisfied. Dominik looked over at him and could see the King smirking over at Bella who still didn't turn to him. He then gazed to Dominik, a triumphant look in his eyes. "You picked up on my plan well… very impressive."

"Yes… my king," Bella said slowly, her voice steadying. She still didn't look back to Eredin as she nodded. "You… are very wise."

"Yes… now, here is another chance for your… redemption," Eredin said, "kill him…. We will go check on Caranthir's progress… and then celebrate our great victory."

Dominik hurriedly looked back to Bella, hoping that he hadn't simply been delusional.

No, he hadn't been. White-blue magic still churned from Bella. He had to assume she was smart enough to understand why her powers now had drained her quicker than his in the end. However, it wasn't just the magic he saw, he looked into her eyes, and for a moment thought she was losing it.

She was blinking, rapidly as if she had dirt stuck in her eyes.

But once he looked back to her, the blinking slowed, coming in small intervals. He didn't understand at first, but after seeing a few of the sequences of blinks, he saw the patterns.

And he almost laughed.

Back when they were younger, before they had even met Ciri he and Bella had developed a special way to communicate with each other. It was something they had kept between themselves; Dominik had never even told Ciri about it. Bella had been so excited, and he could remember multiple times them abusing the method at family dinners. The two of them would be across from each other, and Dominik would blink Bella a message, she'd blink one back and they'd end up laughing out loud. It dreadfully confused their parents who indeed never caught on.

Each letter of the alphabet was represented by a certain number of blinks. That letters position in the alphabet was the way they got them. For example, two quick blinks, followed by a pause, then six blinks meant twenty-six. That meant Z, the twenty-sixth letter in the alphabet.

It had been eleven years since he had last done this with his sister, but as Bella blinked above him, he could understand as if he were reading from a book.

R. E. A. D. Y.

Dominik looked to his right at Eredin, and then to his left, where his sword had fallen. It was only a few meters away, and he still had plenty of magic around him. Bella let up on her hold ever so slightly, and it let him use his left hand to latch his magic out onto the sword. After the connection was made, the magic disappeared, and he looked back to Bella above him again. He blinked right back at her.

R. E. A. D. Y.

"Come now Baelen," Eredin said, more insistently. "Finish the job… fulfill… your purpose and finally take your place… at my side."

Bella slowly let out a breath, her eyes not leaving Dominik as she nodded. "Yes... my King. I… will finally be where I belong."

She raised her sword up above him, readying to impale it down on his throat.

And she blinked again.

N. O. W.

Dominik bit back a smile and sucked in the magic around him.

Bella rolled to the right off him, and before Dominik could even blink, she teleported away in a puff of frost. He would have laughed at the surprised look on Eredin's face, but he let loose the magic that he sucked in.

With a yell Dominik rolled up to his knees, reaching out to the magic he used to latch onto his sword. He swung his hand forward as Eredin was trying to process what happened the steel blade zipped through the air towards him. It looked as if it was going to impale the King through the chest.

Eredin however turned, and in a second his blade materialized in his hand in a puff of frost. He knocked away Dominik's sword, but Dominik kept the connection to it, and pulled his hands backwards. It came at Eredin from behind, but the King was able to step out of the way, wisps of frosty magic starting to form along his arms.

Dominik held out his hand and the steel shot through the air back to his hand. He gripped his fingers around the hilt, as all the riders drew swords, and the hounds growled ready to pounce on him. Eredin looked at him, his pale demonic eyes bearing into Dominik as the wind blew back his black hair.

His sword, the same sword that had almost killed him before pointed at him. Dominik felt himself smirk for the first time in the fight, as he leveled his blade and let the magic swirl around his body. It zoomed and swirled around him in mist, invigorating him like it had never had, as all he could think about what he had just accomplished.

Eredin snarled at him. "You think you can challenge me? You _filthy _little half-breed? I knew I should have just had Leila killed… it would have saved me multiple headaches."

"Your worst nightmare is here," Dominik said, sheathing his steel. A smile on his face, Dominik pulled _Fate _from his back, twirling it to a reverse grip. "You won't live past the day."

"You told me that the last time as well," Eredin said darkly, magic swirling around his arms, a small storm of ice forming. He scoffed in Dominik's direction. "You can't possibly think that this time you-."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bella shot from a portal behind Eredin, leaping down from above the King her sword swirling with magic light.

Eredin spun, and as Bella fell Dominik dashed and closed the distance. Bella's sword slammed down onto Eredin, who moved his own to block. He blocked Bella's blade and knocked her aside with a blast of magic, but Dominik had finally closed the gap between Eredin and himself. He slid in his knees on the ice, cutting his sword across the King's torso. His sword cut deep, right along the slits of his skeletal armor. Blood sprayed out onto the stones, as magic exploded from Dominik's sword and his eyes.

"GAHHHHHHHHH!" Eredin screamed, and it shook his bones more than any monster's cry ever had.

But it still wasn't nearly enough.

Dominik spun back around ready to fight again, but Eredin already bore down on him with his sword. The same blade that gave him the scar on his cheek got inches from his face again. Dominik just barely raised his sword to block, but all the fatigue, the aching of his bones hadn't been healed through yet, so his arms buckled despite the magic helping him.

Eredin's eyes looked down at him. He pressed his sword down further and further, the edge almost at his neck. The riders still hadn't moved, but Eredin's pale eyes turned dark as he pressed harder and harder, Dominik's arms buckled again, and he fell onto his back. He rolled out of the way and Eredin's blade slammed into the eyes sending up sheets of it behind the power. Magic and ice swirled around Eredin's body, as he stalked towards Dominik again, still bleeding from his side.

He tried to get up again, but Eredin punched him back to the ground. His cheek erupted in pain, as the magic absorbed some of the blow, but still it sent his head spinning. He rolled onto his back again, looking up as Eredin held his sword raised. The ice from around the King's body started to freeze the tips of Dominik's cheek, and he looked at his silver just out of reach again.

"I should have done this ages ago…" Eredin growled, bringing his blade down just as Dominik grabbed onto _Fate's _hilt.

The black blade came swinging down for him, but a massive blast of magic from the left knocked it away just before it could hit him.

Bella was swirling and saturated with glowing magic as she yelled and leapt forward. Eredin recovered and his blade clashed with Bella's. The shock of the situation caught Eredin off guard and he stumbled. Bella knocked away his blade and spun low, going for a strike that could have cut across his back. But Eredin was quicker than they thought, he spun back around and knocked Bella's sword aside, punching his armored hand into her stomach and kicking her back.

Dominik tried to stand but a pain shot through his body. He watched as Bella stumbled back, with Eredin advancing quickly again. Trying to find any way to help her Dominik grabbed his silver and managed to sit up.

"BELL!" She turned to him and he tossed his sword over to her. Bella caught it and managed to raise her sword and his to block Eredin's next attack from overhead. Her arms pulsated with magic as she pushed the sword of Eredin to the side, rolling to the left and cutting both her blades across the back of the King's calf.

Eredin roared out in annoyance again, disappearing in another puff of frost and reappearing towards the edge of the crater in between his riders again. Bella looked towards the King, ready to rush again, but when Dominik groaned and got to one knee she turned and dashed back next to him. She held out both swords, standing in front of him, leveling them out towards Eredin.

And as Dominik looked up, he saw something that shocked him more than anything else he had seen that day.

Eredin looked between them both, from Dominik to Bella holding two swords out towards him. In his eyes, Dominik saw something, something he never thought he would see before.

It only lasted for a split second, but it was there. Worry had appeared in the King's eyes.

_That prophecy. The one Ida told me Connor heard before he died… that if he died at Eredin's hands, it meant one day Connor and Lara of Lod could be reborn… and they'd be able to defeat Eredin for good. _

His eyes trailed over to Bella, standing over him with both swords pointed outwards. Her eyes were narrowed, and finally he found himself able to ready what she was thinking again.

She was angry, and with very good reason. She was angry yes, but she was with him, just like he had always known she would.

_One you once loved has returned… Bella, _he thought, remembering the words that had haunted him for months since he first heard them from the Crones in Crookback Bog. _A single choice you make shall seal their fate… my decision not to fight her, to toss my sword aside. And finally… the choice you make, the fate of your family, to preserve or raise. _

It had been preserved; the last bit of his family had been saved.

And more importantly, one of his three goals coming into the battle had been completed. He saved Bella. Now, he just needed to find Ciri, and make sure to keep her safe.

After that, he'd kill Eredin. With his sister and Ciri next to him.

"I am… disappointed Baelen," Eredin hissed, his hand feeling at his side where Dominik had cut him. A scowl on his face he looked down at the blood on his fingers. "You have failed me… once again."

"It wouldn't be the first time…" Bella hissed back, the magic starting to swim around her more violently.

Eredin scoffed. "That is the truth… I knew I never should have let one with your… _disgusting _blood into my ranks. And even now… despite all I've done for you… this is how you repay me?"

"You _stole _my mind away from me!" Bella said, screaming now as both her swords dipped and she shook her head. "Caranthir and Imlerith murdered my mother, the person I loved! You made me almost kill my own brother, kill thousands of innocents, you made me betray my only friend! AND I'LL KILL YOU FOR IT!"

Dominik saw the magic turning back to black as she got angrier. Eredin laughed from across them, calmly sliding his sword back to his belt. He was unfazed by the magic swirling around Bella as he shook his head.

"Oh… I didn't _make _you do anything… Baelen," He said, "you were so… eager to please me. All you did… that was _you _Baelen, the _real _you. I simply… helped you discover the true person you are… I made you _strong._"

"YOU'RE WRONG! YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM!" Bella yelled, her arms starting to tremble as Eredin laughed again.

"Aha… you don't truly believe those words," The King said. "I _made _you Baelen. You do realize… that no matter the day's outcome, this… betrayal does not matter. That is because, no matter what you do… Baelen… you will _always _belong to me. I will _forever _be a part… of who you are."

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" Dominik finally shouted, groaning as he got to his feet, sucking in the mist of magic around him, and willing it to close, fix his wounds and reinvigorate him, which it did. He stood next to Bella, looking over at Eredin. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY. FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HER, TO HER VILLAGE, TO CIRI, AND TO EVERYONE ON EVERY WORLD YOU'VE RAZED!"

Bella looked over at him, tears welling up in her eyes again. He met her eyes and nodded, but not before Eredin laughed again.

"Again… you will try… as you did the last time. And as for you Baelen… you will now die alongside your brother… as was planned. Today, the line that disgraced and stole from us ends," Eredin said slowly, turning his back to them, looking over to one of the riders to his right. "Kill them both… and let it be known that Baelen… has betrayed us."

Eredin disappeared in a puff of frost, and as soon as he was gone, all the riders leveled blades, halberds and axes. Two dozen in all, and right away he got spun around, putting his back up behind Bella's. All of them slowly started circling the two of them. Most of the riders probably had been ones Bella wiped the floor with while training, making them hesitant to attack.

Bella let out a shaky breath, and turned around to him, holding out his silver. "You'll probably need this."

Dominik met her eyes and took his sword back. He couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. Her eyes were awash with bits of magic streaming from them in small waves, but behind it, he could see the emerald green iris welled with tears. The massive bruise on her cheek was still there, but smaller than it had been. She was still bleeding from her shoulder, but the magic was slowly healing her.

But in her eyes, he saw his sister. He _finally _saw his sister. Baelen was dead, Bella had won.

"D…Dominik," She said slowly, shaking her head as tears and her eye makeup fell down her cheeks. Her eyes didn't leave his as she shakily sighed again. "I… I'm sor-."

"Bell…" He said, holding a handout on her shoulder. He met her eyes, and even managed a smile again. "We'll talk about it later…. You made a choice; you were strong enough. For now… we have work to do don't you think?"

Bella quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. "We do…. Come on, let's go save your princess."

"No… not just that," Dominik said. He shook his head, slowly getting back-to-back with her again. "Let's go save our world."

"Yeah… let's," Bella said slowly, pressing her back up against his again.

He was about to go into detail about their attack plan, ask her if she knew where Caranthir was or about Kilgarrah. The riders slowly closed in, and he was about to yell out for her to make ready.

But Bella simply shook her head again, her gaze down on the jagged black sword of the Wild Hunt in her hands.

"I decide who I am…" She said, looking back to Dominik, and to the riders around them.

Dominik looked back at her as well. "Bell? What are you-."

Bella shot magic around her arm, down through her sword, before she reared back and threw it. She threw it and it zipped through the air, spiraling out of the crater, until finally it sent up a small splash in the ocean.

She stood behind him, weaponless, looking down at her blood hands.

Dominik turned around to her, slightly panicking now. "Um, Bella…. That was awesome, and I'm sure a really symbolic gesture for you and all but um… you may have had more use for that."

"No," Bella said, looking up at the riders. She held her hand out to the side, shaking her head as they started getting closer, "I don't need it."

From a puff of frost, a sword formed in Bella's hands. Forty inches long, a touch smaller than his witcher's blades. The crossguard was painted black, going straight out and shooting up at a ninety-degree angle at the end. It had a tight brown leather-bound grip, with a white lion carved onto the pommel.

And along the blade-on which the edges didn't show the slightest bit of dullness- were a series of dark blue magic runes that kept the edges of the sword so sharp. A dwarven sahil, a sword that could supposedly cut through almost anything.

_Coram. _

"You know… for a bit, I thought you had tossed it off a cliff after I had Kilgarrah bring it to you," Dominik said, smiling as he slowly got back-to-back with Bella again.

"For a bit… I thought I would too," She said, leaning her back against his as well, her eyes going back to the riders. "Do you mind if I use it?"

"Why would I?"

"I… don't exactly deserve it anymore," She said, the magic slowly shooting up the sword.

Dominik shook his head, leveling _Fate _towards the riders. "No… destiny was the reason that sword made its way to Skellige with you after Cintra. It's like I told Kilgarrah… you were meant to carry it."

She looked like she wanted to say more, but simply nodded. The riders stalked closer, seeming to steel their nerves, as magic started coming out from around them both.

"Caranthir is at the front of the Nagalfar, our plan was to separate you and Ciri," Bella said, as they slowly spun.

"I figured that out when Eredin showed up," He said, "do you really think he killed her?"

"No… Caranthir may be more arrogant then Eredin is," Bella said, swinging her sword out against the riders in a wide arc. "We deal with them quickly enough; you make your way to Ciri."

"What about you?"

"I'll head and help your army… I need to be there incase Kilgarrah shows up," She said quickly, slowly sucking in a breath. "Get Ciri, and meet us back at the Nagalfar and then…"

"Then Eredin dies."

"Hopefully…. I don't know what he'll do," Bella said, "but if I'm _ever _going to make up for the things I did… I have to start somewhere."

"This is a pretty good place to start," Dominik said, a small smile coming to his face. "After this you can bring me tea, sharpen my swords, show me some magic. _Oh, _and do you still remember how to make those lemon cakes mother used to make? I miss those and-."

"Let's not go that far now."

"You tried to kill me four times."

"You tried to kill me each of them too. I practically was telling you who I was. Who else would have known the things I was telling you?"

"You could have just told me you know. It would have solved things a lot sooner."

"Yes… but you remember what mother and father used to say?" Bella said, a small smile coming to her lips as she twirled _Coram _in her hands. "I always did have a flare for dramatics."

"You should be a mummer," Dominik said, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Maybe, if we don't die."

"We won't," He said, looking back over his shoulder at her. "_All _of us are making it out of this."

"I hope so… I guess I owe Ciri an apology, don't I?" Bella said slowly.

He shook his head again. "It wasn't your fault Bell… neither of us blame you."

A smile came to her as she let out a breath. "We won't be talking much longer if we don't focus… let's kill these bastards…. I have a lot of pent-up frustration I need to let out."

He laughed and turned back to the riders again, leveling out his sword. "Oh, so do I, believe me…. It's good to have you back Bell."

"It's good to be back…" She said slowly, their magic combining overhead.

And finally, the riders and hounds dashed towards them.

He and Bella charged, just as the sound of two dragons began roaring overhead.

**A/N: Ladies and gentlemen this was a chapter I had been waiting to write since they very beginning of this story, since its inception I have waited so long to write this one particular chapter. The moment where Bella makes her choice and Dominik reminds her of who she really is, and finally they come together to fight gods it had been such a dream of mine to make it to this point. I never thought I would, I thought this story would bomb and I'd never make it, but now here I am, with one of the most satisfying chapters I've ever gotten to write. **

**Now, I originally planned to have the rest of Ciri vs Caranthir and Dominik and Bella fighting together in this chapter, but I thought it would simply drag on for too long. I wanted to end on the powerful moment we did, when we get the littlest taste of the kind of power Dominik and Bella could have together. **

**Now here is where I normally break down the chapter, but it was basically one long fight scene xD So, I will simply let everyone know, next chapter will have the rest of Ciri vs Caranthir, and the pre-lude to the final showdown with Eredin. We get a climactic showdown and we get the build up to the battle we've all been waiting for. But as everyone who's played witcher 3 knows, we won't end the final battle with just the fight against Eredin, we have another scheming Aen Elle to deal with. We're finally in the home stretch. FIVE more chapters to go in this epic tale, and I cannot wait to hopefully wrap this up satisfyingly for you all before we move into the sequels. **

**SO, as usual everyone please follow and favorite if you enjoyed, and be sure to follow my personal profile because soon I'll be posting NEW stories and sequels within this world, and I want to be sure you all who enjoy this story can see those as well! **

**Please, everybody stay safe during these dangerous times, and I hope you all enjoyed! Review if you have time, favorite and follow, and I'll see you all next time!**


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